Christmas Giveaways Week 3 Winner! Plus the final Christmas Eve Giveaway!!

Thanks for participating in Week 3 of the Christmas Giveaways.

Congratulations to: Krista

You have won: 

The rest of you can enjoy a 2-day sale of The Elements Trilogy Omnibus, which also includes an exclusive next chapter so you can find out what happened to Jethro, Kyla and Athra. Normally $6.99, you can have it for only $2.99!

You can find the book on AMAZON or SMASHWORDS

And to continue with the Christmas fun, please enter the final giveaway. This is the biggie with a bundle of excellent prizes!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Melissa Pearl: Author Interview and More

I am so excited to share this article from examiner.com. 

I am thrilled to be featured on the site. 

I would love for you all to check it out. 

You can do so HERE.

Thanks!

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop! OCTOBER 15th-31st

For this giveaway hop, you get a chance to win a PAPERBACK set of all 3 books in The Elements Trilogy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the other stops HERE!

So Many Things To Tell You!

I have so many things coming up over the next few weeks and I can't wait to tell you about them!

I am so excited for the release of BEYOND on October 17th! So look out for that one coming soon.

I am happy to announce that I will be attending the SuzhouSingapore International School for Book Week! The annual SSIS Book Week will be held from Monday, 21 to Friday, 25 October. It's such a fun event and I feel privileged to be part of it.

To help celebrate the new covers for The Elements Trilogy, I have put UNKNOWN FREE until November 7th. Now's the time to grab your copy!

I also have a blog tour being organised for December. This will be highlighting the Betwixt Series. 
BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

On a writing note, I am halfway through editing the first book of my new series - The Masks Series. It will soon be in the hands of critique readers and all going to plan, will be released in December. I'm pretty excited about this project as it is being published by Evatopia Press. This is my first time working with another company and I'm really excited. It's fun to have others onboard and I value their help and support immensely.

If you'd like to stay up-to-date with my news, please sign up for my newsletter. I send it out about once a month and include any sales and giveaways I have going on, plus my latest news.
SUBSCRIBE HERE.

"The Elements Trilogy" by: Melissa Pearl 1 - Day Sale!

Embark on a treacherous journey into the unknown with two characters who must face their ultimate fears and desires in order to save their world from the impending darkness. This epic fantasy series is set in a medieval world and incorporates elements of magic, prophecy and forbidden love. 

***** 

A light can shine in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it. 

***** 

UNKNOWN 

Darkness is covering the land. As the city of Mezrah grows with power and greed, the rest of the world can only stand by and wait for their inevitable destruction. The only hope against this growing power is an ancient prophecy that people have stopped believing in. 

Then a star begins to fall. 

Princess Kyla of Taramon stopped believing in the power of light the day her father died. Trapped in a city she does not care for, under the watchful glare of her mother, the queen, she struggles to accept her fate. 

Then a star begins to fall. 

Jethro has loved Kyla for as long as he can remember. Learning that she was to marry his cousin drove a wedge between him and the feisty princess. Watching her from a distance is a torture he is unable to free himself from. 

Then a star begins to fall, sparking an ember of hope and sending two seekers on a treacherous journey into the unknown.

PURCHASE LINK:

Amazon Kindle

*****

UNSEEN 

Dark forces prepare to descend upon the heroes of prophecy as they continue to seek the remaining elements and ressurect the God of Light. And now they have one more power they must over come...their forbidden love for each other. 

Meanwhile in Taramon, Athra faces his own demons as he frets over the safety of his fiancée while trying to counter a dark evil that is brought to his doorstep. Treachery lurks in the shadows, forcing the future king into an action that could destroy his beloved city.

PURCHASE LINK:

Amazon Kindle

*****

UNLEASHED 

The light has been found, two sparks have been ignited and very soon a furious light will be unleashed. Kyla's faith is brought to the ultimate test. As she comes face to face with the insidous darkness, she must decide if she can once again trust in the God of Light to save her.

PURCHASE LINK:

Amazon Kindle

COVER REVEAL and 1 Day SALE for The Elements Trilogy!

