Allie Boniface's Blog, page 38
November 12, 2012
Monday Mentionables: There's a Party Coming Up!
Hey readers, next week The Romance Studio will be holding a Thanksgiving Week Bash, with tons of authors posting teasers and questions and trivia and PRIZES....and I'll be there as one of them!
Want to know more? Click on the banner below. Three days of partying....hope you can join us!
Want to know more? Click on the banner below. Three days of partying....hope you can join us!
November 9, 2012
Friday Fun Facts: Does Swag Lead to Sales?
The latest issue of the Romance Writers' Report was all about the statistics of romance sales: who's buying, what they're buying, and in which format. The feature article also discussed why readers buy books, and the top reasons included familiarity with the author's other works, recommendations from friends, & excerpts from the book they could read online or at the end of other authors' books. To a lesser extent, reviews and covers encouraged readers to buy a book. What landed at the bottom of the list? Swag, or free "stuff" that authors give away, such as bookmarks, magnets, goodie bags, etc.
I mention this for a couple of reasons: my local RWA meeting is this weekend, and a few members want to discuss swag and what works/what doesn't (for the record, I've found it's very hard to tell what promotional items or efforts are directly tied to sales. Marketing experts will tell you pretty much the same). I'm also interested in knowing YOUR opinion: what makes you buy a book? Have you ever bought a book because of swag you got from an author? Should we authors be putting money into promotional items - bookmarks, pens, posters, flyers, etc...? Or not?
Please share!
I mention this for a couple of reasons: my local RWA meeting is this weekend, and a few members want to discuss swag and what works/what doesn't (for the record, I've found it's very hard to tell what promotional items or efforts are directly tied to sales. Marketing experts will tell you pretty much the same). I'm also interested in knowing YOUR opinion: what makes you buy a book? Have you ever bought a book because of swag you got from an author? Should we authors be putting money into promotional items - bookmarks, pens, posters, flyers, etc...? Or not?
Please share!
November 7, 2012
Writers' Wednesday: Hook, Line & Sinker Contest Still Open!
Calling all writers! Due to the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the Hudson Valley RWA has extended its deadline for the Hook, Line, and Sinker Contest to this Friday, November 8th. Entry fee is just $10 - get feedback from published authors on the first 3 pages of your manuscript....those tricky opening lines where you either hook your reader or lose 'em!
More info here.
In other news, I finished my edits for Beacon of Love and now just have to work on the dedication and the "catchy but brief" author bio to put at the end. And now off to the keyboard, my friends.....
More info here.
In other news, I finished my edits for Beacon of Love and now just have to work on the dedication and the "catchy but brief" author bio to put at the end. And now off to the keyboard, my friends.....
November 2, 2012
The Aftermath of Hurricane Sandy
Today my heart and my thoughts go out to all those people in NYC and New Jersey who suffered loss at the hands of Hurricane Sandy this week. If you don't live in the area, I'm sure you've seen the pictures: so much of the Jersey coast, lower Manhattan, and Long Island has been destroyed. At this point there is widespread power loss; people are struggling to find gas stations; some are returning to their homes to assess the damage while others are trapped in their homes unable to leave.
I send prayers to ALL of you, and I urge anyone who is able to reach out in whatever way you can, even if it's just a similar prayer or a wish on social media or donations to a charity that's actively helping the survivors.
My husband and I live in the lower Hudson Valley, about an hour north of where the hurricane hit hardest. We were very fortunate: we only lost power for about 30 hours, and our house didn't suffer any damage. Many, many trees are down around us, though, most torn up by the roots:
The gas shortage is starting to affect our area now. I know many, many people are desperate for gas to run the generators at their homes, not to mention for their cars so they can get to the grocery store or leave and stay with relatives. Yesterday every gas station in our area had lines backed up along the road, and by late afternoon/early evening many were out of gas altogether. I am hopeful that this is only temporary and that shipments will be on their way soon. In the meantime, we'll be cautious here over the next few days and stay close to home.
Amazing how affected we all can be by an natural disaster like this one. Join together however you can, folks, and know that those people in NYC/New Jersey really need your strong thoughts and support right now :)
I send prayers to ALL of you, and I urge anyone who is able to reach out in whatever way you can, even if it's just a similar prayer or a wish on social media or donations to a charity that's actively helping the survivors.
