Write Stuff: January 2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Paying it forward giveaway!

First off, a big Hello to all my new followers! (I'd say Howdy, but I only live in Montana...) Nice to meet you all! I hope you'll stick around and join in the conversation :)

So, I've been thinking about how lucky I am lately to have such awesome people who have helped me with my writing over the years. There are too many to list, but I appreciate them all and count many as dear friends (even if I've never met you and generally our emails are filled with the angst that comes from being a newly published author, lol!). Anyhow, I thought I'd do something to pay it forward a bit--hopefully you'll be interested!

Anyhow, here's what I'm thinking: leave a comment below to be entered in a giveaway for either one of my wrap bracelets (I'll let you pick the colors, but there's an example to the right), or for a first chapter critique--or both, because that's cool too. If you feel like spreading the word, via twitter or facebook, just let me know how you did so in the comments and I'll drop your name in a second time. I'll pick a winner Friday February 9th.

Here's what I want you to answer in your comment (other than what you want to be entered for, and a way to get ahold of you): what do you think you're strengths are?

(This may sound a little random, but I think we sometimes forget to think about what we're actually good at and get too caught up in what we need/want/have to be better at. It could do us all a little good to remember that there has to be something you're good at--even if it is Tetris-ing everything into the dishwasher like no one else!)

Allow Me To Reintroduce Myself Blogfest

By: Meradeth Houston on 8:00 AM

I love the idea for this bogfest! Thanks so much to Mark Koopmans, Stephen Tremp, Elise Fallson, and C.M. Brown for putting it together. Basically, I've met a lot of people since I started this blog and whole publishing thingy, but often haven't gotten a chance to really get to know some of you all. So, yeah, we're supposed to say something about ourselves.

(This is the part where I go, wait, what am I supposed to say?)

Um, yeah.

The basics: I'm a professor at the University of Montana where I teach in the anthropology department. I specialize in ancient DNA but I have no intention of cloning dinosaurs any time soon. Or Neanderthals for that matter. I work in a lab a lot and do my best to hide my insanity from my students.

I'm from California originally and am not so sure about this whole snowy winter thing here in Montana. I miss sunshine :)

Writing: my first novel, Colors Like Memories came out last year, which was awesome. Book 2, The Chemistry of Fate (more of a companion book than a sequel) is due out in April. Book 3 is under massive surgery and probably needs another round of anesthesia. And I hope to start querying another sci-fi book at some point in the near future. Writing is probably the only thing that keeps me sane!

If you're curious, I can be found on twitter and facebook too.

I'm looking forward to checking out everyone else's blogs and getting to meet you all!

Unfortunately, today's binge deals with skeletal biology
(oddly, not as fun as it might sound! :).

Science Sunday: the comic edition

By: Meradeth Houston on 10:02 AM

Classes start tomorrow, so I'm pretty much ready to crawl under my desk and huddle in the fetal position. (Okay, it's not that bad, but it may be by Friday.) So, today I thought I'd share some of my favorite science-jokes from XKCD (I kind of live for these to come out during the week, which may be more indicative of my state of mind that I should admit). Anyhow, this is my all-time favorite:

Because it is SO true. Ahh, the things they never tell you when you're studying science as an undergrad...

This one also made me giggle:

And now, back to my regularly scheduled life as a professor:
(No, not really! Though I have been tempted...)

Friday Funnies

By: Meradeth Houston on 7:00 AM

Today I thought I'd share one of those random moments in my life that made me kind cringe, kind of laugh my butt off. Hopefully the writers who stumble through will appreciate it at least.

So, there's a small group of people in town here that I met through the local library's writing group. Considering they are the only people I actually talk to other than students, I'm pretty partial to our meetings. Plus, it's fun to hear what people are working on, share ideas, be inspired by the awesomeness of other writers, ya know, the camaraderie that writers generally need.

We usually go around and share a chapter or two, reading aloud (something I am not used to doing other than in the privacy of my own locked office). Last evening, I decided to share the first chapter of my rather rough book #3 in the Sary series. Let me just say, well, it's supposed to be a bit of a shocker. There is generally one good and gory scene in each of my books, and book 3 (it still doesn't have a title *sigh*) opens with it. Without going into it too much, it involved a school, a gun, and a not-so-nice incident. And ends with my Sary's assignment dying.

Now, imagine reading this, aloud, in a crowded coffee house.

I think I'm still embarrassed.

I'll get over it, but still, it was interesting to see the reactions of my fellow group members. It was, well, interesting... Next time, I think I'll just round things out with a good sex scene and ensure that they never meet my eyes again :)

Thinking about endings: what makes a good one?

