Zara West's Blog, page 22

Awesome Romance Author Sandra Masters

Zara West Suspense

~From Boardroom to Ballroom ~

Meet Sandra Masters, a fellow Wild Rose romance author. She writes Regency romance. When she’s not in front of her computer writing passionate steamy novels, she can be found in the kitchen cooking way too much food  to share with friends and family. One of her specialties is Rusticana Italiano Meatballs and Red Gravy from scratch.  

Fall in love with Romance all over again

From a humble beginning in Newark, New Jersey, a short stay at a convent in Morristown, N.J. at the age of fourteen, Sandra Masters retired from a fantastic career for a play broadcasting company in Carlsbad, California, and settled in the rural foothills of the Sierras of Yosemite National Park with her husband, Ron, and two dogs, Silky and Sophie. She traded in the Board Rooms for the Ballrooms of the Regency Era and never looked back.

She wrote her first book at the age of thirteen and since then she’s always traveled with pen and notebook for her writing experiences. It’s been the journey of ten thousand miles with a few steps left to go. She deemed it a pleasure to leave the corporate world behind decades later.

Nothing she expected, but everything she desired. Her business card lists her occupation as Living The Dream.

One Night with a Duke by Sandra Masters

[image error]When a spirited woman disrupts the world of a duke who follows the rules, sparks fly, passions ignite and planets collide.

Reclusive, cold as ice, the politically powerful Raven, Duke of Ravensmere, denies love after the tragic deaths of his duchess and baby. He is bound by his vow never to allow love to enter his heart again. Samantha Winston permits him to seek refuge in her carriage in a time of need, and what started as a kiss in the name of safety, becomes something more pleasurable and not so safe after all. In spite of every caution, his interest escalates into unexpected desire.

Samantha, a young widow with a secret, irreverent and high-spirited, has constructed impenetrable walls against all men. When she and Raven meet again, strong wills clash. Political intrigues and a dreaded nemesis place his life at risk, and Samantha finds herself in a dire predicament. All the while, passion soars.

Can Samantha’s barriers fall with more kisses?

Can Raven be released from his deathbed vow?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Excerpt  

ONE NIGHT WITH A DUKE   “I have no husband, Your Grace.” She spoke in an assured tone, but to his ears, it sounded like a siren’s call to temptation.

He did not expect the ruffle of her fan tap to his cheek. A light one, it surprised him.  “Does that mean you will meet me?”

The provocative look in her eyes wielded its power, “Yes.”.

His hand went to his cheek and an amused chuckle rose to the trees. “Touché.”

“Don’t be late.” She flicked open her fan.

“Hah, you are dismissed.”

“Hah,” she laughed back. “You’ll find I don’t dismiss easily.” With a wide swoop of her silk skirts, she turned away; her heels punctuated the stone floor, and she never looked back.

The mirth of her laughter appealed to him. He closed his eyes in contemplation of his head between her full breasts—soon. The pang in his groin elevated his desire. Damnation, he never experienced such a thrill.

Obsession, a word he disdained, came to mind. What does a man do with an obsession? He answered his question…I give in.

The amazement of her action with her fan amazed and stilled him. Like fine wine or cognac, she would not disappoint. This gave him delightful food for thought. What else would that fan do?

Buy Links
Amazon US |  Amazon UK  |  Wild Rose

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Learn more about Sandra Masters [image error]

Website: www.authorsandramasters.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sandra.mMasters

Newsletter sign up:www.authorsandramasters.com












Do you love Regency romances?
Sandra Masters would love to hear from you.

The post Awesome Romance Author Sandra Masters appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

An Interview with YA Romance Author Diana Rose

Zara West Suspense

~Advice to the Unpublished ~

The visitor to my blog today is an amazing person. Diana Rose is one of my most loyal and supportive fans. We met during my first Facebook party and just hit it off.

Diana Rose writes YA Romance and is unpublished. But she will not stay that way for long.  Today she talks about her inspirations and gives some very pertinent advice to other unpublished authors.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Diana Rose. I am 31 years old. I want to be honest with you, I think it is hard for me to really describe who I am but I will try. Here is something that not many people know: I did not always think I would be an author and if you would have asked me when I was young, I would have said, “I don’t know what I want to be.” I studied Mental Health and Human Services in Kingsborough Community College   and I transferred to Brooklyn College to study psychology. Writing has been an unattainable dream until 2016. I thought I would be a psychologist, but my plans changed then.

I was always the shy girl in the class. But people who knew me and got me to open up, I was instantly friendly with. I did not have a lot of friends in college or school but I think I managed well with having my writing to keep me company. I always loved books about brave heroes and beautiful romantic stories. My love of romance developed from the story my grandparents told me of how they fell in love and they were married for 63 years and to be honest we still remember February 1st as their wedding anniversary. They would have been married for 72 years now if they were both alive. I learned about true love from them.

Is writing something that comes easy to you or not?

Writing has always been my one true escape from reality. Nothing is easy in today’s world but creating the story in my first book, Book 1: Forbidden Love, that is unpublished at the moment, was probably the easiest book I ever wrote. It is my first book and remains my favorite beginning to a story I know very well.

