Mimi Barbour's Blog: Believe!, page 25

Social Media is a huge part of promoting! Yeah – whatever! #amwriting

You must get involved in Social media!!
I know most of you have been told this so often that you’re stomach churns every time someone tries to stick it down your throat. Things like: learn to tweet. Join Facebook. Goodreads is important. LinkedIn is growing. Pinterest is now #3 in the continually changing Social Media list. Instagram, Tsu, Triberr, and on and on…
If you're a person who is writing, or who has written a book and been a part of this industry for any amount of time, then I am absolutely certain that you’ve heard this ad nauseam.
And if you’ve ignored the rhetoric– stop fooling yourself .
You’re not ever going to be successful as a writer.
Now, I didn’t say you couldn’t be an author. Let’s face it, any person who writes a book can call themselves an author. But… if you want monetary success (and understand one thing - this is a business), then you have to play by today’s rules.
Even traditional publishers nowadays will want to know what you’ve been doing to brand yourself. What kind of a website you run and if you have a blog following. They’ve accepted that e-books are a huge part of sales and the only way for e-books to be seen is by those who are out there shoving them in front of the people who buy online. Those publishers might be willing to take a chance on an unknown who has a good book, if… they already have a powerful social presence and a good selling platform.
And…in case you don’t “get” it, if used correctly, social media can and will help you to sell your product. But, there’s a problem. Online, everyone is competing against each other for attention. It’s all about “Yah-hoo!! Look at me! See MY book! Buy me!” And many buyers are sick of it. In lots of cases, they’ve stopped paying attention. So what does one do?
I’ll tell you what I think (correction – it’s what I know). And this might be the best advice I have ever shared with you. Our readers have become more and more interested in the person who wrote the story. I’m not saying every single buyer wants to know all about the writer, but a lot the people who will support you through thick and thin, the ones who wait anxiously for your next book, they’re the people you can constantly rely on. And they do care. About you. They’re the ones who still sell your books in the old-fashioned method that has always worked - through word of mouth.
The only way I know of touching these people is not in groups, it’s person to person, one or two at a time. And this can take years. As you publish each new book, your audience will grow. Think of stones being thrown into a pool. The first is a tiny pebble and makes a small impact. But with each one you release, they become bigger and heavier until they’re large rocks that make a huge splash. Could take ten books, maybe twenty but as your readership grows, the impact does also.
Now you might say to yourself…where do I find these new friends?   
Aha! I know!! I know!!  
You got it!! On Social Media….
My second bit of advice is - do not wait until the book is finished. Until the time is perfect, you have a free month, you join a new group, your hair is longer….whatever?! Truthfully, the smarter newbies today have a huge platform of friends and followers all waiting anxiously for that first book. Those wonderful supporters will be much gentler than the masses and will stick with you as you grow stronger and become a better writer. So… find these people—now!
NOW!





Next - one last post on working social media as a group!

My friend @PatriceWilton has a fabulous series called Serendipity Falls! #USAToday

Love Struck by Patrice Wilton Series: Serendipity Falls, #3Genre: Romantic Comedy/Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: December 21, 2014


"LOVE STRUCK" by USA TODAY Best Selling author PATRICE WILTON.
Can Samantha and Kyle resist their attraction and find a way to save the town? The "love bug curse" and the discovery of gold has turned Serendipity Falls into a place where no one is safe.



PROLOGUE
I'm Cupid, and for those who don't know about me, I reside in what used to be a beautiful little town in the foothills of Mammoth, California, called Serendipity Falls. You have to forgive me for being less upbeat than usual, but my heart is broken. This once idyllic town has been overrun by people who have no concept of the true meaning of love. For the past several years I took great joy uniting couples in matrimonial bliss, and was very proud of the fact that while weddings abounded, divorces became extinct. Then my ego got the better of me, and I drew attention to myself. People flocked to Serendipity Falls to find love and the truth behind the so called 'love bug' in the spring water. Of course, you and I know that no such bug existed--it was just me up to my old tricks. 
The news carried wide and far, and reporters came to our neck of the woods, eager to learn what the phenomenon was about--this wedding fever that drove strangers toward the altar. Oh, I had been so proud. Even won the National Cupid for Excellence three years running. 
So what am I complaining about, you ask? Well, last year one of these reporters fell in love with one of our local girls. Yes, I had a little hand in that. I'm not sorry and make no apologies either. They were right for each other, and I never--not once--unite couples who are not a perfect match. 
Well, this young buck didn't discover any 'love bug'--instead he discovered gold behind the falls. His story drew national attention and opened up an unsavory can of worms. People flocked to our little paradise, men seeking their fortune in gold--women seeking husbands.
This is where my ambling story takes an unfortunate turn.  You see-the women are desperate and have resorted to the most unladylike behavior--fighting one another, setting traps for men. Hundreds arrive by busloads each month, and with Valentine's Day approaching, I fear a thousand more will get here soon.
The sad truth is that they have no idea what love is. The meaning of love has been forgotten, or perhaps in some cases, never learned. 
With a heavy heart, I watch and pray that common sense will prevail and the crazy antics will stop. Until that day happens, I am going to retire my trusty bow and arrow. I want no part of this.
Love cannot be forced. It cannot be controlled. It cannot be tricked, or trapped. Love is setting someone free, and wanting that person's happiness more than their own. It is unselfish. It is considerate and caring. And it is the essence of joy.
When those lessons have been learned I will embrace my love making skills again, but until then silence will be my answer.    

