D.E. Haggerty's Blog, page 77
May 19, 2016
Blog Tour Stop ~ The Proving by @kenbrosky #YA #SCIFI
Title: The Proving
Author: Ken Brosky
Published: 1/5/2016
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
~ Synopsis ~
It’s been 133 years since the Specters invaded Earth. Like ghosts they haunt the planet, devouring anyone foolish enough to venture outside the last remaining protected cities. For some, venturing out isn’t a choice–it’s a necessary evil to prove yourself to your clan as you come of age.
But when a team of ambitious youth—New Adults—undertakes a mission deep in Specter territory, they discover a terrible secret. Everything they’ve learned may be wrong … and Earth is in grave danger.
~ Excerpt ~
Suddenly, the area all around her began to glow, as if some sinister light was slowly coming to life. Thin pine and tupelo trunks were painted in a fiery red light, bright enough that each tree cast a bloody shadow. The creature was near. She ran left, thinking about her family and blinking away stinging hot tears. She hoped to see them again. She hoped to tell her husband and her daughter how much she loved them both. Her body, numb, expected death at any moment but she refused to give in. Ahead, she could see an end to the forest. And something else . . .
A fence! An old fence whose links were being pulled earthward by heavy vines with thick stalks and fat, crescent-shaped leaves. And beyond the fence: a dim pool of white light illuminated a squat building at the far edge of a barren lot. The building must be an emergency supply depot, no doubt running solely on stored energy from the solar panels attached to the roof, slanted up at the sky. The depot would contain emergency equipment and maybe some kind of weapon. It would have a communication system, too.
She could jump the fence. She could take one step on the constrained chain links and reach the top and hop over. She could reach the building. She could survive. She’d carried a child in her womb for nine months, seven days and an additional fifteen excruciating hours of labor. Her back had endured. Her legs had endured. This pain she felt in her shins now? It was nothing. It was an annoyance.
She could do this. She could send a warning.
~ About the Author ~
The Proving is Ken Brosky’s newest YA sci-fi adventure. His first series, The Grimm Chronicles, ran from 2012-2014 and is available on Kindle. Ken received his MFA in writing from the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
May 18, 2016
Book Blast ~ Naring of Noe by@Danika_Dinsmore #giveaway
Narine of Noe (Faerie Tales from the White Forest Book Four)
Narine of Noe should have had her whole life to train to take her father’s place as High Sage. But when a mysterious force falls from the skies, sending the world into elemental chaos and her father into mortal danger, the fate of every living creature lands on her shoulders . . . including that of the Eternal Dragon. Without the Dragon it is impossible to regain the Balance of All Things. An elaborate plan to save the world must be hatched, and Narine is forced to take charge in a world gone mad.
Before the White Forest was born, before the Great World Cry, the story that started it all…
Praise for Narine of Noe and the White Forest series
A charming, magical journey…
~Cassandra Rose Clarke, Author, The Assassin’s Curse series
Dinsmore weaves a coming of age story through a world that is both fantastic and believable.
~Rise Reviews
I was hooked before I finished the first chapter . . . I fell in love with Narine and you will, too.
~Brenna D’Amico, actor, Disney’s Descendants
Excerpt
Narine dropped to the sand from the force of the Eternal Dragon’s energy. Never could she have imagined the power of Its presence. There was no resisting or competing with that power; the Dragon commanded the elements like no other. Each bit of earth, air, fire, water inside of Narine blew open, mere seeds popping over a fire.
The Dragon glanced at her with Its eternal eyes, no more than a flick, but in that flick she plummeted deeper inside herself than she had ever known. Her existence in that eternity lasted less than a moonsbreath before she was back, gasping for breath.
Her father, perched at the edge of the dock, caught her eye, a look as eternal as the Dragon’s. He smiled at her, gestured with open hands, and then fell from the pier. Before she had time to react, to digest what had just happened, the Dragon opened Its mouth and inhaled. The world froze. She felt the Dragon’s great inhale pulling at her heart, but she could do nothing as It drew that breath and absorbed Thorze’s corporeal energies as Its own.
As It exhaled, Narine felt her own cells fill back up with her Father’s Knowing. His Transitioning of himself into her. She could feel it rooting, thin tendrils weaving themselves through the miniscule spaces within her being.
But it was too fast; it was too much. There was no way she could contain it all.
She wasn’t ready! It wasn’t her time!
