Mimi Barbour's Blog: Believe!, page 56

Part 1 - Facts from the RWA Convention!

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It's been wayyy too long since I put a blog out, and for that, I will apologize. Truth is - I went to the RWA Convention in Anaheim and totally got lost in the world of workshops, networking and having fun. Let go of all my obligations for a few days. How sweet it is!!


Then at the airport on the way home, I wrote a really lovely blog about my delight with the world (I was still tripping over the sensations I felt while hobnobbing amongst my peers), and darned if my %#@#!#@ computer didn't run out of battery. I hadn't saved the work but wasn't too worried as I thought it would be saved automatically…uummm no!


So I pouted and ignored the guilty voice blabbering in my ear that I needed to write it again. I held off for a few days (mainly because I was visiting my folks, and we were so busy)…but it's really starting to get to me, so time to get my ahh sh-tuff together.


I had planned to tell you how wonderful the four days of convention were. The incredible workshops available detailed such things as craft, writer's life, research, publishing and career. Speakers such as Nora Roberts, Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Jayne Ann Krentz amused and taught us from their personal experiences getting on the Best Sellers Lists. Goodread's, Patrick Brown, and Smashword's, Mark Coker, kept my marketing brain completely enthralled. It was heaven for an author like me whose capacity to learn new things seems never-ending. I loved it all.


But I do admit to feeling that specific information would be more helpful to me in my career, and hopefully to you…so I will share what I learned over the next little while.

Fact  #1. (From Jayne Ann Krentz) – never sign away your birth name. I took that to mean that if you use your real name, never sign a contract that gives a publisher the rights to everything you write. Cause if you do, one day you'll have to write under a pseudonym.  Good advice!!


It's that time again!!!
Free books - lots of 'em!Stop by and check them out...




Kick Ass Books!!
Available is....

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Book Pushalooza!

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Overview of Dark Isle

When evil begets evil, a choice is forced on Quinn, the one person who can see the danger. Does she save the ones she loves, or does she save the world from Chaos?

As the realms of Fae and human collide, Quinn's future has never looked so grim, or so damn impossible.

Genre- Urban Fantasy
Overview of Enemy in Blue
 The streets aren't safe when your enemy wears a blue uniform and a gold badge.
What if the good guys weren't good?
What if a cop went rogue and killed an innocent man?
What if it was all caught on video and the cop would do anything to cover it up?
Chase this lawless cop through the streets and to a scintillating series of showdowns with Cruz Marquez, a young attorney trying to nail down his enemy in blue.Will justice be served?
Genre- Thriller



Overview of Land of the Noonday Sun

When two strangers have nothing left but their dreams, they must forge a relationship in Nantahala, North Carolina, a small town known as Land of the Noonday Sun.

A man with a traumatic past is able to turn his life around and is happy with his chosen career as a whitewater guide. Everything changes though when fate hurls a woman into his path. His carefree life is in turmoil, and his former weaknesses threaten to overtake him. Will he be strong enough when tragedy strikes and is once again in danger of losing everything he loves?Genre- Contemporary Romance


Overview of This Time Forever

Delaney Brannigan and Blake Morrisson met at the Cedar Cove annual costume dance, known only to each other as the leopard and the cowboy--but, as Delaney soon discovers, the cowboy she'd thought had ridden off into the sunset never to tempt her again, is none other than the man she came from New York to find and discredit. Against her will, Delaney is drawn deeper and deeper into an overwhelming attraction to Blake--an attraction she can't give in to if she wants to keep the one thing she values more than anything else.Genre- Contemporary Romance

Overview of Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula

Fourteen-year-old Cassidy Jones wakes up the morning after a minor accident in the laboratory of a world-renowned geneticist to discover that her body has undergone some bizarre physical changes. Her senses, strength, and speed have been radically enhanced.

Lives are put at risk when they find themselves embroiled in a dangerous, action-packed adventure. Soon they are forced to confront a maniacal villain willing to do anything - including murder - to reach his own ambitious goals.

