Mimi Barbour's Blog: Believe!, page 17

Do you watch TV shows with the sole intention of learning how to be a better writer?

I can say yes to most of that statement but I wouldn’t be telling the truth if I said yes unconditionally. Mainly because my sole intention isn’t only to observe the show from a writer’s point of view, many times, it’s how I veg out after a busy 8 -10 hour day. I like to be entertained and not have to think about anything.
Give my overworked, mushy brain a rest. Lie back in my easy chair and be a slug.
Except most times, I start paying attention to how the characters are being portrayed, the ways they interact with each other. Their quirky little tells that they perform so the viewers know what they’re feeling. The ways they move and their actions that show me how they feel.
The dialogue on a top-rated show is also a fabulous way to learn a few pointers. How characters talk so that that their conversation flows and they don’t sound stilted or fake. That’s not an easy thing to accomplish when writing a book. It’s true, some authors have a talent for writing dialogue but most of us have to work damn hard so that it reads realistically.
It’s amazing how gifted many of the television actors are and the roles they have to play. Today, there’s a huge range of shows to choose from - everything from situation comedies to police action, throw in some fire fighters and doctors and there’s not much missing.
Lately, I’ve been making notes from some of my shows of remarks FBI agents or police officers might use in the line of duty. I write down information that could be useful for me to research for one of my books. Because I write suspense, I like to make lists of references to weapons and procedures they make but I also know they take literary license and many shows are notoriously inaccurate and so I research my notes before I actually use them. On the other hand, I wouldn’t have even known such things existed if I hadn’t have seen it on TV.
So it’s a fine way for me to learn and I’d be fool if I didn’t pay attention at least sometimes… of course that’s before the snoring starts........seriously!!
These are my favorite shows –the ones I tape so I can watch them each week. Scandal , Gray’s Anatomy, The Good Wife, Castle, The Blacklist, Quantico,  Law & Order (Special Victim’s Unit), Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, Outlander & Blindspot.   
What are your favorite shows you like to watch?
*****
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October Booktacular Giveaway. 
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Promoting your work IS a necessary evil. Funny story I have to share… #amlaughing

Have you ever gone onto a workshop expecting to learn gold nuggets and instead, you were offered old and very rusted iron pellets?
That’s what happened to me recently. 
Let me explain….
At the last conference I attended, I went to a workshop supposedly on promotions. Since it was one of the only classes on marketing at the conference, I looked forward to it immensely. After all, it’s where I am in my career – needing to learn everything I can about how to sell my books.
I’ve taught myself many things by trial and error, but then so have others. Therefore I expected that the presenter was going to share some of her golden nuggets of information that would enable me to find yet another way to reach readers.
Having looked forward to this, I moved to the front row, sat down and got my pen and notebook ready.
When the presenter started off telling us that we didn’t need to give away our bookmarks to all and sundry, or that we didn’t even need to have any kind of swag at all, instead to save our money, I was with her. It’s a choice and not for everyone.
When she said that we didn’t need to have a website or Twitter, hell she didn’t have one now did she...??  I kinda wished I could ask her how her sales were going and if she was on any of the best-seller lists. But – nah I still hung in there, beginning to wonder about where this was heading. Still, I waited optimistically.
When she bashed Facebook and every other site on the internet that helps authors get the word out to others, I’m beginning to think I should call in the paramedics cause she was sounding dangerous…. I’m thinking loonie-tunes.
Frothing inside, wanting to negate all the drivel she was spouting, thinking that some of her audience just might be taking her seriously, after all, she was quite affable and likeable, I nevertheless had to hang in there to see just exactly what would be her eventual pearls of wisdom about promoting.
Finally - hands sore from gripping the pen and notebook to stop myself from interrupting and telling her what a foolish, traditional sounding kook she was - the woman shared her secret.
Write a good book she said. Then write another. Good books sell!!
Yeah right! By now, words were clamoring to get loose – “AND WHO’S GOING TO KNOW ABOUT THESE BLASTED GOOD BOOKS TO BUY THEM,” I wanted to yell so badly.
Still, I waited. Not because I was enjoying myself, but because I was sitting right in front and I knew I’d feel terrible if I just got up and left. And truthfully, I really was curious.
Aha! Ten minutes before the end of the hour, she came up with her final suggestion. Write a blog!! I’m not kidding you – she was going to (did you get that last few words???) GOING TO, hadn’t done it yet, going to start a blog about cooking because we all like to eat, readers eat, and therefore they would see her books on the side of her blog page. Not wanting to burst her bubble about just how many blogs there were out there about food, I started to internally giggle until it was all I could do not to burst out laughing and disrupt the class.
An amusing thought took hold, hilarious… How the hell was she going to get people to come and read her blog????
Deep breath! Count to ten! Stop laughing…
Once I finally calmed down, it dawned on me that the worst part of this whole regrettably wasted hour was that someone might have believed her. Newbies wanting to hear gold nuggets and not recognizing it was fool’s gold. Unfortunate souls who left there thinking – it’s really okay if I don’t put my energies into social media. I just need to do the one thing I love and that’s write.
For those of you who have no expectations for sales, sure go for it. Just write! Be happy.
But know one thing! If I haven’t taught you anything else, let me share with you this puregold nugget. How can you expect to sell a book no one but your family and friends know about?? You need to stretch and learn. You NEED to get busy. Take your pick of the evil social media choices, that’s fine, but for heaven’s sake do your homework. Research your business and get on board.

