Friday, July 31, 2015

Dr. Joan Barbara Simon Sharing her #RockingSummerRomance






LONG TIME WALK ON WATER  by Joan Barbara Simon


Summary:

Emily Thompson, Rose to her friends, emigrates to the motherland, England, in search of a better life. It will be hard work for the young mother in this rich man’s country; above all she must also come to terms with this unknown phenomenon; di Hinglish dem.

James Dunbar. Jack is what he answers to. Picking his way through the mucky incidents of life, he consoles himself that things will get better.

They happen to meet at a bus-stop, Emily and Jack.

A tale of how the humble live whilst waiting for their dreams to come true.

The door slammed after a quick “Thank you!”, after the taxi-driver had been paid and had winked at her as he drove off, wheeling his vehicle round in a seamless U-turn further down the road.

            So, this was Beswick Road. An infantry of redbrick and glass, shoulder to shoulder. Not many people on the street. Not like back home. Pale, lonely-looking, dreary herds had wandered, morosely, past her cab window as cab-man insisted through the London streets to her new home, Hinglan, where the sun seemed to have changed its mind. Rose wondered how on earth it might have come about that such a cold, miserable place be praised melodiously in parishes far and wide for its green and pleasant lands. It began drizzling. Again. Light flakes of water you don’t even notice at first, playing with you, meaning no real harm, but Rose had had her hair done especially, plus her clothes were new, so she picked up her suitcase, pushed open the garden gate and mounted the steps to the front door. A three-storey house with further rooms, it seemed, in the basement.

            “Lord have mercy! Dem live undergrown like some sort of animal!”
She pushed the bell marked Brown. It screeched, alarmed, as though Rose had unexpectedly, maliciously, dug her fingernails into its side. No-one came at once.

            “If yu tink me ringing dat bell one more time!” she cursed through her bottom lip, taking a step back to crane her neck up at the house. Her new home. She wondered how long for. Another step back and she caught a young black girl sweep the curtains back from a ground floor window, report over her shoulder what she saw, then disappear before she had had the time to catch Rose smooth her skirt out and wait at the bottom of the stairs.

“Juss hopen dat blaasted door before me drench, yaa,” and whilst the cussing came naturally, she had to will her toes down hard against the sole of her shoe to stop her right foot from tapping impatiently that way. Inside the house a door opened. Closed. A key laboured in the lock to keep whatever out of sight. The floorboards creaked all the way to the front door, which inched open just enough to reveal half of a slender young West Indian girl.

            “Yes?”


‘Beautifully written. Joan Barbara Simon is a wordsmith par excellence.’ (The Sunday Gleaner)

If you, too, enjoyed reading this, here’s where you can read more:




Stay in touch with Joan Barbara Simon:







The novel is not a typical story where you know how things will end even before you've even finished the first page. I promise, you won't! Not until the very last words. And it's more than a mere love story. It’s about faith; about loving the life you see ahead of you, in your dreams. And allowing no one to take it away from you.’
(Joan Barbara Simon, interviewed by Lucy Walton for Female First)

About the Author


Dr Joan Barbara Simon divides her time between researching children’s literacy development and writing fiction. Having obtained her first Ph.D. in educational studies, she’s dared to go for her ultimate challenge: a Ph.D in Creative Writing.  Of herself, she says: ‘I’ve made it my mission to look more closely at undefined spaces as the best way to resist the temptation and comfort of easy answers. I’m interested in a broad range of language issues. Currently wrapping my brain around the political properties of words as polysemic, liminal entities and the nature of their common borders with the visual arts and gendered realities. That said, I’m a nice girl, so talk to me.


Thanks Joan for stopping by,

Anita


Wednesday, July 29, 2015

#RockingSummerRomance by @psthib Pamela S. Thibodeaux

Title: Tempered Hearts (book 1 in Tempered series)


Blurb: Rancher Craig Harris and veterinarian Tamera Collins clash from the moment they meet.  Innocence is pitted against arrogance as tempers rise and passions ignite to form a love as pure as the finest gold, fresh from the crucible and as strong as steel.  Thrown together amid tragedy and unsated passion, Tamera and Craig share a strong attraction that neither accepts as the first stages of love.  Torn between desire and dislike, they must make peace with their pasts and God in order to open up to the love blossoming between them.  It is a love that nothing can destroy when they come to understand that only when hearts are tempered, minds are opened and wills are softened can man discern the will of God for his life.

