Into the End Giveaway!

Everybody wins a 100% off coupon for Into the End on Smashwords.

If you comment on this post (open until Sunday 04/01/2012 at midnight PST), with your name and email, I will email you a coupon for 100% off the purchase price on Monday. Smashwords has ALL formats needed for your ereader or computer.

If you have time after you read it, please don't hesitate to offer up a fair review on Amazon or Goodreads.

I look forward to emailing you!

Are You Prepared?

Barely Alive Giveaway! On Goodreads.

Go here and sign up.

Barely Alive Zombie Hash

You'd be surprised how much zombies eat - at least the ones in Barely Alive. Also, not all Zombies are mindless, brainless, groaning machines. No that's just what people think.

But if zombies eat so much, what could they eat? Well, they'll eat anything, but meat is the best - raw meat.

And since I don't like raw meat, here's a Zombie Hash recipe for you (it's my husband's recipe). We can all pretend it's zombie food.

Zombie Hash:

Ingredients:
Chopped Russet potatoes (peeled or not)
One pound ground burger - browned (we hunt so this is venison or elk, but turkey, chicken or cow is okay)
1/2 chopped white onion (We love Walla Walla Sweets)
Salt (To taste)
Pepper (to taste)

Directions:
Mix the above in a frying pan and cook until the potatoes are soft and the onions are opaque. This tends to look slightly messy.

For a really great effect? Put ketchup on the plate - it's delicious with the hash and looks like fake blood. I've never seen a zombie with real blood, so I'm assuming they like the fake ; )

As soon as I get pics I will put them in with this. Let me know what you think!

The Zombie Apocaplypse May Be Right Around the Corner...

And in Barely Alive there's a real possibility Paul and Heather will find the cure.

Paul is infected with the virus that in 12 weeks will incapacitate everything in his body but hunger. Heather is immune and may be the clue to a cure OR a vaccine. Like Montagues and Capulets, these two teens crave each other but can't get too close - who knows what might happen. The world's health - no, even the world's existence - could hang in the balance.

Barely Alive is a YA urban fantasy dying for you to read it. There's more than one way to look at a zombie.

Out on Amazon and releasing in print in a week.

It's all about the love, baby. What do you think about zombies?

New Cover for YA Urban Fantasy

This one was a blast to write!

Thanks so much Katie Thomas for the terrific cover. I have a crush!



What do you guys think? It's my YA zombie romance... so much fun!

New Layout - Need Opinion!

Hey guys, I messed with my layout a bit and went from a triple column to a double. What do you think? Should I switch back? Should I try something different? Is this easier or harder to read? Let me know what you think I need or would look better!

I appreciate the help a ton!

This was me and hubs a couple years ago. I think I was preggo with #4 at the time.

Hugs

I'm on KXLY news!

My friend, Melissa Martin, did an awesome article about me. Made me feel all warm and cozy!

This Friday! Because There Is Hope Event

I'm fortunate enough to be a member of the IECRWA chapter of the Romance Writers of America.

This weekend they are sponsoring a table at the Because There is Hope event in the Authors' corner for members to sell books and do signings.

I'll be there Friday from 9 until 2 pm with copies of Into the End and swag as well as books by Rebecca Zanetti.  When I find out what other authors from the group will be there, I will OF COURSE post them.

I hope to see you there, if you're in the vicinity. It's a great cause and one I'm proud to contribute toward.

What is Your Fear?

Rachel Parker in Into the End can IDENTIFY fear, she can DEFINE it, but she doesn't feel it. Not anymore. Not since the tests.

Her inability to feel fear may be the reason why the rest of America is screaming in terror.

Into the End is not a paranormal story. It's set in science and psychology and the need to be prepared.

What are you afraid of and how do you define fear?

Also, go here for a link to my special Anti-Chili recipe - you can make it with food storage items or fresh. Either way, it's perfect to cozy up to a bowl and read the book (recipe featured in novel).

I'm Disturbed At the Reasons People are Visiting My Blog

I went to my statcounter.com as well as the stats button on Google and discovered what sites are referring my blog. Um. Porn sites. Seriously? I don't do anything that has any relation to those kind of sites and I don't support them.

