What is to come in 2017

I have a feeling that next year is going to be amazing. I’m both excited and scared of what is to come.

• Love my classes for Spring 2017
• Publish Alone in Paris
• Spend spring break in California with a friend
• Move out of state to follow my dreams, despite my fears
• Spend the summer settling into my new environment
• Market Alone in Paris, as well as work on writing a new book
• Read and write as much as I can between all of the excitement!
• BE INSPIRED!

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Writing Update: I've Finished Editing Alone in Paris!

   New update on my upcoming book Alone in Paris!

 I've finished editing Alone in Paris! So excited and happy about the progress with Alone in Paris. It really has come along way since I was fourteen and even more so since I rewrote it and started polishing it for publication.  

 Alone in Paris started out as an idea I had when I was 14. I wrote a few chapters for it while I was writing another book, and found it too difficult to write 2 books at once so I put Alone in Paris aside for the time being. It wasn't until I was 17 (maybe almost 18) that I picked up Alone in Paris again with the intent to complete it. 

 I deleted most of the chapters that I wrote when I was 14, only keeping the gist of the first few chapters but completely changing up the writing. I rewrote those chapters because they were horrible, and got to work.

 I had the story pictured perfectly in my mind at that point and I just wrote it down as it came to me. I don't remember how long it took me to write, but I edited it 3 times after I finished it and that took me a year. This was the 4th and final time I am editing Alone in Paris and I feel like it's come a long way and it's where I want it to be now.

 I'm going to write a post about how I got the idea for Alone in Paris and give more details about it soon, but for now, I just wanted to share with you that I've finished the editing process and that I'm closer to sharing it with you all! 

Next year is going to be crazy and scary for me since I think I want to move at the end of next spring, but I still plan on launching Alone in Paris next year!


 I keep all of my followers updated on what I'm doing on the social media platforms below. Follow me and keep in touch! I will also be doing quite a few giveaways for Alone in Paris next year so you're definitely going to want to follow me if you want to enter!

Instagram: @ashley_earley
Twitter: @ashleyc_earley
Snapchat: @ashley.ace3

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Why I Haven't Been Blogging

   It's been a while since I've blogged. A long while. So, I kind of owe you an explanation.

I have 3 good reasons about why I've been gone for so long:

 Reason 1:  My classes have started back up again. They require a lot of reading and I hate textbooks so it takes a lot for me to read 60 pages a week haha. I actually haven't read for fun at all since classes started back mid-August. It's kind of sad, especially since so many good books have come out in the last few weeks and since I have many good books sitting untouched on my shelf (like Lady Midnight).

 Reason 2:  Between all the reading and homework for my classes, I've been editing Alone in Paris whenever I can. Editing is tough for me but I'm pushing on! I'm a little over halfway through editing. Recently, I had to delete a whole chapter to re-write it. It broke my heart and I still have to edit that chapter some more. My plan is still to publish next year and I'm hoping to release the book cover sometime soon after I finish editing.

 Reason 3:  I've also been going back and forth about making a decision about what school I want to transfer to next year. It hasn't been easy but I'm more-than-likely going to be moving next year. The first, and only, time that I've ever moved was when I was little so I don't remember it. So this is really scary for me and I've been thinking about it a lot, and I've had to make sure that my college credits will transfer to the state I want to move to.

 I'm dealing with all of these things at the same time, but I'm making it through it and figuring it out. I'm hoping that my workload will be less rigorous next semester so I can focus on getting Alone in Paris out there and possibly starting a new project next summer!

 Anyway, just wanted to share an update with everyone. Hope things are going well for the rest of you! Good luck with all your writing endeavors!

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 I'm trying to keep in touch on social media so follow me on Twitter (@ashleyc_earley), Instagram (@ashley_earley), Tumblr, Facebook, and to keep in touch on editing updates for Alone in Paris, Goodreads.

Releasing a New Book!

Alone in Paris to be released in 2017!

   Guess what fellow booknerds!! I have a new book coming out! I'm hoping to release it sometime early next year. 

The title and summary has been released but not the cover! If you want to be one of the first to receive updates on my upcoming young adult contemporary romance, follow me on Twitter @ashleyc_earley  and on Instagram @ashley_earley! I'm always keeping my followers updated on what I'm writing, editing, and reading! 

 My upcoming book is titled Alone in Paris and the summary is below:

Breathe, Taylor.

Taylor Clay's family isn't exactly perfect. They may look the part with the nice, big house and her dad's fancy job, but that's what's tearing them apart. That, and her dad's sudden recurring drinking problem.
Though her family is close to falling apart, she never wished for something like this to happen. She never wished for her father to drive off a bridge. Especially not while they were on vacation; especially not when her and her mom were in the car with him at the time.

Breathe.

She's devastated after the fact. And it isn't helping that the papers are gossiping about how the pristine lawyer could have driven off the bridge on purpose. And just when she thinks nothing could possibly make things worse, she realizes she's left alone with no relatives to care for her.
So she's alone. Her parents are dead. And she's stuck in the country her family was visiting for their vacation. She's alone in Paris.

Just breathe.

Then Nathan walks into the picture. Funny, snarky, persistent, and sometimes, just flat out rude, he annoys Taylor to no end. He won't leave her alone, but Taylor doesn't know whether or not she should push him away.

Once it is released, it will only be available for purchase on Kindle and Amazon.com for a while. 

I have also updated my website a little bit so be sure to check that out as well! www.ashleyearley.com

Have a great weekend! <3
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How to Write a Kissing Scene

   Yup, this is what we're talking about today. Kind of glad that I'm not a vlogger because I can hide behind my computer this way.

