Mindy Hardwick's Blog, page 30
February 10, 2014
ROMANCE FOR ALL THE SEASONS–Goodreads Giveaway
I’m hosting a giveaway of one signed print copy of ROMANCE FOR ALL THE SEASONS on Goodreads. The giveaway runs from February 10-February 28. You can click on the link below to enter. Good luck! (U.S addresses only).
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Romance for All The Seasons
by Mindy Hardwick
Giveaway ends February 28, 2014.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
February 4, 2014
Romance for All The Seasons–PRINT Now Available
ROMANCE FOR ALL THE SEASONS is now available in both PRINT and ebook! You can buy the print book here. The ebook will be found here.
Blurb: Bestselling author, Mindy Hardwick’s sweet contemporary Sailor Series and Elmheart Hotel Series are together for the first time in this anthology, ROMANCE FOR ALL THE SEASONS. These six novellas will delight your heart at Valentine’s Day, sweeten hot summer days, banish Halloween ghosts and goblins and warm your soul during the holidays.
If you would like a signed bookplate to place inside your PRINT book, please email me at: mindy @ mindyhardwick dot com. Please be sure to write “Bookplate” in the subject line of your email and include your mailing address and if you would like the bookplate to be made out to someone special. I will stick one in the mail to you! (Sorry, only US addresses).
I will also be signing print copies at the Seattle RWA Conference in October in Belleuve, Washington. There may be some other signings this year and I will update on the blog when they are scheduled!
ROMANCE FOR ALL THE SEASONS is a great gift idea for a teen who loves sweet, clean romance stories. It’s also a great book if you need short stories to read aloud to someone or for a reader who would like to savor a single story at each holiday throughout the year.
January 31, 2014
Share the Love Giveaway Hop
Happy Valentine’s Day! This month, I’m participating in the SHARE THE LOVE GIVEAWAY HOP!
I’m sharing the love for three romance writers who I enjoy reading-Sharon Kleve, Danica Winters, and Lisa Greer!
My first “Share the Love” romance author is Danica Winters. Danica is a best-selling author who is known for writing award-winning books that grip readers with their ability to drive emotion through suspense and often a touch of magic. When she’s not working, she can be found in the wilds of Montana testing her patience while she tries to understand the allure of various crafts (quilting, pottery and painting are not her thing). She always believe the cup is neither half-full nor half-empty, but it better be filled with wine.
One of Danica’s contemporary romance novellas “Christmas Wishes” is included in Christmas Romances (published by BooksToGoNow publishing).
My second “Share the Love” romance author is Sharon Kleve. Sharon is the author of HALO’S CHRISTMAS WISH.(Books to Go Now Publisher)
Halo Ann Carlyle wishes for a home, family, and a boat-load of pets. What she gets is a bruised hip, a lump on the head, a broken ankle, and her new yellow Honda Civic is demolished. Rich McFarland, a sexy veterinarian, keeps showing up in the most unexpected places, promising everything she’s ever wanted. Halo believes she only has time to pursue her career as a pet detective and must ignore her growing attraction to achieve her dreams. Will Halo trust her heart, and find a way to get both before Christmas?
And, my third “Share the Love” romance author is Lisa Greer. Lisa is author of the Gothic romance serialized stories, The Montmoors, (Musa Publishing).
In a castle by the cliffs of Cornwall, love and obsession await…
When penniless Catherine Roth answers a letter for a governess position in the isolated castle of Lord Andrew Montmoor, she has no idea that madness, obsession, and secrets await her.
Andrew Montmoor is ugly and isolated, but Catherine finds herself drawn to him even as she seeks to help with sickly nephew, Cullen. His Gothic horror of an estate and the secrets that call to her make her time there nearly unbearable. What happened to Andrew’s sister, and will the family mausoleum or her diary reveal it? Just as Catherine is falling for Andrew, a new danger reveals itself, and Catherine’s heart is swept up in the tumult.