Genre- YA/MG Superhero

Overview of Gray Justice
Gray Justice is the fast-paced debut thriller from Alan McDermott. When a killer walks free from court, the victim's father sees just two options: accept the judge's decision; or take on the entire British justice system. Tom Gray chooses the latter and his crusade attracts instant worldwide media coverage. It was just what Tom was hoping for, but it brought him a lot more than he bargained for.

Gray Justice is much more than a simple tale of revenge: it's a rollercoaster ride with an ending you'll never forget!Genre- Thriller
Overview of Gone at Zero Hundred 00:00
"Their lives are in the hands of two 18-year-olds..."
A Prominent P.I. is gunned down - killed by a sniper - and it’s broadcasted on live TV.
Now, her daughter, along with her childhood pal, are thrust into a complex and riveting thriller forced to take on a secret club whose members call themselves The Privileged Ones.
Murder. Teen abductions and illegal underground parties.
They’re chased by men in ski-masks, nearly gunned down by members of a cartel, and the only way to bring down this criminal enterprise; is to crash a Mardi Gras bash and stop their private cruise ship from sailing off into the sunset.

 

Overview of Allegiance

Who do YOU pledge allegiance to?
After exposing one of the most notorious rings of police corruption in history, lawyer Cruz Marquez planned on starting a new life south of the border. That plan unraveled when an extremist group of Minutemen captured and tortured him and his wife.

Will Cruz pledge allegiance to do right, or will he do anythingto serve up revenge?
Genre- Thriller


Overview of Curbchek Reload

Curbchek-Reload is a dark account of the streets as they were worked by Zach Fortier, a dangerously deranged cop. Welcome back to the inner city and the twisted mentality of Zach Fortier. Patrolling the streets, broken and mentally damaged from years of urban violence, Zach fights a losing battle to maintain a hold on reality. Join him in the passenger seat of a police cruiser for more of the darker and meaner side of life: The inner city. In Curbchek-Reload you get a front row seat to an attempted murder of a cop, suicide attempts, rapes, and DARK cop humor. Curbchek-Reload - Fasten your bullet proof vest and buckle your seatbelt, it is gonna be a wild ride!
Genre- Police Procedural 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/49be101/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

All winners will be notified via email July 28th 2012. For a list of winners contact onedaybookpush@yahoo.ca

My new cover is finally ready!!

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This cover is something we’ve been working on lately.  My friend Carolyn McCray (best darn promoter in the business) and cover artist Steven Novak (best darn cover artist in the business and me (best darn author….opps - almost got carried away) JWell we’ve produced this exciting cover for my new book that I had been calling “You Shot Me”. As you can see, it’s been changed to “Roll the Dice!” Fits the image so much better, don’t you think? (Okay, I have to be honest. It was Carolyn’s idea and I grabbed it.) I’m just not too good at titles…


…ya think? (She’s me, He’s her, We’re One) I seem to have a fixed attraction for pronouns!!


This book, one I never in my wildest imagination thought I’d write, has been a real learning curve. A story so full of intrigue and fast-paced conflict that I didn’t know I had it in me. Guess I did! J Had a blast writing the story and can’t wait until the final edits are done so it can be released. I’m aiming for the beginning of September. But you know that ole cliché …best laid plans of mice don’t always get the cheese or some such nonsense. Never was much good at those old sayings!!


Thought I’d start up a little fun on the blog and over the next while and do some character exposes on the heroine Aurora Morelli and hero Kai Lawson. And if I get carried away, I might continue on to the secondary characters also. I think I know them pretty well, but sometimes even an author can get surprised when she takes stuff out of her head and lays it all out on paper.


So check back periodically. I’ll keep you up to date on the various steps I take to try and get this book to the best-seller list on Amazon.


Gotta dream BIG!!!

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National Convention time – less than a week!

Less than a week!? I can't believe the time has sped by so fast. When I booked my ticket, there were months to wait. Now it's here—the season when romance writers everywhere are planning what they have to pack because the Romance Writers of America'snational convention is only days away. Excitement will bloom this year in Anaheim. And no one will be more excited than little ole me.


