>Marie Force and the Book of Her Heart + Giveaway!!
>A warm welcome to Marie Force, an author I both admire and appreciate. Her enthusiasm is infectious, her love for her work tangible. I’m thrilled to have her here today.
She is giving away a copy of her new release TREADING WATER and 5 custom handmade bookmarks today! Simply leave a comment to enter.
The Dream Comes True—My Way
Thanks so much for having me today, Joan! This has been one of the most exciting weeks I’ve had yet as an author, which is saying something as there have been a lot of exciting weeks this year. A year ago, I took the plunge as an “indie” author by self-publishing some of my unsold books. Since then, I’ve sold nearly 150,000 ebooks, a number that astounds and delights me.
On Tuesday, the book of my heart, TREADING WATER, went on sale as an ebook. I wrote TREADING WATER more than six years ago, and its two sequels, MARKING TIME (coming in November) and STARTING OVER (coming in December), were finished five years ago. These three are still my favorites of all my books, the three I am most proud of, and the three I’ve most wanted to put in the hands of readers. Because they aren’t “conventional” romances where boy and girl meet in chapter 1 and their love story unfolds from there, they didn’t fit neatly anywhere in the crowded fiction marketplace.
After success of my first six self-published books, I decided to go for it and publish the TREADING WATER trilogy on my own. This week, I had the supreme pleasure of seeing TREADING WATER officially on sale. Finally!
Here’s a brief summary of the book:
Love is the last thing on Jack Harrington’s mind when he sets out to meet Andi Walsh’s flight. Recently back to work after spending more than a year tending to his comatose wife, Jack is focused on getting through each day and caring for his three daughters. However, the moment he sets eyes on Andrea Walsh, the interior designer who has come to decorate the hotel his company is building in Newport, Rhode Island, Jack begins to wonder if Andi might be his second chance. After a disastrous marriage, Andi, single mom to a hearing-impaired son, isn’t exactly looking for love, either, but that’s what she finds with Jack. The two embark on a long-distance relationship fraught with challenges as they balance the needs of their children and dueling careers while Jack continues to care for his wife, Clare. Just when Jack thinks his life is once again settled, he is confronted with a new challenge that tests him in ways he never could’ve imagined, leaving him to wonder if “happily ever after” is in the cards for him.
Readers have responded with tremendous enthusiasm for Jack’s story. One of them called it “riveting, wrenching and unforgettable.” I liked that! What I’ve also loved is readers telling me the book makes them question what they would do if they found themselves in Jack’s situation. It was a lot of fun to write a story about a man who thinks he knows himself very well and has a good sense of what he’d do in any given situation. Then he finds himself in an untenable situation in which black and white beliefs become tinged with shades of gray.
Yesterday, Amazon sent an email to my past customers letting them know that TREADING WATER was now on sale. By the end of the day, the book was ranked at No. 19 for all of Kindle and No. 2 on the contemporary romance Kindle list. The book of my heart is now a Kindle bestseller! Yesterday was a VERY good day!
I’d love to hear from readers today about a dream you had that you never gave up on. Did your dream come true? I’ll give away a copy of TREADING WATER to one commenter AND 5 handmade bookmarks as well (your choice of those pictured above)…6 winners in all.
Enter! (International!)
Marie Force and the Book of Her Heart + Giveaway!!
>A warm welcome to Marie Force, an author I both admire and appreciate. Her enthusiasm is infectious, her love for her work tangible. I’m thrilled to have her here today.
She is giving away a copy of her new release TREADING WATER and 5 custom handmade bookmarks today! Simply leave a comment to enter.
The Dream Comes True—My Way
Thanks so much for having me today, Joan! This has been one of the most exciting weeks I’ve had yet as an author, which is saying something as there have been a lot of exciting weeks this year. A year ago, I took the plunge as an “indie” author by self-publishing some of my unsold books. Since then, I’ve sold nearly 150,000 ebooks, a number that astounds and delights me.
