Posts

Showing posts from February, 2013

New Book News

For those who have been wondering what else I'm up to, I have news. This fall my first new adult novel is releasing! It is a fantasy novel set in the same world as The Dragon Empire. This is the story of Torin and his journey to becoming The First Dragonwatcher . Those of you who have read The Dragon Empire may recognize his name from it. He takes front and center in this epic fantasy. This is a step outside of YA for me, one that will not be suitable for some younger readers. Why the move from YA you may be wondering? Mostly because fantasy (no YA tag attached) is where my roots are and I'm returning to them. But it's also because there are other characters out there who's stories I must tell, and not all of them are teens. While I still love YA and will continue to read and enjoy it, my books are embarking on a new journey. One I hope you'll take with me. To check out my Pinterest inspiration board for this novel click here . To add it to your Goodreads lists cl

Great New Middle Grade Sci-Fi Novel

Image
Today I'm excited to feature a new novel by a good friend of mine. I love me some great sci-fi so this one was a sure thing for me. Jump Boys: SOS by Alex Banks MG Science Fiction A dare gone terribly wrong. An SOS from another universe. A threat from right next door. Thirteen-year-old twin brothers Jayce and Val are about to jump the multi-verses on a dangerous dare, but true danger is closer to home than they realize. The Jupiter Prime colony has been orbiting the stormy gas giant for nineteen years and all anyone wants is to get back to Earth. Sent to preserve the best and brightest of the population, a grievous error in the Prime’s navigation coordinates sent the colony to an alternate dimension with no way to return to the Earth they call home. In a society where technical expertise is valued above all else, Jayce and Val are among the most privileged—until they uncover their uncle’s plot to claim dominion over space and time. While attempting to rescue a lone g

Cover Reveal for author Leight T. Moore

Image
Today I'm pleased to be part of the cover reveal for my friend Leigh Moore's new novel. A companion to The Truth About Faking  ( not a sequel; the books can be read out of order), The Truth About Letting Go    takes readers back to Shadow Falls, or more specifically Shadow Creek, with Ashley Lockett as she learns about real friendship, love, and letting go. The Truth About Letting Go  by Leigh Talbert Moore    Ashley wants to smash everything in her once-perfect life. Charlotte wants to walk in Ashley's seemingly charmed shoes. Colt wants to turn Smalltown USA on its ear--with Ashley at his side. Jordan wants to follow his heart... but Ashley is the one sacrifice he never expected to make. Up until now, Ashley Lockett has always followed the rules. She's always done the right thing, played it safe, and then her ideal life is shattered when her dad dies suddenly. Fueled by anger and grief, she vows to do everything opposite of how she lived before. She rejec

Letter From The Editor

As I work through edits on my next project ("Next project!?" you say.  Why yes. You know me, idle hands and all that) I'm thrilled to finally not fear the copy edit process. This last project actually had a notation in regards to his (my editor) fear of becoming obsolete. Of course, he was kidding, in part. I will always need and editor because two sets of eyes are better than one and I'm too close to be objective. What he meant was, I'm not making the same mistakes I made with prior manuscripts. The things he told me not to do in the edits of the prior books, I have not repeated. Partially it's because I'm a perfectionist and once someone tells me of an error that I'm making, I work hard to correct it and never do it again. Another reason though is that to me the editing process is not just a means to an end, it's an opportunity to learn and improve my writing skills. If a writer goes slow enough, takes the editing notes to heart, and truly list

Happy Valentine's Day

Image
Here's a little tidbit you may not know about the holiday of love: Valentine's Day began as a celebration of a Christian saint named Valentinus. He was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry.  During his imprisonment, he healed the daughter of his jailer. Before his execution he wrote a farewell letter to her that was signed, "from your Valentine". Today, as with every day, I hope you're surrounded by those that you love and who love you. As my Valentine's Day gift for you: Don't forget to pick up your FREE eBook of The Secret of Spruce Knoll on Amazon ! Don't have a Kindle? You can download a FREE Kindle app for your computer at this link . 