It was suggested to me that maybe The Elements Trilogy needed a revamp. It's not that I don't like the old covers, I still think they're gorgeous, but after discussing with some fellow authors about target audience, genre and what appeals to readers, I decided to try something a little different with the digital covers.  The wonderful Kelly Waker from indie-spired.com helped me and I am so excited to show you her amazing work!!

UNKNOWN

 One prophecy...Two seekers...A journey into the UNKNOWN.

*****

Darkness is covering the land. As the city of Mezrah grows with power and greed, the rest of the world can only stand by and wait for their inevitable destruction. The only hope against this growing power is an ancient prophecy that people have stopped believing in.

Then a star begins to fall.

Princess Kyla of Taramon stopped trusting in the power of light the day her father died. Trapped in a city she does not care for, under the watchful glare of her mother, the queen, she struggles to accept her fate.

Then a star begins to fall.

Jethro has loved Kyla for as long as he can remember. Learning that she was to marry his cousin drove a wedge between him and the feisty princess. Watching her from a distance is a torture he is unable to free himself from.

Then a star begins to fall, sparking an ember of hope and sending these two seekers on a treacherous journey into the unknown.

Purchase Link: AMAZON

UNSEEN

It's hard to trust when the truth is hidden in the UNSEEN.

*****

Danger surrounds the Seekers. Having already faced overwhelming odds, Kyla and Jethro discover it is only the beginning. Now they must face the power of nature itself.

Each day is a test of faith.

Two elements remain undiscovered. The light is yet to be resurrected. Dark forces prepare to descend upon the heroes of prophecy and they have one more power they must over come...their forbidden love for each other.

Each moment is a test of loyalty and courage.

In Taramon, Athra faces his own demons as he frets over the safety of his fiancée while trying to counter a dark evil that is brought to his doorstep. Treachery lurks in the shadows, forcing the future king into an action that could destroy his beloved city.

Through it all, they must cling to the truths hidden in the unseen.

Purchase Link: AMAZON

UNLEASHED

 A furious light is about to be UNLEASHED.

*****

The prophecy has failed. As Athra lies in the dungeons of Taramon with his defeated army, this is all he can believe. His city has been torn apart. He has failed his people and all that awaits him is an agonising death.

But the light has been found.

Ashan and his dark army proceed in gloating triumph. Safeer heads to Mezrah with Taramon's women and children, while the rest of his men remain in the northern city, forcing their prisoners to tear it down stone by stone.

But two sparks have been ignited.

Kyla and Jethro learn of Taramon's demise and, with the children, formulate a plan to rescue their people and bring an end to the overpowering darkness. It will take all their strength and every ounce of faith they possess...

But a furious light is about to be unleashed.

Purchase Link: AMAZON

And to celebrate this new reveal, I'm having a one day sale. All three books for only 99c each!!

Indie Life - It's All About The Blog Tour

I'm very excited to be part of The Indelibles Indie Life series. These posts run on the second Wednesday of every month and include ideas and articles from a wide variety of indie authors. Check out the links below to learn more about INDIE LIFE.

I am really interested to hear people's opinions on blog tours. I have one coming up on Sept 16th to feature my latest trilogy - The Elements Trilogy. (It's being run by A Tale of Many Reviews - the are awesome to work with - reliable and always have a big list of bloggers to draw from.)

Now, I personally think they are a necessary part of writing life. You need someone to help you spread the word about your books, you need to build up reviews...what better way to do this than organise, or have someone else organise, a blog tour.

I have done at least three blog tours since publishing my first book and I have enjoyed being a part of all of them...but they have very rarely resulted into huge sales for me. My books have been added to many reading lists because of them and yes I have gained reviews and exposure. They are good...I just wish they resulted in more sales. I don't mean to sound money hungry - that's not what writing is about, but I do think it's important to consider how much you're spending on a tour and if you'll make your money back. Or is that not important? Is it actually worth spending that money just to get some buzz happening around your books?

Another thing to consider is how to use tours as an effective way to gain new readers. In the past I have always used the same people to do tours for me and I had an epiphany a few weeks back when I suddenly realized that I was advertising to the same readers over and over again. So I do think it's worth looking into using different people to help you spread the word. But it's also important to choose people that are reliable. I have worked with brilliant people in the past - A Tale Of Many Reviews being my favourite - but I'm branching out now and look forward to reporting back on other publicity companies I have used to run tours for me.

