Last Minute Gifts....

Hello,
Anyone else who was like me this year and late to the party of buying Christmas gifts? I bought the rest of a couple of people six days before I had to give my boyfriend his gift. Usually I'm better than that, but apparently this year I slipped. Or maybe you're like my boyfriend want to treat yourself during the holidays.

Christmas Lites

There is the gift to charity. All SIX editions raise money for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. They come in both paperback and ebook formats.

Christmas Lites I
Christmas Lites II
Christmas Lites III
Christmas Lites IV
Christmas Lites V
Christmas Lites VI

Young Adult Books


New Adult Books
Family Ties

Stories told by word of mouth can get twisted or lost. Abby grew up hearing about her great-grandmother Emma, a royal who left that life to come to America. Yet when Abby takes a summer job with her best friend Cory, she feels eyes on her. When she is kidnapped after leaving work, Abby learns there may be a hidden part of her family tree...
Amazon
BN
Smashwords


Project us

Rachel is used to being in control of her emotions, never letting anyone get close to the real her. Nick is exactly the kind of guy Rachel has been trying to avoid getting involved with. Yet, when their school arranges a mysterious project that puts them together, they soon become trapped in a marriage that turns out to be real and legally binding, and they aren’t the only ones.
Amazon
BN
Smashwords

End of the Line

When so much is lost how does one to have the strength to move on? At seventeen Lauren was prepared for yet another year of school. Then asteroids hit, killing all of those she knew except for a few other teens from her neighborhood. Joining forces with her classmate Aaron, they work together on the journey in the hopes of finding more people that are alive. On the way, threats of starvation, illness, and freezing to death don’t compare to the danger of Dean Manson. Manson is an ex-con out for revenge against Aaron. With so much working against them these teens fight for everything even if it means denying their feelings just for the chance to see a new day.
Amazon
BN
Smashwords

New Adult

Beneath the Scars

Corporal Riley Nolan is back home and out of the hospital after sustaining severe injuries in a skirmish overseas. His physical injuries may be healed, though he is left with horrible scars all over his body. His mind is still healing, and he has almost no contact with the world outside his small dark apartment.

After the death of her parents and being forced to sell their house and move into an apartment in a new town, Eponine is left picking up the pieces while trying to maintain a normal life for her little sister, Genevieve.

Can these new neighbors help each other heal, finding the light and laughter in the world again? Most importantly, can Eponine help Riley see he's not the monster he believes himself to be beneath the scars?
Amazon
BN
Smashwords

Novellas

Mistakes Series 1-4

Children fear what lurks in the shadows. After the tragic loss of her best friend, Renee learns that what stalks the shadows wants her. She will have to choose the darkness or die.
Shadows from the Past (Mistakes #1)
Whispers in the Woods (Mistakes #2)
Footsteps in the Alley (Mistakes #3)
A Howl for a Resistance (Mistakes #4)

Free Novellas
Here are a couple of short stories they are free. They have not been professionally edited.
Best Friends

Travel through Jordan and Michelle's friendship. Jordan has just moved back to her hometown with her daughter and she reflects on major points on her friendship with Michelle.
Smashwords

Going Rogue (End of the Line 1.5)

In End of the Line, Aaron broke away for a time before he returns. He came back injured and with new insight, but what happened on his journey?
Smashwords

Big move!

Hello!
Sorry I've been a little MIA. I have been having trouble with grad school, so much that I know when my dad's birthday is, but almost missed it! Oops! I'm generally pretty good about that. On top of work, grad school, and trying to do a little writing I am starting the packing process. Yes, I am moving again! Before you roll your eyes this one is a little more permanent because I am buying the house instead of renting. After some time of some searching and not finding much or not having the house swept under our feet my boyfriend and I came down the decision of just building a house. I originally said as a starter home I saw no reason to build a starter home, but I love it so far. After all those decisions were made (I nearly died making that many I am not known for my decision making skills!), it has been real fun watching the whole process! We will have three acres which is still a new concept to me. Leo will be very happy though as soon as we have a fence, he LOVES to run. He and I are to move in with the two fur babies late November.