I can tell you that once I start writing it is easy to keep going because I love my characters, and I absolutely love writing romance. Writing romance for me is fun and no, it isn’t hard. But like any author, I do sometimes lose my inspiration. It doesn’t mean that writing becomes hard, it means that I just need a little time to find my “muse” again.

When I was in school, writing seemed hard. I can’t write essays or final papers because it limits my creativity. However, writing my own books always gave me a sense of freedom to be creative, and I could write for hours if I did not have to eat or sleep. This is why I wanted to be an author full-time because I would be free to write and do what is easy for me. Writing is not a chore or a job. I think it is and always will be my favorite thing in the world.

What are some of your favorite things?

Foods. Flowers. Books. Whatever.

How did you choose the genre you write in?

I chose YA because in a way I am still a teenager at heart myself, and I love reading what Young Adult authors write. Next, I chose Romance because I love reading and watching romance movies and reading romantic novels. But not only that, I wanted to tell my grandparents’ love story for others to read. Their love story expresses true love and I wanted my future readers to know that true love still exists.

I chose Fantasy because I loved Disney fairy tales and any other fairy tales that had brave princes who saved the princess. I wanted that kind of fairy tale to be a part of what I wrote about. Writing in a fantasy world of royals and magic makes writing my books fun and easy because I am still a child at heart who wanted to be a princess.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

Yes. As any author in the world, I, too, experience writer’s block. I try to avoid it as much as possible but it does happen. In the days when I was going to college, my writer’s block was more frequent and lengthier as I had to focus my energy on my homework assignments. I thought for sure that once I finished my college degree, my writer’s block would be less but even now it does happen sometimes. Why? I can only think of one reason, I am bouncing between two things at one time. That’s what also used to create the writer’s block before but also had stress added to it. If I’m focused on only one work-in-progress and run out of ideas, I just stop writing and move to something else but sometimes even that does not work.

Can you tell us about any other upcoming books, series, or writing plans?

Gladly. My writing plans are really endless because since I started writing books in series, I found that family stories are what I’m interested in, I want to focus writing more family series. Also, I finished Book 2 in February of this year which is the next book in my Power of Love Series and I do plan to give it to my editor as soon as Book 1 is done.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

My favorite chapters to write in Book 1: Forbidden Love were the chapters about Pond Water Prince and what happens to Princess Amy. I loved writing those chapters because Pond Water Prince is my first ever evil doer, and I wanted to give Prince Darien a chance to be heroic. I think with my antagonist I had the most fun because of the way he interacts with his captive, Princess Amy, and once Darien arrives on the scene, I believe Darien has a rather interesting interaction with the villain.

How did you come up with the title?

Coming up with the title for Book 1: Forbidden Love was something that came to me naturally.

I listened to my grandparents’ story and also when my grandmother told me about my great-grandmother’s love story, the title for my book just seemed to fit in. This book, Book 1: Forbidden Love is kind of a blend between my grandmother’s parent’s story and my grandparents’ story so I wanted to make my title resemble both stories of true love and make sure that the title fit in with the main theme of the book which is true love.

What project are you working on now or what book will be next?

Right now I’m working on the prequel to my series of Power of Love because something just struck me as I was editing my first book. I felt like I wanted to reveal the history behind the story of Amy and Darien. I felt like it needed to be told. It’s going to be Book 6 in my series and yes I am thinking that six books for this series is enough.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Wow, I’m flattered that you would ask this, Zara. You’re asking me for advice makes me feel like I’ve done something right and here I was thinking that I was not doing this marketing the correct way. But…really, is there even a correct way?

I think my advice to pre-published authors who want to build a platform that they can “stand on” is to keep your “voice” the same as in your book. Your personal style for writing things and expressing ideas should be your own. Do not copy anyone unless they are doing something that you think is important. Be yourself.

For example, my style is to write “I thank you all for your infinite support” at the end of my posts on my blog and author page. But that is my way of writing and it might not be yours.

Also, social media marketing always needs something new every day. If you can put out quality work every day, great but if it takes you more time to work on something worth showing then don’t feel pressured that you did not do a post yesterday and today you do two or three. I believe that quality matters. You want your future readers to see you at your best. Just like you would not publish a book without editing it, you don’t want to put out something in social media that everyone will see, and it isn’t your best work.

Pre-published authors, make an author page. Blog!! It’s your way to show agents and publishers that you are not in some dark corner, and that people actually know who you are. Be consistent and if you wrote on social media that you are going to do something on this day, do it. People expect things and they get disappointed if you don’t give them what they are waiting for. Really, even I still have a lot to learn about marketing but at least I’m half way there. I know things may seem impossible but you need to try. Try to do something if you don’t try, you will never succeed.

Is there anything special that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

Of course, there are a lot of things I want to say to my future readers. But most of all, I want to say that I appreciate their support of my writing and my books. Without my future readers, I would not be able to do the things I am doing like having this interview with you, Zara West. I want to say that to those who came to my author page and read my blog, I am touched by your interest in my work. I hope to write more quality material and I hope that you will continue to support me in the future.

Forbidden Love by Diana Rose [image error]

Fairy tales always say happily ever after comes right after a princess meets her prince. For Amy and Darien, that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Princess Amy of the Moon Kingdom has led a sheltered life and dreams about escape. With a controlling mother directing her every move, she remains insecure in her abilities and afraid to disappoint her family. She doesn’t lack courage, but seizing it, even for what she wants most, is harder than she ever thought possible.

