I recently learned of a great injustice: When a Kindle Unlimited subscriber borrows and reads a book and then reviews it on Amazon, that review is not a “verified purchase” review. It is lumped with the other “unverified” reviews. Now, before anyone jumps in to correct me, I admit that “borrowing” is not the same as “purchasing.” But you have purchased a membership from Amazon, and they know exactly how many pages of that book you read, because they pay the author according to how many pages you read. If they want to quibble, they could call it a “verified read” or “KU read” or something like that. Stand up and be counted If you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, it’s because you are a serious reader. Your opinion of a book is worth hearing! You’re paying for that subscription, and you deserve to have your reviews seen and respected. I encourage you to write to Amazon. Emails and phone calls are helpful, but a real letter is most influential. Do all three, if you like. Let Amazon know that you want your reviews to be given a mark of authority, like that of the “verified purchaser”. As I suggested Read More
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Happy Valentine’s Day to Me – Baggage Claim is Here!
My wonderful, supportive husband brought me TWO dozen roses today: one for Valentine’s Day and one to congratulate me on the release of Baggage Claim. Isn’t he amazing? I sure do love him. In addition to working hard so I can stay home and write, he’s been so patient as I worked on preparing Baggage Claim for publication! Baggage Claim It’s a little like having a baby, but instead of nine months, Baggage Claim took me nearly nine years to produce. I started it in 2009 for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), All of my sons had finally graduated from high school, and after all those years of homeschooling, I had some free time to do “me” things! Then I got a real job and didn’t have time for writing anymore. I looked at it every so often, made a few edits, changed a few plot points… and then put it away again. After a few years, I forced myself to finish it, and then I set it aside again. I started an outline for a sequel. (Oh – I was also working on a few other books, all of which followed that pattern. I have a very short attention Read More
Valentine’s Day Snow Angels Giveaway!
February 14th is the Big Day! In honor of the long-awaited release of Baggage Claim, the first novel in my Great Lakes series, I’m giving away three paperback copies of the Snow Angels, the companion novella. The winners will be selected on Valentine’s Day, when Baggage Claim is released. The Great Lakes Collection Baggage Claim is set shortly before Snow Angels and takes place in the suburbs of Chicago and in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It’s a romantic suspense novel – suitable for Valentine’s Day! – but it’s funny, too, with the antics of the hero’s four young children. I think you’ll enjoy it. The next book, Real Religion, will return to Hope House and the Unity Plenkiss Community Center, which you may have visited in Snow Angels. You will find familiar faces there, including Pete and Lisa. More suspense, more romance, more comedy… I’m still mulling over ideas for the last book in the series, tentatively titled Higher Ground. Tally, from Snow Angels, might be a good heroine for that book, or maybe someone new. I also like romances with older people (not OLD – I mean people in their mid-30’s to late 40’s). And I would Read More
ACFW Christian Fiction New Releases February 2017
February 2017 New Releases More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Biblical: Redeeming Grace by Jill Eileen Smith — When famine visits Bethlehem, Boaz holds out hope for rain while his relative Elimelech moves his wife Naomi and their sons to Moab. For a while, it appears the Lord is blessing Elimelech’s family, and his sons marry two lovely Moabite women. But calamities strike, one after another, leaving Naomi alone in a foreign land with only her childless daughters-in-law for comfort. When news reaches Naomi that the famine in Bethlehem has lifted, only Ruth will hazard the journey to her mother-in-law’s homeland. Destitute and downhearted, Naomi resigns herself to a life of bitter poverty, but Ruth holds out hope for a better future. And Boaz may be the one God has chosen to provide it. (Biblical from Revell – A Division of Baker Publishing Group) Biblical Romance: Building Benjamin by Barbara M. Britton — Naomi desires to dance well enough to catch the eye of a wealthy landowner. Her father needs a substantial bride price due to the deaths of her brothers at the hands of the tribe of Benjamin. Read More
ACFW New Christian Fiction December 2016
December 2016 New Christian Fiction Book Releases More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Contemporary Romance: Bella Natale! by Marianne Evans — An aspiring American artist and the widowed, Italian owner of a premier art gallery meet and fall in love in Florence when he champions her work, but there are her American family’s expectations and his five-year-old son to consider. (Contemporary Romance from White Rose Publishing [Pelican]) With this Kiss by Marianne Evans — A kiss stolen in a midnight snow. A jealous colleague at Jonathan’s firm is bent on revenge…revenge that puts Isabella’s store into legal peril. Will love be enough to see them through? (Contemporary Romance from White Rose Publishing [Pelican]) Mistletoe Daddy by Deb Kastner — Bubbly Vivian Grainger bids on gruff Nick McKenna at Serendipity Texas’s annual Bachelors and Baskets for one reason–to help her build her hair salon; but once Nick finds out she’s pregnant, he does his best to build a path to Vivian’s heart. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin]) A Hero for Heather by Marion Ueckermann — When a “homeless” man she’s been helping rescues social worker Heather Blume from a vicious attack, Read More
Snow Angels and Christmas Stalkings Christmas Stocking MASH-UP
Last month, I was blessed with a visit from one of my favorite people – Chautona Havig! We have been friends for a long time, and this year, we were part of the Christmas Lights team of authors. We had a terrific time together and came up with lots of good ideas for the future. One of the fun things we did was make a Christmas stocking to give away – a Snow Angels and Christmas Stalkings Mash-up stocking! Here’s the story from Chautona’s point of view. Opinions expressed may not reflect those of the management… It began innocently enough–just two friends shopping in Michael’s. We did the usual… you know, finding cool things, spending WAY too much money, laughing! Talking! But… but then this happened: And today’s the day! Yep! It’s time! After terrorizing Michael’s with our incessant videos, we bought the stocking and filled that sucker! I’m a sucker for stockings, so that really does fit. Just sayin’. What’s in this knitted sock of surprises? Well, if I tell you, it won’t be a surprise! Oh, all right. Here goes! First a couple of pictures…. A bag of “Life Is Too Short for Bad Coffee” brand coffee! Beeswax Read More