The Possess Saga ~ J.A. Howell

When I was introduced to Nolan Finley, I was already pissed at him and we hadn’t even met yet.  Yes, I was holding a grudge.  I was ticked because I was all about Brody Walsh and a small part of me blamed Brody’s death on Nolan.  I loved Brody.  Still do.  But after a few glimpses into Nolan’s, umm . . .kitchen, I fell for him.  I mean, look at him.  Who wouldn’t?  Not to mention, that accent.  So hot.   

J.A. and I had a few conversations about Nolan and Brody, and she has assures me that Nolan is as hot as I imagine (and that we haven’t seen the last of Brody). 

J.A. recently sat down with Nolan and asked him a few questions.  (One of which was not about his infamous culinary skills with sausage . . . much to my dismay.)  Here’s what Nolan had to say:

 

JAH: I’m sitting down today with Nolan Finley from The Possess Saga. Nolan, thank you for joining me today.

Nolan: The pleasure’s all mine. *grins*

JAH: *smiles back* So, we know you run Finley’s Pub in The Possess Saga…well actually in all my books that take place in Midtown. Do you enjoy your job?

Nolan: For the most part. Every now and then I have ta toss a drunk out or break up fights. But I consider that a perk of the job.

JAH: Ah yes. I’ve heard that Aggie sometimes is bad about not cutting people off when she should, just so she gets to see you throw them out.

Nolan: Hmmph. She would. She’s a bit of an instigator.

JAH: Speaking of instigators. I also heard you were a bit of a wild one when you were younger and got into lots of fights.

Nolan: *looks around * Me? Never!

JAH:…

Nolan: Okay maybe a few. *Shrugs, flashing a devious grin*

JAH: I’ve heard when it was you and Brody out together you two were a bit of a force to be reckoned with. What sort of things did you guys get in fights over?

Nolan:  *His grin only grows as he stretches his arms out behind his head* Well…we beat up a lot of Aggie’s boyfriends. Most of ‘em were arseholes.  Every now and then I “might” have gotten inta a bar fight over a girl.

JAH: How noble of you.

Nolan: Not really. It was usually because their boyfriend caught us. Of course, how was I ta know they had a man if they were flirtin’ with me, right?

JAH: So you never knew that those girls had boyfriends? *raises an eyebrow, giving him a skeptical stare*

Nolan: *snorts* Me? Never!

JAH:…

Nolan: Okay, maybe a few.

JAH: Right, speaking of girls. I heard you like big butts. *Fails to suppress a giggle*

Nolan: And I cannot lie?

JAH: *Shakes head* Please don’t get that song stuck in my head.

Nolan: *laughs* Yes, I appreciate a nice arse. But ya really need ta stop talkin’ ta Aggie so much.

JAH: I can’t help it! She has all the good dirt on you!

Nolan: *crosses arms and lets out an indignant grunt*

JAH: I’m sure you have dirt on her too. You two are like brother and sister.

Nolan: Yes. She’s the little sister I never had. Or wanted.

JAH: I’m sooooo telling her you said that.

Nolan:*winces* Ah, Christ! Don’t do that! She’s vicious with those boney knees of hers.  What else do ya want ta know?

JAH: Hmm. I should use that scare tactic more often. Okay so one final question. A bit more serious. From books 1 & 2 of The Possess Saga, it’s obvious that a lot has happened to you in the past with the whole situation surrounding Brody’s death. Given where you are now, do you regret any of it?

Nolan: That’s a tough one. I like Harley and I’m glad I met her. If what happened with Claire and with Brody had never happened, would I have ever met her? I’m not sure. I’m glad things work out the way they do, but I really hate that they cost me some of the things they did. And I can’t say I’m not ashamed of myself for some of the part that I played in all of it.

JAH: Thanks for such a candid response. Well, it’s been a pleasure indeed, but I should let you get back to the pub.

Nolan: *winks* Until the next book, then.

 

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Brody Walsh’s life is left in disarray when his girlfriend is found brutally raped and murdered. But it completely shatters when his best friend, Nolan is arrested for the crime.

Even as the media is portraying him as a monster, Brody knows Nolan isn’t capable of murder.

That leaves the question: Who is?

Once the trial begins, Brody discovers just how little he knew about his girlfriend, spurring him to dig into her past for possible answers. And as Aggie, his long time confidant and childhood crush, stands by his side through all of this, he finds his own past resurfacing when his feelings for her reignite. But as the media and the prosecutors close in on Nolan, ready to convict him for a crime he didn’t commit, Brody will be forced to make a choice.

