Midwinter's Eve Blog Hop!

*hosted by the incredible I Am a Reader, Not a Writer*

Welcome to the world of Megg Jensen! I'm a YA fantasy novelist with two trilogies and a short story. They're all intertwined, but you can read the two trilogies separately if you want. ;)

Think the romance of Twilight crossed with the fantasy world of Game of Thrones and you've got my series - The Song of Eloh Saga.

This giveaway is kind of epic. I'm teaming up with Karly Kirkpatrick (who is also on this blog hop). Together we're giving away a $200 Amazon.com gift card which is enough to buy yourself a Kindle or a boatload of books!

I'm also giving away five (5) sets of ebook cards. The winners will receive two signed ebook cards, each of which contain a download code for three ebooks.

Karly is giving away five (5) sets of her Into the Shadows Trilogy.

Awesome, right?!

If you don't win here, you're in luck because the third book in my series, Oubliette, is on sale for 99 cents this week (down from $2.99) on Amazon!!!

Enter to win in the Rafflecopter below. Remember, Karly & I are doing this together with the same Rafflectopter form, so you can't enter double the times. lol

Good luck!!!!


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The Next Big Thing

I was tagged by Susan Kaye Quinn to participate in The Next Big Thing. It's a series of questions that I'm supposed to answer, then I direct you to five of my favorite authors. I don't know who started it, or why, lol, but hey, why not?

So here goes!!!!

What is the title of your next book?

Well, I haven't announced that yet, but thanks for asking, Mystery-Person-Who-Started-This-Chain.

All I can say is that the title is hidden. You'll know what that means soon enough.

There's only one person that knows, and that's my cover designer Steven Novak. But he isn't telling because he knows I'd kick his arse if he did. ;)

Where did the idea come from for the book?

Well, crud, I wasn't ready to discuss that either. There was a day, not so long ago, when something happened. Something creepy, but ultimately cool. That's when I got the idea. You know, for the book whose title is hidden.

What genre does your book fall under?

Ah ha! A question I CAN answer. YA Fantasy. It's going to be another high fantasy like my other books. But it's not related to the world of the Song of Eloh Saga at all. Totally new. Completely different.

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

Gah. Another hard question. There will be a main character girl. And a supporting cast of characters both male and female. Possibly some animals. Maybe an owl or a dragon. Maybe something you've never heard of. I can tell you that I do not, under any circumstances, want Justin Bieber playing any roles in my movie.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Self-published. Why? I like getting a 70% royalty. If someone out there wants to offer me BIG MONEY from a traditional publisher, I'd rethink things. But, yeah, for now, I'm just little old me, self-publishing my little books (which are *this close* to hitting the 50,000 sold mark).

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I really hate comparing my books to others. Let's just say that some of my favorite fantasy writers are Alison Goodman, Terry Goodkind, and Robert Jordan.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I live in a constant state of inspiration. I get new story ideas every day. It's mentally tiring, really. But for this story, it was that incident I didn't tell you about above. And this question is not going to trick me into telling you what I didn't tell you before!

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

This?

Now it's my turn to torture, I mean tag, five other writers. They're awesome. Visit them all! I don't know when/if they'll participate, but I have much <3 for them so you should visit them no matter what.

Angela Carlie
Karly Kirkpatrick
Kristina Springer
Matthew Merrick
Dennis Sharpe


  

Write Like No One is Reading

This is cross-posted and originally appeared on my group blog, Author2Author.

My newest series (under my other pen name, Isobel Lucas) isn't doing so well. I have deadlines to pub a new installment every two weeks, and now that I see sales are practically non-existent, it was hard for me to convince myself to keep writing.

Yes, I love writing for the sake of writing, but I also have this pesky left brain that tells me to manage my time in a way that will encourage a steady income. Spending time writing books for a series that isn't selling is not a good use of my time/income ratio.

There's also the other side of me (how many freaking sides do I have?) that won't give up. I'm like a puppy chasing after a big dog. I. Will. Not. Stop. Not until I've accomplished my goal. Since I promised readers a new short every two weeks, I have to give it to them - even if there's only a few out there that are interested.

So I sat down with my iPad. I stared at it for a while. I played on Facebook. Started some new Song Pop challenges. You know, productive writing things. Then I sighed and wrote some really bad words. Really, really bad ones. Words I knew wouldn't make it past editing.

Then I turned off my iPad.

When we are unpublished, writing is a joy. We have only dreams for our babies. After publication, our babies are clothed in stress and deadlines and bad reviews and rejection and poor sales. Writing loses the joy because in the back of your mind, there's always that nagging voice, "People will hate this. People won't buy this. People won't read this. Why waste your time? Write something more commercial. Stop following your muse."

I did the only thing I could. I ignored that voice in my head and I sat down to write whatever the hell I wanted. I didn't worry about everyone else, and instead I wrote for ME. And guess what? I love what I wrote. I really do. I kind of giggle when I read it because it's soooo me.

I just uploaded that ebook last night. I have no clue what people will think when they read it. Besides, there are three novelettes that come before that one. I know how sales work - the most sales are on the first book and there's always a decline after that. People drop out for whatever reason. I just hope the ones who stuck with it enjoy the ride, because Infliction is a lot of fun. ;)

Megg, Miss Enchanted ePubber

BIG Holiday Sale!!!!

Hey everyone! If you're still looking for a gift for a friend (or yourself), I've got a little deal for you on my paperbacks and ebooks!

