Cara Faith Donvovan's Blog, page 103

Beautiful Failure - Mariah Cole

  

If you're looking for a heartwarming story about a girl who falls deeply in love with a troubled boy who changes her life--a sob story with pretty metaphors and a million ways that'll tell you how "broken" she is, STOP. Don't read another word of this. 
I'm not that type of girl. 
My name is Emerald Anderson and I'm not going to bullshit you: I flunked out of college after my sophomore year, I've been fired from every job I've ever taken, and I've never had a fully functioning relationship in my life. 
I wish I could say that I had a cheerleader in my corner, someone who says, "No, Emerald--You're great and you are good at something!" but I don't. My grandparents are completely oblivious to my life, and my mother's dying words to me were "You're going to end up just like me one day. A beautiful nothing." 
She was right.
As I decide to start my life over and take two jobs that will forever change me--one from the inside, and one from the outside, I keep my mother's words close to my heart so I can keep the sexy and mysterious Carter Black away. 
He's the first man who's ever pursued me, the first man who seems bent on finding out why I am the way I am, but he's wasting his time. 
I'm not broken. I don't need to be fixed. I'm perfectly fine being a beautiful failure...

 
AMAZON / AMAZON CA / AMAZON UK / BARNES & NOBLE
 
 

My mother was a whore. Her name was Leah Isabelle Anderson—“Leah Belle” for short, and she was one of New Jersey’s most sought after escorts.With deep green eyes that could take any man’s breath away, and skin so porcelain and smooth that it looked too perfect to touch, she was breathtakingly beautiful. Often compared to a supermodel, her raven black hair fell past her shoulders, and her naturally long eyelashes were always coifed to perfection.  Growing up, I had no idea what she did with the men who picked her up in their shiny and expensive cars—the men who wore thousand dollar suits and patted me on the head while saying, “Your mom is really something special.” In a way, these strangers became the closest thing I had to a family since I never knew my father: Her regulars, Christian and William, sent me gifts every Christmas. Arnie bought me my first bike, Steve taught me how to change a tire, and her most ruthless suitor—Vincent, took me shopping for designer clothes once a month. Leah Belle—she never ever let me call her “mom,” wasn’t exactly a mother to me; she was more like an older friend. An older ‘I’ll-be-there-when-it’s-convenient’ friend. She missed every elementary school play, every middle school writing competition, and never gave a damn about my grades. At first, the involuntary loneliness bothered me, but after I created an army of invisible friends and easily accessible fantasies, I came to terms with her neglect and happily accepted any attention she was willing to give me. When I became a teenager, she started to hang around me more often—promising that she would do better, promising that she would make sure that “from here on out, [we’d] be best friends.” Since she’d run away from her parents after having me at sixteen, she made a point to never lecture or discipline me. She did however, teach me three very important lessons:1.) “Always put tons of effort into the way you look. You need to be beautiful on the outside, no matter how fucked up you are on the inside. If you ever feel sad or depressed, suck that shit up and add more mascara.”2.) “Don’t make friends. Make sponsors. If you can’t get anything out of someone or use them for a specific purpose, kick that person out of your life ASAP.”3.) “Beauty wins over brains every time. Your body will always be your most important asset. Remember that.”For my fourteenth birthday, she poured me my first shot and offered me a short line of coke, saying, “Welcome to life, Em!”I shook my head at the coke—I’d read about the effects, but I happily took the red shot glass from her hand.  “To the best fuckin’ daughter in the world!” She lifted her glass in the air, waiting for me to do the same, and then she ordered me to toss it back.The initial burning sensation was painful—disgusting, but in the years to come, that bitterness tasted better and better, and I looked forward to the two of us drinking together. It was the only time that she gave me her undivided attention. In those moments, I would tell her about another writing competition I’d won or how I’d received more early college scholarships. When it was her turn, she would tell me about “turning tricks” like other parents told their kids about a day at the office.“I can’t tell you how weak Ben’s dick was today,” she’d say. “I mean, I feel like I should be charging him double for the weak ass fucks he puts me through.”