tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336186302024-03-07T00:52:20.323-08:00The Godding BusinessAshley isn't here anymore...
This website has moved to www.ashleychappellbooks.com. See the Official Site button below :-)Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-58930235435910773482015-02-16T07:00:00.000-08:002015-02-16T07:00:00.296-08:00Red Rover, Red Rover, Send Elizabeth Over!Today I'm handing over the reigns to one of my favorite people in the whole wide world AND the interwebs - <a href="http://eseckman.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Author Elizabeth Seckman</a>! Elizabeth, for those who don't know her, is not only a champion of authors everywhere, but she manages to be a prolific writer as well as Super Mom and Super Wife. She is my hero! And her Coulter Men series is a seriously smart, snarky, and realistic romance series you have to read. I've never been one to pick up a romance series, but Elizabeth makes it fun for even those of us who still believe that boys have cooties!<br />
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So without further ado.... here's Elizabeth and her newest release - <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=elizabeth+seckman" target="_blank">Defying Reason</a></i>!<br />
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Thanks for having me over Ashley! It's so good to be here. I tried to think of something I could teach a smart gal like yourself, and decided I'd show you how to be a cheap and easy tease.<br />
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I know you're now married to an uber smart guy and don't really need to worry about easy, but there are plenty of people who do. </div>
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For my book launch, I wanted to have some teasers. Problem was, I didn't even know where to begin. </div>
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But with hard work and plenty of frustration, I made this:</div>
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I have to admit, this tech moron was pretty pleased with the results. And honestly, it was so easy!<br />
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1. I bought pictures at <a href="https://www.dollarphotoclub.com/?utm_source=ambassadors&campaignid=14305&utm_medium=affiliation&mbsy=9DRDL">Dollar Photo Club</a>. There are plenty of stock photo purchase sites, but I chose this one. I like easy and their rules were simple. A dollar a picture, with a minimum purchase of ten. </div>
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2. I then went to <a href="http://www.picmonkey.com/">PicMonkey</a>. They have plenty of free photo shop applications, like adding text and overlays, or you can get the full site for under $50 a year. (Great for fixing blemishes on family photos too...when I have time, my albums are getting an update!)</div>
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3. Download a picture on Pic Monkey and start tinkering. There are tutorials to watch, or you can do trial and error with all the cursing and hair pulling until you get it right. </div>
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4. Then save your masterpiece. </div>
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5. Share.</div>
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I even made one for you, Ashley! I know you're quite the <i>Star Wars </i>fan, so I gathered up a few of my favorite lines and put them together. It was so easy! I mean seriously? If I can do it...anyone can!</div>
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<span style="fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Blurb:</span></div>
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<span style="fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jo Leigh Harper comes from a long line of trouble-making, white trash stock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tanner Coulter comes from a longer line of wealth-creating, blue blood stock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jo graduated college top of her class, moving toward a future full of possibilities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tanner dropped out of college, trading a law degree for drinking games and one night stands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa"; font-size: 12.0pt; height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A family crisis throws the rich party boy and the poor genius girl together. The attraction is immediate, though neither one is a heart-in-the-sand-drawing believer in true love. But as the summer sun heats up along the shores of the Outer Banks, so does the connection between them. Maybe, just maybe, they can win at love by defying reason.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Elizabeth is a multi-published author of books for people who are believers in happily-ever- after, true love, and stories with a bit of fun and twists with their plots. The mother of four young men, she tackles laundry daily and is the keeper of the kitchen. She lives along the shores of the Ohio River in West Virginia, but dreams daily of the beach. </span><br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Elizabeth-Seckman-Author-361427683923220/manager/">Facebook</a>/ <a href="http://eseckman.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>/ <a href="http://www.elizabethseckman.com/">Website</a>/ <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=elizabeth+seckman">Buy Link</a></div>
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<br />Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-64108117804105668132015-02-13T07:39:00.002-08:002015-02-13T07:39:51.343-08:00Happy Friday the 13th!Just swinging by to wish everyone a happy Friday. This happens to be my lucky day! I had turned 16 and got my
driver’s permit on Friday the 13<sup>th</sup>, turned 21 on Friday the 13<sup>th</sup>,
and tonight I’m going to drink a beer and play Borderlands until my heart is
content. How are you spending yours?<br />
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Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com185tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-54954388921872017022015-01-31T08:16:00.000-08:002015-01-31T08:16:43.784-08:00Schrodinger's Egg<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6LplkPQvir0/VMz4UtvK1nI/AAAAAAAABTw/T-EJLk7eQ1Q/s1600/garlgoyle-egg-with-eyes-952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6LplkPQvir0/VMz4UtvK1nI/AAAAAAAABTw/T-EJLk7eQ1Q/s1600/garlgoyle-egg-with-eyes-952.jpg" height="172" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sculpted by M. Pena and sold by<br /> <a href="http://windstoneeditions.com/products/gargoyle-egg-eyes" target="_blank">Windstone Galleries</a></td></tr>
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Like most authors I know, I like to surround myself with odds and ends that inspire me when I write. And as I sat down to write this morning, I accidentally locked eyes with one of my favorite little pieces of inspiration. I purchased this <a href="http://windstoneeditions.com/products/gargoyle-egg-eyes" target="_blank">ever-hatching egg</a> from a vendor at the Alabama Phoenix Fest last year and it instantly earned a prized placement among the items already on my desk, ranging from dragonflies and signed Neil Gaiman novels to pirate ships and krakens.<br />
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When I found him, this little fella sat on a display shelf surrounded by gorgeous sculptures of dragons, cats, unicorns, and other mystical animals that were totally life-like. M. Pena, the artist, is a master of sculpture. But this simple egg, its inhabitant peeking out at me perpetually, called me more than any of the others.<br />
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Sure, the others were astounding gallery pieces and I probably could have written an entire book about one of those characters cast forever in stone. But this little guy.... he could be absolutely anything at anytime. He's the veritable Schrodinger's egg; until he hatches, he is a gargoyle, he is a dragon, he is a world-turtle, he is anything I can imagine him to be <i>forever</i>. Until he hatches, the possibilities are endless.<br />
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And that, my friends, is exactly what I love so much about sitting down to write the stories as they begin hatching in my mind. I always sit down with a clear picture of what I intend to transpire in this scene or that scene, yet it never fails that as my mind dictates one thing, my fingers begin typing another entirely. Some writers I know are Master and Commander of their stories; they can plot their course from beginning to end and seldom waver from the outline. I've never been one of those, even in writing short stories. I start with an idea, a mysterious egg, and begin writing just to see what hatches. It's the excitement in the discovery of what happens in the end that drags me back to my laptop whenever I can.<br />
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Though it seems that lately I haven't been back in this seat for that purpose often enough at all. This morning as I met his judgy orange eyes on beginning my day of writing, I'm pretty sure he said: "It's about time."<br />
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My pet egg, according to the <a href="http://windstoneeditions.com/products/gargoyle-egg-eyes" target="_blank">website</a>, is a gargoyle. But I won't believe it until he hatches. In the meantime, I think I'll call him Erwin.<br />
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<br />Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-88837639744748409402015-01-06T11:16:00.001-08:002015-01-06T12:17:31.535-08:00Stuffageddon: Going Tiny Means War on Stuff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There comes a time in every woman's life when she has to finally ask herself - "Do I <i>need</i> 24 coffee mugs? And what about this eggy-separatory-thingy?" Unless I'm opening a diner that specializes in coffee and hollandaise sauce, the answer is no. No, no, no, no, and no. </div>
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And that's just the beginning.<br />
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Our safari into the darkest reaches of our kitchen cabinets turned up mysterious unidentified kitchen utensils that might have been better suited for the Spanish Inquisition. ("That? Oh, that's our antique eyeball scoop. Just put it with the melon ballers.")<br />
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When we consolidated households almost three years ago, we both owned houses of comparable size that were filled with our own respective Stuff, and then had to cram all of that Stuff into one of those houses. We did donate a decent amount of Stuff at the time; things that neither of us had any need for and honestly couldn't even remember how they came into our possession. Things like a ceramic figurine of sandals that said 'Dominican Republic' (a place neither of us have been), or a broken pole saw that was beyond repair. </div>
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<b>Those were the easy ones. </b></div>
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Then came the items that fell into the "Perfectly Good Useful Stuff" category where we had duplicates. You can imagine... Two toasters, two water filters, two microwaves, two sets of mixing bowls, two oak beds, etc. The discussion around things like that always resolved into a decision that we should keep them "just in case" we needed them someday. We're taught that it's always good to have a back-up. Well, we had back-ups for our back-ups. It always made perfect sense at the time to keep all of it, because you never want to find yourself having to re-purchase an item that you'd foolishly parted with, of course. And if I managed to set my toaster on fire, I'd be awfully glad I still had that other $20 toaster up in our attic, right? Right.<br />
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So we justified all of the extra attic space we expanded into without a second thought. One day, completely without warning, my super handyman husband sent me a photo of a gaping hole he'd cut into our kitchen ceiling for a brand new attic space, opening up all kinds of storage options for our tiny over-flowing home. The sub-par Martha Stewart in me had a minor heart attack, but the burgeoning hoarder had eyes only on the ultimate storage prize: Do you have any idea how much <b><i>STUFF</i> </b>you can get into a stand-up attic space that size???</div>
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This philosophy has continued in our household for the past three years and we were close to reaching a critical mass of Stuff in every room of the house, from the Catio to the Robot Lab (What? You don't have a Robot Lab in your house?). </div>
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Our dream has always been to purchase a huge tract of land in the mountains and build our dream home in the middle of it with my hobbit hole writing office in some picturesque corner of the property. In fact, we started our 5 year plan to make it happen as soon as we got married and part of our accumulation of Stuff has been to furnish this someday home. We literally have a bed under our bed and another bed in our closet. Our master bedroom is so crammed with mis-matched furniture that my shin has a permanent goose egg on it from night time navigation. We've purchased two storage ottomans in the past few months and were on the brink of buying a new buffet for additional kitchen storage to house all of this Stuff that we thought we couldn't live without.</div>
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And then Steven called me at work one day with an idea that changed everything. The gist of his call was this: <b>If we scale back in the short term, our 5 year plan becomes a 2 year plan. </b>That means getting rid of everything we can so we can squeeze into a <a href="http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/" target="_blank">Tiny Home</a> for a few years.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhmfo0RfxGrX8nU1GeMpmku6kuSDoSKOinfMOCOGp8OAH6Dn6kkaBGe3KH41HsYOvSEZMWOcsF_uPsZL6CNGy99cIo_uOV-hldk0-82lj9777C_qU8S4zm10BCC3ZiaDpOaxzyWgmz61WlscQyOlFNi_ZgPX_koLhz5KgylVwpppEYka1hnOOVMvQ5DCsoBWmNWJ7h66MAu_9PV7bIF2UaM4LDl9NmpIId5dKvz6cYkuAlCctuagS1EN8Vb-KMgBeTC=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Tumbleweed Tiny House" border="0" src="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0150/9532/products/elm-photo-slide-003_e9a51ac4-7f09-457f-9982-44fca367b51d_grande.jpg?v=1393439450" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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We've been interested in the Tiny House movement for some time, but we've never had a motivation to seriously consider it as anything other than a vacation cabin. The utility and flexible design makes these tiny houses on wheels, usually well under 200 sq ft, perfect for a weekend getaway. But a long-term residence? Nah. We've got too much Stuff. </div>
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But when getting rid of things that we may never use and don't really need suddenly means getting onto our dream property 3 years sooner (for us, it's always been more about the land than about the house), then show me the way to the dumpster! So now we've already taken one truck-load to be donated and our living room floor is piled with boxes full of other things we don't need now, never did before, and probably never will. And every single box we fill becomes another blazing symbol of our freedom from this tyranny of Stuff that we'd never recognized before. It's even becoming addicting to throw things out; I find myself looking at everything in the house with new eyes now. </div>
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It's an incredible feeling, honestly. I've always thought of myself as being practical by holding onto items of value that might one day be useful, even if one day never came. But I'm starting to believe that the road to Hoarder Hell is paved with Practical Ideas (though likely there are stacks in the corners).<br />
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Tonight, after I write for a while on <i>A God of Gods</i>, I'm going to walk into my closet and pry out some clothes wedged tightly in the back that probably haven't seen sunshine in 4 years (or 25 lbs), and toss them on top of the pile, too. And considering I'm going to follow all of that up with ice cream, I'm probably never going to have to worry about whether or not I'll have to eventually re-purchase a size 2 pair of jeans again.<br />
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Granted, it's going to take a much larger lifestyle change to adapt to a Tiny Home than just throwing away excess Stuff, but for us every box we donate is a celebration of this first step toward achieving our dream. We've gone from needing to buy more Stuff to contain our Stuff, to having empty cabinets and shelves that we never thought we'd see again. If we can do this in two weeks, what can we do in two years? What can YOU do in two years? </div>
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Consider it. The War on Stuff can be your first step to freedom, too.</div>
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I'm making #DistractionlessDecember a thing. Who's with me? I'm never good at sticking to New Year's resolutions and I think that's largely because I can't kick the subconscious stigma that they're made to be broken anyway. Everyone makes resolutions, but who actually thinks of them as firm life decisions? They're basically little glittery ideals flitting around with fairy wings that we look at and think "Oh yeah, I should totally do that" and stick them in a glass jar to show everyone how cool this little shiny thing we have is. Then they die after a few weeks of not being fed. (Don't judge me. Everyone had a butterfly or lightning bugs in a jar at some point. We're all murderers and we're all in this together. Right?)<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Screw that. I'm starting now.</span></b> <br /><br />For my Distractionless December, I'm swearing off all forms of TV with one cheat night allowed per week. I'm also not allowing myself to even log into my Steam account, let alone play any games. I won't spend an hour or so a day browsing 9gag or updating my Amazon.com wish list.<br /><br />Bottom line, if I'm not creating something, achieving a goal, or enriching myself somehow, I'm not allowing in my December. My goal is to balance my growing need for passive stimulation and get back to the place where I begin drawing my energy from being actively creative by the end of the month. <br /><br />No more excuses. <br /><br />No more distractions.<div>
