Fresh From The Book

Well, as I’ve been hinting at for a week or so, I started a new venture. Yeah, I know, like I needed something else on my plate, but… I’ve been listening to fellow authors and readers. Authors are constantly asking how to reasonably market their books and fellow avid readers always want to be able to find new books. So, in comes Fresh from the Book.

I created this website to help with those exact problems. As the marketing process of a book is expensive, I’ve checked out several upon several websites that advertise for authors. Some of them want a ridiculous price to place an ad, so I created this to help with that. Of course, I couldn’t do it all for free, but after many months of searching and experimenting, I’ve come up with costs that are below the normal costs.

I’ve set up the website and Facebook separate from my own author page, but the Twitter and Pinterest are connected to me. Since I have over 4000 followers on Twitter and here on WordPress, I thought that would be a better start to get the word out. Once the subscribers build, I’ll detach the site from my author sites.

So, in honor of the launch day, I’ve come up with a couple of incentives to share the good news. If you share the new website, like the Facebook page and share it, then go on Twitter and share, then I’ll give you 50% off your ad. Since you’ll be tagging me, I’ll see your efforts and thanks ahead of time. To receive your discount, I’ll send you a discount code to use upon checkout.

To say I’m excited about this new venture would be understating the truth. As you will see on the website, I’ve used my own advertising to give you a taste of what the ads will look like. Also, all ads will be archived on the site, so that way readers can scroll through older ads and still snag your book. It’s a win-win!

As always, great writing and May God Bless You…

www.facebook.com/freshfromthebook/

www.freshfromthebook.com

Interview with F. J. Thomas, Author

Good Saturday morning. This morning I have a guest author interview. I met F. J. Thomas several months ago through social media. She’s a southern girl like me and also has a tremendous love for horses as I do. I know you’ll enjoy getting to know her a little better. So here goes:

1: Give us a bio on you, tell us what makes you, you…

I work full time in the healthcare industry and live on with my husband on my horse farm in East Tennessee. When I’m not working to pay the feed bill or writing, I’m judging horse shows, giving riding lessons, or competing in anything from barrel racing and cattle sorting to hunter and halter. Horses have always been a huge part of my life and honestly I think that’s a big factor in what makes me who I am. They have taught me to never quit.

2: When did you start writing and why?

I started out writing poetry for a competition in high school and actually placed well in a State Competition. It just kind of blossomed from there. In my late twenties I started writing horse articles and started a couple of books. With age comes discipline and it took me ten years to actually finish a book!

3: Tell us about “Lost Betrayal”. What inspired it?

In a nutshell, Lost Betrayal is about a gal who loses her horse in a tornado and the journey that brings them back together. It’s a big story that has drama, suspense, and romance. The inspiration for Lost Betrayal came from watching severe flooding during Hurricane Floyd on the North Carolina coast several years back. I became indirectly involved in some rescue efforts and that’s when I learned that large animals are the last to be rescued in a disaster and they receive the least publicity about their needs. It’s not uncommon for animals to be missing weeks or months on end and that gave me the idea for the story. I’m hoping that Lost Betrayal becomes a vehicle of awareness to the plight of large animal rescue efforts.

4: Who is your favorite character and why?

That’s a hard one! The heroine, Sage is a strong character that never gives up no matter how bad it hurts. That’s admirable in itself. What’s not to love about Garrett who is not only a real cowboy but has the heart of a gentleman and is good looking to boot? There’s a lot of interesting characters in this book that are partly based on real life so it’s hard to pick just one!

5: Have you got another book in the works? If so tell us a little about it.

I always have several projects in the works, mainly because my mind is always working over time! I just started a new novella, Lost Doesn’t Exist, that’s about a writer that’s lost all hope. I’m hoping to have it finished in a couple of months. I’ve also started another western romance with a paranormal element that the basis for the story actually comes from the New Testement. It’s turning into quite the book!

6: Where’s your favorite place to write?

In my sunroom on the back of my house. It’s a magical place to write because it’s just a few feet from my back pasture and also over looking our woods so I get to hear and watch the horses and all the critters while I write. It’s a dream come true!

7: Some authors have music playlists, do you and if so, what are some of the songs?

