D.E. Haggerty's Blog, page 78
May 9, 2016
How I’m a book snob #amreading #MondayBlogs
I’m just going to go ahead and admit it: I’m a book snob. No, I don’t only read literature. I’m a book snob; not a snob snob. I love a light read as much as the next overworked middle-aged woman. And I’ll read pretty much anything. How in the world am I book snob then? There are just certain overdone, typical plot devices (usually in romance books) that annoy me to death. In fact, they annoy me so much that I literally will not buy a book if it contains one of these themes. See? Told you I was a snob.
A young heroine (eighteen- or nineteen-years old) who not only dates the older man (anything older than thirty and I’m throwing my kindle across the room), but gets him to stop his whorish ways and fall in love with her. Are we just setting up a ton of young women for heart break? Here’s a clue. Men don’t change for a woman. They have to want to change. Lecture over. Oh wait, on to point 2.
Virgins. I have no problem whatsoever with a heroine (or hero for that matter) being a virgin. When. It. Fits. The. Plot! So often it doesn’t make any sense and doesn’t add to the story. And of then our virgin is deflowered and the sex is explosive and totally hot. Not one moment of awkwardness. Yeah, right. *snorts in disbelief*
Cheating. I should probably narrow that down because cheating is – unfortunately – very much a part of life and – as a motive for murder or revenge – it’s awesome because it’s totally believable. A woman scorned and all that. But when a heroine cheats on her man and then falls in love with the hero and the hero and heroine live happily ever after? Um no. Make that N.O. And don’t get me started on a hero who constantly cheats on the heroine, but she takes him back time and time again and yet they have a happy ending. Really? *Rolls eyes*
Unbelievably successful twenty-year-olds. Twenty-seven-year-old billionaire, twenty-five-year-old managing director, a blog with 750,000 followers after just a few months. And that’s not the worst part. Nope. Most of the time these far-fetched success stories aren’t even necessary for the plot itself. Heck, it might even be a good book if I could just ignore the fact that a 25-year-old woman cannot possibly have saved enough money to start a high-end clothing store in one of the most expensive cities in the world. Who said time is relative? Because it ain’t that flexible.
I won’t even get started on princes falling in love with the simply, country girl. I am a citizen of a country with royalty. Trust me, they’re just normal people. And not all that good looking (sorry if I just ruined your fantasy). And now I’m starting to wonder if I’m not a snob, but just a teensy weensy bit cynical. Nah, I’ll stick with snob.
May 8, 2016
Book Blast ~ Novus by @CrystalMarcos #sciencefiction #giveaway
Novus by Crystal Marcos
Ideal for Hunger Games and Divergent fans, Crystal Marcos delivers Novus, a riveting novel set in a dystopian future of action-adventure, suspense, and romance. Intriguing characters and a gripping storyline keep the reader turning page after page.
Being a teenager is hard enough. And what if your life’s path is predetermined? On top of that, you aren’t even Human?
Cayden was given life as a Cresecren. He expected to live out his days with the dysfunctional Human family he was assigned to serve. One fateful night, however, landed him in Gavaron, the home of maimed, elderly, or defiant Cresecren.
Beyond its borders is the Den, an area much more dangerous than he ever imagined. Now seventeen, Cayden unwittingly becomes involved in a conspiracy and is one of a handful of survivors fleeing a deadly attack. They set off on a perilous journey in search of refuge and the truth. Along the way, Cayden begins to comprehend the difference between fully living and merely surviving, while trying to balance his emotions and a forbidden love.
Awards:
~”Official Selection” Winner in the Young Adult category, 2015 New Apple Book Awards!~
~Winner Best Books in the Young Adult category, 2016 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards!~
NOVUS (The Cresecren Chronicles, Book 1) has recently received two book awards! To celebrate the eBook will be on SALE for $1.99 until 5/15/2016
Praise for the Book:
“Novus by Crystal Marcos is one of those gems that make you care about the characters within the story, and while you definitely want to know what happens to them, you can’t help but also not want to get to the end of the book. It’s the kind of book whose characters you miss when you finish the book.”
~Kim Anisi for Readers’ Favorite- 5 STARS
Excerpt
“Thanks for the help,” I said, trying to be polite.
“No problem.” As she leaned in a little closer, my toes dug into my soles. Her whisper caressed my ear. “I slipped in a couple extra bags of oats and a jug of milk.” She winked. “Don’t tell.”
