tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68213413597229126692024-03-06T00:48:21.603-06:00rednecksaintsMegan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.comBlogger279125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-18191418528026298332018-10-29T21:17:00.001-05:002018-10-29T21:23:46.025-05:00WITHOUT ME GIVEAWAY (Beth Crowley POSTER)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZd1diK6g18NAb3GJCu8dzAXZNb-2xAEspLW5cWXhHaqNwyPS68xyyusolXnILuQv5e5tVEwHM0G9Lz0nXVPWUnoIDN5MBNVxxd2ozLGFBptBfht9rMBvXmUo30-r9WAdcWmboEzXsebY/s1600/_MG_9639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZd1diK6g18NAb3GJCu8dzAXZNb-2xAEspLW5cWXhHaqNwyPS68xyyusolXnILuQv5e5tVEwHM0G9Lz0nXVPWUnoIDN5MBNVxxd2ozLGFBptBfht9rMBvXmUo30-r9WAdcWmboEzXsebY/s400/_MG_9639.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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For those that are interested, I still have 45 paperback copies of the first book in my paranormal romance trilogy available through Paypal! These are copies that were left over from festivals and book events that have been sitting on my shelf and waiting for new homes!<br />
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My dear friend Beth Crowley has partnered with me for an exclusive giveaway just for you guys! The first 8 people to purchase a book will receive a free lyric poster from Beth! Once the posters are gone, you can still purchase the book, but take advantage of the giveaway while you can guys!<br />
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Below is the button to purchase the first 8 books that include the free poster. When those are sold out, I will make another post with the new button for the remaining copies.<br />
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<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<table><tbody>
<tr><td>Without Me (+poster)</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0"> <option value="U.S.">U.S. $15.00 USD</option> <option value="International">International $30.00 USD</option> </select> </td></tr>
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<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_buynowCC_LG.gif" type="image" /><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" /></form>
Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-49731699870161958362017-11-15T23:22:00.002-06:002017-11-15T23:22:51.828-06:00For this I know is true. There was a time<br />
I thought I knew<br />
that what I had was true.<br />
But it never felt complete<br />
before you.<br />
<br />
What others did for me<br />
was all that I could see:<br />
just a little bit of comfort<br />
shining through.<br />
<br />
It was enough to get me by,<br />
even when I didn't try.<br />
But still it never did the trick<br />
as my doubt grew.<br />
<br />
Then one day I let go,<br />
and it was easier to know<br />
that the dream I had was finally coming true.<br />
<br />
That's where you come in.<br />
At the beginning and the end<br />
of the parts of me I never even knew.<br />
<br />
You were different right away,<br />
and at first my heart was tamed,<br />
but you won me just by being something new.<br />
<br />
Something sexy.<br />
Something smart.<br />
Something sweet with tons of heart.<br />
And the chance to fall in love the way we do.<br />
<br />
The real stuff<br />
like in songs.<br />
It lifts you up and feels like home.<br />
And every day I'm with you<br />
it feels true.<br />
<br />
So grant me this<br />
if you don't mind:<br />
promise me you'll take the time<br />
to care for me<br />
as long as I will care for you.<br />
<br />
I love you.<br />
For this I know is true.<br />
<br />Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-9059461837260980962017-06-30T01:37:00.001-05:002018-10-18T03:30:25.407-05:00The Boy<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It might not seem plausible for a 13-year-old to know what love is, but I can tell you even now with the feeling still resonating twelve years later that what I felt back then was real. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The emotion shaped me as I grew into a young woman. It tainted the relationships I had with others to come, and it stuck with me despite being perfectly content within the happiness that came my way. For it was that one “what if”. The one that got away. The one you read about and watch as it burns slowly on screen but never happens. It never resolves. And that, above everything else, is what hurts the most. Even to this day. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 11pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the sake of anonymity, we’ll call him THE BOY. He’s no longer a part of my life, but we’re friends on Facebook, and well... even that’s a little too close for comfort. Given time and space, we are both now two very different people. I can’t necessarily speak for him, but I know that a decade has changed me in the best and the worst ways of which I wouldn’t want to trade for anything. My experiences have taught me valuable life lessons, and I have no doubt that he too has lived. That is, if you call having a job, a relationship and kids </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">living</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I’ve taken part in two of the three, but I have no interest in the other. It’s a personal decision, and I’ve settled on it. But does that mean he’s happier than me? </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 11pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have a best friend. Well, technically I have two, but the first came about in a very different way. He was my boyfriend for eight years, and then one day he wasn’t. The thing is, he hasn’t gone anywhere, because the connection we share remains the same, regardless of relationship status or society’s way of forcing sex as a necessary evil. You see, I believe in emotions in their truest forms. I believe that you can love someone and it not be about titles. About sexual orientation. About whether or not you hold hands. I believe in friendship - companionship - and because of what I have now, I understand what I had back then. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 11pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THE BOY was a crush. For a very long time, I had a different crush, and THE BOY’s insistence that the other was a douchebag is what drew me to him in the end. It was sort of like opening my eyes and finally realizing that the thing I cherished most was right in front of me, and it was the whole time. On the surface, THE BOY gave me attention. But back then, I thought there was a price to pay in return. Don’t get me wrong, there very much was… but THE BOY refused to let me pay it. I tried. I offered. I made it known that I was willing, but never once did he accept it. Never once did he allow me to be that girl. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 11pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unfortunately, several years later, without his knowledge, I became that girl for many others, and I think it’s because back then I wasn’t aware of what he had done for me. I’d taken his distance as rejection. I’d taken his lack of a formal proposal to go steady as his way saying I wasn’t pretty. I wasn’t his type. Because he got what he wanted from other girls. But never from me. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 11pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, I look back on my journal entries - at the excruciating detail of every conversation and every movement of his body language - and I realize that he really did see me. He really did care. His attention was given in other ways that back then I didn’t appreciate for what they were. We talked on the phone about nothing. He was the first boy I ever did that with, and I remember being so nervous to hear his voice on the other line even though we spoke face to face almost every day. He made a point to sit beside me at school - not all the time, but just enough. We wrote notes in class, made up funny jokes and wrote them all down, and he hugged me. I vividly remember him hugging me. Sometimes for no reason. THE BOY just knew how to do the little things. And that was what kept me afloat. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 11pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wasn’t incredibly popular. I was included in a very specific crowd, but I wasn’t the girl that the other guys talked about. At least, not in that way. I think THE BOY protected me from that, and I know now it’s because he loved me. He was my friend. A </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">real</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> friend. One that I still miss so many years later. You see, that’s what feels unfinished. That is the “what if” I always come back to. Like the eight year relationship I had with my once boyfriend, in the blink of an eye, everything changed. We went to separate high schools. We didn’t talk anymore. We ran with different crowds. And the one time we ran into each other after graduating, I looked at him, and the boy I knew was gone. In a way, I think he protected me from that too. He knew who I was - saw the person I’d become - and he was smart enough to acknowledge that he had no part in my world. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 11pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I dream about him all the time. So much that I forget he’s part of my past and not a piece of my present. The dreams are always simple. He’s just there. Sometimes taking part in the plot and other times he’s just in the background. But his presence is unwavering. I’m not an interpreter of dreams, so I’m not exactly sure what that means for me and my psyche, but it gives me incredible comfort when I wake up the next morning and remember those emotions. That connection and what it did for me as a girl trying to make it through middle school. I cherish every single memory, and like everything else, I wouldn’t trade them. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 11pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I guess the point of all of this is to say thank you to THE BOY. I’m too afraid to share this where he’d actually see it, and I think it’s because I’m even more afraid he won’t know it’s about him. But I needed to say it regardless, so here it is:</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 11pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to the very first boy I ever loved, thank you for not being my boyfriend. Thank you for not making me that girl. Thank you for telling me you loved me and doing nothing about it. Because even though you never kissed me - even though you never asked me on a date, and you never lead me on - I still have that note, and I know you meant it. Because you loved me. Not in the way that I wanted but in the way that I needed. So thank you, again, for everything.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 11pt;">
<br></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-5c4fb4a7-f7b5-1ee2-d59f-bf0a55edc014"></span><br>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 11pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Megan. </span></div>
Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-76141036018346452752017-03-09T17:12:00.000-06:002017-03-09T17:12:44.215-06:00i'm not crazyI approached my doctors this week and brought up my concerns about depression, and to my surprise, they already had an answer for me. I was told that it's something they've considered for a while - an underlying condition that was never addressed and snowballed out of control because of the autoimmune issues. My body will literally not allow me to get well, and it's not in my head. Technically, yes it is, but it's not just my mind. I'm not crazy. I have a chemical imbalance in my brain that prevents me from being able to function like a typical 25 year old. I'm already on anti-depressants to treat anxiety and what my previous doctors thought was fibromyalgia, so I secretly hoped that the pills would fix me without having to say anything. But that's not how it works. SSRIs are meant to balance out the serotonin and dopamine that you already have, but I apparently don't produce enough to begin with. So, I'm starting on natural supplements that will do it for me. Two weeks from now, I'll get back to you and let you know how I feel. So far, I've had trouble sleeping after being on the new supplements for two days, so that might be a side effect. However, today I had the motivation to get out of bed and be active. I walked around my yard for half an hour and the exercise helped the ache in my legs. We'll see if I can keep this up. xx<br />
<br />
-Megan.Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-27117872462324413182017-03-07T02:13:00.002-06:002017-03-07T12:44:19.781-06:00the things I never said. I will be the first to admit that I live a perfectly good life.<br />
<br />
My parents have supported me and helped me throughout every mishap and every setback when it comes to getting to the bottom of my health issues and even supporting me financially whenever I can't work. My friends - the handful that I truly trust with all my heart - are no strangers to the past two years and just how difficult it's been. But even then, there are things that keep me quiet. There are ideas that run through my mind when no one is here and no is listening... that something is wrong. That something much bigger is eating me alive from the inside out. No one is to blame, because I choose to disclose certain problems I face and the fears that wrack my brain. But no one else is responsible for not being aware of the ones I choose not to share. It's not because I don't think anyone would understand. It's because I don't understand it myself.<br />
<br />
I'm not unhappy. But I'm not okay.<br />
<br />
My body has been in pain for two years. It started slowly, and I ignored it for as long as possible. I never sought help, because I didn't think anything to be truly wrong. But when I finally came clean to my parents, I started the endless loop of doctor visits. Appointment after appointment after appointment. I never got a straight answer. Fibromyalgia. Chronic Fatigue. Lupus. Hashimoto's. Anything and everything got thrown at me, and I never believed any of it. Finally, I took the holistic approach and eventually found a diagnosis I thought made sense. When I was 15, I contracted Lyme Disease from a tick bite. I was treated with antibiotics, but according to new research and theory, the medication merely suppressed the virus instead of killing it. If this was the case, my immune system had been under attack for going on ten years.<br />
<br />
But here's the thing. I've been undergoing treatment for going on 5 months, and I was told that it would take a total of 9. The extreme pain has settled, and I don't have nearly as many bad days as I used to, but when I'm down... I'm down. And it's hard to get back up. It's not so much about concentrated pain anymore. It's my entire body. I just ache all the time for no reason. I've cut so many things out of my diet, thinking that certain foods might be triggers for inflammation, and I've stuck to my medications. My detox. But I still feel helpless.<br />
<br />
What if it's in my head? What if everything I'm feeling is just my fucked up mind playing tricks on me? I've considered for a long time now that I suffer from depression, and I see the commercials all the time about how it "hurts" and it's very real and very different for everyone. But have I always had it, or have I developed it due to everything I've suffered from? What if I'm bipolar? My ability to go from happy to sad feels like a rollercoaster a lot of the time, but there's no pattern to it. And the energetic "manic" episodes never last more than a day, or a few hours. I'm already on Cymbalta for anxiety, and for that it's been successful. I secretly hoped it would help with everything else as well, but I know I need to find something more suitable for me.<br />
<br />
Being in pain is stressful.<br />
Living up to the expectation I set for myself with writing was overwhelming.<br />
<br />
But here are a few other things I've never shared...<br />
The first, my closest friends are aware of, but the rest I've kept to myself.<br />
<br />
I recently came to the conclusion that my boyfriend of 8 years is really just my best friend. The decision was mutual, and we both came to a very conscious conclusion that we were no longer romantic. We hadn't been in a very long time, and in a way I'm not losing anything by accepting our new status, but it's new, and it's different, despite how right it feels.<br />
<br />
I don't like to get out of bed most days, because it's easier to be alone. I waste hours watching tv or scrolling though social media, merely because I don't have the energy to be social in person. However, I'm lucky enough to have two very close friends that help me in very different ways. I have one friend that is always a phone call away, and has been through everything I'm feeling, so it's the easiest thing in the world to share my struggles, because she gets it. My other friend can raise me up from that low I feel no matter how deep I get, and I don't even know if she realizes it, but she's the most important person in my life at the moment. If I feel myself slipping, I'll text her to hang out, because I know as soon as I see her I'll feel better, and I can be myself. It's strange, but it's probably the truest friendship I've ever experienced in my entire life.<br />
<br />
There are times when I've dragged sharp objects against my skin to distract myself from the physical aches in my muscles. I don't want to die. I don't cut myself. I just enjoy the distraction, and it puts my love of tattoos and piercings into a unique perspective. I redirect the pain into something I can control, and it eases everything.<br />
<br />
I fear that one day I will be addicted to the pain medication I receive for flare ups.<br />
<br />
I fear that one day there won't be anything that provides relief, because my body will have built up a tolerance to whatever I try.<br />
<br />
I'm afraid that everything I feel - both mentally and physically - is all in my head.<br />
<br />
I'm afraid that I'll never know what's actually wrong with me.<br />
<br />
I have no right to feel sad. I've lost people I cared about, and I've struggled with my health, but I can't understand what would cause my mind and my body to unravel so destructively.<br />
<br />
If you read this, know that my life is not in danger. I have no thoughts of suicide, and I doubt I ever will. But I am slowly going insane trying to understand why I feel so lost and so sad and so pained.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">“So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad, and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span><a class="authorOrTitle" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12898.Stephen_Chbosky" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Stephen Chbosky</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">, </span><span id="quote_book_link_22628" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;"><a class="authorOrTitle" href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2236198" style="color: #333333; font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">The Perks of Being A Wallflower</a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Megan.Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-78793247881127396732017-01-22T14:22:00.003-06:002017-01-22T14:22:53.788-06:00for a friend.Today is your birthday.<br />
It will always be your birthday.<br />
Whether you're here or there, it's still the same.<br />
It's still your day.<br />
<br />
I tend to forget a lot.<br />
It's not that I don't care.<br />
It's that it still feels like a bad dream.<br />
Like something that happens in movies and television,<br />
but not to us.<br />
Not in this life.<br />
It does though.<br />
Every day.<br />
And it hurts just the same.<br />
Whenever I think about something you'd enjoy -<br />
consider sharing something or asking your opinion -<br />
that's when it comes back,<br />
and it's worse than before.<br />
<br />
I can only think about the many things you've missed.<br />
All of the good and terrible things that have happened since you disappeared.<br />
I wonder what you'd think of it all.<br />
Plenty of it would have deserved your smile.<br />
Plenty of it could have broken your heart.<br />
But you weren't here to see it.<br />
And that is the greatest disappointment of all.<br />
<br />
I hate to think that you've been missing everything.<br />
But maybe you haven't.<br />
Maybe you've seen it, wherever you are.<br />
Is it beautiful there?<br />
<br />
I'm asking for a friend.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Happy Birthday, Laura-Lisa.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-80520430212212808222017-01-21T11:54:00.003-06:002017-01-21T12:10:19.831-06:002016 Moonshine AwardsThis is completely fandom oriented, so if you're not a fan of The Walking Dead... or you think fan-fiction is beyond you.... please don't look any further into this post. I'm sharing this merely because it has to do with something I wrote, and well... that's what this blog is about, right?<br />
<br />
When I stepped away from publishing, I burrowed into a little hole known as fandom. Most of you know this because I posted about it here on my blog, as well as on all of my social platforms. It became a bit of a refuge for me, and for that I am forever grateful - not only to the relief writing about Beth and Daryl gave me, but to the dozens of new friends I've made in the process.<br />
<br />
As such, I've written several stories surrounding the ship famously known as Bethyl. Stories about what could have been, and stories about what was. Their relationship latched onto me in so many ways that I'm pretty sure despite them not being characters of my own, I could write about the two them for the rest of my life. It's that tragic. So, because I wrote so many stories, I now have six - yes, SIX - of my fan-fictions nominated in a little something called the Moonshine Awards. This is an annual fanfic awards celebration thingy hosted by a girl known as <a href="http://sillymommy2010.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">sillymommy2010</a> on Tumblr. She runs a blog called <i><a href="https://ultimatebethylficlist.com/" target="_blank">Ultimate Bethyl Fic List</a></i>, where it is what it states: the ultimate list of all Bethyl fan-fiction.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSf2KFudipMBy0wp-7qUI5BIuKiuHHvOsq0v3HkL44l3NEfYFOaG_U1Ea2XYZz4Le9gB7TnHChOqyDhZ0f_jGgV5te03wlORneqNuk23knux0M1Lmphb2mLJhGS6GLcwN_m4SMBQ_U8QE/s1600/IMG_3549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSf2KFudipMBy0wp-7qUI5BIuKiuHHvOsq0v3HkL44l3NEfYFOaG_U1Ea2XYZz4Le9gB7TnHChOqyDhZ0f_jGgV5te03wlORneqNuk23knux0M1Lmphb2mLJhGS6GLcwN_m4SMBQ_U8QE/s320/IMG_3549.JPG" width="320" /></a>This year (2016), I was nominated in the following categories:<br />
<br />
<b>Best ZA</b><br />
<b>Best One Shot</b><br />
<b>Best Multi-Chapter </b><br />
<b>Best Reunion Fic</b><br />
<b>Best Fix-It Fic</b><br />
and <b>Best Work in Progress</b>.<br />
<br />
The reason why I'm sharing this is to encourage you to vote. I know that most of you don't care about the The Walking Dead, much less read fan-fiction inspired by it, so here's my pitch.<br />
<br />
I know you've been deprived of new books from me in the last year, and I've explained the reasons behind it as much as I can by this point. Now that you're going to be able to read Negative Spaces & Instead of This online, I hope that the void I create will be filled in some fashion. However, the time I spent away from publishing was <b>not wasted</b> in my opinion. I still wrote almost every day, and by doing so I honed my craft. These fan-fictions are some of the best work I've ever done, and I'm extremely proud of them, in spite of the content. So please, if you are a fan of my writing and want to support me, show some love and vote.<br />
<br />
My username is "rednecksaints".<br />
You can vote once a day and choose up to 3 stories per category, so anything you see by that username you can vote for.<br />
Here is the link: <a href="https://ultimatebethylficlist.com/2016-moonshine-awards/">https://ultimatebethylficlist.com/2016-moonshine-awards/</a><br />
Just click on each category individually to vote.<br />
Voting is open through Feb. 8th!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-77419908470065704372017-01-19T18:03:00.002-06:002017-01-19T18:04:56.554-06:00The New Plan <div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Hello and welcome to the new MEGAN DUKE BOOKS.<br />
Now known simply as REDNECKSAINTS.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Yes, I've changed the name of this page because I'm changing a lot of things. Facebook being a very small, very insignificant part of that plan. However, it is still important that I share those changes here because most of you that follow this page are following because you enjoy my work. You read my stories and you have been anxiously awaiting the next book in two series that I've been promisi<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">ng for quite some time.</span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
Well folks... I'm here to say that I am giving you a little taste of BOTH.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Yep. Starting today, I will no longer be publishing in print. All future publications will be written serially, and posted on Wattpad... FOR FREE. I am branding myself as a strictly digital author with zero profit, and I know that it's the right decision.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
This past year has been hard on me mentally, and I've had to face some pretty enlightening facts about myself as a person and as an author. In light of that, I discovered that the real reason I write is to make other people (all of you) happy, so that's why I'm choosing to step out onto a new platform that will make it more convenient for all of my readers to hear my words.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
This page will be a hub of sorts for all of my work, both original fiction and fan-fiction alike, so look out for new posts featuring updated chapters from all of your favorite stories, including The Mind Breaker Accounts, Negative Spaces, and Never.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
First on that list:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Carter's short story from <b><i>Negative Spaces</i></b> - <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/361453229-negative-spaces-part-1-carter" target="_blank">https://www.wattpad.com/361453229-negative-spaces-part-1-carter</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
and the first chapter of<b><i> Instead of This</i></b> (Book 3 in TMBA) - <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/361451337-instead-of-this-book-3-of-the-mind-breaker" target="_blank">https://www.wattpad.com/361451337-instead-of-this-book-3-of-the-mind-breaker</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
I'm so excited about this, and I hope that all of you will be excited for it as well <span class="_47e3 _5mfr" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;" title="heart emoticon"><img alt="" aria-hidden="1" class="img" height="16" src="https://www.facebook.com/images/emoji.php/v7/f6c/1/16/2764.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span aria-hidden="1" class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;"><3 span=""></3></span></span></div>
</div>
Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-44440819879850502412016-09-01T20:31:00.001-05:002016-09-01T20:31:19.023-05:00'Fandom', and how it's kept me sane. <div class="MsoNormal">
Here I am again, ready to lift a few things off my
shoulders. Unfortunately, I feel like the only times I’ve written in this blog
as of late are when I have heavy topics to discuss, but what can you do?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you’re one of my readers, or merely a follower on one of
my book-related accounts, you might have noticed that I’ve been a bit absent.
