A Veil of Glass and Rain by Petra March.

Book Title: Veil of Glass and Rain: Special Edition

Author: Petra March

Release Date: January 20, 2015

Series: A Touch of Cinnamon.

Book Type: All books in the series can be read Stand-alone

 Brina and Eagan meet for the first time when she's nine and he's fourteen. They like each other from the very beginning, though their bond isn't immediate, but it grows over the years. What links them is the fact that their parents are photographers and are extremely devoted to their work and to each other; so much so that both Brina and Eagan have to learn how to take care of themselves from a very young age. Despite their differences, age, gender, nationality - Brina is Italian and Eagan is American - they find comfort in their growing friendship. 

Then Brina becomes a teenager, and her feelings for her friend start changing and deepening. New desires stir within her. As soon as Brina realizes how those feelings complicate her friendship with Eagan, she runs away from him. 

A few years later, Brina is twenty and Eagan is twenty-five, they find one another once again.

Publisher's Note: This is a fully re-edited and enriched with new and special contents version of the previously published novel, A Veil of Glass and Rain, by Petra F. Bagnardi (aka Petra March). 

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 ~Excerpt ~

A stolen kiss...

[...]I was wearing a yellow sundress and clutching the handle of my guitar case. Eagan offered to carry it for me, but I shook my head, for he was already bearing the weight of his huge backpack.

A part of me was glad he hadn't been able to hear me play. The piece I had chosen was an acoustic cover of one of my favorite rock songs. The acoustic version was utterly sentimental; it expressed perfectly the way I felt about Eagan. After my performance, all my professors and fellow students admitted that they'd never heard me play with so much feeling. I wasn't certain I wanted Eagan to discover that part of my soul yet.

We embraced awkwardly. I noticed that his eyes were red and tired. I also remarked that he was tanned and that he smelled good, as always. Of course, I didn't reveal my sentiments.

It was a bright summer day. We went to a park, we sat, we didn't talk much. After a while, Eagan lay back and fell asleep.

I watched him rest for a few moments, then I reclined alongside him. I placed my body very close to his, so that I could feel his heat through the thin cotton of my dress. His handsome face was turned toward me and his lips were slightly parted. Flecks of gold dotted his beard stubble and his dark blond hair.

I braced one of my hands on his arm and the other one on his muscled chest, then I leaned toward his face, keeping my eyes open. I let my mouth linger over his and breathed his breath then, finally, I whispered a kiss across the side of his mouth, then I licked his upper lip. I waited. He didn't stir. So I closed my eyes and brushed his lips with mine once more. I became greedy. My tongue pressed between his parted lips and stroked his tongue once, twice and then again until I moaned and an unbearable ache surged between my legs.

My fingers gripped his sweaty T-shirt. I kept kissing Eagan until he groaned softly in his sleep.

“I love you,” I murmured against his lips.

I moved away from him. I forced myself to stand, I grabbed my guitar case and I left.

On the bus, I kept licking my lips; I tasted him, the salt of his sweat, and a hint of cinnamon.

(A Veil of Glass and Rain: Special Edition, by Petra March)

About the Petra

Petra March (aka Petra F. Bagnardi) studied Screenwriting and History of American Cinema at UCLA and NYU. Presently, Petra keeps traveling and dreaming through her novels. Her characters are deeply in love with Europe and the USA, just like Petra is.

 On October 2^nd 2014 her debut novel, A Veil of Glass and Rain, won the Indie Book of the Day Award.

