A Few Updates and... a HUGE GIVEAWAY!

Hello friends! For those interested in the awesome giveaway, scroll down. For those looking for a bit of an update on the happenings in my life, here you go :)

Writing: Book 3 is still coming along slowly (I'm doing a lot more brainstorming than actual writing). I'm loving the ideas I'm brewing though! I have about 60,000 words out of the approximately 80,000 words I'm aiming for. 

Foreign Book Releases: I'm still waiting on the Chinese translation of Oppression & Uprising to come out, but the French version of Oppression was released by AdA in Canada recently (Woohooo!). It feels really great to know my books are being sold in different languages. The exciting thing about the Canada release was that I got an email from the publisher directly asking about the 3rd book! They said they are really excited about my series. Needless to say I did some good writing that day :)

Baby World: My awesome little guy is almost 14 months already! He's so much fun and makes me laugh every day. Still no hair...but I was bald until I was two, so there's that.

What have all you blogger friends been up to?

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Welcome to the Pot of Gold Giveaway

hosted by Darkly Delicious YA and Book Nerd Tours .

Three winners will receive
AMAZON GIFT CARDS!

But in addition....

One Very Lucky Leprechaun 

will receive a

KINDLE FIRE HD

pre-loaded 

with great YA & NA books!  

Click on the covers to get to know the authors 
that are participating in the giveaway 
and learn more about their books!

                                                                             

The Rafflecopter is a wee long, but worth it! 

May the Luck of the Irish be with you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you goes out to all the authors and bloggers who helped make this event possible! The authors at Darkly Delicious YA couldn't have pulled this off without our amazing co-host, Book Nerd Tours, and everyone's wonderful support. 

"LUCK MAITH" to you all!

Challenging Destiny Cover Reveal

Congrats to author friend Cherie Colyer on the cover reveal for her new upcoming novel!! :)

CHALLENGING DESTINY

Coming spring 2014 from the Wild Rose Press, Black Rose Imprint

Being Chosen is a terrible thing when there's no one you can trust

Synposis:
Logan Ragsdale and his younger sister, Ariana, have been marked, chosen to be unwilling participants in a war between angels and demons. Logan can sense something's not quite right. Like an unexpected chill on a summer's day, he can feel the unseen closing in. He's had these feelings before and, each time, someone close to him died. He's afraid this time it might just be Ariana. Logan's fears are soon confirmed when he discovers their new friends aren't human, but rather representatives from Heaven and Hell sent to Earth to ensure he and Ariana accept their roles in an ancient prophecy. Demons want Logan to open the gates of Hell. Ariana has the power to stop them, but if she chooses to side with Heaven to spare the lives of thousands of innocent people, she'll damn her brother for eternity. Together, they must derail the biblical event if they hope to save themselves and the future of mankind...but what price are they willing to pay to keep the other safe?

Follow Cherie to get the latest updates on this exciting new title!

Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

Divergent Movie Countdown!

Wooo! The Divergent movie is out next month. Crazy, right?! That went by so super fast. I have mixed feelings about it. I really enjoyed the book (as most did) and I'm excited they are making a movie. BUT...I can't help but feel a little nervous it won't live up to my expectations. Almost all YA book-movies have left me feeling unsatisfied. Obviously the book is always better, so why do I keep hoping I'll get something new and awesome from these movies? I don't know. The Harry Potter people nailed it. Catching Fire was surprisingly edge-of-my-seat good. I hope this is one of the good ones and not a Twilight flop. 

Attention authors: Signup to participate in the Pot of Gold Giveaway

To celebrate our new blog, the authors at Darkly Delicious YAalong with Book Nerd Tours are hosting a huge giveaway, and we’re looking for authors of Young Adult and New Adult (provided there are no graphic sex scenes) to submit their books for the giveaway.


The grand prize will be a Kindle Fire HD loaded with all our books. 


Giveaway will start on March 1^st and run through March 17^th. 

 
The cost to join is $6. All money collected will be used for this giveaway.  If we happen to collect more than enough to cover the cost of the Kindle, we will purchase a smaller, second prize as well. We’ll use Rafflecopter for the giveaway. The form will be somewhat long because we will include ways to follow all authors who participate, but the payout will be well worth the time it takes for others to enter. Lucky you!

Who has already signed up?

Cherie Colyer

Kym Brunner

Kristi Helvig

Carol Oates

Kate Evangelista

Dorothy Dreyer

Katie O'Sullivan

Kelly Hashway

Shawna Romkey

Heather L Reid

Lisa M. Basso

Margo Kelly

L.V. Pires

Kelsey Ketch

A. Lynden Rolland

A.G. Henley

Jessica Hawke

L.S. Murphy
Sharon Bayliss
Jen McConnel
C.R. Everett 

Jessica Therrien 

Want to join us? Great! Just fill out the form below.

