Pre-Order Obumbrate and win SMOKIN' Prizes!

Earlier this week I posted some very beautiful bookmarks for Obumbrate, my second novel continuing The Illumine Series (TIS) where Illumine left off. And in that post, I may have mentioned that I would be unveiling a way to get your hands on some of those gorgeous beauties come Thursday.


Well, guess what? It's Thursday!


I had been thinking about ways to give everyone the best gift ever all week, and the conclusion I got at the end seemed perfect. Why not do a giveaway?! 


Two lucky winners who pre-order a paperback copy of Obumbrate will win a SWAG package of SMOKIN' awesomeness (pun most definitely intentional.) Two lucky winners will receive: 

1 OBUMBRATE T-Shirt (S-L, will be made for the winner!) 

3 SIGNED OBUMBRATE bookmarks! (So two for you, one for a friend! Or all three for you if that tickles your fancy.)

1 OBUMBRATE Pendant Necklace! (Just like the one that was given away at Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile! 

The Rafflecopter will close on MAY 11th, so you only have until then to be entered to win this package!  Don't miss it! 

The New Bookmarks Are Here!

Guess what?! 

No, I didn't get a pet duck. Thanks for asking, though. 

But I DID, however, get some new bookmarks made! 

Check them out below! These are brand new, freshly made Obumbrate bookmarks! 

Like 'em? Want to get your hands on 'em? Well, you can't yet, but you will be able to soon! 

This Thursday at noon I will be posting how you can get your hands on these pretties! 

Until then, if you like them, let me know in the comments below! 

COVER REVEAL: Obumbrate

It's finally here! That's right, it's time to quit hiding the cover for book two of The Illumine Series and reveal the cover for Obumbrate! 

Following a neat little trend on quoting the dictionary, here's the definition of Obumbrate-

ob·um·brate

 [ob-uhm-breyt]

1. to darken, overshadow, or cloud.

And without further ado...

Oooh, sound sneaky, huh? And check it out- Essallie's pendant is right on the cover! The cover in all its entirety, from photos taken to digital editing, was done by your truly! One of the coolest things I love is show you the imagery in my mind when I write, and creating covers from scratch does just that. 


Later on next week I'll be sharing with you all the ability to pre-order a signed copy of the second book with a whole mix of goodies right from this blog. But until then, you'll just have to keep checking off the days until July 7th! (I promise, it'll be here before you know it. -insert wink here-)

ILUMINE'S WISH Winners!

Holy smokes. It's almost 10PM and I didn't post this up yet for everyone! I'm so sorry! (Blame it on my... cat?)

First, in a totally non-grammy-winning speech sort of way, I want to say thank you to everyone who helped host, run, post about, and participate in the ILLUMINE'S WISH event. It was, in my opinion, a huge kick-butt success! I may not have pulled numbers like a well known author, but I'd like to think I did a buzzworthy number for someone still dipping her feet into the realm.

Winners for the different variety of prizes that were offered on a mix of blogs will be emailed or mailed out some time this week. I have it all sitting in my living room taking up approximately half of my floor and a loveseat, so... yeah. Kind of needs to get shipped soon before my family revolts on me for kidnapping the house with my stuff.

What I CAN announce in stark clarity are the winners of the ARCs of OBUMBRATE that was held right here on my blog. I will be emailing all the winners tomorrow, and those who don't get back to me within 48 hours I shall have to pass on and pick another. Standard policy and all the shnaz.

I know, I know. Get to the point, Alivia.

Alright, so the winners of the 5 ebook copies of OBUMBRATE are...

1- Christina Bahr
2- Jessica Haight
3- Helen Bush
4- Nancy Storey Allen
5- Alicia Marie Ezell

UPDATE: All five ecopy winners were emailed with the copies as of 10:40PM on May 6th! Please check your emails, ladies. 


Yay! Big round of applause to the first batch of winners!

Oh I know, you want to know about the paperback winners, too. No worries, I have them right here!

The winners of the 5 paperback copies of OBUMBRATE are...

