Final Tally for #JoWriMoGo June 2018

Final Tally for June 2018: #JoWriMoGo

24 chapters

107 pages

&

60,161 words!

A great month!!

From Joey's Instagram

And it's time for #Mepo dose 10. Gotta get a port flush afterwards and the side effects. It's lovely and cool though so that's something. And of course McD milkshake for nausea afterwards. 😷😷😷🤢🤢🤢 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #chronicillness #spoonie #brittleasthma #spoonielife #wheelchairuser #oxygenuser #chronicpain
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Review of No Ordinary Star by MC Frank

A soldier is summoned to the North Pole, days before the year changes, told to fix the great Clock for a celebration. He has no idea what to do.
A girl, hunted for the crime of being born, almost dies out on the ice. She is rescued by the last polar bear left alive.
A library waits for them both, a library built over a span of a hundred years, forgotten in the basement of an ice shack.
The world hasn't known hunger or sickness in hundreds of years. It has also forgotten love and beauty.
The year is 2525.

Inspired by the short stories of Ray Bradbury, this futuristic novel is set in a world where Christmas -among other things- is obsolete and a Clock is what keeps the fragile balance of peace.

Written in three installments, this is the breathtaking and sensual story of how two unlikely people change the world, and each other, one book at a time. 

Amazon

My Review: 5 stars
This story is beautifully written. From the first word you are pulled into the world. You want to know everything and know all of it now. I read this in one sitting and quickly moved onto the second book, but I am loving the story. Felix is stubborn against the truth he's seeing, Astra unashamed of what she knows, and the two of them are faced with the prospect of learning the truth of what the world is really like. Highly recommended!

You can follow MC Frank on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, her website, and The Book Robin Hoods.

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.

From Joey's Instagram

This week I'm answering questions from you guys. Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/JoeyPaulOnline ✒✒✒📚📚📚 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #authortube #lovemyjob #ilovewriting #igwriters #igauthors #writingtips #authortuber #writingvlog #vlogger #smallyoutuber
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Queston From Readers - June 2018 [CC]

And this week I'm answering all those questions you have.

ERIN'S CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO9oK9D2DpNqcdHfQrh9y9w

BUY WALK A MILE: http://www.books2read.com/WAM
BETA INTEREST FORM: http://bit.ly/2nRnMSY
THE BOOK ROBIN HOODS: https://therobinhoods.wixsite.com/thebookrobinhoods
TICKETS FOR #BLISS2018: http://bit.ly/2yGorwr
TICKETS FOR #DARKERSIDEOFFICTION2018: http://bit.ly/2IVeJXK
BUY MY BOOKS ON AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1VhLHog
BLOG: http://www.joeypaulonline.com/
TUMBLR: http://authorjoeypaul.tumblr.com
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/JoeyPaulOnline
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/MsJoeyBug
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/authorjoeypaul
GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/1UcS61E

Happy Release Day Walk A Mile!!

Happy Release Day!!

BUY WALK A MILE IN EBOOK & PAPERBACK

BLURB:

It’s the year 2050 and it’s possible for people to literally walk a mile in someone else's shoes. Enter Hetti, eighteen, and fresh out of training college, joining the police force alongside her best friend Layla. She’s excited about finally getting to do some practical work after spending so long talking about it in college. Except her first cases are throwing up a few confusing signs. Is it possible that someone is using the Walk A Mile software to kill? And if they are, can Hetti find them before they find her?

TEASERS:

My thanks to all the bloggers, readers and everyone else who helped with this release!

