Kimberly Lewis's Blog, page 43
August 8, 2012
Giveaway Winners for "Zane: The McKades of Texas"!!!
Thanks to everyone who participated in the giveaway!!! I'd like to announce that the winners are: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Congratulations!!! Please shoot me an e-mail at kimberlylewisnovels@gmail.com when you get the chance and let me know which format you prefer your FREE book (Kindle or Nook)! Thanks again and happy reading!!!
Congratulations!!! Please shoot me an e-mail at kimberlylewisnovels@gmail.com when you get the chance and let me know which format you prefer your FREE book (Kindle or Nook)! Thanks again and happy reading!!!
"Zane: The McKades of Texas" Release Day - Take Two!
Okay folks, the formatting issues have been resolved and "Zane: The McKades of Texas" is now for sale on amazon! I want to thank everyone for their support and understanding while we worked the kinks out:) I've attached the direct link to the book below. I hope y'all enjoy reading it!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008TYZK6I?ie=UTF8&force-full-site=1&ref_=aw_bottom_links
I have also submitted the book to Barnes & Noble and am just waiting for a confirmation email that it is up on their site. Once I receive that I will send you an update with a direct link to that as well:) Paperback copies are in the works too!
Have a great day! And happy reading!
*UPDATE*
It's now available for the Nook! I do realize that there are some wacky things going on with the file (there are a couple of page breaks that I can't seem to fix and the paragraph indents look a little off to me--at least that's how it looks on my phone). I'm going to see if I can get it sorted out, but in the mean time I'm going to leave it up on B&N's site because it's just a simple formatting problem (not like with amazon where complete parts of the book were missing--yikes!). Here's the link for B&N and I really hope you all enjoy it! It's already received its first review on amazon--a 4 star:) Yay!
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1112416445?ean=2940014827584
August 6, 2012
"The Order" by Marsha Megan Stokes Book Tour!
Today I am pleased to have author Marsha Megan Stokes stopping by for a guest post:) Please join me in welcoming her and wishing her the best of luck with her new novel!
Guest Post by Marsha Megan Stokes
Dear Diary,
What a crazy ride this has turned out to be! The last few weeks have really tipped my world upside-down. Although, it’s not like my life was exactly normal before. You see, I’m a Locator. Now, what is a Locator, you might ask? Well, it’s exactly what it sounds like. I am a finder. More specifically, I find people with the Gift—the ability to harness and control the natural energies that surround them. It is sort of a family thing. My father is a Locator too.
I discovered my abilities my senior year of high school. Once I understood what was happening to me, I accepted the fact that my life was going to be a little bizarre. I had never known before that there were people out there who could control water, air, electricity, sound… Now, I can’t do anything like that. My Gift is a little different. I can see auras around the Gifted and I am drawn to them. It’s sort of an uncontrollable attraction that helps me find them.
There is also a great deal of responsibility involved in being a Locator. Initially, people who begin to develop their Gifts don’t realize what is happening to them. Sure, it’s great that they become more aware of the good that surrounds them. When they are safe, they feel safer. When they are happy, they feel happier. They start to become better judges of character and instinctively know who to trust.
But they are also more aware of the bad—the Evil. It starts out as a nagging feeling accompanied by severe headaches. As their Gift progresses and their pull to the good increases, so does the power that the Evil has over them. That pull becomes so strong that the headaches become unbearable and the Evil begins to speak to them, whispering things deep inside their minds.
That’s why I have to find them! Only with the help of a complete circle of Gifted, can we Cleanse the Evil and save that person from insanity and death.
But no pressure, right?
So, stress was always a part of the game. People’s lives depend on me and my singular talent. At first, I was pretty flattered and humbled to have such a wonderful Gift. I was all gung-ho to get out there and find everyone I could. I wanted to save lives! I wanted to be important.
Sure, I knew there was going to be some strange things involved. Like this one time my dad told me about, when a guy in Montana first started to discover his Gift with water… when my dad found him, he had completely flooded his apartment and was hiding in the closet scared to death of the Voice in his head. The Voice was telling him that he would die in the water, and he believed It.
Yeah. So strange I was prepared for. But Beth and Rachel, on the other hand, I was completely unprepared for. The way I Located both women, the immediate and complete change they each caused in my life, the danger, the horror, and the way my life—and heart—would never be the same again… I had no idea what this year at Grayson College was going to bring to me. I just hope I can survive.
Helplessly,
Peter
Peter's job as a Locator is to find extraordinary people—those with the Gift. The Gifted can sense and harness different kinds of energy and manipulate it in incredible ways. They have a heightened sense of the good that surrounds them, but they also more easily fall prey to the bad as well—to the Evil. As a new year at Grayson College begins, Peter is thrown into a whirlwind of terror, danger, and love. Will he be able to save a newly found Gifted One from the seductive influence of the Evil? Will he be too late? Or will he also fall victim to the darkness?
