Scrappy Sunday? A few days early

Okay, I know I've been terrible about blogging, and really, I haven't had much time for the creative life lately. But, I did manage to do a few scrapbook pages while house sitting last week. Here is one I did for the contest over at one of my favorite sites, Pagemaps.com. I love using their sketches. Here is the one for this contest.

And here is my take on it. I used mostly the same product line for everything, ATD. There are a few exceptions, of course. Love, elsie did the embossed pine green paper, which I love. And the film canisters are from a photo-realistic pack I had. I didn't have many supplies, so I actually have to add a few extras, some brads and ribbon at least. But here's what I could do while not at home. I don't like exposed journaling, so it's tucked away in the envelope to the left of the campfire pic. I wrote on the three tags peeking out.

Scrappy Sunday (pagemaps challenge)

Okay, I'm a bit obsessed with Pagemaps lately. They have a newly resigned blog, too! There's a new challenge up that goes until September 2, so of course I had to do it. I'm a little behind on my pictures (probably a few years), but I'm scrapping my Florida trip right now. Here is the page I made for their newest challenge!

I used American Traditional Designs scrapbook bundle for this one, as well as a few of their stickers and embellishment kits. I have a lot of their travel stuff, and it all coordinates. Paper, border strip, tags, stickers, tabs, ribbon, etc, are all from their line. I also used SEI spray ink for the background, a brad from my stash, and Stampabilities ink.

I had a lot of pictures I wanted to use, so I made another page to go with it, also using one of the sketches at Pagemaps (August sketches). This page goes on the left side, the other on the right.

Scrappy Sunday!

Yay! It's time for more scrapbook pages. I'm posting another page I made from one of the sketches from Page Maps. They have a monthly challenge, which you can find over on their blog.

Thanks to their wonderful site for all the inspiration!

I also entered this page in the Hot Summer Days Layout Challenge over at Outlaw Women's Scrapbooking Emporium.

Supplies used in this project:
Cardstock, patterned paper, tags, accents, tabs: American Traditional Designs kit
flower brads: Colorbok
Stickers (sand dollars): Miss Elizabeth's
stamps: Stampabilities (journaling), 7 gypies (round)
other: staples, adhesive, pen


I really like that I was able to use a bunch of stuff that's been unused in my stash forever! I hardly ever use page kits, but I've had this one for a long time, and I was happy to finally have some pictures to use it for. I have to admit, it took a lot of work out of finding products to coordinate, which usually takes up most of my time on a project.

Blogger Awards

Hey fellow readers!

As many of you know, I spend an inordinate amount of time on Goodreads. My blog is now up for an Independent Book Bloggers award. If you have a Goodreads account, please take a moment to click on the 'VOTE' button on the right side of my blog. There are lots of wonderful blogs up for awards, so make sure to check them out if you  have time. Thanks so much for your support and for reading my blog!

Have a great day.

Read an Ebook Week--Final Day!

It's the final day of Read an e-Book Week!

If you haven't entered to win a free copy of The Vigilantes, this is the last day to do it!

You can earn entries by sharing my books and pages all over the web.

Leave a comment letting me know what you did this week to celebrate. Did you read an ebook? If so, which one? Did you go to smashwords.com to find free books? What did you get?

If you're a writer, did you participate? Did you give stuff away? Join the smashwords promo? Read an ebook yourself?

If you helped me or another author out this week, let me know what you did. Any other ideas to help make indie books more visible? Share that too!

I look forward to hearing from readers, writers, and followers about what you did this week.

Look for the winner of the ARC copy of The Vigilantes coming soon...I still have to tally up entries!

Hope everyone had a great, successful week of e-reading.

Read an Ebook Week (Day 6)

It's almost over! Congrats to the five winner so far!

If you want to win a free ARC hardcopy of The Vigilantes, make sure you check out all my "Read an Ebook Week" posts to see how you can get extra entries! And don't forget to leave links to what you've done so I can give you credit. To enter to win an ebook copy of The Vigilantes, keep reading.

Today is Friday...Follow Friday! Make sure you've followed my blog, Twitter, and liked my Facebook pages (writer and book).

Here's what you can also do: enlist your friends to follow my blog (+3 entries each) and leave a comment telling me you sent them.

