Hello everyone! Today I am very excited to welcome author Kate Lowell to the blog. Kate is here to tell us more about her first release, Bite Me Tender.  She is sharing some thoughts on being a newly published author and has brought a copy of the book to give away.  Please join me in giving her a big welcome!


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The Newbie’s Journey

Thanks, Jay, for having me on the blog. This is all so terribly exciting!

As writers, we tag along behind our characters, frantically scribbling down everything (and everyone) they do and every thought that passes through their heads. We follow their journeys, from start to finish, and do our absolute best to reproduce them with flair, accuracy, and a certain eye towards entertainment. After all, we love our characters, and we want them to find a welcome home on your bookshelf or in your ereader, where they can live happily ever after drinking mimosas with all your other favorite characters.

Their journeys often contain elements of something called the Hero’s Journey, or monomyth.

What’s the Hero’s Journey? If you’re not sure, check out my post here: http://wp.me/p30c7r-cq Don’t worry, Jay and I will wait. I brought wine. Bacon wine. And bacon. So, take your time. (Yes, bacon wine exists. It’s from South Africa.)

Oh, you’re back? Good. You can help me carry Jay to bed. *Shakes head.* Lightweight.

Anyway, now that you’ve refreshed your memory of classical themes in literature, we can move on to the Brand Shiny New Author version of the Hero’s Journey, or, as I like to call it:

The Newbie’s Journey (cue ominous music)

In the Newbie’s Journey, we pass through many of the same steps as our classical hero, but the form is…different. Here’s what my own journey looked like:

Departure

Call to Action–Knock, knock. Who’s there? Plot bunny. Plot bunny who? GLOM!!!!

Refusal of the Call–I’m not a writer! I can’t do this!

Supernatural Intervention–Hello. I’m your muse. Have a bunny. Or twenty.

The Crossing of the First Threshold–Fine. I’ll try one. Maybe that one, with the purple fur, that has its fangs sunk in my ankle.

The Belly of the Whale–What, Mom? No, I’m fine. I’ve just been busy. Yes, I know it’s been two months. Things.

Initiation

The Road of Trials–“I love this story, I love this story, I…don’t love this story as much as I did. Ooh, this is hard. I hate this story!”

The Meeting with the Goddess: “I’m your crit partner. There’s some good stuff here.” “I love you! And I love my story again. But it’s still hard.”

Plot Bunny as Temptress–“Look at how lovely I am, with my shiny fur and my plot uncomplicated as of yet by decisions you have already made in the storylines. Come, write me, and we shall make beautiful words together and be so much better than that sorry mess you’re in the middle of.”

Atonement with the Primary WIP–“I’m sorry, I know we haven’t spent much time together. You’re a much better story than that other bunny, I realize that now. Let’s make words together.”

Apotheosis–“Next time, I will not let the lures of loose and immoral plot bunnies distract me from my goal, because there’s no way I can finish this in time for that submission call.”

The Ultimate Boon–“It’s done! It’s done!” *waves hands wildly in the air and dances like a someone who thinks no one is watching*

Return

Refusal of the Return–“I’m editing it and it’s so much more beautiful. The prose is clear, my verbs are strong, I have used my Backspace Button of Power to destroy all my -ly words! I could do this forever. I think I have been…” Changes a few more words, takes others out. Then puts them right back in.

The Magical Flight–“I should really send this off. It’s pretty much done and the editor will have their own preferences and ideas. But maybe if I just add a bit here and prune a bit there…”

Rescue from Without–Crit partner: “Did you send that manuscript in yet?” “I’m just gonna do one more pass…” “Click send, or I’m coming to bomb you with more plot bunnies.” “Nooooo!”

The Crossing of the Return Threshold— “I have clicked the SEND button. I can do no more.” Pause. “Hello little plot bunny. My, your fur is soft. You are so easily written. I love you so much. Except, no, wait. This isn’t good. Why are you doing this? This isn’t what I wanted! Stop that! I hate you!”

Master of Two Worlds–“Someone bought it! It’s gonna be a book. OMG, how much work is this? And I still have these other twenty plots bunnies, in various stages of completion. With submission call dates. I must multi-task. That’s the trick.” *Edits, writes, edits, writes, edits, writes, promotes, panics, writes, promotes some more, writes some more, Googles the patron saint of marketing-inept beginner writers, buys more wine.*

The Freedom to Live–Hopefully, I will hit this stage in five more days, when Bite Me Tender is released. Because, really, at this point, there is nothing more I can do. I chose a smart, supportive critique group, who kicked my butt on a regular basis, and a good publisher, who gave me talented people to work with (Thank you, April Martinez for my cover. And Raven McKnight, for holding me accountable. And sending me dirty pictures. For inspiration.). I wrote the best story I could, with the skills I had at the time.

 

I hope you all will love my boys the way I do, and will forgive me my beginner’s mistakes. I’m working on them. And I have plenty of plot bunnies to practice on. *Rubs hands together and cackles fiendishly*


Blurb

love me tenderLevi is a werewolf. His boyfriend, and the love of his life, is a witch. After living together for three years, they decided to commit to each other and change Glyn into a werewolf. Levi hoped the pack would accept Glyn more readily as a wolf. Glyn hoped it would eliminate his erratic magic and erase the OCD it caused. One year later, they’re still trying…

Levi can’t understand why his bite won’t change Glyn and he’s running out of time to figure it out. His pack is being threatened by a larger one, he’s facing dissension in the ranks of his own ruling council and Glyn’s grandmother is poking her witchy nose into their relationship.

Under threat of a violent takeover, the council pushes another potential wolf at Levi, infuriating Glyn and adding weight to Levi’s own doubts. Council machinations divide the two lovers, leaving both men questioning their lives, their love, and what they’re willing to endure for each other.

Full moon is a time of power and change. It could be a disaster, or it could be the key to happily ever after. If they’re strong enough to wrestle their future from its bloody claws.

Buy link: Loose Id  http://www.loose-id.com/newest/coming-soon/bite-me-tender.html


Giveaway

Kate has been kind enough to bring a copy of Bite Me Tender to give away to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment below to enter. The contest closes on Sunday, August 11th at 11:59 pm EST.

  • By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win.  The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
  • If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
  • Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
  • Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
  • By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
  • Readers may only enter once for each contest.  Duplicate entries for the same giveaway will be ignored. In the event of technical problems with the blog during the contest, every effort will be made to extend the contest deadline to allow for additional entries.
  • Void where prohibited by law.
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