I'm hosting my first ever Rafflecopter. If this goes smoothly enough for me I'll do more in the future with more exciting prizes.

This launch will run for 2 weeks beginning November 1.

Prize: $50.00 Visa Gift Card!!!

Synopsis:
High school drop out, former addict, now fights for intergalactic peace. 

Life can be rough for some. For one man, life was insurmountable. One dead end after another lead him in and out of jail more times than he ventured to count. One such occasion changed everything. 

Charlie Westlake is a man on a mission to bring together one of the top teams the universe has ever seen. On this trip, he will bring an empty man into the fold. Will he make it? 

John Brooks enters the ISC in this, a prequel to Mirror Image.


Five random facts about the series:
1.  Before Jackson joined the ISC, he was married and had a little girl. You’ll be able to read his backstory next year.
2. Maddie has a file on her computer of ideas for future products, including one for genetic enhancements. It becomes the Genesis Project. More on that when the Amethyst Chronicles: Winter’s Kiss launches in November.
3.  I started writing Mirror Shattered immediately following Mirror Image. 
4. This is book two in a five part series, including a prequel for Mack. 
5. Short stories for Jackson and the Brooks brothers will follow next year.

 
Five Facts about the ISC:
1. The Intergalactic Security Commission encompasses 115 planets and has a total of 40 bases spread out over the galaxy.
2. The ISC isn’t formally part of the military. It acts as a separate entity.  
3. Even though it isn’t involved in the military, the ISC is mostly made up of scientists and service personnel.
4. On the outside, the ISC appears like a normal city building. The building uses self-generating shields and holographic projectors to hide the roof top hanger. The more secure levels are underground.
5. Before the start of Mirror Shattered, Charlie Westlake has been the only Commander.


Five personal facts while writing this story:
1. Several scenes in this book made me cry but there is one in particular that I cried while writing.
2. Like a lot of sci-fi fans, I’ve always been fascinated with time travel. When I began planning this series, I knew the second book would involve going to the past. The results were anything behind I had ever dreamed.
3. I subscribe to the Joss Whedon school of philosophy: “Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke.” That describes the latter half of Mirror Shattered.
4. I pose the question if you could go back in time to affect the future, not knowing if what you do is for the better or not, would you do it? That question kept me up for two nights.
5. The changes both Mack and Maddie go through in this book inspired me and will forever change the course of the series.


Link for Mirror Image: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JWZZ20W
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mirror-image-kg-stutts/1119689102?ean=9781633100022 


Bio of Author, K.G Stutts:
Growing up in Texas and later South Carolina as the youngest in a house full of science-fiction fans, K.G. Stutts had her natural curiosity and imagination nurtured since birth by family movie nights where they would watch Star Wars, Indiana Jones and even timeless Disney favorites.

A prolific writer of sci-fi, romance and mystery, K.G. draws much of her inspiration from those amazing works that gave her an appreciation for telling rich, compelling, character-driven stories for all audiences.

Keep up with her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/KGStutts or follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KGStutts. She also is on Tumblr at kgstutts.tumblr.com. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, Brad and works for a customer service call center full time. She's a lover of Star Wars, Star Trek (original, TNG, and Voyager), Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis, Muppets, Garfield, Disney, Indiana Jones and is a big football, wrestling, and hockey fan.

Change the format. If you’ve been writing and revising longhand, try working with a computer. Conversely, if you’ve been working with a computer, print out your document to revise longhand. Sometimes a shift this small can help. I have a theory that the extra time it takes me to write and edit longhand forces me to think a bit slower and find a slightly better sentence.

Enlist a reader. A second set of eyes views your writing from a different perspective. If you work on something on your own for too long, you start to lose sight of how a fresh reader might approach it. You may have edited out something crucial, the absence of which only a new reader can recognize. You also run the risk of editing the thing so thoroughly that it loses its original inspiration/spark/magic. 

Sleep on it. If you hit a wall, set down your project and return to it later after you’ve slept. If you’re not sleepy, eat a meal or go for a walk. 

Step away and do something enriching. Your body and mind need to recharge. It can help to do something that’s creative but lacks the pressure of writing/revising. Do something just for the joy of it. We can learn to bring joy and playfulness back to our writing. Revising then turns into a form of play. Moving a sentence to the end of a paragraph, or rearranging a scene, can be like drawing something in the sand, only for the image to be washed away. And we learn to stop making up imaginary consequences for “getting it wrong.”

Read. Your brain files away lesson after lesson all on its own. Reading from books can answer your revision questions, even if you’re unaware of what you’re looking for. We pick up stylistic tools and techniques, we develop our sense of linguistic rhythm, we even become better spellers when we read. And when we return to our writing, we do so with a more complete tool belt, with the ability to fix problems we couldn’t see before.

kristinvanrisseghem@msn.com
www.kristinvanrisseghem.com
https://twitter.com/KVanRisseghem
www.facebook.com/pages/Kristin-D-Van-Risseghem-Author

Do you need a book launch party? Although it can be a great promotional activity, a big party can put your budget into a hole so deep it will never recover. However, there are ways to host launch parties on a budget.

