Christine Rains's Blog, page 108

Friday Five for October 19th

1. Thank you for all the enthusiasm about L'il Gal Al and the Zombies of Amarillo . It's great to finally have it out there and to supply y'all with some Halloween reading. I've gotten mixed reviews. It makes me anxious and I start to doubt myself. Then I want to put another story out to blow everyone's socks off. Oh the ups and downs of being a writer!

2. I haven't done a sales update recently. Fearless continues to be strong on Amazon. This past month, the UK sales doubled and beat out the US ones. Sales on Smashwords have slowed. I hope to get a boost next week with my Fearless tour from Shades of Rose Marketing. Here are my stats since the release. I'll put up L'il Gal Al's stats too.
    Fearless                                                                      L'il Gal Al
       Amazon - 3055                                                           2
       Smashwords - 731                                                      24
       B&N -  3                                                                    0

3. Something new I learned this week: Kobo does not show the stats on downloads for free books. I've been under the impression for a long time that I've sold nothing on Kobo. I might have had a lot of downloads or none, but I'll never know.

4. I lost my morning writing time this week because I substituted at my son's preschool while his teacher was away on vacation. I've always admired teachers greatly, but I've gained an even higher appreciation for them this week. Thankfully the class just lasts for 2.5 hours in the morning. I don't think I could've make it through a full day! My energy levels can't match that of seven toddlers.

5. My writer's group meets tomorrow, but I've no other plans for the weekend other than grocery shopping and recycling. I have a Halloween party on the 27th, but I still haven't found a costume yet. My husband's going as Superman from an alternate world. A world where Superman landed in Russia rather than the US. Hehehe! I told him I was going to give him the Superman curl. I wonder if he'll let me.

Have a great weekend!

L'il Gal Al now available

L'il Gal Al and the Zombies of AmarilloA dime-store western with bite!
Now available atSmashwords (free)AmazonB&NKobo (free)
Please take a moment and do the price-matchingthing on Amazon. I'd love for it to befree there too.
Blurb:Alma Sweeney might be scrawny, but the last yahoo that called her "L'il Gal Al" got shot in the foot.

Using her frontier skills to protect travelers and businesses alike, Alma escorts a group of settlers into Amarillo, a town with too many yellow flowers, drunks, and zombies. Within minutes of her arrival, she finds herself doing the sheriff's job. He's a nice enough fellow, but a little green, and he has no clue how to stop the horror dragging itself into his town.

Lucky for the sheriff, he has Alma. Her first night in town yanks her into a foul mystery. Zombies walk the streets and people are driven from their homes and businesses. Alma thinks it easily solved, but in the desert, things aren't always as they seem. The clock is ticking and the zombies are swarming. Alma needs to know where to point her gun or else be torn into pieces. Yeehaw! It's here! I'm excited. All the sites had it up quickly too. I'm also nervous. This is very different from Fearless. No romance or stuffed hippos! Just a scrawny cowgirl and zombies. Here's hoping that L'il Gal Al is well received and that she doesn't get eaten alive.

Did I Notice Your Book Blogfest

This great blogfest was created by Ciara Knight and Alex J. Cavanaugh. It gives us an opportunity to shout-out about books. You can choose any book except your own or something that has been on New York Times or USA Today best sellers list.

DON'T tell the author you're featuring their book. Instead, shout-out on social media sites and encourage others to do the same until the author notices. Then leave a comment with Ciara or the Ninja Captain when they do.

Check out the other participants' posts and find some great new reads!

I decided to choose a book by an author that doesn't regularly visit my blog. I have so many great friends who are fabulous writers. I'd shout-out their books all the time if I could! But they'd likely see my post before hearing about it on the internet. Here's my pick.

Blurb: My name is Amelia Gray. I'm a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. In order to protect myself from the parasitic nature of the dead, I've always held fast to the rules passed down from my father. But now a haunted police detective has entered my world and everything is changing, including the rules that have always kept me safe.It started with the discovery of a young woman's brutalized body in an old Charleston graveyard I've been hired to restore. The clues to the killer--and to his other victims--lie in the headstone symbolism that only I can interpret. Devlin needs my help, but his ghosts shadow his every move, feeding off his warmth, sustaining their presence with his energy. To warn him would be to invite them into my life. I've vowed to keep my distance, but the pull of his magnetism grows ever stronger even as the symbols lead me closer to the killer and to the gossamer veil that separates this world from the next.

Buy it on Amazon!

