Jennifer Allis Provost's Blog, page 7

Writer Wednesday – Always Spring For The Good Shirts #AmWriting #Marketing #Promo #WednesdayWisdom

Today we’re going to talk about something that’s just as important to successful writers as proper grammar and strong characterization: making a good first impression. This can be done in many ways, and several of them have nothing to do with the actual quality of your writing. Now, don’t for a moment think that I’m suggesting your writing should be anything but top notch, and polished until it’s and perfect as you can get it. But let’s face it, the writing isn’t always the first impression someone has of an author. There are many other ways to make contact with new readers, either via a website, social media, personal appearances, or swag. Yes, swag matters. A lot. Let me tell you about my husband. He’s a rock star (locally, anyway) which means that we have an abundance of band t-shirts in our house. You know the shirts I’m talking about – they start out black with vibrant designs silk screened onto them. After a few washes, the fabric  fades and possibly pills, and the design cracks and flakes off. Whenever that happens, you know the band settled for the cheap shirts. What difference does this make? Well, out of sight out of mind, for one; the main purpose of swag is so people have a handy little reminder of who you are, and what you do. And if your swag disintegrates or looks sub-par after regular use or wear, that doesn’t leave the best impression. Sometimes we hit the nail on the head, and get swag that is both well designed and long-lasting.  I worked at a liquor store over ten years ago, and one of the sales representatives gave me a Magic Hat shirt. I’ve been wearing that shirt almost weekly since then, and while the design is faded it’s still legible. Even better, the fabric hasn’t shrunk or thinned out to nothing. In short, Magic Hat sprung for the good shirts. What does this mean for us authors? First and foremost, swag should be well designed. If you know your way around graphic design programs there’s nothing wrong with designing things yourself. There’s also nothing wrong with hiring someone who knows what they’re doing—remember, you can reuse the same designs again and again, so consider that in your cost benefit analysis. As for printing, if you don’t have a nearby print shop a quick internet search will reveal a plethora of online retailers. Don’t be the author with the home-printed bookmarks and crooked logo. Trust me on this. By being choosy about our swag—and making it as professional-looking as possible—you strengthen your brand and appeal to a wider audience. There are all sorts of articles out there advising authors how to strengthen their brand, and professional, well-designed swag is an easy way to stand out from the crowd. What do you think about swag? Love it, hate it, or collect it? Tell me in the comments below!

The Virgin Queen, book 2 of The Chronicles of Parthalan, on sale for 99 cents

That's right, the second Chronicle of Parthalan is on sale for 99 cents, but only for a limited time. This is s great opportunity to revisit Parthalan and Asherah - but you need to act fast, since the price goes back up on August 13. And stay tuned for updates on the next installment, Rise of the Deva'shi, will be available by year end. Click to purchase---> http://amzn.to/2aJqfoE   A broken queen. A friendship mired in deceit. Can one man from the desert help hold the realm together? Asherah, Queen of Parthalan and Lady of Tingu, has led her people through eight centuries of prosperity. That peace shatters when Mersgoth, the mordeth thought long dead, attacks Teg’urnan. In the aftermath a new warrior emerges: Aeolmar, a man as secretive as he is deadly. Asherah and Aeolmar race across Parthalan in pursuit of Mersgoth, and track the beast to the High Desert. While they're gone, Harek, now Prelate of Parthalan, conspires with the Dark Fae against the elves...Against Leran, the king of the elves and Asherah's son in all but blood. Will Asherah see the truth of Harek before it's too late, or will he bring down the fae once and for all? ***********************************************************************    

Live today - COPPER VEINS, book three of the Copper Legacy @SpencerHillP #urbanfantasy #fantasy #newrelease #coppergirl