Darien, the young prince of the Earth Kingdom is ready for anything that comes his way. When he meets Princess Amy, he wants nothing more than the happily ever the fairy tales promised.

Amy’s mother doesn’t approve of the match, but she isn’t the only one standing in their way… When Pond Water Prince tears them apart, Amy and Darien must fight for their love or lose that happily ever after…forever.

[image error] Learn more about Diana Rose

My Author Blog: https://themagicoftruelove.wordpress.com

Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/DianaRoseRomance

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/story_rose

Google+ Author Page: https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/101122361789806235405/101122361789806235405

Diana Rose would love to answer your questions.
Post your comments below.

The post An Interview with YA Romance Author Diana Rose appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

Awesome Romance Author Zia Westfield

Zara West Suspense

~ A Dead Body in Every Book? ~

Awesome Romance Author Zia Westfield writes romantic suspense. Maybe that’s why she loves to put dead bodies in her books. 

Take it away Zia…

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m Zia Westfield. I’m a mom, a teacher and a romantic suspense author. I live in Tokyo, Japan, which is its own adventure. Living in another country requires a dose of humor, considerable patience and a willingness to learn.

What was the most interesting place you ever visited?

I’ve been fortunate to be able to do quite a lot of traveling overseas, though once the kids came along, it’s been mostly trips back to California. While I’ve seen a lot of Japan, there are many more places I want to see, like Hiroshima and Okinawa.

I also lived four years in London, not far from Sherlock Holmes’ flat! As an avid Regency fan, especially of Georgette Heyer, I loved being able to walk down streets and visit parks and places mentioned in her novels. While there, I even got to attend talks by Philippa Gregory and Colin Dexter (Inspector Morse). Best of all, London is great jumping off point to visit Europe. It wasn’t always easy to travel with a baby (and later two), I visited family in Italy a few times, went to Paris on the Eurostar, and hopped over to Dublin for a long weekend.

When did you start writing and when did you finish your first novel?

I’ve always been involved in writing, such as working on my school newspaper. Writing articles dealt with facts. Authors, on the other hand, created magic. I never thought I could be one. But I had a lot of time in London on my own, and I began trying to write short stories.

When we returned to Tokyo, I decided to write my first novel, a romantic suspense. After my kids were in bed, I’d type. It took a long time, but eventually I reached the end. I sent that manuscript off to Harlequin where it was rejected despite my belief that it was the best novel ever! I was crushed. But I had a choice—give up, or keep writing. I kept writing. It took 6 years to reach that publishing goal, but I did it.

How did you choose the genre you write in?

I like dead bodies. Seriously. Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration. Let’s say, I like my stories to contain dead bodies. I’ve been popping mysteries like breath mints since the second grade. It’s the challenge of the puzzles that always get me. I didn’t discover romance until college. Then my mom brought home a Harlequin Intrigue and I fell in love. Mystery and romance all together. It’s better than chocolate!

What other genres of novel would you love to write?

I actually will be republishing a paranormal romance series. I wrote this series with another awesome writer. We published under the pen name Gabriella Hewitt. It’s a paranormal series based on Aztec mythology. We had a lot of fun with the stories and are excited to be able to put them out once again. Together we are planning to publish new stories.

What project are you working on now or what will you publish next?

I just hit The End on my next romantic suspense, Killer Lies. It’s set in the same fictional upstate New York city of Carville. It features another of the detectives who makes an appearance in Killer Secrets. Next on my list is to tackle a free read based on this same story world.

[image error] KILLER SECRETS
by Zia Westfield

 

With bills to pay, an orphaned niece to raise and her job on the line, Gemma Fitzgibbons needs a front-page story in order to keep her job. A serial killer and a corrupt detective, whose father was accused of corruption, offer headline possibilities, but when she confronts Jack Donahue, the detective is nothing like she expected.

Jack considers reporters to be bottom-feeders, and deep into the investigation of a series of murders in which the victim is posed with a wedding veil, he doesn’t have the time or inclination to delve into the scandal that ruined his father’s career. But Gemma won’t take no for an answer. Neither will she stop investigating the Wedding Veil Killer. When she attracts the attention of the killer, Jack is assigned to keep her safe. But Gemma isn’t about to hide away. She intends to use the leads she’s developed to help him track down the person responsible for the gruesome murders.

Torn between his dislike of reporters and his admiration for the smart, sexy, reporter he’s drawn deeper into the scandal in his father’s past–a scandal that someone will kill to keep hidden.

But, when Gemma uncovers secrets about the scandal, and her life is threatened, Jack is determined to protect her. It’s also time to make a choice–keep the past stay buried or fight for the future.

Buy Links
Amazon   |  Barnes & Noble  |  Smashwords

Learn more about Zia… [image error]

Website: www.ziawestfield.com

Twitter: @ziawestfield

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a question or comment for Zia Westfield?
Post it below and she will get back to you.

 

 

 

The post Awesome Romance Author Zia Westfield appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

Meet Romance Writer Charlotte O’Shay

Zara West Suspense

~ New York City Dreamer ~

Today I have another fellow Wild Rose visiting with me. Charlotte O’Shay is here to tell us about today’s release of her new contemporary romance, and give us some background on her life as a writer. Like mine, Charlotte’s books are set in New York City.

