RUNNING WITH WOLVES: YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE/ADVENTURE IS HERE! (+ Giveaway and Interview!)

Title: Running with Wolves

Author: Summer Lane 

Genre: Young Adult/Adventure Romance

Release: GRAB IT TODAY on

 Amazon or Barnes & Noble!

Synopsis: 

Alaska, 1898 

“They always come back,” she whispers. “Always.”

​

He spilled their blood. Now, she’s out for revenge.

​

Jenna Renee is a woman wronged. When her adoptive parents are brutally murdered by an outlaw named Conroy Parker and his gang of thugs, they take everything from her: her family, her happiness, and her money.

​

Determined to bring Conroy and his boys to justice, she hires a gruff but dangerous gun-slinging United States Marshal, Jeremiah Black, to help her hunt Conroy down.

But there is more to Alaska than meets the eye.

The cold touch of the arctic winter is dangerous, and the corruption of Conroy Parker and his comrades runs deep. The tundra is unforgiving, and so are the wolves. Nothing is as it seems.

​

If the wilderness doesn’t kill Jenna, the pack will. Revenge comes with a price, and so does love. There will be no mercy….only the hunt.

​

A romantic adventure from #1 bestselling author Summer Lane, set amidst the gritty and awe-inspiring setting of Alaska during the last great Gold Rush.

Running with Wolves

Interview with Bestselling Author Summer Lane

(Courtesy of Writing Belle Publishing)

This is your first historical fiction. How different was the writing process, as opposed to the past 17 novels you’ve written – which have all been post-apocalyptic?

A historical novel is more strictly attached to the time period in which it takes place. The way people talk, dress, act, and even eat are different than how we do all of those things modernly. I had to do a lot of research, of course. I have been slowly working on this book for roughly 2 years, when the idea originally occurred to me. I have read so many books about Alaska…toward the end of the writing process, I was devouring whole college textbooks and double fact-checking everything I had until I was entirely sure my eyes were going to fall out of my head.

 With my apocalyptic books, the research is tactically-oriented, if that makes sense. With Wolves, I had to make sure the slang and vernacular was correct and that the history was right on target. I took a few artistic liberties with the story, as all writers do, but everything is based in fact. Everything.

Where did the idea for Running with Wolves come from?

I have always loved animals. I have always loved dogs. I first was enraptured by the idea of setting a story in Alaska when I was a little girl, after watching the animated film Balto for the first time. The concept for this particular novel sprung up about 2 years ago. It took me a long time to cultivate the plot to a point where I liked it enough to go ahead and write the book. I have always wanted to write a western-style novel, and that’s what Wolves is. A western novel set in the snow, with adventure and romance.

Where does the story actually take place?

I have constructed a fictional tale within the boundaries of the boomtowns and mining camps that existed in 1898. The main character, Jenna Renee, lives outside of a town called Dyea. I used prominent and famous historical hotspots, such as the Chilkoot Pass and Dawson City, in the book, too.

Can we look forward to some romance, in addition to adventure?

Yes! One of the central themes of the novel is the romance story between Jenna Renee and the rather callous but handsome United States Marshal Jeremiah Black. I love Jeremiah’s character – he’s got a lot of surprises up his sleeve, and I think readers will love him as much as Jenna does.

What are your upcoming projects?

Well, I have a non-fiction novel coming up in the next several months: Prolific: Writing a Hit Novel. I’m also releasing the first installment of the anticipated Resurrection Series in January 2018. Resurrection will continue the adventures, fights, and romances of Commander Cassidy Hart from the hit Collapse Series.

Enter below for a chance to win a Kindle Fire Tablet, a Starbucks Gift Card, or a collection of Jack London novels, courtesy of the author! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks, everyone, for supporting me throughout the process of writing and creating this book. Running with Wolves is more than a passion project for me: it's a culmination of my writing experience, as well as a refreshing change from the apocalyptic landscape that I love. This novel is full of adventure, romance, and mystery. It's a western novel. It's a survival novel. It's a love story. It's a coming-of-age story. It's a tale of revenge and justice. Give it a chance - it's the story I have always wanted to read, so I decided to write it! I hope you love it as much as I do. 

Thank you for reading. I appreciate each and every one of you. Your reviews and fan letters are words that I hold in the highest regard. Most of my office is papered with copies of letters from readers - it inspires me, and I am so grateful for that! 

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

RUNNING WITH WOLVES: YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE/ADVENTURE IS HERE! (+ Giveaway and Interview!)