By: Meradeth Houston on 8:00 AM

Before I talk about endings, I wanted to point out that yesterday I was over on SR Johannes' blog, talking about the New Adult genre, marketing, and all kinds of fun stuff. Stop by pretty please!

So, yesterday, I submitted my revised ending for book 2, formally known as The Chemistry of Fate, and changed things up pretty dramatically. Previously I'd left things hanging for one of my main characters (I'll expound more on this once the book actually comes out). Now, I've wrapped things up more for both MC's, and only left the fate of the bad guy hanging (he's got a role to play in book 3--spoilers!). I'm not upset about this at all, and it's totally understandable why I had to make things change, but it does make me think a little about endings in general.

Here's the thing, I like slightly ambiguous endings, the kind where you put the book down and go "Hum, just what would happen now?" Endings that have all the loose ends tied up are all fine and dandy, but it's the few loose ends ones that make me think. And the ones where there's a giant question mark at the end of the book? Totally make me salivate for the next one :)

For me, the perfect ending is the one in the movie Inception. I loved that! I love how there are all kinds of hints throughout the movie and last scene that tiptoe around what could have happened. Ah, it's just perfection! (And not that my previous ending was anywhere near that epic, but it was what I had in mind when I wrote it.)

I brought this up on facebook yesterday and thought I'd mention it here, too. What kinds of endings do you like and why? Are you all about the HEA (happily ever after) endings? Or do you like the kind where things are left a little unsettled?

(And you may want to follow me on facebook--I tend to do random little giveaways over there that you might be interested in!)

Presenting WANTED by Annika James

By: Meradeth Houston on 7:00 AM

I love to promote fellow MuseItUp authors, so it's my pleasure today to introduce you to WANTED by Annika James. Don't you just love this cover? It totally rocks!

Attacked as a young witch and left for dead, Ashlinn is deathly afraid of being bitten again. Having survived until she’s almost eighteen without donating blood to any of her vamp friends, Ashlinn figures she’ll continue to live bite-free. After her crush reveals how powerful she is, however, the Vampire Council declares she be claimed as a familiar, which requires biting. Ashlinn doesn’t want to be owned, even by hot vamp, Conor. Luckily, her best friend, Matt, volunteers for the job. She is given one week to choose her protector, and the list of willing biters keeps growing. Will she go with best friend Matt, hot vamp Conor, or someone else to protect her? Will she be able to get her power under control by then? Will she overcome her phobia of being bitten? And who says she needs to be protected, anyhow?

Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17234333-wanted
Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Annika-James/328778377231617
Blog:
http://annikajamesbooks.blogspot.com/

A little about Annika:

Annika James lives in small-town Wisconsin with her husband and two beautiful kiddos. She spends her days working to pay the bills and her nights dreaming of more fun ways to do so. Her passions include writing, reading, music and traveling with her family. She dreams of a world where vampires and powerful witches really exist, because life would be so much more interesting.

Sounds awesome, right? Definitely one to add to your TBR pile :)

Science Sunday: Is Evolution Direction Oriented?

By: Meradeth Houston on 10:00 AM

It's Sunday! Time for a little science, okay? Yay! (Okay, maybe, not "yay!" but at least, "this might be interesting!")

So, today, I thought I'd talk about another regularly misunderstood thing about how evolution in general works. Remember, when I say the e-word, all I mean is change over time. That's all evolution is technically.

Neanderthal & Human

The thing about evolution is that a lot of people misunderstand it to be direction oriented. By that, I mean that people think that species (mostly humans) are heading always toward bigger and better. Brain size is a classic example: bigger brains and being more smart is always the way our evolution is headed, right? Um, actually, not really. Neanderthals had larger brains, on average, than modern humans (not that they were smarter than us--we don't really know that), and over the last few millenia there's actually been a trend toward smaller brains in modern humans (are we domesticating ourselves, that is the question!).

The trend in always moving forward with evolution actually stems from a very non-evolutionary concept, known as the Scala Naturae, originally proposed by Aristotle, and then later morphed into Unilineal Evolution with the understanding of Darwin's Natural Selection. The Scala then is actually an ordering of all the worlds organisms from most simple to most complex. So, single celled organisms, to jellyfish, to invertebrates, to vertebrates, to us (or, ya know, something like that). What was occasionally thought was that evolution is always trying to push things in this direction--toward the most complex and "best."

Even if Scala Naturae sounds like nonsense, I swear it's something you've heard and seen before, because it's everywhere. With humans, it's the progression of images from a stooped ape to an upright man. The thing is, this is actually not how things work.

If that's not how evolution actually works, then how does it? Well, evolution works to adapt us to our environment in the best possible way. Back to brain size: for some reason, it's been in the best interest of modern humans to have slightly smaller brains that Neanderthals, and again for our brain size to be decreasing over the past little while. Those with smaller brains have been having greater reproductive success and out-competing bigger brained people to have their genes become more prevalent in society.

