Cheryl Kaye Tardif's Blog, page 8

Special guest author Jesse Giles Christiansen talks about why authors should sometimes embrace insanity

Sometimes when you lose, you win.
This weekend is the big kickoff for a promo that I don't think I'll ever forget, and one that I've done everything in my power to ensure that I always remember. September 27-29 are my free days for my first foray with Amazon's KDP Select program through my publisher, Imajin Books. Imajin Book's owner and bestselling author, Cheryl Kaye Tardif, has used this program to become a bestseller, as well as other authors, including her own.
A part of me is afraid. A part of me is thrilled. The whole of me is a human live wire.
My novel, PELICAN BAY, was a list bestseller out of the gate. Being in a genre top 100 is like going to your local theme park. It's terrific, and you definitely want to go back ... but it isn’t Disney World folks.
I want to go to Disney World.
Really badly.
And stay.
Maybe I'm already there, hiding in the Haunted House and sleeping there with the familiar ghosts.
Am I a ghost? Right now I feel like a familiar ghost. And there's nothing wrong with that. No. Not at all. I'm a new author who has tasted some success like drops of deliciously acidic rain on my tongue.
To go from ghost to bodily form, I must make the top paid 100 on Amazon ... where the magic happens. But as most of you already know, this is much easier said than done. I have the help now of my marketing savvy, mentoring publisher, great authors, passionate readers, keen reviewers, artists, editors, and friends and family. However, as I write this, my promo group, which I'm calling Captain Shelby's Skeleton Army (Captain Shelby is the big character from PELICAN BAY), consists of only 38 people. But you know what? I'd rather have 38 faithful, like-minded, artistic souls than a 1000 bandwagon-jumpers or doubters. Yes, I'll take my little army and we'll see what we can do.
My free days end Sunday, and then PELICAN BAY has to swim. I mean REALLY swim. I think it can. I really do. I believe it, but I need your faith, too. Your help. No one is an island, after all, in any realm.
What started all this madness, really, were two things. First, I've been watching PELICAN BAY and it has done some things I never dreamed a new book from a new author would. There are those days. Yeah, those days. When I'm not doing any promos, sending out just basic tweets or Facebook posts, and suddenly the book's ranking, which I fear on those days will sink into oblivion, makes these jumps like a great tarpon finding its third and fourth winds. It truly amazes me. Also, PELICAN BAY was a list bestseller for over two months.
The other reason, truth be told, is that I was supposed to do this promo later in the year with a power author. Certain circumstances led to her having to cancel our promo. I was disappointed, not at her, but at life. Don't laugh here, but I started to feel like Rudy in that cheesy but inspiring film, after his friend dies in the factory fire. This voice inside me just said, "You have to do this now, on your own ... don't wait."
And so the insanity began.
Why is my promo insane? Why is reaching for the top paid 100 on Amazon nuts? Well, I'm not a math genius, but you don't have to be to understand the statistics of a new author reaching for such a goal. There are over 3 million eBooks on Amazon. The closer you get to the top paid 100, the more your book, no matter how strong, turns into a colorful snail. It slithers inches along the pavement as if begging to be squashed by Amazon's mighty foot.
But it's good for an author to embrace insanity, chiefly because even the most basic, consistent things that we come to rely on in life ... are incomprehensible. Take these words, for instance. Perhaps you are reading this blog post, and I thank you warmly for that. But these words. What are they? They appear so consistently to you now, but do you "know" them? You may be reading a computer screen in a complicated dream. You may forget that these very words are not objects, but only consistent flickers of your senses. Were any of countless possible events to occur inside or outside of you, these words would simply vanish.
So insanity for the artist may boil down to, really, reaching for things that defy our reliable senses, our common knowledge. If you want to do something unusual, you have to think unusually. Reach senselessly. Or as Cheryl Kaye Tardif says, "Think BIG." And yes, she's part of the Captain Shelby Skeleton Army. And I'm deeply thankful for that.
But what if I fail? Well ... sometimes win you lose, you win.
Yours in literature,
J.G.C.
Web Site: www.jessegileschristiansen.com
Blog: www.jgchristiansen.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JesseGilesChris
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jesse.gileschristiansen.7
Join the Army: https://www.facebook.com/events/366857243444298/Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5261095.Jesse_Giles_ChristiansenCheryl Kaye Tardif is a bestselling Canadian suspense author.
www.cherylktardif.com

Check out Cheryl Kaye Tardif's novels!

