Indie Block Party – Post 8 – Social Media & Networking Tips

Writing doesn’t have to be a lonely endeavor. Join us for the Indie Block Party to meet your writing “neighbors.”

Participants will have the opportunity to share a little about themselves and their writing, while getting to know the other like-minded crazies that make up the Indie Writing World. Indie block partyWeek 1
Day 1: Introduce Yourself
Day 2: Introduce your WIP
Day 3: Interview one of your Characters
Day 4: Interview one of your Neighbors (not your real neighbor…the one who signed up on the linkey after you 😉 )

Week 2
Day 5: What are you reading?
Day 6: Top 5 books
Day 7: Share your most helpful writing tips
Day 8: Share your most helpful social media & networking tips

Full instructions are available at The Peasants Revolt or Dawna Raver’s blog.

I wanted to start by thanking Fel and Dawna for hosting a great Indie Block Party.  I had fun sharing a little about myself and my work and meeting other indie writers. 

The best social media tip I can offer anyone who wants to create an online platform is be consistent and watch how the greats do it. 

By greats, I mean:

Alex J. Cavanaugh – Blogfest Master, he makes networking seem effortless.
Marcy Kennedy – Writing instructor and Twitter expert
Kristen Lamb – Social media guru and creator of Wana International
Felicia Wetzig – website therapist
The bloggers of NA Alley
The bloggers of Wise, Ink
 

These people are super supportive and are doing it right.

Share with me your favorite social media and networking tips.

Indie Block Party – Post 7 – Writing Tips

Writing doesn’t have to be a lonely endeavor. Join us for the Indie Block Party to meet your writing “neighbors.”

Participants will have the opportunity to share a little about themselves and their writing, while getting to know the other like-minded crazies that make up the Indie Writing World. Indie block party

Week 1
Day 1: Introduce Yourself
Day 2: Introduce your WIP
Day 3: Interview one of your Characters
Day 4: Interview one of your Neighbors (not your real neighbor…the one who signed up on the linkey after you 😉 )

Week 2
Day 5: What are you reading?
Day 6: Top 5 books
Day 7: Share your most helpful writing tips
Day 8: Share your most helpful social media & networking tips

Full instructions are available at The Peasants Revolt or Dawna Raver’s blog.

Three must read books for writers and the best advice from each:

1.  Save the Cat by Blake Snyder 

“You must give it a twist.” – other wise why should the reader keep reading.

“The whiff of death.” – At some point near the last 1/4 of your novel you have to have a death scene. Something, anything has to die.  It spurs the MC towards the climax.  

2. Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success by K.M. Weiland 

Create a scene list. – I’m a list person. 

Interview you characters and know them inside and out. – It all starts with well rounded character and it’s the author’s job to create that character. 

3.  On Writing by Stephen King 

“The real importance of reading is that it creates an ease and intimacy with the process of writing.” – When I write, I read stuff in my genre. It helps me get in the right mind set to write. 

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.” – I make time every day to read, now if I can make time every day to write, I’ll be good. 

Share your most helpful writing tips.

Indie Block Party – Post 4 – Interview my Neighbor

Writing doesn’t have to be a lonely endeavor. Join us for the Indie Block Party to meet your writing “neighbors.”

Participants will have the opportunity to share a little about themselves and their writing, while getting to know the other like-minded crazies that make up the Indie Writing World. Indie block party

Week 1
Day 1: Introduce Yourself
Day 2: Introduce your WIP
Day 3: Interview one of your Characters
Day 4: Interview one of your Neighbors (not your real neighbor…the one who signed up on the linkey after you 😉 )

Week 2
Day 5: What are you reading?
Day 6: Top 5 books
Day 7: Share your most helpful writing tips
Day 8: Share your most helpful social media & networking tips

Full instructions are available at The Peasants Revolt or Dawna Raver’s blog.

