#WriterlyWisdomWednesday : M.L. LeGette, Author of The Tale of Mally Biddie #Giveaway

This week I'm excited to have M.L. LeGette, YA / fantasy author share on 'Why Fantasy' as part of her blog tour. Be sure to scroll down for the giveaway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Click on image for tour schedule

When Mally Biddle agreed to spy upon the King of Lenzar and his overbearing knights she knew she was heading into danger. She didn’t know she’d find a family unlike any other.

Posing as a servant in Bosc Castle, Mally serves tea and tends fires for the most dangerous men in the kingdom. Her goal is to learn the truth of what happened sixteen years ago, when the infant princess met her death … a death that is surrounded by more questions than answers.

Along her search for the truth, Mally meets the energized Lita Stump, the strict and matriarchal Meriyal Boyd, and the opinionated Archibald Diggleby. Then of course there are the knights: Leon Gibbs who is slicker than a greased hog, Adrian Bayard, hot tempered and violent, and the worst of the lot: Sir Illius Molick, Captain of the Knights. And then there is Maud, a mysterious woman who just might know everything…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

M.L. LeGette on Why Fantasy

Why do you love chocolate?

If your brain is starting to hurt at trying to answer that question, then you know how I feel when trying to explain why I love fantasy.

I have loved fantasy since the very beginning. Some children gravitate toward ninjas or pirates, zombies or ghosts. I wanted castles. I wanted sparkling gowns and crowns. I wanted horses and magic -- dragons and unicorns. I wanted to live in a world of moss covered oaks and misty moors. I wanted all this so much that I often escaped to these lands in my imagination. In bookstores, I hunted down covers that spoke to me of their mysteriously cloaked characters. My childhood upbringing was full of movies such as The Last Unicorn, Flight of Dragons, Princess Bride and The Labyrinth all of which I watched over and over and over again.

I was born to love fantasy.

Writing fantasy is empowering. I assume science fiction writers feel much the same. We are able to create our own worlds, sometimes entirely from scratch. We can give our cities and kingdoms the most bizarre, ethereal names. We can put them on the bottom of the ocean -- put them in the clouds! Our characters can be utterly ordinary or utterly extraordinary. There is no limit to monsters or magical creatures. Our imaginations can happily, merrily, run wild! It is incredibly freeing and downright exhilarating. I can't imagine writing a novel that has nothing to do with fantasy. I wouldn't have a clue where to begin.

I'm not exactly sure whether this post has been educational or enlightening. I feel that's it's more of a fan girl's overflow. If you love fantasy, then I am preaching to the choir. If you hate fantasy, I feel sorry for you. If you are on the fence, I hope I've shown enough of my own joy for the genre to energize you pick up some magic for yourself. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author Melissa LeGette

Melissa LeGette lives in Georgia where she helps run a family farm, so her nails are a fright. The Tale of Mally Biddle is her second novel.

Blog * Facebook *  Pinterest * Twitter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 6/2/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Seven Secrets to Social Networking #MarketingTip #WritersLife

Get involved! Share YOU.

Ever met someone who loves reading the same genre you live for and suddenly the ‘so tell me about yourself’ becomes a gush fest over the latest books, authors, plot lines, and characters?

I love it.

That connection from shared hobbies & passions – connecting like this with total strangers always makes me feel like I’ve found a new best book bud. 

Am I strange? Perhaps. BUT this is a part of marking 101 – getting to know your potential audience. Social media can play a huge roll in this.

How? By helping us find like-minded readers.

There are tons of places, but first we need to make ourselves visible. Let people know who we are and build relationships - friendships - but most of all trust.

Where to start?

1.  Create a website.

It’s all about building your ‘brand’, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. I use weebly.com because it’s a cinch for semi-computer illiterate peeps like me. Look at other author websites to see how they set theirs up. Blurbs, freebie chapters, bio, contact information, images – your headshot and cover - news & events. The ideas are endless.

2.  Build a blog.

WordPress or Blogger, it doesn't matter so long as you do it with purpose. Talk about what you’re going through in the writing, editing, or publishing phase, but don’t just write it for other writers!!

Let readers know how the process affects you, so they can get to know you better. 

Connect!

Visit other author blogs, leave comments, and build relationships. Offer to help promote their work. Scratching backs can go a long way to help you get exposure.

3.  Join Twitter.

Is it really a useful social networking tool? I’ve argued with myself over this dozens of times wondering if I’m building relationships with readers OR writers of similar loves. 

Then I looked at it a different way – how do I respond to other writers? I’ve found a few on Twitter who I now faithfully follow. As soon as I see a tweet indicating news of them I’m on it like a fly on … well, you know.

