Lori L. Robinett's Blog, page 3

Little girls and horses

My newest book, Finding Clarity, takes place on the Diamond J, a horse ranch in southwest Missouri. The Diamond J is an extension of my childhood daydreams.

I used to write stories about horses, usually about a girl who finds out that someone had died and left her a horse ranch. I had detailed notes about the horses, including their names, coloring, and bloodlines. The only one I can remember now was Parker, a palomino. Several years ago my mom brought me a box containing several notebooks, and in those notebooks I found drawings of my dream ranch, which was a huge mansion with lots of bedrooms and bathrooms so I could have friends over. Surrounding that house was a series of paddocks and a huge barn. The barn had an indoor riding arena and, of course, there was a big outdoor riding ring, and trails meandered through the woods surrounding the pastures.

Just thinking about that ranch makes me happy.

I bet you had dreams when you were a kid. Leave a comment telling us about it.

And if you want to escape into the fictional world I created at the Diamond J, pop over HERE and pick your platform (Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iBooks) then preorder your copy of this fantastic box set available for a limited time only.

By the way – your purchase will benefit The American Wild Horse Campaign, a group working tirelessly to find ways to create and implement humane ways to keep our wild horses and burros safe.

WriteScouts: Self-editing . . . or, Did I seriously write that?

As you know if you follow me at all, I’ve got a new book coming out this summer. Finding Clarity is available exclusively in the Tales from Big Country box set which releases next month. In getting ready for that release, I have been doing some writerly “housekeeping.” I updated my website and began switching my email provider from MailChimp to Mailerlite, which meant I also had to update links in all my books that are already out there.

That’s when I read reviews. I try not to do that very often because, well, frankly, it can be frustrating and depressing. But when I saw the reviews of Diamond in the Rough, a couple of comments got me to thinking. They said I “must’ve run out of words.” Essentially, they thought the story ended too abruptly. So, even though I clearly remember writing that last scene with a goofy smile on my face, thinking I’d nailed a happy ending, my readers didn’t feel the same way.

So, what do you do when you see several reviews saying the same thing? You go back and fix it. That’s what I’ve been doing. Going back through the manuscript and fixing things. One of the things I noticed is something I’m astounded my critique group and beta readers missed. I use the word “just” a LOT. I figure as long as I’m fixing the ending and fleshing it out, I’m also going to fix that “just” problem.

I hope you like the newly freshened up Diamond in the Rough (I’ll give you a heads up when it’s available). In the meantime, make sure you preorder your copy of Tales from Big Country (seriously – 99 cents for this collection of books is a steal!).

Oh! Mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 19 and plan to join me and the other authors on Facebook. There’ll be all sorts of fun and prizes – including a Kindle Fire and gift cards!

Tales from Big Country: Turnback Creek

As you know, my new book, Finding Clarity, is available exclusively in the box set Tales from Big Country (available on all major platforms, including Kindle) for a limited time for only 99 cents (so don’t wait – grab this deal while you can!).

One of my favorite authors has a western in this box set. If you like Tierney James, make sure you check out her new novel, Turnback Creek.

Do you like bad boys?

Henry Boxx wore the reputation of a mean scoundrel like a badge of honor when it came to getting what he wanted. One of those things was the land that ran along Turnback Creek belonging to the Holt family. The only way to get such a prize was to make sure they met with an untimely death. Believing their small boy was away from home, he never bothered to tie up that one loose end. The day came when a lawman showed up, bent on taking back what was rightfully his, and bringing the man to justice who killed his parents.

 

Make sure you take a screenshot of your order or keep your email receipt and submit it to the huge preorder giveaway that Tierney and I and the other authors are sponsoring. It includes a t-shirt, a mug, a bullet bookmark, a travel tumbler and, hold on to your hats, a $50 Amazon gift card!

(email me for complete rules)

Cover Reveal: Finding Clarity

As I’ve said before, I’m so excited to be part of the Tales from Big Country box set. Last time, I shared the cover for the set and today . . . I’m thrilled to share the cover of Finding Clarity.

My book, Finding Clarity, is part of the Diamond J series (Diamond Hard, Denim & Diamonds, Diamond in the Rough), but can be read as a standalone.

Can you ever really go home?

Lark Gates leaves her ex-husband in the rearview mirror, retreating to the warmth and familiarity of the Diamond J Ranch where she grew up. Humiliated and alone, she hopes to use her summer break from teaching to rediscover the person she used to be.

Ryker Stewart returns to Wilder to take over the local vet clinic, and focuses on proving to everyone that he’s more than just a former quarterback. He pours all of his energy into building his business. A relationship is a luxury he can’t afford.

