"From the Ashes" Kindle Release Blogfest

I'm so happy today to share with and support my friend Jessica McKendry (16) on the release of her self published NOVEL, "From the Ashes" on Kindle. It's quite an achievement, getting through the publishing process. Jess, I salute you!

Most people probably lead with the novel cover and summary, but I'm going to lead with the author, because she's just so cool! So without further ado, here she is!

Jessica McKendry was born in Michigan, yet grew up all over the Northeastern United States. She has lived in 7 different states, moved 15 times, and loves to travel. Jessica has been writing since she could read, but didn't write much more than poetry until she was 14 when she accidentally began writing what would become her debut novel two years later. Check out her website (www.jessicamckendry.com) or follow her on Twitter (@JessicaMcKendry) for more information.

And now the novel, which is available on Amazon here. You can leave a review on Goodreads here.

Summary:

Jaina Indera has been preparing her entire life for the chance to prove herself a superior and loyal citizen of the Imperial Alliance. In order to do so, she believes she must win the galaxy-wide competition known as the Trials. With training at her Gifted School progressing swiftly, everything looks like it is on pace for her to achieve her dream…until a boy named Dragon enrolls in her class.

Suddenly doubting herself and everything she’s been taught to believe, Jaina and Dragon are teamed with six of their classmates for the chance to compete and achieve their dream: winning the Trials. Consisting of four different tests, the Trials are about to challenge these eight young adults to the limits of their abilities. But learning to work as a team is more difficult than they ever imagined and dark secrets from Dragon’s past emerge that put them in mortal danger. Now Jaina must discover what she’s really fighting for if she and her team have any hope of finishing the Trials…alive.

Exploring the nature of self-reliance and self-confidence, McKendry delivers a perceptive, nuanced portrait of the importance of teamwork and the strain it puts on individual desires and motivations. Playing with the concepts of dark and light, her novel is a complex coming of age story that encapsulates the complicated hero’s journey from student to leader. A dark tale of love and revenge, From the Ashes is a powerful reminder to think for yourself instead of blindly following what you’ve been taught to believe.

IWSG: Navel-gazing it is

Hi everyone! It's the first Wednesday in March. That means it's time for Insecure Writer's Support Group, hosted by Alex Cavanaugh. Anyone can join, so hop on over to the IWSG page for more information and sign up!

I've been having one of those weeks.... I have work to keep me busy and more editing inquiries coming in. My back doesn't hurt so I've been able to get the house cleaned (relatively) and spend time being active with the dog. It's been a week since I sent the NNK off to her new home.

And somehow I feel so far behind the bar that I wonder how I can even show my (dirty, animal hair covered) face in public.

Sigh... apparently I'm not allowed to be imperfect, says my internal editor. She's (I'm) so afraid of rejection that I've painted myself into a convenient corner that keeps me immobile. The problem is, there's no rejection to be afraid of! Everything is going well! Sigh...

Anyone have any creative writing exercises that can help shake off a serious funk? I feel like I need to write two characters, one who always succeeds and one who always fails, and then put them in each other's shoes for a week... and try to work out some of this hesitation on the page.

What do you do to get yourself over the weeks (or months, or years) of feeling utterly inadequate and insignificant and scared of rejections that don't exist?

The Slow Cooker: A Writer's Best Friend Blog Hop

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Yay everyone! It's time for "The Slow Cooker: A Writer's Best Friend" Blog Hop!

I seriously love my Crock Pot.

I am an experimental cook in large part, not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. I also have no patience for fiddling... That makes the Crock Pot my dear friend! I can throw a bunch of ingredients in, turn it on, stir occasionally and at the end of the day have a warm and (hopefully) succulent meal to show for my "efforts."

I'm sharing a recipe I pulled from my newest cookbook acquisition:

The Indian Slow Cooker: 50 Healthy, Easy, Authentic Recipes

I've always wanted to try my hand at cooking Indian food... but most times the recipes are too... fiddly. Well, not now! Anyhow, here's my favorite so far.

