10 Ways to Make Readers Happy by Kayelle Allen @kayelleallen #amwriting #MFRWauthor

I host 350+ authors every year on my Romance Lives Forever blog. I'm the founder of Marketing for Romance Writers. Authors talk to me. I hear a lot of stories about readers who are unhappy and about ones who are ecstatic. There are some things in common. Here are ten of the best ways to make readers happy. Some are from personal experience, many from other writers.

1. Write well. If you don't do this, it doesn't matter what else you do. Triple check your spelling. Punctuate properly. Readers today have been exposed to a wide variety of writing due to the internet and have learned to be discerning. A poorly written, misspelled book will be passed over in short order. For blog posts, spellcheck and/or use a site like Grammarly or SmartEdit. For books, hire an editor.
2. Use proper formatting. Kindle, Nook, Smashwords, Lulu, CreateSpace, etc. each has its own requirements for formatting. Follow them to the letter. Whatever the requirements say should be done -- do it. These services know what the programs will do and what it takes to make them work best. Follow their advice. A hard to read book gathers no interest.
3. Along those same lines, when posting quotes to the web, in email, on Yahoo Groups, and so on, never use "curly" or "smart" quotes (the type that curl toward words on the left, and away on the right). Many programs, blogs, and sites cannot read the code that word processing programs use for these, so they substitute code to try to make sense of what they see. Instead of your quoted text appearing as: "I didn't do it." The reader sees:  tm&*I didn#@*$t do it.98cm&  Imagine an entire page of this. Trust me, this does not make reaaders happy. Go into the autocorrect features of your word processing program and turn off these types of quotes (and look at all the tabs -- they are in more than one place), then, using the Replace command on your editing toolbar, replace all " to ", and ' to '. It will look no different to you in the replace command dialog box, but the computer will change all the codes and the formatting on the other end will come out right. Your readers will thank you.
4. Use only a simple serif or non-serif font (like Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri.). Readers who do not have a special font loaded on their computers will see plain text (such as Courier) because their machines will substitute the fancy font for a default one.
5. Provide good content. If you have interesting information to share with your readers, they will come to you. Whether you use blogs, Facebook, Twitter, or other services, content is the number one reason people will follow you. "Getting your name out there" is a byword. Everyone wants to know how to do it. How do you gain friends on Facebook and so on? How do you get people to read your book? The answer is to give them solid content, well written.
6. When promoting your book, provide a "set up" -- a few lines so people know what the scene or excerpt they are about to read is about. Help them understand the characters, so they don't feel they walked in during the middle of a conversation.
7. Share your work on more than your website and your blog. Yahoo groups, Facebook, other authors' blogs, Goodreads, and other places are good sites to share your material with readers.
8. Use Twitter to generate interest in your books by sharing tidbits and snips of dialog or scenes. Believe it or not, there are Twitter accounts that post entire stories, each less than 140 characters long. Try delivering your hero or heroine's lines in successive tweets. Not all of them, mind you -- just a few to create curiosity.
9. Share promos with other authors. If you and another author have similar books (say vampire romances) hold a contest together. You promote your book and hers to your readers, and vice versa. You will both gain. I've done this with friends over the years and gained not only readers, but best friends who will promo with me at the drop of a hat. You can't beat that.
10. Tell people you meet that you're an author. Carry your business cards or bookmarks. When I'm at a bookstore, or looking at books at the grocery store, I invariably start talking to the woman who's standing next to me. Especially when she picks up a book I already own, or am about to buy. Or she's buying an author I've never heard of before. I ask questions. Somehow it always leads to sharing my own story. I hand over my card. I once got an email from someone who said she'd met me in a doctor's office several years before, and wanted to let me know she'd bought one of my books and loved it. Made my day.

If your goal is to make readers happy, show them you are a wellspring of stories to whom they can go. If you can meet that need and do the things above, you are well on your way.

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Kayelle Allen is a best-selling American author. Her unstoppable heroes and heroines include contemporary every day folk, role-playing immortal gamers, futuristic covert agents, and warriors who purr.
Homeworld/Blog https://kayelleallen.com
Join the Romance Lives Forever Reader Group Download four free books and get news about books coming soon. You can unsubscribe at any time. 

#WWoW Building an Author Platform @GingerMonette #MFRWauthor #marketing

Your manuscript is in the hands of your editor, and you've got the big release day circled on your calendar...

What now? Should you start advertising? Tweeting?

It's little early to alert the media, but there are a host of pre-launch “foundations” new authors need to put into place before they release their baby to the world. Let's get right to the checklist.

-Create a new email address to use exclusively for your writing/marketing correspondence. It will keep your emails from bloggers and fans separate from your emails from Aunt Eleanor and Old Navy. With all of your author emails in a separate mailbox, you can see at a glance any unopened correspondence and remind you of emails needing immediate attention.

I suggest using a form of your name or something that identifies your brand. For example, my author email name is SperoBooks. Keep it short, professional, and preferably something that has nothing odd like an underscore. Don't make the mistake of using the title of your book as your email name. It will be passe' when you publish your second book.

-Create a signature line and maybe a ‘one-liner’ that describes in a nutshell what type of romance you write (“Romance with a touch of mystery,” “Broken hearts finding love,” “Romance for the modern girl,” etc). Begin using it on all your emails so your friends, business associates, and writing contacts will know you're an author.

-Research web hosts and build a website. If you're not sure you want to make a long-term financial commitment, choose a free hosting service that has the option to upgrade later. I chose Wix.com as their customer service is pretty good and their site building tools are mostly intuitive.

Before you start designing, look at other authors' websites and take advice from experts like Tim Grahl and Jane Friedman. Make a list of what you like, then make a plan.

-Research which social media platforms will best reach your target audience and start getting active there.

-Develop a bio—a short, middle length, and long one.

-Create an author page on Goodreads and post your bio and headshot there. (When your book goes live, add your bio to your Amazon author pages in ALL the countries where you will be selling.)

-Get a headshot. Add it to your website and to your Amazon and Goodreads author pages. Use it as part of the header of any newsletters as well. Readers are more likely to remember your name if they can attach a face to it.

-Decide if you want to make a video or audio trailer for your book. If so, start working on it. I have one here.

-Will you do a blog tour? If so, research blogs that could be a good fit. Don’t contact yet, just make a spreadsheet that includes blog address, contact email, number of followers, and a few sentences about why it made your list.

-Subscribe to book marketing experts like Nick Stephenson, Tim Grahl, and Chandler Bolt. Take notes from what you read/watch.

-Subscribe to Yahoo groups that focus on marketing for your genre. Two excellent Yahoo groups for romance authors are Marketing for Romance Writers and Indie Romance. (If you simply don't have the time to learn from the experts previously noted, the topics covered on these e-loops will give you an excellent education.)

-Make a list of potential people to be on your launch team who will be willing to leave a review of your book on launch day and share it on their social media. Friends and family are fine if that's all you have, but readers who love your genre are MUCH better.

-Start formulating a long-term (written) marketing plan: Who specifically is your audience? How will you reach them? Will you offer your book for pre-order? What pricing strategies/sales might work well? What book marketing services/promotors look like good fits? What’s your marketing budget? What are good places to advertise?

-Will you need a book cover? If so, what ideas do you have how it should look? Browse stock image sites to find appropriate images. If you are self-publishing, research designers, or choose a service like 99Designs, Upwork.com, Reedsy, or even Fiverr.com if your budget is bare-bones.

-Will you offer some sort of freebie to entice people to sign up for your newsletter or pre-order your book? If so, create it now. For my novel written in an unfamiliar era (WW1), I offer access to an online scrapbook to those who subscribe to my newsletter. (If you have a look, give it a minute or two to load.) Other authors commonly offer a short story, additional chapters, or some other exclusive bonus.

-Will you offer some sort of give-away in conjunction with your book launch? If so, research items that are a good fit (i.e. a tin of Scottish shortbread if you write Scottish Romance)

-Search for images that you could use to create graphic teasers for your book. These sites have free public domain images: Pixabay, Pexels, Unsplash, and Wiki Commons. (Not all Wiki Commons images are licensed for commercial use, but they have oddball stuff you may not find anywhere else.)

-Compile a media kit to have all the necessary advertising elements in one place: Blurb, bio, excerpt, book info, images, etc. Mine is here.

-Choose quotes and excerpts from your book that would make good teasers. Maybe even play around with Canva.com to learn how to make the teasers, Twitter banners, FB headers, etc. (All the graphics in my media kit were created at Canva.com.)

Feeling overwhelmed?

It is a LOT of work, and most of these tasks take an ENORMOUS amount of time. If you have deep pockets, you can hire experts to do many of these tasks for you, but they will still require your input. So start early and give yourself plenty of time. I spent nearly three months just educating myself on current trends in book marketing. (Yeah, I believe in being thorough.) But when I launched my book with a 23-day blog tour, I was able to do it with confidence as I had my marketing foundation firmly in place.

How long did these tasks take you? Did I leave anything out?

I’d love to hear your comments.

THIS POST SUBMITTED BY Ginger Monette

Winner of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's 2015 “Picture This” grand prize, Ginger currently writes romances set in the era of Downton Abbey and WW1. She lives with her family in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she enjoys dancing on the treadmill, watching period dramas, public speaking, and reading—a full-length novel every Sunday afternoon.

Is it ever too early to market a book? @kayelleallen #MFRWauthor

Should you wait until a book is finished and sold before you try to market it? No. Here's why.

When a new movie comes out, do studios wait until the day it opens to begin telling people about it? No. How many months did people see info about the last Star Wars movie before it came out? Star Wars is a brand stamped across everything associated with the series of films.

Likewise, your brand is something you should always be marketing. What is your brand? Your name. Readers should get to know you by name and associate you with good things. You can't get that by remaining in the shadows.

Overnight success takes a long time.

It's never too early to market a book because the best marketing is developing relationships. Look online for people who have interests similar to yours. For example, I love the Hobbit films, especially the Elven King, Thranduil. I discovered a group on Twitter who regularly share fanart and fanfiction around this character. I've gotten to know them and have added my own fanart to the group. One of the group who features fanart on her site showcased my DeviantArt account where I have the art. That means people can also see my other work, including book covers, banners, and other art related to my story world. You might not have artwork that you can share, but do you have research images? Create a board on your Pinterest account to share them.

Did you ever bookmark articles that helped you make your story more realistic? Did you

read any books that helped you write better? What was the thinking behind the plot of your books? Who are your characters? What is the theme of the story? Blog about the above.

I get thousands of views on my site because I blog. I use the topics above plus others. I don't talk writing on my blog very often, because I'm trying to pull in readers as well as authors (who are also readers, btw). Blog posts are fresh content that keep readers interested in you and your story world. I discovered recently that the largest views of my site are on my blog posts. Only about 8% of visitors go to the other pages. You can bet I changed my blogging strategy!

Do you have a blurb and tagline? If not, write them now. You will use them endlessly. Likewise with your bio. Write it in 4 sizes: twitter bio (160 characters) to use on blog posts, 200 words for your official website and author bio, and one that's about 75-80 to share in interviews. You want a short one (30 words or less) that captures your writing style or tag (I use the one below). You want to say who you are, what you write, a fact about yourself as a person, and optionally, a general idea of your whereabouts (I say the Atlanta GA area). This helps people place you, not pinpoint you. Reuse your basic wording in each version.

Here's my short bio:

Kayelle Allen is a best-selling American author. Her unstoppable heroes and heroines include contemporary every day folk, role-playing immortal gamers, futuristic covert agents, and warriors who purr.

Longer bio:

Science Fiction and Fantasy author Kayelle Allen is the winner of the 2010 EPIC award for Science Fiction, and the 2008 Honorable Mention for Science Fiction Fantasy. Her unstoppable heroes and heroines include contemporary every day folk, role-playing immortal gamers, futuristic covert agents, and warriors who purr. Kayelle is the founder of Marketing for Romance Writers, a peer-mentoring group, and the owner of The Author's Secret, a support company for writers. She is married, has three grown children, and five grandchildren. She and her husband met and married while they were both on active duty in US Navy.

Marketing isn't saying "buy my book" over and over.

The best marketing is sharing, talking, listening. Pick some social media sites you love and get good at them. I love Twitter and do ok on Facebook, and spend lots of time on Pinterest. Build a following now. When you release your book it will be to people who are following because they already like you.

It's never too early to make friends.
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This post began as a discussion on Marketing for Romance Writers. I invite you to join us. Was this helpful to you? If so, please leave a note in the comments.

Kayelle Allen Social Media

Homeworld/Blog https://kayelleallen.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/kayelleallen
Facebook https://facebook.com/kayelleallen.author
Join the Romance Lives Forever Reader Group Download three free books and get news about books coming soon. One book downloads immediately and two full-color illustrated books arrive the next day. You can unsubscribe at any time.

At the Mercy of Her Pleasure (Available at Amazon, free on Kindle Unlimited)

#MFRWauthor-to-author: Benefits of Self Publishing @gemwriter Claire Gem

Why Claire Gem Chose Self Publishing
I began my published author career with not one, not two, but three small publishers. My experience with them taught me many things, the least of which was patience. Which I don't have a lot of.

The first publisher did an awesome job editing, gave me the cover I asked for, and then nothing else.

The second did a crappy editing job but gave me a wonderful cover.

The third did outstanding edits, but forced me to change the title and sprung a cover on me I still have nightmares about.

Which is why I created Erato Publishing, published HEARTS UNLOCHED in eBook, Paperback, and Audiobook, and will never, ever look back. I am a control freak who also happens to be lucky enough to have a sister who is a graphic designer (and loves designing book covers) and a husband who is patient (and smart) enough to stay out of my way when I'm struggling with formatting issues.

My new release, HEARTS UNLOCHED, is a story that came to me, quite literally, already written. My husband grew up in the area of the Catskills in New York where the book is set: Sullivan County. We were visiting the area last fall when he began reiterating the urban legend about Loch Sheldrake—a lake so deep nobody has ever found the bottom.

So deep, it was the perfect place for the mob to dump bodies back in the day.

Sullivan County is littered with abandoned hotels, resorts, and convention centers. Back in the 50s and up until about 1970, the area enjoyed a prolific tourist trade from folks who lived in nearby NYC, only about two hours away. But after plane travel became more affordable, the tourist trade dried up and died. Many of the hotels were taken over by Jewish religious organizations, burned to the ground, or still stand forgotten and rotting.

As we drove around the lake, I began a ""what if"" conversation with myself. What if there was an abandoned hotel on the shores of the ill-rumored lake? What if there was a Jewish interior designer from Manhattan who owned a weekend house on the lake? Who was also psychic?

What if a sexy Italian investor bought a crumbling hotel on the shores of Loch Sheldrake? What if, after bumping into each other and producing some rather impressive sexual sparks, the investor hires the designer to renovate his hotel? But what if there's a ghost—a poltergeist—connected with the property who has a very personal interest in the psychic designer? Kate's aunt disappeared from the place fifty years ago.

Hearts Unloched

Interior designer Kate Bardach loves her single girl’s lifestyle—living in Manhattan and spending weekends at her lake house. She’s passionate about her career, reinventing old buildings. But there are some projects she can’t take on because of the spirits trapped there. Kate is psychic—she sees dead people.

