15 Books You Probably Didn't Read in 2015

Can you believe that 2015 is almost over? If you're like me, you're trying to cram in as much book-reading as possible before the turn of the new year. I browse Pinterest for days, searching for the perfect books to read, and I discovered something quickly.

The same ten books keep showing up, over and over. Why not try a few different books for a change? Below, I've listed 15 books you probably didn't read in 2015, but absolutely should. If you have read these books, congratulations! We can be friends. (Links and details are below the infographic.)

Books You Probably Didn't Read in 2015 | Blots & Plots

Read on for book details!

Sweet Girl

Author Rachel Hollis runs a lifestyle blog called The Chic Site, and I'm a big fan of her Instagram. Her book Sweet Girl is about Max Jennings, a girl with hopeful dreams of being a pastry chef. She gets an amazing opportunity to work with world-famous Avis Phillips, and fun and romance ensues.

Finding Lily

I'm happy to call Rachel Del a friend of mine. She, like Rachel Hollis, has a killer Instagram game, and her blog, Big City Quiet is a must-read. Speaking of must-reads, her novel Finding Lily is perfection. This book follows Lily Gardner in the midst of a divorce from her husband, Thomas. It celebrates the idea of second chances, as we watch Lily pick up the pieces of her life.

These Are the Moments

Oh, hey! This looks familiar. My debut novel, These Are the Moments, released in May, and it's been an amazing experience so far! (I expect it to stay amazing. Don't read too much into that "so far.") These Are the Moments follows Wendy Lake and her relationship with on-again, off-again boyfriend Simon. It spans ten years of their relationship, back-and-forth through their tumultuous, yet exciting love story.

The Light Guardian

Meet my new friend Katie Sciortino! We recently met at our high school alma mater's career day, and found out we had so much in common. For instance, we both write books. Her first book, The Light Guardian, is a beautiful story about a young painter named Simon who receives a very special mission. This book is also illustrated beautifully.

Perfectly Imperfect

I recently discovered author Harper Sloan—and her insanely cool purple hair—and can't wait to get my hands on this book. Perfectly Imperfect is a standalone novel about self-image. It follows the main character Willow Tate, who struggles with body issues, and her love interest, Kane Masters. Swoon time! Bonus: Harper is a New York Times bestselling author. And did I mention the purple hair?

Now and Again

Another writer friend on the list! Jennifer Ellision has several amazing books in her repertoire, and I'm incredibly excited about this one. Now and Again is a book about the messy side of love. Em has never forgotten about Cole, even though she pushed him away years ago. Can they repair what might have been? I don't know, but I can't wait to find out.

The Art of Work

Jeff Goins hardly needs an introduction, but allow me to try. Jeff is the author or four books, including this year's popular non-fiction guide, The Art of Work. He's an empowering source of wisdom for all authors and makers, and his latest book is an amazing resource. Bored with your job? Want to live a meaningful, creative life? This book is right up your alley.

The Badlings

It's no secret how much I love Ksenia Anske. She was my biggest inspiration to self-publish my own book, and I'm happy to put her book on this list. The Badlings is an amazing concept. It follows the story of a group of children known as—you guessed it— Badlings, who abandon books before they finish them. Their punishment? Getting sucked into unfinished stories!

A Magic Dark and Bright

How can you not fall in love with this cover? Jenny Perinovic is not only an amazing writer, but a super cool friend of mine with amazing design skills. I am excited to share her book, A Magic Dark and Bright, with you. This is the first book in the Asylum Saga, and deals with ghosts and curses and death, oh my! (Too much? So sorry.) I recommend reading this book with the lights on, people.

Blood and Water

Oh, Briana Morgan. She is fabulous in every way. From her writing advice to her debut novel, she gets an A+ for the year 2015. Blood and Water is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a deadly virus runs rampant. Seventeen-year-old Jay Harris must fight to save both his sister... and himself. If you're looking for a sitting-on-the-edge-of-your-seat novel, grab yourself a copy of this.

Silent Memories

Hattie C. Cooper is a rising star. Along with her first novel, The Anxious Girl's Guide to Dating, her 2015 release is a gem. Silent Memories is the first book in The Sawmill Cove trilogy, which follows a mysterious murder in a small town. It'll take a village to solve this one, and forensic artist Ryan Hart is on the case. Scared yet? I know I am!

