Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Killer Intentions available today.

The big day has finally arrived. Killer Intentions (Liz Baker, book 3) is now available for all who want to enjoy the next installment of Liz's wild world. This time you find her trying to take a break on the Georgia island of Tybee, outside of Savannah. Unfortunately, things never seem to go as Liz plans. And this time isn't any different.

Not only has the book released on Amazon Kindle, B&N Nook, and Smashwords, but I have a special offer for anyone who purchases a copy.

From today until December 31, 2011 at 11:59PM EST, anyone who purchases Killer Intentions and sends me a copy of their purchase receipt will receive a free copy of both books 1 and 2. Now you don't have to worry about missing out on the first two stories! That's all three books in the Liz Baker series for the price of one. Not a bad way to end the year, and it'll add a few new books to all those new e-readers under the Christmas tree. ;)

Simply forward a copy of your purchase receipt to authorchristiesilvers@gmail.com and I'll reply with the codes to receive your free books. Easy peasy!

Happy holidays and I hope you enjoy Killer Intentions. BTW, the print edition will be available on Amazon in a few weeks. However, it's already available on the website's ORDER page for autographed copies directly from me.



Thursday, December 1, 2011

Killer Intentions cover unveiled!

In just a few short weeks the third book in the Liz Baker series will make its debut. However, today is all about the cover. The red and green play beautifully off each other. And even though the book is set in August, it certainly brings in the colors of Christmas. Just in time for its release! :)

Description:

Saddled with the knowledge that she's not only a half-vampire, but also expected to be some kind of supernatural warrior to battle evil, Liz Baker--34 year old small town bar owner--would rather life went back to normal, choosing to ignore her destiny instead.

She survived murdering a vampire lover, being possessed by a spirit of her ancestor in order to destroy a wendigo, and even finding out that her ghostly mother is in love with the attorney in charge of her newly acquired fortune. But will she survive finding out that she has eleven half-vampire brothers and sisters?

Even with Chad at her back, and an ex-military werewolf pilot giving them defensive pointers, Liz simply wants to go back to normal. What ever normal is now. How will she ever find normal again though, what with a demon haunting her waking hours and a vampire trying to pull her into his paranormal army of offspring?

"Chad didn't understand, nor would he. He didn't have this damn inner demon telling him things he shouldn't know, telling him to do things that he desired to do, but knew he should never do. She'd told me at the last second not to kill Gregory. The other children needed him. But was it true? Or just another guise in an attempt to lull me into complacency?

The demon side of me only wanted more evil, more control over my mind, my body, my actions. She had killer intentions, the kinds of intentions that would push me away from all the people I cared about and into the arms of a father I never wanted."




Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Edits, edits, and even more edits.

Look into my crystal ball... What do you see? Yep, that's me... I'm in the land of Editsville this week. The first draft of Killer Intentions is done, but that only means the real works begins. I'll be running through at least three sessions of edits and rewrites myself:

1. A run through of computer file from beginning to end
2. A printed version with the infamous red ink pen.
3. Then another run through of the computer file with all the changes previously recorded, looking for errors.

After all that, the file will be in the hands of my beloved editor. When her final edits are complete, I'll run through it all one more time to make sure there's nothing else to change or fix.

Whew! It's a lot of work, but it's oh so much fun. :)

All in all, everything is still on schedule for a mid- to late December release for the newest installment from Liz's weirdly captivating life of paranormal monsters. She's still fighting against her destiny, but I believe she'll slowly come to accept it, and possibly embrace it enough to enjoy the ride.

Oh, and I *should* have a new cover to share with everyone very soon. I can't wait to see it!





*Image from: aleheredia*

Monday, November 28, 2011

Cyber Monday: 30% off

Black Friday is over, which means it's time for Cyber Monday. Woohoo! More shopping!

Over the weekend I offered Liz Baker e-books for only $0.99 each. Today I'm giving you 30% off any of my paperback and hardcover books.

If you're looking to grab a few books for Christmas, there's no better time than now. This offer is only for today, ending at 11:59 PST tonight. Here's how you do it:

1. Use this link to see all of the books available.



2. Add your chosen books to the shopping cart. Make sure you're adding physical books & not e-books.

3. Use this code during checkout: CYBERMONDAY305

Lulu's bookstore accepts PayPal and all major credit cards. Happy shopping!



