Write Stuff: November 2016

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Short Blogging Break

Hi all! So this week is a bit crazy at work (think of a giant stack of research paper drafts to edit and return with a two day turn-around). Sooooo, I'm going to take the week off here. Be back next week with hopefully something fun to talk about!

Hope everyone who celebrating Thanksgiving had a wonderful time, and all is well with you all!

Happy Thanksgiving!

By: Meradeth Houston on 4:00 AM

To all my friends celebrating, I wish you a wonderful day. Safe travels and good times with family and friends to all!

And because it's supposed to be a day for thankfulness, a moment to say how grateful I am to everyone who stops by my blog, and whom I have come to count as friends. I love getting a chance to see what you're up to through your own posts, and this simple way to interact with people around the world. It's a blessing in my life and one I hope never to take for granted. Hugs!

Holidays, outlining, and other craziness

By: Meradeth Houston on 4:00 AM

Somehow it's the week of Thanksgiving. Can anyone explain to me how that possibly happened? I'm rather surprised by it. Though the amount of crazy in my life lately certain would explain how it got here :) Still, it's been some good crazy mixed in with real crazy, and you know, just general life stuff. So, it's managed to get to Turkey Time and I have a few days off from school. Huzzah! Maybe I'll actually get caught up on a few things...

...maybe...

....like the outline for my agent on the story I pitched a few weeks ago. Uh-huh. I'm a pantster. It's how I've always written, though I certainly always wanted to be more of a planner, as I think it suits my personality a little better overall. And yet, the creative process has always been a little more organic than the other meticulous decisions and events in my life (whether those decisions actually ended up being meticulous or not, haha!). But, perhaps it's time to change that. Anyone have any good suggestions on how they like to outline? I've read a ton of posts around the web lately, but I value my blogging buddie's ideas most :)

And yeah, the idea I'm outlining? Oh my goodness. If I can pull this off it's going to be fun! Well, I think so at least. And my agent does, too. But we'll see. It's a little American Gods meets Nightmare Before Christmas. I hope at least ;) Though comparing myself in any way to these works totally makes me cringe, as I am NOWHERE in that league. But, the general idea is there...

Anyhow, rambling post today as I haven't done one in a while and I'm in the middle of cooking/grading/editing/brainstorming/paying bills. Or something like that...

THE UNION by S. Usher Evans

By: Meradeth Houston on 4:00 AM

Fifty years of war have led to this.

Prince Galian spends his days ministering to the sick in Kylae, but his nights strategizing how to change hearts and minds of his people. With the death camp closed, the country is becoming more volatile, and even King Grieg may not be able to maintain control over the warring factions. Across the Great Madion Sea, Theo Kallistrate seeks an audience with the Raven rebels, rumored to be brewing insurrection against President Bayard. But they don't trust her, and progress has been achingly slow. When the war takes a major turn, Theo and Galian find themselves front and center in a political firestorm that could end with their union...or their funeral.

The final book in the Madion War Trilogy takes readers further into the political quagmire between Rave and Kylae, twisting and turning to a stunning conclusion that leaves readers breathless. All books in the series are currently available for preorder/purchase in eBook, paperback, and hardcover.

Add the trilogy to your Goodreads TBR

Buy direct and get a free gift!

Preorder The Union from Sun's Golden Ray Publishing and receive an exclusive, free novella called The Prince and the Heiress. After the events in The Union, the world is in a precarious position. Prince Rhys struggles to keep the country from imploding. To undo the damage done by his father, he must forge alliances with those he once considered enemies. Across the great Madion Sea, Olivia Collins oversees her company’s hasty cross-ocean move while closely watching the events back home. But when Prince Rhys asks her to help, she realizes they’re more alike than she thought.

This bonus novella is only available with preorders through SGR-Pub.com.