Interested in paperbacks? (Anathema, Oubliette, or Severed)
(sorry, but this deal is only available for U.S. residents due to shipping costs and shipping times)

3 books, signed, gift wrapped, shipped - $35 (a $45 value)

2 books, signed, gift wrapped, shipped - $25 (a $35 value)

1 book, signed, gift wrapped, shipped - $15 (a $25 value)

Good until supplies run out or December 15th

Number of Paperbacks

One Paperback $15.00 USD Two Paperbacks $25.00 USD Three Paperbacks $35.00 USD

Which Paperbacks?

Interested in ebooks? (Cloud Prophet Trilogy: Anathema, Oubliette, Severed or The Swarm Trilogy: Sleepers, Afterlife, The Sundering) Available internationally!

(My ebook cards each contain 3 full novels per card. Each card has a unique download code from Greenerside Digital - compatible with any ereader or computer.)

2 ebook cards, signed, gift wrapped, shipped - $10 (a $15 value)

1 ebook card, signed, gift wrapped, shipped - $6 (an $11 value)

Good until supplies run out or December 15th - international orders cannot be guaranteed before December 25th.

Number of eBook Cards

One eBook Card $6.00 USD Two eBook Cards $10.00 USD

Which eBook Cards?

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!!!!

XoXo,

Megg

Fall into Fantasy Blog Hop

Welcome to my blog!!! I'm Megg, the author of six fantasy novels and a short story. When people ask me what my books are about, I tell them, "The romance of Twilight crossed with a fantasy world similar to Game of Thrones."

I'm giving away three of my ebooks on the hop - your choice of a single novel (not the saga - sorry)! If you're not familiar with my work, you can find a list of them here. My short story, The Initiate, and my first novel, Anathema are free on all sales outlets. Also, one lucky winner will get a $10 Amazon.com gift card too!

My contest is open internationally.

Thanks for stopping by, enjoy the hop. Good luck!!!!

~Megg
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The Sundering's Blog Tour!!!!

Just a couple of short weeks ago, I released The Sundering out into the world!!!! Now she's about to take a little trip around the blogosphere. You should join her, too, because it helps you get more chances to win some pretty awesome prizes!

Prizes are:

A medieval prize pack:

• A hand-stitched pillow made from a tapestry fragment. I actually watched the owner of RavenStone Castle put it together!
• A handmade pouch from Idiorhythmic Designs. The owner, Raechel, lives in my town so I was able to select the perfect bag (and if you read The Sundering, you know why this bag is important).
• A set of postcards and a bookmark from Mystic Moon Media.

A copy of the entire Song of Eloh Saga in your choice of ebook format (contains: The Initiate, Anathema, Oubliette, Severed, Sleepers, Afterlife, The Sundering)

A $25 gift card to Amazon

Visit each blog on the tour for your chance to win these great prizes!!!! You can also enter on the Rafflecopter form below. Thanks for following me and good luck!

Tour Stops:

9/24 - A Soul Unsung
9/25 - Confessions from Romaholics
9/27 - Leeanna.Me
9/29 - The Busy Bibliophile
9/30 - Lose Time Reading
10/1 - A Book and a Latte
10/2 - Books for YA
10/3 - Lizzy's Dark Fiction
10/4 - Librarian Mouse
10/5 - Compelled by Words
10/6 - Once Upon a Time
10/8 - Obsession with Books
10/9 - Imaginary Reads
10/10 - Contagious Reads
10/11 - I'm a Book Shark
10/12 - Mama Knows Best
10/13 - Nette's Bookshelf Reviews
10/14 - Reader Girls
10/15 - Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
10/16 - Breathe in Books
10/17 - Fade into Fantasy


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Introducing Isobel Lucas!!!

What's a girl to do when she has another epic storyline in her brain, but it's totally different than the series she already released?

Give birth to a new pen name, of course!!!!

I want everyone to meet Isobel Lucas, my evil twin sister. ;)

Isobel's books are modern paranormal. They feature 18-year-old high school seniors who are caught up in something no one expects. The end of the world is coming in December, right? Well, for these kids, it's not a myth, it's reality.

Would I recommend Isobel's books to my current readers? Only if you like horny teens, bad language, and a touch of religious satire as they're hurtled toward Armageddon.

If it sounds like something you'd like, then check out Isobel. You'll find her on Facebook and on her blog.

Want to help me spread the word and enter to win something in the meantime? Check out the Rafflecopter widget below.

Thanks, and I look forward to seeing you in Isobel's world!


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Don't Buy My Books on iTunes

***UPDATE***

...just hours after I wrote this post, iTunes took down the offending Smashwords ebooks. lol. Coincidence? Maybe.... Anyway, if you were one of the customers who received a faulty ebook of Severed from iTunes, read on...

Soooo....something's totally screwy with Smashwords and iTunes. My books aren't even supposed to be on iTunes right now and I've struggled for weeks to get them down. Smashwords isn't responding to my queries, which doesn't help at all.

Somehow Severed got messed up on iTunes (which I can't figure out how it happened, but something's not right the with the interior files). People are asking for refunds in the review section, which I would happily authorize - if anyone in power would respond to my pleas for help.

So, for now, don't buy my books on iTunes. I'm trying to sever my iTunes distribution through Smashwords. Once that happens, I will be able to control everything on my own as a qualified distributor directly through iTunes.