The Free Online Conference for Indie Writers

Image
As you may or may not know, IndieReCon starts in less than 1 week from Feb 19th  - Feb 21st. The free conference features over 25 guests that will discuss the nuts and bolts of self publishing from the pros/cons all the way through marketing and being a bestselling author. Here it is - 20 reasons why you should register for IndieRecon . Today! 1. Find out the future of digital publishing with our key note speaker: Bob Mayer. 2. Identify the biggest mistakes indie authors and how to avoid them. 3. Find out all the nitty gritty details on self publishing basics like pricing, distribution, and formatting. 4. Create a business plan and understand your costs. 5. Find out what is in a great book and how to make your book stand out in a pile through editing and covers. 6. Learn the importance of creating a solid business plan and how to measure your success. 7. Discover everything you need to know about reaching your readers including: metatagging, blog

Why Author's Make eBooks Free

Image
You've probably noticed independent authors setting the price on at least one of their books as free from time to time. And if you're traditionally published, or not yet published, you may wonder why in the world they would do such a thing. An indie author friend of mine recently discussed using Kindle Select with me and she couldn't understand why someone would set their book to free. It's contradictory, she said. And she's right, in a way. However, there is a method to this madness.   When you download a book from Amazon, B&N or any other online retailer~regardless of whether or not it's free or costs money~that novel goes  up in the sales ranks. With each download, it goes farther up the ranks with the optimum rise occurring when there are many sales in one day (the entire system starts over day by day so if a book sells one a day for a month it won't rise in the ranks nearly as high as it would if it sold thirty in one day of that month. VERY impo

Better Than Chocolate Blog Hop

Image
Myself and a host of other fabulous best selling, award winning, and professional authors are offering their book(s) on sale for two days for the We LOVE Readers Discount. This hop is organized by the fabulous Nikki Jefford . The book I'm offering at a discounted price is To Ride a Puca for only .99 cents! You can get my historical fantasy about the last of the druids in ancient Ireland at both B&N and Amazon . You're thinking, "But Heather, it's the 7th." And you would be right, accept that our wonderful hop host lives over seas where today is the 8th. So, in honor of my foreign friends and fans, I'm extending my discount to three days! To see what other fantastic authors are offering, check the list below and click on their names: Young Adult Defy the Stars  by  Stephanie Parent Ghost Hand  by  Ripley Patton Seen  by  Heather Sutherlin Sally Singletary's Curiosity  by  JM Cataffo Blue Sky Days  by  Marie Landry Duplicity (Spel

The Dragon Empire blog tour and Giveaway

Image
My fantasy novel, The Dragon Empire is out in eBook formats and the tour has begun! In celebration I'm doing a giveaway. You can win a signed paperback of your choice of one of the following books: The Secret of Spruce Knoll Channeler's Choice Winter Wonders  (includes a Dragon Empire short story) To Ride A Puca There are several ways to enter, from easy clicks to a fun scavenger hunt. Here's how: All over the blogosphere you'll find me answering the following questions: Why write from a dragon's point of view? Are the dragons in your book shapeshifters? What was the hardest part about writing this novel? The world you created in The Dragon Empire is very elaborate. How did you keep track of everything? Is this novel the beginning of a new series? And what can we expect next from you? Find the answers and fill out the form below for a chance to win! Each answer you find will get get you another entry. Don't have time for a scavenger hunt? T

The Sequel to Perception is here!

Image
Book 2 in the dramatic PERCEPTION Series coming April 16!   Zoe Vanderveen is on the run with her captor turned rescuer, Noah Brody. They're in love. Or at least that’s what he tells her. Her memories have returned but her feelings are dreamlike—thin and fleeting. Her heart can’t be trusted. Just look at what happened with Taylor Blake. Senator Vanderveen’s new team of cyborg agents are in hot pursuit, and a reward for their capture is broadcast nationwide. Record breaking cold and snow hinder their escape. Someone dies helping them. And their fight for survival has only begun. To celebrate Lee Strauss is giving away a $200.00 Amazon, Nook or itunes gift card! Read on to find out how to enter. VOLITION is the exciting continuation of Noah and Zoe's story from Perception. Seventeen year old Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP—a genetically altered person. She lives in the security of a walled city on prime water-front property along side