May 3, 2016 · 8:14 pm

Tuesday Two-Minute Writing Tip – How to Give Your Sentences More Punch

Got two minutes? Then check out this week’s quick tip ~ Backload your sentences with powerful words to give them more impact

Hello and welcome…I am a freelance editor and an editor for The Wild Rose Press, as well as an author. I often struggle with my own writing, and I have found that sometimes, a little reminder of ways to improve the process can be helpful, so, I like to share these moments of brilliance with others :). But, in this busy world of ours, who has time for pages and pages of writing tips? That’s why I’ve condensed mine down to quick flashes you can read in (approximately) two minutes. Enjoy…

TWoMinuteTip

Disclaimer: All of my tips are suggestions, and are only my opinion. And, for the most part, there are exceptions when going against my advice will make your story read better. Take what works, leave the rest.

One of the tricks to adding more tension, more impact and punch to your writing is to use the powerful words toward the end of sentences, and especially to paragraphs and scenes.

Here are a few examples from some of my books:

Caster’s Unfriendly Ghost:

“Not only will I continue to screw with you, even on the job, but I’ll appear to Emily, tell her about our little scheme. What do you think she’ll think of you then?”

“You’re bluffing. You wouldn’t hurt her like that.”

Joey shook his head and closed his eyes. When he opened them, they were suspiciously damp. “I don’t want to. But I’ll do anything to keep her from making the biggest mistake of her life.”

Caster let out a resigned sigh and shook his head. “Nah, getting mixed up with the two of us was the biggest mistake of her life.”

Weaker:

Caster let out a resigned sigh and shook his head. “Nah, the biggest mistake of her life was getting mixed up with the two of us.”

Without Mercy:

Did you hear about that?” Stacy asked. “A couple gunned down in a Java Hut. Apparently a sniper. No one knows why. They still haven’t caught the guy.”

The others joined in on the discussion, but China remained silent. The waitress, a perky blonde wearing black shorts and a tight white shirt, brought over another pitcher of beer. “Guy over in the corner sent this to you.”

China’s gaze followed where the girl pointed, and the knot in her stomach froze. Royce. She hadn’t noticed him before, because his table was nestled in a dark corner. He smiled and lifted his glass in a silent salute. Her jaw tightened, and she clenched her glass so hard she thought it would shatter.

Weaker:

Her jaw tightened, and she nearly shattered the glass in her fist.

Lady in the Mist:

I shrugged as though my interest were casual curiosity. From his reaction, Sebastian did know her—and either didn’t like her, or liked her a great deal. “Just curious. I heard she broke up with Drew, then left town. That it’s possible she’s missing?”

“She’s missing, all right.” The words came out strained. “Maybe dead.”

A chill raced over my skin. “Dead?”

The anger in his eyes faded, replaced with something that looked suspiciously like pain. “I don’t know.”

Weaker:

The anger in his eyes faded, and something that looked suspiciously like pain replaced it. “I don’t know.”

It’s actually very simple, and we probably do it instinctively, for the most part. But, it doesn’t hurt to be aware as you’re making a pass through your manuscript,. Try to arrange wording for the most pizzazz.  Just think of it as ‘saving the best for last.’ 🙂

Until next time…happy writing!

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NEW RELEASE – Now Available 

(Click on the cover to be taken to the Amazon Buy Page)

2 minute writing tip final

 

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*** If you would like to send me a few sample pages (around 7500 words or so, even though I will not edit that many on the blog. It just gives me more to choose from) for me to edit and share on an upcoming blog post, please do so in the body of an email to AliciaMDean@aol.com. Please use the subject line: “Blog Submission” This is for published or unpublished authors. In the email, please include whether you would like me to use your name or keep it anonymous, and whether or not you would like me to include any contact info or buy info for your books. Also, you can let me know if you would like for me to run my edits by you before posting on the blog. Please keep in mind, this is for samples to use for blog posts. I will not edit or use samples from all the submissions I receive, but I will use as many as possible. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

16

How to write a novel? That is the question. There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who ask it.

Wanting to write and actually doing it are two very different things. I am well acquainted with the sometimes grueling process of churning out a story. Over the years, I have tried many methods for creating and completing manuscripts, and have tweaked and honed it down to a workable (for me) process.

Using specific examples from one of my own novels, Without Mercy, I share my method in this mini how to book. The first eight steps actually deal with plotting while the last two are designed to help expand your outline into a well-developed draft. There is no one, perfect way to create a story, but there will be a method, or methods that work for you. I’m not sure if this is the one, but it works for me. Only you can decide if it also works for you. Fingers crossed that it does!

*** Warning – Please do not purchase without reading a sample. (This is solid advice for any book, fiction or non. If you are not intrigued in the sample, you will likely not enjoy the book)

Amazon: Click Here

7 Comments

Filed under For Writers, Promo Tips, Tips from an Editor, Tuesday Two-Minute Tips

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April 28, 2016 · 1:00 am

GHOST IN THE RAIN ~ A World of Gothic: Scotland by Marie Treanor

I am very, very excited to introduce today’s guest and share her new release. Several months ago, I decided to put together a group of authors from various countries to collaborate on a novella series, with each story set in a different country. I love gothic mystery romances, so I decided that would be a fun genre for our series. I put out a few feelers, and Marie was one of the authors who came on board. Marie is the launch author for our series of stand-alone novellas. Her story, Ghost in the Rain, released today, and it is awesome!!! And, guess what? It’s on sale for only 99 cents!

Welcome, Marie…

Tell us a fun fact about you: 

When I first met my husband, he told me he played in a band and was going to be a rock star. It was Halloween. 🙂

What did you like about writing as a group effort?

I really liked the way ideas bounced around – how one author’s suggestion would set me thinking and spark another notion. Besides which, writing is a very solitary profession and it’s a lovely change to be part of a project that still lets you follow your own story.

What was the most difficult part of writing as a group effort?

To be honest, I don’t think I found any of it very difficult! I suppose I was very aware that if my story didn’t work, I would be letting the whole group down. I couldn’t just slide the manuscript under the bed and forget about it. So I worried that it wasn’t right for the series. But then again, the nice thing about a group effort is that other authors are there to give their opinion, and I was very glad this group’s was favourable!

Thank you for joining me today, Marie. It has been a pleasure getting to know you and working with you on our series!

Marie is giving away a FREE copy of Ghost in the Rain to once lucky commenter…a name will be drawn on Sunday.

(Isn’t this cover gorgeous?)