“No!” she cried and grasped at the wet sand. “Father, no!”
The world popped back into place, her cries became those of Vendra’s, reaching her great flipperpaw after Thorze’s body as it plummeted into the water’s darkness.
Vendra leapt to the side of the pier, the waves shook the world, and she slammed into a silver pillar.
The great Dragon huffed and knocked Thorze’s scepter away with Its thick sea green tail. The scepter flew across the water and landed on the shore before Narine with a heavy, wet thud. No! It couldn’t be!
“Father!” she cried, searching the waters, tears streaking her cheeks. “Father!”
The Dragon dipped Its head back into the lake, and, in one fluid motion, arced Its massive body after it. The tail of the great serpent flicked out from the water like a tongue, and the serpent was gone. The World Sages stared at the water in silent shock. Waves lapped at Narine’s feet, dragon-sized ripples.
She looked down in her daze. The scepter. She picked it up from the sand, and her body immediately seized up. A white light tortured her vision, and then streaks of blue and silver blended within the reassuring voice of her father, Yes, Narine. Take the Dragon’s Gift.
Author Danika Dinsmore
Danika Dinsmore is an award-winning author, performance artist, and educator. Over the past 25 years she has developed content for the page, stage, screen, and web. Danika currently works in literary and speculative fiction with an emphasis on juvenile & young adult literature. Author of children’s fantasy adventure series FAERIE TALES FROM THE WHITE FOREST, she often takes her interactive Imaginary Worlds Tour on the road, performing and teaching world-building & creative writing at schools, conferences, and festivals across North America.
Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 5/30/16
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Simply The Best ~ Multi Genre Romance Collection
Title: Simply the Best: A Collection of International Digital Award Winning Romances
Authors: L.A. Sartor, Laurel O’Donnell, Kathy L Wheeler, Dale Mayer,
Charity Tahmaseb, Cynthia A Clement
Genre: Multi-genre romance
~ Synopsis ~
This collection of multi-genre romances features winning novels from the International Digital Awards, including historical, suspense/thriller, short historical, contemporary, paranormal, and young adult. Simply the Best of all worlds!
Haunted by Death ~ Dale Mayer
Death haunts anthropologist Meg Pearce…
In her last summer before college, an innocent camping trip ended in a friend’s disappearance…and destroyed her life.
Angel’s Assassin ~ Laurel O’Donnell
When Damien enters Aurora’s life, tempting her with promises of dark passion and forbidden lust, he threatens to tear her peaceful world apart with shadowy secrets of his own.
Be Mine This Christmas Night ~ L. A. Sartor
At Christmas, finding love and a family seems even more possible…unless you’re keeping a secret.
A Hunter 4 Rescue ~ Cynthia Clement
Worlds Apart. Joined by Love
A unit of elite alien warriors, known as Hunters, crash lands on earth and their leader is torn between getting his men to safety or protecting the human woman he has bonded with.
The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet ~ Charity Tahmaseb
Sometimes staying silent is the biggest lie of all
No one expects the girl who has mastered the art of keeping quiet to join the speech team. But Jolia does. When a crush-worthy rival offers to coach her in secret, she can’t say no. But secrets have a price, and this one might cost Jolia everything.
The Mapmaker’s Wife ~ Kathy L Wheeler
In the midst of his worn-torn country, love posed the greater danger.
A flippant proposal and an attack on her person finds one young woman married to the mapmaker who only needs someone to take control of his ungovernable child. Feelings quickly shift into something less platonic and when the enemy gains vital secrets, her suspicions land her in jail.
Buy Links
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iTunes ~ Kobo
~ Excerpt ~
from The Mapmaker’s Wife ~ Kathy L Wheeler
A soft smile played over her lips to a distracting degree. Exactly one of the reasons he worked himself to exhaustion. “I suspect that’s precisely the reason she does it.”
He frowned. “Because I tell her not to?”
“No. She’s created a bond of sorts. She’s realized you won’t leave her unattended. It’s easy to see she craves your attention.”
A swift shock of anger hit him in the chest. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it?” She snipped the thread and tucked her project in a basket at her feet.
Her mouth firmed and it occurred to him, he spent way too much time contemplating her lips.
“It doesn’t matter; we shall be spending more time at the chapel.”
“The—” He stopped. Went over to Trudy and lifted her gently. He gazed down at the child God saw fit to leave in his keeping. Firelight danced over pure features, so innocent in sleep. Perhaps Elizabeth was right. With Anne gone, he was all Trudy had. God’s own miracle in his arms.
