Tag Archives: Amazon

October 25, 2016 · 11:24 am

Tuesday Two-Minute Writing Tip – Making the Most of Twitter

Got two minutes? Then check out this week’s quick tip ~ A list of handy Twitter tips

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…

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.

Tips to get noticed, get retweets, gain followers, or to simply make your Twitter life easier:

Although Twitter allows 140 characters, it’s best to not use them all. Shorter tweets are more effective.
As everyone knows by now, tweets with images get more notice
Ask people to retweet you. The most effective way is to simply add: Please Retweet
Use no more than TWO hashtags. More looks spammy
Size matters… Images that are smaller than 440 x 222 will not show up in your timeline, only a link to the image does. The max image size is 3MB
If you do not want people to tag you without your permission, you can go to your Twitter Privacy settings and specify the tagging you wish to allow. You can remove tags by going to the … ‘more’ beneath a tweet and select ‘remove tag from photo’
Use #tweetchat to set up chats by using an exclusive hashtag. I haven’t tried this yet, but I’m going to. Worth a shot, right? http://tweetchat.com/
This is more than just a Twitter tip. I’m not sure I understand exactly, but from what I’ve read, it’s worth checking into. It is a service that you can use to trigger actions throughout various web/social media services. It’s more than just linking Facebook and Twitter. There seems to be a number of amazing things you can do with it. IFTTT http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2424077,00.asp
Did you know Twitter backs up everything you tweet? In settings there is a “Request your archive” option. You will receive an email containing a link to download a ZIP file of your tweets.
Track the clicks you get on links you share. Many sites provide this service, for example, Clicktotweet provides full analytics on clicks from your followers. You can also click the Gear icon on Twitter.com and select “Twitter Ads” for a quick look at how many people clicked the links in your recent tweets.
To share an image of a tweet on other social media outlets, or blogs, etc, use the ‘embed’ feature. Click on … more and choose ‘embed’ to get the code.
Direct link to FB post or Tweet – Click the ‘more’ and an option to ‘copy link to tweet’ will come up.
Retweet for others frequently. The more you do, the more others are likely to RT you.
If you wish to add an image to a composed tweet so that, when others share the tweet (copy and paste the content, not share a link), an image will appear, you’ll want to use Hoosuite. (A tip…I always try to keep all my links somewhere to refer to. Once you have an image link, you can use it over and over again.) Send out a tweet containing the image. Go to Hootsuite and find the tweet in your feed. Below the tweet, find the ‘retweet’ option and click on the drop down arrow. An option will come up to ‘edit.’ Choose that option and your tweet will appear in a box at the top of the page. The very last link in that box should be your image link. Copy that and insert it into a tweet and the image should show up.
Find and gain more followers by using http://twiends.com/home
Tweet the same content multiple times. The lifespan of a tweet is about 18 minutes. To increase the likelihood of a tweet being seen, tweet out the same tweet multiple times in one day. I wouldn’t do this to several tweets, but if there is something in particular you want to be seen, focus on tweeting it several times. This is when Buffer and Hootsuite will come in handy. You’ll need to make some minor tweaks so you won’t get a message that you’ve already sent that tweet.
Add questions in your retweets and/or tweets to increase engagement and visibility. You can also create polls for more interaction.
I’ll end with a list of the most retweetable words:

You

Twitter

Please

ReTweet

Post

Blog

Social

Free

Media

Help

Please retweet

Great

Social Media

Follow

How to

Top

Blog post

Check out

New blog post

(words to avoid, for some reason, ‘Game’, ‘going’, ‘haha’ and ‘lol’)

Until next time…Happy Tweeting!

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ONLY 99 cents!!

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

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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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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

8 Comments

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

Tagged as Amazon, Caster's Unfriendly Ghost, Dexter, Editing advice, Fiction Writing, Find the Magic, Free, Freelance editor, How to Plot, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, Quickand easy writing tip, Twitter tips, Two minute Tip, Writing fiction, Writing tips

October 21, 2016 · 10:52 am

Ramblings of a Lifelong Elvis Fan – Part 86 – The Guest House at Graceland

[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!]

Oh my gosh, have you SEEN this? On October 27, 2016, the brand new hotel, The Guest House at Graceland, will open. It looks magnificent!!! I must stay there before I die. The rooms are a little pricey, but totally worth it. Look at this gorgeous lobby:

The hotel has 450 guest rooms, some of them with really cool themes.

Such as…

The King’s Suites, one of which is inspired by Elvis’ bedroom at Graceland, the other by Las Vegas decor with both vintage and contemporary accouterments.

Vernon & Gladys Suites – Decorate with mid-century flair and inspired by Elvis’ Palm Springs home.

There are also the TCB & Living Room Suites. Is anyone else surprised there is no Jungle Room suite? I would imagine that even the ‘regular’ rooms are fabulous. I would love to stay in a special-theme room, but I’d be content with the least expensive one.

I am utterly in awe and would LOVE to visit there some day. Not only is it spectacular, but just being at Graceland is a feeling that is indescribable. It’s somehow both thrilling and heart wrenching, and as I’ve mentioned before, there is an almost tangible presence there. As if Elvis’ essence was so strong, it remains. I can imagine how much more amazing the entire experience would be if I stayed at this new hotel. Surrounded by so many Elvis related items and people would be heavenly.

Here is a pic of me with my three kids and my niece when we visited Graceland a few years back. We stayed at The Heartbreak Hotel, and I’m so glad we did since it has now been torn down.

Maybe I’ll make it to The Guest House at Graceland some day… When I DO go, believe me, I’ll be sharing all about my experience right here. 🙂

You can find out more at the site: http://guesthousegraceland.com/

Have a wonderful weekend!

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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’ birthday this year, 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.