I love all kinds of music from country and bluegrass to hip hop and classical. But when it comes to writing I love to listen to songs that break my heart or speak on a much deeper level because I think it brings out deeper feelings for my writing. I love listening to the Steel Drivers for that reason. Their music speaks to me on a totally different level and I just love it!

http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Betrayal-F-J-Thomas-ebook/dp/B00ISGUJRC

Then here’s the link to my author blog –

Talking In The Barn


			Talking In The Barn Talking to authors, artists, competitors.
			View on fjthomasblog.wordp…	Preview by Yahoo

My horse blog –

MUSINGS FROM THE LEADROPE


			MUSINGS FROM THE LEADROPE Daily life on Fairweather Farm as we try to work full time, work part time in the horse industry and get a little writing in!
			View on qheventer.wordpres…	Preview by Yahoo

Frances J. Filson-Thomas

Published Author, Horse Show Judge, Riding Instructor
Fairweather Farm – Sweetwater, TN
www.fairweatherfarmtn.com
http://fjthomasblog.wordpress.com/
http://qheventer.wordpress.com

Go by and check out her book. I know you’ll love it.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Day 19 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour

Welcome to Day 19 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour. The question I put out to all of these authors was “What challenges do you face in writing romance in today’s society?”

Don’t forget to go over to Rosie Amber’s page and check out her page too. I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Today my guest author is Jade Reyner and I want to thank her for blogging with me today. Here is a little about Jade and her book 12 Days – The Beginning

What Challenges do you face writing romance in today’s society?

Great question – what is my greatest challenge writing romance in today’s society? Okay, here goes…

“For me, I think the greatest challenge is finding an edge. I grew up in the Mills and Boon era when romance was written a certain way and many books were written in a similar vein. In recent years however, I think that romance has moved on massively and has expanded into much more risque areas which is kind of where my book sits. Whilst this is a popular and rapidly expanding arm of romance, it is also hugely competitive and for me, it is trying to give my book something slightly different so that it can hold its own in amongst the much bigger names in terms of reviews and ratings. This is what I mean when I talk about finding an edge and it is something that I find the hardest to achieve.

In ‘Twelve Days – The Beginning’ which is my debut novel, I have included a thriller element which builds throughout the book and is explored in further detail in the sequel, ‘Twelve Days – The Future’ which is due for release later this year. I have also added an unexpected ending and as many twists and turns as I can to keep the reader engaged and guessing, and I hope that by combining this with a fantastic cover design and competitive price, I can begin to reach readers who will enjoy and even maybe identify with my work. To have complete strangers reading something that you have written is mind blowing and if I succeed in doing this, then I will hopefully have found my edge and thus my tiny slice of this fantastic and wonderful genre.”

Biography

Jade Reyner is nearing her fortieth birthday.. and has finally got around to publishing the book she always promised herself she would! She’s had a varying career working in a number of different industries including hospitality and surveying, before finally becoming a full time Mum, ten years ago. Now that both of her boys are at school, she has found the time to sit down and write, and after starting a creative writing course, she has found the courage to publish her first novel, Twelve Days – The Beginning. This is the first in the Twelve Days series that Jade plans to write throughout 2013/2014.

Jade lives in the UK with her husband, two boys and a cat.

Publication Date: April 29, 2013

Elise Grayson lives a life that no one should have to. Beneath the professional exterior lies a troubled existence, one whose ugly truth is known only to her best friend. With his support she gets through her day to day existence – just.

When Elise crosses paths with Vaughn Granger twelve days before Christmas, nothing could have prepared her for the impact that this man and this meeting would have on her life. During those brief twelve days, her world is turned upside down and as she begins to find the courage to leave the ugliness behind, forces outside of her control relentlessly work against her as friends become enemies and fear, betrayal and addiction form part of everyday life.

Ultimately the repercussions of those twelve days have a shattering impact on the lives of everyone around them and before the past can be finally left behind, a decision has to be made which has consequences more far reaching and emotionally devastating than either Elise or Vaughn could ever have foreseen.

Twelve Days – The Beginning is a powerful book about love, desire, hope and betrayal and is the first in the brand new Twelve Days series from Jade Reyner.

Go over and check out Jade

Here’s the link to Rosie’s side of the tour: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2rE

Day 12 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour

Welcome to Day 12 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour. The question I put out to all of these authors was “What challenges do you face in writing romance in today’s society?”

Don’t forget to go over to Rosie Amber’s page and check out her page too. I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Today my guest author is Terry Tyler and I want to thank her for blogging with me today. Here is a little about Terry and her book Full Circle.

What Challenges do you face writing romance in today’s society?

I’m not a writer of romances as such, but my books all feature love relationships as fairly central themes – because who-ends-up-with-who is always, for me, one of the most important bits of a book! In my novels, I make my characters’ relationships as realistic as possible, because I like to write and to read about people who could actually exist, rather than idealistic heroes and heroines. I think it’s important to relate characters’ relationships to today’s men and women; for instance, it is not very often, these days, that people fall in love with someone in their teens and stay with them forever – everyone has so many more opportunities and experiences now, so we carry on changing and are attracted to different people at different stages in our lives. I like to write about people to whom my readers can really relate!

Biography

Terry Tyler’s first book on Amazon, You Wish, was the winner of the ‘Best Women’s Lit/Chick Lit’ category in the eFestival of Words 2013.

Terry lives in the north of England with her husband. She has six novels on Amazon, all of which she describes as the all-encompassing “contemporary fiction” because, despite the eFestival of Words win, she can’t work out what genre she writes in. If you like reading about love triangles, secret affairs, obsessions, addiction and family relationships, with a little bit of internet dating, social networking and reality TV thrown in, all with delightfully unguessable plot twists, then she’s probably the writer for you!

She has a blog on which she writes about anything she feels like, and also writes for the UK Arts Directory on a weekly basis, about self-publishing. Both blogs are widely read.

She will be publishing a collection of short stories later in the year, and is currently working on her seventh novel, which she is firmly convinced will be her best yet. Probably. Watch this space!

Full Circle

Publication Date: April 11, 2013

FULL CIRCLE
Terry Tyler

FULL CIRCLE is the sequel to Terry Tyler’s fourth novel, DREAM ON, but can be enjoyed as a stand alone work. It’s a tale of love triangles, infidelity, an English rock band, the lure of celebrity, and the destructive nature of alcohol addiction. FULL CIRCLE ~ love, sex and marriage, rock music and secret affairs, with a few laughs along the way!

***

Two years have passed since we left Dave, Ariel, Janice and Shane at the end of DREAM ON.

ARIEL thought her hard work and perseverance had been rewarded when she met record producer Theo Perlmutter ~ then a tragic event turned her dreams to dust.

Newly married JANICE was happier than she’d ever been ~ but the honeymoon ended when born again alcoholic husband Max careered off the wagon and into the nearest bar.

Being forced onto The Jeremy Kyle Show in DREAM ON was not enough to make ladies’ man SHANE learn his lesson – will his philandering ways eventually catch up with him?

Rock band THOR has risen from the ashes…

… but DAVE is unhappy, trapped in a domestic situation not of his choosing.

Will there be a happy ending for any of them?

Go over and check Terry Tyler out…

Here’s a link to Rosie’s side of the blog tour: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2qq

Day 7 of The Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour

Welcome to Day 7 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour. The question I put out to all of these authors was “What challenges do you face in writing romance in today’s society?”

Don’t forget to go over to Rosie Amber’s page and check out her page too. I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Today my guest author is Olivia Stocum and I want to send out a big thanks to her for joining me today. Here is a little about Olivia and her book Dawning.

What Challenges do you face writing romance in today’s society?

The greatest challenge . . . I write historical romance, and I tend to sway more toward the Hero who, while he may be a warrior, would never beat or force himself in any way on a woman. Some authors will include this sort of violence in their historical romances claiming that it makes it more realistic. But I just don’t see where it’s necessary. I recently read a Regency Romance where the hero grabbed the heroine and shook her, not once, not twice, but three times. And she never lifted a finger to defend herself, and even fell in love with him. Huh? I just don’t get it. I have, and will probably continue, to take flack from historical purists, but I just can’t have my heroine fall for a guy who is so alpha male that he has to resort toward violence against her. (OK, that said, ‘Dawning’ involves an alpha male character, but my heroine is not falling for his crap, and he is forced to make a permanent change because of it).

So , how does this tie in to the original question?

Easy. Today’s woman doesn’t, and should never, put up with alpha male violence. EVER.

Biography

Olivia Stocum lives in upstate New York with her husband, three children, and their Jack Russell Terror (oh, sorry, Terrier). She has been writing since she was first published at eight years old. The majority of her childhood was spent riding horses, playing with her dog, shooting her favorite recurve bow, and going on imaginary adventures with Robin Hood. One day she might even decide to grow up (but probably not). Contact Olivia at: http://www.theclaymoreandsurcoat.com http://www.facebook.com/OliviaStocum

Dawning

Back cover:

Scotland, 1599 . . . He abandoned her. She had failed to be enough for him. The empty space he left behind hollowed out her heart, and she wondered what to do with the rest of her life.

When Ronan leaves the clan to seek his fortune, Triona MacAlastair fears she will never see him again. Four years later, a threat against her life forces her to depend on a mysterious, cloaked rogue known as Blackhawk.

She knows he is capable of protecting her, but what is he hiding? Why does he refuse to show his face?

Amazon Link:ndone http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DYSM6DO

Go on over and check out Olivia’s book “Dawning”

Thanks again Olivia for joining me this morning.

Here’s the link to Rosie’s side of the tour:

http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2qK