Archive
Giveaway: Enormity by Nick Milligan (INTERNATIONAL)
It’s the final giveaway of 2014 here at Opinions of a Wolf. Woohoo!! I was so happy to be able to offer so many giveaways this year! Thanks to the indie authors and indie publishing houses that made it possible.
There are TWO ebook versions of Enormity
What You’ll Win: One ebook copy of Enormity
How to Enter: Leave a comment on this post stating what your first single would be if you could introduce any Earth song to an alien planet.
Who Can Enter: INTERNATIONAL
Contest Ends: January 7th. One week from today!
Disclaimer: The winners will have their ebook sent to them by the author. The blogger is not responsible for sending the book. Void where prohibited by law.
Giveaway: One Death at a Time by Thomas M. Hewlett (INTERNATIONAL)
This giveaway is now over! Thank you all for entering!
It’s time for the fourth giveaway of 2014 here at Opinions of a Wolf. Lots of the indie authors whose books I accepted for review in 2014 also were interested in me hosting a giveaway at the time of my review, so there will be plenty more coming up in the future too.
There are TWO ebook versions of One Death at a Time
What You’ll Win: One ebook copy of One Death at a Time
How to Enter: Leave a comment on this post stating what profession you think might secretly have a lot of vampires among its ranks.
Who Can Enter: INTERNATIONAL
Contest Ends: July 11th. Two weeks from today!
Disclaimer: The winners will have their ebook sent to them by the author. The blogger is not responsible for sending the book.
Giveaway: The Second Lives of Honest Men by John R. Cameron (INTERNATIONAL)
This giveaway is now over! Thank you all for entering!
It’s time for the third giveaway of 2014 here at Opinions of a Wolf. Lots of the indie authors whose books I accepted for review in 2014 also were interested in me hosting a giveaway at the time of my review, so there will be plenty more coming up in the future too.
There is ONE ebook version of The Second Lives of Honest Men
What You’ll Win: One ebook copy of The Second Lives of Honest Men
How to Enter: Leave a comment on this post stating what historical person you would bring up to the present, if you could.
Who Can Enter: INTERNATIONAL
Contest Ends: May 3rd. Two weeks from today!
Disclaimer: The winner will have their ebook sent to them by the author. The blogger is not responsible for sending the book.
Giveaway: The House of Azareal by Erik Dreistadt (INTERNATIONAL)
This giveaway is now over! Since no one entered, there are no winners.
It’s time for the second giveaway of 2014 here at Opinions of a Wolf. Lots of the indie authors whose books I accepted for review in 2014 also were interested in me hosting a giveaway at the time of my review, so there will be plenty more coming up in the future too.
There is ONE ebook versions of The House of Azareal
What You’ll Win: One ebook copy of The House of Azareal
How to Enter: Leave a comment on this post stating your favorite horror trope.
Who Can Enter: INTERNATIONAL
Contest Ends: March 8th. Two weeks from today!
Disclaimer: The winner will have their ebook sent to them by the author. The blogger is not responsible for sending the book.
600 Follower Freebie Celebration!!
Hello my lovely readers!
To celebrate my blog reaching 600 followers, I’m offering up ebook copies of my novel, Waiting for Daybreak, for FREE for three days! And that’s an unlimited number to everyone who wants one!!
What is normal?
Frieda has never felt normal. She feels every emotion too strongly and lashes out at herself in punishment. But one day when she stays home from work too depressed to get out of bed, a virus breaks out turning her neighbors into flesh-eating, brain-hungry zombies. As her survival instinct kicks in keeping her safe from the zombies, Frieda can’t help but wonder if she now counts as healthy and normal, or is she still abnormal compared to every other human being who is craving brains?
Still not sure if you want this bad-ass free book? Check out the reviews from the blog tour, on Amazon
In order to get your FREE ebook, go to this page, add it to your cart, then put in the coupon code at checkout for 100% off. You may choose a version compatible with any ereader, computer, and many phones. That’s right, read it for free on your kindle, iPhone, Kobo, and more!
I’m so excited to have so many followers, and you all definitely deserve some special access to my work. So are you ready to grab the coupon code and check it out?
