D.R. Racey's Blog: D.R. Racey

Self-Publishing Options – Which One is Right for You?

I want to start off by saying that I am not bashing any of the online eBook retailers. I am providing information based on my self publishing experiences. I hope this posting helps at least one author become more successful in their self publishing journey.

Amazon announced the Kindle Direct Publishing “Select” (KDP Select) program and authors jumped at the opportunity of increased book sales and profits. Some authors did great during the start of the KDP Select program, but many more had no gain from joining the program.

KDP Select requires authors to grant exclusive rights to Amazon for the distribution of their eBook around the world and prevents the author from self publishing their eBook through other online retailers such as Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.

The exclusivity in KDP Select lasts for 90 days and is automatically renewed unless the author elects to not have their contract with KDP Select renewed. To ensure it is not automatically renewed the author must make the selection under the interface options for their book. If not, then their book will be enrolled in the program for an additional 90 day period.

KDP Select provides Amazon Prime members an opportunity to borrow an author’s eBook for no additional cost to the customer. This in itself puts the author into the money share for the allotted value of the KDP Select program for the month. The author may make more or less money for an Amazon Prime member borrowing the book than for an actual sale depending on the price their eBook is normally priced at.

The program also allows authors a chance to offer their eBook for free for up to 5 days during the 90 day enrollment into KDP Select. This provides the author with a way to get their eBook into the hands of many readers during the free download days and helps spread their name.

KDP Select is the only way to list your eBook for free on Amazon unless you list it for free on another site and Amazon price matches the other eBook retailer.

Exclusivity is something that can help or hurt an indie author in the long run.

Exclusivity does not mean that Amazon is going to promote your book for you. The promotion of eBooks for indie authors is left up to them. They did not get a big contract and a publicity deal, so they must publicize their own book or find a social media group with shared interests to help spread the word of the book.

Exclusivity means that the author cannot publish through other retailers such as Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords. This in itself can prevent the author from reaching the crowd they wish to sell their eBook to. Amazon is one of the top eBook retailers in the nation, but there are many readers that do not own a kindle and prefer to read on a different digital reader or in PDF format on their computer.

Personally I have only had 3 copies of an eBook borrowed on KDP Select in the past 75 days. Whereas my total sales from paid customers are at 30 books combined between Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords during the same sales period. I am not saying that KDP Select is not for every author, only that for me it has not boosted sales for me personally.

My five free days provided me close to 1,000 downloads of my one eBook that is in the KDP Select program. Very few of those downloads led to a review being posted. The fact is, that there are many who search Amazon for free eBooks and download at will. Some of these people have so many eBooks that they can not possibly ever read them all, or only downloaded the eBook because it was free and may never intend to actually read the eBook.

If you consider the growing market competition in the eBook industry then you have to consider who Amazon’s competitors are. The major competitors in digital sales are Barnes and Noble, Apple, and Sony. Each of these companies provides a digital eBook reading device that you can read their specific format on. Smashwords does not provide a portable eBook reader (unless you consider your laptop) but provides eBooks for download for almost every reader format available. Smashwords also distributes to major eBook retailers such as Sony, Apple, Diesel, and Kobo. When you consider how many channels that you cannot make your eBook available through, then maybe KDP Select is not the best route.

How can you market your books?

The first thing you need to do is make sure your eBook is ready for the public. The last thing you need is to put out a book that is not ready for distribution and all of a sudden you have a large number of negative reviews that will probably hurt the sales of your eBook. Make the sacrifice by spending a few dollars to have your eBook edited by a professional Copyeditor. Content Editing is good, but copyediting is probably the most important step in the editing process. Readers will not buy your book if they find multiple technical errors in the excerpt/sample listed on the eBook retailer’s website. These technical errors are more of a turn off from your eBook than bad content inside the book.

Research the online self publishing platforms and see which platform or group of platforms will best suit your needs as an indie author. The platform that works for one author, might nit be the one that works for you. Make sure you are familiar with all of them so you have a better chance at succeeding in the self publishing world.

The next thing you need to do is pay a professional cover artist to design your eBook cover. Many readers will not even look inside the eBook if the cover doesn’t interest them first. Packaging your eBook is just like packaging anything else in a store. Professional cover artists can be contracted for as low as $40.00 (USD) and as high as several hundred dollars. Spend the money and have your cover done properly.

Marketing is all you. If you do not have a blog, then go make one. Don’t post crude on it though. You want to post stuff about your eBook. Your blog should have been started well before you published your eBook so you would have a community of friends and followers prior to your eBook being released to the public. There are several ways to do this to include occasionally posting chapters of your book on your website for free. If you plan to write more than one eBook in a series then you may want to consider posting your entire book in chapters over several months or a full year. This will allow you time to build a community of fans prior to releasing your second book to the public. If your fans enjoyed the free chapters from your first eBook, then they may buy the second eBook when it hits retailers.

Twitter and Facebook are also your friends. Create an account where you can market your books and share excerpts with your fans. Remember that you are trying to build a community of readers and fans. Post stuff to your Twitter and Facebook accounts that readers want to see. Excerpts of your eBook are great because they may interest a reader or fan enough to go buy your eBook.