My New Passion

When writing is your only passion, it's easy to stay focused. It's easy to get excited and lose yourself in the process of creating a story. Life used to be like that for me. Hours of brainstorming, days in pajamas typing page after page, stringing chapters together with no distraction. As much as I hate to admit it, writing is no longer my biggest priority. I still write, but only if I have time, and as sad as that is for me, it's also the way it should be.

I have a new passion now--my son. He is my life, and I wouldn't have it any other way. He comes first, and although I miss the days of burying myself in my books, the moments with him are worth the sacrifice.

Still...I feel guilty. For not writing faster. For not blogger more. For not marketing my books enough to boost sales. For not Tweeting or Facebooking enough. For not reading as much as I used to. For all of it.

I know you probably haven't noticed or cared, but I have...and for that I'm sorry. In writing this, I've realized I need forgiveness from myself more than anything. I need to remind myself that it's okay if things move slowly. It's okay if life takes me by surprise. It's okay to not write every day if that means being with my son. I'm not perfect, and that's okay too :)

Whhheeew. Good to get that out.

Now off to play chase and scatter the living room with toys.

An Embarrassing Holiday Moment...

Today I'm posting on Darkly Delicious YA. If you're curious just how embarrassing...just click here

Holiday Craziness...

Thanksgiving was awesomesauce. Lots of food. Family. Charades that had me laughing in tears. I can't believe it's almost Christmas already. I've been SO busy. I have zero time these days. I did manage to sneak in to see TWO movies I was anxiously awaiting: City of Bones & Catching Fire.

I was looking forward to City of Bones, hoping the movie would sway my opinion about the book because I REALLY want to like the series. I have no idea why it doesn't float my boat. To each his own I guess. In any case, it still isn't for me, but I'm glad so many others love it :)

Catching Fire kind of blew my socks off. I was not expecting that movie to be as good as the first (as I didn't like the second book as much as the first) BUT it had me so sucked in that I was literally leaning forward in my seat the entire time.

In other news, I've joined a collaborative blog called Darkly Delicious YA. I'm hoping it will force me to be more active in the blogging world. As you can see...I've been sucking it up when it comes to posting :\  Here is a little about the blog:

At Darkly Delicious YA...
We are a collective of traditionally published young adult authors who are passionate about writing suspenseful, intriguing novels for teens and adults. Our works range from contemporary, romance, paranormal, magical realism, or supernatural, but each of our novels feature a darkly delicious storyline that will leave you craving more.

There are 21 authors involved, so I won't feel so pressed to post all the time, but I'll still get to pop in here and there :) It should be fun. I'm looking forward to it. We're all posting a little about the holidays, and on Monday (Dec. 16th) I'll be sharing one of my most embarrassing holiday moments....aaaah!

Here is the link if you want to follow: Darkly Delicious YA

In the meantime, I'll be writing writing writing...for those wondering about my third book, I have about 200 pages written. Getting close!!

What did you think about Catching Fire or City of Bones? Have you had time to go see any movies during this busy holiday season?

THANKSGIVAWAY!!

Welcome to the first annual Thanksgivaway! 

As if there was not enough to celebrate in the next month or two but Book2Buzz and Closed the Cover and friends decided to make it that much more special! 

This giveaway is massive. No make that EPIC! 

Prize? OMG, You're going to scream for joy!

One lucky winner will win a KINDLE FIRE HD pre loaded with over 50 books! SQUEEE!

There are a couple of other awesome prizes for other winners too!

This giveaway took a couple months of planning, and tons of authors and bloggers are involved! I am going to warn ya...the Rafflecopter is crazy long but the payout is ridiculously awesome! 

I want to say "THANK YOU" to all the authors and bloggers involved  because with you guys, Ashley and I could not have pulled this off! 

Take a peek below to your prize, just WAITING for your loving tender touch!!

Here is a list of all the books already loaded on your brand new KINDLE HD, and other awesome prizes available!

Strength by Carrie Butler

Oppression (Children of the Gods #1) by Jessica Therrien

Uprising(Children of the Gods #2) by Jessica Therrien

Wicked Hunger by DelSheree Gladden

A God For All Seasons by Patti Tingen

Moonlight Dancer by Debra Atwood

Following Your Heart by Cheryl Persons

Mixing Business with Pleasure by Cheryl Persons

The Descendant by Samantha McMillian

The Last King of Ireland by Brian Igoe

The Story of Ireland by Brian Igoe

The Story of Napper Tandy by Brian Igoe

Confessions of a Gunfighter by Tell Cotten

Death of a Socialite by Isabel Saenz

Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun

Phantom by Laura DeLuca

The Disappearing Girl by Heather Wood

First Visions by Heather Wood

Broken Faith by Brandy Nacole

Uniquely Unwelcome by Brandy Nacole

Motorcross Me by Cheyanna Young

Not Your Fault by Cheyanna Young

Greta and the Goblin King by Chloe Jacobs

and so much more! 

