Monthly Archives: May 2012

Six Sentence Sunday

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Thank you for taking the time to stop by on this beautiful and busy day. I hope you’ve enjoyed the offering at the various blogs. Happy Mother’s Day! Continue your Six Sentence Sunday journey here!

From my debut romantic suspense, BACKLASH, which is now available in print. Ebook options coming June 1st. Chase and Lily are  indulging in a little them time.

Her shirt came off and pooled into a puddle of cotton on the floor. His mouth rushed over her jaw, down her neck, across her collarbone. Blood rushed to places she’d forgotten existed. She pressed closer. She pushed him back. All in a skirmish to gain ground, to come out the winner in a pleasure sweepstakes.

Again, thanks for stopping by and commenting!

 

Carnivalesque: Liking, Tagging and Moving up the Queue at Amazon

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Welcome to Carnivalesque and our Travelling Blog Show! Each week Joanne Brothwell, Hayley E. Lavik, Jana Richards, Janet Corcoran and I get together to start a discussion on a topic we think interesting. This week’s topic:

Like Me, Tag Me, and Moving Up the Queue at Amazon! Should we Like and Tag books or Review books we haven’t read?

Jana: J.A. Konrath, who is quickly becoming my hero when it comes to book promotion, says “Review each other. Buy each other. Support one another. We’re all in the same boat, and we all need to row.” So I’m inclined to say sure, go ahead and tag someone else’s book, even if you haven’t read it. Hopefully someone will do the same for you. I haven’t done a lot of tagging, but I understand that it helps to categorize a book. When a reader purchases a vampire romance novel by Big Name Author, another book with the same tags by Suzie Not So Big Name Author, may pop up when Amazon helpfully suggests that “Readers who have bought Big Name Author’s book, may also enjoy…” We’re merely categorizing books based on the description the writer gives us to make it easier for a reader to find that book.

Where things get murky, at least for me, is when we give reviews on Amazon. I got caught in a review situation once. An author I know asked if I would review her book on Amazon. In return she would review one of mine. I agreed, thinking it was a great idea. The only problem was that I didn’t care for her book. But she’d already given my book a nice review so I felt obligated to do the same.

I’ve been asked to write a review on Amazon on a few occasions since then by other authors. However, since my experience I’m reluctant to do so unless I’ve read the book and really liked it. I want to be able to give an unbiased, honest review, and if I don’t feel enthusiastic about the book, I’d rather say nothing at all.

Joanne:  Liking is different to me than tagging or rating books. I might Like a book that interests me, or that is on my to-be-read list. This seems okay to me.

Tagging? Before trying to answer this question, I didn’t even know what tagging really was or what it did. So I looked it up on Amazon: “Think of a tag as a keyword or category label. Tags can both help you find items on the Amazon site as well as provide an easy way for you to “remember” and classify items for later recall. You can add up to 15 tags per item.”

Based on this, I suppose it is fine to tag items you haven’t read yet, especially if you’re wanting to use it to find or remember items. I guess the added advantage is that the author will benefit from the tag as well. I don’t know, am I the only one here who doesn’t have a problem with it? I’m curious to see what you guys think!

Janet: My quick answer? No! The long answer? I am not a reviewer or a tagger, yet I do recommend books all the time. In person, usually, or over an e-mail – I have been known to be quite bossy when it comes to suggesting book titles to friends (especially when I know they would love it based on what they love to read). And in all those recommendations, I very rarely talk about what the book is about. Yes, I’m still having nightmares about school days’ book reports! I give a brief synopsis and then explain that because they love dark and edgy, they’d love this book or because they enjoy a good romance, they’d love this book. So to review a book online – yikes – and its something I struggle with considering my friends are writing amazing books and I should be helping to promote. And one day, it may be my turn. I’ll get over that one of these days, but if you think I’m going to tag or review a book I haven’t read, then you’re wrong. I take pride in my book recommendation ability and would feel like a heel if I suggested a book I hadn’t read to anyone – friend or stranger. Can you tell I feel strongly about this? You bet I do!

