1,000th Post Celebration: 999 Writing Tips, But This Post Ain't One

Jade's Blog has come a long way since we first started in 2011. Together, we've explored punctuation rules and grammar tricks, literary techniques and self promotion. Several guest authors and friends of the blog have stopped by to offer their insights and share their stories. And now, it's time to celebrate all of that -- by giving some free stuff away.

1,000th

Thanks for visiting the blog, whether this is your first visit or your 1,000th. Jade's blog has always been a place for indie and self-published authors, and hopefully it will be here for another 1,000 posts. But without reading, there would be no writing. So to celebrate today's milestone, let's give lots of books and other stuff away!

The Deck of Lies

                                                    FREE sample                        FREE wallpaper

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hope's Rebellion 

                                                      FREE sample                          FREE wallpaper

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Song of the Sea (Saltwater Secrets, #1)

Now with an exclusive sneak peek of Book #2! 

                                                      FREE sample                          FREE wallpaper

a Rafflecopter giveaway

$5 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Petals on the Wind: Looking Ahead

In case you haven't heard, it's Petals on the Wind weekend here at the blog. So instead of indie news, this week it's all about POTW news. What can you expect from the adaptation that airs tomorrow night? 

Sex scenes. 

At least, that's what the trailer indicates. Of course there's more than sex in the film. The trailers and stills are very limited, but to me it looks as though Corinne's role has been somewhat extended for the Lifetime movie. I could be wrong, of course, but since the entire book is told from Cathy's perspective the reader sees very little of Corinne throughout. Contrarywise, Heather Graham is peppered throughout the trailers.

Future Books on Film: Petals on the Wind

Petals on the Wind was the first follow-up book to the massively successful Flowers in the Attic. And like its predecessor,  Petals was picked to become a big screen adaptation. It was meant to happen about 25 years ago. It finally will happen this weekend.

The Book

POTW picks up right where Flowers left off, with the three surviving Dolls on a bus headed south. They plan to go all the way to Florida.

They won't ever get there. Carrie is violently sick on the bus, and they're kicked (literally) to the curb. Also on the bus is Henrietta Beech, and though she can't talk she takes matters into her own capable hands.

Petals on the Wind Weekend

It's Petals on the Wind weekend here at Jade's blog! The movie premieres on Lifetime this Memorial Day, and we're going to celebrate with special blog posts all weekend long. But what good is a holiday weekend without freebies? 

Deck of Lies

FamiLIES

  

Use the link above any time this weekend to get your free digital copy of Deck of Lies: The Full Deck. That's Books 1 through 4, the entire series. If you like Petals, you'll enjoy this tale of family deception. Can you uncover all the secrets?

Judging Jade

"I read this amazing book in one day. I read it until my eyes were twitching and watery because it was such a page-turner (like the rest of the books in the series)."

Amazon

"Just go read this series because it’s one of the best out there! GO, NOW!"

The fourth and final book in the Deck of Lies, Judgment, was reviewed recently at Little Book Star. Read the whole review to find out why the reader loved the book!

Inspirational Authors: V. C. Andrews

V. C. Andrews was one of the first authors I read when I discovered books, and I adored hers. I re-read her early series books more times than I'm willing to admit. Her works inspired me to become an author (or something like one, anyway), and for that I owe her a debt...or maybe I should dislike her? Either way, I was greatly influenced by her work...and I think something rubbed off on me.

You Are What You Read

If you read a lot of a certain author, and love that author, it's only natural that you'll be influenced by that author. It's sort of like musicians. They always get asked "who influenced you" and they'll rattle off a list of names. Sometimes when they say a name you go "yeah, I can tell." Well, I was influenced by V. C. Andrews...and some of my readers can tell.

Justice, by Moonlight

"Varden sure does know how to tell a story and keep you intrigued."

"If you like a book that will surprise you and keep you in suspense, pick up Justice by Jade Varden."

Moonlight Reader has reviewed Justice (Deck of Lies, #1). Read the full review to see the final rating!

Exposing Death

 "I don't know how Jade Varden keeps these twists and surprises coming!" 

"Will all the lies be revealed or will they all be swept under the rug like usual?"

Death (Deck of Lies, #3) has been reviewed at Eastern Sunset Reads. Check out their review to see how the book was rated!

Alert! You Need Justice

"If you enjoy a mystery and contemporary young adult this book’s for you."