“You don’t enjoy it with him? Ever?” I’d ask. “No. Never with him. But he’s a sponsor, I’m getting his money, and that’s all that matters. I just lie there, scratch his back, and say ‘Harder… Harder’ to make him think I’m into it until—”“Until he cums?”“Yep.” She’d pass me a cigarette before sighing. “With him and a few others, I usually have to take a few shots beforehand to numb my mind. With the really good ones, all I have to do is relax. Sex can be fucking incredible when it’s done right…”One particular Friday, after she let one of her regulars take me shopping for a Chanel bag, I unlocked the door to our home and saw droplets of blood all over the floor. “Leah?” I set my shopping bag down. “Did you get another nose bleed?”No answer. I headed into the kitchen, looking for her usual remedies—hot tea and Q tips, but she wasn’t there. “You here?” I walked around our living room and checked all the rooms upstairs. Confused, I pulled out my cell phone and called her. No answer again.I shrugged and opened a bottle of vodka, tossing back a few shots. I figured she’d left with one of her sponsors for a quickie and would be back by the time our favorite show started.I decided to take a shower before it came on and headed into the downstairs bathroom. The second I hit the lights, my heart fell out of my chest. I wanted to believe that what I was seeing was simply a sick joke by my imagination—a twisted fantasy I’d snap out of in seconds.Pale and blue, Leah’s body lay lifeless in our tub. Her left arm was dangling over the edge, and the small velvet bag where she kept her cocaine was dangling from her fingertips. Scattered across the floor were hundreds of prescription pills and empty orange bottles that bore the names of strangers. On the vanity, there was an empty syringe and a folded note that read “For my Em…”Trembling, I rushed to her side and pressed my finger against her neck, hoping for a pulse.Nothing. I tilted her head back and tried to breathe life into her—pressing her chest with my hands every few seconds, but it was no use. She was gone.I sank down to the floor in tears—cursing her, hating her, for doing this to me. To us. I had no friends to call, no family either, so in my numb and dazed state I somehow managed to call 9-1-1. While the operator attempted to calm me down by asking me to take deep breaths, I walked over to the vanity and unfolded Leah’s last note:
Em,I know you’re confused right now, but I want you to know that I love you. I love you so fucking much… You were the only thing that made my life worth living, and I wish I was strong enough to keep that in mind…I’m not.I’m tired of living a lie and I haven’t been happy in a very long time… I just can’t take it anymore…I’ve fucked up a lot of things in my life, but the biggest regret I have is the way I raised you…I’m so sorry… This is going to be hard for you to believe—especially since I’m gone, but I need you to forget all that shit I taught you. Right now.Fuck using your looks to get what you want. Go to college and do some good shit with your life, like write or something. You’re a good writer, you’re very smart, and you need to use your brain to get ahead. Can you promise to do that for me, Em?Then again…It’s probably too late and I’m willing to bet that you’ll end up just like me: A beautiful nothing…It won’t be your fault though. It’ll be—
I stopped reading and flushed that note down the toilet. Her last words were clearly written out of sadness and they were only compounding my pain.  As far as I was concerned, Leah had raised me the best she could and she was far from a “beautiful nothing” in my eyes. In fact, I cherished every single thing she’d taught me.Even though I was beyond hurt that she’d selfishly left me all alone, I was determined to remember her at her best and for everything she was to me: My mother. My best friend. My role model.

 

  

 
  
 FACEBOOK / GOODREADS
Mariah Cole is a Starbucks addict (hazelnut shots, please!), New Adult author, and an incessant daydreamer. Known for pushing the envelope, she's an avid reader of indie books and is always looking to chat with readers and authors alike.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by:
 
Thanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

My Last Resolution - Whitney G

 
 

My boyfriend is an asshole. 
A pure, one of a kind, I-wish-I-was-making-this-up asshole. Every year, I write "Dump his ass" as my most important resolution, but I've never done it. 
Until now.
Well, kind of...
Instead of showing up to our "secret" engagement party, I've shown up to the airport--ready and willing to go wherever the next flight is bound. Determined to keep and fulfill all of my resolutions, I'm proud of myself for finally striking out on my own. Until I never make it to my final destination. Until the sexy stranger who sat next to me on the plane changes everything. Until my "last resolution" is fulfilled a lot earlier than I thought...
 