So I guess my final conclusion is that blog tours are worth it. They are a great way to make connections, find new fans and gain yourself some decent exposure.

What are your thoughts?
Does every book you release need to be accompanied by a tour? Or is it better to save up tours for later on in a books life - a way of reviving it perhaps?

Wohoo!! Who's Up for a YA Author Club Giveaway?

It's time to celebrate the awesomeness of giveaways...by having a giveaway!!

From an authors point of view, giveaways are a great opportunity to increase exposure of your writing, possibly pick up some more reviews and show how generous you are.

For example, on my YAlicious site, I'm running a three day giveaway. All people have to do is share news of my latest book's release and they automatically receive a free copy of the first book in the trilogy. Readers win with a free book and I win with spreading word that The Elements Trilogy is complete!

If you're an author, trying to get the momentum going on your work, I highly recommend a decent giveaway to get the wheels turning.

So - without further ado - here is another most excellent giveaway, brought to you by the YA Author Club! Discover some great indie authors and support these writers at the same time.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So Many Things To Tell You!!

Man - I really do have SO many things to tell you. Having been on holiday with my family, it's been challenging to stay on top of all my writing stuff. But many things have been going on in the background and I want to tell you about them.

Firstly - The Elements Trilogy is nearly complete!! This is a big month - Unleashed will be published on Thursday 8th. On Friday 23rd and there will be Facebook Party run by Mrs Potter's Publicity Services to celebrate. If you'd like to join in, you can follow this link - The Trilogy Is Complete Release Party! There will be a bunch of prizes and competitions going on.

To celebrate the completion of the trilogy this month, I am running a sale on Unknown. You can pick up a copy of the book for only 99c! Unknown on Amazon.

There is also a Blog Tour scheduled for September. If you'd like to be a part of it, you can sign up here.
ATOMR - The Elements Trilogy Blog Tour.

And if you haven't had a chance to see it yet, here is The Elements Trilogy Book Trailer.

*****

In other news, I have started work on Before (a novella prequel to Betwixt). I am having SO much fun hanging out with Dale again. I really do love him. Keep an eye out for a cover reveal later this month and an announcement of the release date.

And finally, I'd like to highlight Indies Unlimited latest book - First Chapters. For only 99c you can grab a sampler book filled with new authors to discover. I've bought myself a copy and am really enjoying reading the first few chapters off all these books and adding a bunch of new reads to my TBR list.

Indie Life - It's All About the Sequel

I'm very excited to be part of The Indelibles Indie Life series. These posts run on the second Wednesday of every month and include ideas and articles from a wide variety of indie authors. Check out the links below to learn more about INDIE LIFE.

I have been published since 2011 and it has not taken me long to figure out that in this game, writing series and sequels is the way to go. I have seven books published now with another one due for release in August and looking back over my stats, my trilogy is the strongest seller by far.

It makes sense though, doesn't it? Readers invest their time in these characters, get to know them, fall in love with them. Of course they are more likely to buy another book involving these people. It's a great way to develop a lasting readership or build a fan base. Speaking as a reader, I don't like saying goodbye to characters I fall in love with and it's fun watching them grow throughout a series.

From a writers viewpoint, it's great business. You can put the first book on sale, or free, and this leads to subsequent sales for the rest of the series. I have found this to be hugely successful for me, which is why I decided to go for rapid fire releases with my second trilogy. The first two books are already out - Unknown in June and Unseen in July. The 3rd book - Unleashed - is due out in August. I am then going to spend my marketing budget in September. That's when I'll run some sales, pay for some advertising, do a blog tour, etc. Once the readers can access all three books quickly. I have never done this before and am really interested to analyze it all at the end and see how it's paid off.

If you're anything like me, you have a million stories in your database and new ideas constantly popping into your head. Writing series takes staying power. I am always tempted to keep releasing new stuff, stand alone stories, but I am curbing that desire for now. Sure, I'll still do the odd stand alone, but from the results I've seen in my own writing, they will never take off as well as my series.

