Friday, June 15, 2012
Thanks Michelle for the gorgeous new covers for my Kelly McWinter PI series. Looking at Jimmy on these covers definitely helps keep me inspired to get Deadly Consequences, book three, coming in August/September finished.
Writing a series can be inspiring and fun, but there are some pitfalls. It's so easy to fall into forget that your reader doesn't necessarily know all about that fantastic new nightclub you described so vividly in book one. Oh yes, and the reader doesn't know that your heroine absolutely cannot stand pink, or that your hero is allergic to shellfish. Oh yes, lots and lots of easy little traps to fall into.
Of course, as with all writing, there is always the temptation to go do something else -- like me -- over here visiting on the Blog instead of writing. Sigh! Nice to chat with all of you, but if we're ever going to see Book 3, I guess I'd better put my nose back to the grindstone. Enjoy Kelly McWinter - a/k/a Jimmy Thomas.
Behind the Cover: Images selection
By Michelle Lee
BWL Art Director
I’ve been called a Cover Goddess a couple of times, and as
typical of me, I shrugged it off. But
now, I have decided, that if others are going to award me Goddess-ness, then I
am going to start using it. So in true Goddess fashion, I have a few
proclamations!
- No professor shall require a term paper to be written for any class that I am attending during my graduate coursework. All term papers are to be voluntarily done for extra credit.
- No final shall be comprehensive. In fact, finals shall be abolished!
- This crap with “self-teaching” is not going to happen anymore. I am paying you, as my professor, to instruct. Don’t tell me my learning is going to be self-guided. If I wanted that, I would just buy the textbook and read it.
Wait … what? You just
want to hear the ones in regards to cover art.
You sure? Cause I have a few
more. Well, okay …
Cover Art Proclamation 1:
No character, from this day forward, shall have hair. None.
No wavy golden locks, no straight raven tresses. Nadda, nothing. Zero, zilch hair.
Number 2 …
What? I can’t
proclaim that characters can’t have hair anymore? Why not?
Artistic freedom! The
heck you say! But I am a Goddess … but,
but …
*Insert several minutes
of whining and whimpering*
Well fine then!
I guess I will return to the original topic I meant to
address this blog post – image selection and how they relate to covers and
artists.
The images that are picked for a cover are crucial. CRUCIAL I say. For, after all, they are the core of the
cover. And the cover is what a reader
sees first. Before the blurb, before the
excerpt, generally they see the cover.
So you want a nice one.
You also want a sane cover artist. S.A.N.E.
Got that? Which means when you
are selecting images to suggest, think about what you are asking for.
What I mean by that is, if the image has a woman with
fly-away hair (you know what I am talking about, where it looks like a fan was
turned on during the photo-shoot) and you don’t like the background, find a new
image. Isolating hair in images is
tricky, so it is better if it lies fairly flat in the image.
Also, don’t pick a real dark image of a person, where they
fade into a black background, and expect it to work with a sunny day beach
scene behind him/her.
It’s hard, as an author, to pick images. I know – I am also an author. So I know that there is a certain way a
character is supposed to look, and often times, stock art is just too limited
in options. But doing photo-shoots for
each and every e-book an author does is not cost-effective or practical.
So authors have to, in some ways, settle for what is
available. Which can be hard.
But if you take the time to make sure and pick images you
are happy with, and that are easy to work with, you and your cover artist will
both wind up happy with the finished product.
To that end, I am offering just a few suggestions, off the
top of my head:
- Don’t pick images with fly-away hair (see above) unless you LIKE the background
- Don’t pick dark images, with dark background, and expect a bright background to be put in replacing it. (Also see above)
- Think about how many images you are suggesting. Often, most covers have 1-3 images. Any more than that gets costly.
- Think about the perspectives of the images. If you are looking flat on at a couple, and upward at the background you want behind them, it isn’t going to work together.
- Make sure you know if the image is a photograph or computer generated. Some times, a computer generated background can work in a cover – other times, it just doesn’t.
For example, here’s one where it does work:
- If you KNOW you are doing a series, and using the same characters, make sure there are other images of the SAME model that you like for future covers, and that there are enough for however many books you are planning.
- If you know you are doing a series, think about the style of image, and make sure you can find other images in the same style to match your future characters.
- Consider your images carefully – have you seen it/them on a ton of other covers? If so, you should probably find something else unless you are just absolutely, completely in love with that image and it just fits perfectly and you have to have it or the world will just end in misery.
- Be open to changes … I can’t stress this one enough. Just because you suggest an image does not mean that it will be used. Often times there is a very good reason why the cover artist will not use it (such as the sizes not being right, it is more long than tall – such as a woman laying down, it doesn’t match with the other images you selected, it can’t be isolated to fit with the other images, or there are terms that don’t allow for the image to be used on commercial items)
- Speaking of isolating images, when you pick an image of a person, you want at least one side of their body to fully be in the image, not both sides running off of the image. That allows for the person to be isolated from the background and merged with other images. (Unless, that is, you just want that ONE image on your cover).
For example:
The image for CODENAME: ROMEO is one that I would not be able to move to the side. Whereas the woman in WILDING NIGHTS I could move around the cover as needed.
- If you are want the person moved into another background, be careful that you don’t pick an image with something from the foreground blending into the image. For example, grass or wheat stalks, snow or rain, etc. Both of these images work because they fit the changed background. Had the author wanted either of these women at the beach, it wouldn’t have worked.
Well that’s all that I can think
of right off. Hope it makes selecting
images just a little bit easier!
As for how I work them together,
well, it’s not really something I can put to words. I have to look at the angles/perspective of
images, the colors and brightness/contrast to them, and just play around some
times to get the right fit.
I do keep in mind previous covers
I have done for the author, and also the genre. The hardest covers for me are
mysteries and dark themes, since I like doing light covers. I like happy couples – and especially SEXY
couples. Which can cause some problems,
since I like sexy images, and some romances are sweet. (So half-naked people just don’t work).
When I select images, I also keep
my own “do/don’t” list in mind. I also
look at colors, and sharpness/starkness of images. It a couple has almost a harsh lighting on them,
then I won’t put them on a real soft focus background.