- See more at: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22&products_id=287#sthash.NfkjEM4C.dpuf
When penniless Catherine Roth answers a letter for a governess position in the isolated castle of Lord Andrew Montmoor, she has no idea that madness, obsession, and secrets await her. Andrew Montmoor is ugly and isolated, but Catherine finds herself drawn to him even as she seeks to help with sickly nephew, Cullen. His Gothic horror of an estate and the secrets that call to her make her time there nearly unbearable. What happened to Andrew’s sister, and will the family mausoleum or her diary reveal it? Just as Catherine is falling for Andrew, a new danger reveals itself, and Catherine’s heart is swept up in the tumult.
The Montmoor series is a serialized set of stories and you can see a list of them here. These are great to read on ereaders or tablets because they are short and quick to read in one sitting.
Now, for that Share the Love Blog Giveaway. I am giving away the following:
In a castle by the cliffs of Cornwall, love and obsession await…
When penniless Catherine Roth answers a letter for a governess position in the isolated castle of Lord Andrew Montmoor, she has no idea that madness, obsession, and secrets await her.
Andrew Montmoor is ugly and isolated, but Catherine finds herself drawn to him even as she seeks to help with sickly nephew, Cullen. His Gothic horror of an estate and the secrets that call to her make her time there nearly unbearable. What happened to Andrew’s sister, and will the family mausoleum or her diary reveal it? Just as Catherine is falling for Andrew, a new danger reveals itself, and Catherine’s heart is swept up in the tumult.
- See more at: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22&products_id=287#sthash.NfkjEM4C.dpuf
In a castle by the cliffs of Cornwall, love and obsession await…
When penniless Catherine Roth answers a letter for a governess position in the isolated castle of Lord Andrew Montmoor, she has no idea that madness, obsession, and secrets await her.
Andrew Montmoor is ugly and isolated, but Catherine finds herself drawn to him even as she seeks to help with sickly nephew, Cullen. His Gothic horror of an estate and the secrets that call to her make her time there nearly unbearable. What happened to Andrew’s sister, and will the family mausoleum or her diary reveal it? Just as Catherine is falling for Andrew, a new danger reveals itself, and Catherine’s heart is swept up in the tumult.
- See more at: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22&products_id=287#sthash.NfkjEM4C.dpufNow, as a part of the Share the Love Giveaway Hop, I’m giving away two prizes:
1. One ebook copy of VINTAGE VALENTINE. (U.S. or International Entries)
On Valentine’s Day, Hailey has returned home to the Elmheart Hotel with her ten-year-old daughter. After years away, Hailey is happy to help celebrate her grandparent’s golden wedding anniversary. But, when Hailey finds former, high school boyfriend, Patrick, working as the hotel’s chef, she will have to find a way to tell Patrick the secret she has kept for ten years in this sweet contemporary romance short story.
In order to enter the drawing for these prizes, please click on the Rafflecopter Giveaway link below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Then, after you are finished entering the giveaway at this blog, be sure and come back and check out other blogs on the SHARE THE LOVE GIVEAWAY BLOG HOP
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Share the Love Giveaway Hope
Happy Valentine’s Day! This month, I’m participating in the SHARE THE LOVE GIVEAWAY HOP!
I’m sharing the love for three romance writers who I enjoy reading-Sharon Kleve, Danica Winters, and Lisa Greer!
My first “Share the Love” romance author is Danica Winters. Danica is a best-selling author who is known for writing award-winning books that grip readers with their ability to drive emotion through suspense and often a touch of magic. When she’s not working, she can be found in the wilds of Montana testing her patience while she tries to understand the allure of various crafts (quilting, pottery and painting are not her thing). She always believe the cup is neither half-full nor half-empty, but it better be filled with wine.
One of Danica’s contemporary romance novellas “Christmas Wishes” is included in Christmas Romances (published by BooksToGoNow publishing).
My second “Share the Love” romance author is Sharon Kleve. Sharon is the author of HALO’S CHRISTMAS WISH.(Books to Go Now Publisher)
Halo Ann Carlyle wishes for a home, family, and a boat-load of pets. What she gets is a bruised hip, a lump on the head, a broken ankle, and her new yellow Honda Civic is demolished. Rich McFarland, a sexy veterinarian, keeps showing up in the most unexpected places, promising everything she’s ever wanted. Halo believes she only has time to pursue her career as a pet detective and must ignore her growing attraction to achieve her dreams. Will Halo trust her heart, and find a way to get both before Christmas?
