Come to the party on Facebook! Lots and I mean lots of Avon authors! The party doesn’t end until midnight (EST). Lots of goodies being given away. Winners will be announced tomorrow there. I’m giving away my 3 books and swag. My post will be there at 7 p.m. (CST). Check it out. Click here.
Category: My Books
Writing A Real Book
The other day people were commenting (loop or Facebook) of how people they know and some strangers would come up to them and ask when they plan to write a real book. Or ask, why do they write filth?
Really? 0~o Huh?
My books are real and have three-dimensional characters. Besides, why is good sex filthy? Well, if you do it in a mud puddle because you couldn’t wait to get somewhere more convenient, you would end up dirty. Good for you!
I’ve never had anyone to ask me those questions. Truthfully, I’m not a scary person but I’m known for being blunt. But even I respect people’s choices in what they write or the job they hold. There are times I’m speechless when people are rude.
If a person had the guts to ask me, I believe I would laugh in their face.
Really.
Worth Repeating
A few months ago, I mentioned on Facebook five ways to say thank you to the authors that write the books you love. I thought it worth repeating here.
5) Purchase the book new from a reputable bookseller.
4) Be sure to hit LIKE and rate it wherever it’s sold on line (see #5).
3) Sign up for the author’s newsletter (if she has one). Publishers love knowing the author has fans interested enough in her early/special announcements.
2) Become a fan: Follow, tweet, and LIKE and comment occasionally. (Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and her blog.) We love hearing from you.
1) TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN ABOUT THE BOOK(S)!
Then we can thank you in return by writing MORE BOOKS!
TBR Should Be TFB
That is Tragically Forgotten Books. I’ve wondered how many To Be Read 
piles out there have my books waiting for the owner to pick up and read.
For myself, I have over thirty . . . I think. Truthfully, I haven’t counted them, and I would probably be horrified by the number. A few months ago, I went through my pile and pulled every book that didn’t set me on fire to read it. Then I dropped them off at my day job, and let everyone pick out the books they wanted to place in their TBR pile.
Otherwise, I would be staring at the books and feeling guilty. I know the authors are hoping by giving away their books that they would get a new fan or two. If I let the books sit and not read them or give them away, I’m preventing that author from becoming successful. I know. No guarantee, but it’s a given it won’t happen at all if I don’t do something.
This year, I’m determined to read a TBR book between each one I purchase. So I’ve gone through five or so. That’s not many for the year to be almost over, but whenever I’m at home with extra time, I write. Reading is what I do when I’m burned out from writing and need a change.
The moral to this story is, if you have a large TBR pile, and some are more than a year old, it’s time to pass them on. Those authors will appreciate it.
A Taste of A Book
I’ve been thinking about about placing some excerpts of my books on Goodreads, but a few things came to mind. A few years ago, Sherrilyn Kenyon told me not to use the first chapter as an excerpt because people will open the book and think they’ve read it.
That is so true. If I want to make sure I haven’t already read a book, I always read the first few paragraphs. I wonder how many books I placed back on the shelf for that reason?
But, of course, the first scene is what I posted when I gave readers a taste of my fourth book in The Circle series. Hopefully you won’t forget and think you’ve already bought the book when I self-publish it next year. And the same is true about the first three books that are already available (published through Avon Red, HarperCollins) wherever books are sold on line.
*Excerpts* *Amazon* *B&N* *ARe* *BAM*
Anyway, my questions today are, do you prefer the first scene or chapter? Or do you like to see a scene or chapter from further into the book? Maybe in the middle of a turning point (e.g., an emotional scene)?
And do you like a page or two, or more like ten to fifteen to read?
