Tag Archives: I Spy

News & Contests

I Spy a Secret blogfest!

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If you had trouble seeing the linky before, it has been fixed! (I hope!)

Could you keep a secret from someone you loved? A big one? In my book I, Spy, Talia keeps a pretty big secret from her boyfriend Danny: the fact that she’s actually a CIA operative.

While it’s obviously not fun to live, it was a lot of fun to write someone keeping that kind of secret. So I thought we could share the fun! That’s right, it’s a BLOGFEST with FABULOUS PRIZES—TODAY!

How to participate (and rules)
I Spy a Secret blogfest1. The theme is I Spy . . . a secret. It’s all about keeping a secret from someone you love. So what do you put in your post?

  • Write a scene with one character keeping a secret from someone s/he loves
  • Post a scene from one of your books (WIP, published, draft, whatever) with one character keeping a secret from someone s/he loves
  • Tell about a time in real life where you kept a secret from someone you love(d)

2. You may share a story from your life, OR write a new scene on the topic, OR you may post a scene from your WIP. [This doesn’t preclude completed works. Because, after all, no work of art is ever finished, only abandoned.]

3. Please keep all scenes clean , without sex, or gratuitous violence or foul language. (Like PG, PG-13 here, ‘kay?)

4. Post your scene TODAY, July 19, 2013, and add it to the Mr. Linky. Link your post back to the blogfest on here so your readers can read other entries, too.

5. Read, enjoy, and comment on other entries!

6. Fabulous prizes! I’ll be giving away Amazon gift cards (number of prizes based on the number of entries winners drawn at random from entries received on the linkie by midnight MDT 19 July 2013 and announced here on JordanMcCollum.com Monday, 22 July 2013. YOU SHOULD CHECK BACK BECAUSE YOU MUST EMAIL ME TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE), plus a freebie for anybody who participates (even if you’re only reading!).

So, again: write a blog post about one of those things, link back here in your post, and sign up on the linkie.

Tell your friends! Copy this and paste it in the HTML of a blog post or your sidebar:

<a href="http://jordanmccollum.com/secret-blogfest/" title="I Spy a secret Blogfest. Photo by Catherine, wheat_in_your_hair via Flickr/CC" alt="I Spy a Secret blogfest badge. Photo by Catherine, wheat_in_your_hair via Flickr/CC" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z41/MamaBlogga/secretblogfest-1.png" width="300" /></a>

Want it bigger or smaller? Change the number at width="300" to adjust the size.

Sign up here & visit the other participants!

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL THOSE WHO SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE! Your links are still on the signup post, but please be sure to share your actual POST for the blogfest (not just a link to your main blog address) below.

Share your blog post here! Use your name (or your name@your blog’s name, or your blog’s name), and the complete permalink to your post—i.e. http://yourblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/this-goes-to-my-post.html, NOT JUST http://yourblog.blogspot.com!

This blogfest is closed.

Please visit, read, link & comment!

The freebie!

MrNiceSpy_CVR_SML(All participants are welcome to share this in their blog posts as well!)

Just for reading a blog fest post, you can get a free e-copy of the novella Mr. Nice Spy, a prequel to I, Spy! Use the coupon code SECRET on my site store here! (Coupon code good through July 26, 2013.)

 
 

Blogfest badge photo by Catherine

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News & Contests

Where in heck am I?

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Rather than kludge the post title into a reference to my book title, I’m going to tell you a story. Once upon a time, my mother was studying English at a very conservative, religious university. (Where I also went; not knocking it, just setting up the story.) For one of her classes, Mom read Dante’s Inferno (and probably the rest of The Divine Comedy, too). She brought her text with her to work on campus.

Okay, I mentioned how super-super conservative this university is? Like, swearing-(among-many-other-things)-is-verbotten conservative. ‘Kay.

So her boss took great delight in greeting my mother each day: “Where in Hell are you today, Diana?”

Well, I’m laughing. Humor comes from the unexpected, right?

Anyway, I’ve been out and about in the blogosphere this week! Come catch up with me:

Some recent reviews from Melissa at Reading It All and Freda at Freda’s Voice.

Yesterday, I, Spy was featured at Workaday Reads! Since it’s set in Canada, I, Spy also qualifies for Workaday Reads’ Canadian Reading Challenge!

Today, you could find a brand new excerpt from Chapter Two of I, Spy at Lisa is a Bookworm!

And tomorrow, come learn about the setting I didn’t use at Darlene’s Book Nook.

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Works, News & Contests

The book launch!

I’d be remiss if I didn’t share some about my book launch!

Donna put together a great montage of all the highlights:

book launch q and a
Donna & Me answering questions

A few more shots of me:

book launch signing

book launch lecture

 book launch michelle
Me signing Me lecturing my 7-year-old to stop asking for my Sharpies!!! Me with author Michelle Davidson Argyle

To be totally honest, I think my reading went terribly—talking slow takes a lot of effort for me, and I needed more to set up the scene. Sigh. But that’s okay. I’ve finally dispelled the lingering gloom from that, and nobody hates me because of it. . . . Right?