Find yourself a social media network with similar goals as your own. There are many groups out there to include the Author’s Social Media Support Group (http://asmsg.weebly.com) and the Independent Author Network (http://www.independentauthornetwork.com). These two groups are filled with authors seeking the same goals. They can offer advice and support to other indie authors as they build upon the knowledge and experiences of each other.

If you would like more information on self publishing, see my earlier blog post titled “10 Tips on Self-Publishing

David (D.R. Racey)

Visit D.R. Racey's Amazon Author Page for ebooks by author D.R. Racey


D.R. Racey on Goodreads

5 Star Review for Blood Rites by D.R. Racey

Check out this 5 Star Review for Blood Rites.

This book was an amazing surprise. I was a bit put off by Daniel in the beginning because he was so cold and calculating in his approach to humans and feeding. As the story progressed, I found myself intrigued by him as his true relationship with Sara was revealed and we were given a glimpse or two of his emotions toward her. I really liked this book. I liked the fact that the lycans were depicted as blood thirsty and very aggressive. However, I also liked the premise that a few of them were shown to have a conscience and a regard for the humans that nourish them. The action in this book was outstanding and you never really could just sit back and let it happen. This story had me on the edge of my chair in many places. If you like a werewolf story that has blood, grit, aggression, many fight scenes, and a love story with great sex, I highly recommend this book!
Review posted on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/review/R1AL8XUI...

Blood Rites can be purchased via Amazon.

D.R. Racey

Blood Rites - Excerpt Three (Advisory!!! Graphic Language and Strong Sexual Content)

Hey all,

Here is the third excerpt from Blood Rites. The excerpt introduces you to Makareus, the pack leader whom Daniel betrayed 200 years earlier.

Blood Rites can be purchased for $0.99 via Amazon.

 

"Blood Rites" An Excerpt

Makareus sat upon his throne in the antechamber. Three half naked men stood in front of him. Makareus had constructed the throne with the bones of humans and placed skulls key locations on the throne to accentuate it. The skulls also provided a more ominous feeling when his subjects looked upon him on his throne.

“It is time my pack,” he said as he ran a hand over the bones of the throne.

The three men watched him in silence. They did not know to what their master referred.

Makareus saw the vision from the wolf that belonged to his pack, but did not know where the vision came from. Lycans were bound to those that they turned and both master and subject could see what the other werewolf saw during times of rage. The master could also channel his thoughts and see what his subjects saw, even without them knowing he was watching. The visions were limited and left out many details. As the distance grew between the lycans, the details faded even more.

Daniel fled from Makareus over a hundred and fifty years earlier and time itself played upon this key ability of censoring his pack. As Daniel fled from Makareus, the distance grew between them. When the binding finally broke, Daniel was well into the mountains of Virginia. Over time, the binding broke even further and eventually broke all together. Makareus hoped that he could reestablish this bond if he could get close enough to Daniel.

The most recent vision showed him a small town in a wooded community. This could have been anyplace in the mountains though. Like Daniel, he had researched the news over the past couple of years and narrowed down the location to an area in northwestern North Carolina.

“You are to travel to the mountains for me. I seek the traitor that fled from us on the night my wife betrayed me,” he said to the men standing before him.

“How will we know who it is we seek master?” one of the men asked.

“I will guide you. Destroy all lycan that are not of my own blood,” he told them as he stood up from the throne. “I will see what you see, but they will be abstract images of what you truly see.”

“What do you want us to do when we find the one you seek?” asked one of the other men standing in front of Makareus.

“Kill him of course. I demand his death,” Makareus motioned towards the door and the three men quickly departed the room.

The door closed and left Makareus in solitude. “I will find you Daniel. You can not run from me forever.”

*****

The door opened again and a naked woman came through it. She was different from Makareus as she was a human slave within his home. The woman stood just over five feet tall with a slim waste line and a plump ass. Her long brown hair ran down her back and chest. He could see her nipples poking between the strands of her long hair. The woman’s breasts were small, but her nipples were perky in the cool room. He motioned for her to come forward, and she did as instructed. Makareus loosened his robe and dropped it to the floor then kicked it away with his foot. The woman stopped in front of him and knelt on both knees as he pressed down on her shoulders.

The woman knew what her role was. She grabbed his shaft in her hands and stroked it, as it grew within her hands. The slave woman opened her mouth and his cock slid across her tongue. He pushed on the back of her head and forced himself deeper into her mouth. She did not gag as the head passed by her tonsils and he growled in pleasure as she continued to suck.

He pulled her head backwards and pushed her to his throne. Makareus bent her over the tit and entered her from behind. He was still wet with her saliva and forcefully thrust himself inside of her. She groaned in pain as the full nine inches of his manhood slid into her. She moaned as he thrust into her repeatedly while pulling back on her hips with each forward motion. She was not used to having such a well endowed man inside of her. This was not about her pleasure, but about her pleasing him. If she did well, then she may live another day. If she resisted, then she would surely die.