Excerpt: Tamera awoke in a mild state of panic and confusion. Glancing around, she realized where she was and who was beside her. A blush warmed her cheeks as she struggled to sit up. She released the filly and fumbled with the front of her gown.
“I couldn’t sleep.” she explained, glancing into the steel gray eyes. His gaze, soft and warm like liquid metal, made her blush harder as he brushed strands of hay out of her hair with a gentleness that seemed out of character.
Craig knew he was treading on dangerous ground, that people were expecting them, but couldn’t seem to get past the moment at hand. “I guess a kiss is out of the question,” he queried, his voice tender, gaze unwavering.
Emotions, raw and unfamiliar, shivered through her. Tamera attempted to scoot away from him, emitted a shaky little laugh and tried to quench the feelings escalating to frightening proportions. “A kiss? Why would you want a kiss? I didn’t think you even liked me.”
Craig wound his hand in her thick hair, stopping her movements. “Like has nothing to do with desire,” he moaned and crushed her to him as his mouth covered hers in a thorough kiss. “Absolutely nothing,” he assured as she clung to his shirt and trembled in his arms.
Purchase Links:

Author bio: Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”
  
Links:
Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com  
Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib

Thanks Pam, for the exciting summer time read,

Anita


Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Shoshanna's Short Shorts #Erotic #ShortStories by @ShoshannaEvers



SHOSHANNA'S SHORT SHORTS

by Shoshanna Evers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you’re in the mood for a quickie (ahem), you’ll love this collection of eleven sexy short stories

from New York Times and USA Today bestselling erotic romance author, Shoshanna Evers

—“Queen of the erotic novellas.” (Fandom Fanatic). This collection pulls Evers’ published

stories together from nine different anthologies into one volume. Includes a never-before-

published story, plus the bestselling Overheated!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT
Copyright 2015 Shoshanna Evers. All Rights Reserved.

Tonight, he was paying to make his dream a reality, a reality that would last for exactly one hour

once his doorbell rang. The escort service called the woman “Genevieve,” although as far as

Ivan could tell she seemed more like a Jenny trying to look worth her sticker price.

She seemed very friendly, and calm, although Ivan was looking forward to seeing the

desperation on her face he knew the evening would bring. Was that sick? Probably. But she’d

love it. At least the first fifteen minutes of it, anyway. His cock hardened, straining against his

“Jenny,” he said cordially, kissing her cheek.

She didn’t correct him on the name. Maybe he’d been right about her, or maybe she was smart

enough not to start off an evening with a client by correcting him. Maybe she’d let him call her

whatever he wished.

“Take off your clothes, please,” he said.

Jenny gave him a saucy smile and pulled her expensive dress over her head, leaving a

matching black-and-red lace brassiere and thong.

“Beautiful,” he said appreciatively. “But those need to go too.”

“Wow, get right down to business,” she said, laughing. “I’m surprised.”

She sat down on the couch, but he shook his head.

“I have a special chair for you. Why are you surprised?” He nodded over to the corner, to the

bondage chair he’d pulled out of the garage and shined with leather cleaner and stainless steel

polish. The chair had cost more than she had.

“I was told you weren’t interested in sleeping with your escorts,” Jenny said, eyeing the leather

straps attached to the chair and sitting in it anyway.

“No, I’m not,” he replied. It was the truth, after all. “I just want to watch you be pleasured with my

vibrator, over and over. Does that sound good to you?”

She laughed. “Sure! I never get to come during these—” Jenny stopped speaking suddenly, as

if someone had put the mute switch on her. More likely, she’d remembered a rule the escort

service had given her. Ivan imagined it went something like: Don’t complain about other clients.

It makes the man you’re with now feel like he’s not the only one, and it makes him wonder if

you’re complaining about him to the other men.

“Good. Spread your legs.”

Jenny complied, spreading her thighs wide so that her ankles touched the straps on the bottom

of the chair. Ivan made quick work out of restraining her.

“Hands behind your back, gorgeous,” he said, and she obeyed, silent now. He used fuzzy red

cuffs to handcuff her wrists. The cuffs looked cute and playful, but their bondage was real.

“I’m going to make you come until you pass out. Does that sound like a good idea?”

She laughed again, and Ivan recognized it for what it was—nerves. “Yes. I’m yours for the

next…” she looked up at the large metal clock ticking above the fireplace, “forty-three minutes.”

