For the Love of Pinterest (A Storyboard Party)

When I heard that author friend Elisabeth Grace Foley was planning a Pinterest Storyboard Party, I was all on board that train - no looking back!

You see, Pinterest has played such a large role in my story brainstorming process. At first, it was more of a way to try to convey visually what I had already created, but now the process has evolved to the point where I'm pinning visual inspiration before and during the writing process. It's a combination research and motivation tool, from pinning helpful articles and reference pictures to beautiful quotes and character look-alikes.

Today's event is sort of a "show-and-tell," as Elisabeth put it. :) Below you'll find glimpses of my projects that are already out there and ones that are to come. (Be sure to click the top/title of the widgets to see all the pins.) I'd absolutely love to hear if a certain board or pin intrigues you!

And if you're a writer with a storyboard(s) of your own, I hope you'll link to it/them in the comments section, so we can hop over to Pinterest and take a peek!

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Amber's Storyboards (in Alphabetical Order)

Bellflower | Short Story

A retelling of Beauty and the Beast in an 1880 mining town

Highlights: Really love these actor picks for Annabelle and Jacob (Robin Wright and Randall Batinkoff). Also, some of the Beauty and the Beast images are so fitting!

Follow Amber Stokes's board Bellflower | Short Story on Pinterest.
Bleeding Heart | Novel

An inspirational Western romance about five bleeding hearts on a profound journey

Highlights: Lots of personal photos mixed into this board for my debut novel. And there are some absolutely perfect (and poignant) quotes that fit the theme of the story. (Bonus: You'll find a personality quiz tucked in there, too!)

Follow Amber Stokes's board Bleeding Heart | Novel on Pinterest.
Fairy Slippers | Short Story

A retelling of Cinderella in an 1888 redwood lumber town

Highlights: Lovely fairy-tale-esque pictures and some cool pins of the fairy slipper orchid.

Follow Amber Stokes's board Fairy Slippers | Short Story on Pinterest.
Forget Me Not | Novel

An inspirational Western romance about remembering the good amid heartbreak

Highlights: Gorgeous scenery shots - and a pic of a young John Cusack as Harry in The Journey of Natty Gann (that's definitely a highlight!).

Follow Amber Stokes's board Forget Me Not | Novel on Pinterest.
How a Star Falls | Novella

A new adult contemporary romance about a girl who claims to be a star (not the Hollywood kind!)

Highlights: Beach, stars, and romance - need I say more? I think the mood of this board really worked its way into the story.

Follow Amber Stokes's board How a Star Falls | Novella on Pinterest.
Morning Glory | WIP

An inspirational Western romance set in Oregon and featuring Myghal from previous books in the series

Highlights: This board feels like a reflection of different points in the brainstorming/writing process. It's a little all-over-the-place, showing the spurts of direction and the aimless wandering through inspiration. Hopefully this will all come together at some point!

Follow Amber Stokes's board Morning Glory | WIP on Pinterest.
When Frozen Days Melt | WIP

A young adult contemporary romance featuring younger sister Chloe (from How a Star Falls)

Highlights: The overall tone of the board - it's just so happy, dontcha think? I like the fashion pics, the yummy ice cream images, and the glimpses of home.

Follow Amber Stokes's board When Frozen Days Melt | WIP on Pinterest.
Where Trains Collide | WIP

A new adult contemporary romance featuring middle sister Trisha (from How a Star Falls)

Highlights: Autumn and trains - two of my favorite things! I want to hug this board. ;) Also, the scene from The Office (for some reason, it makes me happy every time I glance through the board) and the cool GIF pin at the bottom.

Follow Amber Stokes's board Where Trains Collide | WIP on Pinterest.
While You're Awake | Novelette

A contemporary re-imagining of Sleeping Beauty with a barista and a freelance editor

Highlights: Cute German shepherd pics and interesting facts about honey bees.

Follow Amber Stokes's board While You're Awake | Novelette on Pinterest.

Bonus!

I'm deeply inspired by music. To discover some of the musical inspiration behind these stories, check out the "soundtrack" boards:

• Bleeding Heart
• Forget Me Not
• How a Star Falls
• Morning Glory
• Where Trains Collide
• While You're Awake

(Note: The other stories have some music pins mixed in with the other pins on the main boards.)

Conclusion of The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks Blog Tour!

The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks blog tour was a special one for me, because it included so many things I love: cats, mysteries (including murder mystery parties!), and a book I thoroughly enjoyed editing! I hope you had just as much fun following the tour, learning more about this sweet book, its awesome author and heroes, and what readers have to say about it.