Makareus growled as he pushed himself deeper into her. He throbbed as he came close to climax and began to shift into his werewolf form. Makareus howled as the transformation took place. Hair grew from his skin and covered his body. His legs elongated and clawed hands replaced the human hands that were there just moments before. He thrust himself into her harder and dug his claws into her hips. Blood dripped from the wounds as she cried in pain. She knew her time was up, but did not struggle against him. Makareus enslaved many girls over the years and none had were been released.

He finished his transformation and stayed mounted behind her with his cock firmly planted in her. Her muscles tightened up as she struggled against the pain from his claws. He ran them across her back and blood poured out. She screamed in pain.

Makareus sank his teeth into the flesh of her neck and started to drink her warm blood from her while he continued to pound into her. He would satisfy two pleasures at the same time. Makareus restrained himself, as he did not sink his teeth in too deeply. It was not his intent to kill this woman. Makareus would feed upon the woman, but would leave her whole enough that she could transform. It was time that he selected a new mate as he had only recently killed his last. He reached climax and his ejaculate squirted inside of her. Makareus pulled out of her then pushed her off of his throne of bones. He sat down on it and watched the woman that lay bleeding on the floor.

The lycan rang a bell and the door opened as two human women, naked from the waist up, entered the room. They carried a large basin of steaming water and several towels with them. The women wet the towels in the bowl of hot water and wiped down their master. They lived by his grace. They wiped his face first then worked their way to his chest and arms. The two women worked in unison as they had performed these duties many times before. Each wiped down a leg and foot as they worked their way from top to bottom. They rinsed out the towels and moved back to his crotch to clean it last. When they had finished, they left the room and two human males entered and picked up the bleeding woman.

“Take care of my bride to be. Ensure she lives, else you will meet her fate,” he instructed them. They struggled to pick the woman up and carefully moved her to another room. It would have been easier for a lycan, who was much stronger, to move the woman, but Makareus would not chance this woman with his subjects. She still bled profusely and he knew the lesser lycans would not be able to control their blood lust with her bleeding so much.

The full moon was only a week away, so the humans only needed to take care of her for a short period. When the full moon shined down upon her, she would complete her transformation and her new lycan abilities would heal the remaining wounds. They only needed to make sure she did not die before then. Lycans could not shift the first time until the full moon was in the sky. After the first transformation though, they could shift at will. During the full moon was the only time that they lost total control and shifted whether they wanted to or not.


D.R. Racey

10 Tips on Self Publishing

Over my journey though, I have learned lessons as to what an author should or should not do while self-publishing and wanted to share some of those tips.

Take the tips for what you will. Use them to help you, or toss them to the side like an unread book.

I offer the tips here for anyone that wants to use them to help them in their self-publishing journey. Not every tip will fit every author, but in a general sense they apply to all self-published authors.

Many authors start out the self-publishing journey with very little insight as to where they are heading. Authors contemplate whether they should publish strictly in eBook format or paperback format. Some contemplate self-publishing in both formats.

Each option has pros and cons which much be considered prior to self-publishing that first book.

The pros and cons listed below will be focused on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords (three major self-publishing platforms) as I am most familiar with these three companies.

Pros Associated with both eBook and Paperback Options
◦ Easy to modify content and upload a new version.
◦ Easy to change cover art and upload revised artwork.
◦ User friendly interface for uploading your manuscript and cover art.
◦ Book sales reports – There may be a delay in updating until the buyers credit card clears the bank.
◦ Digital marketing through social media networks.
◦ Sell price is easily changed through any of the major retailers.

eBook Pros
◦ Ability to send free digital copies to help increase word of mouth marketing.
◦ Ability to provide free digital copies of books to Read 2 Review groups on Facebook, Goodreads, and other social media networks.
◦ No overhead cost once the eBook is edited and cover art has been created.
◦ Target a community that seldom reads traditional paper books.

Paperback Pros
◦ Ability to attend author book signings to market your book in local book stores.
◦ Qualified to conduct giveaways of physical copies of your book on Goodreads (must join the author program on Goodreads)
◦ Ability to market you book on your own website with minimal setup.
◦ Target a community that does not use digital readers.
◦ Ability to place your book on consignment in local bookstores.

eBook Cons
◦ Impression that you are not fully established if your book is only in eBook format.
◦ No physical copy of your book to provide autographed copies for giveaways.

Paperback Cons
◦ Overhead cost is increased due to maintaining physical copies to sell through your website and for author book signings.
◦ Profit per book is minimal due to cost of self-publishing through print on demand services.
◦ Books must be printed prior to shipping to customers. Slows down delivery process once the book is purchased.

Now that we have covered some of the pros and cons (of which I only named a few of each) let’s focus on getting your book ready for printing.

Tip #1

Have someone else read your book.

Writing my book was the most rewarding part of the process for me. I took the time to put what I thought was what readers wanted to hear into something that they could take with them and read on the bus, in an airplane, or waiting for their kids to get out of school.