Get it from Amazon or Barnes & Noble Sara’s pretty sure her life is perfect. Not only are she and Micah finally married, her father, who’d been missing since the Magic Wars, has been found. Actually, he just strode up to the manor’s front door, but whatever. Sara knows better than to look a gift horse in the mouth. But Baudoin Corbeau isn’t content to return to family life. He’s decided that he will be the force of change in the Mundane world, and lead the Elemental resistance to victory with his children at his side. What’s worse, Baudoin doesn’t approve of Sara’s marriage, and makes every attempt to separate her from Micah. After a visit to the Mundane realm leaves Sara, Max and Sadie imprisoned by the Peacekeepers, Sara’s doubts creep to the surface. Is her father right? Does she belong in the Mundane realm, not the Otherworld? Is Micah really the right man--make that elf--for her? Was marrying him a mistake? New to the series? Comment below for a chance to win the book that started it all, Copper Girl! Happy reading :)  

A Sale, A New Release, And TWO Events! @SpencerHillP @BodaciousIndie @pandybooks #CopperVeins #New #fantasy #romance #sale #Kindle

Hey all! There's a lot happening this month, so I'll just jump right into things. First off, Copper Girl is on sale for 99 cents across all platforms! That's right, the book that introduced us to Sara and Micah's world is available for 99 pennies. This sale won't last long, so grab your copy now! Here's an Amazon link, and one for Barnes & Noble.       Copper Veins, book 3 of the Copper Legacy, will be available everywhere July 26! This installment picks up right where Copper Ravens left off, with the unexpected return of Sara's quasi-legendary father, Baudoin Corbeau. His family is overjoyed to have him back, but then he starts acting a bit off...

 If you're a blogger or reviewer, Copper Veins is up on NetGalley now. Click here to request a copy.

I also have two in-person events happening this month. On July 9 I'll be at Bodacious Books and Baubles at 225 Shaker Road in East Longmeadow - rumor has it that there may be signed copies of Copper Veins up for grabs. On July 14 I'll be at Pandemonium Books in Cambridge, along with my fellow New England Horror Writers. The event is called Thursday Night Frights, and it's going to rock! I hope to see some familiar faces at one (or both) events.

 That's all for now. As always, if you have any questions or comments leave 'em below. Happy reading!

 

What People Are Saying About Changing Teams @LimitlessBooks #Romance #Contemporary #NYC

This week has inundated me with great reviews for Changing Teams! Here are a few of my favorites: From Cutting Muse Blog Review - Laura and Makayla Redmon: "I really enjoyed reading this story! I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of reading anything like it, which makes it unique in my book!" From Suzanne Talkington: "Overall, I found this book a lot of fun. I laughed, wanted to yell and almost cried at some points. Character build was great as well as the story’s flow. The side characters are amazing. Solid 4 ½ stars!!" From Bella's blog: "The characters were well developed and quite engaging .I really enjoyed the point of view the way it was split in two ,because it totally defined everything really clearly . And it was easier for us the reads to get the inside story of both of those characters ,specially their thoughts and motivations. The chemistry between these two was instant and it just continued to grow until it sealed them together" Have you gotten your copy? http://amzn.to/28SmFGO

Heir to the Sun Is On Sale For 99 Cents! #sale #fantasy #romance #parthalan

That's right, for a limited time Heir to the Sun , book 1 of the Chronicles of Parthalan, is on sale for 99 cents. If you haven't gotten your copy yet, now's the time! Click to purchase: http://amzn.to/1WtPujA [caption id="attachment_140" align="alignleft" width="318"] A mad king. An escaped slave. One warrior to save the realm...[/caption] A mad king. An escaped slave. One warrior to save the realm... When Asherah, stripped of both her memory and her dignity, learns that King Sahlgren is responsible for her torment it nearly breaks her. Instead, she leads her fellow slaves to freedom. More prisons are scattered across Parthalan, and Asherah vows to burn them all. Caol'nir, a warrior descended from the gods, is sworn to serve and defend the king. Then a priestess is murdered, and Caol'nir learns that Sahlgren is to blame. Determined to stop the king, sacred oath or no, Caol'nir joins Asherah's rebellion. What Caol'nir doesn't know is that Sahlgren has promised the demon lord a woman of rare and singular beauty, a woman whose abilities are rumored to rival the sun god’s themselves…a woman Caol’nir knows all too well. The Virgin Queen , Book 2 of the Chronicles of Parthalan is Available Now: http://amzn.to/1qXueEY A broken queen. A friendship mired in deceit. Can one man from the desert help hold the realm together? Asherah, Queen of Parthalan and Lady of Tingu, has led her people through eight centuries of prosperity. That peace shatters when Mersgoth, the mordeth thought long dead, attacks Teg’urnan. In the aftermath a new warrior emerges: Aeolmar, a man as secretive as he is deadly. Asherah and Aeolmar race across Parthalan in pursuit of Mersgoth, and track the beast to the High Desert. While they're gone, Harek, now Prelate of Parthalan, conspires with the Dark Fae against the elves...Against Leran, the king of the elves and Asherah's son in all but blood. Will Asherah see the truth of Harek before it's too late, or will he bring down the fae once and for all?

