Enter to win Jerri Hines' Tides of Charleston Boxed set

Historical romance author Jerri Hines is releasing her Tides of Charleston series as a boxed set on August 20th. Get it before everyone else by entering to win today! :-) #yourewelcome

Brittany 

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Grammarly's Own Nikolas Baron Explains Different Types of Editing

Hey all, 

I'd like to take a sec and welcome the wonderful Nikolas Baron to the blog. Nikolas works at Grammarly, so feel free to comment on the post and he'll answer any questions you may have. Oh, and don't forget to enter to win a FREE 3 month trial of Grammarly. Personally, I love the thing! You'd not believe how many errors it catches beyond anything that your word processor does. 

Copyediting vs Proofreading vs Editing: What Exactly is the Difference?

“The sad man was crying very loudly? and new the end was nearing. “ 

I know exactly what you are thinking. Yikes. Yes, well, welcome to the world of editing where your nightmares are my everyday reality! Hello, my name is Nick, and I am writing this piece today to educate the world at large about the basic differences between proofreading, copyediting and editing. For my work over at Grammarly, I spend my time studying writing habits, and from experience I can tell you not enough people are familiar with the definitions below.

So, a client emails you with his first ever novel that he wants “edited”. You took AP English in high school, and you are certain you can handle whatever is thrown at you. At least you think this until you open the novel and realize it would take a small army to clear the grammatical errors, let alone make the book actually readable. But alas, you were tasked with “editing,” and as you sit there wondering what to do next, you really wish you had pushed the client to explain exactly what he meant.

It is obviously important for one to understand exactly what the client is expecting, which means being informed enough to educate your client if necessary. Keep in mind the following definitions are more like guidelines rather than concrete definitions.

Proofreading:

First we have proofreading, or line editing, and yes, it is exactly what you think—meticulously mulling over the text and correcting spelling, punctuation, typos and other obvious mistakes. Proofreading takes a very well-trained eye that most do not have, which is why almost every writer can benefit from a thorough proofreader. Proofreading is now most often done using a word processor, but there is still a demand for good ole’ fashioned pen and paper proofreaders.

Copyediting:

A copyeditor’s job involves all the work of a proofreader, as well applying their vast knowledge of style.

Copyeditors produce works that are stylistically consistent throughout and free of errors. This process usually involves going over the text multiple times to ensure consistency, which can mean addressing things like names of states are treated the same.

Further, copyeditors more often than not act as fact checkers. This can be as simple as checking historical facts, determining the plausibility of a certain character's heritage, or perhaps even verifying the population of certain towns.

A good copyeditor ensures that sentences make sense through clarification of ambiguity and poor wording.

Editing:

The job of the editor is to improve the flow and quality of writing—without a doubt the most difficult job in the editing world. This means having the power to omit and rewrite entire sentences or paragraphs for one to correct unnecessary wordiness, or just any obvious errors. An editor though will not necessarily proof or copyedit. Further, the text will have to be proofed again after being worked on by an editor. Generally, editing is more costly than both proofing and copyediting.

As with all things, becoming a proficient editor of any kind takes time and practice. The more you do it, the better you will become, and who knows, maybe one day you will become a big shot editor. There are tools available to every young editor in training aside from The Chicago Manual of Style.

For example, most word processors have excellent tools with which to track changes and that can clearly highlight and fix the problem without altering the text. There are also several high quality websites now that can do more than just proofread. Specifically, a site like Grammarly.com is an excellent tool as it can also provide stylistic edits, as well as proofread, check for plagiarism, as well as apply contextual edits based on the style of writing.

By Nikolas Baron

A Little about Nikolas

Nikolas discovered his love for the written word in Elementary School, where he started spending his afternoons sprawled across the living room floor devouring one Marc Brown childrens’ novel after the other and writing short stories about daring pirate adventures. After acquiring some experience in various marketing, business development, and hiring roles at internet startups in a few different countries, he decided to re-unite his professional life with his childhood passions by joining Grammarly’s marketing team in San Francisco. He has the pleasure of being tasked with talking to writers, bloggers, teachers, and others about how they use Grammarly’s online proofreading application to improve their writing. His free time is spent biking, traveling, and reading.

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Charisma Blog Tour--Another Hit for Hall!

I'm half way through this one and absolutely loving it! Seriously, if you like adult contemporary you'll love this one! Be sure to scroll down and enter to win a SIGNED copy of Charisma!