I gave the book to my wife to read. She looked at me funny a few times and asked me, “Did you know you did……?” Sometimes I replied yes, and other times I went back into the book and made changes.

The romance novel I wrote was more of an erotic novel and eventually ended up being a paranormal thriller. My wife let me know that I didn’t write romance well, and I didn’t want to publish an erotic book.

What I got in the end though was a book that I was truly proud of and was even mild enough that my parents could read it, but wild enough that it would attract readers New Adult and older.

Just so everyone is tracking…..my wife butchered the first two versions of my book.

If possible, find a few people that are “not” friends or family to read your book. Family and friends can be so polite when they read your book. You do not want people that are going to be polite to you. You want people that will give you no crap, down to earth, realistic and constructive criticism. Don’t let someone just tell you it was great or that it sucked. Get them to tell you what was great and what sucked so you know what needs to stay and what needs to change.

This is where the beta read or manuscript critique comes in. I will refer to both terms simply as a critique from here forward. By providing a digital copy of your book for critique you will get an honest assessment of your work. There are companies that will critique your manuscript for free while others will charge for this service.

Take the suggestions from the critique as a way to help you develop your book into the next true bestseller.

Tip #2

Make an investment in your book.

Hire a Copyeditor and a Content Editor to assist you in preparing your book for readers. Many authors make common mistakes in the writing process such as typing the same word twice in a row, misspelling commonly misspelled words, or minor mistakes in punctuation.

Copyediting is probably one of the most important phases in preparing a book to be published. Many readers will lose interest in a book quickly if they are always stumbling across typos and poor punctuation. Depending on the Copyeditor, you may get your word document back with the changes made to spelling, grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation. Then again you may get your word document back with notes attached throughout the document and the choice be left to you to change the mistakes or leave them. Copyediting should include two full reads of your book; even the best editors are going to miss a few misspelled words or some poor punctuation.

Content Editors look for consistency in the plot and storyline while focusing on character development and overall readability of the story. Content Editors take notes on each chapter as they go through and compare the transition the main characters in the book make as they progress through the book. No matter how talented an author is, there will always be something that can be changed in the book. You may have written a perfect book, but you need to swap two chapters to maintain consistency or flow of the story. It could be as simple as swapping two paragraphs, but normally there are more drastic changes that need to be made.

Want to go the extra mile? Hire yourself a service that provided Copyediting and Content Editing as a combined package. This costs a little more, but can save you months of pre-publishing time by utilizing one source for all edits.

Prior to utilizing the services of a Copyeditor or Content Editor, ask them to provide you a sample of their work. If possible ask them to edit the first 10 pages of your book. This is normally 3000 words or less in double spaced 12 point Times New Roman font, but will give you an idea of the quality of service they provide.

Tip #3

Make another investment in your book.

Cover art sells books. Yes, what is inside the book is going to keep a reader wanting more. What if they never pick the book up though? A reader needs to look at the cover of the book and know that they want to read the book before they ever touch it. This is even more important with eBooks as the free sample portion at the beginning of the eBook is so short. With physical copies of books they can flip through and read small samples from various places in the book.

Take the time to research reputable cover artists. Find a cover artist that has designed other covers and find one that matches the style for your book. You don’t want to have a cover that does not match the story of your book. Just because a cover artist made a great romance book cover does not mean that they can create a great fantasy book cover. Hire the cover artist that fits the style of your book.

Tip #4

Better get to Blogging.

Start your author blog and get to work. Readers and fans are hard to come by if you do not take the time to find them. Join a social media group for authors and ask for advice in launching your book.

Post regular updates on your blog as you are writing your book andput excerpts on the blog so readers get a taste of what they can expect.

Pay a few dollars and get your own domain name from one of the many website servers out there. WordPress, Weebly, and Blogger are three of the more popular blog services. Webs.com also provides free websites or the option to pay for your own domain name.

Keep in contact with your readers and fans and ensure they don’t get bored. The last thing you want is for your readers to get bored and wander off prior to your book release date.

Make sure you keep your fans up to date on when to expect your book.

As you get closer to your scheduled launch date you may find a good time to run giveaways for ARC copies of your book, even if it is only in digital form.

The longer you are blogging about your books, the easier it will be for others to find you (or stumble onto you) when using search engines like Google and Bing. Search Engine Optimization starts early when you build your blog and can help you out immensely once you make your book available to readers. (not going into SEO details here)

Tip #5

Reviews are a must.

Some readers will not purchase a book unless it seems fully established and has had twenty or more reviews. Well how are you going to get reviews if you can’t get anyone to buy the book?

Utilize Goodreads Giveaways for physical copies of your book. Goodreads has a massive reader base that is constantly searching for new books to read. Though the purpose is to help authors get reviews, only a small percentage of the readers that win your book will write a review. Every review counts though. For one of my books I have given away over three hundred copies in paperback and digital formats, though I have only received around 15 reviews up to this date for that particular book. Those 15 reviews added up though, and they were enough to get some other readers to purchase the book.

