Ignite: Something Just for You! It's a HUGE Party!!

WELCOME!

You've arrived at the "IGNITE" BLAST Hop & Tour...

I'm excited to be part of the launch celebration of Ignite, a book of tastefully erotic short stories written especially with moms in mind! By the way, my treasure hunt word is "READING."

Ignite compiled by Lori Verni-Fogarsi

Series: Light Your Fire #1

Paperback, 91 pages

Published November 26th 2013 by Brickstone Publishing

You will not believe all the fun & prizes that are going on!

Whether you're a woman who has put passion on the back burner, or you're a hot mama who has been keeping things aflame, these stories are sure to light your fire!

They're short. They're hot. They're a little something just for you!

My thoughts about Ignite ~~

Whoooeee! This is one hot book full of wonderful stories by some amazing authors! I rationed the stories out and read just one a day, rather than reading them straight through, in order to think about each one and to savor their yumminess.

Ignite is a book of short stories by 10 different authors. Some of them are intense and really put the heat on. Other stories were sweet and romantic. And then, some of them had both, heat and romance. It was a wonderful mix of wonderful stories.

I loved that this anthology introduced me to authors that I have not read before. These are definitely authors I am going to be watching to see what they produce next.

And..... this is book #1 in a series! 

Okay, I'm ready for book #2! 

Only $.99 on Amazon!

Ignite on Amazon and Goodreads

Brickstone Publishing

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Also, today here at The Book Bag, I have the pleasure of hosting Julianna Darling. She penned the fabulous story, What Come Naturally, one of the 10 wonderful stories in Ignite. It was one of my favorites! Oh heck, they are all good!

So, today Julianna is answering my 'voices' question.

Welcome to The Book Bag, Julianna ~ I have heard other authors say that they 'hear voices in their head' and that is how they write their books: the characters are telling their stories. Not being a writer myself, that concept has always intrigued me.

When some people hear voices, we get them medical attention, others end up becoming writers. Does this happen to you? How do you come up with your stories?

First of all, thanks so much for hosting me! This is such a genius question, really. I’m not sure how it works for other writers, but I don’t “hear them” at first. I’m an emotionally intelligent person, so I people-watch and observe a lot. Ideas come to mind all the time but they’re not all keepers. When an idea is divine, you just know you have to write that story; it resonates with your soul in a different way. 

Once the idea sparks, I usually sit down and start typing. All writers have heard of the dreaded “crappy first draft.” It’s called that because it usually is. The effort is not, but your first draft will never be your last. The key is to keep writing, even when you’re not inspired. When you write long enough, you’ll authentically start “hearing” your characters’ voices and motivations inside your head, but not in a schizophrenic-hearing-voices-all-the-time kind of way. You might be doing something mundane and an idea or new piece of dialogue pops into your mind (as if the character is a demanding child knocking on your head from the inside saying, “Yoo-hoo, listen to me now! Will ya?”). Then, most good writers either go write, or grab a piece of paper, a napkin, their T-shirt, whatever they can, and write it down!

I never understood this concept myself until I started to write a YA novel under another name (since the audience is very different from the romance genre). I started the story in one girl’s narrative, when another character quickly pushed her aside and said, “Nope, not happening! This is my story!” And so it became. But that truth— that niggling little voice inside your soul that cosmically aligns what is right in your world—that’s the “inner voice” you hear. 

Thank you so much, Julianna! I especially love the visual of the child knocking on your head from the inside. And when the one character pushed the other one aside. That's great stuff! Thank you for sharing! 

Julianna @ Brickstone Publishing

All the other authors too

Check out the event site for more professional reviews, author interviews, guest articles, and a TREASURE HUNT! Whoo heee! Let's get this party started!! 

So here's what you do ~~ 

1. Grab a pen & paper
2. Visit each of the blogs in the linky below to see their reviews, interviews, & articles
3. While you're there, WRITE DOWN THEIR TREASURE HUNT WORD!
4. Scroll down to the prize entry form below and get tons of extra entries for inputting the treasure hunt words!

The BIG giveaway! Over 40 prizes! Yes, seriously!

Use the entry form below to enter to win any of the 40+ prizes! 

Don't forget to collect the treasure hunt words from the blogs below to get TONS of extra entries!

Click here to see all the prizes available to win!

 Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to visit the rest of the celebration!

And....... there's a Kindle Fire Giveaway 
AND a Trip to Vegas Giveaway! 

Click here to go to those giveaways!

You really are gonna want to do that!

Only $.99 on Amazon!

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

WWW Wednesdays December 4, 2013

WWW Wednesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

Clicking on the book covers will take you to Goodreads for more information about the books listed below.

What are you currently reading?

Paris Adieu by Rozsa Gaston

I am loving my little trip to France!

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

(read by Tim Curry)

FYI - Tim Curry was the clown in the Stephen King movie It. I have to get past that thought.

What did you recently finish reading?

Sugar Spun Sister by Anna Garner

This is book one in a trilogy about three friends in San Francisco who make plans to open up an ice cream shop. The trilogy is called Sweet Dreams. Looking forward to reading the other two books.

Candlelight Christmas by Susan Wiggs 

Another wonderful Christmas story. I'll be posting my thoughts soon.

The End of the Affair by Graham Greene

(read by Colin Firth)

What do you think you will read next?

Redesigning Rose by Lydia Laceby

I love this cover. 

What's on your WWW this week?

Leave me a comment and

I'll stop by to check out your reads.

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

The Green Ticket by Samantha March: One Year Birthday and a Giveaway!

The Green Ticket by Samantha March 
Paperback, 326 pages
Published December 5th 2012 by Marching Ink 

College junior Alex Abrams scores her dream job at the ripe age of twenty – manager to a successful salon and spa. Thrilled to finally have a real adult job, Alex enthusiastically jumps into the world of schedules, conference calls, and getting a massage when interviewing prospective employees. What she doesn’t expect are the very grown-up issues that comes with a demanding boss. Kevin Dohlman quickly becomes Alex’s worse nightmare – covering up his affairs, dealing with his enormous ego, and trying to protect her female staff from him becomes a full-time job in its own right. Alex has also befriended Kevin’s wife and co-owner, Dani, and is trying to keep Kevin’s secrets hidden from her. The situation only worsens when Kevin starts paying Alex off to make sure she keeps her insider knowledge to herself.

While struggling to keep her wits and stay happy with her new grown-up job, Alex is juggling college courses, a new love interest, and keeping up with her close group of girlfriends. When her roommate and best friend Lila gets offered an opportunity to move to Los Angeles and sign with an agent, Alex realizes her life truly is changing, and everyone around her – including herself –– is growing up. Knowing she is faced with some hard decisions ahead, Alex struggles with keeping her job at Blissful. But does she really want to throw away what she dreamed of as a career – or will the secret-keeping for Kevin become too much to handle? The Green Ticket is a story about morals versus money, and how one young woman navigates the shaky line between the two.

I hosted The Green Ticket and Samantha back on January 1, 2013. Whew! What a way to start the new year! That seems like such a long time ago. And so many books ago. You can read my thoughts about this wonderful story here. 

I also got Samantha to talk about the 'voices' that help (?) her write her stories. You can read her response here.  

I am so happy to have Samantha and The Green Ticket back here at The Book Bag as they celebrate it's one year birthday! And here's to many more stories from Samantha!  

About the author

Samantha March is an author, editor, publisher, blogger, and all around book lover. She runs the popular book/women’s lifestyle blog ChickLitPlus, which keeps her bookshelf stocked with the latest reads and up to date on all things health, fitness, fashion, and celebrity related.

In 2011 she launched her independent publishing company Marching Ink and has two published novels – Destined to Fail and The Green Ticket. When she isn't reading, writing, or blogging, you can find her cheering for the Green Bay Packers.