The Assassin

Speaking of people I love, meet Laura Teagan! She's another incredible writing resource, sharing great advice over on her blog, Ginger & Co. I met her on Twitter through our mutual love of writing and I'm proud to call her a friend. Her debut novel, The Assassin, is a kick-butt FBI novel. Cassie Morgan is set to investigate a rogue agent, but when things go awry, she winds up on the run from a serial killer known as The Assassin. How will she escape? We'll find out!

Kindling Volume II

I first discovered Writer's Edit Press through Twitter. On a whim, I decided to submit a story to their debut anthology, and I can still remember how excited I was when I was accepted. I'm thrilled to support their second anthology, Kindling Volume II. This book is filled with works of fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction. I'm a big fan of short stories, and if you want to support an amazing press, make sure to add this to your TBR list.

Risen Gods

You probably know Joanna Penn from her award-winning writing blog, The Creative Penn. She's a Twitter fiend and a podcaster, a writer and a speaker. Basically, she's Wonder Woman. In addition to her wildly popular non-fiction books, she also writes thrillers, including her latest novel, Rising Gods. The Amazon tag line reads, "Can Ben and Lucy battle the Risen Gods to find each other again and save the country from destruction?" Well, I'm officially interested.

Invasion

I can't rave about Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant enough. Along with David W. Wright, they form The Self-Publishing Podcast crew, an incredibly content-filled podcast to teach you how to self-publish books... and make money from them. They have several book series, and I'm incredibly excited to dive into this new book, Invasion. Do you think it's about alien invasions? Well, you couldn't be more correct.

So what do you think? Did I miss any? 

*note: there are affiliate links in this post*

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2015 Holiday Gifts for Readers

Scenario: the holidays are coming up. You ask the bookworm in your life what he/she wants for Christmas. They respond, "Surprise me!" What do you do? Well, you keep reading this post, that's what you do!

This year, I decided to round up a few of my favorite holiday gifts for readers, all featured on Etsy. Mom and Dad, if you're reading this, please feel free to pass this list onto Santa. Everyone else? Break out your credit cards.

2015 Holiday Gifts for Readers | Blots & Plots

So you liked what you saw, didn't you? I'm not surprised. That's a pretty crave-worthy list. Now, the links to the sites are below for you!

1. Jane Austen Gift Set: includes journal, pocket journal, and pencil set.
2. Time Machine Necktie. For the H.G. Wells fan in your life, you can't go wrong with this snazzy tie.
3. Book Quote Art. So many books, so little time. No truer words have been spoken.
4. The Catcher in the Rye Gift Set: includes coin purse, ornament, bookmark, and print.
5. The Marauder's Map Harry Potter Scarf. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good and will wear this scarf everywhere.
6. Sparkle & Shine Engraved Pencils. In case you're feeling inspired!
7. Christmas in the Great Hall Soy Candle. Again, for the Harry Potter fans. Noticing a trend here?
8. Ampersand Print Wall Art. As you can tell by my blog name, I'm a big ampersand fan. This is lovely!

So there you have it! This year's guide to holiday gifts for readers. Of course, you can always give lots and lots of books, as well. What are your holiday plans this year? What gifts are you hoping to get/give under your tree?

5 Lessons We Learned Successfully Cultivating an Anthology

It's my absolute pleasure to introduce to you two of my favorite ladies in the writing world. I've known Ashley R. Carlson and Marissa Fuller for over a year now, and I couldn't be happier of this amazing duo cultivating an anthology called It Begins Here. Now ladies, I hand the mic over to you... 

Ashley R. Carlson and Marissa Fuller are familiar with the publishing industry. As both authors and editors, they thought they were fully qualified to cultivate an anthology with five other authors. Inspired by the purpose of seeing many of them in print for the first time, Ashley and Marissa dove head-long into what turned out to be a big project. Here’s what they learned.

5 Lessons We Learned Successfully Cultivating An Anthology | Blots & Plots

The Biggest Challenge

M: COMMUNICATION. As writers, communication is basically our trade. If we can put an image in your mind’s eye of a house you’ve never seen before, then we should be able to muster some chain emails with six CCs, by golly. But keeping in constant touch with seven people turned out to be quite a task, especially since all the authors are scattered in different time zones and all committed to other jobs and projects. Thankfully, our shared passion for this anthology was enough to pull it all off.

