Wednesday, August 14, 2019

The Divided Nation Blog Tour - Guest Post


Today I'm helping Angela R. Watts celebrate the release of the first book in her new series. This is especially fun because I got to meet Angela at Realm Makers just last month. Yay! First, here's a bit about the book and then a guest post from Angela herself.


WHEN THE NATION DIVIDES, THE INFIDELS MUST RISE.

The United States has fallen. Three years after the 2024 presidential election and the declaration of martial law, the nation is at war against itself. Gangs battle, civilians struggle for survival, and officials of the United Nations thrive. West Johnston, heir to the most powerful ganglord in the country, refuses to continue the family legacy. But, in order to defeat his father, he must become him: bloodthirsty and willing to do whatever it takes for control.

West gains control by helping fellow gangsters, Nate and Simon, when they form an alliance with one of the last remaining townships in America. After years of surviving and winter fast approaching, Springtown is in desperate need of supplies from the two teenagers. When the town leader’s daughter, Rene’, is kidnapped by an unknown rival, Nate and Simon risk their reputations to save her and the town they now love. But without help from West, their rescue mission will fail.

Told in multiple bold, abrasive narratives, THE DIVIDED NATION steps into a future where brotherhood bonds must be stronger than iron to survive a broken world, and faith without courage is dust in the wind.



What For? | The Question Every Author Asks

Angela R. Watts

Writers are usually lonesome, strange creatures. We make coffee or tea and let it go cold as our fingers fly across our keyboard. We talk to ourselves while cleaning as plot twists work their way through our minds. We watch people in the grocery store like they’re specimen waiting to be understood. We spend hours on writing and cry over worlds that the naked eye cannot see.  What is all this for? Hours of work, lots of tears, countless sleepless nights… for a book that can fit in someone’s hands. It might not even make us money. We might not get any support or any readers. So, allow me to answer the question: “What for?”

It took me about 7 months to finish my dystopian novel, The Divided Nation. This was my first time writing a book with heavy Christian content for the general market. Not all of my close friends or readers supported this new novel because of the PG13 content. And it grew difficult, at times, to find encouragement. I’m not really the kind of person who needs a lot of support, honestly, but there were moments when I realized I was losing things… And I didn’t like it.

I had to focus on the “what for”. Am I writing to please every reader or am I writing for God? It’s ironic that I learned so much about loving people while writing the darkest novel I’ve written to date. But honestly, I was enjoying the novel but dreading the *socializing* aspect. Why? I’ve had rough times helping authors, reading things I wouldn’t usually read or didn’t even enjoy, just to help fellow Indies. And I found that not many people are willing to do that kind of thing in return. I wasn’t building up my author platform. I was wearing myself out. What for?

There is a balance to this writing journey, y’all. We cannot please everyone. But we can love every single person without pushing ourselves to the limit all the time. We can fully trust God that He knows exactly who needs our novel, and He will bring them to it, if we are faithful. We don’t have to chase readers down. And that is “what for”! I adore writing and allow myself to love others, even if they don’t always return that love. How do we keep the balance of being ourselves and loving other authors?

Be inspired by your fellow Indie authors. Publishing is not a competitive race. You don’t have to be the best Indie author to matter. So be inspired! Does your favorite Indie author have a stack of self-published novels? Finish your own novel. Decide in your heart that you want to have a pile of your own books out in the world one day! If you choose to be encouraged and inspired, instead of jealous or envious, by other authors, you will enjoy yourself more.

Be encouraging to your fellow Indie authors. Comments on social media take seconds, y’all. No matter how *popular* your favorite Indie author might seem, literally everyone appreciates a comment, so don’t be shy. Don’t think they won’t hear you. Be encouraging to the *big* Indies and the *newbies*, no matter where you are on that scale. We’re all human who want to hear “You got this, I believe in you.”

Be supportive. Supportive friends are rare. There, I’ve said it. But that’s OK. God is the most supportive friend we’ve got, so don’t stress. Just try to be the most supportive friend you can be while staying focused on your own goals. Maybe this is as simple as brainstorming with fellow Indies in a chat group. Maybe it is sticking with them through the gritty times. It is a hard balance, but Indies need each other in the long haul.