CHAPTER ONE
Kyle wiped down a spill on the bar as his brother Devon slammed the register closed. “What’s the matter with you?” Kyle asked, dropping the beer stained towel in the small bar sink.
"Just tired. It was another good night, though, so I can’t complain." Devon rubbed his bad knee as he eyed the crowd around the two pool tables. "And pretty quiet, all things considered."
"Not quiet enough. I gave those guys ‘last call’ twenty minutes ago, but don't see anyone making a move." Kyle didn't care for the new crowd. The regulars were a different bunch, but lately the place was swarming with guys who wanted to get lucky with women, or had come to town in search of gold. Either way they were rude and obnoxious.
"We'll give them another fifteen, then pull the plug. I told Tara I'd be home before midnight. She hates me driving so late--ever since that city slicker missed the bend, and flew over the cliff. I told her a zillion times that he wasn't a local and didn't know the turns, but she worries anyway."
"That's what women do--worry." Kyle grinned, still shocked that his older brother had happily taken the marital plunge. "One of the many reasons I don't go there. I'd hate to see a gorgeous gal like Tara get gray hairs over me."
"As if! When was the last time you went on a date? Three, four months ago?" He scoffed. "You must be the biggest chicken in town." Devon flapped his arms, which looked kind of silly for a macho, six foot two,  muscular guy. "Cluck, cluck, cluck."
"Very funny." Kyle snorted and continued to stack the beer glasses. "I'm no fool. Like things just the way they are."
As he spoke the words, he realized they weren't true. He'd enjoyed Mammoth and the quaint little town of Serendipity when they’d been peaceful and quiet. That life was gone forever. Ever since gold was discovered last spring behind the falls, the place exploded and became a boomtown. Crazies flocked into the area--women camping out, looking for their future husbands. Some actually carried lassoes in their big handbags, even snare traps. Scary shit.
The damn love bug thing is what drew Chase, who used to be a reporter for the San Francisco News, into the area in the first place. He didn’t discover the existence of the love bug in the spring water, but he did get the story of a lifetime. A meteor crash caused moldavite formations, which led him to the discovery of gold, of all damn things. Until Chase went searching for the source, everyone in Serendipity had been happy enough with the mysterious love bug theories.
For better or worse, Chase Carlton changed the dynamics. Not intentionally, of course. He was a stand-up guy, and had married their sister Mila last summer, then knocked her up to boot.
That mitigating factor made Kyle the only single O'Reilley left. He guarded his independence as though it was the American Declaration for equality and liberty, and it might slip away any second. Not that he had any complaints because his siblings were happy, but he doubted it was the water, or something magical in the mountain air that had brought them together. Watching Devon with Tara, and Mila with Chase, he could see their love was real.
“I can’t really blame you for running scared,” Devon said. "Did you see that busload of women on the news earlier?”
“Getting off at the mall, wearing ‘MARRY ME' t-shirts?” Kyle sighed. “Yeah. The reporter said the ladies hope to be hitched by Valentine’s Day.”
“Damn. I nearly forgot. That's coming up soon."
“Can't forget, bro,” Kyle laughed. “It's two weeks from now. Better buy Tara flowers or something pretty."
"I'm sure she'll give me a hint. She likes to make life easy."
"You got lucky, but the rest of us...heck, all the good women are gone." There were days when Kyle thought about moving to Hawaii. At least the locals only had erupting volcanoes to worry about. And a possible Tsunami, which seemed mild in comparison to what he dealt with on a daily basis.
As a single man, and not exactly unattractive, he had to keep his head low and his fly zipped. He was the most endangered species around. Far more threatened than the Bald Eagle or the Giant Panda.
He and Dev ran the most popular bar in town, and with all those hungry, single babes, well, the place got hot. Cat fights broke out whenever an unsuspecting new guy appeared. They'd had to hire a bodyguard/bartender named Flex, and he helped put out the fires, but the two brothers had also become adept at squashing brawls before the place got wrecked.
Devon sighed, staring at the group still playing pool as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Things sure have changed from a few years ago.”
“Are you sorry you didn't listen to me when I tried to talk you into selling?”
“No. Not at all. We got lucky,” Devon shook his head. “Finances were tight as hell. But then the boom came. Saved our asses.”
“Bad part is that with the cash came the crazies.” Kyle shrugged his shoulders. "One problem got solved, but others took its place. Gotta fight the IRS, who want to get their greedy hands on the profits, and then we have these, these..." he sputtered, searching for the right word. "These men-eating women!"
Devon just laughed. "I remember the time you'd have thought you'd died and gone to heaven with all the young ladies chasing you."
"Key word is ladies. That's not what we've got here."
The clock ticked at 10:55 p.m. “Closing time,” he called out, loud enough for everyone to here. “I'll lock up," he said quietly to Devon, and headed toward the door.
Halfway there, the door swung open and a pretty young woman strolled in. Pretty was a vast understatement. She looked like she came from Sweden or Norway with her thick blonde mane of hair falling straight past her shoulders. In any language, she was a knockout. Striking blue eyes--as clear and wide as the lake near the falls.
She brushed past him without making eye contact and headed straight for the bar. He followed her, his eyes on the curve of her hips. Nice ass. And long, forever legs.
Normally this time of year heavy winter coats hid a woman's best assets, but she wore jeans and a short leather jacket. Kyle allowed himself a moment's appreciation.
"I'll have a Chardonnay, please." She slid onto the stool, putting both elbows on the bar, supporting her head with her hands.
Kyle eyed her for a moment. She was either exhausted or drunk. Either way, he didn't intend on serving her. Knockout or no knockout. "Sorry, Miss. But we're just closing." He jerked his thumb at the clock on the wall. "Eleven o'clock."
She popped open an eye, squinted and looked at the clock behind the bar. "It's five to. I'll drink fast."
Kyle leaned in her direction, wondering if there would be tell-tale signs of booze on her breath. You all right? Haven't been drinking, have you?"
Devon coughed into his fist at Kyle’s rude remark, but Kyle shrugged. He rinsed the towel from the sink, and started wiping the bar down. Last thing they needed was to be found negligible serving a minor, or someone who'd had too much to drink and wrapped themselves around a pole.
She pulled herself up, lifted her chin and shot him a look that should have sent him straight to hell. "I haven't had anything but water all day." Her voice quivered, and her blue eyes shimmered.
Kyle felt his resolve melt as he watched the tears appear.
"I've been driving for darn near sixteen hours straight. Got to Serendipity Falls and they'd given away my room for the night. Said I was late and they couldn't hold my reservation."
"That's rotten luck. You probably should have called to let them know you were on your way," Kyle said, taking some of the asshole out of his voice.
She ignored his not-so-helpful comment. "I ran around everywhere. Not one single room to be found." She sniffed and tried to smile, but the attempt failed dismally. "Now give me that drink, or I'm likely to have a meltdown right here and now."
Kyle, feeling like a jerk, looked at Devon, who nodded. "You need something to eat? We've got bar snacks. Not much, I'm afraid, but our hotdogs are pretty good."
"That's nice of you, but no. I grabbed a bite to eat at the diner before driving up here. The one that overlooks the falls." She wiped away a tear that had seeped out the corner of her eye and trickled down her cheek. "The waitress there, Sue something, she gave me a big bowl of home-made chili and fresh baked bread."
"Sue Burke's a heck of a nice woman," Kyle said, pouring a generous glass of wine and sliding it over to her. "Also makes the best soups in town."
"Uh-huh." She plopped her head in her hand again, as if too tired to hold it up. "Would have had my wine there, but I didn't know how far up the mountain I had to go."
"Good thing. The road can be dangerous at night." Kyle normally didn't engage in conversation with pretty young women, but she seemed more interested in her glass of wine, so he relaxed his guard a notch. "Take your time. We'll need to start moving our customers toward the door soon. Probably won't empty out until half past, sometimes closer to midnight."
She nodded, thanked him, and took a long swallow. Then another. "I still need to find a place to sleep." She glanced around at the twenty or so people hanging around. "You know of a cheap motel where I can stay?"
Devon stopped rinsing glasses and stepped forward. "I do. My place."
    Her eyes widened. "I'm desperate, but not that desperate. Besides, I'm not that kind of girl."
Devon laughed. "My wife and I own a B&B. Someone checked out this morning. We have one room which might still be available. I'd have to check with Tara to be sure."
"Please do. That would be great."
Devon walked to the other side of the bar to make the call.
Kyle couldn't seem to get his feet moving. He wasn't sure why, but this woman's plight struck a chord in him. "Things will work out," he told her. "If not Devon's, I'll call around and find you a place."
"Why are you being so kind all of a sudden?" Her eyes grazed his face, and she frowned. "No one goes out of their way for strangers. There's always an angle."
"They do here in Mammoth and down in Serendipity Falls. It's the friendliest place in the nation. At least, it used to be."
"So I heard, but not for me tonight."
"Give it some time. You'll see."
"Hey, Kyle. Another Cosmo before you close down," someone shouted from the back of the room.
"You've had enough," Kyle shouted back. "Closing time, folks.  Drink up and drive safely. We'll see you all back here tomorrow."
Over the boos and hisses, a male voice spoke up. "You just served the lady a drink. One more round. Come on," he coaxed. "One last call."
"Last call was a half hour ago. Maybe you didn't hear it."
Devon was on the phone with Tara, and he put his hand to his throat, telling Kyle to cut them off.
"We're done here, folks." Kyle raised his voice. "It's quitting time."
"I'm sorry. If I hadn't come in..." the pretty woman spoke softly, and lifted her eyes. Kyle saw the two blue ponds brimming with tears.
Kyle could see she was close to losing it. The long drive. Hotel room gone. It had been a hellova day and she looked set for a weeping jag. "Don't be. They're always one or two assholes in the crowd."
Devon came back with a smile. "You're in luck. We've still got one room, and my wife, Tara, is holding it for you. You can follow me when I leave. It's about half way between us and Serendipity."
“Back the other way?” She took another sip of her wine, her expression cautious. "Perhaps I'd better stay in town." She fingered the stem of her glass. "Not that I'm not grateful. Just...you know."
She shrugged but her eyes said it all. She didn't know him, and hesitated over trusting him.
Devon rested his hip against the bar. "It's getting late, and you don't want to be running all over town looking for a room, do you?"
A guy with a ponytail and a baseball cap stood leaning against a pole, where he'd been watching her with drunken interest. He stepped closer and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, girl. If you're looking for a bed tonight, you can share mine." He laughed. "Don't need to worry about a jealous wife. Ain't got one."
"Back off, Billy. Go home. You've had enough beer for one night," Kyle told him, his jaw set.
"Mind your own business, Kyle. I'm about to get lucky with this pretty lady here." His arm tightened around her shoulders and he pulled her close. He smiled, breathing fumes into her face. "If you're here to find a man, you don't need to look any further."
She shrugged his arm off of her, and twisted away. "I'm not looking for a man. Just a hotel room."
"A pretty thing like you shouldn't be alone tonight." Billy said with a leer. "I'll give you a good old-fashioned welcome. Show you how friendly us locals can be."
“Enough,” Kyle said, annoyed that this woman was getting harassed in his bar. He poured half a beer and beckoned Billy. As soon as the guy was close enough, Kyle popped him on the jaw and watched him stagger back.  "That's no way to treat a lady. Now, get out."
Billy recovered quickly and came after Kyle, who stepped out of arm range, and danced light on his feet like a prize fighter. Billy continued to flail his arms, attempting in his inebriated state to reach Kyle, who should have known better than to taunt him with tight jabs and fancy footwork. Just maybe he was showing off a little.
"You had enough?" Kyle said, putting down his hands. "Why don't you go home and sleep it off."
"Just about done." Billy, cross-eyed, delivered a right hook, which Kyle managed to dodge. After that everything happened in slow motion.
The shot directed at Kyle's chin missed its mark, connecting with the woman at the bar. She cried out, and toppled off the barstool.
Devon moved quickly, grabbing Billy by his ponytail and forcefully taking him out to the street. Kyle leaped into action, crouching at the woman's side. Remorse, anger, and shame warred inside of him. He'd been a fool to taunt Billy. And this poor girl had taken the brunt of the fist. A damn fine welcome she'd had in this once friendly town.
"I'm sorry. This is entirely my fault." He touched her shining hair, wanting to do something crazy, like take her in his arms and hold her tight. Poor kid. Her bad day had just gotten a whole lot worse.
She shook his hand off and edged away.
"Are you all right?" he asked gently. "That fist was meant for me. You didn't deserve it." She was scrunched over and he couldn't see her face.
He stood, offering her his hand. She didn't take it.
"He just grazed me,” she whispered. “But it was the shock that scared me." She stood up slowly, brushing off her jeans, and then pushed her hair out of her eyes. They were wide, alert, but not frightened.
"Are you sure?" He touched her chin gently, turning her face from side to side, inspecting it for bruises. "It's a little pink, right here," he touched the side of her cheek. His voice sounded weird to his own ears. He cleared his throat. "Is it sore?"
"No." She shook her head. "I'm not hurt."
"Damn." He'd known Billy for years, and had never seen him act out before. He'd had more to drink than normal, but that was no excuse for his actions tonight. "This place doesn't usually get rowdy, but with all the strangers lately, well, we never know what to expect."
"It's all right. I grew up with two brothers. I'm used to a few wild punches."
They stood close to each other, staring into each other's eyes. Kyle couldn't look away. Seemed like she couldn't either.
"What's your name?" He licked his dry lips, watching her mouth. He liked the shape of it. Lush, pink lips, slightly open. Kissable lips, a mouth that could drive a man crazy. Not Billy crazy, but thinking about how fine they'd taste, and how he'd like to suck on that bottom lip...
"It's Samantha," she said in a husky voice, as if she were having trouble breathing. "I go by Sam."
"Nice to meet you, Sam. I'm Kyle O'Reilley, and that's my brother, Devon. You can trust him. He and Tara will take good care of you, I promise."
"You've both been so kind," she said, putting her hand to her throat. “Devon, thanks for calling your wife. What about you, Kyle? Married?”
Kyle took an instinctive step backward, seeing the overly-bright sheen in her eyes. His body reacted to her husky voice. Not good, man. Not good.
His antenna went on full survival alert. "Well, Sam, truth is, when it comes to single women and husband shopping, I'm a little gun shy."