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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Filed under Elvis Presley, Entertainment

Tagged as 99 Cents, Alicia Dean, Amazon, Ann-Margaret, Beale Street, Elvis fan, Elvis Presley, Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation, Elvis Week, End of Lonely Street, EPCF, Graceland, Kindle, Memphis, Rock and Roll, Sirius XM Elvis Radio, The Guest House at Graceland, Vintage Historical Romance, Wild Rose Press

October 18, 2016 · 10:40 am

Tuesday Two-Minute Writing Tip – The Backstory Conundrum

Got two minutes? Then check out this week’s quick tip ~ How and when to share backstory

The age old question…how much backstory is too much? The answer… in your opening pages, pretty much ANY backstory is too much. Readers want to be dropped into the middle of the action. They don’t want to know about what a rough week your protagonist has had (we’ll call him Jonathan). How when Jonathan was a child, he dreamed of being a fireman or an astronaut. But boy did things take a wrong turn. Stuck in a crappy job as an insurance adjuster. He hadn’t wanted to take the position, but his father had recommended him and he had little choice. After all, his father had pretty much controlled him his entire life. A dead-end job and a crappy relationship. Although, he didn’t have to worry about that anymore. His girlfriend had dumped him. They’d been together since college, since the time they met at that party. It had been an immediate attraction. They’d begun dating and hadn’t been apart since. Until two days ago when she told him it was over. That she was seeing someone else. Oh well, they’d drifted apart. It was inevitable. Better that it happened now, instead of when they were married with kids. But, would he ever find the right person? Was there truly one soul mate out there for everyone? If so, he might never meet the person he was meant to be with. Heck, he might not survive the night. Jonathan took a deep, trembling breath and stared at the man aiming a gun at his chest.

What????? He has a gun aimed at his chest and we had to read all that prattle about his job and relationship and past? Nooo….let’s open with the guy holding the gun on him. If any of that other stuff is important, you can trickle it in later. When the situation calls for it.

Many authors, especially beginners, want readers to know everything about their characters up front. It’s not necessary. In fact, it’s boring. You want to engage readers in the here and now. If you want to briefly establish your character in their normal world before the inciting incident, that’s fine. But ‘briefly’ is the key word. And, establishing the character in their normal world is different than explaining about their childhood, letting us know how they met every character in the scene, how they got their job, how they ended up moving to their current location, what happened in the days preceding, etc.

A few examples of my openings (not that they are the BEST examples, but they are the only examples I can use without getting into trouble:)And, unfortunately, neither of them have riveting opening lines, but that’s something I can’t always pull off. Sigh…)

From Devil’s Promenade:

I peered through the snow-dusted windshield at the large house looming in the evening dusk, and an unwarranted shiver of foreboding washed over my flesh.

From behind the wheel, my driver, Rita, made a sound that was somewhere between a squeak of trepidation and a sigh of admiration. “It’s huge. And gorgeous, but kind of creepy, don’t you think?” Her eyes were big and round behind the lenses of her black cat-eye frames.

“It is indeed.” The sprawling structure was a combination of Southern plantation and Greek revival architecture; painted white and trimmed in a darker colored molding—perhaps forest green. The exact color was difficult to make out in the descending dusk. Narrow, darkened floor-to-ceiling windows peeked from between a portico of six Doric columns. Hanging by chains above the porch, a wooden board flapped in the icy wind. Spook Light Bed and Breakfast. The sign should have been welcoming, yet apprehension clawed at my heart.

Might as well get over that silliness. This would be my home for the next two weeks while I learned all I could about the Hornet Spook Light. The phenomenon, also known as the Tri-State Spook Light, Joplin Spook Light, Devil’s Jack-O-Lantern, and a few other nicknames, had supposedly been spotted multiple times over the last few centuries in this area, at the border of Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas. I was here to do research for my book—The Myth of Otherworldly Occurrences. I chuckled and rolled my eyes. The only thing otherworldly about this place was its location thousands of miles from my warm, sunny home in Florida.

I gave a brief reason for her being there, but I didn’t say that her fiancé had jilted her for her sister, that she’s always wanted to be a writer, that she actually wanted to write novels, but had ended up writing non-fiction. That the flight to Oklahoma was smooth, except for the annoying man who sat next to her and talked loudly on his phone the entire time and smelled of garlic, that she didn’t have many friends, that she’d written several books already about various supposed supernatural phenomenons, that she was in the business of debunking them, what kind of childhood she had, etc, etc. Some, but not all, of those facts are sprinkled in later. Readers don’t want to know them just yet.

From Without Mercy:

China Beckett darted a glance across the bank lobby toward the front door. What were the odds she could escape undetected?

Not good, she decided. Even if she managed to slip out without being seen, her absence would be noticed. And Sophie would have an aneurysm.

Did she want to be a lousy employee or a lousy mother?

The choice was simple. She rose from her desk and headed past the teller line toward Sophie’s office.

“Everything okay?” China’s best friend, Vanessa Hanson, said from behind her desk.

This establishes China in her normal world, and in just a few pages, it explodes, almost literally. I didn’t go into detail about how she came to be a single mother, how she got the job at the bank, how long she’s been there, what she liked and didn’t like about it, how she’d met Vanessa, what had happened in the days leading up to now, etc. Again, I sprinkle that in as needed, much of it in dialogue. Which brings me to another point, you don’t have to provide details about characters’ history and/or traits in narrative. You can do that in dialogue, which readers often find more engaging. You don’t want to do it in an obvious way, unnatural way, such as, “China, you know your daughter Emma, whose father died while you were pregnant with her? Her asthma is really bad, isn’t it?” 🙂 Reveal it in a more natural and logical way.

But, getting back to backstory. It’s difficult to strike the perfect balance, and I certainly don’t succeed all the time, or even most of the time. The trick is to be aware and try to only share the details that matter at that moment. Save the rest for later, if it’s needed at all.

Try this…go through your story and highlight any section that is not in real time. If your story is riddled with highlights, and if the highlights are in the early pages, you might want to trim and/or move those paragraphs around.

Until next time…Happy Writing!

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ONLY 99 cents!!

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

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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.