On Tuesday, the book of my heart, TREADING WATER, went on sale as an ebook. I wrote TREADING WATER more than six years ago, and its two sequels, MARKING TIME (coming in November) and STARTING OVER (coming in December), were finished five years ago. These three are still my favorites of all my books, the three I am most proud of, and the three I’ve most wanted to put in the hands of readers. Because they aren’t “conventional” romances where boy and girl meet in chapter 1 and their love story unfolds from there, they didn’t fit neatly anywhere in the crowded fiction marketplace.
After success of my first six self-published books, I decided to go for it and publish the TREADING WATER trilogy on my own. This week, I had the supreme pleasure of seeing TREADING WATER officially on sale. Finally!
Here’s a brief summary of the book:
Love is the last thing on Jack Harrington’s mind when he sets out to meet Andi Walsh’s flight. Recently back to work after spending more than a year tending to his comatose wife, Jack is focused on getting through each day and caring for his three daughters. However, the moment he sets eyes on Andrea Walsh, the interior designer who has come to decorate the hotel his company is building in Newport, Rhode Island, Jack begins to wonder if Andi might be his second chance. After a disastrous marriage, Andi, single mom to a hearing-impaired son, isn’t exactly looking for love, either, but that’s what she finds with Jack. The two embark on a long-distance relationship fraught with challenges as they balance the needs of their children and dueling careers while Jack continues to care for his wife, Clare. Just when Jack thinks his life is once again settled, he is confronted with a new challenge that tests him in ways he never could’ve imagined, leaving him to wonder if “happily ever after” is in the cards for him.
Readers have responded with tremendous enthusiasm for Jack’s story. One of them called it “riveting, wrenching and unforgettable.” I liked that! What I’ve also loved is readers telling me the book makes them question what they would do if they found themselves in Jack’s situation. It was a lot of fun to write a story about a man who thinks he knows himself very well and has a good sense of what he’d do in any given situation. Then he finds himself in an untenable situation in which black and white beliefs become tinged with shades of gray.
Yesterday, Amazon sent an email to my past customers letting them know that TREADING WATER was now on sale. By the end of the day, the book was ranked at No. 19 for all of Kindle and No. 2 on the contemporary romance Kindle list. The book of my heart is now a Kindle bestseller! Yesterday was a VERY good day!
I’d love to hear from readers today about a dream you had that you never gave up on. Did your dream come true? I’ll give away a copy of TREADING WATER to one commenter AND 5 handmade bookmarks as well (your choice of those pictured above)…6 winners in all.
Enter! (International!)
>The Great Book Giveaway with RJ Silver!
>I am really excited about this special event we’re calling The Great Book Giveaway! Today, I have guest RJ Silver with me. RJ is a former thriller writer who fell in love and changed life paths. He now writes lighthearted humor and romance in an effort to add something positive to the world.
To that end, he’s here today giving away 2 free books — to EVERYONE! By downloading his books and telling others about them (provided you like them, of course) you’ll be drawing attention to his Foundation for underprivilidged children of Asia.
Many of you have heard or even read The Princess and the Penis (P&P). Tremendously popular on Amazon, P&P was downloaded over 400,000 times in just 8 months. Today, RJ is giving it, and another of his books, away free. Nothing to sign up for. Nothing to fill out. Absolutely no strings. Do a good deed for charity and get a gift in the process. A true win-win!
You can tell when I’m excited about something–I talk a lot! I guess I’ll let RJ have a turn…*zipping mouth* *ushering RJ to the stage*
FREEBIES FOR A GOOD CAUSE
I spent most of my life being selfish, in love as well as my quest for fame and fortune as a writer.
Fittingly, I never found either.
Then I started travelling Asia and witnessed something I couldn’t accept: children without hope or opportunity. Children who, unlike me, wouldn’t get a fair chance in life.
In the midst of this discovery, I also met an extraordinary woman, one who had been one of those hopeless children at one time in her life, but who, through incredible strength and determination, managed to put herself through school, obtain two university degrees, and emerge from her poverty to become a teacher herself.