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Patrice Wilton knew from the age of twelve that she wanted to write books that would take the reader to faraway places. She was born in Vancouver, Canada, and had a great need to see the world that she had read about.

Patrice became a flight attendant for seventeen years and traveled the world. At the age of forty she sat down to write her first book—in longhand! Her interests include tennis, golf, and writing stories for women of all ages.

She is the proud mother of two, has four lovely grand-daughters, and a wonderful man at her side. They live in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he teaches her golf, and she teaches him patience. She is a USA Today Best Selling author.


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Mt friend @PatriceWilton has a fabulous series called Serendipity Falls! #USAToday

Love Struck by Patrice Wilton Series: Serendipity Falls, #3Genre: Romantic Comedy/Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: December 21, 2014


"LOVE STRUCK" by USA TODAY Best Selling author PATRICE WILTON.
Can Samantha and Kyle resist their attraction and find a way to save the town? The "love bug curse" and the discovery of gold has turned Serendipity Falls into a place where no one is safe.



PROLOGUE
I'm Cupid, and for those who don't know about me, I reside in what used to be a beautiful little town in the foothills of Mammoth, California, called Serendipity Falls. You have to forgive me for being less upbeat than usual, but my heart is broken. This once idyllic town has been overrun by people who have no concept of the true meaning of love. For the past several years I took great joy uniting couples in matrimonial bliss, and was very proud of the fact that while weddings abounded, divorces became extinct. Then my ego got the better of me, and I drew attention to myself. People flocked to Serendipity Falls to find love and the truth behind the so called 'love bug' in the spring water. Of course, you and I know that no such bug existed--it was just me up to my old tricks. 
The news carried wide and far, and reporters came to our neck of the woods, eager to learn what the phenomenon was about--this wedding fever that drove strangers toward the altar. Oh, I had been so proud. Even won the National Cupid for Excellence three years running. 
So what am I complaining about, you ask? Well, last year one of these reporters fell in love with one of our local girls. Yes, I had a little hand in that. I'm not sorry and make no apologies either. They were right for each other, and I never--not once--unite couples who are not a perfect match. 
Well, this young buck didn't discover any 'love bug'--instead he discovered gold behind the falls. His story drew national attention and opened up an unsavory can of worms. People flocked to our little paradise, men seeking their fortune in gold--women seeking husbands.
This is where my ambling story takes an unfortunate turn.  You see-the women are desperate and have resorted to the most unladylike behavior--fighting one another, setting traps for men. Hundreds arrive by busloads each month, and with Valentine's Day approaching, I fear a thousand more will get here soon.
The sad truth is that they have no idea what love is. The meaning of love has been forgotten, or perhaps in some cases, never learned. 
With a heavy heart, I watch and pray that common sense will prevail and the crazy antics will stop. Until that day happens, I am going to retire my trusty bow and arrow. I want no part of this.
Love cannot be forced. It cannot be controlled. It cannot be tricked, or trapped. Love is setting someone free, and wanting that person's happiness more than their own. It is unselfish. It is considerate and caring. And it is the essence of joy.
When those lessons have been learned I will embrace my love making skills again, but until then silence will be my answer.    

