Everyone!!

The Review-a-Thon happened and it was AMAZING! Call me foolish, but I didn't really understand how much the positive reviews for my book were going to mean to me, personally, as an author. There was a lot of goodwill flowing around the world of Inkshares this weekend, and I LOVED IT!

Byron Gillan, Renee Horsman, Alan Tucker, Jamison Stone, Craig Munro, Thomas J. Arnold (seriously, man, I cried), Rochelle Germano, and A.R. Patterson - thank you so much for your kind words about She Is the End!


Here's the link to the livestream, which is saved on youtube for all posterity:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pSOpnFYGMM&feature=youtu.be

Chrome crashed on me about 60 seconds into the live broadcast, which was exactly what my stress level needed at that moment, hahahahaha *internal screaming*. But the rest was great! Go watch it!

Sincerest thanks must go out to the following amazing people, without whom the entire event would have been lonely and boring for me, sitting there all by myself:

For kick-ass hosting abilities:
JF Dubeau
Paul Inman

For giving awesome interviews:
Gary Whitta
Rick Heinz
Jeyna Grace
Jim McDoniel

For being helpful, interesting, creative, supportive, and brilliant:
John Robin
Joe Terzieva
Amanda Orneck
Christine Brenneke
Tony Valdez

And for pretty much everything:
Jeremy Thomas, Adam Gomolin, and Matt Kaye at Inkshares

I'm not really seeing things with much perspective right now, because for me this was a huge amount of work with fabulous results... so I'm kinda just reeling. It was just one day, but man. A supportive writing community is a glorious thing to be a part of.

Thank you, really, everyone who participated.

I have already been scolded extensively for not jumping at the chance to talk up my book during the livestream. I was in producer mode, guys! Give me a break!

I need to get better about that. So, in that spirit, I'll say: pre-order my book!

Relai's not going down without a fight! Milo is a big muscly marshmallow! Tannor doesn't take any crap! Goren doesn't know what's going on but he's probably gonna shoot somebody at some point! And Ky's just along for the ride, no secret angst here, hahahaaaa!

Pre-order it!

And thanks. Really. Thank you, everyone.
Jamison Stone · Author · added over 9 years ago
She is the End grabbed me from the very first lines! When Relia frantically awakes in a malfunctioning space travel pod, I felt both her fear and asphyxiation, imagining what it must be like to "come to" in such an abrupt way! I am greatly looking forward to reading the full book and seeing where Weston takes her emotive heroine (and comrades) in this exciting, and seemingly expansive, Space Opera!
A.C. Weston · Author · added over 9 years ago
Dude, I know. I would not spoil anything. I am not a jerk! 
Amanda Orneck · Author · added over 9 years ago
Please no posts about Star Wars.  Some of us haven't seen it yet.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS.

It was... no. I need to do a separate post on Star Wars. This is no time for sentimentality. I have a rebellion - I mean, a Review-a-Thon to lead.

For now:


It's tomorrow, the thing is tomorrow! Ahh! It's gonna be so fun. 

Here's the youtube link you can use to view the livestream: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pSOpnFYGMM

And John Robin has a message for you about the author-exclusive prizes:

Since many of you are also writers, I wanted to send this out today to highlight the author-exclusive prizes we have for the inaugural review-a-thon tomorrow. (Readers, be sure to join us too -- there are great prizes for you as well, as you'll see below!)

That's right, the big day is TOMORROW,  December 19th!

All authors and readers are invited to leave reviews on currently funding Inkshares books using the Inkshares "leave a review" option. I'll be on Twitter recommending books to review under the hashtag #InksharesReviews (@johnrobinrt)

There will be great prizes for everyone, but if you are an author, here are some of the great reasons to participate:

1. WIN A FREE COPY OF SCRIVENER for Mac and PC

Scrivener is a great program that gives writers an edge over Word. Authors who join the review exchange will have a chance to win a copy of Scrivener - we’re giving away one copy for Mac and one for PC!

Everyone who participates will get 20% off of the purchase of Scrivener, whether they win or not.

Want to know more about Scrivener? Here’s a video I made where I talk about the pros and cons of Scrivener (and why getting your hands on Scrivener will change how you write for the better):

2. WIN A FREE MONTH OF AUTHOR ACCELERATOR!

Want to write a solid first draft that’s equivalent to a fifth or sixth? The Author Accelerator program combines weekly pro editorial input with your drafting process to let you go from draft idea to rough draft successfully, and we’re giving away one FREE MONTH (valued at $199) of the program to one lucky author.