Not sure what is being found on my blog or site that would lend itself to that ideal, but okay. Here's the thing. The "worst" my stuff will get - including my books - is mild language. I have some gore - it's true because I write thrillers and romance - but for the most part, I don't do sex scenes. I leave that to the people who know what they're doing. I don't have the prose for it. I'm too mechanical when I write those scenes.

Now food? I can write food porn. Not hard to do. But I'm not going to appeal to a porn site referring their people to me and I'm not sure why they are.

If you're here because you think you're going to find an eyefull or something naughty - not so much. But you can spend your money on my books. I'll take that. But still. You won't get anything naughty.

Sorry. That's how I roll.

By the way, have you picked up your copy of Into the End?

Into the End - A Thriller

So I said I had news and here is some of it!

My apocolyptic thriller is out (print will follow in the next week or two)!

Into the End is the first in a three book series that kept me on the edge of my seat while I wrote it. I gasped in parts and cried in others, all the while shaking my fist and pumping the air when the characters succeeded or did something that enraged me.

I've had it compared to "One Second After" and told it's like "The Day After Tomorrow" with a splash of terrorism. Both made me grin.

Not a lot of people understand vulnerability because of where we live, but what would you do if your neighborhood was attacked directly after an earthquake hit, a tornado, or a hurricane?

How would you survive? Are you prepared?

The family in Into the End has taken steps for such an occasion, but will those steps be enough?

Here's the back cover copy:

America’s end is near.

No one knows why, but the great country is under attack.

After being weakened by countless natural disasters, America opens its airspace for aid. But instead, what is left of the devastated west coast finds itself nearly obliterated from above. The key may belong to tests designed by a Pacific Northwest psychologist, Rachel Parker.

Rachel loses the love of her life in a house fire as they escape with their children to the nearby Rocky Mountains following the first round of air raids. In refuge, she faces her husband’s best friend, Joshua, but doesn’t want to face his ill-harbored feelings or her own inability to face fear.

Her sister, Brenda, escapes the fallen city, and, mistaken for Rachel, is captured. Terrified and alone, Brenda is protected by the enigmatic Daniel even while he helps keep her captive. Through torture and mind games, Brenda discovers information about her sister’s work that could spin the free world into a tumultuous frenzy where the unknown is safer than reality.

 

And here is the AWESOME cover - no, I didn't design it, I haven't the right brain capabilities to achieve this coolness.

Into the End is a thriller I didn't invision writing. It's not a romance. It's not sweet or "fun". But the idea wouldn't leave me alone. The first scene woke me up MANY nights from sleep. And I'll be honest, I've had nightmares because of what's between the pages.

Coming this summer - #2 of the Into the End series - Through the Flames. Discover why allies = all lies.

What do you think of the cover? What do you think? I'm so excited, I'm freaking out over here...



Breathe Again Lasagna

Maggie makes this lasagna for Ryan and Brodan in Breathe Again. It's the first time she starts to feel like herself since her husband died.

Easy, easy, easy, and super duper sloppy. Make sure you have plenty of french/garlic bread on hand to dip.

Sauce Ingredients:

• One large can of tomato sauce,
• 1 large can diced tomatoes,
• 1 TB of minced garlic (with oil),
• chopped onions,
• italian sausage,
• 2 TB dry/fresh parsley,
• 2 TB sugar,
• 1 – 2 TB salt with pepper:

Sauce Directions:  Everything but the sauce and diced tomatoes brown in a pan keeping the sausage oil. Add the tomato sauce and tomatoes. Simmer until the rest of the ingredients are ready.

Cheese ingredients:

• One small ricotta cheese,
• one medium cottage cheese,
• 2 cups mozzarella grated,
• garlic salt (about 1 TB).

Mix all and set aside to be layered.

Layering ingredients:

• Fresh spinach,
• fresh sliced mushrooms,
• sliced olives,
• anything else you like in your lasagna – like noodles – but don’t prepare too many, this is a less-pasta-more-fun-stuff dish.

Start your layers. Best to start with something like mushrooms then top with pasta, sauce then cheese. Next, olives, spinach, pasta, sauce then cheese. You should have a fairly thick dish with few layers. Cheese tops it and you’ll cook it in your pan or dish (whatever kind you love) at 350 F for 30 to 40 minutes. This is SLOPPY and great to dip your garlic bread in. I love garlic.

