Category Archives: Giveaways

by

YOU Can Help Turn the Lights On

“It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

 

 

 

Today, I’d like to take a moment to share a wonderful event with you. Founded by one of my favorite authors and dearest friends, Rachael Wade, Lights On is a site dedicated to “turning the lights on.”

So often, we forget that big changes start with individual people. That’s what Lights On is all about – encouraging individual people to get involved so that, together, we can make a big change. Ten authors, myself included, are participating in the kick-off event, which starts today (8/1), and ends 8/8. All of the participating authors have selected a charity to represent and support. Each author is offering up exclusive prizes that will be raffled off for those that have made a donation to their sponsored charity.

The amount doesn’t have to be big: remember, big changes start with small efforts. Come see which charity I’m supporting and why. Oh, and don’t forget to make a donation to any of the charities supported by any one of the participating authors to have a chance at winning one of the exclusive prizes up for grabs.

 

Participating authors include:

 

 

by

And the Winners ARE!!!!

I’d like to extend a great big thank you and virtual hug to EVERYONE who tweeted, shared, linked to or otherwise participated in the giveaway. I wish there could have been something to give everyone, but alas, there were only three prizes. So, without further ado, I’d like to announce the winners of the giveaway:

 

FREE EBOOK #1 – NOLA ANN DAVIS

FREE EBOOK #2 LADA RAY

$10 AMAZON GC – CHARLOTTE M. LIEBEL

 

Again, thank you to everyone who participated! I invite you to come back for my next giveaway.

 

OH! And if you have noticed my social absence lately, please know that I will be back online very soon. Life sometimes requires us to slow down, take notice of some things and make some changes. I’m in some very strange transitional moments right now and need some downtime. But I miss each and every one of you. I promise! ((HUGS!!))

by

Author Interview with Jeremy Laszlo and eBook and Amazon Gift Card Giveaway ENDS 5/15/2012

Eeeee! I am so excited to welcome my very first guest, Jeremy Laszlo, author of the paranormal series, The Blood and Brotherhood Saga. He’s also published the poetry collection, Clad in Shadow. So, without further ado, I give you Jeremy!

Please say HI!!! Oh, and don’t forget to enter the giveaways down below by simply following my blog for updates! 

So, I have to ask…was there anything in particular that inspired you to write the Blood and Brotherhood Saga?

To write the Saga, I would have to say not so much.  I have always enjoyed a good story, and have read thousands of books.  The story line of the Blood and brotherhood Saga has been plaguing my brain for well over a decade, and I have always wanted to get it down in print, but the time, and my “voice” was never quite right until recently.  Even then however, after having written the first two books I delayed seeking publication for a few years.  Today my books would probably still remain unpublished if it weren’t for the support of my amazing wife, and the nudging of my daughters.  I have told them that they can do anything they dream of so long as they put in the effort, to which of course they asked if I had lived all my own dreams…  I am inclined to lead, and teach them by example, thus the first 3 books of the Saga are available for purchase on Amazon, and the fourth book is being written.

What was your favorite part about writing The Blood and Brotherhood Saga? Which character from the book do you identify with most, or whose your favorite?

My favorite part about writing all of my books is the ability to put something down, and know that my readers won’t expect it, I love adding surprises, twists and turns.  If my readers get to one of these parts of my books and pauses in their reading to say “holy s**t” then I have done my job.  As for identifying with a particular character, more or less they are all a part of me.  In certain scenes I would prefer to be one character over another, but all in all, they each have qualities I admire for one reason or another.

Do you read mostly paranormal or do you like to read other genres as well?

As a broad genre I read fantasy more often than not.  Whether it is an epic fantasy, a paranormal fantasy, or a dark fantasy or any other sub-genre really doesn’t matter to me.  I will read anything if it can keep my attention though my first stop will always be somewhere in the fantasy reads.

What would you say was the most difficult part about going from writer to published author?