Marco Lareci is one of Wall Street’s most successful investment brokers who’s achieved all of his life’s goals—except for finding his soulmate.  His latest project, an abandoned resort on Loch Sheldrake, needs a savvy designer to transform the crumbling complex into a boutique hotel. When Marco meets Kate, he can’t believe his luck. She’s the perfect match for his business and his heart.
Marco’s body excites Kate even more than does his renovation project. But the haunting there, a bonafide poltergeist, affects her on an intensely personal level. Kate’s aunt disappeared from the place fifty years ago.

Will the spirit doom Kate and Marco’s love, or drive them closer together?

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ABOUT Claire Gem
Claire turns the paranormal romance genre on its ear by combining the elements of gothic horror, mystery/thriller, and romantic suspense—in present-day settings. It’s a genre she calls New Gothic.

She also writes intensely emotional contemporary romance with a touch of humor under the Claire Gem Contemporary line.

website  |  blog  |  facebook  |  pinterest  |  amazon  |  goodreads

#MFRWauthor-to-author Tips: Writing Resources @ColleenSMyers

Writing Resources I Found Helpful
I  thought about all the things I ended up stumbling onto as a new writer and decided to try to make a decisive -yet somewhat short- list of things I found useful as I was getting started.
If anyone has any resources they want to share, please add in the COMMENTS.

Books:
Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
William Strunk and E.B. White,  The Elements of Style
Debra Dixon, GMC: Goal, Motivation, and Conflict

Websites:
Writers Digest – It really is the one stop shop for classes and information.
Romance Writers of America – Membership, contests, and writing groups support. Truly amazing. This is romance specific.
Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America -- Organization that supports Sci-Fi/Fantasy writers.
National Novel Writing Month--- Sign up and write a novel each November.

Agent Querying Resources:
Query 101: The Basics: Where Do I Begin -- A nice article to get you started.
AgentQueryConnect.com-- Resources for writers.
Query Sharkor Nathan Bransford’s Query Forum -- Both let you post queries, get feedback.
Twitter – I’m serious, there are a bazillion places to connect and get critiques.

Twitter hashtags:
#amwriting,  #askagent,  #tenqueries,  #querytip,  #pubtip
#MSWL (manuscript wish list)
Contests:  #pitmad,  #pitchmadness,  #qeurykombat,  #pitcharama
#writeclub – someone always doing word sprints here -- or #1k1hr

Twitter peeps to follow:
@brendadrake – She runs pitmad/pitchmadness – Awesome lady
@MKDB – Margaret Bail, literary agent, queen of tenqueries
@michelle4laughs -- Michelle Hauck, author and host of Query Kombat
@sc_author -- Blogger, founder of #WriteInclusively.

Special mention to Brenda Novak’s Diabetes Auction where there are unlimited donated treats for authors for a good cause!

Critique groups:
Yes, you do need one. There is #cpmatch done about every 6 months. Always get a second pair of eyes looking at your MS. My group is full of awesome people: @patchi_writes, @earthrelic,  @chellewrites,  @ainsleywynter
Facebook also has a lot of resources for this. Check it out.
Go local. Yahoo has lots of groups where you can find local groups or meet ups. I moderate my local RWA chapter Three Rivers Romance Writers.

Editors:
When writing your first novel, I recommend you get an editor. Mine was Mary Harris.
Another editor I had look at my query letter and synopsis was @Cslakin

And, of course, all things MFRW are a necessity!

This is a work in progress as I learn more. I deliberately kept it short so it would one page anyone can reference but if you have anything to add, please contact me.
Happy writing!

ABOUT Colleen S. Myers
Colleen plays many roles. Not only is she a veteran, a mother, and a practicing physician, but she is a writer of science fiction and contemporary romances. Colleen’s dreams include surviving her son’s teenage years, exploring every continent on this planet, except Antartica, cause that’s way too cold, and winning the Nobel peace prize. Dream BIG! Currently she is working on Whole Again, a contemporary romance that she hopes to see published in the future.

Colleen's latest book is Can't Forget with Champagne Books.

Is it better to be safe or loved?

BUY LINK

Winner of the New England Readers Award!

Four months have passed since the E’mani—those pale alien freaks—destroyed the Earth and scooped up the remains. Elizabeth “Beta” Camden was one of those taken. But she escapes and confronts her prior captors successfully with the help of their enemies. Yet she knows the Imani won’t forget about her. She should stay vigilant and ready. Her heart refuses to listen. Beta falls in love with Marin—he of the hot hands and slit eyes.

Too bad she was right.

This time the E’mani don’t come in force. This time the E’mani slip in silently. And any hope she had of a peaceful life is lost. Beta knows what she has to do and it isn’t play house. She leaves in the dead of night to find the E’mani stronghold and end them once and for all. But love is a tricky bitch. And Marin refuses to let her throw her life away. It takes a threat to his safety to make her realize, if she can’t forget her past, she won’t have a future.

Connect with Colleen
https://twitter.com/ColleenSMyers
https://www.facebook.com/ColleenSMyers/
https://www.instagram.com/csmyers3637/
https://www.pinterest.com/csmyers3637/

#WWoW 1% Inspiration/ 99% Perspiration @Jill_Blake_ #MFRWauthor

I’m a planner. With a full-time job and three small kids, I wouldn’t survive if I didn’t plan ahead. This approach carries over to my writing: what I call the 1% inspiration/99% perspiration model.

The inspiration comes from fragments of real life and issues that would otherwise keep me up at night. Since I really need my sleep, I transform these "problems" into fodder for my books.

The 99% perspiration starts with carving out dedicated time for writing. That’s when I do the "foundational work" of research and outlining. I prepare character sketches, chapter-by-chapter outlines, timelines (on an actual calendar!), and individual files for background information (aka research)–all before I even begin chapter one.

My latest book, A Matter of Trust, is the third book of my Silicon Beach Trilogy. I wanted to tell a story about the younger siblings of characters from the previous two books. The problem was that my hero, Vlad, was kind of a jerk when he first appeared in book two. The need to rehabilitate him led to the central conflict of the story. Klara witnesses Vlad’s bad behavior, and this makes her doubt his integrity. Layer on a murder in which he becomes a suspect, and all of a sudden it becomes quite interesting…

I write romance because I enjoy exploring the relationships between people. I love throwing together seemingly incompatible characters and making them work through their differences. In my books, nothing comes easily, but the happy ending makes it all worthwhile—for me, and hopefully for my readers as well.

A Matter of Trust

(The Silicon Beach Trilogy, Book 3)
by Jill Blake

Venture capitalist Vlad Snezhinsky excels at two things: making money and being a dad. Still struggling to get over a disastrous marriage, he has zero interest in starting a new relationship. That is, until he meets Klara Lazarev.

Klara’s done living in her older sister’s shadow. Determined to forge her own path, she completes a prestigious fellowship program before returning to college. Now scrambling to fulfill her graduation requirements, she has no time for distractions like Vlad and his daughter. Especially after an unfortunate first encounter leaves Klara doubting Vlad’s integrity.

But when a shocking murder throws their world into chaos, can they trust each other enough to uncover the truth and embrace the possibility of love?

BUY LINK

Excerpt

Vlad hunkered down at the edge of the mat. "Okay, let's try this again," he said, stretching out his hand. "My name is Vlad. And you are…?"

"Klara. Anna's sister." She withdrew her fingers as quickly as possible, but not before he felt the slight tremor.

Nerves? Attraction? She averted her eyes, focusing on the baby. The pulse at the base of her neck fluttered.

He swallowed a smile. "So, Klara. Why haven't we met before?"

That got her attention. And not in a good way. Her brows drew together and she narrowed her eyes. "We have. A couple years ago, at your brother's wedding."

