SIFTERS

Hello again and welcome to my very neglected blog. Sifters, my 9th novel with Limitless Publishing has just dropped and I'm super excited about this series. It's my first stab at the dystopian genre and I really enjoyed taking the ride. The story revolves around Dia, a young girl who is struggling to survive outside of the civilized world. But she must venture into the secure city, to save her brother. 

Sifters takes a fresh look at the future, and shows what it might be like to enter that dystopian world. Instead of taking you 100 or 200 years into the future, Sifters takes you into the near future. It shows the world what it might be like if the apocalypse happened right now, and how the next 10-15 years might play out.

Of all the books and movies of the genre I didn't see any that tackled this timeline. Most like Hunger Games are set very far into the future in an unrecognizable world. I wanted to take people into the world as it might be right now. A world that you and I could very well find ourselves in, within our lifetime. 

Sifters takes place after the American government has taken control of seven strategic cities where people have to live by strict rules and follow regimented drug programs to maintain control. People happily follow to maintain their happy lives filled with technology and fast food. But on the outside of the cities, where the majority of people live, life has completely stopped progressing and has in fact regressed into chaos. It is a hostile world where only the strong and ruthless survive. 

Dia is one of the survivors and she's determined to save her brother, Ray, who's been living in the city, smuggled in illegally when he was younger. But his life is about to change because he's reached the age where he must choose a life path. Kids who don't choose a life path are ushered away from the population to places unknown. And that is the mystery Dia must unravel in order to save him.

What she finds is a mystery much bigger than she expected. There are staggering levels of corruption within the city to which everyone is oblivious. And that's just the beginning. 

Sifters is now available on Kindle, Nook and paperback. 

SOUL FREQUENCY

The wait is over fans, the long awaited Book 2 in the Frequency Series is finally available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo and paperback. This is my 8th release with Limitless Publishing. If you were a fan of the first book you will love the second one. Jordan and Kayci are back and this new adventure will change their lives forever.

Get if here today! SOUL FREQUENCY

NEW RELEASE

My newest book is now available in eBook with the paperback soon to follow.

OUT OF PLACE is a romantic-suspense thrill ride that will leave you breathless. Two unrelated and innocent vacations collide in a nightmarish scenario, as an armed madman's relentless pursuit pushes two young strangers to their breaking points and beyond.

OUT OF PLACE

I hope everyone enjoyed their New Year's celebrations. I'm pleased to reveal the cover for my upcoming 7th novel with Limitless Publishing, a romantic thriller titled OUT OF PLACE. My publisher is giving away 5 eBook copies as a promotion for the release, and if you'd like to win one visit my website at www.shanescollins.com to enter. Here's a look at the cover.

OUT OF PLACE 

No cell phones, no weapons, and no escape...all they have is each other, and an absolute refusal to die. 

COMING SOON to Kindle and on paperback at Amazon.com and in select book stores.

Bone Room Tour

THE BONE ROOM  tour

Enter some giveaways, read some reviews and some interviews about THE BONE ROOM. 

October 27

http://booklandparadise.wordpress.com/
http://miscellaneousthoughtsofabookaholic.blogspot.com/
 http://lovewordsandbooks.com
www.buriedunderbooks.com

October 28

http://harliesbooks.com
http://throughtheeyesofabookgoddess.blogspot.com

October 29
k718.wordpress.com
http://thereadingcow.blogspot.com.au  
www.kindleandme.com 

October 30

http://fictionsouraddication.wordpress.com
http://deeasbookblog.blogspot.ro

October 31

http://kotasbookkollection.blogspot.com.au/
www.JessicaGunhammer.com
www.ReviewingWonderland.com

November 01

www.KellyAnneBlount.com
www.mycrazycorner.blogspot.com

November 02 

http://therightbook4u.blogspot.com
http://buffyswritezone.blogspot.com
http://curiosityinspires.wordpress.com 

The Bone Room

It's been a blur, but my new thriller THE BONE ROOM is now available for Kindle and all Kindle Apps. The paperback version should be coming soon. I'm excited to get this book out there, it was a lot of fun writing it. The concept came to me after Heather and I took a day trip up to Alexandria Bay and the Thousand Islands Region. It's an amazingly inspiring place with unique scenery unlike anything else on the planet. Seeing those huge castles and mansions floating out in the middle of the St. Lawrence River on islands not much bigger than the houses themselves was amazing. I'd definitely recommend a trip there sometime to anyone who might be in the region at some point.