A choice that will lead to his untimely death.

 



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Stumbling off the bus in Midtown, Harley Martin thought she found an escape from her old life.

She soon realizes it was anything but that.

Low on cash and options, she manages to find herself a cheap but surprisingly nice apartment. The catch? The last tenant, Brody Walsh, killed himself.

Or did he?

As disturbing dreams and hauntings start to occur, Harley realizes there may be much more behind the previous tenant’s death than a simple suicide. She finds her life further entangled with his when she learns that her new boss, Nolan, was also his best friend. Could this handsome but evasive pub owner have something to do with Brody’s death?

Trying to piece together the events surrounding Brody’s death proves to be a daunting task, but Harley can’t give up. Brody won’t let her. He is still in the apartment with her, trapped in limbo until she finds his killer.

But he’s not waiting for revenge.

Harley's next.

 

 

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 About the Author

 

Author Bio:

J.A Howell is an office drone by day, and a writer by night. Her love of writing took off when she was eleven years old and decided to fill a composition notebook with stories to read to her friends. Many years (and notebooks) later, not much has changed. She still loves writing and sharing her works with others. When she isn’t writing, she can often be found trying her hand at whatever artistic pursuit strikes her fancy. J.A. Howell resides in Apopka, FL with her husband and their menagerie of animal children. 

 

Author Links:

www.midtown-underground.com

http://www.facebook.com/JenniferHowlz

http://www.facebook.com/ThePossessSaga

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1472837.J_A_Howell

https://twitter.com/JenniferHowlz

http://pinterest.com/JenniferHowlz/

 

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Make sure you don't miss out on the Mini-Episodes located on J.A. Howell's Website!! Wait though! The episodes are password protected! How do you unlock them, you ask?
Simply by following the blog tour!! Each stop has a shamrock like this one on it, with letters in Blue, Yellow, and Red written on them. Keep track of the letters, and what color they are, and by the end of the tour, you'll have 3 passwords!! Below is the link to each episode and what color belongs with what episode! I've also included previous stops along the tour so you can go back and find the letters needed for the passwords.  Have fun!!!

First Password (Blue)-

http://midtown-underground.com/possess-episode-1

 

Second Password (Yellow)-

http://midtown-underground.com/possess-episode-2

 

Third Password (Red)-

http://midtown-underground.com/possess-episode-3

March 17th http://www.moviestareyes.blogspot.com/

March 18th http://www.diannabellerose-authorfireandice.blogspot.com/

March 19th http://jessbookblog.blogspot.com/

March 20th www.delphinareadstoomuch.com

March 21st www.drunkenspacepenguin.blogspot.com/

March 22nd www.sparringstepsisters.blogspot.com

March 23rd krystalclearbookreviews.wordpress.com

March 24th http://authorinterrupted.com/

March 25th www.feliciatatum.com

March 26th http://bookcrazy123.blogspot.co.uk/

March 27th http://www.vampandstuff.com/

March 28th http://amazingbookscometolife.blogspot.com/

March 29th http://asyouwishreviews.blogspot.com/

March 30th http://heather-andrews.blogspot.com/

March 31st http://shandramillerwriter.blogspot.com/

April 1st http://strreviews.blogspot.com/

April 2nd http://www.tobethode.com/

April 3rd http://andisbookreviews.blogspot.com/

April 4th www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com

April 5th http://curling-up-with-a-good-book.blogspot.com/

April 6th http://bexnbooks.blogspot.com.au/

April 7th http://staciewilson.blogspot.com/

April 8th http://cassiesreviewsde-la-mazing.blogspot.com/

April 9th http://www.alittlebitofrnrreviews.com/

April 10th http://booksreviewswineandcheese.blogspot.com/

April 11th http://www.booknerdsacrossamerica.com/

April 12th sweettreatblogblog.wordpress.com

April 14th www.toniabrewer.com

April 16th http://booksnbrownies.com/

April 17th www.fatedparanormals.blogspot.com

From Plot 2 Published

We all start with a PLOT and work toward being PUBLISHED.

Many of you reading this are not only avid readers, but also authors yourself (even if you aren't published yet), and you know the road to published is a long and sometimes overwhelming one. 

It includes plotting, writing, revising, editing, finding someone to Beta for you (and praying they will actually finish the book and get you some feedback) then revising again...and again...and so on.