I thought that End of the Line 2 would be out in 2016, but I won't go into details why it is being postponed for 2017. However, I will keep everyone updated on what is happening with that. Just some things pop up and you can't prepare for them. On another note, who has heard of the song Heathen? So back in 2008/2009 I started to write this vampire story. I didn't get very far. Listening to that new song though I've thought of how to change it up, tweak it, and add a little more stability to the story so I've been trying to sneak in a little writing on that. Also I've been trying to sneak in some writing on Beneath the Scars two. I did a little shuffling, I liked the title Call for Help for another plot line. That title will still be for Beneath the Scars 2, but it will be a whole different story, but the same connection to Beneath the Scars. Does that make sense? I don't know I'm tired and rambling!
Good night :)

Smashwords Summer Sale

Hello and Happy Fourth of July!
Today some of us are celebrating the US, and thanking those who are serving to protect that right. I will be doing some of that, but it s also my boyfriend's birthday. He made it easy for me to remember ;) Too bad the weather is limiting what we can do. What is everyone else doing?

So I am taking part of the Smashwords Summer sale. They have a sale twice a year that they share and authors can take part of. All the books are 50%, 75%, or 100% off! I will probably play around as the month goes along.

End of the Line
~ 50% off! 2.99 to $1.50
When so much is lost how does one to have the strength to move on? At seventeen Lauren was prepared for yet another year of school. Then asteroids hit, killing all of those she knew except for a few other teens from her neighborhood. Joining forces with her classmate Aaron, they work together on the journey in the hopes of finding more people that are alive. On the way, threats of starvation, illness, and freezing to death don’t compare to the danger of Dean Manson. Manson is an ex-con out for revenge against Aaron. With so much working against them these teens fight for everything even if it means denying their feelings just for the chance to see a new day.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/40242


Family Ties
~ FREE instead of $2.99
Stories told by word of mouth can get twisted or lost. Abby grew up hearing about her great-grandmother Emma, a royal who left that life to come to America. Yet when Abby takes a summer job with her best friend Cory, she feels eyes on her. When she is kidnapped after leaving work, Abby learns there may be a hidden part of her family tree...
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/324723


Beneath the Scars
~ 50% off! 2.99 to $1.50
Corporal Riley Nolan is back home and out of the hospital after sustaining severe injuries in a skirmish overseas. His physical injuries may be healed, though he is left with horrible scars all over his body. His mind is still healing, and he has almost no contact with the world outside his small dark apartment. 

After the death of her parents and being forced to sell their house and move into an apartment in a new town, Eponine is left picking up the pieces while trying to maintain a normal life for her little sister, Genevieve. 

Can these new neighbors help each other heal, finding the light and laughter in the world again? Most importantly, can Eponine help Riley see he's not the monster he believes himself to be beneath the scars?
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/373634

Project US 
~ 50% off! 2.99 to 1.50!
Rachel is used to being in control of her emotions, never letting anyone get close to the real her. Nick is exactly the kind of guy Rachel has been trying to avoid getting involved with. Yet, when their school arranges a mysterious project that puts them together, they soon become trapped in a marriage that turns out to be real and legally binding, and they aren’t the only ones.

While their parents try to get four hundred students out of these marriages with legal help, the teenagers must live in a compound with their respective spouses for the duration of the project. Being trapped together leaves no room for denials. As Nick begins to fall for Rachel, she does everything in her power to avoid his charms and protect her heart. All she wants is to get out of the marriage, but does she truly want out, or is she only lying to herself?
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/555929

The whole Mistakes series (books 1-3) is FREE!
A series about werewolves and their dark world that is changing, and threatening our world.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/366574
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/538345
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/587612

New Cover...last time

Hello!
Poor End of the Line has gone through many transformations over the years, changing its face more than once. Unless I make it huge and a big time publisher takes End of the Line under its wing, I promise this will be the last time I change its cover. Even then I might beg just because I feel bad and I know as a reader books constantly changing covers drives me crazy. However, I think what drives me even more crazy is series covers that don't match. I was reading the Nightshade series, and I loved the sparkly purple cover, then they went and changed the cover so that they would all go in a new direction. Now the series sits on my bookshelf in Jersey (not enough room where I live now...) not matching. Yet, the series when you look it up they all do go along with each other.