Want more? Be sure to check out Buckley & Bogey's website, and don't forget that you can get both books on Kindle for less than $10! (Book 1: The Case of the Cat Show Princess; Book 2: The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks)

Winners!

We have tons of winners from this blog tour, thanks to Cindy Vincent's generosity! We'll start with the winners from the Pinterest contests:

Pin the Cover Contest

Grace Thorson won Lies, Spies and Allies from Mysteries by Vincent!

Pin Your Cute Cat Pic Contest

Michelle Tuller won her choice of Diamonds Are For Eva or Lies, Spies and Allies from Mysteries by Vincent, for having the most votes for her cute cat pic! (That's Max above.)

Sandra Smith won the remaining game from Mysteries by Vincent for entering the contest! (That's Boo, the cat with the glow-in-dark eyes. *wink*)

And now for the big book giveaway winners...

Prize Pack #1 ~ Sandra W.

Prize Pack #2 ~ Melanie B.

Prize Pack #3 ~ Jillian H.

Prize Pack #4 ~ Hannah

Congratulations to all of the winners! Everyone's been e-mailed and has until December 28th to respond and claim their prizes before another winner is picked. Claims are dependent upon the winners having U.S./Canada mailing address, as per the rules of the contests/giveaway.

Acknowledgements

Cindy and I would like to thank the following bloggers for their participation in the tour: 

• Rissi @ Dreaming Under the Same Moon
• Amber @ The Wonderings of One Person
• Paris @ CatTipper
• Diane (and her daughter!) @ That's What I'm Here For
• Kate @ Too Read or Not Too Read
• Kara @ A BookLover's Heart
• Hannah @ The Writer's Window
• Kristin @ Take It From Me
• Miranda @ To Be A Person
• Samantha (and Lauren!) @ West of Newbury Street

The tour wouldn't have gone anywhere without them, and we appreciate their hard work and enthusiasm. Be sure to click the links above if you missed any of their stops - there are some neat reviews and interviews in there! And if you weren't one of the book giveaway winners but still want a chance to win a copy of The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks, don't miss the giveaway at Take It From Me (open for 9 more days)!

I'd also like to thank Cindy for being such a sweet, fun, and generous client! It's been a blast working with her, and I'm sure this won't be the last you all will hear of Buckley & Bogey on this blog!

Cute Cat Pics (Blog Tour Update #1)

The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks blog tour is in full swing! You know what that means, right? It means Uncle Sam (or Aunt Amber?) wants you to send in your cute cat pics!

Want some inspiration? I bring you Muffin Man, the weirdest member of our family...

 Yeah, he doesn't find the teasing very funny, hehe.

He does have a playful side, though! (He was "born to be wild," you know.)

But mostly he likes to relax. Isn't he so talented at finding places to sunbathe?

Taking a cozy catnap... (Cutness. Overload.)

And you thought he couldn't get any more adorable! (Say it with me now, Wreck-It Ralph fans: He's adorable. He's a winner. And everyone loves an adorable winner!)

Surprise! Who wouldn't want a Muffin Man for Christmas? ;) He looks ready to join Buckley & Bogey on The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks, don't ya think?

***

So what do you say? Should we crown Muffin Man the Cutest Cat in the Universe? Or do you have a cat who should claim that title?

Give Muffin Man some competition...and compete for prizes! We've got two murder mystery party games up for grabs in this contest, just in time for you to plan a fabulously fun New Year's Eve party. Check out the official rules below. I'll be awaiting your e-mails! And here's the link to the contest board: Buckley's Cutest Ever Cat Photos in the Universe Contest.

Two Prizes, Two Winners: Diamonds Are For Eva and Lies, Spies and Allies, 8-player murder mystery party games from Mysteries by Vincent!

"Pin Your Cute Cat Pic Contest" Official Rules:

• Select a cute/fun picture of your cat that you're willing to have pinned on Pinterest. (If you don't have a cat, you may send a picture of any craft you've created that includes a cat theme. For example, a cat drawing, a cat quilt, a cat cake, etc.)
• E-mail the photo to the publicist at amberstokes@editingthroughtheseasons.com. Please write "Pin Your Cute Cat Pic Contest" in the subject line, and include your name and the cat's name (if applicable) in your e-mail. In addition, please select a line from The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks to go under your picture as a caption. (If you haven't read the whole book, you can browse the beginning in the sample from Amazon.)
• The photos will be pinned to the "Buckley's Cutest Ever Cat Photos in the Universe" board on Pinterest soon after they have been received.
• The pic with the most "like"s (click of the heart button) will win their choice of the two murder mystery party games listed above. (In the case of a tie, the winner will be chosen randomly using the List Randomizer on Random.org.) A second winner will be randomly drawn from all qualifying entries for the other murder mystery party game. Both winners will be announced at Seasons of Humility on December 21, 2013.
• Please note that you must be a resident of the U.S. or Canada to be eligible for this contest.
• Disclaimer: Refer to Pinterest's Terms of Service and Copyright information if you are unsure whether or not you're willing to share your picture on Pinterest. By submitting your cat pic, you agree that the picture is yours to share, and Editing Through the Seasons and Mysteries by Vincent are not responsible for any copyright violations. 

P.S. Don't forget that you can pick up your copy of The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks now on Amazon! (Paperback is less than $10, and the e-book is only $3.97!)

Launch of The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks Blog Tour!

Meet Buckley Bergdorf, Cat Detective and star of the recently published The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks, the second Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Caper. His latest case? Well, beyond catching those crafty Christmas crooks, his mission in the next two weeks is to search for his cutest cat brethren and discover new friends on his first-ever blog tour! Read on to learn more...

The Background

I "met" author Cindy Vincent when I was working on a publicity project for May the K9 Spy this past summer. (I know right? K9 spies and cat detectives...awesome combo!) Cindy hired me this fall to edit her latest book about cat detectives. It sounded cute - and let me tell you, it definitely satisfied in the adorable department! From the sweet and real Christmas message, to the loving and hilarious antics of a Maine Coon cat named Buckley and all his feline (and human) friends, I fell in love with The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks. So I was more than happy to take on Buckley's story as a publicity project. It's my hope that after you meet Buckley during the tour, hear more about his book, and celebrate the Christmas season with us, you'll fall in love, too.

Check out the schedule for the tour below...and don't miss the fun contests Buckley's hosting via Pinterest!

The Timeline

• Sunday, December 8th: Introduction to the tour at Seasons of Humility ← You are here!
• Monday, December 9th: Spotlight at Dreaming Under the Same Moon
• Tuesday, December 10th: Interview at The Wonderings of One Person
• Wednesday, December 11th: Review & interview at To Be a Person
• Thursday, December 12th: Interview at CatTipper
• Friday, December 13th: Review at That's What I'm Here For
• Saturday, December 14th: Spotlight at Too Read or Not Too Read
• Sunday, December 15th: Contest Update at Seasons of Humility
• Monday, December 16th: Review at A BookLover's Heart
• Tuesday, December 17th: Spotlight at The Writer's Window
• Wednesday, December 18th: Review at Take It From Me
• Thursday, December 19th: Spotlight at Whispers in Purple
• Friday, December 20th: Double Review at West of Newbury Street
• Saturday, December 21st: Conclusion to the tour at Seasons of Humility

If there are any changes to this schedule, they'll be posted on the blog tour page. And while you're checking that page out, be sure to grab a blog button to help us spread the word, and learn more about Buckley, his partner in crime (Bogey), his Mom, and his books!

The Rewards

Every good detective (or reader) should get a reward for a job well done, right? While Buckley & Bogey are big fans of cat treats, Cindy knows you might wish to play for different prizes. So enter one or both of the Pinterest contests for a chance to win one of three murder mystery party games from Mysteries by Vincent!

Contest #1

"Pin the Cover Contest" Official Rules:

• Take the cover image for The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks from the blog tour page or Buckley Bergdorf, Cat Detective's Pinterest page. 
• Pin it to one of your boards on Pinterest.
• E-mail the publicist at amberstokes@editingthroughtheseasons.com saying you've participated. Please write "Pin the Cover Contest" in the subject line, and include your Pinterest user name and the name of the board you pinned the cover to in your e-mail.
• One winner will be randomly drawn from all e-mailed entries and announced at Seasons of Humility on December 21, 2013.
• Please note that you must have a Pinterest account and be a resident of the U.S. or Canada to be eligible for this contest.
• Prize: Lies, Spies and Allies, 8-player murder mystery party game from Mysteries by Vincent!

