tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69376113369360624362024-03-14T03:38:36.722-05:00Laurie LuckingFantasy Adventure, Fairy Tale RomanceLaurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-50082832216750130832021-04-27T06:00:00.065-05:002021-04-27T06:00:00.215-05:00Traitor Release Day!!! Welcoming My Second Book into the World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-reqeAjKH6ag/YH-tgzScpvI/AAAAAAAADPc/V_J4Ah27C-kkiXc21Rg7DbjBLoS04R3ngCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Traitor-Blog-Tour-Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-reqeAjKH6ag/YH-tgzScpvI/AAAAAAAADPc/V_J4Ah27C-kkiXc21Rg7DbjBLoS04R3ngCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Traitor-Blog-Tour-Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>YOU GUYS!!!!! We finally made it! <i>Traitor </i>is here!!! I'm SO grateful for and encouraged by the enthusiasm you've all shown for this book, and it means the world to me that you've been willing to wait THREE YEARS for <i>Traitor </i>after the release of <i>Common</i>. The journey has been long and challenging, but so worth it!</p><p>Releasing my second full-length novel into the world has me sifting through such a flurry of emotions. Relief (it's finally here!), shock (wait, it's April 27th already?!?), and satisfaction (I did have more than one book in me after all!) are definitely among them. Also a fair amount of trepidation. When <i>Common </i>released, there was some fear of the unknown, but it was easily overcome by the rush of being a first-time author. </p><p>This time, I know what to fear. I know what it's like to see negative reviews with the sinking feeling that a reader didn't understand or connect with my story. I know what it's like to watch Amazon rankings take a nose-dive and to lose momentum while everyone around me seems to be progressing faster and farther. I know what it's like to wonder whether I truly have the strength and creative energy to produce another quality book. Then there are the worries that the fans of <i>Common </i>might be disappointed by this next installment!</p><p>But despite the fears and anxieties, I'm grinning. In fact, I've been grinning for weeks. Because I also know the amazing experiences that await me - that are already in progress - due to this new book release. Reaching new readers who will connect with my characters and eagerly join in their adventures. Having friends and neighbors share that they enjoyed my book or passed it on to a friend or niece or co-worker. Discovering the themes and connections readers find in my words that I didn't even intend. Signing books for family members, friends, and strangers, renewing my awe that this dream really did come true.</p><p>How perfect that Princess Penelope's story in <i>Traitor </i>corresponds so well with all these mixed feelings! She's definitely a little sadder and wiser than shy, innocent Leah from <i>Common</i>. But the mistakes in her past set her up for an even deeper, richer path as she moves forward toward hope and redemption, learning that it's never too late to find her own happily-ever-after. I hope you love her story!! Make sure to check out the other stops on the blog tour for lots of behind-the-scenes looks at the characters, setting, and writing process, plus some sneak peeks at what's coming next in the Tales of the Mystics! Not to mention some reviews that have absolutely made my heart melt :) Thank you so much for celebrating with me today, friends!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C3HsDcjMhQw/YIdJgk8PkWI/AAAAAAAADQU/OnGLCLtl-aMry6Po-elmdg2DqSzWIgkTgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1929/Traitor%2Band%2Bme%2BIG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1929" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C3HsDcjMhQw/YIdJgk8PkWI/AAAAAAAADQU/OnGLCLtl-aMry6Po-elmdg2DqSzWIgkTgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Traitor%2Band%2Bme%2BIG.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Traitor</i> Blog Tour Schedule</b></p><p>Monday, 19th, “Redeeming a ‘Villain’ in Traitor” Laura A. Grace, <a href="https://www.lauraagrace.com/blog/traitor-blog-tour-redeeming-a-villain-in-traitor" target="_blank">www.lauraagrace.com</a></p>Tuesday, 20th, “Connecting Companion Novels in the Tales of the Mystics” Pam Halter,<br /><br /><a href="https://pamhalter.com/fairiesfantasyfaith/196-Blog-Tour-for-TRAITOR" target="_blank">www.pamhalter.com/fairiesfantasyfaith</a><br /><br />Wednesday, 21st, “Visual Post: Characters of Traitor” Anne Wheeler, <a href="https://anne-wheeler.com/visual-post-characters-of-traitor/" target="_blank">www.anne-wheeler.com/blog</a><br /><br />Thursday, 22nd, “Integrating a New Language and Culture into Traitor” J.M. Hackamn, <a href="http://www.jmhackman.com" target="_blank">www.jmhackman.com</a><br /><br />Friday, 23rd, “Author Interview with Laurie Lucking: Traitor Blog Tour” Riella Cristobal,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.booksandeverydaylife.home.blog" target="_blank">www.booksandeverydaylife.home.blog</a><br /><br />Saturday, 24th, “Interview with Traitor Author Laurie Lucking” Amelia Nichole, <a href="http://www.amelianichole.com" target="_blank">www.amelianichole.com</a><br /><br />Sunday, 25th, “Review of Traitor” Breny Maurtua, <a href="https://brenyandbooks.home.blog/2021/04/25/traitor-by-laurie-lucking-book-review-tour/" target="_blank">www.brenyandbooks.home.blog</a><br /><br />Monday, 26th, “Dive-in Review: Traitor” Cathrine Bonham, <a href="https://cobonham.com/2021/04/26/dive-in-review-traitor/" target="_blank">www.cobonham.com</a><br /><br />Monday, 26th, “Review of Traitor” Laurin Boyle, <a href="http://www.laurinboyle.wordpress.com" target="_blank">www.laurinboyle.wordpress.com</a><br /><br />Tuesday, 27th, “Welcoming My Second Book into the World” Laurie Lucking, <a href="http://www.laurielucking.com" target="_blank">www.laurielucking.com</a><br /><br />Wednesday, 28th, “Visual Post: Traitor Storyworld” Jenelle Schmidt, <a href="http://www.jenelleschmidt.com" target="_blank">www.jenelleschmidt.com</a><br /><br />Thursday, 29th, “Celebrate Laurie Lucking’s New Release Traitor Tonight” Michele Israel Harper,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.MicheleIsraelHarper.com" target="_blank">www.MicheleIsraelHarper.com</a><br /><br />Friday, 30th, “What’s Coming Next in the Tales of the Mystics” Peter Adler, <a href="http://www.arsilverberry.com/blog" target="_blank">www.arsilverberry.com/blog</a>Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-76502520213284766312021-03-09T10:00:00.001-06:002021-03-09T10:00:04.225-06:00Traitor is available for pre-order!! Plus some blog tour news :)<p>My friends! Things are moving ahead quickly for <i>Traitor</i>'s release in less than two months! This book has been such a long time coming, and I couldn't be more thrilled that it's almost here! Which brings me to my exciting news - it's time to reserve your copy!! That's right, <i>Traitor </i>pre-orders are now available! Eeeeek! You can find links for a variety of retailers <a href="https://www.love2readlove2writepublishing.com/books/traitor/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. The publishing industry has experienced a lot of delays during the pandemic, but hopefully the sooner you pre-order the more likely you'll be to receive your book on April 27th!</p><p>After you complete your pre-order, make sure to fill out <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf4ppnu_hVCKuxD-ZPRiTl37Kh7ex0e64leYIbp9CUPXkWDXA/viewform" target="_blank">THIS FORM</a> so I can send you some pre-order goodies!! You will receive:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Two 5x7 art prints (one of Leah and Rafe from <i>Common</i>, and one of Princess Penelope and her new fiance, Prince Vander, from <i>Traitor</i>);</li><li>Two double-sided bookmarks (one for you and one for a friend!);</li><li>One signed bookplate (paperback orders only); and</li><li>An EXCLUSIVE bonus scene from <i>Common </i>written in Rafe's perspective!</li></ul>*Art prints, bookmarks, and signed bookplates can be mailed to U.S. addresses only. (Sorry, international shipping is rough!) But the bonus scene from <i>Common </i>will be e-mailed as a PDF and is available internationally!*<p></p><p>I hope you enjoy this small token of my HUGE thanks for your interest in my books!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qse8dXixebI/YEeK4RWbPYI/AAAAAAAADMA/EAAlJuJDGJ89Yrjs4x9odGvPFbxXbhUzACNcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Traitor%2Bpreorder%2Bgoodies.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qse8dXixebI/YEeK4RWbPYI/AAAAAAAADMA/EAAlJuJDGJ89Yrjs4x9odGvPFbxXbhUzACNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Traitor%2Bpreorder%2Bgoodies.png" /></a></div><br /><p>In other news, we're planning a blog tour in April to celebrate <i>Traitor</i>'s release! The tour will run from Monday, April 19th, through Friday, April 30th, and I'd love for YOU to be a part of it! If you have a blog or know someone who might be interested, check out <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeX679QamacMQDpwJFinXDJOVOVxA7-EJCZ-q4WAfSXAY0Dow/viewform" target="_blank">THIS FORM</a> to sign up. As a big thank you, each blogger in the tour will receive a free e-copy of <i>Traitor</i>!</p><p>And speaking of blog tours, the Clean Fiction Blog Tour is running for the entire month of March! It features author interviews, book reviews, and more, all highlighting clean indie books for middle grade and young adult readers! I had the opportunity to do an interview with 5WildeFlowers, which you can find <a href="https://5wildeflowers.com/CleanFictionBlogTourAuthorInterviewwithLaurieLucking" target="_blank">HERE</a>. It was so much fun sharing about my favorite characters and scenes I've written (I had so much trouble deciding!), my inspirations, and some insights into <i>Traitor</i>. And stay tuned for a sneak peek at a scene from <i>Traitor </i>over at <i><a href="http://www.landsuncharted.com" target="_blank">Lands Uncharted</a></i> coming up on March 16th! You can find the entire schedule (plus information on how to enter a GIVEAWAY!) in <a href="https://storyquestacademy.com/WhyCleanFictionIsImportantTop10CleanIndieBooks?fbclid=IwAR23Mnb-DyzWc40fOYPzqSvZ_V7W8IV3AC2R7HjIPv35eFzkiWetjASqQCY" target="_blank">THIS POST</a>.</p><p>Have a fabulous March, everyone! I'll be back with more updates next month :)</p>Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-66993067167175473652021-02-12T09:00:00.014-06:002021-02-12T09:00:01.814-06:00Traitor Cover Reveal and Release Date!!!!<p>My friends! I hope your 2021 is off to a wonderful start! I am through-the-roof excited because it's COVER REVEAL DAY FOR TRAITOR!!!!!!! Eeeeeeek! This book has been...a process, to say the least. While I loved the concept of writing a story following Princess Penelope after the events of <i>Common </i>(a brilliant idea from my editor inspired by the mention of Princess Penelope in Leah's letter epilogue), I had only ever viewed her as a villain (albeit a conflicted one!). So the first draft was slow-going in may places as I sorted through this new leg of Penelope's journey and came to connect with her character on a more personal level. </p><p><br /></p><p>In the meantime, challenges outside my writing life often left me with little time and even less creative energy to pour into this new story. Losses that left deep internal scars, but also the joyous birth of our third child, who brings so many smiles and snuggles to our entire family. After a perfectly-timed writing conference, I finally felt inspired to make the final push toward finishing <i>Traitor</i>, resulting in months of feverish writing and editing. It felt like such a MAJOR accomplishment to send the manuscript off to my publisher!</p><p><br /></p><p>Then 2020 hit. Uncertainty, delays, a whole new way of life. Our family has been so fortunate to maintain good health and relative stability throughout, but the pandemic has shaken so many on both personal and industry-wide levels. While we're not through it yet, it's been such a breath of hope to see certain aspects of life start to resume some semblance of normalcy and many things that were delayed starting to move forward again. Including my book!!!!</p><p><br /></p><p>So that's a very long-winded way of saying: thank you for bearing with me during the long dry spell between <i>Common </i>and <i>Traitor</i>! I truly believe that everything that's come in between has made <i>Traitor </i>a better, more powerful addition to my Tales of the Mystics series, and I'm so thrilled with how it turned out. But I know it's been a LONG wait, and I couldn't be more grateful for your patience in sticking with me through it all! Which makes me oh so very excited to share that <i>Traitor </i>is set to release on April 27th!!!!! I can't wait!!</p><p><br /></p><p>And did I mention it has a cover? Would you like to see it?? I'm pretty sure the answer is yes (especially if you've stuck with me this far already, ha!), because Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing has once again blown me away with their stunning work! 😍 It's just so gorgeous!!!!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>So without further ado...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Drumroll please...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Here...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>it...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>is!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b1S9ivNqPtc/YCYRLdP57iI/AAAAAAAADJ8/8TYxiGeFMBkhWzYvgmdwUnvbAs8RhzjRACNcBGAsYHQ/s1556/Traitor-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1556" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b1S9ivNqPtc/YCYRLdP57iI/AAAAAAAADJ8/8TYxiGeFMBkhWzYvgmdwUnvbAs8RhzjRACNcBGAsYHQ/w412-h640/Traitor-cover.jpg" width="412" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p>Isn't it just lovely?! I love the beautiful dress and architecture, and her downturned face combined with the light streaming in through the arches captures her journey in the book so well. *happy sigh*</p><p><br /></p><p>Want to know more? Here's the back cover blurb:</p><p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>Princess Penelope has finally found a way to redeem her past mistakes—if only it didn’t require betraying her new fiancé.</i><br /><br />Princess Penelope has been the object of gossip and ridicule ever since she returned home in disgrace following her failed engagement to the Crown Prince of Imperia. When her father offers a new start in a country far across the sea, she has no choice but to accept.<br /><br />Even if it means another betrothal, this time to a total stranger.<br /><br />Penelope arrives in Delunia determined to avoid bringing further shame upon her family. But her devoted, caring fiancé makes it harder to guard her heart than she anticipated, and rumors of dark magic haunt her with memories she’d rather keep buried far beneath her pristine exterior.<br /><br />When a poverty-stricken village outside the palace gates looks to her as their hope for a brighter future, Penelope embraces the opportunity to make amends for her transgressions. But in order to help, she must manipulate her new fiancé, putting her reputation on the line once more. And her heart.<br /><br />Can Penelope rise above the failures of her past, or will she forever be branded a traitor?</blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Only a few more months until I get to share this amazing story with you! Be on the lookout for an update on <i>Traitor </i>pre-orders soon! Thank you so much for celebrating with me today!!</p>Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-76746414770541760442020-12-01T09:00:00.002-06:002020-12-01T09:04:45.851-06:00A LONG-Overdue Update: Traitor, new artwork, a Facebook party, and signed books for Christmas!<p>My friends!! I apologize that it's been WAY too long since I've posted an update. I don't need to tell you that 2020 has been an hard, exhausting year in so many ways. I've enjoyed having my kids home more often in recent months, but virtual learning and now homeschooling have definitely drained a lot of my creative energy. And during the turbulence of the election, I found it much better for my mental health to spend minimal time on my computer.</p><p><br /></p><p>But although I've been quiet here and on social media and haven't been writing as much as usual, some exciting things have been happening behind the scenes! First of all, <i>Traitor </i>is coming!!! I'm so grateful for all your patience as I worked through the challenges of the sequel to <i>Common</i>, but I'm so happy with the results and I hope you find it well worth the wait! I don't have an official release date to share yet, but it's looking like it will be published in spring of 2021 - I can't wait!! In the meantime, be on the lookout for a cover reveal sometime after the holidays. 😁</p><p><br /></p><p>In other news, as a Christmas present to myself this year, I commissioned artwork of Leah and Prince Raphael from <i>Common</i>! It's been a fun process, and I got to see the finished result last week! EEEEEEP! You guys, it is just SO gorgeous! All you Leah and Rafe fans are going to absolutely swoon - I'm so excited to show it to you! The big reveal will take place during the Virtual Winter BookFest Facebook party coming up this weekend! My time slot will be Friday, December 4th, from 4:00 to 5:00 pm CST. I hope to can stop by! Here's the link: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/768905057020026">https://www.facebook.com/events/768905057020026</a>. The whole weekend will be filled with amazing authors, games, giveaways, and, of course, tons of books! See you there!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HgRRi0LPczI/X8ZaYOxWapI/AAAAAAAADDs/2QddS-JJfbQH8URULjDBhy3nsaPXmQA2ACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Winter%2BBookfest%2B2020.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HgRRi0LPczI/X8ZaYOxWapI/AAAAAAAADDs/2QddS-JJfbQH8URULjDBhy3nsaPXmQA2ACNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Winter%2BBookfest%2B2020.png" /></a></div><br /><p>My last piece of news is that I'm offering signed books for Christmas again this year! With some fun additions! Not only can you order a signed copy of <i>Common</i>, <i>Encircled</i>, or <i>Mythical Doorways</i>, but as an alternative, you can purchase one of my books from a retailer of your choice and fill out the form to receive a signed bookplate! And EVERY ORDER, whether of a book or signed bookplate, WILL COME WITH A PRINT OF THE NEW ARTWORK!!!!! If you're ordering a book for a friend or family member but also want an art print for yourself, let me know at the bottom of the form and I'll do what I can to make it happen. 😊 Here's the order form: <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdo4mYVSTAY1XpjLMECA9vR8dW5lBW60RODNz6rDfQi-PSNHw/viewform?usp=sf_link">https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdo4mYVSTAY1XpjLMECA9vR8dW5lBW60RODNz6rDfQi-PSNHw/viewform?usp=sf_link</a>. I would be absolutely honored to be a part of your Christmas gift-giving this year!</p><p><br /></p><p>I wish you all a very healthy, happy holiday season!</p>Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-75416943992366528592020-01-13T09:12:00.000-06:002020-01-13T09:54:08.884-06:00A New Story and a Blog Tour (with a Giveaway!)!Happy New Year, friends! Once again, I'm embarrassingly late with this update. Between several rounds of illness in our house and the holidays, it's been a busy stretch! But I have some exciting news!<br />
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First of all, I had a new release in December! My short story, "Fairy Lights," (which I like to think of as "Steampunk Cinderella"), was published in the Winter 2019 issue of Deep Magic! Deep Magic is an e-zine dedicated to clean fantasy and science fiction, and I was SO excited and honored they chose to publish my story! I had the opportunity to read the entire issue last month, and the stories are fantastic! You can grab your copy <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081ZF79BQ" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Isn't the cover gorgeous??<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OGetzNVPIPA/XhwDLAnDnlI/AAAAAAAACxE/2Eqovy7mAWIONBIM5TFtKa7gK1oVX-pUwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Deep%2BMagic%2BWinter%2B2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OGetzNVPIPA/XhwDLAnDnlI/AAAAAAAACxE/2Eqovy7mAWIONBIM5TFtKa7gK1oVX-pUwCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Deep%2BMagic%2BWinter%2B2019.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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AND, <i>Common </i>was featured in a blog tour! As part of winning the Excellence in Editing Award (which I talked about in <a href="http://www.laurielucking.com/2019/07/im-backwith-so-much-news.html" target="_blank">this post</a>), I won a tour with Celebrate Lit, and it's been fabulous! Each post has featured a lovely review, and it's been such a blessing and encouragement to hear so many kind words about my book! Thank you SO MUCH to all the readers who took the time to read <i>Common </i>and share your thoughts! Today is the last day of the tour, which includes a giveaway for a themed basket with a signed paperback copy of <i>Common</i>, a beaded velvet bookmark, a handmade book sleeve, and a wooden "Have courage & be kind" sign (each of the posts has a link at the bottom to enter the giveaway). You can find the tour home page <a href="http://www.celebratelit.com/common/" target="_blank">HERE</a>, and here's a list of all the stops:<br />
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<a data-cke-saved-href="http://amongthereads.net/common-by-laurie-lucking-book-review-preview/" href="http://amongthereads.net/common-by-laurie-lucking-book-review-preview/" target="_blank">Among the Reads</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="https://bookslifeandchrist.wordpress.com/2019/12/31/common-by-laurie-lucking-blog-tour/" href="https://bookslifeandchrist.wordpress.com/2019/12/31/common-by-laurie-lucking-blog-tour/" target="_blank">Books, Life, and Christ</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="https://mydevotionalthoughts.net/2020/01/celebrate-lit-tours-common-by-laurie-lucking-book-review-giveaway.html" href="https://mydevotionalthoughts.net/2020/01/celebrate-lit-tours-common-by-laurie-lucking-book-review-giveaway.html" target="_blank">My Devotional Thoughts</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="http://sorcharaicheal.booklikes.com/post/2024422/common-review-and-giveaway" href="http://sorcharaicheal.booklikes.com/post/2024422/common-review-and-giveaway" target="_blank">For the Love of Literature</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="https://pausefortales.blogspot.com/2020/01/review-guest-post-and-giveaway-common.html" href="https://pausefortales.blogspot.com/2020/01/review-guest-post-and-giveaway-common.html" target="_blank">Pause for Tales</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="https://debbieloseanything.blogspot.com/2020/01/common-by-laurie-lucking-book-tour-and.html" href="https://debbieloseanything.blogspot.com/2020/01/common-by-laurie-lucking-book-tour-and.html" target="_blank">Debbie's Dusty Deliberations</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="https://tabithabouldinauthor.home.blog/2020/01/04/what-does-it-mean-to-be-common/" href="https://tabithabouldinauthor.home.blog/2020/01/04/what-does-it-mean-to-be-common/" target="_blank">Through the Fire Blogs</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="https://deana0326.blogspot.com/2020/01/about-book-book-common-author-laurie_5.html" href="https://deana0326.blogspot.com/2020/01/about-book-book-common-author-laurie_5.html" target="_blank">Texas Book-aholic</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="https://janemouttet.wordpress.com/2020/01/06/common-review/" href="https://janemouttet.wordpress.com/2020/01/06/common-review/" target="_blank">Library Lady's Kid Lit</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="https://rebeccatews.blogspot.com/2020/01/ordinary-for-extraordinary-celebrate.html" href="https://rebeccatews.blogspot.com/2020/01/ordinary-for-extraordinary-celebrate.html" target="_blank">Rebecca Tews</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="https://blossomsandblessings.blogspot.com/2020/01/common-by-laurie-lucking-book-review.html" href="https://blossomsandblessings.blogspot.com/2020/01/common-by-laurie-lucking-book-review.html" target="_blank">Blossoms and Blessings</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="https://emily-yager.com/2020/01/07/common-review-giveaway/" href="https://emily-yager.com/2020/01/07/common-review-giveaway/" target="_blank">Emily Yager</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="https://readingismysuperpower.org/2020/01/08/book-review-and-a-giveaway-common-by-laurie-lucking/" href="https://readingismysuperpower.org/2020/01/08/book-review-and-a-giveaway-common-by-laurie-lucking/" target="_blank">Reading Is My Superpower</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="https://truthandgracehomeschoolacademy.wordpress.com/2020/01/09/review-and-giveaway-for-common/" href="https://truthandgracehomeschoolacademy.wordpress.com/2020/01/09/review-and-giveaway-for-common/" target="_blank">Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="https://janicesbookreviews.com/common-blog-tour-and-giveaway/" href="https://janicesbookreviews.com/common-blog-tour-and-giveaway/" target="_blank">Janice's Book Reviews</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="https://amybooksy.blogspot.com/2020/01/blog-tour-and-giveaway-common-by-laurie.html" href="https://amybooksy.blogspot.com/2020/01/blog-tour-and-giveaway-common-by-laurie.html" target="_blank">Locks, Hooks and Books</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="http://forhimandmyfamily.com/2020/01/common.html" href="http://forhimandmyfamily.com/2020/01/common.html" target="_blank">For Him and My Family</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="http://amandanicolle.blogspot.com/2020/01/common-review.html" href="http://amandanicolle.blogspot.com/2020/01/common-review.html" target="_blank">Inklings and Notions</a><br />
