Category Archives: Author Blog Post

April 21, 2017 · 5:00 am

Friday Fragment Contest – #Giveaway #FunGame #BookLovers – April 21, 2017

fri-fragments-and-spotalie

Happy Friday and welcome to my weekly contest –

Guess the fragment, and enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card, given away monthly!!!

Below you will find three different books, by three different authors, and beneath each, you will find three different short excerpts. Only one excerpt is from the listed book. Using the form at the bottom of the post, enter your guesses as to which excerpt is correct for each book. Once a month, I will draw a name from all those who attempt a guess on this game, AND on my Facebook SpotaLie game (check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAliciaDean/) The winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.

Each week, the first person to guess all 3 correctly receives an additional entry. (TIP: Click on each link and read the blurbs for a better chance at guessing correctly) – Remember, you get an entry just for guessing!

In addition to filling out the contact form, we’d also love it if you would comment, whether it is about your guesses, the books, the authors, etc. 

Have fun!

NOTE – I am discontinuing the weekly Friday Fragment contest and SpotaLie Facebook Contest after April. Beginning in May, rather than these two regular postings, I will have random games and prizes where I do more frequently and give various prizes, rather than one monthly prize. Sometimes it will be a 5 or 10 dollar gift card, sometimes other items. This way, more participants have a chance of winning. Thank you to all the authors and readers who have played along with these fun games. Check my Alicia Dean Friends and Fan Club group for info and the new games.

Terms and Conditions: No purchase necessary to win. There is no limit on how many times one entrant can win. You do not have to guess correctly to be entered in the monthly drawing.

*** The game runs from the day it’s posted through the following Friday morning when the next post goes up, so feel free to send your guesses in and comment any time during that week. In order to stay up to date on each post, follow my blog by signing up in the column to the right. 

Book 1:

My Lord Ghost by Meredith Bond

Find Meredith here: http://www.meredithbond.com

Snippet A:

Oh, but his old bones ached. His whole body trembled with the cold as he galloped across a bare countryside soaked in the pale gray shadows of moonlight. Why hadn’t he taken a carriage? He could have been warm and snug inside with a hot brick at his feet. Thank goodness it wouldn’t be much longer. He hated being old almost as much as he hated this infernal cycle of life in which he was trapped. The standing stones appeared in the distance, beckoning to him. As always, they stood waiting to welcome him home.

Snippet B:

I got up. Grateful for the moonlight, I managed to find and light my bedside candle. Donning my robe, I crept to the connecting door. Putting my ear to the door, I listened closely. Alternate moans and sobs mixed with wails of pure despair. Gooseflesh covered my arms.
Very slowly, I turned the handle. The door wasn’t locked. Taking a deep but quiet breath in, I tiptoed toward the bed. My hand hesitated at the curtain’s edge. Slowly I grasped hold of the heavy fabric and began to inch it open, trying to peer
inside.
“NO!” the man’s voice yelled…
Snippet C:

Rose turned back to the gentlemen and said with an apologetic smile and a shrug, “mia kaké arché kánei éna kakó télos ”

“I beg your pardon!” the duke sputtered. “Perhaps the reason why your aunt hasn’t introduced you is because you have never been taught how to behave in public.”

“I beg your pardon, sir,” her father started, his eyes narrowing with anger. Rose put a hand on his arm.

“She is nattering on in some strange, unknown language,” the man said, scowling down at her. “Either that, or she’s lost her mind and is speaking gibberish!” 

“My Lord Duke, I believe the young lady was speaking Greek,” a younger gentleman said. He was quite a sight.

Book 2:

Nothing Stays the Same by Catherine Chant

Find Catherine here: http://www.CatherineChant.com

Snippet A:

Despite her best efforts, tears seeped from Sable’s eyes as she dutifully followed her mother away from the grave. She didn’t dare try to wipe at them or call attention to herself in any way. “Don’t embarrass me” had been her mother’s motto for as long as Sable could remember. Falling apart and making scenes was not allowed in good families like theirs. Sable marched stiffly toward the long, black car waiting to take her family back to their house for the repast. She’d never understood the practice. Eating and socializing was the last thing on her mind.

Snippet B:

Callie couldn’t put the album down. She traced her finger across the name, then flipped it over to read the back. “Nana, who’s Joey Tempo?” Kind of a corny name, really. Probably a novelty record. It would make a nice addition to her vintage album collection, though, even if it weren’t right for the party. “A singer from the 50’s,” her grandmother answered without pausing in her work. “Like Elvis Presley.” Like Elvis? “Yeah, but I’ve heard of Elvis. How come I’ve never heard of this Joey guy? Was his music any good?”

Snippet C:

Brennan sat forward and rubbed a rough hand across his face, massaged his temples. What the hell happened today? One minute he’d been listening to some old tape of his father’s, the next he’d woken up on a studio lot in 1973. And then…his father. Of all the people to suddenly come face-to-face with. Now, Leah. Leah. He fell back against the cushions again with a long, drawn-out sigh. Why did the best moments of his life always seem to piggyback on the worst? Like that day in the record store. He’d been about to ask Leah out and bam! His father’s dead.

Book 3:

The Pleasure Device (Harwell Heirs Book 1) by Regina Kammer

 

Find Regina here: http://kammerotica.com/

Snippet A:

“Sophie, you’re looking radiant. And Helena, all grown up.” The familiar voice filled her with a glow of joy. “Uncle Arthur!” Uncle Arthur, ever so dapper in his evening attire, stood next to a column with his arms open wide waiting for her to hug him. Helena knew she had to restrain herself in such a public place. Still, he was her favorite uncle, and she, his favorite niece, a private joke since neither had any more of such relations. He wrapped his arms around her and patted her politely, then turned to Mama and kissed her on both cheeks.

Snippet B:

She loved Arthur, she really did. He was the best brother in the world. Why, at that very moment he danced with his fiancée Henrietta—Henny—her full skirts swinging like a bell in perfect rhythm to his lead, their faces flushed and smiling. His countenance reflected the swell of pride he felt toward Henny, hers how absolutely besotted she was with him. They were a perfect couple and Sophia did not wish them ill will in the slightest, but she did take umbrage over the fact that Arthur was allowed to marry for love and she was not.

Snippet C:

She jumped at Arthur’s hiss, tumbling backward to the carpet. He grabbed her around the waist, lifting her quite readily, hauling her down the corridor. His anger was palpable, his fingers digging into her side, the knuckles of his other hand white as he clutched a book. He slammed her against the wainscoting of a recessed doorway, threw the book to the floor and dug the heels of his palms painfully into her shoulders. “What the hell do you think you were doing?” His breath fanned hot on her lips, the hint of tobacco and brandy flaring her nostrils.

 

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Which Snippet is from Book 1 - My Lord GhostCupid Scores(required)

Which Snippet is from Book 2 - Nothing Stays the Same(required)

Which Snippet is from Book 3 - The Pleasure Device(required)

 

The correct answers from last week: (No one guessed correctly, I’m afraid. :()

Book 1 – B

Book 2 – C

Book 3 – C

1 Comment

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April 20, 2017 · 10:02 am

Fiction: Research to add authenticity and color by Min Edwards

Please help me welcome Min Edwards with an informative article and a few of her wonderful books…

Good morning, Min. I appreciate you joining us and sharing your knowledge.

Thanks so much for having me here today, Alicia.

Fiction: Research to add authenticity and color

Hi, my name is Min Edwards. Actually, it’s Pam Headrick, but I write under a nom de plume for several reasons. The most important one though is that I want to separate my author persona from my business persona. As Pam Headrick I’m a book designer, A Thirsty Mind Book Design, and have been for almost seven years. And as an author I want to be known as Min Edwards, an homage to my mother, Minnie Larna Edwards Headrick, a life-long reader who read even when she could no longer remember what she read.

Today I want to talk for a bit about research for fiction writing. I’m an expert at academic research as I wrote papers, articles, theses for years as a professional archaeologist. But that kind of research is exacting and very structured. For the last few years that I’ve been writing novels, I haven’t felt the need to research anything except perhaps a specific kind of helicopter, what those plastic police cuffs are called, the most popular gun used in the drug trade. Things like that. But a few months ago I decided to write a women’s historical fiction. What was I thinking?

