Robin DeJarnett

March 7, 2011 · 12:03 PM

Read an Ebook Week

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Whether you have an ereader filled to the brim or are a staunch ink and paper fan, Read an Ebook Week is a milestone not to be missed.

According to readanebookweek.com, ebooks have been around for 40 years! From simple text files read on a green screen to fancy new multimedia books including video and sound, ebooks have come a long way.

I’ve often said that I believe paper and ink books will be around a very, very long time, but that doesn’t mean that ebooks don’t deserve a look. So if you haven’t tried one yet, how about dipping your toe in the epool this week?

No, you don’t have to spend hundreds and learn yet another new device’s tricks. You can read an ebook right on your laptop using something as simple as Adobe reader. The books themselves vary in price from FREE up to who knows. Many classics fall into the free category, and even more are $5 or less (including a romantic suspense named Whirlwind I’m pretty proud of!).

You can download software for free to read the more exotic formats – nook, kindle, and others all have free applications for laptops, smart phones, and just about anything with a screen.

So if you haven’t tried an ebook, why not give it a try?

[BTW: I find it exceptionally ironic that the day before Read an Ebook Week was National Day of Unplugging. hee hee hee!]

Image by ydhsu via Flickr

WIN WHIRLWIND

Only one more week left to enter to win one of two paperback copies over on Goodreads. Two more copies coming soon on Library Thing.

Meet an Author Monday

Whether your a reader or a writer, there’s a lot of great information and fun on the Hop. Check it out!

Click here for the Author hop

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Filed under giveaway, Reading

Tagged as E-book, giveaway, goodreads, Raffle, Read an E-book Week, romance novel

February 28, 2011 · 8:07 PM

March Madness

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Can you believe it’s March already? Okay, not till tomorrow, but wow, has the year been flying by! I keep waiting for things to calm down around me, but they never seem to. Which brings me to today’s title.

March Madness for me has nothing to do with basketball, but everything to do with writing. The last year was devoted to publishing and marketing, and writing took a back seat. NO MORE! My madness revolves around my goal of getting the first draft of my next book completed, and thanks to my dear critique partner, I’m being held accountable to that deadline.

So if you don’t see me around as much, don’t despair – it means good things are happening!

Win a Copy of Whirlwind in March

Are you as tired of winter as I am? How about a little spice and romance to welcome spring? I’m giving away FOUR copies of Whirlwind in March on Goodreads and LibraryThing (yup, I’m on LibraryThing now!). Sign up now and you could get your copy of Whirlwind for FREE!

First up: Goodreads. Two copies are up for grabs during the first half of March. Winners will be selected on March 14th. You must be a Goodreads member (FREE) to enter.

Meet an Author Monday

Whether your a reader or a writer, there’s a lot of great information and fun on the Hop. Check it out!

Click here for the Author hop

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Filed under giveaway, Writing Craft

Tagged as giveaway, romance, romantic suspense, writing

February 21, 2011 · 9:12 AM

Happy Presidents’ Day!

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It’s Presidents’ Day here in the US, and for many, it’s a holiday that includes snow, skiing, and driving. There are a few US flags flying though, so I thought I’d dig up a few fun facts about the Presidents we honor today.

While Presidents’ Day honors all Presidents, it was selected because it falls near both George Washington’s (our first President) and Abraham Lincoln’s (our sixteenth President) birthdays. These two men are more than historical figures, they are part of the American lexicon. Their faces are on our money: Washington on the $1 and the quarter, Lincoln on the $5 and the penny; so we see them every day. But that’s only the beginning…

How many towns or cities are named Lincoln? 42, plus 25 close matches like Lincoln Park, MI (chacha.com)

How many cities are named Washington? As of the 2000 census, over 40 have Washington in the name (chacha.com). There’s 21 named Mount Vernon, including Washington’s home. (www.kgbanswers.com)

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What about counties? 31 for Washington and 27 for Lincoln. Jefferson, Jackson, and Madison also have over 20 counties named for them. (wikipedia.org)

Washington also has a state named after him, as well as the District of Columbia.

I won’t even attempt to count the number of streets named after these men – the number must be in the thousands.

