Kim Iverson Headlee's Blog: Book Musings from the Maze of Twisty Passages, page 20

Latest winners and #FREE RAGING SEA: Reckonings by @KimHeadlee historical Arthurian legends

Where there is courage,
there is strength.
Raging Sea: Reckonings
by Kim Headlee. Before you dash off to download your copy of Raging Sea: Reckonings
—free worldwide on 1/20/2016 and always free via Kindle Unlimited & Amazon Prime—please take a moment to help me congratulate the following contest winners, who already have been notified:

Brian L: an autographed ARC of King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court Laura T: an autographed print copy of Liberty Faye: an autographed print copy of Snow in July Chad G, Kim A, Nadine S, Richard B, Sue R: an e-book copy of King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court Joey R: an e-book copy of Dawnflight Nancy J: an e-book copy of Snow in July Shirley B: an e-book copy of Liberty Please follow The Maze for your next Rafflecopter opportunity to win!

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All this month, you are invited to...
— Follow Kim on Twitter
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— 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!

She captured his mouth with hers in TANIS by Bambi Lynn @hot_historicals on #MedievalMonday

Today on The Maze I welcome back Bambi Lynn with a Medieval Monday "first kiss" excerpt from Tanis !

Excerpt

He stopped abruptly when she appeared. His demeanor changing quickly from one of surprise to that of hungry predator. She smirked. He would soon see which of them was prey. She pressed him back into the room with a strength belied by the dainty hand on his immense chest. She kicked the door shut with her foot as they entered.

With one beefy arm around her waist, Tanis gathered her up against him. Fighting the urge to squeal with delight, Kiah wrapped both legs around him. He was massive. And hard.

She wore nothing beneath the fur around her waist that left her legs bare to her thighs and drove men wild. The ridges of his stomach teased her through the fabric of his shirt, but Kiah savored the anticipation of feeling his skin against her almost as much as the contact itself. It would be difficult to say which gave her more pleasure.

A choice she was glad she did not have to make.

Winding her arms around his neck, she captured his mouth with hers. She was hit with the most mind-numbing kiss she had known in all the ages. A groan of sheer ecstasy bubbled up in her throat. What elements caused such a reaction? Why did she not feel it with all men?

Why did it not last more than a few days?

She felt like she could fly, something she had done every day since her creation, one of few gifts withheld from man. But in human form, the sensation of flying was far greater than the reality. It was not fair.

Emotions combined with her human sensations, roiling through her in a tangled mess that left her bereft of coherent thought. She kissed him fiercely, inhaling his essence as her tongue danced with his. He smelled of male and sex, tempting her to vanquish their clothes and feel his naked skin against hers. His body was sculpted muscle, hard and strong, beckoning her to meld her own warrior’s body against it, to stroke it, to lick it, to conquer it.

Tanis kissed her back, with equal enthusiasm, alternately teasing her and devouring her. She tasted his humanity and for once was not revolted by it. His passion enflamed her own, leaving her drunk with lust. He tangled his fists in the fur at the small of her back. In many other parts of the world, her attire would be scandalous. It certainly was not acceptable here in Alba, but in the wilds of the Highlands, she found it a simple matter to ensure her existence went unnoticed, even in human form.

Woven within his humanity was the hint of pagan blood. Its impurity laced the delectable flavor of the man. She recoiled from the foulness of it, only because she reminded herself she should, before it was too late.

Synopsis

Tanis Cleary, laird of a small Highland clan, wants to protect what’s left of his family from the pagan god who hunts them. But even with his colossal strength, fed by the unholy blood in his veins, he cannot do it alone. His only ally is an insatiable angel with a chip on her shoulder. Will he desert his clan to follow the only woman who can save him from eternal damnation?

Kiah is an angel of God, tasked with guarding one of His most sacred vessels. Like any woman desperate to win her Father’s approval, Kiah will stop at nothing to succeed in her mission. Distracted by the lure of a man more compelling than any other, Kiah soon finds herself battling the fires of hell, her very existence in jeopardy.

Read Tanis for FREE on Kindle Unlimited today!
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All this month, you are invited to...
— Follow Kim on Twitter
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— 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!

Gawain is tried in a court of love in Ch9/Sc1e of RAGING SEA by @KimHeadlee #amwriting

Graphic overlay (c)2015 by Kim Headlee. The medieval concept of "courtly love" and its corollary, the "court of love," where men who violated the "rules of love" were tried by a jury of women, most likely were invented by troubadours to entertain their noble patrons. Whether or not these social constructs were practiced in real life remains a matter of debate. 

In Arthurian legend, Gawain is hauled before a court of love, presided over by Guinevere, for his crime of having raped a virgin. The interesting takeaway from the tale is that Gawain was punished less for the act of sexual predation than for the fact that he had denied the woman her choice in the matter, and Guinevere sentences him to a yearlong quest to help all women he encounters so that he may figure out why what he did was so wrong.

I pay brief homage to this legend in today's excerpt from Raging Sea .

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 |
Raging Sea Chapter 9, Scene 1e©2016 by Kim HeadleeAll rights reserved.
Fergus ran his tongue across his bottom lip as it curved into a grin. “What says the Scarlet Dragon? The man be one of your soldiers,” he said to Arthur, “and ye’ve been strangely silent all this time.”

