At The Crossroads - Blues Bones II

I Have News! Many have been asking about Blues Bones Book II. Well, It’s on its way! Leap Books is looking at a release date of July 22, 2019. At The Crossroads – Blues Bones Book II starts the day after book one ends. Rodney is going to his first practice session with a real band. Rodney knows how to play guitar, but can he learn to play a special song in time for their first gig – a girl’s fourteenth birthday party? In book one, a midnight visit to a graveyard with a dead guitar player’s finger bone may have cured Rodney’s stage fright. He never thought he would need another spell. What harm could a midnight visit to a crossroads do? Find out in At the Crossroads – Blues Bones Book II.

Updating my Website. Finally.

It's a work in progress, but I'm getting there.

Check it out!

RickStarkey.com

Merry Christmas!

First Chapters

Want to see how New York Times bestselling authors start a bestseller?

Did you know that The New York Times has a list of first chapters from books they review in The New York Times Book Review or that appear on the New York Times bestseller lists? Well, they do and here is the link just for you!

What a great way to study if you want to see how the greats start a book.

Did you find something that helps you? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

 Click here for the list!

The Day I Died

The Day I Died

We learn about Chloe and her love for Nick in chapter one at her eighteenth birthday party. Her whole day is perfect—then she dies.

When Chloe realizes what happened, she sees how much Nick loves her. She sees everything happening after the accident. After she died. She sees it all, but why? Why doesn’t she move on to the afterlife? Because her accidental death was, well, and accident. She wasn’t the one who was supposed to die. Chloe gets to relive the day of her death until she solves the mystery. Or does she? Time is running out for her to figure it out. Chloe knows who must die, but she is determined not to let it happen. Somehow, she must cheat death.

At first I was worried that The Day I Died would be too much like Before I Fall, I wondered how different it could be so I kept reading. Kelly makes it easy to do. With a new twist each time I figured what would happen next, I couldn’t stop.

If you liked Before I Fall and If I Stay, you will enjoy this.

Click here to order!

 

Join the Fun at Book Market of Sevierville - Oct. 27th.

OCT. 27, 2018 Book Market of Sevierville

October 27, 2018. I’ll be at a multi-author event at Book Market of Sevierville! Come out and check out the fun form 11:00am till 3:00.
I will post more information as soon as I receive it.
https://www.facebook.com/BMSevierville/
Book Market of Sevierville
1645 Parkway, Ste. 670
Sevierville, TN 37862
865-428-4981

Young readers still have time for a summer read!

Young readers you know still have time for a summer read. Check out Fairy Chase by Debbie Dadey!

 

Click here to get your copy!

I always enjoy reading the stories of Debbie Dadey. Fairy Chase is book 18 in her Mermaid Tales series. In Fairy Chase, Echo is so excited when her Aunt tells her about the Hairy Fairy that she wants to see the fairy for herself. She also wants to catch the Hairy Fairy in the act of tangling her hair while she sleeps. According to legend, Echo will be rewarded with treasure if she can catch the fairy. The Hairy Fairy is too tricky to be caught, so Echo and her friends decide to go on a fairy chase near Whale Mountain. What Echo catches is a surprise to everyone. Even us readers.

Each book in the Mermaid Tales series features a cast of friends who discover cool facts about plants and animals found in and around our oceans. It’s cool because I get to discover cool things about the ocean along with them.

Click here to get your copy! https://goo.gl/VzTNAi

Rejection or Blessing?

Rejection or Blessing?

Imagine you have been waiting for over six months to hear about a short story submission you sent to a children’s magazine. The market listing states they reply within four to six weeks. As the months pass, your hopes rise thinking your story has passed the first reader and has made it to the top editor. 

One day you check your email.

“RE: Your Story.”

Excitement builds as you open the mail and read.

Dear Author,

We appreciate the opportunity to…. Rejected. Rejection. Rejection….

Oh well. It’s not your first, nor will it be your last, unless you stop writing.

It’s not my first or last either. I was bummed out for a couple of days. I knew it would take time to find another magazine to submit to, and because of other projects I have going, (a novel and a chapter book series idea), I thought about shelving it for a while. Then it hit me. The characters and premise could be a chapter book series.

If the story had been accepted, I would not have the chance to bring these characters to life in their own series! Now it’s time to brainstorm, outline, plot, and give new life to my story.

This latest rejection was a blessing.

How do you handle rejection?

Time

 I do take time to look at nature.

 

Time. Who has enough? Work, family, friends, pets, meals, medical appointments, relaxing, writing, reading, and sleep. Where does time go?

I find that when I am pressed for writing time, I don’t always update my blog, my Facebook page, my Twitter posts, and my website. That’s okay. At least that’s what I tell myself.

I just wanted to take time to say hi and to let you know I’m still around. I am waiting to hear news from three submissions I have out, and I’m working on a new novel.

Where does your time go?  

Newstalk 98.7 WOKI FM Radio Interview! Rose Glen Fest.

http://www.newstalk987.com
 https://www.facebook.com/PhilShow987
 https://www.facebook.com/NewsTalk987
Audio clips use with permission.

Had a blast on The Phil Show at News Talk 98.7 WOKI FM!

Had fun talking about the Rose Glen Literary Festival with Phil Williams and Carroll McMahan. The event takes place each year in Sevierville, TN. It's free and has something for just about everyone who likes books, reading, and writing.

See my other post for more information about the festival!

Click Here is a link to the festival program!