The Russian Phoenix (coming soon) was born while I was writing my latest novel, Precious Stone, the last book in my High Tide Suspense series. The heroine was the great-granddaughter of a Russian woman who arrived in Maine in 1930. She died before my character’s birth and Colleen, the great-granddaughter never knew her. But when men threatened her about a so-called treasure that her ancestor Natasha ‘stole’ from Russia in 1913, she began wondering about great-gran.

And now I’m mired in research as I write Natasha’s story. What was St. Petersburg, Russia like in 1913, the Romanov Jubilee year? What did the living quarters look like for families like Natasha’s, a distant cousin of the Tsarina, in the Alexander Palace? Were there trains conveniently located between cities and smaller towns? If you were leaving Russia, how did you get to the western border? And who’s border was it at the time, the year before the Great War began? Trains… were they the same in all countries in Europe (and I found that no… they weren’t.) You’ve of course heard of narrow-gauge tracks. We have those in various places in the US mostly for sight-seeing trains like the one out of Durango, Colorado. But in Europe the width of the rails was even more diverse. There’s standard gauge in most of Europe (4’ 8.5”). Then there’s the Iberian Gauge in Spain and the Russian Gauge in parts of the old Soviet Union… and the Irish Gauge. It’s suggested that the reason for the differences in gauge was for protection… keeping unwanted armies from invading your country by rail. I don’t know why the Irish thought they needed a different rail size to protect them from invaders though. Who in their right mind would ferry a train across the Irish Sea. Trivia… don’t you love it?

My story has moved from Russia and Germany and now I’m researching Scotland in the 1920s. What was life like on an estate? What kinds of crops were grown? What did the interiors look like? Plumbing… was there any in those old manses?

Next, I’m having Natasha travel to America in 1930. What was her passenger ship like? How long did it take her to get from her home on Loch Lomond to the nearest port and then ‘across the pond’? So many questions, so little time before publication date.

The internet is my only source since I live in a tiny coastal town and no longer have the huge libraries of The University of Texas system in Austin where I lived before moving to Maine. Gosh I miss the Perry-Castañeda stacks at UT… and the Geology and Classics libraries as well. Besides that, can you really believe information on the internet? Wikipedia often isn’t accurate, but you can get some nice color from it… like cruise ships on the Rhine in 1913, the Rhine Gorge and Lorelei Rock. But try finding an accurate… and accurately annotated map of Edinburgh for 1913. I found Princes Street thankfully so I just had my characters living and working there. I might change that before publication, but for right now I know where they are. I won’t lose them and they won’t lose themselves.

The next phase of research concerns Maine in the 1930s and 40s. For that I’ll go to the source… the remembrances of the older townsfolk of my tiny coastal village. I’ve heard some of the stories such as the year the bays froze over; the tales of children walking five to ten miles to school in the snow; the frequent loss of fishermen in the treacherous waters off the coast or in the bay. I guess I need to get onto my online community bulletin board and troll for informants. Time’s a wastin’. This kind of research I’m looking forward to. Talking to folks, especially after I just spent more than four months as a hermit, something I seem to do every winter. Before too long I’m afraid people will be sending my son condolences on the death—or disappearance of his mother! But the news will be untimely as I’ve been sitting in my kitchen window writing since Thanksgiving.

I’ve enjoyed these searches for trivia and even though it slows my writing down considerably, I think I might pen another historical soon. Perhaps one of Texas in the 1840s. The frontier has always appealed to me. In fact, my Master’s Thesis for The University of Texas at Austin was on the prehistoric and historic use of a clay dune system along the Gulf of Mexico… a mouthful but I discovered so much trivia that wasn’t appropriate for a scholarly thesis although would certainly be right at home in a novel. So, stay tuned… another historical might be in the wings.

The Russian Phoenix

Follow me on Amazon for the publication date:

Amazon Author Page:  http://amzn.to/2bHJ1kb

Precious Stone

Available now at Amazon and other online bookstores

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2fM6a85

ePub Readers: https://www.books2read.com/u/bP1Gk7

 

Min Edwards

I wear many hats… author, book designer, archaeologist, and citizen of the edge of America… Lubec, Maine, the most eastern town in the U.S. I’m a life-long reader, but I don’t chain myself to only one genre. I love, almost equally, romance, suspense, thrillers, sci-fi. And if a book takes me someplace I’ve never been with a story that makes my heart beat with excitement, then I consider that an excellent book. I strive for the same excellence in my own stories.

My first novel, STONE BAY, a Contemporary Romance, was published in March of 2014. It was followed by a new Romantic Suspense series, Hide Tide Suspense, bringing danger to the small village of Stone Bay, Maine. Out now in the series are STONE COLD, STONE HEART, STONE FALL and PRECIOUS STONE. Finally for the conclusion of the series, THE RUSSIAN PHOENIX, a women’s fiction historical and the prequel to PRECIOUS STONE is coming soon. These books can be found on my Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2bHJ1kb

You may also find all of my published books at sites such as iBooks, B&N and Kobo through Books2Read.com

Stone Bay: https://books2read.com/u/bw8gDG

Stone Cold: https://books2read.com/u/49x5y8

Stone Heart: https://books2read.com/u/b6QP9J

Stone Fall: https://books2read.com/u/mgK8V6

Precious Stone: https://www.books2read.com/u/bP1Gk7

And follow me on my website blog page for my writing thoughts:

www.MinEdwards.com

Twitter @MEdwardsAuthor

twitter.com/MEdwardsAuthor

My Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/AuthorMinEdwards

My Personal Pinterest:

www.pinterest.com/athirstymind

And my Author Pinterest Page:

www.pinterest.com/minedwards

5 Comments

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April 19, 2017 · 7:35 pm

Profit: Utopia the Conclusion (Book IV The Beckett Series) By Mary Martinez

Please help me welcome Mary Martinez…

Have you ready any of Mary’s books? If so, which one?

I haven’t yet, but this one looks like a winner!

Check out her giveaway below!

 

Blurb:

Matt Beckett is the Chief Financial officer for World Banking Association (WBA). Over a year ago an agency known as the HEAD group tried to take over the WBA. Matt’s sister, Reagan Beckett, a member of a Federal Special Task Force took out one of the key players, a serial killer known as the Headman. Now the founder of HEAD, Andrew Phillips, is back and ready to finish what he’d started with a new and dastardly key player from the Dark web.

Matt doesn’t have any desire to be involved in any cloak and dagger stuff. He’d rather leave that to the other law enforcement Beckett’s. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like he’ll have a choice.

Bryn Connelly is the Chief Audit Executive also for the WBA. She had been one of the Headman’s targets and thought her days of danger were over. However, she finds herself working with laid back Matt Beckett, much to her dismay.

Matt couldn’t be more delighted when Reagan informs him he’ll be working the lovely Bryn. He’s been trying to catch her eye for five years, now. However, their sleuthing quickly lands them in a precarious position.

It’s up to Matt and Bryn to finish what Reagan and her team started, but can he win the lovely Bryn and save the day? Or will he lose her forever if the WBA falls into the wrong hands?

Excerpt:

“No shop talk or you’re banned from Christmas dinner.”

“Ma, you can’t ban me from a home-cooked meal.” Matt looked down his body. “Look at me, I’m skin and bones, because I don’t have a good woman to cook for me.”

Martha gave him a light slug to the shoulder. “And whose fault is that, young man?”

“Yeah?” Reagan raised a brow at him and took another sip. “How’s the lovely Bryn?”

Martha gasped and looked at him. Damn Reagan. Now his mother was going to hound him.

“Who is Bryn?” Martha’s eyes twinkled in anticipation.

He shot Reagan a look that he hoped conveyed that she would pay. “Bryn is a woman I work with from time to time at WBA.”

“She works at DIG?” Referring to one of the five entities of WBA.

He sighed, he might as well get the Q & A over with since she’d just keep at him until he gave in anyway. His mother could be like a dog with a bone.

“No, she’s with Corporation of International Finance, or CIF, she’s their Chief Auditor Executive.” He glanced at his sister who stood sipping her drink innocently and glared. “She is a very nice person and no, before you ask, we are not seeing each other.”

“Not that he doesn’t want to see her, she just has better taste in men.” Reagan laughed.

“Reagan, any woman would be lucky to date your brother.”

Matt held in a groan. Man, he needed to get out of here. He looked to his brother, brothers-in-law, anyone to rescue him. But Reagan wasn’t going to let that happen.

“Ma, you’d love her. She has the most beautiful red hair, green eyes, and she speaks with this lovely Irish accent.”

“Gan, Gan!”