I was not used to a Human being that close or that generous before. I just stood there, staring back at her.
“There you go again, staring! If I wasn’t a confident person you would give me a complex.” Linnayah bent down, lifted up a box and handed it to me. I took it and loaded the last of the boxes into our cargo vehicle.
For the remainder of our time in the Supply Depot, I tried hard not to look for Linnayah but failed miserably. I could not help it, she fascinated me. Why would she give us anything extra to eat? Why risk getting in trouble? Where does she live? What is her family like? Where does she go to school? I would like to read her school report sometime. Would she get high marks for it? Will I see her again?
Author Crystal Marcos
Award-winning author Crystal Marcos has been a storyteller her entire life. As the oldest of five children, she had to do a lot of entertaining. She lives on the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington State with her husband, daughter Kaylee, and infant son Jaxon. Crystal is the author of BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale and HEADACHE: The Hair-Raising Sequel to BELLYACHE. Novus, her third book and first Young Adult novel, is Book One of The Cresecren Chronicles.
Blast Giveaway – $100 Amazon Gift Card or $100 in Paypal Cash
Ends 5/19/16
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 participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
May 6, 2016
Getting back on the wagon #amwriting
For those of you who are about to congratulate me for my sobriety, don’t. Although I suffer from bouts of sobriety, which are normally linked to yet another attempt at dieting, I will never ever give up the happy juice for good. (If you’re a nerd like me, you can read the explanation behind the phrase ‘on the wagon’ here) This blog is about my attempt to get back on the writing wagon.
If you follow my blog (thank you!), you’ll notice I’ve been AWOL this week. That’s right – sick again. And just like the three weeks of bronchitis in March, I’m coming back from this cold not in the mood to write. Which is a pisser since I was going strong with only a few chapters left to write in my current manuscript before being struck down by this cold.
According to the dictionary, writer’s block is defined as: the condition of being unable to think of what to write or how to proceed with writing.
As a writer who has published eight books in the past three years, I know how to deal with writer’s block. I’ve got my strategies for handling that problem down pat. (In case you’re wondering, in my humble opinion, there’s really only one effective way to deal with writer’s block – Just. Keep. Writing.)
But coming back from an illness doesn’t feel like writer’s block. My characters are still talking to me. Anna (the heroine of my latest mystery) is in fact begging me to finish her story, which basically translates into a pink-haired pixie jumping up and down and stomping around in my head. Instead, I’m feeling tired and my head is fuzzy. This in fact feels like those deep, dark winter nights when my depression tries to bury me in a pile of bed covers from which I never want to emerge.
Despite the fuzzy head, tiredness, and just plain blah-feeling, I’ve somehow managed to write two chapters this week. How did I manage that? First of all, I gave myself a break. I normally write a chapter a day. This week I’ve only written two chapters and you know what? That’s okay. I’m not putting myself under pressure when I’m physically and mentally just not up to writing, writing, writing.
And those two chapters? They’re probably crap. And that’s being generous. They’re most definitely crap. I’m giving myself a break on this as well. I’m a big fan of just getting a story out and then re-writing, re-writing, and editing until I feel like the story is good enough for someone else to read. That doesn’t mean that I feel that most chapters I write are crap. Au contraire! I do several re-writes of the day’s chapter on the day itself. By the time I shut down my computer to go for my run or – if I’m lucky – play a game of tennis, I feel pretty happy with what I’ve written. This week? Not so much.
I guess the lesson here is not to be so hard on myself. I don’t need to get up on the wagon and start wagon surfing (or whatever it’s called), I can just sit on a bench and hold on for dear life. Not forever, mind you, but for a few days, there’s nothing wrong with just being a benchwarmer.
May 5, 2016
Release event for Forest of Demons by @amoscassidy #fantasy #giveaway
A new voice in High Fantasy, Forest of Demons by Debbie Cassidy, is available for download today!
No one goes into the forest alone.
No one steps off the beaten path.
Nineteen-year- old Priya has lived in the shadow of the forest all her life. She knows the rules better than anyone. Do not go into the forest alone and never stray from the beaten path. Her village has lived in tentative peace with the inhabitants of the forest for decades, until the day that someone breaks the rules.
With first blood drawn, Priya’s dreams of leaving for the Capitol are put on hold as the village goes into lockdown. The unbearable heat shifts to a bone-chilling winter and just as Priya thinks she will be trapped forever, two strangers stumble into the village with a fantastical story that will shatter all her conventions, freeing her at a horrifying cost.