No one ever said self-publishing wasn't filled with minefields. But hey, I'm working my butt off to get the problems fixed.

Anyone buy a copy of Severed on iTunes and receive the wrong product?

Drop me an email: meggjensen@gmail.com - I'll work with you to solve it.

Feed Your Reader Blog Hop!

If you're new to my blog, WELCOME! :D

If you're not, WELCOME BACK! :D

Thanks for stopping by my blog during I Am a Reader, Not a Writer's "Feed Your Reader" Blog Hop!

In case you're not familiar with me, I'm a young adult fantasy author. I have this wicked series - The Song of Eloh Saga. It's comprised of a novelette (The Initiate) and two trilogies (Cloud Prophet Trilogy - Anathema, Oubliette, Severed & The Swarm Trilogy - Sleepers, Afterlife, The Sundering).

The Sundering will be available everywhere as an ebook after Labor Day, so if you're new to my series, you could start with The Initiate and Anathema as your prizes, or if you're not new, you can ask for whichever two ebooks (single ebooks - trilogy bundles and saga bundle not eligible) you need to read next - including The Sundering!!!!

Let's say you've already read the first six ebooks - no problem, you can request The Sundering for you and a friend. I'm cool with that. Just enter below in the Rafflecopter form. Good luck!!!

Wait a sec...there's MORE! Let's say you're really interested in my series, Hell Bent/Heaven Sent, under my new pen name, Isobel Lucas. Yes, you can even ask for two of those books. The first one releases in October.

...and if you DON'T win, all of my novels are on sale for 99 cents through Labor Day. Check it out...

Want a chance to win MORE ebooks? Follow the list below my Rafflecopter form to go to other great websites on the blog hop!

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FEED YOUR READER!
 

What's Coming Next?

I think everyone knows that my next release is The Sundering. It's not the only new ebook, though.






 





For people new to Sleepers, Afterlife, and The Sundering (The Swarm Trilogy), I'll have an ebook combo edition. Check out the cover (and send some love to my amazing cover artist Steven Novak).

For readers who've come to my books recently, there will be one ebook to rule them all. I mean, haha, one epic ebook that contains all seven of my ebooks: The Initiate, Anathema, Oubliette, Severed, Sleepers, Afterlife, The Sundering. As those of you who've read carefully know, all the books are connected! I've  named the entire set The Song of Eloh Saga. The trilogies still remain as they are. They can still be read independently, but I've said many times that reading all seven in order makes for a more satisfying experience. Once again, a new cover by my new best friend Steven Novak.


....and after these three hits the e-stores? Well, I have something really interesting on my mind. I'm not sure when it will be out, but I do have a cover made up already. I'll release it ... not sure when ... but it will be sooner, rather than later. ;)

My kids are going back to school in just a few weeks, which means my productivity will increase exponentially. It will be the first year both of them are in school all day, every day. I have big expectations for my writing output and I can't wait to share more of my stories with you!!!! :D

Name a Character & Win!!!

Yep, it's that time again! I'm almost done with The Sundering, but I have one character who still doesn't have a name. This is becoming a bad habit for me, but a good thing for you. Why?

Because it means prizes! ;)

The Character:

A young girl, around the age of 8. She's blonde and sweet, but doesn't speak. She's a bit of mystery.

Rules:

Comment below with your picks for the character's name. Only three (3) suggestions per person!

If you don't have a registered Blogger account, please leave a way for me to contact you!!!!

Remember - I write epic fantasy. A name like Jane isn't likely to make the cut. Jayne, however, might.

What You Win:

(1) My undying thanks in the form of a mention in the acknowledgements in The Sundering.
(2) Ten bookmarks of The Swarm Trilogy to do with as you please.
(3) An eARC of The Sundering...to be delivered sometime before September 25th. Most likely, much earlier.

I will choose the name I like best by August 3rd and notify the winner!

Thanks and GOOD LUCK!!!!

Want to be one of the first to know The Sundering has released? Then sign up for my newsletter here.

The contest will run now through August 3rd, midnight CST. Please leave a way for me to contact you!!!! Must be older than 15 to enter, must have parent's permission to accept prize if you are younger than 18.

Megg's Big Freebie Bash!!!!

Source

I want to give you a bunch of free stuff to celebrate my new covers. Is that okay? ;)

<cue cheering>


First, I'm running a contest on Wattpad. You should totally go there and enter it. Like, right now. Just don't forget to come back here.

Okay. Did you go to Wattpad? DID YOU?!

Good.

So you know you can win one of five ebook cards there, which is awesome. You've also got my address if you want some signed bookmarks. Even more awesome.

What can you get here? Well, first I'm going to list a whole bunch of free ebooks from me and my friends. YAY! All of these links will go to Amazon. It's possible the books are free on other venues (Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Kobo, etc), so if you don't have a Kindle, please check the other websites!!!!! I would list them all but then this blog post would be a million miles long.

Then I'm going to give away three (3) $10 Amazon.com gift cards. This part is only open to the US, I'm sorry to say. I can't give gift cards to someone in another country, which totally sucks. :(

You can enter to win the gift cards in the Rafflecopter do-dah below.

