I'm Back & Bringing Courage With Me!

Hey, gang! How the heck are y'all? I've missed you (and my computer) more than I can say. :)

I'm finally back to the blog after making the loooonngggg trek from Texas to California. Along the way, I saw desert, mountains, more desert, vineyards and more than a few terrible drivers. -_- (Seriously, who lets these jackwagons operate 2 ton projectiles of death unsupervised???!!!)

But, I'm proud to report we are moved in (sort of) and getting settled in our new town with only the minor moving-related injuries to report. (I swear I've got "box thumb". It's a rare disorder that comes from opening up and breaking down way too many damned boxes.)

To get my feet wet, this week on the blog I'm featuring a couple of my favorite folks, who also happen to be talented authors. :) First up is Ms. Carrie Butler, who'll be bringing us the sequel to her debut novel, Strength (ladies will remember the cover, I'm sure), this October. 

Carrie has crafted another beauty of a cover (one I might just remember!), and all of the details on Courage are below... also be sure to give Carrie a hand with her blog tour if you have a spot available. She comes up with the best stuff for her tours. :) 

And let me just say one more time that I REALLY missed the heck out of all of  y'all!

~EJW~

COURAGE by Carrie Butler

Title: COURAGE
Series: Mark of Nexus - Book 2
Author: Carrie Butler
Category: New Adult (NA)
Genre: Paranormal Romance (PNR)
Release: October 15, 2013
Formats: E-Book & Paperback

Courage (Mark of Nexus #2) features four unique points-of-view. While the novel stands alone, it is best enjoyed after Strength (Mark of Nexus #1).

♥  ♥  ♥

Making a deal with the bad guys wasn’t the highlight of Rena Collins’ semester, but, hey, it saved her boyfriend. Now, in order to appease the human-altering organization known as ERA, she’ll crawl under their microscope while they study the Mark of Nexus and plot their eye-glazed version of the future—until she realizes that’s not all they’re plotting.

Wallace Blake has always known his girlfriend is unlike most girls. But now that information has surfaced regarding the two bloodlines that balance his supernatural race, he finally understands why. Rena belongs to one of them. She’s been augmenting his power, all along...

Enter: Corynn Catley. Brought into the country under the guise of an internship, she’s intended to become ERA’s secret weapon. Kind of. Her abilities cancel out Wallace’s, rendering him powerless, but that’s exactly what he’s always wanted. Too bad it only works when his girlfriend’s not around.

All the while, Rena fails to notice the crush her geeky best friend, Aiden Ross, is nursing. He’d give anything for her to see him in a new light—even reinvent himself through questionable means—but there’s a reason people are told to be careful what they wish for. Finding the courage to tell her could put everyone’s lives in danger.

                

Where to find Carrie:
WEBSITE  |  BLOG  |   TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK  |  GOODREADS  |  GOOGLE+  | NA ALLEY | PINTEREST 

Where to find Courage (Mark of Nexus #2):
BOOK PAGE  |  GOODREADS  |   BOOK TRAILER

Book Bloggers may start requesting e-ARCs via this form. :)
(http://www.carrieabutler.com/reviewers.html)

Trailer


Cover Credits:

Design: Carrie Butler

Photography: Subbotina Anna & Yuri Arcurs

Participate in the Courage blog tour, happening October 14th–26th!

DETERMINATION

I'm back!  (Yet again ...)  As I posted previously, I've been out of town for 2-plus weeks helping my father get back on his feet after knee replacement surgery.  I'm more than pleased to report that he has set his walker aside, and is well on his way to a full recovery.  In fact, he's done so well that he inspired this post.  So, if you'll humor me, I'll share a bit of encouragement.

"We will either find a way or make one." - Hannibal 

There are hills, and there are mountains.  To overcome  a hill in your path, you simply put one foot in front of the other, gradually navigating the subtle incline, and subsequent decline.  Climbing a hill requires a little energy, and very little thought.  A mountain in your path will not be overcome so easily.        

"It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves."  - Sir Edmund Hillary

My father is a doer.  If something needs done, he does it.  Waiting is wasting.  Suffice to say, patience is a virtue he's not mastered.  He's a mechanic by trade, and by personality.  If something is broken, fix it.  It's as simple as that.  Unfortunately, his 'fix it' personality applies to all things EXCEPT for his health.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge ..." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dad had been limping around on his bad knee for a couple of years.  He was hobbled and in constant pain, but he was still able to take care of the farm, go to work, and otherwise function.  He didn't have time for doctors.  That was the case until a couple of months ago when the final ligament gave way, and the pain became more than he could endure.

"Yesterday, I dared to struggle.  Today, I dare to win."  - Bernadette Devlin  

In the end, I don't believe that my father feared the surgery as much as he did the recovery.  The prospect of weeks--maybe months--of rehabilitation terrified him.  For someone who has probably asked for less than 5 things in his entire life, what would be done when even getting a glass of water would be beyond his ability?  Still, something had to give or he'd be in a wheelchair soon.  

