2021 A to Z Challenge Announcement

It's almost time for the annual "A to Z" blogging challenge. Most repeat participants have already begun planning their posts for this April, and will soon be posting theme reveals. Are there any themes you would particularly care to see, or learn about in April?

This year is the TWELFTH ANNIVERSARY! Sign ups begin in March. 

Upcoming Schedule:

Theme reveal sign up: March 8
Theme reveal closes: March 20
Master list opens: March 29
Master list closes: April 7
After-survey: May 1-8
Reflections: May 3-8
Road-trip: May 10

To learn more about this challenge, or what you can expect to see this April, be sure to follow their website http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/ 

Have you ever participated in this challenge? Will you be taking part this year? What do you think of the changes?

A Time for Love

It's Valentine's, and while I love flowers and jewelry, my family and friends know my favorite gifts are a good book and chocolate.

Not sure what to get the writer in your life? Check out this list of suggested Valentines day gifts for writers or check out these Six Ways to Participate in Romance Week at Goodreads.

Interested in a few FREE romantic flash fiction pieces? Try:

Thankful Every Day
Madame Tooshkas Spell
Masters in Love
Love's New Beginning

Want to share the theme of love with children? Check out these 10 Best Children's Books About Love.

So many of us love reading and writing. We have favorites that we return to again and again. How about you? 

I am especially grateful for a home full of books this week as we prepare to bunker down through the greatest freeze our area has seen in decades. I understand much of the United States will be doing the same. I hope you all stay safe, warm, and loved. Happy Valentine's!

What is your favorite genre? Favorite author? Favorite book from childhood? Are you doing something special this week?

Virtual and F2F Workshops, Comic Cons, and more...

A month ago I shared a list of 2021 Conferences, Workshops and Literary Festivals. Today, I wanted to share a few more opportunities with you. First, a big thank you to Dancing Lemur Press for sharing  some of these with us.

February 27 - virtual Book ‘Em Lumberton, NC event with a focus on Crime. Find out more at http://www.bookemnc.org/

March 6 - Hickory Con is a one day, in person comic con event. To learn more, check out: Home (hickorycon.com)

April 8-12 - QuaronCon 2021 (virtual event). This is a FANTASY specific convention and sign-up forms can be found here: www.quarancon2020.com 

April 10-11 - CyPhaCon - this will be a virtual event and you can learn more: https://www.cyphacon.org/

July 9-11 - ConGregate is a speculative fiction convention held in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina. To learn more: ConGregate 7 / DeepSouthCon 59 (con-gregate.com)

July 29 - August 1 - Galaxycon is a 4-Day FESTIVAL OF FANDOM with celebrities, creators, voice actors, cosplayers, entertainers, fan groups, gamers, panelists, streamers, and wrestlers. To learn more: GalaxyCon Raleigh

August - Wake Forest mini Comic Con - WakeForest, NC - https://www.facebook.com/WFComiCon/

If you'd like to se an even longer list of opportunities, check out the IWSG page here: https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/publications.html

How about you? Are you attending any this year? Do you have a favorite that we haven't listed here?

IWSG: Blogging

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

FEBRUARY QUESTION -  Blogging is often more than just sharing stories. It’s often the start of special friendships and relationships. Have you made any friends through the blogosphere?

MY ANSWER - I have made a lot of friends through blogging. I wouldn't consider any of them my best friends, or inner circle, but I have greatly enjoyed several connections. There are support systems, and inspiring individuals that I have met through this craft, and I am so very thankful for each of them. 

How about you? Have you made any special friends, or connections, through blogging?

Currently Reading

I'm always reading several books at a time. Here is my current selection. What are you reading? Any recommendations?

Chrys Fey, a Freebie, and a Giveaway

Welcome readers! Today, I have a special treat for you. The amazing Chrys Fey has agreed to stop by and share about the newest release in her disaster series. Read carefully for a chance at a free read as well as to participate in a giveaway!

Sylvia Asked: Are there going to be any more disasters or stories with the characters from the Disaster Crimes series?

 

Chrys Fey’s Answer: No more disasters.

*my characters give a sigh of relief*

I’ve pretty much covered them all, except for a zombie outbreak.

No more books in print or eBook, either.

The Disaster Crimes series is now complete.

 

The Complete Disaster Crimes Series:

*The Crime Before the Storm (prequel)

Hurricane Crimes (novella, #1)

Seismic Crimes (#2)

Lightning Crimes (free short, #2.5)

Tsunami Crimes (#3)

Flaming Crimes (#4)

Frozen Crimes (#5)

A Fighting Chance (spin-off, #6)

The Disaster Curse (short story, #7)

*Free exclusive story to newsletter subscribers.

 

But is this truly THE END?

In a sense. I may write bonus content that’ll be available on my website www.ChrysFey.com that’ll likely be a few pages or less. I am considering writing a little something to reveal the new driver of Venom, Donovan’s monster truck. So far, that’s the only bonus content I have in mind.