Prologue
Eleven.
Not ten. Not twenty. Eleven.
Ever since I was a little girl, my mom would force me and my sister to list our resolutions at the end of the year. She’d tell us to fold them up and carry them in our pockets as a reminder, and to make sure that the last one (“lucky number eleven”) was the most important one of all.
I never understood the purpose behind those resolutions, and in the early years I’d do it just to make her shut up. I’d write things like, “Stop telling Mom that she gets on my nerves,” “Learn how to dropkick the boy who always pops my bra straps,” “Steal better snacks from the cafeteria at lunchtime.”
Yet, as the years passed and I entered high school, I started to take them a little more seriously: “Lose lots and lots of weight by the summer.” “Try to work on my writing every day.” “Stop trying to fit in so much and just be myself.” And I always looked forward to writing that number eleven. Although it was supposed to be a goal, mine was more like a dream: “Find a real life bad boy, make him fall in love with me, and live wild and carefree together for the rest of our lives.”
Unfortunately, I didn’t find him in high school—that “lots and lots of weight” took way too long to lose, and the lames that came shortly after were only interested in having sex.Very, very bad sex.
My real life bad boy stormed into my life during my senior year of college, in the form of a sweet-talking, former womanizing, ultimate-alpha-male-sweetheart named Adrian Smith III. After preventing me from nearly walking into a moving bus, he told me I was “the sexiest woman [he’d] ever seen,” and the rest was history.Our love affair was fast and frantic, uncontrollable and overwhelming; it was so reckless and volatile that it almost became an obsession.
I fell in love with him after only a few weeks, but I knew he was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
He was my dream.
My number eleven.
After we graduated college—when things began to slow down and settle, we decided to stay together for the long haul. We had separate goals and aspirations, so we promised to strive for them while still hanging on to each other.
Unfortunately, that’s where the nice version of my story ended.My life with Mr. Bad Boy became more of a tragedy than a love story, and at the end of last year I did something I hadn’t done in years…
I changed my number eleven.
 
WEBSITE / GOODREADS / FACEBOOK
A self diagnosed candy addict, travel junkie, and hypochondriac, Whitney Gracia Williams LOVES to write about characters that make you laugh, cry, and want to (in the case of Selena Ross) reach through your Kindle and slap them.
She is the "imaginary bestselling" author of the Jilted Bride Series, Mid Life Love, Wasted Love, and Captain of My Soul. When she's not locked inside her room, feverishly typing away on her laptop, she can be found here: http://www.whitneygracia.com She also loves getting emails from her readers, so if you want to tell her how much you loved (or hated) her stories, email her at whitgracia@gmail.com.
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway  Hosted by: Thanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

Review of Raw - Bella Aurora *SPOILERS*

Have you ever got so angry after reading a book you had to share it with someone?  Okay, well how about reading a book that you hated so much you loved?  As in 5 star love, would give it more but they don't allow you to rate any higher, love/hate.  That's how Raw made me feel.  Spoiler Alert, because I'm about to dissect my thoughts here, like I didn't want to do on the major retail sites.  Raw left me feeling just that, torn apart, angry, amazed, frustrated, even thinking that some people just don't deserve to be on this earth.  So yeah, I think the book got to me.  The author claims it's not a love story, and she's right!  It's a great story that will make you want to consider physical violence to the characters and should be made into a movie!

I'm sitting here just trying to process what it is about this book that brought me to the point of wanting to rip these characters out of my Kindle, smack them around, and take them to the nearest psychiatric ward. Twitch is a sadomasochist with some serious mental issues, and that's being nice.  The guy needed to have his assets kicked until he hit the floor then should've been allowed to wake up only to have it happen again.  I hated him.  Not just, man what a jerk off kind of hate, I wanted to rip off his... well you know... and slap him in the face with it a few times.  So let's get to Lexi!

Lexi, I got her in the beginning.  She was almost raped by her stalker *might mention that Twitch was her stalker* who saved her from being raped, and she felt gratitude toward him.  So okay, when she gives in to his demented mindset the first time you could almost forgive her for being stupid.  But does she wake up?  Hell to the no, she continues to allow him to abuse her, and by abuse it's more mental in my opinion, because she just can't resist.  Cue me wanting to smack her around for being so stupid!