Unseen Pre-Release Giveaway!

What's a book release without a little giveaway, huh?

As I did with Unknown, I am offering up one paperback copy of Unseen. All you have to do to enter this giveaway is answer the question below in the comments section. Entries close, Wednesday, July 10th at 6PM EST.

I will use Random.org to select the winner and will announce who won on July 11th. The day Unseen is officially released.

Now - for the question...

This week I have introduced you to seven new characters that you will encounter in Unseen. One of them owns a pet dragon...who do you think it might be?

Thanks for playing and good luck to you all!

Unseen Character Intros - Levi, Raquel and Toban

I always wanted Jethro to have siblings. When I was coming up with who Jethro was and the type of family he came from, I knew it would be a solid family, filled with members that loved each other. Jethro's younger brother quickly appeared. He originally had a different name, but the more he appeared in scenes, the more I knew I could name after only person - my nephew, Levi.

Levi is twelve, although desperately wants to keep up with his older brother. He yearns for adventure and constantly wants to prove himself. He is an able fighter, thanks to his father's training, and dreams of being a brave knight. But underneath it all, he is actually a tenderhearted kid. I really grew to love him.

Once again, with this series, two characters I never planned on came to life...and became really important characters in these books.

Raquel and Toban are siblings, the only children to Ezekiel, whose wife died when the children were young.

Raquel is seventeen. She is a sweet, compassionate person who has taken care of the family since her mother died. She was only eleven years old at the time, but being a mature, sensible soul, she took the role on without much trouble. Everyone who knows her talks about her kind heart. She is quiet and can easily be passed by, but there is an incredible strength within this girl that I came to love and admire.

Toban is eleven. He is a fiery child who has always dreamed of adventure, much like his friend, Levi. The two boys scurry around the city together, wanting to be part of what the men are up to. Although Toban is six years younger than his sister, he is very protective of her. I love his tenacity and courage.

So now that you've met some more characters in this series, keep an eye out for my pre-release giveaway starting on Saturday. Much like the Unknown giveaway, all you'll have to do to enter is answer a simple question :)

Unseen Character Intros - Bordor and Nafeez

I don't know what it is about writing bad characters, but it's so much fun. Most of my favourite scenes involve the villains in a story. The Elements Trilogy is no exception.

Two characters that came to life in Unseen are Bordor and Nafeez. When I initially put this trilogy together, I had not planned on either of these men, but when Safeer went to meet with the Elite, these two stepped into my story and became important characters.

Let me introduce you.

Bordor is the commander of the Elite, a powerful group of assassins that work for King Ashan. They dabble in magic and are a formidable enemy. Their task is to find and eliminate the seekers so that the prophecy will not come true. They also have some much grander plans, but I don't want to give too much away. Bordor is a very strong, confident character that enjoys intimidating people and although he comes across as callous, he'd do anything for his men.

Nafeez is the sorcerer for the Elite. He loves to brew potions and create weapons with greater power. He has designed black bladed swords that can burn and weaken an average blade. He also supplies King Ashan with a special elixir that makes him bigger, stronger and more powerful. It is made from the dust of a powerful obsidian rock, which makes King Ashan's veins run with black blood. He is a wicked man who revels in people's suffering. A nasty character indeed.

Tomorrow I will make my final pre-release introductions for Unseen. Then keep your eye out for a giveaway :D

Unseen Character Intros - Cori and Eshron

Continuing on from my Unknown Character Intro series, I wanted you guys to meet a few more people that are introduced in the second book of the Elements Trilogy.

Cori and Eshron are two very special characters... much like Adamar and Mya. I have come to love these children so much. I can't wait for you to get to know them better.

Cori is a dainty girl. In spite of her age, she behaves like a lady. She holds herself with grace and elegance. But the thing I love most about her, is her compassionate heart. She is so caring, always mindful of how people are feeling and what they need. She has a strong intuition and is very aware of the darkness. I think of her as a young mother hen who wants to protect those around her.

