Can I Buy You a Book? With Guest Blogger Gary Maccagnone

Today the Book Boost takes you out for a night on the town with author Gary Maccagnone.

He's sharing his unique marketing plan with us. Then stay tuned to read about his new book My Dog Tim and Other Stories.

Here's what he had to say...


Just an idea to help market authors’ books.

How many sports bars do you believe exist in America? How many exist in all of North America?

Recently, I marketed my books on a large advertising screen in a trendy and well-frequented sports bar in my neck of the woods. Since the screen was underused, for a nominal fee, I created a couple banner ads that looped every three minutes in front of the patrons. The advertising did well for me. This year, three months before the Christmas season, I plan on running the identical campaign.

After moderate success, my thought is this: Why can’t one of the bigger publicity firms, those who have the staff and contacts, organize a similar type of marketing to sell books all across the country? When you go into a Damon’s or Buffalo Wild Wings or Champs, you’ve all noticed the multiple screens hanging near the televisions. For the most part, the screens are used to market the products of the establishment. There’s plenty of time on those screens to market other products.

In my mind, the firms could offer different packages for authors to have their work displayed locally, regionally, or nationally. What better way to get your name and your book covers in front of millions of people? Since it has worked locally for me, it seems like the idea should be given a chance on a larger scale. Of course, I’m a mere suggestion maker who doesn’t have the venture capital, or wherewithal, to make a project of this magnitude get off the ground. I’ll leave my idea for the big boys and girls to fight over.

Of course, I also realize, that what I’m suggesting may be the dumbest idea ever voiced in a public forum in the history of the world.

A Note from the Book Boost: On the contrary, I think your idea is fabulous! We are all always looking for new ways to get the word out about our books. I took a marketing class recently and it was all about finding your "niche" market. I think you've done it, here Gary! Won't you tell us more about your latest book?

Blurb:

My Dog Tim and Other Stories is an anthology of Garasamo Maccagnone’s finest works. The anchor of this collection is “St. John of the Midfield”. With newly added scenes, “St. John of the Midfield” is an almost mystical story of Bobo Stoikov, one of the world’s greatest soccer players, who escapes death in communist Bulgaria to find the American Dream. Due to severe injury during Bobo’s escape, he is unable to play once he arrives in America. Though he finds peace and happiness in simply coaching soccer to youth travel teams, his eccentric ways of teaching and his success lead to a hate-filled rivalry, and eventually, his death.

Other stories in the anthology include: “My Dog Tim”, an ode to the author’s beloved childhood pet; “White Fang”, a tale of revenge that has more do with orthodontia than Jack London’s infamous dog story; “The Note Giver”, the story of a mysterious old man who arrives at St. Isidore’s and turns the congregation upside down by handing out notes that sting the individuals with truth and insight on their own bad ways; “White Chocolate”, “Goalie Boy”, and three vignettes.

Excerpt:

Sometimes life isn’t fair. At seventeen, I was strong and confident. With Tim it was just the opposite. After seventeen years, two strokes, and a huge gain in weight, he lost the ability to properly move his hind legs. At that time in his life, he usually stayed to himself in the laundry room.

On the day of Mark’s graduation, Tim stiffly dragged his enormous body to the back door. He put his nose in the corner of the door and pushed out so my brother Glenn opened it. The two of us lifted his back end up so we could get him down to the grass from the porch. Perhaps it was the excitement of the party that brought Tim to the backyard. Perhaps Tim remembered all the voices in the crowd, the friends, the neighborhood boys and girls, my aunts and uncles and cousins who had pet him a million times.

The party stopped. Without anything being spoken, our friends, family, and relatives all gathered around Tim, as if he were about to perform a new trick. Tim looked at them all, his mouth open, his tongue hanging out, saliva thicker than jelly oozing from the curve of his mouth.

My brother Glenn got an idea. He ran into the house and came out with a rolled-up newspaper. When Tim saw it, he lifted his head in approval, then tried to inch forward but stumbled.

“Steady old man,” Pops spoke. My brother Mark and I grabbed him, put our arms around his over sized body, lifted him up and got him balanced again. Glenn then put the paper in Tim’s mouth.

What a magical moment. It was like the old Tim was back. His body looked like it was on steroids and he couldn’t move anything but his neck and head more than and inch or two. But you could tell by the look in his eyes that his mind was flying around the backyard again, zipping in and out of tacklers, shattering record speeds, twisting and turning away from his many attackers.

On impulse, Glenn feigned like he was tackling Tim by jumping over him. Mark did the same while I slid under him. It was bad acting, worse than the Three Stooges, but the crowd approved and gave the three of us a standing ovation.

That’s when Tim dropped the newspaper. Tim struggled but got his legs beneath him so he could sit. He stared at the crowd that was still clapping, looking at all of them like he was being inducted into the Hall of Fame.


Garasamo Maccagnone studied creative writing and literature under noted American writers Sam Astrachan and Stuart Dybek at Wayne State University and Western Michigan University. A college baseball player as well, Maccagnone met his wife Vicki as a junior at WMU. The following year, after injuring his throwing arm, Maccagnone left school and his baseball ambitions to marry Vicki. After a two year stint at both W.B. Doner and BBDO advertising agencies, Maccagnone left the industry to apply his knowledge of marketing in a new venture in an up-and-coming industry. Maccagnone created a company called, “Crate and Fly,” and turned it from a store front in 1984 to a world-wide multi-million dollar shipping corporation by 1994.

In the mid 90’s Maccagnone decided to fulfill the promise of his writing career, by first penning the children’s book, The Suburban Dragon and then following up with a collection of short stories and poetry entitled, The Affliction of Dreams. His literary novel, St. John of the Midfield was published in 2007, followed by his For the Love of St. Nick, which was released in 2008. Maccagnone expanded the original version of For the Love of St. Nick and had the book illustrated for a new release in June 2009. My Dog Tim and Other Stories is a literary anthology of the author’s best work.

Garasamo “Gary” Maccagnone lives today in Shelby Township, Michigan, with his wife Vicki and three children. At this time, he is researching the location for his second novel, tentatively titled, He Lay Low.

Want More Gary?

You can visit Gary online: www.garasamomaccagnone.com
Pick up your copy today! Click here!

The Thinking Game with Guest Blogger: David Charles

Today the Book Boost welcomes author David Charles who is here to make us THINK and to discuss his book, of course!

Here's what he had to say...

Green Books

Recently I read an article concerning the Book Industry Environmental Council’s aggressive goals to reduce the U.S. book industry’s greenhouse gas emissions 20% by 2020 (from a 2006 baseline), and to achieve an 80% reduction by 2050.

What came to mind was the notion that if each industry within itself were to establish similar environmental goals, the end results would be staggering. It seems to me that the approach to environmentally healthy living “Green Living” should be comprehensive and integrated. Every part of the equation needs to be considered and acted upon. From recycling, to energy efficiency, to greenhouse emissions reduction, to sustainable resources, to environmentally friendly agriculture, to conservation of our natural resources and green building construction, every piece of the puzzle is important.

Many industries have made great strides in these areas and constant awareness of our personal responsibilities toward these issues is continuing to move the process forward. It is good to know that the Book Industry is taking a leadership role regarding the greenhouse emission issue and, it should be noted as well that by introducing the “Book On Demand” feature in the online book industry, has also taken a leadership role in the conservation of our natural resources.

The simple premise of not printing a book until point of sale significantly reduces material waste by lowering the number of copies sitting in stock to zero. No chance of a publisher over ordering in anticipation of sales, with the possibility of unused stock. I am proud to say that my own book Think For Yourself – The Importance of Maintaining Individuality and Freedom of Thought is published by Createspace and is produced as a “Print On Demand” book. It is very gratifying to me as an author to have my book participate in the industry wide process of environmental responsibility.

A Note From The Book Boost: Thanks, David. I like to think I do my part by publishing and purchasing many e-books each year! Won't you please give us a few more details about your thought provoking book?


Blurb:

We live in a unique time in this world, a time when the information age has brought the world much closer together. With this sharing of information and resources comes great opportunity, but there are some drawbacks as well. Global standardization has in many ways, contributed to the homogenization of numerous aspects of life. Individuality has been lost in many cases and its continued decline comes at a heavy price for some. People's willingness to follow the crowd and fall in line behind "the next greatest thing" or "popular thought trend" has fostered this decline in individuality and free thinking. Mankind needs to embrace our individuality and our individual differences, as well as the similarities that come to light during the sharing of information in these modern "Global times". This book attempts to shed some light on the subject and encourages all to "Think for Yourself" in your daily navigation in today's Global society.


Excerpt (edited for length):

In no way does this book advocate ignoring sound medical advice, or taking medication when needed. However, be careful and stay involved in the process. Get all of the answers up front, so you can look before you leap.

My personal experience tells me that there appears to be inconsistencies in how some medications are prescribed. I had a root canal once and the specialist prescribed penicillin for a week in advance of the procedure. I had another unrelated minor procedure, outpatient surgery, and no prescriptions were given.

Thinking for yourself is essential in these kinds of instances. I personally do not wish to put any foreign substance into my body, or my own child’s unless there is absolutely no alternative.

If you are not sure about prescriptions, and their uses and effects, and this may sound cliché, “ask your pharmacist”. There have been more than one or two instances where I have personally witnessed the pharmacist call the doctor for clarification, and “Presto”, different prescription.

Elective procedures seem to run the gamut as well as the remedy train. Procedures for the eyes, body sculpting and weight loss procedures, cosmetic enhancements, to name a few. And we cannot forget toxic injections to remove wrinkles from my forehead. That’s a good one.

One last item worth discussion; recently I saw a news report about a woman who had dementia like symptoms and was diagnosed with two separate neurological disorders. She had been to six different doctors, over a six-year period and was on the decline in motor skills and cognitive abilities.

She finally found a new doctor, number seven, who re-evaluated her and gave a different diagnosis. The condition that she actually had was called Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus. Because the symptoms of NPH are similar to those of other disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, the disorder is often misdiagnosed and many cases go unrecognized and are never properly treated. In this woman’s case, this condition was actually treatable by means of surgical placement of a shunt in the brain to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid into the abdomen where it can be absorbed. The procedure took about one hour and now she is doing fine. She was walking well, and was lucid enough to be interviewed by the news media.

The lesson here is perseverance. This woman was not satisfied with six different doctors’ similar opinions and diagnoses.

Something told her they were wrong. And they “were” wrong. The quality of her life, if not her life itself, was at stake. She thought for herself, even though she was impaired, and took appropriate action. She was heard and got results.

It is your right and your responsibility to question. This is especially true when it comes to diagnoses and prescriptions. It is wise to get all of the information that you can before proceeding.

As in the case mentioned above, if you are not satisfied with the opinions that you are getting, then get another opinion. It might just make the difference.

Think for yourself. Self-preservation is your sovereign right.

About The Author:

David Charles is the author of Think For Yourself – The Importance of Maintaining Individuality and Freedom of Thought. David has been a professional construction manager involved with public school construction management and has been active in the construction industry for over 30 years. His writings include Web-based reporting, project progress documentation, and classic business correspondence on all aspects of the public school construction process.

Want more David?

View more about his book here: www.dcbookstfy.tumblr.com
Pick up your copy of his book here! Buy Now!

Editor for a Day with Guest Blogger: Heather Kuehl

The Book Boost welcomes author Heather Kuehl to discuss all things editworthy!

Stay tuned to read all about her book Promises to Keep!


Here's what she had to say...



There is nothing I hate more than editing. Out of everything a writer does, editing is by far the most time consuming pain I’ve had to deal with. Now, I’m not saying that my first draft is perfect. It’s not. My first drafts are usually littered with misspellings and minor plot holes that need to be filled. However when I’m finished writing that first draft, I feel like I’m finished. The journey is over, the bad guy is dead, and every one is living happily ever after. My brain wants to move on to the next project, not tweak the current one.

