Rebecca E. Neely's Blog, page 37

A MIGHTY GOOD MAN - Goddess Fish Promotions Presents a Blurb Blitz Tour! Feb 2nd-Feb 13th

A MIGHTY GOOD MAN, my debut romantic suspense novel, is going on tour! My gracious hosts are giving me an amazing opportunity to connect with my readers, and I can't wait to hear from you! Please visit me from February 2nd - February 13th, at the tour stops listed below, for fun and prizes! I'll be awarding a $10 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner via a Rafflecopter during the tour, 
and 
I'll also be awarding a $10 Amazon gift card to one of my gracious hosts! 
.
See you there!

TOUR DATES & STOPS 
Click on the Links Below to Follow Me!

February 2nd - Jersey Girl Book Reviews & FictionZeal

February 3rd - Carpe_Diem

February 4th - Romorror Fan Girl & Sultry, Steamy Reading

February 5th - Nana Prah & SBM Book Obsession

February 6th - Long and Short Reviews

February 9th - Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

February 10th - Books Direct

February 11th - Unabridged Andra's

February 12th - BookSkater & Dawn's Reading Nook

February 13th - Susana's Morning Room

Contemporary Romance Author J.D. Wylde Shares Her 90/10 Rule for Writing

Please welcome J.D. Wylde today, an accomplished Indie author of contemporary romance, and dear friend. I've learned so much about the craft of writing from her over the years. It's a pleasure to host her today! Without further adieu, let's hear some more about her 90/10 rule.

Isn’t this an amazing picture of an iceberg? All that mass of ice lurking below the surface when all that’s visible above the water… well, it’s pretty impressive, too. But it’s only a small part of the total picture. Which makes it the perfect visual prop for the 90/10 Rule of Writing.

Like this picture shows the complete iceberg, we, as writers, know everything about our characters. I mean, they’ve taken up residence in our minds. They dominate our thoughts. We know the defining moments in their lives. And we know their vulnerabilities. We know where they went to school. What they have done in their lives – good and bad – to get them to where they are today. We have to know in order to write a good story. 

But we know way more than our readers want to know.
By implementing the 90/10 Rule, you will capitalize on your story plot and ideas that are the most important, the most exciting, most life-altering, life-defining moments in your character’s lives. It’s hard at first. We want to tell our readers everything. We’re excited about these characters we’ve created. Excited about the story line we have plotted out for them. But our reader’s goals are different.

All they want is a fascinating story to lose themselves in.

By following the 90/10 Rule of Writing you will be giving them exactly what they want.

Build your story around the most exciting and most important. Use only the chapters and scenes that move your story forward. Cut the cliché. Eliminate wordy adjectives that do nothing but increase word count. And choose your words wisely. They come with great power. Very mad does not evoke the same emotion as fury or enraged. Steer clear of words like very, that, and just. More times than not, they add little value.

If you do these things, you will be writing a story which holds your reader’s attention. You will be giving them a captivating story that will keep them turning the pages, eager for more. And you will have written a story that has your readers dreading the end because they know your story will be told and they will have to leave the amazing world you’ve created.

Yes, you need to include the backstory. But not every little detail. Slash the mundane. Cut the chitty-chatty details – the scenes and chapters that do nothing to move your story forward. Give your readers the best part. The ten percent part. 
Click her to purchase on Amazon BEYOND THE CHECKERED FLAG

Bobby Wayne Forsythe is a NASCAR superstar on the verge of greatness the likes of The King and the Intimidator when an on-track accident leaves his career in jeopardy and his future uncertain. He returns to the home he owns with Lauren, the only woman he’s ever truly loved. The only woman who’s walked away from him without a backward glance, leaving his heart broken and a gaping hole in his soul that no other woman has ever been able to fill. 

Lauren Foster-Forsythe is a country music superstar and ex-wife of Bobby Wayne Forsythe. Theirs had been a whirlwind courtship; their marriage fairytale. Their life together perfect… until Bobby Wayne’s deceit had destroyed everything, leaving Lauren with bittersweet memories of what could have been – and a home she jointly shares with him. The only real home she’s ever had. 