Also, while brown/red hair can be switched fairly decently to the other, turning an image of a blond into a raven haired person, vice versa, etc isn't that easy. So I try my best to find images that fit the hair color as well as I can.
Eye color on the other hand is something that I can modify - so I never worry about it when I pick an image, because I know that I can modify it as needed (provided I know what color to change it to - so be sure to provide that info in your CAF).
Other than that, a lot of image
selection for me is just flipping through images on stock sites and seeing if
anything jumps out at me. From there, I
work all other elements around the image I selected.
If period clothing is required,
then I will focus on the person, and worry about making the background fit.
If a setting is pivotal, and the
couple’s attire isn’t that big of a deal, then I find a background that will
work and then find a couple to fit.
And so on …
Labels:
Behind the Cover,
Cover Art,
Kat Attalla,
Lee Killough,
Michelle Lee,
Shirley Martin,
Tina Gerow
Born to ride on the back of dragons, to journey among the stars in a ship traveling faster than light, or to dance the night away in the arms of a mysterious vampire, Michelle Houston willingly shares the worlds in her mind in an effort to bring them to life.
Writing everything from short and sweet stories, to hot and spicy tales of kink, from contemporary tales of romance to erotic romances featuring Greek Gods, vampires and were-creatures, she has crossed sexualities and has gone wherever her mental muse has guided her. A journey she has never regretted.
CONTINUED SUCCESS FOR PRINCESS OF BRETAGNE
The reviews keep pouring for PRINCESS of BRETAGNE. This one is a 4-ribbon from Romance Junkies. it says:
“Her attention to the harsh conditions of this violent time period is spot on, and starting with a brutal Viking raid caught my attention immediately. She brings the world of Pressine to life with vivid details of daily life, clothing, customs, manners, Celtic history and the conflict between the early Christian church and the old pagan beliefs of the goddess.
This story is filled with action and danger and there are many interesting secondary characters that help drive the plot forward. I particularly like Gwenvael, Pressine’s brother, who has extensive scenes in his own viewpoint scattered throughout. Look for the just released, PAGAN QUEEN, to continue the saga of these two lovers.”
You can read the entire review at:http://romancejunkiesreviews.com/artman/publish/historical/Princess_of_Bretagne.shtml
This review certainly made my day.
Vijaya Schartz
Swords, Blasters, Romance with a Kickhttp://www.vijayaschartz.com
Vijaya on Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/author/vijayaschartz
“Her attention to the harsh conditions of this violent time period is spot on, and starting with a brutal Viking raid caught my attention immediately. She brings the world of Pressine to life with vivid details of daily life, clothing, customs, manners, Celtic history and the conflict between the early Christian church and the old pagan beliefs of the goddess.
This story is filled with action and danger and there are many interesting secondary characters that help drive the plot forward. I particularly like Gwenvael, Pressine’s brother, who has extensive scenes in his own viewpoint scattered throughout. Look for the just released, PAGAN QUEEN, to continue the saga of these two lovers.”
You can read the entire review at:http://romancejunkiesreviews.com/artman/publish/historical/Princess_of_Bretagne.shtml
This review certainly made my day.
Vijaya Schartz
Swords, Blasters, Romance with a Kickhttp://www.vijayaschartz.com
Vijaya on Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/author/vijayaschartz
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Imagine being forced to give up custody of your child.
That’s exactly what happened to Vanessa Gleason. A fairy tale marriage turned into a nightmare, Now, alone in the world, Vanessa vows to fight her wealthy ex husband for custody of her daughter. Was it fate that brought her to the little church on Christmas Eve?
Vanessa locked herself in a hotel room for two weeks after her husband threw her out. Cried out, devastated and lonelier than she'd ever been in her life, she knew it was time to move on. Time to make a plan.
First thing she did was get a newspaper and circle promising jobs in the classifieds. After a few phone calls, it didn't take her long to realize Christmas Eve wasn't the time to look for a job. Scared, bored, and half out of her mind with grief, she decided to leave the small room and take a drive. Anything to avoid thinking.
She ended up in the heart of town among last minute shoppers and Carolers. Hurrying past them, she found herself in front of a small church. Something drew her inside. Inside and up to the Nativity Scene. There she discovered an infant in a car seat. Before she had a chance to decide what to do, the back door slammed and someone walked down the aisle toward her. Could he help her win her child back?
What happened next changed Vanessa's life forever.
Elusive Mission is available from Amazon.
Excerpt:
Vanessa locked herself in a hotel room for two weeks after her husband threw her out. Cried out, devastated and lonelier than she'd ever been in her life, she knew it was time to move on. Time to make a plan.
First thing she did was get a newspaper and circle promising jobs in the classifieds. After a few phone calls, it didn't take her long to realize Christmas Eve wasn't the time to look for a job. Scared, bored, and half out of her mind with grief, she decided to leave the small room and take a drive. Anything to avoid thinking.
She ended up in the heart of town among last minute shoppers and Carolers. Hurrying past them, she found herself in front of a small church. Something drew her inside. Inside and up to the Nativity Scene. There she discovered an infant in a car seat. Before she had a chance to decide what to do, the back door slammed and someone walked down the aisle toward her. Could he help her win her child back?
What happened next changed Vanessa's life forever.
Elusive Mission is available from Amazon.
Excerpt:
Vanessa’s stomach tensed. She had to get out of here.
Needed some air, needed to escape. She got in her car and started driving, to
where was anyone’s guess.
The quaintness of Strongsville, Ohio, especially the
town square with the gazebo with all the Christmas decorations, brought fresh
tears to her eyes. Vanessa wiped them away and parked the car. Shoppers and
carolers filled the sidewalks. Ignoring them, Vanessa hurried past decorated
shops until she came to a small church. St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, the sign
out front said. Two huge wreaths hung on the heavy oak doors. The small white
building beckoned to her.
Vanessa opened the door, walked up the steps and stood
at the entrance. The quiet of the empty church filled her soul. It had been too
long since she had attended services. Charles wasn’t particularly religious,
but he had allowed her to have Alyssa baptized. She should have gone to church
more often by herself, but after spending Saturday evening at the club, it was
all too easy to sleep in on Sunday morning, and eventually it became a habit.
Light showed
through the stained glass windows, illuminating the red carpet-covered aisle
way. A nativity scene at the front captured her attention and drew her forward.
