Category Archives: Blog

Music Monday: Wicked Game by Phillip Phillips

06 Monday Aug 2018

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Music Monday

Mondays are hard, so let’s conquer them with music!

I love music; I listen to music in the car, at work, and it is also part of my writing process. Sometimes a scene may be inspired by a song or I find songs that relate to what I have written; either way I always have a separate playlist for each project I’m working on in addition to a master playlist of all the songs I come across and enjoy listening to. Thank you Spotify!

On Mondays I will share one song that I’m currently in love with, has inspired me, or relates to one of my projects.

650190a42f3f4207ae39ac1064d0c992be8e386aThis Monday’s song is Wicked Game by Phillip Phillips. I’m choosing this song because It is amazing, while Phillip Phillips didn’t write this song and there are other versions of it, I love his version. I can feel the words and again this song heavily relates to my current WIP Breaking Pointe and is on my playlist. If you keep up with these posts you will get somewhat of a feel of what the novel will be like 🙂

Phillip Phillips recently played a benefit concert in Vermont, so I got to see him sing this live along with other songs and it was AMAZING! He is fantastic live, so if he comes to your area, I definitely recommend going to see him!

Check it out and let me know what you think. Do you like a different version of this song better? Which one?

Spotify

Thanks for reading!

Don’t forget to: 

Sign-up for my monthly mailing list, Street Team, and/or Beta reader team now!

Christie CoteAuthor of young adult realistic fiction novel Rain.

Rain

Taylor Sullivan took her life for granted until she received news that would change her life forever. In a state of denial she met Kyle, who didn’t end up being what she expected. She wasn’t able to escape her new reality, but with his friendship, just maybe she could survive it.

 

Music Monday: Poison by Jackie Foster & Self Portraits

30 Monday Jul 2018

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Music Monday

Mondays are hard, so let’s conquer them with music!

I love music; I listen to music in the car, at work, and it is also part of my writing process. Sometimes a scene may be inspired by a song or I find songs that relate to what I have written; either way I always have a separate playlist for each project I’m working on in addition to a master playlist of all the songs I come across and enjoy listening to. Thank you Spotify!

On Mondays I will share one song that I’m currently in love with, has inspired me, or relates to one of my projects.

premiere-the-voice%u2019s-jackie-foster-releases-‘poison%u2019-01This Monday’s song is Poison by Jackie Foster & Self Portraits. I’m choosing this song because as soon as I heard it, I loved it and it instantly connected to my work in progress Breaking Pointe, which I’m currently working on revising, editing, and adding content to.

This is Jackie’s debut single after being a semi-finalist on the VOICE. This was the first season I watched the VOICE, I’m actually not a big reality TV show fan, but I love music, so I gave it a shot and Jackie was AMAZING! She is a super talented rock chic and I can’t wait to see what else she does. Give the song a listen and let me know what you think. I purchased this one on iTunes to support her and because I think this song is worth the purchase.

Spotify | iTunes

Christie Cote

If the Hat Fits by Eliza Boyd Release Day!

28 Wednesday Sep 2016

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If The Hat Fits by Eliza Boyd is out today! Don’t miss Jake and Diana’s emotional story of finding and then choosing love against all odds. Find out for yourself why everyone loves #Jake in this brand-new adult romance, which is FREE on KU and $2.99 on Amazon!


Eliza Boyd – If The Hat Fits
Release Day: 9/28/2016
Genre: Adult Romance
Publisher: Patchwork Press
Buy: Amazon
Add to Goodreads here.
Blurb:
The hats tell the story…
And I wear them all.
The widow hat.
The single-mother hat.
The overworked-woman hat.I spend my days trying to adjust and fit them all.
Without ever dropping one.
Or worse:
Losing one.

And then he comes along.
Offering another hat.
One I haven’t seen in a long time.

Love.

And, sure, it’s tempting and intriguing.
Because he’s tempting and intriguing.
Yet he’s forbidden and off-limits.

Jake.

He’s everything and more.
But nothing I should have.
And all I want.

Can I wear just one more hat?



About the Author:
Eliza Boyd is a contemporary women’s fiction and romance author. Also an avid reader, she writes novels, short stories, poetry, and whatever else strikes her fancy. Born and raised in Northern Illinois, she now lives in sunny Arizona with her husband and her plethora of animals. When she’s not reading, writing, or working, she can be found walking around her neighborhood (for exercise, not for stalking), taking photos of her pets, or catching up on her favorite shows. Catching up really means binge-watching.

