Contest Tuesday - Win a copy of SPARKS by Laura Bickle

Urban Fantasy author Laura Bickle joins us again today. Her latest release, SPARKS, is the perfect spooky read for this time of year. Here's a synopsis:

WITHOUT A TRACE. Anya Kalinczyk is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern, who holds down a day job as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department--while working 24/7 to exterminate malicious spirits plaguing a city plagued by unemployment and despair. Along with her inseparable salamander familiar, Sparky, Anya has seen, and even survived, all manner of fiery hell--but her newest case sparks suspicions of a bizarre phenomenon that no one but her eccentric team of ghost hunters might believe: spontaneous human combustion.

After fire consumes the home of elderly Jasper Bernard, Anya is stunned to discover his remains-- or, more precisely, the lack of them; even the fiercest fires leave some trace of their victims--and she is sure this was no naturally-occurring blaze. Soon she's unearthed a connection to a celebrity psychic who preys on Detroit's poor, promising miracles for money. But Hope Solomon wants more--she's collecting spirits, and in a frantic race against time, Anya will face down an evil adversary who threatens her fragile relationship with her lover, her beloved Sparky's freshly-hatched newts, and the wandering souls of the entire city.

So here's the deal. Laura is giving away an autographed copy of SPARKS to one lucky Fiction Flurry follower. If you're not a follower, what are you waiting for? All followers get one chance to win. HOWEVER, if you comment on any of Laura's posts this week (Monday Interview, Contest Tuesday, Thursday Guest Blog), you will receive THREE chances to win.

That's right followers - anyone who comments will TRIPLE their chances of winning Laura's new book, SPARKS.

We love our followers! Complete rules and guidelines for claiming your prize are in the sidebar.

Guest Blog Winner

Congratulations to

Angela Carlie

winner of the Guest Blog post at Fiction Flurry.

Angela's guest post will be coming soon, so stay tuned. In the meantime, check out Angela's blog at

 Angela Carlie

Calling all Bloggers

We are doing something a little different today here at Fiction Flurry. It's Contest Tuesday time again, but instead of giving away something physical, like a book, we're giving the gift of forum. That's right, you have the opportunity to win a Guest Blog spot right here at Fiction Flurry.

Do you have a writing or publishing topic you've been dying to talk about? A discussion you want to have with other writers? Have you been wanting to blog but aren't sure where to start?

This is your chance to shine!

The winner of this week's contest will win a Guest Blog spot here at Fiction Flurry at a date of your choosing within the next 60 days, plus you will receive a permanent link from Fiction Flurry to your blog for a whole year.

Please keep blog subjects within the writing/publishing world.

To enter, leave a comment below describing the topic you would like to blog about. Originality is encouraged.

Winner

The winner of the Contest Tuesday autographed book giveaway is (drum roll please):

j.s. wood

Congratulations J.S.!

Please email us with your information to claim your prize. Contest information is posted on the right of our home page.

Thanks to all of our followers and check back Tuesday for another chance to win.

Contest Tuesday - Another Book Give Away!

It's contest Tuesday again...we love giving things away! On Thursday, I'm going to be blogging about writer's conferences. What's good about them, how to prepare for them, and what to do if you have a bad experience.

This week I'm giving away a free copy of A Slow Burn by Mary E. DeMuth. It's a fantastic read! In order to be eligible, you must be a follower of Fiction Flurry, and leave a comment on what your opinion is of writer's conferences.



Happy Writing!

Rare Opportunites (Win a Susan Enan CD)

Tall and willowy as a reed, Susan Enan takes her seat. Her dark hair pulled back into a snug ponytail, she shows no amount of pretentiousness but is, perhaps, the slightest bit self conscious. She picks up her guitar and gently eases into an acoustic number off her first CD, entitled Plainsong. In a long, hot summer chockfull of family health crises and personal disappointments, Susan Enan, it seems, is my proverbial drink of cool water. If ever I should find myself trapped on earth, I only pray that my remaining time be spent thus: on a comfortable summer’s eve, in a candlelit room, a fragrant glass of wine at hand, with the melodic, lilting melodies and haunting lyrics of such a fine singer/songwriter as this to soothe me.

Through a fortuitous unfolding of events, this past Sunday I was invited to attend a House Concert. These intimate occasions are popular in certain parts of the country and are (rightfully so) gaining in popularity. It was a welcome, rare opportunity for me. This evening was attended by perhaps two dozen or so people, and was hosted by a writer acquaintance of mine, Julie Nelson. Julie has been raving about Susan Enan for months, and will quickly tell you that Enan’s music is at the top of her play list. Julie creates a unique play list for each of her works of fiction, and from the first moment she heard one of Enan’s songs, was enraptured with the music of this gifted “new” talent. In point of fact, Enan worked on her album for five years, and jokes that she hopes to have the second one out within the next five years from now.