Another brain size example, this time in chimpanzees: over the last 6 million years or so, since we split with our closest relatives, their brain size has decreased even more (not a ton, but still, definitely decreased). And for much of the time since that split, it actually stayed right at about the same size.

What I'm saying here is that the direction evolution takes isn't directed in any one way or another. It's not always going toward some end goal of the biggest and best (usually perceived of as humans). All it does is make us best suited for our environment through selective processes. Even if that means a smaller brain :)

Five on a Friday from the most depressing week of the year

By: Meradeth Houston on 8:59 AM

While driving to work on Tuesday, I heard on the radio that statistically this is the most depressing week of the year. I'm not sure I agree (heck, we even saw the SUN a few days this week--that's cause for some serious celebration!), but I thought I'd take a little poll to see how you all are feeling about this. Let me know in the comments, okay?

So, let's see, here's my random five:

School starts back up on the 28th, which is just over a week away. I'm already stressed. This does not bode well (dun, dun, duuuuhn).
Most of my family has fled south for warmer temps. *Looks out window at 15F weather.* Hmm....beaches.
I've been reading loads and loads of articles and books on skeletal biology. You know you're jealous! (Actually, learning how to detect leprosy in skeletons using ancient DNA is kinda cool.)
The winner for the copy of Social Media Just For Writers was announced (on that post). Was it you?
This is irreverent and decidedly dirty, but it made me laugh, so I hope you enjoy it :)

Interview with Cheryl Therrien, author of D.R.E.A.M. Catchers!

By: Meradeth Houston on 6:00 AM

Okay, you know you're interested in dreams. Just a little at least :) I know I'm always wondering what my dreams mean (though sometimes when I have a giant moose chasing me while aliens attack my childhood home, I'll admit, I just don't want to know--there's got to be a screw loose somewhere to create something like that!). It's my pleasure to introduce you all today to Cheryl Therrien, author of D.R.E.A.M Catchers, and she's going to share with us a little more about her book, blog, and other fun stuff!

Also, she's been gracious enough to interview me, too! Check it out here.

D.R.E.A.M. Catchers is an introduction to understanding your dreams. It covers the some of the most basic dream symbols and encourages you to create your own dream symbol dictionary. Dreams are unique to each person so the context in which a symbol appears is every bit as important as the symbol itself. This is not a book you read from cover to cover. This is a manual where you look up the symbol and then try to understand its meaning within the context of your dream. This manual is set up like 'The One Minute Manager'. It's quick and easy to use.

My next book is a collection of letters written to my future grandchild. They are full of all the anticipation of his or her arrival, along with little pearls of wisdom to store away until the time is right.

I am a huge sic-fi fan so it only seems logical that I would explore that genre as well. You can look forward reading to reading some good sci-fi from me in the not too distant future.

Writing has always been my passion. Until recently I did not share it with anyone. I am a computer Geek thus the aka Geek Girl alias I use on my blog. I began blogging as sort of a proving ground to hone my writing skills. You will find app reviews along with Motivational Monday quotes there. It has been through the encouragement of my newly found blogging friends that I found the confidence to write books for publication.

What is the title or working title of your current book?

D.R.E.A.M. Catchers

Who or what motivates or inspires you to write?

Writing for me is like breathing. I thrive on it. The subject doesn't matter as long as I can write.

Tell us about your writing background.

I am self-taught for the most part. After taking some college courses and getting positive feedback from the instructors I started my first blog. My blogging has served as my proving ground for honing my writing skills.

How long does it typically take you to write a first draft?

About 3 months if I work on it regularly

Do you employ an editor to assist you in your writing process?

Yes. I find that having someone else look at my work is really helpful. They see things I am too close to the work to see for myself.

Are you self-published or represented by an agency?

Self-published.

Do you have any tips or advice to offer fellow writers?

The most important thing I can say is to start promoting your book before you are finished writing it. Build the audience and the anticipation ahead of time.

Is there anything else you would like to share with your potential readers?

As an independent author and blogger you will see posts on my blog announcing all upcoming publications.

Tell us how we can connect with you in the world of social.

On Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/geekgirlusa

On Twitter - https://twitter.com/geekgirlusa

On Google+ - https://plus.google.com/106513953587058272911/

On her blog - http://www.geekgirlusa.com/

Go check out DREAM Catchers, and if you want, share some interesting dreams with us in the comments!

After Reading: Entice by Jessica Shirvington

By: Meradeth Houston on 6:00 AM

Every day Violet Eden wonders whether she made the right choice.