Welcome Charlotte O’Shay. What can you tell my readers about yourself?

Hi Zara,

It’s a treat to visit you today especially because it’s RELEASE day for A Model Engagement, Book 2 in my City of Dreams series. You can get the book for half price today only through my publisher The Wild Rose Press. Click here for the buy link.

https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/5260-a-model-engagement.html

Now to tell you all a little about me,

I’m a friend, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a mom, a caregiver, a mother of dogs, a lawyer, a citizen, a New Yorker and yes! I am an author.

What interesting jobs have you had? How have those jobs affected your writing?

I’ve had some interesting jobs and some plain boring ones.

The job that most informed this particular story, A Model Engagement was the first job I had as a lawyer. I was an investigator for the City of New York. As part of an undercover operation, I wore a wire.

Without revealing spoilers about A Model Engagement I’ll say I remember everything about the gut clenching, heart stopping feeling of hoping and praying the subject of the investigation wouldn’t ‘make me’ or discover the wire.

What was the most interesting place you ever visited?

Although I still have a huge bucket list of places I’d like to go especially places in the states and Canada as well as Australia and New Zealand, I’ve been to some really cool spots. I have a nerdy map where I stick pins into the places I’ve been. Top of my list of favorite places are Italy and Ireland for the scenery, the history, the people, the culture, and the food!

I’m always happy to get back to the energy of the Big Apple though.

In my City of Dreams series (A Model Engagement is Book 2 of 3 standalone romances) my heroes and heroines come to New York to follow their dreams and end up finding the loves of their lives along the way.

How did you choose the genre you write in? Where do you get your ideas?

The genre chose me. I’ve read romance since I was a kid and although I mainly enjoy reading contemporary and historical romance, I’m constantly bombarded with ideas that fit a contemporary setting. A Model Engagement also has a dash of suspense

I get my ideas mostly from conversation, (some might call it gossip or eavesdropping) from the news, from one of the job or experiences I’ve had or someone I know has had. I usually take a situation or a problem and spin a what-if scenario from there.

Can you tell us about any upcoming books, series or writing plans?

Love to.

The third book in this series is An Illicit Affair. Then there is a novella, a prequel to A Model Engagement about Connor’s sister Delia, a psychologist and her romance with her pilot husband, Gavin, as yet untitled, which has been poking at me.

After that I’m working on another three book contemporary series also set in and near NYC, Over You, Do Over and Over the Moon.

Do you have any websites, books, and blogs about writing that you would recommend?  

There are many out there but in my opinion for writing there’s none better than Stephen King’s On Writing.

As for bloggers they are many, some great fun but for the business of writing Jane Friedman’s blog  (JaneFriedman.com) is tops.

Is there anything special that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

First, thank you for reading!

Second, please post a review. Reviews are like caffeine, writers survive on them.

Third, sign up to my blog/website for updates about new releases. It’s the best way for me to reach you when a new book is out or I have a sale or a freebie.

http://www.charlotteoshayauthor.com  

http://eepurl.com/b4lbvn.

A Model Engagement [image error]
by Charlotte O’Shay

Lacey Reed jumps at the chance for independence with a career in the big city. But her naivety and ambition blind her to the lure of a blackmailer.

With her savings gone she has nowhere to turn when she literally runs into financier Connor Devlin.

Though dazzled by Lacey, Connor sees the desperation she tries to hide. He hires her as his fake fiancée. Now Lacey has a job and he has a bandage for a family crisis.

When the blackmailer ups the ante, Lacey resolves to face him down— no matter what the consequences.

Does that mean Lacey will lose the only man who’s ever seen who she truly is?

Buy Links
Amazon  |  Nook  |  The Wild Rose Press

 

[image error] Learn more about Charlotte O’Shay

Website  http://www.charlotteoshayauthor.com  

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

Instagram http://www.instagram.com/charlotte_os...

Twitter @charlotte_oshay

 

Charlotte O’Shay would love to hear from you. Please post your questions, comments, and good wishes below.

 

 

 

The post Meet Romance Writer Charlotte O’Shay appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

Author Interview with Romance Author Rolynn Anderson

Zara West Suspense

~Traveling through Romance~

Today I am talking with fellow Wild Rose Rolynn Anderson, multi-published author of romantic suspense thrillers set in the wild and wonderful places she has visited.

Take it away Rolynn…

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Scandinavian, Army Brat, Wife, English Teacher, High School Principal, Golfer, Boater, World Traveler, Author.  Now add a competitive nature and a love for ‘makeovers.’  As a principal, I hired a wonderful staff and opened a cutting-edge high school; as co-captain with my husband on INTREPID, I cruised from Washington State to Alaska and back.  As a writer, I delight in creating imperfect characters faced with extraordinary, transforming challenges.  My hope: You’ll devour my ‘makeover’ suspense novels in the wee hours of the morning, because my stories, settings and characters, capture your imagination and your heart.

Is there an event in your life that affected you as a writer?