So, without further ado...Happy Thanksgiving to all and good luck in the THANKSGIVAWAY! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Buzz: Divergent #3 Release

YAY! Allegiant (Divergent #3) was released yesterday...as if you didn't already know that, right? I'm pretty sure it has already become the #1 best-seller on Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Like everyone else, I've been anxiously awaiting book #3. I can't wait to see what happens!

Looking back it is so crazy how far Veronica Roth has come. I remember reading her blog WAY before she was ever published, and now pretty much everyone knows her name. It's kind of inspirational really. I like to remember that everyone who has ever been successful with their work always started out as just some joe-shmo who wanted it just as badly as we all do. You've got to start somewhere...

Anyway. Here is a little about the book and the upcoming movie (if for some reason you've been living under a rock and have no clue what I'm talking about).

One choice will define you. 

What if your whole world was a lie?What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?
The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories. 

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.
Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent. 

SO has anyone read it yet? What did you think?

Catching Fire Countdown!

I have to admit, I haven't been as excited about the Catching Fire movie as I thought I'd be. It will be out in little over a month, and I hardly even noticed the wait. That being said, I have been a little distracted by a crawly little monster who could care less about things he can't teeth on. BUT! After seeing this trailer...I'm super pumped again.

 

It got me thinking...
One of the reasons I may not be as excited about this movie as I was with the first is that I didn't enjoy the second and third books as much as I did the first book (don't get me wrong, I LOVED all three of them).

I think it's really hard for authors to outdo the first book in a series. Even in the movie world, sequels are never better than the original film. As a writer, one of my goals is to be better...tell a better story, in a better way, with better writing. It's hard to do (and I hope I succeeded in writing Uprising). One of the reasons I love Harry Potter so much is because every book just got better and better for me.

What series got better and better for you?

Uncaged by Joe Gazzam

As an author, I get the awesome privilege of reading books before their release (all you book bloggers out there know how fun it is to get your hands on literary gold before anyone else). Right now I'm reading 2 manuscripts, 1 self-pub., writing my third book, indulging in my YA addiction by savoring every page of Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi, and I just finished this ARC...It was awesome, so I thought I'd share :)

Uncaged technically falls under the YA genre as it follows 18-year-old Jason through a scared straight program gone wrong. As we all know, the YA genre is morphing into many things, one of which is the New Adult genre. With New Adult, the older YA lovers get a little more of what they want *cough* super sexay hotness *cough* What's interesting about Uncaged is that it is yet another YA book that steps outside of the traditional mold of YA. It appeals to the older readers, not with sexual tension, but with more detailed action. You can imagine the things that might happen if a prison full of crazy people were "uncaged." For those who aren't reading YA for the hot boys with their shirts off, this book is right up your alley. It is page-turning, intense, action packed, kick-ass-ness all in one. Seriously, my heart was pounding with each page. 

Here is a little more about the novel.

Jason seems destined to screw things up. After capping off a burglary and a bar fight with a car wreck, he quickly finds himself on the wrong side of the law. And since his father's the governor, that means his punishment is about as public as it gets. Jason's thrown into the first Scared Straight program Florida has ever run in their updated, state-of-the-art Blackenbush Penitentiary. Along with a documentary crew led by Sasha, a young woman in way over her head, and a handful of other kids a year and a strike away from jail, Jason comes face to face with his inevitable future on the other side of a heavily guarded prison wall.

But that's just the beginning. The tour has barely begun when one of the inmates makes a move. Before long the entire penitentiary is under siege, surrounded by the feds and overrun with prisoners let loose from their cells. Jason slips away with Sasha in the chaos, but they won't be able to escape without help. And the only thing worse than being stuck in prison, is being stuck in a prison run by the inmates.

If you're interested in interviewing the author or would like to review the book prior to its release on October 22nd, then shoot me an email at therrien.jessica@gmail.com and I will get you in touch with the right people.

What is everyone else reading these days?

Holy Awesome! Divergent Movie Trailer!!

Sweeeeeet. I've been waiting for this :) Haven't we all? I kind of can't believe it is out SO soon...