Please enjoy this excerpt from "The Order": Peter anxiously paced his room. Donavon and Rachel had been gone for a couple of hours and he felt empty without her around. He wanted to take Rachel to see Robert, but Donavon’s cool logic had put an abrupt end to that.Donavon is stronger, so he needs to be the one to help Robert make the link to the Life Box. Blah, blah, blah…Peter’s thoughts seethed with jealousy. His entire life, Peter sat by and watched as females swooned over Donavon and then would turn a sisterly kind of affection onto Peter. This time was going to be different though. He had never felt this way about anyone before Rachel, and he was not going to let Donavon mess it up—not without a fight at least.He already has Beth worked up into knots! What more does he need?Peter thought back to the passionate kiss he saw between Donavon and Beth. People don’t just sit next to someone else and suddenly trip and find themselves in a lip lock. If Donavon wanted to play games with women, that was his business. But Peter was going to protect Rachel from him if it was the last thing he did.He and Rachel obviously shared a connection. Peter remembered her words right before she left to see Robert, “Don’t fight with Donavon. You mean too much to me. I don’t like to see you hurting.”Peter smiled at the memory.You mean everything to me, too.She didn’t want him to fight with Donavon, so Peter was determined to try and keep his cool when they got home. Sure, he and Donavon had fought before. They’d been friends for a long time, so a few fights were inevitable. However, this time things just seemed to annoy Peter worse than they ever had. Donavon just seemed so cocky—so overprotective.And possessive! What gives him the right? You would think that when she woke up that first time that she’d said his name instead of mine!Peter paced over to one of his sneakers and kicked it against the wall. He couldn’t imagine what was taking so long. They should have been able to drive up to the cabin, link Rachel to her box, and then drive home by now. Donavon was probably trying to put the moves on her. He should never have let her go with him.Calm down, man. Calm down.But then there was the way Donavon tried to blame Peter for Rachel’s most recent attack. Peter still didn’t understand how he had been able to stand right next to her on the porch and not realize what was happening sooner. The guilt was eating him up inside and he already felt awful. He didn’t need Donavon’s righteous indignation on top of everything else. He would have given anything to help Rachel—anything.The more Peter thought about it, the more upset he got. He almost couldn’t breathe quite right when Rachel was gone. His skin felt like it was crawling and he had so much nervous energy he thought he might burst. Amy, with her Gift, often appeared that way. She had so much energy at times that Peter was sure she was going to blow some kind of gasket.Maybe he just needed some time alone. A good brisk walk in the crisp autumn air seemed to be a good idea. He wouldn’t go too far, because they could return any minute.Peter bounded down the stairs and grabbed his jacket off the hook near the door. He slung it over his shoulder and headed out.The sky was overcast and the leaves almost glowed in beautiful fall colors. Peter didn’t quite need his jacket yet, but it could get cold if the wind picked up. The leaves under his feet gave satisfying little crunches as he pounded his way up the street. He even succumbed to the urge to kick a big pile, sending them scattering in a shower of colors. It was soothing. It reminded him of walking through the woods behind his house back home—of going to the abandoned car… with Donavon.Peter halted in his tracks. The fresh air was doing him good. He felt like his brain was clearing and he could think more rationally than he had for some time.Donavon was his best friend. They had seen each other through so many hard times that it was impossible to count. He was being too hard on the guy. That kiss with Beth was hard to explain, but maybe he wasn’t being as possessive of Rachel as Peter thought. At any rate, he hadn’t seen Rachel responding to Donavon.Peter just needed to up the charm a bit. She had already said some encouraging things to him; he just needed to be patient.Peter sighed and turned around to head back to the house. His brain felt tired and he didn’t want to think about things anymore. He just wanted to get back to Rachel and make sure everything was still okay.He’d never been able to stay mad at Donavon for very long anyway.As Peter entered the house, he could tell immediately that Rachel was back. Her aura was clear and obvious to him as a Locator. He could have closed his eyes and walked right up to her with no difficulty.How did I wander around for weeks and not know she was here? How did I not feel this sooner?
Book Information
Genre: Paranormal RomanceSeries: The Order SagaFormats:Hardcover/Paperback/Kindle/iBookPublisher: Self-Published (CreateSpace)Release Date: May 13, 2012 Pages in Print Edition:236ISBN-10: 1477467939 ISBN-13: 978-1477467930ASIN: B0083WVJ1G
Author Bio
Marsha was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and currently resides in Tremonton, Utah. Mother of two and wife to the most wonderful man in the world, Marsha spends most of her time taking care of the boys, blogging, writing, and playing the flute. She is also an avid recipe collector and loves to cook.
Author & Book Links
Amazon Print: http://www.amazon.com/The-Order-Saga-Volume/dp/1477467939/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/The-Order-Saga-ebook/dp/B0083WVJ1G/ref=la_B0083WGEHU_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1339120973&sr=1-2
Website Link: https://sites.google.com/site/theordersaga/
Blog Link: http://theordersaga.blogspot.com/
Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/ordersaga
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/#!/TheOrderSaga
Lulu Author Page: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/theordersaga
GiveawayFor Readers: $15 Amazon Gift card. Comment for a chance to win! Winner will be drawn at the end of the tour.
