How To Get Your Heart Broken

How to Get Your Heart Broken by Rose Fall 

Release Date: March 21st 2016 

Genre: YA Contemporary 

A self-proclaimed cynic, Eli is unsurprised by her boyfriend’s betrayal. Yet, its impact goes beyond what she realizes; a cruel bet, an array of secrets, and a thousand lessons not yet learned teach her how to trust again as an unlikely boy shows her a kind of love she never knew existed. After Eli finds her boyfriend cheating on her, she seeks an escape. She heads to the beach to spend the summer before college with her two best friends. When Eli is unable to move past the betrayal, the girls devise a distraction; a bet about their handsome neighbor. Yet their thoughtless competition goes too far and their friendships are tested as they began to wonder how much they really know about each other and themselves. In the chaos, they manage to learn the truth about love, self-acceptance, and the journey back from rock bottom. 

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Buy Links: Amazon│Paperback

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 About the Author 

Rose Fall was born in New York City to Senegalese immigrant parents. She is currently studying Communication and Global Studies at UNC Chapel Hill. Her debut novel "How to Get Your Heart Broken" is set to be released Spring 2016. You can find her at her blog on rosesarecool.wordpress.com 

Author Links: Website│Goodreads│Twitter 

GIVEAWAY: a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Blog Tour Organized by: YA Bound Book Tours

Secret of the Sevens Cover Reveal!

Secret of the Sevens

by Lynn Lindquist 

Release Date: 06/2015

Flux Publishing

Summary from Goodreads:

Everyone at Singer, a boarding school for underprivileged kids, knows the urban legend of the Society of Seven. Decades ago, the original members of the secret guild for elite students murdered the school's founder and then perished in the fire they lit to hide the evidence. Or so the story goes.

Talan Michaels doesn't care about Singer's past. He's too focused on his future and the fact that he'll be homeless after he graduates in May. To take his mind off it, he accepts a mysterious invitation to join a group calling itself the Sevens. He expects pranks, parties, and perks. Instead, he finds himself neck-deep in a conspiracy involving secret passages and cryptic riddles about the school's history. Even worse, he's now tangled in web of lies someone will kill to keep hidden.

About the Author

Lynn Lindquist lives in a suburb of Chicago with two overly-social sons and a mutt named Slugger who wisely hides under the bed most days. The hordes of teenagers that regularly frequent her house (think Panama City Beach during spring break) provide fodder for her young adult novels and growing anxiety disorder. Ever since her sons broke the Guinness Record for Largest-Rager-Thrown-While-a-Parent-Was-Out-for-the-Night, she enjoys spending her free time at home entertaining friends, cooking, reading, and writing. Thankfully, her favorite things in life are her sons, words, and kids, so she wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is represented by Katherine Boyle at Veritas Literary Agency.   

Author Links:

  

Cover Reveal Organized by:

Vlog Video And A Note From My MC

I've tons of fun so far on my Purple Knot Blog tour. All the hosts have been so creative and generous to me and I am so thankful!


I am so excited for tomorrow's blog stop at Elena Solodow's You're Wright. Except When You're Rong. For those of you who follow her, you know that she takes excerpts from books and acts out the scene in a video post or vlog!  Well Elena is doing a scene from Purple Knot!


Its an excerpt that has not been released yet and its a really exciting one! Elena will take us into the thick of a harrowing scene.  I ca't wait!


Then, on Thursday, the 23rd, blogger Ralene Burke over at Faith Without Limits, is hosting an interview with my main character Reyna Cruz..she's spilling the beans about me and my strange writing habits.

Today I am at Joanne Troppello's, It Only Takes a Mustard Seed where she is featuring my book along with a fun interview!

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There have been tons of great entries into the contest to win a Detective Kit Gift Basket and there's still time to enter!


Prizes include goodies to eat and drink, gift cards, a cool gadget from Think Geek.com and a copy of Purple Knot!

<----Just click this badge to go to the form.

Contest ends on June 30th ~

Photograph by Enockson.

What's In Your Media Kit?

This is a GIF for online promotion on sidebars, etc.

What Goes Into A Media Kit?

Whether its guest posting or being featured on a blog, the one thing you need to have on hand, after a stellar novel, is a Media Kit.  You never know when someone has a slot open up and if you're prepared, you might just snag that opportunity. Here are some things to have ready to go...

·        A .jpeg of your book cover. Usually your publisher will send you a few different kinds. High resolution for print and some lower ones for thumbnails and online sites.

·        An up-to-date photograph. Preferably a professionally done head shot.

