BLOG TOUR + REVIEW: "Live Without You" by Sarah Grace Grzy!

Thursday, January 31, 2019


Hey everyone!  Today, I have a review of a fantastic romance by Sarah Grace Grzy.  I had the privilege of reviewing a copy of Live Without You and it's just so, so sweet.  

Synopsis:


Piper Redding is a loner, but lonely. Everyone she loves has abandoned her and opening her heart to others is just asking for more pain. She can’t help but blame herself for her brother’s tragic death six years ago, and in her guilt, she shuts herself off from the world. No one could love her—not even the God who promised to be there for her but wasn’t.

For paramedic Ezra Bryant, failure is not an option. He’s had enough of it, and only by God’s grace is he able to put it behind him. But when a traumatic event brings Piper’s greatest fear and Ezra’s failures to light, can they use that event to allow God to mend their broken pieces? Can love triumph over fear, and grace over guilt?

About the Author:


Sarah Grace Grzy is a voracious reader, and if it weren’t for this crazy thing called 'Life,' she’d be tempted to spend all her days in front of a wood stove, book in one hand, coffee mug in the other.


A lover of learning, she finds enjoyment in many things and has more hobbies than she knows what to do with. Sarah Grace is a freelance web and graphic designer, and when not working, spending time with her ever-growing family, or reading, she can be found painting, playing the piano, or fangirling with her sisters and friends. She inhabits the State of Great Lakes, and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else—unless it meant she could have a baby penguin, in which case, she’d gladly move to the South Pole.

Make sure to follow her through these links:
Newsletter
Instagram
Twitter
Goodreads
Goodreads (Author page)
(I promise that there are links, even if they show up as black...just click 'em and see! Having some technical difficulties today...)

My Review


This book is a very sweet novella. The main characters are extremely realistic and relatable, which makes it easy to like them and become absorbed in the story.  Piper and Ezra have sad backgrounds, linked by disaster, and have to learn how to overcome that in order to move on in their lives...together.  I love the aesthetic collages that Ms. Grzy made for them.  I think it really captures the characters and their backgrounds.  If you want to get a feel for the characters, they're just below: 

Live Without You starts out like a suspense, and is a very easy read.  I was immediately drawn into the story, and once I was done with it, I wished that I had read it a little more slowly, because I didn't want it to be over!  I read it in a few hours, but like I said - it's hard to put down!  The first and last few chapters had my jaw hanging, and that isn't a common occurrence when I'm reading!  I can't even begin to tell you how suspenseful those were, you'll just have to see for yourself! It was very nice to see a book mix suspense and sweet, clean romance together; very refreshing!  


It also has a lot of Christian elements, which was very uplifting.  I think these characters can teach a reader many, many things.  I felt like I needed to be writing down some of the lines within the book so I could remind myself of such themes!  
Overall, this is a fantastic read, and if you're a fan of Christian romance, you'll want to pick up a copy!  I just ordered a signed copy from the author, which you can do HERE.  It's a pretty good deal and a pretty amazing book.  Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be staring out the window waiting for the mailman.

You can also buy copies from Amazon (Kindle and paperback) HERE.  Make sure to add it on Goodreads HERE!

However, if you want to take your chances on a giveaway first, she's also offering some pretty fantastic prizes!  






Giveaway Information:

Grand Prize ~ $20 Amazon gift card, Signed Paperback of Live Without You, Specialty designed mug.
Second Prize ~ $5 Amazon gift card, ebook copy of Live Without You

3 Third Prize Winners ~ Ebook copy of Live Without You


Grand prize open to US entrants only, 2nd and 3rd prizes available internationally. Giveaway runs from 12AM 1.21.19 - 12AM 1.23.19. Victoria Lynn Designs retains the right to disregard any entries that they deem bogus or spam. Good luck to the entrants!

Make sure to enter below!





For more information on the blog tour as well as Live Without You, make sure to check out this blog post from Victoria Lynn HERE. 

Have you ordered a copy of Live Without You yet (or do you plan to)?  Anyone excited for this release?  

Also, feel free to check out some of the older blog tour posts, and make sure to keep an eye out for new ones!  This party's lasting through February 22nd!  



Schedule:


Jan. 22
Abby // Spotlight @the_book_worms_bookshelf


Jan. 23
Libby May // Review and @libbymay117


Jan. 24


Jan. 25


Jan. 26


Jan. 28


Jan. 29


Jan. 30


Jan. 31
Michaela Bush // Review  @mj_writer98 on Instagram


Feb. 1


Feb. 2



Feb. 4


Feb. 5


Feb. 6


Feb. 7


Feb. 8


Feb. 9
Ashley // Review Spotlight?


Feb. 10


Feb. 11


Feb. 12
Rose K. // Review  https://www.instagram.com/adventurous.bookworm/


Feb 13


Feb. 14 ~ Valentine’s Day
Tammy Lash // Spotlight  http://instagram.com/tamlash5  


Feb. 15


Feb. 16


Feb. 18


Feb. 19


Feb. 20


Feb. 21


Feb. 22 ~ Sarah Grace’s Birthday



Blog Tour: SHADOWKEEPER by Hope Ann!

Friday, January 25, 2019


Hey everyone! Today there's a super-special release that you won't want to miss!  The fantastic author Hope Ann is releasing her newest book, which is inspired by Greek mythology.  It's a great concept and it's sure to be a captivating story!  And have you seen the cover?  It's gorgeous!




Blurb: 

Death can die as easily as any other man. Cedra has kept her sister safe for years. None of that changes just because Pethra got herself kidnapped by Death himself. Claiming the questionable aid of Death’s weary older brother, the Shadowkeeper, Cedra forces her way through mist and shadows in pursuit of her hapless sister. But Death wants much more than he has revealed.
A wish that will splinter her and Pethra’s world no matter what she chooses: death, or a chain.

Loosely inspired by the stories of Hades and Persephone and Castor and Pollux, Shadowkeeper will sweep you into a world of wavering mists, shadowy passages, and the love of two siblings fastening them with ties stronger than Death himself.

 Buy it from Amazon HERE
 Add it on Goodreads HERE


This ebook is available on Amazon NOW for only 0.99 - so now's a great chance to buy it.  Hope Ann's goal is to sell at least 100 copies in 48 hours, so make sure to share the news and snag a copy for yourself!

 About Hope Ann: 


Hope Ann uses chocolate to bribe a wide ring of spies, from the realm leapers of Aslaria to the double agents of Elkbend, for their stories. Based in Indiana, she is the self-published author of the Legends of Light series, personal writing coach, and the Communications Coordinator for Story Embers. You can find out more about her at authorhopeann.com 

A New Story Arises...Faith, Hope, And Love: Guide Me Home

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Mark your calendars (...ish) - Guide Me Home should be making an appearance sometime this summer!  This will be the third installment of the Faith, Hope, and Love collection.  What's going on in #3?


"Cortland may as well have been turned upside-down.

Morgan Barnes is watching her cousins grow up and get married - left and right, it seems! Feeling like she's losing time fast, she signs up for Internet dating that quickly turns sour. When she meets Martin, she's struck by the opportunity to help him. New to Christianity and Cortland, Martin's grateful for a friend...but a girlfriend? Maybe not so much.

Meanwhile, Lucy and Spencer's comfortable little world gets upended - and then flipped sideways to boot. Where there was only part of a story, now the other half unfolds. Where there were once childish dreams now resides knowledge unimaginable. And now resides faith, hope, and love - but will the Barnes and Clarkson families see God's plan for the lattermost of all?"


This book focuses on Morgan and Martin, two characters who were introduced in the first two books of the series (Welcome Home and My Compass Home).  Pairing the bubbly Morgan with the brooding Martin seemed to be an odd match at first, but the longer I thought about it, the more excited I got about the concept.  I'm really excited to share their story with you, but I also have a lot more of Spencer and Lucy's story to cover in this one.  So much, in fact, that I may even have to put together a fourth novel in order to finish their story, but I haven't decided yet.  We'll see how fat this book becomes!  I'm already a few thousand words into the story, which may not be that impressive - but I have a lot of other things going on behind-the-scenes, so I'd say I'm ahead of the game right now.  If you want to take a look at my Pinterest board for the series as a whole, I've been adding fresh pins and inspiration for this third book.

What are you working on?  Anyone looking forward to Guide Me Home?

Week In Review: The Weather Outside Is Frightful

Saturday, January 19, 2019

As I'm typing this, we're about 15 minutes away from the expected arrival of the end of the world.  Er, I mean, snow.  If you ask the masses that are going out to stock up on milk, bread, and toilet paper, though, they'll say it's the end of the world.  The weather forecasts have suggested that we'll either get feet of snow or hardly any snow at all.  We'll see. 

On the plus side (I think), I survived the first week of college.  With a full class-load this semester, I knew I'd be busy, but I'm still in the fog of "I just did 10 discussion board posts of substance before Wednesday, totaling about 4-5000 words if I calculated correctly, then had to do two replies to classmates for every one board -probably another 1000 words.  And then wrote 6 poems and an essay on poems and read a lot of stories and wrote a 900 word essay on those stories and then read a lot more and then cried myself to sleep twice and then did my Spanish." 

Fun, right? 

I can only hope to settle into my classes as quickly as Chuck Bartowski learned kung-fu from the Intersect.  (If you understood that reference, lemme know.  I will love you forever and probably harass you with Chuck references and gifs constantly because that's just how I roll.)
Related image
Credit: Chuck // Gifsoup.com
In case you missed it, make sure to check out my last post HERE, for some freebies that will be going out with the newsletter Monday (unless that huge snowstorm actually comes and I'm without power).  

You may have also noticed something else: the blog looks radically different.  I got an awesome template from an Etsy shop called BitestoBrand and I LOVE it.  What do you guys think?  I definitely don't miss the glaring pink.  

Currently Reading: Goliath Must Fall by Louie Giglio, The Warrior Maiden by Melanie Dickerson

Current Projects: Guide Me Home and Keeping Cassie.  Since I'll be writing over 100 poems this semester (I think) I'll probably have another book of poems and short stories for you guys.  Might as well do something with all that work, right?  

Current Bible Verse:  "Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?" (Luke 14:34 NKJV) What can you do today that will ensure you don't become stagnant in your work for God?  

Sometime before the end of January, I'll be posting a special blog about human trafficking.  I just wrote an article about it for my college's newspaper, since it's Human Trafficking Awareness month.  I think it's a very important thing that everyone needs to become aware of, and the more I researched articles for my opinion article, the angrier I got that this even happens and none of the major advocate groups speak out against it.  

As far as upcoming blog posts - I'll have something for you guys on Wednesday and Friday (one post is about Guide Me Home and the other is about Hope Ann's Shadowkeeper launch!) As well as my normal Saturday post.  Then the week after that, I'll have a review on Thursday for Sarah Grace Grzy's Live Without You, which you can preorder for Kindle now (click HERE.  You need it.)  Sometime soon, I'll also be writing a review of Code of Valor by Lynette Eason as well.    

So I'll see you guys soon!  

What are your plans for this weekend?  Anyone affected by this huge snowstorm that will either bury everyone or no one at all?  

My Novel Planning Guide + Freebie Alert!

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Hey everyone!  Since it's the new year and everyone's getting their planners/to-do-lists fired up for the year, I decided to write a post about my process for planning novels, which I've been utilizing lately.  If you're interested in downloading some free sheets to use for planning your own novel, make sure to sign up for my newsletter before January 21st: I'll be sending them out with that email, so make sure you're on the list!


I always try to start a Pinterest "mood board" before I actually begin writing anything, especially if it's a new series or book that I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about.  I have boards for Mount Sterling as well as the Faith, Hope, and Love collection and some standalone novels I'm still planning.  I've found that, especially if you're a visual person, this can provide inspiration as well as a guide to remember certain features or where you got a quote or inspiration from.  Locations, quotes, videos, reference photos...so on!  It's important to make sure you limit your time on there, though.  It's a black hole of time-wasting if you let it!  I try to limit myself to two hours of "Pinterest research" before I get onto the next portion of planning.

My next portion is creating my "cast list" or the characters and their basic traits.  I have a handy little sheet in one of my planner, which outlines each of my characters, physical traits, mannerisms, any diagnoses I need to remember, and any specific events that will be pivotal to the plot.  I also include family members, if there are any.  Even minor characters get squares, and I also write down  clothing preferences and hobbies so I can remember what my characters are up to and into.

Once I'm in the "head space" of my main characters, I like to make a playlist on Windows Media Player, Amazon Music, or whatever free service has been installed on my computer.  Then I'll fill it up with music from my library, whether it's from a movie score or a song from a singer (mostly For King & Country...). I'll even go so far as to make different playlists titled "Beginning," "Mid," or "Ending" if there are different moods that need to be conveyed for the majority of that section.  It really helps me get the moods right for character emotions, etc.

I also like to print out a sheet specifically to write down places that the characters are at or visit frequently.  In my Faith, Hope, and Love collection pages, I have the defining features of the diner, Italian restaurant, Lucy and Spencer's home, the cafe, the made-up VA hospital, Barnes' Books, the seedy apartment complex on the "bad side of town," and the Barnes family homes as well as their distance to and from each of these locations.  This one is definitely helpful, since I have no sense of direction in real life and the same thing happens with my made-up places too.  East is West and North is...wherever-ville.  Actually, I'll shamefully admit that I have a better idea of where my characters live than where I live, but it's helpful to keep track of everything anyway.

