Magical Musings

Cover Love and a Giveaway!

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Marilyn Brant

Anyone who’s ever talked to me at length about writing fantasies knows that one of my biggest dreams — after being published in the first place – was to have a book of mine translated into a foreign language. Well, it finally happened! The Polish edition of A Summer in Europe has made it through translation and copyediting and, at long last, cover art!

According to the online program I used to try to read the words on the jacket, “Wakacje w Europie” means “Holidays in Europe,” although a friend with a Polish background translated it as “A European Vacation.” (I like it either way!) And the line underneath the title, “Upewnij się, że masz ważny paszport – po przeczytaniu tej powieści zechcesz podążyć śladami jej bohaterów” means (roughly) “Make sure you have a valid passport – after reading this novel you’ll want to follow in the footsteps of her heroes.”

Seriously, I’m in love with this cover, and I haven’t even seen it on the actual book yet! It won’t be released by the Polish publisher Prószyński i S-ka until June 18th. I can’t wait!! It brings out those old travel daydreams again for me…sigh. (Don’t you just want to go to Italy right now, too?! Or, if not, where would you like to go for a getaway?)

I was, however, a big fan of the U.S./Canada cover that Kristine Mills, my Kensington designer, created, too. A different visual interpretation of the story but, also, very beautiful! Which image catches your eye first? Do certain colors draw you in more than others? For me, the golden-orange hues of the original, plus the charming Lake Como scene, were what made me fall in love with the cover the first time around. But this new version has that gorgeous deep purple. And it features Venice, one of my favorite cities in the world! So, for me, it’s hard to choose…

I do think it says something about an artist’s skill when he/she can design a book cover that makes a reader want to keep staring at it, though . It’s a skill I’ve often wished I had.

In other exciting, writing-related news, paperback copies of On Any Given Sundae are now available — as well as the ebook version, of course! The cover artist who designed the eyecatching front cover of my first romantic comedy, Kim Killion, blew me away with her creativity and sense of fun, as did Rebecca Young, a new designer who created the front cover of my most recent release, Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Match.

So, in celebration of talented designers everywhere, I’m giving away one PDF copy of ‘Perfect Match’ to one commenter on this blog post!! Random drawing to be held this coming Sunday night, and I’ll post the winner’s name in the comments section.

Good luck and, for everyone celebrating here in the States, have a Happy Memorial Day Weekend, too!

Posted in Giveaway, Marilyn's Posts | Tagged A Summer in Europe, foreign editions, giveaway, Marilyn Brant, On Any Given Sundae, Polish translation, Pride Prejudice and the Perfect Match, travel, vacation, Wakacje w Europie | 8 Comments

9 Moments That Make You Realize You’re in Love by Robin Bielman

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Misty Evans

Please welcome Entangled Publishing author, Robin Bielman, whose recent release is Book One in the Secret Wishes series from Entangled’s Bliss line ~ KISSING THE MAID OF HONOR. Robin joins us today to discuss the nine moments that make you realize you’re in love. And she’s inviting MM readers to join the biggest bridal party of the year…read on to find out how you can be entered to win a coveted bridesmaid party pack and gift card!

Hi everyone! I’m thrilled to be visiting Magical Musings again. Thanks so much to Misty and all the MM gals for having me here today!

9 Moments That Make You Realize You’re in Love

1. Those three little words stumble out of your mouth.

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2. Wait, I LOVE YOU!

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3. When you hear his name, your knees go weak, and you don’t mind at all when he says your name. In fact, you practically faint.

4. You love the way he smells and want to smell it all the time. You do smell it all time, even when he’s not with you. His scent lingers—on your favorite T-shirt, on the pillow, in the room. And it triggers an extra beat of your heart, a flutter in your stomach.

5. You love his laugh and can’t help but smile when you hear it. Fighting the pull on your lips is futile. The sound washes over you better than anything else you’ve heard and you want to bottle it so you can hear it on days when you need a pick-me-up.

