Monday, 30 January 2012

Kindle Direct Publishing Select: Is it worth it?

As many of you probably know, my poetry book was free on Amazon over the weekend. (Amazon finally sorted out the glitch!) Amazon didn't do this on their own. I did it. I did it because I registered my poetry book with KDP Select, the Kindle library service.

Initially, I was against this program because in order to be eligible, your e-book is not to be available via any other avenue. "What?" I screeched. "You've got to be kidding me. Bugger that."

But then I started reading more about it. You only have to commit to 90 days at a time. And with each 90 days, they offer you 5 days free promotion. "Hmm," I thought. "Maybe I should give this a go. My poetry isn't selling very well, because, you know, it's poetry, so what's it going to matter?"

So I did it. And I took advantage of a couple of my free days as an experiment.

By Sunday morning, Twisted Velvet Chains was downloaded 2080 times. It also hit the #1 spot in the Poetry Bestsellers list (ahead of Aristotle!), and #99 position among ALL free e-books (but only for one hour!). "Wow ... how? It's poetry! This is insane," I thought.

This morning, I have maintained my #1 "Poetry Bestseller" status, and also tallied up a total of 2900 downloads. Pretty amazing for poetry, innit?

Now, I know this is a quite an ego-booster, and of course this only happened because it was free, and I imagine I'd be lucky if even 50 of those purchasers read the thing. But still, it's damn good exposure. Those people now know my name, and, something even better happened ...

... String Bridge sales boosted, and the book made it to the #1 (paperback) and #2 (Kindle) positions in "Recently Popular Contemporary & Literary Fiction" list. I'm so excited! Because that means when people search for those specific genres, my book will be there! Again, excellent exposure.

So yeah, all in all, I have to say that YES, KDP Select is worth it. It's an excellent marketing tool, especially for the newbies like me who need to get their name circulating. 90 days commitment is not bad for those results, hey? I can give up 90 days. And when those 90 days are over, I'll put TVC on Smashwords. No skin off my nose! :o)

I don't think KDP Select is for everyone, and I do still have a few feelings about it being exploitative and degrading. Because what message does bringing down the price of books to zero give? That literature isn't worth the money anymore? I'm still kinda on the fence. But I do think it's a great tool for debut authors. That is a given.


What do you think?


Saturday, 28 January 2012

Twisted Velvet Chains: Kindle edition FREE. Today only!

Finally sorted out the issue with Amazon. If you'd like to download Twisted Velvet Chains for free today, be my guest!


AMAZOM.COM
AMAZOM.UK


Please share! :o) And have a great weekend!

Friday, 27 January 2012

To help support Donna's Dream House, I'm giving away a signed copy of String Bridge and its soundtrack (physical CD).

Just a quick note to let you know that if you go HERE, you can bid to receive a signed copy of String Bridge and its soundtrack, worth $40 USD, while donating money to a very worthy cause. Write Dreams, is very generously raising money for Donna’s Dream House.

From their website:
"Donna’s Dream House is a holiday home for children and teenagers with life-threatening or terminal illnesses, situated in the heart of Blackpool. The Dream House is run completely by volunteers and encourages and sparks the imagination. It’s how any child would imagine the perfect holiday to be. It’s full of light and laughter, fun and - most importantly - life. Since it's start, Donna's Dream House has hosted and helped almost 380 families. 300 of those children have now sadly passed away, but the families who are left behind will always cherish the memories from Donna’s Dream House. ... 

Except on Wednesday 21st December 2011, in the middle of the night, arsonists broke into the office building and adjacent health center. There they stole essential computer equipment and damaged the suite, before setting fire to the furniture. When the fire was discovered, it was almost too late. The building was so badly damaged that it may have to be rebuilt completely, with total damages estimated in excess of £80,000/$125,000. More importantly, the fire destroyed photographs and mementoes of Donna, and hope. The opening sentence of Donna’s Dream House’s website reads: Christmas is cancelled. For some of the families due to attend it might have been the last one.
Devastated to see this happening in her home town, Luna asked her fellow Write Hope members if they would return for a new fundraiser. Over the next few weeks we will step up to that challenge by hosting a new auction - Write Dreams - for Donna's Dream House. It won't bring back Christmas, but hopefully it will ease the pain."

Please hop on over and offer your support. And if you already have my book and CD, there are plenty of things to bid on. HERE'S THE LINK ... AND AGAIN ... AND AGAIN.


Thursday, 26 January 2012

When the big people disappoint, give the little people a chance ...