With her career in chaos and her personal life in turmoil, Lauren escapes to their jointly-owned home, knowing he won’t be there. But Bobby Wayne is there. Still hard bodied, still white-hot sexy. Still able to rev her heart like no other man. With every kiss, every shared intimacy, it grows harder for Lauren to bury the past. Yet she has to in order to move forward. 

Sparks of attraction fly, tempers flare, but nothing revs like two hearts still deeply in love. Has their race for a happily ever after been run? Or just begun? Will they find love  Beyond the Checkered Flag? ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J.D. Wylde is the author of eight contemporary romances, including her latest novels, HOLIDAY WISH, CUPID IN CAMO, and BEYOND THE CHECKERED FLAG.

She believes in love and happily ever after. But not without a lot of laughter sprinkled in along the way. J.D. lives in Western Pennsylvania with her very own super hero on their very own mountain. Together they have raised three handsome sons all worthy of their own romance novels. You can visit with J.D. at www.jdwylde.com. Or on Facebook (j.d. wylde). And also on Twitter @jdwylde.

All of her books are available in e-format as well as paperback at www.amazon.com.

Squeezing More Writing Time from your 24 Hours by Maureen Bonatch

Time
A pretty little memory fades away
Nobody ever takes notice
Grandfather clocks and the wristwatch will
Never be on your side
I'm sure I've killed more than my share of it
        And still the moments tick away
– Big Wreck-
http://www.bigwreckmusic.com  
Today, please make welcome Maureen Bonatch, author of paranormal romance novels, including That Magic Moment and Destiny Calling.  

Maureen, thanks for stopping by today, and sharing your tips for boosting writing productivity. I love the song references! Music and songs tell us stories in a way nothing else can.

Maureen's tips...

Time. We all get 24-hours a day and if you’re like me, that’s not enough to purge the stories begging for their place on the paper. As much as I’d like to offer you the ability to discover the 25-hour day, I don’t have it (if you do- please share it!). The only solution I’ve discovered is how to use the time you’ve got to be more productive in your writing.

Every minute counts. Seriously. If you think a few minutes isn’t much, try spending twenty minutes in a dentist chair, ten minutes in line, five minutes for a commercial break or a minute waiting for coffee to brew. Even devoting ten minutes can keep your story alive in your mind and move your story along.
Don’t wait for a time and a place. 
Having a certain place is awesome, but don’t make it your only place to write or you’re restricting your words. Put a tablet and pen in your purse, your car, and your nightstand—anywhere you have room, and take it with you. You never know when inspiration will strike and trust me; you aren’t always going to remember that great line later. 

Have laptop, will travel. Take your laptop with you. You’ll find me writing on my lunch break, in the parking lot during the kids dance class/activities, on vacation, visiting friends/family or wherever I can find a few minutes. (In my house, I think my family thinks my laptop is another one of my limbs.)

Find the time. Early bird or Night Owl? Get up early or stay up late to gain even a half hour jump into your story. I get up most days by 4:45 a.m. or earlier. Crazy? Maybe. I’d much rather be sleeping (my secret: caffeine and making it a habit)- but I’m always happier to start my day with my story.

Multi-task in other areas. If you can multi-task to complete your other chores/tasks that leaves you with more time to spend with your characters.

These are just a few tips. Do you have any tips to share that have worked for you? 

Time waits for no one. You can use it wisely or waste it. The choice is yours.
.- Author Unknown 

– Fly Like An Eagle 
Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'
Into the future
Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'
Into the future

- Steve Miller Band
Pick up a copy today at Amazon or Wild Rose Press . Destiny Calling by Maureen L. Bonatch Hope only wants to find out if her ability to infuse euphoria or despair with her touch makes her the devil's spawn, or his exterminator. But when the woman who raised her is murdered by something not human, she loses the only family she knew and discovers one she might wish she hadn’t.

Drawn back to the home town she vowed never to return to, her ability is seen as an asset to everyone but Hope, and she doesn't know who to trust. Her family wants her to help them overcome an enemy oppressing the human population, while the man of her dreams is courting her for the Underworld.
About the Author Growing up with four siblings had Maureen familiar with escaping into a good book, or the recesses of her mind. She realized later in life everyone didn’t have characters telling stories in their heads, or weren’t envisioning magic and mayhem within the everyday. This, and long walks in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania spawned a love of writing.

