COVER REVEAL: CATCH ME WHEN I FALL

It’s cover reveal day for Vicki Leigh’s CATCH ME WHEN I FALL! Lots of awesome stuff going on, including a giveaway! But first, here's a special message from Vicki:

And here's what CATCH ME WHEN I FALL is all about:

Recruited at his death to be a Protector of the Night, seventeen-year-old Daniel Graham has spent two-hundred years fighting Nightmares and guarding humans from the clawed, red-eyed creatures that feed off people’s fears. Each night, he risks his eternal life, having given up his chance at an afterlife when he chose to become a Protector. That doesn’t stop a burnt-out Daniel from risking daring maneuvers during each battle. He’s become one of the best, but he wants nothing more than to stop.

Then he’s given an assignment to watch over sixteen-year-old Kayla Bartlett, a clinically depressed patient in a psychiatric ward. Nightmares love a human with a tortured past. Yet, when they take a deep interest in her, appearing in unprecedented numbers, the job becomes more dangerous than any Daniel’s ever experienced. He fights ruthlessly to keep the Nightmares from overwhelming his team and Kayla. Soon, Daniel finds himself watching over Kayla during the day, drawn to why she’s different, and what it is about her that attracts the Nightmares. And him.

A vicious attack on Kayla forces Daniel to break the first Law and reveal his identity. Driven by his growing feelings for her, he whisks her away to Rome where others like him can keep her safe. Under their roof, the Protectors discover what Kayla is and why someone who can manipulate Nightmares has her in his sights. But before they can make a move, the Protectors are betrayed and Kayla is kidnapped. Daniel will stop at nothing to save her. Even if it means giving up his immortality.

CATCH ME WHEN I FALL will be available on October 23, 2014 in both paperback and e-book formats from Curiosity Quills Press. For more information, visit the book’s Goodreads page.

Now, there can’t be a cover reveal without a giveaway, right? Lots of authors stopped by and donated some fantastic books to help Vicki celebrate. You don’t want to miss out on these! Here’s what you can win:

• An e-copy of CATCH ME WHEN I FALL by Vicki Leigh
• A submission package critique (query+synopsis+first chap) from Vicki Leigh
• An e-copy of HEIRS OF WAR by Mara Valderran
• Two query+first chapter critiques from YA author Emily Stanford
• A full manuscript critique from YA author Emily Stanford
• An e-copy of WITHOUT BLOODSHED by Matthew Graybosch
• A paperback of DESTRUCTION by Sharon Bayliss
• An e-copy of KIYA: HOPE OF THE PHARAOH by Katie Teller
• One query+first chapter critique from YA author Katie Teller
• An e-copy of DARKNESS WATCHING by Emma Adams
• A copy of DESCENDANT by Nichole Giles
• An e-copy package of EVER and EVADE by Jessa Russo
• A signed copy of DIVIDE by Jessa Russo
• A copy of UNHINGED by A.G. Howard

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win! All prizes will be accompanied by a Dreamcatcher swag package from Vicki Leigh.

Thanks for stopping by!

About Vicki:

Adopted at three-days-old by a construction worker and a stay-at-home mom, Vicki Leigh grew up in a small suburb of Akron, Ohio where she learned to read by the age of four and considered being sent to her room for punishment as an opportunity to dive into another book. By the sixth grade, Vicki penned her first, full-length screenplay. If she couldn’t be a writer, Vicki would be a Hunter (think Dean and Sam Winchester) or a Jedi. Her favorite place on earth is Hogwarts (she refuses to believe it doesn’t exist), and her favorite dreams include solving cases alongside Sherlock Holmes.

Vicki is an editor for Curiosity Quills Press, a co-founder of The Writer Diaries, and is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

You can find Vicki at her website and blog and on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube, and Goodreads.

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I'm an Award Winning Author!

Agh, where does time go? While I'm sorry I've been so neglectful of this blog, I promise you it's because I've been insanely busy with writing and other projects! Regardless, it was time to break the silence with some pretty big news. People who know me will probably agree I'm pretty modest for the most part, but this is one of those times in which I want to shout my news from the rooftop: I'm an award winning author!

Last week, the day after approving the gorgeous new cover for Mind Static, I received an email from the president of Indie BRAG informing me that the same book received a B.R.A.G. Medallion! Honestly, I wasn't sure what it was at first, either, until I went to their website and found this explanation:

BRAGMedallion.com is owned and operated by indieBRAG, LLC, a privately held organization that has brought together a large group of readers, both individuals and members of book clubs, located throughout the United States and in ten other countries around the globe. The word "indie" refers to self or independently published books, while B.R.A.G. is an acronym for Book Readers Appreciation Group.

All ebooks brought to the attention of indieBRAG, LLC are subjected to a rigorous selection process. This entails an initial screening to ensure that the author's work meets certain minimum standards of quality and content. If it passes this preliminary assessment, it is then read by members drawn from our global reader group. They judge the merits of the book based on a comprehensive list of criteria, including;

Plot

Writing Style

Characters

Copy editing

Dialogue

One final factor our readers use to judge a book is whether or not they would recommend it to their best friend.

On average, 50% of the books submitted to us fail to pass the initial screen and another 40% are subsequently rejected by our readers. Thus, only 10% of the books we consider are awarded our B.R.A.G. Medallion and are presented on our website. Conversely, we do not make public the titles of any books that were not selected to receive a Medallion, or the names of their authors.

Needless to say, I was touched and honored that my work fit this criteria and made it into the final 10%! I'm probably just as excited to reveal the gorgeous new cover for Mind Static, created by the amazing Najla Qambers (see teaser, left). In the past I've been proud to say I designed my own covers and took all the pictures of models used, however, the market is highly competitive, and I really don't have as much time or as many resources as I would like. Accordingly, I've hired this extremely talented designer to take over the duties. She's the genius behind the beautiful Paranormal Keepers cover. Bloggers, sign up for the reveal and keep an eye out for the upcoming blitz of through Xpressobooktours.

If you haven't yet heard the news, I'm writing contemporary new adult romance under the pen name Jennifer Ann, and will be releasing my debut novel Adam's List on June 13th! I'm really excited about this project as it was just as much fun to write as the paranormal genre. If you're a blogger interested in the reveal (the giveaway includes a Victoria's Secret gift card, New York necklace, and signed paperback copy of Adam's List), be sure to sign up HERE.  **Please note anything written under this pen name contains adult content, and therefore is intended for readers 18+ only.** Get all the latest on my new adult romance projects through my other website, Facebook, or Twitter.

NOW AVAILABLE: A Different Kind

If you haven't ever given an alien novel a chance before, this book is a must read!

The lovely and talented Lauryn April just released A Different Kind, a young adult paranormal romance/sci-fi thriller about a girl who is abducted by aliens and is desperate to find a way to keep them from taking her away. One of the most refreshing aspects of this book is that it's told by a queen cheerleading bee who is borderline bitchy (don't worry, she evolves with the story) rather than the stereotyped quiet, awkward girl (**cough** Bella Swan **cough**).

The further I dove into this story, the more I wondered just how many abductions have been reported, and if anything like this has ever happened. April's book has a tremendous amount of credibility as well as heart. Check out the official blurb below, and watch the awesome trailer at the end.

Payton Carlson’s life is perfect – until the night she’s abducted by aliens. Now she’s plagued by pieces of memories from a night that feels as hazy as a dream, and that’s not the only strange thing that’s been happening. When Payton’s neighbor, Logan Reed, who spends every night sitting on his roof staring at the stars, starts to pay extra attention to her, Payton starts to wonder if he knows more about the night she can’t remember than she does. Suddenly finding a date to the Homecoming dance and cheering at the football games aren’t as important as they used to be - especially when the aliens return for a second time.

Grab your copy of A Different Kind!

Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble

Add on Goodreads

Lauryn April is an indie writer in the young adult / adult paranormal romance genre. She lives in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and is currently seeking a degree in Psychology. Her debut novel "Into the Deep" explores the intricacies of the adolescent mind and what it means to feel alone. 

Follow Lauryn: Twitter | Blog | Facebook 

It's Here: PARANORMAL KEEPERS COVER REVEAL!!

It seems I've had the idea of this cover in my head for so long that this is the most excited I've ever been about a reveal! Props to the magical Najla for coming up with a perfect representation of my vision, and a special shout out to the stunning Ashleigh Campbell for agreeing to be my model!

