Fabulously Young ePubs!

Hey, Blog Buds, the other Decadent YA authors and I are throwing together a group blog, so I'll be transitioning to that this weekend as Enduring Romance goes into retirement.  If you are or know anyone who is an *ePublished* Young Adult author, please let us know!  We're all Decadent right now, but we'd like to include non-Decadent authors to spread the love.  Fabulously Young ePubs

YA Decadent Blog Stomp: Bitter Roses

Good morning, Blog Buds!  It's my turn for the blog stomp.  Please scroll to the bottom or click on the Blog Stom icon on the sidebar to the left to learn how you can enter the daily drawings and the Grand Prize drawing for the loaded KINDLE!  
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Looking around at all the wonderful YA Authors I hang out with at Decadent got me thinking about why I write Young Adult in the first place.  Well, at first, I didn't.  I had no idea what I wrote.  I just had big stories in my head and I wrote them down.  It wasn't until people started critting them for me over at Critique Circle  , people like Sara Gwen  who was a teenager at the time, that I started getting feedback about having a 'voice' best suited to writing for teens.  Duh.  So, I worked on toning that voice and packaging my stories for that audience. 
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So, why is my voice best suited for teens?  My personal opinion is my lack of Bitter Roses.  What I mean by that is Adults seem to go through a change at around age 20 (scientifically speaking, this is the age at which the human brain stops growing) and they begin to look back on their childhood and adolescence either in Bitterness or through Rose-Colored Glasses.  Their ability to Think and Feel as their younger selves diminishes dramatically. (I've seen a similar thing happen around age 40, but that's for a different post.)
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This diminishing never happened for me.
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Here's a song to demonstrate what I mean:
'When I Grow Up' by the Beach Boys
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As I was saying, I still Think and Feel childhood and adolescence, which is undoubtedly why I was a Childcare Professional for years and years before having my own four children and finally becoming a published YA author.
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And there's another thing.  My childhood and teens were far from ideal.  I've read that other authors, most notably J.K. Rowling  write for young people as a way to recapture childhood, because their own was not-so-good.  I know I'm nowhere near the calibur of author Rowling is, but I think I've learned something she has too and I've learned to infuse my stories with it.  You can either let Pain fester into Bitterness and end up miserable.  Or, you can turn Pain on its ear and become Empathetic to those who suffer similarly.  This is why the heroine of the Ophelia Dawson Chronicles is an Empath.  It's a supernatural ability for her, but any human can learn empathy by really seeing and feeling for those around her, and then acting in a compassionate way.  I'm not saying I've arrived at that, but my journey in life is taking me there.
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Commenters on today’s post are entered to win a Decadent title of their choice. In addition, all commenters will be entered into Decadent’s grand prize drawing. There’s some great stuff to win, so please enter today and enter often!
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Kimber An

Decadent YA Chat for Blog Tour

It's tomorrow night, July 6th.  Come and be entered into the Blog Stomp's prize drawings!
Decadent YA Chat at the Romance Studio

Decadent Publishing YA Blog Tour Starts Today!

Good morning, Blog Buds!
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My publisher, Decadent, kicks off its month-long blog tour today, starting at home with Let's Get This Party Started!   This one's hosted by fellow YA author, Leslie Soule who is also one of my editors.

Leave a comment under this post or any other related post here or at one of the other participating blogs and you will be entered into the prize drawings.

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Grand Prize:  An Amazon Kindle loaded with SIX eBooks!

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First Prize:   a free eBook each month for 12 months

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Second Prize:  a free eBook each month for 6 months.

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Additionally, each stop on the blog tour will have a drawing for an eBook on its assigned day.

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This blog's stop is July 7th. 

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Today's stop is at Daily Dose of Decadence



Summer Reads & Writes

Hey, Blog Buds, school's out!  I've been spending almost all my computer time on Sweet Bytes, the next full length novel in the Ophelia Dawson Chronicles.  Now that school's out, I can do more.
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Writing must always come first now.  I was hoping to have Sweet Bytes read to send to Decadent by the first week of May.  Um...okay, so then I set my goal for the last week in May.  Well...then in my story analysis I came up TWELVE chapters short of my wordcount.  Yeah, I spewed coffee on my computer screen.  Good thing I have Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder or that would have taken me months to figure out and then months more to figure out what to do about it.  As it is, it took just a few minutes.  But, it will take a solid week to make up those chapters.
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Anyway...I reckon my editors would rather receive a story that's as complete and good as I can make it all by myself. 
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Once that's done, I'm going to be spending time on blogosphere-wide events, like Decadent's YA Blog Tour in July.  I'll be guest blogging all over the place and such.  Stay tuned to this station for more details.
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Besides that and a massive amount of end-of-the-homeschool-housecleaning, I also plan to READ!  Yes, read!  Haven't had time to do that in such a long time.  I really do miss being a book reviewer.  With the last Harry Potter movie coming out, I want to read the whole series again.  My children and I are planning to read Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone out loud together.
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I also want to reread Nefertiti by Michelle Moran again.  It's one of those books I like to read once a year.  I want to read Lottery by Patricia Wood, but I gave my copy to my mother and made her swear to take excellent care of it.  Signed by the author, you know!  I'll check out a copy from the library.  Other rereads will be Down Home Zombie Blues by Linnea Sinclair and Apocalypse Blues by Walter Greatshell. 
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For first time reads, I want to squeeze in some Steampunk, like Boneshaker by Cherie Priest and a few swoony Historical Romances set in World War II and the Old West.  Any recommendations?
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Ahhh, summer!  I can't wait to go camping! 
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You know what I can't figure out about camping these days?  Why in tarnation do people even go if they have to take all their modern junk with them?  When I go camping, goshdarnit, I wanna get dirty!

Mother's Day Sale at Decadent!

Go, Hot Mamas!
Mother's Day at Decadent

Four Stars for CRUSHED at Night Owl!

CRUSHED at Night Owl

Decadent Temporarily Opened for Submissions!

Pop on over and join a great team of authors, editors, and all around geniuses!
http://www.decadentpublishing.com/index.php?osCsid=205e64d12a8933c520257f8df2b11bcf&content=submissions

A Little Bee Told Me...

...that Decadent Publishing may open to general submissions for a few days this week.  Keep an eye on this page- Decadent Submissions

My Decadent Page and The Cool Ad They Got For Me

See here!
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My Books at Decadent
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And here!
Kimber An at Night Owl Teen

CRUSHED SUGAR Release Date is March 25th!

About CRUSHED SUGAR

HEY YOU by Valerie Mann Releases!

Hooray! My novella,  HEY YOU,  in the Run Devil Run series with Decadent Publishing has finally been released! It's been a long road to get here, but well worth the trip!

What's so special about it? Seriously, who wouldn't want to take a literary road trip with four hot men and a rock band? Well...okay...I didn't exactly travel with them. In my overactive imagination I did, though. And...well...the books in the series aren't about the boys exactly...but they modeled for us and provided us with plenty of inspiration and some amazing covers! 

HOW'S THIS FOR INSPIRATION?

Run Devil Run is a popular rock band based in Los Angeles. The guys were happy to lend their faces and talent to Decadent Publishing. Trust me, it wasn't a hardship on our part to make this happen!  (oh, and my cover features the uber-sexy Jackie Joyride ~ I think I did okay, don't you?)

 The books in the series are all paranormal, with Hey You probably the darkest of the bunch. As Heather Bennett, co-owner of Decadent Publishing said, "Paranormal romance lends itself easily to the Rock vibe.” After reading the other books released in the series, I couldn't agree more.  

What's Hey You about?   

Playing by the rules…Cara spent her entire life doing just that—dutiful daughter, stellar student, responsible adult…in a word…nerd. Not that she had much choice. The Society, a secret moral social order she’d been born into, had one motivating tool in its arsenal to ensure members didn’t succumb to temptation and break any of its laws...

The Watcher… A demon whose sole mission consisted of waiting for his watch to break the rules—and bring them to...

The Dark.  Marek sucked at his job. Not only did he hate being a Watcher, but he’d fallen in love with his watch, Cara, placing his eternal soul in peril. Only able to protect her in her dreams, when she reaches a crossroad in her life that puts her mortality in jeopardy, they have to decide who will give the greater gift.

Will Cara sacrifice her mortality for Marek’s love…or will he sacrifice his soul to save her life?   Read an excerpt 

 I'm going to do TWO things to put some Run Devil Run awesomeness in your hands because I think you're going to love this these stories and this band as much as I do!  

