Tweetaholic? More on Book Promotion

I promised last week that I would write this week about Twitter, so I’m doing it even though I really want to tell you about my new DOG!!!! Well, I’ll tell you a little because she is sitting on my lap right now. She is a papillon, butterfly in French, and has the giant butterfly ears to prove it. She is A-dorable. No name selected yet, but we’re considering Jolie which means pretty in French or Poppy.

Okay, on to social media. As I said last week, I’m not a social media expert. I’m just sharing my personal experience, both as an author and a PR person. Last week we talked about Facebook and said it is a very personal platform. Twitter is a different animal. I am a Tweetaholic and use Twitter more than Facebook (although I appreciate Facebook more all the time). Twitter is far more a “broadcast” medium.  Much of the world’s news – earthquakes, fires, floods, divorces-- appears first on Twitter. On Twitter, you have “followers” and you want to have a lot of them because every one is a potential reader or friend of a reader. Start by following other writers – there are tons of them on Twitter. Not only do writers read a lot, they also have people who read them who might also want to read you. Yes, you only have 140 characters, but you get used to packing a lot into that short form, plus a link to something like your blog, your book buy link, a YouTube video, etc. (This post, for example, will be tweeted several times today.) 

Unlike Facebook, Twitter is ephemeral. You Tweet, it goes out, maybe it gets “retweeted” if people are interested, and it goes away. So you can come back later and tweet about the same thing. But, like on Facebook, you can’t be too pushy. People will unfollow you if you try to sell all the time. Only about a third of your tweets should be salesy. The rest should offer useful information, be retweets of other people, and comments on their tweets. While not as personal as Facebook, Twitter is still social, and the way you treat people matters.

People freak out over Twitter wondering how on earth they can read all those tweets, especially when you get over 1,000 followers. The answer is “you can’t”. You get an organizational tool like TweetDeck or Seesmic and use it to organize your tweets. You soon start to get a sense of who you want to follow most closely. When you come onto Twitter, you read the tweets you see and maybe comment on some. That might develop a new friend from somewhere in the world. One day I saw a tweet about a movie someone liked. I asked where she saw it. She said “the city”. I said Los Angeles? She said, no, Vienna!  A very international  platform.

Mostly, on Twitter, you comment on the people who have mentioned you. It sounds hard, but you’ll get the hang of it. There are regular events like Follow Friday when you can recognize people and they may recognize you and perhaps follow you in return. Regularly, you should follow people who interest you (Twitter will make suggestions or you can look at the lists of people you follow) and they may follow you back. Some people hate the relentless nature of Twitter. But it’s a fabulous place to promote your blog, your book, your book tour. You’ll find new people that you may want to friend on Facebook or Goodreads. It’s a must for self promotion by an author. Set aside a few minutes a couple or three times a day to participate. Just always remember that book promotion is more about the book than the promotion.  Which one do you like better?  Twitter or Facebook?  Why?

Also, if you pop over to my Book BLOG and follow and/or leave a comment, you may WIN a copy of Genetic Attraction, my M/M/F menage now available from Loose Id. 

Where or When? Let's Talk About Setting

As a reader, I love a really well-drawn setting with lots of nitty-gritty details, a setting that is just as key an element of a story as the characters. So I decided to talk a little about setting today.

First, a cautionary tale: I read a novel once that took place partly in my hometown in suburban New Jersey. I was probably sixteen when I read it, and I remember at first feeling proud and excited to see the name of my town—which pretty much nobody has heard of—so prominently displayed in a book. But then it became clear that the author had never actually been there, because the town in the novel bore little resemblance to the actual town where I lived. Had he just thrown a dart at a map?

Writing setting can be tricky. Do you choose a fictional place, which requires making up a lot of detail, or do you choose somewhere real and risk getting a few details wrong?

I've lived in New York City for almost a decade, which maybe doesn't make me an expert, but has given me enough frame of reference to set a story here and get most of the details right. It means that I'm also easily distracted when others get the details wrong, especially in movies. (There's a certain superhero movie, for example, that includes a dramatic scene on an elevated subway train that… goes through midtown. Although NYC has a few elevated subway tracks, you won't find any below 125th Street in Manhattan.)

I normally write stories that take place in real locations, and I like writing about New York in particular, but for The Boy Next Door, I chose to set the novel in the fictional town of Greenbriar, Connecticut. This gives me free reign to make things up—streets, parks, even the bar that's the main hangout of most of the residents of the town. I wanted the town to seem like a real place, though, and it's based somewhat on the little town I grew up in, both in terms of geography and the types of people who inhabit the town. I also grounded it in Western Connecticut geography. I have family there and spent summers there as a teenager, so it's an area I know pretty well. The characters namecheck a few real places—the Danbury Mall, the Brookfield Y—so the reader has a sense of about where this fictional town is located.

Writing about real places takes some research, but even if you can't get to the place, the internet has a wealth of information. (Google Street View is an amazing tool, for example.) Making up a town makes the research easier, but requires a lot of imagination. I personally like to draw maps and little sketches.

What do you think? How do you feel about setting? If you're a writer, what little tricks do you use to help get the details right? If you're a reader, what kinds of settings do you like (made up, real, historical, fantastical, etc.)?

Kate McMurray
www.katemcmurray.com
@katemcmwriter

Reading Slump

Yes, I'm in one. *sigh* I hate it when nothing on my to be read shelf appeals and I find myself in a reading slump. I can't figure out what I'd like to read.

Two of the last books I picked up, I didn't finish. One was a nonfiction book I'd gotten enough from. The other was a fiction book that I just couldn't get into. Neither of those experiences helps me.


Oddly enough the last few books I have read and enjoyed have been Young Adult books. Hate List by Jennifer Brown was an emotional wonderfully painful read. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, totally engrossing.



But even wandering through that section hasn't helped me find another book that calls to me.



I'm looking for a book I can sink my teeth into. I'm sure I'll find one soon but for now, I'll reread some things.

How do you break free from a reading slump?

Mechele Armstrong

www.mechelearmstrong.com

The sports hero and why I love him

People have asked me why many of my heroes are athletes. Here are a couple of reasons:

They're in great shape.
They're alpha males.
They have money.

Let's look at those reasons in more detail.

First, athletes are in great shape, as shown in Exhibit A, bull rider Brendon Clark, and Exhibit B, hockey player Sidney Crosby. Now, I don't know about y'all, but I love a man with a hot bod. What's sexier than watching your man sweat through a hard workout (especially if you're the one giving it to him)?

Additionally, athletes are alpha males. Why do we like alpha males? Because they're fiercely loyal, protective, strong, and more. A man like this is much preferred in my book than one who's laissez-faire - we want our men to fight for us and our love! And last, athletes have money. As much as the whole "starving artist" mystique lives on and on in our culture, I'd prefer to be fed filet mignon and take awesome vacations.

So now you know why I love sports heroes. What are some of your reasons?

New Release: The Boy Next Door by Kate McMurray

Hi, I'm Kate, I'm new to this here blog thingie (though not new to Loose Id). My new novel The Boy Next Door is available today! The book is about a man who reluctantly moves back to his hometown and has to confront a few demons; one of them is his new next-door neighbor who happens to have been his childhood best friend. But of course, nothing is ever easy, and Lowell's new neighbor has some demons of his own to deal with before they can have their happily ever after.

This book was a long time in the making, but I'm really excited about it and I hope you enjoy! Here's the blurb and a lil' excerpt.

BLURB:

When Lowell moves back to his hometown to take care of his ailing mother, the last person he expects to see living in the house next door is his childhood friend Jase, grown up now and more attractive than ever. Jase had starred in many of Lowell’s teenage fantasies, but Lowell is convinced Jase is straight. And yet, as they rekindle their friendship, it begins to look like Jase might not be so straight after all.

Jase has problems of his own: his troubled ex-wife has allowed him full custody of their daughter on one condition: he never exposes her to his affairs with other men. The arrangement works just fine until he starts falling for Lowell and a whole new world of possibilities opens up for him. But how can he have a relationship with a man and still keep his daughter?

EXCERPT:

Jase reflected on the week that had come and gone, feeling like it had been a week just like every other, only maybe it wasn’t, because something felt different. He’d gone to work, yes, and he’d hated himself every moment he sat at his desk, and there were bad meetings and too much to do. Layla had skinned her knee at camp, and then he’d burned dinner on Wednesday but had made Layla’s day by giving up and ordering pizza. He’d been kind of surprised when Karen followed through on her promise to take Layla to the city, expecting her to flake like she did so often these days. They were spending the night at Karen’s parents, so now he was by himself in his house, feeling drained and lonely.

He looked out the window and saw his neighbor’s battered Volkswagen sitting in the driveway. Without giving it much thought, he grabbed his wallet and keys and walked next door.

Lowell answered the door looking disheveled but kind of delicious. He had on a faded T-shirt and running shorts, and his hair was sticking out in several directions. He was sweaty, like he’d been working out, but something about the way Lowell smelled undid Jase. Lowell was sweaty, yes, but the smell was sweet and masculine. Jase wondered what it would be like to be closer to that body, to rub against the stubble on his chin, to take a deeper breath. He wanted to push Lowell against a wall and do unspeakable things to him. He took a step back, already hard, hoping Lowell’s gaze would stay above his waist. He forced himself to smile. “Hey,” he said.

“Hi.” Lowell looked mildly embarrassed. “Sorry I smell like a locker room. I just got back from a run.”

“It’s okay.” Saying he liked how Lowell smelled would probably have taken it too far. “I was wondering if you were doing anything tonight.”

“Not as such. Why? Did you have something in mind?”

“I thought we could go out, get a drink or something. Karen took Layla for the weekend, so I’m just rattling around in my house.”

“Okay, sure. Um. Give me ten minutes?”

Lowell’s house had the same basic layout as Jase’s, with the living room to the left of the front door, and a staircase to the right. Lowell indicated the couch in the living room. “Have a seat. Sorry for my house’s unfurnished state. Feel free to watch TV or something.” Then he ran upstairs.

Jase sat on the couch and heard water running through the pipes, indicating Lowell was in the shower. He looked around the room. It was tasteful. Sparse, yes, but all of Lowell’s furniture and decorations had a sleek, modern aesthetic. Jase supposed this would make sense, since Lowell was a graphic designer. He’d probably spent time carefully picking things out instead of filling his house with whatever was easily available.

There were several magazines on the coffee table, most of them art or design related, though there was a men’s fashion magazine that had a really hot model on the cover. Jase decided it was safer to avoid that one, so he picked up an art magazine and flipped through it, barely registering what appeared in any of the pictures.

He kept thinking that Lowell lived in a completely different world than he did, one that was urbane and beautiful, not cluttered and full of kids and baseball games. For the first time since they’d been reunited, Jase started to feel a little bit of that breach between them that had formed when they were teenagers.

As promised, Lowell bounded down the stairs ten minutes later, wearing a navy blue T-shirt and a pair of madras shorts, his hair toweled dry. “Let me just figure out where I left my sandals,” he said, disappearing into the back of the house. He returned a moment later, sandals on his feet and keys in his hand.

“I’ll drive,” Jase said.

“Okay.” Lowell grinned. The grin was completely disarming, the sort of smile that transformed Lowell from a good-looking guy to a knockout. Jase felt that smile in his gut.

Buy it here!

Kate McMurray
www.katemcmurray.com
@katemcmwriter

Book Promotion: Facebook Fanatic?