Since her desire to become a Solid Gold Dancer was thwarted when the show was discontinued, Maureen opted to pursue other paths. Attempting to conquer new endeavors proved fruitful with her first novella, while other attempts, such as challenging a fear of heights with parasailing, were unsuccessful. Therefore she’s chased other interests, though none-the-less-daring, but closer to the ground, such as belly-dancing, becoming a self-proclaimed tequila connoisseur, fulfilling her role as biker babe to her alpha hubby and surviving motherhood to twins (so far).

Penning stories boasting laughter, light suspense and something magical in the hope of sharing her love of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary world.
Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Boosting Writing Productivity with Author Linda O'Connor

Today, please welcome contemporary romance author Linda O'Connor as she shares her tips for saving time 
and boosting writing productivity. Thanks Linda!

Rebecca - Thank you very much for having me today! I love the idea of sharing time-saving writing tips. 

Actually one of the things I love most about writing is being able to write at whatever pace I choose. As a kid, I always found it tough to come up with a story when the teacher asked because I had too many thoughts racing around in my head and needed time to mull it over. Luckily, now I have time to mull it over! So I don’t get too wound up about completing a certain number of words a day, but I do like to be efficient!  I’ve found it extremely helpful to keep a journal of important facts in the story – about the characters (hair/eye colour, car they drive, family members), names of secondary characters, restaurants/places in the story, a timeline. It’s especially useful for the stories in a series.

One thing that has surprised me the most about writing is how important it is to interact with the readers. Turns out they like to know as much about the author as they know about the characters in the book. I probably shouldn’t have been surprised because I always go to the ‘About Me’ section of authors’ websites before I read anything else!

When I post on the News, Muse, and Interviews section of my website, I love adding photos. This site, www.morguefile.com, has been a huge timesaver for finding images that I can use royalty- and cost-free.

I’m also active on twitter and I downloaded the free tweetdeck app available through twitter (https://about.twitter.com/products/tweetdeck). It allows me to schedule tweets. I can schedule them the night before instead of interrupting my writing during the day.

I really enjoy connecting with readers, but if I save a bit of time, I can spend it mulling over the story!
Perfectly Honest by Linda O'Connor Get your copy at Amazon today! Perfectly Honest
You never know where your words will take you.

When Mikaela Finn agreed to be Sam’s ‘fiancée’ for a weekend, she probably should have told him that she’s a doctor.

Sam O’Brien, aka ‘Dr. Eye Candy’, is trying to shed his playboy reputation and convince a small town hospital that he’s ready to settle down. But when his ‘fiancée’ helps deliver a baby in the middle of the meet and greet, it’s a bit of a shock. If he’d known the whole truth, he might have done things a little differently because somehow his ‘fiancée’ ends up stealing his job and his heart. Not exactly the change he wanted.

Lies and deceit – it’s a match made in heaven!
About the Author I’ve been writing romance novels for three years and sincerely thank Debby Gilbert at Soul Mate Publishing for the ultimate encouragement to my writing  - with the leap to publishing. I have many titles including Doctor, Mom, and proud Canadian, but “Linda O’Connor – hereinafter called the Author” on the SMP contract was one of the sweetest.

Contemporary romantic comedies are my favorite novels to read and write. I balance writing with my work as a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic and being a mom to three sons (luckily grown and capable of throwing together a decent meal, in a pinch). I also like to keep active and cycle, cross-country ski, skate, walk with my husband, or dance every day.

Laugh every day. Love every minute.

Visit Linda’s website: http://www.lindaoconnor.net

Like Linda on Facebook: Facebook

Follow Linda on Twitter: Twitter

Boosting Writing Productivity with Author Jeanne Hardt

Today, please welcome Jeanne Hardt, author of numerous historical romance novels, including Marked and From the Ashes of Atlanta. Short and sweet, here's Jeanne's tip for boosting writing productivity:

Every night as I'm falling asleep, I think about the scene I'll be writing the next day. Dialog and action tumble through my brain and somehow manage to stay there until morning when I write it all down. Maybe a little crazy, but it works for me!