Memories from her childhood flashed through her mind.
Her father always helped set up the nativity at church
when she was a little girl, and they let her put Baby Jesus in the crèche. A
noise came from the side aisle, interrupting her thoughts. Vanessa stopped, saw
a flash of red, and the side door slammed. Funny, she hadn’t noticed anyone
else when she came in.
Oh, well, Vanessa shrugged and continued to the front
and knelt down. What in the world? Next to the nativity scene sat a car seat.
An infant, three, maybe four months old with blonde curly hair, opened almond-shaped,
dark eyes and reached its chubby arms out to her.
“What have we
here?” Vanessa unbuckled the seat belt. “Hello, precious.” She picked up the
baby, and a note fell on the diaper bag next to the car seat. Vanessa picked up
the paper and read the scribbled words.
Please take
care of my baby. Her name is Grace. Mary.
“Who could leave someone as precious as you?” Vanessa
looked around. No one lurked in the shadows. Who left the baby? How long had
she been here? God, what should she do? The baby cuddled against her, and
Vanessa inhaled the sweet smell of baby lotion. Tears filled her eyes. For a
minute, she was tempted to take the baby and leave, but she couldn’t do it.
Startled, when the door at the back of the church
slammed, Vanessa turned toward the sound. A shadow loomed at the entrance,
moving toward her. A tall figure walked down the aisle, checking the pews along
the way. Vanessa hugged the baby against her, held her breath, and let it out
when she saw who it was.
“Father, I’m glad you’re here. I came in here and
found this baby. I was just about to call the police.”
“I’m a minister, not a priest. Pastor Dan Jacobson,
Pastor Dan will do,” he said. “You found a baby?” A glint of gold glistened in
his copper brown eyes below raised eyebrows. “Who do you suppose it belongs
to?”
“Yes, I ... uh.” She could easily have pretended Grace
was hers. He wouldn’t have known. “When I came in someone ran out through that
side door. I came up here to see the nativity scene and….” Vanessa walked away
and sat in a pew, cradling the baby against her chest. What was the use, he
didn’t believe her. She didn’t need this. Not now. She had enough problems of
her own.
“I see, pretty little thing, boy or girl?”
Vanessa stood and took a step closer to him. “Girl.”
She stopped next to him. “You aren’t suggesting this child is mine, are you?”
Vanessa looked him straight in the eyes. How dare he? Minister or not, what
gave him the right? “Look, I came in here and found the baby. I told you
someone ran out that door.” Vanessa took a deep breath, let out an angry sigh.
“Here.” She pushed the note toward him. “This was lying on the diaper bag. I
didn’t touch anything else.”
Pastor Dan stared at her, studying her. Vanessa stared
back. Disbelief showed in his face. Like she’d try to pull off such a stunt?
Imagine her abandoning a baby like this. The memory of Alyssa, clinging to her
when Charles tore her away, flashed in her mind. Even now, Alyssa’s cries, when
Charles slammed the door, ripped her apart.
Pastor Dan’s voice brought her back to awareness. “I
see. Well, I guess we’ll have to call Social Services.” He read the note, then
picked up the diaper bag and looked through it.
Grace squirmed in Vanessa’s arms and began to cry.
“Probably hungry.” Vanessa rocked the baby.
Pastor Dan pulled a bottle of formula from the diaper
bag.
The warmth of the baby against her chest opened a hole
in Vanessa’s heart, making her miss Alyssa even more. Her insides trembled,
tears burned her eyes, threatened to fall.
“You have children?” Pastor Dan’s tone softened.
A tear escaped, fell on her cheek. She nodded, a lump
caught in her throat.
“How many?”
“One.” Vanessa choked out the word.
How old?”
“Two.” The tears burst forth as if a damn had been
unleashed. “I’m....” Vanessa couldn’t speak. She turned away, held back the
tears, and paced across the front to the nativity scene, leaving him standing
there.
Labels:
BWL Ltd.,
child abandonment,
lawyers,
love story,
ministers,
romance,
Roseanne Dowell
As the second youngest of six children, I always had a vivid imagination and loved to make up stories. I often sat and daydreamed about imaginary characters and lost myself in books and make-believe worlds.
My love of writing began as a teenager, but only recently pursued it seriously. With encouragement from fellow book-club members, NEORWA and my husband, I began writing and submitting my work.
Although Satin Sheets was my first published novel, I have over forty articles and stories published in magazines such as Good Old Days, Nostalgia, and Ohio Writer along with several online publications.
Besides teaching three writing courses for Long Story School of Writing, I taught a writing course at Cuyahoga Community College.
In my spare time, I enjoys spending time with my six children, fourteen grandchildren and great grandchildren. My hobbies include ceramics, knitting, quilting, and jewelry making. But after my family, my first love is writing. I reside with my husband of forty-eight years in Northeast Ohio. You can visit my website at: http://www.roseannedowell.com
Sizzling Summer Spectacular
SIZZLING SUMMER SPECTACULAR
Stock
your shelves with spectacular summer reading. Win one of five $20.00
Amazon gift certificates. Gift certificates will be drawn monthly. Two
on July 5, Two on August 5, and One on September 5.
* * *
PLUS
EVERY WEEK ALL SUMMER LONG FROM JULY TO SEPTEMBER WE WILL BE DRAWING
ONE NAME TO RECEIVE THEIR CHOICE OF ANY BOOKS WE LOVE BOOK. WEEKLY
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON OUR BLOGS, GIFT CERTIFICATE AND BASKET
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN NEWSLETTERS.
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Pamper yourself with a sensational summer spa basket. Drawing on August 15.
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Treat yourself to a chocolate indulgence day. Drawing on September 15.
Find the entry form here and make sure you are a subscriber to our newsletter- only subscribers can win. The newsletter comes out once a month, no spam, just new releases and contest news. Find the form on the same page as the contest entry.
