tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82230688897928639792024-03-15T20:09:58.021-05:00Paper MountainThe adventures of a girl climbing a mountain of paper and ink.Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.comBlogger443125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-81113095647565250862015-12-24T03:02:00.000-06:002015-12-24T03:02:50.735-06:00Announcing WINDSHIELDS! + NaNoWriMo Wrap-Up<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3V5rZBYpOqnJZhy3Wy0oOghere3E9Bpb-Ie3DINvLAnCkCSEpwQaFWHDAMM7BnldSz9dC0aXyrUoMMOu-VAkAP9-RZ9ydKVtr0ma6OD1HNO596N0z5buSPVGs3njV0K_FMiSl7aPn3GgB/s1600/Windshields+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3V5rZBYpOqnJZhy3Wy0oOghere3E9Bpb-Ie3DINvLAnCkCSEpwQaFWHDAMM7BnldSz9dC0aXyrUoMMOu-VAkAP9-RZ9ydKVtr0ma6OD1HNO596N0z5buSPVGs3njV0K_FMiSl7aPn3GgB/s320/Windshields+Cover.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
In this final post of the year, I have some news to share. I mentioned about two months ago that I had an announcement to make regarding OSAI. Here it is:<br />
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<b style="color: #95b3d8;"><span style="font-size: large;">The anthology for the 2015 creative writing class (which includes me) has been released.</span></b><br />
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Once more, there is a picture of each contributor and three pages worth of work from them. I have one flash fiction piece and two poems included. I'm quite proud of them.<br />
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If you would like more information about the anthology or if you perhaps want your own copy, links are on my Publications page.<br />
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Hopefully, I'll have news of more publications soon. I submitted three poems to two literary magazines on my campus and am currently waiting to hear back. I submitted a short story to a contest being judged by Ellen Hopkins as well. I don't really expect to win, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to have my work read by one of my favorite authors.<br />
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I would also like to tell y'all how my NaNoWriMo went, now that it's nearly the end of December. I finished with a word count of <b>17,718</b>. Of course, that's no where near goal. However, I am not disappointed. This is kind of what I expected. And 17k is nothing to scoff at. It's a big chunk of a novel, a whole beginning. Something I wouldn't have if I hadn't tried NaNoWriMo this year.<br />
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As I said, this will be my last post of 2015, but I think I'll be posting again soon. I'm currently working on my goals for the upcoming year, which involves some serious thinking about priorities and what I want. I may have some decisions to share.Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-21482355520827806762015-11-01T23:59:00.000-06:002015-11-02T22:33:31.345-06:00My College Life & NaNoWriMoToday is November 1, the first day of NaNoWriMo. I am currently at 1,128 words and still only about 85% sure I'm participating this year.<br />
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I've been grappling with this decision for two months, going through a series of highs and lows. At times, I was super excited at the thought of writing, of creating a novel. At other times, the mere thought of extra work, extra pressure, made me want to curl up into a ball and sleep for four hours.<br />
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Because college is different from high school. Here, it seems like the work never ends. I know every assignment I have to complete by the end of the semester, which means even when I'm caught up, I feel like I have something that needs to be done. This makes fitting in writing seem impossible.<br />
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However, for the last few weeks I've been keeping track of how much time I actually spend on homework and studying. It's about twenty-one hours a week, meaning I do school work about three hours a day. One hour on top of that for writing doesn't seem like that much.<br />
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So, I've scheduled an hour's worth of writing every day this week except Wednesday, since I have a test on Thursday. We'll see how it works out.<br />
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I might not be winning NaNoWriMo this year, I might not even come close, but I <b>think</b> I'm going to try.<br />
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(P.S. I should be posting another update soon regarding OSAI.)Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-65213670849371956942015-06-09T23:32:00.000-05:002015-06-09T23:32:18.231-05:00National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo) 2015 + I'm Going to OSAI!Hello, everyone! I have a couple of things to share with you.<br />
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First, NaPoWriMo was a <b>huge</b> success. I wrote the usual 30 poems and loved almost all of them. I also did 31 "blackout" or "erasure" poems. If you would like to see any of these poems, you can go to <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/myworks/36291324-national-poetry-writing-month-napowrimo-2015">my Wattpad</a> or <a href="http://brookerbusse.tumblr.com/tagged/NaPoWriMo">my Tumblr</a>. The "blackout" poems can only be seen on Tumblr, however.<br />
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I think that part of the reason I'm so happy with this year's poems is the "theme" I chose. Every year, I tend to write quite a few love poems, whether fictional or autobiographical. This year, though, I decided I was tired of writing about boys. I wanted to write about <i>me</i>. For <i>my</i>self.<br />
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So I did. I've grown a lot this year, and I feel as if the poems I wrote really expressed what I've learned about myself and what makes me happy.<br />
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Second, I finally, <i>finally</i>, <b>finally</b> made it back into the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute. It starts this Saturday and I am so excited. Also, a little nervous.<br />
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Most of the people I met in 2012 have aged out. I'm worried about making new friends. On top of that, I'm having doubts about my writing. What if I get there and have no ideas? I'm telling myself that these fears are silly. Everyone is so nice there and look at all the poems I just wrote in April!<br />
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Despite my jitters, I still can't wait to go. To meet new people and create new things. To appreciate what other people create. My supply list has me curious. It's a bit more than the usual "notebook and pencils." On top of that, there's going to be a costume party and I never miss a chance to dress up in my Rapunzel costume. I just got back from a trip to my parents' house so my suitcase is already mostly packed.<br />
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While I wait for Saturday to get here, I'm going to try and work on THINK OF ME. I've been attempting to straighten out the plot, but I've decided that the only way for me to really figure out what works is just to dive in.<br />
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[P.S. Remember, for more up-to-date news on my writing (and maybe some pictures at OSAI!), check out <a href="http://brookerbusse.tumblr.com/">my Tumblr</a>.]Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-7705175819548255172015-02-26T20:31:00.000-06:002015-06-09T23:32:53.541-05:00My Presence on Social Media is Changing + An Update ListIt's been a while since I've posted, but I'm not too worried.<br />
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At the end of last year, I decided
that blogging isn't the best fit for me anymore.<br />
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As the years have passed, my post numbers have dwindled down to a few a month, if any. I no longer read others' blog posts every day or even every week. I don't look forward to blogging like I used to. I don't enjoy the stress being "behind" puts on me.<br />
