Susan Hanniford Crowley's Blog: From Nights of Passion Blog, page 213
July 16, 2015
RWA Nationals is Coming Up by Stacy Hoff
Last week I had peace and quiet to work on my latest manuscript. This week I’m preparing for wonderful chaos. I’m preparing for Romance Writers of America (RWA) national conference in New York City next week. I’ll be sad to leave my husband, friends, and neighbors behind. But—quite honestly—I’m thrilled I’ll be joining the three-thousand other attendees.
They’ll be writing courses, networking, pitches to editors and agents, publisher events, and parties during the course of the multi-day conference. I’ll be hanging out with my author friends, both those I’ve met in-person and on-line. And having dinner with my own publisher, Soul Mate Publishing, Inc. I’m very excited to go. Building personal connections is so important in the (usually solitary) writing profession.
If you are attending the RWA conference next week and see me, stop me and say hello. Thankfully, we’ll all be wearing name badges so we can (try) to learn who everybody is. I’m glad for that—because you’re another person I’d love to know.
Find Stacy on Social Media: http://www.facebook.com/authorStacyHoff Twitter: twitter.com/authorStacyHoff Web: http://www.stacyhoff.com https://www.pinterest.com/authorstacyhoff/
AMAZON LINK FOR LAWFULLY YOURS: http://www.amazon.com/Lawfully-Yours-Stacy-Hoff-ebook/dp/B00U7U2WCC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1425508177&sr=8-2&keywords=book+-+lawfully+yours
AMAZON LINK FOR DESIRE IN THE EVERGLADES: http://www.amazon.com/Desire-Everglades-Stacy-Hoff-ebook/dp/B00NFSMCYG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410289138&sr=8-1&keywords=desire+in+the+everglades
AMAZON LINK FOR SEASON OF LOVE: http://www.amazon.com/Season-Love-Box-Merry-Holly-ebook/dp/B00X3ZAR3E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431122019&sr=8-1&keywords=Season+of+love+-+stacy+hoff
Filed under: A writer's life, RWA, Stacy Hoff, Writers Conferences, writing workshop
July 15, 2015
Stop, Collaborate, and Listen! (Part 1) by Heather Novak
Listen folks. It’s time we have an honest conversation about reviews. Yep, reviews. You know that screen that pops up at the end of your ebook asking you to rate what you read that you quickly bypass because who the hell has the time?
Yeah, those.
This blog will be in 2 parts: Part 1 for readers, part 2 for writers
Readers, it is your time.
So why are we talking about reviews, Heather? I have a Netflix binge of Haven to start.
Answer: How great is Haven?! #TeamDuke
WAIT! Focus.
Leaving a review for a book/author you love is the most important thing you can do for that author!
How? What? Why?!
I’ve tried to think of many ways to explain this, besides just screaming out, “BECAUSE ALGORITHMS AND SH*T!!” But, I find that Gwen Whiting, author of The Universal Mirror, said it best in her blog, A Few Words:
Around 20-25 reviews, Amazon starts including the book in “also bought” and “you might like” lists. This increases your chances of someone finding your title.
Around 50-70 reviews, Amazon looks at your book for spotlight positions and the newsletter. This is HUGE. This is my personal goal although I use Amazon reviews for other reasons (more later on in this post).
Number of reviews may affect Amazon sales ranking. (Again, this is anecdotal–I have no actual proof of it.)
Some websites will not consider or promote your book unless you have a number of reviews on the page (this is very true of those sites that highlight free promos—I can attest to this).
And, of course, readers may read through your reviews and decide to purchase or not purchase the book based on this.
(Note: This blog is from 2012, so I’m not sure if the numbers have changed, nor does it include Kindle Unlimited. It does, however, give you an overview of how Amazon’s algorithms work.)
So that review you don’t care about leaving?
That review can make an author. Word of mouth is the most powerful tool! You can have your a** on the cover of (name popular fashion magazine here), but if people aren’t willing to spend their hard earned cash buying what you’re selling, it doesn’t matter. But when you have one hundred 4 and 5 star reviews, then people are way more likely to take the risk.
What if you hated the book? Should you still leave a review?
My opinion? Yes. BUT, leave a review like your boss will see it (chances are, they probably will. I’ve gotten paid to social media stalk potential hires.) Bad reviews can still bring in readers. Just don’t leave a rude, condescending, or bullying review.