That is one of the things that drove the last change for this book series. The second book is still with the editor, but I want to get ready for the marketing for its release. That in mind, I want to make sure that the covers make sense.

It is uploaded on smashwords, and Amazon will take a day or two so keep your eyes out!

Here is the transformation of End of the Line

The original cover from 2009

End of the Line 2012

New cover 2016

Little spurts and a change of date

Hello!
So the spring cleaning bug has really dug its teeth into me lately. The house we're renting is a two bedroom, one bath without a pantry or a hall closet so the suggestions on pinterest are simple teases. So I'll have to get inventive which sounds more appealing than my homework. However, what I've done to one of the flower beds little spurts of green are popping up out of the ground. I know a few of those are weeds or those clovers with the small purple flowers that are all over the yard, but I kind of forgot what I even planted so I am waiting a little long until things are bigger.

Then I get to this big green plant that is doing so well! I don't remember if I have mentioned this before, but I do not have a green thumb. I'm actually trying to find a way to tell my boyfriend our aloe plant  seems to have exploded and died. I didn't know that was even possible, but that seems to be the only thing that could've happened. Now about this one plant, my boyfriend is convinced that it is a weed. I think it's a daisy plant. Anyone, if you know what this is I would love to hear your suggestions!

Now, I am sure you're done listening to me talk about gardening and my failed attempts of organizing when this is a book blog. I will go straight to the point, Off the Beaten Path (End of the Line 2) I know I said it would be released this month, but I have moved it to June. It is still being edited. I will keep you updated if there are any changes. Meanwhile I have been barely able to write, but I have gotten a little bit done with Mistakes #5 (Moonlit Eyes),  and first rounds of edits of Mistakes #5.

Let me just say grad school has been kicking my butt this semester especially the past month so I have not been able to get much done. Which is seriously digging at my sanity as I have been outlining a new story. I know I need to finish other stories that I have going on before I start a new one. However, I like to think to work on the stories on  which the voices are the strongest. This new story I am not sure if I will be connecting it to Beneath the Scars. I will say the story known as Call for Help will now be called something else because I will be stealing that title for the new story. It fits it better. I will share more details on the new project once I am able to actually work on it other than writing notes here and there. I will say that there a few country songs influecing this song.

~Ottilie

End of the Line for FREE

Hello!
Off the Beaten Path (End of the Line 2) is going to be released April 2016. I am pretty excited to release this sequel and I hope you all enjoy it! I will be doing a cover revealing soon which will include a new cover for End of the Line! However, to prepare for the release of the second book I am making the first free for a limited time. If you have not read the first this is your chance!

End of the Line

When so much is lost how does one to have the strength to move on? At seventeen Lauren was prepared for yet another year of school. Then asteroids hit, killing all of those she knew except for a few other teens from her neighborhood. Joining forces with her classmate Aaron, they work together on the journey in the hopes of finding more people that are alive. On the way, threats of starvation, illness, and freezing to death don’t compare to the danger of Dean Manson. Manson is an ex-con out for revenge against Aaron. With so much working against them these teens fight for everything even if it means denying their feelings just for the chance to see a new day.

FREE Smashwords (has all formats including pdf)
FREE Nook (This site has 18 reviews as well if you're still not sure.)
Kindle

Updates on the upcoming release

Hello!
I'm taking a break from my homework because well I'm going crazy. I will say instead of the end of March, Off the Beaten Path, would be released. I will say though I changed it to the beginning of April. It is currently with the editor and I rather not rush that part. I will also say the cover revealing will be soon so keep your eyes out! There will also be a cover change of End of the Line so that the series covers would go together. :) Also thank you for those who have been downloading Going Rogue (End of the Line 1.5)! I hope you all are enjoying it!
~Ottilie 

Series Covers

Hello!
So as I have mentioned before End of the Line 2 is currently with an editor and I will be doing the cover revealing soon. However, the cover that I have does not exactly match/go with the cover of the first one. I could redo the cover of the first one, but I do not know if it is something that will throw people off if they do not match. Does having matching/similar covers in a series help make it a series? I would appreciate any input :)

Should series have matching covers?

