Updates and New Releases!

Wow, I really need to keep you guys in the loop better! 

Here we go. Since signing on with Beau Coup Publishing they have re-released my titles The Deadliest Secret and Demonically Yours, the books have new covers, and are improved, I hope to have new print copies available soon. Beau Coup has taught me a lot about how to become a better writer and I absolutely love them for it! They are more than a publisher, they are friends, and wonderful resources.  

Demonically Yours will be a series, I am working hard on Demonically Bound the second book in the series and I hope it will be ready before Halloween. I promise you all I will do my best to keep you craving more.

The Deadliest Game, the follow up to The Deadliest Secret is already tearing at my heartstrings, I had to put it on hold so I could work full time on Demonically Bound. I will return to it once I get caught up.

My facebook page www.facebook.com/authorlaurenpeyton is at 300 likes, once I hit 500 I will be doing a giveaway of more than one book! So make sure to like the page and tell your friends.

I am also looking to gain more likes on my amazon page, so if you haven’t already please follow this link and like my page. http://www.amazon.com/Lauren-Peyton/e/B00GVFKZ4O/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1410296949&sr=8-1

Pretty much I am working hard for you! Please feel free to message me here or on facebook. I would love to talk to you!

I am going to be updating my events page to show this month’s happenings so be sure to check it out!

Xoxo

Lauren

Cannonball!

Back to work! I finished Demonically Yours and it is available. I was able to begin work on The Deadliest Game, which I hope to have out this coming fall. It is a longer piece and I thank you in advance for your patience. In addition to that I am working on Demonically Bound, and Blood Sweat Tears.  I look forward to bringing all of them to you! This will be a very busy time, but I am glad to be working with Beau Coup Publishing in order to bring my best to the table. I am very excited about this venture in my life. Everyone I have met so far has been amazing, it is also a company owned by one of my favorite authors, Sable Hunter, and if you are looking for a spicy romance novel I suggest her Hell Yeah Series. It definitely gets you hot under the collar! Yeeehaw!

My next point is just to people who want to strive further but have doubts. Everyone has doubts and is scared of the unknown. There will always be someone there to encourage you not to try, and not to pursue what will make you happy because they are unhappy. Why add to it with your own doubts? Sometimes you need to just cannonball into the deep end of life and learn to swim. The truth to that situation with your hater is, they are most likely too scared to attain their dreams, they are too afraid to fall so they never try. There will never be a hater in the world doing better than the person they hate on, so give them a reason and do what you do! Would you rather try and fly but stumble, fall, and get back up or would you rather live a life of regret and what if?

I say ….

CANNONBALL!!

CANNONBALL!!

CANNONBALL!!

Demonically Yours

I am very pleased to announce that I have finished the first draft of Demonically Yours. It will be available soon. I will post the release date on my social media as soon as I have one. I will also be doing a cover reveal once it is ready! I thank you all so much for your patience. This novel, and series, will be different than The Deadliest Series. I will soon be releasing blurbs that are sure to entice.  I am just moving into the edit process and look forward to hearing from my beta readers! There will be more, very soon. Check back often.

See you all soon.

Xoxo,

Lauren

A True Crime Writer and A True Gentleman

Les Mac! A True Crime Author

And True Gentleman

Here is my fun interview with Les Mac. He is a very sweet man who always has great advice for a new author. I definitely enjoy his answers and happy to see he has such amazing support from his wife and son. I am very grateful he took the time to answer all my questions (even the sillier ones). Please enjoy. At the end we have the links to his media (Facebooks and Twitter) find him! As always read his books if you can and review it on Amazon!!

-What is your name or Pseudonym if you rather?

Les MacDonald. Les Mac on Facebook.

-What genre do you consider your work?

Non-fiction

-What projects are you currently working on?

I've been writing a true crime series with my son Tristan. That project just goes on and on. Right now, I am just about to finish a book called Any Last Words? and also a book about the Beatles to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the British invasion. I also have a fiction book dancing around in my head. Actually, a few chapters have been written.

-Are any of your works published? If so what are the titles?

