For the Love of Books Giveaway Hop!

I really want to thank Jessica from Thoughts at One in the Morning for asking me to be a part of this fun giveaway hop!  I'll be picking three winners to win TWO of the following books listed. The giveaway is international and you can enter via the Rafflecopter below!

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Guest Post: Erica Cope & Giveaway of LARK!

Erica Cope, author of Lark, is taking over my blog today and talking about critique partners. I love her and her debut novel so much that I'm also giving away 3 Kindle copies of Lark, so don't forget to enter the giveaway for your chance to read this amazing book!

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When Komal asked me to do a guest post for her, my mind sorta just went BLANK.

Nothing.

Nada.

Nothing but air up there.

I couldn’t come up with anything for the life of me that I thought would be of some interest to ya’ll.

I thought about writing about the inspiration behind my story. But I already posted about it over on my blog so I figured that would be cheating.

Then I thought maybe I’d write about how I handle bad reviews (because you know, everyone gets them sometimes) but that’s been done too.

 (P.S Even though they say NOT to read them, I read them anyway. But I do make sure I always read the positive reviews afterwards to remind myself that there are people out there who DO like my story.)

So then it came to me! I’d do a post about the importance of Critique Partners because this is a topic I have a lot of thoughts on.

Ding ding ding! My brain is working again!

First, I just want to say that I think that Crit Partners are very important, special people. You are trusting them with your book baby so they have to be!

Sometimes as a writer you may think you are conveying what’s in your head on to paper but that doesn’t mean that the reader is “getting” it. I saw the entire kingdom of Álfheimr in my head, but I did not describe it very well in my first draft.

Maybe it was just an amateur move, but surely I’m not the only one who has made that mistake. (Right?) I just assumed the reader could see what I saw (as if they magically had access to my brain or something) and focused more on the flow of the story at first.

Thank goodness for Crit Partners!

One of my Crit Partners was especially good at pointing out when I left out important details. She asked me questions about what things looked like, what they sounded like and what they smelled like. Everything. So I would sit back and picture it all in my head again and then instead of focusing on the “what’s happening” part, I’d focus more on the sensory aspect. Another one helped make my dialogue more realistic (contractions!). The others helped me with the consistency of the story. Everyone who read my story helped me make it better in one way or another.

That is one of the best things about Crit Partners. Not only can they help you develop your story into what you want it to be, but they’re also good for bouncing some ideas off of. Good ones can keep you on track which is especially valuable for Indie Authors.

But on the other hand, when having people read your story before you publish, I think it’s important to remember that just because they suggest something, doesn’t mean you have to change it.

I think it’s important to make sure that you stay true to YOUR characters and YOUR story.

Sometimes people forget that everyone responds differently to different situations. Someone reading your story might offer suggestions on how THEY think your characters would respond to certain situations and while sometimes you may agree, don’t be afraid to say “no”. Because at the end of the day, you know your characters (you invented them!) and you know best.

So moral of the story?

Critique Partners are great, but don’t forget to TRUST YOURSELF too.

Thank you Komal for having me as a guest on your blog!

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Erica Cope lives in Missouri with her husband, three kids, two dogs and a partridge in a pear tree. Okay, so maybe not the last part.

You can find more about Erica in the following places:

Facebook
Twitter - @EricaCope3
Blog
Goodreads

For the chance to win one of three Kindle copies of LARK, please enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

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Author Interview: Erica Cope

I am so freaking excited to have Erica Cope stop by my blog today! As y'all know, she is one of my critique partners and also a very good friend, and I have been super excited about her debut novel, Lark, for a very long time.

Erica Cope lives in Missouri with her husband and their three children. She has been writing short stories and poetry since childhood, but LARK is her first novel. She enjoys knitting, pretending she knows how to play her guitar, and reading pretty much anything you put in front of her.

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For those who are unfamiliar with Lark, can you briefly tell us what the story is about?

