Novella Update

The novella I started writing last Christmas is done, if you don’t count the heavy editing it’s going through at the moment. I had envisioned it as a short and snappy 25,000 word story not the 40,000 + it’s become. I’m glad it worked out this way. Now I get to release it in paperback also.

So it’s got vampires in it, but it’s a human coming-of-age story at its core and follows a character of mine from a previous story.

I thought I’d end up changing the title it started out with, but I grew fond of it and went ahead and had the cover designed. The title and cover go well together.

So what’s next? Last general edits for me this weekend, do a proofread next week. I got the notes back from half a dozen beta readers and made the adjustments I felt were necessary. Then it’s on to the Editor. I need to start contacting my blogger buddies and organise a cover reveal for the start of June probably.  After that, I must decide which blog tour company to go with, get ARCS ready in pdf, mobi and epub formats for reviewers, write several short guest posts, prepare interview questions/topics, contact blogger friends again and snag some of them for my own tour, which I’ll probably have going at the same time as the booked tour. Arg, I’m getting tired just thinking of all this.

Apart from organising blog tours, promo posts, reviewers etc, I need to finalise the blurb, something I’m struggling with right now. Also have to think about formatting the book for print and get page count to my book cover designer. Self-publishing is kind of like a full time job without the guarantee of getting a cheque each month. Some days, you ask yourself, why do I bother? But then I realise that’s just my naturally lazy self talking.

Right now, I’m taking a break, going to watch an episode of Supernatural, break out the rosé and enjoy this beautiful Saturday evening.

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The Awakening – blog tour stops

I Heart Reading reviewed The Awakening & Other Stories.

“If you’re looking for a quick, ghostly, creepy read, then The Awakening & Other Stories is a great choice.”

Flirting with Romance is hosting a giveaway for The Old Vampire & End of the Line

Brandy Nicole says: “I’m not sure which one is my favorite.  I’m torn between Ghost Story and End of the Line.  My heart tore for Aaron, especially in the end.  Meade really brings to light some hard core life issues in this great collection.”

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Blog Tour: The Awakening and Other Stories

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My paranormal short story collection, The Awakening & Other Stories, goes on a two week tour starting today. Reviews, excerpts and a couple of interviews feature.

Find it:

Goodreads

Amazon.com            Amazon.UK              Smashwords

Barnes & Noble         iTunes

 

Put on the kettle, close the curtains and curl up by the fire. Dive into 8 short tales, each with a slice of the paranormal.

Ghost Story – Who is the shadow in the window of the abandoned house, and what or who is he waiting for?
The Awakening – It’s time for Sabrina to wake up and face the light.
End of the Line – Cassie wants to die. When midnight rolls around, she stands on the tracks waiting for the train to come.
Milsa Loris – The once magnificent kingdom of Milsa Loris comes alive one night each winter. The King’s witch is brewing up a little magic, sure to make the soup all the tastier.
The Old Vampire – Hailey spent her life dreaming of a dark prince falling in love with her. He never showed up, until now.
The Knocking – Alison’s grandfather has one eye on the next life. After all, he’s heard a lot of rapping at his door lately.
The Boy on the Beach – Kate’s grandmother warns her about the boy with the green eyes. Will she pay heed?
Snowglobes- It’s busy at Calvin’s Cabins this Christmas. Eddie and Maggie are a young couple in trouble. Not to fear, Calvin is always ready to lend a hand.

Excerpt from The Boy on The Beach

Kate sipped her tea and looked out at the ocean through the bay window of the holiday home. This trip was meant to be helping her come to terms with her grandmother’s death, but so far it wasn’t working. Her Dad had packed them both into his weatherworn Ford and driven three hours to the seaside town in Galway. At 16, Kate felt she was a little old to be going on holiday with her father, but he hadn’t listened to her. What’s new, she thought, enjoying the warmth from the mug in her hands.

Her grandmother had always listened to her. They had been very close, sharing a common interest in the supernatural, something Kate’s father frowned upon. Kate had often enjoyed watching her nana read patterns of tealeaves for curious neighbours and visitors who came from further afield. Word of mouth provided her with plenty of business in their town and beyond.

As a present for Kate’s thirteenth birthday, her grandmother read her tealeaves. But she’d kept something back. She had been unable to look Kate in the eye and waved off her questions with nervous laughter. Kate’s curiosity burned, and on the pretence of doing the washing up, she’d taken the cup and sketched the pattern of tealeaves on a piece of paper.

Alone in her room later, she opened up the giant book on fortune telling her grandmother kept in the study, turning to the section on tealeaves. The pictures formed at the bottom of Kate’s cup offered three words: water, fate and union. Confounded, Kate determined to find out more from her grandmother, somehow. But she had shrugged off Kate’s pleas, and the years had passed by. Now she was gone, and it was too late for answers.

Then it came to her, a Ouija board. She could make one. Kate grabbed her A4 notebook and ripped out four clean pages. She taped them together and got a pen, marking down the alphabet. Finally, she ran into the kitchen and found a whiskey glass. Perfect.

She pulled the curtains and lit two candles. Next, she settled down on the wooden floor, the makeshift board before her. She crossed her legs and touched the glass.

“Hello?” she said and felt stupid

Schedule

March 25th: Starter Day Party @ I Heart Reading

March 26th: Book Excerpt @ Flirting with Romance

March 28th: Book Review @ I Heart Reading

March 29th: Book Excerpt @ Reviewing in Chaos

March 30th: Book Review @ I’m an Eclectic Reader

March 31st:  Author Interview @ Cassidy Crimson’s Blog

April 2nd: Book Review and Promo Post @ Unshelved Reviews

April 3rd: Book Excerpt @ Loup D’Argent

April 4th: Book Review @ Forever Book Lover

April 5th: Author Interview @ Majanka’s Blog

April 6th: Book Review @ The Single Librarian

April 7th: Book Review and Excerpt @ Reader Girls Blog

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