This Week

The next three days I’ll be hanging with the Glowstick. So you won’t see me around until about Thursday.

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

Another Book is About to be Born

Today, I wanted to help spread the news for blogger, Siv Ottem. Her debut novel, Secrets of the Ash Tree, is about to be birthed. The due date is September 1st. But first she’ll be revealing the cover, on Monday, July 29th, in an ultrasound-sort-of-way. It’s a secret. GO HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Here’s the Blurb:

In the realm of the gods and fairy tales the mystery of life is an endless path with many secrets to be discovered. Some secrets are like dreams, just waiting in darkness hoping to get into the light.

“Secrets of the Ash Tree” is the story about Liv, a young woman who discovers her true nature through the unraveling of hidden secrets. Her adventures begin when she digs up a chest that was buried by her father under the old ash tree in her garden. What she finds inside the chest changes her life forever. Liv discovers one secret after another and is thrown into a world full of dangerous and strange creatures, mighty Norse warriors and perils beyond her belief. What started out as a fairy tale in her father’s journal was to become her legacy, a guide line to survival, and a map to the world she was about to enter. Each day, each mystery, each encounter will ultimately reveal her true destiny and behind the edge of a sword awaits a young god who is willing to share that destiny with her.

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I wanted to write a little more on my blog today, but I’ve got to get ready for work soon. I also know I’ve slacked in my blog reading lately. Got my grandson again part time. Found some great critique partners. And got a beta-reading going on.

Hopefully, I’ll get a handle on everything.

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

Indie Life: Things I Miss and Irk Me

Today is the second Wednesday of the month. Its Indie Life time, where Indies sometimes encourage, support, complain, and give advice to each other.

For more information or to be a part of this group GO HERE

As many of you know, Sweetman went through a bout of cancer and chemo. Thankfully, he has finished his chemo. His hair and belly are now growing back. But when we first found out about what we were going to have to go through, I gave up what I thought would be temporary, my bi-weekly critique group.

Sadly, two of the writers were stressed out with some of their own personal curve balls life bombarded them with. One moved away. The other doesn’t know if she’ll ever write again. We no longer meet.

I miss them terribly. We were together for five years. Each gal had something great to offer to our WIPs. One had awesome grammar and punctuation skills, while one would tear your MS apart and analyze it. Two of them were great for spotting overuse of words or even action tags. And one was great at finding symbolism in your stories and how to make them connect.

I considered them my friends. But only one keeps in touch with me. It really makes me sad. To be honest, I feel lost without them. All writers, Indies, and traditionally published need someone else to bounce their stuff off of. There’s no real way around it. You can’t cheat when you write. It’s a tedious path to get it right.

So I could really use a couple of critique partners who are willing to read 40 pages a month of my current WIP, tear it apart, and I’d be glad to the same in kind.

Anyone interested? If so, let me know in the comment box.

As to what irks me, well, Facebook right now. I’m in what’s called what other writers have referred to as Facebook Jail. I can’t PROMOTE myself or anyone.

How did this happen, you ask. Well, it started with a Like-a-thon. I like authors. They like me. And of course, I can’t forget all the promoting I continually do for other authors. I’m constantly sharing their books and blogs. So I got cited as a SPAMBOT.

So yeah, I’m really blue over not having my critters anymore and being known as a SPAMBOT.

Hope everyone else is well.

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

Voting

My book, Secondhand Shoes is up for an award over at eFestival of Words, in the Mainstream Fiction section. I was totally floored when I got the word. And whoever nominated my book, thank you.

I need your vote. It shouldn’t be too hard to do. Just don’t pay attention to all of the adds toward the end.

The complete list of finalists, and all voting polls, can be found in the
Awards Hall.
http://www.efestivalofwords.com/awards-hall-f29.html

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

INDIE-pendence: Lorelei Bell, Eve Gaal, and Lisa Olsen

 

I know I’m posting this early, but I have to work tomorrow. And some of Wednesday will be spent with a friend, and the 4th of July will be spent with the Sweetman.

  CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

INDIE-pendence is a bloghop where we can promote our favorite Indie author and their book or books. But since I’ve discovered three that I really like, I’m going to share all three and hope that no one’s eyes glaze over.

My first favorite is Lorelei Bell, a paranormal fantasy writer.She writes the Sabrina Strong Series and recently self-published The Spell of the Black Unicorn. And soon she’ll be publishing her series on her own.

Originally, I had each author prepare an interview. But I’m beginning to believe my Gmail eats files that I save. ***shrugs*** So instead I’ll post their titles and links.

Back to Lorelie Bell. The following are her self-published works:

Click here to buy

Click here to buy

Click here to buy

My next favorite author is the adorable, Eve Gaal, a romantic comedy author. She’s sweet and funny and is the mom of a cute little fur-peep named Fiona. Recently, she self-published Penniless Hearts.

Click here to buy

My third favorite is Lisa Olsen, a paranormal/mystery/suspense/thriller writer. She published 10 books in 2 years and has more to come.

Her titles include The Touch, Pretty Witches all in a Row, and Mercy for the Wicked. You can find her books here

I hope everyone has a Happy Fourth!

Hug and chocolate,

Shelly

FREE TODAY AND TOMORROW

Hey, everyone! Today is the day, The Partners’ Progeny is being released for Kindle only.

Bullies rule … or do they?
For seventeen years, Victoria Sheek has been a paralegal supervisor at the Law Offices of Pereene, Carr, and Sevino, specializing in injury law. Rumors portray her as a bully. She remains confident that her position will never cease because of close relations to one of the founding partners, Mr. Carr.
Until Mr. Pereene, the head partner, hires Monica Bowman. Smitten with her because of her resemblance to his deceased granddaughter, Melissa, and his memories of her, she can do no wrong.
Which one of the two girls will keep their position at the firm? It takes an unexpected event to decide the outcome of this rivalry.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Partners-Progeny-ebook/dp/B00DF8K072/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372454712&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Partners%27+Progeny%2C+Shelly+Arkon

Available for all countries

Please  Tweet and Facebook this. Thank you.

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Also, Authors for Oklahoma have book bundles up for 10 dollar donations to The American Red Cross, for Moore, Oklahoma. We’ve set it up raffle-style. It will run through July 15, 2013. Please spread the word.

First group of bundles can be found at the link below:

http://writersofmassdistraction.blogspot.ca/2013/06/raffle-bundles-1-3.html

Second group of bundles can be found at the link below:

http://writersofmassdistraction.blogspot.ca/2013/06/raffle-buncles-4-6.html

You can also find Authors for Oklahoma Here . Likes are nice, but that’s not why we formed the group. We want people to spread the word and donate.

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly