Monthly Archives: January 2015

Jan 26 2015

18 THINGS FREE + Caleb’s Crusade

Free 18 Things

They say nothing in life is free, but that is a lie! Because for today & tomorrow,  for the first time ever, 18 Things (book #1 in my trilogy) is TOTALLY FREE on the Kindle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why would my wonderful publisher, Curiosity Quills, do such a thing? Read their message below:

“To round off our ‪#‎18Thoughts18Days‬ promo – in which you could win a $50 amazon Gift Card – and to celebrate the conclusion of the Amazon bestselling YA coming-of-age paranormal-romance My So Called Afterlife series, with the release of book three, 18 Thoughts, on January 27, 2015, we’re offering the first book in the series,
18 Things for free between 01.25.15 – 01.27.15!”

 

That’s right! The final installment of my trilogy releases TOMORROW! I’m so so sooo excited, you guys!!! My “Share Your Thoughts” bloghop is still going on through Wednesday, and it’s not too late to sign up! If you participate, you’ll be eligible to win one of fabulous 18 prizes, and so far, I’ve only had 9 participants, so what are you waiting for? Here’s the linky link:

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Today is also the last day you can tweet or FB the “thought of the day” for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card from my publisher. Click on this link for the Rafflecopter on their site (again, there’s only 130 something entries, so there’s a good chance at winning!).

You can retweet this status, then enter: https://twitter.com/jamiemayres/status/556937501232078848

Share on Facebook, then enter: https://www.facebook.com/CuriosityQuills/photos/a.385312724855334.97616.176690689050873/782716198448316/?type=1&pnref=story

Okay, now that I’ve gotten all the announcements out of the way, I want to share about a family & their charity that’s near & dear to my heart. Monqiue Whan and I were classmates in the same graduating class at Cape High, and I reconnected with her in August 2008 when I signed up to run a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through Team In Training. Afterward, her and hubby, Rob, started their own charity. And on release day, when you download or buy a paperback of 18 Thoughts, all of my royalties will be donated to their organization. But first, let me introduce ya’ll to this wonderful family.

Tell us a little bit about your family and your journey.
Rob and I had a family we always dreamed of, a boy and a girl. Sadly, our dream for a perfect little family quickly turned into a nightmare when our 3-year-old son, Caleb, was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2007. Bella, our daughter, was just 2 months old. Caleb underwent 7 months of treatment before he lost his battle 11 days after his 4th Birthday in 2008. Since then, Rob and I still keep up the fight. We fought so hard for those 7 months, we just couldn’t give up. Bella helped us a lot in the healing process. She was just 9 months old when her big brother passed away. We feel she helped us to do the simple things in life, like getting out of bed and making new memories. It has been almost 7 years since Caleb’s passing. One thing I can say is it never gets easier; you just get better at living the life of a grieving parent.

I can’t even . . . can’t even imagine. How did you find the strength to move on and start up Caleb’s Crusade?
Faith helped a lot, knowing that God is in control of our lives more than ever. We fought for 7 months next to our son. We saw him go through unimaginable treatment; he endured so much for such a young child. When Caleb passed, we still had a small fight in us. We still wanted to fight for him and other children who were fighting cancer. Maybe it was the anger we felt inside that our little boy died? When you witness children dying from a dreadful disease it is heartbreaking. No child should have to endure that. We saw our son take his first breath, and sadly, we saw our son take his last. We cannot give up on our children. It could be your child who is next, and we want you to know we will be there right with you fighting.

I remember when my cousin’s young son relapsed. You and Rob were the first ones to call to say Caleb’s Crusade would be there to help with anything they needed, and I was so grateful. How does Caleb’s Crusade differ from other cancer charities?
Caleb’s Crusade is pretty hands on, we are available to our families 24/7. We not only provide the financial support, but we also are there for emotional support too.We take our jobs of childhood cancer leaders very seriously. We know how devastating it is when you hear the words your child has cancer. Rob travels to DC and is a voice for our children; he fights for more federal funding for childhood cancer research and legislation that helps bring drugs to market for these sick and dying kids. On the national level, childhood cancer only receives pennies on the dollar. We just try to do as much as we possibly can. Yes, it is tiring and emotional, but we feel as though this is what Caleb would want us to do.

What a great way to honor him & leave a lasting legacy in his name. I know he’s smiling down from heaven at you and Rob for sure.

To learn more about Caleb’s Crusade, or to even donate, visit their website. And please, if you already plan on purchasing 18 Thoughts (& why wouldn’t you!), consider purchasing it on release day (which is when? TOMORROW . . . you guys are so good!) to benefit this wonderful organization. Also, did you know about shopping on Amazon Smile? Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice (*coughs Caleb’s Crusade). AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service. So support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.

 

Thanks for all your marketing help & enthusiasm! I’ll probably post again tomorrow because I’ll be up all night anyway, obsessively checking my Amazon rankings . . . I really can’t help myself sometimes. Self-control really isn’t my thing *opens mouth, inserts chocolate* Be sure to download 18 Things on your Kindle, too . . . what have you got to lose at FREE? It’s the BEST PRICE EVER!!!