An angel. Ha! Dark angel, more like. “Yes, well. It certainly can’t hurt.” He carried Trudy to the door and turned back to Elizabeth from beneath the arch. “You’ve more than earned your way today. Go to bed.”
~ About the Authors ~
This multi-author boxed set will be sold for $0.99 cents.
Dale Mayer is a USA Today bestselling author known for her page turning plotlines and heartwarming characters. A prolific writer, she specializes in Romantic Suspense, but also writes thrillers, comedy, and contemporary romances.
Award winning author Kathy L Wheeler loves travel, fantasy football, NBA and musical theatre. As an avid reader of romance and patron of the theatre, her main sources of inspiration come mostly from an over-active imagination. Kathy writes contemporary and historical romance, from sweet to spicy.
Website ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
L.A. Sartor is a bestselling, award-winning author. She began telling stories around the age of 4 when her mother, at L.A.’s insistence, wrote them down and L.A. illustrated them. As an adult, she writes suspense and action-adventure novels with a dash of romance, and screenplays—she’s had a contracted adaptation! She lives in Colorado with her husband whom she met on a blind date. L.A. loves to travel and thinks life is an adventure and we should embrace the journey.
Laurel O’Donnell is a best selling author and has won numerous awards for her medieval romances, including the International Digital Award and the Holt Medallion Award.
Charity Tahmaseb has slung corn on the cob for Green Giant and jumped out of airplanes (but not at the same time). She’s worn both Girl Scout and Army green. These days, she writes fiction (short and long) and works as a technical writer.
Cynthia Clement is an award winning author who began writing when she was a teenager. Her novels reflect her love of romance, strong honorable heroes, and suspense intertwined with the intriguing and unexplained.
~ Giveaway ~
May 16, 2016
Promo Blitz ~ Paradise Passion Murder, a murder anthology
Murder Anthology
Date Published: January 2016
Support Literacy in Hawai‘i
From the Big Island to Kauai, the far side of Maui to the bustling streets of Honolulu, experience paradise in all its glory…and darkness. This collection of ten stories brings out the beauty of the islands, the passion of the tropics, and, yes, murder. Join ten writers who love the islands and want you to savor the tropics while benefiting literacy in Hawaii.
Read Aloud America, a Hawai‘i 501.c.3 organization dedicated to promoting literacy in Hawai‘i, is proud to be the beneficiary of all proceeds from the sales of “Paradise, Passion, Murder.”
We hope you’ll join these ten writers who love the islands and want you to savor the tropics while benefiting literacy in Hawai‘i. Join Terry Ambrose, JoAnn Bassett, Gail Baugniet, Frankie Bow, Lorna Collins (editor), Kay Hadashi, Laurie Hanan, Jill Marie Landis, AJ Llewellyn, Toby Neal, and CW Schutter for Paradise, Passion, Murder.
This collection includes short stories from some of bestselling Hawai‘i mastery series, including JoAnn Bassett’s Islands of Aloha mysteries, Jill Marie Landis’s Tiki Goddess series, and Toby Neal’s Lei Crime series.
The stories travel the islands from Kaua‘i to O‘ahu and range from laugh-out-loud funny to heart wrenching. Join us today and help benefit literacy in Hawai‘i.
Contact Links
Website
Purchase Links
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Tips on guest blogging for writers #MondayBlogs #amwriting
A while back I talked about how to launch a book and presented my book launch marketing plan (see the article here). One of the essential elements of my marketing plan is guest blogging. Guest blogging is a great way to showcase your writing, highlight a new release, and find new readers. I frequently host guest blogs over on my Readsalot blog. Unfortunately, I’m often disappointed in guest blogs – especially those which are associated with blog tours. Let’s face it – they can be snooze worthy. Harsh. But true. (And yes I’m sure some of my guest posts have been beyond disappointing as well.)
Here are some tips I’ve learned over the years of writing guest blogs:
Who is the audience? Often bloggers don’t give any specific instructions with regard to a guest blog. In that case, it’s time to do some research. Study the blog for which you are writing. Who are the readers? What is the specific purpose of the blog? What does other content on the blog look like? Make sure your guest blog fits within the parameters you’ve discovered.