CHAPTER ONE
Kyle wiped down a spill on the bar as his brother Devon slammed the register closed. “What’s the matter with you?” Kyle asked, dropping the beer stained towel in the small bar sink.
"Just tired. It was another good night, though, so I can’t complain." Devon rubbed his bad knee as he eyed the crowd around the two pool tables. "And pretty quiet, all things considered."
"Not quiet enough. I gave those guys ‘last call’ twenty minutes ago, but don't see anyone making a move." Kyle didn't care for the new crowd. The regulars were a different bunch, but lately the place was swarming with guys who wanted to get lucky with women, or had come to town in search of gold. Either way they were rude and obnoxious.
"We'll give them another fifteen, then pull the plug. I told Tara I'd be home before midnight. She hates me driving so late--ever since that city slicker missed the bend, and flew over the cliff. I told her a zillion times that he wasn't a local and didn't know the turns, but she worries anyway."
"That's what women do--worry." Kyle grinned, still shocked that his older brother had happily taken the marital plunge. "One of the many reasons I don't go there. I'd hate to see a gorgeous gal like Tara get gray hairs over me."
"As if! When was the last time you went on a date? Three, four months ago?" He scoffed. "You must be the biggest chicken in town." Devon flapped his arms, which looked kind of silly for a macho, six foot two,  muscular guy. "Cluck, cluck, cluck."
"Very funny." Kyle snorted and continued to stack the beer glasses. "I'm no fool. Like things just the way they are."
As he spoke the words, he realized they weren't true. He'd enjoyed Mammoth and the quaint little town of Serendipity when they’d been peaceful and quiet. That life was gone forever. Ever since gold was discovered last spring behind the falls, the place exploded and became a boomtown. Crazies flocked into the area--women camping out, looking for their future husbands. Some actually carried lassoes in their big handbags, even snare traps. Scary shit.
The damn love bug thing is what drew Chase, who used to be a reporter for the San Francisco News, into the area in the first place. He didn’t discover the existence of the love bug in the spring water, but he did get the story of a lifetime. A meteor crash caused moldavite formations, which led him to the discovery of gold, of all damn things. Until Chase went searching for the source, everyone in Serendipity had been happy enough with the mysterious love bug theories.
For better or worse, Chase Carlton changed the dynamics. Not intentionally, of course. He was a stand-up guy, and had married their sister Mila last summer, then knocked her up to boot.
That mitigating factor made Kyle the only single O'Reilley left. He guarded his independence as though it was the American Declaration for equality and liberty, and it might slip away any second. Not that he had any complaints because his siblings were happy, but he doubted it was the water, or something magical in the mountain air that had brought them together. Watching Devon with Tara, and Mila with Chase, he could see their love was real.
“I can’t really blame you for running scared,” Devon said. "Did you see that busload of women on the news earlier?”
“Getting off at the mall, wearing ‘MARRY ME' t-shirts?” Kyle sighed. “Yeah. The reporter said the ladies hope to be hitched by Valentine’s Day.”
“Damn. I nearly forgot. That's coming up soon."
“Can't forget, bro,” Kyle laughed. “It's two weeks from now. Better buy Tara flowers or something pretty."
"I'm sure she'll give me a hint. She likes to make life easy."
"You got lucky, but the rest of us...heck, all the good women are gone." There were days when Kyle thought about moving to Hawaii. At least the locals only had erupting volcanoes to worry about. And a possible Tsunami, which seemed mild in comparison to what he dealt with on a daily basis.
As a single man, and not exactly unattractive, he had to keep his head low and his fly zipped. He was the most endangered species around. Far more threatened than the Bald Eagle or the Giant Panda.
He and Dev ran the most popular bar in town, and with all those hungry, single babes, well, the place got hot. Cat fights broke out whenever an unsuspecting new guy appeared. They'd had to hire a bodyguard/bartender named Flex, and he helped put out the fires, but the two brothers had also become adept at squashing brawls before the place got wrecked.
Devon sighed, staring at the group still playing pool as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Things sure have changed from a few years ago.”
“Are you sorry you didn't listen to me when I tried to talk you into selling?”
“No. Not at all. We got lucky,” Devon shook his head. “Finances were tight as hell. But then the boom came. Saved our asses.”
“Bad part is that with the cash came the crazies.” Kyle shrugged his shoulders. "One problem got solved, but others took its place. Gotta fight the IRS, who want to get their greedy hands on the profits, and then we have these, these..." he sputtered, searching for the right word. "These men-eating women!"
Devon just laughed. "I remember the time you'd have thought you'd died and gone to heaven with all the young ladies chasing you."
"Key word is ladies. That's not what we've got here."
The clock ticked at 10:55 p.m. “Closing time,” he called out, loud enough for everyone to here. “I'll lock up," he said quietly to Devon, and headed toward the door.
Halfway there, the door swung open and a pretty young woman strolled in. Pretty was a vast understatement. She looked like she came from Sweden or Norway with her thick blonde mane of hair falling straight past her shoulders. In any language, she was a knockout. Striking blue eyes--as clear and wide as the lake near the falls.
She brushed past him without making eye contact and headed straight for the bar. He followed her, his eyes on the curve of her hips. Nice ass. And long, forever legs.
Normally this time of year heavy winter coats hid a woman's best assets, but she wore jeans and a short leather jacket. Kyle allowed himself a moment's appreciation.
"I'll have a Chardonnay, please." She slid onto the stool, putting both elbows on the bar, supporting her head with her hands.
Kyle eyed her for a moment. She was either exhausted or drunk. Either way, he didn't intend on serving her. Knockout or no knockout. "Sorry, Miss. But we're just closing." He jerked his thumb at the clock on the wall. "Eleven o'clock."
She popped open an eye, squinted and looked at the clock behind the bar. "It's five to. I'll drink fast."
Kyle leaned in her direction, wondering if there would be tell-tale signs of booze on her breath. You all right? Haven't been drinking, have you?"
Devon coughed into his fist at Kyle’s rude remark, but Kyle shrugged. He rinsed the towel from the sink, and started wiping the bar down. Last thing they needed was to be found negligible serving a minor, or someone who'd had too much to drink and wrapped themselves around a pole.
She pulled herself up, lifted her chin and shot him a look that should have sent him straight to hell. "I haven't had anything but water all day." Her voice quivered, and her blue eyes shimmered.
Kyle felt his resolve melt as he watched the tears appear.
"I've been driving for darn near sixteen hours straight. Got to Serendipity Falls and they'd given away my room for the night. Said I was late and they couldn't hold my reservation."
"That's rotten luck. You probably should have called to let them know you were on your way," Kyle said, taking some of the asshole out of his voice.
She ignored his not-so-helpful comment. "I ran around everywhere. Not one single room to be found." She sniffed and tried to smile, but the attempt failed dismally. "Now give me that drink, or I'm likely to have a meltdown right here and now."
Kyle, feeling like a jerk, looked at Devon, who nodded. "You need something to eat? We've got bar snacks. Not much, I'm afraid, but our hotdogs are pretty good."