GhostInRain_CVR_SML

A haunted Highland house, battered by storms and murder…

Notorious rocker Dan Stewart isn’t anything like Dr. Kate Yorke imagined. Arriving at his remote home in the Scottish Highlands to research some valuable letters – only to discover he’s forgotten their appointment – Kate soaks up the Gothic atmosphere of Invershiel House. But it’s the owner who truly fascinates her.

Reclusive and abrupt, Dan is haunted by the deaths of his fellow band members, especially his one time lover Islay Lamont, whose shade seems to flit around the grounds in the rain. But the ghost is not the only mystery Kate encounters. Light bulbs disappear around her – and only Dan knows she’s scared of the dark. Then she trips over a dead body which inexplicably vanishes.

It becomes a race against time to find the identity of the body and the killer. And to discover if she and Danny have any kind of future together. Or even at all…

Excerpt:

I had to acknowledge that my peace was churned up by his unexpected presence here. It wasn’t even an unpleasant feeling; in fact it felt rather…exciting. But it was disturbing.

I took off my glasses and rubbed my eyes. I suspected Dan Stewart carried such disturbance wherever he went. If I thought about it, the whole house felt different now. As if its peace had gone too; as if it had sprung to life, eager, waiting.

Mocking my own silly fantasy, I stood abruptly and paced around the room, trying to recover my lost concentration. I suspected I was just tired and would work much faster and much better after a good night’s sleep.

I paused by the window to watch the storm. Although the thunder had stopped, the wind and rain were still blasting the trees and rattling the window. Close-up, I could feel the draught through my thick sweater. On impulse, I retrieved my phone from my bag and tried to capture the raging storm on its camera. But it looked too tame on the screen, not deep or dark enough, no real movement in those black clouds still scudding and swirling across the sky. I wished I could paint. For a moment, I even wished I could be part of it, to go outside in it again. There was nothing to stop me, except common sense.

I smiled to myself and lowered the phone, just as a movement in the garden below caught my eye. Someone was out in this. Someone not remotely dressed for it either. Through the darkness and the almost opaque mist of rain, I could make out only that it seemed to be a woman wearing only some kind of floating, white, wispy garment, more like the loungewear of wealthy women of past centuries than anything anyone would wear today for any purpose. The odd garment shimmered as the figure glided across the lawn, impossibly graceful.

On impulse, I raised my phone again and snapped.

Perhaps she moved too quickly. Nothing of her showed on the screen except an indistinct blur of light against blackness. Frowning, I looked again out of the window, but the woman had gone. Vanished.

 

Now available from:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/242zolj

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/26t6c5R

B&N: http://bit.ly/1qT8WZn

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1TvPiwg

i-Books: http://apple.co/1YTP2sg

A World of Gothic is a Gothic Mystery Romance Series of stand-alone novellas by authors from all over the world. For information on other titles, check out A World of Gothic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1105411939511452&fref=ts

Author Bio:

Marie Treanor lives in Scotland, in a chaotic house by the sea, together with her eccentric husband, three much too smart children and a small dog who rules them all. Most days, she avoids both housekeeping and evil day jobs by writing stories of paranormal romance and fantasy.

Marie is the award winning author of over forty steamy paranormal romances – Indie, New York and E-published.

You can find out more about Marie and her books on her website: www.MarieTreanor.com.

Subscribe to her New Release Mailing List: http://www.marietreanor.com/marie-treanor-newsletter/

Catch more latest news on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marie-Treanor-Paranormal-Romance/105866982782360.

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarieTreanor

And on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/marietreanor/

 

26 Comments

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April 26, 2016 · 7:40 am

Tuesday Two-Minute Writing Tip – Learning from Stephen King

Got two minutes? Then check out this week’s quick tip ~ Advice from the Master

Hello and welcome…I am a freelance editor and an editor for The Wild Rose Press, as well as an author. I often struggle with my own writing, and I have found that sometimes, a little reminder of ways to improve the process can be helpful, so, I like to share these moments of brilliance with others :). But, in this busy world of ours, who has time for pages and pages of writing tips? That’s why I’ve condensed mine down to quick flashes you can read in (approximately) two minutes. Enjoy…

TWoMinuteTip

Disclaimer: All of my tips are suggestions, and are only my opinion. And, for the most part, there are exceptions when going against my advice will make your story read better. Take what works, leave the rest.

Whether or not you have read, or enjoy, Stephen King’s writing, you can no doubt benefit from his wisdom. While I did not love every one of his books, I can easily say, I’ve loved MOST of them, and of all the authors I’ve read, regardless of how well they write, none is the ‘storyteller’ that Stephen King is. Actually, the word ‘teller’ is misleading (and can be a bit frightening as a writer, when we’ve had it hammered into us to ‘show’ not ‘tell’ – but trust me, this is a different kind of ‘telling’), because when you’re a brilliant storyteller, the reader is swept along on a journey, immersed in the story to the point that they forget they are reading. And that is the highest form of ‘showing.’

Some of my favorite tips from Stephen King:

Don’t use passive voice. “Timid writers like passive verbs for the same reason that timid lovers like passive partners. The passive voice is safe. The timid fellow writes “The meeting will be held at seven o’clock” because that somehow says to him, ‘Put it this way and people will believe you really know. ‘Purge this quisling thought! Don’t be a muggle! Throw back your shoulders, stick out your chin, and put that meeting in charge! Write ‘The meeting’s at seven.’ There, by God! Don’t you feel better?”

Avoid adverbs. “The adverb is not your friend. Consider the sentence “He closed the door firmly.” It’s by no means a terrible sentence, but ask yourself if ‘firmly’ really has to be there. What about context? What about all the enlightening (not to say emotionally moving) prose which came before ‘He closed the door firmly’? Shouldn’t this tell us how he closed the door? And if the foregoing prose does tell us, then isn’t ‘firmly’ an extra word? Isn’t it redundant?” Avoid adverbs, especially after “he said” and “she said.” “While to write adverbs is human, to write ‘he said’ or ‘she said’ is divine.”

But don’t obsess over perfect grammar. “Language does not always have to wear a tie and lace-up shoes. The object of fiction isn’t grammatical correctness but to make the reader welcome and then tell a story… to make him/her forget, whenever possible, that he/she is reading a story at all. “

Leave out the boring parts and kill your darlings. “Mostly when I think of pacing, I go back to Elmore Leonard, who explained it so perfectly by saying he just left out the boring parts. This suggests cutting to speed the pace, and that’s what most of us end up having to do (kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your ecgocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.)”