Release date: March 4, 2014

Model Photography: Jen Naumann

Cover Design: Najla Qamber Designs

Publisher: Phantom Owl Press

Link to book: Goodreads

Everyone thinks Harper Young killed her boyfriend. No one will say it to her face, but the signs are everywhere.

It’s almost been a year since Gavin was torn from Harper’s arms and brutally murdered. The police wrote it off as a freak accident, deciding Harper’s strange testimony was given under duress. But she knows something unnatural was involved and refuses to stop looking until she finds his killer, even if it means her reputation as a senior is ruined. Even if it means there really are monsters living among us.

With the discovery of the mothmen, witches, vampires and all the creatures she always suspected were out there, Harper finds herself amidst a complex bundle of unseen heroes who call themselves "Keepers", sworn to keep the secret of the paranormal creatures that walk this earth. As she tries to understand what’s so special about her that she’s able to break an old Keeper law, Harper has a baffling vision of kissing a mysterious guy before a blade is brought down on him. Before she can get a handle on her future, she becomes central to a battle between the questionable “heroes” and the evil she’s been training to fight, leaving her to wonder if there’s any way to change the fate that has been foretold before it’s too late.

PARANORMAL PALOOZA GIVEAWAY!

To celebrate the arrival of 2014 and thank all of you—my beautiful, fun, amazing followers—some of my favorite authors and I have donated digital copies of our (YA and NA) paranormal books to create a giveaway of eleven thrilling books you won't want to put down!

INCLUDED IN THE GIVEAWAY:

ONE and TWO by LeighAnn Kopans: When having two powers makes you a Super and having none makes you a Normal, having only one makes you a sad half-superpowered freak. It makes you a One.

Sixteen-year-old Merrin Grey would love to be able to fly – too bad all she can do is hover. If she could just land an internship at the Biotech Hub, she might finally figure out how to fix herself. She busts her butt in AP Chem and salivates over the Hub’s research on the manifestation of superpowers, all in hopes of boosting her chances.

Then she meets Elias VanDyne, another One, and all her carefully crafted plans fly out the window. Literally. When the two of them touch, their Ones combine to make them fly, and when they’re not soaring over the Nebraska cornfields, they’re busy falling for each other.

Merrin's mad chemistry skills land her a spot on the Hub's internship short list, but as she gets closer to the life she always wanted, she discovers that the Hub’s purpose is more sinister than it has always seemed. Now it’s up to her to decide if it's more important to fly solo, or to save everything - and everyone - she loves.

 

INTO THE DEEP and HIDEN BENEATH by Lauryn April: Ivy Daniels is a high school junior still learning who she is. After almost drowning, Ivy finds herself with an ability she doesn’t want, an ability to uncover secrets which quickly begins to redefine what she thinks about the people around her as well as herself. Because of this ability, Ivy becomes the one thing that stands between an angry teen and the death of every student on campus. The only problem is she doesn’t know who wants everyone dead. Will she figure out whose secret is that they’re planning to blow up her school, or will she fail to find him in time? Through her search to do the right thing, Ivy discovers that knowing the thoughts and secrets of those around her may just tear her apart.

 

THE AWAKENING & OTHER STORIES and BENEATH MANHATTAN SKIES by Emma Meade: Put on the kettle, close the curtains and curl up by the fire. Dive into 8 short tales, each with a slice of the paranormal.

Ghost Story - Who is the shadow in the window of the abandoned house, and what or who is he waiting for?
The Awakening - It's time for Sabrina to wake up and face the light.
End of the Line - Cassie wants to die. When midnight rolls around, she stands on the tracks waiting for the train to come.
Milsa Loris - The once magnificent kingdom of Milsa Loris comes alive one night each winter. The King's witch is brewing up a little magic, sure to make the soup all the tastier.
The Old Vampire - Hailey spent her life dreaming of a dark prince falling in love with her. He never showed up, until now.
The Knocking - Alison's grandfather has one eye on the next life. After all, he's heard a lot of rapping at his door lately.
The Boy on the Beach - Kate's grandmother warns her about the boy with the green eyes. Will she pay heed?
Snowglobes- It's busy at Calvin's Cabins this Christmas. Eddie and Maggie are a young couple in trouble. Not to fear, Calvin is always ready to lend a hand.