Retirement from Education.  I loved being an educator for thirty years, but I wanted to test out my ability to write fiction novels, the kind I love to read.  I started writing in 2001, got published in 2011 and I haven’t looked back, since.  I’m writing my ninth novel as we speak.  And no, I am no longer retired.  Writing and publishing is a full time job.  I’m enjoying the ride so far, and I’m determined to finish a novel and one quarter every year until I croak!

Can you tell us about any other upcoming books, series, or writing plans?

FIRE IS NICE is my next book, set in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park.  I have just returned from a fact-finding trip to these parks, with a wealth of information to help me tweak a story that is about 3/4th finished.  Oh my, what a location for a novel…the giant forest where fire truly nurtures the Sequoia’s much like fire helps with human relationships…what better location could I choose?  Get ready for heat in FIRE IS NICE!

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

I’m lucky to have brilliant siblings whose careers are FULL of interesting details.  One brother is a West Point grad who fought in Desert Storm and later worked as a government contractor, helping to defeat the effects of IED’s (bombs) on our troops; another, a geologist, takes contracts on government projects through a private company.  They lead exciting lives and give me good ideas for my novels.

Will you have a new book coming out soon? Do you know the release date?

As I described above, FIRE IS NICE should be out in December or January.  I’m thrilled about this story, set in Sequoia/Kings National Parks and focused on an FBI agent who suffered the most interesting injury on duty you can ever imagine!

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

The barista at my local Starbucks is a budding writer at age 28.  I say to him: ‘Write every day. I mean, every single day.’  We become good writers by flexing the writing muscles…every day.  Each morning he asks me:  Did you write today?  I ask him the same question.  Commitment to the art early on, is vital!

Is there anything special that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

Feedback is everything and reviews feed the algorithms.  Readers: Tell Amazon what you are thinking about the books you read.  Your opinions matter!

BLURB [image error]
Cézanne’s Ghost
by Rolynn Anderson 

 

Three young American women vanish in Aix-en-Provence, France.

The FBI suspects their American tour guide.

Leon Beaudet, formerly a U.S. Olympic wrestler, is proud of his five-star guide business, but when tourists disappear on his watch, the FBI dredges up a violent episode in Leon’s past and tap him for the crime. Worse, his new tour group includes Aline Kerig, who is as beautiful and carefree as the three missing women. Leon is fascinated and puzzled by Aline even while he fears for her safety. She refuses to go back to the States, forcing the FBI and local police to involve her in the hunt.

With the French tourist industry about to collapse and Leon as a prime suspect, how does he protect Aline and find his lost tourists?

Buy Link
Cézanne’s Ghost (E-book and paperback)

 

Learn more about Rolynn Anderson

[image error]Author of Eight Suspense Novels Spiked with Romance and Exotic Settings

Website and Blog

Facebook page

Twitter

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

Do you like to read books set in fascinating places?
Rolynn Anderson would love your comments and questions.

Give Rolynn a Tweet! Just copy & paste.

Travel the world with #Romance author Rolynn Anderson. @rolynnanderson #writingtip #wrpbks http://wp.me/p6ZzpG-SS

The post Author Interview with Romance Author Rolynn Anderson appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

Why Authors Need a Marketing Cheat Sheet

Zara West Suspense

~How to Keep Your Marketing Info At Your Fingertips~

Do you have a marketing cheat sheet? I do. Last year when I released my first book in the Skin Quartet series, Beneath the Skin, I had no idea how to go about marketing it. I hosted two well-attended book signings. I sent out some tweets. I posted on Facebook. I guest visited two blogs. That was it. But I knew that there was much more I should be doing.

So all last year, I took workshops, read blogs, and tried to educate myself on modern day book selling techniques via the web. I explored BookBud and similar discount e-book sites. I joined Netgalley, Romance Reviews, and several other review sites and learned how they worked. I upped my presence on Goodreads.  I took a Savvy course on Facebook Ads, and I subscribed to every marketing site I could find.

On August 18th, I released my second romantic suspense, Close to the Skin, published by Wild Rose Press. Here was my chance to put into action all I had learned. But before I could do that, I realized that I needed to have at my fingertips a whole kettle of information about myself and my book. This was the info needed to fill in ad requests, give to bloggers you visited, people you asked to review, and more.

Now I am a fairly orderly person. I have nice tidy document folders in my Dropbox arranged in subgroups either alphabetically or by date. I rarely have difficulty finding something. However, in setting up my marketing, I found I was continually pulling up the same materials and tweaking them to fit the number of words requested. It was time consuming and boring. So I developed what I call my marketing cheat sheet.

What is a Marketing Cheat Sheet?

My marketing cheat sheet is a single word document that lists all the info that I need to market my books. I started out with the obvious categories and then added new ones as they were needed. Here is my current list of headers and sub-categories. Everything listed here is something I used in completing forms and ad applications and so on to publicize my book. I continue to add to it daily. Feel free to copy it and adapt to your own needs.