Other presidents also adorn our money…Grant is on the $50, Jackson on the $20, and Jefferson on the $2. Jefferson is also on the nickel, Eisenhower on the dime, Kennedy on the half dollar. And all the Presidents will be on the dollar coin eventually – the US Mint is producing coins with each President’s image in order of their service at a rate of 4 coins a year, I believe.

What other Presidents touch your lives? I used to live near a street named Van Buren in Phoenix, Arizona, and believe it or not, Lincoln was my cousin…many many times removed!

Happy President’s Day!

Meet an Author Monday

Whether your a reader or a writer, there’s a lot of great information and fun on the Hop. Check it out!

Click here for the Author hop

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Filed under Holidays

Tagged as Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, history, holiday, President of the United States, presidents, presidents day, skiiing, Washington's Birthday

February 14, 2011 · 8:59 AM

Public or Private Displays of Affection?

Tree decorated for Valentine's Day in San Dieg...

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

The day of love and romance means different things to different people. To some it’s all flourish with big bouquets and huge heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. To others, it’s a special note or hidden lingerie waiting to be revealed in private. Which leads me to today’s question:

What’s more romantic, public or private displays of affection?

Nothing is more public than the surprise proposal during a big game or on a game show…or in the middle of a dinner party, but is that romantic. I know I’m not the only one who cringes when I see one of those proposals – first I feel for the woman …talk about pressure! (I’ll use the traditional couple for discussion sake – you know any combination of ask-er and ask-ee is possible.) But then I wonder if the guy knows whether she’ll say yes or not…getting denied on national television would be the ultimate rejection. The end is almost always happy, but talk about stress!

On the other hand, a public proposal means the guy is putting all his cards on the table. He’s saying “Look, I love this woman, and I want the whole world to know it.” He’s now accountable to EVERYONE, promising us as much as his wife that he’s hers. Now that’s commitment.

The quiet, private proposal doesn’t have that kind of pressure attached to it…or does it? The surreptitious sliding of a velvet box across the table in a noisy restaurant or the spontaneous dropping to one knee has it’s own risks. The “you’re joking, right?” answer has a better chance of making an appearance…but so does the “Oh yes!” followed by more demonstrative affirmation. Is that more romantic?

So what do you think? Is footsie under the table more romantic than a make-out session on the subway? A song dedication on the radio or a special CD slipped into your bag? “Marry me” shouted in front of the cameras or whispered in a darkened room?

In any case, I wish you love and romance today!

Share the Love Giveaways

Once Upon a Twilight is hosting a blog hop that includes a TON of prizes, all relating to books and love. There’s over twenty prizes being offered on their site alone, including an autographed copy of Whirlwind. The giveaway runs through the 16th, so check it out! I’m also one of the many guest blogger at http://www.onceuponatwilight.com during the hop, so there’s lots of love to go around.

LAST DAY TO ENTER

Meet an Author Monday

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Filed under giveaway, Holidays

Tagged as book giveaway, contest, Holidays, Relationships, Robin DeJarnett, romance, romance novel, romantic suspense, Valentine's Day

February 12, 2011 · 3:53 PM

Time’s Running Out

GUYS: VALENTINE’S DAY IS MONDAY. Shop now or you’ll be stuck in line at the market on Monday with a tired clump of $50 roses and a lame card. (Okay,you too, Girls!)

GIRLS: VALENTINE’S DAY IS MONDAY…the last day of the Lookin’ for Love Web Hunt! (Yes, guys can enter too! :-))

Whether you’re planning a romantic dinner or a quiet night at home, who wouldn’t like to win a whole library of sexy ebooks? Click on the banner to go to the entry form and the list of authors who have conversations hearts hidden somewhere on their websites. Fill in the saying on each one, and you’re entered! There’s a ton of other prizes too, so if you love to read romance, take a look around and find those hearts!

Latest Winner of Whirlwind: Megan Q

Congrats to Megan Q, the winner of an autographed copy of Whirlwind for her comments over on Coffee Time Romance last Monday. Your book is on its way!

Did you miss that opportunity? Check out Once Upon A Twilight on Monday for another chance. An autographed copy of Whirlwind is just one of the great prizes during the Books With Love Hop, February 14-16. Watch for my guest post, coming soon.