 

Pages: 154

Genre: Romantic-Suspense

Heat Rating: Hot

 

BLURB:

*A FIGHTING CHANCE is Book 6 in the Disaster Crimes series, but it’s a spin-off featuring a new couple, so it can be read as a standalone.*

Thorn has loved Amanda from afar, giving her whatever she needs as a survivor of abuse—space, protection, and stability. He yearns to give her more, though, to share his feelings, kiss her, love her, but he's worried the truth will frighten her away.

And Amanda is afraid. She’s scared of her attraction for Thorn. Most of all, she’s terrified of her ex-boyfriend, who is lurking nearby where no one can find him. When she grows closer to Thorn, Damon retaliates, jeopardizing their happy ending.

Up against an abusive ex and Mother Nature, do Thorn and Amanda have a fighting chance?

 

Book Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes

 

EXCERPT:

Amanda looked up from the current list of up-to-date payments for classes. A movement outside the glass storefront caught her eye. She tilted her head to see a man coming up the sidewalk from the side where the picnic bench sat. Through the vertical blinds, she glimpsed a square face—a short, rugged beard and long, dark hair pulled into a man bun. Her breath fled from her lungs. Her body went from icy cold to flaming hot in the span of a millisecond. She dropped to the floor and slid under the counter, beneath the ledge where they put their purses and cell phones.

“What—” Beth peeked at the windows. Then she snapped her fingers at April and pointed at the stools.

April jumped into action. She pushed the stools in so they blocked Amanda. The bell attached to the door jingled as April removed the jacket she wore and draped it across the stools, creating a curtain to shield Amanda.

From a crack, Amanda watched Beth move to stand in front of the twins, who were in their walkers playing peacefully. “I’m sorry, but we’re going to be closing.”

“I don’t give a shit. I’m here for Amanda.”

The sound of Damon’s voice had her heart beating even harder. That voice had haunted her nightmares, had come back to life in her memories.

Beth cocked her head to the side. “Who? There’s no one by that name here.”

“Don’t bullshit me. I know she works here.”

His voice was closer now.

 

 

***FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME***

THE DISASTER CURSE

 

 

Book Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes

Author’s Note: I wrote The Disaster Curse to answer a few lingering questions readers may have after reading A Fighting Chance, and to tie the whole series together with a neat, shiny, perfect little bow. Plus, there was one disaster that I hadn’t written about yet. *wink*

 

 

***LAUNCHING A WEBSITE***

TheFightingChance.org is a website dedicated to domestic violence and sexual assault awareness. Inspired by the Disaster Crimes series.

 

 

***GIVEAWAY***

Prizes: Hurricane Crimes (Disaster Crimes 1) and Seismic Crimes (Disaster Crimes 2) eBooks (mobi or epub), Hurricane Crimes Playing Cards, Girl Boss Sign, and a Volcanic Blast Scented Candle

Link: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a92670/

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chrys Fey is author of the Disaster Crimes Series, a unique concept that blends disasters, crimes, and romance. She runs the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Book Club on Goodreads and edits for Dancing Lemur Press. https://www.chrysfey.com

Author Links:

 Newsletter / Website / Facebook Group /Blog / BookBub

Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon

 

Twitter Pitch, Anthology Contest Winners, and Blurb Contest Results

First of all, don't forget, the IWSG Twitter Pitch event, is happening on January 20th. 

Create a Twitter-length pitch for your completed and polished manuscript and leave room for genre, age, and the hashtag. On January 20, Tweet your pitch. If your pitch receives a favorite/heart from a publisher/agent check their submission guidelines and send your requested query.

If your new year's resolution is to see your book published, the IWSG is here to help! Many writers have seen their books published from a Twitter pitch - it’s a quick and easy way to put your manuscript in front of publishers and agents. 

For more information, check out the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J.
Cavanaugh. Again, that website is: https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/

Secondly, you can also see the results of the yearly IWSG anthology contest there. Congratulations to those ten authors who will have their short stories published in the anthology: Dark Matter: Artificial

Release date: May 4, 2021
Print ISBN 9781939844828 $14.95
EBook ISBN 9781939844835 $4.99
Science Fiction: Collections & Anthologies (FIC028040) / Space Exploration (FIC028130) / Genetic Engineering (FIC028110)

Finally, a short time ago I shared The QueryLetter.com Writing Contest, which just wrapped up. It was a huge success, with a total of 3,847 submissions!

They've announced the winner and runners up and posted the top 10 blurbs here: https://www.queryletter.com/post/announcing-the-winner-of-the-2020-queryletter-com-writing-contest

Since so many authors are working on their own blurbs, I thought you might like to view a few of their favorites. There's a lot to learn from these expertly crafted blurbs. Let me know what you think.

Are you participating in the Twitter Pitch> Did you submit to the anthology contest? Did you like the winning blurb? Which one interested you the most? Are you working on your own blurb?