Now before I get into what I'm really writing about today I'd like to tell you a little story ... (trust me, I have a point.) ...

Yesterday I had organised a free promotion for my poetry book Twisted Velvet Chains. Yes. The Kindle version was (supposed to be) free on Amazon yesterday. Why didn't I blog about it??? Because Amazon US never made it free on their site, but did on all of the others, which is ... can I say ... utterly disgusting.

Most of my audience is from the US, so I just wasted one of my allotted 5 free promotion days for nothing. And I'm still seething. In addition, I didn't even get the full 24 hours. It didn't start till 6 hours into the day, and then ended, when? You guessed it. Right on time.

What's my point you ask? My point is, despite thinking otherwise, we really have no control over what happens to our books ... even the self-published ones. The other day, Michelle's book True Colors was free on Amazon for a week and she didn't even ask for it. They just did it. Makes me kinda mad. But I guess, they're a bookshop. They can do whatever the blah they like with their books, right? We have no control ... BUT, I know a place where we do have control:

Welcome to Celery Tree






It's a bookstore that caters to the author. If you're an author, you SHOULD become a member. I sell signed copies of String Bridge and Twisted Velvet Chains there. And I must say I am so so so happy with their service so far. Wonderful, professional, passionate women who are authors themselves and treat you the way they want to be treated. With love. So hop on over and check it out. And why not become a member while you're at it?

Have a great weekend, folks!

FRIDAY UPDATE: I've sent Amazon THREE emails. Two polite ones and one fairly angry one. Still no reply.

Tuesday, 24 January 2012

It's getting the better of me. Again.

Source
I'm trying to stay positive. I am. But today there is a weird sadness and frustration lurking about that I can't put my finger on. It all started yesterday when S played the Beatles (Revolver), at 8 in the morning while I was trying to get motivated for the work week ahead. Such upbeat music makes me cry. Yes ... I'm odd like that.

Here's a peek into my thought processes at the moment ...

I just entered Bitter Like Orange Peel into ABNA. Yay! ... bet I don't even make it through the first round.

I'm going to Canada in one month! Yay! ... but then I have to come back home and I bet I'll get depressed.

I'm running the Steinbeck Fest in Ithaca this year! Yay! ... I bet no-one turns up.

I've got this awesome new job which has blessed me with a little financial security! Yay! ... I bet they think I work too slow and find someone else.

My poetry collection is now out for $0.99 on Kindle! Yay! ... but hardly anyone reads poetry anymore, what's the point?

I've got these awesome ideas for my next novel! Yay! ... bet I'll never write it.

I just updated my website! Yay! ... bet no-one even looks at it.

I've got these amazing and supportive blog followers and friends! Yay! ... bet they're getting sick of me.

YIKES! These thoughts are pretty over-the-top, no? I love my life. Why aren't I lapping it up?


Okay ... I need to drink some happy thoughts juice. *off to seek happy thoughts juice so I don't hit the delete button and remove this post ...*

Monday, 23 January 2012

J.C. Martin's Cover Reveal: ORACLE

Today I'd like to give you a sneak peek into J.C Martin's upcoming novel, ORACLE, which will be released mid year. Today is the official day that her cover art is released to the public, so of course it's a very special day, as all of us who have gone through this can surely remember the excitement! :o)

But there's a mystery to be solved as well. J.C. sure is a clever cookie thinking this up. It's such a great idea! Basically there is a mystery attached to this cover reveal tour that readers have to solve. All you have to do is read all 13 posts of the tour and figure out what smells like a rat ... Keen? If you figure it out you'll win a $20 Amazon gift card.

Here's the blurb of the book:

As the countdown begins, the body count rises.

With London gearing up to host the Olympics, the city doesn’t need a serial killer stalking the streets. They’ve got one anyway.

Leaving a trail of brutal and bizarre murders, the police are no closer to finding their latest murderer than Detective Inspector Kurt Lancer is in finding a solution for his daughter’s disability.

Thrust into the pressure cooker of a high profile case, the struggling single parent is wound tight as he tries to balance care of his own family with the safety of a growing population of potential next victims.

One of whom could be his own daughter.

Fingers point in every direction as the public relations nightmare grows, and Lancer’s only answer comes in the form of a single oak leaf left at each crime scene.


Have a wonderful week everyone! To find out more on how to play please VISIT J.C. MARTIN AT HER BLOG!





Thursday, 19 January 2012

If you really knew me ...