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I also can't express myself the way I now want to. This is my senior year of high school. I graduate in May. After that, I'm going off to college. These are exciting times and I want to share them. I've established Paper Mountain as a writing blog. I can't do that here.<br />
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I'm not deleting my blog or never posting again. But I'm making some big changes.<br />
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First, I'm unfollowing all of the blogs I'm currently following through GFC. The ones I really enjoy I'm going to subscribe to through email, but that's only a handful.<br />
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Next, I'm going to post updates every few months, but other than that, you won't see me much here. Feel free to still leave comments. I'll respond to them. There are a couple posts in my drafts folder that I've been meaning to finish forever. I'm still deciding if I will.<br />
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Finally, instead of this blog, my focus will be on <a href="http://brookerbusse.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/BrookeRBusse">Youtube</a>. These platforms are the ones I take pleasure in and feel help me fully express myself. If you want to keep up with me, those would be the places to go.<br />
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And while I'm here, I might as well catch you guys up on a few things.<br />
<ol>
<li>Instead of my goal plan, I now have a "progress report." It's an Excel spreedsheet set up like a calendar. When I write, I record what I worked on in the day-appropriate square. </li>
<li>I'm currently taking an online writing course. "<a href="http://www.writeyourselfalive.org/">30 Days of Writing - Write Yourself Alive</a>." It's almost over and, while its teachings weren't exactly for me, it's gotten me thinking about a few things. Maybe I'll share them later.</li>
<li>My audition for the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute is this Saturday at four. I'm considering posting my portfolio on Wattpad. If I do, I'll put up a short post with the link for anyone who would like to check it out.</li>
<li>I know I've been saying this forever, but I still want to post THINK OF ME on Wattpad. I'm hoping to get some work done on that in March.</li>
<li>April is, of course, NaPoWriMo. I'm giving myself more of a challenge this year but more on that later. I'm not sure if I'll be posting my poems here as I usually do. They'll definitely be on my Tumblr and maybe Wattpad. I'll put up a short post about that as well closer to April.</li>
</ol>
That's everything that's going on with me right now. I hope all of you are well.Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-35420880694614175512014-12-01T21:45:00.000-06:002014-12-01T21:47:15.729-06:00ANYONE? by Angela Scott is Here!I have followed Angela Scott's blog for years. She's sweet, witty, and, above all, hilarious. She's also a brilliant writer, and today I'm proud to help her share the news about her newest release, ANYONE?.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ2rf1g5ImaSM4xaKYYLUxOer9vtY87YoV59i-StkVB3srjZwxex56la6wX-y6nrYyN2qQlFcx_OcpWf5UPWlT8mYdd9-_qMN-q0qg7kVhiJ3MrQFymMVOHJWneJ_xgUeVlmZMBUCtZz35/s1600/ANYONE+Cover+SMALL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ2rf1g5ImaSM4xaKYYLUxOer9vtY87YoV59i-StkVB3srjZwxex56la6wX-y6nrYyN2qQlFcx_OcpWf5UPWlT8mYdd9-_qMN-q0qg7kVhiJ3MrQFymMVOHJWneJ_xgUeVlmZMBUCtZz35/s1600/ANYONE+Cover+SMALL.jpg" height="335" width="215" /></a></div>
<i><b>The end of the world?</b><br />
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That’s the stuff of Hollywood blockbusters and deep philosophical exercises in school. No need to sweat it. So when sixteen-year-old Tess’s doomsday-dad builds a bomb shelter in their suburban backyard, everyone thinks he’s gone crazy….<br />
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Until fire rains down from the sky, sinking whole cities into colossal craters and setting much of the world ablaze.<br />
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Tess’s dad gives her a few short minutes to gather her emergency bag and her freaked-out kitten, then leads her outside and into the underground shelter. Terrified, the last thing she expects is for him to leave her there all alone, but he has no choice—he must find her missing brother.<br />
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Before leaving, he makes Tess promise to keep the hatch door shut, not to open it for anyone but him, and to stay put until he returns.<br />
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But he forgot to tell her one thing: What is she supposed to do if he never comes back?</i><br />
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This book is definitely at the top of my Christmas list. However, if you're not quite as patient as me, here's where you can buy it right now:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Anyone-Angela-Scott-ebook/dp/B00OC9F5JG/ref=la_B007N3J0L2_1_7_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416170486&sr=1-7">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/anyone-angela-scott/1120547996?ean=9781622538638&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-je6NUbpObpQ-_-10:1&r=1">Barnes and Noble</a> | <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/anyone/id928647206?mt=11">iTunes</a> | <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/books/anyone-5/wDcZ5fw7yEyduCmcqWJcqw?MixID=wDcZ5fw7yEyduCmcqWJcqw&PageNumber=1">Kobo</a></span></div>
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And if that's not enough amazing news, Angela is hosting a giveaway with four great, ANYONE?-themed prizes! Check out the Rafflecopter widget below to find out how to enter.<br />
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/7889b68f6/" id="rc-7889b68f6" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPe554D1OMuGSw8ktN0Ga4G_kTOymsCgsnuD0RsUtA9m7vYwkCQ05yCHjyKVgWihDTaatqP-8FXETJ9RUvFlRlqc5ObD2CIOO9KzoZBtUpuTYK_6HLIeu03Gag7TTIwyZej4dvqK1doLvm/s1600/me3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPe554D1OMuGSw8ktN0Ga4G_kTOymsCgsnuD0RsUtA9m7vYwkCQ05yCHjyKVgWihDTaatqP-8FXETJ9RUvFlRlqc5ObD2CIOO9KzoZBtUpuTYK_6HLIeu03Gag7TTIwyZej4dvqK1doLvm/s1600/me3.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>About the Author:</b><br />
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I hear voices. Tiny fictional people sit on my shoulders and whisper their stories in my ear. Instead of medicating myself, I decided to pick up a pen, write down everything those voices tell me, and turn it into a book. I’m not crazy. I’m an author. For the most part, I write contemporary Young Adult novels. However, through a writing exercise that spiraled out of control, I found myself writing about zombies terrorizing the Wild Wild West—and loving it. My zombies don’t sparkle, and they definitely don’t cuddle. At least, I wouldn’t suggest it.<br />
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I live on the benches of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains with two lovely children, one teenager, and a very patient husband. I graduated from Utah State University with a B.A. degree in English, not because of my love for the written word, but because it was the only major that didn’t require math. I can’t spell, and grammar is my arch nemesis. But they gave me the degree, and there are no take backs.<br />
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As a child, I never sucked on a pacifier; I chewed on a pencil. I’ve been writing that long. It has only been the past few years that I’ve pursued it professionally, forged relationships with other like-minded individuals, and determined to make a career out of it.<br />
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Learn more about Angela: <a href="http://www.angelascottauthor.com/">Blog</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/whimsywriting">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AngelaScottWriter">Facebook</a>Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-21666613797004723182014-10-10T23:10:00.000-05:002014-10-10T23:10:15.560-05:00October, the Month of OutliningLast week was crazy. Our homecoming was Saturday night and the buildup kept me insanely busy. On Wednesday, my choir performed and Lizzie and I led the singing of our school's Alma Mater at our homecoming assembly. Then, there was the Friday football game where my choir sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" before kickoff. Both performances required rehearsals. Along with that, I helped make locker decorations for those choir members who made All-Region, attended Quizbowl practices, and prepared for the dance itself.<br />