<a href="http://areadersbrain.blogspot.com/2020/01/common-by-laurie-lucking.html" target="_blank">A Reader's Brain</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10221508467519670&set=a.1205933787088&type=3&theater" target="_blank">Mary Hake</a><br />
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I hope your 2020 is off to a great start! Hopefully next time I'll have some updates on Tales of the Mystics, Book Two - <i>Traitor</i>! Until then, happy reading!Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-52074592140303943372019-11-06T14:23:00.000-06:002019-11-06T14:23:09.639-06:00A long-overdue ACFW Conference recapHello friends!! It's been a while (again...)! I apologize for my long absence, but I at least have a good excuse - I've been writing! More on that in a bit, first I'll start with the promised recap from the ACFW Conference now that I've had over a month to process :)<br />
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The conference was amazing!! San Antonio is apparently still very hot in late September, but most of the event was indoors, anyway, and I did enjoy my excursions out onto the beautiful River Walk. The conference itself had wonderful content, from practical tips on writing and marketing to inspiring sessions about the spiritual aspects of being a Christian writer and staying positive and focused on what's important. It was exciting and humbling to have a "Finalist" ribbon on my name badge (in case you missed it, <i>Common </i>was named as a finalist in the Young Adult category of the <a href="https://www.acfw.com/carol/2019_carol_award_finalists" target="_blank">ACFW Carol Awards</a>!!! Eeeeeek!), and although <i>Common </i>didn't win, being surrounded by so many amazingly talented authors was a powerful reminder of just what an honor it was to be among such company. And I couldn't be more excited for the winners!! God is doing incredible things in my life and the lives of so many fellow authors, which is awesome to see.<br />
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I'd been so torn about going (I had to leave my 4-month-old baby home, after all!), but this conference was so steeped in knowledge, wisdom, and prayer, which was exactly what I needed! After spending a fun day touring San Antonio with my lovely aunt, I came home feeling reinvigorated and ready to write! In the month since I've been back, I've finally hit my stride with <i>Traitor</i>, Book Two in my Tales of the Mystics series, and have already doubled my manuscript's word count! If I can keep up this momentum, I'm hoping to have my first draft completed by the end of the year - yay!! I SO appreciate everyone's patience as this story has slowly come together in the midst of life's many interruptions.<br />
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I hope you're all having a great Fall, I'm hoping to post again soon with even more exciting updates!Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-28201166352390919142019-07-26T10:54:00.000-05:002019-07-26T10:54:48.468-05:00Christmas in July - a new short story is on its way!I knew I'd forget something in my last post! I have MORE exciting news, which centers around a little story called "Return to Callidora." I wrote this story, which involves a princess in a dragon-guarded tower, a handsome knight, and a pied piper-type musician, several years ago. It was one of those writing experiences where I just couldn't get enough - I wrote every time I had an opportunity because the characters were so alive in my mind. But as much as I loved it, "Return to Callidora" was a rather unusual combination of Christmas, fantasy, romance, and spirituality, which made it hard to find a home for my beloved story. After many rejections, I sadly decided to set it aside.<br />
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A while later, I saw a post about submissions for a Christmas anthology by a new publisher, <a href="https://www.mtzionridgepress.com/" target="_blank">Mt. Zion Ridge Press</a>. They were looking for stories that don't fall into the typical Christmas story mold - talk about a perfect fit for my knights and dragons! After a new round of edits and polishing, I submitted "Return to Callidora," and it was accepted! Here I am with my contract :)<br />
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Now, the anthology, titled <i>Christmas Fiction off the Beaten Path</i>, has a cover! The expected release date is November 15th, and I can't wait! Not only am I excited to share my own story with you, but the anthology also includes everything from historical to contemporary suspense to steampunk, so I expect it will be fabulous! More details to come!<br />
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<br />Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-46580514366690798132019-07-25T14:50:00.000-05:002019-07-25T14:50:06.449-05:00I'm back...with SO MUCH NEWS!!!It's been way too long since I've posted an update! I've only taken a few months away, but SO MUCH has happened during that time! Hopefully I can remember it all for this post, otherwise I guess I'll be posting again very soon :)<br />
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First, I had a baby! Yay!!!! My husband and I welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world at the end of May, and we are thrilled to report that both Baby and I have recovered very well. We are so in love with our newest family member and are adjusting well to being a family of five. God is so good!</div>
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Second, remember when <a href="http://www.laurielucking.com/2019/05/more-awards-news-and-upcoming-hiatus.html" target="_blank">I announced that <i>Common </i>was named a finalist in the 2019 Excellence in Editing Awards</a>? Well...WE WON!!!! EEEEEEEEEEK! So many people were involved in the production of the beautiful book I get to put my name on, and I'm so very grateful to each and every one - including all the readers who hold Leah and Rafe dear to their hearts :) A huge thanks and congratulations to Michele Israel Harper, my fabulous editor! She gets at least as much credit as I do for polishing <i>Common </i>into its shiny published form. It's thrilling and a little daunting to now officially call myself an award-winning author!</div>
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Third - speaking of awards, <i>Common </i>is also a finalist in the ACFW Carol Awards!!!! EEEEEEEEEK again! I most definitely cried in the grocery store when I got the call, then again when I saw the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ACFWOfficialPage/videos/2340199302740032/UzpfSTExMTU3Mzg1MzE4MDAyMjE6MzAyNDk0MTkzNDIxMzE5NQ/" target="_blank">video announcing the finalists</a>. My book is being listed among the very best in the industry, and I am in absolute awe. This is an award I've been hearing about ever since I joined ACFW (<a href="https://www.acfw.com/" target="_blank">American Christian Fiction Writers</a>), and it is an absolute dream come true to have my book in the running for such an honor. So much squealing and happy dancing over here!!</div>
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Most recently, despite the added challenges of having a new baby at home, I'm registered for the ACFW conference this September!! I've always hoped to attend the ACFW national conference at least once, and ever since I received the news about the Carol Awards, I've been trying to figure out a way to make it happen. Now that I'm officially going, I'm a bundle of nerves and excitement and so many other emotions. San Antonio, here I come! You know, in a few months... :)</div>
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Thanks for bearing with me through all the updates, friends! Stay tuned for more updates coming soon! (I'll try to stay more on top of things so future updates aren't quite so long!)</div>
Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-66920165832940880632019-05-11T16:58:00.000-05:002019-05-11T16:58:57.945-05:00More awards news, and an upcoming hiatus...Eeeeeek!! You guys, the Christian Editor Connection announced last week that <i>Common </i>is one of four finalists for their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChristianEditorConnection/photos/a.10151180216305835/10156277731950835/?type=3&theater" target="_blank">2019 Excellence in Editing Award</a>! YAY!!!! I'm thrilled beyond words to have my book recognized for such an honor, though most of the credit goes to my amazing editor at <a href="https://www.love2readlove2writepublishing.com/" target="_blank">Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing</a>, Michele Israel Harper, who works SO hard for her authors, plus is an incredible source of support and encouragement. The winner will be announced next month!<br />
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Also, did you hear <i>Common </i>made the <a href="https://realmmakers.net/your-alliance-award-top-20/" target="_blank">Top 20 for the Alliance Award</a>?? The Alliance Award is a readers' choice award sponsored by <a href="https://realmmakers.net/" target="_blank">Realm Makers</a>, my all-time favorite writers' conference :) I still squeal every time I see my name listed among so many of my favorite fantasy authors! *insert happy dance here* The voting period is already past (it seems I missed posting about it in the midst of all the <i>Encircled </i>release excitement), but I'm so grateful to everyone who nominated <i>Common </i>to make it a semi-finalist and to everyone who took the time to vote! Your enthusiasm for my story truly means the world to me!<br />
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And in other, non-writing-related news, I'm about to have a baby! My due date is less than two weeks away (eep!), so we've made it to the final waiting stage. Which feels so fast and so slow all at the same time! So unless I have really big news to share, I don't expect to be posting any updates over the summer as we settle into a new norm and endure the sleep deprivation that comes with having a newborn. Everything seems to be going well up to this point, but prayers are definitely appreciated as baby's arrival approaches!<br />
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(For the record, this picture was taken a month ago - I'm quite a bit larger now!) Have a wonderful summer, everyone! I look forward to being back in the fall, hopefully with news of huge progress on <i>Traitor </i>(Tales of the Mystics, Book Two)!Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-89017498487902795952019-04-16T07:30:00.000-05:002019-04-16T07:30:08.636-05:00ENCIRCLED IS HERE!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's here!! <i>Encircled </i>is finally here!!!!! The third published book with my words in it, and the first in which I played a significant role in the publishing process (beyond just the writing, of course!). What began with my critique group getting excited about a contest for fairy tale retellings and my vision of a modern-day Snow White character encountering a dryad prince on her strolls in the forest has turned into a gorgeous, real-life book! (For more behind-the-scenes details on how my <i>Snow White</i> retelling, "Edged in Silver," came about, make sure to check out my <a href="https://kandijwyatt.com/2019/04/encircled-blog-tour/" target="_blank">guest post</a> on Kandi J. Wyatt's blog!)<br />
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Despite having an amazing critique group and loving the idea of putting together our own anthology of fairy tale retellings, I'll admit there were many points along this journey when I thought it was never going to happen. When several members of our group who initially started on stories had to back out. When we tried to wrap our minds around the amount of investment and work it would take to publish a high-quality product ourselves. When we faced list after list of difficult questions we had to agree on in order to move forward.<br />
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But we did it! I can honestly say that despite all the challenges and hard work, it's been a wonderful experience. Our group has really bonded through the process and worked through every disagreement with respect and good humor. Each member has given generously of her own talents and specialties to make this a true team effort, from editing to formatting to marketing. And I think all our efforts have made the reward of seeing our dream become a reality that much greater. (And seriously, isn't it gorgeous??) In fact, there may even be talk of another Ever Afters anthology in the future... :)<br />