*** 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

9 Comments

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

Tagged as Amazon, Backstory, Backstory dump, Caster's Unfriendly Ghost, Dexter, Editing advice, Fiction Writing, Find the Magic, Free, Freelance editor, How to Plot, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, Quickand easy writing tip, Two minute Tip, Writing fiction, Writing tips

October 16, 2016 · 9:15 am

A Plethora of 99 Cent Ebooks!!!

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!

(Authors: If you would like to add a book for future monthly blogs, join this Yahoo notification loop: A 99 Cent Blog Loop for information and updates)

The ghost living in his house might have saved him from an unhappy marriage and brought him the girl of his dreams but when his ex-fiancee returns. The same spirit turns his life upside down.

Find Anita here: http://www.anitaphilmar.com

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A jilted bounty hunter lands in the year 1870 three weeks before an interview vital to her law enforcement career. A Kansas marshal wages a daily battle with guilt, but now has to deal with a strange woman who dropped out of nowhere and can’t seem to stay out of trouble.

Find Callie here: www.calliehutton.com

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Naughty Haunts features Eleven Spooky Love Stories including BBW, BDSM, Contemporary, M/M, Menage, New Adult, Paranormal, Shapeshifter, Speculative Fiction, Stepbrother, and Witch Romance from bestselling authors writing as The Naughty Literati!

Check out The Naughty Literati Bookshelf for more 99¢ anthologies! http://naughtyliterati.com/naughtybookshelf/

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This Christmas, Noelle has a decision to make. Leave David or stay? Or teach him how it feels to be betrayed?

You can find Joan here: https://www.amazon.com/author/joanreeves

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She’s a corporate executive with a secret–she’s psychic and speaks with dead people. Her boss–a wealthy hotelier–lost his wife in a tragic accident years ago. Now she’s the psychic at an Autumn Masquerade and hoping to make it through the night without him finding out, but the ghost of his wife has other plans…

Find Gemma here: http://www.gemmajuliana.com

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A Regency romance with a touch of the paranormal: “Enchantment and romance abound in Schwab’s captivating tale of a spell gone wrong, a love potion gone right, deceit, revenge, black magic and redemption.” ~ Kathe Robin, Romantic Times, 4 stars

Find Sandra Schwab here: http://www.sandraschwab.com/

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Winner AWC Writing Awards~Judges Comments: At first these stories reel you into what appears to be formula romance. Then they turn the genre on its head, throwing a perfectly aimed, delightful curveball at the surprising and satisfying endings. WOW!
Find Casi here: http://amzn.to/2d4Pebb

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In this short historical romance, Jacqueline’s fire has long been extinguished in an unhappy marriage. A young king reignites her passion, but can their romance flourish?
The Romance Reigns series explores the fictional lives and romances of the ladies that stole the heart of a king.

Find Sandra Kyle here: http://www.sandrakyle.com/

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A 1950’s romance short story. Caregiver for an alcoholic mother, Toby Lawson is only happy when she listens to Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life. But then she reconnects with her first and only love, Noah Rivers. Can she forgive him for the past and grab onto a future?
Follow Alicia on Amazon and get updates for all new releases: https://www.amazon.com/Alicia-Dean/e/B004HQW4X4/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

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Playboy Reese Caster only fell hard for one woman in his life–Emily–and he narrowly escaped the trappings of marriage. Now, Emily’s husband’s ghost is trying to force Caster to woo her to keep her from hooking up with a loser. The pesky ghost won’t take no for an answer. But Caster reluctantly finds that wooing Emily isn’t so torturous after all.

Follow Alicia on Amazon and get updates for all new releases: https://www.amazon.com/Alicia-Dean/e/B004HQW4X4/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

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Will a justice-seeking wanderer find solace on a ranch with a stubborn widow determined to protect what is hers? Kell is looking for a place to hole up for winter when he meets a woman needing help with mysterious lights on her ranch. Little does he know what he’s signing up for.

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

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Riding hard and loving harder… Cowboys, Bulls, and Buckles…Where eight seconds means the difference between winning and love… Six brand new stories by some of the hottest Contemporary Western Romance Authors…

www.stephanieberget.com

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Keep your friends close and your enemies closer—that’s why Dean hires his business rival’s broke ex-girlfriend. He didn’t count on his heart being in more danger than his business. Will the trust they build be enough to keep them together—or will an unexpected betrayal tear them apart…and possibly cost them their lives?

Find Stacey Joy Netzel at www.StaceyJoyNetzel.com

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Nothing is as it seems, when an old flame rescues you from an accident. It’s time to reconsider all you’ve ever known. All you’ve ever desired.

Find Carol DeVaney here: https://www.amazon.com/Carol-DeVaney/e/B005PRX20I/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

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Piper Dunn isn’t what you’d call a normal teenager. But then most mutants aren’t.

Find Sandra here: http://sandracox.blogspot.com/

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Tullamore Castle Ireland is an enchanted place where the adventurous can expect the unexpected. Seven steamy paranormal romance stories with a magical Celtic twist. Find love with a vampire, amorous ghosts, Djinn, a griffin and more.

Find Dena Garson at http://www.denagarson.com/

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Separated high-school sweethearts meet 12 years later & sparks still fly. But will their dreams be shattered forever when the truth behind the breakup is revealed? A #secondchance romance. The first of seven couples, seven stories.

Find Diana Stout at http://sharpenedpencilsproductions.com/

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Coy decided to put an end to his gun-slinging days long ago. He doesn’t plan on staying at the ranch, and he certainly doesn’t intend to settle down … no matter how pretty the widow is.

Find out more about Keta’s books here: http://ketaskeep.blogspot.com

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Tour guide Sophia overhears the secret surrounding Lord Heaton’s parentage. But is it her attraction to him or the fear of opening a Pandora’s box that makes her keep quiet about it? How long can she stay at Heaton Abbey knowing what she does?