Perhaps you have heard of her. One of Susan Enan’s songs, "Bring on the Wonder," was recently featured on the hit television series, Bones.  If you are not yet familiar with Susan Enan, then I predict that you soon will be. She is an artist whose passion for performance has not been adversely affected by what she herself will tell you is the perversion of the business: the labeling, packaging and auctioning off of the arts – as well as of the artists themselves.

Eschewing the bright lights – and nail biting negotiations – Enan has taken on the music world on her own terms. To date, she has logged over 8500 miles plus on this “tour” giving concerts in the homes of individuals. After a total of twenty-two stops, she estimates she will have seen about 11,000 miles of the United States and Canada – all by car!  From here, Enan will continue on her pilgrimage with dates booked across numerous countries well through 2011.

I have to say that I fully and completely concur with Julie: Enan’s evocative and thought-provoking music is indeed a fine accompaniment to writing. And so here is your rare opportunity: you can experience the wondrous sounds of Susan Enan for yourself just by following the Fiction Flurry blog. Every follower will be entered to win an autographed copy of Susan Enan’s CD, Plainsong. Even better, answer the following with a comment and you will receive TWO entries to win:

So, I want to know: what’s on your play list? Who are you listening to right now? And who do you turn to when you need to get your creative juices flowing?

(Contest will remain open until midnight EST 8/6/10. Winner will be announced here on 8/7/10.)

For more information on Susan Enan, or to view her upcoming House Concert dates, you should check out her official website.

Special thanks to Julie Nelson for graciously opening her home and sharing with all of us her inspiration (you can visit Julie's blog here). Julie, your house is, indeed, a place beset by positive energy, creativity, and welcoming muses. I wish you much success on your writing journey!

Beth Zellner

http://www.bethnbijoux.blogspot.com/

Contest Tuesday - Book Giveaway

One thing I love about writing is other writers. Since I've started this journey to publication, I am amazed at the willingness of others to share their experience and knowledge with less experienced writers.

Todays contest is simple. Simply leave a comment telling what the best writing advice or tip is that you have received. You must be a follower to be eligible.

The prize? I'll send a copy of Always Watching by Brandilyn & Amberly Collins. It's a great read filled with suspense. Brandily Collins is known for her trademark "Seatbelt Suspense."

I'll announce the winner on Saturday....good luck!

Winner - Damsel in Disguise

Congratulations to

Charlie Courtland

winner of the autographed copy of

Damsel in Disguise by Susan Gee Heino

You can find out more about Charlie at her blog http://www.charliecourtland.com/

And a big THANKS! to Susan Gee Heino for her generous support of Contest Tuesday. Susan, you are the best!

Contest Tuesday Giveaway: Autographed copy of Damsel in Disguise

Damsel in Disguise by Susan Gee Heino isn't out in stores yet, but you can win an autographed copy of the book this week, just by being a follower of Fiction Flurry.

If you've been following the blog recently, you may have seen the three-part interview series with the author called "The Writing Life" (If not, check it out - Part One, Part Two and Part Three are here). We are wrapping up the series with this awesome gift to our followers.

All followers – with the exception of contributors and those who have won prizes within the last thirty (30) days – will receive one chance at winning. Contest will remain open until midnight (EST), Friday, July 23, 2010. Winner will be chosen by random drawing and results posted July 24, 2010.

Contest Tuesday...Name my puppy!

Saturday is the big day...

My daughter and I picked out this female, red, long-haired daschund in early June from a breeder about an hour away.  She'll be ready to come home with us on Saturday, but my family has not been able to agree on a name! 

I would love to have some kind of "literary" name for my sweet puppy.  I suggested "Virgina Woolf," as a name, but my family didn't see the humor in that. 

What better group of people to have help me with a name than a bunch of fiction writers?  You come up with names for your characters all the time.  Some of you even research your character names extensively.  Take a look at that adorable face and tell me what name comes to mind.  If the name of one of your favorite characters or authors might also make a good name for a dog, let me know that, too.

If my family picks the name you suggest, I'll send you a $10.00 gift card from Starbucks!  Okay, even if my family doesn't agree with any of the names the Fiction Flurry audience suggests, I'll still send a gift card to the person who comes up with the most original name.

This Saturday, I'll post a new picture of the puppy once she's home and let you know what name we picked along with the winner's name.  Good luck!

The envelope please......

We have a winner!

Congratulations to

Barbara Goodwin

winner of an autographed copy of

Mistress By Mistake by Susan Gee Heino.

