Beyond the Mind Maze

  • The 4 elements of a click-worthy title

    golden 100

    Hurrah! This is my 100th blog post, so I thought I’d apply myself a little more with a shareable post!

    Back to the title of the post: I tried what I preach with it. (Okay, aiming for a pun, I almost wrote “Headlines: your head is in the line”, which would be a tad over-reaching.) Nevertheless, the point is that if the title of your post, article or even your tweet is blah no one will turn their head your way (there I go again). I might lack experience, but I always count on my instinct and empathy skills. So, in order to turn the headline “skimmer” into an actual reader of my content, I try to think beyond of a summary of what my post contains. I try to create a title that resonates and attracts.

    But if we were to put that in a title how would it read?

    As the excellent article on copyblogger, entitled Writing Headlines That Get Results suggests, one of The Four U’s of writing headlines is Be Useful To The Reader. Before choosing a title, think: What will the reader gain from reading it? I tried this with my “5 Ways New Writers Chase Away Potential Readers” blog post which has proved to be my most successful so far with over 1,000 views in two days and 70+ comments (okay, there’s also spam I have yet to delete–but a spam-attracting post is a successful post!). I’m not a big name. I don’t have impressive credentials. So, if so many people made it to my actual blog, they must have clicked on the title after seeing it on some of the social media platforms I use, or (most likely) through retweets by friends with a bigger following.

    I hope I’ve managed to convince you that the title was definitely catchy and click-worthy. What made it so?

    • It starts with a number. 5 ways. A number always presents something concrete. That’s always appealing. But it’s also a low number. I’ve often come across headlines boasting of showing you “50 ways” to overcome an obstacle. Way too many ways for the impatient reader! Can I tell you a secret? My 5 ways article refers to a lot more than five erroneous tactics new writers tend to follow. But I rounded these up into 5 broad categories, which allowed me to use the number “5” instead of a bigger number which might have discouraged people from taking the time to read. In other words: Be succinct.
    • It brands the target audience. 5 ways new writers. New writers were indeed the majority of the readers of this post, but also experienced writers were interested, as they wanted to see if they had followed these tactics themselves when they started out. In other words: Be focused.
    • It hits the target audience were it hurts–excuse the poignancy, but “chasing away potential readers” is the one thing a new writer would want to avoid at all costs. The whole idea of self-publishing and promoting your book is to “attract” as many readers as possible. And here I am, telling you that you might be doing the exact opposite! Wouldn’t that intrigue you to see if I’m right? (Of course, the idea that I might be seen as overstepping my boundaries since I’m not published worried me, so I started the article by clarifying that I was writing from a seasoned reader’s perspective.) In other words: (Don’t be afraid to…) Be evocative.
    • It ends with a lollipop! – “potential readers”, to writers, are the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. We want them! We want them all! So anything that refers to them, we usually read. In other words: Be appealing. Use sensory words and newfangled terms. If you can’t come up with any, read more edgy romance. Those ladies are surely creative!(Where do you think “click-worthy” came from?) 🙂

    So, that was the anatomy of my top title in terms of “clickability” based on WordPress statistics. Combine the above with the Four U’s of the copyblogger article, and see what you can come up with yourselves!

    Also, I hope I gave you an idea of “repurposing content”! Until I come up with anything remotely as popular, I thought I’d bring my older post to the surface again! What!? Not everybody has read it! 😉

    Read the other three U’s of writing headlines on Brian Clark’s site:

    Writing Headlines That Get Results

    by  
    Further reading:

    Any further insight on how to create magnetic headlines? Use the comment form!

     

  • Legally Undead by Margo Bond Collins (Review)

    Blurb

    A reluctant vampire hunter, stalking New York City as only a scorned bride can.

    Elle Dupree has her life all figured out: first a wedding, then her Ph.D., then swank faculty parties where she’ll serve wine and cheese and introduce people to her husband the lawyer.

    But those plans disintegrate when she walks in on a vampire sucking the blood from her fiancé Greg. Horrified, she screams and runs–not away from the vampire, but toward it, brandishing a wooden letter opener.

    As she slams the improvised stake into the vampire’s heart, a team of black-clad men bursts into the apartment. Turning around to face them, Elle discovers that Greg’s body is gone—and her perfect life falls apart.

    My Review

    When doctorate student and bride-to-be, Elle Dupree, comes home one Monday evening, the last thing she expects is to kill a vampire. She had good reason though: he sucked her fiancé dry.

    The next thing Elle knows is that she’s on the fast track to become a vampire slayer. She joins a team of vampire hunters employed by her fiance’s boss who has his own dark agenda. But Elle is more worried about her ex’s agenda as it turns out he’s not entirely dead, and he drags her into a nocturnal, sickeningly alluring world of unnatural beauty and nauseating vices that can seriously mess with a human’s head … and blood pressure.

    Margo Bond Collins does a great job in this action-packed urban fantasy. Her writing is lean, and nothing feels out of place. The upbeat tempo is kept throughout the book, and that helped me stomach the gory scenes because a couple of time they toyed with my limits.

    In fact, that’s the element that surprised me and not in an all positive manner. The title and official blurb had prepared me for a vampiric read on the lighter side, but this one was gruesome at times. Elle turns into such a vampire hater, she even resorts to sadism. To be honest, I’m not so sure I sympathized with her aims. After all, the vampires really did not do anything they weren’t asked to do, and then she goes after them guns blazing so, naturally, they react the only way the can to defend their, well, existence. I do admit, though, that this could be subjective. Ahh, vampires: old loves die hard… (literally).

    But apart from sort of rooting for the vamps instead of the heroine, I must say I enjoyed this read—especially the clever writing.

    Make sure you enter the giveaway for goodies!

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    About the Author

     

    Margo Bond Collins is the author of a number of novels, including Waking Up Dead, Fairy, Texas, and Legally Undead (forthcoming in 2014). She lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, and several spoiled pets. She teaches college-level English courses online, though writing fiction is her first love. She enjoys reading urban fantasy and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about vampires, ghosts, zombies, werewolves, and other monsters.

     

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    Connect with Margo

    Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/margobondcollins

    Email: MargoBondCollins@gmail.com

    Website: http://www.MargoBondCollins.net

    Blog: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin  @MargoBondCollin

    Google+: https://plus.google.com/116484555448104519902

    Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy

    Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MargoBondCollins

    Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/

    Be sure to add Legally Undead to your Goodreads bookshelves: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18366353-legally-undead

    1fe55-fabreads-blogger-banner

     

     

  • S. L. Saboviec – WIP Interview

    SL Saboviec - Head Shot - SmallI met Samantha through our recent cross-blog critique event. Apart from a participant blogger she also coordinated the entire thing, and I was impressed both by her writing and her coordinating skills. Next logical step was to invite her over for a WIP interview through which we’ll get to know her and her work process better.