When Ryker responds to an urgent call about one of the Diamond J’s prize quarter horse mares in a desperate situation, he works shoulder-to-shoulder with a beautiful stranger to save the mare and her baby. Together, they pull the foal, tumbling to the ground with the effort. Ryker is shocked when he realizes the woman at his side was the pesky kid who ruined his teenage years, now all grown up with long wavy hair spilling over her shoulders and plenty of curves. Lark looks at the muscled cowboy and sees the star athlete who wouldn’t give her the time of day when they were growing up. The mare is unable to nurse, so Lark takes on the care of her foal, Clarity. Drawn together by the foal they delivered, the two struggle to reconcile the feelings they had as teenagers with the urges and desires they feel today.

Will Lark find the peace and solitude she seeks, or will Ryker challenge her to envision a whole new future at the Diamond J?

Pre-order your copy today! (Kindle reader? Click HERE!)

Make sure you keep your receipt and enter the huge giveaway (including a $50 Amazon gift card)!

Why #preorders Matter

You’ve probably seen me posting about the new box set my latest book is in, Tales from Big Country. The book comes out this summer, but it’s available now for preorder on Nook, Kobo and iBooks.

Why do I ask you to preorder? Because preorders matter a LOT. Every single person who preorders signals to the retailers that this book is worthy of looking at. Book blogs and book reviewers and promotion sites (like BookBub) often want to feature books that are already generating sales. If you preorder this box set, it opens up a lot of doors for me and the other authors who have books in this collection. There are advertisers that won’t even accept an ad unless we can prove that there is already interest in the box set.

And, admittedly, I have ulterior motives. Every single preorder counts as a sale during the book’s first week’s sales. One of my big, huge life goals is to make a bestseller list. My best chance of doing that (just like any other writer’s) is during that first week of sales. The more orders we line up, the better chance we have of making a list. (which means more books to entertain you in the future!)

So, if you enjoy Westerns of any flavor – romance, contemporary westerns, classic westerns, horror, mystery – preorder your copy of Tales from Big Country today for your Nook, Kobo, or iPad (or any of those apps for your smartphone or tablet)! You’ll earn my never-ending gratitude and you’ll be eligible for preorder bonuses. Keep an eye on this blog (and my VIP reader newsletters) for more info on those bonuses! Where else can you get this much entertainment for less than a buck?!

BTW – I invite you to join our F/B group for Readers. It’s a great place to find out more about the books in the set, and be the first to find out about freebies.

Happy reading (and thank you for your continued support and encouragement!),

Lori

Cover Reveal: Tales from Big Country

Y’all!!! I am so excited, and so honored, to be a part of this box set with such a great group of authors! Drumroll, please! Isn’t this cover awesome?! I love the way the scene carries over onto the spines of our individual books. Join me for a moment here and just admire it. Ahhhhh.

A new Diamond J story: Finding Clarity

Dang, I haven’t posted in forever. Life has been incredibly busy over the past year. In a nutshell: my daughter got married last August, my stepdaughter gave birth to grand #2 in December, and . . . drumroll, please! . . .  my youngest is expecting (#gonnabeamimi)! And while all that has been going on, I have nearly finished the first book in my new mystery series and have nearly finished the third Diamond J book!

To say I’m excited about this new book would be an understatement. Returning to the world of the Diamond J is like going home – and that’s exactly what Lark, the main character is doing. As you may recall, the last book, Diamond in the Rough, was a finalist for the RONE award (WOOT!!!!!). The new book follows that one, but any of these books can be read as a standalone.

I asked for title help on my Facebook page – and ended up using a reader’s suggestion. The title: Finding Clarity. It fits this story absolutely perfectly.

Keep an eye out – I’ll soon be posting the cover reveal!

Happy reading,

Lori

WriteScouts: Finding a Mentor

I’ve been doing this writing thing for a long time now. Over the years, I’ve seen talented writers drop out of the game. Frankly, it’s not just writers that drop out of the game. A lot of solopreneurs push forward, driven, striving to be the best, determined to make a living.

Until they don’t.

Just last week I found out that a woman who I considered a mentor, a woman who I have followed for years, took a day job with a company. This is a woman who I thought was at the top of her game, someone who I looked up to, someone I wanted to be like, the person I strove to be. What first caught my attention years ago was that she was very transparent and shared income information on her blog. She shared her methods, her processes. When she opened up a membership group that promised fresh content, proven methods, and a vibrant community of like-minded individuals, I signed up, even though it was a financial stretch for me. This wasn’t a one-time commitment; this was an annual membership fee. I’ve paid for four years, faithfully read her posts, done the workbooks, and spread the word. I’ve recommended that others invest in her program. Earlier this year, she sent a post saying that she’d been quiet, but that she was working on three major projects, including a couple that promised amazing brand development info (which I need). She was open about the fact that she’d crossed the 6 figure mark, and was working towards the 7 figure mark.