·        Two versions of your author bio. One short one, a little more than a few lines, to go at the bottom of posts. Make sure that it has links to your blog and book site. You'll also need a more extended one-page version for things like newsletters and for interviewers to create questions.

·        Sample interview. Have a list of questions that you've answered. Sometimes the host blog will just go with it or use it to create their own questions for you. It helps to show if you're quirky or funny or profound...your voice.

·        A stellar excerpt. Something that grabs the reader and makes them want more. Most people use the scene where the hero and heroine meet. Others use the precipitating event. Don't give a way too much. It’s usually only 200-300 words.

·        A short synopsis of your book. Sometimes space is limited, so a great blurb about your book is a handy promotion tool.

Create a folder on your desktop and have all of these things at the ready. If you get a call for something, you have it all organized already. This way you don't accidentally forget to include your bio with links or something vital like that.

Some other things to consider adding to your Media Kit are:

·        Book trailer. Some bloggers will post a link to it if it’s on YouTube or just embed it in the post about you.

·        Your upcoming events. Are you on a blog tour or having a launch party? Include that information.

·        Where to Buy. Finally, if your book is out already, have the purchase information available for posting.

Believe me when I say having this all done is a real life-saver. I learned the hard way on this one. I was offered an opportunity to guest post, but didn't remember to put a little mention about my upcoming release.  I'd lost out on an opportunity...don't make the same mistake. Create a folder on your desktop with these things and you’ll never miss out. 

Dark Allure...

Come journey with me to a dark and dangerous place...Roland Yeoman's Writing in the Crosshairs blog is hosting a stop on my Purple Knot blog tour.


Written into the dark setting of Roland's imagination, I sit down at the haunted hangout, Meilori's, for an interview at midnight.


Surrounded by his cast of dangerous characters, find out who I encounter...and if I make it out in one piece!

Wish You Were Here...

Well, we are halfway through the blog tour for Purple Knot, and I've had a great time so far...I'm so thankful to all of you that have shown your support!


Here are a few of the writing articles to check out if you missed them:

• How to Avoid the Sound of Crickets at Your Book Signing
• What to Look for In an Agent
• Blogging Basics for the Beginning Writer
• Five Things I Didn't Know About Getting Published
• Three Reasons to Enter a Writing Contest
• Why You Should Go to a Writer's Conference
• How to Find a Critique Partner
• Five Query No No's and How to Avoid Them

Thank you to all my wonderful blog hosts and hostesses so far! Its been so fun hanging out in your neck of the blogosphere.

My Next Stop Is.....

Joy at Edgy Inspirational Romance has offered to host a stop on my Purple Knot Blog Tour! I hope you will hop on over to extend some blogger love to her for being so supportive.

How A Killer Synopsis Can Keep You From The Slush Pile

The amazing Kristal Lee over at Romancing Myths and Legends has invited me over to talk about, How to write a Killer Synopsis.


Do you know...

• What are the formatting MUSTS?
• What 3 things do you NEED to include?
• What about cliff-hangers?

Sashay on over to find out...


Photograph by AMagill.

Watery Tart...

Did you know....Purple Knot is set in Seattle?

Today I am visiting the Watery Tart!  I've written a guest post for Hart Johnson's blog called, 5 Query No-No's and How to Avoid Them. 


Have you made these mistakes that can cost you? Hop on over to her blog to find out...

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Just a reminder to enter the Gift Basket Giveaway.


<----Just click this badge to go to the form.

Prizes include goodies to eat and drink, gift cards, a cool gadget from Think Geek.com and a copy of Purple Knot!

Contest ends on June 30th ~

One Sentence Snapshots

Some of the coolest descriptions of characters come from cop novels. 

As a fan of Dashiell Hammett, John Sandford, and Michael Conelley I marvel at how they describe both the personality and look of a character in one sentence snapshots. 

These guys don't use descriptions like: Eyes like crystalline glass...or raven hair that fell in a wave...bleh!

They are masters of the the snapshot sentence...to describe a person, a scene, an idea.  This make all of the rest of their long prose paragraphs, melancholy musings, and clipped action all seem to tie together.

For example, in The Poet, Michael Connelly describes his dead brother's partner, a detective named Wexler, like this:

Wexler was built like a small bull, powerful but squat.

You get the image of a man squeezed into a detectives shirt and tie, the muscles and power, but no beauty...no finesse.  All that from a few words.

Connelly also describes a scene, a macbre one, where a crime scene photo shows a man who'd shot himself in the head leaning back in the carseat.  Connelly doesn't get graphic or even detailed. He uses one sentence and its chilling:

Blood had worked its way like a thick necklace around his neck from the back and then down over the sweater.