Thank you to Tess Hilmo for starting this little idea of "If you really knew me..." and to Michelle Davidson Argyle for bringing it to my attention!
_________________

If you really knew me, you'd know that I was bullied all throughout school, until I turned 16 and started to look like a bully myself. I wasn't one, but I think my Gothic appearance scared people off ...

If you really knew me, you'd know that it's an uphill vertical cliff face battle for me to get up in the morning, and it takes about an hour for my brain to start functioning properly.

If you really knew me, you'd know that I hardly leave the house because I work from home, and that I often work in my pyjamas. And I hate myself for not getting dressed and feeling like a slob.

If you really knew me, you'd know that sometimes I struggle in social situations, but you wouldn't see a struggle because I'm great at pretending I'm totally fine.

If you really knew me, you'd know that I say yes to everything and then figure out how I'm going to fit it into my schedule later, and then realise that I can't really fit it in and end up sitting at my computer until midnight. This is going to stop this year.

If you really knew me, you'd know that despite having 'accomplished' some great things, I still feel like I haven't accomplished anything, and therefore push myself too hard.

If you really knew me, you'd know that I break out in tears when I'm overtired. And I'm often overtired.

If you really knew me, you'd know that I want to help every single person who asks for it, and feel terrible if I can't.

If you really knew me, you'd know that when I'm hurting, I put up a wall which makes people think I'm heartless and cold and don't give a damn.

If you really knew me, you'd know how much I miss Christmas in Australia, and that because I can't have it, I'd rather not celebrate it at all.

If you really knew me, you'd know that I dread holiday seasons, and look forward to getting back to work. I think that must be an illness ... what do you think?

PS: My poetry book, TWISTED VELVET CHAINS, is now available on Kindle for only $0.99!!! (Amazon US, Amazon UK) Please, please, do me a favour and spread the word for me!?! Thank you!

If I really knew you ... what would I know?

Wednesday, 18 January 2012

When editorial errors have a positive outcome ...

Source
When Dawn and I decided to start a literary magazine we had no idea how well it would kick off. We were thinking that we'd have to beg for people to submit to get the ball rolling. But nope. After listing the mag on Duotrope, we realized how sought after our vision actually was.

So as a celebration and thank you to the 1,500 unique people who checked out our inaugural issue, and to our wonderful contributors, we're giving away a $40 gift card from an online bookstore of your choice. To see how you can win it, check out the Vine Leaves blog post today.

See ... sometimes editorial errors have a positive outcome! You'll just have to read the post to find out why ...

Hope to see you there!


PS: If you had trouble following the Vine Leaves Blog last time, you can now subscribe with just one click through HERE.

Monday, 16 January 2012

I'm a professional editor and my fiction is full of typos ... GAH!

When it comes to my own work ... I'm hopeless ... 

Source

I can pull other texts apart to the point of recognizing when an apostrophe is backwards in the fine-print, but I cannot, for the life of me, seem to catch something as bold as a glaringly misspelled word in my own work ...

PS: ... I've also realized that I use way too many ellipsis ... ... ... and way too many italicized words. And they are so annoying to get rid of! :o)

What is it about our own work that makes us blind to imperfection? You think it has anything to do with love? Or could it have something to do with our side and rear view mirrors creating way to many blind spots? Or is it ... just what the beggar says?


What say you?

Thursday, 12 January 2012

Wednesday, 11 January 2012

Why do I feel so guilty choosing to be just a little selfish for once in a VERY long time?

So I just booked a flight to Canada over my birthday (Feb 26th, wink wink).

Among such reasons as having work stuff to accomplish over there, I'm also doing it to finally meet a very good friend of mine in the flesh. The lovely Dawn Ius. This is something which I have been dreaming of doing for way over a year now. And finally, I have the chance. And I don't care that it's only for a little over a week, and that I'm still going to have to work while I'm there. I don't care at all. It's enough to know I'll have the evenings and two weekends with her. I really really really CAN NOT WAIT!

So why do I feel so guilty?

Is it wrong to do something that doesn't also benefit those in my immediate life? I deserve something a little special for myself don't I? Don't I? I've worked damn hard over the past few years. What is wrong with giving myself this gift?

I haven't chosen to do something for myself only in I think ... maybe three years? It's time. It really is time. And what better time than over my birthday?! This gift I can give myself, is one of the best gifts ever. So please, oh mighty cosmic universe, stop making me feel guilty and give me the gift of your acceptance ...

Do you ever feel guilty when you indulge yourself? Why do you think this is?

Monday, 9 January 2012

Do you spend too much time trying to reach a result, and forget to enjoy the process?