~Connect with Petra ~

Facebook | Google + | Goodreads 

If You Believe by Mya O’Malley (Blog Tour & Blast)

If You Believe by Mya O’Malley

Sometimes love only comes once in a lifetime. For some lucky people, it is possible to love again.
Melody and Jack had shared an unforgettable love story that abruptly came to an end. Melody, left picking up the pieces, finds herself alone years later, with no hope or desire to date again. With the holiday season approaching, Melody finds it particularly difficult to get Jack out of her thoughts.
Jack isn’t sure if he’s an angel or a ghost, but his mind is set on one thing only, finding a new love for Melody by Christmas Eve at midnight. Easier said than done, with many obstacles to tackle, Jack underestimates how difficult the task is. With conflicting emotions, Jack takes it upon himself to find a man for a woman he still loves.
With the clock ticking as the holidays approach, this charming story of finding love the second time around will have you laughing and crying, but ultimately, it will have you believing in true love.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Smashwords

Excerpt

He stood, watching her, feeling every ounce of her pain, her anguish. He was probably the only one who understood what it was like to lose the person you loved, the person who was everything in the world to you.

If only he could just touch her, reach out to her, make her feel happy again. But that was just selfish on his part, wasn’t it? It wouldn’t be fair to Melody. Anybody could see that even three years later, she was still struggling. Hadn’t he always told her that if something happened to him, he would want her to fall in love again? It saddened him to think that if she continued down this cold and lonely path, she would be alone forever.

Melody had wanted it all, a home filled with children, a loving marriage. Thinking back to how happy they had once been, it broke his heart to see her this way, and it was always saddest to see her like this around the holidays, which were quickly approaching.

Jack’s mind was whirling with ideas, if only...He wished that he could talk to her just one more time, but alas, that was against the rules. If only there was some way, if only he could help her see the light. The corners of Jack’s mouth crept up as his mind took hold of an impossible thought. Would he be able to pull this off? If he did, could he ever be the same again? …

The electricity was undeniable. It was something that he should have considered, knowing how powerful their attraction and love had been in life. The look on Melody’s face was shock, confusion and curiosity all rolled into one. He would have to remember not to touch her again, it was simply too much of a risk to take. He knew that if his cover was revealed, the rules stated that he could never make contact with her again.

“What was...did you feel?” Poor Melody peered at him with those gorgeous light brown eyes of hers. There was something different about her eyes now; once they had been filled with spark and mischief, but now they were sadder, as if the light had somehow gone out. The same eyes that had looked at him with varying degrees of emotions for all those precious years they had shared together. The same eyes that held him spellbound right now. Jack didn’t know what to expect; he had no way of knowing how hard it would be to not reach out and touch this woman who was his wife, the love of his life. She evoked so much emotion in him that he had to turn his head before she saw the tears that sprang from his eyes. He had known this would be hard, but Melody took his breath away. Melody was always beautiful, but now she also appeared slightly sad and fragile. Looking down at her so many times before, he knew of her sadness, of course, but standing right here beside her, Jack could practically feel her strong emotions within his own heart.

Since he had gone to great lengths to disguise his true identity, Jack would have to do better than this. There was no way that she could recognize him by his appearance. He was once tall,

standing six foot three inches tall, maintaining a trim physique with messy light brown hair. He now stood barely five foot seven with wavy dark hair and a stocky build. The only thing about his appearance that Jack wasn’t able to change was his eyes. Nobody could change their eyes, because it was a fact that eyes were the windows to the soul.

Melody stood before him, her mouth gaping open as if she were caught in a spell. Think of something, quick, he told himself.

“Melody. I heard great things about your store. You see, I’m new to this area and I was just walking around and I figured I’d come check out your store.”

Melody appeared as if she had composed herself slightly. Clearing her throat, she finally spoke. “Where are you from, if you don’t mind me asking.”

He really should have been more prepared, how could he have forgotten how inquisitive Melody was?

“Um, I’m from down south, Florida.”

“Whereabouts? I have a friend from the Orlando area.” He should have also remembered her old college roommate from Orlando. Was Miami far enough away to field off further questions?

“Miami.”

“Miami? What brings you all the way up north to the New York area?”

Wow, she should have been a lawyer instead of owning a business. “My job. I work in the city now and live here in the suburbs.”

“What do you do for work?”

Thinking quickly on his feet, Jack steered away from his real occupation in life, working for an insurance company.