Washington, D.C. 2009– my first convention. I'll never forget how excited I felt. The feverish work I did detailing my pitch, the mind-boggling wardrobe switches right up until the last moment. And the skimming and downloading of all the information RWA made available for the attendees. Workshops galore and trying to choose? Craft or informative, editors or publishers versus other authors, chats with the already famous? So much at stake and no one to inform me of what I needed to better shape my career at the time.

Of course, back then I was just starting out…a newbie so to speak.

Not so much anymore.

Now I have a new book due in a month, another that needs to be written for Christmas and monthly promotions that take time and energy. Between all the social media time hogs, the promised blogs and everyday e-mails, I barely have the time to think never mind spend precious minutes worrying about silly things like what I'm going to wear.

You believe that garbage? Oh don't!

Tomorrow I'll be spending most of the day getting my hair cut, shopping for personal necessities like a new dress, shoes, makeup stuff, and at least one day over the weekend will be set aside to make sure I have the material printed out for all the workshops …just in case I have a mind change at the last minute.

This is the time when authors everywhere need to slow down and enjoy the fact they are colleagues in a similar goal. To learn our craft and get better so our readers will continue to enjoy our work. This is our time to shine, to accept the awards and support the 'almost' winners. To enjoy every minute of each day talking, sharing and rejoicing over our chosen careers so we'll have the stamina, the fire relit for another year of hard work.
I can't wait for the networking, the putting faces to familiar names and the hugs no doubt many of us will share.
Five more sleeps...I can’t wait!!!



p.s. If anyone reading this blog will be in Anaheim this year, please either comment and let me know or come up during the convention and say hi. I'll be so happy to finally meet you in person.


XO Mimi

Today’s realistic world of the unreal!

His Devious Angel is having some fuin today...
The Romance Reviews

This is an innovative kind of promotion for me, and one that I hope that everyone enjoys becoming involved in. After all, they say there are over 400 prizes to be won.


I know when I’m not in the middle of a huge promotion, or when all my energy isn’t tied into my newest WIP, I really enjoy taking part in these types of fun. To check out what the competition has created and see the fresh array of incredible books available to the voracious hunger of our wonderful readers.


I’m always amazed at the creativity found inside many these covers - the varied fiction tales others have dreamt up. Then I have to wonder if there are any stories left to be told. Haven’t they all been done yet?


I guess if you look at the basic themes, then yes - they have.


But change the writer and the whole story changes….new settings, new characters, and best of all a fresh voice that sets apart each one. And there are so many fresh voices wanting, needing - praying to be read.


No wonder we keep on producing different material. I know as a hungry reader, I appreciate having such a wide array of choice.


Also, there’re the diverse genres that were never before seen due to the (traditional) publishers ruling. Nowadays, we can find so many original authors to follow and delve into worlds previously held back.


Still - it is rather amazing when you think of it. Today’s realistic world of the unreal!

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Angels - our universal link!

There is a universal link between us all, and that is our power to Believe!


In every book I’ve written, I try to be very careful not to preach. But since I’m in the position to reach so many people, I find myself writing underlying messages. They are there because I want the reader to feel not only entertained, but maybe that they’ve gained some precious gem of knowledge that my character has found in her path to gain love.


It seems to me if the reader is really glad they’ve spent the time with my story, they’ll come away just a little happier. That the angel who I feel has guided me along this road will be satisfied with my efforts to get her word out there.


I feel so humble knowing that with the vast amount of competition from so many wonderful authors, there are those who have chosen to read my work. I guess I don’t put much faith in muses in the ordinary sense, I’ve always known that writing is a job and it’s hard work so therefore a writer just needs to get on with it. But I do believe in the power of positive thinking—especially if wings are attached to that energy. I guess I’ve always known I have a guardian Angel pushing me onwards.

I hope you know you have one also...




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Here are many Free Books for anyone's tastes!! Free Par-tay Heat Wave July 11th & 12th only


My Cheeky Angel is involved in the Free Par-tay called The Heat Wave!


