Stacy Mantle

I’m just a few days out from my first “virtual book tour” and I am both excited and nervous. This is an excerpt tour hosted by GoddessFish, which means I’ve just sent off a bunch of excerpts to some great blogs and they will be posting them along with a review of the book. It’s a good way to meet other authors, find some new readers who like your genre, and basically get word out that you’re a writer.

To entice readers to check out the post, I’ve offered chances to win a $15 Amazon Gift Card AND I’m going to be hosting a pet-themed gift basket with some fun products for your dog and/or cat from PetsWeekly.com. Since Shepherd’s Moon is about a woman who can communicate with animals, it’s not too far off the mark of animal themes.

Interested in winning the gift card? Here is what you need to do:Just swing by any or all of these blogs on the dates listed below and leave a comment. It’s that easy.  You’ll be entered to win the gift card and I’ll be gathering up all the commenters names to do the drawing via “Randomizer” (it’s a handy little program that keeps things fair and unbiased) to select the winner of the gift basket. If the winner does not respond to my email within 5 days, I’ll draw another winner. Here is the list:

August 5: Unabridged Andra
August 6: Out of the Lockbox
August 7: Long and Short Reviews
August 8: Books and Other Spells
August 8:  Straight from the Library
August 9: Dalene’s Book Reviews
August 12: Book ‘Em North Carolina
August 13: Danita Minnis
August 14: Reading In Twilight
August 14:  It’s Raining Books 
August 15: Andi’s Book Reviews
August 16: Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews

Now, if you’re interested in EXPANDING your winnings and you have a pet, I am increasing the odds for you. We have three great prizes – filled with amazing gifts for you and your pets. Many of you are asking how I can do this and I’ll tell you – I’m the “Pack Leader” of PetsWeekly and those who read PetsWeekly are very supportive of my novel (Thank the Gods!), so we are able to provide an amazing basket of pet products and a signed copy of Shepherd’s Moon to two lucky winners during this very special tour.

It’s always hard to put your work in front of people – especially when it’s something that’s taken over (nay, “consumed”) the last few years of your life.   But, I”m of the mind that 50% of the people will love it and 50% of the people won’t. It’s okay either way, but I’m not going to lie – I really want people to love it… It makes writing the sequel so much easier if I know that people want to actually read it!

Of course, that’s not why I write. I write because I have no choice.  Because if I don’t write, some tiny part of my brain will implode.

And that’s really what it’s all about it, isn’t it? Doing what you love. Trying to make a living out of it (trying, being the operative word).

I hope you’ll join me on this virtual tour as I finalize book two in the series. If all goes as planned, Blood of the Shepherd will be hitting the bookshelves sometime in mid-October. For those who have been patiently waiting to see what happens with Alexandra and Daniel and Billy and Brock, well I think you’ll be pleased. These characters are really pushing to be further developed and sometimes they just take off and run with the story.  I’m merely the messenger…

Thanks for your support and kind words about Shepherd’s Moon! You motivate me to keep doing what I do and for that, I will always be grateful! Here is the list of ways to increase your odds of winning!