Friday, November 25, 2011

Black Friday & I have a sale for you.

It's Black Friday! Time to get that holiday shopping under way (if you haven't already) and take advantage of all the sales and discounts businesses are offering. Watch out for the people pushing and shoving over that last $5 Barbie though. They can be blood-thirsty monsters full of vicious intent! You don't wanna get knocked to the floor and trampled on by that granny in search of the best deal on pajamas. Whew! It's dangerous out there!

Instead of battling the warzone known as Wal-mart, or the mall, stay home and take advantage of some online deals. Specifically, my Liz Baker Black Friday sale!

For this weekend only, you can snag both books 1 and 2, in e-book formats, for the low price of only $0.99 each. Not only will these books keep you entertained, but you'll be up to speed for when book 3, Killer Intentions, comes out next month. How's that for a deal? :)

Here are the links to take you directly to your format of choice:

Time for Death (Liz Baker, book 1)

Amazon Kindle: $0.99
B&N Nook: $0.99
Smashwords: $0.99 -- use coupon code VA44F





Kill Me Next Week
(Liz Baker, book 2)

Amazon Kindle: $0.99
B&N Nook: $0.99
Smashwords: $0.99 -- use coupon code BZ22X






Happy Black Friday. If you honor your life, stay home and read a book!


Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

As you read this, I'm on my way out of town for a day trip with Tim and our girls. We had the family Thanksgiving get-together last Saturday, freeing us up to do what ever we wanted today. With Tim off work and the girls out of school this week, what better time to take a trip?

Today we will spend the day in Pigeon Forge, TN. I have reservations for a late lunch and a show at Dixie Stampede at 1pm. When Tim & I saw the Christmas show there last year we knew we had to bring the kids back for it. And the best part: It's a Thanksgiving meal I don't have to cook or clean up after! Woohoo!

After our meal and show, we'll go spend some time shopping and visiting Gatlinburg before heading back home in the evening.

This is family togetherness at its best!

I hope you're having a beautiful day with the ones you love!

Happy Thanksgiving,


Monday, November 14, 2011

Who do I write for?

One of the hardest things for an author to realize is that not everyone will enjoy your writings. Why would anyone not like my stuff, you wonder. I worked so hard on it. It's a great story. I don't understand.

It may take a while, but there comes a point in a writer's life where you finally, ultimately, shrug your shoulders and declare that your story isn't for everyone. Just as most people have a preferred genre they enjoy reading, many people have a preferred author, writing style, age limit, etc. Your story might fit a genre, but not fit the writing style. It's a dice game. You roll the dice and see what happens.

Out of dozens, hundreds, or more positive reviews across the world, there will always be that one who downrates a book/author with rants and nitpicking. You want to shout, comment back about why the rater is ignorant, etc. But what's the best thing to do?

Ignore it!

That's right, ignore the downrater, the hater of your book. If you have numerous people who enjoy your book, and this one person hates it, then ignore them. Your story just isn't for them. You don't like everything you read, and you can't expect everyone in the world to enjoy your story.

I write for the people who enjoy my stories. My time and writing energy is spent hoping to entertain those who like my work. The people who don't like it aren't worth the time I already don't have enough of. I write for the fans who take time out of their own busy schedules to let me know how much they enjoy my books. I write for the readers who don't have time to say hello, but still manage to snag my next new release.

I love my readers and I'm always working to set up the next fun thing, the next new release, the next goodie giveaway. . . anything that will make my fans happy and let them know I appreciate each and every one of them.

If you're reading this, most likely I write for you. :)

With all that being said, I'm still working on Killer Intentions (Liz Baker, book 3) and on the ball for a December release. The cover artist is hard at work on the new cover and we're hoping to release it for all to see on December 1st. Also, my editor is on stand-by as soon as I'm ready for her. I'm thinking (hoping) I'll have the file in her hands by Thanksgiving. There will be several rounds of edits and rewrites, and then the big release day will be here!

In the meantime, be on the look out for a Black Friday sale on the first two Liz Baker books, in preparation for the big release.

Thank you to all who read and enjoy my books. I'll keep writing the just for you. :)





*Image from: nkzs on Sxc.hu*

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Win a free copy of Kill Me Next Week (Liz Baker, book 2)

Happy Wednesday, everyone. As you all know, I'm busy at work on getting Killer Intentions (Liz Baker, book 3) finished and ready for its December release. So what better time to give away an autographed copy of book 2?

