Tag: Books

Are revisions sometimes a good thing?

I’ve been playing with the idea of revising two of my novels. Tender Flames and With All My Heart are two of my novels that I published last year.

Tender Flames was one of my first attempts at publishing and I’m proud of the results, but I feel like I need to listen to my readers. I’ve had several great reviews on this book but I’ve also had some good,but enlightening reviews. Some of the readers made suggestions that they thought would make this a novel to be reckoned with. So, I’m planning on doing a revision and then packing it with the second in the series “Rekindled Flames” which is doing great. I plan to sell the both together in a package deal.

Then there’s With All My Heart which is my Christian romance. I’ve had some great reviews on this one. So many have said they wished it was longer, well that good come to reality. As the release of the second book in this series is coming soon, I also plan to release the lengthened edition with the new book. The new book will also be released separately.

So, as I’ve seen several authors do this and have great success, I hope to make them even better. I’m actually excited about reliving these novels. As a writer you live the lives of your characters while your writing, so I get to revisit old friends and make them even better.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Crying doesn’t show weakness, but strength…

I’ve talked several times about how I cry easily. It’s just a trait I have. A sweet love song, a romantic movie, a faith filled gospel song, or just a memory brought back to life. 

In my opinion crying never shows weakness, but the strength to endure. When a song brings on a memory it’s the strength of heart to let your emotions open up. When a sweet romantic scene in a movie brings on emotions, it’s the strength of that emotion that brings on the tears. 

Sometimes a sweet memory gets brought on by a smell, a song, a person, or just memories in general. This can bring on a silent tear that also comes from the strength of the memory. 

Maybe you think differently, but I can tell you this, it’s the strength that we hide that brings on the tears. The strength of the memory that pours out as life’s sweet tears. 

A good author can bring on tears in just a few words. I’ve cried reading before. A book that brings on tears usually get’s read several times and put to memory. 

So let those tears flow and show your true strength. 

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

What’s in a name?

Good Monday morning to all my friends. It was a wonderful weekend here in the deep south. We had wonderful, sunny weather. I’d planned on doing a lot of writing, but only got in a couple of chapters. Guess that’s better than nothing. 

As I was doing my normal morning tour of my book sites, I started thinking of book names and how hard it is to actually name your work. So here are five things to think of when trying to name your work…

1. The name has to be somewhat close to what your book is about. You can’t name your book “The book of numbers” and the book be totally about letters. The name needs to at least bring about the book theme. Nothing is more disappointing than to pick up a book with an interesting name and find out the book has nothing to do with the name.

2. You have to add interest. Most people look at the title and pick the book based on the title. A lot of people don’t even read the description if the title is eye catching.

3. Be creative. Don’t just go with the first thing that pops in your head. Look up different ways to word what you want to say. Get out the dictionary and look up different words that mean the same thing.

4. Do you want the name to be just one word or several words? One word titles have to pack a huge punch because that one word has to draw in potential readers.

5. This is what I normally do. Google the name you come up with. If several books have the same name then you probably want to make a few changes. When someone googles your book name you want them to find you, not everybody else too.

Hope this helps in some way. Have a great Monday!

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

 

Coming soon – Embracing the Flames!

Good morning everyone. I’ve met some awesome people through this blog and my writing. This post is dedicated to the coming release of “Embracing the Flame” the 2nd in the “Born in Flames” Trilogy by my sweet friend Candace Knoebel. The first book was “Born In Flames”.

So, with much awaited intensity, here’s a little look at “Embracing the Flame” the cover and description.

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The Stone of Immortality has been protected under the watch of the Draconta for as long as time has existed. That is, until the betrayal of a Fate. Now everything is about to change.

Aurora Megalos accepted her destiny without blinking-even if it meant succumbing to her dragon side. Deemed the Progeny, she left the ordinary life she knew and has done everything in her power to learn the ways of her new realm and what it means to be part dragon. But when her mentor, Astral, suddenly disappears, she is forced to take the reins. With war on the brink, she sets out on an epic journey to not only find her mentor, but to stop her Arch Enemy, Zordon, from attaining the Stone of Immortality. But what she discovers about him along the way is far worse than she could’ve ever imagined. She will be tested and pushed to the limit. Lives will be lost, love will be questioned, and a battle will begin.

Wow, after that fantastic cover and description, I’m sold. As soon as the release date is known it will be posted, but for now the waiting game starts.

So go on over to http://candaceknoebel.wordpress.com and show your interest.

 

As always, good writing and May God Bless You!

Options? Turns? Which Way to Go?

In life we have several options. Do we go this way? Do we go that way? It’s funny how curvy the road is in life when we could make it straight and narrow.

In my life I’ve chosen some pretty curvy roads and ignored the straight, less stressful road.That’s what makes life interesting some say and others say that’s where you go wrong.

As for me I’ve done things I’m not proud of, well, who hasn’t. I’ve made decisions that I’ll regret for the rest of my life, who hasn’t done that either. But it’s how you change the turn in those roads that makes you who you are. 