I hope everyone enjoys the story. >>> Amazon Link

Don't Let Bad Reviews Define You

Recently a fellow author I know got very upset by a bad review. It really bothered her to the point where she started to question her talent. She shouldn't, she's very talented. I told her not to let it get to her, to brush it off and carry on. We as writers have to drive past bad reviews as they bark at our cars. We all have a reason we write, but we never write to get bad reviews.

I'm driven on by my fans. All those great reviews really push me on. But, the bad reviews are also good fuel for the fire. Not so much in the sense that I want to prove them wrong or please everyone, but in the sense that they may, hidden in the meanings, offer good advice. Even the seemingly useless bad reviews can lead us to some profound thought or at lease a moment of zen.

Face it, there's no way possible to have everyone love your work. Some people are going to hate it, some are just not going to get it. But that's what it means to be an artist of any kind. Whether you're making music or ticking a canvas with colors, someone is going to hate what you're doing. They have their reasons. They have a personal preference. And that's just a matter of life.

Some people are just going to be haters too, and the more success you have the more haters that will come out of the woodwork. Even the great authors with the big names and Hollywood success have haters. A few years ago before I was a published author, I had another fellow unpublished author, tell me that he used to leave bad reviews to authors to "knock them down a peg"...among other things. I was really amazed because this person was generally intelligent and well-balanced. I couldn't understand why they'd bother to waste their time and energy. I said, why bother, and in general told them it was silly. He didn't really like my attitude over it. Needless to say we don't really have contact with each other anymore. He has since self-published a couple books and has received some very poor reviews. I don't know how he feels about it now.

The point is you're going to get bad reviews. Some will be legitimate critiques, some will be just the garden variety haters, and some will be people who just didn't connect with the story or the characters. But there's no reason to let those things get you down. A real writer will push on in spite of all adversity because they believe they have to keep writing.

I told my friend who was upset about her bad review to look at the whole picture. She had 23 total reviews, and the vast majority are 5 and 4 stars. Just because 2 or 3 people didn't like it doesn't mean a thing. In fact, any author would love to have that ratio. I told her to read the reviews of all her favorite authors, the ones she aspired to be when she started and see how they're doing with reviews. After some perspective she realized I was right, even the great authors have bad reviews. It's just a matter of fact.

So no matter what, keep writing. Never let a bad review define you or your work. I'm personally happy as long as my good reviews outnumber my bad reviews. So far they have and I think most authors feel the same way.

All Sequels Are Not the Same

I'm pleased to announce that RETURN OF THE TAKEN: Humble Walker Book 2, is in the final stages of formatting. I just approved the copy and it should be available for download and on paperback very soon.

Fans of the first Humble Walker book will be happy to know that all the main characters return to take on another adventure. And although the loose ties from book-1 are tied up, it is a completely new story that takes the entire series in new direction. It was a lot of fun to write it.

I was a little bit in the middle of Lostville when I first started it, being as I've never done a sequel before. But as I got into it I started having fun because I realized a sequel does not have to be the same story. I know a lot of sequels are just a continuation of the first story, and that's cool. But when I thought it through I decided that I didn't want to write the same story again. I wanted something totally different so I took a chance and hope my fans will embrace a different direction for Humble, Kat, Dax and Kyle. Because by the end of this book you're going to see just how different things are.

The entire process taught me a great deal about writing sequels, and I'm now looking forward to writing a Book-3 in that series, as well as the sequels for SAVIOR FREQUENCY and THE GAME as well. Of course as many of you know THE GAME was practically two books in one, it was it's own sequel as some people called it.

All in all I think RETURN OF THE TAKEN turned out really well. I will check back in with an official release date.

Thank You Fans

I would like to say a hearty thank you to all those fans who have downloaded REVENGE OF THE TAKEN this week. It's impressive to stay a #1 for a day. But we're now on 4 days straight as the #1 SciFi book on Amazon. Usually books would start to drop by now, but amazingly it has stayed on top and it's not slowing down yet. I have to admit it's pretty cool to see one of my books at the #1 spot for this long. To be able to say I'm a "best selling author" is not too shabby.

