UtopYACon and my WIP

As many of you know, I attended the first ever UtopYACon, which is a conference celebrating the women writers of paranormal fiction.  I must say, I thought it was great!  The coordinators and the founder, Janet Wallace, did a truly phenomenal job!  I can't even imagine the time and planning and money and effort that went into something of that magnitude.  My hat is off to y'all!  Really. 

I got to meet many of the authors I've talked to on Twitter or friended on FB and most of them were even more fantastic IRL than I imagined they would be.  I was thoroughly WOWd:)  I sat on panels with some of my faves and in the evenings, we went out for dinner and drinks and lots and lots of talking.  As you might have suspected, most of that was done by yours truly.  You know, because I'm so quiet and all.

*pauses*

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Yeah, they all probably got their fill of Michelle and then some!  But, it was great fun and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.  In fact, I have every intention of going next year.  If they'll have me back, that is:)

Here's a picture they took at the con.  It's small, but you can still see some of the awesome peeps at my table. 

That's me, third on the left between the hilarious Heather Robbins (aka Supa Gurl) and the gorgeous Amy Bartol.  Quinn Loftis and Georgia Cates, two of the most awesome girls you could ever hope to meet, hadn't arrived yet.  Boo!  I so wanted them in that picture!!  We had the rowdiest table there.  Are you surprised?  Nah, I didn't think so:)

I'm in the aftermath now.  You know that funky place you go to after you get back from vacation?  It's like that.  Ack!  *sigh*  But, it's time to get back to life in the real world and I'm more determined than ever to focus on my writing and the important things in life, to let go of the things that don't matter.  Life is actually pretty simple. It's people like me who tend to complicate it, the people who worry about the little things. 

I'm stopping right here to give a huge shout-out to the genius behind the phrase "don't sweat the small stuff".  Duuuuuuude!  You freakin' rock!

Anywho, so today begins the sprint to finish my WIP.  Y'all, I am so in love with these characters, with this book, I can't even tell you!  I hope and pray it comes out like I think it will and that you'll love it as much as I do!  That's my mission.  It's a contemporary romance of the mature YA variety.  I'm leaning toward posting the blurb as soon as I settle on a title.  I've wavered back and forth on a name for a good two weeks now.  It's giving me a fit for some reason.  But I'll get there.  It'll come to me eventually.  I'm just hoping for sooner rather than later.

Oh and did I mention that y'all are awesome?  And that I love hearing from so many of you every day?  And that when I say it makes my day, it actually does?  I write for the love of it, but if I'm being honest, I have to admit that, even more than that, I write for you!  It's my goal to write you the best story you've ever read.  And I'll get there!  Mark my words, one day, I'll get there:)

I hope y'all have a phenomenal Tuesday and a great week!  *hugs*  Love ya lots!!

Just a Few Things

Wow.

This summer has been crazy!  Right?  I mean, seriously, it has only just begun.  What the what?  YIKES!  I think it's only fair I warn you that, much like Einstein's Theory of Relativity, a formula can be applied to my life.  It might explain a lot to you.  It is as follows:

Chaos + Heat = INSANITY

For me at least. If I were a bird, I'd be molting.  See?  Crazy!  I'm pretty sure that's the theme of my life, though, so I'm not exactly sure why this surprises me.  I think, to some extent, I thrive in chaos.  That or I'm just a magnet for it and, somehow, manage to  survive.  Could be either one.  The point being, it is what it is.  I guess that's just how I roll!  (If you need a visual at this point then YES, I'm doing the gangsta peace sign;)

Annnnnnyway, there are a couple of announcements I'd like to make and, after writing and deleting this frickin' post twice, I'm just gonna lay 'em out, k?  K:)

Number 1:  From this point on, I will be writing in the Mature YA / New Adult genre.  I think my "voice" resonates with and translates better into the older population, be it the upper end of the YA crowd or straight up adults.  I doubt this is a surprise to many of you who know me, but I just thought I'd pass it along to all those who don't:)  Consider yourself warned that I'm gonna let my writing and my imagination off the chain a little more.  Truthfully, I'm very excited!  I've tried for the last year and a half to conform to what I thought constituted "YA" and it turns out that's not really who I am as a writer.  So, watch out world!  Michelle's coming out of the booth!! *nods to Toll Booth Willy for all you Adam Sandler fans out there*

Number 2:  Throughout this summer, I'm going to be doing GIVEAWAYS on random nights on Twitter.  If you don't follow me... *gasp* shame on you!  LOL Nah, just kidding.  But seriously, you totally should!  I'll be giving away anything from eBooks to t-shirts to signed paperbacks to...well, who knows what I might throw in there?  You'll just have to keep your eyes peeled and see for yourself;)  My handle is @mleightonbooks

Number 3:  I've decided to do some sort of reader appreciation type thing.  I just haven't worked out the details yet.  So, so, so many of you have told me you're telling your friends to pick up my books, spreading the word, and that makes my heart hurt! OMG!  Seriously, you just have no idea how much that means to me.  And for those of you who love my work enough to take the time to put a review on Amazon and B&N, I freakin' heart you! 