Events, Giveaways, and Casinos, Oh My! #amwriting #events #Foxwoods #MASE16

After a relatively quite May--which also saw the end of my second semester in grad school--June and July are hopping with events. First up is the Mystic Author Signing, happening June 4 at Foxwoods Casino. Here is a link to the event's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MysticAuthorSigning/?fref=ts The signing will feature over sixty authors, cover models, and other literary luminaries! And did I mention that it will be held in the Grand Pequot Ballroom? For more information, or to purchase tickets, click here.     I'm also still taking entries for my $10 gift card raffle - Just post a review for The Virgin Queen, book 2 in my Chronicles of Parthalan series, then go here to enter. Click here to learn more about The Virgin Queen, and *hint hint* I do happen to have some review copies available. Just sayin'.         Speaking of Parthalan, check out this amazing map of the realm! More to come on how you can win a copy. Last but not least, Copper Veins, the third installment of the Copper Legacy, is almost here! If you'd like to take part in the week long release blitz, click here: http://xpressobooktours.com/2016/05/06/blitz-sign-up-copper-veins-by-jennifer-allis-provost/ That's all for now! How are you kicking off your summer? Let me know in the comments!    

Reviews: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly, All Rolled Into One #amwriting #parthalan #giveaway

Authors need lots of things that are rather specific to their work: space and time to write, trusted critique partners, and a steady supply of whiskey, to name a few. Okay, perhaps the whiskey isn't a necessity, but it sure does take the edge off line edits. Something else authors need are people willing and able to review their work. Let's talk about these reviews for a moment. You know how at your place of employment your supervisor will set up a meeting, and discuss the quality of your work? NO ONE likes those reviews; well, maybe some sadists enjoy them, but for most looking at the black and white results of your efforts is nausea inducing. Yet authors solicit reviews, actively and often. Does that make authors masochists? Not really. You see, authors only get paid when a book sells, and the best way to sell any book is based on reviews. Don't believe me? Go have a look at your favorite online retailer, or some of the larger library systems. The top selling titles are always accompanied by reviews. Some titles have reviews in the tens of thousands. So yes, that means you could have hundreds or even thousands of mini book reports out there, all based on your work. See why I mentioned whiskey earlier? Speaking of reviews, I'm sure ya'll know that I have a new release out: The Virgin Queen, the second installment of The Chronicles of Parthalan. And--surprise!--it could use a few reviews. Now, I know that it takes time and effort to read and review a book, so I thought I'd offer something to sweeten the pot. Post your review and enter via the Rafflecopter form below, and you'll be entered to win a $10 gift card either to Amazon, or the independent bookstore of your choice. If you've already got a copy of The Virgin Queen, thank you! If you need one, you can get it here. If you decide to review (and THANK YOU in advance for that) don't forget to come back and enter the raffle! Good luck! A broken queen. A friendship mired in deceit. Can one man from the desert help hold the realm together? Asherah, Queen of Parthalan and Lady of Tingu, has led her people through eight centuries of prosperity. That peace shatters when Mersgoth, the mordeth thought long dead, attacks Teg’urnan. In the aftermath a new warrior emerges: Aeolmar, a man as secretive as he is deadly. Asherah and Aeolmar race across Parthalan in pursuit of Mersgoth, and track the beast to the High Desert. While they're gone, Harek, now Prelate of Parthalan, conspires with the Dark Fae against the elves...Against Leran, the king of the elves and Asherah's son in all but blood. Will Asherah see the truth of Harek before it's too late, or will he bring down the fae once and for all? The Virgin Queen - Book Two of the Chronicles of Parthalan a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Virgin Queen, book 2 of the Chronicles of Parthalan #parthalan #newrelease #live