As many of you know, I rarely stop. Whether it's working, writing, singing, blogging, marketing, and now magazine publishing and event organizing, there is always something on the go. I don't know why I'm like this. But the more I do, the more I want to do. And the more I want to do, the more I expect from myself. Really, it's sort of an obsession. I can't sit still.

I CAN'T SIT STILL.

But I have to learn how to, otherwise I'm not even going to realize I'm doing all the things I'm doing. I'm not going to give myself the chance to really engage my whole mind, body and soul, in the moments of life I'm supposed to love (that I do love). I'm always looking to reach a result, and forgetting to enjoy the process. I think that's because I've always got so much on the go, that I'm rushed to fit things in. I even pressure myself to read a certain amount of books a year. I've decided this has to stop. I need to pace myself. And do things at a speed that doesn't jeopardize my enjoyment. Sure, I have goals. But I'm not going to overload my list this year.

This revelation came about the other day, and I wrote on Facebook, "I know this New Year's Resolution is a little late, but today I've come to this conclusion: I can not be the ten different women that are required to complete all the tasks I want to complete, and I am no longer going to expect myself to be. I will be one woman. I will accomplish what I can accomplish. And I will not allow myself to feel disappointed if I have to let something slip."

So that's how I'm going to launch into 2012. No more pressure. And I'll remember to enjoy the year. Do you ever feel like you need to be more than one person to complete your daily tasks? Do you think that's healthy?

I got my first glimpse of 'no pressure' yesterday. And my GOD it was wonderful. I printed out 45 poems (drafts) that I wrote last year, to rewrite and/or revise for a poetry collection idea I had. After about five hours of quality time -- with utter silence, cups of vanilla coffee and my poetry -- I revised a total of FOUR poems. ONLY FOUR POEMS. Because I allowed myself to cherish every single second of it, savored every word I wrote, concentrated on the meaning between every single line and read them aloud to myself. I have a sentence in my 2nd novel about rolling a word on one's tongue to taste its sound. I thought it was a cool idea, but didn't really know it was possible until yesterday. It is!

I don't know if these poems are any good, but I do know one thing: I smothered myself in absolute JOY. How? Because I did not do it to reach a result. I did it for fun. FOR FUN. To enjoy the process. I don't care if this poetry collection takes years to finish. Because when I sit down to write it, I'm going to take as long as I like, and enjoy EVERY. SINGLE. SLOW. MOMENT.

I think society nowadays is so concerned with getting things DONE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, that we forget to take notice of how we get there. This is just so sad. Don't you think? Do you think it's time we learn to slow down? What's going to happen to the world when people forget how to wait? Or never learn patience? Disaster ... 

Friday, 6 January 2012

Vine Leaves Literary Journal is ... NOW LIVE!

Dawn Ius and I are so THRILLED to announce that the inaugural issue of Vine Leaves Literary Journal is now LIVE!

Do I need to say more? GET CLICKING and head over there. Believe me, if you need a little spice in your life today, this is where to get it.

Bottoms up! :o) (this is where I hold up my glass of wine and drink some words ...)

Have a great weekend, folks!

Thursday, 5 January 2012

It hurts to have to make this apology ...

Okay ... I'm REALLY sorry. I haven't been a good blogger lately. In fact, I've been absolutely rotten: not replying to comments, not commenting on your blogs, only really managing to read a couple a day ... it hurts. I want to do it, but by them time I find a moment, I'm exhausted. I had such high hopes yesterday to participate in the Insecure Writer's Group properly, but ... I didn't find that free moment until after 12 hours in front of the computer. I just couldn't look at the screen anymore!

Thing is this:

My new job.

Despite it being from home, it's full time, and if I slack off, the whole company's publishing schedule will go down the loo. I can't let that happen.

So, here's the thick of it all. This is just a warning that I'm going to be struggling to keep up with your blogs for a while. At least until I can concoct some sort of miracle schedule that allows me to fit everything in. This is not an "I QUIT" announcement. It's a plea for forgiveness and a note that I'm doing the very best I can in this new situation and that I still love you all! I hope in time I'll get used to this whack on the head and be able to do everything I used to do.

I'm sorry. And hello to those new followers I haven't had a chance to visit yet!!!


On a happier note :o) Vine Leaves Literary Journal launches tomorrow, so I'll be posting about that and doing the best I can to network the first issue! I hope you can drop by and lend a helping hand. Dawn and I are SUPER excited!

So, those of you with families and full time jobs. How do you do it? Seriously! HOW?

