Cover Reveal: Parallel Triangles

Title: Parallel Triangles
Release date:  April 28th 2015
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Formats: Paper, e-book
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20656543-parallel-triangles

Book Blurb:

How does a cruise change your life?

By sailing through the Bermuda Triangle.

Carly Carmichael has one goal in life--to perform on Broadway. She refuses to have a Plan B because she's never needed one--until now. When Carly's parents send her on a cruise as a graduation present, she takes her best friend and their boyfriends along with her. Once the ship sails into the Bermuda Triangle, Carly finds herself unable to sing or walk, much less perform. And things just go downhill from there. Hoping for help from the ship's doctor, she ends up with more questions than answers about the mystery behind the Bermuda Triangle and why her life is now unrecognizable. If Carly can't get her real life back on track, she may end up spending the next sixty years trapped in a life the Triangle chooses for her. 

 

Author Bio:

Kimberly Ann Miller received Bachelor's degrees from Georgian Court University and Rutgers University and a Master's degree from The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She’s an avid reader and particularly enjoys true crime and young adult novels. She grew up in New Jersey and currently lives in Monmouth County with her husband and three cats. When she's not writing, she loves to travel to sunny islands where she snorkels by day and stargazes by night. She always takes her Nook.

So, What Do You Write?

It's a question I get asked a lot. And before I started writing, it seemed like a pretty simple one to answer.
I love YA fantasy, so I'll write YA fantasy. But the truth is that I end up writing whatever my muse tells me to. But, to keep from coming off like a crazy person to non-authors, my answer has been the ever intelligent "Umm...Yes?"

YA Fantasy is my passion and my primary focus. But along the way, I've also written pieces focused on adults, dabbled in non-fiction, told some ghost stories, written a few religious pieces, and now I've finished my first murder/comedy story.

Any author worth her salt will tell you that to be successful  in this business you need to read. A lot. Read as many styles and genres as you can, not just your favorites.  But I can't help but wonder if (and hope) the same is true for writing. Most of the things I write will never be published, and that's okay. They're helping me refine my own unique style, and every piece helps me learn something. Even if that some thing is "I should never try this style again."

What are your thoughts?

Ode to the Library

If you've followed me for long, you've probably heard me talk about how much I love public libraries. You've read about how the library broadened my horizons and saved me from public embarrassment (I would have went without clothes to buy more books if I couldn't borrow them from the library). You may have even noticed my hints that a library is a great place to check out a new author before making your own purchases. In short, I <3 a="" chance="" get="" great="" help="" i="" libraries.="" library="" local="" my="" now="" p="" support="" to="">

If you happen to be in the area, PLEASE stop by and say hi. But I know, out there in internet land, chances are, Purcell, OK isn't local. However, I bet you DO have a local library. I hope that you consider supporting them however you can. After all, is books make the best friends, how great would it be to be friends with a whole library of them? ;)

We Have a Winner!

And the Blog Hop winner is...Natasha D! Congrats :) 

Lucky Leprechauns!

Hi! Thanks for hopping in. My name is Keshia Swaim, and I'm a (primarily) YA fantasy author. I'm giving away an autographed copy of my debut novel, Blood Bound, WITH the limited edition ARC cover! While you're here, make sure to check out the rest of my blog, especially the FREE tab. There are examples of my short fiction, and other fun stuff.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Then, Hop Back to enter more awesome giveaways!

Coming Up!

Hey guys, I just wanted you to be the first to know, next month I'll be giving away a signed ARC of Blood Bound as part of a blog hop! The giveaway starts on March 17th, so make sure to enter!

Stroke of Brilliance

Q: What does an author love more than good coffee?
A:...Not much.


And that is why my next book signing will be at The Expresso Stop! Along with local author Lisa Rogers, I will be at The Expresso Stop, the new coffee shop in town, on March 15th from 2-4 p.m.

I'm super excited about this, but I know it won't be a local signing for most of you. :( But don't worry! You can still join in the excitement by telling me: Where do YOU think a cool place for a book signing would be?

Back on the Bike!

                                                         UPDATE!!!!

Since my last post I've submitted two new short stories to different publishers. This may not seem like a big deal, but, I must say, it feels good to be writing again. Since the deadlines are still a few months out, I won't find out if my stories have been accepted for a while, but it almost doesn't matter. The voices in my head are back, and I'm figuring out how to write with Stitch and Baby around. It IS possible. (I was starting to have my doubts.) Thanks for stopping by!

P.S. I'll (hopefully) be adding another story in the "free" section, soon, so come back and see me.  :)

Pressing "Send"

Fellow Authors, does it ever get any easier? I just submitted my latest short story, (the first since Baby arrived) and the knot in my stomach instantly appeared. Will they like it? Should I have proof-read it one more time? Does it fit the specified theme?