    Hi, everyone! Thanks for stopping by. I’m the author of the recently released fantasy novel, Guarding Angel, which came out in May.

    Samantha, thank you for being here. Before we talk about your WIP, why don’t you tell us a few things about yourself?

    When I was a child, I loved reading and, when very young, decided to try my hand at writing. I wrote my way through high school, but being too practical and focused on what would give me an income instead of what I love, I decided to study my second love—science—instead of my first love—writing. When I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Physics, I’d had enough of school and took a job at a bank as an assistant on technology projects. For ten years, I’ve worked in banking project management, but my first love remains writing. A couple years ago, I decided to vehemently, seriously, rambunctiously pursue a career in writing, and that’s how Guarding Angel came to be published.

    What are you working on right now?

    I have two projects underway. I’ve written and done the first revision of a dark urban fantasy novel with the working title The Exorcist’s Assistant. It’s with CP’s now, and I plan on doing another revision toward the end of summer and then querying. Tagline: A woman harassed by a demon enlists the aid of a doubting exorcist and discovers its connection to her past life and its hunger for her wife and daughter.

    The second project is the sequel to Guarding Angel, called Reaping Angel. It’s the second of three books in the Fallen Redemption series. So as not to spoil too much of the first book, I’ll be vague: Angel Enael, main character of the first book, must meet the demands of Heaven’s governing Council of Seraphim for her past transgressions while struggling with interference from a now-demon love interest from her past.

    Dark fantasy turning midnight black! Are you happy with the pace of your work? Do you aim at a specific word count each day?

    Right now, I’m delighted with the pace of my writing, but for the first half of the year, I was not. I’m currently 7.5 months pregnant, and the pregnancy made it difficult for me to write for a variety of reasons. I had originally planned to have Reaping Angel written by March … then May … Then I just wanted to hide in a hole because I’d only gotten about a quarter of it done. However, this month I’m doing Camp NaNoWriMo, and I’ve been keeping up with and even exceeding my goal of 2,000 words most days. When I was writing The Exorcist’s Assistant, I found that same word count to be a good goal for both writing and revising. I work best under pressure with a daily goal and a deadline.

    Plotter, pantser or both?

    Both. Guarding Angel was written totally pantsy, but I had to go back and do a lot of revisions. I started Exorcist’s Assistant that way and it went nowhere. I originally didn’t want to be confined by a plot, but once I caved and tried it when I got stuck, I found that’s my method. One of the reasons I was so frustrated with myself with Reaping Angel was because the chapter-by-chapter plot was written last November. All I had to do was actually write the thing! Now that I’m underway, things change and evolve in a pantsy way. I discover new secrets, plot twists, and back story to my characters every day, while still guiding them along the general plot I’m aiming for.

    What’s your worst enemy in getting that first draft finished?

    Allowing myself to believe that I’m not feeling it. What does that even mean, anyway? I find that when I go back and reread what I’ve written, it doesn’t matter if I wrote on a day where my brain was bursting with ideas or on a day when I felt like my muse had a hangover. It reads with the same voice, the same inspiration. (Which isn’t to say that everything is gold; it’s just that the good stuff and bad stuff come in equal quantities whether I was feeling it or not.) All I need to do is sit my butt in a chair and get those words out. I know I have to revise, so slogging, for me, is not a reason to stop and wait for a better moment.

    Hear hear! Have you ever experienced lack of inspiration or drive to write? If so, how do you motivate yourself?

    The reason I decided to do Camp NaNoWriMo was because I am a bit terrified of what’s going to happen when the baby comes, since it’s our first. I find revising easier—like shaping clay into a finished statue. If I didn’t have a draft of Reaping Angel written, when was I going to do the most difficult part—getting that clay out of the recesses of my brain and onto paper? Maybe I’ll have a ton of time and motivation when I’m on maternity leave. Or maybe I won’t feel at all like writing because the baby will need my attention constantly. I didn’t want to chance not having something.

    Good thinking! Those little ones are a blessing, but they can seriously mess up with the best of your intentions! Could we take a look at your workspace? Is there a particular place you find inspiring for writing?

    I have a great setup in the basement with two big monitors and an L-shaped desk. Previous to the pregnancy, I found it inviting and inspirational, but now, it feels like a torture device because the desk chair isn’t exactly top-of-the-line. That was an impediment for awhile, so now I just fluff up half a dozen pillows on my couch and write on my tiny laptop that I originally purchased to go into my purse so I could write on the train commute. If I have an idea while sitting in front of the TV, I just pick up my laptop and plop it in. And it’s easier to get motivated to write because I don’t dread the actual sitting part anymore.

    Very cozy! I love it! Now it’s pinned in my Featured Writers’ Workspace board on Pinterest! Apart from Word and Google, do you use any other writing or research tools and apps?

    I used Scrivener, which I love for drafting and revising. It’s more difficult once I get feedback from my editors because I have to manually make all the changes. However, I’m a perfectionist and I have to scrutinize everything before I allow it in, so it works for me. I also use dictionary.com and thesaurus.com—for inspiration. Piece of writing advice: If you didn’t already know the word, don’t use it. Your editor, if she’s worth her salt, will magically know, tsk at you, and make you cut it. And not only her—your readers will know. If you’re not comfortable with the language you use, your writing will seem awkward.

    How do you intend to celebrate writing “The End” on your draft?

    I’ve been throwing around the idea of starting a new game of Spore or the Sims 3. I am a gamer, but I haven’t played anything in quite a while. My husband and I are the ultimate nerds—we met on an MMO, Star Wars: Galaxies, in 2006. I don’t have time for MMO’s right now, but a fun one-player game is something I’ve been missing lately. Maybe I’ll even splurge on something I don’t already own.

    A gamer who writes demon-infested dark fantasy and reviews horror without blinking an eye while pregnant. You’re amazing! Which book publishing processes are you going to outsource and which are you confident enough to undertake yourself?

    I outsourced the cover design, which was a really good idea because I’ve had people tell me over and over that the cover is what really sold them on giving my book a try. I also outsourced the editing (developmental, copy editing, and proofreading). Next time, I might try to find a CP or two to trade proofreading services with, since the bulk of the problems are taken care of in the first two editing processes.

    I did the book formatting and uploading myself. If you have an aptitude for computer languages, I would suggest using Guido Henkel’s Take Pride in Your eBook Formatting guide to do your own formatting. I’ll probably take less than an hour to do an entire novel now that I’ve done it twice (once for the ARC and once for the final version). I also purchased a paperback template but did the merge/format myself.

    The Guarding Angel cover is indeed eye-riveting! Do you have any marketing tips or favorite promotional sites you’d like to share?

    Talk to people on social media rather than spamming book links. Always have something on the go (another interview or guest appearance on a blog). Set a goal for how many book review bloggers per week you’ll contact and stick to it: send out lots of review copies because reviews are how you get people’s attention on both Amazon and Goodreads. And start early—a month beforehand at least, start contacting bloggers with your ARC. Then you have a strong release if you have a handful of reviews for people to see on your release day.