There are several reasons for this - the most important one being something
that a lot of you already know about – but today, I’m going to be addressing
something a bit different. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For me, the past two years have been a time of tremendous personal
hardship. I hit a very low point. My struggle with body aches and fatigue
reached an all time high, I gained a significant amount of weight from the
inability to do much of anything, and I had stressed myself out with deadlines
to the extent that I was considering giving up writing altogether. Not to
mention, my lack of recent releases made me feel insignificant and lackluster
compared to so many of my peers when I attended my first book event in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">months</i>. At first, Book Con made me feel
jealous and disappointed with myself. Then, after a talk with a good friend at
a bar, it motivated me to push forward. I started writing again. However, after
another flare up of health issues, I stopped. Again. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you remember, I was publishing two books a year. That was
an enormous responsibility that I unnecessarily put upon myself. I felt an
obligation to my readers to give them the books they wanted, and at the same
time, I felt an obligation to stay relevant. Being self-published meant I had
to push myself 10x further than other authors, because 100% of the work landed
on me. I had to market, distribute, write, edit, plan, create, and design all
on my own. And when I hit a road block after losing my motivation towards
finishing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mind Breaker Accounts</i>,
I thought I had failed. I thought because I wasn’t writing what I really wanted
to, that meant I should just switch gears and everything would be fine, but
even after starting work on the Small Circles short stories, I still couldn’t
get back into a steady rhythm. I was wounded, and I was becoming depressed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I crawled into a hole, away from social media and away from
the book world completely. I stopped posting. I stopped sharing. And I hoped
that people just wouldn’t notice. For the most part, they didn’t. And that, above
all other things, is what made me crash. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, before this story takes a very dark turn, I’d like to take
the time to say that I am perfectly fine. I am in a much better place than I
was before, and I have no intention of going back there. But what got me out of
it? You might be surprised, then again, you might not…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Walking Dead</i></b>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yep. That’s right. I don’t think there’s a single living
soul on the universe that isn’t aware of my deeply devoted passion towards that
television show. I attend the cons. Collect the merchandise. And well, there
are no words for Norman. Until a year ago, I was a traditional viewer of the
show. I was slightly more obsessed than your average viewer, yes… but putting
that aside, I was not an active member of the fandom. Then, last December, I
started an Instagram account. At first, I was just going to post random
pictures of Norman Reedus or anything TWD related, and it was mostly because I
got the feeling that I had bombarded my followers on bookstagram with shit they
didn’t wanna see. It took about a month, but then I started gaining a following
on my new account: rednecksaints. After I started looking for other TWD
accounts, I realized that a lot of people were using Instagram as a platform
for video editing. I’d seen plenty of fan-made Youtube videos, but I hadn’t
realized people made them for other social media outlets. Having a limit of 15
seconds (now it’s a minute, whoo!), I thought, “I can totally do that.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I did. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve played around with video editing in the past, but I’d
forgotten how fun it was. I started posting my edits, and pretty soon, I hit
1,000 followers. At the time, that was the amount I’d reached on my book
account, so I was impressed that I was able to match it. Then, I hit 2,000. The
fact that people liked my stuff that much gave me a huge boost of self-esteem.
I was creating content for a fandom that I love, and sharing it with people who
love it just as much. I started thinking, what was it exactly that was so rewarding
compared to what I was doing before? I came to realize that it was all about
instant gratification. Creating a video, posting it online, and having comments
or likes within minutes was so much more satisfying than the pressure of book
sales. I don’t earn a prophet on the content I make. I do it because I
genuinely enjoy it. It’s fun. And for the sake of my mental health, I kept at
it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After a while, I did start to miss writing. It’s my first
love after all, and I’m pretty sure I’ll always come back to it. I tried
working on the short stories again, but I was so deep into the TWD fandom, that
I couldn’t think about anything else. So, I put my writing skills to use and
started a fan-fiction. By doing this, I was able to exercise my creative
muscles and hone my craft in a way that had zero pressure. Posting new chapters
was exactly like posting my videos. I was able to get feedback almost immediately,
and the people that were reading didn’t have to spend money to hear what I had
to say. It was the best feeling in the world. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fast forward to today, and I’m an active content creator in
The Walking Dead fandom. Some of you might be disappointed. I know not everyone
understands, but that’s why I wanted to explain. It might seem silly, or even juvenile,
but being involved in this fandom has literally kept me from going insane. If I
didn’t have all of this to focus on, I would have fallen off the wagon. I would
have lost a major part of who I am. Needless to say, I’m not walking away from
writing novels forever. I loved what I did, and I got so much fulfillment from
sharing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Small Circles</i> with the world.