Yes

No

Personality

Needing reviews and updates

Good Morning!
I'm about to start keying in the edits from Off the Beaten Path (End of the Line 2). I'm hoping to release that around February. I'm pretty excited to release that and I have had the cover ready for a few months. I love Aaron and I hope others enjoy him as well. Cole, I hope everyone loves him, I got to explore his character. I also think some other questions will be answered in this sequel.

However, End of the Line was released a few years ago and it has been awhile between books. I am sorry that I do that with books as I am writing Beneath the Scars' sequel. Since it has been so long I was wondering if there were people who would be willing to do a review for Beneath the Scars as well or just read it then turn around to read Off the Beaten Path. Or if people remember the first book stay in tone for when I ask for reviewers. If you are interested you can either comment or email me at: ottilieweber @ gmail (dot) com.
~Ottilie  

End of the Line

When so much is lost how does one to have the strength to move on? At seventeen Lauren was prepared for yet another year of school. Then asteroids hit, killing all of those she knew except for a few other teens from her neighborhood. Joining forces with her classmate Aaron, they work together on the journey in the hopes of finding more people that are alive. On the way, threats of starvation, illness, and freezing to death don’t compare to the danger of Dean Manson. Manson is an ex-con out for revenge against Aaron. With so much working against them these teens fight for everything even if it means denying their feelings just for the chance to see a new day.


Stay in the loop with Off the Beaten Path: 
Read a sample here

Power of Love

Hello!
I am lucky enough to be taking part BFI Love Fest this year. I appreciate being part of it and I get to talk about one of my favorite things to write about, love. All of my stories have some bases of love because everyone can relate on some level, boyfriend-girlfriend, husband-wife, siblings-siblings, friends-friends, parent-child, boyfriend-boyfriend, girlfriend-girlfriend, and many more.

I love watching movies like 'Shakespeare in Love', 'A Walk to Remember', and 'A Princess Bride'. 'Shakespeare in Love' is a fictional spin on how Shakespeare wrote one of his plays. In a true Shakespeare fashion it does have its ups and downs, but the emotion could cause strong emotions and turn a whole world upside down. Those are just three movies that come to mind, but I think 'A Princess Bride' is one of the best examples of power of love. It is a tale of two peasants that grow to love each other, but don't ever say so. However, the two are torn apart. The two are given obstacles and are even tortured. Then the only thing that can save our young hero is true love. This is a movie that is full of action and humor as well, a must love classic for everyone.

I can remember watching 'A Princess Bride' as a child and eventually I hope that to read the book as well. Now this isn't to say there are books that don't show the true power of love. 'Wildflower Hill' discusses the power of love between mother and daughter, then a granddaughter as she picks up the pieces of her life. In the adult novel 'Lover Eternal' I nearly teared up. This book is definitely a 18+ kind of book, but it talks about a vampire who is cursed who falls for a human who had been through years of cancer treatments. For obvious reasons they could not be together, and this is not. My favorite when I was in fifth grade was 'The Two Princesses of Bamarre'. It is about two sisters, one is more shy than the other. The bolder of the two gets sick and the other sister goes on a journey that is dangerous and involves dragons in search for the cure. The love for her sister (and later a boy) helps her find her strength against everything she is up against to save the one she loves. Of course if you go on my goodreads you could see the books upon books of that contain love and while I am writing it is hard to think of specific ones to choose without rambling (well too much...).