Promoting your work is an absolutely necessaryevil. So stop fooling yourself. 
Do you agree??

New submission page & easy to fill-in form on Authors' Billboard - #Promotions #Indie

Recently, we have decided to share our beautiful newsletter with other authors who don't belong to our group at Authors Billboard. This is what made us reach that decision:

- We’re a small group with a growing newsletter list and we don’t always have enough books on sale or free to give our readers adequate choice every week. By inviting others to submit their books, it will give our subscribers a lot more selection.

-  Also, the authors who promote with us will be signed onto our newsletter and have a chance to win one of our monthly Giveaways of two $50 Amazon Gift Certificates or the special $20 gift certificate to whoever shares the most about the contest with others.

-  The Authors Billboard website is also a great place for anyone to visit. Come and see what our authors are up to and read their wonderful blog posts which are on varied subjects and fun to read. Find their beautifully presented books on our Books & Promotions page where 10 fortunate people from our Newsletter list will be given the opportunity every month to select whichever book they want as a free prize.

Remember - The authors here at the Billboard will be working hard to get the word out about each promotion. Our growing subscribers list is proving very successful and thirty authors have a long reach and plenty of connections through social media so we will do everything in our power to get your work the exposure it needs. 

Plus there are links to Twitter, Facebook, e-mail and Google that you can share right there on the newsletter to make it easy for you to get the word out to your own followers and friends about your book being on sale.


Therefore - welcome to our special place!
Come and enjoy, and take the time to sign up your book for the low price of $5.
Please sign up by Tuesday for the following Friday.
Only books priced at 99cents or free will be accepted.
There are no restrictions as far as reviews or ratings.

***Find the easy-to-fill-in submission page 
as one of the tabs on the website or go here. 

Another sweet little secret to help busy authors save time. #twittimer #amwriting

As most of you who follow my blog know, I’m consistently revealing my journey as a writer to either stop you from making some of the same mistakes that have plagued me, or to pass on a nugget that has worked for me.  
Today, I’m happy to say that what I’m about to share is pure gold.
For years, I’ve been on Twitter, building up my followers little by little and can brag a bit today that I recently reached the 14k level. (Picture me chortling!!) 
Now all this time, I’ve mostly done it the hard way, tweet by tweet and very little scheduling. I did try Hootsuite for a while but it just got too convoluted for me when they added in all the other social media avenues…. or maybe I should admit that figuring it all out was taking too long and it all felt too much like work. I’m one of those busy authors who hasn’t a lot of time or energy to try slogging my way through a dense fog of instructions that don’t make a lot of sense. I want it to be easy, or at least to save me time in the end.
Then I found a site called Social Oomph and that worked for a while. I was able to schedule ordinary tweets but there was one thing missing that really bugged me. I couldn’t add any images to my tweets. And as we all know, nowadays that’s so important to getting attention.
So… I started searching again and I’m happy to tell you that I did come across a great site and it’s called Twittimer . (I wish I knew who came up with the Twitter title so I could strangle them. I get so many strange looks when I talk about my tweets and retweets to those smart twits with no computers and no stress :-)))  
Back on subject - now, the reason I like this place is because it’s easy to figure out. I had it beat within the first few minutes of stumbling onto it. Yeah – I know – I was shocked too!!!
So… after playing around on Twittimer, I decided to go the Pro route for these reasons. One – I wanted to add both my Twitter pages – Mimi Barbour Author @MimiBarbour and The Author’s Billboard @mimisgang1. And two – I wanted to set up a sheet of tweets and forget about them.  And three - $24.99 for 6 months seemed more than reasonable.
Okay - here is why you might want to use them:
1.     Publish posts at the exact moment of your choosing.2.     Privacy of personal data.3.     Share your photos.4.     Archive your messages.5.     Statistics.6.     At the right time...everywhere.7.     Campaign Preparation8.     Track links with Bitly.
My personal favorite is: Bulk Uploads using a CSV. This means that I can set up a week or even a month or more of tweets for a campaign, add them all to an excel spreadsheet following a few simple rules and forget about them. See those rules:
1.     You must save the spreadsheet as a CSV only.2.     You must delete the other sheets on the bottom of the page.3.     Make sure your dates are changed to future dates4.     And no duplicate tweets within a 12 hour span.
Now – the best part is just how simple it is to set up your ordinary tweet. Once you’ve filled in your account info, the box will open up that you see here.


Copy and paste the tweet inside or a blurb for Facebook and LinkedIn. It will give you the option of which Twitter stream you want it sent over or both, plus if you want it on FB and Linkedin also. (Linkedin will not allow images…………..darn!!)
See the little camera, top left, that is where you go to add in images and once you do, you can reuse that same image over and over – it even asks you.
You can also create a group so your messages can be saved to certain groups and then re-used. So cool...
What I have benefited from was the fact I can schedule posts for both my Facebook pages also and with images. That’s a big help for me each week.
Twittimer has been an absolute time saver and it’s actually fun to use. Check it out if you find you need a tool such as this.
And let me know if you’ve already found something similar or… if you try Twittimer… do you like it as much as I do?

Cross Promotion at it’s very best – Earn Karma Cash!!

Recently, I learned about a place called Co-Promote which actually stands for Cross Promote. It’s a brilliant idea and so far in my experience, it works very well.
Their opening comment is: We match your message with like-minded people on Facebook and Twitter. They share it with their followers to greatly increase the number of people your message reaches. (Kinda like a share or a retweet.)


When I first joined, I was a bit suspect and so I only signed up with Twitter, although I believe you can also attach it to your Tumblr and even UTube accounts. I do intend to check out the Facebook section, but so far, I just haven’t had the time to study that portion and I’m also very careful not to push too many auto-posts there. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems more of a personal place and I guess I don’t want to inundate my friends with more business bursts than necessary.
First, set up a profile so that you have your photo showing. People will want to follow you and you should take the time to also follow others too. It builds a community you will be glad to have. It's very easy to follow others, just hover over their photos and a small box will open with the follow button right there.
When I first went to Co-Promote and stumbled around through the site, I found it to be pretty easy to navigate. There are three main areas that have clear buttons at the top of the page. Share, track and boost.
Share: as you’ve already determined is where they have the stream of posts that you can share. The posts you choose will go out over your twitter feed. You have a choice of the type of posts you’d be interested in and that makes it easy for you to share what you think your followers might enjoy.
Track: I love this part because it shows you how many people shared your boost and the numbers are quite starling – certainly gets you out there more so than just your regular Twitter retweets.
Boost: Now this is where your reward happens. After you’ve shared a certain number of posts, you collect Karma cash for others to share yours. To select the post you want shared, when you’re on the Boost page, it will show you a list of the last tweets you released and you can pick whichever one you want boosted. So cool!!
The best part of this program – IT’S FREE!! Oh yes it is!

But… if you want more coverage than the free section can give you, you do have the ability to upgrade. 



The Authors Billboard is at it again!!!
We have a fabulous Giveaway for the month 
of the Ghosties and Goblins. 

PRIZES:1. $50 Amazon Gift Card for one NEW subscriber2. $50 Amazon Gift Card for one new OR current subscriber3. $20 Amazon Gift Card for the person with the most BONUS ENTRIES** (Shares on FB) 

Cross Promotion at it’s very best – Earn Karma Cash!!

Recently, I learned about a place called Co-Promote which actually stands for Cross Promote. It’s a brilliant idea and so far in my experience, it works very well.
Their opening comment is: We match your message with like-minded people on Facebook and Twitter. They share it with their followers to greatly increase the number of people your message reaches. (Kinda like a share or a retweet.)
When I first joined, I was a bit suspect and so I only signed up with Twitter, although I believe you can also attach it to your Tumblr and even UTube accounts. I do intend to check out the Facebook section, but so far, I just haven’t had the time to study that portion and I’m also very careful not to push too many auto-posts there. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems more of a personal place and I guess I don’t want to inundate my friends with more business bursts than necessary.
First, set up a profile so that you have your photo showing. People will want to follow you and you should take the time to also follow others too. It builds a community you will be glad to have. It's very easy to follow others, just hover over their photos and a small box will open with the follow button right there.
When I first went to Co-Promote and stumbled around through the site, I found it to be pretty easy to navigate. There are three main areas that have clear buttons at the top of the page. Share, track and boost.
Share:as you’ve already determined is where they have the stream of posts that you can share. The posts you choose will go out over your twitter feed. You have a choice of the type of posts you’d be interested in and that makes it easy for you to share what you think your followers might enjoy.
Track:I love this part because it shows you how many people shared your boost and the numbers are quite starling – certainly gets you out there more so than just your regular Twitter retweets.
Boost:Now this is where your reward happens. After you’ve shared a certain number of posts, you collect Karma cash for others to share yours. To select the post you want shared, when you’re on the Boost page, it will show you a list of the last tweets you released and you can pick whichever one you want boosted. So cool!!
The best part of this program – IT’S FREE!! Oh yes it is!

But… if you want more coverage than the free section can give you, you do have the ability to upgrade. 



The Authors Billboard is at it again!!!
We have a fabulous Giveaway for the month 
of the Ghosties and Goblins. 

PRIZES:1. $50 Amazon Gift Card for one NEW subscriber2. $50 Amazon Gift Card for one new OR current subscriber3. $20 Amazon Gift Card for the person with the most BONUS ENTRIES** (Shares on FB) 

Christmas Pets & Kisses - the holiday book you need to read this Christmas!! #mgtab

Christmas Pets & KissesGenre: Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: October 6, 2015


SIXTEEN ALL-NEW, NEVER-BEFORE-PUBLISHED SWEET (PG-rated) CHRISTMAS ROMANCES 
Ring in the Christmas cheer with sixteen all-new sweet and heart-warming romances from New York Times, USA Today and National bestselling authors. Don’t miss out on this romantic collection of Christmas tails…uh, tales as adorable pets with fins, paws, feathers, and hooves bring holiday magic with the gift of true love.