And, my third “Share the Love” romance author is Lisa Greer. Lisa is author of the Gothic romance serialized stories, The Montmoors, (Musa Publishing).
In a castle by the cliffs of Cornwall, love and obsession await…
When penniless Catherine Roth answers a letter for a governess position in the isolated castle of Lord Andrew Montmoor, she has no idea that madness, obsession, and secrets await her.
Andrew Montmoor is ugly and isolated, but Catherine finds herself drawn to him even as she seeks to help with sickly nephew, Cullen. His Gothic horror of an estate and the secrets that call to her make her time there nearly unbearable. What happened to Andrew’s sister, and will the family mausoleum or her diary reveal it? Just as Catherine is falling for Andrew, a new danger reveals itself, and Catherine’s heart is swept up in the tumult.
- See more at: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22&products_id=287#sthash.NfkjEM4C.dpuf
When penniless Catherine Roth answers a letter for a governess position in the isolated castle of Lord Andrew Montmoor, she has no idea that madness, obsession, and secrets await her. Andrew Montmoor is ugly and isolated, but Catherine finds herself drawn to him even as she seeks to help with sickly nephew, Cullen. His Gothic horror of an estate and the secrets that call to her make her time there nearly unbearable. What happened to Andrew’s sister, and will the family mausoleum or her diary reveal it? Just as Catherine is falling for Andrew, a new danger reveals itself, and Catherine’s heart is swept up in the tumult.
The Montmoor series is a serialized set of stories and you can see a list of them here. These are great to read on ereaders or tablets because they are short and quick to read in one sitting.
Now, for that Share the Love Blog Giveaway. I am giving away the following:
In a castle by the cliffs of Cornwall, love and obsession await…
When penniless Catherine Roth answers a letter for a governess position in the isolated castle of Lord Andrew Montmoor, she has no idea that madness, obsession, and secrets await her.
Andrew Montmoor is ugly and isolated, but Catherine finds herself drawn to him even as she seeks to help with sickly nephew, Cullen. His Gothic horror of an estate and the secrets that call to her make her time there nearly unbearable. What happened to Andrew’s sister, and will the family mausoleum or her diary reveal it? Just as Catherine is falling for Andrew, a new danger reveals itself, and Catherine’s heart is swept up in the tumult.
- See more at: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22&products_id=287#sthash.NfkjEM4C.dpuf
In a castle by the cliffs of Cornwall, love and obsession await…
When penniless Catherine Roth answers a letter for a governess position in the isolated castle of Lord Andrew Montmoor, she has no idea that madness, obsession, and secrets await her.
Andrew Montmoor is ugly and isolated, but Catherine finds herself drawn to him even as she seeks to help with sickly nephew, Cullen. His Gothic horror of an estate and the secrets that call to her make her time there nearly unbearable. What happened to Andrew’s sister, and will the family mausoleum or her diary reveal it? Just as Catherine is falling for Andrew, a new danger reveals itself, and Catherine’s heart is swept up in the tumult.
- See more at: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22&products_id=287#sthash.NfkjEM4C.dpufNow, as a part of the Share the Love Giveaway Hop, I’m giving away two prizes:
1. One ebook copy of VINTAGE VALENTINE. (U.S. or International Entries)
On Valentine’s Day, Hailey has returned home to the Elmheart Hotel with her ten-year-old daughter. After years away, Hailey is happy to help celebrate her grandparent’s golden wedding anniversary. But, when Hailey finds former, high school boyfriend, Patrick, working as the hotel’s chef, she will have to find a way to tell Patrick the secret she has kept for ten years in this sweet contemporary romance short story.
In order to enter the drawing for these prizes, please click on the Rafflecopter Giveaway link below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Then, after you are finished entering the giveaway at this blog, be sure and come back and check out other blogs on the SHARE THE LOVE GIVEAWAY BLOG HOP
Happy Valentine’s Day!