She still doesn't fully understand these powers she's been granted as a half-angel Grigori. And worse, isn't even sure she's capable of using them. Stab someone through the heart? Really?

No matter how bad things get, though, Violet doesn't run and she doesn't quit. Even if it means she can never allow herself to love the guy she longs for. Even if it means asking her enemy for help. Even if no one is telling her the truth.

The war between Exiles and Angels is on—and she's wanted by both sides.

Review of Embrace (the first book in the series) here.

This is yet another of the series that I've read lately that I can't get enough of. I really love the intriguing take on angels and guardians Shirvington takes on, and well, let's be honest here shall we? I'm totally book-crushing on Lincoln. Um, yeah. I'll admit it. And that's totally not cougar-ish as he's technically closer to my age :) Anyhow, yeah. This was a fun second book, with a few middle-sags in actions toward the beginning, though the new characters spiced things up nicely. I really enjoyed Spence's character in particular, mainly because he completely reminded me of my own brother (of the same name--I'm not joking, it was like Shirvington was channeling my brother!). So, yeah, lots of fun, hottie action, a random trip overseas, and an escalation in the overall battle that's going on. I'll admit that I could have dealt with a little more info on the Scriptures, as those really felt secondary in some respects, but hopefully in the next book we'll see more. And more Lincoln.

Read it? Like it? Do share!

Science Sunday: falling through the earth (and Giveaways!)

By: Meradeth Houston on 9:47 AM

Hi everyone! Welcome back to Science Sunday. Just as a note, I have TWO giveaways going on now: one for a copy of A PERFECT DAY (just leave a comment here), and another for SOCIAL MEDIA JUST FOR WRITERS (tons of ways to gain entries here). Please stop by the links to enter :)

Okay, so today's topic comes from the movie Total Recall, the remake, that hubby and I watched this last week. I actually kind of enjoyed the movie, if only because this version didn't involve Arnold (his name must be said with a seriously nasal accent :). Okay, so there's all kinds of hokey science in this, although the implantation of memories is something that I doubt is *all* that far off.

There was one aspect that had hubby chuckling, and that was a feature of the movie called The Fall. This was basically a means of traveling to the other side of the globe through traveling through the (near) center of the earth. This was basically the avoid traveling through contaminated areas (even though apparently they have the ability to fly through them anyhow, as demonstrated later in the film...). So, yeah, this was amusing to hubby, as during the middle of the trip, there was a moment of weightlessness as gravity was "reversed" and the passengers started traveling to the opposite side of the planet. This moment plays a part in the plot of the movie even!

This doesn't work this way. I mean, okay, yeah, there's lot of problems with the movie, but I thought I'd hit on this one today because it's so flawed when it comes to the rules of gravity that it's painful. So what would happen if there were a big hole through the center of the earth? (Assuming, of course, that it were possible to dig such a hole, rather than just, ya know, clean up the contamination...)

The ride in Vegas on top of the Space Needle.
I watched this go up & down while in Vegas this week
and seriously never want to try it!

If someone where to drop through this hole, what would happen is that they would experience free-fall, and the weightlessness that is associated with it, the entire time. Not just at the center of the earth. This is similar to what you might feel if you happened to be on one of those free-fall rides at an amusement park (one of the rides you'll never find me on, thankyouverymuch!). Ever hold out a penny in your hand while you fall? It'll float. Same thing would happen while falling through the earth.

It would be free-fall not just until one reached the center of the earth, too, but until you reached the opposite side of the earth. There, something would have to catch you, or you'd go shooting off into the air like the earth was spitting you up :) If nothing caught you, well, then you'd eventually be subject to gravity again, and then fall back to the earth again (and right back through the hole to the other side...). Actually, you could end up falling through the earth, from one side to the other, over and over again.

Crazy, right?

Anyhow, that's your physics lesson for the day. Anyone out there feeling up to attempting to tell me how long it would take to go from one end of the earth to the other? (Assuming the diameter of the earth is 12,756.2 kilometers).

A little hint: Force due to Gravity: F=GmM/r^2

Just for laughs!

Interview with Lorrie Struiff, author of A HEAP OF TROUBLE and a Giveaway!!

By: Meradeth Houston on 7:00 AM

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW OVER! THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED. THE WINNER, TORE, HAS BEEN CONTACTED :)

Today I am pleased to introduce Lorrie, author of A HEAP OF TROUBLE, and fellow Muse author :) Please welcome her with me as we learn a little more about her and her books!

(Q) Thanks for stopping by my blog! Let’s start with the basics: where are you from? Is there any place online you’d like to direct us to learn more about you?

(A) I live near wonderful Pittsburgh, Pa. Three gorgeous rivers, inclines, locks, etc.

