Guest: Barbara Edwards

Today, my guest is fellow Wild Rose Press Author Barbara Edwards.

Welcome Barbara.

What can I tell you to snag your interest? 

I’m Barbara Edwards and I’m an author. Not a world shattering surprise since I have a new release, Journey of the Magi, available on kindle http://amzn.com/B00ES5DZEQ

The big difference is that it’s a sweet holiday romance and very different from my edgy, paranormal romances or historical romances.

Marie was nice and sent me some interesting questions.  Thanks, Marie,  for being my hostess today.

The thing I like least about writing is the amount of patience it takes to get a book published. Writing the basic book, editing, rewriting and then submitting can take up to a year. Then you wait for acceptance or rejection, or suggestions for changes to make it acceptable. The more edits from the editor. Sometimes this process takes another year. Then comes the big day! Boom! It’s over, someone likes it. Where’s the next book?

What do I like most about writing? When someone likes my work.

Here’s a bit about my Christmas story.

Blurb for Journey of the Magi:

Widow Noel Martin never breaks promises, and she promised her kids they’d have Christmas at her childhood home in Connecticut. But driving across country takes money. Noel is broke when a snowstorm blows them into a tiny Minnesota café owned by a man who can change her mind. She accepts his offer of a job. Despite her attraction to him, she makes it clear she is only temporary help.

Dan Longstreet isn’t adopting any more strays, but he needs a waitress. Dan works so hard to make his café a success, he doesn't have time for love. Though Noel’s slender blonde beauty stuns him and her two adorable children tug at his heart, he denies how they threaten to change his life.

When tragedy strikes, their new-found love is the first victim. Noel can't stay and Dan can't leave. Will their journey be the gift that reunites them? 

What’s next? I’d like to write another holiday romance, but already have the next book in my paranormal series, Ancient Dark, well underway. It’s about a man who’s bloodlines are werewolf but he never changed.

I set my series in New England since that’s where I was raised. The atmosphere can be spooky or full of eerie history, a nice bucket to dip ideas from. 

Here’s an excerpt from Journey of the Magi

“Is that job still open?”

“I need a waitress.” His rich voice woke tingles of awareness that she’d forgotten, or maybe never knew.

“Is that a yes or a no?” she asked impatiently. These unfamiliar feelings were scary and unwelcome. She was

too tired to be diplomatic and this job was too important.

“What are you going to do with them?” He jutted his chin toward her children.

“I, I d-d-don’t know,” Noel stammered before sheslumped onto the nearest stool. Leaning forward onto

her elbows, she looked at her clasped hands. “I didn’t plan that far.”

“Humph!”

Noel watched his long, strong fingers dexterously polish another glass. His wide palms held the heavy

restaurant-ware like fine china. He had nice hands, a gentle touch. Instinct murmured he’d be as careful with

a woman.

“I guess I should move on. I…”

“Could keep the kids next to the kitchen, there’s a place there. Then if they needed you, you’d be right

close.” His deep voice was like an angel’s song.

Journey of the Magi is available here: http://amzn.com/B00ES5DZEQ

Please follow, friend or like me. I love to hear from my readers.

Blog http://barbaraedwardscomments.wordpress.com/

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It was great having you here today, Barbara.

Guest: Rachel Leigh

Today I welcome Rachel Leigh to my blog.  Rachel is published with The Wild Rose Press and bring her own unique voice to her books.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I've been writing for about eight years now under Rachel Leigh and a pseudonym, as well as being wife to my wonderful husband and mum to our two daughters. I live in England but write for the US market which is kind of strange seeing as I've never even been to the US! I endeavored to get published here, but it seems I'm more American than British, lol :D

What do like the most and the least about writing?

Most: Each time I write chapter 1 - I just love starting a new story! I plan a short outline and character sketches and then dive in. I love letting my characters take me where they want to go, with lots of surprises of who they are as individuals as well as the naughtiness they get up to along the way…

Least: The middle! I suffer from terrible 'sagging middle' syndrome and when I reach the 15,000 mark (my novellas range from 25,000 to 40,000 words), I hit a brick wall. The only way to get through it is to keep writing. I write, and then worry about cleaning it up in the following drafts.

Give us a peek into your latest published work? 

Caroline James wants to be the best investigative journalist London has ever seen. But until she has the money to leave the small town of Fayre Mead, she's stuck and her resentment is building. So when she’s assigned to cover the Lakeland Horse Trials and meets sexy, dark-haired, and astoundingly fit horse trainer, Michael Canton, she is happy to vent some sexual and emotional frustration…and write the story of her career. But after getting personal with Michael, can she remain impersonal with the article?

Michael Canton will do anything in his power to silence his tyrannical father once and for all. Under extreme pressure to compete in the countries show jumper trials and prove his worth, Michael’s fiery emotions are running high. Caroline’s beauty and sexual confidence stokes an inner strength and determination he never knew he had. But can he trust her to know the difference between fact and fiction? Together, they are a formidable team…but will their burning ambitions ultimately blow them apart?

What’s next on the writing horizon for you?

I'm extremely busy with other writing commitments right now, but as soon as I'm done, I'm planning my first venture into erotic historical romance. I want to write a trilogy based around three orphaned sisters running their own clothes store in the early 1900s. I'm so excited to get started!

Is there anything you want to tell readers?

Yes! Please join me on my blog where I have regular guest authors who more often than not offer so great giveaways. 

Also, follow me on my FB page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachel-Leigh/266044849655?fref=ts) 

and Twitter (https://twitter.com/rachelwriter) for all my latest news. I love to chat!

Here's an excerpt from Rachel's Current release:

Still sitting in his lap, she reached behind her and lowered the zipper of her dress. It fell down over her shoulders, revealing naked breasts. His erection ached at the sight of her creamy white, perfect tits with nipples big and dark. He licked his lips and moved forward to suck one hard tip into his mouth. Her gasp sounded above him.

Her skin smelled of something sweet and sexy, innocence mixed with danger. He inhaled deeply as he grazed her pebbled nipple with his teeth before reclaiming her mouth. Her tongue was rigid and demanding against his as they fought for supremacy.

Rolling her over, he shimmied the dress down her body and tossed it to the floor. Naked, but for tiny satin panties, darkened by juices at her clit, Michael didn’t think he had ever seen a woman look more beautiful. He drank in every inch of her, knowing deep inside that this might be the only moment he’d ever see her like this. The only chance to take her, to watch her enjoy unadulterated pleasure. God, he wanted to give her pleasure.

“Michael…”

He snapped his gaze to hers. She watched him. Her eyes were heavy lidded, screaming for him, wanting him. Male pride surged like a fireball behind his ribcage. He crawled up beside her and kissed her, his fingers trailing over her breasts, lower over her torso before diving into her panties.

She was wet. Soaking wet.

His hand glided over her narrow strip of pubic hair to her rigid clit. He circled, stretched, and teased, then moved lower until his fingers found her slit, his blood roaring in his ears. He felt alive, masculine and powerful. Her legs opened and he thrust two fingers deep inside. 

Wow, hot excerpt.

You can view Teach To Ride on http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Me-To-Ride-ebook/dp/B00EPQPNMU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377966674&sr=8-1&keywords=teach+me+to+ride

And for an extra, here's the cover of Rachel's previous release.

I think Rachel has heated up our Labor Day (here in the US) quite well.

Thanks for being here today Rachel.

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