But I’ve learned that each day is a stepping stone, and for right now, I have
to focus on the small things that make me happy. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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I have no one to please but myself. And currently, I’ve
never been more proud. <o:p></o:p></div>
Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-81825808873733812102016-03-17T21:19:00.002-05:002016-03-17T21:19:27.360-05:00Stepping AwayI'm writing this post because I have something I need to get off my chest.<br />
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Within the last six months or so, I've been struggling with something I've never faced before. My current health situation aside, something inside me didn't feel right. I was uninspired. My drive to write and the motivation I needed to be creative was not there. I didn't understand it at first, but after talking it out with a lot of different people, it's clear to me now what I need to do.<br />
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When I first embarked on rereleasing The Mind Breaker Accounts, I had two motivating factors in mind:<br />
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1) This is the type of story that will sell<br />
2) I'm going to put all of my money any resources into this series and see what happens<br />
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Both thoughts haunted me while writing the first two books, but they didn't latch on and cause damage until I got to the third one. Don't get me wrong, this series will always be dear to me. Don't read this and think I'm intending to hate on the story, because I know there are people out there that are fans of these books. I started this series when I was in high school, and it was my way of testing the waters when it came to writing and becoming published. I learned a lot through them, but even so, I was never attached to them. This type of book - the paranormal, science fictiony stuff - it's never been my forte. I enjoy reading it from time to time, but my heart truly lies in the contemporary world. Those that have read my novel, Small Circles, should realize this to be true. It took nothing for me to write that book, and yet I poured my entire soul into it. It was easy and it felt right, because that story is the type of thing I'm passionate about. Without a shadow of a doubt, it's what I'm MEANT TO DO.<br />
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I love telling stories about teenagers. I love exploring their struggles and reminding people how important the small things used to be. YA isn't just about being a young person. It's about embracing the fact that your entire world is ever-changing and wide open. For those that are my age or older, it might seem like petty drama to you now, but when you were 16, if that boy you liked didn't talk to you, it felt like the end of the world. Despite experiencing first loves and everlasting friendships, I learned so much about myself when I was in high school. The experiences I went through shaped me into who I am now, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. That time in my life was so important, and I feel like it's my job to share that with others.<br />
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This brings me back to my point...<br />
Because I finally understood my true passion, I realized that I was stuck. I had committed myself to something that I didn't really care about. I was writing something that I didn't love. I was writing something for the sake of making money, and I had conformed to the idea that I could write anything for anyone, when in reality, I should have been writing it for me.<br />
I have to write the book that only I can write, and right now, INSTEAD OF THIS is not that book.<br />
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I'm sure this is disappointing to those of you that have been anxiously awaiting the third book in the series, but I wanted to be honest with you, and I wanted to do what's best for me. I don't want to give you something that I'm not 100% proud of. I don't want to write a book that has no backbone. When I write something, it's got to come from my heart. I'm not saying that INSTEAD OF THIS will never be finished. All I'm saying is that I'm planning to step away from it for a while, until I feel confident in it again. One day, when the time is right, I'll come back to it. But only when I'm ready.<br />
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What I'm going to do now is focus all of my energy into something that I've been dying to get my hands on. I'm going to start working on the <b>Small Circles short stories </b>full time, and I plan to get it out to you by the end of the summer like originally planned. I'm confident that this is the best decision for me, and I hope you will all agree that it's better than forcing something just for the sake of making a sale. Working on <i>Instead of This</i> made me start to despise writing. And <u>I love writing</u>, so I never want to feel like this again.<br />
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If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.<br />
Your love and support has gotten me this far, so I hope you can stick with me through the rest of my journey. Scratch that. Let's make it OUR journey, because I couldn't do any of this without you.<br />
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xx<br />
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-Megan.<br />
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<br />Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-37735610868766867062016-02-14T11:56:00.003-06:002016-02-14T11:56:56.333-06:00Happy Valentine's Day! (here's what's happening...)It's been a long time.<br />
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Sorry for neglecting my blog, but things have been intense lately. The past several weeks have been tough, and most of you reading this will know why. I'm doing slightly better when it comes to my health, but as far as my drive... I'm still trying to get it going. Dealing with all of this personal crap has really thrown me off my game. I'm tired all day every day, and 70% of the time my body is in pain. On bad days, writing gets placed on the back burner, and my priorities lack any creativity. There are some days, however, when I feel confident. The past few days for example, I've been hanging out at Barnes and Noble and plowing through accounts for INSTEAD OF THIS. If I've got enough Americanos running through my system, I can usually get several thousand words out. It's the motivation that's killing me.<br />
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My plan was to have the third Mind Breaker book published on March 1st, and I'm really REALLY hoping that I can do that. But here's the catch. There will not be advanced copies available for street team members this time around. I will have 5 review copies that I'm sending out to a pre-selected group of bloggers later in the month after it's been released. After IoT is released, I will be working full time on Negative Spaces. That is slated to be released in June. If all goes well, my next plan is to start writing a secret project that I will be querying to agents. That's right, folks. I'm picking back up on the querying game! This particular story might be familiar to those of you that are signed up for my street team newsletter. I sent out the premise for this story several months ago, and most of you got back to me with great feedback! Contemporary is big right now, and we ALL know that contemporary is MY THING, so hopefully we can make something happen.<br />
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I'll try to keep you guys updated on the status of everything as much as I can, but just know that the dates I've given you are not set in stone. These are my goals, and I'm crossing my fingers that nothing hinders me from being able to release all of the books coming out on time. Thanks for your patience as always. You are the very best! xx<br />
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-Megan.Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-84159427617702140182015-10-27T20:00:00.000-05:002015-10-27T20:00:47.536-05:00Instead of This COVER REVEAL<div style="text-align: center;">
It seems odd to be revealing the final cover in The Mind Breaker Accounts, because it's been YEARS since I first started this series, and I NEVER thought I'd EVER get to the end of it. Haha. It's been a struggle guys. No joke. Seeing that I had already written the first two and merely revised them for re-release this year, I'm actually having to sit down and write the third book. I've always had the notes for it, and the timeline was planned out fairly early, but along with the revisions certain things have changed. I'm very excited about those changes, and honestly, I believe I was meant to be stalled with this series. If I would have kept writing it 3 years ago, it wouldn't be the same. It would never have turned into the incredible story it is now. Writing four books in the Small Circles collection has really allowed me to grow and develop as a writer. I'm incredibly thankful to have those experiences, and I have no doubt that it will show in this final installment to the Mind Breakers trilogy.</div>
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Well.... here we go!</div>
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HOW GORGEOUS IS CHANDLER, GUYS???</div>
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Chandler Dollahite is the model posing as Alivien, if you haven't guessed that already. </div>
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If you want to know a little more about her and the fabulous photographer behind these striking covers, Vania Stoyanova, check out these blogs for interviews. </div>
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Chandler: <a href="http://thebooklioness.blogspot.com/2015/10/of-this-blog-tour-and-cover-reveal.html" target="_blank">The Book Lioness</a></div>
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Vania: <a href="http://analoves.com/2015/10/25/instead-of-this-blog-tour-cover-snippet-special-interview-and-more/" target="_blank">Ana Loves</a></div>
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Can we just admire for a second how beautiful they all look together???</div>
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<img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6tySq_1aFvQmBKSai58ipx-k1hjfRdD7NTsyW8iFJ72l0US_2e1ssOEcNwph1wwSEHk-gmnJu6RkwjttxtFcLEgH_F_dzj6njGc0IGp6KSLsEXUWQGE5ME6O3eU2GYOamK-9G8Qjd4A/s200/without+me.jpeg" width="133"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6-TCY2nTImybhAfMr7e4fF6IDhQmenhMYlfOJYmGxwDZEq9KuvJktRzSsCahONe7w1mtGhUozeH5AdHia_frPogK6Y4lhec8CDk3WT9FAhIpGpSdRfO9BFLm-lBr7_msEZKucpgGCd4/s1600/_MG_9980_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6-TCY2nTImybhAfMr7e4fF6IDhQmenhMYlfOJYmGxwDZEq9KuvJktRzSsCahONe7w1mtGhUozeH5AdHia_frPogK6Y4lhec8CDk3WT9FAhIpGpSdRfO9BFLm-lBr7_msEZKucpgGCd4/s200/_MG_9980_2.jpg" width="133"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3m8TOeUQJRxVtlZhU5iuGZjiZPcGUVBGYdJYZreafdIBtUH6YaYMzcCvtxaua9pcM1FrwT12ebIdTY_0iiMzMpM06DKdnaGT_hi9-ZV-wbQHOJQ_t2N-VSODEXkdwL7cnXlV2z8Poxk/s200/insteadofthis.jpg" width="133"></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">And, as announced by Sarah earlier this week on</span><a href="https://alwaysandforeverfangirling.wordpress.com/2015/10/27/insteadofthisblogtourmeganduke/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank"> Always and Forever Fangirling</a><span style="text-align: left;"> , the lyric video for my song "Fade" IS COMING! It really is, I promise. It's been in the works for a while, but I just haven't had the time to dedicate to it. Welp. Now I finally pulled something together and it's taken 3 DAYS to upload it! My computer can't handle it. I don't know why. I'm still trying, so I'll let you all know when it's up, but I'm really anxious for you all to be able to listen along with the lyrics. I wrote and recorded this song with Lauren Lyle, and it's pretty much one of my favorite things I've ever done. The experience was amazing, and it really brought out my love for singing. It's not something I'll ever pursue, but remembering how fun it is was great :) "Fade" is the </span><i style="text-align: left;">official</i><span style="text-align: left;"> song for The Mind Breaker Accounts, so I'll let you guys read into it what you will.... </span></div>