Golden Christmas - Helen Scott Taylor 
Every Christmas Vicky hides so she doesn’t have to celebrate the date she lost her husband and son. She doesn’t want to see anyone but when she finds a dog’s lost ball she meets Jon, a wounded ex-soldier who’s struggling with his own problems. This brave man touches Vicky’s shattered heart and makes her realize she can’t hide forever. With his support, can she find the strength to love again?

Two Loves for Christmas - Mona Risk
Tabloid pictures of charming laywer, Josh Dutton, threaten his father's senatorial campaign. The family decides he needs a sweet 'temporary fiancée' to repair the damage. With only her German shepherd for friend, Emma struggles with problems. Attraction sizzles between Josh and Emma but no one mentions the 'fake fiancée' detail. When the truth surfaces will Josh be able to prove that his kisses were not part of a charade?

Dog-Gone Christmas - Melinda Curtis 
Widow Marnie Haywood wants Christmas hosting her in-laws to go smoothly. And it would – if her handsome neighbor and his friendly St. Bernard would stop coming over, mooching food, and stealing kisses.

His Christmas Promise - Alicia Street 
A stray dog with a penchant for giving warm and fuzzy love finds refuge with an ex-Army helicopter pilot and helps restore his bedridden grandmother's will to live. It seems like a Christmas miracle until the bachelor war vet discovers the mutt belongs to a little girl who wants him back—and a single mom who makes him rethink his freewheeling ways and maybe even believe in love.

We Wish You A Ferret Christmas - Nikki Lynn Barrett 
Widower Lance Rossiter wants nothing to do with the pet ferret who caused his daughter to be hit by a car. Widow Cara McLean is shocked by the ferret her son finds and wants to keep. When Lance and Cara meet, sparks fly and love suddenly seems possible. Can a lost and found ferret bring two fractured families together?

Christmas Lovebirds - Rachelle Ayala 
Melisa Hart has a soft spot for her brother Connor’s ex-best buddy, Rob Reed, who slept with Connor’s girlfriend. When her pet lovebird is mixed up with Rob’s, Melisa discovers he’s always cared about her. Can two little lovebirds and Christmas cheer open Melisa’s heart to giving Rob another chance?

Christmas on Cougar Mountain - Nancy Radke
Hard-working Zoey is dedicated to helping children learn, and has built her business to the neglect of having a family. When she rescues a dog on the freeway, she discovers that the escape artist brings a family with him, including a boy she would like to help, and as love grows, a man she would like to keep. But will Kellen ever trust her to help his son, much less give her his heart?

The Vet’s Christmas Pet - J.L. Campbell 
The last thing Toni wants for Christmas is more responsibility, but her daughter has other ideas. A near accident not only brings them a dog in need of a home, but Matthias Laing, who Toni would prefer to keep in the past.

Tails, Time, and St. Nick - Mary Leo
Kris Timemaker has inherited a magical clock. Using the clock's magic for anyone other than St. Nick on Christmas Eve has some grave consequences, but when his daughter's beloved Westie goes missing, and his estranged wife asks for his help, Kris has no choice but to take a chance with time and try to win back his family in the process.

Graced - Jade Kerrion 
Connor Bradley doesn’t have time for distractions, not while juggling single parenthood and his clinic on five hours of sleep a night. He most certainly doesn’t have time for Noelle, the high school flirt, who is prettier and more irresistible than he remembers. When Noelle's father’s heart attack derails Connor’s plans for his first Christmas without his wife, Noelle wants to save the day for his adorable children, but can she also find her way into Connor’s guarded heart?

Unexpected Gift - Chantel Rhondeau 
Aspiring decorator Cali Johnson moves to New York City—lonely, afraid, and far from home during the holidays. When she finds a lost cat in her apartment building, she strikes up an odd friendship with his reclusive owner, Marcus Ritz. If only she knew what he was hiding.

Minty's Kiss - P.C. Zick 
When newly divorced Molly retreats to a family cabin with Gracie, her ten-year-old daughter, she's surprised to find her childhood crush, Nick, still living in the area. Can a small kitty named Minty help Gracie accept the love developing between Nick and Molly in time for her first Christmas in the mountains of North Carolina?

The Christmas Wish - Michele Shriver
Ashley McLaughlin is struggling to move on from her husband's infidelity. Brennan wants to make amends for his transgression. Their young daughter, Hayley, has only one wish for Christmas- for her family to be together again. When Hayley suffers a head injury after a fall from her horse, will it help her get her wish? Or do the wounds from Brennan's betrayal run too deep for Ashley to forgive?

Dante’s Gift - Aubrey Wynne 
Seventy years ago, a collie mix brought two hearts together in war torn Italy. Will their story help their grandson find his own Christmas love?