Matt looked down at his niece, Lucy, he wanted to give her a big kiss for interrupting. But the little one was currently pulling on Reagan’s jean clad leg. His sister set her glass on the side table and swung Lucy up above her head, her giggles drew the attention of everyone in the room.

Escape. Matt didn’t waste any time, while his mother and sister were occupied with the adorable dark haired cutie he raced toward his brothers and talk of football.

 

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XP4SS17/

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/profit-mary-martinez/1126011699?ean=9781544787978

Books A Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Profit-Book-Beckett-Series/Mary-Martinez/9781544787978?id=6218957261198

Indie Bound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781544787978

Bio:

Video Bio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISsOcM0kyzY

Just a bit about me:

Mary lives in Magna, a little town west of Salt Lake City, Utah. Together with her husband, she has six grown children, and six wonderful grandsons and five beautiful granddaughters. She loves to spend time with family and friends–she includes good books as friends!

Mary and her husband love to travel, especially to the Caribbean for relaxing, and Italy for the wine. And most recently she discovered she was Irish and Scottish, of course they had to visit Ireland and Scotland. Mary fell in love with both, but the green hills of Ireland felt like home.  With the experience from the exotic places she has visited, she is able to fill her books with colorful descriptions of cities, painting a colorful backdrop for her characters. One of her favorite US destinations is New York/Brooklyn, where her beloved Beckett’s live. When she visits, she can wander their neighborhoods, favorite parks, and visit their favorite pub, Putnum’s.

They are avid concert ‘Ho’s’! Yes, they pretty much want to do them all. They love outdoor amphitheaters the best and attend as many during the warmer months as possible.

Mary writes mostly romantic suspense, romance, women’s fiction, and she has just begun to dabble in young adult mystery. She is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA). During her writing career she has been a conference coordinator, workshop presenter, and chapter president for the Utah Chapter of RWA. In 2007 she was presented with the Utah RWA service award in acknowledgment and appreciation for outstanding service. Mary has also participated in numerous library panels on writing and co-presented a workshop on writing a series at the League of Utah Writers conference.

Mary and her husband are also enthusiastic college football fans. They have season tickets to the UTES, University of Utah Football and they tailgate every game. They love tailgating so much, that they were married at a tailgating in 1999.

GO UTES!

Goodreads giveaway: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/232210-profit-book-v-the-beckett-series-utopia-the-conclusion

Rafflecopter Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contact Links:

Web site: http://www.marymartinez.com/

Mary’s Garden Blog: http://marysbooksblogger.blogspot.com/

The After Work Cook Blog: http://theafterworkcook.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMaryMartinez/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/marylmartinez

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/marylmartinez3/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MaryMartinez3

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mlmartinez3/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTww3B2ofa11UPFrSe0WGAg

Mary’s Book Group: Open a Book and embark on a new adventure! https://www.facebook.com/groups/MarysBookGroup/

Thank you, Alicia, for hosting me on your blog!

My pleasure…the book looks fantastic – LOVE the cover!

14 Comments

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April 17, 2017 · 7:56 am

Author Interview with Jacki Renée ~ New Release: Necessary Lies ~ #Giveaway

Please help me welcome Jacki Renée…(Be sure to check out her AWESOME giveaway!!)

 

Happy to have you here, Jacki. Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

Born and raised in sunny Southern California, I live minutes away from the construction site for the LA Rams football stadium. I’m a single mother of two amazing daughters, ages 24 and 16 (the age difference is a blessing and a curse). We have 3 dogs, 2 bunnies, and 1 turtle.

Where did you get the idea for Necessary Lies?

NECESSARY LIES started as a short story for a post on a free social publishing site. One morning, while driving to work and listening to Ryan Seacrest on KIIS-FM, the first two lines of Stay With Me by Sam Smith made me ask myself, ‘what if Bryan felt that way?’ and the seed was planted for the story to grow into a full-length novel with plot twists and turns and a secret backstory. One evening I was watching Dancing With The Stars and heard Leela James sing Fall For You live. Her soulful voice gave my story its journey of trust and love. I was sitting in the car in front of my daughter’s middle school waiting for them to return from grad-nite and heard Not A Bad Thing by Justin Timberlake on the radio. My hero now had a voice and a purpose, and the one book turned into a trilogy.

Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)?

I can’t really say I chose to write romantic suspense, the theme of my storyline just happens to fall in that subgenre with a high heat level.

Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?

I like to use industry standards as guidelines for being different. I don’t want my stories to fit neatly in any box.

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book?

For me, the most difficult thing about writing a book is sending my baby [book] off into the world to be read and judged. Liked or disliked. Hoping everyone loves it, yet remaining open minded when someone doesn’t.

Are there any tricks, habits or superstitions you have when creating a story?

When I’m having a difficult time writing, I go sit in the car with my laptop. Being out of the house gets me over the hurdle and knowing the closest electrical outlet is just steps away allows me to enclose myself for a few hours.

Do you collect anything?

I collect tote bags. It is an obsession. If I’m at an event and vendors are handing tote bags, I have to have one (or two).

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Necessary Lies?

I’m fascinated by the way the brain processes words and use that knowledge to my advantage by intentionally using double entendres to hide the truth in plain sight. I want my readers to come away with feeling challenged to think outside the box when reading the Lies storyline.

What is your favorite quote?

The dirt always comes out in the wash.

If you could spend time with a character from your book, whom would it be? And what would you do during that day? (PG-13 please :))

I would want to hang out with Max. He is funny and carefree. Flamboyant and quick witted. I can picture us going shopping and him convincing me the dress doesn’t make my butt look big even though the mirror says differently. He would make me buy the highest heels I can stand in, then teach me how to stomp the runway in them.

What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?

The very first writing contest I entered, a judge wrote: ‘You need to read more books in your genre and follow those examples. It’s obvious you are clueless about what romantic suspense is’ [copied directly from the scoresheet]. Little did that judge know, I do read romantic suspense, but I believe there is more than one way to spin a suspense tale.

What has been the best compliment?

I asked a critic partner, if she would provide a quote for my press release. She wrote: Necessary Lies is an intriguing story told in an intriguing way. The use of two first person POVs kept me totally engaged and it will you, too. – Michal Scott

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

The brotherhood and bond between the Men of Phantom is based on the friendship my nephew has with his friends. They have known each other for 20+ years. These young men are ‘ride-or-die’ friends and all successful in their own way. I try to capture that bond in each story of the series.

How did you come up with the title?

Sometimes it is necessary to tell a lie to protect a loved one.

Your favorite…

Movie – The Color Purple, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken

Music – All genres except heavy-metal and gangster rap

Place you’ve visited – Boulder, Colorado; Tempe, Arizona

Place you’d like to visit – Washington D.C.; Chicago, Illinois,

TV show from childhood – Good Times, What’s Happening, The Brady Bunch, The Love Boat, reruns of The Munsters, The Andy Griffith Show, I Love Lucy, Gidget

TV show from adulthood – Scandal, How to Get Away With Murder, Grey’s Anatomy, Shameless, Baby Daddy

 

Thank you, Jacki. Wow, fun interview. That judge needs a lesson in etiquette and courtesy. Ha, I LOVE Justin Timberlake. And Baby Daddy. You’re the only other person I’ve heard of who watches. 🙂

Jacki is giving away a fabulous prize: An I Am Jacki Renée Tote Bag filled with, (1) Men of Phantom T-Shirt, (1) Rubber Book Mark (made out of recycled tires), (1) Pen, (1) Mini Journal, and (1) $25 Amazon Gift Card.

To enter, answer this question: On her wedding day, what borrowed item was Danielle given? – (A name will be drawn from the correct answers)

Author’s Bio:

Dare to Take a Risk and Stand out From the Crowd.

I am Jacki Renée. If you see me behind the wheel—lips moving, no one else in the car—don’t be frightened. I’m having a conversation with one of the many characters who live in my mind. But if I’m bobbing my head and snapping my fingers, getting into the beat of the music and the lyrics to the song, do not disturb. I’m developing a story or a character.

Music sparks my inspiration to write and I listen to a variety of music. I credit my story ideas to the emotions I sense when listening to music. It’s the tone of the artist’s voice mixed with the sounds coming from the instruments that sends my literal mind into another dimension. I play songs on repeat until I can put into words how I want my characters to be perceived.