Logically, I know that if I held on to the story another week or so, I may move a few commas, and it would be just as hard to send it off into cyberspace. Because I obsess and stress. I love my stories and I want everyone else to love them too.

So does anyone out there have any tips on how to not be crazy? Or is this just part of the fun of being an author?

Wildflowers and riding bikes.

As promised, here is the link to my latest short story, Wildflower.I'd love to hear thoughts on this story, either on my blog or on the website comments.

In other news, for the first time since Baby has been here, I sat down last week with a clear idea about a project, and an actual deadline. And...yikes! You know what they say about riding a bike, you never really forget how. Well, apparently that's not true with writing. There's been a lot of rust building up on my brain in the last five months. It was bad, folks. But I'm not giving up! That deadline is getting closer and naptime won't last forever, so that's all for now. :) I hope you enjoy Wildflower!

Woot Woot (And A Happy New Year)

Hi gang,

I hope you had a happy and safe New Year. I've got some exciting news. My next short story, Wildflower, will be published on January 10th at InfectiveInk.com. This is a big deal to me for a few reasons. Wildflower was one of the first short stories I tried to publish, years ago. I loved it, but everyone else...not so much. Finally, I shelved it and moved on. Or, at least I tried to. But my MC was one of those stubborn characters who just wouldn't sit quietly in the background. So over the years I've polished my story and tried again. And again. And not Britta has a home! And yes, she's happy about it.

Now here is why you should be excited: It's free. Yep, Infective Ink is a really cool, 100% free ezine. So I'll be back in a few days to post the link for you to enjoy!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

I. Love. Christmas. I love the lights, the music, the presents, and the food. We can't forget the food. Especially pumpkin pie.But none of these are the real reason I love Christmas. I love Christmas because for a few weeks of the year it's okay to believe in magic. Even if you no longer believe in flying reindeer, everything seems to be brimming with possibility, excitement, and hope. (Says every sappy Christmas movie ever made)

This year I've already experienced the power of Christmas Magic. My husband's family always celebrates the weekend before December 25th. It is one of a very few days that the majority of his family gets together, and, unless you are dead or deployed, attendance is basically required. So, when my infant's immunizations were scheduled for the day before the four-hour car ride, I shrugged. I hoped they didn't make her too fussy, but we had to go.
Then, while I was at the doctor's office with the baby, I got a message from Mom, who was watching my two-year old. He had a stomach virus, and everything that went with it. Great.  I called my husband at work, explained the situation, and got the answer I expected: We still have to go.
Does this sound like a good idea to you? Two sick babies on a four hour trip? Just wait, it gets better. Thanks to a sudden weather shift, we were blessed with an ice storm the night before the trip. Half an inch of ice covered everything. And guess who else woke up with the stomach virus? Yep. Momma was going down. So, convinced we were in for the worst weekend of our lives, we loaded up and headed out. But, you know what? I forgot to count on Christmas Magic.
We passed downed trees and powerlines, but, somehow, the road managed to stay just above freezing. We didn't hit a single ice patch in four hours. Pretty cool, huh? Not as cool as the fact that the only effect my baby's shots seemed to have was making her want to sleep almost the entire car ride. (Mommy happy dance)
Finally we made it. And, on his own, my toddler decided to avoid all sweets and only eat crackers. (This alone should be considered a Christmas miracle.)  Even though my son and I were nibbling crackers and chugging stomach meds, we all ended up having a great time. There were no gross messes to clean, fussy children to console, and no one else got sick. No disasters at all. And, by the time we headed home, we were feeling good enough to have a tiny piece of dessert. And the kids were so worn out from their fun weekend that they slept all the way home. And that, my friends, is the power of Christmas Magic. :)

            Merry Christmas Everyone!! 

SHP Holiday Giveaway.

Hi gang, I told you I was part of giveaway coming up. Check out this massive list of prizes!

Grand Prize:
Keshia Swaim: BLOOD BOUND
JK Rock:  CAMP BOYFRIEND and Swag
JL Spelbring: PERFECTION and Swag
Kelly Hashway: STALKED BY DEATH and Swag
DK Mok: THE OTHER TREE Swag
Trisha Woolridge: THE KELPIE
Darby Karchut: FINN FINNEGAN
Jennifer Allis Provost: COPPER GIRL
Sarah Guillory: RECLAIMED
Rhys A Jones: THE OBSIDIAN PEBBLE
Megan Whitmer: Writer Care Package
SHP Family: $25.00 Gift Card
Rich “Platinum” Storrs-SHP Editor: Query and 1st ten pages critique
Stocking full of candy

2nd Place:
Aubrie Dionne:  Paper Machete Box
JK Rock:  CAMP BOYFRIEND and Swag
JL Spelbring: PERFECTION and Swag
DK Mok: THE OTHER TREE Swag
Trisha Woolridge: DOORWAYS TO EXTRA TIME
Darby Karchut: FINN FINNEGAN
Brenda St John Brown: 2 Chapter Critique
Rhys A Jones: $5.00 Amazon Gift Card
SHP Family: $10.00 Gift Card
Stocking full of candy


3rd Place:
JK Rock:  CAMP BOYFRIEND and Swag
JL Spelbring: PERFECTION and Swag
DK Mok: THE OTHER TREE Swag
Trisha Woolridge: bracelet
Darby Karchut: FINN FINNEGAN
Brenda St John Brown: $10.00 Amazon Gift Card
Kimberly Miller: Query Critique
Stocking full of candy

Good luck and don't forget to tell your friends! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SORRY!

