Happy (Book) Birthday SALE!

Two years ago, I hit "publish" on my very first novel--a sweet YA romance with heart and a little message about tolerance.

I've noted in other places it was partly inspired by the movie Clueless, and entirely inspired by my love of romantic comedy. So today I'm wishing a....

BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! To The Truth About Faking!

And it's ON SALE for only 99 Cents right now!

I have always loved Jason & Harley and Harley's harebrained view of the world. I can't even express how happy it made me that thousands of readers loved them too. To date, Faking has sold more than 44,000 copies worldwide!

Something I haven't publicized is that all profits from The Truth About Faking since Day 1 were donated to charity. Every ebook, print book, audiobook, whatever--I only keep what's needed to cover production costs.

Originally, it was whatever needed help--from hurricane relief to Samaritan funds, to individuals I knew about who were struggling. For the past year, I've focused on The Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana--Click here for about that. (What a coincidence, today kicks off Hunger Action Month! Click here for info about that.)

I used to tease that here's how you know God has a sense of humor: My biggest seller is the book I dedicated to charity. Ha! No, the Truth is (*wink*), I've been extremely blessed in my publishing career, and I'm glad to have been in a position to help others in need.

YOU have been a part of that if you've bought the book, so Thank You, too!

I'll wrap it up now, but if you haven't read Faking, I hope you'll give it a shot! If you have, you can give it as a gift. And even when the sale ends, the giving continues. So grab your copy today~

Thanks for reading--I appreciate all of you~

► Get The Truth About Faking for only 99 cents Today:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/XvCnPJ
B&N: http://bit.ly/RcSyPA
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/10hwBQF
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-truth-about-faking
iTunes: http://bit.ly/WZVY6p

Writing for Tears - The Onion Approach

Sorry, this post is not about The Onion (link)--the satirical newspaper. Instead, I was thinking this morning about craft and writing and my own evolution as a writer.

Coming from a journalism background, my biggest challenge as a novelist was slowing down. I'd been trained to get to the point fast. Give the most important point first. Don't bury the lede! No extraneous details, no side-trips into smells or tastes...

I know. Some feature writers flower their prose a bit, and tempering that is part of the craft of feature writing, but for the most part, news reporting is bare bones. Just the facts, ma'am.

Then I started writing books, and I was all, "This person has to get from Point A to Point B to Resolution C after Shocking Revelation D."

I'd sit down and pound it all out, and while it was entertaining, my early readers were all, "I've got a whiplash this happened so fast!"

I wasn't giving anybody time to think or feel about what was happening, to process. I wasn't peeling back the layers slow enough. I wasn't giving my readers time to cry. (Get the onion part now? I made that up, fyi.)

I have some writer friends with the exact opposite problem. They write too many words, and their biggest task is going back and cut cut cutting all the fat so they're  not boring you to death or filling your head with a lot of unnecessary details.

Going on Year 4 as an author, my second as a full-time novelist, my first drafts still often come out with "fast patches"--parts that need to slow down to provide the full emotional effect.

I'm still learning to think like a symphony conductor. Have the Big Fast Loud part followed by a quiet, thoughtful spot.

The good news is now when I read back through that first draft, I'm much better at spotting these places and adding thoughts, feelings, sights, sounds, etc., to spread out the moment.

I think The Truth About Letting Go was the first time I truly felt satisfied I'd mastered the process. To this day, I can't read Chapter 17 without crying... but that's another story.

I'm headed back into the cave, reader-friends! Just popping out to say Hi! and share my thoughts.

Remember to check out IndieReCon starting tomorrow! (link) It's a FREE online writers conference filled with tons of useful information about business, craft, working with readers, marketing, etc.

And since last week I posted the Valentine's Day "Love Notes" for the Dragonfly series, this week, I'll post the ones for the "Truth" books.

Enjoy~

The Truth About Faking

And talk about layers~

The Truth About Letting Go

Have a super week, reader-friends! Love ya~

I Had a Publishing Dream...

Happy Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., day! He had a dream--I wrote a post about it here (link)!

Today, I'm thinking about something that was on my mind last week, but "life and being a mom" kind of knocked me off my schedule.

So you're getting it now. Ready?

In 2009, I had a dream of being a traditionally published author, having my books on bookstore shelves, being reviewed in Entertainment Weekly, maybe having a movie or a TV series made from one of them...

In 2011, when many of my closest, most trusted author-friends were jumping ship and heading into the world of independent publishing, I landed an agent for my book Rouge (link).

Eventually that agent secured me a basic contract with a Big Six publisher (there were still six in 2011).

Sometimes I wish I'd been brave enough to walk away from that situation in 2011, but it took me until 2012 to see what was happening in traditional publishing and to understand that if I wasn't getting a SUPERSTAR contract, I needed to high-tail it out of there. Fast.

I've been an independent/self-published author since September 2012, and my first book The Truth About Faking (link) has sold almost 50,000 copies worldwide.