Mavy’s Christmas Miracle - Sharon Coady
Anne Hurd returns to the Pocono's to help her elderly grandfather. Six years earlier Kyle Shafer disappeared from her life. She rescues a kitten, takes her to a vet who turns out to be Kyle. Kyle can’t believe Anne walked back into his life. Will he scare her away, or will she give him another chance? Kyle decides to take a chance and try for the love he gave up on.

An Impossible Rescue - Annamaria Bazzi 
Christmas is no joy for Julia who's gambling husband comes around only to ask for money. When a handsome stranger and his cute Pomeranian puppy moves in next door, Julia feels guilty for their mutual attraction.Michael's not the rescuing type, but when he spies Julia's husband haranguing her for holiday cash, anger flares and he is determined to rescue Julia from another miserable Christmas.


99¢ for a Limited TimeGet into the Christmas Spirit and Holiday Cheer with Christmas Pets & Kisses

Helen Scott Taylor
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Helen Scott Taylor, had her first book released in 2009. The Magic Knot, won the American Title contest, was a Golden Heart® finalist, and was chosen as one of Booklist's top ten romances of 2009. Since then, she has published other novels, novellas, and short stories in both the UK and USA. Her published works have been finalists in a number of contests including the Holt Medallion, the Lories, the Prism Contest, the Write Touch Award and the Maggies.

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Mona Risk
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Mona Risk, recently received an Outstanding Achiever Award from Affaire de Coeur Magazine. Her name has often been posted on the Amazon.com 100 Most Popular Authors in Romance list. She's a two time winner of Best Contemporary Romance of the Year from Readers Favorite; a winner of Best Romance Novel of the Year from Preditors & Editors Readers Poll; and an EPIC Award finalist.

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Melinda Curtis
Melinda Curtis is an award winning, USA Today recommended, Amazon best selling author.  She writes the independently published, steamy Hollywood Rules series as Mel Curtis. Jayne Ann Krentz says of Blue Rules: “Sharp, sassy, modern version of a screwball comedy from Hollywood's Golden Age except a lot hotter.”

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Alicia Street
USA Today bestselling author Alicia Street is a Daphne du Maurier award-winner. She writes both sweet and steamier romances and sometimes collaborates with her husband, Roy. She spent many years as a dancer, choreographer, and teacher and is a compulsive reader of every genre. Alicia grew up with dogs and cats and could not imagine living without furry pals.

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Nikki Lynn Barrett
USA Today Bestselling author Nikki Lynn Barrett
I'm an avid lover of books. I've been writing as far back as I can remember, completing my first "book" by fifth grade in one of those one subject spiral notebooks. I have a passion for music, photography, jewelry and all things creative. I live in Arizona with my husband and son, but dream of being somewhere much colder and stormier. For now, I'll have to live that life through my characters and stick it out with the summer heat.

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Rachelle Ayala
Bestselling author Rachelle Ayala I love the magic of the Christmas season filled with family and the spirit of giving and helping others. From romantic suspense to sweet contemporaries, I write from my heart and love to include children and pets in my stories. My stories range from steamy to sweet, so be sure to check the reader's guide at my website.

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Nancy Radke
Amazon Best-selling author, Nancy Radke, writes modern romance and suspense as well as a Western Pioneer historical series. A former special education teacher, her education background shows when she includes history in her books, or in the case of her novella for this set, reading problems. Her books are G-rated, no sex, no swearing.

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J.L. Campbell
J.L. Campbell is an award-winning, Jamaican author who writes romantic suspense, women's fiction, new and young adult novels. She has written thirteen books, three novellas and two short story collections. Her novels include the Island Adventure Romance series, which currently has four exciting, stand-alone stories and features feisty women and determined men. Campbell is a certified editor, who also writes non-fiction.

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Mary Leo
USA TODAY bestselling author Mary Leo grew up in a complicated Italain family on Chicago’s Southside where she developed the art of storytelling. She writes with ironic humor, a bit of whimsy, some serious drama, and has a longstanding love affair with the American cowboy.

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Jade Kerrion
Jade Kerrion writes award-winning and occasionally best-selling science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary novels anchored on unlikely romances you will root for and happy endings you can believe in. Her favorite romance is the Double Helix love triangle between Galahad—the lab-created perfect human being; Danyael—an alpha empath and Galahad’s physical template; and Zara—the woman who can wreak more havoc with love than most people can with hate

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Chantel Rhondeau
Chantel Rhondeau is hooked on romance and suspense. She thinks there’s nothing better than a great mystery, but basically an optimist, Chantel loves a book to end ‘happily ever after.’ When she isn’t writing, Chantel enjoys playing cards with her family, bowling, and snuggling with her four kitty ‘children.’

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P.C. Zick
P.C. Zick began her writing career in 1998 as a journalist. She's won various awards for her essays, columns, editorials, articles, and fiction. Today, she writes romance and contemporary literature with her pen drawing plots filled with love, hope, and forgiveness.

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Michele Shriver
Michele Shriver writes women’s fiction and contemporary romance. Her books feature flawed-but-likeable characters in real-life settings. She’s not afraid to break the rules, but never stops believing in happily ever after. Michele counts among her favorite things a good glass of wine, a hockey game, and a sweet and sexy book boyfriend, not necessarily in that order.