(B) You can find me anytime at http://lorriejuly.blogspot.com or FB or my author page at Amazon.

(Q) I always love hearing about how the idea for a particular book came about. Please fill us in on how you got the idea for A Heap of Trouble.

(A) A Heap of Trouble came about for the sole reason of me wanting to write a western romance. I have always loved westerns. Remember, I write in many genres. I imagined a hunk of a sheriff, a pretty gal of course, and some humor with an imp of a monkey. With a western you have to have cattle rustling, don’t you? So, I thought up some action for my sheriff besides chasing the gal that makes his spurs jingle.

I can’t seem to quiet my humor bone when I’m creating, so that just sneaks in there.

(Q) Which authors have most influenced your own writing?

(A) I was always an avid reader, so I can’t choose any authors in particular. And all the authors made telling a story look so easy in their books. I thought, hey, I can do this. Wow, was I wrong! I didn’t realize I had so much to learn. Well, learn I did, and here I am. It was a tough row to hoe, all that intense learning. I guess anyone can sit and write a book, but for a good book, you have to know what you are doing.

(Q) What do you do for fun other than writing?

(A) Watch TV, shopping, go out to dinner with other authors and discuss the publishing field. It’s such fun to share with people that have your same interests. Talking about it to family bores them to death. Lol.

(Q) If you could describe your ideal writing spot, where would it be? What music would you listen to? What treats would you have on hand?

(A) Oh, I have an ideal writing spot. My den, me sitting in a tilt back chair with my computer on my lap. Sitting in a straight chair at a desk would kill my back. I wouldn’t listen to music, it distracts me. I’d have a hot cup of tea next to me, maybe some chips, and TBH, anything I can get my little fingers on. I’m a muncher.

(Q) Plotter or pantser? Both? Neither?

(A) Pantster all the way. I roll the story around in my head for a while, then start right in on the computer with the first scene. You have to watch out for those plot holes though, but I have a great critique group that catches them.

(Q) Do you have any new projects that you are working on?

(A) I’m working on a five story series titled The COD Club. (Call on the Dead) the first one is out. The book contains the first two stories in one. Two more should be on their way soon, and I’m working on the last one, number five. It’s strictly humor and a fun read.

(Q) What kinds of marketing do you think are the most successful in terms of getting your name/book out there? (Curious minds are taking notes!)

(A) I have done all sorts of marketing that all the other authors do, but I don’t think any are successful anymore. There are so many books out there, so many authors competing for readers to buy their books, I just don’t know what to say. And, who can afford a campaign/promotion manager? I can’t. I think most authors today are finding it as difficult.

(Q) If you'd like to add anything, please do so. GIVEAWAY ALERT!

To one person that comments and leaves their thoughts in the comment box, I’ll put the names in a hat and choose one to receive a PDF copy my noir detective short story, A Perfect Day.

It was published in Big Pulp.

A HEAP OF TROUBLE

Cole Walker, Sheriff of Cold Creek thought chasing rustlers would be the worst of his problems, until Mattie Wells, the new gal in town, jingles his spurs with just a smile, and he falls head over heels.

Then he finds a runaway monkey under his desk, and his inclination is to get rid of him. Cole has this fear of critters that goes back a mighty long way, so the sooner the better.

But Mattie thinks Beggar’s adorable, so what’s a man supposed to do? Now, he’s forced to put up with the little fur ball...uh...ringtail monkey, even when the furry thief starts stealing the townsfolk’s trinkets.

Then there’s the matter of the cattle rustlers who keep stealing the Double J’s cattle. JJ blames the farmers, the farmers don’t like JJ, and an all-out war is about to commence.

Sheriff Cole and his deputies, Wade and Sully, have their hands full trying to keep the uneasy peace between the farmers and the cattleman. As if that’s not enough pressure, Mayor Farley gives them a month to find the thieves before he calls for outside help.

The man is trying to win Mattie’s heart, but the little lady has a dark secret and vows never to marry. While harboring a secret of his own, Cole tries to pry out her secret, in hopes of changing her mind.

Cole chases Mattie, the rustlers, and Beggar in a town full of fun characters and chaos.

Can he bring the rustlers to justice, peace and order to Cold Creek, the townsfolk’s loot back to their rightful owners, and win Mattie’s heart?

Is your curiosity peaked? Pick up a copy at Amazon!

And don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win!

Guest post by Juliana Neumann: an amazing citrus sorbet!

By: Meradeth Houston on 6:00 AM

I am incredibly pleased to bring you Juliana again, to share with us another of her amazing recipes. Seriously, this one has my mouth watering (and makes me want to move back to Cali, but that's nothing new!). Do check out her previous post on a delicious zucchini and corn pizza, as well as her fabulous blog, and you can also meet up with her on twitter! If you'd like to see more about Juliana's cooking, check out her latest cookbook here (due out in early February!).