If you chose to leave a review on a book you do not like, always give constructive criticism. This helps an author learn what their audience wants.
Example: I think the author did a wonderful job creating three-dimensional characters, however, their journey wasn’t as compelling as I hoped. I think it may have appealed to me more if so-and-so did this-thing-here.
Let’s look at this example. I led with a positive point. Find something in the story you liked (tone, dialogue, setting, characters, etc). Then, I stated why I personally had an issue with something and what I would have liked to see. I wrote it this way because it truly is MY opinion.
Why is this important? Because everyone experiences life differently. Neither of you may be right, but neither of you may be wrong. Don’t look like a fool, I will mock you. For a great mock example of this, check out Part 2 next week.
Social media makes cyber bullying and personal attacks very easy. The same sites that bring authors and readers closer together can be used to stab the authors in the back a moment later. If you can’t say anything nice, just leave a star rating and move on.
I refuse to sugarcoat, Heather!
Good point! I’m not saying you should sugarcoat. I’m saying R-E-S-P-E-C-T!
This person just wrote a book. They bled onto the pages. I’m just reminding you that authors, even JK Rowling, are human. I am of the mind that Cinderella’s (2015) “Have Courage and Be Kind” motto is the way to go. You can still give a poor review while respecting yourself and the author.
That hardcore-cooler-than-you-all-knowing-b*tch streak that all the guys thought was hot on my former college friend? Not cute after your early 20’s. Don’t be that person.
People love the person who can say what they mean in a respectful way. This is also a good life lesson. You’re welcome.
What do you do if you know the author but didn’t like their work?
This is a very touchy situations that depends entirely on your relationship with the author. Are you casual acquaintances? Are you besties? Are you in the same writing group?
Before offering to leave a public review (or Facebook comment, Instagram, Tweet, etc), think about how your words will affect your relationship. A negative review of a book that has three reviews is far more detrimental than a negative review of a book that has three-hundred.
No review is ever worth a friendship.
My suggestions:
1) Find something positive and base your review around that. Mention what you didn’t like in a respectful way.
2) Ask them why they did something or to explain something you’re confused about.
3) Don’t leave a review. Be prepared to explain why.
4) Don’t accept free books in exchange for reviews from close friends.
5) Leave a review on the positive aspects of the book, but then reach out to the author about what you didn’t like, so they can improve.
If you’re not sure how to proceed, sit on it a few days.
What if there’s something like a formatting issue?
Contact the author directly! If you don’t have their contact, go through their website or social media.
As an example, an ARC reader contacted my author group about our anthology because our grammar was terrible. Confused, since we all had gone through three edits, we found our formatter had cut off the ends of sentences! We also found one hilarious-but-terrible mistake in the book. Because a reviewer reached out to us, we were able to correct the issues before we went to print.
I have more questions! What should I do?
No problem! Leave me questions in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them :) Remember, this is all my own opinion from my own experience.
Stay tuned for part 2 when I dive into the other side of the pool — how to deal with bad reviews as an author. And a healthy dose of mocking.
Stayed tuned for part 2 on July 23 –
Fun fact alert! July 16, 2015 is known for:
National Spinach Day
That may not be spinach, but really, who cares?!
Wishing You Laughter & Good Books,
Heather Novak
Bold. Bewitching. Breathtaking.
Find me at:
Twitter: authorheathern
Facebook: authorheathernovak
Website: Heathernovak.net
Author of Hunting Witch Hazel featured in Falling Hard (A New Adult Anthology).
Available Now!
Amazon U.S.
http://amzn.to/1G0aCoQ
iBooks
http://apple.co/1Fb1Nrp
Amazon UK
http://amzn.to/1bKvOmc
Kobo
Filed under: romance
July 14, 2015
The Simplicity of Why I Write
Why do you write? If you’ve answered with the intent to make money, you may have found by now that while the intention is an understandable one, writing is not for the faint of heart. If you’ve found otherwise, I congratulate you and hope that during the process, you are leaving many happy writers in your wake.
But seriously, why do we writers write? Even more, why do leaders lead or teachers teach? Why do we do what we do? Now I know that is a complex question, but this stems from a complex discussion I had in this past week about adding value as leaders. I came to realize that perhaps if we didn’t think about everything in such a complicated manner, maybe we might add more value.
