Long and Short Reviews Anniversary Bash

Come visit me and other authors at the Long and Short Reviews Bash

Win an Amazon gift card and more.

Click here to be taken to the site

KDP Select through my publisher

My publisher, The Wild Rose Press, has started putting their authors books in the KDP Select program (Amazon).  This means for 90 days the book is only available through Amazon only and as an author, I get 5 free days.

When I first heard about this, I will admit to be a bit unsure about it when I received the notification about my release, it showed when it was going into KDP Select and when it would go on World-Wide sale.

Thanks to, Lisa, our wonderful marketing director, a few days before my free days, she gave us all at The Wild Rose Press a crash course in KDP Select and how to use the free days to our advantage.

Since I only had 3 days until my free days started, I reached out to other authors I know asking for quick blog spots, notified a few websites that will list your free book, and started making a list of what I needed to do during those 5 free days.

A few things I want to point out:

1. I write Erotic Romance and it is a hot sub-genre right now

2. This is my 5th book with The Wild Rose Press so it did make a difference

3. I did very little promotion for the free days because I didn't realize I need to

4. What promo I did do was a couple of blog spots, I did Facebook and Twitter for the first 3 days.

These are how my numbers looked I don't expect anyone else's to look like mine we all write different books.

Monday before my book went free I was ranked in the 495K area

Tuesday, first day free: I was out most of the day, but checked first thing in the morning and I was ranked at 5,000.  Thanks to my wonderful critique partner, she watched my rankings through the day for me, by the end of Tuesday night, my overall ranking was #74 with being #2 in Erotica.

Wednesday, second day free: Ranking started at #37 with #1 in Erotica, by the end of the day my ranking was #24 and still #1 in Erotica

Thursday, third day free: Ranking started at #34 and #2 in Erotica.  By the end of the day my ranking was #52 and still #2 in Erotica

Friday, fourth day free: Ranking started at #61 and #2 in Erotica.  By the end of the day my ranking was #91 and still #2 in Erotica

Saturday, my fifth and last day free: Ranking started at #90 and #2 in Erotica.  By the end of the day my ranking was #92 and still #2 in Erotica.

During that same time period, the rankings on my other books began to get better.  Which meant those books were now selling.

After my book went off free, my ranking of course jumped back up into the 500K range, but then went back down under 100K range and then stayed below that range even now more than a week since I went free.

I also think what really helped is when I went free I had 2 reviews, a week after I went free I had 15 reviews.  Not all of them good, but the majority were very nice.

So that is my free experience with KDP Select through my publisher.  I'm glad The Wild Rose Press gave me the opportunity to be part of this new program.

So tell me what you think about free books on Amazon?  Do you download them and never read them?  Will it get you to try a new author?

Have a great week.

Marie

When the Words Won't Flow

It's been that kind of week for me.  I sent my editor off the short story and now the words just won't flow.

I've gone back to the story I'd started before this, I had to do a bit of reading to get back into it, but the words dried up.

It's taken me days to get back into the story and I really hate that, because I have other character's wanting their stories told, but this one needs to get done first.

Always when I'm fighting a story, more ideas pop into my head and characters just want to have their time on the page.

If you're a writer how do you handle this?

If not, when you have to do something and you don't feel like it what do you do?

Have a great week.

Marie

Another Story Done

Wow, time is passing fast right now.  I just finished up another short story for Sybarite Seductions titled: Silver Screen Dom.

I've been writing this short for a while now, while life interfered with me finishing it.  Last week I finally got it off to my critique group, then turned it around in a few days, got it back to me and I finished editing it over the weekend and sent it off to my editor.

I'm happy to with the story and the characters are happy they got to tell their story.

Writing isn't easy.  I struggle everyday to get words onto paper (or into the computer) sometimes I just can't face it and others, I'm eager to dive in and write.  Many writers are like this.

I'm getting back into the "I'm eager to write" phase which is good, I have three more novella's and another short story to get done this year and there isn't much left to this year.

So tell me, what do you do when you don't want to do something?  How do you convince yourself to do the task?

Have a great week.

Marie

New Release - More Than One Night

My newest release from The Wild Rose Press - More Than One Night is now free on Amazon, it will be free from Tues. 8/6  until Sat. 8/10.

This is 5th book with The Wild Rose Press and I'm really happy about this book because it is one I wrote a couple of years ago, it's sexy and fun.  So if you have time, download it for free.  And enjoy it.

Blurb:

Bartender Beth Grant has sworn off men after yet another failed relationship, but when a friend dares her to dance with a handsome stranger, she's tempted by the fantasy. Jake turns out to be dashing, charming and very rich, everything Beth avoids. But she can't resist, and one dance turns into an evening of exquisite passion. Beth vows not to repeat a night like this, despite liking the mysterious Jake--a lot.