The things this man does are beyond what any sane woman would put up with.  And it just keeps going until you're ready to scream in frustration.  Then you get to the point where you decide if the stupid woman keeps going back, she deserves what she gets!   So I'm so mad now that I just think they both deserve each other and I'm reading along, rolling my eyes at their insanity, when the next hit comes!  Holy crap I was even madder than before.  You know what?  I'm not going to tell you what he did because I think you should suffer through it too!

I will say that I had no pity for Twitch in the end.  He got exactly what the hell he deserved and I went to bed smiling about it.  Can you tell I'm still angry?  So Raw is a book that I will never, as long as I live, ever forget.  I will say that I have never hated characters this much and at the same time loved what I was reading.  I recommend this book because it's just that unforgettable.  Is it a love story, uh no!  But it's an emotional journey that will leave you reeling long after the last page.

You can find all the links on the Goodreads page here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18468559-raw

Thanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

Private Show Debut - Danielle Torella

Tess has just discovered sex. And now, she’s about to discover sex as a weapon.

The Seattle barista and art student is happy with her beautiful Brit boyfriend, Ben — especially in the bedroom. But while Ben’s her first, she’s hardly his. And Ben’s sexual history seems to be popping up in Tess’s face like something out of a zombie movie, and it has her questioning his commitment — and questioning whether his appealing alpha maleness is just a cover for a controlling personality.

Maybe one that’s meant to keep her from asking too many questions.

Is Ben the problem, or is everybody from his past the problem?

Tess is asking the questions, and pushing hard for answers.

Is Nicole, the ex-fiancé who cheated on Ben, trying to worm her way back into his life? Was there something between Ben and Tess’s best friend, Erin? Or what’s going on with Ben’s adored teenage sister, Caroline, and Ben’s best friend Dan? And how did Ben get Tess a job interview with Mr. Andrews, his sophisticated but slimy boss at the music magazine?

As Tess comes to learn, relationships — especially sexual ones — are as much about power as love. With each new discovery, she finds herself in a struggle to hold her head together as much as her heart.

And to find where her own power lies.

Buy Now

 Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA  Barnes and Noble Smashwords KOBO  Private Message Goodreads Link


Did you somehow miss the first book in the series?

Tess has never had sex. Believe it or not, she’s never had a decent kiss.

The aspiring Seattle painter and photographer is still recovering from the trauma of being beaten and nearly raped at a rock show nearly three years before. So she keeps life simple: she goes to school, goes to work in a coffee shop, goes home, goes on living.

But then Ben’s naked body crashes—almost literally—through Tess’s wall against the world.

Ben is doing his dad’s art-teacher girlfriend a favor when he agrees to pose nude for her drawing class. But what he draws is the interest of the irresistible punk-looking girl—and it’s interest he reciprocates, with interest.

Their sexual chemistry is too much to resist. But it’s when they have their clothes on that their heat quickly slips on ice. Ben’s womanizing history is one thing, but it’s history of another kind—related to that fateful night at the rock show—that threatens to tear the young lovers apart forever.   Add it to your Goodreads Reading List!




  Goodreads Website Facebook

Hi! I am Danielle live in Western New York with my husband and two sons. I never knew I had a dream to become a writer until I started becoming obsessed with reading in the last two years. The obsession began with Twilight and then matured to Fifty Shades. While used to reading mainstream best sellers, found a new love for indie authors. I love to do paintings related to the books I read and eventually turning into Pushy Girl Paintings and now do work for other indie writers and readers. My first book idea started from a dream I had one night and became obsessed with the story and started writing. Now having arguments with the people in my head and loving every moment of it, even when they take control of the story.

Thanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

Hedge Your Bets - Kimberly Kennedy Release Day

 
 
The City of Sin Never Looked so good...
For Jessi Jones Las Vegas has been a curse and a sanctuary for the last ten years. She loves and returns every year to the hotel she used to work at but remembers a time her heart was broken, right in the lobby, by him...
Nathan Skye might have left her in Las Vegas but now he's back, to pull off the ultimate con and he needs Jessi to complete it. He's going for the jackpot, and the stakes are his queen of hearts. Add in a ex-model boss, the world of high fashion, some priceless jewels, and a few too many people trying to con the system for a wild ride in the city that never sleeps.
Around 40,000 words a contemporary adult romance w/ spicy love scenes. This is not an erotic romance. 