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And I don't even know where this week went. It can't possibly be Friday already.<br />
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Unfortunately, all of this means I'm starting my NaNoWriMo planning a little late this year. For those who don't know, October is my month for NaNoWriMo planning. I almost always have a concept picked out months in advance, but October is when I take the time to flesh it out. To craft plot and add characters along with figuring out my world. But today is the tenth, and I haven't started.<br />
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Not on paper anyway. I don't have the right supplies yet. But my <u>brain</u> has been throwing around some ideas. I haven't experienced any major epiphanies, but it's something. And the "on paper" planning will be happening soon. I'll be running by Office Depot tomorrow after my SAT to purchase the perfect orange notebook.<br />
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On top of that, the first chapter of THINK OF ME will be premiering on Wattpad on Oct. 31st and there is still much to be done. Before I continue on with the second draft, I want to revise my plot in order to fix <a href="http://brookerbusse.blogspot.com/2014/09/its-balancing-act.html">the problems I mentioned last month</a>. This means I'm going to have to move forward with the third draft before the second is even close to complete. So, along with my outline revision, I'll be revising chapter one, sending it to critique partners, then revising it again.<br />
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Besides working on the actual story, I need to decide what I'm going to do about the cover. I'm considering paying to have one professionally made as, later this month, I'll be receiving money for passing my AP tests. I also need to figure out TOM's posting schedule for next month since NaNo will be going on. I don't particularly want to be trying to edit and revise in the middle of such extreme rough draft writing.<br />
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In conclusion, October's going to be a month of outlining with a dash of revision. Life has been off-the-wall busy lately and probably will continue to be for an indefinite amount of time, but I'll find a way to make it work.<br />
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<b style="color: #95b3d8;"><span style="font-size: large;">What are your plans for NaNoWriMo? What else are you working on? How do you like my new blog layout?</span></b>Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-38455381344481941442014-09-19T03:00:00.000-05:002014-09-19T03:00:08.722-05:00KNIGHT OF LIGHT by Deirdra Eden (Blog Tour Post + Giveaway)Last month, I was contacted by Eden Literary, the team assigned to organize Deirdra Eden's blog tour for her new book. They asked me if I would like to participate. Of course, I said yes! Scroll down to see the cover, read the summary, watch the book trailer, learn more about Deirdra, and enter the <b>awesome</b> giveaway.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFLgFPHUcrt19qTHVrHo1EpNzhep1Z2pL5NoRRb37rWDOaRdvxIqDOtWLX87okL19yctQMz19qna8JApKNVgV_0FQlVJQd9FMRU8S7bLw9R6T2VQHscIQURa2padE0jchDh9IlMa3SEVr/s1600/Copy+of+knightoflight-animation+%25281%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFLgFPHUcrt19qTHVrHo1EpNzhep1Z2pL5NoRRb37rWDOaRdvxIqDOtWLX87okL19yctQMz19qna8JApKNVgV_0FQlVJQd9FMRU8S7bLw9R6T2VQHscIQURa2padE0jchDh9IlMa3SEVr/s1600/Copy+of+knightoflight-animation+%25281%2529.gif" height="400" width="281" /></a><i>In England, 1270 A.D., Auriella (pronounced yurr-ee-ella) flees her village after being accused of witchcraft. Pursued by nightmarish creatures, she struggles to accept the truth about her humanity. Filled with fairies, dwarves, pixies, dragons, demons, and monsters, KNIGHT OF LIGHT is an enthralling tale that will capture the imaginations of readers young and old.<br />
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The Watchers Series has been described as BRAVEHEART meets SUPERNATURAL. The mythology for the series is based on many theological texts from dozens of sects with correlating themes. Ancient writings include THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS, THE TRADITIONAL APOCRYPHA, THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE, and THE KABBALAH. “The Watchers” are supernatural beings in human form whose duty it is to protect and guard mankind from the armies of darkness. Unfortunately, as the BOOK OF ENOCH mentions, some of these Watchers go bad. Although the mythology is based on these texts, Deirdra Eden’s The Watchers Series is written in a traditional fairytale style with a young girl’s discovery of incredible, but dangerous powers within herself, a cast of humorous side-kicks, a quest for greater self-discovery and purpose, and villains of epic proportions.</i> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcT0uWzFW-6PGadSZ3cG-eZ2-cB2IomJgIRAmRY4XEelQEDXSQEwwDm5i4mSTBoolc4mdPAWMxZqvO1sqLY2Bxx40hvqoAVwL1H5cRq9zuOU_275ag51ZSOrYygz35zx7-cPJs8ZpMq9JM/s1600/1001739_10151582772737807_1061010053_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcT0uWzFW-6PGadSZ3cG-eZ2-cB2IomJgIRAmRY4XEelQEDXSQEwwDm5i4mSTBoolc4mdPAWMxZqvO1sqLY2Bxx40hvqoAVwL1H5cRq9zuOU_275ag51ZSOrYygz35zx7-cPJs8ZpMq9JM/s1600/1001739_10151582772737807_1061010053_n.jpg" height="300" width="290" /></a><b>About the Author:</b><br />
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My goal in writing is to saturate my books with intrigue, mystery, romance, and plot twists that will keep my readers in suspense. I want to see fingerprints on the front and back covers where readers have gripped the novel with white knuckles! Aside from writing, I enjoy jousting in arenas, planning invasions, horseback riding through open meadows, swimming in the ocean, hiking up mountains, camping in cool shady woods, climbing trees barefoot, and going on adventures.<br />
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Find Deirdra Eden and The Watchers Series online: <a href="http://amzn.com/0996015809" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheWatchersSeries" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/KnightessHope" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/DeirdraEden/" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/story/17650871-the-watchers-book-1-knight-of-light" target="_blank">Wattpad</a> | <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/deirdraeden" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>.<br />
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/7135c91a49/" id="rc-7135c91a49" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script>Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-11359828568749571322014-09-09T19:19:00.000-05:002014-09-09T19:19:29.514-05:00It's Release Day for THE TROUBLE WITH FLIRTING by Rachel Morgan!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNiMvUbySsHxULcpl9xa4p3LuGlh8pR42SJdzHop_CCxlLx0ZMAmsfxiB3LxDKgeTox6P7vHL6hMXY73gmvAIcc1g9H09TueB4TUlFsyyh5FcAFgw8NxXFPZBdO7v_3-fdHwnbAgQEWvV/s1600/project-ditch-the-nerd-banner.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNiMvUbySsHxULcpl9xa4p3LuGlh8pR42SJdzHop_CCxlLx0ZMAmsfxiB3LxDKgeTox6P7vHL6hMXY73gmvAIcc1g9H09TueB4TUlFsyyh5FcAFgw8NxXFPZBdO7v_3-fdHwnbAgQEWvV/s1600/project-ditch-the-nerd-banner.png" height="130" width="515" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">**NEW RELEASE**<br />
THE TROUBLE WITH FLIRTING</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">by Rachel Morgan</div><br />