Thanks to everyone who came out to support us—and many thanks to the Orem Public Library, Donna, Kristi, & Kim for making this event unforgettable!

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Works, News & Contests

Have you entered the I, Spy song contests?

Whew! What a fun week with the blog tour! We definitely need to celebrate, and what better way than with my chocolate chip maple pecan pie, as featured in I, Spy?

Have you pieced together the clues to find the inspiration songs for I, Spy and Mr. Nice Spy yet? There’s still time to enter the contest to win a $25 Amazon gift card!

As a reminder, there are TWO SONGS to guess (and each song contest has a $25 prize). The clues are found at the blog tour stops:

I, Spy clues

Monday

Renae Mackley* (Also: using your spy skills to convince someone the car you’re driving isn’t stolen!)

M. R. Buttars (Also: using your spy skills to escape annoying relatives!)

Tuesday

Donna K. Weaver (Also: using spy skills on a desert island!)

Bonnie Harris (Also: an I, Spy extra inspired by Bonnie!)

Jinky is Reading* (Also: a giveaway!)

Wednesday

Kathleen Brebes

Rhonda*

Thursday

Me, at Jami Gold’s blog

Tressa’s Wishful Endings* (Also: a giveaway!)

Friday

Lindzee Armstrong (Also: using your spy skills while in labor!)

Christy Dorrity

* = also includes a review

Mr. Nice Spy clues

Monday
Julie Coulter Bellon (Also: using your spy skills to enjoy sweets without having to share with your kids!)

Tuesday

Carolyn Frank (Also: using spy skills with time travel!)

Wednesday

Cami Checketts*

Marnee Bailey, Romance Writers’ Revenge (Also: using your spy skills to figure out what your kids are up to!)

Thursday

Lisa Swinton (Also: spy skills to escape from . . . a cat?)

Chris Jones (Also: the spy skills of a dad!)

Friday

Emily Gray Clawson (Also: figuring out whodunnit)

Andrea Pearson

* = also includes a review

Thanks again to everyone who helped with the tour!

Other blog reviews

I don’t want to leave out some great reviews at non-tour blogs last week!
Debra Erfert’s Windows on Writing

Tamera Westhoff

Whit’s Book World (And she also reviewed Mr. Nice Spy!)

The contest

Remember, you have until 11:39 PM MDT on June 13th (Thursday) to enter the contest! Email your guess to contest at jordanmccollum.com to be entered in the drawing. (Full rules) Now go use your spy sleuthing skills to put together this puzzle!

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Works, News & Contests

I, Spy is here!

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It’s June 5—the official launch date for I, Spy!

I, Spy is available on Amazon, Kobo, and here on my site!

ISpy_CVR_LRG

Okay, I’ve inundated you with enough about the book, so I’ll just say you can read more about I, Spy and add it on Goodreads!

Today’s clues!

We’ve got three more stops on our launch tour today, and three more clues for our inspiration song mystery!

Marnee Bailey, Romance Writers’ Revenge – Mr. Nice Spy (Also: using your spy skills to figure out what your kids are up to!)

Kathleen Brebes – I, Spy

Rhonda – I, Spy

Cami Checketts – Mr. Nice Spy

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News & Contests

The I, Spy inspiration song contest!

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Friday, I shared the story of how a song inspired my novel I, Spy (out this week in case you missed it! 😉 ). This week, as part of the blog launch tour for I, Spy and Mr. Nice Spy, I’m holding a contest to guess the song behind the novel (and novella)!

How to enter

At each stop on the blog tour, I’ll share one clue about the novel or novella’s inspiration song. You will most likely need more than one clue to figure out the answer.

Use your spy skills to piece together the clues to figure out the song and artist, then email me at contest (at) jordanmccollum.com with your answer! Entries must be received by 11:59 PM MDT 13 June 2013.

Every correct entry will be entered in a random drawing—one each for the novel and novella—to be announced on my blog June 14.

The Prizes!

The winner of each drawing (one for the novel and one for the novella) will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.

Rules, etc.

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN GIVEAWAYS. A PURCHASE WON’T IMPROVE AN INDIVIDUAL’S CHANCE OF WINNING.

1. You can’t win both prizes. Sorry.

2. Open internationally—if you can get on Amazon, you can use the prize, so you can win the prize. (Gift card amount is in US dollars.)

3. A limit of one entry is allowed per e-mail address, per contest. You may not enter each contest more than once, whether or not you use a different e-mail address. Subsequent entries determined to be submitted with the same email address or from the same individual using multiple email addresses may be declared ineligible. (So you can enter both contests one time each, but not more than one entry in each contest.)

4. A prize number will be assigned to your entry upon receipt of your entry. A winning number will be generated using Random.org on or shortly after the Entry Deadline Date. If your Prize Number matches the Winning Number, and you meet the eligibility requirements and otherwise comply with these Official Giveaway Rules, you win the prize.

5. I will send the Amazon Gift Card to the address used on your entry within three (3) days after the Entry Deadline Date if you win the prize. (An Amazon Gift Card can be applied to any account, so the email doesn’t have to match the address you use at Amazon.)

6. ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL TAXES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECEIPT OF ANY PRIZE ARE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WINNER.