    Your blog is http://www.saboviec.com/reviews/. Do you follow a specific branding pattern with your posts or is it a free writing platform?

    I struggled with what to blog about for months. I decided to do book reviews of speculative fiction books, since those are what I read. I believe in the idea, from a philosophical perspective, since reviews are what indie writers need to get noticed and I truly enjoy helping the community.

    The toughest part is saying no. First to requests, since I can’t possibly read every book in the world. Second, to not over-rating books that I didn’t enjoy, since I pride myself on being honest. It’s tempting to just say, “Yeah, this was great,” when I sometimes fear repercussions from authors who don’t take kindly to criticism. I suspect that the only one-star review I got of Guarding Angel came from someone who was offended by a review on my blog, based on the vagueness of the review, the timing of when it went up, and how someone has been methodically down-ranking my reviews for months. Not that I begrudge less-than-stellar reviews: If that’s really how someone feels, that’s fine! I’m actually surprised I haven’t yet offended some people with the spiritual ideas presented in Guarding Angel yet.

    Reviewing can be quite dodgy. Is dark fantasy the genre you will brand yourself with or do you see yourself branching out in the future?

    I can’t see myself writing outside the speculative fiction genre, but I have an idea of a science fiction novel that I plan on writing after I get further along on Reaping Angel and Exorcist’s Assistant.

    Would you like to share with us links where we can find you and your work?

    Kindle US: http://amzn.to/1jTRde0
    Kindle Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00K6ZM372
    Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/ebook/guarding-angel
    Nook: http://www.bn.com/w/1119467162?ean=2940149496204
    Paperback (Amazon): http://amzn.to/1vjDguz
    Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1gby7f7

    My website: http://www.saboviec.com

    Thank you, Samantha, and best of luck with your Reaping Angel!

    Thanks for having me on the blog!

     

  • Checked by Jennifer Jamelli

    We all call our little fixations a case of OCD, but actually living with it? Well, Callie does, performing about a million different rituals just to be able to function and get by. Get to know Callie and her quirks in Checked, a comedic NA romance brought to you by Xpresso Book Tours. This is a juicy post with a book excerpt plus sample blog posts by Jennifer Jamelli, the writer, who has received treatment for OCD herself. A very unique suggestion!

    Book & Author Details:

    Checked by Jennifer Jamelli
    (Checked #1)
    Publication date: December 17th 2013
    Genres: Comedy, New Adult, Romance

    Synopsis:
    Checked is the first book in a new trilogy.

    Callie spends countless hours staring at appliances to make sure they are really unplugged. She wastes obscene amounts of time checking for murderers in various corners of her house and entire sleepless nights performing pointless checking rituals. Then every spare minute is filled with inspecting doorknobs, chairs, floors, etc. for minuscule traces of germs. Oh, and she does all of this as she counts to three over and over again in her head. She does this every day. Without fail. Dr. Blake just doesn’t fit into her schedule. Until he does. Until Callie begins to trust him. Until she starts to need him. And want him. And . . .

    Excerpt

    “Calista.” That quiet voice pulls me around yet again.

    I freeze. He’s looking at me. Sorrowful eyes…heavy…inconsolable. A tragedy in blue.

    I can’t look away. I begin to feel a dull ache in my left side. {Damien Rice fills my head with “The Blower’s Daughter.”}

    His eyes hold mine. They are relentless. The sharpening pain in my side weighs me down, cementing my shoes to their place on the floor. My lips part slightly as my body tries to remember to breathe.

    In slow motion almost, he releases me, closing his eyes and clenching them shut. The blue eyes that open back up to me are hard, stony.

    He swiftly spins his chair to grab the box of tissues on his bookshelf. Without meeting my eyes, he turns back around and holds the box out to me.

    “To help you out of here,” he says in an almost inaudible voice. What?

    “Th-thank you,” I stammer. I clutch my purse and take six slow steps toward his desk. Three steps at a time. One two three. One two three.

    He stares past me, blankly looking at the door. I pull three white tissues from the box he’s holding and turn back to his point of focus. When I get to the silver doorknob, I quickly cover it with the three tissues spread out in my left hand.

    And I’m out.

    Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20261875-checked?ac=1

    Purchase:
    Amazon
    Barnes and Noble

    AUTHOR BIO
    Jennifer Jamelli has spent most of her life reading and writing; she holds both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in English, and she is an 8th grade English teacher.

    She also directs a musical production each school year. Her most recent show was Beauty and the Beast.

    Jennifer lives with her husband and her four-year-old son.

    She, like the main character in her debut novel, has a rather hopeless case of OCD.

    Author links:
    https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7692031.Jennifer_Jamelli
    https://www.facebook.com/jamellijennifer
    http://jenniferjamelli.com/

    Jennifer Jamelli Blog Posts

    Blog #1

    I would like to take a moment to reflect upon the power of the following:  Zoloft, various cleaning products, and a mother’s love for a child.

    Last night, my son threw up everywhere – on me, all over the couch, all over a blanket, on the hallway/living room carpet, on a bathroom mat, etc.  The items listed above are what carried me through this.

    To be more specific, here is what got me through this predicament:

    • ½ of a bottle of carpet/fabric cleaner
    • ¾ of a can of Lysol wipes
    • 1 ½ bottles of Febreze
    • 1 bottle of carpet refresher
    • 1 package of baby wipes
    • 2 showers for me
    • 2 showers for my son
    • Several cups of laundry detergent
    • Lots of shower gel/bath soap
    • 1 regular daily dose of Zoloft
    • Most importantly, 1 happy, healthy smile on my son’s face this morning as he told me that he was feeling better

    Now, there have been some casualties.

    1.) The white blanket I normally have on the couch – it was my favorite … but it had to go.

    2.) Two bath poufs

    The fate of a bath mat, a stuffed animal, and a few pairs of clothes has not yet been determined.

    Blog #2

    All right . . . now that Checked has been out for a bit and more and more people are reading it (thank you!), I am getting more and more questions.

    Do you do exactly what Callie does?  How much of this is true?

    Are you having some sort of relationship with one of your doctors (seriously – heard that one!!)?  No!!

    Okay . . . the book is a piece of fiction.  Callie’s life experiences and relationships are not mine.  I’m not Callie.

    I’m not Callie, but . . .

    I do spend a lot of time doing routines (much less since I’ve been treated, though).

    I do check air vents and alarm clocks and door locks and stoves and curling irons and water faucets and, well, a lot of things.

    I do like things to be clean.

    I do count in my head.

    I often take a few baths a day.

    I am afraid of some cleaning products.

    I do have music constantly running in my head.

    I do throw things out if I find them dirty.

    I did study English in college and in grad school (and I did spend hours and hours in college reading novels and writing papers).