"That's nice of you, but no. I grabbed a bite to eat at the diner before driving up here. The one that overlooks the falls." She wiped away a tear that had seeped out the corner of her eye and trickled down her cheek. "The waitress there, Sue something, she gave me a big bowl of home-made chili and fresh baked bread."
"Sue Burke's a heck of a nice woman," Kyle said, pouring a generous glass of wine and sliding it over to her. "Also makes the best soups in town."
"Uh-huh." She plopped her head in her hand again, as if too tired to hold it up. "Would have had my wine there, but I didn't know how far up the mountain I had to go."
"Good thing. The road can be dangerous at night." Kyle normally didn't engage in conversation with pretty young women, but she seemed more interested in her glass of wine, so he relaxed his guard a notch. "Take your time. We'll need to start moving our customers toward the door soon. Probably won't empty out until half past, sometimes closer to midnight."
She nodded, thanked him, and took a long swallow. Then another. "I still need to find a place to sleep." She glanced around at the twenty or so people hanging around. "You know of a cheap motel where I can stay?"
Devon stopped rinsing glasses and stepped forward. "I do. My place."
    Her eyes widened. "I'm desperate, but not that desperate. Besides, I'm not that kind of girl."
Devon laughed. "My wife and I own a B&B. Someone checked out this morning. We have one room which might still be available. I'd have to check with Tara to be sure."
"Please do. That would be great."
Devon walked to the other side of the bar to make the call.
Kyle couldn't seem to get his feet moving. He wasn't sure why, but this woman's plight struck a chord in him. "Things will work out," he told her. "If not Devon's, I'll call around and find you a place."
"Why are you being so kind all of a sudden?" Her eyes grazed his face, and she frowned. "No one goes out of their way for strangers. There's always an angle."
"They do here in Mammoth and down in Serendipity Falls. It's the friendliest place in the nation. At least, it used to be."
"So I heard, but not for me tonight."
"Give it some time. You'll see."
"Hey, Kyle. Another Cosmo before you close down," someone shouted from the back of the room.
"You've had enough," Kyle shouted back. "Closing time, folks.  Drink up and drive safely. We'll see you all back here tomorrow."
Over the boos and hisses, a male voice spoke up. "You just served the lady a drink. One more round. Come on," he coaxed. "One last call."
"Last call was a half hour ago. Maybe you didn't hear it."
Devon was on the phone with Tara, and he put his hand to his throat, telling Kyle to cut them off.
"We're done here, folks." Kyle raised his voice. "It's quitting time."
"I'm sorry. If I hadn't come in..." the pretty woman spoke softly, and lifted her eyes. Kyle saw the two blue ponds brimming with tears.
Kyle could see she was close to losing it. The long drive. Hotel room gone. It had been a hellova day and she looked set for a weeping jag. "Don't be. They're always one or two assholes in the crowd."
Devon came back with a smile. "You're in luck. We've still got one room, and my wife, Tara, is holding it for you. You can follow me when I leave. It's about half way between us and Serendipity."
“Back the other way?” She took another sip of her wine, her expression cautious. "Perhaps I'd better stay in town." She fingered the stem of her glass. "Not that I'm not grateful. Just...you know."
She shrugged but her eyes said it all. She didn't know him, and hesitated over trusting him.
Devon rested his hip against the bar. "It's getting late, and you don't want to be running all over town looking for a room, do you?"
A guy with a ponytail and a baseball cap stood leaning against a pole, where he'd been watching her with drunken interest. He stepped closer and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, girl. If you're looking for a bed tonight, you can share mine." He laughed. "Don't need to worry about a jealous wife. Ain't got one."
"Back off, Billy. Go home. You've had enough beer for one night," Kyle told him, his jaw set.
"Mind your own business, Kyle. I'm about to get lucky with this pretty lady here." His arm tightened around her shoulders and he pulled her close. He smiled, breathing fumes into her face. "If you're here to find a man, you don't need to look any further."
She shrugged his arm off of her, and twisted away. "I'm not looking for a man. Just a hotel room."
"A pretty thing like you shouldn't be alone tonight." Billy said with a leer. "I'll give you a good old-fashioned welcome. Show you how friendly us locals can be."
“Enough,” Kyle said, annoyed that this woman was getting harassed in his bar. He poured half a beer and beckoned Billy. As soon as the guy was close enough, Kyle popped him on the jaw and watched him stagger back.  "That's no way to treat a lady. Now, get out."
Billy recovered quickly and came after Kyle, who stepped out of arm range, and danced light on his feet like a prize fighter. Billy continued to flail his arms, attempting in his inebriated state to reach Kyle, who should have known better than to taunt him with tight jabs and fancy footwork. Just maybe he was showing off a little.
"You had enough?" Kyle said, putting down his hands. "Why don't you go home and sleep it off."
"Just about done." Billy, cross-eyed, delivered a right hook, which Kyle managed to dodge. After that everything happened in slow motion.
The shot directed at Kyle's chin missed its mark, connecting with the woman at the bar. She cried out, and toppled off the barstool.
Devon moved quickly, grabbing Billy by his ponytail and forcefully taking him out to the street. Kyle leaped into action, crouching at the woman's side. Remorse, anger, and shame warred inside of him. He'd been a fool to taunt Billy. And this poor girl had taken the brunt of the fist. A damn fine welcome she'd had in this once friendly town.
"I'm sorry. This is entirely my fault." He touched her shining hair, wanting to do something crazy, like take her in his arms and hold her tight. Poor kid. Her bad day had just gotten a whole lot worse.
She shook his hand off and edged away.
"Are you all right?" he asked gently. "That fist was meant for me. You didn't deserve it." She was scrunched over and he couldn't see her face.
He stood, offering her his hand. She didn't take it.
"He just grazed me,” she whispered. “But it was the shock that scared me." She stood up slowly, brushing off her jeans, and then pushed her hair out of her eyes. They were wide, alert, but not frightened.
"Are you sure?" He touched her chin gently, turning her face from side to side, inspecting it for bruises. "It's a little pink, right here," he touched the side of her cheek. His voice sounded weird to his own ears. He cleared his throat. "Is it sore?"
"No." She shook her head. "I'm not hurt."
"Damn." He'd known Billy for years, and had never seen him act out before. He'd had more to drink than normal, but that was no excuse for his actions tonight. "This place doesn't usually get rowdy, but with all the strangers lately, well, we never know what to expect."
"It's all right. I grew up with two brothers. I'm used to a few wild punches."
They stood close to each other, staring into each other's eyes. Kyle couldn't look away. Seemed like she couldn't either.
"What's your name?" He licked his dry lips, watching her mouth. He liked the shape of it. Lush, pink lips, slightly open. Kissable lips, a mouth that could drive a man crazy. Not Billy crazy, but thinking about how fine they'd taste, and how he'd like to suck on that bottom lip...
"It's Samantha," she said in a husky voice, as if she were having trouble breathing. "I go by Sam."
"Nice to meet you, Sam. I'm Kyle O'Reilley, and that's my brother, Devon. You can trust him. He and Tara will take good care of you, I promise."
"You've both been so kind," she said, putting her hand to her throat. “Devon, thanks for calling your wife. What about you, Kyle? Married?”
Kyle took an instinctive step backward, seeing the overly-bright sheen in her eyes. His body reacted to her husky voice. Not good, man. Not good.
His antenna went on full survival alert. "Well, Sam, truth is, when it comes to single women and husband shopping, I'm a little gun shy."




Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon CA ~ Amazon AUBarnes & Noble ~ iTunes
Grab the whole Serendipity Falls Series in One Box Set!Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon CA ~ Amazon AUBarnes & Noble ~ iTunes

Patrice Wilton knew from the age of twelve that she wanted to write books that would take the reader to faraway places. She was born in Vancouver, Canada, and had a great need to see the world that she had read about.

Patrice became a flight attendant for seventeen years and traveled the world. At the age of forty she sat down to write her first book—in longhand! Her interests include tennis, golf, and writing stories for women of all ages.

She is the proud mother of two, has four lovely grand-daughters, and a wonderful man at her side. They live in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he teaches her golf, and she teaches him patience. She is a USA Today Best Selling author.


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Does a book's success depend on promotions?

Promotions Part 1
http://russellblake.com/the-new-landscape/#comments
Selling books is a retail business that requires different skills, and these days getting read by anyone (readers, agents, publishers) involves you figuring out how to find your audience and gain visibility - AKA marketing and promoting your books.
The statement above was part of a blog I read by Russell Blake. And it struck me as being totally realistic.
Most of us are so involved in the creation of the story that we don’t realize what the aftermath will be–selling it!
I see so many books sitting in the tullies at #500,000 and higher that must not be selling any copies at all. And I know one thing for absolutely, positively certain…those authors are not doing any promoting whatsoever.
Let’s face it. Every one of us knows that if only people will read the dog-gone book, it’ll be a big hit. Oprah will be knocking on the door, movie directors calling…. yeah sure!!
Well, it does happen to a few. Think of a lottery winning! The rest of us have to make things happen. We have to sell the darn thing. I mean once your mother, best friend, and family have bought it, you need to get it out into the world of the reader.
Which means, that these days, any author who wants to be successful needs to take on another mantle – that of a promoter. And not just any mediocre promoter. I’m talking about a savvy, budget-minded, far-reaching salesperson who has their eye on a long term goal and not just a short-term investment.
Now I don’t know about you, but when I first started writing my books, I had no idea, intention, notion that I might have to do all the promoting myself. After all, I had traditionally signed up with The Wild Rose Press and waited, breath abated, for the royalty checks to show up in my mailbox…ROFFL! Sorry about the bleep in the first F!
Just so you know, after 6 books, I think my largest royalty, after waiting for 4 months, was $85 or something ridiculous like that.  Not surprising that I had a decision to make – right?
Should I continue to write my lovely romances, no stress, put them out to the publisher who did all the work, little pressure, (swallow disappointment over covers I disliked) and then let my babies sink under the onslaught of the huge number of books on that site…..or???
Change my future.
I took a long, hard look at what I had accomplished.  I’d written six books for the Vicarage Bench Series, I was getting stronger as a writer, more knowledgeable in the business and very, VERYhungry.
I wanted a piece of that dream that was still available to those of us who were willing to work hard. I needed to know my books were being read. It was important for me to be acknowledged. And… I wanted to make money !! To me, earning a decent living with my product equalled being a success. And I needed that desperately. Or why go on…?
Now I know that isn’t everyone’s vision of why they chose to write books. And if you’re happy to hide away, that’s your prerogative.  But it isn’t mine. I grew up learning the hard way—that the money you earn reflects the work that you do. It might be mercenary.
Neh!  It is what it is!
So… how to start.
Social Media!
These days, if an author expects to get read, he/she has to not only become adept at marketing, and invest accordingly, he/she must learn a whole new career in social media as a promoter. There’s a sidebar to learning about this new venture. Not only do you have to accumulate some knowledge of what’s available to you in the world of advertising, you must learn to understand the outcome of your choice.
And…not only must one become adept at dealing with your computer’s idiosyncrasies; you have to learn to feel comfortable on many different promotional sites that will be demanding all kinds of information from you in order to advertise your book. These sites are also progressing, becoming a lot more expensive and wanting more in-depth information.
Okay – I don’t mean to sound discouraging. I just want you to start this adventure with your eyes open to a realistic future. I’ve read a lot about what’s coming ahead in our business and some of it’s depressing and some quite illuminating.
But one thing I do know…
More and more, the poorer quality material will disappear because no matter how well they're advertised, the reviews will kill their hopes. Truthfully, the authors who will thrive aren’t necessarily the ones who write the best books. Most likely, they’ll be those who know how to market them.

More hints about selling you as the author in the next blog!

What have I gotten myself into?? #amwriting

When you decided to write your first book, I have no doubt you thought the same as myself. You would become an author. A writer of stories! An entertainer of sorts! And that would be your goal. The work that would earn you a living (hopefully) and gain you some small acclaim with the readers.


What you didn't realize was that today, to become successful in this career, you must take on many other roles. If you learn nothing else from me and my posts, please do understand this. Writing a good book will not get you your dream. Not unless you can find a traditional publisher who believes in you to the extent that he/she is willing to spend a whole lot of time and money publicizing your work. And even then there’re no guarantees.


Today, to be a prosperous, victorious author you must also become:


1.     Writer – a prolific story-teller who’s really good at the craft.


2.     Promoter – as soon as you get the book ready, this is the most important next step you can take. It’s the hardest of all the other occupations you will have to assume. But it is the most vital.  