Eshron is a strong character. He's passionate about his beliefs and doesn't like things to stand in his way. He has had a tough life and this has made him resilient. I love his fiery directness and his confidence. Although he can come across as a little rude at times, everything he does comes from a love of the God of Light.

Unseen is going to be released next week! I still have a few more characters I want you to meet before then.

Tomorrow I'll introduce you to a couple of brilliant baddies that have been so much fun to write!

Indie Life - It's All About The Release

I'm very excited to be part of The Indelibles Indie Life series. These posts run on the second Wednesday of every month and include ideas and articles from a wide variety of indie authors. Check out the links below to learn more about INDIE LIFE.

I have talked about a variety of things over the past five months - from attitude about writing to getting the exposure we need in order to make our writing a success.

Following along that line, I want to talk about "The Release." That moment you work so hard to obtain. Weeks and months of hard work have been poured into your book, it looks fabulous, it reads well, your beta readers love it and now it's time to share it with the world.

I have always struggled with this moment in my book's life. It's nice to let it go and pass it on to the world, but I also find it really challenging. How do I get the world as excited as me and then how do I turn that excitement into actual sales?

I have read articles that say it's all about the pre-buzz. Getting people so excited about the book that when you do finally release it, they're so desperate they buy it straight away. I have done this a little, not much. I probably should have started months earlier and maybe I will with my next book. For now, let's focus on the actual day of release.

I am learning as I go and there are plenty of things you can do with the release of a book:
- Facebook release parties
- Blog Tours
- Giveaways
- Paid advertising
- Asking people to spread the word for you
- Book signings

These seem to be the most popular that I know of, but which are the most effective and what can you afford to do? You have no doubt spent money on editing and cover design, how much is left to throw at marketing?

Because my funds are tight and I want to produce quality, I tend to put most of my money towards editing and cover design, but I have quickly learned that spending money on marketing is just as important. In an attempt to use my funds wisely, I have decided, with the release of my trilogy, to save up most of my funds and spend it once the third book is released.

Unknown - Book 1 - came out yesterday. So far I have asked people to spread the word and have gathered up a few reviews. I'm also running a giveaway on my blog. All very low cost things. I will be doing the same for Unseen - Book 2 - when it comes out in July.

However in August, when Unleashed - Book 3 - comes out, I will be pulling out all the stops. I have an FB event planned for shortly after the release. I have a blog tour running in September and shortly after that I will be paying for advertising on the first book. I'm really hoping that combining the marketing funds for all three books will help me gain the trilogy some decent momentum. I will hopefully see a flow on effect from sales, because all three books will be available at once.

It will be interesting to see and I can't wait to come back in October and let you know how I got on.

So what do you do when releasing a book? How do you turn your enthusiasm into book sales?

I LOVE New Ideas!!!

Do you know one of the best feelings in the world?

Well, for me it's that magical moment when a new idea pops into my brain. Like a lump of sugar plopping into a cup of hot tea, it's an exquisite moment.

Images crowd my brain, each scene filled with excitement and emotion as these characters come to life. A story unfolds, usually not in any particular order. The random chaos eventually culminates into a full length novel and I'm so excited I want to start writing straight away.

But I can't.
Usually when a new idea hits me I'm in the throes of writing a completely different story.

Sometimes this is frustrating, but it's actually a good thing. The fact I can't work on the book straight away gives it longer to mull in my brain. The characters become more real, acquire bigger problems, gain more intricate backstories. The scenes I originally came up with get replaced by better scenes. New scenes appear to me, giving me subplots and making the entire story stronger.

A few weeks, sometimes even months, to work on a story idea in my head has often been the best thing for me.

How about you?
How do stories develop in your mind?

So, why am I writing this post?
Well, a few months ago, I had a spark of an idea and it has slowly been growing and developing in my head and I AM SUPER EXCITED!!! At this stage it is possibly a four book series, but I promise I won't end the first book with a cliff hanger. The first story is clear in my head, the other three are still growing. As soon as The Elements Trilogy is out there for you to enjoy, I will be working on this series. I'm planning for a 2014 release as I have a couple of small surprises I want to put together for my readers first (three words...Dale and Nicole). Whoop! Whoop! Looking forward is so much fun when you have so many cool things planned.