 

1.  Leave a comment on this blog. I'll pick one random commenter here to win a free download of Hey You. Winner will be announced here and by email (if you leave one) on March 26th.

2.  Want to win the GRAND PRIZE?  Buy a copy of Hey You from Decadent Publishing by March 25th. When you purchase your book, you will also receive a free download of the song "Hey You" by Run Devil Run. You'll be sending a print screen file as proof of purchase to Decadent Publishing in order to receive the download. So ~ send a print screen file to me as well, confirming your purchase of my book. Send it to valeriemann09@yahoo.com  I will announce the winner on my blog, Facebook and Twitter on March 26th. 

      What will the LUCKY WINNER win? A basket full of goodies, including Run Devil Run autographed swag like their latest CD. I'll also throw in a copy of the Run Devil Run anthology print book, goodies from all of the RDR anthology authors, and decadent edibles (chocolate comes to mind). So....follow #2 to the LETTER and I'll enter you in the big drawing. Good luck!!

 

Valerie Mann

 

valeriemann09@yahoo.com     Facebook ~ valerie.mann   Twitter ~ mannvalerie

 

Decadent Publishing Giving Away a Loaded Kindle This Week

My publisher is participating in a promo at Coffeetime Romance.  Their prize will be a Kindle loaded with six eBooks! (Of course, you can load it with tons of others too.)  Their day is FEBRUARY 1st!  That's this Tuesday.  Mark your calendar and enter for your chance to win this prize.  It's worth, what?  A couple hundred dollars?  Huge prize, don't miss it.  Here's the link-
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=1592

Sneak Peek at Night Owl Ad for SUGAR RUSH and Other Decadent YA Stories

Pretty cool, huh?  http://www.decadentpublishing.com/index.php?cPath=2_32&osCsid=6c1232251c1e45744bd0b3ee7262f414

'30 Days of Decadence' Continues

with recipes for Irish stew and egg nog and more prizes. Scroll down to last Saturday, if you want to read mine 'The Christmas My Sister Blew the Head Off Malibu Barbie' 30 Days of Decadence

30 Days of Decadence Continues

Every day a new post and new prizes. 30 Days of Decadence

Decadent Publishing Kicks Off the Holiday Season

My publisher has set up a special blog 30 Days of Decadence  to celebrate their first holiday season.  Each author will post (my day's tomorrow) and give away a prize.Then, there will be a grand prize given away at the end.  It's a beautiful necklace by Tretre Designs for you or someone you love.
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Today's post is by Amanda McIntyre, author of   A Christmas Promise

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How was my Thanksgiving?  Wonderful.  You see, my sweet mother-in-law ruined her first Thanksgiving turkey after she got married and the men in the family have been cooking them ever since.  So, once I put my pies in the oven, I was done!  I love my mother-in-law!  I'm also thankful my husband paid attention to her and also that we have four beatiful children.
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Like I mentioned above, my day to post is tomorrow, Saturday, November 27th, and the title of my post is
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THE CHRISTMAS MY SISTER BLEW THE HEAD OFF MALIBU BARBIE
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So, pop over in the morning, 'cause I have a devious plan to make coffee shoot out of your nose and I'll be sorely disappointed if I fail.  I'm also giving away a copy of Sugar Rush and an Alaska holiday ornament.