Free ebooks*:

Anathema by Megg Jensen
Sleepers by Megg Jensen
Into the Shadows by Karly Kirkpatrick
Loramendi's Story by Angela Carlie
Exiled by RaShelle Workman
How to Date an Alien by Magan Vernon
Mind Games by Susan Kaye Quinn
The Almost Assassin by Laura Pauling
In His Eyes by Indelibles
Clockwise by Elle Strauss
Beautiful Demons by Sarra Cannon
Running Wide Open by Lisa Nowak
Born of Fire by Heather McCorkle
Glimpse by Stacey Wallace Benefiel
Day of Sacrifice by S.W. Benefiel
Watched by Cindy Hogan
Soulkeepers by GP Ching
Bound by CK Bryant

*(prices subject to change at ANY time - please check the price before you buy) 

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New Covers!!!!!

Click here to enter to win Shari Brady's new book!!!!!

I'm the girl who gets bored and re-arranges the furniture. Or paints a room that doesn't need painting. Or organizes my closet just because.

But please don't think I took getting new covers for the Cloud Prophet Trilogy lightly. I didn't. I've been agonizing over this for weeks now, wondering what direction to go with them - or wondering if I should just leave them alone.

My problem is that while I can create entire worlds in my head, I'm terrible, awful, horrible at thinking up covers on my own. I can look at one that's already made and say, "Oooooh, pretty," but ask me to come up with a concept and my mouth will drop open. Drool will leak out. My eyes will go blank. It's not pleasant.

When I saw my friend RaShelle Workman's beautiful covers, I knew I needed to contact her artist - particularly when RaShelle told me the artist would hold my hand through the process. All I needed to do was tell him about the books and he would come up with the concept all on his own.

Enter Steven Novak, illustrator extraordinaire. He was everything RaShelle said he would be - and more. Within 48 hours, I had brand new covers for the entire trilogy and the trilogy combo edition. You can't imagine how excited I am.

Now I know there are people out there who love the original covers. I love them too. I still do! I just felt it was time for a change. I like change - I'm not afraid of it. For now, Robin Ludwig's designs will still grace my paperbacks.

Without further ado, here are the new ebook covers. I hope you love them as much as I do!!!!

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INDIEpendence Day: An Interview, an Author, and a Magic 8 Ball: Shari Brady

Read through for a giveaway at the end!!!!

It's been a long time since I've done an interview in this series. The Indelibles are celebrating INDIEpendence Day by giving over our blogs to deserving indie authors. Today I'm featuring the incomparable Shari Brady.


MJ: Tell me a bit about your novel, Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye, in your own words - not the official synopsis.

SB: Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye is a story about how Carmella D'Agostino struggles with her grief and guilt after losing her older sister to addiction, and the steps she takes to overcome her fears and find the courage to love again.

MJ: Did you pants or plot while writing your first draft?

SB:  plotted and improvised.

MJ: What’s your next release going to be?

SB: All the World's A Stage is a humorous novel about Gabrielle, an aspiring actress and expert Tarot card reader whose life is perfect and going right along as planned. But when her mother is injured in a car accident, and her best friend's ex-boyfriend flirts with her, Gabi's neat and tidy life begins to unravel.  Release date:  March 2013.

MJ: Now for the fun stuff! If you were trapped on a deserted island and you could only bring three books, what would you bring?

SB: The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Stephen King's On Writing.

MJ: Who is your celebrity crush?

SB: That's easy.  Phillip Phillips :)

MJ: What is your favorite color?

SB: Red

MJ: What do you wear when you write?

SB: Sweats, a t-shirt and one of my favorite fleece zip up sweatshirts in the winter, drawstring shorts and t-shirt in the summer. (I have to be comfy at my desk)

MJ: What’s your favorite vacation spot?

SB: Isle of Palms, South Carolina (near Charleston).

MJ: Now, I need YOU to ask ME a question about absolutely anything under the sun. It has to be a yes or no question and will be answered by my  10-year-old’s all-knowing Magic 8 Ball! The question can be serious or silly - it’s up to you.

SB: Do you believe in pet psychics?

M8B: It is decidedly so.

MJ: Funny, I didn't even know that was one of the replies my Magic 8 Ball could make. Verrry interesting. Of course it doesn't surprise me that M8B believes in pet psychics, since, after all, M8B is psychic too.

Thank you so much, Shari, for stopping by my blog today! I'm reading Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye right now and LOVING it. :D

Check out the rest of the featured authors below, but first, enter the contest to win one of two ecopies of Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye.


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Interviews: 

Disappearing Act

I've had a difficult time, professionally, the past two weeks. There were some developments that made me seriously consider turning my back on my career. I don't think their exact nature is important, because what's damaging to one person would make another shrug their shoulders and walk away.


After multiple distressing things happened, I broke down and had a long cry. My husband reminded me that writing was never about publishing for me. I wrote because I needed an outlet. I'm an emotional person. I feel things very deeply. I'm not clinically depressed, but I've had my moments where I thought I might be able to understand what those who live with depression feel. I'd venture to say we've all had those moments.

Most of you know this (it's not a secret), but Megg Jensen is a pen name. I could so easily walk away from this career and never turn back. Few people would even know. Heck, most people in my real life don't know what I do. Those who do often treat it as a joke - like "give the cute little girl a pat on her head for writing a cute little story."

It would only take a few keystrokes and "Megg" would be gone.

In the last two weeks I've had to deal with some major shit. It's not even anything that will affect my sales or really anything that most of you have heard. It's behind-the-scenes junk that life occasionally doles out.

Yet it has made me doubt myself. Doubt my writing. Doubt my decision to self-publish. Doubt every single publishing decision I've made since December 2010.