Write primarily for yourself. Write what you love. Love what you write. King says, “I did it for the pure joy of the thing. And if you can do it for joy, you can do it forever.”

Tell stories about what people actually do. “Bad writing is more than a matter of shit syntax and faulty observation; bad writing usually arises from a stubborn refusal to tell stories about what people actually do — to face the fact, let us say, that murderers sometimes help old ladies cross the street. The people in your stories are what readers care about the most, so make sure you acknowledge all the dimensions your characters may have.”

Write every single day. “Once I start work on a project, I don’t stop, and I don’t slow down unless I absolutely have to. If I don’t write every day, the characters begin to stale off in my mind … I begin to lose my hold on the story’s plot and pace.”

If you do not write consistently and visit your story, your characters, day after day, you will lose your enthusiasm, your connection. As King describes it, this is  “the smooch of death.” No matter how little time you have, write SOMETHING on your story daily, even if it’s just a paragraph, or as King says, “one word at a time.” This is something I need to practice myself, and believe me when I say, I do not. With a full-time non-writing job, editing for The Wild Rose Press, freelance editing, promo, side projects, spending time with family, etc, I have little spare time, and I do not devote enough to my writing, but I vow to change that immediately. 🙂 (Many of the tips I share on my blog are meant for me as much, or more than, for anyone else. I certainly need to ‘practice what I preach.’)

 

What do you think of these tips? Which is your favorite? Are there any that you need to apply?

(If you haven’t read ‘On Writing’ I highly recommend it. Not only does it offer a great deal of writing advice, it also offers a look into the fascinating life of King. You can find it here:  ON WRITING)

Until next time…happy writing!

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NEW RELEASE – Now Available – Only a few more days at 99¢! (I know I keep saying this, but I really mean it this time…the sale price ends this Friday, April 29th) 🙂

(Click on the cover to be taken to the Amazon Buy Page)

2 minute writing tip final

I have released an e-book with a collection of Two-Minute Tips I have shared on my blog. Now, you can have them in one convenient place for easy reference. sale price is 99¢ – Regular price will be $2.99.

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*** If you would like to send me a few sample pages (around 7500 words or so, even though I will not edit that many on the blog. It just gives me more to choose from) for me to edit and share on an upcoming blog post, please do so in the body of an email to AliciaMDean@aol.com. Please use the subject line: “Blog Submission” This is for published or unpublished authors. In the email, please include whether you would like me to use your name or keep it anonymous, and whether or not you would like me to include any contact info or buy info for your books. Also, you can let me know if you would like for me to run my edits by you before posting on the blog. Please keep in mind, this is for samples to use for blog posts. I will not edit or use samples from all the submissions I receive, but I will use as many as possible. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*** Find the Magic is FREE through Tomorrow, April 6th!! Click HERE 

16

How to write a novel? That is the question. There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who ask it.

Wanting to write and actually doing it are two very different things. I am well acquainted with the sometimes grueling process of churning out a story. Over the years, I have tried many methods for creating and completing manuscripts, and have tweaked and honed it down to a workable (for me) process.

Using specific examples from one of my own novels, Without Mercy, I share my method in this mini how to book. The first eight steps actually deal with plotting while the last two are designed to help expand your outline into a well-developed draft. There is no one, perfect way to create a story, but there will be a method, or methods that work for you. I’m not sure if this is the one, but it works for me. Only you can decide if it also works for you. Fingers crossed that it does!

*** Warning – Please do not purchase without reading a sample. (This is solid advice for any book, fiction or non. If you are not intrigued in the sample, you will likely not enjoy the book)

Amazon: Click Here

22 Comments

Filed under For Writers, Promo Tips, Tips from an Editor, Tuesday Two-Minute Tips

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April 22, 2016 · 8:16 am

Ramblings of a Lifelong Elvis Fan – Part 77 – Elvis & Nixon, the Movie

[INTRO: I am a die hard, card carrying Elvis fan and have been for as long as I can remember. There is so much about Elvis to love; his incredible singing voice, his generous spirit, his looks (the most gorgeous man ever), his movies (yes, his movies. They make me happy, so critics can just shush), his service in the army, his magical presence on stage, his transcendent charisma, and…I could go on and on. As a matter of fact, on my 50th post, I believe it was, I DID go on and on. I listed 50 things I love about Elvis. It wasn’t difficult. I am an author and I mention Elvis in almost every story I write. I named my son Presley. I was fortunate to see Elvis in concert three times. I have been to Graceland five times… See? I love Elvis. I have been blogging weekly for more than a year, but going forward, I will blog every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month. My life is insanely busy and I found myself missing weeks from time to time. This way, I’m more likely to be consistent. Hopefully, even if you are not an Elvis fan, you appreciate something about him and will find my posts interesting. Feel free to comment. Thank you so much for stopping by!]

A new movie releases today that is supposedly the ‘Untold Story’ of the day Elvis met with President Nixon. I am not sure how to feel about the film, but of course, I DO have some thoughts. I watched the trailer, and it doesn’t look like the movie presents Elvis in a particularly negative light. It shows his fascination with weapons and a few moments of slightly over the top quirkiness, which I believe might be pretty accurate. Elvis was a unique human being, and I have no problem with his being slightly eccentric.

Check out the trailer:

I would have to see the entire movie to really form an opinion, though, which I will do soon. In the meantime, here are some thoughts…

Okay, who the hell cast this picture? (Pardon my language) Michael Shannon as Elvis??? Couldn’t they at least have gotten someone slightly attractive to play the most gorgeous man to ever live? No offense to Michael Shannon fans out there, but this guy as Elvis is hard to even look at. I’m sure I’ll hear how it’s about the acting and Michael does a great job, blah, blah, but you can’t tell me that there aren’t some better-looking actors who could ALSO have done a great job. Sheesh! 

michael shannonagemaxresdefault

Alex Pettyfer plays Jerry Schilling. He would have been a MUCH better choice as Elvis. And…speaking of Alex Pettyfer, he was in Magic Mike, where he met Riley Keough, Elvis’ granddaughter, and the two dated for a while. Interesting connection, right? Below is a pic of Alex. I’m not saying the guy looks like Elvis, but he’s a LOT closer than Michael Shannon. And, heck, he was RIGHT there, so…

alex e2ed8900791447a0cafcc151e28a9

 

I’ve heard interviews where Jerry Schilling talks about the day he accompanied Elvis to the White House. What an experience that must have been. Here is the famous pic of Elvis with Nixon, and below, the letter Elvis wrote to him.

ep and nixon 355463b

 

 


elvis letter geedit_2_5147067796

So…what do you think? Will you see the movie? Was Michael Shannon a good choice?