Give me a brief synopsis of the first story you ever wrote (in school, published or just for yourself)?Reporter Merah Slavings is stalking Business Tycoon Nicolas Masters. She wants to know all his dirty little secrets and not just because he is the man of her dreams. Merah doesn’t stumble into his deep dark past but into his arms… mortally wounded. To save her life Nicolas, a vampire, turns Merah and wants her to be his loving companion for all eternity. Merah’s life has turned upside down and eternity is a long time.

Nicholas has many secrets one is that he has been watching Merah Slavings for quite some time. He is hoping she is the one that he can trust with his deepest darkest secret, but first he is going to intrigue and romance her to sweep her off her feet. He has learned that taking your time to get what you want is part of the fun. Time he has plenty of. Fate intervenes and he runs out of time to woo her having to decide to turn her or let her die. Has Nicolas bitten off more than he can chew?    

What books have most influenced your writing?  Kim Harrisons the Hollows series, and Laurel K Hamilton’s Anita Blake and Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson. I’d love to roll all three up into  my work!

What is the best writing advice you were given?  Above all else write.

What are your top five favorite movies?  That’s a tough one. Best friend’s Wedding, Sweet home Alabama, Van Helzing, Avatar and any western! I have a thing for cowboys.

Do movies influence your writing?  No not really.

What is your favorite romantic moment in a film or a book? Gosh there’s too many to mention. I’m such a mushy romantic at heart. I loved when Jack Nicholas told Helen hunt you make me want to be a better man in as Good as it Gets.

Any tattoos? Nope

Pick one of your published works and give me a list of the steps involved in that project from idea to publication?  I don’t have one completely polished yet. I just sent my first rounds of edits back to my editor on Love Bites. It has been quite a learning experience. I sure hope it’s polished soon!

Love bites cover!For more information on Cathy Brockman, visit her blog cathybrockmanromances.wordpress.com.

Indie Block Party – Post 3 – Interview one of my Characters

Writing doesn’t have to be a lonely endeavor. Join us for the Indie Block Party to meet your writing “neighbors.”

Participants will have the opportunity to share a little about themselves and their writing, while getting to know the other like-minded crazies that make up the Indie Writing World. Indie block party

Week 1
Day 1: Introduce Yourself
Day 2: Introduce your WIP
Day 3: Interview one of your Characters
Day 4: Interview one of your Neighbors (not your real neighbor…the one who signed up on the linkey after you 😉 )

Week 2
Day 5: What are you reading?
Day 6: Top 5 books
Day 7: Share your most helpful writing tips
Day 8: Share your most helpful social media & networking tips

Full instructions are available at The Peasants Revolt or Dawna Raver’s blog.

I described my WIP in a post last month, please read it and then come back. Although my WIP is written from the main character, Miranda Preston’s POV, I adore her love interest, Troy Anderson. They meet when they were four years old and lost touch when Miranda’s parents moved away when she was ten.  Eight years later, Miranda is sitting in her first college class and in walks her first best friend, Troy.

Hi Troy, I’m excited to interview you. Plus, with your future, you might as well get used to being interview.

Haha, Yeah, I guess so.  What do you want to know?

You grew up in Denver, right? What was your life like growing up?

I was born in Denver and lived there until I was 12, then I moved to San Antonio, so I’m half Texan. Denver was great.  Nice summers, cold winters. My girlfriend Miranda, she grew up in the house behind mine and are parents were best friends.  We spent a lot of time together playing outside. 

You and Miranda grew up together?

Yeah, but she moved away when she was 10. I was 11.

What was that like?

Not great, but you know, we ended up together anyway, so it’s all good. 

How would you describe your personality?

I’m pretty laid back. I like to have fun. I can be pretty intense on the football field, but I understand it’s a game.  I’m loyal to my friends and a situation has to be pretty bad for me to get down.   

How would you describe your looks?

Haha, I never thought about it. I guess, my hair is kind of brown, kind of blond. It’s always messy. My green eyes don’t fit my face, I think. At 6’4, 195, coaches and scouts say I am textbook size for a quarterback, which is a surprise because as a kid, Miranda was always taller them me.  