Find Lorna here: https://lornapeel.com

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When her brother takes a trip into the north and disappears without a trace, Beth is left on her own at Farmer Holdings. Major Dante Regiment must find a way to protect her, as the Emperor is not the only one causing chaos in Khandarken

Find Sylvie Grayson here: www.sylviegrayson.com

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Extra! Extra! Read all about it … The Earl of Fennigton’s secret identity as the editor of The Tattler means he can report the gossip he hears at ton events. But what happens when he decides to blackmail a young lady in an effort to spend more time with her? The Tattler knows!

Find Linda Rae Sande here: http://LindaRaeSande.com

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From USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Queen: 3 Full Novels

Escape to the intriguing charm-filled world of Queen’s Beacon Hill where Boston and London’s law enforcement mix to spark action and fun.

Find out about Stephanie Queen and sign up for her Newsletter here: http://stephaniequeen.com/

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Fans of football and other sports-related romances will love this scorching romantic thriller by Ann Jacobs!

Find And Jacobs here http://www.annjacobs.net

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Happy Reading!!!!

8 Comments

Filed under Ebook Deal, Uncategorized

Tagged as 99 Cent Books, 99 cent ebooks galore, 99 cent sale, A Plethora of 99 Cent Ebooks, Amazon, ebook bargains, Erotic romance, Historical Romance, Kindle, ONLY 99 cents, paranormal, Romance, romantic suspense, science fiction romance, suspense

October 11, 2016 · 10:09 am

Tuesday Two-Minute Writing Tip – White Space is Your Friend

Got two minutes? Then check out this week’s quick tip ~ A technique to keep readers engaged

Readers are impatient, as they should be. Everyone is so busy these days, they want to use their time wisely. Long narrative passages with long paragraphs and no dialogue can turn a reader off quickly.

This also goes along with ‘showing’ instead of ‘telling.’ Below, I’m using examples from my novella, Devil’s Promenade, showing two different versions of the same partial scene:

Example 1:

That morning at breakfast, I found a newspaper that contained an article about a woman who’d died near the Bed and Breakfast. She was an attractive woman but she gave off an unpleasant vibe in the photo that accompanied the article. As it turned out, the housekeeper at the inn, Jean, knew her. Her name was Eleanor Chaney. The article mentioned that the woman had drowned in nearby Spring River, and her body was found close to Devil’s Promenade. The name of the location confused me. I thought the area itself was called Devil’s Promenade, but as it turns out, that is also the name of a bridge that goes over Spring River. Jean seemed to think Eleanor’s death might not have been an accident. The dead woman grew up in the area and swam in the river often. Yet, she’d gone out, alone, at night. Then somehow drowned. Jean was right. It didn’t add up. I asked Jean if she thought it was suicide, or murder. But according to Jean, while Eleanor was unhappy, she wasn’t suicidal. But then, people never think those they care about could possibly commit suicide. Apparently, the police didn’t find anything suspicious, since they didn’t investigate it as a murder. Shockingly, Jean also informed me that the victim, Eleanor Chaney, was Declan Rush’s sister.

Example 2:

“Something catch your fancy?”

I started at Jean’s voice. My hand that held the coffee cup shook. “Sorry to be so jumpy. No, just engrossed in the news.” Should I ask her about the death? Maybe not just yet, not on my first morning. I didn’t want to seem like a nosy reporter, or that I was pumping her for information. She most likely knew the woman. This was a small town. Most people in the area probably knew one another.

Jean took the decision out of my hands when she eyed the paper. She wiped tears from her eyes with her fingertips. “Poor dear. God rest her soul.”

“Did you know her?”

“Yes of course. Eleanor Chaney. We were real close.”

I looked back down at the paper. A photo of the woman accompanied the article. She was attractive, but her expression showed an unpleasant emotion—anger, disapproval? Without it, she would have been much prettier. “She drowned in Spring River,” I said. “They said her body was found near Devil’s Promenade? I thought this area was called Devil’s Promenade.”

“It is. But it’s also the name of a bridge that goes over Spring River.”

The name made the death…the whole thing…even worse, somehow. “So tragic.”

“Yeah. They say it was an accident but …” She heaved a deep breath. “I don’t know. I wonder how that could be. She grew up swimmin’ in that river. And I don’t believe she’d go in the water alone, at night.”

A quiver ran through me. “Do you think it was suicide? Murder?”

Jean lowered onto a chair next to me and picked up the newspaper. She ran a finger lovingly over the picture, a sad smile on her wrinkled face. “Eleanor was not one of the happiest people I’ve ever known, but she thought too much of herself to commit suicide. I don’t buy that she’d take her own life.”

“So you think someone killed her?”

“I don’t know. The thought makes my skin crawl. This is a small town. Everyone knows each other. Eleanor wasn’t exactly well loved. And, her family history caused some hard feelings around here, but I don’t know anyone who hated her. Leastwise not enough to want her dead.”

Was Jean right? Had the woman been murdered? Surely if that were true, there would have been evidence pointing to foul play. “Well, either way, accident, murder, or suicide, it’s very sad.”

“Yes. And poor Mr. Rush. He’s beside himself.”

“Mr. Rush? He knew her too?” Was she his girlfriend? Not his wife, their last names were different. But then, not all women took their husband’s names…

“Knew her? Well, I’ll say. She was his sister.”

Which did you find yourself wanting to skip and which one kept you reading? When you’re editing/revising, skim your manuscript and if you see areas with little or no white space, take a closer look and see if you can revise to make them more engaging.

Until next time…Happy Writing!

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ONLY 99 cents!!

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

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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.

*** 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

16 Comments

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

October 4, 2016 · 10:01 am

Tuesday Two-Minute Writing Tip – Ten Writing Tips from Famous Authors

Got two minutes? Then check out this week’s quick tip ~ A collection of some of my favorite writing advice

Today I’m sharing tips from people who know a little something about writing. Not only are these valuable tips, but being reminded that even the most successful authors suffer from some of the same issues I do gives me the encouragement to forge on.