A broken queen. A friendship mired in deceit. Can one man from the desert help hold the realm together? Asherah, Queen of Parthalan and Lady of Tingu, has led her people through eight centuries of prosperity. That peace shatters when Mersgoth, the mordeth thought long dead, attacks Teg’urnan. In the aftermath a new warrior emerges: Aeolmar, a man as secretive as he is deadly. Asherah and Aeolmar race across Parthalan in pursuit of Mersgoth, and track the beast to the High Desert. While they're gone, Harek, now Prelate of Parthalan, conspires with the Dark Fae against the elves...Against Leran, the king of the elves and Asherah's son in all but blood. Will Asherah see the truth of Harek before it's too late, or will he bring down the fae once and for all? The Virgin Queen - Book Two of the Chronicles of Parthalan Get your copy here ---> http://amzn.to/1MaUOEV  

#NewRelease January 5th from @limitlessbooks – #ChangingScenes by @parthalan

✦ ✦ CHANGING SCENES by Jennifer Allis Provost ✦ ✦Series: Changes Series #2Genre: #ContemporaryRomanceRelease Date: January 5, 2016Publisher: Limitless PublishingPurchase here: http://amzn.to/1JUZ0SC✦ SYNOPSIS ✦“Image isn’t everything                                                           …or is it?” For Astrid Janvier, image is everything… Astrid is a world-renowned model, as famous for her strut as her startling green eyes. She’s modeled for the biggest names in the fashion world, and is regularly invited to parties in New York, London, and Paris. Thanks to a designer label addiction, she’s also broke, and takes a job as a cocktail waitress just to make rent. When her best friend Britt asks her to be her maid of honor at her upcoming wedding, their first task is to decide the menu. Donnie Coehlo is a young, up-and-coming chef with a dinner menu to plan…   Donato—Donnie for short—is the head chef at Thirty-Nine and Twelve, a seafood bistro on the Connecticut shore. It’s a great accomplishment given his youthful age, but Donnie doesn’t brag. He just wants to find the right girl, settle down, and have a bunch of kids. When Astrid arrives at his restaurant, Donnie hopes she is the one. But would a high-priced model like Astrid be interested in a regular guy like him?   As Astrid’s life crumbles around her, and Donnie makes a terrible choice, Astrid learns the two of them are irrevocably tied together.   Will their connection be enough for Astrid to leave her high-fashion life behind, and accept what Donnie has to offer? Or will she chase her dreams as a model, leaving Donnie as part of her past?
✦ Cover Designer ✦ Robin Harper of Wicked by Design https://www.facebook.com/WickedByDesignRobinHarper  
✦ About the author ✦Jennifer Allis Provost is a native New Englander who lives in a sprawling colonial along with her beautiful and precocious twins, a dog that thinks she’s a kangaroo, a parrot, a junkyard cat, and a wonderful husband who never forgets to buy ice cream. As a child, she read anything and everything she could get her hands on, including a set of encyclopedias, but fantasy was always her favorite. She spends her days drinking vast amounts of coffee, arguing with her computer, and avoiding any and all domestic behavior.   LIMITLESS PUBLISHING: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/jennifer-allis-provost/ GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2975887.Jennifer_Allis_Provost FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/jennallis WEBSITE: http://authorjenniferallisprovost.com/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/parthalan