That sounds like a lot. That is a lot! But I actually have independent-author friends who sell that much in a month. Some sell twice that much in a month.

So I'm kind of a mid-list independent author.

What's the point?

Two weeks ago I was flipping through my Entertainment Weekly for the week ending Jan. 16, 2014. Usually I skip over the "Books" section, but on this day I stopped to check out the Fiction Top 10 list.

Ready for the names?

#1-John Grisham
#2-James Patterson
#3-Tom Clancy
#4-Stephen King
#5-Mitch Albom
#6-Janet Evanovich....

Are you seeing my point now?

I have no intention of going on a rant about traditional publishing, But Gah! They really make it difficult sometimes. John Grisham? Tom Clancy???

As a former editor and a college grad with a Master's in mass communication, who started out focused on book publishing, I understand the business of making money.

But jeez louise, could that list demonstrate any more clearly how nothing has changed?

I have a second-degree author-friend (a friend of a friend), and a few weeks ago, she was brave enough to write a blog post about how less than broke she is as a mid-list selling author with a Big Five publisher.

She's pretty well-known. You would know her name if I put it here. But I won't. Why?

Because in less than one hour after she posted, it went viral. And in less than fifteen minutes of me reading it, it was GONE.

I don't know if her publisher muzzled her or her agent... or if she really did decide (as she said) it probably was tacky to put actual numbers online for the world to see.

You know what I think is tacky? The continued treatment of new authors with interesting stories to tell, new voices, as less than second-class citizens in favor of the same old boring lineup of guaranteed freight movers.

A few of my indie-author friends are discouraged about how hard it is to rise above the noise right now.

Some of them are returning to the traditional merry-go-round because they're tired, and it's not so easy to throw a title up there and make a million dollars any more. (Not that this little black duck ever did.) The word is out!

But this Entertainment Weekly list only demonstrated to me what I felt in my gut: Going back is just setting yourself up for the same old treatment.

Yes, I understand your exhaustion and frustration, author-friends. I feel it, too.

But rather than whopping myself over the head anymore for not being daredevil enough to jump into the indie pool when the rest of you did, I'm going to be thankful right now.

I'm thankful I got that first book deal with the Big Six publisher. Why? Because it was the same deal my second-degree friend got, and I heard in her post the heartbreak and the loss I'd be feeling over being overlooked and earning less than a paperboy for my work. I have children to feed and send to college, too.

Self-publishing is hard work.

Yes, it is. But guess what else it is? It's freedom.

I can give away copies of my books--as many as I like!--and I can decide what comes next. I often chat with my reader-friends about what they like, and if I want to promote one of my titles, I can hold a contest and/or modify my prices and/or change my covers...

You know what else?

Do self-publishing well enough, and contrary to what they were all telling us in 2011, you will end up right there beside the John Grishams, etc.--if that's what you choose to do.

Self-publishing doesn't close any doors. It only opens a whole world of new ones.

Have a super week, reader friends! Fight the power--read a new author for a change. *wink* 

Rainy Days & Mondays and a chance to #WIN!!!

Happy Monday, reader-friends!

Shew, we made it through some rough weather yesterday! I hope all of you are safe and sound reading this--thoughts and prayers with those dealing with storm damage~

It seems like every year, right about now, I'm thinking, "Where did the time go?!"

This time last year, I was also still reeling with amazement over reader-response to The Truth About Faking (link), my very first book published.

I'm still pretty amazed by it. Love you guys!!!

Then in February, I released The Truth About Letting Go (link), which is a different story, a little more serious...

Readers are always "discovering" these books, and I LOVE when they/you touch base with me, either by email or Facebook or Twitter.

Over the weekend, Dia of Book Junkie Joint (link) wrote an amazing review for Letting Go. She said so many great things, but this was my favorite part:

"What I liked best about this story is that it masterfully depicted how different people had different ways of coping with pain. Others find that acting reckless gave them a sort of high which made them feel alive. Others simply move on and move forward. The key point is ... it's not the same for everybody. This was how it was for Ashley and Colt. It was also the reason why I understand Ashley's compulsion to be with Colt."

Love it when people "get" it...

Please hop over and leave a comment for Dia--Here's the (link).

Today, I've got two NEW books to share from two amazing author friends--check them out~

#1-Is a New Adult/Women's Fiction by Elle Strauss (link), who is an amazing writer-friend for whom I've beta-read for years.

On Amazon

I love the story behind this book, which she originally released in German in 2000!

Elle is Canadian/native English speaker, so this is the first time her non-German-speaking fans get to read it! More here (link).

East of Eden
by Elle Strauss

Regret is a formidable foe.

Eden Kelley is the primary caregiver for her mother who’s in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease, and she’s only twenty-four. Not what she planned to do when she left her husband for a new start with her four-year-old daughter in tow. She’d hoped for free babysitting, but instead she found a mystery. The discovery of an erroneous marriage document leads to more questions, and unfortunately Eden can’t ask her mother for answers because she doesn’t remember. 