Guest Post by Marsha Megan Stokes
Dear Diary,
What a crazy ride this has turned out to be! The last few weeks have really tipped my world upside-down. Although, it’s not like my life was exactly normal before. You see, I’m a Locator. Now, what is a Locator, you might ask? Well, it’s exactly what it sounds like. I am a finder. More specifically, I find people with the Gift—the ability to harness and control the natural energies that surround them. It is sort of a family thing. My father is a Locator too.
I discovered my abilities my senior year of high school. Once I understood what was happening to me, I accepted the fact that my life was going to be a little bizarre. I had never known before that there were people out there who could control water, air, electricity, sound… Now, I can’t do anything like that. My Gift is a little different. I can see auras around the Gifted and I am drawn to them. It’s sort of an uncontrollable attraction that helps me find them.
There is also a great deal of responsibility involved in being a Locator. Initially, people who begin to develop their Gifts don’t realize what is happening to them. Sure, it’s great that they become more aware of the good that surrounds them. When they are safe, they feel safer. When they are happy, they feel happier. They start to become better judges of character and instinctively know who to trust.
But they are also more aware of the bad—the Evil. It starts out as a nagging feeling accompanied by severe headaches. As their Gift progresses and their pull to the good increases, so does the power that the Evil has over them. That pull becomes so strong that the headaches become unbearable and the Evil begins to speak to them, whispering things deep inside their minds.
That’s why I have to find them! Only with the help of a complete circle of Gifted, can we Cleanse the Evil and save that person from insanity and death.
But no pressure, right?
So, stress was always a part of the game. People’s lives depend on me and my singular talent. At first, I was pretty flattered and humbled to have such a wonderful Gift. I was all gung-ho to get out there and find everyone I could. I wanted to save lives! I wanted to be important.
Sure, I knew there was going to be some strange things involved. Like this one time my dad told me about, when a guy in Montana first started to discover his Gift with water… when my dad found him, he had completely flooded his apartment and was hiding in the closet scared to death of the Voice in his head. The Voice was telling him that he would die in the water, and he believed It.
Yeah. So strange I was prepared for. But Beth and Rachel, on the other hand, I was completely unprepared for. The way I Located both women, the immediate and complete change they each caused in my life, the danger, the horror, and the way my life—and heart—would never be the same again… I had no idea what this year at Grayson College was going to bring to me. I just hope I can survive.
Helplessly,
Peter
Peter's job as a Locator is to find extraordinary people—those with the Gift. The Gifted can sense and harness different kinds of energy and manipulate it in incredible ways. They have a heightened sense of the good that surrounds them, but they also more easily fall prey to the bad as well—to the Evil. As a new year at Grayson College begins, Peter is thrown into a whirlwind of terror, danger, and love. Will he be able to save a newly found Gifted One from the seductive influence of the Evil? Will he be too late? Or will he also fall victim to the darkness?
Please enjoy this excerpt from "The Order": Peter anxiously paced his room. Donavon and Rachel had been gone for a couple of hours and he felt empty without her around. He wanted to take Rachel to see Robert, but Donavon’s cool logic had put an abrupt end to that.Donavon is stronger, so he needs to be the one to help Robert make the link to the Life Box. Blah, blah, blah…Peter’s thoughts seethed with jealousy. His entire life, Peter sat by and watched as females swooned over Donavon and then would turn a sisterly kind of affection onto Peter. This time was going to be different though. He had never felt this way about anyone before Rachel, and he was not going to let Donavon mess it up—not without a fight at least.He already has Beth worked up into knots! What more does he need?Peter thought back to the passionate kiss he saw between Donavon and Beth. People don’t just sit next to someone else and suddenly trip and find themselves in a lip lock. If Donavon wanted to play games with women, that was his business. But Peter was going to protect Rachel from him if it was the last thing he did.He and Rachel obviously shared a connection. Peter remembered her words right before she left to see Robert, “Don’t fight with Donavon. You mean too much to me. I don’t like to see you hurting.”Peter smiled at the memory.You mean everything to me, too.She didn’t want him to fight with Donavon, so Peter was determined to try and keep his cool when they got home. Sure, he and Donavon had fought before. They’d been friends for a long time, so a few fights were inevitable. However, this time things just seemed to annoy Peter worse than they ever had. Donavon just seemed so cocky—so overprotective.And possessive! What gives him the right? You would think that when she woke up that first time that she’d said his name instead of mine!Peter paced over to one of his sneakers and kicked it against the wall. He couldn’t imagine what was taking so long. They should have been able to drive up to the cabin, link Rachel to her box, and then drive home by now. Donavon was probably trying to put the moves on her. He should never have let her go with him.Calm down, man. Calm down.But then there was the way Donavon tried to blame Peter for Rachel’s most recent attack. Peter still didn’t understand how he had been able to stand right next to her on the porch and not realize what was happening sooner. The guilt was eating him up inside and he already felt awful. He didn’t need Donavon’s righteous indignation on top of everything else. He would have given anything to help Rachel—anything.The more Peter thought about it, the more upset he got. He almost couldn’t breathe quite right when Rachel was gone. His skin felt like it was crawling and he had so much nervous energy he thought he might burst. Amy, with her Gift, often appeared that way. She had so much energy at times that Peter was sure she was going to blow some kind of gasket.Maybe he just needed some time alone. A good brisk walk in the crisp autumn air seemed to be a good idea. He wouldn’t go too far, because they could return any minute.Peter bounded down the stairs and grabbed his jacket off the hook near the door. He slung it over his shoulder and headed out.The sky was overcast and the leaves almost glowed in beautiful fall colors. Peter didn’t quite need his jacket yet, but it could get cold if the wind picked up. The leaves under his feet gave satisfying little crunches as he pounded his way up the street. He even succumbed to the urge to kick a big pile, sending them scattering in a shower of colors. It was soothing. It reminded him of walking through the woods behind his house back home—of going to the abandoned car… with Donavon.Peter halted in his tracks. The fresh air was doing him good. He felt like his brain was clearing and he could think more rationally than he had for some time.Donavon was his best friend. They had seen each other through so many hard times that it was impossible to count. He was being too hard on the guy. That kiss with Beth was hard to explain, but maybe he wasn’t being as possessive of Rachel as Peter thought. At any rate, he hadn’t seen Rachel responding to Donavon.Peter just needed to up the charm a bit. She had already said some encouraging things to him; he just needed to be patient.Peter sighed and turned around to head back to the house. His brain felt tired and he didn’t want to think about things anymore. He just wanted to get back to Rachel and make sure everything was still okay.He’d never been able to stay mad at Donavon for very long anyway.As Peter entered the house, he could tell immediately that Rachel was back. Her aura was clear and obvious to him as a Locator. He could have closed his eyes and walked right up to her with no difficulty.How did I wander around for weeks and not know she was here? How did I not feel this sooner?
