Babs Hightower's Blog, page 145
May 28, 2014
How The Scoundrel Seduces by Sabrina Jeffries
Join us as Sabrina talks about her different pen names to her stong heroines. Learn what all she has to say.
Link to page in magazine: http://issuu.com/btsemag/docs/may-june2014/62
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Back to Buckhorn Lori Foster Review
From New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster comes a sizzling new Buckhorn Brothers novella
For odd-girl-out Zoey Hodge, the best thing about Buckhorn, Kentucky, was leaving it behind. And now she’s back—at least until she can nurse her mother back to health and hightail it out of there anew. But there’s one person she doesn’t mind seeing again. Garrett Hudson was one of the few who was always kind to her. Now he’s a firefighter—still one of the good guys, but with a sexy alpha charm that’s tempting her inner bad girl.
In school, Zoey was smart, witty and unafraid to be herself. Garrett fell hard back then, and he’s falling even faster now. As far as he’s concerned, there are all kinds of reasons Zoey should stick around. Her pet grooming business. Her mom. And the chance for him to prove that he can be her real-life hero in every way that matters….
My thoughts:
I have to admit this is the first book I have read in this series but I did not feel like I was loosing out on not reading the others. I do want to read them now.
Zoey has had to return to her hometown to take care of her mother. She wasn’t expecting for Garrett to see her but he did and she didn’t mind. He always had a crush on her and was happy to see her. She wants to hurry back and have her grooming business. Can Garrett convince her to stay and have her business there?
A fun read and sexy. You can feel the heat from the two through the pages. You want to keep turing to see if Garrett can make an honest woman out of Zoey. The characters were great and the author did a great job with all the scenes.
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May 27, 2014
The Navy SEAL’s E-Mail Order Bride by Cora Seton review
Mason Hall, Navy SEAL, knows all about difficult assignments, but his current mission is one for the record books. Not only must he find a wife—and get her pregnant—or forfeit the ranch his family has prized for generations, he must also convince his three brothers to marry, too—before the year is up. Who knew one city girl and three wayward brothers could put up such a fight?
Regan Anderson can’t wait any longer to meet Mr. Right, so she’s taken matters into her own hands. She’s quit her job, given up her nice apartment and undergone all the preliminary appointments to prepare for artificial insemination. Still, becoming a single mother is daunting, so when she spots Mason’s Wife Wanted ad on the Internet one night, she’s ready for a few laughs. She’s sure the ad must be fake, but when Mason answers back, she soon finds herself wanting more than a long distance relationship.
If Mason can just keep her talking until he makes it home from Afghanistan, he’s sure he can convince Regan he’s her man. But when he whisks her off for a trial run in Chance Creek, they’re in for an unpleasant surprise. The ranch is in ruins, the house has been stripped, and they’re going to have to work day and night to beat Mason’s deadline to win it back.
Can two strangers pull together against all odds? Or is this mission doomed to fail?
File Size: 1079 KB
Print Length: 175 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: One Acre Press (May 17, 2014)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00KEV76JI
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
My thoughts:
Mason and his brothers have to find wives to keep the ranch they have inherited. Mason gets on the computer and places an ad on a dating site. Regan responds thinking it is all a joke and he can’t be serious. Little does she know Mason is about to show up and make himself known.
Regan wants to have a family she is tired of waiting on Mr. Right to come along. She wants a baby and in a month will have her chance. When Mason comes calling can Regan stop herself from falling on love with him?
I have read the authors other series and wanted to try this one as well. She did not disappoint at all. She knows how to write a story to keep the person glued to the book. You want to know what the outcome is going to be and find yourself rooting for the characters. I look forward to the next book.
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6 Piece Bamboo Kitchen Utensils Set Review
Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.
I was happy to review the Bamboo Kitchen Utensils. I have been wanting a set for a long time and just never got around to it.
They are very durable and easy to use of course. They come with Kitchen Spoon, Spatula, Fork, Slotted Spoon, Slotted Spatula, Single Hole Spoon. Unlike Wood, Moso Bamboo is a Renewable Eco-Friendly Resource.
The best part they have a money back guarantee. A lot of places don’t offer that much any more.
