New Reviews Are Here!

I've been working hard to promote Time for Tenderness and am even participating in a blog tour to get more reviews (which I hope to in turn use for more promoting as well as being a good way to increase visibility). Those reviews are starting to come in! Here are three I've gotten in the past couple of days. I'm very happy and humbled by the responses.

5-STAR Review by Destiny Rose Book Reviews (8/26/2014):

When a Man Loves a Woman he gives his Heart. This is a well-written contemporary romance that defines the places inside the heart that grow through love, that heal with forgiveness, and become stronger with compassion. The past tore Val and Tony apart. Pride got in the way. But he is the father to her daughter and Val needs him. Eventually, they learn to embrace the good and move forward together in life.

The hopes for happiness that Tony and Val have are put to the test. Mistakes happen and life sends them difficult trials to overcome. The difficult past and family troubles always seem to haunt Val. It’s hard for her to let Tony inside her private feelings, to trust him with her doubts about herself.

But she is strong and Tony has a good heart.

This is more than a story about romantic love. It is about family, of letting go of past hurts and hard words, and rising above hardship to become a better person. The other characters in this story reveal much about the harsh reality and destructive drama that played out in Val’s life.

She is lucky to have Tony. He loves her completely and is devoted to making their family work.

4-STAR Review by Library Mosaic (8/26/2014)

I enjoyed this book and thought it deals with an interesting and important theme.

The characters in Time for Tenderness are very well-written and came across as realistic. Val has a few issues and insecurities but she still manages to be strong and determined when she needs to.

Tony is great as well. He’s patient and loving and great for Val.

Plotwise, Time for Tenderness develops nicely and, as I said, deals with interesting topics as Val’s attempts to overcome her past and reconnect with her family. I think the author did a great job with these characters and story.

The book is well written and interesting and I think fans of contemporary fiction will definitely be able to enjoy this book.

Rating: Worth Your Time (4 Stars)



4-STAR Review by C.J. Mackenzie (8/25/2014)

I really liked the characters in this book, especially Tony. He was great, affectionate and, most of the time, able to understand Val. He makes a few mistakes as well, of course, but I still think he was great and brought out the best in Val.

Val is a good character as well. Despite her past, she’s strong. She doubts herself sometimes but I think that’s only normal given her story.

Val has a lot to deal with and this book is all about her struggles to let Tony in and learn how to deal with her past and her family.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It is very well-written and deals with an interesting topic.
If you enjoy a realistic, contemporary romance you might enjoy this book.

Excited About My Book Club

I started a closed book club on Facebook for my friends in the Columbus, OH area.  We're going to read, review, and have fun.  Most of this will be done online - just log on and participate in the questions I've posted on our discussion day.  Every once in a while, we'll get together for a social event.  Hmm - should we have a pot luck in honor of Jake's diner in our first book, Detour?

Go to Facebook, send me a friend request and a message asking to join the club, and start participating.

We're having our first discussion today on the opening third of the book, Detour.  I picked it because it was an inexpensive way to get us started.  However, from this point forward, we'll be taking suggestions and deciding the books.  Not all of them will be mine.

Hope to see you in the club!

Another 5-Star Review for Detour

A professional editor read my book and said it was amazing. Here is some of what she wrote on Amazon: "This was one of the most beautifully written stories I've read in a long time. She showed a true sensitivity of soul so needed by an author. The author slowly drew me in and made me fall for the characters, the small town with its homey feel and even helped me understand why Jess's family did what they did. If you love a well-written story full of emotion that leaves you with a smile and a satisfied sigh, this one's for you."

I thought you might want another taste of the book.

I watched her go over to the booth where the elderly couple had sat and join the conversation Jake was having. Then, I turned my attention to the laminated menu that had Wednesday across the top. No French toast. But the apple fritters with sausage patties and two eggs were tempting.

“That’s a good choice,” Jake said, standing beside me and noticing where my finger was on the menu.