6. When he kisses you, magical things happen. Like fireworks. Like a million tingles in all the right places on your body. Like you need to keep kissing him in order to breathe. And he says things like… “Damn you’ve got an irresistible mouth. You should hold it against me more often.” ~Luke, KISSING THE MAID OF HONOR

7. You try your best to focus at work but—oh look, that (insert pretty much any object here) reminds you of him and the next thing you know your texting or emailing and counting the minutes until you get to see him again.

8. He has permanently changed your world for the better. It’s not just that colors are sharper when you’re with him, or food tastes better, or when he holds your hand you feel safe and secure. It’s the feeling that anything is possible. That you’re gutsier or more determined. Fear no longer holds you back. The courage that was always deep inside you is now ready to greet the world head-on. The person she’d wished for so long would stay away had wormed his way inside her thought processes and made her better. No, not just better. Gutsy. ~Sela, KISSING THE MAID OF HONOR

9. You can’t imagine living without them. Love isn’t always easy. It’s never perfect. But true love is worth fighting for. Worth every bit of pain that is inevitable in a long-term relationship. No matter the disagreement, the foul moods, the weeks when the downs seem to outweigh the ups, you know in your heart that he is the man you want by your side even when times are tough. You can’t imagine not seeing him every day. He’s your somebody. Forever.

(myelisa.com)

What do you think? Was there a special moment in your life when you just knew?

Kissing the Maid of Honor Blog Tour: Five lucky readers will be chosen to be Robin’s bridesmaids and will receive a bridal gift pack! (limited to US and Canada) But that’s not all, one international winner will be selected to receive the coveted position of Maid of Honor which includes the Kissing bridal pack and a $25 gift card of her (or his) choice from an on-line store! Click here for the Rafflecopter giveaway!

Kissing the Maid of Honor: Kissing her best friend’s brother never felt so right… Sela Sullivan is resolved to be the best maid of honor ever, even if it means tolerating the best man. Insufferable, too-handsome Luke Watters is not only the guy who humiliated her at a kissing booth in high school, but he also happens to be her best friend’s older brother. Positive he’s the same arrogant jock, Sela vows to focus on her duties and steer clear of the frustrating—and frustratingly tempting—Luke.

As a world-renowned extreme-sports photographer, Luke is used to undertaking life-risking adventures. But risking his heart for the beautiful Sela Sullivan, who clearly still hates him for his rejection all those years ago? He didn’t see that coming. Sela inspires a passion he’s never known, and the more time they spend together, the more he craves her. But can he prove to the maid of honor he’s become a man of honor?

A bit about Robin: Robin Bielman lives in Southern California with her high school sweetheart husband, two sons, and crazy-cute mini Labradoodle, Harry Dresden. When not attached to her laptop, she can almost always be found with her nose in a book. She also loves to run, hike, and dip her toes in the ocean. Writing is a dream come true, and she still pinches herself to be sure it’s real. She is also the author of Worth the Risk and Yours At Midnight from Entangled’s Ever After line. She loves to connect with readers. Visit her online:

Website: http://www.robinbielman.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RobinBielmanWriter

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/#!/RobinBielman

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/robinbielman

Buy Links:
Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iTunes

Posted in Giveaway, Guest Posts, Misty's Posts | Tagged falling in love, giveaway, Kissing the Bridesmaid, Robin Bielman | 14 Comments

Special things

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Michelle Diener

photo credit: riekhavoc (caught up?) via photopin cc

After reading Edie’s post on Monday, I thought about all the ‘special’ things that I’ve come across in the various places I’ve lived. You know the things I’m talking about, the remedy everyone in a certain town or place swears by, or the special food or drink that it is practically essential you love if you come from a certain place, and becomes part of the fabric of that place.

I grew up in South Africa, which is the only place rooibos tea grows. Now, rooibos grows on the west coast of South Africa, and I grew up on the east coast, and while it was certainly available on the east coast, and I had it a time or two, I didn’t like it and it was never a problem. It was more a case where you had to specifically ask for it, if you wanted it, than it was the automatic choice.

photo credit: Akuppa via photopin cc

But then my husband and I moved to a small town within throwing distance of just about every rooibos farm in the country. Suddenly, when someone offered me tea, it was going to be rooibos, and being the new girl, and also the only English-speaking girl, I smiled and choked it down. Again, and again, and again. Until . . . I got the taste for it! Hooray. Now I love it, and drink it often. It is freely available in Australia (where I live now) and in the UK, and I think the US, too. And talk about a cure-all remedy. Honestly, you’d think rooibos could bring about world peace, if everyone would just let it. I know especially in the area where it is grown, it is considered a wonder cure for everything that ails you. It IS high in antioxidants (much higher than any other tea) and it is naturally caffeine-free, so there you go, straight away you’re on a roll. But it is hailed as cancer-inhibiting and all manner of other things. Rooibos is most definitely one of those ‘special remedy’ things.

photo credit: talios via photopin cc

Another South African icon is the breakfast cereal, Pronutro. A South African friend of mine here in Australia’s husband is from the UK, and he once described Pronutro as something he would imagine would be included in a UN Hunger Aid food drop. LOLOL! And it was not said in a complimentary way, but with a note of absolute horror. I think it’s a case of you need to have grown up with it. All I know is that my kids are never so happy as when I have some Pronutro in the house, and they always choose it over any other cereal. It is tiny dried flakes of corn and soy, to which you add milk and stir, and comes in Chocolate, Original, Banana, Wholewheat Apple, and Strawberry flavours. You can buy it anywhere in Australia, and at the South African Shop in London, and I think most South African parents have a smug sense of having done really right by their kids if they get a bowl of that in them in the mornings.

photo credit: thenoodleator via photopin cc

In Australia, the horror food of choice is Vegemite. Honestly, like Pronutro, those who haven’t been raised on it cannot understand the attraction (count me in, here). Whereas if you get a group of Aussies together and talk Vegemite, they can all sing the tv commercial jingle back at you, and go on about it putting a rose in every cheek and so on. They swear by their Vegemite. For those who have no idea what I’m talking about Vegemite is a dark, salty, vegetable extract spread which you would generally put on toast or bread. Shudder.

A much more pleasant Aussie cure-all, and my good friend, women’s fiction author Therese Walsh will back me up here as I gave her some, once, and it really worked for her, is Lucas’ Papaw Ointment. Dry lips? An insect bite? Burn yourself on the iron (this is what Therese did)? Behold, the magic of Lucas’ Papaw Ointment. You can buy it everywhere and everyone has a tube of it somewhere, either in their handbag or in a drawer in their house or in the bathroom.

So, is there something in your town or state that everyone swears by? Something that’s particular to your part of the world and is part of what defines you as a group? Let’s hear about it!

Posted in Michelle's Posts | 6 Comments

Favorite Southern Cities

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Lori Brighton

Its summer break for the U.S. which means…travel time! As a family, we love to travel where ever we can, whenever we can. In fact, we are preparing for a trip to Ireland! We’ve never been and this is my son’s first overseas vacation so it’s all very exciting. I’m sure I’m going to return from Ireland with plenty of ideas for new books.

Since we moved to the Southern U.S. and away from family, we’ve found ourselves traveling more often. So, I thought I’d share our favorite southern towns we’ve visited within the last few years.

Savannah, Georgia

There’s something dangerous and dark about Savannah, Georgia. Perhaps it’s the hidden tunnels underneath the city, or the fact that it was a favorite place for pirates! This city is full of history; beautiful squares surrounded by historical homes. And not far from the city you’ll find Fort Pulaski (a fort used during the Civil War), along with plenty of beautiful beaches.

Charleston, S.C.

Last Thanksgiving we visited Charleston, S.C., founded in the late 1600s. This is another amazingly beautiful historical city overflowing with historical homes. Make sure to visit Rainbow Row, an area where the wealthiest Victorians lived (and where the wealthy still live; you’ll need more than a couple million to reside here). Like Savannah, Charleston has many beautiful beaches within 15-20 mins by car.

St. Augustine, FL

St. Augustine in Florida is the oldest continuously occupied city (founded by Europeans) in the U.S. Walk through the downtown area and you’ll feel like you’re in a Pirate’s of the Caribbean movie. Outside the city limits you’ll find the Fountain of Youth; or at least what the infamous Ponce De Leon thought was the fountain of youth. Funny story… when we visited a couple years ago my son was very reluctant to drink the water because he was worried he wouldn’t get older and he’d have to stay in school forever. There is also an amazing fort, lighthouse with a great views, and some beautiful beaches!

How about you? Tell me some of your favorite places to vacation!

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments

Brain Foods for Readers and Writers

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Edie Ramer

For a long time, I’ve been experiencing brain glitches. That’s what I call it when I can’t think of the right word or name. It’s frustrating because I know this word, but it’s just slipped out of my brain.

photo credit: *n*o*o*r* via photopin cc

I’m proactive, and right away I did something about it. I took supplements that were supposed to improve brain function. They seemed to work for a while…but it didn’t last. That brain glitch came back. And as I got older, the glitch happened more often. Not just in conversation, but in my writing. When I can’t think of the right word while writing, I type ZZZ, then continue on and hope I’ll find it in the next draft. In the last manuscript I wrote in 2012, there were many ZZZs.

This is scary for most people. It’s way more scary when someone in your family has had Alzheimer’s, which is what my mother had. And it’s frustrating that the advice you get is to exercise and keep your brain active. My mother was a huge reader. She would walk more than a mile home from the library once a week, carrying a pile of books. She also did crossword puzzles in ink.

From the Dr. Oz Show, I learned that inflammatory foods are a cause of Alzheimer’s. Inflammatory foods also contribute to heart disease, arthritis, and high blood pressure, and they accelerate the aging process. I’m not sure about the acceleration of the aging process, but all the other health issues run in my family.

My mother was a thin woman, but her diet was awful. She loved sweets, and so do I. She loved chocolate, and so do I. She loved cheese, and so do I. The best anti-inflammatory diet is to eat mostly vegetables and fruit, with some grains and nuts. It’s okay to eat meats and even cheese and chocolate, but in small amounts.

photo credit: .craig via photopin cc

For the first three weeks of the year, I ate only vegetables, fruits and nuts. Two days after I started this healthier way of eating, the ‘missing word glitch’ went away. Gone. Just like that. I’ve slowly let inflammatory foods back into my diet in small amounts, but I’m still eating mostly fruits and vegetables. When I go off it too much (last weekend my husband made carrot cake, and I love carrot cake), then the glitch does start to come back. It’s a good reminder to eat healthy again. I love the Mediterranean Diet, which is fairly healthy, and so does my husband. You can eat delicious foods that are healthy.

This is a blog for readers and writers. I want to keep reading books by my writer friends. And I want my readers to keep reading mine. If our brains diminish, that’s not going to happen. There are lists of foods to make yourself smarter, but it’s also important to avoid foods that make you dumber. How do you rate your eating habits?

Posted in Edie's Posts | Tagged Alzheimer's, anti-inflammatory foods, Brain foods, smart foods | 14 Comments

Review: Kissing the Maid of Honor by Robin Bielman

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Reviews Admin

Book info:

Title: Kissing the Maid of Honor (Secret Wishes, #1)
Author: Robin Bielman
Publisher: Entangled Bliss
Release Date: May 13, 2013
Source: ARC received from Publisher
Rating: 5 stars

Official Summary:

Kissing her best friend’s brother never felt so right…

Sela Sullivan is resolved to be the best maid of honor ever, even if it means tolerating the best man. Insufferable, too-handsome Luke Watters is not only the guy who humiliated her at a kissing booth in high school, but he also happens to be her best friend’s older brother. Positive he’s the same arrogant jock, Sela vows to focus on her duties and steer clear of the frustrating—and frustratingly tempting—Luke.

My Thoughts:

Robin Bielman has become an auto-read author for me. I know that with her books I will get a lot of emotion from her characters and a heartwarming story. The plot in Kissing the Maid of Honor is well constructed and the set-up of characters for more books in the series is done very well. Sela and Luke are characters the reader can relate to and support. Sometimes I tend to pick a side – hero vs. heroine, but in this story I was really rooting for both them. The romance throughout the story was slow to build which made it even better when they did finally give in and go for it.

One of the things I like about Bliss books is that they are very clean romances. There is implied intimacy, but no descriptions. Thus, all the passion and love the characters show is done outside the bedroom and Robin shows this very well. There are just enough kisses, touches, looks, and words that draw you in as a reader to help you understand the deep feelings Luke and Sela have for one another. While I do like to read hot and steamy books I also like to balance those out with sweet books like Kissing the Maid of Honor.

There were many times throughout the story that I assumed a plot line was going to go a specific way, but it didn’t. I like to be surprised, even in contemporary romances when you know the hero is going to get the heroine and live happily ever after. The twists in this book were true to the characters of the story, so while I was surprised, it was not out of character for Luke or Sela to respond a certain way. In keeping true to characters, one aspect of the book that made the story feel more realistic, was when Vanessa worried that Luke and Sela getting together would equal unwanted drama for her wedding. I think every bride would feel like this even if they don’t want to admit it. Because, really, when you are the bride, it is YOUR day. You don’t want unnecessary drama, so I thought that honesty from Vanessa brought some realism into a fictional story. As for the other characters, I enjoyed Shane (Sela’s brother) and Erin (Luke’s sister) a lot. Shane seems like a wild one and I look forward to reading about him in the next story.

It is hard to convey everything I liked about Kissing the Maid of Honor without giving away spoilers. You just need to read it for yourself and experience the laughter and tears that Luke and Sela go through in finding their happy ever after. If you are looking for a clean, classy, contemporary romance, I highly recommend you try Kissing the Maid of Honor!

Reviewed by: Amy R.

Posted in Category Romance, Reviews | Tagged Amy's Reviews, Kissing the Maid of Honor, Magical Musings Review, review, Robin Bielman | 6 Comments

Authenticity – and yay – another one off my plate! :)

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Dale Mayer

Hi everyone,

It is with great relief to say that I have handed off book 5 of my Psychic Vision series to my editor (first round with first editor). I am clarifying the editor situation just in case you think the book will be available for sale in the next week or two – because it won’t be ready that quickly. As much as I’d like that, it never seems to work out quite so neatly.

Getting this book to this point is a huge weight off my shoulders. Not only are these books convoluted in plot, but they are twisted in the type of genre and content. Keeping these books straight, can be incredibly difficult. That I deal with different layers of reality, different skills and different ways of existence and communication only adds to the need for clarity in writing. That they all deal with psychic phenomenon of some kind makes it that much harder – and that much more fun.

Don’t get me wrong. I really love writing these books. They are twisted with lovely villains :) – and I do so love creepy twisted villains. But these books ask the reader to suspend their beliefs and go on a journey through my world. To do that my books need to be authentic.

Authenticity is important when I write. I want the readers to feel and see what I see in my mind. And my mind is a wild and wacky place to describe!

The only problem with authenticity is when I write paranormal stories – such as my Psychic Vision series – or my Vampire Series. It’s not like I can cross over to the ethers and give you all an accurate description of life on the other side [Or can I? ] But one way or another, I have to make the reader believe that the characters can. That can be challenging.

In my Family Blood Ties, there is a whole paranormal world building to consider. It’s a dystopian story where vampires and humans co-exist peacefully – at least on the surface. But in the Psychic Visions series, these characters live in our contemporary world. As this is fiction, I can invent some stuff, but I can also draw on the many different paranormal studies that have been done, and are continuing to be done around the world.

And some of that material is fascinating. Consider some of the great psychics in history like Edgar Cayce, Nostradamus, Lydia Clar, Elizabeth Baron and of course John Edward. These are just a few of many – some well known and some that prefer to say hidden.

The issue isn’t whether you believe these people can do what they say they can do, but that they raise that wonderful question – can they do these things?

Because it’s that question that is so important to my fiction.

I don’t need my readers to believe in the paranormal, but they need to be willing to suspend their beliefs and take a journey into the paranormal through my books.

There are so many different paranormal or psychic abilities to work with. A few examples include:

Clairaudience: is the ability to hear things that are normally inaudible to others.
Clairempathy: is the ability to feel emotions from beyond natural realms.
Divine Intervention: Spontaneous spiritual visions that can guide and direct the seer.
Empath: A psychic empath – or sensitive – takes on other people’s feelings of pain or pleasure, actually feeling the emotions of others.
Energetic Healing: A psychic ability to clear, repair and balance the body’s energy systems by seeing and manipulating the aura.
Lucid Dreaming: The ability to wake up inside a dream and experience an alternate reality.
Medium: A psychic who connects with spirits of people who have died and sometimes with entities such as angels.

Part of the fascination readers have with my series is that eternal – What if…?

I doubt I’ll run out of ideas for this series any time soon, because like my readers…I find this field fascinating. And what a writer can do with a little bit of fact is…well…amazing!

Do you believe in the paranormal? Are you open to the concept of there being so much more than we currently understand?

Posted in Dale's Posts, Uncategorized | 10 Comments

Author Leigh LaValle and Giveaway!

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Lori Brighton

I’ve known Leigh LaValle for years. She’s an amazing friend and an amazing author, and I’m not the only one to think so! Leigh’s debut historical romance, The Runaway Countess, was nominated for the prestigious Golden Heart award in 2011, and recently the book was nominated for Best Historical Romance by The Romance Reviews. Join me in welcoming Leigh to Magical Musings! Read below for your chance to win Leigh’s book, and where to find her free novella!

Where in the world do you come up with these crazy ideas?

I am certain my mom asked me this question more than once. (And not just during my youth, mind you.) I get this question about my books, too. Why did you decided to write a Robin Hood book? How do you come up with names? And, most often, how in the world can you fill four hundred pages with story?

Often, I give the same answer I gave my mom: “I don’t know, my mind just does these things.”

The Robin Hood question has been a favorite (for who doesn’t love Robin Hood?) The basic answer is that I chose to retell the Robin Hood legend because I wanted to craft a story where the premise of right and wrong seemed really clear to begin. Throughout THE RUNAWAY COUNTESS, I try to challenge these pre-conceived ideas about justice. Stealing is not the answer, no matter how justified. Neither is oppression. As I retell the Robin Hood legend, both sides are right, and both sides are wrong. Both the hero and heroine have really compelling reasons why we should root for them, but only one can win. It’s a wrestling match to the end!

Where do I get my ideas for names? I have to admit this is a hard one for me. (My son was not officially named until he was 7 days old and I had to file the birth certificate.) For surnames, I often use thepeerage.com. For first names, I take inspiration from the local landscape. Trent derived his name from the River Trent. His estate, Giltbrook Hall, was also named after a local water way (and subsequent town).

Finally, how do I fill four hundred pages of story? Even I don’t know the answer to that. I research a lot of history and take ideas from there. While reading about Nottingham, for example, I discovered the last rebellion in England took place just fourteen miles north of Nottingham in 1817. That quickly became part of my story. And I needed a scene where Trent interacted with his villagers, something fun and lighthearted. Research pointed me to the Midsummer’s Eve festival, which was a very entertaining (and naughty) bit of history. I happily incorporated that into the book as well.

What about you, Dear Reader? Do you wonder how we authors get our crazy ideas? Do you want to know how we generate unique characters? Elaborate sex scenes? Unexpected twists? I am here to answer your burning questions. Or to chat about Robin Hood, who I could talk about any day of the week.

***One lucky commenter will win a digital copy of THE RUNAWAY COUNTESS.***

***(Lori here, as a side note, Leigh’s novella, The Misbehaving Marquess is free for Amazon Kindle right now! For Barnes and Noble click here! You can also find it on ITunes! Get it while you can!)***

Thanks for joining me today! I love to hear from readers. You can find me on Facebook and Twitter or visit my website at LeighLaValle.com

ABOUT: Leigh LaValle was born in a time when ladies shopped at the modiste and rogues sent heated looks across a crowded ballroom. Time slipped forward a few hundred years, and she currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family. When she is not writing about said ladies and rogues, mommying, or reading, she is rarely seen cleaning. More often, she is found hiking or, when she is really lucky, in the white powder of the ski slopes. She is also a devoted yoga practitioner and instructor.