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Monday, June 11, 2012
Spectacular Summer Novel Sale at Books We Love
Only $2.99 each
FIND THESE TITLES BY COPYING AND PASTING THE ASIN IN THE SEARCH BOX AT AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/
A Double Opposition by Janet Lane Walters
ASIN: B0057AFA26
Alien Lockdown by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B00495XUT0
Ancient Enemy Book One –
Anaz-Voohri by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004A90FZM
Ancient Enemy Book Two –
Relics by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004GNECGK
Ancient Enemy Book Three –
Kicking Bots by Vijaya Schartz
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Archangel Book One –
Crusader by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004HO69RS
Archangel Book Two –
Checkmate by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004KKY6CY
Blood Games by Lee Killough
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Blood Hunt by Lee Killough
ASIN: B004J17GPI
Cabin Fever by Sheila Claydon
ASIN: B007H2AJMI
Carousel by Barbara Baldwin
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Cachet by Shannah Biondine
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Daring Masquerade by Margaret Tanner
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Dark Spirit by Rita Karnopp
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Deadly Betrayal by Jude Pittman
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Deadly Secrets by Jude Pittman
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Destined to Love by Shirley Martin
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Dream Weaver by Shirley Martin
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Echoes by Erin Quinn
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Ellie's Legacy by Ginger Simpson
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Embezzled Love by Ginger Simpson
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Eye of the Storm by Renee Simons
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Family Secrets by Jamie Hill
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Family Ties by Jamie Hill
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Finding Freedom by Betty Jo Schuler
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First Degree Innocence by Ginger Simpson
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Forbidden Love by Shirley Martin
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Gemstones by Janet Lane Walters
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Genesee by Juliet Waldron
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Hide and Seek by Jamie Hill
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Into a Dangerous Mind by Tina Gerow
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Killer Karma by Lee Killough
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Kidnapped by Rita Karnopp
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Love in a Small Town by Betty Jo Schuler
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Male Wanted by Betty Jo Schuler
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Magnetism by Shannah Biondine
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Mozart's Wife by Juliet Waldron
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Night Secrets by Shirley Martin
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Night Shadows by Shirley Martin
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No Ordinary Killer by Rita Karnopp
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O'Malley's Cottage by Ronald Ady Crouch
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One More Tomorrow by Shirley Martin
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Pagan Queen by Vijaya Schartz
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Princess of Bretagne by Vijaya Schartz
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Ransom Love by Rita Karnopp
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Red Magic by Juliette Waldron
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Revenge by Rita Karnopp
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Run to Me by Jamie Hill
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Sacred Ground by Rita Karnopp
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Safe Haven by Renee Simons
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Sarah's Heart by Ginger Simpson
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Sex, Love and Murder by Sandy Semerad
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Snatched by Vijaya Schartz
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Spithandle Lane by Ronald Ady Crouch
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Stone Maiden by Tina Gerow
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The Last Cowboy In Texas by Pat Dale
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The Sacrifice by Shirley Martin
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The Taste of Magic by Gina Rosavin
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The WisdomKeeper Collection
by John Wisdomkeeper
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Time Tantrums by Ginger Simpson
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Trusting Evil by Mary Leo
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Truths of the Heart by G.L. Rockey
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Web of Smoke by Erin Quinn
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Whispering Sun by Rita Karnopp
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Whispers by Erin Quinn
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Whistler's Murder by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey
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White Berry on the Red Willow
by Rita Karnopp
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Wilding Nights by Lee Killough
ASIN: B0043XXIAO
Winter Fire by Kathy Fischer-Brown
ASIN: B004BA5GMM
Wishful Thinking by Shannah Biondine
ASIN: B00774H8LQ
Witchcraft and Anchovies by Jamieson Wolf
ASIN: B004WF4ILQ
A Double Opposition by Janet Lane Walters
ASIN: B0057AFA26
Alien Lockdown by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B00495XUT0
Ancient Enemy Book One –
Anaz-Voohri by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004A90FZM
Ancient Enemy Book Two –
Relics by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004GNECGK
Ancient Enemy Book Three –
Kicking Bots by Vijaya Schartz
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Archangel Book One –
Crusader by Vijaya Schartz
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Archangel Book Two –
Checkmate by Vijaya Schartz
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Blood Games by Lee Killough
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Blood Hunt by Lee Killough
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Cabin Fever by Sheila Claydon
ASIN: B007H2AJMI
Carousel by Barbara Baldwin
ASIN: B004HW7NAM
Cachet by Shannah Biondine
ASIN: B00452V8OQ
Daring Masquerade by Margaret Tanner
ASIN: B0081CJECY
Dark Spirit by Rita Karnopp
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Deadly Betrayal by Jude Pittman
ASIN: B003YJEWSA
Deadly Secrets by Jude Pittman
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Destined to Love by Shirley Martin
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Dream Weaver by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B006HA3APY
Echoes by Erin Quinn
ASIN: B005H5GGR4
Ellie's Legacy by Ginger Simpson
ASIN: B007U61O1Q
Embezzled Love by Ginger Simpson
ASIN: B006IGU2US
Eye of the Storm by Renee Simons
ASIN: B00772ZAT0
Family Secrets by Jamie Hill
ASIN: B004478IN6
Family Ties by Jamie Hill
ASIN: B00457XJMK
Finding Freedom by Betty Jo Schuler
ASIN: B005HEEZP0
First Degree Innocence by Ginger Simpson