Arthur took that as his cue to stand, and he looked none too happy to do so. “In the Dragon Legion, a soldier’s punishment is meted by his unit commander.” He offered his hand to Gyan, who accepted it for only as long as it took to push to her feet beside him.

Even in the throes of battle, Gawain had never seen her look so stern.

She drew a long breath and expelled it. “Since there was no commission of rape—”

“By Scáthach, he intended to!” Caitleen wailed. Fergus shushed her, stroking her cheek.

“Only the gods may judge a man’s intent, if there exists no action to demonstrate it,” Gyan stated. “Gawain’s actions demonstrated lewdness and a public breach of self-discipline. Therefore, his punishment is the legion standard ten lashes.”

Fergus released his wife and stalked closer to the dais. “Not good enough! Not by half!”

Urien raised his hands. “I agree.” He faced Arthur and Gyan. “Gawain attacked an honored, highborn lady in front of scores of honored, highborn witnesses. That demands special consideration.”

For a long time Gyan regarded the man to whom she had once been betrothed. Finally, she turned toward Gawain and extended her hand, palm up. He felt his eyes widen as the implication set in. She confirmed it with a nod. With fumbling fingers, he unfastened his legion badge, letting his blue Comites Praetorii unit cloak slip to pool at his feet. The pit in his stomach suggested how long he would be forbidden to wear it.

“Forever?” he dared to whisper as he leaned across the table to surrender the badge to his ex-commanding officer. Again, his hand trembled, and his self-loathing deepened.

Her fingers eclipsed the dragon brooch, her gaze steady but sad. “Commander Peredur,” she said to her brother without taking her eyes from Gawain, “arrange to have this soldier escorted to the camp and confined there, under guard and allowed no visitors except yourself, Arthur, Merlin, and me, for the duration of this mission.”

As Peredur joined Gawain from his place on the dais, the Scotti warriors returned to theirs. Gyan said to Fergus and Caitleen, “I am truly sorry for my soldier’s reprehensible behavior. Please accept my assurances that it shall never happen again. To that end, I appoint my second-in-command to deliver the physical portion of his punishment”—she glanced at Peredur—“to commence after my duties here are concluded so that I may be present.”

“We demand to be present too. Else how would we know if—”

If Gyan’s glare had been any colder, Fergus would have turned into a pillar of ice, and his wife along with him. “You shall be informed. My lord.”

Peredur clamped his hand around Gawain’s arm, and his march into disgrace began.

*** The end of Chapter 9 ***

All this month, you are invited to...
— Follow Kim on Twitter
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— 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!

Latest Business of Writing Workshop presentation at MarsCon 1/15/16 Williamsburg, VA!

The Business of Writing: An Introduction
Workshop presented by Kim Headlee. I have my MarsCon 2016 schedule,
and it's a great one! 
It kicks off with my Business of Writing Workshop at 5 p.m. Friday 1/15 (Room 14). Other programming for which I am scheduled, all in room Harrison 1:
Friday, 8 p.m. panel: Social Media Etiquette for Authors Saturday, 12 noon panel: Adapting Books to MoviesSaturday, 3 p.m. panel: The Mary Sue ComplexSunday, 1 p.m. panel: Paranormal Fiction - balancing the line between the truth and fantasy.I hope to see you there!


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a 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!

The Business of Writing: Content of the Author Blog with #giveaway

Image c2015 by zzoplanet;
Depositphotos  ID 86051516. Today on The Maze, I offer part two of my discussion of the Author Blog: its content.

If you missed my dissertation on the structure of the Author Blog, I invite you to take a peek at this post.

The structure-related topics I covered last week include the blogging platform, layout, and blog elements.

While blog elements are in fact a specialized form of content, for the purposes of today's post I intend to share my thoughts about the meat-and-potatoes aspect of the Author Blog: the individual posts.

Blog Content

The essential items to consider for any blog post include paying attention to use of applicable keywords, creating an interesting and useful title, embedding good images and videos, and structuring the post with a well-written introduction, body, and conclusion. For more information, view this article by Head Technologies.

The amusing Lili's Travel Plans blog has some great advice regarding all those posts you see in your Twitter feed that start with "How To" or "X Tips for Doing Y", if you're tempted to structure your posts in either of those ways. Unless you want to appear spammer-y, try to avoid those tactics in your headlines. Read Lili's full take on why here.

A Triberr tribemate of mine, eBooksIndia, could have called one of their posts "5 Tips for Becoming a Better Author-Blogger" but instead titled it How Authors Can Become Better Bloggers. Kavitha rightly advises author-bloggers to concentrate on developing a focus for the blog, being mindful of content, promoting your book via blog tours where you contribute guest posts to other blogs, building community by responding to comments in an engaging yet professional way, and creating a regular blogging schedule. To that impressive list I add the suggestion to support other authors by participating as a blog-tour host. The creation of positive karma is always a good thing for everyone involved. :)

Author Nikki Woods drills down even further to offer the following list of specific must-haves for content on an author's blog:
Excerpts from your works in progressWriting tipsPersonal snippets or anecdotesInsight into your writing processInspiration for your writingNikki's complete article may be viewed here.  I concur with her list, and I do offer these items from time to time on The Maze. Often, I combine items in a single post, such as a personal anecdote or aspect of inspiration with a work-in-progress excerpt. Obviously, what you elect to share with the world will be in direct relation to your comfort level.