So if you're thinking about a book launch party, here are some tips that will help you decide whether or not to go ahead with one and, if you do, some things to look out for.

Before you can start planning your book launch party, you'll need to decide whether you're throwing this party to congratulate yourself and share your joy with friends and family, or whether it's mostly intended to be a chance to promote your book.

There's nothing wrong with throwing yourself a party. A book launch party also can be a great way to say "thank you" to people who have played a significant role in getting your book to market.

But if the party is part of your overall book launch strategy, you'll want to focus mostly on what's going to help get news about your book out to the people you really want to reach. The tips that follow are aimed at these sorts of parties that are meant to promote books.

• Make a budget. How much are you willing to "invest" in this one promotional event? Expenses for live events can easily get out of hand as unexpected wrinkles arise. Compare what you're willing to spend to other possibilities. For instance, to hire someone to write a professional press release and have it electronically delivered costs about $200-300. Will that accomplish more with the resources you have than throwing a launch party?

• Find a venue. Hold your party in a retail environment, if possible. Bookstores and other retailers will be happy if you can bring in a lot of people to their store, and they usually will handle the sales. They may sell your books on consignment (no payment unless books sell) and will require a minimum discount from the retail price. Another good strategy is to locate a retailer with some connection to your book. And you don't have to be limited to retail spaces, either. A book launch that's more of a celebration can be hosted at a private home.

• Plan your space. If your party is in a store, you will probably be supplied with a table but don't count on anything else. You'll need to provide some appropriate decorations and don't forget any bookmarks or other "freebies." If you're having your party at a retailer that's not a bookstore, you may have to help the store with planning for tables to sign books and other details.

• Get the word out. If you're working with a retailer for your launch, ask about promotion. They may be able to include you in mailings or email newsletters about in-store events. Or they might allow you to put a flyer up in the store a couple of weeks before the event.

• Keep people entertained. You've gone to a lot of trouble and expense to set up your party and get people there. What are you going to do next? Instead of planning one long reading, why not create a shorter event you can repeat over the course of 2 or 3 hours? If you can, include appropriate music and visuals for entertainment. A slide show or book trailer running on a laptop can capture the attention of browsers who will want to know more about your book.

• Make sure you have books. Yes, there's nothing worse than planning a party, then realizing you can't get printed books in time. Work backwards from your party date and plan to have the physical books on hand at least a week beforehand, just to be safe.

• Use the media. Let local media know about your book launch party and invite them to come around to join the festivities.

• Build your crowd. Don't forget to invite your friends, family, co-workers, writing group, and social media contacts. More people equals more excitement, and that's what a party is all about.

• Take pictures. Ask a friend to take pictures and make sure to get some shots of you signing books, talking to readers, and speaking. If you have any "notables" attending, get a shot of the two of you together. These will come in handy for your promotional efforts.

• How to sign. If you've never autographed books before, spend some time thinking about what you'll write. Many authors use a few stock phrases which can be helpful when the autographing line is long. Many people like their name included, too, so make sure to ask for the correct spelling. Don't sign the same way you would a legal document. I think this is why some autographs are illegible. You may want to sit and practice your new signature a few times.

• Prizes and giveaways. Who doesn't like free stuff? I know I do! Having a drawing for a free book or a prize themed to your subject will be popular. 

• Gather addresses. Here's my last tip, and it's one of the most important. You want to stay in touch with people you spend time with at your launch party. Make sure you have a way to capture each attendee's email address, whether it's a sign-up sheet, a bowl for business cards, or a laptop or tablet where people can opt into your mailing list on the spot. This could be combined with the Prize and giveaways.

You've worked long and hard to get to this point. Throwing yourself a party - and getting all the benefits - is a great way to celebrate!

I have signed as of this morning my 3-book series and 2 novellas. I will be a member of the Distinguished Press family. I'm super excited about my new adventure. To follow my progress, you can find me using the below links!

kristinvanrisseghem@msn.com
www.kristinvanrisseghem.com
https://twitter.com/KVanRisseghem
www.facebook.com/pages/Kristin-D-Van-Risseghem-Author

Ten feet from the car, a man stepped directly into our path. We came to a screeched halt, and I jerked Lissa back by her arm. It was him, the guy I'd seen across the street watching me. He was older than us, maybe mid-twenties, and as tall as I'd figured, probably six-six or six-seven. And under different circumstances-say, when he wasn't holding up our desperate escape-I would have thought he was hot. Shoulder-length brown hair, tied back in a short ponytail. Dark brown eyes. A long brown coat-a duster, I thought it was called.

Question: Guess who this is?

Scroll down to check your answer.



















Answer: Character: Dimitri Belikov. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

ONE SPACE BETWEEN SENTENCES IN FICTION
TWO SPACES BETWEEN SENTENCES FOR NON-FICTION

Grammar Guidelines
Manuscripts that often mis-use the em dash, colon, semi-colon, and ellipsis. Over use of any of these grammar tools disrupts the flow of a book, not to mention that incorrect usage is … well, incorrect! Please read the following. If you over use these tools, then re-edit. In many cases, a simple comma, or creating two sentences out of one, works better.