Connect with Samantha

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Chick Lit Plus | CLP Blog Tours

Buy The Green Ticket

Amazon | Marching Ink

Giveaway Time!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Ignite (Light Your Fire Series #1) compiled by Lori Verni-Fogarsi

Ignite compiled by Lori Verni-Fogarsi
Series: Light Your Fire #1
Paperback, 91 pages
Published November 26th 2013 by Brickstone Publishing

Add to Goodreads

Tastefully erotic short stories written especially with moms in mind.

Whether you're a woman who has put passion on the back burner, or you're a hot mama who has been keeping things aflame, these stories are sure to light your fire!

They're short. They're hot. They're a little something just for YOU!

10 short stories by 10 hot authors.

My thoughts about Ignite ~~

Whoooeee! This is one hot book full of wonderful stories by some amazing authors! I rationed the stories out and read just one a day, rather than reading them straight through, in order to think about each one and to savor their yumminess.

Ignite is a book of short stories by 10 different authors. Some of them are intense and really put the heat on. Other stories were sweet and romantic. And then, some of them had both, heat and romance. It was a wonderful mix of wonderful stories.

I loved that this anthology introduced me to authors that I have not read before. These are definitely authors I am going to be watching to see what they produce next.

And..... this is book #1 in a series! Okay, I'm ready for book #2! 

Be sure to stop back on Wednesday as the Ignite Blast Hop & Tour / Something Just for YOU Giveaway! will go live. There will be professional reviews, author interviews, guest articles, a TREASURE HUNT, as well as a BIG giveaway with over 40 prizes! 

You are NOT going to want to miss it! 

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

On Tour: Miss Kane's Christmas by Caroline Mickelson, Voices, an Excerpt, and a Giveaway!

Visit other stops on the tour here

Miss Kane's Christmas by Caroline Mickelson
Kindle Edition, 154 pages
Published October 18th 2012 by Bon Accord Press

With Christmas only three days away, Carol Claus agrees to her father’s request that she leave the North Pole on a mission to help save Christmas. Joining single father Ben Hanson and his children for the holidays seems an easy enough task until Santa informs her that Ben is the man behind the disturbing new book ‘Beyond Bah Humbug: Why Lying to Your Children about Santa Claus is a Bad Idea’.

Posing as Miss Kane, the children’s new nanny, Carol pulls out all the stops to show Ben how fun Christmas can be, all the while struggling to understand how one man could hate the holidays so much. How could she, Santa’s only daughter, be so attracted to a man who refuses to believe her father exists?

My thoughts about Miss Kane's Christmas ~~

I love Christmas stories! Especially those stories that take what we think we know about a holiday; the traditions, the magic, the people involved, and put a different, interesting spin on the 'facts'.

Carol, the daughter of Santa Claus, has to leave the North Pole to try to convince Ben how wonderful Christmas really is. He is getting ready to publish a bah humbug book all about the negative aspects of Christmas.

'Christmas ambassadors were adults who believed in the story and the magic of Christmas. According to her father, these ambassadors were essential to keeping the tradition of Santa Claus alive.' 

Carol has her hands full but she is immediately accepted and loved by Ben's children. Ahh, the innocence and willingness of acceptance of little children.

'Joy is the greatest gift we can give any child.' 

Miss Kane's Christmas is a wonderful, fun story that was such a pleasure to read; a perfect holiday story to get you in the mood for Christmas.

'The Claus family creed was burned into her heart. Christmas was about children, first, foremost, and last.'  

Voices

Welcome to The Book Bag, Caroline! I have a favorite question I like to ask authors. Thanks so much for sharing your insight to your 'voices'.

I have heard other authors say that they 'hear voices in their head' and that is how they write their books: the characters are telling their stories. Not being a writer myself, that concept has always intrigued me.

When some people hear voices, we get them medical attention, others end up becoming writers. Does this happen to you? How do you come up with your stories?

One of the very best part of having friends who write fiction is that they knew exactly what I mean when I talk about the voices in my head. Their eyes don’t grow wide, they don’t take a step back from me, or give me any indication that it’s odd that I hear strangers carrying on in my head. And I do think ‘carrying on’ is the right term for it because the voices aren’t really talking to me. They’re speaking to each other and I, as the writer, am only meant to listen. Until it’s time to write and then the voices often disappear. 