If by now you're feeling a bit overwhelmed, please don't be.

The key to all of this is to achieve a balance of content so that your blog reflects whatever brand you have established as an author but does not appear as a 24x7 infomercial about your books. Programming that sort of content in the sidebar (as I have done on The Maze) is akin to TV channels pasting their logo into the corner of your screen: it's there if the visitor chooses to see it, but it can be tuned out while she or he is viewing the featured post.

And running a giveaway now and then certainly doesn't hurt.

Happy writing... and blogging! :)
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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!

More than a healing kiss in The Druid Knight Tales #FREE by @RuthACasie #MedievalMonday

Today on The Maze, I am pleased to welcome back Ruth A. Casie and her FREE short story The Druid Knight Tales as Medieval Monday shifts to the theme of the first kiss of the hero and heroine.

For you Galavant fans, I can assure you that this kiss is neither musty nor too moist. :D

Synopsis:
After a year of searching, Maximilian, the druid Grand Master, finds the sacred mistletoe destined for his soul mate shriveled and dead. He must journey to the Otherworld and tell the Ancestors of his failure.

Ellyn of Brodgar is an exceptional healer. But each healing kiss depletes her energy and brings her closer to death. Ellyn needs to find her own healing power before it’s too late.

Max and Ellyn are tossed into the Otherworld and have until the third sunset to appeal to the Ancestors or be lost forever. Together they find love, and as the last rays of the third sunset slip away, both are willing to sacrifice their hopes, dreams, and lives for the other. Do they have what it takes to escape the Otherworld and begin their life together?


Buy links:  Amazon | iBooks | Kobo |
Excerpt:

“Aye,” he said sleepily, followed by a soft snore.

She wiped the blood from the scratches on his cheek and studied him.

Full brows framed his wide-set eyes with long, thick lashes. His high cheekbones accentuated the deep hollows beneath them. His close-clipped beard outlined his full lips. His face spoke of power and ageless strength. He had a face that was easy to look at.

The wounds cleaned and bandaged, she bent over and gave him a lingering kiss on his forehead. Her head snapped up and her fingers went to her lips. They tingled as if she had eaten something spicy. She searched his face. His ashen color hadn’t changed. Panic welled in her throat. Her healing kiss always brought results.

His arm snaked around her and drew her to him. She didn’t resist when he pulled her closer and kissed her deeply. When she moved away his eyes were closed, the corners of his mouth tipped up in a smile, and his face took on a soft pink hue.

Relief flooded through her but was quickly replaced with doubt. For the first time she wondered if her healing kiss would be enough.

She prepared the camp and when she was done, sat back to rest. The smell of the wood and the snap of the fire were soothing. The dancing flames mesmerized her and drew her in deeper. The intertwined flames parted and in its midst she saw two figures following a light. She knew it was an omen but she could not tell if the sign was good or bad. A loud snap and a log fell, sending sparks flying, startling her out of her trance.


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All this month, you are invited to...
— Follow Kim on Twitter
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— 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!

Did lust rob Gawain of strength? Ch 9/Sc 1d of RAGING SEA by @KimHeadlee #amwriting

Graphic overlay (c)2015 by Kim Headlee. Welcome back to Saturday excerpts from Raging Sea ! I hope you enjoyed a pleasant holiday season and are ready to tackle the new year head-on. I know I am. :) 

To catch up with the early doings of Angusel, Gawain, and everyone else, I invite you to download a copy of Raging Sea: Reckonings , which is free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription or Amazon Prime membership.

In today's excerpt, Morghe (aka Morgan le Fay) begins to show why in later centuries she was dubbed "Morgan the Wise."

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 |
Raging Sea Chapter 9, Scene 1d©2016 by Kim HeadleeAll rights reserved.
“Chieftain Urien, you and all your guests be witness to this heinous assault upon me innocent lady wife,” Fergus stated. “I demand his head.”

“No!” shouted Gyan and Morghe together, and they shared a look.

“No,” Morghe repeated at Gyan’s nod. “This action is so very unlike my nephew’s normal behavior that it deserves further investigation before just punishment can be meted out.” She smiled at Urien. “With my lord husband’s permission?”

“What do you propose, my lady wife?” Urien asked.

She navigated from behind the table to approach Gawain and proceeded to feel his forehead and neck. With gentle fingertips, she probed the spot on his jaw where Fergus had struck him, and he couldn’t stop the wince. His knees still felt like jelly. He locked them to prevent them from betraying him. She ordered the Scotti warriors to release Gawain and step back. Once they complied with a nod from their lord, she bade Gawain to raise one arm parallel with the floor. The tremors that shook his hand alarmed him, and he clenched his fist, despising the display of weakness. Morghe gave him a sympathetic smile and faced Urien.

“Gawain has a fever and—”

“Aye, the fever bred of lust,” Fergus muttered, hugging his wife to him.