What do I mean? I recently read this great children’s book to my son called What Do You Do With An Idea? By Kobi Yamada. Great illustrations by Mae Besom. It was such a simple yet brilliant book and I honestly get goose bumps as I finish reading it. I won’t spoil anymore as I highly recommend it, but it just gave me the realization that children look at the world so much differently than we adults do (I guess I’ve always realized this to some degree but never really thought to emulate it in my work life). They aren’t tainted by the constant bombardment of negative information that is our news and they haven’t all yet learned to be manipulative to such a great degree (I work in the world of finance).
So how does this all apply back to writing? Well, I can honestly say I write because I love to tell stories and I love to leave people with messages and puzzles to solve and worlds to discover. It really is that simple and perhaps that is why writing is truly a passion of mine. There aren’t any sort of ulterior motives. Yeah sure it would be nice to make money off of it so I could write more, but that’s simple a cherry on top. So back to my first question…why do you write? And a follow up…Is the answer simple enough for you?
Happy writing this week!
Filed under: A writer's life, Toni Kelly
July 13, 2015
Chugging Along By Mandy Rosko
Okay, so not a bad day for work if I do say so myself. Got my almost 5k words done today for my Siren book, another thousand words done for my Wattpad story The Arrangement, and after this blog post I’ll be handing in a set of edits before getting onto other things.
Not too bad considering I was complaining about taking on too much work last week. Which, by the way, is still going to haunt me until the Fall.
Speaking of taking on too much work, I’ve been wanting to start a Booktube channel. Which is insane because I already have no time as it is—and don’t know anything about lighting or editing videos—but I like the idea of putting my book reviews up like that, and maybe showing people my face from time to time. Right, because I have waaaay too much tome on my hands :D
The point, I suppose, is that if I use my time wisely, am not always wasting it watching videos or playing games, then maybe I can actually get some work done, and potentially still have time to practice drawing (Something I super suck at but really want to learn how to do)
Until then, I find that everything’s going to move at a snail’s pace, but at least things will be getting done, even if I myself don’t always see the immediate results. Reading for this month is terrible. It’s the 14th and I have yet to finish one book for my Goodreads challenge. Need to get on that.
But hey, at least my outlines for the new Siren series is going well :) Been getting hung up on the Jason Todd story from Batman, especially from Arkham Knight. Sooooo insanely sad and terrible. Getting a lot of inspiration from that.
Wow! What a scrambled post. Okay, maybe I’m a little more tired than I thought. I’m out! Gotta finish those edits before I put them off.
Cheers,
~Mandy
Filed under: romance
July 12, 2015
Summer Picnic Paranormal-Scope
Heat. Cool Drinks. Summer Picnics. The paranormal is still here.
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:
Dragons love toasting marshmallows over a fire. Think about the simple life and plan a camp-out or a picnic.
Taurus:
Werewolves area great at barbecues. Invite friends over for dinner.
Gemini:
Shapeshifters hike through the countryside for exercise and they just like the scenery. Choose some scenery you’d like to see.
Cancer:
Faeries explore new vistas. New opportunities are coming you way.
Leo:
Elves enjoy flipping burgers. Check out new cookbooks and upgrade your burgers.
Virgo:
Gnomes do so much each summer, they have to build in rest and relaxation. Do the same.
Libra:
Killer bunnies run down your road. Take the road less traveled.
Scorpio:
Dragons are the best at barbecuing. Enjoying good barbecue is in your stars.
Sagittarius:
Pixies are messy. You have a lot of messes to clean up this week. Do it with a smile and people will think well of you.
Capricorn:
Griffons seldom make friends, but for you they will make an exception. Unexpected people will notice your shine.
Aquarius:
Unicorns are unique expressions of love. People often attract those that are most like themselves.
Pisces:
Vampires picnic at night. Think outside the box.
-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
July 11, 2015
What to Do After You Sign the Contract
Mary Behre
My RWA local chapter, Chesapeake Romance Writers, held our July meeting yesterday and had a wonderful set of speakers from another RWA chapter come in and talk to us about what happens after we sign a book contract.
Many authors, myself included, often only look at the prize—the contract in the mail or email. But what happens afterwards is a long march toward publication and beyond. Mary Behre and Tracey Livesay took us step by step through the sometimes grueling process of getting your book into readers hands.
