Book Blitzes/Promo Posts

Five Things I Love! by Liz Long

Looking for your next read? Let me help! Liz Long is here today, and her book Gifted is in the spotlight. A book about a girl who can control fire and the setting is a circus? You have my attention! Take a look!

Even in a world of freaks, being a Firestarter is considered a dangerous Gift.

Lucy was born with the ability to create and control fire. She longs to leave the human world for one filled with Earthshakers, Transporters, and Chameleons, to name a few. When she rejoins the circus, it’s everything she hoped it could be—new friends, a potential love interest or two, and a place where she can be herself.

When troupe members begin turning up dead, however, Lucy is suspected of foul play. She must not only prove her innocence but also realize the full extent of her power. To find the real murderer, she must uncover the truth behind her father’s fiery legacy while figuring out whom to trust within her new circle. Little does she know the history of the Donovan Circus and its enemies might actually destroy the entire gifted world.

Liz was kind enough to write up a great guest post for you all! I love this one, and actually I found myself nodding at a lot of it too. It’s so much fun to see inside the minds of an author. So without further ado, take it away Liz!
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Five Things I Love!

Hi readers! My name is Liz Long and I’m an indie author. My debut title, Gifted, a Donovan Circus Novel, is first and foremost a fantasy action adventure, but I like to think there’s some fun stuff in there, whether it’s a party scene or just dialogue between characters. But since I always write about things related to my book on my blog, I thought for Jessica’s readers, I’d do a big list! (Lists are my favorite thing to make. My favorite thing to do is scratch off what I’ve done!)

My list today is a little random. It’s 5 of my favorite things, even in a broad general sense.

1. Superhero movies

My husband went on a bachelor party weekend trip and all I did was watch Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America. I love superheroes (which you can probably tell at any given point in a conversation with me, ‘cause I make a lot of references). Superheroes are fun and almost always have a really interesting reason behind why they do things. I love watching characters evolve into who they’re meant to be. Even better is when they retain who they are despite their newfound persona, like Tony Stark—he might be a self-centered jerk who loves to stroke his own ego, but he’d never let stand by while villains overtook his world.

2. Chapstick

I’m totally obsessed with chapstick, especially Burt’s Bees. Have you ever tried that grapefruit Burt’s Bees chapstick? Unbelievable.

3. Books (specifically Fantasy)

This one’s a gimme seeing as how I’m writing for a book blog, but you get the idea (like any writer’s favorites list doesn’t include books!). I’m currently reading the Song of Fire and Ice series (halfway through the first book, Game of Thrones). I love fantasy books. Don’t get me wrong, I like fiction with everyday humans, too, but there’s something about getting whisked away to another world with fantastical creatures and unbelievable powers. The Harry Potter series is my all-time favorite because of the small details. I have yet to try my hand at a non-fantasy story and while I don’t want to put myself in a corner, I just don’t know if I’d want to—it’s always more fun to invent new things that can’t be found in our reality!

4. Animals

When I was a small child, my parents raised sheepdogs. They were always adopted into good families either as show dogs or just beloved pets. At one point, we had close to twenty dogs (we had our own version of farm and acres of land). I was delivering puppies at age 5 and I’ve been in love with animals ever since, especially dogs. I donate to the dog shelters, adopted 2 pound puppies, and that Sarah McLachlan commercial always ruins my day.

5. Photography

After college and before I decided to get serious about writing, I found love in photography. My best friend and I ran our own small photography business, too, taking photos for friends and family, even for local magazines and ads. It’s still something fun I like to do as a hobby, though I rarely find time nowadays, unfortunately. My dog Fisher, however, is thrilled I’m no longer constantly in his face with a lens.

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Liz Long has been writing stories since she could spell the word “unicorn” (second grade). She fears a zombie apocalypse, though admits it would give her good reason to stay inside and write more. She is a proud graduate of Longwood University with a degree in English. Gifted is her debut title, the first in the Donovan Circus series. She lives in Roanoke, VA with her husband Jason and their Jack Russell terror, Fisher.

To learn more about Liz, visit her website: http://lizclong.wordpress.com