Shiloh Walker's Blog, page 56

Saturday stuff…

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J.C. Daniels type of stuff…

Amazon & BN still have the Kit books discounted to 1.99.  It won’t last much longer, I don’t think and Broken Blade is only discounted on Amazon.  The other sites already have them back to regular price, so grab it while you can if you’re interested.

Blade Song  Amazon | BN

Night Blade Amazon | BN

Broken Blade Amazon

 

I’ve had people asking again why they can’t find the Kit books in print in stores.  You’re not going to, unless you find an indie who just really likes them…and if you do, please let me know where this bookstore is so I can adore them.  But your local bookseller, be it chain or indie, should be able to order it.

If you prefer to order online, or don’t know where a local is, here are the links to find them.  FYI, if you don’t live in the US, Book Depository is wonderful option.

Barnes & Noble
iBooks
Booksamillion
Amazon
Kobo
Book Depository
Indiebound

Secrets & Shadows news!

Deeper than Need is up on Net Galley.  I don’t know how long it will last, but it’s there.  If you’re a reviewer, get the request in fast.  FYI, I have no say in who gets approved.

Long for Me comes out Tuesday.

This is one of my favorites bits in the book…

Please. Don’t make me beg—

Those words hovered on the tip of her tongue, but then, words and thought lost all meaning as the hand he’d tangled in her hair moved, bringing her in closer to him.

Hunger, anticipation, vied inside her and she rose up onto her toes to meet his kiss.

But he didn’t kiss her.

His lips feathered across her cheekbone, brushed down her jawline to her neck.  She whimpered as he tugged her head to the side, exposing her neck, but before she could even think about complaining, he pressed a hot, open-mouthed kiss to her neck.

At the same time, his other hand pulled her skirt up.

She gasped as cool air kissed her flesh.

His hand, rough and warm, palmed her flesh and he muttered, “Damn.  Here I was getting all worked up and you had to go and decide to wear panties.”

It surprised a laugh out of her.

“I always wear panties when I’m wearing a dress.  And how do you know that I tend . . .”

She lifted her head to meet his eyes and the words stuck in her throat.  His eyes, those dark gray eyes, burned hot.  “I’ve got a fascination with how your ass fills out a pair of jeans, Tink.  I can tell you how many times you’ve worn panties every day this past week.”

Read more

Amazon | BN | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play

 

You need a wife, Guy… LONG FOR ME (snippet)

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“Come on, Tink.”

In response, Chris just sighed and turned her head away from him, burrowing deeper into the seat.

Deputy Guy Miller closed his eyes and tried to mentally prepare himself.

He could do this.

He had done it before, after all.

Blowing out a breath, he reached over and unerringly freed the catch on the seat belt. As he climbed out of the car and circled around, he braced himself.  Chris was tired. Chris hadn’t just had a rough day—the past few weeks had been hell and he needed to be there for her.

All he was doing was taking her inside, putting her to bed.

Just being friendly.

Yeah, because that was how she wanted things.

That was how she’d decided things would be between them, just a couple of years ago.

Friendly.  That was exactly how he felt.  Friendly.

Lust and love twisted inside him.  Just lifting her into his arms made his dick ache.  Of course, he’d been a fucking disaster all day, ever since he’d slid onto that hard bench at church, seen the red dress she’d worn.  No black for Chris.  Her mother had loved color, so Chris had given her color.  A brilliant spray of red roses and white lilies had stood between two of the pictures and he already knew who had designed that arrangement, and Chris had worn a dress the same shade of red as those roses, a deep, dark red that had glowed against her skin and she’d left her arms bare so the tattoos had been on display.

More roses.

Roses that climbed up her arms and trailed down her back.

Once, he’d stripped that delicate body naked and learned each curve, each bloom of ink, and tasted that soft flesh.

One weekend, frozen in time.

But now, he was just a friend.

Settling her against his chest, he paused, gave himself a minute to rub his cheek against the softness of her hair.

Just a friend, maybe.

Even if everything he felt inside was so much more.

“Chris, baby,” he murmured.

She hummed in her throat and snuggled against him.

Sighing, he shifted around and managed to kick the door to his car shut.  He relished the soft feel of her in his arms as he carried her to the back door, using his key to unlock the door.

“You’re good at this.”

He stilled at the sound of her voice.

A low beep beep beep came to his ears and he scowled, moving inside and using his shoulder to bump her door shut.  The alarm system he’d nagged her into buying had a key fob, but he’d forgotten about it. Disarming the alarm, he looked down at the pale circle of her face.  “How long have you been awake?” he asked softly.