Who are your closest friends?

Well, there El (Eldrick), my running back. We’ve played together since we started football in the 6th grade.  He’s one of my roommates. My other roommates, Todd (TD) and David, we call him legs. He’s like 6’5 and all legs. They are also my teammates.  

And, Miranda?

Yeah, Miranda, my best friend, my oldest friend. My first love.  Miranda’s my heart.

Where do you see yourself in 4 years?

I just realized how much I hate talking about myself.  

(El interjects) Starting for an NFL team. Engaged to Miranda.

Dreading the first game we have to play against each other. 

Oh, yeah, well, whose going to win.

I’ll win. I’ll feel bad, but I’ll win. 

What else?

Honestly, I hope I still realize how blessed I am to get to do what I do and how fortunate I am to have the opportunity to share it with the people I love the most. 

When you were a child, what was the worst thing that happened to you and what did you learn from it?

Before this year, I would have said it was when Miranda moved away, but I realize now, it  had to happen that way.  If it didn’t we might not be together today. 

You have Miranda’s name tattooed on your hand. Don’t you know that’s a sure sign the relationship won’t last?

This isn’t my girlfriend name, it’s my best friend name. She’s been my best friend my entire life, I don’t see that ever changing.  

Thanks so much for the interview Troy.

Glad to do it.

Do you have any questions for Troy Anderson? 

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An Exciting New Adult Paranormal Thriller: Empath (Flawed #1) Book Release and Giveaway

I am breaking the rules a little today in the Indie Block Party, I hope you don’t mind. So much of what makes indie writers successful is the support of other indie writers.  My friend Becca J. Campbell’s new release, Empath is coming out soon. Today, we are celebrating with a book blitz.

Day 2: Introduce your WIP Empath Book Blitz

Empath eBook cover SMI’m very excited to announce the release of my latest New Adult novel Empath, the first book in the Flawed Series. Read on to find out more about this paranormal thriller and be sure to enter the giveaway at the end for an awesome prize package.

The Struggle of an Empath

Supernatural empathy isn’t a gift, it’s a curse. Anywhere she goes, Jade’s emotions are replaced by those of the people around her.

Jade grew up in a suburb of Colorado Springs, protected from other people by her parents. Now she faces college—and the world—with nothing to shield her from unwanted feelings.

When Cam, a classmate with a major crush on her unintentionally hijacks her emotions, Jade struggles to keep from being carried away in feelings of attraction. When Ethan, a psychopath with a thirst for fear, fixates on her, the emotional impact could be lethal.

Caught in a deadly trap, Jade must untangle the emotions and find a way to use her empathic curse to overcome this killer or be overcome by him.

Empath eBook Now Available

Get your ebook copy now at any of these sites (paperback copies are not yet available, but coming soon!):

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble

Kobo (coming soon!) | iTunes (coming soon!)

Prize Package Giveaway

To celebrate the release, I’m running a giveaway for two lucky winners.

Grande Prize:

A rare, autographed proof copy of the paperback

A 12″ X 18″ poster of the cover art

Empath notebook
Empath notebook

Empath collector’s button

Empath button prize copy

Second Prize:

An autographed paperback copy

a Rafflecopter giveaway

IMG_9817 a lowresBecca J. Campbell is the author of the New Adult Romantic Science Fiction novels Foreign Identity and Gateway to Reality, and Sub-Normal, a series of short stories. An avid lover of stories that tiptoe the line between fantasy and reality (even when they plunge off one side or the other), Becca looks for new angles on bridging the gap between the two. She holds a special place in her heart for any story that involves superpowers or time travel. Her passion is defying the limits of her own creativity. You can find her on her Author Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Amazon

Are you excited about Becca’s new release?

Indie-block-party August 19 to 30

Come back tomorrow, for Day 3 post when I share my WIP and Interview one of my characters.

 Full instructions are available at The Peasants Revolt or Dawna Raver’s blog.