<br /></div>
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#DistractionlessDecember</div>
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<br />
Okay, mostly bitchy.<br />
<br />
What follows might come across as a re-hashing of an old topic, but since it seems to keep rearing its fugly head I'm not going to apologize for making you read it yet again. This one just really got my hackles up.<br />
<br />
What happened? On our recent honeymoon (yes, I promise a post is coming about that soon, too), we were on a cruise with some of the most well-educated and interesting people that I've ever met. Keep in mind, we were the outliers in average cruiser age by about 35 years, but these people have done everything - taken over banks, vacationed in Antarctica, built working test farms in drought-ridden African settlements, the list goes on. And I could have listened to the stories of 90% of these brilliant people until the sun rose. But that other 10% - pardon me while I take a drink for courage - were entrenched academics in primarily liberal arts disciplines.<br />
<br />
Let me clarify here: The liberal arts are my lifeblood and where all of my passions go to snuggle up with a book, a surrealist painting, and a tangy wine and cheese pairing. But, in the darkest and narrowest parts of that arena, you can find the most immovable and pompous know-it-alls in the entire population of people with heads up asses.<br />
<br />
You guessed right. This is the embodiment of the 10% I'm talking about here. These were the people who, despite the gloriously diverse selection of wine bottles paraded by our dinner table every night, tut-tutted with disapproval over every sip. Somehow conversation at these tables was always eventually guided to the topic of literature, an arena in which our resident academics were practically frothing over with wisdom they were dying to share. Whether we wanted it or not. And, without fail, they drew their prim little lines in the sand and placed fantasy, SF, and all popular fiction on the opposite side from 'Real Literature.'<br />
<br />
The incident that got under my fur the most (and the one that left me lying awake in bed wishing I were more confrontational and not just a passive-aggressive blogger), was the dinner with the lady I will refer to as the I-can-quote-articles-I-read-on-Slate-Lady. Maybe I'll just call her Slate Lady for brevity.<br />
<br />
This time the topic came up before I could even wave my Author Flag (they have those, right?), and Slate Lady made it clear immediately that she only read 'Real Books.' This, it turns out, is a literary unicorn of non-fiction and obscure authors who devote their lives to developing dark symbolism that would be a wet dream for any classic Russian novelists. I couldn't help myself. I asked the question:<br />
<br />
Me: "What about Fantasy and Science Fiction?"<br />
Slate Lady: *Sniff* *Derisive laugh* "Um, just no."<br />
<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br />
That was mere moments before she launched into her tirade of shaming adults for reading YA that came almost verbatim from <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2014/06/against_ya_adults_should_be_embarrassed_to_read_children_s_books.2.html" target="_blank">this Slate article that ticked off readers and writers of all genres</a> this summer.<br />
<br />
And no, *sigh*, I didn't call her out. I didn't acknowledge the immediate surge of brilliant rebuttals including <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/act-four/wp/2014/06/06/no-you-do-not-have-to-be-ashamed-of-reading-young-adult-fiction/" target="_blank">this one from the Washington Post</a> and <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/06/living/ya-adult-readers-embarassed/" target="_blank">this one from CNN</a>. I did at least turn to another lady at the table (one of the sassiest and my favorite from the trip) and started talking loudly about how awesome it is that popular fantasy and even comic books are bringing a new generation of previously non-readers, especially among young boys. Remember that passive-aggressive thing I mentioned before? Damn it.<br />
<br />
Eventually, that same awesome lady (an angel, she is) next to me pointed out to Slate Lady that I was an author.<br />
<br />
Slate Lady: "Oh? And what do you write?"<br />
Me: "Young Adult Fantasy and Satire."<br />
Slate Lady: "Hmm."<br />
<br />
I didn't say a word. I'd love to say it was because I just didn't want to spend the rest of the cruise on a small ship with someone at whom I'd thrown my glass of wine, but I just plain suck at confrontation. With or without alcohol. Eventually I'd have just gotten emotional and flustered and ended with an eloquent "Up yours," so I decided to save my venting for you lucky readers on the blog.<br />
<br />
What I WISH I could have said to her is something along these lines:<br />
<br />
I write a series about a young girl who was abandoned by her parents and forced to discover who she was all on her own in a world that wasn't forgiving of her 'gifts.' It's about a child in what amounts to slavery who's never known a life outside of abuse and neglect, but who overcomes her pains and heartache by retreating into her imaginary world.<br />
<br />
It's about laughing at ourselves and the empty traditions we
value without knowing why and taking stock in our instincts before we
let our fickle brains over-rationalize us out of the right choice.<br />
<br />
It’s about
learning the hard way that maturity, at any age, is no match for experience.
And finally, it’s about remembering that the right thing to do is <i>still</i> the right thing to do when no one
is looking. It's a novel for <i>anyone</i> who’s struggled with how they
identify themselves and learned to define their own niche in a world that doesn't have a place for them.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
It just happens to be set in an alternate universe filled with magic, gods, and creatures. But yes, <i>it is a REAL book. </i><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
So this blog, I suppose, is as much about venting as it is a rallying cry for all of the writers and readers who've faced the accusation that fiction has nothing to offer because it "isn't real." Authors might seem magical to those who don't write, but we don't have wands that create mystical social, family, financial, or political situations that could never exist. It's pure insanity to think that our stories are anything other than a reflection of the world we live in, with the good and bad of personal experience all rolled into one literary package.<br />
<br />
And yes, Ms. Slate Lady, I used the word 'literary,' because whether you believe it or not, I write real books, too.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-66674761508774137852014-08-09T11:43:00.002-07:002014-08-09T12:05:56.561-07:00Excerpt from A God of GodsIt seems like every time I share a snippet of my current work on A God of Gods: Dreams of Chaos #3, it's a scene with Ali and Andi Bentley. But I just can't help it - I love these girls and, darn it, they just made me cry. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBZTsh_hSeKCMRmBonu6PXnGskx_pPuOKS8Tc7A9zDpLzGHHjUiG6LX4Nc8qLk0nnr2WAFad92e9shoc-Egg-euUDAACobvxQBi19LTveBCXCyr0D9WJgtfBxraEo6xTcL6syTA/s1600/Just+Dreams+of+Chaos+Spiral+Blk+background.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBZTsh_hSeKCMRmBonu6PXnGskx_pPuOKS8Tc7A9zDpLzGHHjUiG6LX4Nc8qLk0nnr2WAFad92e9shoc-Egg-euUDAACobvxQBi19LTveBCXCyr0D9WJgtfBxraEo6xTcL6syTA/s1600/Just+Dreams+of+Chaos+Spiral+Blk+background.JPG" height="200" width="178" /></a>“Really, Mona? This is what had you so upset?” Ali said,
stifling a yawn as she let the lace curtains fall back over the window. Her
little sister Andi was stargazing in the walled garden just beyond. “Nothing
bad can happen to her in Mom’s garden.”<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mona pursed her prim mouth even tighter, turning what little
color that still remained in her lips to white. “She’s been out there for
hours! I’ve told her repeatedly to come in before she catches her death out
there and she’s ignored me completely. It’s not proper for a young lady to be
out at night alone like this.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“She isn’t alone,” Ali said, turning back to the window with
a soft sigh. Andi looked pale and fragile in the moonlight, nothing like the
rambunctious twelve year-old that had just tried to scale the massive baro tree
that towered over the opposite end of the mayor’s mansion earlier that day. “I
told Andi after Mom died that part of her would always be here in the garden
she loved so much. Now she comes here anytime she really misses her. This has
been hard on her, you know. She would have died yesterday if Eric hadn’t saved
her, and even without that kind of terror, today was bound to be emotional for
her.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“Today? Oh, dear, your mother’s birthday. It must have
slipped my mind,” Mona said, wringing her hands under her lace cuffs. Ali knew
there had been no love lost between Mona and her mother so she was touched to
see such a deep regret in her eyes, even if it was swallowed by her unyielding
devotion to duty a moment later. “I am sorry for the both of you,” she
continued, “but she can’t stay out there all night. If she won’t come in I’ll
have to get your father.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ali tried to smile politely, but her patience with the
uptight governess was wearing thin. Mona actually had a heart of gold, but
sometimes it got lost beneath her tightly corseted sense of propriety. “It’s a
lovely night, Mona. Besides, my father has a city to run. Go on to bed and I’ll
take care of Andi. I promise I’ll get her to bed soon,” she added when Mona
opened her mouth as if to protest again. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When Mona was out of sight Ali snatched the quilt off the
settee by the door and slipped into the garden to where Andi sat perfectly
still, her knees tucked up to her chest and her dimpled face turned up toward
the sky. Fallen leaves crunched under her feet, but if Andi heard her approach
she didn’t show it. Not even when Ali draped the blanket around her shoulders.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Hey Spunkster. Playing statue again? Hey,” she said,
wrapping her arm around Andi when she didn’t even respond to the nickname she
normally hated. Ali sighed and fell into silence beside her. She’d spent the
day putting on a strong face for her father because she was certain he’d been
putting on a strong face just for her. With her father locked behind doors in a
late-night meeting and her little sister lost in her own memories, she was
finally able to let the mask slip away for the first time all day. It wasn’t
long at all before her cheeks were wet with tears. It felt so good to let them
fall.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“I miss her, too, kiddo,” Ali said eventually.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“What if they’re not that far away?” Andi said, her
gaze still locked on the sky.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“What?” Ali asked. “Who are you talking about?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“The stars. Master Earl said that the stars are all just
dreams that didn’t get to be real like us. But does that mean they’re dead? Why
would Chaos dream about dead things?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Ali inhaled sharply and made a mental note to have a
conversation with her sister’s school master. </div>
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“Well, sweetie, I don’t think
they were really ever alive – ”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“But if those dreams are dead,” Andi plowed on, “does that
mean Mom could be up there, too? And if we can see them, that has to mean they
aren’t that far away. I could see her again,” she said, her eyes, full of hope,
finally falling on Ali.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Aha, Ali thought. I should have seen that coming. She felt
like she was suddenly in way over her head. What could she possibly say that
wouldn’t break Andi’s heart even more? “Do you remember what Sister Patricia
told us after Mom died?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Andi nodded glumly. “That all dreams return to the Dreamer
eventually, and that one day we’ll be reunited with Mom in the final dream of
Chaos. But the Book of Haela says that Chaos never sleeps. How can he be the
Dreamer if he never sleeps?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Well, he’s just – he’s not like us. He wouldn’t need to
sleep, or eat, or anything like we do. Remember the Book also says that
everything you see is part of Chaos. You, me, this garden, even all of those
stars up there.”</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“Even all of those stars,” Andi echoed, looking back up to
the sky again. “Then I just have to figure out which one of them is Mom.”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ali’s heart wrenched at the determination in Andi’s voice,
bringing a fresh crop of tears to her own eyes. “I hope you do, kiddo. I really
hope you do.”<o:p></o:p></div>
Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-29510929355527758482014-07-30T16:30:00.000-07:002014-07-30T16:30:00.631-07:00Writerly Tools: From Post-its to Final Draft<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aUO2TnBIwq8/U9kqLBBBngI/AAAAAAAAAow/8zdKQisyauA/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aUO2TnBIwq8/U9kqLBBBngI/AAAAAAAAAow/8zdKQisyauA/s1600/Untitled.png" height="130" width="200" /></a>I love getting to talk to new authors and trying to help
them answer the same questions I had when I first started writing novels. One of
the big ones I get asked most often is about what software tools they should be using for
writing. Unfortunately, that question is every bit as subjective as asking how
to write the novel itself.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My brilliant and wonderful engineer husband would call me ‘artsy-fartsy’
for what I’m about to say, but it’s nonetheless true. Creating a novel is a
personal journey and no one process will be exactly like another. Some
writers need guided help developing characters before they even start
writing, while others develop on the fly with the bare-bones plot in the back of
their mind. Sometimes the problem is keeping the sub-plots in focus so the
novel doesn’t end with unfinished business. If there is a problematic area in
writing, you can bet there’s software out there to help remedy it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But which to choose? Like every other process in writing,
the answer to this requires loads of research into each program’s capabilities,
but be careful weeding through the advertisements and the sometimes paid-for
endorsements. There are endless recommendations of different writing software by
authors all over the web. You can’t even go to a writer’s forum without having
software ads flashing brightly across the banners these days. In terms of
pricing, there is free software with limited functionality such as Storybook or
you can spend as much as $250 on something like Final Draft. But here’s the
thing...<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<b><i>A tool is only as good as the person using it.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eGuTPp3m-0c/U9kdkHOD5KI/AAAAAAAAAoU/78yymI80Ni8/s1600/wrong-tools2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eGuTPp3m-0c/U9kdkHOD5KI/AAAAAAAAAoU/78yymI80Ni8/s1600/wrong-tools2.jpg" height="164" width="320" /></a>I don’t mean anything about writing skills when I say that. I’m
simply talking about dedication to the tool. Just like buying exercise
equipment doesn't get you in shape if you don’t use it, most writing software requires
you to be fully committed to really be effective. That means doing every bit of your plotting, writing, brainstorming, EVERYTHING in them. Most of them have libraries
where you can enter every imaginable detail about your characters, world,
sub-plots, etc. But if you don’t use them to the fullest you’ve wasted your
time and money. At worst, the wrong software (even though the description
sounded so great when you chose it) can even sabotage your work if it forces
you to adopt habits that are in conflict with your writing style.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That was the exact experience I had with writing software. I decided
before I started <i>God of Gods: Dreams of
Chaos #3 </i>that I needed to get myself better organized and convinced myself
that using software was somehow more professional (yes, I’ve been that naïve). The
software I tried had the element libraries that I thought would be great to
help me keep up with my 60+ characters and it used a tracking system in which
every scene was written individually and the characters, locations, and dates
were all recorded for the reports it would generate to show you the story flow
visually. Sounds amazing, right? I did great with populating the element libraries, but when I had to
start treating the scenes as individual elements I discovered it completely
wrecked my sense of flow. I was no longer able to feel the motion between
scenes and that led to a draft with no momentum and a feeling of disconnect
between each scene. I’ve actually started the novel over twice now and I’m
still struggling with getting the flow right. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow;">Unfortunately, there's no Sorting </span><br />
<span style="color: yellow;">Hat for writers!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Since then, I’ve talked to other writers who thrived when
writing scene-by-scene and a few others who came to a grinding halt with it
like I did. That’s part of what makes this choosing process so very subjective. I’m all
for software if it helps, but I think the idea that you <i>have</i> to use software to write a great book is as dangerous as
telling a writer they <i>have</i> to use an
outline when they write. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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If you’re having trouble managing your WIP, try software,
notebooks, Post-it notes, note cards, whiteboards, or tattoos even. Try
anything. Actually, try <i>everything</i>.