Reading is my Passion, writing is my Pleasure. An avid reader, I pick up a book to escape everyday life for a few hours. And if the story is exceptionally good, I’ll escape reality for twenty-four hours. Reading novels since high school, from timeless literary masterpieces to today’s mainstream fiction, I’ve found both passion and pleasure in the written world of books. I divide my “me time” between my daughters, writing, and reading. It started as an after-work hobby until a follower encouraged me to try writing on a professional level. I nurtured my gift into an obtainable dream.

A web search for information on a teen soap opera series tapped into my pleasure for writing. My first adventure happened when I stumbled upon FanFiction. After months of following many aspiring writers on the website, I worked up the courage to submit a one-shot story. The feedback and comments I received encouraged me to write more. It didn’t take long before the one-shots turned into short stories. Then one day, a short story turned into my first full-length novel, which expanded into a trilogy and now a planned series of trilogies. Even after a two-year break from posting on the site, my stories are still getting views, favorites, and comments. I look back on those posts to measure how much I’ve grown. The redundancy, grammar, and punctuation errors are criminal acts for which I could be prosecuted, but those stories are my beginnings. My babies. When I give pep talks to author friends, I always start with, “you have to crawl before you walk; walk before you run; then run so you can leap over the hurdles and cross the finish line as a published author.”

My approach to writing is to draw the outline and allow the imagination of the reader to color in the blanks. Meticulously chosen words can outline the plot yet still hide the truth in plain sight. Emotional words invoke the images and colors, sounds and scents, tastes and touch of the story. Words are the clues used to visualize the story. I strive to create a portal to a different reality, so my readers see the story through the eyes of the characters. Call me sinister, but I love keeping my readers confused to the end, then shocking them when I point out the obvious. If you commit to traveling the road, you get to experience the peaks and valleys and walk with the characters into the arms of a “Happily Ever After.”

My goals as an author are to… always finish what I start, be it a book written by a fellow author, or a manuscript I worked on but put aside. Expand my reading palate by finding new authors and “paying-it-forward.” Stay true to my beliefs, yet open myself to a world seen through the eyes of others. Always find the positive in the face of differences because my stories may not be for everyone, but they will entertain someone.

 

 

Necessary Lies Book Blurb:

What do you do when your whole life is a lie?

Single mother, Dr. Danielle Edwards, never imagined her happily-ever-after ending so soon. But now her world has been shaken off its axis. Orphaned and raised in foster care, Danielle learned early in life to be independent. The only emotional attachment she had in childhood was to her friend and now-dead husband, James. The only emotional attachment she has now, is her daughter. That was until Bryan came into their lives…

Everything about Colonel Bryan K. Hawk IV is devised to draw Danielle to him—from the way he dresses, to his motherless child. On the surface, Bryan is a successful global businessman, but he’s hiding the real purpose for his relationship with Danielle. For nine-years, he’s been investigating James Edwards. His assignment, to recover stolen information from an anti-American organization—information that exposes a centennial government secret that could start World War III. And Danielle is unknowingly caught in the middle.

Bryan is trained to get answers by any means necessary, even seduction. But the government didn’t train him how to resist someone like Danielle. Not even when he’s falling in love… not when the truth will rip them apart forever.

 

Necessary Lies Excerpt:

On the way to the grocery store, a catchy song plays on the radio and I turn up the volume. The lyrics ignite a yearning in my heart and the emotion in the singer’s voice speaks to my soul. I know what it’s like to want to give yourself to someone, but to be uncertain if they will take care of your heart. It takes ultimate trust to drop my guard and make myself vulnerable to anyone. I wanted that with Bryan. I wholeheartedly gave him something James never had. The most valued piece of me. We have history. I didn’t realize how lonely I’d been until we moved here. My world has been shaken off its axis.

 

Contact Links:

Home

facebook.com/iamjackirenee

twitter.com/iamjackirenee

instagram.com/iamjackirenee

Buy Links: (ONLY 99 cents!!)

Necessary Lies is available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Necessary-Lies-Men-Phantom-Book-ebook/dp/B01LY3FGYA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492433685&sr=8-1&keywords=necessary+lies+jacki+renee

Also on: B&N, Nook, iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, Inktera, 24symbols. A personally autographed copy can be purchased through my website.

Very proud of this book cover created by Kim Killion of The Killion Group, Inc.

The hawk tattoo was designed by Terry of Terry Didum Designs.

I had never been to Boulder, Colorado. I spent a few days there to experience, firsthand, the city I fell in love with via internet research. The real came close to the fiction.

I didn’t know about this sculpture of a red-tail hawk until I walked through the courtyard of the courthouse. That is the moment I knew writing was my true life’s journey – April 2016.

Walking Pearl Street was surreal – April 2016

The tulips on Pearl Street were in full bloom – April 2016

Aww… the faces in the pansies on Pearl Street – April 2016

 

Breathtaking view of the seasons changing in Boulder, Colorado

April 2016

April 2016

April 2016

 

Thank you, and please feel free to reach out to me via my website or on any of my social media platforms.

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April 15, 2017 · 9:30 am

Author Interview with Izzy Szyn ~ New Release: Resurrection of Artemis

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Izzy Szyn with an interview and her latest release…

Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets? 

I’m from Detroit, live in Oklahoma City. My mom and brothers still live in Detroit and I have a sister and niece that lives here. I have dog named Misty that is Chihuahua/terrier mix.

Where did you get the idea for RESURRECTION OF ARTEMIS Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)? 

I was in a chat one night with Candi Fox and Bobbi Romans and we talked about getting together and doing a boxed set together. We decided to do superheroes/villains. I’d never written one before, but I always had this germ of an idea for one.

Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?

I work in a call center for iphone tech support, (not Apple) and one day our phones went crazy because there was a big outage in Texas and people were going crazy? So Artemis was born.

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book?

Finding time to write.

What was the most difficult thing about this one in particular?

Trying to find a superhero and villain name that hadn’t been used before.

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

Yes. I work in a call center helping people who have problems with their phones. It’s okay, but want to write full time.

What do you dislike that most people wouldn’t understand?

Cheese. I like it on pizza and spaghetti, but hate grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese.

Do you collect anything?

I guess you can say flip flops, it’s my fav shoe, I think I have more of them then regular shoes.

What was your first job?

Working in a cafeteria in a Montgomery Wards. It lasted a month.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

If I could afford it, my job

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

I think it has to be Sue Barton, Student Nurse. It’s a really old book, but I read it when I was ten. I had to do a book report for school and it’s the book that turned me into a bookaholic.

What’s your favorite childhood book?

Hmmm, Wizard of Oz? I would definitely redo it one day, but of course it would be hotter.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Resurrection of Artemis?

I hope they want more, I’d write another if there was enough interest.

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

I don’t mind a bad review as long as they say why they didn’t like the book. If they just put this book sucks and nothing else then I’d rather them not leave one.

What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?

Erotic suspense thriller

If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have 3 (inanimate) objects, what would they be?

Pepsi, food and a bed

Have you written any other books that are not published?

Yeah, I’m currently working on three others. I can’t seem to write just one at a time.

Thank you, Izzy…it was nice getting to know you. I will have to say, I find it VERY odd that you dislike cheese. It’s one of my very favorite foods! 😀 I love that you wrote about a super hero. I started a series years ago that was sort of a mixture of super hero and paranormal romance. I’ll dig it out and finish it one of these days. Thanks again for visiting with me today!

Izzy has a giveaway, and then, we’ll hear more about her latest release…

Izzy will be awarding a $10 Amazon to one randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the RaffleCopter below to enter. Remember you may increase your chances of winning by visiting the other tour stops. You may find those locations here. http://reviewsbycacb.blogspot.com/p/resurrection-of-artemis-izzy-szyn-izzy.html

Enter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blurb:

Once known as the infamous hacker Artemis, Amy Wilson now works in a coffee shop. With only months until the end of her probation from working in the technological industry that she loves, Amy is determined to keep Artemis dead and buried.

When incidents similar to the ones Amy did start occurring all fingers start pointing in Artemis’ direction, and three people that want Artemis to come out of retirement.

Quail City’s super heroes Dark Master and Calypso aka as multi-billionaire Noah Adams and his assistant Vanessa London know Amy’s secret, and also know that she is being set up. Having spent months in a flirtmance with Amy, they are tired of waiting and want both her and Artemis in their bed.

Hinderer wants to hold technology hostage, but in order to do that he needs Artemis’ assistance, and he will use any methods necessary to gain her cooperation.