A: For me, the biggest challenge was probably coordination—as in, sending out emails, deciding on due dates, enforcing those due dates, communicating with our formatter and cover designer, etc. It’s quite a lot when eight people are involved in a project, but thankfully everyone was extremely prompt and wonderful about getting first drafts to me on time, getting beta-feedback to the author they were paired with and submitting final drafts! Special shout out to our cover designer and contributing author, Amber Thomas, who remade the covers about eight times to fit CreateSpace’s dimensions. Thanks, Amber!

Assembling the Team

M: When Ashley and I began the draft, I had too many names to add to the list! The first people to come to mind were NaNoWriMo word sprint comrades, people whose passions fueled my own inspiration. I am blessed with a wide-reaching writing tribe, and I could not be happier with the roster we ended up with when all was said and done!

A: With technology, it’s finally easy (and recommended!) to have a network of fellow author friends as we pursue this crazy career called fiction writing. When I reached out to Marissa with the idea of publishing an anthology, our immediate first question was: Who will be involved? Some anthologies are open to the public, with writers making submissions for possible inclusion—but we wanted to do something more intimate than that. I (and Marissa) wanted to see some of my closest writer friends, many of whom are pursuing traditional publishing careers or are still in drafting stages of novels, have their work in print.

Because of the amazing capabilities of indie publishing nowadays (as Jenny can attest to), it’s quite possible to go from idea to publication in as little as three months—which is exactly what we did with It Begins Here! Due to the dedication and hard work of the seven authors involved—all strong female up-and-coming writers and close personal friends of Marissa and me—we have an amazing book full of new works by Marissa, Liz, Amanda, Lilly, J., Amber and myself to entertain audiences with.

Favorite Part of the Experience

M: When I got home from class today, I knew a real life copy of a book with my words in it would be waiting for me in the mail. To hold our creation in my hands, the dream born from our idea only months ago, was incredible. I feel terribly honored to have my story sharing a platform with the caliber of talent that stands alongside it in this anthology.

A: I have to say the same—I’ve already self-published several books and though it’s still magical every time, the best part of this experience has been watching some of my dearest friends and critique partners (Lilly Raines!) have their words published and available for readers. There is truly so much talent in this anthology, and to have been a part of getting several of these authors’ FIRST PUBLISHED WORK into the world makes me positively ecstatic. Plus, that cover.

The Logistics

M: We set a length of 10-15k words per story, which staggered nicely as some stories came in across the spectrum. The genres and topics are all so diverse, but were tied together with the same idea of beginnings.

A: Yes—we are all such different writers, and wanted to be true to our genres. I think it’s really cool to explore the topic of “beginnings,” and to see how this concept was interpreted by so many different minds and in various worlds. Also, we decided that our proceeds will go to the second installment of the anthology, It Ends Here—all sequel stories to our first, about something ending—as well as NaNoWriMo. Stay tuned for It Ends Here in spring of 2016!

Marketing Fun!

M: As I am one of the majority in this anthology being published for the first time, the marketing part of the business of publishing was new to me. I’ve always championed my friends as they publish, but it was my first time on the other side! What’s really great and unique about our marketing experience for It Begins Here is that proceeds go to creating the second part of the anthology, and anything surpassing that is to be donated to NaNoWriMo. It makes it really easy for me to market the heck out of this anthology when I truly believe in what we’re doing.

A: One of the best things about organizing an anthology is the ability to cast such a wide net throughout various channels regarding the book. Instead of just one person marketing a book, we have seven (and even more because of amazing author friend/supporters like Jenny). That means seven people tweeting about it, seven people sending out newsletters, seven people holding drawings for signed paperbacks (I am too! Go to www.ashleyrcarlson.com/free-e-book to found out how to enter!), and seven people generally getting really excited about our new book.

Find It Begins Here on Amazon in e-book and paperback.

Add It Begins Here on Goodreads

Stay tuned for the second installment, It Ends Here, with an anticipated release of spring 2016!

Marissa Fuller is a young adult contemporary author and freelance editor currently studying at the University of Arizona in their creative writing program. Her short story After He Left is her first published work. Find her on her website at www.thebrazenbibliophile.com, on Twitter as @thebbibliophile, and Instagram as @marsfuller.

