by Sarah | Mar 8, 2013 | An Uncivil War, Books, Contests, Giveaway, HerStory - Pagan Writer's Press, Publishing Credits, Writing
In ancient times, women were regarded as sacred. They were thought to hold the mystical power of creation—responsible for the continuation of our species. With the rise of Science and Religion, these myths were dispelled and their plight began.
HerStory: Fiction Honoring Women’s History Month is a collection of Flash Fiction and Short Stories from today’s top authors featuring female characters that exemplify strong strength of mind, body, and character. Some of these tales are based on real people while others are purely fictional. However, all are standing up for themselves and what they believe in.
Grab yourself a glass of wine or favorite hot beverage and get comfortable as you read about the lives of women who will light the fire in your soul.
It’s finally here. HerStory. Available to the masses. And to honor release day, we’re having a party. Use the Rafflecopter below to enter to win some terrific prizes. *U.S. residents only*
Here’s what’s up for grabs.
GRAND PRIZE
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| First Grand Prize |
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| First Grand Prize |
Because they have the same agenda: empowering girls/women, Keira’s Kollection owner Mr. Wagstaff has graciously agreed to donate a Strong is Beautiful T-shirt. One very lucky woman is not only going to walk away with a paperback copy of HerStory and be empowered through words, but she will also be showing her empowerment right there on her shirt.
And that’s not all, the grand prize winner also gets a pair of earrings from Cathy from Etsy, who runs Yesware. The earrings sparkle one side and have a message on the other side: the greatest story never told.
Only, we’re telling it, the authors of HerStory. We are telling it.
SECOND GRAND PRIZE
Author Laura DeLuca has donated an incense diffuser to go along with some handmade soap from Greenchild Creations.
And we’re throwing an e-book into this mix. Why soap and diffusers? What does that have to do with women’s history?
In HerStory, Mathilda of Ringelheim runs a bath house. It seems appropriate to honor herstory this way.
AND as Mathilda seems to know, every woman needs soap and every woman needs time to relax. So one lucky winner will take a nice long shower with her fantastic handmade soap, set her diffuser on a table, and curl up with HerStory on her kindle. Who says you can’t be relaxed and empowered at the same time? (and smell good)
THIRD GRAND PRIZE
Another donation from Laura DeLuca: an ebook, a Japanese tea set, and an Oriental incense diffuser. How does this tie into HerStory?
In Please Stay, Asuka, a Japanese wife of the 1600s, is preparing the evening meal while awkwardly trying to discuss a matter–somewhat delicate–but of great importance with her husband.
As you get lost in your ebook, in Asuka’s story (penned by Becca Diane), you can pretend you are there. Perhaps you feel your husband’s penetrating stare. But you serve him his tea, straighten your spine, and say what needs to be said…then wait, breath held, for his reply, incense lightening the tension in the air…
FOURTH GRAND PRIZE
One lucky winner will have a chance to make their voice heard on the radio…with a $25 Amazon gift card burning a hole in their pocket!
HerStory goes behind the scenes to locate the stories of women who lived, laughed, and touched the lives of generations…
Now, here is your chance to have your story told to the world….or your mother’s…it’s your chance to talk about the most inspiring woman or women in YOUR life. Shout it out! Tell listeners everywhere about this amazing person. Honor her!
This prize is being donated by Indie Reviews Behind the Scenes.
PRIZE 5, FOUR WINNERS, FOUR TINS OF EMPOWERMINTS
Four of these tins of mints are being donated by the Unemployed Philosophers Guild. That means four lucky winners are going to win a tin of mints to carry around in their pockets and every time they look at the tin, they’ll be empowered!
The tin is also the perfect size to serve as a pillbox once the mints are gone. This is something you can keep for a LONG time.
PRIZE 6, TWO WINNERS, CROSS STITCH WALL HANGINGS
Author and editor Tara Chevrestt has a secret addiction and hobby. It makes her feel like an old lady, so she keeps it under wraps, but now the truth is out…
She likes to cross stitch!!!
Two lucky winners will walk away with these. They are 3.25″ by 6″ and have a hard backing so they may be placed on a wall.
PRIZE 7, ONE WINNER, FLAPPER-STYLE HATDonated from Rakestraw Book Design.
Toni Rakestraw, one of the HerStory contributors, is stitching this hat so one lucky reader can–in her mind–march in a suffragette parade as she reads HerStory. Or perhaps this is something Margaret Sanger would have worn as she leaves the workhouse in The Woman Rebel.
PRIZE 8, ONE WINNER, ONE PAINTING
You’ve heard the term multi-published and many of HerStory’s authors can place that before their name, but how about multi-talented?
Author Morgan Summerfield can not only write as she shoes us in Adella, but she can paint too! She is kindly donating a painting 27″ wide by 11″ high, titled Morning Poppies. The frame is handmade with real wood and she stretches all her own canvases. It is hand-painted-by her!-in multi media.