My husband and I live in the lower Hudson Valley, about an hour north of where the hurricane hit hardest. We were very fortunate: we only lost power for about 30 hours, and our house didn't suffer any damage. Many, many trees are down around us, though, most torn up by the roots:
The gas shortage is starting to affect our area now. I know many, many people are desperate for gas to run the generators at their homes, not to mention for their cars so they can get to the grocery store or leave and stay with relatives. Yesterday every gas station in our area had lines backed up along the road, and by late afternoon/early evening many were out of gas altogether. I am hopeful that this is only temporary and that shipments will be on their way soon. In the meantime, we'll be cautious here over the next few days and stay close to home.
Amazing how affected we all can be by an natural disaster like this one. Join together however you can, folks, and know that those people in NYC/New Jersey really need your strong thoughts and support right now :)
October 29, 2012
Monday Mentionables: Riding Out Hurricane Sandy
Happy Monday, everyone! So...if you're anywhere on the East Coast, you're probably either in the middle of or anticipating the impact of Hurricane Sandy. If you are in its path, please stay safe! Here in the lower Hudson Valley, NY, we're preparing as best we can and hoping the damage is minimal.
Anyway, the good news today is that (if you didn't see it on my Facebook or Twitter pages) I have a cover for my spring release, Beacon of Love! Here it is:
Hope you love it as much as I do!
Also, for readers, Lyrical Press is offering a great Halloween Sale: 50% off all titles this week! Great time to shop for new books and authors, don't you think?
And for writers, The Romance Studio is offering a tremendous 7 for the price of 1 advertising sale - through October 31! More details here.
Okay - batten down the hatches and let Hurricane Sandy do her worst! See you on Wednesday :)
Anyway, the good news today is that (if you didn't see it on my Facebook or Twitter pages) I have a cover for my spring release, Beacon of Love! Here it is:
Hope you love it as much as I do!
Also, for readers, Lyrical Press is offering a great Halloween Sale: 50% off all titles this week! Great time to shop for new books and authors, don't you think?
And for writers, The Romance Studio is offering a tremendous 7 for the price of 1 advertising sale - through October 31! More details here.
Okay - batten down the hatches and let Hurricane Sandy do her worst! See you on Wednesday :)
October 24, 2012
Writers' Wednesday: The Next Big Thing Blog Hop
Hi all! Thanks so much to Diane Craver, who tagged me last week in the "The Next Big Thing" Blog Hop. Today I'm talking about my upcoming release (May 2013), Beacon of Love. I know next May is still a while off, but keep me in my mind ;) I love this story!
What is the working title of your book?Beacon of LoveWhere did the idea come from for the book?My husband and I vacation each summer in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. We visited a lighthouse a few years back while there and I started asking the inevitable author question, "What if...?" I thought what if a news reporter came to a town to uncover the story of a haunted lighthouse and what if she fell in love with a local guy who was trying to protect its secret??What genre does your book fall under?This is a contemporary romance, set in a small coastal town :)What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?"In a town that won't give up its secrets, she's determined to find the answers..."Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?I am multi-published without an agent; this will be my sixth published novel, and my first with Lyrical Press. I am also published with Samhain and The Wild Rose Press. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?Once I got on a roll with this one, it took me about 6 months to write. Since I'm a full-time high school English teacher during the day, I did most of the writing during the summer of 2011, then polished in the fall and submitted in early 2012. I signed the contract in spring of 2012.What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?This is a "small town" romance, so it's pretty similar to works by Kristan Higgans and Jill Shalvis :)Who or What inspired you to write this book?I was lucky enough to meet a great friend who inspired me to write what I referred to for years as "the lighthouse story." The luckiest authors are those who have people in their lives who truly inspire them :)What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?It's a love story mixed with suspense mixed with a 50-year old unsolved mystery. Interested??
What is the working title of your book?Beacon of LoveWhere did the idea come from for the book?My husband and I vacation each summer in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. We visited a lighthouse a few years back while there and I started asking the inevitable author question, "What if...?" I thought what if a news reporter came to a town to uncover the story of a haunted lighthouse and what if she fell in love with a local guy who was trying to protect its secret??What genre does your book fall under?This is a contemporary romance, set in a small coastal town :)What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?"In a town that won't give up its secrets, she's determined to find the answers..."Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?I am multi-published without an agent; this will be my sixth published novel, and my first with Lyrical Press. I am also published with Samhain and The Wild Rose Press. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?Once I got on a roll with this one, it took me about 6 months to write. Since I'm a full-time high school English teacher during the day, I did most of the writing during the summer of 2011, then polished in the fall and submitted in early 2012. I signed the contract in spring of 2012.What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?This is a "small town" romance, so it's pretty similar to works by Kristan Higgans and Jill Shalvis :)Who or What inspired you to write this book?I was lucky enough to meet a great friend who inspired me to write what I referred to for years as "the lighthouse story." The luckiest authors are those who have people in their lives who truly inspire them :)What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?It's a love story mixed with suspense mixed with a 50-year old unsolved mystery. Interested??
