Saturday, February 21, 2015

Eggcerpt Exchange - Promo Op for Authors


Two authors agree to exchange information about their books. Each post the information on their blogsite with picture of the book, blurb, excerpt, links to other author's site and buy links to the book.

The two authors arrange the dates ahead of time and exchange information via email.

When I put the post on my blogspot site, it is then feed into Facebook and Google +. In exchange you do the same for me by putting my information on your blog sites. It’s a great way to promote your book.

The one thing to remember is these are general access sites so the excerpts have to be less graphic.

This goes on during lent which is Feb. 16, 2015 to April 5, 2015

Contact me today to reserve your date  -- anitaphilmar@yahoo.com


( I only post one book a day and I have a list on my blogsite of the authors participating with a link to their site.)


Anita
www.anitaphilmar.com

Thursday, February 19, 2015

#WritingTip for #Authors What’s in a Scene? by @AnitaPhilmar



A scene has many elements. Let’s review some of the question an author can ask to determine if a scene is complete. Some things are essential like a character and an event to drive the plot forward. Other things like time and setting might not play as an important part in the scene but they do add depth.




Let’s break it down into three components:



1. Character

a. Who is this scene about?

b. What is the relationship of the characters in the scene?

c. What is the emotional impact to the character?

d. What does the character want? (Long-term and short-term goals)

e. What are the obstacles in the way?



2. Setting

a. What season is it? (Time, day, year, past, future)

b. Description of the place (house, boat, office, city, country)

c. Special items (gun, knive, pills, items needed for the plot)

d. Senses (see, hear, smell, taste, feel)



3. Event

a. What’s happen in the scene to drive the plot forward?

b. What does the reader learn for this scene?

c. What are the characters doing? (the physical action or character movement)

d. How does the event occurring affect the character?



All of these thing are important in developing a scene. The more items presence, the richer the writing.



Good luck,



Anita Philmar

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Do You Use MFRW hashtags? Know What They Mean? #MFRWauthor #MFRWorg #MFRWWave

MFRW is Marketing for Romance Writers 
MFRW stands for Marketing for Romance Writers. The group motto is "seek, teach, share, learn, succeed." MFRW is a peer-oriented mentoring group open to the entire literary community. Ask your marketing-related questions, or request help, advice, or opinions. You can learn how to create a professional image and use it effectively, as well as ask for opportunities to join other authors in promotional efforts. You can learn the business aspects of writing.
News about pitch sessions and calls for submission are posted on the Yahoo group. As a member, you can attend exclusive, member-only pitch events with publishers. Members can attend free, online workshops and seminars.
MFRW promotes for its members on most social media. You can get your book cover pinned on one of the MFRW Pinterest boards, and show off your cover models, even if you don't have a Pinterest account yourself. You can get interviewed on BlogTalkRadio. Link your blog to a community hop via a unique software "ribbon" with exciting themes, and draw readers to your site. There are many other opportunities as well. All writers and genres are welcome. We break all promotional opportunities into four main categories, to better reach the right audiences for our members' books. The categories* are: Mainstream, Erotic, Young Adult, and GLBT.

MFRW Costs

Services and membership are free. There are limited costs for a few unique items (blog hops, advertising opportunities) that range from 50 cents to about $3. If you have questions about marketing your books, join us.

Peer Mentoring and Calls for Submission

You are welcome to post your questions on the Yahoo group. Another member will answer. Because we are peer-mentored, you will benefit from many viewpoints. Many publishers are members of the Yahoo group, and we allow calls for submission. Although we do monitor these calls, and attempt to ensure all are legitimate, we do not endorse any publishers. We sponsor an annual pitch event exclusively for members. We average about twenty publishers who take part. Visit our website for more information. http://marketingforromancewriters.org

Twitter and Hashtags

The hashtags #MFRWorg #MFRWauthor #MFRWave help you promote. Here's what each stands for:
#MFRWorg - anything to do with the organization. A catchall for anything and everything, and used when you need to save space with a longer tweet.
#MFRWauthor - Having to do with one of our authors. We often use it to identify ourselves to one another online. We also do a retweet day on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. Where we retweet this hashtag. It introduces our authors to new readers.
#MFRWave - this refers to our ribbon - or "wave" type hops. The software is unique. Click the following link and you will see it in action. A hop is ending as of 6/22/14, but the ribbon will be visible for a few more days. http://is.gd/mfrwave
FYI -- the hashtag #MFRW by itself stands for Maryland Federal Republican Women. It is not associated with Marketing for Romance Writers.

