Welcome, Alessandra!

Five Things Debut Authors Should Know

by Alessandra Thomas

Congratulations, you hotshot writer you! You have attained what is perhaps most coveted by caffeine-laced, half-crazed, long-toiling inkslingers everywhere – a publication date! Woooohoooo! Go you! Pour yourself some champagne! Do a little dance!

Now, have you gotten that out of your system? Good. Pull up a chair, pour yourself another cup of coffee, and listen up. Here are five things you, my cute cute debut author, need to know.

1. Yes, baby! You are “kind of a big deal!” But only on debut day (or NYT Bestsellers Day, if you get that lucky.) After that, you’ll be out of the limelight and it’ll be up to you to act like someone people don’t want to strangle, so that your book keeps selling decently.  Speaking of which…
2. The two most used words in your vocabulary should be “Thank” and “you.” Exercise those sweet lips and tongue, sweetheart, because they’re going to be getting a workout saying these words over and over and over and over and over again. Any time someone buys your book? “Thank you.” Any time someone doesn’t buy your book, but passes their copy to a friend? “Thank you.” When you get a review, even if it’s three stars? “Thank you.” Someone mentions your book on Twitter? “Thank you.” Any time someone asks you a question about your book, says the concept is cool, or gives you a compliment on your cover? “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”  When someone asks you what else you’ve written? “Thank you.” And on that topic….
3. The most important thing you can do for your career as a writer is to keep writing. Your job is to make readers happy, and when readers are happy, they want to read more. When readers want to read more from you, well then you are a Princess among us, sweetheart, because they want to buy more of your books. But they can only buy more of your books if those books exist. So get your ass in that chair, and write me more fabulous things to read. Yes, even during debut week. In that vein….
4. You get out what you put in. This business requires so much concentrated energy in so many areas, it’s insane. Drafting! Honing your craft! Reading for others! Reading for Pleasure! Marketing! Social Media!  Conferences! Watch TV (‘Gossip Girl’ counts as research!) File! Organize! Make New Relationships! Nurture Old Relationships!

OMG PASS THE ICE CREAM AND LEAVE ME ALONE.

But.  But but but. I guarantee you that when you strategically pour your energy into these things, you will reap the rewards.

1. It is all worth it. Right. I know. You haven’t slept more than four hours a night for seven months, you haven’t cooked or grocery shopped in weeks, yet you can’t afford takeout because you spent all your extra cash on all those gorgeous bookmarks. Your kids sound surprised when you show up for bedtime and your significant other has a deeper relationship with your characters than with you. But you know what? You’ve been working this hard to achieve a dream, it was temporary insanity, and now you did it! YOUDID IT.

Congratulations, you gorgeous individual, you. You’re a published author. Take a moment to bask in it. Then tell me “thank you” in the comments and go write another book. Chop chop. Day’s a-wastin’.

Picture Perfect by Alessandra Thomas

Fashion design major Cat Mitchell has a closet full of gorgeous clothes – and not a single thing fits. After two years of runway modeling for easy cash, an accident shattered her lower leg bone and her self-esteem in just one swift fall. Ten months of no exercise, prescription steroids, comfort eating and yoga pants meant returning to campus as a size twelve instead of her former size two. When her gorgeous long-time friend with benefits sees her for the first time after her accident and snubs her in front of all her friends, Cat’s self-image hits rock bottom. Her sorority sisters all insist that she looks gorgeous, but all Cat sees is the roll of her stomach when she sits down, or the dimpling at the back of her thighs that wasn’t there last year. Cat’s therapist prescribes something radical to stop the downward spiral – nude modeling for a nearby college’s human form drawing classes. When Cat faces her fears and bares it all for the class, she realizes that she’s posing naked in front the most gorgeous, buffest guy she’s ever seen in her life. He asks her out after the class, and after one steamy night together, Cat’s absolutely smitten.

Nate’s pretty close to perfect – he takes Cat rock climbing when he discovers that it makes her feel strong and becomes a great chef after he learns that the perfect pesto sauce makes her swoon. Cat starts to feel like her old self again – confident and beautiful – as long as Nate’s around. Even when he discourages her from entering the Real Woman Project, a design competition for plus-sized apparel, she reasons that he’s just trying to prevent old body image wounds from splitting wide open again. But when Cat goes home with Nate for Thanksgiving, she discovers something shocking from his recent past that proves that he hasn’t always been so encouraging of women of all shapes and sizes. Cat has no idea what to think, but she does know one thing – this might destroy their relationship before it’s even had a chance to get off the ground.

Before Cat can figure out whether the real Nate is the sensitive, adoring guy she fell in love with, or an undercover asshole, she’ll have to finally feel comfortable in her own skin – even if it means leaving him forever.