Blurb: 

In the aftermath of a violent incident and near death experience, Sarah Lange is plagued by heavenly voices and dogged by a desire to return "home". Frightened by her desire to terminate her existence on earth, she checks into a trauma center in Malibu, California and meets Dr. David Sutton, an intellectual, a scientist, a reductionist and someone who believes in nothing beyond his immediate experience. David’s world is as divorced from mystery and magic as Sarah’s is alive and animated by it. Their sessions open up a dialogue about the separation of worlds—one easily defined and explained and one unknowable and waiting on the other side of human experience. Even as his faith in his profession fades, David struggles to bring his disturbed patient back to the real world. In a desperate effort to define herself, Sarah "escapes" and David must decide how far he is willing to go to save a patient and ultimately himself.

About Barbara Hall: 

Barbara Hall is an award-winning author, screenwriter, vocalist and television producer. She was the executive producer of the hit CBS drama “Judging Amy” and the creator of “Joan of Arcadia”—the highly successful television series in which she reinvented the Joan of Arc legend in the form of Joan Girardi, a teenager who keeps encountering God—as both a cute boy and a lunch lady.  

As a child growing up in Chatham, Virginia, Barbara Hall had a single vision: moved to write by the isolation and frustration of a small Southern town in which she lived. The youngest of three siblings, she often collaborated on stories with her older sister. Hall knew by the age of eight what career path she would lay out for herself. Hall attended James Madison University, gaining a myriad of awards during her completion of a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.

An accomplished author, Hall wrote three young adult novels including: “Skeeball and the Secret of the Universe”, “Dixie Storms” and “Fool’s Hill” as well as the mystery “House Across the Cove”. Her other novels include “A Better Place”,  “Close to Home” and “A Summons To New Orleans”. Hall’s literary work has also been recognized by the American Library Association Best Books & Notable Books.

In the realm of television, Hall has been nominated for three Emmys (“I’ll Fly Away,” “Northern Exposure”) and a Golden Laurel from the Producers Guild of America, receiving a Humanitas Award, NAACP Image Award and TV Critics Association Award. “Judging Amy,” earned numerous Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for its cast and crew, was nominated for New Program of the Year at the 2000 Television Critics Association Awards  and won Favorite New Series at the 2000 TV Guide Awards.

Not confining her talents to the written page, Barbara Hall is an accomplished musician, vocalist and a founding member of the alternative country rock band—The Enablers. The Enablers album, Come Back Soon, is available via her website at www.theenablers.net.

Barbara Hall lives, writes and creates in Pacific Palisades, California with her daughter Faith.

Connect with Barbara: 

Website
Twitter
Facebook

Book Trailer

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No Way Out is Amazing!

Book Blurb: 

When a powerful firebomb destroys part of an art gallery in an exclusive London district, FBI Profiler Karen Vail is dispatched to England to work with Scotland Yard. But Vail soon discovers that at the heart of the bombing lies a 440-year-old manuscript that holds clues to England's past—with content is so explosive that a group of political radicals is bent on destroying it at all costs.

The trail leads Vail to a notorious fugitive who appears to be planning a major attack on London and the United States. Soon she finds herself on the run from the British security service, Scotland Yard and a group of internationally trained assassins—all determined to silence her…all tightening the net to ensure that she’s got no way out.

National Bestselling author Alan Jacobson has crafted an intelligent, twisting thriller destined to be talked about long after the last page is turned.

My Thoughts About the Book: 

Karen Vail is a true tough chick. Her tough demeanor really plays well throughout, and the authors mad writing skills really brings the setting to life. I've never been to England, but now I want to go! 

I won't go past the back of the book blurb, but just know that if you are an adventure/thriller reader, you'll love this book! I'm going back to the first in the series now and reading them in order straight through! :-D 

Hey, don't forget to scroll down and enter the giveaway. You get a signed copy of the book PLUS $50 bucks. :-) 
Much love, 
Britt

About Alan Jacobson:

Alan Jacobson’s literary career has been marked by a number of events, but none was more significant than an accidental meeting 20 years ago while researching his first novel, "False Accusations," at the California Department of Justice's crime lab. Jacobson struck up a conversation with FBI agent Mark Safarik, a profiler at the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit and Agent Safarik subsequently invited Jacobson out to Quantico to tour the Academy.

With the FBI’s help, Jacobson immersed himself in the world of serial killers, rapists, bombers and arsonists. Over the course of seven years, Jacobson made numerous trips to the BAU, had countless hours of conversations with Agent Safarik and his partner, attended FBI training courses, shot submachine guns with the Academy’s head firearms instructor, edited four published FBI research papers on serial offenders and parsed serial killer interviews with Agent Safarik.

Jacobson was finally ready to write his third novel, the first featuring FBI Profiler Karen Vail—the national bestseller, "The 7th Victim." Oozing sharp wit and sarcasm, Vail means well but is human and makes mistakes. The head of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers association described Karen Vail as “a cop you'd go through a door with"—a phrase used to describe a colleague with whom officers trust their lives when bullets are flying.