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I hope you've enjoyed following the posts in the <i>Encircled </i>Blog Tour so far, I know I have! The tour wraps up on April 18th, so we still have a few days to go! (See this post to get the full schedule - I've been trying to update the links as each post goes live.) And did you hear about the giveaway?? The Ever Afters have teamed up with the Just-Us League to host an epic giveaway celebrating their fairy tale anthologies releasing in April! Enter below for a chance to win one of FOUR sets of prizes! <br />
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Grand Prize (U.S. residents only)<br />
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<li>Two paperbacks (<i>Fractured Ever After</i> and <i>Encircled</i>)</li>
<li>Book cozy</li>
<li>Slipper ornament</li>
<li>3D-printed bookmark (pick one design)</li>
<li>Set of four signed illustration prints</li>
</ul>
First Prize (U.S. residents only)<br />
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<li>Two paperbacks (<i>Fractured Ever After</i> and <i>Encircled</i>)</li>
<li>“Fairy tales do come true” charm bracelet</li>
<li>3D-printed bookmark (pick one design)</li>
<li>Set of four signed illustration prints</li>
</ul>
Second Prize (international) <br />
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<li>Two ebooks (<i>Fractured Ever After</i> and <i>Encircled</i>)</li>
<li>3D-printed bookmark (pick one design)</li>
<li>Set of four signed illustration prints</li>
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Third Prize (international) <br />
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<li>Two ebooks (<i>Fractured Ever After</i> and <i>Encircled</i>)</li>
<li>Choice of 3D-printed bookmark (pick one design) *or* set of four signed illustration prints</li>
</ul>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="e43732f74" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e43732f74/" id="rcwidget_vf59hdsu" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>
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Here's a little more about the Just-Us League's newest anthology, <i>Fractured Ever After</i>:<br />
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Old classics are fractured into exciting new tales in this international collection of magic, mystery, and adventure.<br />
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Some heroes go searching for their happily ever after: a dragon cocoon hunter explores the dangerous woods for his sleeping beauty; a prince forces a perfect romance on an unsuspecting maiden; and when a girl leaves town, she must quickly decide to trust—or be wary of—a new stranger.<br />
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Destiny is thrust upon others: a disconnected emperor struggles to retain his title; a frog prince leaves his pond in search of answers; and after Rapunzel is rescued, a new quest is awarded to her savior.<br />
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Whether it is destiny or choice, all actions have consequences: sibling rivalry pushes one little piggy to extremes and a princess must choose to follow her heart or step up as future queen.<br />
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Prepare for an adventure as these eight fantastic fairy tales transport you to places beyond your imagination.</blockquote>
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<i> Fractured Ever After</i> is the Just-Us League’s seventh anthology, an illustrated collection of fractured fairy tales. It can be preordered here: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q5H39GH">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q5H39GH</a>.<br />
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Thanks so much to everyone who has helped spread the word about <i>Encircled </i>through the cover reveal, blog tour, Instagram photo challenge, and in so many other ways! We're so very grateful, and we hope you love our stories!!</div>
Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-7417733463562379462019-04-03T15:20:00.002-05:002019-04-29T12:35:59.354-05:00Encircled Pre-Order Goodies, Instagram Photo Challenge, and Blog Tour!<i>Encircled </i>comes out in less than two weeks!!! Eeeeek! We have been so busy getting ready for this release and have all kinds of fun stuff going on to celebrate, so I wanted to make sure to keep you guys in the loop!<br />
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First of all, have you heard about the pre-order goodies? If you pre-order a copy of <i>Encircled</i>, make sure to fill out <a href="https://forms.gle/PRK6HSRgUbbzQAYN7" target="_blank">THIS FORM</a>! Everyone will receive printable downloads of this gorgeous postcard and bookmark, plus you'll be entered in a giveaway for a pair of homemade socks, an e-copy of <i>To Catch a Magic Thief</i> by E.J. Kitchens, and a bar of New Zealand chocolate! Also, remember that <i>Encircled </i>is currently set at a special pre-order price of $1.99, the price will go up to $2.99 later in April.<br />
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Next, we're only a few days into our #encircled Instagram photo challenge, so there's still plenty of time to join in the fun! We have lots of fairy tale-related prompts for you to get creative with, and it comes with a chance to win an e-copy of <i>Encircled </i>and a bar of New Zealand chocolate! (Can you tell we love chocolate??) Make sure to stop by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jebraunclifford/" target="_blank">Jebraun Clifford</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jm_hackman/" target="_blank">J.M. Hackman</a>'s Instagram profiles to get all the details about how to enter. And check out <a href="https://www.instagram.com/laurielucking/" target="_blank">my Instagram profile</a> to see the photos I've posted for the challenge so far :)<br />
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And last (at least for now, there will be more coming soon!), we have our <i>Encircled </i>Blog Tour schedule all put together and ready to start next Monday! I can't wait to see all these reviews, book spotlights, and features for each author! Here's the full schedule, I'll try to update it with specific post links once they're available:<br />
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Monday, April 8th<br />
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<li>Author Interview with Tori V. Rainn – <a href="https://www.hhaydenwriter.com/encircled-blog-tour/" target="_blank">Heather Hayden</a></li>
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Tuesday, April 9th</div>
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<li>Review of <i>Encircled </i>– <a href="http://alliemayauthor.com/2019/04/09/encircled-blog-tour-review-giveaway/" target="_blank">Allie May</a></li>
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Wednesday, April 10th</div>
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<li>Guest Behind-the-Scenes Post with J.M. Hackman – <a href="http://www.pamhalter.com/fairiesfantasyfaith" target="_blank">Pam Halter</a></li>
<li>Book Spotlight – <a href="https://www.iolagoulton.com/encircled/" target="_blank">Iola Goulton</a></li>
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Thursday, April 11th </div>
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<li>Book Spotlight – <a href="https://www.jackiecastle.com/blog/encircled-blog-tour" target="_blank">Jackie Castle</a></li>
<li>Author Interview with Jebraun Clifford – <a href="https://icfwriters.com/encircled/" target="_blank">Beyond the Borders</a></li>
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Friday, April 12th</div>
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<li>Review of <i>Encircled </i>– <a href="http://katherinebrownbooks.stressedoutstepmom.com/2019/04/12/friday-finds-fun-things/" target="_blank">Katie Brown</a></li>
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Saturday, April 13th</div>
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<li>Review of <i>Encircled </i>– <a href="http://www.teishknits.com/book-review-encircled-an-ever-afters-anthology/" target="_blank">Teisha Priest</a></li>
<li>Guest Behind-the-Scenes Post with Laurie Lucking – <a href="https://kandijwyatt.com/2019/04/encircled-blog-tour/" target="_blank">Kandi J. Wyatt</a></li>
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Sunday, April 14th</div>
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<li>Author Interview with E.J. Kitchens – <a href="https://www.elisabethwheatley.com/2019/04/14/blog-tour-interview-encircled-an-ever-afters-anthology-with-ej-kitchens/" target="_blank">Elisabeth Wheatley</a></li>
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Monday, April 15th</div>
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<li>Book Spotlight – <a href="https://beliedoutcastlegends.com/encircled-an-ever-afters-anthology/" target="_blank">Tammera Ayers</a></li>
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Tuesday, April 16th</div>
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<li>Author Release Day Spotlights – <a href="http://www.laurielucking.com/2019/04/encircled-is-here.html" target="_blank">Laurie Lucking</a>, <a href="https://torivrainn.wordpress.com/2019/04/16/encircled-release-day-spotlight/" target="_blank">Tori V. Rainn</a>, <a href="https://jmhackman.com/2019/04/16/release-day-for-encircled/" target="_blank">J.M. Hackman</a></li>
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Wednesday, April 17th </div>
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<li>Review of <i>Encircled </i>– <a href="http://www.gingersolomon.com/posts/reviews-encircled-practicing-murder-and-the-amish-reunion/" target="_blank">Ginger Solomon</a></li>
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Thursday, April 18th</div>
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<li>Author Interview with S.E. Clancy – <a href="https://love2readlove2write.com/encircled-interview-with-s-e-clancy/" target="_blank">Michele Israel Harper</a></li>
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Stay tuned, because the blog tour also involves an epic giveaway! It's going to be a fabulous few weeks, I hope you enjoy all the various festivities! Thanks in advance for helping us celebrate :)</div>
Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-87004102266046250442019-03-20T07:30:00.000-05:002019-03-20T07:57:39.520-05:00Encircled Cover Reveal!You guys!!! <i>Encircled </i>is almost here! This book has been years in the making, so it's a dream come true (but also a little unreal!) to see all the pieces finally falling into place. And part of that is revealing its gorgeous cover! In order to make sure we found a cover everyone in the group was happy with, we went through quite a process of compiling pre-made covers, narrowing them down to three with an initial vote, and then voting again to make the final decision. I love that the cover we chose has a fabulous fairy tale feel to it, but also encapsulates the variety of time periods, settings, and genres represented by our set of stories. And it's just so pretty!!! Okay, are you ready for me to be done talking so you can see the cover? Here goes...<br />
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TA-DA!! See, at least all that build-up wasn't for nothing :) Many thanks to <a href="https://thebookcoverdesigner.com/designers/maria-spada/" target="_blank">Maria Spada</a> for this lovely design! Here's the blurb that goes along with it:<br />
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Experience six of the world's most beloved stories in a whole new light! From historical to futuristic, these retellings will take you to an enchanted forest, a cursed castle, and far beyond. Uncover secrets of a forbidden basement, a hypnotic gift, and a mysterious doll. Fall in love with a lifelong friend or brand-new crush. Venture to unknown lands on a quest to save a prince, a kingdom, or maybe even a planet. With moments of humor, suspense, romance, and adventure, <i>Encircled </i>has something to offer every fan of fairy tales, both classic and reimagined.</blockquote>
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This anthology features stories from S.E. Clancy, Jebraun Clifford, J.M. Hackman, E.J. Kitchens, Laurie Lucking, and Tori V. Rainn.</blockquote>
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<i>Encircled </i>will release on April 16th - less than a month away! Make sure to stop by <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PV4PJCP/" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130963276" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a>, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1456811281" target="_blank">Apple Books</a>, or <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/encircled" target="_blank">Kobo</a> to take advantage of the pre-order price of $1.99 (it will go up to $2.99 later in April). And you can add it to your to-read list on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44540764-encircled" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>! Here are some ways to connect with the other amazing authors I worked with on this project:<br />