 
   
US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I13NZX2
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00I13NZX2
 
“Jessi, I need your help with something.”"Oh that's rich Nate. Really nice. Why would I ever want to help you? You were the one who left me, remember?" "It's just one little favor. It'll be done by the end of weekend, and then you will never have to see me again. I promise." "Look buddy, you need to get out of my room before I call security. I don't think you can sweet talk them into letting you stay.""How are you going to do that? You are in a bathtub and your phone is conveniently located in my back pocket." She thought for a moment about what was behind that back pocket and how nice it would be to just sneak a quick squeeze before she banished the thought."Honestly Nathan. What is this favor you need?""I'll tell you tonight over dinner."She dunked down into the bathtub muttering to herself. Dinner? Not a good idea. Not with him. She might do something stupid. Like jump him from over the table, or hit him over the head with a plate! Coming back up she slicked her hair back then gave him a killer look."Where is my towel?""Oh...I don't know. I probably picked it up and put it back in the bathroom. Couldn't let you get away without me getting what I want now could I?"He gave her a smug grin then quickly felt it melting off his face as she suddenly raised herself out of the tub, hot water and bubbles sliding down her naked form. She stepped from the water as he jumped up and off the edge of the bed. He hadn't expected that move from her. And oh boy, what a move... she was completely grown up now. Lush curves in just the right spots rounded out ever so slightly, where a coltish twenty two year old figure had once lived. She slid up to him with an impish look on her face, wearing nothing but a few lingering bubbles. She got real close, the steam rising from her breasts to hit him right in the face, more painful than the earlier slap he had received. Sliding her hands up his chest he inhaled raggedly, then said in a small voice that was horse with longing, "Please don't knee me again. I don't think I'd survive it." She slid her hands around to his back. "Oh, there's only one thing I want from you right now, stud." Her voice was low and seductive while the scent of her, woman and something earthy and exotic wafted up to him as he inhaled quickly, trying to keep a grip on himself, not to mention control over his suddenly raging body that was making him feel like some untried teenager faced with Mrs. Robinson. "And what's that?" He barely chocked out. Had he actually squeaked on that last note?!? How long ago had he last done that? She boldly placed both hands squarely on his gorgeous derriere, and squeezed, causing his knees to begin shaking. Jessi began shaking as well, from anger. “My phone. You lied. Where is it!?”“In the back pocket… of my dress pants.” “Arg!” She pulled her hands reluctantly off his tush but couldn’t help a quick smack. she walked away towards the bathroom leaving him in a puddle of lust and nerve endings. She walked towards the bathroom, leaving him in a puddle of lust and nerve endings, before calling over her shoulder as he held his breath. "Fine. You win this round. Pick me up in two hours.” The door shut behind her leaving a scent of temptation that Nathan broke from with a fair amount of difficulty. He figured he'd take the ice bucket with him back to his room. It would be the perfect end to the cold shower he was in serious need of. 
 


FACEBOOK / WEBSITE / GOODREADS / PINTEREST
Kim has always been a creative soul, bouncing back and forth between various crafts and arts. The only one she kept bouncing back to was writing. Being an only child meant creating her own worlds, full of characters that were a combination of people she knew and quirky qualities she thought more people should have.
She now lives in Denver while she waits on prince charming, kissing a few frogs along the way. She’s having a blast vacationing, writing, trying out the amazing culinary and beer centered landscape that is Colorado, loving the mountains, and motoring around in her little grey Barbie car convertible. Email at KimberlyKennedyWrites@yahoo.com 



a Rafflecopter giveawayHosted by: Thanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

Taking a Whore on Tour

Enticing Journey Book Promotion is taking a Whore on tour starting today!  Thanks so very much to the bloggers (listed below) who are taking part in the virtual tour.  My gratitude forever to Ena at Swoon Worthy Books for making this possible!  I hope you'll all stop in and visit these great blogs!  These folks are the heart of the industry, helping get the word out for authors and introducing readers to their next favorite book.  I've seen how much work they put into these things, and believe me they all deserve a huge raise!  Thanks so much for the love guys!  I'm so glad I could take an enticing journey with you and Whore!