So, yes. I decided to stick with the little blue birdie.

4.  Make a Facebook Page.

Is it any different than Twitter? Not really, but not every potential reader tweets. This is where automatic status updates comes into play. You can set up your tweets to post on Facebook and vice versa. You can also have your blog posts ‘share’ to both Twitter and your Facebook page.

5.  Set up freebie accounts with other groups of like-minded peeps.

Goodreads has tons of groups in every genre. Join them then join in conversations. Make friends. There’s also:

Yahoo Groups

Google+

Writers Forums

Local book clubs

There are many more, but these are a couple I utilize. Ask family, friends, or cyber space buds where they go to chat about your genre of choice. Browse a bit and find new ones that look promising.

6.  Be consistent.

Not just in posting, visiting, and commenting, but in making yourself recognizable as well. Be sure to use the same headshot for each media outlet! 

Consistently be yourself. Remember, the whole point of social networking is to let people know who you are. You want to build a fan base of those banwaggoners who will help spread the word of your awesomeness!

7. Finally, set time limits.

This is my greatest struggle.

Allot time for each and every site, be it daily or weekly. Just be sure to stick to the schedule. Deviating like I do (much too often) can cost you time that you can’t afford – especially if you’re a busy parent like me.

Right now I’m under a deadline to complete the 2^nd book of my contracted 2-book series, Pool of Souls. I’ve only 20k left to write, but I’ve been dragging my feet in every possible way, social networking and dreaming of my garden being the two biggest offenders!

Shame on me, I know. Daily I give myself a swift kick in the arse, but it doesn’t always have an effect.

Doubtless there are tons of other secrets to social networking, but these are the ones I’ve been dealing with the last two-ish years or so. Have a few YOU care to share? I’m all ears and willing to learn from those who’ve gone before me. 

Early #Review : Caged by @JABelfield #HollowayPack #PNR #Werewolves

Click on image to add on Goodreads

Holloway Pack #3

by J.A. Belfield

Release Date: August 5, 2013

Target Reader: Adult

Keywords: Romantic, Urban Fantasy, Werewolf

If the meek can become deadly, the strongest can be weak. 

For Ethan Holloway, his mission to find a missing werewolf should be simple. Crack a few heads, bust a few chops and the solution always reveals itself. Always.

Not this time.

Ethan’s reputation precedes him, and because it does, someone is ready. Waiting. Unbeknownst to Ethan, he’s about to go down. Hard. Against a foe he never suspected and in a world he never imagined could be real.

What awaits Ethan is a fight not only for his reputation, but also his pack, his female, and his life. If he survives, damage control will become priority number one. 

If he survives.

Because even Ethan’s not sure he’s strong enough to take on an entire race all by himself.

Especially one hell bent on exposing who and what he is in the name of sport.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Review:

I’ve been WAITING for this book since I first read Darkness & Light. Ethan Holloway is by far my fav Holloway boy – and fav book boyfriend.

So what can I say about this book? I know Ms. Belfield nibbled her nails away when ARCs went out, but …

She has nothing to worry about.

Yummies:   Absolutely everything.

Caged delivers. In a BIG way.  We finally get a glimpse into Ethan. What drives him. What undoes him. All wrapped up in one thrilling ride.

I just want you all to know that for a prego woman to sit on the couch from 9pm until midnight without getting up ONE SINGLE TIME to visit the bathroom is epic.

Best Holloway book so far, and NOT because it's Ethan. Kick butt tension & action. Couldn't put it down. I don't think I even paused to take a sip of water.

I wish you all could have seen my jaw drop when I clicked on next page & nothing happened - then a big grin because I realized I loved the ending just the way it was. THEN came another jaw drop when I looked at that clock.  *snicker*

Scared the crappola outta the hubs (his words the morning after) when I crawled into bed at that hour. 

Yuckies:  Yeah, right.

Recommend:  As with all the Holloway Pack stories, I highly recommend you nab a copy and submerge yourself in their world. You’ll come up gasping for breath, wishing there were such creatures as werewolves.

WELL done, Ms. Belfield. That is all.

Eye of the Soul #Giveaway time! #Swag

Uber excited to get a nice package in the mail the other day - Eye of the Soul bookmarks!  

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

What do they look like?

Front

Back

I also printed out a couple of 5x7 covers. 

Purdy, aren't they?

Want one? Want one of both? SIGNED?

Leave a comment letting me know what you think of Eye of the Soul's cover. Tweet or FB about this post & I'll throw your name in a 2nd time!

My 3 yr old will draw two winners next Friday. 

Best of luck!

*Need to clarify - international giveaway folks!*