Thanks Jeanne! Now, here's a little bit more about From the Ashes of Atlanta...
From the Ashes of Atlanta by Jeanne Hardt Pick up a copy today from Amazon. After losing his Atlanta home and family to the war, Confederate soldier, Jeb Carter, somehow wakes up in a Boston hospital. Alone, desperate, and with a badly broken leg, he pretends to be mute to save himself from those he hates—Yankees.

Gwen Abbott, a student at Boston Women’s Medical College, is elated when she’s allowed to study under the guidance of a prominent doctor at Massachusetts General. While forced into a courtship with a man she can scarcely tolerate, her thoughts are consumed with their mysterious new patient. If only he could talk.

Two strangers from different worlds, joined by fate. Perhaps love can speak without words and win a war without a single shot being fired.
About the Author After moving to Tennessee in the early 1990's, I have fallen in love with the South and its history. I moved here from Idaho... with the intent of pursuing a career in music and acting, but in 2010 discovered my true love...Writing. I am now a member of Romance Writers of America and my local chapter, Music City Romance Writers. My hope and dream is to one day have a Jeanne Hardt novel in every home. I am a lover of happy endings, but my stories are by no means, "fluff." Life has its ups and downs, and so do my books. Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Boosting Writing Productivity with Contemporary Romance Author Ryan Jo Summers

Today, please welcome Ryan Jo Summers, contemporary romance author, freelance writer, and all around busy person, as she shares 7+ fabulous tips for saving time and boosting writing productivity. Thanks Ryan!

I live alone, so most might think I have all the time in the world to devote to my writing. If only that were the case. My kids happen to have fur and feathers, but they still have needs. And especially the feathered guy can get pretty loud if he feels his needs are not being met. Like everyone else, I have shopping, bills, a house to maintain, forty house plants and normal ‘life’ obligations. And I have a day job to mix in with friends plus a free-lance writing which helps build my portfolio. That’s not to mention all that unbelievable work of marketing once a book makes it to ‘published’ status. I plan each day to accomplish something and life somehow gets in the way. And this interference can come in any number of forms, usually a couple different ones. Suddenly, it seems the clock is no longer my friend.

Even without a household of humans to consider, I still get overwhelmed, fall behind and start forgetting things. I mean to enter a contest, print the information, set it nearby, only to find it again once the deadline has passed. How did that happen? It was right ‘there’! I intent to apply to join a literary festival, and bam! Same thing happens. Where does the time go and why can’t I keep up with all this literary stuff?

 Well, let’s start by looking at a typical day. I greet the sunrise, feed my furry pack and spend a minute stealing kisses from the feathered kid before he gets breakfast. Okay, now they’re all set and quiet. I deal with my needs; coffee, shower, breakfast, emails and any immediate phone calls or errands that can’t wait and clean up after said fur-kids. Now it’s roughly 5 to 6 hours (give or take on that) before I need to leave for work. So I head to my study once more, with more coffee, to check any blog hostings I have scheduled, address emails, follow up on anything left over from last night and spend time reviewing whatever I wrote yesterday. On payday, I move money around my accounts and tackle the bills. Ok, now I have about 4 hours of good steady writing time left. So I research and write. Then it’s time to pack a lunch, prepare my dinner for tonight, eat something and change clothes and off to work I go. Any ‘wonderful ideas’ I get while I am traveling or at work get scribbled down, because you know I won’t remember them eight hours later. Once I return home, they are placed predominately on the desk where I can’t miss them the next morning, along with the day’s mail. I feed the fur-kids, kiss the bird, eat dinner and wind down by watching the fish swim, check up on emails, schedule blog hosts and one more quick update of social media postings. I then finally crawl into bed with a book and a few cats and soon I will be ready to do it all over again.

Now, does anything raise up a flag at where I can better manage my time? Because it sure seems, at least to me, that I should be able to accomplish more than I do. 

Below are some various time management tips, gleaned from thirty plus years of writing through school, work, family, marriage, kids and everything between. In short, everything each author has to juggle at any part of their hopefully long and prosperous writing life. 