You can find more on Barbara at her website  http://www.barbaragoodwin.com/

Check back every week for more writing tips, book reviews and, of course, more CONTESTS!!

You never know what we'll give away next.

Contest Tuesday - Mistress By Mistake

A few weeks back we gave away an autographed copy of Mistress By Mistake by Susan Gee Heino (see my review of the book here). Surprise!! I have another copy of the book to give away to some lucky follower this week.

In addition to the book giveaway, the second installment of  "The Writing Life," my interview with Susan, will be posted tomorrow. In the first interview, Susan discusses how she got started writing and who has influenced her writing. You can read that interview here. Tomorrow, Susan will be talking about writing tips and advice, so be sure to check back with us.

All followers – with the exception of contributors and those who have won prizes within the last thirty (30) days – will receive one chance at winning. Contest will remain open until midnight (EST), Friday, July 2, 2010. Winner will be chosen by random drawing and results posted July 3, 2010.

Tuesday Poll - Vampire Fave?

To celebrate (capitalize upon?) the upcoming opening of Twilight: Eclipse, I thought we would do something fun today with a very 'unofficial' poll.

So who is your all-time favorite vampire?

Polls close Friday June, 25 at Midnight. Check back Saturday morning to see the final results.

Want to know who MY all-time favorite vampire is, and why?
Read about it at  Blogging with a Passion 
 http://www.micheledowney.blogspot.com/

You Are What You...Read?

SEE BELOW TO LEARN HOW YOU COULD WIN A BARNES & NOBLE GIFT CARD!!!

Perhaps if you are Kobe Bryant, Venus Williams or Derek Jeter, you might live by the adage, “You are what you eat.” As writers, I believe that we should amend that to, “You are what you read.” (And trust me, this is a really good thing, or I would officially be the world’s largest peanut M&M.)

When it comes to writing, there are a number of factors that propel us. First, and I believe foremost, we write for ourselves. We write because we are compelled to do it. Some days, I believe that the writing chooses us, and not the other way around at all. I suspect that you know exactly what I am talking about. It’s a little like a narcotic – if you go without for too long, you begin jonesing for that moment when you can sneak away to your private little cubby with pad and pencil, or iMac, or trusty laptop at your fingertips, and tap out a few good paragraphs.

But let’s face it. We also write because we want to be READ. We long for an audience. Whether that audience is our mother, or the review board of a short story competition, or Suzy Consumer, we want to share what we have labored over, the fruits of our pens, so to speak. No matter what your goal – to be a published author with sixteen bestsellers under your belt, or just mom’s favorite – you need to KNOW your audience. What better way to find out what the people want than to be one of the people?

In our writer’s group, we are fortunate to have a wide variety of writers. The gal who writes suspense reads James Scott Bell and Stephen King. The ones who write romance read Nora Roberts and Julia Quinn. Our YA author gobbles up new Stephenie Meyer releases nearly as quickly as I scarf down crunchy candy-coated chocolate pieces. No, she’s not about to become a blood sucking, winged night (or other) creature. However, with every YA novel she reads, she gets closer to her audience.

In order to be a better writer, you must become a better reader. You must read voraciously – the good, the mediocre, and the bad – especially the bad. There is truly no other way to learn and grow, both in and out of your genre. Occasionally, I encounter folks who tell me they don’t read. I can hardly fathom this. Just yesterday, a friend of mine confided that her mother never read until her later years, when she could no longer cross stitch! God bless her little heart, better late than never, I say. But when writers tell me that they don’t read, I find that to be particularly abominable. Not only are they denying themselves and their potential audience the very best story they are capable of producing, but they fail to support their fellow writers. If you don’t know and respect the people you are writing for, you deride what all authors everywhere strive so assiduously to achieve. That’s simply not fair to you, your readers, or all the rest of us writers who do.

Consider it research, a release, or a reintroduction to your readers, but treat yourself to the gift of reading. And try to do it everyday! To support you in becoming a better writer (and reader!), FOLLOW THIS BLOG and you will be automatically entered for a chance to win a $15 Barnes and Noble gift card.

All followers – with the exception of contributors and those who have won prizes within the last thirty (30) days – will receive one chance at winning. Contest will remain open until midnight (EST), Friday, June 18, 2010, at which time Bijoux will randomly pick the winner. Happy writing – and happy reading!

For more from writer Beth Zellner, please visit:

http://www.bethnbijoux.blogspot.com/

And the winner is.....

Congratulations to ccboobooy (charity). She is the winner of this week's contest.  Charity will recieve an autographed copy of Mistress By Mistake by Susan Gee Heino. 

