How to Avoid Epic Book Fails and Another The Final Omen Gift Card Giveaway

This week is my book blitz through Xpresso Book Tours. As part of the event, I'm giving away a $40 Amazon Gift Card. Check out the post I shared about avoiding book fails and enter the Rafflecoper below.

The Final Omen: Second Sight Book Four was the one for me—the book that would have me banging my head against the walls and questioning why I ever decided to print my stories for the world to see. Every possible book related catastrophe has plagued me since I began writing the novel and I hope to share some of my insight to prevent the same fate from befalling other writers.

I’ve got a MacBook now, it’s all good…

After my Windows computer went wonky on me and contracted some sort of zombie virus, I decided to save up my pennies and upgrade to a MacBook. The Apple brand gave me a fall sense of security, as if nothing ever bad could happen to my livelihood if I used a MacBook. So very freaking wrong! One hard drive crash later, I was left scrambling to try and find a data recovery firm who could get my precious novel off of the MacBook. When it didn’t work, I was forced to work off of a partial copy I had emailed myself a month earlier. This disaster led me to discover the wonders of Dropbox: an online document storage system that every writer should have installed on their computer.

My editor is the shizzel, I can’t wait to hear her thoughts on my final book…

A month past my expected publication date, I had finally managed to recreate The Final Omen as best to my ability as I could. I was all set to send my manuscript to my editor when all of a sudden her email address isn’t working. I go to her Elance page and it’s gone. No!!!! Since we only communicated via email, I had no way to track her down. This meant I had to start over with a completely new editor who hadn’t read or worked on the three previous books in the series. My point is that don’t assume anything. In hindsight, I should’ve worked out the editing details way in advance.

I can do it all on my own! I don’t need any help!

I bit off way more than I could chew with The Final Omen. I lost a month’s worth of work and tried to cut corners to get the book out on time. It was a bad call on my part and I finally had to take a step back and ask for help. Since my original cover art was lost on my computer, I tried to redo the cover using a small file I saved online. It was frustrating and time-consuming and I finally scraped it altogether and hired a cover artist. The end result? A cover that I love! I’m not a graphic artist or a formatter and I learned that although doing these things myself could save a few bucks, it’s not worth the headache.

When you’re a writer, it’s a constant learning experience. As crazed as I may have been because of these issues, I’m sort of glad they happened. It’ll make the process of publishing my next novel much easier.

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Book Release and $75 Cash Giveaway!!! The Final Omen: Second Sight Book Four Is Live!

After a tumultuous few months (hello Dropbox my new best friend) the final book in the Second Sight series has arrived! I can't wait to hear what everyone thinks about the conclusion of Kate's journey. The eBooks are currently live and the paperbacks will be available next week.

As part of the celebration of the final novel's release, First Visions: Second Sight Book One will be on sale for 99 cents! Links are below =)

The Final Omen:
http://www.amazon.com/Final-Omen-Second-Sight-Book-ebook/dp/B00GIURUEA
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-final-omen-heather-topham-wood/1117344261
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/373436

First Visions:
http://www.amazon.com/First-Visions-Second-Sight-Book-ebook/dp/B007YUP4D2
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/first-visions-heather-topham-wood/1110496475

Enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win $75 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash-Open International!

I'll also be hosting flash giveaways all day today on Twitter and Facebook starting at 3:00 PM EST until 7:00 PM EST. You can also stop by to ask questions, say hi, etc. Links to my FB and Twitter pages are here:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/woodtop255 
Hashtag #SecondSight

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTophamWood

Friday's Prizes:
$10 Amazon Gift Card
$10 Target Gift Card
$15 Itunes Gift Card
Finding It by Cora Carmack-Signed First Edition
Burn by Maya Banks-Autographed Copy
First Visions by Heather Topham Wood-Signed Copy
The Disappearing Girl by Heather Topham Wood-Signed Copy
Sterling Silver "Live" Bracelet
Summary:

Psychic Kate Edwards had seen her death in a premonition. She was given the opportunity to stop her murder from happening and finally reconnect with her love Detective Jared Corbett. However, fate had different ideas…

Kate finds herself trapped between life and death. Her only companion is Rose Corbett, Jared’s long dead mother. Rose offers answers to many of Kate’s long-awaited questions and alludes to what the future could hold. However, before Kate can finally be happy, she must complete a seemingly impossible task: save Jared from his own tragic fate.

The Final Omen concludes the thrilling Second Sight series.

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Cover Re-Reveal: The Final Omen: Second Sight Book Four

With the Macbook's hard drive gone, I lost my cover files as well. Although I may have been able to do some tweeks with the online version of my cover, I decided to go in a completely different direction. I really feel the new cover better reflects the end of Kate's story:

Psychic Kate Edwards had seen her death in a premonition. She was given the opportunity to stop her murder from happening and finally reconnect with her love Detective Jared Corbett. However, fate had different ideas…

Kate finds herself trapped between life and death. Her only companion is Rose Corbett, Jared’s long dead mother. Rose offers answers to many of Kate’s long-awaited questions and alludes to what the future could hold. However, before Kate can finally be happy, she must complete a seemingly impossible task: save Jared from his own tragic fate.

The Final Omen concludes the thrilling Second Sight series.

