Spencer Hill Press Third Annual Giveaway

I’m so excited to take part in SHP’s third annual giveaway extravaganza! Read on to see what’s up for grabs and enter ASAP as the deadline is December 19. 🙂

(Giveaway is limited to US residents only.)

GRAND PRIZE BASKET

Spencer Hill Family-$30 Amazon Gift Card, Candy, and Neat Things
Darby Karchut – THE STAG LORD (signed copy)
Errick Nunnally- BLOOD FOR THE SUN (signed copy)
Elizabeth Langston- WHISPER FALLS (signed copy)
Heather McCollum-SIREN’S SONG (signed copy) and Swag
J.K. Rock -CAMP BOYFRIEND (signed copy) and Swag
J.L. Spelbring-PERFECTION (signed copy) and Swag and FLAWED (signed copy) and Swag
Suzanne Rigdon-INTO THE NIGHT (signed copy)
Kelly Hashway- THE MONSTER WITHIN (signed copy)
DK Mok-THE OTHER TREE Magnet and HUNT FOR VALAMON Swag
Jennifer Murgia-FOREST OF WHISPERS Swag
Laura Diamond- ZODIAC COLLECTOR, LORE, and TSAVO PRIDE Swag
Wendy Brotherlin-FREAKS OF NATURE Swag and $20 Staple Gift Card
Kelly Hashway-THE MONSTER WITHIN (signed copy) and CURSE OF DEATH Swag
Brenda St John Brown-SWIMMING TO TOKYO (e-book)
Rich Storrs- Synopsis Critique and Query Letter Critique
Sarah Guillory-RECLAIMED Swag
Jennifer Carson-HAPENNY MAGICK (signed copy) and Swag
Michelle L. Johnson-DIVINITY (signed copy)
Dahlia Adler-BEHIND THE SCENES Swag and UNDER THE LIGHTS Magnet
Megan Whitmer-BETWEEN (e-book)
Tracy Bilen-WATCH YOUR BACK (copy) and Swag
Cheryl Ann Smith-LEADING HER WITNESS Swag and Author Tote Bag
Kelley Lynn-ROAD TO SOMEWHERE (signed copy)
Collete Ballard-RUNNING ON EMPTY(signed copy)and Swag, and TEMPORARY HIGH ​Swag
Trisha Wooldridge-McAUTHOR CHRONICLES Set: THE KELPIE and THE EARL’S​​​ CHILDE and Swag
Lisa Amowitz-VISION (signed copy) and Swag

SECOND PLACE BASKET

Spencer Hill Family-$10 Amazon Gift Card, Candy, and Neat Stuff
DK Mok-THE OTHER TREE Swag and Magnet
Errick Nunnally-BLOOD FOR THE SUN Shot Glass
Jennifer Murgia-FOREST OF WHISPERS Swag and Query Critique
Heather McCollum-SIREN’S SONG Swag and Musical Notes Fingernail Tattoos
J.L. Spelbring-PERFECTION (signed copy) and Swag and FLAWED (signed copy)and Swag
JK Rock-CAMP BOYFRIEND (signed copy)and Swag
Suzanne Rigdon-INTO THE NIGHT (signed copy) and Swag, and 1 Chapter Critique
Laura Diamond- ZODIAC COLLECTOR, LORE, and TSAVO PRIDE Swag
Wendy Brotherlin-FREAKS OF NATURE Notepad and $15 Starbucks Gift Card
Sarah Guillory-RECLAIMED Swag
Angelica Jackson-CROW’S REST Swag
Jennifer Carson-HAPENNY MAGICK Swag and First Chapter Critique
Michelle L. Johnson- DIVINITY (signed copy)
Dahlia Adler-BEHIND THE SCENES (signed copy) and Swag and UNDER THE LIGHTS ​Magnet
Megan Whitmer-BETWEEN (ebook)
Tracy Bilen-WATCH YOUR BACK Swag, and a Query and 10 Page Critique
Cheryl Ann Smith-$10 Amazon Gift Card, LEADING HER WITNESS Swag and Author Tote
Kelley Lynn-ONE WISH AWAY (signed copy)
Colette Ballard-RUNNING ON EMPTY(signed copy)and Swag, and TEMPORARY HIGH ​Swag
Kristy Shen-Query Critique
Trisha Wooldridge-DOORWAYS TO EXTRA TIME (copy) and Swag
Lisa Amowitz- VISION (signed copy) and Swag

