Kim Iverson Headlee's Blog: Book Musings from the Maze of Twisty Passages, page 13

Queen Morgan of #KASIWC by @KimHeadlee visits #RLFBlog! #MFRWOrg #ASMSG

BREAKING NEWS! NOW ON AUDIBLE: The Audiobook edition of
King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court,
performed by Danielle Cohen.Get your copy today!
King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court
by Mark Twain as channeled by
Kim Iverson Headlee To learn more about the formidable Morgan the Wise,
sister of King Arthur and
Queen of Gore,
I invite you to visit this post on Romance Lives Forever.

One thing that post does not cover, however, is her favorite saying:

"The past is past. The game goes on."
This is the wisdom she imparts to her London Knights baseball players whenever their spirits need lifting.

Wait. What? Baseball?? In a book about Morgan le Fay and King Arthur???

Yes, and it wouldn't be the first time.

Baseball was just beginning to come into its own as the American "national pastime" in 1879, the year Mark Twain began writing A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court and the year he chose for his Yankee's departure to travel back in time. The National League had formed just three years earlier, in response to blossoming interest in the sport across the nation.

It was only proper that Twain have his Connecticut Yankee introduce baseball to the sixth century and King Arthur's court.

And it was more than proper for me to take Twain's idea and turn it on its collective ear, allowing Queen Morgan not only to helm a world-champion baseball team, but to foretell other improvements in the game of the late 21st century.

These improvements include form-hugging uniforms ("immensely popular, especially within the female age 18–80 demographic"), and the creation of the European League and the Asian League to complement the existing National and American leagues—along with an entirely new playoff "Banner" tier—so that the game truly represents its growing worldwide popularity.

Just how involved does Queen Morgan get with her London Knights?

Ah, fair reader, that is for you to discover for yourself! :D


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All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books.

Please enter often, and good luck!

Gull and Elian enjoy calm before the storm in Ch 12/Sc 1a of RAGING SEA by @KimHeadlee #amwriting

Graphic overlay c2016 by Kim Headlee. I've been working with computers since the days when you could walk through the middle of them, and this week has been one of the worst for me, computing-wise, ever. 

Suffice it to say that I'm having to limp along with an old XP desktop machine, but I'm grateful for that much because otherwise I would not be able to continue sharing these excerpts with you.

Today we turn back to Gull and Elian, and it's an auspicious day, especially for Gull, who stands on the cusp of an important meeting. Two important meetings, in fact, though neither he nor Elian knows it yet.

Previous excerpts of Raging Sea 
Chapters 1–6 in Raging Sea: Reckonings  Chapter 7: Sc 1 | Sc 2 | Sc 3 | Sc 4 | Sc 5a | Sc 5b |
Chapter 8: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2 | Sc 3a | Sc 3b |
Chapter 9: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 1d | Sc 1e |
Chapter 10: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2a | Sc 2b | Sc 3a | Sc 3b | Sc 3c |
Chapter 11: Sc 1a |  Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 2 | Sc 3a | Sc 3b |
Raging Sea Chapter 12, Scene 1a©2016 by Kim HeadleeAll rights reserved.
GULL strode beside Elian, trying to recall the last time the auld boar had walked so fast. Dockside shops, inns, warehouses, and other buildings seemed to fall behind them in a blur of color, punctuated by the brisk step-thock of the centurion’s tread and his cheerful whistling of a ribald drinking tune about seven Sasunach sisters, each more lusty than the last.

Training recruits these past several sennights had done Elian a world of good, and Gull was glad to see it. The grueling schedule helped Gull keep his mind off Angusel, and he was glad of that too, truth be told. A parent could worry only so much before it exacted a steep toll.

He was gladder still that he and Elian were on their way to their favorite watering hole on this, their weekly day of rest, with legion coin jingling in their pouches, even though their primary reason for visiting the waterfront tavern was to keep recruits out of any trouble that could be had in the off-duty hours.

Before their destination hove into view, Elian pulled up short. Gull almost collided with him, and jostled his arm.

“Hey! Mind where you’re going, dead Pict!”

Gull grinned, wondering when the epithet had become an endearment between them. “Then give a ghost a wee bit o’warning next time. Why did ye stop?”

Elian pointed at a trading vessel flying the Black Boar of Clan Móran that had just nosed into a berth at the next dock. Crewmen leaped ashore, and shipmates tossed them ropes for winching the vessel into place. Watching the proceedings amidships stood a lovely lady, guarded by a warrior with a fearsome countenance who looked ready to take on all comers. Both their cloaks—hers edged in gold and his almost as fine but plain—sported the Black Boar too.

“Ho, Lady Morghe!” Elian gave a grand wave, which the woman returned with nigh as much enthusiasm, and he abandoned Gull to greet her.