Growing up in California, it was the most natural thing to eat fresh and sweet citrus in the winter. I remember my parents buying bags of oranges, pink and white grapefruit, manderines, and mineolas at the farmer's market. In our backyard we had three clementine trees where we could pick our own. When the citrus season rolls around, I pick the very best organic fruits I can find in the stores.

My husband is a sorbet and fruit ice-cream man. When I ask him what kind of ice cream he'd like me to make, it's usually something that has fruit in it. To surprise him after all the heavy food and many goodies we had been having during the holidays, I made this citrus sorbet.

This sorbet is the perfect sort of dessert after having too many cookies and chocolate before Christmas. The tartness and freshness feels like the beginning of a new year should.

I used a mixture of citrus and added sugar accordingly. Since I mainly used oranges and pink grapefruit, I needed less sugar than if I had used blood oranges and white grapefruit. So taste your juice mixture, starting with less sugar and adding as you go along.

Citrus Sorbet

500 ml (2 cups) citrus juice

juice of one lemon

20-50 g (0.7 – 2 oz) sugar

2 Tbs milk

Mix the citrus juices and the lemon juice together and stir in sugar, tasting until your desired sweetness is reached. Mix in the milk and chill the mixture for 2 hours. Churn in an ice-cream maker according to the instructions. Alternatively, place the bowl in the freezer and mix with a hand mixer every hour or so until the mixture is frozen.

Doesn't this make you wish you had some to taste right now? I know I do! Sing out in the comments and let Juliana know what your favorite citrus flavor is!

Social Media Just For Writers by Frances Caballo & a Giveaway!

By: Meradeth Houston on 6:00 AM

RANDOM.ORG HAS CHOSEN! THE WINNER IS DIONE SAGE! I'VE EMAILED YOU, DIONE, SO PLEASE RESPOND OR I'LL HAVE TO CHOSE SOMEONE ELSE!

You wrote your book and sold copies to family members, friends, and colleagues. Now you want to reach readers around the state, across the country, or on the other side of the world. But how? With social media, you can build your platform and reach markets you never imagined possible before. In this book you will learn how to: create your Facebook fan page and initiate active engagement with your readers, use a myriad of Twitter applications to help you economize your time while expanding your tribe, optimize your LinkedIn profile with keywords, tackle Google+ with renewed confidence, build Pinterest pinboards and use them to promote your books and blog, and round out your online strategies with offline marketing techniques. (Check it out on Amazon)

So, one of the things I am hoping to do better this year is be a better marketer. I mean, I have my second book coming out, am attempting to still market Colors Like Memories, and well, I'd just like to do it a little better! I mean, who doesn't? Well, when Trish from TLC Book Tours offered to let me review and take a look at Social Media Just For Writers, I was all "heck yeah!" :) And it has been really, really helpful!

So, Social Media is a how-to book for setting up and managing the different giants that exist in the world of, well, social media. Frances Caballo goes over the worlds of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, LinkedIn, and blogging. For those who are really new to any of these areas, Caballo spends some time going over the basics of getting everything set-up, and set-up right (the first time--seriously, for a few things I really wish I'd known about these things before I stumbled through it all the first time around). Caballo then spends time going over the additional programs and add-ins that help make these different websites more manageable, targeted, and fun. This was probably the most useful aspect of the book for me, as I've spent ages searching through different programs on the web to find decent ones (like sites to add tabs to Facebook, or figure out who unfollowed me on Twitter), so having a nice list with the pros and cons of each was incredibly handy. I totally spent several afternoons playing with all the new tools :)

On top of all this, Caballo has tips on the most effective way to actually go about using the social media giants--the best times to post, the kinds of posts that are most effective, and ways to build an online following.

I seriously found this book to be incredibly helpful in many different ways, and highly recommend it!

Curious about the author? Learn more on her website, on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or LinkedIn! More about the book on Goodreads, too!

And, because you all are so awesome, I'm allowed to give away a copy of Social Media Just For Writers here! I have a hardcopy for people in the States; internationals are also welcome to enter for a chance to win an electronic version. To enter check out the rafflecopter below, and drop a comment about what your favorite social media network is!