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<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWuzPNmQ4mNSsh9EeSmFYIiRcmvmBDOIyt9zNOGEr_QZMOU-6jxJy8_8uvrW6BwlUAGQsq098oFHX_CFesJORaM4kWW1-IeqHDyRmIXZTrf2L0hBZ-lNiYz8ivRfKsun3Fyx-qfQqkxuD/s1600/The-Trouble-with-Flirting-Rachel-Morgan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWuzPNmQ4mNSsh9EeSmFYIiRcmvmBDOIyt9zNOGEr_QZMOU-6jxJy8_8uvrW6BwlUAGQsq098oFHX_CFesJORaM4kWW1-IeqHDyRmIXZTrf2L0hBZ-lNiYz8ivRfKsun3Fyx-qfQqkxuD/s1600/The-Trouble-with-Flirting-Rachel-Morgan.jpg" height="370" width="250" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="text-align: left;">Labelled a nerd for most of high school, Livi sees her first year of university as a chance to redefine herself. She can finally enter the popular crowd and maybe even land herself a super hot boyfriend. But Livi’s about to discover that the price of popularity may be more than she's willing to pay, and that what—and who—she wants most has always been right in front of her.</i></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ND8MJS2" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21882221-the-trouble-with-flirting" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.troubleseries.com/" target="_blank">Trouble Series Website</a></span></div><br />
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<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_K7QeIvELFtkd5_vL-XOus0t7tehFBcj45qXUoKzMlSL8WsfefAYrVDrFtoIYbO-DkBRtyAtsEBQ9oNXGH1UestH8OYKacWscQrWSwE20RLC8rTikUY2PjGyx7NCW6orA0y4Gdf97iMOe/s1600/FLIRTING+teaser+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_K7QeIvELFtkd5_vL-XOus0t7tehFBcj45qXUoKzMlSL8WsfefAYrVDrFtoIYbO-DkBRtyAtsEBQ9oNXGH1UestH8OYKacWscQrWSwE20RLC8rTikUY2PjGyx7NCW6orA0y4Gdf97iMOe/s1600/FLIRTING+teaser+1.jpg" height="575" width="370" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE TROUBLE SERIES</span></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">FORGIVEN (A Trouble Novella) <b>*FREE*</b><br />
THE TROUBLE WITH FLYING <b>*OUT NOW*</b><br />
THE TROUBLE WITH FLIRTING <b>*OUT NOW*</b><br />
THE TROUBLE WITH FAKING <b>*OCT 2014*</b><br />
THE TROUBLE WITH FALLING <b>*DEC 2014*</b></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR</span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZC3gildL_MH4C9RK6-ZYBO1ze_Mk2geZgcLWJPvizzmP-RE32vKlqOzez3Z3sSdFeoKaMejnmwYN9TIRd0lepN1PVf-_nKrdOyIziozYVUATuyNVPSqb7ZkedBushOYq6-AL-kqVP1uwl/s1600/Rachel+Morgan+author.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZC3gildL_MH4C9RK6-ZYBO1ze_Mk2geZgcLWJPvizzmP-RE32vKlqOzez3Z3sSdFeoKaMejnmwYN9TIRd0lepN1PVf-_nKrdOyIziozYVUATuyNVPSqb7ZkedBushOYq6-AL-kqVP1uwl/s200/Rachel+Morgan+author.jpg" height="192" width="150" /></a></div>Rachel Morgan was born in South Africa and spent a large portion of her childhood living in a fantasy land of her own making. After completing a degree in genetics, she decided science wasn’t for her—after all, they didn’t approve of made-up facts. These days she spends much of her time immersed in fantasy land once more, writing fiction for young adults and those young at heart.<br />
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She is the author of the Amazon bestselling YA fantasy series, Creepy Hollow, and the lighthearted contemporary romance Trouble series.<br />
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Learn more about Rachel: <a href="http://www.rachel-morgan.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/RachelMorgan13" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRachelMorgan" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.google.com/+RachelMorganAuthor" target="_blank">Google+</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/authorrachelmorgan" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://pinterest.com/rachelmorgan13/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a><br />
Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-27023921365767042582014-09-07T15:17:00.000-05:002014-09-07T15:17:02.303-05:00It's a Balancing Act<b>Scenes Rewritten: 1/20</b><br />
<b>Scenes Written: 2/8</b><br />
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So far September hasn't been a complete success, but it hasn't been a complete failure either. I've written 1,710 words in the last six days. Obviously, that means I didn't write five hundred words every day. However, some days I did and some days I wrote about half of that.<br />
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As I was writing this last scene, I realized that my plot has quite a few problems. My biggest issue seems to be balancing action with character development and more emotional scenes. When I planned out the second draft, I added more of the latter because I thought certain characters needed more time together and that those types of scenes would boost the impact of my climax. Those things remain true, but now I feel like my action has been diluted too much.<br />
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This last scene dragged for me. Nothing was <i>really</i> happening. I know that if I think that as the author, readers are definitely going to think that. And I'm afraid the next couple of scenes will be the same way. So, something needs to be added. It doesn't necessarily have to be huge, but it needs to keep the reader's attention, needs to make them want to keep reading.<br />
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At the moment, I don't have a lot of ideas. My brain is still on "figuring out the problem" and hasn't yet made the transition to "fixing the problem." I may just go ahead with the second draft as planned and work on the action vs. emotion balance as I'm working through the third draft. This would give me more time to think and hopefully get it right the third go 'round.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: #fc9196;">That's how my current project is going. What about yours?</b></span>Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-26570414124957666132014-09-01T16:23:00.000-05:002014-09-01T16:23:04.062-05:00Things Have Been Busy<b>Scenes Rewritten: 1/20</b><br />
<b>Scenes Written: 1/8</b><br />
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One of my three months is already gone and I've barely made any progress. I've rewritten and written one scene and started writing a third.<br />
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However, August was a whirlwind of oral surgery, school, choir, seniordom, socializing, and catching up on sleep. Now, while September is still guaranteed to be busy, I've gotten in the groove.<br />
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This month, I'm kicking revising into high gear. I have to if I want to post my first chapter on Oct. 31st. No more "just write something." I need a more concrete, more motivating plan. So I'm aiming for five hundred words a day every day in September.<br />
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For estimation purposes, I'm saying each scene will be completed at one thousand words. Some of my scenes are longer, some are shorter, but one thousand words is a fairly accurate average. If I write at least five hundred words every day, I will have finished fifteen additional scenes by the end of September.<br />
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This leaves eleven scenes for October. While this will still require plenty of work, it's doable. And if I have to start third revisions on my first chapter before I'm entirely finished with the second draft, it won't kill me.<br />
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Also, the wonderful <a href="http://www.capriciousexistence.blogspot.com/">Madeline</a> has finished the new blog banner! This means the blog will be getting a new look very soon. So, if you stop by and everything's funky, don't judge too harshly. I might not be able to finish the layout in one sitting. But I promise it'll look beautiful in the end<span style="font-size: x-small;"> (along with my new profile picture -ahem-)</span>.Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-7415089875428894582014-08-07T23:26:00.000-05:002014-08-07T23:26:21.185-05:00Taking It a Little at a Time<b>Scenes Rewritten: 1/20</b><br />
<b>Scenes Written: 0/8</b><br />
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I completed the first scene! I completed it a couple of days ago, in fact. I feel excited and proud and all kinds of happy. This is the first big step in a hopefully rewarding journey and, while I have a long way to go, the first step is one of the most important.<br />
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Of course, technically, I should have finished a second scene by now. In order to meet my deadline, I need to complete a scene every three days. However, I'm not currently too worried about following that timeline.<br />
