Guest Post with Author Jen McLaughlin and Giveaway

Meet Jen McLaughlin, author of Out of Line.

Jen McLaughlin is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She writes steamy New Adult books for the young and young at heart. Her first release, Out of Line, came out September 2013. She also writes bestselling Contemporary Romance under the pen name Diane Alberts.Since receiving her first contract offer under the pen name Diane Alberts, she has yet to stop writing. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Places to find Jen:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

Tips for Aspiring Authors

As I go around the Internet, talking about my latest release Out Of Line, I’m taken back to a time when I was reading blogs, wishing I could be the one with a book coming out. Waiting and hoping to get that agent, or that contract offer, or even a rejection just so I knew I’d been noticed.

I read a lot of blog posts back then, absorbing every bit of information I could. Every single word was like Gospel to me, and I lived by it. As such, I thought it might be nice to do that same now, but from the other side in the form of a Top 10 Tips for Aspiring Authors.

Now, most of this is all the same stuff you see everywhere else, but maybe it’ll have a turn of phrase that resonates with you.

1. Don’t ever freaking stop. No matter how many times you’ve cried into your pillow, no matter how many rejections you get (I got a lot) never ever stop. EVER.
2. A rejection sucks. Ten rejections suck more. If you keep getting rejected, take the time to read through the manuscript again. Look for it’s weaknesses and attack with no mercy.
3. If you get a little bit of feedback from an agent or editor as to what didn’t work for them, DON’T WRITE BACK EXPLAINING WHY IT’s THE WAY IT IS. Absorb the information, and apply their advice to make your manuscript better. I can pretty much say at least 9 out of ten times they are probably right. It’s kind of what they do.
4. NEVER WRITE A NASTY REPLY TO A REJECTION. Yes, I used all caps. It’s an important one. Agents and editors remember those, and if you cross their desk again…they’ll remember. And, plus, it’s rude.
5. When you’re upset about a rejection, walk away from Twitter. Don’t go on a rant about how mean the world is. It looks bad and unprofessional and you never know who might see you.
6. Agents and Editors check out your website/Blog/Twitter/Facebook to see what kind of person you are. I’ve heard several say this. More than several. Be careful what you post and how whiny you are. That’s not to say you can’t vent. You can. Just don’t vent so much you rip the vent out of the wall and make a new room. (Bad metaphor? Probably.)
7. Don’t be afraid to walk away from a book and start over. Sometimes, the market isn’t ready for it. Sometimes the book isn’t good, or there’s no conflict. But if you can’t sell it or you can’t get into it—don’t be afraid to walk away and do another book. You can always come back later.
8. Don’t burn bridges. Chances are, the person you’re having a spat with will cross paths with you again, and you don’t want to be getting dirty looks at conventions.
9. Talk to other authors when you get an offer from an agent or publisher. Just like they talk behind the scenes, so do authors. Ask around to authors that are with the publisher or agent as to whether they’re happy. Most of us are happy to share our experiences!
10. Read #1 again. DO. NOT. GIVE. UP.

There you have it, my top ten tips for all of you authors out there waiting for the call, or the offer. Keep at it. The end is worth it, I promise! Got any questions? Ask away.

Desperate to break free…

I've spent my entire life under my father’s thumb, but now I'm finally free to make my own choices. When my roommate dragged me to my first college party, I met Finn Coram and my life turned inside out. He knows how to break the rules and is everything I never knew I wanted. A Marine by day and surfer by night, he pushes me away even as our attraction brings us closer. Now I am finally free to do whatever I want. I know what I want. I choose Finn.

Trying to play by the rules...

I always follow orders. My job, my life, depends on it. I thought this job would be easy, all the rules were made crystal clear, but when I met Carrie Wallington, everything got muddy. She's a rule I know I shouldn't break, but damn if I don’t inch closer to the breaking point each time I see her. I’m ready to step out of line. And even worse? I’m living a lie. They say the truth will set you free, but in my case…

The truth will cost me everything.

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Check out what's up for grabs.

Up For Grabs:

• 1 30 Pages of Manuscript

To Enter: 

• Please fill out the Rafflecopter form.

Good Luck! 

Special thanks to Jen McLaughlin & Inkslinger PR for sponsoring this tour-wide giveaway.

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