Find out more about the Author Accelerator program in this interview I did with the founder of the Author Accelerator program, Jennie Nash, to see how it has given me a true edge and how the Author Accelerator program works for writers who enter it:

AND OF COURSE, there are other GREAT prizes available for all:

  • Sword & Laser Contest Winners Package - print copies of the six winning books from the Sword & Laser Inkshares contest!
  • Nerdist Contest Winners Package - print copies of the five winning books from the Nerdist Inkshares contest!
  • An immediate pre-order of the book of their choice for five winners!
  • $30 in Inkshares credits!

All you have to do for a chance to win is LEAVE A REVIEW to enter the draw for these prizes. Throughout the day we'll be hanging out on Twitter in the #InksharesReviews tag as we share our favorite book projects, answer author Q&As, debate the merits of astronauts with swords versus cavemen with lasers, and much, much more!

Also, from 6 - 8pm ET, JF Dubeau and Paul Inman will be hosting a Google+ Hangout livestream filled with author interviews, review readings, and live announcements of prize winners! I will be there making a brief appearance, along with other authors like Gary Whitta, Rick Heinz, and Jeyna Grace, so come join us for the fun!

Email AC Weston at cara.c.weston@gmail.com to learn more and join the review exchange.

Hope to see you all there!

(And please share this with as many people as possible.)

Hi my (presumable) fellow nerds! Guess what's coming up sooner than soon?

If you guessed the Review-a-Thon, you'd be right but WHO CARES

I'M TALKING ABOUT STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

OBVIOUSLY



KSSSH! KSHHH! We're having daily light saber (or, "life saver" if you're three) duels at my house, my husband has dissolved into a pile of references, behind-the-scenes articles, and a complete re-write of Return of the Jedi (CAN'T WAIT TO READ IT HONEY), and I am just trying to STAY ON TARGET with all this stuff I'm doing.

I'm not sure if I'll be coherent on Saturday. We'll see.

But then we'll have the Review-a-Thon, and so I must tell you all about it!



There's a facebook event now! GO JOIN IT AND THEN INVITE PEOPLE!

Guess who's lined up for interviews during the livestream you'll be able to watch on youtube?

Jeyna Grace of The Battle for Oz and The Slave Prince!

Jim McDoniel of An Unattractive Vampire!

Jeremy Thomas, CEO of Inkshares!

John Robin of Blood Dawn and the Epic Fantasy Syndicate!

...and Gary Whitta of Abomination!

We're also going to be reading some reviews posted that very day, listing off our top fave books in the Sword & Laser: Electric Boogaloo competition, and maybe even reading a scene from the screenplay of Dax Harrison by Tony Valdez!

I'm sending out the review assignments Friday morning, so if you want in on the review exchange email me at cara.c.weston@gmail.com soon.

And in the meantime... may the Force be with you.


Amanda Orneck · Author · added over 9 years ago
I approve of your casting choices :)
Seriously, thanks for sharing the book with your peeps!  I bet Isidore and Relai would be besties.

Hello my friends!  I have a lot going on. A lot a lot.

But you know what? It's good stuff. I like it.

The Expo was great - someone wants to license a piece of my art, ahhhh, and someone else scolded me about selling my for too little. Thanks for the support, random strangers!

We're making some serious progress on the manuscript for She Is the End. Here's an excerpt of a conversation with Alex:

Alex: The showdown in Episode IV is SO GOOD, honey. This might be better than the rooftop scene [in Episode VI]. Your book can't peak in Episode IV!

Me: Thanks! IT DOESN'T.

(I promise it doesn't.)

Anyway!

Since Tuesday is Museday (and sometimes the muse is killed by work, but not every week), I'm going to give you a little inspiration collage, which in turn was inspired by how much Joe Terzieva's Pinterest page for Lost Generation helped me get a feel for his book.

Here's a collage of stuff that inspires me when I think about Milo. His character card is going to be based on Mucha's Winter.



Oh, Milo. So angry. So sad.

:)

Now, as for the Review-a-Thon... it's gonna be freakin' amazing!!! I hope you're telling everyone and their cousin's dog  to post reviews on the 19th. I'm so excited!

Authors, if you want in on our review exchange, please email me at cara.c.weston@gmail.com to get on the list!

Finally....

Strap on your hacking gloves, screw in your neon lights, and PRE-ORDER THIS BOOK:

Deus Hex Machina by Amanda Orneck:
A devout hacker collaborates with a streetwise gang leader to investigate magic in dystopic Orange County.

Y'all don't even know how much I like cyberpunk dystopias. Am I headcanoning Jonny Lee Miller and Angelina Jolie from 1995 as the main characters? Yes. Yes I am.

Have a wonderful evening!
A.C. Weston · Author · added over 9 years ago
Thanks, Jamison! I figured you were probably pretty busy with all your success. :)
Jamison Stone · Author · added over 9 years ago
Sorry I'm late to the party, but I am really excited to read 'She is the End'! Also, your video is outstanding! 
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