Indie Author Giveaway Hop
Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & The Krazy Book Lady
June 13th to 19th
I've been blogging for about a year and a half now and can't believe how much I've grown. When I first started, I was reviewing books I had on hand and only posting a couple times a week. I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew I wanted to share my thoughts about books with others. At first, I just reviewed for fun as I tinkered with my blog's appearance. I had no idea where I was going with this and I didn't think anyone was listening, but I let my passion for great books lead me. A few months in, it lead me to Netgalley where I found an amazing resource for getting my foot in the door with publishers. I created my profile, laid out my meager and embarrassing stats, sent in a few requests for books that looked promising, and waited. At the time, I don't think I really believed anyone would take a chance on me, but I hoped that they would. I kept thinking, I just need one chance! I just need one publisher to give me the opportunity and I will prove that I am a valuable asset.
Harlequin was the first publisher to give me that chance followed shortly by Random House. I remember jumping up and down in my living room yelling at the top of my lungs. I have been reviewing for major publishers on Netgalley ever since, and while I am so grateful that they keep sending me books, this was only the beginning for me.
I think the moment when I realized I had somehow stumbled onto the reviewing radar was when indie authors started sending me requests. Joel T. McGrath was the first author to contact me (via Goodreads) looking to get some feedback for his recent YA Fantasy title Shrouded Secrets. At this point I had only worked indirectly with publishers through Netgalley so an actual author asking me to review their book was both astonishing and humbling.
Review requests from indie and small press authors began to slowly trickle in and not only did I discover some true gems I also made some wonderful friends. This is what I think I love about the Indie and Small Press publishing community so much. They are friendly and outgoing and extremely down to earth. They have taken an idea and spent countless hours of their life forming it into what you see now. They have put a part of themselves into their work and have sent it out into the world with no guarantee that it will be well received or even acknowledged, but they do it anyway. They send requests to reviewers and nervously wait to see if they will be given a chance. Who am I to refuse?
This blog hop is very special to me because I truly believe that Indie and Small Press publishing is the heart of the book world. Their faith and generosity has inspired and motivated me to continue and grow. My blog is about to undergo a major makeover and take that next step in its ever evolving development. I am receiving new review requests and tour opportunities daily. So it is in light of my growth and absolute awe at the response from you all that I take the time to say thank you.
Thank you to all the wonderful indie authors who have taken a chance on me. Who have sent me their hard work and asked for my honest opinion. Thank you for taking that chance that is often not always rewarded.
I especially want to say thank you to one of the very first authors to send me their work who has become a dear and cherished friend.
Thank you Christiana!
And speaking of Christiana Miller, she has generously agreed to giveaway three ecopies of her wonderfully witchy paranormal novel Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie She's Dead. This is one of my favorite books to recommend so I couldn't think of a better book to feature for this hop. Please continue on for a synopsis, author bio, and links to the excerpt on Amazon. Once you've basked in its aweseomness, don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance at winning your own copy!
Synopsis
A little magic can go a long way -- to really screwing up a girl's life! Mara is having the worst month of her life. At least, that's what her cards tell her and they've never been wrong. She's evicted from her apartment, loses her job and is banned from Beverly Hills. So when the tarot cards predict her imminent demise, she uses a little magic to make her world right.
Suddenly, an aunt she's never met dies, leaving Mara as her sole heir. But when Mara moves into her inherited home, she discovers Aunt Tillie never moved out. She's still one pissed-off old lady, even post-mortem, and she blames Mara's magical meddling for her death.
When Mara accidentally releases a demon and awakens the spirit of the most powerful witch in history, Tillie's ready to kill her -- literally. It's the only way she can think of to save the girl from herself. The witch and the demon, however, have other plans for Mara's body
About the Author
Christiana
Miller is a novelist, screenwriter and mom who's led an unusual life.
In addition to writing for General Hospital: Night Shift and General
Hospital, she's had her DNA shot into space (where she's currently
cohabiting in a drawer with Stephen Colbert and Stephen Hawking), she's
been serenaded by Klingons, and she's been the voices of all the female
warriors in Mortal Kombat II and III. If her life was a TV show, it
would be a wacky dramedy filled with eccentric characters who get
themselves into bizarre situations.
If you want to know more about
Christiana, you can visit her website at www.christianamiller.com or
like her Facebook page and keep up to date on her latest releases at https://www.facebook.com/ChristianaMiller.author
To be added to
the mailing list for upcoming releases, send an email with your name and
email address to: christiana_miller (at) aol (dot) com -- or go to www.christianamiller.com and click "email me."
Giveaway details
1 comment:
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity and that was a really lovely post about Indie Authors.
I am going to say thank you on behalf of all Indie Authors out there!
CarolynBrown-Books
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