Now Priya’s dreams are coming true, but in a way she could never have imagined, and the burden of protecting her people falls upon her shoulders. Will Priya succeed in delivering a message that could save them all?
From the dusty heat of a small village, to the icy grandeur of the Capitol, Priya must make an impossible journey.
Freedom always comes at a price.
Grab your copy today!
Amazon UK | Amazon US
Debbie Cassidy is a 35 year old multi-tasking ninja who lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her
three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuit s are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Debbie has been writing for eight years under the pen name Amos Cassidy with her best friend, Richard Amos, but Forest of Demons is her first solo venture, and the first book in a four book high fantasy saga.
You can connect with Debbie via her website at amoscassidyauthor.com. Check out her personal page and her other books under the pen name Amos Cassidy. You won’t be left without a great read while you wait for the next installment in the Forest of Demons saga.
Sign up to Debbie’s newsletter to get updates on her new releases: http://eepurl.com/bVywM5
Stalk Debbie Cassidy:
Facebook | Twitter | Website
Sign up to her Forest of Demons newsletter to get up to date information on new releases and take part in exclusive giveaways: http://eepurl.com/bVywM5
Sign up to the Amos Cassidy newsletter and receive two free novellas and information on new releases, exclusive giveaways and much more: http://amoscassidyauthor.com/amoscassidy-free-download/
GIVEAWAY:
$15 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
Ends 5/25
Giveaway is provided by the tour organizer, hosts are not responsible in any way. You must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 17. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.
This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.
May 4, 2016
Interview with @LesleyDiehl author of Failure is Fatal #cozymystery #authorinterview
Today I’m welcoming Lesley A. Diehl, author of Failure is Fatal, to the Readsalot Blog. She has graciously agreed to answer a whole bunch of questions for me and my readers.
You went from professor of psychology to author of mysteries. A reader can be forgiven for expecting you to write psychological thrillers. Why cozy mysteries?
I began my love of reading mysteries with Nancy Drew and the Dana sisters when I was a kid and soon graduated to Agatha Christie, so I guess cozy mysteries are in my blood. With my background in psychology, I also love writing them because they are so character focused, and creating interesting, somewhat unique characters allows me go use what I know about how people tick. That, paired with my background growing up on a farm, gives me license to develop my characters in a small town setting, the perfect backdrop for an intricately drawn set of motives for killing. I also like that I can insert serious themes into my work, especially issues surrounding family and the environment.
How does your background in psychology influence your writing?
I began writing mysteries when I retired from academe where my writing life was made up of scientific papers that demanded precision and logic in their execution. While that style of writing does not make a very good mystery novel, it does help in plotting a mystery. I like to plot, and I like the logical tightness demanded to make the twists and turns work in solving the crime. My early work shows this passion most clearly, but Failure Is Fatal reflects not only this adherence to tight plot lines, but also my desire to give the reader characters they can relate to, enjoy and like. I want readers to try to solve the crime along with the protagonist because they like her and find the puzzle of who did it compelling. My background in developmental psychology and my own aging made me want to create a mature protagonist, but one who is fully engaged in an adventurous life.
Describe Failure is Fatal in 140 characters (also known as a tweet).
The murder of a campus co-ed leads Professor Laura Murphy to investigate a fraternity’s not-so-innocent shenanigans which point directly to the killer.
Who would you pick to play the characters of Professor Laura Murphy and Detective Derrick Pasquis in a Hollywood adaptation of Failure is Fatal?
That’s so difficult because I can think of young actresses and older ones, but none in the right age range. I need a plump Angelina Jolie, perhaps Jennifer Anniston? Melissa McCarthy certainly could deliver the lines well, particularly the humor, but she’s a little too plump. As for the detective, how Denzel Washington, if he can manage a Caribbean accent.
What’s the most amusing thing that happened to you while writing Failure is Fatal ?
The research referred to in the book was actually a project students and I did collaboratively the year before I retired, and it was the best work of my career, but I left academe before I could publish it—a bittersweet, but kind of funny time for me because I had no idea then that it would find its way into a murder mystery.
Laura Murphy is a common enough name but Pasquis is somewhat unusual. How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?