7. Winner may not substitute the prize for any other prize or for cash.

8. Entry in the contest constitutes permission to use winner’s name and prize information for promotional purposes in any medium, except where prohibited by law, without further payment or other consideration. (I’m gonna announce your name on this blog.)

9. The giveaway may be canceled, suspended and/or modified, in whole or in part, if in my opinion any fraud, technical failure or other factor beyond its control impairs the integrity of the giveaway.

10. By entering the giveaway through this website, you release Jordan McCollum from any liability whatsoever, and waive any and all causes of action, related to any claims, costs, injuries, losses or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the giveaway or delivery, misdelivery or acceptance of any prize (including, without limitation, claims, costs, injuries, losses and damages related to personal injuries, death, damage to or destruction of property, rights of publicity or privacy, defamation or portrayal in a false light, whether intentional or unintentional), whether under a theory of contract, tort (including negligence), warranty or other theory.

Today’s clues!

You can find today’s clues at our blog tour stops! Today’s stops also feature quick, fun vlogs about putting your spy skills to the ultimate test: real life.

Julie Coulter Bellon – Mr. Nice Spy (Also: using your spy skills to enjoy sweets without having to share with your kids!)

Renae Mackley – I, Spy (Also: using your spy skills to convince someone the car you’re driving isn’t stolen!)

M. R. Buttars – I, Spy (Also: using your spy skills to escape annoying relatives!)

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Works, News & Contests

The inspiration behind I, Spy—Contest!

This is the second most unusual story inspiration source I’ve ever had. (The first was a commercial for a TV show.)

It was the day before Valentine’s Day. I remember this very well because it’s Peter Tork’s birthday I was shopping for valentines when it hit me. Yep, right there in the middle of the Dollar Tree, inspiration struck. (What? Where do you buy your last-minute 50¢ Valentines?)

Dollar Tree

The piped music in the store turned to an old favorite of mine. As I browsed the valentines bopping along, I started thinking more deeply about the lyrics. The story behind the song is about a guy who wanted more of a relationship with this girl, but totally got “friend zoned.”

I imagined a guy sitting in a restaurant, checking his watch, waiting and wondering. Since it was Valentine season, I thought, What if the girl actually did like him? Wouldn’t that be tragic? What would keep this friend-girl from being there like a girlfriend?

And then my favorite what-if question popped up: what if she were a spy?

Bam. A whole scenario popped into my head (that now makes up almost a quarter of the book). I pulled out my brand new smartphone to make a note—and saw the reminder that my son was getting out of kindergarten early that day. As in right then.

With long lines at all the check stands, my only choice was to ditch the valentines and drag my daughters to the car to pick up my son. Fortunately, the Dollar Tree wasn’t far from his school, and I got there a little early. With those spare minutes, I pulled out my phone again and jotted down a note in my Evernote app so I’d have it when I got on my computer (as if I’d forget):

first note

Notice the black bars? The original title of the project came from the name of the inspiration song, and the Evernote folder and the folder on my computer were the initials from that title. (Still are, in fact, though by the time I started writing I, Spy just shy of four weeks later, I’d changed to that title.)

I have never revealed the name of that song to anyone outside my family and critique group. And honestly, most of them don’t know it, either.

CONTEST CLOSED (but you can find the clues if you’re in my readers group!)
So here’s the contest! As part of my launch blog tour, each I, Spy stop will have a clue about the song that inspired the book! Mr. Nice Spy stops, not to be left out, have clues to another song, which I first heard immediately after finishing the first draft, and immediately claimed as the theme song for the novella.Look for the prizes, full rules, and first clues on Monday!

Oh, and since I know you’re wondering, we went back to the Dollar Tree and found my stack of chosen valentines.

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Works

Join the I, Spy/Mr. Nice Spy launch blog tour!

It might be the most fun you’ve ever had on a blog tour! Yep, in addition to my real-life launch party with Donna K. Weaver, I’m also doing an online launch, and I’d love to have you join the party!

I swear up and down, this blog will not be all about my books. I will still blog about writing craft and other writerly stuff! But I do need to use this blog for my books, too.

MrNiceSpy_CVR_LRG ISpy_CVR_LRG

Okay with that disclaimer out of the way, I’m looking for blogs to take part in the book launch tour for I, Spy and Mr. Nice Spy June 3 – 7! I’ll link to your blog from mine for that day, as well as a static page on my site listing all the participants. Each post will be part of a contest, so you should get even more traffic.

FAQ

What do I have to do?
Fill out the form below and wait. I’ll confirm your date, and then two days beforehand, I’ll send you the post materials.

Will I have to read or have read your book?
Nope! If you want to read it and review it, that’s great, but I’m not going to ask that of you.

Isn’t that weird?
Nah.

Agh, my blog is already booked for all those days, but I want to help! What do I do?
You can click “other” and give me a day/range of days you have free, and we’ll work something out.

What will I get out of it?
Um, my gratitude? Good karma? A free post that you don’t have to think up and write? And I’ll have a freebie for your readers. They’ll love you for it, right? Love fest!

Form

Any questions or concerns? Shoot.

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