In Which I Talk About Food

I have a post up on the other blog about food, one of the best things in the world. 

Check it out! :) 

https://ashleymnixon.wordpress.com/2014/12/15/i-like-food/

FLINTLOCK COVER REVEAL!

FLINTLOCK is the second book in my Cutlass Trilogy & the cover is to die for! 

Take a look:

Isn't it beautiful?! 

Blurb: Barren Reed hopes to protect the Orient from his tyrant uncle, but his plans to make the King’s life a living hell aren’t supported by the Elders of the pirate community. As it stands, Barren has earned the Elders’ disdain for his carelessness, and they threaten him into exile if he makes one more mistake.

Barren’s not the only one feeling the Elders’ wrath—they don’t trust Larkin either. Worse, Barren can’t comprehend Larkin’s wish to have a relationship with her father, and the secrets she’s forced to keep create a tension that may pull them apart forever.

When the Pirates of Silver Crest begin to die, bullets laced with dark magic are to blame. With more and more of these weapons infiltrating the Underground, discovering who’s behind the dissemination is no easy feat. As fear and tension mount among the people of the Orient, Barren and his crew find themselves in a race against time to stop the spread of dark magic before the world of Mariana spirals into collapse.

FLINTLOCK releases April 15, 2015 

Cutlass is currently on sale for .99 if you wanna go grab yourself a copy! 

AMAZON

Tell me what you think! :) 

Ashley 

NEW CUTLASS COVER REVEAL!

Hi everyone! I've stopped in to reveal the NEW CUTLASS COVER!!

You can go HERE to see a video about why I decided to change the cover. Basically, it just didn't end up representing my book like I wanted to. 

This new one does PERFECTLY!

Thanks to Steph at Steph's Cover Design for such an awesome experience! 

Without any further rambling, here is the new cover! 

AHAHAHAHA!!!

And of course the full!!

And there you have it! I just can't stop staring. 0___0 

I'm hard at work on FLINTLOCK, the second book in the Cutlass Trilogy. The cover for FLINTLOCK will be revealed on December 10th!

LOVE, 

Ashley 

The Positive Writer: Bad Reviews

I tried to prepare myself for bad reviews, but no matter how much I prepared, the first one still crushed me. 

Worse, I found the review at about ten at night and couldn't sleep until four in the morning because I cried so much. 

It was painful to read. It was hurtful to see something so critical about something I'd worked so hard on. I'd decided to publish my book on my birthday, April 23, which I do not regret at all. But leading up to my birthday, the day of my birthday, and after, most all I could think about were those bad reviews. 

It's taken me a bit to get to where I am now. 

Where am I now?

Well, I decided that those bad reviews absolutely do not define me or my work. They define another person. All their reviews mean are that my book really isn't their thing. And that's okay. 

No, really, it's okay. 

You know why? Because for one of those bad reviews, there's an equally awesome good review. And those are the people I write for, and those are the people who respect my work. Those are the people who add value. 

First and foremost though, I had to realize the value of my own work. Realize that those bad review do not define me. 

That was hard. It still is hard. 

All I'm saying is, you're awesome. Your book is awesome because YOU wrote it. Don't let what other say change how you feel about your work or yourself!

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

What I'm Reading

Hi everyone!

Geez, it is has been a crazy Summer. But, I've been reading! And I wanted to give you an update and some thoughts on the books I did read. I'm not big on writing huge reviews...but a few sentences will help get my point across.

What I've read: 

THE EXILE QUEEN, CINDA WILLIAMS CHIMA

VAMPIRE ACADEMY & FROST BITE, RICHELLE MEAD
CINDER, MARISSA MEYER

THOUGHTS: 

THE EXILE QUEEN: This is the second book in the Seven Realms Series. This was a great book. At the end of it, I was sort of like "wait...what  happened in this book?" ONLY because it took me so long to read it because I was in school. I love Han and Raisa. I can't wait to see how this series ends because I honestly don't know how Williams will move past the barriers in this world.