They were concerned that not all of our members would find the information useful. We have members in all stages of seeking publication, from people who have just begun writing to those who are multi-published, both indie and traditional. So I found myself asking questions: Do I really need an agent? What kinds of things are worth fighting for in a contract? How do you juggle writing with time for family and social media?
Tracey Livesay
There were many other questions from my group, but I’ll give you a smattering of what I learned: You only need an agent if your contract is negotiable. And even then, you may not need them. If your contract is pretty standard, then you don’t need an agent to negotiate. Ask other authors and even RWA personnel questions about the contract. RWA will help you understand what you are signing if you don’t have an agent. If you want to go traditional publishing with the “Big Five” you might need an agent, however, there are even ways around that.
Money is obviously one of the big things to negotiate in a contract. Some authors change publishers because the money is better elsewhere (both advances and royalties). Titles are not something that you can get guaranteed in a contract. Neither are covers, although you can always ask if a certain cover artist will be considered for your books. I asked this because I want to have the same cover artist do all my House of Pleasure books, but I didn’t know if I could write it into my contract. (The bottom line on that is ask. All they can say is “no.”)
And how do you juggle your writing life with every other life you have. Some people farm things out to others: their presence on social media may be run by a manager or a street 
team. Some hire a publicist. Some try to do it all and burn out. Some only write—the best publicity is your next book, remember? Because you can publicize the crap out of a single book, but once your readers have read it they’re going to ask, “Where’s the next one?” So you need books 2, 3, 4, 5 and so on. And that means you have to write.
I’m trying to take that last advice to heart. I just released three books in June and already I’m thinking, “I need to keep my name out there. I need time to write.” It can be done, if you have organization and perseverance.
This was a fantastic presentation and if you ever get a chance to hear Mary Behre or Tracey Livesay speak, run, don’t walk, to that venue. Great presentation!
Filed under: Jenna Jaxon, Writing Craft
July 10, 2015
Come and See Susan Hanniford Crowley at Pi-Con in Windsor Locks, CT July 31-Aug 2!
Hi,
I’m going to be at New England’s Friendliest Little Convention: Pi-Con. Let me give you the 
scoop.
9Pi-Con: July 31-August 2, 2015
The Location: Sheraton Hotel at Bradley International Airport,
Windsor Locks, CT
I’m going to be found in lots of places. First off on Friday, I’ll be teaching in the Writers Workshops. Be sure to bring something to write with and have lots of fun. Here’s the schedule
This is the tentative Writer’s Workshop schedule. The awesomeness is guaranteed, but the details of who is on which panel and the times may change.
Time
Room A
Room B
9:00-9:30
WELCOME BY TANYA HUFF
9:35-10:35
Creating Stories Game
Writing Erotica Panel
10:40-12:00
Writing Sick and Twisted Characters
Everything But the Writing
12:00-1:00
LUNCH
1:00-1:55
Promotion for Authors
World Building
2:00-2:55
Paranormally Yours
Reading Your Work Aloud
3:00-3:55
Tarot workshop
What Editors Look For
4:00-4:55
Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy
Building Strong Characters
5:00-6:00
WRITERS’ CIRCLE WITH DEBI CHOWDHURY
PANEL AND WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS
Building Strong Characters (Panel)
Grant Carrington, William Freedman, Tanya Huff, Kristi Petersen Schoonover, Morven Westfield (M)
The panelists will discuss how hero, heroines, and villains must be of equal strength, while secondary characters must move the story forward. You’ll learn how to make your character strong, believable, memorable and beloved by readers.
Creating Stories (Game)
Susan Hanniford Crowley, Justine Graykin
Susan Hanniford Crowley and Justine Graykin will lead you in a game of chance. Play the game and pick cards to find inspiration for a story. A “writing improv” game for those that want to try writing or a writer of any stage who would like to stretch their creativity.
Everything But the Writing (Workshop)
Jennifer Allis Provost, Trisha J. Wooldridge
There are lots of great workshops to help your craft, but what about actually selling your writing and making money? Let’s take a look at what else you need to know to be a professionally published author from queries to organizations, contracts and rights* to filing taxes**. * and **–Neither Trish nor Jenn are lawyers or tax advisors; we’re just giving you basic info.