The Union is also available through these book retailers

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iBook

Kobo

Book Depository (HC | PB)

Indie Bound

For more information about the first two books in the trilogy, click on the covers below. Both books are on sale this week only for $0.99

The Island, the first book in the Madion War Trilogy

The Chasm, the second book in the Madion War Trilogy

About the Author

S. Usher Evans is an author, blogger, and witty banter aficionado. Born in Pensacola, Florida, she left the sleepy town behind for the fast-paced world of Washington, D.C.. There, she somehow landed jobs with BBC, Discovery Channel, and National Geographic Television before finally settling into a “real job” as an IT consultant. After a quarter life crisis at age 27, she decided consulting was for the birds and rekindled a childhood passion for writing novels. She sold everything she owned and moved back to Pensacola, where she currently resides with her two dogs, Zoe and Mr. Biscuit. Evans is the author of the Razia series, Madion War Trilogy, Lexie Carrigan Chronicles, and Empath, all published by Sun’s Golden Ray Publishing. Be sure to check her out on the below social media sites:

Book Blast: PIPER MORGAN JOINS THE CIRCUS by Stephanie Faris

By: Meradeth Houston on 4:00 AM

Piper Morgan Joins the Circus

By Stephanie Faris

Piper helps some four-legged friends find the perfect home in the third book of the brand-new Piper Morgan series.

Piper is super excited to help out at Bark Street, a local animal shelter in town. Who wouldn’t want to be surrounded by adorable puppies and dogs all day? And when Piper sees Taffy, the cutest dog she has ever seen, Piper is determined to find a way to bring Taffy home. But it won’t be easy—especially when she finds out someone else wants to make Taffy a part of their family, too!

Check out the giveaway!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stephanie Faris knew she wanted to be an author from a very young age. In fact, her mother often told her to stop reading so much and go outside and play with the other kids. After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science in broadcast journalism, she somehow found herself working in information technology. But she never stopped writing.

Stephanie is the Simon & Schuster author of 30 Days of No Gossip and 25 Roses, as well as the Piper Morgan series. When she isn’t crafting fiction, she writes for a variety of online websites on the topics of business, technology, and her favorite subject of all—fashion. She lives in Nashville with her husband, a sales executive.

After Reading: BLAMELESS by Gail Carriger

By: Meradeth Houston on 4:00 AM

Quitting her husband's house and moving back in with her horrible family, Lady Maccon becomes the scandal of the London season.

Queen Victoria dismisses her from the Shadow Council, and the only person who can explain anything, Lord Akeldama, unexpectedly leaves town. To top it all off, Alexia is attacked by homicidal mechanical ladybugs, indicating, as only ladybugs can, the fact that all of London's vampires are now very much interested in seeing Alexia quite thoroughly dead.

While Lord Maccon elects to get progressively more inebriated and Professor Lyall desperately tries to hold the Woolsey werewolf pack together, Alexia flees England for Italy in search of the mysterious Templars. Only they know enough about the preternatural to explain her increasingly inconvenient condition, but they may be worse than the vampires -- and they're armed with pesto.

BLAMELESS is the third book of the Parasol Protectorate series: a comedy of manners set in Victorian London, full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking. (Goodreads)

This week has certainly been an interesting one, and one made for lots of book reading to keep myself from being very frustrated :)

I adore this series, the wit, the banter, the great cast of characters, and of course some fun supernatural creatures thrown into the mix. I really felt for poor Alexia in this one, as she faces being completely tossed out for a perceived indiscretion that most certainly wasn't the truth. How she handles it is both wonderful and hilarious. And of course, attacking ladybugs? How Carriger came up with that idea just makes me giggle. Anyhow, another fun addition to this series, and one that brings in some other interesting insights from the world beyond England. How other countries have dealt with the supernatural set was fascinating to me, and really built up the world to a degree I enjoyed. Have you had a chance to check out this series?

BookFish Books Blitz: THE BEST KEPT SECRET by Wendi Nunnery

By: Meradeth Houston on 4:00 AM

In high school, everyone has secrets. Even well-brought-up Emma Fraser.