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School is about to start for me. This means back-to-school choir workshops and school clothes shopping. This is also my senior year so I'm beginning to look at colleges. On top of that, I'm getting my wisdom teeth surgically removed next Tuesday. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.<br />
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So, at the moment, I'm just making sure I write something every day. I'm a few paragraphs into that second scene and I'm okay with that. As long as I add a few more of those paragraphs tonight.Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-3428311681196404902014-08-04T22:20:00.000-05:002014-08-04T22:20:15.491-05:00Querying is Going to Change for Me Very SoonI've never actually queried anyone before, but I've read and thought about it.<br />
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I know how long a query should be, what content it should contain, and how to personalize it. I've analyzed critiques and advice from many sources, including agents. I'm prepared for rejection (I think). However, there has always been one part of the querying process I couldn't figure how.<br />
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How do I tell an agent I'm a minor?<br />
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Some people say that this shouldn't be an issue. I shouldn't have to tell the agent my age because it shouldn't matter. If my book is good, it's good. Yet, I've always felt the agent should be informed. There are different legalities with minors and they should be prepared. It's a courtesy, I believe.<br />
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Very soon, though, I won't have to worry about this anymore. Because I turn eighteen in six months.<br />
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Really, I won't have to think about it ever again. I'm not going to have a novel ready to query inside the next six months, especially since most of my writing energy will be focused on THINK OF ME. And I'm overjoyed.<br />
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I got ninety-nine problems, but querying as a minor isn't one.Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-24532508432227444472014-07-31T03:00:00.000-05:002015-04-11T18:22:43.975-05:00Something BIG - The Most Newsie THINKING OF YOU Post EverI have made some big decisions. And today I'm going to finally share them with you.<br />
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First, I've made a title change. THINKING OF YOU has become THINK OF ME.<br />
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I decided to make this change after a burst of inspiration. I've always planned for THINK OF ME to be the first in a series. Originally, that series had a total of seven books. However, I never really wanted to write any of the other six. Then one night a couple of months ago I was lying in bed and everything clicked.<br />
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The Controller Chronicles is now a four book series consisting of the tentatively titled THINK OF ME, RAIN ON ME, SPARK WITHIN ME, and DIE FOR ME. Each book still has a different narrator and the series still tells the story of the Controllers coming out to the rest of humanity. Now, though, instead of detailing a drawn out battle, each book focuses on a phase of that coming out. There's the initial rebellion against government oppression, the winning of that fight, the actual coming out, and the aftermath.<br />
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The best part is that THINK OF ME's original plot already fits in this plan. This means I don't have to start over and can build on what I already have.<br />
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I cannot express to you how excited I am. Thinking about this series makes me want to dance because it fills me with so much happy energy.<br />
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Second, it's time for that big announcement I've been hinting at for weeks.<br />
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<b style="color: #fc9196;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm going to be serializing THINK OF ME on Wattpad.</span></b></div>
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While this isn't like super, <i>super</i> major news, it is a big step for me. I want people to read my writing. I want people to enjoy my writing. I want to hear what people have to say about my writing. And, let's face it, I'm a long way from traditional publishing. Plus, self publishing kind of intimidates me. This is my third option.<br />
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I'm also hoping that doing this will finally motivate me to really get on THINK OF ME revisions. I've been hemhawing around for over three years. Serializing my book will keep me accountable and eager.<br />
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Of course, my novel isn't quite ready for the public eye. The first thing I have to do is complete a structure or "fill-in-the-blanks" revision. As I've said in <a href="http://brookerbusse.blogspot.com/2014/07/im-back-well-until-tuesday.html">a previous post</a>, I have twenty scenes I need to rewrite and eight I need to write. After that, I'm going to be revising chapter-by-chapter as I post them on Wattpad.<br />
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My goal is to have my first chapter up on October 31st. This gives me around three months to complete my structure revision and prevents that stress from leaking into NaNoWriMo time. After my initial posting, I aim to post a chapter every two weeks. I feel like this is totally doable and often enough to keep people interested.<br />
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THINK OF ME is not the only work I plan to publish on Wattpad either. I want to post my City in the Sky stories there as well. Again, it's a motivation thing. I need to start writing this series already! I don't have an exact date set for the first short story yet, but I'm thinking sometime in January. Hopefully by then I'll have a few readers.<br />
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So, that's my big news. I'll probably be posting a revising schedule soon because I feel like I need one to reach my deadline. You can check out my Wattpad profile <a href="http://wattpad.com/BrookeRBusse">here</a> if you want, though it's not much to look at at the moment. I can't wait to see what the coming months bring!Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-19517037775586012622014-07-29T19:37:00.001-05:002014-07-29T19:37:46.405-05:00Guess What?I finished OBJECTION! I won Camp NaNoWriMo! And it feels amazing. <br />
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My final Camp NaNoWriMo word count is officially 11,864 (even though Word told me 11,867). I went a bit beyond my goal, but my guesstimate was pretty accurate. Page wise, I added 46.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPwXizd0FYzOT2ABLoaRCxbUWe3XufMXSilZwsOJFdaf6OUjSSi4Yk1RLHSnKIFknQ74jmNaMpBU8laMRA2zAW_ytAz4J8fMmiw4FRj-zU2kmCOnILvvfdDqAVby_ACMK_htDVvHUHtM6/s1600/Camp+NaNo+Stats.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPwXizd0FYzOT2ABLoaRCxbUWe3XufMXSilZwsOJFdaf6OUjSSi4Yk1RLHSnKIFknQ74jmNaMpBU8laMRA2zAW_ytAz4J8fMmiw4FRj-zU2kmCOnILvvfdDqAVby_ACMK_htDVvHUHtM6/s1600/Camp+NaNo+Stats.PNG" height="280" width="320" /></a></div>
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So, my total stats for OBJECTION, according to Word, are 63,867 words and 230 pages. I'm really happy that my novels are starting to consistently reach over 50k. 50k, while a novel, is a small novel and I'm a big cutter during revisions/edits.<br />
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Now that I'm done with this draft, I don't know what the next step is for OBJECTION. I know it needs some major work, but I'm not sure what. I don't exactly have the time at the moment to figure it out either. This project is being put on the waiting list for a later time.<br />
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To find out what I'm working on next, come back by on Thursday. I'll finally be sharing my big news (and no, it's nothing quite so exciting as an agent). See you then!Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-75545928036677478562014-07-28T19:43:00.000-05:002014-07-28T19:43:34.880-05:00Two Things: Vanity Scams & Being Almost Done#1<br />
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I have some bad news. I'm not going to have a poem published in ACCOLADES.<br />