That’s the moment my selfish pretensions finally fell away, I fell in love, and I immediately threw away my supposedly promising career as a thriller writer to write quirky romantic stories of love, hope, and humor instead.
That was one year ago. Recently, one of my books, The Princess & the Penis, hit # 2 humor, # 5 Romance, and # 25 overall at Amazon.
Now I’m trying to use this success to pull off something far more worthwhile: the creation of a foundation to help underprivileged children in Southeast Asia get out of bad situations and into good homes that provide love, care, and a proper education. You can read more about this cause at http://www.rjsilver.com/foundation/ , but sometimes a picture’s worth a thousand words:
That’s me – the little green alien, because personal recognition/achievement no longer matters to me. It’s the cause that counts.
And here’s the really good part—not only can you help a child in need without shelling out a cent, you get a gift in the process. This is a win-win! Simply utilize the FREE coupon codes listed below to download two of my very popular books!
Both can be downloaded in any format you wish, using the links and coupons shown. Even better, these links/coupons can be shared with your family, friends, and anyone else you like. They’re unlimited until they expire on November 10, 2011.
How does having you read these books help my cause? When people read these books, they tell others – lots of them. In its first free release, The Princess & the Penis was downloaded 400,000 times. The exposure from the books in turn brings exposure to the Foundation and the sales of the books after the free period ends ultimately funds the Foundation.
That’s it! Simply read the books (they’re only about 30 to 40 minutes each), and, if you like them, tell others about them via email, Twitter, etc. That word of mouth will go a long way to helping me achieve the momentum I need to get the Foundation moving.
So don’t wait! Help a child and grab a great read now!
A beautiful, chaste, and completely naive princess encounters a strange lump in her mattress. The lump soon morphs into a shape familiar to everyone but her, triggering her curiosity and her father’s greatest fears. He frantically tries to intervene, but having a large phantom phallus in a curious maiden’s bed is never a good combination.Link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/32400
Coupon: EJ89K
Gerry Lankin has a problem. All his life, women have been hitting him over the head, usually for good reason. Recognizing he’s at fault, he’s about to make big changes in his life, when he bumps into three older men at the airport. They convince him that the key to romantic happiness isn’t self-improvement; it’s finding a woman with low expectations.Gerry’s about to discover just how wrong three old men can be.
Link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/94142
Coupon: NT26P
If you’re feeling truly inspired and want to take the next step in helping a needy child, you can write a review on whichever platform you typically buy your books (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.), because our success is truly all about you telling others.
Wait! There are more prizes!!
BONUS: Share your review here and WIN! We’ll be thanking the first 10 reviewers with a free t-shirt, and the next 10 with a free coffee mug, both with the Foundation logo. All t-shirts and mugs will be shipped free of charge from Zazzle.
Everyone who posts a review here may request a free custom handmade bookmark from Joan…examples shown in prior blog posts…with the Foundation logo.
Thanks for your support. Here’s hoping we’ll soon be laughing our way to good deeds!
RJ Silver
The Great Book Giveaway with RJ Silver!
>I am really excited about this special event we’re calling The Great Book Giveaway! Today, I have guest RJ Silver with me. RJ is a former thriller writer who fell in love and changed life paths. He now writes lighthearted humor and romance in an effort to add something positive to the world.
To that end, he’s here today giving away 2 free books — to EVERYONE! By downloading his books and telling others about them (provided you like them, of course) you’ll be drawing attention to his Foundation for underprivilidged children of Asia.
Many of you have heard or even read The Princess and the Penis (P&P). Tremendously popular on Amazon, P&P was downloaded over 400,000 times in just 8 months. Today, RJ is giving it, and another of his books, away free. Nothing to sign up for. Nothing to fill out. Absolutely no strings. Do a good deed for charity and get a gift in the process. A true win-win!
You can tell when I’m excited about something–I talk a lot! I guess I’ll let RJ have a turn…*zipping mouth* *ushering RJ to the stage*
FREEBIES FOR A GOOD CAUSE
I spent most of my life being selfish, in love as well as my quest for fame and fortune as a writer.