“I have the feeling everything here is a good choice.” I couldn’t help but smile at the double entendre. I was very aware of how close he was and how he was looking at me. His expression was different from yesterday; it was probably more like it must have been last night when he was holding me. Something was definitely happening between us. “That’s what I’ll have.” I handed him the menu. He took it but did not move away.

“Did you sleep well?” he wanted to know.

“Definitely. Between the dancing and the beer, I was very relaxed. What about you?”

“I slept alright, except it was a little hot last night.”

Okay – I’m not stupid. That smile and those eyes said he was NOT talking about the weather. I made some comment about turning the air conditioning down in my motel room. He laughed quietly and walked away.

Hmm. Were we really flirting? Wasn’t that just a continuation of last night? I should eat my breakfast, check out of my room, and get back on the road. There was nothing to stop me from checking into the hotel in Indianapolis a day early. I should be doing what I was supposed to be doing – finding a business to buy. I shouldn’t stay to find out his life story and follow up on this attraction.

Looking into the Future

I've only been a published author for a few months, so it's imperative that I keep reminding myself to be patient.  People who like to read what I like to write WILL find me eventually.  Hey - I've got three books out there.  Don't get me wrong - sales have been pretty steady.  I just wish (as do most authors) that they could be a little higher.  What I also believe is that I'm a decent writer and time will bring the results I want.

So, I'm not dwelling on the current books.  While I am still promoting them, I'm moving forward with the next project.  Let's look into the future with Premonitions.

Premonitions is about a woman who has dreams that peek into the life of the man she falls in love with.  I'm not talking about science fiction.  This woman is having vivid dreams that unfold days or weeks later almost exactly like she saw them in her sleep.  She also has those deja vu moments when it seems like she just experienced something that she'd seen or done before.  Those "gifts" give her knowledge about her man's dangerous, secret world and put her in a position of needing to protect him the same way he is trying to shield her from what he really does. There are a couple of twists and (hopefully) a decent amount of suspense.

This book is scheduled to be released in late November, but I'm a little antsy.  So, this is the cover art I'm going to use.  Let me know what you think.  More teasers will be coming in the next few weeks.

Free Promotion for Detour

I decided to make Detour FREE as an e-book on Aug 9th and 10th.  In less than 24 hours, it climbed to #459!!  I can't believe we are in the top 500 for free Kindle books.  Wow!  And there's still another full day to go.

What I'm Doing

Isn't life always hectic when you think it needs to slow down?  I never realized how much work goes into the business side of being a self-published author.  While I love the support and feedback, at times the grind is overwhelming.  Yet, I'm overjoyed to be in this position!  It's never a nightmare and always a dream come true.

I undeniably have much to learn.  Facebook groups have been faithful to provide support as I stumble blindly towards my goal of writing a best seller (yeah - someday).  Their members answer questions, provide direction, and provide places for me to promote my work.  Honestly, a few real friendships have been formed with other authors (indie and traditionally published) who look out for me.  They tell me what they think about my book - yes HONEST feedback - and that my cover art is in need of resuscitation.  They provide information on affordable artwork sites, promotion services, and websites who will feature my book and post author interviews for FREE.  (Ahh I love that word.)  All of the hand-holding has kept me positive and pushing forward.

So, what have I been doing?  Promoting.  Promoting.  Promoting.  Researching.  Reading.  Surfing the internet for stock artwork. Keeping my fingers crossed that the books will keep selling.  And working through ideas for the current work-in-progress.  This is my job now, and I'm trying to be dedicated to it.

I'm additionally thankful every day for the support of my daughters, and their understanding when I eat and breathe this writing experience.  Yes, I've noticed your activities and am incredibly proud of your recent accomplishments.  Yes, I enjoy still cherish every moment we spend watching a movie or cooking dinner together.  Yes, you are still the most important people in my world.  Without you, I might not have had the courage to pursue this dream or the focus to walk this path of continued discovery.

Mostly, what I'm doing is enjoying this facet of my life.  It's really demanding but also really, really good.  Above all, I'm feeling incredibly blessed.