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In my last blog post, I told you that I had just put my author release/order form in the mailbox. After the post was up, I, still buzzing with excitement, decided to search for posts about the book/contest on Tumblr to see if anyone else was talking about it. The posts that popped up screamed <b>scam</b>!<br />
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Alarmed, I decided to do more research. An Internet search told me all I needed to know. The America Library of Poetry is what's known as a vanity scam.<br />
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Once you've entered their contest, they send you a letter saying you've been "selected" to be published in their annual anthology. Everyone gets this letter. Everyone gets put in the anthology. They try to make you feel special so that you and your family members/friends will dish out money for an over-priced book.<br />
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They do still send you a book, which is what makes this type of scam so controversial, but they don't promote their book/your work and they don't sell it anywhere. They use your hopes and dreams to make money off you. They use the hopes and dreams of <i>elementary students</i> to make money off them.<br />
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Luckily, I found this out in time to retrieve my form/check from the mail. Besides simply not wanting to be ripped off, I don't wish to be associated with this organization in any way. My integrity and reputation are more important than "being in a book." My work is something to be proud of and I won't degrade it because "published is published."<br />
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I'll admit that I'm a little disappointed. However, mostly I'm glad that I unearthed the truth before the mailman came to our house.<br />
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#2<br />
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Now, because I want to end on a positive note, I'm going to leave you with a little update on Camp NaNoWriMo.<br />
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Currently, I'm at 9,859 words. The Day Twenty-Eight goal is 10,109, but I'm past Day Twenty-Seven's goal so I'm right on track. I have a total of 1,334 words left to write.<br />
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Alsoooo, I finished writing OBJECTION'S climax last night/early this morning! I'm really excited about this because it means I'm so close, <i>so close</i>, to the end. Writing this first draft has been an almost two year journey and I can't wait to finally have a complete story in my hands.<br />
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I have a feeling that I'm just going to wiz through my falling action/resolution stuff so I'll probably (hopefully!) have a finished draft before I go to sleep<strike> tonight</strike> tomorrow morning. I'll have my first Camp NaNoWriMo win under my belt as well.<br />
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So, yeah, I'm pumped.Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-16398955114557893672014-07-24T19:48:00.000-05:002014-07-29T19:38:22.250-05:00Camp NaNoWriMo Update + What Else I've Been Up ToMy current word count for Camp NaNoWriMo is 7,748 so I'm about three days behind. I'm not worried, however, because, since my goal is so low, that means I only need to write about 900 words to catch up. It should take less than an hour. I plan to be at or over the Day Twenty-Four goal of 8,665 words by the end of today.<br />
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I've fallen into a pattern this month. Several days will go by where I don't write and then I'll catch up in one big spurt. It's been working pretty well so far, but I only need 3,445 more words so I might decide to power through to the end in the next couple of days.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQ00gBg-ZsTlIRzR_FP0NyBX1J8Ux051P3eIW4LIOFWx3s3oBSw8b-7t1NyAytHaMKPUanQFrw2QrMPZe4EiOYvmSGhcxArm6Ed8xt7MWoYuyGk8xCnNSGxwJPCY_d8C29cuSXhPliTiY/s1600/Camp+NaNo+Stats.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQ00gBg-ZsTlIRzR_FP0NyBX1J8Ux051P3eIW4LIOFWx3s3oBSw8b-7t1NyAytHaMKPUanQFrw2QrMPZe4EiOYvmSGhcxArm6Ed8xt7MWoYuyGk8xCnNSGxwJPCY_d8C29cuSXhPliTiY/s1600/Camp+NaNo+Stats.PNG" height="292" width="320" /></a></div>
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There's exactly one week left until Camp is over and I can't wait. Not only because I'll finally have a finished draft of OBJECTION (which is <b>awesome</b>), but I'll also be announcing the big news I've been hinting at for some time. I'm anxious to see what y'all think.<br />
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I slipped my author release form for ACCOLADES into the mail box today. I had to wait because the release doubled as an order form and it took some time for my family to decide how many books we wanted. Now, we wait. I'll be sharing any news as soon as I have it.<br />
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Besides OBJECTION and my author release form, my past week has been focused on books. I completely reorganized my bookshelves. I still have knick knacks to place, but the majority of the work is done. With the clean out I did during the process, I now own 584 books with an unread percentage of 27.6%. I have yet to decide whether I will post pictures here or on my Tumblr.<br />
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On top of that, I've been watching lots of booktube vlogs. Last week was an event called BookTubeAThon. Participants in the Thon aimed to read as many books as they could in a week while trying to fulfill certain reading and vlogging challenges. I'm finding the resulting videos quite enjoyable and kind of wish I had had time to take part myself. Perhaps next year.<br />
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So, that's what I've been up to since my last post. I <i>will</i> be back with news of my Camp NaNoWriMo victory soon!Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-55968835405699674032014-07-13T15:08:00.000-05:002014-07-28T19:17:02.083-05:00The Editorial Staff at The America Library of Poetry Would Like to Publish MY PoemWhile I was away visiting my family, I received a letter from The America Library of Poetry. I entered their annual poetry contest in April so, as you can imagine, I was very excited to hear from them. However, the winners of the contest will not be selected until the end of September. So why did they send me a letter?<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In the meantime Brooke, I have even more exciting news for you. The editorial staff at The America Library of Poetry would like to <b>publish</b> your poem "Fishing For A Living" in a special book of student poetry entitled <u><i><b>Accolades</b></i></u>. Scheduled for release in the fall, this particular compilation is generating a lot of interest as it will feature only a very select cross-section of this year's submissions. Again, I congratulate you on an outstanding accomplishment. You should be very proud, especially when you consider the many talented authors who may never be discovered or have the opportunity to see their work in print.</blockquote>
They want <i>to publish my submission</i>. Isn't that awesome?! Even if I don't win, I feel as if this contest has been a great success for me. This will be my first publication where they <i>picked</i> me. Two of my prior publications were blogosphere volunteer projects and the third was a collection put together by my OSAI class. ACCOLADES feels different. It feels like validation.<br />
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I'll keep you all updated, both on the contest and ACCOLADES. Until then, I've got an author release form (squee!) to fill out and Camp NaNoWriMo to win.Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-28221252129385819972014-07-08T01:50:00.000-05:002014-07-08T01:50:55.629-05:00An Update on Camp NaNoWriMo Before I GoIn a little under three hours, I'll be in a car headed for the airport. Our flight is scheduled to leave at 7:05 AM, but we live about an hour and a half away so we're leaving the house at 4 AM. At the moment, I'm supposed to be putting the last things in my suitcase. However, I decided to take a minute to fill you in on where I'm at with Camp NaNoWriMo.<br />