Curious, Gull followed.

***
All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. 

Please enter often, and good luck!

Book spotlight on Corralling Kenzie by @joannejaytanie MOB Promotions

by

Joanne Jaytanie
Official genre of book: Romantic Suspense with paranormal elements




Will Kenzie ever find peace and security inside the corrals of her ranch again?

Kenzie Vaughn is lucky to have a big-city, big-paycheck position. But her great job serves as nothing more than the path to her dream: a horse boarding and training ranch outside the big city. Kenzie is a horsewoman who loves Dobermans and peaceful country living. Now she’s found the perfect ranch, right next door to a lovely campus that houses the Winters Corporation. Her luck is holding, for the Corporation is run by the Winters’ sisters, wonderful women who could easily grow to become great friends.

One night her peace was shattered by a gunshot that wounded her horse, Boone. Good thing for Kenzie, Victory Winters is a veterinarian. Still the gunshot was no accident, and Kenzie’s past and the Winters’ present are dangerously intertwined. Kenzie is sucked into a vortex of rogue scientists who only want her for her DNA. Fortunately, the Winters Corporation can help. Even better, a Special Ops team member, Logan Mendoza, is assigned to watch her ranch. He isn’t interested in Kenzie’s DNA; he wants her for much more. Logan takes Kenzie’s personal security personally.

Will corralling Kenzie become Logan’s full-time mission?




“Victory and I have spent the last two-and-a-half hours at her neighbor’s. Someone shot her horse, and while we were dealing with the injured animal, the shooter tossed her house. Too soon to tell if they took anything yet; however, she did notice one of the family photo albums is missing.”

“Are you saying that diseased Kaleidoscope Group and their madman of a chairman are spreading their terror out onto the surrounding neighbors?”

“I don’t know anything for sure. All I can say is, this doesn’t feel like the run-of-the-mill smash and grab. I need you to start a search on ‘Kenzie Vaughn.’ Victory and I will be staying here for a while longer. We are going to suggest she contact the police to report the attack.”

“What the hell for, man? All they’ll do is muck up the works.”

“At least while they’re doing that, Kenzie will have someone out here watching out for her.”

“Ah, I see your point. You can’t get her to come to the campus?”

“Victory only met her tonight. What would we say to her? When are Wyatt and Tristan scheduled to return?”

“Not until the day after tomorrow.”

“Okay. Send them a text. Tell them we have a potential 9-1-1. Let’s get a meeting scheduled for tomorrow.” Logan looked at the time on his phone, nearly four in the morning. “It would be great if I could get a little nap before then.”

“You and me both,” Jack grumbled as he disconnected the call.





Amazon ✯ Smashwords ✯ Kobo ✯ Chapters ✯ Overdrive ✯ B&N ✯ Goodreads



Catch up with The Winters Sisters.

Chasing Victory ~ Payton's Pursuit ~ Willow's Discovery



Joanne was born and raised in Sherburne, New York, a quaint village surrounded by dairy farms and rolling hills. From the moment she could read she wanted to explore the world. During her college years she slowly crept across the country, stopping along the way in Oklahoma, California, and finally Washington State, which she now proudly calls home. She lives with her husband and Dobermans, in their home located on the Kitsap Peninsula with a panoramic view of the Olympic Mountains.

Joanne writes romantic suspense, paranormal, and contemporary romance. She loves to submerge herself in the world of her characters, to live and breathe their lives and marvel at their decisions and predicaments. She enjoys a wide variety of books including paranormal, suspense, thriller, and of course romance.

Joanne is a member of Romance Writers of America, and past President of Peninsula Romance Writers, which was Debbie Macomber's home chapter.

Amazon ✯ FaceBook ✯ Pinterest ✯ LinkedIn ✯ Twitter ✯ Goodreads ✯ Website




MoB Promosmagicofbookspromo@gmail.com

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Enter this great Rafflecopter giveaway
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All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. 

Please enter often, and good luck!

#KASIWC by @KimHeadlee takes its new e-cover on tour! #MFRWOrg

by

Mark Twain as channeled by Kim Iverson Headlee
Official genre of book: Science Fiction - Fantasy crossover

Protagonist: Queen Morgan le Fay
To learn more about her, visit the Romance Lives Forever blog!