Your coupon code is……
LC57W
Again, just go to this site, add the book to your cart, then enter the coupon code at checkout for 100% off!
Feel free to share the coupon code with your friends. It will expire on Sunday. And thank you to one and all for being my followers!
❤
Friday Fun! (Relaxation and Final Week of Blog Tour Updates)
Hello my lovely readers!
I had the best weekend last weekend. It included bicycle rides, farm stands, picnics, and listening to a record player. Super relaxing. 🙂 Which is a good thing because this week was orientation for another school (think of them as like departments) at my university. Busy busy! I found ways to relax though. I of course got in my gym time. I don’t always manage to do spin classes because of how the timing works with my schedule, but I was able to this week. I was really pleased to see that my leg strength has drastically improved. My level ten of difficulty used to be gear twelve. Now it’s gear eighteen. Yay! I also started playing a new videogame this week. I picked up Donkey Kong Country Returns for my wii. It’s super fun! Very old school side-scroller but still integrates the wii motion controllers in well. I do die a lot in it, but I’ve never been a great videogamer. I just enjoy it.
This was the final week of the Waiting For Daybreak
Just a Lil’ Lost posted a review where she states, “McNeil brings a fresh voice with this zombie apocalypse-type story. She has written a character that is refreshing and different from others I have read.”
Obsessions of a Library Gurl (who, full disclosure, is my friend but who was able to use her librarian talents to offer a fair, even-handed review), also posted a review stating, “It was an easy read and one I was able to quickly get into.”
Obsessions of a LibraryGurl also interviewed me. Check that out to hear what I think about zombies as an analogy for rape.
Reflections of a Book Addict posted a review where he states, “In all, it is an awesome read that really gets you in tune with Frieda’s struggle with the undead.”
Reflections of a Book Addict also interviewed me. Check that out to find out more about my own pets. Also, comment on the interview post to be entered in the final giveaway of the tour!
And that’s it! Hard to believe the final week of the tour is over. Many thank you’s to everyone who helped make the last week varied and exciting!
Also, happy weekends to my blog followers. 🙂
Friday Fun! (In Which I Walk Across All of Boston and Blog Tour Updates)
Hello my lovely readers!
Another busy week at work this week (as it will be until the end of September, so be prepared to hear that sentence repeatedly). I finally got my booty outdoors this week, though, and I have the tan-lines to prove it!
On Sunday, I went for a long (accompanied) walk along the Charles River. It was completely gorgeous, but I did manage to get a bit of a burn. According to my dad, I do this every year and always along the Charles. Oops? Maybe next year I’ll finally remember to put on sunblock….
On Tuesday (my work-week Monday), I was meeting up with someone in the North End for gelatto, which I totally did not end up eating, but anyway. I decided that since he couldn’t make it there until 7 at the earliest and I had a couple of hours to kill, I would walk it. Bad. Idea.
My work is on the south side of Boston, so I basically walked across the entire city. In flat pretty sandals. And now I have the shin splints to prove it. Again, oops? You may have noticed that I don’t always manage to think my plans all the way through. On the plus side, I got to see the Public Gardens and got a sandwich from the Clover food truck in Boston Common. On the minus side, my shins were too sore for zumba on Wednesday.
I know, I know. #firstworldproblems
Anyway, after all that walking, instead of gelatto I had a glass of sangria, because that is obviously infinitely better. 😀
Also, the best street for gelatto in the North End is Hanover Street, not Salem Street. Just fyi.
Anyway, so that was my super-exciting week! Now on to the weekly Waiting For Daybreak
It was a much busier week this week, which was of course exciting!
Wickedly Bookish interviewed me. Check that out to find out my self-publishing advice!
Wickedly Bookish also hosted a giveaway that is still open. If you have yet to win a copy, definitely consider entering.
Ellie Hall posted a review (that is also cross-posted to 1889 Labs) where she says, “The story flies by and it is thoroughly engrossing, with periods of action and adrenaline nicely balanced by periods of memory and self-reflection. The sense of danger and suspense is well developed, and the narrator’s doubts and fears are easily understood.”
