Aside from writing…reading. Or, the care and feeding of authors

image from Antique Images blog

image from Antique Images blog

…or maybe next to writing, I’ve been reading a lot this week. I  added these new research tomes to the pile I thought some of you might find useful or interesting:

How to be a Writer in the E-age and Keep Your Sanity  by Catherine Ryan Hyde, Anne R. Allen and Sarina DesForges (available at Amazon here) (One hint that they give that I absolutely agree with, speaking of Twitter buttons but it in my book, it applies to any image: “Think twice before you get an animated one, though–they’re cute, but they slow down load time.” Lawds, YES!!! They’re absolutely right. I wish more people would dispel this bit of wisdom.

Ahem, sorry. Webmistress halo slipped in there. Readjusting the reader halo in five, four, three, two… I also picked up  one called Haunted Objects by Christopher Balzano and Tim Weisberg (Why yes, haunted. Ghosts.)  It’s got, just on flipping through, lots of creepy pictures, not to mention the creepy baby doll on the cover. I won’t post it here for fear of scaring you all away. ;) You can see it at Amazon, (click the authors’ names) if you’re really curious.

And just for fun, a book called Deception by one Lee Nichols.

I know what you’re thinking. Nightmares ahoy! >:)

We’ll see… Remember I couldn’t make it through one of Kelley Armstrong‘s because it scared the …cookies out of me. LOL Yes, it’s true.

Hopefully this experiment will just be fodder for good fiction. :) My characters are turning into quite the little amateur ghost hunters so, let’s hope I can make it through these. And yes, that’s a teaser for the next book to come after we release The Artist’s Inheritance. *rubs hands gleefully* No release date on #2 as yet, but the draft is plugging along. Hopefully before the end of the year. I’ll keep you posted.

So lots of reading yes, hopefully it won’t result in many nightmares. *shudder*

My little brother would’ve been proud. Yep, he loved all things ghost… I can hear him laughing at me now. *snigger* Lil bugger. So what are you reading this week?

Worlds Away cover art contest/cover reveal

Okay, friends? I have a couple announcements this morning. One I’m being interviewed today over at a lovely blog I stalk–erm, I mean follow. The Saturated Page. The post is here. Do please stop by.

Also! I have a huge favor to ask today….I have my book cover in a contest. Could you pop over and vote for it? You do so by going here:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=245365518908802&set=a.244876345624386.48510.244810135631007&type=3&theater

and click the like button.

Oh, yeah…COVER REVEAL!!! Sorry, I’m just a wee bit excited, can you tell?

chair photo taken at H.P. Plant Museum by author; couple photo by imagerymajestic/freedigitalphotos.net

Why yes, this is the cover to my forthcoming book. Gorgeous, isn’t it? I think my artist–Boulevard Photografica–did a fantastic job! Huge thanks to her. :)

The tale is a Paranormal  urban fantasy is the best way to describe it.  Thanks so much for all who take the time…  It will be released sometime in August. I’ll let you know when it’s up at Amazon. :) In the meantime, any and all votes/likes in the contest will be appreciated.

By the way, over at GraveTells, they’re doing an “Indie-Pendence Week” blog event. Go check it out for some good discussion on the Indie trend–and I hear, tell, some goodies.