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Find Sugar!
PJ Sugar's first novel - Nothing But Trouble is making appearances across the country.
Go Hunting for Trouble, and let me know where you see it. Send me the Name of the Bookstore where you found it here (and the city, please), and we'll put your name in a drawing for a preview copy of The Great Christmas Bowl - my Christmas Novella, coming out this fall!
Send me a PHOTO of you and the book in the bookstore, and we'll add your name 5x! You can send the photo to amy@susanmaywarren.com
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I've been wanting to do this for a few years now, a response to so many of the basic, but essential questions that participants in my beginning writer's workshops ask. How you do you plot? How you develop characters? How you do you pitch a book? What goes into a scene? How do I craft a black moment?
And can you help me do it?
Yes! And, it doesn't have to be overwhelming! I believe that writing a book doesn't have to be agonizing, that it can come from your heart, and still be put inside a framework of proven storytelling. And this book, my method of looking inside for your plot and characters, teaches you how.
Buy a copy here at Amazon. If you've already read the book, tell others what you thought by posting a review. Thanks!
The book went on tour in February ... find out what people are saying here!
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I admit it, the first time around, I didn't get the Phantom of the Opera. Maybe I saw it too early - I was only twenty five, life hadn't knocked me down yet, and I couldn't imagine a world of desperation such as the Phantom of the Opera portrays. I saw the phantom as dark, and tortured, unlovable and frightening.
That's the point, I realized, as I sat with my family last weekend and saw it again (this time sobbing). He feared the world would see him as those twisted things - not as the man who created the beautiful music. As I sat there dripping tears onto my dress, I realized that the reason the Phantom touches me (and the rest of the world) so is the comradery we find with the character. Not that we are so depraved in our souls, but the route that led him to his darkness started with the simple desire to be loved. The Phantom, despite his crimes, longs to be loved despite his ugliness - for the beauty he can offer. This desire runs through everyone. We want people to look beyond the outside to the creature within, as the Phantom says
Fear can turn to love - you'll learn to see
to find the man behind the monster.
The fact is, this story isn't new - it's age old, from the day Peter recognized Jesus as a holy man and exclaimed, "Get away from me, for I am a sinful man!" We know the unlovely, masked parts of ourselves, and shy away, hiding in the darkness.
I wrote a book a few years ago called Flee the Night - it's a story of the ways we hide in darkness, afraid that, in the light of day, Christ won't love us because of our ugliness. I used a metaphor of a dungeon, the kind found in medieval times - and the picture of Christ walking into that dungeon to pull us to freedom. It's not just a metaphor, either.
Isaiah 61 says that He [the Sovereign Lord] has sent me [Jesus] to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners...
I guess it's on my mind because I'm headed off to Europe in a couple weeks to do a book tour for Flee the Night. I'm overwhelmed at the generosity of the European publisher who is sending me on this fun tour - and thinking...do they know that I spend most of my time in my pajamas, in a house that isn't always clean? I'm like a phantom, wanting to hide my "uglies." But grace says that YES, God looks past the outside, has found something of value within. I need to stop questioning it. Embrace it. Flee the night.
Wow, I'm so thankful there is love for the Phantom. . At least in my version of the musical...
My son graduates from high school in a week! Unbelievable! And we spent a wonderful week with his girlfriend who surprised him with a visit for Prom!
I'll be back from Europe in time to host the Sugar Party* (details below) I hope to see you there!
And thank you to all who wrote and told me they enjoyed Nothing But Trouble! I'm finishing up Trouble 3 even now. Oh, that PJ, she's just getting started!
Thank you for reading!
In His Grace,
Susan May Warren
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Get Into Trouble Blog Tour!
Thanks to all of you who joined in May 15th for the Sugar Bomb! It was a great success... and speaking of success, the Nothing But Trouble Blog Tour was amazing! Thanks to all of you who read the book and wrote such wonderful reviews. I am glad to know that PJ resonated with so many of you and that you like her as much as I do!
Thanks again and don't forget about the giveaway! The winner will be announced at the Sugar Party on June 19th! (What is the Sugar Party? See below for all the details!)
Warren does a good job at getting to the heart of her characters. I find myself thinking about them after I finish the book, wishing I could call them up and give them some advice to help them figure out their lives. Or maybe they could help me figure out mine. I find myself reading and nodding my head, thinking, "I know just how you feel."
I HATE one thing about this book...that it ended. Have you ever felt like that? When I finished Nothing But Trouble, I seriously looked behind the back cover to see if there was more.
... the characters were fantastic, fully developed and authentic. The descriptions and dialog were great. This is the first book I've read by this author. I can see why she's won awards! She grabbed me on the first page and pulled me straight through to the end. Best of all, the end held a beautiful cliffhanger. I'm already looking forward to the next book in this series.
Click here to see what others are saying!
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SUGAR PARTY!!! 
Guess what? I'm throwing a super fun facebook party to celebrate Nothing But Trouble... and you are invited!
So grab a few of your friends...some sugar cookies (or whatever Sugary goodness you prefer), your favorite beverage and your computer and let's chat.
June 19th from 5-7 PM PST, I'll be answering your questions, giving you a sneak peak into book 2 in the PJ Sugar collection, letting you test your trivia skills, giving away books and a GINORMOUS Sugar Basket! Also...everyone in attendance will receive a downloadable book plate and discussion questions for Nothing But Trouble for your book club, reading group, or just for yourself!
So grab a few of your friends and come join me on June 19th from 5-7 pm (PST) on Facebook. Join in the event here.
And just in case we're not already friends in the facebook world, my Facebook account name is Susan May Warren
Help Spread the Word by posting this button on your blog or website!
And, yep - just like last time, we'll be giving away a $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com to one lucky person who posts the button. Send a quick email to Amy amy@litfusegroup.com that you've got your button up and we'll enter your name into the pot. Twitter and facebook it and get additional 5 entries! Include your twitter/facebook id in the email too!
here's the code:
<a href="http://www.litfusegroup.com/latest/what-is-new/83-sugar-party-come-join-the-fun "><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd78/rs_designs/blast2.jpg" width="125" height="140" alt="Sugar Blast! Come Party with author Susan May Warren on June 19th" title="Sugar Blast! Come Party with author Susan May Warren on June 19th" /></a>
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