Synopsis

You know him, but you can't remember his name. He is the one that is always there, in the background, all but invisible to those roaming the hallways. What if he had a secret? What if it was a secret that even he didn't know?

Test Davis has always been a blur to those around him. He's a shadow like a million other kids--not smart enough for the academic team, not beast enough for the football team, not extroverted enough for the drama crowd. In all things Test is just...not, which is why no one ever notices him.

But what happens when someone does notice him--Nicole Paxton, a cheerleader, no less? What happens on the night that Test finds out there's nothing average about him and that a powerful gift has been hidden within, sectretly waiting to be set free and alter his life forever? The question is, will that power save him and those he loves or tear them apart?




Sunday, August 29, 2010

Failing Test featured on Kippoe Blogspot!

A nice interview and feature on Kipp Poe's blog. Check out his many reviews and find your next read!

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Happy weekend!

Well, it has been a very nice week. Failing Test has been featured on several blogs and received a couple of four star reviews. First, Imogen Rose read and reviewed FT and then posted an interview with me on Dawn Judd's Breakout Book Review. Here is the link:
http://breakoutbooks.blogspot.com/2010/08/failing-test-by-jm-pierce.html

Also, I was invited to be a guest "reader" on an Amazon Kindle Forum called "The Retreat", yesterday and posted the first couple pages of Chapter 12 from FT, in which my favorite character, Clifford Johnston, is introduced. You can check it out here:
http://www.amazon.com/tag/kindle/forum/ref=cm_cd_pg_pg14?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSESG&cdPage=14&cdSort=oldest&cdThread=Tx2K2T0PIT7Y6EQ

I will also be attending a book signing for an area high school in Wichita, Ks in the next couple of months. The date hasn't been made firm yet, but I will post more info as it is made available to me. Here is the link:
http://fcclabookfest.blogspot.com/


Enough talking about myself, a fellow indie author looks to be poised to make it into the big show! Amanda Hocking, author of the "My Blood Approves" series as well as "Switched", has been contacted by a very prominent agent and (in my opinion) is only a short drive away from stardom! Congratulations Amanda. We are all very proud of you!!!! You can check out her authors page on Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.com/Amanda-Hocking/e/B003H4L762/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1283009999&sr=1-2-ent


This is a dynamic and fantastic time to be an Indie Author. "Duality" is coming along quickly and I'm hoping to have it published by the end of October 2010 and then in December, I'm hoping to have the sequel to FT (A Shadow's Light) published as well.

I am very grateful to all who have shown FT and myself such love and support. Best wishes to you all and take care!

J.M.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

A circular, and in my opinion, pointless debate.

I've been gone for a few days working on my newest book, but I will admit that I've lurked an Indie Author forum here and there while at my day job. I've watched several threads grow concerning being traditionally published vs. independent and have tried to keep up with. Springing from that discussion was another regarding Indie Authors reviewing one another's work.


To be honest, I don't much care what anyone else says about Indie/Self Published authors. Do I take offense to it? No, not really. The thing that concerns me more is the tendency for everyone to be so critical of everything. It's like we are all being expected to charge into battle and see how many pieces of cow manure we can find on the battlefield. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying everybody hug and sing campfire songs, but really, why did you start writing? Was it to prove that you were better than someone else? For some of you maybe. I personally am tired of hearing how bad Dan Brown's writing sucks or Stephenie Meyer's writing is garbage. It starts to sound like a bunch of high school teens hating on the prom queen simply because she won and you didn't. Now, you may honestly hate their writing, but I just don't get why people have to wave a flag saying "Yep, it sucked!" unless they are trying to be a part of an elitist clique.

As far as reviewing indie authors, I have reviewed several. I know Amanda Hocking (My Blood Approves series) just started a thread about reviews and I agree with her 100% in that I have one heck of a time writing them! I have done it for two indies and I will surely do it again. My reviews aren't the great ten paragraph rants on the literary greatness, or the lack thereof, that a lot of people seem to require in order for it to be "helpful". To be honest, I hate when the conversation of reviews comes up because there are so many review snobs out there that it makes getting one less fun. "Don't pay attention if they're in the same state, don't pay attention if it's another indie author, don't pay attention unless it's written without any emotion and reads like a term paper", it just gets old. It is hard enough for some of us to have the slightest level of self esteem and really, all we want to do is write a book. After the book is written then maybe, just maybe, someone will read it that will enjoy it.

I guess to close my rant, I'll say that I just wish people could do their thing, whatever that thing is, without being judged at every turn. I have absolutely no problem with people posting bad reviews as long as they are genuine and constructive, but I think dismissing a good review or questioning its motives simply because it was written by another Indie is selling a lot of people's work, as well as the integrity and character of our fellow authors, short.