Ivan stifled a groan of desire. Forty-three minutes. Forty-three minutes to watch her come, and

come again, and squirm, and scream. Then beg…and beg. And come again.

The memory of this evening would fulfill all of his masturbatory fantasies for the rest of his life.

Which was good, because after this he’d probably be cut off from this particular escort service.

Ivan plugged in the long white vibrator, pressing the thick round head against her. Frowning, he

dipped his fingers down and spread her nether lips until the vibrator nestled directly against a

tender spot. His fingers came back shiny.

“This turns you on?” he asked, surprised.

“Yes,” she admitted shyly.

He flipped the switch to Low and watched her face, her reaction as the vibrator buzzed to life.

“Amazing.” She tilted her head back, a look of ecstasy on her face.




  • Amazon: http://bit.ly/ShortShorts_Amz 
  • Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/ShortShorts_AmzUK 
  • iBooks: http://bit.ly/ShortShorts_iBooks 
  • B&N: http://bit.ly/ShortShorts_BN 
  • Smashwords: http://bit.ly/ShortShorts_SW 
  • All Romance eBooks: http://bit.ly/ShortShorts_ARe 
  • Kobo: http://bit.ly/ShortShorts_Kobo
  • ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    AUTHOR Bio and Links:

    New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Shoshanna Evers has written dozens of

    sexy stories, including The Man Who Holds the Whip (part of the NYT bestselling MAKE ME

    anthology), I Am Not Your Melody (from the NYT bestselling Cowboy 12-Pack), Beauty & the

    Beast: an erotic reimagining (from the USA Today bestselling Wicked Hot Reads), The

    Enslaved Trilogy and The Pulse Trilogy from Simon & Schuster Pocket Star, and the national

    bestseller, The Tycoon’s Convenient Bride...and Baby.

    Her work has been featured in Best Bondage Erotica 2012 and Best Bondage Erotica 2013, the

    Penguin/Berkley Heat anthology Agony/Ecstasy, and numerous erotic BDSM novellas including

    Chastity Belt and Punishing the Art Thief, originally from Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

    The non-fiction anthology Shoshanna Evers edited and contributed to, How To Write Hot Sex, is

    a #1 Bestseller in the Authorship, Erotica Writing Reference, and Romance Writing categories.

    Shoshanna is also the cofounder of SelfPubBookCovers.com, the largest selection of one-of-a-

    kind, premade book covers in the world.

    Shoshanna is a New York native who now lives with her family and three big dogs in Northern

    Idaho. She welcomes emails from readers and writers, and loves to interact on Twitter and

    Sexily *Evers* After… ShoshannaEvers.com

    • Twitter  https://twitter.com/ShoshannaEvers 

    • Facebook    http://www.facebook.com/shoshanna.evers 

    • Goodreads   https://www.goodreads.com/ShoshannaEvers



    Sign up for my newsletter to hear about new releases first, and read excerpts you won't find in

    the sample pages!  http://shoshannaevers.com/newsletter/

    Shoshanna will award a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter a $25 Amazon/BN GC. a Rafflecopter giveaway


    Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

    The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2015/07/book-blast-shoshannas-short-shorts-by.html


    Monday, July 27, 2015

    Summer Time, Some Time To Read - #RockingSummerRomance by @TinaGayle


    Time to Find those great summer reads.
    and 
    who doesn't love a great romance.






    Blurb -

    Jennifer Larson, having lost her husband, friends and the perfect life she’d had plan, now faces the biggest challenge of her life, moving into an unplanned future. While the rest of the Executives Wives' Club is still wallowing in the past, Jen is tempted into the future by a sexy chiropractor, Hagan Chaney.

    But does he really love her or her money?
    "Some losses never heal you just slowly learn to carry the burden and shed a tear every now and then for the one you lost."

    by Tina Gayle

    In an effort to help spread the word about all the incredible writers out there. I decided to start a new Segment on my blog. So for now or until the end of the year, I'm doing Author Quotes on Tuesday and Thursday.

    If this takes off, I'll continue doing it. If not, then I'll try something else. Though it might take a new form during the egg-crept exchange event I do during lent.

    The above quote doesn't appear in any of my books so far, but the Executive Wives' Club series deals with the grief process and having lost my father during the writing of the series. I developed the quote for myself to understand how you never really get over the lost of some people in your life.





    Purchase ebook at:

    Thanks Tina, sounds like a great summer read.