Have you noticed that people tend to be huge fans of either Twitter or Facebook and will use one a lot and the other very little or not at all? Actually, while you may prefer one, you have to do both because they are very different in the way they reach people and even the people they reach. I started out trying to cover both in one discussion and was heading toward a 900 word post. I figured that would try your patience, so this week I’ll talk about Facebook which I think is the easiest to grasp. Next week we’ll cover Twitter (my personal fave). Please note, I’m not a social media expert. This is my experience over the last six months introducing myself and my first novel, Genetic Attraction, plus some of my PR training.

So, let’s discuss Facebook, the most popular social media tool and subject of the film, The Social Network (great movie, by the way.) I am active on Facebook, but don’t begin to use all its tools. I don’t have a fan page and don’t think I’ll need one for a long while (fan pages are great when you want to exceed your 5000 friend limit. I should be so fortunate! LOL). So, for beginning purposes, here are some things to remember.

Your Facebook page is a part of your persona as a writer. Whether you write under your own name or not, do NOT mix your personal friends and chats with them with your professional friends. Create two different Facebook accounts and keep them separate. But, with that said, remember Facebook is a personal medium. This means you communicate with the people on Facebook as you would a friend. You share semi-personal information, things about your life, something fun you see on YouTube or television. You chat and, above all, you comment on other people’s posts, share their triumphs and mourn their losses. On Facebook, you may post an announcement about your blog or your new release once. But it stays, so you can’t push it. Facebook is not a pushy platform and people get really mad if you try to sell them. Fecebook is about friends. Be friendly! My friend, Sloan Parker is, IMO, the master of Facebook interaction, and if you want to know how to use it well, watch her.

Who do you follow? I’d start with other writers, publishers, agents, people whose information you really want to know. As you grow your list, Facebook will suggest other friends like the ones you have. You can see your friends’ lists and perhaps ask to friend some of those people. Because of the nature of Facebook, most people (even your number one author idol!) will agree to be friends with you. It’s a kick! You can have real conversations on Facebook, but mostly you want to “be a friend” to the people who you follow. Do that, and when you ask for support, like for a blog tour or book advice, chances are they will give it. And it gives your growing number of fans a place to find you and interact with you personally. I have people who like my books who see me online and come and chat.

Like all social media, Facebook can be addictive. Resist. You need time to write. But it is a marvelous way to meet people and cement relationships. If you’re not using it, go over and sign up. It’s easy. If you have an account but don’t use it, start looking for friends and vow to visit the page once a day to comment on their posts. You’ll be delighted with the results.

What is your favorite social media tool? Why do you like it best?

Are You Ready for Some Football?

Hi, there, I'm new Loose Id author, Jami Davenport, and I'm very happy to announce that I've contracted with Loose Id to publish my football hero romance, Fourth and Goal, the first book in my Seattle Lumberjacks Football Series.

While I don't personally believe in "books of my heart" (as every book should be the book of an author's heart if she's putting her soul into the book), but this book comes close to being that book. Fourth and Goal has been floating around in my head for close to fifteen, maybe twenty years. I've written and discarded pieces of it over the years, put it on a back burner when I found out NY pubs believe sports hero romances don't sell, and a few years ago decided to drag it out. To heck with what does or doesn't sell. After all, I also write equestrian romances, and those don't "sell" either.

I love football, and I know other women love football, too. According to statistics, an estimated 45 percent of NFL fans are female. So do NY publishers think these women don't read? And don't read romance novels? I beg to differ.

The few football hero romances currently published annoy me because the heroines usually hate football and/or know nothing about it. I wanted to write a romance novel series for women who love football, have a decent knowledge of the game, and want to read about a heroine who knows her football.

Rachel, my heroine, grew up in a football-crazed family with a coach dad and football player brothers. She has an uncanny eye for evaluating football talent and diagnosing a player's strengths and weaknesses. She aspires to be a pro football scout. The book follows Derek, an almost washed-up football player, through his and his team's journey from basement dwellers to Super Bowl contenders.

As part of my book research, last September I had the absolute thrill of attending the Seattle Seahawks Football 101 at the Seahawks headquarters (aka Virginia Mason Athletic Center) in Renton, WA. The proceeds from the workshop benefited breast cancer. The workshop was organized and ran by players' and coaches' wives and Seahawks staff.

The day started with a pep talk by head coach Pete Carroll, Q&A sessions with players and their wives, autograph sessions, an explanation of the game by former Seahawks, running through drills on the practice field, and appetizers in the players' dining room, along with raffles and door prizes. Oh, and we all left with a playbook and a gift bag FULL of Seahawks goodies which I shared with my husband.

Me in the auditorium at Seahawks headquarters

Almost all NFL teams have a similar workshop geared toward women, usually during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. If you're a football fan or if you've decided you need to learn more about the game, check out your local team's website next August or September to find out the date and time of their Football 101 workshop.

I highly recommend it even if you don't like football. The Seahawks' workshop was professionally done, and everyone who spoke was entertaining and funny. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time.In fact, my hubbie's going with me next time. He was really jealous he missed it.

Me running a drill on the practice field

It was an incredible experience, and my neighbor and I are definitely going next year. I've posted several pictures on my Facebook page if you'd like to see what it was like.

In the meantime, I'm hoping there's a market for a book like mine. Time will tell, but I'm putting my faith in all those female NFL fans.

http://www.jamidavenport.com/
http://www.facebook.com/jamidavenport

Confessions of an erotic romance writer

A friend said, “I love you dearly, but I don’t know if I should read one of your books. How could I ever look at you the same way again? You’re so quiet, so shy, so sweet, and your books are so....”

This isn't the first time I've heard this reaction. I blame Barbara Cartland for dictating her perennial best sellers from a fainting couch while togged out the the max. Dictating is out of the question for me. My brain only engages when the fingers are connecting with the keyboard. Obviously, I don't look the part of a glamorous erotic romance author. Note to self: stock up on feather boas and backless pumps. On second thought, never mind. I'd feel silly and probably trip over the boa.

Naturally, I murmured something to my friend about how I wouldn’t want her to feel uncomfortable. And while I don’t see myself quite the same way my friends do, my real life persona is quiet, shy, and a bit dull, especially when compared with my characters’ adventures.