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Aubrey Wynne
Award-winning author Aubrey Wynne resides in the Midwest with her husband, dogs, horses, mule and barn cats. She is an elementary teacher by trade, champion of children and animals by conscience, and author by night. Obsessions include history, travel, trail riding and all things Christmas.

Her award-winning short stories Merry Christmas, Henry (2013)  and Pete's Mighty Purty Privies (2014) won the Preditors and Editors Reader's Choice Award. Aubrey’s latest Christmas story, Dante’s Gift, is part of the boxset Christmas Pets and Kisses and will also be sold as a single title.

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Sharon Coady
Sharon Coady lives in Florida with her husband, three of their daughters and five of their eleven grandchildren. She wrote two books before discovering Romance novels. She has now written a romantic suspense, a romance novella and is currently writing a Christmas novella. She has two published novels. When not working as a nurse for the Veterans Administration or writing she enjoys spending time with her family and riding behind her husband on their Harley.

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Annamaria Bazzi
Although born in the United States, Annamaria Bazzi spent a great deal of her childhood in Sicily, Italy, in a town called Sciacca. She attended Wayne State University in Detroit Michigan, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Computers with a minor in Spanish.  Annamaria spent twenty years programming systems for large corporations, creating innovative solution, and addressing customer problems. During those years, she raised four daughters and one husband. Annamaria lives in Richmond, Virginia with her small family.

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Goals – First write them down – then make them happen!! #USAToday #NYTimes

First published on Authors' Billboard - Sept 11, 2015 by Mimi Barbour



There are 12 steps to setting up a goal for yourself and having any real possibility of success. Take these seriously – they really work.  And be realistic. Some ambitions are just not possible. You know it so don’t set yourself up to fail.
1-    A personal desire – you are the writer of the goal – this is your dream.
2-    Conviction of your desire – choose a realistic goal – no flying to the moon.
3-    Write it down. If it’s not written, it’s not a goal. It has no substance. You have neurological pathways that will react to this prompting so seriously, WRITE – IT – DOWN!
4-    Understand where you are now – start point.
5-    List the benefits – how they’ll pay off when your goal is reached.
6-    Set a realistic, time specific, doable deadline – make sure it’s not stressful. If you can’t meet it, re-set the timeline.
7-    Set up 50% increments on accomplishing this goal – say each month until it becomes a habit and you’re not overwhelmed.
8-    Identify obstacles that stop you from achieving the goal – be aware of these obstructions.
1-    Identify the knowledge and skills it will take to accomplish your goal.
2-    Identify people who can help you and spend time with them. ( eg-teachers)
3-    List activities in two formats using steps 7-9. (a) most important, (b) Chronologically
4-    Visualize success. Picture it in your mind or in the world.

Personally, I know this goal-setting works. If you’re serious and perform these steps religiously, you WILL reach your goal. Two years ago, I wrote down that I wanted to hit the USA Today list with a box collection I was in called Ten Christmas Brides. We did it. Last year I wrote down on the same paper that I wanted to be on the New York Times list and it happened. Now, I truly believe in this concept.
So try it, why not. What can you lose? 


Okay - I'm writing this down. I want to sell a huge number of the first book in my Holiday Heartwarmers Trilogy that will be released at the end of the month. And then I want to sell a lot.... okay - you get the picture.
Now I just need to make sure it happens :-)

By golly - I won a FIRST place ribbon!! Am I bragging? Oh yeah!!

************The CLUE 2014 AWARDS FIRST PLACE Category Winners for Suspense and Thriller Novels  


Chanticleer Book Reviews is honored to announce the First Place Category Winners for the CLUE AWARDS 2014 for Suspense and Thriller Novels, a division of Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions.
The CLUE Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of  Suspense and Thriller Fiction. The First Place Category Winners will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala.


WHICH... I'm happy to say I attended for the gala banquet.


Here's me beaming beside a close friend, Sandra Hunter, who also won a first-prize ribbon for her wonderful novel, Elanraigh (The Vow) .Congratulations to The CLUE FIRST PLACE Category 2014 Award Winners:Historical: Rachel B. Ledge for The Red Ribbon   Romantic Suspense: Mimi Barbour for Special Agent Francesca    International Intrigue/World Events: Lawrence Verigin for The Dark Seed Contemporary Mystery/Suspense: Pamela Beason for The Only Clue Private Eye/Noir:  Keith Dixon for The Bleak Police Procedural: Jode Susan Millman for The Midnight Call Spy/Espionage: Michelle Daniel for The Red Circle Psychological Thriller: Rebecca Nolen for Deadly Thyme Cozy/Amateur Sleuth: JoAnn Basset for I’m Kona Love You Forever True Crime: Gayle Nix Jackson for Orville Nix: The Missing JFK Assassination Film 
**CBR’s rigorous writing competition standards are the reason literary agencies seek out our winning manuscripts and self-published novels. Our high standards are also another reason our reviews are trusted among booksellers and book distributors. *** Everyone in the industry knows this to be the truth!