The history of paid book reviews, cowardly book review trolls and author bashing trolls

The History of Book Reviews:

For years it was perfectly acceptable to pay review companies for an UNBIASED review. This practice was in effect for over a decade. Even the heavy hitter Kirkus formed a subsidiary for self-published authors, and they charged a fee. And they are a recognized INDUSTRY REVIEWER. I have NEVER been reviewed by Kirkus, but here is info from their website:

Kirkus’ Indie program was started in 2005 when the editors wanted to expand their coverage to include the fastest growing segment in the book industry — self-publishing. To meet scale, selection and financing challenges, Kirkus created a review service for self-publishers called Kirkus Discoveries, now Kirkus Indie...Authors could finance the review themselves and guarantee selection for review, but the books would be held to the same high standard as books published by the major houses. The program gave self-publishers the chance to earn honest critical acclaim from one of the most prestigious brands in publishing.

NetGalley is another popular company that charges publishers or authors a fee to have their books set up on their site and sent out for reviews. Even the BIG publishing companies are using them. I know this because I've received an invite to review a couple of my favorite authors' books. NetGalley is well known and well accepted in our industry. Readers love it because they can get involved and read a book before everyone else--and review it. Honest reviews only!

Ten years ago, when my first book was published, it was completely acceptable to pay a reading or shipping fee to a review company--even Amazon accepted paid reviews back then--as long as the reviewer didn't guarantee a gushing, fake 5-star review. Why would any author even want that?? A fake review like that means absolutely nothing! At least, to me it means nothing. I personally only want honest reviews. Have I ever paid a review company? Yes, years ago. When it was completely ACCEPTABLE, but only for unbiased reviews from a known review site at the time. There was no guarantee they'd give me ANY stars or say anything nice about my books. They could've trashed them entirely. I did this maybe 6 times. But I ceased this practice years ago, even before Amazon changed their policies on reviews, because I preferred spending my marketing budget elsewhere.

Cowardly book review trolls and author bashing trolls:

Yesterday a writer friend pointed out a blog that accused one indie author of paying for fake book awards. In another post, this blogger goes on to list authors who have allegedly paid for 500+ fake 5-star reviews. Of course the blogger has no proof of his accusations. As I read through the list, I recognized many names. Some, like JA Konrath, have long ago explained their views on reviews. Then I saw a name that made my heart stop. Mine.

WTF???? This person is claiming I paid for over 500 fake 5-star reviews? This is a complete lie! I don't know where he's gotten his information from, but it certainly isn't the truth. Perhaps he's hearing voices in his head.

I suspect he saw the 5-star reviews for CHILDREN OF THE FOG that came in mainly in 2012 and decided that the only way I could've gotten them was if I paid for them. Really?? He's ASSuming. In fact, I sold over 50,000 copies of COF from March 2012 on as a result of Amazon introducing the KDP Select program, which I was very successful with. And I gave away even more copies for free. That's where most of those reviews came from.

Here's the real truth: There are cowards out there whose sole purpose is to defame others. They do this because they are jealous. Often they are writers who haven't seen any success so they go after those who have. Perhaps they're just bored with their lives. So they intentionally set out to cause harm to others.

These "trolls," as we refer to them in the book biz, can be identified by certain behaviors. They leave 1-2 star scathing reviews on successful books (usually not verified purchases), they bash the authors instead of reviewing the content (because they haven't read the book), and if you go into their profiles, you'll see a pattern of low stars, sometimes with the odd 4-5 star review thrown in. Sometimes one of those 5 star reviews is their own book.

Sadly, I discover too many times that a 1-star review is from a competing author (sometimes they've even left a link to their own competing book, saying it's so much better), and when I report this to Amazon, they have removed the review. There are even stalker trolls who aren't satisfied with just bashing your book in a review; they go into other reviews and leave nasty comments.

The whole concept of book reviews is so warped now that it has become a war zone for everyone involved. And now we have the author bashers who have taken to blogging and slandering others publicly. For what purpose? To make them feel better about themselves, I guess.

I'd also like to point out that ANYONE could pay for a review for someone's book if they really wanted to. There's no law against it. So what's stopping this blogger (who is nameless because he/she is cowardly hiding behind an anonymous blog filled with fake information) from setting up fake reviews of his own and then claiming an author did it? Let's question THIS person's integrity for a second. He/she makes claims but doesn't show any proof. And there is no name or contact info for this person on their blog. Hmmmm...that sounds very suspicious to me.

