March | 2014 | WriterlySam

It’s finally here! The moment we’ve all been waiting for! The coolest virtual social gathering leading up to the largest and longest international party on seven continents, The A to Z Challenge *sign up here*!

Special shout-out to the Magnificent Seven of #TeamDamyanti for hosting this historic event! Be sure to visit my fellow house elves, Vidya Sury, Anna Tan, Csenge Zalka, Guilie Castillo Oriard, Jemima Pett & Mary Wallace, and our fearless leader, Damyanti!

Check out the hundreds of REVEALS HERE!

Now, for a sneak peek behind the red curtain. *insert drum roll here*

Wait for it.

Man-of-Steel-Henry-Cavill-as-Superman-HD

Henry Cavill as Superman in Man of Steel

Oh, hello Henry. Thrilled you could swing by, but it’s not time for you yet. Ahem, BEHIND the guy wearing the red curtain.

Castle in the Mist by Gray Artus

A to Z THEME

Welcome to Olympus, where the Muses of Greek Mythology are charged with the responsibility of discovering, inspiring, guiding, and molding the young incarnations of legends past until they once again take the form of greatness. Enter a world steeped in ancient mythology and mystery. Embark on a journey through the imagination with an enchanting cast of characters as they uncover who they once were and who they will become.

Join me, and a host of brilliant composers from the film music industry, this April, as I unveil sneak peeks of an epic YA fantasy series inspired by my backyard neighbors, the Biltmore Estate!

Oh, and there will be PRIZES! I adore comments. So much so, that I’m willing to part with a very tempting Biltmore-themed prize pack, that may include three of a writer’s main food groups: Coffee, Wine, and Chocolate.

Every comment = a coveted entry into the proverbial hat for the prize pack!

Should you feel compelled to FOLLOW this site, LIKE my author FB and FOLLOW me on TWITTER I will happily reciprocate and throw in some extra entries!

AND that’s not all!

Speaking of EPIC, I’ve another surprise glimpse behind the cinematic red curtain!

Chris Hemsworth as Thor

Also in the month of APRIL, I’ll be hosting the mother of all WRITING CONTESTS with my favorite composer gang over in Hollywood and leaders of the film music industry, AUDIOMACHINE! As part of a global, cross-industry promotional project for audiomachine’s upcoming public release, PHENOMENA, we’re introducing a groundbreaking campaign to encourage the next generations of authors, artists, musicians & composers! And YOU can be a part of this historical event!

PHENOMENA’s EPIC HEROES CONTEST

Open Internationally!

▶ Create your own Superhero and give us an extraordinary tale, under 1200 words, geared toward Young Adults and inspired by the PHENOMENA album track, “Fortress of Solitude“.

▶ Entries will be accepted April 1st through May 1st. Entries must be posted in the comments section of the dedicated PHENOMENA page (opening April 1st)

▶ The Top 3 Winners will be determined by myself and audiomachine. PHENOMENA-themed prizes will be awarded to our Top 3. The 1st place winner will be PUBLISHED in the first ever audiomachine album companion ebook for PHENOMENA.

Stop by April 1st for more details on this incredible event, including a special contest announcement for ARTISTS!

Speaking of Heroes, I’m thrilled to announce the latest release from my dear friend and literary hero, M. Pax!

Worlds on Edge, Backworlds Book 5

AmazonUS / Amazon UK / Nook / Smashwords / iTunes / Other Outlets

War is coming. A horde of merciless aliens poise just beyond the Edge. In a matter of weeks they will devour the worlds.

Racing ahead of the apocalypse, Craze returns to the Backworlds to warn them and plan a defense. Only he can’t go home. Banned from Pardeep Station, he must wage a more urgent battle. His moon is under siege, and his friends are dying.

Bad things come in threes, and the galaxy is no exception. An old enemy returns, attacking moons and defenseless globes, leaving a wake of destruction. Worse than that, they threaten to join forces with the alien horde.

Defeat seems inevitable. Craze may not be able to stop it. Yet home is worth the fight.

IWSG meets the first Wednesday of every month. A community of brilliant writers led by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Visit the Insecure Writer’s Support Group website and database! You’ll find everything from writing to marketing, along with encouragement and support!

I’ve learned a valuable lesson recently. The unforgiving mistress of time management has dealt yet another backhand of reality, forcing me to reassess my priorities. With Ash Wednesday now upon us, I’ve decided to surrender something I enjoy immensely that will appease the fickle forces of time.

No, it’s not coffee — that would be blasphemous and barmy. Our society doesn’t need another non-functioning citizen in its corner. I’m talking about distractions. You know, the shiny new ideas, fun ~~flashers~~ flash fictions, virtual social gatherings with an open tab and cheeky challenges that polish your banter. I really enjoy all these tempting diversions. They pair nicely with my cup of ~~motivation~~ coffee. But, they don’t help me accomplish my main objectives.

In the wise words of the brilliant composer team, Robert Lopez and his wife, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, whose enchanting song “Let It Go” took home an Oscar:

“It’s time to see what I can do,
to test the limits and break through.”

Which, roughly translated from Disney-speak, means it’s time for me to let go of shiny diversions and really focus my abilities on bringing to life an exciting novel series — the details of which, I’ll be releasing on March 21st for the A to Z Theme Reveal.

Why am I participating and helping out with #TeamDamyanti in this year’s A to Z Challenge? Aside from the incredible, meaningful connections that were made during my first challenge last year, it was the driving force behind my first novel. I’m channeling that same passion this year into an even bigger project! The Challenge is far from a distraction — it’s incentive to capture the imaginations of a global audience. Daily interactions with readers and fellow authors fuel my desire to deliver a unique and memorable experience — to push the boundaries and see what I can do!

Speaking of incentives, I have a special prize for those lovely folks who help support the much needed relief efforts in the Philippines and leave reviews for the Composers for Relief collaborative ebook, “Beyond the Binding“, by April 1st. One lucky reviewer will be awarded immortality! And when I say immortality, I mean capturing your likeness and name as an enduring fictional character in my current novel! Trust me — you’ll want to be a part of this!

Available on Amazon & Smashwords in all ebook formats and listed on Goodreads

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How do you focus on your main objective and avoid distractions? What’s your motivation behind joining the A to Z Challenge? Are you interested in being immortalized in fiction by leaving a review?