Linda Welch's Blog, page 4

To Be Or Not To Be

.ozn6{position:absolute;clip:rect(405px,auto,auto,405px);}SMALL cash advance VERY CHEAP

I am a voracious reader. I enjoy nothing more than losing myself in a book, sinking into a plot, becoming immersed in a character’s personality, opinions and adventures. To me, many characters become people with whom I laugh and cry. So why am I surprised when readers feel the same way about characters I have created? Although Tiff, Royal, Jack, Mel, Gia, Mac and all the rest feel real to me, I didn’t think they would to anyone else, to the same degree. I know some readers love my books, some think they’re an okay read, others don’t like them one little bit. But I didn’t think my books had an emotional impact on readers, so all the emails, messages and comments which say, “I love this series. Please, please, don’t make this the last book!” knocked me on my tush.

And what do you do when you finish a series, and get those messages? You feel awful. You have a conversation with yourself something like this:

“I feel terrible. I hate to disappoint all these lovely people.”

“Then write another book.”

“I don’t know if I have it in me. The characters aren’t speaking to me right now.”

“Then tell them no.”

“Tell them no?”

“Yes, be honest with them. Say it’s the last book.”

“Okay. But, what if, sometime down the line, ideas explode in my head and I want to write another? I’ll have lied to everyone.”

“Then tell them maybe.”

“Yeah, but what if I don’t write another?”

“Oh, for goodness sake, you’re driving me nuts. You can’t have it both ways.”

“I’m driving you nuts? How do you think I feel?”

My problem is I have a hard time saying “no” to anyone, about anything. I hate to disappoint people. So I’ve vacillated. I’ve said yes it’s the last. I’ve said maybe, just maybe, there may be another. An author friend suggests I write an anthology of Whisperings short stories, so I’ve mentioned that, although I don’t know if it will happen. But one thing I can’t to do is force myself to write another Whisperings. I know of some authors who’ve done that to satisfy readers or their publisher, and it hasn’t ended well because the books lack that essential something, and their fans know it. And, boy, do they let the authors know.

The bottom line is I don’t see another Whisperings in the immediate future, but the door is still open. Right now I’m busy with other projects. I’ve almost finished the first draft of my dark urban fantasy Downside Rain. I will finish re-writing, then republish, my sci-fi/fantasy novels Mindbender and Galen’s Gate. They have been languishing in my computer for far too long.

If you’d like to be one of the first to know when a new Linda Welch book is published, there is an email sign-up at the top of this website. I hope you’ll take advantage of it, because apparently Amazon’s notification service (on the Amazon Author Pages) doesn’t always work, and using the sign-up will ensure Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Kobo customers are notified.

Back to work for me now. And I’ll try not to have any more arguments with myself.

Oh, woe is me!

.lmi7{position:absolute;clip:rect(446px,auto,auto,476px);}same day payday loans

DEAR NOOK READERS, I’M SORRY.

 If you downloaded the free Along Came a Demon for Nook from Barnes & Noble, you have the wrong book. What you have is the old, outdated novella version which should never again have been offered for sale, free or otherwise. You should have been offered the novel, but at no cost.

As a little background, way back in 2009 the only way to publish on Barnes & Noble was by using the Smashwords platform, which I did for the novella. When Barnes & Noble created the PubIt! self-publishing platform, I removed my books from Smashwords and published direct to Barnes & Noble.

Fast forward to today, and I decided to offer Along Came a Demon free on Barnes & Noble. The only way to do this is to offer the book free in the Smashwords bookstore, and direct Smashwords to publish it on Barnes & Noble, where the free price carries over.

Obviously, Barnes & Noble still has that old Smashwords document, because instead of publishing the current, novel-length version of the book with the new cover, they resurrected the old one for the novella. I don’t know why this happened. Perhaps Smashwords simply told Barnes & Noble to “republish” and it zapped up the old Smashwords document. Perhaps the new document hasn’t gone through Barnes & Noble’s publishing process yet. Perhaps Smashwords sent the new document and cover picture and Barnes & Noble ignored it. I don’t know.