From Joey's Instagram

Happy Release Day!! #WalkAMile is now out in ebook and paperback! 🎉🎉🎉 📚 You can pick up a copy here: www.books2read.com/WAM 📚 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookboost #WAM #yalit #reading
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From Joey's Instagram

1 day to go until #WAM! Hetti's first crime scene is a dead body 😱😱😱☠☠☠ Pre-order here: www.books2read.com/WAM 📱 OUT JUNE 27TH 📚 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookboost #WAM #yalit #reading #WalkAMile
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From Joey's Instagram

2 days to go until #WAM. The police force work similar to now but they have new tech that helps them. 👮‍♀️👮‍♀️👮‍♀️ Pre-order here: www.books2read.com/WAM 📱📱 OUT JUNE 27TH 📚 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookboost #WAM #yalit #reading #WalkAMile
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Spoonie Writer: Taking Care Of You

SPOONIE WRITER: TAKING CARE OF YOU
 
I've been a spoonie for the majority of my life. I've been a writer since I was 19 and published almost 13 years now. One thing I have been very clear on is that you gotta take care of yourself. I've talked about this in other writing pieces, in vlogs, and all over the internet, but sometimes it's good to have a reminder of why you need to make sure you're taking care of you as well as your writing.

Now it's been a while since I did a piece like this, so I'm gonna quickly recap what a spoonie is: A spoonie is someone who is chronically ill and identifies with The Spoon Theory. How am I a spoonie? Well I have several chronic conditions including Fibromyalgia, M.E. and a rare form of asthma that leaves me reliant on oxygen and in a wheelchair. Now that parts over, lets move onto the main focus of this piece. Taking care of you.

In the writing world there is a lot of pressure to be working constantly. I see it, hell I even do it from time to time. There's also a big feeling that you should be pushing yourself to your limits to both write and build your platform. I am still considered a very small fish in the writing world and I doubt I will ever become a big one. Not because I don't want to be, but because there are certain things holding me back. Namely my health, or lack of it. I work hard, I write mostly every day and I make sure to stay on top of my own deadlines and everything that comes along with writing, but yet I still struggle sometimes.

A good example of this is last month I finished two books earlier than planned. I had pretty much a whole week to do nothing but various other pieces of admin. I could've started my next two projects and spent some of that time planning them, but I didn't, because I knew I'd been pushing hard and I needed to take a break. Now this applies whether you're a spoonie with physical conditions or mental health problems. I'm both and sometimes it's harder to take the time for myself when my anxiety of depression are acting up because there's a lot of stigma that surround them. People see the oxygen tubing and they give me a break for that, but when it comes to needing time because my depression is flaring and my anxiety is through the roof, it's harder. But that doesn't mean it shouldn't happen.

I know that there's a lot of talk about how people should be pushing past their barriers to make sure they achieve the maximum they can in any given time, and that's just not true. There are valid reasons for taking a break. Even if no one outside your own brain is saying that to you, it's still wrong. I struggle with taking time for myself. I don't want to let people down and I don't want to be the one who's always the reason for disappointment, but at some times, I do need to say no. I do need to tell people I need this time for me. It's not easy, not in the slightest and while yes, the majority of people should be understanding, there are some who won't be.

Here's the thing, writing is a creative pursuit. You're using all your imagination and time, and energy and all of that to create worlds from nothing. That has a toll on you. There should always be a chance for you to take some time for yourself, and if the people around you are saying different, then they need to take a step back. Again, it's not easy, I get that. I have friends who don't get that I need time for myself and I get how hard it is to say no to them, knowing that you're causing them upset and discomfort, but you need to take care of you. You are valid and no is a complete sentence.

So my advice is to take that time, take it slow and remember that you matter. You are important and alongside that, so are your needs. Now I'm gonna go and curl up with a book and have some much needed down time.


Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books.