  I was really proud that my book, Special Agent Francesca, won me a blue ribbon - my very first prize I might add. Could be that I was too much of a gutless wonder to ever submit one of my books before...??? But, I admit I'm in the groove now and have already submitted Special Agent Maximilian for next year :-)))) Those of you who are hesitating to take this step... don't. You can't win if you don't try.  

************ I just have to add that the conference, though I only attended the one day, turned out to be a huge success thanks to my dear friend, Kiffer Brown's, dedication and brilliance in organization. The 2016 Conference will be in Bellingham again next year but will be taking place in April so watch for the advertisements.

************


One of the speakers I was fortunate to see was Robert Dugoni an Amazon #1 - Best-selling author who deserves all the accreditations he's worked so hard to earn. I thoroughly enjoyed his presentation on Characters and his dinner speech to inspire the rest of us to follow our dreams. I'll certainly make every effort to go to any workshop where he is a presenter in the furture.


                     ************ One last comment, at the last minute, one of the panel speakers had to leave unexpectedly and Kiffer asked me to take her place. Again, chicken-little here had never put herself in this type of a position before and I almost choked on a huge block of whaaa??? before I bravely swallowed and said ....uh sure :-). Turned out to be the best thing I ever did. Got me over that silly fear of making an complete mess of things and made me see that I could do this again - alone even. Another milestone tackled and overcome.  
Chest out, strutting....hey watch the doorway........sigh!! 

****************  
 

An interview with Susan Tarr you will enjoy!! #eNovAaw #mgtab

This interview with Susan Tarr was re-blogged from Historical Fiction by  Christoph Fischer  - Saturday 26, 2015


Today’s Saturday Interview guest is historical (amongst other genres) novelist Susan Tarr, who should be well-known on this blog by now. Welcome (back) to the hot seat. Please tell us more about yourself as writer and as person.

Much of my personality comes out through my writing. I write in several different genres so whether I am up or down, there’s always some place to write about it.
Living in Kenya for so long, cut off from my New Zealand family, I wrote long letters home. I’d get 1 or 2 pages in return for my 20+ page efforts. Clearly there were no other budding authors in my family.

Did anyone influence you / encourage you to become a writer?

Well, often people would say, Susan, you should write a book. But we know what that means. Anyway I wrote stories from Africa.

How did you come to writing?

I’ve always been a dreamer.

How did you come up with your stories?

I think the stories came up with me.


        


When did you decide to write in your chosen genre(s) ?

I started writing about Seacliff Mental Hospital 20 years ago, wanting to get Malcolm’s story on paper before I forgot it.

You have created great characters. Which one is your favorite?

Malcolm! He is my reluctant hero from PHENOMENA. He epitomized the people in those days in those circumstances. Colonial 1930s. He even managed wry humor.

Are you like any of the characters (and how so)?

In MIRANDA BAY I am both Miranda and Pansy. Introvert and extrovert. Impulsive and deliberate. Exuberant and quiet.

Were the plot and subplots completely planned from the start or did they change during the process, and if so, how?

I start with a general outline, and then it grows from there.
Members of my family and workmates plied me with historical facts based on New Zealand mental health and hospitals of the day. So along with Malcolm’s own words, PHENOMENA grew.
 For MIRANDA BAY, I wrote from diaries I had kept during that difficult time.



For JACK just an ordinary dog in the dog house, I wrote from diaries I wrote on his behalf for his mum and dad. Jack was a dog, but he had a valid opinion on most stuff. At that time we had built up a Boarding Kennels facility with an on-site animal hospital. I had originally wanted to be a doctor, so this occupation took care of those needs.

What is your main reason for writing?

Beats paying a psychiatrist!

I’ve read three of your books so far. What is the idea behind your work?

I write how life is, and sometimes it’s not kind. But we do manage to survive. Well, mostly we do. That’s what I write about. Life. The good and the bad.

Tell us about the concept behind your books. How did you get the idea?

PHENOMENA the Lost and Forgotten Children was the recovered/retitled version of the original SEACLIFF a Regular Boy Within.

I worked in mental health for many years, as did my family. We lived in the hospital village so we kind of ate, slept and breathed mental health. Most of the characters in this book were related to me in some shape or form. Those inside and those not.

MIRANDA BAY is pretty much my story of when I managed a tourist resort here in our beautiful idyllic New Zealand. I experienced stuff I would never have expected. My staff had been through some bad times too, so I melded the various stories in this book. My gorgeous daughter is the cover model. She was throwing a giant hissy with her back to us, and that was the picture of the day. Can’t you just see the attitude?



What are you most proud of in your books? 

That I actually wrote them. PHENOMENA the Lost and Forgotten Children came straight from my heart. It took 25 years to complete that one, and I could still be adding more to it, but I had to type ENDS.

What is your life like outside of writing?

I am on the gallop all day long. I may not achieve much, but you’ll barely find me sitting unless I am at my PC engrossed in book stuff. That’s about 12/24.

What makes you laugh?

People make me laugh. Life makes me laugh.

What song would you pick to go with your book?