Morghe shot him an annoyed look. “When was the last time lust robbed you of strength, my lord Fergus?” When that netted no answer but a glare, she addressed Urien. “Clearly, something he ate or drank put him into this state and made him lose control over his baser urges. I propose—”

“’Twas your selfsame cup he drank from!” shrieked Caitleen.

“Indeed. Perhaps traditions are different among your people. I am not in the habit of poisoning my blood kin.” Gawain couldn’t figure out why a look of discomfiture flashed across Urien’s face at that, but his head was aching too much to expend anymore thought on the matter. “Furthermore,” Morghe continued, “what reason could I possibly possess to disrupt my own festivities in this deplorable manner?”

“I do hope, Chieftainess Morghe, that ye are not suggesting that me wife did anything to bring this upon herself. That would be most unfortunate to our new alliance.”

Urien rose from his tall-backed chair. “No one is suggesting anything of the kind, Lord Fergus. Neither is anyone denying the harm done to your lovely lady wife. What may appease you, other than Gawain’s death?”

***
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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!

Name Your Poison: Wolfbane by @Liza0Connor Victorian #murdermystery and #giveaway

Characters in many of my books are accomplished herbalists, which includes knowing how to prepare and administer poisons. I employ creative ways to keep those details vague, even though I could impart the information, mainly because I'd rather not make it easy on anyone wanting to, say, do away with an annoying spouse.

My author-friend Liza O'Connor, whose latest release is the Sherlock-esque The Darkest Days, is a lot braver than I am. :D


Until the twentieth century, Wolfbane (aka Aconite, Monkshood) was the deadliest poison known. And there is still no antidote even now.

To kill someone in eight minutes you need to drop the crystalized form into alcohol and get the person you clearly do not like to drink it. The trick is to not to let the person throw up, which their body will try to do.

I have an entire blog on what will happen next, and it’s pretty gruesome.
Wolfbane, aka Monkshood and Aconite. Fortunately for Barns, he only got the powder (made from the root and leaves) on his hand, which Xavier quickly washed, thus, while weakened presently, he’ll make a full recovery.

The Darkest Days by Liza O'Connor
Synopsis
When the pot has too many cooks a feast can be ruined, and that’s exactly what happens with Xavier and Vic’s new cases. Each proves more complicated than initially thought with criminals dropping out of the sky, wreaking havoc upon Xavier, Vic, and their excellent employees. By the end, Vic threatens to open a school that teaches criminals how to stay out of each other’s way.

Worse yet, a treasured member of the staff is shot in the heart while attempting to save Vic and the Queen’s cousin.


Once Tubs verified the hall clear of any other problems, he approached the housekeeper. “I got this.” He focused on the woman. “You don’t have to die tonight,” he said softly. “Just face the wall and put your hands behind your back.”

“You stay away from me or I’m calling the police,” she warned.

Tubs stepped forward, causing her to back away from Barn’s body. He reached down and felt Barns’ neck, never taking his eyes off her. “He’s still alive, but his pulse is weak.”

“I didn’t touch the boy,” the housekeeper insisted. “He was like that when I opened the door.”

“Tubs, you secure the housekeeper. I’ll tend to Barns.”

Tubs shifted his position so he stood between Vic and the woman easing towards the front door.

Vic had every confidence Tubs would not let the woman escape, so she focused on Barns. The boy showed no sign of bleeding, but Tubs was right, his heart was weakening. The moment the woman broke for the door, Tubs slammed her against it, wrenching both arms behind her back and securing them with handcuffs, He then searched her for weapons, finding nothing. He pulled a handkerchief from her apron pocket. He smelled it then pressed it to the woman’s nose. “What is this?”

The woman struggled to pull away from the cloth. “I don’t know what that is. I’ve never seen it before. You must have put it in my pocket.”

Vic grabbed her cuffed hands and jabbed a prick underneath a fingernail. The woman fell to her knees as she howled in pain. “What did you give him?” Vic yelled over her howls.

“Wolfbane,” she cried.

Vic withdrew the prick. “If he dies, I’ll torture you for weeks,” she warned.

I don't "monetize" my blog by displaying ads,
but I do include Amazon affiliate links.
Thanks for your patronage! :)The Darkest DaysBook 6
Free with Amazon Kindle Unlimited

Need to catch up?

Book 1
The Troublesome Apprentice
The greatest sleuth in Victorian England hires a young man
who turns out to be a young woman.

Book 2
The Missing Partner
Opps! The greatest sleuth in Victorian England goes missing,
leaving Vic to rescue him, a suffragette, and about 100 servants.
Not to mention an eviscerating cat.
Yes, let’s not mention the cat.

Book 2.5
A Right to Love
A romantic detour for Jacko.
Want to see how amply rewarded Jacko was when he & Vic
save an old woman from Bedlam?

Book 3
The Mesmerist
The Mesmerist can control people from afar and make them murder for her. Worse yet, Xavier Thorn has fallen under her spell.

Book 4
Well Kept Secrets
The problems with secrets is that they always come to light,
no matter how you wish to silence them.

Book 5
Pack of Trouble
Changes are a part of life, but these changes almost kill Vic.