AUTHOR INFO

Address
Email
Kindle Email

WEBSITE/ URLS

Readers Club Signup Page URL

Google Analytics#

Rss Feed URL

KEYWORDS FOR AUTHOR/GENRE

Phrase 1
Phrase 2
Phrase 3

CONTEST WINS

AUTHOR BIO

Twitter Bio 100 Characters
100 Words
120 Words
159 Words
200 Words
350 Words
2500 Characters (475 Words)
4000 Characters

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Amazon Author Page
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Goodreads
Google Plus
Instagram
Tumblir
Linkedin

FACEBOOK STREET TEAM URL

_________________________________

BOOK TITLE #1

PUBLISHER INFO

COVER DESIGNER

BOOKFUNNEL LINK

WEBPAGE for Book URL

# of PAGES

BARCODE

BISAC subject headings

ISBN

AISN

BOOK COVER URL

LOGLINE

PITCH

BLURB

100 characters (Twitter)
250 characters
400 characters
112 words/754 characters + spaces
350 words
4000 characters

EXCERPT

REVIEW QUOTES 4000 character maximum

KEYWORDS

BUY LINKS

Amazon
B&N
iTunes
Kobo
Google Play
Universal Buy Link
Goodreads

AD WORDING

[image error] Making the Cheat Sheet Easy to Use

Now scrolling up and down what eventually became 20 pages of info was no fun. So I utilized a processing trick that has been so helpful in outlining my novels. I used Headers. By making every main category a Heading 1 and every subcategory a Heading 2. I can use the FIND tool to create a list along the left side of the document. Each Heading is clickable and will take you instantly to that spot in the Chat Sheet.

The second thing I learned to do was the open the Cheat Sheet first thing every morning when I opened my word processor. That way the Sheet sat on the far left, ready to yield its data throughout the day. Need a 100 word bio? It there. Need the ISBN? It’s there.

How do you organize your author and book data?

The post Why Authors Need a Marketing Cheat Sheet appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

Meet Up-and-Coming Author Claudia Blood

Zara West Suspense

~ The Secret to Successful Blogging ~

I have a special treat for my readers today. Claudia Blood is not yet published, but I can guarantee she soon will be. She has a wicked sense of humor and is putting it to use writing otherwordly fantasies with a Happily Ever After. Today she has some point-on advice for how to be a successful blogger.

 

Zara, thank you for inviting me to post on your blog…
Now About Blogging
by Claudia Blood

It’s considered common knowledge that to be a successful blogger, you need to be consistent. For me to be consistent I needed two things: shorter pieces and a fun theme.

Short was easy. Full-time job, a household, and small kids did not leave much time for writing novels or blogging.

But what about a fun theme? I took stock of the things I wanted to write about. I came up with writing, kids, and inspirational. There were already so many fabulous blogs about writing. So I stumbled along struggling to come up with content. The kids say funny things all the time, but writing them down so I remembered them was another thing. And inspirational? Enough said about that.

One day I sat at Bakers Square, a local eatery and weekly writer meeting location, gobbling a slice of my favorite mint brownie pie, and lamenting that my squirrels— my dastardly distractors—were on the rampage. How could there be so many new science articles? And new Kick Starters? And FB updates? And…

My writing buddy brought together her second, third fingers, and thumb and said to me, “You need Focus Fox.”

I had never heard of Focus Fox, but I loved the idea.

[image error]

She was right. In the space of an hour Focus Fox had a bio and had become my first guest blogger. Now every Wednesday Focus Fox offers his take on old proverbs and famous quotes. I’d be thrilled if I could say that the squirrels met Focus Fox and disappeared. Sadly (or not), the squirrels remain a major part of my life and have even requested their own time slot. Maybe if they had a forum to show the random things they uncover, that might distract them from distracting me.

I do feel the stirring of another critter. I am not sure yet what it might be—a dragon? A werewolf? a purple pony?— but I am sure they will pipe in something fantastical.

If you’re thinking of blogging yourself, consider my strategy—short, sweet, and a new persona that will let you go beyond your comfort zone. Maybe your own Focus Fox will help you write more, write stronger, and write fun.

[image error] About Claudia Blood

Claudia Blood, fiction writer, mom, geek, D&D player, lives in the Midwest and is fascinated with squirrels, especially the imaginary ones.  She enjoys making up stories just for the look on people’s faces. She usually doesn’t let them believe for long.

Usually.

If you would like to get to know Focus Fox better, visit Claudia’s Blood’s website.

 

http://www.ClaudiaBlood.com 

The post Meet Up-and-Coming Author Claudia Blood appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

Awesome Romance Author Sue Ward Drake

Zara West Suspense

~Take a Trip to Greece~

Today I am interviewing fellow Kiss of Death member Sue Ward Drake. Sue writes romantic suspense novels that feature people with disabilities set in the many fascinating places she has visited. As a fellow lover of all things Greek (I spent several years living with and studying shepherds and weaving in the Peloponnese and Crete), I am thrilled to present her newest book which is set on a Greek island.

Καλώς Ορίσατε Sue…

Can you start by telling us a little bit about yourself?

I’ve been writing romance for many years, with a break of about ten years. I taught Spanish for several years right out of college, coded and analyzed as a computer programmer at a bank and a university, and worked as a linen rental salesperson which was fabulously interesting as I got an inside peek at several restaurant kitchens and one funeral home. I even belonged to the Chef’s association in New Orleans.

I love to travel and have lived in Greece, the location for HEAR NO EVIL, and Germany. I’ve studied in Spain, the setting for stories I’m working on about two brothers, and visited friends in Morocco. My husband and I recently took a Rhine river cruise and this year we hope to get to Glacier National Park in Montana.

Is there an event in your life that affected you as a writer?

