Pages

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Random Acts Guest Post and $25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card Giveaway (Comment to win!)

*COMMENT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A $25 BARNES AND NOBLE GIFT CARD*


Thanks, Krystal, for having me on your blog. I love the website header and the tagline “Live to Read.” I wish there were more hours in the day to read everything I want to read. But I guess I shouldn’t complain because I spend the other hours of my day creating stories.

I am very excited my debut book, Random Acts, was released on April 24th.  It has been a whirlwind of promotional blogs and checking my Amazon rank.   However, I am constantly reminding myself the only way to build a successful writing career is to write the next book. And the one after that.

Speaking of which, I have another romantic suspense, Too Close to Home, due out August 7, 2012. In this one, I draw on my former career as a manufacturing engineering—exciting, right? Well, that’s what makes my next story a little different. Several years ago when I was working on the plant floor near a process with a big tank full of chemicals, a worker approached me.  In a rather ominous tone he said, “You know, a guy drowned in that. Some say it was payback for a drug deal gone bad.” He was probably pulling the leg of a newbie, woman engineer, but his words stuck with me. So, when I started writing romantic suspense, it was inevitable I would one day have a scene where a worker drowns in the chromate bath. From that simple conversation, the idea for Too Close to Home was born.

Whether you’re a writer or not, have you ever heard a snippet of conversation or read an article in the newspaper that got you thinking “What if?” That’s how all my stories are born.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Growing up, Alison Stone never imagined becoming a writer. She enjoyed math and science and ultimately earned a degree in engineering. Go Yellow Jackets!
After the birth of her second child, Alison left Corporate America for full-time motherhood. She credits an advertisement for writing children’s books for sparking her interest in writing. She never did complete a children’s book, but she did have success writing articles for local publications.
Finally, Alison got up the nerve to try her hand at full-length fiction. After completing a handful of manuscripts, she sold her first book to Samhain Publishing in 2011, followed a few weeks later by a second sale.
Now, Alison has the best of both worlds. From her home office in Western New York, she writes fast-paced romantic suspense while her four children are in school. It never fails to amaze her how soon the afternoon bus arrives.
Website: http://www.alisonstone.com/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Alison_Stone
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/AlisonStoneAuthor
Blog: http://alisonstone.wordpress.com/
E-mail: Alison@AlisonStone.com

Alison will be awarding autographed bookmarks at every stop, as well as a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. She will also give away a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to host with the most comments.

63 comments:

  1. Sounds wonderful Alison, enter me in!

    ReplyDelete
  2. cool, Alison, I will definately try your book out.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank heavens she left Corporate America to mother and write! Thanks for the contest:)

    bchild5 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have started reading more romantic suspense books lately and yours sound terrific!

    Thanks for the chance!

    mmafsmith at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh my god...someone drowning in a chromate bath X_X that sounds...Ouch! >.<
    I'll have my eyes out for this author :D thanks for having her on the blog :)

    -Alba, BookPics

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hello everyone! I love your enthusiasm! My new career has allowed me to meet so many people I wouldn't have otherwise met. Thanks for stopping by and saying, "hello."

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh, and Alba, you have to write what you know, right? Not that I know what it's like to stick my head in a chromate bath, but it was fun to use my manufacturing experience in my writing. Trust me, it's way more exciting than it may sound! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. What if? What a great comment. I have never thought of that. But it would work.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I lived in Macon, GA for 8 years so I know Atlanta. Made lots of trips to libraries, museums, restaurants, and SHOPPING!

    ReplyDelete
  10. MomJane ~ yes, "what if" is a great writer's tool. It gets the wheels turning.

    Catherine Lee ~ I loved Atlanta.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for stopping by, Samantha.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for hosting this stop of the tour. And thanks for the giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thank you for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I think I would be a little leary of the chromate bath. Yep, definitely. It would definitely make me infintely more cautious around it. What a way to go. I really enjoyed your post and I am looking forward to checking out your books!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Sounds like a great book!

    Jill.Watkins (at) gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sounds like a great book!! Thx 4 the chance.

    ctymice at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I don't think I have ever gone WHAT IF? If I was more imaginative. Perhaps then.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Sounds like an intriguing book. What if?
    sure will spark the thoughts to flow

    amhengst at verizon dot net

    ReplyDelete
  19. What A Book I Cant Wait To Read It. Loved The Interview. butterfli262002@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thank you for all your lovely comments.:)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Looks excellent, I will be sure to add it to my tbr list.

