Author Heather McCorkle

Today I'm excited to be participating in a long time author friend of mine's cover reveal for her new novel coming from Spencer Hill Press this winter titled PULL. Be sure to ADD THIS to your Goodreads list peeps, because you won't want to miss it! Here is a bit about it: COMING DECEMBER 2015! Rosie Clayton witnesses a mugging on her first night in London—and then the scene rewinds itself. She finds herself standing in the same place again, with the mugging happening just like before, except his time a stranger steps in and stops it. There's no way the same incident can have two outcomes. Rosie thinks she’s losing her mind, until just a few days later, the stranger saves her. The stranger, Albert, and his band of misfit crime-fighters, have a special ability, Pulling, which allows them to rewind just enough time to undo and interfere in a series of events. Someone is hunting Albert and his crew--and now that Rosie’s been seen with them, she’s a target...

Happy first day of spring! For many it has been a long, hard winter that isn't quite over yet. For us here on the west coast, not so much. In fact, we're kind of wondering where our winter went. I have daffodils and tulips popping up everywhere, and even strawberries! That's kind of unheard of here in the high desert where we're used to freezing temperatures and snow well into April, sometimes May and June. But, alas, our winter seems to have fallen on New York and Boston (sorry folks!).  If it's any consolations to the east coasters, our lack of snow fall means we're extremely worried about drought and a bad fire season this summer. Wherever you are, may you enjoy the colors of spring, if not the flowers and warmth!

Today isn't about kisses, drinking, or even just a saint for me. It's an important day for me to reflect on all the Irish have done in this wonderful new country that they made their new home, and to remember their struggle back on their own shores. When I lift a glass today it will be to both my ancestors that came here to America so long ago, and to the dream of a free Ireland.

Luck is a double-sided coin. Whether or not it is good or bad, often depends on which side of the coin you are looking at. It is much like that proverbial glass. Being of Irish descent, and writing much about the Irish I often grin when people comment about the luck of the Irish. They think it is good luck. Over 700 years of servitude, oppression, and slaughter mostly because they occupied a land someone else wanted did not seem like good luck to me. But, after much consideration I realized their luck wasn't all bad. They have survived, reclaimed 90% of their own country, and have prospered in a new country. Not all oppressed cultures have managed to come out on that side of the luck coin. This comparison has made me look at my own luck and re-evaluate it. There is almost always a bright side of the coin. The important part is looking to see, and by doing so, inviting the best of luck.

Have no fear, my absence from social media has not been without fruit. But I've missed you all, oh how I have missed you! Determined to take this year by storm, I have been working my rear off (literally in some cases as I have started a serious workout regiment. Well, okay, serious for me. But it's paying off, so that's what matters!).  What type of fruit you may wonder? Then there are those of you wondering how we went from my derriere to fruit. Hang in there, we'll get back on track. You may have noticed my blog/site is now a .com, yay!!! It took no small amount of sacrificial locks of my hair and sanity to accomplish, but it is done! My website and blog are now connected. Whew. To anyone who has ever had to do this, I raise a glass.  In the writing arena: Two manuscripts are currently in my agents hands, one of which is hopefully a final draft after three of their fabulous critiques and re-writes (cross your fingers for that one peeps!), the second manusc...

To help myself keep on track for my goals for the year, I've decided to do a monthly report of how things are coming along. We'll see how this works or if I'm left cringing most of the time! After receiving Blind Hearts back from agent #2, I put it through another round of edits and sent it back polished (to what seems like a high shine, hopefully) just yesterday. Fingers crossed that they both love it and think it's ready to send out on pub sub. I also polished up the proposal for the second book, and a third in the series. I began an outline on a novel set around 1830 centered around the romance of a couple involved in the building of the railroad in America. Hopefully I'll get to write that one later this year. I wrote the first 13,000 words of a brand new novel based off another historical romance set during the civil war that is currently in the hands of agent #1, whose critique on said novel I should be getting back any time now. Fingers crossed again!...

For my writer friends out there, I have news of a great opportunity to get a critique. My agency sister Marisa Cleveland is hosting a first page critique contest . The fun part, it is completely non-subjective as it is based solely off random choosing. The fabulous part is that it is a critique with Lane Heymont, the newest junior agent at the Seymour Agency. And trust me folks, you want to represented by this fabulous agency, and not just because you'd then be agency family with me. :) Lane is looking for well-written science fiction and fantasy novels. Exceptional world building is a must. In the non-fiction, he is looking for the inspiring, intriguing, and mysterious. For more on Lane, click here . To enter this fabulous contest, click here . Best of luck to all of you!