Take to the skies with My First Travel Books #kidlit series by Anna Othitis @aothitis

ABOUT WRITING by @SuzdeMello @ReadThis4fun #writing #creativewriting #MFRWOrg

Last month on The Maze we met Suz deMello, erotica author of Plotting and Planning. This month I'm pleased to invite Suz back to feature her book for writers and readers, About Writing.

Both of Suz deMello’s famed writing manuals, now in one handy paperback. A perfect gift for any writer!

Here’s what folks said about Plotting and Planning:

Sue has written a concise manual that is valuable for both beginning and seasoned writers. Going to write a book? Read this first!
— Bestselling suspense author Kylie Brant

Suz deMello's Plotting and Planning is a concise, informative, and entertaining look at writing a novel.
— Paranormal author Silver James

Not only did Write This, Not That! reach #2 on Amazon’s writing reference list, but it also garnered many five star reviews:

Five stars...good advice and fun to read.
— Jo Frye

Five stars... Kudos to the author for a well-written manual!
— Book CraZ

Five stars from me... This short guide covers the essentials and is
useful for both new and experienced writers.
— Author Catherine Cavendish

BUY ABOUT WRITING HERE:
http://tinyurl.com/deMelloAboutWriting

About Suz deMello:

Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a Sue Swift, has written seventeen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s held the positions of managing editor and senior editor, working for such firms as Totally Bound and Ai Press. She also takes private clients.

Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists.

A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.

Stalk Suzie online:

— Find her books at http://www.suzdemello.com
— For editing services, email her at suzdemello@gmail.com
— Befriend her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/suzdemello
— She tweets @Suzdemello
— Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/suzdemello/
— Goodreads: http://bit.ly/SuzATGoodreads   
— Her current blog is http://www.TheVelvetLair.com

Thanks for sharing, Suz!

Everyone, don't forget to enter this great Rafflecopter giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more chances to win all month, you are invited to...
— Add me as a Favorite Author on Amazon.com
— Join my Street Team, Kim's All-Stars 
— Follow me on Twitter
— Add me to Google+
— Subscribe to my YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Amazon, Twitter, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Liberty. Please enter often, and good luck!

Plotting and Planning by Suz deMello

Plotting and Planning: a #Writing Manual

Just in Time for #NaNoWriMo! (@suzdemello #MFRWAuthor #iamwriting)

Hey there, aspiring authors! Ever wondered how an author plots and writes a book?

Wonder no more! Suzie deMello is visiting The Maze today to tell you the secrets, or at least a few of them.

Plotting, point of view, character creation, conflict and much more are examined in this brief but pithy writing manual.  A must for the serious writer who wants the basics without boredom.

Excerpt:

How does an author write a book?

Unfortunately for aspiring authors, this is not an easy question to answer. It's tantamount to asking, Where do authors get their ideas? which, believe me, is our least favorite question. I often tell people I get them at Sears—they're sold by the dozen in the basement between the barbecues and the bikes.

In reality, I get my ideas from almost anywhere. Maybe a magazine article about a place or event. Perhaps someone I meet or something a person says may trigger a train of thought that will eventually lead to a book. Maybe travel to someplace new ignites the creative spark that will inspire me.

Here's a better question: What are the building blocks of plot and story?

Buy Planning and Plotting at Amazon.com

About Suz deMello:

Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a. Sue Swift, has written seventeen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s held the positions of managing editor and senior editor, working for several including Totally Bound and Ai Press. She also takes private clients.

Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA, and hit several bestseller lists.

A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.

Check out Suzie's site: http://www.suzdemello.com
And her blog: http://www.TheVelvetLair.com

This month The Maze is running a giveaway for 

King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And as always, for more chances to win, I invite you to...
— Follow me on Twitter
— Add me to Google+
— Subscribe to my YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of KASIWC. Please enter often, and good luck!

#EggcerptExchange: Love is a Rose by @psthib

Good thoughts for Good Friday:

Pamela writes, “Since Lent and Easter are very special to me, I’d like to focus on my devotional Love is A Rose for this Eggcerpt Exchange, so here are the details...”

Music is the magical entry into the spirit world; the golden gate into the Kingdom of God. But we mustn’t be of the mindset that God only uses Christian music to reach out and touch our mind, heart and spirit. God uses any and every means available to speak to His children.

Our job is to be open and receptive.

In this devotional, Pamela S Thibodeaux shares how God opened her spirit to a deeper understanding of the abundance of His grace and mercy through the words of the song, The Rose sung by Country & Western artist Conway Twitty.