    I do fall asleep with the television on every night (but I have ESPN on – not a cooking channel).

    I do at times check for murderers before I go to bed.

    I do have a really supportive family  (We don’t have Girls’ Night, though.  Perhaps we should!).

    I do hate blood . . . and needles (HATE them.  I pass out during blood tests – they have to put me in a special chair in a special room with special cartoon decorations that must be intended for two-year-olds!).

    Okay . . . so Callie and I have a lot in common.  Same quirks.  Similar fears.  Alike minds.

    Different lives, though!  Seriously!

    Blog #3

    Well, it’s Wednesday night, and I’m just about ready to go to sleep.  I just went through my house a few times, worked my way through my evening rituals . . . holding my fingers under every faucet to ensure that no water was running, inspecting every air vent for any blockages, putting my hand in the oven and on the stove to make sure they weren’t on (and if you are asking yourself whether I even used the oven or stove today, the answer is no) . . . and the list goes on.  And on.  And on.  And that’s only my night routine.  Not the one I do in the morning.  Not the one I do every time I leave the house.

    But we aren’t here to talk about me or my routines; we’re supposed to be talking about Callie, the main character in Checked.  And Callie is in much, MUCH worse shape than I am in right now (I’ve been under treatment for OCD for about seven years – Callie is just starting).

    Callie’s routines are very structured, very complicated, and VERY long.  She vacuums, dusts, straightens, and organizes.  She checks appliances, faucets, locks – everything in her house – over and over.   Every task she does, she has to do in a specific order.  If she messes up or is interrupted, she has to start all over again.

    Her life is exhausting.  And frustrating.  And overwhelming.

    What makes all of this even worse?  Callie knows that what she is doing is ridiculous.  She’s also embarrassed by it.  But she can’t help it.  She has to keep doing each task, going through with each routine.  Otherwise she won’t be able to sleep, or eat, or work, or do anything at all – she’ll just drown in worries that something horrible will happen because of her negligence.

    There’s much more to say about this – about Callie and her condition – but I’ll save that for future blog entries.  I also will soon tell you a little more about her obsession with Dr. Blake . . .

    For now, though, I’m going to sleep.  I’m going to post this tomorrow, because I’m already in bed . . . and if I get up now to get my laptop (I’m writing in a notebook), I’ll have to start my night routine again . . .

     

  • The Obsidian Collection – Book Blitz

    Dark-love certainly holds appeal! Yet another great collection brought to you by Xpresso Book Tours. You can read the synopses, all authors’ bios, watch the trailer and read two tantalizing excerpts. If you live in the US or Canada, scroll down and enter the Giveaway for a Kindle Fire HD!

    THE OBSIDIAN COLLECTION

    Nine authors. Nine dark-love novellas.

    The wicked have never looked so good…

    SYNOPSES

    Obsidian Escape by Rebel Adams
    Just one look at the battered form of Whitney Geddings awakens a fierce protective instinct in Detective Jackson Ogden…but at what price?

    Obsidian Liquor by Scarlett Dawn
    Reporter, Elizabeth Forter, never expected one drunken challenge to leave her sexually satisfied and waking beside Daniil – the head of the Russian mafia.

    Obsidian Faith by Bev Elle
    Shanice Bailey’s epic faith in Trevor Kyle, the man she’s loved since they were both wards at the Baptist Children’s Home, is shaken when his sketchy foster father shows up on their honeymoon.

    Obsidian Heart by Nicole Flockton
    Will Erika’s holiday fling with Brandt bring him out of the shadows, or is his heart destined for darkness?

    Obsidian Sky by Lara Henley
    When military man, Brandon Michaels, comes home to a town he no longer recognizes, his salvation may rest in Arabella Knight, a woman who has secrets that no one knows.

    Obsidian Ice by Missy Johnson
    Medical intern Cam Fletcher knew becoming a surgeon would be hard work, but what he wasn’t counting on was falling for his mentor – cocky surgeon Eric Langdon.

    Obsidian Jewel by Angel Lawson
    Professional thieves, competitors, and occasional lovers, Maya Clarke and Malcolm Kent, must work together for the job of a lifetime and try not to kill one another while doing it.

    Obsidian Desire by t.h. snyder
    Can one chivalrous act change Tyler Jones, a coldhearted man, or will desire burn through his soul and change him forever?

    Obsidian Beauty by Emily Walker
    Out of jail and finally ready to confront the man who left her there to rot, Abigail Rivers is upset to learn Benton Sellers has moved on with no regard for the sacrifices she has made for him.

    AUTHORS

    Rebel Adams is writer and lover of good prose, better cigars, well-aged whiskey and fine women– and not always in that order.

    Website | Facebook | Twitter

    Scarlett Dawn is the author of the Forever Evermore new adult fantasy series, which include King Hall and King Cave. She lives in the Midwest, where she loves to ‘people watch’ and daydream. She adores her music loud and her fries covered in melted cheese.

    Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

    Bev Elle is the author of sweet and spicy, contemporary romance. She’s a lover of books–those already written, and those she harbors in her very active imagination. Writing is a passion she’s had for many years, but was unable to act upon. Until now. Bev Elle is the mother of three human children and two canines. She is also the lover of one husband. When Bev isn’t writing in her spare time after work, she is thinking of doing so.

    Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

    Nicole Flockton is an Australian living in Texas. Nicole writes sexy contemporary romances which seduce you one kiss at a time. She enjoys taking two characters and creating unique situations for them. When she’s not busy writing, she’s attempting to keep up with two active children and a busy husband.

    Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

    Lara Henley is originally from Oklahoma, but has lived in several places. She began writing in 2009 when she had a dream about a little girl traveling with her grandmother. That is how Jessie Discovers Christmas was born. She then ventured into YA and adult romance. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Marketing and a Masters in Administrative Leadership. She loves all things creative and aspires to have a fulltime writing career.

    Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

    Missy Johnson in a small town in Central Victoria, Australia, with her husband and her confused pets (a dog who think she’s a cat, a cat who thinks he’s a dog…you get the picture). When she’s not writing, she can usually be found looking for something to read.

    Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

    Angel Lawson lives with her family in Atlanta and has a lifelong obsession with creating fiction from reality, either with paint or words. On a typical day you can find her writing, reading, plotting her escape from the zombie apocalypse and trying to get the glitter out from under her nails. She is the author of five books, including the Wraith Series, Serial Summer, FanGirl, and Vigilant. She is the co-author of the New Adult Paranormal book, Odin’s Murder with Kira Gold.

    Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

    t.h. snyder is a 34 y/o single mom of two amazing kids. She lives in Central PA where she works full time for a local business/technical school. Writing wasn’t something she ever thought she’d be doing, but here she is. t. h. snyder started reading like a nut after Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey. Since then she’s read over 300 romance and paranormal books. In June of 2013, she decided to try her go at writing. She had a vision and went with it….hence Touch Me. To date she’s published 6 books and now 2 anthologies…The Touch Series (NA Romance), Pierced Love (YA Romance), Cursed Love, Cursed #1 (Erotic Romance), My Dirty Little Valentine, and the Obsidian Collection.

    Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

    Emily Walker loves creating worlds and stumbling around in them. She is constantly losing her chap-stick, and has an obsession with the color pink. Currently a resident of the mountains and loving the view, she writes mostly paranormal fiction and horror. Her small family consists of her red bearded other half, a rat terrier named Rebel, and a cat named Mr. Creepy.

    Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

    BOOK TRAILER

     

    BUY LINKS

    Amazon: http://ow.ly/yndK7
    Amazon UK: http://ow.ly/yndHN
    Barnes & Noble: http://ow.ly/ynb9j
    iTunes: http://ow.ly/yv14r
    Kobo: http://ow.ly/ynedZ
    CreateSpace: http://ow.ly/yne9b
    Scribd: http://ow.ly/yv1eI
    Smashwords: http://ow.ly/ynbbs
    Amazon Paperback: http://ow.ly/ynb34

     

    THE OBSIDIAN COLLECTION

    Excerpts

    OBSIDIAN LIQUOR by Scarlett Dawn

    Daniil peered at me.  His stare was a warning.  “What were you doing, Ms. Forter?”

    So he did know who I was.  The jerk had probably followed me after I had bumped him.

    I shrugged and went with the semi-truth.  “Getting a story.”

    “What story might that be?” Stash asked, his gaze roaming me in an assessing way.  We had never met before, so this was my first up close and personal with the man.

    I shrugged again.  “Brent and Cole are big news.  Anything that I can put in print that others don’t have is good business.” Sticking to the truth as much as possible was always key when caught snooping.  And I was press.  They expected it of me.

    “Hear anything interesting?” Daniil asked gently.

    Instinct had me taking a step back.  The man was chilling on a different level.  “Nothing I didn’t already know.”

    OBSIDIAN BEAUTY by Emily Walker

    The bar was pretty much what she imagined, but it had a warm feeling to it. The bartender was a middle-aged woman with an appealing smile; the kind of person you wanted to tell your troubles to and see if she could impart some wisdom on you. At least that was what Abigail was thinking as she took a seat on a bar stool.

    “Let me guess, you saw an ex today and he or she was looking good?” The bartender certainly didn’t beat around the bush. Wow, talk about intuition.

    “Something like that.” Abigail smiled and grabbed a menu to have something to look at instead of the woman who could read her so well.

    “Honey, the food here is shit; you don’t want any of that. You like whiskey?” Abigail was shocked someone would talk about their own restaurant’s food that way, but she nodded.

    “I’m Abigail. I just arrived into town today. You were right; he was looking good, and I want to kill him.” She watched the bartender pour her a shot and a second shot, which she assumed, was for herself. She was pretty, and Abigail could tell she had been a knockout when she was younger. Some lines were starting to form around her eyes, but her high blonde ponytail kept a youthful glow about her.

    “Stella Moet, my husband owns Moet’s, but the cook we have is pitiful. That’s why I wouldn’t eat here until we found a better one. Slim pickings in this town, you know.” Stella set both shots in front of Abigail and winked. “One for luck and one for drunk.”

    Abigail smiled as Stella went off to help some other patrons at the end of the bar. She liked how nice everyone seemed to be in South Carolina. In Florida, it was hit or miss, and up north, no one was friendly, especially when they were hustling in New York. New Yorkers could tell when someone wasn’t from New York, and they let you know it.

    She was totally lost in her thoughts and didn’t notice someone had settled onto the stool beside her. Finally when her eyes met the man who appeared beside, her she couldn’t help but notice him. He was handsome and she actually thought she could feel herself being pulled into his kind, vibrant green eyes. She wanted to say something clever about staring at strangers, but when she opened her mouth, that wasn’t what came out.

    “Hi there,” she said, immediately hating herself. Who says that?

    “Hi yourself. I’ve not caught your eye in this place before. Are you new to town?” For a minute, she debated on telling him her real reason for being there. What the hell was wrong with her, two seconds of eye contact and she wanted to spill the beans?

    “Yes, I just got in today, actually. Do you know of any hotels nearby which aren’t too crappy and take a credit card?” He raised an eyebrow, causing his eyes to crinkle a bit and she felt a little pulse go through her as he bit his lip in thought. She really needed to get it together. It had been awhile, but she was pretty sure before prison a man couldn’t affect her like this at first glance. Well, that wasn’t true. Benton had. Handsome green eyes were talking, and as usual, her thoughts were causing her to miss out.

    “So, I can take you there if you want?” The stranger told her. Abigail nodded, not sure what she was agreeing to. Hoping it was an escort to a decent hotel, she signaled Stella for two more shots. The first two had gone down quite well; this time she had a drinking buddy.

    “Now, deputy, don’t be turning your charm on my new friend here.” The man turned to Stella and gave her a grin. Even his teeth were perfect, staring at them it dawned on her what Stella said. He was a cop! She needed to get away from him before he found out what she was planning.

    “I’m Scott,” he said, holding his hand out to her. She took it timidly, which wasn’t like her at all.

    “Abigail, Abigail Rivers, I just got out of prison.” Why the hell did she say that? There was no good reason to say something like that to a cop, and especially a good-looking cop she just met. “I mean it feels like I just got out of prison.”

    GIVEAWAY
    Blitz-wide giveaway:
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    a Rafflecopter giveaway

  • Mad Water by Nicholas C. Rossis (Epic Fantasy) Review

    Yesterday’s crime. Tomorrow’s retribution.

    My Review

    The dictator might be gone, but the aura of Pearseus, if anything, darkens. Cyrus, the new ruler of the Capital, might have a purer heart, but his mind is equally addled. Gella teams up with Theo to fight Jonia, but their outlook couldn’t have been more different. Lehmor wants nothing more than to reunite with Moirah, but his trek takes him to a different realm where he uncovers a threat like no other. And when he spreads the word, instead of unity, deeper rifts are created.

    In a planet rife with passion, ambition, envy and love, everyone has an agenda, feeling quite smug for pushing it forward. If they all knew what lurked in the shadows, they might be able to see the strings attached to all their limbs.

    This is an ambitious series. As I noted in my review of the previous book, Rise of the Prince, it is not just about survival on a foreign planet and co-existing with other races. It’s a study in human nature with philosophical undertones—a thought-provoking tale. But that is not at the cost of the book’s readability. The action here picks up as strong personalities clash and devious plans are put into effect. Heroes of the past turn villains, distrust grows and not just of perceived hidden agendas but of the way their entire world is perceived.