The Day the Music Died is in print and The Day the Music Died Updated is a kindle version with extra chapters added. The rest of my titles are Hollywood's Unhappiest Endings: Legends Never Die Updated, Justice Denied, Sports Deaths and Disasters, Hell Hath No Fury: Women Who Kill and They Walk Among Us: Serial Killers. Those are all e-books.

-How do you publish your work? Indie? Self? Small publishing house? Large publishing house? Or how do you intend to publish your work?

For me personally, Indie is the way to go.

-Outline your writing process.

I'm very much old school. I write out everything long hand. Of course that leads to the problem of reading my own writing. There are always ideas running around upstairs. I guess that is why I usually have three or four projects on the go.

-Do you use a literary agent?

No.

-Do you have future works planned? Do you plan any sequels, trilogies, etc?

They Walk Among Us is set to be a series of five or six books, maybe more. The first in the series They Walk Among Us: Serial Killers was released on January 14. I've also just started a new series as a bit of an experiment. The Timeline Series which tells the story of the subject in timeline form with plenty of pictures. The Beatles book is the first in that series. I am also making an attempt at my first work of fiction...a work in progress

-How do you develop your characters? Do you have a system?

I am still trying to figure that out for my first fictional effort. I am essentially a non fiction author but I have always admired the writers that can make up a story from scratch. I am attempting to see if I can do that or not.

-How many hours a week do you devote to writing?

It just depends. Some weeks, I get very lazy Lauren.

-Who does your editing? How do they do it ie Print and mark the copy up? Let Microsoft word take care of it? How important is editing to you? When do you edit?

Editing is huge. I'll tell you a quick horror story. My first book was a mess. A rough draft ended up being printed. When I came back from vacation, the book was waiting for me in the mail. I was so excited and then I read it. To this day, I still cringe. Eventually I edited the mess into an ebook and it was a success. At least when I edit, I know if there is a mistake it's my mistake.

Do you have pre-readers? If so would you like to name them and say a little thank you?

A big shout out to my wife Terri who has helped a lot.

-What/Who do you use for marketing and publicity? Do you have a website?

I do have a website. I think it is important to have a visible presence where readers can go to sample your work.

-Do you use twitter? Blog service? Facebook?

I think it is very important to have some kind of presence on the social networks. I do have a facebook account with an author's page and a few seperate pages for the books.

-Do you collaborate with other authors? Why or why not? If so who is it?

I have only collaborated with my son who is writing the true crime series with me. I have thought about looking for some writers to contribute to a true crime anthology but that is in the future.

-If you could collaborate with someone who would it be and why?

Anne Rule who is probably the most successful and prolific true crime author. I admire her diligence and attention to detail. Also Patricia Cornwell.

-What is the dream result from your books? Do you strive for a New York Times Best Seller? Oprah book sticker? Movie?

I want to turn out a book that I can be proud of. If readers find it interesting and it sells a few copies, all the better.

-What inspired you to start writing?

One day I was asked online if I would be interested in writing football articles for a magazine. I did that for a few years and really enjoyed the writing aspect of it...the deadlines, not so much. So, I looked around for a subject that I really enjoyed. I always have loved movies and found that writing about Hollywood was a good fit. That is how the first book came about.

-How old were you when you started writing, or realized you wanted to be an author?

I was a late starter. I was already in my mid forties when the football writing started.

-How has writing helped your life?

It means you're never bored. I can always pick up a pen and get lost in a story or some research.

-Do you have a space set aside for writing? Do you just write wherever you feel like?

I have a corner of the apartment that is mine, all mine. I have written in airports, hotels and even shopping malls. Recently, I spent a few hours in the Forum Shops in Las Vegas and just people watched. Of course, I had a pad of paper and a pen. You can get some great ideas just from people watching.

-What is your stance on book sex? Why?

Well, I don't believe in government legislated censorship. I think we should be our own censors and determine what we like to read and write etc. I do like a sexy story. If the book is just balls-out sex though, it can be a little overwhelming. A little mystery mixed in can go a long way.

-If your book were a movie whom would you want to play your characters?

Jack Nicholson, Julia Roberts, George Clooney. Hey, go for the best

-Do you have a college degree? If so please share what it is in, you can choose not to answer. Do you want one if you don’t?