Why am I apologizing? If readers go on to the next books in the series, they will think the author - yours truly – lost her marbles, because so much material was changed and more material added when Along Came a Demon became a novel. There are many references which make perfect sense if you read the novel, but not the novella.

I am helpless to correct this, and it’s driving me CRAZY! Barnes & Noble will only respond to a publisher – in this instance, Smashwords – and Smashwords has not replied to my cries for help. All I can do is say, I’m sorry you got the wrong book. Hang in there, the correct version should be on Barnes & Noble soon.

 NEW AMAZON FEATURE.

Amazon has a new feature in its Author Pages. Up on the right hand side, you can sign on to receive an email when your favorite author(s) publish a new book. I’ve already signed on for a dozen authors whose books I devour, and I know I can find more. This feature seems to be in the early stages, it tends to come and go on the pages.

This is a good tool, and not only for Kindle readers. Many authors publish on multiple platforms, so if you read a device other than Kindle, signing on could still be a benefit. You’ll know to look for a new book on your favorite online retailer site. Speaking for myself, if I publish a new book on Amazon, it’s going to also be for sale on iTunes, Barnes & Noble and Kobo Books, and probably more as I expand to other platforms.

 ALONG CAME A DEMON FREE ON AMAZON?

 So, you’re asking yourself, if she is offering a free Along Came a Demon on iTunes, Kobo Books and Barnes & Noble (hopefully the correct version will turn up soon) why not on Amazon? I’d like to. Enrolling in Amazon’s KDP Select gives several benefits: Prime members can borrow the book, authors can periodically offer their book to readers at no cost, and the Amazon algorithms work in the book’s favor by giving it more visibility and boosting the rank. However, the book is exclusive to Amazon and cannot be sold elsewhere. I left KDP Select so I could offer the book elsewhere, so no more free on Amazon through the KDP Select program. However, there is another way. Amazon will “price match” other e-tailers. If the book is free elsewhere, Amazon will make it free. But Amazon has to be told of this. Do you want to see Along Came a Demon free on Amazon? Let them know by going to the book’s product page, Along Came a Demon, clicking on the “tell us about a lower price” link just below the book’s rank, clicking on “Website (Online),” and entering the url. The url to Along Came a Demon on iTunes is https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/along-came-demon-whisperings/id621675611?mt=11. Type the price and costs as zero, and hit enter.

 Thank you.

 

 

Where to Find my Books

Under Construction! Please check back later.

Amazon USA   Amazon UK   Amazon Germany   Amazon France   Amazon Spain   Amazon Italy   Amazon Canada   Amazon Brazil   Barnes & Noble    Apple iTunes   Kobo Books

 

Amazon USA   Amazon UK   Amazon German   Amazon France   Amazon Spain   Amazon Italy   Amazon Canada   Amazon Brazil   Barnes & Noble  Apple iTunes   Kobo Books

 

 

Amazon USA   Amazon UK   Amazon German   Amazon France   Amazon Spain   Amazon Italy   Amazon Canada   Amazon Brazil   Barnes & Noble   Apple iTunes   Kobo Books

 

 

Bright   Amazon USA   Amazon UK   Amazon German   Amazon France   Amazon Spain   Amazon Italy   Amazon Canada   Amazon Brazil   Barnes & Noble   Coming soon to Apple iTunes   Kobo Books

 

 

Amazon USA   Amazon UK   Amazon German   Amazon France   Amazon Spain   Amazon Italy   Amazon Canada   Amazon Brazil   Barnes & Noble   Coming soon to Apple iTunes   Kobo Books

 

 

Amazon USA   Amazon UK   Amazon German   Amazon France   Amazon Spain   Amazon Italy   Amazon Canada   Amazon Brazil   Barnes & Noble   Coming soon to Apple iTunes   Kobo Books

 

 

Amazon USA   Amazon UK   Amazon German   Amazon France   Amazon Spain   Amazon Italy   Amazon Canada   Amazon Brazil   Barnes & Noble   Coming soon to Apple iTunes   Kobo Books

 

The Whisperings books are also available as paperbacks from most Amazon retailers.