KINDLE COVER BY Natasha Brown

WINNER 2016 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Medal for Science Fiction & Fantasy.
Morgan le Fay, sixth-century Queen of Gore and the only major character not killed off by Mark Twain in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, vows revenge upon the Yankee Hank Morgan. She casts a spell to take her to 1879 Connecticut so she may waylay Sir Boss before he can travel back in time to destroy her world. But the spell misses by 300 miles and 200 years, landing her in the Washington, D.C., of 2079, replete with flying limousines, hovering office buildings, virtual-reality television, and sundry other technological marvels.
Whatever is a time-displaced queen of magic and minions to do? Why, rebuild her kingdom, of course—two kingdoms, in fact: as Campaign Boss for the reelection of American President Malory Beckham Hinton, and as owner of the London Knights world-champion baseball franchise.
Written as though by the old master himself, King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court by Mark Twain as channeled by Kim Iverson Headlee offers laughs, love, and a candid look at American society, popular culture, politics, baseball... and the human heart.

The wench’s smile looked indulgent, if a bit saddened. “Queen Morgan, may I offer an observation?”

“Pray, proceed, Darla, as I seem to have paid for it.”

“This is about a man—the dishy one you’re always coming in here with.”

“Brilliant. Yes, the dishy one. Dishy, and treacherous.” I took a long pull of bitters.

“Lor’ love ye, madame; but all men are treacherous! If you’re lucky, that’s all he is.”

I reflected, through another draught, upon this spot of rough wisdom. Of all the men I had ever known, biblically or not, in this century or any other, the only man I could not label as “treacherous” was Sir Galahad, and we all know what happened to him. For the couple of you who might not be privy to the story: in brief, Sir Galahad drank from the Holy Grail and fell down dead, reportedly because his soul was so pure that Our Lord God bustled him straightaway to heaven. The fact that Sir Galahad had always acted so damned self-righteous that his Grail-hunting companions had wearied of his holier-than-thou ways probably had nothing whatever to do with his demise. I said:

“I have treachery aplenty in my life, Darla.” Free agents, not-free agents, other players, managers, coaches… the list seemed endless. “I do not need more from Sandy Carter.”

“But you do need his love.”

I shook my head. “With love like that…”

She was not listening, but had looked toward the line of tall windows fronting the street, across which arched the words “nnI dleiftuO” and, in a revolving pattern of white, blue, and red tube-lights, “NEPO.” I would have taken umbrage at the offense—the server’s, not the fact that the words in the windows appeared backward to my vantage—but I had imbibed too much beer to care.

Darla said, “You need his love… and he needs yours. Look.”



What reviewers are saying this week about KASIWC:

5* "What Kim Headlee has done here is just amazing. The story begins with Mark Twain talking from beyond his grave. He wants a sequel to A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court and he’s chosen Kim to deliver it. And man does she!" ~ Liza O'Connor

5* "You’re hooked from the first word to the last!" ~ Cloe Marrie

4* "Awesome." ~ Panda-chan of Books and some more books





KINDLE VERSION Amazon US ✯ Amazon Int'l ✯ B&N ✯ iTunes ✯ Kobo ✯ Goodreads


Jennifer Doneske & Tom Doneske developed the interior illustrations. Jennifer also developed the paperback and hardcover dust jacket.
PAPERBACK VERSION Amazon US ✯ Amazon Int'l ✯ B&N

HARDCOVER VERSION Amazon US ✯ Amazon Int'l ✯ B&N





Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet. She has been an award-winning novelist since 1999 (Dawnflight first edition, Sonnet Books, Simon & Schuster) and has been studying the Arthurian Legends for nigh on half a century.

Amazon ✯ FaceBook ✯ Twitter ✯ Goodreads ✯ Website ✯ Pinterest ✯ About Me ✯ Newsletter ✯ Blog ✯ Authorgraph ✯ Google+ ✯ Linkedin ✯ Triberr ✯ YouTube ✯ BookBub





a Rafflecopter giveaway


MoB Promosmagicofbookspromo@gmail.com

***

All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. 

Please enter often, and good luck!

#KASIWC by @KimHeadlee visits #RLFBlog and takes new e-cover on tour! #MFRWOrg

by

Mark Twain as channeled by Kim Iverson Headlee
Official genre of book: Science Fiction - Fantasy crossover

Protagonist: Queen Morgan le Fay
To learn more about her, visit the Romance Lives Forever blog!


KINDLE COVER BY Natasha Brown

WINNER 2016 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Medal for Science Fiction & Fantasy.
Morgan le Fay, sixth-century Queen of Gore and the only major character not killed off by Mark Twain in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, vows revenge upon the Yankee Hank Morgan. She casts a spell to take her to 1879 Connecticut so she may waylay Sir Boss before he can travel back in time to destroy her world. But the spell misses by 300 miles and 200 years, landing her in the Washington, D.C., of 2079, replete with flying limousines, hovering office buildings, virtual-reality television, and sundry other technological marvels.
Whatever is a time-displaced queen of magic and minions to do? Why, rebuild her kingdom, of course—two kingdoms, in fact: as Campaign Boss for the reelection of American President Malory Beckham Hinton, and as owner of the London Knights world-champion baseball franchise.
Written as though by the old master himself, King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court by Mark Twain as channeled by Kim Iverson Headlee offers laughs, love, and a candid look at American society, popular culture, politics, baseball... and the human heart.