Finally, I like to write down all the major plot points and how much time elapses between them.  I do not write books in a linear fashion; usually, I'll start at the middle or end and work my way through as I please, and writing down events and then crossing them off as I go along helps keep track of everything I need to include in any particular book.  I'll have something like this:

MARCH: BOOK STARTS
  • Event A 
  • Event B (add fluff or 'easy' chapter between A &  B)
  • Event C or dialogue prompt that hints at event C
APRIL: 
  • Event C resolution
  • Hint at climax 
  • Etc etc etc
And I'll keep going until I reach the desired amount of time or months.  Alternately, I'll write down how many chapters I want in each month and I'll scribble down a little prompt or idea to remind myself of what needs to happen during that chapter, even if it's something little.  

I always allow room for expansion and deletion of certain events because my characters tend to take the reins about 1/1000th of the way into writing the story, but keeping these key points down helps me keep track of their progress towards the ultimate resolution of the book.  

If this helps you or gives you fresh ideas in any way, please let me know in the comments!  What are some of your tips for novel planning?  

If you're interested in grabbing some free printables to help you organize your novel (8 1/2" x 11" copy paper size for printing or use on your computer), please sign up for the monthly newsletter HERE!



Week in Review: Back to the Grind

Sunday, January 13, 2019



Hey everyone!  This is the last day before heading back to class.  I'm hoping to keep up with writing blog posts, especially ones in advance, but we'll see how the semester unfolds.  Gulp.

I only have access to a couple of classes so far, but from what I'm seeing, it's going to be a L O N G 16-17 weeks.  In one class, I have to write a poem every single day (and turn them in for grading/critique), which should be interesting.  I'll have a ton of poems written, if nothing else.  Oof.

There's an interesting post I have scheduled for Wednesday, so make sure to stay tuned for that.  Somethin' about writing and a chance for some freebies. 

Currently Reading: Goliath Must Fall by Louie Giglio and The Warrior Maiden  by Melanie Dickerson. This week, I read the Blue Justice series by Lynette Eason (and now have to wait until August for the next one...) and Live Without You by Sarah Grace Grzy, which I'll be posting a review for...stay tuned! 

Current Projects: I only wrote about 3k between Guide Me Home and Keeping Cassie but since this was my "get everything done before school starts" week, I daresay that's fine. Except I want to write more and my eye is currently twitching just thinking about my schedule. (No seriously. It is.)

Credit: Disney's Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure // Wikia

Current Bible verse: Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? (Luke 12:25 NIV). In Sunday school today, we had a lesson on being still and listening instead of constantly fretting over everything and what needs done. (The story of Mary and Martha.) I know this verse doesn't pertain to that story, but it kind of ties in (at least, in my weird mind). We can't worry a problem away, so if we spend more quiet time with God giving those problems up to Him, we're bound to be better off. 

How are you guys doing in these January ides?  Any projects you're working on, or new releases you're anticipating? 


Change Is Coming...

Monday, January 7, 2019



Hey everyone!  I just wanted to do a quick post to let you all know what's going on before I actually do anything.  If that makes sense. 

Image result for Hulk you can smell the crazy
Credit: The Avengers // Tenor 
Over last week, I was working on a Wordpress website, trying to get something started up for the business I hope to launch in May.  I'll have more details on that later on, and you'll probably hear so much about it that you'll hate me (welcome to my life, actually).
Anyway.
I was working on the website and it was going really well and -- then I realized that this website would get, like, 0 traffic because I wouldn't be blogging on it.  I planned to maintain both this site - as my blog - and a Wordpress website - as my business site.  Thanks to that revelation, hours of work went down the drain and I've decided to stay right where I am.

The problem is?  I absolutely abhor the website design I have going on right now.  It's just...weird.  Maybe it's just me being perfectionistic, but I'm not a fan.  Therefore, I've been perusing Etsy for premade Blogger designs.  Much as I'd like to brush up on my HTML, I have no clue how to code specifically for Blogger, so I'll be buying a layout and loading it onto this website sometime this month.  I have no clue when I'll actually get that done; it just depends on my schedule and how hard it's going to be to get the layout up and running.  So please be aware that sometime soon, you'll type this address in and it'll look really, really different.  Or won't be working right because I'm in the middle of updating it, probably.  

So, there you have it!  I'm actually pretty excited about this! 

I also have a question/PSA for one of the contributors to my survey: Someone sent in the survey and said that they were hoping to launch a book in 2019 and thought it would be "cool" if I participated in the book tour.  Their top 3 interests were "How-to books or free written 'courses,' signed books, and a review service."  If you are that person, would you please let me know by commenting or emailing me?  I would love to follow you and learn more about the book you're hoping to launch!  I was a bit of a dimwit when I set up the survey and didn't tell Google to save names or anything (if you look at it now, I have a spot to enter your name/email address, but I didn't then).  Thanks and I hope to "meet" you!