3.     Computer geek – who is comfortable around the computer’s many efforts to sabotage your work.


4.     Editor – this you can and should hire someone to do for you but if you write badly, it will cost you wayyy too much. Therefore, you must learn to edit yourself first.


5.     Formatter – again you can hire someone. At the beginning I did so and it jumped up and bit me in the ass. It’s much better to learn how and keep control of all your work.


6.     Cover designer – now here, I truly believe you should hire a professional because their creativeness of color, style, understanding what works goes in a whole other direction than ours with words. I know many of you slap a cover together, and do it well. I guess, for me, it’s like going out in public with my hair kinda fixed, my makeup kinda okay and dressed kinda nice. But I could look a whole lot better – eye-catching, stunning…. Ahhh you know what I mean.


7.     Blogger – not every one of you wants to blog and that’s just fine. For me, although it’s time-consuming, it’s helped tremendously with my writing. Because of the blogging, I can write faster, smoother, my mind wraps itself around issues I want to talk about a lot quicker than it used to because of the practise. And… I reach a lot of people/readers with my blogs. Many have become friends who support me. I love them and I love my blog.


8.     Website Manager – we were all told that having a website was one of the most important choices we could make when starting out. I believe it’s true. But someone has to manage it. I do my own blog but I have a webmistress. Except… she only does what I ask her to do. It’s still up to me what material shows up there and how it’s placed. Another chore to deal with!


9.     Accountant – because this is a business, someone needs to keep track of your income and expenses. Who else but you can know what those are? I’m lucky that in my working life, I was a pay-mistress with a goodly amount of bookkeeping experience. But that doesn't help the rest of you.


10.   Reader – reading is really important to you now. Much more so than when you did it to be entertained. Oh those good old days!!!  Now, your reading must include other’s blogs about the business, books on craft, editorials about the future we face, hundreds of e-mils to sort through which ones you must deal with in a day/week and as everyone tells you – a good book by someone in the same genre who is already reached the golden heights of the New York Time’s Best-seller and the USA Today’s land of success.



If I've forgotten anything in this list, please leave a comment and I will be happy to add it to my already daunting number!!

***I did remember another chore we all have to face - being a publisher. Will add that to the list in #10 spot.



We’ll deal with these one at a time so next blog will be on -  #1 Prolific Writer 

What have I gotten myself in to?? #amwriting

  When you decided to write your first book, I have no doubt you thought the same as myself. You would become an author. A writer of stories! An entertainer of sorts! And that would be your goal. The work that would earn you a living (hopefully) and gain you some small acclaim with the readers.
What you didn’t realize was that today, to become successful in this career, you must take on many other roles. If you learn nothing else from me and my posts, please do understand this. Writing a good book will not get you your dream. Not unless you can find a traditional publisher who believes in you to the extent that he/she is willing to spend a whole lot of time and money publicising your work. And even then there’re no guarantees.
Today, to be a prosperous, victorious author you must also become:
1.     Writer – a prolific story-teller who’s really good at the craft.
2.     Promoter – as soon as you get the book ready, this is the most important next step you can take. It’s the hardest of all the other occupations you will have to assume. But it is the most vital.  
3.     Computer geek – who is comfortable around the computer’s many efforts to sabotage your work.
4.     Editor – this you can and should hire someone to do for you but if you write badly, it will cost you wayyy too much. Therefore, you must learn to edit yourself first.
5.     Formatter – again you can hire someone. At the beginning I did so and it jumped up and bit me in the ass. It’s much better to learn how and keep control of all your work.
6.     Cover designer – now here, I truly believe you should hire a professional because their creativeness of color, style, understanding what works goes in a whole other direction than ours with words. I know many of you slap a cover together, and do it well. I guess, for me, it’s like going out in public with my hair kinda fixed, my makeup kinda okay and dressed kinda nice. But I could look a whole lot better – eye-catching, stunning…. Ahhh you know what I mean.
7.     Blogger – not every one of you wants to blog and that’s just fine. For me, although it’s time-consuming, it’s helped tremendously with my writing. Because of the blogging, I can write faster, smoother, my mind wraps itself around issues I want to talk about a lot quicker than it used to because of the practise. And… I reach a lot of people/readers with my blogs. Many have become friends who support me. I love them and I love my blog.
8.     Website Manager – we were all told that having a website was one of the most important choices we could make when starting out. I believe it’s true. But someone has to manage it. I do my own blog but I have a webmistress. Except… she only does what I ask her to do. It’s still up to me what material shows up there and how it’s placed. Another chore to deal with!
9.     Accountant – because this is a business, someone needs to keep track of your income and expenses. Who else but you can know what those are? I’m lucky that in my working life, I was a pay-mistress with a goodly amount of bookkeeping experience. But that doesn’t help the rest of you.
10.   Reader – reading is really important to you now. Much more so than when you did it to be entertained. Oh those good old days!!!  Now, your reading must include other’s blogs about the business, books on craft, editorials about the future we face, hundreds of e-mils to sort through which ones you must deal with in a day/week and as everyone tells you – a good book by someone in the same genre who is already reached the golden heights of the New York Time’s Best-seller and the USA Today’s land of success.
 
If I’ve forgotten anything in this list, please leave a comment and I will be happy to add it to my already daunting number!!
 
We’ll deal with these one at a time so next blog will be on -  #1 Prolific Writer  

26 Well-known, suspense authors have banded together to give you a fantastic deal!! #Mtsrcjan2

The Mystery, Thriller, Suspense Readers Clubhouse99-cent extravaganza.
Host - Doug Dorrow

You read ‘em / We write ‘em.
26 authors offering 31 Mystery – Thriller – Suspense ebooksWelcome to the clubhouse for the readers of Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense. The MTS Readers Clubhouse is kicking off 2015 with a party :: 26 authors offering their books for 99-cents on January 2nd.
Join us at the Clubhouse on Facebook where you can chat with authors and readers and participate in some other giveaways.
Sign up for the MTS Readers Clubhouse newsletter to stay up to date on MTS news and future events. As a bonus, subscribers will get a free novella.ALL OF THESE BOOKS, 99-CENTS – JAN 2nd.


Nowadays, authors know that readers search to find stories that attract them. I mean - my goodness - there’s so darn much material out there, it’s difficult to stir interest with so many different genres and actually tempt someone to buy a few hours of decent entertainment.
So we decided to make things easier for you. If your passion is reading suspense, and mysteries are your chosen love, then this is the place for you to come and shop.
Please support this endeavor. Once we can see that you like this group effort, we will do it again…. and again. Giving you the opportunity to buy great products for sales prices will make us all happy – the authors and the readers.

Everyone listed here has a goal with this promotion. To find new readers who will want to buy more of their work. What a fabulous way to start off the New Year!!



May all your dreams come true in 2015!!!

Follow up on promoting ‘Tis the Season - how to make #Amazon Categories work for you.