Stop by and check out my interview with The Hellfire Herald. Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win an autographed copy of Kill Me Next Week (Liz Baker, book 2) straight from lil ole me.

It's really that easy. :) So snap to it!

Back to work I go now. . .


Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Dönence coming soon!

Monday morning I woke to an e-mail from my Turkish editor from ARVO Publishing. She let me know that A Birth at Dawn (Alex & Fiona, book 2) had completed translation and was currently in edits. In Turkey, it will be called Dönence, which means: A circle of life.

She also included the cover for me. As you can see, it's a lovely cover. However, my name is misspelled. Oops! It'll be okay though. They'll get it fixed like last time. It is funny though. Last time my last name was misspelled and this time it's my first name. Oh well, it'll probably be another month before it's released anyway, and I have no doubt it'll be fixed very soon. :)

In the meantime, while we're waiting for the big Dönence release day in Turkey, I finally have links to where people can purchase Book 1, Balans.

Idefix ~ Kitapyurdu ~ Dunya Kitap ~ Okuoku

These are the links Hulya (Turkish editor) sent me to share with everyone. Soooo, if you're a Turkish speaker/reader and would like to jump into the world of Alex & Fiona with book 1, here's your chance. :)



Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Writing for Liz & Family Projects

Hello, friends. I hope everyone is having a pleasant October so far. I'm still getting it on with Killer Intentions (Liz Baker, book 3). Liz is currently leaving the beach and heading back to Adele's estate. Gregory is hot on her heels & Chad is just plain ole HOT!

I have some big plans for Liz and her cohorts during this book and over the next two or three (at least) books to come. Of course I also have the short stories to dish out as soon as Killer Intentions is finished.

If you've been on my Facebook page you've seen what else has been keeping me busy. We did a bedroom make-over for my little girls' shared room. I got some good deals at yard sales & put some elbow grease into refinishing a dresser for them. Their room got a paint job, turning it from pale purple to bright blue. We added a loft bed & the room turned out lot more spacious than before. There were several pictures of the process, including before, during and afters of the dresser, on my Facebook page.

This week I heard from my Turkish editor at ARVO. The second book in my Alex & Fiona series--A Birth at Dawn--has now been translated & is in edits. It also has a very nice cover, but they misspelled my name . . . again. For the last book they misspelled my last name and this time it's my first name. Sooooooo, when that has been corrected I'll share the new cover with all of you.

Speaking of my Turkish books . . . I now have a few links to Turkish book sellers for Balans (A Midnight Infatuation) to share with you. I'll put them up for anyone interested by the end of the week. :)



Wednesday, October 5, 2011

An update on my world.

As you may have noticed, the time between my blog postings has stretched. I'm currently in a rush to finish up Killer Intentions (Liz Baker, book 3) in order to get it into editing and production as soon as possible. The book is scheduled for a December release, but will probably be toward the end of December.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying the peace and quiet to work that the kids being back in school has afforded me. Not only that, but Tim has been working the day shift every other week here lately. That makes for very nice writing days.

I do all of my housework from the time I drop the kids at school until 9 A.M. After that I write from 9 to 1 P.M. and then a quick lunch before leaving to run errands and pick the kids up from school. I'm home between 3:30 & 4 P.M., when it's time to help with homework for three children, cook dinner, get everyone into showers/baths and then start bedtimes at 7:30 P.M. At which time, Tim makes it home from work (or is just leaving if he's on night shift) and it's time for me to stop for the day to relax. I watch about 2 hours of television--depending on the night--and then bedtime for me so I can do it all over again the next day.

Whew! Makes me tired just typing all that out. And that's just the week days. On the weekends I'm doing home projects (working on the little girls' bedroom right now), tending to my animals, and enjoying the time with my family.

So basically, what I'm trying to say is, you may not see too much of me online for the next few weeks. I'll be around, and will always answer e-mails/messages, but please be patient as I attempt to get Liz where she wants to be and still deal with family obligations. As soon as the story is in the hands of my editor I'll be back around. Until then, e-mail me if you need me. :)


Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The loss of innocence.