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<li>S.E. Clancy: <a href="https://seclancy.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> │ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sarah.bennett.37454" target="_blank">Facebook</a> │ <a href="https://twitter.com/author_seclancy" target="_blank">Twitter</a> │ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/authorseclancy/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></li>
<li>Jebraun Clifford: <a href="https://jebraunclifford.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> │ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jebraun.clifford.author/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> │ <a href="https://twitter.com/jebraunclifford" target="_blank">Twitter</a> │ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jebraunclifford/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></li>
<li>J.M. Hackman: <a href="https://jmhackman.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> │ <a href="http://eepurl.com/cNuDkP" target="_blank">Newsletter</a> │ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jmhackman/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> │ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jm_hackman/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></li>
<li>E.J. Kitchens: <a href="http://www.elizabethjanekitchens.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> │ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethJaneKitchens/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> │ <a href="https://twitter.com/e_kitchens" target="_blank">Twitter</a> │ <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/ekitchens0132/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></li>
<li>Tori V. Rainn: <a href="https://torivrainn.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> │ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/torivrainn/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> │ <a href="https://twitter.com/torivrainn" target="_blank">Twitter</a> │ <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/Victoria_009/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></span></li>
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If you haven't signed up for the <i>Encircled </i>Blog Tour yet, you can find the signup form <a href="https://goo.gl/forms/bq93tbsivwXrxUbS2" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Thanks for stopping by, we can't wait to share our fairy tale retellings with you!</div>
Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-75725083397578301972019-03-16T10:58:00.001-05:002019-03-16T10:58:45.678-05:00A Winner, A Release Date, and Blog Tour Signups!Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who helped me celebrate <i>Common</i>'s first birthday last month! I so appreciated all your love and creativity! And I'm excited to announce we have a giveaway winner! Congratulations to...Jebraun Clifford! I'll be in touch about mailing your prize :)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uF8gs5Z3rGQ/XI0adDg4YdI/AAAAAAAACYs/q7VcLQHmZvci8OyexwxKTdHiPCyBVr73ACLcBGAs/s1600/Common%2B-%2Bbaking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1402" data-original-width="1600" height="280" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uF8gs5Z3rGQ/XI0adDg4YdI/AAAAAAAACYs/q7VcLQHmZvci8OyexwxKTdHiPCyBVr73ACLcBGAs/s320/Common%2B-%2Bbaking.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a picture of me and Leah baking cookies to mark the end of the <i>Common </i>birthday celebration!</td></tr>
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In other news, I have tons of updates about <i>Encircled</i>, my critique group's collection of fairy tale retellings! We've set a release date of April 16th, which is only a month away! Eeeeeeek! We'll be revealing the gorgeous cover on March 20th - if you'd like to get a sneak peek at the cover and help us share it with the world, you can sign up to be a part of our cover reveal <a href="https://goo.gl/forms/XSY7pNVIWmWaySwQ2" target="_blank">HERE</a>. And, we're in the midst of planning the <i>Encircled </i>Blog Tour, which will run from April 8th through April 17th! If you're interested in participating, you can find the signup form <a href="https://goo.gl/forms/kpeU8rMZjEvZPOUP2" target="_blank">HERE</a>. *Both forms include an opportunity to be an advance reviewer of <i>Encircled</i>!*<br />
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I hope everyone is having a fabulous March, I'll be back next week with the <i>Encircled </i>cover reveal!!<br />
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P.S. Please consider voting for <i>Common </i>in the Christian Indie Awards if you haven't yet (it's in the Young Adult category), you can find the ballot <a href="https://www.christianpublishers.net/19votes/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. <i>Common </i>is also eligible for the Alliance Award this year, a readers' choice award run through my favorite writing conference, <a href="https://realmmakers.net/" target="_blank">Realm Makers</a> :) Stop by <a href="https://realmmakers.net/awards/the-alliance-award/" target="_blank">HERE</a> and nominate your three favorite fantasy / science fiction books that released in 2018! If <i>Common </i>happens to be one of them (YAY!!), it's ISBN-13 you'll need for the nomination is 978-1943788279. Thank you!!!Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-80039021407038580802019-02-14T11:00:00.000-06:002019-02-14T11:00:09.925-06:00Happy Birthday, Common!!! (Plus TWO giveaways!)Today is <i>Common</i>'s first birthday!!! It's hard to believe my little story has been out in the world for a whole year already - and what a year it's been! As incredible as it was to see my words turned into a gorgeous book, the prospect of releasing it into the public was more than a little daunting. But I've been amazed over and over again by how readers are connecting with Leah and Rafe, showing incredible enthusiasm for <i>Common </i>and future books to come. THANK YOU!!!<br />
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So, what better way to celebrate <i>Common</i>'s birthday than with a giveaway?? Since <i>Common </i>was inspired by Cinderella, I just had to snatch up this beautiful wooden "Have courage & be kind" sign when I saw it on Etsy! And I can't wait to share it with one of you!! Here's how you enter: show how YOU are celebrating <i>Common</i>'s birthday! That's it! It can take whatever form you want - a fun picture of your book, having a special birthday treat, sharing about the giveaway, posting your review of <i>Common</i>, etc. I'm excited to see what you come up with! Just make sure to tag me and use the hashtag #HappyBirthdayCommon so I can count your entry! (Posting on multiple social media platforms counts as multiple entries. 🙂) The giveaway will close at 11:59 pm CST on February 28th, 2019. Depending on shipping costs, if the winner lives outside the U.S., she may instead receive an equivalent Etsy giftcard. Good luck!<br />
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But I mentioned TWO giveaways, didn't I? Just in time for <i>Common</i>'s birthday, my writer friend Deborah O'Carroll is having a giveaway for a signed paperback of <i>Common</i>! You can find out the details of the giveaway (plus the sweetest review 💙) <a href="https://thepagedreamer.wordpress.com/2019/02/14/valentine-giveaway-common-laurie-lucking/" target="_blank">HERE</a> or by clicking on the picture below.<br />
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Thanks in advance for celebrating with me and all your Tales of the Mystics friends!!Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-3847050205250060432019-02-06T16:19:00.000-06:002019-02-06T16:19:15.406-06:00Awards News!Hi friends! I hope everyone is staying warm in the crazy winter weather we're having in so many areas of the world! After three days of cancellations last week and a delay on Monday, I'm trying to gear up for more predicted snow tomorrow. Is it spring yet?? :)<br />
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But as I wait for things outside to thaw, I have some exciting news in my writing life! I am thrilled beyond belief to announce that <i>Common </i>was included on the <a href="https://inspys.com/?p=4055" target="_blank">INSPY longlist for Debut Fiction</a>!!! Eeeeeeeek!! Books have to be nominated by readers in order to be considered, so I have all of YOU to thank for this honor and I'm so incredibly grateful. I'm both awed and humbled to see my little story alongside books by so many authors I look up to and admire. THANK YOU!!!<br />
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I'm also excited to share that <i>Common </i>is on the ballot for the Christian Indie Awards! I would SO appreciate it (to the point of sending lots of virtual hugs and chocolate!) if you would consider stopping by to give <i>Common</i> your vote. The voting form is <a href="https://www.christianpublishers.net/19votes/" target="_blank">here</a> - you'll find <i>Common </i>in the Young Adult category. Once again, THANK YOU!!! My readers are amazing, and I want you all to know that I don't take that for granted! In fact, stay tuned next week because I'm planning a giveaway to celebrate <i>Common</i>'s birthday on February 14th - I'll see you then!Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-6831536231797455832019-01-08T09:09:00.000-06:002019-01-08T09:09:04.299-06:002018 in Review - What a Year!Sorry it's been so long, friends! I haven't had a lot of book-related updates in recent months, but I'm hoping that will change in the near future! In the meantime, I wanted to take a moment to reflect back on what an AMAZING year 2018 was.<br />
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In February, I published my debut novel!! Even almost a year later, that fact still blows my mind. Since it's release, <i>Common </i>has reached so many readers and even won third place in the CWRC Reader's Choice Literary Lighthouse Awards! In March, I saw my first publication of a short story, "Threshold," in <i>Mythical Doorways</i> by the Fellowship of Fantasy. Readers' strong responses to that story have touched me more than I can express, with words like "This story is quite remarkable. It's a poignant, moving coming-of-age tale with a fantasy twist." and "The feels!!! This story was SO good, and that ending was SO worth every minute of not knowing which decision Heidi would make!" You guys sure know how to make an author grin. :)<br />
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Lately I've been incredibly excited and encouraged that many bloggers are making their lists of favorite books from 2018, and <i>Common </i>has come up multiple times!!! Eeeek! You can find it on:<br />
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-Katy Huth Jones' "<a href="https://katyhuthjones.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-10-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html?fbclid=IwAR0nT_tl1l-OBVicdzrVhS1JG-5D2nMSEqi2ZwzAVbbH282LlVLH2HLWly4" target="_blank">The 10 Best Books I Read in 2018</a>,"<br />
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-Jenelle Schmidt's "<a href="http://jenelleschmidt.com/15-best-books-of-2018/?fbclid=IwAR2ehe7uAviO6XfJ5iTnBgh4a_4kUB4w_yir9sjHGOI7tjdZRIeCc-U97d4" target="_blank">15 Best Books of 2018</a>," AND<br />
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-Deborah O'Carroll's "<a href="https://thepagedreamer.wordpress.com/2018/12/31/end-year-book-freakout-2018/?fbclid=IwAR1I8Y5WiBc4v2FEcjOHqxgsyVwC0nAOB-NDxU-JchUpX_SOVwhJDcwmI6E" target="_blank">End-of-Year Book Freakout Tag 2018</a>!"<br />
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Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who has taken the time to read one or both of my stories - your encouragement and support make all the ups and downs of the writing journey so worthwhile! Hopefully there will be many more stories to come!<br />
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Last, I have a little favor to ask. The INSPY awards are now open, and I would love for <i>Common </i>to be a contender! But books have to be nominated by readers, and the more nominations a book receives, the more likely it is to make it onto the longlist. Here's the link: <a href="https://inspys.com/?page_id=1183" target="_blank">https://inspys.com/?page_id=1183</a>, and here's the information you need:<br />
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Title: <i>Common</i><br />
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Author: Lucking, Laurie<br />
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Publisher: click "Other," then type in Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing<br />
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Category: Speculative Fiction (it also qualifies for "Debut Novel," but their YA category doesn't include fantasy so it doesn't fit there)<br />