THIRD PLACE BASKET

Spencer Hill Family- $5 Amazon Gift Card, Candy, and Neat Stuff
DK Mok-THE OTHER TREE Swag and HUNT FOR VALAMON Swag
Elizabeth Langston-I WISH (signed copy)
Jennifer Murgia-FOREST OF WHISPERS Swag
Heather McCollum-SIREN’S SONG Swag and $10 Amazon Gift Card
J.L. Spelbring – PERFECTION Swag and FLAWED and Swag
JK Rock-CAMP BOYFRIEND (signed copy)and Swag
Suzanne Rigdon-1 Chapter Critique
Laura Diamond-ZODIAC COLLECTOR (ebook) and ZODIAC COLLECTOR, LORE, and ​TSAVO PRIDE Swag
Wendy Brotherlin-FREAKS OF NATURE Swag
Brenda St John Brown-SWIMMING TO TOKYO (ebook)
Angelica Jackson-CROW’S REST Swag
Jennifer Carson-HAPENNY MAGICK Swag
Michelle L. Johnson-DIVINITY(signed copy)
Dahlia Adler-BEHIND THE SCENES Swag and UNDER THE LIGHTS Magnet
Megan Whitmer-BETWEEN (ebook)
Tracy Bilen-WATCH YOUR BACK Swag
Cheryl Ann Smith-LEADING HER WITNESS Swag and Author Tote
Kelley Lynn- Query Critique and One Chapter Critique
Colette Ballard-RUNNING ON EMPTY(signed copy) and Swag, and TEMPORARY HIGH ​Swag
Trisha Wooldridge-SILENT STARSONG(copy) and Swag
Lisa Amowitz- VISION Swag

Click here for the Rafflecopter: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winner Takes All (Including a copy of The Zodiac Collector)!

Scroll to the bottom to enter to win all 28 ebooks! There’s a little of everything, for a total of over $85 worth of ebooks. Winner takes all!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Miss Snark’s Blogpitch Contest–First 250

Authoress/Miss Snark held a #Blogpitch contest on Twitter last week. She selected 10 pitches and guess what, my pitch was chosen! Woot! Today, I’m posting my first 250 words of BEAT, my YA thriller that I want to query to agents. There are 9 other entrants to check out, so be sure to head over to her blog for critique instructions and to see the other first pages. Entrants can win a 15 page edit from the Authoress herself.

I hope you enjoy the opening lines of BEAT!

Pitch: Getting a new heart might not fix sixteen-year-old Adam’s broken one.

First 250 words:

Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

Wind slashes across my body, burrows up my nose, and yanks at my hair. I hook my fingers around the wire fence wrapped around the observation deck and toggle my lip piercing—two black hoops side by side—with my tongue. Spires top the fencing, curving inward way above everybody’s heads to prevent people from jumping off. The city below seems like a miniature replica at this height.

New York City, America’s major metropolis. So different from my London.

I pick out several landmarks dotting the skyline and mentally slash another item/adventure/must do/whatever off my bucket list. Well, it’s more like my parents’ bucket list.

For me.

It’s hard to muster up joy and awe when all I’m doing is waiting for someone to die so they can give me their heart. Anything we do—whether it’s a weekend trip to the city or having front row tickets for a concert or celebrating another week of life with a hot fudge sundae—all it amounts to is killing time.

And all I want is more time.

But not like this. I want healthy time. So I can live my life.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

I press a palm to my chest and sigh.

It’s bad enough I was born with a bum ticker. It’s worse knowing I’ll probably die before I graduate high school. It’s the worst knowing I’m not yet sick enough to be prioritized on the transplant list.

I have to be one beat away from a fatal arrhythmia and then it’s a gamble if I’ll survive long enough to find a match.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

 

Here’s the LINK to Miss Snark’s post where you can read the other first pages. 😉

Month of Love

I’m super stoked to be a part of author Brinda Berry’s Month of Love giveaway. I’m over at her blog today talking about pick up lines and romantic music. Hop on over and enter to win a prize!

BRINDA’S BLOG

I’ve also restarted my Pinterest page. Take a look at my boards and follow along for info and updates about my books. (There’s some cool stuff about ZODIAC COLLECTOR (coming July 2014) and LORE a folklore retelling anthology coming March 2014.) * wink *

Author Chat

Hey gang!

Last week, Natasha Hanova shared her review of my YA paranormal romance, SHIFTING PRIDE and she hosted me for an interview where I discussed my characters and upcoming projects.