ASIN: B004A90CXM
Forbidden Love by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B007EZF6S0
Gemstones by Janet Lane Walters
ASIN: B0056HOBE8
Genesee by Juliet Waldron
ASIN: B004BSH1R2
Hide and Seek by Jamie Hill
ASIN: B004HW6G46
Into a Dangerous Mind by Tina Gerow
ASIN: B006MN847A
Killer Karma by Lee Killough
ASIN: B0042RV8MQ
Kidnapped by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B007UDUE60
Love in a Small Town by Betty Jo Schuler
ASIN: B005II64GS
Male Wanted by Betty Jo Schuler
ASIN: B005G5VCRY
Magnetism by Shannah Biondine
ASIN: B005GGT8YC
Mozart's Wife by Juliet Waldron
ASIN: B004XNZVXQ
Night Secrets by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B006CWIU16
Night Shadows by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B006CRF2DA
No Ordinary Killer by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B0083IWOK0
O'Malley's Cottage by Ronald Ady Crouch
ASIN: B005U8GTNY
One More Tomorrow by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B006WSJZLO
Pagan Queen by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B007Z8F7IA
Princess of Bretagne by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B007K1EGAM
Ransom Love by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B0083PUB2G
Red Magic by Juliette Waldron
ASIN: B00774BXDA
Revenge by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B00845CLYG
Run to Me by Jamie Hill
ASIN: B004M8S95Y
Sacred Ground by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B007XJFYHK
Safe Haven by Renee Simons
ASIN: B0072XIWV2
Sarah's Heart by Ginger Simpson
ASIN: B007ZF9E5K
Sex, Love and Murder by Sandy Semerad
ASIN: B007Z3TY34
Snatched by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004QZ9V78
Spithandle Lane by Ronald Ady Crouch
ASIN: B007CVK2TY
Stone Maiden by Tina Gerow
ASIN: B007XA9V3C
The Last Cowboy In Texas by Pat Dale
ASIN: B007PJ5SQA
The Sacrifice by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B007SRU0P8
The Taste of Magic by Gina Rosavin
ASIN: B005PR5HO2
The WisdomKeeper Collection
by John Wisdomkeeper
ASIN: B001ELKZMW
Time Tantrums by Ginger Simpson
ASIN: B007TOS7BO
Trusting Evil by Mary Leo
ASIN: B0072NYPE0
Truths of the Heart by G.L. Rockey
ASIN: B007LQ7X2E
Web of Smoke by Erin Quinn
ASIN: B00727LNUU
Whispering Sun by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B007OM0QS8
Whispers by Erin Quinn
ASIN: B006G75O6G
Whistler's Murder by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey
ASIN: B005FSOQSE
White Berry on the Red Willow
by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B007U121ZE
Wilding Nights by Lee Killough
ASIN: B0043XXIAO
Winter Fire by Kathy Fischer-Brown
ASIN: B004BA5GMM
Wishful Thinking by Shannah Biondine
ASIN: B00774H8LQ
Witchcraft and Anchovies by Jamieson Wolf
ASIN: B004WF4ILQ
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Spring Fling Event Winners
* Winners! *
Teresa Balderas
wins a Kindle Fire in the Spring Fling Event!
Teresa says, "I can't believe I won the Kindle Fire. I hoped that I would win it but, never dreamed that I would. Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! Thank you all so much!!! I can't
wait until it arrives to start using it. Have a beautiful day...you've sure made mine much brighter."
Val Pearson will receive an autographed print copy of Mary Leo's latest thriller, Trusting Evil!
Val, please send your snail mail address to bookswelove@shaw.ca so Mary can mail you the book.
Val, please send your snail mail address to bookswelove@shaw.ca so Mary can mail you the book.
Debra Guyette will receive the ebook series Love, Lore and a Wee Bit of Larceny. Debra, please email us at bookswelove@shaw.ca to receive your prizes!
Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone who entered. Check out our Sizzling Summer Spectacular Contest, going on now
HERE
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
My Publishing Journey to date by Jamie Hill
It's hard for me to believe that it's been six years since my first romantic suspense novel was published. Family Secrets wasn't the first book I wrote, but it was the first to get published. I had a wonderful editor (thank you Susan) and I really loved the book. I'll never forget my first ever review-- 4 and 1/2 stars out of 5, and the reviewer said glowing things. I printed that puppy out and carried it around for days, reading it to anyone who would listen.
The book did okay, and garnered more lovely reviews. Sadly, the small press that published Family Secrets closed it's doors and my book was an orphan. It took several years before I found a new publisher and the next two I chose folded before I ever really got going. I didn't give up, kept persevering, but just couldn't seem to find the right fit for the book and me. Harlequin liked my premise but said they could never have divorced heroes or heroines with kids for the lines I submitted to. (Really?) By the time I got done trying to figure out their guidelines, my head was spinning. But it would have been nice to see my book in bookstores.
Actually, a nearby bookstore, Hastings, has a local author section, and they let me place some copies of Family Secrets there on consignment until they got too dusty a couple years later. I sold two, and one was to my best friend. LOL
Family Secrets was always meant to be part of a series. I started book two, Family Ties, shortly after book one. But frankly, when I couldn't find a good home for the first book, I didn't have much motivation to complete the second one. One of my Amazon reviews mentions that books one and two share similar characteristics, like heroes who smoke and drive Ford Explorers. (I like Explorers, okay?) And when I started these books years ago, many more people smoked. It wasn't farfetched that detectives who worked heavy caseloads might smoke, drink a shot or two, and yes, cuss. (Sorry Mom. She still hasn't forgiven me for that.)
Books We Love came along at just right time in my life. Once Family Secrets was happily settled in, I got busy and finished Family Ties last year. And this year, the Amazon revolution happened, and many of our Books We Love titles took off. I'm thrilled to say that Family Secrets was one of them. It hit #67 on the Top 100 Paid Kindle Books recently, which is pretty good for the thousands of books Kindle offers. Family Ties is steadily climbing.
So what this did was motivate me to get off my duff and write that third book I'd always imagined. It actually came easier than I expected, and I'm very, very pleased with the result. Family Honor is available for sale on Amazon now and will be in print in a few weeks.
Family Honor makes the sixth novel I've published, three romantic suspense and three older titles that are straight romance. I've decided that romantic suspense is my true love. I'm plotting my next series and can't wait to get started. I hope you'll check out my books and join me on my unfinished journey!
Family Honor
Bodies of dead women are piling up and Detective Melanie Curtis is doing everything she can to solve the 'Cheerleader Slasher' case. Surprised to discover her chief has requested help from the FBI, she's even more shocked when she meets the sexy FBI special agent sent to assist her.
Bodies of dead women are piling up and Detective Melanie Curtis is doing everything she can to solve the 'Cheerleader Slasher' case. Surprised to discover her chief has requested help from the FBI, she's even more shocked when she meets the sexy FBI special agent sent to assist her.
SSA
Nate Willis tracks serial killers for a living. The slasher case is a
challenge, but nothing compared to the feisty police detective he finds
leading the investigation. Their attraction is swift and mutual, but
the killer is escalating and they need to solve the case before they
can focus on their personal relationship. When the unthinkable happens
and the investigation is turned upside down, is their chance for
happiness also in jeopardy?