One thing I’ve done is take on a second career which is writing. My grandfather always wanted me to be a writer. He always said I’d be a famous Journalist and he’d read my stories in the Atlanta Journal on Sunday mornings. Well, I did finally publish my writing, but in novels not papers. I’m sure he’s smiling down from Heaven. Oh, and I’m no where near famous 🙂

As for decisions I’ve made. Some are changeable and others you just have to forget and move on. I’ve put a lot of my past and life lessons in my novels. Have fun trying to figure that one out? There are some from my past that know what I mean and others that sit back and wonder. Well, I’ll never tell 🙂 Mystery is the privilege of a writer and the fun. It also adds to the stories that come from my head.

As for my newest turn in life, the release of my new novel “Rekindled Flame” is going well. I’m so excited about the response. Go over to Goodreads and check out my giveaway at http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/46038-rekindled-flame. Also, I’ve joined the Independent Author Network and have seen results in just one day. Go over and check out my author page at http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/stephanie-hurt.html.

Now I’m through rambling. As always good writing and May God Bless You!

It’s Release Day! Finally!

Well today’s the day. It’s the release day for “Rekindled Flames”. I’m so excited about this one. Some of my blog friends have posted promotional blogs for me. Thanks for that. The author community is awesome. We have to look out for each other.

Here’s a brief description:

“Rekindled Flames” the 2nd in the Flames of Love Series By Stephanie Payne Hurt

He haunts her dreams; She torments his nights!

When Lydia returns home for her father’s funeral she’s forced to face hard reality. She left town two years earlier with a secret and a broken heart. As she sits at the graveside she sees the man that’s haunted her dreams for those two years. She realizes it’s time to tell him the secret she’s carried around for two years, but will he forgive her or turn away? The fire they started that fated New Year’s Eve two years ago has smoldered, building in intensity and heat. Can they rebuild the fire or will the secret put it out forever? Take the journey with these two and find out if love wins or will it burn out?

 

Books will be available in EBook edition on Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Sony, Apple, Kobo, Google Play and Diesel. Paperbacks also available through these sites as well as CreateSpace.

Not sure what time today it’ll be up and available, but just keep checking. Please if you take the time to read it submit a review. It would be greatly appreciated.

As always, great writing and May God Bless You…Image

Getting ready for promotion Monday…

It’s crazy getting ready for a big promotional day. I’ve posted on as many sites a I can. My press release went out last night and has garnered some nice response. This has been a much awaited book release. Since it is the 2nd book in my “Flames of Love” series it’s been asked about for months. It’s been crazy the response I’ve had to the first book in the series “Tender Flames”. I’ve been really honored by the responses.

Here is the description for Rekindled Flames

He haunts her dreams; She torments his nights!

W Lydia returns home for her father’s funeral she’s forced to face hard reality. She left town two years earlier with a secret and a broken heart. As she sits at the graveside she sees the man that’s haunted her dreams for those two years. She realizes it’s time to tell him the secret she’s carried around for two years, but will he forgive her or turn away? The fire they started that fated New Year’s Eve two years ago has smoldered, building in intensity and heat. Can they rebuild the fire or will the secret put it out forever? Take the journey with these two and find out if loves wins or will they walk away? 

If anyone wants to join the promotional Monday, just let me know. 

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

 

“Rekindled Flame” Release date Monday February 25th

Image Oh yeah, if you’re wondering, yes I lived through the IRS audit on my client. It took 6 hours and ten years off my life 🙂 I did manage a compliment by the auditor on my accounting and my thoroughness. But it’s over and done. Found nothing to complain about. YESSSSSS.

Now to more important matters at hand. Monday, February 25th my novel “Rekindled Flames” the 2nd in the Flames of Love series is finally officially going to be released. I’m super duper excited 🙂 Life has really gotten in the way of this release, not to mention those pesky other books that just kept vying for my attention :0

So to all my blog friends, if anyone would like to help with the promotion of my newest release just let me know and I’d be very appreciative. I do return the favor by the way.

As always, good writing and May God Bless you!

Back to the living so to speak…

I guess some of you are wondering where I’ve been. Well, one of my tax clients got a nice little audit from the IRS and I’ve been elbow deep in dusty file boxes pulling out everything that they asked for and gave me a week & a half to do. During tax season it’s tough to juggle this extra work, but I managed to finish this afternoon and the audit is tomorrow morning. Please keep your fingers crossed.

As for news that bears saying, I finished “Rekindled Flames” the second book in the Flames of Love Series Sunday night. It should be completely published by Monday so I’m really excited about this. This has been one of those books that really had me in a little bit of a miff. My mind would stray in and out of the writing on this one. I love the book, but had to really work on the ending. 

If anyone would like to help on Monday with promotional social media help just send me your email address and I will gladly send you the needed promotional doo dah’s. Thanks in advance.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…