Friday Four!

1. I was doddling around the web this week when I came across my new cover for FAST FICTION!

I wasn't too shocked, since I had seen a few mock-ups for the cover before. New World Library had asked for my opinion on them (which, believe me, does not always happen) when they were in the designing stages, and so I'm thrilled with the final product. Here's what it looks like:

2. I've seen it up on Amazon and GoodReads with this summary, which I also think sounds pretty great:

Whether readers have a great idea for a novel, but can't get started, or have been working on one for five years, one tactic that helps thousands of would-be novelists move past procrastination to a finished draft is a deadline. In this case, a very short one: 30 days. Fast Fiction is inspired and informed by the author's yearly participation in NaNoWriMo, a web-based 30-day writing challenge each November with over 256,000 participants in 2011, over 35,000 of whom completed the program's stated goal of a 50,000-word novel. Fast Fiction is a quick, inspirational, step-by-step and day-by-day guide to writing a structurally sound and engaging first draft in the shortest amount of time possible. It provides a great starting point for writers as they ditch time-wasters, detour frustration, and overcome self-doubt, and it helps them decide where to go with their story and how to get there quickly, with results. Told in the empathetic and accessible voice of an author who can provide an insider’s look at her own craft and publishing experiences, Fast Fiction provides readers with their own writing coach as they embark on a quick, fun, and challenging 30 days to a first draft.

3. The NEVER ENOUGH audiobook is well underway. The narrator, Bryarly Bishop, is doing a fabulous job of bringing Loann to life, and I should be able to share a clip of it with you soon. (Does anyone else think it's strange that my narrator for LOSING FAITH was named Becca Battoe, and this narrator is Bryarly Bishop? All these B's!!)

4. I've added another book to my 12 Awesome Books I've Read This Year in the right sidebar. A SECOND book by Rainbow Rowell, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Unfortunately this one is not out yet, and mine is a borrowed copy (thanks, Shana!) so I can't pass it along to any of you, but definitely add FANGIRL to your TBR list!

Other than that, I've just been doing summer stuff. Last weekend I was talking about writing at a music festival here in B.C. This weekend I'll be helping with a Polynesian show at a local campground. Nothing but variety in my life!

Hope you're all doing well and enjoying the summer!

Great Speed-Writing Resource!

Ah, it's summer. That's my only excuse for why I haven't been blogging. But I found this resource, and it's free today, so I really wanted to jump on here and share it.

Many of you know I'm a homeschooling Mom, and this is officially a homeschooling resource, but it gives some great advice for anyone who wants to write creatively faster. My forthcoming book, FAST FICTION (coming in February) will of course delve into this subject as well, but I thought the authors of this book had some great and simple and quick-to-implement advice. It's free today, so drop by here and download the pdf ebook. Come back and let me know what you think!

Friday Four!

1. What am I reading? Tina Fey's BOSSYPANTS. There are not a lot of books that can literally make me laugh out loud, but many times this week I have spit out my food or wine or nearly choked on my own saliva from laughing so hard at this book. Laughter is very good for the soul (and the body) so I highly recommend this book. And you may notice I don't recommend (or read) a lot of grown-up books. This is going on my Top Twelve (see right sidebar).

2. What am I writing? I have had a glorious three days of writing absolutely nothing! Of course, if you've followed my blog for any amount of time, you know that not writing makes me grumpy. But my mind needed a few days for a creativity-chill. I was starting to jumble thoughts between all my books and question everything I was writing or revising. I'm already feeling much more clear-headed. I have notes on two manuscripts waiting for me, plus I'm expecting copyedits on FAST FICTION by the end of the week, so I will be launching into a very busy August of writing.

3. Yes, I'm still homeschooling. We took a week off for our recent trip to California, but we are back at it almost daily. I like homeschooling through the summer. It gives us a chance to not worry so much about the curriculum and have fun learning together. Yesterday, for example, we watched this fun physics video on building stronger sand castles. Then we went to the beach and conducted some experiments on the strength of sandcastles (we ended up with one that could hold both my son and me without collapsing!)

4. The only thing better than visiting good friends you haven't seen for a while, is visiting a good author-friend you haven't seen in a while. This weekend I get to do both! I'll be going to the Okanagan to catch up, soak in the sun, drink wine, and talk shop with Elle Strauss and some other very good friends.

Wishing you all a very happy weekend!

Green Gas, Aliens, and Other Unearthly Things!

One of my great writing friends just had a book come out! Well...she and her little alien friend actually released this book. And to celebrate, I'd like to welcome my new buddy Ace Hansen to the blog for a short interview. Here's his new book:

Welcome, Ace! What gave you the idea to write about green gas, of all things? 
A breath mint commercial. You know the one, right? We watch a lot of Earth TV on our planet. 

Do you have problems with gas or do your friends have problems with gas? 
Who doesn't have a problem with gas? On my planet we all pass green gas, but I guess you Earthlings fart invisibly. So strange! 

Or did the green reveal itself to you in a strange (and stinky) dream? 
Farts have never invaded my dream world. Have they invaded yours?