It's people like you, readers like you--the ones who do these amazing things--that keep me doing what I'm doing, and I'm FOREVER grateful.  I really want to do something special for you.  And I will. I just need to figure out what.  And how.  But I will!  I'm no quitter, dang it!

Number 4:  I'll be attending UtopYA Con next weekend.  If you're in the area, stop by and say hello.  But be warned!  I am a hugger so brace yourself!

Number 5:  I'll be sharing a booth with the A-MAZING Courtney Cole and Fisher Amelie at the Decatur Book Festival in Atlanta Labor Day weekend.  If you happen to be around those parts, by all means, stop by!  I can assure you, you'll be entertained;)

Number 6:  For those of you who don't know and haven't "heard" me say it, I love and adore each and every one of you.  You can't imagine how much!  You really, truly, genuinely can't.  THANK YOU!  Thank you, thank you, thank you for being so incredibly awesome. You are such a positive force in my life, I could never in a bazillion years thank you enough.  But I'll try.  At every opportunity, I'll try:)

Well, I feel like I've given a public service announcement.  You may now return to your regularly scheduled Saturday. 

Beeeeeeeeeep!

See y'all out there!

UTopyYACon

Where all the cool kids go to meet their favorite female authors

It’s time to get excited and to get to Nashville for the first ever UtopYA Con, which is the convention for female, paranormal/fantasy young adult authors and readers who love them.  It will be held at the Scarritt-Bennett Center in Nashville, TN on July 6-8, 2012. Would you like to come? You’re already excited I know, but wait until I tell you who’s coming (and this is just a few)… Myra McEntire (Hourglass and Timepiece), Angeline Kace (Descended by Blood), Amy Bartol (The Premonition Series), Tammy Blackwell (Timber Wolves), Tiffany King (Saving Angels), Abbi Glines (The Vincent Boys), Ella James (Stained), Jessica Sorenson (Fallen Star), and so many more! You can find the full list at the UtopYA Con website.

Here’s what a few of them are saying about going to UtopYA Con:

Raine Thomas (Daughters of Saraquel)-  “"The world's been waiting for a conference like UtopYA. It's unique and in a class of its own. If you enjoy YA fantasy and paranormal stories, you can't miss this event!”

Chelsea Fine (Sophie and Carter)- “"Don't miss out on UtopYa Con 2012: Bringing your YA books to life!"

Brina Courtney (Cryptid Tales)- “If you’re a true YA fan, you’ll be there,  mixing it up with all of us.”

But it’s not just for fans, it’s for authors too. Learn the tricks of the trade from people who are there, doing it successfully already. There are sessions and panels for both readers and writers alike.

So how about it? You wanna go? Well obviously you do, but here’s the question… ARE YOU GOING?

Here’s where you can find out more about tickets.

Now, so maybe you’re awesome, but you can’t go, and you’re bummed obviously. Well you still want to participate right? Here’s your chance, from now until June 29^th, 2012 you can vote for your favorite books to win UtopYA Con awards, hosted by CMT’s Katie Cook. Pretty sweet right? I know, I think so too.

Anyway because we had so many blogs help us to promote this unique event we decided to do some fun giveaways provided by some of our authors at UtopYA Con and some other authors.

Good luck and we’ll see you at UtopYA Con!

Giveaway info is on the sidebar

Want to visit other sites in this hop? Click here

Dante's Girl by Courtney Cole

Y'all, the time has arrived!  It's here!  Courtney's new book, Dante's Girl is out TODAY!  Don't hate me, but I got to read an ARC of it and let me tell you...  Well, I won't, because I don't want to ruin it for you.  Let's just say you need this book:)

Check out the A-MAZING cover!

 And as if it could get any better than that, read the blurb:

I have spent every summer since I was ten years old with my father in London.  Every summer, since I was ten years old, has been uneventful and boring. 

Until this year.

And this year, after a freak volcanic eruption strands me far from home, I have learned these things:
1.  I can make do with one outfit for three days before I buy new clothes. 
2.  If I hear the phrase, “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” even one more time, I might become a homicidal maniac.
3.  I am horribly and embarrassingly allergic to jellyfish.
4. I am in love with Dante Giliberti, who just happens to be the beautiful, sophisticated son of the Prime Minister of a Mediterranean paradise. 
5.  See number four above.  Because it brings with it a whole slew  of problems and I’ve learned something from every one of them.