On the other end of this doubt is a pinhole with a tiny light shining through it. That light is my imagination. No matter what anyone lobs at me, they can't break my imagination. It's always there, winking at me, telling me stories, forcing the most ridiculous ideas into my head. I know that my desire to spin a story will always be there. It's the one constant in my life.

Since the beginning of time, humans have told stories. Whether whispered over a campfire, glyphs drawn on the walls of caves, or a brilliantly illuminated medieval manuscript, one thing holds true - our lives are beautifully enhanced by narrative. I just happened to be one of those souls driven to share mine.

So whether people want to hurt me so bad that they hope "Megg" might disappear or be ashamed of self-publishing, I have to remember that little light at the end of the tunnel. It's not about the end of the race, it's about the experiences we have along the way. Life will not always be easy. People will not always be kind. Life will never be perfect and complete.

I just have to be the truest version of myself. <3

Self-Publishing, The Hunger Games, and Selling Out

(Cross-posted from my Author2Author blog post)

What do self-publishing, The Hunger Games, and selling out have in common? A lot more than you might think.

I fully admit it - two years I ago I would have told you self-publishing was for failures (or small churches and historical groups looking to publish their own histories for a limited audience). I would have rolled my eyes and told you that I would never, ever consider self-publishing because traditional publishing was all that mattered.

2012 Megg would like to tell mid-2010 Megg, "You're a sheltered, close-minded idiot."

Self-publishing is a different beast than it was ten years ago. With costs at practically nothing, anyone can slap anything they want up on the web. But here's the kicker:

Those of us that want to succeed will work our asses off to make sure our product is the best we can make it. We will work hard to promote ourselves. We will recognize writing and publishing as two separate businesses, leaving the emotion for the first draft and implementing the business sense on the publishing side.

Source: http://bit.ly/J6EYWJ

This is where I think The Hunger Games steps in as a great analogy. Katniss and Peeta taught us that even though we're forced to play a rough game (I think everyone would agree that traditional publishing isn't for the weak), we can find ways around the strict rules. We can find fans (in our case, readers) who will support us. We can win and change the entire game in doing so.

This is what self-publishing has done. The game isn't over, far from it. We're just rewriting the rules and gaining the respect of our readers at the same time.

But sometimes with winning comes change. I won't get into the plot lines of Catching Fire and Mockingjay because I know not everyone on the planet has read them (you should if you haven't). Sometimes an indie gets the notice of the big boys. If traditional publishing comes knocking, should a self-pub give them the finger and move on?

No.

Now some self-pubs might call me a traitor for that. Too bad.

In my viewpoint, moving from self-publishing to traditional publishing isn't a crime. I also don't look at self-publishing as a stepping stone to traditional. I see a new model of publishing emerging.

Authors, like myself, can now weigh the pros and cons of deals and we can decide whether to accept or reject them.

It's not about who holds the power. Moving from self to trad is simply coming to a mutual decision about whether or not an author's work is something that will resonate with a wider audience.

That's it. It's not about who's better than anyone else. It's simply a matter of pure economics and the flavor of the day.

If I was offered the right traditional publishing deal, would I take it? Depends on the terms, really. I'm open to exploring any option. I'm also open to walking away from something that isn't worth it. It isn't my goal to tell people, "Ooooh, I got a trad deal." So what? If the deal isn't worth my time and money (because I'd be giving up a lot in royalties to take a trad deal), then I am okay with walking away.

Publishing is a business that provides people access to a form of entertainment. It is not here to fulfill an author's wildest dreams. The reading public does that. If a reader can escape through your book, then your wildest dreams have been fulfilled. If your only concern is seeing a copy of your book on a shelf at Barnes & Noble, then you're not looking at writing the right way. Writing is a creative outlet for those of us with wild imaginations and good grammar. There simply isn't room for all of us on the shelf at your local bookstore.

And guess what? That's okay too.

BIG Mistake & Proof I'm Human

I made a HUGE mistake in Afterlife. I've since corrected it and am uploading the new version to all sales outlets.

I think this is proof I'm human and I make mistakes. I feel the need to make lemonade out of these lemons and be soooo grateful I'm able to correct it within just a few hours.

For those of you who already purchased Afterlife, I am happy to offer you a free, corrected version. All you need to do is email me (meggjensen (at) gmail) with:

1 - The first line of Chapter Four (to prove to me you already have it).
2 - Your preferred ebook format mobi (Kindle) or epub (everyone else) or let me know if you want a Smashwords coupon code.

Here's what happened:

When I wrote Sleepers in 2009 (yes, THREE years ago), the names of the two enemies, the Dalagans and the Fithians were completely different names.  I changed them, then later on, I decided I wanted them switched.

When I wrote Afterlife in 2012, I grabbed all of my notes from Sleepers. Something didn't seem right to me - even the day I hit publish, I was still sure something was wrong, I just didn't know what. I chalked it up to jitters.

Then this morning I saw a comment on Goodreads about the races being switched and the lightbulb went on. And it electrocuted me. I knew immediately what that nagging sound had been in the back of my head. I had switched their names in Afterlife - back to the way it had originally been.

I realized I never made mention of the switch in my notes.

So, yeah, I screwed up. But I'm rectifying everything by uploading new versions and offering free replacement copies to those who already bought Afterlife.

Afterlife is OUT (and a CONTEST!)