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Publication Month: February 2018<br />
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13 digit ISBN #: 9781943788279<br />
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A HUGE thank you in advance!!! I hope everyone's new year is off to a great start, I can't wait to see what 2019 will hold for all of us!Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-65926679475063571262018-09-05T15:21:00.001-05:002018-09-05T15:21:11.223-05:00And the winner is...Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who participated in my Reader Appreciation Giveaway! I'm unbelievably honored that so many of you have taken the time to read my books, leave reviews, vote for <i>Common </i>in contests, and help me share about my stories and events in so many ways. You. Guys. Rock! After consultation with Random.org, the winner for the Reader Appreciation Giveaway is...TJ Cox! Congratulations!!<div>
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AND...I have some related news :) <i>Common </i>won third place in the CWRC's Reader's Choice Literary Lighthouse Awards!!! YAY!!!!!!! (Check out <a href="http://cwwriters.com/readers/congratulations-to-our-3rd-place-winners/" target="_blank">this post</a> for the official announcement - now <i>Common </i>gets to be listed on their <a href="http://cwwriters.com/readers/" target="_blank">homepage</a> among other finalists! Eeeeek!) I am so humbled and thrilled that my debut novel managed to place among a list of so many impressive books, and it's all thanks to you guys! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for believing in me and my writing!! Virtual hugs and chocolate all around :)</div>
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Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-70207886708910801732018-09-04T10:09:00.002-05:002018-09-04T10:09:07.677-05:00Back to School Sweepstakes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy September, everyone! I hope your fall is off to a great start! I got together with some fellow YA authors to celebrate the new school year with a giveaway for TWELVE paperbacks!!! I may be a tad jealous I can't enter... :)<br />
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The giveaway ends Saturday, September 8th, and is open to U.S. residents only. Enter by filling out the Rafflecopter below - your first set of entries comes from signing up for all of our newsletters (these are some fabulous authors, so you definitely want to hear what they're up to!), then you can get bonus entries by following us on Instagram!<br />
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Now, do you want to hear about the books included in this amazing prize?? I thought so! Here's the lineup:<br />
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<li><i>The Coronation</i> by Livy Jarmusch (the lovely lady who organized this event!)</li>
<li><i>Regal Hearts Season One</i> by Livy Jarmusch</li>
<li><i>London in the Dark</i> by Victoria Lynn</li>
<li><i>When Beauty Blooms</i> by Victoria Lynn</li>
<li><i>Unblemished </i>by Sara Ella</li>
<li><i>The Rejected Princess</i> by Katie Clark</li>
<li><i>Purple Moon</i> by Tessa Emily Hall</li>
<li><i>A Higher Ransom</i> by Aleigha C. Israel</li>
<li><i>A Dim Reflection</i> by Aleigha C. Israel</li>
<li><i>A Marvelous Redeemer</i> by Aleigha C. Israel</li>
<li><i>Common </i>by Laurie Lucking (that's me!)</li>
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Stay tuned, I'll have at least one more exciting announcement later this week :) Good luck!</div>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="8af75d489" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/8af75d489/" id="rcwidget_c0c3oyhx" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<br />Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-22594367729637246212018-08-01T16:43:00.000-05:002018-08-01T16:43:05.494-05:00Reader Appreciation Giveaway!The summer is flying by, and it's high time I posted an update! It starts with good news, then moves on to even better news!!<br />
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<i>Common </i>is in the running for a <a href="http://cwwriters.com/readers/5911-2/" target="_blank">Lighthouse Literary Award</a>! YAY!!! But I need YOUR help! Voting is open throughout the month of August, and I would be so very honored if you would consider stopping by and casting your vote! (It includes a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card!) I've included voting details below.<br />
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Now, for the even better news. My readers are AWESOME. It's just a fact. You guys have been incredible when it comes to sharing about my books, leaving reviews, inviting me to visit your blogs, voting for <i>Common </i>in contests, etc., and I'm so unbelievably grateful. So I wanted to put together a little giveaway that celebrates YOU!<br />
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Here's how my Reader Appreciation Giveaway works. You get to claim an entry for every:<br />
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1) story of mine you've read (so if you've read both <i>Common </i>and "Threshold," you get 2 entries, and remember that reviews are very much appreciated!!);<br />
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2) contest in which you've voted for <i>Common </i>(there are currently 3 places you can vote, each contest page is linked in the descriptions below)<br />
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<li><a href="http://cwwriters.com/readers/5911-2/" target="_blank">Literary Lighthouse Awards</a> - click on "Vote for your favorite book!" in their Rafflecopter and then make your selection (hopefully <i>Common</i>, but there are a lot of other great books on the list, too!);</li>
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<li><a href="https://www.thekindlebookreview.net/vote-young-adult-2018/" target="_blank">Kindle Book Review Readers Choice Awards</a> - vote by typing <i>Common </i>as a comment to the post (make sure to also enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win a Kindle Fire!);</li>
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<li>Swoony Awards - vote on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/119618.2018_Swoony_Awards" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> (<i>Common</i> is currently #51 on the list, but hopefully it will be higher soon!) or <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc6V6A8N8xCO5A2XGt2e1NAPLnScrYh0sof_Ifcod335IY1dw/viewform" target="_blank">here</a> if you're not on Goodreads; AND</li>
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3) social media platform on which you share about this giveaway (make sure to tag me in your post so I can count your entry!)<br />
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Submit your entries by commenting here or anywhere I post about the giveaway on social media. Make sure to tell me how many entries you get! Haven't had a chance to read <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Common-Tales-Mystics-Book-One-ebook/dp/B07958ZV6X/" target="_blank">Common</a> </i>or <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mythical-Doorways-Fellowship-Fantasy-Book-ebook/dp/B07BGSV3NX/" target="_blank">Mythical Doorways</a></i> yet? No worries, there's still time! The giveaway will stay open until 11:59 pm CST on Friday, August 31st.<br />
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The best part? The amazing prize!! One randomly chosen winner will receive this gorgeous circlet from the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/EnchantedJewelryShop?ref=l2-shopheader-name" target="_blank">Enchanted Jewelry Shop</a> - you even get to choose your gem color! (This giveaway is open internationally - if the seller isn't able to ship to your location, I'll send you an Etsy giftcard for the equivalent amount instead.) PLUS, for every 20 entries, we'll do a bonus giveaway for a $5 Amazon giftcard!<br />
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So get reading, reviewing, voting, and sharing!! And THANK YOU!!!!!Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-28191579127038196022018-05-21T09:00:00.000-05:002018-05-21T09:00:02.580-05:00Indie e-Con 2018: Forbidden Romance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Indie e-Con 2018 has officially started!!!! *happy dance* The genre we're kicking off with today is Romance, which happens to be one of my favorites :) My post about writing friends to lovers romance is on the main event page, which you can find here. But we were also encouraged to write posts for our own blogs, so I thought here I would share a bit about forbidden romance, since the central relationship in <i>Common</i> has aspects of both friends to lovers and forbidden romance. (Sarah Addison-Fox is also sharing about this topic today, which you can find here.)<br />
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Forbidden romance can be very fun to write because it tends to involve high stakes and tension. However, when writing such a relationship over the course of an entire book or series, it can be tricky to make the romance lasting and believable. Here are a few tips from my own experience:<br />
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<b>Give Your Characters Other Interests</b><br />
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When something is forbidden, it causes us to focus on it all the more, right? And when the thing being forbidden is a love interest, a character usually experiences that kind of single-minded focus to an even greater extent. Which is fine, to a point. But in order to avoid reaching the obsession / annoyance level, make sure your character has other relationships and interests outside of the forbidden love as well. These can be family, friends, hobbies, causes to fight for, etc. Just as you wouldn't want to hear someone alternate gushing and complaining about a love interest for hundreds of pages, your readers don't either :) Giving your couple additional priorities will also make for deeper, more well-rounded characters.<br />
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<b>Don't Overdo the Drama</b><br />
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Forbidden romance has so much potential for drama. Something major must be keeping these characters apart, after all, in order for the romance to be forbidden. So understandably, the characters each have something to be upset about, as does anyone who finds out about the romance. But be careful not to overdo it. There is a fine line between drama that keeps a reader excited and on the edge of her seat and melodrama that makes a reader roll her eyes and reach for a different book. My suggestion is to make the most of those scenes where the drama really ramps up, but keep them few and far between.<br />
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<b>Let the Couple have "Normal" Moments</b><br />
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A couple involved in a forbidden romance probably won't have a lot of opportunities to dance together at balls, go on dates, or participate in whatever the typical courtship rituals of the time would be. The unusual circumstances these couples find themselves in can make for some memorable romantic meetings. But make sure they get some time together that feels a little more "normal," too. Times when they get to just sit and talk, prepare a meal together, or help take care of one another, for instance. Because just as many TV viewers criticize shows like The Bachelor for producing romances that would never hold up under normal circumstances, you need to find opportunities to show your readers that this couple has lasting power. That once the forbidden nature of the romance is over, these characters will still want to share the more mundane aspects of life together.<br />
