Friday, December 19, 2014

12 Indies of Christmas



I'm super excited to be part of the 12 Indies of Christmas blog hop. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom to see the other hosts and a special giveaway.

For my post, I thought I'd share some Top 5's, so, here we go!

Top 5 Christmas Songs:

1) Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24  by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
2) Silent Night by Mannheim Steamroller (if you've never heard this rendition, you really need to listen to it. It's amazing!)
3) Do You Hear What I Hear by Perry Como
4) White Christmas by Bing Crosby
5) Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth by Bing Crosby and David Bowie



Top 5 Stop-Motion-Animated Christmas Movies:

1) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
2) Frosty the Snowman
3) The Year Without a Santa Claus
4) Santa Claus is Coming to Town
5) The Leprechaun's Christmas Gold

What are your favorite songs and movies? Share in the comments below. And don't miss the rest of the 12 Indies of Christmas!




Dec 12th - Zane Sachs
Dec 14th - Chess Desalls
Dec 15th - Kai Strand
Dec 16th - Zoe Dawson
Dec 17th - Amanda Porter
Dec 18th - Joy Penny
Dec 19th - Mary Waibel
Dec 21st - K.K. Allen
Dec 22nd - Ann Everett

Dec 23rd - Erin Rhew and Deek Rhew







Thursday, December 18, 2014

Blog Swap with Marie Laval

A Little Something to Get Us In the Holiday Spirit!
Today, fellow MuseItUp author Marie Laval and I are exchanging blog posts. Be sure to stop by HERE to see what inspired me to write Faery Marked.

And now, welcome, Marie!!


Hello Mary and thank you so much for the opportunity of being on your blog today. I am very happy to have you on my blog for our blog swap and to find out about your new novel Faery Marked.


Thanks, Marie. I'm excited to be visiting with you, as well as sharing your writing process here. Please tell us a bit about what you write.

I write romance - both historical and contemporary romance. I have also written several short stories inspired by my mother's childhood in North Africa and I would love to publish them in an anthology. One of them was published last October by Áccent Press in their Hallowe'en anthology, SHIVER

Wow! I'd love to read those stories inspired by your mom. I bet they are amazing! Do you use 1st person, 3rd person, multiple POVs in your writing?

In my romance novels, I use third person POV and usually alternate between the hero's and the heroin's POV.

I love books that do this, letting us get a glimpse at both characters thoughts. How do you get started with a book?

It's never the same. Sometimes I am inspired by a visit to a manor house, a landscape, or a historical anecdote. Other times I find a poem or a song, or even an unusual name and I start dreaming about characters and story lines. 

I love a variety of muses, too. Would you say you draft quickly? 

When I worked part-time I wrote quite quickly because I considered writing as a job and worked every day from morning to night. Unfortunately - if I may say so! - I now work full-time as a teacher and it takes me about a year to complete a project. I find it very frustrating because I have so many ideas and never enough time to write.

I hear you there. I always wish I had about 8-12 hours extra a day, just for writing. You mentioned you write historical romance, so let's talk about research. Do you do yours before your first draft, or during?

Both. I do love the thrill of starting a new project and gathering information about the setting, the historical background, the characters...but lots of research also happen whilst I am writing. 

My computer almost always has a browser open while I writing, so I can pop over for those quick things I need to know right then. 



Authors all see to have a different way about getting that first draft down. Some outline, and some just take and idea and run with it. What method do you use?

Unfortunately, I am very bad at planning. I have a vague idea of where I want to go and I usually know what the last scene is going to be, but that's all!

Names of characters and places so are important. Do you name everything up front when you are drafting or do you leave comments for yourself to go back and fill in later so you don't lose the flow of what you are working on?

I usually like to complete each scene and each chapter as thoroughly as I can before moving on. That's probably why it takes me so long to complete a project!

I have always found it beneficial to get another set of eyes on my work to look for inconsistencies, redundancies, and anything that can be done to improve the story I'm telling. Do you work with CP's or Beta's? And how soon into your draft do you let them see your work?

I have two close friends who always read the first draft of my stories, and I am very grateful to them for doing that. Since getting published I have made new friends, among whom Helena Fairfax, a romance writer from Yorkshire and we sometimes meet for lunch. We have exchanged our first three chapters and synopsis on a couple of occasions and had a chat about our latest projects. Talking things over with her really helps.