1- Dana
2- Terri Matlock
3- Artemis
4- Vivien
5- Emily Rencich


A huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge congratulations to all of you! I'd start keeping your eyes on the mail over the next week or so!

Don't forget, this Friday April 20th will be the cover reveal of OBUMBRATE right here on the blog! I believe it may be going on another blog or two as well (I've been hiding from my inbox) so don't be surprised if you see it popping around all weekend!

So This Nutcase Buys A Movie Ticket...

A little over a week ago I started spam-bombing all of you with a long time fascination of mine. From Twitter to Facebook, all anyone got out of me on April 4th was either Titanic related or a brief mention about Illumine going free for 48 hours via KDP Select.

For those of you who aren't privy to my Twitter or Facebook feed, I'll clarify. Hi, my name is Alivia. And I'm addicted to Titanic ANYTHING.

The original Titanic that James Cameron was released on December 19, 1997 (thanks Siri). 14 years later and people are still willing to buy tickets, regardless of price, to see this movie on the big screen! In case you missed that, I'll repeat. FOURTEEN YEARS.

As a writer who aspires to see their work one day on a big screen, this does a number of things for me. For one, it gives me hope by showing me that you don't need any fancy jingles or bells or whistles to make something memorable- you just need a good story. Two, it reminds me that a good story is timeless. Two very important key pieces an author should always keep in mind while writing.

Think about it- if your story went on the big screen tomorrow, would people be willing to see it again fourteen years later, regardless of monetary inflation? I don't want to be harsh, but for most stories this is a no. There are a small few out there that will forever hold a base. Star Wars and Harry Potter come first to mind. I highly doubt I'm the only one who'd go back to see the movies all over again on the big screen fourteen years later if they were played. But what about say, Sucker Punch? Shutter Island?

I'm not saying all stories need to have an enrapturing romance or edge of your seat action or thoughtful underscores. But it does help. If you break down Titanic, you easily understand why it still captivates hearts young and old to this day.

- Romance. Rose and Jack, regardless of actors portraying them, had a passion. Their words were carried them through, and each statement said 'I love you' without actually saying it every two minutes. When it clicks, it's pure unbridled magic.

-Action! Sprinkled in bursts, having action gave people time to savor the softer scenes while clawing at their armrests the second the music picked up pace. Do you need explosions and car chases and gunfights? No! How about a fistfight? Or a foot chase?

-Underlying themes. Rose felt trapped, and wanted to break free. Jack, with his entire being, held the freedom she so obviously envied.


I have many a day where my sole aspiration is to write something memorable like James Cameron's rendition of Titanic. To create that level of building pressure on the heart to the point where you feel for almost every character on that screen.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go see Titanic again on the big screen and cry because JACK STILL DIES. /sob



Small side note; check back tomorrow for a post on a re-cap of ILLUMINE'S WISH! And don't forget, April 20th is the cover reveal of OBUMBRATE! 

The BEST Birthday EVER!

Yes, you read that right! Today is the big day! On this day, many a year ago, back when things like cell phones and LCDs screens were a geeks wild super-dream, I showed up! And then proceeded to cause havoc and flaunt Mexican food joints whereever I went.

Speaking of, I had nachos yesterday. And they were delicious.

I'm getting off track. Okay, so, you know how with every birthday we get to make a wish and blow out some candles, right? No, I don't want your candles. No, I don't want you to start singing Rihanna's Birthday Cake. And yes, if you sing It's my party and I'll cry if I want to, I may have to hit you with a tranq dart because that song drives me INSANE.

Again, getting off track.

We all want to make our special day, well, special. And I'm no different, for the most part. See that pretty little picture on the top left of the screen? You know, the one that says Illumine's Wish?

Want to make my birthday the best ever?

Share it.