Feel free to contact her on any of her social media sites. She spends too much time on the Internet, so she’ll probably get back to you right away.

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bjUjA5
Email: elizaboydwrites@gmail.com

Social Media & False Connectedness

25 Monday Apr 2016

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I’ve been thinking about Facebook and social media a lot lately. I think social media, especially Facebook, gives us a false sense that we are communicating with our friends and family. It makes us believe we know what is going on in someone’s life because we see their posts and click the like button and maybe even write a little comment and they might do the same in return.

Here is the thing.

We aren’t actually having a personal dialog with these people. We don’t necessarily know what is going on in their lives, only what they choose to post publicly. If we don’t communicate outside of those posts then we don’t know anything more than that. Some people post almost everything that happens in their daily life, but others are very selective or don’t take the time. I used to post about almost everything, but over the past several years, I have grown and changed. I’ve turned into a selective person and generally just post about big events or something that relates to reading and writing or one of my other interests. If you only look at my posts, you are only getting a tiny fragment of my life; I have so much more going on. My life has changed significantly in recent years and in ways I’m a different person then I was just a few years ago.

I think people have this false relationship with me and believe we are communicating and engaging in each other’s lives and I’m certainly guilty of living in the false sense of friendship as well, but it isn’t real communication. It isn’t a real relationship. It doesn’t compare to when I used to spend hours on the phone with my friends talking and having real dialog, getting deep and very personal about things I wouldn’t want everyone to know and I certainly wouldn’t be posting about on the internet. It’s not the same as sending a letter, email, or even a text message and corresponding directly with that person. We aren’t keeping those personal connections anymore. Social media is great for mass communication to a bunch of people at once and being able to advertise and promote stuff, and even finding people we lost touch with for various reasons, but it’s truly hindering our interpersonal communication and our relationships. I have people who I used to be really good friends with but now we’ve morphed into Facebook friends. We just don’t talk outside of Facebook anymore. How did this happen? When did it become so uncomfortable to talk to someone on the phone, or it just become not worth our time? Why is it easier to just post on the black hole that is Facebook instead of reaching out directly to the people who mean the most to us? Honestly, there are very few people I feel connected to anymore and I think this is part of the problem.

Don’t get me wrong, I love that social media exists and the Internet and am thankful for it. I wouldn’t have met one of my best friends if it weren’t for the Internet and social media because that is how we met. We’ve never been in the same state, but our conversations grew from social media messages, to emails, to texts, to phone calls. We don’t get to talk on the phone much, but when we have it helped grow our relationship. We are such good friends because we text each other almost every day to see how the other is and check in and are always there when the other needs to talk or vent. Especially, since I don’t usually vent on Facebook any longer. I grew out of that and instead talk my frustrations out with my husband or my friends in person or through emails or text messages.

I just think it’s really sad and tragic how our communication has changed. I hate how I don’t feel connected to people I used to be very close with and this isn’t me blaming those people because as I mentioned I’m guilty of this as well. I get stuck just paying attention to Facebook and don’t reach out to people personally.

This isn’t meant as a rant, but to try to make people think; to encourage people to close out of social media once a day or week and reach out to someone they haven’t talked to in a while outside of social media. Find out what is truly going on in their lives and engage in a dialog. Don’t let communication and relationships get lost in favor of a façade. Engage with people. Build real relationships. Connect!

Christie Cote

Rain E-Book giveaway on my FB Page!

06 Sunday Mar 2016

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Hey Everyone!

I’m giving away an e-book copy of Rain on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChristieCote/posts/1001653999909808. Go check it out. Who knows, I may give out more than one, just give me some good book recommends!

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Created by Tiffany from I’m a Book Shark

RainRain by Christie Cote

BUY NOW: Amazon

Taylor Sullivan took her life for granted until she received news that would change her life forever. In a state of denial she met Kyle, who didn’t end up being what she expected. She wasn’t able to escape her new reality, but with his friendship, just maybe she could survive it.

 

 

Christie Cote

Escape to Eden by Rachel McClellan Blog Tour

08 Monday Feb 2016

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About the Book white

Escape to Eden by Rachel McClellan

Run now!

When seventeen-year-old Sage wakes up in a hospital with no memories, her only clue are the words written on her hand. With a deadly disease threatening to wipe out mankind, Sage must find out who she is and why most people would kill to get their hands on her–before it’s too late. This fast-paced, futuristic thriller is a spine-tingling read!

