Donna Galanti - The Element Trilogy

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Goodbye 2012: Top guests, pals & posts this year!

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May your new year be a white slate road that takes you wherever you dream to go!

Happy New Year all! First, I am so thrilled to share the money raised toward the Pearl S. Buck Welcome House Adoption Program. For two weeks in December, I promised to donate $1 from each book sale of A Human Element, print or ebook. With your help I sold 71 books and am donating $71 to this wonderful program! Thank you!

Now here’s a look back at 2012!

Top visited guest posts on my blog in 2012:

#1 Allison Brennan: How to knock off your characters
New York Times and  USA Today bestselling author, Allison Brennan, shares how she loves research to kill off characters in her books.

#2 Janice Hardy: Choosing your point of view
Author Janice Hardy talks about choosing your point of view when writing. How do you know which is the right one?

#3 Jordan Dane: Anti-heroes/ heroines & villains need love too
Best selling and award winning author, Jordan Dane, shares tips on writing the bad guys and gals.

#4 Rochelle Staab: Beyond pure reason
Best selling author, Rochelle Staab, talks about going beyond pure reason in writing about the occult.

#5 Bob Mayer: How writers recon for their books
New York Times best selling author Bob Mayer shares how he researches location for his books.

Looking at my blog stats also got me thinking about my own top 5 list. The people or organizations who have made a difference in my writing and personal life this year. These are the folks who not only support me by taking the time to share their knowledge and provide valuable advice but make me feel part of a bigger community. These are the “wonder ones” who have helped me become the writer I am today. In no particular order!

Wegman’s Women Writers! With Kathryn Craft, Janice Bashman, and Jess Cooper

1. Kathryn Craft
Amazing developmental editor, writing teacher, cheerleader, and friend. She’s now embarking on a new path with her recent book deal through the Donald Maass Agency for THE ART OF FALLING, coming winter 2014. She is a testament to never giving up on the road to publication. Check out her developmental editing services at Writing-Partner, her blog on Healing Through Writing, and her articles on editing and writing at The Blood Red Pencil.

2. Janice Gable Bashman
A supportive writing peer, lovely lady, and good friend who is above generous with her time and advice. Being a fiction and non-fiction author as well as an editor, she’s got the chops to help you out. She also runs a fantastic blog showcasing tips and advice on the writing life from today’s best selling authors. Plus she is the editor of International eta-i.org/sildenafil.html Thriller Writers’ newsletter The Big Thrill, full of news and information on the latest thriller authors and books. Sign up today for Janice’s blog and The Big Thrill!

3. Philly Liars Club
Especially members: Jonathan Maberry, Marie Lamba, Gregory Frost, Dennis Tafoya, Jon McGoran, Keith Strunk, Don Lafferty, and Kelly Simmons.
Aspiring and published authors can’t get any better support than from this bunch of super-power authors who are very accessible. Their advice on the craft and business of writing in free forums, classes, and workshops is priceless. Tons of advice on their website. Check em’ out!

With Lee Child, creator of Jack Reacher novels, at ThrillerFest

4. International Thriller Writers (ITW)
I was honored to be accepted into ITW in 2012 as part of their Debut Author Program and had the experience of a lifetime presenting my novel, A Human Element, at ThrillerFest.  ITW is made up of an amazing group of authors (many of the world’s best selling authors) that helps support first-book members with an interactive community and opportunities for networking, mentoring, promotion, and camaraderie. Check out this great organization!

5. A combo list of supportive, talented writers you’ll want to get to know!:
James Scott Bell
Jenny Milchman
August McLaughlin
Kit Grindstaff
Jessica Cooper
Mina Burrows
Ian Walkley
Catherine Stine
Toms Isbell
P.W. Creighton

A final top 5 list! My top visited written posts. I thought it funny the ones people navigated toward, and still do. They represent a mix of what we are drawn to: laughter, knowledge, self-reflection, and stories to escape into. And here there are, in case you missed them.

My top visited blog posts in 2012:

#1 I Like Big Butts: Real not Fake
My comic experience in a lingerie shop. This post reigned #1 last year too! In my 9 year old’s eyes, anything with “butts” in it is tops for him.

#2 Writers Corner
Top visited page. Do you dream of writing a novel? Have you started or still dreaming? I hope here you can find some inspiration, advice, tips, and techniques here to make your dream come true.

#3 What tales do your scars tell: real or fake?
Scars. Visible marks that hide the tales of our life. What do yours say?

#4 A Human Element excerpt: Can Ben be saved?
Ben Fieldstone faces a night of terror at the Pali Lookout in Hawaii. Can he be saved? More importantly, can he be saved from himself?

#5 ThrillerFest
My experience this year as a 2012 International Thriller Writers Debut Author.

Happy New Year! Do you have many wonderful people to support you in making your dreams come true? I hope so, but remember to enjoy making your own fun too!

Here’s to making your dreams come true in 2013!