Pasquis was the last name of a very good friend of mine and my husband’s. he was from Haiti, so he had that soft accent. He and his wife who was Cuban could dance up a storm. He was a lovely man, and I think it’s fitting that I used his name for my kind, bright and sexy detective.
How do I pick names? I pick them out of thin air, sometimes based upon a name popping into my head. In other cases, I simply like the name or the sound of it. Choosing the name of someone I knew for the detective as unusual for me.
What’s your favorite part about the writing process?
I love creating complicated plots and lots of plot twists. That was what first drew me to writing mysteries. In the last year, I’ve become more focused on my characters, making them more complete, by giving them greater depth of emotion and complex backgrounds. I like exploring a character’s past history and bringing it into the present. In Failure Is Fatal, a seemingly unrelated event from Laura’s past leads her to the killer.
Tell us about your next release. And when can we expect it?
In September, Camel Press will release the fourth book in the Eve Appel mysteries, Mud Bog Murder. The protagonist of this series is a woman who runs a high end consignment shop in rural Florida. She is one snoopy gal (she and Laura Murphy would race to see which of them got involved in solving a murder first; maybe they would make a good sleuthing pair).
When Jenny McLeay leases her property to be ravaged by the annual mud bog races, the small rural town of Sabal Bay, Florida, is divided into warring camps: environmental activists versus monster truck fans. Jenny, who frequents the consignment store owned by Eve Appel and her friend Madeleine, doesn’t seem to mind when Eve and Madeleine join the protesters the day of the races.
During the race, Eve catches Jenny’s airborne head after it is tossed into the air by the wheels of a truck. Even without the disembodied head, Eve has her hands full. The town resents her role in the protests and is boycotting the consignment shop on wheels. She is torn between two men—GQ-handsome, devoted PI Alex and tall, dark, and exotic Sammy. Will Eve and Madeleine ever be able to move into their new digs? Not unless the town forgives them. And not if whoever decapitated Jenny gets to Eve before she and her sleuthing buddies solve the mystery.
~ About the book ~
Title: Failure is Fatal (Laura Murphy Mysteries)
Author: Lesley A. Diehl
Published: January 21, 2016
Publisher: Creekside Publishing
Genre: Cozy Mystery
~ Synopsis ~
Someone at Professor Laura Murphy’s college appears to be playing a joke on her by planting sexually explicit stories in her research results, but the joke turns deadly when one story details the recent stabbing murder of a coed. Laura’s close friend, Detective Derrick Pasquis from the local police, asks for her help in interviewing the prickly suspects who resist intervention from outside the campus community. Eager to search out clues, Laura ignores warning signs that playing amateur sleuth may jeopardize her newly developing romance with Guy. And of course her usual intrusive manner puts her at odds with everyone on campus—colleagues, the college administration, the head of campus security and fraternity members. Is there no one Laura can’t offend in her eagerness to find the truth? The closer she gets to solving the crime, the more it appears that the past—the coed’s, that of a prominent faculty member and Laura’s own—is the key to the murder. Caught in an early winter blizzard, Laura must choose between wandering the mountains and freezing to death or taking her chances with a killer clever enough to make murder look like the work of an innocent student.
~ About the Author ~
Lesley retired from her life as a professor of psychology and reclaimed her country roots by moving to a small cottage in the Butternut River Valley in upstate New York. In the winter she migrates to old Florida—cowboys, scrub palmetto, and open fields of grazing cattle, a place where spurs still jingle in the post office, and gators make golf a contact sport. Back north, the shy ghost inhabiting the cottage serves as her literary muse. When not writing, she gardens, cooks and renovates the 1874 cottage with the help of her husband, two cats and, of course, Fred the ghost, who gives artistic direction to their work.
She is the author of a number of mystery series (Microbrewing Series, Big Lake Mystery Series, Eve Appel Mystery Series and the Laura Murphy Mysteries), a standalone mystery (Angel Sleuth) and numerous short stories.
Website ~ Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook
~ Giveaway ~
May 3, 2016
Promo Blitz ~ November Keys by @novemberkeys #comedy #fantasy
Comedy / Fantasy
Date Published: October 2014
Funny, Compelling, Unusual
A Riveting book readers will find hard to put down.
American gangsters take a very active interest in a run down English football club located in a sleepy village called November Keys which boasts an unusual history.Their main purpose is to take advantage of the club’s geography for their own dubious and very illegal means.
However, they do not allow for some tenacious villagers and things that go bump in the night to try and flaw their plans.