Wednesday, 4 January 2012

My exciting news! (and Insecure Writer's Support Group)

Any of you familiar with the Annual Steinbeck Festival? Well, this year it's in its 32nd year, and its also combined with an International Fringe Fest. This means that events are organised ALL OVER THE WORLD. This year the festival will run during May 3rd -6th.

This is last year's events map:


Because this year's festival will feature Zachary Mason’s brilliant The Lost Books of the Odyssey, they want to hold one of the events on ... you guessed it, ITHACA!

Festival Banner Medium 2011

And guess who's going to host it?

ME!

I. Am. So. Excited!



This is what it's about:

What can a voice change? A mind. A heart. The world. For thousands of years, writers, artists and musicians have been giving voice to our stories, our hopes, our dreams. Join us to celebrate the power of one voice—through story, song and image—in the work of Steinbeck and others. What can a voice change? Everything.

I'm going to have a chat with the Festival Director this afternoon to throw some ideas around. I'm hoping to make this an event Ithaca will never forget. It's not going to be anything MAJOR, as Ithaca is a small island, and tourism isn't spectacular, but I'm going to do the best I can to make it something special, whether only 3 or 300 people attend. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the island and it deserves the best.

So ... it's the first Insecure Writer's Support Group for the year. And I have a question: Can I live up to my own expectations?


Monday, 2 January 2012

I'm back! (and the Indie Book Fair)

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!! 

How was everyone's Christmas? I spent my holiday very busy doing nothing. And it was wonderful, and much needed let me tell you! But it's wonderful to be back. I missed you!

I have some very exciting news ... but, unfortunately, you're going to have to wait until Wednesday to hear it because today I have the pleasure of introducing you to a bunch of books that deserve some attention. 

A bunch of authors today are posting this remarkable list of books in view of giving the underdog more of the spotlight. So please take a gander, and show your support, either by purchasing, and/or Tweeting and Facebooking this post. The underdog always needs a little extra help, don't you think?




Did you find a new Kindle, Nook, or iPad under the Christmas tree? Browse the Indie Book Fair and find a new ebook to break in that reader!

These great new books were released Nov 2011-Feb 2012 by Indie authors, priced right so that taking a chance on a new author doesn’t have to break your wallet. (Check out Susan Kaye Quin's previous Internet Book Fair for other great Indie finds.)

[Indie = self-published or small-publisher, for the purposes of this post, because no matter how we’re published, we’re all in this together, trying to get the word out about our books]

Note: Links are given for Amazon, but most authors publish across all e-book formats. Click on the author’s name for additional purchasing options, including paper copies.

For Your Browsing Pleasure

Contemporary (Adult)

Build a Man by Talli Roland (Chick Lit) 
Slave to the rich, rude and deluded, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the day she's a high-flying tabloid reporter. Unfortunately, every pitch she sends out disappears like her clients' liposuctioned fat, never to be seen again. Then she meets Jeremy Ritchie -- the hang-dog man determined to be Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe and everything in between -- giving Serenity a story no editor could resist. With London's biggest tabloid on board and her very own column tracking Jeremy's progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be a success, even going undercover to gain intimate access to Jeremy's life. But when Jeremy's surgery goes drastically wrong and Serenity is ordered to cover all the car-crash goriness, she must decide how far she really will go for her dream job. $0.99 on Amazon

The Golden Sky by Elisa Hirsch (Memoir) 
The night I met Cade I never would’ve thought that two years later, after we were homeless street musicians in Hawaii, we would have a little girl and another baby on the way. Our son was born with the type of birth defects that make televangelists cringe. The “death home” gave him a really nice funeral, the kind I’d never wished to attend. We lost it after that, totally cemented in our grief. Cade got into drugs, joined a rock and roll band, and I kicked him out of the house. That was how I met: Earl (an old man and unlikely best friend), the “big sag” (a middle aged woman who still flashed folks), Todda (the stripper next door), and Chris (a cowboy who fell in love with me). It wasn’t until I killed a rogue skunk, and my daughter nearly choked on a fry, that I gave my husband another chance. But could our marriage recover from the death of our son?$2.99 onAmazon

Someone Else’s Fairytale by E.M. Tippetts (Contemporary Romance)
Jason Vanderholt is the hottest actor under thirty with legions of screaming fans. Chloe Winters is a college student who hasn't gotten around to watching most of his movies. When they meet by chance, he is smitten, but it just isn't her fairytale. In fact, it could be her worst nightmare as her past, attracted by the bright lights of the media, comes back to haunt her. $0.99 on Amazon


Historical Romance (Adult)

The Duke’s Divorce by Anne Gallagher Available late January 2012
A simple trip to the Scottish Highlands finds the Duke of Cantin with a bride he does not want. With her impeccable beauty and fiery disposition, Fiona takes Society by storm. As their prearranged divorce proceedings draw near, can Fiona change his mind? Check author's website.