“I work for a pharmaceutical company. I’m in sales.” That ought to do it. He was reminded of a time when Melody had quizzed him nonstop when they had first met, he had felt like he

was interviewing for a job. They had laughed many times together over that memory.

“Oh. Well, who is it that recommended you to my store?” Her eyes peered cautiously through her striking auburn hair. The long hair that was always slightly out of place, always in her eyes. Wishing that he could reach out and touch her beautiful hair just once more, he reeled himself back in.

“Just some guy at a diner recently. He raved about the selection of books and the coffee. Hmm, if I recall, he also said that you have the best cheesecake in town.” That should do it. Melody loved to bake and could go on and on about her desserts.

And that she did, thank goodness for the distraction of a good cheesecake. When Melody had stopped gushing about how she prepared her cheesecake, she caught herself and chuckled.

“You must think I’m something, rambling on like this. I’m sorry, I just realized that I didn’t catch your name.”

My name, my name. Something unusual perhaps, but fitting for a friend. “Oliver.” Where did that come from?

“Oliver. Well, Oliver, I don’t usually do this because we are closed, but would you like to try some of the cheesecake? We happen to have some left over.”

“Oliver” could tell that he had gotten on Melody’s good side. She wasn’t a particularly outgoing person. As a matter of fact, she was usually pretty shy, but he was delighted to see that he had made an impression on her. Or perhaps it was just good business sense. Either way, Oliver had succeeded in completing the first step of his mission: meeting Melody.

****

Melody couldn’t recall the last time that she had felt so comfortable with a total stranger. It wasn’t like she was even physically attracted to him, Oliver wasn’t her type at all. He was

the complete opposite of Jack in every way. Well, in every way except for those captivating blue eyes. It was uncanny how much Oliver’s eyes reminded Melody of Jack’s eyes. It wasn’t just the color or the shape, but it was the intensity of his gaze. That was probably why Melody had felt so comfortable with him from the start.

“I know that you’re going to think this is forward, but would you mind showing me around town sometime?”

Melody sucked in a breath and inwardly panicked.

“My girlfriend is coming up in a few weeks and I wanted to show her around a bit.” He finished.

Melody’s shoulders visibly dropped as she let out a sigh. “Sure, yes, Oliver, I think that would be fine.”

Two finished slices of chocolate cheesecake and decaf coffees later, Melody realized this was the best evening she’d had in, well, just about three years.

Blog Tour - December 15th to 24th

Author Mya O'Malley

Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three step-daughters. The family also consists of two boxers; Destiny and Dolce and a ragdoll cat named Colby. Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy. She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students.

Mya currently has two new releases: At First Sight, a contemporary romance about dating in the modern world, published by Astraea Press, and Where There is Love, a contemporary romance in which a woman struggles with past obstacles, ultimately faced with whether or not she will open her heart to love. Where There is Love is published with Solstice Publishing. Mya is excited to say that Astraea Press will be releasing her contemporary holiday paranormal romance titled If You Believe on November 25, 2014. Due to be released late January is The Calm After the Storm, published by TouchPoint Press. This novel is a contemporary romance taking place in the setting of Hurricane Sandy. The story revolves around the idea of a utility worker from Georgia falling in love with a woman in New York.

Mya’s passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child. Mya spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on. She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters. Mya likes to travel; she has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica. Mya is currently working on her sixth novel.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Blog * Pinterest

$25 Blog Tour Giveaway

Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/4/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Chasing The Tide by A. Meredith Walters

***The powerful continuation of the story that began in Reclaiming the Sand- a tale of love and forgiveness and learning to over come a past that has come to define you.***

Bully and Victim

Friend and Lover

Past and Future

Ellie McCallum and Flynn Hendrick’s story was as painful as it was devastating.  But they were able to find within each other an unlikely yet beautiful love. Despite the obstacles that tried to keep them apart.

And together they rose out of the ashes of their tragic history.

Now years after their life changing reunion Ellie is back in Wellston, having just graduated from college and ready to start her future with the man who taught her how to love. However, returning to a town that held so much bitterness and anger was the last place she wanted to start over.