Now I might be a little bias with the next paragraph will talk about some of my works on the topic. 'End of the Line' is a story about the end of the world, but the power of their feelings between siblings, friends, and eventually girlfriend-boyfriend they fight a chaos world. Asteroids had destroyed everything, but they stick together to live. 'Family Ties', a Abby goes missing and her friend knows in his gut that she is alive even as the cops lose faith. 'Beneath the Scars' is about Riley who is covered in head to toe scars from serving overseas, but when he meets Eponine he is forced to see a world outside of his apartment. Eponine dropped out of college and works a job she hates to make sure that she has a roof over not only her head, but her ten year old sister's to keep a social worker off their backs. 'Project US', Nick and Rachel are thrown into a marriage at sixteen and together to find a way to get their lives back to normal. Nick starts to have doubts, but will do anything to make Rachel happy. 'Shadows from the Past' is a novella (that is on sale for free) deals with what will the power of love free a person from in the paranormal sense.

Love is a strong thing to experience, read, watch, and write about. It is all around us and will surprise us in ways we could never expect.

The BFI Love Fest is going on for another day, please check out all the videos, chats, and authors that are involved!
Site
Twitter - Where it is taking place.
Authors
my interview

Cover revealings

Hello,
Did you notice the 's' in revealings? Well, look at it now! I'm being oddly productive, and we can probably blame the fact that silly me is going to finish grad school while I'm working a full time job. Silly me...so budget will be a little tighter. However, my goal is to get stuff done before that all starts.  Plus between my boyfriend and I we have four more weddings to go to, three of which one of the two of us are in the wedding party. I'll go back to cycles of writing, which isn't ideal, but that's life. So the covers that will be revealed is Christmas Lites 5!! Can you believe we're up to 5?! I can't. I also will be this weekend revealing the cover to the 3rd novella in the mistakes series, Footsteps in the Alley. Going Rogue my mini series will go become something that you can read on your e-reader. Then End of the Line 2, Off the Beaten Path. So, keep your eyes out!

Speaking of Christmas Lites 5, we will be needing all the help that we can to help advertise the book that all of the money will go towards NCADV!

Sample Sunday, err I mean Friday?

Hello!
So I will be going to wedding number two this year, and my boyfriend and I have four more to go to in the next year. It is one of the reasons why I went from saying I was going to go to Utopia to not. One of the weddings is the same time and that's a lot of traveling because not a single wedding is in Virginia. It stinks being popular...

So, my aunt is going through End of the Line 2, then I'll go through it, then I'll send it to an editor. I am still not sure if I want to call it Off the Beaten Path or Walking a Thin Line. However, while you are waiting for it, I decided to post a little sample on my Wattpad (click that link to read the story, remember it will contain spoilers for End of the Line!) account which I do admit I tend to forget about. Oops!

Look at me go, mentioning two upcoming releases in the same week!
~Ottilie

Flash Sale

Shhhhh.....

Only for a limited time is this sale going to be available! In honor of Labor Day and the last hurrah weekend before school either starts or goes into full swing. All of my novels ebooks will be $0.99 and all the novellas are FREE! Take advantage and please review if you can. Remember with this sale End of the Line sequel will be released in a few months! Also the third installment of Mistakes will be released not far from now...

End of the Line
Nook $0.99
Smashwords $0.99
Kindle $0.99
When so much is lost how does one to have the strength to move on? At seventeen Lauren was prepared for yet another year of school. Then asteroids hit, killing all of those she knew except for a few other teens from her neighborhood. Joining forces with her classmate Aaron, they work together on the journey in the hopes of finding more people that are alive. On the way, threats of starvation, illness, and freezing to death don't compare to the danger of Dean Manson. Manson is an ex-con out for revenge against Aaron. With so much working against them these teens fight for everything even if it means denying their feelings just for the chance to see a new day.
**The sequel is in second rounds of edits**

Family Ties
Nook $0.99
Smashwords $0.99
Kindle $0.99
Stories told by word of mouth can get twisted or lost. Abby grew up hearing about her great-grandmother Emma, a royal who left that life to come to America. Yet when Abby takes a summer job with her best friend Cory, she feels eyes on her. When she is kidnapped after leaving work, Abby learns there may be a hidden part of her family tree...

