Tuesday 31 January 2023

#TeaserTuesday

Tara know she should tell her dad, but she's sure the notes will stop on their own...

BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/DTFS

[ID: A virbrant blue and black background with the title DYING THOUGHTS - FIFTH SECRET at the top and out now in ebook, paperback & audiobook just above the title. The except reads:

“About 3pm. Why?” he asked, starting to look concerned. I had no idea if the worry and yes, I’ll admit it, fear was showing on my face. I knew that even if it wasn’t, this line of questioning was making it seem that way to Dad. “Is everything okay, Tara?”
“It’s fine,” I lied.
“Are you going to open it?”
“Yeah.” I realised then that I’d piqued Dad’s interest.
I put my index finger under the flap on the back of the envelope and tore it open. I could see that my hands were beginning that shake so I gave myself a stern talking to.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the top right corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

Monday 30 January 2023

Drafting Fun - The Creative Process

DRAFTING FUN

When I was thinking up topics to do for blog posts, I didn't realise that I've written about this before (piece found here) and around the same time of year as well. I guess the reason it's come up again is that for me, drafting is the best part of the writing process. I stand now at having completed forty first drafts. I've started more than that, and have obviously done more second and onwards drafts as well, but for me that first draft is where the magic lies. It's always been a fun part for me and while I sometimes worry about running out of ideas, it hasn't happened yet and considering the many brewing in my head, I doubt it ever will.

I've always been someone who loves to put fingers to keyboard, and before that, pen to paper, and tell a story. It's always been a part of me, even when I didn't realise it completely. For those not in the know, I didn't start writing properly until I was 19 and retired on medical grounds, I picked up a pen and I started to tell the stories that had been going around and around in my head for years. Since then I've done breaks for uni, for other health problems, and just because I was burned out. However the past five/ten years or so I have been seriously writing. Making sure that every story I tell gets to live its life on the page.

I know that there are some writers who adore editing, for them, the drafting is more getting the words out, and then the fun begins. I've never been one of them, and I don't see that changing any time soon. While I appreciate the editing and revision cycle, it's just so draining for me, that it's hard for me to find anything close to enjoyment in it. The end result is worth it, but beyond that I would happily just draft and draft and draft. It's only because I want to share my stories with people that I go to publish and edit and the like, but if that wasn't a need or want of mine, I really do think writing would just be something I did for myself.

As it is, it's not, and I have found so many amazing readers over the years, have met so many nice people because of being a writer and author, that I can't help but just fall more in love with the drafting phase of writing. I've talked about it before here, that I will soon get to the point where I have drafted more novels than I will ever have time to publish, but for me that's just a side effect of getting to do what I love for a living. I have, more than once, thought about taking some time away from writing new stories, and focusing on the revisions of ones already written, but I'm not sure if that's something I'll do this year or not. It's still hanging there in the back of my mine as a maybe.

So you might be wondering, why do I like drafting so much? I don't know if it's down to the way I plan (or don't as the case may be) or the fact that I've always been an avid reader, and because I don't plan extensively, the discovery of the story is like reading a book that no one else has read yet. I get to know the characters, I get to see the plot unfold, and I get to have all this fun while doing it. There truly is, for me, no better job to have. I get paid to make people think, to create escapes for people, to take away their sleep time because they just want to read one more page. I get paid to create new worlds, maybe like our own, but maybe not, and I get paid to do all of that, and have a lot of fun doing it.

It's just an amazing job for me, and while being an author holds many different jobs within it, that part has to be the better one. So yes, I just love drafting and love watching the characters, the world, the plot, come alive as I write ad there's nothing better, for me, than that!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books.

Friday 27 January 2023

Review of Secret Crush by Rori K Pierce

One secret can ruin everything.

Jesse Howell goes from being a nobody to the most well-known student at Bradley High School after her biggest secret is exposed. She's the one thing her parents don't want her to be: gay.

After working hard over the years to keep her sexuality a secret, it's all undone in a single night. Now everyone knows and they're all eager to voice their opinion about it. Some are encouraging, while others are cruelly unsupportive.

With graduation--and any hope she has of escaping her oppressive parents-- still two years away, Jesse must decide how to navigate her life until then.

Will she find the strength to be unapologetically herself, or will she succumb to the hateful judgments of others and lose herself completely?