What is your purpose? Believe it or not, not all guest blogs have to do with marketing a new book. Sometimes a blog is orientated towards helping new writers or perhaps specifically aiding self-published authors. Even blogs aimed at writing and writers will host blog tour stops for new books. If such a blog requests a guest blog from you, make sure your post fits within the purpose of the blog for which you are writing.
Be original. I’ve encountered writers who give the same guest blog to each blog stop on a blog tour. Bad. Idea. There are readers who follow each stop on a blog tour as well as ‘followers’ who read several blogs. They won’t be very impressed if the same guest blog post shows up on several blogs in the same week. I know I’m not.
Tie in to your book. If you are writing a guest blog to promote a particular book (launch), this is a great opportunity to get readers interested in not only your writing but the subject matter of the book as well. If your book is about a certain historical period, tell readers about an event from that time period with which they may not be familiar. Be creative! My current book series, Death by Cupcake, centers around a cupcake bakery. I just wrote a guest post with baking tips from the main character. My previous books series, The Gray-Haired Knitting Detectives, featured a bunch of old ladies who thought they were God’s gift to matchmaking. I wrote several blogs of dating tips and matchmaking tips – all in good humor of course.
Do you frequently guest blog? What are your tips for writers?
May 15, 2016
Release Blitz ~ Kaitlin’s Tale by @ChristineAmsden #paranormalromance
Paranormal Romance
Date Published: May 16, 2016
Kaitlin Mayer is on the run from the father of her baby – a vampire who wants her to join him in deadly eternity. Terrified for her young son, she seeks sanctuary with the Hunters Guild. Yet they have their own plans for her son, and her hopes of safety are soon shattered.
When she runs into Matthew Blair, an old nemesis with an agenda of his own, she dares to hope for a new escape. But Matthew is a telepath, and Kaitlin’s past is full of dark secrets she never intended to reveal.
*Companion to the Cassie Scot Series
~ Excerpt ~
Chapter 1
To: Cassie.Scot@gmail.com
From: Kaitlin.Meyer12@gmail.com
Re: Jason is Dead
Jason is dead.
Go ahead. Say “I told you so.” You never do, but just this once could you stoop down to the level of us mere mortals long enough to sneer like a ten-year-old? Put a little hip wiggle into it and wrinkle your nose. Roll your eyes at me like I’m the biggest moron on the planet.
After all you did, in fact, tell me so.
And when you’re finished, I need you to do me the biggest favor I’ve ever asked in my life. In all likelihood, the last favor I’ll ever ask. I need you to take Jay. I need you to keep him safe, because you and Evan are probably the only two people who can. I hope that one day you can find it in your heart to love him like you love your own daughter.
Your Friend,
Kaitlin
Kaitlin closed her eyes as she hit send, praying that Cassie still was her friend. Praying that nothing went wrong over the next two days. And just… praying.
* * *
~ My Review ~
I’m a huge fan of the Cassie Scot series and am enjoying the spin-off novels as well. Despite that, I was hesitant to start Kaitlin’s Tale. Why? I really liked Jason in the previous novels, even though we didn’t see much of him. But now he’s a vampire and in the Cassie Scot world, that’s a bad thing. A very bad thing. It did in fact take me a while to get into Kaitlin’s story. Jason peeved me off and Kaitlin seemed weak and boring at first. Well, let me tell you, first impressions can be wrong. Very wrong. Kaitlin turned out to be one of my favorite characters of the series. She has a lot of hidden depth if only someone would take the time to get her to open up.
Matthew Blair also had much more depth than expected. Like everyone else who has read the Cassie Scot series, I didn’t think much of Matthew. Yeah, I pretty much hated him. For the longest time in this story, my opinion of him didn’t improve. But Matthew grew on me; probably because he grew as a person during the story.
Once again Amsden has created a fantasy world full of action and suspense – a place I want to live in, despite the danger involved. There’s a lot going on in this world. Intrigue, mystery, political posturing, Kaitlin’s Tale has it all. Although this story can be read as a standalone, I don’t recommend it. There’s just way too much going on and readers will miss subtle hints and clues. And why would you not want to read all the other stories in this series, anyway?
If you’re looking for a well-rounded story that will keep you sitting on the edge of your seat, pick up a copy of Kaitlin’s Tale. You won’t be disappointed.
~ About the Author ~
Christine Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.
At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, which scars the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.
Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. In addition to being a writer, she’s a freelance editor, mom, and foster mom.