I love Helena. She's such a lovely lady. I'm sure these exchange have been great for both of you. 

Can you share some books or websites that you have found most helpful to helping you write your best?

There are so many great books, it is difficult to single one out, but if I had to pick one it would choose 'To Writers With Love' by Harlequin author Mary Wibberley. It was written some years ago but is full of good advice.

I haven't heard of that one. I'll have to add it to my list of books to check out :-) 

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started writing?

That writing and publishing a novel is a very long process and takes a long time! I have definitely learned to be more patient.

Patience is a must for all authors. Truth! 

Tell us a bit about your upcoming release and where we can find you on the web. 

I have a contemporary romantic suspense A SPELL IN PROVENCE about to be released by Áccent Press on December 19th. This was actually the first novel I completed after going on holiday in the South of France a few years ago, and later attending a very inspiring romance writing seminar organised by Calderdale Libraries in Yorkshire. I have since rewritten it twice!
A SPELL IN PROVENCE will be available at Accent Press and on Amazon

You can find me at http://marielaval.blogspot.co.uk/ 

and befriend me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/marie.laval.9

Congratulations! And I just love the cover!! Thanks for stopping by today, and for hosting me on your blog as well! 


Thank you very much Mary for having me on your blog today. I look forward to answering your readers' questions and comments.



About the Book:

After losing her job in England, Amy Carter uses her redundancy payment to start a new life in France, turning Bellefontaine, an overgrown Provençal farmhouse, into a successful hotel. Though she has big plans for her new home, none of them involves falling in love — least of all with Fabien Coste, the handsome but arrogant owner of the nearby château. 

As romance blossoms in the beautiful Provençal countryside, disturbing events at the farmhouse hint at a dark mystery — a destructive, centuries-old attachment between the ladies of Bellefontaine and the ducs de Coste. As Amy struggles to unravel the mystery, she begins to wonder if it may not just be her heart at risk, but her life too.







About the Author:

Originally from Lyon in France, Marie Laval studied History and Law at university there before moving to Lancashire in England where she worked in a variety of jobs, from PA in a busy university department to teacher in adult education and secondary schools. Writing, however, was always her passion, and she spends most of her free time dreaming up stories. A vivid imagination, an intimate knowledge of her native France as well as her love of historical research help her create compelling historical and contemporary romance novels. She has published two historical romances with MuseitUp Publishing, ANGEL HEART and THE LION'S EMBRACE.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

FAERY MARKED Release Day!!!



It's here! Faery Marked has released. It's available in e-book and PRINT from Amazon!!!!

If we can get Faery Marked to hit the Amazon Best-Selling List, I'll release post the ending (from Reece's POV) on my blog. So, please. Help spread the word to all those readers you know who enjoy fairies and fantasy. And thanks!!!


I'm also hosting a special giveaway. One lucky winner (US and Canada only) will receive:

a signed copy of Faery Marked
an 8x10 cover (signed by author and cover artist)
bookmarks
wing tattoos
special trading cards



LIMITED TIME OFFER!!!

So, how do you enter this contest? First, you must purchase a copy of Faery Marked between 12/16/14 and 12/22/14 (pre-orders count, too!). Next, send me proof of purchase by email (mewaibel(at)gmail(dot)com). 


Extra entries can be earned the following ways:

1 extra entry for each of these:
  • Include a picture of you reading Faery Marked on your e-reader/tablet (book cover must be visible in photo) 
  • Tweet/Facebook or post on other social media about the book and send me the links
  • Mention that you are a newsletter subscriber
2 extra entries for each of these:
  • Leave an honest review at the site of your choosing (Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, etc.) and send me the link
  • Get a friend to sign up for my newsletter. E-mail me the name so I can find them in my subscription list.


All entries must be received by 12 AM EST 12/29/14


The winning entry will be drawn at random and announced on Facebook, Twitter, and my blog. Winner will have one week to claim prize or a new winner will be drawn.


Good Luck!!!




Book Blurb:

When Callie Rycroft wakes to find purple flames flickering on the ceiling, she believes she’s still dreaming. But soon she’s forced to accept that she has magic―a special magic that grants her entrance into the Faery Realm.



For centuries humans have been banned from Faery, but dangerous times call for dangerous measures. Declared Champion by the Faery Queen, Callie is assigned a Guardian, and tasked with finding the Cordial―a magical elixir needed to keep the portal to the Faery realm a secret from humans.