At some point in a child's life they are no longer as innocent as they were the day before. It could be the death of a grandparent, a violent act against them or someone they love, or even just finding out the truth of Santa. As parents we do everything in our powers to keep this loss from happening, at least until they are much, much older . . . preferably after they're grown and out of our house. Unfortunately, that's not always possible.

Last Sunday, September 18, 2011 at approximately 10 P.M., my fourteen year old daughter lost a bit of her innocence. We were informed that her best friend, one of the sweetest girls I've ever met, had been murdered the day before. The following week was a hard one. Lots of tears and used Kleenex rained down upon our lives.

Last night, we attended the memorial service for this beautiful and talented girl. It was a lovely service and quite befitting such a child. The world is a better place having known her. Unfortunately, her life was cut so short that the world will never know what she could have done.

Rest in peace, sweet girl. You will always be remembered.

And to my own daughter: I'm so sorry that you had to lose your innocence at such a young age. If I could have prevented that I most definitely would have. Keep her in your heart, thoughts, actions and she'll always be with you.




Tuesday, September 13, 2011

A proper Balans translation.

A little while back I posted the cover description of Balans, the Turkish translation of A Midnight Infatuation. Since I don't read or speak Turkish, I relied on Google Translator to help. Of course, we all know that Google Translator can't translate things 100% correctly. Maybe not even 90% correct. LOL.

The other day I received an e-mail from a kind person from Turkey--one who actually speaks and reads Turkey--and they were kind enough to provide me with a more proper translation.

So I figured I'd share it with all of you. :)

-------------------------------------------------

Laws, tules, traditions... You either marry one in your gang or accept the battle!

Fiona as a rebel wolf must be punished because of disobeying the rules of the gang. To run away? She can't do. To submit? Never! Revenge? Maybe...

She committed the ultimate sin, falling in love with a vampire. The price of the betrayal will be harsh. This price will not only hurt Fiona. Innocent ones will also taste their part.

A brand new journey to the world of werewolves and vampires, full of contrivance.
Sometimes passion, sometimes ambition.
Sometimes past will be lived in the future!
And sometimes your breath will be taken away.Ve an gelecek soluÄŸunuz kesilecek!
There is no way without a way back; but souls weak for struggling.

-------------------------------------------------

From what I've been told, some things may still be incorrect because some words are more difficult to translate than others. Still, I find it interesting to see the different way things are worded for different cultures and languages. :)


Monday, September 12, 2011

Where to post reviews.

I recently received an e-mail from one of my "#1 fans" asking where I'd like her to leave a review for Dark Promises, so I thought it would be a good time to blog about it. :)

I have three favorite places for book reviews/ratings. I always read the reviews left on these three sites, as I frequent them often for my personal reading list.





Now, these aren't the only places for readers to share what they thought of a book, but they are my faves. :)


Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Back to school celebration!

It's the first day back to school! Time for the 2011-2012 school year to begin. I hear the cheers of gleeful parents pushing their kids out of the house and cars with smiles on their faces and excitement in their hearts. "Have a good day, dear. I love you." Then they throw their hands to the heavens and scream, "WOOHOO!"

Or maybe that's just me. . .

After three months of summer vacation, several weeks of school preparation, and four school visits to two different schools last week, it's finally time for me to get back to MY work year. That's one of the best things about being a writer and stay-at-home mom; I can take off when my kids are out of school. However, I get antsy when I'm not creating on a regular basis. I miss my writing schedules, the worlds I work within, and conversing with my characters. That makes a new school year a time to celebrate. :)

So what do I have planned for my new work year?


  • The third Liz Baker novel

  • A new erotic novella

  • A short Liz Baker story that will be given away on the website for free

  • Preparing for & attending Book 'Em NC Conference & Book Fair in February

  • Staying on top of the Turkish book releases

All of that on top of my regular mommy & wife duties: housekeeping, animal care, errand running, family member helping, school volunteer, and the many other things that I do on a regular basis. I also have some home improvements planned, but not yet scheduled.

If you're a parent with kids heading back to school, I celebrate with you! We all have different reasons for being excited, but that doesn't mean the excitement is any less. And if your kids are anything like mine, they're just as excited to be heading back.

Here's an exciting new school year for us all!