“Somewhere between the car and here.”  She wiggled against him but he pretended not to notice as he carried her into the kitchen.

If she was awake, he was going to make sure she ate something before he left.

“Are you back on the medicine?” he asked, settling her on one of the bar stools.

She grimaced at him.  “No.  I don’t need it right now.  Well, maybe it would be useful, but I don’t want it.  Why?”

“Because you’re not eating.”  She’d lost probably five pounds, easy.

“I never eat when I’m miserable.”  She sighed and shrugged.  “The ADHD drugs aren’t the only thing that kills my appetite.  Finding out what happened to Mom.  The memorial.  Nosy bitches who don’t need to be at Mom’s memorial anyway.  All of those things will make me not want to eat.”

“You’re going to eat.”

She slid him a look.  “Am I now?”

He came back over to the island and planted one hand in front of her, the other on the back of her chair.  “You are.  You’re wasting away.”  Then, because he knew she might ignore him if he bossed her around, but she’d never ignore him if he asked, he softened his voice and said, “Please, Tink.”

She sighed.

Reaching up, he cupped her cheek, wished he had the right to stroke his thumb over the full curve of her lower lip, maybe press his lips to hers and see if he couldn’t find some way to stir her appetite and make her forget some of her misery for a while.

She covered his hand with hers and squeezed.  “You need a wife, Guy.  You just love taking care of people.”

“Not all wives want to be taken care of.”  He shrugged and turned away.  He wasn’t about to tell her that the only woman he wanted to take care of was her, that the only woman he wanted was the woman he’d never have.

Just a few more days…have you ordered?

 

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New Orleans…I’m coming your way

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I’ll be in New Orleans next week for RT, the year convention for the RT Book Reviews.  Lots of fun, parties, work, fun, parties…the event is sold out, but the book fair is open to the public.

♦

RT Convention

May 13-18th

New Orleans, LA

Info

I have to leave the book fair around one because of my flight, but if you’re in or around the area, I’d love to see you!

 

BTW, if you’re attending, my agenda is here.  I’m only on one panel, but I’ll be around.   Probably in the bar.  I’m also going to be at the Berkley stop for the pub crawl.  I may have goodies for the pub crawl…in limited amounts, so find me fast.

 

Also!  In September, I’ll be signing at the Cinci Comic Expo.  My friends with Readers Entertainment will have a booth and they’ve invited me to sign with them.  Details coming for that later.

#bringBackourGirls

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Have you heard about this?

Little media attention is being given to it.  In the past few days, FINALLY, CNN is talking about it.  I’m now seeing news going up on USA Today, ABC & MSN.  It happened almost a month ago.

300 girls kidnapped in Nigeria.  Fifty escaped.  The rest?  They are being sold into slavery…why?

Because they were being educated.

 

From CNN’s article:

 

Boko Haram’s name translates to “Western education is a sin,” and the group especially opposes the education of women. Under its version of Sharia law, women should be at home raising children and looking after their husbands, not at school learning to read and write.

The leader has announced he’s selling them…as brides, and some have already sold for $12.  Selling them, because they dared to learn. These monsters are selling children, and the media ignored it. So many people are unaware.

Know what finally probably caught the notice of the media?  Twitter.  With the #bringBackourGirls campaign somebody started.  I can’t say for certain that’s what did it, but all week, people talked about it…on twitter, and the news said nothing.  Smaller outlets, mostly overseas and I think in Africa did, and some that were geared for the black community.  But nothing in the mainstream media.

Then people started tweeting #bringBackourGirls. All last week, and throughout the weekend.

Now, the media noticed, finally. Last week, you couldn’t find it on the major news sites, and now it’s headlining.  Now the Nigerian president is saying something and acting like he’ll draw a hardline.  Want to add your voice?  Get on twitter, if you have an account and talk about it.  Tweet with #bringBackourGirls.

Their lives matter.  They shouldn’t be ignored.

Just one week…

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So I went on a field trip to Madison, got wine from Lanthier.  If you read the books, you’ll see the place mentioned.  I picked up a bottle for the basket I’m doing for the Lori Foster Get Together this summer.

 

If you come, you’ll have a chance to win.

LONG FOR ME comes out soon…

 

And if morning came and she wanted to pretend it never happened?  Then what?  He didn’t know.  It would kill a piece of him and he knew it.  But he couldn’t think about that now.  It was too fucking complicated when his dick, when his heart, hurt like this.

“If you’re not ready to be stupid again, tell me to stop,” he said.

Chris stared at him.

Seconds ticked by.

“Chris?”

