Shiloh Walker's Blog, page 57
April 28, 2014
Arkansas Tornado Relief…how you can help
KindleI grabbed this link via @smartbitches twitter feed.
Check list from The Made Thing~posted with permission.
LOCAL NEEDS LIST : CHECK HEREThis 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 TornadoIf 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 TornadoIf 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
KindleThere’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
April 25, 2014
Friday rambles
KindleI spent yesterday updating my website. This is probably the biggest change I’ve done with it in…um, forever. Well, since I got a for real website and left yahoo ten years ago. At some point, I need to quit doing it myself, but I have control issues. 
How do you think it looks?
I had plans of doing some yard work this weekend–I wanted to plant some sort of flowering tree in the front yard, and then ivy and clematis on the pergola so it would eventually help shade it. But I fell Wednesday. And my right ankle has this lovely swelling thing going on. I can walk. With pain, but I can walk. However, I don’t think gardening is advisable. Which really bites, because I’m never in the mood for it and I was kinda really wanting to do it for once.
Sadly, my ankle doesn’t hurt enough to get me out of grocery shopping. I guess I’ll spend more time reading-I’m in the middle of the most epic glom ever–rereading all of the In Death books by J.D. Robb. And I need read the new Irish books–O’Dwyer cousins, I think? I have them, just waiting to read. I’m probably going to buy copies again this summer… cuz I’ll be at Turn The Page. Again.
I keep my appearances down on the sidebar, but I’ll be signing at Turn The Page in July with Nora Roberts (gah) Linda Lael Miller (gah!) and more…the full list of authors is here. If you can come, that would be awesome. But if you can’t come, you can still order signed books from me. And you should totally do that, because it makes me feel awesome when I’m signing books at Nora Roberts’ store. They have four of my titles listed, but if there are others you want, you can use the contact form and see if they can order the titles you’d like to have signed. Also… they ship internationally, so if you like outside the States, this is probably the ideal way to get a signed title from me.
BREAK FOR ME, the second novella in the Secrets & Shadows series, is available. It’s about Jensen, the middle Bell sibling…and the DA she has to work with from time to time. He sort of drives her crazy. The feeling is mutual.
~*~
The sight of her sitting with Guy Miller, one of the deputies with county, had him wanting to chew nails. Dean kept an easy smile on his face as he nodded at everybody, noting that Guy sat next to Ali, leaving a vacant spot between him and Jensen.
Maybe they weren’t there together.
Didn’t keep him from wanting to do something stupid, like put his hand on her shoulder, beat his chest, anything to make it clear he had an interest here.
Not that it was returned.
Jensen’s eyes, caught between brown and green and glinting with a sharp edge in that moment, met his and she lifted a brow.
“Hello, Dean.”
The chill in her eyes would have sent a smart man running. But Dean supposed if he was smart, he wouldn’t still be chasing after her, hoping against hope that something inside her would soften, that he’d get an opening—that the interest he’d seen spark in her eyes once or twice would flare. Just a chance. That was all he needed.
The slightest opening.
Read more…
Amazon | BN | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play
If you have read it (and BURN FOR ME) and wouldn’t mind taking the time, a review posted to Amazon and/or BN would be very much appreciated and they really do help. The more reviews a book has, the more they show up in the search algorithms, which makes them easier for new readers to find. My publishers also look at them…crucial things since I’m trying to sell another series.
April 24, 2014
Website work
KindleIf you notice pages changing/backgrounds updating, etc… trying to update the look of site. Please ignore. Will go back to (my) level of normal soon.
Bloggity stuff
Kindle
A couple more hits on the blog stop… if you visit, you can enter to win that Coach purse.
My street team leader helps put the blog tours together and those on my street team often get early readers and I do random draws for prizes and stuff, plus try to get together for drinks and that sort of thing when I know we’ll be in the same area for cons. It’s fairly low key, but if you’re a blogger or if you review on GRs or would like to pass out bookmarks to your bookclub, that kind of thing, you can read more here.
FYI, joining doesn’t guarantee anything..I try rotate things around, but I make no promises.
April 23, 2014
How much of a book addict
KindleIf you’re here, more than likely, you’re addicted. I think the quiz is rigged. I’m much more addicted than this.
You can take the quiz here.
There’s a book tour going on with the release of BREAK FOR ME…you can hit the blogs and get more chances to win. First stop is here.
Just a reminder, if you review, you can request BREAK FOR ME and LONG FOR ME from Netgalley. I don’t think they’ll be there long, so grab them while you can.
For those who have read BURN FOR ME and BREAK FOR ME, if you feel so inclined, reviews posted to Amazon, BN, iBooks, etc…it helps a LOT… publishers look at these things and since I’m trying to get them to buy another series, having reviews going up would help an awful lot. Cuz…well, they like seeing those.
Snippet!
“It’s okay, Jensen. I get it. You and me, we’re not going there. So I’ll . . .” He blew out a breath. “I’ll just stop.”
The words ripped out of her. “Stop what?”
He didn’t answer. Long fingers wrapped around the neck of the bottle of Woodford Reserve he had next to him and he rose. “I hope you can get some rest this weekend. Find some peace.”
“You didn’t answer me.”
He paused halfway up the steps. “I can’t stop myself from thinking about you. But I haven’t made much of an attempt to hide the fact that I’m interested. I can do better, so I will. You don’t want to see it, so I’ll keep it to myself. Sooner or later, it will fade.”
Will it?
She stared at the strong line of his back as he crossed the porch, her heart slamming away in her chest.
A knot formed in her throat.
This . . . this intensity she felt every time she looked at him. That could fade?
It was the most real thing she’d felt since . . .
She didn’t even realize she was moving until he’d turned to look at her.
Then she was doing the very thing she’d dreamed about.