You can also use Facebook to set up events and giveaway physical or digital copies of your book. Be cautious though about sending too many messages in Facebook as some of their policies could land you in Facebook jail for something as unintentional as sending a friend request to someone you don’t know.

Reach a fan base and the reviews will come. To get those reviews though, you are going to need to give away some free books. Do not think of the free books as money that you lost, consider them an investment.

Don’t worry if you get a couple of bad reviews, unless of course most of your reviews are bad. Readers will focus on the majority of your reviews to see what other readers think. If you have ten 5 Star reviews, six 4 Star reviews, a couple 3 Star reviews, and a few 1 and 2 Star reviews, then don’t sweat it. Not everyone that reads your book is going to think it is great and some may even hate your writing style. Consider the reviews that get posted as constructive criticism and evaluate if you could have done something differently.

Tip #6

Book pricing counts as much as the cover art does.

Price in today’s economy is probably more important than ever. I have talked to many eBook readers that will not pay more than $3.99 (USD) for any eBook unless it is from and established author that they have read books from before. Pricing on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords allow you to easily change the price of your books to see if you are able to sell more productively at a different price. At $3.99 (USD) I may make more money per book sell, but at $2.99 (USD) I may sell many more books and in the long term make more money and build a bigger fan base. Some authors make bundles by selling their book for just $0.99 (USD) because if the sheer volume in book sales.

I know of one author that has the first book in one of his paranormal series listed for free at all times for the digital version. He promotes the heck out of his free book and readers come back to buy his other books after reading the first. Technically he doesn’t make any money on the first book, but his free book promotion leads to greater sales for his other books.

Tip #7

Market your book. You do not need to tweet constantly or post repeatedly about your book every day of the week, but it doesn’t hurt to tweet and post to Facebook either. Target your readers by researching popular trends that can help you focus on people who would be interested in your genre of book.

Some authors market their book through free online advertising agencies like FreeAd and Craigslist which allow you to advertise to multiple cities around the word at the same time. This is a good way to get the name of your book out there, but is more viable for physical copies of the book. Be careful though as the category “Boats” is just above “Books” and can get your advertisement flagged for removal.

Another form of marketing is author interviews and book features. There are services that offer author interviews and book features then post the interviews and features on their website so others can see them. The interviews are a good way for readers to meet the author without the author going out to look for more fans. The author is utilizing the fan base of the blogger or website owner that listed their interview or book feature to help build their own fan base.

Tip #8

Write your next book.

Don’t stop writing once you publish your first book. Get working on your second book and start publicizing it on your blog. Put excerpts on your blog just like you did with your first book. Hopefully by this time you have built a small fan base and they are talking about your first book to their friends.

Again, keep them interested in your upcoming novel by providing them snippets and excerpts to read.

Tip #9

Find some friends.

No, not the friends you go out drinking with (though they are good too). What you want are friends that have worked in the self-publishing business. Talk to them and find out what worked for them and what didn’t work as they started out in self-publishing.

There are several groups that have years of self-publishing experience and are able to help new authors in the process of self-publishing their first novel.

Tip #10

Don’t get discouraged about book sales.

Stay motivated and keep working towards your goals. Some authors want to be the next New York Times #1 Bestseller. Some authors want to make a living from their writing. Some authors just want to publish a book that fans enjoy reading.

Stay motivated and keep working at writing the story you want to write. Don’t try to write the perfect novel, or you may never publish it. Just keep at it, and give the best you have.

 

I wish you the best of luck in your self publishing adventure.

David (D.R. Racey)

Visit D.R. Racey's Amazon Author Page for ebooks by author D.R. Racey


D.R. Racey

Enmity Awakened – Synopsis, Serial Release Plan, and Excerpt

Hey all,

I have been working on a new Young Adult novel and wanted to give you a glimpse of what is coming in the next couple of months. An exact release date has not been set yet, but the time is fast approaching.

Enmity Awakened is planned to be a 4 to 6 part serial of roughly 15,000 to 20,000 words for each part. featuring the female lead character Cassandra. Each book will be title “Enmity Awakened” and the first serial is aptly titled “Part One: The Beginning”. I plan to release the books roughly every three months, possibly sooner depending on the timeliness of cover art and editing. Each of the books will give the average reader roughly two hours of enjoyment before they are forced to wait for the next installment.

Cassandra led a bitter childhood followed by the death of her parents and her own death as she ran from the men who killed her parents. Needless to say, they caught her and filled her full of lead. What happens next though, is for you to find out as you read the book. If you love vampire stories, female lead characters, and lots of action with a large portion of revenge, then you should love this book.

I hope you enjoy this short excerpt from the prologue as it helps set the scene for some of the crap she went through growing up……

“Enmity Awakened” an Excerpt

I was pumped by the time the Junior/Senior Prom rolled around. Paul Anderson, the captain of the football team, asked me to go to prom with him. I was excited that I was going with one of the most popular boys in the school. He had to play the formalities though, so I invited him over to meet my dad. Dad took a liking to the kid right away. I guess he saw something in his eyes that showed that he might have a future. I didn’t know it then, but this kid’s future was limited.

Prom went off without a hitch and we headed to the after party. I convinced my dad to let me sleep over at Cindy’s house instead of coming home after prom. It took a bit of doing, but he finally gave in.

I left the prom with Paul and we headed to a small hotel on Long Island. There were probably ten couples partying in the room and most of the girls were still in their prom dresses. The boys had paid a friend to stock the hotel with alcohol earlier in the evening and there wasn’t a single person there who was sober.

By two in the morning, most of the kids had left to go home. The only ones left were Paul, two of his friends, and me. I don’t even think the other two guys went to the prom that night. If they did, then their dates had gone home instead of coming to the hotel. By this point, I was totally drunk and had trouble standing on my own. My eyes kept shifting in and out of focus as I tried to stay awake.

Paul came up to me while I was sitting on the bed and started kissing me. I tried to push him back, but he kept moving in closer. He pushed me back on the bed and kept kissing me as his hands roamed over my body. Why fight it right?

Before I knew what was happening, he was on top of me while I was blankly staring at the slow moving ceiling fan. So much for making my first time special. By the time I passed out, from the alcohol and whatever else they put in my drink, the other two guys both had a turn at me. When I woke up the next morning, I was still in my prom dress, panties missing, and all three boys were gone.

I spent the next hour sitting down in the shower with the hot water running over me. Paul had torn my heart to pieces, as I truly believed he liked me. It made it even worse that he let his friends join in.

I probably would have stayed in the shower longer but the room door opened and a Latino woman came in. She politely excused herself when she looked in the bathroom and saw me huddled on the floor of the shower. She didn’t even bother to ask if something was wrong. What kind of person doesn’t ask if something is wrong when they find a teenage girl curled up on the floor of the shower?

Thirty minutes later, I left the room and headed for the subway. It was going to be a long ride back to Queens in my prom dress. I had to hope that Cindy didn’t call my house looking for me before I got home.

It took me three trains to get back to within a few blocks of my house. I got some strange looks from a lot of people on those three trains.

My dad was sitting in the living room when I walked in the house. He set the newspaper down and asked me where I have been. I tried to tell him that I was at Cindy’s house and he graciously explained to me that he had talked to her an hour ago. It seems that Cindy’s mom had explained to him that she had not seen me all night. I guess my alibi was shot all to hell.

So, Dad orders me to my room, and I can hear him walking up the steps a few minutes later. He was a big man, so the steps creaked as he placed his weight on them. I heard the door handle turn and in he walked with his belt pulled from his trousers. I mean really, I am almost seventeen and you are going to spank me? I guess spank is a bad way to put it. He beat my ass and left me lying on the bed. Your daughter gets raped by three guys, and you just beat her. Well, unless I tell him, he probably was not going to know what happened the night before. I decided then and there that I was not going to tell him or anyone else the details about the party.

I let things go as they were. Blood and tears soaked the white satin sheets of my bed as I lay there. It would have probably been all right if he used the belt to smack my ass, but it just didn’t seem fair when he wrapped the belt around his hand like a glove.
Prom was finally over, I wasn’t a virgin anymore, and my ribs and face were bruised. Thanks Daddy, I love you too. At least I can only blame my dad for the bruises.

Stay tuned for more excerpts from Enmity Awakened. Updates to be posted a couple times each month.

For other books I have published, check out my author page on Amazon and see if there is something that intrigues you.
http://www.amazon.com/D.R.-Racey/e/B0...

Book Review of Killing Secrets by K.L. Doctor

Killing Secrets
by
K.L Doctor

Killing Secrets is a romantic suspense full of twists and turns as you progress through the plot. The story follows Rachel as she tries to stay away from her ex-husband who is being released from prison. Rachel quickly departs with her daughter Amanda and runs off to Denver.

Rachel quickly meets a man named Patrick once she gets to Denver and they become attracted to each other. Neither want anything to do with a romantic relationship, but this changes as the story progresses. Rachel obviously has her own reservations coming from a marriage to an abusive husband. Patrick on the other hand still grieves the loss of his unborn child and his wife that took her own life.

Besides the suspense of trying to stay hidden from her ex-husband, more trouble lurks in Denver as a serial killer stalks the streets. Can Rachel stay clear of both as she seeks to live a life of anonymity and safety?

The story is well written and edited. If you like romantic suspense novels, you are going to love this book.

5 out of 5 stars.


Killing Secrets (Thorne's Thorns Book 1) can be purchased via Amazon.

Reviewed by David at IAB

Red Surf by Tracy Sharp

RED SURF
BY
TRACY SHARP

“Red Surf”
Private Investigator Leah Ryan is on a much needed vacation. A week in Bass Bay, Maine. Nothing but sun, sand and relaxation. No missing people. No murder. No stress.

But an hour into her vacation, Leah almost swims into a dead girl. Shark bites on the victim indicate a horrific shark attack, but closer inspection of the remains suggest that sharks aren't the only predators in Bass Bay.