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And, of course, make sure your forbidden romance comes to a satisfying conclusion, but I don't think I need to elaborate on that point :) That's all I have for now, but check out the event page every day this week for explorations of other genres! I'll be posting again on Saturday for fantasy on the main event page and over at my group blog, <a href="http://www.landsuncharted.com/" target="_blank">Lands Uncharted</a>. Thanks for stopping by!Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-17887980764064198602018-05-19T04:00:00.000-05:002018-05-19T04:00:02.781-05:00Indie e-Con Scavenger Hunt 2018 - Stop #8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Hello, friends! I typically only post occasional writing updates here, but you're going to see a lot more activity than usual this week since I'm participating in the 2018 Indie e-Con! Yay!! This event was organized for those of us who would love to attend a Comic-Con kind of event but can't afford to travel there. So instead, we get to experience it for free from the comfort of our own homes! To kick off the conference, we have a scavenger hunt today introducing the many amazing authors who will be part of the event. And I'm thrilled to welcome Rachel Rossano, who will share her introduction with us. See below for more information about the scavenger hunt and e-Con, but first, here's Rachel!</b><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gnLLlo_90xU/WvxZhKbOskI/AAAAAAAABvQ/hjP3n_0G5O8Ph3Ed0d421XiUSJfqwxM7ACEwYBhgL/s1600/Rachel%2BRossano.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="482" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gnLLlo_90xU/WvxZhKbOskI/AAAAAAAABvQ/hjP3n_0G5O8Ph3Ed0d421XiUSJfqwxM7ACEwYBhgL/s320/Rachel%2BRossano.JPG" width="320" /></a>Greetings and Salutations! I am Rachel Rossano, author, designer, and homeschooling momma of three kids. My life is full to overflowing with activities, but I love making time to talk writing, books, movies, homeschooling, and pretty much anything. I like to talk, which is odd for an introvert. <br />
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Thank you to Laurie Lucking for graciously hosting me for this scavenger hunt. <br />
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My publishing journey began in Germany. Just married a year or two, my husband and I went to Germany for a business trip. He went to work, and I went because I didn’t want to separated that long. The trip was supposed to be only two weeks long. It ended up lasting four. <br />
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I ran out of books to read. Even after raiding the English section of the local bookstore and muscling through all of the suspense and mystery books I could tolerate, I found myself stuck in a country where I didn’t speak the language and the only English channels on the TV were BBC and MTV (the second wasn’t interesting in the least). My current WIP, an unpublished, poorly written bit of idealized drivel that even included a prophesy (cringe), was not going well. I stuck my heroine on the top of a shed and left her there for months. <br />
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So, what do I do as my husband works 70 hour weeks? I start writing a new novel. <br />
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I wrote the first few pages. They were beautiful, poignant, enthralling, perfect, and … deleted. Yup. After agonizing over the horrific loss for an hour, I regrouped and rewrote. The replacement wasn’t nearly as beautiful or gripping, but it was a beginning. <br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EvOTGUCvnWE/WvxZtnhNO3I/AAAAAAAABvU/kTwgMwUMGmg0FcuSssbbHAiaWc6or8QxQCLcBGAs/s1600/CofAebookcoverRework.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1058" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EvOTGUCvnWE/WvxZtnhNO3I/AAAAAAAABvU/kTwgMwUMGmg0FcuSssbbHAiaWc6or8QxQCLcBGAs/s320/CofAebookcoverRework.jpg" width="211" /></a>Months later, I finished it. After editing it (poorly), I started researching how to publishing my little masterpiece. I promptly fell in with a vanity publisher that didn’t cost anything on the outset. I foolishly signed up and handed over my manuscript. <br />
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By the time I had made it through all the prep for publishing because even as an author working with a publisher there is plenty to do, I came to the conclusion that I was the publisher’s target audience, not my readers. It was a lesson learned the hard way, at the cost of seven years of lost revenue on <i>The Crown of Anavrea</i> and all the sequels. I couldn’t really publish the follow up books when the rights to the first book were in the wrong hands. <br />
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Meanwhile, I got back to the researching. I discovered that any reputable publisher (at the time) didn’t want the kind of fiction I wrote. If I wanted to publish in a way that would reach readers and share my books with the world I would have to go indie. I ran into Lulu.com and signed up. <br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T3rdXMsmRac/WvxZ0Zsu10I/AAAAAAAABvc/qsG_v_1sGPsTll2jFIfZFa47z05y4FALACLcBGAs/s1600/TheMercenaryMarriageCoverReworkFinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T3rdXMsmRac/WvxZ0Zsu10I/AAAAAAAABvc/qsG_v_1sGPsTll2jFIfZFa47z05y4FALACLcBGAs/s320/TheMercenaryMarriageCoverReworkFinal.jpg" width="212" /></a><i>The Mercenary’s Marriage</i> was my teething ring. I learned a ton putting that book through its paces. Its initial cover design still gives me nightmares. Don’t look it up, please! With Darius and Brice, I ventured into ebooks and worked to perfect my design skills. It has taken me years, seven to be exact, to get my rights back for <i>The Crown of Anavrea</i>, but I did. Now almost the whole Theodoric Saga is published. <br />
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Now, through the grace of God, I have eleven “books” out there, which include parts of four series. There are five novels more in the editing stages, one in the WIP stage, and heaps more planned. <br />
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Don’t give up. Learn through the bumps and unexpected turns. Keep focused on the reason you write. And, above all, don’t give up! <br />
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As I said, I love to talk writing. You can check mine out and contact me via my website <a href="http://www.rachelrossano.com/" target="_blank">www.rachelrossano.com</a>. I also have a FB page where I try to post at least once a day or every other day: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/RachelRossanoRambles" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/RachelRossanoRambles</a>.<br />
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<b>Thank you so much for sharing with us, Rachel! It's such a pleasure to meet you :) The next blog on the tour showcases my introductory post, Stop #9, which you can find at <a href="http://blog.kimiawood.com/" target="_blank">kimiawood.com</a>. If you need to go back and start at Stop #1 to collect all the letters, visit <a href="http://kandijwyatt.com/" target="_blank">kandijwyatt.com</a>. And you can find the full list of scavenger hunt stops <a href="http://kendrasgiraffecrafts.blogspot.com/p/indie-e-con-2018-scavenger-hunt-stops.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Did I mention there's a prize involved?? The Scavenger Hunt Giveaway Package includes an Ace Carroway 2-book set, 3 ebooks from Indie e-Con authors, a cover design by Alea Harper, and a bookshelf necklace donated by Rachel Rossano - yep, the one you just met! (Please note that the Ace Carroway paperbacks and bookshelf necklace can only be shipped within the U.S.) So go find those other letters!</b><br />
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<b>Also, we have a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/350232278801168/" target="_blank">Facebook party</a> to kick off the 2018 Indie e-Con happening this afternoon! Come join us! The e-Con itself start on Monday - find out more, including the full schedule, <a href="http://kendrasgiraffecrafts.blogspot.com/p/indie-e-con.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I can't wait!! </b></div>
Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-25088852276949306342018-03-29T15:23:00.006-05:002018-03-29T15:23:48.919-05:00Mythical Doorways Blog Tour and Facebook Party!<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Mythical Doorways</i> is here!!! Hooray! It released on March 27th, and now is available for FREE on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mythical-Doorways-Fellowship-Fantasy-Book-ebook/dp/B07BGSV3NX/" target="_blank">Amazon</a>! The first reviews are starting to roll in, and I've been thrilled by the response to "Threshold" so far! One reviewer said, "This story is quite remarkable. It's a poignant, moving coming-of-age tale with a fantasy twist." And here's how another reviewer described it: "The feels!!! This story was SO good, and that ending was SO worth every minute of not knowing which decision Heidi would make!" *Cue giant grin accompanied by happy dancing*</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The blog tour celebrating the release of <i>Mythical Doorways</i> wraps up today! Check out the full schedule of posts <a href="https://unicornquester.com/blog-tour-kick-off-mythical-doorways-anthology-by-fellowship-of-fantasy/" target="_blank">here</a>. And TONIGHT, we're finishing up the celebration with a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/152283098918808/" target="_blank">Facebook party</a>! The fun starts at 7:00 pm CDT (8:00 pm EDT), and my featured author slot starts at 9:20 CDT / 10:20 EDT. I hope to see you there!</span>Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-36382192495157140362018-03-18T14:25:00.001-05:002018-03-19T08:17:59.098-05:00Five Stars from Readers' Favorite!! Plus some Mythical Doorways fun :)<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sxw2caYl714/Wq68QYyOBtI/AAAAAAAABlA/3hT1NJuAYmsLpeGddCtp83SHg3V1akdXQCLcBGAs/s1600/5star-shiny-web.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="144" data-original-width="144" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sxw2caYl714/Wq68QYyOBtI/AAAAAAAABlA/3hT1NJuAYmsLpeGddCtp83SHg3V1akdXQCLcBGAs/s1600/5star-shiny-web.png" /></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">You guys!! I heard earlier this week that <i>Common </i>had received a review from Readers' Favorite, and it got FIVE STARS!!! Eeeeek! The review was so detailed and sweet, I may have gotten a bit teary-eyed while I read it :) You can find the full review <a href="https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/common" target="_blank">here</a>, but I'll share a few lines: "The entire reading process was a magical journey in itself. Readers will find it difficult to stop reading, just as I did. <i>Common </i>makes you want to go on and on until you realize you have reached the end of the story. It just has that kind of magical pull." Can you see why I'm grinning over here?? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">I also had a few more guest posts over the past few weeks! I stopped by Linda B. Davis's blog to share about my life before I became an author, the process of publishing </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Common</i><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">, and what I'm up to now - find it </span><a href="http://lindabrooksdavis.com/laurie-lucking/lets-chat-author-laurie-lucking/" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">. Then I had an opportunity to visit Toni Shiloh's blog to chat about the joys and challenges of writing companion novels, which you can find <a href="https://tonishiloh.wordpress.com/2018/03/13/takeover-tuesday-laurie-lucking/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">In other exciting news, the Mythical Doorways anthology releases in just over a week! Yay!!! I've been reading the other stories this week, and there are some great characters and worlds in this book, and a fantastic variety! You can now find it on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39286425-mythical-doorways" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>, and it's available for pre-order on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mythical-Doorways-Fellowship-Fantasy-Book-ebook/dp/B07BGSV3NX/" target="_blank">Amazon</a>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We also have some fun events coming up to celebrate! The Fellowship of Fantasy is hosting a writing contest for short pieces inspired by the Mythical Doorways theme. Submissions are open until March 26th, winners will be chosen by popular vote, and the prizes are sets of amazing fantasy books!!! (One prize will be awarded for the 15 and under category, the other for the 16+ age group.) Find all the details <a href="http://www.fellowshipoffantasy.com/fantastic-writes/mythical-doorways-writing-contest" target="_blank">here</a>, and then get writing! In addition, there will be a blog tour from March 27th through 29th hosted by the lovely Laura A. Grace at <a href="https://unicornquester.com/" target="_blank">Unicorn Quester</a>, and a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/152283098918808/" target="_blank">Facebook party</a> on the evening of March 29th! Last, Fellowship of Fantasy is partnering with Deep Magic E-Zine for a very special giveaway! Using the Rafflecopter below, you can enter to win the Spring edition of their quarterly publication featuring wonderful, clean fantasy fiction. Find out more here: <a href="http://deepmagic.co/giveaway-fun/" target="_blank">http://deepmagic.co/giveaway-fun/</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">About Deep Magic E-zine</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The name Deep Magic pays homage to C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia. Deep Magic is a quarterly e-zine dedicated to creating a safe place for minds to wander in the worlds and universe of SFF. We want all who visit to feel welcome and confident that they will encounter professionally written fiction of the highest quality that is safe for all to read.</span><br />
