Author Kate Mathias - Cover Reveal and Review

Check out the fabulous cover for Kate Mathias'  second book in the Silver Oaks Series, Hiding in Plain Sight, created by Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations.     If you haven't read the first book, Worlds Apart, check out my review below and links to buy.

Graham Reynolds has always taken on the role of the protector in his family.  He’s a hard working DEA agent but he has a secret that he’s been keeping his whole life — he can jump to a parallel universe. It’s on one of these jumps that he faces an impossible dilemma. Will he make it in time to save his half sister from the wrath of a mad man? Will Graham be able to deal with the consequences of his actions? 

Lily Bennett is the girl next door that Graham remembers as the shy, quiet childhood friend. All grown up, Lily is now a powerful CFO of her family's business.  Graham saved Lily once when they were children but now Lily may be the only one who can save Graham from his past. Will she be able to pull him out of his darkness and back to her or will he be forever hiding in plain sight?

About the Author 

Kate Mathias is former elementary teacher and real estate agent. She enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three children.  

Follow Kate on Twitter @ katemathias  

Add Hiding in Plain Sight to your TBR at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16150824-hiding-in-plain-sight  

Like Kate on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WorldsApart.KateMathias?ref=hl 

 My Review of Worlds Apart (Book 1 in the Silver Oaks Series)

5 Stars.

I really enjoyed this book.

I loved the premise. It was unique, not something I'd read before and it was interesting how both Pip and Piper managed to accept and incorporate each other and each other's lives into their own.

The characters were all likable and easy to think of as the same person, yet not quite. I had no trouble understanding the switch between worlds and the characters were all written so well they all had their individual quirks and personalities so you knew who was who in the different universes.

The storyline was suspenseful, the pacing was great, kept me reading and no spoilers here but the ending surprised me and left me wanting more.

Looking forward to Kate's next book Hiding in Plain Sight.  

Buy Worlds Apart here:  http://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Apart-Silver-Series-ebook/dp/B00AN26E8M/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358556282&sr=1-4&keywords=worlds+apart

Pimp The Indie #1 - Tiffany King

Introducing a new section to the blog - Pimp the Indie!

Every week I'll be promoting an indie author's wonderful book. 

First up we have Tiffany King with her book, Miss Me Not.   It sounds great and has had some fabulous reviews! 



Check it out and buy here: http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Me-Not-ebook/dp/B00ABRGUCE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357736832&sr=8-1&keywords=miss+me+not

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16078992-miss-me-not

And go here for Tiffany's Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tiffany-King/143978505670098?fref=ts

That Was the Year it Was - Thanks 2012

What a fab year it's been!   Thank you to everyone who has made 2012 so wonderful.  New and old friends, both in real life and online have been so awesome, helping out when we lost our other car, giving support when I was doubtful about my writing and by just being there :)  I heart you all xxxx

Some highlights and of course the odd lowlight!

Family

Mr Paleo finished Grade 4 and Mr Maker finished Grade 1, both doing extremely well, making their parents (and teachers) proud.

Mr Comedy completed his last year at kindergarten, ready to be a big school boy in 2013.  I don't know whether to be happy or sad.  Mainly happy.  Or sad.  No, mainly happy.  I think.

Mr Xbox quit his old job after getting a new job, as it usually goes.   Not sure if how much happier he is.  I think he'd just like to win the lotto, actually!

We lost our little car after Mr Xbox had someone pull out in front of him.  We're still deciding whether to replace it or not. 

Mr Xbox became the local Cub Scout leader.   I'm still trying to lift my mouth up from the floor from that news!  Mr Maker joined Mr Paleo in the cub scout troop.   


Writing

I finally finished the seemingly endless drafts of  Flirting with Magick and handed the final manuscript to an editor, got a cover designed and have created a Facebook  Page and  Goodreads Pages for both myself and the book. 

I participated in 12x12 in 2012 Picture Book Challenge.   Only did about 3 drafts though.

Participated in Nanowrimo and managed to complete it by writing a rough draft for Winter Park. 


So I soberly lift my homemade Baileys to 2012 and welcome in 2013 with hopefully the same amount of class!

