What are you reading at the moment?

[Alex]

I am in the middle of several books right now. I am reading Witches Abroad (Again!) Amanda & Emily (By Jean Joachim!!!!) and Point of Origin (STILL!) So what are you reading right now?

[Therese]

i'm reading "the help", which my mother has been recommending for quite a while. also "the black swan", which is not related to the film but rather an interesting book about philosophy.

[Elaine]

I just finished The Bronze Horseman, and I'll never read another of her books! It was totally fabulous, and I read it even when I had work I should have been doing, but I HATE the ending.

[Elaine]

Okay, I found out Ms. Simons continued the adventures of the main characters in another book, and has a third one coming out this summer. I'm eating my words, but I bought the second book for my Nook.

[Therese]

elaine, that's very funny. i just came home with "the paris wife", which was a bit steep as it's only out in hardback but i'm reading it for a group.

[Elaine]

She'd better not disappoint me.

[Jean]

I'm reading Five Days Notice (by Alex Sinclair) and Cruelty to Innocents (by Cassidy Webb). Never enough time to read with so much writing and promoting to do!

[Elaine]

You're right, Jean. I never have time to do all I need to. I haven't had time to start Tatianna and Alexander yet.

[Jean]

I once went up to a guy dressed as Santa and asked him for a 28 hour day. He almost called the police or the sanatorium on me!! And I didn't even get my 28-hour day!

[Alex]

I cannot praise the title of tatianna and ALEXANDER more... ahem, such a great character name!

Your truly

Alex... lol!

I have zero time to read at the moment. I don't like doing a page at a time. I like to sit down and read properly, but been caught up doing a million and one things. I hope to get the three books finished soon, as I have a few more books lined up from the same authors, lol.

[Jean]

To busy rewriting my sequel.

[Elaine]

If I everget started on the book I won't be able to put it down, so I'm leaving the Nook off until I finish the edit I'm doing.

[Jean]

Very disciplined of you! Sometimes I can't resist if a book is calling, but I'm trying to be good and get this thing on paper already.

[Alex]

I am trying to be more disciplined with promotion now and learn to walk away from the computer. So I have set aside time to read and catch up with my books.

[Elaine]

If I had a million dollars I'd hire a promo company to do it all for me!

[Jean]

Me, too. Then I could just write, the way I did before I was published. *sighs* Heaven!

[Elaine]

I enjoyed the writing process more when I could just write without worrying about following the "rules." I truly do think my work was better back then in terms of creativity and originality.

[Jean]

Don't let the rules mess up your creativity. Rules are made to be broken, right?

[Alex]

I approach as I would martial arts. My style of martial arts is based on the concerpt of artless art, which means being able to unconsciously do an action without conscious thought. So writing is the same, but like martial arts without order you have chaos. You need certain guildlines and that is what I do with writing. I don't say I will do an hour of writing at 12 because that would kill me. I just say I will do a minimum of one bullet point a day for writing and at some point I will be inspired to write, lol.

Promotion is hard work, but I am kind of enjoying it. It allows me to join in with conversations and people are very kind and supportive. I have met some really amazing people through promotion. So it is hard work and sometimes tedious, but there are many positives from it too. (Being positive as sales are up, lol)

[Jean]

Internet friends can be awesome.

[Lee]

I like promotion but not the time it takes. A year ago, I wrote much more because I had more time. Now I manage the writing after the promotion and my stack of to-read grows daily!

[Jean]

Me, too. Am hoping that if I get enough books out there, well received that some day I can do less promotion and still sell. But that's a long way away!

[Elaine]

I can't say I like promotion. Since my last book came out I've felt guilty if I wasn't pushing it every spare moment. I'm like Jean. I'd love to sit back and watch the sales roll in, but unless we work hard now I guess they never will.

[Jean]

That's right, Elaine. Working our butts off. Writing blogs like they are going out of style!

[Alex]

lol, I work about 60 hours a week promoting my books. I have an end game, so its not like I will do this forever. I have a notebook that has over 500 goals, many are like

*Join 3 Forum Discussions

So I do that. I have goals for creating topics on forums. Polls. Blogs & What not. When all 500 are done then my promotion for the book comes to an end, lol. I have more time on my hands as I take care of poorly family members and what not, so I can devote more time, but I think short periods of intense promotion are the key.

[Jean]

You are right and have the results to prove it.

[Alex]

It was a learning curve, as I did the same with Bitch and Under The Midnight Sky, they had moments of popularity, but fleeting moments. Five Days Notice has revived them and increased their sales, but most of it is also luck. This works for me. I got lucky and people gave the book a chance. That is the thing. People giving you a chance.