(Mine is Pinterest. I'm totally addicted. I love facebook for keeping in touch with people, but for wasting time, nothing is better than the DIY and Humor pages on Pinterest!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

After Reading: Elixir Bound by Katie Carroll

By: Meradeth Houston on 6:00 AM

Katora Kase is next in line to take over as guardian to a secret and powerful healing Elixir. Now she must journey into the wilds of Faway Forest to find the ingredient that gives the Elixir its potency. Even though she has her sister and brother, an old family friend, and the handsome son of a mapmaker as companions, she feels alone.
It is her decision alone whether or not to bind herself to the Elixir to serve and protect it until it chooses a new guardian. The forest hosts many dangers, including wicked beings that will stop at nothing to gain power, but the biggest danger Katora may face is whether or not to open up her heart to love. (From Goodreads)

Another book I've been meaning to review on here for ages! (Sorry Katie!). I've been on a strong heroine kick lately and Elixir Bound definitely filled this role. I really loved Katora, and enjoyed reading about her struggles and travels. In particular, I enjoyed her thoughts on whether or not to take on the responsibility of the Elixir. She really thought about it and it was clear that she wasn't taking it lightly by any means--something that I appreciated as so many books I've read don't seem to take into account the true nature of the responsibility some things represent. Plus, I really liked her struggles with accepting help, as I could completely identify with that. The world-building was really well done and I particularly enjoyed the tilli demicks :) I highly recommend this one!

Amazon, & MuseItUp bookstore!

Science Sunday: telling time with DNA

By: Meradeth Houston on 10:01 AM

I'm back! Time to talk a little about some science stuff :) I probably have a bit more fun with these posts that those who stop by my blog, but oh well. Today I thought I'd talk a little about something called the Molecular Clock--or how we use DNA and mutations to tell time.

You may have heard science shows discuss how scientists have studied DNA from different populations or people and determined how old they are. It happens all the time. And, really, the underlying principle for how this kind of thing works is really quite simple. (I promise!)

What's been noticed is that mutations are always occurring in a really random fashion, but when you look at this randomness over a long enough time, a pattern starts to emerge. Basically, mutations (or differences in the A, T, C, & G's that make up a person's DNA in comparison with others) happen at a pretty regular rate. So while it's all still stochastic, we can say with a good amount of certainty that a new mutation will happen ever X years.

Okay, so if mutations happen at a pretty regular rate, all we need now is to know what the rate is. The way this can work (and there are several) is to look at two species or populations that we know exactly when they split apart. By comparing the differences that have happened since they split (assuming that they weren't there in the original, single population) with the known time, we have a rate!

Need an example? Say two groups of people separated into two populations 2000 years ago. If we look at the DNA differences between these two groups and see that there have been two mutations that occurred, then we could say that a new mutation arises every thousand years. (Yeah, world's most simple explanation & there are a few more complexities that make this more tricky, but I'm just going for broad overview here!)

Vincent Sarich and Allan Wilson were some of the first scientists to apply this fun little concept, noting that based on the mutational differences between a bunch of species (like horses, donkeys, mice, humans, and chimps) we could see how long ago different species split from one another. One of the really interesting things that came out of this was noting that humans and chimps actually split a lot more recently than had been previously thought, only about 6 million years ago (compared to 15, which was thought before).

This has been applied to a ton of other concepts (such as when people first arrived in the New World), and there is constant refinement of the rate of the clock going on, looking at things like generation length, areas of the genome that mutate more rapidly than others, etc. etc. While I personally think there are quite a few flaws and hurdles to using the molecular clock accurately, it is an interesting tool and provides some great corroborating evidence!

After Reading: Uncontrollable by SR Johannes

By: Meradeth Houston on 10:42 AM

As Grace recovers from tragedy, her science class is chosen by Agent Sweeney at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to help with research on the new "Red Wolf Reintroduction Program".

While she’s excited about helping with the conservation of the endangered wolves, Grace knows this means being outdoors in the worst winter recorded, in a place she no longer feels comfortable. It also means working closely with Wyn (her ex) and his annoying girlfriend (Skyler), a girl whose idea of getting close to nature is picking silk plants and growing fake plants.

After a couple of wolves show up dead, Grace almost quits. However, when a fellow project team member goes missing, Grace continues the assignment under a renewed suspicion that someone might be sabotaging the conservation program. She quietly begins to hunt for clues.
Little does she know, she is being hunted too. (From Goodreads)

Okay, I've been really, really remiss in not posting about this book sooner! I blame the holidays. And life. And not having a net connection while back in Cali (except when I could sneak away to Panera...Panera, seriously, why don't you have an establishment in Missoula? Seriously, I would live there!). Anyhow, *ahem* back to the book:

I really enjoyed Untraceable so it came as no surprise that Uncontrollable was equally as heart-pounding and lots of fun! Grace is a great character and very confident (seriously, more so that I could ever hope to be in her shoes!), and I really enjoyed watching her pull it all together in the wilderness. While reading I was watching the tons of snow fall out my window and really, really grateful I wasn't about to try and go traipsing through it! I did kind of wonder why the different agencies thought it would be cool to ask HS students to take on such a big project, particularly with the dangers involved, but that's okay--it didn't detract from the story. There was only one real point where I did get drawn out, and that was a time-lapse issue, where something was referenced as being a few days before and it had only happened earlier that day. Things like that also have me flipping through pages and scratching my head, but it's nothing serious :) Anyhow, this was a very fun read, with a strong and likable main character who seriously kicked some butt! Definitely worth checking out.