Blogs Spotlighting Whore

http://alphasauthorsbooksohmy.info/
http://sassygirlbooks.com
https://www.facebook.com/theloveofagoodbook
http://readingbythebook.com
http://beccaannesbookreviews.blogspot.com
http://beaniebrainreader.blogspot.com/
www.thebookhookers.com
www.chapterbreak.com
http://bookjunkygirls@gmail.com
http://bookienookiereviews.blogspot.com/
loveussomebooks.blogspot.com
http://foxylutely.blogspot.co.uk/
http://broadwaygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com
http://tiffanytalksbooks.com
http://www.xscapefromreality.com
http://onceuponadreamreviews.blogspot.com/
Http://thelovelybooksbookblog.blogspot.com
http://www.herjuicyreads.com
http://www.reviewingromance.com
http://rosesbooksnobs.weebly.com/index.html
http://swoonworthybooks.com
www.facebook.com/boundbybooksbookreview
http://rumpledsheetsblog.wordpress.com/
http://www.sookie72.wordpress.com
bookconsumeddiva.wordpress.com
http://www.madeforyoubookreviews.com
https://www.facebook.com/angs.sprr#!/jtonellafiorentini
http://rustysreading.com
http://booklunaticramblings.blogspot.com
http://brendasbookbeat.blogspot.com/
http://obsessionisabook.blogspot.co.uk
www.mommyslatenightbookup.blogspot.com
meangirlsluvbooks.blogspot.com
http://sweetsbooks.wordpress.com
http://metineleven.blogspot.sg/
http://www.randommusesomy.blogpspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/jackiereviewsbooksforyou
http://jessbookblog.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/SammiesBookClub
http://www.thelemonreview.com/
www.tiffsbookhangover.blogspot.com



New Adult college romanceThanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

Describing Your Book To a Bestseller!

As a romance author I know to reach readers it's imperative that I capture their interest with my book description.  Obviously I want my cover to give a first impression, but to really hook someone enough to press the buy button, they need to be interested enough to be curious about what's inside.

So what's going to inspire someone to pick up your book over the million other ones staring them in the face?  The description!  I'll be honest, I struggle with this concept.  I'd rather write an entire book than come up with a blurb that summarizes the heart of the story.  I've been known to scream inside when the right words refused to fill my brain.  So I started to think about what people would look for when searching for a book like mine.

I'm big on the alpha male virgin theme, if you haven't read my books, and that's the type of reader I want to pull in.  When writing my description, I want to make that known.  Example... if you love strong alpha males and innocent women, you'll be seduced by... Get the picture?  I'm hoping that a reader will look at that and say:  I like that topic and I'll spend a few more seconds here.   Most people are in a hurry so grabbing that extra moment in time sure can't hurt!

It's all in how you put it out there!  I can tell you as an avid reader myself that I'm looking for the things that pique my interest in a blurb and if you bore me I'm definitely not clicking the buy button.  I don't want to read a huge amount of hype either.  Two short paragraphs that gives me the details I need because if you don't catch me by then, I'm just not buying.  For me personally, I don't care for descriptions that I can't see when I first land on the page because of all the 'fluff', you know the people talking about how great this book is and such?  I want to read what this book is about and then you can share your victories with reviews.

Seduce me, make me so curious to know what these characters will do so I can't stand not looking inside or doing that quick click to read your story.  I'm going to give kudos to an author here that I haven't met, but was pulled into her book by a blurb instantly.  The title of the book was Bully and it was written by Penelope Douglas.  Here's the blurb:

NEW ADULT ROMANCE--Bully (Book 1 in the Fall Away Series)

My name is Tate. He doesn't call me that, though. He would never refer to me so informally, if he referred to me at all. No, he'll barely even speak to me.

But he still won't leave me alone.

We were best friends once. Then he turned on me and made it his mission to ruin my life. I've been humiliated, shut out, and gossiped about all through high school. His pranks and rumors got more sadistic as time wore on, and I made myself sick trying to stay out of his way. I even went to France for a year, just to avoid him.

But I'm done hiding from him now, and there's no way in hell I'll allow him to ruin my senior year. He might not have changed, but I have. It's time to fight back.

*This novel contains adult situations and should NOT be considered appropriate for young adults. It is only suitable for ages 18+ due to harsh language, violence, and sexual situations.