So for me, I suppose, the voices I hear are really a pre-writing tool that help me move from the first glint of an idea to enough of an understanding about the characters and plot that I can sit down and write. Sometimes I see scenes unfold but, more often than not, I hear snippets of conversations that make me curious enough to start asking questions. The questions lead to ideas and the ideas lead to a plot…and off I go. 

Susan - Thank you for hosting Miss Kane’s Christmas on your blog site. A very happy holiday to you and your blog readers ~ Caroline

Excerpt

Carol grabbed ahold of Tinsel’s shoulder and pulled him back into the kitchen by the scruff of his green felt collar. “Get in here,” she hissed. “Quick, before anyone sees you.”

“What?” Tinsel objected. “Why are you acting like this? We’re here to help you.”

“Well it won’t help me if you’re seen,” Carol shot back. She threw up her hands. “Look, Tinsel, please go back out to the garage and wait with Jolly until everyone has gone to bed.”

“Rapz is here with us too,” Tinsel said, his voice suddenly a stage whisper.

“What?” Carol sounded frantic and she knew it, but she couldn’t help it. The day had been long. She’d never lived in such a Christmas hostile environment. Acting casual about the holidays was proving to be exhausting. She closed her eyes for a second. Focus, Carol, she instructed herself. Breathe deeply. She was a seasoned professional who managed over twelve hundred elves, often under very hectic circumstances. She could handle this. “Rapz is a loose cannon. Why couldn’t he have just stayed in the wrapping department?”

“Nicholas said-”

“Nicholas?” Carol shook her head. So this was her brother’s doing, his idea of a joke. She should have known her father wouldn’t send a wrapper elf. Like all of Santa’s helpers, Rapz’s heart was in the right place. But he paid more attention to wearing just the right sun glasses and gold chains than he did to all the little details that were necessary to make Christmas magical.

“Never mind what my brother said. I just need you three to stay out of sight until I can get everyone to sleep and the house is quiet.”

Tinsel winked, clearly finding the situation amusing. “Can do.”

“Miss Kane?” Ben’s voice called from the living room. “What’s going on in there?”

She cringed. Oh, holy holiday, had he heard Tinsel?

“I’ll be right there, Mr. Hanson,” she answered. She shooed Tinsel in the direction of the garage. “Just stay out of sight.” She turned back to the elf. “Go on. I’ll get them all upstairs and then I’ll come get you.”

As soon as Tinsel slipped into the garage, Carol headed toward the living room but she took only a few steps before she bumped straight into Ben Hanson.

“Owww.” Ben staggered backward and held up his good hand to keep Carol from coming any closer. “Who’s in the kitchen with you?”

“No one.” Carol reached out but he backed away.

“I heard voices.” Ben’s voice held an accusatory tone.

“Voices?” Carol shook her head. “The medicine must be playing tricks on you.” She tried to maneuver him back into the living room but he wouldn't budge. “Do you want me to call the doctor?”

“No, I don’t want you to call the doctor.” He drew his brows together in an expression that was equal parts confusion and annoyance.

Ben’s frown, Carol decided, was rather attractive. She smiled. She couldn't help herself.

“And just what is so funny?” Ben demanded.

“I always smile during the holidays,” Carol said. “Now, we really need to get you up to bed.” She gently turned him toward the staircase. “Let’s say goodnight to the children and then get you between the sheets.”

About the author

Caroline Mickelson loves her family and loves to write. She also loves a good adventure, among her favorites thus far were attending graduate school in a Scottish castle, riding a camel around the Pyramids in Giza, and taking a best-in-a-lifetime road trip to Graceland. Caroline lives in the American southwest with her husband and their four children, affectionately known as The Miracles.

Connect with Caroline

Website | Goodreads | Facebook

Buy Miss Kane's Christmas

Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Giveaway Time!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!