If there is anyone out there who still checks this blog, I want to apologize for my extreme lack of posts. I've discovered that holidays+infant+toddler=zero free time. BUT to make it up to you, I'm pitching in on a super cool holiday giveaway. (Details coming soon) AND I'm currently updating the info on how/where to get my books and anthologies. I'll post again soon. I promise.

Cover Reveal

Hi guys! I'm sorry my posting has been so sporadic lately, but honestly, I don't see it getting better anytime soon. Life keeps getting in the way. BUT today I have something cool to share.

Something Beautiful,

A collection of stories and poems that will pull you in and take you away….

Silence by Carmen Tudor

Invisible by Shana Norris

She and I by Sarah Meira Rosenberg

The Poser by David Andrews

Being There for Jason by Susan Sundwall

Open Window by David Andrews

A Little Light by Keshia Swaim

From some of today’s most talented young adult authors comes this beautifully written anthology of short stories and poems that will touch your heart and make you realize you are not alone…

God is doing Something Beautiful through you.

Chamberton Publishing.

This collection will be available in all ebook formats, but won't be available in print. (at least not yet)

Obviously, this is quite a bit different than anything I've done before (new publisher, different format, different subject, new style) so I'd love to hear your opinions when this hits the market in a few weeks!

Reviews needed!

Have you read Blood Bound yet? Have you reviewed it? If not, please take a few minutes to do so. You can leave a review on Goodreads, Amazon, or wherever you bought your book, and it would really help me out. And speaking of helping me, stars are great, but text reviews are even better. Even if you only feel like giving me two or three stars, that's fine, as long as you tell me why. See, Blood Bound is my first book, and I know it isn't perfect. But I'd love to write another, better, book in the future. So constructive criticism is 100% welcome. Give me useful feedback and I'll send you virtual sunshine and rainbows. Or at least be really grateful.

Weekend Wrap Up (On Tuesday)

 Well guys, I had my first book signing on Saturday, and it was AWESOME (and a tiny bit awkward). I've decided that there is nothing cooler than seeing my name on the door of a bookstore.

Except maybe seeing books with my name on the cover inside the bookstore.

Okay, yeah, that's definitely cooler. So here's what I've decided to do. Since I really like seeing my book on the shelf, I want you to send me pictures. If you spot my book in your favorite store or library send me a pic and I'll send you autographed swag to say THANKS! Your local bookstore doesn't have it? Ask them to get it. Then, we both win!

And speaking of winning, there are a few days left on the rafflecopter for a copy of Blood Bound, so don't forget to enter!

I Love Libraries!

  I just found out that Blood Bound will available from my hometown library. There are no words for how happy you make me. You see, this is the same library that has fed my reading addiction my entire life. There is no way my parents could have afforded the hundreds of books I read every year growing up, but I didn't have to slow down, because I had a library card. That magical piece of plastic let me become the book addict I am today.

As an author, of course I want everyone in the world to buy a copy (or ten) of my book. But realistically, I know that even fro people who really want to read it, sometimes that's not possible. But now the people around me can get it at the library. Will the people in your hometown have the same chance? If not, tell your local librarian you'd love to see Blood Bound on the shelves, after giving him/her a hug for being awesome!

Working on...Appearances

So, yesterday was kind of a big day for me. My head is still spinning. My little book baby is out in the world now. Now comes the real work of promoting it. My blog tour runs through the 19th, and my book signings begin! October 19th I'll be at the Barnes & Noble in Norman OK from 12-2 signing copies of Blood Bound, so if you're in the area, come hang out with me! Annnnd to make things a little more fun, the first person to come and purchase Blood Bound will also get an awesome bonus! Hope to see you there!

A Release Day Poem...

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! It's finally here! Sometimes it is really hard to find the right words to describe how I feel, so I've decided to write a release day poem. I'm a terrible poet, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Will you read it on your Kindle?
Will you read it on your Nook?
Will you read my little book?

You could read it in your chair.
You could read it in the air.
You could read it anywhere!

Do you prefer a paperback?
Do you prefer to read and snack?

Will you take it in to town?
Will you show it all around?
How will you read Blood Bound?

Now, after you've ordered your copy of Blood Bound, catch up with me on my blog tour. Today I'm visiting with The Cover Contessa.