Successful business owner Jake Masters knows he's met his dream girl the minute he lays eyes on Beth across the crowded dance floor. But the next morning she disappears and all he has is her first name. Jake vows to go to any length to get more than one night with Beth, and when he discovers she has a jaded past, he puts his heart and soul at risk to prove he's the one.

Excerpt:

            The song wound down, but when it ended she didn’t move out of his arms. The music started once  again, and as they turned, he spied her friends  watching them with rapt attention.  

            “You’re a very beautiful woman.” Where was  this corny stuff coming from?  

            “Thank you. You’re beautiful yourself.”  

            “Men aren’t beautiful. We’re rugged,  handsome, charming, powerful—”  

            She started laughing. “Are you flirting with me,  Jake?”  

            “Yes, is that okay?” Now he was into the dorky  stage, asking permission, but that’s how he was taught to treat a lady.  

            “Absolutely, flirt away.” She laid her head on  his shoulder once again. He was aware of her body  against his, with each sway of their hips their groins  brushed. His erection was apparent, but she wasn’t  pulling away. He took it as a sign she wanted to be  with him.  

            Her breath was warm and moist against his  neck. He moved his hand up her back and tunneled  beneath her hair, holding her head in place as his  lips nudged her hair away from her ear.  

            “I know what I want from you, but do you  know what you want from me?” she asked.  

            “I want to kiss you,” he said, because he  couldn’t have stopped the words from emerging if  God himself had clamped his lips shut. “All over. All night long.”

Click here to download the book from Amazon

To check out my other books click here for my website

A Fun Day

I thought I'd share an experience I had this weekend.

Living in a small town in Washington state is different for me. I've always lived n the big city of San Francisco and as far as I know there was nothing like this. Yesterday my sister and I went to the moveable feast.

The moveable feast is all different food trucks. We're not talking just any food truck but gourmet.  There was trucks with: 

Grilled cheese but not just plain grilled cheese, you had choices of cheese, could add bacon, avocado, jalapenos, tomatoes, and other things.

Then we had the Tokyo hot dog truck, hot dogs with all things Japan.

Cajun food including beigns and crawfish Mac & cheese.

Fried meat pies, Taco's, burrito's, sushi, Asian fusion, Filipino, Mediterranean, Greek, and oh the dessert trucks.

Ben &Jerry's, brownies, ice cream social, ice pops, but the two we tried were celebration cakes and the donuts.

The donuts were amazing, slightly bigger than donuts holes, they were small donuts and very light, they're put into a basket and the you can add your toppings we got vanilla and chocolate mixed plus another of caramel and chocolate. They were delicious. 

At celebration cake, the had glutton free brownies, and cake. The cake were flavors like cappuccino, chic mouse, snow ball, and eclairs to die for.

It was a good thing we did some walking because of all the food we ate and took home.

It was fun and something I'll do again next year.  Any maybe next year I'll remember to take pictures.

So what did you do this weekend?

Blog Guest: Sandra Sookoo

Today I have a special guest blogger, Sandra Sookoo, who is doing her virtual book tour for her new release Hollywood Dreams and Buttercream.

Welcome Sandra.

Thanks for hosting me today, and thanks to the readers who’ve joined up as part of the Hollywood Dreams and Buttercream virtual blog tour. This is stop #1. Be sure to visit all stops to better your chance of winning swag!

First, let me introduce myself. My name is Sandra Sookoo. I write romantic fiction, but over the course of the last year, I’ve primarily focused on contemporary and Regency romance. My latest book is a sweet contemporary.

I don’t know about you but I’m a sucker for old Hollywood movies. I’d say anything from the 1950s is my absolute favorite. When I set out to write this book, I had no idea I would include Hollywood trivia from that time period. One day, I had an urge to watch The African Queen, so I called it up on Netflix and became absorbed in the film. I’d seen it before, of course, and it always stuck with me (especially since bits of Disney’s Jungle Cruise ride are inspired by it) Anyway, I’m sure it comes as no surprise Gwynn and Cole watch this movie as part of the Movies in the Park in this book. It worked out surprisingly well and I’m very pleased with how it played out. I hope you will be too. (But you have to buy the book to find out what I’m talking about!)

Here’s the blurb for Hollywood Dreams and Buttercream:

Sometimes the sweetest things in life don’t have anything to do with dessert.

Gwynn Flannigan wants respect from her father and freedom from her big, loud family. The icing on her cake would be to win a decorating competition hosted by her favorite food magazine writer. Cole Marshall's one outlet from the stress of business life is writing his Cooking in the Buff feature. Who cares if he never has time for fun?

The answer for them both lies in the deep freeze at Sweet Endings, the struggling ice cream shop Gwynn manages and the one property Cole needs to secure a big promotion. He’s stuck in Madrigal, Indiana to unravel a knot of family drama that drives him crazy.

Things heat between Gwynn and Cole on the competition floor when Cole’s alter ego is revealed.  Cake and accusations fly while dreams and goals are left crumbling. In order to balance family, business, and love, Gwynn and Cole will need to work together and become partners—in more ways than one.

And here’s an excerpt:

The ring of the smartphone sounded once more, this time with a series of high-pitched electronic beeps.

"That's it!" Before she could rationally think her plan and its repercussions through, Gwynn grabbed the offending piece of technology and shot to her feet. "Get out now." She glanced at the phone, found the appropriate button, and shut the thing off.

"Not without my phone." Cole stood. He held out his hand, fingers wiggling. "It's my property and taking it without asking is stealing."

"So is selling this place without giving me a chance. You, my father, and my brother are all the same. You never want to hear what I want. You all think a woman couldn't possibly do anything as well as a man." Her chest heaved from the force of her passion. "Well guess what, it's a brave new world, buster, and women are leading us all into the future."

His eyes were as cold as the dead of winter. His hand never wavered. "My phone, please."

The thrill from intercepting his phone died an early death as a dark expression crossed his face. The man who stood before her was every bit the arrogant attorney. No trace of compassion leaked into his bearing. He'd take what he wanted regardless of anything else. Gwynn swallowed past the lump of sudden fear in her throat. "You can have it back when you start negotiations for the store."

"There won't be any negotiations."

"We'll see." When Cole lunged for her hand, Gwynn shrieked and ran behind the counter. Hearing the clatter of his dress shoes against the tiles behind her, she ducked into the supply room then yanked open the door to the walk-in freezer.

The frosty interior instantly cooled her heated skin. Gwynn quickly moved to the far shelf, and then she turned around and held the phone behind her back. Cole's presence filled the freezer space. His broad shoulders blocked her view of the door and the florescent light beyond. Her heart raced as he approached. He didn't stop advancing until his body almost touched hers.

"Give me the phone, Gwynn. It's a vital part of my business." He inched close enough to slide an arm around her waist in an attempt to retrieve the smartphone.

"And this shop is my business, so I guess we're at a deadlock." Her backside pressed against the shelves stocked with frozen cardboard tubs of ice cream conflicted with her front that was wedged against the very warm, very hard body of a very angry Cole. In a different world, Gwynn acknowledged that having such a sexy man trying to feel her up in the freezer, albeit accidentally, would have been a highlight of her day, but this man was dangerous. He wanted her job, her livelihood, and he didn't care that she wanted to fight for it. "You need to leave."

"You need to return my phone." As Cole renewed the fight to retrieve his phone, his body rubbed against hers for one brief moment -- chest to chest, hip to hip, thigh to thigh and everywhere in between. Tingles erupted down her spine, intense and breath-catching. Gwynn caught a whiff of his cologne, a mix of cedar and citrus. She tamped the urge to put her face in the crook of his shoulder in order to smell him again.

Oh man, he'd be the perfect vehicle to lick ice cream from. She shook her head hoping to shove the thought away.

"No." Was it in answer to his question or her inappropriate thought?

"You're an adult, Gwynn. Such behavior is asinine and childish."

He sounds like Lyle. Another reason to avoid him. Her desire to annoy refreshed her anger. She pushed him away. He stumbled back, which gave her enough time to turn and chuck the phone into an open box of fudge pops on the top shelf. It landed with a satisfying thud. "Too bad. It's stuck there now, and technically, you're trespassing on private property." She crossed her arms over her breasts, hiding the evidence of the cold or her budding arousal. She didn't want to give him any ideas if her reaction was due to his closeness.

Or give me any ideas.

"Get out."

"Fine." Cole shoved the fingers of one hand through his hair. The look he shot her made Gwynn feel like pond scum. "I'll be back tomorrow morning. Your father had better be here, pen in hand, because whether you like it or not, I'm leaving town with a signed deed for this property. Your opinions hold no sway on the transaction."

You can purchase this book at the following locations:

Desert Breeze: http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/hollywood-dreams-and-buttercream-epub/

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hollywooddreamsandbuttercream-1230731-149.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Dreams-and-Buttercream-ebook/dp/B00DVLQCMA/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373586343&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Hollywood+Dreams+and+Buttercream+by+sandra+sookoo

ibookstore: http://www.ibookstore.com/products.php?i=B00DVLQCMA

Have we connected on social media yet? If not, here’s my info. I’d love to talk to you!

Website:  http://www.sandrasookoo.com

Believing is Seeing blog:  http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/sandrasookoo

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/sandra.sookoo

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2931453.Sandra_Sookoo

Giveaway information on this post: One lucky random commenter will receive a Hollywood Dreams and Buttercream swag pak. Be sure to leave your contact information.

Thanks, Sandra for that hot excerpt.  I can see Gwynn and Cole are going to have a great story.