The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow: Plus, Special Article from The Co-Authors

Fear Not the Unexpected

Eleven-year-old Fairday Morrow is less than thrilled that her family is moving thousands of miles from civilization to the quiet country town of Ashpot, Connecticut, where she’s absolutely certain she’ll die of boredom.

As if leaving Manhattan and her best friend, Lizzy, the only other member of the elite Detective Mystery Squad, weren’t bad enough, Fairday is stuck living in the infamous Begonia House, a creepy old Victorian with dark passageways, a gigantic dead willow tree, and a mysterious past. 

Before she can even unpack, strange music coming from behind a padlocked door leads Fairday up a spiral staircase and into a secret room, where she finds an ancient mirror, a brass key, and a curious portrait of a red-haired lady. These seemingly unrelated items prove to be the first in a series of clues that takes Fairday, the visiting Lizzy, and their new squad member, Marcus, on an amazing adventure.

Can the members of the Detective Mystery Squad piece together the puzzle before it’s too late? Or will whatever’s causing trouble find Fairday and her friends first?

Special Excerpt from the novel!

A Disturbing Note

The Morrows gave each other a nervous look and then walked through the double-door entrance of the Begonia House. Auntie Em waddled into the room, sniffed a few times, and as usual, plopped down in a corner and began to snore. Whoa, thought Fairday. This is definitely going to be different from our town house in Manhattan. She scanned her surroundings; it all seemed impossibly huge and frighteningly old. They were standing in a gigantic foyer with a high ceiling and a wide staircase that spiraled down from the upper level. The cracked black-and-white checkered floor was coated with a thick layer of filth. Hanging from the ceiling was a crystal chandelier that was so covered in dust it looked like a tinkling blob floating ominously above them.

Time seemed to have stopped. Fairday couldn’t believe the size of the place or how dirty it was. The wallpaper was crumbling, and there were cobwebs hanging from every corner. Even the ancient light fixtures were creepy; they reminded her of those fake candles people put out at Halloween. The air had a stale, funny smell that she couldn’t quite identify, something like burnt popcorn. A cold breeze blew through the doorway and sent a chill down her spine, the hair standing up on the back of her neck. Fairday shivered.

Weaving in the Backstory

By Jessica Haight & Stephanie Robinson

Oh, the web we weave in writing! Crafting the second book in the Fairday Morrow series was much like putting together the Harry Potter puzzle with the lake. You know the one, where the whole center of picture is the same color blue— every piece. And when it’s finished you feel like something should happen, like balloons will rain down from the ceiling or someone’s going to hand you an award. And then you remember you’re in your house, and silently celebrate that satisfying feeling of fitting the last piece of the puzzle into place.

Back before we were co-authors, we lived as roommates. We did not collaborate on books at that time, but we did put together Harry Potter puzzles (we are big fans). This may sound a bit strange for two friends in their 20’s, living on their own. Not exactly a wild time, though we had our fair share of those. BUT, working on Harry Potter puzzles was fun, and it was an activity that gave us skills to collaborate on the Fairday Morrow series.

The room was always quiet when we put a puzzle together, with the exception of a few mumbles and groans. This is similar to how it is when we work on edits. We can only imagine what witnessing it must look like to our significant others— today when we’re involved with a project the conversations are held on speaker phone, and there’s still pretty much no talking.

So how do we communicate? Are we telepathic? Lol— no. We collaborate using Google Docs. That is the space where we fit the pieces of our puzzle into place— the Fairday Morrow series. When we’re in the final editing stages, we work on the documents while on the phone and computer. The manuscript is on the cloud, so we can see the other person’s edits. This significantly speeds up the process of writing the book and makes for a much cleaner manuscript, especially when working with editors. The resolve button is a delight beyond measure!

Google Docs is a fantastic tool for weaving in backstory. It allows us to break the ms into individual chapters, so they’re easy to manipulate. With a basic layout and timeline set in place, it’s easy to find the parts of the story where we want to insert or omit content. Using Google Docs has helped us maintain continuity with our writing and a keep good flow with the pacing of the story.

When pieces of a puzzle are laid out on a table, you can see where they need to be based on their shape, even if they’re the same color. It might seem hard, but if all the pieces are there, you’ll sort it out eventually. Working with an ms in Google Docs is a similar experience.

Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library is a stand-alone book, however the first mystery is tied into the second. Readers can follow along with the DMS to try to solve the case of the Talking Library without having read The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow (book 1), but if they want to delve deeper into the case file, they can familiarize themselves with the clues in book 1.