"It’s different and refreshing from a lot of the YA that’s out there."

Justice (Deck of Lies, #1) has been reviewed at Good Book Alert. Read the whole thing to find out why the book got 5 stars!

Turning Pages in the Tower

"Really sucks you in and keeps you turning the pages as more and more twists arise."

"Such a great follow up to the first book in the series!"

Eastern Sunset Reads recently reviewed The Tower (Deck of Lies, #2). Read the whole thing to find out what the reviewer liked (and didn't like) about the book.

Get Judged

"The perfect finale for one of the best YA series I ever read."

"A story about friendship, family, love, life changing decisions, the consequences of our actions and mostly about Life and all its comings and goings."

Friend of the blog and avid reader Ruty, the blogger behind Reading...Dreaming recently reviewed Judgment (Deck of Lies, #4). Visit her blog to read the review and find out how you can get started on the series for free!

Judgment Now Available in Paperback!

Tired of your ereader? Stick of straining your eyes to look at a screen? Now, you can enjoy the thrilling conclusion to the Deck of Lies series on good old paper.

Judgment (Deck of Lies, #4) is now available in paperback. Get every exciting moment, inside the courtroom and out, and never worry about your battery power.

Here's what other readers are saying about Judgment: 

"It is everything I could have asked for (had I known what to ask for) in an ending!!"

       -Theresa Jones

"All I hoped it would be... I couldn't and didn't put it down."

       -Leslie Chadwick

"A must read!"

       -Sienna, Lost to Books

Cashing Out 

Do I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? How can I, when the truth will destroy us all? Now that I've started telling lies, I can't stop. Not until all this is over, and I'm free of the family that never felt like mine. 

Maybe it's wrong. Maybe I'm a bad person. But it's definitely the only way I'm ever going to escape them. I have to take this opportunity to end things between us once and for all, no matter what it takes. 

Don't I?

A Tornado of Lies

"As she learns more and more about her past, everything she knows changes forever. Can she come out of the tornado unscathed?"

The Bibliophilic Book Blog has reviewed Justice (Deck of Lies, #1). Read the review to find out why so many details are left unwritten!

Real Justice

"The characters were so rich and real, I felt like I was watching a movie."

"It was so well written, the plot lines flow beautifully and the characters are so real."

Find out why the reviewer at Eastern Sunset Reads loved Justice (Deck of Lies, #1) when you visit the blog!

Going Around with Justice

"Within a few chapters, I found myself hooked and couldn't put it down."

Find out what Roundtable Reviews had to say about Justice (Deck of Lies, #1) before you buy your copy of the book!

Swept Away with Justice

"A tornado of chaos with crosswinds of lies and deceit."

Justice (Deck of Lies, #1) has been reviewed at the Coffee Pot. Read it to find out what the reviewer didn't like about the story...and what they did!

Wondering About Justice

 "I enjoyed reading this book."

"Well written and will leave you wondering just what will happen next."

Justice (Deck of Lies, #1) has been reviewed at Hope, Love and Happy Endings. Read the whole review to find out why the book got four ducks! 

Trapped by the Tower

"The lies. The twists. The phenomenal writing that is Jade Varden. It kept me completely engrossed and hanging on until the very end."

"As Rain begins her own search for the killer, she soon discovers that NOTHING is what is seems. Once you think you know a character or what’s really going on, something else happens and it makes you question EVERYTHING."

The Tower (Deck of Lies, #2) has been reviewed at Lily Bloom Books. Read the mostly spoiler-free review to see why the reviewer is second-guessing everything!

Dying of Suspense

"The life of a girl that is more than a mystery series, with amazing ingredients such as power, money and love."

"Jade Varden does an excellent job maintaining the suspense and surprises until the last page. You never know what is coming next."

Death (Deck of Lies, #3) has been reviewed at Reading...Dreaming by Ruty, longtime friend of the blog. There are spoilers in the review if you haven't read the first two books (and if you haven't, get caught up!). Read the whole review to find out why the book got 5 out of 5 stars!

Chaos and Justice

"Rain Ramey's search for herself in the midst of all the chaos drew me in until the very last page."

"Quick and entertaining read, with an interesting set of characters."

Justice (Deck of Lies, #1) has been reviewed by the Intrepid Book Moth! Read the whole thing to find out what the reviewer didn't like about the book.