I cannot believe Afterlife is finally out in the world. Well, at least part of the world. You can find it on Amazon (US & UK) and Barnes&Noble, but the iBookstore, Sony, and many international outlets are slow to post.

In honor of its release, I'm selling Afterlife for only 99 cents on April 27th through April 29th on Amazon and Barnes&Noble. It goes to its regular price of $2.99 on April 30th. Why? I wanted to give my loyal fans a chance to get it for cheap. You guys are the ones who've been there with me, who follow me in various places (Facebook, Twitter, my blog). It's my little gift to you.

But wait ... there's MORE!

Yes, you know me. It wouldn't be a book release without some kind of giveaway. If you've been following me, you know I took my family to Universal Studios in Orlando for the first time. I have to say, the Harry Potter portion was pretty damn incredible. It's something I won't forget anytime soon.

The best part? The souvenirs. I brought back a few for you!!!! One winner will get this really fun prize package - a stuffed owl (I think it's Pidwidgeon, but the tag doesn't specifically say so), a Gryffindor patch, and (what I think is the coolest thing ever because I bought one for myself too) a leather suitcase filled with Hogwarts stationary!!!!!

I'll also throw in some of my swag, but you know that Harry Potter stuff is way cooler anyway.

Enter below in the Rafflecopter widget. Yes, I'm having a little love affair with Rafflecopter!!!!

Thanks again so much for being a part of this journey with me. I love writing and I love that I'm able to make so many of you gasp, smile, and cry.

XoXo,

Megg

(the contest is open internationally!)

Okay, so Rafflecopter is having issues this morning. If it's working, use it to enter. If not, here are the ways you can enter - just leave a comment below to let me know which actions you took and make sure to leave me a way to contact you in case you win:

1pt - Leave a blog post contest below
1pt (once per day) - tweet this:  Afterlife by @meggjensen is out & only #99cents thru 4/29 on #kindle and #nook - enter to win cool #HarryPotter prizes http://bit.ly/IWmNCT
1pt - Follow me on Twitter
1 pt - Follow me on Facebook
1pt - "Like" this blog post
1 pt - Join my email list

Win 1 of 10 e-ARCs of Afterlife!

Who wants to win an e-ARC of Afterlife?

(an e-ARC is an electronic Advanced Release Copy)

Just enter in the Rafflecopter widget below!

Remember, even if you don't win, subscribers to my newsletter will get dibs on the first chapter of Afterlife next week, as well as information on release dates, sale prices, and secret info on my next contest (which is happening soon and is going to contain some pretty cool goodies)!

Good luck!!!!

Something Exciting This Way Comes...

I'm always on the lookout for a new innovation. I'm digging epublishing, but I really enjoy getting in on new ideas.

My fellow Indelible and friend Cheri Lasota introduced me to the newest & coolest in e-book inventions: e-book cards from GreenersideDigital.com.

What is an e-book card?

It's the size and weight of a credit card. One one side is my e-book cover, on the other there's a synopsis of the book, directions on how to claim your e-book, and a scratch off bar with a unique coupon code underneath. Just scratch it off, follow the directions, and you get a new e-book in .mobi (Kindle) or .epub (every other e-reader on the planet).

Wicked, right?

I really wanted to take advantage of this. How awesome would it be to be able to sell ebooks at author fairs while still giving the consumer something to hold in their hand? I can even sign the ebook cards too!

My only issue was deciding which book to make e-book cards for. They aren't cheap to produce and the minimum order was too high for me to even consider creating them for more than one e-book. After a day or so of wringing my hands, I realized how stupid I was. I didn't need to make an e-book card for ONE e-book. I could put the entire Cloud Prophet Trilogy (Anathema, Oubliette, Severed) on the card!

Now I'm able to sell ebooks anywhere I want. The entire trilogy goes for $7.99 on Amazon.com. I'm able to sell you the card for only $6.00 (including tax and shipping & handling). If you want to buy one, you can order it on the top right of the sidebar. :D

I hope you're as excited as I am about this new product!!!!!

Afterlife - SPOILER!!!!!!

I'm writing Afterlife and nearing completion of my first ugly draft and I wanted to give you something whet your appetite.

If you've been reading my blog, you know that all of my books are related. There are strings that travel through them all.


In Sleepers, the reader didn't get any direct connections to Cloud Prophet Trilogy. I wanted my readers to fall for Lianne since she's so different from Reychel. But in Afterlife, the stories start coming back together. Lianne meets a really hot guy (yes, she's still with Bryden at the beginning of Afterlife). Who is he? How is he related to the two trilogies? How does he bring them together?

I'll give you a hint - He was a key player in the plot of Severed, but the reader never actually met him. He was only named in the last chapter....lol....got it yet? (Sleepers & Afterlife take place about twenty years after the end of Severed.)

So if you've read Anathema, Oubliette & Severed - you'll definitely want to pick up The Swarm trilogy, starting with Sleepers. There's time. Afterlife won't be out until summer.

Happy reading!!!!!!!

Here's a discount coupon code for Sleepers, regularly $2.99 on Smashwords, but you can download it for $2.00 with the code good through March 5th - DG27W 

Sleepers on Smashwords

Four of the Big Six Kick Libraries to the Curb

As of this week, many library patrons will no longer be able to check out new ebooks from four of the Big Six traditional publishers.