Her mother’s antics drive her crazy, but Eden’s determined to make the best of it. That includes finding the exciting romantic adventure she’d dreamed about. But when trouble knocks, it’s her husband Cade who arrives to help. It’s awkward and tense. And Eden comes to one sure conclusion: leaving her handsome, caring husband was a huge mistake.

Her parents had a second chance at love? Would she and Cade get one, too?

"I was enamored with the mystery surrounding her [Eden's] mom and dad. I eagerly read wanting to unearth their secrets. I was thoroughly pleased with what I found and how the whole story pieced together. ...And how her parent's story related to what Eden and Cade were going through...A perfect read if you are seeking a read that is light and mysterious." - Mandy Anderson, I Read Indies

Get it TODAY!   Amazon | Kobo | Smashwords

* * *

#2-Is by another great writer-friend Ali Cross (link), and it's the next installment in her Desolation Diaries series.

On Amazon

Tattered Dreams
by Ali Cross

Miri has seen Akaros’ return—and James’ death. 

But James has been to Hell and back and refuses to let Akaros rob him of his future with Miri. 

Desi might not be there to save him this time, but James is determined to save himself. 

A Desolation Novella.

Get it TODAY!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords

And enter to #WIN All Three books in the Desolation Diaries series--go here to enter (link)!!!

* * *

And what about you? Read any good books lately that touched you?

Have a SUPER week, reader-friends! Love ya~

Reflecting, Catching Up, and a Sweet #SALE

Over the weekend, I was thinking about my publishing career.

I met with some Indiana writers about a month ago to plan an author event here in Fall 2014, and I mentioned several writer-friends we could invite.

One of the ladies present said, "How do you know all these authors?" 

My answer was, "Blogging."

On Amazon

I started this little blog began back in Feb. 2010 and had no idea what to do here.

Since then I've met and gotten to know hundreds of amazing readers and writers. Some are traditional, some are Indie, some are a mix. 

Sept 2012-Today has been a whirlwind for me. 

March 2013-Today were particularly hard--between keeping up with my schedule and keeping up with my family.

But I still love what I do!

Yesterday, I looked at all the books on the market, and I wondered, "How did I ever find my readers? What shiny stars they are in my little journey!"

More and more books are making their way into "print," and finding ways to reach readers is getting more and more interesting. 

I'm glad I found you! 

I'm glad I started when I did--maybe not so glad I held out for traditional as long as I did. (At times maybe wondering if my Big 6 publisher was right about the direction I "should" have taken with my books.) 

The Truth About Faking was my first "hit." I hope many more will follow. 

I'm still proud of its funny, sweet little story, and now that my own daughters are tweens, I'm hoping to write another book like it for them. 

In honor of that book's amazing success, it's on Sale for 99 cents this week. (Already read it? Give it as a gift!)

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | ARe

It's still a great time to be a writer, friends. 

And I can't say enough how glad I am to know you! Thanks for sticking with me on this journey. 

Have a great week~

Watercolor is LIVE!

Christmas came early! 

Thank Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I can't do preorders, and I have to have links for my blog tour participants...

But I couldn't wait to share it with you guys anyway--squee!!!

Watercolor is now everywhere!

On Amazon

(Isn't that a fun graphic?) I tell you guys, revising Watercolor these last several weeks reminded me of my very first days writing novels. It was my third complete book, and it has all that early joy and freshness.

It was also the book I wrote right before The Truth About Faking, and it shares a lot of the same humor. The heroes also have some similar qualities. Faking is more innocent than Watercolor, but you might notice a few minor similarities.

So without further ado, Grab your copy today, and be sure to let me know what you think! 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords

Print copies on Createspace | Amazon

Have a super week, reader-friends~

Cover Reveal for the Queen of Covers!

Happy Monday, reader-friends!

What a FUN weekend we had with the Lucky 13 Sale and Giveaway! THANK YOU to everyone who participated and made it a huge success.

The Giveaway is going on for a few more days, 13 people will win! Go here to enter (link)!

Now for the Cover Reveal.

You all know how much I love my cover-designer, writer-friend extraordinaire Jolene Perry.

She's the genius who made the covers for The Truth About Faking, Rouge, and the Dragonfly series. Just last week, she helped me update the ebook covers for Dragonfly & Undertow to this:

Jolene made us because she's brilliant.

Are those gorgeous or what?

She's the mastermind who created the Watercolor cover, which is absolutely perfect for Anna & Julian's love story...

Well, she's got her first HARDCOVER book coming out from Albert Whitman Teen, and I am so so proud and excited for her!!!

The thing about traditional publishing is they don't let you do your own covers. And for someone as brilliant as Jolene, I imagine that can be pretty scary. I'm happy to say they did a FAB job.

Here it is, and below, I'll tell you how to preorder your copy!

On Goodreads

Kate's dream boyfriend has just broken up with her and she's still reeling from her diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.

Aidan planned on being a "lifer" in the army and went to Iraq straight out of high school. Now he's a disabled young veteran struggling to embrace his new life.