Paranormally Yours–Writing the Paranormal Tale or Novel (Panel)
Debi Chowdhury, Susan Hanniford Crowley (M), Bianca D’Arc, Tanya Huff, Morven Westfield
The panelists will examine the many aspects of writing the paranormal tale from setting to character. What qualities are in every paranormal from sheer horror to paranormal romance that define the genre?
Promotion for Authors (Workshop)
Bianca D’Arc
Have a book coming out and don’t know what to do? In this workshop, we’ll discuss promotion strategies including the tried and true bookmark, excerpt booklet and swag, etc. We’ll also talk a bit about social media–cover reveals, countdowns, online parties–sale strategies, including introductory pricing, vendor choices to be made (To KU or not to KU?), and online advertising.
Reading Your Work Aloud (Workshop)
Justine Graykin
Reading your work aloud is the key to connecting with your audience, especially if your work is not yet well-known. A reading is not an ordeal to be endured; it’s an opportunity. Join us to learn how to overcome stage fright and prepare properly so that you have the confidence to get the most out of that opportunity.
Tarot Workshop (Workshop)
Trisha J. Wooldridge
Learn how to use the Tarot to help your writing from idea creation to working through writer’s block.
What Editors Look For (Panel)
Inanna Arthen, Susan Hanniford Crowley (M), Kate Kaynak, Gordon Linzner, Ian Randall Strock
The panelists, all professional editors or publishers, will reveal what editors look for. Why are some stories rejected, while others are not? Is everyone looking for the same thing? What’s a writer to do?
World Building (Panel)
Jennifer Bresnick (M), Dee Carter, Jennifer Allis Provost, Kristi Petersen Schoonover
The panelists will explore the many aspects of building believable worlds for your stories and novels. How does the writer do this?
Writing Erotica (Panel)
Grant Carrington, Catt Kingsgrave, Gordon Linzner
Gordon Linzner will interview Catt Kingsgrave and Grant Carrington on what erotica is (for those that do not know), what parts are common to every story, and what makes erotica unique. What makes the difference between a published or rejected story?
Writers’ Circle
Debi Chowdhury
A ceremony of thanks followed by an informal gathering with light refreshments and socializing. Anyone bringing books from home can get them signed by our publisher/editor/author participants.
Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy (Panel)
Susan Hanniford Crowley, Bianca D’Arc, Gordon Linzner (M), Jennifer Allis Provost
The panelists will look specifically at how to write successful science fiction and fantasy. What traits are specific to this genre? What are the challenges?
Writing Sick and Twisted Characters (Workshop)
Dee Carter
We have a very educated readership nowadays. Everyone who watches CSI and Criminal Minds considers themselves an expert on psychopathology. This can be a problem if the only crazy people you know well enough to develop a back story for are your relatives. But wait! You do know sick and twisted entities who can give you clear guidance on hero and villain back story–the ACME cartoon characters. Let the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illness and the ACME crew help you make believably evil characters.
I’m on three of the panels and also leading a writing game with a friend of mine. One of the awesome things about this total event is that I programmed it. I designed it for everyone to learn and have fun at the same time. Fun is big with me. Learning is crucial.
Another great thing is that Ian Randal Strock of Fantastic Books will be selling my books The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais and Vampire King of New York at his booth.
The rest of the weekend’s program isn’t finalized yet so I don’t have the full list of what else I’ll be doing yet. I will be at the Steampunk Tea. If you want to go to that, go to Pi-Con.org and register for the con, then be sure to register for the tea in addition. Tickets for the tea are $20 each and going fast. Costumes are preferred but not mandatory.
Current Rates are per person and from the website:
$45 Pre-Registration
$50 At the Door
Day Rates:
Friday: $20 – includes Writer’s Workshop
Saturday: $25
Sunday: $15
If you’d like me to sign your book, I’m very easily found at Pi-Con. Ask me for my card. I am planning on having a game card, ask for one. I will give them out, until they’re gone.
This is going to be a blast!!!