 

THE DAY ZOMBIES RUINED MY PERFECTLY BORING LIFE and THE TIME ZOMBIES BECAME THE LEAST OF MY WORRIES by Jen Naumann: Emma Ferdig has heard the term “life sucks, then you die”, but she never knew she was supposed to take it quite so literally.

It’s senior year. Emma should be looking forward to escaping her mundane small town, and going on to college—finally. Her biggest worries should be the fact that she’s feeling something more for her life-long best friend Finn, and how she’s going to make things happen between them. But all her plans for a less-sucky future go out the window with the discovery of a seriously creepy woman in her backyard. As it turns out, zombies are real.

In the first book of the Boring Life Series, Emma’s life is turned upside down as she’s forced to leave everything behind, running off with Finn and a group of extremely odd misfits that include Finn’s jackhole brother Cash, and his unorthodox girlfriend Marley. In an instantaneous journey across the Midwest, they’ll learn horrifying secrets, trust the wrong people, and make deadly mistakes. As they do all then can to try and survive the impending apocalypse, Emma will realize that maybe her painfully boring life hadn’t been such a bad thing, after all.

 

HEART WAVES, BREAKING WAVES, and WAVES OF LOVE by Danielle Sibarium: Jenna Kingsley has a gift. She knows things. With a simple touch she can pick up personal information from jewelry or objects. While at a neighbor's party, a voice mesmerizes her. Jenna is momentarily frozen as a ring is placed in her hand. White electricity surges through her and a dire prediction is made. "It's like Romeo and Juliet. You're going to break my heart." From the moment they meet, Jenna is enchanted and entranced with Reece Walton. She's thrilled to learn he's spending the summer two houses away from hers. Every moment they spend together is magical. But she can't get the prediction out of her mind. As the summer draws to a close and secrets are revealed, can Jenna get past the fear of being left with a broken heart to live in the moment with Reece or will her fear of being hurt fulfill the prophecy?

 

The winner will be announced on this blog February 1st. Be sure to spread the word, and don't forget to come back each day of January to enter!

Good luck, and Happy New Year!

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Cover Reveal: The Time Zombies Became the Least of My Worries

As promised, I give you the cover for the second book in my zombie series!

Ever since the zombie virus hit Emma’s irritatingly boring Midwestern hometown, she’s been on the run with her old best friend-turned-boyfriend Finn. On their journey, they’ve witnessed some pretty disgusting deaths, narrowly escaped life-threatening escapades that sometimes included one of their own pulling a gun on them numerous times, and redefined the definition of what makes up a family (as it turns out, soldiers and geeks can be pretty decent). They’ve even learned the disturbing truth behind the mysterious virus. But after Emma was bit by one of the infected trying to save her neighbor boy, she was told she would not have long to live.

In the thrilling sequel to The Day Zombies Ruined My Perfectly Boring Life, Finn will help to tell the story as Emma and the gang are faced with the most crucial life-changing decisions yet. They’ll come across an unfortunate group of rednecks, discover the truth of what happened to Finn’s federal agent mother, and finally see a chance at truly being safe without having to run anymore. But in the middle of it all, Emma and Finn’s relationship will soar to completely uncomfortable levels when Finn takes things one step too far. And between being injected with an unknown liquid, taking on a completely unexpected (and really agitating alliance), and being left for dead by those she loves most, Emma will realize that zombies are the least of her worries.

AND in celebration of the release of this book (coming in November), I'm giving away free copies of the first book in the series for those who have yet to jump on the zombie bandwagon. So be sure to sign up below, and spread the word!

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Book Review: Anna Dressed in Blood

Cas Lowood, armed with his late father's athame knife, kills ghosts. In Thunder Bay, Anna, forever 16, drips blood on her white dress from throat slit in 1958, and rips apart anyone who enters her house - except Cas. He makes new friends - high school queen Carmel, jock Will, admiring nerd Thomas and Tom's voodoo grandpa Morfran - to fight this demon.