    Anita
    www.anitaphilmar.com

    Friday, July 24, 2015

    @AshleyLadd #RockingSummerRomance is Cooking Up a Storm

    Quickie Interview by Ashley 


    What is your favorite TV show?  Big Bang Theory
    What is your favorite summer activity? Swimming and bike riding
    What is your favorite summertime food? Watermelon
    Who is your favorite fictional romantic couple (movie/TV/book)? Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy
    Do you plan to do anything special this summer? visit the beach (we live five miles from the Atlantic)


    Blurb:

    Brooks and Rique desperately want to win a coveted chef’s job offered by an eccentric millionaire in paradise. Even more, Rique desperately wants to stay alive.

    Brooks and Rique desperately want to win the head chef’s position offered by an eccentric millionaire Jonah Verleun on his beautiful, private but peculiar island that includes a zoo full of exotic animals, an amusement park and a monster shark tank beneath Jonah’s bedroom floor. While Brooks wants the job to escape his heartache and the lover who thwarted him, Rique is hiding from the mob, hoping to live long enough to pay them off with the prize winnings. Fierce competitors, they cook up a storm in a series of cooking challenges while trying to turn down the heat on their intense attraction. When a hurricane strikes the island, the storm Rique has been cooking up explodes, and no heart—or body—is safe.


    Excerpt:

    They ran, hunched over, zigging and zagging as bullets flew around them. Rique damned himself for putting Brooks in this mess. He wondered if the mob held the others prisoner and that’s why they didn’t answer the door.

    He turned the first corner they came upon and then the next. He stopped dead and the air left his lungs. A moment later Brooks ran into his back almost knocking him over. He swayed dangerously but managed to stay upright and spread his arms wide to keep Brooks from stumbling forward.

    He couldn’t believe his eyes. One of Jonah’s tigers lay in their path crouching low, baring his teeth, and eying them as if they were dinner.

    He tried to quell the jitters attacking his stomach so the animal wouldn’t smell his fear then whispered to Brooks through clenched teeth, “What do we do now? Freeze or run?”

    “Run. But where?” Brooks whispered back, a frown trembling on his lips.

    “To the closest protection.” He prayed their hunters had lost them, that they wouldn’t run back into a barrage of bullets. As Rique bunched his muscles to run, already feeling the animal’s fangs ripping into him, he noted how the tiger’s thick muscles corded in his shoulders, and how saliva ran down his snarling lips.

    “Dear God, we’re going to die.” Panic laced Brooks’ voice. “If we get out of here alive, let’s both turn down the job and move in together.”

    Swallowing hard, Rique couldn’t reply so he nodded. Besides, as much as he wanted to live with Brooks, he couldn’t do it as long as he was indebted to the mob. However, the point was moot. He couldn’t see a scenario in which one of them didn’t die in the next five minutes.

    Feeling responsible, Rique couldn’t let anything happen to Brooks as long as he was alive. He would take on the tiger giving Brooks time to reach safety. “On the count of three, run!”

    As Rique whispered, “One,” hisses, then a blood-curdling growl wrenched the air. It was a different sound than the tiger was making. Then a crocodile bellowed and jumped out of the bushes and snatched the tiger by its belly.


    Bio:

    Ashley Ladd lives in South Florida with her husband, five children, and beloved pets. She loves the water, animals (especially cats), and playing on the computer.


    She's been told she has a wicked sense of humour and often incorporates humour and adventure into her books. She also adores very spicy romance, which she weaves into her stories.




    Thanks for sharing Ashley,

    Anita

    Tuesday, July 21, 2015

    CountDown Deal on Banished 3 Erotic Stories by @AnitaPhilmar #ASMSG #Paranormal #Romance


    Is on a Count Down Deal until 8/26
    so pick up
    your copy today.




    Banished Hero
    Blurb: 

    With no memory of her past, Faye Lynn Berton clings to a father who curses her ability to shape-shift, then uses her special skill to scam local villagers. The only freedom she knows comes as she soars through the sky in falcon form. A chance meeting with another changling turns her world upside down. Beyond satisfying the powerful sexual cravings that follow transformation, he reveals a surprising dimension of sex between their kind…one to unlock the secrets of her soul. 