Social Media Links:
· Website
· Newsletter
· Blog
· Goodreads
· Google+
Buy Links
Christine Amsden Amazon Page
The Cassie Scot Series
Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective (Cassie Scot #1)
·Amazon
·Barnes and Noble
·Audible.com
Secrets and Lies (Cassie Scot #2)
·Amazon
·Barnes and Noble
·Audible
Mind Games (Cassie Scot #3)
·Amazon
·Barnes and Noble
·Audible
Stolen Dreams (Cassie Scot #4)
·Amazon
·Barnes and Noble
·Audible
Madison‘s Song (a Cassie Scot Companion)
·Amazon
·Barnes and Noble
·Audible
May 14, 2016
Release Day Blitz ~ My Last Love Story by @F2tweet #giveaway
About the Book:
Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes’s, Me Before You, My Last Love Story is a heartbreakingly romantic tale about the complexities of trauma and whether love can right a wrong.
I, Simeen Desai, am tired of making lemonade with the lemons life has handed me.
Love is meant to heal wounds.
Love was meant to make my world sparkle and spin.
Love has ripped my life apart and shattered my soul.
I love my husband, and he loves me.
But Nirvaan is dying.
I love my husband. I want to make him happy.
But he is asking for the impossible.
I don’t want a baby.
I don’t want to make nice with Zayaan.
I don’t want another chance at another love story.
Book Links:
Goodreads * Amazon US * Amazon IN
Conversation with Nirvaan Desai from My Last Love
Story.
Introduce yourself to our readers.
Yo! My name is Nirvaan Desai and I have cancer. See? Says here on my t-shirt too.
God. That’s tough. I’m sorry.
Nirvaan: I’ll take all the sympathy you’ve got. Thanks. But let’s be clear, I hate wasting time on formalities. I want what I want and I want it now. So, let’s get on with this!
Right. As I told your wife, I’ll ask five random questions and you answer them as truthfully as you can.
Nirvaan: Shoot.
Your wife mentioned a bucket list. What’s on yours?
Nirvaan: Going straight for the jugular. I like it! Simi has actually dubbed my bucket list the Titanic Wish List. I’ve checked most of the items off the list. I only have a few left, out of which #1 is getting Simi pregnant and #2 is making Zai acknowledge that he’s making a mistake with Marjaneh—his girlfriend.
Ok. Good luck with that. Would you stop eating junk food to live five years longer? Sorry, but this question card just popped right out of the pack.
Nirvaan: Told you, man. Don’t be sorry for me. And no, I won’t stop eating junk food as I know it won’t make a difference. Not that Simi or my mother allow me to eat junk. I’m on a very strict organic health food diet.
What three adjectives would your family use to describe you?
Nirvaan: Stubborn. Smexy. Stupendous.
What’s the best TV show ever?
Nirvaan: Does cable TV count? Then Game of Thrones. It’s awesome, man. And I knew they wouldn’t kill Jon Snow. Knew it!
Last question, and…shit, one of those ones again. Should I pull another question?
Nirvaan: Stop that. I told you, its all cool. Just ask it.
What’s the secret to staying young?
Nirvaan: Dying young. *drumroll*
Love your spirit. I wish you the best for the rest of your life. And that completes our little game.
Advance Praise:
At once heartbreaking, delightful and completely unexpected. A must read!
~ Sonali Dev, author of The Bollywood Affair
In My Last Love Story, Kothari examines love and loss, desire and desolation, with a deft, wry touch that kept me reading late into the night and moved me to tears.
~ Julia Tagan, author of Stages of Desire
About the Author:
Falguni Kothari is an internationally bestselling hybrid author and an amateur Latin and Ballroom dance silver medalist with a background in Indian Classical dance. She writes in a variety of genres sewn together by the colorful threads of her South Asian heritage and expat experiences. When not writing or dancing, she fools around on all manner of social media, and loves to connect with her readers. My Last Love Story is her fourth novel.
Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Goodreads
Giveaway
1 Copy of My Last Love Story by Falguni Kothari
Paperback Copy if the Winner is US or Indian Resident / eBook for other International Winner.