Thanks to everyone who follows Fiction Flurry and a big WELCOME to anyone just joining. We invite you to PARTICIPATE - post a comment, send us your suggestions and tell your friends about us.  Fiction Flurry will improve because of YOU! So don't be shy - let us know how you feel.What do you like, what irks you beyond belief and what would you like to see us do (or do better)?. We love feedback.

Check back next Tuesday for a new contest or poll.  You never know what we'll give away next.

Contest Tuesday - Mistress By Mistake

Here at the Fiction Flurry blog, Tuesday is the day we reward our faithful followers. Sometimes that reward will be in the form of a Poll - where you can share your opinion by voting on a relevant topic. Other times, today for instance, that reward is in the form of a free gift.

If you read the blog last Friday, you caught the review of the romance novel Mistress By Mistake, by Fiction Flurry contributor Susan Gee Heino. If you didn't read that review, you might want to check the archives because today you have the opportunity to win an AUTOGRAPHED COPY of Mistress By Mistake. It is a great book and I highly recommend it - you should pick it up even if you don't win the contest.

CONTEST RULES:  Everyone who is a follower of the blog (contributors are not eligible) will be entered once for a chance to win an autographed copy of the book Mistress By Mistake.  Here's the twist - if you send someone new to Fiction Flurry and they become a follower, both you and new follower will get an additional entry in the contest.  To get credit (and the additional entry), the new follower must leave a comment on this post telling me who sent them to the site.

This contest will close Friday, June 4, 2010 at midnight (EST). The winner will be posted on Saturday, June 5, 2010. If you have won something from the blog in the last 30 days you are not eligible for this contest.

Good Luck!!!

The Benefits of Bribery (or How to Win a Starbucks Gift Card!)

Okay, let’s all start by agreeing: taking a bribe to do something dishonest is bad. Period. We’re not even going to discuss it further. However, offering a bribe to get someone to do something you want/need/really know in the long run is good for them is a lot more like telling your best friend/significant other/yourself, “nope, your butt definitely doesn’t look fat in those pants.” Just like that little white lie, some bribes are truly a win-win. You want it, they want it, they just don’t know they want it yet. It’s in their best interest; right?

For example, here you are, reading a blog that you probably didn’t even know existed until, like 30 seconds ago. Why are you here? Because you were enticed by the notion that you could possibly win a little slice of caffeinated Starbucks heaven (which you can – more on that, below). In the meantime, I want/need/really know it is in your best interest to read along with me.

Writing fiction is a lot like a legally approved form of bribery. As an author, I create characters then place them in situations that twist, tangle and thoroughly tease them – all for your amusement and approval. There is a pay-off for both of us, you see. It works like this: I endeavor to write the best piece that I can, then I turn it over to you, the reader. I bribe you with an entertaining story that keeps you engaged until you hit those two final words, “the end.” You have taken a short journey with me that I hope you have found worthy, and I have – for the moment, anyway – quieted the beast inside me that wants/needs/really knows it is in my best interest to write. Win-win.

Oh yeah, here’s the real bribe you came for: FOLLOW THIS BLOG and you will be automatically entered for a chance to win a $15 Starbucks gift card. All followers – with the exception of contributors – will receive one chance at winning. Contest will remain open until midnight (EST), Friday, May 28, 2010, at which time Bijoux will randomly pick the winner. Good luck to all!

Contest Tuesday

I love to get something for nothing, as long as that something is worth...something.  The Fiction Flurry Writers are all about a kinder, gentler critique of each other's work.  We all make an effort to find the good in each other's writing, not just that which can be improved.  After all, we are looking at each other's first drafts.  Screw ups are expected in first drafts, but there are also kernels of great writing. The Fiction Flurry Writers try to lift each other up and encourage improvement without making anyone feel incompetent. 

So our blog is about offering you, our reader, "something."  It might be the entertainment of reading a poem, short story, or sample from a novel.  It might be encouragement to keep writing, or a tip that might save you time or effort.  Tuesdays, henceforward, will be about contests and polls, often with some kind of recognition or reward:  a kinder, gentler critique of your work, perhaps a book signed by its author, something...

Today, the first person who is not a contributor to Fiction Flurry to correctly answer the following question in the comment section of this post will receive something for nothing:  a promotional post on our blog about your writing project or blog.  Word of mouth can be a powerful thing, can't it?  Now for the contest question:

What novel begins with this line?

"Only three people were left under the red and white awning of the grease joint: Grady, me, and the fry cook."

Post your answer in the comment section, and make sure that your e-mail address is linked to your profile so that we may contact the winner.  Here goes nothing!

Epilogue:  If you're stumped, Google is a wonderful thing!