Elizabeth Seckman, Author: Annalisa Crawford

Showing posts with label Annalisa Crawford. Show all posts

I'm headed for the beach! While you're reading this, I'm packing and hopefully not forgetting the important things like my laptop...or the camera. We forgot the camera last year, fortunately everyone in my family has a phone with a camera, so we have pictures.

So, while I am away, please welcome Annalisa Crawford. She has a new book out that honestly looks and sounds delightful. I got mine in the mail last week, and I can't wait to read it. Knowing Annalisa, a treasure of literary surprises awaits me.

Annalisa asked me for a question she could answer, so I asked...

Who was the best British Monarch past or present, and why?

Oh gosh, this could be a long answer…

Growing up I was intrigued by the Victorian Era. Queen Victoria was 18 when she succeeded to the throne, loved her husband so passionately she went into permanent mourning when he died, was a queen and empress, and oversaw the most amazing changes in social and industrial history. It was an amazingly romantic story.

However, these days, knowing more about her—about her less than happy marriage, and her almost loathing of her children—I’ve kind of changed my mind. She doesn’t come across as a very nice woman.

Instead, I choose our present queen, Elizabeth II. She too appears to love her husband very much and has seen a huge leap in social and technological advances during her reign. At 90, she’s still active in her royal duties, and has a great sense of humour. Just check out her involvement in the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony!

I’m not a flag-waving, queuing-up-at-5am-to-meet-her Royalist, but I like the tradition and sense of identity that the Royal Family gives us.

You. I. Us. is a collection of vignettes, small scenes which hint at the story beneath.

Annalisa has taken that idea to another level, because she asked 15 bloggers to ask her one question each, creating small insights into her life and writing.

You. I. Us.

Publication date: June 10, 2016
Genre: Short Stories (Single Author)

Amazon // Barnes & Noble // Book Depository // Kobo // iBooks // Nook

In You. I. Us., Annalisa Crawford captures everyday people during poignant defining moments in their lives: An artist puts his heart into his latest sketch, an elderly couple endures scrutiny by a fellow diner, an ex-student attempts to make amends with a girl she bullied at school, a teenager holds vigil at his friend’s hospital bedside, long distance lovers promise complete devotion, a broken-hearted widow stares into the sea from the edge of a cliff where her husband died, a grieving son contacts the only person he can rely on in a moment of crisis, a group of middle-aged friends inspire each other to live remarkable lives.

Day after day, we make the same choices. But after reading You. I. Us., you’ll ask yourself, “What if we didn’t?”

About the author

Annalisa Crawford lives in Cornwall UK, with a good supply of moorland and beaches to keep her inspired. She lives with her husband, two sons, a dog and a cat. Annalisa writes dark contemporary, character-driven stories. She has been winning competitions and publishing short stories in small press journals for many years, and is the author of Cat & The Dreamer and Our Beautiful Child.

www.annalisacrawford.com

Join the Goals Blog Hop Here!

Misha Gericke & Beth Fred host this monthly goal update.

Here's an update on my balanced goals for 2016!

1. Lose weight. Vacation is always a challenge. We'll see next week!

2. Declutter rooms to declutter the mind. Slowly clearing stuff out. Taking more boxes to Goodwill in the morning.

3. Publish two books. Vacation is always a great time to daydream and plot.

Thanks to our hosts Lexa, L.G, and Tonja Drecker for this weekly good things check in!

I'm on vacation!!!

I will celebrate that!

I'm also doing a book signing while on the island (many of my books are set on the Outer Banks)

If you happen to be in Duck, North Carolina, stop by and say hi!

Wednesday June 29th from 2:30-4:00 PM
Island Bookstore - OBX
1177 Duck Rd Ste 21, Duck, North Carolina 27949

Full Moon over the Atlantic

I was taking a walk on the beach tonight checking out the full moon when a storm came in behind me, sending flashes of lightning that lit up the sky. All the sudden the silvery beauty of a serene beach took on an ominous feel.

It reminded me there is danger in the perfection.

That reminded me of a story I just finished.

A story with words spun so masterfully, you can't help but pause and enjoy the beauty. But in the midst of this beauty is the goose bump raising revelation that all is not well in these lovely tales. There is darkness, death, and devotion...and you won't know when to expect it.

I finished this story on Friday the thirteenth...the night the moon was full over the Atlantic and lightning flashed in the west...coincidence? Or not?

"The Boathouse collects misfits. Strange solitary creatures that yearn for contact with the outside world, but not too much. They sit, glass in hand, either staring at the table in front of them, or at some distant point on the horizon.”

