Saturday, May 26, 2012

Book Goodies for Peeps over 65




We invite you to join the amazing new program

Novel Seniors!

We are excited to offer free ebooks to you, our most cherished readers.



At least once a month we will donate free, yes we said FREE ebooks through Amazon.com to seniors. Just go to www.novelseniors.com and sign up for our newsletter! Once you’re on the list we’ll send you free books!



And not just one book!! Heck no!  For every book you claim we will send you another.



Every book you claim within the first hour of the giveaway will give you 5! chances to win a $25 gift card AND 5! chances to win  our grand prize a KINDLE. (Example: Claim five books and you get 25 chances to win a gift card and 25 chances to win the KINDLE)



Don't have a Kindle? No worries. There is a Kindle app for just about any electronic device (click here to get one). If you own a computer, smart phone, or iPod touch, then you are able to download the free ebooks.



Our next Free Give Away is Friday June 1.  Go to www.novelseniors.com and sign up for the newsletter. (You just enter your email address in the box to the right, look for the confirmation email and approve.)



Voila! You are on your way to receiving your free ebooks. Who says you can't get something for free? Not us. There are no gimmicks, fees, or hidden costs. We promise. So get in on the fun and sign up for our newsletter now! We look forward to sharing some great books with you. Go to www.novelseniors.com.









Friday, May 18, 2012

Breaking Out of your Genre


One of the best things about being an author is that you get to create worlds, people, places, and scenarios that wouldn’t otherwise exist. It doesn’t matter if you write literary fiction, horror, romance, fantasy, YA or any sub genre of these; the fact remains that you are the creator of stories.

But what happens when you decide to try a new genre, to tell a new style of story? What if you love to write in the YA world, but then want to take a stab at writing horror?

Breaking out of a genre that you have placed yourself in can be exciting, terrifying, liberating and more important than all of those, a HUGE learning curve.

For me, I’ve always written somewhere in the fantasy genre. Urban, epic, dabbled in horror. But lately, my muse has been feeding me other stories, ones that I’m excited to try. *Gulp* Contemporary romance is not something I EVER thought I’d be interested in writing, and yet, I have three plots penned, and am pumped to get started in this new genre. Already, I am learning what to do, and what not to do. So if your muse is doing like mine, and spinning new tales in new genres for you, then read on!

1.       First and foremost, only switch genres if your muse/creativity is taking you that way. The ONLY reason I’m looking at writing a contemporary romance is because my muse is almost SCREAMING at me. The stories won’t leave my head, so I know that I have to write them. Don’t force yourself to switch genres. If it isn’t for you, then it isn’t for you and that’s okay. ***

2.       Now, you’ve written something no one saw coming. Brace yourself, not ALL of your fans will go for the new book. Some will follow for sure, but many readers will only read an author’s work if it stays within the readers expectations. A perfect example of this is my two series. My zombie-ish series has a great following and good rankings on Amazon. However, my second series, The Celtic Legacy which is more urban fantasy and less horror, has not seen the numbers that my horror series has. My horror fans just don’t go for the fantasy. I have to promote these two books separately. Once caveat to this is that if your write romance (of any style) you have the best chance of bringing your readers with you to a new genre. Studies have shown that romance readers are amongst the most loyal and will follow a favorite author just about anywhere.

3.       If you don’t currently read much in the new genre you want to dabble in, take some time, read a few bestsellers before diving into the deep end. The best way to irritate new readers is for them to see that you don’t understand the genre, and you aren’t meeting their expectations. This of course does not mean you can’t put your own twist on things, but you need to remember that most genres have a formula. Learn it, THEN twist it to your own uses.

4.       Be prepared to start marketing from scratch. Even if you have a MASSIVE fan base, you need to treat the new genre as if you are a debut author. You will be reaching a new group of readers who have otherwise never heard of you. So start your marketing early, and promote that new book to the masses!

Of course, there are some very lovely perks that come with crossing into a new genre. You WILL find new fans that will scope out your other works. You will learn a ton about your writing style, and you will ultimately become a better writer for stretching yourself. For those reasons alone, I’m looking forward to breaking into a new genre.

***I would encourage you to try a genre that isn’t your usual fare. Not necessarily to publish, but to train those writing muscles.  It’s a good exercise and one that I think all authors should use from time to time. You might just surprise yourself. ;p




Thursday, May 10, 2012

Readers Heaven--Indie Book Blowout!



Announcing

Spring Fling Indie Book Blowout

May 10th – 12th!

Mother’s Day Bonus Day

May 13!

Love GREAT books At AMAZING prices?

Dozens of GREAT books?

Each ONLY 99 Cents

Romances from sweet to HOT, Thrillers, Mysteries, Zombies and more!

All just 99 Cents at Amazon.com



Fantastic ebooks, many by award-winning and best-selling authors.


Welcome to Spring Fling Indie Book Blowout

A book lovers Dream!

 Go to our website to see all the great books and sign up to win a FREE Kindle!













Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Spring Fling Books at Major Discounts!


Announcing

Spring Fling Free Par-Tay

May 7th – 9th!

Celebrate the coming of Spring!!!
What can be better than great books at a great price?

How about Dozens of Great books that are FREE!

THREE DAYS ONLY

May 7th – 9th

Romances from sweet to HOT, Thrillers, Mysteries, Zombies and more!

All FREE at Amazon.com

 Fantastic ebooks, many by award-winning and best-selling authors.

Let's Par-Tay!

Welcome to  Spring Fling Free Par-Tay,

A party for readers!