I'd also like to say THE GAME which was just released on 3/13/13 has been so well received that I'm excited to see the journey this book will take. The Virtual Book Tour has been wonderful, and I'd like to thank all the bloggers who've hosted so far, and those that are hosting this week. Follow me on the tour for in-depth interviews, guest articles and great reviews.

GAME TIME

I am happy to announce that THE GAME is now available on Kindle and all Kindle Apps. The early reviews of the book and the feedback from readers has been amazing. People are really loving this story, perhaps more than anything I've ever written.

As a writer, there is no better reward than excited readers. I think every time we put fingers to keyboards, we hope to strike that chord that will make people's hearts sing. So far THE GAME has done it and I could not be more excited about this release.

I loved writing the game. I hope you love reading it.

Catching Up to March

It's been a while since I've updated my blog here, but I've been busy writing and editing. So I haven't had as much time to get everyone caught up on things. But March is here, and that means spring is getting oh-so-close to breaking through. I'm very ready for warmer weather.

I'm happy to announce that The Game is done. I've made the final edits, and it should be available any day now. My publisher has it in the formatting stage and that usually doesn't take very long. I'm really excited about this book because it rounded into form really well. And the early readers have loved it.

My publisher has also booked a blog tour in support of The Game and it's official release. I will be spending much of March doing promotion which should be fun. I hope to see some of you on the tour.

I'm also happy to report that the 2nd book in the Humble Walker series (no final title yet) is with the editor for a first read. So we will see how that goes. I took the series in a slightly different direction compared to the first book. But I think the final product is great.

THE GAME - coming soon

THE GAME

COMING SOON

I'm pleased to announce that my 4th novel with Limitless Publishing is officially COMING SOON. It is currently on the fast-track. The cover design has been approved as seen above, and the editor is currently raking through the lines to flush out the things that need flushing. Once I get it back for final edits it will only be a few days after that when the official release date will be announced. So far the beta readers have loved it, and the buzz is really exciting. 

As usual, my publisher has worked with an exceptional cover designer to hammer out another great cover. There is no doubt that Limitless Publishing is putting out some of the best covers in the industry. THE GAME is no exception as people are loving it at every turn. 

So stay tuned with me on Twitter (@shanescollins) and Facebook (Shane Scollins - Author) for the official release date.

What's your process?

There are a lot of writers out there with millions of books on Amazon and other places. There's no doubt the world for writers has changed and is constantly evolving. But one thing that really hasn't changed is the writing process. Or has it?

When I start a book, I never go into it with a full concept in mind. I am not a plotter, simply because I do not want a canned product that is like anyone else's. And I can't get there by extensive plotting. Sure, I have no doubt that I borrow bits and pieces of books and pop culture as I go along, but I never do so with the idea that I want to write something like anything else. Being truly original may be an impossible task, however, so we get there as best we can.

A lot of writers have another process. They read a book and say, "I can do better" and want to expand or change a few things and produce something original. And I think with the speed of publishing, that whole "write what's hot" concept is alive and well like never before. In the old days of the publishing crawl, if you wanted to write something that was hot, by the time it got through the process to publication there was a chance you were going to be very late to the game, and look like a hack. Today, something that's hot in January, can inspire an eBook that can be out by March. Just look at the explosion of erotica that "50 Shades" has inspired.

I actually wish I could do that. I wish I could look at the best sellers list today, and have a 60k word novel ready by March. But I'm not wired that way. I just can't sculpt a story in that fashion, I need to let the story take itself where it may. I'm built on the line of thinking that says if I can't surprise myself, I'm not going to surprise my readers. Other writers can make twists, I have to stumble into them.

I guess that's what's so cool about writing, and writers. We all have such a different process. We all have the same goal in mind, but we get there in such different ways. Are you a plotter? Do you fly by the seat of your pants? Are you a hybrid of both? Are you something altogether different?

A while back I read about a writer who writes backwards. He starts at the end, and works his way to the beginning. That sound incredibly hard, but it would probably be a fun thing to try and see what you come up with.

No matter the process, or the final product, writers are writing like never before in both scope and volume. I'd like to hear about all those different processes out there. Because some of them are so innovative and I'm sure someone out there is going to come up with something none of us have ever seen or tried before.

Savior Frequency

SAVIOR FREQUENCY

Since SAVIOR FREQUENCY has launched last week I've been busy promoting it and working on my next new novel which is close to completion. But I had to take a few moments to say thanks to my fans who've given me such good feedback on SAVIOR FREQUENCY. It has been so well received and that's really excited me to write the next book in the Frequency series. It's still a while off, but I can't wait to take another trip with Jordan and Kayci and see what insanity they can get into next time. 