All Xavier & Vic books are Free with Amazon Kindle Unlimited


Liza O’Connor was raised badly by feral cats, left the South/Midwest and wandered off to find nicer people on the east coast. There she worked for the meanest man on Wall Street, while her psychotic husband tried to kill her three times. (So much for finding nicer people.) Then one day she declared enough, got a better job, divorced her husband, and fell in love with her new life where people behaved nicely. But all those bad behaviors has given her lots of fodder for her humorous books. Please buy these books, because otherwise, she’ll become grumpy and write troubled novels instead. They will likely traumatize you.

You have been warned.

More mostly humorous books by Liza:

Ghost Lover—Two British brothers fall in love with the same young woman. Ancestral ghost is called in to fix the situation. And there’s a ghost cat that roams about the book as well. (Humorous Contemporary Romance)

Saving Casey—Cass wakes up in the body of a troubled teen who has burned every bridge imaginable. Her only choice is to turn this life around, but that’s much harder than she ever imagined.

Untamed & Unabashed—The youngest of the Bennet sisters, Lydia, tells her story. A faithful spinoff from Pride & Prejudice.

A Long Road to Love Series: (Humorous Contemporary odd Romance)

Worst Week Ever — Laugh out loud week of disasters of Epic proportions.

Oh Stupid Heart — The heart wants what it wants, even if it’s impossible.

Coming to Reason — There is a breaking point when even a saint comes to reason.

Climbing out of Hell — The reconstruction of a terrible man into a great one.

The Hardest Love — Is to love oneself. Sam’s story.


FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT

LIZA O'CONNOR

Investigate these sites:

Liza's Blog and Website | Facebook | Twitter |



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Enter for chances to win a prize in this massive multi-author 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!

The Business of Writing: Structure of the Author Blog with @kayelleallen and #giveaway

Image c2015 by zzoplanet
Depositphotos  ID 86051516. Welcome to 2016, and welcome back to The Business of Writing on The Maze!

The new year being all about fresh starts, I decided to make my first Business of Writing post of 2016 focus on the Author Blog—mainly as a prod for me to do some sprucing up of The Maze. I am so not in the habit of rearranging furniture in my home, but I do hope that you like what I've done with this place. :)

I became a published novelist with the sale of my first manuscript, Dawnflight , to Simon & Schuster in 1997, when the Internet was taking its first baby steps, long before social media in general and blogging specifically was a gleam in anybody's eye. When blogging started to become A Thing, my writing career was in hiatus.

"Why bother blogging?" I asked myself. Lacking a sufficient answer, I did not bother to begin a blog in those days.

Kayelle Allen, founder of Marketing for Romance Writers (MFRW), offers a great take on that question:

A blog is a way of having fresh content on your website every day. How often can you release a new book? Probably not often enough to get people to come back to your website on a regular basis. Blogging brings people, and can generate followers for your blog, and for your social media.

Ask yourself—so what? 

Why does that matter? Because those people who come back are people who have heard of you. When people buy books, they buy books that interest them, and they buy books by authors they know. They've learned that the author will give them a good read. Name recognition in this business is a major key to success.

Read the rest of Kayelle's excellent article here.

In mathematical terms, the average fiction reader will not take a chance on a novel until she or he has heard mention of the author at least SEVEN times. An author blog is an excellent way to help improve those odds… providing the author follows some basic advice about blog structure and content.

Blog Structure
Blog structure includes the platform, layout, and elements included with each page or post.

Blogging Platform

If you haven't yet established a blog, the first decision you'll face is which blogging platform to use. The two major players are Blogger and WordPress.

I picked Blogger in 2013 because it's free and easy, with "free" being the more important consideration since I have been a native HTML coder for decades and already had a static web site. Where Blogger makes things easy for me is in the post-publishing process, since my static site required use of File Transfer Protocol (FTP) software to perform uploads whenever I wanted to tweak a page. This functionality is built in to Blogger (and WordPress), so that's one less tool I have to worry about.

Then I started hearing about WordPress and how those sites look more "professional" and so forth. For a while, I considered running both a Blogger and a WordPress blog, but I have since abandoned that plan.

Why?

Mainly because I get the distinct impression that the free version of WordPress will not support my needs as an author-blogger. One of the best (and also free) blog-marketing tools I've discovered in the past 12 months is Triberr—the post-sharing service that increased my blog reach one hundredfold within the first few months of my membership there—and I often hear bloggers grumble about how difficult it is to get their WordPress blogs set up to feed the Triberr stream. And even when those bloggers do get their WordPress posts to show up in the feed, there are issues about the display of images and content.

I don't have time to wrestle with technological issues like that, and I am not interested in paying WordPress to solve those issues for me when Blogger already does what I need for free.

Blog Layout

There are just about as many ways to layout a blog as there are bloggers on the planet. Because my list of published novels is only six at present, I have elected to devote one static page to each, plus a page for my personal appearances.

If you are fortunate enough to have ten or more books in print, and still want to set up static pages, you might choose to organize your books by series or genre to maintain a manageable page count.

The whole point to a blog's layout is to present pertinent information without overwhelming the visitor.