Thank you for stopping by…Happy Friday! 

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EOLS Charity

Elvis was known for his giving heart and charitable work during his lifetime. Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley Enterprises have continued that tradition with their involvement in various charities. In 1984, The Elvis Charitable Foundation was formed. The EPCF created a scholarship fund for students majoring in the arts. The charity also contributes to one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counseling and services for abused children and their families. The EPCF also assists numerous other charities, especially focusing on arts, education and children’s programs.

Learn more here, including how to donate:

http://www.graceland.com/epcf/

END OF LONELY STREET – Now Only 99 Cents!

On Elvis’ 80th birthday, I released a Vintage Romance short story set in 1957, and of course, my heroine is an Elvis fan. 🙂 As a tribute to Elvis’ generosity, and in order to assist with this worthy cause, 10% of my proceeds for End of Lonely Street will go to the EPCF.

EndofLonelyStreet_w9180_FINAL

All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.

Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.

What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?

Click Here for Kindle

Click Here for Nook

16 Comments

Filed under Elvis Presley, Entertainment

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April 19, 2016 · 9:51 am

Tuesday Two-Minute Writing (Promo) Tip – Making Facebook Work for You

Got two minutes? Then check out this week’s quick tip ~ A few suggestions on how to utilize Facebook as an author

Hello and welcome…I am a freelance editor and an editor for The Wild Rose Press, as well as an author. I often struggle with my own writing, and I have found that sometimes, a little reminder of ways to improve the process can be helpful, so, I like to share these moments of brilliance with others :). But, in this busy world of ours, who has time for pages and pages of writing tips? That’s why I’ve condensed mine down to quick flashes you can read in (approximately) two minutes. Enjoy…

TWoMinuteTip

Disclaimer: All of my tips are suggestions, and are only my opinion. And, for the most part, there are exceptions when going against my advice will make your story read better. Take what works, leave the rest.

Some marketing experts feel it’s better to use your Facebook profile for author promo, mainly because you already have a built-in audience of followers. However, not all of your profile followers are necessarily readers, and, it is easy enough to migrate them to your Facebook author ‘fan’ page by asking for likes, and sharing some of your FB author page posts on your profile page. A couple of advantages to your Fan Page–other than just that, it is a FAN page, and it’s where you can really interact and connect with fans–are that you can pin a post to the top of the page so that it’s the first thing people see when they visit. Also, you can schedule posts. So, if you wanted to send out a daily post, you can schedule it all at once, for an entire week, etc. And, lastly, you can utilize your Call to Action button to lead people to your website, your blog, your Amazon book page, etc.

I am just now starting to focus on my author page, and I recently created a new one. SO, my advice is more about suggestions I’m going to try and things that SEEM to work, rather than tried and true. But hey, it’s worth a shot, plus, it might be fun.

Here are some quick tips and suggestions for the various ways to use your FB page and what kind of posts to share…

  • First of all, try to always share applicable images with your posts. Those with images are noticed much more than those without.
  • Run a contest – I sponsor a ‘Guess the Line’ contest, that I previously shared on my profile page but have now moved to my fan page. Guess the Line  (I also sponsor a fun, Fiction Fanatics Feud contest in a separate group: Fiction Fanatics Feud
  • Share your good news. Your followers will enjoy receiving updates on the good things that happen to you, career wise, and your accomplishments, as long as you don’t sound braggy. 🙂 
  • Let them into your writing world. Share little tidbits about your progress, or lack thereof, or how you came up with an idea, or interesting things you discovered in research, etc. 
  • Share pictures of the inspirations for your stories and setting.
  • Share for author friends. Post about books or blog posts or contests or sales, new releases, etc, for fellow authors.
  • Perhaps have a daily question, just a fun thing to get people to interact. Something like, ‘if you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?’ And, answer your question yourself. Or, ‘if you were stranded on a desert island, what three books would you want with you?’
  • Be upbeat and inspiring. Perhaps share inspirational quotes, or share acts of kindness you witness or read about (not ones you do yourself, you don’t want to seem like you are boasting).

I’m sure there are plenty more, but this should be enough to get you started, right?

While we’re on the topic, I would be ever so grateful if you’d pop in and like my page. 🙂 Thank you!

Alicia Dean Author Page

When you do create an author page, be sure to invite your friends to like you. You can also go here and gain likes: Like for Like

Do you have ideas for entertaining and engaging readers through Facebook?

Until next time…happy writing (and marketing)!

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NEW RELEASE – Now Available – Only a few more days at 99¢!

(Click on the cover to be taken to the Amazon Buy Page)

2 minute writing tip final

I have released an e-book with a collection of Two-Minute Tips I have shared on my blog. Now, you can have them in one convenient place for easy reference. sale price is 99¢ – Regular price will be $2.99.

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*** If you would like to send me a few sample pages (around 7500 words or so, even though I will not edit that many on the blog. It just gives me more to choose from) for me to edit and share on an upcoming blog post, please do so in the body of an email to AliciaMDean@aol.com. Please use the subject line: “Blog Submission” This is for published or unpublished authors. In the email, please include whether you would like me to use your name or keep it anonymous, and whether or not you would like me to include any contact info or buy info for your books. Also, you can let me know if you would like for me to run my edits by you before posting on the blog. Please keep in mind, this is for samples to use for blog posts. I will not edit or use samples from all the submissions I receive, but I will use as many as possible. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*** Find the Magic is FREE through Tomorrow, April 6th!! Click HERE 

16

How to write a novel? That is the question. There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who ask it.

Wanting to write and actually doing it are two very different things. I am well acquainted with the sometimes grueling process of churning out a story. Over the years, I have tried many methods for creating and completing manuscripts, and have tweaked and honed it down to a workable (for me) process.

Using specific examples from one of my own novels, Without Mercy, I share my method in this mini how to book. The first eight steps actually deal with plotting while the last two are designed to help expand your outline into a well-developed draft. There is no one, perfect way to create a story, but there will be a method, or methods that work for you. I’m not sure if this is the one, but it works for me. Only you can decide if it also works for you. Fingers crossed that it does!