"Oh." He blinked away the unpleasant memories that threatened to swamp him. It was unfortunate that he'd forever associate Leo's wedding with the beginning of the end. That's when Vlad and Oksana started on a long downward spiral, culminating in an acrimonious divorce that was still dragging on today.

He studied Klara more closely. Something stirred at the back of his mind.

A brief impression of thick black curls swept up in an elegant twist, the body poured into some barely-there excuse for a dress, the lips smiling at him. And then—

Oh, God.

The red lipstick smeared, the eyes dripping mascara-tinged tears, his cheek stinging from the impression of her hand.

And then—nothing.

He couldn't recall a goddamn thing until he woke up the next morning, head pounding like an entire battalion of jackhammers doing demolition work.

 
ABOUT Jill Blake
A native of Philadelphia, Jill Blake now lives in southern California with her husband and three children. By day, she works as a physician in a busy medical practice. By night, she pens steamy romances.

Blog http://jillblake.blogspot.com/

Twitter https://twitter.com/Jill_Blake_

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jill.blake.3386

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6899971.Jill_Blake

#MFRWAuthor-to-Author Tip: Selecting A Publisher @DianaLRubino

MFRW Author Diana Rubino shares her thoughts on choosing publishers.
Diana Rubino’s passion for history and travel has taken her to every locale of her stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. Her urban fantasy romance, FAKIN’ IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. She lives on Cape Cod with her husband Chris. In her spare time, Diana bicycles, golfs, plays her piano and devours books of any genre.
website  |  blog  |  facebook  |  goodreads  |  twitter

Author-to-Author Tip
Small Presses vs. the “Big Houses” – Something for Everybody
Writing for a small press can be a stepping stone to a career leap—or it can be your entire career. Since no author can plan on a best-selling career with a big house, pitching to the small presses can be your ticket to publication.
 
The independent “indie” publishers are much more willing to take chances on new writers and cultivate their talents. Sure, their bottom line is important, as it is to any for-profit business, but they don’t have the time constraints the big houses have. This gives their editors the luxury of taking more time to work with authors, and spend much more one-on-one time with them on technical details such as point of view, character consistency, and basic grammatical and style issues. Small presses also accept unagented material, so authors can avoid the Catch-22 of not being able to land an agent because they’ve not yet established a track record.

Most likely, your small press book will be POD (print on demand) which means copies will be printed only when a customer orders one. It’s up to the author to visit his/her local bookstores, and some stores will order a few dozen copies, arrange for a signing, and give your books a valuable promotional push. But most small presses run on tight budgets, and the author must take the necessary time and funds to finance a promotion; i.e., costs of designing a website and keeping it current, ads on internet sites such as BTS Book Reviews http://btsemag.com/ and BookDaily, www.bookdaily.com, business cards, bookmarks and other giveaways, travel expenses to signings and conventions, etc.

I always like to inspire aspiring authors by telling my unique story: 
I received my first publishing contract 18 years after writing my first novel. I believe it was my ninth written novel that became my ‘first novel’ – the first that got published, with British publisher Domhan Books (a small press). At the time I signed my first contract, it was the fastest-growing publisher in the U.S. Unfortunately, the owner suffered health problems and could no longer actively run the company, but my five-year tenure there earned me many rave reviews and a Romantic Times Top Pick award.

I never gave up on my dream of that ‘big house’ contract, but continued submitting to small presses, eventually landing contracts with Dreams Unlimited, Stardust Press, Eternal Press, The Wild Rose Press, Solstice Publishing, and Sarah Publishing. Although my agent is currently submitting my most recent works to the big houses, the small presses have been very good to me. I’ve had my backlist republished with Solstice Publishing and The Wild Rose Press, and I do promotional offers such as offering my Ebooks at discounted prices on significant dates, i.e., the anniversary of the Lincoln assassination or the end of Prohibition. The promo I do with Twitter, Goodreads and the author/reader groups on Yahoo have brought me reviews and sales that I’m happy with. My editors at The Wild Rose Press and Solstice Publishing are among the best editors I’ve ever worked with. They make my work sparkle. There’s a lot of talent out there in the small press world, and I advise any aspiring author to submit to them, because they offer great opportunities to start your writing career on the right path.

A few caveats to look out for are the vanity presses, which require that authors pay to have their books published. Some writers decide to go this route and self-publish. Of course some of these books have become best sellers. But make sure you choose a royalty-paying publisher if you don’t wish to go the self-published route.

Small presses have always been around, but with the miracle of the internet, many more are thriving, and authors have the choice of a great variety of outlets for their work. Some specialize in certain genres. You need to do your research to find the best fit for your work. But never before have authors had such a wide range of publishers; something for every taste. Now that the Kindle and other E-book readers have come down in price and their sales are increasing, E-book sales have exploded. E-books have been around since the 90s, but never before have they been so popular.

With the outlets that small presses have to offer, so many more writers than ever before can now share their talents with the world, which shrinks more and more every day!

Diana Rubino's newest book is From Here to Fourteenth Street, Book One of the New York

Saga with The Wild Rose Press.                                               
Buy Link!

It's 1894 on New York's Lower East Side. Irish cop Tom McGlory and Italian immigrant Vita Caputo fall in love despite their different upbringings. Vita goes from sweatshop laborer to respected bank clerk to reformer, helping elect a mayor to beat the Tammany machine. While Tom works undercover to help Ted Roosevelt purge police corruption,

Vita's father arranges a marriage between her and a man she despises. When Tom’s cousin is murdered, Vita’s father and brother languish in jail, charged with the crime. Can Vita and Tom’s love survive poverty, hatred, and corruption?

#WWoW Author-to-Author Tips from #MFRWauthor @RowlandKathleen

MFRW author Kathleen Rowland shares what she knows about the publishing industry.
Book Buyers Best finalist Kathleen Rowland is devoted to giving her readers fast-paced, high-stakes suspense with a sizzling love story sure to melt their hearts.  Kathleen used to write computer programs but now writes novels.   She grew up in Iowa where she caught lightning bugs, ran barefoot, and raced her sailboat on Lake Okoboji.  Now she wears flip-flops and sails with her husband, Gerry, on Newport Harbor but wishes there were lightning bugs in California.
website  |  twitter  |  facebook  |  goodreads

Author-to-Author Tips... Sharing what I know about the publishing industry
Action sells! Books that have an action sequence within the first 25 pages sell better. Readers of romantic suspense look for fast paced.  Plotting is critical to build a cohesive, multilayered storyline.

Should an author publish traditionally or self-publish? It’s okay to ride two horses at the same time. It does take longer for a novel to go from proofing to publication, but often self-pubbed books rush through edits. I submit longer books, over 40,000 words, to my publisher but self-publish novelettas (10,000 and under).

Is paperback coming back as opposed to paperless eBooks?  My publisher focuses first on eBook sales.  If the eBook doesn’t sell, neither will a print book. That is true, but the readership of romantic suspense is 60% eBook and 40% paperback. In other genres print books took an upswing.  Some readers like both print and e-readers.

What’s good about being a writer? In our own lives, even a bit of negativity is usable.  Were you ever involved with an alcoholic? That experience can help shape a character. How about being a single parent and providing for children while making ends meet? In my current work-in-progress, Vivienne Rourke takes tentative steps toward a new life after losing her husband.  Her cousin is missing, and she works as a detective, always hoping to locate her.  Another wonderful part of being a writer is hearing from fans. I learned on the reservation that the ancient, sacred charge of the storyteller is to beguile the time. I’m thrilled when I hear that someone has used my books to get through some particularly difficult illness either as a patient or as they sit on the sidelines while someone they love is terribly ill. It gratifies me to know that by immersing themselves in my stories, people are able to set their own lives aside and live and walk in someone else’s shoes. It tells me I’m doing a good job at the best job in the world.