Amazon

My Review: 5 STARS

I’ve read Pierce’s work before and fallen in loved with them as a writer. This book was a must have and an enjoyable read. The Girl Crush series is a favourite of mine so seeing this prequel had me desperate to know more about Jesse and the things that happened before the first book. It was heart wrenching in places, and you’re along for the ride, hoping and wishing for things to be different, when if you’ve read book one, you know the answer to that. It was an enjoyable quick read and one that I recommend to all who love LGBTQ fiction! Highly recommended!

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Thursday 26 January 2023

Tuesday 24 January 2023

#TeaserTuesday

Harriet has a long task ahead of her, and no idea how to go about it...

BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/DUKN

[ID: A light grey background with the title DESTINATION: UNKNOWN at the top and out now in ebook, paperback & audiobook just above the title. The except reads:

“Why do you need my help?” I asked again.
“My father has been wrongly accused of the crime of murder,” Dorothy told me, tears shining in her eyes. “If you do not help me, he will hang and our family will be reduced to poverty. We’ll all be split up and sent to the workhouse. I can’t allow that to happen.”

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the bottom left corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

Monday 23 January 2023

Tracking My Time & How It Works For Me

TRACKING MY TIME & HOW IT WORKS FOR ME

I have been using the Toggl app for the past two years, and while I've not yet released the stats for 2022 (the one above is from 2021) I plan to do that on my Authortube channel in February. It's something that I fell into when I first got my ipad. I wanted a way to track my writing time, and then went through a few apps until I found Toggl and was very happy with it, and so have stuck using it.

The reason I started was more because I wanted to know how long things took me. I was starting to get into a paper planner, and just wanted to know when I was planning, just how much was possible for me to get done in the small timeframe allowed by my body before it gives up for the day. I found that I could, easily, do my chapter a day, and could also have a few days a month to do videos and revision, but would need two days to manage to do blog posts and vlog scripts for the month ahead. It was because they require a bit more brainpower and to try and do them both in one day, I would end up stressed and anxious and it just did not go well.

Last year I did a video breaking it all down (which can be found here) and like I said above, I plan to do the same this year for those who love the stats and numbers of writing and the indie author career. I will say that I am far from the norm, simply because I have the other drains on my time, such as hospital visits and resting time and the like, but I am someone whose full-time job is to write (even if, for the sake of transparency here, I don't get paid enough for it to be my only source of income).

Having those stats at the end of the year really does help me set myself up for success when it comes to both planning my time, and also working out what's feasible for me to manage in a month. Like I know that if I set aside days just for revision, I can, usually, manage to get through a draft in a month. I also know that when it comes to the professional edit (something I don't track for reasons I'll get into in a moment) I will have less time to be able to write, record and do all the admin stuff, because that's going to take a huge chunk of time to get done in the mornings.

So going back to what I don't track, why do I track some things and not others? The answer is simple, I can't adequately do so. Like I don't track time in the professional edit because I know that the way me and my editor work is to do the corrections, and chat about this and that. It would be a massive spike in the time spent, because it would vary from day to day what we were also chatting about. I also don't track things like making social media images, and posting and all of that either, because while those numbers would add up eventually, they are, again, hard to track, and I think that I would end up with a skewed result at the end of the year and it just wouldn't feel right to me.

But does tracking my time work for me? Yes, it very much does. It's not just about the pretty pie chart, but allowing me to see if something takes me longer than usual, and why that might be. It allows me to adequately plan my time, and it also helps my anxiety when I'm feeling like I don't have enough time to get things done, I can look back at past numbers and know that, hey I can do the majority, if not all, in the time I do have. It's been a stress reliever for me, and while it might not be that for everyone, and I don't recommend everyone does it, it works for me and I'm happy with that.

For some writers, having a ticking clock would just make them feel worse, for me, it's a relief, it's something I enjoy doing, and it's something that calms me down on mornings when I've slept later than planned and think I have to rush through things. It's calming, and I very much get that it won't be for everyone. But if it's something you do want to try, I do recommend Toggl, I don't have the paid version, and it works perfectly for my needs and there is that pretty pie chart and break down, which just makes it all the more fun.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books.

Friday 20 January 2023

Review of Love Magic by Angela Kulig

 

Only two things matter at the Cypress Mill Coven—who has power—and who covets it.

Josie Acker lives in a cage, but at night she dreams of chasing the wind. When her mother asks her for the only thing she can’t give—her heart—Josie makes a choice that sends her to the one place she hopes her mother will not come looking: The rogue coven. The magical home of her father. One of few places that don't keep to the old rules—rules that breed hate and fan a never-ending cold war between sexes. Because witches and warlocks? They don't mix, except to keep the magic alive.