Things come to a head when the football team, hampered by strange characters, bizarre rituals and a priceless ancient recipe, must play a match where failure could threaten mankind.
About the Authors
We are a father and son team. Perhaps a little unusual in the publishing world, however we would like to think our relationship has improved and not impeded our debut novel.
Outside of writing we do share similar interests, both being passionate football fans with a liking for a curry and a pint.
Both have many interests, which include charity work, poetry, music, film, cinema and quiz shows.
Whilst Brian is a published author it is Michael who has invented most of the amusing characters you are going to meet in November Keys. Both writers have spent pleasurable hours burning the midnight oil, endeavouring to portray these character’s personalities and eccentricities in a light hearted manner.
Coupled with an original plot with more twists than a sixties band we hope we have created a novel that is different and humorous, which will keep our readers, young and old alike, intrigued and entertained for many hours.
Contact Links
Website
Purchase Links
Amazon
May 2, 2016
Cover Reveal ~ Kaitlin’s Tale by @ChristineAmsden #fantasy
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
Buy Links
Coming SoonPrint Release: July 15, 2016
Audiobook Release: TBA
Ebook Release: May 16, 2016
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 Noblet
Audible
Stolen Dreams (Cassie Scot #4)
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Audible
Madison’s Song (a Cassie Scot Companion)
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Audible
~ 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+
April 30, 2016
Release Blitz ~ His Possession by @ToryRichards
Erotic Romance
Date Published: 5/1/2016
Her betrayal sent him to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He’s out now, and he wants revenge!
Raze is a member of the Wreckers MC, sentenced to life for a crime he didn’t commit, by the words of his best friend’s little sister. New evidence surfaces, proving him innocent, and once he’s released he’s determined to find the woman responsible. It doesn’t matter that they had history, doesn’t matter that he’s wanted her for the better part of a decade. Rosa’s betrayal has cost him three years of freedom, and he’s going to wreck her.
EXCERPT
Once inside the small kitchen I went to the cupboard, where I knew the fucking booze was kept. I grabbed the first bottle of unopened whisky and started to reach for a glass before deciding that I didn’t need it. I needed more than a fucking shot to fuel me for what I wanted to do to Rosa. I couldn’t let her get to me. I wouldn’t. We may never have acted on our feelings for each other, but we both had known they were there.
Well, the time for acknowledgement had fucking lapsed. Her betrayal had sealed her fate, and I was ready to make her pay. I downed about three shots worth, letting the raw burn settle in my gut and fuel my hate. Running the back of my hand across my mouth, I headed for the bedroom where Rosa was locked up, thinking about her pretty face as she’d sat on the stand condemning me, hearing again her tearful words as she’d sworn that I had done the killing, and recalling the silent plea in her eyes as she’d stared at me. I’d understood then that she didn’t believe what she was saying, yet it hadn’t stopped her from lying.
I came to her door, turned the lock, and opened it. Rosa turned from the window she’d been staring out of, tear tracks lining her smooth, olive-toned cheeks. Even in her disheveled state she was fucking beautiful. Her midnight hair was shiny and half tumbling down to her shoulders. I let my gaze wander lazily down her full curves, taking in the slight changes that had occurred since I’d seen her last. She was soft and ripe, and I was going to devour her.
She took a hesitant step toward me. “How many men have you fucked, Rosa?” I asked from the doorway. My question startled her, and she halted abruptly. I could see the confusion shimmering in her eyes. Her brows furrowed. Those sweet, full lips parted as she opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out.
“How many men have been between your legs in the last three years?” I snarled, baring my teeth. She stepped back against the window in fear.
She began to shake her head. “No one,” she whispered. “There’s been no one since—”
“I was locked up?”
Tears swelled in her fucking eyes. “Raze, I’m so sorry—”
“No!” I was on her before she could finish. “You don’t fuckin’ get to say sorry, as if that will make it all go away,” I gritted into her upraised face, upraised because my hand was in her hair, pulling her head back so that she was forced to look into my eyes. I could so easily snap her neck if I wanted to. “Three fucking years, Rosa. For three fucking years your lies kept me behind bars, kept me from my club.” I swung her around and crushed her against the window, moving my mouth next to her ear. “Kept me from fucking.”