My dad faced it with his typical doer attitude.  

"How long will I be in the hospital post-surgery?" he asked.  

"If everything goes well, 5-8 days," the doctor replied.

Dad shook his head.  "I'll be home in 2 or 3."

I know the man, so I wasn't about to argue.  However, I knew dad didn't quite understand the physical/anatomical implications of having your leg cut open, your joint taken out, and then replaced with a foreign metal object.  Nerves would be severed, muscle cut, and a myriad of other issues would have to be overcome before he'd be able to use the leg normally.  

The problem?  He simply doesn't think the normal rules of science and anatomy apply to him, and why would he?  I'm not boasting or joking when I say he'd missed less than 5 days of work in his life due to sickness.  Other people needed to lay in bed and recover, not him.

"When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." - Franklin Roosevelt   

Post surgery, the surgeon stopped by to visit with us in the waiting room.  He said dad had done inordinately well in surgery.  He also commented that dad "must be a real tough dude" because the old joint was completely polished clean on the inside.  He said he must have been walking on a knee with no ligament or cartilage protection for a long time, and that it was bone-on-bone.  

Four days later, dad was back at home.  (He just had to beat them by a day!)   He was weak.  He was in pain.  He couldn't even go to the bathroom by himself.  I know it was hard for him to let his youngest son help him dress, bathe, and take care of the day-to-day things.  He got depressed, and confided that he wasn't sure he'd ever get back on his feet.

"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I knew dad was on the mend when he had me hold his walker while he climbed up into the cab of the tractor.  I protested, admonished, and cursed at his stubbornness, but quietly, I marveled at his determination.  He'd been home exactly one week, and it was time for him to get going, 20 or so staples in his knee be damned!

This Monday, almost 2 weeks from his surgery, I took dad to his first followup appointment with his surgeon.  They removed his staples, told him he could get rid of his walker, and said he looked awesome.  After the appointment, dad asked me to take him to the hospital so he could show the nurses how well he was doing and say thank you.  I kid you not, I saw jaws hit the floor when the little 67 year old man they'd sent home barely walking the week before came sauntering in with no walker, and very little limp.  Dad said his thank you and goodbye.

I left for home the next day realizing that my time of being able to help him without an all out fight was at an end.  I've never been so proud, and inspired, in all my life.

"You can do what you have to do, and sometimes, you can do it even better than you think you can."  - Jimmy Carter

I realize this was a long post, and I apologize.  However, I wanted to share dad's story with all of my fellow writers.  This is a craft that demands determination, willpower, and the ability to completely disregard the bounds of good sense.  If you think it can't be done, it won't.  If you believe you'll fail, you will.  If you ignore your dreams, they'll fade.

We can all overcome the hills, but it takes something special to climb the mountains in our path.  So today ...  

Be courageous.  Be inspired.  Be determined.

-EJW-

FAB-FIVE FRIDAY: AND LEBRON SIGNS WITH ...

TEAM JACOB!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sure I just gave a Twihard a heart attack, but I couldn't resist ...

NOW, THE TOP 5 WRITING RELATED WEB-FINDS OF THE WEEK!

5. YOU DON'T WANT TO ASPIRE TO BE INSTANTLY MEGA-HUGE-FAMOUS. REALLY.

YA author Cynthia Smith has a great blog.  She regularly interviews literary agents who represent YA/MG/Young Readers, etc., because, well, that's what Cynthia writes.  In a recent superb interview she asked agent  Mary Kole (Andrea Brown Agency) to give some 'model' books/authors for prospective clients to study.

What made yet another agent interview top 5 worthy? Mary's response to said question: she recommends that authors aspire not to be the next runaway success (ala Stephanie Meyer), but rather set their sights on slowly building a career via word-of-mouth, etc..

EJ THINKS - Every aspiring author has dreamed of instant superstardom, but the reality of how few authors ever achieve that is pretty sobering.  Mary's advice of securing a reasonable first advance so an author has the opportunity to meet/exceed the expectations of their publisher is solid gold.  Many a writer has had their careers flame out after poor sales on an overly invested-in first book.  I don't know about the rest of you, but I want to write until I quit kicking, massive success or no.

4. TOMORROW IS SOOOOO LAST WEEK

Literary agent Rachelle Gardner makes frequent appearances on the FAB-FIVE for good reason: she's usually talking about things we (as writers) need to be paying attention to.  A recent post about her feelings on market trends (to vampire or not to vampire, is that your question?) was particularly enlightening.

EJ PONDERS - If an agent says she doesn't get overly concerned about trends in publishing, and there isn't an author around to hear it, would it still make a sound?

3. WRITING IS HARD.  YOU CAN QUOTE ME ON THAT.

Fellow bloggist Jaydee Morgan posted her favorite writing related quotes this past week.  She's listed some really good ones, so if you need a little inspiration, head over and check them out.  What are your faves?

EJ WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT - The title of this blog is a nod to my favorite quote.