And last, but certainly not least, we have a lovely Coco Chanel quote pendant donated by the lovely Jewelry Designs by Lula. One winner will win this delightful pendant that says A girl should be things: WHO and WHAT she wants.
I could not have said it better.
Enter for all prizes using the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is for three weeks. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond with their snail mail addresses. After 48 hours, new winners will be chosen.
Thank you and enjoy HerStory! Be empowered! Learn something. Believe in yourself and womankind.
Buy links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords
a Rafflecopter giveaway
by Sarah | Mar 5, 2013 | Books, Changing Tracks, Hump Day Hook, Writing
{WINNER is Jennifer Simpkins!!}
Another Hump Day Hook! Changing Tracks has been quite lovely and taken me on a ride around the internet this month – and is still going. I’m hoping to have a cover to reveal so I can start showing you bits and pieces of Masked Hearts as well – but as for now, you can have another little taste of Jane…and because I’ve been taunting you with Jane and Cole and the cast of this book for so long…I’m going to include a giveaway in the post. One lucky commenter will win a copy of Changing Tracks – in their format of choice!!
This is not a typical paragraph that I’d post – but as it’s primarily dialogue of one liners, I needed to include a full four lines. Jane is asking Cole to assist her in a task that requires them to leave town:
“So will you help me?”
He studied her for a long minute. “What’s in it for me?”
“We’ll take one horse. Two people. One horse. Plenty cozy, don’t you think?”
“When do you wanna leave?”
*~*~*
Hump Day Hook asks authors to post one paragraph of one of their stories, whether a WIP, one contracted, or already published. Please visit and comment on the participants – you might just stumble on the next great read for your library! To see more participants, click on the HDH banner below:
by Sarah | Feb 26, 2013 | Books, Changing Tracks, Hump Day Hook, Writing
Another Hump Day Hook! Once again I’m bringing Jane Doe to the party – but this time I’m responding to a request to see a paragraph from book 2 in the series, Derailed. As I don’t have a cover yet, you get my Changing Tracks cover.
This is the opening lines of Chapter 2 in Derailed. Jane and Cole are much relaxed in their room:
“I was sixteen.”
Jane grew completely still, the finger that had been dancing along his chest froze in place. Cole never spoke about anything beyond his years in Dominion Falls. For a moment she wondered if she should let him go on.
*~*~*
Hump Day Hook asks authors to post one paragraph of one of their stories, whether a WIP, one contracted, or already published. Please visit and comment on the participants – you might just stumble on the next great read for your library! To see more participants, click on the HDH banner below:
by Sarah | Feb 24, 2013 | Books, Hybrid, Tuesday Tales, Writing
Another Tuesday Tales, the same story – still without a title.
The prompt this week is sand – and I knew immediately what I would do.
Remember, this is a meme with many contributing authors, so make sure to click the link at the bottom of the image to take you to see more!
Anyhow, as always this is un-edited mostly, so forgive any errors. :
With a heavy heart and a heap of trepidation I opened my eyes. The devastation before me wrenched my heart down to my stomach. Ancient stone buildings lay in ruin. Sand swept across them, drifting up until most of the destruction was little more than tall dunes in a vast desert.
“Kryztalia. It couldn’t be.” Even through my denial I knew it was true. I recognized the destroyed town on instinct alone, for nothing of familiarity could be seen.
“It is, Jyoti. All of the citizens were killed in the blink of an eye.” My father trudged forward through the sand, climbing a dune to the evidence of stone peeking out from the top of it. “Kryztalia gone.”
“Who would have done such a thing?” Before he could respond the answer sank into my consciousness. “The Vanggars?”
“Very astute, Jyoti.”
“But they were our allies throughout the wars.” I followed his path up the dune, pausing beside him to survey the land. Far as the eye could see was sand and ruin, where once vegetation and even a river had flowed. Hot wind ruffled my human hair, and soothed the sting of my hand. “Why attack now?”
“The new prince was unhappy with my answer to his request.”
“That is why you require me? What was his request…me?”
“It is Alatus Vanggar. What do you think?”
“I think that he is a selfish brat that acts as though he’s a one-hundred year old youngling.” I lifted my chin. “You cannot believe that I would return for this. For him. A match made in fiery hell just to appease a spoiled child-man.”
“Not at all. I believed you would return to help us fight. The spoiled youngling, as you call him, has a vast appeal and charm.”
“Snake oil salesman.”
My father chuckled, “You always did like the old west, Jyoti. You date even yourself using that term.”
“I don’t care. So what you’re telling me is that he has used charm to gain followers.”
“Those who have forgotten what happened eons ago, or are itching for a new fight, and then there are the younglings eager to rush to his promises.”
“Which has made him capable of great devastation in little time.”
“Precisely.”
I inhaled the hot air, letting it fill my lungs. They pulsed within my chest at the heated boost before I blew out the air. “Are you really wanting to fight again?”
“I’ve tried politics, I’ve tried reason. That’s why I’ve waited so long to tell you.”
“Good King Jdyne. So tired of battle, he chooses words.”