I'm hoping that this time the book will take off and sail right into Amazon's traction. We can always hope can't we?


www.freepartay.com




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There's so much to do!!

I don’t have enough time!!! Arggg!!


Are you experiencing similar rants?


Having difficulty spreading your precious time over too many tasks?


It’s hellish, isn’t it?

I used to think if I organized my day better, planned ahead, then magically I'd find hours left over. ahhh - not so much!


I try and keep up with my Triber group every day because they matter and have supported me in the past. Then there’s all my twitter friends who I never seem to be able to spend enough time with. Of course the blogs need to get out. And even though there are times when I just can’t get them written, I really do try and have new content as often as possible.


Networking has to take some precedence. I mean these are friends. Many have become good friends. So ignoring my e-mails is unthinkable. But I do admit that some days I steal my heart and delete many without opening, mostly loops that I used to enjoy and now have no time for. We won't even mention facebook and goodreads. Places I'd love to be able to browse. Damnation!


It’s so sad, but what’s a girl to do? The books have to get written. The editing has to get done, formatting, promoting, and - and…


Prioritize Right?

Sigh……….right!

Anyone else have the same trouble? Have you come up with any ideas that might help...share...please!!!

Personality tests for characters? Really??

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I recently found an old file that showed the results of a Myers-Briggs Personality test that I had taken over fifteen years ago (and it seems like just yesterday….gulp!) Anyway, the results were different than what they were when I tried the same test today.  As a younger woman I’d scored an ENFP and I have to admit to knowing why things have changed for me.
Always having been an extrovert, I derive enjoyment from interaction with others. I watch their idiosyncrasies, and I admit to using some of their foibles in my characters. It helps me tremendously. I do know many authors who are introverts and love using their imagination rather than real-life examples. Not me!
Intuition has stayed the same and as an author I’m glad. I’d rather see the big picture than deal with all that annoying small stuff. Of course one does have to edit…??
Feeling rather than thinking will never change. I admit to being a bit of a bubble head and it’s too ingrained. People matter to me much more than ideals, and so I’m afraid I’ll be stuck with this till the end.
The one that has changed is the last, from perceptive to judgment -  and of that I am glad. Since I’ve become an author, I’ve had to plan my days, and my characters days. To do this properly it’s taken a lot of organization. I’ve had to become predictable in my choices using sound judgment.   
E – Extraversion preferred to introversion: ENFJs often feel motivated by their interaction with people. They tend to enjoy a wide circle of acquaintances, and they gain energy in social situations (whereas introverts expend energy).[7]N – Intuition preferred to sensing: ENFJs tend to be more abstract than concrete. They focus their attention on the big picture rather than the details, and on future possibilities rather than immediate realities.[8]F – Feeling preferred to thinking: ENFJs tend to value personal considerations above objective criteria. When making decisions, they often give more weight to social implications than to logic.[9]J – Judgment preferred to perception: ENFJs tend to plan their activities and make decisions early. They derive a sense of control through predictability.[10]
I wonder if our characters would benefit from taking this test.  After all, many writers plan their character’s roles from the day they’re born to the day they show up on the page. Would you consider this as being a useful tool?

And would it matter if you wrote for a living? This information could help anyone in their day to day life. Explain why they do the things they do—make the choices they make. Marry the people they chose.

If you would like to take your own test go to:
 http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

 And check the results:
http://typelogic.com/enfj.html

 What do you think…does it make sense??




  For this Freedom to Read Blog Hop I will be happy to present one lucky winner with a $10 Amazon Gift certificate and five others with a free e-copy of My Cheeky Angel. All you need to do is leave a comment with your e-mail address.

And...I'll be adding your names to my newsletter list, so I hope you won't mind getting a periodic letter from me telling of new releases and special news!
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I won the Sunshine Award!

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I won the Sunshine Award!!!


Below is the comment that my fellow blogger Jo-Ann Carson wrote on her blog lovindanger about Believe! when she passed on the Sunshine Award.