Imagine that you are dying. If you had a terminal disease would you finish this book? Why not? The thing that annoys this 10-weeks-to-live self is the thing that is wrong with the book. So change it. Stop arguing with yourself. Change it. See? Easy. And no one had to die.– Anne Enright

I love this one because it makes you stop and think about whether you want to waste time writing to a trend and/or forcing yourself to write something that doesn’t speak to you, doesn’t inspire you. I say, you do not.

Remember: when people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.– Neil Gaiman

This doesn’t count your editors…you should always listen to us. 😉

Write drunk, edit sober.– Ernest Hemingway

Although I think several writers take this literally, to me it means to write with abandon, lose your inhibitions, write freely and just get the story down.

Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very;’ your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.– Mark Twain

Yes, using ‘very’ is one of my pet peeves. It’s okay in dialogue, and perhaps used sparingly, but it’s ineffectual and weak. If you’re using it, you could probably substitute the following word for something stronger.

“The first draft of everything is shit.” – Ernest Hemingway

This doesn’t apply to all you perfectionists who have to get every scene just right before moving on. But, for those of us who need to just finish the damn book so we can begin revising, this is critical. If Ernest Hemingway wrote shit, then we’re not too good to write shit, correct?

“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” – Anton Chekhov

LOVE this. It’s an excellent way to remind yourself to ‘show’ instead of ‘tell.’

“Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.” Elmore Leonard

Thank you!!! The overuse of exclamation points in fiction drive me nuts. Readers will know they’re experiencing an intense moment by the emotion, dialogue, and action. Don’t hit them over the head with exclamation points.

“If you tell the reader that Bull Beezley is a brutal-faced, loose-lipped bully, with snake’s blood in his veins, the reader’s reaction may be, ‘Oh, yeah!’ But if you show the reader Bull Beezley raking the bloodied flanks of his weary, sweat-encrusted pony, and flogging the tottering, red-eyed animal with a quirt, or have him booting in the protruding ribs of a starved mongrel and, boy, the reader believes!” – Fred East

Another fabulous tip for showing vs telling. This one deals with character rather than setting, and showing vs telling is important enough to get two mentions. 🙂

“You don’t write about the horrors of war. No. You write about a kid’s burnt socks lying in the road.” ― Richard Price

To me this means a few things, make it personal. Make us care about something because of the characters involved. Also, show us little vivid details to really bring the scene to life.

10. “Good writing is often about letting go of fear and affectation.” Stephen King

YES. I often let fear stop me, but I need to remind myself not to. Also, the simplest, most direct and natural way you can convey a story is the right way. That’s your voice.

What are some of your favorite tips from famous authors?

Until next time…Happy Writing!

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ONLY 99 cents!!

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

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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.

*** 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

16 Comments

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

Tagged as Amazon, Caster's Unfriendly Ghost, Dexter, Editing advice, Fiction Writing, Find the Magic, Free, Freelance editor, How to Plot, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, Quickand easy writing tip, Two minute Tip, Without Mercy, Writing fiction, Writing tips, Writing tips from famous authors

September 20, 2016 · 2:01 pm

Tuesday Two-Minute Writing Tip – Does your Character Have a Mirror Moment?

Got two minutes? Then check out this week’s quick tip ~ Make sure you include a critical middle moment for your character…

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.

This is not actually ‘my’ tip, it came from James Scott Bell from his fantastic book, Super Structure: The Key to Unleashing the Power of Story If you want to check out another of his writing books, he goes into more detail in: Write Your Novel From The Middle: A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between

Super Structure is probably the best book on plotting I’ve ever read (including my own… :)). While the process is technically the same as in most of the other plotting books, the way the steps are laid out in this one clicked for me and made it easier to understand and follow. Even if you are a pantser and not a plotter, this book is fantastic. It teaches you how to basically go from signpost to signpost (14 in all), to create a tighter, more richly in-depth story that will keep readers engaged. He even speaks specifically to pantsers and plotters, explaining how both camps can apply his advice.

One of the most interesting things I discovered was what Bell calls the “Mirror Moment.” It is a moment, almost always halfway through a book or movie, where the character figuratively looks himself or herself in the mirror and states/questions/discovers what they need to do, how they need to change, in order to reach their goal, to survive. Some examples he gave were in Casablanca, halfway through the film, after Rick is mean and hurtful to Ilsa and she walks out, Rick is full of self-disgust and basically asks himself the question: “What have I become? What kind of man am I?” At that point, he knows he must change in order to preserve his humanity. Another example; about halfway through The Fugitive, Richard Kimball is holed up in an apartment, surrounded by police, with nowhere to run. He realizes that he’s going to die, and he wonders how he ever thought he could survive such odds. It was his mirror moment. Why did I think I could do this? I’m doomed… As it turns out, the police are there for someone else, Kimball escapes, and he now knows he has to make something happen in order to survive.

Bell suggests writers figure out the Mirror Moment for their main character before they write the book. If you do that, you will know what point the character must reach in order to change, and writing all the events up to and after this realization should come more easily.

I decided to take a look at a few of my books and see if my main characters had a mirror moment. In Devil’s Promenade, the below appeared about halfway through. My MC (main character) is intent on debunking a supernatural phenomenon, the Spook Light (which is a ‘real’ phenomenon in Northeast Oklahoma), for a non-fiction book she’s writing. However, certain events unfold that make her realize she might be mistaken:

Brief excerpt:

Packing a blanket, a sandwich, cookies, a Coleman lamp, and coffee, I took the golf cart out to the road and parked on the shoulder, next to a wire fence. Nervous anticipation filled me at the thought I might actually see the spook light tonight. And, I now believed it, completely. How could I write a book debunking something that I knew to be true? Jillian would be furious. On the other hand, maybe she would be satisfied with a book written from another perspective, a book about true paranormal sightings? Not likely. Jillian didn’t have a reputation for being flexible.

I did know that I could no longer write the book I had planned to write. If ghosts were real then I couldn’t deny this spook light could possibly be real. I would stay out here all night if I had to. I wasn’t sure how I would keep from freezing to death in the process, but I was going to give it a shot.