When Kate and Aidan find each other neither one wants to get attached. But could they be right for each other after all?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

OMG, I am so in love with this book and cover. Order your copy today!

And have a super week, reader-friends~

WATERCOLOR Teaser Tuesday! Last Day to #WIN!

Who's got two thumbs and wants a Watercolor teaser?

This girl!!!

On Goodreads

Here you go:

"I just want you to touch me.” I took his hands and slid them to my waist under my shirt. I pressed my mouth to his and chills followed as his fingers slid lightly over my skin.

I was drowning again as I reached over to his waist, finding the edge of his jeans. I pulled up the soft fabric and lightly touched his bare stomach. 

Suddenly he was gone. My lips were still in a pucker, and he was down at the water away from me. I watched as he stripped off his t-shirt and slipped out of his jeans before diving into the dark Gulf waters. 

I fell forward, laying my head on my forearm in the sand. "I’m going to kill your parents,” I sighed.

Watercolor will be live everywhere Oct. 3~

You still have time to catch up--get Dragonfly and Undertow today!

* * *

Today is also the Last Day to enter the Happy Birthday, The Truth About Faking giveaway!

TEN winners will be picked to win signed paperbacks, audiobooks, ebooks... Go here (link) and enter by midnight!

Have a super Tuesday, reader-friends~ 

Where's My Pirate Costume?

Most of you know I have two little girls. This morning I woke up singing songs from Dora's Pirate Adventure.

Sing with me...

Parents of small children, if you missed this one (featuring John Leguizamo), I highly recommend it. You will be singing these songs for the rest of your life.

To this day, we still finish Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star with "how I wonder what you ate for breakfast."

That led me to wishing I could have a REAL sing-along blog like Dr. Horrible (link)!

Would that rule or what?

I have always loved to sing.

But I tend to suffer from singing stage-fright, so you will rarely catch me onstage singing anywhere. (Unless I've had too much "medicine.")

When I lived in Baldwin County, I worked up the courage to join our small church's choir. A few friends made fun of me for being a "choir girl," but the truth was, I got more out of church being in that choir than from anything else I did.

Get me!

Not sure what that means.

What does all this have to do with anything?

Well, there's a lot of serious stuff going on in the world this week. I for one am a little weirded out by how much history seems to be repeating itself. (Great Depression followed by WWII, the majority of the country not wanting to get involved...)

Some people believe you can't be serious and lighthearted at the same time. But I have a tendency to get too serious, reader-friends.

I have to throw in some lightness in the mix so I don't lose it.

That thought gave me an idea for a scene in a book I'm working on. It's about looking ahead to how things will be once the bad thing has passed...

My hero tells our heroine a game he liked to play as a child. He would think of his favorite thing to do, and then he would tell himself that was what he'd do when whatever he was afraid of was over.

I confess, the idea grew from that part in L O S T where Jack tells Kate about allowing the fear in for five seconds. Really being afraid for those five seconds, and then letting it go and getting the job done.

Powerful thing, the mind...

It's going to be in the 90s here this week, but then the 70s by Friday. I think we should all imagine dressing up and doing a big Dora's Pirate Adventure sing-along on Saturday. Or Teen Beach Movie. Whatever floats your ship... or surfboard.

Quick Reminders:

**You can still enter to #WIN one of TEN amazing prizes including signed copies, audiobooks, etc., in the Happy Birthday The Truth About Faking giveaway! Go here (link)~

**Watercolor is coming Oct. 3! Look at this gorgeous paperback cover my incredibly talented writer-friend Jolene Perry made...

On Goodreads

I am SO in love with that cover. And it is SO perfect for Anna & Julian's love story... You've got time to catch up--grab your copy of Dragonfly and/or Undertow today!

Have a super week, reader-friends! Cooler weather is on the way~

Happy Birthday FAKING! Come #WIN Presents!!!

It's hard to believe one year ago today The Truth About Faking went live on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Kobo...

I was so inexperienced, I didn't know how to get it on iTunes because I didn't have a Mac. (It's there now!)

I was able to make paperbacks thanks to my background in publishing...

It's now in audiobook format (link)...

Many great books came out around the same time, and I was proud to share a spot in Amazon's Top Ten with them. Honestly, I didn't think anybody other than my parents, close family, and a few close friends would buy my book.

In one year, my first little book has sold more than 40,000 copies worldwide.

That's seriously hard for me to believe, reader-friends. It makes me a little teary-eyed, and so so thankful to you, to God, to my family and friends. It's been a wild, fun learning experience, and NONE of it would be possible without YOU!

So to celebrate, I'm giving YOU Birthday Presents! Some great writer-friends are joining me to celebrate, and you have TEN chances to WIN!

It's my way of saying a HUGE THANK YOU!!! 

For reading, smiling, swooning, supporting, and making this publishing journey of mine so fun and interesting.

