Judy Nickles's Blog, page 18

A question and an invitation

The Writer Magazine is celebrating 125 years of publication in 2012. It holds the distinction of being the oldest currently published magazine for writers. During this year-long celebration, the magazine is inviting writers to answer the questions What is the single most useful thing you've learned about writing, and how has it helped you as a writer? 



I thought it might be interesting to hear from you, either as a commenter or as a guest blogger here at The Word Place. I'll start things off with my own answer to the questions:



The single most useful thing I've learned about writing is that you have to do it! Arnold Toynbee (1889-1975) put it this way: Write regularly, day in and day out, at whatever times of day you find that you write best. Don't wait till you feel you are in the mood. Write, whether you feel inclined to write or not.



We all feel disinclined to write from time to time. Maybe we call it 'writer's block' or the 'absent muse'. But writers write--so it must be done, and if I call myself a writer, I have to write. Sometimes it's a WIP; other times it's a personal journal entry which helps me sort out my thinking/feeling on something happening in my life. Words provide a catharsis of sorts. James Baldwin (1924-1987) confirmed this when he said, One writes out of one thing only--one's own experience. Everything depends on how relentlessly one forces from this experience the last drop, sweet or bitter, it can possibly give.



So how has learning that I must write helped me as a writer? The answer isn't as obvious as one might think. It's not so much the actual writing as it is the commitment to write. When we sign a contract, we commit to seeing the project through however many edits our editor deems appropriate, to scrutinizing the galleys, and finally, to promoting our published work. But more important than the contract commitment is the commitment we make to ourselves when we say, "I am a writer."



Writers write, whether or not we garner profit or recognition. We write because we are writers.


~~~~~~~~~~~~

Again, I invite you to share your own answers. Email me, judy@judynickles.com, to choose a day to be my guest at The Word Place, and feel free to do some promo along with sharing your writing wisdom. 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~



Looking for a contemporary romantic suspense with a historic back story? Try The Face on Miss Fanny's Wall, a story of buried family secrets and revenge. Available as an eBook from Amazon, Champagne Books, and other eBook vendors. 




Coming May 15 from The Wild Rose Press: Dancing with Velvet , a romance set in my West Texas hometown during World War II. Visit my website to read more about it!








 

Three Weeks and Three Days or Two Too Many

The Face on Miss Fanny's Wall released on March 6, and since then, I've been promoting like a mad woman--or, at least, as 'mad' as I ever get. Now I look at the calendar and discover that Dancing with Velvet will hit the cyber-shelves on May 15--just three weeks and three days from now! It's time for the inevitable Personal Inquisition:


When should I start promoting Velvet ?
Should I let up on promoting Miss Fanny ?
Will promoting Velvet too early spark interest that's forgotten by the time it's out?
Will promoting a new book take the attention away from Miss Fanny ?
Should it--could it--would it--ad nauseum?





The Face on Miss Fanny's Wall is an eBook only right now--hoping to sell enough to merit a print run. It's a romantic suspense, a tale of buried family secrets and revenge--and did I mention it's a bargain at $5.99? I've seen it on a few other eBook sites for $4.49!



View video trailer

Read the first chapter

Buy Links: Champagne Books

                            Amazon













Dancing with Velvet will be available in eBook ($6.50) format AND in print ($14.99) from The Wild Rose Press around May 15. It's a World War II story set in my hometown in West Texas--a haunting tale of two people struggling to find themselves--and each other--in the midst of a world forever changed by the global conflict raging around them.



View the video trailer.

Read the first chapter. 

The (Writing) Notebook

Several recently-read articles recommend a writing notebook to organize pertinent information--like the articles on writing notebooks! Some suggest a writing journal to store items of interest which might morph into story ideas. With a file cabinet full of articles on every subject known to relate to writing (including promotion and marketing), should I even consider any new venue of organization?



After some thought, I've decided the answer is affirmative, but I've been slow getting around to it. The sum total of my efforts thus far have been to comb through the first four issues of this year's The Writer, snipping links, tips, advertisements for writing conferences, and parts of articles I've found particularly helpful. They repose in a pile on the small person's desk and must be off by Thursday when I take off my writing hat and put on my Mimi cap.



Decisions have been made: only one tome which will double as a notebook and a journal. After scouring craft stores and several online sites (and gasping at both the beauty and the cost of large hardback volumes), I went to my supply closet and unearthed a new2-inch binder into which I will place pages of sturdy cardstock which can be arranged and rearranged into various progressions until I reach the best one. When it's full, another can be procured at a fraction of the cost of the commercial journals.



I envision quiet afternoons of cutting and pasting, jotting down ideas and thoughts, letting my creative juices flow, welcoming my Muse to a virtual celebration of brilliant writing to come. I see snippets of information reposing on backgrounds of scrapbooking paper so as not to be missed, notes penned in wild hues, photos and mementos cleverly arranged and bursting with story potential. When I'm finished, of course. And I haven't even begun.



But someday...yes, yes someday I'll get around to it. Someday soon. This week even. Meanwhile, if you'd like to be similarly inspired, find a copy of the March 2012 The Writer and turn to page 38, where you can read "An Illustrated Journal Helps You Remember". Then just follow my well-thought-out plan of attack described above.



And do let me know how and when you accomplished this feat--if your Someday comes before mine.



The Face on Miss Fanny's Wall available ($5.99) at Amazon and Champagne Books, as well as other eBook marketing sites. Check my website for weekly special offers.

Marketing--I Don't Want to Hear About It (But That's Not an Option)

            It’s the
anguished cry of both new and multi-published authors: I wrote the book! You mean I have to sell it, too? Yes, you (we)
do. It’s Writing 101—write/promote/sell—it’s a package deal.

            The March
2012 issue of The Writer has one of
the best articles I’ve read so far on the subject of marketing our work.
“Market with What You’ve Got” by Michele Howe, author of 11 books and more than
1,300 articles and reviews, actually makes the task look, well, doable.

            She begins with a piece of great
advice about making comparisons: Don’t do it. From the bare bones of writing to
the selling of that writing, it’s strictly personal. What someone else does or
doesn’t do shouldn’t make you feel less adequate.

            I
particularly liked her advice about the time spent on social media, which can
quickly get out of hand and become overwhelming—in my opinion. I know I could
do better in this area, and maybe doing it three times a day for half an hour
at a time (her prescription) will work for me, too.

            She goes on
to detail the necessity and/or benefits of such tools as Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn, a blog, a website, and an e-newsletter. Then she suggests taking a
look at ways to make yourself more visible: providing information on the web,
writing columns for online magazines, writing articles about what your know,
reviewing, searching the web for areas that mesh with your subject matter,
asking for help from family and friends, radio and television, and YouTube.

            Her advice
on good use of your time—developing daily habits for checking your sites and
promoting your work—is valuable. Of course, you need to read the whole article
to get the full picture.

            I’m
beginning to get into a routine much like she recommends, but I still found her
suggestions helpful. You can find her on the web at michelehowe.wordpress.com.

