Showing posts with label Rachel Schieffelbein. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rachel Schieffelbein. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Where's Your Light?

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

What are you doing with your holiday season?



Tis the season to be more loving, more compassionate, more patient. Tis the season to be better. Some people have gotten away from the reason for Christmas, and enjoy the commercial aspects. For me, this season is a time for refocusing. It's a time for remembering people outside of my normal circle. It's a season for family.

Because of that, I'll be on break until the new year, but before I go, three things:

1. There's an AWESOME book up for grabs below. (Don't miss out on the Truth or Lie game.)

2. As a very "Merry Christmas", my publisher has dropped the price of my Maiden of Time trilogy by 40% through December 21. You can get the entire series in eBook for ONLY $9. (Regularly $15.) And this:


Goodreads Book Giveaway

Timeless by Crystal Collier

Timeless

by Crystal Collier

Giveaway ends January 09, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter Giveaway

3. My blog tour rocked! I can't tell you how incredibly blessed I feel to have such wonderful friends on the blogosphere who shared, shouted, reviewed, and made me feel like a rock star. (Almost 100% 5 Star reviews. What?!?!) You are the best! Before you go, here's a quick run down of the posts and people who deserve epic cheese this season. Thank you, friends! (And thank you to everyone who participated. Winners will be notified via email, and prizes are going out December 1st.)


November 1
November 2
November 4
November 8
November 9
November 10
November 11
November 12
November 16
November 21


Two weeks ago, Rachel Schieffelbein shared DON'T FALL along with two truths and one lie. Anyone who guessed the lie correctly was entered to an eBook.

The game:


1. I caught a Snorlax in my living room.
2. I almost died when I was four. 
3. I saw Patrick Swayze at a horse show.

The lie: #1.  

From Rachel: I still don't have a Snorlax and I'm kinda bitter about it. Lol.

Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Julie Flanders!

Congrats, Julie!

And now, here's a giveaway for a wonderful author who is super supportive of other authors and whose debut novel JUST came out. Ooh!

Too pretty.
Too smart.
Too perfect.

 In a crumbling, futuristic Las Vegas where the wealthy choose the characteristics of their children like ordering off a drive-thru menu, seventeen-year-old Sienna Preston doesn’t fit in. As a normal girl surrounded by genetically modified teens, all of her imperfections are on display. But after the death of her father, everything she's ever known and loved changes in an instant.

 With little skills to help provide for her family, Sienna clings to the two things that come easily—lying and stealing. But not all thief-for-hire assignments go as planned. When a covert exchange of a stolen computer chip is intercepted, she becomes entangled with a corrupt government official who uses her thieving past as leverage, her mother as collateral, and the genetically modified poster boy she’s falling for as bait.

 In order to rescue her mother, there may only be one option—joining forces with the Fringe, an extremist group, and their young leader who’s too hot to be bad. Problem is, these revolutionaries aren’t what they seem, and the secrets they’re hiding could be more dangerous than Sienna is prepared for. In the end, she must be willing to risk everything to save the one thing that matters most.

 Catalyst is a thrilling adventure of danger, romance, intrigue, and deception.

Get Your Copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author?

Kristin Smith writes young adult contemporary and science fiction novels. When she’s not writing, you can find her dreaming about the beach, beating her boys at Just Dance, or belting out karaoke (from the comfort of her own home). Kristin currently resides in the middle-of-nowhere North Carolina with her husband and five incredibly loud but extremely cute boys. To read more about her obsession with YA novels or her addiction to chocolate, you can visit her at kristinsmithbooks.com.

 You might find Kristin pretending she's in a fancy restaurant while sitting at her scratched-up kitchen table, eating goat cheese on a cranberry, walnut salad.

Kristin gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out either lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook (open internationally):

You have until Tuesday, January 3 at 2 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer (and some FUN trivia) on January 4, 8 a.m. EDT.
TRUTH OR LIE

1. I'm the mother of five boys, and when I was pregnant with my oldest son, we were told by the ultrasound tech that she was 99.9% sure we were having a girl. Surprise! We ended up with a bouncing baby boy.