This was tricky business, as the backstory is quite involved, so having a tool that allows us to weave in scenes and explanations easily is priceless. Using this tool with our editors was amazing, and seeing the final, clean manuscript in all its shining brilliant glory is definitely something to celebrate—same satisfaction. “Whoop! We did it.” Now, let’s get some sleep!

About the Authors 

Jessica Haight is a true New Englander, with a deep desire to be near the ocean and a love of the four seasons. She enjoys drawing while standing up and cultivating magic in her garden. She easily floats away in the pages of a good story and is still waiting for her owl from Hogwarts. Jessica lives in New Fairfield, Connecticut with her family.

Stephanie Robinson lives with her husband in a quiet town, though not as quaint as Ashpot. After teaching fifth grade for over fifteen years, she is now enjoying her role as a school media specialist. One of the many benefits of her job is that she learns something new every day. When Stephanie isn't working, she spends her time creating stories, getting lost in books, and traveling to new places. 

Connect with the Authors Online!

Fairdaysfiles.com

Fairday’s Blog

Twitter: @DMSfiles

Facebook: facebook.com/fairday

Pinterest

Google Plus: Jessica Haight

Instagram: fairdaysfiles

Brought to you by:

Interested in having your book featured? 

Sign up HERE if you're an author or blogger!

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow: Plus, Special Article from The Co-Authors

Unforgettable: The Inspiration Behind PROLIFIC: WRITING A HIT NOVEL

When I am editing a manuscript, I am quite possibly the worst housekeeper of all time. All of my energy and thought goes into my book, into the story, into the marketing, into the minutia of the release and into the five-thousand tiny details that need to be completed before it's too late and - gasp! - I miss a deadline. I am often so exhausted at the end of such an endeavor that I find myself living in a house where the laundry is piled up in heaps, the kitchen is a disaster, and my desk is buried somewhere under mounds of notes, letters, and coffee cups that have been drained dry. 

My current manuscript edits (I consider the first round of edits to be the most difficult, because the book is the messiest and most unorganized at this stage) were particularly draining. At the end of 2 solid weeks of editing (often it was taking me 10 hours just to edit 20 or so pages), I realized with surprise that my house was a bit low on food. My poor husband had resorted to making white rice with cinnamon and sugar (with toast, of course) for dinner. That was literally the only cohesive ingredients we had left! My husband is usually busy with his own work, and I admittedly handle the grocery shopping because I enjoy it. But during editing? The house is a whirlwind of chaos! (Fear not: I have since restocked our house and we are now having normal dinners once more!)

In some ways, my very existence is confirmation of every writer stereotype. I am a bit forgetful, I become absorbed in my work to the point where I'm not sure if I'm writing fiction or non-fiction (oops!), and I have trouble stopping myself at the end of the day. I have to physically remove myself from my office so that I stop thinking about my work. What can I say? I'm obsessed! 

Part of my compulsion to remain working and energized comes from a natural business sense. I love business, and I love seeing my company continue to grow. I am always working on new ways to expand and evolve, and that excites me to no end. I am a bit of an anomaly in the writing world, because I love and embrace both the creative and business side of publishing. I understand both. I thrive on the excitement of both. I can't get enough of the work, the pressure, the speed, the marketing, the story! A lot of writers love to write, but despise the marketing/selling part of publishing. My reasoning is that you really can't have one without the other. The better you understand both sides of the proverbial coin, the more successful you will be. Modernly, writers are not just isolated hermits who pen novels with a lead pencil in Wisconsin, offering their manuscripts up like a blood sacrifice to their agents in New York. Today, authors are in touch with their fans on a personal level, and many of them are ultimately in charge of their own public image. 

When I first started writing publicly (as an author and business owner, not just a journalist who worked in the background, or a publicist who assembled press packs and churned out AP releases), I understood that an author is as much of a product as their book. Your name and your photo is associated with your work for as long as you live - and even after. If you can sell both, you have a double audience. Consistency is key, and that must be coupled with talent and a solid story. 

I have so many people ask me the same types of questions over and over again...how to write, how to sell, how to come up with ideas, how to edit, how to design marketing campaigns, and so forth. People will stop me while I'm shopping or walking to ask me advice about writing, and it got me thinking: what if I compiled all of my information and published it? That's how my upcoming book was born.