~~~~~~~

So now for a little marketing of my own...





BUY
A COPY OF THE FACE ON MISS FANNY'S WALL AND GET A FREE (EBOOK)
COPY OF ONE OF MY OTHER BOOKS OR A SECOND COPY OF MISS FANNY FOR A FRIEND. Just use one of the buy links listed
below to purchase your copy of The Face
on Miss Fanny’s Wall. Then go to my website (www.judynickles.com) and browse the
books available and email me (judy@judynickles.com)
with your selection. OFFER ENDS APRIL
17.

When
Tessa Steele recognizes her great-grandmother's picture as part of a display at
a notorious house of ill repute-turned museum, she turns to genealogy to help
her find out how Hallie wound up at Miss Fanny's—and why. When the threats
begin, she is more determined than ever to unearth long-buried family secrets.
But somebody wants them to stay hidden—at least until the time is ripe for
revenge…and the man Tessa loves may not be around to protect her when that time
comes.

 Read
the first chapter (also view trailer) of The Face on Miss Fanny's Wall at
www.judynickles.com

 Available
now at

 Champagne
Books   and Amazon.com 

March Novel Market Month

Recapping March Novel Market Month at The Word Place




Thanks to the guest authors who shared their new releases here during the month of March:  Anne Brear, Sarah McNeal, Ella Jade, Margaret Blake, Margaret Tanner, and Isabella Macotte.


















 

Welcome Isabella Macotte to The Word Place

 BLURB:

In 1885, a
proper Victorian woman's place was in the home. Convention never appealed to
Hallie Pinefoy.



But plans for financial independence through a successful doll-making venture
have one impediment. She's inherited a curiosity shop and a handsome business
partner who's proving to be a delicious distraction.



When Bremen Tyler inherits a shop in coastal England, he breaks from the
mystical Ancestral clan to live a normal life. The only way to guarantee a
permanent break is to marry his Heart Match, a perfect soul mate. Bremen recognizes the
captivating Hallie as his true love, but she isn't cooperating with his
courtship.