Deep in the Wilds of Wiltshire

I’ll miss Wiltshire when we leave here in a couple of days, even though I didn’t realize until last week that this peaceful little village is really a den of iniquity. Oh yes, you wouldn’t believe the goings-on here.

Sirens in the village! Being used to sirens blaring in the States, we didn’t rush outside when we heard them, and did not discover the cause until the next day when we walked to the village shop. The thatched roof on two old, connecting cottages up the road had caught fire. Fortunately, it did not spread much before the firemen raked off a lot of thatch and doused the flames. We feel sorry for the people who own the cottages who, it seems, renovated one and were living in it, and intended to renovate the second –the one which caught fire – and lease it.

This is a tiny village, and you know, or can guess, what village gossip is like. Rumor has it some teens were growing an illegal substance in the cottage’s attic and accidentally started the fire, but I can’t imagine how the residents could miss teens galumphing about in their attic. But just think, we could be in the middle of a crime zone! Is that nice neighbor a drug czar? Does everyone grow poppies simply because they are pretty flowers? Is my mum safe here?

Or is she in on it?

Also in the news – well, not exactly – we had a little adventure in the Wigglybus. Heading for home, it suddenly veered along a dirt track between fences, wound between piles of manure and into a farmyard. “If you mean to abduct us,” I said to the driver, “nobody will pay the ransom.” But it had stopped to change drivers at the Wigglybus depot. The “depot” is a farmyard, and the little buses are housed in a barn which is nothing more than three wooden walls with a tattered canvas roof. Apparently, the council which now finances the services won’t go as far as to provide somewhere for the Wigglys to sleep at night, so they’re in a smelly farm.

Everyone . . . . aw.

While I’m (still) talking about Wiltshire, think about coming to the Pewsey Vale if you visit England. It’s beautiful, picturesque countryside and so many interesting sites are easily reachable from here. Smaller towns like Devizes, and Marlborough with its wonderful medieval buildings. Cities such as magnificent Salisbury, and gracious Bath. Historic houses abound: Lacock, Stourhead, and Wilton, to name a few. And ancient sites such as the Old Sarum iron-age hill fort, later used by the Romans and Normans, Stonehenge, and what I think is far more interesting than Stonehenge: the stone circles and village at Avebury. Need somewhere to stay? (Yes, this is a plug.) Our boys stayed in Rushall Village at The Chestnuts, which is a British Heritage listed building. Gorgeous cottage, where they were warmly welcomed by hosts Richard and Linda Tilbury and fed copious amounts of food at breakfast. In fact I was quite envious. They loved their comfortable accommodation and how Richard and Linda made them feel at home. And did I mention huge breakfasts? And they don’t grow illegal substances in their attic.

Our adventures continued with a few days with my sister in Newbury. After riding the train to Paddington, she valiantly led us through the London underground and on buses, where we would have been utterly lost without her.  We ended up at Crouch End in London to spend a few hours with our niece. Crouch End is – IMO – a horrible name which conjures images of a grubby, gray, Sweeney Todd kind of London when it is actually lovely. The niece lives in a beautiful residential area with amazing Gothic houses only five minutes from town. The town also has many Gothic buildings, and every other building seems to be either a tempting bakery or a restaurant. Definitely my kind of place. The weather was awful, bitterly cold, windy and snowing. I had to go in a charity shop and buy a cheap hat, which I gave to Mum when we returned to Rushall. I think she looks très chic in it. Anyway, we ate lunch in Monkeynuts, fantastic food! If you happen to be in Crouch End, I highly recommend the restaurant.