Most writers are introverts. Who else would choose such a solitary profession? We do tend to be a shy and sensitive lot. And yet we slave a way at an occupation guaranteed to thrust us into the spotlight (if we succeed)--a shy person’s worst nightmare. One of life’s ironies.

So why do we do it? There are probably as many different answers as there are authors. I can only speak for myself. The characters I write about are very real to me. They are the children of my imagination. I am protective of them. I struggle to bring them to life, and then I fight to give them the very best possible chance at finding a home in readers’ hearts.

Virtual motherhood is a strange, empowering phenomena, one that turns an otherwise mild mannered woman into lionesses willing to brave harsh critics and scandalized friends and family in order to protect and nurture the offspring of her dreams.

What would your friends be surprised to know about you?

Find out what else I'm up to at Evanne Lorraine

Do You Know Me? 5 Things You Can Do To Promote Yourself for Free

Let me whip out the old American Express card. I'm Josh Lanyon. If you read m/m fiction the name is probably vaguely familiar to you. Your response to "Josh Lanyon" may be positive or negative or merely oh yeah, I think I've heard of him, but generally if you know this genre, you know of me.

And that, of course, is the goal of each and every new writer.

You want name recognition. It would be delightful if, with that name recognition, came an automatic fuzzy, warm feeling, but it doesn't work that way. And it's not the topic of today's post. Today's post is one dear to the hearts of writers both old and new, because we're all constantly scrabbling for a better foothold on the precarious slope that is our writing career. Today's post contains five quick and easy things you can to promote yourself for free.


1 - Become a regular reader and commenter on popular blogs. It doesn't get much easier than this. Show up and participate. Interact with readers and other authors. This has the added benefit of keeping you abreast of what's happening in your community, which is a good and useful thing. When your name pops up on a regular basis and people come to associate it with smart, insightful comments, it becomes a little advertisement for your work.

You can start this strategy long before your book is actually published. There are a number of writers I became interested in simply because they commented regularly enough on places I frequented and I began to get a sense of "knowing" them.

Caution: the internet -- and this genre in particular -- are prone to sweeps of ill-thought self-righteous hysteria on any given topic. Avoid that stuff. Very rarely do the people yelling the loudest have all the facts. And everyone looks foolish after the confetti has settled.

2 - Write an article for a webzine or popular blog on a topic you know well. And for God's sake DON'T write about writing or self-promotion. You heard me right. Try and avoid writing about writing. Why? Because this is the absolute first idea that leaps to everyone's mind. It's safe, it's harmless, and it's invisible.

I know what you're thinking. Establish yourself as an expert was one of those pieces of advice they dished out when the internet was new and still wet behind the ears. And that was -- and is -- good advice, but on what topic do all writers imagine themselves experts? Writing. So everyone is out there blabbing about writing. And they're mostly blabbing to other writers.

Do I honestly need to tell you why this is a mistake?

What else are you an expert on? How can you take that expertise and apply it to writing -- even apply it in such a way that other writers might conceivably turn to you for advice? Do you have medical know-how? Are you fluent in a language? Do you have a degree in a particular historical period? How are you unique from everyone else in this genre?

Your uniqueness is the selling point.




3 - Use an email address that matches your pen name. This is a no brainer, surely? All your communication should be under the name you're promoting, your "brand," as it were. It's confusing to see Betty Johnson railing away on a list about this, that, and the other and get to the bottom of her post and find out that she's actually the author of nine erotic romances under the nom de plume of Jackson Hole.

You want all the indicators leading to your author identity. And if you don't have an email address for your author identity it's like you don't expect to be in business very long. I mean, you can get these email addresses at hotmail. They're free. Why wouldn't you do this?

4 - Give away books. I know. It seems counterintuitive. You're not earning that much to start with. And now I'm advising you to cut into your profits. Consider those pennies lost as money invested in advertising. Send books to reviewers, sure, but give books to regular readers too.

Why? Because you're trying to establish something called Word of Mouth. Word of mouth is what happens when readers like your stories and, all unsolicited, talk you up to other readers. And so on and so on. There is no single better promotional thing that can happen to you. Period. All the banner ads, all the glowing reviews, all the authors blurbing each other, NONE of that can compare to the effectiveness of a handful of readers who love your work and share that love with their friends.

Give books away.

5 - Post excerpts. This can be tricky, I admit it. Readers sometimes buy books based on reviews, but the number one decider in whether a reader reads a book will be her feeling as she skims the first few paragraphs. And while you may think all you need is for the reader to buy your book, what you really need is a reader to buy all your books -- and that only happens if they like your books.

When you post excerpts, a reader gets to sample your work and one of three things happens: the book doesn't sound like her kind of thing, the book sounds like something he wants to read right now, and -- most commonly -- the book sounds like something she or he wants to read eventually.

And how you get that reader to move you from the "eventually" pile to the Must Have Right Now pile has to do with repeated exposure to the work and to you -- which is where all those other little seemingly invisible efforts start to pay off.

Readers, what kinds of promotional efforts appeal to you? What kinds of things turn you off?

Authors, what's your biggest challenge in getting the word out there?

My first book of many... I hope.

My first book, Blind Passion has just been released by Loose-Id and I can't be any happier. It's taken me years to get here but I've arrived. Yay me!

Here is the blurb:

Attraction for Adam was not a handsome face, a striking smile, or beautiful eyes, but a scent that would drive him to distraction or a voice that could make his heart beat faster. When the combination of the two walked into his life in Luke, Adam couldn’t help but want him. But how was he supposed to know if Luke felt the same attraction? He had no prior experience, no past encounters, nothing to help him. Not even his sight.