This leads me to an important message for us all: Don't believe everything you read. 

People who spend their lives trying to ruin others are to be pitied. They don't know how to achieve success or recognition any other way. There is something seriously wrong with someone who intentionally trolls successful books so they can leave one-star reviews--with one intention: to damage that author's sales. And there's something sickening about a person who spreads lies and calls them fact. Jealousy and envy are always a problem when others are successful.

There are still many companies out there who offer unbiased reviews and charge a reading or mailing fee so they can ship the book to their reviewer. While Amazon won't accept these reviews (and I respect that), other places will. This is an industry practice that many authors--both traditionally published and self-published--have used for decades. Will they continue? I don't know. I don't plan to use them, but that's just me. I walked away from my former traditional publisher (who took my book out of print and gave me my rights back) because he wanted us all to write fake 5-star reviews and other ethical issues I didn't agree with. I have integrity, and I do my best to adapt to the changing trends.

Disclaimer: I have never paid for 500+ fake 5-star reviews. My reviews came from getting over 200,000 copies of my works into the hands of readers whether through sales or free giveaways.Cheryl Kaye Tardif is a bestselling Canadian suspense author.
www.cherylktardif.com

Check out Cheryl Kaye Tardif's novels!

Amazon’s Kindle MatchBook Program Allows Readers to Buy Discounted eBooks When They Purchase the Print Edition

Amazon recently announced a brand new program for readers—Kindle MatchBook—which will launch in October 2013. The concept is simple: readers will be able to download select ebooks at a discount when they purchase the print edition of the same title. And the cool thing is Amazon is going to count past print sales, so this offer is retroactive—all the way back to 1995 when Amazon first opened its online bookstore. So if you purchased a print edition of a title and there’s an ebook edition available, you could get the ebook for a discount if it has been enrolled in MatchBook. This means consumers will get a better deal overall and writers have a chance to earn more income.

There are some great advantages to owning both the print and digital editions of a work. First, if you don’t own a Kindle ereader, you can easily read the paperback. You can read the print edition on a plane when all electronic devices have to be turned off. You can then continue on your ereader if you want to. For those of you who like to collect books, especially signed editions, you can keep your print collection in pristine condition as you read the ebook edition.

Indie authors can easily enroll any ebook with a matching print edition on Amazon by going to their Bookshelf, selecting the book, clicking on the Rights & Pricing tab, scrolling to #9 – Kindle MatchBook and selecting the option and the discount price. Enrolling in MatchBook is non-exclusive and you do not have to have that title enrolled in KDP Select to offer the program to your readers. You can opt out any time.

Indie authors or publishers using the Kindle Direct Publishing platform can set their discounts from the dropdown list that appears once you’ve selected MatchBook. Discounts offered are predetermined by Amazon, based on your current retail price. You may be offered a discount price of $2.99, $1.99, $0.99 or free. Authors and publishers can then select their preferred discount.

Readers will have over 10,000 qualifying titles to choose from when Kindle MatchBook launches in October. Many publishing companies are expected to sign up. Imajin Books, a small, independent Canadian publishing company has already signed up for the program and most of their titles will be offered via MatchBook.

So how about you? Are you an author considering enrolling your ebooks in the program? Are you a reader excited about this new program? Would you use it? Do you see any real value in owning both the ebook and print editions of a book? I’d love to hear from you.Cheryl Kaye Tardif is a bestselling Canadian suspense author.
www.cherylktardif.com

Check out Cheryl Kaye Tardif's novels!

Author Chicki Brown gives us a sneak peek at her upcoming new release, A WOMAN'S WORTH

Today's special guest is author Chicki Brown, whom I've had the pleasure of doing a multi-author event with. Chicki has a new release out...
A WOMAN'S WORTH
Gianne Marvray has been through the worst two years of her life physically and emotionally. After a battle with cancer and all it entails, she is finally ready to start living her life again. She wants to see new places, meet new people and experience new things, but she isn’t ready for the rollercoaster ride she’s about to embark on when she meets Las Vegas personal trainer and raw vegan foods advocate, Marc Stafford.