From Joey's Instagram

3 days to go until #WAM. Today's fact is about Hetti's family. Not everyone can work and Davina is one of those who can't. ♿♿♿ Pre-order here: www.books2read.com/WAM 📚 OUT JUNE 27TH! 📱 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookboost #WAM #yalit #reading #WalkAMile
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From Joey's Instagram

And we have a bonus video up on the channel! It's the writing mistakes tag by @queenemilicious And @authorbethanyatazadeh! I had a lot of fun doing it and I tag @according2jewls if she's up to it! Find the video here: http://www.youtube.com/JoeyPaulOnline #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #authortube #lovemyjob #ilovewriting #igwriters #igauthors #writingtips #authortuber #vlog #vlogger #smallyoutuber
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BONUS SUNDAY: Writing Mistakes Tag [CC]

WRITING MISTAKES TAG: EMILY BOURNE & BETHANY ATAZADEH

Writing Mistakes Tag Questions:
1. The mistake I made outlining
2. The mistake I made during my first draft
3. The mistake I made while revising and editing
4. The mistakes I make with time management
5. My biggest newbie mistake
6. Biggest mistake I see other writers do

EMILY'S VIDEO: https://youtu.be/6qPUVO_Lj_g

BETHANY'S VIDEO: https://youtu.be/UjgwPPUiQi8

I tag: PAGES & PENS: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHqNmzoKmhfQk74S3cU1BFQ

PRE-ORDER WALK A MILE: http://www.books2read.com/WAM
THE BOOK ROBIN HOODS: https://therobinhoods.wixsite.com/thebookrobinhoods
TICKETS FOR #BLISS2018: http://bit.ly/2yGorwr
TICKETS FOR #DARKERSIDEOFFICTION2018: http://bit.ly/2IVeJXK
BUY MY BOOKS ON AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1VhLHog
BLOG: http://www.joeypaulonline.com/
TUMBLR: http://authorjoeypaul.tumblr.com
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/JoeyPaulOnline
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/MsJoeyBug
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/authorjoeypaul
GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/1UcS61E

From Joey's Instagram

4 days to go until #WAM! Today's fact is about a piece of software that lets you walk a mile in someone else's shoes. It's life changing! 🤯🤯🤯 Pre-order here: www.books2read.com/WAM 📱 OUT JUNE 27TH! 📚 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookboost #WAM #yalit #reading
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Guest Blog - Shauna Black - A Taste Of Chocolate

Have you ever read a book and loved it so much you wanted to live in that world? I haven’t visited either of Universal Studio’s Wizarding Worlds of Harry Potter, but their success attests to the intense craving many of us have to immerse ourselves in imagination. (Or, maybe we’re really all just little kids inside that like to play pretend!)

Unlike the silvertongues in Inkheart, we can’t literally step into the pages of a story, but there are other ways we can bring the magic of our favorite books to real life, even if we don’t have oodles of money to spend on building fancy theme parks.

One thing I like to do is pick a food mentioned in a book and try my hand at making it. I’ve fixed bandana splits from The Knights of Crystallia by Brandon Sanderson. (No, that isn’t a typo. It’s bandana splits. If you read the book, you’ll get it. ;-) And the chocolate river (ie, a fountain) from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Do you realize how many references there are to food in books? So, if you like to cook, grab your apron and step into a little slice of fiction with me:

One of my favorite dystopian books is Matched by Ally Condie. Throughout the course of the book, Cassia learns how to become independent from a government that controls everything: down to the type and amount of food you eat!

At the beginning of the book, Cassia goes to her Matching Banquet, where she will find out the identity of the person the government has decided she will marry. Since this is a special occasion, Cassia and her parents are served a delicious meal described as "...a dance, as though this is a ball as well as a banquet." (I love that description!) The crowning jewel of the meal is the chocolate cake with fresh cream.

Since we don't live in that strait-jacket society, we can eat chocolate cake whenever we want! (As evidenced by the size of my waistline.) But you might want to serve it at a fancy dinner to get a real feeling for the book. (After you've read it, of course—which I highly recommend!)

Whenever I need chocolate cake for a birthday, special occasion, or that midnight chocolate craving :) I pull out this old family recipe. It makes a cake that is moist and spongy without being too light or too heavy. Add a dollop of whipped cream, and it's heaven on a fork!

****

(Note that I’ve tried to convert the measurements to UK units for your convenience. Hopefully, I did it right!)

