Radio Interview

Hello once again, Readers!! So yesterday was the big day. The radio interview. To say that I was nervous was an understatement. Big time. Internally, I was freaking out. Heart racing, stomach churning, face flushing nervous. I blush insanely when I am nervous and I am pale so I basically look like a human apple…if apples ever look human?

I digress.

But you know what, it really wasn’t that bad. Once I was over the initial fear of talking publicly about my book, I calmed down and enjoyed the conversation. They hosted four other authors as well and after introducing ourselves and our work, we had a group discussion about writing and character structure.

It was a great learning experience and hopefully oiled me enough to have some self-esteem for next time. Not that I’m the Tin Man or anything. At least I don’t think that I am. Unless I am dreaming that I am normal as we speak while in reality I am in a frozen, catatonic state somewhere in the land of Oz…

Any who, here is the link to the show if you are interested in listening. I introduce Born in Flames about six minutes in. It’s a 90 minute show. I talk here and there throughout the rest whenever I found the chance to input my opinion. Sharing is caring.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork/2013/03/14/book-discussion-host-fran-lewis

Now to leave you with a question: Is it cold where you are? I am freezing and I am in Florida lol.

Echelon out ♥

Preparing For A Radio Interview

Hello once again, Readers!!! For any of you wondering, yes, that is me with my sister. And yes, I put glasses on her using Pixlr.

Don’t ask why…lol.

So…remember that award Born in Flames won…Book of the Year? Do you remember me saying that I also won a spotlight appearance on a radio show?

Yeah, that’s happening next Thursday and I am unprepared (mentally I mean).

I am really starting to freak out about this. The only reason why I haven’t flipped a lid yet is because when I start to think about it and all the many ways it could go, I stop myself and tell myself that I will worry about it later.

But later is quickly approaching!

What if I say something silly? What if my mind draws a complete blank? I worry about this because I have tried to do the video blog thing, but when I got in front of the camera, I couldn’t think of anything to say. Shoot, sometimes I’ll sit here for hours trying to figure out what to even blog about…but at least with this I have time to think and a delete button.

Not when I’m on the air!

Ugh.

So I guess I should go through the list of questions I will be asked and start preparing my answers and praying to any and all Gods that they will have some mercy on me and keep me from stuttering or drawing blanks.

You know, I’d have to do it sometime or other (if my book ever does take off), so I guess it’s preparation and practice. At least that is what I will tell myself. It’s necessary.

Any who, wish me luck…please!

Now to leave you with a question: How do you get through situations such as this?

Echelon out ♥

Blog Hop! The Next Big Thing: Embracing The Flames

photo credit: osiatynska via photopin cc

Hello once again, Readers!!! I have been meaning to do this post for a while now since I have been nominated by a few of my author friends, but am just now getting to it. I want to thank Elizabeth Guizzetti for nominating me first and foremost. She is a fellow author at 48fourteen (my publisher) and is extremely talented. Her debut novel, Other Systems, has received great review and even an interviewed from me! Check out her post, Blog Hop! The Next Big Thing: The Martlet to find what her next big thing is!

But I digress.

What is the working title of your next book?

• The title of the next book in the Born in Flames trilogy is Embracing the Flames. It is in the last round of editing by my publisher and will hopefully be released by summer of 2013.

Where did the idea for your book come from?

• The idea for the trilogy struck me in 2009 when I decided that I actually wanted to try to write the small ideas I had floating around in side of my head. After completing the first novel in the trilogy, Born in Flames, and then being accepted by 48fourteen, I continued on with the trilogy. I had a general idea of where I wanted the second novel to go in terms of planning out the major plot line of all three, but the actual details came to me as I began writing which is mostly how I write. I let it flow without the pressure of a guide to follow.

What genre does your book fall under?

• It is still a young adult fantasy. Maybe with a little more epic fantasy in it.

Who would play your characters in a film?

• I would love for Hayley Williams from Paramore to play Aurora and I think Logan Lermen would be a good Fenn.

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

• Embracing the Flames is the next chapter in Aurora’s life where she discovers secrets more sinister than her enemy that will unveil the price of her life.

Will your next book be self-published or represented by an agent?

• Neither. It is being traditionally published by 48fourteen.

How long did it take to write the first draft of your manuscript?

• Around three months. My read-through took about one month after that.

What other books would you compare this story to in the genre?

• I’m not sure. I haven’t given much thought to comparing.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

• Wanting something more out of life inspired me. I was bored with my day job and decided to write the ideas in my head, not really knowing that it could actually become a career. By the time I finished the novel, I knew that it was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?

• This novel dives deeper into the fantastical world that Aurora now lives in. You will see more magic, dragons, different races such as Necromancers and Priests, and the development of Fenn and Aurora’s love story as well as the discovery of Fenn’s role in Aurora’s future. He’s her protector, but on more levels than the readers know of right now.

You can read more status updates about the trilogy on my author Facebook page. You can find Born in Flames on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and KOBO.