“I’m not saying a damn thing.”

His mouth took hers.

She arched up against him, her fingers digging into his arms.  The muscles of his biceps were rigid, tight.

“Be sure, Chris,” he whispered.

“You better hurry.”

He laughed.

A second later, her head was spinning as he boosted her up over his shoulder, one big hand curving over her hip to steady her.  “No. I’m not going to hurry this.”

 

 

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Friday 56

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Hey all!! It’s been a while since I’ve posted.  How is everyone?  Well, we’ve all made it through another week….yay!! And it’s also closer to RT, for those who are going (and don’t forget to track down Shi and say hello *G*). If you’re going, I”m jealous, but have fun and be safe. I adore the French Quarter, and am eager to hear all the fun stories.

And since it’s Friday, I thought I’d get us started with a fun post…Friday 56. If you know how to play already, grab that book and post!  If not, don’t worry. It’s super easy. Grab the closest book (I don’t care if it’s something you’re reading currently or not, just whatever is closest to you at the moment), turn to page 56 and give me the 5th full sentence.   Mine this week is from Kim Harrison’s The Undead Pool, which released back in February.

” ‘What about my car?’ I said flatly, and he chuckled.”

One last request, as more of us, myself included, are reading ebooks, I want to find a way to make this game ebook friendly. Thoughts, anyone?

Well, hello… cool stuff!

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Beautiful Scars, one of my erotic romances, is a finalist in the National Readers Choice Awards.

And while I can’t claim any credit for this one, The Reunited is up for the Cover Cafe’s Cover Contest. Per the email I received…

 

The contest will be online for public voting between May 1 and May 21, 2014
and everyone is welcome to vote for their favorite covers. Voters need to
vote in at least 3 of the 5 categories and only once in each category.
Below is the link to the contest introduction page.

http://www.covercafe.com/contest/2013/contest2013intro.shtml

 

As I like winning things, votes would be awesome. If you feel like it.

 

AND!!! It’s May… that means it’s time for the Brenda Novak annual auction for the cure…this raises funds for diabetes, and it’s awesome.

You can bid on FBI books,   Kit  books, or even name a Kit character…

Edits, ahoy

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Edits came in for Sweeter than Sin.

Here…a peek.

Arkansas Tornado Relief…how you can help

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I grabbed this link via @smartbitches twitter feed.

 

Check list from The Made Thing~posted with permission.

 

LOCAL NEEDS LIST : CHECK HERE

This list is specific needs for individual families that have asked for certain items. I’ll be updating this as time goes on, including adding a mailing address to send donations to.

Money Donations for Mayflower and Vilonia Tornado

If you’re not local to Arkansas, the best thing you can do is donate money to relief organizations and earmark it for our area.

Red Cross – You can go here and do a “quick donation” for a general disaster relief fund. I expect they will set up a specific cause you can donate to later and will update this information as I get it. Even if you’re not here, they always need blood. You can also donate $10 by texting the word “REDCROSS” to 90999.
The Salvation Army - Fill out this donation form to specifically donate to the Arkansas tornado relief. You can also mail checks to The Salvation Army Disaster Relief, PO Box 738, North Little Rock, AR  72115-0738 and write Arkansas Tornado Relief on the check memo line. To donate $10 to the general disaster ref lief fund, text “STORM” to 80888. You can also call 1-800-725-2769.
United Methodists of Arkansas – They have a fund set up too. Donate here.
Mosaic Church – A few families at this church were affected and are accepting donations.
Arkansas Rice Depot - Text “FEED” to 74700 to make an immediate $5 or $10 donation. You can also go to www.ricedepot.org and click “GIVE TODAY.”
United Way – Our local Conway office is taking donations on their website. Scroll down past the list of local needs to the button!
Kangabloo – An local online marketing company is selling t-shirts to benefit and collecting donations. Order one for $15 and help victims!

Local Donations for Mayflower and Vilonia Tornado

If you’re here in Central Arkansas, we need supplies. You can bring the requested items to these locations.

