My Road to Being Published by Kimberly Ann Miller with LOST REPUTATION @evernightteen @KimberlyAnnNJ @sharethis

My Road to Being Published

Kimberly Ann Miller—Lost Reputation

Like most new authors, I wanted to get an agent before having my book submitted to publishers. When my first manuscript was finished, I began querying agents and got quite a good response for my book with a good request rate for the manuscript. Then, as usually happens, the rejections started coming in. At the same time, some of my online writer friends were starting to sign with small presses, and many of them were having good experiences. In October of 2011, Spencer Hill Press had a query contest on their blog. I entered my query, and the publisher asked me to send in my manuscript. Two months later, I received my first contract! I have since queried agents with other manuscripts, and continued to query small and medium presses with other manuscripts. For Lost Reputation, I queried Evernight Teen in May and received the offer of publication in June! They are a great company to write for—very efficient and responsive. I have other manuscripts I will be submitting soon, so keep an eye out for more books 

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LOST REPUTATION

Kimberly Ann Miller

Romance/Contemporary/Suspense/Young Adult

Evernight Teen Publishing/237 pages

Casey Hayes has a secret—she writes the conspiracy theory column for her high school newspaper. As the editor, she thrives on the thrill of uncovering the facts—until she gets tangled up in a scandal.

When she exposes a teacher’s shameful secret, threats start, demanding she stop spreading the vicious rumors. Casey blows it off and keeps on writing. Even sexy Victor Cruz, the hot senior with the adorable accent who chases after Casey and tries to protect her, fails to convince her to keep her mouth shut. But things only get worse as she ignores the warnings, and soon, Casey must decide if exposing the truth is more important to her than her life.

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Excerpt:

I laughed at the memory as I locked up the newsroom and rushed to my next class. I still had a smile on my face as I plopped down on my seat in the back row of calculus. Victor Cruz, my secret crush, entered the room. My pulse reacted to his presence, but, thank God, no other part of me did that he could see. I didn’t want to be lusting after anyone this year because I was planning on working hard toward my college goals and didn’t need the distraction.

The worst thing was, Charli told me he gave his ex-girlfriend some rash because he cheated on her. I so did not do the sexually transmitted diseases thing, and I definitely had zerorespect for cheaters. Not even for a hunk like him, who obviously screwed around and didn’t care if he got girls sick.

But damn, did this guy make my insides quiver. He was totally hot. His parents moved to New Jersey from Spain during middle school when Vic was scrawny and didn’t speak much English. When senior year started a month ago, no one recognized him because he’d grown ten inches, gained fifty pounds—of muscle—and must have taken some classes in style because, damn, the boy knew how to dress to show off his build.

Loose jeans with a belt, black boots, and a black, long-sleeved tee only made him sexier. And the way he walked? It should’ve been a crime. He had a swagger about him that rivaled any of the good old boys of Hollywood. Watching it made me quiver in places I didn’t know could quiver.

But it wasn’t just his looks that held me captive. He had the values of an old-fashioned guy—holding the door open for girls, helping them with heavy stuff, defending them when guys were too rough or mean.

If it wasn’t for that wild partying side of him … sigh.

As he approached his seat, I couldn’t help but stare at his thighs, mesmerized by the fluid sway they made with each step.

He caught me staring and raised a thick black brow. I diverted my eyes and pretended to be very interested in the junior’s notebook next to me. But I didn’t even know his name. Ugh.

Vic slid into his seat next to me and winked at the girls that were staring at him.

They always stared at him.

I rolled my eyes. But when I felt his eyes on me, I shifted in my seat, fighting the funny tingle in my stomach that came from looking at him.

The other problem was, besides being a distraction, Vic knew how sexy he’d become. He acted so cocky and confident, I wanted to smack the grin off his face and remind him that not long ago, he could have passed for a ten-year-old boy who couldn’t speak English or speak to girls.

But, whatever. He had a harem now, so good for him. And shiny black hair, smooth, bronze skin, and deep brown eyes that … never mind. Didn’t matter anyway.

Kylie sauntered over to him, swaying her hips so hard, I wondered how they didn’t dislocate. She leaned over his back and wrapped her arms around his ample shoulders, pressing her boobs into his back. I’m sure he loved that. “Hey, Vic. Busy this weekend? My parents are out of town, and we can go riding if you want. I’ll pack us a lunch.” She ran her fingernails over his chest as she spoke, clearly enjoying the feel of him.

He pulled her fingers off him and slipped out of her grasp. “Sorry, I’m busy, but thanks for asking.”