P.S. I am also being interviewed today on a blog in India. I answered some very interesting questions, that one has asked so far. Here’s the link: http://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2015/07/Susan-Hanniford-Crowley-Interview.html
-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, Norse, paranormal, paranormal romance, romance, romance novels, Susan Hanniford Crowley, the romance of life, 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, What inspires you?, Writer's Life, Writing Exercises, writing prompt, Writing Topics, Yule
Cover Design Redux by Stacy Hoff
Pick your favorite cover
Originally posted on Nights of Passion:
Book covers are like people—they both get face lifts. Does prettier wrapping work? I have the perfect opportunity to find out with SEASON OF LOVE, my romance anthology with Gerri Brousseau, Merry Holly, Bobbi Lerman and Stephanie Queen.
We were told our anthology needed a new look. Something to let readers see our work as the romantic tour de force it is. So the five of us writers got together to debate the cover we had versus a new design.
We ultimately chose a design that had more of a close-up shot of a loving couple. One that showed more physical contact between the man and woman. In my opinion, it also shows a more intense chemistry between them.
Do you agree? Does the new cover work? You tell me—here are the “before” and “after” pictures:
BEFORE …
View original 102 more words
Filed under: romance
July 9, 2015
Cover Design Redux by Stacy Hoff
Book covers are like people—they both get face lifts. Does prettier wrapping work? I have the perfect opportunity to find out with SEASON OF LOVE, my romance anthology with Gerri Brousseau, Merry Holly, Bobbi Lerman and Stephanie Queen.
We were told our anthology needed a new look. Something to let readers see our work as the romantic tour de force it is. So the five of us writers got together to debate the cover we had versus a new design.
We ultimately chose a design that had more of a close-up shot of a loving couple. One that showed more physical contact between the man and woman. In my opinion, it also shows a more intense chemistry between them.
Do you agree? Does the new cover work? You tell me—here are the “before” and “after” pictures:
BEFORE AFTER
Who knew when I decided to join four other authors in a self-publishing a romance anthology that marketing and promotion would be every bit as important as writing my individual story? Hope my marketing decisions have been right so far. The five of us will find out soon. (Insert nail biting here!)
AMAZON BUY LINK FOR SEASON OF LOVE: http://www.amazon.com/Season-Love-Box-Merry-Holly-ebook/dp/B00X3ZAR3E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431122019&sr=8-1&keywords=Season+of+love+-+stacy+hoff
Find Stacy on Social Media: http://www.facebook.com/authorStacyHoff Twitter: twitter.com/authorStacyHoff Web: http://www.stacyhoff.com https://www.pinterest.com/authorstacyhoff/
AMAZON BUY LINK FOR LAWFULLY YOURS: http://www.amazon.com/Lawfully-Yours-Stacy-Hoff-ebook/dp/B00U7U2WCC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1425508177&sr=8-2&keywords=book+-+lawfully+yours
AMAZON BUY LINK FOR DESIRE IN THE EVERGLADES: http://www.amazon.com/Desire-Everglades-Stacy-Hoff-ebook/dp/B00NFSMCYG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410289138&sr=8-1&keywords=desire+in+the+everglades.
Filed under: A writer's life, Cover Art, Cover Reveal, Gerri Brousseau, Marketing, Promotion, publishing, romance, romance novels, Stacy Hoff, Writer's Life
July 8, 2015
Wine Time with Jenny Hale by Heather Novak
Today’s 
special Wine Time guest is Romantic Women’s Fiction author Jenny Hale! I’ve known Jenny for going on two years and she’s one of my favorite people to tweet. We do writing sprints together and share a love of country music. Every one of her books brings a smile to my face and pulls on my heartstrings, like a little kid buying his sister an ice cream cone in pennies or a ridiculously cute cat meme.
Okay Jenny, now that I’ve given you the cheapest screw cap only best wine I have, tell us about yourself!
When I graduated college, one of my friends said, “Look out for this one; she’s going to be an author one day.” Despite being an avid reader and a natural storyteller, it wasn’t until that very moment that the idea of writing novels occurred to me.
Sometimes our friends can see the things that we can’t.
While I didn’t start straight away, that comment sowed a seed and several years, two children, and hundreds of thousands of words later, I completed a novel that I felt was worthy of publication. The result was Coming Home for Christmas.
I also have three other novels: Love Me for Me, A Christmas to Remember, and my recent release: Summer by the Sea. (I am currently at work on my next novel.)
When I’m not writing, I’m a District Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages, a mother of two boys, and a wife to a very supportive husband.
What about your writing background, anything exciting?