MUAH!!!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

(I confess... I still *snorggle* every time I read Harley's line, "You showed up here ... and hit me with your car..." --LOL!

And to everyone who's asked, the answer is YES! I will write another "Truth" book--possibly by January if I can get my ducks in a row.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Important Notes!

*Please Visit the Auction (link), place a bid and support World Missions - Send Kay on her Way! (link)

*I'm being interviewed by The Writing Nut today! You can #WIN there, too! Please run over and say Hi! (link)

*I'm also being interviewed in Italy! Only virtually... Still, drop by and find out my biggest writing problem (link)!

Have a super week, reader-friends! As I've said a hundred times, I wouldn't be here without YOU!

Goodreads Kerfuffles: The New Red Room

I was going to say "the new sex tape," but sex tapes are so Y2K...

It's been a while since I've opined on current events here on the blog. (Sorry?) But this latest round of Goodreads "reviewers" behaving badly and authors rising (sinking?) to the challenge, resulting in alleged rape threats and bullying accusations and debut novels being pulled from release... (or being released now under pen names?)

It all makes a writer say Hmm.

I've written a few books (see sidebar), and they're all on Goodreads, for better or worse.

Before Undertow was released in July, it got a big fat 1-star review on Goodreads... And it wasn't even one of my betas or critters! (It remains the book's only 1-star review amidst predominately 4- and 5-stars.)

A book I just finished writing on Friday (Aug. 23) got a 3-star review a few weeks ago on Goodreads, prompting me to wonder how this person was accessing my computer and whether s/he would be willing to finish writing the book for me, since I clearly wasn't doing a 5-star job...

Regardless of all that, I know if I engage, if I make any comment whatsoever, I'm risking a firestorm of abuse, harassment, name-calling, etc. It's the whole, "once you put your book out there, it's no longer yours" concept.

(But wait. My book's not "out there" yet...)

Before I hit "publish" on my very first book, The Truth About Faking, I got some sage advice from a then-rising author named Tammara Webber. (Yes, that Tammara Webber.)

Don't respond to reviewers.

Period. The End. (Nope! Stop arguing. Don't respond.) She was firm.

We live in a digital age, where anyone with a keyboard and an attitude has the potential to become a Superstar! (Remember Perez Hilton?)

It's all about the spotlight, writer-friends. When you "go there," you're signaling the paparazzi. You're shaking up the Mountain Dew can, popping the top and putting it slap in front of the hornets' nest.

In fairness, yes, there is a possible flipside... I also remember Paris Hilton. (And her spawn, Kim Kardashian.) They live for that stuff. Becoming a living train wreck has made those females millions.

Selah.

In fairness, my experience with Goodreads has been largely positive. It can be a useful and fantastic, interactive reader- and writer- community. I've met awesome reader-friends there, and I know bigwigs like Coleen Hoover point to it as helping their success in reaching readers.

Sure, I've gotten my share of reviews I thought weren't fair. I've had the DNF rants, and I've even *gasp* replied to a few, late at night, after a glass of wine. (And promptly freaked out the next day and never returned to the scene of the crime... Sorry, Tammara! *hangs head in shame*)

It's a sad truth, but as a published author, my days of being an English teacher, a book club leader, a former journalist, and heck, even an American citizen with first-amendment rights are over.

I'm probably taking a risk simply writing this blog post, but shoop! There it is.

When I hit "publish" on The Truth About Faking, I began the mental mantra:

"Negative reviews and/or reviews I think are 'unfair' go with the territory. Get over it. Look how many negative reviews L. James gets for her Fifty Shades books, and she's laughing all the way to the bank."

We tell ourselves these things as authors, reader-friends. (Or we should, writer-friends.)

Two thousand reviews for Faking later, I actually have some one-star reviews I admire. The reviewer just really did not like my book, and s/he gave some solid, justified reasons why.

I read them, and at the end I mentally add, "And then I got my period."

(...it's a joke. C'mon... That's funny!)

Seriously, I respect them. I like seeing reviews from thoughtful readers. To me, it means I'm doing my job right. Not everybody's going to like my books, but if I've made someone think about a concept, a belief system, a mode of behavior, well, that's what I'm after, right?

I also appreciate that when we make the transition to living off our books' earnings, things like DNF reviews urging the whole, entire reading planet not to buy our books seriously sting. And reviews or ratings for unreleased books can push us over the edge...

Resist! writer-friends.

I mean, unless you want to try the sex tape in the red room approach. In which case, buckle up! It's going to be a bumpy ride~

I'd love to hear anybody's (thoughtful) thoughts on the matter.

And I'd like to take this opportunity to THANK all my reader- and writer-friends who take the time to leave thoughtful reviews of my books. As Blondie (and now 1D) says, "One way or another."

* * *

Heads up, friends! Watercolor is coming Oct. 3! That means Dragonfly is on sale for 99 cents! I'll share a little graphic I made here~

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

And have a great week, reader-friends! 

Dragonfly First Teaser! And #WIN Books!

