Hi friends! Alex are you reading this? ARE YOU? (Alex said he doesn't read any of my updates and I'm mad at him, fyi. Fine FINE I know they're way too long. I will just start a blog even though I hardly have time to maintain one.)

It's Museday!

Wait! FIRST: Patrick Rothfuss is coming to my local library and the crowd is going to be insane, so I asked if I could have a little humble table outside to advertise my book! Let's hope they say yes...

And SECOND! This Saturday is the Con Formerly Known As Fall Con*, Now Known as Fall ComiCon yes they changed the name right before the event!!! YAAAY!

I have plans. Plans within plans. Plans and hopes and dreams... You should come see me at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds from 10-6pm! It will be oodles of fun.

But on to the IMPORTANT THING - your Museday Mix: Milo Edition!

Did You Hear the Rain? - George Ezra
Highball Stepper - Jack White
I'm So Sorry - Imagine Dragons

Carry On (acoustic) - fun.
I Bet My Life - Imagine Dragons
Flaws (acoustic) - Bastille
Won't Let You Down - Alex Clare
The Draw - Bastille

Second Chances - Imagine Dragons

Arsonist's Lullaby - Hozier
Warriors (Acoustic) - Imagine Dragons

Now go share my book with someone new, and be well!

*A guy I once dated lived right next to Prince. That is my one Prince anecdote, you're welcome.

Hey everybody everybody!!

It occurred to me that maybe you'd all like to meet the "A" in A.C. Weston - my husband, Alex:


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(He says he doesn't deserve a whole letter, that he could just be one of the periods. That's probably true, ha!, but I like him a lot so I'm keeping him around as the A.)

Alex is the one to credit for the graphics/music/editing of my promo video, the composition of the illustrations on my coloring page, and a lot of really good, solid stuff in my book. For example, my five main characters hashed out their differences and teamed up all nice and sunshiny in Episode III before this guy dug in and challenged it.

He was completely right. Deeper conflict is better!

Alex works at the Alexander Ramsey House, a historic site in St Paul, MN. He has worked at Historic Fort Snelling, the Mill City Museum, and other Minnesota historic sites. He's my go-to history guy, and his knowledge and understanding root many of my book's dynamics in real world events. He also plays in a band called Union Shakedown, so check them out!

His main job, though is stay-at-home dad to our two little bugs, Tallie and Rosie. He's a really incredible person. I don't know what I'd be without him, but it wouldn't be anything close to what I am.

...So that's Alex!

Now, would you like some easy text to forward on in an email or facebook message to some friends who like reading?

Well, here you go!

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My friend wrote a book! It's a fun space adventure with complicated characters and deep themes exploring the tension between justice and mercy. Watch her promo video here, where she references every single science fiction thing she could fit into two minutes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FmeKgI090s

And here's where you can pre-order the book:

https://www.inkshares.com/projects/she-is-the-end [YOU SHOULD INCLUDE YOUR REFERRAL LINK HERE - find out what yours is by generating it with the "Twitter   Facebook   Email" buttons at the bottom of your pre-order confirmation email. That way you'll get $15 in credits if they pre-order!]

Please help this new author get to her publishing goals! She needs around 700 more pre-orders before December, so your order really matters.

Thanks!

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Take the time to copy-paste the above email and send it to two people right now, and you could really help me in an immediate, life-changing way. Please help me bring my book to reality.

Now, as for recommendations!!

Disintegration by Steve Soldwedel - A group of military officers are thrown together on a mission to raid the enemy stronghold and make off with a precious resource. A'arilon Ray suspects it's a suicide mission but it is just the beginning of a much greater adventure.
(I've recommended this one before, but I've been reading more of it and I really like it.  Give this book a chance - I think you'll enjoy it.)

Dax Harrison by Tony Valdez - In a space-faring future, an alien war criminal seeks vengeance on humanity, and a celebrated-but-bumbling hero is forced back into action... whether he likes it or not.
(Is it going to be a problem if I entirely imagine Chris Pratt-Peter-Quill-Starlord as the main character, Dax Harrison, throughout this book? I hope not because that bridge is crossed.)

Faeries in the Gloaming by Chandra Peltier - In 1885 Eliza and Alfred must travel from London to Scotland when their father is kidnapped by the faeries.

(I'm a sucker for gorgeous art, and this book has gorgeous art. Also, you guys don't know this yet because I have so much yet to reveal, but Merlin, Puck, and Loki are all characters in my books. They're all one character, in fact... The character goes by none of those names, but they're in there as an immortal alien with strange powers and a penchant for meddling in human lives...)

Happy Friday!

Hi all!



The Nerdist contest is over and She Is the End didn't win!!! But... I'm still a nerd? Weird.

Congratulations to all the winners! Way to go, guys.

Now, for some Inkshares authors, yu gonplei ste odon. For many others, the fight will go on! My life has been remarkably changed by this contest...

Now... once more unto the breach, my friends, once more. Can you help me get to 1000 pre-orders?

I'll be collecting people for the next coloring book soon, so let me know if you want to be involved.

I'm exploring this radio theater idea, too, so if you're interested and have vocal performance talent, sound editing skills/software, or any sort of experience with sound effects, music effects, or radio in general, let me know.