Friday, August 26, 2011

Official cover for Balans

It seems to have taken forever, but really it's only been a little over 2 months since I signed the contract to sell the Turkish translation rights to five of my books. And since they will be releasing them in Turkey in the order they were released here in the US, A Midnight Infatuation is first out of the gate.

Balans, the Turkish edition of A Midnight Infatuation, was suppose to be released in July, but we all know how the publishing world is full of pushed deadlines, late release dates, and downright frustrations. This was no different. I still don't have a solid release date (and this frustrates the hell out of me), but at least the cover is finally done.

I was sent the cover for Balans a couple of weeks ago, but my name was misspelled (missing the last "i" in Christie). I didn't think it would take too long to add that itty bitty letter, but I was wrong. Anyway, here's the completed front and back cover for BALANS.





I think it turned out amazing and was ultimately worth the wait. Next up is the big release date, which of course I'll let you all know about when I find out. :)


Friday, August 19, 2011

My Wall-of-Covers



Each time I have a new book release I order a mini-poster of the cover, frame it, and then hang it on my family-dubbed Wall-of-Covers. I hope that one of these days I'll have a private office filled with framed covers, but for now I just have a wall. ;)

Last weekend I'd finally gotten around to framing the posters for Dark Promises and Alex & Fiona Forever. So Tim and I thought it would be a good time to take all the others down, dust them, and rehang them. Tim grabbed his laser level and we went to work.

So here's a little glimpse into my wild world. As you can see, there's plenty of space for another row of covers. ;)











Saturday, August 6, 2011

Newsletters Need Love Too

Some of you may recall that in previous years I had a monthly newsletter. However, finding the time to get a monthly newsletter out each month without simply regurgitating stuff that was already on the website and/or all the social networks became more of a chore than I was able to keep up with. So, I informed the subscribers that the newsletter would cease. Some were quite upset and let me know that they'd miss it dearly.

That brings us to the present. A newsletter is a huge benefit to any author and their fan base, so I've started a new one. This newsletter will only be for big announcements, new book releases, appearances, contests and giveaways. Basically, the big stuff. It will go out 3 - 6 times a year, as need dictates to share new developments with everyone.

I decided to make this decision immediately when one of my regular readers, a lady who buys each and every book I release, didn't know about Dark Promises until it had been out for two months. Eek! That was the quencher!

If you're a regular follower, or even just someone interested in knowing where I might pop up next (Book 'Em NC in February!), then please stop by and join. With the newsletters only going out 3 -6 times a year you won't have to worry about a full inbox from lil ole me. :)

Come on, sign up today! You know you want to. :)






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Thursday, August 4, 2011

Turkish release of A Midnight Infatuation

Just a little update on the Turkish release of A Midnight Infatuation (Alex & Fiona, book 1):

Yes, it was suppose to release in July, but that's how the publishing world goes. Looks like it'll be an August release instead. My editor assures me that all is well and the book will be out soon. She let me know that the Turkish title is BALANS, which means "balance" and is apparently a very popular word in Turkey.

She also sent me the back cover summary. I don't know Turkish, so I used Google Translator on it, and we all know how that goes. Makes for some funny translations. Anyway, here's the Turkish version with the English translation: BALANS plot summary.

Now I'm waiting to see some cover art and then it should all be set for release in Turkey. Once that's complete I'll share purchase links for this newly translated edition. :)


Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Chickens and Novels

No, I haven't lost my mind. Yes, I know you're thinking that chickens and novels have nothing in common. However, I've come to realize that raising chickens and writing a novel do, in fact, have a lot in common.

Two weeks ago one of my hens laid her first egg. I wasn't expecting any of them to start laying until mid- to late August, but there it was, our first egg. It took her a few days after that before she started laying one perfect egg each day. Now we just wait on the other two hens to catch up with her.

So what does that have to do with novels?

You raise these little fluffy chicks, putting all your care and attention into them, making sure they have all the ingredients they need to become healthy and productive egg layers, and then you toss them out into the world hoping for the best. Just biding your time, waiting for your payback in return for all you've given.

And then the big day arrives! Your first egg(s)! All the care you've put into your chickens has now paid off. And if you're anything like me, you coo and praise your girls each morning as you collect the lovely little gifts they've left for you.

Still not getting how it's like a novel? Well, let me see.