Get your friends to like my FB pages and leave a comment telling me you sent them.

Tweet a #FF post with my name in it: @lenahillbrand....every time you post a #FF tweet with my name, +1 entry. Every time you get someone to retweet it, +1 entry. Every time you get one of your followers to follow me, +2 entries (have them let me know who sent them, of course!) Also, share this post on Twitter, the same retweet rule applies!

Additional ways to enter on this next-to-last day of the contest:

Like, share, or add me as a favorite author on Amazon (+3). If you like The Superiors and The Vigilantes, make sure you let me know on amazon (+2 for each).

Pin one of my books on Pinterest (+3).

Add me as a favorite author on Barnes&Noble. FB like The Vigilantes and The Superiors on Barnes&Noble.


The Superiors is free for 2 more days on Smashwords! Pick it up while you can! Add me as a favorite author on Smashwords. FB like The Vigilantes and The Superiors on Smashwords. Share my books on all the social media sites on the right-hand side of the page a few inches below the FB like button.

If you have a Goodreads account: Follow the link to The Superiors and The Vigilantes. Scroll down to the bottom of the righthand column and you'll see where you can share via FB, Twitter, Pinterest and Google. Do that stuff!
Add me as a favorite author.

(For +10 bonus points, take The Superiors quiz if you've already read the book...you don't even have to get the questions right! Post a comment on the quiz letting me know your score).

As always, bonus entries for sharing this post all over the place! Share buttons below!

Guest Author/Book Release: Nancy Lauzon

Book Launch Party! In honor of Read an Ebook Week, I have a special guest today. Make sure you check out her contest to try to win a copy of her book as well as mine! Today, you can enter to win a copy of The Vigilantes as well. Just share this post on all your sites and leave links below in the comments section (Twitter, FB, Blog, and Google+1 this post).

A Few Dead Men - a Chick Dick Mystery

March 1 - 8

http://chickdickmysteries.com

Drop by anytime during this week to join in the fun! Play games, nosh on virtual goodies (a.k.a. recipes) and win prizes!

Leave a comment on Nancy Lauzon's blog to win a FREE copy of A Few Dead Men.

If you like what you read, post a review on Goodreads, Amazon or the website of your choice anytime to win another FREE copy of any Chick Dick Mystery!

Blurb: A Few Dead Men - a Chick Dick Mystery

Life has dealt part-time mystery novelist Darcy MacDonald a lousy hand. The men she knows are either missing, dead, drunk or demented.

Lying next to the corpse of her boyfriend, the head of Bloodhound Investigations, definitely qualifies as lousy since he’s the man who also issues her paychecks.

The doctor says her boss had a massive heart attack during an orgasm, and it wasn’t Darcy’s fault. But she can’t help feeling guilty, since his orgasms were her responsibility. Or so she believed, until his grieving widow shows up, along with a mysterious, punk rocker chick who weeps inconsolably at the funeral and claims he was murdered.

Nancy Lauzon's Blog Tour Stop #5: Where Do You Find Live Men?

My latest mystery novel, A Few Dead Men, was inspired by my youngest daughter's disastrous dating history. The 'dead men' in the novel are composites of every boyfriend and/or bad date my daughter ever had. Believe me, I had lots of material to choose from. In fact, I didn't have room for all the 'dead men', since I didn't want to go over my word count.

This book raises several questions: Who exactly are dead men, metaphorically speaking? How did they become dead? Are there more dead men than live men? And where do you find live men?

But the book is also about a young woman compelled to solve the mysteries around her, like her favourite amateur sleuth, Nancy Drew. She doesn't go about it in exactly the same way.

Previous stops on the Blog Tour: How Does a Dead Man Become Dead? at http://limebirduk.wordpress.com/ and Are There More Dead Men than Live Men? at http://stacysjensen.blogspot.com/

I'm not sure there are any single Live Men left in the city where I live, or its surrounding areas. Maybe they're hiding.

My daughter has joined various dating sites over the years, with no luck, only some first dates from hell. She's been hooked up through friends and acquaintances, no luck. She spent 5 years in university, no luck. She's worked at various jobs (in a law office, in retail) no luck.

Yes, my daughter's unlucky in love. I already know that. But you'd think by now she'd have come across a few single Live Men along the way and been asked out on one date.