The wench’s smile looked indulgent, if a bit saddened. “Queen Morgan, may I offer an observation?”

“Pray, proceed, Darla, as I seem to have paid for it.”

“This is about a man—the dishy one you’re always coming in here with.”

“Brilliant. Yes, the dishy one. Dishy, and treacherous.” I took a long pull of bitters.

“Lor’ love ye, madame; but all men are treacherous! If you’re lucky, that’s all he is.”

I reflected, through another draught, upon this spot of rough wisdom. Of all the men I had ever known, biblically or not, in this century or any other, the only man I could not label as “treacherous” was Sir Galahad, and we all know what happened to him. For the couple of you who might not be privy to the story: in brief, Sir Galahad drank from the Holy Grail and fell down dead, reportedly because his soul was so pure that Our Lord God bustled him straightaway to heaven. The fact that Sir Galahad had always acted so damned self-righteous that his Grail-hunting companions had wearied of his holier-than-thou ways probably had nothing whatever to do with his demise. I said:

“I have treachery aplenty in my life, Darla.” Free agents, not-free agents, other players, managers, coaches… the list seemed endless. “I do not need more from Sandy Carter.”

“But you do need his love.”

I shook my head. “With love like that…”

She was not listening, but had looked toward the line of tall windows fronting the street, across which arched the words “nnI dleiftuO” and, in a revolving pattern of white, blue, and red tube-lights, “NEPO.” I would have taken umbrage at the offense—the server’s, not the fact that the words in the windows appeared backward to my vantage—but I had imbibed too much beer to care.

Darla said, “You need his love… and he needs yours. Look.”



What reviewers are saying this week about KASIWC:

5* "What Kim Headlee has done here is just amazing. The story begins with Mark Twain talking from beyond his grave. He wants a sequel to A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court and he’s chosen Kim to deliver it. And man does she!" ~ Liza O'Connor

5* "You’re hooked from the first word to the last!" ~ Cloe Marrie

4* "Awesome." ~ Panda-chan of Books and some more books





KINDLE VERSION Amazon US ✯ Amazon Int'l ✯ B&N ✯ iTunes ✯ Kobo ✯ Goodreads


Jennifer Doneske & Tom Doneske developed the interior illustrations. Jennifer also developed the paperback and hardcover dust jacket.
PAPERBACK VERSION Amazon US ✯ Amazon Int'l ✯ B&N

HARDCOVER VERSION Amazon US ✯ Amazon Int'l ✯ B&N





Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet. She has been an award-winning novelist since 1999 (Dawnflight first edition, Sonnet Books, Simon & Schuster) and has been studying the Arthurian Legends for nigh on half a century.

Amazon ✯ FaceBook ✯ Twitter ✯ Goodreads ✯ Website ✯ Pinterest ✯ About Me ✯ Newsletter ✯ Blog ✯ Authorgraph ✯ Google+ ✯ Linkedin ✯ Triberr ✯ YouTube ✯ BookBub





a Rafflecopter giveaway


MoB Promosmagicofbookspromo@gmail.com

***

All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. 

Please enter often, and good luck!

The Business of Writing: Defining Keywords for Your Book

Underground logo by transportation systems in London
c2012 by nanka-photo, Depositphotos ID, 9911981
EDITORIAL USE ONLY. As I mentioned to an author-friend recently, there is no "magic bullet" formula for getting your book noticed out of the millions of titles that are published each year.

The right keywords, however, can help your work float to the top of potential customers' search-results pages.

I attended a panel at MarsCon (Williamsburg, VA) in January, where I learned that I could stuff the "seven keywords" field available via Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) with huge multi-word phrases.

The "phrases" don't even have to make sense as long as the words are applicable to the book and don't violate rules such as using a celebrity's name to imply an endorsement.

This was exciting news, since most of my novels contain elements from several genres, and redefining their keywords became one of the first tasks I assayed after I got home from MarsCon.

What the presenter neglected to mention was the 350-character limit that I bumped up against in KDP. The keyword limit is even shorter in Createspace—five keywords (rather than the seven that KDP allows) of no more than 25 characters apiece. In Nook Press you're limited to just 100 characters total.

Still, you are doing yourself and your book a favor by stuffing in as many keywords as each e-book publishing platform allows.

Not sure where to start?

