Guest Post and Giveaway with Amy Lutchen

Thanks to Amy Lutchen, author of Renhala, for joining us today for a guest post.  

Check out below her post for more information about Renhala.

I thought it would be fun if I pulled together an A-Z post of words that suddenly have new meaning to me after publishing my first book, Renhala. So below, you will find that very list and I hope that you enjoy and feel compelled to comment with your own book-related words or thoughts on those I’ve already mentioned. 

APPRECIATION for beautiful BLOGGERS and all the tediously-crafted reviews and posts they do on a daily basis. The amount of work that goes into both writing their posts and handling the routine maintenance on a website is very daunting and I give them a big armful of kudos. They deserve it! *claps loudly for all to hear*

COVER. This is the first thing a reader sees and is just as important as a human being’s face! This is what forms a first impression, and no matter how many times we tell ourselves: “It’s what’s inside that counts,” we all know first impressions are first impressions.

DRAMA. Unfortunately, there exists some ugly drama between bloggers, as well as between authors and bloggers, that some of us have witnessed. Can’t we all just get along? No? Well then I’ll continue with my voyeurism…

EDITING. This is SOOO very important. After all, your bound to find those who are INSTANTLY turned off by you’re bad grammar. Did I offend?

FANS. OMG, author fans are the very bestest! Whenever I discover a new GOODREADS fan, or someone on Facebook or Twitter that chats about how they are a new fan of Amy Joy Lutchen’s writings, I nearly explode from gratitude. 

HERMIT. Yes, I have these instances where suddenly I want to hide from the world by boxing myself up in a cave, with only Earl Grey tea lattes and chocolate Cadbury mini eggs while I tip-tap away at my keyboard. Don’t bother me with your needs. I’M WRITING.

INSOMNIA. I never, ever, suffered from this malady until I started writing my first book. How can I sleep when my brain is running on overdrive, creating subplots and new twists and new characters and closing loose ends, all the while I’m locked in a closet with Channing Tatum. Oh, wait, does that mean I was sleeping? That didn’t REALLY happen?

JOURNALS. Holy crap, all I’m going to say is: You know those little mini journal/notepads you find at various book stores? I own a boatload of those. I’m never more than two feet away from one. What else can I do when I’m examining a nice, juicy ribeye at the grocery store and I suddenly come up with a new KILLING scene? I gotta pull one of those suckers out and write it down!

LURV. Ok, now this word makes me giggle. Can’t help it. All those cute YA bloggers out there and their continual use of this word, as well as “feels” (as in OMG, all the ‘feels’ after reading that book). Adorbs! 

MARKETING. I HATE THIS WORD.

NUMEROUS. This word I’m using as in: the frickin’ NUMEROUS versions of my book you can find in NUMEROUS places. I’ve got my mobi. I’ve got my epub. I’ve got my PDF—all in versions with and without covers. They are in my C drive, my backup drive, my NUMEROUS flash drives. I just can’t keep them straight. Someday I’ll organize. Someday.

ORIGINALITY. YOU MUST HAVE SOME OF THIS IF YOU PLAN ON GOING ANYWHERE.

PUS. Yeah, disgusting word, right? I added this to my list because after using it in my book, Renhala, I realized how much it grossed me out. Then, I realized that “grossed out” is an emotion, and creating emotion for a reader is one of a writer’s top priorities. In reading reviews, and chatting with some readers, it was brought to my attention that the majority of them hate a particular character in my book. I have to admit that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the fact that I’ve created a character that pulls a profound emotion from deep within these readers. Goal achieved.

QUERY. The importance of writing a good query letter, whether it be to a book blogger or a publisher, is as important as writing your manuscript. Make it relevant, and do your research! Don’t insult. 

RUT. This is a writer’s worst nightmare: knowing you have to supply the goods soon, or the crowds may lose interest. Ruts is a nasty four letter word.

SWAG. This is the holy grail of bookstuffs. When I think of book swag, I picture all those women fighting over Cabbage Patch dolls.

TENNIS ELBOW. The many hours I’ve logged at my laptop and desktop have given me the worst case of tennis elbow imaginable. I think when my doctor suggested a steroid shot in that very area I must have scared him ‘cause he backed away very slowly, eventually hiding behind a nurse.

UNDER THE RADAR. I know I’m cheating because this is three words, but I’m going with it anyway. When I work up a writing frenzy, needed actions tend to fall under the radar; things like eating to stay nourished, remembering to pick my kids up from school, and even bathing are all susceptible. You may want to keep your distance.

V becomes this <3….Yes, THIS COUNTS! 

WIRES. In the long hours spent at my desktop, I finally realized how many wires are really underneath my desk. Come see and you may discover a 3rd world country, or new animal species.

X MARKS THE SPOT. This, sitting here, typing stories, articles, and guest posts is exactly where I want to be. 

YOUR, YOU’RE. I felt I needed to REALLY emphasize this, AGAIN.

ZOMBIE. This is me when I combine E, H, I, M, and T.
Hope you enjoyed!

Kailey Rooke, timid accountant, dedicated to philanthropic work, finds herself spiraling into a deep depression after she suffers a horrifyingly odd and humiliating assault, to only discover more of these freakish assaults occurring across the globe.

A chance discovery leads Kailey to a meeting with elderly Gunthreon, actual master of persuasion. Gunthreon, who seems to know too much of Kailey's history for her liking, opens Kailey's eyes to a coexisting realm she never knew existed: Renhala, while entrusting her with the knowledge of her newfound power as karmelean, serving as a beacon to the Higher Ones. Kailey slowly starts revealing new talents, and Gunthreon is fascinated with what she starts achieving.

She soon discovers that Renhala is in danger, and this danger has been leaking into her own realm. As she uncovers secrets within herself, and attempts to toughen up, she fuses with an unlikely band of fellow travelers (including a dragon, woodsprite, six-hundred-pound greble, her faithful female canine companion, and a "giver"), falls into an unexpected love triangle, deals with her sexy and flirtatious best friend’s “issues,” and finds the courage to master a new deadly weapon.

On her mission to save Renhala, Kailey will find herself running from life-threatening disasters, such as greble Tartarin, who likes to remind Kailey that when he catches her, he plans on eating her brains with ice cream; she'll run from the deadly meeples: small cute bunnies with talons and an undeniable thirst for imposing self-destruction on others. Kailey will also run into the possibility that a centuries-old Renhalan rumor is true, that advanced technology existing in Kailey's realm shortens all life spans.

As blood is shed and puzzles near completion, Kailey pulls from deep within herself, conjuring up mystical qualities that enable her to astonish as once predicted at her birth, but despite the newfound strength, Kailey will discover that monsters not only come in ugly packages, but can be easily disguised as those she has come to love and trust.


Visit Amy Lutchen's website at www.amyjoylutchen.com.




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