Book Information
Genre: Paranormal RomanceSeries: The Order SagaFormats:Hardcover/Paperback/Kindle/iBookPublisher: Self-Published (CreateSpace)Release Date: May 13, 2012 Pages in Print Edition:236ISBN-10: 1477467939 ISBN-13: 978-1477467930ASIN: B0083WVJ1G
Author Bio
Marsha was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and currently resides in Tremonton, Utah. Mother of two and wife to the most wonderful man in the world, Marsha spends most of her time taking care of the boys, blogging, writing, and playing the flute. She is also an avid recipe collector and loves to cook.
Author & Book Links
Amazon Print: http://www.amazon.com/The-Order-Saga-Volume/dp/1477467939/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/The-Order-Saga-ebook/dp/B0083WVJ1G/ref=la_B0083WGEHU_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1339120973&sr=1-2
Website Link: https://sites.google.com/site/theordersaga/
Blog Link: http://theordersaga.blogspot.com/
Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/ordersaga
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/#!/TheOrderSaga
Lulu Author Page: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/theordersaga
GiveawayFor Readers: $15 Amazon Gift card. Comment for a chance to win! Winner will be drawn at the end of the tour.
"Zane: The McKades of Texas" Release Day!
***********UPDATE* I appear to be having some technical difficulties with the Kindle version, so I have pulled the book for now. When it is available again I will let you all know. Thank you for your support and I promise I'll get it fixed ASAP********* My new book, "Zane: The McKades of Texas", will be released today! As of right now it will be available for Kindle download only. I am working on getting the Nook version formatted correctly and then that will be available soon. There will also be paperback copies available in the near future. I promise I will post links and let you all know as soon as it's available! Thanks so much and happy reading!
August 2, 2012
Hey Buddy! Can Ya Spare A Book? A Guest Post by Cindy McDonald
Today we have Cindy McDonald joining us for an entertaining guest post on book marketing. Enjoy!
HEY BUDDY! CAN YA SPARE A BOOK?Hey you! Ya, you…wanna read my book? It’s a really good book! Honest, no joking, you’ll really like it. It’s got some romance and some laughs and a hot blonde, and a not so hot brunette… Hey wait a minute! Don’t walk away…I’ll sell it on the cheap!Sound familiar? Sometimes that’s exactly how I feel, like a panhandler on the street begging for someone to toss a dime in my direction. Marketing a book is tough. I had no idea how tough. I am not a stranger to marketing. For twenty-six years I had to market my dance school that was not in a high traffic area. You know the old adage: location, location, location? Well, Cindy McDonald’s School of Dance was not in a great location, and I had to work my butt off to market the dance school, but ya know what? I was a success! Everyone in the tri-state area knew and respected my dance school. Whew! I thought keeping that rural business location on the marketing train was tough, but here’s the fact: in comparison to marketing my books—it was a cake walk! And I never gave away business like I’m giving away my books—this has truly been an exercise in humble pie.
Think it’s hard just because you’re an indie? You’re probably right. Indie writers still have a stigma attached to them, but make no mistake those “traditionally published” and New York best selling authors are on the same train—and they are seated right next to you, my friend. Facebook, twitter, linkedin, pininterest, if you are friends with those big-time authors you will see them on the feeds pushing their books just like you and I. Actually, I think they are on the social networking sites more than we are, and I kind of feel sorry for them. Why? Well, because they are traditionally published, they have an agent and a publishing house behind their books, and yet there they are…panhandling their books, just like we, the lowly indie author.
