"The Georgia Corbins" by Kara Leigh Miller

Title: The Georgia Corbins

Author: Kara Leigh Miller

Publisher and Imprint: Entranced Publishing

Genre: YA contemporary romance

Release Date: June 10 2013

Length: 265 pages

Blurb: Ali Philips never thought anything could be more devastating than the day Levi and Tucker Corbin, her two best friends—her only friends—moved away. Three years passed without a single phone call, text message, or email from them and she’s resolved to the fact that she will probably never see them again. Until one morning when she comes face-to-face with Levi Corbin in physics class. 

Little does she know, the Corbins have returned to Haldeen with only one thing on their minds: winning Ali’s heart. Ali soon finds herself in the middle of a love triangle she doesn’t want any part of. As she tries to reclaim the friendships she’s lost and to adjust to the unfamiliar feelings she’s having, she struggles with making the one decision that will forever change their lives: Levi or Tucker Corbin? 

She’s always had a special bond with Tucker and feels most comfortable when she’s with him. But Levi brings her to life in a way she didn’t think was possible and makes her feel things she didn’t think she would ever feel. Torn between the two, Ali is certain of only one thing–by the time it’s over, she’ll lose one of her best friends.

Buy Links: http://www.entrancedpublishing.com/imprints/blush/the-georgia-corbins/

Add to Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17669136-the-georgia-corbins

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/HQeur_ftAno

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of The Georgia Corbins, Kara Leigh Miller is giving away exciting prizes. The Grand Prize, which is open to US residents only, includes a signed copy of The Georgia Corbins, The Georgia Corbins hardcover journal and postcards, The Georgia Corbins tote bag, Kara Leigh Miller pens and notebooks, and Legasea bookmarks.

Second and third prizes are an ebook copy of The Georgia Corbins, and one lucky person will win a first chapter critique. International entries are welcome. Good luck! Winners will be announced July 1^st.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:

Born and raised in the small town of Mexico, New York, Kara was an only child who was forced to find ways to entertain herself. Playing make believe with her Barbie dolls and stuffed animals was her first real taste of storytelling before she became old enough to develop a love affair with the written word. In early 2010, Kara picked up her very first erotic romance novel, and she was instantly hooked. She loves to write contemporary romance, erotica, and young adult romance. Currently she has several full-length novels in the works, a series of novellas, and a handful of short stories. Kara is an active member of the CNY Creative Writers Café and the CNY Romance Writers. Today, Kara resides in New Haven, New York with her husband, five kids, and three cats. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s thinking about reading and writing. And when she’s not doing that, she’s spending time with her family and friends.

Author Social Media Links:

Blog: http://www.karaleighmiller.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaraLeighMille1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaraLeighMiller?fref=ts

The One Thing Every Writer Needs

by

Kara Leigh Miller

     I'm often asked, what's the most important thing every writer should have? Or, what's the one thing, as a writer, that you couldn't live without? And the answer is always the same: a critique partner, or CP as I like to refer to them.

Surprised?

That's okay. I was too when I first realized this little nugget of information. But now that I know, I feel obligated to spread the word.

Now, you're probably sitting there wondering, "But, why do I need a critique partner? Isn't that what an editor is for?"

Yes and no.

Yes, your editor will, and can, do everything a critique partner can do, probably better. But, if your manuscript isn't in the best possible shape, chances are good that it'll never see the eyes of an editor. This is where your CP can help.

There are 3 reasons every writer needs a CP:

1.  They can tell you when you suck. Let's face it; we all suck on some level. Personally, I suck at writing good, vivid descriptions and at writing believable action scenes. But, I digress.

My purpose of bringing up this point is this: absolutely, under no circumstances whatsoever can you have your mom, dad, sister, brother, cousin, spouse, hair dresser, mailman, co-worker, or best friend be your CP. It just won't work. No matter how well-meaning they are, they will not be honest with you. Why? Because they don't want to hurt your feelings. Partner up with someone you don't know. Trust me on this. You'll thank me later.

2.  They can tell you when you're brilliant. There are times when we write a scene or a snippet of dialogue or create a character that is just absolutely fantastic. Hopefully you'll have a lot of these instances, but rather than walking around patting yourself on the back while tooting your own horn, wouldn't it be nice to have someone else do it for you?

3.  They can make you a better writer. I've never met a writer whose first draft has been publishable. Writing is re-writing, but when it gets to the point that you can't see the forest through the trees, it's time to let someone else take a look. Hello, CP! Seriously, let them have a stab at it.

I know. It can be hard to hand off your baby to someone else. And yes, it stings to hear that your characters are unlikeable, or that your plot has more holes than Swiss cheese. But those are the things you need to hear. Those are the things you need to fix before you start submitting it publishers and/or agents.

I'm not saying that all the other writerly tools aren't important, because they are. They're just not the most important tool in your arsenal.

So, where can you find a CP? Lots of different places. I started out by attending a critique group, which is where I ultimately met my CP, the wonderful Giovanni Valentino. He's a funny guy. If you get a moment, check out his blog: http://giovannivalentino.blogspot.com/. You can find local groups by either doing a Google search or visiting Meetup.com, which is a great site for locating groups near you. (That's how I found my critique group.)

If attending a group doesn't work for you; then there are tons of places online you can find a suitable CP. Here are a few of them:

Ø      Ladies Who Critique www.ladieswhocritique.com

Ø      Critique Circle www.critiquecircle.com

Ø      CP Matchmaker http://cpmatchmaker.blogspot.com

Ø      Absolute Write www.absolutewrite.com (This is a website all writers should have bookmarked. There is so much valuable information here.)

Now it's time to share your story! Do you have a CP? Do you attend a group? How did you find them? Do you have any other advice to add?