You put your heart and soul into writing your story. You make sure your characters behave (or don't) according to plan. Their perilous journey makes everyone life difficult, but eventually it comes to completion and the story is over. You edit, and edit, and edit, and then you have someone else edit, before you edit again. You pay attention to every little detail, putting all your care and attention into it, making sure it has all the ingredients needed for a healthy and productive future on the book market.

Sound familiar?

In the end, you just have to let it fly and wait to see if all your hard work is going to pay off. And when it does, you coo and praise it for all the lovely little gifts it leaves for you in the shape of loyal readers and royalty checks each month.

Pictured above are the first four eggs my hen left for me. We made a pancake and eggs breakfast with them, and they tasted better than any eggs I've ever had. :)


Thursday, July 28, 2011

Digital Autographs

There has been much discussion over the years about how an author can't autograph an e-book. Many technically savvy people have thrown around ideas and programs from time to time in an attempt to remedy this problem, but this is the first time I've seen one that I like the looks of.

Yesterday I discovered Kindlegraph. This is a site where people can search for the books they like, send the author an autograph request, and the receive the autograph directly to their Kindle. It's quite interesting.

It only took a few minutes for me to add all of my available books to the site, and now anyone can request a digital autograph for their copies. I've already sent a few and look forward to sending more.

You simply log in using your Twitter account, update your account information to include your Kindle's e-mail address (there are instructions for that), and then start requesting digital autographs. I've heard that some people are making separate folders in their Kindles just for all the autographs they're collecting.

All in all, I find this website intriguing and quite useful. I'll be sharing the link with everyone who stops by my table at Book 'Em NC in February as well. :)


Monday, July 25, 2011

Life is crazy, but oh-so-fun!

Whew! It's hectic around here. July has been filled with appointments, birthdays, parties, surprises and dealines. It's no wonder I feel like I haven't slept all month and have a nonstop headache since June ended. Yeah, I think I need to hit the thesaurus for a stronger word than hectic.

So let's see . . . In the past week I've celebrated 2 birthdays, discovered that one of our chickens laid our first egg (albeit in the wrong place), hosted a pool party, and am rushing against a deadline. Most of my days are running wel past 1 A.M. each night, an my to-do list seems to be growing instead of shrinking.

Even with all the craziness, we've had a lot of fun. The party was a blast, even though I'm glad it's over. The deadline will pay off when the new book is out there in the world for all to enjoy. The headaches and sleepless nights will subside when the kids start back to school in September and I can work during the days again. Until then, I'm dosing with Excedrin Migraine, a can of Coke and working between loads of laundry and arguments between children.

Is it September yet?


Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Plans for the week

Last week was a bust, what with Tim being off work and the kids home for summer break. Everyone was here and no one wanted to get along. There was more than one occasion where I threw my hands up in the air and declared an end to my day. Yep, it wasn't pleasant.

This week Tim goes back to work and the fighting between the children seems to have slowed down. Maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to get some actual work completed. At least I have a list showing me what all I want to complete this week.

That's not to say nothing was completed last week. Oh no, there was definitely a good bit marked off my list. However, most of that was household stuff and not book stuff. Yeah, I'm happy about the household stuff, but I'd rather have the peace, quiet and alone time to complete my book stuff. I get frustrated when my writing time is decreased.

So, here I am, typing up my plans for the week for all to see.



  • Complete edits on a three book project

  • Discuss the new cover of Alex & Fiona Forever with my beloved designer

  • Work on Liz Baker, book 3--which is still untitled

  • Remind everyone that TIME FOR DEATH (Liz Baker, book 1) is still on sale for only $0.99 on Kindle and Nook

  • Continue working on the list of goodies I need to order for the Book 'Em NC event in February

  • Take my children to the library on Friday

  • Finish reading DEAD IF I DO by Tate Hallaway so I can take it back to the library

  • And still be the perfect wife & mother with the clean house, clean laundry and three meals a day on the table.

Whew! That's a lot to do in only 7 days. Well, I guess it's technically 6 days since today's Tuesday. It's no damn wonder I never feel like there's enough hours in the day. And here I am distracted from all this proposed work with wondering what color to paint my nails next.




