Guest blogger Stacey Cochran

I’m very excited to have Stacey Cochran as a guest blogger today. He is not only a very excellent and entertaining author, but has proven himself a true friend and helper to the indie writing community with his website and blog posts, as well as his writer-centric Ustream show, Book Chatter. I heartily encourage both readers and writers alike to comment and/or ask questions freely in the comments section below. – RJK

——————————

by Stacey Cochran

 CLAWS 2 is the second in a series featuring wildlife biologist Dr. Angie Rippard. Each book in the series sees Angie in a different setting, battling greedy real estate developers while fighting for the rights of endangered wildlife. Each book features a different animal at the heart of its story and a different set of political circumstances surrounding that animal. CLAWS 2 features grizzly bears. 

The real-life story of grizzly bears in southwest Colorado had all but come to an end in 1979, when bow-hunter Ed Wiseman presumably killed the last one while defending himself with a hand-held arrow. This story is well documented, and you can find out all about it by Googling “Ed Wiseman Grizzly Bear.”

 However, in recent years, several credible sightings have suggested that grizzlies may be migrating south of Wyoming into the Aspen/Snowmass region of Colorado and possibly as far south as Durango and Telluride. If a stable population exists there, it’d be one of the most endangered sub-species of large mammals in the United States.

 The main reason I researched and wrote this novel was because I wanted to learn more about what a delicate population would mean to Colorado and Wildlife Services in the state, and I wanted to create a topic that people could read about and discuss. The reality is that with strong conservation efforts the last forty years, grizzlies have finally started to thrive in Wyoming and so it is likely that some bears may be migrating south.

 During the next six weeks or so, I will be hitting the digital “road” to spread the word and ask folks to buy the eBook and write a review at Amazon or goodreads.com

 I also need Kindle-friendly folks to host me on my tour. July is getting pretty full, but I haven’t begun to schedule many stops yet in August.

 If you’ve got a blog and would like to host me on my Blog Tour to promote CLAWS 2, drop me a comment and I’ll get in touch with you. I’ll be checking on comments and any questions y’all might have throughout the next few days, so please feel free to post.

 Thanks so much, R.J., for giving me the opportunity to guest blog at your place during my blog tour for CLAWS 2. I humbled and honored.  And thanks, folks, for reading my guest blog post today!

Stacey Cochran was born in the Carolinas, where his family traces its roots to the mid 1800s. In 1998 he was selected as a finalist in the Dell Magazines undergraduate fiction competition, and he made his first professional short story sale to CutBank in 2001. In 2004, he was selected as a finalist in the St. Martin’s Press/PWA Best First Private Eye Novel Contest. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife Dr. Susan K. Miller-Cochran and their son Sam, and he teaches writing at North Carolina State University. His books include The Colorado Sequence, Amber Page, CLAWS, and CLAWS 2.

Saturday July 3…Stacey Cochran!

Tomorrow, Saturday July 3, author Stacey Cochran will be guest blogging here. You may know him as the host of Book Chatter (which will resume   broadcasting in the fall). He’ll talk about his new novel, Claws 2 and fielding questions from readers (and potential readers!). Please check it out over the weekend!

Indie Authors Reader Appreciation Contest

Win Amazon Gift Cards!

During the month of July, if you have purchase a copy of Waiting For Spring, make a comment here (include your e-mail address!) to be entered into the contest. Kindle and Smashwords and paperback copies of the book are eligible to win.

But, what do I win?
You can win an Amazon gift card!

For how much?
That depends on how many people enter! You see…
0-30 = one $20 amazon gift card will be randomly awarded
31-50 = prize increases to $40 amazon gift card
51-70 = prize increases to  $60 amazon gift card
71-90 = prize increases to  $80 amazon gift card
91+ = prize increases to  $100 amazon gift card

Make sense?

Ok, but your subject title says amazon gift cardS. As in, multiple.
Very observant. You see, there are several other authors participating in this contest as well. Buy a copy of their book and head on over to their blog to enter their contest as well for more chances to win.

To see other participating authors, visit the links below. As you can see, there is a wide variety of genres. You’re sure to find something to fit your tastes!

Fantasy:

Jessica Billings (YA)
To enter – http://jessicabillings.weebly.com/JULY-CONTEST.html
To buy – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003F779P4/

Jason Letts (YA)
To enter – www.powerlessbooks.com/blog
To buy – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003OQUOFI

J.M. Pierce (YA)
To enter – http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=113897971961168&ref=ts
To buy – http://www.amazon.com/dp/1451591284/

R.A. Scully
To enter – http://www.highwizardofsilvinesh.com/
To buy – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003QCIQLY/

Danielle Bourdon
To enter – http://www.daniellebourdon.com/
To buy – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003PPDHWA/

Tracy Alley
To enter- http://tinyurl.com/28zgf2f
To buy- http://www.amazon.com/Erichs-Plea-Witchcraft-Wars-ebook/dp/B003HS4V4S

Science Fiction:

Imogen Rose (YA)
To enter – http://www.facebook.com/pages/PORTAL/243074017116
To buy – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035RPGOK

Shannon Esposito
To enter – http://murderinparadise.com/
To buy – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003RISP1S/

Mystery:

T.L. Haddix
To enter – http://tlhaddix.com/content/
To buy – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ES5S7U/

Karen Cantwell -humorous mystery
To enter- http://fictionfordessert.blogspot.com
To buy- http://www.amazon.com/Monkeys-Barbara-Murder-Mystery-ebook/dp/B003SE7O40

Thriller:

Mary McDonald
To enter – http://www.mmcdonald64.blogspot.com/
To buy – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003PPDB8K/

Women’s Fiction & Romance:

Donna Fasano
To enter – http://donnafaz.pnn.com/15963-the-front-page
To buy – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002ZNJL78/

General Fiction:

R.J. Keller
To enter – https://rjkeller.wordpress.com/
To buy – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001MTEN6K/

Kristen Tsetsi
To enter – http://kristentsetsi.wordpress.com/
To buy – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002NPBSJM/
OR http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002NGO5NC/

Humor
Dave Conifer
To enter – http://www.facebook.com/daveconiferfanpage
To buy – http://www.amazon.com/Snodgrass-Vacation-ebook/dp/B002U0KXR8/

The contest runs from July 1-31.

New Contest

Stay tuned for details on a contest that begins July 1. There could be some fabulous prizes up for grabs!

In the meantime, and appropos of nothing, “The Interview” won a recent Facebook poll as the favorite episode of “Inside The Writers’ Studio.” Enjoy!

Missing In Action

I think it’s obvious that I’ve been neglecting my blog for the past several months. Other than posting links to Paper Rats videos (a project of which I am extraordinarily proud) I’ve hardly been here at all. I tend to do that when I’m in the middle of an intense writing jag, and I’ll tell you what…writing The Wendy House has been (and continues to be) a rather intense experience.

Writing this book has kind of consumed me. There have been moments over the past few months when I have been startled out of my writing bubble by the telephone only to realize that I’ve been at it for twelve hours, moments I have run my tongue over my fuzzy teeth and wondered when the hell I last brushed them. And since this book doesn’t deal with people who are in their Happy Place, most days when I “clock out” all I want to do is putter in my garden or hang out with my family or play The Sims or make funny videos with my buddy, Kristen. I sometimes look around at other writers who seem to juggle everything – writing, blogging, marketing, family, hobbies, personal hygiene – and I’m jealous.

But I’m not them, I’m me. I’m doin’ what I can. Hopefully y’all won’t forget me. And once this book is done, I’ll go back to blogging like a crazy person.