… so says the narrator of Our Beautiful Child. And he’s been around long enough to know.

People end up in this town almost by accident. Ella is running away from her nightmares, Sally is running away from the memories of previous boyfriends and Rona is running away from university. Each of them seek sanctuary in the 18th century pub, The Boathouse; but in fact, that’s where their troubles begin.

Ella finds love, a moment too late; Rona discovers a beautiful ability which needs refining before she gets hurt; and Sally meets the captivating Murray, who threatens to ruin everything.

Three women. Three stories. One pub.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I live in Cornwall UK, with a good supply of beaches and moorland right on my doorstep to keep me inspired. I live with my husband, two sons, a dog and a cat.

Despite my location, I neither surf nor sail, and have never had any inclination to try. I much prefer walking along a deserted beach and listening to the waves crashing over rocks. For this reason, I really love the beach in the winter!

Buy Now!!!

Amazon/ Smashwords

photo credit: royal19 via photopin cc

The fabulously wonderful and talented Annalisa Crawford has one of those problems a newbie would kill for...her book is being published quickly. But just like a premature baby, it does cause some problems: how to spread the word and get the marketing done quick as yesterday. Fortunately Annalisa is the best of blogger friends and we're all happy to help her out.

Release date: 10^th June 2014
Publisher: Battered Suitcase Press

… so says the narrator of Our Beautiful Child. And he’s been around long enough to know.

Ella finds love, a moment too late; Rona discovers a beautiful ability which needs refining before she gets hurt; and Sally meets the captivating Murray, who threatens to ruin everything.

Three women. Three stories. One pub.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I live in Cornwall UK, with a good supply of beaches and moorland right on my doorstep to keep me inspired. I live with my husband, two sons, a dog and a cat.

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And have you checked this out? DL Hammon is hosting Write Club...the 500 word flash fiction face off where the winner gets bragging rights and the opportunity to rub elbows with industry pros.

Check out the rules and deets HERE!!

Hurry! Deadline is May 31st!!!

Me and Karen @
The Novel Writing Experience

Years ago, when I was first on the hunt for an agent, an editor...hell, anyone in the publishing world that would give me or my manuscript a second thought...I ran across Karen's profile.

I hadn't really considered small pub, but as I read an interview with Karen, she said she liked beer and NASCAR.

I was intrigued, so, I sent her my manuscript. She sent me a contract and my dream became reality.
She's patient. She's understanding. She listens. Karen understands writers, because she is a writer herself and she knows how our books become our babies and how we sometimes need a hand to hold or a foot in the bum to keep ourselves working.
She's a special lady and I wanted you all to meet her, so I invited her over for an interview!

World Castle and becoming a publisher was a dream you risked your 401k on making happen, any regrets?

No, not at all. I felt driven to start the publishing company and have worked very hard to make it a success. I always say if you don’t chase your dreams you’ll never catch them. I’m a firm believer in that.

What do you see for the future of World Castle?

The company as a whole is doing very well. I see us growing and sticking around for a very long time. Look out world, here we come! LOL

What are you looking for in a WC writer besides gorgeous, amazingly talented writers like myself?

LOL Elizabeth! I’m looking for those talented individuals that can spin a tale and are personable enough to sell themselves to the marketplace. We do what we can to market authors, but they have to be willing to take the extra steps and the initiative to promote themselves as well.

Writer and publisher. How do you find the time and balance?

Unfortunately I don’t. LOL Many times my writing falls by the wayside. I’m so busy doing for others that I have a hard time finding time to write for myself. I’ve recently set a goal for myself to set aside an hour or two a day to focus on me. I’ll let you know how that works out.

Wearing both hats, is that an advantage or disadvantage?

Both. LOL I have the final say, but at times I have to take the flack.

Authors sometimes have a tendency to think of me as the untouchable ogre, for lack of a better term coming to mind. LOL They’re sometimes afraid to talk to me. Although I don’t have time to talk much I’m not unapproachable.

As for my own work, sometimes it is a disadvantage. I feel that someone might not tell me what they really think of my work. In this respect, I’m an author too, and I am not above making mistakes. I’ve had to point this out to my editors before. LOL

Overall, I love what I do and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Now...let's hear a little about the latest book, which I assure you is a hot, hot, sizzling hot read!

Click here to buy!
World Castle Website

Amanda Archer is on the fast track to success. At twenty-five she has just about everything she’s ever wanted. She has complete control of her life…until she meets Marco.