His skin was warm against hers, the light stubble scraping against her palms. Because that light touch wasn’t enough, she kept one palm on his face and then drove the other hand into his hair, tangled it in his dreads. The texture was coarse against her hand and she shuddered at the thought of feeling him, all of him.
“I don’t want it to fade,” she whispered as she rose onto her toes and pressed her mouth to his.
Amazon | BN | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play
Check out the contest…you can win a Coach purse and books!
April 22, 2014
Break For Me…now available
KindleKeep up with the Bell family…Jensen’s story is now available
“How was your weekend?”
“Enchanting.” That slow smile tugged at his lips and he asked, “Yours?”
She had to give the man credit. With a lazy smile and a simple word, he turned her heart to putty and also managed to make her clench with want. Mouth dry, she had to swallow before she could say, “About the same.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
The look that must have been relief melted her that much more. She went to say something else, but in that moment, an odd hush fell over the bull pen. She looked up and her belly twisted as she realized the guys were turning to look at her, one by one.
“What . . .” The question died as she caught sight of Chief Sorenson. He stood there, his eyes on her.
She didn’t even understand why, but the look on his face had the strength draining out of her legs.
She sagged back, bracing her hips against the desk as he came striding toward her.
“Jensen, I need to speak with you. Let’s go to my office.”
“Sir?”
He reached out, touched her arm.
Dazed, she looked down at his hand and then lifted her eyes back to study his heavily lined face.
“Some kids were messing around, down at the river, at the park a few blocks outside of town,” he said, his voice level, pitched low so that only she could hear. “Come on, now. Come to my office.”
She shoved off the desk, started to move.
But she didn’t head to his office.
She started to run.
By the time any of them realized where she was going, she was already out the door.
Distantly, she heard the slap of shoes behind her. She put on a burst of speed, but still, he caught up with her.
Dark, strong hands caught her arms.
“Jensen!”
Sucking in desperate breaths of air, she glared at Dean. “Let me go!”
***
Her eyes were pure hell.
Reaching up, he cupped her cheek.
“Calm down,” he said softly. “And I will.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down!”
“I’m not letting you run off in the middle of the street.” He shrugged. “Sue me.”
Her mouth fell open and then, abruptly, she slumped, her narrow shoulders shuddering as she took in one slow, steadying breath. “Okay,” she murmured. “Okay. I’m good. I can walk.”
He let her go but instead of moving back, he held out a hand. “I can walk with you.”
She eyed his hand.
He continued to wait. “You really want to do this alone?”
She smacked her palm against his and then, as one, they started to move. She was painfully aware of the eyes on them, of Chief Sorenson drawing closer.
Even more, she was aware of the glittering ribbon of the Ohio, just barely visible through the buildings.
They started to walk, her heart pounding in her throat.
The park was only a few blocks away, something she could have reached in two minutes, easy.
It seemed to take forever, though.
By the time they got there, Sorenson was at her side.
And she was clutching Dean’s hand like he was the only thing keeping her from drowning.
Amazon | BN | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play
Check out the contest…you can win a Coach purse and books!
Wanna win?
KindleFrom BREAK FOR ME…
Everything else in the world spiraled away and she lost herself to just the sensations and the pleasure.
Her feet hit the ground and she snarled as he let her go.
But all he did was reach for the waistband of her jeans. “You’re overdressed.”
Falling back against the door, she stared at him in drugged, hungry fog. A few seconds later, cool air kissed her flesh as he came back over her, his elbows rising to bracket her in against the wood at her back. “There aren’t enough hours in the night for what I want to do to you,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her neck, her shoulder. “But that’s not going to stop me from trying.”
Amazon | BN | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play
Giveaway includes:
A coach purse
Signed books from my back list
$20 Gift Card to Amazon or Barns & Nobel
***Due to shipping & insurance, this contest will be limited to the US only***
Retail value $150
April 21, 2014
Break for Me…one more day!
KindleFor those who celebrate, I hope you had a lovely Easter. We went to sunrise service at church, then had a family pitch with all my brothers, their wives, the kids, my mom…
Comics & movies were discussed. “Who is best…Thor, Superman, the Wolverine or the Hulk…”…then we moved on to the topic of…”Would the Hulk survive if he was fired into the sun?”
So, yeah. That’s an almost normal discussion for my family.
We’re extremely excited about the movies coming out this summer. Books were also discussed.
I might have introduced my oldest nephew to J.D. Robb. He’s a guy who doesn’t mind a little bit of romance in his reads. Which kinda rocks.
Speaking of romance…I have another one due out tomorrow…
Break for Me the second Secrets & Shadows novella, telling the story of Jensen, continuing the story of the Bell siblings.
Everything inside her seemed to melt as his hands raced over her. Long, agile fingers grabbed the hem of her shirt and before she had a chance to steady herself, he stripped it off. Two seconds later, her bra followed. She blinked, dazed, and looked down just in time to see him trailing his fingers down the midline of her torso.
“So damn pretty,” he mused, his voice low and dark and smooth. It sent shivers down her spine and she found herself mesmerized by the sight of his hands on her. His hands, beautiful and so dark against her flesh, slid up and cupped her breasts.
She could feel a blush rising up to stain her cheeks red. She’d never been terribly self-conscious but in that moment, she was. Her body was what it was—strong, capable, not overly female.
“Look at me.”
Slowly, she lifted her head and found herself staring into his eyes.
“I think I’ve imagined seeing you naked about a thousand times now,” he said. “I didn’t even come close.”
She didn’t know how to respond to that. Fortunately, she didn’t have to.
Amazon | BN | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play
April 18, 2014
Net Galley users.. Break for Me & Long for Me!
KindleIf you use Net Galley, Break for Me & Long for Me are up there. Dunno how long they’ll be there, so grab them while you can.