“Author Jamie Hill has a knack for pulling a reader deeper and deeper into her stories as they try to figure out where she is leading them.” ~ Tammy, Fallen Angel Reviews
“Author Jamie Hill has a knack for pulling a reader deeper and deeper into her stories as they try to figure out where she is leading them.” ~ Tammy, Fallen Angel Reviews
Friday, June 1, 2012
Contest News
Our Kindle Fire Contest closed May 31. Winner will be
announced in our June 15 newsletter.
Subscribe here to see the winners and get all the news:
http://bookswelove.net/contest.php
Watch for our Spectacular Summer Contest, coming soon!
Subscribe here to see the winners and get all the news:
http://bookswelove.net/contest.php
Watch for our Spectacular Summer Contest, coming soon!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Two More Days ~ Enter to Win a Kindle Fire
* Just two more days to enter for your chance to win a Kindle Fire! *
Congratulations to the weekly ebook winners in Books We Love's annual Spring Fling Event!
This week's winner is Edwina Dowden.
Edwina wins her choice of any two Books We Love ebooks or Spice ebooks. She also receives TEN extra entries into the Kindle Fire drawing May 31. Edwina, please visit our website http://bookswelove.net/ and make your two choices, then email the titles to bookswelove@shaw.ca
Remember, only subscribers to our newsletter are eligible to enter our contests, so if you're not a subscriber go here and sign up now. Find the entry form for Spring Fling there too!
Congratulations Edwina!
Monday, May 28, 2012
MEMORIAL DAY - DARING MASQUERADE
MEMORIAL DAY AND MY BOOK - MARGARET TANNER
Call it blatant self promotion if you will, but I thought as it is Memorial Day in the US, I would post this battlefield excerpt from my latest romance novel, Daring Masquerade, which is set during the 1st World War.
InAustralia
we remember our war dead, on ANZAC Day, 25th April and also
Remembrance Day/Armistice Day on 11th November.
ANZAC Day commemorates the landing at Gallipoli inTurkey by The Australian and New Zealand
Army Corps (ANZACS) on the 25TH April, 1915. And the 25th
April is now sacred. It is when we remember the brave men and women who paid
the supreme sacrifice in the 1st World War and in subsequent wars, 2nd
World War , Korea ,
Vietnam , Iraq and Afghanistan . These battlefields are
also stained with American blood, as you would be well aware.
DARING MASQUERADE – Out on Kindle from Books We Love Publishing
The third battle forYpres had begun. The first and second
Australian Divisions marched through the ruins of Ypres in Flanders ,
and fought their way along the Menin
Road ridge. Their ultimate destination was
Passchendale.
It had been raining steadily, the front had turned into a sea of mud, criss-crossed with miles of concrete German blockhouses. A German arc of machine gun fire dominated the landscape and the casualties were terrible.
Ross despaired of the carnage ever ending. After one battle another always followed. Men died or were wounded; many simply disappeared into the mud.
Reinforcements came and went, followed by more reinforcements. Few old faces were left now. Increasingly, he feared he might never leave this chamber of horrors and return to Harry at Devil’s Ridge. Never get the chance to utter the words, ‘I love you,’ to his wife.
How much longer could his luck hold out? He had suffered several minor shrapnel wounds that only required a dressing.
On the morning of the fourth of October, 1917, Ross’ unit was sent to Broodseinde Ridge. Forty minutes before the attack, soldiers waiting in the rear a mile behind the line saw white and yellow German flares through the hazy drizzle.
0530 hours. Heavy trench mortars fell on Ross’s men as they sheltered in shell holes. At 0600 hours, the British artillery barrage opened up and he waited. Another attack—more casualties in this endless saga of death and suffering.
White tapes marked the jump off area. When the signal for attack came, he urged his men on.
“Come on, come on.”
He stood up and started running. Officers led by example, he remembered from training. The men charged forward now, yelling and screaming.
A line of troops rose from some shell holes a little in front of them, and Ross suddenly realized they were Germans mounting a counter attack. Too late to do anything but keep on going.
He did not see where the firing came from, but felt a thud, first in one leg then the other. As he sank to his knees, he felt a bullet slamming into his chest. He toppled forward. Soldiers ran over him. Boots pressing into his back forced him deeper into the mud.
This is the end. I’ll never see Harry again.
He regained consciousness. It was daylight. How long had he been lying out in no-man’s land? Groggily, he got to his hands and knees. Pain and exhaustion racked his body. Breathing was agony. The landscape see-sawed. Shell fire echoed in his ears.
What’s the use? All I have to do is close my eyes and sink back into the mud and oblivion.
Too tired to fight any more, he started slipping away. His body floated upwards and the pain disappeared.
“Ross, don’t leave me. Fight Ross, fight for me.”
“Harry?” He opened his eyes but he was alone. Only dead men, twisted and grotesque lay out here in no-man’s land with him.
Did he want to leave Harry a widow at twenty? Never hold his son? Oh, God, he couldn’t die like a dog out here. His body might never be recovered. Harry would wait and mourn, but keep on hoping for years. She would never hear the words ‘I love you,’ fall from his lips. What a bloody fool he had been obsessing overVirginia , instead of
letting himself fall in love with Harry. Now it was too late. She would never know the true depth of his
feelings for her. He couldn’t do it to her. He must survive.
Regards
Margaret
Call it blatant self promotion if you will, but I thought as it is Memorial Day in the US, I would post this battlefield excerpt from my latest romance novel, Daring Masquerade, which is set during the 1st World War.
In
ANZAC Day commemorates the landing at Gallipoli in
DARING MASQUERADE – Out on Kindle from Books We Love Publishing
The third battle for
It had been raining steadily, the front had turned into a sea of mud, criss-crossed with miles of concrete German blockhouses. A German arc of machine gun fire dominated the landscape and the casualties were terrible.
Ross despaired of the carnage ever ending. After one battle another always followed. Men died or were wounded; many simply disappeared into the mud.
Reinforcements came and went, followed by more reinforcements. Few old faces were left now. Increasingly, he feared he might never leave this chamber of horrors and return to Harry at Devil’s Ridge. Never get the chance to utter the words, ‘I love you,’ to his wife.
How much longer could his luck hold out? He had suffered several minor shrapnel wounds that only required a dressing.