Marco De Lucia is a very influential man. Handsome, rich, and very powerful. Marco has a secret that few know about and live to tell it. He’s a wolf.

From the moment Marco steps into Amanda’s life everything spins out of her control. Marco tells her about fate, destiny and her obligations. She was born to be his...

Marco has waited three hundred years to finally find Amanda and fulfill their destiny. He knows who she is...he just has to convince her of that.

There are others that aren’t too excited that Marco’s found his mate. Others that will stop at nothing to make sure the prophecy isn’t fulfilled...

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I love a good book.
I love a good sale.
Make it a good book on sale?
Well, just call me a happy girl!

Get Cat and the Dreamer for .99!

Annalisa Crawford's story of troubled teens goes well beyond the typical tale of teen angst. It's a story that takes the reader on a twisted tale that blends reality and imagination as the reader gets to look inside young Julia's mind.

This story reminds me of The Bell Jar. It's smart fiction that will leave an impact on your soul.

Find out more HERE!

I joined the blogosphere under personal duress. A self-imposed, be professional, and get your butt out there if you ever want to sell books event.

I did not want to blog.

I just wanted to write books.

My gut told me there were very few short cuts to the top, and my freaking muse kept hiding the get lucky map.

So, with the help of my then fourteen-year-old son, Cole, we created my bloggy spot.

I hit publish on my maiden post, From Boas to Reality, on March 12, 2011.

My misgivings about "going public" only got worse when Cole came home from school and told me a friend asked him, "Who cares what a lady on 6th Street has to say?"

I asked Cole if he thought I should take it down. He said, "I think you should quit worrying about what jerks think."

But still. The insecurity. The beast that dwells deep in our soul and asks us over and over, "Who do you think you are? Trying to chase a dream...scrub the toilet...save this for the smart people with connections to New York. You're just a lady on 6th Street in a tiny hillbilly town."

I'd even pray that God would give me another dream. Maybe a desire to quilt...or run marathons.

Stories still came to me. Characters kept whispering in my ear. The only outlet was to keep writing.

Then one afternoon, author, Anita Baker (AG Howard) sent me a Blog on Fire award and an email telling me she enjoyed my work. She was my first non-family/writer friend follower.

Then I got a follow by Ashley Nixon. I knew nothing of blog courtesy and protocol, but instinct told me to follow the pretty face back to her blog and follow her and start reading her posts. Next thing I knew, I was getting advice from Cassie Mae and hanging with sweethearts like Leigh Covington and Angie Cothran. I bought Cat and the Dreamer by Annalisa Crawford after reading one of her guest posts. Finished the story in a day and then stalked her blog until she became my friend.

While traversing this new network, one could not escape the shadow of Alex Cavanaugh and the IWSG. I wasn't going to join, because honestly, what did I know? But then Alex would stop by my blog and eventually I thought, what the heck...everyone else is doing it.

So, July 5, 2012, I posted my IWSG Virgin post.

And now, almost three years from my first blog post...I get it.

I understand that the blogosphere is way more than a platform builder: it's a sanity saver, a network builder, and a knowledge base. The crazy part wasn't starting the blog. The crazy part was NOT starting sooner.
Happy almost three year blogoversary to me. If you'd told me on March 12, 2011 that I would be co-hosting the IWSG today...I'd have told you to keep dreaming Alice, Wonderland is just around the corner.

But I am. That crazy Alex put his trust in me, so here I am...along with some amazing friends/writers:
Tina Downey, Elsie, and Julie Flanders.

Baby steps. And friends to lean on. That's how we get from point A to point Z...speaking of which:

Are you signed up?

And Check this out!

                                                       Jay's book is on sale
                                                                       for just .99 cents!
                                                                       Get Yours Here!!

'Ello chums!

There's partying going on in Merry Ol' England with the birth of the new royal babe!

I was going to hop an international flight, grab me a pint o' ale and lift it in a toast to a celebrating nation.

But that takes time...and a passport...and sadly I have neither!!

Instead, I'm traveling via the web and hanging out with a wonderful friend (and talented writer!), Annalisa Crawford, as her guest blogger today.

We're talking pig magnets and weight gain. You won't want to miss that, eh?

Click your heels together three times and say, "I want to go to Cornwall"

If that doesn't work...click HERE

(So Annalisa, how did I do? I could have gone the ultra Americana version and started off with, "Howdy Pilgrims". Hmm...maybe next time.)

photo credit: Defence Images via photopin cc