One-- Prioritize. I write lots of different stuff. The free-lance articles, contemporary novels, poetry on occasion, short stories, some non-fiction and I recently completed a YA/NA novel. I also keep a regular journal. And be sure not to forget the never ending social media that published writers are nowadays obligated to keep up with. The challenges of that are choosing which media from the endless supply out there, keep posting with enough fresh material without boring your readers and being personal without inviting stalkers. Wow! Where do I start with all that? And this past year I had edits on two novels about to be released at the same time I was house hunting and moving.
When your plate is filled to overflowing like that, you need to approach each day with a set priority. What do I expect to get done today? Conquer Mount Social Media with fresh material? Finish that troublesome scene in my current WIP? Finalize the article for the magazine since it is due next week? Line up some more blogging dates? Research some stuff for whatever needs research? The list of what we need to write is endless so we need a clear direction when we sit down, before our fingers touch the keys. 

It might come in the form of I’ll research for half an hour, then I need to finish XYZ. After that, I will use whatever time is left to ABC. Now you can walk away after a specific time period with two things hopefully crossed off your plate and another one with a chunk taken from it. Some people prefer to tackle just one thing and stay with it until it’s finished. The only caveat to that is be wary of procrastination and perfection hunting.

For me, right now, my priority list looks something like this: article for this blog is due ASAP, due to be hosted on January 7th—so, okay, better get cracking on this. Two free-lance articles due, one by mid-January and one by late January. Need to start putting fragments of ideas down for them, building the skeletons. Current WIPS—neither one have any completed due date so push them back for now, work on them slowly as time allows. No current edits on upcoming work, so that’s good for now. Marketing of current works out there—never ending so work on battle plan already outlined a few months ago. Social media—look for new material to post. Submissions—keep dates of contests on a calendar with blog dates so it’s handy and not so easily lost. Stay on top of those! While I am great at tracking my submissions, I am bad for not always getting them in by deadlines. Same applies for upcoming festivals and conferences. Book trailers—work on finding music for one and pictures for the next one—no rush for either project at the moment. 

Wow! And people ask me what do I do with all my time? How hard can it be to just sit and write? But knowing what I need to do, and by when, allows me to set up a loose schedule. 

Two— Take breaks. Oh boy, I am bad for this. I get hungry, I have to pee, the cats are bugging me, the laundry in the washer is growing mold by now but I am on a roll! This is finally coming together and to stop now will break the momentum. Well, so will claws buried in my leg or wetting the chair. And since my eyeballs are sizzling from eye strain anyway, now might be a good time to tend the critters, relieve my bladder and eyeballs and refill the coffee cup. Take a look outside. I might be surprised at what is going on out there. Gee, there’s a white squirrel at the suet feeder and a pink elephant in my yard. Golly. (Actually, I’m just kidding about the elephant, but sometimes we need to see the world beyond our computer screen even for just a few minutes) And yes, there really was a white squirrel at the feeder, they’re a regular feature in the region.

One good idea is to set a timer or stopwatch for a certain amount of hours in which to work, take a 20 minute break, return and reset the clock. There is even a computer program we can download to remind us to take a break. www.workrave.com 

Three—Email. It’s time to tame the beast. This simple little word creates a lot of work for me. My personal account can get easily 125-150 emails a day and my work account gets just less of that. Sadly, most are automatically deleted unread and irrelevant. For those who get buried under an avalanche of emails, like me, there are nifty tricks like auto folders and filters to weed out and sort the important stuff. My main thing to do is a cursory look first thing in the morning, to see what absolutely needs my attention right then. Also I click any solicitations I know can be deleted. That eliminates about 2/3 of them within roughly 5 minutes. I use my iPhone through the day to do quick checks, again to immediately delete the trash that somehow escaped my spam folder and star anything that I want to come back to later. Another thing worth mentioning here is to cut back on the visits to Facebook and other social outlets unless you’re posting. Casual scrolling eats up an incredible amount of time. Just for kicks, one day try recording the time you spend simply scrolling your Facebook account, looking at what friends have posted. You might be surprised by the end result in a day. Then multiply that by a week.

Four— Wisely use snippets and chunks of time. Are you waiting in line somewhere? Oil change or traffic? What a great way to spend some time planning. Always carry either pen and paper or a PAD like Siri so you can make notes regarding your WIP, future project, character insight, or whatever important just came to you. I don’t have much of a commute but some of my best ideas have been while traveling and I would have lost them had I not recorded them while at the next stop light. 