    Havyn Westmore has questions…Faye Lynn holds the answers. Determined to unravel her secrets, he must strives to gain her freedom and trust. Teaching her the finer techniques of transformation keeps her close while sex strengthens their bond. But on the trail of discovery, Havyn must confront his own past. Accused of a heinous crime, he was banned from his homeland. Now, he must choose between returning to face certain execution—or robbing Faye Lynn of her birthright and a life in Paradise. 

    To read excerpts  Banished Hero 


    Review
    http://goteroticromance.blogspot.com/2010/11/banished-hero-by-anita-philmar.html

    As always its a pleasure to have a reviewer, who takes the time to review my book.

    Banished Scoundrel

    Blurb: 

    Known scoundrel Jack Avery must earn the queen's forgiveness by rescuing her missing daughter from the human world. His sources reveal the Princess Noelani is being held by a powerful man who likes a good game of chance. So with twenty borrowed pieces of gold Jack enters the high-stakes game. Only the lady he encounters is no princess. This pretty Kitty makes him want to hear her purr. 

    Under a memory spell, Kitty recalls nothing before the governor bought her from her parents and offered her protection from those he claims would kill her kind. So what if, in order to control her, he forces Kitty to morph then deprives her of sexual release after transformation. But the crafty card player she is assigned to “entertain” reveals himself as a kindred spirit—a shape shifter—and unravels the lie she’s been forced to live. 

    Together Jack and Kitty risk it all, for the stakes are high and the prize is worth it...freedom, forgiveness, love. 

    To read excerpts  Banished Scoundrel 

    Review
    Anita Philmar has created a fantasy world that is rich with detail and imagination. The characters are fantastic and will have you cheering, crying and hoping for a happy ending as you read. This story is a great addition to any fantasy/paranormal lovers library. 

    Read the rest of the review at You Gotta Read Reviews

    Banished Witch

    Blurb: 

    Once a princess of Ardenia, Danella, left her homeland to warn her childhood sweetheart only to be kidnapped and sold into slavery. Learning the dark magic from her keeper, she grew to accept her role as a witch to protect her family and track down the traitor to the crown. But when Omar Mandel, the love from her past, arrives to bring her home, she realizes she can never go home. That doesn't mean she can't use his assistance in her plan for revenge and, in the meantime, live out a few unfulfilled fantasies. 

    The queen wants her daughter to come home and Omar’s job is to see that it happens. However, Danella isn’t the same sweet girl he remembers. In her place is a sexy woman who excites his lust and claims his heart. He must teach her to trust in his love and face the sins of the past if they are to have a future together. 

    To read excerpt  Banished Witch 

    Review



    Banished Witch was a great read. I loved the characters and felt for them through the struggles that they were trying to overcome.

    To read the rest of the review
    Night Owl Romance

    Available at 


    Thanks for reading about my book,
    Anita

    Monday, July 20, 2015

    Hot Prairie Night #Free Read by @AnitaPhilmar #ASMSG #bookblast


    Free Read at Hot-Prairie-Nights-Western-Historical-ebook

    Here's a little to get you started.

    Blurb:


    It’s a hard life living on the western plains. Elizabeth Murphy knows she lives it every day. 

    Then just like some medieval knight in shining armor, a stranger arrives at her door. He claims to be a friend, who is down on his luck and looking for work. 
    Just looking at him sets her body on fire, and with them sharing a small log cabin, the nights are bound to heat up. Can she resist the chance to take a ride with the cowboy? Or should she trust him at all? 

    After all, he thinks wearing a shirt is an optional item and he knows way too many facts about her dead gun slinging husband?


    Excerpt:


    The sight at the end of her gun set Elizabeth Murphy on fire. Eighteen months without sex had her craving the touch of a man. Yet, most didn’t even cause a stir in her blood, but this one sparked a reaction in her libido.
    Why?
    She blinked and stared at the man riding across her land.     What did he have that other men didn’t?
    Wide shoulders and with his cowboy hat set low over his eyes, he moved with the gate of the horse as if he were an extension of the animal. The gentle rocking reminding her of...she lowered her rifle. A deep-seated yearning curled in her stomach.
    As a woman on a spread by herself, she couldn’t afford to be friendly with strangers. No, she had to protect the ranch and greet everyone with caution.
    Standing on the front porch of her cabin, she allowed her gaze to venture to the barn, then onto the corral where two horses stood. She’d brought them in from the fields a few hours ago in anticipation of her trip into town tomorrow. The sun sinking low on the horizon reminded her that she had supper waiting inside.
    The increase patter of a horse’s hooves caught her attention and she stared again at the stranger.
    “Might as well stop right there,” Lizzie called and cocked her gun. “I’m not much on uninvited guests.”
    The man pulled on the reins, drawing the horse to a walk and then to a stop. “I can understand why a woman in your position might feel that way, but I’m a friend of your husband.”
    The thought didn’t inspire warmth. Instead, she lifted her gun. “My husband was a gun-slinging gambler. He didn’t have the most reputable friends.”
    A slight smirk passed over the man’s lips. He nodded. “Yes, but I knew him as a child back in Oklahoma. Heath Holmes is the name. I’m sure Daniel mentioned me once or twice.”
    The name did sound familiar. What had Daniel said about Heath?
    She licked her lips and fought the hunger to see this man’s strong muscular body naked and up close. She stared at his mount to gather more information. His black horse had the markings of a thoroughbred. The detail design of his saddle, and the rich quality of the man’s clothes spoke of someone who had money. So why visit her here?
    “I recall the name, but Daniel didn’t particularly enjoy his childhood. His mother didn’t provide him with a great upbringing.” Lizzy lowered her gun to her waist but kept the barrel pointed at Heath. Could she trust him?
    “True, at times he would have starved, if not for my family, but then with six mouths to feed, what was one more?” Heath swung his leg over the saddle and stepped down from his horse, and turned.
    Lizzie’s mouth watered and her palms slipped on the gun. She rested the butt of her rifle on the porch railing for fear of firing it off accidently. Thoughts of what Daniel has said about his youth warred with her desire to get to know Heath better. Her gaze slid down his six foot frame, broad shoulders, full chest, trim waist, and thick thighs. Nothing about him seemed to hint at him not being able to take on any task.
    “Right, Daniel did mention his mother’s love of whiskey and how your family was his saving grace.” Lizzy waved him over to the barn. “Why don’t you unsaddle your horse and put him in the corral? There’s a pump next to the water trough if you want to clean up and stay a spell?”
    She stepped back as Heath grew closer. The desire racing through her body tempted her with thoughts of jumping off the porch and into his arms. With only a few kisses, he could have her out of her bloomers and be pounding his cock deep inside her within seconds.
    A sigh escaped at finally satisfying her lust for sex. Stunned by the needy sound, she rushed on with, “I was just getting ready to set down for supper, if you’d like to join me?”
    “Thanks, I’ll just get Sasha settled and be right in.” Heath grinned and led his horse to the barn.

    Hope you enjoyed and will pop over to 


    Amazon | B&N | Kobo |
    All Romance 
    for a free copy.

    Anita

    Saturday, July 18, 2015

    From #MFRWorg - Is Your Blog Gaining You New Readers?


    (How to Transform All of Your Blogs Into Evergreen Content)

    It’s a question most of us avoid asking ourselves. We know we’re “supposed” to blog, and so we dutifully crank one out at regular intervals. Sometimes, the blog is about something trivial, like our cats. Or it’s a clear promotional piece for another author or for ourselves.

    Don’t quote me as saying that either of those things are unimportant. But will they get you new readers? Probably not.  So what does work?

    Evergreen Content!

    Let’s talk about something that marketers call evergreen content. I first learned about it from Jeni Elliott (aka The Blog Maven). Evergreen content is that content that people come back to again and again – those posts with engaging titles and easy quotes that we love to forward, comment on, and share.

    The main question isWill people still read this and think it’s interesting a year from now?

    Now, I know for sure that most of my blog posts are not that kind of content. Are yours? Are they the type of things that your readers are searching for, year after year? For instance, let’s say that you write paranormal romances (ahem). You could do a post on your top ten paranormal romances, ever. Or try a post on a popular but timeless book, TV series, etc., and what you think about it. Like “How Anne Rice Transformed Paranormal”. (And be nice! We all know karma’s moniker.)

    What we don’t want to do, though, is just continue to post because we feel that we have to. If it’s not something great, then don’t post it. Don’t we all tend to filter out or delete posts and emails that we feel have no relevance in our lives? Our readers are doing the same thing, so make your post amazing.  Or at least great.

    Make use of keywords.
    Even though Google has tamped down on allowing us to find the best keywords, you probably already know what these are for you. For instance, I should have paranormal and romance in my content somewhere, because that’s what my readers are searching for.  And try these  other ways to search for trending keywords.

