Nicki Elson's Not-So-Deep Thoughts

Today is the release of Broken Branch Falls by Tara Tyler !! I was the lucky winner of an ARC duirng the cover reveal, so I was able to read it early, and oh my goodness what delightful story it is. I can't even tell you how many times I laughed out loud at Gabe the Goblin's hilarious inner thoughts. (I'll save my full 5-star review for my August 1 blog tour post.) This is a fantasy story written for a Middle Grade audience, so I'm not sure what it says about me that I enjoyed it so much---actually, I think it says more about Tara's writing that it can be so eagerly devoured by adults as well as kids. Such great adventure mixed with lighthearted teenagery angst. Broken Branch Falls is now available at Amazon  and  Barnes & Noble . Publisher Curiosity Quills .   Gabe is an average fifteen-year-old goblin. He’s in the marching band, breezes through calculus, and gets picked on daily by the other kids at school, especially the ogres. Gabe’s closest friends...

The marvelous and loveable  Janie Junebug  has given me an award! The Versatile Blogger Award. I looked up versatile in good ol' Merriam-Webter, and here's what I found: (1) capable of turning forward or backward (2) capable of moving laterally and up and down As I am capable of both (1) and (2), I shall hereby accept this award in good conscience. All I have to do is tell you seven things about myself. Prepare to be fascinated... 1. My favorite job ever was being a lunch lady at my kids' school. 2. I can't STAND to leave my toenails unpainted. 3. I complain about bunnies eating my plants, but truthfully I like it (I figure it's repayment for all my enjoyment of their cuteness). 4. There's only one show on TV that I must watch: Survivor . 5. I've watched every single season of it. 6. And I'm chuffed when people who've never watched a full season get all snootyish about it. 7. I wish Google, Facebook, Apple, and Amazon would stop ...

Today is the the " Then and Now " blogfest, hosted by  Armchair Squid ,  Suze , Moi &  Nancy Mock . Squid & Suze were the instigators, and I thank them for letting me tag along. The idea of this here hop is to reflect on a movie that meant something to us at an earlier stage in our lives and explain how we view it differently now. Before I jump all the way into my post, I want to apologize to visitors of my Insecure Writers post last week. I appreciate all of your lovely comments for Carol, and I'm sorry that I haven't been able to repay your visits yet. Y'see, right after I got that post up, I had to pack my bags and make a road trip for my daughter's college orientation. I know! I can't beleive she's leaving me either. Anywho, it's crazy what just a few days away from everything can do to my good intentions. But I still have them, and I'll see ya very, very soon. The time on a college campus was fun and totally gave me a hank...

It's Insecure Writers Support Group tiiiime. This monthly hop is one of my favorite things on the internet and was founded by Alex J. Cavannaugh . It also has  its very own website .  Thank you all for your Ask the Acquisitions Editor questions last month. I've passed them off to CK, and my grand plan is to post the answers during next month's IWSG.  This month my biggest insecurity is time and my inability to beat it into submission, but that's for another post. Because I just happen to have the perfect IWSG post already in my back pocket---written by Carol Oates , a wonderful author of supernatural Young Adult and New Adult stories. I originally posted these 4 publishing wisdoms from Carol at my Facebook page to celebrate her recent release, Shades of Avalon , and she's graciously agreed to let me re-post them in one volume here for your benefit.  You can tell Carol thanks at her blog , on Twitter , or at her Facebook page . Alrighty then, shall we let Caro...