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I think that's all I have for now. I don't have any new updates on the release date for Instead of This. I will be posting a link on my website for pre-orders starting December 1st. If you'd like a signed copy, this will be the best way to reserve one. And it's easier for me to know how many I need to print ahead of time. I'm still writing and taking my time, but as always I'll keep everyone informed with the latest news. Thanks for all the patience and support! You're the very best readers I know!</div>
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-Megan.</div>
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<br>Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-82625669857626369292015-10-13T10:06:00.001-05:002015-10-13T16:47:36.350-05:00Preview of "Instead of This"I'm pleased to share a rough draft of the first present day account in the third Mind Breaker book, "INSTEAD OF THIS", coming soon! <div><br></div><div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">PRESENT DλY</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Tuesday, July 30th </div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div><br></div><div>She’s sitting on the edge of her seat. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div>She’s not nervous. She’s literally sitting on the edge. Her blond hair is pulled into a half-hearted ponytail, little wisps of feather light locks fall around her face. I haven’t seen her in three weeks, and it seems unnatural for her to have lost so much weight, but she’s even skinnier than I remember. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div> Liz is a fighter. She’s never sat back and watched anyone else take the reins. I have to admit, over the years I’ve questioned where her heart is, but I can see now that she’s a person. She’s not just a Mind Breaker. She’s scared and alone, and she needs to know it will all be okay.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div>As Cain and I are exiting the treatment room, Liz is sitting outside the door. I can only assume she’s been waiting for her turn. I was informed that the other Mind Breakers are receiving the same radiation therapy that I am, but they weren’t sharing the same easy recovery. Liz looks tired, but I’m not sure if it’s because of the cure they’ve come up with or just general weariness from being held against her will. Or it could be because of Tom.</div><div><br></div><div>I wonder if they’ve found him.</div><div><br></div><div>I want to speak to her, but I’m afraid to ask Cain if he’ll stall for us. He did it once for Jack and me, but the one time I saw Amos Cain rushed us through the hall as if speaking would jeopardize something crucial. Just to test the water, I slow my pace and force him to turn around to make eye contact with me. </div><div><br></div><div>He follows my gaze as it travels to Liz, and he knows. </div><div><br></div><div>“Take a seat, Denni,” he instructs me. “I need to speak with someone. Don’t move. I’ll be watching.”</div><div><br></div><div>He tries to sound a lot more menacing than he actually is, but I know the true nature of Cain by now. At first, I was afraid of his giant frame and scarred features, but I’ve come to realize that the true nature of people are found on the inside. After all, every Mind Breaker I’ve met was a true person inside and out. </div><div><br></div><div>I just wish the rest of the world could see that as well.</div><div><br></div><div>Liz doesn’t notice when I take a seat next to her. I’m sure she knows I’m here, but she refuses to look up from the floor. Her eyes are set on the tiles. I nudge her gently in the side, and she sighs to acknowledge me. There’s one guard standing outside the office Cain just disappeared through. He’s not paying much attention to us, so I take a chance and whisper as low as humanly possible.</div><div><br></div><div>“I’ve seen Jack and Amos,” I tell her. “They were fine as of last week.”</div><div><br></div><div>Liz takes another breath. This time in relief. I see her close her eyes and continue to breathe slow and deep.</div><div><br></div><div>“Have they… have you gone in yet?” I ask.</div><div><br></div><div>She nods once. Then mutters, “This is my last round.”</div><div><br></div><div>“Mine, too. How do you feel?”</div><div><br></div><div>“Numb.”</div><div><br></div><div>I understand completely. Before, when I still had MB1 in my system, I felt the effects of mind control throughout my entire body. I could sense emotions at the highest level, feeling everything others felt around me, as well as have a deeper sense of my own feelings. I’ve yet to try controlling anything, but I know that will be gone too. My ability to manipulate minds and move objects has seen its last days. But I don’t really mind. I’ve known a life before being a Mind Breaker. It’s the others I worry about. They’ve never known anything else. Liz and the rest of the Original Seven were volunteered at birth for a drug trial that was supposed to guarantee intelligence, but it changed their lives. The control they’ve always known is now something they’re going to have to learn to live without. I can’t imagine how their bodies are reacting from the radiation and the counter drug. </div><div><br></div><div>It’s got to be hell feeling absolutely nothing for the first time in your life.</div><div><br></div><div>“I need to tell you something,” Liz speaks softly. “It’s about Oliver.”</div><div><br></div><div>I lean closer so she won’t have to raise her voice. “Are they looking for him, too?”</div><div><br></div><div>“No. He’s not who you think. He’s—”</div><div><br></div><div>Cain appears again from the office and interrupts us before Liz can finish her confession. He pulls me from my seat a little forcefully, probably to show his authority in front of the other guard. I give him a pleading expression, but he holds a poker face. Liz watches us travel down the hall, her eyes falling back to the floor once we turn the corner.</div><div><br></div><div>“She was going to tell me something important,” I rile at Cain.</div><div><br></div><div>He lets himself show a bit of sympathy. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t give you much time. It’s getting harder to let things slip around here. But I’ve heard some good news.”</div><div><br></div><div>“What’s that?”</div><div><br></div><div>“You’ll have a bit more freedom once their done administering the cure. They figure if you don’t have your power, you’re not much of a threat anymore.”</div><div><br></div><div>I look to the metal bracelet around Cain’s wrist. It’s magnetic and meant to deter us from using our control. “I thought they had that covered,” I let out in contempt.</div><div><br></div><div>He sees where my eyes have landed on the bracelet and gives me a curt nod. </div><div><br></div><div>“They’re still scared, Denni. They’re covering all the bases.”</div><div><br></div><div>“Are you scared?” I ask.</div><div><br></div><div>“Of course,” he admits, “but not as much with you.”</div><div><br></div><div>I like to think he’s paying me a compliment, but it stings to hear him confess such fears. If he’s afraid of the other Mind Breakers, he should be just as afraid of me. I’m no different. Not really.</div><div><br></div><div>“Is it because you trust me?”</div><div><br></div><div>He swallows. “I do. And I trust the others too. It’s just…” We’re at my room, so he stops to unlock the door. “I know what happened to Nathan wasn’t his fault. He couldn’t help it. Losing control isn’t something any of you expect, but it happens.”</div><div><br></div><div>I know what he’s trying to say. Cain thinks I’ve got a better grip on my abilities than the others. He’s afraid that one of them will eventually slip and aim their loss of control in his direction. After learning that our gift is also our flaw, the wait to go crazy has taken up camp at the front of all our minds. We know it’s possible. The control that allows us to manipulate others is beginning to backfire. Nathan and Makenna were the first to show signs. Eventually, we’ll all go crazy. But maybe this cure will actually work.</div><div><br></div><div>After today, our powers will be a distant memory. </div><div><br></div><div>After today, no one will have to be afraid anymore.</div><div> </div></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div></div>Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-30257726032493005182015-10-11T14:52:00.003-05:002015-10-11T14:52:32.315-05:00Instead of This: Blog Tour & Synopsis <br />
It's almost time to reveal the final cover for <i>The Mind Breaker Accounts</i>!<br />
For this special occasion, I'm setting up a blog tour!<br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">October 22-27th</span></b>, six bloggers will be posting a piece of the final cover along with some extra insight on all the characters, Q&As from some special guests, and a look at where they think the Mind Breakers might end up. On the last day of the tour, October 27th, I will be posting the full cover <i>HERE</i> on my blog!<br />
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I've also added the synopsis for the third book, <i>Instead of This</i>, on Goodreads.<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25732285-instead-of-this" target="_blank">Click here to add it to your shelf!</a><br />
<br />
Here is the schedule for the blog tour:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
Thursday, Oct. 22nd - Bryce (Jack) <a href="http://www.novelstosong.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>novelstosong.com</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
Friday, Oct. 23rd - Abbey (Amos) <span style="color: black; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://abbeybooksandmore.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://<wbr></wbr>abbeybooksandmore.blogspot.com</a></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
Saturday, Oct. 24th - Catheryn (Alivien)<a href="http://www.thebooklioness.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"> http://www.<wbr></wbr>thebooklioness.blogspot.com </a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
Sunday, Oct. 25th - Ana (Denni) <a href="http://www.analoves.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.analoves.<wbr></wbr>com</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
Monday, Oct. 26th - Sarah (Avery) <span style="color: black; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.alwaysandforeverfangirling.wordpress.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>alwaysandforeverfangirling.<wbr></wbr>wordpress.com</a></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
Tuesday, Oct. 27th - Bea (Liz) <a href="http://www.abookwithbea.wordpress.com/">http://www.<span style="color: black; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px;">abookwithbea.<wbr></wbr>wordpress.com</span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
Can't wait! </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
-Megan.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-72862003034047135202015-09-15T19:30:00.001-05:002015-09-15T19:30:29.475-05:00Random Bethyl Feels <i><span style="color: red;">****SPOILERS****</span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>I'm on a <i>Walking Dead</i> high/low. </b><br />
<b>The countdown for season 6 is getting so close, and I've decided to make the time go by re-watching the entire show from the beginning. Doing such, I came across my love for Daryl and Beth, again. It's been a while since I've had an OTP this severe, and I was devastated when she died. So, my way of coping was to write. Duh. I'm a creative thinker. My coping mechanism with anything is to write it all down. Yes. Instead of working on my own books, I took the time to do this. Sorry not sorry.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>I loved it so much, I wanted to share it.</b><br />
<b>Here is a small scene from Daryl's POV after Beth dies.</b><br />