The learning curve, holy crap!  In a couple weeks time I learned how to format an ebook, get it published, how to use twitter, how to build a website, how to build an audience, the basics of promoting my own work, how to design an internet marketing campaign, and a book launch.  Talk about an uphill battle!  Fortunately there is a LOT of info on the web about such things, and a fair amount of it is useful as well.  I probably crammed a decades worth of research into that first month, and I am very glad I did.

Do you have any new books you’re currently working on? Any current plans for 2012-2013?

I do indeed!  I am currently writing the fourth book of The Blood and Brotherhood Saga, and expect it will be available online in a month or two assuming I find some quality time to really hammer the keyboard.  As for future plans, I am hoping to have books 4 through 6 all published this year, and several more next year as well….The Saga has found it’s opening and is scratching and clawing to get out of my head.  I can no longer contain it.

So a totally fun question…If you could be any fictional character, who would you be and why?

Garfield!  Totally Garfield!  Get to lounge around on the sofa, eat Italian, have a best pal to pick on who is always faithful…  Really who could ask for more than that?  Toss a hot lil siamese into the mix and I would have it made.

I’m not one for choosing favorites, but I’m curious, do you have an absolute favorite movie? Which one and why?

I don’t think I could pick an absolute favorite, as there are so many that inspire me.  I am a sucker for movies where the lead role is a character that comes from nothing and ends up on top.  So everything from A Knight’s Tale, to Hustle & Flow would be on that list.  Of course I also enjoy fantasy and SciFi films so more among my favorites would include The Lord of The Rings, of course, as well as Avatar.

Last question, I promise! You have a really diverse background – husband, dad, U.S. Army, and all-around fix-it guy…why write? And how do you find the time?!

That is so funny that you ask.  Yes my background is very diverse, and I think it stems from two reasons.  One I grew up in a family that was beyond poor, and when things broke we often could not afford to have them fixed.  The other is my insatiable need to learn new things.  I have worked many jobs just long enough to learn everything they had to teach me, then I would move on to something new.  More or less I like to work with my hands and do things on my own, and I don’t want to be “That” husband or father who has to call someone to change a tire or repair a computer.  As for time to write that is another story entirely.  To keep it simple however, I generally write at night after everyone else in the house is asleep (or watching their TVs when they are supposed to be asleep…  That’s right daddy is checking up on you!).  I write best in absolute quiet, and generally when I am alone with no interruptions or people looking over my shoulder.  There are never enough hours in the day though, so simply put, I write when I can.

Thanks again Jeremy for stopping by! It’s been a blast! Looking forward to seeing more work from you and hope you stop by again with an update on your writing endeavors.

No, Thank you Cathy for having me and letting me me be a part of your blog, it has absolutely been my pleasure, and as such I should like to offer your readers a few options to win some free stuff!  First they can visit The Blood & Brotherhood Facebook page, anytime in the month of May, and simply by clicking the “Like” button they will have been entered to win a $20 Amazon gift card.   https://www.facebook.com/bloodandbrotherhood Secondly, if any of them are so inclined to give one of my books a read between now and June 1st they can enter to win an Amazon Kindle, or various other prizes through my website here:  http://www.wix.com/jeremylaszlo/author  But wait I am not done yet!  I will also give away two copies of the first ebook in my saga to your readers(kindle format).  You pick the winners at your discretion and get me their email addresses.

The Choosing

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007B1WH02

The Chosen

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007D7PC1A

The Changing

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007WVIHZU

Clad in Shadow

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007AWDE04

GIVEAWAY RULES AND DETAILS:

As Jeremy mentioned, he is giving away two ebook versions of the first book in the Blood and Brotherhood Series – The Choosing. I am also tossing in a $10 Amazon gift card. There will be three winners total and winners will be chosen randomly with random.org. There are several ways to enter. Each task is worth one entry in the giveaway.


To enter the giveaway, simply follow this blog! Yep, that’s IT! How easy is that? ;-)

The legal stuff: Only one entry per person. Winners will have three days to claim their prizes. If no response is received, a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway ends 5/15/2012. 

Thanks for entering and good luck everyone! =)

OH! One more thing! Don’t forget about the giveaways that Jeremy is doing on his FB page and for his readers. =)