One look at Adam and Luke wanted him. Sensual, gorgeous, kind, with a strength that Luke was drawn to, Adam was everything Luke desired. Being in Adam’s arms, showing him the pleasure of a man’s body, being touched, held, and desired in return, had Luke wanting more, had him wanting what he knew he couldn’t have.
It didn’t matter to him that Adam was blind, but Adam deserved more than someone like him. Luke was a man with a broken past and falling in love with Adam was a foolish thing to do, especially because Adam would never love him back if he found out what Luke was hiding.

To read an excerpt please click here.

Thanks
Penny
http://www.pennybrandon.blogspot.com/
My Heart's Choice: for those who love romance in all its forms.

Book Promotion: Start Before You Need To

I have a dear friend who is a NYT best-selling author who retired recently, partly due to the need to promote her own books. Back in the glory days, publishers did most all the promotion, and authors just had to show up. Not so today. Even the best are expected to promote themselves.

I’m new to fiction writing, so I don’t know any better. Plus, I differ from many authors in that I have a background in public relations, so I take to the promotion stuff pretty easily. I don’t yet know how my promotional activities will pay off in sales, if at all. After all, I’m brand new. But I have had writer friends ask me to talk about what I do for promotion. So over the next few posts, if people want, I’ll talk about various aspects of book promotion from my very newbie viewpoint.

First, start before you need to. I put up my author blog, http://taralain.blogspot.com, back last June before I had even submitted my books to Loose Id. I created the blog to support what I wanted my “brand identity” to be. (Please forgive these over used words. You get the idea.) I wrote about other people’s books in my genre. I did special reports on kissing, on androgyny, and lots of pictures of beautiful men. I developed a small following, and have continued to post to the blog about twice a week. I monitor it daily on Google Analytics to see how it falls off between posts, and which posts are most popular. Most important, the blog helped make some people aware of me. I promote the blog continuously on Twitter and Facebook, and developed more awareness there. (The use of Twitter and FB are subjects for another post.)

After my first book was accepted for publication, I took Christy Lockhart’s suggestion and started posting on craft topics – where the ideas come from, writing your passion, etc I still did racy and funny videos and pictures to keep up the image. These posts built my following further.

Also upon acceptance of the novel, I developed my website. I figured people would now start to check it out, and I needed an authoritative platform to show I was a serious author. Please note, I developed both my blog and my website myself. I have very limited technical skills, and they don’t look very slick or professional, but I know how to change them myself without relying on a webmaster. Updating your site is the key to ongoing traffic building, so, for now, I’m trading the look for the ease-of-use – and the low cost.

Well in advance of publication, I also started blogging at Savvy Authors and collecting friends on Goodreads. Some of LI’s authors were kind enough to invite me to participate in their Yahoo chats. The bottom line is that before my book came out, there were people waiting for it and people who knew my name. Now, whether they bought it, THAT’S another story I won’t know for weeks and months to come. LOL!!

What do you do well in advance of a release to “prime the pump”? : )

Genetic Attraction is NOW AVAILABLE: http://www.loose-id.com/Genetic-Attraction.aspx

Want to see some of my promotional activities? I'll discuss different tools in future posts:

E-mail: tara@taralain.com

Website: http://www.taralain.com

Author blog: http://taralain.blogspot.com

Book blog: http://beautifulboysbooks.blogspot.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4541791.Tara_Lain

Savvy Authors: http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/member.php?2398-Tara-Lain

Twitter: http://twitter.com/taralain

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Tara-Lain/100001514105686

Armadillo Attack!

I could have misinterpreted its intentions, but if it wasn’t trying to attack, it was trying to scare me to death.

Last week, I forgot my netbook at work. After dinner, my hubby very kindly agreed to drive into back into work with me. I opened the front door and heard a weird noise. Ten feet away, right beside the path to the car, was an armadillo. I tell my husband. He says he can’t see it. Cleverly I move out of the doorway into the corner, outside. Mistake #1. Hubby claps his hands & shakes his keys to scare it away. Mistake #2. The armadillo popped up, turned around, and CHARGED us!

I shriek like I’m being chased by Freddy Kruger. My husband has to repeat “Get in the house” twice before I start moving. Because seriously, I was unable to move (and I‘m SO pleased to know I‘d be one of those annoying screamers in horror films who usually get whacked first because they just STAND there).

Finally, we were able to get into the house and slam the door shut. But what’s up with that armadillo? Are they aggressive? Do they bite? Hello… I’m from CANADA! I don’t know these things. Are they attracted to loud noises? That may explain the large number of them I’ve seen as road kill.

After some paranoid peeking out of the window, we sneak into the car and head to my work. Whereupon hubby says “I think armadillos carry some sort of disease. Starts with an L. And it’s not lycanthropy*. They don’t turn you into were-dillos.” Love the way his mind works, but then my naughty little brain prompts me to respond with, “What, were-dildos?” There’s GOT to be a story I can write around were-dildos, right? Erotic romance flavoured with a Douglas Adams-esque sensibility. ;)

Despite the fact I was a complete idiot and almost got mowed down by a rampaging were-dildo… er… armadillo, the night wasn’t a total loss. Hubby bought me ice cream, and I’ve got a possible concept for a humorous story (and a blog entry, let‘s not forget that). And if a psychotic kinkajou or capybara or yes, even an armadillo, shows up in a future story you can be sure the inspiration source was this memorable moment.

*side note: Hubby later remembered the disease was leprosy. Leprosy?!? I did a paper on leprosy for a paleopathology course in university, and I don’t recall ARMADILLOS mentioned even once in my research! I do remember leprosy is not easy to catch, thankfully, but I’m still going to be worried about the vicious, leprosy-riddled, space alien larvae every time I leave the house after dark. Because, seriously, I need MORE neuroses in my life.

Probably I should have introduced myself, but I'm as terrible at that online as I am in person. I'm KC Burn, I've got two releases with Loose Id, and I'm amazed to be in such great company.

KC Burn

Beguiled by Paisley Smith Now Available at Amazon and ARE

My Loose Id lesbian historical romance, Beguiled, is now available for Kindle and at All Romance Ebooks for Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Reader, HTML, Mobipocket, Epub.