My point is—it's a process.  A much more complex process than most people (who don't write) imagine it is. 

As some of you may already know, I've been Editing for a while.  I love it.  After all, if I'm not going to be writing at least I can be reading.  I also love working with graphic design.  Visual Communications (a fancy way to say Art) was my first major in college.  Of course, I didn't think I'd make any money with it and changed to Journalism and Mass Comm.  Because, ya know, I make sooo much more cha-ching now.  ::insert eye roll here::

What many of you may not already know is that I've also been trying to put together a website platform for Indie Authors to help with this journey that would make even Frodo Baggins think twice.  Because the road to published—traditional or self-pubbed—can be a daunting one. 

I know the struggles I've faced personally, and I've had training in the troublesome areas.  I want to help others who might be struggling too and do so at a cost that we struggling writers can actually afford.  I mean, we are called starving artists for a reason, right?  And so, from my own struggles and my desire to help fellow authors Plot2Published Author Services was born.

P2P offers affordable services such as:

• Editing
• Blurb writing
• Formatting

To celebrate the website going live...I'm having GIVEAWAYS for the entire month.

Join in on on the Grand Opening month long event.  I'll be giving away the following:

• $25 worth of services on April 5th, 12th & 19th
• $50 worth of services on April 30th

You can enter each week, I'm not restricting the winner to only win once.  So you could possibly win all 4 prizes.  Hey, stranger things have happened.

I also have a SPECIAL PRIZE for the person who SHARES the MOST!



The April 12th Prize is up and running!!

Enter here:

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Calling all Bloggers - Blog Share

They like me, they really like me.

Ok..maybe not really! But it makes us feel liked when we see a new follower pop up on our list...doesn't it?  Don't lie to yourself, it's just like high school.  We all want to be popular.  The difference is, you couldn't trade popularity points with other misfits in HS...but on the internet, it is soooo perfectly doable. :)

So, for all you fellow bloggers out there, there's a Blog-fest Blog Share going on over at Indies Unlimited. It's a great way to meet and network with fellow bloggers as well as build your ego, ummm...blog following. :)

Check it out and pass the word along. :)

(oh...and leave me a comment to let me know I'm popular, I mean, that you checked it out)

Indies Unlimited Blog-Fest

My first Interview

Today I'm being interviewed by Maria Buscher on her blog, Romancing the Writer.

Maria has been doing a series of interviews with Authors who participated in the 2012 So You Think You Can Write competition presented by Harlequin/Mills & Boone.  I read over several of the previous blogs from my fellow participants and they were quite interesting. 

It was an awesome experience and I learned a LOT from the competition.  Click on over there and take a look at the interview.  I'm also hosting a GIVEAWAY to accompany the interview.  I created an alternate Cover for Lullaby and would love your input on which of the two covers you think I should choose as the final one.

I'll give you a sneak peek at them here, but you'll have to jump over there to leave your vote.

Aedan

or

Halle

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Book Release - The Stone Guardian

It’s amazing how with some people we just click, isn’t it?  That happened several months ago when I met a fellow author through Facebook.  She is one of the handful I have come to consider a friend.  She’s awesome really.   I’ve read her work and I wouldn’t lie to you.

Today is the release of her book, The Stone Guardian.  To celebrate the release, she’s hosting an “End of the World” book blast.  Yes, End of the World . . . because the Mayan’s say its coming and all . . . she has a twisted awesome sense of humor like that.  And if you read The Stone Guardian it will make more sense that she would term the book blast as such.  Seriously . . . go get it and read it.  Now.   Ok . . . after you’ve finished reading this post.

So . . . of course to go along with the release/book blast, there’s a GIVEAWAY!  Yay!  We all love winning things, right?  The prizes are a $50 Visa gift card and an e-copy of The Stone Guardian.  (you can enter at the end of the post)

Without further adieu . . . Here’s a little about my friend, Theresa McClinton, and The Stone Guardian (which you should immediately go get and read . . . seriously).

 

When myth becomes reality, reality becomes a nightmare.

 

Like any other teenager in America, Ashley just wants a normal life. But growing up in an orphanage for the insane is anything but normal. After endless therapy and increasing medication, her nightmares have only gotten worse.

 
Probably because they’re not nightmares.
 