After four years, Marc comes home to Atlanta to attend a family celebration in one of his brother’s honor. He’s not thrilled about seeing his father, but he has promised his mother that he won’t throw off the family balance by being the only one of their six sons absent. All Marc wants to do is make an appearance at the event and spend a little time with his brothers. Little does he know that this is the night he will meet the woman who will forever change his life.

Excerpt: 

Gianne strolled through the room and looked for an unoccupied table. When she didn’t find a vacant table, she chose one not far from the door where only two people were seated. Neither of them seemed friendly, probably the reason they were sitting alone. Once she settled in the chair and smoothed her dress, Gianne busied herself with reading the short printed program placed above each water glass, which took all of five minutes. She closed her eyes and willed herself to at least enjoy the meal. When she opened them, she looked right into the watercolor gaze of the handsomest man she’d ever seen. And he was staring directly at her.

Not knowing what else to do, Gianne offered him a small smile, yet he just stood there appearing startled, which she didn’t understand. Just to be certain she was the object of his attention, she turned and glanced over her shoulder to see if anyone stood behind her. When she looked back, her movement seemed to stir him.

“Please forgive me for staring,” he said in a deep, rich tone that sent waves of warmth right to her core. “Have we met before?”

Although she tried, Gianne was unable to keep her gaze from traveling the length of his tall body from those incredible eyes to the long black hair that curled onto his wide shoulders and over the black designer suit that fit his lean, yet well-built body perfectly.

“I don’t think so. You must be one of the Stafford brothers.”

He moved closer and acknowledged the other two guests at the table for the first time with a smile and a casual nod before he extended his hand to her. “Marc Stafford. And you are?”

“Gianne Marvray.”

“Beautiful name. Very fitting.” He smiled, and an air of sensuality surrounded him. “Are you a friend of Vic’s?”

“Not really. I know him professionally.” No need to give him the gory details. And your brother, the fine surgeon that he is, made sure I never have any children of my own.

He lowered his gaze, and she knew he was admiring the cleavage showcased by the V in the front of her dress. “Do you mind if I join you? I’d rather not sit with the family.” He shrugged. “Long story.”

He set his glass on the table, pulled out the chair on her left and sat angling his body toward her.

“Dr. Stafford mentioned that he has six sons. Where do you fall in the lineup?”

“Charles and I are actually number three. We’re twins.”

“Really? Which one is he?” she asked, returning her gaze to the head table.

“The second one to my father’s left.”

She studied his brother from a distance then said, “Oh, yes. I see the likeness. It’s just your hair that makes you look different. Is that intentional?”

Marc chuckled. “No. It just took me thirty-five years to finally stop wearing the buzz cut my father always insisted on.”

She gave the shiny hair cascading onto the shoulders of his perfectly fitted suit an admiring glance. “I guess I’m sensitive to the whole hair thing, since mine is just starting to grow back.” She ran a hand over her head and Marc frowned.

Learn more about Chicki at:

Blog: http://sisterscribbler.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/@Chicki663
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chicki.brown
Amazon Central Author Page: http://amzn.to/l2kjXQ
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/chicki663/Cheryl Kaye Tardif is a bestselling Canadian suspense author.
www.cherylktardif.com

Check out Cheryl Kaye Tardif's novels!

How my marketing book on KDP Select helped one author

Ever since I published my marketing book, HOW I MADE OVER $42,000 IN 1 MONTH SELLING MY KINDLE eBOOKS, which was designed specifically for Amazon's KDP Select program, I have received emails, tweets and FB messages from authors who have used my strategies. My marketing book has been reviewed 212 times as of today.

Some people have questioned my integrity and intention regarding this book, but the email I received yesterday is the best way for me to explain WHY I would reveal my "secrets" or strategies. The simple reason: because I like helping other authors; I always have, always will.

One author contacted me yesterday to let me know how excited she was at the success of her first free promotion. She gave me permission to use her email in this blog post. (Thank you, Renee-Ann.)

Dear Cheryl,

I'm sure you get this kind of messages all the time but I really wanted to share what your book, "How I Made Over $42,000 in 1 Month Selling My Kindle eBooks", has done for me. First let me say that your name and book has become a topic of conversation among the writers in our group.

I wrote Stella's Plea as part of the NaNoWriMo challenge in 2010. It’s my first novel, a Christian Suspense about the abduction of a deaf little girl, and her mother's struggle to find her. I published it in November 2012.

Last week, Sarah Butland, a writer-friend, highly recommended your book, and to make sure I take notes as I read. Thank God for technology, I read it on my Kindle and took notes in my Windows Phone.