Prolific: Writing a Hit Novel, will be a compilation and guidebook that covers everything I have learned about establishing yourself in a modern publishing world over the course of my 17-18 bestselling books so far. It will be a book for aspiring authors and writers, journalists and even businessmen and women. I believe that the methods in my book are easily applicable to any business or working scenario. Trust me - if I, a small, quiet and unknown girl from nowhere can own a business and be a #1 bestselling author of 18 novels and counting, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING. In fact, your chances are probably better than mine ever were already! 

Look, I was nothing remarkable growing up. I was not the most popular, I was not the most attractive, and I certainly will never be remembered by anyone for being "Most Likely to Succeed" or "Best Smile of the Year." Quite the opposite. I'm the person who was forgettable. The person who remembered everybody else (but, to my great embarrassment, discovered that nobody remembered me!). I was the girl who hid from conversations, who left social events as quickly as possible, and who never so much as joined a sports team or choir. 

What I did instead was work. I spent most of high school working. I spent my first year of college working. I've spent most of my life working. While other girls my age were dating or partying in dorm rooms...you guessed it: I was working. I just never had an interest in doing things traditionally, I suppose. I always wanted something more. I think, too, that because people tended to forget who I was growing up, I wanted to do something with my life what was exciting...something people would notice and say, "Well, that looks fun! I remember her - she's the writer! I love her books!" What began as a seed of an idea, and then a quest to prove myself to the world, became a successful business and my great passion. 

This book will be my first non-fiction foray into the publishing world, and it will also be the second publication that my company, Writing Belle Publishing, will be in charge of distributing nationally. It's a real hallmark of achievement for me to write and publish a book like this, because it reminds me of how far I've come. From hopeful dreamer, rejected by publishing companies and magazines, to successful businesswoman with hundreds of thousands of readers from around the globe. 

Big news!

Just this month, I was able to announce that Writing Belle Publishing will officially become a national distributor of select bestselling titles to retailers. It has taken me a very long time to reach this goal, and I am so excited! This means that a few of my books will now be on more shelves across the country (think Barnes and Noble!), in addition to the major outlets that already sell the novels online, here and abroad. 

I hope this book is an inspiration to you. That is the ultimate goal of Prolific. To encourage, to educate, and to inspire. You can expect a release date within the next couple of months. At this point, we are somewhere between December 2017 and March 2018. I am excited to share it with you. Stay tuned...and happy writing! 

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Unforgettable: The Inspiration Behind PROLIFIC: WRITING A HIT NOVEL

AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR CHRISTIE STRATOS: "How I Learned as a NaNoWriMo YouTube Guide"

Christie Stratos is an award-winning writer and the author of Anatomy of a Darkened Heart and Locke and Keye. She also holds a degree in English Literature. Love's Bloom, Mr. Dodd's Doll Shop, and Surviving the Whitestones: Ashdon's Accounts, are all forthcoming novels from this prolific author. Christie has also penned poetry, essays and short stories (you can visit her website to learn more!). 

Christie is visiting with Writing Belle today to talk about some fun lessons she learned during her time as a NaNoWriMo (National Novel-Writing Month) YouTube Guide last year, and how you may be able to apply those same lessons to your own writing! 

3 Lessons I Learned As A NaNoWriMo YouTube Guide

Guest post 

by 

Christie Stratos

Being partnered with NaNoWriMo last year as one of their three YouTube Guides was a big deal to me. It was a chance to get some of my unusual advice out there, like the one about breaking writer’s block by sitting in a strange place in your own home, or how word sprints can tell you where you’re not going with your book. I also learned how to fall behind really easily by getting overly excited about making videos. That’s a talent I don’t want to call on too often…

Lesson 1: Don’t let excitement force you to create unrealistic goals.

I started out NaNoWriMo thinking I would make my once-a-week video for NaNo’s YouTube channel in addition to one per week for my own channel. Then I thought it would be awesome to give one-minute max videos every day on Facebook to help inspire and motivate. At that point I was so excited about this that I thought I’d add on one-minute videos for Instagram and two-minute videos for Twitter. And when was I going to write during all this? I didn’t. I couldn’t balance all of it, regardless of my high motivation level. There literally weren’t enough hours in the day, which I would’ve clearly seen if I hadn’t been looking through opportunity-colored glasses. Unrealistic goals are motivation killers, so don’t fall into this trap. Think honestly and realistically about your time so you can achieve everything you set out to and raise your confidence by doing so.

Lesson 2: Respond whenever you can – you never know who you’ll impact.

