Writing Tool: Word Count Dashboard

Posted May 5, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Threats of Sky and Sea, Writing / 2 Comments

I am in looooove with a new app, thanks to Christa Seeley of More Than Just Magic and Inaccurate Realities. Called Word Count Dashboard, it brands itself as “part word count tracker and part vision board,” and it’s TOTALLY helping me in my goal for word counts on book 2. I mocked up my favorite book two inspiration photo (“Enchantress” by Gaudi Buendia on DeviantArt) as a cover, set my goal, and I was off! With Word Count Dashboard, you log your writing sessions and can even make notes on them if you need to be reminded of what a particular session brought out! For writing sessions with enough words, you earn bronze, silver, or gold stars, which are definitely highly motivating! (Yes, you do spy a tentative title for book 2 there. ^_~ ) If you need a change of […]

Inaccurate Realities Issue #3: Magic Release Day!

Posted May 2, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Books, Threats of Sky and Sea / 0 Comments

*showers confetti and sparkles about merrily* Happy release day to the ladies of Inaccurate Realities and their beautiful third issue, MAGIC! I’m so excited to read the other works in this issue and for you all to read this Threats of Sky and Sea prequel story featuring a certain favorite prince of mine in “Defining Justice!” You can add it on Goodreads and buy Inaccurate Realities Issue #3: Magic now! Amazon | From IR | Smashwords Witches and wizards, magic spells and potions. Incantations, ceremonies and rituals. The stories in this collection explore that which cannot be explained – the mysterious, the bizarre and the magical. Featuring: “Cupid’s Magic” by MK McFadden “The Black Forest” by Kasidy Manisco “The Killing Jar” by Jan Eldredge “Grieftaker” by T. Eric Bakutis “The Paper Doll” by Nancy O’Toole and “Defining Justice: A prequel to Threats […]

Threats of Sky and Sea book trailer reveal and bonus content!

Posted April 21, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Books, Threats of Sky and Sea, Video / 1 Comment

I’m so pleased to be able to share the book trailer for Threats of Sky and Sea with you all today! Threats of Sky and Sea trailer from Jennifer Ellision on Vimeo. Add Threats of Sky and Sea on Goodreads I created the trailer myself using stock video clips from free stock video websites and iMovie because I didn’t have a budget for a book trailer, to be honest! But I wanted one anyway, and I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out. The passage in the trailer is one of my favorites too. I’ve also created a few Threats of Sky and Sea graphics. Use them as you see fit! Other things! Inaccurate Realities, a YA literary magazine, announced that they’ll be publishing an exclusive Threats of Sky and Sea prequel in their “Magic” issue, out April 29th. […]

Game of Thrones writing

Posted April 17, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Writing / 0 Comments

I am way late to the party on Game of Thrones. If you didn’t already know that about me, I’m going to go ahead and assume you’re surprised because my friends used to say to me: “But Jen, I would have thought Game of Thrones would be totally YOUR THING!” To which I would reply: “Me too. But… meh.” For whatever reason, I couldn’t force myself to get interested or invested, despite reading the first book. Despite watching the first season. But, I was determined to give it another shot and now… now, I’m invested. I’m not reading the books, which is strange for me. I think George R.R. Martin tells a great story, but his writing style isn’t a good mesh for my reading preferences. Doesn’t mean I don’t think that he and the television show adapted from his […]

Write-a-thon day

Posted April 12, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Writing / 2 Comments

It’s been far too long since I write-a-thonned, but progress MUST be made on Book #2 of the Threats of Sky and Sea series. My goal is simply for 3,000 words. I’ve found that 5,000 is a bit unrealistic for me. I’ve done it before, but by the time I reach word 5,000 I feel more frustrated than accomplished. But Aleta and Bree need their story told, so ON I GO! I’m joined today by Lindsey Allyson, Angel of Mermaid Vision Books, Christa of More Than Just Magic, and Candice of The Grown-up YA. I love write-a-thons with friends because they’re so helpful to keep me accountable and make sure that I get my shit done! Plus, we all get to cheer for each other’s accomplishments! 10:46 AM: The draft currently stands at 6,144 words, and I’ve just switched into a […]