It hasn’t been a week since I finished your book but I'm aiming for the moon and feel like one of the stars. My novel wasn't selling because I lacked the market savvy you're so good at. I had no idea how to promote my novel, let alone sell it. Even an interview with the local newspaper didn't move my rank. But then, Sarah recommended your book. It was awesome. I jotted the tips down -- and then some -- recommended the book to others on our writers groups, and put the strategies to the test. WoW! You weren't kidding.

I removed my novel from Smashwords, deleted the excerpts, and advertised a FREE promo from Thursday, Sept 5 to Saturday Sept 7. I was shocked when, Thursday evening, Sarah told me to check my ranking/stats. The book had gone from #800K+ on Wednesday to #569 in less than 24 hours. The book was now #6 on the Christian Suspense genre, and I had 492 downloads. Need I say I barely slept that night? Friday morning, I had 652 downloads and had moved to #5 in Christian Suspense, and #386 in Free Kindle.

Now, Saturday afternoon, I have well over 1265 downloads and my promo isn't over yet. I lost count of the invites to Share and Tweet, and Pin. As you suggest, I aimed at 500/day and reached that goal the first two. I'm still hoping to get 500 today, though I'm aiming at total of 2K. :)

It's not just the downloads though. I'm overwhelmed at people's response to help me get my book to number one. And just the fact that it reached #5 in the Christian Suspense, even though it's free, I'm ecstatic about that.

I haven’t had a chance to do everything yet, as it's been less than a week since I finished your book. Plus I work fulltime outside the home so my time is limited to when I'm off work. But Cheryl, I am truly having a blast with this promotion, and I thank you for sharing your story in this marketing book.

I apologize this is so long but I really wanted to share the whole story with you. I will continue to share the book, review it once my promo is finished, then I'll have another promo in 6-8 weeks, depending how fast the numbers plunge again. In an ideal world, they'd stay where they are! :)

Lastly, will you please download a copy of my book, and also tell your friends about it? http://amzn.to/18jprie

Blessings to you. Renee-Ann  (aka R.A. Giggie)

I believe that my methods still work, even though Amazon has messed up the algorithms so that we don't see the huge numbers we saw last year. There is still value in using the Select program, especially for niche authors and new authors, or those with only 1-2 titles.

I've also tested my strategies on 99 cent sales--and guess what? They work. I've done 99 cent sales without my methods and seen only a slight increase. But when I do everything in my book, my sales skyrocket.

If you're serious about promoting your book, and if you aren't one of those people who only "reads" a book on marketing and you're not afraid of working hard or experimenting, I encourage you to pick up a copy of HOW I MADE OVER $42,000 IN 1 MONTH SELLING MY KINDLE eBOOKS. It's only $2.99.

Updated: Sept 4, 2013 - Contains OVER 130 LINKS TO WEBSITES THAT WILL PROMOTE YOUR FREE BOOKThe #1 Marketing book specifically designed for Amazon's KDP Select programInternational BestsellerContains detailed Select experiments & analysisNEWS: I've now earned over $210,000 with KDP Select! I signed with an agent at Trident Media Group; I was contacted by the senior editor at a "big 6" publishing company because of my success on Amazon; Amazon hand-picked two of my titles for special promotions; and I have signed a 2-book audiobook deal with Audible--ALL because of my KDP Select success.

http://www.amazon.com/Month-Selling-Kindle-eBooks-ebook/dp/B0080USSYWCheryl Kaye Tardif is a bestselling Canadian suspense author.
www.cherylktardif.com

Check out Cheryl Kaye Tardif's novels!

HOW I MADE OVER $42000 IN 1 MONTH...by Cheryl Kaye Tardif FREE August 26-28

How I Made Over $42,000 in 1 Month Selling My Kindle eBooks by Cheryl Kaye TardifIn March 2012 one Canadian author boldly went where few have gone before—into the land of making real money with Amazon's KDP Select program. 

This is her story…

My name is Cheryl Kaye Tardif and I am an international bestselling suspense author who earned over $42,000 dollars in March 2012 selling ebooks via Amazon's KDP Select program, captured the interest of a major literary agency, and went on to sign with a foreign rights agent. And I'm about to tell you HOW I did all that.

I don't normally tell people how much money I make, but I believe writers need to know it IS possible to earn a real income from your books. Seriously, if I can do it, anyone can—if you have the right combination of criteria and techniques.

