Susan Hanniford Crowley's Blog: From Nights of Passion Blog, page 190

Open to Change

“The only constant is change” is a frequently used saying because it is a true saying–that’s my opinion of course. My day job is in corporate America in the convoluted world of finance. It is a fast pace world not only changing at the macro level, but constant change seeps down into the daily details as well.

As a writer, I have found change just as prevalent. Publishers and editors come and go or merge into one. Genres evolve as fans’ tastes due.

My reason for pointing out how prevalent change is, is to emphasize how important it is for us to be open and adaptable. In a way it sounds like common sense and I’m sure many of us believe we are adaptable to change, but each day I see the contrary in the candidates I interview, the employees I coach and the clients I speak to.

Change isn’t always easy. In fact, I believe that sometimes change is more difficult than staying constant. Why? Because we get comfortable or fear what could happen. Sometimes we aim to evolve but remain unable or even paralyzed from doing so. Time passes faster than we realize and then come the questions, what if,what if…

So what is the risk if we are open to change? The truth is that risk may vary and in some instances we will never know its potential. But at the same time, I could ask what is the risk of not being open to the change our minds ponder? To me, the possibilities and risks are endless. We could miss out on our full potential or even once in a lifetime opportunities. I realize this sounds a bit dramatic, but as someone who has spent a great deal of time thinking about this, I believe the risk is worth a shot at the extraordinary.

Food for thought… And of course, happy writing this week!

Filed under: A writer's life, romance, Toni Kelly

Giving Away A Kindle Paperwhite by Mandy Rosko

Hey guys! So, I figured that since the release of Alpha was right around the corner and I wanted to celebrate as much as possible, I’m going to be giving away a Kindle Paperwhite!

What? No way!

Yes way. Lol. Here’s the link where you can go to put your entry in:

http://mandyrosko.com/wordpress/giveaways/kindlepaperwhite-contest/

Now I am working on a small surprise at the end of the contest just to make sure everyone who tried to win gets a little something ;) I’m hoping that the winner is a romance reader since that’s my genre, but this is open to all fans of all genres and all countries where legal. Still working on the details for the smaller prizes, what it or they will be, and on how I’ll be handing those out and to who, but I’m pretty excited for that :D

On another fun note, I picked up a copy of Vellum. It’s expensive in Canada! Lol, but worth it. I can say that and I’ve only ever used the program once. It’s amazing. The ebooks that come out of that are beautiful. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to use it and now everything is up and running like it should be. I might even tweak a few things just because it was so easy, too :D

I’ll be sending out the ARCs I made with the program to my Rosko Romance Reading Team soon enough so they can have the book read and their reviews up in time for release.

The contest for the kindle is open until Alpha’s release day on March 22, so you have about three weeks to get as many entries as you can!

Good luck!

USA Today Bestselling Author Mandy Rosko

For a Free Starter Library, sign up for my Mailing List: http://mandyrosko.com/contact.php

 

 

Filed under: romance

A Leap Paranormal-Scope

Today is Leap Day. In some country traditions, it’s the one day where women can propose to men.

While I am not qualified in any way to read neither stars nor planets, I am intimately linked to the paranormal in the world in many ways. So are you.

The paranormal-scope is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to guide your life by.

The week for:

Aries:

Zombies leap after you. Be watchful and quick this week. Be aware of your surroundings and be sure to lock your doors.

Taurus:

Goblins love a budget that shows a surplus. What do they do with it? They save.

Gemini:

Satrys mellow out to good music and food. Take time to enjoy the same.

Cancer:

Mermaids sing of passion. Someone from your past will surface. Be prepared.

Leo:

Vampires feel the coming of spring. Everything smells so delicious. Bake with vanilla to cover your scent.

Virgo:

Physical exercise is important to Orcs. Pay attention to your health.

Libra:

Werewolves want to run. Examine your exercise routine. Check with your doctor for the best one for you.