**All books in this series can be read as STAND ALONES.
Series Order Below:

This blurb told me everything I needed to know.  It made me want to go smack the Bully and also know why he felt the need to be such a jerk.  It was a perfect enticement and obviously it worked because this book currently ranks at #83 paid in the Kindle Store.  I'm not pushing this book, but I think it's a perfect example of how a description can lead to incredible sales.  I'd never heard of the author before the book, still I just had to read it and find out what the heck was going on!

The author tells me what type of book I'm about to read in the opening line, ropes me into the plot quickly, and sold me into buying from an author that was new to me.  No matter what type of book you're writing, the goal is the same.  If it's an action book, obviously write a description that shows that off to the fullest potential.  If you write mystery, seduce your reader with a question about the plot that they can't resist knowing the reveal for.

Play around with ideas until one grabs you.  Since I'm assuming you've read your book through several times, pick out the most interesting piece and try to work that into a blurb.  Good luck on seducing your readers and I hope you're soon describing your book to a bestseller list! 




Thanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

Body Language - Virtual Book Tour

 
Carmen Andrews hasn't spoken for a year, not since she was viciously tortured by a psychopath. Forced into silence by the trauma, she finds a new life in a new town. As a dancer, she can get away with her silence. In her head is a mess of memories, withheld frustrations, and a host of wingless dreams. When her new psychiatrist sends her to a speech therapist to help loosen her tongue, she meets Jacob Weller. 
Fresh out of graduate school, Jacob is eager to help those who are suffering from mutism and other speech and language disorders. When he meets Carmen, he finds her attractive but his high ethical standards keep him from mentioning it. But when he's blown away by another woman, his thoughts wander back to the hauntingly beautiful face of Carmen, of the emotive way she looks through him and seems to know him. As Jacob begins to treat her, he finds himself drawn more and more to her, and even begins to confide in her about himself. As his actions border on the unprofessional, with no visible changes in Carmen, he faces an emotional and professional dilemma. Carmen struggles with her demons and secrets... secrets that keep her mouth firmly shut and her heart desperately wanting. 





 Body Language by Dahlia Salvatore Genre: Contemporary Romance / Drama / Suspense Release Date: January 17, 2014 Goodreads    
     ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
I'm a thirty-two-year-old female author living in Seattle, Washington. I'm married to the love of my life and have been for ten years. I come from Coos Bay, Oregon and moved to Seattle six years ago. I love it here and don't see us going anywhere anytime soon. I've been heavily influenced by contemporary writers like J.K. Rowling, Mary Balogh, Christina Dodd, Stephanie Laurens, Laurell K. Hamilton, Anne Rice, Stephen King, and many many others. Indie authors who've influenced me (and these are just a few) are Jasinda Wilder, Michelle Hughes, Kristin Flynn, Katie Mac, Dawn Robertson, Ada Slow, Melissa Brodky, Brandelyn Harris, Brandy Dorsch, and Brandy Jellum.      
The Body Language Virtual Book Tour is a Pure Textuality Public Relations promotion.CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL TOUR SCHEDULE.  Thanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

Want to Sell Books? It's all in the Keywords, Baby!

This is what your book looks like on Amazon without keywords!  Okay, maybe not just like that because you (hopefully) have an enticing cover.  But how in the world can people find your incredible book with the million books begging for attention? Fine, don't get agitated, I'll tell you!  Keywords! You know, the same thing you type into your search browser when you're looking up a topic.

Makes sense, doesn't it?  Now of course there are other factors in play, like the categories we discussed yesterday, but keywords are a huge help to books that aren't getting the traction they need to sell!  Once again a disclaimer, I'm a romance author so if your books don't fall under this category I can only assume it works the same.

Humor me here for a minute!  Open up a new tab and visit www.amazon.com . Click on the search button and scroll down to Kindle Books.  Press that, hit enter with nothing in the search box.  Once you get a new page type in Romance without clicking anything else, you'll see these words underneath what you typed:  free romance books for kindle, romance novels, Romance and sex,  romance books, romance series, and blah blah blah.  Know what those words mean?  They are what people search for the most under that category. So you're thinking, okay crazy lady, why should I give a crap?

I knew you were thinking that, so I'll tell you!  If you can get your book to show up under those keywords then your book gets more visibility.  More visibility, means the better chance to sell.  So how do you get those keywords to associate with your book?  You visit your shelf on https://kdp.amazon.com/ and pull up the book you want to add them to and scroll down until you see "Target your book to customers".  You get seven keywords to entice readers about your story.  Seven, baby, count them and make them awesome.

