Tag Archives: romance novel

November 3, 2011 · 9:15 AM

NaNoWriMo What?

You might have seen people (authors) talking about the magical mystical thing called NaNoWriMo recently and wondered what the heck it is. No it’s not text speak for something illegal or immoral, it’s short hand for NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth. Every November a call is put out to writers everywhere to stop, drop and write. Many of us are talk about that book idea that’s a guaranteed best seller, but until it’s on “paper” it’s just a pipe dream. The point of NaNoWriMo is to wake us up and get us to write the darn book!

To help motivate us and keep us accountable, the Office of Letters and Light has set up a website, nanowrimo.org. It’s a place to connect with other writers and track your writing progress. No, you don’t actually publish your writing – this is an honor system setup – but you do post how many words you’ve written.

Oh, did I mention, the goal of NaNoWriMo is to write 50,000 words in 30 days? That’s half a novel like Whirlwind.

Now that I have Book 2’s first draft just about finished, I’ll be working on getting Book 3 in the Whirlwind Series kick-started during NaNoWriMo. So if you don’t hear from me, I’ll be busy writing as fast as I can.

Are you a writer? Join me in this writing-fest – I’m blondieakarobin on the nanowrimo website. If you’re a reader, be sure and cheer on your favorite authors as they write their minds out. If you want to know how I’m doing, click on the link. I can use all the love and whipping–er–support I can get!

Reading by the (Kindle) Fire

What would be better on a cold winter night than a hot, new Kindle Fire filled with great reads? You can win just that, in time for Christmas* by entering the Reading Next to the Kindle Fire giveaway.

Entering is easy. Click on the image to find the entry form and the list of participating authors. 20+ books are also included in the prize, so check out the authors on the list.

And be sure and follow this and other participants’ blogs to get the latest info on the giveaways, the books, and more fun stuff. You can subscribe to this blog by entering your email in the box on the right.

Good Luck!

*Christmas delivery for US winners only. See the Rules below the entry form for more information.

Author! Author! Blog Bounce

Click here to check out the Blog Bounce

It’s Thursday, and that mean’s it’s time to bounce!

What’s the Author! Author! Blog Bounce?? Well, it’s a fun way for readers to find new authors and for authors to connect with their readers!

All you have to do is click on the picture!

Boo! Time for Trick or Treat

Halloween is right around the corner, and that means it’s time for the Romance Girls Gone Goblin Halloween hop and giveaway. Starting TOMORROW and lasting through Halloween (10/28-10/31), you can enter to win an e-copy of Whirlwind by commenting on the post of the day on my blog. I’ve got lots of fun Halloween goodies planned, so you don’t want to miss out! And I’m just one stop on the hop. There’s lots of prizes to win!

Friday (10/28): A Halloween dessert idea sure to please ghosts and goblins of all ages
Saturday (10/29): Trick or Treat traditions. Do you go out or stay in?
Sunday (10/30): Costume Competition. Who’s the best dressed?
Monday (10/31): Treats for readers. What’s your favorite Halloween story? Also, an outtake from Halloweens past with Jason and Melissa and an update on Books 2 & 3.

Come join the fun and the discussion. Every valid comment is an entry into the drawing to be held 11/1 for an e-copy of Whirlwind. Open internationally (spammers can stay home, though).

And be sure and check out the other authors on the hop. There’s lots of e-trick or treating to do!

Author! Author! Blog Bounce

Click here to check out the Blog Bounce

It’s Thursday, and that mean’s it’s time to bounce!

What’s the Author! Author! Blog Bounce?? Well, it’s a fun way for readers to find new authors and for authors to connect with their readers!

All you have to do is click on the picture!

Time is Running Out

Can you believe it’s September already? School’s started, the trees are starting to turn, and the days are getting shorter. Fall is right around the corner.

And that means that time is running out on the Summer Lovin’ Anthologies. Benefiting Save the Ta-tas (and who doesn’t love Ta-tas?), the Anthologies will only be available until September 30th, so whether you like sweet (Summer Breeze) or spicy (Heat Wave), get yours before time runs out. Available in print and electronically.

My contribution, Concessions, can be found in the Heat Wave edition. It is dedicated to my cousin, Susanna, and her fight against breast cancer. Here’s her story (originally posted on Lisa Sanchez, Romance Author; reposted with permission):

Help Stop a Killer

No, this isn’t America’s Most Wanted – this culprit isn’t a mysterious stranger. This killer is much worse, and goes by the name Cancer. And it has to be stopped.