You can find them on Amazon Bamboo Cutting Boards
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
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Release Day Finding My Prince Charming by J. S. Cooper
Finding My Prince Charming is a sexy contemporary romance book, which has 2 parts.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K31DCD8
Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00K31DCD8?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/finding-my-prince-charming-j-s-cooper/1119606413?ean=2940149558025
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/finding-my-prince-charming
You can find J.S. Copper
J. S. Cooper, Author
Check out my books here
Visit my website
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COVER REVEAL! ALEX: A Cold Fury Hockey Novel by Sawyer Bennett
COVER REVEAL! ALEX: A Cold Fury Hockey Novel by Sawyer Bennett
Loveswept (Random House) is thrilled to debut the cover of ALEX: A Cold Fury Hockey Novel by USA Today bestselling author Sawyer Bennett! ALEX is the first in a sexy and exciting new series that’s hot enough to melt the ice…
ALEX (A Cold Fury Hockey Novel)
Loveswept Contemporary Romance
Written by Sawyer Bennett
On sale: October 14, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-553-39300-2
About ALEX:
Hockey star Alexander Crossman has a reputation as a cold-hearted player on and off the rink. Pushed into the sport by an alcoholic father, Alex isn’t afraid to give fans the proverbial middle finger, relishing his role as the MVP they love to hate. Management, however, isn’t so amused. Now Alex has a choice: fix his public image through community service or ride the bench. But Alex refuses to be molded into the Carolina Cold Fury poster boy… not even by a tempting redhead with killer curves.
As a social worker, Sutton Price is accustomed to difficult people—like Alex, who’s been assigned to help her create a drug-abuse awareness program for at-risk youth as part of the team’s effort to clean up his image. What she doesn’t expect is the arrogant smirk from his perfect lips to stir her most heated fantasies. But Sutton isn’t one to cross professional boundaries—and besides, Alex doesn’t do relationships… or does he? The more she sees behind Alex’s bad-boy façade, the more Sutton craves the man she uncovers.
Get your copy of ALEX (A Cold Fury Hockey Novel)
Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo | Other retailers
About Sawyer Bennett
USA Today bestselling author Sawyer Bennett is a snarky Southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.
Connect with Sawyer
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Street Team
Connect with Loveswept
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Street Team
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May 26, 2014
Self Help books
The newest book has been released, Facebook for Authors and thought I would take this moment to share all of my books.
Getting help to promote your book just got easier. Public Relations for Authors Take Hold of Your Own Promotions will help you locate that special publicist who will help you promote your book the right way. A Publicity Director for two publishers Babs brings knowledge to this book.
Public Relations teaches you why you need a publicist and how to find the right one for you. To understand what you need she covers:
How publicity can help sell books
What you need to know about publicity
Writing Pitches
Media Kits
Press Releases
Where to find a PR agent
What to send to your PR agent
The Ultimate Goodreads Guide for Authors is the must have book for all authors. Every author has heard of Goodreads – some like it, some not so much. With over 120 color graphics, this book leads you through the process of creating your account, adding your books, making friends and so much more.
Let us share with you all those little gems of networking potential that Goodreads offers, such as:
- Blog posts
- Excerpt downloads
- Widgets
- Apps
- Event invitations
- Groups
- Polls
- Lists
- Trivia and Quizzes
- And many more
The Ultimate Goodreads for Authors is the most comprehensive book available today. Suitable for all authors, from the newly published to the experienced. It has something for everyone to learn.
The Newest Book from Bestselling Authors Barb Drozdowich & Babs Hightower
Facebook for Authors is the fifth book in the ongoing series focused at helping authors understand and use technology named Building Blocks for Author Success. With this book we take a step by step approach to creating your Facebook personal profile and author page, and give you some hints and tools to help you develop and present a professional face to the world.
With the help of this book you can become proficient in:
Creating Tabs
Setting up Street Teams and other groups
Mastering Facebook Events & Parties
Initiating and Managing Facebook Ads
˃˃˃ Are you struggling to use Facebook to your advantage as an author?
We will cover all aspects of Facebook from the initial setting up of a personal profile to controversial topic of Facebook Ads. We lead you through every topic with clear color graphics that everyone, regardless of skill level, can follow.
˃˃˃ Are you trying to connect with more readers and reviewers?
Facebook is the place where 1.15 Billion people, speaking over 70 languages, hang out. Lots of readers and reviewers are on Facebook. Stop feeling uncertain and attack Facebook with confidence!
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May 25, 2014
The Hitchhicker’s Guide to the Galaxy Giveaway
Give Away… Why?