The blackness around me was broken only by the blinking of the cell tower lights ahead and the glow of moonlight. In spite of my coat and the blanket I’d wrapped around my shoulders, frigid air seeped through my skin all the way to my bones. From a distance came the low rumble of cars and a keening sound I was growing accustomed to. The possibility of coyotes no longer frightened me—at least not as much as it had in the beginning—but the haunted wail still sent a shiver through my body.

The second paragraph ‘shows’ that she’s changed, it shows her new realization, and that her goal has now changed as well. Although I wrote this before I read Bell’s book, I suppose that, instinctively, we sometimes realize that a Mirror Moment is an important factor for the mid-way point of a book. I got lucky and just happened to include one. 🙂 I checked a few of my other books and didn’t find that specific moment, but going forward, I plan to pin it down in the beginning and see if it makes a difference in how the story flows and whether or not it makes the book stronger.

Try this…take one of your books (or a few), and flip to the middle. See if your character has a Mirror Moment, then let me know in the comments what you find. Come on, it’ll be fun! 🙂

Until next time…Happy Writing!

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Get your two-minute tips all in one handy reference guide:

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

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

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.

*** 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

11 Comments

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

Tagged as A World of Gothic, Amazon, Author Tips For Using Goodreads, Devil's Promenade, Dexter, Editing advice, Fiction Writing, Find the Magic, Freelance editor, James Scott Bell, Marketing on Goodreads, Mirror Moment, Quickand easy writing tip, Super Structure, Tuesday Two-Minute Writing Tips, Two minute Tip, Writing fiction, Writing tips

September 19, 2016 · 1:18 pm

Welcome, Guest Author Tena Stetler today! Author of ‘A Witch’s Journey’

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A Witch’s Journey – Blurb:

Pepper McKay comes from a long line of powerful witches. Unfortunately, magic brings her nothing but trouble. She learned the love of wildlife rescue and rehab from her Aunt Ashling. After graduating from college, Pepper works for Salem Wildlife Sanctuary and lives from paycheck to paycheck until she inherits the McKay property in Lobster Cove. With the family land and resources, she dares to dream of starting her own wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center.

Lathen Quartz, a former Navy SEAL turned handyman maintains the enchanted McKay property for the McKay estate. But someone is trying to steal the McKay magic. Lathen offers to help Pepper achieve her life-long dream of building a wildlife center. During the long hours spent together on the project, their mutual attraction can’t be denied. But each harbors a deep, dark secret. Will they overcome their demons and give love a chance?

Psst – I’ll let you in on a little secret. The sequel to A Witch’s Journey will be out during the holidays 2016. A Witch’s Holiday Wedding. Don’t miss it!

Buy Links:

A Witch’s Journey – New Release

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B01F0LRJ7U

The Wild Rose Press: http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4349-a-witch-s-journey.html?search_query=A+Witch%27s+Journey&results=2

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/a-witch-s-journey-1

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-witchs-journey-tena-stetler/1123770497?ean=2940158155598

All Romance Books: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html

Excerpt:

Leaning over, Lathen’s arms enveloped Pepper calming her angry energy. “You okay?”

She nodded. A faint orange glow emanated from her palms slowly spreading to her fingers. A tiny spark snapped at the tip of her pinky. His large hands eased over hers to stop the progression of sparks. A vibration of feet pounding the ground had them both glancing up as a uniformed police officer sprinted toward them.

Lathen listened while Pepper gave her statement. He added what he saw and they were released. On the drive to the cabin, Pepper rested her head on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around her. Nostrils flared as he inhaled her citrus and wildflower scent mixed with the adrenaline that fueled her flight or fight response, now diminishing as she relaxed against him.

For the first time since that terrible day his SEAL team’s mission had gone horribly wrong, the sensation of phasing had thrummed through his body as he shoved his way through the crowd to get to Pepper. He actually had to restrain the response. Could I have phased? Was the overwhelming desire to protect Pepper so ingrained, his wolf’s physical ability to shift kicked in? He didn’t have the answers tonight, but… Restless in the seat, he flexed his torso and leg muscles. A coiled ready-to-spring sensation felt familiar. A slight smile crossed his lips.

Pepper tilted her head up to peer at him. “Uncomfortable?” She tried to slide over giving him more room, but his arm tightened around her pulling her closer.

“Never felt better in my life,” he said confidently. The predator awareness was back, and he reveled in it.

Her eyebrow arched in question as he felt her eyes linger on him and shot her a quick glance.

“So has trouble always followed you around?” he wanted to know.

“…Nooo, well, not exactly. At least not to this level. You’re aware of the final incident in Salem, but the ten years prior was calm, except for deadbeat boyfriends.”

“Which, I am guessing, is why you learned to defend yourself so well. Magic didn’t do it for you?”

“Magic is hard to use in the presence of mortals. Besides, it’s forbidden. You know that.”

Lathen raised an eyebrow. “Someone forgot to tell Mr. Green or Mr. Bonchard. And what about those flying feathers the night Tom showed up at your place?”

She shook her head. “I still have no idea what happened that night. Must have been the cabin or land, some kind of protection enchantment that triggered it. Glad no one else saw. Need to talk to Ashling. Seemed the feathers took on a life of their own.”

“Oh—Green saw, all right. He was babbling about all kinds of things as they took him away.”

She shrugged. “Strange, if he’s any type of magical creature, he’d know better than to say such things.” Pepper looked up at him, her forehead creased. “Things just don’t add up.”

The truck slowed to a stop in front of the cabin. “We’ll remember this Fourth of July for years to come,” Lathen commented with a frown.

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Ten Moments That Changed My Life.