Be wise. Seasons change, friends leave, support systems dwindle. It may be sad, though it is just life. I’m not here to advise on how to make more friends. I am here to remind you that people are out there. If you’ve lost support, if you’ve watched your audience lose interest, keep going. Don’t panic or say “I won’t make it!” because every author struggles. Struggling doesn’t make you an author, but pushing through them makes you a stronger human.

Find joy. Some days, we won’t meet our writing goals. Some days, we will have an author friend drop out last minute on something important. Some days, we’ll have to help family instead of edit. Whatever the *mishap*, find joy. Don’t let things drag you down for long. Authors are still human. We still want support, love, and peace. We make sacrifices for writing, editing, and cover design. If we don’t choose joy, we will probably lose our minds. So remember, God has a reason for everything in our life and writing journey. What we see as a setback? He can use to build us up.

All of this to now say… what for? The Divided Nation taught me many things, but the lessons it taught me about friendship aren’t ones I’ll forget easily. I am so thankful for a supportive and growing Indie community. I want to encourage every writer that they have their own journey. We’re all human. We all struggle. But God made us to love each other and being lonely authors doesn’t quite shake that, ha! If you want to go far, stay true to your story and be a genuine person. God will help you every step of the way.

God bless,
Angela R. Watts

About the Author

Angela R. Watts is a Christian fiction author who strives to glorify the Lord in all she does. She’s a homeschooled highschooler living at Step By Step Sanctuary, Tennessee, though with Gypsy and Norwegian in her blood, she tends to travel. She’s been writing stories since she was little, but also enjoys chores, painting, and watching sunsets.

LINKS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngelaRWattsauthor/
Website: https://thepeculiarmessenger.wordpress.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Angela-R-Watts/e/B07F97JNMY?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1564688304&sr=8-1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelarwattsauthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17597325.Angela_R_Watts



US shipping only. If an international winner is drawn, they will receive an ebook only.

1st place: hardback copy of The Divided Nation. A custom mug with a quote from the book, bookmark, and an exclusive snippet from The Infidel Books.
2nd place: paperback copy of The Divided Nation, bookmark.
3rd place: ebook copy of The Divided Nation.



Blog Tour Schedule

August 12th
Author Interview @ Taking Up My Cross
Book Spotlight @ Unicorn Quester 

August 13th (RELEASE DAY)
Author and Character Interview @ HauntingGhostTown
Character Interview @ Imperial Scribis 
Character and Author Interview @ FaithLaneAuthor

August 14th
Book Spotlight @ The Writer’s Song
Guest Post @ Jaye L. Knight

August 15th

August 16th
Book Review @ We’ve Got Pockets 
August 17th
Author Interview @ Gabriella Slade
Book Spotlight @ Stories by Firefly
Book Review @ Scribes and Archers 

August 18th
Author Interview and Guest Post @ Tangled Up In Writing
Guest Post @ Read Write Breathe

August 19th
Book Review @ Reveries 
Book Review @ Just Writing
Author Interview @ Allison’s Well

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Midnight's Curse Blog Tour--Author Interview + Giveaway

Midnight's Curse Blog Tour Mock-Up
Today I'm helping to celebrate the release of Midnight's Curse, book two in the Beyond the Tales series by my good friend, Tricia Mingerink! Beyond the Tales is a series of fairy tale retellings with hints of allegorical elements set in a world based on the Appalachian Mountains.

Don't miss the giveaway at the end of this blog post nor the invite to the Facebook party for more giveaways!


About the Book


Midnight's Curse_Internet Use

The glass slippers might be her dreams come true...or her worst nightmare. 

High King Alexander rules the Seven Kingdoms of Tallahatchia—a divided nation on the brink of yet another war. When an invitation arrives from the king of Pohatomie, Alex knows it must be a trap, but could it also be his opportunity to unite the kingdoms?

Daemyn Rand has lived a hundred years, served an arrogant prince, fallen in love with a princess, and lost himself somewhere along the way. He has already died for his loyalty. Will standing at the high king’s side cost him his last chance to truly live?