Contest #2

"Pin Your Cute Cat Pic Contest" Official Rules:

• Select a cute/fun picture of your cat that you're willing to have pinned on Pinterest. (If you don't have a cat, you may send a picture of any craft you've created that includes a cat theme. For example, a cat drawing, a cat quilt, a cat cake, etc.)
• E-mail the photo to the publicist at amberstokes@editingthroughtheseasons.com. Please write "Pin Your Cute Cat Pic Contest" in the subject line, and include your name and the cat's name (if applicable) in your e-mail. In addition, please select a line from The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks to go under your picture as a caption. (If you haven't read the whole book, you can browse the beginning in the sample from Amazon.)
• The photos will be pinned to the "Buckley's Cutest Ever Cat Photos in the Universe" board on Pinterest soon after they have been received.
• The pic with the most "like"s (click of the heart button) will win their choice of the two murder mystery party games listed above. (In the case of a tie, the winner will be chosen randomly using the List Randomizer on Random.org.) A second winner will be randomly drawn from all qualifying entries for the other murder mystery party game. Both winners will be announced at Seasons of Humility on December 21, 2013.
• Please note that you must be a resident of the U.S. or Canada to be eligible for this contest.
• Disclaimer: Refer to Pinterest's Terms of Service and Copyright information if you are unsure whether or not you're willing to share your picture on Pinterest. By submitting your cat pic, you agree that the picture is yours to share, and Editing Through the Seasons and Mysteries by Vincent are not responsible for any copyright violations. 
• Two Prizes, Two Winners: Diamonds Are For Eva and Lies, Spies and Allies, 8-player murder mystery party games from Mysteries by Vincent!

The Clues

Here are some clues to solving the "mystery" of how to make the most of this tour: 1) Check the blog tour page and/or follow me on Twitter for the latest updates; 2) Check out every stop along the tour - there will be chances to win the featured book, along with reviews, interviews, and more; 3) Check out the contests! Basically, we need you to make the tour the most fun it can be... So Holy Catnip! What are you waiting for? ;)

(If you have any questions about the tour or contest, you can e-mail me at amberstokes@editingthroughtheseasons.com. I'd be happy to answer your questions!)

Of A New Addiction, My WIP, and The Blog

Happy Wednesday, everyone! I have a few unrelated announcements and whatnot today...

Bloglovin'

In case you haven't already seen this, you can follow my blog via Bloglovin'! This is just an option as a way to keep tabs on this blog once Google Reader is out, if you'd like. And I'm just posting this link here because I apparently have to do so in order to "claim" my blog on Bloglovin'. So there you go! ;)

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Pinterest

Yes, I did it. I created an account on Pinterest! I was a little hesitant to join the craze at first because of potential copyright issues (not to mention that Twitter, Goodreads, and blogging were enough to keep me busy, LOL!). But I've been trying to give credit where credit is due through links and such, so hopefully I'm doing this right! 

Anyway, my cover designer (the lovely and talented Lena Goldfinch, who's also now on Pinterest!) decided to create a "secret" board for us as an easier method for communicating cover ideas, and let me tell you, it's been fun! But, of course, as soon as I got into that I just had to keep going with other boards...

You can find my main page on Pinterest HERE. And if you're interested, I've created boards for my WIP! There's one for the characters and setting of the book (etc.), and another for the "soundtrack" to accompany the reading experience. Hope you enjoy browsing them!

(Speaking of Bleeding Heart, I just got edits back a couple of days ago!! I'm so blessed by Elizabeth Ludwig's assistance and friendship, and I'm excited to fix and polish BH so it's ready to present to others. My current hope is to have a cover reveal in June and a blog tour at the beginning of August, but we'll see how it goes! Do feel free to e-mail me if you're at all interested in being a part of either of those when the times comes: amberstokes@corban.edu)

Blog Design

Lastly, I noticed my dear blogging friend, Rissi, updated her blog's look:

Doesn't her blog look snazzy? And so cute!

Her update reminded me that it was high time my own blog got dressed up for a new season! It's been wearing its spring clothes since mid-winter, LOL. So I've given it what I hope is a more summery look!

The new background and color scheme speak of sunny days and clouds made for dreaming and floating upon through one's imagination. The main picture above is one from our trip last summer to Sunriver, Oregon - the Big Obsidian Flow near Bend. I like the matching blue sky and clouds (hope they fit pretty well with the background!), but I also like the symbolism in the picture. It speaks of adventure and new territory. There are rocks and shadows that suggest struggles during a journey, but the whole scene is one of hope with the expansive sky and the brightness in the distance. I'm hoping that, if it's the Lord's will, my upcoming journey with self-publishing will be an exciting adventure, with the shadows and rocks along the path only strengthening my trust in Him and the sweetness of His gifts.

Well, that's all for today! Hoping to have some new book reviews to share with you soon! In the meantime, how are you all doing? Any fun new addictions, blog designs, or what-have-you that you'd like to share?