Creativity is all about being open to new ideas and resources and sometimes they
can come in unexpected forms.<br />
<br />
So I’m going to say it again, artsy-fartsy or
not, but creating a novel is <i>your</i>
personal journey and no one else’s process will be exactly like the one that
ultimately works for you. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once you’ve found that magical process, get out there and
make something amazing!<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-33081705719526842782014-07-16T17:00:00.000-07:002014-07-16T17:00:00.062-07:00Cover Reveal and Some Piratey Goodness!One thing I love doing on my poor malnourished blog is hosting the earliest stage of book birthing: the magical Cover Reveal. If you're an author, sharing your cover with the world is tantamount to releasing that first ultrasound to Facebook and waiting for everyone to share a virtual cigar with you amid the congratulations. If you're not a writer and you find yourself rolling your eyes at this idea, let me tell you right now...<br />
<br />
Yes. It's really that big.<br />
<br />
Books begin life, as have so many authors, as a mere twinkle in the eye and after conception most of them even have a longer gestation period filled with with all the highs and lows you'd expect when, well, expecting. But the best and primary difference between birthing a book and birthing a baby: authors are not only allowed to still knock back a beer or three, but most of those who know us highly encourage it just to tolerate being around us.<br />
<br />
That said, I'm even more excited to be a part of this cover reveal for author James Raney because this is the culmination of a series I've grown to love and admire. The Jim Morgan series is an incredible middle grade fantasy adventure that combines magic, pirates, and fantastic creatures with the power of friendship to overcome all odds. The first two books were pure magic, and I honestly can't wait to read the this final book!<br />
<br />
Now that I've yammered on, here is the moment you've all been waiting for.......<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
******************<i>Drum roll******************</i></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<i><b>Jim Morgan and the Door at the Edge of the World</b></i> is the climactic follow up to the <b>IndieFab Book of the Year Finalist</b>, <b><i>Jim Morgan and the Pirates of the Black Skull</i></b>, and the final chapter in the Jim Morgan series. Check out the first two books here, and look for <b><i>Door at the Edge of the World </i>in Fall 2014</b>.<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=jim+morgan+and+the+king+of+thieves&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ajim+morgan+and+the+king+of+thieves" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=<wbr></wbr>nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%<wbr></wbr>3Daps&field-keywords=jim+<wbr></wbr>morgan+and+the+king+of+<wbr></wbr>thieves&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ajim+<wbr></wbr>morgan+and+the+king+of+thieves</a></blockquote>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4QHup_RIg_U/U8W7XGoGBXI/AAAAAAAAAmg/caDH83qk6-o/s1600/Jim+Morgan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4QHup_RIg_U/U8W7XGoGBXI/AAAAAAAAAmg/caDH83qk6-o/s1600/Jim+Morgan.jpg" height="465" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta-da!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
How seriously awesome is this? Be sure to tell James what you think!Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-36196786694576036102014-06-07T14:06:00.000-07:002014-06-07T14:14:12.238-07:00Meet the Bentley Girls!After months of wedding planning and crafting to keep me away from writing, I finally have my first FULL weekend of nothing to do but immerse myself back into the world of Aevum. Getting back to work on God of Gods feels like finally scratching an itch I haven't been able to reach - a thoroughly pleasurable and satisfying relief.<br />
<br />
Of course, getting to focus on playful characters is a huge help in re-establishing my long-ignored writing groove. For those of you who've read Tilt (and for those of you who haven't, get on it!), Mayor Bentley had two daughters who were 16 and 11 then and were referenced several times in the story but were sent to Ostano with their mother to escape before you ever got to meet them. In God of Gods, the girls play a much more integral role and, I have to admit, have absolutely won my heart. I keep finding myself giving them new reasons to appear in a scene simply because they have a youthful energy that propels the story along and sometimes makes it move in directions I didn't originally intend. Ali and Andi Bentley have somehow wound me around their fingers every bit as much as they have their father and I honestly cannot wait to see where these girls lead me next.<br />
<br />
Want to meet them? Here's a quick snippet of a scene I'm working on now set during the festivities in Sarano celebrating one full year of recovery after the Tilt that nearly destroyed them:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
“Stop fidgeting, Spunkster,” Ali admonished Andi, leaning
over to whisper in her ear, “people will think you have fleas!”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Will not!” Andi whispered back, rolling her eyes
dramatically. She always pretended to hate it when her big sister called her by
her nickname. “And it’s not my fault. This stupid dress itches too much.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Mine does, too,” Ali conceded. Mona had definitely been a
little carefree with the tulle when she put these celebration gowns together
for the girls. Granted, in the King Jared II box, the most elite private box
named for the theater’s most historically renowned patron, their fidgeting was
probably more than concealed from any prying eyes. But with this being the first
formal event since before the Tilt – not to mention the first official event
without their mother – Ali thought it would be best if both Bentley girls were
the perfect models of office tonight. Especially if Ali was going to get away
with that little side project she’d bribed Mona to finish for her…</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“You know what, Spunkster? I’ll bet I can go way longer than
you can without scratching,” Ali whispered conspiratorially to Andi. “In fact,
I could probably go all the way through the show until we got home,” she added
with a shrug, as if nothing could possibly be easier.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Andi eyed her suspiciously. “You couldn’t,” she challenged.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Could. I’d even bet an entire tray of caramel fudge taffies
that I could. If, you know, you like that sort of thing.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Andi’s eyes lit up like two perfect green moons. “Those are
my <i>favorite!</i>”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Really?” Ali asked in mock surprise. “Well, if you can go
all night without scratching, it sounds like I’m going to have to make you a
tray as soon as we get home.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Before bedtime? Mona would have a fit,” Andi giggled.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Then it’ll have to be our secret,” Ali winked. </blockquote>
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Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-4133216611583298142014-02-12T05:56:00.000-08:002014-02-12T05:56:13.256-08:00Dust to Dust Cover Reveal!Everyone say hello to S.P. Cervantes! You may already know S.P. from her Secrets of Shadow Hill Series (Always and Forever, The Prophecy), but she's stopping by today to let me reveal the beautiful book cover for her latest book. Do yourself a favor and look for Dust to Dust this spring :-)<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28-lmfWFIPkhcdvT4F6aYTdmu6rz6326d49xeVXdNR0kzQHle_UbZrBdOUAH1mUQzFvHhNSMVtU2SQ8vio3rgNTT6EaT-3085EtYv8eafnYmjefCfDpgizFZbCB2gs5SlEcxR/s1600/DD+book+cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28-lmfWFIPkhcdvT4F6aYTdmu6rz6326d49xeVXdNR0kzQHle_UbZrBdOUAH1mUQzFvHhNSMVtU2SQ8vio3rgNTT6EaT-3085EtYv8eafnYmjefCfDpgizFZbCB2gs5SlEcxR/s1600/DD+book+cover.png" height="320" width="279" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lqYoosIAMr6iyKEVY43sM7JRlBVNwgAcPqWJjF1KPACQzk285eCmDvbQjIzhAP6chmCOAkTxtCfh0-y_seGAVbF6PmFCg2qWggs0RTSOPT6PyAxR2tbrTXPs45nPUQdHsyUn/s1600/DustToDust+updated+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lqYoosIAMr6iyKEVY43sM7JRlBVNwgAcPqWJjF1KPACQzk285eCmDvbQjIzhAP6chmCOAkTxtCfh0-y_seGAVbF6PmFCg2qWggs0RTSOPT6PyAxR2tbrTXPs45nPUQdHsyUn/s1600/DustToDust+updated+cover.jpg" height="459" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Title: Dust to Dust (A Broken Fairy Tale)<br />
Age group: Adult<br />
Genre: Contemporary Romance<br />
Cover designer: <a href="http://indie-spiredbookcovers.blogspot.com/">Kelly Walker</a><br />
<br />
<b>Synopsis:</b><br />
If faced with your worst fear, what would you do? Would you run or would you fight?<br />
<br />
Camryn Hamilton will fight.<br />
<br />
A thirty-something mother of two, Camryn appears to have it all: a husband, plenty of money, and children she adores. When she returns home to spend Christmas with her family, her perfect world she has created begins to crumble, thrusting her face to face with the only man who truly knows her.<br />
<br />
Holden Patrick will fight harder.<br />
<br />
A powerful, handsome attorney, Holden left town after his adoptive parents’ death. In his time away he almost managed to forget the girl who ran away with his heart. At least until a turn of fate brought him back to Mantoloking, and back to Camryn.<br />
<br />
But are they willing to fight for each other?<br />
<br />
Faced with a tragic past that they both wanted to forget, they struggle to protect their hearts from being broken again. Will their love be enough to get them through another tragedy, or will they close themselves off and run away again?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20740236-dust-to-dust"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOOmhMTXzb5ZIx820TMFY29rLHP6dLrMXeTr4DK5JgWEtrqu_Pip1trR8U4-jmWPXJEWWhAEFIh4qKjs5A1ANSfoV1Nlw5D6UvnHlgTXZse-pNZzjuGh1zhgiD72UjE3S2Dwl/s1600/add+to+goodreads+black.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>About the Author:</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<img border="0" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1354645270p5/6579291.jpg" width="133" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
S.P Cervantes lives in Orange County, California with <br />
her loving husband and three children, where she is a teacher. <br />
She enjoys spending time with her family, writing, and reading, but is always thinking of an idea for her next novel. <br />
<br />
S.P. Cervantes graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from California State University Fullerton, and has a Master’s Degree in Education.<br />
<br />
S.P. Cervantes recently has completed the second novel in the Secrets of Shadow Hill Series, Secrets of Shadow Hill: Prophecy, and is currently writing the third novel in this exciting series.<br />
<div>
<a href="http://www.spcervantes.com/">http://www.spcervantes.com</a></div>
Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-76657325719129968232014-02-07T06:06:00.000-08:002014-02-07T06:07:02.107-08:00Tales From My Pub Sister<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h0AAbwHNnVc/UvTmolCn5XI/AAAAAAAAAX8/Xv4-ugLsQRQ/s1600/Elizabeth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h0AAbwHNnVc/UvTmolCn5XI/AAAAAAAAAX8/Xv4-ugLsQRQ/s1600/Elizabeth.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Unstoppable Elizabeth!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Don't get too excited - this post doesn't come stocked with beer (unless you hang around for the after-party). Elizabeth Seckman is in fact the same charming lady and talented author who convinced me to go the dual publishing house route and submit a novel that didn't fit with my current publisher to World Castle. Thanks to her encouragement - and Elizabeth is one heck of a cheerleader - we now get to be publishing house sisters, along with the fantastic Celeste Holloway and so many other talented writers.<br />
<br />
And I would be totally remiss if I didn't mention she's kind of my hero, too :-) If successfully juggling writing, mothering, wifing (yes, I'm making those verbs), blogging, sports-momming, networking, providing writer support, and marketing were an Olympic event, Elizabeth would bring home the gold. So I was thrilled when she wanted to share her journey into publishing on my blog. Stick around to the end; there's also a giveaway chance for a hand-crafted pixie by PK Hrezo!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Elizabeth's Tale:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
I figured a stop by your blog was a good place to discuss why I went small pub, considering we are now publishing house sisters and all.<br />
<br />
Writing for me started as therapy. In 2005, my father-in-law was diagnosed with leukemia; my brother-in-law was diagnosed with chronic and possibly fatal pneumonia (he's special needs, profoundly mentally handicapped); my father was diagnosed with kidney cancer; and my brother was diagnosed with angiosarcoma. Oh, and my youngest baby went off to kindergarten.<br />
<br />
Life felt bleak. Like there was nothing to look forward to; everything in life was a loss.<br />
<br />
My sister's birthday approached, and I wanted to get her something special. After much thought, I sent an email to her favorite writer, Dixie Browning, and requested an autographed book. Dixie sent the book, accompanied by the kindest letter. When I gave my sister her gift, she cried happy tears.<br />
<br />
I sent Dixie a thank you card and mentioned I once wanted to be a writer. She sent a note back and asked why I would give up on a dream...just go write.<br />
<br />
I did. And it felt great. It was like therapy on a page. Dixie offered to read a few pages, so I took her up on it. She sent me back a letter that said something like this: Elizabeth, I have no doubt you can make it as a writer, but be warned. Writing is a big business. It's all about numbers and sales, and I warn you, it can kill the joy of it. I got so sick of hearing, add more sex, less humor. I quit and I will never write again.<br />
<br />
And she hasn't. No amount of prodding seems to be able to make her.<br />
<br />
Faced with this bit of wisdom, I decided to write for me. Plotting a story was a much more comforting way to fall asleep at night rather than wondering who might not be with us in 2002.<br />
<br />
I wrote one story. Then another. And another. I'd finish and stick them in a manilla envelope and toss them on a shelf. <br />
<br />
Then one day, my flash drive got corrupted. I took it to my dad. He recovered my story putting it on a CD labelled, "Liz's Trash Novel". When he gave it to me, he said, "This is good, why don't you publish it?"<br />
<br />
Because. Publishing can suck. Publishing takes a dream and beats the hell out of you with it.<br />
<br />
Ten years later, I was perusing the net and I happened across Karen Fuller, my publisher's bio. In it she said she liked beer and NASCAR. I felt like I knew her. I mean, being from West Virginia I'm used to people who like beer and NASCAR. The way I figured it, Ms. Fuller must be good people.<br />
<br />
So, I sent a query and a full and forgot all about it. <br />
<br />
Then one morning I got an email..."Loved your story. I'd like to offer you a contract. Call me." <br />
<br />
I did call and I loved Karen from the get-go. She is honest, sincere, patient, and hard working. World Castle Publishing is her life's dream and she treats her writers more like co-workers than employees. I like it there.<br />
<br />
People ask me if I am querying an agent or going after bigger contracts.<br />
<br />
Answer is...no decision in my life was ever based on money or power. I will never sacrifice peace of mind or the joys of my life to add more dollar signs to my account or prestige to my name.<br />
<br />
Cause you know what they say...in the end...you can't take that with you.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZ9yaAp1LkMb-aUXC0kSkK3d3Mh7Jj5vQGgaKFSX-a6fiXl5dX7kClvtbIL3T4iDusKHLdxXbUx6l98IECQCATXMnmGpgkIC_e7_oay02cWPylafpxINejdWZe-AzCawo8CDR/s1600/Final+Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZ9yaAp1LkMb-aUXC0kSkK3d3Mh7Jj5vQGgaKFSX-a6fiXl5dX7kClvtbIL3T4iDusKHLdxXbUx6l98IECQCATXMnmGpgkIC_e7_oay02cWPylafpxINejdWZe-AzCawo8CDR/s1600/Final+Front.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a><i>Fate Intended</i> is the
third book in the Coulter Men Series. Trip is the last of the Coulter
sons to find love. He’s a handsome man with all the skills a young spy
needs to succeed. But when it comes to love, he misses the target. Jane
is a sweet beauty who may or may not be wanted for murder. She’s hiding
out as a cleaning lady when chance brings her and Trip together. It
looks like a happily ever after is in the cross hairs until reality
tries to destroy what fate has intended.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JA1wYPA1hoMJXp-vFJpyZoqHN2Cqr0P5nTK1hgoAtskdAoy_9c9vGnGC1TZ0IRkNDyPIM89viqovvbhG9JjiL4hz_mcI9I58Y-IqzjZ0u6vAZrL-lcfbqoii5t6idRDaluP5/s1600/3H3W1881.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JA1wYPA1hoMJXp-vFJpyZoqHN2Cqr0P5nTK1hgoAtskdAoy_9c9vGnGC1TZ0IRkNDyPIM89viqovvbhG9JjiL4hz_mcI9I58Y-IqzjZ0u6vAZrL-lcfbqoii5t6idRDaluP5/s200/3H3W1881.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
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Elizabeth Seckman is a simple chick with a simple dream…to write stories people want to read.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #626060; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><a href="http://eseckman.blogspot.com/">Blog</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #626060; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elizabeth-Seckman-Author/361427683923220">Facebook</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #626060; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Seckman/e/B008VTLXSA/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1">Amazon Page</a></span><br />
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/2f1fed10/" id="rc-2f1fed10" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-79240040487165141372014-01-17T06:55:00.002-08:002014-01-17T06:59:07.331-08:00How the Brits Bag Literary Agents.... Really!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H6fycJp-j3s/UtlAfFiBEFI/AAAAAAAAAXU/d8ACyF69d-s/s1600/Alex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H6fycJp-j3s/UtlAfFiBEFI/AAAAAAAAAXU/d8ACyF69d-s/s1600/Alex.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think the wires keep her head on.</td></tr>
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My guest today is the lovely <a href="http://www.thegeekmemoirs.com/" target="_blank">Alex Tanner</a> from all the way across the pond! Alex writes gritty psychological fiction including the recent post-apocalyptic <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00H0WOGO2" target="_blank">PARADISE INCOMING</a>, the dark short <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00FU99S04" target="_blank">COFFEE</a>, and the upcoming <a href="http://www.thegeekmemoirs.com/tequila-bartender-new-novella/" target="_blank">TEQUILA BARTENDER</a>. She also happens to be one of my favorite smartasses in this upper hemisphere and she's sharing her best 'tips' on how to sell your book to an agent/publisher.<br />
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I'd really like to emphasize again that Alex hails from the UK. Why? Because I'm also daring all of my American readers to try NOT reading this in a bad English accent now :-)<br />
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Cheerio!!<br />
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<b><span style="color: lime;">The Snarknado Guide to Query Letters</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you’ve written a million letters to agents or publishers, but keep getting ignored or rejected, worry not. The time of your success starts now. Read this guide and if you don’t get published within a week I will eat a selfie of Justin Beiber.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It’s very important that you write your letter on My Little Pony paper in gold glitter pen. Because nobody embodies ‘self respect’ like a Brony. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Start your letter with ‘hey bro’, because agents and publishers love to be called bro. If you want to sweeten the pot further, sketch two hands doing a little fist bump in the corner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If you don’t have a book yet, just use someone else’s. Preferably choose a dead author’s work, like Shakespeare, he can’t sue. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">4.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Don’t bother laying out the whole story. They’ll figure it out when they read it anyway. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">5.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Spell everything wrong. I mean it. Are you in America? Use British spelling, they’ll love it! Better yet, switch your font to Chinese. They’ll love trying to translate it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">6.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If you’re hot be sure to attach a bathroom selfie where you ‘accidentally’ forgot that pants existed. If you’re hairy chested, shave ‘publish me!’ into your chest. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">7.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Throw random punctuation at that letter like you’d throw confetti at a bride. It! Will, get; you-noticed? Trust me IMMA RITER. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">8.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Attach a letter from your mom encouraging the publishers to go ahead with your proposal. If she thinks you’re awesome then you must be awesome, right? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">9.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Once you’ve sent your letter, send an hourly email to find out how you did. Make sure you phone right after too, just in case. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">10.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If you get rejected, send the publisher continuous Vines of you sobbing into a bowl of potato chips until they change their mind.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Okay perhaps not. Think of this as a ‘what not to do in the name of all that is holy’. If you see someone about to follow this guide, sit them in a corner and feed them chocolate until they slip into a coma.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It’s for their own good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But hopefully, if you’ve been slaving away writing letters and proposals with no luck, this at least made you smile!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">You can buy my debut novel Paradise Incoming at Amazon, or from my blog over at <a href="http://www.thegeekmemoirs.com/">www.thegeekmemoirs.com</a></span><br />
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<br />Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-58754555236320413542014-01-14T06:59:00.000-08:002014-01-14T06:59:09.194-08:00Cover Reveal for Carrie Butler's HONESTY!<div style="text-align: center;">
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One of the things I love best about author Carrie Butler is that just when she's got me hooked into waiting for my next Wallace fix, she gives me a little gift of his equally smokin' twin brother. Check out this halfsie release coming out in March!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Honesty (Mark of Nexus #2.5)</span></b></span> </h2>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><b> </b></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><b>Category:</b></span> <span style="color: black;">New Adult</span><b><span style="color: #783f04;"> </span></b></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="color: #45818e;">Genre:</span> </b><span style="color: black;">Urban Fantasy</span></span></span>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="freeText7114030234565422452"><b>Book Description:</b></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="freeText7114030234565422452"><b> </b></span></span></span></div>
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Note: This title is best enjoyed after Strength (Mark of Nexus #1) and Courage (Mark of Nexus #2).
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Cole Blake is more than just a roguish ladies’ man. He’s also a dedicated worker—so dedicated, in fact, that he’s willing to blackmail his boss with a falsified sex tape in order to keep his job. And his proactive efforts don’t end there. After hours, he uses his Dynari abilities to moonlight as a vigilante, keeping his neighborhood safe from drunks, dealers, and would-be thieves.
Until a mistake stops him dead in his super-accelerated tracks.
Now burdened with the closest thing he’s ever had to a conscience, Cole struggles to justify his once-reckless actions. It’d be all too easy to give in to his darker impulses, especially with ERA making dangerous advances toward their goal of revolution, but embracing that hatred could jeopardize the few relationships he actually cares about—including his pursuit of the saintly Rachel Ranford. No, in order to keep everyone safe, he’ll have to come clean about his warring compulsions and ask for help... before his dark side takes over.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #45818e;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Click <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/195725497/HONESTY-Mark-of-Nexus-2-5-Excerpt-by-Carrie-Butler" target="_blank">here</a> to read the first (unedited) chapter of HONESTY!</b></span></span></div>
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<b>COMING MARCH of 2014 </b>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Want to learn more about HONESTY? Check out its <a href="http://www.carrieabutler.com/honesty-book-25.html" style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #6dc6dd; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank" title="">book page</a>!</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20439560-honesty" style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #6dc6dd; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank"><img align="none" border="0" height="41" src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tm8WS2mRBQ4/UQa65gJ942I/AAAAAAAACME/N9eEgGSUaY4/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus.png" style="border: 0px none; height: 41px; outline: medium none; text-decoration: none; width: 130px;" width="130" /></a></div>
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WHERE TO FIND CARRIE:</div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://www.carrieabutler.com/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">WEBSITE</span></a><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">: <a href="http://www.carrieabutler.com/">www.carrieabutler.com</a> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://soyoureawriter.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">BLOG</span></a>: <a href="http://www.soyoureawriter.blogspot.com/">www.soyoureawriter.blogspot.com</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://www.naalley.com/"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">NA ALLEY</span></a>: <a href="http://www.naalley.com/">www.naalley.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-81388457262456357472013-12-13T05:00:00.000-08:002017-08-02T07:46:45.497-07:00MG Review: 'Jim Morgan and the Pirates of the Black Skull'<span style="font-family: inherit;">As it is late while I start to write this review, let me preface this post with an apology and also with gratitude. My mind rises and sets with the sun, so this late post has been saved by my trusty online editor: I use Grammarly's plagiarism online checker because I am nowhere near as bright after dark as I'd like to think I am. </span><br />
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But this post isn't about me. It's about a book you should be reading, and then telling your friends that they should be reading, because that's what true book lovers do.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gP6CMYFXUTc/UqpzErhYgWI/AAAAAAAAAWk/njm6nNxmSnI/s1600/51kKKpQiHDL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA278_PIkin4,BottomRight,-61,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gP6CMYFXUTc/UqpzErhYgWI/AAAAAAAAAWk/njm6nNxmSnI/s1600/51kKKpQiHDL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA278_PIkin4,BottomRight,-61,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a>If you, like me, are tempted every time you see a world map to take a Sharpie and scrawl "Here be Dragons" over the ocean expanses, then author James Raney has a series for you. I just finished <i><a href="http://amzn.com/B00H0H34KY" target="_blank">Jim Morgan and the Pirates of the Black Skull</a></i> which is a sequel to <i><a href="http://amzn.com/B009NIEWQI" target="_blank">Jim Morgan and the King of Thieves</a>, </i>and this is one book that I'll happily re-read simply for joy in the masterful prose with which is was written. The narrative voice is reminiscent of 19th Century London (which the author manages to make work very well even in a book for younger readers), and the main characters can be little darlings and little wankers all upon the same page which makes for a fantastic and fun read. Even at their most mischievous Jim and his friends are characters to whom any child can relate and hopefully learn to emulate.<br />
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Their adventures lead them against pirates and magic (in which a young reader learns that taking shortcuts always comes with a heavy price), and at the heart of all of their deeds is the lesson that friendship, family, and integrity always trump material gain. Even better, in addition to that mix is a brilliant and colorful cast of supporting characters ranging from enchanted talking animals to dragons and mermen.<br />
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Simply put, this book is a must read whether you are 8 or 88.<br />
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If you now find yourself wondering now who exactly are the <a href="http://amzn.com/B00H0H34KY" target="_blank">Pirates of the Black Skull</a>, you may prefer to first start by acquainting yourself with the <a href="http://amzn.com/B009NIEWQI" target="_blank">King of Thieves</a>. This diabolical criminal was the first monster young Jim Morgan was forced to face, after all.<br />
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To connect with the author, find James Raney on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JamesMatlackRaney" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/JMRaneyWriter" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.<br />
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<br />Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-20028411208737470582013-11-15T04:00:00.000-08:002013-11-15T04:00:00.105-08:00HOT OFF THE PRESS! "Moonless" by Crystal Collier<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Football season, schmootball season! Don't people realize that fall is also book release season? I'm thrilled to pieces to get to host another one of this season's awesome new books on the blog today. What do you get when you cross Supernatural with Jane Eyre? You get the killer paranormal historical romance "Moonless" by fellow author (and fellow cheese fiend!) Crystal Collier. Crystal was kind enough to share the top ten fantasy novels that most influenced her writing, so be sure to check them out at the end! I think I found a few new titles to add to my reading list ;-)</div>
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This book only released this week and critics are pouring love for this story already, calling it "...powerful, compelling, packed with soul," and that it "...transports us to a time of elegance and mixes in supernatural splendor that gives goosebumps." Are you hooked yet? </div>
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<b>From the book cover:</b></div>
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<i>Alexia’s nightmares become reality: a dead baron, red-eyed wraiths, and forbidden love with a man hunted by these creatures. After an attack close to home, Alexia realizes she cannot keep one foot in her old life and one in this new world. To protect her family she must either be sold into a loveless marriage, or escape with her beloved and risk becoming one of the Soulless.</i><br />
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So what are you waiting for? It might be cold outside, but this is just the thing to warm you back up so go <a href="http://www.crystal-collier.com/buy/index.php?ab=BlogTour" target="_blank">grab yourself a copy</a>, turn down the football, and treat yourself to a romantic fantasy unlike any you've ever read!</div>
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<b><span style="color: cyan;">Top Ten Fantasy Books that Have Influenced Crystal's Writing</span></b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRTbrBRfGTPG0J6keWHSoShjnN9MMmD0qqrPJ329AliJ_5B7z1a2j1kgjQmN0N69PmLrGmxc1T5pnQaaalK4rK4-deLCZQfd9DDxfxUnSrPxhcxmdQOy52ruINFI1uRTClX4hD/s1600/Paranormalcy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRTbrBRfGTPG0J6keWHSoShjnN9MMmD0qqrPJ329AliJ_5B7z1a2j1kgjQmN0N69PmLrGmxc1T5pnQaaalK4rK4-deLCZQfd9DDxfxUnSrPxhcxmdQOy52ruINFI1uRTClX4hD/s200/Paranormalcy.JPG" width="136" /></a></div>
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10. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White: It's rare I read a book with so much personality packed into its pages. I aspire to write a book with this much spunk.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz116JCtaGiseEWURvlb6oB4TUAHbY3wlLwOkbpPz0lgkjKgIM_rgyE-sJz31e0YGrT80rUArcSgyelMUFkmvYGrWMADxXjbL4TZicJk1pMagsIhTXoVXhWUJkEyN6_ImPx20P/s1600/tigers-voyage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz116JCtaGiseEWURvlb6oB4TUAHbY3wlLwOkbpPz0lgkjKgIM_rgyE-sJz31e0YGrT80rUArcSgyelMUFkmvYGrWMADxXjbL4TZicJk1pMagsIhTXoVXhWUJkEyN6_ImPx20P/s200/tigers-voyage.jpg" width="137" /></a></div>
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9. Tiger's Voyage by Colleen Houck: Foreign backdrops, a new culture, even some historical content, I LOVED this book. Colleen tutored me in character relationships.<br />
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8. The Magicians Nephew by C.S. Lewis: This book set my mind on fire with cross-world travel an the importance of world building--especially in the real world.<br />
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7. The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare: If you want to know how to get 'er done as far as plot goes, you can't have a better pattern. Action takes a front seat. And the dialog? Whew!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaMbDnBm9Xy3FJ2Lu0Xv2eCmBknryG9BPNOW_zLBYlw_Am8hjsvKx1OYis7RwSMIoH9SXFt9-Jb7DbDi7ou3NVtnFeajaAzoBMFSDIXNcqjFJ7_PTUaU3BYCYlYTDdYczGZ0E/s1600/A+swiftly+tilting+planet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaMbDnBm9Xy3FJ2Lu0Xv2eCmBknryG9BPNOW_zLBYlw_Am8hjsvKx1OYis7RwSMIoH9SXFt9-Jb7DbDi7ou3NVtnFeajaAzoBMFSDIXNcqjFJ7_PTUaU3BYCYlYTDdYczGZ0E/s200/A+swiftly+tilting+planet.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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6. A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'Engle: Again cross-world travel, but the importance of familial relationships really shines through.<br />