Apostolic Church in North Little Rock accepting donations beginning at 9 a.m. Monday to “Stuff the Truck.”  Donations of tarps, flashlights, batteries, hand sanitizer, non-perishable food items, gloves, toiletries, chainsaws, blankets and bottled water can be dropped off at 4315 Landers Rd. in North Little Rock.  They can be reached at 501-945-2655.
Holiday Inn Express in Maumelle will be a drop off site for donations . They need bottled water, non perishable food items, blankets, clothes, baby items, books and stuffed animals.  Holiday Inn Express is located at  200 Holiday Dr, Maumelle, AR 72113.
The Van is accepting donations (currently) at the cafe across the street from 8 Mile gas station on 64. Check their Facebook for more info.  You can donate cash to The One (the organization behind the Van) online.  The Van is in Vilonia right now helping out.
Faulkner County SPCA - They need tarps, tents, crates, and dog kennels, dog food, cat food, horse food, medical supplies, bandages, tape, gauze, soft towels, or baby blankets. You can donate these items to the 8 Mile Store in Conway. There is also a lost and found pet Facebook page, although not associated with the SPCA. If you find wandering animals in the area, check there.
Stratton’s Market – They’re taking collections on Monday and Tuesday. Bring clothes, blankets, non-perishable food, etc.
Family Life Bible Church - (150 S. Hogan Ln) will be collecting items for local tornado relief shelters. Beginning at 9:30 a.m. Monday. They need water, nonperishable snack items, new blankets and pillows, and large tarps. They’re collecting until 4:30 each day until further notice.
Boys and Girls Club of Bryant- Collecting donations of non-perishables, water, clothing. Drop off between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Located at 6401 Boone Road in Bryant.
Mayflower High School and Middle School Shelters- They need blankets, cots, pillows and snacks. John Pipkins or Doug Jones will accept donations there.
Arkansas Women Bloggers - One in our ranks was hit. We’re collectingwomen’s small and size 6 pants and 8 shoes. Men’s xl and size 38 pants and 12 shoes. kids size 7 and 3 shoes. & 12-18 months and 3 shoes.  Please call me at 501.825.0421 for pickup or make a Paypal donation to Stephanie (at) arkansaswomenbloggers.com with Leslie in the note. You can drop it off at Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church, 925 Mitchell street, Conway with another one of our members but be sure to mark them “Leslie.”
Oak Bowery Baptist Church – 889 Otto Rd in Conway is accepting donations for relief efforts. 
Kroger & JCPenny in Batesville - They’re taking money donations inside Kroger to buy supplies and collecting bottled water, canned food, blankets, formula, diapers, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.
J. Tyler Pearson Fundrasier at La Huerta in Conway - This political fundraiser has been changed to a relief fund and donation center. We will be taking supplies and monetary donations. We will be collecting clothing for kids and adults, blankets, non-perishable food items, bottled water, baby items, toiletries, personal hygiene products, dog food, cat food, first aid supplies, over the counter medications, garbage bags, and plastic storage totes. It’s at 11:30 am at La Huerta in Conway. I will personally be there.
Faith Assembly of God in Springdale - They are working on coordinating efforts. Check back with them if you’re in the area.
Faulkner Co Extension Office- Collecting water, toiletries, etc., 4 storm victims. 110 S. Amity Road, Conway. 501-329-8344.
Central Church of Christ- Please drop by the tarps, bottled water, work gloves, flashlights, hand sanitizer and other basics. For the victims themselves–toiletries (tissue, soap, diapers, etc.) This will begin at noon today. 823 W 6th St, Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 374-2039 http://www.arcentralchurch.org/#/central
Arkansas Rice Depot - They are making Disaster Meal Kits. Click here to view what is needed.
First Baptist of Benton - They’re collecting Walmart gift cards to give out to affected families. Find out more here.
United Way of Conway – They’re collecting supplies. Read the list here.

Volunteering in Mayflower and Vilonia for Cleanup

Arkansas National Guard - Call 1-800-725-2769 to get an assignment from central command.
New Life Church - Tornado Relief for Vilonia & Mayflower: Meet tomorrow at 8AM at NLC Conway. Bring chain saws & gloves. Wear hard sole shoes & ARDC shirts. #SERVErelief (New Life Church’s Facebook).  They also have a tornado relief fund setup at the Arkansas Dream Center Page. Sign up for volunteeringhere.
Beryl Baptist Church -  Non-emergency volunteers can meet at the church at 873 U.S. 64 Business, Vilonia and receive passes and assignments to help with relief.

I feel the need to repost…on negative reviews, and think of the unicorns

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There’s another kerfuffle on reviews. Oddly led by a huge megaseller, and all about reviews and amazon and anonymity.  It’s bull and I can’t see how the reviews are hurting her, but she’s got some authors who are patting her on the back and commiserating with her.

The bottom line is once you put your book out there for public consumption, it’s going to be consumed…and if you’re a big name, you’ll be consumed in droves.  You’ll hit a mark, you’ll miss a mark.  But reviews are not for the author.  They are for the reader.