Karyn: I don’t mind tagging books and liking authors on Amazon. After all, I’m hoping people do the same for me when the time comes. Amazon sells a crap load of books after all! I don’t mind helping authors classify their books, especially if I think of a tag they might have missed. (Your welcome, Joanne.) It’s my understanding that the more tags you have the better chance of your book popping up when that criteria is searched out. Tagging books helps authors like me – the new and unknown – get noticed sooner rather than not at all. Amazon may recommend you read my book if you liked this book, and so on and so on. I just wish I had time to keep up with all the requests from my fellow authors!

But I draw the line at reviewing books I haven’t read. I don’t mind writing reviews for books I’ve read and enjoyed.Thankfully, I haven’t come across a situation where I didn’t like the book! Frankly, I don’t put much stock in reviews on Amazon. Especially, if I suspect three quarters of those glowing reviews have been written by your family and best friends.

Hayley: Clearly I haven’t spent much time on Amazon. I didn’t even know this was a thing. I don’t tend to do much about books after I purchase them. I’m bad about review sites, I forget to star things on Goodreads…but I’m huge on word of mouth. If I read something I enjoy, I tell people, I give copies as gifts, and from a reader’s standpoint, I feel that matters more.
The idea of trading likes and tags with people who may not have even read your book, for the sake of ranking, feels like a lot of work for very little result. A book won’t get anywhere on the fuel of small reciprocal groups alone. Yes, those tags and likes may help new readers find your book on page 1 instead of page 5, but I still feel like the energy involved could be better spent elsewhere gathering authentic readers who would like and tag on their own, and generate word of mouth.
But then again, I don’t like or tag, so who knows?
There you have it friends. What’s your take on the subject matter? Do you Like and Tag books on Amazon? Do you read reviews on Amazon?

Don’t forget to follow along on Twitter: #blogshow

 

Backlash is Available for Order in Print!

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Backlash is now up on The Wild Rose Press site under Latest in Paperback!

Yep, you can now pre-order it in print! Just go here! I’m SO excited!

BACKLASH

What he’s sworn to protect, she’s willing to sacrifice to save those she loves…

When dedicated teacher Lily Wheeler interrupts a vicious gang attack on one of her students, she vows it won’t happen again. But her rash interference puts her in the path of a cold-blooded killer and the constable tracking him – a man she has little reason to trust, but can never forget.

Constable Chase Porter returned to Aspen Lake to see justice done, not renew old acquaintances. But when he rescues the woman he once loved from a volatile situation, he realizes his feelings for Lily haven’t lessened over the years.

Now, the dangerous killer Chase has sworn to capture has Lily in his sights. Can Chase and Lilly learn to trust each other again before it’s too late – or will old insecurities jeopardize their future?

 

In the Spotlight with Joanne Brothwell

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I’m very excited to welcome Joanne Brothwell to my blog today! She’s here to answer some questions and share a little bit about her debut release, Stealing Breath. Not only is Joanne a super talented writer she’s also my critique partner and a member of my writing group. Her energy and enthusiasm never fail to inspire me. I couldn’t be more proud to have her here.

Tell us a bit about your latest release. Can you sum it up Twitter style?

Indigo Child. Empath. Beware!  OR  Infatuation + Supernatural = Flash/Bang

I’d say that works! What was your inspiration for Stealing Breath?

One of my friends, an Indigenous woman, told me a story of a time she was on a road trip in the US. It was the middle of the night and she was growing too tired to continue driving, so she pulled her car over to the side of the road, somewhere in Arizona near the “four corners” (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah). She planned to have a nap, but was startled awake when her car started rocking as if someone was jumping on her car, their mocking laughter outside sending shivers up her back. Quite abruptly it stopped, and when she spoke to some of her Navajo relatives later, they said these tricksters were Skinwalkers, people who practiced “Bad Medicine” and could perform astral-projection!

Okay, that gave me shivers. It’s very interesting how you’ve woven Native American lore into your story! Is Stealing Breath part of a series?

Yes! Book two is in the process of being assigned an editor, and book three is still spinning in my mind.

Excellent, I can’t wait for the next one! Who are your writing influences?

Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments). I love Cassandra’s richly detailed prose and how her characters resonate with me. I anxiously await every new book!

What’s next? What are you working on now?

My current WIP is titled “The Fifth Daughter of Eve”, and it’s more science fiction than paranormal. I pitched the concept to ten agents/publishers recently at a convention, and most of them seemed very enthusiastic about the idea. I guess I’d better get it finished!

Time for some favorites!

Your favorite fictional character?