About Alessandra

Alessandra Thomas is a New Adult writer who swears she was in her twenties yesterday. Since she’s not, she spends her time looking back on her college years fondly, and writing sexy stories about guys and
girls falling in love and really living life for the first time. When she’s not writing, you can find her with a spoonful of ice cream in one hand and the newest New Adult release in the other.

Hook yourself up with a little bit of Alessandra
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Thank you so much for joining me, Alessandra! It was such a pleasure to have you!!

-Fisher Amelie

A)

By Kyla Alyanna Lago

B)

By Maria Malaveci

C)

By Allison Chou

Today, I am announcing my Get Creative Contest!

It’s where I, Fisher Amelie, allow you, my most awesome fans, to get creative with my latest novel VAIN. Take the book and go crazy! Create a video, image, painting, audio file, you name it! All you have to do is use your imagination!

Example of a most awesome fan made video:

VAIN by Fisher Amelie

Rules

The first rule of Fisher Amelie’s Get Creative Contest is there is no Fisher Amelie’s…wait…got carried away there for a second. Visions of Brad Pitt. Anyway, the first rule is there are no limitations. The sky’s the limit. Use whatever medium you feel most creative with and go for it! It’s open Internationally!

The second rule of Fisher Amelie’s Get Creative Contest is you must post your entry on my Facebook Fan Page. No where else. Sorry, babydolls! If  you want it to be counted, it must be posted there. Also, you can only enter once.

The third rule of Fisher Amelie’s Get Creative Contest is you must allow it to be seen by the public as well as allow me to publish it. A waiver will be signed if you win.

The fourth rule of Fisher Amelie’s Get Creative Contest is that you must not limit yourself, ideas, or attitudes. You must have a free, artful spirit and you must have fun participating.

Deadline

All entries are due by midnight, February 28th.

Winners will receive a signed paperback of VAIN, Callum & Harper, and Thomas & January as well as a handmade necklace from Uganda!!

Handmade Ugandan Necklace!

Stay tuned at the end of the post for a chance to win one of five signed copies of If You Stay!

If You Stay by Courtney Cole

24-year old Pax Tate is an asshole.

Seriously.

He’s a tattooed, rock-hard bad-boy with a bad attitude to match.

But he’s got his reasons.

His mother died when Pax was seven, leaving a hole in his heart filled with guilt although he doesn’t understand why. What he does know is that he and his dad are left alone and with more issues than they can count.

As Pax grew up, he tried to be the kid his father always wanted; the perfect golden boy, but it didn’t work. His dad couldn’t overcome his grief long enough to notice and Pax couldn’t keep up the impossible perfect façade.

So he slipped far, far from it.

Now, he uses drugs and women to cope with the ugliness, the black void that he doesn’t want to deal with. If he pretends that the emptiness isn’t there, then it isn’t, right?

Wrong.

And it’s never more apparent than when he meets Mila.

Sweet, beautiful Mila Hill is the fresh air to his hardened frown, the beauty to his ugly heart. He doesn’t know how to not hurt her, but he quickly realizes that he’s got to figure it out because he needs her to breathe.

When memories of his mother’s death resurface from where he’s repressed them for so long, Mila is there to catch him when the guilt starts making sense. Mila is the one…the one who can save him from his broken troubled heart; from his issues, from the emptiness.

But only if he can stop being an asshole long enough to allow it.

He knows that. And he’s working on it.

But is that enough to make her stay?

**Warning -Contains sex and violence**

Author Bio:

Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could. She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds. She loves chocolate and roller coasters and hates waiting and rude people.

Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.

Enter to win 1 of  5 copies of If You Stay!

A Rafflecopter giveaway!

Buy Courtney Cole’s books at Amazon

Buy Courtney Cole’s books at Barnes & Noble

Follow  @courtwritesYA on Twitter

Like Courtney Cole’s Facebook Fan Page

Become a fan of Courtney Cole’s GoodReads

Find Courtney Cole on Smashwords

Listen to Courtney’s B100 radio interview

Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3112212.Courtney_Cole

Thomas & January, the second book in The Sleepless Series is free today, Thursday, February 7th only so come and get it!!

Take me to Thomas & January!

Find Fisher on Amazon!

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Find Fisher on Facebook!

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Find Fisher on Goodreads!

Find Fisher on YouTube!

Karey’s won an Amazon Kindle Fire as well as a signed copy of my latest book, VAIN!!

Thank you to all who entered! If you haven’t already discovered, I’m giving away three paperbacks each night this week. All you have to do is follow the rules! Come read the blog that explains the contest!

Find Fisher on Amazon!

Find Fisher on Barnes & Noble!

Find Fisher on Facebook!

Find Fisher on Twitter!

Find Fisher on Goodreads!

Find Fisher on YouTube!

We will be giving away three, count ‘em THREE, signed copies of my books! Callum & Harper, Thomas & January and VAIN.