Author Interview with Kelly Hashway, author of TOUCH OF DEATH

By: Meradeth Houston on 7:00 AM

I'm so happy to bring you Kelly Hashway today, and her awesome books! (Honestly, isn't this cover fabulous?!) First, a little bit about TOUCH OF DEATH:

Jodi Marshall isn’t sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she’s in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she’s being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.

After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he’s not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she’s part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendents of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.

Jodi’s deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn’t difficult enough, Jodi discovers she’s the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can’t figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct. (from Goodreads)

(Q) Thanks for stopping by my blog! Let’s start with the basics: where are you from? Is there any place online you’d like to direct us to learn more about you?

I’m originally from northern New Jersey, but I’ve been living in northeastern Pennsylvania since 2001.

I blog every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at http://kellyhashway.blogspot.com and you can find me on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/kellyhashway

(Q) I always love hearing about how the idea for a particular book came about. Please fill us in on how you got the idea for Touch of Death.

I was researching for another book at the time, and I came across a lesser-known myth about Medusa and the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. According to the myth, Ophiuchus was given two vials of the Gorgon Medusa’s blood and he used the blood from the right side of her body to bring the dead back to life. It made me wonder what would have happened if he also used the vial of blood from the left side of her body, which was poisonous. I decided I needed to create a cast of characters who had both the ability to restore life and the ability to kill with their very own blood. Touch of Death was born from there.

(Q) Which authors have most influenced your own writing?

Rick Riordan is pretty much my idol. I love his writing style, and he’s great with action scenes. I also love Becca Fitzpatrick. The dynamic between Patch and Nora in Hush, Hush was very inspiring.

(Q) What do you do for fun other than writing?

My favorite thing to do is play with my daughter. We sing and dance together a lot. I’m also a runner and an avid reader.

(Q) If you could describe your ideal writing spot, where would it be? What music would you listen to (if at all)? What treats would you have on hand?

My ideal spot would be Palm Beach in Aruba. I’d be listening to steel drums with a frozen drink in one hand and a good book in the other.

(Q) Plotter or pantser? Both? Neither?

I guess both. I definitely plot first, but I’ve been known to toss my notes and let the characters just take over. I actually prefer it that way, but I always go through the process of planning first anyway because it lets me get to know my characters.

(Q) Do you have any new projects that you are working on? Care to share?

I’m working on a series called Birth of the Phoenix. The first book, Into the Fire, releases in 2014 through Month9Books. Yes, the characters are Phoenixes (in human form). J I’m also working on a new YA contemporary romance that my agent is currently editing for me.

(Q) What kinds of marketing do you think are the most successful in terms of getting your name/book out there? (Curious minds are taking notes!)

The best marketing I’ve found is actually stumbling across book bloggers who love the book. They are amazing at spreading the word. They do a much better job than I ever could, which is why I love them so much.

(Q) If you'd like to add anything, please do so.

To celebrate the release of Touch of Death, I’ll be giving away a signed copy along with a SWAG basket, filled with goodies I haven’t even shown anyone yet. The giveaway will run from January 14-January 31.

(Q) How about an excerpt to tantalize the readers?

In my mind, I heard shrieks and screams. I saw the soul soaring through the air and into the ground where it came to rest in its body. The soul fought against my blood, not wanting to be back, but the power of my blood was too strong. With the soul in place, flesh began to reform over the bones. My cheeks felt wet and warm against the slight breeze in the air. Tears were the only outward sign of the agony I felt inside. I was torturing this soul. It was angry and in pain. The body moved slightly, and then its fists started pounding on the coffin. I didn’t want to see anymore. I couldn’t take it.

“No!” I dropped to my knees and started to claw at the ground, ripping handfuls of grass and dirt.

“Jodi!” Alex wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me up. He stepped back, away from the grave. “Stop! Calm down. Tell me what’s wrong.”

I doubled over, hysterical. “I saw everything. That poor soul was ripped out of the afterlife. It was crying out in pain, and it was terrified when it realized it was back in its body. Back in its grave.” I squeezed his arms for comfort. “Oh, God, Alex, it’s punching its way through the casket. I can see it all.”

Thanks for having me! J

Okay, you know you're intrigued! I know I am :) Want to learn more about TOUCH OF DEATH? Check it out on Amazon!