ICYMI: The first chapter of Threats of Sky and Sea

Posted April 9, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Threats of Sky and Sea / 0 Comments

You may have missed it the other day, but I shared the first chapter of Threats of Sky and Sea over on Wattpad last Friday. Figured I’d also toss it up on le blog for those of you that would prefer to read it here. —————————————— Chapter One I am already frozen when the scream reaches me. The air bites my ears and numbs my hands. Seeking warmth, I burrow into the coat I’m wearing. The forest is still around me, the dead wood asleep. The distant river plays a lullaby. I thought I was alone. It’s a gray morning, but Da sent me out for firewood and I’d intended to gather enough for the hearth to burn through dinnertime at the tavern. My axe kept me company, the steady thud of its beat against the tree a part of […]

Cover Reveal: One, Two, Three

Posted April 8, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Books / 3 Comments

I first met Elodie Nowodazkij through a Young Adult writing class on LitReactor. Since then, we’ve kept in touch via Twitter and let me tell you, she is such a sweetheart! It’s been such a privilege to have someone else going through the self-publishing process, and it’s been a further privilege to have that person be Elodie. Needless to say, I could not have been more thrilled when she made the decision to self-publish her debut novel One, Two, Three and I am so excited to be a part of her cover reveal today! When seventeen-year-old Natalya’s dreams of being a ballerina are killed in a car accident along with her father, she must choose: shut down—like her mother—or open up to love. Last year, Natalya was attending the School of Performing Arts in New York City. Last year, she was […]

Book Push: We Won’t Feel A Thing

Posted April 3, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Books / 1 Comment

From Goodreads: Seventeen-year-old best friends Rachel and Riley are in forbidden love. Their situation’s. . .complicated. And their timing couldn’t be worse—in just one month, he leaves for California and she starts college in New York. The absolute last thing they need is a reckless secret-love confession mucking up their perfect plans. There’s only one logical option: scientific intervention. Desperate for a quick fix, they sign up for WAVES, an experimental self-help program led by mysterious scientist David A. Kerning. He swears his Forbidden Love Module can turn passion back to safe platonic friendship in “six easy steps.” But when you arm yourself with an untested program, side effects are unpredictable. And sometimes when you fight love—love fights back. This is not a review. (But you can totally expect one on The Bevy Bibliotheque SOON.)This is a simple BOOK PUSH […]

March Wrap-up

Posted March 31, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Lists, Wrap-ups / 0 Comments

Another month has come and gone! Here’s what I did! File under: ‘Threats of Sky and Sea progress:’ Received and made final copy edits from my editor Completed an accompanying ToSaS short story for Inaccurate Realities Sign-ups opened for my blog tour Created the book trailer Received my final cover design Revealed said cover on IceyBooks, as well as a giveaway! File under: ‘IRL:’ Went to Tampa and St. Petersburg (Florida, not Russia) to visit a couple of sorority sisters and see the play “Disenchanted” Attended the wedding of a sorority sister and a brother in the fraternity I was “sweetheart” of (um, the fraternity. Not the brother, lol) Unplugged for a weekend Ran (*cough* walked) in my second 5K, the “Run or Dye” run File under ‘Blog Posts:’ On Speaking Jenerally (aka here): Threats of Sky and Sea Teaser #2! […]

My Writing Process “blog tour”

Posted March 31, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Writing / 4 Comments

Hello friends! Today, the lovely Elodie Nowodazkij, author of One, Two, Three, invited me to participate in the “My Writing Process Blog Tour.” A little about Elodie: The short story: Young adult author, Elodie Nowodazkij writes the stories swirling in her head during her commuting time. ONE TWO THREE, about a ballerina struggling to move on after a car crash, is her first novel. Website | Books | Twitter *cracks knuckles* Now, to the questions! What am I working on? Well, I’ve just wrapped up a short story that accompanies Threats of Sky and Sea and will be in the upcoming issue of Inaccurate Realities (Issue #3: Magic). Shout-out to this YA speculative fiction literary magazine real quick because it’s fantastic. I’m also tinkering with edits on another ToSaS short story for release in September, titled Sisters of Wind and Flame. […]