Beneath the Scars
Nook $0.99
Smashwords $0.99
Kindle $0.99

Corporal Riley Nolan is back home and out of the hospital after sustaining severe injuries in a skirmish overseas. His physical injuries may be healed, though he is left with horrible scars all over his body. His mind is still healing, and he has almost no contact with the world outside his small dark apartment.

After the death of her parents and being forced to sell their house and move into an apartment in a new town, Eponine is left picking up the pieces while trying to maintain a normal life for her little sister, Genevieve.

Can these new neighbors help each other heal, finding the light and laughter in the world again? Most importantly, can Eponine help Riley see he's not the monster he believes himself to be beneath the scars?

Project US

Nook $0.99

Smashwords $0.99
Kindle $0.99

Rachel is used to being in control of her emotions, never letting anyone get close to the real her. Nick is exactly the kind of guy Rachel has been trying to avoid getting involved with. Yet, when their school arranges a mysterious project that puts them together, they soon become trapped in a marriage that turns out to be real and legally binding, and they aren't the only ones.

While their parents try to get four hundred students out of these marriages with legal help, the teenagers must live in a compound with their respective spouses for the duration of the project. Being trapped together leaves no room for denials. As Nick begins to fall for Rachel, she does everything in her power to avoid his charms and protect her heart. All she wants is to get out of the marriage, but does she truly want out, or is she only lying to herself?

The Mistakes Series will have the third installment released within a month or two! I have big plans for this series and it has been mapped out including two more novellas (4 in total) that will lead into a novel. A little strange, probably, but there is a lot more fun coming your way. They are a little different than everything else. You can now get the first two novellas for FREE for a limited time!

Shadows from the past  and Whispers in the Woods

Children fear what lurks in the shadows. After the tragic loss of her best friend, Renee learns that what stalks the shadows wants her. She will have to choose the darkness or die.

The ranks are being questioned in the shadows. No one is truly safe. Kylie is unsure of herself as she doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. However, one trip into the woods will drag her into a war.

Shadows:

Nook

Smashwords

Whispers

Nook

Smashwords

End of the Line 2

Hello!
So today I was able to print out a copy of End of the Line 2 that I will be sending to my Aunt to act as a second pair of eyes and go through the manuscript. She might be related, but she is able to write notes, ask questions if she has any, and puts editing marks on the story. Thankfully I have family that is willing to do so, I'm sure she will be happy that this story is about 20K shorter than Project US!

I'm trying to type this as Lily wants to use my keyboard as a pillow and Leo wants to play fetch. So after she sends it back to me I'll go through the paper copy myself and see what I want to fix. There is something about catching mistakes in a physical copy. Then I'll send it to an editor. I already have this cover figured out so I am not worried about that. However, it does not match the first book so I'm debating on changing the first cover again so that they would somewhat match.

I am also trying to figure out the name. I have two different title ideas in mind for this book. I am leaving a poll up on the upper right hand corner for you vote on until September 4th.

Happy Voting!

Back to the land of social media

Hello,
Where have I been? I released a book then I disappeared. I'm sorry about that, what happened is I got a new job an hour and a half away from the current school that I was working at. So needless to say I had to find a place for Leo and I to a new place. We went from an apartment in Fredericksburg to a house in Sutherland Virginia. I am still a special education teacher, but instead of being in a middle school I will be in an elementary school which I'm excited. Leo is too, he has a backyard to call his own, well mostly he does have to share it with my boyfriend's dog, Lily.


I moved in last weekend (mostly I still have a couple of things in my apartment oops!). The cable/internet people weren't able to come to use until today. This morning I got to mail out a couple of ebooks out for review which was nice. I even finished editing the first round with End of the Line 2. I'm hopefully going to be sending the rough draft to my aunt to go through :)

I'm debating if I like "Walking a Thin Line" or "Off the Beaten Path" for the title for the sequel. Please share your thoughts in the comment section. Right now though I'm watching TV with Leo curled by my side.