    What I particularly enjoyed in this book is that Nicholas C. Rossis assumes a take-no-prisoners approach in the language he uses. It’s as if the protagonists are finally taking position center stage for a bare-knuckled fight, and the reader can see every muscle twitch while they stare each other down. But what’s super exciting is that we know that the referees of these matches are not only invisible, but they’ve bet heavily on the fights they’re officiating.

    Who will win? Even though foreign worlds with a multitude of characters are not my usual read, I can’t wait for the final installment of this exciting and stimulating series!

    Make sure you head over to my excerpts’ blog to read a fantastic excerpt of Mad Water. Click here.

    What people say about Pearseus:

    “He simply tells a story of corruption, people struggling as pioneers seeking to do with what they have… The measure of this book is that the triumph is not a textbook description, but a sense of a living struggle.”

    “A cross between Game of Thrones and Dune”

    “Astonishing, intriguing, thoughtful”

    “It will be hard to put this book down long enough to eat and sleep, never mind doing responsible things like going to work and taking care of the kids”

    “[It] hits on those big archetypal themes of invasion, loss, leadership, death… and high tech. It gives the reader plenty of material for discussion.”

    “Warning: May cause loss of sleep, lowered work productivity, and missed meals”

    Nicholas C. Rossis bio:

    Author. Avid reader. Web developer. Architect by training, holder of a PhD in Digital Architecture from the University of Edinburgh.

    Nicholas loves to write. Mad Water, the third book in his epic fantasy series, Pearseus, was just published, while his first children’s book, Runaway Smile, is currently being illustrated. He has also published The Power of Six, a collection of short sci-fi stories.

    He lives in Athens, Greece, in the middle of a forest, with his wife, dog and two very silly cats, one of whom is always sitting on his lap, so please excuse any typos in his blog posts: typing with one hand can be hard…

    Book links:

    • Pearseus: Schism, Book 1 in his epic fantasy series is available on http://amzn.to/1aDgXDA
    • Pearseus: Rise of the Prince, Book 2 in his epic fantasy series is available on http://amzn.to/1jlXLj6
    • Pearseus: Mad Water, Book 3 in his epic fantasy series is available on http://amzn.to/1wbajhP
    • You can also read Books 1 & 2 (special edition) on http://amzn.to/RqjNbU and
    • The Power of Six: 6+1 Science Fiction Short Stories can be found on http://amzn.to/1kKVduI
    • Also available: Tao Te Ching (translated into Greek) on http://amzn.to/1ovrc4n

    Web presence:

    • https://twitter.com/Nicholas_Rossis
    • http://www.nicholasrossis.me
    • https://www.facebook.com/NicholasCRossis
    • https://plus.google.com/+NicholasRossis
    • https://www.goodreads.com/nicholasrossis

  • Never Upon A Time by Meredith Jade (Book Blast)

    Never Upon A Time
    Another enticing offer by the fabulous Wendy of Fabulosity Reads Book Promotions!

    Book Description

    You’ve always hated her, but you might not know the whole story. . .

    Edith may not be brazen and enchanted like her twin sister, Ember, but in a world of dying magic, perhaps her simple desires are enough.

    After a Selection Banquet gone awry, Edith is left without a suitor or a plan. Befriending a little white fox and occupying herself with a philanthropic project outside castle walls, Edith soon rebuilds morale and musters enough courage to reach out to her estranged twin sister.

    But Ember’s been harboring an evil secret – and thwarted love and jealous can turn acts of merit into classic tales of wickedness in this new twist on an old tale.

    Never Upon A Time1000(6x9)2

    Book Excerpt

    The twins were ushered to their places alongside their father at the head of the table. Suspicion and unease distracted Edith as she watched her sister’s boisterous entrance, and she completely forgot to tidy herself. She had gotten ready and gone down to the kitchens at sunrise, so whatever primping she had done was most likely melted away, brushed off or wrinkled up. As was life sometimes. Her appearance may have been untended, but every meringue was torched, every cake iced and all glasses and hearts brimming. Regardless of how prepared the dinner was, though, being prepared for blind marriage at a moment’s notice was mortifying, especially for a quiet girl. Because, for pity’s sake, who wouldn’t be a little unnerved by such an orchestrated union as was about to happen? Edith was beginning to be glad she wasn’t a sorceress or soothsayer. Who could possibly face each sunrise with any amount of morale when they knew the exact affliction awaiting them?

    The dinner was a whirling blur of meaningless, superficial conversation. Then, unexpectedly in a most expectant of times, three resounding knocks echoed through the hall. It was the deep, guttural sound that makes a heart quiver behind its cage. The guests, having dropped their utensils and ceased their chewing, slid to the edges of their seats.

    Ember, confidently unruffled, continued cutting her elk steak into dainty, bite-sized pieces. Edith, on the other hand, could have vomited at the sound. An overwhelming feeling of dread suddenly overcame her, its tidal wave effect nearly driving her to run away from the ridiculous scene to the refuge of her garden or her mixing bowls.

    Buy Links

    Format: Amazon Paperback

    Format: Kindle

    Meredith Jade at Fabulosity ReadsAbout the Author

    Meredith Jade was raised in a small town by parents who taught her to love reading. From the moment she could hold pencil to paper, she wrote. After graduating college and traveling abroad teaching English in Uttaradit, Thailand for a year, she came home. Writing was that home. Her writing has a range of inspirations, all a result of her voracious reading as a child and young adult. Anything from Victorian Literature to bird watching guides to NY Times best sellers have served as an agent for her imagination. Never Upon a Time is her first novel.

    Connect with Meredith

    Email: meredith.jade7@gmail.com

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Meredith-Jade/648465681892404?ref_type=bookmark

    Blog: http://thereaderproject.wordpress.com

    Twitter: @meredithjade

    Fabulosity Reads TOUR-HOST BADGE 400px

    Fabulosity Reads Book Promotions is a book touring website that promotes authors and their precious works to an extensive audience using blogs, twitter, Facebook and other Social Media, with the aim of introducing them to an appreciative readership.

    They offer a diverse range of both complimentary and affordable products to help the reach of your book go that much further.

     

  • The Lady of the Pier – The Ebb by Effrosyni Moschoudi (ABNA Q-Finalist)

    LOVE WILL GO ON FOREVER, SEEKING A SECOND CHANCE.

     

    BRIGHTON, 1937
    Laura Mayfield leaves London with her mother Ruth in order to pursue a new life in Brighton. She finds employment at the West
    Pier Pavilion and soon falls in love with Christian Searle, one of the stagehands at the theatre. Laura aspires to a life of riches but this annoys and frightens the proud and insecure Christian, causing rows between them. When she is offered the chance to perform at the theatre, her love for Christian is put to the ultimate test. Charles Willard, a wealthy and arrogant aristocrat becomes fascinated by her and pursues her relentlessly, causing Christian to become enraged. Will Laura’s desire for wealth throw her in the arms of Charles or will her feelings for Christian prevail?