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Currently, my word count is 3,716 words. The goal for Day Ten is 3,610. I get back from New York on Day Twelve. Not only did I get caught up, but I pushed enough ahead that I'll only be behind a few hundred words when I get back. This was what I was aiming for and it feels awesome to have achieved it.<br />
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The end of OBJECTION is close enough I can taste it. When I return, I vow to be a writing machine. I will <b>finally finish this draft</b>. Huzzah!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: #fc9196;">I'm excited. What are <i>you</i> excited about?</b></span>Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-46313884463865952212014-07-04T04:03:00.000-05:002014-07-04T04:03:37.156-05:00I'm Back! Well, Until TuesdayOriginally, I said I would be home the second week of July. That was when I thought my visit to my family would run straight into my trip to New York City. However, due to various factors, I'm home a few days before we go to New York.<br />
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I have yet to write anything for Camp NaNoWriMo, but I plan on adding that "big chunk of words" to OBJECTION during these few days while I'm home. <strike>I want to </strike>I <i>will</i> get caught up, but I'd really like to push further than that. Writing in NYC is not ideal, both because of time and a desire to fully enjoy my vacation. Having that extra padding would ease my mind while I'm gone and help alleviate stress levels when I return.<br />
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As for my other goals, I did start on the THINKING OF YOU revisions, though I'm far from significant progress. I began the rewrite for one scene. In total, I need to rewrite twenty scenes and write eight more. I've still got quite a way to go, but at least I'm on my way. <i>Finally.</i><br />
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To top it all off, I finished my poem edits! There is one poem that I deemed unfinished because I want to add on to it. Excluding that poem, I now have another two hundred lines of poetry to my name. (And when I say two hundred, I mean exactly two hundred. Without trying. Because I have magical powers.)<br />
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There's a quick update for you and, also, <b>Happy Fourth of July!</b> Talk to y'all soon.Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-47766045401506747722014-06-16T05:00:00.000-05:002014-06-16T05:00:04.729-05:00Does Writing Make You a Better Person?As writers and as people, we constantly work to better ourselves. We develop our craft. We try to be nicer. Usually, these are two different goals that must be achieved separately. However, sometimes we can improve both areas of our lives at once.<br />
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Learning patience is essential to staying a "sane" writer. Everything about the book business is slow. You have to wait to hear back from beta readers, critique partners, agents, editors, publishers, reviewers. It takes months for a book to be published even after it's been sold.<br />
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But patience is a good thing to have for non-writing related interactions as well. It makes you a better business negotiator and customer service representative. Your own personal relationships will benefit from better communication and less frustration.<br />
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The ability to listen also helps in the examples above. Writers learn to listen in an attempt to garner experiences for their writing. Many writers have mastered the art of eavesdropping. In this way, they study realistic dialogue and displays of emotion.<br />
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Beyond outward people skills, writers foster a better general understanding of people. It's easy for us to put ourselves in someone else's shoes. If it wasn't, it'd be impossible for us to write our stories. Writers know that everyone thinks and reacts differently. That everyone has a reason for doing what they do. It's a small switch from utilizing this way of thinking in their work to exercising it in their day-to-day confrontations.<br />
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Writers also know that no one is perfect. Everyone has flaws. And writers have learned to see the beauty in those flaws. A perfect character is boring. It's one of the first things a writer learns. It's a rule that applies to real people just as well. Our blemishes shape us into who we are. A writer recognizes that.<br />
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I'm in no way saying that writers are superior human beings who trail rainbows in their wake. I myself can be rather moody and I'm not always the most fun to be around. But I'm still growing, still "trying to be nicer," as we all are, and I think writing urges that along.<br />
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<b style="color: #fc9196;"><span style="font-size: large;">What about you? Does writing make you a better person?</span></b>Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-10062092893726925682014-06-12T04:11:00.000-05:002014-06-24T04:49:44.665-05:00I'm Taking a Trip!I'm going to be on vacation, visiting my family, until the second week of July. I'm not telling you this because I'm going to be gone. Quite the opposite, I hope to have a lot to report to you in the coming weeks. <br />
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This trip means lots of free time. My parents work during the day and sleep at night, meaning I only get to spend time with them from five to ten. I figured that I should probably use the rest of my day (errr, night) to get some much needed writing done.<br />
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So I've set myself three tasks:<br />
<ol><li>Make significant progress on THINKING OF YOU revisions.</li>
<li>Add a big chunk of words to OBJECTION during the first week of July/Camp NaNoWriMo.</li>
<li>Read through and edit the NaPoWriMo 2014 poems.</li>
</ol>As you can see, I've decided to use Camp NaNoWriMo's July session to finish OBJECTION. I want to fulfill my original April 18k goal, meaning I'm aiming for 11,193 words for July. If I pass that, and I'm not finished with the draft, I plan to continue with OBJECTION. If I finish the draft, I plan to move on to the untitled lucky genes story draft.<br />
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I'll have more up about my plans for THINKING OF YOU soon. Keep your eyes open for something big. ;)Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-61948499103971401282014-06-03T03:00:00.000-05:002014-06-03T03:00:02.086-05:00Time to Read < Books to ReadI own too many books that I haven't read. 183. 30.6% of my book collection. Right now, I'm working toward 30% or 179 unread books. I'm not allowing myself to buy any new books until I achieve that goal. Based on my recent reading pace, this will be in about a month. And I can't wait.<br />
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As I've been working toward 30%, I've also been compiling a list of books I want. This list hasn't been a major focus, but I've definitely thought about it when reading book blogs and the like. One day, however, instead of happy future-book-buying thoughts, browsing a book blog sent me into a panic. Looking at tons of books that sounded great, I realized I was never going to have time to read them all.<br />
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If it takes me about a month to read four books, it'll take me forty-six months just to read the books I already own. That's almost four years! O.O Then there are all the books I want, but don't own yet. An immeasurable amount. After that, there's all the books that will be written and published in my lifetime that I'll want to read. I can't even fathom how many that will be.<br />
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I am literally going to die before I can read them all. And that is one depressing fact I will never be able to change. So I guess I'll just read as often as I can and enjoy the stories I do have time for.<br />