Fittingly, I never found either.
Then I started travelling Asia and witnessed something I couldn’t accept: children without hope or opportunity. Children who, unlike me, wouldn’t get a fair chance in life.
In the midst of this discovery, I also met an extraordinary woman, one who had been one of those hopeless children at one time in her life, but who, through incredible strength and determination, managed to put herself through school, obtain two university degrees, and emerge from her poverty to become a teacher herself.
That’s the moment my selfish pretensions finally fell away, I fell in love, and I immediately threw away my supposedly promising career as a thriller writer to write quirky romantic stories of love, hope, and humor instead.
That was one year ago. Recently, one of my books, The Princess & the Penis, hit # 2 humor, # 5 Romance, and # 25 overall at Amazon.
Now I’m trying to use this success to pull off something far more worthwhile: the creation of a foundation to help underprivileged children in Southeast Asia get out of bad situations and into good homes that provide love, care, and a proper education. You can read more about this cause at http://www.rjsilver.com/foundation/ , but sometimes a picture’s worth a thousand words:
That’s me – the little green alien, because personal recognition/achievement no longer matters to me. It’s the cause that counts.
And here’s the really good part—not only can you help a child in need without shelling out a cent, you get a gift in the process. This is a win-win! Simply utilize the FREE coupon codes listed below to download two of my very popular books!
Both can be downloaded in any format you wish, using the links and coupons shown. Even better, these links/coupons can be shared with your family, friends, and anyone else you like. They’re unlimited until they expire on November 10, 2011.
How does having you read these books help my cause? When people read these books, they tell others – lots of them. In its first free release, The Princess & the Penis was downloaded 400,000 times. The exposure from the books in turn brings exposure to the Foundation and the sales of the books after the free period ends ultimately funds the Foundation.
That’s it! Simply read the books (they’re only about 30 to 40 minutes each), and, if you like them, tell others about them via email, Twitter, etc. That word of mouth will go a long way to helping me achieve the momentum I need to get the Foundation moving.
So don’t wait! Help a child and grab a great read now!
A beautiful, chaste, and completely naive princess encounters a strange lump in her mattress. The lump soon morphs into a shape familiar to everyone but her, triggering her curiosity and her father’s greatest fears. He frantically tries to intervene, but having a large phantom phallus in a curious maiden’s bed is never a good combination.Link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/32400
Coupon: EJ89K
Gerry Lankin has a problem. All his life, women have been hitting him over the head, usually for good reason. Recognizing he’s at fault, he’s about to make big changes in his life, when he bumps into three older men at the airport. They convince him that the key to romantic happiness isn’t self-improvement; it’s finding a woman with low expectations.Gerry’s about to discover just how wrong three old men can be.
Link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/94142
Coupon: NT26P
If you’re feeling truly inspired and want to take the next step in helping a needy child, you can write a review on whichever platform you typically buy your books (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.), because our success is truly all about you telling others.
Wait! There are more prizes!!
BONUS: Share your review here and WIN! We’ll be thanking the first 10 reviewers with a free t-shirt, and the next 10 with a free coffee mug, both with the Foundation logo. All t-shirts and mugs will be shipped free of charge from Zazzle.
Everyone who posts a review here may request a free custom handmade bookmark from Joan…examples shown in prior blog posts…with the Foundation logo.
Thanks for your support. Here’s hoping we’ll soon be laughing our way to good deeds!
RJ Silver
New Year’s Giveaway: Last Day! with Stephanie Tyler
>Stephanie Tyler and I are Twitter & Facebook buddies. I met Stephanie through my CP, Elisabeth Naughton, and got to know her online. After reading the first book in her romantic suspense trilogy, HARD TO HOLD, I was hooked.
Stephanie writes strong heroines, uber-hunky heroes and tight suspense. Nothing keeps me glued to the pages like that combination. YUM!