No description of color, consistency, splatter, or gore...just a snapshot image. A powerful one.

My absolute favorite cop drama author, John Sandford who writes the Lucas Davenport "Prey" novels is wonderful at introducing characters. Lucas, a former street cop, has a lot of that wry suspicion that comes out when he assesses someone.

In Broken Prey, Sandford introduces a character like this:

He was short, big nosed, red haired, pugnacious, intense, never wrong, willing to bend any ethical rule, and three years out of journalism school.

This was a great introduction to the smarmy, conniving, character that Ruffe Ignace turns out to be.

I've tried to do this type of thing in my own writing for Purple Knot. When introducing a motorcycle gang member from the point of view of the main character, a chemist, I wrote this:

Crawley had the rat-faced scowl of someone who grew up around too little food and mean adults.

My hope is to convey more than what a simple description of his clothes and hair would allow.  

So here is my challenge for you today...use the comments to write in one of your own character introductions...I'd love to see how other writers work.  

Until next time...Go Write!


Photograph by IdeaListic.

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Today I'm at JoAnn Carter's blog for an interview! I'd love it if you popped on over for a visit.  Having a wonderful time cruising the ether on my Purple Knot blog tour!


Thank you to all who have commented and encouraged me so far.

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**ALSO***

Don't forget to enter the Detective Kit Gift Basket contest!  

<----Just click this badge to go to the form.

Prizes include goodies to eat and drink, gift cards, a cool gadget from Think Geek.com and a copy of Purple Knot!

Contest ends on June 30th ~

Confidence Pitfalls

My writer’s group gives out awards. In fact, on my first visit the hostess gathered us from the snack table in the kitchen and arranged the ten of us on the couch and floor in front of the fireplace. They even did one of those tongue-drum-rolls. I was fascinated. Sandwiched between an accountant and an aerobics instructor, I waited eagerly.

The hostess handed out cheap plastic leis and an onion that she’d spray-painted gold. Needless to say, I had to have them. You see they were silly prizes for really hard feats of accomplishments. The lei was given to whoever did the most submissions that month. 

Query letters, proposals, whatever…as long as you sent something in. The gold onion was for the person who’d received the most rejections. It’s easy to celebrate successes, they all knew that. What is hard is pressing on despite someone telling you, in black and white, that you’re not good enough.

Being a writer, at least one who cares if they’re published, is tough on the ego. I once received a rejection notice that wasn’t even on a whole piece of paper. Just a three-inch strip of paper with the words, “Thanks, but we’ll pass,” written on it. Ouch. The silly prizes at my critique group were symbols of encouragement to keep going, keep trying.

I like reading rejection stories from famous authors. I like watching Biography of how writers or directors kept coming up against people that told them to quit, and how their success is all the more sweet because they didn’t.

There are a lot of pitfalls in this profession, things like jealousy, discouragement, frustration, doubt. But surrounding yourself with a good support group is like balm to the wounds inflicted by the form letter rejection.  

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Today I'm On The Hot Seat at Cally Jackson's blog. Stop by and say hello! I'd love to chat.


Also...You're all invited to enter the gift basket contest ---> 

You can sign up at the "Detective Office" on my sidebar.

The gift basket has lots of cool prizes, some Purple Knot book swag, and a special doo-hicky from Think Geek.

Help!

My Awesome Crit Partner, Erin Spock, Hold On To Your Bloomers!

We all could use a hand with our writing. Whether its to check for form, pace, cheesy dialogue...getting our stuff in front of other writers for critique is really important.  


But how do you find a decent crit partner?  One you don't want to strangle...one that pushes you to be a better writer?


If you'd like to find out, then pop on over to EA West's blog, The West Corner. You may find my article, How To Find A Critique Partner, helpful.


I will be on Blog Talk Radio today chatting with Jo-Anne Vandermeulen on her show, Authors Articulating! It's live...stop by for a chat and some fun!

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Don't forget to enter the contest for a surveillance gift basket...its filled to the brim with goodies, gift cards, and a cool gadget! Not to mention my new release, Purple Knot!

Should You Go?

With the economy like it is, we all have to be extra thoughtful about how we spend money. Something like a conference might get scratched off your list...but wait!  That may be a bad idea.


Want to know why?


Hop on over to Erin Spock at Hold On To Your Bloomers and take a gander at my article - Get Thee to a Conference!

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***ALSO***

Don't forget to enter the Detective Kit Gift Basket contest!  

<----Just click this badge to go to the form.

Prizes include goodies to eat and drink, gift cards, a cool gadget from Think Geek.com and a copy of Purple Knot!