Keeping her pinned, I reached for the zipper at the top of her dress and pulled it all the way down her back. When it stopped at the top of her luscious ass I took the parted material in my hands and ripped it the rest of the way open until her whole fucking backside was exposed. I ignored her gasp, taking in the smooth slopes of her rounded ass, naked because of the thong she had on. Lust slammed into me like a freight train at the sight of all that curvy flesh. I wanted to squeeze it until she was branded with the imprint of my hand, leaving no doubt as to who she fucking belonged to.
How many times over the last decade had I imagined fucking Rosa?
“Then I guess we’re both overdo, “I grated into her ear.
About the Author
I’m a grandma who writes smut. I’m also a mother, daughter, aunt, friend, and sister who discovered my passion for writing at the ripe old age of ten. Before I received my first manual typewriter, with pencil in hand, I would jot my stories down on notebook paper. Later, after receiving that desired typewriter at the age of thirteen, I spent hours in my bedroom writing, where my parents thought I was doing homework.
I was born in Maine, where most of my family still lives today. However, for most of my life I’ve lived in Florida, where I attended school, married, and raised my daughter.
Writing is a hobby for me, and even though I’ve retired from Disney it remains a hobby. I’m happy to be making just enough “mad money” from it to be able to keep my cats fed, travel a little, and spoil my grandchildren.
For a while (many years actually) life got in the way of my dreams. A few years ago, with the encouragement of my family, I decided to get serious about my passion, and I haven’t looked back!
Contact Links
Website
Blog
Amazon
Purchase Links
Amazon
Smashwords
Giveaway
$20 Amazon Gift Card
a Rafflecopter giveaway
April 29, 2016
Spotlight on @CozyBearStudio author of #childrensbooks
Title: Kitty Conquers the Big Bully
Author: KayeC Jones
Genre: Children’s Books
Published: April 8, 2016
~ Synopsis ~
Meet Kitty, a brave and adventurous little girl who roams the neighborhood with her best friends in tow. She doesn’t think anything or anyone can scare her. Her bravely is tested when one day she finally meets her first bully. Despite being pushed around and hearing mean things about girls, she quickly learns how best to deal with bullies in her own way. How does Kitty conquer the big bully?
Buy links: Amazon
~ Author bio ~
KayeC Jones is a newly published author and illustrator who creates children’s books with her husband Russ Hughes. Both of them have been drawing since kids but only until recently did they jump into the field of children’s books. They both decided that making children smiles was what they wanted to do for a living.
Author links:
CozyBearStudio.com ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ GoodReads
How to do an author interview ~ the reader’s perspective #marketing #writing
Let me start by saying that I am in no way or manner an expert in marketing or being an author for that matter. I am, however, a voracious reader. I read at least one book a day, sometimes two, and on the not-totally-rare occasion three. I’m a huge supporter of indie writers because – duh – I am one and I try to read as many self-published books as I can. In order to find these books – because we all know Amazon isn’t much help – I follow a ton of blogs on Facebook, Twitter, WordPress, etc. I read heaps of author interviews and guest posts as well as book excerpts. What will make an author interview stand out for me? Enough that I’ll 1-click the book?
Fun. My number 1 advice to writers doing an author interview is to have fun. Sure, writing is serious business and – okay – reading is sometimes too. But picking out what book to read and finding an author you want to follow? That should be fun. Unless the interview is for a writing blog aimed towards other writers, don’t be too serious. Although many readers are nominally interested in the vocation of writing, you’re here to sell a book – not educate readers on the art of writing.
Don’t overdo it. A lot of blogs or websites that do author interviews have ready-made lists of interview questions and it’s up to the author to choose which questions to answer. Limit the amount of questions you answer to keep the reader’s attention. If I’m doing a blog tour and get several requests for interviews, I try to pick different questions from each blogger (many of the standard interview questions overlap). If you have readers who are following the tour, they won’t end up reading the same answer over and over.
Vary your answers. Oftentimes it’s unavoidable that you answer the same question with different bloggers/websites. There are just some questions that keep coming back. What’s your favorite book? or Who is your favorite author? are all-time favorites. I try to vary my answers. Not only because it’s impossible to pick a favorite book or favorite author, but also to provide different material.
Just a word of caution. It’s important that the interview reflect your writing as well as your personality. There’s nothing worse than reading a super funny interview from a writer and then grabbing the book expecting tons of laughs only to be disappointed when the book is super dark and depressing.
Any other advice for the writers out there on how to do an author interview?