After whining and complaining for years about this, I discovered a way to get around my almost-violent hatred for editing. I move on to my next project and let the manuscript sit for a month or so. When I’m either finished the new project, or have a case of writer’s block, I will take out that sitting manuscript and edit it. By then the characters and plot are not so fresh in my mind and my brain doesn’t yell at me that we’ve already killed the bad guy, why must we do this again! It’s still hard to sit down and do, but it helps.

My editing process consists of three steps:

1) The first step is doing a quick read through. Catch those spelling errors and plot holes, but use sticky notes to make a quick note about the hole so I can come back to it later. Then I get onto the computer (I always edit a hard copy) and make the changes. When I come to the plot hole I see what my note said. Does this hole affect the rest of the story, and fixing it will mean fixing the entire document to match?

2) Enter step two. Again, I print up a hard copy of the story so my eyes don’t melt out of my skull from staring at the computer screen, and I start making notes about what to change where. Sometimes I use different colors of ink if there are multiple plot problems, but usually I just stick with red. It’s easier to find and see when you get back on the computer later to fix the document.

3) Finally, the final read through. Catch those problems you missed earlier. But in most cases, even with the three steps you haven’t caught everything. I know that by the third step I just about have the entire manuscript memorized and can easily miss even the most obvious thing. Get a friend or a family member to read over your manuscript. I get my mom to read over mine and she always catches things that I have missed.

It’s still a pain to edit, but I don’t hate it as much as I used to. Letting the manuscript sit and then doing my three-step-editing works really well for me. What works well for you?

A Note from the Book Boost: Oooh, I have this problem when it gets down to your chance for the final read through before going to print. I just know I'm going to miss something that I'll regret or obsess about later BUT I find it so hard to read the darned thing AGAIN! I can relate. Thanks for joining us. Won't you please share more about you and your book?


Heather Kuehl was born near the Great Lakes, but made her way to South Carolina where she lives to this day. While working at her local library, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree and worked on her writing. She is the author of Promises to Keep and Fade to Black (#1 Bestseller in fantasy eBooks on Fictionwise.com) as well as numerous short stories and poems.



Blurb:

Starlette is on a mission, and nothing will get in her way. Starlette DeFore knows that her father is alive, even though her family buried him ten years ago. When a faerie confirms this she travels to Charleston, South Carolina to hunt down Sivad Night, the only person to have ever escaped from the hands of a powerful sorceress, the Dark Lady Dreashae. With help from a witch, Starlette travels into Verella, a fantasy realm filled with centaurs, dragons and magic. She is very close to finding her father, but first must defeat Dreashae. Will Starlette, a mere mortal, have the strength needed to finish her quest and save her father?


Excerpt:

I looked up to the sky, at the rainbow-colored dragons trying to kill one another.

“Wow, talk about your bad divorce,” I said to no one in particular.

“This isn’t funny, Star.”

“I don’t think it is.” A green dragon was scorched, wings ruined. It fell down, spiraling until it hit the ground with a sickening crunch. “We have to do something.” I said my thoughts aloud. I knew the dragons were not our friends. They wouldn’t help us in our time of need. But there was no reason we couldn’t help them.

“Sivad, get on Zarzia. We have to get to the highest point on this island.”

“Starlette, that would be suicide!”

“I don’t care. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if they died and I didn’t try to help.”

Sivad looked up once again, his jaw clenching when another dragon fell from the sky. His eyes met mine as he nodded curtly. We mounted Zarzia, her wings lifting us up into the air. It was no surprise to me that the highest point was the top of Lady Cleoante’s throne room. I reached into my bag of hairpins and pulled them out. A large red dragon flew past us, whipping my hair about my face.

“Which one is Kalin?” I shouted above the din of the battle. Sivad pointed at the large red dragon that had just flown over us.

So that was Kalin. He spiraled around and flew toward us again. As he passed, I threw one of the hairpins. I hadn’t had much practice with throwing a knife. My hit rate was only one out of ten. It never hurt to try, though. The hairpin flew up with deadly accuracy, finding its home in the red dragon’s eye. He screamed, flapping around and pin-wheeling through the sky. I knew it wasn’t a mortal wound as the dragon regained his balance, turned around and headed straight toward us. Zarzia landed and I ran to the gap that led into Lady Cleoante’s throne room. I was just praying that the drop wasn’t too far. I jumped, my heart going up in my throat as I fell through the hole and onto the large stone slab that was Lady Cleoante’s throne. My legs went numb and I collapsed, gasping for breath. I needed to move. I heard a dragon scream, a sound that would forever haunt me in my nightmares.

I rolled off the slab onto the stone floor. My legs still didn’t want to cooperate and I had to force myself to crawl toward the exit. I needed to get out of here before Kalin came after me. The earth started to tremble again and I wondered if the island would survive this battle. I heard the echoing of footsteps walking toward me.

“Sivad!” I cried out. I wondered how he had gotten down here so quickly.

A man with thick black hair stood in front of me. He would have had iridescent red and brown eyes, except one of them was nothing but a bloody mass. I tried to stand to run, but nothing happened. I must have jarred my legs pretty good. Kalin didn’t miss a step as he walked over and kicked me, sending me flying into the wall behind Lady Cleoante’s throne. My head hit the wall, causing spots to burst across my vision. I lay on the floor, trying to reorient myself, but Kalin grabbed a handful of my hair and dragged me to my feet. His face was only inches from mine. I shifted around and found my feet were now agreeing to work. I lashed out, kicking him in the knee as hard as I could. He fell to the ground, releasing my hair as he went. I turned and ran, trying to get some distance between the angry dragon-man and me. I reached in my bag, pulling out another hairpin but cried out in pain as I was once again grabbed by the hair and forced back.

Kalin, with his hands on my shoulders, roughly turned me around to face him. Without thinking, I struck, imbedding the hairpin in his chest. It went in all the way to the decorative jewel. Kalin howled in pain, shoving me back so he could rip out the hairpin. His hand swung out, backhanding me across the face and causing me to land in a heap on the floor, once again seeing stars. I reached out, trying to crawl away. Kalin shimmered and transformed back into his red dragon form. I screamed as he opened his fang-filled jaws with a roar and struck out at me.

Want More Heather?