Happy Readings!
~Ottilie

Pirating E-books

Hello,
I woke up in a good mood today, I got the final edits of Project US. It will be my next novel and it is me returning to my Young Adult genre. I was also preparing my schedule to work on End of the Line 2. For giggles I sometimes google myself, it is a form of procrastination I will admit. I do not expect to be the next J.K. Rowling, but I have heard horror stories of other authors saying they find their work on pirating websites so I just like to keep an eye to see if I have hit that level.

I enjoyed seeing some people using my quotes on tumblr with cute pictures. I see quotes from Family Ties and End of the Line. I even saw a pinterest board named after one of the letters from Beneath the Scars. There were a couple other sites, pictures, and even some articles that have used my quotes. Honestly, I never thought that something like that would happen.

I came across a few sights that claimed that you could download my books for free if you signed up. I tried, but I didn't create a username/password so I only got so far. Then I came up to a discussion board. In this board there was a person asking how to download Beneath the Scars for free. It was nice to see a few people on the board talk about how they liked the book. There was one person suggesting a site to do so. Yet, there was only one person on the discussion board who stood up and said that's called pirating, and it's illegal. The person went on further saying how harmful it is for the author.

It is true I don't write for the money. However, I tend to put my books for a cheaper price. I tend to do a good amount of giveaways and made my ebooks free for libraries. I have also donated paperbacks a couple of times to libraries. I even post about how I need reviewers and that I'm giveaway free copies. It is one thing to think, okay I'm sure there are a few people getting free copies online, but to see it in writing is a little hurtful. The person also suggested borrowing from a friend. My friends and I would do that all the time in high school. There were a few books that six of us were rotating with. I have bought used copies of books when I am low on money.

So please...don't be a pirate go to your local library! Even if you have to contact the author. I know if someone asked me I'd see if their library has a copy, and if not I'd find them a deal or help them out.

Road Block

Hello,
I would've named this post writer's block, but it isn't just a mental block on writing. Sometimes it's an emotional block or for me I know work can clog my brain from everything else. For me I also have to take breaks from a story and start fresh with a story. I'm probably rambling because it is a little personal for one of the reasons why I am hesitant to work with one story and I'm debating on if I should even talk about it even as I am writing this.

I've been writing erratically with a couple of stories as I continued my first year writing. I'm in a new state, living by myself, and trying to figure out the ropes my first year. Some of those stories include, the third installment in my werewolf story, A Pirates Life for Me, Walking a Thin Line, Going Rogue, Project US, and Call for Help. Sequels I swear are my Achilles Heel. Walking a Thin Line I figured out the ending, I have it outlined and have been working on it in bits the past two weeks. I kept having to take breaks because there was a couple different ways I wanted to take that story and I was overthinking parts.

However, that's not the story that I wanted to talk about. Beneath the Scars and End of the Line are my top two stories. They go back and forth depending on when I look. Beneath the Scars I already have a rough outline for it to be a trilogy. Riley and Eponine will be in all of the books because well, who doesn't love Riley? However, the other books will follow some of the other men in Riley's troop when he had his accident. Should I be giving away spoilers like this? I hope not!

In Call for Help one of the main characters deals with cancer. I have been working on this story too in stages. However, I'm actually a little nervous to work on the story. That sounds probably immature and dumb as I am sure most of this post does. A little over a week ago I found out one of my best friends has cancer. He and I met in college and worked together at the same recreation center/gym. We don't always get to talk as much as we do, but when we see each other there's no stopping the conversations. I guess that's what you get for putting two teachers together in the same room in their free time. He's like my big brother. I was in shock when he told me.

Even though it's been over a week it still isn't sinking in. I can't imagine what him and his wife must be going through. He and I have talked on the phone and via text message a couple of times since then, but it isn't sinking in. I can admit that he has cancer, but the idea of what he is going through seems surreal. It seems like just the other day we were at work talking about Family Guy. I don't know if working on this story will be too close to home, making me face the fact that my friend indeed has cancer. The doctors caught it early for him and I'm staying positive. I'm hoping that me loving this story helps me stop being a baby and move past it to write. So sorry that this story will not be done as soon as I had planned...
~Ottilie