VAMPIRE ACADEMY & FROST BITE: I enjoyed these. Rose was hard to like at first for me only because I'm not like her as a person and I couldn't relate to her. However, I COULD relate to the love she has for her best friend and I admired that so much. I liked how gradual I felt Rose and Dimitri's relationship seemed to develop.  In FROST BITE, I will just say that the ending brought tears to my eyes, so any book that does that is good.

CINDER: I literally read this in like....three hours. I could not but it down. It was such a sweet story, and had all the elements of Cinderalla, only as a CYBORG! It was just really cool, and I can't wait to read Scarlet!

What I'm reading next: 

SHADOW KISS, RICHELLE MEAD
SCARLET MARISSA MEYER

I know, I'm a little behind on both of these, but I'm enjoying them a lot! I'll get back to the Seven Realms Series, but I felt I needed some quick reads. These are perfect!

Have you read any of these? What did you think?

Importance of Space!

Hello everyone!! :)

I have been settling into my new routine with my job and all that, and trying to settle down and really get to work on book 2. I realized that my space wasn't really working for me. I'm really big on space, and if it doesn't feel right, I can't work in it. So I made some changes and this is the result:

We found the lantern at the art walk here in norman for $25, all it needed was a new cord! I bought my bookshelf to place all my books on so they weren't stacked on the floor (I already need another one, but that's okay, gives me an excuse to by more books). And I turned my desk around so it wasn't facing the corner. You can't tell, but the curtains are a dark purple, which is my favorite color. I'm going to move the lights up to the crease of the ceiling and wall, and add my diplomas and other things around the room at some point, but I already love the space and feel that it is more inviting and creative!

Another awesome thing: my book is on the shelf at my local Hastings! It was the coolest experience to go into the bookstore and see my book!

I'm working on getting it into other bookstores, too. Doesn't CUTLASS look great on that shelf?! And in such a good spot, too!

What is your writing space like? What's your favorite thing in it? 

Book Update!

I've been busy which is no surprise. Mostly, it's just me being busy fitting into a new normal. While I do that, I decided I should share some new books I got, the books I am finishing up, and those I plan to read! Hopefully this can be a weekly thing.

Anyways, I was at Hasting the other day and picked up these:

They are SABRIEL, ABHORSEN, and LIRAEL by Garth Nix. Here is a link to a website associated with the books...cause the actual Garth Nix website is being worked on. LOL. Anyways. These look interesting and sounded interesting and I think I will enjoy them.

I am currently finishing up this book:

This is THE EXILED QUEEN by Cinda Williams Chima. Have you read her books? Have you visited her website? She's awesome. I love her. Go visit her we site. 

You know who I also love? Han.

If you haven't picked up these books, the first one is THE DEMON KING, I suggested you do! It has taken me a long time to read them, only cause I get scared to finish books I love. HAHA.

The next books on my list to read are:

Well duh. I bet you knew this was coming. And make a note that these should be flip-flopped cause THE GRAY WOLF THRONE is book three and THE CRIMSON CROWN is fourth. 

I'm excited and frightened to finish this series but I MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPENS. 0__0

Anyways. Tell me what you are reading, please! I LOVE book recommendations! 

Transitions

Hi guys! I know, I've been off the grid. I promise I am working my way back to the blogsphere. I sure do miss the awesome support here.

I have been getting a job!

I think my "official" title is Lead Report Editor for a private investigation company. Doesn't that sound fancy and mysterious? I really like my job! I get to write all day, basically. It's not necessarily what I'd be writing at my desk at home, but I think it's going to sharpen both my editing skills and my ability to take critiques.

I think I'm most excited about the culture. Everyone is the office is so positive and happy. I feel like that's what we all need in our life. People to lift us up, make us feel important. Make us feel valued--all of us writers know what its like to not feel valued, which is why the blogsphere is such a great place to be!