When Josie learns from a menacing warlock priest that she might be the most powerful witch of the age—she laughs it off. If there is one thing she knows for sure, it's that she has never been more powerless in her life.

But what if she's wrong?
 

My Review:  3.5 STARS

I picked this up loving the cover and the blurb, I loved the characters but I felt like this was more a novella and a prequel rather than a whole story. There were so many chances for it to delve deeper into the characters and the like, but a lot of it was skimmed over. It was a fun, quick read, and based on the blurb there was a plot there that would’ve worked. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I’d like to see more depth to the ongoing series. 
Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

 

Tuesday 17 January 2023

#TeaserTuesday

Tara doesn't know what to do without her friend by her side...

BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/DTFW

[ID: A dark room with a spotlight shining in the middle background with the title DYING THOUGHTS - FOURTH WEEK at the top and out now in ebook, paperback & audiobook just above the title. The except reads:

Kaolin had kept me sane for the past year at school and I could only hope that she wouldn’t be gone long. I would do everything in my power to bring her home safe and alive so that we could go back to terrorising teachers (not that we did) and plotting against Jody Eveson and her minions. I hated to admit it, but I actually missed my friend.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the top rght corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

Monday 16 January 2023

Authortube: How To Do It All

AUTHORTUBE: HOW TO DO IT ALL

I have now been on Authortube for almost eight years I think it is. While that first year of videos have been deleted and will never return, I am now into a place where I have a set routine for when I film, edit, and all of that, when I post, and all the other bits and pieces that take place behind the scenes. If you're someone who's trying to start an Authortube channel, or even just wanting to know how to get to a place where you can manage to juggle that, as well as writing and all the rest, then look no further, I'm going to give you some of my tips when it comes to doing it all alongside Authortube.

#1 PLANNING TIME IS A MUST
I say this and know that there will be those reading who'll roll their eyes and think that they can't and don't work that way, and if that's the case, then you do you, because you're the one who knows your routine and how you work best. I can only go by what works for me, and planning has been a massive help in making sure that I get my videos done in advance, and also have everything ready for when a Thursday rolls around.

I will admit that I didn't start that way. To begin with I didn't have a set schedule for when I recorded, or posted, my videos, and then when I got into a routine of it, it made sense to keep on top of it. Those who've followed me for a while know that I do a weekly spread and set myself at least one work thing a day. The majority of my days in a month are for writing, while there's the occasional one here and there that I set aside for recording. I like to record my videos a month in advance so that when it comes to the first, whether that's a Thursday or not, I have a month's worth of videos to give me a little breathing room.

This has been the way that works for me. If you want to batch film and do it that way, that also works well, but if you're looking to have the time, and energy to do videos, and all that goes with that, as well as writing, admin work, and social media, then you need to have some idea when and where you're going to get all of that done. So planning, whether that's in detail or not, is a big must for this.

#2 KNOW YOUR LIMITS

I include this one not just because I'm disabled and chronically ill, but because for everyone there are limits. While I, and other disabled and chronically ill people, will feel those limits more greatly, abled and healthy people have them too. If you're someone that knows that if you record and edit and all of that, you'll be done for the day, then make sure you don't schedule a bunch of other stuff after you record. If you want to write and the like beforehand, and you know you're able to do so, then schedule your time accordingly.

Personally, I know that I do better getting the recording out of the way first. I generally will do a video first thing, and then do revisions on the same day, after all the recording, editing, uploading, and such are done. It means that I can tick that off in my planner and move onto the next part of the process. I also know that I will be limited time, and energy wise, in what I can hope to do on recording days. Lately my sleep schedule has been out of whack and so I know that I'll start to tire around 6am. I wake up between midnight and 2am on recording days and then set myself up for success by planning to be back in bed and, hopefully, napping by 6am. It works for me, and I know some people will see that wake up time and panic, but I promise I'm not saying you should do the same! It's just the natural rhythm of my own body.

#3 START SMALL AND BUILD UP SLOWLY

I have never batch filmed, I just don't have the mental or physical energy to do more than one video a day. If this is something you're able to do, then I applaud you, but for me it's just not going to happen. So if you're wanting to jump into Authotube and know that you have all the time on one day only, then maybe consider batch filming for the week/month, whichever works. It can be a lot of work to edit everything, and while recording can be a pain in itself, it's usually the editing and exporting that takes the most time for me.