It’s a story about a completely ordinary girl who thinks she has a pretty good life. Then her world is completely turned upside down when she discovers that her real dad (who abandoned her before she was born) is actually the king of the Light Elves and that nothing is as she thought it was.

What was your inspiration behind the story?

I actually, as cliché as it sounds, woke up from a dream that I couldn’t get out of my head. I laid awake for hours before I finally just got up and wrote the whole thing down. I fell asleep after that but the next day I started thinking about what would have happened before and after the scene I dreamt. After that I started writing.

Describe your main character in five words.

Independent, caring, courageous, but also a little short-tempered and impulsive. 

She, like most teenagers, doesn’t always think things through but her heart is the driving force in her decision making.

 

Holy Jacoby! I am seriously in love with him, though Greyson is pretty awesome too. What can you tell us about this love triangle and the inspiration behind the love interests?

 I think most people “fall” for more than just one person while they are in high school. Mia is no different in that sense, but what is different is that while both Greyson and Jacoby serve a role in Mia’s life, only one of them is “right” for her.

However, she doesn’t spend the entire book contemplating which one! LOL I wanted to show that as Mia learned more about herself that she would ‘out grow’ her crush, which would then open her up to something more.

What has been your biggest challenge of being a self-published author?

I’ve been incredibly lucky to have so many people offer me advice and to answer all of my questions but a lot of it I still had to learn for myself. I guess my biggest challenge was the decision making part of it all. I didn’t want to make the wrong decision about something as simple as trim size or cream vs white paper, pricing and then end up regretting it or worse, forgetting to do something important! Like adding page numbers to my paperback…yeah…that happened. Whoops!

What do you love the most about being an author?

My most favorite thing is hearing all the positive feedback from readers. I love it when someone tells me they read it, loved it and can’t wait for the sequel…those days I’m pretty giddy and I walk around with a huge smile on my face.

I know you are super busy juggling three kids. How do you find the time to write?

Oh gosh! When I was writing LARK I would start writing as soon as I put the three Blondies to bed and I would often write until 3am without even realizing how late it was! I was in the zone! But when your kids wake up around 7am, that’s not much sleep! I survived those months by drinking a lot of caffeinated beverages!

I try to squeeze in writing whenever I can, sometimes I’ll get something stuck in my head so I’ll have to jot down some notes on a piece of paper and type it up later that night. Which in theory is a great idea but usually I write my notes so quickly that I can barely read my own handwriting!

What are you currently reading?

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead. I adore Adrian!

Do you have any upcoming projects that you can tell us about?

I’m about 75% done with the first draft of a contemporary romance I started last fall and I’m also currently writing the sequel to LARK. Ideally, I would like to have one of the two ready to be released by this fall.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

I would encourage aspiring authors to pick good crit partners! I’m immensely grateful for mine!

- FUN FACTS -

Human or elf? I could totally be an elf.

Jacoby or Greyson? I can’t say. ;) Don’t want to be unfair to my guys by picking favorites!

E-book or book? I love the convenience of ebooks but I love the smell of the real thing!

Amazon or book store? For shopping, definitely Amazon, but I could spend hours browsing a book store and sipping on coffee.

Pen or keyboard? Definitely a keyboard. Sometimes I can’t even type fast enough for my thoughts so when I do write them down I have a hard time deciphering my chicken scratch!

Thank you so much for stopping by, Erica! It was wonderful having you here!

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You can find out more about Erica at the following social network sites:

Blog/Website

Facebook

Twitter - EricaCope3

Add Lark on Goodreads

Lark can be purchased in the following places:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Review: Lark

Lark - Erica Cope
Genre - Young Adult Fantasy
Released - February 5, 2013

The last time she checked, Mia Carrington was pretty sure that she was a normal girl with a completely ordinary life.

She goes to high school, has a crush on the gorgeous and mysterious new boy in town, and has strange dreams that she can’t help but feel are real somehow.

Okay, so maybe she’s not all that normal after all.