Dry Spiced Dal (recipe by Anupy Singla)
Sooki Dal/Slow cooker size: 3 and a half quarts/Cooking time: 2 and a half hours on low (I cooked this on high, and for much longer than 2 and a half hours before the lentils were soft enough, though)/Yield: 7 cups

Ingredients:
3 cups dried, split, and skinned yellow moong dal or split and skinned urad dal, cleaned and washed thoroughly.
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 (1 inch) piece ginger, peeled and grated
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or grated
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Chopped green chilies for garnish (optional)
Chopped onions for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Put the lentils, onion, ginger, garlic, cumin, turmeric, salt, and water in the slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for 2 hours, stirring once or twice. (Again, I cooked on high and for 3+ hours before the moong dal softened... just be prepared). Check to see if the water has been absorbed. If not, cook for another 30 minutes until no liquid remains.
3. Garnish with the cilantro, chopped green chilies, and onions. Serve with rice, roti or naan and spicy achaar, or spread on a flour tortilla.

Yep... it's THAT easy! And the flavor was delicious. I highly recommend Singla's book if you're interested in trying more Indian style slow cooker recipes.

For other recipes from this blog hop, head over to the following blogs:

1. The Barenaked Critic
2. Rebekah Loper, Writer
3. The Merry Mennonite
4. Sue Ann Bowling
5. Thoughts of a Visual and Verbal Artist
6. Write Backwards - Jamie Dement (LadyJai)
7. Bonnie Rae, Just Words

MORE good news (or NNK finds a new home)

I know, I know, it's an overload today... but I have to share.

I just got back from driving my little, gray, no-name kitty to her new forever home. Through the kindness and willingness of on-line friends, this little kitty has found a single, retired woman with no other pets who is just dying to give her all the love and attention she craves.

\o/

I'm so very excited and hopeful about this new development... NNK takes a while to warm up to people, and she's always overshadowed by other pets here who bully her out of the lime-light. I think this new match up will be everything they're both looking for.

Whew... so thanks to those who helped make this happen!

A rung on the ladder of life (or NEWS!)**Updated**

I'm going to post this announcement today, even though I suppose it's slightly premature... in that I haven't received my paperwork yet... but...

I am a newly minted Assistant Editor for Entangled Publishing! Seriously excited about this, folks. It's a tiny, bottom-rung job and I'll probably be making beans and doing tons of work for it... but it's an editing position with a publishing company! I'll be putting actual hours toward experience, learning more about the craft in the process, and helping authors achieve their dreams of being published!

I'm on one of the category romance lines right now. It's as good a place as any to start, I figure. I don't get to acquire anything (too low on the ladder as yet), but I'm hoping that this position will lead to bigger things in the future! I'm looking forward to posting more of my deep, dark musings about the editorial process from this new perspective. I hope you'll make sure to drop in and comment occasionally.

I have been freelancing as a developmental editor for YA and sci-fi novels for around 6 months now, as well, and I hope to continue doing that work... A girl's gotta have her pet projects. So if you know anyone who needs their MS edited, make sure to send them to Writing Refinery.

Coming soon:
Photos from a Roller Derby excursion. It was my first time attending a bout. Super fun!

**UPDATED**
No, Leslie, this does not mean we're staying in CT. It's a remote position that I can do from wherever I happen to live. :)

The Slow Cooker: A writer's best friend Blog Hop!!!

I totally just signed up for this awesome blog hop that will take place on March 2nd! I'm so excited!!! I love cooking in my crock pot (hands free, low maintenance and all...) and I just yesterday bought a cook book of slow cooker Indian food recipes!

I can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with and to try some new dishes! If you want to join in, you can go to Rebekah Loper's blog and sign up!

In other news, I have now TWO exciting announcements that I'm on the cusp of being able to reveal to you. I know, I know, the wait is killing me, too! Just a few more things to finalize before I can spring my good news on you. I'm so excited!!! (Hints are in the post tags, if you want to take a guess or two.)

Can I get past the first page?

Seriously, though?

I'm awesome at editing for other people. I dive right in and get to the core issues almost immediately... I can do a manuscript in 2 weeks, even!

But when it comes to my own writing, I freeze. I am trying to do a rewrite of Lilith, my NaNoWriMo novel from 2011... but I can't seem to get past the first page yet...

I was hoping a year would have been sufficient distance from the 'script so that I could look at it more objectively, but alas.

Well... I AM going to get past the first page. I CAN! I WILL... and it will be amazing.

Insecure Writer's Support Group is hosted by Alex Cavanaugh. You can feel free to sign up and join us on the first Wednesday of every month. It's a great way to meet other writers who can help you through the bumps in the road to publication.