Snow Days and sequels

Hello!
I'm currently sitting on my couch in my living room watching a random movie on my second snow day in a row and I just received an email saying we are having another one tomorrow. I have cleaned and reorganized my apartment, did laundry, caught up on work emails, wrapping three birthday presents, practicing make-up for a wedding this weekend, and spent endless hours researching endlessly about nothing and blowing up my boyfriend's phone so when he gets off work he has a bunch of dumb texts. What else are girlfriends for? Oh! I have also gotten my oil changed. I have gotten a little of writing down. I'll get more done tomorrow. I did a little work on End of the Line 2, which is slowly moving, I'm near the end, but I can't bring myself to write or focus writing right now.  I'm not selling that story probably considering how long it is taking me to write it. I just get distracted. That and it is sad to think that I will be saying goodbye to some friends again. I have a soft spot for Aaron and Lauren. They were my first published characters and they were based off characters in a dream I had for years.

I will be doing final edits on a short story that will be along side of Shadows from the Past! I can't wait to share that one, but once that is done I will be sending it to Amy to work her magic on. I don't publish much, but I hope they are worth the wait. This story it does not really matter if you read shadows from the past first or not, there are different characters, but in the same world. I had a few beta readers on it and they seemed to like it, and were interested to see if there will be a full length novel on the world. It's in the works is all I can say.

Now to Project US. My Aunt is doing edits on the second half of it and I got the first half back from my boyfriend since I accidentally left it at his place. She did the edits on a physical copy. I'm sure there is a forest out there that is plotting against me. This is my longest story up-to-date, 80K+. It's a little different, and I'm nervous to see what people will think, I've gotten some really positive feedback on it so that is helping my nervous. Of course I'm over thinking the cover and everyone I have asked liked something else. I'm going to have to go on my gut probably which will be fun of course. Can't you tell by all this writing that I've been locked up in my apartment for days?

I'll try to writing more soon. I have one of my best friend's getting married this upcoming weekend which means a trip back up to NJ this weekend! I haven't seen him in so long I'm excited to see him and his fiance tie the knot. This is my first friend to get married, and it is crazy to think that we reached this point in our lives. So grown up, yet, I'm still being mistaken for one of my students. Plus the boyfriend will be going with me to the wedding, our first event together. I'm probably more excited than I should be about that. That's probably because when it came to prom I always went with my friends never a date. I'll post pictures!
~Ottilie

12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

Hi Everyone!
I am taking part in a 12 Days of Christmas giveaway! There are many different authors of different genres! You should take advantage of this giveaway!

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End of the Line

Good Afternoon!
So I'm working on about six or so stories right now. Why? Because I'm not fully working and I need to keep busy while I'm sending out what feels like a million applications and don't want to be stressing too much while I'm preparing for the job interviews I've been going on. It feels so good to be working with my characters again. I've missed them. I've been working on Project US (YA Romantic Suspense), A Pirate's Life for me (YA), Mistakes/Moonlit Eyes (YA - Paranormal Romance), Call for Help (NA Romantic Suspense Beneath the Scars 2), End of the Line 2 (YA), and might start working on two others. Yes, a little crazy. It feels nice to work on Young Adult books though.

I sometimes think that need to add more work than I should to my plate. It's an illness. You might have noticed that I've picked up End of the Line 2. I don't know what happened, but it sitting on the back burner for awhile I was able to get the gears moving again. Hopefully that continues. It has some interesting points, and I miss working with Aaron. That in mind I wanted the first and second to match interior wise. If you ever held the physical copy you might have thought the font was a little smaller. Looking at End of the Line with Family Ties and Beneath the Scars, I wondered how a book that has more words could be so much smaller. Family Ties is around 14K shorter, and Beneath the Scars is about three thousand words shorter. So I ask Amy from The Eyes of Editing and worked on the interior of End of the Line and now it's the biggest out of my collection. For that I'm sorry the price will be a little more, but at least your eyes will thank me. I fixed a couple interior problems that bothered me, I forgot to move a chapter heading down. My little OCD tendencies. It should be available again within a couple of days, or you can order End of the Line here now.
Happy Readings,
Ottilie.