    Know your Reader.
    Of course, all of this only helps if we know first who our ideal reader is. Who is that one reader out there that you think of when you sit down to write your blog – that one reader that retweets, shares, and comments on your posts? What does that reader most want from you? Is it recommendations for new books, insight into your writing process, or just general personal information? Thinking of what that person wants will help to shape your writing.

    A reader survey is also a great way to get to know your readers. If you already have a newsletter (and if you don’t, start now!), then you can include a very short questionnaire on the reader’s wishes. A give-way helps here to get responses. Try to see if there is something that the reader gains from reading your books and blogs – what sort of emotional transformation do they get from reading what you write?

    TALK TO US.
    What are your tricks for bringing more readers to your blogs? Do you feel as if you are hitting your target audience, or just struggling to find stuff to write about?

    Posted by Author Erin Moore
    Erin writes sensuous paranormal romances set in exotic locales. Her latest book is a sexy minotaur shifter story set in Crete.  A regular blogger forMarketing for Romance Writers as well as Heroes and Heartbreakers, Erin is sadly neglectful of her own blog. She lives in Atlanta with her two little paranormal beings and one unruly husband.

    Erin also now offers editing services, including help with bios and queries, on her website.  She's giving away a critique of a first chapter with a subscription to her newsletter!

    Thanks Erin for sharing,

    Anita

    Wednesday, July 15, 2015

    How Do You Define Success?


    With the year half way over, it might be a good time to review your goals.

    First, though it might be a good idea to define what you believe success for you might be. We all look at success differently.

    Is it finishing a book?
    Reaching the New York Time's Best Seller List?
    Making $100,000 a year?

    One is much different than the others.  Once you define you ultimate goal, then you can start working backwards to see what you have to do each day to reach your level of success.



    Example:

    Finish chapter 1...chapter 2.....etc., until the book is finished.

    So how do you define success?

    How do you define success for yourself?

    Each of these are important question to ask your self.

    Once you have the answer then you can start defining your goals - both short term and long term.

    Example for the short term

    1. write another
    2. post a blog once a week
    3. grow my following on twitter to 2000 people.

    Example for the long term.
    1. sell ###  books a day ( can you control this if not rethink this goal)
    2. Be a best selling author on amazon (what are the steps to get here gives you the short term goals you need to achieve.)

    Hope your plan for success is already in place. If not, now might be a good time to start thinking about it.

    Have a great weekend,


    Anita
    www.anitaphilmar.com

    Friday, July 10, 2015

    Snow in July a #RockingSummerRomance by @KimHeadlee


    BOOK INFORMATION
    TITLE – Snow in July
    SERIES – N/A
    AUTHOR – Kim Iverson Headlee
    GENRE – Young Adult Paranormal Historical Romance
    PUBLICATION DATE – July 2014
    LENTH (Pages/# Words) – 386 pages/94K words
    PUBLISHER – Pendragon Cove Press
    COVER DESIGNER – Natasha Brown

    [FULL-WRAP COVER JPG AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST]

    BOOK BLURB / SYNOPSIS

    Sir Robert Alain de Bellencombre has been granted what every man wants: a rich English estate in exchange for his valiant service at the Battle of Hastings. To claim this reward, the Norman knight must wed the estate's Saxon heiress. Most men would leap at such an opportunity, but for Alain, who broke his vow to his dying mother by failing to protect his youngest brother in battle, it means facing more easily broken vows. But when rumors of rampant thievery, dangerous beasts, and sorcery plaguing a neighboring estate reach his ears, nothing will make him shirk duty to king and country when people's lives stand at risk. He assumes the guise of a squire to scout the land, its problems, and its lady.
    Lady Kendra of Edgarburh has been granted what no woman wants: a forced marriage to an enemy who may be kith or kin to the man who murdered her beloved brother. Compounding her anguish is her failure to awaken the miraculous healing gift bequeathed by their late mother in time to save his life. Although with his dying breath, he made her promise to seek happiness above all, Kendra vows that she shall find neither comfort nor love in the arms of a Norman…unless it snows in July.
    Alain is smitten by Lady Kendra from the first moment of their meeting; Kendra feels the forbidden allure of the handsome and courtly Norman "squire." But a growing evil overshadows everyone, invoking dark forces and ensnaring Kendra in a plot to overthrow the king Alain is oath-bound to serve. Kendra and Alain face a battle unlike any other as their honor, their love, their lives, and even their very souls lie in the balance.