Amazon's article "Make Your Book More Discoverable with Keywords" is a good general "best practices" reference. Another general reference, "Selecting Browse Categories", includes links to keyword tables by Amazon category, to help you decide how to land your book in one or more subcategories. Here are a few category tables to give you an idea:
Biographies & Memoirs.Business & Money.Comics & Graphic Novels.History.Literature & Fiction.Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense.Religion & Spirituality.Romance.Science Fiction & Fantasy.Teen & Young Adult. Don't be shy about pulling keywords from categories that you might not otherwise think of for your novel, as long as they fit!

Keyword definition is not all fun and games, however. This article by Sarah Arrow on the Sark eMedia blog lists actions that make your keywords irrelevant. It's geared toward bloggers, but the "Know Your Niche" and "Know your Audience" tips are essential for book authors.

If you're struggling with understanding your audience, Georgina Roy offers "5 Ways to Learn About Your Target Audience for Your Book" on e-Books India blog. The title is a bit of a misnomer, since #5 is geared more toward what an author should do once s/he has exercised tips 1-4, but Ms. Roy's advice provides a good starting point.

Best of luck in your book writing and your keyword writing!

***

Enter this great Rafflecopter giveaway
for a signed copy of KASIWC and more!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***
All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. 

Please enter often, and good luck!

#KASIWC by @KimHeadlee wins IBPA Gold and gets an e-book cover makeover! #MFRWOrg #ASMSG

Spell failed by 300 miles & 200 years!
Whatever is a queen of magic and
minions to do?
King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court
by Mark Twain as channeled by
Kim Iverson Headlee. Thursday marks the 106th anniversary of Mark Twain's death (April 21, 1910, 6:21 p.m. ET), and in honor of the occasion I have planned something very special: a new cover for the e-book edition of King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court !

The woman on the cover is Queen Morgan le Fay —pardon me, Morgan the Wise (she gets twitchy when you call her "le Fay," and even twitchier if you call her glorious auburn hair "red"… and you might not survive the fallout :D). The Washington Monument at sunset stands proudly in the background.

Why?

Because Her Majesty tried to cast a spell to take her to 1879 Connecticut to waylay the Yankee Sir Boss before he could travel back in time to screw up her world, but she landed in Washington, DC—of 2079—instead!

This magical mishap, causing the most powerful sorceress of the sixth century to pit her considerable skills against the futuristic technology of the latter twenty-first century, makes this novel a true fantasy / science fiction crossover. As such, I am pleased to announce that…

KASIWC  has won the gold medal in the
2016 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy!

 

Given Mark Twain's famous association with Nikola Tesla, and his fascination with cutting-edge technology in general, I like to think Twain would have been proud of this sequel to A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.

Four photos comprise KASIWC's new cover, including Queen Morgan's necklace and a pocket watch displaying its gears. Graphic designer Natasha Brown of Fostering Success did a marvelous job of blending all the elements, don't you agree? This new e-book cover is being revealed on several sites across the blogisphere this week.

I am also tickled to announce that I am scheduled to sign KASIWC at the Connecticut Renaissance Fair on Sunday October 16, and I'll be speaking at The Mark Twain House October 17! Yes I know it's six months off, but I've been sitting on this news for several months already, and I just couldn't keep it in any longer. Set your calendars. :D

Another spot of news brewing on the much more imminent horizon: the KASIWC audiobook edition is in final review, and it features a fantastic performance by the talented British voiceover artist Danielle Cohen.

While you wait for my announcement of the audiobook links, why not jump-start your reading pleasure and download your e-copy of KASIWC today? Queen Morgan foretells that you shall be glad you did.


***

Enter this great Rafflecopter giveaway
for a signed copy of KASIWC and more!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***
All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. 

Please enter often, and good luck!

Eileann dances with Iomar in Ch 11/Sc 3b of RAGING SEA by @KimHeadlee #amwriting

Overlay graphic (c)2016 by Kim Headlee. Have you ever watched the beginning of a TV show or movie when the characters are having a party? You just KNOW something awful is about to happen because they're all acting way too happy.

Today's excerpt is kind of like that for me, since I've written far enough ahead to know exactly what's coming for Eileann and Iomar. And it's no party.

However, I'll not let my knowledge spoil the experience of this tender moment for you—or for them.

Previous excerpts of Raging Sea 
Chapters 1–6 in Raging Sea: Reckonings  Chapter 7: Sc 1 | Sc 2 | Sc 3 | Sc 4 | Sc 5a | Sc 5b |
Chapter 8: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2 | Sc 3a | Sc 3b |
Chapter 9: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 1d | Sc 1e |
Chapter 10: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2a | Sc 2b | Sc 3a | Sc 3b | Sc 3c |
Chapter 11: Sc 1a |  Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 2 | Sc 3a |
Raging Sea Chapter 11, Scene 3b©2016 by Kim HeadleeAll rights reserved.
A priest’s blast on the aurochs horn signaled the end of the dance. Eileann halted in front of Iomar of Clan Rioghail. Another year, this might have been considered a surprise; virgins deeming themselves ready to transition to the next phase of life at Belteine were free to choose their mate, who often had no advance warning.