Heather Bennett of Decadent Publishing

My own esteemed executive editor, Heather Bennett, took time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions for me and I'm happy to share those with you today.
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Kimber:   It’s been almost five months since your Galaxy Express Interview.   You’ve since launched Decadent Publishing in August with Lisa Omstead and a bunch of brilliant editors and cover artists.  My blog buddies can read the Galaxy Express interview to know what your plans were, but how’d everything ‘shake out’ for you all?
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Heather:   It has been beyond expectation! We have been so very fortunate to have acquired an excellent bunch of talented editors, some of whom are brilliant writers. We are getting superb submissions daily. The story quality and variety is a REAL delight. We have everything from steamy contemporaries to sweet Young Adult fiction, Mainstream historicals to steampunk. You can't get bored with our catalog! We're growing at a good pace and I am very much enjoying the process of working with the staff and the authors and those we market and promo with. It's a very vibrant community to belong to.
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Kimber:   Any course corrections?
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Heather:   Minor ones. We have always had a 'vision'; but some things come up and you just deal with them. I don't think of an obstacle as a road block, but rather an opportunity to learn a new route. Seriously. It's been a theme in my personal life and now in my professional one as well. We also value the educated opinions of those around us and enjoy incorporating their creative ideas.
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Kimber:   I know a vital ingredient to success in anything is the ability to keep on learning. What have you learned since Decadent launched about publishing?
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Heather:   How very intertwined everyone is. I come from a small town where everyone knows everyone, or at least everyone's grandmother or 3rd cousin, and that's what being in the world of publishing is like. If you treat people with honesty, integrity, and respect, though, you can rarely go wrong.
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Kimber:   What about marketing?
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Heather:   Well, the marketing is one of my very favorite things to do! I get all giddy when I find a new promotional opportunity or come up with something different. I also sincerely appreciate an author who, even if it's not their personal strength, make the effort to grow their career in this area. It's a major component to success. It is probably equally as important as the actual writing.
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Kimber:   I will always be grateful to Decadent for bailing me out of that eeeevil, dreaded purgatory known as Queryland. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
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Heather:   We were happy to snatch you up, Kimber!  Yes. Do your homework. If you write something, find an honest crit partner who will tell you your strengths and weaknesses so you can work on them. If you are going to submit to a company, find out what they are about and if they are right for you. Listen to the editors who are trying to tell you your manuscript is good, but will need these 123 revisions before it becomes the gem it was meant to be. And educate yourself on promotion and marketing. Oh, and keep writing!
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Kimber:   What are you especially looking for in submissions?
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Heather:   It doesn't have to reinvent the wheel. Just tell me a good, or great, story. Show me some real emotion, some characters I'll care enough about to love or despise. As far as specific categories, I am looking right now for a few military romances to be released around Memorial Day, historicals, some erotic romance, some sweet contemporaries, I'd like to build our burgeoning YA catalog.... we are pretty much open to any genre in any length, from shorts to super novels. If people log onto they can see our Submissions Guidelines  Decadent Publishing
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Kimber:   Is there anything extra special you want to tell us about Decadent right now? Holiday anthology or event? ‘Read For a Cure?’
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Heather:   We are currently working on a number of holiday stories. We have a sweet Irish-American historical by Amanda McIntyre, a Steampunk Christmas tale from Robert Roman, as well as a fabulous anthology from a group of talented authors entitled A Passionate Christmas who are giving a portion of their proceeds to Read For a Cure, our Decadent Publishing program that benefits the America Cancer Society Relay For Life. Deanna Wadsworth is also donating a large portion of her December proceeds to Read For a Cure from her sexy yuletide m/m tale. We'll have contests on our blod, Daily Dose of Decadence , of course.  And we have a BIG announcement coming up. And more, but you'll have to wait and see. Can't give away all the surprises!
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Kimber:   What did you want to be when you grew up?
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Heather:   From 3rd grade on, I wanted to be a teacher. Then in high school I taught 6th grade Sunday School for two years. That cured me. Love kids, but not 30 at a time. HAHA
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Kimber:   What do you want for Christmas?
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Heather:   A Gigi Hill purse. One of my best friends sells them and I am secretly plotting to get a Gia and maybe a Greta. Otherwise I want a Vitamix so I can start juicing in 2011. Gotta stay healthy so I can embarrass my children when I'm 90!
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Kimber:   Sounds like a great plan to me.  Thank you!

Daily Dose of Decadence

Good evening, Blog Buds!
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I'm passing on news about a contest at my publisher's blog, Name Our Blog!
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Also, Decadent Publishing is looking to bail a few more authors out of Queryland.  Check this out-
What Decadent is Looking For

SUGAR RUSH on the 'Coming Soon' Page!

Check it out, the little book that could.
http://decadentpublishing.blogspot.com/p/coming-soon.html
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Here's Burl Ives to help celebrate-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEhyiNVVaeU&feature=related
Yeah, I know The Little Engine That Could is a children's story, but, hey, I used to be a nanny and now I have four children of my own.  I can quote Yertle the Turtle word for word in my sleep!