Visit Heather's website here: www.heatherkuehl.com
Follow her on Twitter here.
Pick up your copy of Promises to Keep here.

Watch the trailer here!

Burning the Genre Bridge with Guest Blogger: Nicole Hadaway

Chat with paranormal author Nicole Hadaway and WIN a free book & a Vampire Bite necklace!

Today, I'm ready to have a burning discussion with my friend Nicole Hadaway about her vampire book entitled "Release" and learn what she has to say about burning bridges between genres...


Does Crossing Genres Burn Bridges???


Or, maybe not so much burn bridges, but it’s just that the bridges to publication haven’t quite been built when you’re crossing genres. At least that was my experience when I attempted the query process back in March 2009 for my first novel, Release.

And I really need to confess here – I didn’t really wake up one morning and say, “I want to be a writer!" I didn’t spend oodles of time studying the craft, the industry, the market, and figuring things out from there. Oops!!! No, I just wanted to write a book, to finally tell a story about the character who had been in my head for so long, so I wrote one. After all, that’s what Stephenie Meyer and Tasha Alexander said they did – they wrote a book they wanted to read, and sent off query letters, and got big NYC literary agents, etc.

So, you just write a book that you would want to read and it’s all easy peasy from there, right? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Okay, I know for some people that this has worked (and it has for those lucky people!!!). The problem I had with Release was that, it was historical fiction – it takes place during World War II and uses actual events, people, and places, though most of the characters are fictitious. So I should try literary/historical fiction agents, right?

Well, the main characters in Release are a vampire, a demon, and a werewolf. Yeah, most people reading about Borgia brides and wives of Henry VIII usually don’t get into the supernatural. So what then – urban fantasy? But it’s historical…there is a romance in it, but that’s not the main theme – if there is a theme, it’s contrasting between the “real” monsters (i.e. Nazis) versus the ones we make up in our head (e.g. vampires, etc.).

So, what’s a girl to do? Try smaller publishing houses, like the brand new e-publisher Vamplit Publishing. They LOVED my book, and we’re even collaborating on a new genre – literary paranormal. We think it covers novels that are a bit more, well, literary in nature – deeper themes, symbolism, and a plot that doesn’t follow a set formula – but with werewolves, witches, and demons – oh my!!

I’m very happy I found my publisher, because honestly, I didn’t want to write any other kinds of books. The sequel for Release, entitled Return, deals with themes such as family – the kind we’re born into versus the one we make for ourselves along the way – and it’s so nice to explore those thoughts in what I think of as a fun manner – with vampires and demons. Even they have family, after all!

I’ve seen lots of advice regarding writing around the web, but the best advice out there is the one that says to write from your heart and write what you love – that’s the one I follow most often and crossing that bridge may not be very easy, but I love doing it!

A Note from the Book Boost: I truly believe that being a writer is not something you choose to do but something that chooses YOU. I'm so glad you're one of the chosen, my friend. Please tell us more about yourself and your fangtabulous book!

Author Bio:
Nicole Hadaway is currently loving life in Texas while juggling the demands of wife, mother, writer all while trying to stay in shape! Her first novel, Release, which features vampires in a World War II setting was published in September 2009, and she's currently finishing up the sequel, Return, which finds her vampire protagonist, Miranda, in New York City during the fall of 2001. For a free read, try Nicole's short story, New Orleans, 1842 available on Smashwords.



Blurb:

Forever.

That’s the response Ben Gongliewski receives, when he asks Miranda Dandridge how long she’s been a vampire. He doesn’t expect the word forever in her reply, but then again, Ben never imagined meeting vampires, let alone demons and werewolves, during his time as a Resistance worker in World War II Poland.

Far from being horrified, Ben discovers that Miranda and her friends have very useful … talents … especially when it comes to saving children from concentration camps. After all, in these desperate times, while the line between good and evil is clear, the one between heroes and monsters is very, very blurred.

The last thing Miranda wants at this point in her immortal life is a human lover, but as she and Ben perform rescue after daring rescue, she can’t help but be drawn to his passion to save his fellow Jews.

As the War draws to a close and Miranda must chose her love for Ben or her duty to her race, Ben is blindsided by a betrayal that no one sees coming. This leads to a danger in which all hell is about to break loose … literally…

Excerpt:

Anne stood atop the step-stool in the small Dijonnaise bookshop, putting the last book back in its place. The owner was very happy to be open again, now that France was liberated. She surveyed the small shop, and then looked at her watch. Still so much to do, she thought, looking at the boxes and packing materials that littered the floor. She looked out the window, dismayed that, although it was the beginning of March and the days were now growing longer, the daylight had gone. Although lately she’d found the darkness of the night enjoyable as well.

We could be done in no time if I had some help, Anne thought, glancing darkly at her co-worker, Brigitte, who was busy looking out the window at the Allied soldiers passing by. As the shop-keeper’s daughter, Brigitte could get away with doing very little work and much flirting with the soldiers. She harbored hopes of landing an American husband, one who would take her back to the States with him when he left. If Papa only knew, he wouldn’t like that one bit…, thought Anne, who knew how the shopkeeper doted on his only child.

Anne looked at her watch again, which showed it was two minutes later than the last time she’d looked. She deliberated for a few minutes, then decided that there could be no harm in indulging herself in Brigitte’s hobby. She’d been a diligent worker, after all, and she’d put in more than a full day at work. Perhaps her recent dreams had given her a little more confidence and daring. So Anne walked over to the window where Brigitte stood.

Brigitte gave a small start when Anne appeared next to her, and Anne surmised that she wasn’t used to having company in her ogling, although from the way Brigitte moved over slightly to give Anne room, and leaned her head towards Anne in a conspiratorial manner, it seemed Brigitte was glad to have a compatriot. Brigitte said, “Look at that group over there.”