Ashley R. Carlson grew up wanting a talking animal friend and superpowers, and when that didn’t happen, she decided to write them into existence. She is the CEO of Utopia Editing & Ghostwriting Services, a company that makes editing, content creation, and marketing fun and successful for every need. Her award-winning fantasy novel, “The Charismatics,” can be found on Amazon and her website, and you can subscribe to her newsletter for updates, free books, and prizes. Check out Ashley R. Carlson’s writing and editing at:www.ashleyrcarlson.com.

5 Ways to Find A Writing Community

Let's be honest. As glamorous as writing sounds, it all comes down to you, at your desk, writing alone. Pretty depressing, huh? But what if you could socialize your writing experience, and still stay productive? I'd say, sign me up!

When I was writing my first novel, These Are the Moments, I decided that I needed to find a writing community. It was important for me to make friends that understood the ups and downs of the writing process, and to meet people in all stages of this adventure. No matter where you are in your journey, it's time to socialize your writing experience.

Below I've broken down the five, most effective ways to find a writing community:

5 Ways to Find Your Writing Community | Blots & Plots

Find a Twitter Chat

Twitter is my favorite social media platform, by far. It's a quick, creative way to connect with people that allows you to ask questions, tweet at writers you admire and of course, participate in Twitter chats. A Twitter chat is an event hosted by one or multiples users, tracked with a hashtag in a set time frame. 

For instance, Kristen of She's Novel and I started a Twitter chat called Story Social. Every Wednesday at 9 PM EST, we tackle different topics about social media for writers, using #StorySocial.

The secret? Getting to know the regulars. After several months of hosting our chat, Kristen and I have gotten to know our chat-frequenters. It truly has become its own community, and I look forward to chatting with our friends every week.

To join in on the fun, follow the Story Social Chat host account.

Reach Out to Authors You Admire

When I first explored the idea of self-publishing, I found Ksenia Anske (her book is pictured above.) After binge-reading her posts and vowing to self-publish my own novel, I finally worked up the courage to send her an email. It went something like this:

 Dear Ksenia,

Hi, I'm Jenny Bravo and I'm kind of obsessed with you. Not in the stalker way. In the totally normal, fangirl way. I'm going to self-publish my book because of you. So, will you be my best friend?

XOXO, Jenny

I sent the same kind of email when I first met Kristen (She's Novel). When you find a writer that makes you fangirl, send them a personal email. Although, word of advice, you should try to be a bit more eloquent than I was.

A few things to keep in mind:

1. Be authentic. Don't be a suck-up.

2. Be complimentary. Again, don't be a suck-up.

3. Be purposeful. Don't waste this person's time. Have a point to your message, without being demanding.

Participate in NaNoWriMo

Let's write a novel! If you decide to participate in National Novel Writing Month, you're definitely going to find a writing community as you try to reach 50,000 words.

There are online forums as well as in-person meet-ups by city for writers of all stages. Because it's basically the Ironman for Writers, I've decided to form my own online writing community.

Click for more tips on how to win at NaNoWriMo + sign up for the community.

Join an In-Person Writing Group

Sometimes, you need that one-on-one personal touch. One of my favorite things about majoring in English was that I could workshop my writing every week in class.

But what if you don't have the luxury of in-person writer friends? Here are some alternate options:

1. Skype. Once you've found your online writing group, if you feel comfortable enough, you can "meet" on Skype.

2. Google Hangouts. Want to host a meet-up for several writers? Google Hangouts is your best bet! You can even record your session to reference later.

3. Facebook Groups. Spend your daily Facebook check-ins with your writing group.

Build Your Own Community

Want to find a writing community? Why not build your own? When I first got serious about writing my novel, I started writing my blog as well. With the help of Pinterest and Twitter, I was able to draw an awesome group of people to the blog, and create my community from there.

If you're not interested in blogging, here are a few other options:

1. YouTube. Comfortable in front of the camera? YouTube may be your place.

2. Podcasting. Let your voice be heard! Hop on the podcast game.

3. Instagram. If you like taking pictures, build up your Instagram game. Host challenges and interact with your audience.

Discussion Time: Do you have a writing community? What's your favorite place to interact with other writers?

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