If he can retrieve the stolen Heart Gem, an Artifact of Love, he can use it to
prove their match. The surface of the Gem reflects the essence of a couple's
future life, but the risks are great. More importantly, will Hallie realize
true love doesn't need proof?







EXCERPT (PG VERSION)                                      

                           

Hallie stepped over to the
small desk. “Please wait. I’ll get the monies owed from the payment made at the
Dockhouse.”

“No.” Bremen answered.

“No?”

“Partake of a glass of wine
with me instead.”

Surprised, she looked to the
man’s face and paused. Those dark eyes seemed almost hypnotic, and a sudden
vision came to mind of looking into those eyes right before his lips moved in
closer and closer, toward her mouth. She forced herself to look away.

He held out a hand. “Just a
glass of wine? Perhaps we can pretend to have just been introduced under less
dramatic circumstances?”

“I think not. However I’m grateful
for your assistance.” She held out the coin.

“I never accept money from
a lady.”

“Do you make a lady feel
obligated then? That’s your preference?”

“I’d hope the lady would
forgive me for my churlish behavior by allowing a contrite man to make amends.”

Was he mocking her?

“One glass of wine.
Please.” He seemed to notice the hesitation. “On the Wrightsville Inn’s front
porch in full view of all.” His face softened. “With a repentant gentleman.” He
held out a hand. “I’m Bremen Tyler. The apologetic Bremen Tyler who wishes to
make restitution to a lady offended with loutish behavior.”

“Again, I must decline the
offer.”

He paused for a moment.
“Are you afraid?”

“Afraid? Of you? I most
certainly am not.”

“Sit with me then. You can
berate me for my temper, comment on my lack of good manners, and insult me for
my lack of wholesome attributes. I put myself in your hands for as long as you
wish to partake of my poor company.”

Being the one in control
was intriguing. After having spent the past hour feeling foolish and taking directions,
she found these pleas for forgiveness and companionship quite appealing.






ISABELLA MACOTTE OFFICIAL BIO:    




Biography

Isabella Macotte grew up in Chicago
and now lives in the Midwest. Ever since she
can remember, she was reading. Not just fiction but everything she could get
her hands on. Science, romance, history and paranormal. Especially
paranormal...anything scary, creepy, or gory, she loves it. From light
paranormal elements to terrifying monsters, she'll make up a story to amaze or
scare you.



Isabella Macotte writes the kind of romance she loves to read: a story with
delicious dialogue, seductive encounters, a dash of the paranormal, and an
irresistible hero you will never forget.



Passionate about books, Isabella keeps busy reading, writing and working in a
library. But if a few moments remain at the end of the day, she spends them
with a wonderful family and sweet bichon pup named Daisy.




WEBSITE:

 www.isabellamacotte.com




                                                        

Welcome Margaret Tanner to The Word Place

SAVAGE
UTOPIA/STOLEN BIRTHRIGHT 2 in 1 e-book – Margaret Tanner.

Thank you so much for inviting me here
Judy.

I am pleased to announce that Whiskey Creek
Press has just re-released Savage Utopia and its sequel Stolen Birthright as a
2 In 1 e-book. That’s right, two novels virtually for the price of one.




The penal colony of Australia is
the sweeping setting for my two novel historical fiction romance.

SAVAGE UTOPIA: Sentenced to transportation to Australia, for
trying to kill her incestuous father, Maryanne Watson boards a convict ship.
During the journey she meets and falls in love with an American convict, Jake
Smith. Jake hides a terrible family secret that if it ever saw the light of
day, would send him to the gallows. When they arrive at the penal colony, she
is assigned to Captain Miles Fitzhugh. After he abuses her she flees for her
life. She finally meets up with Jake who has escaped from a chain gang, gone
bush and lives with the aborigines. They roam the wilderness together trying to
find their utopia. When Maryanne falls pregnant, Jake, who has a price on his
head, risks coming out of hiding, so he can legally marry her so their child
will not be born illegitimate.

STOLEN
BIRTHRIGHT: Georgina, a wild colonial girl, is brought up by
O’Rourke, a rough and ready Irishman, who she believes is her uncle. While
helping the outlaw Johnny Dawson escape from prison, she meets and falls in
love with a dashing young English aristocrat, The Honourable Marcus Lindquist.
When Johnny Dawson is ambushed and killed, Marcus finally learns the secret of
what has bound him to Georgina. Johnny is her
brother, not her lover as he had jealously supposed, but even darker secrets
from the past overshadow their love.

