It’s been 98 days since my debut novel, 18 Things, released. 98 is a lucky number for me since it’s the year hubs and I tied the knot But I’d say the thing I was most insecure about these first 3 months is what others would think of my book. Most of my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads have been 4 or 5 stars so far (thank you, Jesus *wipes forehead*), but as my publisher submits 18 Things to Books-A-Million and Barnes & Noble for in-store distribution, I sure could use some more reviews! So it seems perfect that Susie Levine is hosting a great blog hop to celebrate authors! Here’s what I read about it on Krystal Wade’s blog today:

Without the ratings, without the few sentences from a happy reader, it makes it harder for a new reader to come along and snatch up the book. How many times have you seen a book on Amazon and not purchased it because it didn’t have enough reviews?

Here you’ll find a link back to her original post and the sign-up code.

Make sure you write a review for a book you’ve read, loved, and never mentioned to your friends or family or Goodreads. Post it on your blog. On Amazon. On Shelfari. Wherever you like to rant and rave.

Authors are sometimes insecure and in need of a pick-me-up. So hug them!

I admit I usually star my books on goodreads, but I’m not great about leaving comments. I just went back and updated some of my more recent books to include some kind words, because they go a looong way My publisher just sent me two surveys from my book this week, and I wish the readers would’ve posted it somewhere, because they were positive *YAY!* Instead, I’ll share them with you here:

You can now buy it on Amazon and Kobo! To celebrate, here’s a quick excerpt from the book:

A smirk spread across his face and he chuckled.

“You are amusing. I hope you let the Pharaoh see that.”

“Oh, I will.” I smiled. “Once I no longer feel he may throw me to the crocodiles for it.”

He folded his arms and grinned at me.

“He needs someone who can make him laugh. He lives a very tiresome existence and never has a moment to relax.”

“Do you wish me to oblige?” I asked.

He nodded. “Oh yes, Kiya. Make him love you, make him hold you in his highest regard. That will humble our Great Queen and remove her from her station, so she no longer feels she and her daughters have a right to the throne.”

I sighed. “Well, I can do my best, but I am not as pretty as many, or as young.”

“But you are honest, and he will appreciate that among all the liars he is faced with every day.”

*Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it?!?

And before I go, I just have to brag on my 12yo daughter for a second. Since the last time I blogged, she was awarded First Place for Level 2 entries in the WHOLE STATE OF FLORIDA for the Letters For Literature essay contest. She even won $100 with it! I’d love to share her essay about Lauren Myracle’s book, Thirteen, but it’ll have to wait until after the national judging is over. Keep your fingers crossed for her!

Oh, and if you’ve read 18 Things, you know all about my fictional band, Cantankerous Monkey Squad. My talented friend sang the spoof of the “Good Riddance” song I put in the book: “Ode to a Septic Tank.” Hope you enjoy a laugh, and if you do decide to post a book review, I hope you didn’t think 18 Things was crap! Hahaha . . . .

L: Jamie, thanks so much for having me on your blog today.

J: The pleasure is all mine:-) So Lynnette, can you tell us in 20 words or less what your book is about?

L: How about fifty words? I know, I know. That’s bending the rules, but…sometimes you just have to color outside the lines. J

In Somebody Like You, rancher Cash Hardeman loves longneck beers, while heiress Annelise Montjoy prefers champagne. Both have a secret—she’s trying to save her grandfather’s life; he’s trying to save the family ranch. Cash belongs in Maverick Junction, Texas, Annelise in Boston, or could it be they belong together?

J: Sounds fantastic!!! Your book is with Grand Central Publishing. How did your deal come about and how do you like working with them?

L: Nicole Resciniti, agent supreme, sold the three book series to Grand Central. We actually had multiple offers which sure made my heart beat a little faster! After some discussion back and forth between us and the publishing houses, we decided to go with Grand Central. The fun part of this? Our writing group, Southwest Florida Romance Writers, was hosting a conference at the time GCP made their offer. I stopped by Nicole’s, and she shared it with me. We went inside to a houseful of editors down for the conference, all of whom congratulated me on my sale. What could be better?  