Penguin

Simon & Schuster

Hachette

Macmillan

All of them will no longer be making their new ebooks available to Overdrive, the system most libraries currently use to provide their patrons with access to ebooks.

I normally don't bitch about publishing on my blog. But today, I am. You play dirty with libraries and I will fight back.

I want everyone who cares about libraries to read this article now. Spread the word. Tell everyone you know what they're doing.

Denying libraries access to materials really makes me angry.

My mom has been a library aide since I was in second grade. I have worked in multiple libraries. My books circulate in libraries and I am VERY PROUD of this.

What the Big Six is doing is driving more consumers toward independent authors. Not only do we charge far less for our ebooks than traditional publishers, but we also make a significantly higher royalty. That will attract more authors to epublish on their own.

If you support libraries, and everyone should, please join in the outcry. In a time of economic uncertainty, publishers are punishing readers - particularly lower-income readers.

Quite frankly, it disgusts me.

An Interview, An Author, and a Magic 8 Ball: Cherie Colyer

Cherie Colyer is a really fantastic writer. We met online a couple years ago when we were part of the same critique group. Her novel, Embrace, came out recently so read on to learn more about her!!!!

MJ: Tell me a bit about your novel, Embrace, in your own words - not the official synopsis.

CC: Embrace is a story about a girl who discovers there are unseen forces in the world, and she’ll need to embrace these forces to save her friend. When Madison’s spunky best friend becomes panic-stricken, seeing things no one else can and desperately trying to escape them, she’s taken to the hospital. Madison’s search for an explanation for her friend’s sudden hysteria leads her to discover supernatural powers. Madison will need to believe in the impossible and she’ll need the help of others if she hopes to save her friend and stay alive.

MJ: Did you pants or plot while writing your first draft?

CC: I’m a pants it kind of girl. I usually have a general idea about what is going to happen when I start to write a book – the basic beginning, middle and end – but the characters’ choices along the way determine how they get from chapter one to the end of the story. Sometimes they even surprise me.

MJ: What’s your next release going to be?

CC:   I had to consult my crystal ball on this one and it wasn’t in a chatty mood today so I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to this question. I do have a few queries out for my middle grade ghost story and then I’ve finished a new teen paranormal novel about a brother and sister who must outsmart supernatural beings if they hope to remain human and if they are to avoid being pawns in a coming war. I’m very excited about both novels. Fingers crossed, I’ll find homes for them soon.

MJ: Now for the fun stuff!!!

MJ: If you were trapped on a deserted island and you could only bring three books, what would you bring?

 CC: Hmm. This is a hard one because my taste changes depending on my mood, but since I have to choose: Wurthing Heights, Halfway to the Grave (Bones is hot J ), and a how-to book on surviving in the wild.

MJ: Who is your celebrity crush?

CC: Am I only allowed one? That seems so unfair. Top of the list: Ian Somerhalder (aka Damon Salvatore).

MJ: What is your favorite color?

CC: Blue, a bright brilliant shade like you sometimes see in the late afternoon sky just before the sun sets.

MJ: Wolves or vampires or zombies? 

CC: Vampires, the ones that don’t sparkle please.

MJ: What do you wear when you write? 

CC: Nothing……. wait for it……. special. If it’s a Saturday or Sunday morning, I usually have my pj’s on, but other than that I wear whatever (shorts, t-shirts, jeans, sweaters, you know, the usual stuff).

MJ: What’s your favorite vacation spot? 

CC: Maui, but I would love to visit Europe.

MJ: Now, I need YOU to ask ME a question about absolutely anything under the sun. It has to be a yes or no question and will be answered by my 9-year-old’s all-knowing Magic 8 Ball! The question can be serious or silly - it’s up to you.

CC:  Will spring come early this year?

M8B: It is certain. Well, now we know whose butt to kick when we get a snowstorm in late March. Do Magic 8 Balls have butts? lol

Thank you SO MUCH to Cherie for participating in my interview series!!!!

Find Cherie on the web:

Website

Amazon.com

Barnes&Noble.com

Happy Birthday Anathema!!!!

I can hardly believe Anathema has been out for one year. I can't let my baby's first birthday go by without a party, can I?

You're lucky, too, because I have goodie bags filled with some pretty fantastic ebooks from my fellow Indelibles!!!!

I was going to write this long, meaningful post about how fantastic the last year has been (freakin' awesome!), how many ebooks I've sold (almost 10,000), etc, yadda, blah, but....

Screw that - let's just go straight to the goodies!!!!!

GRAND PRIZE (1 winner): All 3 books in the Cloud Prophet Trilogy - Anathema, Oubliette, and Severed in paperback and ebook (and some random swag I toss in the package too)!!!

eBook Goodie Bag #1 (1 winner):

The Secret of Spruce Knoll by Heather McCorkle
Zellie Wells Trilogy by Stacey Wallace Benefiel
How to Date an Alien by Magan Vernon
Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn
Bloody Little Secrets by Karly Kirkpatrick
The Green by Karly Kirkpatrick
The Veil by Cory Putman Oakes

eBook Goodie Bag #2 (1 winner):

Untraceable by SR Johannes
On the Bright Side by SR Johannes
Running Wide Open by Lisa Nowak
Destined by Jessie Harrell
Beautiful Demons by Sarra Cannon
Clockwise by Elle Strauss
Watched by Cindy Hogan

eBook Goodie Bag #3 (1 winner):

Exiled by RaShelle Workman
The Book of Lost Souls by Michelle Muto
Bound by C.k. Bryant
The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching
Become by Ali Cross
Loramendi's Story by Angela Carlie


* please note that some of the ebooks are Amazon exclusive titles and can only be given through an Amazon egift. Kindle apps are available for most smart phones as well as a free download on your computer.