In this book, I'll share with you what I believe are four key elements you must have in place to see high sales. And I'll reveal the strategic techniques I used during my KDP Select promotions that resulted in earning over $42,000—with $32,000 of that from ONE title alone.

Not only did I earn over $42,000 in ebook sales, I was contacted by one of the leading literary agencies in New York. The chairman noticed my success when my one title made #4 in the Top 100 Bestselling Kindle ebooks, right under The Hunger Games trilogy. Since then, I've signed with another agent for foreign rights.

So, if you're ready to earn some real money with Select, let's begin…

Book Details:

FREE KINDLE EDITION August 26-28
Language: English

Available at:

Amazon (Kindle)Cheryl Kaye Tardif is a bestselling Canadian suspense author.
www.cherylktardif.com

Check out Cheryl Kaye Tardif's novels!

RIP Alora Deonie Packianayagam - I will never forget you!

This afternoon I said good bye to a very special young woman, Alora Deonie Packianayagam. Alora entered my life as a WHALE SONG fan, became one of my biggest supporters, and inspired everyone whose life she touched--including mine. Her memorial service was held at Mill Woods Pentecostal Assembly in Edmonton this afternoon, and the place was packed with people of all ages and races who had come to pay their respects and say farewell to Alora. That says a lot right there.
My memories of Alora are very strong today, and it made me want to dig up an old blog post--the one where I wrote about how I surprised Alora at school...

Friday, October 6, 2006 - Surprising a Fan is So Rewarding!

Ok, I'm back from high school--a Catholic high school to be exact. Not because I'm a student or a geek, but because I got to surprise a fan today. And you should have seen her reaction!

Alora had been emailing me the last month. She told me she enjoyed two of my novels and was so genuinely excited for me with my news (new publisher, TV series, etc). She even went so far as to convince her family and friends to order Divine Intervention and The River from Amazon.com to help persuade my new publisher to take my other two books! lol

Now that's a fan!

So after sneakily getting the name of her school, I plotted my surprise. I contacted the school and arranged a visit this afternoon. I loaded up a bag with goodies for Alora, her teacher and the class. I waited in the classroom, wondering if she'd recognize me. We'd only met once, but she did see my photo on my site. But she didn't really notice me until her teacher announced a guest.

I was watching Alora. When she looked at me, at first she didn't connect things. But I saw the second she realized who I was. It was quite funny! Part of me was nervous--not about visiting or speaking, but that I might embarrass her. But that wasn't the case...and that made my day even more special. A teenage girl was happy I was visiting her! Jeesh, sometimes my own daughter barely talks to me!! :)

I gave Alora some yellow carnations and a card. Then I gave her tickets to be part of the audience at the filming of the TV series episode I'll be in (see: A Total Write-Off in blog), and tickets to the Edmonton Woman's Show, plus some other goodies. And then I had to give her a copy of the only book she hadn't read--Divine Intervention.

The other students received bookmarks and postcards. Two of the postcards were marked, so those student got their pick of one of my books. Then I talked to them about writing, my books, the TV series/competition, my future projects...publishing and more.
All in all, it was a very rewarding day!

A blue binder - $2.99
A black pen - $1.49
A colorful bag $14.99
The look on Alora's face?
Priceless!

I had a blast! Thanks to Denise and Hillaria at Holy Trinity Catholic School for helping me plan this surprise visit, for making me feel so welcome and for buying my novels for your library. Thank you to the students in the grade 11 English class for being interested in my work and asking questions.

But most of all, thank you to Alora for being a fan and wanting to read all my books. I always look forward to your emails! :)

Over the past 6 and a half years, I have been blessed to watch Alora grow up into a beautiful young woman. I have followed her life on Facebook and chatter with her occasionally. Alora embraced life with every breath. She encouraged others to live their lives to the fullest. She inspired so many, and that was so apparent today. This 22-year-old girl lived each day as though it were her last--and oh the living she packed into those 22 years.

My thoughts and prayers are with her husband, Benjamin, as he grieves the loss of such a radiant light in his life, and with Alora's parents who have lost their beautiful daughter. But what I saw today in that church tells me her mother and father will never be without family and friends, and they will always have beautiful memories of Alora. Stay strong, and stay together.