Go to our website to see all the great books and sign up to win a FREE Kindle!











Monday, May 07, 2012

A hilarious pitching session!

Guest Post by Mimi Barbour


As a greenhorn, when I first started my ‘Author’ career, I did some very dumb things. One of my favourite memories (I can laugh at it now) was my first time pitching a book. I had signed up for a three-day convention in Vancouver and the excitement of this new adventure made it difficult for me to eat or sleep.

 I mean, I was going to meet my very first editor for Harlequin (imagine - bells of joy pealing here!) and I had signed up to pitch my very first manuscript. (toll bells of doom here!)

 I had been told that each person was to be given ten minutes time to speak with the editor, and so I wrote out a synopsis. I was trying to keep it brief so I whittled it down to a mere ten pages - double-spaced - and proceeded to memorize that work diligently.

 Having a rotten memory, that doesn’t work all that well anymore at the best of times…and I’m talking a short grocery list, I knew I had to practise this spiel as much as I could. Being too shy to try it out in front of a live person, every mirror in the house got attacked by my earnest face as I not only recited the words, but tried to do it in such a relaxed way where no spittle or crossed eyes would mar the performance.

 Finally the big day came and my roommate and I (a wonderful friend) arrived at the hotel. She encouraged me to take in the first evening’s workshop about pitching—I had finally told her all about my efforts and had shown her my pages of carefully typed script. I did wonder why she’d had difficulty with her expression. It looked a bit like horror to me and then a person trying not to laugh!! Humm…I did sense something at this point.

Needless to say, anyone who’s taken a workshop about pitching will realize that approximately half a page, well-written, is sufficient information if presented in the right way.  I’m sure you can understand that on one hand I was ecstatic because I didn’t have to recite the work that I had spent weeks perfecting. But on the other hand, what could I leave out as now all those points seemed so pertinent.

 I fell asleep around three in the morning surrounded by a goodly portion of a notebook in the garbage can and one crumpled hand-written page facing me. This would be my “piece de rĂ©sistance”. And I had it down pat.

For the rest of the morning - my appointment wasn’t until 10:30, I sat in workshops, never heard a word, madly memorizing this new script. Finally the moment arrived and I walked into the room, bravely shook her hand (she looked very human and wasn’t 10 feet tall) and…

 …And I promptly forgot every word I had worked so hard to remember.

I’m so ashamed!!

 I read the work and was treated wonderfully. She didn’t give a damn if I spoke it or read it…all she cared about was the material and whether or not it interested her. It did! She asked for me to send it in. I did. Nine months later I still hadn’t heard back….sigh!! And to think it only takes a baby nine months!

So I called their office.

 But that’s a whole other story!

Do you have similar experiences that you can share? It’s always such fun to look back now that one can laugh about these kinds of things.



Ms. Barbour is the author of several romances, most notably her "Angels Love Romance" Series and her "Vicarge Bench Series" 

For 3 days only, Barbour's newest release, "His Devious Angel" and the first in her "Vicarage Bench" Series are FREE! 


Without the angel forcing him to brake, Liam could have killed the gorgeous girl who ran in front of his car to save a little boy. He owed the rescuer big time and would pay his debt no matter that she acted cranky and became more difficult with every meeting. After all, how hard could it be to walk a bunch of mangy mutts?  
Men are scum and no one can tell Sadie any different. It’s why she stays away from them. Until a crazy, hotshot soldier runs her down with his convertible. Now because she’s bruised and sore, she's stuck having to accept his help in her elite dog-walking business. Just her luck that some of the expensive pets go missing, and Liam decides the puppy-mill rumour needs to be investigated. And once they’re forced to spend more time together, mutual attraction spirals out of control.



A spoilt model, Jenna McBride, sits on a bench in 2007, pricks her finger on a rose bush and gets transported back to 1963 England to inhabit the body of chubby Lucy McGillicuddy. As her spiritual roommate, Jenna’s cynicism forces Lucy to adhere to a model’s lifestyle of sparse eating and physical exercise. Lucy’s body changes, becoming svelte and beautiful. Conversely, Lucy's kind-hearted, generous spirit leaves a lasting impression on the temperamental fashion plate who exists inside her.
Lucy loves knowledgeable Dr. John, who has plans to help Jenna return to her own body. Jenna’s Business Manager Jake assists and mistakenly shifts into Dr John. Now the four spirits are vying over two bodies. Meanwhile, Jenna realizes an attraction for Jake, who’s very endearing, and she falls madly in love with him. While you giggle over their antics, these four characters will steal your heart.

















Thursday, May 03, 2012

Fifty Shades of Crass?



Okay, you all who have read "Fifty Shades of Grey" and loved or hated it, I want you to convince me that you and your opinion is right. Is it worth my money and my time? Have I somehow managed to avoid the biggest joke in the world by not reading it? Why do I need your opinion on this? Because for all that I can normally make this decision on my own, I can't get over the horrific reviews, and somehow that makes me want to read it for the train wreck I'm beginning to believe it might be.

I've even read some excerpts that not only shocked me, but left me thinking that it was far from the sensual, sexual story that so many people are making it out to be, but more of a full on porno. Nor can I get over the fact that this was fan fiction, that this couple was really meant to be Edward and Bella. (Okay, this part I really have difficulty with, I mean, how does one take someone elses world, characters and such and then get away with making money off it???)

So, am I missing out, or have I dodged the bullet? I really am looking to see what you all think, so let me have it! And no, not with the paddle.