Rinda Elliott's Blog, page 27

I talk about being too stubborn to give up and share the cover of my first publication. Come make fun of it!

I'm sort of caught up in working, family and life. I will be back. Promise. Until then, how about some music?

Has a long, dreamy lead in and between 2 1/2 to 3 minutes in, OMG. Bet it makes you want to write a compelling scene, too.

Finding family outings my 13 year-old video game junkie son will like is tricky. Today, we tried a car show. I snapped a few interesting pics on my phone.

The Camaro my son fell in love with. I mean LOVE.

Even the windows were black.

Old US Marshal's Prisoner Transport.

Shirt my son chose out of them all.

Some were a bit strange…

Says Sanford and Son Salvage

And last but not least, the car I liked which surprised my husband-not my usual.

And the Random Number Generator picked 3! The winner of Devon Monk's MAGIC ON THE HUNT is

Irene says:

I love Devon Monk!

Congrats, Irene. Email your mailing address to me at rindaelliott(at)gmail(dot)com.

I have a lot going on. Job interviewing, applying and room renovations are taking up the most time. But I'm also completing another novella and rewriting my YA novel. So, yes, once again, I'm quiet in here. I did have TWO posts at the Deadline Dames last week, so check them out. The Readers on Deadline is turning into such a fun experience. The writing talent out there is refreshing.

So, instead of just leaving this place blank another week, I'm giving away another Deadline Dame new release! (We have FIVE this month, so April is a big, big deal. ) I truly believe in celebrating every new release because trust me, they are hard to come by. I'm still freaking waiting!

This week, it's MAGIC ON THE HUNT. I am in awe of Devon Monk's writing ability. I was a fan already when she contacted me to be on a website with her. You would have enjoyed my fangirl yell. I'll pick a winner by random number generator on Friday so come back to see if you've won. (I haven't heard from my RAGE winner yet. )

Release date: April 5, 2011

There aren't many girls who can say they've gone into the realm of death and lived to tell the tale. But to restore her lover Zayvion's soul, Allison Beckstrom had to pay a bitter price–and things are about to get worse….

It turns out the leader of the Authority, the council that decides what can–and can't–be done with magic, is being held hostage. But when the trail leads Allie and Zayvion to the secret prison where the Authority locks away magical criminals who are too dangerous to be held anywhere else, they find more than they bargained for. An undead magic user has possessed one of the prisoners, and he wants his freedom–and then some. Now Allie and Zayvion are the first line of defense against the chaos he's about to unleash on the city of Portland

Random.org picked entry number 4. Congratulations to

This looks amazing, please enter me

Karen, send your mailing address to me at rindaelliott(at)gmail(dot)com and I'll send this out from The Book Depository. Congratulations!!!!

There are and will be a lot more chances to win Dame books this month–we have five releases and do love giveaways.

Jackie Morse Kessler's newest YA, RAGE, hits the shelves today! She's a wonderful friend of mine and I couldn't be more excited for her, so to celebrate, I'm giving away a copy to one lucky commenter! All you gotta do is say hi.  And stay tuned to the Deadline Dames because there will be more opportunities to win. I'll pick a winner by random number generator Friday so you have all week to comment!

Missy didn't mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don't find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.

That's why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it's with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.

A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world.

 Look what people are saying about it!

"RAGE is raw and real, a truly dark, honest look at self-harm and the teenage psyche. Kessler left me breathless."—Heather Brewer, author of the New York Times bestselling series, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod

"Skillfully rendered…sympathetically narrated…dark humor and realistic situations." –Kirkus Reviews

"Like Hunger before it, Rage tackles a vital teen issue with delicacy and intelligence without preaching. 　　Raw, visceral, pulling no punches, this story strikes home like a razor blade. It's unforgettable, heart wrenching, and enlightening."–Realms of Fantasy

This morning was gorgeous. I ran errands early, then came home, slipped on my earphones and went for a walk. Not the leisurely kind, no, but the heart pumping, feet moving, half-sprint kind.

I enjoyed crisp air, cooling breezes and the bright, warm sun which was sharing enough Vitamin D to have me grinning like a fool. Loud music pounded in my ears and I walked my usual route twice, then took a new one. There is nothing like good exercise to get your creative mind going.  

Of course it helped that spring in Oklahoma is stunning with  redbuds blooming.

Somewhere along the way, I lost track of my Rae in Unnatural Selection. I wrote the entire book and didn't like it. How crazy is that? Not that much really. There are a few early books I will never share. Never.

But instead of digging in and finding her again, I set Rae aside and wrote other projects. I finished them, so I am being productive, but I REALLY want US to be good. I want it harsh and gritty yet filled with the kind of human commitment that makes the heart soar.

Strangely enough, during walks like this morning's, I catch glimpses of what she wants from me. What this story could be. Tearing an entire manuscript down and reworking it is such a daunting prospect, I keep working a little then putting it off. But I've done this before. Dweller's original form was… well, it was bad. It went through three transformations.

But…that book got me an agent in the end.

Sometimes, it takes the hardest kind of work to get the best story possible. ;)

First The Odd Shots begged, so we invaded and asked them to stop.

http://www.theoddshots.com/2011/03/deadline-dames-invasion/

Then they came back at us!

http://www.deadlinedames.com/?p=6306