It's Time To Catch Fire!

My good bloggy buddy Alex J. Cavanaugh's sequel to CassaStar comes out today: CassaFire.  He is such a wonderful writer and supporter of all of his blogging friends, that I jumped at the chance to support him today.  Please check out all of the links!

Today is the Catch Fire Blog Party, celebrating the release of CassaFire by Alex J. Cavanaugh! The goal is to help CassaFire “catch fire” on the best seller charts and achieve the success of the first book, CassaStar.  

Alex is doing a blog tour Feb 27-Mar 9 and during that time if you comment on his blog, you can win a special package of prizes (copies of CassaFire, CassaStar, tote bag, mug, and bookmarks) as well as book giveaways during his two-week blog tour. See Alex’s site for details: http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/ 

CassaFire

by Alex J. Cavanaugh

CassaStar was just the beginning…

The Vindicarn War is a distant memory and Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters are over. He has kept the promise he made to his fallen mentor and friend - to probe space on an exploration vessel. Shuttle work is dull, but it’s a free and solitary existence. The senior officer is content with his life aboard the Rennather.

The detection of alien ruins sends the exploration ship to the distant planet of Tgren. If their scientists can decipher the language, they can unlock the secrets of this device. Is it a key to the Tgren’s civilization or a weapon of unimaginable power? Tensions mount as their new allies are suspicious of the Cassan’s technology and strange mental abilities. 

To complicate matters, the Tgrens are showing signs of mental powers themselves; the strongest of which belongs to a pilot named Athee, a woman whose skills rival Byron’s unique abilities. Forced to train her mind and further develop her flying aptitude, he finds his patience strained. Add a reluctant friendship with a young scientist, and he feels invaded on every level. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

Available today!

Science fiction - space opera/adventure

Print ISBN 978-0-9827139-4-5, $15.95, 6x9 Trade paperback, 240 pages

EBook ISBN 978-0-9827139-6-9, $4.99, available in all formats

CassaFire is the sequel to Cavanaugh’s first book, CassaStar, an Amazon Top Ten Best Seller:

“…calls to mind the youthful focus of Robert Heinlein’s early military sf, as well as the excitement of space opera epitomized by the many Star Wars novels. Fast-paced military action and a youthful protagonist make this a good choice for both young adult and adult fans of space wars.” - Library Journal

You can visit the author’s site at http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/

Book trailer available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa6VINRGtyE.

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cassafire-alex-j-cavanaugh/1034742568

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/CassaFire-Alex-J-Cavanaugh/dp/0982713940/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329417150&sr=1-1

Amazon Kindle - http://www.amazon.com/CassaFire-ebook/dp/B007A2TSNG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1329663355&sr=1-1

My Writing Dream...

Origins Blogfest

I'm sure as writers, you have all gotten this question: when did you realize you wanted to write?

My answer is simple: I don't remember a time when I didn't like to write.  I mean, I didn't grow up thinking I could actually try it as a profession, but I still loved to make up stories in my head and occasionally write it all down on paper.

A couple months ago I found an old notebook from middle school with this huge science fiction plot written out.  I had character names, city names, names for currency, the year- it looked almost like some sort of sci-fi dystopian/fantasy.  I was pretty impressed, actually.  Nothing was ever written...but whatevs.  We won't focus on that part.

I think when I actually realized I might be able to do this for real was in college during my first creative writing class.  I didn't major in it (because it still didn't cross my mind that I could actually do this as a living) but I still loved taking any type of English class.  (and now I kick myself for not majoring in English.)

My professor had us all write short stories for the last major project.  I knew something was different when mine turned into a mini-novel of sorts.  Most of us read ours out loud in front of the class- but it took like, two or three class periods to get through mine when everyone else's took one.  But the cool thing is my classmates wanted me to read it!  They got so caught up in it, they were excited to come to class and listen to my story.  My professor was impressed with my world-building.  And then he told me I could definitely go somewhere with this.

That's when the lightbulb went off.  That's when I thought I might actually be able to write a whole book.

I didn't start actually writing my first book until quite a few years later after Little Monster was 3 or 4 and the Hubs practically forced me encouraged me to start, but it was always in the back of my mind after that class in college.  So even though I can't remember my professor's name (I know, shameful!) I still owe him a lot for encouraging me (and the Hubs for buying me my laptop so I had no more excuses NOT to write).

Now, whether or not I get published is one thing- it's more about the fun I have when writing. So even if it never happens, it'll still be fun to see what kind of worlds I can come up with and who I can make come to life on paper.  Besides, my mom and sis will always enjoy my books even if they don't get published.

Go check out some of the other participants in DL Hammon's Origins Blogfest! 

Favorite Positions**

So you know how you toss and turn and can't find that perfect position to sleep in?  You want that feeling of "aaahhhh" as you sink into your pillow, your bones settling for a long rest and your mind drifting into neverland.  That doesn't happen very much to me.  Apparently certain members of my family can pretty much sleep anywhere and in any position.

Writing a novel is kinda like finding the perfect position.  Sometimes you have to try a few out until you find the best one.  Or maybe you get it on the first try, and write the perfect novel the way my husband and daughter fall asleep in 5 minutes flat.

It doesn't really matter how you get there.  Whether you write 10 books, or 1, if you keep at it, you'll find that perfect position.

And when you do, you just know.  Everything settles in perfectly, every page feels like egyptian cotton, and your plot is like the perfect blend of memory foam and pillow-top.  