Believe! - Mimi Barbor deserves the Sunshine Award because she uses her blog, and a good part of her life, to promote other writers. How cool is that! In books she writes about angels, time travel and recently crime, but her blog is all about writing and writers. She’s the sunniest personality I know.


My first step is: to share the site with you of the person who nominated me Jo-Ann Carson.


Such kind words from someone who I admire and like very much made me extremely happy. I find that her posts are always interesting and most times her subjects force me to leave a comment - I just can't help myself. And trust me, I don't have time to leave comments on all the blogs I like to read.


My second step is: in accepting this award is: to answer ten skill-testing questions


1. My favourite colour is yellow. It makes me feel happy.
2. My favourite animal is a dog. Especially puppies. I love puppies!
3. My favourite number is 7. I was born on the 7th and married in the 7th month.
4. My favourite drink – rye and diet coke in a tall glass with lots of ice.
5. Facebook or twitter – I guess I'd have to say twitter because I spend more time there
6. My passions – the people I love and the activities I enjoy (writing is probably my most favourite)
7. Prefer giving or getting presents – giving ( who's going to admit to the other???)
8. My favourite pattern – cross-stitching angels
9. My favourite day of the week – Monday…I love working, so the beginning of the week means I have 5 days to write.
10. My favourite flower – a yellow begonia…it's my dad's favourite and therefore will always be mine.


My third step is: I get to nominate two bloggers who I admire.

Mac's Mad Mania is a wonderful blog site which has a constant array of interesting topics that cover many different subjects. Mackenzie Crowne is a multi-published author after just publishing her second book That DatingThing and works very hard to keep her followers interested. I find her style of blogging is so friendly, that a person reading her words almost feels as if you're carrying on a conversation. She's warm and lovely and deserves the Sunshine Award.


Shelly Bell's Books is also a great blog to check out often. Her guests are always interesting ( ahem - I've been welcomed in the past ) and Shelly is very supportive to other authors like herself. Her book A Year to Remember is to be released on July 20th, 2012 with 10 free copies available to be won on Goodreads. From many book reviews to posts on spiritual mediums and muses, she keeps her blog interesting and fun. I've picked up more than a few new book choices from her reviews. She's also very deserving of the Sunshine award. 

 Last but not least – I'll take this time to thank everyone who comes to visit my blog page. You keep me writing these posts and while I do so, I'm always picturing whether or not you'll be interested in my choice of topics. If you ever feel like you have any suggestions of things you'd like me to cover, please just leave a comment.

Coming Soon!!!




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Believe in Yourself!