Last year I had (among other things) embedded my book trailers' YouTube code in The Maze's sidebar, and repeated that code on the books' dedicated pages. This year I have replaced the sidebar trailer embeds with the actual book covers. Although all my trailers are well worth watching and are especially impressive on big-screen TVs, since they are very similar to movie trailers, it's the cover that is an author's first, best chance of engaging a potential reader.

I also rearranged the order and elected to place my social media info and newsletter signup at the top of the sidebar, above my books. One of the things that turns me off when I visit an author's blog is to be inundated with book covers and buy links right from the start, so I've tried not to do that to The Maze's visitors.

Originally I had developed a dedicated page for listing my giveaways, but I found that it's easier to mention them on individual blog posts rather than to keep updating the Giveaway page. I still have that page saved as a draft if I ever decide to rearrange The Maze's "furniture" again. :)

Oh and speaking of giveaways, don't forget to scroll down and enter the vast, multi-author Rafflecopter giveaway that's running today!

Blog Elements

Individual blog elements are legion, but the basic necessities for an author blog include the display of book covers, buy links, and social media following opportunities.

I've already chimed in on the subject of book cover placement—again, the key is to disseminate the information without overwhelming the reader. Having the social media following opportunities placed in a prominent position is important too, because they are going to be more chances for you and your books to reach that magic "seven mentions" threshold for clinching the sale.

Displaying graphic elements for the various social media sites is a fine practice, but please, PLEASE do not code them to reappear on the screen like a cloud of hopeful puppies as the visitor pages down the post. That is just flat-out annoying, and I will leave your blog faster than you can blink, never to return.

Another turnoff for me is to be hit with a "sign up for this blog" popup immediately upon visiting the site. Even with blogs I visit on a fairly regular basis, I never subscribe to them—I'm drowning in emails as it is—so to be bombarded with a request when all I want to do is read one post is also annoying.

Wow. I didn't realize that I had so much to say about blog structure! In keeping with my recommendation to not overwhelm the visitor, I'm going to stop here and cover the various aspects of blog content next week.

So… stop wishing that you had a great author blog, and start doing it. :)

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Enter for chances to win a prize in this massive multi-author 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!