***Part #2: My Secrets for getting ‘Tis the Season on the first page of Contemporary Romance.



On Dec 16th, I shared with you the program of promotions I used to get ‘Tis the Season to the rank #36 on Amazon. (see Part #1 on the right hand panel – My secrets for getting ‘Tis the Season from #250,000 rank to under #50 in a few days. #Amazon.



Today, as promised, I want to give you a hint on the category placement you should be following when you take on the kind of promotions I pushed. And why it’s so important.



As you recall, the BookBub promo happened on the Friday Dec 12th and I left the price at the 99cent level until the following Sunday when I upped it to $2.99.



From the beginning of my adverts Dec 10th, the collection was in these 2 categories on Amazon: - Fiction / Holiday
- Fiction / Romance / Anthologies & Collections



On Dec 10th and 11th, before BookBub, I was showing up so well in these categories, I almost decided to stay there. I was #1 in Christmas and showing well in two other lists.


But I had made up my mind to follow this plan.


So…. the night before it was to be set up on BookBub, I purposely changed the category to be:- Fiction / Holidays
- Romance / Contemporary



I did so based on the presumption that when the book was put out on the BB newsletter, it would sell so many copies that I would actually have a chance to appear in the top 100 of the hardest category for a romance writer. This is the preferred list for all authors writing in this genre.



Turns out, I was right to make the switch. At the high point, I ranked #36 on Amazon paid, but more important, I was on Amazon’s best-selling author list at #7 (right behind Nora Roberts at #6 yess!!!).And… I showed up on the first page of the Contemporary Romance listing!! (There is a God!!!)




Now it’s true that I didn't stay very long in that position…. think blink!! LOL But I was there long enough for the readers who buy from that list to see my book and many bought it. That small window gave me access to a whole bunch of readers I normally wouldn't get to promote to.



And if those avid romance junkies like my work, it could mean more sales down the road. Of course, I made sure my “Also author of…” page was clearly placed in the back matter with a link to my website where all my books are listed. I might add; the website conveniently has the buttons for my books to the various venues where they can also be bought.



Now, on the Sunday, Dec 14th, while the book still ranked under #1,000, I not only upped the price to $2.99 to ride the downward wave, I also changed the category again. I mean it’s okay to try and compete in the contemporary market when you have a BB pending, but even I know that I couldn't maintain that position unless my sales continued. And, sadly, they didn't at that pace.


What I do believe is this - by putting that book on three days of continuous promotions, it kept the ranking up long enough for it to hit enough queues that it maintained a place around the #3,000 level until the next weekend when I had it on another promotion – eReader Cafe .



At this time, ‘Tis the Season is still ranking at under #15,000 and I now have it in these categories:
- Fiction / Romance / Collections & Anthologies
- Juvenile Fiction / Holidays & Celebrations / Christmas & Advent



As you might have noticed, I changed one category each time so I could reach yet another group of readers
.

I also have the collection on other promotions this weekend, Friday it is on Riffle Select $40 and Saturday on Bargain Booksey $50 both with the book priced at 99cents. On the Sunday, I will again raise the price to $2.99 and try and make some money as the book moves down from the higher ranking.  


I hope this info has helped you to decide how you might like to set up your own promotions for a book you really want to push. Remember – it is about the money – of course. But to me, it’s more about the visibility, finding new readers who might become fans and giving as many people access to my work as possible. Don’t get me wrong, I have come out ahead on this maneuver. Once I subtract the costs, I've still managed to clear a couple of hundred dollars in profit, which is just fine.



You see, I think of this business like this – long term goals instead short time gains. And my long term goal is to be able to publish a book and have it sell all on its own because there are so many fans waiting to buy my work.



One day….






** A local Santa comes to give me a hug while I was ringing the bells!**

Are we walking around blind to beauty?

**I've sent this Christmas blog out for the last few years and wanted to do the same again this year since the message will never get old.**



This is the time of the year when we all become so busy that we sometimes forget what this season is about. Recently, I received an e-mail that clutched at me, and made me take notice. It was about a violinist playing his instrument in the Washington, DC Metro Station. During the time he played, approximately 2,000 people went through the area, most of them on their way to work. One or two stopped to listen for a short while, an older man the longest. A few people threw money, but the ones who acknowledged him the most were the little ones with busy parents who forced them along so they couldn't stay and listen.



After 1 hour he finished playing and silence took over, no applause, no recognition and a very few dollars for his trouble. No one knew that this man called Joshua Bell was one of the greatest violinists in the world, who played some of the most intricate pieces ever written for a violin, and this day he played on an instrument worth $3.5 million dollars. 


The Washington Post had organized this experiment to answer this question. In a commonplace environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty and stop to appreciate it? It raised the uncertainty - if we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the world’s best musicians, playing some of the finest music ever written, on one of the most beautiful instruments ever made - how many other things are we missing?

The thought scares me a little. I get so caught up in my writing, editing, promoting, and blogging - in fact - all the many time consuming tasks most authors have, that I must admit, it’s easy to let the world float on by.

But should we? And at this time of the year especially? So my request to all you wonderful people is to stop for a while, enjoy the special moments the season of Yuletide brings us and spoil yourself with pleasures and joy…. ..and lots of chocolate!

Merry Christmas! Have a wonderful season full of friends, warmth and affection!
Hugs & Love   Mimi

Was I terrifed about this review? Yes!! - Did I have good reason - Oh Yeah! Together for Christmas #amazon

Okay - I've admitted to being quite terrified about the review that Jennifer Douglas was to do for my very first Christmas story (my personal favorite) Together for Christmas. And, in my mind, I had good reason.

There were two things I wasn't aware of when I joined this Advent Calendar promotion:

1. The lady didn't normally read romances and that's exactly what I write.
2. She would video her reviews in person on UTube to speak about the books.




To start with, Jennifer did reviews for me on 3 of my other books. The first review she did was for She's Not You. In this appearance on UTube, she was very straight up about the fact that she didn't normally read romances and so reviewing them was a little difficult. Then she went on to say that on the other hand, she quite liked this story. It was here I learned of her preferences but since she was positive and complimentary, I relaxed.   

Maybe I shouldn't have relaxed quite so much. I don't think she was as taken with the second book she read, Loveable Christmas Angel . This is my very best seller of all my books and I think it's because it IS such a romantic novel. The fact that it takes place in Hawaii adds to it's allure and the characters of the prickly little boy and the old-man angel do seem to resonate with the readers.

Okay - no problem! I hoped the third book would get me back into her good graces and I think it did. She had lots of positive stuff to say about Special Agent Finnegan and had me walking on clouds once again.
 Until I remembered that the fourth book is probably the most romantic of them all - but in a much different way. You see two spirits join together in one body and deal with the coming holiday season in a comic and emotionally satisfying way. But would she get it?

 The self-professed, non-reader of romances?

 The person who didn't really take to the fantasy in the angel story!

 Oh boy - you think I had trouble sleeping that night when I knew she'd be releasing her review the next day??


What do you think? Let's just say I had bleary eyes, a yawning problem and fell asleep at my desk! (that's a bit of show - not tell LOL)


**Together for Christmas is available at most venues for your convenience:

Amazon  Apple  Barnes & Noble  Kobo Google Play    


Happy Holidays!