 

Amazon Buy link http://amzn.to/2nAFqKe

Also on Amazon Unlimited

Excerpt

“People have been mentioning Artemis,” Calypso said. “You wouldn’t have heard anything?”

They knew, Amy thought. Somehow they knew. “No, Artemis isn’t here anymore. At least from what I heard.”

“Damn shame, too,” complained one of the customers in the shop. “Not the Artemis that is playing with the lights and stuff. But the Artemis who liked to help people with their problems.”

“Yeah, I think if someone is behind it, it’s someone pretending to be Artemis, or trying to shift the blame on her,” said another customer. “She may have done some things, but she’d never deliberately set out to get people hurt.”

Amy smiled at the person that made the comment. “I’ve been here all day. But it’s more than the traffic lights. Didn’t I hear that the other day the Financial District was shut down because the money showed at zero?”

“That is something that Artemis had fun with,” Dark Master commented. “Or had in the past.”

“I’m sure that whatever has been happening in Quail City has nothing to do with Artemis,” Amy replied.

“Hope for Artemis’ sake it’s true,” Calypso said. “Williams is ranting and raving in Commissioner James’ office asking for her to be arrested.”

Just bet he is, thought Amy. “Is there anything else I can get you?” Amy asked them. She saw that it was almost six and the last bus going towards her apartment would be there any minute.

“You in our bed,” Calypso said in her ear. “Your blue hair will look glorious on our pillows.” Then out loud stated, “That’s all for now.”

Author Info:

New York Times Bestselling Author Izzy Szyn was born in May of 2014 when a friend dared her to write. Born and raised in Detroit, Mi. Izzy now lives in Oklahoma City with her furchild Misty, the friendliest Chihuahua/Terrier you will ever meet. Currently works in a call center, where she writes in between phone calls.

Izzy loves to keep in touch with her readers. Email her at izzyszyn@gmail.com.

Find her on Facebook 🙂 https://www.facebook.com/Izzy-Szyn-379714942215154/timeline/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/izzySzyn

Blog: https://izzyszyn.wordpress.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13836241.Izzy_Szyn

Google Plus link: https://plus.google.com/100905614042668276073

 

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April 14, 2017 · 9:31 am

Friday Fragment Contest – #Giveaway #FunGame #BookLovers – April 14, 2017

fri-fragments-and-spotalie

Happy Friday and welcome to my weekly contest –

Guess the fragment, and enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card, given away monthly!!!

Below you will find three different books, by three different authors, and beneath each, you will find three different short excerpts. Only one excerpt is from the listed book. Using the form at the bottom of the post, enter your guesses as to which excerpt is correct for each book. Once a month, I will draw a name from all those who attempt a guess on this game, AND on my Facebook SpotaLie game (check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAliciaDean/) The winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.

Each week, the first person to guess all 3 correctly receives an additional entry. (TIP: Click on each link and read the blurbs for a better chance at guessing correctly) – Remember, you get an entry just for guessing!

In addition to filling out the contact form, we’d also love it if you would comment, whether it is about your guesses, the books, the authors, etc. 

Have fun!

NOTE – I am discontinuing the weekly Friday Fragment contest and SpotaLie Facebook Contest after April. Beginning in May, rather than these two regular postings, I will have random games and prizes where I do more frequently and give various prizes, rather than one monthly prize. Sometimes it will be a 5 or 10 dollar gift card, sometimes other items. This way, more participants have a chance of winning. Thank you to all the authors and readers who have played along with these fun games. Check my Alicia Dean Friends and Fan Club group for info and the new games.

Terms and Conditions: No purchase necessary to win. There is no limit on how many times one entrant can win. You do not have to guess correctly to be entered in the monthly drawing.

*** The game runs from the day it’s posted through the following Friday morning when the next post goes up, so feel free to send your guesses in and comment any time during that week. In order to stay up to date on each post, follow my blog by signing up in the column to the right. 

Book 1:

Cupid Scores by Sylvia McDaniel

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Cupid-Scores-Western-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B01N4RZJQJ/ref=pd_sim_351_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=S3FJSGSVCEXR0F0CTWPT

Snippet A:

“Dancing around this statue is going to help us find the man of our dreams?” Kelsey questioned. “Whoever made up this shit is sitting back somewhere laughing at how many fools stripped off their clothes and danced in the moonlight.” “In the middle of freaking winter,” Meghan added. “Come on, girls, we’re doing this. We’re going to prove this is either the biggest farce in town or it’s going to work for my friends. Just not for me.” “I hope this is worth it,” Meghan said as they began to remove clothing. This little escapade must be kept secret from her family.

Snippet B:

“It worked for all those other women. Why not us? The superstition says at midnight anyone chanting and dancing naked around the fountain will soon meet their true love. I’ve never believed in the notion, but hey, I’m game. We’ve got thirty minutes. Let’s go kick some Cupid butt and see if that superstition is real or not.” “You want me to take off my clothes and dance in front of you and everyone else in town, chanting some silly verse?” Meghan said, her voice rising. That was the most ridiculous thing Meghan ever heard. But then again, what if it worked?

Snippet C:

“Valentine’s Day. Today is the cheating snake’s wedding day,” Taylor Braxton said, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder before taking a sip of wine. Her third glass of the evening. “I’d like to propose a toast to his new wife. May she never find him in her bed with someone else, like I found her in mine.” The three women clinked glasses. “Maybe it was for the best. After all, lawmen are known for being serial cheaters,” Meghan, one of Taylor’s best friends, said in her quiet librarian voice. She gave a shake of auburn hair, her emerald eyes filled with sympathy.

 

Book 2:

Beloved Enemy by Hywela Lyn

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Enemy-Hywela-Lyn/dp/1509205349/

Find Hywela here: http://www.hywelalyn.co.uk

Snippet A:

She sighed softly and decided she could leave it no longer. He turned and looked at her. “Something on scan that should not be there?” he asked, the brusque tone of his voice breaking into her musings. “No, it’s just…so beautiful out there—and so vast,” she replied. How could he fail to be moved by the stars she loved so much? “It makes me think of something my mother told me when I was a child back on Earth.” He raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” “You wouldn’t be interested. It’s just a story.” She rose from her seat. “Try me.”

Snippet B:

He noticed on the shore several gigantic, human-like statues, but had no time to contemplate or admire them. After he had travelled for some time he saw ahead an immense sheet of water spilling from the roof in a fury of white and rainbow coloured froth. The water around the boat raced and boiled and he realised he was heading into a maelstrom. There was no way he could control the frantic motions of the craft as it heaved and bucked like an unbroken colt. Throwing down the paddle and gripping the sides of the boat, he sent a frantic message through the ether.

Snippet C:

“I hope for your sake nothing, or no-one, attacks us in the night.” “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you,” she said, mimicking his mocking tone. “And I told you, the vessel will be shielded, and any intruders are going to be sorry if they try to break through. As for the gun, you can have it back as soon as I know I can trust you.” (Unless your friends come back for you, in which case you’ll be my ticket off this planet.) His face betrayed no emotion. Curse him. What was going on behind those amazing, if ice-cold, eyes?

 

Book 3:

Wicked Lustful Tales by Maria Cox

Buy link: http://www.melange-books.com/authors/mariacox/WLTcc.html

Find Maria Here: http://www.mariacox.net

Snippet A:

During a group cycling vacation in the Caribbean Shana White learns that her boyfriend is moving to New York to further his career without her. With no intention of sulking Shana opts for a day excursion with former beau and fellow cyclist Nick Marino. After a biking accident leaves them stranded the rekindling of an old friendship and memories of their torrid past emerge leaving Shana to struggle with conflicting emotions. Now on the rebound can she afford to seek solace in Nick’s arms and risk heartache all over again?

Snippet B:

When Nina Bates discloses her pregnancy she’s soon shunned by her boyfriend and her mother. Alone and confused Nina turns to her grandmother who suggests she leave her hometown of Seattle and move to Alaska. In Anchorage, divorcee Dexter McIver hires Nina as live-in nanny to his son. An emotional bond develops between them and after Nina delivers her baby the smoldering attraction that existed for months threatens to boil over. With so much at stake should Nina and Dexter go out on a limb for a brief liaison?