To celebrate Towel Day.
To honour Douglas Adams, an author supportive of derivative fiction.
To introduce a novel of a similar vein to The Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy (see below)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
It’s no secret that The Writer’s Coffee Shop’s first major success was a work of derivative fiction. Whilst E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey, was not the first fan fiction to be pulled, reworked and published, it certainly appears to have been the piece responsible for the often heated debate on the merits of such endeavours.
Douglas Adams is one of many authors who embraced derivative works as this article; “Hitchhiker’s Fan-Site Started By Douglas Adams Shows Why Authors Shouldn’t Panic Over Derivative Works” from the bring a towel dept of Case Studies by techdirt, indicates.
Case Studies by techdirt have explored how content creators in a variety of mediums have handled derivative works, particularly musicians, TV/film and authors (all very interesting articles). They concluded that…
“the responses are predictably varied, with some creators embracing derivatives, some abhorring them, some that draw the line on commercial use, and others that use derivatives to build even further works. The least controversial of the lot is work done by fans, of course. Few creators want to go to war with fans that love their work so much they make fan films, or write fan fiction.”
Douglas Adams not only allowed derivatives of THHGTTG, he also started the site h2g2 The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition to encourage it – a phenomenal, generous and memorable way to give back to his fans. Is it any wonder that he is remembered each year world wide on towel day?
So wear a towel, take a picture of it and share the love with your online community. And if you feel like it enter the Give Away for a chance to win one of three great prizes… The Amazon Gift Card, a copy of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy or a copy of Everybody Out of the Laundromat, I Need to Think by Phil G Glenn (see summary and cover below)
…Oh and check out the site http://www.techdirt.com they have some awesome case studies.
When the ordinary life of Virgil Blaine crosses the path of the even more ordinary Doug Coulthard, it sets off a series of extra-ordinary events. Doug Coulthard is a Filing Clerk and the President of the Unpublished People’s Poet’s Party –Political Unit (UPPPPU) where a catastrophe has just happened; two of his long time members have been published. The UPPPPU goes on a recruiting drive by distributing leaflets, one of which finds its way into Virgil Blaine’s pocket. Virgil Blaine, who is a slight poet himself, attends one of the meetings where he meets Forward Slash who offers Virgil Blaine a job. The offer comes with two things Virgil Blaine has never had; a job and a car and on a whim he accepts. The problem is, through no effort of his own, his position is suddenly elevated. Virgil Blaine says the job is ‘messing with his DNA – Deliberate Non-Achiever’ and he misses his old life and so hatches a plan to get it back…Though very ordinary, Doug Coulthard has the distinction of being only one of four hundred and thirty one Earth creatures who have been abducted by Aliens. The Aliens took Doug to the Canis Minor and back, a round trip of 3.02 parsecs. Due to the spacecraft’s immense velocity Doug was left with an annoying and sudden ‘tic’ which is to nod his head up and down rather abruptly every four minutes. And now the Aliens are back to take Doug on a ‘quite a few years since we last picked you up’ Reunion Party which turns out to be one of the worst experiences of Doug’s life….If you would like a review copy of Everybody Out of the Laundromat, I Need to Think! by Phil G Glenn, please email marketing at the writers coffee shop dot com
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✰★✰Exciting Announcement✰★✰ by J.S. Copper
New York Times Bestselling Author of The Ex Games and The Private Club, J. S. Cooper has a new sexy, suspenseful trilogy coming. The Swept Away series will be published by Simon & Schuster’s, Gallery books, and the first book Illusion will be out on October 21st, 2014.The day started like every other day…Bianca London finds herself kidnapped and locked up in a van with a strange man. Ten hours later, they’re dumped on a deserted island. Bianca has no idea what’s going on and her attraction to this stranger is the only thing keeping her fear at bay.
Jakob Bradley wants only to figure out why they’ve been left on the island and how they can get off. But as the days go by, he can’t ignore his growing fascination with Bianca.
In order to survive, Bianca and Jakob must figure out how they’re connected, but as they grow closer, secrets are revealed that may destroy everything they thought they knew about each other.