Pamela offers Seeds to Ponder and a prayer as she parallels the love of God and the Christian life to each verse of the song.

EGG-CERPT:  Introduction

The Bible talks of harps playing and choirs of angelic hosts singing. It also tells us to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord.” The Israelites were ordered to send the praise and worship team—playing musical instruments, dancing and singing—ahead of the soldiers into battle. So there must be something special and powerful about music.

Music is an intricate element of worship, an aspect of praise that brings you into intimate proximity with the Lord. Music lifts you physically (fatigue disappears, pain is forgotten), mentally (your mind is filled with it, erasing everything else), emotionally (you are saturated with joy and peace) and spiritually (your spirit soars on the wings of His); opening your heart and mind to receive more of God’s presence, more of His truth.

Music is the magical entry into the spirit world; the golden gate into the Kingdom of God. But we mustn’t be of the mindset that God only uses Christian music to reach out and touch our mind, heart and spirit. God uses any and every means available to speak to His children.

Our job is to be open and receptive.

Nearly every Christian song I hear touches my heart in some way, urging me into a closer walk with God and bringing me a truer knowledge of Jesus. Amazingly though, the one song that really opened my spirit to a deeper understanding of the abundance of His grace and mercy wasn’t a Christian song but a Country one.

I’ll never forget the morning in 1995 when The Rose as performed by Conway Twitty came to me in its entirety with Bible references or Scriptures correlating to every verse…

Some say love, it is a river that drowns the tender reed…“A bruised reed He will not break.”

Some say love, it is a razor that leaves your soul to bleed….Bible Conversion; a cutting or stripping away of old beliefs.

Some say love, it is a hunger, an endless, aching need…"As the hind longs for running water, so my soul longs for thee oh God...”

I say love, it is a flower, and you its only seed…“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed…”

It’s the heart, afraid of breaking, that never learns to dance… David danced before the Lord.

It's the dream, afraid of waking, that never takes the chance…"Entrust your works unto the Lord and your plans will succeed."

It's the one who won't be taken, who cannot seem to give…“Love is not selfish…For God so loved the world He GAVE…!”

And the soul, afraid of dying, that never learns to live…"What shall a man give in exchange for his soul…For what is man profited if he should gain the whole world but lose his soul?”  Or more accurately…“Let not your heart be anxious, for I am with you always, even unto the end of time.”

When the night has been too lonely, and the road has been too long…"I am going but I will not leave you alone. I will send you a comforter, a counselor to guide and help you.”

And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong…. “God is love and he who dwells in love dwells with God. The meek shall inherit the earth…blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.”

Just remember in the winter (of darkness and sin)....Jesus died so that we might have life, He conquered sin and darkness…. “I came so that you might have life, in abundance, to the full, overflowing.”

Far beneath the bitter snows...How can something so beautiful, so pure, be so bitter and cold? God is light. He washes us clean with the shed blood of His Son so that we might be as pure as the snow.

Lies the seed, (of faith)...that with the sun's (Son's) love...in the spring... (season of new birth, new life)...becomes the rose (an attractive flower).

Wow, what a revelation!

I immediately sat down and wrote the ensuing compilation paralleling the love of God and the life of a Christian to the words of this song.

Why do you suppose God used a country song to teach me about Himself?

I believe God was using a means familiar to me to show the depth and power of His love for me.

It is my prayer the words contained herein will do the same for you.

Before I begin, let me answer a few questions about myself. I am not a minister or even a candidate for the ministry. I have no degree or doctorate in psychology or anything resembling either. I am simply a Christian housewife and mother who's been blessed with a talent for writing and who desires to glorify the Lord of my life with that talent.

As I said in my opening statement, the Lord led me to write this analogy so the words in it (and I'm sure He also led the songwriter to write such a beautiful song) are His, guided through me by the power of the Holy Spirit to speak to you. So, let's begin.

Love is A Rose can be Purchased at:

Amazon in Print and for Kindle

Barnes & Noble in Print and on Nook

Smashwords for E-Readers and Deeper Shopping!

Find me at:

http://pamelathibodeaux.com

http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com

http://twitter.com/psthib

https://www.facebook.com/pamelasthibodeaux

Thanks for letting me share!

Pamela S Thibodeaux

"Inspirational with an Edge!" ™

And comment on this post for a chance to win an e-copy of Dawnflight by Kim Headlee... enter often throughout the Eggcerpt Exchange!