Posted in Giveaway, Guest Posts | 9 Comments

It’s a Great Time To Be A Writer (With AVENGING ANGEL Giveaway)

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Cynthia Eden

Update: The winner of Avenging Angel is…RUTH GUTSCHER. Congrats, Ruth!

The publishing industry is undergoing a massive change–I think we’ve all noticed that. Writers are exploring publishing options. They can indie publish, they can publish traditionally–or they can put a foot in both worlds and be a hybrid author.

For the last two years, I’ve been a hybrid author. I write books for my NY publishers, and I write and release books on my own.

More and more authors are releasing indie books. The opportunities out there for writers are vast–like I said in my title…it’s a great time to be a writer.

I like indie publishing for quite a few reasons. I’m a fast writer (if I don’t write every day, I seriously feel lost). So I am able to release more of my stories on a much more advanced time schedule when I do my indie releases. Indie publishing also allows me to have complete cover control and price control. I LOVE price control. Actually, I love all of the freedom that I’ve been getting with my indie books.

Once upon a time, if you wanted to be a writer, NY was the path for you. Now, that isn’t true. Now you have multiple paths that you can take–it’s all about what *you* want. You can have NY. You can have your indie releases. You can have ‘em both.

Speaking of releases…I’ve got a few stories coming up, so I thought I’d share.

First, I’m participating in a very special book deal–DARK NIGHTS, DANGEROUS MEN–this bundle of books will release on 5/20, and when it releases, it will be on sale for just .99 (this is a limited time sale!). This anthology is a collection of “firsts”–stories that were our first indie books, our first tales in a new subgenre, etc.

The stories in DARK NIGHTS, DANGEROUS MEN range in length (some are novellas while others are full-length tales), and the bundle includes paranormal romances and romantic suspense tales. We were hoping to have a little something for everyone in our bundle.

On May 28th, I’ll have a new release from my New York publisher–AVENGING ANGEL. I loved writing my Fallen angel series, and in AVENGING ANGEL, my heroine has the chance to get some much needed vengeance on those who have made the mistake of wronging her. Go, vengeance go!

Then, later in June, I’ll have another indie release. (See–I’m all about mixing up my NY and indie releases!) I’ll be releasing a very dark and sexy romantic suspense novella–MINE TO TAKE. Here’s a peek at the cover:

Did I mention that it was a great time to be an author? There are so many opportunities out there right now! So many options! If you’ve ever wanted to write, then do it. No more waiting. Sit in the chair, type, and let your stories break free.

And, to wind things up here today…how about we offer a giveaway? I’ll send one commenter a print or digital copy of AVENGING ANGEL. To enter the giveaway, just tell me…what dream have you had, that you’ve always wanted to pursue? For as long as I can remember, writing has been my dream, and I feel so lucky to spend my days telling my stories. Now, please, tell me–what’s your dream?

Posted in Cynthia's Posts | Tagged .99 deal, Avenging Angel, Dangerous Men, Dark Nights, giveaway, indie publishing, low priced ebooks, Mine To Take | 60 Comments

Author Liberty Blake with Giveaway

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Edie Ramer

Amy Atwell is on a writing retreat, and she recruited the talented Liberty Blake to stand in for her. I was blown away by Liberty’s guest blog, and now that I know her, I’m looking forward to reading her books. One lucky commenter will win an ecopy of THE COUNTERFEIT BRIDE. Enjoy!

Congrats to Xoun J. for winning an ecopy of THE COUNTERFEIT BRIDE!

The Life of a Late Bloomer

It’s Never too Late to Follow Your Dream

I didn’t get my period until I was sixteen. I didn’t grow breasts until I was pregnant with my first child. Child number two and I started college at the same time as child number three started high school, child number four entered kindergarten, and child number five went to pre-school. I didn’t get published in fiction until after my fifth grandchild was born.

I am a late bloomer.

But being a late bloomer never stopped me from living life.

The Period! Even though all my friends had “become women” years earlier. I didn’t have to worry about leakage or cramps in front of everyone in school. I was able to dance and enjoy life, even though the other girls teased me about my womanly status. (Back in the old days, they hadn’t done the research that showed that girls who were dancers, gymnasts, or runners tended to have very little body fat and so didn’t get their periods as do their heavier counterparts.) Once I got my period I realized it was not all it was cracked up to be!