She leaned into him again, making sure to press her boobs into his neck. I rolled my eyes so hard, they almost didn’t return to face front. That would suck. What would I tell the nurse? I was looking at my brain instead of in front of me and I needed an eye adjustment?

“Maybe another time, okay?”

Vic nodded once. “Si.”

I pulled out my phone to check messages, done with listening to the vixen and her attempts at charming the hottest guy in school.

“Hey, Casey,” he said in his sexy Spanish accent. He had this way of dragging out the end of my name, making it sound like Kay Seee.

It was both unsettling and adorable, so I just grunted at him. How else could I get anything done with him around?

About the Author:

Kimberly Ann Miller received Bachelor's degrees from Georgian Court University and Rutgers University and a Master's degree from The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.  She is an avid reader and particularly enjoys true crime and young adult novels.  She grew up in New Jersey and currently resides in Monmouth County with her husband and cats. When she’s not writing, she loves to travel to sunny islands where she snorkels by day and stargazes by night. She always takes her Nook with her.

https://www.facebook.com/kimberly.a.miller.180
https://twitter.com/KimberlyAnnNJ
http://kimberlyannmiller.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5820784.Kimberly_Ann_Miller

authorkimberlyannmiller@gmail.com

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The Story behind the Story of BATTERED not broken by Charity West @Writer_Charity @evernightteen #giveaway

Behind the Story of Battered Not Broken…

I was at Wal-Mart one day and heard a father speaking harshly to his teen daughter. He said some really cruel things and I could tell she was about to cry. I can’t think of anything she could have done that would warrant be called names and worse. If he did that in public, what was he like to her at home? Abuse isn’t uncommon in this day and age, and teens suffer emotional abuse at both the hands of their peers and their parents. It made me want to give them a voice and let them be heard, and even more, it made me want to give them a happily-ever-after.

Wren, my heroine, suffers both physical and verbal abuse at the hands of her father. He’s a mean drunk who likes to take his anger out on his family, with his fists. Even when she tries to hide from him, she still isn’t safe. And yet she stays… Like so many kids (and adults) out there, Wren doesn’t have a way to support herself, she doesn’t have the confidence she needs to escape that life and start over. In Wren’s case, she’s thrown out of the house and has no choice but to start over, and even that doesn’t go according to plan.

The life Wren led at home with her father meant she missed a lot of school, and eventually she dropped out. At nineteen, she feels like she has no prospects and no way to better her situation. The first thing she does once she’s free of him is make plans to take the GED and move on with her life. Kids miss school all the time, but kids like Wren stay home to hide the bruises. Her father destroyed her, emotionally, physically…and despite it all, in the end, she triumphs.

Battered Not Broken is about being at rock bottom, in a place so dark you fear you’ll never escape, but with perseverance and a bit of stubbornness, you realize that all things are possible as long as you believe in yourself. The road may be rocky, it may be long, but if you keep going you’ll reach your destination. 

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BATTERED

not broken

by CHARITY WEST

Contemporary/Romance/Young Adult

40K, Evernight Teen Publishing

Who knew falling for a man in Khaki could cause so much trouble?

Battered and bruised, Wren has taken a lot from her father over the years, but when he throws her out of the house, she sees it as a blessing in disguise. She has no job, no home, and never finished high school, but what’s all that compared to a life without abuse? When she starts over in a new town, under a new identity, she makes it her goal to fly under the radar.

New town, new life. Only, there’s a corrupt deputy intent on stealing Deputy Gray Frampton’s family fortune, a slight case of aggravated identity fraud, and a night in the local jail. It’s enough to make any girl’s head spin. Wren Michaels has to find a way not to spend the next three years in jail, warn Gray that Deputy Pritchard is after him, and somehow hold onto the happily-ever-after that is finally within her grasp—assuming Gray wants a felon as his girlfriend. Who knew falling for a man in khaki could cause so much trouble?

Buy Links:    Evernight Teen    Amazon    ARe

14+ due to violence and adult situations

Excerpt:

The shadows crept closer as a deep cold settled into my bones. I cowered on the floor of my closet, hidden behind shoes and clothes, as I listened to the slap of flesh against flesh. He’d come home drunk again, even more so than usual, and he’d barely cleared the door before landing the first blow. It was cowardly of me to hide. I should stand up and fight—do something to make him stop. My phone was still clutched in my hand, and my heart pounded in my chest, the thump-thump loud in my ears. I knew I should call 9-1-1 and get help for Mom, but I also knew that even if they arrested him, they’d never keep him. Mom would give the cops some bullshit excuse as to why he was beating her, or say she fell, and then she’d refuse to press charges. If I thought things were bad now, they’d be even worse if he went to jail for the night. We’d lived through that horror once already, and once was more than enough. No one had to tell me my dad was an abusive asshole who thrived on being a bully. I’d experienced it firsthand.