Scorpio:

Sirens are deceivers. Beware of people who are not what they pretend to be.

Sagittarius:

Faeries dance with joy. Great things are coming your way.

Capricorn:

Dragons have light hearts. That is why they soar. Stop worrying. Let go of the past.

Aquarius:

Zombies are ticklish. Don’t let fear rule you. Live your live with adventure.

Pisces:

Elves love uncovering secrets. A secret will come to light that gives you a new understanding on your life.

-Susan

Susan Hanniford Crowley, Amazon Kindle Bestselling Author of Vampire Romance

www.susanhannifordcrowley.com

Where love burns eternal and whispers in the dark!

Vampire King of New York available at Amazon Kindle and print, Barnes and Noble Nook and print and in Kobo

A Vampire for Christmas in Kindle

Filed under: A Vampire for Christmas, Max Vander Meer, Norse, paranormal, paranormal romance, romance, romance novels, Susan Hanniford Crowley, The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais, vampire books, Vampire David Hilliard, Vampire King of New York, Vampire King of New York In Print, Vampire Maximillion Vander Meer, vampires, Viking, Weekly Paranormal-Scope, Yule

The Long Kiss Goodnight: Saying Farewell to Samhain

I was completely shocked on Friday to find a Facebook post/share from one of the most respected of small presses, Samhain, announcing they would be closing their doors within the year.

Shock is actually a mild word to what I felt: sadness, anger, despair, and fear.

Sadness of course because Samhain, as I said, is one of the class act small presses that had been around since before I came onto the writing scene. In fact, when I was making initial inquiries about presses to submit to, Samhain was set out as one of the best to send your work to. They published quality work, treated their authors with joy and respect (still showing in how they’ve choreographed their demise to give the most benefit to their authors—including continuing to pay them royalties): if your work was accepted by Samhain, it meant something in the writing world.

Anger and despair because I still had hopes of becoming a Samhain author, which dream now will never be realized, along with countless other authors. I feel robbed in a way of the opportunity. I am angry at myself for not pursuing them with other works in the hopes of getting to work with their excellent staff of editors, illustrators, and graphic designers.

But most of all, I am frightened of what Samhain’s closure foretells for the small press. For they are not the only small press to have closed their doors in the past year. From February 2015 until now, Crescent Moon Press, Musa Publishing, Amber Quill Press, Breathless Press, and now Samhain Publishing have all closed or are in the process of closing their doors. And these are only the ones I know of. I’m sure there are more.

What does this foretell in turn for authors, especially new authors who need the small press venue if they don’t have an agent or a Big Five contract, or aren’t ready to self-publish? Granted, there are still a long list of small presses alive and kicking out there, but should we take time to read the handwriting on the wall? Many different factors went into the closure of these small publishers, but I’m suggesting we look long and hard at those factors to see if a pattern emerges.

Forewarned is forearmed the old adage says.

Goodbye, Samhain. “We hardly knew ye.”

 

Filed under: Jenna Jaxon, publishing, Writer's life

Why Are Editors Great? Thank you, Cheryl!

Why does an author need an editor?  While it is true in the world of self-publishing that an author can do everything themselves, should they?  For everyone working to make the transition from aspiring writer to published author, you need another set of eyes on your work. You need to have someone else check your plot line to make sure your story makes sense. An editor is necessary to line edit looking for spelling and grammar errors. Are some of your sentences in the wrong place or not make sense. A good editor or editors prevent authors from looking foolish in front of the world.

Another point on editing concerns using words and phrases outside your own language. Make sure you find a person who speaks that language. In that way, you can be sure that you are saying what you truly mean.  You want to avoid serious faux pas.

The editor at my publishing house recently sent me edits, and I’m working on them for my new novel. What does she say about me? I need to reduce my use of that and other certain words, clean clutter, fix dialogue tags, make passive writing active, and always be sure of whose head you’re in. When you’re writing about characters who can read each others’ minds, you have to be clear.