Let’s start with the fact that Dante’s world is five light-years away from mine.  He goes to black-tie functions and knows the Prime Minister of England on a first name basis.  I was born and raised on a farm in Kansas and wear cut-off jeans paired with cowboy boots.  See the difference?

But hearts don’t care about differences.  Hearts want what they want.  And mine just wants to be Dante’s girl. 

My heart just might be crazy.

Think that's pretty freakin' awesome?  Well, don't go anywhere.  I've got a first chapter excerpt AND a giveaway for one eBook copy of Dante's Girl.  Eeeeep!  All you have to do to enter is tweet about Dante's Girl and include the Amazon link.  That's it.  Easy peasy:)  Oh, and just in case you don't win it, you should TOTALLY go buy yourself a copy now. Like, right now!  Seriously. 

All right, ready, set, go!

It's Madly Week at Supa Gurl Books!

The stupendously spectacular Heather over at SupaGurl Books is doing a whole week about Madly and all her cohorts.  It starts today and there's something different every day.  I've got to be honest, y'all, there are pictures and never-before-seen excerpts and everything.  So cool!  Annnnnd, on Thursday, June 21st, Heather will have some "lost" pages that came at the very end of book 3.  I think you REEEAAAALLLY ought to check it out!  At the end of the week, there will be a humongous giveaway with two separate prizes and a...special post that I think many, many, MANY of you will enjoy!  *wink wink* 

Here's the Madly Trip Itinerary:


June 17 - All about Madly
June 18 - M Leighton Interview day
June 19 - All about ....It's a Surprise!!
June 20 - Character is stopping by...
June 21 - Lost Pages of the End of Book 3
June 22 - Another Character will be stopping in
June 23 - Surprise Day...

So hop on over to Heather's and see what's what:)  Have a great week, y'all!

New Covers for Dark Betrayal Series- Nichole Chase

All right, y'all, the fabulous Nichole Chase has redone her covers for the Dark Betrayal Trilogy in honor of the upcoming release of the third and final book.  I have a peek of the first two for you today and they are LOVELY!!  Here they are, along with their blurbs:

Mortal Obligation:

Ree will face the darkest form of betrayal before the year is out.
Seventeen year old Ree McKenna has three goals: get through high school, convince her crush she is more than his best friend’s little sister, and save money for college. Fate, though, has other plans for her. After the untimely death of her older brother, Ree is haunted by dreadful nightmares and terrifying visions. To make matters worse, Ree has started to suspect that something dangerous is stalking her from the shadows.
A night full of frightening surprises leaves Ree with unsettling news. Gifted by the gods with unusual powers, she must devote herself to a battle that could very well lead to not only her death, but the demise of everyone she knows and loves. After all, Ree is the only mortal standing between the Earth and utter darkness.

Mortal Defiance:

One short week turned Ree McKenna’s life upside down. Not only does she have the weight of the world on her shoulders, but she still has to juggle homework, a job, and a curfew. While Ree tries to find her footing amidst the chaos, the Dark Ones and their champion are busy hunting down any humans that have a touch of the gods running through their veins. Allies have turned into foes, and enemies have become stronger.
The world is growing darker, but the passion between Ree and two irresistible guys blazes hotter. Romantic ties from a past life will threaten to break Ree away from the love of her life and will cloud her judgment. In order to follow her heart, Ree will break rules put in place by the gods, risking her life and the lives of her friends in an act of Mortal Defiance.


Mortal Obligation: Amazon or B&N
Mortal Defiance: Amazon or  B&N
Find Nichole:  http://www.nicholechase.com/

Playlists

Okay, so Playlist.com pulled a fast one on me!  It took me days and days to notice.  I suppose, in that case, it really didn't have to be a fast one, now did it?  LOL  They wasted all that energy trying to pull one over on lil ole me...  Anyway, they are now disallowing pop-up players on blogs and stuff.  For that reason, I'm removing them from my sidebar and putting them in link form below.  I will keep this post updated with playlists as I do them for each book.  Sorry for the inconvenience:(  The bright side is that you might stop and play for a while on Playlist.com.  You know, find some new favorite songs, listen to some old favorite songs.  It's a great way to spend an afternoon, which I've done many a time (when I should've been writing:D).  Annnnnywho, it's all good, right?  Right!  So here they are, y'all:

Madly and the Jackal  http://pl.st/p/23178828299

Fragile  http://pl.st/p/23067498763

Blood Like Poison: For the Love of a Vampire  http://pl.st/p/23065824267