No degree. I started working right after graduating from high school.

-What is your greatest accomplishment personally? What about professionally?

Personally, it was meeting and marrying my wife Terri. Easily, the smartest thing I've ever done. I just never get tired of looking at her. Professionally, it was the book-launch for The Day the Music Died. The local bookstore said that it was one of their most successful launches and I was proud of that.

-What do you think is society’s greatest accomplishments?

Still existing after all these years.

-Who are your favorite authors? Why?

Stephen King. After all this time, he can still hold my interest...a great storyteller. He's also very prolific. Anne Rule, a great true crime author who actually took the time to return an email to me and not just a form letter.

-What are your favorite books? Why?

I've always loved the concept of time travel...of going back to change something. I was thrilled when King did 11/22/63 and tackled the idea of going back to do something about the Kennedy assassination. Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi. It's the best selling true crime book of all time and tells the story of Charles Manson. Riveting.

-How do you get your news? Online? TV? Paper? Google?

World news mostly CNN online. Local news on tv.

-Very important question, Mac or PC?

When I saw "very important question", I thought it was going to be boxers or briefs? PC.

-Do you consider yourself sleep deprived?

Lately, a little bit.

-Do you have a family? Kids? Dogs? Animals? Significant other?

My son Tristan is 25. I've already mentioned my significant other Terri. No animals.

-What is your favorite form for reading? E-Reader, print, audio books?

I think there is room for all three. E-Readers are certainly convenient and have changed the whole landscape. Having said that, I still like the feel of a book in my hands and I hope that we always have them. I haven't had all that much experience with audio books but I have enjoyed the ones that I have listened to.

-What is one event that transformed your life and made you who you are today?

 I would have to say the birth of my son Tristan. It was certainly a life changing event. He'll soon find out what I mean. Tristan and his partner Courtney are expecting their first child next month.

-What music helps you write? Particular Band? Singer? Genre?

Classic rock. The Beatles, Moody Blues, Stones, CCR and on and on.

The Dreaded Personal Section (LOL)

-What is your favorite song?

The Long and Winding Road

-What is your favorite band?

The Beatles

-What is your favorite cartoon?

Looney Tunes

-What is your favorite movie?

The Big Chill followed closely by Casablanca

-What is your favorite TV Show?

The Following

-What is your favorite meal?

Terri's spaghetti followed closely by any junk food

-What is your favorite drink?

My fave soft drink is Coke from a glass bottle...always tastes better. Vodka and clamato juice for alcohol.

-What is your favorite candy?

Spearmint leaves.

-What is your favorite fast food?

Pizza.

-What is your favorite vacation spot? Dream vacation?

Las Vegas. Dream vacation? Hmm somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

-What is your favorite car? Dream Car?

My fave car that I owned was a 1978 Triumph Spitfire. I'm not sure that I have a dream car...anything that is a convertible.

-What kind of car do you currently have?

A Nissan Sentra

-What are your favorite pets?

I love dogs but we do not have a pet as we live in a no pets apartment.

-What is your favorite adventure?

Every day with Terri, believe me, most days are an adventure and she has a way of being able to make the bad days seem like an adventure.

-What is your favorite quote?

"If I'd observed all the rules, I'd never have got anywhere" Marilyn Monroe

Find Les on the Internet:

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LesMacsBooks

WEBSITE: www.lesmacsbooks.weebly.com

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/lesmacauthorpage

 www.facebook.com/lesandtristanwritetruecrime

 www.facebook.com/thedaythemusicdiedbylesmacdonald

 www.facebook.com/kindlewomenwhokill

After we corresponded for the interview I was lucky enough to get a little note in my email that made me smile!

“I'd like to thank Lauren for taking the time for this interview and for some of the thoughtful questions. Some of them made me stop and think! I had a great time!”-Les

Happy New Year!

I have been missing in action since September it looks. I would like to report that I delivered my son on 10-11. He is healthy, and absolutely perfect. My son is the love of my life. I adore him. When someone says you don’t know love until you have a child it is true. How many people’s butt’s have you wiped lately? Go ahead and tabulate, I’ll wait.  