Since it’s the holidays, she’s been gracious enough to host a giveaway as well–hop on over to her blog to enter for a chance to win a book of your choice penned my moi! (Deadline is THIS FRIDAY, December 20.)

Link to Rafflecopter giveaway

And be sure to check out Natasha’s FAB book, EDGE OF TRUTH! (It’s on sale for 0.99 December 18-20!!!)

Fae Books 4K Giveaway!

Sarah Fae is a writer, blogger, reviewer, tat lover, animal lover, all around FAB gal. She’s hosting a 4000 follower giveaway and it. Is. AWESOME.

Click HERE for deets–there’s tons of items on the list, including an ecopy of ENDURE! Be sure to sign up!

The giveaway ENDS on: Friday 20th September 2013 12:00am UK Time.

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Psst, I got to see a sneak peek at the cover for ZODIAC COLLECTOR, my YA pararom with Spencer Hill Press! I’m SO stoked to show you guys–hopefully soon!

Flake-out Friday–It’s a WEBSITE!

Hey gang!

OMGosh, I’m super stoked to share my website with you. If you’ve been following my blog, Twitter, and Facebook, you may have noticed me dancing around the subject of: To Website Or Not To Website.

With the help of my publicists (cuz I’m a technotard and they are graphics, net, computer, everything savvy), we’ve compiled ideas and images and developed the following site.

Please take a look and lemme know what you think!

Annnd, I may need help getting my blog to match–if you’ve got any ideas, hit me with them! THERE WILL BE A PRIZE (like a book of your choice) FOR THE PERSON WHO COMES UP WITH AN IDEA THAT STRIKES MY FANCY!

Click here for my author website.

 

Superhero Social Disorders ~and~ Violet Midnight Blog Blitz

SO excited to have Patrick here today. He’s guesting on my blog, sharing his insights on Superhero Social Disorders. 

Welcome Patrick!

***

First of all, thanks to Laura for having me on her blog today!

Have you ever noticed superheroes are never normal, well-adjusted people?  They’re always outsiders whether it’s because they’re aliens, nerds, or just loners.  Most have at least one skeleton in the closet, whether it’s the death of their parents, child abuse, a drinking problem, or something else that helps explain why most of these people adopt a secret identity.  I’m sure Dr. Diamond could spend a long time analyzing the likes of Superman, Batman, Wolverine, or Spider-Man.  There’s just something about putting on a cape and tights and beating up criminals that appeals to people who are not very well-adjusted.

The protagonist of my novel A Hero’s Journey is no different.  When she was just eight years old, Emma Earl’s parents died violently at the hands of a couple of criminals.  Even before then it was no picnic for Emma as her off-the-charts IQ made it difficult to fit in with her classmates.

After Emma’s parents died, she turned inward and focused on her education and her only remaining dream of someday becoming a scientist.  Between her natural intelligence and a lot of determination born out of adversity, Emma earned her doctorate at nineteen and landed her dream job at the Plaine Museum of Natural History.

When she moves back home to share an apartment with her childhood friend Becky, Emma hopes to make a fresh start.  Of course things almost immediately begin to go wrong.  People start to die and the museum is nearly blown to smithereens.  Any hope of a “normal” life goes out the window when Emma finds a suit of magic plate armor that turns her into the superhero known as the Scarlet Knight.

Like any superhero, Emma’s got plenty of problems.  She struggles to cope with the death of her parents.  Her aunt has severe dementia that forces her to stay in a nursing home.  And she has to go out every night and risk being killed, which also doesn’t leave much time for beauty sleep.  That’s only the first book!  As a little spoiler, in the rest of the series the weight keeps piling on Emma’s shoulders.

There are times when even I think, “Can’t I give the poor girl a break?”  But the thing is, we readers don’t really want the pressure to ease up on our heroes.  We want them to have to deal with crisis after crisis, whether it’s an external threat like a villain or an internal threat like a traumatic past.  The way any superhero series continues for years or even decades is to keep the pressure up on the hero.  If you think about it, how boring would it be if these people were normal and well-adjusted?

A lot of it is probably catharsis in that we want our superheroes to have inner demons so we can feel better about our own little problems.  I mean sure Superman can fly and he has heat vision and all that stuff, but he still can’t keep Lois Lane.  Take that!  I think part of why these characters have endured so long is that they can continue to grow and change as writers throw new problems at them.