Taking a longer break like doctor appointment or soccer practice? What better time to work on a current assignment or WIP? So be sure to pack it along. I use three ring binders for my WIP so they are portable, especially when I have long waits at the mechanic. Laptops and tablets do the same, just be sure to use them for work, not scrolling Facebook again. 

Do you have an extra ten minutes while you wait for lunch, a date or before leaving for work? Great! Update your social media sites and cross them off your list. This is great if they link and you can post in four or five sites for the time to make one entry.  On that note, I use WordPress for my blog. Most blogs allow you to start your draft, save it, go back and edit as often as you want and then schedule the actual posting date and time. If you have a few free hours, write up a bunch of blog entries and schedule them to scatter over the week. I keep a folder on my desktop of pictures I can pull up for ideas. Some are holiday themed and others are just neat pictures I can talk about. 

Five— Research. We always have to research something, regardless what we write. The right character name, period clothing, non-fiction facts, the list is endless. So before you hit that search bar, make a list of everything you need to research first, because it is so easy to get sidetracked by interesting tips that have nothing to do with what you’re researching. Try looking up one word in the dictionary if you don’t believe me. It enriches your vocabulary, sure, but it can absolutely waste time. Second, track your time so you stay focused on what you’re looking for. It’s easy for an hour to go by and, oh my gosh, you still haven’t found that cause of cholera yet. Third, record additional snippets that caught your eye for additional use, saving you from having to go back later and try to remember where you found that. I do this two ways, I email myself the link if it’s online, where I can save it to a special file. Or if it’s in a magazine I tear out the pages (or write down book/publisher/etc…) and keep it in a file on my desk for future use.

Six— Save your work. This seems almost not worth mentioning, but few things are more frustrating and a huge consumer of your time then to just about complete your project and lean back, gather your thoughts and boom! It’s gone. Power failure? Rogue computer function? Cat leaping across the keyboard? All have happened to me and my work evaporates before my eyes. If I save my work, at least it’s not a total loss, unless I might have had a complete computer crash, which has also happened. For that, I learned to send all my important stuff, and regular chunks of WIP’s to my cloud storage. The cats don’t use up their nine lives and my work stays safe.

Seven— Balance. We need to unplug in order to stay productive, recharge our batteries (mental and physical) and refresh ourselves. Turn off electronically, take a walk or work out, read a magazine or engage with the family, Find whatever works for you to step away from writing and all its little siblings for a while. For me, I paint or explore the local National Forest or I dig in the dirt around my home. I brush the cats or clip their toenails. Anything that does not require a keyboard or a pen. But they are not far away if inspiration should strike. 

Last-- Reward yourself. When you finish a big project, treat yourself to something nice. A movie. Dinner out. New shoes or handbag. Chocolate mousse silken pie with ice cream. You know what presses your buttons and when you really earned something nice, take it. And leave any guilt at the door.

Quickies--

--eat the frog. This is an expression meaning to tackle the most difficult or dreaded project first, get it out of the way and build up a psychological boost for the next…and the next…and the next… It’s a slow process of elimination.

--work when the rest of the household isn’t around or is in bed in order to minimize distractions. Especially helpful when you are ‘Mommy-on-call’.

--use a to-do list, written down and kept visible like posted notebook paper , chalkboard or whiteboard. This gives another boost of satisfaction as you visibly cross items off the list. One caveat—don’t spend more time organizing the list then actually completing things to cross off.

--set goals in sizeable chunks, based on priority and ease/difficulty. Recruit a writing savvy buddy and hold each other accountable for your goal lists. Schedule how often you need to check in with each other—daily, weekly, monthly, etc…

--use your email account to schedule due dates and track them so you know if you need to shift your writing focus. Microsoft Outlook, Google mail and most accounts offer something you can keep available on your desktop so things won’t get lost. When is that deadline?

--use an app like ‘StayFocused’ or similar one to make a list of sites that tempt you. If you lack the personal discipline to curb yourself from these chronic time wasters, but you still want to have access to them, check this out. Apps like this allow you preset, limited access, without allowing you free range to go and waste half a day away. A great way to learn self-control with social media. When Clouds Gather by Ryan Jo Summers Pick up your copy today from Amazon . Ryan Jo Summers is a North Carolina writer who pens contemporary romance blended with an unexpected twist.

