Freelance Writing Guide: What to Expect in Your First Year as a Freelance Writer:

I’m Christine Rice, the author of Freelance Writing Guide, which is a helpful career guide that will inform you of the experiences I had, and what I learned, during my first year as a freelance writer. The purpose of the book is to educate you - someone who is considering becoming a freelance writer - on what you can expect in the beginning of your freelance writing career, so that you will have no questions or fear of the unknown.

The book is straightforward and realistic. It covers ghostwriting, article writing, book reviewing, book writing, self-publishing, traditional publishing (of books and magazine articles), business and finance topics, the lifestyle of a writer, income and types of pay, and many other topics. This is a resourceful book from an experienced freelance writer, written for writers who wish to develop a freelance writing career.

Here is an excerpt from Freelance Writing Guide: What to Expect in Your First Year as a Freelance Writer:

Chapter 8 - Manage a Website, Blog, or Both!

As a freelance writer in the 21st century, you will need a website, blog, or both. There are free ways to have a website or blog, so there is no reason not to. Generally speaking, websites are a way to market your product (your writing, or yourself—as a freelance writer). Blogs are a way to connect—share your thoughts and knowledge—with your readers. You can also have a website that has a blog as one of its pages if you prefer to be efficient. Let’s review aspects about websites and blogs separately.

First Year Blogiversary!!!

My first year Blogiversary is coming up in less than a week on September 18. It has been a wonderful year. Even though this has been a lot of work, I have enjoyed reading and reviewing so many new books as well as meeting many new friends. As a sign of thanks I am giving away a $20 Gift Certificate from Amazon.  This giveaway is open to all of my followers.

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Sword of Time

Sword of Time by A.M. Sawyer

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I received a free copy of this book for my honest review.

Overall, I found this to be a good read with a lot of potential. Its a story that will be more appreciated by a young adult crowd, especially boys, than older adults. Its a story full of magic and action as 4 teens that have just graduated high school embark on a trip to the Outback and find themselves on an adventure to save the world.

Is My Subtly Showing?

I want to thank author Terri Bruce for stopping by on her tour and giving us this wonderful blog post and giveaway. Enter for your chance to win a copy of her book Hereafter in your choice of formats, including print, and a wonderful swag pack to be given away internationally.

Warning: some mild spoilers ahead!

When Flora and I were arranging this guest spot, I knew that I wanted to talk about bullying and teenage depression/suicide because, indirectly, these are two of the main themes of Hereafter. I had seen her daughter’s review of Twisted and was happy that she had broken the ice on talking about bullying on her blog. However, in trying to sit down and write this post, I’ve gone around in circles in my head about exactly what I want to say. Certainly, many, many other people have weighed in on both youth bullying of the kind that kids experience at the hands of their peers and adult bullying, such as that which goes on between authors and bloggers in the bookish community, and most of them have done it much more thoroughly and eloquently than I could.

I’ve talked on other blogs throughout this tour of the pressure I faced to make big changes to Hereafter—to make Jonah older (or in some cases younger) or to introduce a romance element to the story. So I finally decided that what I want to talk about today is why I resisted giving Jonah a horrific back story.

Tangi's Teardrops

The Cotton Patch would like to say thank you to Liz Grace Davis for sending us this excerpt post and giving you a chance to win a copy of her book. This is an international giveaway in your choice of kindle or epub formats.

When Tangi's father dies, he leaves her nothing but three empty bottles. A kind uncle takes the poverty-stricken girl and her stepsisters in, and for a time life gets better on his farm. But Tangi remains a lonely outsider; her stepsisters tease her for her crippled leg, and the housekeepers use her like a servant.

Just before her thirteenth birthday, Tangi learns the truth about her father's strange legacy: the three bottles aren't empty any more. They're filled with all the tears she's cried since her father died, and her tears are enchanted. She must use them to travel to Rosevine, the world of her dead mother. Tangi not only belongs there but is necessary to keep Rosevine alive.

Tangi's tears will save Rosevine, and Rosevine will save Tangi from a cruelty-filled life, except for one thing: Tangi's lost the bottles.