Tagged: The Next Big Thing

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I’ve been tagged by the wonderfully imaginative and fun Catherine Stine  in a blog game called The Next Big Thing. The game involves answering questions about your work in progress or a new piece, that you’d love to become the next big thing! For me, that’s the sequel to my book, A HUMAN ELEMENT.

Is my “stuff” good enough to be the Next Big Thing? You be the judge. In turn I’m tagging five other authors to take part. So here goes:

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:

What is the working title of your book?
A HIDDEN ELEMENT.

Where did the idea come from for the book?
My readers had asked for a sequel and I balked. It was a standalone. I just knew it. Then I woke up with a vision one day of the book. I dropped the over-outlined novel I was working on and started plotting A HIDDEN ELEMENT. I was excited to re-visit some old characters and discover new ones.

Sexy Hugh = my Ben

What genre does your book fall under?
Paranormal suspense.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I do love me some Hugh Jackman for an older Ben Fieldstone. Here is Ben as a younger version. Skulking hottie or what?

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
When a family’s son is taken by the same unearthly evil that brutalized them fifteen years ago they must sacrifice all again to defeat a new terrifying enemy–an enemy that wants to rule the world with their son as his heir.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Not sure yet. It’s still in revisions. I haven’t traveled down the indie road yet, but it’s something I would consider.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
7 months part time. Read the intro:

The silent dark hung under a star-filled sky. Adrian picked up his bag and scanned his crew across the field, counting quickly. Seventy-five. They understood their duty and accepted it. They were chosen by him in secret. None would return. There was nothing to go back to except buytramadolbest.com/ambien.html death.

His son, Caleb, stood across from him, waiting as the others did. Their pale faces glowed like orbs within their gray hooded robes. It was too dark to see if his son’s face held scorn or doubt. It was usually one or the other.

The group waited for his instruction. “We head toward town.”

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Kay Hooper, HAVEN
Dean Koontz, SERVANTS OF TWILIGHT

Who or What inspired you to write this book?
My readers! And a vision. And character’s to love.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Love, loss, and redemption. It’s got all that angst plus the same cross-genre mix that readers loved about the first book, A HUMAN ELEMENT. Sci-fi, horror, romance, and the paranormal.

Include the link of who tagged you and this explanation for the people you have tagged.
Catherine Stine tagged me and I’m tagging some of my favorite folks!

Now it’s my turn to tag people:

Stacy Green

Lucas Mangum

Jessica Cooper

Mina Burrows

Reggie Ridgway

Please visit their blogs. They will be publishing their answers to the questions in week 13 (between the 18th September and 24th September)

Message for the tagged authors and interested others:

Rules of The Next Big Thing

***Use this format for your post

***Answer the ten questions about your current WIP (Work In Progress)

***Tag five other writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them.

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:

What is the working title of your book?

Where did the idea come from for the book?

What genre does your book fall under?

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Include the link of who tagged you and this explanation for the people you have tagged.

Be sure to line up your five people in advance.

 

A Human Element Mash Up & Goodies! Plus 1st Review

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No winter doldrums going on here! I’ve been super busy behind the scenes getting ready to launch A HUMAN ELEMENT, my new paranormal suspense novel in just one week on March 15th!

Watch for links coming soon to buy in paperback and e-book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and other places. I’m also on GoodReads now so you can add A HUMAN ELEMENT to your to-be-read list!

And the first book blogger review is in! On Mina Burrows Blog for Paranormal & Mystical Minds she notes “Donna must have picked up on my weakness for Dean Koontz, because A HUMAN ELEMENT echoes the bestselling author in terms of creativity, the supernatural and overall dark allure. Add in a little paranormal romance and you’ve got one delicious literary paranormal mashup.” Koontz is my fave author so I’m super psyched about this comparison. READ the full review here!

Shortly after A HUMAN ELEMENT launches I’ll be stalking blogs revealing secrets about the book, characters, and the frightening road they travel down.  So join me March 19th through April 11th during stops on A HUMAN ELEMENT Blog Tour. There are interviews, reviews, guest posts, and of course giveaways! buytramadolbest.com/modafinil.html Thanks to all the amazing bloggers who are participating in A HUMAN ELEMENT blog tour!

Let’s not forget the best part of all – your chance to win the grand prize in the GET HUMAN AGAIN Giveaway running March 19th through April 11th! Got spring fever? You could get human again, pamper yourself, AND get away from it all!

The GET HUMAN AGAIN Giveaway Winner Gets All This!

A Human Element in Paperback
$50 Spa Finder Gift Certificate good at thousands of spas!
Box of Lush Godiva Chocolates
$100 Gift Certificate at ILoveInns good at thousands of B&Bs!
TOTAL VALUE:  $200!

Doesn’t it feel soooo good to be human again after a long winter? Laura and Ben from A HUMAN ELEMENT may have found love in their cabin in the woods (read how they met here!), but you can escape that cabin fever. All you have to do is enter to win! This cool prize will make you hot! Details coming soon on how to enter.

Stay tuned on how to pick up a copy of A HUMAN ELEMENT which will be on sale March 15th!

See you on the dark side soon!
-Donna