I love working with Grand Central Publishing. I made a quick trip to New York City last fall to visit a friend and fellow SWFRW and had the opportunity to have lunch with Lauren Plude, my fabulous editor, and Amy Pierpont, senior editor at GCP. Can you say fabulous? It was really great to visit the office and see, as Amy said, where the magic is made. I also got a chance to meet some of the others who work so hard to bring our books to life.

J: Nicole is agent supreme for sure! I’m looking forward to meeting my editor for the first time in July *squeeee* What does your typical writing day look like?

L: Even though I continuously promise myself I won’t, the first thing I do is check my email to see if there’s anything that needs taken care of, anything that won’t wait. Then I pull up my WIP and get busy. I like to work in the mornings, but with tighter deadlines I’ve found myself working most of the day. At the beginning of a book, I figure how many words per day I have to write to meet my deadline and stay at my computer till I get there.

I generally start by reading over what I wrote the previous day and making light edits. Then I pick up where I left off. A quick tip. I’ve found it works so much better for me if I don’t stop writing at a chapter or scene end. I usually quit for the day right at the beginning of a new scene. I write just enough that when I turn on my computer, I remember where I was headed and can jump right back in. I’ve already set the stage. It can really help eliminate what many call writer’s block. There is no where-do-I-go-today moment. I’m already on my way. Also, my storyboard keeps me on track.

I seldom reread what I write that day. By the next morning, I can see it through fresher eyes and make better decisions. Besides, it’s extremely important to keep the story moving forward. It’s really easy to tweak and fiddle around with what you’ve written, but that’s not going to get you to the place where you can type “the end”.

J: Great advice! Somebody Like You takes place in Texas . . . have you ever visited? What’s your favorite place in the world?

L: I have been to Texas, yes, several times—and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed each and every visit. It’s a great state and very unique. I’ve covered the state north to south and east to west, and, believe me, there’s some miles to cover there!

My favorite place in the world. Hmmm, that’s a hard one. I’ve lived in Pennsylvania, New York, Wyoming, Florida, and Georgia and love them all. I’ve traveled in Europe, Africa, Central and South America. In North America, I’ve been in all fifty states with the exception of Alaska and have traveled fairly extensively in both Mexico and Canada.

If I had to choose one spot, though, I’d say Bantry Bay, Ireland. Two friends and I rented a small cottage there for a week and fell in love with the small town and its people. The bread in the market is made daily by a local and brought into the small store. The postmistress couldn’t sell us stamps when we arrived because it was too early, so she shared biscuits and tea with us in her living room. Our kitchen window looked out over the green, green hills and farms, and our living room window looked out over the bay with its beautiful blue water. My dream is to return there. 

J: Hubs and I visited Ireland for 2 weeks in 1999–would love to go back and visit that small town!

What would you like the world to know about you and your books before you leave?

L:  I was a reader long before I started to write. There’s nothing like picking up an incredible book and losing yourself in the story, in the characters and their world. I sincerely hope my books will provide that for readers. A lot of time, thought, and effort go into every single one. I have fun spending time with my characters and hope my readers do, too.

My newest book, Somebody Like You, written as Lynnette Austin, is the first of at least three in the Maverick Junction series. There’s something so sexy about a cowboy, and Cash, Ty, and Brawley, the heroes of the series, have it in spades. Cash and Annie have to fight hard in order to be together. I like strong, independent heroines and a hero that’s every bit as self-confident. The next two books, Nearest Thing To Heaven (June 4, 2013) and Can’t Stop Loving You (November 4, 2013) showcase equally strong heroes and heroines caught in the act of falling in love. Having married my high-school sweetheart, I’m a strong believer in forever love.