[Elizabeth]

I'm about halfway through "The Elementals". Horror novel by Michael McDowell. Very good book!

[Alex]

I am starting to get into horror novels. I just finished reading Spore on Kindle. I am going to be posting a review for Amanda & Emily soon and on Kindle I am reading about 10 books at once, change with my mood, lol.

[Jean]

Wow! Ten books at once. I could never keep track of that many. You are truly focused. I get obsessed and dig into one book until I'm done. Lately I haven't had time to read at all and it's making me a little crazy.

[Alex]

I have Kindle on my P.C, so I can bookmark pages and it is a nice mental warm up before I write. Just read a few pages. If I am fed up of promoting and need a break, I can read for a bit. It is good training for the brain, lol.

[Jean]

It is, but if I get sucked into the story, I keep telling myself, "just a few more pages" or "just five more minutes" and then an hour or two have passed and I haven't met my deadlines and life has gone to hell, but I've been reading and having a grand old time.
I don't have the discipline you do when it comes to reading, Alex. I just get carried away...

[Alex]

lol, I have no discipline, but it has been a while since I have been able to read a good book. So this kills two birds with one stone in a way.

[Jean]

I wish I could do that. I guess I'm kind of a bookaholic and unable to stop once I start.

[Therese]

i find reading poetry works as a warm-up as well (confession time, i am a poet) - something about the way the language is put together opens my mind up to new possibilities.

[J.]

You know, if you like horror, you might try Veins and Vipers, by Lawrence C. Connolly. VEINS VIPERS I reviewed them on my blog, and honestly, they're excellent reads. And I don't normally like horror.
Gunnar

[Alex]

I have added it to my TBR. My kindle is pretty full right about now, lol. I have taken on a few review projects, as I really want to start reading more.

[Elizabeth]

Is "Spore" by Michael Crichton, Alex? I read that one and liked it very much. Movie didn't do it justice.

Finished "The Elementals" this morning at 4 am and I was so scared I could have squealed like a little girl! Fabulous book. I just bought "The Deceased" by Tom Piccirilli and "Neverland" and "The Children's Hour" by Douglas Clegg. More horror! I friended both Piccirilli and Clegg on Facebook. I'll let you know if the books are good.

[Alex]

This spore is by Ian Woodhead or something like that. He is an Indy author I believe. wow, you have been reading your fair share of books, lol. I have about 8 on the go right now. I downloaded a few more from Kindle. I want to do more reviews, so trying to find some novellas.

[Elizabeth]

I'll have to check out Woodhead's "Spore". It's sounds like a biohazard book and I bet I'd like that. Ah, I was thinking of Michael Crichton's "Sphere". Similar titles.

Yeah, I'm reading more now. Got the money to buy books. :) I want more horror, mystery, and crime. No wonder my erotic romances are so dark. LOL

[Jean]

Just finished "Cruelty to Innocents" and I don't know when I have read such an exciting thriller. Just out by two new authors, it is beautifully written, too.

[Alex]

I noticed your blog on it, Jean. I have added it to my TBR list. If you say it is good then it must be good!

Elizabeth, I am totally the same. I don't stray into paranormal (well, for one book!) but romantic suspense (bordering on erotica) is my preferred genre to write.

[Jean]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Yes, I was impressed. The quality of the writing is almost as good as yours, Alex.

[Therese]

i'm circling back around to "the help" - my mother loved this book. i keep picking it up, going into another book, picking it up again.

[Alex]

lol, I have started The Silver Ring, but it is one of many I have on the go. Don't know anything about the book really, but it was free, so I will give it a go.

[Elizabeth]

"The Elementals" was excellent!! Very good haunted house horror story. I highly recommend it.

I just started "Pacific Vortex" by Clive Cussler. My husband teases me, saying I now read "Dude Literature". LOL It's my first Dirk Pitt novel. I love it! Love adventure stories.

I also started reading the 2011 edition of the feminist classic "Mothers On Trial". I know the author, Dr. Phyllis Chesler. I'm reviewing the book for the award-winning web site Viva La Feminista! So far the book has nailed all the problems mothers have with custody battles, child abuse, and domestic violence. Spot on!

I have Douglas Clegg's "Neverland" in my queue to read. Started it but I'm reading these other two books first.

[Kelsen]

I just started Born to Darkness by Lorainne Kennedy. So far a pretty straightforward paranormal romance. But I am seeing hints of perhaps a unique take or plot twist of her own coming with the conclusion.

[Steven]

I'm struggling through Welsh writer Alastair Reynolds' Absolution Group. He jumps around centuries, but I'm starting to get the hang of it.
r/Steve