     

    CORFU, 1987
    Sofia Aspioti, a Greek student from Athens, arrives in Corfu for her annual summer holidays at her grandparents’ house, relieved to escape her overprotective parents’ care for a while. She takes on a job at the local water sports pier and when Danny Markson, a larger-than-life British tourist flirts with her, she is initially worried that his advances will cause her trouble with her strict family. Yet, by the time she realises that she’s desperately in love, she finds she no longer cares. When Danny returns home to a village near Brighton, Sofia becomes haunted by a series of dreams about the West Pier and a woman dressed in black. As if cast by a spell, she takes to writing poems about a love that won’t let go. Who is the grieving woman in her dreams and how is her sorrow related to her own feelings for Danny?

    My Review

    After reading the enchanting fantasy tale of The Necklace of Goddess Athena, I marked this author as one whose books I won’t miss. The fact that this second attempt of Effrosyni Moschoudi cleared the second round of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest is a further testament to the writer’s talent.

    Emancipated Laura finds love and her star shines brightly in Brighton in the ‘30s. Insecure Sophia finds love and a modicum of independence from her overbearing parents in Corfu in the ‘80s. Different places, different eras. But what binds the two girls in a common fate? And who is the lady of the pier?

    As with Effrosyni’s previous book, I found myself immersed and mesmerized. The writer has an undisputed talent for creating vivid imagery through her amazing descriptive skills that managed to stay with me long after I’d put the book down. No, this was not one of the books that I speedread, needing to devour the story. Here, I needed to savor. I found myself rereading parts just to refuel a scene’s energy to keep it running in my mind longer, and I got withdrawal symptoms when I finally ended it.

    It’s not just the two enticing stories, the breathtaking beauty of the landscape, the authenticity of the characters or the heart-warming dialogue; it’s what reigns over these. An inner glow, an inherent purity that emanates from the pages to create a sense of completeness, like a dream you don’t want to wake up from.

    I’m so glad I’ll get to live the dream again in the book’s sequel, The Lady of the Pier—The Flow!

    Highly recommended!

    For an exciting excerpt of The Lady of the Pier, head over to my complementary excerpts’ blog by clicking here.

    What other readers said about the book:
    (Excerpts from posted reviews on Amazon.com)
     
    “A passionate pearl”
     
    “Addictively mesmerizing”
     
    “I defy you to put this book down after the first chapter”
     
    “I got withdrawal symptoms when I ended it”
     
    “The writer has an undisputed talent for creating vivid imagery”
     
    “A fantastic read. This author has the ability to draw you into the story”
     
    “If you enjoy romance, take heed: The Ebb makes a perfect summer read!”
     
    “A heartfelt story drawing you in and not letting (you) go until the last page. Fantastic!”
     
    “The book has the same charm and nostalgic character as the Necklace of Goddess Athena, despite the genre difference. The author’s amazing descriptive talents shine throughout the book”
     
    “It’s not just the two enticing stories, the breathtaking beauty of the landscape,
    the authenticity of the characters or the heart-warming dialogue; it’s what reigns over these. An inner glow, an inherent purity that emanates from the pages to create a sense of completeness, like a dream you don’t want to wake up from.”

     

    Purchase Links for The Lady of the Pier-The Ebb

     

    BIO

    frosso pic1 (1)Effrosyni Moschoudi was born and raised in Athens, Greece. She has a BSc in Computer Science and has worked for large companies for twenty years, mainly in the hotel and airline business. She’s been writing since childhood and lives in a quaint seaside town near Athens with her husband Andy and a naughty cat called Felix. She’s passionate about books and movies and dedicates sufficient time on her weekends to enjoy a bit of both.

    Effrosyni’s debut novel, “The Necklace of Goddess Athena”, is a fantasy adventure of Greek myths and time travel that’s suitable for all ages. It’s been described as a “Rare Gem” by the Fantasy & Sci-fi Network and has reached Amazon’s #1 in Mythology and #2 in Fairy Tales. The novel also made the shortlist in 2014 for the “50 Best Self-Published Books Worth Reading” from Indie Author Land.
    Effrosyni’s second novel, “The Lady of the Pier – The Ebb”, follows the lives and loves of two young girls who’ve never met but are connected in a mysterious way. The novel is an ABNA quarter-finalist. It’s the first part of a paranormal romance that’s set in Brighton (England) in the 1930’s and in Corfu (Greece) in the 1980’s. Effrosyni is currently penning the second part of the series (“The Flow”), which she plans to publish in 2015.

    To write “The Lady of the Pier-The Ebb”, the author drew heavily on her experiences as a youngster, holidaying in her grandparents’ house during the summer months in the Corfiot village of Moraitika. To see pictures of the locales that inspired the story, visit this link to Effrosyni’s Blog: http://dld.bz/dmHQp
    In Goodreads.com, you will find downloadable free excerpts from both published novels by this author.

    On her blog, Effrosyni presents the works of fellow indie authors with spotlights, interviews, and book reviews. She also posts her own content of various subjects, such as travel articles, inspiring personal accounts, tips for authors, and even some Greek recipes.

    Connect with Effrosyni

    Purchase Links for The Necklace of Goddess Athena

     

  • Game Changer by Collette West (NA Romance) Cover Reveal

    A cover reveal of an exciting, fresh and sporty New Adult romance brought to you by Xpresso Book Tours. Check the cover out. Perfect branding! I also loved the Author Bio. Original and very readable!

    BOOK & AUTHOR INFO

    Game Changer by Collette West
    Publication date: July 25th 2014
    Genres: New Adult, Romance

    Synopsis:
    Young, rich, and unaware of how seriously hot he is, Brooks Davison is tearing it up as the latest shortstop for the New York Kings, despite his tendency to blush whenever girls scream his name.

    When a health scare forces his best friend, Kyle Roberts, off the team, no one can stomach the thought of replacing him, especially so close to the playoffs.

    Until Kyle’s sister, Sasha, steps in, convincing management to let her take his place. The idea of signing the first female player in Major League history proves too tempting for the Kings to resist.

    Nevertheless, Brooks doesn’t want any part of it. Sasha is Kyle’s little sister, not some sideshow.

    Yet when Kyle takes a turn for the worse, Brooks promises to do everything in his power to help Sasha win a championship for him. Because there’s no way he’s letting either of them down. Not now, not ever.

    Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22464513-game-changer

    AUTHOR BIO

    Collette West grew up as somewhat of a jock-nerd hybrid. Entering the world three weeks premature, her dad nearly missed her birth because he had seats behind the dugout for a sold-out, highly-anticipated match-up between two of baseball’s biggest rivals. Not to be outdone, her book-loving mom taught her how to read by the time she was three. A love of the game coupled with an appreciation for the written word were instilled in Collette’s impressionable brain from a young age. No wonder her characters believe in the philosophy: sports + romance = a little slice of heaven.