Tell me, have you found your favorite position?  Or are you still tossing and turning?

**Haha, fooled you!  You totally thought I was going to talk about the other kind of *ahem* "positions".  Seriously people, get your heads out of the gutter, Jeesh! 

Damn You Autocorrect!

So I recently acquired the Hubs' old iphone.  My very first smartphone ever- I'm finally up with the times!  Sorta...I mean it's not one of those 4s or g's or h's or whatever the newest one is.  But still...it's pretty exciting.

Whenever I'd see the funny autocorrect websites I always told myself, I would ALWAYS proofread my texts and NEVER send something like that!  How could you not catch that??  I would get a huge laugh at others' expense knowing that would never happen to me.

Well.  It did.

I had my first experience in which the autocorrect got the best of me.

I'll just say, it's not as bad as some of those on the website, thank goodness.  But it's still pretty funny.  I gave Hubs a hard time because that word SOMEHOW made it into the little dictionary bank or whatever the phone uses to correct misspelled words.

So here is our conversation:

Me: Did you get a text about going out to Hinode with Josh and Corey?
Hubs: Yep.
Me: What would you want to eat?  They will order it for us.  It's the kinky way they can sit now and still save seats for us.
Hubs: ?
Me: Only, not kinky!

So yeah...gettin' down with our kinky selves at Hinode.

I've officially been initiated into the Damn You Autocorrect club.

But really it's not as bad as that same friend who had texted Hubs earlier about going out to eat at Homosexuality.

Do you all have any funny autocorrect stories?

Why Do You Read/Write YA?

Laurel had a post the other day about there not being much of a market for college-aged kids out there.  I had commented that I had never really thought about it when I was in college, because I always just read YA.  Even at 30, I still read YA exclusively.

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So that got me thinking.  Why did I just read YA?  Why did I never transition into reading adult novels like many college/mid-20's people?  Why do I still read YA?

There is just something about that raw emotion YA novels (especially fantasy- my favorite) exude that (for me) adult novels just come up short on.  The whole coming of age, experiencing love and adult-like dilemmas for the first time, and just the ability to escape to another world just drew me in.  And it still does.  Your teenage years are one of the most important times in your life.  It's real and it matters.  No matter what anyone says.  It's what helps shapes you into the adult you are today.  I think those books had such an impact on me, that's why I wanted to write YA.  To give to someone what I experienced, and still do experience.

I've never been ashamed to admit I read YA.  I know some adults are, and they shouldn't be.  It's interesting how in the past few years it's become less taboo for adults to read YA.  I think Harry Potter and Twilight contributed a lot to that.  I meet so many adults now that actually sound interested when I talk about a certain YA book I'm reading.  And that makes me so incredibly happy.

So, I still don't know why there isn't much of a market out there for college aged kids.  But I do know there's nothing better than sitting down with a good YA and experiencing those teen years again just for a little while.

And then coming back to reality and realizing how glad you are those years are over.

So why do you read/write YA?  Or if you don't, what drew you to start reading adult novels?

Finally Raising the White Flag

Okay.  So I never thought I'd utter the words I'm about to say.  Never.  But I'm giving up.  Raising the white flag.  You win, I lose.  I couldn't hold out forever and the opportunity presented itself so here goes....

Whew...  Okay, I'll just say it....deep breath....

I'm getting a kindle.


Omg, I can't believe I just said that.

You see, when the ereader first came out I vowed never to buy one.  Blasphemy! I cried.  What an abomination!  I need cold, hard books in my hands!  I need to support my fellow authors!  I don't want libraries and books to go away in favor of the ebook!

But as the years passed, I started to think a little more about them.  Maybe they weren't so bad.  I mean, lots of my writer friends started epublishing and it'd be SO nice to support them and buy their ebooks.  Then when they opened up library books to check out, I thought, well, that's cool- I can bring a library book on vacation without worrying about losing it.

So when my friend told me she was getting a Kindle Fire for her birthday and asked if I wanted her 1 year old kindle, I decided to throw in the towel and just take the plunge.

So I'm buying her 3G kindle and I'm very excited about it!  I get to support all my friends who have epublished, check out books from my library, get all those cool old books that are free, AND I will still buy those hard copy books I can touch and smell, so I can support my friends that publish that way too.  Because I will NOT give up my library, no matter how popular ebooks become.  But who says I can't have both?

So how many of you have raised the white flag and finally bought an ereader?  Or were you on board from the beginning?  Or are you still holding off, hoping its just a fad that will pass?

Dear Downton Abbey...

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Oh how I love to hate you, Downton Abbey.

It's your fault I didn't get any blogging done.
It's your fault I didn't get any writing done.
It's your fault I didn't get any cleaning done.

I blame you.

Because I love you so, Downton Abbey.  You are my new obsession and I wish SO badly I could watch all of season 2 right now!  But alas...I have to wait till February when it comes out on DVD (or netflix...*crossing my fingers*) because I've already missed the first 3 episodes on PBS.

It should be a crime there are only 7 episodes in the first season.  I weep at the injustice of it all.

Until February...I bid you adieu.

*Update: OMG, I can watch season 2 on PBS.com!!  They have the 1st and 2nd episode online!  Yayyayayayayayayay!  Thanks to my friend Jennie for pointing that out!

So looks like I don't have to wait until February!