Reveries Co. Blog Tour: Interview with Angela R. Watts, Co-Manager

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Hey everyone! Here's the Super Exciting Post that I've been talking about!
Kellyn Roth of the Reveries blog and Angela R Watts of The Peculiar Messenger are launching a fantastic new resource for independent authors: Reveries Co., which is comprised of talented service providers that offer many services to help authors achieve publication success: from the best graphic designers for your book covers, to critiques, editing, proofreading, and interior formatting -- and beyond with social media management and web design options! Go to the new and shiny website for Reveries Co. for more info!
I had the pleasure of interviewing the co-manager, Ms. Watts, about the new company!




1. What is the inspiration behind Reveries Co.?
 Kellyn and I are both self-published authors, and we know how difficult it is to edit our books and market efficiently--without a lot of money to spare. Reveries Co. is a company for authors who need quality services on an affordable budget.

2.  Which service are you most excited to offer as a company and why?
I'm excited Reveries Co. not only offers editorial services, but interior and exterior designs, marketing help, and consulting. Those services are useful for an author to gain knowledge and make their books the best they can be!

Personally, I look forward to offering my editorial services, consulting, and critique work. I love working with authors and doing what I enjoy!

3.  How do you hope Reveries Co. will impact the indie writing community?  
Reveries Co. not only has mercy on an author's wallet, but it gives an author solid ground to stand on. Many Indie authors struggle with having their book properly edited, finding a cover that stands out (in a good way), and learning how to market. Reveries Co. will be the go-to company for authors who are ready to take their journey to the next level! 

4. Why is Reveries Co. unique from any other author service company?  
The Reveries Co. team has over forty years of experience combined. We're all writers who know the self-publishing world and want to change it for better. We offer many services at affordable prices--this is not something that is easy to find! Our team looks forward to helping fellow authors: we don't look at our job as something to simply finish. We enjoy what we do and strive to make our customers happy!


If this sounds like something you want to learn more about, make sure to join the Facebook party this Saturday! There will be giveaways and service discounts, Q&As...you'll want to tune in!


If you've been keeping up with the blog tour already, you may have seen my name mentioned (or my mug on a couple of graphics). I am offering editing and social media management through Reveries Co.! I'm very grateful to be included in this awesome team of service providers and I can't wait to see what's in store as the company officially opens for business!


In this next graphic, you might notice a few covers that are very familiar to you, including one from yours truly...





We’re giving away 30+ books—a combination of ebooks and paperbacks, genres and subgenres—to one lucky winner! Enter now!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Before you go, make sure to check out all the other stops on the blog tour -- lots of fun posts going on! 

Tuesday, January 1st

Interview with Founder // Kendra E. Ardnek @ Knitted by God’s Plan
Spotlight // Abigail Harder @ Books, Life, and Christ
Announcement from Founder // Lila Diller @ Creating Romance

Wednesday, January 2nd

Announcement // Kellyn Roth @ Reveries
Spotlight // Mukta A @ Born Free
Interview with the Co-Manager // Jo A @ The Lens & the Hard Drive
Announcement from Founder // A. Kaylee @ Kaylee’s Kind of Writes
Guest Post from Founder // Emily Yager
Interview with Founder // Dawn Dagger
Announcement from Founder // Eva-Joy @ Coffee, Classics, and Craziness

Thursday, January 3rd

Interview with Co-Manager // Michaela Bush @ Tangled Up In Writing
Spotlight // Jessica Greyson
Interview with Founder // Parker Hankins @ Pencils and Pianos
Guest Post by Founder // Merie Shen @ Imperial Scribis
Announcement from Founder // Jana T. @ Reviews From the Stacks
Announcement from Founder // Hanne T. @ Losing The Busyness

Friday, January 4th

Announcement from Founder // Deborah @ Reading on the Edge
Announcement from Founder // Katherine Brown Books
Guest Post from Founder // Julia Witmer
Announcement from Founder // Jessie Bingham
Spotlight // Loretta @ Just Writing
Interview with Co-Manager // Isabel Olivetti @ Chasing Fantasia

Saturday, January 5th

Spotlight // Abigayle Claire @ The Left-Handed Typist
Spotlight // Gracelyn Buckner @ Literatura
Announcement from Founder // Faith Blum @ Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections
Guest Post from Founder // R.M. Archer @ Scribes & Archers
Wrapup // Kellyn Roth @ Reveries


What are your thoughts?  Will you be entering the giveaway?