*** Warning – Please do not purchase without reading a sample. (This is solid advice for any book, fiction or non. If you are not intrigued in the sample, you will likely not enjoy the book)

Amazon: Click Here

7 Comments

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April 17, 2016 · 5:00 am

A Plethora of 99 Cent Ebooks!!!

99 Cent Ebooks galore

Check out our monthly list of 99 cent reads. All different genres, all great bargains!

***Just click on the cover to be taken to the purchase page.

PLEASE CONFIRM BEFORE ORDERING!!! – We are not responsible if prices are no longer 99 cents

Hope you discover some enticing reads!

 

2 Minute Final Final

Tiny, bite-sized tips to improve your writing and marketing skills! 

*** NOW Available – ONLY a few days to get it at 99¢!

Find Alicia Here: www.AliciaDean.com

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99

Marian the Librarian meets Mission Impossible. How can Maggie and Quinn trust each other when their hearts are both Impenetrable? On sale for April only!

Find Dorothy here: http://www.dorothycallahan.com/

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99

She sells love poems to be used by love-starved sailors, but she is no romantic herself– until a dashing captain requests a Valentine sonnet from her. A short, sweet, traditional Regency!

Find Alicia here: http://aliciarasleybooks.com/

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*** EIGHT stories in ONE Anthology ***

99

Eight stand-alone Contemporary Western Romance novellas from Bestselling and Award-Winning Authors. From firefighters, bronco busters, and wealthy ranchers to bad boys, we have them all for you! If you’ve ever wanted to fall in love with a sexy, alpha cowboy of today…now’s your chance. Available for a limited time only.

Find Margo Bond Collins here: http://www.MargoBondCollins.net

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99

Reluctant psychic Katherine Crystal and by-the-book Atlanta police detective Jack Hale, who harbors a deep-seated distrust of psychics, team up to catch a serial killer in Sydney, Australia, and they find murder and romance among a secret society of psychics in the quaint seaside spiritualist community of Casa Spirito, Florida.

Available for $.99 for a limited time only.

Find Marilyn Baron Here: www.marilynbaron.com

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99

Identical male twins play switcheroo game with unintended results!

Find all Edna Curry books here:

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99

Cassie’s job as a locksmith often puts her in odd and scary situations.

Homicide Detective Chance burned out on violence in Minneapolis, so took a small town job thinking he’d find peace. Instead, he’s in charge of finding the missing banker’s killer, then finds both himself and Cassie the killer’s next targets. Can he catch the killer before the killer gets them?

Find all Edna Curry books here: http://amzn.to/1EG5xU1

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99

If you enjoy reading about strong women and the men who love them, you’ll love this acclaimed Wyoming Wildflowers collection – a boxed set of contemporary Western romances with touches of humor. Book 1 — Almost a Bride; Book 2 — Match Made in Wyoming; Book 3 — My Heart Remembers

On sale for 99 cents through April only!

Find Patricia McLinn here: http://www.patriciamclinn.com

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99

On the edge of a breakthrough, researcher Victor Stone calls in a brilliant old flame. Together they assemble a breakthrough solution. But will the resulting software outsmart them both? And will they be able to trust the results?

Find Micah here: http://micahjoel.info

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99

Ninsare runs a thriving business putting words to clay tablets. But when a evasive customer shows up, and her partner ends up dead, she sets out to solve a murder mystery. What she discovers will forever change the relationship between men and gods.

Find Micah at http://micahjoel.info

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99

She just broke the Best Friends’ Code of Honour!

Find Monique DeVere Here: moniquedevere.com

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99

Some rules are meant to be broken!

Find Monique DeVere Here: moniquedevere.com

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99

Clari loves the freedom the Texas climate provides, but Trevor still fights against the limitations of his past. Can a starry-eyed dreamer’s search for adventure overcome a taciturn man’s belief he has nothing to offer?

Find Linda Carroll-Bradd here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Linda-Carroll-Bradd-author/440814942635289

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99

Tattoo artist Senna Whitefeather has laid hands on a lot of male bodies, but she can’t ignore the heat coming from the muscled and mysterious Chev. Unveiling tattoos with a stranger has never been so dangerous…or sexy.

Find Layla Chase here: https://www.facebook.com/layla.chase.52

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99

Armed with a copy of the Kama Sutra, Evan sets out to seduce his reluctant bride into passionate surrender.

Find Lyndi Lamont here http://lindalyndi.com

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1

Panthera leader Demir is stuck in a coma after taking a mysterious liquid-filled dart intended for another. When Aramie, his second in command, takes control of the Pride, she makes a decision with devastating consequences. Now she must decide—submit to him as his mate, or lose him forever.  

Find Rosalie Redd here http://www.rosalieredd.com

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2

In a small southern town where everyone knows each other’s business, veteran detective Larry Robbins must untangle conflicting motives and hidden agendas to bring Beason home alive.

Find Cathy here: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCathyPerkins/

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lynette

A disaffected hospital doctor mistakes a businessman for a gardener and an unlikely love blossoms.  But she has a past she wants to forget and he lives by strong principles of truth which drive them on separate, painful journeys of self-discovery.

Find Lynette Sofras here: http://www.lynettesofras.com/

 

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April 14, 2016 · 8:12 am

Author Interview with Marianne Rice + Her Contemporary Romance: Then Came You

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Marianne Rice. Let’s get to know her a bit before she tells us about her new release…

  1. Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and how do you like it?

I’ve been teaching high school English for nineteen years. Being a teacher was all I wanted to do until I got the writing itch about ten years ago. I never thought I wanted to do anything else until I got published last year. I’d love to be able to write full time now. Unfortunately, the bills must get paid.

  1. What do you love that most people don’t like and wouldn’t understand why you do?

I love to do crazy, dangerous, muddy obstacle courses. Kind of odd since I love getting dolled up and wearing snazzy heels. I’ve run the 12 mile Tough Mudder twice (designed by the British special ops) where I have to army crawl in mud under barbed wire, go down a slide through a tunnel of fire, run through dangling electrical wires and scale ten-foot walls. I won’t do a straight-up 5K or marathon; running is extremely boring. I live for the obstacles. And the mud.

  1. What’s your favorite book of all time and why?

My favorite piece of literature is The Great Gatsby. Oh, the symbols, the one-liners, the twisted love triangle. We actually just wrapped up our “Fall of the American Dream” unit in my American Lit classes. I love when students feel passionate about literature; it doesn’t happen enough these days.