Author: Amanda Stevens is an avid reader, a wannabe taphophile, and a collector of all things Alfred Hitchcock. When she’s not writing, she likes taking road trips to Austin. And to Marfa. And to old cemeteries.

You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, her blog, and her website.

This one has been on the top of my TBR list for a while. I've heard fantastic things about it, but my local library doesn't have it and I'm a poor writer. This book was recommended to me by a fellow reader on Goodreads. I wouldn't have heard about it otherwise. Now I'm passing on the shout-out!

Teaser Tuesday with Gunmetal Magic

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that pageBE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!One of my favorite urban fantasy worlds is the Kate Daniels' world created by Ilona Andrews. It's what our world would be like after a magical apocalypse and magic is still creating chaos. Gunmetal Magic focuses on Andrea Nash, a friend of Kate's. Andrea's love interest is the irresistible Raphael. Mmm. I never thought a were-hyena could be so sexy!
Here's your teaser:
Ew. Well, that explained the light security. They had an undead guarding them. (page 66)

GUEST POST ALERT!
I'm over at M. Pepper Langlinais' blog today with a post on writing zombies in celebration of the release of L'il Gal Al and the Zombies of Amarillo . Please stop by and let us know what you like or dislike about zombies.

The Second Sign Cover Reveal

The Second Sign by Elizabeth ArroyoPublisher: Sapphire Star Publishing Genre: Young Adult Dark Fantasy/ Paranormal RomanceRelease Date: February 07, 2013   Synopsis: Bred to believe in the war between angels and demons, Gabby has come to the conclusion that love is responsible for war, jealousy, and all the other deadly sins she can think of. So when she’s exiled to the middle of nowhere for getting kicked out of her fifth school for fighting, she doesn't expect to meet Jake. Much less fall in love. But Jake is quickly drawn to the eerie beauty of her violet eyes while Gabby is unsettled by their undeniable connection.
When a demon guardian comes to collect her soul, she refuses to give it up. She’s not a demon. She can’t be. Her father and twin brother are angels. The demon gives Gabby twenty-four hours to decide her allegiance, and then starts killing her short list of friends, leaving a message behind: She is the Second Sign.
As Gabby and Jake begin to unravel the mystery behind the Second Sign, she learns Jake may be the key to saving her soul. But it means a sacrifice has to be made that will change their lives forever.

Check out Elizabeth:Website: www.elizabetharroyo.comBlog: http://chandarawrites.blogspot.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/EArroyo5Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/elizabetharroyo.author

Catching up on Sunday

It's been a busy week! The pumpkin patch was a lot of fun last weekend. My son's asking to go back. It's tempting since it doesn't cost anything to just hang out and visit with the animals.

I've loaded up L'il Gal Al and the Zombies of Amarillo to the various sites. It was much easier this time around. It's already up on Smashwords and Amazon. I'll be waiting until later this week to announce it officially when I have all the links. You guys get the early bird notice!

I've been working hard on my latest project. I'm halfway through the second novella of the series and I found the perfect covers. Good thing too, because I was wasting a lot of time fussing about covers. I had the perfect image in my mind, but of course, it was not to be found or made. I hope to tell you more about the series very soon.

Less than a month away from NaNoWriMo! I'm going to be writing a superhero story. I've already created general character outlines for the heroes and villains. My team of villains is magnificent! I favor them over the good guys. That does not bode well for my heroes!

My son has been loving preschool and I'm loving the time I get to write. I lose both my mornings this coming week, though. One is my scheduled day to be the assistant, and the other I volunteered to take because the teacher is going to be away on vacation. I took Jack (my laptop) to the library on Thursday morning. Libraries aren't quiet places any more. There were at least six men in suits with their laptops and phones doing business. Individually. Offices too expensive these days? I was more productive sitting in the car writing.

The Walking Dead premieres tonight! It's a zombie kind of month.

The Look Challenge

Thank you to the lovely Summer Ross who tagged mein this new LOOK Challenge.
The rules are simple: count the LOOKs in your current WIPand then choose your three favorite paragraphs to post here.
I'm going to go with the first novella in my new paranormal series I'm working on. The rough draft name is 1301. It has 41 LOOKs in it. Not too bad for nearly 17,000 words.
Here are my favorite three paragraphs:1) “What do you kno—” The demon frowned and then grinned as the tension drained away from his body. “Ah, well now. The Marquis. Never thought I'd see you again. Especially not looking like a lumberjack's grandpappy.” 2) “Well look at us!” Vetis laughed and put a little spin to his flames. “I haven't had a fight like this in centuries. Ah, how I miss the good ol' days.” He grinned, his bloodied face making him appear like a demonic clown. “Feeling a little tired, old man? Did you need a break so you can piss and take a nap?”
3) “Hey, look up.” Mae rubbed his shoulder. He hadn't realized he'd dropped his head. Their eyes met in the flat plane of the mirror. “I believe in you.”