Blurb

The Civil War has torn Belle Holloway’s world apart. Left to manage her Georgia plantation with little help, she is exasperated when the Union Army adds to her burden by leaving a wounded soldier behind. But upon closer examination, Belle is shocked to discover the soldier is actually a beguiling woman.

Clad in male attire, stubborn, brash Alice O’Malley awakens a passion in Belle she never knew existed. Alice dominates Belle’s lonely existence with taboo pleasures and erotic escape. Soon Belle realizes she is more than willing to submit her body and her heart to the woman whose strength and compassion she admires -- until those very attributes prove to be the catalyst that could destroy their newfound love.

Click HERE to read the unpublished prologue and HERE to read an excerpt.

Coming Fall 2011 - Girls Who Bite Anthology

For more info about me check out my website at Paisley-Smith.com

The Big Picture: Some Things Do Get Easier

With the start of 2011 came the revising phase of the two erotic romances I’ve been working on for the past few months. One is a suspense featuring Walter Simon from MORE; the other is a friends-to-lovers story, and both include a passionate romance that steams up the e-reader (or so I hope).

Since revising is where most of my energy is focused lately, that’s what today’s post is all about.

I’ll be editing these manuscripts for a while before I dig into a new project, but that doesn’t bother me. I enjoy going over and over a story, adding in the little details that build stronger characters and increase the emotions and sexual tension.

One of my writing goals for this year is to write faster, which means producing fewer drafts for each project. I thought I did pretty well on these latest “first drafts” until I started reviewing one of the manuscripts. There are more plot and pacing revisions needed than I had expected.

It’s not a bad thing, though. With one day of frustration and three productive days of making revision notes, I’ve figured out some of the issues. I feel good about that. There are many times I’m too close to my work and can’t see the big picture. I’m hoping this means I’m getting better at objectively examining my writing.

Working out these issues has taught me a few things:

1) It gets easier to cut scenes.
Not sure if it’s because I’m cutting scenes early in my self-editing process or because after working with Loose Id on two books, I’m able to see issues more clearly and accept that the story will be stronger if I make the cuts. Whatever the reason, I’ve spent the last two days cutting and combining scenes, and I can see the improvements at a higher level.

2) Listen to my internal reader.
When writing a scene, I shouldn’t focus solely on whether the scene is right for the story (is it moving the plot along, is it building characterization, etc.) but also ask myself if it’s a scene readers will find interesting. The most important scene for the story’s plot may very well be the most boring, non-essential scene for a romance reader.

3) Listen to my gut.
If my gut tells me to veer off the planned outline, I should do it! Many writers who plot out their books beforehand will admit this is an important point to accept when it comes to effective plotting, and I was reminded of that this week. Sometimes even the best laid plans need to be revised once they are put into action.

4) Magical things happen after that first draft.
As I took note of the necessary revisions and locations for adding details, I could see the story strengthening and was reminded that layering in emotions and characterizations is what makes a story unique. This is the part where I love being a writer.

So yeah, it might take some time to get these books ready to submit to my editor, but I feel like I’m on the right path and that’s a great place to be.

Sloan Parker
www.sloanparker.com

A New Year With New Fun

Hey all,

We made it through 2010.  Yeah!  And from what I can see so far, 2011 will be a great year.  I've got several books already scheduled to come out through the first part of the year, my newsletter is going strong, I get tons of hits on my blog and FREE READ and the ideas swarming through my mind tell me I could be writing into the next century, not just this next week.

The book I have with Loose Id is actually one of my favorites, and the sequels I think will also be ones I reread over and over again.  I like that about my work.  That I can read and enjoy it as I do other authors.  I guess that's the sign of a favorite author.  That we can read their work over and over again.

For 2011, I have plans to finish several series I've got, including The Warrior Trilogy that has it's first book here at Loose Id.  This sci-fi world on another planet has intrigue, romance, a hot hero, and empathic heroine and all the yummy sex you could want.

The sequels will have more of the same, plus new characters along with those you've already met.

When I wrote More Than a Warrior, I had no idea it would be one of my favorite books.  I love the way the characters met, and I'm always surprised at how much I enjoy reading that part over and over. And the intimacy that springs up between them is romantic and sexy at the same time.

Jhoral is definitely an alpha male and Lanai, though an innocent at first, is strong, smart and stubborn.  She's more than Jhoral's match as a mate.  

And the reviews have been awesome.  The story has been called powerful, stunning, explosive and a tale that will stir the heart.  And I love that my readers think so much of the book.  It makes me want to write even more stories about the characters.

And 2011 will be the year I finish the trilogy.  I hope you all will enjoy the sequels as much as you did the first story.  And for those who haven't had a chance read the book, what are you waiting for?  *smile*   Start your 2011 out right with a fantastic sci-fi story that will keep you warm on these cold winter nights.

For an excerpt and more information, check my website.  http://cjengland.com/series and click on The Warrior Trilogy.

Blessings and see you all next month,

CJ England

 Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

How do Authors Write?

Ever wondered just how your favourite authors... well, write?

Take a look over at Teddy Pig's blog. He's previewing screenshots from authors using Scrivener as their writing tool of choice.

I've used Scrivener for a while now and LOVE it. It's so easy to bring everything together - research, links, images (even sound I think) so it's always in one spot just waiting for the moment you need it.

It's an OCD planner/outliner's wet dream, but still perfect even for a pantser like me for helping me stay on track. Check out some of the things 2.0 can do. I know I barely touch the surface of what I could do with this software.

For $45 Scrivener is so worth the money, it's not funny.

On Running Behind Schedule

Traffic Light Tree by Squirmelia

It is a truth universally recognized that when you are running late, you are almost guaranteed to hit every last red light on the way. And possibly a traffic jam or two. It’s just the way things are; who doesn’t know that feeling of sitting in traffic, one hand white-knuckled around the steering wheel while you bang on the dash with the other, chanting to the transportation gods, making wild promises in exchange for making up a few minutes of time?