It used to be Jace Wayland from City of Bones, but currently it is Christian Grey from Fifty Shades of Grey (don’t tell Hayley)!

She won’t hear it from me! 50 Shades of Grey is on my book club’s list for this fall. Can’t wait! Have you heard that Ian Somerhalder’s name is being tossed around to play Christian in the upcoming movie?

Your favorite romantic gesture?

Neck kissing. I totally love it when the male lead kisses the heroine’s neck!

Your favorite quote?

“Not everything is about you,” Clary said furiously.

“Possibly,” Jace said, “but you do have to admit that the majority of things are.”

― Cassandra Clare, City of Glass

Love it! Your favorite stress reliever?

Reading, of course!

Finally, who would you rather be stranded with…and why? Sam and Dean Winchester? Or Stefan and Damon Salvatore?

Okay. It was really hard to pick, so I’ll give the reason why I didn’t choose Stefan and Damon.

Stefan and Damon Salvatore

With Stefan and Damon, I’d have their total hotness to gape at, their supernatural vampire powers to protect me, and I could watch as they tore people apart with their teeth or ripped people’s hearts right out of their chests. The problem is, when they got all fiending with me, it might seem like a really bad idea for me as a human to be stranded with two (eventually hungry) vampires.

Sam and Dean Winchester

If I got stranded with Sam and Dean, I’d have two big, strapping lads to protect me and kick some serious demon ass. Then I could drink beers with them at the end of the day and watch rippling muscles flex as they cleaned their rifles, all the while listening to them tell off-colour jokes. It’d be great fun!

Those are great reasons! Thanks for answering my questions, Joanne. Now it’s time to show off your beautiful cover and introduce Stealing Breath!

Deep in the backwoods of North Dakota, Sarah Ross is searching for a missing child when she is attacked by a glowing-eyed, transparent creature known to the Navajo as a Skinwalker. Using mysterious abilities, Sarah escapes, only to run directly into Evan Valente, a handsome, charismatic stranger who helps her back to safety. But why is Evan out in the forest so early in the morning?

Sarah learns her eyes bear the mark of the Indigo Child, an evolved human with the ability to feel the emotions of others; unfortunately, her indigo aura is highly desirable to not only Skinwalkers, but others who wish to steal her powerful essence.

Soon, Sarah falls deeply in love with Evan and wants nothing more than to follow her heart, but she can’t ignore the lingering feeling that Evan is hiding a terrible secret. The deeper she digs, the more danger she faces, forcing her to face the darkest, innermost parts of her soul.

Joanne is happy to answer any questions!

Where to find Joanne Brothwell.

Joannebrothwell (at) sasktel (dot) net

Purchase Stealing Breath at Crescent Moon Press

Website:  www.joannebrothwell.com

Blog:  http://www.joannebrothwell.com/blog.html

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/JoanneBrothwell

Twitter:  @JoanneBrothwell

 

Six Sentence Sunday

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It’s Six Sentence Sunday! Time to travel around to all kinds of author blogs and get at sneak peak into lots of fabulous stories. Your comments always inspire me, so thanks for taking the time to drop by and leave them.

It’s late in the evening and my heroine, Lily, is being escorted home by police after a brutal attack by a wanted gang leader.

Lily averted her gaze from the sidewalk and focused on Chase unlocking her door. She remained vertical by sheer force of will, desperate to get inside. Even with Chase and Mike stuck to her like burrs, the whispering breeze carried threats. The shadows hid monsters threatening to break through their guard. Paranoia bloomed.

Thanks again for stopping by and there’s always more places to visit on Six Sentence Sunday.

Adventures in Reading

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First is a book I’ve just finished reading and it’s my critique partner’s debut New Adult paranormal, Stealing Breath by Joanne Brothwell! It’s a wonderful story and I hope you check it out.

Deep in the backwoods of North Dakota, twenty-one year old Sarah Ross is searching for a missing child when she is attacked by a glowing-eyed, transparent… creature. Sarah survives, destroying the monster by using mysterious abilities she didn’t even know she had.

Bloody and bruised, Sarah flees the scene and runs directly into Evan Valente, a handsome, charismatic stranger who helps her back to safety. But what is Evan doing out in the forest at five in the morning? Read more here!

The second book is the one I’m currently reading and it’s our May reading selection for my book club, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Excellent so far!