This April I attended a writing conference in which Literary Agent Bree Ogden listed off dozens of YA books she recommended for great style and original story lines. Being a crazy reading fanatic, I added most of them to my Amazon shopping cart as she named them. Some of the books were pretty decent, while some of them barged their way onto my bookshelf of favorites. Anna Dressed in Blood made its way right to the tippy top.

The story follows Cas Lowood, teenage ghost hunter, and his witch mother as they move to a new town after getting a tip from an anonymous "friend" of this ghost named Anna. Cas is a pretty laid back guy who knows he will only be in his new high school for a short while, and he knows how to manipulate people to get what he wants. When he sets his sights on the school queen bee and a quiet nerd, he finds unexpected friendships, as well as fellow ghost hunters. While at first I couldn't get over the idea that the ghosts in this story go corporeal, once I was able to accept it, I couldn't stop reading. There's so much more to the story than just a boy hunting ghosts, and it continues on to its sequel, Girl of Nightmares (I will review another time).

Reasons I love Anna Dressed in Blood:

1. Cas is an amazing character, humorous and brave, plus it was quite refreshing to read from a guy's point of view.

2. The horror scenes were executed extremely well. On one of Kendare's books there was a quote that read "Stephen King better watch his back". At first I thought that was blasphemy as SK is one of my favorite authors, but after reading Kendare's writing, I understand.

3. The unexpected grouping of loner ghost hunter, queen bee and nerd made for a fun, interesting group.

4. The humor. I've said it a hundred times, but when something involves horror and humor, it wins me over every time.

5. Kendare Blake grew up in Minnesota. I'm always pleased to see one of my own break free and do well in society.

6. The twist near the end. Although I had an inkling that something else was going on, I never would've guessed something that creepy was going to happen.

7. THE COVER! I almost never read a book if I'm not drawn in by its cover.

8. And of course, the writing. A story is ten times better when the writing is the best of the best, and Kendare's prose is definitely first rate!

Anna Dressed in Blood certainly earned its 5 zombies rating!

Now excuse me while I fangirl and prepare to attend Kendare's book signing in September...

Kendare Blake grew up in the small city of Cambridge, Minnesota. She is a graduate of Ithaca College, in Ithaca, New York and received a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from Middlesex University in London, England. She loves to travel, is an advocate for animals, and cheats a lot when she plays Final Fantasy. Adopted from South Korea at the age of seven months, she arrived with the following instruction: "Feed her chocolate." Though not medically advisable, she and her parents are eternally grateful for this advice.

Book Trailer for Mind Static

Guys! I'm so excited that the book trailer for my newest YA paranormal release has gone live! This is me right now:

I decided to go an entirely different route from the slow and dramatic trailers I've created in the past, and wanted something upbeat, quick, and fun. There's so much work behind making a trailer, starting with just the right music, the perfect pictures, and the careful editing in putting everything together so it will make an intriguing story. With an adventurous story and a main character who's witty, this was actually a blast to put together, and I feel like I just witnessed the party of a lifetime.

Without further delay, I give you the official trailer for "Mind Static"!

The images in this video do not belong to the author

Book Review: Shifting Pride

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Nickie Leone has proof that her missing (presumed dead) father is still alive. Receiving his watch in the mail is the first in a line of clues bringing her closer to discovering his whereabouts. But clues aren’t the only new thing in Nickie’s life. There’s the Memorial Banquet her mother insists she help prepare for, there’s the new kid/hottie, Xavian, and...well, the growth of whiskers and a tail!

Filled with secrets and a new love of tuna fish, Nickie must partner up with Xavian (don’t you know he’s a shapeshifter too?) to rescue her dad before she loses him forever. Oh, and she needs to figure out how to be a cat, too.

I discovered this book through Twitter. Ever since reading about shapeshifters in the Sookie Stackhouse series, I've avoided them like the plague, but decided to give this one the chance. And I was pleasantly surprised.

Nickie is a likable character and not clingy or all into the new guy the way a lot of heroines can sometimes be. In fact, she is always angry with Xavian at first. The banter between them was a lot of fun and kept the story interesting. 