On the morning of the fourth of October, 1917, Ross’ unit was sent to Broodseinde Ridge. Forty minutes before the attack, soldiers waiting in the rear a mile behind the line saw white and yellow German flares through the hazy drizzle.
0530 hours. Heavy trench mortars fell on Ross’s men as they sheltered in shell holes. At 0600 hours, the British artillery barrage opened up and he waited. Another attack—more casualties in this endless saga of death and suffering.
White tapes marked the jump off area. When the signal for attack came, he urged his men on.
“Come on, come on.”
He stood up and started running. Officers led by example, he remembered from training. The men charged forward now, yelling and screaming.
A line of troops rose from some shell holes a little in front of them, and Ross suddenly realized they were Germans mounting a counter attack. Too late to do anything but keep on going.
He did not see where the firing came from, but felt a thud, first in one leg then the other. As he sank to his knees, he felt a bullet slamming into his chest. He toppled forward. Soldiers ran over him. Boots pressing into his back forced him deeper into the mud.
This is the end. I’ll never see Harry again.
He regained consciousness. It was daylight. How long had he been lying out in no-man’s land? Groggily, he got to his hands and knees. Pain and exhaustion racked his body. Breathing was agony. The landscape see-sawed. Shell fire echoed in his ears.
What’s the use? All I have to do is close my eyes and sink back into the mud and oblivion.
Too tired to fight any more, he started slipping away. His body floated upwards and the pain disappeared.
“Ross, don’t leave me. Fight Ross, fight for me.”
“Harry?” He opened his eyes but he was alone. Only dead men, twisted and grotesque lay out here in no-man’s land with him.
Did he want to leave Harry a widow at twenty? Never hold his son? Oh, God, he couldn’t die like a dog out here. His body might never be recovered. Harry would wait and mourn, but keep on hoping for years. She would never hear the words ‘I love you,’ fall from his lips. What a bloody fool he had been obsessing over
I am an award winning multi-published Australian author. I love delving into the pages of history as I carry out research for my historical romance novels. I pride myself on being historically correct. Many of my novels are inspired by true events, with one being written around the hardships and triumphs of my pioneering ancestors in frontier Australia. Outside of my family and friends, writing is my passion.
Friday, May 25, 2012
A Little About Me
Today is my birthday and I decided to do something different. Instead of promoting my books, I thought I'd talk a little about one of my hobbies instead of my books. That's right, you won't find an excerpt or anything about any of my books on this blog. It's all about me.
One of my favorite things to do when I’m not writing is
embroidery. Another is quilting. I’ve found a way to combine the two. First, I made
baby quilts for my nieces. White on white, I machine embroidered them with the
darning stitch so I had control. They turned out really nice, but I really love to
hand embroidery. That’s when I discovered red-work. During a quilting shop-hop,
one of the stores highlighted red-work. For those who don’t know what red-work
is – it’s embroidery done in all red floss. Just the outline of the picture,
not filled in like other embroidery patterns. Anyway, I fell in love
with it.
That’s when I decided to make a baby quilt for each of my
grandchildren – not for them, but for their first born. I had already made lap
quilts for each of child and grandchild. But where to find patterns? I started out with
coloring books for designs. I traced the images onto 12x12 squares of muslin. After I finished embroidering the squares, I
cut sashing and sewed them together. For the backing I used various fabrics,
not nursery print. None of the quilts have nursery fabric in them at all. I used patterns from zoo animals to Winnie the Pooh.
Eventually, I found transfer books and used them for
designs. I looked everywhere for baby designs. Thirteen of them are finished,
but I now have 14 grandchildren, that’s a lot of baby quilts. Most of the
quilts are done in red work, but several are done with various colors of embroidery floss, too. I
recently finished the quilt top of the 14th. Now, I have to put it
together and quilt it. That's a project for winter.
The others have been finished for a couple of years. It took a several
years to embroider all the squares and put them together.
I also made quilts for my
niece’s twins. One of the patterns is kittens and the other is bunnies. She had
a girl and boy, so I thought the bunnies would be good for him. Recently, she another child. A boy–so I just finished baby animals one for him. Now I have to get it over to her, hopefully within the next week or two.
I gave my first grandchild’s quilt to my oldest granddaughter,
who had a baby boy, my first great grandchild.
With another granddaughter married and one soon to be, maybe I'll be giving two more away soon. I’ve marked each quilt with the name of the
grandchild they’re supposed to go to in case I’m not around to give it to them.
My daughters have been instructed to pass them out. I hope I’m still around to
give each child their quilt, but if I’m not they’ll each have a piece of me for their children. I
hope they treasure them.Below is a collage of a few of the ones I made.
To store them, I put them in large bag from a store bought quilt. Yes, I bought a quilt for my bed. But I did make one too, I
embroidered wild flowers in each square – and yes, I filled them in, not just
outlined. I put it on my bed in the summer. It took over a year to embroider all the flowers, but it was worth it. Besides, I have
nothing better to do in the evening while I’m watching TV. That’s the nice
thing about embroidery, you can sit in front of the TV and still work on it. The hard part was quilting it.
So now you know a little more about me. I'm not just an author, I'm a wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Yes, I enjoy writing, but my family is my first love.
If you’d like to know more about me or my books, check out my
website www.roseannedowell.com and you
can find my books at Amazon http://amzn.to/tnqgR2
Labels:
books we love,
Inside Books We Love,
quilts,
Roseanne Dowell
As the second youngest of six children, I always had a vivid imagination and loved to make up stories. I often sat and daydreamed about imaginary characters and lost myself in books and make-believe worlds.
My love of writing began as a teenager, but only recently pursued it seriously. With encouragement from fellow book-club members, NEORWA and my husband, I began writing and submitting my work.
Although Satin Sheets was my first published novel, I have over forty articles and stories published in magazines such as Good Old Days, Nostalgia, and Ohio Writer along with several online publications.
Besides teaching three writing courses for Long Story School of Writing, I taught a writing course at Cuyahoga Community College.
In my spare time, I enjoys spending time with my six children, fourteen grandchildren and great grandchildren. My hobbies include ceramics, knitting, quilting, and jewelry making. But after my family, my first love is writing. I reside with my husband of forty-eight years in Northeast Ohio. You can visit my website at: http://www.roseannedowell.com
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Spoilers?