The social networks aren’t the only tools that we have at our disposal to advertise our work. We now have book trailers, and most authors have them, traditionally published and indie’s alike. YouTube is exploding with them. I have one for my book HOT COCO, it’s a really good trailer, short, snappy, fun, and great background music. The last time I checked, I think it had a total of forty-six views. I also have one for my first book, DEADLY.COM, it’s pretty cool, too. *Deep sigh* oh, well, another marketing strategy that isn’t going as well as I had planned.
Now I’m on this virtual book tour—one of the newer marketing plans for authors to get exposure for their books—sales would be good. Is it working? Time will tell, but I’m trying everything. Perseverance will sooner or later win out—and that’s the oldest marketing strategy we’ve got, and it may very well be the most successful. Who knew?
C’mon, stiff upper lip! Stop complaining, you wanted to be an author, and you can do this! The fact is that it just takes time and patience…lots and lots of patience. Keep writing, keep creating, and keep focused on what you want. In the meantime…excuse me, I see another potential reader…
Hey! You! Do you wanna read my book…
Reviewers, if you would like to read and review my books, please contact me at; cindys.mcdonald@gmail.com I mean, if you wanna read my books, they’re really good…honest!
That’s right, Coco Beardmore is sizzling hot and she’s landed in Mike West’s lap. Problem is Coco’s middle name is chaos! Her driving skills are a real bang-into Mike’s horse trailer. Her sultry seduction will set the room on fire-the kitchen that is.
But what’s worse is her mischievous Thoroughbreds ability to mimic their owner’s habit of screwing things up. It’s enough to send a normally calm and collected Mike West to the very edge.
But Mike’s not the only one having problems with women, his father Eric has bitten off more that he can chew, and he’s about to get spit out by two women: One that he’s in love with, and one that thinks he’s in love with her. Oh yeah, things are hot around Westwood Thoroughbred Farm… and someone’s about to get burned!
About the Author:
For the past twenty years Cindy has helped her husband, raise, train, and race thoroughbreds at their forty-five acre farm known as Fly-By-Night Stables.During those years Cindy has paid close attention to the characters that hang-out at the back-side of the track. She found the situations and life style intriguing. In 2005 she sat down at her computer and began a journey into writing about this life that few understand.
Cindy has recently retired from making her living as a professional choreographer and owned and operated a dance school since 1985. She studied at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and with the Pittsburgh Dance Alloy at Carnegie Mellon University to name a few. She has choreographed many musicals and an opera for the Pittsburgh Savoyards.
Cindy’s Unbridled telescripts has received recommends from three film industry readers and has been a semi-finalist in the Scriptapalooza Contest, and finalist in the Extreme Screenwriting Contest, and now will become a book series. The first telescript to become a book is Deadly.Com which is available NOW on Amazon.com and Kindle as well!
Email – dance@access995.com
Website - http://www.cindymcwriter.com
Deadly.Com book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6HKi0ml9sU&feature=youtu.be
Hot Coco book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uaPwcnt1S4
HEY BUDDY! CAN YA SPARE A BOOK?Hey you! Ya, you…wanna read my book? It’s a really good book! Honest, no joking, you’ll really like it. It’s got some romance and some laughs and a hot blonde, and a not so hot brunette… Hey wait a minute! Don’t walk away…I’ll sell it on the cheap!Sound familiar? Sometimes that’s exactly how I feel, like a panhandler on the street begging for someone to toss a dime in my direction. Marketing a book is tough. I had no idea how tough. I am not a stranger to marketing. For twenty-six years I had to market my dance school that was not in a high traffic area. You know the old adage: location, location, location? Well, Cindy McDonald’s School of Dance was not in a great location, and I had to work my butt off to market the dance school, but ya know what? I was a success! Everyone in the tri-state area knew and respected my dance school. Whew! I thought keeping that rural business location on the marketing train was tough, but here’s the fact: in comparison to marketing my books—it was a cake walk! And I never gave away business like I’m giving away my books—this has truly been an exercise in humble pie.
Think it’s hard just because you’re an indie? You’re probably right. Indie writers still have a stigma attached to them, but make no mistake those “traditionally published” and New York best selling authors are on the same train—and they are seated right next to you, my friend. Facebook, twitter, linkedin, pininterest, if you are friends with those big-time authors you will see them on the feeds pushing their books just like you and I. Actually, I think they are on the social networking sites more than we are, and I kind of feel sorry for them. Why? Well, because they are traditionally published, they have an agent and a publishing house behind their books, and yet there they are…panhandling their books, just like we, the lowly indie author.
The social networks aren’t the only tools that we have at our disposal to advertise our work. We now have book trailers, and most authors have them, traditionally published and indie’s alike. YouTube is exploding with them. I have one for my book HOT COCO, it’s a really good trailer, short, snappy, fun, and great background music. The last time I checked, I think it had a total of forty-six views. I also have one for my first book, DEADLY.COM, it’s pretty cool, too. *Deep sigh* oh, well, another marketing strategy that isn’t going as well as I had planned.
Now I’m on this virtual book tour—one of the newer marketing plans for authors to get exposure for their books—sales would be good. Is it working? Time will tell, but I’m trying everything. Perseverance will sooner or later win out—and that’s the oldest marketing strategy we’ve got, and it may very well be the most successful. Who knew?