<b>I wanted to dig deeper into how he was feeling.</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The worst thing he could possibly feel was creeping along his skin like spiders on a web. The loss ate at his bones, licking them like fire. It was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. One second, she was there. And now, she was just gone.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What had he done to bring this upon himself? He’d never wanted to feel in the first place. Keeping people at a distance was his forte, but she’d broken his barrier. She’d torn down the walls that surrounded his heart and his mind, burrowing deep and latching on with innocence and a sense of security unlike anything he’d ever known. Was it possible to take it all back? Could he blink and somehow wake up, realizing it was all a dream? </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A terrible nightmare. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A horrific thought. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not real or true.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This pain was real. He knew that. It didn’t make sense that losing someone could physically hurt. His muscles seized at his core. They sent shudders of heartbreak up and down his spine. Over and over again. He was losing his breath. He was blind from the tears. Silently, he prayed that the salt in his eyes would wash over his entire body, sweeping him away from the earth and on to her. Wherever she was.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It did happen</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, he reminded himself. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Everything that happened, it was real. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was falling in love with her. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He hadn't understood it at first, but he'd felt the pull toward her--that ache inside that told him to open up. To let her in. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I love her, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">he thought. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With tremendous effort, he lifted himself off the ground. He’d placed her body among the flowers. They were the color of her hair, bright and golden yellow. Tiny rays of sun illuminated her face. Her features remained quiet and still. Eerily </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">still</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Why had it taken him so long to realize she was beautiful? Something so fragile didn’t belong in this world. It was a cruel joke to believe that it was all for a reason. She’d believed it, but could he? Now that she couldn’t remind him to be good, would he be able to live as that person? She saw it in him, even when he didn’t. She’d become everything he didn’t think he could be, and now he was nothing. He couldn’t be anything without her.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Flashes of the moments they’d shared came to him in giant waves. They crashed again him, slowly corroding what remained of the hope he'd found. If he closed his eyes long enough, he could still see her smile. He could still feel the nerves of awkwardness and sparks that shot between them. Something had been happening. Something had been building, but now it was broken. She was the light at the end of the tunnel, but someone came along and blew it out. He’d never forget it, and he most certainly would never forgive. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The others were beginning to scatter. He could still hear the cries of her sister in the distance. It was a mournful sob that didn’t sound human. It was guttural and crushing. It wasn’t that he couldn’t understand their pain. After all, they’d lost her too. But it was different for him. They’d lost someone. For him, he’d lost everything. Know one but her would ever know how close he’d come to feeling alive. Could he ever find that again? Would he ever want to?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Each step back to the group felt like bricks weighing him down to the earth. One wrong move and he would fall through the sinking ground. Down, down, down. He was already being swallowed by grief, what would a little dirt do to him now? He’d be with her. They’d share a grave together. Something inside him was already dead, so what would it matter if he actually was? It was just a technicality. One shot through the skull, just like her. That’s all it would take. They’d truly be able to feel each other’s pain. </span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-5535a455-d38e-b369-c799-87bd44381fca"></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But he couldn’t do that. She wouldn’t want him to. And he was too much of a coward to try.</span></div>
Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-82509534566987031172015-08-22T14:00:00.002-05:002015-08-22T14:00:51.409-05:00Because of Him PlaylistsIt's time for another playlist.<br />
<br />
Here are my picks for <i><a href="https://player.spotify.com/user/22v3weyfxawuekiyl2vmzff7y/playlist/78SP1w263PxZb0V6AazUov" target="_blank">Because of Him</a> - Book 2 of The Mind Breaker Accounts</i>:<br />
<br />
1) Every Other Freckle - alt-J<br />
2) Bad Blood - Bear's Den<br />
3) Let's Get Lost - G-Easy, Devon Baldwin<br />
4) Why We Try - Matthew Mayfield feat. Chelsea Lankes<br />
5) Quiet Lies - Matthew Mayfield<br />
6) Tell Her You Love Her - Echosmith<br />
7) Girls Like You - The Naked and Famous<br />
8) Wild Eyes - Local Natives<br />
9) Life Boat (Tc Spitfire Remix) - Early Morning Rebel<br />
10) Long the Way You Lie Pt. 2 - Rihanna, Eminem<br />
11) Tangled Web - Matt Hires<br />
12) We Won't - Jaymes Young, Phoebe Ryan<br />
13) You Haunt Me (Amtrac Remix) - Sir Sly<br />
14) Bittersweet - ARCHIS<br />
15) Fear (Phil Tan Radio Mix) - Blue October<br />
16) Eyes Shut - Years & Years<br />
<br />
I also made a playlist dedicated to Alivien and Liz... it's called "<a href="https://player.spotify.com/user/22v3weyfxawuekiyl2vmzff7y/playlist/5QSZGhaR9kFkBGdd2nVngB" target="_blank">Are you Listening?</a>"<br />
<br />
1) Handcuffs - Prince Royce<br />
2) The Hills - The Weeknd<br />
3) Take Me to Church - Hozier<br />
4) Black Sun - Death Cab for Cutie<br />
5) Chandelier (Piano Version) - Sia<br />
6) Let it Go - Devlin, Labrinth<br />
7) Here - Alessia Cara<br />
8) Drops in the Ocean - Hawk Nelson<br />
9) Hold On, We're Going Home - Pia Mia<br />
10) You've Haunted Me All My Life - Death Cab for Cutie<br />
11) I Know, I Know - Matt Hires<br />
12) Fallout - Marianas Trench<br />
13) Whisper Whisper - Paper & Places<br />
14) California - Yellowcard<br />
15) Often (Kygo Remix) - The Weeknd<br />
16) Safe Place to Land - Christian Burghardt<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-57537683767353888142015-08-22T13:16:00.002-05:002015-08-22T13:16:16.132-05:00a thought.<div style="text-align: justify;">
On August 20th I uploaded the final version of <i>BECAUSE OF HIM</i>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This will be my sixth book professionally released independently on Amazon.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
WOW!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It feels like I've come a long way in three years, and I think it's true. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've met so many amazing people that have become assets to my career and developed lasting friendships along the way! Whenever I add a new book to my bibliography on Goodreads, I think just how happy I am that this is what I chose to do with my life. I love writing. I love telling stories and filling pages with endless words that can inspire, crush, or make you think. It's wonderful to know that so many people are reading my words and feeling something because of them. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Still, there are days when I doubt myself. There are times when I wonder if I'll ever have more than this. Just me, sitting in my room and writing for the internet. Of course, I'd love to be traditionally published. I'd love to walk into Barnes & Noble and see my book sitting on the shelf. Not because I want the money, but because it would mean my stories are reaching a wider audience. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've struggled for a long time to balance the line between being independent and having an agent/publisher/publicist back me. I'm afraid I'll lose the freedom I currently have with doing everything myself, but at the same time, I'm afraid that without those people I'll never reach my true potential. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've said it before: I don't want to be famous. And it's true.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don't want to be John Green or J.K. Rowling. My wish is not to be a millionaire that flies across the globe and does countless interviews answering the same questions over and over. I never want to lose the relationships I've built with my readers. I'd love to see my books play out on a big screen, but I never want to lose the drive to have an imagination. If I could make enough money from book sales to leave my day job, that would be awesome, but isn't that the dream for most authors? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm finding more and more that the writing world is full of genuine people. The authors I've met are not in this because of the money or the recognition. They love telling stories. I've never felt so welcomed by a group of people than when I'm at book festivals. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that my world revolves around books, and those that write them.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It seems that as long as there are people out there that want to read my books, I'll write them.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Even if there's not, I doubt I'd stop.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
No matter what happens, I don't think I'll ever give up my one true love.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: magenta;"><i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“Tell me, what is it you plan to do </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">with your one wild and precious life?” </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">― </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23988.Mary_Oliver" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Mary Oliver</a></i></span></div>
Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-57593919123479134022015-08-16T19:14:00.001-05:002015-08-16T19:14:02.221-05:00"Fade"I was (and still am) planning to create a lyric video for the song Lauren Lyle and I recorded together for The Mind Breaker Accounts, but it's yet to become a thing. That's because I'm currently working to publish 4 novels in less than a year and a half..... anyone have any extra time they can spare?<br />
No? Okay.<br />
<br />
Anyway. The lyrics have been requested, so until there's a video, I'm just going to post them here for anyone that is curious!<br />
<br />
Also, here are the links to <a href="https://itun.es/us/wcsA7" target="_blank">iTunes</a> and <a href="https://player.spotify.com/artist/0FCwccHuaitq1ySL5bJ4IS" target="_blank">Spotify</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>(Megan)</b><br />
<b>I told</b><br />
<b>No one</b><br />
<b>When I walked away</b><br />
<b>Kept it all to myself</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>I held </b><br />
<b>Pieces </b><br />
<b>Of my heart to save</b><br />
<b>Guess they're all broken now</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Light a fire with this match </b><br />
<b>Cause </b><br />
<b>Our spark is fading fast</b><br />
<b>And </b><br />
<b>If it dies I think I might die too</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Don't hold back</b><br />
<b>Cause I see smoke</b><br />
<b>And</b><br />
<b>I need the heat </b><br />
<b>So I won't smolder</b><br />
<b>I need this more than</b><br />
<b>Oxygen in my lungs</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>What did you say to cause the hurt?</b><br />
<b>What did I do to make it worse?</b><br />