There were two soldiers who were interrogating two other men, one of whom had shockingly light blond hair. Anne was surprised at how pale it was, and she decided in her mind that Brigitte could have him. Anne herself preferred dark-haired men, so she moved her eyes from the light-haired one to the other. She couldn’t see him clearly as his back was to her, but it looked like he had thick, curly, brown hair. She was intrigued by him as he seemed so familiar. Feeling guilty and wondering if she should make her way back to the till, Anne started to turn her head but stopped, when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the brown-haired one reach out and pat one of the soldiers on the shoulder. It was him – him – the man from her dreams. Anne would know those blue-gray eyes anywhere, so clearly visible under the street lamp. She should have known that it had been his curly brown hair she was looking at, since she’d run her fingers through it enough times.

The man had first appeared at her window about a week and a half ago. At least, that’s what she thought, but her memories were so foggy sometimes. It had seemed so fantastical at first, a grown man, so very attractive as he, balancing precariously on the ledge of her second-story bedroom window. Anne thought that it had to have been a dream, and so she’d convinced herself that the big black bird, tapping at the glass, that changed into a man when she’d opened the window to shoo it away was all just a dream. Birds turning into men were the kind of thing that happened only in dreams or fairy tales, and Anne knew her life was no fairy tale.

The dreams had surely brought excitement to her otherwise dull existence. The first night had certainly been exciting, with The Stranger crouching out on the window ledge, his hand on the window pane. One look into his intense eyes, and her initial fear of a strange man, a possible assailant, had melted away. She found herself opening the window, staring into his eyes the whole time, strange tingling sensations over her body telling her she was safe. Then he asked, “May I come inside?” in a voice like melted chocolate. Awed by his appearance, she’d only been able to nod in response. The whole thing had seemed so real at the time, but the next morning when she awoke, she knew that it had been just a dream.

Anne had told herself that her imagination must have been working overtime after listening to Brigitte boast of her latest tryst with a soldier. Whereas Brigitte made it a prerogative to have men in her life, Anne had to live vicariously through her. Anne’s parents were very watchful of their daughter’s virtue, saving her for any future husbands that came calling. None had, and Anne had begun to wonder if one didn’t need to entice men a little with something. After all, Brigitte had had several offers of marriage, and her virtue was hardly intact.

Then, it had happened again. After a second night of a wild, erotic, impossible visit by The Stranger, Anne had grown worried. Was there some demon at work? Was she being tempted against her faith? Her parents were concerned as well about her sleep, noting that she was so pale and drawn. They had suggested she sleep in with them, but Anne had quickly reassured them she was fine, she only needed to eat more at dinnertime.

Despite her worries, Anne wished the dreams wouldn’t end, as they filled her with such warmth, such pleasure, and confidence. Certainly, dreams such as those couldn’t be bad. Besides, she wasn’t actually sinning during the dreams, for The Stranger never entered her, for he was content to lie next to her, kissing her lips, her neck, her thighs, all with such tender, warm lips. He never asked anything for himself, not at all like Brigitte’s men demanded of her.

The dream always ended the same way, where The Stranger would kiss her thighs, at first very soft, then more fiercely, concentrating in one spot. Anne thought she could feel some kind of piercing sensation, as though he’d pricked her skin with a needle, but the pain only lasted a second before Anne would then feel a tingling, a burning that spread throughout her entire body, which would grow hotter, and hotter, until she didn’t think she’d be able to stand it, and then – she would wake up, to an empty room, with daylight streaming through, signaling the end of her dream and the start of reality.

Only now, Anne was starting to doubt that they were dreams, for there he was, The Stranger, across the street, standing under the lamplight. She was starting to feel nervous, uncertain of what she should do, when Brigitte exclaimed “He’s looking at you!” in a surprised voice.

Anne forced herself to look across the street again. She tried telling herself that the man across the street was certainly not The Stranger from her dreams, and it was just her mind playing tricks on her. She turned her head and forced her eyes to look at him, gasping slightly as his eyes met hers. It was no trick; he was really there.

“Do you know him?” Brigitte said, her curiosity unable to keep the jealousy out of her voice. “He’s smiling at you.”

Indeed, the man was flashing her the same smile she’d seen those past few nights, the smile that melted away any fear, nervousness, or doubt she might have. For it wasn’t only his mouth that smiled, but his eyes as well. Her mother had always told her that was the mark of a good person – one who smiled with their whole face, not just their mouth.

She found herself smiling back, unable to tear her eyes away from the man as he spoke to his companion, the one with the light-blond hair, and then gestured for the two of them to cross the street. They’re coming here! Anne thought, with a mixture of panic and pleasure. She would show Brigitte how good a man a lady could land, for Anne could tell that Brigitte had wanted the stranger for herself, and who wouldn’t – with those light blue eyes, high, chiseled cheekbones, and a charming smile on full lips – he really resembled a statue of some Greek god she’d seen in the museum. He was all hers, she was becoming more sure of that with each confident step he took towards the bookshop, all the while looking at her like she was the woman of his dreams.

“Oh look, do you think Monsieur Lagraize knows them?” Brigitte asked, breaking Anne’s excitement. She was so busy looking at The Stranger that she’d failed to notice Mr. Lagraize walking pointedly, almost running across the street towards the two men. He spoke a few words to the blond companion, who then pulled at the Stranger’s sleeve. The Stranger unwillingly turned his gaze away from Anne to Mr. Lagraize, listening to what Mr. Lagraize had to say. Anne watched in dismay as her Stranger and his blond companion followed Mr. Lagraize, away from her, without even a backwards glance in her direction.

“That was weird,” Brigitte said, not bothering to hide her glee that Anne had been denied. Anne didn’t bother to answer her – she was already behind the till, bending down to retrieve her purse, trying to keep from sobbing. Her only solace was that if she rushed home, and went to bed early, leaving the window open, she might see The Stranger in her dreams that night.

Want more Nicole?

Pick up a copy of Release today! Click here!
Visit her blog here: http://nicole-hadaway.blogspot.com/
Or her group blog here: http://writeintheshadows.com/

Contest Time:
Nicole is giving away 2 awesome prizes today! A free download of her book Release and a Smitten 2B Bitten vampire bite necklace!

All you have to do to be eligible to win is answer this question....What genre do YOU like to read MOST?

Winner posted here at the blog next week in the Recent Winners box on the right side of the blog. Check back to see who won!

