Yeah, I'm back. For reals. It's been a crazy summer in the swimming pool industry--my day job. Now that I can breathe again, I'm regrouping. My new schedule is that I'm posting every Monday. If you're having a cover reveal or doing a blog tour, let me know. I'd be glad to host you.
What else have I been doing?
Gardening
I've been gardening. I'm a great Gardner, but not a great gardener. Sometimes, it just doesn't go as planned. But I have the sweetest hubster. I really do. When my garden doesn't do well (it happens a lot, LOL), he always says the soil is bad. I love him to bits!
I do love gardening, though. Little heads popping out of the ground after a seed is planted. Then it grows into something really awesome. It's a miracle. God really knew what he was doing when he invented gardening. But I get so anxious to plant and nearly always plant too soon. I planted my sunflowers and pumpkins on April 1st. No joke. And now my garden is done and harvested. My pumpkins are 90 days premature. I'm hoping if I don't cut into them that they'll last until Halloween.
But look how lovely!
News
I got a lot done when I wasn't blogging! My Afterlife novella series has been completed and sent off to critique partners. Now I'm waiting patiently (not!) for feedback so that I can complete my edits and publish. If you have space on your blog for cover reveals and releases and want to help, please leave a comment or email me at gwenmgardner@cox.net. If you're looking for something specific, like blurb/excerpt, character based post, interview or want an arc for review, let me know. Here's the schedule:
Book I cover reveal 9/8
Book I release 9/22
Book II cover reveal 9/29
Book II release 10/6
Book III cover reveal 10/13
Book III release 10/20
Cover Reveal and Freebie
So, this is a combined cover reveal and freebie. Isn't it awesomesauce? Corona Zschusschen is a wonderful illustrator. She's done all my covers. So if you're in need, check out her website!
I published my A-Z: The Paranormal Case Files of Indigo Eady. It's from the 2013 A-Z Blogging Challenge. I figured since my main character hosted, and she shared some of the stories from my books, that I'd give readers a free taste of what was to come.
At least, I'm trying to make it free. It's live on both Smashwords and Amazon. Smashwords lets me give it away free, but not Amazon. Amazon will only let me go as low as .99 cents. But they do price matching. In other words, if you tell them you saw it cheaper somewhere else, they'll match the price - at their discretion. What you do is go to the Amazon page and scroll down to Product Details to the link that says "tell us about a lower price." Then you enter 0.00 and paste in the Smashwords link.
If you want to help me make it free on Amazon:
Go to
this Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Paranormal-Case-Files-Indigo-Eady-ebook/dp/B00LYYSCWY
And
paste in this Smashword link under “tell us about a lower price.”: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/459629
Easy peasy, right?
Untethered Realms
Here's another cover reveal for an Untethered Realms author, Graeme Ing, available August 23, 2014. It's pretty darn cool!
A primeval fiend is loose
in the ancient metropolis of Malkandrah, intent on burning it to a wasteland.
The city's leaders stand idly by and the sorcerers that once protected the
people are long gone.
Maldren, a young
necromancer, is the only person brave enough to stand against the creature.
Instead of help from the Masters of his Guild, he is given a new apprentice.
Why now, and why a girl? As they unravel the clues to defeating the fiend, they
discover a secret society holding the future of the city in its grip. After
betrayals and attempts on his life, Maldren has reason to suspect everyone he
thought a friend, even the girl.
His last hope lies in an
alliance with a depraved and murderous ghost, but how can he trust it? Its
sinister past is intertwined in the lives of everyone he holds dear.
Can only evil defeat evil?
***
Our group of authors always has something interesting to say. We post every Tuesday, so if you want to stop by, go HERE. I'll be there tomorrow talking about what's on my nightstand. My tastes are pretty eclectic, as I think most writers are.
Do you like gardening?
What have you been up to?
Enjoying your summer?
I don't have a green thumb at all, but would love to garden. I'll put that on my bucket list.
ReplyDeleteI'll help out with promoting. No problem.
Miranda, I do so love gardening. I wish I had more time. And I definitely do recommend it. Thanks for offering to help promote my books! I'll be in touch :)
DeleteCongratulations on the book, Gwen! And be happy to help you announce your upcoming series.
ReplyDeleteHope your pumpkins last. Funny joke about not being a good gardener.
Thanks, Alex. We can always count on you :)
DeleteYou're a bit early with pumpkins but they might keep for a couple more months if you keep them cool and dry. They look gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI'm doing my best to coddle them until Halloween, Maria. I'll bet you never made that mistake!
DeleteI'm not a good gardener at all. I lose interest, fail to weed, and let my garden grow wild and go to seed. For the past couple years, I haven't even bothered to try planting one. This year, I saw some herbs when I was buying annual flowers to plant, and I thought -- hey, why not at least try a herb garden. Right now I have mint and basil monster plants infested with wasps. Yeah, good intentions get me nowhere.
ReplyDeleteOh my, I definitely don't want wasps. I had bees out there pollinating, though. One tried to attack me when I was watering! I'm sure the neighbors thought I was a crazy lady the way I was freaking out. LOL. Sometimes I get lazy about watering, too. But the rewards are phenomenal!
DeleteI am a very good gardener. Too good. I have fresh veggies overflowing my frig and am giving them away to the neighbors. Getting some writing done but mostly doing a lot of reading this summer.
ReplyDeleteOh Susan, I wish I had that problem! I'm so jealous.
DeleteLove the cover reveal and congrats on your book. Your pumpkins look great! so do your sunflowers:) I am the kiss of death when it comes to plants. My husband refuses for me to even touch his plants. I say "His" as he says my fingers can turn anything black. My summer has been unhealthy-I got the shingles and am recuperating but I am much better(except for the pain still-ughhh)
ReplyDeleteBirgit, HaHa! That's too funny about the "black thumb." Your hubster might have a point. LOL.
DeleteShingles?! Oh no! I hope you're feeling better.
Congrats Gwen! I really like hearing what you've been up to. Glad you're back to blogging. I posted as well today about my garden, so pop over if you get a chance. I love the cover reveals, thanks for sharing. So intrigued to see how you transformed your 2013 posts into A-Z: The Paranormal Case Files of Indigo Eady. I will be sure to check that out ASAP. Do you know about the shewrites.com group called From Blogs to Books?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stephanie. I will pop on over to check out your garden!
ReplyDeleteI hate gardening, but only b/c it's way too hot in SW Florida for that. Love your pumpkins though . . . so funny they came early! Unfortunately, my summer is over. School started yesterday, but I had lots of fun travels the last 2 months so I can't complain :-)
ReplyDeleteWow, those sunflowers are gorgeous! Those pumpkins look pretty great, too! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd how exciting about your novella series! You definitely seem to know how to utilize your time while away from the blogosphere. Wish I could be that productive!
Hit up Amazon about the lower price. I stink at any type of gardening. All my dead indoor plants would say so. Although the last one my cat ate. So it wasn't entirely my fault.
ReplyDeleteI'm not good with gardening, but with the size and prettiness of those pumpkins, I think you're a better gardener than you give yourself credit.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the upcoming novellas!