October 22, 2012
Monday Mentionables: Contests and Covers
Hey writers, just a reminder that November 1st is the deadline for the Hudvon Valley RWA's "Hook, Line, and Sinker" contest. All you need to enter are the first 3 pages of your manuscript and $10.00, Best value for your writing dollar around! Judges are published and trained/unpublished authors, and the final judge is a Harlequin Senior Editor! More details here.
Just another little mention: I got a sneak peek at a draft of my cover for Beacon of Love, scheduled to come out in Spring 2013. Needs some tweaks, but I'm loving it so far, and I can't wait to share it with you!
I'll be posting this-coming Wednesday as part of "The Next Big Thing" Blog Hop, thanks to Diane Craver's tagging me last week, so join me to find out more about Beacon of Love AND the sequel I'm working on now, Inferno of Love.
See you Wednesday!
Just another little mention: I got a sneak peek at a draft of my cover for Beacon of Love, scheduled to come out in Spring 2013. Needs some tweaks, but I'm loving it so far, and I can't wait to share it with you!
I'll be posting this-coming Wednesday as part of "The Next Big Thing" Blog Hop, thanks to Diane Craver's tagging me last week, so join me to find out more about Beacon of Love AND the sequel I'm working on now, Inferno of Love.
See you Wednesday!
October 17, 2012
Writers' Wednesday: What's on Your Wish List?
Hi writers (and readers!) What's on your wish list for books this year? Do you buy books for yourself for the holidays? For others? Heck, does anyone still buy books period? Or are they all electronic downloads straight to your Nook or Kindle or iPad these days?
On my list of books I'd like to read in the next few months:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
What about you??
On my list of books I'd like to read in the next few months:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
What about you??
October 12, 2012
Friday Fun Facts: Shout-Outs for Writers
Hey writers - if you'd like to join me for a blog hop, let me know! I'll "tag" you on Wednesday October 24th and then you'll post on October 31st (ooh...Halloween...could be fun!) All you have to do is talk about your latest book. Easy and enjoyable, right?
And another heads-up for writers: my local RWA chapter, the Hudson Valley RWA, is now taking entries for our "Hook, Line, and Sinker" contest. More info here, but here are the best parts: only a $10 entry fee to have your first 3 pages read, and the finalists will be judged by Harlequin senior editor Brenda Chin. Published and unpublished/trained judges, with great feedback for all entrants. Deadline: November 1st!!
Happy weekend, everyone. Enjoy and write on :)
And another heads-up for writers: my local RWA chapter, the Hudson Valley RWA, is now taking entries for our "Hook, Line, and Sinker" contest. More info here, but here are the best parts: only a $10 entry fee to have your first 3 pages read, and the finalists will be judged by Harlequin senior editor Brenda Chin. Published and unpublished/trained judges, with great feedback for all entrants. Deadline: November 1st!!
Happy weekend, everyone. Enjoy and write on :)
October 10, 2012
Writers' Wednesday: A Free Read and Lots of Goodies!
Happy Wednesday, everyone! I'm super-excited to share some good news for my fellow romance author, Diane Craver:
First off, her book Marrying Mallory is currently a Free Read at Amazon, so if you're looking for a good story, hope on over and download yourself a copy. It's only free 'til Thursday, though!
Second, to celebrate the release of A Joyful Break, her Amish romance, Diane's having a contest over at her blog with several giveaways – a $15 GC to Amazon, $10 for Bath and Body Works and book giveaways.Here's the link so you can find out more :)
I'm always happy to share the news when it comes to writing friends, so if you have some links or announcements, email me!
First off, her book Marrying Mallory is currently a Free Read at Amazon, so if you're looking for a good story, hope on over and download yourself a copy. It's only free 'til Thursday, though!
Second, to celebrate the release of A Joyful Break, her Amish romance, Diane's having a contest over at her blog with several giveaways – a $15 GC to Amazon, $10 for Bath and Body Works and book giveaways.Here's the link so you can find out more :)
I'm always happy to share the news when it comes to writing friends, so if you have some links or announcements, email me!