I want to now nominate my best friend Sonya Loveday. She is a wonderful writer who is on her way to being published as we speak! Make sure you follow this link and show her some love! You won’t be disappointed.

That being said, Echelon out! ♥

Born in Flames- 2012 Turning the Pages Books “Book of the Year” Winner!

Hello once again, Readers!!! Guess who won Book of the Year over at Turning the Pages Books!!!??? Excuse me while I do some cart-wheels and run in circles…

Okay, I’m back. And out of breath.

It was a close race, and I never expected to win, but the Readers have chosen! I am So. Freaking. Excited! Does this mean that I can call my novel “award-winning”?? I couldn’t wait to tell my son. He has been asking me about it for like the past five days. Every day he says, “Mother, did you win?” (Yes my six-year-old calls me mother…lol). So you can imagine when I found out last night, after his bedtime, how hard it was for me to wait until this morning. His grin this morning before school was the best part of this whole thing. I made him proud!

Okay now I’m tearing up. I digress.

And to make it even more exciting, I am going to be on a Blog Talk Internet Radio Show with Fran Lewis on March 14th to talk about Born in Flames! Woot! (I am extremely nervous about this just because I’ve never done it before…so I’m crossing my fingers it goes well). Thank you for believing in me and for supporting my debut novel! I hope that it’s only up from here!

But I digress once more.

In other, exciting news, I am still holding a BIG giveaway on my Facebook page for when I reach 500 Likes. So far, the first prize I have revealed is a $25 Amazon gift card. Cha-ching! My current tally is sitting at 388 Likes so there is plenty of time to Like and try to win! For every 50 Likes up until I reach 500, I am giving away an ecopy of my novel. Exciting stuff.

Hopefully the cover will soon be complete for Embracing the Flames and then a new round of excitement, giveaways, and promotion will begin.

Now to leave you with a question: Who put the cookies in the cookie jar?

Echelon out ♥

Blog Of The Year!!

Hello once again, Readers!!!! How was your holiday? Santa snuck in and ate the cookies my kids baked. He even took the note my son left for him! This is the only time of year we promote breaking-and-entering as acceptable…lol

But really, we are very fortunate and grateful for our family and friends and the love that is shared between everyone. I couldn’t ask for better people to share these special moments in time with.

But enough about all the boring-ness of my life…:)

I am still in the first year of starting this blog and I can’t believe all that has changed for me. My book was finally published in September with the second on the way, I’ve had over 8K views, and I’m one subscriber away from 500! What!?

The sad thing is, I have severely slacked on my posts in the last few months (something I am making a new years resolution about). But even with all the craziness and my late absence, I have still been nominated for Blog of the Year 2012! Not once, but twice!! I know right! AWESOMENESS!!

I was nominated by the lovely Andrew Toynbee who wrote ‘A Construct of Angels’ which I read and loved and also did an interview for, and the magnificent Pat who has always been kind and has a great talent for writing. She also loves to cook! You MUST check them out and say hello!

Any who, let me give my nominations before I explain the rules:

1. Sonya Loveday - Because she is my very best bestie and I love her!
2. 40 is the new 13 - Because you always have a neat outlook on life that makes me think and laugh.
3. Phillip McCollum - Because he is extremely talented and awesome!
4. Cassandra Giovanni - Because we are in the same boat in the world of being published!
5. Cramped Writing - Because you are going places and I enjoy your posts!
6. Ignore the Buckles on My Jacket - Because you are hilarious!
7. Patricia Awapara - Because she can paint like the Greats. She inspires me!
8. James Calbraith - Because his books are AWESOME and he is a talented writer!
9. ZB’s Blog of Awesomeness - Because she is a good friend and fellow author of 48fourteen!
10. The Bishop Review - Because if you ever need the “know” on what to watch-he’s your guy!
11. Jason Alan - Because you are kind and talented!!

I know…that’s a lot of people. There are so many more that are great and talented and keep up with their blogs better than I ever could! I am very grateful to everyone that I have met and learned from since being on here.

But I digress. It’s rule time!

Do you know a blog that deserves an award?

Do you have special blogs that you love to read?

Which blogs do you bookmark and follow?

Would you like to give them an award this year?

Then the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award is for you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ‘rules’ for this award are simple:

1 Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award

2 Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.

3 Please include a link back to this page

‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award – http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/   

and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)

4 Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them

5 You can now also join our Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page

‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group 

and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience

6 As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes – that’s right – there are stars to collect!

Unlike other awards which you can only add to your blog once – this award is different!

When you begin you will receive the ‘1 star’ award – and every time you are given the award by another blog – you can add another star!

There are a total of 6 stars to collect.

Which means that you can check out your favourite blogs – and even if they have already been given the award by someone else – you can still bestow it on them again and help them to reach the maximum 6 stars!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Badges

Here are the six badges for you to collect – you can either ‘swop’ your badge for the next one each time you are given the award – or even proudly display all six badges if you are lucky enough to be presented with the award six times!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Need to know more? Check out our FAQ page

And Congratulations! on being chosen for the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award!

Thanks everyone!!!

Echelon out ♥