Here’s a post of mine – originally posted in 2012 and it pretty much covers what I think about negative reviews and this kind of crap.  Naturally, this mega author isn’t going to never sell another book over this, but it just goes to show

(warning…sarcasm & weirdness ahead)

Because…um…well… I said so… no, wait! That’s not why…this is why…

authors read them
you might want a career in publishing some day and you’ll be BLACKBALLED
librarians say so
a fluffy pink unicorn dies every time you do it
it’s not nice
kittens don’t like it

Ah. Screw it.

Here’s the thing. And it’s been said 10000000000 times.

Reviews. Are. An. Opinion.

Authors don’t have to like it.  And guess what…readers/reviewers don’t expect us to like the negative reviews.

But damn it. They are entitled to their opinion.  And when you say…

YOU SHOULDN’T POST THAT.  
DON’T BE SO NEGATIVE…IT’S CAN SCREW UP YOUR CAREER IN WRITING BEFORE YOU HAVE ONE
AUTHORS READ THOSE BLOGS (WON’T SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN…) okay…i added that on my own, but those whining about the negative reviews…um. Well…

Or anything variation of the above…you know how this translates?

You challenge their right to an opinion.  Plain and simple.  Perhaps that’s not how you intended to come off.

Yes, yes, I realize, you slaved and labored and worked so hard on that book.

Hey, check out the header up there… I read.  I write.  Yes, I write.  I’m a writer.   Published since 2003 ( I think).  I don’t know how many published works, because I stopped counting them. But I’m a writer. Full stop. End of.

But being published doesn’t entitle you to special treatment.

No.  Wait.  Maybe it does.  It means you get paid for your books.  If you go to a store and they have your books, you can ask to sign them, and that’s kinda cool.  And when people ask what you do for a living, you get to say… “I write.”

That doesn’t translate to…

“I get to deny other people their right to an opinion.”
“I get to tell people how or where they should voice their opinions.”
“I get to determine which opinions are valid and/or acceptable.”

Think that’s a little over the top?  Maybe it is.  But when you rant about a negative review, that’s the message you’re sending.

That negative review isn’t going to kill your career. Will it stop a few people from buying your book? Possibly…because that book may not be right for them.

And FYI, one of the rants lately was that negative reviews discouraged people from reading.  That comment is so fricking ludicrous I can’t even began to voice how many ways that is wrong.

But here’s a clue…and I’m not using these authors to mock or poke or malign.  I haven’t read these books, but I’m familiar with the authors and their works…’kay?

Laurell K Hamilton… on Amazon, Bullet-300+ reviews, and 147 are 1 star.  And you want me to believe people are still not buying/reading?  They are buying and reading her like crazy.

Stephanie Meyer on Amazon 5000+ And day-yum…guys I need more reviews!… anyway.  600 something negative reviews for Twilight.  And Stephanie Meyer…. still getting bought like mad.

Yes, these are big names.  I realize that.  But readers aren’t discouraged by ‘bad’ reviews.

And guess what…that negative review may be the very thing that entices another reader to buy your book.

Example…over at Dear Author… there are several different reviewers.

I generally tend to like books that reviewer Janet likes… if she likes a book, chances are I’m going to, and I’ve often found myself disliking the same books she’s disliked.

So if she didn’t care for a book I’m on the fence about? Yeah, I might not buy.

However… Jane‘s negative reviews? I very often have enjoyed books she hasn’t. I’m hit or miss on the books she’s liked so a positive review from her isn’t necessarily going to be the push I need to get me to buy. But a negative one very often is the push I need if I’m on the fence.  I really don’t think I’m the only person who does things like this.

And it’s a book I’m really, really interested in? Reviews don’t matter.  I’m probably going to take a chance on it.  Unless you’re one of these authors who are having fits about people having opinions your books, because you’re an author I’m never going to try.  I’m full of opinions and nobody gets to dictate how I get to voice them, where, when…etc, etc, etc.

I don’t want to come off as being harsh.  But seriously…some of these writers who are having meltdowns lately over negative/critical reviews?

I just have these thoughts in mind.

You need to get a couple of good, solid friends to vent to.  OFFLINE
You need to get your big girl pants/big boy pants…and put them on….people are going to dislike your work.  That’s all there is to it.
Accept it. Be prepared.  Your life will be easier for it, I promise you.
If you don’t think all of this makes sense… look at all the blow-ups that happen when an author rants over a review disliking a book.  Think them through… how many of them ended well for the author?  I can’t think of one.  It reflects badly.

And it can cost you readers.  The internet… she doesn’t forget.

ETA:  Please… think of the unicorns:

justforponies.com/

Author Author Cat pic made @ the LOL Cat builder