A freak accident changes Mia’s life forever when she is thrown into another world and left to deal with the revelation that she is the daughter of the King of the Light Elves. Throw in an ominous prophecy predicting that Mia will break a curse unleashing the Dark Elves on the world and well, things don’t look too good.

There is danger lurking at every corner in this strange world and Mia isn’t sure who she can trust…
The only thing she is certain of is that the Dark Elves know about her, and they will stop at nothing until they have her.


*WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD*

I was lucky enough to be one of the first people to read this book and since that moment I fell in love with the story, the characters, and the fantastical world of Alfheimr.

Mia is an interesting protagonist and you get swept up in her journey as she discovers her identity as a Half-Blood and daughter of the King of the Light Elves. I especially enjoyed the history of the Light Elves and the Dark Elves. The prophecy was well-written and the plot was strong and engaging. The world-building was done well, the pacing was great and there was a lot of action that left me turning the pages.

Oh, and I have a new book boyfriend! Jacoby, oh Jacoby! Swoon! The banter between Jacoby and Mia was so witty and left me with this goofy smile on my face. There is also another love interest in the form of Greyson, and believe me when I say that he is just as swoon-worthy as Jacoby is.

Erica Cope’s debut novel is well-written, fresh, and entertaining. I was left feeling satisfied at the end, but also eager for the sequel. All in all, a fantastic debut! I highly recommend it!

Recommended: If you enjoyed Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series.

Book Release: LARK by Erica Cope

My dear friend and critique partner, Erica Cope, just released her debut novel, LARK!!! I am so freaking excited for her! I seriously love this book and recommend it to everyone. It's a sweet YA Fantasy read and the story captivated me.

I'm going to get Erica on the blog, do a review and a fun giveaway, but for now I'm going to direct everyone to Amazon where you can purchase this fantastic book!

Click here to buy LARK for only 0.99 cents!!!
Click here to add LARK on Goodreads!

The last time she checked, Mia Carrington was pretty sure that she was a normal girl with a completely ordinary life.

She goes to high school, has a crush on the gorgeous and mysterious new boy in town, and has strange dreams that she can’t help but feel are real somehow.

Okay, so maybe she’s not all that normal after all.

A freak accident changes Mia’s life forever when she is thrown into another world and left to deal with the revelation that she is the daughter of the King of the Light Elves. Throw in an ominous prophecy predicting that Mia will break a curse unleashing the Dark Elves on the world and well, things don’t look too good.

There is danger lurking at every corner in this strange world and Mia isn’t sure who she can trust…
The only thing she is certain of is that the Dark Elves know about her, and they will stop at nothing until they have her.

Cover Reveal: LARK by Erica Cope

I am so freaking excited to share this cover reveal and blurb with you guys!!!!! Erica Cope is one of my nearest and dearest friends, critique partner, and all round one of the sweetest people I know. And guess what?? She is publishing her debut novel, LARK in a couple of months!

The wonderful Eden Crane was responsible for the stunningness (yes, I am just making up words here!) that is the cover of LARK! Okay, is everyone ready...??








Here it is!

The last time she checked, Mia Carrington was pretty sure that she was a normal girl with a completely ordinary life.

She goes to high school, has a crush on the gorgeous and mysterious new boy in town, and has strange dreams that she can’t help but feel are real somehow.

Okay, so maybe she’s not all that normal after all.

A freak accident changes Mia’s life forever when she is thrown into another world and left to deal with the revelation that she is the daughter of the King of the Light Elves. Throw in an ominous prophecy predicting that Mia will break a curse unleashing the Dark Elves on the world and well, things don’t look too good.

There is danger lurking at every corner in this strange world and Mia isn’t sure who she can trust…

The only thing she is certain of is that the Dark Elves know about her, and they will stop at nothing until they have her.


Isn't is fabulous?? I am seriously in love with it! I can't wait until everyone gets to read LARK and see how awesome Erica is! If you'd like to find out more about Erica, check out her blog!