Also, play with this recipe. You can’t ruin it because it’s a subjective dish. Like it sweeter? Add more sugar. More noodles? Add more. The sauce and the bread is the only reason I make it.

Does An Author Changing Genres Make or Break You?

Most authors are readers, or should be.

So if you're here and you're one or both of the above, will you please answer this question? I'm very curious about the response.

Does an author you like turn you off when they switch/try out a new genre?

For instance, when Nora Roberts tried out the J.D. Robb thing, did you follow because she's NORA or did you try out J.D. having never read Nora (WHAT!) and now you do?

Is changing subgenres within a genre a no-no?

The thing I couldn't understand about the Nora Roberts thing - as an aside - was, the whole reason to bring on a pseudonym is branding, right? Okay, so you see these new mystery books and at the top it says Nora Roberts writing as J.D. Robb. So, um. hello? Pretty much moving the brand over, right? And I get it now because I've been in this game a little while now and I'm starting to understand the indiosyncrasies, but do you think it's necessary to change your name everytime you try something new out?

If you read Judith McNaught (love!) and find out she tried a new genre in horror, would you attempt it or be like, "no thank you, I don't read horror." ?  What if she turned her horror into a one of her amazing romances? Her themes and pieces remained consistent, she just altered the story placement and characters?

I'm curious about this because so many people are saying that traditional pubbing is wrong about blah blah blah (this is an open-ended debate that I'm not interested in), so I'm wondering if this is something else they are supposedly wrong about.

And if they aren't wrong, what the heck is J.K. Rowling doing coming out with an adult novel? Unless of course Voldemort is back and Harry's a lot older...

Just sayin'.  I'm curious. Do you worry about the genre or do you follow the author to the ends of creativity and back?

Letterboxing... Do You?

My mom told me about a fun little scavenger hunt that actually isn't so little. It's free and all over the US. It's called Letterboxing North America.

After looking into, I'm very excited to try it.  In fact, this Friday, the kids and I will do our first one.

What is it? Well, you have a book - think passport style - where you collect stamps. You have your own stamp and your own "trail" name - "you" can mean an individual or a group/family, we are doing each kid and then me and Hubs will have own book.  You download free directions to a "letterbox" or a site. This is like take Main St. to 1st, take a left, turn to the bridge, walk across, third tree from the right under the 7th rock you will find me - kind of a thing. You find the book and the accompanying stamp and you stamp your own passport book and date it with the stamp that's hidden and then you stamp their book and trail name and date it.

After a while, if you feel comfortable, you can make your OWN letterbox site and put up the directions on the site.

It sounds awesome.

So today and tomorrow, the kids and I will be getting together a "letterboxing" bag. The items will include their letterboxing books, a pen for each of them, a compass, their own stamps, an inkpad of fun color(s), napkins, and little baggies.

We are going for a little field trip out of town as it is on Friday, so I am downloading all the "sites" in that area to see how many we can get done after the field trip. 

Have you ever letterboxed? What did you think?

let me know if you do this or take it up. I'm interested in other people's experiences.

Things are changing...

I've got a lot of news coming up and I'm very excited for the changes I'm making. I feel in control again and motivated and that's a great feeling for me.

Do you have anything going on you'd like to share?

OREOs are 100 this year!

I love Oreos.  Preferably Double Stuffed. Dipped in Milk.

They're in everything! Blizzards, milkshakes, ice cream, cakes, cupcakes, cereal (at my house hahaha). People bake with them, cook with them, fry them, freeze them, dunk them, dip them, cover them in candies and chocolates, do all sorts of things with them.

I love them and so do many other people or they wouldn't have made it to the ripe old age of 100.

What do you love most about these decadent little discs?

On Your Journey - What Have You Discovered?

There is no pointless journey. You don't travel a road and see or do nothing. It's impossible.

On the many journeys I'm on, I've discovered things about myself, my choice, or my destination that prodded me to change directions, take the roundabout less traveled, get more gas, stop altogether and turn around for a different route, or keep going.