Literary Fiction

String Bridge by Jessica Bell 
Greek cuisine, smog and domestic drudgery was not the life Australian musician, Melody, was expecting when she married a Greek music promoter and settled in Athens, Greece. Keen to play in her new shoes, though, Melody trades her guitar for a 'proper' career and her music for motherhood. That is, until she can bear it no longer and plots a return to the stage—and the person she used to be. However, the obstacles she faces along the way are nothing compared to the tragedy that awaits ...$6.99 on Amazon ALSO:  Music Sample!

Mystery

Sherwood Ltd. by Anne R. Allen
Sherwood. The name immediately conjures up images of Richard Greene, Michael Praed and Russell Crowe. Or maybe that sly fox in the Disney version. Only, in Anne R. Allen's latest rom-com mystery the fox is a coyote and there's no Robin Hood. Or is there? In her usual inimitable fashion Allen peels back the layers, one hilarious subplot after another, until you just never know what's real and what's not. Rather like the Robin Hood legend. When the Manners Doctor, Camilla Randall, flies into Robin Hood airport with a suitcase in one hand and a book contract in the other she thinks she's leaving all her problems behind and is about to start a new life. If you look very carefully you may just spot the Sheriff of Nottingham, Maid Marian and even Little John hidden away. But as for Robin Hood himself... You'll just have to read it and find out.  $2.99 on Amazon


Short Stories and Anthologies

The Initiate (Cloud Prophet Trilogy) by  Megg Jensen (YA Fantasy)
Over a thousand years ago, the gods left Eloh's people and took their magic with them. To win back their favor, her people sacrifice ten female initiates every ten years. No has ever survived. There has never been a Chosen One. Forced into becoming an initiate, Eloh will try to find a way to beat the odds, stay with her boyfriend, and survive the fires that threaten to consume her. But will her lack of faith in the gods and her disbelief in their magic doom her to a painful death? $0.99 on Amazon

Eight by Karly Kirkpatrick (YA Paranormal Short Story Collection)
Prepare to be thrilled and chilled by Kirkpatrick's eight short tales in EIGHT. These eight stories, while short, pack a big punch. There are demon spirits, zombies, and even some human baddies. Each story comes complete with author's commentary. It also includes the previously unreleased short Grenades. $0.99 on Amazon




{CoverComingSoon} In His Eyes by The Indelibles (YA Anthology) - Available February 14th
Just in time for Valentines Day, The Indelibles bring you a one-of-a-kind young adult anthology! Twenty original short stories, all from the point of view of our favorite male characters - some are old flames from our novels and some were dreamed up especially for this anthology. Let these imminently crushable, swoon-worthy guys show you what romance looks like – in his eyes. Add to Goodreads TBR

The contributors to IN HIS EYES include award winners, frequent “Top 100” placers, and hot 2011 debut authors: S.R. Wells, C.K. Bryant, Elle Strauss, Susan Kaye Quinn, Jessie Harrell, Magan Vernon, Lisa Nowak, Heather McCorkle, RaShelle Workman, Ali Cross, Karen Amanda Hooper, Cory Putman Oakes, Laura Pauling, Stacey Wallace Benefiel, Sarra Cannon, Katie Klein, Cheri Lasota


Transcendent: Tales of the Paranormal by Lani Woodland, Melonie Piper, Rita Webb, Wendy Swore, Melanie Marks, Heather McCubbin and Evan Joseph (YA Anthology)
Discover the secrets of a siren, fly with a hawk girl over the mountains of Montana, and flee supernatural party-crashers as the décor comes to life in this magical journey through paranormal stories. Along the way, watch for ghosts in a haunted house, or ride through the moonlight with a stranger. Save a comatose boy who has lost his soul, and don’t forget to bring your garlic and wolfsbane—you never know when the shadows will snag you. Transcendent includes eight stories of magic, love, death, and choice by some of the newest names in young adult fiction. $0.99 on Amazon


Young Adult

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn (Paranormal/Science Fiction) 
When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep. Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her. $2.99 on Amazon