Purchase Links

| AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE |

 
About the Author

Rachel McClellan was born and raised in Idaho, a place secretly known for its supernatural creatures. When she’s not in her writing lair, she’s partying with her husband and four crazy, yet lovable, children. Rachel’s love for storytelling began as a child when the moon first possessed the night. For when the lights went out, her imagination painted a whole new world. And what a scary world it was… 

 

find the author

| WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER |

guest post

Top Ten Movies

1. Count of Monte Cristo

2. Batman, Dark Knight series

3. Harry Potter movies

4. Underworld

5. The Heat

6. Napolean Dynamite

7. Moulin Rouge

8. Pride and Prejudice

9. Legend

10. Better Off Dead

Character Casting

Sage Radkey: Lucy Hale

lucy hale 

Colt: Dylan O’brien

 dylan O'Brien

Jenna: Dove Cameron

 Dove Cameron 

Anthony: Theo James

Theo James 

Max: Levi Miller

Levi Miller

Snippets

Snippet One:

All of a sudden I shiver, the kind of shiver that makes me know I’m being watched. I look around to find the reason for the hair on my arms standing to attention. Across the room is the tall, dark outline of a man. Lights flash over him, illuminating electric blue eyes, making me think of lightning. I feel the power in them as strong as thunder. He sees me watching him and moves forward.

Straight for me.

 

Snippet Two:

Cold air rushes up at me, and I think this is the end. I shouldn’t have trusted Colt. Surprisingly I don’t think of Max, but of my father in the last few seconds of my life. Why didn’t he prepare me better? Maybe give me some pDNA injections, anything, so I could’ve better protected Max. Now I’ve failed because I’m normal.

The thoughts are bitter, and I can taste them in my mouth. A horrible thing before you die.

Interview

What is your favorite color? Black

Favorite holiday? Halloween

Most embarrassing moment? Is it bad that I don’t have one? I don’t embarrass easily.

Dream vacation? Italy

Something unique about you? I have been sky diving and am scuba certified

All-time favorite book? Atlas Shrugged

Writing snack of choice? Cheetos

Top hobby you do when not writing? Sports

Favorite Animal? Hippo

 

excerpt

 

“Stop!” a man shouts. He runs towards us. Two more appear behind him.

Jenna reaches a hand down. “Grab it!”

Colt takes hold and she easily lifts him out. They are all so strong.

“Go up, Sage,” Anthony says. “I’ve got these guys.”

He’s holding the same dagger I’d had in my hand earlier.

“I’m not leaving you alone,” I say.

“Three guys is nothing. I’ll be fine. Go.”

I look up toward where my brother sits waiting for me and then back at Anthony.

“Stop right there and we’ll let you live,” a guard says. He has a single spike sticking out of his otherwise bald head.

“Don’t listen to him Sage,” Anthony says. “You’re too valuable. Just go before they capture Max again.”

This makes me move. I scramble up the ladder. When I’m at the top, I shout down, “Come on! You can make it.”

He stares up at me through the narrow opening and smiles. “Change the world,” he says just as an invisible blast knocks him to the ground.

 

 

Blog Tour Schedule
To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 

 

Giveaway
Christie Cote

KITTENS!

01 Monday Feb 2016

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Because Kittens!12509620_10205352438721411_6463472998856134737_n

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Sora cleaning Simba (white nose/mouth) whether he likes it or not!

A couple of weeks ago, well I think it was a couple of weeks ago, it’s been crazy, I got kittens. Two male kittens whose kennel names were Han and Yoda. Someone clearly liked Starwars. We have renamed them Sora and Simba. Sora is from the game Kingdom Hearts, one of my all time favorite video games and Simba is from my favorite childhood movie the Lion King. They are just too cute for words, so I had to share.

Simba is a cuddler, but Sora would much rather be running around chasing things. That is all I have! I’m just overdosing in adorableness over here :).

 

Simba and I before I had to head to work since Sora wouldn't let me hold him.

Simba and I before I had to head to work since Sora wouldn’t let me hold him.