Start small, a lot of people who start out on youtube, will aim to do one video a week but they don't always have a day in mind. If you do, great, if you don't, don't worry about it too much to begin with. Like I said, for me it was a good year or so before I went onto Thursdays as my upload day, and from there I made sure to have the videos done in advance. I personally caption every video, so that adds a chunk of time to whatever day I choose to upload and the like, but you gotta do what works for you.

As with anything new, it's better to start small and work your way up to your ideal slowly. That way you know what it's costing you time and energy wise, and you should fall into a routine of some kind. However you choose to do it, it is possible to balance writing and Authortube, it just might take a while for you to get there!

Good luck, and if you have any questions, lemme know in the comments!

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books.

Friday 13 January 2023

Review of Bad Boys Don't Date Clumsy Girls by KE Strand

When the school’s bad boy infiltrates her shelter, will she lose her sanctuary or her heart?

Hopelessly clumsy Ava, is too focused on graduation and keeping both feet on the ground to have a boyfriend. She has enough to worry about with a less than ideal home life.

Bad boy Dylan can’t help but find Ava’s klutziness entertaining. That doesn’t mean he wants to date her.

When court-ordered community service forces them together at the animal shelter, Ava fears she’s lost her refuge. Dylan’s arrogance gets under her skin. And she finds it unforgivable the dogs prefer him after everything she’s done for them. A spontaneous water fight heats things up and suddenly, she anticipates each meeting. But his reputation might be too much for her to overlook.

Will Ava be forced to find a new escape? Or will she stumble her way into his heart?

Amazon 

My Review:  5 STARS

I picked this up because the title sounded intriguing, the cover and blurb pulled me in. I adored getting to know Ava, dealing with the drama of her home life, and the way she responds to Dylan. I loved her clumsiness, how she embraced it and accepted it as part of herself. The dynamic between all the different characters and relationships made this a quick read, finishing it one sitting because I had to know how things turned out. That ending was perfect, and overall a delightfully poignant read. Very much recommended to all who love romance that still tackles hard topics.

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

 

Thursday 12 January 2023

Life Of Joey & Bi-Monthly Goals - January 2023 [CC]

 
 
Letting you know what I've been up to over the past month, reviewing my goals for November & December, and setting new ones for January & February! #Authortube
 
BUY CRAMPING CHRONICLES: THE SECOND PANG: http://www.books2read.com/PANG
BUY CRAMPING CHRONICLES: THE FIRST TWINGE: http://www.books2read.com/TWINGE
#AUTHORCITY BIRMINGHAM JULY 2023 SIGNING TICKETS: https://bit.ly/3fRLjxg 

 

Tuesday 10 January 2023

#TeaserTuesday

Nobody is willing to stand up for Angelina...

BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/WOY

[ID: A light teal background with the title WAITING ON YOU at the top and out now in ebook, paperback & audiobook just below the except. The except reads:

“Of course it isn’t, sir. I would never do that. She’s just lying because she didn’t do it and doesn’t want to get in trouble,” Claire lied. I had a mantra of ‘please believe me, please!’ going round in my head, but as I’d suspected, he didn’t. He gave me a detention on the spot and made me apologise to Claire for trying to get her in trouble. I tried to protest and tell him that all he had to do was look in the bin, but it fell on deaf ears. I was screwed.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the bottom left corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

Monday 9 January 2023

5 Facts About My Current WIP: Disability Detectives: The French Murder

5 FACTS ABOUT MY CURRENT WIP: DISABILITY DETECTIVES: THE FRENCH MURDER

Last week I talked about my other WIP, which you can find here, and this week I thought I would give you five facts about The French Murder. I'm about 40% through both projects and loving them immensely. The French Murder is the first in the Disability Detectives series, and it's young adult crime/mystery. It's a call back to my start in writing, and I am loving getting to delve into the story and the characters, especially knowing there'll be able four books at least in this series.

So what's it about? Set in a boarding school primarily for kids with disabilities, the main character Veronica is the leader of her little group of four. She, and her best friends, have all been kinda insular when it comes to the other students. When one of the biggest bullies dies in French class, and one of Veronica's best friends, Malik, is accusing of purposefully giving him peanuts to cause a fatal reaction, she jumps into make sure that the true killer is caught and her friend's secrets stay that way.

So onto the facts!