Like Larissa Ione, Stephanie was generous enough to take time out of her crazy schedule to read and quote my debut novel, FEVER…but even before it was FEVER.
Something I learned along the pathway to publication was that I not only needed quotes from established authors to sell my book to readers off the stand, I needed quotes from established authors to sell my book to editors off my agent’s query.
Stephanie spent her time reading and quoting the book even before I’d sold it. Even before it was shopped. My agent was thrilled with the quote and the book sold in a two book deal. The editor who bought my book recently said in an email, “Our publisher is a big believer that [cover quotes] make a huge difference for a debut…” Just one of the (less important) reasons I’m so grateful to have Stephanie as a friend!
Today, Stephanie has generously offered FIVE of her books up for giveaway — and the winners get to choose which book they receive: any one of the five books in her romantic suspense trilogies including the three books from her Hard to Hold series: HARD TO HOLD, TO HOT TO HOLD, HOLD ON TIGHT and the two books from her Shadow Forces series: LIE WITH ME or PROMISES IN THE DARK.
How cool is that?
Stephanie also writes erotic romance with co-author Larissa Ione under the pseudonym Sydney Croft.
Up For Win Today:
YOUR CHOICE of any one of the five books listed above.
To enter:
Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)
Upcoming Releases:
- TAKEN BY FIRE, her latest Sydney Croft release, June 2011
- IN THE AIR TONIGHT, book 3 in the Shadow Force series under Stephanie Tyler, July 2011
- NIGHT MOVES, book 4 in the Shadow Force series under Stephanie Tyler, September 2011
Works In Progress:
Stephanie is currently working on a NEW paranormal romantic suspense trilogy which will be published by NAL.
Contact Info:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Email
A very big thanks to all of you who followed the contest this month and entered to win! Another giganormous thank you to the authors who participated in the giveaway — each one of you holds a special place of gratitude in my heart.
I hope those of you interested in writing and reading will come back and visit often. I have some great stuff to share in the upcoming months!
>New Year’s Giveaway: Last Day! with Stephanie Tyler
>Stephanie Tyler and I are Twitter & Facebook buddies. I met Stephanie through my CP, Elisabeth Naughton, and got to know her online. After reading the first book in her romantic suspense trilogy, HARD TO HOLD, I was hooked.
Stephanie writes strong heroines, uber-hunky heroes and tight suspense. Nothing keeps me glued to the pages like that combination. YUM!
Like Larissa Ione, Stephanie was generous enough to take time out of her crazy schedule to read and quote my debut novel, FEVER…but even before it was FEVER.
Something I learned along the pathway to publication was that I not only needed quotes from established authors to sell my book to readers off the stand, I needed quotes from established authors to sell my book to editors off my agent’s query.
Stephanie spent her time reading and quoting the book even before I’d sold it. Even before it was shopped. My agent was thrilled with the quote and the book sold in a two book deal. The editor who bought my book recently said in an email, “Our publisher is a big believer that [cover quotes] make a huge difference for a debut…” Just one of the (less important) reasons I’m so grateful to have Stephanie as a friend!
Today, Stephanie has generously offered FIVE of her books up for giveaway — and the winners get to choose which book they receive: any one of the five books in her romantic suspense trilogies including the three books from her Hard to Hold series: HARD TO HOLD, TO HOT TO HOLD, HOLD ON TIGHT and the two books from her Shadow Forces series: LIE WITH ME or PROMISES IN THE DARK.
How cool is that?
Stephanie also writes erotic romance with co-author Larissa Ione under the pseudonym Sydney Croft.
Up For Win Today:
YOUR CHOICE of any one of the five books listed above.
To enter:
Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)
Upcoming Releases:
- TAKEN BY FIRE, her latest Sydney Croft release, June 2011
- IN THE AIR TONIGHT, book 3 in the Shadow Force series under Stephanie Tyler, July 2011
- NIGHT MOVES, book 4 in the Shadow Force series under Stephanie Tyler, September 2011
Works In Progress:
Stephanie is currently working on a NEW paranormal romantic suspense trilogy which will be published by NAL.