Bound by C.K. Bryant (Paranormal Romance) 
When a photo shoot ends in tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia,has been keeping a secret. Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrust her into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. What happens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself and the shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timid mouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental and physical strength to endure and survive. $3.99 on Amazon

Become by Ali Cross (YA Urban Fantasy)
Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she Becomes the evil she despises and the good she always feared. When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her Choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is a reason to want to change—something she’s never had before—a friend. $3.99 on Amazon

Exiled by RaShelle Workman (YA SF Romance) 
Worlds divided them. Chance brought them together. Only love will save them.
An alien princess exiled to Earth. An arrogant boy. One week to get back to her planet or she'll die. And, her only chance for survival? She must help the boy find his soul mate.
Piece of cake! $0.99 on Kindle



The Secret of Spruce Knoll by Heather McCorkle (Urban Fantasy)
Following the tragic death of her parents, Eren Donovan moves to Spruce Knoll to live with an aunt she’s never met. Little does Eren know the entire town of Spruce Knoll is filled with “channelers”—a magical group of people who immigrated to the small Colorado town when they were driven out of their own lands. Channelers are tied to the fate of the world. As the world slowly dies, so do they—and they alone have the power to stop the destruction of Earth. Soon, Eren learns she not only lives among them, but she is one. When she meets local boy Aiden, his charm convinces her that being a channeler may not be all bad though.$4.99 on Amazon 

Destined by Jessie Harrell (Retelling) 
When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear. As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined. $0.99 on Amazon


Darkspell by Elizabeth Mueller (Paranormal Romance) 
Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary . . . until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold. As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magickal realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own. Will love prove thicker than magick? $3.99 on Amazon



Untraceable by S. R. Johannes (Thriller) 
Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival. When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him. One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father. Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves. $2.99 on Amazon


Rival Demons (Book 5 of the Peachville High Demons Series) by Sarra Cannon (Paranormal Romance) Available January 20th
After narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Order of Shadows, Harper finds herself thrust into the strange and beautiful world of the shadow demons. But crossing through the portal doesn't mean she is safe. The Order of Shadows is determined to bring her home and transfer the Prima line to the Harris family. They send their most vicious hunters after Harper. Hunters who will not stop until they have found their prey. Determined to keep her safe, Jackson takes her deep into an underground world filled with dangers of its own. Here, Harper will begin a journey that will teach her more about herself and her own path than she ever imagined possible. Add to Goodreads TBR

The Legend of Victor Standish: Under a Voodoo Moon by Roland D. Yeomans (Urban Fantasy/Romance) 
Can love kill? Yes ... if you love a ghoul who hungers for your flesh only slightly less than she does your heart. Yet to the lonely street orphan Victor Standish, who has risked his life for a meal, to find love (even for one magical French Quarter night) is worth dying in the morning. $2.99 on Amazon All profits go to the Salvation Army.



Getting Sideways (Book 2 in the Full Throttle Series) by Lisa Nowak (Contemporary) 
Getting shipped off to live with his uncle Race was the best thing that ever happened to fifteen-year-old Cody. Then a wreck at the speedway nearly ruined everything. Cody’s making every effort to get his life back on track—writing for the school paper, searching for the perfect girlfriend, and counting the days until he gets his drivers’ license—but there’s no escaping the nightmares that haunt him. A chance to build his own car seems like the perfect distraction. Until Cody realizes he’ll have to live up to Race’s legendary status. But that’s the least of his worries, considering he doesn’t have his dad’s permission. All he has to do is the impossible: keep Race from discovering his lie until he can convince his dad that racing’s safe. Yeah, sure. That’ll be easy.$3.99 on Amazon

Tangled Tides by Karen Hooper (Sea Monster Memoirs) 
Yara Jones doesn’t believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one. When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious. Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process—or she might open the gateway to a love that’s deeper than the oceans. $4.99 on Amazon

Here by Denise Grover Swank (SF Romance)
Sixteen year old Julia Phillips buries herself in guilt after killing her best friend Monica in a car accident. Julia awoke in the hospital with a broken leg, a new talent for drawing and false memories of the accident, in which she dies and Monica lives. The doctors attribute this to her head injury, but no one can explain how a bracelet engraved with her name ended up at the scene of the accident. A bracelet no one has ever seen before. Classmate Evan Whittaker paid Julia no attention before the accident, let alone after. Now suddenly he’s volunteering to tutor her and offering to drive her home. She can't ignore that his new obsession started after his two-day disappearance last week and that he wears a pendant she’s been drawing for months. When the police show up one night looking for Evan, he begs Julia to run with him, convincing her that Monica is still alive. Julia agrees to go, never guessing where he’s really from.  $2.99 on Amazon