But for Flynn, who is now an art professor at the community college and firmly rooted in the place that gave them their beginning, she’d do just about anything.

Yet it’s difficult building a life when you’ve only just learned how to live.

 And love, no matter how strong, doesn’t always conquer all.

Ellie and Flynn must learn how far they are willing to go to stay together. Or whether the ghosts of the past will consume them both.

Because finding a happily ever after is harder than it seems. Particularly when you’re fighting against the one thing that could destroy you.

Yourself.

Here are the buy links:

US : http://amzn.to/1uKxbnf

AUS : http://bit.ly/1AAkC2f

UK : http://amzn.to/1BMQP7y

KOBO : 
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/chasing-the-tide

NOOK : http://bit.ly/1Ah3rmw

From the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of Find You in the Dark and Bad Rep comes a story of forgiveness, redemption and finding love in the most unlikely of places.

*THIS IS A STANDALONE WITH NO CLIFFHANGER!*

Bully and victim.

Tormenter and tormented.

Villain and hero.

Ellie McCallum was a bully. No connection to anyone or anything. A sad and lonely existence for a young woman who had come to expect nothing more for herself. Her only happiness coming from making others miserable.

Particularly Freaky Flynn.

Flynn Hendrick lived a life completely disconnected even as he struggled to become something more than that boy with Asperger's. He was taunted and teased, bearing the brunt of systematic and calculated cruelty, ultimately culminating in a catastrophic turn of events that brought Ellie and Flynn’s worlds crashingdown.

But then Flynn and Ellie grew up.

And moved on.

Until years later when their paths unexpectedly cross again and the bully and the freak are face to face once more.

When labels come to define you, finding yourself feels impossible. Particularly for two people disconnected from the world who inexplicably find a connection in each other. And out of the wreckage of their tragic beginnings, an unlikely love story unfolds. But a painful past doesn’t always want to let go. And old wounds are never truly healed…and sometimes the further you try to run from yourself the closer youcome to who you really are.

AMAZON

B&N

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary and Paranormal romance including The Find You in the Dark and Bad Rep series as well as the upcoming stand alone romance, Reclaiming the Sand, and a dark new adult series for Gallery Books.

A. Meredith spent ten years as a counselor for at risk teens and children. First working at a Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault program and then later a program for children with severe emotional and mental health issues. Her former clients and their stories continue to influence every aspect of her writing.

When not writing (or being tortured with all manner of beauty products at the hand of her very imaginative and extremely girly daughter), she is eating chocolate, watching reality television that could rot your brain and reading a smutty novel or two.

A. Meredith is represented by Michelle Johnson with the Inklings Literary Agency.

FACEBOOK   GOODREADS  AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE  WEBSITE  TWITTER

Cursed: Brides of the Kindred 13 by Evangeline Anderson

Cursed: Brides of the Kindred 13

by Evangeline Anderson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

A fierce warrior, forced to feel the agony of others.

A girl with a past full of pain caused by his kind.

When the two of them go undercover on a dangerous mission will they bond?

Or are they Cursed to be apart forever?

Excerpt :

“You can put me down now.” Charlie’s heart was pounding—she wasn’t sure why. “I mean, I really am fine.”

“No you’re not. You’re wounded. And I must heal you.”

The look in his eyes was beyond intense as he cupped her cheek.

“But…” Charlie started to protest, her heart pounding.

“Open to me.” His voice had gone deep and soft and commanding. “Open  and let me heal you, Charlotte.”

“I…” But further words of protest seemed to die on her lips as he bent her over his arm and sealed his mouth to hers.

Charlie gave a little gasp as she felt his lips press gently but firmly to hers. Then his tongue was there, tracing the seam of her lips, seeking entrance. She wanted to pull away and cuss at him—tell him he had no right. Instead she felt her lips parting, allowing him in when she knew she shouldn’t.

He’s just healing me, she told herself desperately. It’s not really a kiss. But it certainly felt like one, especially when his tongue entwined with hers and he sucked gently, as though inviting her to explore his mouth as he was exploring hers.