And my good mate Carol came to Newbury from Motspur Park for the day and valiantly walked around Newbury despite a painful knee. Husband, sister and I did enjoy seeing you, Carol, and I hope you’ve forgiven sister for calling you Carrie. :0

We’ll be on our way back to Utah on Monday. Goodbye Wiltshire. Goodbye land of my birth. Ta ta, Mum, Sis, Niece, Bro, friends, cousins, nieces, nephews, aunt, and their families. Until next time.

Flowerpot Men and Wigglybuses

I’m heading for the Wigglybus when a flowerpot man walks by. He’s very smart in a gray suit and red tie, with his folded umbrella. His gloves are green, which I suppose is appropriate for a flowerpot man. A lady says she thinks he has something to do with an upcoming flower festival, but he doesn’t speak, or carry a sign, so that’s guesswork.

This is England, my dears. This is the market square in Devizes, near the Market Cross. Tiff Banks came here in Demon on a Distant Shore. Like Tiff, I’ve also been to Pewsey where the statue of King Alfred resides and Tiff met Constables Pickins and Fowler in the police station. I went to the pub which was a model for The Ugly Duck, where I had yummy steak and kidney pudding for lunch. I had faggots in gravy for dinner the other night. Both food items turned Tiff’s stomach just to read them on a menu. I shopped in the little L-shaped grocery shop where Tiff had a run-in with Royal’s ex-girlfriend. And, of course, I went along Church Lane to Saint Matthew’s Church, where my dad’s ashes are buried. Saint Matthew’s was the model for Saint Thomas, where Tiff met three dead people in the crypt. Am I following Tiff’s trail, or did she follow mine?

What, you are asking, is a Wigglybus? Unfortunately it’s not officially called the Wigglybus anymore. The government-funded Wigglybus service, created in 1999 to provide transportation to scattered villages in the Pewsey Vale area which had no public transportation, was take over by Wiltshire County Council in 2012 and renamed Connect2Wiltshire. So the buses no longer sport “Wigglybus” on the sides and the bright colors are gone, but the service is the same and I’ll continue to call it Wigglybus. It’s marvelous, really. Passengers call the bus service at least an hour before they need a ride, reserve a seat, and the bus picks them up at their home or nearby. If not for the Wigglybus – sorry, Connect2Wiltshire – my 90 year old almost-blind mum would never get to go anywhere.

 

Riding the Wigglybus reminds me of Tiff’s reaction to driving on the narrow country lanes in Wiltshire. I tell you, those bus drivers should get medals. Gold plated medals. Awarded by the Queen. They way they “wiggle” those buses around the lanes, past other vehicles, at something approaching light-speed, is nothing short of miraculous. All the little old ladies and little old men take it in their stride, while visitors from the United States cling to anything available.

Husband and I come to England every other year, and this year we celebrated my mum’s 90th birthday with a party at the village hall. After bemoaning the fact her grandsons couldn’t come, she was surprised and delighted when they walked into the cottage. She had not seen them for over ten years. Getting them here without her knowledge took some maneuvering and out-and-out lying so as not to ruin the surprise.  We had to drop them off at my sister’s place where they stayed until the great day, then put them in a lovely bed and breakfast for two nights – Mum’s cottage is too small to accommodate more than two visitors. They then went to London and stayed with their cousin. Only seven days here, but sadly, they couldn’t get more time off work. Anyway, Mum was pleased as punch. The best birthday present, ever, she said.

Next week we’re off to my sister’s house for a few days. My friend Carol is coming down from London while we’re there. Carol kindly allowed me to use her caricature for the ghost Carrie in Demon on a Distant Shore.

Why do I keep getting the feeling Tiff Banks is looking over my shoulder?

 

Going, going . . . almost gone.

 

 

 

I’m in a bit of a rush at the moment, getting ready for our trip to England, which due to certain factors is complicated this year. I can’t talk about the details – they’re a secret! But I’ll let you know all about it when I get back.