Snippet C:

With a career in photography about to take off Adam Baxter is at the top of his game. Office buddy Jennifer Silva has been a supportive friend from the start and the two have an easygoing platonic relationship. But when Adam’s assistant Nellie singles out Adam’s jealous behavior he’s forced to analyze his true feelings for beautiful, caring Jennifer. Adam knows all too well that a romantic involvement can complicate matters. So, is Adam ready to put it all on the line and take their friendship to the next level?

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Which Snippet is from Book 1 - Cupid Scores(required)

Which Snippet is fro Book 2 - Beloved Enemy(required)

Which Snippet is from Book 3 - Wicked Lustful Tales(required)

 

The correct answers from last week: (No one guessed correctly, I’m afraid. :()

Book 1 – A

Book 2 – A

Book 3 – A

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April 12, 2017 · 10:12 am

I Write. Therefore, I Review by Oliver F. Chase

Please help me welcome Oliver F. Chase with an excellent article about reviewing…

 

I Write. Therefore, I Review

Why yes, I write books. Did you fail to notice the patches on the elbows of my tweed jacket, and the vacant, yet meaningful gaze?

Nah. That ain’t me. I’m the guy in the trenches, always learning and testing, and re-learning; ever on the look out for a clever turn of phrase; and always marketing my work and myself…albeit, very delicately. Nothing’s worse than a bore who believes he’s the next Lee Child.

Writers also review. Especially those of us who are as yet “undiscovered” and thus, un-contracted by a biggie. Writing is not a competition, but more like an aftermarket team sport. We write alone but need one another in the business end of creation. Like reviewing another’s novel. This is a new truth in the age of the self help publishing world. Therefore, I thought I’d pass along a few must-do’s and must-have’s  that have helped me over the years. This is a quick list that could easily be much, much longer.

When you review for another, have these few things at your fingertips:

  • Know the plot and the theme. Don’t so gauche as to give it away. That means, of course, you need to read the book, and not use someone else’s Cliff Notes.
  • Have a ready-list of main or interesting characters. Grab your reviewing audience, just like you grab someone in your own work. A great character is a way to engage others, just like wonderful scenes. You may the character were yours, but aren’t, so give insightful due to the author. Yours will be better next time, guaranteed.
    • I suggest you only refer to one scene that you liked. Remember, no spoilers.
  • If you’re reviewing for the writer crowd, you can mention pace, grammar, arc.. that sort of thing. Don’t bother if you’re reviewing for the public. No one cares.
  • Was the storyline predictable, or were you so engrossed, you simply became lost and totally blew off your brother’s wedding. Go ahead and admit you were having too much fun to pick the story apart.
  • If you did like the story, tell the reviewing audience why. Open up a bit, let them see into your private wardrobe, floppy collars and all. The reviewing audience  is looking for something real, even if fantasy or Sci-Fi. The story either rings true, or it doesn’t.
    • Oh, and the old shirts? Toss’m. They’re not coming back.
  • Do the boring stuff, too.
    • Tell the reviewer who you think would enjoy the story. If you can, compare the writing to others.
    • Be cautious about setting the prospective reader’s expectations. Let the author rise to the occasion, not the prospective reader. Be careful not to force the issue. Your credibility is on the line, too.
    • Recommend the story to right audiences: YA, thriller adults, cozy mysteries. There’s nothing wrong with a cautionary statement, as well. I appreciate these, especially for writing that makes me squirm a bit.
    • Proofread your review. Reviewers will likely do a search on you, and may even want to see what you’ve written.
    • Be professional, friendly and helpful. Leave your various chips (on your shoulder) and axes (to grind) at home. A review is no place for personal politics…unless, of course you’re reviewing an opinion piece.
  • If you’re going to zing the story, temper the author with praise. Be cautious and be honest. Praise in public. Excoriate, or in this case criticize, person-to-person.

If you can’t figure out how to critique kindly, or gently prod the doggie story that made you cringe, thank the author and pass.  Demurring may be a bigger kindness, even though we need thick skins in this business. Be circumspect, genuine, and honest.  After all, don’t we all end up in the same place, anyway?  Life’s too short for anything else.

 

Thank you SO much, Oliver. I am not good at reviews, but I will bookmark your suggestions and work on my reviewing skills. Love this article!

Check out these books by Oliver. Don’t they look like fantastic reads?

 

 

 

Bio:

Oliver grew up on military bases throughout the country and like all boys, played good guys and bad. Coaxing him into an afternoon of baseball along Lake Erie, hiking the Southern California’s hills or paddling a canoe in the North Carolina backwater didn’t take much unless a book found him first.

His best friend and he joined the Marines and took a deferment to attend college. Herb left school finding stumbling blocks that seemed insurmountable at the time. A year after graduating, Oliver stepped onto a sweaty tarmac with a manual Smith Corona typewriter not far from where Herb died. Fate usually finds a way of putting day-to-day frustrations into a cruel perspective, especially when lost in the haze of an ugly war.

Thirty-one young men flew days and nights in the mountains trying to keep the world safe for … well, says Oliver, that’s not really true, is it? The only reason we ever went into those dark, frightening places was for friends, most of whom we’d never met before that day. That they lived, meant others died and that still haunts to this day.

He spent time wandering. Lots of young veterans did so, some on foot, some just on the rails of life. Many like Oliver made stops along the road. He never slept in the park or a bus station, although many did. Most found a way out of the maze, too many others did not. Oliver promises it was not he truly at risk, but still believes pulling the right ticket is mostly a matter of circumstance and luck.

He did a bit of teaching on the Navajo reservation, spent a few years with the cops and a couple alphabet agencies but never quit writing. The old manual typewriter became a memory when his first computer came along. A notebook travels with him now, the wanderlust never completely leaving him be. Today, he spends days on the family’s tiny farm and following the season, sometimes wondering if the old Smith Corona founds a home, too. He hopes so, wishing his old friend happy days.

 

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April 10, 2017 · 11:41 am

Author Interview with Lori Sizemore ~ New Release: Infamous

Please help me welcome Lori Sizemore with an interview and her new release…

Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

I’m from a very small town in southern West Virginia and, after moving around the state some for college, that’s where I returned. I actually live in the home my husband helped his father build. We’ve raised our daughters here, more than anywhere else. I’ve been married for over twenty years and we have three daughters (22, 20, and 12) and one little tiny baby granddaughter. We also have two dogs (Paul and Izzy) and a cat (Farrah Pawcett).

Where did you get the idea for Infamous?

I got the idea a while back when it seemed everyone was coming out with a sex tape for the sole purpose of getting famous. I wondered what it would be like to have that happen to a person (through no consent or decision of their own) and how that person’s day-to-day life might look. For instance, it’s not as though a woman could hold down a job, say, in retail when the paparazzi are stalking her simply because her parents are famous and someone decided to cash in on that tangential fame. Justine, my heroine—who I like to consider pretty good at handling this difficult situation, grew from those questions.

Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written before)?

I write contemporary romance because I think life today is just as fascinating, challenging, and funny as life in any time period, if not more so. We have the world at our fingertips, but we’re still all just trying to get by the best we can and find some joy in life.

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book?

When I do complain about the writing process, which I do occasionally (read, plenty of the time), the most difficult part is whatever part I’m in at that moment. Writing is the hardest if I’m doing a first draft. Revision is the hardest if I’m editing. Querying is always a nightmare (all that waiting) and then revisions and galleys once a book is contracted. Whatever phase I’m in makes all the others seem like they’re so much more fun.

How did you come up with the title?

I am awful at titles. I usually have to call in other writer friends to help me because I’m just trash at them. But Infamous just popped into my head one day, not long before I began the submission process, and I knew that was the perfect name. It describes the heroine and her life so far exactly.

Do you collect anything?

I collect coffee mugs. I have far too many. I’m blessed to have a fairly large kitchen and I have my most prized mugs hanging under the cabinets and even then, with about nine of those up, I’m struggling to find another way to display even more. It doesn’t hurt that I adore coffee. Actually, that’s probably the reason for my obsession.

What was your first job?

I was a typist and file clerk for a psychologist. It was fascinating work and being a small part of helping people was a big reward. It was no real surprise I found myself drawn to the field when I went to choose my major. I got my B.S. in Social and Behavioral Science and became a social worker.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

Real Housewives. I’m kind of a sucker for a few of those reality shows. Even though they’re “real,” they still follow a narrative that I find really interesting. And all that drama is fodder for writing. Everything can be turned into writing ideas, really.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Infamous?

People are resilient and for those who are willing to work hard for it, happiness and love are out there for anyone. It’s just a matter of making our way through whatever life hands us.