This summer, I’ve joined Lisa in contributing to Omnific Publishing’s Summer Lovin’ Anthologies. The publisher and all the authors are donating the proceeds from these books to Save the Ta-tas, a charity raising money to fight cancer, but you can find out more about that below. What I’d like to do today is dedicate my contribution, a short story called Concessions, to my cousin, Susanna, a Cancer survivor.

She Saw It Coming

Cancer is no stranger, attacking both women and men I know and love in its many forms, but Susanna knew early on Cancer was tracking her. It’d already targeted her family. Cancer, specifically Breast Cancer, came after her aunt, who fought the disease and won. Cancer didn’t stop there, silently stalking Susanna’s mom. In 2004, Susanna’s mom lost her fight, and Cancer stole from us a woman with a heart of gold, whose life work was helping children as a school psychologist.

Knowing she was next on Cancer’s list, Susanna got regular checkups. She and her husband share a full and healthy life, but Cancer found her in her early thirties, a year after she gave birth to a beautiful baby. It was in the prime of life, as Susanna breastfed her baby, that the disease reared its head again.

A Happy Ending, With Your Help

Susanna battled Cancer, sacrificing her hair, her energy, and her body, but she won. Today, she’s cancer free, and following in her mother’s footsteps as a school psychologist. But she needs our help.

You see, Susanna has a daughter. She’s three.

We need to stop Cancer now, before it takes another mother or attacks another daughter or aunt or sister. Whether you decide to purchase one or both of the Anthologies, or would rather give directly to a specific organization, please take a minute and open your wallet. With your help, we can put Cancer away for good.

Thank you to Susanna and her husband for allowing me to tell a little of their story, and to Omnific Publishing for sponsoring this fundraiser. Be sure to check out the Concessions fan page HERE.

Author! Author! Blog Bounce

Click here to check out the Blog Bounce

What’s the Author! Author! Blog Bounce?? Well, it’s a fun way for readers to find new authors and for authors to connect with their readers!

Authors, all you have to do is grab the icon, grab the link, make a blog post (don’t forget to include the link!), and enter your blog on our list. Easy peasy!

Readers…you have the easy job. Just follow the bounce and visit the authors. Leave a comment and let them know that you were there.

4 Comments

Filed under Publishing

Tagged as blog hop, breast cancer, fundraiser, romance novel, save the ta-tas

July 18, 2011 · 6:55 PM

On Deck for the Cure

You may have heard I’ve recently returned from an Alaskan Cruise. We saw whales, glaciers, and lots of trees, and ate…a LOT! There were all kinds of activities on the ship and excursions on land for our whole family. One activity surprised me, though. On Deck for the Cure.

A 5k at Sea

Princess Cruises, along with their partner lines, has joined forces with the Susan G. Komen Foundation to raise funds to fight breast cancer. Every sailing, on every ship, a 5k walk is held. A donation is required to participate, and everyone gets a cool ball cap to wear:

Now, you might be asking, “5k on a boat?” It’s not hard, at least when the ship is this big:

8 times around the ship was all it took. And having porpoises and whales cheering us on was way cool!

Want another fun way to help find a cure? Check out the Summer Lovin’ Anthologies available from Omnific Publishing. Thirteen authors, two volumes, one awesome cause. Proceeds go to Save the Ta-tas. Click the banner to find out more:

American Independence Day

Image via Wikipedia

Happy 4th of July! Today is the day Americans celebrate their independence. Why the 4th? It’s the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress, cutting ties with the British and King George III. Maybe you recognize these words?

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

– The Declaration of Independence

This document branded all who signed it as traitors, but led to the creation of the United States of America (almost 12 years later). I have to ask myself if I was in that situation, if I’d be willing to sign such a document. Below this section is a long list of grievances against the King, something that is designed to draw a reaction – and not a positive one. Could I sign something so inflammatory that would surely bring war and suffering to my friends and family? I don’t know.

I know I do thank all those who did have the strength to sign this document. And while it led to the freedom and independence I enjoy today, I wish everyone peace and joy today. To life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness!

Meet an Author Monday

The blog hop has moved to Lisa Sanchez’s fabulous author page. Check out what other authors are chatting about today. Whether you’re a reader or a writer, there’s a lot of great stories out there!