I grew up reading books. All sorts of books. Everywhere. I’m sure this is partly due to my hearing loss, but I never leave home without some sort of reading material at hand. So, I’d say this was an on-going event that really affected me. LOL.

 Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

Easily the most influential was a thriller written by Helen MacInnes tilted DECISION AT DELPHI. The ending takes place in Delphi, Greece, where there are ruins of an ancient sanctuary. I stayed up almost all night reading that book when I was a teen. More recently I read and continue to re-read WINTER SOLSTICE by Rosamund Pilcher. Her characterizations are so amazingly relatable. You find yourself rooting for a happy resolution for all five of the main characters.

Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?

I’ve written a women’s fiction story about a little girl lost, a woman with guilty secrets and a lonely single father who come together at a historic Southern inn over Christmas. It’s called WHERE YOU BELONG and it has placed in a number of contests sponsored by RWA chapters and won the Single Title entry in the Wisconsin RWA FAB FIVE contest in 2013.

How did you come up with the title for HEAR NO EVIL?

Actually, the editor of the publisher’s category line came up with the title and it’s really very apt. I called Stefanos and Molly’s story CANDLE IN THE DARK because the image was part of the hero’s past experience and also reflects how Stefanos sees Molly. She’s like a candle in his dark life. There is also a scene in HEAR NO EVIL taken from personal experience. I lived in a little farmhouse on the small Greek island of Paros and the path back from town passed a small family chapel, domed and white-washed, adjacent to the path. I remember walking home from town after dark one night and seeing for the first time a candle glowing inside through the small window in the apse.

Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?

I have always been interested in Nikos, the boy who helps Stefanos escape enemy forces on a divided Mediterranean island. At the end of HEAR NO EVIL, Stefanos and Molly talk about adopting Nikos. I am currently writing his story, SEE NO EVIL. While on a business trip to this same island Nikos witnesses a political assassination and goes on the run with his lovely secretary.

What do you do when you are not writing?

Since writing involves sitting at a computer for long periods of time, I get outside for exercise as much as possible. I walk and swim and love living in the dry West after many years in rainy, humid New Orleans.

What are some of your favorite things?

Cantaloupe, fresh figs, Greek moussaka, a blooming trumpet vine brilliant with orange-red blossoms, a yellow day lily, the sight of the ocean.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Never give up. This applies to anything. If you really want something, you have to keep working at getting it.

Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

If you share my love of adventure, intrigue, and foreign places I hope you will give HEAR NO EVIL a read.

[image error] Hear No Evil
by Sue Ward Drake

 

Stefanos would make falling in love so intoxicating…

When deaf artist, Molly Light, is awarded a trip to paint in Greece,

she must accompany the handsome, enigmatic stranger who granted the

prize. But is he really who he claims to be?

 

Bent on revenge for the brutal torture he’d once endured, guilt-ridden loner

Stefanos Metadorakis thinks Molly is sharing top-secret military plans with an

enemy. His mission is to escort her, watch her every move and mood—not fall in

lust with her.

 

As distrust mixes with desire, dangerous forces are closing in, their

sights set on Molly. With their lives in the balance, Stefanos and Molly must trust

each other in order to foil a deadly international plot.

Buy Link
Amazon

Learn More About Sue Ward Drake

[image error]

Facebook 
Twitter
Website
PINTEREST
GOODREADS

 

Sue Ward Drake is waiting to hear from you. Ask her about her travels, her books, and writing about characters with disabilities. Post your comment below.

The post Awesome Romance Author Sue Ward Drake appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

Awesome Wild Rose Author Joanne Guidoccio

Zara West Suspense

~How to Enjoy Retirement~

Today I am introducing to you fellow Wild Rose author Joanne Guidoccio. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America, Joanne writes paranormal romance, cozy mysteries, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.

How did you do before you became a writer?

In high school, I dabbled in poetry, but it would be over three decades before I entertained the idea of writing as a career. I listened to my practical Italian side and earned degrees in mathematics and education.

I experienced many fulfilling moments as I watched her students develop an appreciation (and sometimes, love) of mathematics. Later, I obtained a post-graduate diploma as a career development practitioner and put that skill set to use in the co-operative education classroom. I welcomed this opportunity to help my students experience personal growth and acquire career direction through their placements.

How did you take up writing? 

In 2008, I took early retirement and decided to launch a second career that would tap into my creative side and utilize my well-honed organizational skills. Slowly, a writing practice emerged. My articles and book reviews were published in newspapers, magazines, and online.

When I tried my hand at fiction, I made reinvention a recurring theme in my novels and short stories. My newest release is Too Many Women in the Room. Here is the write up.

Blurb
Too Many Women in the Room
by Joanne Guidoccio

 

When Gilda Greco invites her closest friends to a VIP dinner, she plans to share David Korba’s signature dishes and launch their joint venture—Xenia, an innovative Greek restaurant near Sudbury, Ontario.

Unknown to Gilda, David has also invited Michael Taylor, a lecherous photographer who has throughout the past three decades managed to annoy all the women in the room. One woman follows Michael to a deserted field for his midnight run and stabs him in the jugular. Next day, the body of one of the dinner servers is discovered in the alleyway behind Gilda’s office.