Matchmaker Chocolate Cake

1 cup (240 ml or 8.1 fl oz) buttermilk

(If you can’t find buttermilk, add 1 Tbsp or 15 ml of lemon juice to regular milk and allow to sit a couple of minutes before continuing with the recipe.)

1 Tbsp (15 ml) baking soda (bicarbonate soda)

3 cups (375g) flour

2 cups (450 g) sugar

1/2 cup (65 g) cocoa

1 tsp (5 ml) salt

1 cup (240 ml or 8.1 fl oz) vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 cup (240 ml or 8.1 fl oz) boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 Celsius or gas mark 4) and grease and flour a 9 in x 13 in (about 22 cm x 33 cm) baking pan.

Mix together buttermilk and baking soda. Set aside. In a large, separate bowl, combine flour with sugar, cocoa, and salt. Beat in oil, eggs, and buttermilk with a mixer on low speed. Add boiling water and mix well.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 50 or 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool, then serve with freshly whipped and sweetened cream.

******

What about you? Have you ever tried to recreate an experience from a book, just to spark that little bit of magic in the real world? Share your thoughts with me! I’d love to hear about your creativity!

Drop me an email: author (at) shaunablack.com

OR

You can find me on my website: http://shaunablack.com or on FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/shaunaeblack

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.

From Joey's Instagram

5 days to go until #WAM! Today's fact the world is more tech based but yet there are some similarities between now and then. 📱📱📱 Pre order here: www.books2read.com/WAM 📚 OUT JUNE 27TH! 📚 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookboost #WAM #yalit #reading
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From Joey's Instagram

6 days to go until #WAM. Today's fact is that Hetti was pretty sure she wanted to be a police officer before she took her placement exam at sixteen. 👮‍♀️👮‍♀️👮‍♀️ Pre-order here: www.books2read.com/WAM 📚 OUT JUNE 27TH! 📱 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookboost #WalkAMile
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From Joey's Instagram

And the vlog is live! This week I'm talking about writing crime scenes! 😱😱😱 check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/JoeyPaulOnline #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #authortube #lovemyjob #ilovewriting #igwriters #igauthors #writingtips #authortuber #writingvlog #vlogger
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Writing Crime Scenes [CC]

PRE-ORDER WALK A MILE: http://www.books2read.com/
THE BOOK ROBIN HOODS: https://therobinhoods.wixsite.com/thebookrobinhoods
TICKETS FOR #DARKERSIDEOFFICTION2018: http://bit.ly/2IVeJXK
BUY MY BOOKS ON AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1VhLHog
BLOG: http://www.joeypaulonline.com/
TUMBLR: http://authorjoeypaul.tumblr.com
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/JoeyPaulOnline
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/MsJoeyBug
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/authorjoeypaul
GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/1UcS61E

From Joey's Instagram

7 days to go until #WAM. I will be sharing one fact a day about the book until release day! Today it's that the story is set in 2050 and the world is both different and the same. 🤔🤔🤔📱📱📱 📚 Pre-order here: www.books2read.com/WAM 📚 Comes out June 27th!! 💜 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookboost #WAM #yalit #reading
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From Joey's Instagram

#TEASERTUESDAY Hetti is still getting used to police work and the bodies are piling up. Find out more June 27th! 😱😱😱📚📚📚 Pre-order here: www.books2read.com/WAM #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #books #WalkAMile #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookboost #WAM #yalit #reading
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From Joey's Instagram

#GIVEAWAY! 500 Followers!🎉🎉 To celebrate having reached 500 followers on Instagram, I am giving away a SIGNED paperback of #WalkAMile, which is due for release on June 27th! I am also giving away a VIP #SWAG pack that is usually only available at conventions. Depending on the interest, I may also add an amazon voucher. 📚 *RULES* 1. Must be following me! @authorjoeypaul 2. Must share this image. 3. Must comment on this image. ✒ That's it! ENDS WEDNESDAY 27TH JUNE @ 12:00 MIDDAY UK TIME. 📚 Thank you to all the lovely followers who have helped me reach this milestone! 💜💜💜 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #giveaway #500followers #readersofinstagram #bookworm #amreading #lovemyjob #ilovewriting
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The Trials Of An Indie Author: Keeping Yourself Motivated