Preorder Illusion here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JHIDO3G
Add Illusion to Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21927217-illusion?ac=1
Preorder Illusion on Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/illusion-js-cooper/1119128101?ean=9781476791036&itm=1&usri=9781476791036&r=1
Preorder Illusion on iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/illusion/id856185925?mt=11
Add Illusion to Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21927217-illusion?ac=1
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Binds That Tie /Guest Post by Kate Moretti
The Importance of BackstoryI love a good backstory. I love a flashback or a memory, something to tie me to a character and give me a reference point. I love learning about the characters pasts: where they came from, mistakes they’ve made, why they are they’re irrationally angry at the word or afraid of commitment, who has hurt them.
Some stories are told linearly, but the vast majority of novels jump around in time, incorporating backstory and flashbacks. If the writer does it well, then the reader hardly notices. Clumsy flashbacks, at the worst, can halt the action and jar the reader. It can be difficult to balance the need for forward motion in the plot, and character building backstory.
A trick I’ve used in each book is to find the key point at which the character’s relationships changed in the past, and dedicate an entire chapter to it. In Thought I Knew You, this point was centered around the shift in Claire’s relationship with Drew and her husband, Greg, after her daughter’s birthday party. It was fully dramatized and comprised of one whole chapter.
In Binds That Tie, I used the same technique when exposing the relationship between Jake, Maggie’s boyfriend at the time, and Miranda, Maggie’s sister. The chapter is a pivotal point in the book and needed significant page space to fully understand the thought processes of all three characters, and how that affects their decisions throughout the book. Maggie to stay accepting and silent, at the expense of her self-respect, Jake to pretend as though his actions were perfectly acceptable, and Miranda to act as though she had a right to her sister’s boyfriend.
Binds That Tie builds flashbacks into almost every chapter, either in small snippets or full paragraphs. Maggie and Chris are fully defined by their pasts, unable to let go of mistakes, their own and each other’s. An important part of Binds That Tie was Maggie’s relationship to her parents and her sister, and how it had always been cold. One of my favorite snippets in the book exposes a crack in the veneer of Maggie’s perfect, rich little childhood:
Maggie had some flashes of beach vacations, exotic locations and bright, bright sun with blue water, and staying in houses with cold marble floors. Her father’s silver hair, glinting and plasticky, his eyes hidden behind dark glasses. Her mother saying, “Shhhh, don’t yell, you’ll wake your father,” as they made silent sand castles. Her mother, preening and fluffing around her father as though he were an exotic bird. Maggie and Miranda were unwelcome appendages, interruptions to their carefully calculated life. Maggie remembered watching her parents kiss and wondering what it felt like to kiss glass. Maggie pushed the thoughts of her father down where she always pushed them. Somewhere deep inside her was a pit of memories as sharp and cutting as the day they’d happened.
Another effective strategy for sneaking in backstory is to do it during dialogue. I tend to steer clear of this because I’ve never been able to do it effectively. Whenever I try, it sounds terribly contrived. I do, however, like to drop hints in dialogue:
Jake stepped back and shook his head. “We’re still family, right? And we’ve known each other for what? Twenty years? Why wouldn’t I help you?”
“I don’t know. Ever since Vermont, everything has been so screwed up with us. And now, here you are—”
“Where is your head, man? Why are you thinking about that? Vermont was six years ago. Just yes or no, do we have to talk?”
The goal here is to get the reader to think: Hmmmm what the heck does that mean? Then wait a little bit, although I wouldn’t recommend waiting more than a chapter or two, to tell the story.
I think that the events of character’s pasts are important when trying to get the reader to understand their actions, thought processes, decisions, and the truly gifted writers get the reader fully invested in a character and to understand motivations that perhaps the character themselves do not understand. This is always my goal, although I admit, I have a lot to learn.
I’ve recently read Laura Lippman’s After I’m Gone. The story jumps around in time, back and forth, delicately weaving together the disappearance of Felix Brewer, from the point of view of his wife, his mistress, and his daughters. The backstory in this novel really is half the story and Lippman does this so incredibly effortlessly. There are novels I read for fun, and rarely think about after I’m done with them. Others, I keep flagged in my mind as novels I can learn from, whether it be realistic dialogue, or fascinating mannerisms, flawless characterization or master of tensions. After I’m Gone is a novel that I will return to again and again, to understand how to thread the character’s pasts into the present. I thought it was brilliant.
When all is said and done, the present action is the most important part of the story, but understanding the “why’s” of your characters is imperative to a deeper, more memorable tale.
Kate Moretti’s first book, Thought I Knew You, made the New York Times Best Seller list last week!
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