Charlie gave a helpless little moan and took his unspoken invitation. God, his mouth was so warm and he tasted like cinnamon—cinnamon and some exotic mint she’d never had before. She could feel the edges of his fangs but this time he somehow managed to keep from cutting her with them even when the tip of her tongue danced dangerously over their razor-sharp points. The kiss went on and on and his dark, spicy scent filled her senses until Charlie felt like she was drowning in him, being completely consumed from the inside out.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Evangeline Anderson is a registered MRI tech who would rather be writing. And yes, she is nerdy enough to have a bumper sticker that says “I’d rather be writing.” Honk if you see her! She is thirty-something and lives in Florida with a husband, a son, and two cats. She had been writing erotic fiction for her own gratification for a number of years before it occurred to her to try and get paid for it. To her delight, she found that it was actually possible to get money for having a dirty mind and she has been writing paranormal and Sci-fi erotica steadily ever since.

You can find her online at her website www.evangelineanderson.com

Come visit for some free reads and to find out what’s coming soon. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, or Twitter.

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THE AUTHOR WILL BE GIVING AWAY:

Evangeline Anderson will be awarding $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour

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Ice Massacre by Tiana Warner - my review

Press on the book to get Amazon link

Ice Massacre by Tiana Warner
Publication date: September 18th 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

A mermaid’s supernatural beauty serves one purpose: to lure a sailor to his death.

The Massacre is supposed to bring peace to Eriana Kwai. Every year, the island sends its warriors to battle these hostile sea demons. Every year, the warriors fail to return. Desperate for survival, the island must decide on a new strategy. Now, the fate of Eriana Kwai lies in the hands of twenty battle-trained girls and their resistance to a mermaid’s allure.

Eighteen-year-old Meela has already lost her brother to the Massacre, and she has lived with a secret that’s haunted her since childhood. For any hope of survival, she must overcome the demons of her past and become a ruthless mermaid killer.

For the first time, Eriana Kwai’s Massacre warriors are female, and Meela must fight for her people’s freedom on the Pacific Ocean’s deadliest battleground.

 Goodreads

My Review

No one knows why the mermaids came to the island of Eriana Kwai or why they started to attack the sailors. For many years, the islanders have sent out ships filled with warriors to try to destroy the mermaids. The mermaids are smart, working together and using the seas resources to battle the humans, and they are relentless. Five years, is the time that it takes to train each new batch of warriors, none have returned from the journey. The people of Eriana Kwai believe these girls have a fighting chance of finally, since Meela's father's time, making a true dent in the mermaid population and returning home. No matter what they tried, even training the men to fight blind to resist the hypnotic eyes of the sirens, fails. So, Year after year the ships don't return and the mermaids continue to rule the seas, cutting them off from the bounties of the deep, forcing them into poverty and desperation. Each year many lives were lost, both mermaid and Eriana Kwai warriors. But then, what was begin as a futile suggestion was implemented and a new ship set sail, armed with twenty young girls, maiden warriors that will not fall to the sirens call of the mermaids. After five years of education in sailing, combat, and first aid, Meela and her classmates are ready to fight.

So you see! It isn't a whimsical, romantic tale of beautiful mermaids. Yes, they can be beautiful, but when they change to feed, their true nature is unmasked and they become monsters with red eyes, scaly skin, and teeth like pointed daggers. It is a tale of a Massacre that happens every year, sending out twenty armed men to slaughter as many mermaids as possible. Meela's Massacre is the first time women are sent out to sea, under the assumption that the allure of a mermaid's beauty would not work on a female. All hope rests on these maidens. Hope they will succeed. Hope the fishermen can return to the seas. Hope for freedom once again.

The main heroin - Meela Eighteen-year-old has already lost her brother to the Massacre, and she has lived with a secret that's haunted her since childhood. For any hope of survival, she must overcome the demons of her past and become a ruthless mermaid killer. She has been trained for most of her life to hunt and kill mermaids. now it's her and her group of island maidens to set a sail to mermaids nest and to kill many mermaids as possible.