So I hope those that have not read SAVIOR FREQUENCY yet decide to take the journey. And to those that patiently await a second book in the series I hope to keep you entertained with one of my other books in the meantime. 

I would also like to wish everyone happy holidays.  

Follow me on Twitter @shanescollins and look for me on Facebook where I have both an author page you can like, or a personal page you can friend. 

Shane

New Cover - SAVIOR FREQUENCY

NEW COVER REVEAL

This is the new (NEW) cover for SAVIOR FREQUENCY. My publisher wasn't happy with the original and decided to redo it completely, and you can't argue with the results. The book will be launching this week and so far early buzz has been excellent. This is the reason I love working with Limitless Publishing, they do not mail it in, ever.

Cover Reveal - LEGACY RISING

COVER REVEAL

COMING SOON FROM LIMITLESS PUBLISHING

I'm excited to reveal this newest cover for LEGACY RISING, my next release from Limitless Publishing. The book is in formatting right now and the official release date is just around the corner.

Cover Reveal - THE SAVIOR FREQUENCY

COVER REVEAL

This is the cover for my next book THE SAVIOR FREQUENCY from Limitless Publishing. The book is with the editor right now so we are working hard to get it ready for release. We are probably just a few weeks away from the official release date.

Thanks for the Wild Ride

I've been on a lot of wild rides. Back in my youth I was heavily into street racing, and those unsanctioned (read illegal) rides were exhilarating and wild. Burning rubber and banging gears, yeah, it was fun. I'm also an avid ATV rider, and even at 40 years old I like to get my Suzuki Quad Sport out there ripping up the tracks, pitching it sideways in turns and hanging on for dear life. I also love to ride bicycles, and can often be found leaping my Mongoose off of curbs and carving turns. So, yeah, I've been on many wild rides.

But the one I'm on now is a different kind of ride. Ever since the release of REVENGE OF THE TAKEN (Humble Walker Book 1) with Limitless Publishing, it has been a wild ride. During the weekend, the book hit #7 on the Amazon Best Seller list for SciFi (although it may have briefly hit #4 according to a report I could not substantiate myself). But I won't quibble over a few places. I'm not going to lie, it was pretty cool seeing my book in front of some major heavyweight writers I've idolized for their work.

The reviews have been amazing, and people are just loving the book at every turn. I could not be more excited to hear what people are saying, and reading what they are writing. There is really no better feeling as a writer when people love to get into your story as much as you did while writing it. We writers pour a lot of soul into our work, immersing ourselves in the worlds of our characters all the while hoping when someone reads it that they get it too.

Art is so subjective. Be it movies or music, books or paintings, when the creator is producing such things they never really know if anyone is going to like it. Some people don't really care if people like their work, but I think most of us want someone else to enjoy it. Personally, I write to tell stories, to take readers on journeys and wild rides that might be unexpected or even bizarre. I like to give people an escape from reality even if I'm describing things as if they could (and might be) actually happening right next door.

So I want to say thanks to those who have bought REVENGE OF THE TAKEN and those on social media who have passed on nice words about the book. I'm truly humbled by the support and it makes we want to work that much harder on the next one. After all, wild rides can be addictive in a good way.

Official Release

It's official REVENGE OF THE TAKEN has launched into the Kindlesphere. If early indications are anything to go by it's headed for big success. The initial reviews are in and I'm excited that people like it. There is nothing more rewarding for an author than people enjoying their work. The reason I write is to take readers into worlds, places and situations that they normally would not and could not go.

REVENGE OF THE TAKEN

COMING SOON FROM LIMITLESS PUBLISHING

Here it is - the cover for REVENGE OF THE TAKEN, the first book in my HUMBLE WALKER series and my first book with Limitless Publishing. Hats off to my publisher and the graphic artist for all their hard work in getting this one done. It came out great.

A great cover can really bring a concept to life, and this does it so well. It's amazing as a writer when something visual is stuck to your words. In this case the artwork captures the book in such a way that it makes me want to read the book, and I wrote it. We are still working hard to make sure the product under the cover is the best it can be. The official release date is within reach and I'm excited. Working with Limitless Publishing has been an awesome experience.