Alex is on fire! Oh, I mean #CatchFire!

I am so very proud of Alex J. Cavanaugh, blog guru of the blogosphere. Something that amazes me is how he manages to balance real life (work, wife, family and more) with his writing career, blogging and keeping up with social networking. I know it is a lot of work, my having four kids and all, so he's my authorly hero!


Today is the Catch Fire Blog Party, celebrating the release of CassaFire by Alex J. Cavanaugh! The goal is to help CassaFire “catch fire” on the best seller charts and achieve the success of the first book, CassaStar. There’s also a special package of prizes being given away at the author’s blog (copies of CassaFire, CassaStar, tote bag, mug, and bookmarks) as well as book giveaways during his two-week blog tour. See Alex’s site for details: http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/

CassaFire

by Alex J. Cavanaugh

CassaStar was just the beginning…

The Vindicarn War is a distant memory and Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters are over. He has kept the promise he made to his fallen mentor and friend - to probe space on an exploration vessel. Shuttle work is dull, but it’s a free and solitary existence. The senior officer is content with his life aboard the Rennather.

The detection of alien ruins sends the exploration ship to the distant planet of Tgren. If their scientists can decipher the language, they can unlock the secrets of this device. Is it a key to the Tgren’s civilization or a weapon of unimaginable power? Tensions mount as their new allies are suspicious of the Cassan’s technology and strange mental abilities. 

To complicate matters, the Tgrens are showing signs of mental powers themselves; the strongest of which belongs to a pilot named Athee, a woman whose skills rival Byron’s unique abilities. Forced to train her mind and further develop her flying aptitude, he finds his patience strained. Add a reluctant friendship with a young scientist, and he feels invaded on every level. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

Available today!

Science fiction - space opera/adventure

Print ISBN 978-0-9827139-4-5, $15.95, 6x9 Trade paperback, 240 pages

EBook ISBN 978-0-9827139-6-9, $4.99, available in all formats

CassaFire is the sequel to Cavanaugh’s first book, CassaStar, an Amazon Top Ten Best Seller:

“…calls to mind the youthful focus of Robert Heinlein’s early military sf, as well as the excitement of space opera epitomized by the many Star Wars novels. Fast-paced military action and a youthful protagonist make this a good choice for both young adult and adult fans of space wars.” - Library Journal

You can visit the author’s site at http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/

Book trailer available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa6VINRGtyE.

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cassafire-alex-j-cavanaugh/1034742568

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/CassaFire-Alex-J-Cavanaugh/dp/0982713940/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329417150&sr=1-1

Amazon Kindle - http://www.amazon.com/CassaFire-ebook/dp/B007A2TSNG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1329663355&sr=1-1

Head on over there and congratulate him. Enter to win, too!

Calling all #Teen #Writers!

Welcome to Teen Author Boot Camp where you will interact with rockin' authors, and learn their writerly secrets!


Where? Utah Valley University
When? Saturday, March 10th from 9am-5pm
Who?   Teens ages 13-19, NO ADULTS ALLOWED!
How much? $39 


Here are just a few authors who braved their faces!

I've discovered the best way to author yourself is to come out of that cave--let people know just how loveable you are. ;)

reposted: Why are We Neurotic?

I've just proved my point at how crazy it's been. I had accidentally posted twice Wednesday last, and had meant to post this one today. Ugh. I hope you can pat me on the head and say it's okay for having read this again.

The article I posted the other day talked about how many authors are switching to Amazon for the publication of their books and how the publishers feel threatened. Something I read on there has had me thinking. The publishers are a bit smug, saying that Amazon won't know how to deal with neurotic authors calling them at all odd hours of the day.

Neurotic they say? That makes my skin crawl. Does the writing industry realize how authors come to be so neurotic? It's funny, I have to admit, but it's because of the red tape system and all the rejections we face at every angle (from red ink all over our manuscripts, the query/agent/editor/publisher trek, editor and MS fixes, bad reviews, waiting, waiting, waiting--even after being published we still face rejections!), it is no wonder why we are neurotic!


This comes to mind on the matter. I've replaced boldened words to suit my purpose:



*An author is not neurotic, your Highness, and those who are cannot help themselves.
 
Really! Well then by all means, enlighten us.


If you (agent, publisher--anyone in the writing industry) suffer your authors to be rejected, and their manners strained from infancy stage of writing, and then punish them for those strains by rejections to which their first introduction to publishing disposed them, what else is to be concluded, sire, but that you first make neurotic authors and then punish them?


The main reason I write this post is because of the way it was phrased in Bloomberg's article--it felt smug of them to say that we are neurotic.



What are your thoughts on how writers are forged to be the way they are?


*(borrowed from Ever After: A Cinderella Story quote site)

#FREE #Darkspell all weekend. How? Read on!

 Growing up in an abusive home wasn't easy for me--I hated myself and wished for darker things. I found hope and became strong when I realized how loved I really am.

Please Share the Aware with Mybeauty-intensified for suicide prevention! All "likers" will get a FREE e-copy of Darkspell ALL weekend long, including President's Day!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mybeauty-intensified/325315794187449

Striving for Simplicity

I feel frazzled and overworked because I've been thinking: market this, market that, do this, do that, edit, edit, edit, review, review, review, blah...


There's no doubt that I enjoy what I do. I love writing. I love reading. I love being an author, but
I've hit a wall where the balance has tipped and my family and spirituality has suffered--I especially felt that right after my Debutante Ball.


Then I came across this article from the 2012 February Ensign Issue by Jan Pinborough, a magazine put out by the LDS church, and I thought, that's me! Not proud of myself, but I am determined to rewrite my life because I am not happy with the direction I've allowed it to fall into. I want a slower, simpler pace--the way it was before I became published. And it is possible, too...