So today I say goodbye to that young girl I first met, who inspired me to be a better writer and who showed me true courage and grace. Today I say farewell to the beautiful young woman Alora had become. Bold, spirited, funny, kind, inspiring, full of life--those are words I use to describe her. I am blessed to have known her.

Live each day to the fullest, live each day like it's your last.
Dance until the sun comes up, and sing of wonders vast,
Paint a million memories, and make your smile your gift,
And remember Alora's words, "Only fear a life unlived."

Cheryl Kaye Tardif is a bestselling Canadian suspense author.
www.cherylktardif.com

Check out Cheryl Kaye Tardif's novels!

Bestselling author, Kat Flannery, talks about 'Children of Coal'

Today's special guest is bestselling author, Kat Flannery. Kat recently released her newest novel, LAKOTA HONOR, a unique mix of romance, historical western and supernatural/paranormal. And today she's sharing some of the history behind her novel...

While writing LAKOTA HONOR I did a fair bit of research. One of the things I researched extensively was coal mining in the 1800’s. I came across some pretty interesting and disturbing facts about mining back then. However, what I found the most disturbing was that children were called to work in these mountains. These poor boys sacrificed their lives to help put food on the family table.

In order to rid the mines of explosive and poisonous gases, a crude ventilation system was built in the early 1800's. Young children called Trappers would sit underground for hours opening and closing trap doors that went across the mine. This created a draught and could shift a cloud of gas, but it didn't always work. Trap doors could also stop the blast of an explosion damaging more of the mine.

Crouched over a barrel boys picked out slate and other refuse from the coal for hours and hours. As they grew their shoulders hunched forward and their backs rounded, making them look far older then what they were.

The coal is hard, and cut, broken or crushed fingers were common among the boys. Sometimes there are worse accidents; a boy falls down an open shaft to be pulled out later broken and dead. Cave in’s are a grave danger to these young boys who are small enough to crawl into the tiniest of places and help set dynamite, or pick away at a vein of coal.

Miner’s consumption: pneumoconiosis. A chronic disease of the lungs would eventually affect these boys, a result of repeated inhalation of dusts, including iron oxides (e.g., rust and filings), silicates (e.g., talc and rock dust), and carbonates (especially coal dust). Particles collect in the lungs and become sites for the formation of fibrous nodules. As the disease progresses, fibrous tissue increasingly replaces elastic lung tissue. Loss of lung function is signaled by shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and difficulty in expectorating. Sufferers are particularly vulnerable to infectious lung diseases such as tuberculosis. Pneumoconiosis is incurable and treatment is purely symptomatic. Because the inhaled dusts cause darkening of the lung tissue, the disease is also known as black lung. Silicosis, the form of the disease prevalent among miners, is commonly called miner's lung.

Children were often used in the mines because of their size. They were hired to crawl into the dark dank tunnels where men could not fit. They undertook small jobs suitable for nimble fingers, like threading weaving machines, getting into nooks and crannies in the mountain, and making matches. The dangers they faced in their every day life can be imagined...add that there was no electric light, no rest breaks, no food or water provided, and they worked up to fourteen hours a day.

BIO:

Kat Flannery’s love of history shows in her novels. She is an avid reader of historical, suspense, paranormal, and romance. When not researching for her next book, Kat can be found running her three sons to hockey and lacrosse. A member of many writing groups, Kat enjoys promoting other authors on her blog. She’s been published in numerous periodicals. Her first two novels CHASING CLOVERS and LAKOTA HONOR have been on Amazon's Bestsellers list many times. She is currently hard at work on her next book, while awaiting the release of her novella, HAZARDOUS UNIONS Sept. 7th 2013.

Buy LAKOTA HONOR here.

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TwitterCheryl Kaye Tardif is a bestselling Canadian suspense author.
www.cherylktardif.com

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CHILDREN OF THE FOG Blog Tour with Orangeberry Book Tours

Here's my schedule:

· 15th August – Book Feature at Peace from Pieces

· 16th August – Author Interview at Mommy Adventures

· 17th August – Guest Post at The Bunny’s Review

· 18th August - Guest Post at Blog-A-Licious Authors

· 19th August - Book Review & Author Interview at Book Professor

· 20th August - Twitter View with OB Book Tours

· 21st August - Twitter Blast with OB Book Tours

· 22nd August - Guest Post & Book Feature at Quality Reads UK

· 23rd August – Book Review & Excerpt at Keeping Sane With Books

· 24th August - Author Interview at Top Shelf Books

· 25th August – Book Review & Excerpt at Book Connoisseur

· 26th August – Book Review & Author Interview at The Reading Cat

· 27th August - Guest Post at Just My Opinion

· 28th August – Book Review & Guest Post at Aspiring Books

· 29th August - Excerpt at UK Book Club

· 30th August – Listing at OB Bookstore

From August 12-31, CHILDREN OF THE FOG will be on sale for only $0.99. Pick up the Kindle edition today!Cheryl Kaye Tardif is a bestselling Canadian suspense author.
www.cherylktardif.com

Check out Cheryl Kaye Tardif's novels!