 

Multi-Tasking Mom

I've never been a routine writer. I just end up psyching myself out whenever I try to force the words to come. The creative monkey in my brain gets all nervous and shuts down. Before baby, I'd write whenever ideas came to me. Now, A.B. (after baby) I can't really pull the little guy out of the bath to jot down a scene. I was going crazy with how slowly it was going.

I called up my friend/critique partner/editor Holly, and we decided we'd start trading chapters every Monday. It has been such a life saver. Just enough peer pressure to get me thinking/writing. I don't sit down at a set time every day, but knowing I have to get her the next chapter by Monday pushes me to make it work when ideas start flowing. Just the other day I was washing dishes, writing, and watching Matthew all at once. Now...I know what you're thinking. Water, electronic devises, and babies don't mix. True. But I had him in the high chair playing. I would wash a few plates. Dry my hands. Type. Type. Type. Then talk a little baby talk. Then do it all again. It was slow, but still awesome.

When Holly and I started, I had the first 3 chapters pretty much complete, but the rest of the manuscript was in a thousand different pieces scattered throughout 80 or so pages. Now I have the first 12 chapters of COTG #3 completely done (in crappy first draft form at least) and I have 130 pages.

Hooray for multi-tasking! Now...if I could just find a way to add a little more blogging to the mix ;) 

How do you handle it all? Anyone out there an expert multi-tasker?

Elyse as you’ve never seen her before…

If you read YA, chances are you’ve come to expect to meet your main character before ever opening the book. The pretty faces of strong heroines stare back at you from the bookshelves. Cover after cover they temp us to turn the page.

The great thing about “face covers” as some call them, is they give readers someone to picture. With each new book, we’re given another look at our leading lady.

…but wouldn’t it be neat if we could see our main characters in a new light? Well, for readers of my series, Children of the Gods, I’ve decided to do just that. On the cover of my books you meet Elyse, my main character.

The model’s name is Rowena Radings. She’s very nice and was kind enough to share some of her portfolio. Here is Elyse as you’ve never seen her before…

Novel Fashion Week!

Hey all! Katrina over at Kindred Dreamheart is in love with two things: fashion & books. She's hosting an awesome event called Novel Fashion week. It's day one of the event today! Check out my post on cover models and see my main character, Elyse, ripping up the runway!

[[Psssst]] There's also a $10 iTunes gift card giveaway. What are you waiting for?! Click HERE to check it out.

The Buzz: Catching Fire Trailer

I'm posting this now so I don't forget :) November 22nd is getting close!! YAAAAY! I'm so excited. It seriously looks SO good.

 

Where have I been?

You all know the answer...I've been living in baby world for the last 6 months. Yes, my little guy is 6 months old already!! Crazy, right? I've come to learn that being a mom leaves little room for much else. Still, I'm managing to write (YAY!). That's about it though. I've become the worlds worst blogger. A Twitter slacker. Not to mention Facebook has become a baby picture share-fest.

Anyway...I'll do my best to keep you all up-to-date with my writing, my life, and little bits of book-related news. Here's a disclaimer though: I'm going to suck at it.

Book buzz update: The Divergent movie is in the works! WOOO! Have you seen the pics??

Writing update: Book 3 is at 33,000 words (108 pages). It's going slower than usual, but it's going.

Life update: I just got back from my 10 year high school reunion & got to visit with my nieces!!! It was SOOO FUN!! Also, little baby Matthew is working on perfecting the art of cuteness. Here are some pictures & a super funny video:

Mark of Nexus Book II Cover Reveal!

Whaaaaaat??! I woke up to find Mark of Nexus Book II has a cover! YAY! I just looooove it. 

What do you think?

Design: Carrie Butler / Photography: Subbotina Anna & Yuri Arcurs

 

Title: COURAGE
Series: Mark of Nexus - Book 2
Author: Carrie Butler
Category: New Adult (NA)
Genre: Paranormal Romance (PNR)
Release: October 15, 2013
Formats: E-Book & Paperback

Note: Courage (Mark of Nexus #2) features four unique points-of-view. While the novel stands alone, it is best enjoyed afterStrength (Mark of Nexus #1).

Book Description: 

Rena Collins never thought she’d long for the past—back when affection from Wallace, her freakishly strong boyfriend, was the most dangerous aspect of her life. But now that the human-altering organization known as ERA has gone on the offensive, nothing is safe. Her bloodline is exposed, her relationships torn apart, and just when it seems like things can’t get any worse, ERA ups the ante. To save mankind from forced evolution, Rena will have to mend her broken ties and form a resistance... hand-in-hand with the one she hurt most.

Book Trailer:

 

Book bloggers may begin requesting e-ARCs via this form. :)

Those who wish to participate in the blog tour, happening October 14th - 26th, may sign up here: 

Click here to visit the official Courage webpage!