THE TRIALS OF AN INDIE AUTHOR: KEEPING YOURSELF MOTIVATED

As someone who does a lot of writing, gets books finished and all that jazz, people are always asking me both about my inspiration and where my motivation comes from. A lot of the time they're asking because they think that somehow I have the answers and secrets to the universe, which I really don't. On top of that, I get a lot of people saying that because I manage to do all of this while also being chronically ill and disabled, that I must have extra super secret intel on how to hack their own lives. I'm gonna shock you all by telling you how I stay motivated and how I managed to get all that I do done.

I work hard.

That's it. That's the answer that no one wants and everyone assumes is secretly a code for something else. Nope, sorry it's not a code and there is no secret to how I manage to do what I do. I do want to point out a few things. One, I have been an author for over a decade. Two, I don't have any other commitments. I don't work another job and my life is basically about the pages, words and chapters. Three, everyone has a different writing speed and that is more than okay. Mine is fast, and that's not because I rush and/or skip steps, but just because that's the way I work. Four, I didn't always work fast. It took a lot of trial and error to get to where I am now and working at the productiveness I do at the moment. Five, I am not, in any way, saying that those who don't work to my speed are not working hard. They are. Everyone is different, and that's okay. I do me, you do you and we'll all be very happy about it.

So you want to know what tools I use to help me stay motivated and on target? I've done a couple of vlogs about this on my youtube channel, which I'm sure you'll have seen. I stay motivated because it's what I want to be doing with my time. I stay on target because that's how I push myself. That said, there are some days, weeks, months, when everything gets thrown out of the window because a) chronically ill, b) disabled and c) we all need a break at some point. And that's okay.

I am a highly organised person. I have lists and colour-coded sticky notes on my desktop that tell me what I should be doing and when. If I suddenly found myself without those, I'm not sure I could continue to go at the speed that I do. Quite simply, they are my secret weapon. And they're not even really that secret. In a few weeks, I plan to start doing bi-monthly goals on my youtube channel. I've never done them publicly before simply because I had a way of tracking my goals and it worked for me, but then I realised that a lot of people were asking me what those goals were. Before I would write down everything that needed to be achieved in a month and put it on a private blog where I would then cross it off every month. I started doing that a good few years ago and let me tell you it helped.

It started off as a weekly goal list. I would, in the beginning, find it easy to strike things off. I got sicker and it because a bi-weekly goal list. That worked for a while as well. And then I got, you guessed it, sicker and it became a monthly goal list and while it worked for a while I realised that there were some months when I would write one chapter, if that, and I really, really, hated that. During the tail end of that, I was still studying for my degree so obviously, that took priority. But then the degree was done and I was still struggling to tick off one chapter.

The realisation came to me in November 2015 when I decided for, the first time ever, to do NaNoWriMo. I had never managed to write 50K in one month. Books took me years to finish and that was fine. I was writing two at the same time and that worked for me (and still does). However I wanted to set my own goal for NaNo and that was to write at least one whole page a day. Strangely enough, it worked. I didn't get anywhere near 50K but I did manage to restart my writing. From there, you all know the story, I decided to carry that lesson on and started the hashtag #JoWriMoGo - which simply stands for Joey's Writing Monthly Goal. I started it in December of 2015 and I've not looked back since.