I know what you're thinking. She's got a face only a mother could love, she's got no personality, she's got no ambition, she's got no heart.

All not true.

It is true that she doesn't go out enough. She's a full-time professional, and she's busy. She doesn't like the bar scene, so she doesn't go clubbing. Most clubs are filled with Dead Men, anyway. So she recently joined a mixed Dodge Ball league. They meet every Thursday evening. I have my fingers crossed.

I've also heard it said that you shouldn't go looking for love. It'll find you when you least expect it. But if she stays in every evening, it's not exactly going to knock on her door, is it?

Does anyone out there in the blogosphere know where all the single Live Men are?


Next stops on my Blog Tour:

Saturday, March 10th - http://www.nancydrewsleuth.com
Calling All Sleuths! I'll be blogging at the 2012 Nancy Drew Web Con. What is a Web Con you may be wondering? It's simply a convention on the web! The subject of my blog will be Nancy Drew with a Twist of Lemon.

Tuesday, March 13th - http://theunpredictablemuse.blogspot.com/

I'm over at Ellis Vidler's Unpredictable Muse. Ellis is the author of the brand new novel Cold Comfort, released in December. I'll be doing a Character Interview, featuring Darcy MacDonald, the heroine of A Few Dead Men.

A Few Dead Men - a Chick Dick Mystery is available now at Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/129059

Coming soon to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Chapters/Indigo/Kobo

Author Bio

Nancy Lauzon worked nine years on a hospital ward as a cardiac nurse before the night shifts turned her into a zombie. She got a day job in health promotion and began to write health-related articles for magazines and newsletters.

Life threw out a few curve balls, and to relieve the stress, she began to write fiction part-time. Five years later she sold two different manuscripts to two separate small-press publishers, using a pseudonym. She left nursing in 2003 and began to write full-time.

Nancy lives in Ottawa, Canada.

Visit her website http://chickdickmysteries.com/

Join the Chick Dick Mystery Group on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/groups/127590990661672?ap=1

Follow her on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/#!/@chickdicks

Friend her on Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4840931.Nancy_Lauzon

Read an Ebook Week Day 3 and 4 Giveaway

Have you picked an ebook to read yet?

If you're looking for free books, check out Smashwords.com and find some free books on promotion this week for free or cheap!

If you want to win a free e-copy of The Vigilantes, I'm giving away one every day. If you haven't won yet, try again. I'm also giving away an ARC hardcopy at the end of this week to the person with most entries for the whole week, so keep trying!

If you haven't entered the contest yet, find tons of ways to get extra entries in yesterday's post.

Here are some new ways today: get somoeone to follow my blog (have them leave a comment with your name on this post so I know who sent them) +5 entries.

Go follow me or get someone to follow me on twitter (again, have them send me a tweet with your twitter name) +1.

Like or get someone to like my FB writer page or book page, and get +2 for every like (have them leave a comment so I know who sent them).

Get someone to pin one of my books on Pinterest (+5 each).

Tomorrow I will post a poetry blog as usual. Share it via FB, blog, twitter, Google+1 for additional entries (as always, post a comment letting me know you did those things so I can add your entries to my random drawing).

Read an Ebook Week (#Giveaway) Day 2

Want to win a free copy of The Vigilantes?

Well, you can. I'm giving away one every day this week. Congrats to yesterday's winner!

You can find the first book in the series for free on Smashwords this week: The Superiors.

ALSO, at the end of the week I will be picking the person with the most entries for the whole week (not random selection like the daily winners) to receive a paperback copy of The Vigilantes. So keep coming back and helping me promote this great event to get people reading Ebooks and independent authors!

Today, to win a copy of The Vigilantes, I've added extra chances to win. Here's how:

Like yesterday, share this post via Twitter, FB, Blog, Google+1. One entry per post, +5 for blogging this. Please leave links in the comments section to your posts. Also, if you ask people to retweet, I will check your twitter post and give you an additional two entries for every person who retweets your post or reposts your FB link!

Additional chances to win if you do these things: Add me as a favorite author on Smashwords (under my picture, it will have a list of people who added me as a favorite author. Below that, there's a link that says "add author as favorite." Also, there's a button on the top left that says the same thing. Click on either one to add me (+2 entries).