How can an English
aristocrat marry the daughter of convicts?

Meanwhile, twelve
thousand miles across the sea, Marcus’ Godfather is plotting Georgina’s
death, to keep his dark secrets from ever seeing the light of day.

Welcome Margaret Blake to The Word Place

“Now hatred is by far
the longest pleasure. Men love in haste but they detest at Leisure.” Lord Byron








Viola had lived in
fear and deceit but then Jed made her see life didn’t have to be like that.








Excerpt: The Longest
Pleasure








The shutters shook, rattled, and clattered. 
Branches from the huge tree outside
scratched along the warped wood sounding like the
unnaturally long nails of a vampire.

There was noise everywhere. Terrifying. A creak of the stairs.
Groaning furniture. Somehow the wind had found a way in and whistled along
nooks and crannies.

Crouched in her bed, she folded herself up as if this would make her disappear. She burrowed in the duvet
and then cast
it off. Someone was in the house; she
could hear their footsteps as
they climbed the
stairs.

It was no good
being vulnerable like this, a weapon
of some sort was needed. Being
frozen in terror here on the bed, she knew, made her more of a victim. Her courage had fled and she wanted it
back.  Would she really have to die for him to
be truly at
peace? 

Something rolled
and clattered
down. Whoever was in the house had
knocked something over. The lights had gone out
hours ago. At
first she had assumed it was power lines down, this
was one ferocious storm. Now she was
certain that the
power had been purposely cut off.

“You will never hide
from me. I can always find you.”

Why had she not minded her own business? Interfering in his
life had brought him back into hers! Now she would have to face the consequences.

Stealthily, she slid off the
bed. Pain shot up her leg; it was hard to
straighten
her body, having held herself in so cramped a position
had made her limbs stiff. Still draped in the
duvet she dragged herself towards the
door. Falling to her knees she
peered through the keyhole. A
gust of wind blasted her eye; jerking back she blinked away the wetness.


With care, she
wrapped a hand around the doorknob, turned it
and opened it just a little.

A sliver of
moonbeam danced across the corridor,
it came from the
skylight.  A
quick glance in the brief illumination showed her the
corridor at least was empty.  Sneaking around the
door, she sped bare footed along the corridor, slid into
the bathroom
easing the door closed behind her.
The benevolent moon was here too, it
snaked in through

the patterned
windowpane. It was all too brief, a black cloud came scudding across and in
seconds she was once more in
darkness.

Fumbling under the
sink, she felt the cool plastic
container
against her hand, gripping it she dragged it
out, managing to
ease off the top.
Bleach. Half full. If she chucked that on him it
would give her a chance to get away. She was not
defenseless after all.

Shrugging herself out of the duvet she thought for one mad
moment she should sneak back to her room for shoes and a jacket. How sensible,
yet how idiotic. She had to get away while she could.

Urgently she flew
from the bathroom,
raced towards the
stairs. Aware
the stairs
creaked she went down at the far
side rather than
the centre.
But with
the noise of the
wind and the rattling
shutters,
the creaking furniture, it
would hardly matter. A little
bleach sloshed out as she moved swiftly down the
stairs. She thought of the
lovely green and gold carpet, it would be ruined - but
it did not
matter.
Carpets could be replaced.

The backdoor was locked. Frantically
her hands ran over the panels, the key was there,
she turned it.
It made a kind of gurgling noise, the door swung open, pushed by the ferocious wind. The wind hit her face; it
was coated with
salt and dampness from the sea.

Under her feet the gravel cut into the soft flesh but she
ran, leaving the door swinging backwards and forwards until eventually she
heard it slam shut.

In the garage there was just her little car. The garage was
small, just room for two cars and there was an empty space next to hers. He
would not park here. He would park on the drive, or beyond in the lane.

For once she was glad she had left
the keys in the
ignition. She turned
over the engine, relieved at the satisfying purr. Before closing the
door she threw down the bottle of bleach and then,
pulling the door close she released the handbrake.

There was no rain, just
wetness from the
sea in the air. There were no lights on anywhere. From the
end of the short drive she could look down on the village but
not a light
glowed in the blackness. It was a power-out
then.

“Where to?” Her mind rapped out the question. “Where can you
go now?”




Buy Link 

***





Margaret
Blake was born in Manchester. A love of
history drew her to historical romance and she published seven of these with
Robert Hale Limited. Turning to contemporary romantic fiction she published
five novels under her Grandmother’s name Ellen Noone. Details of these can be
found at www.margaretblake.co.uk  Recently she published three novels of
romantic suspense with Hale.