It used to be the case where I would set myself a monthly goal of four chapters in total, with another four considered bonus ones. Once I leapt on the #JoWriMoGo train I couldn't stop. I was writing ten, fifteen, twenty chapters a month. I finished books in a quarter of the time it took me before. That's when I realised sticky notes could help me stay on track. And they have. I now set myself one writing thing to do a day and I stick to it. I work in blocks of four - two chapters of each book - and then have a free day that'll be used to record vlogs or write blog posts. The most I ever wrote in one month was 28 chapters, but now? I usually get through 24 a month.

My point isn't that look at all that I do, but that I work hard to achieve what I do. As does pretty much any other writer. We all work hard and we all have to stay motivated. I do that by setting goals that are realistic and manageable for me. I give myself full days when I will do absolutely nothing, and I make sure I take them. As of writing this, it's been two years and a bit since I started the page a day challenge and I don't see myself stopping any time soon. That's my secret, I found the way to keep myself focused and on track and basically what I'm saying is, you need to find what works for you. Everyone is different and that's more than okay. 

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books. 

From Joey's Instagram

And I have a poorly #MissPenne but she's got meds on board and wants to snuggle while I write! So here we go! 😻😻😻✒✒✒ #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #catsofinstagram #kitty #snuggles #pastacats
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From Joey's Instagram

I has a #MissViolet on my lap loving my lazy mount for strokes. Just gotta finish this chapter! 😻😻😻✒✒✒ #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #catsofinstagram #kitty #snuggles #Translucent
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Review Of Lose Me by MC Frank

The golden boy. Wes Spencer, aka Mr. Darcy, has it all: the face of a Greek god, millions of adoring fans, a mile-long yacht and a bored attitude. The last thing he needs is a crew member on his new film set nearly dying in his arms.
The stunt girl. That’s me, Ari Demos. I just landed a coveted job as a stunt double in the new Pride and Prejudice movie adaptation starring actor slash phenomenon Weston Spencer. Cue high dives and complicated car stunts along the narrow cliffs of Corfu -one false step and I could lose not only my job, but my life.
I wanted nothing to do with the arrogant English boy. Waking up to his kiss was something other girls dreamed of, not me. The movie star is the last person I’d expect to save my life.
Falling in love was never supposed to be part of the job. Fighting to stay alive was never supposed to be part of growing up.
"Today is not the day I die."

Amazon

My Review: 5 stars
This book was freaking amazing! It was heartbreaking, but also deep and a perfect love story. I loved it from start to finished. I loved getting to know Ari and Wes, getting to see the pieces fall into place and as someone who's been in a similar situation as Ari (not the exact same obviously) I loved how real it was. I loved that it wasn't drama for the sake of drama, but raw emotion, raw feelings. I loved it completely and utterly and I am very much a Frank fan now! I have to read more of her books, and this one was the perfect one, for me, to start with. Highly, highly recommended!

You can follow MC Frank on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, her website, and The Book Robin Hoods.

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.

From Joey's Instagram

And it's Thursday and that time of the month where I talk about what's been going on! Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/JoeyPaulOnline #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #authortube #lovemyjob #ilovewriting #igwriters #igauthors #igreaders #authortuber #writingvlog #vlogger #writingtips
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Life Of Joey - June 2018 [CC]

PRE-ORDER WALK A MILE: http://www.books2read.com/WAM
BETA INTEREST FORM: http://bit.ly/2nRnMSY
THE BOOK ROBIN HOODS: https://therobinhoods.wixsite.com/thebookrobinhoods
TICKETS FOR #BLISS2018: http://bit.ly/2yGorwr
TICKETS FOR #DARKERSIDEOFFICTION2018: http://bit.ly/2IVeJXK
BUY MY BOOKS ON AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1VhLHog
BLOG: http://www.joeypaulonline.com/
TUMBLR: http://authorjoeypaul.tumblr.com
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/JoeyPaulOnline
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/MsJoeyBug
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/authorjoeypaul
GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/1UcS61E

From Joey's Instagram

#TEASERTUESDAY Hetti's younger sister is in danger and Hetti has no way to help! Will she get there in time? Find out June 27th. 😱😱😱😟😟😟 Pre-order here: www.books2read.com/WAM #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookboost #WAM #yalit #reading
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The Trials Of A Crime Writer: Making It Work

THE TRIALS OF A CRIME WRITER: MAKING IT WORK

Sometimes you'll have the best idea and then you'll sit down to write it and it just doesn't make sense, or doesn't jive well with the characters and your writing ability. Never fear! I have some tips and tricks you can try to make your idea work. For the record I'm a mix of a planner and a panster. People usually call them Plantsers but I, being the giant Doctor Who geek, prefer the term: Hybrid. It means I can use this gif!