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5. Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede: A whole education on taking classic fairytales and molding your own world out of it. I still marvel about the mechanics of the Enchanted Forest.<br />
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4. Unenchanted by Chanda Hahn: A clever meshing of the Grimms tales and the real world, I adored how Chanda built relationships.<br />
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3. My Friend the Monster by Clyde Robert Bulla: The first story I ever read where a monster could be a good guy, this story left a lasting impression.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEssns3dV9MOVyzvA7y4WH7ol87w_sk3a8QlmMZYBLmBgOZbPx8HA-4CrVpxEp6xm_4nX-mrEOMUCQhW1LBsNkUPuKtBcAyxP7LhH4i51MIbxgcJh8zzqNnLypQrt9ZRNK-bHf/s1600/Another+Fine+Myth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEssns3dV9MOVyzvA7y4WH7ol87w_sk3a8QlmMZYBLmBgOZbPx8HA-4CrVpxEp6xm_4nX-mrEOMUCQhW1LBsNkUPuKtBcAyxP7LhH4i51MIbxgcJh8zzqNnLypQrt9ZRNK-bHf/s200/Another+Fine+Myth.jpg" width="121" /></a></div>
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2. Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin: Comedy meets fantasy. This series was my own brand of cheese merged with my first reading love.<br />
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1. The Windrose Chronicles by Barbara Hambly: Merge fantasy, technology and complex world building with an anti-hero, and you've got magic. This was the first time I saw THE bad guy (no questions asked) suddenly become the hero. Seriously, such a powerful transition that it's the only entire series I've read twice.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_rhBEo92WhX0CSettrwCwwamt_JGS6eDmxRaCiS6S3oPd9OTtkVJ8s6a1uvnq4oBVHeYX1kZ0eGjAhhMuCswoFsvZZhHomgFnVeh33FD2jHsJ1Hz9okkwMDh4dHF_dKHNelRn/s1600/Croppedsmaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_rhBEo92WhX0CSettrwCwwamt_JGS6eDmxRaCiS6S3oPd9OTtkVJ8s6a1uvnq4oBVHeYX1kZ0eGjAhhMuCswoFsvZZhHomgFnVeh33FD2jHsJ1Hz9okkwMDh4dHF_dKHNelRn/s200/Croppedsmaller.jpg" width="145" /></a><a href="http://www.crystal-collier.com/buy/index.php?ab=BlogTour" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapqawulL1ZIr7vqeVh0M8beYm2rvVccSUnZZ_RnnPjISLZwmSqLwHOSSL7Rs-v3fphA5SifBqZeyC4NqOA0By1UuCOjtofOFVTR2eox-x5pXe9debUN0ULrGrJxI-7hhy6QTo/s200/MOONLESS+cover.jpg" width="125" /></a>Crystal Collier, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">author of MOONLESS, is a former composer/writer for Black Diamond Productions. She can be found practicing her brother-induced ninja skills while teaching children or madly typing about fantastic and impossible creatures. She has lived from coast to coast and now calls Florida home with her creative husband, three littles, and “friend” (a.k.a. the zombie locked in her closet). Secretly, she dreams of world domination and a bottomless supply of cheese. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">You can find her on her <a href="http://crystalcollier.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blog</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CrystalCollierAuthor" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, or follow her on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/crystalcollier1" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;">Buy MOONLESS </span><a href="http://www.crystal-collier.com/buy/index.php?ab=BlogTour" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;" target="_blank">HERE</a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"> or add it on </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17876692-moonless" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;">.</span></div>
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Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-72290131017539017262013-11-05T04:00:00.000-08:002013-11-05T04:00:02.197-08:00COVER REVEAL: Dragonfly Warrior by Author Jay Noel<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I always love getting to participate in cover reveals for new books, but this is one that I'm particularly excited about. First of all, I'm immediately won over by the title because I'm kinda-sorta-totally obsessed with all things dragonfly (even if only vaguely related!). But even without the incredibly awesome title, this one is an eclectic and entirely unique steampunk novel that I've been waiting to read from the moment I read the description. Unfortunately, I still have to wait two months from tomorrow until this little beauty comes out! At least in the meantime I can ogle the BEAUTIFUL original artwork :-)<br /></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Check out the book information below and don't forget to leave a comment to tell Jay what you think!</span></span></h4>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Dragonfly Warrior Blurb:</span></b><br /><br /><i>The Mechanica Wars: Savage Machines Are Afoot...<br /><br />At the age of sixteen, Kanze Zenjiro's bloody footprints mark the bodies of those who stood in his way to protect the throne of Nihon. Now, the tyrannical Iberian Empire is bent on destroying his kingdom, and they send their steam-powered giants and iron spiders against him.<br /><br />Zen embarks on a quest that takes him on the most dangerous journey of his life. To succeed, Zen must live up to his nickname, the Dragonfly Warrior, and kill all his enemies with only a sword and a pair of six-guns. He is called upon to somehow survive a test of faith and loyalty in a world so cruel and merciless, it borders on madness.</i><br /><br /><br />Dragonfly Warrior is a steampunk adventure like no other. It's a dynamic mix of Asian and European mythology, the Wild West, martial arts, traditional fantasy, and high powered steam action that will keep you turning the pages.<br /><br />Dragonfly Warrior is the first book of The Mechanica Wars, and will debut on January 6, 2014.<br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Author Bio:</span></b><br /><br />After doing some freelance writing and editing for more than a dozen years, Jay decided to stop procrastinating and pursue his dream of being a novelist. He's been blogging for over eight years, and even had a comedy podcast syndicated all over the internet. All of that was fun, but all the steampunk-inspired stories in his head just wouldn't leave him alone. Jay spends his days working in medical sales, but he can be found toiling over his laptop late at night when all is quiet.<br /><br />He draws inspiration from all over: H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Shakespeare, Ray Bradbury, Douglas Adams, and Isaac Asimov.<br /><br />And Jay loves cookies.<div>
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<b>Connect with Jay!</b></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/jaynoelauthor" target="_blank">Facebook</a></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/jnoelwriter" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.jaynoel.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> </div>
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Thanks for visiting, Jay!</div>
Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-69732407701511236042013-10-17T06:30:00.000-07:002013-10-17T06:30:04.398-07:00HOT Book Review - 'Strength' by Carrie ButlerThe best part about offering to do book reviews is that sometimes you find one that knocks your socks off.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HS-LPdsDS2c/Ulcg2taAx0I/AAAAAAAAAUc/y1abtDJdASM/s1600/MarkofNexus-CarrieButler-TourBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HS-LPdsDS2c/Ulcg2taAx0I/AAAAAAAAAUc/y1abtDJdASM/s640/MarkofNexus-CarrieButler-TourBanner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Welcome to my stop for the <a href="http://www.grapevinebooktours.com/2013/07/tour-signup-courage-by-carrie-butler.html" target="_blank"><i>Courage</i> blog tour</a>, organized by <a href="http://www.grapevinebooktours.com/" target="_blank">Grapevine Book Tours</a>.</b></div>
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Well, Carrie Butler's first book in her New Adult Paranormal Romance series did way more than that to me. <i>Strength</i> steamed, smoked, and melted my socks off! This series is shaping up to be an exciting ride that I can best describe as Mortal Instruments (though Butler's writing is FAR better than Clare's) as Michael Crichton might have written it: It's smart, it's full of twists, and the bad guys aren't always the ones you expect.<br />
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Her supporting characters are thoroughly entertaining and full of individual quirks. Butler certainly didn't skimp on developing them - I feel like I could have a conversation with any one of them! But her main characters, Rena and Wallace, I enjoyed for more reasons than I can count. For one thing, Wallace is a gentleman of the variety that has been so sorely missed in recent bestselling romance novels. In a genre that has been overtaken by self-obsessed jackasses who can barely make room in the mirror for their love interests and boy-crazy insecure damsels who spend most of the book worrying whether they behaved well for their ego-maniacs, this book represents a wonderful return to characters with integrity and inner strength (not to make a pun!). Rena is relatable and even admirable as she keeps a cool head on her shoulders and always seems to think of others first, no matter what difficult task lies ahead. This is one girl who doesn't know the meaning of 'Woe is me' and I absolutely dig that about her.<br />
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And let me go ahead and put this out there... I'm definitely crushing on Wallace. When you read the book you will, too, whether you admit it or not.<br />
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I don't want to give any spoilers so I'll stop there, but check out the awesomeness for yourself and get ready for the second book in the Mark of Nexus series coming at you this month! <i><a href="http://www.carrieabutler.com/courage-book-2.html" target="_blank">Courage</a> </i>releases on 10/15 and I personally can't wait to my next Wallace fix :-)<br />
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<u><b><span style="color: yellow; font-size: large;">THE DETAILS</span></b></u><br />
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When college student Rena Collins finds herself nose-to-chest with the campus outcast, her rumor-laced notions are shattered. Handsome, considerate, and seemingly sane, Wallace Blake doesn’t look like he spends his nights alone, screaming and banging on the walls of his dorm room. Hell, he doesn’t look like he spends his nights alone, period.<br />
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Too curious for her own good, Rena vows to uncover the truth behind Wallace’s madman reputation--and how two seconds of contact had left her with bruises. Of course, there are a few setbacks along the way: guilt, admiration, feelings of the warm and fuzzy variety…<br />
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Not to mention the unwanted attention of Wallace's powerful, supernaturally-gifted family.<br />
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They’re a bloodline divided by opposing ideals, two soon-to-be warring factions that live in secret among us. When Rena ends up caught in their crossfire, Wallace has no choice but to save her by using his powers. Now they’re really in trouble. With war on the horizon and Rena’s life in the balance, he needs to put some distance between them. But Rena won’t let go. If fighting is what it takes to prove her own strength and keep Wallace in her life, then that’s what she’ll do--even if it means risking a whole lot more than her heart.<br />
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<b><u>AVAILABLE FROM:</u></b><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1938404351/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img onmouseout="this.src='http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/ff497/Vistress/Grapevine/Amazon-3_zps1025146d.png'" onmouseover="this.src='http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/ff497/Vistress/Grapevine/Amazon-4_zps2631607a.png'" src="http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/ff497/Vistress/Grapevine/Amazon-3_zps1025146d.png" width="150" /></a><br />
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<b><u><span style="color: yellow; font-size: large;">ABOUT CARRIE</span></u></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vt4-xhA3Px0/UlcsCE8MS6I/AAAAAAAAAUs/lWUGc_hMgfM/s1600/Carrie+Butler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vt4-xhA3Px0/UlcsCE8MS6I/AAAAAAAAAUs/lWUGc_hMgfM/s1600/Carrie+Butler.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Inimitable Carrie Butler!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Carrie Butler daydreamed her
way through college—until they thrust a marketing degree into her hands,
slapped a <i>summa cum laude</i> seal on the
corner, and booted her out into a less-than-stellar job market. Instead of
panicking at the prospect of unemployment, she used her Midwestern logic to
steer into the skid and point her life in the direction she really wanted to
go: writing out those daydreams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Her passion for New Adult
fiction led her to co-found </span><a href="http://www.naalley.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 14.0pt;">NA Alley</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">—a widely recognized informational hub for the
category. She is the author of <i>STRENGTH</i>
(Mark of Nexus #1) and <i>COURAGE</i> (Mark
of Nexus #2).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.carrieabutler.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="http://soyoureawriter.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/carrieabutler" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/CarrieAButler" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://plus.google.com/108376009959639674819/posts" target="_blank">Google+</a> | <a href="http://pinterest.com/writer/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> | <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/soyoureawriter?feature=watch" target="_blank">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6265027.Carrie_Butler" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b> <br />
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Got a question for Carrie? Ask away!<br />
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Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-7913071137873751342013-10-16T08:00:00.000-07:002013-10-16T10:42:04.341-07:00The Firefly Paradox: Butterman (Time) Travel, IncWelcome one and all for today's romp through time! I have the privilege of helping to unveil the cover for the brilliant upcoming novel by <a href="http://pk-hrezo.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">PK Hrezo</a>: Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc and she even gave me carte blanche on creating the post that goes with it (my evil side always appears at the words 'carte blanche'). This blog hop is all about where and when we would go if we were able to book a trip through the Butterman agency and I think it took me all of about 2 seconds to decide my destination. 2003, here I come...<br />
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Interested in booking a trip through time? Here's the blurb from the book and my own time travel fandom misadventure (yes, you read that right!) begins immediately below it:<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Welcome to Butterman
Travel, Incorporated</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6CR8WrI6RmE/Ulwnul9NuaI/AAAAAAAAAU8/6UBF-8rza-g/s1600/Butterman600x900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6CR8WrI6RmE/Ulwnul9NuaI/AAAAAAAAAU8/6UBF-8rza-g/s400/Butterman600x900.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Coming 11/12/13!!</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Aharoni;">We are a full
service agency designed to meet all your exclusive time travel needs. Family-owned
and operated, we offer clients one hundred years of time travel experience. A
place where you can rest assured, safety and reliability always come first. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Aharoni;">Anxious to attend a
special event from the past? Or for a glimpse of what the future holds? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Aharoni;">You’ve come to the
right place. We’re a fully accredited operation, offering an array of services;
including, but not limited to: customized travel plans, professionally piloted
operations, and personal trip guides. *</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Aharoni;">Terms and conditions do apply<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Aharoni;">Conference us
directly from our Website. Our frontline reservation specialist, Bianca
Butterman, will handle all your inquiries in a professional and efficient
manner, offering a tentative itinerary and free fare quote, so you can make the
most of your time trip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Aharoni;">We look forward to