All Things Celtic with Guest Blogger: Cornelia Amiri

Today the Book Boost is proud to present our Featured Author Cornelia Amiri with her brand new release Druid Bride!

Stay tuned to win a Celtic round, leather medallion of a Crescent moon etched with Celtic knots!

Here's a note from Cornelia followed by an interview...

Dear Readers,

Today is the release date for my ninth Celtic/Romance, Druid Bride. I love history and have an unquenchable passion for all things Celtic. I believe it began when I saw the Disney movie The Sword and the Stone at age five.

Druid Bride is set in 1st century Scotland. This is the period in history when the Boudica revolt failed in England and the Pictish tribes of northern Scotland took up the battle against the Romans. It’s a mystical, romantic tale, full of adventure that will sweep you away to another place and time. It is the story of my fictional characters, the Pictish warrior, Brude and the devoted Druidess, Tanwen. Brude’s shoulder length hair is thick from lime wash and spiked like a hedgehog’s, with strands ranging from dark brown to a golden hue. Danger shines in his alluring grin and the gleam of his brown eyes. He is tall, young, muscular, well built and his body is covered with blue, Pictish woad tattoos of Celtic beast and curving symbols. Tanwen has long, straight, copper toned red hair and large green eyes, she wears the white gold speckled robe of a druidess. They are physically attracted to each other and they respect each other. But they do not trust each other.

TBB: Brude sounds fabulous! Can you share the Blurb with us?

CA: Here's the blurb:

She carried the seed of rebirth, so what had fallen would rise again. The ghost of her ancestor sent Druidess Tanwen from Britannia to the strange foreign tribe of the Caledonii to wed Brude, son of the chief. But Brude is not about to marry a druidess, even though she has the most beautiful body he’s ever seen. Never mind if his blood boils and he can’t stop thinking of her. He will not wed her. Yet the fate of Caledonia rests in the hands of the Warrior and the Druidess. Will they put their differences aside to fulfill their destiny?

TBB: When and why did you begin writing?

CA: The Celtic Warrior Queen Boudica made me start writing. I love history and in reading a book about the dark ages I came across Boudica. I was so impressed by her, I started jotting down notes, but they were fiction, about how I envisioned it to have happened. Before I knew it, I had written a rough draft for a novel. My novel Druid Quest takes place against the back drop of Boudica but she is mentioned in my new release Druid Bride as well. The heroine, Tanwen, who is a druidess, is Boudica’s granddaughter and it is her ancestor, Boudica, who sends her to Caledonia (Scotland) and that is how the story of Druid Bride begins.

TBB: What are your current projects?


CA: I recently submitted an Erotica/Celtic/Romance novella set in ancient England during Samhain. It’s a Celtic twist to a Halloween/Werewolf story. The heroine is a druidess and the hero is a Welsh god. And I also recently submitted an Erotica/Romance set during the 1969 Woodstock Festival. I had such fun writing that. I hope to hear good news on those. And I’m working on my second Steampunk/Romance, set in Victorian London, the heroine’s a ghost, and my 10th Celtic/Romance, a paranormal set in ancient Wales, the hero is a Welsh god. Both of those are works in progress right now.

TBB: Do you have any advice for other writers?


CA: Never stop writing, put your inner-editor aside and finish the rough draft. Find your unique author voice and go with it, always. Never give up, following a dream is always hard work, but it's the only way to truly live.

TBB: What authors have inspired your writing and in what way?


CA: Morgan Llewellyn and Marion Zimmer Bradley are my strongest inspiration. Marion Zimmer Bradley wrote fantasies, Morgan Llewellyn writes historicals, and I write romances, but like them, I use historical knowledge and realistic fantasy that pulls from the druid belief system, and I have researched the ancient Celts for more than 15 years.

TBB: How can our readers find you on the internet?


CA: My website is http://www.CelticRomanceQueen.com or follow me on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/CelticRomanzqEn

TBB: How about a teaser excerpt from Druid Bride?

CA:

Tanwen walked through the wheat field. Half willow tree, half fey was the only description that fit. Tall but lithe, her red hair waving in the wind, streaming down her slender body. Her skin was still pale blue from the woad, giving her the appearance of an enchantress, summoned from the other world to bless the crops. Everyone gazed at her as she walked forward and halted at a stalk. She plucked an ear of wheat and rolled the grain between her finger and thumb as Lossio had done. “It is plump and yielding.” She stared at Brude with an intense gaze that set his insides on fire. “Yes, it is time.”

A cheer went up from everyone, but Brude was captured by her gaze and couldn't’t look away. He didn’t want to. He wanted to step forward, scoop her up into his arms, and carry her off to his bed. By the gods, the druidess had enchanted him.

He did not say a word to Tanwen, nor she to him, but she turned her head and flipped her red hair across her back as she walked off.

Pick up your copy today! Click here!

Contest time:

Cornelia is giving away a Celtic round, leather medallion of a Crescent moon etched with Celtic knots and it hands on a braided leather cord. It’s very unique. The winner will be drawn from the comments. Winner's name posted here on the blog in the Recent Winners box on the right hand side of the blog! Check back to see who won!

My Fave Kind of Serial With Guest Blogger: Suzanne Johnson

The Book Boost is proud to guest host author Suzanne Johnson! She has two amazing new books on the horizon and I cannot wait to read them! Read more about them below as well as your chance to win YOUR choice of 2 great prizes!

Suzanne is here to discuss my fave kind of cereal...er...I mean serial! I love series novels and here's what she had to say...

Serial Killers: Weaving the Threads of a Series

Let’s face it, a novel is a complex life form, whether it’s set in the “real” world, a fantasy world or in my case, as an author of urban fantasy/paranormal romance, a blend of the two. Once you get that first book under your belt, doing a sequel or creating a series should be a piece of cake, right? Your characters are already created, some of their relationships are established, your world is already built. Easy peasy.

Yeah, right.

When I sat down to plot River Road, the second book in my series set in post-Katrina New Orleans, I spent days looking at my characters and wondering where to start. I had eight characters, four of whom I’d consider major players, coming over from the first book in ongoing subplots.