While you're on my page, click on, The Vigilantes (or follow these links). On the lefthand side of the book page, there are tons of ways to share that book: Twitter, FB like, Stumbledupon, Reddit, Digg, or bookmark on Delicious. If you have one of these, it's a +1 each time. Tomorrow do the same for my other book, The Superiors. And download it for free while you're there!

Happy ereading!

Read an Ebook Week! (#Giveaway)

Hello fellow readers and writers,

In case you didn't know, this week is "Read an Ebook Week." What does that mean?
It means you should read an e-book!

It also means many other exciting things like:
I'm giving away a free ebook of The Vigilantes every day for the rest of the week!

I'll post with new details throughout the week, so check back often and try to win the free copy for that day.

Here's how you can win: Throughout the week, I will post about Read an Ebook Week. When you see those posts, check out what's going on for chances to win. I will add new ways to get extra entries as the week goes on.

Sunday: Go to the bottom of this post and share it on Twitter (+1 entry), Facebook (+1), Google Plus-One (+1), and your blog (+5), or Pin one of my books on Pinterest (+3). Also, if you link my blog to yours (add it to your list of websites) that's +10 entries. Make sure you leave a comment letting me know what you did, with links to your posts & blog. I will message you on Twitter if you win, or you can leave your email address in the comments if you don't have Twitter.

If you don't win a copy, you can still get The Vigilantes for half price on Smashwords.com for the promotion they're having this week. They are having a huge promotion! Tons of books are 25% off, 50% off, 75% off, or FREE. Make sure to go check it out. If you don't have an account, it's free to sign up, and you can download ebooks in any format so they work on whatever digital reader you have.

ANNNNNDDDD...remember how I said a bunch of books are FREE this week? Well....The Superiors is one of them. So, if you win The Vigilantes and you haven't read the first book in the series, you can get it free on Smashwords all week. And if you get The Superiors free and want a great deal on the second book, it's half off.

Check out the site and see what books you can score all week long. Yay for ebooks!

On a personal note, I will finally be finishing an ebook or two that I've been meaning to read for a long time. Look for an ebook review at the end of the week.

Coffin Hop giveaway winner!

Hey guys!

Thanks for checking out my coffin hop blogs. The winner of my contest is Jennifer S. I will be emailing you shortly. Congratulations!

And thanks to everyone who entered. I will follow your blogs back if you've followed mine. Happy November. I hope everyone had a spooky, eventful Halloween! Mine was!

Show Me Your Teeth Blog Hop!

Hi guys,
I'm honored to be part of this awesome vampire-themed blog hop in honor of Rachelle Mead, author of the Vampire Academy series. As my giveaway, I'm offering a free ebook copy of my own vampire novel, The Superiors. The contest starts at midnight, August 15 CST and ends at 11:59pm on August 23. Check out the other blogs, too, there are tons of awesome giveaways of all kinds of vampire loot.

To win my giveaway, do the following:
Follow my blog (1 entry)
Follow my twitter @lenahillbrand (1 entry)
Like my FB page http://www.facebook.com/LenaHillbrand (1 entry)
Retweet, repost this on your blog, or link it on FB. (1 entry each).

Please post a comment letting me know which of these things you've done, and please include links so I can verify! Thanks and good luck!

August Summer Blog Hop

Over 50 GIVEAWAYS+ 7 AWESOME Author's+ Challenging CONTESTS+ The Title of BEST BOOK at STAKE= THE BEST SUMMER EVER!

Hey guys! I will be participating in this awesome event over on SeeitORreadit. I hope you will join me for lots of free & fun stuff! Here's the schedule, as posted on Jaskirat's blog!

There has been a lot of BUZZ around SeeitORreadit about:

August's Blowout Summer Blog Hop



But what is that? And why is it such a big deal?


The August Blow out Summer Blog Hop is when we are going to be voting for the BEST BOOK. Our nominees are:












Now here is how the event works. These books will be competing against each other. The book that wins the most rounds wins the title of BEST BOOK! So you guys need to vote for your book so it wins.


Along the way there will be lot's of contests, guest posts, and giveaways! So stay tuned all month long.


Here is the schedule for the whole month.Check back here for weekly and daily updates because SeeitORreadit is where the voting is taking place!