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

This is a really hard question! No one wants a bad review, but if that’s the honest opinion someone comes away from the book with then they should share that. So, I suppose I’d rather have a bad review than no review. At least from a bad review, especially if it’s constructive, I can grow as a writer.

What is your favorite quote?

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” It’s from Dr. Seuss and it has shaped my life the last fifteen years and I think my writing as well. I believe that when someone loves us, they help us become a better us, not change who we are.

Have you written any other books that are not published?

I just got a contract for a matchmaking novella called Exactly Like You to be published by After Glows Publishing in their Kismet line. I’ve also written a series of three novellas set in 1958 Las Vegas about a sister and her two brothers. I’m hoping to find a home for those next year. Finally, I have completed the next Infamous novel titled Illegitimate. It’s in revision right now and I hope to have it off to my editor this month.

What do your friends and family think of your writing?

They have been incredibly supportive. My mom thinks my writing is a little risqué and advised my dad that he would probably do better to not read Infamous. When I told them both I wasn’t embarrassed by anything I’d written, my father shared this with me. “You write from your heart. I’m proud of you for writing what’s in your heart.”

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Family are the people who love you and family is everything.

Nice message! Thank you, Lori…I enjoyed getting to know you! Now, Lori has a question for you…

I’m going to ask the dreaded question of book-lovers everywhere—what’s your favorite book?

 

Blurb:

Justine Montgomery, daughter of a divorced beauty queen and TV magnate, is a tabloid disaster after her infamous sex tape. She’s so desperate to help save her family’s home she turns to her deal-making dad. Can she prove to him she’s cut out for a career in television or will she lose it all?

Sawyer has his own past and a successful career is his only goal. Seeing Justine fail would mean the promotion of a lifetime, but things get complicated when he develops feelings for her. Suddenly, the lines between work, life, sex, and love are blurry.

They will have to overcome the bitterness of a rejected ex, the controlling actions of her father, and the half-truths they’re telling one another to forge a lasting partnership both on the job and off the clock.

Excerpt:

She tangled her fingers through the hair that covered her face and pushed it away. Next thing he knew, she’d wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Justine? Um… what are you doing?”

“I’m hugging you. Taking emotional comfort.”

“Like a leech.”

“Haven’t you ever hugged before?”

“I’ve never hugged anyone I wasn’t going to have sex with.”

“We’re not having sex.” She squeezed him tighter and rested her head on his shoulder. “Hug me back.”

Sawyer lifted his arms and wrapped them around her, his hands cupping her shoulders, pulling her closer. He dropped his head to rest on hers, and parts of him, so deep he couldn’t name them, pulled free and demanded his attention. Her hair smelled like fruit, the kind kids eat in the summer, juice dripping down their chins. “I’m fine with the hugging, but, just saying, I’m not responsible for any physical reaction hugging may induce.”

“Okay.” The word drifted out of her on a sigh.

He wasn’t equipped for this. There hadn’t been a lot of touching growing up, at least not the kind that didn’t end in a busted lip or a cracked rib. As an adult, there’d been lots of touching. But, not like this. The tighter he held her, the closer he wanted to be.

Buy link(s):

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Infamous-Lori-Sizemore-ebook/dp/B01MDMLPGC/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/infamous-lori-sizemore/1124933782?ean=2940156932610

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/infamous/id1164135877?mt=11

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lori_Sizemore_Infamous?id=nvKoDQAAQBAJ

BooksAMillion: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Infamous/Lori-Sizemore/Q22117554?id=6903021944409

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/infamous-18

BookStrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/infamous-1

Bio:

Lori Sizemore grew up in the mountains of West Virginia and never quite managed to escape them. Lori lives at home with her husband of twenty-plus years and two of her three daughters. She also lives with two dogs, a cat, and five hermit crabs. Yes, five of them. This menagerie and her family keep her busy.

She worked in mental health as a social worker for ten years before making the choice to write full-time.

Contact links

FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/lorisizemoreauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lorisizemore

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/lorisizemore

Blog: http://lorisizemore.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/loriwrites

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lori_sizemore/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loriwrites/

 

 

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April 9, 2017 · 9:53 am

Working with a Voice Artist by Jessie Clever ~ Historical Romance: To Save a Viscount

I am especially pleased to introduce today’s guest. I have had the pleasure of working with Jessie Clever, proofreading and editing some of her work. Her books are fantastic! Historical is not my preferred genre, but her stories definitely kept me engaged. Her characters and premises are unique and compelling. She has a knack for bringing you into the story, the setting, and makes you want to keep turning pages.

Today, she is sharing an interesting article about working with a voice artist on an audio book. I had the experience myself, and it was quite an adventure. Please help me welcome Jessie with her take on the process….

The Voice in My Head: Working with a Voice Artist to Bring Your Story to Life 

As an author, I jumped on the audio bandwagon with unstoppable glee.  I could not wait to turn my Regency romances into audiobooks in order to reach the voracious audio listeners I knew I was missing.  My main goal in writing has always been to share my stories with those who crave them, and romance readers are an exceptional bunch.  We are always looking for more, and audio has allowed me to reach even more wonderful readers.

So when I first approached this business of audio recording, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  I used an online service called ACX that allowed me to audition voice artists for my manuscript.  Now, I’m sure like many of you, when I read something, a certain voice appears in my head.  Depending on the book.  Depending on the genre.  Or depending on my mood at the time.  The story has already taken on a voice before someone reads it aloud.  So the auditions became something for which I was not prepared.

None of the auditions sounded like what the story sounded like in my head.  They got it all wrong!  That was not how Jane sounded.  She was not a cranky old lady.  She was very much a debonair, refined lady of the ton much like Maggie Smith’s performance on Downton Abbey.  Nora was not whiny and weak.  She was demure and controlled.  Her very voice spoke to her struggles as a character.  My unstoppable glee was quite quickly, well, stopped.  I didn’t like the “sound” of this business at all.

And then I received one more audio file from a voice artist outside of London.  (That is the magic of the Internet, isn’t it?  We creatives get to collaborate with folks from around the world while sipping coffee in our bathrobes.)  I reluctantly clicked the play button on this audition, steeling myself to hold back the disappointment that I knew would be coming in waves.  But then—What was that?  That clear, concise voice.  Those softly rounded consonants.  That contrasting crisp voice of authority and surety that said nothing more than dignified.  That.  That right there was the voice!  That was Nora.  That was Jane.  That was even rascally Alec, the Earl of Stryden.  Yes!  Finally, I heard it.  The thing I didn’t even know I was looking for.

The very voice in my head.

The one that had tripped along silently as the Black family spun their tales of espionage, war, and romance.

How could it be?  How had this amazing, talented person “heard” what I heard?  How could she have interpreted these characters so precisely as I had?  It didn’t seem possible.  But as I finally came to understand, this is the mark of a truly talented voice artist.

I immediately accepted the audition of this brilliant artist, and so began a journey I will treasure as a very special part of my writing endeavor.  Rachael Beresford took on the Black family and their many misadventures, their trials and tribulations, their passions and joys.  She took these characters that until then had only existed in my head and pulled them out, fluffed them up, and made them like real, tangible things.  Now when I heard my stories performed back to me, it is as though I could reach out and give Jane a hug.  (And oh, what a wonderful thing that would be!)

Once Rachael completes the narration, I receive the files for review.  That is one of my favorite times as an author.  I covet that time.  I treasure it.  I curl up in said bathrobe, steaming cup of coffee in hand, and click play.  And Rachael reads me a story.  A story completely unlike the one I wrote.  That, too, is the magic of a talented voice artist.  The story becomes something else.  Something more.  It is no longer the black and white text you’ve carefully created on the page.  It’s suddenly alive and three-dimensional.  The characters shape the sounds that until then had only been black lines on a page.  And that’s just it.  They’re sounds.  The characters are suddenly human.

While I relish reaching the end, I’m saddened to no longer have the anticipation of discovering the story again through Rachael’s performance.  I usually listen to her narration all in one sitting, because I cannot bear to interrupt it.  Once approved by me, the files are whisked off into the ether of the web, and Audible and iTunes suddenly have a packaged audiobook ready for hungry readers.  It looks so mundane, that thumbnail of the final product.  But beneath that quiet exterior, magic awaits.  And more, as a reader, you know it’s there.  Waiting.