<b>Maybe no matter what </b><br />
<b>It would have ended this way</b><br />
<b>When did the love fade?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>(Lauren)</b><br />
<b>You need</b><br />
<b>Clarity</b><br />
<b>To understand the pain</b><br />
<b>But I've no words</b><br />
<b>For what I felt</b><br />
<b>Maybe</b><br />
<b>Truthfully</b><br />
<b>I needed to escape</b><br />
<b>We were rusting on a shelf</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Light a fire with this match </b><br />
<b>Cause </b><br />
<b>Our spark is fading fast</b><br />
<b>And </b><br />
<b>If it dies I think I might die too</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Don't hold back</b><br />
<b>Cause I see smoke</b><br />
<b>And</b><br />
<b>I need the heat </b><br />
<b>So I won't smolder</b><br />
<b>I need this more than</b><br />
<b>Oxygen in my lungs</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>(Megan)</b><br />
<b>What did you say to cause the hurt?</b><br />
<b>What did I do to make it worse?</b><br />
<b>Maybe no matter what </b><br />
<b>It would have ended this way</b><br />
<b>When did the love fade?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>(repeat chorus)</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-56869440230445521622015-08-14T16:39:00.003-05:002015-08-14T16:39:38.976-05:00Preview of Ninety Degrees (April 2016)Hello and happy August 14th.<br />
WTF?<br />
The world keeps turning for some reason, and I can't get it to stop.<br />
<br />
But don't mind me. I'm not here to complain about how there are no hours in the day and I'm getting older every second and I'm kinda freaking out that it's already halfway through August....<br />
<br />
I wanted to share a rough preview of Negative Spaces with you guys, because I know you're so anxious. I'm not stupid. I know this is what everyone is most excited about, so I'm not going to make you wait FOREVER to hear anything about it.<br />
<br />
This preview is from the very first short story-- Carter's to be exact.<br />
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<br />
Follow the link to read: <u> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yl7fzLg-x98kyX6ffiprUOZsj2rwL2JB2w9xhc3bEHc/edit?usp=sharing">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yl7fzLg-x98kyX6ffiprUOZsj2rwL2JB2w9xhc3bEHc/edit?usp=sharing</a></u><br />
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<br />
FYI... I'm sending out ARCS today! And the street team will be getting packages by the end of this month!<br />
<br />
-Megan.<br />
<br />Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-25658606446765680942015-08-08T14:00:00.001-05:002015-08-08T14:10:24.182-05:00A few of my favorite things.Good Afternoon August!<br />
<br />
Thank baby Jesus summer is almost over.<br />
I hate the hot. I really do. I'm a winter baby, so I love the cold.<br />
But I'm starting to think that my favorite season is Autumn. Fall weather is just gorgeous. All the pretty colors in the leaves. And it's the perfect temperature. You can wear sweaters and scarves but not freeze your fingers off. Ah yes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMM31UuZTO0DtZPgFnva43VfCiYVkzP4EpIRELhlebyldQaqfLOGfqX-qVFXaNoywPbdvP5Adg_cxuKf7PgbNntfuNrHBcbJQ58MX7V1MutTpTy6SO3ABpZFxJSjxqmWMCXWwxP7bFZM/s1600/a-few-of-my-favorite-things-jan-7-2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMM31UuZTO0DtZPgFnva43VfCiYVkzP4EpIRELhlebyldQaqfLOGfqX-qVFXaNoywPbdvP5Adg_cxuKf7PgbNntfuNrHBcbJQ58MX7V1MutTpTy6SO3ABpZFxJSjxqmWMCXWwxP7bFZM/s400/a-few-of-my-favorite-things-jan-7-2011.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<br />
<br />
Anyway, I'm here to share a few of my favorite things. Not books, because I always talk about books. I'm also a big fan of movies, music, and television. So, I wanted you to know.<br />
Just because. Is that cool?<br />
Alright, let's go.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Movies</span></b>.<br />
I am a massive movie-goer.<br />
I love seeing adaptations, but I also really appreciate original screenplay.<br />
Here are 15 of my favorite films. Not in any particular order.<br />
<br />
<i>1) Snowpiercer</i><br />
<i>2) Man on a Ledge</i><br />
<i>3) Primal Fear</i><br />
<i>4) Memoirs of a Geisha</i><br />
<i>5) Fight Club</i><br />
<i>6) The entire Harry Potter franchise</i><br />
<i>7) The Descendants</i><br />
<i>8) The Place Beyond the Pines</i><br />
<i>9) Remember Me</i><br />
<i>10) Can't Buy Me Love</i><br />
<i>11) Water for Elephants</i><br />
<i>12) The Perks of Being a Wallflower</i><br />
<i>13) Stuck in Love</i><br />
<i>14) Rise (& Dawn) of the Planet of the Apes</i><br />
<i>15) The entire Hunger Games franchise</i><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Albums.</span></b><br />
My love for music has no bounds.<br />
Here are some of my favorite artists and their most played albums.<br />
<br />
<i>1) Ed Sheeran - + , X</i><br />
<i>2) Ellie Goulding - Halcyon Days</i><br />
<i>3) Lights - Siberia, Little Machines </i><br />
<i>4) Gabrielle Aplin - English Rain</i><br />
<i>5) Ben Howard - Every Kingdom</i><br />
<i>6) Damien Rice - (everything he's ever done, ever)</i><br />
<i>7) Angus & Julia Stone - (everything they've ever done, ever. AND Julia Stone as a solo artist)</i><br />
<i>8) Snow Patrol - (basically Gary Lightbody's voice does things)</i><br />
<i>9) Lana Del Rey - Born to Die</i><br />
<i>10) SafetySuit - These Times</i><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Television.</b></span><br />
I watch a lot of TV show. But not on TV. I collect season of shows on DVD, or binge them on Netflix. There are way too many to choose from, so I'm doing 15 this time.<br />
<br />
<i>1) Friends</i><br />
<i>2) Gilmore Girls</i><br />
<i>3) Weeds</i><br />
<i>4) House</i><br />
<i>5) One Tree Hill</i><br />
<i>6) Breaking Bad</i><br />
<i>7) The Walking Dead</i><br />
<i>8) Orange is the New Black</i><br />
<i>9) Misfits</i><br />
<i>10) Skins - the U.K. version</i><br />
<i>11) Shameless - the U.S. version</i><br />
<i>12) Gossip Girl</i><br />
<i>13) Heroes</i><br />
<i>14) 90210 - the new one</i><br />
<i>15) Pretty Little Liars</i><br />
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-Megan.<br />
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Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-89379328910547871412015-07-04T10:25:00.001-05:002015-07-04T10:25:23.320-05:00Street Team & My New ApproachHappy 4th of July!<br />
<br />
I'm proud to say that I'll actually be celebrating this year! More so than any other year. I'm not a big fan of being outside, seeing that in the summer I only have to step out of my door for two seconds before being suddenly attacked by mosquitos. I'm either super allergic or super sensitive. Either way, they are drawn to me and I hate it. I was standing in the driveway unlocking my car the other day, and when I got inside I found three bites. THREE! I know what you're going to say. "Use <i>OFF!</i> or something else to spray on you. It doesn't work. Nothing does. So, when I'm outside watching fireworks, I'll be in long sleeves and a parka.<br />
<br />
On to the next subject.<br />
My street team newsletter is launching on July 6th and will continue to be sent out the first Monday of every month! In which, as a member, you will find more excitement than you'll understand what to do with! Maybe not. But the reason why this street team is so important is because it's exclusive. If you already get emails from me about ARCs and events and anything else, now you won't. <b>The only way to know what's happening before the general public is to be a street team member. </b>I'll be using this newsletter to announce all of my upcoming releases, title and cover reveals, etc. And MONTHS before I'll be posting to social media about it. Also, there are going to be plenty of opportunities to win prizes and giveaways. In the first month that the newsletter/street team goes live, I'll be hosting a competition for all members. The rules and regulations will be included in the email, and I'm still planning to reveal the title and synopsis for my new stand alone novel coming out in September of 2016. I think there are plenty of incentives for you all to sign up, so I'm going to post the link again here: <a href="http://www.megandukebooks.com/#!street-team/c6vk">http://www.megandukebooks.com/#!street-team/c6vk</a><br />
<br />
Now for my final bit of news.<br />
I recently attended UtopYA 2015 in Nashville, and I had a bit of a revelation. I've been focusing a lot on participating in events and less on my online community of readers. I seem to have forgotten that the internet is where I got my start. Specifically on Instagram, thanks to Sasha Alsberg. My main readership is on social media, but I've been trying to branch out into the real world. Attending conventions and festivals to promote my work has been both fun and frustrating. It's more or less a slap in the face when I go to these sorts of things and don't have a lot of success. Not that I'm expecting to sell hundreds of copies of my books, but I've ignored the fact that no one out there technically knows who I am. When I post on the holy trinity (Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram) the response I get is almost instant. I think that has spoiled me in a way. I owe everything to my online following, and I love the "small circle" that's been created around my work, so a major part of me believes that's where I need to keep my focus for a while.<br />
The problem I have with organizing events is that not enough of my readers live in one area to make it successful. Everyone is so spread out, it's hard to measure a good turnout. Because of this, <b>I'm going to start doing more virtual events, such as Google Hangouts and scheduled Twitter chats. </b>This is something I've seen generate a lot of success for others, so I'm going to try it and see how it goes. This doesn't mean I'm going to stop going to events altogether. I'll still be attending them, I just won't be focused on participating. The next festival I'll be at is Decatur Book Festival in September, so if there are enough of you going, I might put together a meet-up. But you'll have to contact me and let me know.<br />
<br />
As always, thank you for much for supporting me. A lot of work goes into what I do, and I know all of you understand and appreciate it. I was discussing my books with someone over dinner last night, and I mentioned that money is something I have a major struggle with. I told her that making a profit as always been low of my list of goals, and she said, "But you're helping people."<br />
That's really all that matters, and I can't wait to jump back into writing what I love the most! As soon as the rest of the Mind Breaker books are released, I'll be back to working on my contemporary stories. And THAT is where my heart is!<br />
<br />
xx<br />
-Megan.<br />
<br />Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-16337005005637196092015-06-20T09:00:00.000-05:002015-06-20T09:00:01.729-05:00COVER REVEAL: Designed With a Destiny by Elle DavisToday I have something really special to share. This is the first time I'll be participating in a fellow author's cover reveal, and I could not be more proud to say that it's someone I have a personal relationship with. I have known about <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7356145.Elle_Davis?from_search=true&search_version=service" target="_blank">Elle Davis</a> for about a year now, I'd say. I discovered her book because she is a fellow indie author like myself, and I was incredibly impressed with the hard work and professionalism that came off from her books. I love the idea behind <i>Designed for Perfection</i>, and I think it's a fabulously unique concept that would intrigue a lot of YA readers!<br />
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Later on, I was introduced to her daughter, Bryce, thanks to my own books. She became a fan right off the bat. To this day she is one of the first names that comes to mind when sending out ARCs and setting up blog tours. I love the Davis family, so this really means a lot that I can help share Elle's newest book with all of you!<br />