Week 1: (Aug 1st-7th)
Mon-Thurs

-we will keep it REALLY easy because it's the very first week of the event and we'll still be gathering voters so we will give the reps time to gather voters.


FROM MONDAY- THURSDAY ENTER OUR FIRST GIVEAWAY!
- Create a review for one of the nominated books and post it on as many sites as you can (goodreads, B&N,etc) and enter to win (come back to SeeitORreadit on Monday to learn how to submit your review):
- One of 2 copies of Shadow Cat
- Moonspell
-one of 2 copies of Blood Will Tell


Fri
-TEASER GIVEAWAY!
-post teaser in the comments of ANY book to get a chance to win (come back to SeeitORreadit on Monday and Friday to learn more):
- one of 3 copies of Slumber
- one of 4 copies of Drip Drop


Sat
DROP BY TO SEE IF YOU WON ANY GIVEAWAYS!



VOTING DAY(7th);

ROUND 1:
THE ANGEL'S ARE HERE vs CROSSROAD


ROUND 2:
DOORWAY OF THE TRIQUETRA vs MOONSPELL


ROUND 3:
THE SUPERIORS vs IMMORTAL EMBRACE

-all day
-unlimited votes
- VOTING TAKES PLACE ONLY ON SEEITORREADIT


- IF YOU VOTE YOU ARE ENTERED TO WIN:
- one of 2 copies of Slumber
-To Tame a Wild Hawk

WEEK 2 (aug 8th- 14th)
Mon
Author's talk about release dates (to learn more drop by at SeeitORreadit on Monday)

-Giveaway WHICH BOOK CAN YOU NOT WAIT TO READ?
(to enter readers include title of bk, reason why (about a sentence or two), name, and email in comments to be entered in draw to win)
-Drip Drop
- one of 3 copies of Paradox's The Angel's are Here
To Tame a Wild Hawk-
-(to learn more drop by at SeeitORreadit on Monday)

Tues
- guest post
- post comment on vote entered to win
- one of 3 copies of Blood Will Tell
- (to learn more drop by at SeeitORreadit on Tuesday)

weds-fri
-trivia about competing books
- if get at least 3 questions right entered in draw to win
- Crossroads
-one of 2 copies of Paradox's The Angel's are Here
- one of 2 copies of the Superiors
-one of 2 copies of River Cast


Sat
DROP BY TO SEE IF YOU WON ANY GIVEAWAYS!


VOTING DAY:(14th)


ROUND 4:
CROSSROADS vs MOONSPELL


ROUND 5:
DOORWAY OF THE TRIQUETRA vs IMMORTAL EMBRACE


ROUND 6:
THE SUPERIORS vs MOONSPELL


ROUND 7:
IMMORTAL EMBRACE vs THE ANGEL'S ARE HERE


-all day
-unlimited votes
- VOTING TAKES PLACE ONLY ON SEEITORREADIT


- IF YOU VOTE YOU ARE ENTERED TO WIN:
-Moonspell
-one of 2 copies of River Cast


Week 3 aug 15-21
mon
-massive giveaway
- fill out form to win
-one of 3 copies of Blood Solstice
- Crossroads
-Paradox's The Angel's are Here
Dark Warrior-
- River Cast
- one of 3 copies of the Superiors
- GET POINTS FOR FOLLOWING AUTHOR'S AND BLOGGERS (tune in to SeeitORreadit on Monday to learn more)

tues-thurs
- CONTEST: readers send us 2-3 pgraphs of a story you are writing (choose their fav scene to enter)(tune in to SeeitORreadit on Monday and Tuesday to learn more)
- winner wins:
- Blood Solstice
- Immortal Embrace
- one of 2 copies of I loved you First
-Dark Warrior

sat
DROP BY TO SEE IF YOU WON ANY GIVEAWAYS!