serving you at Butterman Travel, Inc., where time is always in your hands. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"><u>_______________________________________________________________________________</u></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"Ms. Chappell, you're absolutely, totally, utterly, perfectly clear that you've signed a binding agreement not to attempt to alter events in your chosen time destination, correct?" Bianca Butterman asked me for the third time as I signed the final waivers on my vacation package. She must have seen the glint in my eye because she was definitely getting suspicious.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"Absolutely," I answered, hoping that nervous squeak in my voice sounded innocent. I added on my sweetest smile and doe eyes; with any luck she'd think I was just another naive fangirl hoping for a thrill. "Really, this moment just had such a HUGE impact on my life and I never felt like I had any closure. There were so many questions left unanswered, and I just feel like if I see it for myself maybe I'll finally be able to let go."</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">Bianca's eyes narrowed. "Just please remember that you will be held financially, ethically, and cosmically liable for any Paradox Factors your actions might cause," she said as though she were already tallying up the charges against me. PFs were a big deal now that time travel was the norm; however, the permanent damage to my psychological well being was a pretty big deal to me, too. I'd decided months ago that it was worth the risk. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"Of course I will," I said with a little giggle. Too much? Maybe, but I never was much of an actress.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"Fine," Bianca finally sighed and opened the folder with my travel papers. Even if she didn't believe me, she obviously couldn't prove I was up to anything. Score! "Everything you need is right here. Your character is an office temp with very little experience so they won't be surprised if you don't seem to know what to do. Just try to stick with the coffee and bagels and everything should go smoothly. Here is your ID to get you into the building. Your guide is disguised as a janitor and he will <i>always </i>be within earshot. Or armshot if he needs to be," she added and just about leveled me with her glare. "This is a Nokia cell phone appropriate to the year with the company </span><span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">emergency</span><span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">line programmed in at #1. Dialing that number will get you an immediate extraction. Are we clear?"</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"As a bell!" I said cheerily. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"Then I hope you enjoy your trip to 2003 and Fox Studios, Ms. Chappell. At Butterman Travel, we're always here to give you the <i>time</i> of your life," she shoved the folder with the badge in my hands and pointed me toward the door to begin my trip. As soon as the door closed, Bianca rang down to Operations. "Joe, your next client is in the tube. Don't let this one out of your sight; she's got a smile that just screams 'lunatic.'"</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">***</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"Hey you, bagel girl!" </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">The office witch snapped her fingers in front of my face and I resisted the urge to break them. Barely. "Yes? Can I help you?" I asked, tearing my eyes away from the network executive board room. Joe, the janitor who was my guide was taking a suspiciously long time to mop the equally suspicious spill that just happened to be between me and the door. I had to find a way to get around him; they were already getting started!</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"I asked if you were deaf or stupid, but I think I already know the answer to that one," barked the office witch. No wonder this place went through so many temps. "Ms. Watson called for a coffee five minutes ago and yet you're still standing here with your mouth open. Get going!"</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">I grunted and wheeled the cart toward Ms. Watson's office in the exact opposite direction from where I needed to be if I was going to save the world from television peril. A casual glance over my shoulder showed me Joe still mopping the floor, a feat which must have been a lot harder to do with both of his eyes focused on me walking away. If I didn't know better, I'd swear he was a candidate for sexual harassment. At Ms. Watson's office I found a shrew no sweeter than the office witch.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"Is that finally my non-fat gluten-free latte I hear coming through my door?" She asked without looking up from her screen. I imagined she was probably too busy cancelling beloved children's shows in true Fox fashion.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"Yes, ma'am," I said glumly, glancing behind me again.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"Then bring it over here, for chrissake! Just set it on the coaster, and don't forget the lid this time! The last girl forgot the lid and coffee got absolutely everywhere."</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"Yes.... ma'am!" I said as a plan sprang to life. I put the coffee down and I didn't forget her precious lid. But she hadn't said anything about making sure the lid was firmly attached, had she?</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">I was half-way back to the coffee station and barely suppressing a smile when I heard her scream. "Ugh! Stupid, stupid girl! Janitor, get in here now!!!"</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">It was time to make my move!</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">***</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"><i>Meanwhile, Inside the Board Room...</i></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"Seriously Bill, you can't compare a show like this to <i>Star Trek</i>. That was a show with class and with a classy following. The fan mail we're getting for this, frankly, it's a little scary."</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"Alright, Clint, I get what you mean," Bill said, reaching for his vegan mocha grande. "Sure, it might be the comic fringe and the obsessive nerd crowd, but c'mon... a following is a following."</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"I think Bill makes a good point," said the bookish lady across the table, trying not to reveal her secret fandom. "There's still money to be made off this franchise. Besides, they have a tiny budget for a sci-fi show. What could it hurt to keep it on the schedule?"</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"But it's just so <i>weird," </i>said Clint with a frown. "Cowboys in spaceships? If anything, it's a cultish fad. I say we cash out and get out before it ends up costing us advertisers."</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">"I don't know," said the quiet man at the head of the table. "Joss has never failed us before and I don't want to do anything that will damage our relationship. I'm going to need a better reason than a disruptive fanbase before I cancel one of his shows."</span></div>
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***</div>
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Joe was hot on my heels already. By the time I reached the double doors I knew I only had about 10 seconds to do what had to be done. I slammed the bagel cart through them and leaped on top of it - dammit, I shouldn't have worn a dress - and made sure I had every network board member's attention before I screamed at the top of my lungs:</div>
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"YOU CAN'T TAKE THE SKY FROM ME! YOU CAN'T CANCEL IT, EITHER! WHEDON FOREVER!!"</div>
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Then Joe grabbed me from behind and dragged me to the lobby where Security was already on the way to escort us out of the building. Bianca Butterman was probably going to ban me from time travel forever, but I didn't care - I <i>knew </i>I'd gotten through to them!</div>
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***</div>
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"That's exactly the kind of nonsense I'm talking about," said Clint, wiping the goat cheese from his sleeve. Not an inch of mahogany or imported carpet had been spared from bits of pastry and free trade organic coffee. "Is that the kind of image the Network wants for its viewers? If the D&D crowd is what you want, then you can probably kiss the Abercrombie and Nike ads goodbye."</div>
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"Alright," sighed the director. "I was dead set against canceling it, but now I see your point. <i>Firefly </i>has to go."</div>
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"Great!" Said Clint. "Now we can talk about putting a <i>real </i>show in its slot. I had an idea for a great Joe Millionaire spinoff..."</div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"><u>_______________________________________________________________________________</u></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"><u><br /></u></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ugdrXaJsEHc/UlwsDRPtJSI/AAAAAAAAAVI/ArQLUsZjNuw/s1600/PK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ugdrXaJsEHc/UlwsDRPtJSI/AAAAAAAAAVI/ArQLUsZjNuw/s200/PK.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">PK Hrezo is a native Floridian whose life could
easily be a Jimmy Buffet song. She shares her home with her firefighter husband
and their two children. When not creating characters and their worlds, PK can
be found at her other job of rearranging passenger’s itineraries for a major
international airline. The only hobbies she loves more than traveling, are
reading, writing, and music, and when the four are combined she exists in total
bliss. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She blogs regularly at PK HREZO: Fearless Fiction </span><a href="http://pk-hrezo.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">http://pk-hrezo.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/PKHrezo"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">https://twitter.com/PKHrezo</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> @pkhrezo<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorpkhrezo"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">https://www.facebook.com/authorpkhrezo</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Website </span><a href="http://down-the-rabbithole.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">http://down-the-rabbithole.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-55557490820183544962013-09-27T07:00:00.000-07:002013-09-27T07:00:01.933-07:00TILT News and Trailer Release!<div style="text-align: center;">
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If I could do back flips without earning a trip to the ER, I'd be doing them all the way down the street. Possibly even in heels. Why am I so excited?<br />
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For starters - MY SEQUEL COMES OUT IN 2 WEEKS!! Honestly, waiting for this second book has been in some ways far harder than the first. Partly because I finished it in February (which feels like YEARS ago right now), but partly because this time around I know more about what to expect from a book launch and I'm dying to take the bull by the horns. And even though it really, totally, and uber-completely feels like it sometimes, I have at least finally come to the conclusion that I won't actually die from the anticipation.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That Never-Ending Moment of Anticipation </td></tr>
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The other reason for my excitement also led to another realization: Inspiration is the bitter ex-wife of the Sandman. I'd decided long ago that I wasn't going to do a book trailer for TILT because it takes such a huge chunk out of my already limited writing time (and I'm making headway on the 3rd book!). It takes time to write the script, research images/video, find music, get the narration worked out... You get the picture. And, to be honest, I wasn't 100% convinced of the merit of book trailers. </div>
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But that's where the vengeful Inspiration and the dysfunctional relationship with her estranged ex come into play. Last Thursday night I was happily drifting off to sleep when suddenly the thought hit me: "If I <i>were</i> to make a trailer, how would I tell the story?" By the next morning I had - in addition to bags under my eyes - a working script in mind along with image concepts that I was bent on spending the next night refining. Then I got the thread of a song in my mind that I could make work perfectly with the narration. Long story short, after 24 hours of work in one frenzied weekend I managed to compose and record a piano score, write and record the narration, assemble and edit the video, and then drink happy amounts of beer to celebrate.</div>
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And now I have the pleasure of sharing with you the little book trailer that refused to not be made. </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0xTLJjNUd0o" width="420"></iframe> </div>
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FREEBIE ALERT BELOW!</div>
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I hope you enjoyed the trailer! As another part of the launch festivities, ALICE WILL for Kindle will be <a href="http://amzn.com/B00A6YW5C6" target="_blank">FREE from October 10th to October 14th</a>! If you haven't downloaded your copy yet, mark it on your calendar to <a href="http://amzn.com/B00A6YW5C6" target="_blank">get your copy in two weeks</a>! </div>
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Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-44068246125173195202013-08-02T09:29:00.000-07:002013-08-06T11:04:03.601-07:00Writing Lesson #1: Publishing is NOT the Endgame<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been over a year and a half now since I signed my first publishing contract and 9 months since my very first book - my <i>baby </i>- was first introduced to the world. Since these dreams of mine finally came true I've been running full speed with writing, marketing, planning and obsessing over every tiny detail during every free moment I had. (Notice blogging didn't make that list? Bad Ashley.) Now with my 2nd book coming out in 2.5 months and planning a super-secret standalone book release for the spring (oops! Not so secret now ;-)), I'm spinning faster than ever.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes it grows on its own...</td></tr>
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Finally something hit me the other day while I was fretting over a long writing To-Do list: A big part of the reason that list is so long is because I have learned SO MUCH since I started down this road. When I first decided to make writing a career my To-Do list looked about like this:<br />
<ol>
<li>Write a book.</li>
<li>Write a query letter. </li>
<li>Get published.</li>
<li>Make money and be fabulous.</li>
</ol>
Those were the early rose-colored glasses days. It took longer than I'd like to admit to pull my head out of my ass and start figuring out what launching a writing career would actually take. In fact, I wrote THREE books before I got out of the Step 1 loop. And that's when I discovered that there are actually about 573 things to do before you can get from Step 2 to Step 3 and another 1,897,203 things to do before you can see Step 4 even with help from Hubble. It's a common myth that getting published is the end of a writer's work. Wrong! <span style="color: yellow; font-size: large;"><b>Getting published is just the beginning.</b></span><br />
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Now my To-Do lists look more like this:<br />
<ol>
<li>Finish 4th revision of WIP</li>
<li>Set up MC's plight for sequel </li>
<li>Choose Artwork for Con Ad (Get bleed sizes!)</li>
<li>Edit video from book reading for website/Get stills for Media Kit</li>
<li>Update Quicken with receipts from Book signing</li>
<li>Follow-up with book store for dates for next signing</li>
<li>Finish guest app for Con</li>
<li>Schedule and write guest blog post</li>
<li>Pick music for book trailer</li>
<li>Oh yeah... WRITE</li>
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And that's just a sample To-Do list for a week. It turns out <b><span style="color: yellow; font-size: large;">there is so much more to writing than just writing.</span></b> This was the first lesson that I had to accept about the writing business. It can seriously make me feel a little crazy at times when I really let myself think about the tasks and the work ahead, especially when I think about doing it in conjunction with a full time day job (gotta pay for my writing fix somehow, don't I?). But here's the secret that keeps me going:<br />
<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">It's worth every nail-biting, head-banging, hair-pulling second to see my books in print. </span><br />
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I don't know a single author who wouldn't say the same thing. There's no room for getting discouraged because at the end of the day you're still doing what you love. How many people can say that? Next week I'll share some of the happier lessons I've learned while writing, but for now I'm just going to go cross this one more thing off my To-Do list...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Good advice. Hot men.</b></td></tr>
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<br />Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-80102136368002101012013-07-08T17:03:00.002-07:002013-07-08T17:03:28.432-07:00Fat-Free, Low Cal Twitterview - The Transcript!On June 29th I had the opportunity to do my first Twitter-based interview with my publisher, <a href="http://www.centeronepublishing.com/books.php" target="_blank">Center One Publishing</a> (C1 Books). It was fast and furious all the way through and I credit Gevalia Coffee for my ability to some how keep up with all of the questions from C1 as well as from readers. I didn't have a chance to talk much about <i><a href="http://www.centeronepublishing.com/books.php?bk=10&Submit=" target="_blank">Tilt</a></i>, the sequel to <i><a href="http://www.centeronepublishing.com/books.php?bk=3" target="_blank">Alice Will</a></i> that releases in October, but I can save that for the next adventure in the Twittersphere!<br />
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I think Twitter gets a bad rap sometimes as being too limiting and for forcing our beautiful language into a trash compactor of text slang, and I'll admit I've been a pretty big critic of it in the past. But for the purposes of this interview I was pleased that it forced me to trim the fat out of my responses and get to the point.<br />
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So please enjoy the transcript of the interview below and know that what you're seeing is as cut and dry as I'll possibly ever be; trimmed-down, scaled back, and without even the extra butter on the side. I won't say I left off the cheese, though... :-)<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books"> @C1Books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Welcome
to today’s chat with Ashley Chappell author of Alice Will </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Hello,
everyone! I can't wait to chat with all of you :-)</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books"> @C1Books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Feel
free to ask questions while we do, Ashley it's great to have you here! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Alright
Ashley the question we all want to know, how much of your book did your cats
write? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Ha!
They would claim all of it since they were at least touching the laptop while I
wrote </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> But
I only give them credit for Prowler's happy ending ;-) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books"> @C1Books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">When
naming your characters, do you give any thought to the actual meaning? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">@C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> ? I try to fit the name to the character
most of all </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">@C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> The right name can help convey an image
of strength, shyness, clumsiness, loveliness, etc. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">Lara Jones</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">larabookvampire</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">I was
curious if you tried to stay away from the romance aspect with your book Alice
Will? By the way I loved it! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">larabookvampire</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Thank you so much! Trotter's development influenced that decision for me. Her
isolation was a big factor in her. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">larabookvampire</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> But
without spoilers, there might be an early hint of a love interest in the next
book ;-) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books"> @C1Books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Describe
your writing style in ten words or less. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Hmmm...
Darker fantasy with a dry dose of humor and satire </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books"> @C1Books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">What’s
the earliest memory you have of writing a story? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">I was
5 when I wrote my first story “Super Car.” My father drew illustrations for it
which I still treasure. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">It
didn't make it out of the playground, but I still felt like a real writer for
it. Even at only 3 pages :-) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">SkittyPandora</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">SkittyPandora</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyChappell">AshleyChappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> What
inspired you to write the most? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">SkittyPandora</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Legitimizing my constant daydreaming? ;-) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">SkittyPandora</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Really, I think if I didn't write down where my imagination went I'd eventually
explode. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray">Lisa Cray</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray">Lisa_Cray</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
After your book was published, was there anything you would have wanted to
change still? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray">Lisa_Cray</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Oh
yes! Mostly specific writing, not story elements. But I think all writers want
constant 'do-overs' with their books. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books"> @C1Books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">What
is your least favorite part of the writing process? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">@C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Editing and more editing! Specifically
making myself change a major element when I know it isn't working. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew">Rebekah </a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew">RebekahMcClew</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Who
is your favorite author and is you writing style similar to theirs? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew">RebekahMcClew</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Terry </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Pratchett</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">. My
writing isn't lyrical as his can be, but I tend to fall into a similar
satirical voice. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew">RebekahMcClew</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> He's
always my inspiration when I'm feeling blocked :-) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Bubblez44445">SoranBlue</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Bubblez44445"> @Bubblez44445</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyChappell">AshleyChappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Do
you have any advice for </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">new,young</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
authors? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Bubblez44445">@Bubblez44445</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Never stop writing! You learn from each project you finish. Even criticisms
that hurt sometimes offer good advice </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MasonLinden">Mason Linden</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MasonLinden"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MasonLinden">MasonLinden</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">As an
Author, if you were stuck on an island, what would you want with you? No limit
on items </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MasonLinden">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MasonLinden">MasonLinden</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> No
limit? In that case, a laptop with an internet connection and Amazon Air
Delivery :-) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MasonLinden">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MasonLinden">MasonLinden</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> It
would save the book-packing beforehand ;-) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray">Lisa Cray</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray">Lisa_Cray</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Was
becoming an author a goal of yours or an after effect? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray">Lisa_Cray</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> It's
what I've wanted as long as I can remember. All of my </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">dayjobs</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> have
essentially </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">supported
this dream. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books"> @C1Books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Imagine your characters are on survivor. Who will they vote out of the book?</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Probably
Pratt(s). That would knock out 4 characters with one vote! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Not
to mention Pratt(s) is/are something of a </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">McGuyver</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> ;-) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">Lara Jones</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">larabookvampire</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashleynchappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Do
you have a particular favorite character in Alice Will? I loved Prowler </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">larabookvampire</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> I
was attached to Prowler, too! But my </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">fiance</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">swear's</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> I'm Trotter to a 'T'. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Truthfully,
I do envy Trotter's smiting finger at times... </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books"> @C1Books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Scariest thing you have ever read/written </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Easy!
Steven King’s The Shining will always scare me no matter how many times I read
it. It OOZES psychological terror. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew">Rebekah </a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew">RebekahMcClew</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Name
a topic that you refuse to write about. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew">RebekahMcClew</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Two
things - Like you, I won't write pornography. But I also won't write about my
personal beliefs </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">My
writing is not a platform, but I hope it will still challenge readers to think.
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MasonLinden">Mason Linden</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MasonLinden"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MasonLinden">MasonLinden</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">How
long did it take to write Alice Will and did you find it frustrating at all? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MasonLinden">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MasonLinden">MasonLinden</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Alice was my pride and joy - I wrote it in only 4 months. It's the only book
that's been more exhilarating than not </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">Lara Jones</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">larabookvampire</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">When
you write do you concentrate more on just the story or does work count affect
your writing? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">larabookvampire</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Word
count does drive me a good bit for goals, but not overall length </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">larabookvampire</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> My
characters let me know when it's time to wrap up. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">SkittyPandora</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">SkittyPandora</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyChappell">AshleyChappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Do
you have any strange writing quirks? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">SkittyPandora</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Only
1 real quirk... Like Eric, I need quiet to write. But when I get stuck I talk
it </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">through
out loud to myself. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">SkittyPandora</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Which is probably why I can't write in public. They'd haul me off in a straight
jacket! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Bubblez44445">SoranBlue</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Bubblez44445"> @Bubblez44445</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyChappell">AshleyChappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Which character do you feel that you relate too the most? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Bubblez44445">@Bubblez44445</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> I
have to give him credit, my </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">fiance</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> is right. I am totally Trotter! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Bubblez44445">@Bubblez44445</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Working in the government can give you that toothache for </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">illogicisms</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> ;-) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books"> @C1Books</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Your
favorite monster/villain. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">My
favorite monster has always been the monster within ourselves </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Most
of my characters struggle with inner demons and darkness before they can
grow/succeed. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books"> @C1Books</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Is
it hard for you to stop writing, or are you able to pick up where you left off
without problems </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Sometimes
I struggle with balance. If it's been more than a week since I've been able to
write I have a very hard time starting. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">I
find, though, that if I start out re-reading the previous chapters I can get
the rhythm back. (Not to mention some editing!) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray">Lisa Cray</a></span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray">Lisa_Cray</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> What
inspired you to create the character Trotter? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray">Lisa_Cray</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Trotter was in part a response to the traditional good-looking, super-cool teen
demi-god in this genre... </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lisa_Cray">Lisa_Cray</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> I
wanted to create a character that was everything else - awkward, uncomfortable
in her powers, and lonely. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">Lara Jones</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">larabookvampire</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">ashleynchappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Do
you ever get nervous when family and friends read your book? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/larabookvampire">larabookvampire</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Every single time! Although family and friends tend to be more generous than a
stranger :-) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books"> @C1Books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> How
do you work with an editor without the pride thing getting in the way? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">It's
not bad. The only time I feel irked is when I get edits that are actually
incorrect. It happens to the best of us, though! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">If
you could ask yourself a question about writing </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Ashely</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> what would it be? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Probably 'Why the heck didn't you try harder sooner?!?' Then I'd kick myself in
the pants a bit for good measure :-) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Now
if I could ask ANY author, I'd ask how they get through writer's block. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">SkittyPandora</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">SkittyPandora</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyChappell">AshleyChappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Who
do you want to be reading your book, and who do you expect to be reading it?
(Age groups </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">ect</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">.??).