Elara Ashen is a lowly, miserable servant. All she wants is to spend even one night in a fancy dress dancing with the high king. When she is offered a pair of glass slippers, it seems that all her dreams have come true.

But dreams have a price, and gifts can be curses in disguise. What will it cost to stop this curse from tearing Tallahatchia apart yet again?

Fairy tales meet the Appalachian Mountains in this adventurous fantasy retelling of the classic Cinderella story.


Dreamy green color forest

The first book in the series Dagger's Sleep, a Sleeping Beauty retelling where the prince is cursed to sleep and the princess must wake him, is on sale for $.99 on Kindle! Follow this link to snag this deal while it lasts!

Author Interview


What was the first story you ever wrote?

Technically, my first story was a picture book I drew with my crayons when I was 2 about a family of talking horses. It was filled with cutesy stories about the baby horse getting a magical goose and going on vacation with her parents…and getting mauled by both a lion and a tiger at different points with liberal use of my red crayon to make realistic dripping blood.

Did I mention I grew up on a farm? Apparently even at 2 I knew about dripping blood.

After that, I moved on to short story fairy tale retellings and from there gradually lengthening fantasy stories.

What do you typically turn to for the most inspiration?

Hikes in the woods are my favorite, but when that’s not possible, then reading some of my favorite books usually reminds me why I love stories so much. Watching some of my favorite princess movies also works.

If you could spend a day with any historical figure, who would it be?

I would love to spend a day with Betty Zane. She lived on the frontier of Ohio back in the 1700s, and she was pretty cool. Zane Grey wrote about her since she was an ancestor of his, and that was one of the first Zane Grey books I read. Betty Zane dashed across an open space during an attack to fetch more gun powder for the fort. No one shot at her at first because everyone was too stunned, but even though she was shot at during her return trip running across the open field toting a sack of gunpowder, she made it to the fort without injury and the fort and those inside were saved.

What are three random facts about you that most people probably wouldn’t know?

1. I’m not a great cook. I’ve been getting better with practice, but I apparently don’t have the most discerning taste buds, so the whole “season to taste thing” is beyond me.
2. Thanks to those weird taste buds, I don’t like coffee or tea. Both of them taste super bitter to me. I don’t like Pepsi or Coke either. Um, yeah. I’m picky. It’s pretty much Mountain Dew level sweetness or water.
3. I love Barbie movies. The original 10 or so, at least. They are so adorable and girlie and even tomboy me adores them.

And because I’m sure all of us fangirls have “book/fictional boyfriends,” who is one fictional character you would particularly love to date? ;)

I fangirl as much as the next girl, but I’m not one to imagine myself “dating” the characters or picking a fictional boyfriend. Most of them are already taken anyway, lol.

I’m just going to cheat and list one of your characters and two of mine.

Jace or Leith would be fun, lol. Though, my personality would probably fit better with Daemyn. He’s a quieter soul than Leith, and I’m a lot more like Rosanna than I am Renna. 

About the Author


DSC09450-2Tricia Mingerink is a twenty-something, book-loving, horse-riding country girl. She lives in Michigan with her family and their pack of pets. When she isn't writing, she can be found pursuing backwoods adventures across the country. You can connect with Tricia on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.












Facebook Party!

Facebook Party Announcement 

 The Facebook party should be a blast with giveaways of Midnight's Curse, Dagger's Sleep, and over ten other Cinderella retellings by indie authors! Follow this link to join the Facebook party.

Giveaway!


Blog Tour Giveaway 

Enter to win signed copies of Dagger's Sleep and Midnight's Curse (it will be the actual copy, not a proof copy as shown) as well as a Currently Reading 4oz candle from Novelly Yours Candles. Due to shipping, the giveaway is open to the US only. Void where prohibited. a Rafflecopter giveaway


Blog Tour Schedule

Monday – August 5
Tuesday – August 6 – Release Day!
Wednesday – August 7
Thursday – August 8
Friday – August 9
Saturday – August 10