Jan 21 2015

Share Your Thoughts Bloghop

To celebrate the release of 18 Thoughts, the third installment in my My So-Called Afterlife trilogy, I’m hosting a bloghop!

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If you missed the Linky Link sign up (and most of you did because it wasn’t working–DOH!), here it is again! PLEASE join in the fun . . . only have 4 people signed up & 18 prizes to give away!

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Here’s what’s up, guys: Each person participating will post a thought (belief) that has defined their life, their way of thinking. Post up to 18 if you’re feeling adventurous, and be sure to post the badge below and link to this post as well! You can post any time between Jan. 21st and Jan. 28th. Then visit other participants to comment and connect with fellow bloggers/writers. I’ll pick 2-3 winners each day and keep this post updated as to who the winners were and what prizes are left (winners chosen through random.org)

Okay, so here’s my thought:

Day 10 Thought

Most of you know I’m an English teacher by day. When the students returned from Christmas break, I had them journal some New Year’s resolutions. Looking over the entries, I wasn’t surprised that most of them were self-centered. The next day, I showed them some resolutions from a hundred years ago, back when people focused on helping their country and community. And the resolutions that were focused inward were things like no flirting, no jealousy, no anger (which were considered vices in those days). It got us into a debate if those things were still considered immoral sins in today’s world. The flirting and jealousy were easy to disregard for most students because flirting is harmless (their words) and jealousy is something you can’t help, whether you’re a good person or not. But we had lots of different views about anger.

I will tell you this. I have noticed an alarming increase in the number of parents who encourage their teens to fight to ‘work out their problems.’ I get that when we’re angry, we get this primal feeling that rises up in us that’s out for blood. I’ve always had very strong opinions in life, and sometimes it’s difficult for me to control my emotions. So mustering up some righteous anger when the need arises without being cruel can be a challenge. Somehow though, I’ve avoided raising my fists to anyone in the past thirty-five years of being on this planet.

I’m a firm believer that, whether we agree with someone or not, we should honor their dignity. Love your neighbor and all that jazz. I remind myself that if they’re on God’s earth, then he cares about them, and so should I, even if they infuriate me.

While watching Obama’s State of the Union address, I was reminded of how easy it is to get wrapped up in the politics of polarization, to find myself shouting across the picket line (or the TV) . . . to draw that line in the sand and say I’m right, you’re wrong. But really, our love for our fellow man (or woman) should reach across lines and instead of distributing cruelty and harsh judgments, we should humble ourselves and dispense grace instead (IMHO).

What about you? Will you share your thoughts with me? Plleeeaaaase?! (After all, you don’t me to go all Hulk on your *#! . . . kidding, kidding).

Oh, and if you’re interested in winning a $50 Amazon Gift Card, simply share one of my thoughts of the day on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest up until release day, January 27th, and enter the rafflecopter (only about 100 entries here, so the odds are in your favor).

 

 

Jan 14 2015

Will You Share Your Thoughts With Me???

To celebrate the release of 18 Thoughts, the third installment in my My So-Called Afterlife trilogy, I’m hosting a bloghop! On top of that, you have the chance to win one of 18 wonderful prizes donated by some terrific people just for playing!

1) Catch Me When I Fall paperback by Vicki Merkiel

2) Core ebook by Teshelle Combs

3) Core ebook by Teshelle Combs

4) The System ebook by Teshelle Combs

5) The System ebook by Teshelle Combs

6) $10 Amazon Gift Card from Eliza Tilton

7) Ever ebook by Jessa Russo

8) Evade ebook by Jessa Russo

9) Divide ebook by Jessa Russo

10) The Charge ebook by Sharon Bayliss

11) Destruction: The December People, Book One ebook by Sharon Bayliss

12) Watch Me Burn: The December People, Book Two ebook by Sharon Bayliss

13) The Undead ebook by Elsie Elmore

14) The Undead ebook by Elsie Elmore

15) Butterman Time Travel ebook by Pk Hrezo

16) Bella’s Point ebook by Elizabeth Seckman

17) Kiya ebook by Katie Hamstead

18) 18 Things paperback by Jamie Ayres

Those are some great prizes, right?! So let’s get this party started! If you don’t know what 18 Thoughts is about, here’s a little sneak preview:

Now, here are the dets for the bloghop! Each person participating will post a thought (belief) that has defined their life, their way of thinking. Post up to 18 if you’re feeling adventurous, and be sure to post the badge below and link to this post as well! You can post any time between Jan. 21st and Jan. 28th. Then visit other participants to comment and connect with fellow bloggers/writers. I’ll pick 2-3 winners each day that week and keep this post updated as to who the winners were and what prizes are left (winners chosen through random.org)

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Sound good? Or confused? Let me share some thoughts with you as examples. My publisher created an AWESOME countdown campaign last Friday, which marked 18 days until 18 Thoughts releases. Each day, they’ve been sharing a ‘thought’ on their social media sites with the hashtag #18days18thoughts & asking people to share. Each day that people share, they can enter the Rafflecopter on Curiosity Quills website for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card!  Take a look at their fine examples (and nooo, you don’t have to include a fancy graphic in your post).