    Stephanie27

    drinkshrunkentears at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  22. Sounds like a interesting book

    kaerah.lopez@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thanks Stephanie & Kaerah for stopping by. I had a lot of fun writing Random Acts.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Congrats on your debut release!
    throuthehaze at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  25. I love the way you get your ideas for your stories. A simple conversation gets you going. I know how you feel. Sometimes I'll see something or someone will say something and my mind takes off. Now, if I could only get it doen on paper and not giveup and toss it I'd be ok. Congrats on the family and the new debut.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Loving Random Acts and looking forward to your August release!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Congrats on your debut! Thanks for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Good interview! Count me in for the giveaway!
    kendrasbodd@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  29. Thank you for the giveaway :)

    Becky01x@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  30. I'm always happy when people in technical jobs explore their creative side...score one for us!

    vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I'm enjoying all the comments. Thanks for stopping by.

    ReplyDelete
  32. What exactly is a chromate bath?

    spamscape [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  33. This sounds like a book I would enjoy!
    mittens0831 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  34. Thank you for the giveaway!

    kileypayne@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  35. Dovile ~ I used to work in manufacturing. A chromate bath is part of a process used on automotive parts to prevent corrosion. I promise the book doesn't go into boring manufacturing processes. I only used a chromate bath to drown a guy. :) Thanks for asking!

    Carol & Kiley ~ thanks for stopping by, too.

    ReplyDelete
  36. great interview. thanks Gale pgan427@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  37. Thanks for the giveaway, I'd like to enter please! :)

    yohitzmichelle at live dot com

    ReplyDelete
  38. I always go 'what if?' It's more fun that way...

    taiyounotenshi at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  39. Great giveaway! :)
    mv.misty@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  40. Cool! Thanks so much for the review, and hosting this author and giveaway !

    Alyssa Susanna
    lilleetleet(at)verizon(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  41. Plot sounds interesting!
    Great giveaway Count me in!

    maneesha.s. haroon@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  42. So happy to see so many people stop by. I'll definitely make sure you all are entered into the contest. Thanks for stopping by!

    ReplyDelete
  43. I agree with her...I don't have enough time to read everything that I want to read :)
    Thanks a lot for the contest!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Thanks for hosting.
    magic5905 at embarqmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  45. Thanks for the giveaway! Put my name in!

    nikkisvis@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  46. Thanks so much for the book description. It's definitely one I will add to my TBR pile!
    sqwalker2@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  47. Congrats to Allison for her debut novel and to her next novel out this early August! Keep it up!

    books4me67 at ymail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  48. Thank you tor the giveaway

    Lmbrunken at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  49. Love to be entered in this amazing giveaway
    Glorwal64@gMail.com

    ReplyDelete
  50. Both of these romantic suspense books look good to me!

    Jill.watkins (at) gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  51. Love the co-worker comment. That sounds like something my Dad or brother-in-law would do just to freak someone out. What a great place to get an idea for a book.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Than you for the giveaway. the book sound great.
    flaka.077 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  53. Very nice post. The book sounds good.

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  54. I love romantic suspense and would love to read this. Thanks for the post :)

    alison.fees(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  55. This book sounds awesome and what a great contenst! Thanks for hosting! :)

    ReplyDelete
  56. Thanks for hosting this . This sounds like a interesting book .
    Thivy.lopez@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  57. Love all the wonderful comments about Random Acts. Thanks for taking the time to stop by. :) Have a wonderful weekend. We'll be picking a winner soon...

    ReplyDelete
  58. Sounds very interesting....! Please enter me too!

    ReplyDelete
  59. Sounds promising! Would like to read this!

    Thanks for the giveaway!
    Leanne
    leannessf at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  60. Okay, my first ever virtual book tour has wrapped up. The winner of the autographed bookmark from this stop is Taiyoutenshi. If you happen to read this Taiyoutenshi, contact me at Alison AT AlisonStone dot com.

    The winner of the $25 Amazon gift card is "Mary" who posted on JC Martin's blog: http://jc-martin.com/fighterwriter/2012/05/alison-stone-motivational-lines/#comment-24265 (The winner was chosen via a random number generator across all 10 blog stops.)

    And Krystal won the $10 gift card for having the most comments on this blog. You guys rock!

    Thank you to everyone who stopped by. I truly appreciate your support.

    ReplyDelete