FACT #1: VERONICA'S FAMILY AREN'T ALL THAT GREAT

Veronica has been going to Rosewood since she was eleven, at that point she'd already been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, M.E. and severe asthma. She's been using a wheelchair since she was around that age too, and while her parents supply her with what she needs and pay for her schooling without complaint, they kinda give the impression that it's more because it would be a hassle to have her at home. They both work high powered jobs, and travel the globe, and the thought of having to trek around with hospital appointments and the like doesn't appeal to either one of them. So Veronica stays at Rosewood, and only goes home for the summer. She's pretty much okay with this, since she feels more accepted at school within her little group of friends. It does mean that bar committing a crime, Veronica can pretty much get away with whatever she likes schooling wise, her parents won't do a thing.

FACT #2: VERONICA IS THE GROUP'S BIGGEST DEFENDER

Whether that's standing up to bullies, or making sure that the police actually look for the killer, Veronica is that ride or die friend. While the truth matters to her, she's also solid in her belief that Malik could never and would never harm someone on purpose. As the truth starts to unravel and the police seem to be looking in all the wrong places, Veronica is not afraid of making her voice heard, especially when it comes to the secrets Malik is hiding.

FACT #3: SOMEONE IS LYING
It's true for a lot of mysteries and it's especially true in this one. A series of events that take place leading up to the fatal bonbon, means that Veronica and her friends, are on the trail of whoever is telling lies. There's plenty of secrets too, not all of them ones that Veronica is willing to keep. She knows Malik's motivations for why he wants to keep his secrets, and she respects them, but as for the others, the ones who might have more guilt than first appears, she'll do whatever it takes to bring that truth into the light.

FACT #4: DAISY IS THE KEY TO SOLVING THINGS

Daisy, Veronica's roommate, has cerebral palsy, she speaks using an accessibility device, and because of that most people, teachers and students alike, think that she's incapable of doing much herself. Underneath all of that, Daisy is probably the smartest of the four. She's quick to draw connections, and she's good at seeing problems and things other people might have missed. While her device has no volume control and she's not able to sneak anywhere near as much as Veronica and Jake, she's still going to do her part and make sure that she helps clear Malik's name, whatever it takes.

FACT #5: THE FOUR OF THEM WILL STICK TOGETHER NO MATTER WHAT

Bonds forged in the kind of siltation they're all in, are the kind that last a lifetime. Veronica may be the de-facto leader, but that doesn't mean that the other three don't have a part to play. Jake might be the one to help Veronica sneak around after hours, but he has his own reasons for wanting to make sure Malik's name is cleared. Daisy will work the background, and while Malik can't be involved in their investigation, he'll help no matter what. The four of them are a close knit group, and they will see this through to the bitter end.

So there we go, those are five facts about one of my current WIP, and I'll say again that I am loving getting to know the characters and planning out the other three books that are already floating around in my head. It's been a wild ride so far and I can't wait to write the rest of it!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments below!

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books.

Friday 6 January 2023

Review of Flames Of Mars by Tjalara Draper

Shifting by the light of Mars. . .

Shape-shifters exist and Violet now knows it. But her journey into the shifter world has only just begun. Violet thought she’d finally found her solace when her college friends took her into their remote community. . . yet Nathan’s betrayal is still soul-deep. She’s taking her new normal one day at a time. Until a group of shifters, who change by the light of Mars, brutally attack her home. The results are devastating. The loss is shattering. Yet Violet is now fuelled for revenge and raging with an eternal fire. Since the last time Nathan saw Violet, he’s been held captive by hunters in Tempecrest, an island prison for shape-shifter gladiators. 

Many of the inmates have been slaughtered. . . and most of their blood is on Nathan’s hands. Once he’s free, the first thing on his agenda is to find Violet. He needs to explain. To apologize. To protect her.But it soon becomes clear that shifting into his Veniri form may be bringing him closer to his death. Unimaginable danger is closing in for both Violet and Nathan. How many people will Violet put on the line to reclaim what she’s lost? How far will Nathan go to claim Violet’s forgiveness?

Amazon

My Review:  5 STARS

I picked this up after reading the first book, and was desperate to know what would happen next. Once again you’re pulled along on the journey with Violet, Nathan and the other side, losing all sense of time because you just need to know what happens next. It was beautifully written, and every twist and turn along the way had me on the edge of my seat. I adored the story, the characters and the dynamic between them all. I need book three and to know what happens next! Very much recommend to all those who love urban fantasy!

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Thursday 5 January 2023

Tuesday 3 January 2023

#TeaserTuesday

Tara is grateful to always have Kaolin on her side...

BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/DTTW

[ID: A green background with sunflowers on the right hand side, with the title DYING THOUGHTS - THIRD WISH at the top and out now in ebook, paperback & audiobook just above the title. The except reads:

“Yeah, I had a... a fit, so I thought I’d call you to let you know,” I said, as Steve walked past me and gave me a thumbs up.
“And you’re telling me this why?”
“I know, Dad, but I’d rather stay at work,” I said, because Steve was still watching me. I gave him a grin and mentally told him to bugger off so that I could talk to Kaolin properly.
“Dad? Tara, are you okay? Did you hit your head or something?”
“No, I didn’t, but they think I’m calling my dad to tell him so just shut up until I can talk,” I hissed.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

Monday 2 January 2023

5 Facts About My Current WIP: Cache Of Memories

5 FACTS ABOUT MY CURRENT WIP: CACHE OF MEMORIES

I love doing these where I introduce you to my work in progress with little snippets of what the characters and plot are about. For those who don't know, I do these every time I start a new project, and since I write two at the same time, you'll get another next week about my other work in progress. If you're interested in others, you can check out the main page of them all here.

So what can I tell you about Cache Of Memories? It's young adult, contemporary, possibly will have some romance, but mostly deals with Ellie, who's fifteen, chronically ill, disabled, and has just lost her best friend, Chrissie. The story so far has been a delight to write, catheric after losing my own best friend in school when I was thirteen. I wanted to deal with a story that highlighted that grief, and also had a fun little twist. Ellie and Chrissie were both disabled, and they both loved geocaching, which is basically a treasure hunt with GPS and other goodies. I don't want to give away too much, so will jump right into the facts!

FACT #1: ELLIE IS DETERMINED TO FINISH WHAT CHRISSIE STARTED
The two friends loved to geocache, but always found that a lot of caches, and series of caches, were inaccessible for them. Usually they'd go out with Chrissie's young sister, Amy, who'd act as their hands and such to get the ones they couldn't reach. Before she died, Chrissie and Ellie had been working on their own series, planning to make it the first in the area where every single cache was accessible to those in chairs or using other mobility devices and the like. It never happened, or at least Chrissie started to make the caches, but she died before they could be placed. Ellie, with Amy's help, plans to hide every cache, and have the series finished, published, and usable in memory of Chrissie.

FACT #2: CHRISSIE WAS KEEPING SECRETS
Ellie never expected Chrissie to die. She felt like it came out of the blue, and was something that was a risk, but not expected. It's not until after Chrissie's death that Ellie finds out that while no one thought she was die so fast, it wasn't the surprise it should've been to others. She respects that Chrissie's family might have wanted to keep her prognosis secret, but Ellie's still hurt that Chrissie didn't feel like she could tell her the truth.

FACT #3: CHRISSIE'S DEATH CHANGED EVERYTHING

Ellie has been disabled and chronically ill for a long time. She and Chrissie met at a treatment unit where they both went for out-paitnet treatment every few weeks. The one thing they'd both talked to death was how lucky they were that their parents, especially their mothers, weren't too overprotective, hovering and making a nuisance of themselves. When Chrissie died, it seemed that some kind of switch got flipped in Ellie's mum, because she's not the same as she was. She's making sure that Ellie rests, and is in helicopter parenting mode, and it drives Ellie up the wall. She just wants things to go back to how they were before.

FACT #4: ELLIE DOESN'T KNOW IF SHE SHOULD TELL AMY WHAT SHE'S FOUND

While hiding the first cache from their planned series, Ellie finds something, and with it, gets pulled into a treasure hunt of sorts. It opens her eyes to a lot of things, and with it, she feels like maybe she should tell Amy things her sister might have kept from her. It's only because of not wanting to hurt Amy that she's held back as much as she has. In truth, she doesn't want to find out that Amy already knew, and that everyone had kept the truth about Chrissie from her.

FACT #5: EVERYTHING GOING ON MAKES ELLIE SEE HELEN IN A NEW LIGHT

Chrissie and Ellie didn't go to the same school, but Ellie has a close friend there, Helen, who's always had her back and with whom she spends a whole lot of time. While caught up in her own grief, Ellie needs all the help she can get to pull herself out of the funk and start living again, and Helen is only too happy to help. Along the way, Ellie starts to see Helen differently, wondering how she hadn't noticed all of this before now. It's an interesting dynamic and one that may help Ellie move on and start to live again.

So there we go, those are five facts about one of my current works in progress! I am very much in the first act of the book, but loving where it's going. Remember to check back next week to hear more about the other project I'm working on!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books.