May 12, 2016
Diamond in the Rough by @LoriRobinett #romance #western #giveaway
Title: Diamond in the Rough
Author: Lori L. Robinett
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Western)
~ Synopsis ~
Ranch hand Aidan Brackston has built a new life at the Diamond J, and he keeps women at arm’s length to protect his secret . . . until he walks into the local scrapbook store on an errand for his boss. When he accidentally knocks Gina on her ass, she respond with a slap . . . and the fireworks begin. Single mom Gina Montgomery has her hands full running a business and taking care of her little boy. The last thing she needs is a man in her life, but when a tall, dark and sexy cowboy strides into her store, she’s reminded that she’s still a young woman with hopes and desires. Just as passion ignites between Aidan and Gina, her little boy is kidnapped by rustlers. Will the two of them be able to save her little boy . . . even if that means exposing Aidan’s secret?
~ Excerpt ~
Gina pressed against the Plexiglas window of the store room again, just as the door swung towards her. The door smacked her face with a sharp POP and she fell backwards, landing on her backside with a thump.
Light silhouetted the dark figure in the doorway, radiating around him like a halo. He bent towards her, hand extended, and the halo turned into a cowboy hat. Ah, there was that good looking cowboy she was just thinking about . . .
She reached up and took his offered hand, and he pulled her up so she stood mere inches from him. She’d been right about his height. She looked straight ahead at his broad chest. His muscles filled out his plaid flannel shirt. Dark hairs curled over the shirt where his top two buttons were undone. Her eyes wandered up the curve of his neck, over the strong line of his jaw, and settled on his lips. They were parted slightly, welcoming, inviting. She looked at those amazing blue eyes . . . which were not focused on her eyes.
There was a sharp pop as she slapped his face.
~ About the Author ~
Lori is the author of four books, and serves as a mentor for aspiring writers. She is a creative soul trapped in a paralegal’s body. Several years ago, she discovered (and won) National Novel Writing Month and rediscovered the joy of escaping into a world of her own creation.
She lives in rural Missouri with her husband. One very spoiled Miniature Schnauzer and Miniature Beagle allow Lori and her husband to live in their house, and the outside is patrolled by BK (short for Barn Kitty) and Patches (a sweet tom cat stray that missed his calling as a lap cat).
Her novels cover everything from romance to thrillers, but mystery is the thread that binds them all together. Her favorite authors are Tawna Fenske, Tierney James, Colleen Donnelly, Allison Merritt, Lisa Medley, Lea Waite, Susan Mallery, Hugh Howey, HP Mallory and, well, the list goes on and on.
Goodreads ~ Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook
~ Giveaway ~
Lori will be awarding a $25 azon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
May 11, 2016
I don’t have to blog? Really? Why didn’t you say so? #amwriting #blogging #authorplatform
When I started on my self-publishing journey, everyone (seriously, ev-er-y-one) said I had to build an author platform. An essential part of this platform they said is a blog. Like a good little girl (something I’m usually not), I set up a website and added a blog to it. In the beginning, I absolutely hated it. Hated. It. I could never think of anything to write and no one was reading it. Why was I even bothering?
On Monday, I read an article on blogging on how writers didn’t actually have to blog (see the original article here). Say what? Really? Why didn’t I read this three years ago? And why am I still blogging if I’ve been given an escape clause? I’ll tell you why.
Last year, I had a little hiccup with my copyeditor, which ended up with me having a few weeks of downtime while she edited my book. I absolutely refuse to start a new manuscript while in the middle of editing a book, which meant I finally had time to pick up my to do list. The first item on my to do list was to change my blogging platform. To my surprise and delight the mere changing of my platform increased my readership and number of followers. By the time I finally read the article on Monday about not having to blog, I was not as disillusioned about readership as I had been. And since my New Year’s Resolution was to blog often and consistently, I seem to spontaneously sprout blog ideas now.
My initial problems with blogging were blown out of the water. Here are some of the other reasons I continue to blog:
Showcase my writing style. I try – try being the operative word here – to write witty and funny blog posts. My books are – or at least the idea is that they are – funny. Blogging is a great way to show off my writing style and maybe, hopefully, gain some readers for my books.
Good practice. In addition to showcasing my writing style, blogging is a great way to practice my writing on a small scale.
Share my knowledge (such as it is). I write a lot of blog posts about writing. This isn’t because I’m an expert, but rather that I wish I had read about this or that topic when I started out. When researching a blog article about author interviews last week, for example, I found tons of articles on questions to ask, but nothing on how a writer should answer those questions.
Analyze marketing results. I’ve been embarrassingly lax in analyzing the marketing pushes I’ve done. Instead, I’ve concentrated on trying just about anything (except running through Times Square naked, although I’ve thought about it). When I got serious about blogging, I decided to write an article or two on marketing and this forced me to start analyzing what was and what wasn’t working.