The Veil by  Cory Putman Oakes (Paranormal Romance)
Seventeen-year-old Addison Russell is in for a shock when she discovers that she can see the invisible world of the Annorasi. Suddenly, nothing is as it appears to be—the house she lives in, the woman who raised her, even the most beautiful boy in town all turn out to be more than what they seem. And when this strange new world forces Addy to answer for a crime that was committed long ago, by parents she has never known, she has no choice but to trust Luc, the mysterious Annorasi who has been sent to protect her. Or so he says . . . $7.99 on Amazon

Embrace by Cherie Colyer (Paranormal Romance)
Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve. Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he’s a guy harboring a secret, but she’s willing to risk the unknown to be with him. Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren’t there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can’t find the answers, Madison seeks her own. Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover. $6.99 on Amazon

Onyx Talisman by Brenda Pandos (Paranormal Romance)
Unrest stirs deep in Scotts Valley. Filled with uncertainty, Julia anxiously awaits Nicholas’ return. Phil, holds the pieces of Julia’s fragile psyche together, secretly hoping Nicholas stays away forever. But Alora secretly conspires to reclaim her talisman and strip Julia of everything she holds dear. Little do they know, a war is coming and more than one vampire would like to see the Prince of Vampires overthrown. Can Julia bargain with fate? Find out how it all ends in this explosive grand finale of The Talisman Trilogy. $3.99 on Amazon

How to Date an Alien by Magan Vernon (Science Fiction) 
High school senior Alex Bianchi's estranged father gets her an internship at Circe Operations Center to pad her college applications. But Circe isn't your typical military base. It's an alien-run operation center and not all of the aliens are friendly, especially the one that tries to kill Alex on her first day. When Ace, a dark-eyed Caltian, enters and saves the day, she can't help but be drawn to him. Can these star-crossed lovers survive when they're on the brink of intergalactic war? $2.99 on Amazon


Fireseed One by  Catherine Stine (Science Fiction/Thriller) 
Fireseed One is a journey into a tricked-out near-future earth where 18 year-old Varik has inherited a vast ocean farm, following the suspicious drowning of his Marine biologist father. When Marisa, a beautiful and devious terrorist, destroys the world's food source, Varik is forced to travel to a lethal hotzone, teeming with dangerous nomads and a strange cult to search for a magical hybrid plant that may not even exist. The catch? He must take Marisa along, the only person who seems to know way, way too much key information.  $2.99 on Amazon



The Missing by M.A. Leslie (Paranormal)
Eight-year-old, Ethan Doyle is just a normal kid whose biggest problem in life was to fight for the attention of his busy parents from his older twin siblings. But, after his aunt and uncle tragically die, his family takes in his teenage cousin, Kelsey, and moves to a spooky old, manor house in a new town. At first, everything seems fine, but when he begins to see and speak to a spirit named Lucas, his biggest problem becomes, just staying alive. Lucas was ten years old when the spirits of the house came to him and asked him for help setting their spirits free. Unfortunately, he never made the deadline and as a result the spirits took him and made him a part of the house as well. As he soon finds out, the only way he can save his own soul is to save the souls of the missing boys in the house. With his own deadline in place, Ethan enlists the help of his cousin Kelsey to solve the twenty-year-old mystery of THE MISSING. $0.99 on Amazon


Princess Kandake by Stephanie Jefferson (Fantasy) Available February 1, 2012
In Nubia a woman can be whatever she chooses. At 14, Kandake knows exactly what she chooses...Prime Warrior of Nubia. But her grandmother has said that she will follow her father on the throne. Refusing to abandon her warrior dreams she continues to train. When her brother is kidnapped, Kandake learns she must be both queen and warrior to win his release! See Author's Website 



Middle Grade

Blink of a Dragon by Eisley Jacobs (Fantasy)
Discovering she’s connected to dragons is one thing, but when another dragon is caught hanging out in the fifth grade, Meia thinks things couldn’t get any worse. Is she ever wrong! Trouble is brewing in the cosmos and Deglan believes this new dragon holds the answers, but his hopes are crushed when the leader of the exiled dark dragons ambushes them. The fate of the dragons and possibly the whole world falls to Deglan and Meia as they search for the only creature powerful


enough to send the dark dragons back into the abyss. What they encounter along the way makes the adventure worth fighting for. $6.99 Paperback preorder