Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Blog Tour & Guest Post ~ Heart in a Box by Catherine Stine {Giveaway}




Heart in a Box
 by Catherine Stine
Publication Date:  December 20, 2015
Publisher:  Inkspell Publishing
  
 Each heartbeat leads Joss closer a shocking truth that will change everything.

Joss Olstad wins the fight to switch from her private school to a public high to “find her pieces” she lost when the Indian artist father she never knew died. There, Joss struggles with a slutty friend, who flirts with her new love; Indian Culture Club girls who press her on her past, as well as her stoner mother’s lies back at home.  Armed only with her handmade heart boxes that hold private messages, Joss’s search for identity leads her to a scary industrial section of Queens, and a shocking family secret that changes everything.

 Click HERE to add to Goodreads





If I Knew Then What I Know Now About Writing

Ten Important Lessons Learned by Catherine Stine

1. Don’t think that a meandering route to publication means you’re not meant to write.

2. Follow all leads you feel strongly about. Opportunity comes in surprising ways.

3. Making painful choices and taking calculated risks are sometimes the best moves.

4. Your mantra: focus, focus, and focus. Keep writing.

5. Do your homework. Follow submission guidelines. Research which agent is selling what, and do not submit high fantasy to someone who likes realistic fiction. DO take a look at going trends, at least to the point of knowing what they are. Not every agent is the right one for you, even if he or she does sell what you write. In fact, in the indie publishing world an agent is not even necessary.

6. Get in a trusted writing group. An MFA in creative writing is nice, but not a must.

7. Think about publishing traditionally and indie. A blend can work quite nicely. It doesn’t have to be either/or. But if going indie, you must have a professional team, and the manuscript must be flawless.

8. Build community but don’t let the blogosphere eat your writing time. Balance is key.

9. Have fun with it! Follow your passion. Find the one or two genres you love. For me it is YA and dark fantasy.

10. Learn to like doing promo. Whether you’re an indie writer or traditionally published, you need to get the word out about your work. Be creative and concentrate on the two or three ways you actually enjoy. For instance, I’ve been getting into going to book conventions and talking to readers directly. I also do Facebook parties. Keep learning new ways to do promo, but make sure you allot at least half of your time to writing novels!

Catherine Stine writes YA and romance. Her novels span the range from futuristic to supernatural to contemporary. Her YA sci-fi thrillers Fireseed One and Ruby’s Fire are Amazon bestsellers and indie award winners. Her YA, Dorianna won Best Horror Book in the Kindle Hub Awards. She also writes romance as Kitsy Clare. Her Art of Love series includes Model Position and Private Internship. She suspects her love of dark fantasy came from her father reading Edgar Allen Poe to her as a child, and her love of contemporary fiction comes from being a jubilant realist. Visit her at catherinestine.com and subscribe to her newsletter for news of releases, workshops and appearances.


Giveaway Information:  Provided by the Author


The prize pack includes:
A $40 gift card, 2 hand-painted heart-boxes with secret treasure inside, a signed paperback of Dorianna by Catherine Stine, a signed paperback of Heart in a Box by Catherine Stine, a great YA ebook pack of novels: Tiger Lily by Wende Dikec, When Sorrows Come by Katie M John, and Time Runs Away with Her by Christine Potter.

Click HERE to follow the tour

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