 Mainly, I’m writing today to let you know that my books are now out of the Amazon Select program and are available on Amazon, Kobo and Barnes & Noble. They should also be available for iTunes in the near future. Also, the publishing platform I am using is currently pursuing distribution agreements with other e-tailers such as Diesel, Sony, Google Play, Ingram, Goodreads, Are and Omnilit.  So if you are one of those who wrote asking when you can get them from e-tailers other than Amazon, they’re out there! If they remain, or if I put them back in Select at a later date, of course depends on sales. So, please help me spread the word!

 Along Came a Demon is currently FREE on Kobo, and will be on Apple.

 When I return I’ll create a “Where to Buy” page, but in the meantime:

 Currently available on these platforms:

 Along Came a Demon: Barnes and Noble  Amazon  Kobo

The Demon Hunters:  Barnes and Noble  Amazon  Kobo

Dead Demon Walking:  Barnes and Noble  Amazon  Kobo

Demon Demon Burning Bright:  Barnes and Noble  Amazon  Kobo

Demon on a Distant Shore:  Barnes and Noble  Amazon  Kobo

A Conspiracy of Demons:  Barnes and Noble  Amazon  Kobo

Femme Fatales:  Barnes and Noble  Amazon  Kobo

Well, sorry for the rush, but with only a few days until we leave, I have to get my ass in gear. So much to do! So little time! Thank goodness for my trusty laptop, so I can work on Downside Rain while I’m away.

Meet Jillian Dodd

 

I don’t know about you, but when I read a great book, I tell my friends about it. The same goes for a movie, a restaurant, a vacation destination. I want to share the things I enjoy and appreciate. Sometimes, I tell my friends, “I just met an incredible person. You have to meet her. I’ll introduce you.”

I met Jillian Dodd when I was invited to join a large group of writers for a special project, and it didn’t take me long to realize that she likes to help other people, especially in the area of self-publishing.

Ninety-nine authors were part of a December 21st promotion to sell 99 e-books for 99 cents each. In no time at all, Jillian’s step-by-step instructions and guidance produced a marketing plan, blog posts and Tweets, a web site, fabulous prizes for the Giveaway and ways in which we could reach out to the reading public. Authors contacted book bloggers and hundreds signed up to advertise the promotion on their blogs. Organizing ninety-nine excited authors couldn’t have been easy, but Jillian did it.

During the December 21st sale, ten of us made the top 100 in the Kindle store. The majority of us sold hundreds of books and saw our rankings soar. Many were in the top five of their specific category genres. We occupied eighteen of the first 21 slots on Amazon’s Movers and Shakers list. We were excited, and readers loved getting a deal on quality e-books and the chance to win fabulous prizes.

Jillian stayed up with virtually no sleep for forty-eight hours to make sure the whole thing went smoothly. And it did. Like clockwork.

Jillian Dodd likes to help people, and she selflessly puts everything she has into the job.

Sometimes a quiet, private thank you doesn’t seem enough. Sometimes, you want to bellow your appreciation in public. We authors wanted to show our appreciation, but what was the best way? Author Charles Sheehan-Miles came up with the idea of a coordinated “thank you,” from authors and bloggers on the same day. A surprise for Jillian, because everyone loves surprises. A public thank you to a wonderful lady.

So here it is, Jillian:

 THANK YOU!

You made it happen.

You’re a terrific lady.

You go girl!

Rah Rah Rah!

I’m glad I met Jillian Dodd. You can meet her too. She’s the author of the young adult Keatyn Chronicles. Book one, Stalk Me, published in August 2012, has 139 reviews with an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Book two, Kiss Me, published November 2012, already has 157 reviews with an average of 4.8 out of 5 stars. Also by Jillian Dodd, That Boy, with 141 reviews with an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars, and the sequel That Wedding, 64 reviews, 4.7 out of 5 stars.

I invite you to meet Jillian Dodd on her website.

You can also find Jillian on her Facebook page.

And on Goodreads.