Flirting with Magick Valentines Day release / Cover Reveal

My very first novel, Flirting with Magick is now with the editor and is set for release on the rather appropriate day of Valentines Day - that is Feb 14 2013.

As it's obvious that I'm not particularly good at blogging regularly, the cover has already been revealed on my Facebook page as I had a bad case of Got Overly Excited and Couldn't Shut Up but not officially here as yet, unless you might have seen it on the Flirting with Magic page of my blog.

Anyway here 'tis!

Like?

Finding What Works

I think I may have overcommitted myself in the last month.   It was one of those months where I was running around and carrying on like a chicken's porkchop with its head cut off - or something - and nothing much actually got done.    I didn't even get a blog post written.

I had put my name down to take part in two writing challenges - the ongoing 12x12 in 2012 Picture Book Challenge and the Chapter Book Challenge.

Neither of them were finished.

I also had two of my kids' birthdays, one which culminated in a party in a local park with around fifteen or so 6-7 year olds, dressed up as zombies... or plants, based on my now 7 year old's current gaming obsession.   Pictures to come :)

I probably could have achieved more this month had I not come down with a hideous headcold one week and then gastro the next.

In fact I think the only thing I really achieved was realising how much I missed my other writing. I kept the picture book in the back of my mind even though I knew the chances of writing it were slim.    I was trying so hard to get into the chapter book and to get that same feeling of when I'm loving what I write and could...not...quite...get...there.     I'm not going to give up on it as it gives me that feeling of adventure I used to love as a child and I think, if anything, I just need to try and stay in that zone.   But as my heart at the moment (or at least in the last month) hasn't been in writing for the under eighteens,  I'll get back into my adult writing (I'm currently on a chicklit/horror/suspense) and hopefully through that the inspiration for the chapter book will stay with me for a bit longer.

Snore Snore - Stab Stab

Mr Xbox snores.   If this keeps up he may become Mr Exbox. 

I'm usually quite a light sleeper and it takes me quite some time to get to dreamland, so the things keeping him alive me asleep and still sane are half a tablet of an over the counter antihistamine sleepy tablet and ear plugs.

I can't afford this lack of sleep.   I'm still trying to get one of my novels ready to publish by June, rewrite my Nano novel, write my monthly picture book and I've just signed up for a Chapter Book Challenge with Imagine! Create! Write! for March (hopefully). 

Umm, oh and there's also child care, housework, cooking, whatever.   (Where is my four year old?  Oh, watching TV.  Awesome parenting right there!  I might just throw some more chips at him while I'm at it!)

Did I mention the exercise thing I'm still trying to do?  That's right - I didn't.

Anyway, not sure what to do about the snoring.  We don't have a spare bedroom for me to escape to for some silent solitude, or for him to escape being stabbed to death by a sleep deprived wife.  

(As I was writing this post my hubby asked me if he could buy a Sony PS Vita.  I said he could.  Then he said 'Honey, they are $500.  I was joking.  Are you thinking straight?'.  Then I said, "I'm actually writing a post about sleep deprivation."  Funny that!)

So it would appear this post has been brought to you by Restavit and silicon ear plugs.   Sorry for the nonsensical rambling.

Letting my Baby Out (my book I mean. Kids, you stay with me)

It's been a busy couple of weeks.   I managed to complete my first draft for 12x12 in 2012 and I'm still rather gobsmacked at how that got done.    I went with the food stealing animals idea from lovely commenter, Alison from this post.   By the time I had worked out how I was going to do it,  the draft took about fifteen minutes - love it when that happens.    My picture books (however rare they are) are usually written this way - weeks of deliberation; fifteen minutes of actual writing. It's almost an anti climax!   Editing however is a whole other story which may come out at a later date.

The other biggie was that I finally gave away all 345 pages of Flirting With Magick to others to read.  So far so good.  There will be more on that when I get my critiques back before the next rewrite.  But I have been told they 'can't put it down' which I assume is a good thing, unless it  has been accidentally superglued to their hands and they literally can't put it down.  Then that may not necessarily the feedback I require.

I swear allowing others to read it was one of the hardest things I have done - it would have been easier to give away one of my kids.  Or give birth three times over, all over again. 

And then I remembered that books are meant for other people whereas my kids are to stay with me.  Damn!

Must make a mental note of that!