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">SkittyPandora</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> I
think teen girls are probably the likeliest readers, but I love hearing that </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">middge</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
grade readers pick it up, too </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SkittyPandora">SkittyPandora</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> But
most of the people that enjoy it also enjoyed The Golden Compass and other
alternate universe concepts </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">So
how do you get through 'writers block'? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Darn
it, that was for them! Not me :-) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Come
on you knew I was going to do that ;) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> But
usually I try wine (although, to be honest, it really doesn't help the writing,
just the anger about not writing!) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">How
fast/slow do you write? Or do you try not to notice? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> If
I'm on a roll, I'll knock out 5K - 7K words in a session. But on slow days I'm
happy for 500 in 8 hours. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Honestly, I celebrate ANY word count sometimes. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">And
what is your idea writing situation/setup? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> I've
planned this out entirely! It will be a hobbit hole in the woods with a
recliner, 3 monitors and tea! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> And
it wouldn't be the same without the cats nearby. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">I
would love to have a third monitor, wife won't let me! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew">Rebekah </a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RebekahMcClew">RebekahMcClew</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">If I
let him Justin would have 8 monitors, they just keep adding up! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">On
scale of 1 to 10 how real are your characters to you Ashley? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Whole-hearted 10. I live with these guys, and don't think I'm kidding when I
say they argue with me. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books"> @C1Books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">If
you could have dinner with one person, alive or dead, who would it be? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">@C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Sir Terry </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Pratchett</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">! Although I'd probably waste most of it
by squealing, repeating 'OMG', and ultimately fainting. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">I
squealed enough when I got a signed book of his without even actually meeting
him... </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Would
you live in your world if it was possible? And no I don't mean the type of live
in your world that results in the white coat </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">
Definitely on the first part! On the 2nd, what makes you think I don't? They
let me out for the interview :-) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">But
if I had to choose between </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Aevum</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">, the Wedge, or Realm, I think I'd have
to choose The Wedge for ambience </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books"> @C1Books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Do
you outline? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/C1Books">@C1Books</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> I do. Then I write, scrap that outline,
make another, write more, scrap that outline, make another... </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Do
you ever find yourself acting out a scene from your book before you can write
it? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">@</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Dine">Justin_Dine</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Not
actually acting out, but when I talk it through I'm usually talking as my
characters. Not even on purpose. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">It's
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">Ashley Chappell</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell"> @</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyNChappell">AshleyNChappell</a></span></div>
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Thanks so much for having me! It's been a fun discussion :-) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23c1books&src=hash">#c1books</a></span></div>
Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-80422168055305581152013-04-05T07:19:00.000-07:002013-04-05T07:19:00.722-07:00Guest Post - Confessions of a 'Serious' Writer<br />
I know I've been remiss in posting my own blogs for the past several months and I promise I'm hanging my head in shame right now. But I'm reeeeaaaallly hoping that the awesome guest post I'm about to give you will, if not earn your instant forgiveness, at least let me buy your love back through bribery.<br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/vanessa.eccles.1?fref=ts" target="_blank">Vanessa Eccles</a> is one of the many talented authors that I've had the good fortune to become acquainted with over the past year. In that time I've learned that not only is she tirelessly dedicated to the craft, but that she puts that same level of investment into everything she does. She has recently launched an <a href="http://bellerevejournal.com/" target="_blank">online literary journal </a>showcasing southern writers and has also been documenting the transformation of a house into a loving home on the <a href="http://bellerevejournal.com/" target="_blank">Ode to the Simple Life Blog</a>. Did I mention that until her recent graduation she was ALSO a full-time student? Her strength, dedication, and energy are definitely an inspiration!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-omMJGb3ayg8/UV7aGc9d1kI/AAAAAAAAAO4/QxJo2Ngo5Fc/s1600/Vanessa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-omMJGb3ayg8/UV7aGc9d1kI/AAAAAAAAAO4/QxJo2Ngo5Fc/s320/Vanessa.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vanessa Eccles</td></tr>
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<b>Her Official Bio:</b><br />
Vanessa K. Eccles is the founder and executive editor of Belle Reve Literary Journal. She has an English degree from Troy University, and her work has been published by Deep South Magazine, Suite T (a blog by Southern Writer’s Magazine), and Wisdom Crieth Without. She is the author of Psalms of Me and Collecting Light and is currently working on a YA novel. She blogs at <a href="http://vanessakeccles.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Writer's Block.</a><br />
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<i>And now, on to Vanessa...</i><br />
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I've been seriously pursuing a career in writing for about four years now, and with every passing year, I've noticed more eccentricities about myself than the year before. My mind soars into a state of contemplation every time a unique phrase or picturesque landscape emerges, which keeps me constantly thinking about the oddities and utter perfections found in the world around us. Tolkien’s theory on people was “not all who wander are lost.” He’s right – they’re just writers. Writers are natural wanderers. We wander about the world looking for inspiration. And let’s just face it, we can be downright weird. I am no exception to the rule, so I’m going to reluctantly confess some of the things that I've learned about myself since I've become a “serious” writer.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffd966;">1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I hear voices.</span></b></h3>
Oh, yes. You read me correctly. Luigi Pirandello described it right in his play Six Characters in Search of an Author. Sometimes characters come to me living and breathing with their own problems and their own stories. Unfortunately, some of these characters are naggy, annoying gnats that will not buzz off until their stories are told. The upside is that this makes me write more so that I can escape from the guilt.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffd966;">2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I am a dreamer.</span></b></h3>
I’m not sure it’s possible to pursue a writing career without being somewhat of a dreamer. It’s a tough business, and often the rewards are slim. So for many of us, our real hope with writing is bringing the story to life for readers and having them resonate with something we’ve shared. I dream to someday smell my words and hold them in my hand in a physical print form.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bellerevejournal.com/">Belle Reve Literary Journal</a></td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #ffd966;">3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I am a hoarder.</span></b></h3>
I admit it. Ever since pursuing my dream, I’ve acquired more books than I can house. My ever-growing library can be found stacked on my piano, boxed in the garage, a few in the car, some at my parent’s house, and at least one on every flat surface in my home. It’s madness. But to be a good writer, one has to read. Reading is the study of the craft, but it’s also a crippling disease that has taken over countless hours of my life and has made me, as Phil Robertson would say, “happy, happy, happy.”<br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffd966;">4.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I’m a spoiler.</span></b></h3>
My poor husband has just now entered the world of reading, and I’m utterly ecstatic about it! We listen to audiobooks together and discuss them, but I cannot help but tell him where I think the writer is going with the storyline or what I think is going to happen next. Sadly, I’m often right. The same thing happens with movies. I have become one of those horribly annoying people that tell everyone what is going to happen at a movie. Go ahead, throw your digital popcorn at me. I deserve it. I know I need to keep my mouth shut, but it’s an inescapable compulsion. I’m not sure if I’ve become the psychic of entertainment because I write or because I read so much. Either way, I need to stop for the love of my husband and everyone else around me. Wish me luck on that. ;)<br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffd966;">5.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I’m a loner.</span></b></h3>
After reading the first four confessions, I’m sure you’re thinking, “She’s a loner because she’s nuts.” And I’m happily inclined to agree with you. I've become more of an introvert over the past few years than I ever thought possible. I enjoy silent time and inward reflection. I love escaping into novels, be it mine or someone else’s. What’s interesting is that writers can be alone and not be alone at the same time. We enjoy our imaginary time filled with our imaginary characters. We’re like kids with imaginary friends – only our friends are better developed and well-rounded. (Well, they’re supposed to be.) And truth be told, writers write when they are alone. So doesn't that make us all loners?<br />
If you’re considering becoming a “serious” writer, I hope I haven’t scared you off. We’re an eccentric group, but we have to be. In order to share something different with the world, we have to be able to see the world in a different way.<br />
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In all seriousness, what I’ve really learned about pursuing my writing career is that it’s okay to be myself. That’s what makes me and my writing unique. Nothing is more inspiring than the freedom of being wonderfully weird.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Thanks so much to Vanessa for her awesome post!! </span></b>This is such a wonderful description of every writer I know. I can only imagine my friends reading #5 and shaking their heads about all of the times they've accused me of trying out for the Hermit Olympics. Maybe this will help explain things for them :-)<br />
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Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33618630.post-33443415404234459822013-02-05T10:09:00.000-08:002013-02-05T10:23:25.568-08:00Guest Post - Benjamin Epstein, Author of 'Captive of the Orcs'<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LuFHlrOk-F8/URFDMnYD9_I/AAAAAAAAAOM/A1T7MFyiqMs/s1600/Author+pic%25232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LuFHlrOk-F8/URFDMnYD9_I/AAAAAAAAAOM/A1T7MFyiqMs/s200/Author+pic%25232.jpg" width="119" /></a><b>I've had the pleasure of meeting so many new and interesting people since good fortune (yes, and hard work) favored me with a publishing contract. Some of them I've met through social networking and others have reached out and contacted me via email. But possibly the most fun of all has been getting to know my fellow authors in the Center One stable. Writers tend to be interesting characters (though I've been told 'sociopath' might be a better word), and I have the pleasure today of introducing you to one of the interesting characters I've gotten to know since joining the publishing world. </b></div>
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<b>Benjamin Epstein is the author of <a href="http://www.centeronepublishing.com/COCite/Store/9780983002260.php" target="_blank">'Captive of the Orcs'</a> and was kind enough to write a post on his writing process for me to share. Here's the quick list of how to find him:</b></div>
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<b>His Book on Goodreads: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16173854-captive-of-the-orcs" target="_blank">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16173854-captive-of-the-orcs </a></b></div>
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<b>The Blog on Goodreads: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6870983.Benjamin_Epstein/blog" target="_blank">http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6870983.Benjamin_Epstein/blog</a></b><br />
<b>Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/CaptiveOfTheOrcs?fref=ts" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/CaptiveOfTheOrcs?fref=ts</a></b></div>
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<b>Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.com/0983002266" target="_blank">http://amzn.com/0983002266</a></b></div>
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<b>Barnes & Noble: <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/captive-of-the-orcs-benjamin-epstein/1113753877?ean=2940016151168" target="_blank">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/captive-of-the-orcs-benjamin-epstein/1113753877?ean=2940016151168</a></b></div>
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<b>Thanks for joining us today, Ben!</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.centeronepublishing.com/COCite/Store/Covers/orccover.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.centeronepublishing.com/COCite/Store/Covers/orccover.gif" width="140" /></a><span style="color: lime;">One of my fellow Center One authors suggested that if I write a blog post about writing, she would repost it on her own website. So, in the interest of cross-pollination, that will be the subject of my current essay.</span></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"> The funny thing is, I haven't often been asked about strategies for writing. Not that I'm exactly sure what the best way is. I think there's a lot of stereotypical responses one could get: The types you might find from books, or creative writing classes. Funny thing is, my old College classes nearly destroyed my writing forever. My confidence was shattered when I was an undergrad, and I lost all conviction to my own opinions. If it wasn't for my mentor during my literary internship, I don't know if I ever would have gotten it back. How that happened is a story I'll save for another time. </span></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"> But if I were to teach a writing workshop, and decide on a way that was generally helpful for aspiring writers, what would I say? Let me suggest some important components, without much of a sensible order.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: white;"> <b> #1: Coffee. </b></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dkk-_cbOKpo/URFICVs0NyI/AAAAAAAAAOU/h9TJMfa6oWc/s1600/Coffee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dkk-_cbOKpo/URFICVs0NyI/AAAAAAAAAOU/h9TJMfa6oWc/s200/Coffee.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: lime;"> Yes, I am serious. For me, writing without this glorious little stimulant is like driving a car without gas. I might be able to roll downhill in neutral, but not much more than that. Most of my work was composed in the local Starbucks or Coffee Bean. I find very little gets done at home. Too many distractions. But if I uproot myself and go in public with the intention of getting work done, it's more likely that I'll get a few pages of worthwhile material. Not a certainty, of course, but it's a little trickier to waste time. Though hardly impossible. </span></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"> Once I made the separation of home for rest, and coffee shop for work, I grew more productive. And it gives my day some regularity.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><b> #2: The slush pile</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: lime;">This is something I learned back during the above mentioned internship. If you don't work in the editing business, or a related field, I'd recommend a little gem of a book by Denny Martin Flinn: "How Not to Write a Screenplay." Flinn gives a front row seat to the mistakes of unskilled authors. Flat dialogue. Terrible description. Non-sensical plots. Too much or too little exposition. Overwriting. Underwriting. Lack of word variety. But my descriptions are not doing this justice. Nothing can make you appreciate a good book until you read a bad one. </span></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"> That may well be a problem with your old High School English class. Remember how Mrs. Jones gave you great works to read by Shakespeare, Dickens, Twain, Melville? Works with enough genius and profound insight to withstand the test of time? But if she had you read, say, the short stories left behind by the previous graduating class, maybe you'd have an appreciation for the type of dreck that ends up on the desk of an overworked, underpaid editorial assistant, in a company that's looking for one good manuscript in a pile of a thousand bad ones. </span></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"> It's a life changing experience. And if you realize that when you submit your own query for publication, even if your work is wonderful, it's going to be tough for that intern to pick it out from the other incoming envelopes. Needle in a haystack indeed! And how do you really know that you're better than the rest? </span></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"> And I ask the same questions of myself: Do I have talent? Or am I just another egomaniac, hoping that my little thimbleful of ability can compete with the likes of a J.K. Rowling or a Steven King, let alone the literary voices that still echo from previous centuries? Sounds awfully presumptuous on my part, even if I recognize that at one point, King and Rowling were also first time writers, and undiscovered. </span></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"> When you become conscious of what the incoming manuscripts are like for the editing company, it may grant a bit of humility to your own efforts. Not that I'm saying you should give up writing. Every author hopes that they're the cultural inheritors of an J.R. Tolkien, or a Virginia Woolf. But we may be another Joe and Jane Unknown Writer, fated to obscurity. So be it. It is a hard but necessary lesson to learn that the world doesn't revolve around us. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"> </span><b><span style="color: white;">#3 Literacy</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: lime;"> Let's be honest: we have moved from a literary culture to a visual one. Television is accessible to all. And if not TV, there are movies, video games, and other modes where moving images replace using your eyes to track the printed word. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bo-ZowYHdoE/URFJJCbZyGI/AAAAAAAAAOk/m0yVxvlfWsQ/s1600/TV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bo-ZowYHdoE/URFJJCbZyGI/AAAAAAAAAOk/m0yVxvlfWsQ/s200/TV.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: lime;"> The worst offenders of the above slush pile are those, I think, spend their time watching television, to the point that they can tell you more about the Kardashians than the works of Agatha Christie. (By the way, can someone tell me who the Kardashians are, and why people pay attention to them?) </span></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"> I don't make any claims to be widely familiar with the literary canon, and I am conscious of large gaps in my own reading history. And I am aware of how many hours I misuse in my leisure time that could be better spent with books. Still, I do remember reading Crime and Punishment and Don Quixote during long commutes aboard the New York subways. Not to mention Moby Dick, Treasure Island and the Bible during my dead time in one of the most boring jobs I ever had. And though I was a little old for Harry Potter when it came out, I still made my way through the series. It's foolish to be unaware of a cultural phenomenon, past or present. </span></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"> Ah, but here I am again, offering criticism for potential writers, in the form of pointing out the same bad habits I struggle with. And who am I to be giving this sort of advice? Is this just my pedantic side of me, the part that wants to lecture and sound high minded, without giving actual description of the craft?</span></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"> Maybe so. So tell you what. I'll write another essay soon, on some of my personal tricks that probably won't work for anyone else but me. Call it my coming attraction. </span></div>
<br />Ashley Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10111538335871215137noreply@blogger.com0