Not Rain or Snow or Dark of Night

The weather played havoc with my blogging this week. Power outages meant no internet for long periods of time. A few extra trips to the store to resupply certain items and we won't even talk about my husband running over his phone after he dropped it into nine inches of snow. Ouch. Spring is only 41 days away.

But a lot of good things happened this week and I'm taking the time to mention my friends even as I'm so thankful it's Friday. Don't forget you can pick up CassaFire by Alex J. Cavanaugh on Amazon for only .99 for this week only. Great deal for a great book.

My friend, Misty Simon, has a new release, Making Room at the Inn, available for free for a limited time. Everyone likes a free read and Misty is so entertaining.

Also check out this great review I received for my latest fantasy, First Dragon. It's one of the books I'll be signing at the big Valentine's sale this weekend at Ashcombe's Farm and Greenhouse. I'll be there along with fourteen other authors hoping to convince some of those shoppers looking for a romantic gift for their loved ones. It's a big place and so much going on we're really hoping for a big crowd.

1. Ashcombe's gift shop

Did the weather witch get you this past week? Do you think my husband's phone can recover from being run over? Did you pick up CassaFire or Making Room at the Inn yet? Do you shop for those special Kindle sales for .99 or free?

More Than You Think

Time again for the Insecure Writer's Support Group monthly sharing of our insecurities and the offering of support to each other. This group is the brainchild of our Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh. You can also join in the fun and find links to all the participants on the IWSG website. Hop on over there and be part of it.

I belong to my local chapter of RWA called Central Pennsylvania Romance Writers. We meet the first Saturday of every month, sharing news and helping each other with whatever questions we might have. Sometimes we have guest speakers. Last Saturday one of our authors shared what she'd learned at a workshop on pacing. She did a terrific job, providing us with an outline and going over lots of information and giving examples.

I love taking notes. As I sat there with pencil poised, I waited for those lovely new ideas that would help me improve my writing. A strange thing happened. As she shared the information, I realized I was doing or at least trying to do everything she talked about. As I silently tested my WIP, comparing it to the information given, I found it fit the suggestions. Though I didn't consciously think about those exact pacing parameters, I was doing it correctly. What is my point?

I'm a rather confident person in most areas of my life, except for my writing. I just don't feel I have expertise in any part of this business. But once in a while, I find out that I know more than I think I know. And most of us struggling along in this up and down business also know more than we think we know. Lots of us have some expertise to share. Think about what you knew when you first sat down at that keyboard and typed the first sentence of you novel or story with what you know now about story structure, pacing, editing, publishing, marketing and many other things. You know more than you think you know.

What areas of writing do you feel confident in and which are not your area of expertise? Would you feel comfortable teaching a class in one of those areas? Have you visited the IWSG blog and some other participants?

On a bonus note today, if you want to read a perfectly paced novel, check out this special week long sale of CassaFire by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Only .99 for this week.

CassaStorm Cover Reveal!

In a galaxy far away ... no not that story but it's nearly as big. Today is the long awaited first look at the cover and blurb for CassaStorm by Alex Cavanaugh. I'm so honored to be part of the early excitement surrounding Alex's third book in his series that started with CassaStar, continued in CassaFire and now brings us to the 'Storm.'

I know Alex will make a big deal of thanking everyone for helping in this reveal and all those who stop by and visit. But compared to the promotion and attention he gives to others every week on his blog, this is so little to give back to him.

This blurb is going to make you want the book right now.

A storm gathers across the galaxy…

Byron thought he’d put the days of battle behind him. Commanding the Cassan base on Tgren, his only struggles are occasional rogue pirate raids and endless government bureaucracies. As a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the desert planet, Byron’s ideal life is threatened and he’s caught between the Tgrens and the Cassans.

After enemy ships attack the desert planet, Byron discovers another battle within his own family. The declaration of war between all ten races triggers nightmares in his son, shaking Bassan to the core and threatening to destroy the boy’s mind.

Meanwhile the ancient alien ship is transmitting a code that might signal the end of all life in the galaxy. And the mysterious probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago could be on its way back. As his world begins to crumble, Byron suspects a connection. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

Release date: September 17, 2013

Science Fiction - Space Opera/Adventure

Print ISBN 9781939844002

E-book ISBN 9781939844019

 

If you've been living in an Internet free zone and have never heard of Alex visit him here on his blog.

 

Don't you want this book now? How many places have you seen the cover so far today? If you're Alex, don't even say thanks. This is my pleasure.

 

CassaFire Today!

didn't officially join the big party for the launch of CassaFire today, but I must mention the release of Alex Cavanaugh's second book in his space adventure series. If you go to his blog, you'll find a big thing going on.

CassaStar is the first book and a terrific, can't-put-down read. I've read some scifi novels over the years but sometimes I get a bit cross-eyed when the author goes on for pages about the size of a ship's engines and the power of its guns. No worries about his in Alex's books. It has enough action to keep the reader on the edge of their seat and characters with enough depth to hold your emotions hostage to the last page. You can bet I'll be buying the second book, CassaFire as soon as I'm off work today.

So do you like scifi? What book have you been looking forward to in 2012?