C’mon, stiff upper lip! Stop complaining, you wanted to be an author, and you can do this! The fact is that it just takes time and patience…lots and lots of patience. Keep writing, keep creating, and keep focused on what you want. In the meantime…excuse me, I see another potential reader…
Hey! You! Do you wanna read my book…
Reviewers, if you would like to read and review my books, please contact me at; cindys.mcdonald@gmail.com I mean, if you wanna read my books, they’re really good…honest!
That’s right, Coco Beardmore is sizzling hot and she’s landed in Mike West’s lap. Problem is Coco’s middle name is chaos! Her driving skills are a real bang-into Mike’s horse trailer. Her sultry seduction will set the room on fire-the kitchen that is.
But what’s worse is her mischievous Thoroughbreds ability to mimic their owner’s habit of screwing things up. It’s enough to send a normally calm and collected Mike West to the very edge.
But Mike’s not the only one having problems with women, his father Eric has bitten off more that he can chew, and he’s about to get spit out by two women: One that he’s in love with, and one that thinks he’s in love with her. Oh yeah, things are hot around Westwood Thoroughbred Farm… and someone’s about to get burned!
About the Author:
For the past twenty years Cindy has helped her husband, raise, train, and race thoroughbreds at their forty-five acre farm known as Fly-By-Night Stables.During those years Cindy has paid close attention to the characters that hang-out at the back-side of the track. She found the situations and life style intriguing. In 2005 she sat down at her computer and began a journey into writing about this life that few understand.Cindy has recently retired from making her living as a professional choreographer and owned and operated a dance school since 1985. She studied at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and with the Pittsburgh Dance Alloy at Carnegie Mellon University to name a few. She has choreographed many musicals and an opera for the Pittsburgh Savoyards.
Cindy’s Unbridled telescripts has received recommends from three film industry readers and has been a semi-finalist in the Scriptapalooza Contest, and finalist in the Extreme Screenwriting Contest, and now will become a book series. The first telescript to become a book is Deadly.Com which is available NOW on Amazon.com and Kindle as well!
Email – dance@access995.com
Website - http://www.cindymcwriter.com
Deadly.Com book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6HKi0ml9sU&feature=youtu.be
Hot Coco book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uaPwcnt1S4
July 31, 2012
"Gallagher's Hope" by MK McClintock Release Day!
Gallagher’s Hope Synopsis
She sought a new beginning.He sought what he didn’t know was missing.Together they would discover hope in unlikely places. places.
Isabelle Rousseu must escape New Orleans and the memory of her family’s tragic loss. With her younger brother in tow, she accepts a position as the new schoolteacher in Briarwood, Montana. Desperate to keep what’s left of her family together, Isabelle joins her life with a stranger only to discover that trust and hope go hand in hand.
Gabriel Gallagher lived each day as it came believing he had everything he could possibly want...until a determined woman and her brother arrive with a little luggage and a lot of secrets.
It will take a drastic choice to protect her and give them both, hope for the future.
Teasers
(please note that the excerpts below may vary slightly in the final book)
Excerpt One: There was nothing left of the life she had known. Her slender arm wrapped around the little boy’s shoulder and pulled him closer to his side. She could feel his slight trembling and wished more than anything that she could take his sadness. They were alone in the world. They had each other and she prayed that would be enough for them both. They stood and listened as the priest gave the final blessing and the caskets were lowered into the ground. It wasn’t something anyone should witness, but she needed the closure. She needed to know that it was over. ‘A very sad affair’ everyone called it for it wasn’t every day that a man murdered his wife and then shot himself. It wasn’t healthy to think on the possible reasons why, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. She had truly believed that they had been a happy family. One of the wealthiest in New Orleans and one of the most respected and sought out for social gatherings. The truth however, was revealed with her father’s death. No one would speak of it to them of course, but the lawyer had made it quite clear. They were penniless.
Excerpt Two: “You promised Gabriel, you promised!” Gabriel wasn’t a light sleeper. In fact it often took a great deal to wake him from a pleasant slumber and last night had been one heck of a night’s sleep. He enjoyed waking with Isabelle in the room. What he didn’t enjoy was being yelled at and falsely accused before he’d even had his first cup of coffee. Her words though, did enough to bring him about. “Criminy, Isabelle it’s too early for yelling and I didn’t break my promise.” Gabriel moved around the side of the bed until he located his boots and slipped them on. His happy memories of holding her in his arms the night before were quickly replaced by anger and irritation. “What do you call waking up next to me then Gabriel?” “If you’ll take a good look at yourself, and me for that matter, you’ll see we’re both fully dressed. More’s the pity.”
Gallagher's Hope August Book Tours
The Virtual Book Tour Cafe July 31st - Aug 30th
Aug 1st - 3rd is the Book Bonanza Kick-Off
Goddess Fish Promotions Aug 6th - Aug 10th
Black Lion Virtual Book Tours Aug 13 - Aug 31st
Giveaway Winners!