I do write under the name Lynnette Hallberg, also. Chantilly Lace and A Pretty Face is a contemporary Western set in Wyoming. Moonlight, Motorcycles, and Bad Boys, along with Just A Little White Lie, are set in small town Georgia. I love to create small towns with all the flavor and quirky characters they seem to grow. Enchanted Evening takes place in Pittsburgh and Night Shadows, a romantic suspense, has that special magic only New Orleans can provide.

I’ve had a great time with you today, Jamie! Thanks again for having me over.

J: Thank YOU! And you’re welcome to stop by any time! If you’d like to get to know Lynnette some more (and who wouldn’t?!), you can find her on FB and Twitter.

*So, are you interested in reading Somebody Like You? It’s only $1.99 for the Kindle version–what a steal! And do you forgive me for being a bad blogger buddy, but a good writer *on hands and knees pleading* Hope to see ya’ll soon~hugs!

Book Blurb:

What do you do when you realize nothing in your life is what you’ve believed it to be?

When Arionna Jacobs loses her mother in a tragic accident, her world is turned upside down. She’s forced to leave her old life behind and move in with her father. Dace Matthews, a teaching assistant at her new college, is torn in two, unable to communicate with the feral wolf caged inside him.

When they meet, everything they thought they knew about life unravels. Dace has intimate access to Arionna’s mind, and something deep within her fights to rise to the surface. They don’t understand what’s happening to them or why, and they’re running out of time to sort out the strange occurrences around them.

Their meeting sets an ancient Norse prophesy of destruction in motion, and what destiny has in store for them is bigger than either could have ever imagined. Unless they learn to trust themselves and one another, they may never resolve the mystery surrounding who they are to one another, and what that means for the world.

FADE is available from Curiosity Quills Press at Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo. You can learn more at http://akmorgen.com or by following Ayden on Twitter or Facebook.

*Also, don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter on Sharon Bayliss’s site for your chance at winning a $75 Amazon gift card! And on that note, I’m outta here! Today is the official start of my spring break with my daughters and hubby, and I promised them I’d take a break from social media as well. See you on April 1st, and that’s no joke;-) 

Seventeen-year-old Ever’s love life has been on hold for the past two years. She’s secretly in love with her best friend Frankie, and he’s completely oblivious.

 Of course, it doesn’t help that he’s dead, and waking up to his ghost every day has made moving on nearly impossible.

 Frustrated and desperate for something real, Ever finds herself falling for her hot new neighbor Toby. His relaxed confidence is irresistible, and not just Ever knows it. But falling for Toby comes with a price that throws Ever’s life into a whirlwind of chaos and drama. More than hearts are on the line, and more than Ever will suffer.

 Some girls lose their hearts to love.

 Some girls lose their minds.

 Ever Van Ruysdael could lose her soul.

WHERE TO BUY: 

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

ADD EVER TO YOUR TBR!

Goodreads

ABOUT JESSA:

 An unashamed super fan of all things paranormal romance, Jessa Russo reads, writes and breathes paranormal YA, rarely straying from her comfort zone.

When not writing or reading, Jessa enjoys making memories with her awesome family and amazingly supportive friends, while secretly planning her next trip to New Orleans.

Jessa has won a few flash fiction contests and had a couple short stories published, but feels her greatest accomplishment is raising the coolest kid ever – a little girl with a Tim Burton obsession and a desire to save every animal she sees.

*Isn’t Jessa beautiful? I think that cover alone makes you want to read Jessa’s book, right?! And Jessa is seriously worth following everywhere, like Twitter and Facebook! She’s epic . . . I could go on forever about how much I love her and her book, but I’m supposed to meet her in real-life in May, and I don’t want to creep her out too much;-) Oh, and don’t forget to enter the rafflecopter on Sharon Bayliss’s site for the $75 Amazon gift card–our way of saying thanks for helping to promote this awesome sale~xoxo

Check out this cool sounding blurb from Legasea:

When sixteen-year-old Aileen Shay sees a dead girl floating in the bay during a midnight yacht party, she never imagines Jamie Flannigan, her new boyfriend, may be involved. The only thing she knows about Jamie is that he personifies the one thing she has been drawn to her entire life – the ocean. But as she grows closer to him, she realizes he knows more about the murder than he’s telling. When another girl is attacked, and Jamie refuses to answer her questions, Aileen searches for answers on her own.

