Shelley Lieber, Author writing sexy, erotic romance as Elyse Grant & Layla Wilcox

Write more, faster

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Sun, 05 Oct 2014 04:30:00 +0000

We've been busy around here. Layla just released three new titles, and she has six more to finish before the end of the year. (Elyse is taking a back seat for now.)

So, how are we managing to keep that kind of pace? Well, it meant learning to write more and faster. I don't know about you, but I'm a bit of an old dog when it comes to learning new tricks. Even though I'd been "trying" by reading how other writers did it, I couldn't find a method that seemed right for me.

Then I started sprinting with other writers. I began on Twitter with the #1K1HR group. It's open to anyone, and you can find someone there almost any time of day to sprint with you. The goal is one thousand words in an hour. I found this helpful when I was really pressed or on a deadline.

Then I began working with a group in a Google Hangout. We sprint for 25 minutes at a time, break for 5–10 minutes, then go again. At first, I resisted. I didn't think that was long enough to get anything done. Indeed, the first few sessions, I felt like I had just gotten going when the timer buzzed. Then I realized I was producing more words per minute than ever before. I had my first 5K words in a day, a goal I'd been working toward for years.

Being in a group (virtual or real) gives me accountability. I tried sprinting alone, but I cheated and read email and Facebook instead. So, I went back to the group setting and even hung out during my editing and formatting phases.

My results: Three titles (about 35K words in all), written, edited, formatted, and published in 30 days. We have four scheduled for release in the next month.

If you've got another way, let me know. I'm open to all possibilities now. No more old dog here.

A New Adult Sexy Romance from Layla Wilcox: You Show Me Yours (Secret Billionaires Book 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 20:45:00 +0000

I'm very pleased and excited to tell you about the release of the first book in Layla's new series, Secret Billionaires. YOU SHOW ME YOURS (book 1 in the series) is now available.

BLURB

Curvy billionaire heiress Lauren Daniels has broken free and purchased a small home away from her protective father and interfering mother. She plans to focus on building her career and opening her own accounting business in a few years. Added benefit to the new digs: No one in the modest neighborhood knows about her connection to the family fortune, so she can finally trust that the new people she meets might like her for herself, not her money or her father’s influence.

Derek Holmes started his landscaping business and is halfway to earning his first billion after leaving his father’s company and designating his own billion dollar trust fund inheritance for charity. Tired of dating spoiled rich brats and gold diggers, he keeps his success under wraps in a low-key trailer office. Any woman he meets now knows him only as a small business owner and blue-collar worker.

When Lauren calls Derek for a landscaping estimate, they both think they’ve finally found someone who may be truly interested in the person, not the dollar signs. She’s drawn to his muscular laborer’s body, and he’s knocked out with her curves. Under the covers, the two secret billionaires are generating lots of heat, but will the truth about their pasts pour an icy water bucket on their budding romance?

INTRODUCTORY PRICING
I'm sharing the launch of the series and the release of book 1 with my readers first. For a limited time, You Show Me Yoursis only 99 cents, but will jump to $2.99 after this week. Here are the sale links:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iTunes
Kobo
All Romance Books

I truly think this is Layla's best yet, but I'm eager to hear your feedback, because it has a bit of a different focus than the Secret Lives of Housewives series. If you like it, please be kind and leave a review where you made your purchase.

Read a blurb here and get on Layla's List to receive information about the next book in the series, I'LL SHOW YOU MINE.

Musings of the Split-Personality Mind

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 22:03:00 +0000

When most fiction authors say they're driven to the page by voices in their heads, they are referring to hearing the dialogue of their characters.

Imagine my dilemma. In addition to my characters going on and on, I also have to listen to the banter of my split personalities (pen names) as they vie for my attention and our singular body.

The solution seemed simple at the beginning. I created three websites and three newsletters to communicate to our varied audiences. Then Elyse decided to write contemporary women's drama with a sci-fi twist about parallel-world travel. And, hot Ms. Layla decided to team up with another writer to pen erotic crime thrillers in addition to continuing with her steamy romances.

Conventional wisdom (ha) from branding experts tells me that I need to further segment my activity and target each audience separately. I looked at that possibility, but realized it would be the death of me, or at least one of my inner selves. I may risk losing some readers, but someone far smarter than today's pr pundits whose wisdom has never failed me (my mother) said, "You can't please all the people all of the time."

Sometime in the near future, I'll be integrating my websites into one. If you are on my mailing list (and if you're not, be sure to sign up using the form at the bottom of the righthand column), I've already started including blurbs from Elyse and Layla in my newsletter. I'm going to continue to share some of their stuff here...but only the parts I think are appropriate for all audiences.

I want to hear from you.
What do you think? How do you handle multiple interests/audiences/readers? Please comment below.

Having a Boomer Moment

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 23:09:00 +0000

Note: This post originally appeared on Boomer Lit Friday on May 24, 2013. My granddaughter is now 2 years old, and I've experienced the loss of another dear friend. It's been a rough few weeks for me after losing my friend of 57 years. We met on the first day of first grade, lived practically next door to one another as children, and then again as adults. I dedicate this post to Donna. Her life was a perfect example of someone who knew what she wanted and enjoyed what she had. Many times I secretly compared myself to her in a moment of doubt and thought, "What would Donna do?" That always helped me find the courage to do the things I feared.

It’s my pleasure to introduce a new concept to you today: The Boomer Moment.

You’re probably familiar with the phrase “Senior Moment,” which is usually associated with symptoms of aging such as forgetfulness or memory loss.

The Boomer Moment is the exact opposite. It is a moment of perfect elucidation, when everything becomes crystal clear and you glean an insight or see the “big picture” in a way afforded to you only by way of years of life experience.

I had such a moment spark last month when in a two-week period I experienced the joy of my granddaughter’s first birthday directly followed by the loss of two friends.

In her one year here so far, my granddaughter Lacie has given me a royally good lesson in how to enjoy life. From the moment I held her for the first time and felt the freshness of new life, I’ve been struck by her complete wonderment as she delights in almost every experience. If you want to learn how to “be in the moment,” watch a baby. EVERYTHING is new, cool, interesting, possible. No words, no judgment, everything just is, and it’s all good.

Watching (and delighting in) my granddaughter these twelve months, I began to realize how much of that wonderment attitude I had lost. Like most adults, I have layers of experiences to screen and filter my views of the world and how I interpret life's events.

But I yearned to be able to recapture the bliss we’re born to experience, the beauty of the “is-ness” of the moment. I didn’t have a clue on how to do it. I could briefly enjoy bursts of that feeling by just watching her, or relishing the beauty of the Western North Carolina mountains where I live, or by savoring a delicious meal. But I could not routinely sustain the feeling.

A few days after Lacie’s first birthday party (a veritable feast of Lacie lessons in how to have fun), we received word that a dear friend has passed, and less than 24 hours after that, another friend. Although saddened, we celebrated their lives. They had both enjoyed successful careers and had been blessed with good marriages, children, and grandchildren.

Yet, for me, their deaths brought to the surface an awareness of my own mortality for the first time. Being more conscious of death’s certainty didn’t leave me afraid to die, but more determined to live what remaining time I have in full-out Lacie mode.

But how? In a Boomer Moment, I realized that writing is the only thing that keeps me in the joy of the moment for as long as I’m involved in the process. I love it all—the days of unbridled inspiration when my fingers can’t keep up with my thoughts as well as the days of staring at the blank page, when I write and delete everything. I love the publishing process from end to end: writing, editing, design, marketing, EVERYTHING. Two of my favorite writer quotes come to mind.

“Writing is the only thing that when I do it, I don’t feel like I should be doing something else.” (Gloria Steinem)

“If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn't brood. I'd type a little faster.” (Isaac Asimov).

Finally, I know how to sustain the Lacie life, a life of joy, and I am so grateful to realize that I’m at an age when I can fully devote my time and attention to fulfilling my purpose, to filling my soul with joy. In fact, it seems foolish to do anything else.

If you've had a Boomer Moment, please share it in the comments below.

Summer Solstice eBook Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 16:30:00 +0000

Two Summer Solstice Special Offers

From Layla Wilcox

Today through the Summer Solstice on Saturday, June 21, My Secrets Revealed, Book 2 in the SECRET LIVES OF HOUSEWIVES series, is only 99 cents.

My Secrets Revealed is on sale for 99 cents at Amazon and All Romance Books (if you need an epub or pdf file).

Book 1, My Secrets Discovered, is FREE every day. You can download My Secrets Discovered for free at: All Romance Books (all file types supported), Smashwords (All file types supported), Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and iTunes.

From Elyse Grant
THE PRINCE CHARMING HOAX, a full-length novel, is only 99 cents today and tomorrow, June 20–June 21. You download the book at Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble.

Book Launch Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 13:35:00 +0000

Yay! Parallel Lives Part 1 is live on Amazon, Kobo, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, and All Romance Books!

Elyse is very excited to introduce this new story in a serial format, similar to your favorite TV shows. There's a total of six parts, which will be released weekly. Part 1 launched on , Part 2 will be released on June 24, and Part 3 goes live on July 1. We'll take a short summer break, and Parts 4-6 will be released weekly starting September 2.

I'd love to get your help with the launch, and I want to make it fun so here's the deal. Share my Facebook post or reTweet my Tweet and be entered to win a signed beach art poster by Joe Gemignani, the cover photographer!

I should be able to track your shares, but it's a good idea to comment below as well to make sure you're entered. The winner will be announced on Sunday, June 22.

Thanks, and good luck!

Best Places to Self-Publish 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Sat, 07 Jun 2014 18:57:00 +0000

This is an update to the original post from September 2012.

The original laptop.

Considering the rapid rate of change in the publishing industry in the past few years, I'm surprised I don't have more to add or revise. But, there are enough significant new services or changes worth mentioning in an update.

Print Books
CreateSpace is still my #1 choice. Please do not consider pretend self-publishing companies such as Author Solutions, Lulu, or any of the self-publishing divisions of traditional publishers, including Hay House. They charge too much for services and for the books. They do not exist to help you. Their purpose is to make serious profit off a new author's inexperience. Author David Gaughran has expressed this in far deeper detail in his many posts criticizing the predatory practices of these companies.

One of the great things that's come out of the the indie movement and downsizing of the legacy publishing houses is that many quality editors and designers are now working freelance and are available for hire. These independent professionals are committed to helping you put out the best possible product. Yes, they will charge for their services, but at least you can hire a team that works for you, not some corporate conglomerate that doesn't give a hoot about the quality of your book.

When I wrote the original post, I didn't include Lightning Source, because they were not open to working with independent authors. I was able to open an account there as a small publisher, but most indie authors were discouraged. Now they offer Ingram Spark, which is available to indies. Although my dealings are still with Lightning Source and I don't have personal experience with Ingram Spark, the company is the same and customer service stinks on every level. Note, I said service not support. They don't offer support, and their service (answering the phone, returning voicemail or email messages) is poor. Their prices to upload and make changes to your book are high, especially compared to CreateSpace, which is free.

That said, if you are located outside the United States and want to buy or ship books internationally, Lightning Source is a much better choice, cost-wise. For example, if you are a UK author who wants to buy your book at your author discount through CreateSpace, you will pay enormous shipping fees. (This does not apply to customer purchases made through the Amazon or other retailer sites, only to bulk author-discounted purchases delivered outside the US.) Lightning Source has plants and offices throughout Europe and Australia and thus shipping costs are tolerable. A good comparison of CS and LS/Ingram Spark was made very recently by author Giacomo Giammatteo, if you're interested. The one thing I disagree about is that I don't believe Lightning Source print quality is always better, and I have used both companies for the same title.

Ebooks
Since ebooks are the area of publishing with the most growth, it makes sense that this is the area of my previous post that needs the most updating!

Getting my books formatted for Kindle (mobi) and most other readers (epub ) is now my top priority. Once my manuscript is complete and edits are final, I format for the two types of files. Until recently, I outsourced the formatting, but as I added titles and needed updates, it became too costly. I bought Scrivener software, which is a word processing program specifically for writers, and the program enables me to do the formatting without learning any coding. I simply click a series of boxes that defines how I want the material output, and I have my files. It's a bit of learning curve, and at some point when I'm making more money from the books, I'll probably go back to having someone else do it. Bottom line is that time spent formatting my books takes away from writing time. Nonetheless, your decision will be based on your own needs and resources. I use and recommend Maureen Cutajar, if you wish to outsource this important step in the process.

I start by uploading the mobi file to Kindle (Amazon). I don't use the Select program, which requires exclusivity. The general consensus seems to be that the Select program isn't as effective for building sales as it used to be, at least not at the cost of lost sales on other sites, but many authors still tout its effectiveness. My take is that having my books in the most places where readers shop is preferable, but I encourage you to make your own decision.

Some authors establish individual accounts at Nook (Barnes & Noble), Kobo, and iTunes (Apple) and upload their epubs to each site individually. The benefits are being able to individualize the back matter and links to your other books for each site. I don't upload to the individual sites, although this may change for me at a later date. For now, I use a distributor for my epubs. This does decrease my profits, but not significantly to warrant the extra time I'd have to devote. (Once my writing provides sufficient income to afford an assistant, that's one thing I'll change!)

In the previous post, I recommended Smashwords as the distributor to convert and distribute to those retailers. Since then, I have starting using another service (not available in 2012), Draft to Digital (D2D). I love Mark Coker, CEO of Smashwords, for all he has done for indies, but I wish he'd pay as much attention to what is going on in his own backyard as he does to what's going on in the industry. Smashwords' sales reporting and customer service is dismal, and royalty payments are paid quarterly. The recent affiliations with Scribd and Oyster, etc. have been hotly debated, but I don't know enough to comment.

Both Smashwords and D2D will convert a properly formatted Word doc to ebook formats and provide how-to guides. I find this acceptable if you have no other choice, and only if you commit to learn how to prepare your Word doc for the best conversion results. Be sure to download and check the converted files before you authorize distribution to the retailers. Nothing is worse than a poorly formatted ebook, and your sales will suffer if your ebook doesn't look professional.

I haven't transferred all my books for distribution to D2D yet, but I'm going to over time. The sales reporting is much better, payment is faster, and they seem to get the books online at the various distributors more quickly. D2D is not a retailer, as Smashwords is, although I sell very few copies at the Smashwords store. I'll keep my Smashwords account and the books listed, but opt out of its distribution services. In other words, I'll use Smashwords as another retail outlet, rather than as a distributor of my work. I'd recommend you research both companies and make your own decision.

Both Smashwords and D2D are free to use. There are other companies that will format and distribute your ebook for a fee, and I don't recommend them, much for the same reasons I don't recommend the POD companies that take advantage of new authors' inexperience and charge high fees for things the authors can do themselves or outsource for less money.

I haven't mentioned every place possible to upload and sell your ebooks, most notably Google Play, which I haven't used yet, but plan to in the near future. I'll update again once I have information to share.

As with most decisions, your goals will determine what's right for you. There's never one right way for everyone. The information about companies and individuals mentioned here are from my perspective and based on my experience. Your results/opinions/decisions may differ.

Women of a Certain Age Read (& Write) XXX Erotica, and I'm One of Them

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 13:33:00 +0000

Gasp!

Time to come out of the closet.

For all my liberalness, open-mindedness, and hard-earned independence, I've kept a tightly guarded secret. I started writing about sex 15 years ago, although in a nonfiction, journalistic kind of way at that time. But that book got sidelined by my own resistance and fear...what if my children read it, and what would my friends, neighbors, clients, and ex-boyfriends think?

After letting the manuscript sit in a drawer for over a decade, I fictionalized and embellished those stories, put the book together as a novel, and published under a pen name. I didn't hide behind the pen name, however, and openly associated with my alter ego, Elyse Grant. The Prince Charming Hoax can be considered erotic romance or sexy women's contemporary fiction.

When it came time to write the next book, I wanted to push the boundaries of the erotica genre, but again felt a little uncomfortable about publishing books with explicit sex scenes and taboo themes in my own or even Elyse's name. (Seems silly now, but I wanted to protect her honor, I guess.) The reluctance to go public with these stories kept me from writing what I wanted, and I went through about six months of writing stilted stories that I either abandoned or hated when finished. My muse was not too happy about being stifled.

So I invented a new identity, and the writing flowed. Five novelettes and an omni edition published in two months time. Almost a full year after The Prince Charming Hoax was released. Layla Wilcox, my newest and most prolific alter ego, wrote the Secret Lives of Housewives series of books, which include My Secrets Discovered, Revealed, Shared, Bared and Exposed.

Although I shared (as Shelley Lieber) that I was writing a new erotica series, I didn't reveal the new pen name or announce the publication of the new books, except as Layla Wilcox. I was pleasantly surprised that the books sold despite Layla's lack of social media presence or followers.

So, why am I coming out of the closet now?

I'm turning another year older this week. Now that I'm a "woman of a certain age," I've decided that rather than wear a red hat and purple dress (who thought that up, anyway?), I would simply be myself, without pretense or subterfuge.

It's also Valentine's Day this week, and I want to celebrate my birthday, V-day, and the recent release of the final two books of the new series. I"m having a "coming out" party to introduce you to my new alter ego and her work. Layla has agreed to discount the omni edition, My Secrets Collection, (Books 1-3 of the series, plus 2 bonus stories), My Secrets Bared (Book 4) and My Secrets Exposed (Book 5) for a limited time.

If you are at all interested and want to join the celebration, please visit Layla Wilcox Erotica to find out more about the books. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter, and join Layla's Mailing List to receive bonus stories and special giveaways that are sent to subscribers only. She never spams or sends chatty emails. She just lets you know when she has something good to share with you.

I feel so much better now. Thanks to those of you who have stayed with me down to the last line ;-)

Want to be a Friend with Benefits?

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:19:00 +0000

Before we get started, I want to make it perfectly clear: "No, not THOSE kind of benefits!"

If you're reading this post, you probably follow Shelley Lieber, The Wordy Woman to learn more about writing and publishing. But as you probably know, Shelley is a split personality and her alter ego, Elyse Grant, has written a novel, THE PRINCE CHARMING HOAX. In order to keep this blog free of frequent mentions on other topics, namely Elyse and the book, we have a separate site and a separate list for those who are interested in timely updates, events, and giveaways from Elyse.

Here's where I get to the good part...

Elyse has a "Hot List" of readers who want to help her spread the word about her book by sharing information with their friends who would be interested in the novel. This group of dedicated readers love to get first dibs on new offers, events, and giveaways...and they are happy to share the news once they get it. They are always first on the list of readers and get insider-only advance looks at new work and fun opportunities to be part of Elyse's writing and publishing process. And they get lots of "thank you" gifts for their support, including freebies and red-carpet treatment from Elyse.

In fact, Elyse is gearing up right now for a HUGE promotion and the Hot List will be receiving their insider benefits in just a few short weeks--gifts that won't be available to anyone else.

We would love for you to join the Hot List of Friends with Benefits if you're interested in that kind of arrangement ;-) Why not at least join for a test drive? You can always unsubscribe if you find this isn't the relationship for you. Get on the Hot List now by clicking here ~~or filling out the form at the top right column of this page~~. (To those of you already on the list...thanks for your loyalty and get ready for some really hot stuff coming your way!)

Take a Quick Peek at What's Inside The Prince Charming Hoax

Elyse has been posting short snippets from the book since it came out several months ago. Here are links to scenes that will give you a good inside look at the characters and the story.

Leah and Doug
Leah and Jonathan
Roxie meets D.J.
Roxie and D.J. on their first date
Girl Talk worth the eavesdropping
Where divorced women meet men in the suburbs

To go directly to the site and have your choice of excerpts, click here.

A Boom of Their Own: "Boomer Lit Friday" Gives Baby Boomer Authors a Place to Showcase Their Writing

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:01:00 +0000

I recently created BoomerLit Friday, a blog site to showcase the work of Boomer Lit authors. The site will eventually spotlight authors via interviews, guest posts, and contests. To launch the site and give authors an immediate opportunity to post their writing, I started the Boomer Lit Friday blog hop.

What is a blog hop?

Blog hops are events where a group of authors band together (usually around a theme) to offer readers some sort of incentive to go to their blogs and read their work. There is one central site (like Boomer Lit Friday) where the participating authors are listed and readers (hoppers) can click through to the various blogs to enter giveaways or read samples of the participating authors’ writing.

Blog hops can take various formats. Some hops are for a limited time and authors offer giveaways to readers who visit the site and leave a comment or sign up on a list. Other blog hops are ongoing, and authors post small excerpts from a Work in Progress (WIP) or published work. I’ve chosen the latter for Boomer Lit Friday blog hop.

How it Works:

Authors register to participate each week at the blog hop by completing the sign-up form at the Boomer Lit Friday site. Registrants' names are linked to their blogs and show up as a list above the sign-up form. On the day of the event, which in this case is every Friday, each author posts a short excerpt from a Boomer Lit WIP or published work on his/her own blog. Prominent in each author’s weekly post is a link back to the Boomer Lit site, so readers can go down the list of participating authors, “hop” over to another participant’s site and read more excerpts in the new genre. Most authors promote their blog posts and the event on social media and through their newsletters.

Interested in participating? There's an Author FAQ page on Boomer Lit Friday that explains who is eligible to join and how to participate. Each week, a new sign up form goes live on Monday morning and registration ends on Thursday evening at 11:00pm ET. Participants must have their blog posts live on the day of the event (Friday) at 8:00am ET, or be deleted from the list.

I’d love to hear your feedback and have you join the event, but please read the Author FAQ first ;-)

Opal's Song Cover Reveal

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:33:00 +0000

Opal's Song

Coming 2013 - Release date to be announced

A horrific accident on a rain slicked mountainside and permanent paralysis from the waist down.

25-year-old Lily Wade has to relearn simple, everyday activities just to live a seemingly normal life.

Opal—a precocious child in her rehabilitation group—teaches Lily about living joyfully after
surviving an immense tragedy and how to find peace within the pain.

To keep a promise made, Lily must dust off her once beloved cello and connect with the music she’s kept locked inside a velvet lined case for nearly a decade.

A Teaser

The headlights of Darren’s extended cab Chevy swung from left to right as he took the switch back curves much faster than normal. Lines of tension formed beside his mouth, and his usually relaxed hands clutched the black leather steering wheel in a white knuckle death grip. Something about the way he pumped the brakes wasn’t quite right, and the momentum of the truck was picking up instead of slowing down.

Lily wanted to ask if everything was okay, but didn’t dare distract him from what was quickly becoming a dangerous situation. Deep ingrained reflex made her tug on the strap of her seat belt to ensure it would hold if the worst case scenario played itself out.

She’d ventured East with her boyfriend to explore and get away from the stifling rules of her parents. They had come into Western North Carolina via the Blue Ridge Mountains and immediately fallen in love with the place. Eclectic Asheville stole her heart with its combination of forward movement and backwards thinking. Only in that particular valley, surrounded by some of the oldest mountains in the world, could one community find the wherewithal to support so many varied lifestyle modalities. From the redneck–hillbilly descendants of the original Scottish settlers, to the new agers, dirty hippies, and flamboyant gays—Asheville catered to them all.

Lily wanted to share the exuberance of the area with her family, but suddenly feared the chance to do so would come at the cost of a glossy wooden box. Tears filled her eyes as she swallowed past a lump forming in her throat. She didn’t want to die.

“Aww, FUCK!”

Darren’s barely whispered expletive caught Lily’s attention as the tail end of the truck swung around. Suddenly they were facing the way they’d come. On any other day Darren would’ve calmly turned the wheel until the truck righted itself. For some reason the beast didn’t respond to his handling. The vehicle continued to spin until something in the front end snapped, and Lily stared in horror. One of the tires flew away from the truck, and in that instant she realized what people said was true—in the moments before death time slows down as the brain processes everything in minute detail.

Bright headlamps illuminated the surrounding forest as the front end of the truck crashed down onto the road. Heavy metal screeching on asphalt filled Lily’s ears only to be replaced with the sound of trees snapping beneath the force of a full sized pick-up rolling down the side of a mountain.

Up became down, and Lily’s insides threatened to come out as she was jerked about behind the increasingly tighter band of her protective belt. If she’d been sitting next to Darren her head would’ve been spared the repetitive abuse of being tossed against the passenger window. Lily didn’t want to scream out her fear, but found she had no control over her vocal cords—her screeches of distress echoed in the confined space until the imploding windshield drowned her out. Shards from the window flew towards them, cutting her neck and face as they tumbled around inside the cab.

Everything stopped all at once. The crashing roll of the truck, the cutting of the glass shards, even Lily’s screams. The Chevy landed on its side with her hanging by her seat belt, staring down at the unconscious form of her boyfriend. The smell of gasoline filled the air and Lily felt the spike of adrenaline wash through her nervous system.

“Darren! Darren, wake up!” She yelled as loud as her constricted lungs would allow behind the crushing force of the nylon strap. “Darren, we have to get out of this truck!”

Darren remained unconscious, and Lily refused to give into the blind panic threatening to take over. Breathing deep she quickly surveyed her position and the quickest escape route. The windshield had completely shattered, making that the only way out of the wreckage as the door above her wouldn’t budge when she tried pushing it open. Grabbing hold of the oh-shit handle, she pulled the weight of her body off the belt and pushed the release button. Blinding heat zipped through her body as she crashed face first against Darren's side and was knocked out cold by the force of their skulls connecting.

****

Something wet trickled down the side of her face just before an excruciating pain exploded behind her eyes, and Lily knew she was about to have the mother of all migraines. She thought to press the heels of both hands against her throbbing eye sockets, but found her body remained motionless against the command. A soft moan beneath her was worrying, though she couldn’t think why. The muscle of her shoulder flexed involuntarily and a jolt of pain flashed down her spine, stopping abruptly in her hips. A deep breath meant to calm her frantic thoughts brought more pain and then the blessed blackness.

****

“Hang in there little lady. We’ve almost got you out.”

Lily whimpered as a sudden shock of agony rippled through her arms and torso, but the sound of someone talking eased her anxiety. She wasn’t alone—thank god. The voice became a life line she clung to with her mind until sweet oblivion pulled her back into its warm embrace.

****

“They rolled down the side of Mount Pisgah. From what I can gather she was pinned in place by her seat belt, until she managed to undo it and then fell against his side.”

The conversation felt a million miles away. Surely they weren’t talking about her. Before she could give it another thought, the air was filled with excited chatter and frantic movements. She wanted to open her eyes and see what was going on, but her lids were too heavy to lift. Moving the muscles of her body required a strength she didn’t possess and fear flooded her thoughts as she cried out in frustration. The air she pulled through her nose tasted strange on the back of her tongue. Oblivion stretched out its arms and Lily went into them without a fight.

Find out more about Opal's Song and its release by visiting SJ Byrne or Opal's Song on Facebook.

A portion of all proceeds from Opal's Song will be donated to help children with disabilities...more information forthcoming.

About the Author

Living in the mountains of Western North Carolina SJ Byrne is just trying to make her way through the insanity that comes with creativity. Writing is her passion - life is her muse. Keep an eye out for new books due later this year.

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A Boom of Their Own: Baby Boomers Spark New Genre...Boomer Lit

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 13:20:00 +0000

Are you over-the-top fed up with YA-themed stories, erotica taunting you with lithe 25-year-old heroines who give away their power, Sci-Fi with adolescents saving the world, and all the other popular fiction featuring protagonists the same age as your children (or worse, younger)?

If not, you were probably born after 1970. Nothing wrong with that, of course, or with YA or NA literature, for that matter. Any well written book is usually worth reading.

But for those who used to say "Never trust anyone over 30," and are now approximately twice that age, a new restlessness is emerging. Through their sheer numbers, Baby Boomers (technically defined as people born between 1946 and 1964, although those who came forth close to either end of the scale often fit the demographic) have been driving trends since the post-WW II baby boom gave birth to their name.

Now this formidable group wants to experience characters like themselves in the books they read and movies they watch. They want media (literature, broadcast, and film) that addresses their challenges, chronicles their triumphs, and heralds their transition (or coming of age at the other end of the timeline) to what is often referred to as "The Third Age" in Europe. And, they don't want to be characterized as senior citizens waiting out the end of their lives in retirement homes.

Once again, Boomers get what they want. Screenwriters, novelists, and nonfiction authors are (wisely) creating material to sate the Boomers' desires.

Meryl Streep & Tommy Lee Jones in Hope Springs

Movies featuring Boomer acting greats like Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson (Something's Gotta Give) or Meryl Streep with Tommy Lee Jones (Hope Springs) and Streep with Alec Baldwin (It's Complicated) have been instant box office hits.

In publishing, this growing trend has produced a new literary genre— Boomer Lit. And if you write for or about boomers, you want to be very aware of how to hop on and ride this growing trend now, before everyone jumps on the bandwagon and you're just another contributor.

It's time to take the lead! Right now there is no JK Rowling, Stephanie Meyer, nor EL James of Boomer Lit. That means it could be you! This is the time to identify with the genre, join the movement, and get your name associated with the trend.

Where do you start? Good question! Begin by becoming familiar with definition of Boomer Lit. Although not written in stone, the general agreement is that it's writing that points to, examines, or attempts to offer solutions for circumstances that Boomers presently face, including but not limited to: divorce, retirement, death of a partner or spouse, empty nesting, being sandwiched between elder and child care, romance at age 50+, starting over in a new business or career, and more. Subgenres, like in YA lit, span the gamut and include romance, contemporary, fantasy, mystery, and the rest.

Boomer Lit is not nostalgia, although Boomers are fond of remembering the 1950s and 60s. Literature that deals with those times chronicles what it was like when Boomers were children or transitioning to young adults, not their coming of age as mature adults moving into the latter years of life.

Part 2 of this article series will provide some resources and possible markets where you can submit your work. But for now, whether you write for and about Baby Boomers or just want to read samples of this new genre, head on over to Boomer Lit Friday, a new blog I started that showcases short excerpts from Boomer Lit authors.

This site features a weekly blog hop event, and you can sign up to participate if you want to post a snippet from a published book or work in progress that fits the Boomer Lit genre definition. Be sure to read the Author FAQ before signing up!

If this topic interests you or you consider yourself a Boomer Lit author, join the Goodreads Boomer Lit group and "like" the group's page on Facebook. Lots of opportunity to get and share information at these links.

Hope to see you riding the Boomer Lit wave with me!

Talking Murder with Giancomo Giammatteo

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 03:03:00 +0000

Meet Author Giacomo Giammatteo.

Get all the details here.

Murder Has Consequences is the second book in the Friendship & Honor series.

I know it seems odd to be talking about murder in the same sentence as friendship and honor, but that is exactly what this series explores. It’s about two guys who grew up as best friends, almost brothers, but one became a cop and one a hit man.

Did you ever wonder how far you can push friendship before it snaps?

Thirty years ago, four boys swore an oath to be friends forever, and to always have each other’s back. In Murder Takes Time—the first book in the series—that oath pushed one of the boys to an early grave and one into hiding. Only two of them are left, but the oath remains.

Nicky Fusco’s words set the theme for the second book:

“Oaths are something you swear to when you’re young, and wish you hadn’t when you get old.”

How far would you go to honor an oath made when you were 8-years old? How much would you sacrifice? Suppose it meant breaking a promise to your wife? Or to God?

When Detective Frankie Donovan gets in trouble—and the law can’t help him—he turns to his best friend, Nicky Fusco. The problem is that Nicky promised his family, and God, that he’d go straight.

Most people don’t think of criminals as having honor; these stories might change your mind.

* * *

Giacomo Giammatteo is the author of MURDER TAKES TIME, MURDER HAS CONSEQUENCES, and A BULLET FOR CARLOS. He lives in Texas where he and his wife have an animal sanctuary with 41 loving “friends.”

Meet the Killer Cheryl Kaye Tardif

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Get all the details here

Submerge Yourself in the World of Cheryl Kaye Tardif

When people ask me what I do, I like to tell them: "I kill people off for a living." You can imagine the looks I get. Sometimes I'll follow with: "Fictitiously, of course. I'm a suspense writer." Sometimes I won't say anything else. Yeah, I'm bad that way.

Writing thriller, suspense, mystery and/or crime novels has always been my passion—especially if I throw a pinch of supernatural or paranormal into the mix. I've always been drawn to dark stories, ones that raise the hairs on the back of my neck or make me glance over my shoulder. The two greatest influences in my writing life have been Dean Koontz and Stephen King. Need I say more?

So what can I offer you if you choose to read my books? I hope and strive to give you a satisfying read, once that will impact you emotionally. If I can make you shudder or tremble or wince or even cry, then I've done my job.

In SUBMERGED, I share with you a very personal fear of mine—the fear of being in a car that's underwater and not being able to get out. I have traveled long distances by car hundreds of times during my life, twice from one coast of Canada to the other. Whenever we're along a stretch of highway with a body of water beside me, my fear kicks in. And I hold my breath…waiting…praying…

I want you to relate to this fear. But even more, I want my characters to come to life. I want you to feel for Marcus Taylor, a struggling recovering addict who has had his fair share of grief and guilt. I want you to admire his strength, even in the midst of his weaknesses. I want you, dear reader, to feel compassion for this man who has lost his wife and son in a terrible accident, who blames himself for their deaths, and who is searching for redemption, though he doesn't really know he is.

I want you to cheer on Rebecca Kingston, a mother on the verge of divorce who has left an abusive husband. I want you to feel empathy for her because this decision, no matter what others think, is not an easy one to make. I want you to cry with her when she realizes she is physically unable to help her children who are trapped with her in a sinking vehicle. And I want you to be holding your breath every time Rebecca does.

Marcus and Rebecca (and the others in SUBMERGED) may only be characters on paper, but they feel real to me. I gave "birth" to them and watched them grow. With every step they took, I wiped away their tears, hugged them and loved them. And, dear reader, I sincerely hope you'll love them just as much.

Happy reading…with the lights on…

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, international bestselling author

PS: The Kindle edition of SUBMERGED is available on Amazon from March 4^th – 6^th for a special price during the Killer Thriller Book Launch.

Learn more about me and connect at:

http://www.cherylktardif.com

http://www.twitter.com/cherylktardif

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cheryl-Kaye-Tardif-novels/29769736630

Let's Play Villain with Melissa Foster

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Here's a guest post from author Melissa Foster to kick off the Killer Thriller Book Launch Event!

Get all the details here

How fun would it be to throw caution to the wind and do all the naughty things you have only thought about or worried over? Wouldn’t it be fun to tell off those that anger you without any need for restraint? How about pummeling the bullies who are bothering your kids? Bank robbery could be fun for some. Or maybe you want to dress the part, too. Throw on leather and chains and pull up on your Harley, smokin’ a doobie and drunk off your butt? To each his own, right? Obviously we cannot go around doing all of those things…but our fictional villains can. And where are villains born? In our clever little minds. So, let’s play villain.

What do you wish you could do? Who do you wish you could be? Would it be cool to be as cunning as Hannibal Lector? How about as badass as the Terminator? Or maybe your villain would go all Shades of Gray and their whip might be used for other things. Whatever your pleasure, don’t fret over being a hated villain, try being an empathetic villain! Maybe you’re misunderstood and you’ve gone over to the rough side of town because of that. When I create villains, I always give them some redeemable qualities. I like to be conflicted over my hatred of their evil doings. How about you?

Our dear readers are so precious to writers, because you are the ones we try to entice, excite, and surprise. Your enjoyment is a writer’s motivation and inspiration. So share your fave villains with us! Who did you love to hate? Who could you simply not get past?

Here’s a fun (and weird) game for you to take away with you. Find a close friend and play VILLAIN. No, don’t go out and rob banks or pummel people in real life, but come up with who your villain might be, what they might look like, then combine them with your friend’s villain and see what you come out with. I think you’ll be surprised at how complex a villain can be, and brainstorming with friends only makes the villain more interesting.

My villain in TRACES OF KARA was derived from many sources and conversations with friends and readers—and I adore him.

Ready to play? Ready? Set? Go!

Melissa Foster is the award-winning author of three International bestselling novels. Her books have been recommended by USA Today's book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the Women’s Nest, a social and support community for women, the World Literary Café. When she's not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success

A Valentine's Tale

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:50:00 +0000

The most important item in the fiction writer's toolbox is the question "What if...?" The most memorable stories have emerged from possibilities that sprung up in the minds of writers who posed that question. Yet, sometimes you do have to wonder what goes on in the minds of authors...For example, what could possibly have prompted to Kafka to ask, what if a man woke up transformed into an insect? Yet, he did, and now we continue to read and ponder Metamorphosis.

For today's tale, I've taken it one step further. What if instead of waking up as a giant insect, you were sleeping next to it? Would love prevail? I thought I'd share my very short story with you today on Valentine's Day.

Metamorphosis: A Love Story

Greta Samsa awoke one morning from troubled dreams to find a hideous insect beside her on the bed. Leaping up in horror, she screamed out for her husband.

"Gregor! Get the bug spray. There's a giant cockroach in our bed."

Greta ran into the hall bathroom and slammed the door. After several minutes, she cracked the door and strained to hear evidence of her husband in the bedroom, doing the deed.

Hearing no noise at all, Greta ventured out. "Gregor? Are you there?" She thought she heard rustling in the bedroom. Maybe Gregor was cleaning up the mess. Greta tiptoed to the bedroom door and peeked inside. She gasped. The enormous brown insect was stretched out on its back, all tangled up in Gregor's University of Prague T-shirt. "Gregor! Gregor!" she screamed again and again.

Every time she shouted Gregor's name, the bug flailed its dozen or so legs, like it was having some kind of spastic contraction. When Greta quieted down, so did the movement on the bed.

She scurried to the kitchen to find out what was keeping her husband. But Gregor was not in the kitchen or anywhere else in their tiny, cold flat. Greta groaned. She'd have to take care of this herself. Alas, a woman has to do what a woman has to do when there's no man to do the dirty work.

Summoning all her courage, she armed herself with a can of insecticide and returned to the bedroom. As she moved into the room, spray-can held in her outstretched arm, she stared at the monstrosity still prone on her bed.

The closer she came to the bed, the more agitated the bug became. Was the wretched thing trying to communicate with her? With its jaw flapping and legs twitching, it seemed to be directing her attention to the nightstand. She stopped in her tracks. On the small table next to Gregor's side of the bed was a red, heart-shaped gift box, propped up next to their wedding picture.

Forgetting her mission for a moment, Greta rushed to examine the contents. Her favorite chocolates! Her joy faded to dismay as she realized she still had work to do before she could enjoy her gift.

Closing in on the insect, she tripped over Gregor's slippers, kicking one under the bed. As she bent to retrieve it, she came face to face with the bug. Could it be smiling at her? Something was familiar about that lopsided mouth.

"Good God, Gregor. It's you!" She dropped the can and sat on the bed. After several moments of sobbing, she took one of his appendages in her hand.

"My darling, don't worry. We'll get through this somehow." As she stroked his head, she realized she had two choices: she could alter the ski cap she had knit him for Valentine's Day to accommodate his antennae, or pick up the bug spray and blast away.

Greta reached over, plucked a truffle from her gift box and popped it in her mouth, letting the savory treat melt on her tongue while she contemplated her decision. She stood up, rubbed her hands together and sighed. There was work to do.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed the story and that your day is filled with welcome Valentine surprises!

A Sweetheart of a Consulting Deal for You

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 17:57:00 +0000

February is the month of love, but you don't have to be writing romance—or fiction at all—to take advantage of the Wordy Woman's Valentine's BOGO consulting special.

Let's get your book done and up on Kindle and Amazon. Please don't let another year fly by with your book still in your head or on your computer. Or maybe your book has been published, but sales need a boost. Two of my clients have topped the Amazon Bestseller Lists in the past year.

Always your muse, I want to nudge you along—or apply a gentle push, if needed—so I created a special Valentine's BOGO Consulting Package. Just purchase 1 to 3 consulting sessions and get one session free. What's the catch? You must purchase your session(s) by Valentine's Day, February 14, and schedule them before March 31.

Make the commitment to get your book done! Purchase your consulting session(s) now, because as much as I want to work with, you must commit to this proposal by February 14 to get the special pricing;-)

Meet First Love Blog Hop Author Brian Bigelow

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 12:39:00 +0000

Read insider interviews with participating First Love Blog Hop authors here and visit their sites to register for additional giveaways, but don't forget to "hop" over to First Love Blog Hop for details on how to win a Kindle ereader, gift card, and lots of other free goodies.

Hop Over Now!

From Author Brian Bigelow...

There might be old Twilight Zone episodes, might be old hard rock songs and even a few things my kids did when they were growing up. Some of it’s even from the deepest recesses of the authors mind and nightmares that they have. I remember an interview with Stephen King where he mentioned that his stories were based on

nightmares he had. I’m not sure I want one like “Misery” to tell you the truth though that could possibly happen. Think I would want to run if someone came up to my table and told me they were my biggest fan. Yaaaaahhhhh!

The stories in Horror Bent are mostly meant to entertain. Though there are some real elements here and there they are not real. They are fiction and they are the kind of stories I like to read.

In “Dance of Death” I wondered what would have happened if they got the mustard gas mixture wrong. What if it raised the dead instead? That was a definite start to a story and it’s one of my personal favorites from the book.

“Liturgy” involves a possessed crystal where the demon inside in turn feeds on someone’s anger. It also possesses and in some cases if they enough anger it will kill them.

“Witchery Afoot” began when I started thinking about a Twilight Zone episode (The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street) and I happened to be reading something about the Salem witchcraft trials. It turned into a real story and a shorter version of it came in second in short story contest.

That should give you a little bit of an overview of the stories.

Connect with Brian
Amazon
Blog
Twitter
Goodreads

New Cover Reveal

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:17:00 +0000

Well, today's the day! New cover, new print edition, revised ebook.

Purchase on Amazon, Kindle, Smashwords

11 Reviews • 4.5 Stars on Amazon • “Snappy dialogue, erotic sex” “Fun, contemporary read”

THE PRINCE CHARMING HOAX is the steamy hot and often funny story of best friends Leah Gold and Roxanne Stein, two boomer women trying to break free of the “happily ever after” fairy tale myth of their childhoods. Abandoned by her latest Prince Charming on the eve of what she expected to be the start of a new life, Leah begins an introspective journey through her past for answers. When she discovers what really stands between her and happiness, she sets off on a mission to help spare other women the pain of looking for love in all the wrong places—even though she knows her crusade may just be a battle that destroys her real prince. In contrast to the reclusive Leah, Roxie teeters on the edge of self-destruction as she tries to satisfy her unquenchable thirst for excitement. Drugs and sex don't diminish her cravings, and the man she falls for, while charming, is no prince. Once they team up on a crazy trip from their South Florida home to Philadelphia and New York, the duo stumble onto how to save themselves, each other, and perhaps womankind—a surprise to everyone, especially themselves.

Cover design by Janet Aiossa, Adam Hill Design

Meet First Love Blog Hop Author Raebeth McGee-Buda

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Read insider interviews with participating First Love Blog Hop authors here and visit their sites to register for additional giveaways, but don't forget to "hop" over to First Love Blog Hop for details on how to win a Kindle ereader, gift card, and lots of other free goodies.

Hop Over Now!

Some Q&A with Author Raebeth McGee-Buda...

Where are you from?

I’m from Fairchance, Pennsylvania.

Tell us your latest news.

The latest news I am working on is a House Show Book Signing, which will be located in Smithfield, PA. This is a term I guess you could say I kind of made up. I’m going to be hosted at a relative's house this day for my first book signing. I’m still in the process of figuring out the details and they will be announced on my website as soon as they are complete.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve always considered myself to be a writer from as far back as I can remember. I’d only consider myself an author very recently with the publication of my first book, Silenced.

How did you come up with the title?

The title just came to me. I felt that when my main character Amber cuts, she’s silencing the feelings that go along with depression.

On Amazon

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Yes there is. Silenced hits home for me and I know it’ll be hard for some readers. Especially if they don’t know the reasoning behind why I wrote it. I want to bring more awareness to depression and cutting, but in a way where the readers are being entertained. I know some think the book needs work, Amber’s too immature, or Silenced is just hard to get. It all boils down to the fact that self harm is widely frowned upon and the lack of understand depression tends to sway people to believing it’s all a mind thing. In a way, those who think that are correct.

Depression isn’t something that one develops like the flu and then it goes away. It’s a dark shadow that looms over its hostage and takes control when it wants. Therefore, Silenced was written to help people to see and understand this.

How much of the book is realistic?

The main plotline with cutting and depression is. Amber is based off of different events from people I know and talked to. Each situation she faces was also faced by someone I know in real life. Like going from outcast to prom queen. From hating oneself to eventually coming to terms with who you are. I did throw in some different aspects that were from my imagination but this wouldn’t make the story any less appealing.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Yes, both which I explained in the last question.

What are your current projects?

At this time I am working on the ending of the second and last book in the Silenced Series. I’ve titled this one Silenced: The Overtaking. I’m also working on a paranormal book series which I’m unsure of the series title but book one is Sophie.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

Well outside of my family members there are more than one.. perhaps a small group that I must recognize here. My Silenced Street Team. They are my motivation. They are one of my reasons to continue writing. They work so hard to help me get the word out about my books and help get my name recognized...it’d be wrong of me just to name one person.

Do you see writing as a career?

Yes

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

Well, I would have taken out a bit of information that wasn’t needed to progress the story, the edit mistakes that wasn’t caught with the editor, and I’d have the acknowledgement section name a few less people of one thing and more from another.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I can’t share the actual story yet. But I can say that Amber’s struggle continues until an unexpected source and event helps her to see what she needs to do.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Writing the ending of a book. I’m having so much trouble deciding on the perfect ending to Amber’s struggles and journey.

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

Up until now.. no. But I do see traveling in the area and around the state in the future some time. There’s so many authors in PA I’d love to meet. I’d love to set up book signings throughout PA and West Virginia.

on Kindle

Who designed the covers?

The Kindle version of Silenced I created. The paperback version was created by Mad-Hatter Designs and they are currently working on the cover for part two of Silenced.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Having to hear the sad stories of the struggles people had with depression and self harm. That was definitely a hard time... interviewing people. Then taking all those experiences from the events that were approved to be written about and placing them into the life of my main character.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I wouldn’t say I’ve learned it.. but I do have more compassion when it comes to those suffering with the addiction of self harm. I dabbled in it for a while when I was younger but not nearly as far or as long as some of those I interviewed.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I want to thank all of those who gave Silenced a try and gave me wonderful feedback on it. I think it’s great that you understand where I’m coming from with the message and the big picture behind Silenced. Thank you for not questioning my motives. I can’t believe the support I have now and the number of fans keeps rising everyday. I do hope to one day be able to hear that my book has helped someone who was suffering end their journey and to hear them say their chains were broke. I want to hear them say they are free and depression doesn’t own me!

Connect with Raebeth on

Facebook

Blog
Twitter
Website

Apply Polish Before You Publish, Please!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:01:00 +0000

Finding mistakes in our published work is the plague of an author's existence. As many times I read The Prince Charming Hoax in the various stages of proof (hundreds) and had other readers (a dozen +), I found two errors in the proof copy from the printer—a missing word and a brand name that needed a capital letter. Resubmitting a new corrected file was an unwelcome expense and delayed the launch, but I knew I'd regret it if I let it go.

I was fortunate to find out about the trademark error from someone who was reading the ebook just in time to make the correction in the print proof. But what about errors you don't see because you don't know they're wrong?

I've been reading and enjoying a good number of self-published novels lately, in both digital and print formats. Most of them are very well written, yet too many of them contain mistakes that are rarely found in traditionally published books. Rather than the usual complaint of typos or sloppy errors, I noticed poor formatting, incorrect grammar, and wrong word/spelling errors—which lead me to believe these authors did proofread, but missed what they didn't know.

Some of the OMG! errors I came across in my recent reading included physic for physique and birth-rite for birthright. Less gasp-producing—but nonetheless very noticeable to me—was poor formatting, probably due to the authors' lack of publishing experience. True, I've been an editor for almost 40 years and these types of mistakes jump off the page at me, but anyone who has grown up reading books by traditional publishers is aware of what a book should look like, and can tell if it doesn't.

How to correct typical formatting errors found in self-published books:

Incorrect usage of hyphens (-), en dashes (–), and em dashes (—). Use hyphens in compound words (blue-green algae). Use en dashes to separate spans such as March 2–March 15, and em dashes to set off appositives mid-sentence (as I did in the previous paragraph) or to indicate a break or interruption in conversation ("Are you—"). Using a double hyphen (--) to stand for an em dash is not acceptable in print. To create an en dash (on a Mac) use option + hyphen; use option, shift + hyphen to create an em dash. PC users should google or check your Help sections for instructions.
Page numbers, headers, or footers on blank pages. Blank pages should be blank and don't need identifying copy such as page numbers, headers, or footers.
Front matter copy preparation. Front matter is the section of the book that contains your title page, copyright page, and any other pre-book sections such as dedication, acknowledgements, preface, introduction, etc. What goes on each of these pages is specific, and the best way to prepare your copy is to refer to The Chicago Manual of Style. Buy the book, or purchase an online subscription...it's one of the best investments you can make in your publishing career. At the very least, check traditionally published books in your genre as samples for guidance on how to structure your book.
Incorrect titling and order of book sections. The preface, prologue, introduction, and foreword each have different functions—and in the case of the foreword, a different author. Some sections (like Acknowledgments) can go in the front or back, depending on the author's preference, but most have specific placement and specific order within the sections.
Incorrect pagination. For print books, begin page 1 on a right-hand page. You can use roman numerals in your front matter, but usually it's not necessary to place page numbers on most front matter pages. You may want to use page numbers in front matter sections that run several pages or if you need to refer to a page number in later copy. Do not place page numbers on front matter single-page sections such as your title page, copyright page, dedication, etc.

I've seen a number of other gaffes, but these are the most obvious and frequent bloopers.

To avoid these and other errors of the newbie author, become familiar with the general guidelines for formatting a book. You can do it yourself if you take the time to learn the rules, but your best choice would be to send your book or ebook to a professional book editor for a final look-see before you prepare your files for the digital or print publisher. Remember, an English teacher is not an editor, and I highly recommend using an editor with book publishing experience. (This final proofing is in addition to, and does not replace, copyediting or developmental editing while in the manuscript stage.)

You wouldn't go out in formal attire with unpolished shoes or uncombed hair. Your book deserves the same attention to detail. Include this final round of pre-publication polish and be sure your book will be judged for its great writing quality only.

Meet First Love Blog Hop Author J.K. Accinni

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Read insider interviews with participating First Love Blog Hop authors here and visit their sites to register for additional giveaways, but don't forget to "hop" over to First Love Blog Hop for details on how to win a Kindle ereader, gift card, and lots of other free goodies.

From Author J.K. Accinni...

Everyone asks authors what motivated them to write their latest book. They usually receive a variety of answers. Some wild, some boring, some obvious and some that feel an overriding passion. So I'm going to take a minute to tell you why I wrote the series, Species Intervention #6609.

Let me caution you...this is not to intentionally gross you out. In pursuit of wildlife conservation, I have traveled around the world exploring my passion. Unfortunately, I can no longer deal with the pain that accompanies my exposure to the creatures I love so much. Do you know someone like that? Your friend that refuses to listen when you relate the news how some scum bag across town shot the neighbor's dog in the head and buried him in sand up to his neck. How a 21 year old girl had an argument with her roommate and took her 3 week old kittens and slammed them up against the wall, killing them? I know.... you don't want to read this. And this is mild!

Shockingly, the world across the ocean is even worse. And the Internet has served to acerbate pleasure killings. Now you and your 17 year old ignorant buddies that caught the little monkey, can skin him alive, put him in a pot and proudly show the photos all over the Internet to prove what big boys you are. It's not much different than the big game hunters that travel to South Africa (Or Texas in the good ole USA) to pay $85,000 to shoot a rare white lion and bring its head home to show what big men they are. The perpetual "who has the biggest penis contest." I think that's enough of the atrocity stories. Believe me, I can tell you things that happen in my own state of Florida that will not allow you to sleep at night. Sigh...

There is very little that a single person can do to change Man's evil behavior toward Earth's innocent creatures that have so little...merely their lives. Unreasonably, Man feels the justification to steal that from them too.

Enter Species Intervention. My own way of getting even and exercising some of the pain I feel, hopefully raising awareness and entertaining at the same time. Baby and Echo are my adored enigmatic creatures. My characters all have lives that will intersect in book four, Hive. It will be there that my theme starts to truly emerge to shock and intrigue you. (I sure hope.) It will only be at the end of my current book in progress that "God " will ask himself, "Perhaps it's time to turn this new world I have created over to women to care for."

Would the softer, gentler of our species do a better job? I wonder. What would happen to the men? And what challenges and shocks does the new world present to the survivors of the old one? Pick up this well-reviewed series and discover yourself!

About J.K. Accinni

I am a doggy mommy, wildlife nut and supporter, writer, author, world traveler, political junkie and a Survivor wannabe...hear that Jeff Probst?

J. K. Accinni was born and raised in Sussex County before moving to Randolph, New Jersey, where she lived with her husband, five dogs and eight rabbits, all rescued and currently resides in Sarasota Florida. Mrs. Accinni's passion for wildlife conservation has led her all over the world, including three trips to Africa, where ten years ago she and her husband fell in love with a baby elephant named Wendi that had been rescued by the incomparable David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Wendi is the inspiration for the character Tobi , the elephant featured in her fourth book titled Hive.

The character of Caesar is inspired by a real life iconic tiger from Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary in Sarasota. A portion of the proceeds from her third book, Armageddon Cometh, will be donated to the sanctuary in support of the enormous expense required to house and feed the displaced wildlife in their care. Mrs. Accinni invites her readers to visit bigcathabitat.org to view the astounding facility and plan a visit with your family.

Mrs. Accinni also invites you to visit her web page at http://www.speciesintervention.com , where information on The Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary can also be viewed. Readers are encouraged to comment about the book or your own creature experiences.

Synopsis

A deeper, darker E.T. A tear jerker featuring the love of an alien creature and the lives he touches.

The series "Species Intervention #6609" spans two hundred years, encompassing tender love between divergent species, political downfalls and violence of unspeakable order. It is an unfortunate tale of Armageddon and the despairing hope of redemption.

In Baby, Netty is a naive teenage farm girl given in marriage to an older brutal opportunist disguised as a successful citizen during the years of Prohibition in Sussex County, New Jersey. After years of enslavement, Netty flees into the night from her rapist husband, traveling back to the farm worked by her parents, where she rescues an unfamiliar damaged creature she finds in a cave in the woods of her childhood, falling in love with the enigmatic creature she names Baby. Together they find happiness and fulfillment despite the changes to Netty's body wrought by the proximity of the unusual creature.

When a handsome Italian stranger comes into Netty's life, complications ensue as she falls in love while trying to hide the bizarre and wondrous changes to her farm and her body. Netty, Baby and Wil strive to conquer obstacles thrown in their path by life, succeeding wildly until the heart-rending and astonishingly brutal climax to their story.

Find J.K. Accinni on:
Amazon
Website
Facebook
Twitter

First Love Blog Hop January 14 – February 14

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 12:18:00 +0000

Blog hops are a great way for authors to give back to their readers and fans by offering some type of giveaway. Many authors offer signed copies of their books, but you can win anything from gift cards, to free ebooks and print books, to Kindle ereaders.

Each author (I'm one) participating in the blog hop will be offering some type of giveaway on his or her site, so you'll want to make sure and visit ALL the sites to see what goodies are out there. To win a Free ebook copy of THE PRINE CHARMING HOAX, just comment on the blog post announcing the giveaway at Elyse Grant.

In addition to what each author is offering, the Book Lovers Blog Hop is also offering several grand prizes—including a Kindle ereader—just for participating in the Hop with tweets, Facebook posts, book purchases, and more. Ready? Get started now at the First Love Blog Hop and Giveaway.

Yes, It's as simple as that. Have fun!

2013 is the Year of the Reader

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 15:44:00 +0000

Happy New Year! Have you been reading the glut of publishing predictions being posted on blogs and Facebook? Have you set any publishing goals for 2013 based on what you've read?

Those of you who have been a subscriber for a while may remember that I like to christen each year with a theme:

I called 2009 the "Year of the Author" and predicted that indie publishing was about to take off, similar to the Wild West Gold Rush. 2010 was dubbed "A Publishing Odyssey," and I predicted that wagons were not nearly fast enough and spaceships were recommended to keep up with the changing publishing environment. 2011 and 2012 were "free for alls," with predictions that we were headed into an "anything goes" climate, and that the most adventurous authors would be rewarded.

All of that and more did come to pass in the rise of self-publishing, explosion in ebook production, outstanding success for more than a handful of indie authors, cross-over of traditionally published authors to indie authors, and more.

I think the boom has peaked, and the crazy "no rules" atmosphere has settled down. I predict that Amazon will finally begin to see some serious competition from other book distributors, and it's time to start to get back to basics with our publishing strategies.

The key to publishing success in 2013 is to get readers for your book. There are so many books on the market now that you simply cannot leave discovery to chance. Having a core group of readers who will support you and recommend your work to others will be the marker of the successful author in 2013, The Year of the Reader.

Here's what I'll be doing to build my readership:

Focus my efforts of being where book readers are found. You probably know there are social networks just for book lovers: Goodreads, Shelfari, Scribd, Wattpad, and more. I'm going to concentrate on Goodreads first, then expand to the others.
Contact book bloggers and reviewers who will read my book and post reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, their blogs, and more.
Use book giveaways on Goodreads to promote the launch of the print edition of THE PRINCE CHARMING HOAX on February 14, 2013.
Make my book available to readers' groups and myself available at group meetings via Skype.
Expand my ebook availability to Nook, iBookstore, Kobo, and other markets when my KDP Select program expires at the end of January.
Partner with other authors to cross-promote our books to each other's audiences via blog tours, virtual events, and more.
Write more books for my happy readers to read!

I'm sure other ideas and activities will emerge, but I am committed to making 2013 the Year of MY Reader!

To Your Publishing Success in 2013 and beyond!

Book Launch vs. NaNoWriMo

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley Lieber) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 00:24:00 +0000

I'd like to say something about setting goals. Goals are good. Goals are motivating forces. Goals push you to do more, be more. That said, can you over-set goals?

At the end of last month, I set two goals: Publish/launch The Prince Charming Hoax on Kindle the first week of November, and participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and complete 50,000 words toward a new novel during the 30-day month.