“No Way Out” is the 5th Karen Vail FBI Profiler novel, which takes place after a terrorist attack in England. Vail journeys overseas, unearths a 440 year-old manuscript, a terrorist plot, and a cadre of assassins who would like nothing more than to make Vail ancient history.

Connect with Alan here: 

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

YouTube

A little about the book: 

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Tour Schedule: October 1- Chirenjenzie
October 2 - Elizabeth Isaacs' Blog
October 3 - Mindy Ruiz'Blog
October 4 - Asteria's Blog
October 5 - Dru's Book Musings
October 6 -Talk About Books
October 9 - Lilliputian's Journey
October 10 -A Book and a Latte
October 11 - Readful Things
October 12 -Geek Goes Rogue
October 13 - Ethan Jones Books

WICKED APPETITE by Janet Evanovich ~ #Win the eBook in the Kick Butt Characters #Hop

It's about time we offered our readers another chance at winning something awesome. One of our favorite adult authors around here is Janet Evanovich. And there's a great reason she's a NYT bestseller! She knows how to write some seriously kick-butt characters. 

One of my fav male leads is Diesel from Wicked Appetite. He's charming and smooth (in a smells like Christmas but looks like Heaven kind of way) with just a hint of something otherworldly. But like all forbidden fruit, he's off the menu. Still, that doesn't stop Lizzy Tucker from enjoying the view. Like all of Evanovich's novels, we meet an entire cast of memorable characters in this one. 

Here's more about Wicked Appetite:

Life in Marblehead has had a pleasant predictability, until Diesel arrives. Rumor has it that a collection of priceless ancient relics representing the Seven Deadly Sins have made their way to Boston’s North Shore. Partnered with pastry chef Lizzie Tucker, Diesel bullies and charms his way through historic Salem to track them down—and his criminal mastermind cousin Gerewulf Grimorie. The black-haired, black-hearted Wulf is on the hunt for the relic representing gluttony. Caught in a race against time, Diesel and Lizzie soon find out that more isn’t always better, as they battle Wulf and the first of the deadly sins.

With delectable characters and non-stop thrills that have made Janet Evanovich a household name, Wicked Appetite will leave you hungry for more.

Want a chance to win a copy of this hilarious novel? Just follow the Rafflecopter below to enter for an eBook!

Many thanks to I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Good Choice Reads for hosting this fun giveaway!





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Romance is in the Air: Win a #LisaKleypas Novel of YOUR Choice #bloghop #giveaway

It's about that time again! Romance is in the air! Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate the holiday of love than by offering up a fabulous romantic read?

One of our very favorite romance authors at Chirenjenzie is Lisa Kleypas, especially when it comes to historical novels. Man, oh, man can she write a leading couple! So, in honor of Lisa and the sexiest day of the year, Chirenjenzie is offering your choice of Ms Kleypas' amazing books! Just enter using the Rafflecopter below! Note: This is your choice of either Kindle or Nook eBook, so it's open everyone!

Many thanks to I am a Reader, not a Writer and Rachael Anderson for hosting this giveaway!


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Book Lover's Holiday #Giveaway #Hop

Ho-ho-ho! It's about that time! Christmas is just around the corner, so we're participating in another awesome giveaway hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Chapter by Chapter!

Up for grabs and the perfect holiday gift is ::drum roll:: a ***signed*** copy of TEAM HUMAN by Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan!

Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below to enter for your chance to win!

Just because Mel lives in New Whitby, a city founded by vampires, doesn't mean she knows any of the blood-drinking undead personally. They stay in their part of town; she says in hers. Until the day a vampire shows up at her high school. Worse yet, her best friend, Cathy, seems to be falling in love with him. It's up to Mel to save Cathy from a mistake she might regret for all eternity!

On top of trying to help Cathy (whether she wants it or not), Mel is investigating a mysterious disappearance for another friend and discovering the attractions of a certain vampire wannabe. Combine all this with a cranky vampire cop, a number of unlikely romantic entanglements, and the occasional zombie, and soon Mel is hip-deep in an adventure that is equal parts hilarious and touching.

Acclaimed authors Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan team up to create a witty and poignant story of cool vampires, warm friendships, and the changes that test the bonds of love.  


This is for US participants only. Sorry, everyone else! 


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Thankful for Books #Giveaway #Hop

Let's face it. We're all thankful for books! What better way to share our appreciation than to give away something awesome. So that's what we're doing.

We have a $10 Amazon gift card up for grabs! Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below for your chance to win.

Many thanks to I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Tristi Pinkston for hosting this fun hop!

This giveaway is open to our international friends as well! See the Linky below to follow along with other bloggers who are participating.


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