Read an excerpt of the international bestselling supernatural thriller, CHILDREN OF THE FOG

Today's my 50th birthday and I thought I would celebrate by giving away prizes and this free excerpt from CHILDREN OF THE FOG...

prologue
May 14th, 2007
She was ready to die.She sat at the kitchen table, a half empty bottle of Philip's precious red wine in one hand, a loaded gun in the other. Staring at the foreign chunk of metal, she willed it to vanish. But it didn't.Sadie checked the gun and noted the single bullet."One's all you need."If she did it right.She placed the gun on the table and glanced at a pewter-framed photograph that hung off-kilter above the mantle of the fireplace. It was illuminated by a vanilla-scented candle, one of many that threw flickering shadows over the rough wood walls of the log cabin.Sam's sweet face stared back at her, smiling.Alive.From where she sat, she could see the small chip in his right front tooth, the result of an impatient father raising the training wheels too early. But there was no point in blaming Philip—not when they'd both lost so much.Not when it's all my fault.Her gaze swept over the mantle. There were three objects on it besides the candle. Two envelopes, one addressed to Leah and one to Philip, and the portfolio case that contained the illustrations and manuscript on disc for Sam's book.She had finished it, just like she had promised."And promises can't be broken. Right, Sam?"A single tear burned a path down her cheek.Sam was gone.What reason do I have for living now?She gulped back the last pungent mouthful of Cabernet and dropped the empty bottle. It rolled under the chair, unbroken, rocking on the hardwood floor. Then all was silent, except the antique grandfather clock in the far corner. Its ticking reminded her of the clown's shoe. The one with the tack in it.Tick, tick, tick…The clock belched out an ominous gong.It was almost midnight.Almost time.She drew an infinity symbol in the dust on the table.∞"Sadie and Sam. For all eternity."Gong…She swallowed hard as tears flooded her eyes. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you, baby. I tried to. God, I tried. Forgive me, Sam." Her words ended in a gut-wrenching moan.Something scraped the window beside her.She pressed her face to the frosted glass, then jerked back with a gasp. "Go away!"They stood motionless—six children that drifted from the swirling miasma of night air, haunting her nights and every waking moment. Surrounded by the moonlit fog, they began to chant. "One fine day, in the middle of the night…""You're not real," she whispered."Two dead boys got up to fight."A small, pale hand splayed against the exterior of the window. Below it, droplets of condensation slid like tears down the glass.She reached out, matching her hand to the child's. Shivering, she pulled away. "You don't exist."The clock continued its morbid countdown.As the alcohol and drug potpourri kicked in, the room began to spin and her stomach heaved. She inhaled deeply. She couldn't afford to get sick. Sam was waiting for her.Tears spilled down her cheeks. "I'm ready."Gong…Without hesitation, she raised the gun to her temple."Don't!" the children shrieked.She pressed the gun against her flesh. The tip of the barrel was cold. Like her hands, her feet...her heart.A sob erupted from the back of her throat.The clock let out a final gong. Then it was deathly silent.It was midnight.Her eyes found Sam's face again."Happy Mother's Day, Sadie."She took a steadying breath, pushed the gun hard against her skin and clamped her eyes shut."Mommy's coming, Sam."She squeezed the trigger.

~*~Think you know what happens next? I doubt it. :-)

You could be reading the Kindle edition of CHILDREN OF THE FOG in 60 seconds -- on sale for only $0.99 from August 12-18. (And you'll be helping me achieve a huge dream--a major bestsellers list (New York Times or USA Today.)

And be sure to enter my Rafflecopter Contest & Kindle Fire HDGiveaway. 

Cheryl Kaye Tardif is a bestselling Canadian suspense author.
www.cherylktardif.com

Check out Cheryl Kaye Tardif's novels!