The em dash is significantly longer than the en dash and is usually used to separate parts of a sentence in standard English prose. Here are its major specific uses:

   1. An abrupt change in the flow of a sentence where the text description that follows the dash is unexpected or significantly deviates in tone from what came before it.

   2. An abrupt termination, such as when a person is speaking and is suddenly interrupted before finishing a sentence.

   3. A parenthetical remark — like this — where there is initially an abrupt change but the normal flow of the sentence returns after the second dash Em dash.

The em dash (—), or m dash, m-rule, etc., often demarcates a parenthetical thought or some similar interpolation, such as the following from Nicholson Baker's The Mezzanine:

    At that age I once stabbed my best friend, Fred, with a pair of pinking shears in the base of the neck, enraged because he had been given the comprehensive sixty-four-crayon Crayola box — including the gold and silver crayons — and would not let me look closely at the box to see how Crayola had stabilized the built-in crayon sharpener under the tiers of crayons.

It is also used to indicate that a sentence is unfinished because the speaker has been interrupted. For example, the em dash is used in the following way:

     Kieran watched me, still rubbing my arms as he told the cashier, “She’ll also have an ice water.” He tilted his head toward the menu board. “Anything else?” “Did you order me a chai?” I asked.

     He nodded.

     “Cause you know I can’t function without a good cup of—”

     “You can’t function with it, either.”

     Then I turned my attention toward the clerk, unsure if I recognized him or not. I hope he doesn’t know me. “Nothing else. Thanks.” I handed him some bills.

If you’re using em dashes to indicate a trailing off in thought, you’re using them incorrectly. Also, as with ellipses below, over use of em dashes breaks the flow of your story, and gives editors nightmares.

The colon has two uses:
    1. To indicate that what follows it is an explanation or elaboration of what precedes it (the rule being that the more general statement is followed by a more specific one) [There is one challenge above all others: the alleviation of poverty.]

    2. To introduce a list [There are four nations in the United Kindom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.]

Note: A colon is never preceded by a white space, but it is always followed by a white space, and it is never followed by a hyphen or a dash.

Please don’t use a colon to introduce dialogue!  That’s why keyboards have commas!

The semicolon has two similar major uses:
    1. To join two complete sentences into a single written sentence when the two sentences are too closely related to be separated by a full stop and there is no connecting word which would require a comma such as 'and' or 'but' [It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.]

    2. To join two complete sentences into a single written sentence where the second sentence begins with a conjunctive adverb such as 'however', 'nevertheless', 'accordingly', 'consequently', or 'instead' [I wanted to make my speech short; however, there was so much to cover.]

Keep in mind that one does not use a semicolon when there is a connecting word.  This is a common mistake. 

Note: In the above uses, the semicolon is stronger than a comma but less final than a full stop.

There is a minor use of the semicolon: to separate items in a list when one or more of those items contains a comma [The speakers included: Tony Blair, the Prime Minister; Gordon Brown, the Chancellor of the Exchequer; and Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Education & Skills.]

 The ellipsis (...), sometimes called the suspension or omission marks, has three uses:
    1. To show that some material has been omitted from a direct quotation [One of Churchill's most famous speeches declaimed: "We shall fight them on the beaches ... We shall never surrender".]

    2.  To indicate suspense [The winner is ...]

    3.  To show that a sentence has been left unfinished because it has simply trailed off [Watch this space ...] The ellipsis indicates an unfinished sentence or thought. The thought or dialogue trails off. Do not overuse the ellipses. There should not be a lot of trailing thoughts in your book. It is not used when a thought is interrupted; that is the em dash.

 In general, treat an ellipsis as a three-letter word, constructed with three periods and two spaces, as shown here.

 In nonfiction writing one uses an ellipsis to indicate the deletion of one or more words in condensing quotes, texts, and documents. One must be especially careful to avoid deletions that would distort the meaning.

In fiction writing, an ellipsis is usually meant to convey an unfinished thought designed to force the reader to use his/her imagination to discern what might come next. This is easily overdone, however, and can adversely impact the flow of a story. Because of their disruptive power, ellipses must be used very sparingly and only with careful prior consideration. Never resort to ellipses as a crutch or out of laziness. An example of of the ellipsis:

     They say your life flashes before your eyes when you stare death in the face. It’s a total cliché, but I assure you. Mine did, even though I have only lived seventeen years. Sadly, I hadn’t lived long enough to do anything. No dates with a boy—I’d never even kissed one. I’d never been to college, never been to a formal … in fact, I’d never even left the State of Minnesota. I longed to travel the world, to see places I’d only read about. I couldn’t die yet. My life was just starting!


The parenthesis: Almost never used in novels.  So don’t use them in yours.

kristinvanrisseghem@msn.com
www.kristinvanrisseghem.com
@KVanRisseghem
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