I have a lot to say. All the above are perfectly valid reasons for blogging but one of the most obvious reasons I blog is because I have a lot to say. I’ve always been a nerd who likes to research anything and everything. I also like to discuss topics (some would say ad nauseam) and boy do I love to argue…erm… debate. Although I do try to stay away from political topics, my blog is pretty much a free for all. I’ve written about everything from trying to find English books to Istanbul to walking through a demilitarized zone to finding reviewers for my books. Some may say I never shut up. They would be wrong because – unlike my husband – I don’t talk in my sleep.
Do you blog? If you do, why? What keeps you blogging?
May 10, 2016
Book Blast ~ No Reason to Hide by @pht97 #romance #mystery #giveaway
Title: No Reason to Hide
Author: P.H. Turner
Genre: Romance Mystery
~ Synopsis ~
Evil knows your name,
Navajo cop Jessica Akee finds the body of a young male sprawled in the weeds behind a convenience store on the Reservation. What at first looks like just another gang killing is a far more disturbing murder. On loan from the Phoenix PD, top cop Charlie Stone partners with Jessica to find the killer. She harbors a dark secret, but Charlie isn’t going to let her keep it…
he extends his hand,
Jessica’s younger brother runs with a Native gang, dabbles in rituals best left alone, and ignores Jessica’s pleas for him to turn away from the razor’s edge between good and evil.
and charms you into the abyss.
When her brother lifts the veil between the two worlds, the Shadow Warrior slips in seeking revenge. All that is human of Ricky is stripped away, and Jessica believes the last card has been played, but the Shadow Warrior turns his vengeance on her. Can Charlie save her before the demon claims Jessica as his own and returns to the bottom of the abyss?
~ Excerpt ~
My brother Ricky’s eyes stretched with fear. He wildly punched into the air. “Shoot him. Kill him,” he screamed.
I let go of him and drew my weapon using both hands to steady my gun.
“Kill him before he kills me,” Ricky shrieked and dropped to the ground. He rolled into a ball, clutching his hands on the back of his neck.
Scuff-shuffle, scuff-shuffle, Scuff-shuffle. Cold sweat bloomed on my face. The sound of a dancer in suede moccasins pricked the silence, and moonlight pierced the corners of the empty hut. No one but us in the shack.
Ricky mewled and begged me to shoot. I maintained a shooter’s stance, facing the empty corner he stared at. He scrambled in the loose sand away from me, his fists punching the air.
A deep, smooth moccasin print appeared in the sand. The footprint had drag marks that elongated the print from the dancer’s shuffled step. The print faded away, and the next step appeared. The perfectly spaced prints appeared and disappeared one at a time, forming a half moon circle around Ricky. Separating Ricky and from me. The dry, percussive sounds of the seeds from a gourd rattle whispered through the air, keeping time to the dancer, Scuff-shuffle-rattle, scuff-shuttle-rattle, scuff-shuffle-rattle. But there was no dancer.
“Kill him! He’s right there.” Ricky pointed to the air above the footsteps. “He’s come for me. Shoot him.”
Before I could react, the gourd rattle faded away, and the last foot print gradually disappeared from the sand. No new prints appeared. “Get up,” I ordered Ricky.
Ricky uncoiled from the fetal position and looked around warily. “He’s gone. You shoulda killed him. He’ll be back.” He rose to his feet and stumbled toward the door.
“Who? Who will be back?”
~ About the Author ~
I call Austin, Texas home now after working on the East and West coasts, the Rocky Mountains, and an island in the Gulf of Mexico. I’ve come full circle to live and work close to the farm my family settled in the 1850’s.
Truth is stranger than fiction, and years in the news business provided lots of peculiar characters and stories to write about. My books are set in my favorite places, the desert canyons and high mountains of the American West.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
Amazon’s Kindle Scout program has accepted my latest mystery, No Reason to Hide. Kindle Scout is reader-powered publishing for new, never-before-published books. It’s a place where readers help decide if a book gets published by Kindle Press. Please click my link
https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/3J7NFQQ1E13CJ
and vote for my novel by clicking the Nominate Me button. My book stays in the Kindle Scout program until May 22.You’re not committing to purchase the book. As a thank you from Amazon and me, you will receive a free ecopy of No Reason to Hide, if the book is accepted for publication. Please share with friends and thank you!
~ Giveaway ~