Aileen learns that Jamie’s family belongs more to myths and legends than they do in the real world. They are selkies, and after the Flannigans threaten her family, Aileen suspects they are responsible for both attacks.

But they aren’t the only ones in her small fishing town who can keep a secret.

 As Aileen uncovers the truth about the murder, the selkies, and her own family, she learns why her soul is bonded to the sea. But with that revelation comes a choice – to permanently sever her connection with the water, which comes at a painful cost, or embrace a legacy that just might get her killed.

Krystalyn has spent the past 13 years working at Disney as everything from Aladdin’s harem girl to talent coordinator to spider expert. In the evenings, she does mad writing challenges with her sister. She currently lives in Florida with her family.

Personal Blog: http://krysteybelle.blogspot.com/

Short Story Blog: http://fictionfemmefatale.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @KrysteyBelle

*Sounds like a fun read, right? And what a cool name for the MC;-)

Take it away, Sharon . . . .

No one could call me an overnight success. I’ve been chasing my dream of publication for fifteen years. Granted, I have had a lot of distractions during that time, college, marriage, children…you know, life in general, but I always returned to work on my goal of publishing a novel.

I am proud to say that on March 2, 2013, my dream came true. I published my debut novel, The Charge, with Curiosity Quills Press.

So how did I finally get it done? 

In 2009 I started writing the novel that would eventually become The Charge. It went through so many drafts and total overhauls, early beta readers can only barely recognize the final published result. In the summer of 2011, I did my first round of serious querying. I went the “normal” route of querying agents. I had a few positive moments, some blog contest wins and an occasional positive query reply, but overall, the query process was soul-draining and ultimately unsuccessful.

Fortunately, I wasn’t thwarted. After rewriting my query almost fifty times (yes, I counted), I finally realized and accepted that the query wasn’t the problem. There were problems with the basic structure of the story.

So, I essentially started over. And this time, I write the query first. When I felt like I had an awesome query after only a few tries, I knew I had finally figured it out. 

I got to work re-writing the story and when I was done, it just felt different. I knew I had gotten it right. I had two amazing beta readers look over The Charge. They made some excellent suggestions and I went to work on yet another significant revision. 

One problem my beta readers pointed out was that The Charge didn’t fit well into the YA genre (which was where I had been querying it) because my main character was 18 and out on his own. I agreed, but aging him up or down proved difficult. Read more about my journey to discover the new adult category in the article, “18-Year-Old Characters are Strictly Prohibited.”

Despite the categorization problem, I felt excited and confident about The Charge, so I set out to query agents again and entered some contests. And…

Still nothing.

Although I felt like I had made significant strides and was very proud of The Charge, the general consensus from the agents was, “no.”

I didn’t want to shelve The Charge, but I was discouraged and decided to at least move on to something else for a while. So, I wrote a completely different novel (but that’s a whole other story). I was feeling very excited about this new novel and was about to start querying it, but then something unexpected happened.

The publishing industry moves slowly and I’m not very patient. So, I had moved on before The Charge had really gotten a chance. I hadn’t thought about The Charge in a while, and then I learned that it had made it through the first round of the 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Competition. Then, a month later, The Charge became a quarterfinalist. I didn’t move to the semi-finalist round, but I did win a very positive Publishers Weekly review.

My success in the ABNA contest made me rethink everything. The expert judges and the Publishers Weekly reviewer thought it was great! The agents who read my query may not have fallen in love, or thought they would have trouble fitting it into the correct marketing box, but that didn’t mean the book wasn’t worth publishing. So, with my renewed confidence, I tried something new, I queried small publishers directly. And since small publishers were open to the “New Adult” category, I was able to query it in the category it really belonged in.