The Book Hoard‘s review says, “If anyone had told me that I’d enjoy a zombie apocalypse a year ago, I’d have told them they were nuts. However, I have come to enjoy a few zombie apocalypse stories like Waiting For Daybreak.”
The Book Hoard is also hosting a giveaway that is still open. That’s two! Two chances to win a copy! Ah-ha-ha.
Last but not least, Persephone’s Winged Reviews posted a review stating, “At the end of the day, it’s much more about Frieda trying to find out what normal means in a world gone wrong instead of a zombie book. I believe that it is a fresh take on zombies in the fiction genre.”
Thanks once again to every single participating book blogger! I truly appreciate you giving me (and my writing) time and space on your blogs.
To all my loyal blog readers, happy weekends! *waves*
Friday Fun! (Six Books/Six Months Meme and Blog Tour Updates)
Hello my lovely readers!
This week I saw a new meme over on Jessica’s blog, The Bookworm Chronicles, and I immediately knew I’d want to participate. And what better place than in Friday Fun, eh? The Book Jotter created it after realizing we’re actually halfway through the year already (already!), so the theme is answers to the questions/categories in sixes.
Six New Authors to Me:
- S. A. Archer
- Kat Falls
- Steve Vernon
- David Anthony Durham
- Brandon Shire
- Susan Mallery
Six Authors I Have Read Before
- Brian K. Vaughan
- Robert Kirkman
- Joseph Robert Lewis
- Anne Rice
- Margaret Atwood
- Ann Brashares
Six Authors I Am Looking Forward To Reading More Of:
- Tera W. Hunter
- Joann Sfar
- Richelle Mead
- M. J. Rose
- Isaac Marion
- Roger Thurow
Six Books I Have Enjoyed the Most:
- To ‘Joy My Freedom: Southern Black Women’s Lives and Labors after the Civil War
by Tera W. Hunter (review)
- Dark Life
by Kat Falls (review)
- Warm Bodies
by Isaac Marion (review)
- Acacia
by David Anthony Durham (review)
- Vegan Vittles
by Jo Stepaniak (review)
- The Last Hunger Season: A Year in an African Farm Community on the Brink of Change
by Roger Thurow (review)
Six Books I Was Disappointed With:
- The Wolf Gift
by Anne Rice (review)
- Living Cuisine: The Art and Spirit of Raw Foods
by Renee Loux Underkoffler (review)
- Nano House: Innovations for Small Dwellings
by Phyllis Richardson (review)
- The Child Who
by Simon Lelic (review)
- To a Mountain in Tibet
by Colin Thubron (review)
- Robopocalypse
by Daniel H. Wilson (review)
Six Series of Books Read or Started:
- Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan
- Touched by S. A. Archer
- Dark Life by Kat Falls
- The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman
- Georgina Kincaid by Richelle Mead
- The Reincarnationist by M. J. Rose
Phew! That was actually pretty tough to assemble. Super fun though! It’s always interesting to see your reading over a period of time summed up in different types of lists.
Now, it’s time for the Waiting For Daybreak
Earth’s Book Nook hosted a guest post in which I talk about why I made “What is normal?” the theme of the novel and tour. She is also hosting a giveaway!
The Chronicles of an Enamored Soul posted her review, and she said, “The reason it gets FIVE STARS, is because I simply loved how well-realized, and well-developed author McNeil’s characters were, ESPECIALLY Frieda. Amanda writes about mental illness with sensitivity, and yet never fails to make it interesting.”
Tabula Rasa‘s review said, “The book is, on the one hand packed with thrill and action, and on the other, has a very emotional and thought-provoking side. What I really appreciated was how none of it is overdone; I specially liked the subtlety of the relationship between Mike and Frieda.”
Tabula Rasa also hosted an interview! Be sure to check that out to find out everything from whether plot or characters come first in my writing to what my next project is.
Nicki J Markus also interviewed me. Check that out to find out what my favorite zombie book and zombie movie are.
Last but not least, Nicki J Markus is also hosting a giveaway. Two chances to win this week!
Thanks once again to all the participating blogs!