Day 17 Thought

Day 16 Thought

Day 15 Thought

Day 14 Thought

And of course, I’d love it if you got in on the action & shared some of the daily thoughts wherever you hang out online. Only 13 days away until release, woot woot!

The Sign-Up Link is below for the bloghop! I sincerely appreciate your support in helping me end this series with a bang!

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P.S. 18 Things is just 99cents for the Kindle, and 18 Truths (book 2) is reduced to $2.99 for the Kindle for the FIRST TIME EVER! They’ll stay that way through the countdown 🙂

 

Jan 9 2015

Want to Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card? Share 18 Days of 18 Thoughts!!!

18 thoughts campaign

The conclusion of my Amazon bestselling YA coming-of-age inspirational paranormal romance My So Called Afterlife series is now just 18 days away, with the release of book three, 18 Thoughts, on January 27, 2015.

To celebrate the conclusion of the series, my publisher Curiosity Quills, would like to invite you to read Book One: 18 Things, and Book Two: 18 Truths at a special introductory price of 99 cents and $2.99 respectively. [Please note these prices apply to Amazon US only. Prices for Amazon UK, Canada, Australia etc. may vary]

Additionally, they’re hosting a special Rafflecopter giveaway, where you could win a $50 Amazon gift card, simply by sharing one of the 18 Days of 18 Thoughts graphics and promo information over the next 18 days. You can visit their website for the rafflecopter & links to their social media platforms for your chance to enter every day!!!

https://curiosityquills.com/news/18-days-18-thoughts/

Or you can use these social media links:

Retweet: https://twitter.com/jamiemayres/status/553770435423522816

Share the Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcuriosityquills.com%2Fnews%2F18-days-18-thoughts%2F&t=18+Days+of+18+Thoughts

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/154529830940212195/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/share?url=https://curiosityquills.com/news/18-days-18-thoughts/&gpsrc=frameless

Instagram: http://instagram.com/p/xqMU8Iy0tP/?modal=true

Tumblr: http://jamiemayres.tumblr.com/post/107658802428/curiosityquills-want-to-win-a-50-amazon-gift

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/cws/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcuriosityquills%2Ecom%2Fnews%2F18-days-18-thoughts%2F&isFramed=true&token=#state=&from_login=true

And that’s not all, nope, that’s not all! They’re also hosting a Goodreads giveaway, in which residents of the US and Canada can win one of 10 signed copies of 18 Thoughts!

Please consider sharing to help get the word out. More exciting announcements/giveaways coming soooon!!!

❤

Jan 7 2015

No Worries??? I Wish!!!

Recently we moved into a new house. We sorted through nine years of accumulated stuff, and it felt gratifying to finally throw out a lot of unnecessary junk.

It’s a good analogy for our emotions, too. Many of us have a habit of holding onto feelings we should’ve let go a long time ago. Too frequently, we allow the words of others and the discouragements of life to build up in our hearts and minds.

I’m struggling with this as I prepare for the release of the last book in my trilogy, 18 Thoughts, later this month (January 27th!!).

When I released my first book, 18 Things, I donated all of my opening day sales to charity, but I didn’t tell anyone at the time. Then last year when I released the sequel, 18 Truths, the only reason I announced it was to promote the charity I was donating to this time around (Mitochondrial Foundation) and help out the sales of a 9-yr-old girl who had written a book that was benefitting the same charity (her book released the same day–it was planned that way). Half of my sales were going to the charity and the other half was going to the media center at the middle school where I teach English Language Arts. Then all of a sudden, I had people calling me out, saying it wasn’t right for me to ‘guilt’ them into buying my book because of the charity aspect. That never even crossed my mind. And honestly, I think a person has to be pretty broken if that’s their first thought about why I must be doing something to give back to my community and promote literacy with adolescents. But ya know what? It still broke me. I was crying in my bathroom for days. I had serious doubts about finishing the trilogy. But then I went to two book festivals shortly after and had long lines of teens telling me how my novels changed their lives . . . even saved some of them.

Here’s the thing. We can’t wait nine years to clear out the crap we’ve been holding onto. If we don’t rid ourselves of emotional baggage on a daily basis, we’ll get so bogged down, we’ll barely be able to move.

Olga’s story (my heroine in my series) has been all about faith.

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Walking in faith can be a difficult road. For whatever reason, it’s easier to remember the hurtful things of the past and start worrying about the future (at least for me). Author Ed Foreman says worry is “nothing less than the misuse of your imagination.” My 2015 wish for all of us is that we’ll doubt, worry, and fear less, and free up that space in our heads for our stories instead.

This has been a post for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. We post our thoughts the first Wednesday of every month. Feel free to join us, or just add your own thoughts in the comment section below.

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