Do you have any new projects on the go that you're super excited about?
I hope so!
Because it really is the best feeling in the world!

So Many Things To Tell You!

Okay, time for one of my favourite posts of each month...my progress report. I love filling you guys in on what I'm doing, because I love finding out what other authors are up to. I guess you like to write the kinds of posts you enjoy reading.

So, what have I been up to?

 I got back from my girls' week away on Friday night. I had the best time. Hanging out with friends in a new place is so much fun. Guilin is a beautiful part of China and although the weather was not the greatest, it didn't take away from the beauty. Here's one pic I took from the boat cruise we did down the Li River.

Writing wise, I have been a very busy lady. After making the decision to release my trilogy in rapid succession, I have had no time spare. It took me an hour to map out a schedule to make sure I could fit everything in. So far I'm only a couple of days behind schedule.

Unknown is in the final editing stages. Unseen is written and with critique readers, and Unleashed is planned. I hope to start on that next week. Trying to do this has been a trip, but a totally amazing experience. I feel like I'm being pushed to my limit on so many levels and it's good for me. I'm out of my comfort zone and I am learning so much.

So as you can imagine, I am in a bit of a writing flurry at the moment, but I am also squeezing other things in. I was invited to speak at an international school a couple of weeks ago and presented my stuff to three different English classes. It was great. I had so much fun talking about what I do and answering a bunch of great questions.

I also ran a Bookbub ad with Betwixt and was excited to see some real movement with that book. The proceeds are going to a charity, Love146, so it's awesome to be able to hand over a really decent donation. Thank you so much to everyone who helped me spread the word about my Betwixt sale and everyone who bought a copy. Your support means so much to me.

April is a relatively quiet month for me. I'm going to be spending most of my time in my writing/editing cave. Thankfully I love hanging out there.

I do have a few little surprises planned though, so keep your eyes and ears open.

If you'd like to be the first to find out my latest news, you can subscribe to my monthly newsletter.
Melissa Pearl's Updates.

So that's me - what have you been up to?

So Many Things To Tell You!!

February disappeared on me. It seriously did! I can't believe we are in March already. This year is flying by and I'm loving every moment of it.

I had some fun in February with a giveaway running on YAlicious and this blog.

Congratulations to the Valentine's Day winners: Lindsey and Danael.
Also a big thumbs up for the Indie Author Month winner: Christelle.
I hope you enjoy some fun reading over the next few weeks.

So what do I have to tell you for the month of March...

Well - my biggest news is probably my change of plans. After much deliberation, I have decided to go for rapid fire releases of my upcoming trilogy. I was originally going for 3 months between each book, but I have changed my mind. After some tricky scheduling, I have given myself the goal to release the books June, July and August. Yikes!! No, no, it's okay. I can do this. I am going to be spending many days in my writing cave and it is a huge workload, but I am really happy about my decision. I love the fact readers will not have to wait long between instalments.

In mid-February we had the Unknown Cover Reveal, if you'd like to check it out. You can also add the book to your TBR on Goodreads.

Read an E-Book Week is currently underway at Smashwords and I have enrolled all of my books. Use coupon code REW50 to get 50% off. Golden Blood is also FREE. You can find out more on my SMASHWORDS AUTHOR PAGE.

I am gearing up to run a big sale for Betwixt. As many of you know, I am donating $1 from every sale to the charity - Love146. So at the end of March, I'll be doing a big push for the book and hopefully can earn a little more money to pass onto this amazing organisation.

On YAlicious this month, we have a huge line up of fantastic authors highlighting their books and writing a little something about them. Alivia Anders visited yesterday with her new release, Ethereal and this Thursday we have Cambria Hebert featuring Recalled! Yay!

Other than those few things, I am going to be buried in my writing cave, working on Unseen (Book 2) of The Elements Trilogy. I'm hoping to have the 1st draft finished by the end of March, and then will be straight final edits and formatting for Unknown (Book 1). Wish me luck!!

If you'd like to be kept up-to-date with my news, you can sign up for the my monthly newsletter.
SIGN UP LINK.

What are you up to in March?