Is bringing something new to the table with research or breaking news better than following trends relevant to your genre?  I write romantic suspense, and the most popular contemporary romance subgenre is action/adventure. I feel a smart-selling author needs to have awareness of requirements within a sub-genre.  Romantic suspense requires DANGER.  Allow me to expand.  Suspense incorporates a sense of tension throughout the book with heart-pounding action, adrenaline-inducing chase, edge of your seat thrills, life-threatening situations, and dangerous criminals. These are common elements.  ROMANCE. There’s a central love story.  Our lovers have to traverse nail-biting adventures before they become acquainted with each other and fall in love. As an author I weave both romance and mystery.
No Backstory Not none, but weave backstory in with mercifully short dialogue. The biggest error is over-writing and manufacturing emotions.  Characters must react in the present, be honest and real. They react to their situation and to each other.  Their issues are background.  Life is messy. The thrill ride is dangerous, authentic, eye-widening, and passionate.

Kathleen's newest book is Deadly Alliance, an Erotic Romantic Suspense.
Finn doesn't trust Amy.  Dog that he is, they're after the same shiny bone-- his missing cash.  Some alliances have dangerous consequences. Chilling adrenalin rush when Amy witnesses a fight between an Irish gang and domestic terrorists, is caught in the crosshairs, and needs Finn's protection. Finn doesn't trust Amy.  Dog that he is, they're after the same bone.  Some alliances have dangerous consequences. BUY LINK

#WWoW A Day In The Life of A #MFRWauthor Ann Raina

A Day In The Life of MFRW Author Ann Raina
Ann Raina lives and works in Germany with cats and a horse. Riding and writing are her favorite hobbies. So far she has written thirteen novels for eXtasy Books with more to come. Her latest series, starting with The Secretary’s Bodyguard, turns around a couple getting into dangerous, life-threatening adventures.

In all of her books she combines romance, suspense, and humorous elements, for no thrilling story can stand without a comic relief.

Connect with Ann on facebook or on her website.

I work in an office. I have a horse to take care of every day. These demands limit my writing time, including on weekends. Therefore I'm used to write wherever I go and have time to ponder ideas, scenes, and character development. I don't leave the house without a notebook and pen.

My latest, now published book was written in four months because the story came up nicely and many characters offered themselves for developing from the series' first three books. I loved adding new characters, and my muse did a lot in creating their backgrounds. With the storyline set and the main characters defined, I used every minute of the day to write the scenes.

It was so much fun, especially the afternoons with my muse -- lots of coffee, cookies, and enough paper to write down essential notes.

Use a Press Release to Promote your Book! @JimDaddio #MFRWauthor

When MFRW author Jim Daddio released his book The Choice, he knew he needed to get the word out. Jim is the author of six fiction books. He lives in Palm City, Florida with his wife, Jill. His books are available on amazon.com (search Jim Daddio). You can also find out more about him at www.jimdaddio.com. He share how he publicized his book here.

As authors we want to sell as many books as possible. We must be our own self-promoter. We need to tell everyone we meet we are writers and have excellent books available. I recently contacted a local newspaper for the city of Palm City. The paper is printed once a week and placed in over twenty-five thousand mailboxes. They printed my press release. The response has been wonderful. 

Local resident pens his sixth fiction novel.
Jim Daddio, a resident of Palm City, is the author of five fiction novels. Readers who enjoy well-written, gripping mystery novels will welcome the newest offering from Jim. The Privileged, published by Wings ePress, Inc., completes a trilogy featuring private detective, Art Decco
Art is the main character in Las Vegas Dead and Heaven or Hell-A Story of Human Trafficking, also published by Wings. The history of Art's unusual surname is revealed in the stories: his family name, Deccolangelo, was shortened by his grandfather when he emigrated to America from Italy.
The Privileged is an old fashioned ‘who done it.’ When Michelle Thorne Johnston, a wealthy socialite living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is murdered, the police have enough evidence and motive to arrest and charge her husband, Clay.
He immediately proclaims his innocence and hires Art to find the real killer. The reader rides along with Art as he discovers there are several persons of interest who had reason to murder Michelle. But there is something bothering Art: Clay doesn't seem too concerned. He insists that, even if he has to go to trial, he will never be found guilty. He is rich and powerful and one of the privileged.
“Even though this is my sixth published fiction novel I have to say I am very excited about The Privileged. It is my first 'who done it mystery.' My publisher, Wings epress, is also excited about the story line. The reader will have to wait until the end to find out who committed the crime,” Jim said.
Originally from Meadville, Pennsylvania, Jim has been a resident of Palm City for seven years. He's lived in Florida for over forty years. Thirty-seven years in Fort Lauderdale, three in Clearwater and two years in Orlando.
He added, “My wife, Jill, and I really love Palm City and living in Whispering Sound. We travel to Lauderdale to visit our daughter, Jennifer, and spend several months each year in Richmond, Virginia with our son, Jim, and his family.”
His books can be found on amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. (Search Jim Daddio)
“The Choice” was also featured in The Stuart News.”

#MFRWAuthor-to-Author: Breaking into Social Media @Jill_Blake_

Social…what?

My kids are growing up in a brave new world dominated by social media.

Me, I’m still trying to figure out what this whole hash-tag thing is about. Until recently I didn’t have a Twitter account. And when I first opened a Facebook account at the urging of friends and family, it was simply to post: ""If you want to communicate with me, pick up the phone or stop by. Because I don't do Facebook.""

But the virtual world just wouldn’t go away.  Friends kept bugging me to check out their Pinterest pages. Or Instagram posts. Email is passé, they said.  IM—what’s that?  You can still text, but what you really need is photos, videos, check-ins.  Right.  Do these people not know about all the criminals out there, monitoring FB and Tumblr and Meetup to know when you’re not at home so they can burglarize your empty house?!?

Alas, I am alone in my paranoia.  And truth to tell, some of my reluctance to join the digital revolution is fueled by the fact that I am an idiot when it comes to computers.  I never quite got over the trauma of having to learn how to program in FORTRAN.  (For those of you who were born into a world of smartphones and swipe-screens, FORTRAN is a long-dead computer language from post-IBM, pre-Apple days.  It’s what Latin is to the Romance languages that grew out of it.  Do they even teach Latin in public school anymore?)

What’s more, I actually like communicating the old fashioned way.  I enjoy talking with people face to face.  And I especially love writing letters long-hand, putting them in an envelope, sticking on a stamp, and dropping them off at the corner post-office.   I grew up reading volumes of correspondence between Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald (sigh!), Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf, Shelby Foote and Walker Percy.  Really, how can Twitter or Facebook compare with that?

In quantum physics, there is the law: “like attracts like.”  This principle applies to relationships, too.

We self-select our social network—both online and in the real world.  As a result, I am marooned on an island of similar-minded Luddites.  In our world, “going viral” still refers to a constellation of symptoms including fever, cough, and congestion.

So, until my kids are old enough to clue me in, I will likely remain a social networking illiterate.  I will not be plugging my books on a bazillion-and-one online sites.  I will continue writing slowly, laboriously, in longhand (at least sometimes). And I hope that the content of what I write will be interesting enough to sell a few books.

How do you use social media in promoting your books?