In short, I thought I had attached myself to a shooting star.

When she got quiet, I was excited. We’d been promised live videos, new content. I thought that was all just around the corner.

Then last week, I learned that she had taken a day job. I still held out hope that this was part of her plan, that she still intended to keep building her masterclass program. Instead, she posted a comment on Facebook that stung. She said she’d been looking for an exit strategy for a couple of years, that she’d run out of knowledge, and that there would be no refunds. It sounded dismissive. I read all her emails, I read her posts, I follow her on social media, I take her classes – and I had zero inkling that she was looking for an “exit strategy.”

To top it off, I discovered in that post that, unlike my annual payment, others paid a flat fee for a “lifetime” membership.

I was stung. I AM stung. I’m still not sure how to feel about this.

But what does all this mean for you? It means that you need to gain knowledge wherever you can, but that you need to know who your mentors are. Do your research. Know what your mentors can offer you. Recognize that your mentors are human. They will let you down. They will make mistakes. Take what they offer, use their knowledge – but know that the only person responsible for your success is YOU.

I hope you’ll find my posts useful. If you want to be a writer, I hope you’ll find my WriteScouts course(s) helpful. Most of all, I hope that you find my knowledge and encouragement worthy.

I sincerely want to help others achieve their dreams. I want to live up to your expectations. Let me know what your dreams are. Tell me about your obstacles. Let me know how I can help you.

An Awesome Giveaway for Book Lovers

Exciting News About a Special Giveaway!

And I’ve got really, really exciting news for you! As you know, I always give my VIP readers first chance to win free stuff. There’s a HUGE giveaway coming up called Thrillers for the Beach. Entering will be really easy – like “liking” Amazon Author Pages of new-to-you authors, sharing on Facebook and Twitter, that sort of thing. The Grand Prize is a Kindle Paperwhite (perfect for reading on the beach with no glare!) with 3 bestsellers and a bunch of other ebooks. That’s not all – one lucky runner up will receive a $25 Amazon gift card! The contest runs from April 15 – May 15, so you could have that Kindle Paperwhite in time for summer! Keep an eye on your email (and on my Facebook page) – I’ll send details on how to enter as soon as the contest opens! Maybe you’ll be the big winner!

And just a reminder – Diamond Hard is available now for only 99 cents on Amazon (and it includes a link to get a free full-length novel!). Go grab your copy now (and tell at least one friend about it!)!

 

Setting Goals

Like a lot of people, I’ve joined the Fitbit bandwagon. It was an easy choice for me, because through my employer’s wellness plan, I get points for participating and that means money in my pocket. And money always motivates me! ;o)

Anyway, my Fitbit came loaded with a goal of 10,000 steps a day. That seemed doable at first, but I quickly learned it was a HUGE challenge for me. I commute (a little over an hour a day), sit at a desk all day, then come home and write. Yeah, steps don’t come easy for me. As I evaluated my goals at the end of 2017, I realized that, yet again, I rarely reached my step goal. And that frustrates the heck out of me. What I also had to admit was that I didn’t even try anymore.

So I reevaluated my goal and reset my Fitbit for a goal of 5,000 steps a day. By the way – I usually get 2500 – 3000 steps in an average day, so this goal was still a stretch for me. What happened was that I would check my Fitbit, see how close I was to my goal, and I’d walk, workout, dance, to get those extra steps. And here’s what happened:

[image error]I increased my steps by 13%. In the previous two weeks, I only reached 5,000 steps one time, when my goal was 10,000 steps. But now that my goal is 5,000 steps, I’ve reached that goal 6 times. That’s pretty darned impressive.

The same thing happens with writing. I’ve competed in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) a dozen times. When doing that, my goal is to write 1,776 words a day. By the end of the month, my fingers hurt, my eyes hurt, my brain hurts – and I nearly always end up in a Lupus flare. So, this year I’m trying a different plan – a goal of 1,000 words a day. I’ve kept it up far longer than NaNo, and I feel like my writing is better. Plus, I’m not killing myself doing it! Bonus!

This is exactly the method I teach in Blank to 50K. I coach writers through the writing process, 1,000 words at a time. If you’re ready to reach your goal of writing a novel, join Blank to 50K. Make yourself a priority, make your goals reality. And if you’re in the Fitbit community, let me know if you want to be “friends.”