I hope everyone enjoyed Halloween! I actually was very excited. I spent it at home and was giving out candy bars to the awesome trick-or-treaters.  I had more than any year previously.

            Thanksgiving was a blessing. I was able to spend it with family and friends and having my healthy little boy was icing on the cake. This time of year always makes me count my blessings.

            Christmas was hectic indeed. I was trying to balance applying for the college of my dream, being a mommy, writing, Christmas shopping, cleaning, decorating, and taking care of my pups. Let’s say I was frazzled before Christmas morning. It was great though. Santa came for my son and he slept through the whole thing. I have a sleepy baby. He has been sleeping for about 6 hours a night for a couple of weeks by this point.

            New Years, we spent with my family. Again, I am very blessed to have my family and friends. I am blessed my doctor didn’t give up and I now have my son. He means the world to me. It’s now 2014 and I still suck at blogging on the regular. It is actually my New Year’s resolution along with the standby of losing weight. I have been hard at work being a mommy to my son, and taking care of my house. I recently was featured by The Tacoma News Tribune and emailed my book information to over fifteen thousand people, and my book was actually featured in an ad in the paper. It was pretty cool to see and know so many people could see it too! I think I may do this again eventually.

            In 2014 I am going to try to bring you 2-3 new books at least. I am about eleven-thousand in on two different books, The Deadliest Game, and Demonically Yours (book one of The Demon Wars Series). If I can get them done I may try for a third. My first priority is my son though. He dictates my schedule, but I am very lucky to have the family support that I do.  I hope that this blog finds everyone in good spirits and brings you good news! I won’t be releasing any teasers or the covers until closer to the release date. I want to keep you all guessing.

Keep reading, remember to write reviews, and of course recommend The Deadliest Secret to your friends! 

XOXO,

Lauren

Writers Block And A Few Ways On How To Break Through

 I think every author, student, or writer of any sort has had their fair share of writers block. It is a dreaded thing. Many people have their own ways of dealing with writers block so I took to the streets (twitter and other media sources) and asked what is your favorite way to get rid of writers block? Some of the responses I got were quite entertaining; these are in no particular order.

-Bake something: baking takes you away from the situation, lets you think about something else for a while and gives you a tasty snack for those sessions where you need a little sugar rush.

-Exercise: If you go out and exercise you release endorphins that will make you feel better, it helps get rid of a lot of blocks, plus if you can think while working out it’s even better.

-Write a random scene: If you are working on a book just do something silly that you could take out later, you never know if you will love the silly thing and want to put it in somewhere or just keep it your own private joke. Either way you get laughs.

-Have sex: Do I need to say more? Sex is like working out, relaxing, and well sex all at once and can really help ease your mind so the writing flows easier not to mention it’s fun.

-Play with kids/family/pets: There is no replacement for the fun and laughs you can have while playing or spending time with the ones you love. They really can help relieve stress; stress is a big reason for a mental block so, go have fun.

-Write something else: start a new project and do whatever you feel. Don’t follow anyone’s rules.

-Music: Change your music, turn it up, and spend some time dancing around if you want. Music on it’s own is a great art and can really influence where your book goes. I like to change my music; I have playlists for every type of scene I have written. Yes I have cried on this one too.

-Plot around the scene: skip it for now and come back to it later. You’re not actually skipping it but just so you don’t have to come to a full stop do something else on your novel for a while.

-Talk to some trusted friends: let them know what you’re dealing with, see if they have any ideas on either the story or what they say is good for you to do. Your friends and family know you best.

-Sleep: in your sleep you have dreams or nightmares those could really help push or pull your story out, just be sure to write it down when you get up so you remember it all. My novel started as a nightmare and progressed from there. Sleep also does a lot of what some of the other ideas would do, it takes away stress from you and allows you freedoms but if you dream of your story you can watch it unfold before you like your own little movie.

-RELAX: so long as your deadline isn't tomorrow you're fine, right? Nothing is preventing you from making a cup of tea, taking a hot bubble bath, and enjoying an hour or two just for you. Everyone needs to recharge so don't get down on yourself if you have to put your project to the side in order to secure your sanity. 