Oddly enough, this karmic return on postponing getting our asses in gear by a reasonable time is not limited to just doctor appointments, flights, and work schedules, but it shows up all over the place. I notice it especially when I have a deadline looming.

As a writer, a “non-traditional” (read: kinda old) college student, and a full time office drone, I am well familiar with the whooshing sound due dates make as they go by. Something like a cross between an Apache helicopter and a Concorde jet, the passing of a deadline is pretty damn hard to mistake for anything else. And just like how you don’t want to be caught out in the open when the birds bring the rain or out of your seat when the sound barrier is broken, letting a deadline sneak up on you can have disastrous effects.

I think I’ve properly beaten that simile to death, don’t you?

But the point isn’t how far I can stretch a shaky turn of phrase, as much as the fact that the more behind you get and the closer to your drop dead date, the more of a son of a bitch old Murphy and his Laws can be. Because let’s be honest – when you’re running on time, or even early, it’s always smooth sailing, isn’t it? It’s kind of like getting a few thousand words ahead in NaNoWriMo.

In fact, as far as deadlines go, NaNo is a pretty good example; you’ve got the secure comfort of short to medium-length deadlines in your daily and monthly goal, on top of the frantic hurry-hurry-hurry-damn-the-red-lights sensation that always comes with an impending due date and a mountain of work to be done. But you still know what you’re getting into from the very beginning, as insane of an undertaking as it might be, and so you’re able to plan for making up lost writing time thanks to Thanksgiving (if you celebrate), or birthdays, or even padding in for unforeseen circumstances like getting five chapters in and scrapping the whole manuscript and starting over with a new plot. You can deal with those things if you use your deadline to help you plan, and you’ll even survive. Kind of.

Me, I have a love/hate relationship with deadlines. I love the comfort and security that comes with knowing what to expect in the future, and at the same time, there is still that immature part of me that stomps her mental foot at being told what to do. And, since I’m a Gemini, I can totally admit to these two parts going to war with each other on a regular basis (other astrological signs, don't try this at home).

But then there are the times when I tell my teenage self to shut the hell up and sit the hell down, because I have my first blog post to write for Loose Ends, and I need to get it done. And I sit my ass down and start typing, only to have truly pretty links pop up from my friends. Even my OCD self can’t help but appreciate something that fine. Go on, I’ll wait. In fact, I think I'll watch a movie:



The fact of the matter is that I know all about red lights and handing in papers still warm from the laser printer. I know what it’s like to plan ahead and then get distracted and have to scramble to catch up.

But I also know what it’s like to win NaNoWriMo because I busted my ass for a solid month. And I’ve delivered a promised manuscript in time to make the production schedule. Getting Where the Heart Is done enough to satisfy my perfectionist self and in time to make our Thanksgiving release date was one hell of a learning experience, but Jenny and I survived and can look back on it now and say that it was actually a lot of fun.

Oh, Murphy’s Law tries to screw with me when I write. I have a spouse that likes to do things like talk to me, a lonely cat that still doesn't understand where his sickly sister went to, a brother that's moved in for an indeterminate period of time and has the sole hobby of video gaming, school that needs doing, friends that feel neglected, day job that needs changing... but I just push right on through those red lights at every chance I get. This is what I want to do, this is my job, and I'm not going to let a few measly roadblocks get in my way now.

Besides, if I were to get pulled over for that (in my living room, no less!), I’d just tell the cop that sure, there’s a fire. And wait until you see the sexy fireman…

How about you? Do you ride up on your deadlines with white knuckles and caffeine overdoses, or are you a planner that gets it all done?


See you next month!

Love,

Elizabeth
http://www.urbansilver.net

Allow me to introduce myself... Cassandra Carr

Hello all! My name is Cassandra Carr, and I'm a debut author. My first book, Talk to Me, will be released by Loose Id in March. I'm really excited!

I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself and give you a little preview of Talk to Me. For starters, I'm a stay-at-home working mom, which means that I take care of my young daughter AND write for a living. When do I write? Before she wakes up in the morning (if I can drag myself out of my nice, warm bed!), while she naps, and after she goes down for the night. With those limits on my time I need to be vigilant about writing when I can.

Most of my writing is in the erotic romance genre, but I occasionally also write single-title contemporary romance. Many of my heroes are connected to sports because I'm a huge hockey fan and I also love professional bull riding. My current work-in-progress is the first book in a series using bull riders as my heroes. After all, who doesn't love a cowboy?

I started writing in grade school, but only got serious about doing it for a living in 2008 when I was pregnant with my daughter. I didn't want to go back to work outside the house, so I told my wonderful, supportive husband I was going to write and sell a book. I still haven't sold that one (a contemporary single-title), but after I finished that one I started writing Talk to Me, and the rest is history!

Here's a short excerpt from Talk to Me. I'll be back on this blog in a few weeks and I'll share another little snippet then!

WARNING - FOR ADULTS ONLY!!!

Jamie was sure she’d go off the deep end if she didn’t get away from him. She was on serious Drew overload, between recording the promo and listening to him do the show. Try as she might, she couldn’t block out the sound of his speech as it seemed to echo endlessly through the production booth, mocking her. Each little shift in timbre, each subtle change in resonance glided over her like diamonds falling through her fingers. As he set up a commercial break, Jamie stifled a groan. Two more hours of this would be sheer torture.

She shifted in her seat yet again as she queued up the sports report. That task completed, she was running her hands through her hair, making it inevitably even more Medusa-like, when the intercom from the studio sounded. She jumped. How was it that he was forever scaring the crap out of her? She glanced up at him.

“Yes?”

“Thanks for coming in today.”

“Oh, no problem. It’s my job.”

The corner of Drew’s mouth kicked up as he chuckled and more warmth spread through Jamie, stealing her breath. “Yeah, well, you’d never know it from the other guys who worked here. So, anyway, I appreciate it.”

