July Ketchup

July’s Ketchup

Can you believe it? July is coming to an end, and with it, Minutes Before Sunset has released. (Another release is on its way in August, but that’s for another post.) I’m unbelievably enthralled by your support this past month. Thank you. Thank you. Thank. You. And…you can win even MORE prizes soon. But I’ll talk more about that in this month’s Ketchup post.

For those of you just now checking in this month, Ketchup actually means “catch up”. At the end of every month, I write these posts describing what goes on behind the scenes at ShannonAThompson.com. Some of the topics I cover include my big moments, top blog posts, my top referrer, #1 SEO term, YouTube videos, Members of the Week, and more in order to show insights that will hopefully help fellow bloggers see what was popular. I also hope it entertains the readers who want “extras” for this website.

Thank you for being a part of my life this July!

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Big Moments:

Minutes Before Sunset released by Clean Teen Publishing on July 28! (Insert so many excited author girl screams.) It’s been emotionally difficult to be off the market for seven months, but it’s equally as wonderfully to be back on the book train! You can grab a copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and pretty much everywhere. ::wink wink:: If you review the novel, please let me know! I’d love to share it! Or…you know…send you a signed bookmark to thank you. Tonight, we even have the CTP Midsummer Magic Party on Facebook where you can win prizes. I also started a newsletter.

Which brings me to my next point: Seconds Before Sunrise is releasing August 25. (Yes. This August 25.) And my publisher surprised me by sending me a paperback for my little writer hands. (It’s like holding a sweet little puppy. My heart is warm with love.) You can also pre-order Seconds Before Sunrise at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and…again…pretty much everywhere. :]

Right before my release—as promised—I’ve started traveling more to meet readers, and I met a few of you at Penned Con in St. Louis. I even had the gleeful moment of meeting one of my favorite Indie authors, Tish Thawer. ::waves at Tish:: (I’m planning on writing a blog post about Penned Con, so I’m going to save the rest of that story for that.)

In writing news, I had my eight-year anniversary of publishing, starting with November Snow in 2007. It’s only fitting that I finished the rewrite of November Snow as well! (Can’t you tell this has been an absolutely insane month?) I could’ve written an entire post on the recent events in my life. Maybe I will. Maybe I have even more exciting news to come.

I like to tease.

Stay Dark,

~SAT

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Top Three Blog Posts:

1. Minutes Before Sunset Release Day! I hope my rejoice hasn’t been too repetitive yet. I simply feel so lucky and happy and delighted to be here today, and I know I wouldn’t be without my readers, so thank you to the ends of my writer’s heart for continuing to believe in Minutes Before Sunset! The Timely Death Trilogy lives on!
2. Can We Stop Hating on E.L. James and Stephenie Meyer? After EL James was attacked on Twitter, I wrote an article about how destructive hate (not criticism) can be, and how many authors are affected by it.
3. It’s Never Too Late To Start Writing Your Bestseller: Written by EssayMama, this infographic outlines famous authors and how writing fit into their lives.

Other Blog Posts:

• Staying Focused as a Writer: How to manage yourself
• Real-Life Characters Behind a Novel: Ever wonder about the people in my life who help me with my stories? Meet the Spray Painter, the Fashionista, and the Dream Guy.

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  Life as a Book Bloggin’ Reviewer: Written by The Schwartz Reviews, this blog post is great for any inspiring book blooger

• The Difference Between Pronunciation and Writing: I used to have trouble speaking, and I still do, but this is how I accepted that and how it has affected my writing career.
• How I Feel About Releasing My Novel: It’s a rollercoaster!
• How Television Encouraged Me To Read: Written by Crazy Beautiful, a humbling post about how TV, movies, and books can encourage one another.
• The Value of Knowing How Fast You Can Read and Write: It’s about managing your time.
• Eight-Year Anniversary of Publishing, a.k.a. WHAT?: Eight years?!
• Website Wonders: A monthly classic.

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YouTube Channel:

Minutes Before Sunset Release Day

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At the end of the month, I also like to take a moment to thank all of the websites who supported me by posting reviews, interviews, and features. I also like to specially thank the Members of the Dark. Every week, I award one member a “Member of Week” badge, and out of those monthly members, one of them will win an eBook of their choosing as well as more prizes. If you would like to be a member, subscribe to my newsletter. If you’d like me to share your review of my novels or if you want to interview me, please send me an email at shannonathompson@aol.com. I always love speaking with new bloggers, writers, and readers! And I will share your post on all of my websites.

Dark Members of the Week: The Schwartz Reviews, Red Sands Reviews and Ramblings, awkward Meow Productions, and Tranquil Dreams.

Reviewers:

Death Before Daylight: Pointe Taken

Features: Juniper Grove Book Blitz