Tomorrow, on my on blog, Dishin' It Out, I'm posting in depth about spoilers, and asking those who visit to share their opinions. Reading reviews that give away your entire story are even more upsetting than just reading unfavorable comments. I recently bemoaned the fact on the loop because my latest release, Sarah's Heart, ends in a fashion that some readers are really taking exception to. I chalk their responses up to the fact that they didn't GET the story. There is but one way to get my main characters together, and I found it.
My solution gives the reader hope that the hero and heroine can have the HEA that is so craved in romance, yet also gave me an opportunity for a sequel, which I am working on now. Sarah's Passion will be a continuation of the story. Rather than assume one is coming, some readers would rather divulge the entire plot on a VERY public site, and not just spoil the ending, but discourage others from purchasing the book and drawing their own conclusion, and being able to look forward to reading more about Sarah and Wolf. The lack of understanding exhibited by some is defeating at times, but giving in would let them win, and I won't do that. I'm a good author, and I know it.
I'm very impressed by those who were historically savvy enough to realize the methodology to the ending and appreciated it. I love the story. Sarah is a courageous woman faced with making some very difficult decisions in life, and in this case, it seems she makes one that isn't popular with readers, but if you consider the time in history and her circumstances, it makes a lot more sense.
Here's an excerpt that helped influence the ending's outcome:
My solution gives the reader hope that the hero and heroine can have the HEA that is so craved in romance, yet also gave me an opportunity for a sequel, which I am working on now. Sarah's Passion will be a continuation of the story. Rather than assume one is coming, some readers would rather divulge the entire plot on a VERY public site, and not just spoil the ending, but discourage others from purchasing the book and drawing their own conclusion, and being able to look forward to reading more about Sarah and Wolf. The lack of understanding exhibited by some is defeating at times, but giving in would let them win, and I won't do that. I'm a good author, and I know it.
I'm very impressed by those who were historically savvy enough to realize the methodology to the ending and appreciated it. I love the story. Sarah is a courageous woman faced with making some very difficult decisions in life, and in this case, it seems she makes one that isn't popular with readers, but if you consider the time in history and her circumstances, it makes a lot more sense.
Here's an excerpt that helped influence the ending's outcome:
Wolf draped the naked hare across the empty coffee pot
and began gathering more logs for the fire. He returned with an armful, and
dropped them onto the smoldering cinders within the ring of stones. While the
flames blossomed, he sat cross-legged on the ground, working on three longer
branches. He skinned one clean, and using it as a skewer for their dinner,
propped it across the pit with the other two as support. The fire crackled and popped with each
drip of grease splattering from the roasting rabbit; the delightful aroma
teased Sarah’s nose. Rustic or not, dinner smelled wonderful.
Wolf sat with one knee bent and his arm resting atop
it. He gazed into the distance, seemingly lost in thought.
“Wolf,”
she summoned him back. “How did you learn to speak the language?”
He took a deep breath. “It’s a long story. Are you
sure you want to hear it?”
“Of course.”
“I was just five-years-old when my father, Charles
Elder, was killed defending my red-skinned mother. We lived in Montana
territory—migrating there after my parents married. A neighboring farmer and
his family were slaughtered by a Crow war party, and an angry mob from town
wanted my mother to pay for it. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t her tribe—an
Indian was an Indian.” His brow creased.
“That must have been horrible for you. If speaking
about your past is hard for you, you don’t have to continue.”
“I’m fine. Pain is part of life.” He leaned forward and pulled a browned
leg from the cooked rabbit. Tender, the limp released into his hand without
effort. He offered her the meat then yanked a second piece free, chewed a bite,
and swallowed. “So, the town’s preacher heard what was being planned and came
to our house before the others got there. He hid me and my mother beneath
blankets in the back of his buckboard and took us to the church while my father
stayed at home, planning to reason with the townspeople. The Reverend kept us
in the chapel basement until dark and then drove us home. There wasn’t much
left of the place. My father’s bloodied body lay in the yard, and the house and
everything in it had been reduced
to smoldering ashes. The barn looked like they set it afire, but for some
reason the building didn’t catch.”
“Why are people so hateful?” Sympathy stabbed at her. Why had she asked him to relive his
pain? Although saddened she had,
hearing about his past provided a connection between them. Maybe sharing the
experience brought him closure.
“What did
you and your mother do then?”
Licking grease from her lips, Sarah leaned forward, anxious for the rest
of the story.
“Luckily we still had the wagon and team, and after
traveling for weeks, Ma and I happened upon a Lakota village—one of seven Sioux
tribes who follow the buffalo. My mother, Little Feather, intended to find her
way back to her own people, the Dakota Sioux, but Lame Deer took a liking to
her and made her his second wife.”
Sarah studied Wolf’s face. Despite his dark hair and
olive skin, his hazel eyes revealed his white heritage. He had a striking
profile—strong chin, high cheekbones, and full lips. Her heart fluttered,
remembering how he had called her his wife. Her curiosity piqued. “So, how long
did you live with the tribe?”
“I lived with the people until my sixteenth year. Spotted
Fever took my mother and several others in the tribe, and with her gone,
nothing held me there. Because I wasn’t full-blooded, most of those my age made
it their callin’ to make my life miserable. In my younger years they shoved me
and called me names, but as I aged and my body grew strong, the physical
cruelty stopped. Still, there was always someone around to remind me I was an
outsider.” He removed the skewer
stick with the remaining rabbit from over the fire and extended it toward her. “More?”
She shook her head, preferring to hear the story’s
ending rather than eat. “So you left?”
“Yes. That was ten years ago, and I still haven’t
found where I fit.” Holding both ends of the stick, he chomped into the
rabbit’s hindquarter then wiped the juices on the back of his hand. Even though
primitive and missing the manners she appreciated, Wolf was a very handsome man.
Sarah gazed down into her lap, her cheeks warming. She had no business thinking such things
about a man she barely knew. Thank goodness, she wasn’t small-minded enough to
let his heritage determine her treatment of him, but once they got to
Independence, she would thank him for his help and bid him farewell. There was
no room in her life for a man, now or in the future. Still, she dared another
glimpse at him through her lashes, fighting a strange sensation in the pit of
her stomach.
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