Popping out from the cave, I promised Dragonfly teasers, and I've got the first one ready for you below!

Before we get to that, I wanted to share TWO chances to #WIN copies of my books.

#WIN me!

#1-The Truth About Faking is up for grabs over on Christine Fonesca's blog (link).

Christine is releasing a new nonfiction book called The Girl Guide, and it looks fantastic--a must read for parents and girls in the middle school years.

This is your LAST DAY, so check it out, and enter to #WIN!

#2-Jessica at Hoplessly Devoted Bibliophile is celebrating her Blogoversary with chances to #WIN fun prizes, including a copy of Rouge (link).

Rouge made it to the Quarter Finals Round of the 2013 ABNA. It's a new adult romantic suspense set in a cabaret in New Orleans. 

#WIN me!

So if you're looking for something different in the New Adult genre, hop over and enter to #WIN!

And now, the moment you've been waiting for! 

Exclusive Teaser #1 from Dragonfly, Coming June 6:

A half-step, I was in his arms. A glint of blue and his mouth covered mine. I trembled as his hands traveled up the sides of my dress to my shoulders, then lightly cupped my cheeks.

His lips moved to the corner of my mouth, then my jaw, and a tiny noise slipped from my throat. I was tense and electric, and all I could think were his soft lips touching me, my fingers exploring his hard stomach through the thin cotton shirt he wore. 

His mouth traveled to my ear, where he kissed me lightly before whispering. “Let’s sit.” 

Taking my hand, he sat in the sand and pulled me onto his lap, and I watched as he unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his lined chest. Then he took my hands and placed my palms flat on his warm skin. Gorgeous.

“Now you,” he said, and his arms circled to my back. I was breathing fast as he slid my zipper down and my straps fell to the sides. I was sitting in my bra facing him in the silver moonlight, my hands still on his chest. 

My head was so light, I could barely breathe. This was all new to me, and there was no way I was stopping it. My shoulders shook, and I looked down. 

“Are you afraid?” he whispered. 

I shook my head no, lying. He cupped my chin, tilting my face up, and looked into my eyes. The breeze blew his golden hair around his cheeks, and I was convinced this was what an angel looked like.

Dragonfly is Book #1 of the as-yet unnamed series, coming June 6; another Teaser posts Tuesday!

Have a lovely weekend, reader- and writer-friends~ <3

Lightening Round #WINNER & Spring Fever Teaser

We have a #WINNER for the super-fast lightening round giveaway of the ebook set The Truth About Faking AND The Truth About Letting Go...

Naomi O.!

Be looking for your email, Naomi, and THANKS to everyone who entered!

Just a reminder The Truth About Faking is still only 99 cents, and with spring in the air, it's a great time to get some sweet romance on!

Here's a quickie teaser-excerpt. Enjoy~

On Amazon

“Wait,” Jason whispers, catching my hand. I stop. “Don’t go out with him,” he says.

I look back. “Jason—”

“I’m serious,” he says. “I don’t want you to go out with him.”

His words send a pain through my chest, and my head feels dizzy. I don’t know what to say. Trent’s been my dream for so long, I don’t know how to let him go. I don’t want to. 

“It’s too late,” I say. “I already told him I would. I mean, I practically asked him out.”

“You did ask him out,” Jason says, stepping closer again. His hands are on my waist, and I can feel his breath on my cheek close to my ear. “Call him and cancel.”

His lips are so close, I can almost kiss him again. Instead I put my hand on his chest and gently push him back.

“I can’t,” I say, shaking my head.

“Sure you can,” Jason smiles. He reaches up to take my hand from his chest.

“Jason,” I sigh, trying to pull it away. But he doesn’t let go.

“Harley.”

“I’m tired. And my head feels… funny. I’m going to bed.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” he says. Then he lifts my hand and kisses it. I watch his soft lips touch my fingers, and I struggle with the urge to pull us together again.

“I’m going out with Trent.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow.”

I look down and nod slightly. Then I go inside and close the door. 

Get The Truth About Faking for 99 cents on:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes | AllRomance ebooks | OmniLit

Print copies on Amazon and Createspace!

Update: Fans of OmniLit.com and All Romance eBooks will be happy to know I've just added all three of my books to these sites. Links are in the sidebar at right > > >

I'm starting revisions on my next release Dragonfly this week. I'll post Teasers on Tuesdays as they're ready!

Have a super week, reader- and writer-friends~ <3

Lightening Round #WIN! & Teaser Tuesdays

I AM still in the cave, in case you're wondering. But I also promised to help with some promotions before everything blew up over here, and that's what this is...

Update--JRM is doing better! Every day a little more movement, a little less pain, and soon, hopefully, he'll be off the couch more. Still three months of crutches, but we're being positive. It could've been much worse. #SOthankful

In other news, several lovely bloggers are helping me spread the word about my new book The Truth About Letting Go (link), which is over there in the sidebar > > >

And to help them, I'm running a special "Lightening Round Giveaway" contest to for BOTH The Truth About Faking (link) AND The Truth About Letting Go!