When I told a friend of mine about the edits, he was dismayed. I said, “No, it’s wonderful. It means my publisher and editor believe in me.” I’m glad to do edits to make the book shine when it’s published.  Too many times when I self-edit, I miss things because my brain fills in the story. Thank you, Cheryl. I’m working on them, and I pay attention to your every word.

If you are self or indie-publishing your book, you’ll want to check out the reputations of editors and hire a good one.  I know your story is important to you, and you want to do it right. Even the best self-editors, even those who professionally edit for others, need the service of another editor for their own books.  You can’t beat another a pair of eyes!

-Susan

Susan Hanniford Crowley, Amazon Kindle Bestselling Author of Vampire Romance

www.susanhannifordcrowley.com

Where love burns eternal and whispers in the dark!

Vampire King of New York available at Amazon Kindle and print, Barnes and Noble Nook and print and in Kobo

A Vampire for Christmas in Kindle

 

 

Filed under: A Vampire for Christmas, Helping Other Writers, Max Vander Meer, Norse, paranormal, paranormal romance, romance, romance novels, steampunk romance, Susan Hanniford Crowley, The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais, vampire books, Vampire David Hilliard, Vampire in the Basement, Vampire King of New York, Vampire King of New York In Print, Vampire Maximillion Vander Meer, vampires, Viking, When Love Survives, Writer's Life, Writing Advice, writing life, Writing Topics, writing workshop, Yule

All Aboard for Blog Tours by Stacy Hoff

I’ve recently launched my newest release, DESIRE IN THE ARCTIC. In order to promote it I had to do everything  under the sun marketing-wise. Technically, this should have been no big deal for me. After all, ARCTIC is my fifth book to be published. Yet every time I have a release, I learn something new. My newest marketing move consisted of “blog tours.”

I had never done a “blog tour” before. For the longest time, I didn’t even know what one is. But now I have completed a crash course. By the time by my PR trains pulls into its final station, I would have made roughly a dozen blog stops along the way. That a long enough “tour” for me.

For those of you who are new to “blog tours” too, the term refers to lining up as many “guest spots” on other people’s blogs as possible. The hope is to be on blogs that have readers potentially interested in reading your book. The trick is to find bloggers willing to “host” you. It’s not easy. Some authors pay money to hire PR firms/promoters to find good blog spots for them.

I got lucky that I did not need to hire.  I’ve published enough books to know a fair amount of good bloggers. One who are nice enough to have me on. But if you are looking to take a blog tour and don’t know anybody to host you (and are reluctant to pay a PR/promotion firm) here are my top three tips. (Besides, of course, the usual Google check.)

Reach out to people in your writing group. Chances are, they blog. If not, they can likely recommend relevant blogs to you.
See if your publisher has an authors’ loop. If so, join it so you can find out who is blogging regularly. Then reach out to those authors. (This worked well for me.)
Search your Facebook, Twitter and even LinkedIn connections. Do those people blog? If not, are they connected with people who do?

Here’s yet another tip for you—check out these prospective sites before asking the host if they will be a stop on your blog tour. If their blog is not suited to your readers, or is controversial, or is poorly done, etc., it may be wise to keep your train moving.

What promotion tricks have worked best for you?

WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS FOR STACY HOFF:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorStacyHoff

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/authorStacyHoff

Web: http://www.stacyhoff.com

AMAZON LINK FOR DESIRE IN THE ARCTIC by Stacy Hoff:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AMUVJKW?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01AMUVJKW&linkCode=xm2&tag=stacyhoffcom-20

AMAZON LINK FOR DESIRE IN THE EVERGLADES by Stacy Hoff:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NFSMCYG?creativeASIN=B00NFSMCYG&linkCode=w00&linkId=6PCZIZBWKBWUSNHI&ref_=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til&tag=stacyhoffcom-20