There were lots of great comments on my videos, and I enjoyed reading all of them and responding to as many as I could manage, especially anyone looking for a response. One of the amazing things that happened was some viewers followed me back to my YouTube channel, Instagram, and other places and subbed there, letting me know they found me through NaNoWriMo and how my videos changed their perspective, improved their writing, or gave them something new to try. When people go out of their way like that with such genuinely kind intentions, they inspire me, and you bet I’m going to go out of my way for them too. I talk to some of them regularly now, and we support each other as fellow writers. That kind of a mutual support system is worth any amount of time and effort.

Lesson 3: Doing what you can manage is still an accomplishment.

Although 1,667 words per day doesn’t sound like a ton, let’s face it – it’s not always so easy. Sometimes life takes over and steals your time away, and sometimes your writing day is simply finished at 500 words. What’s important is not that you “win” NaNoWriMo, but that you did your best and came out farther ahead than you would have otherwise. It’s the same with writing goals. You can set lofty or even seemingly achievable goals and then not make them, but that’s no reason to beat yourself up. Figure out what happened, whether it was preventable or not, and pat yourself on the back for all you did accomplish. This advice made a big difference to those who previously considered themselves as having “lost” or failed NaNo, but that’s not possible. That’s not what this is about. Change your mindset and you’ll grow as a writer – and as a person – much faster.

No matter what, stay positive! Thanks for reading!

About Christie's Books 

Anatomy of a Darkened Heart (Dark Victoriana Collection Book 1)

Abigail Delilah is the firstborn of three Whitestone children—and she is the most regretted.

But is it really her fault?

She can’t help that the revelation of Father’s wretched secret coincides with her birth. She can’t help the fear she feels during Mother’s psychological—and physical—assaults. As the shadows grow stronger over her soul and the noose of pain tightens around her neck, Abigail will find out which is stronger: her family’s wicked assumptions about her or her true self.

Take your first step into the Dark Victoriana Collection with Anatomy of a Darkened Heart.

Multi-layered with motifs, symbolism, and psychological depth, this tale of dark Victoriana will appeal to the literary reader and the leisure reader alike, combining key facets of several popular genres. And don’t be afraid to get addicted—the collection continues exploring the intertwining threads that weave together the complex tapestry of the Whitestone legacy.

Available on Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo

Locke and Keye (Dark Victoriana Collection Book 2)

"Brothers in the art of keeping secrets." This is the mantra Mr. Locke's carefully chosen five employees must repeat together every day before starting work.

If you won't tell them your name for Locke and Keye's ledger, they'll find out. They have their ways—and many of them. Yes, these talented locksmiths can make a new lock and key set for you. They can even make a special padlock for a diary you never want to share with anyone. But just remember: when they make the lock, they keep a key—and it's only a matter of time until they use it.

Day by day, each of these young, single, alone-in-the-world workers is being molded into the family they crave. A family in which each member has his use toward an end he doesn't even know exists.

How do the brotherhood and the town's secrets interlock? Only Mr. Locke holds the key.

Unlock the second book in the Dark Victoriana Collection with Locke and Keye.

As a standalone novel, Locke and Keye’s distinct characters and tense atmosphere create a dark Victorian experience that will stay with you after you turn the final page. As the book immediately following Anatomy of a Darkened Heart, Locke and Keye leads the Dark Victoriana Collection in a whole new psychological direction while expanding familiar characters and scenes to continue the Whitestone legacy.

Pre-order today, read it September 7, 2017.

About the Author

 Christie Stratos is an award-winning writer who holds a degree in English Literature. She is the author of Anatomy of a Darkened Heart and Locke and Keye, the first two books in the Dark Victoriana Collection. Christie has had short stories and poetry published in Ginosko Literary Journal, Andromedae Review, 99Fiction, and various anthologies. An avid reader of all genres and world literature, Christie reads everything from bestsellers to classics to indies.

Sign up for my brand new newsletter here! 

You’ll only get emails when I have a new release coming up, a sale, or a giveaway.

Social media links:

Website: http://christiestratos.com

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2thw6Pn

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Christie-Stratos/e/B015L5FMTM/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/christiestratos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christie_stratos/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/christiestratos

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christiestratosauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/christiestratos

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/cstratoswrites

Brought to you by:

Interested in having your book featured? 

Sign up HERE if you're an author or blogger!

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR CHRISTIE STRATOS: "How I Learned as a NaNoWriMo YouTube Guide"