  1. What do you want readers to come away with after they read Then Came You?

I don’t write love stories as complex as Gatsby. Instead, I write fun, light-hearted romances that involve complex issues, but are emotionally satisfying in the end. If I can make a reader smile, laugh, or cry, I’ve done my job. And if they’re itching to read the next Wilde sister’s story…even better!

  1. What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?

Check out my Pinterest board and you’ll see who I’d like to star in each of my books. Liam Hemsworth would make the perfect Grayson Montgomery. Grayson is loyal, serious, and business-minded, and too young for his polished personality. He’s followed his family’s pre-destined plan for him until he learns a five year-old orphaned girl is his daughter.

For spunky, sweet, adorable Thyme Wilde I picture Rachel McAdams. Oh, that permanent smile and dimples, just like Thyme. So sweet and a little sassy.

  1. What is your favorite quote?

“Cinderella and Dorothy are proof that a pair of shoes can change your life.”

  1. What celebrity would you most like to be stranded on an island with?

Chris Hemsworth. He’s my everything. *sigh*

 

***Join my mailing list and you’ll automatically be entered to win a slew of prizes. Every newsletter I like to give a lucky subscriber something special. Just for being kind enough to follow me. http://www.mariannerice.com/connect.html

 

Wonderful interview, thank you! Chris Hemsworth is most definitely sigh-worthy. 🙂 And now, check out her contemporary romance, Then Came You…

 

THENCAMEYOU-3Dsmaller

BLURB: 

Thyme Wilde doesn’t make long-term decisions—until she falls in love with one…

Easily bored and quickly distracted, Thyme enjoys her freedom, so being a temp at her sister’s company is the perfect job. But when she takes a position as a nanny, she instantly falls in love with the five-year-old princess named Maddie—and just two months later, Maddie’s parents are killed in a plane crash, leaving Thyme in an unfamiliar role of responsibility.

Multi-millionaire architect Grayson Montgomery lives in the lap of luxury—but at a cost…

Being the sole heir of his family’s fashion empire and his father’s architectural firm, Grayson has never lacked for anything. But in return, he must stay subservient to the matriarch of his family—his grandmother—and date the heiress of their largest business partner. The only freedom Grayson has is his architectural designs, which are his true passion.

One day changes Grayson’s future forever…

A lawyer summons Grayson to Maine for the reading of the will of a woman he once knew. He doesn’t expect to be named the father of a five-year-old orphan. Then he meets his newly-discovered daughter—and her incredibly sexy nanny.

While acting as Maddie’s loyal nanny, Thyme develops feelings for her new employer that are more than professional. And after several passionate nights with Grayson, it’s clear the feeling is mutual.

When it’s made evident Grayson sees her as a convenient placeholder, Thyme must push aside her desires and put Maddie above herself—even if it means sacrificing her heart to do it.

 

EXCERPT:

“I kind of have this love-hate relationship with you.”

The look of shock on his face made her laugh. “Okay. Maybe not such strong emotions. How about like and dislike? One minute you’re sweet and kind and gorgeous and the next minute you’re too caught up in work and image but still working the gorgeous angle.”

“Is being gorgeous good or bad?”

“You seem to work it in no matter what you do. You can’t help it. You’re pretty.”

“Guys don’t want to be pretty.”

“Yeah. They do. But you’re hot, too. Pretty and hot.”

“Can’t you just call me pretty hot and call it good?”

“See, and then you throw in a dash of humor and I’m a goner.”

“Goner? Really?” Grayson set his hands on her waist and tugged her closer. She shivered from the heat, from the chill, from the anticipation.

“It was easier when I thought you were a jerk,” she whispered, her mouth dangerously close to his.

“Why is that?” he whispered back, his breath mingling with hers.

She swallowed, her throat tight and hoarse, and licked her lips. “Because then I wasn’t tempted to do this.” Thyme stood on her tiptoes and gently pressed her lips against his.

 Amazon buy page: bit.ly/thencameyou

MRICE

 

BIO:

Marianne Rice writes contemporary romances set in small New England towns. When she’s not writing, Marianne spends her time buying shoes, eating chocolate, chauffeuring her herd of children to their varying sporting events, and when there’s time, relaxing with fancy drinks and romance books. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and on her website at http://www.mariannerice.com

 

CONTACT LINKS:

http://www.mariannerice.com/

https://www.facebook.com/mariannericeauthor/

amazon.com/author/mariannerice

https://www.instagram.com/mariannericeauthor/

http://www.facebook.com/MarianneRiceaut

https://twitter.com/mariannericeaut

https://www.goodreads.com/MarianneRice

https://www.pinterest.com/mariannericeaut

 

 

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April 12, 2016 · 12:34 pm

Tuesday Two-Minute Writing Tip – Commonly Misused Words

Got two minutes? Then check out this week’s quick tip ~ A list of words that often confuse writers.

Hello and welcome…I am a freelance editor and an editor for The Wild Rose Press, as well as an author. I often struggle with my own writing, and I have found that sometimes, a little reminder of ways to improve the process can be helpful, so, I like to share these moments of brilliance with others :). But, in this busy world of ours, who has time for pages and pages of writing tips? That’s why I’ve condensed mine down to quick flashes you can read in (approximately) two minutes. Enjoy…

TWoMinuteTip

Disclaimer: All of my tips are suggestions, and are only my opinion. And, for the most part, there are exceptions when going against my advice will make your story read better. Take what works, leave the rest.

I see the following words misused often, so I thought perhaps having them listed in one place might come in handy…

Affect / effect

‘Affect’ is normally a verb and ‘effect’ is normally a noun:

The effect of the storm was devastating.

The storm affected the entire town.

Sometimes, ‘effect’ is used as a verb, when meaning ‘to bring about’:

The movement was a great way to effect change.

It can also describe belongings:

The police released her personal effects to her family.

‘Affect’ can also mean to display a false sentiment, or an affectation:

He seemed to like the gift, but I think his reaction was an affect.

It can also describe a facial expression or demeanor:

In spite of her anger, she displayed little affect.

That / which 

Use ‘that’ for restrictive clauses for specific, identifying information, and ‘which’ for non restrictive clauses, for general, non-essential information. Normally, the clauses that require ‘which’ will be set off by commas.:

Sitcoms that are funny are my favorite TV shows.

(This sentence is saying that only FUNNY sitcoms are my favorite)

Sitcoms, which are funny, are my favorite TV shows.

(This is basically indicating that all sitcoms are funny, but that sitcoms in general are my favorite TV shows.)

In other words, if you can do without the clause and not change the meaning, the correct word choice is ‘which.’ If eliminating the clause would change the meaning, the            word choice is ‘that.’

Blond / Blonde

‘Blond’ is a male noun and ‘Blonde’ is a female noun. There are different schools of thought, depending on which style guidelines you use, but for the most part, ‘blond’ is         considered an adjective for either sex. However, in order to keep it simple, the best rule of thumb is ‘blond’ is always for males, and ‘blonde’ is always for females, whether     used as a noun or adjective. For non-gender situations (a blond brownie), ‘blond’ is correct.

Discreet / discrete

‘Discreet’ means low-key, modest, cautious.

‘Discrete’ means ‘separate or distinct.’

Alright / all right

‘Alright’ is the incorrect usage of ‘all right’ and doesn’t ‘officially’ exist, although it is becoming more widely accepted.

Lightning / lightening

‘Lightning’ means the flashes in the sky during a storm.

‘Lightening’ means to make lighter, or to lighten

Taught / taut / taunt

‘Taught’ is the past tense of “to teach”

‘Taut’ means tight.

‘Taunt’ means to tease or goad

Mantle / mantel

‘Mantle’ is a cloak or wrap

 ‘Mantel’ is a shelf above a fireplace

Peak / peek / pique

‘Peak’ is a high point, such as a mountain peak

 ‘Peek’ means to look or peer at something.

 ‘Pique’ means annoyance or anger

Further / farther

‘Further’ is abstract (time, amount, feelings)

‘Farther’ is distance you can actually measure

 

So…do you have trouble with these? What are some words that trip you up?

Until next time…happy writing!

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NEW RELEASE – Available April 15, 2016 – Pre-Order for only 99¢!

(Click on the cover to be taken to the Amazon Buy Page)

2 minute writing tip final

I am releasing an e-book with a collection of Two-Minute Tips I have shared on my blog. Now, you can have them in one convenient place for easy reference. Pre-Order price is 99¢ – Regular price will be $2.99.

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*** If you would like to send me a few sample pages (around 7500 words or so, even though I will not edit that many on the blog. It just gives me more to choose from) for me to edit and share on an upcoming blog post, please do so in the body of an email to AliciaMDean@aol.com. Please use the subject line: “Blog Submission” This is for published or unpublished authors. In the email, please include whether you would like me to use your name or keep it anonymous, and whether or not you would like me to include any contact info or buy info for your books. Also, you can let me know if you would like for me to run my edits by you before posting on the blog. Please keep in mind, this is for samples to use for blog posts. I will not edit or use samples from all the submissions I receive, but I will use as many as possible. 

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*** Find the Magic is FREE through Tomorrow, April 6th!! Click HERE 

16

How to write a novel? That is the question. There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who ask it.

Wanting to write and actually doing it are two very different things. I am well acquainted with the sometimes grueling process of churning out a story. Over the years, I have tried many methods for creating and completing manuscripts, and have tweaked and honed it down to a workable (for me) process.

Using specific examples from one of my own novels, Without Mercy, I share my method in this mini how to book. The first eight steps actually deal with plotting while the last two are designed to help expand your outline into a well-developed draft. There is no one, perfect way to create a story, but there will be a method, or methods that work for you. I’m not sure if this is the one, but it works for me. Only you can decide if it also works for you. Fingers crossed that it does!

*** Warning – Please do not purchase without reading a sample. (This is solid advice for any book, fiction or non. If you are not intrigued in the sample, you will likely not enjoy the book)

Amazon: Click Here

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April 11, 2016 · 8:37 am

The Penhallow Train Incident by M.S. Spencer

Please help me welcome today’s guest, M.S. Spencer….

 

Thank you for having me today, Alicia. I’d like to talk to your readers about my romantic suspense mystery, The Penhallow Train Incident, new from The Wild Rose Press. I’d love to give a e-copy of Penhallow to one commenter, chosen at random. Please be sure to leave your email address in the comment.

A corpse, hidden treasure, and the search for a tomb equal romance and adventure in coastal Maine.

The Penhallow Train Incident is set in the fictional town of Penhallow. Midcoast Maine sits right about where the state begins to change from heading due north to “down East.” The land is quite different from the southern beaches or the North Woods. Fronting Penobscot Bay, it is a region of lakes, farms, small villages, and lobstermen. Most people have lived there for generations, and refer to anyone who moves to Maine from elsewhere as “from away.” Our heroine Rachel Tinker and her hero Griffin Tate are both from away, but when a series of murders roils their adopted town, they spring into action.

M.S.SpencerPenhallowTrainIncident

Blurb

In the sleepy coastal Maine town of Penhallow, a stranger dies on a train, drawing Historical Society Director, Rachel Tinker, and curmudgeonly retired professor, Griffin Tate, into a spider’s web of archaeological obsession and greed. With the help of the victim’s rival, they set out to locate the Queen of Sheba’s tomb. Their plans are stymied when a war erupts between the sheriff and a state police detective who want to arrest the same man for different crimes. It’s up to Rachel to solve a mystery that includes two more murders, if she wants to unlock the soft heart that beats under Griffin’s hard crust.

Excerpt (G): We Meet Griffin

“Say, Rachel, weren’t you taking tickets for the excursion on Saturday? You must have seen the victim. What did he look like?”

Before Rachel could answer, they heard an angry growl from the bar. “God damn it, can’t a man eat his lunch in peace? God damn ghouls around here.” Griffin scratched his stubbly chin and pointed a fretful finger at the women. “You’d think no one had ever been killed before, the way you people go on and on.”

Rachel, enchanted by the way his eyes shimmered in the sunlight, didn’t respond. Maude snapped, “Professor Tate, just because you’re an old roué doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a little mystery. Not much happens in Penhallow after all. We’re entitled to some excitement.”

Griffin bristled at her. “A man is dead, Maude. This isn’t a movie.”

“Well,” she bristled back, “at least he was from away.”

Griffin gave her a long, hard look and, before turning back to his plate, muttered, “Like me.”

For some reason his words struck hard at Rachel’s heart. She couldn’t see his face, and knew it wouldn’t show the hurt anyway, but she could feel it from across the room. To a Mainer, anyone who couldn’t trace his Maine lineage back to at least the French and Indian War was considered “from away.” Locals usually felt no more than amiable indulgence for the odd critters, but now and then the innate prejudice came out. “Maude—that wasn’t nice. After all, I’m from away too.”