The contest is easy. All you have to do is tweet the following, using the hashtag associated with each day:

Tuesday’s Post: I’m Sophie Price, the Green Fairy. I flit into your life, show you ecstasy & leave you dependent http://ow.ly/hdoTH #FISHERSGIVEAWAY #VAIN

Congratulations, Shari B! You’ve won Tuesday’s Giveaway!

Wednesday’s Post: “He was all taut, lean muscle, narrow where a boy needed to be and broad where a man should always be.” http://ow.ly/hfhc1 #VAINGIVEAWAY

Congratulations, Ashley R.! You’ve won Wednesday’s Giveaway!

Thursday’s Post: “I moaned into his teeth & he kissed me even harder. His hands slid to my back & fisted the fabric there.” http://ow.ly/hfhc1 #VAINBOOK

Congratulations, Maria M.! You’ve won Thursday’s Giveaway!

Friday’s Post: “He brought me closer to him, threading his fingers through my hair, rooting his fists at the back of my head.” http://ow.ly/hfhc1 #VAINME

Congratulations, Jenny! You’ve won Friday’s Giveaway!

Open Internationally. Contest ends Friday, February 1st, at midnight central. Contest winner will be picked at random. You can enter as many times as you want. A contest winner will be announced every day until Saturday at 8 am the following morning.

Good luck, my lil’ chickadees!

Contest is closed but stay tuned soon for more Fisher Amelie Fun!!!

Find Fisher on Amazon!

Find Fisher on Barnes & Noble!

Find Fisher on Facebook!

Find Fisher on Twitter!

Find Fisher on Goodreads!

Find Fisher on YouTube!

Fisher is also doing a KINDLE FIRE GIVEAWAY!!!! Come enter for a chance to win here!!!

Are you dying to to ask Ian a question? Then Monday, January 28th, is your chance! At 7 pm Central on Twitter! Use hashtag #IAN

p.s. Ian says hi. Oh! And that he’s looking forward to your questions!

Visit Fisher on Facebook

Find VAIN on Amazon

Sign up for the KINDLE FIRE GIVEAWAY!

Visit Fisher on Twitter

Click the link to join IAN for the interview at 7pm central on Twitter!

Two things. First, I’ll start off with the one I think you’ll like best, the one that almost every reviewer has touched on.

Surprise Number One! I’ve gotten several reviews that  have suggested that VAIN’s cover is too PNR. So, long story short, I’m changing it and will reveal it January 14th along with my second surprise if it’s accomplished.

On to Surprise Number Two! If VAIN on Amazon can get 200 honest reviews by Sunday at midnight, you, my readers, will be able to choose a VAIN scene of your choice in Ian’s perspective to be published right here on my blog Monday morning. We’ll take suggestions tonight at 5pm central on my Facebook Fan Page tonight! I’ll narrow it down to three scenes then we’ll take a poll!

Here’s what you have to do, visit me tonight on Facebook at 5pm central, take part in the scene suggestion discussion, answer the poll right after the discussion then visit Amazon, if you haven’t already, and give an honest review! (Yes, you can leave a review on Amazon regardless where you purchased it.) Easy, peasy, lemon-squeezy!

UPDATE: The shower scene from Ian’s P.O.V. will be featured Monday along with the new cover on the blog!

Visit Fisher on Facebook

Find VAIN on Amazon

Sign up for the KINDLE FIRE GIVEAWAY!

If you’re looking for a story about a good, humble girl, who’s been hurt by someone she thought she could trust, only to find out she’s not as vulnerable as she thought she was and discovers an empowering side of herself that falls in love with the guy who helps her find that self, blah, blah, blah…then you’re gonna’ hate my story.

Because mine is not the story you read every time you bend back the cover of the latest trend novel. It’s not the “I can do anything, now that I’ve found you/I’m misunderstood but one day you’ll find me irresistible because of it” tale. Why? Because, if I was being honest with you, I’m a complete witch. There’s nothing redeeming about me. I’m a friend using, drug abusing, sex addict from Los Angeles. I’m every girlfriend’s worst nightmare and every boy’s fantasy.

I’m Sophie Price…And this is the story about how I went from the world’s most envied girl to the girl no one wanted around and why I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

***
“Hold me tighter,” I whispered against his teeth. He clutched me closer yet not tight enough. “More,” I demanded.
He drew me firmer against him and I felt every ridge of his body.
“Is that close enough?” he laughed into my throat.
“Perfect,” I told him

Get VAIN at Amazon!

Get VAIN at Barnes & Noble!

Listen to Ian’s song to Sophie!

Bloggers! Come one, come all!!!

I’m looking for bloggers interested in participating in my January tour for VAIN!

All you have to do is email me at fisher@fisheramelie.com

We’re also doing a KINDLE FIRE GIVEAWAY! Incentive?? I think so!

Watch the trailer for VAIN!