Contributed by MFRW author Jill Blake.
A native of Philadelphia, Jill Blake now lives in southern California with her husband and three children. By day, she works as a physician in a busy medical practice. By night, she pens steamy romances.
blog ~ http://jillblake.blogspot.com/
twitter ~ https://twitter.com/Jill_Blake_
Google+ ~ https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JillBlake/posts
FB ~ https://www.facebook.com/jill.blake.3386
Amazon ~ http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00B1ZIHKS
Goodreads ~ https://goodreads.com/author/show/6899971.Jill_Blake

Jill Blake's newest release is Sweet Indulgence (The Silicon Beach Trilogy, Book 2).
BUY LINK - Free on Kindle Unlimited!
Becca Markham spent the last six years trying to please everyone else. Now it’s her turn. She ditches her cheating boyfriend, quits her high-stress job as a software engineer, and decides to transform her life-long love of baking from a part-time hobby into a full-time business.

Leo Kogan spent years scrambling to escape a life of poverty. Now a successful surgeon, he needs just one thing to complete his American dream: the perfect woman. But making the leap from casual friends to lovers proves harder than he expects.

Despite a sizzling attraction, Becca and Leo don’t have much in common. Especially when it comes to love and money. She’s looking for sex without strings; he wants a partner for life. She stakes her future on a risky new business; he’s obsessed with financial security.

Do Hybrid Authors Need a Website? Yes. Here's Why @kayelleallen #MFRWauthor

Definition: Hybrid Author -- one who publishes in more than one way, using any combination of traditional, small press, epress, and/or self-publishing.

Header for kayelleallen.com 

There are more reasons authors need a website, but these are the most important, in my opinion. What do I know? As a hybrid author myself, I have marketed my books for over twelve years, and have been a mentor to many. I'm the owner of The Author's Secret, and work with authors every day. Plus, I'm the founder of Marketing for Romance Writers, which has nearly 3k members on Yahoo and over 6k members on Facebook.

1. When you are self-published, your books are found online, not while a reader is casually walking past a shelf in a bookstore. A casual shopper might see your book on Amazon, or Barnes and Noble, and other sites. But a website gives readers a place to research your books and find out more about you. If a reader likes your book, or wants to know more, where can he or she go to learn about you?
2. A website with your name as the domain (authorname.com) provides a place without ads that pop up like some of the "free" sites. Readers who see popups and ads spend less time on the site. If they click one of the ads, they are taken away from your site. With your own domain, you can control whether clicking a link opens in a new window, which allows readers to shop, and then come back.
3. A website is an investment in your business and your future. If writing is a hobby for you, and you are only in it for the fun, save your money and do a free site. If writing is what wakes you up in the morning and puts you to bed (late) at night, then do yourself and your future readership a favor and become serious about promoting yourself with a website.
4. A website gives you the opportunity to judge how well known you are. Google Analytics is one of the free tools out there to let you interpret website statistics. (it's not as scary as it sounds, trust me) For example, I know that today, 38% of visitors to my website get there by directly typing my name (and adding .com) into the address bar of their browser.
5. With your own domain, you can have several professional email accounts with your author name. (yourname@yourdomain.com) It's okay to use another email account such as Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, etc. as well. You can have your professional email accounts forward there. But you'll need a pro account for contacting publishers, review sites, sending press releases, and for business cards or your website. I use several different email addresses. When I do a live event I can use a new one, and others for anything promoted online or in print. When I get an email, I can tell immediately where the person got the address. This helps me judge effectiveness of an event's reach.
6. Adding a blog (such as Wordpress) to your own domain means people who read your blog come directly to your site. No one will shut down your blog if it belongs to you and is hosted on your own domain.
7. A website gives you a place to sell books and to gather contacts for your newsletter. This is vital. A newsletter is a list of people who have expressed an interest in your books. Would you not want to know who they are? Of course you would!

Are there other reasons? Yes. I'd love to hear yours.

What if you can't afford a dedicated domain name?

1. If you have no money and you are just starting out, scrimp and save and buy that domain. Go without two new books. It will cost you about the same.
2. Ask on Marketing for Romance Writers  for advice as well. You'll find lots of people ready to help.
3. If you don't know how to create a site, create one with wordpress. You can get beautiful free themes and do customization on your own by following directions online.
4. Ask around, and see who built their own sites. See if a friend will help. There is power in networking.

Bottom line, a website is your best bet for creating a place for readers to find out more about you and your books. Make the most of the opportunity. A blog will bring people to your site, so if you've been thinking about creating one, while you're creating your site is a good time to start.

Have something to add to this? Leave a comment below.

---

Kayelle Allen is a best selling American author. Her unstoppable heroes and heroines include contemporary every day folk, role-playing immortal gamers, futuristic covert agents, and warriors who purr.
Homeworld and Blog https://kayelleallen.com

A Day in the Writing Life of #MFRWauthor @Jill_Blake_

I'm a type-A personality. I make lists and plan things out to the very last detail. When all else is chaos, my systematic approach to writing is often the only thing that keeps me sane. (Not to mention it’s cheaper than therapy.)

I start with a character or premise that strikes my fancy. Around this, I build a world, populating it with composite portraits of friends and neighbors, family and coworkers. I fill in my characters’ histories, make family trees, create life plans. Often I do a lot of background reading on whatever topic or environment is relevant to my story.

Then comes plotting. True to form, I keep timelines of important events in my characters’ lives, and use an actual calendar to keep track of their activities in the ongoing present.

Then I go back and write. Each session begins by re-reading the last scene or chapter, making a few edits if needed, and then mapping out a bare-bones outline of the next chapter, fleshing it out, and finally jotting some notes for the following writing session. This continues—two to three sessions a week, each several hours long—for four to six months. That’s how long the process takes me from start to finish for each book. The editing, beta-reading, cover design, formatting, and marketing all come later, often overlapping with the planning stages for my next book.

Sometimes I look around at fellow writers who are incredibly fast and prolific, and wonder how they do it. Some are pantsers. Some are able to multi-task, or write despite distractions. 

Alas, that is not me. I need complete quiet and freedom from interruptions in order to write. That’s hard to come by in a house with husband and three small kids. Not to mention the time constraints imposed by my day job. Did I mention I’m a physician? I average fifty hours a week seeing patients, and also take (thankfully infrequent) call.

So, slow and steady it is. At least for now.

Contributed by Jill Blake
Jill Blake loves chocolate, leisurely walks where she doesn’t break a sweat, and books with a guaranteed happy ending. A native of Philadelphia, Jill now lives in southern California with her husband and three children. During the day, she works as a physician in a busy medical practice. At night, she pens steamy romances.

blog: http://jillblake.blogspot.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/jill.blake.3386
twitter: https://twitter.com/Jill_Blake_
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00B1ZIHKS
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6899971.Jill_Blake

Beyond the Ivory Tower... coming in November 2015

PRE-ORDER LINK
If there’s one thing math professor Anna Larazev believes in, it’s the value of higher education. So when her younger sister announces she’s dropping out of college, Anna places the blame squarely on the man who inspired her sister’s rebellion.

Venture capitalist Ethan Talbot claims the US academic system is broken. His solution? Pay top students to “opt out” and pursue their entrepreneurial dreams without wasting time and money on a university degree.

In a passionate battle for the hearts and minds of a new generation, Anna will do whatever it takes to prove Ethan wrong. But when his demands take a more personal turn, will she sacrifice her principles to come out on top?