Let's say for generic reasons you wrote a book about an alpha male and virgin in the romance category.  To make this work as a promotional tool, you want to go back to Amazon Kindle and pull up the search button again.  Type in alpha male romance and look at the keywords that pop up below what you typed.  Getting the idea?  Now I've got a keyword for my book that people are already searching for.  The customers are telling you what they want, so why not give it to them?  You can do the same thing with any popular theme of your book.  So I pull a keyword from Alpha Male Romance then I want to see what people look for with Virgin Romance.  What shows up is Virgin Romance Sex and a few other words I could use.

My suggestion is to come up with seven topics your book can be about and type in one at a time those topics under the Amazon Kindle search, then choose one each.  It's really not difficult and you get a better chance of showing up in the search engines when people look for a book that interests them.  Is this going to make you a bestseller?  Only the powers that be can answer that question, but it darn sure won't hurt!  The way I see things with promotion, is you give your book the best shot it can get and then hope for the best.  There's no full proof way (that I know of) to guarantee a book will sell!

I'll keep racking my brain for ideas to help! If you have any questions leave a comment or send an email!  I wish you nothing but the best on your book journey!  By the way if you don't have an awesome cover, visit my friends over at http://www.shoutlinesdesign.com/  they'll help you fix that issue!

New Adult college romanceThanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes, Cara Faith Donovan and all the Friends of Crimson!

Write Books? What's in a Category?

There's nothing worse than staring at a blank page, except having a great book that you've poured your soul into and can't seem to get people to read! What's a writer to do?  Back in 2009 when I started this crazy idea of self-publishing I was in the same spot.  I've picked up a few tricks along the way and dealt with the frustation of watching my efforts sink like the Titanic.  Fortunately, I've also discovered a few things that worked!  If you know you've got a bestseller and just need people to find your work to figure that out, hopefully these tidbits will help.

Let me start off by saying it doesn't matter how incredible your work is if people can't find it!  So we'll begin there.  Categories!  (I'll be focusing on Amazon for this)  Putting your book in the right place is the choice between life and death for any book.  Yes, it's that important.  But this is a simple process, right?  It is when you know what categories will help you get the visibility you need!  I'm a romance author, so obviously that's what I've studied.  If you write in another genre, well I'm hoping these tips might help you too!

So we know we need a category.  Unless you're already a bestselling author getting a book to reach one of the bestseller slots isn't easy.  Contemporary Romance for example, at the present time the #100 book in contemporary romance is also #419 in all the paid books on Amazon.  I'm no expert in how that levels out in book sales but judging from my own sales I'm thinking you need to be selling at least 300+ books a day to get to that #419.  Could be more or less.  (I come to this conclusion because one of my books is at #119 overall paid books and I'm selling about 650+ a day).  So listing your book as Contemporary Romance is fine but you better have another category that will help you get seen.  You can choose two categories, so my advice is to list your book where you eventually want it to be, then choose a second category that's easier to break into a bestseller list!

Yes your book is about romance, but there is also an underlying theme that could be categorized somewhere else.  An example:  Say my book was about a man marrying a woman and the main idea was their relationship.  I could list it as Contemporary Romance AND Family and Relationships, General.  Why on earth would I do something like that?  Because when you look at the top #100 books in family relationships number #100 is listed at 22,558!  Huge difference between the Contemporary Romance bestseller number of books sold, isn't it?  So who cares?  You will!  Getting your book into one of those top #100 means that people might see your book as "Hot New Release" in the sidebar on the Amazon Product Pages!

By taking the time to look at the Bestseller categories on Amazon and finding a niche that your book relates to, you are helping people find your title.  It's a pain in the butt to do this, but in my opinion worth the effort. What I suggest is going through your book and writing down a small list of categories it might fit into after looking through the bestseller categories.  Obviously you want the category to have the #100 book in the bestseller list to be obtainable.  The higher the numbers of the book, the better your chances are in getting a placement there.

This is just one step and I'll be writing more about this topic as time permits.  Feel free to leave a comment if there's anything I can help you with or you have a question.





New Adult college romanceThanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes, Cara Faith Donovan and all the Friends of Crimson!