2.  I'M SENSITIVE, AND I'D LIKE TO STAY THAT WAY

Yep, I just busted out some Jewel ... author TH. Mafi runs a very funny blog (Grab a Pen), but don't be blinded by the funny.  Oh no.  She drops nuggets of writerly info and encouragement like her name was Grimace!  She recently wrote a piece that talks about how sensitive we writer types can be, and how important it is to move on from our mistakes.  I found it to be very inspiring, think you might as well.

EJ SAYS - There's no crying in baseball, but there's plenty in the arts.  Anguish and fear are often the fuel for great art, but like any aid, it can cripple if it becomes too important, consuming, and/or overwhelming.

1. eREADERS = APOCALYPSE

Love my Nook reader.  I've got dozens of books on it, and they go where I go.  I can read with one hand tied behind my head, get new books without leaving my house, etc.

Not everyone feels the same eReaders and THE FUTURE OF PUBLISHING.  Jessica over at the Bookends agency blog address just this in a recent post.  An interesting debate amongst the readers of the blog ensued with some of the following questions popping up:

Are electronic books/readers truly greener than paper books?

If the future home has fewer physical books on hand, will children still find it easy to find something to read?

Will eBooks be the end of the social aspect of reading?  (You know, when you're at the airport and the person next to you strikes up a conversation about the book in your hands, kind of thing.)

EJ SAID - I like to compare it to what's happened to music. Digital is by far the most consumed medium for music. However, there are still folks who prefer the sound quality of the old 45s. There are niche stores in every major city that still cater to those people, and new albums are still released on those formats on a limited scale. It's basically an expensive hobby.

Books will be much the same way; only collectors will have the resources to seek out paper books. If the new hardback you covet is going to set you back $50 and 40 mile round-trip, which it may in 10 years, how likely are you to buy it over a $5 digital copy? How important is smelling, tasting, etc. a real book to you? For many, it won't even be an option.

For everyone that fears reading is going to somehow die due to a lack of physical books in the home, relax. If television, video games, and texting haven't killed the art of reading for fun (I work with middle schoolers, they still read believe it or not), nothing will.

Everyone I know has a Facebook, Twitter, Blog, etc. so sharing your thoughts on literature is already easier to do electronically than it is in person.  As for the green aspect, there is no question that electronic reading will be/is better for the environment in the long run.  Fewer paper books means fewer trees destroyed, fewer things being shipped (see fuel consumption), less warehousing (electricity, etc.), fewer trips to bookstores/libraries, on and on.  Yes, eReaders are made of plastic, use nasty batteries, and consume electricity and server space.  However, in my mind, it comes down to math:  How many eReaders do you need per person over a lifetime?  Most likely 1-3  How many books per person over a lifetime?

WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK ABOUT THE VARIOUS ISSUES IN THE ELECTRONIC BOOK DEBATE?

Hope everyone has a great weekend!  

BEWARE THE MANUSCRIPT BEAST!

My opponent never tires … never gives up. I’ve spent the last several weeks hacking at his very soul, using weapons that should have reduced him to nothing more than a few well ordered pages. Yet still he remains, fat and bloated on the excess imagination he’s devoured.


He’s fearsome to behold. His stare is the stare of 10,000 coffee saturated hours. His breath has the disgusting reek of superfluous conjugation. Adverbs slip from his every pore like maggots. They seek out new works to infest, and for every one I cut down, six more take their place! Hardened layers of exposition take the shape of cruel horns. They jute out at every angle, and I fear they are too numerous to file down. Bad dialogue has grouped to form rows of razor sharp teeth that tear at my fingers and rip away the flesh of my resolve. I’ve come to fear the sight of my opponent as one fears the shadow of his own death.

Our arena is a temple of unfulfilled dreams, half-drank glasses of wine, and dying promises. Signs of our epic struggle surround me; severed pages, dead plots, useless character sketches, and disemboweled how-to-books litter every surface. Yellow sticky notes are splashed on the walls like the blood of order-craving insects that’ve gotten squashed beneath my foe’s heavy boot. A once hardy chair now crumbles under the perpetual weight of a cruel master; the once glimmering desk is only a scuffed prop in an out of control war. How a creative heart could survive in such a despairing place is beyond reckoning.

Yet survive I must. Too many good people have succumbed to the Manuscript Beast. Some have given him their lives, a lucky few have only lost years. His reign must end! I see now that to best him I will need an arsenal of exceptional tools:

I will need The Sword of COURAGE to fight the doubts of those who say I cannot win.

I will need The Shield of STRENGTH to endure the hours, days, and weeks of battle that still lay ahead.

I will need The Spear of WISDOM to attack my opponent’s weaknesses.

Lastly, I will need The Armor of HEART to sustain me when my rational mind is turned to poison by the Beast’s relentless assault.


*** Note from the author ***
This post is dedicated (in fun) to all of you who have been fighting through edits. It sucks, but I’m convinced that we can (and will) win. Happy writing this week, and go give the Beast some hell for me!