AMAZON LINK FOR LAWFULLY YOURS by Stacy Hoff:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U7U2WCC?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B00U7U2WCC&linkCode=xm2&tag=stacyhoffcom-20

AMAZON LINK FOR HOT SEDUCTION (box set with Stacy Hoff):

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014RQX8GU?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B014RQX8GU&linkCode=xm2&tag=stacyhoffcom-20

AMAZON LINK FOR SEASON OF LOVE (Box set with Stacy Hoff):

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X3ZAR3E?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B00X3ZAR3E&linkCode=xm2&tag=stacyhoffcom-20

Filed under: Business, Marketing, Promotion, publishing, research, romance, Social Media, Stacy Hoff, What I have Learned so Far: Sharing Secret, Writer's Life, Writing Advice, writing life, writing research

Don’t Paint Your Walls Before You Finish The Roof by Heather Novak

Many authors, including myself, like to get hung up on one chapter, one paragraph, even one sentence before the book is done. 

Here is the best advice I have: build your story like you would a house.

1) You need to have a blueprint down before you start building. You are not going to (should not, anyway) just randomly start putting up walls on a plot of land. Your first draft is your blueprint. Don’t read what you wrote the day before (make notes every time you stop), don’t stop writing until its’s done. Finish the blueprint.

2) Once your blueprint is finished, build your structure. After a nice long break, read through the manuscript and make notes of things you need to add or change. Don’t get bogged down in how many times you use the word “feeling” yet. Just make a note to fix it later. Really concentrate on making sure each chapter idea helps the story move forward.

3) Now that your structure is up, start doing the cosmetic work, like your tile and drywall. Really flesh out those short chapters and your get characters in the right place at right (or possibly wrong?) time. Again, don’t worry so much about how pretty the sentences are yet. Just worry about making sure your characters are three dimensional, that they can think about more than one thing, that they have believable relationships with other people, and that their actions move the story forward.

4) Now it’s time to decorate. Go through each chapter, then each paragraph, and then each sentence. By now, you know your story and your characters like the back of your hand. You know what size couch you need and what color paint you need. You can adjust dialogue to match each character’s personalities, make sure you stop telling us what the character is feeling and show us, and make sure you don’t have the same word sixteen times in one paragraph.

5) Final inspection. Now, it’s time to really appreciate all your hard work. Go through the book and enjoy everything you’ve done to build this masterpiece.

Everyone is going to constantly tell you how to write your book, and you have to figure out the best way for you. But trust me on this piece of advice: Don’t paint your walls until your roof is done. 

 

One this day in 1793 – The department heads of the U.S. government met with U.S. President Washington for the first Cabinet meeting on U.S.record.

Wishing You Laughter & Good Books,

Heather Novak

Find me at:

Twitter: authorheathern

Instagram: authorheathern

Facebook: authorheathernovak

Hunting Witch Hazel: Spring 2016

Threat of Raine: Spring 2016

Rosemary for Remembrance: Spring 2016

Filed under: romance

Pure Luck

I just spent this last weekend in Las Vegas and I have to say I’ve never been a believer of luck or if I have, it has been more of the thought that we create our own look, make our own destinies. This has not been my first time to Vegas and while my overall view has not changed completely, it has evolved with what I’d like to think is age and wisdom. Or perhaps we as adults tend to make things too complex!

I do still believe we influence our own destinies and how we think and see the world has a great impact on what we get out of each day. Honestly, that is why I try to keep a positive spin on my blogs. I’m an optimist most of the time but that hasn’t been without struggle. I do know how it feels to be consumed by negativity or how easy it is to spiral downward without seeing an easy way out. And as corny as it sounds, it really is up to each of us to pull ourselves out of it—even if that means with a bit of outside help.