As the bodies of more young women wash up on the beach, Leah is about to find out that murder doesn't take a vacation.

Red Surf is the 4rth in the Leah Ryan thriller series, and mixes humor with nail biting suspense.


Red Surf: Leah Ryan Thrillers (Book 4) can be purchased via Amazon.

Purchase Links

Amazon US Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Red-Surf-Leah-R...

Amazon US Paperback: Paperback to follow in the near future.

Amazon UK Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Surf-Leah...

“Red Surf - An Excerpt”
Private Investigator Leah Ryan is on a much needed vacation. A week in Bass Bay, Maine. Nothing but sun, sand and relaxation. No missing people. No murder. No stress.

But an hour into her vacation, Leah almost swims into a dead girl. Shark bites on the victim indicate a horrific shark attack, but closer inspection of the remains suggest that sharks aren't the only predators in Bass Bay.

As the bodies of more young women wash up on the beach, Leah is about to find out that murder doesn't take a vacation.

Red Surf is the 4rth in the Leah Ryan thriller series, and mixes humor with nail biting suspense.

About the Author
Tracy Sharp grew up in a small mining town in Northern Ontario, Canada, where there wasn't much to do except dress warmly and write stories to entertain herself.

She is fond of horror movies, thrilling novels, bellowing out her favorite songs in the car, iced coffee, flamethrowers and Slinkies.

She lives in Upstate NY with her family

You can visit Tracy at her website, at www.tracysharp.net

Amazon Author Pages

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Tracy-Sharp/e/B...

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tracy-Sharp/e...

Contact Info

Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/mstracysharp
Goodread’s Profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Author Website: http://www.tracysharp.net

The Ghost of Calico Acres by Bonnie Turner

The Ghost of Calico Acres
by
Bonnie Turner


A psychological ghost story: Haunting memories lurk in the shadows of this mysterious walk from the past.

When Dr. Marc St. Clair inherits his eccentric aunt Miriam’s old Victorian house at Calico Acres, in southwestern Wisconsin, her Last Will and Testament states that he and his invalid wife, Summer, must live there for one year before they can own it. Despite the fact that the house is rumored to be haunted, Marc falls in love with it and accepts Miriam’s generous offer ... against Summer's wishes. But after a disastrous honeymoon, and a riding accident that left his beautiful wife confined to a wheelchair—bitter and full of self-pity—he believes that for their marriage to work, they must move away from her meddling parents.

Summer hates the spooky house on sight when they arrive at Calico Acres with their housekeeper, Josephina, on a cold, snowy January day. As unexplained events occur throughout the year, Summer, Josephina, and even their gossipy neighbors try to make Marc give up his insane idea of owning the house. But Marc is determined to stay. He desperately wants the house and feels a strong connection with his late aunt, although he had never met the woman and his family never discussed her except to say she was crazy.

Dr. Marc searches the house for details of Miriam’s life, while his wife is forced to confront secrets from her own past. He must discover who or what is haunting Calico Acres before the year is up, or risk losing his inheritance, the woman he loves, and perhaps even his mind. Little does he realize how close he is to losing all three.


The Ghost of Calico Acres can be purchased via Amazon

Purchase links

Amazon US Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HB6LNU2

Amazon US Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Calico-Ac...

Amazon UK Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Amazon UK Paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghost-Calico-...

Barnes and Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-g...

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...


“The Ghost of Calico Acres - An Excerpt”

It was love at first sight as Dr. Marc St. Clair caressed a hand-carved post on the front porch of the Victorian-Gothic house and scanned the panoramic view of Lafayette County, in southwestern Wisconsin. Resplendent in the sunlight that October morning, 1978, Calico Acres was more than a plot of land with an old house, barn and silos attached; it had been home to an ancestor Marc had never met, but whose vibrations he sensed all around him. He turned with a smile to the realtor, Robert Jablonski.

“It’s hard to believe this place is a hundred years old.” He gestured to the countryside, its patchwork of farms dotting the landscape with brilliant fall colors of crimson, gold, russet, and all shades of green. “What a gorgeous view. And just smell that fresh air. Ahhh!”

The realtor returned the smile. “Yes, it’s a great location. The house is a little drab on the outside right now, but I could sell the place instantly if not for your great-aunt’s will.”
“Whoever built this house intended it to last,” Marc said, “and the inside is in perfect condition.”

Jablonski opened a small notebook. “Well, Dr. St. Clair, if you’ve decided, let’s go back to the office and make the final arrangements. Your aunt’s attorney’s due there in about an hour.”

There was nothing to decide, for Marc’s mind was already made up.

“I’d be a fool if I said I didn’t want it. Of course I do.”

The realtor closed the notebook with a snap and returned it to his jacket’s inside breast pocket.

“Do you remember Mrs. Van Dyck at all?” he asked.

“No,” Marc replied. “In fact, my family never discussed her, except to imply she was crazy.”

Jablonski’s formality cracked and he laughed outright.

“Eccentric,” he said. “She lived out her remaining years in this house without so much as a caretaker or maid, although I recall she owned a couple of cats.”
“Tell me about the will again,” Marc said.