Here are a few of the places you can #WIN (names are links):

• Stacey Wallace Benefiel
• Cheri Lasota
• Elle Strauss
• LM Preston
• Cindy Hogan

You can also click here to enter and #WIN! Contest ends Sunday, April 7!

Quick Note: As soon as I've got something for you, I'm thinking of doing "Teaser Tuesday" posts for DRAGONFLY and DRIFTWOOD (the two books releasing next). Would you like that? Thoughts?

OK--back to the cave with me! Have a super weekend and week, reader-friends~ <3

The Persistence of Story

Does it feel early to anyone else? Daylight savings, man...

Okay, first off, I'm over on The Kindness Project blog today talking about how I don't believe happiness is a choice. Feel free to hop over and disagree with me (link).

Now, what's this about persistent stories? Well, I'll tell ya.

We're all writers here. Or readers. And writers are readers, so that makes us all one and the same. My point is this: since the Dawn of Time, there have been folks telling stories and folks wanting to hear stories.

Putting on my storyteller hat, I'll admit the reason I'm a full-time writer now is because once I typed "The End" on that first book of mine back in 2009 (which is still in the drawer), it was like I'd pulled my finger out of the proverbial hole in the dyke.

(Don't be gross. It's a legend.)

All the stories just flooded my brain, and I've been working hard to keep up ever since. In that first year alone, I finished five books. Granted, I spent the next year revising two of them (The Truth About Faking and Rouge), and another year waiting for traditional publishing to have its way with me...

(Yes. I was thinking it that time. And Letting Go was written later, just fyi.)

Here I sit with three books out there, three more ready to go, one needing to be finished, and in my head is this new idea that's just bugging me...

I guess that's just what we do. We either have to tell stories or we have to listen to them. Hopefully they're good ones. Hopefully you like the stories I tell...

Or I don't know. Am I just talking to myself here? Do most of you writer-friends have very organized brains that behave and follow sequentially? Do I need my head checked?

(I know who's going to say Yes to that.)

Either way, I'll just keep on writing and putting them out there. I can't help it. It's how my brain's wired up. I smell hair burning...

While I untangle the wires, I've got two new stories to share that I'm pretty sure you'll like:

Great bloggy friend M Pax (love that name) has just put out #3 in her Backworlds series. I got to edit the very first one, and I can tell you, it is awesome!

I don't normally read space opera, and I was hooked, pulled in, and cheering for Craze (the main character) by story's end. That book, The Backworlds, is FREE, so run get (link)!

The new book is Boomtown Craze, and it sounds like another great installment. Here's the poop:

On Amazon

A Grand New Age of Boom or Dust?

In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendents to survive in a harsh universe.

To secure his future, Craze must propel his world into a more prosperous era. Only days away from the grand opening of his new and improved tavern, he is confronted by a loony Backworlder intent on mucking up his plans.

Gaunt and trembling, she claims her spaceship is possessed. She also has a connection to the underworld that shakes loose the dark past of one of Craze’s closest friends. It all threatens to end Craze’s prosperity before it begins.

Meanwhile off world, Captain Talos works desperately to outwit the mercenary Jixes and lure them away from his and Craze’s budding prospects. The mind-control weapon Talos uses against them is wearing thin, and his next move may be his last.

Will Craze and Talos’s efforts bring about a grand new age of boom or damn them to forever struggle in the dust?

AmazonUS / AmazonUK / B&N / Smashwords

Other Outlets can be found at http://mpaxauthor.com.

MP!

M. Pax is a Browncoat and SG fan, she’s also slightly obsessed with Jane Austen. In the summers she docents as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory where the other astronomers now believe she has the most extensive collection of moon photos in existence. No fear, there will be more next summer. She lives in stunning Central Oregon with the Husband Unit and two lovely, spoiled cats.

Website/Blog ~ Twitter ~ FB ~ Goodreads ~ LinkedIN ~ Pinterest ~ YouTube ~ Wattpad

And until March 22, you can enter to WIN! a set of signed Backworlds paperbacks, including The Backworlds, Stopover at the Backworlds’ Edge, and Boomtown Craze (US only), OR! a choice of five ebooks (open internationally). Click here to enter!

The second book is by bloggy friend Lisa Gail Green (link). It's not out yet, but here's the lovely cover and information:

Tricked into slavery by the man she loved, the Djinni Leela has an eternity to regret her choices.

Awakened in the prison of her adolescent body, she finds a new master in possession of the opal that binds her. But seventeen-year-old Jered is unlike any she’s seen. His kindness makes Leela yearn to trust again, to allow herself a glimmer of hope.

Could Jered be strong enough to free her from the curse of the Binding Stone?

Add it on Goodreads today!

Follow LG2 on Twitter.


Oh, and my giveaway's still going on! You can enter to win a signed print set of The Truth About Faking and The Truth About Letting Go at this (link)

Have a super week, reader- and writer-friends! I'm just over here sorting it out~ <3

A Party, Pressies, & A #WIN

Happy Friday, reader-friends!