I’m an English teacher. I had courses on how to teach writing to young children, but I’ve never had a creative writing class. Writing just came naturally for me. I’ve always been a storyteller, but it didn’t occur to me until adulthood to write. I started reading books about writing, reading other authors in my genre, I joined a writers’ group in my city, and started writing. Then, I began submitting for publication. Seven years after I started writing and two years after I started submitting, I found my way to Bookouture and the rest is history.
You just had an awesome new book release, Summer by the Sea! I could not put it down. Was this book based on a real place? (Are most of your books based on places you travel?)
It is! It’s based in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, a place I’ve spent many family vacations. All the locations in the book are real except The Tides Wine Bar. And yes, you can really get a fishbowl cocktail at Sunset Grille! ;) (THE FISHBOWL COCKTAIL IS REAL?! Truly a miracle on Earth.)
Most of my books are based on places where I’ve been because I feel that it’s the little things about a place that I notice when I’m there that I can put into my writing to make it feel real. For example, the way the sand from the dunes covers the curb of the street on windy days isn’t something that I’d find, necessarily, in research, but I’ve seen it, so I can write it.
What tricks do you use to get the book done on time? You know, besides me Tweeting you “wanna race?”
I write 1,000 or more words per day and edit 4,000 or more if I’m in editing. I simply take the days until my deadline and divide by the approximate number of words I think I’ll need to write to get the story finished. That’s how I figure how many words I need to write/edit to be done on time. Then I make it happen.
From our friendship, I have learned that you do not love to cook. What is your favorite kind of take out?
I love Mexican, sushi, or southern cuisine like crabcakes or seafood of some kind.
(This is why we’re friends. I’d sell my siblings for a taco. #noshame)
Wine or beer? Soccer or Hockey?
Beer! (But wine in the summer is nice.) Soccer.
Favorite genre to read other than romance?
I’ll give any a try, but I like travel writing.
What are some fun, unknown facts about you?
When I was little, age 3 or 4, my mom put me in ballet and in the recital, I did everything backwards. Every dance move! (This is still the story of my life…)
I don’t like mushrooms. (I’ll pick around them if I have to.) (I also think mushrooms belong nowhere near my mouth. No wonder we get along so well!)
I had a cat named Pepper who would talk! She would meow every morning and it sounded just like, “Mom, milk.” (“Maaaawwwwm. Meeeeeeooook.”) Swear. (I’m very jealous right now.)
Do you have a funny writing/publishing story? If not, share any embarrassing story.
I’ve always gravitated to outgoing activities even though I’m the least outgoing of any of my friends. In middle school, I tried out for a solo in chorus and I got it! I was so nervous singing on that stage that my whole song sounded like a lamb singing because I was shaking so much.
(Jenny, thank you so much for sharing your embarrassing story with us so I may preserve it forever on the World Wide Web!)
Now that you’ve clearly fallen in love with Jenny like I have (in a completely non-creepy, non-stalker kind of way…probably…), check out her latest book Summer by the Sea!
Blurb:
Summer by the Sea is about that one summer that changes everything. For Faith the one summer she can’t forget is when she fell in love as a teenager—only for her sister, Casey, to steal her man. Now, at the request of her beloved ninety-year-old grandmother, Faith has agreed to a family vacation—at their childhood beach house, where it all began.
Faith hasn’t seen her sister in years but is finally ready to forgive and forget, enjoy the sunshine, and relive happy memories. What she’s not ready for is meeting Jake Buchanan—the owner of the beach house—or the long-forgotten feelings he ignites in her.
Make sure to drop by and say “hi!”
Website: www.itsjennyhale.com
Twitter: @jhaleauthor
Facebook: facebook.com/jennyhaleauthor
Fun fact alert! July 9, 2015 is known for:
National Sugar Cookie Day!
I have the sudden desire to bake something…
Wishing You Laughter & Good Books,
Heather Novak
Bold. Bewitching. Breathtaking.
Find me at:
Twitter: authorheathern
Facebook: authorheathernovak
Website: Heathernovak.net
Author of Hunting Witch Hazel featured in Falling Hard (A New Adult Anthology).
Available Now!
Amazon U.S.
http://amzn.to/1G0aCoQ
iBooks
http://apple.co/1Fb1Nrp
Amazon UK
http://amzn.to/1bKvOmc
Kobo
Filed under: romance
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