“We were all tired of battle.”
“I remember. I was rather enjoying peace.”
*~*
Hope you enjoyed it! Click on the Tuesday Tales badge to see more excellent entries!!
*~*
by Sarah | Feb 19, 2013 | Books, Changing Tracks, Hump Day Hook, Writing
Another Hump Day Hook! Once again I’m bringing Jane Doe to the party.
It’s been a rush the past two weeks as my book has been published, and read by people I know. Now my baby is going out into the world with blog tours and review sites.
As the whirlwind continues I wanted to bring you a character I’ve not yet shown during Hump Day Hook…the husband Jane can’t remember – and that knows her as Clara:
“Please don’t call me Clara.”
“I don’t know if I can call you anything else.” His hand settled on her shoulder. “I know who you are.”
“I might have been. Once.” Jane sighed.
*~*~*
Hump Day Hook asks authors to post one paragraph of one of their stories, whether a WIP, one contracted, or already published. Please visit and comment on the participants – you might just stumble on the next great read for your library! To see more participants, click on the HDH banner below:
by Sarah | Feb 17, 2013 | Hybrid, Tuesday Tales, Writing
Another Tuesday Tales, the same story – still without a title.
The prompt this week is spider, and I used it REALLY early on because I had no idea how to fit it into the story.
Remember, this is a meme with many contributing authors, so make sure to click the link at the bottom of the image to take you to see more!
Anyhow, as always this is un-edited mostly, so forgive any errors. :
“You want me to die. Simple as that. No explanation required?” I scoffed and folded my arms across my chest. “And what’s in the box? What plague have you brought me?”
“I’m not quite sure. It could be as simple as a spider or as complex as a simulated virus. I only asked that it not be painful for you.” My father continued to hold the box in front of me, I could feel the smoldering power of his will pressing on me.
“Impossible. I have settled in here. I’m attached to this family. The children.”
“They are not yours. It should be of little consequence.”
“Do you think me completely heartless?” My pulse started to race. The ambient temperature rising further, my hand once again burning. I stepped back from the offending red box. “Unlike you I care about them.”
“You’ve been known to be plenty heartless when the need called for it. I’ve seen you slay young ones weaker than those two.” He pointed at the family portrait on the wall. “When the need called for it.”
Tears welled up behind my ears, dousing some of the rising heat of my soul. I shook my head, “Never on purpose. They were casualties of war. A war I fought and survived just as you did, Father.”
“And now we must do everything in our power to maintain that peace. If war erupts again those two children and this entire world could be at risk of another annihilation.”
“Don’t be so dramatic. That hasn’t happened since the dinosaurs were wiped out. Millions of years, Father.”
“Jyoti. Have you ever known me to exaggerate?” His silver hair gleamed in a stray beam of sunlight as wind picked up outside. The planes of his human features shimmered with hints of silver under the flesh. His disguise had been hastily and not quite thoroughly formed. Even the gray eyes gleamed with hidden fire.
Concern lodged a lump of emotion thick in my throat. My father was many things, melodramatic was not one of them. “What has happened?”
“I’ll show you.”
I jerked my hand back from his reach. “I will maintain this form.”
He sighed and nodded. “Fine. For now you will.” The red box disappeared in a burst of fire.
Still hesitant, I set my hand into his and stepped close to him.
In another burst of fire my living room faded to black and all I could feel was the burn of fire and wind as we moved fast. I closed my eyes, soaking in the heat in a way I hadn’t enjoyed for fifteen years.
“You miss it.” His voice was warm and kind again. “Why do you fight?”
“Of course I miss it. It is where I am from, what I am. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the life I have now. My home, my family, my friends. Being human is not as tedious as you make it to me.” I still refused to open my eyes, even as the fire faded and the world around us came into reality again.
“Look, Jyoti.”
Opening my eyes might mean being swayed to his point of view. My nails dug into his flesh until the thin layer cracked under the pressure and scales resisted the same fate.
“You must, child.”
*~*
Hope you enjoyed it! Click on the Tuesday Tales badge to see more excellent entries!!
*~*
Author Laura DeLuca has donated an incense diffuser to go along with some handmade soap from Greenchild Creations.
AND as Mathilda seems to know, every woman needs soap and every woman needs time to relax. So one lucky winner will take a nice long shower with her fantastic handmade soap, set her diffuser on a table, and curl up with HerStory on her kindle. Who says you can’t be relaxed and empowered at the same time? (and smell good)
Four of these tins of mints are being donated by the Unemployed Philosophers Guild. That means four lucky winners are going to win a tin of mints to carry around in their pockets and every time they look at the tin, they’ll be empowered!
She likes to cross stitch!!!
You’ve heard the term multi-published and many of HerStory’s authors can place that before their name, but how about multi-talented?
And last, but certainly not least, we have a lovely Coco Chanel quote pendant donated by the lovely Jewelry Designs by Lula. One winner will win this delightful pendant that says A girl should be things: WHO and WHAT she wants.