 

Meet Jillian Dodd, author and organizer extraordinaire.

 

I don’t know about you, but when I read a great book, I tell my friends about it. The same goes for a movie, a restaurant, a vacation destination. I want to share the things I enjoy and appreciate. Sometimes, I tell my friends, “I just met an incredible person. You have to meet her. I’ll introduce you.”

I met Jillian Dodd when I was invited to join a large group of writers for a special project, and it didn’t take me long to realize that she likes to help other people, especially in the area of self-publishing.

Ninety-nine authors were part of a December 21st promotion to sell 99 e-books for 99 cents each. In no time at all, Jillian’s step-by-step instructions and guidance produced a marketing plan, blog posts and Tweets, a web site, fabulous prizes for the Giveaway and ways in which we could reach out to the reading public. Authors contacted book bloggers and hundreds signed up to advertise the promotion on their blogs. Organizing ninety-nine excited authors couldn’t have been easy, but Jillian did it.

During the December 21st sale, ten of us made the top 100 in the Kindle store. The majority of us sold hundreds of books and saw our rankings soar. Many were in the top five of their specific category genres. We occupied eighteen of the first 21 slots on Amazon’s Movers and Shakers list. We were excited, and readers loved getting a deal on quality e-books and the chance to win fabulous prizes.

Jillian stayed up with virtually no sleep for forty-eight hours to make sure the whole thing went smoothly. And it did. Like clockwork.

Jillian Dodd likes to help people, and she selflessly puts everything she has into the job.

Sometimes a quiet, private thank you doesn’t seem enough. Sometimes, you want to bellow your appreciation in public. We authors wanted to show our appreciation, but what was the best way? Author Charles Sheehan-Miles came up with the idea of a coordinated “thank you,” from authors and bloggers on the same day. A surprise for Jillian, because everyone loves surprises. A public thank you to a wonderful lady.

So here it is, Jillian:

 THANK YOU!

You made it happen.

You’re a terrific lady.

You go girl!

Rah Rah Rah!

I’m glad I met Jillian Dodd. You can meet her too. She’s the author of the young adult Keatyn Chronicles. Book one, Stalk Me, published in August 2012, has 139 reviews with an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Book two, Kiss Me, published November 2012, already has 157 reviews with an average of 4.8 out of 5 stars. Also by Jillian Dodd, That Boy, with 141 reviews with an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars, and the sequel That Wedding, 64 reviews, 4.7 out of 5 stars.

I invite you to meet Jillian Dodd on her website.

You can also find Jillian on her Facebook page.

And on Goodreads.

 

$990 in Prizes – December 21st Only

These prices are available on Amazon only.
For a listing of books offered on Friday December 21st ONLY, and to enter to win, click here!!
__________________________________
This is an incredible opportunity you don’t want to miss. Not only can you pick up books at dirt-cheap prices, you have the chance to win some fantastic prizes!

 

Whisperings book six: A Conspiracy of Demons

 

 

 

Whisperings book six, A Conspiracy of Demons, is now live as Kindlebook on Amazon.com. Expect to see the paperback version early 2013.

Whether there are many people in your life, or only a few, losing one hits just as hard. An old friend is murdered, and a new friend stops by long enough to provide a listening ear where Royal and I need it most. Conducting our investigation under Provo PDs radar involves enough shenanigans to make this gal have nightmares, and that I’m a “person of interest” doesn’t make it any easier.

You’ll never believe where this investigation takes us. Never in a million years. Not in your wildest imagination. Together with the High House, we uncover a plot of epic dimensions. Can we put a stop to it? When desperate times call for desperate measures, will there be casualties?

As if a major catastrophe in the making isn’t enough to deal with, a conversation prompts me to relook at a decades old case closer to home. What I discover makes me face a tough decision. Do I tell the police and get myself in a heap of trouble? Do I tell the victims? Or do I let it go?

 Whisperings book six: A Conspiracy of Demons.