You heard me. Share it. Post it on Facebook (with a link back!), tell your friends to Google it, lather your Twitter in it, battleram your Tumblr, talk about it on Goodreads, just let it be heard. I can say all day that I'd like you all to share my book and get Illumine on a bestseller list, but honestly? I know that's a difficult feat for someone so small. Not impossible, but difficult. And if I spend my whole birthday checking Amazon compulsively for sales ranks to see if I hit #1 in a category, well, I'll have wasted one heck of a day.

But let me tell you. Seeing that icon of my event, the one that over a dozen other bloggers linked arms with me to do, is probably the best gift a girl like me could ever ask of her friends. Yes, I said friends. I don't really consider people who follow my blog 'followers'. Friends is nicer, because you went out of your way to keep me on your radar a-la Britney Spears song, so friends is definitely cooler.

So one more time, this is what I think you should all do if you want to get a cheesy, super-grinny smile on my face all day.

One- Share that photo. Everywhere. Temporary tattoos might be on the extreme side, but if you do that, I definitely want pictures.
Two- Don't forget to enter in the giveaways going on all over the place! Jessica via Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile has a beautiful specially made pendant of Illumine, among the other delicious goodies, up for grabs!
Three- Post in the comments if you want to say Happy Birthday! Birthday wishes, especially funny ones, always make me smile.

And don't forget, there's still a few days left to enter to win one of TEN ARCs of OBUMBRATE! I wouldn't miss out on this one if I were you. Not to puff my Coco Puffs, but I have a good feeling book two is really going to overshadow book one by miles.

ILLUMINE'S WISH: Win 10 ARCs of OBUMBRATE!

It's time! Are you ready to partake in the best party this week on the internet?

April 8th to 14th is going to be very special, not just here on my blog but on a huge mix of blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter, and more! This week is officially the week of Illumine's Wish, a massive internet hop in a cross celebration of both Illumine and The Illumine Series (TIS), but my own birthday on the 11th as well.

During the whole week, a mix of websites will be offering anything you can get your hands on. From signed books, bookmarks, jewelry, you'll have a chance every day to win! You'll get to see tons of reviews, guest posts, and some very special sneak peeks of Obumbrate, due out this July!

Hold on. I have more, mwahahaha.

So let's just say you're a huge fan of the series, and you can't wait to read more of Essallie and Kayden. Maybe you want to know more about that mysterious Ari guy, too. But wait until July? That's nuts! Well, thanks to my magical, mystical powers (not really) I'm giving you a shot to win one of ten Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) of Obumbrate! Excited now?!

If I've caught your attention, awesome! I hope you're so excited for this event that you jump up and down for joy! I know I am- and trust me, it isn't the caffeine for once! And if you're really excited, don't forget to share this event anywhere you can! Post it on your Twitter (#illumineswish), Facebook your friends, add the Illumine's Wish icon to your Tumblr, poswt about it on Goodreads, let the world know what's up!


Let's make this a celebration no one will EVER forget- starting with you!

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway!

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop

April 6th to 12th

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Yara @ Once Upon A Twilight

Being an Easter Egg Hop and all, I decided to offer something a little different than just your average book mix, especially since both this giveaway and Illumine's Wish will play cross-over at some point. So to make this a special giveaway specially made just for the hop, I've got a cool mix of things up for grabs! 

Here's the goodie basket! 
- A butterfly pendant, hand wire wrapped by Stone Soup Designs 


- A $5.00 Amazon gift card (delivered wirelessly on April 13th) 


- 5 signed Illumine bookmarks 




*Please note, my giveaway is only for US residents this time around. However, ILLUMINE'S WISH is an INTERNATIONAL giveaway and will be starting on APRIL 8TH if you'd like to enter!

Illumine's Wish: The Mega-Blog Event!

Okay, I think I've had enough coffee to write this all out coherently.

First, let me ask you a question; when it was your birthday, what did you wish for when you blew out the candles? A pony? Happy love life with a dream boy? Hit a bestseller list with your debut novel?

If you're thinking on the same coffee-intoxicated brainwaves as I am, the last question probaly caught your eye. How many 21-year-olds do you know who pick, out of everything they could have on their special day, to see their book on a bestseller list? This one, of course.