No surprise registered in Iomar’s gaze, of course, only intense desire.

He gathered her into his strong arms and fastened his ravenous lips to hers, stealing her breath and making her crave everything he had to offer.

Gently she disengaged. “We must greet the mothers first, and partake of the blessing of new life,” she murmured.

“I know.” He nuzzled and nipped at her neck, making her arch and gasp. “By this time next year, you shall be one of them.” His confident prophecy sent a wave of heat sweeping through her body.

He slipped his arm around her waist and guided her toward the line of pregnant women who had formed nearby. Every woman, mother and virgin alike, was regarding Eileann, who as àrd-banoigin held the honor of being the first virgin to greet the mothers. She smiled at the man she had chosen to receive the gift of her virginity and become her life partner, ensuring the continuity of Clan Tarsuinn by bearing many heirs.

Iomar’s lopsided return grin reminded her of another, one whose outcast status made him forbidden to her as a mate.

Eileann stumbled and might have fallen against the first pregnant woman if Iomar hadn’t lunged to steady her.

“Are you all right?” Concern throbbed in his tone, mirrored in his fingertips grasping her arms.

She apologized to the woman and flashed Iomar a shy look. “Aye. Mayhap a wee bit nervous.”

The woman giggled. “I’m thinking your husband shall have the remedy for that, my lady.”

As Eileann nodded agreement, she hoped with all her heart that Iomar possessed the remedy for her thinking about Angusel overmuch too.

***
All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. 

Please enter often, and good luck!

Spotlight on (Not So) Good in a Room by Dakota Madison (@karenmbryson)

by

Dakota Madison
Cover Designer: Beetiful Book CoversOfficial genre of book: Romantic Comedy


(NOT SO) GOOD IN A ROOM, a romantic comedy novella by USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR Dakota Madison, is a modern reimagining of Cyrano de Bergerac.

Awkward screenwriter Nellie Berg is great with words, as long as she can write them down. She’s written over thirty action scripts, but has been unable to sell a single one to Hollywood. Instead of working the room, every time Nellie tries to pitch her scripts to producers she becomes overcome with anxiety and completely blanks out.

When Nellie meets another aspiring screenwriter, Roscoe Rhodes, at Pitchfestapalooza they form an unlikely friendship. Roscoe is everything Nellie is not: outgoing, witty, charming…and good in a room. Roscoe suggests that Nellie hire his cousin, Chris, an unemployed actor to pitch her scripts to producers.

Things get complicated when Nellie falls for Chris and she seeks Roscoe’s help to seal the deal. Roscoe realizes he actually has feelings for Nellie. And Hollywood falls in love with the hot the new pretend screenwriter, who has never even read an entire script let alone written one.



When I finally make it out of the ballroom and into the hotel lobby I do my best to compose myself, but to no avail. I’m definitely going to throw up.


I hurry into the ladies room and just make it to the toilet before I begin to dry heave. My stomach was so twisted with nerves I couldn’t eat anything all day so there’s nothing of any significance to come up.

Tears begin to stream down my face and within moments I’m a sobbing heap of hopelessness on the bathroom floor. I allow myself to release all of the tension I’ve been holding in and wail for several minutes. When I finally feel like I’ve cried the well dry I take in what I hope will be a deep, calming breath.

Will I ever be able to pitch without experiencing complete and utter terror? How will I ever make it in the business if I can’t?

You have to pull yourself together, Nellie.

A knock on the stall I’m occupying startles me.

Then I hear a female voice say, “Is everything okay in there?”

“Fuck off.” The harsh words pop out of my mouth before I have a chance to stop them. I don’t mean to be rude, but it seems to happen a lot.

I hear the sound of footsteps as whoever I just swore at scurries out of the bathroom.

As I pull myself up from the floor I hike up the white tights that have gathered at my knees. I do my best to smooth out the wrinkles in the black and white polka dot dress I’m wearing.

I slowly step out of the stall and glance around the bathroom just to make sure it’s empty.

I would glance at myself in the mirror, but I know it would just make me feel worse than I already do. Not only would I be a failure, I’d be a hideous looking one as well. I’d like to at least be able to function under the illusion that I’m not completely repulsive looking.

Unfortunately my body isn’t quick enough for my brain. I catch a glance at my reflection in the mirror as I pass by. It’s even worse than I imagined it would be. Calling me frightening looking would be a compliment.

I give my reflection the middle finger as I walk out of the bathroom.