    Splitting her time between the Pocono Mountains and Manhattan, Collette indulges her inner fangirl by going to as many games as she can from hockey to baseball and downloading every sports romance novel in existence onto her iPad. When she’s not clicking away on her laptop, she enjoys walking her dog in Central Park, satisfying her caffeine craving at the Starbucks on Broadway and keeping an eye out for Mr. Right. But above all, she loves dishing with her readers. Email her at collette_west@yahoo.com.

    Author links:

    https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7539982.Collette_West
    https://twitter.com/Collette_West

  • Whitney Gracia Williams – WIP interview

    Update: Reasonable Doubt – Volume 3 is now out on Amazon! And here’s my Goodreads review.

    It’s the middle of the summer, the temperature is rising so I thought I’d raise it further by inviting a writer who brought scorching summer heat in early spring with her Reasonable Doubt erotic romance series. Back in March, I needed to cleanse my palate from a bunch of excellent but quite dark and serious books I’d reviewed, so I picked up the first episode of the series, Reasonable Doubt #1, and found myself reading something delectably decadent instead. Although the type of foul-mouthed anti-hero is not my cuppa, I loved how fleshed-out and genuine Andrew was but especially the feisty heroine who gave him a run for his money. (You can read my Goodreads review here.) Heeding the writer’s “call to action” to reviewers to connect, I emailed Whitney and, although the series was becoming a huge success (a New York Times bestseller), she not only responded to a fan but was willing to do an interview with me! My reaction wasn’t what you’d call mature; even my four-year old quirked a brow at my bouncing on the bed. So ladies (and gents, why not?) I present to you the amazing Whitney G!

    Hola readers! My name is Whitney G. and I am the author of the “Mid Life Love” series and the recent New York Times bestselling series “Reasonable Doubt.”

    Whitney, I’m in awe as, despite your busy schedule, you honored this little blog.  You recently published a very uplifting Facebook post where you wrote how after the mediocre reception of your first fiction efforts, you never thought that “thinking BIG” applied to you and then Reasonable Doubt happened. Sure, this one was an erotic romance, and this genre’s audience is known to turn what it likes viral, but hundreds get published each month! What was the golden recipe here?

    I honestly have no idea…I seriously did not expect Reasonable Doubt to do as well as it’s done so far. I wanted to use it as a way to improve my writing before I finished my current WIP. I was happy with the small success I’d attained before Reasonable Doubt came along, and I’d told myself that one day “bigger success” could happen to me and one of my books. (Yearsss down the line, of course…) But, since I was struggling with the aforementioned WIP, I decided to take a break and pen something short that would allow me to work on banter, scene building, and sexual tension. (I even had a post-it taped to my laptop that read, “If this is the last book you ever write, write it ten times better than anything you’ve written before…”) It definitely paid off, but I don’t know if there’s a “golden recipe” for a successful book. (Trust me, if I find it, I’ll report back and give it away to everyone *smiley face*)

    You do that!! Also I now know how I will promote this interview. “How writer’s block can make you a best-selling author!” Before we talk about your WIP, why don’t you tell us a few things about yourself?  

    Hmmm. Let’s make a list: 1) I have a serious addiction to candy and Starbucks. 2) I curse a lot more than I should. 3) I have a tendency to “fall off the face of the earth” (i.e. avoid social media) whenever I’m deep into a project. 4) Have I mentioned the Starbucks addiction already? 5) When I’m not writing, I’m usually reading an indie book, stalking John Grisham (and Beyonce), or staring into space…

    What are you working on right now?

    Reasonable Doubt 3… You know what’s crazy? I’d originally planned to have the whole series out in April. What the hell was I thinking back then?

    And you suffered serious backlash! I couldn’t believe the angry comments about how you didn’t make the dates you had initially announced. Thankfully, compared to the love you got, those were a drop in the bucket. So, are you happy with the pace of your work? Do you aim at a specific word count each day?

    No, I’m never happy with the pacing of my work. I always want to do more or write faster, but I think that’s a good thing. I never want to feel content. As far as a daily word count goes, most definitely. I aim for five to seven thousand a day.

    Plotter, pantser or both?

    BOTH! I change my mind too many times to stick to an outline, but I *have* to know the ending of a story before I can even begin.

    What’s your worst enemy in getting that first draft finished?

    Myself, of course.

    Have you ever experienced lack of inspiration or drive to write? If so, how do you motivate yourself?

    Absolutely. All the time. There are days when I don’t *feel* like writing, days when I’d much rather stay in bed and watch Netflix. However, I think about where I want to be ten years from now and that always makes me get up and get to work.

    Could we take a look at your workspace? Is there a particular place you find inspiring for writing?

    I’ve attached it. I wake up every morning and write at Starbucks.

    Wow! If these chairs get occupied, it means you’re writing in serious company! Now your photo is “pinned” on my Featured Writers’ Workspace Board on Pinterest. Apart from Word and Google, do you use any other writing or research tools and apps?

    Not really, but I always read Joan Didion’s “Goodbye to All That” essay before I begin any WIP. She’s one of the best writers in the world, and simply reading a small snippet of her magic inspires me like no other.

    That one goes at the top of my TBR list. How do you intend to celebrate writing “The End” on your draft?

    I’m going to take one, huge EPIC nap!

    Which book publishing processes are you going to outsource and which are you confident enough to undertake yourself?

    I now outsource everything (book covers, formatting, graphics, etc.), but at one point in time I was doing everything myself because I was nervous about handing over the reins to someone else…

    Do you have any marketing tips or favorite promotional sites you’d like to share?

    I have marketing tips for DAYS, but in a nutshell I’d like to say that authors should treat their books like movies. You should be promoting long before the book comes out. There’s a reason why Hollywood invests so much in advertising. They want people to know all about their movies before they come out and they want as many people as possible to watch and enjoy them opening week. Promotional sites I’ve used are Bookbub, E-reader News Today, and I’ll be starting my own writer’s blog soon to share even more. (It’s going to be called “The Delusional Indie Author” and it’ll launch late summer)

    Can’t wait to follow that blog! Is erotic romance the genre you will brand yourself with from now on or do you see yourself branching out in the future?

    Definitely not branding myself at all. LOL. Although, I do have a standalone erotic romance coming out later this year. I’m still trying to find myself as an author and I want to explore more genres.

    Would you like to share with us links where we can find you and your work?

    Sure! When I’m not hiding from the world, I can be found here: whitneygracia.com, and if you want to find my books, you can find them all here: http://www.amazon.com/Whitney-Gracia-Williams/e/B0054OUT30/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

    Thank you, Whitney, and best of luck with with Reasonable Doubt #3! I can’t wait to find out what made Andrew turn into a hardcore cynic, and how he will turn things around after the mess he’s made with Aubrey!! (Update: I did and it explains so much! Great way to end this fun-tastic story!)