Her other novels include Whispers in Her Heart, which combines mystery and horses with the mystical paranormal, and Shimmers of Stardust, which combines Christian elements in a time travel love story.
Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter Darby Adams has a successful Bed & Breakfast Inn, a wonderful son and a happy life in the coastal town of Driftwood Shores. Then a guest is found dead in one of her rooms. Suddenly she is the number one suspect and her world is spiraling out of control.

The surviving family wants answers so they hire new-in-town private investigator Sam Golden to undeniably prove her guilt and have her put away. Sam begins his new case in a dual role, in the guise of being Darby's much needed friend while looking for the evidence to send her to prison.

Until strange things begin happening at the B & B--scary things. Finally Sam has to question his thoughts  on her guilt or innocence. Meanwhile, Darby leans on Sam to weather each new challenge and threat. Feelings begin to develop between Darby and Sam. Until Sam is forced to tell Darby the truth about him, effectively destroying what trust they had.

Until a new threat forces Darby to trust Sam once more. She will bet her freedom and life on  his skills, but can she trust her heart?

Boosting Writing Productivity in the New Year by Rebecca E. Neely

With the New Year comes resolutions, goal setting and plans to do better, and as one of my dear friends put it, 'another chance to get it right." Hear hear!

To that end, in the coming weeks, I’ll be hosting a variety of authors at my blog, where they’ll be sharing some of their tips and advice about boosting writing productivity and saving time—something I know I can always use.

I want to thank them all in advance, for sharing!

Today, I’ll start the ball rolling, and share some tips that help me to be more productive.

After I make sure my child is safely at school, and I’ve made any phone calls I deem important, I SILENCE my smart phone. Yes, that’s right. I’ll even go so far as to put it on the other side of the room so I can’t take ‘just’ a few minutes to check Twitter, answer an email, etc. We’ve all been there—five minutes turns into twenty, then somehow, a half hour, or an hour is gone. I do check it after an hour or so, to make sure I haven’t missed any important calls, and then it’s back to work.

I sketch out my scenes and chapters in terms of Goal, Conflict, and Disaster and/or Reaction, Dilemma, Decision – the building blocks of motivation and reaction, per Dwight Swain, writing guru and author of Techniques of the Selling Writer—a tome, in my humble opinion, no writer should be without.
 This helps me to know the who, what, when, where, why and how of each scene and/or chapter, and enables me to focus.

When I get stuck, I go and take a walk. Somehow, the combination of physical activity, fresh air, and change of scenery seems to get the juices flowing, and almost magically, a solution will present itself. I’ve solved many writing dilemmas this way, and I’m almost positive no one who’s seen me talking to myself thinks I’m crazy. :)

Thanks for tuning in—I hope these tips aid you on your writing journey. Enjoy, and be sure to check back often in the coming weeks for more helpful tips! A MIGHTY GOOD MAN

3 days. 2 people. 1 story.

‘Hank’ Jerry, a down and out writer, and Jack Darcy, a former gang leader, team up to write his story for mutual gain and end up falling for each other.

It’s not long before their romance is as hot as the copy she’s writing, but they’ve both got something to hide that could blow up in their faces, and with time running out and gang enforcers closing in, will the trust they’ve forged survive the ultimate test?
Pick up your copy today from Amazon

Announcing this Year's 12 Days of Christmas Winners!

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, My true love said "It's Here! The tree is full of presents, so you Must have been a good girl all year!" The time has come to announce this year's 12 Days of Christmas winners. I'm so glad you were able to join us and I hope you enjoyed our posts about the holidays and how we love to celebrate. I also hope you found a book or two you were able to relax with as you sat by the fire in the twinkle of the tree lights and sipped a cup of hot cocoa.
Click HERE to go to the Rafflecopter where the 16 winners are listed. If you are a winner, please go to my contact page (click HERE ) and send me your home address so I can mail you your prize this next week.

ON BEHALF OF ALL PARTICIPATING AUTHORS IN THIS YEAR'S BLOG HOP

Welcome Heather Miles, Author of Merger

Welcome Heather Miles, on the 11th Day of Christmas! It's a pleasure to be part of the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop Event with Heathr and 21 other fabulous authors...

Be sure to check in daily to meet great authors, and share our favorite holiday recipes, movies, memories, and more! Celebrate the season and enter to win one of 16 fabulous prize packages through Rafflecopter.