Monday, July 4, 2011

InkPop and Teen Writers

I don't normally advertise for other companies, but I was contacted by an employee of Harper Collins wanting me to check out the site called InkPop.com and possibly mention something about it here on the blog. Even that isn't usually a good enough reason for me to share stuff I don't use or like

However... this site is very cool for the teen writer! InkPop focuses mainly on YA and teen writers, and as I don't write YA and certainly not a teen writer any longer, I had my teenager check it out as well. She's 14 (almost 15, she says) and loves reading and writing. Her words were, "It's cool, Mom. I like it and will definitely use it."

From what she told me, the only thing she didn't like is how difficult they have the password section of registration. It has a specific requirement on how your password should be. Something like 6 letters, 1 has to be a number and 1 has to be capitalized... or some such nonsense. She made it through though and moved on into using the site.

Anyway, the site seems to appeal to teens with ways to earn "badges" during your time there by doing things like writing short stories, writing poetry, helping out with critiques, writing fiction and even just trying out everything once. There are 25 badges in total, so there's plenty for the aspiring teen writer to try their hand at.

If you have a teen that enjoys writing, send them this way. They'll find lots of other people who enjoy the same things they do and possibly lead the way to a lifelong enjoyment of the written word. As an author, I like to encourage others to give it a try. I know my teen is.


Friday, July 1, 2011

Get Time for Death for only $0.99!

Good morning friends.  Welcome to July!  Can you believe June is already over?  I know I can't.  July will be a busy month for me, but I wanted to do something for my beloved readers.

If you're interested in picking up a copy of Time for Death (Liz Baker, book 1) now is definitely the time to do so.  During the month of July you can pick up Time for Death on Kindle or Nook for only $0.99.

Here are a few of the nice things that have been said about Liz Baker:

"The main character, Liz, is a strong, independant woman with just the right amount of vulnerability. Her male friends are sweet yet uber-sexy. Christie keeps you on the edge of your seat, always wanting to know what happens next." -- Sherie Anderson -- Amazon

"I loved Liz, she is a great character, just enough sass, strength, and a touch of baggage." -- Bryan Curry, Hellmouth Podcast

"Her entire world is rolling in the onslaught of twisted circumstances that keeps you on the sharpened edge of that dangerous blade of anticipation." -- Robin Renee Ray

"Ms. Silvers has outdone herself yet again." -- Mind Fog Reviews


You can read the complete reviews on the Liz Baker page.

Now, get on over there and pick up your copy while the gettin's good.  ;)



Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Alex & Fiona Forever

As is common knowledge amongst my readers, I'm working on book 3 of the Liz Baker series. Liz is getting busy down in Savannah for right now. However, I'm also working on another project: a re-release of all three Alex & Fiona books in one hardcover edition.

Yep, all three Alex & Fiona stories in one easy-to-carry hardcover book. With the Turkish translations moving right along for these three books I thought it would be something nice to do for the English readers that have enjoyed these two characters for many years now.

We're working on formatting right now, and then I'll see if my lovely cover designer has anything up her sleeve that will do justice to the three covers we already have (I love those covers!). I'm looking forward to holding these three stories in one hardcover copy. It'll be a big one, but should be cheaper to purchase like this than in the three separate books.

This new edition *should* be available in the next month, or so. I will, of course, let everyone know when the time comes.

Now I should go get some family stuff done and then start my writing for the day. I hope you have a lovely Wednesday.  :)


Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Event: Book 'Em North Carolina

Yesterday I was invited to attend the Book 'Em North Carolina event on February 25, 2012. Today I agreed to attend!

This will be my first event outside the local area and most definitely outside the state. It will take over 14 hours of driving (to & from) and 2 nights in a hotel, but it sounds like a lot of fun. There are said to be about 75 authors and over 1,000+ members of the public in attendance. Attendance is FREE, so I hope to meet many new people.

Details:
Date: Saturday, February 25, 2012
Where: Robeson Community College Lumberton, North Carolina
Time: 9:30 am - 4:00 pm

For more details, visit http://www.bookemnc.org/ and click on the "Attendees" button. To see a list of participating authors use the "authors" button.

I'll be signing and selling Liz Baker books.  A percentage of all books sold will go toward the Lumberton community to help with increased literacy and decreased crime rates.  If you come see me while I'm there I'll have a variety of goodies to share with you. I'm even considering making Tim take pictures for me so I can email everyone their own copies when I get home. I'll post more details about the goodies when we're closer to the event date.

I hope to see you there!