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

Laura Griffin’s Unspeakable, the 2nd in her Tracer series, is next in cue on my TBR pile!

Elaina McCord’s dream of being an FBI profiler is in danger with her first case—investigating a string of murders near a Texas beach resort. The victims, all young women, were drugged and brutally murdered, their bodies abandoned in desolate marshland. Elaina’s hunch—met with disbelief by local police—is that these are only the latest offerings from a serial killer who has been perfecting his art for years, growing bolder and more cunning with each strike.

True-crime writer Troy Stockton has a reputation as an irresistible playboy who gets his story at any cost. He’s the last person Elaina should trust, let alone be attracted to. But right now Troy, along with the elite team of forensics experts known as the Tracers, are her only allies in a case that’s turning dangerously personal. A killer is reaching out to Elaina, taunting her, letting her know how ruthless he is and how close he’s getting. Now it’s not just her career that’s in danger—it’s her life. . . .

There you have it. That’s my adventures in reading for the last couple of weeks.What great books have you read, are reading, or have stacked in your TBR pile?

 

Carnivalesque: Rating Reality TV

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This week our Carnivalesque Travelling Blog heads to Jana Richards blog where we’ll talking about reality TV and whether we love it or we hate it. So come join Hayley Lavik, Janet Corcoran, Jana Richards and myself over at her place as we fess up to our likes or dislikes. You can also find us on Twitter: @karygood, @jscorcoran, and @hayleyelavik and follow the discussion using hashtag #blogshow.

Reading Therapy

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I participated in a reading last week at a lovely small town Saskatchewan library along with a friend of mine, Annette Bower. I read from my romantic suspense, Backlash, and she read from her newly published e-book, Moving On: A Prairie Romance. An old converted school house with original tin ceilings and hardwood floors, it contained a small library and an art gallery. We read in a cosy room in front of a beautiful mural created by young local artists to fifteen or twenty interested attendees.

I had a very entertaining conversation with an older woman who hadn’t read a book of fiction since high school. It’s true. Apparently, it’s possible to go fifty or sixty years without reading a book. I’m sure she’s enjoyed many other creative pursuits, but still…

I thought about all those times I’ve read books to save my sanity. Like recently, when I found myself awake at 2:00 am three or four nights in a row because I was coughing and couldn’t sleep. Tucked up in bed, propped up against a mound of pillows, Vicks Vapor Rub smeared on my chest, waiting for the cough medicine to kick in, I poured through four books.

On those bi-monthly weekend Greyhound bus rides from Regina to Saskatoon to visit my now husband in my twenties. Airports, hotel rooms, doctor’s offices. What do people do in these places if they aren’t reading? Okay, excluding hotel rooms!

On our way home from the reading we talked about creative ways to promote ereaders and ebooks. Someone mentioned their niece reading on her ereader while breastfeeding her baby. Oh, how I wished I’d had one way back when to pass those long hours.

It’s been a long day and the next one promising to be just as long. What do you do? You pick up a book and allow the story to sweep you away. There’s nothing quite like immersing yourself in a great book. I’ll even take a not-so-great book over no book. I’ve used books to soothe away teenage angst. I remember once, shortly after moving away from home for the first time at eighteen, a group of girlfriends got together one night to watch the movie: Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I read an entire Harlequin romance once I returned home to my dark, little, very empty house. I don’t remember the name of the story, but it saved my sanity that night.

When has reading saved your sanity?

I hope you check out my friend, Annette Bower and her new release, Moving On – A Prairie Romance.

Moving On-A Prairie Romance

Anna is a mysterious woman that has just moved to Regina Beach. The residents of the small town know everyone’s business and they are very interested in discovering Anna’s secrets. Nick was a Sergeant in the Canadian Army, doing active duty until a horrific accident sent him home to recover. He helps Anna feel safe and comfortable in her new environment, just as he has always done for his men in strange, dangerous places. Meanwhile, he focuses on preparing for his future physical endurance test to prove that he is capable of returning to active duty.

Anna doesn’t talk about her past, and Nick doesn’t talk about his future therefore she is shocked to discover that his greatest wish is to return to active duty. She won’t love a man who may die on the job again. Intellectually, she knows that all life cycles end, but emotionally, she doesn’t know if she has the strength to support Nick.