Glass Slipper Sisters Promo Blitz #boxset multi-author #giveaway

Let the Glass Slipper Sisters style your regal table to perfection, thanks to the gorgeous, but quick and inexpensive adornments and easy-to-prepare scrumptious delights. You'll even find a few party games that can be adapted for your royal guests whatever their age.   Amazon US ~ Amazon International ~ B&N ~ iTunes ~ Kobo ~ Google Play ~ Goodreads
Cinderella’s Enchanted Night by Amber DaultonAnnalise wanted just one night with Elijah, but will an antique locket and a bit of Cinderella magic fulfill her every dream? Cinderella had it Easy by Jennifer ConnerCami only has 24 hours in her Cinderella body. Will she keep hiding or can she learn how to live life? Cinderella Series – The Collection by Kae Elle Wheeler
Said the fairy godmother,”True sisters will always find their way, no matter.” Cinder the Fae by Rebekah R GarniereWhen Prince Rome’s father initiates a contest to win him a wife, Cinder finds herself having to fight sixty other females for his heart while trying to keep the evil vying for the crown from destroying them all. Fairy Tale Flirts by Lisa ScottShe’s an unappreciated housekeeper with an eye for designer goodies. Can Cindi get her dream shoes and her dream guy? A sweet, funny modern take on Cinderella. Fooling Around with Cinderella by Stacy JubaWhat happens when the glass slippers pinch Cinderella’s toes? When Jaine Andersen proposes a new marketing role to the local amusement park, general manager Dylan Callahan charms her into filling Cinderella’s glass slippers for the summer. Home Sweet Texas by Caroline ClemmonsThis modern Cinderella encounters problems even a fairy godmother couldn’t imagine. Nobody’s Cinderella by Joan ReevesA lie and a wish on a Christmas star…uh oh! This Cinderella should have been careful what she wished for! Pumpkin: A Cindermama Story by Ines JohnsonHaving given up on fairytales after falling for her toad of an ex, Pumpkin is afraid to take a chance on town royalty Manny who believes she may be his soulmate. Savage Cinderella by PJ SharonKidnapped and left for dead, Brinn Hathaway survives for years in the wild, only to be drawn out of hiding by a young nature photographer who steals her heart. Now, Brinn must decide if coming out of hiding is worth the hope—and the danger—that may await her. Second Chance Cinderella by Sharon KleveRaven St. James only has 24 hours in her Cinderella body. What will she do with it? Will she become the confident, strong, flirty girl she wants to be? Will she get the guy she has always wanted? Spellbound Cinderella by Angela FordIf you had your dream body for only 24 hours… What would you do? One magical pendant gives Tess one wish to use before the clock strikes twelve. The Cinderella Princess by Melissa McCloneA scandal-ridden prince must marry a royal if he doesn’t want to be disowned, but he falls for the American sent to find him a princess bride. The Thin Person Inside by Rochelle WeberKristen Jensen never expected to fall in love when she finally decided to address her morbid obesity by seeking addictions treatment—let alone with a rock star. Wishful Thinking by Lynette SofrasA struggling single mother and a pop-icon turned Hollywood star meet in unusual circumstances. Fate drew them together, but the intrigue and trappings of stardom threaten to unravel love’s ties.
AMBER DALTON: My mind is a wonderland of romance and adventure, laughter and awesome ways of kicking a guy when he's down. I read, write and enjoy contemporary, paranormal and historical novels alike. I just can't get enough of feisty heroines and alpha heroes. Writing takes up most of my time, aside from my tedious day job in the retail industry, and I probably wouldn't be too sane without my computer and notebooks. After all, what's a girl to do when there are people jabbering away in her head and it's hard to shut them up? Write! Nothing else works. When I'm not busy toiling away on my computer, I acknowledge the fact that I do, indeed, live in reality and then I remember that I'm married with five adorable kitties. *Wink wink* My wonderful, punk-rocker husband supports me in my career (cough cough--obsession) and always lends a pair of eyes to my manuscripts.JENNIFER CONNER is a best-selling Northwest author who has over sixty short stories and books in ebook, print, and audiobooks. She writes in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance, Historical Romance, and Erotica. She lives in a hundred year old house that she grew up in. Her semi-small town holds an interesting mix of resident hillbillies, yuppies and Navy Seals. And of course Seattle, only a few miles away, is the birthplace of Starbucks so coffee is always on the check list. She blows glass beads with a blow torch, (which relieves a lot of stress and people don't bother you) and is a huge fan of musicals.KATHY L WHEELER (a.k.a Kae Elle Wheeler) graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a BA in Management Information Systems that includes a Vocal Minor. She is an avid theater buff (holds season tickets to Broadway Series in OKC), loves the NFL and NBA (also holds season tickets to Thunder Basketball in OKC), loves travel, people and karaoke.Kathy/Kae lives with her musically talented husband in Edmond, Oklahoma, has one grown daughter who recently had a baby, and one bossy cat! REBEKAH R GANIERE grew up on both the east and west coasts and currently lives in the Los Angeles area. From the Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein to The Stand by Stephen King, Rebekah immersed herself in other people's made up worlds. She began writing in junior high and then found she liked pretending to be other people's characters in high school. Lettering in drama she went on to study theater in college as well. After college she continued acting till becoming a mom. Ultimately, she ended up going back to writing her characters down instead of acting them out, so she could stay at home with her kids. Rebekah is an Award Winning Bestselling Author. Her novel Dead Awakenings, debuted in January 2014. Red the Were Hunter, the first in her Fairelle Series won the Paranormal Romance Guild's Fantasy Book of the year 2014. The second book Snow the Vampire Slayer was released in September. And the Series itself won Best Fantasy Series of the year. And her trilogy The Society was released with Kensington Lyrical Press.LISA SCOTT is a former TV news anchor who now enjoys making up stories instead of sticking to the facts. She's worked in Bangor, ME, Rochester, NY and Buffalo, NY. She lives in upstate NY with her husband, two children, dog, cat, and koi fish. When not writing, she works as a voice actor.She writes romance (Flirts! short story collections, and The Willowdale Romance Series) along with middle grade fiction for children.Her debut middle grade novel, School of Charm, will be released by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, in early 2014.STACY JUBA loves to write about Characters at a Crossroads: individuals who are finding themselves and getting on the right life path after overcoming obstacles. Her goals are to entertain readers of all ages as well as inspire them through her mystery, romance and contemporary fiction books for adults, teens and children. She has written about ice hockey, sibling rivalry and sportsmanship, teen psychics, U.S. flag etiquette for kids, and determined women sleuths solving mysteries. Her latest novel is Fooling Around With Cinderella, the first in the Storybook Valley chick lit sweet romance series. Stacy is always happy to hear from readers. CAROLINE CLEMMONS is an Amazon bestselling author of historical and contemporary western romances whose books have garnered numerous awards. Her latest release is GABE KINCAID, book four of her popular Kincaid series. A frequent speaker at conferences