Lisa Renee Jones' The Danger That is Damion Release Party

Visit  Lisa Renee Jones' blog to see what the party is all about!  There will be Sourcebooks authors sharing about their favorite spots to write and you will find A LOT of chances to win...for there are lots and lots of prizes being given away!

Contest and Guest post by author Jacquie Johnson

Rambling Reads would like to welcome author Jacquie Johnson, as she gives us some insight to her writing process.

How I Write

Most of my ideas come from a news story, an article or an interesting anecdote that someone shares. I mull the idea over while playing “what-if” games. If the characters come to life in my mind, I know I have something. They start taking on a life of their own and I watch the story unfold. 

 

While the story gels in my mind, I make notes and jot down scene ideas. Scratch pads, post-it notes, envelopes, and, yes, even napkins are used to capture these ideas. Once I know where I’m going and how I’m going to get there, I sit down and create a basic outline. After this is complete, I start chronologically with the beginning of the story but then jump to the ending. Once I have these bookends written, I work on the middle. This is where my imagination often adds the twists and turns which I didn’t visualize initially. 

 

Once I have a completed draft, I put it away for a month or two. This allows me to be less attached to what I have just done and view what I have written with a critical eye. I print a hard copy and read the initial draft all the way through, making notes before I start the editing and rewriting process. 

 

Then I sit down at the computer and make the appropriate changes. Entire chapters are sometimes discarded during this time. While there is nothing fun about deleting pages I have sweated over or to which I’m attached, it is a necessary part of the process. 

 

Once I’ve completed the first round of revisions, I reread the story. If I’m happy with it, I send it off to a friend or two for their review and feedback. I read their comments and make any needed revisions before sending it off to an editor for final review. The editor catches those pesky errors I’ve missed. Finally, I make any final adjustments and read through the novel one last time before submitting it for publication. 

Thank you so much for visiting with us, Jacquie.

To see Jacquie's writing in motion, check out  her first book Angel on Fire, and comment for a chance to win a copy of the ebook!

 

ONLY .99 cents!!!! THE STORM THAT IS STERLING on sale

I just love Lisa Renee Jones' Zodius series. If you haven't read Sterling's book yet, now is the time to pick it up, for only .99 cents. 

Amazon / Barnes & Noble  / AREbooks / Books On Board

Review: Shadow Ops: Control Point by Myke Cole

Fantasy
ACE

In a world changed by magic, Oscar Britton was a helicopter pilot for the United States Army, attached to the Supernatural Operations Corps (SOC), a loyal officer who didn't question his orders, until the day he was told his target was a teenage kid. The same day he was given that order, he unexpectedly begins wielding his own magic, a rare and forbidden power that takes him from soldier to outlaw in a snap. Thinking the SOC would like nothing better than to kill him, he goes on the lam.

When the SOC catch him, they want to convince Britton to be on their team, as part of a special magic unit. Will Britton stay his military course, or will he discover that sometimes you have to take charge of your own destiny?

*****

Myke Cole did a great job introducing a new world, full of fascinating characters. He built a magic-crazed world, a desolate military outpost, and characters and creatures that flowed off the pages. The world building slowed the book down, but yet felt necessary as an introduction to the new landscape for this series.

The non-stop action kept the story moving, and kept me hooked to Britton's struggle in his new role in the world. He had to struggle with the understanding that the lines between right and wrong are sometimes really fuzzy, while at other are blatantly black and white. He made mistakes, yet he was able to learn from them.

I also enjoyed the side characters, especially the goblin Marty, he was an interesting little guy. I was sadden by the loss of some characters, but look forward to seeing many of them return in the next book of this series, which I will absolutely be looking for when it comes out.

Happy Easter!

 

I hope everyone has a great Easter...and thank you to my friend Mary, who created these KISStacular Easter Eggs for my boys. :-)

Friday 56

I'm not feeling very original lately...and I've been neglecting my poor blog.  Life has been busy, in a good way. Baseball season has begun for both of my boys, work has been crazy-busy, and we are in the process of buying a house and moving--GAH! the stress of home buying is unbelievable, but it will so be worth it when it's done.

Okay this is something I've taken off of Shiloh Walker's blog in the past...here's the deal:

About the Friday 56

• Grab the book nearest you. Right now. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.
  
• Turn to page 56.
• Find the fifth sentence.
• Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) in the comments section of this blog...or post this on your blog. :-)

  This is what I got for you today:

"Britton heard a coughing bark, the best impression of the gunshot that five more demon-horses, coming at a run, could muster.

You're no good to him with a bullet in your head, Britton told himself. Get out of here."

Taken from Myke Cole's Shadow Ops: Control Point

 

Thoughts and prayers going out to those affected by the terrible storms yesterday and those who are still struggling from the effects of the tornadoes and storms that struck earlier this year.