It didn’t take long at all for me to get some full requests, and in about a nanosecond in publishing time, Curiosity Quills Press made me an offer. I have to admit, I was thrilled but also discombobulated. Things had happened quickly and not the way I had expected. I had no agent to help me negotiate the contract. Even after lots of research and consulting with friends, there was no way to be 100% certain that I was doing the right thing. But my gut told me it was the right thing to do, and I know I made the right choice.

My journey to publication was long and often painful, but I believe it all happened for a reason. Nothing worth doing is ever easy.

Thank you for inviting me to your blog, Jamie, and for all your support along the way!

*My pleasure, Sharon! I bet you’re wondering what The Charge is about after that post. Here’s the blurb:

When King of the Texas Empire kidnaps Warren’s brother, Warren embarks into a still Wild West to save him. On his journey, he makes a discovery that changes his life forever—he and his brother are long-lost members of the Texas royal family and the King wants them both dead. 

He gets help from an activist Texan named Lena, who’s itching to take on the King and happens to be a beautiful firecracker Warren can’t stay away from. Convincing her he’s not one of the bad guys becomes harder when a mysterious energy stirs in his body, turning his brain into a hive of emotions and memories—not all his own.

A legacy of violence is not all he inherited from the brutal Kings of Texas. The myth that the royal family possesses supernatural powers may not be myth at all.

Gone are the days when choosing a major was a big deal. Now Warren must save his brother and choose whether or not to be King, follow a King, or die before he can retire his fake ID. 

*You can visit Sharon’s blog to learn more about her, and to enter our $75 Amazon gift card giveaway 5 of us are doing to say thanks for spreading the word about the 99 cent sale, woot woot!!

So, have you had the chance to read The Charge yet, or adding it to your TBR list? Interested in the $75 gift card (well, duh, who wouldn’t be, right?!) Stop by tomorrow . . . I’ll be highlighting another wonderful book participating in the 99 cent promo!

<3 Jaim-O

Plus, people left me warm fuzzy messages this week after finishing 18 Things. On Twitter, Cheryl had this to say: “Just finished 18 Things. Way to reinforce my belief in God and life. It was much-needed. I feel whole again after reading your book.” Isn’t that the greatest DM ever?! Thanks for letting me share, Cheryl!

Also got this message on FB from a middle school Language Arts teacher: “I ordered one of your books from amazon and all my students want to read it at the same time. Just placed another order for several copies.” LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!

And finally another FB message from a coworker: “Tomorrow we will be able to check off running a 5k - thank you Jamie Ayres for motivating me to finally do something about my bucket list!” WOW, can you see the HUGE smile on my face from where you are sitting?!?

If that doesn’t make you want to read 18 Things, then you just might be a broken person. Well, okay, I am too . . . that’s why I wrote 18 Things! So let’s get down to the Nitty-Gritty!

For the 99 cent sale, several of us at Curiosity Quills Press wanted to do some kind of shared giveaway on our blogs. The point of the giveaway is to call attention to the 99 cent sale and get people to spread the word (via rafflecopter). We figured it didn’t make much sense to give away our 99 cent ebooks, but we could all put in toward a Kindle Fire or Amazon gift card. Who wouldn’t be interested in that, right? WordPress doesn’t support rafflecopter *shakes fist in air* but you can enter the giveaway on Sharon Bayliss’s site! (The link should be live sometime soon–thanks for helping to spread the word!) Here’s the list of participating books:

18 Things by Jamie Ayres *Woot, wOOt!!*

Once Upon a Changeling by V.J. Chambers
Cappuccino Heaven by Michelle Wright
The Space Whiskey Death Chronicles by William Vtika
The Charge by Sharon Bayliss
Ever by Jessa Russo
Blow up the Roses by Randy Attwood
Theocracide by James Wymore
Fade by Ayden Morgan
The Green Man and Other Short Stories by Rand Lee
The Gathering Darkness by Lisa Collicutt
Sanity Vacuum by Thea Gregory
Legasea by Krystalyn Drown
The Devil You Know (Nick Englebrecht Trilogy Book 1) by K.H. Koehler
Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish by Andrew Buckley
Nefertiti’s Heart by AW Exley
Paradise Earth: Day Zero by Anthony Mathenia
Death by Chocolate by Johanna Pitcairn
Bone Wires by Michael Shean
Shadow of a Dead Star by Michael Shean
The Green Eyed Monster by Mike Robinson
The Prince of Earth by Mike Robinson
Danger in Cat World by Nina Post
One Ghost per Serving by Nina Post
The Last Condo Board of the Apocalypse by Nina Post
The Last Donut Shop of the Apocalypse by Nina Post
Wilde’s Fire (Darkness Falls Series Book 1) by Krystal Wade
Wilde’s Army (Darkness Falls Series Book 2) by Krystal Wade
World’s Burn Through (Chronicles of Nowhere Book 1) by Vicki Keire
Shadowed Ground (Chronicles of Nowhere Book 2) by Vicki Keire
Wet Dream by Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.
The God Particle by Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.
The Department of Magic by Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.
Christmas in the Morgue by Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.
Family Cursemas (The Megamillionaire Murders, Vol 1) by Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.
Dinosaur Jazz (Jurassic Club) by Michael Panush
El Mosaico, Vol. 1: Scarred Souls by Michael Panush
The Stein & Candle Detective Agency, Vol. 1: American Nightmares by Michael Panush
The Stein & Candle Detective Agency, Vol. 2: Cold Wars by Michael Panush
The Stein & Candle Detective Agency, Vol. 3: Red Reunion by Michael Panush

That’s a whole enchilada of awesome books!!! I’m hoping to see 18 Things trend in the top 100 in a few categories again and create some much-needed buzz, and would really appreciate it if you helped spread the word in your realm of influence!

Here’s an easy Tweet you can copy: The Luck of the Irish brings you the YA coming of age love story, 18 Things, for 99 cents! Happy St. Patricks’ Day #99cents #Kindle

Okay, before I go I just have to share my 9yo daughter’s funny relationship with Siri. She saved and saved for an iPod Touch 5 and finally bought it on Thursday. My hubs and I don’t have Smart phones, so this was her first introduction to Siri.  On Friday morning, I got out of the shower and heard Ashley talking to somebody. Me: Who are you talking to? Ash: Siri! Can you believe she’s never had pizza? I told her to try CiCi’s. Me: Um, you do know Siri is a computer, right? hahahahahaha! Then this morning hubs and I are talking and Ashley goes, “Shhh, I just asked Siri a question and she needs to concentrate!” LOL. And if you haven’t asked Siri who let the dogs out, Ashley highly recommends it! I do love how Siri is helping my kid with her speech problems. She has to speak clearly in order for Siri to understand her, which leads me to wrap up my St. Patrick’s Day announcement with this:

And my hubs has been insane in the membrane for this Thrift Shop rap by Macklemore *warning: if you do have a listen, there is quite a bit of inappropriate language if your kiddos are in the room* Probably because the thrift shop is hubs favorite place to buy some goofy T-shirts. Then I heard this interesting convo on the radio station about how some people are afraid of thrift shop clothes because demons can attach themselves to them?! This was in response to a segment on the 700 Club when a viewer wrote in to Pat Robertson and asked him about it. I don’t agree with his response, but I thought I should mention it here because it might spark a cool paranormal book idea for one of you . . . and because it leads into Gerilyn’s guest post on her true paranormal experience. Take it away, friend!

Okay, this isn’t a scary or spooky story (though, I guess the latter depends on the reader’s perspective), but I think it’s good to remember that not all paranormal experiences are.