Losing my job due to downsizing in 2014. I’d written stories most my life, but when this happened after being at the job over 14 years, I decided with my hubby’s support it was time to live out my dream of being a published author. After the initial shock of losing my job, I polished up A Demon’s Witch manuscript. After overcoming my fear of book submission. Yes, people, it’s a real phobia, a close friend and my hubby insisted that I submit a query letter and synopsis.
Request for a full manuscript and The Wild Rose Press contract that followed. My husband was out of town when the email arrived that TWRP wanted to contract A Demon’s Witch. I was so excited I called and could do nothing but squeal in his ear. Finally, I settled down enough to tell him I hadn’t lost my mind, but A Demon’s Witch had a contract.
Holding that debut novel in my hand was beyond my wildest dreams. I was a published author, now I wanted more. The rest, as they say, is history.
Promotion. What a learning curve! For a person who didn’t facebook, thought twitter was for the birds, this was foreign territory. I took a class on building web pages, signed up for Facebook and figured out how to tweet with the help of other authors. I built and maintain my own website at www.tenastetler.com, post three times a week to FB and Tweet daily. What a shock to the system. LOL
Additional contracts for Charm Me, A Witch’s Journey and my 2016 holiday release, A Witch’s Holiday Wedding made my first year with TWRP fantastic!! I’m working on the second book in the Demon’s Witch series, now.
The purchase of a fifth wheel trailer and RVing over the country as vacation time allowed. I love to hike, kayak, go whitewater rafting, and bicycling in the state and national parks of our great country. In fact, this past weekend, on a camping trip to Cheyenne Mountain State Park, I finished the first draft of the second book in the Demon’s Witch series. Yippee!
First real date with a wonderful man who became my husband. We went to see the original Star Wars movie.
It was a whirlwind courtship, he proposed and we were married four months later.
The death of my mother changed me in so many ways. I miss her every day. It changed the way I looked at life. Life is short, don’t put off enjoying it, because you’re not guaranteed tomorrow, no matter your age. It changed my tolerance for mean-spirited people. And made me realize the value of kindness and paying it forward.
It’s not changed my life yet, but I am so enjoying planning our wedding anniversary celebration to Disneyland (Star Wars Adventure) and Universal Studios (Harry Potter’s World). Our long time best friends will be joining us!

BIO:

Tena Stetler is a paranormal romance and cozy mystery author with an over-active imagination. She wrote her first vampire romance at the age of twelve, to the chagrin of her mother and the delight of her friends. Colorado is home; shared with her husband, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-year-old box turtle. Any winter evening, you can find her curled up in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a mug of hot chocolate and a big bowl of popcorn, unless a deadline looms.

Contact Information:

Website: http://www.tenastetler.com

Blog: http://www.tenastetler.com/my-blog

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/tenastetler.author

Twitter Page: www.twitter.com/TenaStetler

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14187532.Tena_Stetler

The Wild Rose Press: http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/1264_tena-stetler

Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/tenastetler

Newsletter: Sign up at www.tenastetler.com

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

A Plethora of 99 Cent Ebooks!!!

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

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

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Revenge, rescue, redemption, romance equals space adventure in The Pilot.

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A sensual Regency romance. A former governess has no desire for a man in her life until she meets her cousin’s lover. How can she refuse his offer to teach her about pleasure?

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Riding hard and loving harder… Cowboys, Bulls, and Buckles…

Where eight seconds means the difference between winning and love…

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Cash and Keith, find their marriage of forty-five years unraveling amid apathy and retirement. A time traveling Volkswagen van cast them back to the 1969 Woodstock festival where they first fell in love. Can they rediscover the peace, love, and harmony they once shared?

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Amid the politics of war, a lady’s-maid-turned-spy and a dashing American captain find romance and intrigue in the French Quarters of New Orleans

Check out all of Patricia Preston’s book and follow her https://www.amazon.com/Patricia-Preston/e/B0060DJ5W0/

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Tour guide Sophia overhears the secret surrounding Lord Heaton’s parentage. How long can she stay at Heaton Abbey knowing what she does?

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Will the son of a gambler follow his heart or his father’s footsteps?

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A family curse. A lifetime grieving. Jinny Richards’ past and future are about to collide. Ethan Montgomery lost his wife to breast cancer, but now he’s ready to move on, and he has Jinny in his sights.

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A Touch of Romance…A Touch of Regency…A Touch of Murder…

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One boy. One girl. One genie.

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Finding love is tough, especially if you’re a mutant.

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A contemporary Gothic mystery set on a windswept peninsula in Ireland…

You can find Gemma Juliana at http://www.amazon.com/author/gemmajuliana

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One desperate stripper. A mysterious billionaire with a really hot, indecent proposal. The perfect plan until everything goes terribly wrong.

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Three SCUBA instructors, who happen to be sexual dominants, are about to take the ultimate plunge. If you’re extraordinarily lucky, you’ll be invited to join them on The Divemaster, where work and pleasure go hand in hand. Welcome aboard!

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From critically acclaimed author, Sydney Jane Baily, comes the first three stories in her American-Victorian Romance series, Defiant Hearts. From cultured Boston to rugged Colorado to the wild San Francisco coast, it’s a rollicking good read!

You can find Sydney at http://www.SydneyJaneBaily.com.

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Sleuthing Women: 10 First-in-Series Mysteries is a collection of 10 full-length mysteries featuring murder and assorted mayhem by 10 critically acclaimed, award-winning, and bestselling authors. Each novel in this set is the first book in an established multi-book series—a total of over 3,000 pages of reading pleasure for lovers of amateur sleuth, caper, and cozy mysteries, with a combined total of over 1700 reviews on Amazon, averaging 4 stars. Authors include Lois Winston, Jonnie Jacobs, Judy Alter, Maggie Toussaint, Camille Minichino, Susan Santangelo, Mary Kennedy, RP Dahlke, Heather Haven, and Vinnie Hansen.

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What do you get when you combine cowboys and ghosts? A collection of eight (stand-alone) amazing stories from the Old West with haunts of every variety.

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John Bristol Smith needs a job, any job, but is he willing to do the job Tess Van Pelt wants him to do?

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A one-night stand changes Leslie Turner’s life forever when she discovers she’s pregnant.