I must still be in a post-anxiety-attack fog because I don’t even see the young producer I attempted to pitch to until I plow right into him.

“I’m so sorry.” I’m surprised when coherent words actually come out of my mouth this time.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“No,” I sputter as I hurry away before I embarrass myself even further.

I scan the large lobby. It’s packed with lines of screenwriters waiting to pitch to producers. There’s one dark corner on the opposite side of the crowded area that looks like a safe zone where I can hide and catch my breath.

I close my eyes for a moment and rub my temples. I’m probably ten minutes away from a major headache on top of everything else.

When I open my eyes I see a very tall guy headed in my direction. Of course I’m only five feet tall, so nearly everyone on the planet over the age of ten is taller than me, but this guy is like a giant. His hair and eyes are as dark as mine, but his are on a much more attractive package.

For some reason the guy is waving a pack of gum at me.

“Want a piece?” he asks.

In a room filled with hundreds of people why on Earth has he singled me out? And why would he think I want gum?

He waits for several moments and stares at me. When I don’t reply he says, “No gum I guess.”

“Please go somewhere that isn’t here.”

He frowns. “Like you own Pitchfestapalooza.”

“Find your own corner,” I hiss.

I wait for him to leave, but he doesn’t budge. He continues to stare at me, like he’s examining a specimen.

I shoot daggers at him hoping he’ll take the hint.

“Fine, I’ll go. Sorry for invading your personal space.”

When he takes off into the sea of emerging screenwriters I breathe a small sigh of relief.

Don’t you just love that term? Emerging screenwriter. It’s a nice way to say wannabe.

That’s what we are. Wannabes. Every person here is scrounging for that one break that will finally get him or her into the business.

I can’t waste my one shot at finally making my dream come true.

I remove my one-sheet from my handbag and stare at it. I’ve gone over my logline and story synopsis thousands of times. I’ve got every word on the page memorized. I have no idea why I can’t just say the words when I actually sit down to pitch.

I have to do this. I have to at least try again. I’d never be able to live with myself if I gave up so easily.

I shove my one-sheet back into my handbag as I make my way over to one of the lines of writers waiting for the opportunity to meet with an action film producer.

Pitchfestapalooza is run like a well-oiled machine. I have to give credit where credit is due. Screenwriters line up to meet with producers by genre and lines keep moving at a fairly brisk pace. It’s set up a little like speed dating, but we’re pitching producers for deals, not trying to score with the opposite sex.

Luckily the line I’ve selected isn’t that long. It’s about half as long as the lines for the screenwriters pitching horror scripts or comedy projects. I’m not surprised that I’m the only female in line. It’s pretty well known that there’s sexism in the film industry, but it seems to be even worse when it comes to action movies.

But I love the genre, and even though I have a vagina, I can’t see myself writing anything else. I don’t realize until he turns around that I’m standing right behind the tall guy who offered me the gum.

He flashes me a charismatic smile. The type of grin you might see on a used car salesman or politician.

Why do I get the feeling this guy could sell dirt to a farmer?

“So what do you have against gum?” he asks.

“Nothing.”

“Then it’s me you don’t like.”

“I don’t even know you.”

“Then let’s remedy that situation right now.” He extends a hand for me to shake. “I’m Roscoe Rhodes.”

I’m sure he’s wondering why I’m not returning the gesture. I don’t like touching people I don’t know. It’s one of my numerous obsessions.

He waits for a long moment. When it’s obvious I’m not going to shake his hand he says, “You know, Dorothy, you’re not in Kansas anymore.”

“My name’s not Dorothy.”

“At least I got you to say something.”

“Nellie Berg,” I tell him. “And how did you know I’m from Kansas?”

“I didn’t. You’re dressed like Dorothy Gale. What’s up with that outfit?”

I look down at my black patent leather shoes, white tights, black and white polka dot skirt. Then I glance around me. Everyone else is wearing dress jeans and button-down shirts with their sleeves rolled up to their elbows. Somehow I must have missed the screenwriters’ attire memo.So in addition to being a bundle of nerves I look completely and totally out of place. Isn’t that just great for my self-esteem?

“You know this producer only makes action films,” Roscoe says.

I don’t even try to hide my scowl. “I know that.”

He points to another line directly across the lobby from us. “The line for romantic comedy is over there.”

“So?” I glare at him.

“Wouldn’t you feel more comfortable over there?”

“You mean somewhere where there isn’t a misogynistic jerk standing in front of me?”

He crosses his arms over his chest. “You’ve written a script for an action movie?”

As I shake my head defiantly I wonder why I’m even talking to this asshole.

“Then what are you doing in this line?” His condescending tone is really starting to piss me off.

“I’ve written scripts for thirty action movies.” Choke on that you prick.