January 21, 2014
Upcoming Events–Teen Classes and AWP Conference
The AWP Conference is coming up in February in Seattle from February 26-March 1. I’ll be attending and presenting on a panel entitled: “Getting Your Foot in the Door: Alternatives to Traditional Children’s Book Contracts.”
“The road to publishing can be long and trying.” Fortunately, there are more opportunities and publishing fields than a children’s book writer might think. From working with book packages and writing on commission, to online publishers, art journals, and writing nonfiction, there are multiple ways of becoming a published author in the children’s market. Join five authors as they discuss their experiences breaking into nontraditional publishing.”
The panel takes place from noon to 1:15 p.m. on Thursday, February 27. Bring your lunch and join us for a great panel chat about all the ways to write and publish children’s books.
Writing It Short and Real: An On-Line Class for Teens at the Loft Literary Center. On March 3-30, I will be teaching a great on-line class for teens. This is a perfect opportunity for teens who are home schooled to take a class from a published writer and learn a little bit more about the craft of writing narrative flash.
Narrative flash is short, fast, and fun. It’s easy to share with others, and most of all, narrative flash is the perfect way to express our voices and capture our real life experiences in a short snapshot. In this class for teens, we will look at how to write short narrative through craft lessons including: structure, character, and brevity. The class includes writing on topics based on our real life experiences such as: truth and lies, first and lasts, and matters of the heart. We will share our writing with each other in order to discover how powerful our voices can be when writing about real life.
Sign up to take the class here.
The class is also being offered this summer from July 7-August 3.
January 18, 2014
Year of the Fairy Tale
If you are a fan of the fairy tale, there are a couple opportunities that have popped on my radar lately.
Author, Beth Daniels, is teaching a class on Savvy Authors called, Tickling Your Muse: Warping Classic Fairy Tales to Recharge Your Inventive Batteries. The on-line class runs from February 3-March 2.
You can find out more about the class and register here.
Dark Fairy Tale Submissions: Little Bird Publishing is compiling an anthology of Dark Fairy Tales for Young Adults.With the theme of ‘Mirrors and Tears’ writers (both new and established) are invited to write a short story from 1,000-10,000 words for this anthology. The theme is open to interpretation and we look forward to reading a diverse range of YA tales. Poetry is also accepted. We also welcome works from writers aged 14+
Deadline March 1st. Submissions guidelines can be found here.
Mixed media artist, Carla Sonheim is teaching a year long on-line class, The Year of the Fairy Tale. Here is some information from her website about her class:
I’m known for my projects and techniques that help adult students recover a more spontaneous, playful approach to creating! During this year-long online class, we will illustrate 8 fairy tales (the class will run in two, four-month “semesters,” with a 7-week break in between). Each month you will receive both a sketchbook assignment and a technique-based, mixed-media project via professionally produced video.
My goal for all my classes is that students create art that is true to their own style (as opposed to expecting art look like mine). The techniques taught are just starting points and you will incorporate them into your own existing style and what will come out will be fresh and new.
Also, I strive to make sure that every online lesson includes both techniques and the opportunity for personal growth and self expression. “Year of the Fairy Tale” will be an online community where participants from all over the world share their work, their thoughts, and encourage each other. And of course, I am available to comment on all work uploaded throughout the year.
For each of the 8 working months you’ll receive:
• a PDF with that month’s Fairy Tale/Reading Assignment
• a Sketchbook Assignment (each month we’ll pick a focus: the figure, the face, animals, architecture, etc.)
• a Step-by-Step Mixed-Media Project (throughout the year we’ll work with watercolors, acrylics, pastels, charcoal, graphite, collage….)
• Professionally Produced Instructional Video(s)
• Special Blog Posts exploring each fairy tale’s rich visual history, guest artists, and more
• Instructor Feedback on all uploaded or emailed work
Our virtual “classroom” includes a private blog and closed Facebook group.
You can find out more about Carla’s class, The Year of the Fairy Tale here.
January 15, 2014
Romance Writing Calls for Submissions
Avon Impulse College Writing Contest: If you’re a college writer (undergraduate or graduate), Avon Impulse is hosting a writing contest just for you! Avon Impulse is the digital first romance line of Avon Publishing (a Harper Collins imprint). Editors are looking for:
New Adult romance
Romantic suspense
Super sexy contemporaries
Trilogies—and beyond
Serialized erotic romance
The deadline for submissions is April 1, 2014. Find more details here.
