In this crazy world of publishing it’s getting harder and harder to know which way to turn. There’s confusion over which road to take or even whether we should stop, take a look around and maybe change direction completely.
Yeeeeah, that’s kind of where I’m at.
Eight years ago, at the end of December, my first book was published. I couldn’t have been more thrilled. Liquid Silver Books had taken a chance on an unknown author, held her hand through editing and cover design and released this book:
Continue reading
I’m hanging out my “Caution: Promo Ahead” sign today. LOL!
Every author knows that we have one line, one paragraph and if we’re lucky one page to grab the reader. I can spend days tweaking and reworking the beginning of my stories. So I thought today I’d share with you the first lines of my books (with the names removed). When you look at them individually what do you think? Does the line make you want to keep reading or not so much?
So here they are in no particular order. Can you figure out which book they’re from? (And I included a line from a book that isn’t currently available at this time.):
1.) She slammed the spade into the soil. Her booted foot thumped down on its metal edge, driving it deeper and transferring her frustration to the wounded earth.
~ Deceive Her With Desire
2.) Margaret Callaghan hid her heartache behind dark sunglasses and the Starbuck’s double-double mocha latte she carried like a shield.
~ In His Eyes
3.) She wasn’t expecting a trip down memory lane when she sauntered into the dingy tavern, but the acrid stench and gruff hum of the Friday night crowd carried her back to one of the seedier establishments on Chicago’s south side nonetheless. ~ A Touch of Lilly
4.) She had definitely made the wrong decision. Less than twenty-four hours ago she was sure this weekend was just what she needed.
~ Invitation to Ecstasy
5.) “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust…” How could this have happened to someone so young? ~ Blind Her With Bliss
6.) It wasn’t much of a noise, just an inconsequential thump in the night that was enough to rouse him from his dreamless slumber. Still cradled in the gentle arms of sleep, his blood thick with sleeping medication, he wasn’t sure if he’d simply
imagined the sound. ~ Shadows of Fire
7.) He splashed three more fingers of thirty-year-old scotch into the crystal tumbler sitting on the mahogany desk, not bothering to add ice. He didn’t need some watered-down version of liquid courage.
~ Divine Deception
8.) She sauntered into the Whip and Bull Tavern, wanting only two things—a cold beer and a hot body. ~ Bonded Souls
9.) Jesus. Even though he wasn’t particularly religious he prayed for Divine intervention. Not that he wanted any lightning strikes or halos of light illuminating the shadowed corner of the club where he’d hidden himself, but a little more help in the patience department would certainly go a long way at the moment. ~ Maid for Master
10.) She raced through the shadows, her claws digging deep in the damp forest floor. Lush ferns of summer slapped at her muzzle but didn’t slow her speed.
~ Bonded by Need
What do you think? Do you have a favorite? Do you think any of them missed the mark?
And my latest book news? Well, I’m happy to announce all of the books in the Dangerous Affairs, sexy romantic suspense series, BLIND HER WITH BLISS and DECEIVE HER WITH DESIRE and CHEAT HER WITH CHARM are now available in audio format. What a kick-in-the-pants to hear someone else reading my stories! I hope you’ll check them out:
Available from:
Amazon
Audible
iTunes
Available from:
Amazon
Audible
iTunes
Wow! What an awesome turn out here at the Block with everyone stopping in during the romance blog hop! What a wonderful party. There were over 9,000 comments across all the participating blogs! Thanks Carrie Ann for organizing all the fun! Now, without further adieu, here are the winners…
Grand Prize Winners:
Kindle Fire Winner:
Laurie Goudge
(from It’s the Journey that Counts’s Blog)
$130 Amazon Gift Card:
Ellie
(from Carrie Ann Ryan’s Blog)
Swag Pack:
Cassandra
(from Dana Delamar’s Blog)
And the winner of a signed copy of Healer’s Garden and a
$10 Amazon Gift Card from this blog is:
Kaylyn D
of New York
Congratulations to all the winners. And thank you again to everyone who stopped by to chat with me! I had a wonderful time. I hope you’ll come back and visit again!!
Welcome to another Six Sentence Sunday where I post six sentences from one of my books. Can you believe it’s already the last official weekend of summer. (Waaaa!) So I’m turning up the heat this week and sharing a little something from my futuristic suspense, Healer’s Garden.
Brenimyn’s breath was warm on her cheek as he spoke, “Don’t fret, Jahara, I’ll help you find the relief your body seeks.”
“No, I don’t want you,” Jahara said, trying to push aside the sexual fog muddling her thoughts. She understood what Brenimyn intended to do and as much as her body screamed for climax, it didn’t want what this man had to offer.
“Brenimyn’s gentle,” Ishawny whispered, pressing kisses along Jahara’s jaw.
“I am all that is between you and sweet pleasure.” Brenimyn’s words shivered over her skin.
Buy from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Thanks for stopping by. I always appreciate your comments. Please click HERE to check out other authors participating in Six Sentence Sunday this week.
See you next week!
Thank you to everyone who stopped by and joined in the fun of our blog hop over the weekend. I loved reading all of your stories and memories of the ocean/beach.
The grand prize winner of the Nook Glowlight is:
Christa G.
And the winner of Healer’s Garden and a $10 Amazon gift card from the commenters visitng this blog (chosen at random using randomnumbers.org) is:
Victoria of
Glen Rock, PA
Congratulations ladies! And THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by and chatted during the blog hop. I had so much fun reading all of your memories and stories. I do hope you’ll all visit again!
Okay, so with all the book noise and chatter out there authors are always trying to figure out how to be heard in the din of thousands of books. We’re always trying to find that little gadget that will lead a reader to our books. One reader actually said “an author’s promotional item is like a little gift to me”. And maybe little doo-jiggers don’t have readers buying your books, but simply seeing your name. It’s a general rule of thumb that someone needs to see your name 10 times before they stop and look into it.
So the question becomes … how do we spend that promotional dollar effectively?
On all the loops I participate in authors are discussing what draws a reader to buy your book. In e-publishing this it’s even more difficult as your product is sort of nebulous… not something the consumer can put their hands on… and that makes it a difficult sell.
So with all sincerity we’re discussing bookmarks and postcards; sticky notes and glitter pens; emery boards and flashlights; trying to come up with the gimmick that will make a person so fired up they just can’t wait to get home and download your book!
I’ve spent alot of time designing and printing romance trading cards for my books. I send them out to reader conventions that I’m not attending. I’m fortunate in that I have an artistic eye and putting something together like that is enjoyable. Anyhoodles… I thought they came out beautifully. But left to their own devices, sitting among all the other glitzy author material, will they entice someone enough to 1) pick it up and 2) buy the book or at least 3) check out my website. Frankly, I don’t know.
Through this whole process it’s occurred to me… I don’t buy books. (Or I didn’t until my friends started publishing, now I buy their books. And forgive me for even thinking this… but if it’s coming out in print… I wait to buy that version… oh, I should have my hand slapped!)
So, what’s the point of all this rambling? I’m just curious… if you can’t pick the book up in the bookstore and you only have promotional material available to you… what makes you curious enough to investigate the author/book? A snazzy bookmark? A postcard with a blurb about the book? Some cute trinket?
Tell me… I’m dying of curiousity.
Oh, and here’s a sampling of my trading cards. Email me Nina (AT) NinaPierce.com if you want a full set for yourself.
Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday. For the next three months I’m going to try to keep your summer sizzling with some steamier sentences from my books. This week I’m pulling something from my sexy dystopian story, Healer’s Garden. (Which is being offered at a MEGA discount. Just sayin…)
In her haze of mounting desire, Jahara forced her eyes to open. Brenimyn knelt on the bed next to her, his mouth curving into a smile as his teeth nipped at her bottom lip, urging her to open again for him. His hot gaze raked over her face and she wanted to drown in the icy depths of his eyes. “Relax, Jahara. We offer only pleasure, all of which will bring you wondrous ecstasy. Trust me.”
*sigh* I LOVE Bren. This book is also available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
As always, I love to hear from you. Thank you to everyone who takes time to leave a comment. And you can click HERE to check out other authors participating in Six Sentence Sunday this week!
Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday where I share six sentences from one of my stories. This week in celebration of Earth Day, I thought I’d share something “earthy” from my dystopian erotic romance, HEALER’S GARDEN.
They rode through the fields bareback, climbing into the hills. The grassy farmlands gave way to palm trees and exotic vegetation Jahara had never seen. Emerald leaves fringed large flowers in all shades of the rainbow, their honeyed aroma filling the air in a sweet fog. Birds hidden among the foliage warbled and sang, permeating the jungle with their melodious tunes. The air grew damp with humidity, surrounding them like a comforting blanket. It was a banquet for the senses and she closed her eyes, committing it all to memory.
Healer’s Garden is also available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Click HERE to check out other authors participating this week in Six Sentence Sunday this week. Thanks so much for stopping over. I love that you take time to comment!
Welcome everyone to my Earth Day celebration. I’m participating with all kinds of other authors in a weekend blog hop. We’re giving away a NOOK SIMPLE TOUCH loaded with all kinds of ebooks to one lucky participant who follows the whole tour bus between 4 am EDT FRIDAY, APRIL 20 through 4 pm EDT SUNDAY, APRIL 22.
Click HERE to join the beginning of the tour.
I love Earth Day. The first time I heard about it was in the mid-90’s. I travelled to Washington DC with my kids and they happened to have a whole celebration taking place on the mall. It was a lot of fun and very cool. I had always been an advocate of the earth, but that day really brought it home for me.
So what are some things you can do to protect the earth?
1. Think Green
Sometimes being eco-friendly is just thinking about something before you do it. Like refilling a mug at your local Starbucks instead of using a Styrofoam cup. Or packing your lunch in plastic washable containers rather than ziploc bags. I mean really … a picnic in a field with this guy sounds about right doesn’t it?
2. Conserve Water
Run your dishwasher and washing machine only when you have a full load. And of course you can take smarter showers by using low flow shower-heads. Better yet … shower with a friend.
3. Conserve Fuel
A car that gets 20 miles to the gallon emits 50 tons of carbon dioxide over it’s life time. Double the gas mileage and cut down the amount of air pollution. Cutting your mileage by combining errands helps cut back on the consumption of fossil fuel and for more conservation. At some point hybrid vehicles will be more affordable for all of us. Until then … wrap your arms around someone and share a ride!
4. Save the trees
Use rags instead of papertowels for cleaning. Don’t print out every memo or email at work. When possible print on both sides of paper. Be sure to recycle used paper. And to save more trees of course you should buy digital books! All the benefits of a print book without any of the waste of paper! Sometimes being a tree-hugger can be a sensual experience!
5. Throw Away Less Trash
And of course there’s the simplicity of recyling glass, cans, plastics and paper. Most towns have curbside recycling which makes the whole separating trash relatively painless.
And of course the best way to celebrate Earth Day is to go out and enjoy nature …
So there you have it, my tips for earth day! Hope you enjoyed the photo illustrations. I know some people are visual learners. (Sorry, I can’t help you tactile learners! 😉 )
If you leave me a comment and tell me which suggestion you liked the best or what little thing you do to protect Mother Earth. For every comment left on this post between now and SUNDAY, APRIL 22 at 4 pm EDT, I will donate $1 to the World Wildlife Foundation (up to $50). I’ll also choose one commenter to receive a print copy of Healer’s Garden (**NOTE: Shipping to US and Canada only. An international winner will receive a digital copy of Healer’s Garden and a $10 gift card from Amazon.)
Welcome to the fourth Six Sentence Sunday featuring an excerpt from my futuristic erotic romance HEALER’S GARDEN. Here’s another scene where the hurt and confusion of Brenimyn and Jahara’s circumstances come charging back in full reality:
Brenimyn shot to his feet and stood over her, his eyes turning to hard shards of ice. “Me lie to you, Jahara? You speak of my deceit, yet all that has occupied your thoughts today is your precious lover back home and the commitment you made to her before being forced to conceive my child. You speak of loving me only in the confines of our bedroom and you’ve made it quite clear that I am nothing more than a breeder to you.” Charged air vibrated through his lips as he shook his head in denial. “The vision must be wrong.”
Also available from Amazon
Thank you as always for stopping by and commenting. I really appreciate it. Click HERE to check out other authors participating this week.
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