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I'm very pleased today to be able to welcome Tammie to my blog. We've worked togther on some promotions and she's been a joy to know. Leave a comment with your e-mail address. Take the chance to win a copy of her newest book!!
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  Thank you so much to Mimi for hosting me on her blog. 
I love her blog name, BELIEVE.  The name of my blog is DAYDREAMING...So, today we are going to do some DAYDREAMING and BELIEVE that we can achieve those dreams.
I’ve been told I should have been a motivational speaker.  I reply by saying, “I am” because I try to motivate every time I open my mouth or touch the keyboard with my fingertips.  I’ve been blessed, I guess with a gift that allows me to look past the shallow and sometimes demanding nature of others and see through to the positive and gifted person within.  I know. We are surrounded by negativity. Open any newspaper, magazine or online venue and you are bombarded by negative expressions.  It can be very depressing, and it can be very difficult to rise above the attitude of others.  It’s necessary.
Today is a new day. This hour is a new hour. This minute is a new minute.  We are surrounded by newness that we overlook with frequency.  When we wake up in the morning, we should value the sunrise for what it is “an amazing new opportunity for change."
The only way that we can achieve anything is to resolve that we want to.  Goal setting is important because it gives us a framework to hang all our hopes and dreams and a way to measure our progress. Whether you’re a reader or an author, it doesn’t matter we all have a basic need for accomplishment, whether it’s a business or personal goal.
There are a few things that no one controls but us.  The major one is attitude. Our attitude is an extremely personal thing yet it has the power to influence others and essentially cause a domino effect.  How is your attitude affecting your ability to reach your goals?  If a negative attitude could help you achieve even one of your goals I’d say go on be negative, but it won’t it will only have the opposite effect.  A positive attitude alone may not.
How do you change an attitude and regain that optimism you once had?  Well, take a lesson from childhood and rediscover the art of DAYDREAMING.  Find a quiet place for some alone time.  It could be in your room on your bed, beside a pool or on a pallet in the woods.  Close your eyes and let your mind wander to places that only it can.  Allow the real world to melt away and call upon your inner child because the child within was never afraid to dream and began life full of optimism.  If you find it difficult the first time, don’t give up because it’s taken years to develop the attitude you’re wearing. If you’re willing to change, to recapture the part of you that feeds your self-confidence you can. 
DAYDREAM and learn to use your imagination again because all the biggest contributions to mankind were first an idea as small as a grain of sand in someone’s imagination.
If you’re not achieving what you want to, and you’re not happy with your life the way it is, you owe it to yourself to try anything that will spark that renewed energy to face the world again with fresh eyes, a new attitude and effect it in a positive way.
The world around us cannot change until we change. We can only change the world as one-person  changes and then another and then another.
Without a dream, nothing is accomplished, but without some work dreams cannot be accomplished.  So, how does one tackle the obstacles between their real-life situation and the goals their imagination has set for them?  By treating them as if they are something we can achieve.
Here are a few tips:
1.         Write your goals down.
2.         Research what you will have to do in order to reach your goals.
3.         Then, divide those tasks up and determine the path to take to achieve each of the minor objectives.
4.         Start at the beginning.  Many goals are not reached because of poor planning and a lack of focus.  We all love a short cut but in most cases taking a short cut may prevent you from reaching an otherwise obtainable goal.
The most important suggestion I can make to you whatever your goals may be is to “do something."  Don’t just allow your dreams to fade away.  Today is the day to reach for the stars.
Tammie Clarke Gibbs has over twenty years in marketing and graphic arts. She has two novels and several non-fiction titles that are published and was a nominee for the 2001 Georgia Author of the Year Awards.  In addition, she spends time helping her fellow authors to achieve their goals through assistance with everything from marketing plans to cover art.  The first book in her new 8-Hours Series for authors hit three Amazon Bestseller’s lists on the first day of publication and is receiving rave reviews for it’s easy to follow, step-by-step advice.
Here’s a little blurb from Book One:  8 Hours to Jump Start Your Career: A Step-by-Step Guide for Self-Published Authors
Forget about spending 8 Hours a day on promoting your book. For less than a value meal you'll learn how to take just 8 hours and invest them in actionable tasks that will pay dividends into the future. Don't you owe it to yourself to reclaim your life?

Authors are sick and tired of spending every minute of the day promoting themselves and their books. It doesn't have to be that way. 8 Hours to Jump Start Your Career: A Step-by-Step Guide for Self-Published Authors shows you how to invest just 8 hours into actionable tasks that will pay dividends into the future freeing you up to do other things. These are not tasks thought up overnight they are the results of over 2 years of research and personal experimentation. I cannot guarantee that it will make you a Bestseller, but many who've followed the tasks outlined in the book can now boast that Bestseller status. Spend it with family, go on vacation, or write your next book it's all up to you. What will you do with all that time you're going to have?

Other books by Tammie Clarke Gibbs
Island of Secrets, #1 Kindle Bestselling Gothic, Time-Travel Romance
Counterfeit Kisses, Kindle Bestselling Historical Romance
The Everyday Romantic: The Ultimate Guide to Do-It Yourself Romantic Rendezvous, Gifts and More
Do It Like A Pro: Easy Balloon Decorating for the Non-Professional
Do It Like A Pro: Easy Balloon Arrangements for the Non-Professional

Contact Tammie via:
tammiecgibbs@yahoo.com
@tammiegibbs
http://www.tammieclarkegibbs.com (links to blogs, Facebook etc. can be found via the website)
To View the Cover Art she’s done for fellow authors visit her Facebook Gallery