She has published nine novels
with Whiskey Creek Press of historical, contemporary and romantic suspense. www.whiskeycreekpress.com




With two new novels out next
year, Margaret will have published twenty-six novels. She would love to hit
thirty but better wait and see!




Margaret is a widow and has
one son, a lovely daughter in law and three gorgeous grandchildren.

Sharing an exciting new discovery!

NovelRank is new to me, although some of you may already know about it. This is the site to track your Amazon sales! Just click "Track Your Book", which will take you to a new page where you can enter the URL of your books at Amazon. Below  that is a place to track the books individually if you enter more than one. You can also create a free account--for a specified donation, have your book featured in several places on the site.



Definitely a site to check out. It tracks sales as well as rank. All you authors with new releases, get your book tracked from the beginning! I lost three weeks because of not knowing about the site.



Oh, and while you're at Amazon getting your URL, click on this one and look inside The Face on Miss Fanny's Wall... I'm betting you'll click the "buy link"--it's a good read AND a bargain at $5.99! And while I'm asking...don't forget to go back and leave a review!

Welcome Ella Jade to The Word Place

                                                                        




           Can an
arranged marriage lead to love?




Recent college graduate Gabriella has finally
married the man of her dreams, the older, charismatic attorney Lorenzo
Martinez. She's had a crush on him for as long as she can remember and
always imagined they'd one day find their happily ever after. Unfortunately,
they enter into a union arranged by their fathers.

Lorenzo is charming, protective and loyal to his
crime lord father Carlo. When Carlo asks Lorenzo to marry Gabriella he jumps at
the opportunity. He's been drawn to her for many years and knows by marrying
her, he's helping to protect her father.

Gabby is resentful and won't be Lorenzo's charity
case. Sparks fly and the couple soon gives into their desire realizing
they were meant to be together. What happens when Carlo's enemies threaten
their future? Will someone get caught in the crossfire?

Contemporary Romance
Content Warning: graphic sex, some
violence




http://beachwalkpress.com/crossfire-of-love/




Excerpt

     Lorenzo walked up the porch steps, turning to stare at Gabby.
“Are you coming, Gabriella?” No one but Lorenzo and his father called her by
her full name. She liked when Lorenzo said it. He’d always made it sound so
formal and sexy.

     These were the first words he had spoken to her since they left
the court house. They were married in the chambers of the prestigious Judge
John Cartwright. He’d been a family friend of the Martinez’s for many years. He was their go to
man whenever they needed something done fast and legally. Well, legal in her
new father-in-law's eyes anyway.

     She hurried up the steps and followed him inside their new
home. It was built within a matter of months after she’d agreed to marry
Lorenzo. Carlo wanted them to have their privacy, but he’d also wanted to keep
them close. He didn’t trust she’d hold up her end of the bargain and keeping
her on the property was the best way to insure she wouldn’t run.

It was silly, really. How could she run from a family like
this? They had ties all over the world. There wasn’t any place she could escape
to that they wouldn’t know about. She was a woman of her word. She said she
would marry Lorenzo and she did. She’d find a way to cope. She always had.

     Lorenzo pulled his jacket off, poured himself a scotch and then
loosened his tie. “Would you like a drink?”

     “No, thank you,” she said.

     Most brides would be dancing the night away and drinking
champagne by this point in their wedding night. She didn’t think that was part
of Lorenzo’s plan.

     “I didn’t think you’d go through with it.” He sipped the amber
colored liquid as he looked her over.

     “I said I would.”

     “I know, but when push actually came to shove, I thought you’d
run.”

     “You don’t know me that well,” she said. “I don’t run.”

     “Good.” He smirked as he put the glass to his lips.

     Gabby couldn’t take her eyes away from those lips. She’d never
had the pleasure of having them on her own. Judge Cartwright hadn’t asked him
to kiss his bride. She hated herself for thinking about him that way.

~~~~~~~~






      Ella Jade has been writing for as long as she
can remember. As a child, she often had a notebook and pen with her and now as
anadult, the laptop is never far. The plots and dialogue have always played
out in her head, but she never knew what to do with them.That all changed when
she discovered the eBooks industry. She started penning novels at a rapid pace
and now she can't be stopped.



     Ella resides in New Jersey with her husband and two young
boys. When she's not chasing after her kids, she's busy writing, attending PTO
meetings, kickboxing and scrapbooking. She hope's you'll get lost in her words.





     You can connect with her at http://ellajadeauthor.blogspot.com/