EXCERPT

Ethan ignored the first few emails. Likewise the faxed letter, the phone message slips, and the envelope delivered by registered mail.
Ever since his usual assistant, Margaret, went on medical leave, he’d been saddled with a series of temps who had neither the wits nor the will to guard his inner sanctum. What he really needed was someone who not only knew how to organize his schedule and take dictation, but could also screen out and deflect all the noise of the outside world. There were simply too many people asking for money, or looking for a job, or hoping for an interview or sound bite, or just eager for the opportunity to rub elbows with the man of the moment.
Frankly, he was tired of it. But until Margaret returned from getting her hip replaced, he was unlikely to catch a break.
Maybe, after this weekend’s summit, he’d take some time off. Fly down to Belize and do some diving. Or visit his parents in upstate New York. He hadn’t seen them since Christmas. And even then he’d spent most of his time taking meetings by Skype and reviewing business plan executive summaries, financial projections, and capitalization tables.
Sighing, he turned away from his contemplation of San Francisco’s skyline. He needed to make one more pass through his PowerPoint presentation for tomorrow’s keynote address.
He was nearly halfway through the slides when the door burst open and he found himself facing an interruption he couldn’t ignore.
She was five foot five--but that was the only average thing about her. She swept into the room with rapid, angry strides, dark brows drawn together over almond shaped eyes, nostrils flaring. Her hair was caught in a casual twist from which glossy black strands escaped to tumble past high cheekbones and bare neck. A V-cut T-shirt that stopped just short of displaying any cleavage was tucked into a pair of close-fitting jeans.
Ethan’s latest assistant—Tina? Trisha? something with a T—scurried in after her. “Dr. Larazev—”
The woman shook off the restraining hand and continued to advance.
“Ma’am, please.” The assistant cast Ethan a nervous glance. “I’m sure we can schedule you in for an appointment. If you’ll just come with me…”

#AmWriting SEX In ROMANCE Novels @AnnaWriter #MFRWauthor

To Write SEX or Not To Write SEX...

I have been quoted on saying we are most vulnerable when we are naked, and never is it more true than in a romance novel. As a writer, I can do deeper into a characters psyche, motivations, and potential conflicts when I've put them skin to skin with another person. Will they reveal truths to their partner they never have before, or will they hide their true nature? Was their world changed forever? I want to know.

Now the explicitness of how that part of the character's journey is told will vary by taste, but for me, the love scenes are vitally important, no matter how hot they are portrayed. The characters will either grow closer together or be driven apart. How can that not be exciting?

When an author has done their job well, the reader will see beyond the titillation to what is going on beneath the surface. The connection the two characters are making, and that is a beautiful thing.
Contributed by Anna Alexander
Award winning author Anna Alexander is the author of the Heroes of Saturn and the Sprawling A Ranch series. With Hugh Jackman’s abs and Christopher Reeve’s blue eyes as inspiration, she loves spinning tales of superheroes finding love. Anna also loves to give back and has served on the board for the Greater Seattle Romance Writers of America as chapter president and on the committee for the Emerald City Writers Conference.

Sign up to receive news about Anna's latest releases at http://eepurl.com/Q0tsz.
The Decadent Divas - http://www.thedecadentdivas.blogspot.com/
Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anna-Alexander/282170065189471?ref=hl
Goodreads –  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1335912.Anna_Alexander

To Have Faith
Ben Castillo was every woman’s fantasy. More precisely, Faith O’Leary’s fantasy. Tall, broad, oh-so handsome, and the best part of all – he was just as kinky as the rumors suggested. Even kinkier. When he agreed to help Faith explore her submissive nature, she mistakenly thought her biggest obstacle would be in getting Ben to believe her when she said she wasn’t going to walk away after his tutelage was over. Instead she finds herself facing the scorn of their conservative community when it’s discovered that their relationship also included time spent with his cute roommate Colby.

Ben was convinced his time with Faith was limited, and the vicious gossip going around town is a sign for him to walk away from the woman he’s come to love, but Colby thinks Ben’s a fool, and will do whatever he can to ensure a happy ending. For all of them.

When an arrangement becomes more, the ranch takes the heat when the town finds out about their illicit affair...      Amazon BUY LINK

EXCERPT

“Little girl, you don’t know what you’re doing.”
“What do you think I’m doing? And I’m not a little girl. I’m thirty. I’ve been around the block a few times.”
“Have you?” He rose to his feet, all six-foot-four of him, and towered over her. The little shop shrunk even more around them as he filled every corner with his sex appeal. “I think you’re trying to entice an older, stronger man to have his way with you.”
So he had been picking up on her vibe.
If he had appeared angry or disinterested in any way, she’d lie and tell him he was imagining things. But if that light in his eyes was what she hoped it was, now was not the time to back down. “As I said before, I find you very intriguing.”
His brow furrowed. “What do you want, Faith?”
Ooo. Her gut tightened. That’s it. Just cut right to the chase.
She drew in a breath, hoping to hell she didn’t pass out from the nerves, and voiced her secret wish. “I want you to teach me what you know.”
He stilled and then cocked his head to the side. “Know about what?” he asked slowly.
“About being a submissive.”
He sucked a breath in through his teeth and rocked back on his heels. “What makes you say that? What have you heard?”
She licked at her lips. “That cattle aren’t the only thing you rope. That you’re a Dom.”

Author-to-Author Tip: Find Your #Writing Zone @Siera_London #MFRWauthor

Not all roadblocks to writing are created equally and most are multi-faceted.
Don’t get sucked into an emotional black hole because your writing life isn’t where you want it to be. It’s okay. Admitting there is a problem opens you up to the possibility of moving from where you are to where you want to be as a writer.

Writers love questions, so here’s one for you.
What is hindering your ability to get the words out of your head and onto the page?
Is it time, space, motivation, fear, or lack of creativity, or something else?

Space.
Write where you feel the most comfortable. When I told my husband I wanted to be a writer, we built a house with an office. It’s a beautiful space with plenty of sunlight, a view of the backyard, and the surrounding trees. But guess what, I write more words with my feet up on the living room couch in front of the fireplace. Go figure? I have a friend that writes best in the bathtub. Do what works for you. Don’t force yourself into a mold that works against your productivity.

Motivation, Fear, & Creativity.
I struggle with two of these anti-writing demons on a weekly basis. This is where the ritual kicks in. My morning starts with a two minute tension tamer breathing exercise CD and prayer. These two behaviors act as a mental and physical reminder that I am preparing myself to write. I spend 15 minutes on social media, eat my breakfast, then I sit down to write. This routine helps me to focus on the task to come-writing, not the fear of what will I write today. I’m a pantser so if I’m having trouble with a scene, I stop and take my character on an adventure. I pick a central character and take them to lunch, a meeting or back to work. You decide where you want them to go, have them interact with another person in the story, and write down their dialogue. Maybe, I’ll use the scene later or maybe I won’t, but I’m still writing. You get the picture? Don’t be afraid to write a bad scene.  Writing a good story is a process. The first words you write are not the final words in the story. Notice, I didn’t have you jump to another WIP. A part of the process of becoming a prolific writer is finishing the work you started.

Goal setting.
What is it you want to change, improve or eliminate from your writing life? In my case, I wanted to write in sixty minutes intervals. Not staring at the computer screen for sixty minutes, not checking emails, chatting, tweeting or on Facebook. Set a realistic goal for yourself. I’m not going to tell you how much time to devote to your writing, but I’m going to strongly encourage you to commit to a daily word count and a timeframe to reevaluate your progress. This is a personal goal, do not set yourself up for failure by setting unrealistic goals at this stage. When I admitted to myself that I wasn’t using my available writing time wisely I started with a daily writing goal of 100 words per day, every day for a one month time period. Within two weeks I was writing more than 250 words per day. There were spelling errors, grammar no-no’s, and poor word choices, but I was writing every day. The story was out of my head and on the paper. Remember, your words are your own. You needn’t share them with a single, living sole until you are ready. So, it doesn’t matter if the words aren’t perfect, get the best words for the moment on the page.