Breasts! There have been many times, especially lately, when I look back fondly on those days of having small, perky breasts. The toll of five pregnancies with a year of nursing attached to each made my cups overflow and make mammograms more uncomfortable than they need to be!

College! I loved college!!! In spite of being a “non-traditional” student, I was my class president for all four years. I had my own radio shows, and my student government sent me as one of their representatives to Texas A&M for a leadership conference. I also took a cross-discipline class in Ancient Greece and for spring break we went on an academic field trip to Greece. In spite of my advanced age, (remember I had one daughter in the work force, one in college, and another in high school, one in kindergarten and a son in pre-school) I had the time of my life!!! I worked my way through college as an office clerk, a dance teacher, and I delivered Chinese food. I was even made an honorary member of a fraternity. (I went to bat for them whenever they were in trouble with the Dean, which was a lot.) I gave the speech at graduation with my children and grandchildren in the audience.

Through all this, there were two constants in my life. My love of books and my soul deep desire to write.

Writing! As a busy working Mom I read anything I could and I would try to squeeze writing in whenever I could, but I was too easily distracted by life and to be honest, my early efforts left a lot to be desired. I didn’t stop. I continued to write. I took refresher English classes at night school. (I didn’t want to lose my grammatical skills.) I religiously devoured The Writer and Writer’s Digest magazines. I felt it was important to teach myself to be a better writer. I wrote and rewrote and rewrote again. (It wasn’t easy, I started my journey in the days of manual typewriters, and I am a lousy typist, which meant sometimes I would have to type out the same page over and over again.)

After college I finally found two writing groups, NECRWA and Rhode Island Romance Writers. My soul had found its home. Every month I attended meetings, took extensive notes at workshops, and I continued to read.

I wrote and rewrote. My skills were improving daily. Then I had two babies handed to me!

I learned that you can indeed write with Mickey Mouse’s Clubhouse playing in the background.

A new publisher had put out a call for short Christmas stories. I wrote Christmas Spirit in less than a month (which for me is fast) and rewrote it so many times it flowed like warm oil over a well-muscled body. I sent it in and went to Canada with a friend for a writers retreat. While I was in Canada I received an e-mail offering me a contract. I had just made my very first sale on a story I wrote while singing the “Hot Dog” song to a toddler and dancing with a baby in my arms!

I recently took a realistic look at my age and the publishing community. I decided that it was lovely to have the validation of having a publisher want my work, but waiting upon their pleasure and their time schedule was not the best route for me.

I have worked for decades, in fact a lifetime, honing and improving my craft. I was ready.

On April first I published my first novel The Counterfeit Bride.

I utilized my college travel and based my heroine in Texas and my hero is a Greek tycoon. I love reading category romance, and that is what I wrote. I hope you will give Cassidy and Theron a chance to steal your heart the way they did mine.

The Counterfeit Bride’s Blurb & Links:

Texas rancher and bar owner Cassidy Flynn is shocked to learn the bride’s name in an upcoming high society wedding – Cassiopeia Dolmides. Cassidy is a woman of secrets; the deepest is the identity she was born with and thought she had escaped long ago. If this bride is impersonating Cassidy, what trouble will that cause Cassidy and her infant son?

Greek tycoon Theron Christofides needs to gain possession of Dolmides Cruise Lines and the little Greek island where it left a shipwrecked eyesore. A lot of people are at risk without his intervention. Old man Dolmides will sell on one condition: Theron must marry Dolmides’ illegitimate daughter. Seeing no other way to rescue the island’s people, Theron agrees to sacrifice himself and his future.

As Theron stands at the altar with his bride-to-be, a fiery-haired woman in snakeskin boots and a cowboy hat interrupts their vows by calling his bride a fraud. In order for the wedding to continue, Theron must convince Cassidy Flynn to drop her lawsuit. Can he withstand Cassidy’s allure while he gains her cooperation? Or will they both be consumed by the fire of desire?