I know, it's completely insane. I'm basically pimping myself out on my birthday in hopes of making my birthday wish come true. Wait, aren't birthday wishes not supposed to be spoken aloud, for fear of them never coming true? Well, how does a wish like this come true if I don't share it? Easy, it doesn't. But now that I am sharing it, there's a chance that, by the end of April 11th 2012, I could have my wish come true.

How? With your help.

Over the last couple of weeks, I've been contacting anyone who was interested in participating in a SPECIAL SECRET event over Twitter, Facebook, email, you name it. The response was great, by the way! I had a mix of friends and new-aquaintances reach out to me, curious about my little hush-hush spectacle I kept muttering about.

The event, titled ILLUMINE'S WISH, is in a sense, a blog hop with an ultimate 'wish'. Throughout the week of April 8th until the 14th, various blogs around the internet will be hosting giveaways of Illumine signed paperbacks, bookmarks, ebooks, a little of everything! Each blog participating will be mentioned here, highlighting anything from guest posts, reviews, you name it!

Then there's the big prize. The big prize, which will run all week right here on my blog, is your chance to win one of ten ARCS of Obumbrate! Five of them will be paperback format, while the other five will be ebook versions. Winners of the ARC giveaway will be announced on April 20th right on here along with the cover reveal of OBUMBRATE! How cool is that?!

Now, back to ILLUMINE'S WISH. Even though I've already gathered all participants for the event, let's just say you want to help achieve this goal with me. How can you go about doing this, you ask? I say easy! Tweet about it, post about it on Facebook. Spread the photo and the details as far as you can virally. Let your corner of the world know that one author is going bonkers to make her dream come true and really have something to celebrate her 21st birthday about! You can put the button for ILLUMINE'S WISH right on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, anywhere. I really mean it when I say that every mention counts. It's like one voice out of the whole choir. Alone, the voice is beautiful and elegant, but combined with the whole choir it becomes mesmerizing and powerful.

Let's make ILLUMINE'S WISH like a choir, mesmerizing and powerful. Together, we can do this!

Free Book and Mega Giveaway!

Ever feel like there aren't enough hours in the day? I'm kind of in that boat right now. I'm going to post a short little update on the wildness in my life, but tomorrow I swear on my soul I will be posting a detailed, marvelous post on the giant event next week called ILLUMINE'S WISH. However, until then, here's my crazy list. 

- ILLUMINE, in ebook format, is FREE for the next 48. Yes, hours. Yes, I am crazy. Please download it, share it, be my knight in golden armor and run around your neighborhood proclaiming it. And give them this link!

- OBUMBRATE,  book two, finally has a cover! It will be revealed in all its glory on APRIL 20TH! I'm very proud of this, and I can very confidently say it's some of my best graphic design work. 

- LIMITED EDITION OBUMBRATE BOOKMARKS are up for grabs on FACEBOOK PAGE! All YOU have to do is get that page up to 400 likes and then I'll hold a huge drawing for them! 

- Tonight I will be at a charity event supporting a local hospital's burn unit, and while I'm selling my books there for donations, I figured I could extend the favor to my fans who aren't in the immediate area as well. So if you purchase a SIGNED COPY (right hand side of the screen) before 8PM EST, I'll donate 30% for each one bought. It's a kickass cause, and I'm proud to do this! Here's the Facebook page event about the charity hosting tonight!

- I'm pretty sure in the next month or so, not only will I have TIS website up and ready to run (THEILLUMINESERIES.COM) but I will open a cute little tab here offering some neat things like posters, bookmarks, t-shirts, all strictly made by me and my madness at home. Yay! 

- And lastly, if you can't keep your pants on for July to get a copy of OBUMBRATE, you are in luck! Tomorrow I will unveil just how you can get one of TEN, yes ten, ARCS of OBUMBRATE! MEGA YAY!! 

So until tomorrow, stay crazy, keep your eyes glued to my blog and remember, spinach is not very delicious on ice cream. Not that I know anything about this.