The upside? Reece Michaels, the boy she's been crushing on for years, is her Guardian. Callie hopes that, by spending time with Reece, he'll start to see her as more than just his best friend's sister.

The downside? She's in a race not only against time, but against another Champion, and a rogue Guardian―a Guardian who stands to threaten her developing relationship with Reece.

Magic, mistaken identities, and hidden agendas are the least of Callie's worries when she learns that the Cordial requires a sacrifice. Will Callie be willing to risk everything―even Reece―to complete her task as Champion? Or will she let the portal open, and doom both realms?

Monday, December 8, 2014

FAERY MARKED Blog Tour, Day 1





Today is the first day of the Faery Marked blog tour, and it is packed with guest posts and reviews.

You can find reviews here:
The Coffee Pot
GenGen's Book Blog

Want to know what it's like to work with an editor? Read a co-authored post by my editor and me, with a behind the scenes look at a section of Faery Marked here:
Move to the Write

It's #ManCrushMonday on the Dragon Blog, and I'm showcasing my choice for Reece at:
The Dragon Blog

And last, but not least, Callie is sharing her top 10 paranormal/fantasy/mythology book choices at: 
Valley Girl Gone County


Friday, December 5, 2014

FAERY MARKED Blog Tour Schedule!




It's hard to believe that Faery Marked is releasing in a little over a week. I am super stoked about this one for many reasons. First, it's a new series in a totally different writing style for me. Second, I'm releasing it with my friends at BookFish Books. And finally, it will be my first book released in print. 

In anticipation of the release, I'm going on tour. Over the next two weeks, you can find reviews, guest posts, and tons of behind the scenes stuff about me and Faery Marked on these blogs:

12/8/14:
GenGen's Book Blog
Valley Girl Gone County
The Coffee Pot
Move to the Write
The Dragon Blog

12/9/14:
Every Free Chance

12/11/14
Pretty Little Pages

12/12/14
The Cozier Corner
Let the Dreams Guide and the Words Flow

12/13/14
Hearts and Crowns
Jen's All About Books (18+ only please)

12/15/14
The Honest Book Club

12/16/14
Unorthodox Mama
Strands of Thought

12/17/14
Teenage Book Reviewer
Strands of Thought
Pick a Genre Already (18+ only please)

12/18/14
Marie Laval

12/19/14
Strands of Thought

12/20/14
Eat, Read, Glam


Win a signed copy of Faery Marked and other swag. Details HERE. Don’t miss out on this LIMITED TIME OFFER!!!


Book Blurb:

When Callie Rycroft wakes to find purple flames flickering on the ceiling, she believes she’s still dreaming. But soon she’s forced to accept that she has magic―a special magic that grants her entrance into the Faery Realm.



For centuries humans have been banned from Faery, but dangerous times call for dangerous measures. Declared Champion by the Faery Queen, Callie is assigned a Guardian, and tasked with finding the Cordial―a magical elixir needed to keep the portal to the Faery realm a secret from humans.


The upside? Reece Michaels, the boy she's been crushing on for years, is her Guardian. Callie hopes that, by spending time with Reece, he'll start to see her as more than just his best friend's sister.

The downside? She's in a race not only against time, but against another Champion, and a rogue Guardian―a Guardian who stands to threaten her developing relationship with Reece.

Magic, mistaken identities, and hidden agendas are the least of Callie's worries when she learns that the Cordial requires a sacrifice. Will Callie be willing to risk everything―even Reece―to complete her task as Champion? Or will she let the portal open, and doom both realms?

Available at AMAZON




Monday, December 1, 2014

Holiday Wrap-Up




I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, filled with great food, and that you made (and shared) memories with friends and loved ones.

Like with most of our holiday celebrations, we spread our Thanksgiving across several days, spending time with family and friends, and eating our fill of turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. It was a great way to unwind.



Then, yesterday we went and saw Trans-Siberian Orchestra to kick off our Christmas season. It's the earliest show we've ever gone to, but it fit our criteria-no holiday jumping (and, with the hockey schedule, it was the only one we could make!) It was an amazing concert with great music, an incredible light show, and pyrotechnics. If you've never seen them, I highly recommend seeing a show. Oh, and check out the photo page on their website. AMAZING!!!


So, how was your holiday? I'd love to hear what you and your family did. Share in the comments below!