No matter which way you choose to try and vanquish your writers’ block you use what is right for you. There are millions of ways to take away the block, just have to try the worst thing you could do is let it prevent you from reaching for your dreams. I wish you all the best of luck on your writing endeavors, and as always I am open for questions and comments. Feel free to contact me. As I say all the time, if I can help you I will try.

Xoxo,

Lauren

P.S. Remember The Deadliest Secret is coming to a bookshelf or kindle near you on September 27! 

Closer and Closer

I keep inching closer and closer to so many deadlines I have set for myself. There is a lot that goes into creating a book besides the writing and the editing. I have learned so much thanks to amazing people such as Michelle Hughes. She has really become a mentor to me; Michelle helped me through a lot including my cover debacles.  I hope you all take the time to check out her books because she is a fantastic writer and deserves every ounce of support she gets and gives in return. She really inspires me to pay it forward as much as possible, there is proof that there are still good people in the world willing to help others. Thank you Michelle from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

That being said I am still in the process of editing. My first round edits are done and my second round edits were put on hold because of health reasons for my editor. I may find another route but I still have a goal of finishing before September 1^st for a release then. I know that is a tight timeline but health always comes first no matter the situation. I know it’s sad that she is sick but I hope she will be finished with it very soon or I will have to adjust and change, aka roll with the punches.

I have been working on other things while my book is in the process of editing. The first chapter of The Deadliest Game is done for now. I may go back and edit later but I do have that on done and ready for a sneak peek possibly. I am also working on the outlines for The Demon Wars series I want to complete. I have also been working on getting proposals done for Barnes and Noble to carry my title, and finding my beta readers so I can have reviews ready by the time I am ready to submit the proposal. As always if you wish to support me after I submit my proposal it would be awesome for you to ask your local Barnes and Noble about my title, it may help sway them into carrying it.

The next thing I want to address is the creation of a marketing plan. I think these are very useful tools. My marketing plan is a basic outline of what I intend to do for my book to increase sales and my audience when it comes out. It is almost twenty points long; I have quite a few ideas. I am very serious about wanting to put out the best product I possibly can and do what I can to make that product better, if you have suggestions please contact me, or ideas (again I am open for the blog book tour when time comes) I am also intending to contact my local newspaper to inform them if and when I am doing a book launch party.

If you are in need of support please feel free to contact me. I have had a huge support system and I believe in paying it forward. I have made many friends through writing and believe in each and every one of them. If you want something bad enough you have to work for it, do your best, and have people around you that have similar goals or have a positive attitude to help keep yours up. I can’t even count how many times I wanted to give up but thanks to my friends and family I kept going. I didn’t give up and now I am about to publish my first book. Please contact me via the website, twitter, or my Facebook pages. I run my own official pages, so when you’re talking to them you’re talking to me, Lauren.

As I have posted before I am pregnant. As of today I am 28 weeks and 1 day along. Third trimester, yes. My ultimate goal is to have my book out and on shelves before my baby comes. That is my gift for myself. I am insistent upon that.  I will have my book complete before my baby comes. I want it done early enough so I can enjoy the last month and do promotional things such as a blog tour (if you are interested in hosting me on a blog interview or tour feel free to contact me), maybe even a book signing or two, I am more than willing to participate as much as I can.

With this blog coming to a close I want to thank you, thank you for reading the blog, thank you for your support, thank you for your understanding, and thank you for your time. I wouldn’t write if it weren’t for each and every person that comes to my blog, likes my Facebook pages, or follows me on Twitter. If you talk to me I will normally talk to you. Humans are social creatures so act like it. If you like my Facebook pages I would love and appreciate it very much if you would share my page with your friends.

I do intend on doing a prize/drawing/giveaway soon so please check back often and I will update you as soon as I have the kinks ironed out. It may involve a free and signed copy of my book, or an Amazon giftcard.

Below are the links to my official pages, please feel free to follow, like, and share all of them!

My twitter: https://twitter.com/TheLaurenPeyton

The Deadliest Secret Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Deadliest-Secret/139254286218691?ref=hl

My Author Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLaurenPeyton?ref=hl

Please follow someone that is amazing Michelle Hughes on twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleHughes_

Please visit me! Don’t let me be lonely (lol).

Great readings, and thank you again,

Lauren