My palms grew slick as I heard my mother’s whimpers and then booted steps coming down the hall. Was I going to be next? The footsteps grew louder, and I heard my bedroom door slam into the wall. I bit my lip to stifle my cry, hoping he wouldn’t find me. He shuffled around my room, his boots clomping and scraping the wood floor as he searched for me. When the closet doors were flung open, I squeezed myself as far into the corner as I could, but I knew it wouldn’t be enough.

An iron grip closed around my arm, his fingers biting into my skin, as he jerked me out of the closet. I stumbled and fell to my knees at his feet, bracing myself for what would happen next. My head was wrenched back, tears stinging in my eyes as he fisted my hair. There was such hatred in his gaze, such contempt, as if he couldn’t even stand to look at me. I’d always done everything he’d ever asked, and still it wasn’t enough. As far as my dad was concerned, I’d ruined his life, and he was going to make me pay for it until I was able to leave this place behind.

“Thought you could hide from me?” he slurred. “Stupid little bitch.”

The slap across my cheek made tears spill down my face, but I ground my teeth together so I wouldn’t make a sound. When he knew he was causing me pain, he seemed to enjoy it more, and I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. He pulled hard until I was standing upright, my hair still clutched in his fist, and then he punched me in the stomach. I folded at the waist, gasping for breath as stars danced in my vision and bile rose in my throat.

“Worthless. That’s what you are.” He kicked out and knocked me to my knees again. “You should be groveling, thanking me for your life. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even be here, you ungrateful shit.”

Yes, because thanking him for the abuse he heaped on me day after day, thanking him for all the hurtful names I’d been called, thanking him for the days I’d had to skip school because I couldn’t hide the bruises—that was exactly what I wanted to do. One day, he would get what was coming to him. I didn’t know how or who would do it, but I knew someday he’d piss off the wrong person and they’d beat his ass until he cried like a baby. And I hoped like hell I was there to see it. I’d kick back with some popcorn and enjoy the show. I hated him. Hated him.

“You think I don’t see the way you look at me?” he demanded. “Well, I’m tired of it. I’m finished with you. My life was better before your mother got knocked up. Ever since she popped you out, you’ve been nothing but a financial drain. Not anymore. You have five minutes to pack your shit and get the fuck out of my house. And if I ever see you again, I’ll make you wish you were never born.”

Like I didn’t already wish that every day of my life. I should thank him for offering me freedom, even if I had nowhere to go. Anything was better than staying here. Plenty of people lived on the streets, so there wasn’t any reason I couldn’t do it, too. It just meant I’d have to find a way to get my GED sooner rather than later. Dropping out of high school hadn’t been the best decision in the world, but when Dad had broken my arm, Mom had thought it would be better than facing questions we couldn’t answer.

He stomped out of the room, and I heard his bedroom door slam. After grabbing a bag out of my closet, I shoved several outfits, underthings, and socks into it. I snatched my toothbrush and hairbrush out of the bathroom and crammed them in there, too. As an afterthought, I grabbed the travel pouch from under the sink that had shampoo, soap, and a razor tucked inside. I didn’t know where I would go to shower, or where I was going to sleep tonight, but I would figure it out. Maybe Mom would let me come home to bathe while Dad was at work a few times a week. Plus, it would give me a chance to check on her.

I zipped up my bag and then grabbed my backpack and purse off the bed. With my keys clutched tight, I walked out of the only home I’d ever known. Mom didn’t say a word as I passed her, and she didn’t try to stop me. Maybe she figured I was better off living anywhere but at home, and she may have been right.

About the Author:

Charity West is a young adult romance author who has always had her head in the clouds. She had her first crush when she was four, and it lasted for six years. Then she quickly fell head over heels for another boy, until she had to move away and leave him behind. Jumping from one boy to another, she finally found a keeper when she was twenty, and she’s been married to him ever since.

By the time Charity was twelve, she was sneaking her mother’s Harlequin romances and reading them in secret when she was supposed to be asleep. Teased throughout middle school and high school for the bodice ripper covers on the books she openly read in class, she knew that one day she wanted to write her own happily-ever-afters.

Twitter - https://twitter.com/Writer_Charity

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CharityWestAuthor

Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.com/Charity-West/e/B01BTUV3AA/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

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