‘Come away with me’, by Norah Jones. This seems to be my writing song. And I must explain that I don’t actually have it playing. I write in total silence, with just the first line of that song running through my mind. I have no idea what the rest of the song is.

What makes you laugh?

People who do dumb things, like idiot criminals who bungle their own plans. I make me laugh because I am such a klutz. Have to laugh because the option is…?

What (not who) would you like to take to a lonely island?

My PC and ereader.

Hot or cold?

Preferably hot.

Salty or sweet?

Both, I like salted popcorn dusted with icing sugar. I need to alternate. As soon as I finish with a sweet, I am craving salty. And vice versa.

What would your friends say are your best and your oddest quality?

They would probably say I am colourful and unpredictable, and a wee bit brave. I have heard the word ‘loyal’ bandied about.

What would you chose as those qualities?

Honesty and fairness. Fun. Support.

What are the best and the worst aspects of writing?

Becoming so tired that I cannot get the ideas from my head to my keyboard.

How do you handle criticism of your work?

A bad review or rating always stings.

How do you balance marketing one book and writing the next?

Hmmm, that is the eternal question. I fear I don’t do either justice. But I set aside a couple of hours each day for my personal stuff. Sometimes I get caught up in the promotional side of things and that eats up my time.

What do you do when you don’t write?

Gardening. I hate gardening. I hate mess even more.

Tell us one odd thing about you and one really mundane thing.

I’m reserved, possibly/probably introverted. And yet I accept offers to speak publicly whether it’s about books or not. Give me a microphone and I am fearless!

Mundane? I’m a homebody. I don’t like people popping in to visit without preparing me first. I don’t like surprises. BUT I tandem-dived from 10,000ft and sailed to Kenya in a 28ft yacht. Crazy mix of personalities. A brave scardy cat.

What else would you like us to know about yourself and your books?

That there will always be more on the boil.


 

Who are your editors and how do you quality control your books?

When my first book was published, MIRANDA BAY, I handed it over to the professionals and took my hands off. I thought that was what you did. However, once I saw their published version of it, in hardback, I was so embarrassed. I’ve not done that again!

How have you found the experience of self-publishing? What were your highs and lows?

Harrowing! I have struggled so much and yet I have learned a lot. But come tomorrow, I’ll probably have forgotten what I learned last week.

What do you like best about writing? What’s your least favourite thing? 

Editing and proofreading my final draft, and working on other author’s works. Love it all.
Least favourite thing would be exhaustion.

What is your advice to new writers?

Don’t rush into publishing. Stay with it, be strong, and edit edit edit. And when your family and friends say it’s perfect, go edit some more. It’s best to have an independent Beta Reader. Then hire yourself a good editor and proofreader. If you miss out the vital steps it may show in your published copy.

Who are your favourite independent writers?

Jana Petken, Khalid Muhammad, Uvi Poznansky… Gosh, this list could go on forever. Indie Writers are blossoming with some very fine writing.

Who are your favourite authors?

Aren’t independent writers authors too? So mainstream would have to be Joseph Heller, John Steinbeck, Louis de Bernieres, Paul Coelho, Jojo Moyes and many many more.

What are your favourite books?

‘God Knows’ by Joseph Heller
‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’ by Louis de Bernieres
 and anything by Steinbeck and Coelho

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?

(ebook) Rise to Power by Uvi Poznanski. The first in the David chronicles. Loved it!

What are you working on now?

A book called The BOOK TOUR. I already have another attitude picture of my daughter for that cover.

Tell us about your other books?

When the ROLLER COASTER stops is my new title. It is about a determined young woman, Bethany and her courage in the face of a medical minefield. She has recently returned from a European holiday with what she thinks is a runny gut. When she eventually seeks medical advice, she is not at all convinced of the diagnosis of Colorectal bowel cancer; she is too young: she has too much life to live: she is financially secure and loves her job, almost as much as she loves her friends. Besides, bowel cancer is – well, so not nice.

Get her books here: 

PHENOMENA the Lost and Forgotten Children: Amazon.com: http://goo.gl/e3fTMZJACK just an ordinary dog in the dog house: Amazon.com: http://goo.gl/sfSX5xMIRANDA BAY: Amazon.com: http://goo.gl/D2tDDxWhen the ROLLER COASTER Stops: Amazon.com: http://goo.gl/7HVkI1​

Connect with Susan here:
Susan TarrAuthor, Editor, Beta Reader, and Proofreader
Website:   http://susan-tarr-author.webnode.com/
Email:        susan.m.tarr@gmail.com
Facebook: http://goo.gl/GJJ7uaTwitter:    https://twitter.com/SusanMTarrGoogle+:   https://goo.gl/EeKZkceNovel Authors: http://enovelauthorsatwork.com/susan-tarr/Published works:PHENOMENA: the Lost and Forgotten Children (USA) Seacliff: a Regular Boy Within. (Tauranga, Oceanbooks.)Miranda Bay (NZ & USA)JACK just an ordinary dog in the dog house (USA)When the ROLLER COASTER Stops (USA) Latest release.Ordering:OBDistributors@gmail.com