When I first started on this road toward writing with a serious intent to be read by others outside of my family circle, I wrote a YA. It was fun, but it was my first attempt at a book length manuscript. I think it topped out at 48k. My next one, again, was YA but had an LDS audience in mind. This one, I learned about plot twists and editing - let's face it, the first one I didn't even glance over after I rough drafted it. I thought it was done. Learning, you know?

Then I came up with the idea for Dictating Desire. But at the time I wrote the first scene it was going to be a murder mystery. It changed to a romance when a published author friend told me she was more interested in it as a romance. Back then, I thought I had to do what someone in the industry said becaues I didn't know ANYTHING. So Dictating Desire worked into a romance with dark and edgy twists. That was fun to write and it challenged me in ways the YA hadn't*.

Following Dictating Desire I wrote another book, I'd just as soon not discuss. And then I wrote Whispers of Me which you know as Breathe Again. I was pregnant when I wrote this MS. The writing was darker than I was used to and had a seriously sad bent in every page. It was also first person. I hated the novel. Everytime I read it, I cried- Pregnant, remember?

I revised it, cleaned it up, prettied it and sent it out on submission. Then I forgot about it.  Had the baby. Started another contemporary romance, albeit more upbeat, and tried to move on. When Angela James called to offer a contract with Carina Press, I was more than a little shocked. Hadn't they read it? Surely, they were confused. That book sucked. I assumed there wasn't any emotion in it, because I was too full of emotion when I wrote it for it to be any good.

But when I spoke with my editor, Mallory, and she told me about everything that she loved with it, I remembered things that I had loved while writing it, too. I'd just forgotten. So when she sent me my first round of edits, I opened up the MS and fell in love. My non-pregnant me fell in love with something my pregnant me had written.

Sounds wierd, right?

Okay, so moving on. Breathe Again came out. I decided to try my hand at a romantic suspense (and broke a BUNCH of rules).  My new CP said I was wasting my time writing contemporary and I needed to work on action/thriller/suspense type work. Inside I knew she was right, but my head warred with me. "Bonnie, you can't switch genres. You have to stick with what you started with."

I'd convinced myself I couldn't leave the romance genre. My voice was romance. My voice was contemporary. My voice...  But you know what? I hated writing lighthearted stuff. I love reading it, but I'm really no good at writing it. None of my lighthearted works have been picked up. My two suspenseful romances, with dark and edgy twists, have been.

I couldn't get an agent to even look at my earlier stuff. I didn't like my voice. Couldn't find it. Couldn't figure out what everyone meant by "Voice".

Nothing interested me. I had a ton of ideas that were for the trends, but then I realized, I'm not a trend-follower. I never have been, even when everyone bleached layers of their hair but left a swath of dark underneath I stuck with my natural color.

So... Did I give in and do what my CP suggested?

I broke down, my friends. I wrote an apocolyptic thriller and agents requested. But I don't think when I submitted it, it was "The One". It's awesome now, but before I didn't quite understand rules in the thriller genre or how much romance could be involved (let's face it, I'm a romance writer at heart, I just needed to learn how to measure it).

My next book was even edgier, slightly gross, and more than a little evil. It was such a blast to write. I popped that sucker out in five weeks. Guess what? It's a YA urban fantasy. Seriously? Where did that come from?

Well, I have a whole slew of YA in my Story Ideas Book. I just never thought I'd get to play with them. They're all dark and edgy with twists and turns and, did I mention, dark? I'm learning to rejoice in the dark. The edgy. Because I'm starting to realize that's where my voice is. I'm playing in dark and edgy in YA and adult. I haven't had this much fun in so long. I'm returning back to the reason I started writing. Because I love it.

I love it. I love writing. I love discovering. I love getting to know the characters and the story lines of their lives.

But mostly I love this journey, because how else would I find out that this optimistic-overly-friendly-outgoing-dirtbiking-mothering-eating-reading-crazy-about-my-man girl had a dark and twisty side?

I'm going to go eat an Oreo because that's something us dark-and-edgy people do. Double stuffed. Yeah.

On Your Journey - What have you discovered?

*The YAs didn't challenge me in terms of story or plot because I was too new to the concept of completing a story, let alone exploring the characters and what the story arc was. Also, I was under the impression YAs needed to be sweetly serious - like Sweet Valley High or Nancy Drew (early series).  Boy, was I wrong.