Top o'the Mornin' from The Dawnflier!

Welcome to the March 2014 edition of The Dawnflier!

First order of business: Congratulations to Daniel M. (already notified), who won an ebook copy of Dawnflight from among the list of folks who added me to their Google+ circles or commented upon my blog posts in February.

Since this was so successful, I will be running the same promotion throughout the month of March. Enter early, enter often (with your comments!), and good luck!

Another giveaway I'm hosting is active now on Goodreads:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Dawnflight

by Kim Headlee

Giveaway ends March 20, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Yes, I know you can't enter often for that one, but good luck nonetheless!

And stay tuned for a very special set of blog posts, March 5th - April 20th, as the Maze features the work of other talented authors participating in the 2014 Eggcerpt Exchange. So far, the Maze will be hosting:

3/5/14: A Bloody Good Cruise (paranormal/vampire romance) by Diana Rubino

3/9/14: Happy Birthday Baby (M/F romance 18+) by Tory Richards, with a Rafflecopter giveaway

3/10/14: Dark Velvet (New Adult Paranormal romance 18+) by Lisa Carlisle

3/12/14: Lady Elinor's Escape (Sweet Regency romance) by Linda McLaughlin

3/17/14: It is Time and Other Stories (romance anthology 18+) by Anna Bayes

3/19/14: Dark Hunter (paranormal/vampire romance) by Shannan Albright

3/24/14: In Too Deep (contemporary romance) by Anita Philmar

3/30/14: Love Remains (paranormal romance) by Zrinka Jelic

4/5/14: The Bruised Thistle (historical romance) by Ashley York

4/8/14: Summer's Growth (contemporary romance) by Tina Gayle

4/13/14: Jixit (paranormal romance) by Jude Liebermann

4/17/14: Sink or Swim (romantic suspense) by Stacy Juba

4/18/14: Love is a Rose (Christian devotional) by Pamela Thibodeaux

I'm very excited about this mix of offerings, and I hope you will be too!

On my own publishing front, I will be working hard this month to prepare two new novels to release in April: King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court (sequel to Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, featuring time travel with romantic elements through the eyes of Queen Morgan le Fay in the late 21st century) and Snow in July (historical paranormal romance set just after the Norman conquest of England). Bloggers, I do have galley e-copies of both books I can send you if you would like to help generate buzz for these exciting new works! Leave a comment on this post if you are interested.

Thanks, Happy Saint Patrick's Day, and have a wonderful and productive month!

BOOK REVIEW: Chocolate for a Woman's Blessings by Kay Allenbaugh

What's made of chocolate but contains neither sugar nor fat, and doesn't engender guilt by its consumption? Chocolate for a Woman's Blessings, the latest tasty offering in the series of "Chocolate" anthologies confected by Kay Allenbaugh.
 
Reminiscent of the "Chicken Soup" series, Chocolate for a Woman's Blessings presents 77 real-life snapshots with a twist: every contributing author is female, and their stories illuminate issues vital to women's lives. Relationships with parents, men and children; coping with illness, rejection, grief and loss; honoring traditions and cultivating new ones -- these represent but a smattering of themes.

Organized into categories such as "Turning Up Your Light," "Our Favorite Furry Ones" and "Dancing With Angels," the anecdotes present an array as diverse as a Whitman's Sampler. Some made me laugh until my sides ached. Others sent me dashing for the tissues. A few left me feeling ambivalent, though I suspect that happened because I never experienced those situations (divorce, for example), rather than any perceived lack of merit in the stories themselves.

Therein lies the power of the "Chocolate" series or, for that matter, any written work that evokes intimate kinship with the reader. Through depictions of the most devastating tragedies and soaring triumphs -- and events at many levels in between -- Chocolate for a Woman's Blessings reinforces the message that we are not alone. Other women bearing similar burdens survived, perhaps suffering bruised bodies, frayed emotions and tattered spirits in the process. In Chocolate for a Woman's Blessings, they emerge to share their hard-won lessons. Only one word describes the level of encouragement this book offers: priceless.

Daughter, wife, mother or sister -- you cannot err by indulging yourself in this type of "chocolate." And, men, trust me when I tell you it makes the perfect gift for the special woman in your life. It provides emotional satisfaction, it won't cause her to bewail her post-holiday figure -- and I guarantee you'll earn major sensitivity points.

"Chocolate" doesn't get any better than this.

(Originally published in Crescent Blues. Reprinted with permission.)