They have invaded my dreams, Ace, but sometimes I wonder if that's because I sleep next to my husband. I know JULIUS CAESAR BROWN AND THE GREEN GAS MYSTERY was not the original title of this book. Can you tell us a little bit about how the title has transformed? 
The original title was WHEN FARTS TURNED GREEN-A GLOBAL GAS CRISIS but apparently there are some of you out there who have a problem with the "f" word, so we had to change the title in order not to scare some of you Earthlings off. 

Do you have any advice for writers trying to plot a mystery, with or without green gas? 
Make the solution both surprising and interesting. We aliens are super smart readers and can usually figure out the answer to your mysteries within the first page.

Great advice! What’s the most surprising thing about your path to publication? 
That people exist who don't think green gas is funny! What's wrong with them?

I agree! This is your first middle grade novel. Do you have others in the works, and if so, do they involve any stinky substances? 
Maybe. 

What are you working on now? 
My spaceship. It broke down a couple of years ago and I can't wait to get back to my home planet. I love you Earthlings, but I miss my favorite foods. Gummy worms are the closest thing you've got, but I'm afraid I'm going to eat up all of them on your planet before I can get home!

If you'd like to learn more about Ace (of course you do!) you can find him on:

Ace Hansen's Website

Twitter

Facebook

If you'd like to purchase JULIUS CAESAR BROWN AND THE GREEN GAS MYSTERY it's available as an ebook now and is coming in print Fall 2013:

MuseItUp

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Thanks so much for visiting Ace (and Angelina!) and all the very best with your debut!

Friday Four!

I'm sure thankful for #FollowFriday on Twitter. Otherwise I'm sure I would have had no idea what day it is!

1. I'm home from Sacramento! Had a great time visiting friends there. Our friends put on a huge natural bodybuilding competition, so my husband and I try to join them each year to help out (we used to run our own bodybuilding shows). This year we stayed on a few days extra and traveled to the coast with our friends (along with a new friend, Chris Nsubuga, who also happened to be a pro champion from the competition). Here we are together (I'm almost as lean and muscular, right?)

2. I'm a little behind on things like blogging, but I still have a little green alien on deck for a blog interview. Next week Ace Hansen will be here for sure. Look forward to it! He's a fun little guy.

3. What am I reading? I just finished up THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE by Leila Sales, and as anticipated, I absolutely loved it! It's not out quite yet, but maybe I'll have a contest soon so one of you can win this early copy.

4. What am I writing? Still plugging away at MAKING MIRACLES. I'll be looking for a couple of beta readers soon, so if you're interested, email me at d(at)denisejaden(dot)com. I also have received some feedback on some other manuscripts, so I have lots to keep me busy through the summer.

The weather is beautiful here and not too terribly hot. I'm feeling bad for all my Twitter friends who have been cooking lately. Since it's summer, I've been thinking about good beach reads. Next week I'll try to come back and list a few of my favorites. Do you have favorite beach reads?

Happy weekend! Oh, and a happy birthday to me--I'm getting even older on Sunday :-)

Friday Four!

1. What am I reading? I'm just starting THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE by Leila Sales. I haven't read much of it yet, but I'm fairly sure I will love it, first of all because my friend, Shana Silver, loved it, and secondly because it is Leila Sales.

2. What am I writing? I'm busy revising MAKING MIRACLES. Still not sold on the title of this book, but I haven't come up with anything better yet. This revision has been difficult--the last person I had read it brought up some very good questions, and I'm having to dig deep in order to answer them.

3. My good friend, Angelina Hansen, has a little pet green alien. He's having a book launch today for his debut novel, JULIUS CAESAR BROWN AND THE GREEN GAS MYSTERY. It's an awesome book--my son and I had a great time reading it together. It costs less than a venti mocha, and I'm not sure if you know this or not, but supporting a debut novelist is truly one of the most heroic things an earthling can do. Aliens (and authors) everywhere will sing your praises (metaphorically--lots of us don't have very nice voices :-)

Isn't that the cutest cover ever? You can find the party over at yascribe.blogspot.com and I'm pretty sure no one throws a party like a little green alien.

4. If that's not enough fun, little green Ace Hansen will be joining my on my blog next week to answer every question you've ever wanted to know about green gas!

I'm off to Sacramento to join some good friends at their bodybuilding show. I hear the weather's supposed to be make-a-grilled-cheese-sandwich-on-the-sidewalk hot. Should be fun!

Want a #FREE Audiobook?

My LOSING FAITH audiobook has just gone live at Audible.com! To help promote this title, Audible is offering a couple of free copies of the audiobook!

Here's a little about the book:

A terrible secret. A terrible fate.

When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don’t know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but. 

As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith’s final night...a secret that puts her own life in danger.

Click her to listen to a sample of the audiobook, read by the awesome Becca Battoe!

The whole idea of this giveaway is promotion, so to enter to win a copy, all you have to do is tell me in the comments how you would be willing and able to promote it. Do you have a review blog where you can review it? Do you like to spread the word about books on Twitter or Facebook? Do you attend a youth group that might be interested in hearing about it?

This contest is open internationally. Make sure to leave a way I can get in touch with you if you win, and good luck!