Hey there everyone! I know I'm a little late posting the winners from the First Annual Western Roundup Giveaway Hop , but don't worry I haven't forgot you:) Before I announce the winners, I'd just like to thank everyone who stopped by and participated in the hop. And thank you to everyone who entered to win a FREE copy of my first novel, When the Heart Falls. We hope to see y'all next year for another round:)
Winners:When the Heart Falls (Kindle Version)Teresa Thompson
When the Heart Falls (Nook Version)Sylvia Ney
Congratulations! Your prizes will be delivered sometime today:) Thanks again everyone! Looking forward to doing this again next year!
Winners:When the Heart Falls (Kindle Version)Teresa Thompson
When the Heart Falls (Nook Version)Sylvia Ney
Congratulations! Your prizes will be delivered sometime today:) Thanks again everyone! Looking forward to doing this again next year!
July 30, 2012
"Zane - The McKades of Texas" Excerpt #4
Here it is folks, the last excerpt from "Zane". Next Tuesday is the release date, so if you'd like a FREE copy of this book make sure you see the Rafflecopter box below. Enjoy!
“Well, I think that’s the last of them. Why don’t we go ahead and start closing up,” Red suggested to Andi around quarter to two. “Sounds good to me. I’m beat for one night.” Andi walked over and locked the door, turning the neon open sign off in the process as well. She then walked around to each table and cleared off all of the bottles, glasses, and pitchers. Red took care of bagging up all of the trash and told Andi that he was going to run it out back to the dumpster and that he’d be back in a few. She walked behind the bar and stretched her arms over her head, letting out a huge sigh as she picked up the broom from the corner. Walking back out to the dance floor, she reached in her pocket and placed a quarter in the jukebox. “Cowboy Take Me Away” by the Dixie Chicks came through the speakers and Andi hummed the tune as she began to sweep the dirty floor. She was so into the song that she didn’t even hear the footsteps across the wooden floor. Andi jumped and dropped the broom when she felt the masculine arms slide around her waist from behind her. She was startled, only for a moment, and she playfully slapped at the hands that were lying across her stomach. “Don’t you remember what happened last time you did that?” she teased. The hands slid down to her hips and forcefully pulled her backwards. “Whoa,” she said attempting to keep her balance. Cool lips touched her neck and the hands slid from her hips to her ribs and slowly across her breast. “Babe, don’t do that here,” she chided and attempted to free herself of his strong hands. His grip only tightened the more she tried to free herself. “Whoa, Zane, take it easy,” she said starting to become annoyed. He’d never acted like this before and she didn’t understand why he was being rough with her now. “Ouch, babe, that hurts.” The lips left her neck for only a moment and Andi could feel the warm breath of a whisper blow across the tip of her earlobe as she heard, “Who’s Zane?”
a Rafflecopter giveaway
“Well, I think that’s the last of them. Why don’t we go ahead and start closing up,” Red suggested to Andi around quarter to two. “Sounds good to me. I’m beat for one night.” Andi walked over and locked the door, turning the neon open sign off in the process as well. She then walked around to each table and cleared off all of the bottles, glasses, and pitchers. Red took care of bagging up all of the trash and told Andi that he was going to run it out back to the dumpster and that he’d be back in a few. She walked behind the bar and stretched her arms over her head, letting out a huge sigh as she picked up the broom from the corner. Walking back out to the dance floor, she reached in her pocket and placed a quarter in the jukebox. “Cowboy Take Me Away” by the Dixie Chicks came through the speakers and Andi hummed the tune as she began to sweep the dirty floor. She was so into the song that she didn’t even hear the footsteps across the wooden floor. Andi jumped and dropped the broom when she felt the masculine arms slide around her waist from behind her. She was startled, only for a moment, and she playfully slapped at the hands that were lying across her stomach. “Don’t you remember what happened last time you did that?” she teased. The hands slid down to her hips and forcefully pulled her backwards. “Whoa,” she said attempting to keep her balance. Cool lips touched her neck and the hands slid from her hips to her ribs and slowly across her breast. “Babe, don’t do that here,” she chided and attempted to free herself of his strong hands. His grip only tightened the more she tried to free herself. “Whoa, Zane, take it easy,” she said starting to become annoyed. He’d never acted like this before and she didn’t understand why he was being rough with her now. “Ouch, babe, that hurts.” The lips left her neck for only a moment and Andi could feel the warm breath of a whisper blow across the tip of her earlobe as she heard, “Who’s Zane?”a Rafflecopter giveaway
July 27, 2012
Highlander Giveaway Hop
We're celebrating Highlanders from the past, present, and future from September 21st-27th! Hosted by
MK McClintock & Kimberly Lewis
Hop RulesYou can feature any book with Highlanders. It can be paranormal, supernatural, historical, romantic, etc as long as it has a Highlander.You must offer a giveaway--reduced rate books or prizes for sale are not allowed.The book cannot be erotica or have inappropriate book covers (bare male chests are fine).Blogs must be 'family-friendly' (no 18+ over sites).It can be a printed copy or an ebook.You may feature just one book or multiple books that meet this criteria. You may have just one winner or multiple winners.No gift cards, but eBooks-of-choice prizes are fine. If using Rafflecopter, there can only be 3 possible entries per person. 1 mandatory entry and up to 2 optional entries. The Hop Image and Linky must be part of your post.Your post must be live by 12:01 AM EST on Friday September 21st. Plan to put your post up anytime after 3:00 PM EST on Thursday, September 22nd.