    BUY & TBR LINKS (Fill Out The Ones You Use)


    EXCERPT

    FIFTEEN THOUSAND MEN and horses writhed across the valley below, appearing as toys in a children’s game.
    Many might consider war a game, but Sir Robert Alain de Bellencombre, knight of Normandy bound to the service of Duke William and commander of a unit in the cavalry reserves, did not number among their ranks.
    Edward the Confessor, King of England via his Saxon father but Norman by his mother, was dead. This battle, raging near the coastal hamlet called Hastings, would decide the right of one man to wear the English crown: William the Norman, acknowledged by Pope Alexander to be Edward’s lawful successor; or Harold the Saxon, brother of Edward’s wife, the man alleged to be Edward’s deathbed choice.
    Stroking his war horse’s glossy charcoal neck to calm her, Alain pondered Harold’s claim. It had to be true. This many men would not sacrifice their lives for a lie. Yet the vast majority of Harold’s supporters were Saxons harboring no wish to bear the Norman yoke. Perhaps such men might be desperate enough to fight for a lie that promised to restore Saxon rule.
    A trumpet blared. He signaled his men forward, couched his lance, and spurred Chou to send her careening into the melee.
    Harold’s shield wall, which had seemed impregnable, began to crumble under the onslaught of Alain’s unit, hastened by the desertion of men who no doubt decided they weren’t quite so willing to die. Their lord stood exposed just long enough for a Norman archer to sight his mark. Harold fell, screaming and clutching an arrow that protruded from one eye.
    Harold’s supporters closed ranks around him, blocking Alain’s view and giving him more than enough to do as the Saxons redoubled their efforts to guard their lord’s body.
    A familiar whirl of colors caught Alain’s attention. The saffron leopard prowling on a green field—Étienne! A Saxon knight, with a blue arm and fist blazing defiance across his gray shield, bore down upon Étienne with leveled lance. Étienne tumbled from his horse. He scrambled to his feet and retrieved his sword, putting it to good use on the Saxons surrounding him, although the knight who’d unhorsed him had already ridden in search of other targets.
    Lance long since discarded and sword now rising and falling with fatal precision, Alain surged to reach his brother’s side. Protection of her youngest son had been their dying mother’s wish, and he had sworn on his own life to keep Étienne safe.
    Before he could close the distance, another Saxon knight fought past Étienne’s guard to thrust a war-knife into his throat. Through the visor the knight’s eyes gleamed with startling, fathomless malice. Alain could only watch in stunned disbelief as he laid his hand upon Étienne’s chest for a few moments. Uttering a soul-freezing howl, the Saxon yanked out his seax and disappeared into the press with Étienne’s shield, denying Alain vengeance.
    Shame and grief rent his heart asunder.
    He had failed the two he loved most; failed them so utterly that he could never beg their forgiveness in this lifetime.
    Pain slammed into his shoulder, toppling him from the saddle. Étienne’s body broke his fall. He tried to roll clear, but a spear through his chest pinned him to Étienne. His gut convulsed, and bile burned his throat. Blinding agony killed his struggle to free himself. Death’s stench invaded his nostrils.
    He closed his eyes and waited for his final journey to begin.





    AUTHOR BIO:
    Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, and assorted wildlife. People & creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins -- the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-20th century -- seem to be sticking around for a while yet.
    Kim is a Seattle native (when she used to live in the Metro DC area, she loved telling people she was from "the other Washington") and a direct descendent of 20th-century Russian nobility. Her grandmother was a childhood friend of the doomed Grand Duchess Anastasia, and the romantic yet tragic story of how Lydia escaped Communist Russia with the aid of her American husband will most certainly one day fuel one of Kim's novels. Another novel in the queue will involve her husband's ancestor, the 7th-century proto-Viking king of the Swedish colony in Russia.
    For the time being, however, Kim has plenty of work to do in creating her projected 8-book Arthurian series, The Dragon's Dove Chronicles, and other novels under her new imprint, Pendragon Cove Press. She also writes romantic historical fiction under the pseudonym "Kimberly Iverson."


    AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS:
    TUMBLR – N/A (I have an account here but don’t use it except to look up other peoples’ items)
    NETWORKED BLOGS – N/A
    BLOGLOVIN – N/A
    SHELFARI – I don’t maintain a presence here, but if people =really= want to know, the link is http://www.shelfari.com/o1514267737

    Thanks Kim for sharing,

    Anita