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“You don’t strike me as the type who would be interested in writing action scripts.”

“And why is that? Because I’m female? Have you bought into the sexist notion that women can’t write action scripts?”

I cross my arms over my chest and stare at him. As much as I’d like him to crawl into a hole somewhere he stares right back at me.

“Maybe it’s the pink polka dot purse you’re holding. That just screams action film. Or the outfit you’re wearing. If Shirley Temple and Dorothy Gale had a love child she would dress like you. Except you look more like a Munchkin with your little round face and tiny body.”

I can feel my face heat with embarrassment. This guy just says whatever he thinks, doesn’t he. “You know that’s really insulting.”

“Munchkin,” he repeats.

“Don’t call me that.”

“Whatever you say, Munch. You look like one of the dolls from the cabbage patch. I just want to put you on a shelf.”

“I consider that a micro-aggression.”

“Boo-hoo. What are you going to do? Call the PC police because I hurt your feelings?”

“You’re kind of a jerk.”

“Everyone says I’m charming.”

This guy is definitely no prince. “I guess everyone is wrong.”




Amazon US ✯ Amazon Int'l ✯ Goodreads





USA TODAY Bestselling author Dakota Madison is known for writing romance with a little spice and lots of heart. She likes to explore current social issues in her work. Dakota is a winner of the prestigious RONE Award for Excellence in the Indie and Small Publishing Industry. When she's not at her computer creating spicy stories Dakota likes to spend time with her husband and their bloodhounds at their home outside Phoenix, Arizona. Dakota also writes under the pen names SAVANNAH YOUNG, SIERRA AVALON and REN MONTERREY.

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— Follow Kim on Twitter
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The Business of Writing: How to Create Permafree Titles #ASMSG #MFRWOrg #IARTG

Young woman reading, c2015 khunaspix,
Depositphotos ID 69719181. On Saturday we had a blizzard. Yes, a blizzard. In Virginia. In April. Two days later the temperature topped the 70-degree mark. 

Ah, the roller coaster that is the weather of the Appalachian Mountains! :)

With the expectation that winter is finally done with us for another, oh, six months or so, I am happy to post this royalty-free, cost-free spring photo of a young woman reading.

Why is she so happy? Well, it could be that for her it's the first nice day of spring too. Or it could be that she's reading a free book!

Making a print book available for free is as simple as donating copies to libraries; with digital editions, it's a bit trickier, given that the two largest e-book distributors on the planet, Amazon and Nook, do not let you specify a $0.00 price for your e-books directly via your vendor account.

But it's possible, and here's how:

Disenroll your e-book from Kindle Unlimited, if you haven't already.Publish it on Kobo and Smashwords, where you can set a price of $0.00 directly via your vendor account. If Smashwords will let you distribute your free book to Amazon, do please leave a comment to that effect below; I have opted out of Amazon distribution via Smashwords because I have my own vendor account there.
NOTE: If you have just disenrolled the book from Kindle Unlimited, you will have to wait until the current exclusivity period ends before you publish it on any other retail platforms, or you will incur the wrath of Amazon. You do not want to incur the wrath of Amazon, trust me. :DIf you have a vendor account on iTunes and they will let you set a $0.00 price directly, please leave a comment and let us all know that too. Lacking any Apple hardware, I publish to iBooks/iTunes via Draft2Digital.com.Definitely get yourself a vendor account at Draft2Digital.com. Here you can set a $0.00 price for your e-book and distribute it to the aforementioned iTunes PLUS Nook, Kobo (if you'd rather not have a separate vendor account there), Scribd, Inktera/Page Foundry, and some European distributors such as 24 Symbols and Tolino. I get a lot of downloads of my free Spanish and German titles downloaded via Tolino.Once the $0.00 prices are in effect at all these other e-tailers' sites, visit the Amazon product page for your book and report the lower price via the link popup located below your book's sales rankings. Get your friends to do the same for you; the more reports they receive, the faster they will activate the price-matching.If for some reason Step 5 fails to achieve the desired result, email Amazon and ask them to price-match the title. Recently author Clare Flynn reported the success of the email tactic in this blog post on the How-to for Authors blog.
I caution you, however, to offer only your very best work free.

Why?

Because this title is going to be your ambassador to potential new fans of your work, and you only get that one golden chance to make a good first impression. Make it shine!

The title you choose to offer free does not have to be a full-length novel. My permafree title, The Color of Vengeance , is a novella excerpted from a much longer work, Morning's Journey . I'm sure it would get more downloads if it was a longer work; one day I may set up book 1 in the series, Dawnflight , as permafree too.

Best of luck to you in all your publishing endeavors!

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All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. 

Please enter often, and good luck!