So back to this luck thing. No, I did not win the jackpot while there, but I would say I now have an acceptance of luck as just a necessary part of life. While I haven’t been lucky in Vegas, I would say that overall, fortune has been on my side and I have a lot I am thankful for. It may not be pure luck, but I would definitely say there is a time and place for everything and luck may have something to do with it. WE have a lot to do with the rest.

Happy writing this week!

 

 

Filed under: A writer's life, romance, Toni Kelly

Getting Ready to Play with Vellum Software by Mandy Rosko

Since everyone I know or have been talking to as a writer is gushing about how amazing Vellum is, I’ve decided to take the expensive plunge and buy the the full version. I’m bitching about how expensive it is, but really, it will ultimately be the cheaper option since I’m planning on formatting numerous books over the course of my career, and I have two books that will need to be formatted next month.

I’m a little excited! There was only a small snag, the program seemed to crash when I tried to buy the full version and I needed to force quit, but I’ll be trying again later today. The first book I have plans to format will be Alpha, the first in my Alpha Bites series, which will be awesome since then all the rest that come out will also be formatted nicely with the rest of the series. I won’t have to worry about one not looking the same as the other. They’ll all be pretty :D

The only thing I wish it did was format for print as well, but hopefully that will be in a future update. Messing with the software even before unlocking it was fun. It was super fun and easy seeing how nice everything looked. I felt all professional. It was stunning and weird at the same time.

Anyway, here’s to hoping that the next time I try to unlock it that it goes through.The guys on my ARC team will be getting a copy formatted with this software :D

Cheers!

~Mandy

 

Want to try my starter library for free? Sign up for my mailing list and I will send you The Vampire’s Curse, Burns Like Fire, and Sold to the Enemy for free: http://mandyrosko.com/contact.php

Filed under: romance

A Seedling Paranormal-Scope

Something is growing just beneath the surface. Change is right around the corner, but so are new opportunities.

While I am not qualified in any way to read neither stars nor planets, I am intimately linked to the paranormal in the world in many ways. So are you.

The paranormal-scope is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to guide your life by.

The week for:

Aries:

Hobbits are pre-planting, making plans for gardens and traveling to get new seeds. Your life is about to become busier.

Taurus:

Griffons fly past the storm into the brilliance of a new day. You have that kind of strength.

Gemini:

Pixies are giggling so faery dust is flying everywhere. The good luck is yours.

Cancer:

A vampire strolls the night looking for you. Excitement is entering your life.

Leo:

Dragon babies are adorable but fire proof your house. Now is the time to clean clutter.

Virgo:

Elves walk the lighted path through the wood to avoid conflict. Heal your own wounds before making amends with others.

Libra:

Mermaids avoid murky waters. You don’t know what dwells there. Don’t make decisions unless you have a clear view of the matter.

Scorpio:

Faeries enjoy reaching for new heights. Time to refresh or acquire new skills to make yourself more valuable.

Sagittarius:

Dragons don’t let the fear of making a mistake paralyze them. The mistakes of the past are behind you. The future is bright.

Capricorn:

The elves are the great recorders of time. Take some time to journal your experiences.

Aquarius:

Goblins are clever when it comes to readjusting budgets and still getting their projects done. So are you.

Pisces:

Faeries avoid gossip as hurtful nonsense. Keep focused on work and keep positive. Don’t let negative people drag you down.

-Susan

Susan Hanniford Crowley, Amazon Kindle Bestselling Author of Vampire Romance

www.susanhannifordcrowley.com

Where love burns eternal and whispers in the dark!

Vampire King of New York available at Amazon Kindle and print, Barnes and Noble Nook and print and in Kobo

A Vampire for Christmas in Kindle

Filed under: A Vampire for Christmas, Max Vander Meer, Norse, paranormal, paranormal romance, romance, romance novels, Susan Hanniford Crowley, The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais, vampire books, Vampire David Hilliard, Vampire King of New York, Vampire King of New York In Print, Vampire Maximillion Vander Meer, vampires, Viking, Weekly Paranormal-Scope, Yule