Contest ends on June 30th ~

Photograph by Chispita.

I've Been Tagged!

Just a reminder that today I will be making blog stops at J.C. Martin's Fighter Writer and Preslaysa Williams at The Literary Mama. Please stop by and spread the blogger love.

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And Now......A TAG!


Francine over at Romancing The Blog tagged me with a 7 Question Tag so here goes!

• Do you think you're hot?  Only in the summer or after running...other than that -- meh!

• Upload a picture or wallpaper you're using at the moment...

I'm writing a Gothic romance so this is my inspiration.

• When was the last time you ate chicken meat? Yesterday. We're big white meat consumers in the Byrnes Family.

• The song you listened to recently? 

• What were thinking about when as you were doing this? I was thinking about how fun it would be to go camping soon. I really have a hankering for s'mores right now!

• Do you have nicknames? What are they? My family calls me Rocky and my friends call me Coco.

• Tag 8 other bloggers: Erin Spock, Myne Whitman, Lynnette Labelle, Hart Johnson, J.C. Martin, Alex J. Cavanaugh, Roland Yeomans, Nas Dean

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Also...Today is the Sizzling Summer Reads Giveaway at The Romance Reviews -- come and enter for some fun prizes and exclusive excerpts!

Are They Worth It?

So there's recently been a lot of elation and heartbreak for writers who entered writing contests earlier this year. From RWA's Golden Heart to ACFW's Genesis, there were hundreds if not thousands of entries.


Some of you may wonder if its worth it to you as an author to enter. Well I have guest post over at Susan Field's Blog on 3 Reasons Why To Enter A Writing Contest...why would it help you as an author?


Hope you stop on over and see!

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***ALSO***

Don't forget to enter the Detective Kit Gift Basket contest!  

<----Just click this badge to go to the form.

Prizes include goodies to eat and drink, gift cards, a cool gadget from Think Geek.com and a copy of Purple Knot!

Contest ends on June 30th ~


Photograph by ShortsandLongs.

How Do You Write With 6 Kids?

The Byrnes Clan at Disneyland

This must be the question I get the most in author interviews. How do you find time to write while homeschooling six kids?


Stop by Dora Hiers Blog for the answer in my A Day In The Life...  She is the 7th stop on my Purple Knot blog tour.


Hope to see you all over there!

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Also...You're all invited to the Purple Knot Release Party at The Romance Studio. Thursday, June 9th, I will be giving away a free copy of my debut novel!  

Hope to see you there!

What I Didn't Know...

I've got a few inside tips from my journey to publication that I'd love to share with you.  Juicy tid-bits like...

• What is so important to know about what you put in your proposal? 
• Want to know a secret about editors and those red pens?

My good friend Lynnette Labelle has offered to host a blog stop over at her blog, Chatter Box Chit-Chat. Find out 5 Surprising Things I Didn't Know About Getting Published. 

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Also...You're all invited to the Purple Knot Release Party at The Romance Studio. Thursday, June 9th, I will be giving away a free copy of my debut novel!  


Hope to see you there!
Photograph by Sarah G.

What Makes A Good Agent?

Want a chance at a free copy of Purple Knot? Take a peek at Patty Wysong's blog Barn Door Book Loft where I'm stopping by for an interview and a giveaway.


I'm also over at Julie Musil's blog today. Come on over and check out, What to Look for in an Agent and see if you're ready to make that all important contact.


AND...I'm at The Novel Sisterhood giving away another free copy of my book to a lucky commenter!


Hope to see you out in the blogosphere today!


Photograph by John Buckman.

Are Those Crickets?

You want to know what my biggest fear is? Sitting at a table in a bookstore with a pen in my hand, a smile on my face, and....nothing else.


I'm not talking about one of those 'Oops, I forgot my clothes at home!' type of dreams. I'm talking about a debut author book signing where no one shows up. 


Where all you hear is...crickets.  Want to know how to avoid that with your own book signing?


Hop on over to my second blog stop at Delia Latham's My Book Bag and read about 5 Easy Tips On How To Avoid the Sound of Crickets at Your Book Signing!


One more day until Purple Knot's release day...so excited. Don't forget to drop in at The Romance Studio tomorrow at 6pm PST for a Live Chat and giveaway!


Hope to see you there!


And don't forget to enter the Surveillance Kit Gift Basket Contest ...prizes include:

Goodies to eat and drink while on a stake out.

Piece of specialized surveillance equipment from ThinkGeek.com

Amazon Gift Card for $25.00

Copy of Purple Knot with book marks and more!

Photograph by Kristine Paulus.