When Ashley’s mysteriously abducted, she finds a reality even less normal than the orphanage. And she discovers something else—she’s no ordinary orphan. Faced with enemies thought to only exist in fairy tales, Ashley discovers she possesses a powerful Maya bloodline. She’s the daughter of an ancient Maya Guardian, whose duty is to protect the Stone of Muuk’ich, an enchanted relic blessed by the gods. But first she must get it back from Sarian, a power-hungry demigod who slaughtered the last guardian—Ashley’s mother. Without the stone, all will be lost.

 

When she meets Arwan, a hot Belizean time bender, his delicious olive skin and dark eyes make her feel a little less alone. But his gentle whispers and reassuring touch might not be all they seem. How can she balance love and duty when it’s up to her to prevent the rising of the underworld? Especially when the guy she loves might be its crown prince…

 

To purchase, click on whichever link you need:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance e-Books


Theresa McClinton

 A long time enthusiast of things that go bump in the night, Theresa started her writing career as a journalism intern—possibly the least creative writing field out there.  After her first semester at a local newspaper, she washed her hands of press releases and features articles to delve into the whimsical world of young adult paranormal romance.

 

Since then, Theresa has gotten married, had three terrific kids, moved to central Ohio, and was repeatedly guilt tripped into adopting a menagerie of animals that are now members of the family.  But don’t be fooled by her domesticated appearance.  Her greatest love is travel.  Having stepped foot on the soil of over a dozen countries, traveled to sixteen U.S. states—including an extended seven-year stay in Kodiak, Alaska—she is anything but settled down.  But wherever life brings her, she will continue to weave tales of adventure and love with the hope her stories will bring joy and inspiration to her readers.

 

The Giveaway  

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How Super is your Hero?

Ok, I’ll begin by saying - how awesome is my photo for this blog?  The moment I saw it, the wheels started turning.  Slow, curious, that’s-the-hottest-picture-I’ve-seen-since-Chris-Hemsworth wheels.  I couldn’t help it . . . there is just something about this photo that appeals to both my nerdy side and the swooning romantic that exist somewhere among the many facets of my inner female psyche. 

Best part . . . this is a photo of a guy I know, Darrell.  I batted my eyelashes and promised hoards of swooning women if he let me use it for my blog.  Oddly enough, he laughed.  I’m not so sure he believed me. I have hoards of female characters rattling around in my mind, I think that would count as multiple swoons.  So there.  Oh . . . and I will be using Darrell later as an example, but first . . .

Back to the topic: Superheroes.

I confess, I’ve been on a superhero kick since Ironman came out.  Let's face it, Tony Stark/Ironman is a well written character.  But what does Tony have to do with his alter ego?  Well, what any man would really.  You see, the other day I came across an article (while hanging out waiting for an appointment) about men and superheroes.  According to Cosmo, the superhero a man tends to prefer says a lot about him.  I didn’t get to finish the article (yes, I contemplated asking the receptionist if I could take it with me, but I opted against it solely on the principle of being caught with a Cosmo in my possession), but it did spark a question or two.  I’ve never been one to scour the pages of Cosmo for advice on men—pretty sure Cosmo can’t help with the issues most of us have with men anyway—but I think they were on to something here. 

What can a guy’s preference for heroes tell us about him?

Let’s take Darrell, for example (I will likely hear about this from Darrell later).  I happen to know for a fact that Superman is, indeed, Darrell’s favorite superhero.  So, what does that say about Darrell? 

Well . . . since Superman is the archetypical “nice guy” and a guy who digs the Man of Steel usually has the same traits, it says that Darrell is most likely loyal, steadfast, and inclined to believe that people are essentially good.  He’ll be there, ready to save the day if needed.  And he probably has a thing for women with a penchant for curiosity who love to write (I know a few Lois Lane types, just sayin').

So, while I may not need Darrell to save me from a burning building any time soon (although this is me—there’s no telling what I could get into and be in need of rescuing from) it does give me some insight into what makes him tick, maybe even tock. 

If he were more of a Batman kinda guy, I’d tend to think he would be a bit of a loner, prone to not letting people get too close to him and therefore only date superficial Barbie types who couldn’t hold a meaningful conversation if someone spoke for them. 

The Hulk?  Hmmm . . . maybe he lets his emotions get the better of him (or he’s just bi-polar . . . it could go either way).

My point is this: If you want to delve a little deeper into the character you are writing—hero or not—try thinking about which superhero would be his (or her) alter ego.  Whom would he/she mimic if push came to shove?  (You could also turn the tables and use the super villain thought process on your antagonist)

I’d love to hear what superhero YOU would choose as your alter ego!  Or, you could just comment on Darrell’s photo.  After all . . . I did promise him swooning.