VOTING DAY:(21st)
THE ANGEL'S ARE HERE vs MOONSPELL
THE ANGEL'S ARE HERE vs THE SUPERIORS
DOORWAY OF THE TRIQUETRA vs THE SUPERIORS
CROSSROADS vs DOORWAY OF THE TRIQUETRA

-all day
-unlimited votes
- VOTING TAKES PLACE ONLY ON SEEITORREADIT


- IF YOU VOTE YOU ARE ENTERED TO WIN:
Moonspell
Doorway of the Triquetra

Week 4 AUG 22-28

mon
-blogger spotlight
- provide advice for new YA bloggers (tune in to SeeitORreadit on Monday to learn more)
- entered to win


tues-thurs
- trivia about authors themselves if get at least 3 questions right entered in draw (tune in to SeeitORreadit on Monday to learn more) to win
-Immortal Embrace
-one of 3 copies of Shadow Cat
-Moonspell
Doorway of the Triquetra


weds
- GUEST POST (tune in to SeeitORreadit on weds to learn more)

sat
DROP BY TO SEE IF YOU WON ANY GIVEAWAYS!

VOTING DAY (last before finals): (28th)

THE ANGEL'S ARE HERE vs DOORWAY OF THE TRIQUETRA
CROSSROADS vs IMMORTAL EMBRACE
CROSSROADS vs THE SUPERIORS
MOONSPELL vs IMMORTAL EMBRACE


-all day
-unlimited votes
- VOTING TAKES PLACE ONLY ON SEEITORREADIT


- IF YOU VOTE YOU ARE ENTERED TO WIN:
-Crossroads
-one of 3 copies of I loved you First
-Moonspell

FINAL VOTE (30TH);
-all day
-unlimited votes
- VOTING TAKES PLACE ONLY ON SEEITORREADIT


- IF YOU VOTE YOU ARE ENTERED TO WIN:
- Paradox's The Angel's are Here

- Blood Solstice
Doorway of the Triquetra

Blog Tour Giveaway: Free Ebooks!

Hey guys and gals,

As part of my blog tour, I'm doing an interview and giveaway today only on Dale Ibitz's blog!

All you have to do to win a free e-book of The Superiors is go to her blog, read my interview, and come back here. Please follow me and her if you haven't already--it's not necessary but we'll send happy reading vibes your way if you do!

Please leave a comment here so I know you've read her blog post. Answer this question in your comment: Name one of the three books/series I read in middle school. Also leave your email address or message me with it so I can send you your free copy of The Superiors.

That's it for today! Thanks!

Answering your questions (Promo Friday!)

Hey loyal followers and fellow readers!

Today is my day to promote myself (yay!) Yes, it makes me sound like a hooker, I know.

Anyway, this is short and sweet. There are 3 discussions of my book on Amazon right now, PLEASE participate if you have a second. You do NOT have to have read the book to participate. You might find something interesting, or it might answer a question you already have.

If you'd like to ask the author anything (that's me), I have a thread where I answer questions, just click HERE. You can ask anything.

Here's a thread started by someone who read the book, so it contains spoilers, but if you've read or are reading the book you can answer his questions or make comments or ask questions.

And here's just someone who I think liked the idea.

All you ever-inquisitive minds, check out one of the threads and just say hi or ask a question. I'd really appreciate it!

Okay, no more promoting myself! Thanks to anyone who comments or questions! You guys rock.

Lena

Contest Results!

Hi all!

My contest for an advanced hardcopy of The Superiors is closing. LittlePinkStars won by a landslide! Please email or message me with your address and I will send you the ARC. I just got them in yesterday.

I've gained many new followers this week, and I've tried to follow everyone back. If I didnt follow you, please comment on this post and I'll follow your blog if you have one. I hope you enjoy my blog and check back now and then. Thanks for following me and I hope you enjoy my blogs!

Lena

FREE advanced hardcopy of The Superiors (CONTEST)

Okay, well, here's the deal. I got 2 advanced copies of The Superiors, and I only need one for review. So I'm having my first ever blog contest!

You can win a paperback copy of my book before anyone else gets their hands on it. Lucky you! :P

So how do you win? I'm glad you asked. I'm trying to get more blog followers. So whoever gets the most people to follow my blog wins. So tell your friends to click on the link to this post and leave YOUR name in the comments (that's how I know who got them to follow). They also have to follow my blog, not just comment. And yes, I'll check!

So...if Sunny Susan tells Joe Blow to follow my blog, he should click 'follow' and write 'Sunny Susan' in the comments below. That's it. You dont have to like my book, pay for it, review it, or tell anyone about it (although of course you're free to do all those things and I'll love you extra if you do).