'Tis the season for cocktails! Apple Brandy Hot Toddies will warm you inside and out!

1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons honey
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups apple brandy
Eight 3-inch cinnamon stick

In small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the honey until dissolved. Stir in the lemon juice and apple brandy. Place a cinnamon stick in each of 8 mugs, pour in the hot liquid and serve. 

With hot toddy in hand, let's hear some more about Heather Miles, author of Merger... Merger by Heather Miles Pick up your copy today at Amazon . Kasey Blakely doesn’t know that her date is anything more than incredibly hot. It’s after things have moved past friendship, that she learns her new lover is also slated to be her partner in a corporate merger. He knew it all along withholding his identity to have her.

Self-assured, future CEO, Kasey Blakely stumbles into Joshua Crawford, leaving her breathless and momentarily senseless. Taken with her, he learns she’s more than just a beautiful woman, she’s slated to be his partner in a corporate merger. Never feeling as smitten or intrigued, he’ll do anything to have her, including, not revealing his last name. After a passionate exchange and the prospect he could lose her, does he come clean with his identity. Always confident, Kasey, struggles with her growing love for a man who has claimed her heart and changed her world, but should be forbidden. She’s all in…then all out. Despite the warnings not to mix business with pleasure, Kasey and Joshua risk it all. Committing to return to California with Joshua, Kasey’s world unravels. Were her fears right, or can they manage the MERGER of their hearts and their future partnership?

As part of The 12 Days of Christmas celebration, Heather donated a $15 Amazon card and a giant bar of chocolate to the prize list. Click HERE for this and many more random drawings. To follow the celebration, find a new recipe, pick up a holiday decorating or shopping tip, click HERE.

About the AuthorHeather Miles was raised in Kansas City, but transplanted to the most culturally diverse place in the country…The Mississippi Delta. She resides in Cleveland, Mississippi with her husband Derek Miles, and is the mother of two incredible kids. Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Welcome Meda White, Author of Play With My Heart

Welcome Meda White, on the 10th Day of Christmas! It's a pleasure to be part of the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop Event with Meda and 21 other fabulous authors...

Be sure to check in daily to meet great authors, and share our favorite holiday recipes, movies, memories, and more! Celebrate the season and enter to win one of 16 fabulous prize packages through Rafflecopter.

Sharing traditions is the best part of the holidays! One tradition I've enjoyed since my daughter was about four, is giving her 'clues', and having her hunt for a present I've hidden in the house. This is something my father used to do with my brother and I, even as adults - and we still carry it on today. For example, a clue might be, "Angels We Have Heard on High". Then my daughter has to look around in the house at all the angel related objects, where another clue is hidden, that leads her to the next, and so on. We always do the clue hunt last, after all the other presents are opened, and it's like we go out with a bang! Fun! Play with my Heart by Meda White Play With My Heart is a finalist in the 2014 BTS Reader's Choice Red Carpet Awards. Pick up your copy today from Amazon. Southern musician and closet geek Liz Baker enjoys her quiet life. While in Los Angeles helping her brother with a house project, the simple life gets complicated when British television actor Ian Clarke walks into the picture.

Ian enjoys his celebrity status in Hollywood and is determined nothing and no one will get in the way of his plans for success on the big screen. He never counted on meeting a woman like Liz, but she’s the only one who can help him with a personal problem.

Forced into close quarters where priorities and cultures clash, an intense attraction catches them both by surprise. Secrets, old lovers and the paparazzi threaten their new dreams and a chance for love could be lost forever.

As part of The 12 Days of Christmas celebration, Meda donated Bodycology Moroccan shower gel & lotion, plus author swag to the prize list. Click HERE for this and many more random drawings. To follow the celebration, find a new recipe, pick up a holiday decorating or shopping tip, click HERE.

About the AuthorMeda White was born with Georgia clay running through her veins, and she continues to enjoy the Southern lifestyle with her husband and Collie. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America and affiliate chapters: Southern Magic, Georgia Romance Writers, and Contemporary Romance Writers. When not writing, you might find her singing harmony, attempting to play guitar, shooting zombie targets, quoting movie lines, traveling, teaching yoga, or explaining the meaning of her unusual first name. Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads