Saturday, November 29, 2014

Sample Saturday - Nov 29, 2014

Welcome to Sample Saturday. This week's sample is from Trail of Storms, a novel in which I'm sometimes accused of preaching. That wouldn't be so bad, except I'm vilified for preaching about Mormon teachings! I prefer to think I'm sharing a bit of light about a religion of which many people have little knowledge. Whichever way you lean, this scene contains good old Christian teachings of being grateful for blessings, no matter the circumstances. (Being Christians, Mormons believe the same teachings of Christ.)
~~~



A week later the Bingham party camped below the Wet Mountains. Crickets chirped in the distance. A soft breeze blew down the side of the hills, bringing with it a chilly touch of autumn.

Mrs. Bingham sat in the flickering light of the waning fire, forking up a last bite of beans. When she’d swallowed it, she put down her fork and looked to Hannah, who sat nearby. Her daughter played with her half-eaten food as though her thoughts were a million miles away.

Mrs. Bingham cleared her throat and asked, “Dearie, did you take enough to feed yourself right? That little babe needs good nourishment.”

Hannah stirred in her seat. “Ma, I don’t want to talk about this …” She paused. “This mound of flesh. I can’t stop it from supping at my vitals, but I don’t have to talk about it.”

“Daughter,” Mrs. Bingham remonstrated, getting to her feet and collecting plates and forks. “Don’t be unnatural. You must count your blessings.”

As others drifted off to do their chores, she carried the dinnerware to a dishpan near her wagon. She got boiling water from the fire, poured it over the dishes, and called out to Heppie, “It’s your turn to wash.”

“Yes, Ma.” Heppie came up and dipped her hand into the water, pulled it out, and shook it. She blew on her fingers. “This water is still too hot, Ma.”

Mrs. Bingham rounded the fire and sat beside Hannah. “It’ll cool down soon enough,” she called.

Hannah clutched her hands together, her head bent over the abandoned plate. Her body seemed to vibrate with tension.

Mrs. Bingham straightened her shoulders. “You have many blessings, Hannah. Chief among them, you didn’t die at that wicked man’s hand. Mr. Fletcher says you punished him gravely.”

Hannah interrupted. “I scratched his face and pulled his hair. That’s not so much.”

“Your husband told me a tale of great bravery on your part, dear. I got him to talk about it one night, and he wept as he told how you struggled.”

“Robert doesn’t weep.”

“Mr. Fletcher has very deep emotions about that day, Hannah. He grieves that you were hurt. He grieves that your heart is so hard toward your babe. He loves you. He swears he will love your child, no matter what.”

“How good he is,” Hannah said, scorn tingeing her words. “How noble. How fine.”

“Hannah! You must not talk that way about your husband. He deserves your respect.”

“He is not the one carrying this bastard child!” Hannah blurted out. “No one blames him. Everyone will praise him to the heavens for his forbearance toward me.”

“Hannah.” Mrs. Bingham’s voice rose firmly. “Robert Fletcher is one of the greatest blessings in your life. Once upon a time you knew that, and cherished his love. You returned it. It grew into a fine, shining thing. Don’t debase it because you had a misfortunate experience with a vile man.”

Hannah’s face went white. “I can’t forget that day.”

“You must try. You must turn your thoughts to your babe, to being a good mother and a good wife. Give thanks each day for your blessings and for your family.”

The anger in Hannah’s face crumbled away, and her hands flew up to hide her face. “Mama,” she said in a little-girl voice. “Don’t scold me so. I can’t bear for you to hate me. I hate myself enough for all the world.”

Mrs. Bingham got up and gathered her daughter into her arms. “There now, dearie,” she crooned, as Hannah cried deep gulping sobs. “Leave go of hate. Where there is life, there is hope. Your dear Robert knows that. He has been strong enough to carry you through this terrible time. Bear him a grateful heart for his fortitude. Don’t turn your back on that gift.”

Hannah turned her stricken face to look up at Mrs. Bingham. “Oh, Mama, I’ve been a dreadful wife.”

“Yes, you have.” Mrs. Bingham stroked Hannah’s back.

“How can I cure that?”

“If you open your heart, you will know what to do, and when the time is right, you will be knit together as one soul again.”

Hannah sniffled. “Can that happen, Mama?”

Mrs. Bingham stood still for a moment, looking at the moon as it rose over the meadow. She turned back to Hannah and hugged her tight. “Your Robert is fixing a snug bed under yonder stand of trees. I am confident he will receive you with all his heart.” She looked again at the moon. “There’s good luck in that light, daughter. Don’t let it go to waste.”

Hannah sat up and got free of her mother’s encircling arms. She took a deep breath and stood up. She seemed to stand taller. “Thank you, Mama. I won’t.”

Mrs. Bingham stepped back and made a shooing motion. “Go on with you,” she said. As Hannah walked away, she whispered, “Good night. May God be with you.”
~~~


Thank you for visiting. I hope you enjoyed the sample.

WestWard Books is having a Year-End Sale on print copies of Trail of Storms, the third book in the Owen Family Saga. They are on sale for $10.00 per copy, with optional personalization and/or signature from me author. This sale is good as long as supplies last, or until December 31, 2014. All sales final. Click here to purchase. Thank you for your support of my books today, which is, of course, Small Business Saturday.
~~~


Bestselling author Marsha Ward wrote the novella, Faith and the Foreman, in the best-selling Timeless Romance Anthology Old West Collection. She is the author of an acclaimed novel series featuring the Owen family. Book 4, Spinster's Folly, won the 2013 USA Best Book Award for Western Fiction, and recently was named Finalist in Western Fiction in the 2014 International Book Awards. A former journalist, Ward has published over 900 articles, columns, poems and short stories. She is the founder of American Night Writers Association, a.k.a. ANWA.

Monday, November 24, 2014

YEAR-END SALE - Trail of Storms print edition

I'm passing along news from WestWard Books: 


YEAR-END SALE: print copies of Trail of Storms, the third book in the Owen Family Saga, are on sale for $10.00 per copy, with optional personalization and/or signature from the author, Marsha Ward. This sale is good as long as supplies last, or until December 31, 2014. All sales final. Click here to purchase.

And here's the book description and a couple of reviews:

Jessie Bingham put heartbreak away to tend to her sister's needs, but when she settled for second best in love, she didn't foresee that James Owen would come back into her life.

The aftermath of the Civil War creates cruel circumstances for the Bingham family. A brutal attack on Jessie's sister, Hannah Fletcher, drives the extended family to flee to the West. They are soon joined by Heppie Bingham's beau George and his brother, Ned, who bring news that the Binghams are being pursued by cronies of Hannah's attacker. Even after they fight off that onslaught, poverty, bad weather, and Hannah's frightful secret plague their journey. Nursing her battered heart when she hears James Owen took a wife, Jessie accepts Ned's offer of marriage. But a stop on the trail holds surprises that launch Jessie into a bewildering tangle of values, emotions, and high adventure.

Shirley Bahlmann, author of the "Odds" pioneer series, says: Marsha Ward has the uncanny ability to transport readers back in time. You feel the characters' sorrows, hate the villains, cheer the heroes, and sit on the edge of your seat as one adventure after another unfolds. What a satisfying story this is, with real, believable trials and heart-warming conclusions. I recommend it to everyone, from history buffs to adventure lovers to romance readers.

Review from Meridian Magazine: Trail of Storms is not a romance, but a nitty gritty Western. It is the historical details of Colorado and New Mexico and the writer's understanding of both the American and Hispanic cultures of this place and time period that are superbly done. The author portrays vividly the lingering hatred that existed between Confederates and Yankees for years following the war, the bigotry between races, and the minimal rights of women. Historical and Western fans of either gender will enjoy this series, from the compelling covers to the last word of this third volume. - Jennie Hansen

Click here to purchase Trail of Storms in print.

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Sample Saturday - Nov 22, 2014

Welcome to Sample Saturday. This week's sample is from a published short story called War Party. Nearly twelve-year-old Rolla Wood is bent on revenge and has set out to get it.
~~~


It was past noon when Rolla checked his back trail and discovered a man riding a quarter mile behind him. The boy leaned forward and urged the dun into a lope. Later, when he pulled up to give the horse a breather, the man still followed, and Rolla edged off the trail and circled behind an outcropping of sandstone.

He shucked the Winchester from the boot, dismounted, and tied the horse. Then he crawled to the top of the low butte and waited, shivering as the cold clamped down on his motionless form.

The man was big, not too old, rode a gray gelding, and wore a gray hat with a black band. A red scarf decorated his neck. His topcoat flapped open as the gelding moved, and once, Rolla caught sight of a gun belt crossed at an angle to his waist.

An outlaw! he thought, and shivered again. Then Rolla remembered his mission, and anger shook him. "I got a job to do," he whispered. "No grown-up's gonna stop me." He squeezed off a shot in front of the gray horse. "Get them hands in the air!" he shouted.

First the man quieted the plunging gray, then he slowly raised his hands and peered toward the sandstone mass. "Who's that up there? You sound like a kid."

Rolla levered the rifle. "Old enough to shoot. Why are you following me?"

The man started to lower his arms, and Rolla yelled again. "Keep 'em up! Answer me. Why are you on my trail?"

"Your trail? This is a public road, kid. What do you think you're doing?"

Rolla stood, and waved the rifle barrel at the man. "You answer the questions."

"I don't know who you are, kid, but your daddy ought to lay a hand good and hard on your butt. You're keeping me from my business. Them cussed Indians will be to hell and gone before I can catch them."

Rolla shifted his feet on the sandstone. "What Indians?"