Jamie could only nod. Luckily she was still aware enough to realize they were coming back from break. She switched back to the studio feed and Drew continued the show. Jamie rose from her chair, removing her headphones and briefly taking a turn around the room in a vain attempt to calm her frazzled nerves. She needed to get a grip. Unfortunately, she was afraid there was only one way she would be able to assuage this ache, but it would have to wait until she got home.

By the time the show ended and Jamie thought about how long it would take her to shut everything down for the night, then hustle herself off to the subway station, take the three different trains to get to her apartment all the way out in Brooklyn, she was truly afraid she would self-combust.

Drew ran out of the place like a bomb scare had been called in, so at least she didn’t have to worry about him anymore. Nonetheless, Jamie waited a good ten minutes past when she was finished with her nightly duties, then made her way back to the small production room where she and Drew had recorded his promo earlier. She knew a copy of it would still be stored on the computer in the room, and after scooting in and shutting the door, she booted it up. She told herself she needed to check it one more time before giving it to the station manager tomorrow, but who was she kidding? She needed to hear him, but in a safe environment where she couldn’t do anything stupid. She needed his voice to weave inside her, through her, like a drug.

The rough, yet strangely melodic sounds of Drew’s voice drifted over Jamie as she leaned back in her chair. Closing her eyes, she pictured his face in her mind – his to-die-for lips traveling down the length of her body, just as her hand was doing at the moment; his navy blue eyes, focused only on her as he brought her to orgasm… She reached the button of her jeans and eased them open, propping her feet up on the desk.

She couldn’t believe she was doing this at work, but no one was around, and if she didn’t do something to assuage this ache, she was likely to jump him the next time she saw him. Bad idea. Bad, bad idea. Fantasizing about the man was one thing: straddling his powerful, muscular thighs in the studio chair and offering herself to him was another. That thought brought another rush of heat to her pussy, and she moaned. She needed serious help.

At first she just teased herself a little, rubbing outside her panties, but it soon became too much. She needed relief too badly to continue to torment herself. As Drew’s voice continued to assail her from all directions in the small, windowless room, she pushed her hand down inside the waistband of her panties and through her curls until she found the damp center of her sex. The sweet smell of her musk wafted up to tickle her nose, arousing her even more.

Twirling her fingers in as much as the constricting position allowed her to, she imagined they were Drew’s tongue instead. She let out a plaintive moan as the picture caused her juices to flow even more, soaking her fingers. Plunging two into her pussy, she pressed her thumb directly on her clit, craving the direct stimulation. Jamie gasped as shockwaves of pleasure shot from her pussy through her clit and up her spine as her back arched. And through it all, Drew’s voice urged her to new heights…

So there you have it! Stay tuned to read another excerpt in a few weeks!

A Taste Of Scarlet

This is my first release with Loose Id and I'm nervous and excited and thrilled.

Desire burns away every boundary separating an Alpha werewolf from his Omega mate, but they are still the couple least likely to bond. Daniel is the only one who can heal Scarlet’s broken werewolf connection. If he succeeds then the pack’s needs eclipse his claim on her heart. If he fails they both die.

With the right players even the most mundane chore takes on new excitement. Scarlet ran to the store for a few essentials and….

On any other night, she would have tucked her dormant tail between her legs and run back through the woods all the way to the safety of the old house. But not tonight. How could she track the whisperer if she was too cowardly even to buy groceries?

Her arm trembled as she reached for the handle. No cringing, she reminded herself firmly. She was on a mission. Wimping out at the first sign of an Alpha wouldn’t cut it. She wasn’t a submissive Beta, and even a flawed Omega did not cower. Besides, she was still in charge, not her inner bitch. Nothing would ever change unless Scarlet took action.

Abruptly she pushed into the store. Grabbing a basket, she scurried toward the dairy section clear in the back.
She spotted the Alpha instantly. Aggression rolled off shoulders big enough to block the coming moonlight. Even in human form, he prowled toward her — a powerful male in his prime, pure lethal poetry in motion, and scary as hell.

As Scarlet fought to hold her ground, she felt her inner wolf hum for the first time in a decade. Her breath caught; she was afraid to breathe, afraid to believe. She’d endured so many treatments, sessions with the visiting Omega, meetings with Alphas to overcome her phobia of the dominant males, but nothing had worked to restore her damaged connection to her inner Omega bitch.

Hope beat wildly at her Omega’s gentle but unmistakable nudge toward the Alpha, infusing Scarlet with badly needed courage. Perhaps the connection wasn’t as damaged as she and the pack had believed. The link responding so soon made her impulsive trip to the mountains seem more like a valid inspiration and less like a desperate chase after myths.

Her wolf’s message came through loud and clear: this Alpha was different. In a good way?

Gradually her heart rate slowed to something almost normal, her knees firmed, and she took a step forward. Alpha or not, her wolf had responded to him, and that was all that mattered.

Suddenly she couldn’t look directly at him. A weird tingling washed over her skin. If she’d been wearing fur, it would have fluffed. In challenge or dare, she wondered. Definitely not in terror, which was freakily strange for her.

Determined and more than a little curious, she braved another step.

As he came closer, she forced herself to meet his gaze. Instantly his dark gray eyes pinned her in place.

She quickly dropped her focus to the floor, quivering with tension, but she didn’t panic. Her inner bitch made a throaty sound of approval. The sudden urge to grovel and show him her throat washed over her, making staying upright a challenge.

When she darted another look, he’d halved the distance separating them. He stopped, glanced down at his hip, and glared at an insistent buzz from his pager. A deep rumble of irritation issued from his throat. The sound was so loud, she could’ve sworn it shook the pyramid display of microwave popcorn on his left.

Once again, she sensed his focus locking on her.

“Stay,” he growled at her. Then he whirled and strode off, disappearing down the soups and spices aisle.

Read more about my dangerously sexy stories at Evanne Lorraine