Besides dealing with flesh-eating demons such as the mermaids, the girls will deal with warring factions in their own ranks, the sanity, or insanity mind you, of one of the crew, murder, and mutiny. Certain members of the Bloodhound’s crew (including Meela’s childhood tormentor, Dani) are eager for the killing to commence, Meela’s instincts vacillate between self-preservation and compassion for others.As the girls battle the mermaids, they also battle each other. Being trapped on a ship together in the vast ocean, they are bound to clash and leaderships will be challenged. The girls become women become warriors in a bloody battle for survival. Some of the descriptions were bloody and cold-hearted on both sides, the seas red with blood. There's no room for mercy or humanity against them.

Meela herself, will have an internal battle when her secret from childhood causes her to question if what they are doing, the war they are fighting, is even right? Or can the freedom of the people of Eriana Kwai be found another way? Meela isn't heartless and she is torn between protecting her people and what she can do to change things. As a child she defied the edicts of her people, and while ventured to the beach she rescued a young mermaid. This mermaid named Lysi, and they became the best of friends, secret friends. Their friendship last until a betrayal happend and brings Meela back to earth. Now, eight years later, they must fight on opposing ends of a war that neither of them want.

Lysi's character is really amazing one - I must say that she outshine all the other charters (include Meela's) - she is more wise the smart and her integrity is strong as Meela's. If you are going to read the book you will see how wisely she combine her believes with practical solutions. In fact she is the only one that had solutions who can solve the conflict.

I enjoyed how the author lets us in to Meela's head. We could feel the betrayal, the fear, the anger, the indecision's, all those emotions that construct Meel's personality.

My only issue - I had a hard time swallowing that the island was so utterly cut off from the rest of the world in a time where there apparently would be the internet and airplanes.

But There’s more! Throughout the story, Warner drops copious hints that Meela and Lysi’s friendship is more complex – and more transgressive - than either girl realizes. It begins fairly early on, with Meela contemplating a life in the sea. Occasionally, mermaids are known to turn sailors into mermen with a kiss; at her urging, Lysi attempts to turn Meela, but of course nothing comes of it, as she hasn’t yet grown into her adult powers.

AUTHOR BIO

Tiana Warner was born and raised in British Columbia, Canada. She enjoys riding her horse, Bailey, and collecting tea cups.

Author links:

• http://www.tianawarner.com/
• https://twitter.com/tianawarner
• https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5825979.Tiana_Warner

Tiana Warner interview

Give us the tweet-sized version of what Ice Massacre is about.
A teenage girl is sent to battle the hostile mermaids that are driving her people into poverty. A story of love, secrets, and ass-kicking.

What makes Ice Massacre unique?
First, I haven’t seen a lot out there that portrays mermaids for what they really are: flesh-eating sea demons. But I think what also sets it apart is its almost entirely female cast. This island decides to send female warriors to kill the mermaids that plague them, because women don’t fall victim to a mermaid’s supernatural allure. We end up with an all-female war on a ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. 

Meela, an aboriginal girl who’s never been away from the tiny island she calls home, also has a pretty unique journey of self-discovery. I don’t want to reveal too much. But I think a lot of aspects make this story unconventional.

What’s your favourite thing about the book?
I love Meela’s antagonists. Meela’s a tough chick and she has a lot coming at her from all directions. Writing those opposing forces was so much fun.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The sequel! This is the first in a trilogy, and I’m hard at work on book two: Ice Crypt.

 3 Tips for Getting that Book Done

To make a ridiculous understatement, writing a book is hard. Few people actually finish the task—whether because they can’t find the time, or they get stuck in a story rut, or they lose inspiration once they realize how difficult it is. Let me tell you, there is nothing more rewarding than a finished and published book! Here are three tips to help you get that story done.  