Sora

Sora actually allowed me to hold him long enough to get a picture with him and his brother! 🙂

 

Hiatus Post

18 Monday Jan 2016

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Hello Everyone!
Wow, I haven’t made a blog post in quite a while. Things just get away form you when life is busy! I signed up to do NaNoWriMo in November, fully intending to give it my best shot, then at the end of October I got Pneumonia for the first time ever. Pneumonia… one major ass kicker! I was out of commission for a month and was out of the office at my day job for about two weeks. Thankfully I was allowed to work from home since at the time I was temporary and didn’t have any sick or vacation time. I don’t do well being sick and having no energy and all of the other fun symptoms of pneumonia for that long I was beginning to lose my mind. To anyone who lives through chronic illnesses and any kind of serious condition, I commend you. You are one badass person to get through whatever it is. I couldn’t handle having pneumonia so I can never begin to understand how someone gets through having cancer or whatever illness they might have. I try to envision it and write about it, but I can’t even begin to understand how that really feels.

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I did write a little during November. I had planned to join a writing group who was meeting once a week during the month at a local bookstore. I had joined the pre November session before I got sick and managed to make it to one session during November and wrote a bunch in that session. It felt pretty amazing. I was focussed, inspired, and productive. I started working on a story idea I had had for probably a year, called Finding Home. I wrote a little bit outside of that session as well, but definitely didn’t come anywhere close to completing NaNoWriMo. Another writer problem.. I have too many different ideas that I want to write and not enough time! AHHH.

Writing, oh how I miss writing. I have been so busy I just haven’t been able to take the time, especially after staring at a computer screen all day at work it is difficult to come home and want to spend more time typing on a computer. I need to get back to it though and find a way to manage my time better. After this week my work location will be moving closer to where I live, which will cut down travel time, so I hope that helps.

I had spent some time going over Breaking Pointe as well and then when I was getting closer to get it to Beta readers life got busy again so I need to start going over it from the beginning again. Hopefully I can get my act together so I can get feedback, revise, get it edited and out into the world.

2 year wedding facebook headerDuring my time away I have been settling into my new house and getting some home projects done. I celebrated my first Thanksgiving and Christmas in my new home. I celebrated my two year wedding Anniversary  and six years together with my husband as well. I’ve also been making new friends and getting out of the house.

I even managed to read a little. I’m currently reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah Maas. My bestie from Michele from A Belle’s Tales gifted The Assassin’s Blade to me for christmas insisting that I must read it. I devoured that one and have now started Throne of Glass, which has been very difficult to put down! I love getting lost in an amazing book, and it has felt fantastic to be reading again.

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I have been listening to lots of Audio books of books I have already read and loved. I’m obsessed with the Amazon program where you buy the ebook of a book and then get the audiobook at a discounted price! I’ve gotten some amazing deals. I’m currently listening to the Harry Potter books and am on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I was ecstatic when the audio books finally came to Audible. The sad news of Alan Rickman’s death was even more heartbreaking since I’ve been wrapped up in the Harry Potter series recently. He was an amazing actor and played Snape perfectly in the movies. RIP Alan! Your talent will be missed and I’m sure the hurt is greater felt to people who actually knew him personally.

So this is a snapshot of my absence in the blogosphere. I plan to finish this book series and hopefully get back to writing. I didn’t make any New Year’s resolutions, but I do want to get Breaking Pointe finished this year and another book written. Those are my writing goals.

What are your goals this year? How is everyone doing? Feel free to pose any specific questions to me as well! I would love to hear from you.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Thank you for making a difference in our world Martin!

 

Best Wishes,

Christie Cote

September–Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

06 Sunday Sep 2015

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Hello Everyone! I’ve been MIA for a while now. My life has been exciting since my husband and I bought a house and moved and all of that fun stuff. Things are starting to settle down and I hope to get back to editing and writing soon. I realized that we are in September now, which is more than temperatures dropping and the anticipation of fall. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Some of you may know this, especially if you read by novel, Rain. For the most part, I feel like this awareness month goes unnoticed. I just put together this image in honor of this month and all of the children who have been and will be diagnosed with this awful heartbreaking disease. I hope everyone will share and spread awareness this month as well as after. Awareness should never be confined to a single month, it should be spread all of the time. There are a lot of different cancers out there and the disease in its entirety makes me angry, but childhood cancer makes me the angriest! Kids shouldn’t get sick, shouldn’t get cancer, and kids should never die, but they do. Thousands of kids are diagnosed with cancer every year. I wish I could do more to help, but at the very least I want to try to spread some awareness because there isn’t enough. I hope you all will help me.

Be Brave, Be Bold, GO GOLD! ❤

As always, thank you for reading!