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Today I'm revealing the cover for book 3 in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/117150-the-designer-chronicles" target="_blank">The Designer Chronicles</a>, <i>Designed With a Destiny</i>.<br />
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These are the first two in the series:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXBXmqAfbLi67j5YjH5A8NqxOGtzhuAGCJIa0Lkq10QpkQU7mTM-8HPxrpmaNZBSPbxgWgb4egkmOcPGUP3-5Vjya-jcSK3AD23bv5tI8YgVq5QvQIgAWFEcxLAxyZxlHc6Y1tbP7wxs/s1600/23210898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXBXmqAfbLi67j5YjH5A8NqxOGtzhuAGCJIa0Lkq10QpkQU7mTM-8HPxrpmaNZBSPbxgWgb4egkmOcPGUP3-5Vjya-jcSK3AD23bv5tI8YgVq5QvQIgAWFEcxLAxyZxlHc6Y1tbP7wxs/s320/23210898.jpg" width="204" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUm8X_XC_xWfKKH9w-xQDZ3WUhhGRgTrurttsGV7ePtXDH3rFRAyS0zymz2NgzOhbTaCcCohL1iSrgined2E5bbwbc5I09kDh9Nwep6_dgR6b96Llo6M25JHoELFvepfj5e1RDl_fcF6g/s1600/23210909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUm8X_XC_xWfKKH9w-xQDZ3WUhhGRgTrurttsGV7ePtXDH3rFRAyS0zymz2NgzOhbTaCcCohL1iSrgined2E5bbwbc5I09kDh9Nwep6_dgR6b96Llo6M25JHoELFvepfj5e1RDl_fcF6g/s320/23210909.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">"Messing with Mother Nature can have unexpected consequences... Having a genius level IQ, model good looks, and supernatural physical traits, almost guarantees seventeen year old Ronan Callahan a life of success. He is a genetically engineered human, custom designed by scientists and his wealthy parents, who paid a hefty price for his perfect designer qualities. But, being a Designer Baby doesn't guarantee happiness for Ronan. In fact, his superior traits leave him bored, unchallenged and a social misfit. Cat McCullough, is orphaned, raising her little sister Claire, and struggling to survive. The last thing she's looking for is romance. In a high school full of girls swooning over Ronan Callahan, she's the only one who rejects his arrogant, cold, and indifferent behavior towards others. And yet, she's the only girl to ever capture his attention for more than a minute. When Ronan falls for Cat, he falls hard. For the first time ever, he looks forward to the traditional high school experience that now includes a budding romance. But when his life is threatened by a deadly virus, he is forced to abandon the simplicity of tradition and unite with five other Designer's, whom he shares a secret Designer trait so powerful, that it has the potential to influence world events."</span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">NOW FOR BOOK THREE! </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB1numA4h_E3qsY8QCGIb6OviElIFvTstMDwRmpo3rVDLQGilfXLWybFgK_UpGagPpRBcdGf8j4TdjdDCENL6xxuGP_B5ImQ_C_TqQB9IuwcUJPvpsNcQa2wcUM-P0Erq-boROqPdjTlw/s1600/66+no+bracelet+front+cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB1numA4h_E3qsY8QCGIb6OviElIFvTstMDwRmpo3rVDLQGilfXLWybFgK_UpGagPpRBcdGf8j4TdjdDCENL6xxuGP_B5ImQ_C_TqQB9IuwcUJPvpsNcQa2wcUM-P0Erq-boROqPdjTlw/s640/66+no+bracelet+front+cover.JPG" width="396" /></a></div>
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Thanks to Bryce for letting me be a part of this! I wish you and your mom the best!<br />
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-Megan.<br />
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<b>Elle's Links: </b><br />
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<a href="http://elle-davis.com/" target="_blank">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ElleDavis.Author?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/ElleAuthor" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Elle-Davis/e/B00GI768H8/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1434765853&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br />
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<br />Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-51842799516195359002015-06-16T09:00:00.001-05:002015-06-16T09:00:00.214-05:00Because of Him COVER REVEAL!<h2>
It's time! </h2>
I have been working really hard on getting this series out to you on time. The Mind Breaker Accounts is planned to be completely published by the end of 2015, so here we are right on schedule. Three months between each release is pretty intense, but since the first two were already written and only needed revising, it hasn't been as hard as I originally anticipated. Once book 2 is out on August 25th, the rest of my time will be dedicated to finishing up book 3 from scratch.<br />
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Here is the schedule for all of my upcoming book releases:<br />
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<br />
<ul>
<li><i>BECAUSE OF HIM (The Mind Breaker Accounts, #2) - August 25th 2015</i></li>
<li><i>INSTEAD OF THIS (The Mind Breaker Accounts, #3) - December 29th 2015</i></li>
<li><i>NEGATIVE SPACES (A Collection of Small Circles Short Stories) - April 5th 2016</i></li>
<li><i>Untitled Stand Alone Novel - September 2016</i></li>
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Now... what you've been waiting for!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1TgfCvGiOzGbiRUokb-yyeRytEJHco2j680zRaNMPkM3L7A-SaYDG6UE0H5LQ5-KLy-kEY9orFRCEM-_G58EXIZP_odIXkkdeG1hSy9m21HAJrCFAcJW3iFskZgbbM0yMX8Wuhzrbok/s1600/_MG_9980_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1TgfCvGiOzGbiRUokb-yyeRytEJHco2j680zRaNMPkM3L7A-SaYDG6UE0H5LQ5-KLy-kEY9orFRCEM-_G58EXIZP_odIXkkdeG1hSy9m21HAJrCFAcJW3iFskZgbbM0yMX8Wuhzrbok/s640/_MG_9980_2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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This cover was designed and shot by the wonderful Vania Stoyanova (VLC Photo) and stars Justin Tucker! All three of the covers are spectacular, but this was is maybe almost my favorite. </div>
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The countdown is now officially on! </div>
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T-minus 71 days! </div>
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-Megan.</div>
<br />Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-70561070108737395442015-06-08T11:44:00.001-05:002015-06-08T11:49:14.865-05:00I Don't Want to be Famous.It's Monday.<br />
<br />
I wasn't able to go to work today because of body pain and dizziness. I've never really spoken about this publicly before, but I suffer from an undiagnosed illness that I've been dealing with for many years. I have had chronic lower back pain since I was very young, and in more recent years I've been experiencing all over body aches and fatigue. I'm currently seeing a specialist that may or may not help me, but for now that's really all I know.<br />
<br />
This isn't why I'm writing.<br />
This is just why I'm on my blog at 11:32am on a Monday instead of scanning files at work.<br />
<br />
I wanted to tell you all about about a revelation I had recently about the choices I've been making. So far, the year 2015 has been both incredible and overwhelming. I've connected deeper with a lot of people that have been hugely beneficial in helping me get my books out to the world. I've made some very close friends because of it, and I wouldn't trade that for anything. There are some other things, however, that I would like to trade.<br />
I'm going to admit something to you that most authors probably won't.<br />
I'm obsessed with myself.<br />
That's right.<br />
<br />
What I mean to say is this:<br />
I've become obsessed with the idea of making it. Obsessed with the amount of money I could make off of each sale. Obsessed over how many likes my social media posts are getting. I calculate in my head what that means for exposure. I break down precisely what I need to do to get someone important (publishers, agents, big bloggers, etc.) to notice me. It's become such a daily routine of mine that I haven't written anything decent in weeks.<br />
<br />
I sat down at my computer yesterday and planned to add in a few chapters that were needed in book 2 of TMBA. As I was writing, I became super excited. I was having fun with it. I got really into the setting and did all kinds of research for a specific idea I had in mind. And I thought to myself, "It's been a while since I had this much fun with what I do."<br />
<br />
That's when it hit me.<br />
<br />
Why am I so obsessed with trying to make it?<br />
What is this nagging in the back of my mind telling me I need to be "famous" for my books?<br />
When did I stop writing for me, and only me.<br />
<br />
I had considered taking a break from writing all together so I could focus solely on querying to agents and submitting my books to publishers, yada-yada. But why would I do that? I don't want to lose myself in the business side of the book world. I've taken on the role of publisher, agent, publicist, editor, and everything else on my own for years now. And yes, it's quite tiring. But why would I sacrifice the one thing I love about this industry, just so I can "become huge"?<br />
<br />
I posted the release dates for my next few books online yesterday, and the loyal readers that I've gained were ecstatic. If I stopped writing to pursue my "big break", I'd be letting every single one of them down. It might not be many. But they're out there. And they mean the world to me.<br />
<br />
So I've come to this conclusion:<br />
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I don't want to think about what could happen.<br />
I don't want to obsess over the money or the exposure.<br />
<br />
I just want to write.<br />
<br />
<br />
And that's what I'm going to do.<br />
<br />
<br />
I honestly hate that I let it all get to me.<br />
I promised myself that it wouldn't.<br />
But that's why I'm here now.<br />
I'm admitting it to myself and to all of you.<br />
YOU are what keeps me grounded.<br />
<br />
So please, hear me when I say THANK YOU.<br />
<br />
<br />
-Megan.Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821341359722912669.post-51889920822047677332015-06-06T14:45:00.001-05:002015-06-06T14:45:13.786-05:002 Weeks Until UtopYA!<div style="text-align: center;">
The countdown is on! </div>
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I'm so excited about this event, guys! I'm going to be signing and selling books for 3 days! </div>
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I've attended UtopYA before as a reader, but never as an author! I'm so looking forward to meeting so many people! Readers and fellow authors alike! </div>
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Here are some things you should know:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi497f98kFxt8q4ZGjme0j5ryuezqTLfhFbPEhqwdC4FJR-CRXhZ7qkFLRyBipalEsfNNL27UiyFN5dPBSV1-gpb1TjwMNU1oyVNEiQoBmAT2124AepTy0D-jsJ9WXDUGQNwQOeMXf6fVM/s1600/Sale+UtopYA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi497f98kFxt8q4ZGjme0j5ryuezqTLfhFbPEhqwdC4FJR-CRXhZ7qkFLRyBipalEsfNNL27UiyFN5dPBSV1-gpb1TjwMNU1oyVNEiQoBmAT2124AepTy0D-jsJ9WXDUGQNwQOeMXf6fVM/s400/Sale+UtopYA.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'm having a major sale that's only available to those that attend UtopYA! For all 3 days that I'm participating, I'll be selling Without Me for 40% off the list price. That's only $9! You can only take advantage of this exclusive sale by attending the event. Thursday and Friday require tickets, but Saturday is free for anyone that brings a children's book to donate! </div>
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Here is where I'll be and what time I'll be signing:</div>
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(booth number subject to change)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3XKXbv0SLWmigTKn-tGEIcuARG3K0gUws5vcQjrZqKhAGFbiIWaPWnHij7AgvaM-64I6k_T1jA8LR_kD9rH0AdvfMNR0K71Omi0WgSHntI-WHzImanFE2R0m8LhEYWaEEJk9YPinyaw/s1600/utopya+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3XKXbv0SLWmigTKn-tGEIcuARG3K0gUws5vcQjrZqKhAGFbiIWaPWnHij7AgvaM-64I6k_T1jA8LR_kD9rH0AdvfMNR0K71Omi0WgSHntI-WHzImanFE2R0m8LhEYWaEEJk9YPinyaw/s640/utopya+poster.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I'm looking forward to seeing you there!</div>
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-Megan.</div>
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Megan Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705328233004182610noreply@blogger.com0