To sign up to host a giveaway, add your blog to the linky with your shipping info in parenthesis after your blog name - (US) or (Int).
July 26, 2012
My "Leaving Green Island" by Em Barrett Review
The perfect summer beach read, Leaving Green Island is more than simply a modern love story. It is a poignant yet lighthearted tale of friendship, family and the search for a place to belong in the complex world of today's twenty-something women.With a new job at a prestigious Chicago law firm and an engagement ring on her finger, everything seems to be falling into place for Brecken Pereira these days. However, all this perfection quickly unravels when Reed Whalen, Brecken’s first love, unexpectedly resurfaces. The complicated history of the enigmatic Reed unfolds as the two summers that Brecken spent as a teenager on posh, exclusive Green Island in northern Michigan are interspersed with her relatable and humorous modern day trials and tribulations.
After Reed's reappearance, Brecken is torn between her longing for the past and the life she has carefully built for herself since Reed vanished years before. Her true-to-life and complex relationships with her two best friends provide the backbone that supports Brecken, both as the life she knows quickly dissolves around her and as she struggles to pick up the pieces.
This highly anticipated and unputdownable novel is certain to pull on the heartstrings of anyone who ever had a first love.
My Review:
Leaving Green Island is the story of a woman who, over the years, has acquired a nice life for herself. Brecken works as a junior associate at a law firm in Chicago, has the love of a man named Will, has two of the best friends anyone could ask for (who are also her roommates) and puts her talents as a violinist to good use as a member of the band Ishmael. Things seem to be going smoothly in this young woman’s life until she’s hit with a blast from the past that leaves her wanting to seek out her first love in search of unanswered questions.Throughout the story (told from Brecken’s point of view – in the first person) we are transported from present day 2009 to the summer of 1999 and 2000. In the beginning of the novel, Brecken is shocked when she learns that her long lost love, Reed Whalen, is back in the area. Having heard nothing from him in eight years, not even a good-bye when he dropped off the face of the earth and broke her heart, Brecken is a little unsure how to process this information. A part of her desperately wants to see him, to have him answer her questions and give her some closure so she can move on with her life with Will. But the other part of her knows that if she does see Reed that it will open up the feelings she’s pushed deep down inside of her, and all that’s going to lead to is more heartbreak. Her logical side wins over her heart’s desire and she decides to put Reed out of her mind. By the end of Part 1 of this book, Brecken and Will (her longtime boyfriend) are engaged. Part 2 of this book takes us back to the summer of 1999 when Brecken’s best friend, Lizzy, asks her to accompany her and her family on their vacation to Green Island for the summer. Brecken, wanting to escape her family’s drama and recent heartbreak, talks her parents’ into letting her go. We spend the summer with Brecken and Lizzy as teenagers enjoying the lavish lifestyle that is the Green: bonfire beach parties, underage drinking, and lazy summer days. This is the summer Brecken meets Reed and although they only have the one night together before Brecken’s departure (just spent talking and getting to know one another) it is a significant night that she holds dearly to her heart. The rest of the novel revolves around Brecken actually running into Reed on the street (in present day 2009), dealing with that and the emotions she felt when it happened, then jumping back to the summer of 2000 when they fell in love and became an item, and coming back to present day 2009 where Brecken agrees to meet with Reed (per his request) and Brecken finally gets her long awaited questions answered, leaving her more confused than ever.When I first started reading this novel I was immediately drawn towards this Reed character and instantly wanted to know more about him and his story. So the first half of the novel kind of lacked my interest a little bit because Reed was barely in it, but I did enjoy learning about Brecken and following her life as she coped with her resurfaced feelings for Reed. I absolutely loved the flash backs to her summers on Green Island. For me it kind of felt like watching an episode of Gossip Girl where all of the teenagers are left to themselves to indulge in whatever activities they choose to do. It’s that ritzy lifestyle that I have never known or personally experienced, so it was cool to have been in Brecken’s shoes as she joined that world. I also enjoyed all the references to stuff from the 90’s and early 2000’s that brought back some of my own memories (ex: Dylan and Brandon from 90210, Sex and the City, and Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall—sigh). My other favorite parts of the novel included any scene with Reed. I can’t really pinpoint one particular thing that I liked most about him, but he just seemed to be the total package: he oozes sex appeal, is ridiculously charming, has a sweet and sensitive side but also this dark and quiet side that just brought him to life and made him seem like an actual real person. I swear every time I saw his name appear on the page I got excited and couldn’t wait to read what was going to happen. I just wish he appeared more throughout the story than he did, but that’s the hopeless romantic in me. I appreciate how the author kept things real and not over the top. All of the characters in this novel were well written and I really liked all of them, except for Brecken’s boss Stan. That man got what was coming to him and I’m so happy with how Brecken handled herself with that whole scenario. All in all this was a well written book with loveable characters, fun dialogue (especially Brecken’s little side notes here and there) and a great story that ended the way I hoped it would. My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Book Content: Adult language and a few mild sexual situations