Interview With Rae Gee

I would like to thank Rae Gee author of Mars on the Rise for this wonderful interview and giveaway. Following the interview enter for your chance to win one of two copies being given away of her wonderful book. I recently read Mars on the Rise and loved it. My interview can be found here

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi! My name's Rae. I currently live in a small town in the heart of England. When I'm not writing, I enjoy photography, film-making and teasing the cat.

How long have you been writing? Have you always written this genre?

I've been writing since I was young and wrote right through to my late teens. I gave up (unintentionally) due to a dark period in my life. Back in 2007 I was tempted back into writing and it went from there! Mars on the Rise is the first full length novel I've written in this genre and I love it! It's such a beautiful world to visit and I'm so glad I found it.

What authors have influenced you?

So, so many! My favourite book is “War of the Worlds” by H.G.Wells and some inspiration for the book came from there. Other authors include Sarah Waters, Jules Verne, Stephen King, Mary Shelley and Bram Stoker.

Libyrinth

Libyrinth by Pearl North

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was an interesting idea about three different societies living at odds in the far future on a different planet. The Libyrarians and the Singers are at odds with each other with the Librarians embracing the written word and the Singers only following the oral traditions with religious zeal. Based on the premises of Fahrenheit 451 with the burning of books and the belief that written words corrupt the people, the Singers (also known as Eradicants by the Libyrarians) go about burning books to liberate the murdered word. Haly is a clerk with a unique ability to hear books without ever opening them. Fearing ridicule and persecution she keeps her ability hidden, but in her quest with her friends Selene and Clauda this ability is discovered and she is named Redeemer.

A Haunting Obsession

Rating: 4 stars

Wow, this book is definitely creepy-licious! Daryl is you're typical computer geek who just happens to be obsessed with Maxine Marie, who is obviously based on Marilyn Monroe. Daryl soon finds himself in trouble with his long time girlfriend Loretta after he buys a piece of Maxine Marie memorabilia instead of her birthday present. Soon after the purchase, and subsequent fight with Loretta, Daryl is confronted with the ghost of Maxine Marie who seems very much alive. Agent Rebecca Burton is soon called in to deal with the matter.

This was such a fun read! It was not only super creepy but it was based on an icon that is familiar to everyone. The characters of Daryl and Loretta are your typical young couple dealing with one's obsession with a star that is thought to be out of reach. Its easy to see how Loretta would be hurt by Daryl's choice but she tries to reason that a dead and gone starlett can't compare to flesh and blood. Little does she know how things can change. I love the tactics of Agent Burton. She doesn't do their work for them, only assists and points them in the right direction to fix the problem.

Overall, I loved this read! It was a fun ghost story with a sprinkle of adult fun, making it a not for kids story. But one most adults will enjoy. Its perfect for Halloween.

Labor Day Hop

Thanks for stopping by on this Labor Day Hop. Enter below for your chance to win some great prizes.



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Deadly Eyes Giveaway

I'd like to thank author Mike Meyer for this guest post and great giveaway. Following the blog post is your chance to win a copy of Deadly Eyes being given away internationally in your choice of Kindle or PDF formats.

I was a professor of writing for four years at the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix campus. I fell in love with the Caribbean. It truly is American paradise. I

have always loved a good mystery, especially one with never-ending twists, turns, and surprises. Local color is important to me, so I saw that placing a mystery on the romantic island of St. Croix was a win-win situation for me, since I am like a reader when I write, never quite knowing what will happen next.
I thoroughly enjoyed every second of writing DEADLY EYES. The varying elements all seemed to fit together so perfectly. Reggae, calypso, swaying palms and sandy beaches provide such a terrifying contrast to the fact that a romantically linked couple is so brazenly stalked in such an idyllic setting, which sets the perfect tone for what I wanted to achieve in this mystery. Romance, beauty, and mystery are all intermingled in DEADLY EYES.
Since I know the island of St. Croix so well, having lived there, the setting posed no real writing problems at all for me. In fact, the setting actually enhanced everything I was attempting to achieve. The local color is authentic, but the plot is my own creation, the bits and pieces falling into place as I dug deeper into the story.