Finally, happy weekends to all my lovely readers! What did you think of the meme? Any surprises or thoughts?
Friday Fun! (Teaching, Fitness, Blog Tour)
Hello my lovely readers!
I hope you all had great weeks. Mine has been incredibly busy but in a fun way. The teaching sessions at work have been increasing since medical schools and medicine in general run on a calendar that starts in June (except for the first year students who start in August). I was warned things would get busier, but I must admit it still has been a bit of a shock for me! But I’m a person who enjoys being busy, so I’m loving it.
In fitness news, I had plateaued for a few months. I took a few tips from other fitness folks to increase intensity across the board. Well, this week I decided to check my measurements (I don’t weigh myself), and in the last 1.5 months I’ve lost half an inch (1.27 centimeters) on my waist! Also an inch (2.54 centimeters) on my chest and hips, but the waist is the important factor! You’re supposed 33 inches or under around the waist (for women) for cardiovascular health, and with the heart disease that is strongly prevalent in my family, that is one of the things I keep tabs on for my fitness. (source) I’m so happy to be half an inch closer! I now only have two inches to go. 🙂 Also this means that the changes I made in my fitness routines are working, so yay!
In other exciting news, today is the first day of the official Waiting For Daybreak
The Chronicles of an Enamored Soul is running an international giveaway that ends July 17th, so you have plenty of time to enter!
Kelsey’s Cluttered Bookshelf says, “This book is recommended for Zombie fans, there are some sexual scenes and violence, but it’s not over the top which is good. This was a great first debut book for the author.” Be sure to click through to see her whole review.
Waiting For Daybreak
Nicki J Markus says, “The pacing of this piece is well managed and the tension was maintained perfectly from start to finish.”
And Reflections appreciated Frieda, “Even though Frieda has a personality disorder and periods of extreme depression, the character was still somehow easy to relate to.”
Finally, in addition to a review best summed-up with the great phrase, “Wonderful book!” Love, Literature, Art, and Reason also interviewed me! Be sure to check out the interview to find out everything from how I deal with writer’s block to why I decided to give Frieda Borderline Personality Disorder.
Phew! No wonder I’ve been feeling so busy…..Evidence-Based Medicine, fitness, and book tours. Oh my!
Happy weekends all!
Announcement: New Cover For Ecstatic Evil (And Coupon For Free Copies To Celebrate!)
Hello my lovely readers!
One thing I believe as an indie author: it’s important to pay attention to constructive criticism. If you hear something over and over about a book from various sources, then it’s probably a valid critique. Now, most things I won’t go back and change on an old book; I’ll just apply them to future books. Two exceptions to that rule are: formatting and cover.
Well, Ecstatic Evil got fairly good reviews, but almost everyone commented on how much they didn’t like the cover. Also, since I discovered Smashwords and their clearer formatting guidelines, I redid the interior formatting. (It is so much prettier now on the kindle! One thing you can say for Smashwords: they are a bit more helpful to authors when it comes to formatting than kdp. But I digress).
In any case, I decided that A) I want to call attention to the fixed formatting issues (none of the story itself was changed) and B) I wanted to show readers and reviewers that I listen and C) I want my books to all have a certain vibe to them for branding purposes, even if they aren’t a part of the same series. So. I made an entire new cover!
This is the old cover:
And THIS is the new one:
😀
I think this reflects the series better. The scale shows the choice between demon and fairy that Tova is faced with, the moon reflects how much of the story takes place at night (and involves shifters), and the silhouette style goes nicely with Waiting For Daybreak.
To celebrate I am offering up unlimited FREE copies of Ecstatic Evil from now until the end of June!!!!! The ebook versions available are: Kindle, epub, pdf, Sony Reader, RTF, plain text, palm doc, html, and javascript. Simply go to Ecstatic Evil’s Smashwords page, put it in your cart, and enter the 100% off coupon code at check-out:
HB93D –100% off coupon code
I really do help you will join me in celebrating how much I’ve learned in the year since Ecstatic Evil first came out and that you like the new cover as much as I do!!
This work by Amanda Nevius is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Opinions of a Wolf 