I can’t say which eight, or I’d have to kill you. And, blatant plug time: the first in the series, Royal Street, will be coming soon from Tor Books!

I also had eight fairly significant new characters and a half-dozen bit players forming new subplots or contributing to existing ones. And, in addition to the ongoing subplots, of course, there was a major plot to carry the book.

Oh, and did I mention that of these twenty or so old and new characters, only three are human and the rest represent nine other preternatural species, each with its own quirks and appearances and culture? Most of that backstory doesn’t get into the actual book, but I have to know it in order to characterize them well.

Oy.

My hobby is making paper-pieced quilts or it used to be before I started writing novels and no longer had time for hobbies and the pattern of an intricate quilt formed from thousands of tiny snippets of fabric can be amazing. Just as amazing is how the entire pattern can be thrown off by one piece that is left out or gets put in the wrong spot or goes in upside down.

Writing a series, I’ve learned, is a lot like making a quilt. There are tons of loose ends to tie up, hundreds of details to follow for consistency, plots and subplots and sons of subplots that must be dealt with in a manner that, somehow, in the end, all feels organic and natural and simple to the reader.

Yeah, right.

If you’re a pantser and not a plotter, by the way, this is the part where your eyes will start to bug out and glaze over, and you’ll find yourself nose-down in the keyboard.

In a nutshell, I take each character and write his or her story arc for the entire book in sentences, color-code the arcs by character, then disassemble the sentences arranged by character and rearrange them in the order I want them to appear in the book. I can look at the color distribution and see where a character disappears for too long and needs to make an appearance, or where another character might be hogging all the story time. In the end, ta-da: series outline.

Okay, you pantsers can wake up now. Have a nice nap?

As I complete the process for the third book in the series and begin contemplating even a fourth (because I’m optimistic like that), I realize how important this organizational process is even though it seems to fly in the face of “creativity.” Sometimes, in order to free ourselves to be creative, we have to tie up all our loose threads. The other option is to become Charlaine Harris or Laurell K Hamilton and get big enough to hire someone who keeps up with dangling threads for you.

Yeah, right.

A Note From the Book Boost: I never knew you were so organized, Suzanne! And color coded too? Geez. I'm one of those pantser types and proud of it. Of course, my eyes do glaze over from time to time. So, color me...impressed! Okay then...tell us all more about your first book (soon to be released from Tor books)!

Blurb:

People in New Orleans say Hurricane Katrina changed everything, but they don’t know the half of it.

Just ask wizard DJ Jaco, who finds her post-Katrina Big Easy not only beset by wind and water, but a horde of invaders storming the breaches between modern New Orleans and the supernatural world Beyond.

DJ’s boss is missing, the wizards’ Elders have assigned a grenade-totin’ assassin as her new partner, a vengeance-minded undead pirate Jean Lafitte wants her to walk his plank, and one very human bar owner with killer dimples keeps distracting her.

What’s a wizard to do?


Excerpt:

[Friday, August 26, 2005, as a tiny tropical storm named Katrina is churning in the Gulf of Mexico…]

A secluded Louisiana bayou. A sexy pirate. Seduction and deceit. My Friday afternoon had all the makings of a great romantic adventure, at least in theory.

In practice, angry mosquitoes were using me for target practice, humidity had ruined any prayer of a good hair day, and the pirate in question--the infamous Jean Lafitte--was two-hundred years old, armed, and carrying a six-pack of Paradise condoms in assorted fruit flavors.

I wasn’t sure what unnerved me more—the fact that the historical undead had discovered erotic accessories, or that Lafitte felt the need to practice safe sex.

Nothing about the pirate looked safe. Tall and broad-shouldered, he had dark blue eyes and a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth as he watched me set two glasses and a bottle of dark rum on a rickety wooden table. A tanned, muscular chest peeked from his open-collared shirt, and shaggy dark hair framed a clean-shaven face. A jagged scar across his jaw reminded me the so-called gentleman pirate also had his ruthless side.

He’d arrived by way of a stolen boat at this isolated cabin near Delacroix, a half-hour outside New Orleans, to pursue two of the world’s most timeless pleasures: sex and money. I’d met him here to play the role of a gullible young wizard falling under the spell of the legendary pirate, at least for a while. Then I’d do my duty as deputy sentinel and send his swashbuckling hide back to the Beyond, where he could rub shoulders with other undead legends and preternatural creatures unfit for polite human company.

My hand shook as I poured, sloshing a few drops of amber liquid over the side of the glass. I’d finally been given a serious assignment, and I needed it to go without a hitch.

Lafitte’s fingers brushed mine as he took the glass. “Merci, Mademoiselle Jaco—or may I call you Drusilla?”

Actually, I’d prefer he didn’t call me, period. Despite his obvious hopes for the evening, this wasn’t a date. “Most people call me DJ.”

“Bah,” he said, taking a sip of rum. “Those are alphabet letters, not a name.”

From beneath the red sash that accented his narrow waist, Lafitte pulled a modern semiautomatic handgun and set it on the table next to the rum bottle. I knew how he’d gotten it—he’d rolled the Tulane student that summoned him, taken the kid’s wallet and iPod, rode the streetcar to Canal Street, and made a trade for the gun. Enterprising guy, Lafitte.

I’d like to say if he touched me again, I’d demand a raise from the wizards’ Congress of Elders, or at least a hazard bonus. Double if it involved lips. But who was I kidding? My boss Gerry only sent me on this run because he had something else to do and knew Lafitte might respond to my questionable seduction skills.

It must have worked, because the pirate was giving me that head-to-toe appraisal guys do on instinct, like they’re assessing a juicy slab of beef and deciding whether they want it rare, medium, or well-done.

“You really are lovely, Drusilla.” The timbre of Lafitte’s voice sent vibrations down my spine as I fought the urge to touch him. Holy crap. I wasn’t supposed to be absorbing his lust. Empaths shouldn’t soak up feelings from the undead, should they?

Want more Suzanne?