The backdrop needed to understand this is that I live in my great grandmother’s house- the top floor of a two family home (my grandmother lives in the first floor house).  Great gram’ma, Mary Zenzian (maiden name Capp), was psychic—incidents from predicting the year of my sister’s birth as my mother and father walked out of the church on their wedding day to go to the reception, to feeling it when her brother, a cook in the army during WWI had received a severe grease burn on the face.  I spent a lot of days, from infancy to the age of four (when she passed away) with her.  As you can imagine, I don’t remember much, but my mother says there was a connection between gram’ma and me, and seeing I’m the only one to inherit even a touch of Mary’s ‘gift’, I would say I’m inclined to believe mom.

Okay, enough background info.

About a month after we first moved in, my husband and I were tasked with spending a week house/pet sitting for my parents.  The day we’re supposed to leave I’m puttering back and forth across the house, making certain the everything is packed and ready to go for the excursion.  It was the first morning since moving in that I’d been forced to make instant coffee, ’cause we were out of ground.  I don’t even know what made me notice it, but I walked through the kitchen and noticed that the coffee maker had been switched on.  It wasn’t fully electric- one has to manually press the button to start the pot.  I don’t think much of it, I just switch it off and keep going about what I’m doing. 

Then it happens again, 4 or 5 times, again.  Now, my husband wouldn’t touch the coffee maker ’cause if our house has a barista, then it’s me, and he knows it, and our son, Alex, was only 1 at the time and not nearly tall enough to reach the counter the coffee maker was on.  I can’t figure out what’s happening, but I don’t want to leave the house with the thing plugged in, in case it keeps malfunctioning, which could possibly start an electrical fire.  I unplug it and we leave for the house sitting chore.

At the end of the week, my mother helps us bring all of our stuff (and Alex) back into the house and we cross through the kitchen.  I see the coffee maker (now, thankfully having ground coffee in my possession) and I—thinking I’m joking- quip to my mother, “Did gram’ma have a thing about coffee?”

My mother just looks at me for a moment and then says, “Yeah.  She would get up before anyone else in the morning and put a fresh pot of coffee on the stove—you could smell it throughout both floors.  Why?”

So, I tell her about what happened while we were packing.

Her Vulcan-plucked eyebrows shoot up.“Your great grandmother clearly doesn’t want you drinking instant coffee.”

Thirteen years later, I only ever drink instant coffee in extreme, caffeine-deprived emergency . . . and I apologize aloud for it every, single time.

Buried

Book One of The Paranormalville Trilogy

Fane’s Cove isn’t the average coastal town- not with wandering apparitions, disembodied voices and poltergeist activity occurring on a regular basis- but the residents are used to it.  As far as they know, it’s simply always been that way.  Somehow, Cadence McKenna can’t shake the feeling that normal-seeming new resident Grey Addison is hiding something stranger than all of the town’s odd happenings combined and she’s determined to find out what that is.

Buried is a YA paranormal / urban fantasy tale by Gerilyn Marin, serialized and published at Curiosity Quills, every Tuesday.

*Oh, I love a grandmother who doesn’t let her granddaughter drink instant coffee *gag*

One more cool thing I wanted to share. It’s something my fabulous editor and friend, Krystal Wade, emailed me this week. It’s a link to another post by Agent Rachelle Gardner, who talked about manuscript perfection. She also discussed author rights and responsibilities, and why thinking negative thoughts can be a good thing. I found it very insightful.

So was my Thursday post T-E-R-R-I-F-I-C?! Did you check out any of the links? Want to read Buried? Are you gonna pray first before you pop some tags;-)

YAY! Happy 6 month birthday to Fade! Now for Numero Tres.  

I think I’d put on my foil hat and head over to the other side of the universe where the aliens hang out. I’d convince them to give me their super powers like superior intellect and the power to live a thousand years like humans did in Biblical times. How would I convince them? Not sure . . . I’m a writer, so hopefully I could make up some crap. Maybe I could agree to be their human minion. It’d be totally worth it because then I would be smart enough to find cures for all the incurable diseases and create world peace, ect . . .  and would have plenty of time to do it!

WHat*abOUt*You? What the heck would you do if you had a two-way ticket to traverse a wormhole and safely return?