Wednesday, November 19, 2014

What's Up Wednesday Plus A Huge Favor!


What's up Wednesday is a blog hop created by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk to help writers keep in touch with each other. If you'd like to participate, sign up on the linky at one of their blogs, and use one of the cute WUW buttons provided. Thanks!

WHAT I'M WRITING


Blurbs! For our new book, which will be out on January 6. This is not the official blurb...but it's my favorite version so far. 

Magic gave us so much more than we expected. We found a purpose, we found a destiny, and we found each other. 
But California isn’t the new start we were promised. Dr. Child may be gone, but now we must face a military school, dangerous secrets, and a prophecy that has half the country wanting us dead. When the line between enemies and allies blurs, Sam, Juliette, Ana and I need to choose between love and sanity, between magic and survival.  
Freedom feels like safety, but it’s not. There are no walls here. No place they won’t be coming for us. 
No place we won’t destroy.
This book is the sequel to Alchemy, and it will be released on January 6, 2015. The cover is gorgeous, the title is shiny and so much better (I don't dare tell it to you without the permission of my co-authors. Wake up guys!!!)

Which brings me to this huge favor!

We are starting to put together our marketing plan, and I am in dire need of blogs willing to help with the cover release and the release tour. I'm also desperately in need of people willing to read and post reviews of the book before it releases on January 6.

If this is something you would be interested in, please post a note in the comment section or email me at thecrousefamily @ yahoo . com  (But without the spaces, of course). 

There is a raffle for all blog hosts and reviewers, with an amazon gift card as the prize. I'm not sure what it will be worth yet, but I'm thinking either 3 cards for $25 each, or maybe one bigger card....


WHAT I'M READING


I'm reading Trust Me, I'm Lying


WHAT WORKS FOR ME
Sabrina (one of my coauthors) was working on edits last night, and we had the following conversation (via facebook)


Sabrina: Gah! I'm working on...and I'm wondering if it's going to suddenly seem shallow. I mean the chapter goes "Death, death, death, boo hoo you were mean to me once"....but it's hugely important to Juliette's development.

Other suggestions that didn't work for various reasons and then...

Melanie: My only suggestion is that Juliette mentions how dumb it is to fight about the past when people just died...that's one take home lesson from writing this book--it seems like if I'm bothered by something, having Ana mention it on the page sparks really interesting developments.

Now I have no idea if Sabrina is going to take that advice or not, but I started thinking about it, and many of my best scenes were polished by that tiny piece of advice. So I throw it out there, in the hopes that someone else will find it useful too.


WHAT ELSE IS NEW


I took a lovely 4 day break from writing. It couldn't have come at a more inopportune time, but Sheena and Sabrina were very gracious about it. It wasn't until I took the break that I realized how totally I needed one. I didn't miss writing even one smidge, and when I came back everything seemed shiny and new. I'm in it until it's done now, which will hopefully be sometime this week. 

25 comments:

  1. I would love to help prompt your book!

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    1. Thanks Fifi! I sent my email address to you in a comment on your blog post. Hopefully you get it! Thanks so much!

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  2. I'd love to help out with the cover release and the release tour! :D How exciting!

    Sometimes a break from everything is just what you need. Have a lovely week!

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    1. Thanks Jess! I sent my email address to you in a comment on your blog. Let me know if you don't get it! You are awesome!

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  3. Breaks help me too. And love the blurb. Good luck with the release, Melanie!

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  4. I'd love to help with the cover reveal and tour, though I'm afraid I have too much of a backlog of books to have time to review. Have a great week! :)

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    1. Thanks Emma! I just sent you a comment in your blog post. Congratulations on your newest book! That's so exciting.

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  5. You know, it's amazing how simply writing something down (into your WiP to boot) resolves plot issues or whatever. It's kind of like writing yourself out of a corner. That's been my experience, anyway.

    Writing breaks are definitely a must, though I think mine has gone on for far too long now. Hope you're having a wonderful week, Melanie! :D

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    1. Writing breaks are strange things, aren't they? At the moment, I barely feel like a writer, which is probably not a good thing. But it's so, so much more simple. :)

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  6. I took a break from writing recently too and was also surprised how much I didn't miss it--a little worried by that as well actually. I'm glad you feel so refreshed after some time off!

    Things are crazy busy at my house right now, so I can't commit to much, but I'd be willing to take part in your cover reveal. Just send me the details when the time comes: moonfrog at shaw dot ca. Have a great week!

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    1. Thanks Erin. Hopefully by later today I will have something for you!

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  7. Breaks are absolutely essential to any writer. It's amazing how many problems *stopping* solves.

    Best of luck with the release. The book sounds fantastic.

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  8. I'm taking a bit of a break at the moment--at least from novel writing. It's a good time to get caught up on reading and to let ideas percolate. Hopefully something good will come of it, like it clearly did for you, Melanie.

    All the best with the novel! :D

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    1. Good luck with your break! I'm a little bit late on the comments so it may be long over, but I hope it was what you needed.

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  9. I would totally help out, but I'm going to be on break for all of December, and come the beginning of the year, I'm really slowing down to give myself clearance for baby prep. I'm excited for you three!

    Unleashing the Dreamworld

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  10. Breaks are so necessary sometimes. Glad you could take one and good luck with your release!

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  11. Breaks are so wonderful for just that reason - when you come back, everything seems shiny and new. :) We all need breaks like that once in a while! I'd love to help out with the cover reveal and tour. I don't generally do book reviews on my blog, though. Let me know when you need me! :)

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    1. Kitty, I just sent you a message with my email in it on your blog. If you don't get it, please let me know. Thanks!

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  12. I will have lots of family in town from the start of December through February so I can't review anything then, but I would love to help with cover reveal! Just let me know when you need me: carriebouffard at gmail dot com Have a fantastic week :)

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  13. Love the blurb! And congrats on your upcoming release!

    Breaks are important for the brain. Your little neurons need rest too! Especially if you want them to be happy neurons. :)

    Hope you have an amazing week!

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