Jablonski spoke in a deep, self-assured voice. “It’s very simple, actually. Miriam leaves you her estate, provided you and your wife live here for one year, with all the original furniture, and if you move out sooner, the house goes to the church for an orphanage.”

“What’s the catch?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why the games? Why didn’t she leave it to me outright? There must be something else.”

“Of course there is,” Jablonski said, half smiling. “They say the house is haunted.”

Marc, still dizzy with excitement, threw back his head and laughed.

“Haunted? You’ve got to be kidding. Nobody believes in haunted houses.”

“It’s just a rumor,” the agent returned. “Probably your aunt heard about it, too, and decided to test you. If you don’t believe in ghosts anyway—”

Marc touched Jablonski’s shoulder briefly and smiled. “Even if I did, it wouldn’t matter. This is the best offer of my entire life. Of course it isn’t haunted. It’s too beautiful to be haunted.”

About the Author

Bonnie Turner—one of the few remaining members of the Greatest Generation—was born on Halloween in Independence, Missouri, at the height of the Great Depression.

Currently residing in Wisconsin, she is a mother, a grandmother, and a great-grandmother. Her interests are many and varied, including astronomy, geography, history, yoga, philosophy, psychology, metaphysics and parapsychology. She's a self-educated jack-of-all-trades, a Mensa *almost*, a classical music and jazz fusion aficionado.

Turner's favorite authors include: Mark Twain, James A. Michener, poets Robert Service and Edgar A. Guest. Some favorite books: Giants in the Earth (O.E. Rolvaag), Steamboat Gothic (Frances Parkinson Keyes), Chesapeake (Michener), the epic poem, The Odyssey of Homer, and Harvest Home (Thomas Tryon). Favorite genres: historical fiction, young-adult fiction, literary fiction, humor, Americana, mainstream, commercial—almost anything except violent, gory tales.

Turner learned to read in first grade from the famed "Dick and Jane" readers. Many years later, her first novel for children (The Haunted Igloo) was published by Houghton Mifflin in 1991. After that book was published, she visited grade schools with a life-size, handmade Inuit doll, encouraging students to keep reading and writing—and offering polar bear hugs along with her autograph.

Amazon Author Pages

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Bonnie-Turner/e...

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bonnie-Turner...


Contact info

Webpage: http://my.athenet.net/~aurorawolf

Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bonnie...

Goodread’s Profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Goodread’s Blog: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Redemption by Andrew Laurie

Redemption by Andrew Laurie

‘All stories need a hero. Sadly, I’m no hero. Now in my mid-thirties, I have a string of failed romances behind me, matched only by a series of poor financial investments. I’ve been in the same rented flat in East London for nearly ten years. I drink too much, smoke too much and I like a flutter on the horses….

The story of my early thirties was of my fall from grace. The drink, the women, the debts. The fast life style. The exit from The Guardian. Back to Hartford with a whimper, no more national profile, no more glory. Accepting a role as Deputy Editor in a team you can count on one hand, working for the Hartford Gazette, the best (and only) newspaper in Hartford. It’s the story you will hear now. A fall from glory and a redemption, of sorts.’

Drinker, smoker, mild drug abuser: not yet forty, journalist Rob Stanford has already seen better days. Spurned by the woman he loves, can he salvage some self-respect by solving the murder of his best friend?

‘A fast paced thriller which will leave you gasping for breath.’

‘Trainspotting meets Get Carter: Never have cigarettes and alcohol tasted so good.’

Redemption can be purchased via Amazon.

About the Author

Andrew Laurie was born in East London. After graduating from Art College, he took a series of roles in film and television, specializing in art design and choreography. Since 2007 he has worked extensively on film production across the United States and Europe. He continues to maintain strong links with East London. Andrew can be contacted at andrewlaurie99@gmail.com

5 Stars for The Rodeo of Doom by Miguel Lasala

The Rodeo of Doom is a fast paced in your face novel.

To set the scene, the year is 2384 and Henry is a professor at a local college. He isnt on his first career either as he has led several lives due to a drug called EP14. Years ago, the secret to the drug was unlocked but the secret died when one of his friends finally passed away. The drug was not only an age extender, but also a cure all for just about anything that ailed the body.

Now, with the last of the EP14 known to be in existence, he may live to be the oldest person ever. The trouble starts when a woman he is sleeping with passes out on college grounds. He pulls a vial from his pocket and she is miraculously healed. The problem was, someone saw him pour the fluid from the vial into the woman’s mouth. That’s when the rumors started, and word got back to the mob about what he possessed.

He is given an option to take a payoff for the EP14 and does just that, well mostly anyways.

This is where the action starts, and doesn’t stop again till the end of the book. Join Henry and his friends as the battle wits against the mob, try to get his stolen car back, and make pornographic movies.

If you want excitement, then you will find it here.

5 out of 5 Stars. A great read.

I would recommend this book to readers 18 and older due to some language and sexual content.


The Rodeo of Doom can be purchased via Amazon.