1. Write down your dream and look at it daily
Writing down a goal is a magical thing. When you make it tangible, it’s like you’ve transformed your dream into a prophecy.

Write “I am a bestselling author” (or whatever your goal is) on an index card. Look at it every day. Live it and believe it. Work at that dream every single day, even if only for twenty minutes.

Because I have a full-time job and hobbies, the only time I had to write Ice Massacre was between 6am and 7am. I’m not a morning person, but by putting that index card over my alarm clock, I gave myself the motivation to leap out of bed and get to work on my dream. I promise you, it’s effective. 

2. Understand that your first draft will suck
All right, I’m going to be honest with you. The first draft of anything I write is like, the worst thing ever. It’s like someone gave a chimpanzee a dictionary and a pen and wouldn’t feed him until he scribbled out enough words to form a full-length novel.

The second draft, however, is better. The third and fourth are pretty darn good. My point is, don’t be discouraged when your novel sucks after the first go-around. You can’t possibly make a fantastic story in only one draft—you need time to get to know the characters, to identify plot holes, to fix the fact that you used the word “sighed” eighty times in one chapter. Personally, it takes me at least seven drafts to get a novel right. 

3. Study the craft of writing
A common reason why writers get stuck is that they hit a roadblock in their story. They’ve dug themselves into a plot hole, or they don’t know where to go next. I’ve probably read a thousand blog posts about writing over the last few years. There are endless resources to help you learn the craft, and I recommend that you subscribe to a few writing blogs and read at least one post every day.

Here are a few of my favorites:

· http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/ (She also has a podcast, which makes it easy to study writing while you're doing other things!)
· http://terribleminds.com/ramble/blog/
· http://thewritepractice.com/
· http://writershelpingwriters.net/
· http://moodywriting.blogspot.com/

* * *

Finishing your book comes down to working hard and believing in yourself. You don’t need to be the best writer in the world in order to write a good book—you just need to have a story to share and the drive to write it! 

Do you ever find it hard to finish a story? What tips and inspiration can you share?

3 Creativity-Boosting Tips for Writers

Have you ever sat up in the middle of the night to write down a sudden stroke of inspiration? Or made a quick voice memo to yourself? Maybe jotted down a plot twist idea while you’re supposed to be working or studying?
For a lot of writers, creativity comes in waves. This is great if those waves are thrashing around like stormy seas, but at some point a writer is bound to hit a flat spot. And not the kind of flat spot that’s great for water skiing. This is the kind that leaves you stuck in the middle of the lake wondering how the heck you’re ever going to get back to shore.

Here are three tips to keep those creativity waves coming. 

1. Write first thing in the morning
Writing when you’re half asleep has some pretty cool effects. You’re still partially in dreamland when you first wake up in the morning, so you end up writing stuff that you wouldn’t otherwise think of. Besides, it genuinely sucks trying to sit down and be creative after you’ve had all the day’s energy leeched from you.

The wee hours of the morning are also interruption-free—and if your attention span is anywhere near as pathetic as mine, this is vital to getting anything done.

2. Go for the third thing you think of
This applies to the big picture (overall plot turns or the outcome of a big scene) just as much as it does to small, seemingly insignificant details (a prop in your character’s bedroom, or a snarky line of dialogue). The first thing you think of is too obvious, and probably a cliché. The second thing is ok, but come on, you can do better. The third? Now we’re getting somewhere. 

3. Step back. You’re looking at it too closely.
Seriously bro, give that story some space! Some aspects of writing can really kill your creativity jam—like spending twenty minutes trying to come up with the perfect synonym for “stumbled”. If you find your creativity IV drip running dry, you need to step back a little. Look at your outline, story notes, logline, whatever. Remind yourself of the overall goal of your story, and the original purpose you set out to achieve. Even better: get inspired by reading some books by other authors.

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Summoning creativity is often just a matter of letting yourself go. Get crazy! Write down something totally weird. Don’t try and write perfectly—that comes later, in the editing stage. For now, embrace those waves of creativity.

What about you? What creativity-boosting tips can you share?