What's this party, you say?

Well, I'll tell you, but first let me unveil the WINNER of Justine Dell's newest book All American Girl (link) from Monday.

We had 16 comments, and Random Number Generator picked #8! That would be.... *drum roll*

Summer Ross! Woo hoo! 

Yaaay, Summer!!!  *throws confetti*

HUGE congrats, girl. And remember, Justine's event with pressies is still happening on her blog (link). You could win a copy of The Truth About Letting Go and several other great books!

Now, for the partay here!

The Truth About Letting Go (link) is off to a great start--THANK YOU so much for your support!

On Amazon

Today marks the kick-off of my Big Promo Blitz in which many book bloggers will help me spread the news, give excerpts from the book, post information about how I wrote it, the story behind the story...

It's running until March 22, and there will be lots of fun events. But for the Big Present, and I'm having a Grand Prize Giveaway for the whole thing...

It's a signed, print set of The Truth About Faking (link) AND The Truth About Letting Go (US only). 

For international entrants, I've added an ebook set--but anybody can win that, too!

Of course, I can't leave you guys out, so I've added the link to the entry form here (link), and I think most of you will find this one easy-peasy to enter, as we're already all hooked up on social media.

So hop on over if you want to join the fun, and have a super week-end, my lovelies! <3

Me on Publishing and Some Cover Love

[Note: I've got a short post over on the Indelibles blog (link) today. But it's not about me! It's about my good writer-friend Ali Cross and her new Writer's Dojo! Check it out~]

Now for this post... Because lord knows, we all need another opinion on what's happening in publishing.

Get me!

I stumbled into self-publishing with a little book the traditional guys all rejected (The Truth About Faking, link), and had a shockingly good experience.

Then I followed it up with a book the traditional guys wanted (Rouge, link), and had what I think is the typical self-publishing experience.

So I don't consider myself expert on all this. (If you want an expert, see my good writer-friend Susan Quinn, link). But I listen a lot. And I observe a lot. And I tend to be excessively analytical at times.

Some observers have noted that self-publishing seems to be the new query letter. I think there's validity in that argument.

I disagree with observers who think traditional publishing is going away. When I interviewed Tammara Webber here last summer (link), she made a great point: Traditional publishers haven't been doing this for as long as they have to not know what they're doing. (I paraphrased--she said it better. LOL!)

Gigantic bookstores are probably going away, which is a little scary. But if it means smaller bookstores will begin to thrive, I like it. I just hope they'll be open to indies...

When I was offered my traditional ebook only deal Spring 2012, it was identical to a "nice" traditional print deal. Now, advances and royalty rates coming off of indie sales are way more writer-friendly.

You even have successful indies like Hugh Howey or Coleen Hoover keeping their ebook rights altogether and signing traditional print-only deals. (Which I say is brilliant!)

I do know a ton of writer-friends are embracing self-publishing, and it's lost almost all of its former stigma. Even with once-anti-self-publishing curmudgeons like myself.

When I put TTAF out there, I thought of it like a little paper boat floating down this fast-moving stream, rounding curves, hitting rapids, wobbling, and I was just standing on the bank watching it, holding my breath, waiting to see if it would stay afloat.

That's kind of how I feel about what's going on in publishing right now. We're in a hugely transitional time in the business, and I don't think anybody can predict what will happen next. I think it's good to stay flexible, try different things, do what works for you, and hold on!

And good luck to all my writer-friends, traditional, indie, or some weird hybrid mix like me. I'd love to hear what you guys think!

Now, bring on the covers!

First, my great Indelible writer-friend G.P. Ching (link) has a gorgeous new installment coming in her Soulkeepers series (#4). I agreed to share the word on it--and just look at the cover (below)...

Soul Catcher, Soulkeepers #4 description:

Add me!

Dane Michaels has been to Hell and back and isn't interested in repeating the experience. But as a human caught up in the Soulkeeper's world, his life isn't exactly his own. 

No one can explain why Dane was allowed through the gates of Eden, but it's changed everything. Now, the only one who can make him feel safe is Ethan, the telekinetic Soulkeeper with a dark past and a heart of gold.

When Malini asks Dane to be part of a mission to find the last Soulkeeper, Cheveyo, more than one team member thinks she's tempting Fate. But Malini suspects Fate has had a hand in Dane's life for some time and that he could be the key to unraveling Lucifer's latest plan of attack.

Add it on Goodreads (link)!


Finally, the ebook version of Rouge (link) has a new look. You can see it on the sidebar and below.

Get me!

I'm also highlighting the romantic suspense and coming of age elements of the story more to reader-friends.

What do you think?

[Note: The original cover will remain on the print version of Rouge (link), so don't despair fans of that look.]

My brilliant cover-designer and writer-friend Jolene Perry (link) had the idea for this new one, and since she's my covergirl, we're giving it a go, trying something new for fun!

Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends~ <3