Bella's Taliban Crashes into Supernatural: Aka A to Z Challenge for Y

QUICKLY: My amazing Pal, Elizabeth Seckman is unveiling her newest book cover. Check out this beauty!

Did you know? Bella is given a Cherokee rose in the story. The pretty little white flower grows wild in North Carolina. Legend has it that the tears from Cherokee moms who lost their children while on the forced march from their home to a reservation in the west, The Trail of Tears. 

Isabella Troy Stanley is a divorced, slave freeing pariah surviving in the shattered post Civil War south the only way a fallen debutante knows how. 

She heads to a Yankee prison and buys herself a husband. 

Jack Byron is the former Troy plantation stable boy and object of young Bella's affection. He rejected her then, and he's still not sold on the idea of marrying her now.  

 It’s complicated.

 Though to Bella, it’s simple: make Jack love her, marry her, and live happily ever after. The plan seems to work...at least until her secret is revealed.

Elizabeth is a wife, a mom, and a writer. She has four wonderful boys, one dusty house, and three published books to her credit. Feel free to check them out and buy them HERE! Erm, the books, not the kids or the house...though all things in life are negotiable ;)

You can find her here - Blog // Facebook // Twitter

Cover art by Sprinkles on Top Studios.

True heroes are all around us, in our every day lives, but some people stand out. During this A-Z Challenge I hope to share several of my real life heroes, and invite you to share yours in the comments.

ousafzia, Malala: Pakastani woman and hero. Malala has always been outspoken, especially on the topic of women's rights, and specifically in relation to education. Because of this, she was shot in the head at close range by a member of the Taliban.

She wrote an anonymous blog about living and seeking an education under the threat of the Taliban. This threat was very real, and as the militant group banned music, television, women from shopping and placed limits on women's education, the tension grew. People who disobeyed were killed.

Malala knew she was being targeted because of her outspokenness, but she didn't stop. Things came to a head when she was identified as the writer of the blog and interviewed in New York. Afterwards a masked man entered her school and threatened to hurt everyone unless they identified her. She was shot in the head.

Everyone thought she would die. She was in critical condition and transferred to a hospital in the UK. Miraculously, she survived.

Her survival led to petitions and change in education and forward leaps for women's rights. Malala continues to be a voice and symbol for the continued campaign.

Malala inspires me to hold my ground and moral issues the world or society may call trivial or old fashioned. She's an inspiration and proof that one voice really can make a difference.

Two more days to get MOONLESS at $1.99.

Jane Eyre meets Supernatural

How would you like to meet another hero? Although he's a bit tight lipped, meet Kiren. (Interview originally hosted on Mary Waibel's blog.): 

Ginger hair frames Kiren’s clean-shaven face, straight nose and piercing blue eyes as he takes a seat. A jagged white scar cuts from below one eye down his cheek. 

Where do you live?
*shifty eyes* Primarily on the road.

How long have you been living without a proper home?
I never said I lack a proper home, only that I rarely occupy one.

Why?
*jaw clenches as he leans forward* Do you know what happens on moonless nights?

No. What happens on moonless nights?
*shakes his head* If you’re ignorant, you are safer. 

That sounds slightly freaky.
*nods* 

That scar on your cheek, where did it come from?
The person who taught me what really matters in life.

And who was that?
*crosses his arms and stares*

What’s the best/worst gift you’ve ever received?
*slides a hand over his chest, revealing the outline of a chain through the material* The best and worst gift is the weight my father placed around my neck. 

What do you miss most about being a kid?
My family. 

What happened to them?
*eyes close*

Are they gone?
*looks away*

How old were you when you lost them?
Six.

Do you think you’ve turned out the way your parents expected?
No. But I dare believe they would be pleased with what I’ve become. 

Do you have any living heroes? Have you ever taken a stand for something you truly believe? What do you think of Elizabeth's book cover? Does Kiren's tight-lip-edness make you curious, or is it frustrating?

Squee worthy ANNOUNCEMENT, and an Editing Giveaway

GUESS WHAT?!?

I'm bursting out of my skin today because it's finally time to announce my debut novel, MOONLESS, will be released November 13, 2013 by Raybourne Publishing. Yippee!!! Who wants to celebrate by eating cheese with me?

Better yet, who is so incredibly awesome that they'll help me spread the word?

Sign up for the blog tour or cover reveal HERE. (Please?)


And now to the business of our Writerly Wednesday Truth and Lie game. *rubbing hands*

As part of last week's major giveaway including multiple awards, I offered a free ebook ($5 gift card to Amazon) for one lucky person who shared their favorite cheese and took a stab at guessing my random number.

Well, there were a number of awesome (and brazen) guesses, but the magic number was actually 49. Nice try people!

And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Carol Riggs

Congrats, Carol!

On to today.

So, you've written a really great book. Everyone says so. (Your mom, your brother, your friends.) You want to publish it, but there's a nagging sensation at the back of your mind, a little voice that whispers, "You're not ready. It's not good enough. No one will want to read this."

How do you silence that voice?

The answer for me was acquiring an editor. Understand, I have the most amazing critique partners, and such fabulous beta readers. I've even been blessed to work with a writing coach who handled slush pile entries at a small publishing house, and many years ago, a wonderful literary agent friend.

But that voice rarely dims below a scream in my head.

So an editor. I received recommendations and researched probably fifty of them, searching for someone who specialized in ALL of my genres--someone who would be a personality match for me/my writing. This couldn't be just any editor. It had to be THE editor. You know what I'm talking about? The person who loves your work like you do, the person who strives to help mold your story by YOUR vision, the person who energizes you when you're ready to throw in the towel?

A synergist.

Narrowing it down to 10 editors who worked on books I adored, I started the "interview" (email) process. I had some wonderful and very professional discussions with several editors. There are so many fabulous ones out there, but I knew when I found the one. Her enthusiasm for the project was enough to silence that screaming doubt at the back of my mind.

Dead. Silence.

And it went that way for the entire duration of our exchanges.

It's with great pleasure that I recommend Bethany Kaczmarek at A Little Red, Inc. I can't say too much good about this woman--and the selfish monster sitting in my brain wants me to shut up right now so I can keep her all to myself, but that would be wrong. (Or would it?)

Bethany kept me laughing while editing, and sought to preserve and cultivate my vision for the characters/plot. Her communications were regular and timely. Her feedback came in pieces so I wasn't overwhelmed by the immensity of the entire project. These interactive edits left me feeling 100% certain I could stop listening to that voice at the back of my head permanently. And let's talk timetable here: this woman is wicked fast.

So, why do I tell you all that? Because if you need an editor (and you do), you have to find the one that's right for you--but you can't do better than Bethany. No, seriously.

And, lucky for you, Bethany is offering a free 5 page edit to the winner of our Truth or Lie game today!

So here we go! Can you guess the lie?

     1. Bethany tore her ACL watching a Steelers game. On her couch.

     2. Bethany has been bitten on the hand by a flamingo.

     3. She learned to drive stick on the dirt roads of a little place called Hell Hole Swamp.

Alright human lie detectors, which is the lie? And have you signed up for my blog tour yet? *batting eyes*