So beside that awesome point, I just want to add that planning works for a lot of people, and there's nothing wrong with it. On the flip side, there's nothing wrong with writer's who *don't* plan either. Nor with those like me who straddle the best of both worlds. There's not wrong way to write or plan or not. It's all about your own personal style and all of that. That said, let's move onto the tips and tricks of what to do when you've got this awesome idea but you can't work out how to make it into an actual story.

#1 - THOUGHT DUMPING WORKS
I know a lot of authors who do it this way. I believe Jenna Moreci is one of them. She describes thought dumping as a way to just dig into the story and allow for all the information to fall onto the page. You don't have any order or plan, you just put down everything you can think of that ties to this idea. It's a great way to get the flow going and get the idea out of your head and on paper. It works well to get the ideas from your brain and just out. You don't have to put any more thought to it, just pour everything you can think of about this idea onto the page. You can organise it later. I find this works wonders when I'm in the middle of another story and need to get an idea out of my head so that I can focus on the work I have to do. It's not even something you have to do during one session, you can keep adding to it as you go along. It's a powerful tool.

#2 - FOLLOW THE LOGIC
Now, since this is a piece specifically aimed at crime writers, I wanted to make sure there were some tips that applied simply to that genre. This one of them. I've had numerous crime plots and sometimes have difficulty connected the pieces together. Like I know what I want the end to be, but I don't really know where it begins or the middle and all of that. Sometimes you'll have a middle or a beginning, but the advice is the same. Follow the logic. If you want there to be a gang of people arrested for a bank heist of some kind, that you need to work backwards and use logical thinking to be able to tie it all together. Now I know sometimes crime isn't all that logical, so don't feel like it has to all fit perfectly, sometimes it just doesn't.

#3 - ADDING A TWIST
Sometimes we have an idea that doesn't work on its own. Sometimes it's not enough for a whole novel, and wouldn't be a good idea as a novella. There are, yes, over-writers and under-writers and their version of long enough, hell, anyone's version, is going to differ from yours. But if you have an idea and as you're writing it you realise that they could get to the end goal now, then you have a problem. There should never be a point in the beginning of your plot where the goal could be met without any issues. That's when you add in twists and sub-plots that keep your protagonist from reaching their goal. And I don't mean random ones that don't serve the story at all, but ones that allow for more character growth and conflict that can't be resolved quickly and easily. This can be anything from throwing in a love interest whose story would end should the main character reaches their goal straight away, to actual obstacles being put in their way. Be careful that you don't overuse the add a twist point, there will come a time when your readers are unable to suspend their disbelief and will just get aggravated with the story and you don't want that.

AND FINALLY #4 - PERCOLATE THE IDEA
This is something I've used a lot when talking through plot ideas with friends. Sometimes an idea needs time to grow into something bigger than what it started as. That's when you plant the seed and just let it percolate a little. You may find that as you come back to it in a few hours, or days or weeks, you'll be able to see what you couldn't before which solves a lot of your planning and plotting issues. I've used this so many times, and not even just for book stuff, but uni essays and other writing things. I even do it with blog posts from time to time as well.

So those are my four tips on how to make an idea work. Sometimes it can be something as simple as talking it through with someone and other times you need to get it out of your head. Whatever you do, you gotta make it work for you. Do you have any tips or tricks on making your ideas work? Share them with us in the comments!


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