Publication Date: November 9, 2013

The Final Omen: Second Sight Book Four Teaser and Update

If you've been following along on my Facebook page, then you may have heard about my Macbook Air fail that basically took half of The Final Omen with it. After being sent to the best technological genuises in the field of data recovery, it was deemed a total loss. Since I'll have to rewrite a good chunk of the book, the release date is now November 9. In the meantime, enjoy an unedited excerpt from the final series novel:

Just breathe, Kate…

Hysteria bubbled up inside of her as Kate Edwards realized her ridiculous line of thinking. She couldn’t breathe. Because she was dead and the dead didn’t need to breathe.

Grasping the edge of the kitchen countertop for support, she used her free hand to touch the side of her face. She needed assurances of the corporeality of her body. Her flesh felt real. Taking a quick inventory of the rest of her body, she saw the same arms and legs, the same ten pounds she’d been trying to lose.

Her head snapped up and Rose Corbett was still standing before her, staring at her with a mix of emotions Kate couldn’t discern. Anguish floored her again as she took in Rose’s raven colored hair, the same hair of her son Jared. The son Kate craved with her entire being. The one she had told she loved before she died on him.

They were in the Edwards home or some alternative version of it. Minutes ago or possibly longer since Kate was unsure if time worked the same in this place, Kate had been murdered. Killed by an insane masked intruder in her own home. The tragedy was Kate had a premonition of her murder before it happened. Details had changed, but the gist was she still ended up in a puddle of blood on the floor, butchered, her ex-boyfriend Jared too late to revive her. 

When she came to in the dining room, nary a cut in sight, she assumed it was another premonition. A flash of black hair in the kitchen had her heart singing. Jared was there! She would confess her visions about her murder and he’d protect her. Instead, Rose had stepped towards her, saying her name.

“Why?” Kate demanded. “What was the point of it all? Why did I have the premonitions if I was going to die no matter what I did?”

A security system and self-defense training hadn’t stopped her attack. Investigating her future murder with fellow psychic Declan Brayden hadn’t unmasked her killer. Months of knowing she could die, but foolishly believing her case wasn’t hopeless.

“Kate, I…” Rose began.

“You can’t…I can’t hear you say it. Because when you say the words, it’ll make it real and I’ll be forced to accept that it’s all over.” She took a long minute to study Rose, taking in her thick dark eyelashes, her glossy midnight black hair, cascading in waves to her waistline. She was exquisite, unearthly beautiful in a yellow sundress. “Is this my purgatory? Being stuck inside of my house and forced to stare at a spitting image of him?”

Cover and Synopsis Reveal: The Final Omen: Second Sight Book Four!

Summary:

Psychic Kate Edwards had seen her death in a premonition. She was given the opportunity to stop her murder from happening and finally reconnect with her love Detective Jared Corbett. However, fate had different ideas…

Kate finds herself trapped between life and death. Her only companion is Rose Corbett, Jared’s long dead mother. Rose offers answers to many of Kate’s long-awaited questions and alludes to what the future could hold. However, before Kate can finally be happy, she must complete a seemingly impossible task: save Jared from his own tragic fate.

The Final Omen concludes the thrilling Second Sight series.

Publication Date: October 8, 2013

Add to Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17537805-the-final-omen

Giveaway for advanced copy begins on Friday through Goodreads!

Teaser Tuesday and a Title Reveal-The Final Omen: Second Sight Book Four

Happy Tuesday everyone! Today, I'm sharing an unedited excerpt from the last book in the Second Sight series. I'm also revealing the final (hehe) title: The Final Omen: Second Sight Book Four. I don't have a firm release date, but it will likely be a Sept/Oct release.

The bloodied clothes were off of him, but Jared could still sense Kate’s blood seeping into his skin, tormenting his entire being. Briefly, he had returned to his apartment to change. He couldn’t stand Darlene’s beleaguered expression as her eyes raked over each stain on his clothing. After giving his statement and having the hospital staff assure him that Kate was still in surgery, Jared left the hospital once Darlene was safely ensconced with Dan.

Before he left his apartment to return to the hospital, he had destroyed his bathroom, breaking apart the fixtures, enraged over what had happened to Kate. He couldn’t let Darlene witness him falling apart. There were too many expectations placed on him and he wouldn’t fail Kate this time. He may not have stopped her attack from happening, but he’d destroy the person who was responsible.

He pulled it together long enough to make a few calls from his apartment phone. His cell phone hadn’t been returned to him yet, likely still lying next to the puddle of blood on the dining room floor of the Edwards’ dining room. Pushing the visual out of his head, he heard the person on the other line pick up.

“It’s Jared,” he said. “You’re the last person I’d ever thought I would say this to, but I need your help.”

Jared was becoming a master of compromise. He’d compromise and put aside his dislike of Declan Brayden for the time being. He hated the kid with a passion and resented Declan for his part in ruining Jared’s relationship with Kate. When a wave of abhorrence hit Jared as Declan hurried through the hospital doors, he pretended the feelings didn’t exist.

Darlene unraveled her body from Dan’s embrace and stood up as Declan rushed towards them. “Declan! I’m sorry I didn’t think to call you. How did you hear about Kate?”

Declan tilted his head in Jared’s direction. “Jared called me. What happened?”

Jared hadn’t been able to get much information out to Declan. Jared had explained Kate was stabbed and being treated at the hospital. Declan said he’d be right there and Jared was greeted by a dial tone.

It was surreal to be standing next to Declan and seeing concern etched into his features. Jared had assumed Kate was merely a game to the psychic, someone he could exploit for his own personal gain. It was disturbing to see how much another guy cared for his Kate.