That is the power of a talented voice artist.  That is the magic that only a true narrator can weave.   As an author, I would advise other authors not to settle on the first audition if it doesn’t seem quite right.  Somewhere out there is the right narrator for your story.  You need only wait and listen.

To celebrate the release of the final book in the Spy Series on audio, I am giving a copy of the audiobook of the first book in the series, Son of a Duke, to a random commentor on this blog post.  Just answer this question: audiobooks – do you love them or hate them?  And if you love them, what is an audiobook that you fell in love with instantly and forever just from the sound of the artist’s voice?

 

Blurb:

When an assassin threatens England’s spy network, Lady Margaret Folton must find the killer before it’s too late. Hardened from being forced to witness the murder of her British spy parents by French revolutionists, Margaret approaches this mission like any other, with steely determination and a resolute focus on the necessary outcome at the cost of all else.

Commodore John Lynwood, newly returned from the Mediterranean, finds himself granted the title of viscount in honor of his service during the war. Plagued with a string of good luck throughout his life, the title serves as another reminder that Jack has done nothing to earn the glory and prestige that comes with his position, and he’ll be damned if he’ll enjoy such an honor.

But when Jack is accidentally granted a title meant to be used as bait to lure the assassin into the War Office’s trap, Margaret must face the tragedy of her past and decide which is more important: the assignment or love?

The books in the Spy Series:
1/2. Inevitably a Duchess (A prequel novella)
1. Son of a Duke
2. For Love of the Earl
3. A Countess Most Daring
4. To Save a Viscount

Excerpt:

London

August 1815

He had grown so accustomed to the sound of gunfire that he did not hear the shot that was meant to kill him.

This would have worried Richard Black, the Duke of Lofton, if he had had time to think on it.  But as the situation inherently required immediate action, prolonged and abstract thinking on the subject was neither prudent nor wise.  So he refrained.  Instead, he wondered whom it was that smashed into him at incredible speed, sending him tumbling backwards off the walk along the Thames and into the bitter, black water below.

He had been meeting his contact there along the water at an unholy hour, and darkness had lain all about him.  The exchange had gone as planned, and he now held the knowledge that he knew would prove key to his current assignment with the War Office.  But as the inky water of the Thames closed over his head, he wondered if he would ever get that information to the necessary people.

And then as the last of the light disappeared, he thought of Jane, his wife.  His Jane.  He did not think of her in specific instances or certain memories that lay in his mind.  He thought of her in pieces.  Her smell.  Her laugh.  The sound her hair made as she brushed it at night.  The way she always laid her hand on top of his whenever they should find themselves sitting next to one another.  Her amazing talents with chestnut roasters.

He would have laughed if such an action would not speed up the inevitable drowning that suddenly became all too real, flushing thoughts of Jane from his mind.  His arms began to push against the water as his feet began to pulse, driving him toward the surface.  Only he did not move.  Whoever it was that had slammed into him still held him about the waist, dragging him deeper into the water.  He began to struggle, the need for air and life and Jane surging through his veins in a way he had never felt before.

And then a hand brushed against his cheek, and slender fingers came to rest across his mouth.  He wanted to open his eyes, but he knew it would do no good in the black water.  But he let the feeling of his attacker’s hand brush against his skin, the shape of it press into his face, the narrowness of limb and the delicate arch of bone.

It was a woman who held him beneath the water.

And he stopped struggling.

 

Goodreads Link:

http://bit.ly/1mUg1km 

Purchase links:

Now available on audio!

Also available at these etailers –

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1tddN6P

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/YXK6dd

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1zHa0gJ

Nook: http://bit.ly/1otXb34

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1pjfhe7

Google Play: http://bit.ly/10FAmFc

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1qCRsu2

About the Author:

Jessie decided to be a writer because the job of Indiana Jones was already filled.

Taking her history degree dangerously, Jessie tells the stories of courageous heroines, the men who dared to love them, and the world that tried to defeat them.

Jessie makes her home in the great state of New Hampshire where she lives with her husband and two very opinionated Basset Hounds.  For more, visit her website at jessieclever.com.

Connect with Jessie…

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1foelMH

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1IM6UPJ

Instagram: http://bit.ly/1HYaQdM

Pinterest: http://bit.ly/KZQ4TQ

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1fge8x9

Amazon Author Page http://amzn.to/2kKoZcH

Get a free book when you sign up for Jessie’s Newssheet http://eepurl.com/cpHMa1

 

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April 8, 2017 · 8:28 am

The American Civil War – The Way the Brits Saw It by Linda Nightingale ~ New Release: Her General in Gray

Please help me welcome fellow AHA author, Linda Nightingale, with an intersting article & a new release!

 

The American Civil War – The Way the Brits Saw It

Brit’s Eye View:  The Northern States denied the right of secession, claiming that the union was a “federal” one, in which case the attempt at separation is rebellion. The Southern States claimed that the Union was a “confederation” from which any member is entitled to separate itself. The British Government under Henry John Temple (3rd Viscount Palmerston) declined to judge between them.

Yet, popular sentiment was passionately divided. The violent feelings against slavery won many to the Union cause, but the political advocacy of the right of self-government won sympathy for the Confederacy from many another. Since the South fought against heavy odds, the sporting British people were drawn to the Confederacy.

Palmerston’s government was determined to maintain a strict neutrality. This, to most intents and purposes, it succeeded in doing though their cotton industry suffered direly. The blockades of the Southern ports cut off supplies of raw cotton upon which the Lancashire cotton industry was dependent. The cotton famine deprived many Lancashire operatives of their means of livelihood.

The Trent Affair increased sympathy with the South in England and very nearly involved Great Britain in the war. The Southerners dispatched two commissioners, one to England and one to France. The commissioners reached a neutral port and embarked on a British vessel, the Trent. A Union warship boarded The Trent and the commissioners were carried off. A declaration of war was only averted when President Lincoln gave way to the demands of the British Government and released the commissioners.

Yet, the Union had cause for complaint. Ships were built and fitted out in British docks and sailed from British ports with apparently harmless intent, to be employed as cruisers by the Confederates, having been cleverly concealed. The most notorious instance was the Alabama. The British Government flatly repudiated the charge that it did not display due diligence in preventing such action. When the war ended with the Union the victor, claims were brought for damages done by the cruisers.

If Britain had entered the war on the side of the South, how might history have been different!

Her General in Gray was inspired by the Ghost & Mrs. Muir, not by the Civil War.  Here is the blurb and a short excerpt.  See what you think of this Confederate General.

BLURB:

Autumn Hartley purchases Allen Hall at a steal, but the northern lass gets far more than a beautiful plantation in the South Carolina Low Country. The house comes complete with its own ghost, a handsome and charming Civil War General—for the Confederacy. The stage is set for another civil conflict.

John Sibley Allen died in battle from a wound in the back, the bullet fired by the turncoat, Beauregard Dudley. The traitor’s reincarnation is Autumn the Interloper’s first dinner guest. Sib bedevils her date and annoys her with fleeting, phantom touches, certain he can frighten her away as he did previous purchasers. As time marches on, her resident ghost becomes more appealing while her suitor, Beau, pales in comparison. Autumn finds her ability to love didn’t perish in the divorce that sent her south seeking a fresh start.

After over a century in the hereafter, Sib discovers he is falling for none other than the feisty Yankee girl, but what future could a modern woman and an old-fashioned ghost possibly hope for?

EXCERPT:

“Did you have slaves, General Allen?”

“I did, Miss Hartley. They were an extended part of my family. None left the plantation when the war began. Unfortunately, I was killed in battle, as were my other two brothers, and they were forced to accept freedom. My estranged brother inherited and basically sent them packing with no more than the clothes on their backs. Perhaps Hell is his new habitat.”

“Why are you still here?” She glanced around the room.  “I mean why didn’t you go wherever dead people go?”

He laughed.  “To torment you, I suppose.”

“You’re doing that grandly.” She flung a shooing gesture.  “Leave.  I’ve no need of a ghostly…whatever.”

“I’m not a whatever, Miss Hartley. This is my house, and you’re the intruder—along with the coward who murdered me.” He removed his coat, hanging it on the back of a chair. “With all due respect, I take offense to your tone and the fact that you served Beauregard on my mother’s fine china.  She loved those pieces.”

“I’m the intruder? You’re dead. You have no claim on this place.” She braced her hands on her hips, glaring at the arrogant spirit.

Buy Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Her-General-Gray-Linda-Nightingale-ebook/dp/B06W9HFMBM/

http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/

 

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