I've also been working on some promotional things for my book Cutlass like:

The Cutlass Street Team! We are NINETEEN members strong! I am so pleased! Everyone involved is such a supporter of Cutlass and I just love hanging with them in the FB group. If anyone would like to join, please do! We love members!

I'm also working hard on my second book! I've had to get through my TRANSITIONS. There have been so many! First it was publishing my book, then graduating, then moving, and going to London, and then finding a job. But I'm about settled and things are awesome!

Thanks for visiting everyone!

<3

Oh yeah...and what do you think of the new blog layout!?!?! Aladdin helped me. :)

London/Normandy 2014: I'm Back!

I'm back from my adventure to London and Normandy. Let me just post tons of pictures then I'll talk some:

Trafalgar Square 

Crystal Skull at the British Museum

Xerxes at the British Museum

Fish and Chips! Yum!

Preparing for the Queens Birthday!

Clocks stopped at the time WW2 ended in the War Rooms

War Rooms (Churchill and his parliament lived here during the Blitz)

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Chartwell (where Churchill lived)

Chartwell Gardens

Me at Chartwell (one of my favorite places)

Big Ben!

London Bridge

Tower of London

Meat Eater

Tower of London

Bangers and Mash

The Globe Theater

The Globe Theater

Swans at Windsor!

Windsor castle!

Roast and veggies

Buckingham

Thames/London at night

Willow beside Thames River

The River Thames

Oxford

The building in the background is where Tolkien studied.

Churchill's grave

Ferry!

The English Channel

Normandy

Omaha Beach

Shell holes at Pointe Du Hoc

Shell holes at Pointe Du Hoc

Most moving and meaningful thing I've seen in person:
The American Cemetery and Memorial for American WW2 soldiers. 

Armand and I in front of London Bridge

A little about the trip: We visited SEVERAL places, but the tour did focus on World War II sites. It was absolutely amazing. Some places we could not take pictures of--an example would be parliament. However, inside parliament, there is a door that has damage from a bombing during World War II. Churchill had the door left as is, and the damage is clearly seen. To put the war in perspective, our guide told us that every new building--every glass building or "ugly" (as he put it) building was erected because something was destroyed during the blitz. During the blitz the dome of St. Paul's became a beacon of hope. Here it is at night:

We visited Oxford and got to see where Tolkien studied and taught, as well as C.S. Lewis. C.S. Lewis also has his name in Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey along with Jane Austin (they are not buried there, however). I did not get a chance to see Tolkien's grave which is about 30 minutes away from Oxford on foot. I will go back and see it, however. 

The most meaningful part of the tour for me was seeing the beaches of Normandy the sight of the D-Day invasion. I stood on shores where blood was shed. I walked among the graves of American soldiers. There was a quiet I cannot explain there. The only way you will understand what I'm talking about is to visit Normandy and Omaha beach. We walked upon Pointe du Hoc which is riddled with giant shell holes. They are now covered in the greenest grass. I googled Omaha Beach to look at pictures of the D-Day invasion...the comparison is the most chilling thing I've ever witnessed. 

This was an amazing trip and I want to go back badly. There are things I didn't get to see long enough. Like Chartwell, Winston Churchill's home. The gardens were beautiful and I never got to visit his studio. Did you know Churchill was a painter?! I didn't.  I wanted to visit more of the Tower of London. While I got to see the Crown Jewels (talk about sparkly), I didn't get to see inside the dungeons. There is definitely a creepiness about the Tower of London. Probably because so many people were beheaded there--including Henry the VIII's wives. I also want to see more of Oxford and Tolkien's grave. Not to mention there were still things in Normandy I wanted to visit, and I could have sat on Omaha beach in the quiet for hours, but alas, we ran out of time. 

I hope you enjoyed this little bit of my journey I could take you on! I'll see you all next week!

Love, 

Ashley