Want to enter? Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below! No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Open internationally for paperback shipping - not all ebooks are available internationally. Contest begins Wednesday, February 1st and runs through midnight CST Saturday, February 4th. Must be fifteen to enter or have parent's permission.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's All Connected...

I touched on this topic on a post on another blog, but I wanted to lay out my thoughts in a bit more detail.

For those of you who've read the Cloud Prophet Trilogy - CPT (Anathema, Oubliette, and Severed) and Sleepers (Book One in The Swarm Trilogy), you might have thought hmmm....these books seem similar, but I just can't put my finger on exactly how...

Well, they are connected. Quite intimately, in fact. The reason I didn't mention it up front was because I wanted to give my readers a chance to meet Lianne (in Sleepers) and fall in love with her - without worrying about when their favorite characters from CPT were going to show up.

In Afterlife (Book Two in The Swarm Trilogy), characters from CPT will start popping up. No, I'm not going to say who. That's something I want you to discover on your own.

The beauty of these two trilogies is that while they are connected, they do NOT have to be read together. In many ways, The Swarm Trilogy (TST) is a companion to CPT.

If you've read my short story The Initiate, you'll get a glimpse of how these two trilogies are connected. You'll see imagery evocative of all six novels.

By the end of 2012, TST will be complete. I don't know if I'll write another companion trilogy in that world. At this moment, I'd say 'no,' but I certainly won't say 'absolutely not.' I have plans for a middle grade fantasy that I am dying to get out in the world. I also have a contemporary novel that I think my readers would love.

So, for those of you who were wondering ... but weren't quite sure ... the definitive answer is 'YES!' :D

An Interview, An Author, and a Magic 8 Ball - Angela Carlie Edition

Angela Carlie is, quite possibly, one of the awesomest people on the planet. Seriously. I wish she lived closer to me instead of on the other side of the country. I've known her online for a few years now and last year I begged her to join DarkSide Publishing. She agreed, making me one happy chickie!

Read on to learn more about her!!!!


MJ: Tell me a bit about your novel, Loramendi's Story, in your own words - not the official synopsis.

AC: Loramendi’s Story is the first novel in the Lords of Shifters series. It’s about a teenage girl named Lora whose mother has been missing from her life since she was one year old. She falls for a hot windsurfer and she discovers that her life has been a façade. When she begins to go through a physical change, the truth about her life is finally revealed and she’s forced to accept her destiny.

This novel is full of adventure, romance, and sexy shapeshifters.

MJ: Did you pants or plot while writing your first draft?

AC: 100% pantsed this one.

MJ: What’s your next release going to be?

AC:   I’m currently working on the second novel of the Lords of Shifters series. It’s not yet titled, but I hope it will be available to the public sometime early 2012.

(note from MJ: since this interview, Angela titled her book Spider Wars and it has this amazing cover!!!)

MJ: Now for the fun stuff!!!

MJ: Wolves or vampires or zombies?


AC: Zomvamplows

MJ: When you were a teen were you a cheerleader, a sporty girl, the smart one, the band geek, or something else?

AC: Something else. I was a loner with literally only one friend who I never saw because she always hung out in the art room while I hung out in the auditorium or … somewhere else. ;) I had daisies painted all over my car, wore bell bottoms and leg warmers, but not at the same time, and worked at a veterinary hospital.

MJ: Do you have any pets? 

AC: Yes! Four cats and two dogs live with us at the moment.

MJ: Now, I need YOU to ask ME a question about absolutely anything under the sun. It has to be a yes or no question and will be answered by my 9-year-old’s all-knowing Magic 8 Ball! The question can be serious or silly - it’s up to you.

AC: I recently read on your FB page how fearful you are of scary movies. I used to be a paranormal investigator once upon a time. We investigated hundreds of locations. At one location in particular, we investigated a building that had been reporting activity for years. It’s now a famous haunted location. But, at that time, at around 1 am, a fellow investigator (a psychic) and I were on the third floor that once housed a brothel, in a room where abortions were performed and women often died. We were alone and setting up equipment in the dark. The air was thick and we felt like we weren’t really alone at all. In the room next to us, one of our motion alarms went off, screaming at us through the wall. We both shot up and made a run for it (very unprofessional, I know). In the process, my larger psychic friend pushed me out of her way to make her escape. My right leg fell through a hole in the floor and I was stuck, laughing and crying at the same time, all by myself.

My question: If you and your best friend were in the same situation, and you were the psychic friend, would you have gone back for your friend stuck in the hole near the scary room with possible activity or would you have kept running all the way down the stairs to safety?

(Do you have any idea how long it took me to read all of that to my Magic 8 Ball?!?!?!)

M8B: Outlook Good

MJ: Well, of course that's the answer! I would never leave a friend stuck in a hole in a possibly-haunted house. I grew up in a possibly-haunted house. Not afraid! :D




Thank you SO MUCH to Angela Carlie for participating in my interview series. You have to read Angela's books. Why? (1) Her books rock and (2) She's made of all things fabulous

Find Angela on the web:

Website

Amazon.com

Barnes&Noble.com