Emma’s sophomore year started out all wrong. First, her best friend Andy confessed to losing his virginity leaving Emma all alone in the V-Club. Then the rest of her friends got weird and suddenly Emma finds herself feeling like the people she knows best have become total strangers. And total strangers are becoming friends.

When Deegan Burke, a rich, gorgeous senior, asks Emma to be his date for the prom, Emma thinks her luck has begun to change. But rather than being able to bask in this newfound glory, her whole world starts to unravel. And when secrets that once seemed so innocent start to take a very dangerous turn, Emma discovers that true friends are friends no matter what…and some secrets aren’t worth keeping.

Check it out (it's only 99 cents!).

More about Wendi:

Wendi Nunnery is the author of The Mayfield Family Story. She is also a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and The Simply Beloved, a lifestyle website for women of faith. She is a proud alumna of Georgia Southern University and, at any given time, you can find her with a cup of coffee and a book. She lives, loves, and mothers in Atlanta, Georgia. The Best Kept Secret is her first novel.

Find her online:

Facebook: Twitter: @ladynunnery: Instagram: @ladynunnery: Pinterest: Blog

Don't forget to vote on Tuesday! #2016election

By: Meradeth Houston on 4:00 AM

I've really tried hard to remain neutral about the upcoming elections in the US on Tuesday. Well, at least online (in person I've had more than a few ranting conversations wherein I've let spew my utter hatred for the vile views of one of the candidates :) *ahem* I'll try to keep this neutral here, in the interest of allowing individuals to think what they want, but I want to remind all my state-side friends to get their votes in. It's important, in so many vital ways, to have your voice heard, no matter what you have to say. I mailed my ballot in weeks ago, so incredibly happy to be able to, and to support the candidate who I know will be an amazing President.

Blog Tour: TIMELESS by Crystal Collier

By: Meradeth Houston on 4:00 AM

Welcome Crystal Collier here today to share her new book and some medieval funnies!

In 1771, Alexia had everything: the man of her dreams, reconciliation with her father, even a child on the way. But she was never meant to stay. It broke her heart, but Alexia heeded destiny and traveled five hundred years back to stop the Soulless from becoming.

In the thirteenth century, the Holy Roman Church has ordered the Knights Templar to exterminate the Passionate, her bloodline. As Alexia fights this new threat—along with an unfathomable evil and her own heart—the Soulless genesis nears. But none of her hard-won battles may matter if she dies in childbirth before completing her mission.

Can Alexia escape her own clock?

BUY: Amazon | B&N

GUEST POST

Thank you Meradeth for having me here today!

Recently, I completed TIMELESS, the third book in my Maiden of Time trilogy. A little time travel. A few good battles. Some scary monsters... But while writing this series I had to study dual time periods: 1768-72 AD, and good old medieval times (mid 1200's). Can you imagine living in a time where warfare was a seasonal and routine thing? Okay boys, it's fighting season!

Every woman dreams of her knight in shining armor, but in reality, armor used to be...

That's right! The business suit. Out to negotiate business? Take the armor. And the shield. And beware flaming arrows.

And don't forget your trusty sidekick.

Since only the rich could afford the fancy armor, they had to put up with the
discomfort of high fashion.

The average weight of chainmail was between 27 and 55 pounds. (12 to 25 kg)

Personally, I'd rather take today's fashions. How about you?

While it's not the most amazing time to have lived, it makes for one dynamic backdrop for an epic story. Don't you agree? Now go buy my books. (What? It had to be said.)

Crystal Collier is an eclectic author who pens clean fantasy/sci-fi, historical, and romance stories with the occasional touch of humor, horror, or inspiration. She practices her brother-induced ninja skills while teaching children or madly typing about fantastic and impossible creatures. She has lived from coast to coast and now calls Florida home with her creative husband, four littles, and “friend” (a.k.a. the zombie locked in her closet). Secretly, she dreams of world domination and a bottomless supply of cheese. You can find her on her blog.

Do you love stories set in medieval times? What is your favorite medieval movie/story?