~

The Penhallow Train Incident
The Wild Rose Press, 3/30/2016, Crimson Rose Line
Contemporary romantic suspense/Cozy Mystery; Sensual (PG-PG13)
Ebook 79,665 words, Print 334 p.

Buy Links:

TWRP: print: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191&products_id=6750
TWRP ebook: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=6696
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-penhallow-train-incident-ms-spencer/1122175522?ean=2940157886295
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Penhallow-Train-Incident-M-Spencer-ebook/dp/B01BOBX5NC
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thepenhallowtrainincident-1979765-149.html
Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/the-penhallow-train-incident-0
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-penhallow-train-incident-1
ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-penhallow-train-incident/id1082171175?mt=11

 

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About the Author:

Although M. S. Spencer has lived or traveled in five continents, the last thirty years were spent mostly in Washington, D.C. as a librarian, Congressional staff assistant, speechwriter, editor, birdwatcher, kayaker, policy wonk, non-profit director and parent. She has two fabulous grown children and a perfect granddaughter, and currently divides her time between the Gulf coast of Florida and a tiny village in Maine.

Contacts

Blog: http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com OR
http://bit.ly/1aBzraT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msspencerromance
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/msspencerauthor
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MSSpencerauthor
GoodReads:http://www.goodreads.com/msspencer
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/msspencerauthor/

Author Pages:

Romance Books 4 Us: http://romancebooks4us.com/Romance%20Author%20M.%20S.%20Spencer.html OR
http://bit.ly/1d6ehza

Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/M.S.-Spencer/e/B002ZOEUC8/

OTHER BOOKS BY M. S. SPENCER

Romantic suspense and mystery, they are available in ebook and print from The Wild Rose Press, I Heart Book Publishing, and all fine on-line book stores. For more information, visit http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html

Dear Philomena: Love, Lust and Murder on Chincoteague Island
Mai Tais & Mayhem: Murder at Mote Marine (a Sarasota Romance)
Triptych

Coming soon from The Wild Rose Press:
The Mason’s Mark: Love and Death in the Tower (an Old Town Romance)
Artful Dodging: The Torpedo Factory Murders (an Old Town Romance)
Whirlwind Romance

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April 8, 2016 · 10:37 am

Ramblings of a Lifelong Elvis Fan ~ Part 76 ~ Merle Haggard…We’ve Lost Another Legend

[INTRO: I am a die hard, card carrying Elvis fan and have been for as long as I can remember. There is so much about Elvis to love; his incredible singing voice, his generous spirit, his looks (the most gorgeous man ever), his movies (yes, his movies. They make me happy, so critics can just shush), his service in the army, his magical presence on stage, his transcendent charisma, and…I could go on and on. As a matter of fact, on my 50th post, I believe it was, I DID go on and on. I listed 50 things I love about Elvis. It wasn’t difficult. I am an author and I mention Elvis in almost every story I write. I named my son Presley. I was fortunate to see Elvis in concert three times. I have been to Graceland five times… See? I love Elvis. I have been blogging weekly for more than a year, but going forward, I will blog every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month. My life is insanely busy and I found myself missing weeks from time to time. This way, I’m more likely to be consistent. Hopefully, even if you are not an Elvis fan, you appreciate something about him and will find my posts interesting. Feel free to comment. Thank you so much for stopping by!]

As I’m sure you all know, on April 6th, country music legend, Merle Haggard, passed away. Ironically, it was also on his birthday. Of course, Elvis is by far, my very favorite singer, entertainer, all around everything, but I adored Merle Haggard. I am a huge country music fan (well, I was, back when it was decent…sorry to be blunt, but the truth hurts. Today’s music is almost unlistenable (is that a word?)).

Anyway…I am extremely saddened by Merle’s passing. He was not only one of my favorite country singers (in my top 3-Hank Sr, Merle, and George Jones), but his music was such a big part of my life, my entire life. I can’t listen to him without being taken back to my childhood and growing up in a musical family where my parents’ form of entertainment was living room music sessions. My dad (whose 91st birthday would have been yesterday), played guitar and sang and many, many Hag songs were part of those sessions. He and my mother are why I love country music so much.  My brother, Brett Robertson) is a guitar player as well. This is a video of the band he’s with, The Gary Gibson Band, out of Oklahoma, doing a Merle Haggard tune. My brother is the lead guitarist: 

Lest we forget, here are a few pics to remind us that Merle was not only a phenomenal singer and songwriter, he was gorgeous!

merle-haggard_capitol-edit-dl D71CF3B4-A6EC-4A9C-B861-8C0EB07A1B67_w640_s

And, because I can’t NOT share a pic of Elvis…

6290ed0bd2163fee90587d6382a0f59f

Merle will be sorely missed by myself and millions of other fans. Elvis and Merle were not exactly tight, but they were more or less friends and shared a mutual respect. Merle did a tribute album to Elvis after his death. Below is a video of Merle singing “From Graceland to the Promised Land.”  One thing to note, in the song, the lyrics; “His life was two days longer than the one who gave him life,” aren’t quite accurate. Many people thought Elvis and his mother died at the same age, but he was 42, and she was 46.  

Here is an interesting interview where Merle mentioned Elvis:

http://merlehaggard.com/merle-haggard/

Probably my favorite song by Merle Haggard is “Today I Started Loving You Again.” I love the line, “What a fool I was to think I could get by with only these few million tears I’ve cried.” I am certain that more than a few million tears have been and will be cried over the loss of Mighty Merle. Here’s him singing “Today I Started Loving You Again.”

 

Rest in peace, Merle, your legend will live on.

Thank you for stopping by…Happy Friday! 

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EOLS Charity

Elvis was known for his giving heart and charitable work during his lifetime. Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley Enterprises have continued that tradition with their involvement in various charities. In 1984, The Elvis Charitable Foundation was formed. The EPCF created a scholarship fund for students majoring in the arts. The charity also contributes to one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counseling and services for abused children and their families. The EPCF also assists numerous other charities, especially focusing on arts, education and children’s programs.

Learn more here, including how to donate:

http://www.graceland.com/epcf/

END OF LONELY STREET – Now Only 99 Cents!

On Elvis’ 80th birthday, I released a Vintage Romance short story set in 1957, and of course, my heroine is an Elvis fan. 🙂 As a tribute to Elvis’ generosity, and in order to assist with this worthy cause, 10% of my proceeds for End of Lonely Street will go to the EPCF.

EndofLonelyStreet_w9180_FINAL

All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.

Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.

What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?

Click Here for Kindle

Click Here for Nook

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