Contact Info:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Email
A very big thanks to all of you who followed the contest this month and entered to win! Another giganormous thank you to the authors who participated in the giveaway — each one of you holds a special place of gratitude in my heart.
I hope those of you interested in writing and reading will come back and visit often. I have some great stuff to share in the upcoming months!
New Year’s Giveaway: Day 19, Christy Reece
>Christy Reece and I met initially online via Facebook. That was before I was a big twitterer. Then I discovered the wonders of Twitter and didn’t spend near as much time on Facebook. But I still wanted to chat with Christy. So I bugged her, and bugged her, and bugged her — along with many of her other friends — and she took the plunge and joined us on Twitter. Yay!
We met in person at Elisabeth Naughton’s release party at RWA National 2010. I remember I was in the process of rewriting my first novel to my editor’s requirements, it was due shortly after nationals and I was…nervous. Christy was so encouraging, so positive. And it only took a few words of reassurance from her to make me feel like I’d make it. And I did–met the deadline with a very polished new version of the novel.
I’m very grateful for Christy’s words of wisdom that carried me through and always look forward to her fun and upbeat comments online.
Christy is a NYT bestseller of romantic suspense. And you can win an autographed copy of the first book in her bestselling series here today!
Up For Win Today:
NO CHANCE, first in her bestselling romantic suspense series
To enter:
Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)
Book Summary:
Skylar James told a lie to the man she married, and eight years later she still bitterly regrets the deception. Unknown to Skylar, her husband, Gabe Maddox, now lives in the dangerous shadows of elite operatives who rescue victims. When Skylar tries to save a naïve young beauty, kidnappers come after her. For Gabe, Skylar had been his last shot at trust and love. But news of her disappearance battens down his anger and launches him into action. Saving Skylar is Gabe’s only chance for peace and his last chance for happiness.
Read an excerpt: HERE.
Upcoming Releases:
SWEET JUSTICE, August 2011
SWEET REWARD, December 2011/January 2012
SWEET REVENGE, Early 2012
Contact Info:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Email
Tomorrow, paranormal romance author Juliana Stone!
>New Year’s Giveaway: Day 19, Christy Reece
>Christy Reece and I met initially online via Facebook. That was before I was a big twitterer. Then I discovered the wonders of Twitter and didn’t spend near as much time on Facebook. But I still wanted to chat with Christy. So I bugged her, and bugged her, and bugged her — along with many of her other friends — and she took the plunge and joined us on Twitter. Yay!
We met in person at Elisabeth Naughton’s release party at RWA National 2010. I remember I was in the process of rewriting my first novel to my editor’s requirements, it was due shortly after nationals and I was…nervous. Christy was so encouraging, so positive. And it only took a few words of reassurance from her to make me feel like I’d make it. And I did–met the deadline with a very polished new version of the novel.
I’m very grateful for Christy’s words of wisdom that carried me through and always look forward to her fun and upbeat comments online.
Christy is a NYT bestseller of romantic suspense. And you can win an autographed copy of the first book in her bestselling series here today!
Up For Win Today:
NO CHANCE, first in her bestselling romantic suspense series
To enter:
Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)
Book Summary:
Skylar James told a lie to the man she married, and eight years later she still bitterly regrets the deception. Unknown to Skylar, her husband, Gabe Maddox, now lives in the dangerous shadows of elite operatives who rescue victims. When Skylar tries to save a naïve young beauty, kidnappers come after her. For Gabe, Skylar had been his last shot at trust and love. But news of her disappearance battens down his anger and launches him into action. Saving Skylar is Gabe’s only chance for peace and his last chance for happiness.
Read an excerpt: HERE.
Upcoming Releases:
SWEET JUSTICE, August 2011
SWEET REWARD, December 2011/January 2012
SWEET REVENGE, Early 2012
Contact Info:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Email
Tomorrow, paranormal romance author Juliana Stone!