I love how we were able to watch Nickie slowly became a cat with hints dropped here and there that the transition was coming. The adventure that came into the end of the book was well told and gave a satisfying ending. I was unable to put this book down - I really enjoyed the world that Laura Diamond created. I highly recommend Shifting Pride to anyone who is into paranormal and romance.

Writer Wednesday: London Cole

So this week I felt compelled to introduce all of you to one of my favorite Twitter friends. He's witty, charming and a big fan of rum. Plus he's really good at telling paranormal stories that involve ghosts, sexual tension and a dystopian world unlike any other. His book Whisper Walker just underwent a major redo, getting a new title (Splinter), cover (see below) and some scene rewrites.

In honor of London's new release, he's giving away one digital copy (ePub or Mobi) of Splinter! Enter on Rafflecopter giveaway below. Winner will be announced on January 30th.

Tell us about your new release, Splinter.

Ahh, straight to the point. I like that. Ok, that’s not entirely true, I don’t mind a little beating around the bush on occasion. Splinter is a New Adult Post-Apocalyptic novel with elements of romance and paranormal set around eighty years after WWIII. It's a story told from two points of view of two best friends, Kelsie and Drake, as they stumble onto a paranormal mystery and threat that will impact their entire existence.

What's your favorite scene in this book?

That’s a hard one. That’s like asking a Star Wars fanatic to pick their favorite Han Solo action figure. I’d have to say (even though it’s a few scenes) that the second chapter is my favorite. It’s the introduction to Kelsie and some of her dirty little secrets.

Were any aspects of the story brought on by either personal experience or inspiration?

Whoa. The answer to this question is quite extensive. I’ll try to keep it brief. I grew up on a large island in Washington State. Every inch of that island was fodder for how my imagination works. There are many haunted locations on the island, including two seriously creepy and awesome old concrete forts left over from the World Wars, as well as some heavy woods where some completely inexplicable things have happened to me over the years. The very first scene is quite similar to something that happened to me while I was playing night games with some friends in high school at one of the forts. I fell into a pit at the bottom of an ammunitions lift without a flashlight and scene one was more or less born. There are many more scenes inspired by actual locations on Whidbey Island, but I don’t want to spoil the book.

What are some of your personal favorite books?

The whole Harry Potter series. The Iron Druid Chronicles, The King Killer Chronicles, Poison Study, The Emperor’s Edge series, dude, I could keep going. I love reading.

What music do you listen to while writing?

I normally opt for silence or a really loud room full of people, such as a pub. But sometimes I listen to A Day to Remember or Four Year Strong when I’m writing action scenes. Yellowcard is a good all around one for me, too.

What's the most satisfying thing about writing?

Having a reader come up to you and shake your hand, saying how much they loved your book, how much they could relate to one of your characters. It’s surreal.

Hardest thing?

Editing and revisions. Revisions always make my head get turned inside out! If I could write the first two drafts and then let someone else do all the intensive revisions, I would totally do that.

What are you working on next?

I’m working feverishly hard on another NA book that’s paranormal. I also have the outline for the coolest Santa Claus book ever.

What’s your favorite scary movie?

Cabin in the Woods was pretty awesome. Other than that, I’m not really into scary movies. I have been to the house that’s in The Ring though, which was totally cool.

If you could shake the hand of anyone you wanted, who would that be?

That’s tough. Maybe J.K. Rowling. She has done so much to help bring the younger generations into reading and I have the utmost respect for her.

Ways to follow London: Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook, his website

Where to find his books: Amazon, Barnes and Noble

London Cole is the author of Paranormal Young-Adult novels and novellas. He resides in the large and highly over-heated state of Texas, though he's not originally from there. He was born in the Pacific Northwest, growing up on an Island very near Canada. That means that he slips up and occasionally uses words like “ehh” and pronounces “about” like “abooot”. He's also told that he unknowingly slips into a light accent on occasion and says “dude” in an odd fashion.

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Book Giveaway!

In just over a week I've had 600 views of my new website! YAY! I'm crazy excited!

To celebrate the thousandth page view, I'm giving away one of my three books (winner's choice) to one person who is following my blog. Winner will be notified via registered Google account as soon as the counter reads 1,000. Winner can choose between paperback or digital.

So follow my blog ("join this site" link on lower right side of page) and spread the word! 

Good luck, and thanks for following!