 What kind of kissing scene are we talking about here? Are we going for the hot and steamy? The gentle, lingering kiss? The gentle kiss that suddenly becomes rough and desperate? The kissing scene that you write will depend on your book, and your characters, and the situation.

 Yes, the situation is taken into account. Your characters could be angry, and if so, you might want to go for the hot and steamy kiss that makes your readers blush because your characters can't get enough of each other.

The Moment.
 Make sure your readers know where your characters are. Are they on a date? Just two friends that suddenly found themselves making out while they watch a movie? Where are they and what are your characters feeling? You have to set up the moment that leads to the kiss. Also, kissing at the end of a date is expected so try to make it a little more spontaneous.

Feelings.
 You have to--and I mean have to--describe what your character(s) is feeling before, during, and after the kiss. Describing what your character feels before the kiss helps build to the moment. Describing what your character is feeling during the kiss helps your readers paint a picture of what is happening and how it's happening. Describing what your character is feeling after the kiss helps your readers understand what the character thinks about the person that they just kissed. Is your character glad that they kissed the other? Are they horrified that they just kissed him/her?

During the Kiss.
 Be sure not to only describe what is happening with their mouths. You need to add what they're doing with everything else, like their hands. Are they running through each others hair? Holding each other tightly? Are they standing close to each other or are they leaning toward each other?

 Writing a kissing scene can be really embarrassing--I know it is for me because I know that if I publish a book, my whole family is going to read it--but you just have to push through and focus on the scene instead of focusing on the embarrassing possibility that your friends and family will read it. Focus on the moment between your characters.

 If you need more help writing a kissing scene, go pick up a few of the books on your shelf and read a few different kissing scenes to help you put the pieces together.

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Writing a Plot Twist

   Writing a plot twist can be tricky.

 Plot twists are meant to surprise your readers--to turn them into a completely different plot direction. But, the tricky thing is, the twist has to not only be smart but believable while keeping them interested in the story. You don't want to write a ridiculous plot twist that will make your readers go "That's unrealistic." You want them to take the plot twist seriously and to keep reading your book.

 Your plot twist needs to leave your readers in awe and on-edge to get to the ending! You want your plot twist to. Blow. Their. Minds. But how? How do you write a plot twist that throws off your readers while making it believable and not making it cheesy or way out there?

 Writing a plot twist can, therefore, be challenging because of the above concerns.

You should know the whole plot of your book before this. Outline, play around with a few ideas.

 Plot twists are good because it makes the reader excited and throws them for a loop. Sometimes, a book can be predictable, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, you want to keep things interesting just the same.

 1. Play God and ruin your character(s) happiness. Throw your readers for a crazy ride with this plot twist. Give them a false sense of comfort. When things get calm, screw everything up! Be a tornado! Destroy everything in your path! Think of the crappiest thing that could happen in that moment, and make it happen. It will totally throw off your readers. It works every time, if done right.

 2. Mislead your readers. For instance, you could have a character seem like "the bad guy." You could make your readers hate this character, but then suddenly make it where they become best friends with your main character. One of my favorite examples to give of this is Zuko and Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender (and no, I don't mean that horrendous movie. I'm talking about the TV show).

 3. Put tiny hints every now and then. This way, it's not just something that's out of the blue but when the big plot twist is revealed, your reader will immediately connect all the dots. Of course, try not to make the bread crumbs too obvious.

 4. The big bang. The "I didn't see that coming!" plot twist. Something believable but totally unexpected should happen. It's what I like to call a BAM AND THIS HAPPENS plot twist. The information provided during a plot twist like this should be brand new. You should not sprinkle little hints throughout your book for this one. This is something that just needs to happen.
This one does hold the most risk. You have to be really careful about how big you go with this plot twist. It can't be too crazy! Do not make it a far-fetched BAM.


 Get opinions from people. Let them read your book and then tell them about the plot twist that you're thinking about using, and ask them if they think it could work. Take notes. Ask them for ideas to make it better. Write this crap down and try to form their suggestions into your original plot twist. 

 Happy writing! <3
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How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book?

   As you write your book, you might be considering to publish it once you're done writing and polishing your masterpiece, but the last thing on your mind is how much it might cost.

 When you start to get serious about self-publishing though, you might start to realize that it takes a lot of time, detail, patience, and more than a few dollars to prepare your book for publication. You have to pay for getting your book copyrighted, you have to hire a book cover artist or purchase a pre-made cover, you also have to pay for proof copies of your book if you're publishing a physical edition, and you have to pay for marketing.

 To start out, finish your book before you worry about the publishing side. Your focus should be on writing and finishing your book, and then you need to concentrate on polishing it. Editing is key. There are always mistakes that you'll need to fix and you can strengthen your story at the same time. (Click here to learn more about the editing process).

 Once your book is written and it has been edited enough times that you feel that it's good enough. Also try to get a few people to read your book when it's done to get some tips on improving your book further.

 Decide when to publish! After your book is polished and ready to be thrown out into the world, you need to decide when to publish. You don't have to pick the exact day just yet, but you should decide what month. Take into account that you have to get the cover, copyright it, and format your book to the standards that the publishing platform requires of you (whether digital or physical). Give yourself a reasonable time-frame to get everything together and ready.

 How much do you want to spend? Think about how much you want to spend on self-publishing your book. Give yourself a budget, start saving, and try to keep to your limit during the process of publishing. I will warn you though, book covers don't come cheap. (I'll leave a few links to book cover artists that I've used down below.)

 To calculate how much this is going to cost, you first have to make decisions about all of the things you want to do and will need (like advertising and book covers) and add up the costs for everything. 

 The last thing you have to do, it save up X amount until you're close to the publishing date and go ahead and purchase everything you need!

Book Cover Artists I've Used:

http://phatpuppyart.com

http://melodyypond.weebly.com

 Good luck! <3
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