 

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Fall for fall - Autumn Harvest Blog Hop

Fall is my FAV season of the year.  For one . . . it means hot apple cider.  I loooove hot apple cider.  The real stuff, not the out of a can wannabe.  In addition to the delicious hot beverage, the leaves are changing, I get to wear my comfy, warm sweaters and scarves and there’s a chill in the air that screams “snuggle” weather. 

 

It doesn’t matter if you’re snuggling up with a cozy blanket, a good book, and a cup-o-joe or if you’re snuggling up with Joe himself.  Though, I’m sure most of us would prefer to combine all of the above, but we take what we can get, right?  So . . . for those of us who don’t have a “Joe” in our life . . . we are going to settle for the good book and whatever hunky Joe-hero we can get tangled up with in our minds.  (Which are sometimes the best kind.)

 

Some of my favorite Joe-heroes are the ones who make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside . . . like my sweaters and blankets.  But there are also those who keep it so hot you need to turn the thermostat down a few degrees.  I, for one, prefer the combination of the two.  It makes the chill in the air a little less noticeable.

 

What is your favorite thing about fall?  Comment below and be sure to leave your email addy so you can be contacted if you win.  What are the prizes you ask? 

 

We have THREE grand prizes.  You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 200 times!

 

Those prizes are:

 

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains 10+ paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more

 

 

Here on my blog,

you can enter to win an ARC of Lullaby

 

(better get one now...there's an editor from a big name publisher reading it at the moment and I'll know next week if they are offering a contract...once that happens, I don't think they are going to let me dole it out freely - hey...I'm dreaming BIG!)

 

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Something Wicked This Way...(After Dark Blog Hop)

Admit it . . . you love the bad boys.  At some point in a story, you’ve found yourself rooting for them.  There is just something about a steamy antagonist that is just oh-so-tempting.  (I can't help but think of Damon from Vampire Diaries)

And let’s face it.  You can’t have a story without one.  They drive the intensity; they propel the conflict.  If it weren’t for the villainous bad boys, the hero/heroine would lose their affect.  Not to mention, those bad boys are usually just, well, yummy.

And—if they're doing their jobs—they remind us of the darker parts of ourselves that perhaps we wish weren't really there. They make us secretly root for them—or feel sorry for them—then they do something ungodly that reminds us why it would just never really work out, no matter how drop dead gorgeous they are.  The really great ones are those we can see as the protagonists of their own story, and perhaps—if things had been a bit different—they could have been the hero.

So . . . in honor of those oh-so-wicked bad boys, I'm doing a little giveaway. 

Leave a comment and tell me who your favorite bad boy is.  What character do you hate to love? 

(don't forget to leave your email addy so I can notify you if you win)

 

 

 

 

 

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Winners - Alpha Male Blog Hop

...to all who participated in the Alpha Male blog hop.  It was GREAT fun & I loved reading what makes an Alpha so irresistable for you.
Thanks to Carrie Ann for hosting the hop!  To see the winners from the Grand Prize drawings...click here.

I have another hop coming your way later this evening.   Hope you'll join me for the "Wicked After Dark" blog hop. 

Without further adeu...

Winners - Alpha Male blog hop

 $15 Amazon and/or B & N gift card – Misha K.

eBook ARC of Lullaby – Sebrina C.

I'll be emailing you guys shortly!

Helllooo Alpha Male!

I was trying to decide what to say about Alphas and all I could think about was Thor.  Specifically, Chris Hemsworth as Thor. 

Let’s face it, as readers we are drawn to Alphas.  They are in control, but not controlling.  They are sexy, without being so full of themselves we’d kick them out of bed for eating crackers.  In otherwords . . . Thor.  Ok, ok.  I’m letting Thor go (for now, anyway).

Ultimately, an Alpha is the ideal combination of “nice guy” and “jerk.”  I know, I know . . . right now some of you are thinking “I sooo do not want any element of “jerk” in my Alpha.” 

To that I say — Really? 

Every woman (who is honest about it) will admit that she doesn’t want a guy who is a pushover.  The same goes for our Alphas – fictional or not. 