New Fearless Tour

Shades of Rose Marketing presentsFEARLESS tourOctober 22nd - 27th
This tour will be Spotlights only.Here's the schedule:22nd - The Ebook Reviewers23rd- Tara Len Walker24th - Musings of Ella25th - New Age Mama
25th - Intriguing Reads26th - Reading, Writing, and Roses27th - Reader Girls

If I Let You Go review

It's here! It's here!Kyra Lennon's newest contemporary romance novella,If I Let You Gois now available on
Amazon UK
Amazon.com
Blurb:Madison Connor is about to lose it. Her job, that is. For three years, she’s taken care of Dominic Hartley’s five year old daughter, Tilly, but her world is flipped on its head when Dominic tells her his latest promotion is taking him to New York. With Tilly having a meltdown over the move, Madison and Dominic get into a fight that changes the entire nature of their relationship, causing Madison to ask herself a big question. Can she let him go?
My review:Madison has been Tilly's nanny for three years, and she's grown to truly love the sweet little girl. Both their worlds crumble when they learn that Tilly's father, Dominic has a new job and is moving with his daughter to New York. Tilly breaks down and Dominic doesn't know how to deal with her. He relies on Madison for help, but she's struggling with her own heartache. And it's not only about losing Tilly. Can she let go of Dominic too?

Kyra Lennon, author of Game On, has captured the reader once again with an incredibly well written tale of love, laughter, friends, and family. I found myself immediately fond of the little girl, Tilly. She's bright and playful, and her meltdown yanks at your heart. Madison is a strong protagonist, and the reader is easily caught up in her emotional turmoil. It's a tricky situation to be in having feelings for your boss, especially not knowing exactly where you stand. And speaking of bosses, Dominic is hot! One of the things I love about Kyra's books is that the characters are surrounded by friends and family. They don't go through anything alone. (It's one of my pet peeves when protagonists are totally isolated from people.)

This is an amazing contemporary romance novella that makes you giggle, cry, and swoon. It has powerful cast of characters and a clean modern style. I highly recommend If I Let You Go to anyone who loves a good love story.
Author Bio:Kyra Lennon was born on the South coast of England, and to this day, still lives by the sea. Fiction writing has always been her passion, but she also has numerous articles on a variety of topics published on prolific websites.
Kyra’s debut novel, Game On, was released in July 2012 and the second book in the series, Blindsided, is due for release in November 2012.
Where to find Kyra:Blog/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

Wicked Wednesday - my experience with RWA

Last year for my birthday, my husband paid for my membership with Romance Writers of America (RWA). I was very excited to become part of their organization. I've heard such great things about them. Annual dues are expensive (for me), but if I asked for it every year for my birthday, it would work out. Now as the year goes by, I will not be renewing my membership.
There are two reasons for this: I have neither the time nor the money to fully take advantage of what RWA offers.
IF you have the time and money, you can benefit from membership. They have tons of online workshops, but they cost money. I've heard the conventions are incredible, but they're a lot of money. The contests introduce new writers to agents and publishers, but they have entry fees. I've heard a lot of success stories from authors who've won RWA contests.
It'll cost $95 dollars to renew my membership. I've gotten nothing out of it this past year except a subscription to the Romance Writers Report (RWR) and a monthly newsletter. I've enjoyed both, but that's all I've gotten out of my membership other than saying that I'm a member. Has that benefited me? I don't know. I'm sure some folks are impressed to see I'm a member, but it's only because I paid for it.To join the local chapter of RWA, it would be another $50 every year. I wouldn't be able to get to the meetings since they're too far away nor would I have the time to go to the conventions.IF you have the time and money, and you're serious about a career as a romance writer, I would suggest becoming part of RWA. You do get many benefits non-members don't get. Conventions, dues, contests, and workshops are expensive. At least to a family that must watch every dollar they are. I would enjoy all those privileges IF I had the time and money. Perhaps one day I will, and I would happily become a member again, but I haven't benefited from my membership at this time. I have to pass on it for now.
Have you considered membership with RWA? Or if you're already a member, have you benefited from joining?