Tactics & Implementation.
How are you going to accomplish this goal? We are writers, so you have to write your plan down. Mine was posted on a sticky note on the mirror in the bathroom. What are the action steps you are willing to take every day to achieve each of your writing goals? For me, I had to limit time on social media to specific intervals first thing in the morning for a total of 15 minutes, again in the afternoon and later at night- total of 45 minutes on social media at three different intervals. If you need to share your writing plan with another for additional support and encouragement, please do so. I prefer to keep new endeavors to myself initially. I approach new challenges like an undercover agent, too many prying eyes can jeopardize my mission. Give yourself some flexibility, if a component of the plan isn’t working, change it. No summit meeting required and you don’t have to wait till a designated evaluation date.

Evaluation.
Which parts of your writing ritual did you master the first time out of the gate? Which action steps didn’t work for you or your lifestyle? Again, you own this process, you decide what stays and what has to go. Sit down, take your time, and evaluate your accomplishment with each action step. Be honest about your progress. If you missed the mark on a few goals, don’t beat yourself up. It’s your plan, adjust the game plan and get back on track. Get feedback from your family or friends if you shared your plan with them. Did you seem more relaxed, more organized, or more focused while implementing your writing ritual? When I put myself on a writing ritual my husband was much happier. No more staying up until 2 am with my character’s soundtrack pumping through the sound system. Music helps me connect with my characters, but that’s for another blog.

If you met your daily word count for the designated time frame, share it with your social media family. Spread the word and help another writer establish a writing ritual. And remember, the writing ritual is not about editing, revising, or structure, it’s about getting your story out of your head and onto the paper.

#MFRWauthor Retweet Fest - Share Your Book with Us

Marketing for Romance Writers monthly retweet day is 4/8.

This month we are promoting our author's books.

To make this easier for everyone to do.

We are asking you to create a tweet and post the url in the comment section of this post.

Here are the steps to follow to achieve

#MFRWauthor Retweet Day – Author Books

Step 1: Go to your Twitter profile and post a tweet as you normally would. (No rules on structure.) Make sure to add #MFRWauthor to your tweet

Step 2: Look up your tweet, it will be in your stream. Click on “Expand,” or the ... in the corner. Then click on “Details.” Your tweet should now be zoomed on your screen. Copy the perma-link or the url for your post at the top of your computer screen.

Step 3: Paste that perma-link into the comment section on this blog.

Step 4: On 4/8 - Make sure you are logged onto Twitter.
Then come here and click on each link that is posted in comment thread for retweet day.

After click on each link you will be taken to tweeter where you retweet the post. Return to the blog and  hit the Like button on *RE-TWEET* thread to show you have done this.

This will help us see how well this promotional event is doing.

Thanks for joining the fun,

Tina

Tina Gayle writes stories with strong women fiction elements. Visit her webstie and read the 1st chapter of any of her books. www.tinagayle.net
 

#MFRWauthor Richard Brawer Shares His Experience As A Writer #amwriting

My experience might help you.
You can read books about writing, but I think the best thing you can do is read books by major authors. Once you have decided you want to write, while you read you will analyze how the authors create characters, scenes and conflicts.

Don't give up. Writing requires perseverance and practice, practice, practice. My first couple of books were not widely received. But I kept on and now I have an historical fiction novel praised by experts and recommended for students of the era. i also have a suspense novel with 71 reviews on amazon.Writing like everything else comes from doing. If you are thinking of

Find a critique group that will give you honest feedback on character development, dialogue, voice, plot, conflict and setting.  But don’t automatically take anyone’s critique as gospel.  Remember, it’s your story.  Analyze the critiques to see if they have merit.  Say you have a six person group.  If one person criticizes something then it may or may not be valid.  But if three or four in the group say the same thing about a segment then you should take it under serious consideration.

Have a lawyer go over your contract. If you or he finds something you don’t like try to get it changed. If the publisher or agent will not change that section, then you have two choices, sign or pass.

Hire an editor, or the very least, a proof reader. It is difficult for the author to proof read his own book. He knows it too well and will begin skimming.

Post written by MFRW Author Richard Brawer
Richard Brawer writes mystery, suspense and historical fiction novels. When not writing, he spends his time exploring local history.  He has two married daughters and lives in New Jersey with his wife. You can connect with him at his author website here: www.silklegacy.com.

Richard's latest release is Love's Sweet Sorrow, a Mainstream Romantic Suspense with Vinspire Publishing.
It is said opposites attract. There can’t be two people more opposite than Ariel and Jason. Ariel is a traditional Quaker with an absolute aversion to war. Jason is the lead council for America's largest weapons manufacturer.

Their budding romance is thrown into turmoil when Jason uncovers evidence linking his employer to international arms deals that could devastate America. His determination to stop the treason puts Ariel in the middle of dangerous territory.

The kidnappings, killings and harrowing escapes from those trying to retrieve the evidence force Jason and Ariel to delve deeply into their often opposing long-held convictions, and question if they are truly meant to be together.

AMAZON  |  BARNES & NOBLE

#MFRWorg ASKS: Are You a #NaNoWriMo Newbie? @MaeClair1 #MFRWauthor

Are you a NaNo Newbie?

I was last year. A close friend of mine faithfully tackled NaNo every year but I resisted tossing my pen into the ring. The timing was always wrong, I was too busy working on a WIP, or had some other excuse in the pipeline. Then last year I decided NaNoWriMo was something I should experience at least once in my lifetime. A rite of passage.

So in September, I started thinking about my project and pre-planning. My normal style is to wing scenes as I go, something that I knew wouldn’t fly if I wanted to churn out 50,000 words in November. I also have a regimental habit of editing as I write, making sure everything is polished before moving ahead. NaNo is the exact opposite of that—plan before you start, then write like a warp-drive engine.

Could I do it?

As an A-type personality , I hate to fail. I planned my story, devised intricate character worksheets, sketched out my town, and outlined the first four chapters of my novel scene-by-scene. I didn’t have the whole book plotted, but had a good hand on the story and was pleased with my pre-prep. I even took the time to write and schedule all of my regular weekly blog posts for November so I wouldn’t be distracted.

November 1st rolled around and I burst out of the starting gate with a rush of exhilaration. The excitement was overwhelming, everyone racing along with me. Mid-month rolled around and I settled into a steadier gait, my eye on endurance and hanging in there for the long haul. By the closing week, I was exhausted, wondering if I would last, certain I would never attempt such creative madness again.

The result?

I walked away with a 50,500 word rough draft of a novel that was far was from finished, but taught me the value of plotting and put me further ahead as a writer than I’ve ever been in 30 days. I’ve since added an additional 8,000 words on my goal toward 20,000 more. The book is shaping up to be the best I’ve ever written and will likely be ready for submission early 2015 if not before.

So am I doing NaNo again this year? You betcha.

Like last year, I’ve already picked my project, lined up my characters and plotted as much as I can, including the first four chapters, scene-by-scene. It worked for me last year, so I’m hoping the formula proves true again this year. Most importantly, I know that when November 1st rolls around, I need to write like a steam locomotive, focused on accomplishing the goal of 50K. Turn off the editor, turn off the polisher, and know that a host of other writers are sloughing through those same trenches with me.

I’m no longer a newbie, but feel every bit as giddy as I did when attempting NaNo for the first time. I hope you’ll join me and experience the madness!

About The Author

Mae Clair opened a Pandora’s Box of characters when she was a child and never looked back. Her father, an artist who tinkered with writing, encouraged her to create make-believe worlds by spinning tales of far-off places on summer nights beneath the stars.

Mae loves creating character-driven fiction in settings that vary from contemporary to mythical. Wherever her pen takes her, she flavors her stories with mystery and romance. Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania and is passionate about cryptozoology, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail and cats.

Discover more about Mae on her website and blog at MaeClair.net

You can find Mae Clair at the following haunts:
Twitter  |  Google+  |  Facebook Author Page  |  Amazon Author Page  |  Goodreads