 2. By the time I was 18, I'd traveled from the east coast to the west coast 3 times, but the first time I ever rode in an airplane was when I left home for college.

 3. I once chatted for five minutes with Woody Harrelson outside of a bathroom in a casino in Las Vegas and didn't realize who he was until after he walked away. 

So sleuths, which is the lie? Have you met Kristin? Love sci-fi thrillers? What does the Christmas season mean to you? What are you doing with your holiday season?
Don't forget to sign up for your Monthly Dose of Cheese!!!
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Wednesday, November 16, 2016

When Life has Got You Down


It's day 16 of the book release blog tour. Yippee!

Are you feeling down? Feeling like life is coming at you with unfair force?


Combat it with cheese! Let's lighten some of that today with a few EPIC and fun posts.



The Maiden of Time Series:

The romance of Jane Eyre meets Supernatural.

In a world where people can heal with a touch, kill with a scream, and rob a person of their memories, Alexia is struggling to find her place and learn her gifts--before the Soulless come for her.


BUY
on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or get signed print copies from yours truly!

Tour stops

November 16

November 17



(Email address is required for awarding prizes.)



Last week, Joylene Nowell Butler shared MATOWAK: WOMAN WHO CRIES along with two truths and one lie. Anyone who guessed the lie correctly was entered to an eBook.

The game:


1.  Joylene trained a wild tomcat by attaching a hair-brush to the end of a yard stick so she could brush his coat at a distance of three feet without having her legs torn to shreds. 
2. Robert Goulet, singer, actor, best known for The Naked Gun 2 & 1/2, and for being portrayed by Will Ferrell in Saturday Night Live is Joylene’s cousin. 
3. Joylene once won 10 bags of jujubes by eating 15 jujubes in one-minute while being blindfolded and having to pick up the candy one at a time with a toothpick.

The lie: #3. 

From Joylene: I do love jujubes, but because I live such a boring life, I had to look up a good lie. I found this one in the Guinness Book of Records.

Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Hilary Melton-Butcher!

Congrats, Hilary!

And now, how about a wonderful book giveaway? (This one is one of the INSTANT prizes you can win in my Wheel of Death giveaway game.)

In this modern day retelling of Rapunzel, Anya has her books, her photography, and her daydreams. She doesn’t think she needs anything else.

 She lives in a house on the edge of town with her adopted mother, who goes to extreme measures to keep her daughter safe. Anya doesn’t even go to school, but instead has a private tutor. Anya tries not to acknowledge her loneliness; she puts her efforts into pleasing her mom, and gives her heart to her stories, secretly wishing for a story of her own.

 Then one day at the library, the only place she's allowed to go, she takes a picture of a beautiful boy.

 Before long she's lying to her mom, and sneaking out late at night to meet Zander. But Zander wants more than a secret romance. If Anya wants to be with the boy of her dreams, she will have to risk her relationship with the only other person she's ever cared about.

Get Your Copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author?

Rachel grew up in a tiny town in Minnesota. She still lives there, with her husband and their four kids. She coaches high school speech and theater, rides Arabian horses, reads as much as she can, and writes stories.

You might find Rachel, kicking back with her kids and eating Colby Jack in crackers. Meet her on her FACEBOOK PAGE.

Rachel gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out either lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook (open internationally):

You have until Tuesday, November 29 at 2 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer (and some FUN trivia) on November 16, 8 a.m. EDT.
TRUTH OR LIE

 1. I caught a Snorlax in my living room.
2. I almost died when I was four. 
3. I saw Patrick Swayze at a horse show.

So sleuths, which is the lie? Have you met Rachel? Love fairy tale retellings? What's got you down lately? And more importantly, how are you going to fight it? Now guess the lie and get out of here--on to the next tour stop!
Don't forget to sign up for your Monthly Dose of Cheese!!!
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Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Poison, Pickles, and Pampers

Bringing you your mid-week laughs...

Source

Source
(I think maybe he was poisoned.
Or he was subjected to this:)
Source
Speaking of pickles, who doesn't need some of these?

Source

For the sake of everyone everywhere, please no! 
(Or is he saying heil?)

Back to our theme for the day...


 

Last week Rachel Schieffelbein shared with us DON'T FALL, along with two truths and a lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win her eBook.

 Rachel's Game:



1. I once drove down a Canadian highway on a golf cart, and then took it through a McDonald's drive-thru with five other girls all on board.
2. Won a ballroom dance competition in five inch heels.
3. I was attacked by a deer. 

THE LIE: #2. I mean seriously, who can dance in 5 inch heels? #MurderMeNow

Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...


 Congrats! 

And now for this week's feature... 

Since the night her mother was murdered, sixteen-year-old Rory Gray has known one truth: There are no good Seeders. 

 In post-apocalyptic Australia, the scientists known as Seeders have built a Citadel surrounded by food-producing regions and populated with refugees from the wars and famine. To maintain their control, the Seeders poisoned the land and outlawed the saving of seeds.

 It’s been six years since Rory graced the Seeders’ circus stage as the Wind Dancer and still the scars on her body haven’t healed. Even worse are the scars on her heart, left by a Seeder boy who promised to protect her.

 Now the Seeders are withholding supplies from Rory’s region for perceived disobedience. Utilizing the Wanderer knowledge she received from her mother, Rory must journey to the Citadel through uninhabitable terrain to plead for mercy. 

 However, the Citadel isn’t as Rory remembered. The chief plant geneticist is dying and rumors fly that the store of viable seed is dwindling. The Seeders are desperate to find a seed bank they believe Rory can locate, and they will stop at nothing to get it. To defy the Seeders means death. But Rory has been close to death before--this time she’s learned the value of poison.

Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author?


Lan Chan is a writer, gardener and professional procrastinator based in Melbourne, Australia. She is still waiting for her super powers to manifest but until then she writes young adult novels featuring strong female protagonists, minority characters and has a particular interest in dystopias and urban fantasy.

 Although she can only handle what she calls the "essence of cheese" (ex: a pizza with the mozzarella picked off), she is still an author, and still deserves our respect. (Pity her for the cheesy goodness in life that she's missing out on and guess her lie, eh?)


Lan gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook of POISON. There will be 2, I repeat TWO winners.

You have until Tuesday, September 22 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answers on September 23. 
TRUTH OR LIE


1. I was born in a refugee camp in Vietnam where I spent the first five years of my life. Whilst there I almost drowned twice by falling into rivers. Once it happened because I was trying to retrieve a flip flog that had fallen in. What a way to go!

 2. As you might be able to tell from the environmental themes in Poison I am a bit of a nature geek. To that end I've been experimenting with alternatives to shampoo and conditioner because of all the nasty chemicals they contain. The most popular alternative is baking soda and apple cider vinegar. This is called the "No Poo Method." It did not end well. 

 3. Right before we moved to Australia my family moved from the refugee camp to Saigon. One day whilst coming home from the fields surrounding our house, I had my brother on my shoulders but because he was a very chubby baby I tripped and we fell into a muddy field littered with buffalo dung. My mother was not happy when we came home.


So sleuths, which is the lie? Any LOL moments for you today? Have you read dystopian? Like it?
Don't forget to sign up for your Monthly Dose of Cheese!!!
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Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Who Are YOU Talking To? A Guide to Writing Cross Genre

You know how you change your voice to talk to a baby? You wouldn't dare speak to an adult in that same squeaky high voice, right? Or a teen? And school kids might think something was wrong with you.


Things change as we mature, and authors have the responsibility to know what "voice" to use for their intended audience. Some authors develop a voice that only appeals to one group, while others jump across genre boundaries like jackrabbits leap sagebrush.

I'm a genre jumper, so I thought I'd share a few quick secrets today.

MIDDLE GRADE WRITING: 

First of all, if you can't remember being a kid, you have no business writing for them. When writing for middle graders, you have to: 
  • Break down adult limitations on creativity and go to the extreme. Let yourself build the impossible upon the impossible. 
  • Be charming.
  • Keep your descriptions light and let your audience fill in the blanks with their imaginations.
  • Be aware of the injustice kids feel when faced with adult mandates. 
  • Remember kids typically feel alone in their difficulties.
  • Simpler language. Vocabulary should be commensurate with the age your writing for.
  • Keep it clean. No language at this age. 

Themes center around building friendships and learning how to fit into ones world.

YOUNG ADULT WRITING:  

Same thing applies here. If you don't remember being a teen, you're sunk. Most YA authors still feel like they're 16. Tips for writing YA:
  • There is going to be a love interest. Teens hormones dictate that. Deal with it.
  • Angst. Yes, teenagers are angsty. It's just a fact. 
  • Descriptions should be heavier than middle grade, but still leave some room for imagination.
  • Realize that teenagers are constantly worried about how their peers perceive them. 
  • Write quirky/smart dialog. Seriously. Teens have some of the craziest/funnest conversations.
  • Some language/older themes are acceptable, but keep it toned down. 
  • If you were a teenager 20+ years ago, your ideas of teenage living are ancient. Either write in a historical setting, or go hang out with teens to get a feel for their world.
  • Know technology.

Themes center around the worries of becoming an adult, figuring out how the individual stands out in the world, and resolving ones feelings of injustice with the way the world actually is.

ADULT WRITING:

This genre is so varied based on you're specific audience that I will only offer a couple thoughts:
  • Description should be rich. Unless your a minimalist. 
  • Anything goes as far as content.
  • Adults expect more believable worlds grounded in a reality they can relate to.
  • Most adult readers want to be engaged on an intellectual level. 

Themes often include looking back and wishing to start over.

 
And now to test your intellect...

Last week Meradeth Houston shared with us TRAVELERS, along with two truths and a lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win ANY of her eBooks.
Meradeth's Game:


1. The only continent Meradeth has yet to make it to is Antarctica (and considering she hates the cold, that’s not high on her list! :).
2. She was fluent in Spanish long before English and actually didn’t learn to read in English until second grade.
3. Her family ran an animal rescue ranch while she was growing up and it was an odd week when there wasn’t something being raised or nursed back to health in their kitchen (everything from emu, to ferrets, to desert tortoises).

THE LIE: #1. She has yet to make it to Africa, which she hopes to remedy soon! Though there are too many awesome places to visit she can’t pick where she wants to go first.
Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...


 Congrats, Michael! 

And now for this week's feature... 


A contemporary Rapunzel.

 Seventeen-year-old Anya leads a very secluded life in a house on the edge of town with her adopted mother. She doesn't go to school, but instead has a private tutor. Her over-protective mom keeps her so sheltered that she doesn't even have a best friend.

 But Anya doesn't seem to mind. She has her books, her photography, her daydreams, and would do anything to please her mom. Until one day at the library, the only place she's allowed to go, she takes a picture of a beautiful boy.

 Before long she's lying to her mom, and sneaking out late at night to meet Zander. But Zander wants more than a secret romance. If Anya wants to be with the boy of her dreams, she will have to risk her relationship with the only other person she's ever cared about.

Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author?


Rachel Schieffelbein grew up in a tiny town in Southeast Minnesota reading books, riding horses, and participating in speech and theater. She is now married with four kids and enjoys reading books, riding horses, and coaching speech and theater. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! 
She enjoys writing characters she can relate to, ones she would want to hangout with, or fall in love with. She hopes her readers will love them, too.


Rachel gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook of DON'T FALL.  

You have until Tuesday, September 15 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answers on September 16. 
TRUTH OR LIE


1. I once drove down a Canadian highway on a golf cart, and then took it through a McDonald's drive-thru with five other girls all on board.
2. Won a ballroom dance competition in five inch heels.
3. I was attacked by a deer. 


So sleuths, which is the lie? Do you have anything to add to the genre tips above? What is your favorite genre to read/write or both? Do you like Rapunzel's story?
Don't forget to sign up for your Monthly Dose of Cheese!!!
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