I christened this project "Sweet November," and announced my intentions publicly. I created a game plan for the hours I would devote to each. It would be intensive, but I could do it!

Ha. WHAT WAS I THINKING?

I dutifully started NaNoWriMo on November 1 and flew through week 1 meeting the 1667 word/day quota. The time to complete the quota, however, was far greater than I anticipated. I ended each day thinking, "Tomorrow I'll work on the launch." Didn't happen.

Then came week 2 of NaNoWriMo. I'd lost some of my exhilaration for the project and hated what I was writing. I procrastinated and found myself either not meeting the daily quota or pushing myself to reach the mark until the words on the screen were so blurry I couldn't see what crap I was putting out. And, to make matters worse, I agonized each day that I did nothing to promote the launch of my first novel.

A Kindle Select eBook

I did publish my ebook on November 2 (proud mama here), but publishing a book on Kindle and launching a title are two very different activities. I had begun some launch promotion before NaNoWriMo began: setting up some blog posts, interviews, and connecting with possible launch partners. But once my I began the NaNo challenge, everything grinded to a halt.

I also began working with my book designer on the print version of The Prince Charming Hoax, compounding the pressure and contributing to squeezing the launch promotion out of my daily attention. Although the designer was doing most of the labor-intensive work, I had to turn my attention to reviewing the various cover designs and interior layouts. We ran into a bit of a snag when the book ran 404 pages once the manuscript copy was imported into the design template I selected! Adjustments were made and we were able to reduce the page count to 322, but it took several passes between us to achieve our goal, which translated to more work, more of my attention, and another week without book launch activity.

I was at a crisis point. I wanted to honor my commitment to NaNoWriMo, but I was getting ready to punk out. I was feeling guilty that it was taking me away from the final phase of the book that had just launched, but on the other hand, I am adverse to quitting something halfway. By the end of the second week, I felt I was sinking and fighting a growing sense of despair: I was writing badly just to make the word count, and because I was so unhappy with the work I was putting out, I felt even worse about delaying work on my book launch. To keep my sanity, I had to pick one.

Here's a look at my Sweet November, describing my progress and thought process during this project.

Days 1-7: I wondered what the fuss was all about. Yes, it was more time consuming than I imagined to reach the daily 1667-word quota, but I was completing it with ease. The first draft was progressing nicely. I was easily able to incorporate the launch and early promotion was going well. The sample design templates for the interior pages of the print version of The Prince Charming Hoax arrive.

Days 8-12: I found it much harder to reach the daily word count and was miserable that my story was suffering under the need to produce, but I kept grinding it out each day. Not much time for anything else because the writing was going sooo slooooow. The review process for The Prince Charming Hoax design templates goes smoothly and I approve a version on Day 11. At the end of Day 12, I have first proof pages for book, but it's running 404 pages—way longer than I anticipated.

Days 13 and 14 were torturous, and I considered giving NaNo up to focus on the book launch instead. Each day I struggled to complete the daily quota and I began to slip behind. I face new rounds of decisions to make with the print book as I look at several versions of adjusted designs with smaller font size and varying degrees of decreased space between paragraphs and between lines of type (leading).

Day 15 was a turning point. I got up at my usual 5 a.m. (usual since starting this project), and meditated instead of hitting the computer straight out of bed. Aah, big difference! I finished the day at 23,660 words, just under the 25,000 midway point, but I was feeling confident that I could catch up and complete the goal on time. Good news with the page proof, too. At the end of the day, I received a new first proof of The Prince Charming Hoax, down to 322 pages...a very manageable size.

Day 16: Distractions began to deter me. I had been ignoring so many to-do's to get to my daily ta-da word count. I had several outside activities that drew me away from the computer, but I managed to break the halfway mark and write 2000+ words for the second day in a row. I was starting to have real doubts, though, that it was worth it to complete NaNo at the cost of delaying my launch and promoting my debut novel. And I hadn't even begun proofreading the page proofs for The Prince Charming Hoax yet.

Day 17 brought a project that could no longer be delayed. I had a deadline that was immutable and not completing the project would have serious financial consequences. Although the project took me away from both books, completing something in its entirety felt good. Something finally got done, completed, crossed off the list!

Day 18: Up on Sunday morning at 5:30, but complete very little writing. I'm exhausted and rationalize I need time away to refresh and renew my creative juices. Although I planned to get back to the page in the afternoon, I did not.

Day 19. Conundrum Day. I'm at my computer, finished meditating at 6 a.m. Rereading my last few days' work is not prompting me on. Nothing's happening and I know I can do better than this. I check my NaNo stats and find out that although I'm behind, I can finish the 50,000 word goal if I write 2,021 words per day for the next 12 days. Doable, for sure. Do I want to do it, though? I know I'd give a resounding "yes!" if I were more excited about how the second book was progressing. But I feel that what I"m producing isn't worthy of postponing my work on The Prince Charming Hoax print book and the launch of the ebook. Still, I'm not comfortable being a quitter on any front.

Day 20 brings client commitments and outside distractions of real-life responsibilities to complete before Thanksgiving. It's late afternoon before I get to work on anything: will it be NaNo, The Prince Charming Hoax pages, a blog post, my Thanksgiving Day newsletter, or book launch prep?

This blog post pours out of me...clearly what I needed to do as a way of releasing the stress of the self-imposed pressure I've created. I would normally journal out these kinds of decisions, but I want to have a more public way of expressing my thought process here. After all, I started this project out in the open, and I want to honor that commitment.

I've decided to give up the need to control the outcome. I am going to complete the NaNoWriMo project, writing every day. If I reach 50,000, whoohoo. The NaNo word meter tells me that I can reach the goal if I write 2084 words per day from now until November 30. But, whatever number of words I reach will be good ones. I can't live with the discomfort of writing crap, so I've let go of the pressure of the 50,000 word goal.

Habits engrained after 38 years as an editor cannot be easily undone in 30 days. My first draft will not be pitch-perfect by any means, but there's a big difference between tweaking copy and needing to completely rewrite almost everything you've done. In the long run, I'll finish sooner by writing better because there will be less to change. No matter what, I'll be at least halfway through the follow up book to The Prince Charming Hoax, and that's a big accomplishment.

I am going to shift my emphasis to proofreading The Prince Charming Hoax page proof and completing the print version of this book. I'm also going to renew planning my launch. Details to follow!

Shelley Lieber, Author writing sexy, erotic romance as Elyse Grant & Layla Wilcox

Write more, faster

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Musings of the Split-Personality Mind

Having a Boomer Moment

Summer Solstice eBook Sale

Book Launch Contest

Best Places to Self-Publish 2014

Women of a Certain Age Read (& Write) XXX Erotica, and I'm One of Them

Want to be a Friend with Benefits?

Take a Quick Peek at What's Inside The Prince Charming Hoax

A Boom of Their Own: "Boomer Lit Friday" Gives Baby Boomer Authors a Place to Showcase Their Writing

Opal's Song Cover Reveal

Opal's Song Coming 2013 - Release date to be announced

Opal's Song Coming 2013 - Release date to be announced

A Boom of Their Own: Baby Boomers Spark New Genre...Boomer Lit

Talking Murder with Giancomo Giammatteo

Meet the Killer Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Let's Play Villain with Melissa Foster

A Valentine's Tale

Metamorphosis: A Love Story

A Sweetheart of a Consulting Deal for You

Meet First Love Blog Hop Author Brian Bigelow

Read insider interviews with participating First Love Blog Hop authors here and visit their sites to register for additional giveaways, but don't forget to "hop" over to First Love Blog Hop for details on how to win a Kindle ereader, gift card, and lots of other free goodies.

New Cover Reveal

Well, today's the day! New cover, new print edition, revised ebook.

Meet First Love Blog Hop Author Raebeth McGee-Buda

Read insider interviews with participating First Love Blog Hop authors here and visit their sites to register for additional giveaways, but don't forget to "hop" over to First Love Blog Hop for details on how to win a Kindle ereader, gift card, and lots of other free goodies.

Apply Polish Before You Publish, Please!

Meet First Love Blog Hop Author J.K. Accinni

Read insider interviews with participating First Love Blog Hop authors here and visit their sites to register for additional giveaways, but don't forget to "hop" over to First Love Blog Hop for details on how to win a Kindle ereader, gift card, and lots of other free goodies.

First Love Blog Hop January 14 – February 14

2013 is the Year of the Reader

Book Launch vs. NaNoWriMo

Opal's Song

Coming 2013 - Release date to be announced

Opal's Song

Coming 2013 - Release date to be announced