Christie Cote

Stella Rose by Tammy Flanders Hetrick Blog Tour (Review)

20 Wednesday May 2015

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Good Afternoon Everyone!  I’m so excited to be part of the blog tour for this debut author! I was lucky enough to meet Tammy when I was a contractor where she works her day job, and had the pleasure seeing her almost every day of the work week for a little over a year. One day I overheard her talking about writing and as I writer myself I was nosy and butted into the conversation and learned that she wrote a book and was in the process of editing it and publishing it. We talked and I enthusiastically volunteered to help since I blog as well. I patiently waited as she worked through the process until I got contacted to be a part of the blog tour and was given a review copy. Unfortunately I couldn’t read it until recently because I was in college and I knew if I started the book all homework would be ignored. This book was worth the wait and I’m so happy to have finally read it and can share with all of you. So keep reading because you will want to add this one to your shopping cart!

About the Book whiteStella Rose coverStella Rose by Tammy Flanders Hetrick

Upon Stella Rose’s death, her best friend, Abby, moves to rural Vermont to take care of her sixteen-year-old daughter, Olivia. But Abby struggles to connect with Olivia and she soon finds guardianship of a headstrong teenager daunting beyond her wildest misgivings. Despite her best efforts, and the help of friends old and new, she is unable to keep Olivia from self-destruction. As Abby’s journey unfolds, she grapples with raising a grieving teenager, realizes she didn’t know Stella as well as she thought, and discovers just how far she will go to save the most precious thing in her life.

REVIEW

Stella Rose’s physical form has left the world, but her spirit is still everywhere. She leaves behind a daughter, Olivia, and many people who love her dearly. The story is narrated by Stella’s best friend, Abby, who takes on the responsibility of moving into Stella’s house to take care of Olivia.

The novel is divided into months, each section consisting of a season, and each chapter being a different month following the death of Stella Rose. Stella, who died of cancer managed to plan out the year following her death by writing letters and preparing gifts for Olivia and Abby. The rules are that they have to open them together and can only open the one designated per month. We follow through the stages of grief and watching these characters trying to continue their life with the help of Stella via the letters.

The pacing of the chapters and how they are split up into months is perfect. The author paints a beautiful picture of Vermont through all of the seasons, which I love as a Vermont resident. It is fun to recognize names of places as well as places I’ve never heard of or been to.

The characters feel very real and are imperfect as all humans. I think everyone will find ways in which they can relate to these characters and their struggles, especially anyone who has experienced loss.

The story is poignant, filled with such heart it seeps through every page. There is such honesty about life, love, friendship, loss, secrets and the mess of it all. So many passages of this novel hit me deeply, some just because of how closely I could relate to the situation, like becoming angry at the person who died, or because of the true lifelong friendships that existed. The friends in the novel were friends since childhood, and the relationship they have, I envy. I have some great friends, but the level of friendship in this novel is beautiful and I think rare.

I love, love, loved this novel. It is a fantastic well-crafted debut novel by Mrs. Hetrick, so grab a box of tissues and get a copy!

Purchase Links| IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

About the Author

Tammy Flanders HetrickTammy Flanders Hetrick has been telling stories all her life, refining her skills at age ten through marathon tag-team storytelling with her best friend, honing her craft through decades of business writing, and ultimately finding joy in extracurricular creative writing. She has published short stories in Your Teen Magazine, Blue Ocean Institute’s Sea Stories, and Route 7 Literary Journal. In 2009 she was recognized with the Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition’s Pioneering Woman Award for coaching and mentoring women in the workplace. Hetrick lives in Vermont with her husband of thirty years, their two cats, and a beagle/miniature bull mix. Her website is http://www.tammyflandershetrick.com/.
find the author

https://www.facebook.com/TammyFlandersHetrick.Author/info?tab=page_info&edited=official_page

https://twitter.com/tigerslily

Blog Tour:
Celtic Lady’s Reviews: April 21, 2015
A Literary Vacation: April 23, 2015
Broken Teepee: review, April 24, 2015
Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus: April 27, 2015
Life of a Female Bibliophile: April 28, 2015
I’m A Book Shark: May 1, 2015
Electively Paige: review, May 4, 2015
Under My Apple Tree: May 7, 2015
Celtic Lady’s Reviews: May 12, 2015
Centered on Books: May 16, 2015
Christiecote.com: May 20, 2015
Christiesbookreviews.com: May 21, 2015