Visit her website here:
http://www.suzanne-johnson.com

Or her daily blog, Preternatura, here:
http://suzanne-johnson.blogspot.com

Contest Time:

Suzanne is offering one lucky commenter YOUR choice of the following:

A new copy of what she called “the best book on what New Orleanians experienced during and immediately after Hurricane Katrina” journalist Chris Rose’s One Dead In Attic. The book, named after a message spray-painted on the side of a flooded house by a first responder, contains a collection of columns Rose wrote for the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Suzanne, a resident of New Orleans during and after Katrina, says, “Chris’ columns chronicled the tragedy and horror and absurdity and heartbreak we all went through as the city struggled back to its feet. If there’s one must-read book about New Orleans and Katrina and what it was like to live through it, this is the one.”

OR...A one chapter critique of your manuscript or work in progress!

Winner will be announced next week here at the blog in the Recent Winners box on the right hand side of the blog. Check back to see if you've won!

Are E-Books here to Stay? With Guest Blogger: Tory Richards

This morning we are joined by author Tory Richards who joins us to discuss the world of e-publishing! Stay tuned for a chance to win one of her books!


Why e-publishing?

You graduated from high school ten years ago, and you’ve finally written the end to the manuscript that you’ve been plugging away on ever since. You sit back and wonder, now what? Let me tell you, there are no easy answers. But you sure have options!

I think every author begins with the dream that they’ll make it big with some NY house, and envisions their name on the best sellers list. You can start out with one of them, send in the required query and synopsis, and then sit back and wait. And wait…and wait some more. Then hopefully when you hear back from that NY house they request the full manuscript. You send it in with high hopes, and a child-like enthusiasm that fizzles quickly as each month goes by after that, and you hear nothing.

Then you either receive a phone call that they want your book, or you get a letter declining it, but wishing you much success in your writing endeavors. Let me tell you from experience, you can wait a good year or more from the time you submit a query to the time you get a response they either want it or not. And because most NY houses don’t want you submitting to anyone else until they’ve made up their mind about your book, it sits there collecting dust. There was actually one big publishing house that I never heard back from!

So why e-publishing? There are many reasons why I like e-publishing. I have to be honest. The first time I submitted to an e-pub I didn’t expect much. But within four months I heard from the publisher and was offered a contract. My release date was a year away, but during that long year the book cover was designed, and my editor revised and polished my manuscript until it was as good as it could be. That first book was on the publisher’s best seller’s website for two consecutive months!

I’m not saying all e-pubs work the same way. One publisher I signed with put three of my books out within four months of each other. But I soon learned I’d rather have quality over quantity any day. E-pubs all have their good and bad issues, but get with a publisher who has a good reputation. Look for one with longevity. Ask questions, and the best part? Everything is done online! You’ll save on ink, paper and trips to the post office.:)

To date I have several books out with e-publishers. Did I tell you that your books are offered a lot longer with e-pubs? Readers will be thrilled when they discover new authors, and then find their older releases are so easily available.

My latest release is a Quickie with Ellora’s Cave, Talk Dirty to Me. It’s a short hot read that won’t disappoint.

A Note from the Book Boost: Well said, Tory! I'm with 4 e-book publishers AND 1 of those NY publishers and I can tell you that I've had wonderful experiences with both. I truly believe that my e-book publishing experience is what ultimately led me to success in NY. So, I highly recommend them. I agree with your advice--do your research up front. All publishers are NOT created equally. Thanks, Tory! Will you tell us more about your naughty quickie?

Blurb:

Lilly has been in love with her brother's best friend Blake for years. She lost her virginity to the oil driller on her eighteenth birthday, only to wake the next morning to find him gone. After he pulled that stunt twice more, she swore never to see or talk to him again. But now he's back for her brother's wedding, and he's as sexy as she remembers.

Blake thinks Lilly's even sexier than ever. Unable to resist one another, they don't make it out of the airport parking lot before taking up where they left off. As the two rediscover their passion for each other, nothing and nowhere is off limits!

Excerpt:

Lilly drove her little car around the airport at least twice before finding her way to Southwest arrivals. Parking wasn't allowed so she could only hope Blake was waiting for her somewhere outside. She drove slow, searching through the crowd on the sidewalk for him. Desire churned in her stomach.

And then she saw him.

Her body reacted instantly, thinking about him was one thing but seeing him in the flesh was even more powerful. Awareness exploded through her body, as she remembered all the times and places they'd had hot, naughty sex. How Blake had taken her to paradise a thousand times.

Her panties became soaked as she clenched her legs together hoping to ease the need that was becoming unbearable. A pleasant prickling in her full breasts caused her to raise her arm and brush it over them to try to ease some of the ache.

Blake hadn't changed at all. He was still the sexiest man on earth. As she sat there staring at him she felt her breathing become erratic and her heart rate pick up speed.

Blake was six feet tall, and lean. Yet his black polo shirt revealed he wasn't lacking on muscle power. The gray slacks he was wearing gave evidence to the strength in his thighs and stretched across the prominent outline of his cock. He looked dangerous. He was dangerous, only in a way that had always drawn her in. His dark hair was shorter than he used to wear it, military cut.

Lilly couldn't see his eyes for the dark sunglasses covering them, for which she was thankful.

Blake had the kind of eyes that could look right through someone, into their very soul.

He's just a man, he's just a man, Lilly repeated to herself. Flesh and blood and as mortal as she was. He had emotions, he could be hurt. He had needs. Her cheeks grew hot when she thought of their last night together, and how they'd made love like two wild animals trying to consume one another. Then he'd left the next morning for an assignment on an oil rig in the North Sea.

And she'd tried to convince herself that she hated him ever since.

Now she knew how futile that had been.

Want More Tory?

Visit the author's website here: www.toryrichards.com

Pick up your copy of Talk Dirty to Me, click here!

Contest Time:

Just for fun! The first person who guesses the correct answer will receive a download of your choice of one of Tory's books! The winner will be announced here in at the Book Boost in the Recent Winners box (on the right hand side of the blog). Winner announced next week!

Which one is not true?

I’ll be 55 this year
I was on a plane on 9-11
I was a twin
My soul mate is 30 years older than me
I have three cats
I know how to fly a plane
I have one daughter
I once raced a car 110 miles