My table at FallCon will have many beautiful coloring sheets for attendees to color. If you weren't part of the Nerdist Edition but you have some art that could work and you want me to throw out a coloring page for you, let's talk! I'm here for you.

Email me at cara.c.weston@gmail.com with ideas for collaboration, cross-promotion - anything!

Thank you all so much. The entire experience has been good and difficult and exciting and emotional and really, really worth it. It'll be even better to hold my book in my hands...

And I think we can do it.

Guys, I have a meeting at 2pm CT so I can't watch the contest end, but there's 45 minutes left! Last-minute orders are always exciting! You know you want to!

These Old Bones - yes

The Fable Hunt - absolutely

A Beast Requires - fantastic

Disintegration - incredible

Order ALL THE BOOKS!

First up: music! I'll be creating and sending out youtube mixes filled with songs to help you get to know my characters - twelve songs per character for the twelve episodes in my book. (I would also love to listen to any mixes you all have for your characters or books!)

Here's your Museday Mix: RELAI EDITION featuring...

Wake Me Up - Birdy
Get Home - Bastille
Blow - Ke$ha
Elastic Heart - Sia
I'm a Mess - Ed Sheeran
Titanium - David Guetta ft. Sia
Hopeless Opus - Imagine Dragons
Empire - Shakira
Gold - Imagine Dragons
Fly - Nicki Minaj ft. Rihanna
Yellow Flicker Beat - Lorde
Shake It Off - Florence and the Machine

And here are some fantastic recommendations for your consideration:

A Soul to Steal by Anthony Russo:
Its 1948 and private eye C.A. Cavanaugh handles cases regarding magic and all that it implies. Haunted by his partner’s death, he’s ready to leave Hollywood until Winnie, his partner’s daughter, shows up to claim fifty percent of the business. (This one looks really good - a fun blend of hard-boiled and magical.)

Forty Days by J. Durbin:
Dr. Nerana Jackson awakens to find herself stranded on a ghost ship, drifting in orbit near an alien star. Now, she must piece together what happened to the crew and why before time runs out - or she may join them.
(Main-character-wakes-up-in-a-travel-pod buddies! I would read books like this every day of my life. Classic and awesome.)

Hi everyone!

Here are the COLORING CONTEST WINNERS - THERE WAS A THREE-WAY TIE!!!

Paul Inman, of Ageless/Motor City Chronicles: Transgressions fame...

Amanda Orneck, of Shadow of the Owl fame...




...and my good, nice friend Steve, who married my best friend and they're due to have a baby any day now, yaaaaay!!!...


...all won! Congratulations, my excellent friends!

(Paul is also holding a coloring contest that goes until tomorrow evening, so you should be cool like me and do his contest! I will beat you, though, fyi.)

Now... as for this pesky "Nerdist contest" thing...

I'm 232 readers away from the top 5. Ha. Haa. Hahahahahahahaha okay. That's okay!!

What... if... each of my current readers convinced one other person to sign up for Inkshares, get that $5 credit, and pre-order my book? I still wouldn't be in the top 5. BUT if you each convinced TWO people, I would. What if you all did that today? What if pigs flew? What if I won the lottery? WHAT IF???

Anyway go order The Fable Hunt, ok?

SIERRA!!!! (that's me shouting) THANK YOU!

You and the next five readers win a "Ladies of Scifi" poster featuring Sarah Connor, Ellen Ripley, and Furiosa!


Now here's a longer update for you all...

The Coloring Book

We've had some discussions about the exclusivity thing with the coloring book, and we realized - the authors with fewer readers aren't going to benefit from it, because so many potential readers will have already received the coloring book from other authors. The book will work as a straightforward introduction into the world of our books, and we want to get it in front of as many eyeballs as possible.

SO! The Inkshares Authors Showcase Coloring Pages and Activity Book is no longer exclusive to our readers!!! We'll share it however we want, with whomever we want, in the hopes that we can lift up those with fewer readers and spread the word about Inkshares in general far and wide.

• DOWNLOAD THE COLORING BOOK!

My Coloring Contest

Deadline extended to 9pm Sunday Sept 27th so people have more time to color!

And I realize not everyone may have software easily available to extract my page from the larger pdf, so here's a link to download just my coloring page for the contest:

• The She Is the End Coloring Page!

Nearing End of the Nerdist Contest...

Yes, I am trying to get back in the game! But consider this: I'm in it for the long haul. I'm going to be okay. Slow and steady wins the etc etc.

BUT THERE ARE BOOKS YOU SHOULD BE PRE-ORDERING RIGHT NOW.

That's right. I'm asking you, friends, to support these awesome Inkshares authors - not because I think they're better than me, or better than any of the top 5 books - simply because their books are high quality... and everyone loves a close race, right?

These Old Bones by A.J. Ainsworth - Fifteen year old Tommandros must survive the road where brigands await to steal his powers—or take his life—in order to reach the Summoner’s trials where he must prove himself worthy of his Calling or lose the legacy he never knew he had.
(If you haven't pre-ordered this book yet, LOOK AT YOUR LIFE. LOOK AT YOUR CHOICES.)

The Fable Hunt by Rachel Berkey - A sleepy town, a couple of readers, and a fairy on a quest to save stories from extinction. Will they find new sources of inspiration or will books die out forever?

:)