What I enjoyed most in writing my series is growing Emma from the shy teenager she is in A Hero’s Journey to the mature young woman she eventually becomes.  It is a long and bumpy road, but that’s why it’s a hero’s journey, right?

If you’re ready to take that journey, you can buy my book from Solstice Publishing here.  The book is also available from other retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  To find out more about A Hero’s Journey including character bios, deleted scenes, and a visitor’s guide to Rampart City visit my blog at http://www.ptdilloway.com

Thanks again to Laura for allowing me to take up space on her blog!

***

Can’t wait to read about Emma’s journey!

Patrick is offering a PDF copy of the book to one lucky commenter! Sa-weet! 

Part Two of this exiting post features Lynn Rush and VIOLET MIDNIGHT…

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It’s a Blog Blitz Release Event!

Lynn Rush, author of the Wasteland series, has a new New Adult Paranormal Romance series launching and she’s celebrating by hosting a SUPER AWESOME GIVEAWAY! If you enter, you could win a Kindle Fire!

To quote Penny from The Big Bang Theory: Holy crap on a cracker!

VIOLET MIDNIGHT BLURB:

Let the Hunt begin…

Blending in with her college co-eds proves difficult for vampire Hunter, Emma Martin, considering the mystical tattoo on her wrist glows whenever Vamps are near. And after three months of silence, the glow is back with a vengeance.

Jake Cunningham witnesses Emma, a violet-eyed beauty, using unimaginable powers to fight off a fanged creature. Finally, after two years of searching, he may have found out what he’s become—a Hunter, like Emma.

Thankful for an ally in the fight against the Vamps, Emma finds hope and comfort in Jake’s arms. As she learns more about her new love’s family and its dark heritage, she may be forced not only to hunt them but to sacrifice her life to save Jake’s soul.

READY TO BUY? GO HERE:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Violet-Midnight-Lynn-Rush/dp/193725481X

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/violet-midnight-lynn-rush/1112747880

 

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LYNN RUSH? GO HERE:

Catch the Rush™: www.LynnRush.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LynnRushWrites

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LynnRush

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13548020-violet-midnight

 

TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ONLINE LAUNCH PARTY, GO HERE:

https://www.facebook.com/LynnRushWrites.

I’ve never been to a Facebook party before, but I’m totally going to this one! It’s  7-9pm EDT. There will be tons of prizes and lots of authors participating. You don’t want to miss it!

 

WANT TO SIGN UP FOR THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY, GO HERE:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

CONGRATS, LYNN!!!!!

 

Winner Wednesday

With great excitement, I’d like to announce the WINNERS from my Announcement post and from my Author Shout Out post.

*drum roll please*

Winners of a book of your choice PLUS a three chapter critique:

Jamie Ayres

Elizabeth Arroyo

Donna Hole

Winner of CREATING FATE by Rachel Firasek:

LYNN RUSH!!!!

**********

CONGRATS!!!!!

To claim your prize, please email me at: laurabdiamond@yahoo.com

Mental Health Monday–A Better Pain Chart

When patients are admitted to the hospital, their vital signs are checked at regular intervals. Vital signs include blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and percent oxygenation of the blood. A fifth vital sign includes rating pain on a scale of 0-10. Since pain is such a subjective thing, the scale includes pictures to help the rater identify where they lie on the scale.

Pain Measurement Scale (CLICK THE LINK TO SEE PIC)

 

A better pain chart has been made and it’s circling around the interwebz like crazy. So I thought I’d share it with all y’all.

A Better Pain Chart (CLICK LINK TO SEE PIC)

 

I deleted the pic to avoid copyright infringement, so I’ll paraphrase the scale…

0: No pain

1: Not sure if I’m in pain

2: Just need a band-aid

3: Distressed; don’t like what’s happening

4: Pain is not effing around

5: Why is this happening to me???

6: Ow. Pain is super legit right now

7: I see Jesus coming for me and I’m scared

8: Pain is disturbing. I may be dying

9: I am almost definitely dying

10: I am actually being mauled by a bear

11: Blood will explode out my face any moment

Too Serious for Numbers: You probably have ebola. It appears you may also be suffering from stigmata and/or pinkeye

Quite useful, isn’t it?

Don’t forget to check out my GIVEAWAY posts. There’s a week left to enter!

Click HERE to see my announcement and book + 3 chapter crit giveaway (just leave a comment to enter)

Click HERE to check out Rachel Firasek’s new novella and get a chance to win it (just leave a comment)