MFRW History

MFRW was founded in 2006 by author Kayelle Allen for a few friends. Members now number in the thousands. Kayelle heads the group to this day, guiding its direction and overseeing the numerous volunteer staff members that help it run.
Newsletter Editor-in-Chief Rochelle Weber
Assistant Editor Emerald
Assistant Editor Barbara Donlon Bradley
Blog Director Paloma Beck
Bloghop Coordinator Mona Karel
Pinterest Coordinator Patricia Walters-Fischer
Twitter Coordinator Kasey Lane
Goodreads Coordinator Open
Facebook Coordinator Emerald
Facebook Moderator / Yahoo Moderator Mona Karel

Where to find MFRW online

Yahoo group (core site) http://is.gd/mfrwgroup
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MFRW_ORG
Facebook Author group http://is.gd/mfrwfb

https://www.facebook.com/mfrworg

BlogTalkRadio: http://is.gd/mfrw_btr

MFRW Newsletters

MFRW Blogs

Marketing Blog: http://mfrw.blogspot.com/

MFRW Blog Hops

MFRW Bloghoppers Author Workspace http://is.gd/mfrwhops
MFRW BlogHops Home http://is.gd/mfrwave


*Authors alone determine where their books fit, with the caveat that for Young Adult blog hops only, we check to ensure the site is at or below a PG13 rating. Otherwise, the author determines heat level (erotic vs mainstream).

Membership is open to anyone in the literary community, and is free. Why not join us? Begin with the core group, found here. Yahoo group (core site) http://is.gd/mfrwgroup


This is a repost from http://mfrw.blogspot.com/
Visit the site for great post.



I'm a member of marketing for romance writers and find it very helpful group,

Friday, February 13, 2015

Add #Romance in Your Life Everyday of the Year

We all have busy lives.

Rushing here to get this done, working eight to ten hours a day, we all spend time and energy doing the things we have to do.

Who has time to worry about romance?

That's part of the reason I came up with a daily blog to help.

Need a romance tip?

Something to remind you that we all have to work at being romantic.

No, it doesn't come naturally. Like everything else it takes time and energy, but in the end it is worth it.

So why not sign up for my daily tip?

These suggestions are easy, rated pg and might help you adding some romance to your life.



http://anitaphilmar.wordpress.com/

Hope to see you on the site,

Anita

Monday, February 9, 2015

Interview with Clare Dargin

Questions and Answers


To get us started can you tell us a little about what you are working on or have coming out?

I am presently working on two shifter romances. They should be out by summer 2014.

How would you describe yourself using only five words?

Procrastinator, Funny, Quiet, Assertive, Friendly

Do you have any guilty pleasures?

Yes, writing Erotic Romance.  I can’t tell you why, but believe you me it is definitely a guilty pleasure. 

If we asked your muse to describe you using five words, what do you think they would say?

Doubtful, critical, procrastinator, addicted (to Facebook), writer’s block (most of the time)

Name one thing readers would be surprised to know about you.

That I started out writing sweet romance.  And slowly over time as my confidence grew, so did the spiciness of my material. 

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Well, here in Michigan or/and in Washington State.  I think Puget Sound is beautiful.

How do you get yourself in the mood to write?

Any way I can.  From waiting for the mood to strike me, staring at a blank computer screen, reading my WIP’s, listening to music.  Whatever works, I go for it. 

If someone hasn't read any of your work, what book would you recommend that they start with and why?


That’s a very good question.  I would have to say it depends on what their tastes are.  If they are into mainstream science fiction.   I would say Kybernatia because the plot is very straightforward while still having that scifi feel.  And as for romance, I would say  Cold Warriors because I think it strikes a strong balance between traditional science fiction and romance.  (Kinda if the love story of the new Spock and Uhura were expanded in the newly redone Star Trek movies.)





[Ménage Amour: Erotic Ménage a Trois Romance, M/F/M, HEA]

Jilly Reimers wants love but can't find it. Chris Spinell is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan who suffers from PTSD and a haunting feeling that something is missing in his life. Chris Poole is also an Afghanistan war veteran is ready to break out of his shell but is unsure how.

With Christmas just around the corner, they decide not to spend it alone. Believing The Love Play Matchmaking Service to be just what they need for a night of fun and passion, they sign up. But when the guys show up and see that they've been set up on a menage, the only one happy about it is Jilly. 