Tulip Romance, an imprint of Spencer Hill Press, is currently open to both agented and unagented submissions in romance. They are looking for everything including: Novellas. New Adult. Young Adult. Romantic Suspense. Contemporary. Paranormal.
Submission guidelines are here.
And from their website, Tulip Romance says this:
Our mission is to discover and grow the careers of talented Romance and New Adult authors. We commit resources to marketing our authors’ work, building their “brands” and followings, as well as making them the strongest writers they can be… and then launching them as successful publishing professionals. This makes us a good fit for authors at the start of their careers.
Don’t delay too long in submitting to Tulip Romance as Spencer Hill Press does not usually have too long of an open call for unagented writers. (Thanks to a good writer pal for bringing this press to my attention!)
Holiday Romance for Entangled Publishing. Entangled romance is looking for holiday romance stories.
We are looking for stories that are 15-20k about the holiday season that take place in any era up to and including WWI. Stories must be romance, heat level may vary, and writing must be strong. We’d love to also see protagonists of color and ethnicity as well as characters who are not heterosexual …give us a great love story, that’s all we care about.
Submission deadline is March 15, 2014. The stories must be complete at the time of submission. You can find all the submission details here.
January 13, 2014
Cover Reveal
I’m happy to reveal my cover for the PRINT anthology of ROMANCE FOR ALL THE SEASONS. The book which will have all six of my sweet contemporary romance stories. The stories include: VINTAGE VALENTINE, LOVE’S STORM, LOVE’S CHRISTMAS GIFT, HALLOWEEN LOVE FORTUNE, NEW YEAR HEART SONG, and LOVE’S BID. These six stories have been selling individually as ebooks. Now, they will be together for the first time in PRINT.
I will also have bookmarks to sign and mail to you if you’d like a signed bookmark.
The collection is organized around the seasons of the year, and is a great book to read one story at a time– all throughout the year. It also will make a great gift for those teen readers who are looking for romance but not the sexy romance!
ROMANCE FOR ALL THE SEASONS is coming soon!
January 10, 2014
Positive Trait Thesaurus Giveaway Winner
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000046_00066]](http://mindyhardwick.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/positive-trait.jpg)
The winner of The Positive Trait Thesaurus giveaway is: Doraine Bennet! Please contact me Doraine as the email I have for you is not working.
Congratulations!
January 7, 2014
Positive Traits Thesurus Giveaway
Happy New Year!
To start things off with the first giveaway of 2014, I’d like to offer one PDF copy of THE POSITIVE TRAITS THESAURUS.
THE POSITIVE TRAIT THESAURUS includes:
*A large selection of attributes to choose from when building a personality profile. Each entry lists possible causes for why a trait might emerge, along with associated attitudes, behaviors, thoughts, and emotions
*Real character examples from literature, film, or television to show how an attribute drives actions and decisions, influences goals, and steers relationships
*Advice on using positive traits to immediately hook readers while avoiding common personality pitfalls
*Insight on human needs and morality, and how each determines the strengths that emerge in heroes and villains alike
*Information on the key role positive attributes play within the character arc, and how they’re vital to overcoming fatal flaws and achieving success
*Downloadable tools for organizing a character’s attributes and providing a deeper understanding of his past, his needs, and the emotional wounds he must overcome
THE POSITIVE TRAIT THESAURUS by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi is a great resource and part of their trilogy of resources for writers including: THE NEGATIVE TRAIT THESAURUS and THE EMOTION THESAURUS. I have all three books on my Kindle and reference them often when writing both middle grade and romance.
You can find lots of great additional information on The Book Shelf Muse here.
You can find out more about THE EMOTION THESAURUS here.
THE NEGATIVE TRAIT THESAURUS here.
In order to be entered for the giveaway of THE POSITIVE TRAIT THESAURUS, please leave your email address and one positive trait of a character in your work-in-progress. I will announce the winner on Friday, January 10. U.S. and International entries. One comment per entry.
Good luck!