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="5f461cf721" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5f461cf721/" id="rcwidget_bpb0c6id" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-9503006676661673442018-03-04T21:39:00.001-06:002018-03-04T21:39:34.246-06:00Three Guest Posts, Two Signings, and a Release Date for Threshold!<i>Common </i>has been out in the world for almost a month already! A huge THANK YOU to everyone who helped make the release a huge success!! The blog tour and Facebook release party were so much fun, and not only was <i>Common </i>back-ordered for several days, but it was also the "#1 New Release in Teen & Young Adult Christian Fantasy" on at least 5 different days! Yay!!!<div>
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Even after the official blog tour ended, I had the opportunity to visit several additional blogs. First, I posted as part of Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers series about putting twists on classic tales, which you can find <a href="https://catherinecastle1.wordpress.com/2018/02/21/wednesday-writers-welcomes-laurie-lucking-author-of-common/" target="_blank">here</a>. Next, I visited the Castle Gate Press blog to share about incorporating religion into fantasy settings - check it out <a href="http://www.castlegatepress.com/behind-the-scenes-author-laurie-lucking-constructs-fantasy-world-religion/" target="_blank">here</a>! And just this week, I had the opportunity to do an interview on Ginger Solomon's blog, where I shared about what I like to read, how I come up with character names, and an excerpt from <i>Common</i>! Find it <a href="http://www.gingersolomon.com/posts/author-interview-with-laurie-lucking/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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I also have my first official author events coming up soon! On Saturday, March 10th, I'll be selling and signing copies of <i>Common</i> at the Half Price Books in Coon Rapids, Minnesota from 2:00 to 4:00 pm (for more details, check out the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/996478433833512/" target="_blank">Facebook event</a>). Several weeks later, on Saturday, April 7th, I'll be near Madison, Wisconsin signing books from 9:00 to 11:00 am at M.N.M.'s CoffeeHouse (find the Facebook event <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1826479494311029/" target="_blank">here</a>). I hope you can make it to one of these or a future event!</div>
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Lastly, the <i>Mythical Doorways</i> anthology, which will include my short story, "Threshold," has an official release date of March 27th! We'll be having a mini blog tour from March 27th to 29th to celebrate, plus a Facebook party on March 29th and a mythical doorways-inspired writing contest (submissions open on March 5th, find out more <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fellowshipoffantasy/photos/a.1681623808778097.1073741828.1677997219140756/1994882250785583/?type=3&theater" target="_blank">here</a>)! </div>
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Stay tuned for more updates later this month!</div>
Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6937611336936062436.post-46547203729109076762018-02-14T04:30:00.000-06:002018-02-14T16:39:21.700-06:00Happy Release Day to Common!!!!You. Guys.<br />
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The day is finally here!!! The day I've been dreaming of for ages and yet hardly dared to dream of at all...it's TODAY. Today, my debut novel releases! A gorgeous book with 291 carefully formatted pages that has MY NAME ON THE COVER!!!! (You knew this post was going to involve a lot of exclamation points, right?)<br />
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I have been in love with books and stories since I was a little girl. Many years later, as a college student, I didn't sell back my books as so many of my classmates did, because I couldn't bear to part with them. Even the ones I didn't like! I've always just had this strange reverence toward books, the need to cherish them.<br />
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But the idea of creating my own book? That was too much to hope for.<br />
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I remember so clearly the day I wrote the first scene of my first manuscript. I'd done some soul-searching while pushing my newborn around in his stroller on a beautiful fall day, and come out of it with the crazy idea to write a book. I even had a story idea - something I'd imagined years before but never thought to write down. After my son fell asleep, I opened my laptop, stared at a blank Microsoft Word document for a few minutes, and then started typing. It was so much fun! Way more fun than my memories of grade school creative writing assignments.<br />
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But then my husband came home. I'm in the habit of telling my poor husband EVERYTHING at the end of each day. So part of me really wanted to tell him about my writing, and yet...part of me really didn't. I confessed at dinner, waiting in trepidation for the laughter or scorn. Not because my husband is that kind of guy, but because I felt I deserved that kind of reaction. Instead, he nodded and said something along the lines of "Cool. That sounds great." And that inner spark that had been lit grew a little bigger. Because maybe I wasn't crazy or unworthy to write a book after all.<br />
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That was over five years ago, and I've learned and grown so much along this writing journey. It hasn't all been as fun as that first moment, but it's been one of the most challenging and rewarding ventures of my entire life. In some ways today feels like a culmination of all that dreaming and hard work, in others just a major stepping stone, because I have so many more stories I can't wait to tell, and I hope this will be just the first book of many!<br />
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Thank you so much for coming on this journey with me, I'm beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to share <i>Common </i>with you!<br />
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So excited, in fact, that I decided we need to celebrate with a giveaway!! I am SO GRATEFUL to everyone who preordered <i>Common </i>or is considering purchasing it - THANK YOU! And now that the books are starting to arrive, I want to see you all hanging out with Leah! So here's how the giveaway works. To enter, post a picture of yourself with your copy of <i>Common</i>, either a paperback or on your e-reader, or a picture of <i>Common </i>outside or somewhere around your house - feel free to get creative! Then post it on Facebook, Twitter, and / or Instagram, and make sure to tag me so I can count your entry! If you haven't ordered <i>Common </i>yet, don't worry! I'm keeping the giveaway open until 11:59 pm CST on Wednesday, February 28th, so you have 2 whole weeks to post your pictures! You can purchase your copy <a href="https://www.love2readlove2writepublishing.com/books/common/" target="_blank">here</a>. (***UPDATE: I initially said the giveaway would close on February 21st, but you guys have ordered so many copies of <i>Common </i>that it's on backorder! Yay!!! So to give people who order over the next few days time to take and post their pictures, I'm extending the entry deadline to February 28th.***)<br />
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I suppose you'd like to know what I'm planning to give away... :) The randomly chosen winner will receive the $10 Amazon giftcard bookmark and gorgeous handmade mason jar luminary pictured below!! So start snapping those pictures - I can't wait to see what you come up with! (The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only - I'm so sorry to my friends outside the U.S., the shipping is just too hard!)<br />
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Also, the <i>Common </i>Blog Tour is still underway! We've had so many fun posts so far, sharing everything from my writing process to a character interview to visuals from the world of <i>Common</i>. So make sure to check out all the posts from the past week and a half, and stay tuned for a few more fun posts to wrap up the tour. I'll list all the blog tour stops below, but first I have to mention that the release celebration continues with a Facebook party TOMORROW, February 15th, from 8:00 to 10:00 pm CST. It's going to be a great opportunity to hang out with fun people, chat about amazing books, and enter for a chance to win even more giveaway prizes! I hope to see you there!!! You can RSVP and see some sneak peeks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/445181965897602/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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As promised, here's the full list of blog tour posts. Thanks again for stopping by to celebrate with me today!!!!<br />
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Monday, February 5th, Review of <i>Common</i>, Pam Halter, <a href="http://www.pamhalter.com/fairiesfantasyfaith/137" target="_blank">www.pamhalter.com</a><br />
Monday, February 5th, Interview with Laurie Lucking, Taylor Bennett, <a href="http://taylor--bennett.com/2018/02/05/common-interview-with-laurie-lucking/" target="_blank">www.taylor–bennett.com</a><br />
Tuesday, February 6th, Visual Post, Nancy Moors, <a href="http://www.antrimcycle.com/2018/02/preorder-and-blog-post-common-by-laurie.html" target="_blank">www.antrimcycle.com</a><br />
Tuesday, February 6th, Behind-the-Scenes Feature, Rae E, <a href="https://anewlookonbooks.com/2018/02/06/common-blog-tour-behind-the-scenes-guest-post/" target="_blank">www.anewlookonbooks.com</a><br />
Wednesday, February 7th, Visual Post, J.M. Hackman, <a href="https://jmhackman.com/2018/02/07/visual-post-of-common/" target="_blank">www.jmhackman.com</a><br />
Wednesday, February 7th, Guest Post: Author’s Journey, Kristen Stieffel, <a href="https://newauthors.wordpress.com/2018/02/07/dont-let-fear-hold-you-back/" target="_blank">www.newauthors.wordpress.com</a><br />
Thursday, February 8th, Guest Post, Laura A. Grace, <a href="https://unicornquester.com/common-blog-tour-writing-for-my-younger-self-by-laurie-lucking/" target="_blank">www.unicornquester.com</a><br />
Friday, February 9th, Interview with Laurie Lucking, Jebraun Clifford, <a href="https://quillsandinkblotts.wordpress.com/2018/02/09/author-interview-with-laurie-lucking-common/" target="_blank">www.quillsandinkblotts.wordpress.com/</a><br />
Friday, February 9th, Review of <i>Common</i>, Erica Hogan, <a href="https://booksaholic.wordpress.com/2018/02/09/common-blog-tour-a-review/" target="_blank">www.booksaholic.wordpress.com/</a><br />
Saturday, February 10th, Top 3 Post, Laurie Lucking, <a href="http://www.landsuncharted.com/2018/02/my-3-favorite-secondary-characters-in.html" target="_blank">www.landsuncharted.com</a><br />
Sunday, February 11th, Behind-the-Scenes Feature: Laurie’s Writing Process, Liv Fisher, <a href="https://livkfisher.blogspot.com/2018/02/common-by-laurie-lucking-blog-tour.html" target="_blank">www.livkfisher.blogspot.com/</a><br />
Sunday, February 11th, Review of <i>Common</i>, Jebraun Clifford, <a href="https://jebraunclifford.com/2018/02/11/common-laurie-lucking-book-review/" target="_blank">www.jebraunclifford.com/</a><br />
Monday, February 12th, Character Interview, Brenda Anderson, <a href="http://brendaandersonbooks.com/2018/02/12/common-laurie-lucking-character-interview/" target="_blank">www.brendaandersonbooks.com</a><br />
Monday, February 12th, Visual Post, Jannette Fuller, <a href="https://www.jannettefuller.com/single-post/2018/02/12/Common-Blog-Tour" target="_blank">www.jannettefuller.com/blog</a><br />
Tuesday, February 13th, Interview with Laurie Lucking, KaLyn Cummins, <a href="https://authorkacummins.com/2018/02/13/interview-with-laurie-lucking/" target="_blank">www.authorkacummins.com</a><br />
Wednesday, February 14th, Release-Day Feature, Laurie Lucking, <a href="http://www.laurielucking.com/2018/02/happy-release-day-to-common.html" target="_blank">www.laurielucking.com</a> (Release Day)<br />
Thursday, February 15th, Facebook Party Feature, Michele Israel Harper, <a href="http://www.micheleisraelharper.com/" target="_blank">www.micheleisraelharper.com</a> (Facebook Launch Party)<br />
Friday, February 16th, Review of <i>Common</i>, Cathrine Bonham, <a href="http://www.dolphin18cb.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">www.dolphin18cb.wordpress.com</a>Laurie Luckinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00456113371420700748noreply@blogger.com4