Their consultant, called an Eros, assures Jilly that the service has a perfect track record but she's certain they'll be the first ones to get their money back. Will they have a very merry Christmas? Or will the three spend yet another one alone?

A Siren Erotic Romance


Excerpt

Jilly idly twirled a lock of her hair as she gazed at the fire. The meal was good, a bit awkward, but all right. Now with Chris S. in the shower, she and Chris P., who’d freshened up after her, sat beside her. She hoped she’d get a chance to know him a little better, now that they were alone.

Unlike Chris S., Chris P. was quiet, more reserved. His warm smile could melt ice. They’d spoken a bit about his life in Australia and how he met the other Chris when they were on Diego Garcia, a tiny atoll in the Pacific. It was there he garnered a better perspective on life, friendships and love. She reasoned that war tended to do that to a person.

She looked at him again, admiring what she saw. He was gorgeous. If only she were a femme fatale like her friends. She pictured grabbing him by the scruff of his collar and planting a long seductive kiss on his pouty lips. Anything to ease the tension between her legs and the moisture dripping from her swollen pussy.

Golden and sun-kissed like a surfer, he had a look impossible to have around this time of year in Michigan, unless he spent countless hours in a tanning booth. But at the same time he didn’t look like the type who’d go to one. He seemed too rugged. She glanced at his short, flaxen hair, which he wore pulled back in a stubby tail. It accentuated his keen facial features. His physique, like that of a gladiator, made her want to whimper. Built like a brick wall without being too thick, he was three words—supple, etched, steel. And his Australian accent added to his raw sexiness.

Whereas Chris S. was the perfect picture type of the all-American, boy-next-door type, with light brown hair and sandy-colored tips and eyes so blue they looked like the color of tropical water. He reminded her of the high school captain of the football team who’d gone into the military and become a man, except he had a sensitive edge that permeated his being. While Chris P., who looked like he could take on a few guys at once, was more lighthearted and outgoing.

Either way, she knew she hit the jackpot because both guys were like something out of a magazine called Hot Guys “R” Us. They were a perfect ten. It was best Christmas gift anyone could have ever given her. She hoped a Chris Sandwich was definitely on the menu for the night. But how to get past the talking stage, she had no clue. She wondered if all of her Love Play’s match ups started like this.

Wearing some leggings and a cami, and he a T-shirt and shorts, she suddenly felt overdressed. The art of seduction was not something they taught in any of the schools she’d attended, and she sure as hell never picked up any pointers from her so-called “friends.” And her exes never gave her any encouragement in that department either.

This date should have come with instructions. I think I’m in trouble.

She let out a long sigh.

“Did you say something?” Chris P. asked, stirring from his long silence.

“I was just thinking how beautiful this place is,” she lied. What? How lame is that?

“It is. I’ve never been to a place quite like this.”

“Love Play has quite a reputation.”

“You’ve used it before?” He perked up, facing her.

Heat burned her cheeks. “No. It’s what I heard from some of their clients.”

“So have you been married?” he asked.

“No.”

“Neither have I. Never found anyone to get serious with,” he said, shrugging. “I don’t know. Maybe cupid’s arrow doesn’t work on me.”

“For me they’re defective. Or maybe his aim is bad,” she said, trying to suppress the memory of her ex-boyfriend.

“What do you mean?”

“My relationships, they never work out.” She shrugged her shoulders. “For whatever reason, they seem to choose my friends over me. Or it ends up that way once we get together.”

He shook his head. “Nah. They were bad blokes from the start. Believe me. I know. I’ve been around those types my entire life. The randier they are, the worse they will be. If a man wants you, he’ll stay.” His tone was soft, almost vulnerable.

“Maybe.”

“So tell me,” he said, turning to face her, “you ordered this hook up?”

Again, her face flushed. She imagined it turning its characteristic red when the blood rushed to her cheeks.

“Yes. But according to the guidelines, you would have either had to be open to it or requested it too. Right?”

He chuckled. “I see he also got the smart I asked for. Yes, I am open to a ménage.” His expression became serious. “Do you think me odd?”

“No. I’m glad we share that desire.”




Author Bio

Clare Dargin is an author of Science Fiction and Romance and has been writing stories all of her life before being published in 2007. She’s a great fan of the two genres and loves promoting them.

An educator by profession, she possesses a Bachelor’s Degree in English from a major mid-western university. She presently resides in the Midwest and she hopes to expand her writings to include non-fiction, historical romance, and contemporary novels.