Gilda’s life is awash with complications as she wrestles with a certain detective’s commitment issues and growing doubts about her risky investment in Xenia. Frustrated, Gilda launches her own investigation and uncovers decades-old secrets and resentments that festered until they exploded into two untimely deaths.

Can Gilda outwit a killer bent on killing again?

Reviews

“A tale which far exceeds the bare bones of storytelling convention, offering the reader well-rounded

characters and a narrative that doesn’t skimp on the details.” ~InD’Tale Magazine

“Too Many Women in the Room is the perfect blend of mystery, suspense, romance, and humor. The

premise is intriguing and kept me guessing.” ~Jane Reads Blog

Buy Links
AMAZON  |  WILD ROSE

Learn more about Joanne Guidoccio

Website

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Pinterest

Goodreads

 

 

 

 

Please post any questions or comments you have for Joanne Guidoccio below.

The post Awesome Wild Rose Author Joanne Guidoccio appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

Writing a Series – 6 Tips for Success

Zara West Suspense

~How to Extend the Story~

When I started writing my first romantic suspense Beneath the Skin, I had no plans to make it into a series. But it didn’t take long for me to start imagining the lives of the secondary characters and wondering if they could win true love too.

So when I pitched the book to Rhonda Penders at Wild Rose Press, I told her it was the first of a series of four books – The Skin Quartet.

Well, on August 18th, book 2 in the series Close to the Skin is scheduled to be released. Now I will find out if I have accomplished what I set out to do.

Writing a successful series is hard

To write a successful series, the author needs to accomplish 6 things.

ONE – Keep the details consistent

This one was a real challenge. No one wants to read a series where characters’ eye color and other characteristics flip around.

Not planning to write a series I hadn’t keep the best ordered notes for Beneath the Skin. I also had used [image error]a variety of filing methods. I had a looseleaf, a bulletin board, word files, and Pinterest boards

When I hit Book 2 suddenly I needed a unified resource if I wasn’t going to spend forever trying to search out a detail such as a character’s favorite ice cream flavor. I hit upon using One Note (a free program that comes with Microsoft.  Evernote is a similar program, readily available)

But I tried a lot of other methods as well.  The results of what I learned are presented in my online workshop The Story Bible. (Note: I will be offering this workshop for From the Heart Romance Writers in September 2018).

TWO – Stay organized

Another important thing I learned was to keep all my data together. I originally had separate files for each book. This meant I was constantly moving from one to the other. I quickly learned that the best organizational method is to keep all the data for the entire series in one series file.

THREE – Keep track of the passage of time

Having a great Story Bible means that I can quickly locate a name or an age or a location or hair color. But it needs to be supplemented with a calendar. In my case, my series books are consecutive. That means that characters grow older in each book. Not by much -all together the span is about four years. But when one main character is only 14 in the first book, four years will make big difference in his life.

FOUR – Maintain the tone and conflict level.

I wanted to keep the same tone and page-turning level of excitement that reviewers praised after reading Beneath the Skin.

Since each book in the Skin Quartet deals with different characters who relate on different emotional levels., this one was a particular challenge. You want the characters to be unique but linked in some way even though time is passing and the characters are growing, maturing and changing.

In my case, I solved this problem by keeping the villains the same in each book. Because they change much less and are driven to the same end goal – tormenting the hero and heroine,  they provide a unity of motivation and consistency of character.

FIVE – Make the books stand on their own.

[image error]Despite the fact that I was writing a series, I wanted to make sure that every book in the series could be read as a stand-alone. I hate picking up a book and not knowing what the author is referring to. In a recent poll I did on Facebook, every single commenter said they would not like to read book 2 in a series before book 1. However I have seen it done successfully.

But boy is it hard to do well. A series writer has several choices.

You can summarize what has already happened near the start of the story. But that often slows down the reader and can prove annoying.
You can give a few hints of past events and hope the reader will understand enough.
You can tie the past events into the current characters’ lives as motivations or problems.

For Book 2 in The Skin Quartet, I have my main character suffering from post-traumatic stress following the kidnapping she experiences in book 1 Beneath the Skin.

For me, having each book follow the next in time was another great way to make ensure the stories stand on their own.

A NetGalley reviewer has written that Close to the Skin works as a stand-alone. I hope other readers agree.

SIX End with a happily ever after.

Having been burned by several books which end in a cliffhanger, I was doubly motivated to make sure every book in my series had a happily ever after.  I decided that the best approach was to write a complete character arc for my romance couple. At the end of the book, their story is done – ending happily ever after.

Success?

Since Close to the Skin has not been released yet, I have my fingers crossed that I have succeeded in making both a great Book 2 full of characters my Beneath the Skin readers have come to love plus created a cast of characters who can stand on their own and draw a new reader in.

Note: Book 3 in the series Within the Skin is currently in production at Wild Rose Press.

Read about the whole series here: The Skin Quartet

Buy Links for Beneath the Skin 
Amazon  |  B&N  |  iTunes  | KOBO  |  Wild Rose Press
Buy Links for Close to the Skin
Amazon  |  B&N  |  Wild Rose Press


How about you? Have you written a series? What did you struggle with?
Are you a reader of series? What do you like about them? What do you dislike?
Post your comments below.

 

The post Writing a Series – 6 Tips for Success appeared first on Zara West Suspense.