and seminars, she has taught workshops on characterization, point of view, and layering a novel. Caroline and her husband live in the heart of Texas cowboy country with their menagerie of rescued pets. Prior to writing full time, her jobs included stay-at-home mom (her favorite), secretary, newspaper reporter and featured columnist, assistant to the managing editor of a psychology journal, bookkeeper for the local tax assessor and--for a short and fun time--an antique dealer. When she's not indulging her passion for writing, Caroline enjoys reading, travel, antiquing, genealogy, painting, getting together with friends, and enjoying watching the birds, butterflies, and squirrels wandering through her back yard. Find her on her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Shelfari, Goodreads, and Pinterest.JOAN REEVES is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance. She began her career with New York traditional publishers. When the Amazon Kindle came along, she happily embraced a new career path as an independent author/publisher.Joan lives her happily ever after with her hero, her huband, in the Lone Star State. They have four kids who think they are adults and a ghost dog--all the ingredients for a life full of love and warmed by laughter. She lives the philosophy that is the premise of all of her romance novels: "It's never too late to live happily ever after."INES JOHNSON writes books for strong women who suck at love. If you rocked out to the twisted triangle of Jem, Jericha, and Rio as a girl; if you were slayed by vampires with souls alongside Buffy; if you need your scandolous fix from Olivia Pope each week, then you'll love her books!Aside from being a writer, professional reader, and teacher, Ines is a very bad Buddhist. She sits in sangha each week, and while others are meditating and getting their zen on, she's contemplating how to use the teachings to strengthen her plots and character motivations.Ines lives outside Washington, DC with her two little sidekicks who are growing up way too fast. PJ SHARON: Award winning author of young adult books, including PIECES of LOVE, HEAVEN is for HEROES, ON THIN ICE, and Holt Medallion winner SAVAGE CINDERELLA, PJ Sharon loves writing for teens and teens at heart. Her latest work, HEALING WATERS, completes The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael, a YA dystopian trilogy that RT Book Reviews calls "An action-packed read with a strong female lead." For more info on PJ's books and updates on new releases, sign up for her newsletter or visit her website.When she's not writing, or spreading the love through her practice, she can be found kayaking in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts, and renovating an old farmhouse with the love of her life.SHARON KLEVE was born and raised in Washington and currently lives on the Olympic Peninsula with her husband. Sharon is a multi-published author of paranormal and contemporary romance. She loves romance. She loves reading romance, living romance, and especially loves writing about romance. Sharon gets no greater feeling than watching her characters come alive in each other's arms. Most of all, she loves giving her characters the happily ever after they deserve--with a few bumps and bruises along the way.One of her favorite things to do is pick-up a new book and sinking into the story, immersing herself in the emotions between the characters. She hopes to inspire her readers the same way her favorite authors inspired her.When not writing, she can usually be found either curled up in her recliner with her cat and a good book, or in the kitchen baking sourdough bread or bagels.ANGELA FORD Bestselling Romantic Suspense & Contemporary Romance / Top 50 Authors on Amazon Kindle Angela Ford originates from Nova Scotia...Canada's Ocean Playground! Her love of the ocean and sunsets are always in her heart and give her inspiration. Her love for words keeps her turning the page. She is never without a book, whether she's reading or writing. Now residing in Ontario, Angela works in Finance - numbers by day - words by night. Her dedication to volunteer and involvement with cyber safety seminars gave her an Award of Distinction and sparked the idea for her first book Closure - Best Selling Action/Adventure/Crime/Suspense. Ms. Ford continued her FBI series with Forbidden and Obsessed. In between mysteries, Ms. Ford writes short contemporary romance...sometimes with a dash of suspense! Being a mom, her home is always filled with young adults and rather interesting stories; but it is the furry family members who rule the house - a Puggle, a Chug puppy and two loveable cats. Every possible quiet moment she finds, she treasures and just writes about the moments to come. Angela is an avid reader of romance, a member of the RWA, KOD (Kiss of Death - Suspense Chapter) and Mississauga Writers Group. Visit her website Romantic Escapes at http://www.angelafordauthor.com to connect with her on social media. She loves to hear from her readers - they keep her smiling! MELISSA MCCLONE: USA Today bestselling author, Melissa McClone has published over thirty novels with Harlequin and Tule Publishing Group and been nominated for Romance Writers of America's RITA® award. With a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, Melissa worked for a major airline where she traveled the globe and met her husband. But analyzing jet engine performance couldn't compete with her love of writing happily ever afters. Her first full-time writing endeavor was her first sale when she was pregnant with her first child! When she isn't writing, you can usually find her driving her minivan to/from her children's swim practices and other activities. Melissa lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three school-aged children, two spoiled Norwegian Elkhounds, two goldfish and a few cats who think they rule the house. They do!ROCHELLE WEBER is a Navy veteran and holds a BA in Communications from Columbia College in Chicago with an emphasis on Creative Writing. Her novels Rock Bound and Rock Crazy are available in both e-book and print. Her third book, The Thin Person Inside, will be coming out from MuseItUp Publishing, Inc. early in 2015. Ms. Weber edits for Jupiter Gardens Press, The Author's Secret, and is the Editor-in-Chief of the Marketing for Romance Writers Newsletter, winner of the 2013 Preditors & Editors Readers' Poll for Best Writers' Resource. She also started Roses & Thorns Reviews and now has three partners.Ms. Weber battles bi-polar disorder, quipping, "You haven't lived until you've been the only woman on the locked ward at the VA." Her song, "It's Not My Fault," won a gold medal in the National Veterans Creative Arts Competition. She has lost about 130 pounds and kept it off for almost three years. She lives in Round Lake Beach, Illinois, and has two married daughters, four grandchildren, three step-grandkids, and one step-great-grandchild. Two cats allow her to live with them and cater to their every whim.LYNETTE SOFRAS: A former teacher, Lynette gave up her career in education a few years ago in order to focus on her writing and thus fulfil her childhood dream. She writes contemporary women's fiction, often involving romance with suspense or a supernatural twist. She claims 'Killing Jenna Crane', a romantic thriller and 'Unworkers' a modern ghost story/women's fiction are her personal favourites to date. Her latest release 'The Nightclub' is a romance packed with suspense. You can find more details of her novels on her website: http://www.lynettesofras.com   Amazon US ~ Amazon International ~ B&N ~ iTunes ~ Kobo ~ Google Play ~ Goodreads
a Rafflecopter giveaway MoBmagicofbookspromo@gmail.com

***
Enter for chances to win a prize in this massive multi-author giveaway!
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!