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<b style="color: #fc9196;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unless you have a better idea? I'd love to hear it.</span></b>Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-82610741422015168932014-05-12T07:01:00.000-05:002014-05-12T07:01:56.533-05:00NaPoWriMo Went Great, Camp NaNo & OSAI So-SoThe grand adventure of April is <b>over</b>. And we have some things to catch up on.<br />
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Let's be rebels and start with the good news. :P I <b>won</b> NaPoWriMo! Choir trips and the like kept me from posting some of my poems on time, but I did manage to write one every, single day. With as often as I've fallen short on my writing goals lately, this makes me really happy.<br />
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This NaPoWriMo differed from previous years'. Ideas were hard to come by and, for about the first week, so were the words. The latter became less of a problem when I abandoned <a href="http://brookerbusse.blogspot.com/2013/04/national-poetry-writing-month-hiatus.html">the bitty notebook</a> I employed last year in favor of the computer. I'm a mood writer when it comes to the utensils I use and I was not feeling pencil and paper.<br />
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On top of that, most of my poems were written at night when I just wanted to crawl into bed. Therefore, some of my ideas weren't as expanded or explored as they should have been. However, I like what I did write. Plus, I can always rewrite those poems later.<br />
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Camp NaNoWriMo wasn't quite as much of a success. I wrote 6,807 words toward my goal of 18,000, meaning I didn't finish the draft like I wanted. :/ However, I <i>did</i> pass 50k on OBJECTION! I feel like that's an achievement all in itself. I've finally reached OBJECTION's first Camp NaNoWriMo goal. It took me almost two years, but I did it. And that's something.<br />
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Of course, this sort of puts a kink in my plans and I'm going to have to rethink some things. The next Camp NaNoWriMo session is in July and I originally intended to finish last November's NaNoWriMo project during that time. Now, I might aim to finish OBJECTION instead and work something else out for my untitled lucky genes story. I'll let you know as soon as I've decided.<br />
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I also heard back from the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute last month. It wasn't <i>entirely</i> bad news. I'm an alternate. This means I only get to go if someone else can't or doesn't want to. They can contact me up to June 13th. My hopes aren't high, but at least I didn't completely fail. My writing was good. There were just a few too many people whose was better.<br />
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Aaaand, to end on a positive note, I am <b>caught up</b> on reading blog posts! I've been behind for so long, it feels incredible to have that weight lifted off my shoulders. This means I can follow new blogs again and start looking for other writer bloggers close to my age.<br />
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Overall, April turned out good. I hope you enjoyed my poems along with my general-writing-related posts. (I'll be posting more of the latter soon. See sidebar for details.)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: #fc9196;">How was your April?</b></span>Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-51220924579275810922014-05-07T18:37:00.000-05:002014-05-07T18:37:14.344-05:00Cover Reveal! Rachel Morgan's The Trouble SeriesOne of my favorite indie authors is Miss Rachel Morgan. Recently, she announced the upcoming publication of her new series and I'm super excited. While the books are not yet available, today I have the privilege of showing off their covers. (I'm sorry for posting late, Rachel!)<br />
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Are you ready? Here they are!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2Cf45liGNd5tcsqbwCdstYBA-JsuH4PQxdEs5gX2Ytq4J0zY25nf3jstmhvef5aIbWD1tLGZ-K6WcfzQ7MbAzy8LM8Is1a54DXa0eQPpUqox5BQQkbjFR9_MDqmc4AtSoZTsrvS21brC/s1600/The+Trouble+Series+Rachel+Morgan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2Cf45liGNd5tcsqbwCdstYBA-JsuH4PQxdEs5gX2Ytq4J0zY25nf3jstmhvef5aIbWD1tLGZ-K6WcfzQ7MbAzy8LM8Is1a54DXa0eQPpUqox5BQQkbjFR9_MDqmc4AtSoZTsrvS21brC/s1600/The+Trouble+Series+Rachel+Morgan.jpg" height="400" width="231" /></a></div>
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<i>Four new heroines are about to enter the book world in this romance series full of swoon-worthy guys, comical moments, witty dialogue, and hot kisses…<br />
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#1: The Introvert<br />
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Sarah doesn’t talk to strangers, but the cute guy sitting next to her on the plane might have to be the exception. Hours of random conversation later, Sarah thinks Aiden could be her happily ever after. The trouble is, he’s gone now—and she has no idea how to find him. ~ THE TROUBLE WITH FLYING<br />
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#2: The Nerd<br />
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Livi sees her first year of university as a chance to redefine herself and finally fit into the popular crowd. But how far will she go before realizing that what she really wants has always been right in front of her? ~ THE TROUBLE WITH FLIRTING<br />
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#3: The Fraud<br />
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After a stupid miscommunication, everyone in Andi’s new res thinks she’s secretly dating Damien, boyfriend of resident queen bee Charlotte. Since the rumor’s already out there and refuses to be squashed, Andi and Damian decide to keep up the facade in the hopes of snagging the attention of the people they really want to be with. ~ THE TROUBLE WITH FAKING<br />
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#4: The Artist<br />
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With exam stress, family wedding craziness, and a spiraling relationship with her boyfriend, Sophie finds herself sucked further and further into the darkness of depression. The only thing making her remotely happy these days is her art—and the guy on the other side of the internet who seems to really get her. But is that enough to keep her from falling off the edge entirely? ~ THE TROUBLE WITH FALLING</i><br />
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I always love Rachel's covers. She does such a great job designing them. And her writing's phenomenal, too! Want a preview? Check out The Trouble Series novella, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JTQBH8K">FORGIVEN</a>, for free.<br />
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<b style="color: #fc9196;">About Rachel Morgan:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVjLinBnsxeO95P-gJvB2uOoG3WjIj-euWxH-dMdNdBpDxGm8VxoLjs-HS0UBgNygDA35ate8Y47MWIx8ghuOBuV8pGbrLYMVH1xG5JoroQfulLmfjVM1VaXC7RkqxhREUsm-iOvuUoyF/s1600/Rachel+Morgan+author+photo+480px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVjLinBnsxeO95P-gJvB2uOoG3WjIj-euWxH-dMdNdBpDxGm8VxoLjs-HS0UBgNygDA35ate8Y47MWIx8ghuOBuV8pGbrLYMVH1xG5JoroQfulLmfjVM1VaXC7RkqxhREUsm-iOvuUoyF/s1600/Rachel+Morgan+author+photo+480px.jpg" height="163" width="127" /></a></div>
Rachel Morgan was born in South Africa and spent a large portion of her childhood living in a fantasy land of her own making. After completing a degree in genetics, she decided science wasn't for her—after all, they didn't approve of made-up facts. These days she spends much of her time immersed in fantasy land once more, writing fiction for young adults and those still young at heart.<br />
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Learn more about Rachel: <a href="http://www.rachel-morgan.com/">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/RachelMorgan13">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5458477.Rachel_Morgan">Goodreads</a>Brooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8223068889792863979.post-12774723758478732322014-04-30T23:05:00.000-05:002014-04-30T23:05:57.811-05:00unexpected turbulencesometimes<br />
I’m not sure<br />
whether you’re<br />
the heavy winds<br />
or the eye<br />
of my hurricaneBrooke R. Bussehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.com4