You’ll find Lorraine at: http://www.LorraineBartlett.com

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One hot September afternoon, Annie Henderson’s life changed forever. That was the day she was raped.

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Loving Lorayna could cost Dominus his sacred power…and the results of their passion will echo through many sabbats to come.

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Vampires, shifters, demons, witches and ghosts…

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Opposites attract, but secrets divide…

Find Liv Rancourt here: http://bit.ly/2b903HM

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Maggie’s got history, Randy’s got baggage, and they’ve got a weekend to get their rhythms in sync to turn their solo lives into a beautiful duet.

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A nurse moves back home in midlife and runs into a childhood friend who’s a park ranger. Suddenly they’re caught up in unraveling the mystery of a young researcher who’s gone missing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 5-time Top-10 in the USA best selling author.

Find Carolyn’s books at https://www.amazon.com/Carolyn-Jourdan/e/B001JP1U4A/

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When Jenny Seaver escaped from her worst nightmare, she hoped she had found a refuge with Decorah Security agent Grant Bradley. But deep in her heart, she knew safety was only an illusion. Could she risk the night of passion they both wanted before she disappeared from his life?

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Cassie Lang, had murder on her mind when she walked into Rory’s Bar under dressed and under cover to research her latest crime novel. Researching the cool, blue-eyed and dashingly handsome man at the end of the bar stirred her senses. But was this man of leather armor all he appeared to be?

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https://www.amazon.com/Lisa-Mondello/e/B001KHOG3Y/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_2

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Extra! Extra! Read all about it … and Londoners do, not knowing The Tattler is actually owned and edited by the Earl of Fennington. After he kisses Lady Emelia at a garden party, he decides he wants to spend more time with her than her father will allow. A bit of blackmail ensures she’ll meet his alter-ego, but at what price?

More information on books by Linda Rae Sande can be found at http://www.LindaRaeSande.com

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A pro hockey player with a rough reputation.

An American looking for a taste of adventure.

A chance to turn an intense attraction into something more.

More about Rebecca Hunter’s books at http://www.rebeccahunterwriter.com

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A chance meeting in a hotel bar…a few sexy dances…and Carina and Rico head upstairs to see where their sexual chemistry leads. But in the light of day…and 200 miles away, will their differences pull them apart?

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

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Illustrator Tara Henning travels to Ireland to carry out an embarrassing obligation—return the brooch her great aunt stole years earlier. Horse breeder Keefe McMurray is intrigued by the American who stirs something deep within. When Tara enacts a family tradition, will she make the choice that links to future with Keefe’s?

Find Linda Carroll-Bradd here https://www.facebook.com/linda.carrollbradd

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Can the big city girl convince the small-town cowboy to give Christmas a second chance? Or will the secret she hides destroy any chance of a relationship between them? This clean, inspirational love story proves that opening our hearts to others can be the greatest gift of all.

Find Corrissa James at http://www.corrissajames.com/

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Do you like hot Italians? Fiery British chefs? Do you like FOOD?

Find Irene at http://www.irenepreston.com/

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The awakening of his dragon soul twin brought Dragshi Lord Branin the freedom of flight and near-eternal life, but not happiness. For eons, he feared he would never find a woman with her own dragon soul partner—until one day another’s mind touched his.

Find Helen Henderson at helenhenderson-author.blogspot.com

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Happy Reading!!!!

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Filed under Ebook Deal, Uncategorized

September 9, 2016 · 10:35 am

Ramblings of a Lifelong Elvis Fan – Part 85 – 50 Years Ago Today & Other Tidbits

September 9, 1956 – Elvis performed “Love Me Tender” for his first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show “Toast of the Town.” He was shot from just the waist up during the performance. Elvis would make a total of three appearances on the show. Record stores were swamped with requests for the record, which had not been released yet.

Songwriter Ben Weisman has the honorable distinction of having written more songs for Elvis than any other songwriter. Guess how many? That’s right…57!! (See how much faith I have in you?) Elvis called him The “Mad Professor.”

On Elvis’ right, Sid Wayne, on his left, Ben Weisman

Some of my favorites he’s written are: “Slowly but Surely” – “As Long as I Have You” – “Fame and Fortune”

Here is As Long as I have You from King Creole. Very sad moment 😦

Quote from Ben:

“I approached writing for Elvis differently than I did for any other artist. The songs had to have a combination of blues, country, rock and pop [what came to becalled ‘rockabilly’]. It was like walking in his musical shoes. With each new Elvis movie, more of my songs were being recorded. It became more and more exciting, for I was becoming the only songwriter to have so many songs recorded by him.”

And, finally, just a random quote I love:

Elvis was the only man from Northeast Mississippi who could shake his hips and still be loved by rednecks, cops, and hippies.
– Jimmy Buffett

Have a wonderful weekend!

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EOLS Charity

Learn more here, including how to donate:

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

END OF LONELY STREET – Now Only 99 Cents!

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?

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Filed under Elvis Presley, Entertainment

Tagged as 99 Cents, Alicia Dean, Amazon, Ann-Margaret, As Long as I Have You, Beale Street, Ben Weisman, Ed Sullivan, Elvis fan, Elvis Presley, Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation, Elvis Week, End of Lonely Street, EPCF, Graceland, Kindle, King Creole, Love Me Tender, Memphis, Rock and Roll, Sirius XM Elvis Radio, Today in Elvis History, Vintage Historical Romance, Wild Rose Press

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Ramblings of a Lifelong Elvis Fan – Part 86 – The Guest House at Graceland

EOLS Charity

A Plethora of 99 Cent Ebooks!!!

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.

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Happy Reading!!!!

Welcome, Guest Author Tena Stetler today! Author of ‘A Witch’s Journey’

A Plethora of 99 Cent Ebooks!!!

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.

Hope you discover some enticing reads!

Happy Reading!!!!

Ramblings of a Lifelong Elvis Fan – Part 85 – 50 Years Ago Today & Other Tidbits

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