I’d have to say, if I were to give my definition of an Alpha male, it would be a little something like this:

He’s a natural leader, doesn’t necessarily know all of the answers, but he’s wicked smart and exudes confidence.  He’s a problem solver, can figure his way out of a tight spot. He tends to not be outwardly emotional, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t care deeply.  Just means he isn’t going to sit around eating from a carton of Ben & Jerry’s talking about his feelings.  He can sometimes come across as abrupt and insensitive, but that’s simply because he’s on a mission and goal oriented and that can be taken the wrong way.  Physically, he’s a force to be reckoned with.  Imposing, strong, athletically fit, tall and in general all around hotter and sexier than the average guy.  (Did I mention Thor?)

 

How about you?  What THREE characteristics do you think are imperative to have in an Alpha male?

Comment with your thoughts (and your email if you want to be considered for the awesome giveaways! — check out the prizes and swag pack up for grabs below)

Plus...click here  http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com to check out over 200 other Alpha Male related blogs on the hop (they have prizes too)

 

 

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1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: The following Swag Pack!

 

 

ALPHA soup - take a bite

What is your favorite thing about Alpha Heroes?

 

Well, myself and a few (ok...over 200) authors are ready to share our favorite Alpha Males with you, our favorite things about them, and everything sexy and heated about those Alpha Males you can think of. ::wink wink::

Starting tomorrow (Friday the 19th) and ending on  Monday, Oct. 22nd, over 200 Authors and Bloggers will share their favorite things about those irresistable men we know and love.

And while we do that, we are EACH doing a giveaway. Yep. There will be over 200 giveaways (one on each blog) hosted by that Author or Blogger.

But that's not all....

We have THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 200 times!

Now what are those prizes?

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: The following Swag Pack!

 

 

Cover Reveal Giveaway

TaDa!!!



For those who haven’t heard me go on and on over on Facebook . . . and Twitter . . . and my Facebook Author page, ok, you get my point.  I’ve gone on and on.  But for those who haven’t heard it yet, Lullaby is currently in the running for the SoYou Think You Can Write competition being sponsored by Mills & Boon and Harlequin. 

Read Chapter 1 of Lullaby here.

Yes, I’m psyched and a little nervous.  Would be even more psyched if you all would go and (shameless plug) VOTE FOR ME!?!? (Keep in mind, you can vote every day until Oct. 12)

Since everything seems to be buzzin’ this week, I thought it would be a great time to reveal the book cover for Lullaby.  It is sooo close to being ready to publish.  I am uber excited about how bright the light at the end of the tunnel is getting.  BUT, you haven’t seen the COVER yet!  We need to do something about that, and we will.  TOMORROW @ 7 pm EST.

In honor of the Cover Reveal, I’m having a Giveaway.  Why?  Because I love giveaways.  Who doesn’t? 

• $10 Amazon or B & N gift card (that could easily buy you 10 awesome eBooks)

• 3 ARCs of Lullaby (just as soon as they are ready to go . . . which should be soon)

I’m not going to give away points for voting for me . . . I would prefer you do that just because you like Chapter 1 of Lullaby (or because you kinda like me, or maybe you just feel sorry for me . . . I’m not picky, I’ll take votes for whatever reason you want to give them).

So . . . enter the giveaway below.  Share with your friends. And I’ll see you back here tomorrow.

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Why Chasing My Dream is Possible

I grew up in a military town.  Later, I was married to it for four years. I have seen how hard it is on families of those who have to leave for extended periods of time . . . sometimes without a guarantee that their loved one will even come home.

These men and women give their lives so that we have the option of chasing our dreams.  My dream is writing and I know that if I lived in a different country, I may not have the freedom to do what I love doing so much . . . at least not publicly pursuing it.

Today I’d like to take the opportunity to remember. 

Prisoner of War. Missing in Action. Killed in Action, Body Not Recovered.

Those are the categories assigned to those who never made it home from war, but they are so much more than just a status, more than just names carved in black granite on a wall in Washington. They are fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, and friends.

And they all have their own stories to tell. 

In honor of those untold stories, I am holding a contest.  I’ll be giving away a $10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card (winner’s choice) and an ARC of my upcoming novel Lullaby when it’s available.

Also for every new follower the blog (join to the right) and my Twitter account receives from this post and every new “Like” on on my Facebook Author page, I’ll donate $0.50 to the POW Network. So by all means, share this post, the more sharing, the higher the donation.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Feel free to leave comments about your favorite service members, past and present, what dreams you have that are possible because of these men and women.  (Comments aren’t limited to these topics of course . . . feel free to comment however you like)

Then check out the other blogs remembering our POWs and MIAs the next few days.