"Them raiding Apaches who killed my partner, that's what Indians. I'm getting riled, kid. You best put that pop stick down so I can be on my way."

"What you gonna do to those Indians?"

The man spit on the ground. "I'm gonna give them a hundred dollars and pat them on the head."

"I'm coming with you."

"No chance, kid. Put down that rifle and I'll get along." The man glared at the lanky youth, and lowered his arms. "You're just a dumb kid."

"I ain't no dumb kid! I got a job to do, same as you."

"Well, I'm on my way. Shoot me in the back, if you've a mind to."

"You need me, mister," Rolla shouted, then gritted his teeth against the disappointment.
~~~


Thank you for visiting. I hope you enjoyed the sample. War Party (Short Story) is available as an electronic book at these online outlets: Smashwords all formats | Kindle | nook | Kobo | iTunes Bookstore

Click the "My Books" tab at the top of the page for more information about my books and short stories. Purchase links are included. The "Special Collections" tab includes information and links to my novella, Faith and the Foreman, and a short story in the Owenverse, Bloodied Leather, which gives a glimpse into the future of the Owen Family. Don't forget to come back next Saturday for another sample of my writing.


Bestselling author Marsha Ward wrote the novella, Faith and the Foreman, in the best-selling Timeless Romance Anthology Old West Collection. She is the author of an acclaimed novel series featuring the Owen family. Book 4, Spinster's Folly, won the 2013 USA Best Book Award for Western Fiction, and recently was named Finalist in Western Fiction in the 2014 International Book Awards. A former journalist, Ward has published over 900 articles, columns, poems and short stories. She is the founder of American Night Writers Association, a.k.a. ANWA.


Friday, November 21, 2014

Fresh Book Friday - The Line That Divides

Title: The Line That Divides
Author: Melanie Mason
Genre: Historical Romance (World War II)
Publisher: Walnut Springs Press
Date of Publication: November 2014


Synopsis:
With boundaries clearly drawn by the horror of World War II, Austrian teenager Marianne Leichtner doesn't think about love. Returning from Germany, where she was forced to attend school as a linguist, she settles back into life in the countryside.

The crash of an American B-17 bomber in the hills behind her family's home changes everything. Shortly following the accident, Marianne discovers Charlie and Sam, the only surviving crewmen from the plane, hiding in the barn. She decides to help them and is thrust into a world of danger and secrets. An unlikely friendship forms, and then the Nazis arrive. After a week of hiding the young men, Marianne is attacked by Lieutenant Herske, a Nazi officer, and is rescued by Charlie. She helps the Americans escape, but assumed the worst when she learns two Americans were killed trying to cross the border.

As she pieces together her broken heart, Marianne decides the only way she can defy the Nazis is to join the Austrian resistance. To cross that line means discovering who she really is and what she is willing to do. Because of Charlie, she is willing to take the chance.

When the war ends it seems impossible to return to normal life. But a miracle occurs, saving Marianne one more time.

Excerpt:
Marianne made her way over to the chicken coop and gathered the eggs. She set aside a dozen in a smaller basket for Frau Schmidt and put the remainder in the large basket to deliver later that day. The hens clucked uneasily in the pen, and collecting the eggs took longer than normal. Marianne quietly closed the coop and made her way back toward the door.

She stopped when she realized she had left the smaller basket in with the chickens. After carefully setting the large basket on the ground, she turned back to the coop but stopped when she heard a soft moan from behind her. She whirled around to face the pile of straw in the corner. Another low moan came from the pile, which seemed almost to shudder. Marianne’s mind shouted for her to run and tell her mother, but curiosity got the better of her.

She stepped toward the moving straw, hesitated, and then reached out to brush aside the loose covering of stalks. Suddenly a hand clamped over her mouth, and another one pinned her arms to her side and pulled her back. Her nostrils were assailed by the smell of sweat and pine trees.

In a panic she struggled against the tight, muscled arms, her cries muffled by the hand covering her mouth. She tried in vain to pull the arms away and escape.


My Review:
Melanie Mason's debut novel, The Line That Divides, is a fast-paced story of young love, dangerous choices, and inevitable consequences amidst the turmoil of World War II. Mason's writing shivers with intriguing twists and turns.


Purchase Links:
Available in print at Deseret Book Stores

Author Bio:
Melanie Mason has told stories all her life and finds her passion in writing. She graduated from Utah State University with a degree in communications. She won first place in the Beginning of Book Contest for Young Adult Fiction at the American Night Writers Association 2014 conference, and she is the editor of ANWA’s monthly newsletter. Melanie has published several articles and stories that are featured on HubPages.com. She lives in Portland, Oregon, where the beauty of the Pacific Northwest feeds her imagination.

Find Melanie:
Website | Facebook Author Page | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads | Pinterest

Monday, November 17, 2014

Madcap Monday - HUGE eBook Sale!



FOUR DAYS ONLY Great prices from great authors–AND even two books from me! (Historical Fiction)

This is the perfect opportunity to stock on some good reading for those cold winter months. This event only happens twice a year, so stock up on your favorite books while you can.

Click here to go to the Bookmarked Bargains site.

(Be sure to check out all the genres to find all those reading gems)


AFTER you shop to your heart's content, scroll to the bottom of ANY Bookmarked Bargains Page and fill out the Rafflecopter to sign up for our monthly Bookmarked Reader’s Newsletter containing new releases and bargain prices from our beloved authors at Indie Author Hub. Your information will always remain confidential. All names collected will be entered to win a Reader's Party Pack shipped right to your door.

Reader’s Party Pack: $160 value. Designed for readers. Everything a reader needs to enjoy a good book--blankets, hot cocoa, and more!

Of course, you don't need to purchase any of the listed books in order to be eligible to win, but you might as well, because they're awesome. There's something on this list for everyone to enjoy, so let's get right to it!


*Be sure to check the price of the book before you download
so you know you're getting the sale price.*

Who's Who and What's What in Each Category:
(Use links below or the tab up top at the Bookmarked Bargains site
to find your favorite books and authors)
Below are all the genres and participating authors.

HISTORICAL ROMANCE Nichole Van, Joyce DiPastena, Marsha Ward, Marie Higgins, Tina Scott

ROMANTIC COMEDY Marie Higgins, Jo Noelle

INSPIRATIONAL FICTION (LDS/ CHRISTIAN) Stacy Lynn Carroll, Alivia Anderson, Vicki Hunt Budge, Maria Hoagland, Daniel Coleman

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE Donna K Weaver, Rachael Anderson, Rachel Ann Nunes, Rebecca Talley, Stephanie Fowers, Cami Checketts, LuAnn Staheli, Taylor Hart, Heather Justesen, Heather Tullis, Shannon Guymon, Lisa Swinton, Heather Moore

NONFICTION Christy Dorrity, Valerie Steimle

FANTASY/ SCI FI Andrea Pearson, Katie Lee O'Guinn, Stephanie Fowers, Susan Tietjen, Theresa Sneed

GENERAL FICTION Tara C. Allred

YOUNG ADULT/ YA ROMANCE J. Loyd Morgan, Cindy M. Hogan, Jo Noelle, Tamara Hart Heiner, Janette Rallison

MIDDLE GRADE Monique Bucheger

YA FANTASY J. Lloyd Morgan, Christy Dorrity, Daniel Coleman

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE Donna K. Weaver, Cami Checketts, Rachel Ann Nunes, Theresa Sneed, Kathleen Marks, Christy Barritt, Julie Coulter Bellon, Tanya Parker Mills

CHILDREN R. K. Hinrichsen

**Be sure to check the price of the book before you download
so you know you're getting the sale price.**

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Sample Saturday - November 15, 2014

Welcome to Sample Saturday. This week's sample is from a published short story called The Usual Game.
~~~


The Ford sputtered and died.

Verl allowed the car to slip backward down the side of the steep mountain road to the almost-flat place where the switchback zigzagged in the other direction, then turned off the lights and set the brake. Night surrounded him with insect chirps and the crisp, tangy odor of creosote as he stepped off the running board of the 1926 Model T.

I shoulda put in gas at Clarkdale, he thought, and wondered if the gas can was as dry as the tank.

The young man let his eyes adjust to starlight for a moment, breathing deeply, hoping to cut the concrete dust that filled his lungs with the night air. Even if his was a dirty job, it was honest labor, like he'd promised Betty. Construction work was good for the economy of the young state of Arizona, and pretty well paying for him.

He felt the wad of bills in his pocket. Maybe his earnings weren't like before, but soon there would be enough money for him to drive down to Phoenix to visit Betty and Ma. He could wire his wages to them, but he longed for some home cooking, and for the sight of Betty's laughing face when he came in the door.

Verl felt along the running board for the gas can. He untied it, then gave it a shake. Should be a good two gallons in there. Plenty to get him up the hill to his lodgings in Jerome.

He got the funnel out of the toolbox, uncapped the tank, and slid the funnel into the hole. Pungent fumes rose from the opened can as he lifted it, carefully adding the liquid to the tank. Then he was finished, and a tuneless whistle flowed through his pursed lips as he put away the gas can and funnel.

"Let's go on home," he said, patting the car.

Verl fired up the engine with the electric starter and eased off the brake to make another run up the steep road. The car settled into the proper gear and putted into the long ascent.

The engine died again.

Verl set the brake and started her up. The car putted a few more feet, then gave up.

Still whistling, the young man tried again. A few minutes later, the whistle was ragged, and so was the patience. And Verl was back at the change-around point of the dugway. He slapped his big hand against the dashboard. I heard these Tin Lizzies were temperamental, he thought. I got to get home soon, or Fong'll throw out my supper. The moon rose over the horizon of the valley, silvering the car and the road.

"I wish I had more gas in the tank," he said before he realized he was speaking out loud. "Maybe that's the problem . . . ." His voice tapered off as he remembered what the auto agent had said when he bought the car several months before: "Jerome, heh? Well, keep in mind that she has a gravity feed on the fuel. When you're low on gas and break the vacuum, you might have to back 'er up that steep hill."

Verl leaped out of the car and sighted up the road. It looked straight enough, and with that moon, he had plenty of light. He restarted the engine, pulled the car into a tight left turn, and backed up the hill.
~~~


Thank you for visiting. I hope you enjoyed the sample. The Usual Game (Short Story) is available as an electronic book at these online outlets: Smashwords all formats | Kindle | nook | Kobo | iTunes Bookstore

Don't miss the big ebook sale that begins on Monday. I've included Trail of Storms and Gone for a Soldier in this huge event:


Click the "My Books" tab at the top of the page for more information about my books and short stories. Purchase links are included. The "Special Collections" tab includes information and links to my novella, Faith and the Foreman, and a short story in the Owenverse, Bloodied Leather, which gives a glimpse into the future of the Owen Family. Don't forget to come back next Saturday for another sample of my writing.

Bestselling author Marsha Ward wrote the novella, Faith and the Foreman, in the best-selling Timeless Romance Anthology Old West Collection. She is the author of an acclaimed novel series featuring the Owen family. Book 4, Spinster's Folly, won the 2013 USA Best Book Award for Western Fiction, and recently was named Finalist in Western Fiction in the 2014 International Book Awards. A former journalist, Ward has published over 900 articles, columns, poems and short stories. She is the founder of American Night Writers Association, a.k.a. ANWA.

Friday, November 14, 2014

Fresh Book Friday - Fortune for Fools Book Tour

Today I'm participating in the Book Tour for Cindy A. Christiansen's new book, Fortune for Fools. Don't miss the Rafflecopter Giveaway for great prizes at the end!



Title: Fortune for Fools: A Merchant Street Mystery
Author: Cindy A. Christiansen
Genre: Sweet Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Sweet Cravings Publishing
Date of Publication: July 2014

Synopsis:

Risk-taker Zeke Abberley knows how to be bold when it comes to his antique shop on Merchant Street in Salt Lake City, Utah. He successfully bid on a collection of 1800s antiques in Nauvoo, Illinois that may contain a valuable Hayez painting. However, love is another matter. Afraid that all women are users, he’s always injuring his dates, particularly Lavinia Vega, who works at her father’s art gallery.

Studious Lavinia Vega is tired of proving to Zeke that she has no ulterior motives. When Zeke brings her a damaged painting to restore and authenticate, she is eager to help but not get involved. When she uncovers a hidden map behind the painting that leads to valuable buried coins, the game plan changes. Or so Zeke thinks.


Snippet:
“Want to stab me in the other eye? You’ve already stabbed me in the heart,” Zeke said, getting to his feet with his hand still covering his eye. “I-I-I’ll talk to you later. Right now, I need a doctor…or an ophthalmologist…or a boatload of Percocet.”


Buy Links:
Sweet Cravings Publishing: http://bit.ly/WdkOU0
Amazon: http://amzn.to/WviRlv
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/VmNLee
All Romance ebooks: http://bit.ly/1186k6h
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/19kmbY9
Google Play Books: http://bit.ly/1vHZK6D

Author Bio:
Cindy A. Christiansen writes sweet romance with humor, suspense...and dogs! She's the mother of two awesome boys who just happen to be autistic. Dogs have helped her through multiple health issues so she honors them in her books and donates both time and money to help them. She lives with her wonderful family and delightful dogs in West Jordan, UT.

Find Cindy:
Website: http://dragonflyromance.com
Blog: http://cadragonfly.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DragonflyRomance
Facebook Page:  http://www.facebook.com/AuthorDragonfly
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CindyDragonfly
Google+:  http://bit.ly/14TuIh6
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/cindydragonfly
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/cindydragonfly/
Email: cindy@dragonflyromance.com

This looks like an interesting book. I can hardly wait to read it! And here's the Rafflecopter:


 

Saturday, November 08, 2014

Sample Saturday - November 8, 2014

Welcome to Sample Saturday. This week's sample is from a new piece I'm writing--a second short story called Bad Blood.
~~~


Ferrell occupied the afternoon hours by directing three workers at the bank building. It was time for final touches. Two of the men hammered up notices along one side wall, while the third, Lonnie Haught, brought in stools from a wagon parked behind the building and arranged them behind the three teller cages.
 

When Lonnie had finished his task, Ferrell caught his eye and beckoned him into the office.
 

“You’ve done a fine job today, Mr. Haught,” he said, sitting behind his large desk and gesturing for Lonnie to take a seat. “I admire a man who works as hard as you do.” He paused while he prepared a cigar and struck a match. After a moment, satisfied with his efforts, he blew out the smoke he'd inhaled and looked at Lonnie again. “Didn’t I see you with a pistol the day I arrived in town?”
~~~

Thank you for visiting. I hope you enjoyed the sample.

Watch this blog for information on a big sale coming later this month:


Click the "My Books" tab at the top of the page for more information about my books and short stories. Purchase links are included. The "Special Collections" tab includes information and links to my novella, Faith and the Foreman, and a short story in the Owenverse, Bloodied Leather, which gives a glimpse into the future of the Owen Family. Don't forget to come back next Saturday for another sample of my writing.


Bestselling author Marsha Ward wrote the novella, Faith and the Foreman, in the best-selling Timeless Romance Anthology Old West Collection. She is the author of an acclaimed novel series featuring the Owen family. Book 4, Spinster's Folly, won the 2013 USA Best Book Award for Western Fiction, and recently was named Finalist in Western Fiction in the 2014 International Book Awards. A former journalist, Ward has published over 900 articles, columns, poems and short stories. She is the founder of American Night Writers Association, a.k.a. ANWA.

Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Writer Wednesday ~ Joyce DiPastena's Book Tour

Joyce DiPastena has been my friend for many years. She's also an outstanding writer of Medieval Romances. I'm pleased to have a spot in her Book Tour this week, presenting her newest novel, Loving Lucianna. Don't miss the Rafflecopter for prize drawings at the bottom!



Synopsis:
Sir Balduin de Soler gave up long ago on love. He never had the means to support a wife until an unexpected advancement in his fifties allows him to reassess his future just as the lovely Lucianna enters his life.

Lucianna Fabio harbors a secret, painful memory from her past that has kept her unwed, as well. Now in her forties, she thought herself too old to marry until she meets Sir Balduin. Now suddenly their lonely autumn lives feel very much like spring again . . . until Lucianna’s brother appears without warning and threatens to revive the secret that will destroy Lucianna’s second chance at love.

Loving Lucianna is the first in Joyce's new “Hearts in Autumn” romance series, medieval romances revolving around heroes and heroines “in the autumn of their years.” Because you’re never too old to fall in love!”


Excerpt:
The heroine, Lucianna, was abandoned as a baby to a nunnery in medieval Venice. There she made friends with another young girl, named Elisabetta, who was sent there by her father to be educated. In this scene, the girls are 10 years old.

“How do you know your father’s name was Panfilo?” Elisabetta asked.

Lucianna shrugged.

“Why will you not tell me? I have kept no secrets from you.”

“It is not a secret,” Lucianna said quickly, stung by the hurt in Elisabetta’s voice. “It is only—special. I do not want it mocked.”

Elisabetta sat up, her dark eyes a-flash. “You think I would mock you?”

“Speak softer,” Lucianna hissed. She regretted that her words had aggrieved her friend.

She had grown to trust Elisabetta as she trusted her own heart. But— “It is not you I fear, it is Sister Maria Angela. If she came upon us and heard me, she would laugh, or perhaps she would scold and say I made it up and then she might call me devil child.

“That is what she did when she made me pick berries for the infirmary from the barberry bush and I called it an evil plant for pricking my fingers so badly that I could not stitch for a week.”

Elisabetta eyes widened in awe. “Is that not the one known as the Holy Thorn?”

Lucianna nodded with a sigh. “Because it was part of the crown of thorns borne by Our Lord upon the cross. But I was not thinking of that when it pricked me. Sister Maria Angela said I had spoken a blasphemy—”

“—and switched you,” Elisabetta finished before Lucianna could. Lucianna nodded again. Elisabetta pressed her lips together very tightly.

“I do not want her to say that my father’s name is wicked, too,” Lucianna said. “And so I must keep how I know to myself forever and ever.”

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes/iBooks | Smashwords

Meet the Author:

Joyce DiPastena dreamed of green medieval forests while growing up in the dusty copper mining town of Kearny, Arizona. She filled her medieval hunger by reading the books of Thomas B. Costain (where she fell in love with King Henry II of England), and later by attending the University of Arizona where she graduated with a degree in history, specializing in the Middle Ages. The university was also where she completed her first full-length novel...set, of course, in medieval England. Later, her fascination with Henry II led her to expand her research horizons to the far reaches of his “Angevin Empire” in France, which became the setting of her first published novel, Loyalty’s Web (a 2007 Whitney Award Finalist).

When she’s not writing, Joyce loves to read, play the piano, and spend time with her sister and friends. A highlight of her year is attending the annual Arizona Renaissance Festival. She lives with her two cats, Clio and Glinka Rimsky-Korsokov, in Mesa, Arizona.

Find Joyce:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter
Lucianna (the heroine of “Loving Lucianna”) has her very own Pinterest board

I recommend Loving Lucianna very highly

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Tips Tuesday - Writing a Book Review for Amazon

Readers have a common concern about writing reviews on books they read: they find it intimidating. Here's a guest post from author Gwen Perkins that explains her feelings about reading and writing reviews, tips on what to include, and how writing reviews on Amazon may impact sales and discoverability for authors.

Q&A: Why Write Amazon Reviews?

As anyone who is or knows an author knows, many of us frequently go around wishing and hoping that our book will receive reviews on that book giant, Amazon. (I also wish and hope for Powell’s and Barnes and Noble’s but as more and more authors publish exclusively through the Big A, that’s what this blog post is about.) I thought that I’d explain my own reasons for wanting reviews and how they work. I’m choosing to address this via questions that I’ve received from friends and family.

1) I’m no good at writing an Amazon review. What do I say?

The beautiful thing about Amazon reviews is that you don’t have to be Roger Ebert. You can click a star rating and then write a couple of sentences about the book. Reviews can be as simple as “This book was really good. I wish there was more romance” or really elaborate.

Here are some things you could put in a review:
  • Adjectives that describe the book (it was good, it was awful, etc).
  • Say something you liked about it. Things that you could focus on could include the plot, a particular scene, characters, how things changed during the course of the story, etc.
  • If there was a moment or character that personally impacted you in some way, don’t be afraid to say so. Put yourself in the review. Authors love to know their readers and I know that I’m always touched when I can tell someone made a personal connection with what I wrote.
  • Talk about what you wanted to see more of or what needs improvement. Do you wish another character was in the book more? Say so. Did bad spelling distract you? Tell us that too.
Tips to remember:
  • Don’t be afraid to be honest. Do, however, remember to be helpful. Don’t just say “it sucks” but tell everyone why it sucked.
  • Don’t give away the ending of the book. You can allude to it very vaguely (“the ending surprised me”) but don’t say specific plot details.
  • You’re not being graded. Write a review as long or short as you want. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece of art—think of it more as a conversation or what you might tell people you know about this book.
  • Make sure that you read the book before you review. This seems like it should be obvious but… it’s not.
2) Do Amazon reviews actually affect a book’s sales?

I have to be honest with you and tell you that I don’t yet know for sure as I don’t have the “magic number” yet. This is what I understand to be true from conversations with my publisher and other authors:
  • Around 20-25 reviews, Amazon starts including the book in “also bought” and “you might like” lists. This increases your chances of someone finding your title.
  • Around 50-70 reviews, Amazon looks at your book for spotlight positions and the newsletter. This is HUGE. This is my personal goal although I use Amazon reviews for other reasons (more later on in this post).
  • Number of reviews may affect Amazon sales ranking. (Again, this is anecdotal–I have no actual proof of it.)
  • Some websites will not consider or promote your book unless you have a number of reviews on the page (this is very true of those sites that highlight free promos—I can attest to this).
  • And, of course, readers may read through your reviews and decide to purchase or not purchase the book based on this.
3) Whatever. I don’t care if you sell this wonderful/awful book. Why should I write a review if it doesn’t change how you write the next one?

Oh, but it does.

When I read my Amazon reviews, they tell me things that my editor might not. Let’s face it, an editor is only one person and even with beta readers, you’re working in a group of people who are familiar with the craft of writing. What an author also needs is the opinion of the average reader, that person who just picked up their book and doesn’t have an English degree.

While you have to have a tough skin about reviews, as an author, they’re very helpful. They can reaffirm something that you were already working on. For instance, I’d already decided to make one of my minor characters in my first book a point-of-view character for the second—my reviews have told me that people wouldn’t be uninterested in him. They can also point out things that you need to work on. In my case, exposition!

Likewise, positive reviews tell you what you’re doing right. If people rave about your characters, then that’s likely a good place to keep going. If reviews talk about the fighting scenes in a positive light, then you know you’re making a difference.

So, in short, yes, what you write in that review is fairly likely to change something about the book I’m working on now. Writing is a process.

4) But I really hated the book! Should I still review it?

Here is where I probably differ from some other authors so I’m going to speak only for myself here.

Yes. Absolutely. How will I know where to improve unless I get reviews that tell me so? Yes, it can be painful to read some reviews but am I ever going to say that there isn’t truth in them? No.

After the initial sting, I’ll read it again and take something home from that. I’ll be a better writer for it. To be honest, not everyone likes every book. There are people out there who hate Harry Potter. It would be a little presumptuous to think that all of my reviews would be golden for any book (they’re not now and I don’t expect that to change. Especially not if anyone reads this post. ).

The only thing that I ask is to please make sure you have something to say about why it is bad. The only review that I’ve ever been really irritable about was a one-star on an old short horror story I posted for fun where the reader said they were underage and hadn’t read it.

Having said all of that, it is really tough to be a small press or self-published author (I am the former). Bad reviews can kill a novel if they’re the first ones a book receives or if they’re all that the book has. Please hold this in mind if you decide to go forth. This post by Anne R. Allen does a good job of explaining the impact in more detail than I’ll get into here.

I am speaking from an author’s standpoint but perhaps others will chime in with their own thoughts on the process.


Gwen Perkins is a fantasy novelist who is always on the hunt for Amazon reviews for her first novel, The Universal Mirror (Hydra Publications, 2012). She can be contacted through email at gwen@ironangel.net.

Marsha here. I love everything Gwen had to say. I also recommend reading the post by Anne R. Allen for more tips about the number of stars you give a book and why. It's a long post, but worth the reading time. I hope Gwen's article gives you courage in writing book reviews for Amazon. Take what you learn here and post on GoodReads or Barnes & Noble, too, if you have accounts there.


Monday, November 03, 2014

Madcap Monday - Raising Awareness

Today I'd like to do my part to raise awareness of a Book Award program that is little known, but the honor of being named a Category Finalist or the Winner is highly prized in the LDS (Mormon) writing community.


This literary competition is known as the Whitney Awards. They were founded in 2007 by author Robison Wells with the object of honoring the best fiction written each year by Latter-day Saints (Mormons).

The program has grown from five genre categories to eight and from two overall awards to three. A three-tiered system—with input from readers, judges, and a large academy of publishing professionals—is used to determine the finalists and winners.

The Whitneys are given only to novels written by Latter-day Saint (Mormon) authors, and must be a minimum of 50,000 words, or in the case of novels for youth, 20,000 words long. In addition, the original novels must be released between January 1 and December 31 of the award year.

Nominations are made by any reader twelve years or older who have no financial interest in the book. Nope, authors and publishers can't do it. Only readers may nominate books, and they need not be LDS/Mormons. Once five or more nominations have been received via the Whitney Awards website form, the author is contacted to verify the book's eligibility. Nominated books then go to category judges. When their determinations have been made of the top five novels in the category (the Finalists), the list is released to the public and to the members of the Whitney Academy.

Academy members may vote in any category for which they have read all of the finalists. The same rule applies when voting for the three overall awards:
  • To vote for Best Novel, an academy member must have read all twenty-five finalists in the adult genre categories.
  • To vote for Best Youth Novel, an academy member must have read all fifteen finalists in the three youth categories.
  • To vote for Best Novel by a New Author, an academy member must have read all of the finalists that are debut novels for the year. (The number of finalists eligible for this award varies year to year.)
My post is not without a self-serving factor. I have a novel that is Whitney-Award eligible this year. If you have read Gone for a Soldier and esteem it as a good example of the writing craft, please nominate it at the Whitney Awards site.

Thank you!

Saturday, November 01, 2014

Saturday Sample - November 1, 2014

Welcome to Sample Saturday. This week's sample is from a new piece I'm writing--a short story called New Blood.
~~~


“Humph.” Wes turned back in time to see the new arrival close the door, sashay toward the man in the suit and take his arm.

“Father,” she said. “Annie and the driver are at the hotel.”

The glorious young woman wore golden hair atop her head in a complex arrangement. Wes judged that she had only barely reached the age for grown-up hair fashions, seventeen, maybe eighteen years old, but for one so young, she carried herself as though she were clothed in confidence.

“Good,” the man said, and patted her arm. “This business should not take long. You might have a look at the dress goods,” he suggested, “as I haven't been attended to yet.” He glanced toward Wes. His face bore a mixture of pride and annoyance.

On the other hand, the girl's smile lit the room. Wes swallowed hard. Her soft gray traveling outfit covered her trim figure like a glove. Not tight, just snug enough to show that she had a woman's attributes. Perhaps she was older than she looked.

Wes swallowed again, fervently hoping the family wasn't merely passing through Haught Springs. There hadn't been new blood here for several years. This comely girl was welcome to stay forever.

~~~

Thank you for visiting. I hope you enjoyed the sample.

Click the "My Books" tab at the top of the page for more information about my books and short stories, including the newest story, Happy Halloween. Purchase links are included. The "Special Collections" tab includes information and links to my novella, Faith and the Foreman, and a short story in the Owenverse, Bloodied Leather, which gives a glimpse into the future of the Owen Family. Don't forget to come back next Saturday for another sample of my writing.


Bestselling author Marsha Ward wrote the novella, Faith and the Foreman, in the Timeless Romance Anthology Old West Collection. She is the author of an acclaimed novel series featuring the Owen family. Book 4, Spinster's Folly, won the 2013 USA Best Book Award for Western Fiction, and recently was named Finalist in Western Fiction in the 2014 International Book Awards. A former journalist, Ward has published over 900 articles, columns, poems and short stories. She is the founder of American Night Writers Association, a.k.a. ANWA.

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