Do Your Characters Have Horrible Bosses? by Jannine Gallant

I don't think I've ever had a horrible boss. Guess that makes me lucky. I've been a boss--hopefully not a horrible one! LOL Which led me to think about my characters and what sort of bosses I'd given them. Mentally going through my books, it suddenly occurred to me that NONE of them have had bosses! Self-employment seems to be a common denominator for my heroes and heroines. Creative self-employment.

For my Redemption cowboy books, I had a rancher (okay maybe not so creative in a cowboy story) and a woman starting her own catering business. Also, the owner of a daycare center and a man who carved animal sculptures with a chainsaw. (Now that's pretty creative!)

In my Secrets of Ravenswood series, my three heroes were a rescue dog trainer, a sports store mogul, and a contractor. The heroines were a disaster site relief worker (she was the majority shareholder for the charity), a genealogist, and the owner of a ballet school. No bosses in the bunch!

I could go on and on--okay, I will. Rock star, children's book illustrator, country inn owner, cosmetic queen turned dog treat entrepreneur, computer geek extraordinaire, and a commercial jingle writer. Those were the stars of my Class of '85 books.

Apparently I don't like having my characters work for people. Could be because I'm not very good at taking orders. I tend to be a tad bossy...just ask my kids. Obviously this has rubbed off on my heroes and heroines.

So, if you're a writer, what sort of careers have you given your characters? Do they have horrible bosses--or no bosses at all? If you're a reader, does it matter to you what the characters in a book do for a living? Do I wrack my brain to come up with creative and unusual jobs for no reason at all, or do I get kudos for going the extra mile to make my characters interesting?

For more information about my self-employed characters, check out my Website. Or, follow me on Facebook or Twitter.

Who Loves 80's Rock? by Jannine Gallant

Why did I write three books for the Class of '85 series, you ask? The series title hooked me. Okay, so I didn't graduate from high school in 1985, but I graduated from college in 1984. Those four years hold some wonderful memories. Times spent with good friends - carefree and happy, before the grown-up worries of a mortgage and how to pay for my kids' braces intruded.

June 18th through the 22nd, five books from this terrific series are free, including the first one I wrote, Lonely Road To You. To celebrate, I'm taking a trip back to the past and reliving those years. Today, let's talk music!

What music memories are conjured up when you think of the early 80's. For me, it's skipping through the halls of my dorm, singing Foreigner's Urgent and the Cars' Shake It Up really loud as a stress release before finals. I went to a couple of Pat Benatar concerts, and Hit Me With Your Best Shot was my favorite on Karaoke night. We listened to a lot of pop-rock back then. (Was it as crappy as the stuff the kids listen to now?) Do you remember hits by Yes, Quarterflash, and REO Speedwagon? If you're my age, I bet you do. And my all-time favorite song from that era, Stevie Nicks' Leather and Lace.

My hero in Lonely Road To You is an ex rock star looking for some forgiveness at his high school reunion for a youth spent with a love 'em and leave 'em attitude. Instead, he finds a love he never expected.

As I mentioned, five books from the series are free. Just click on the titles to be taken directly to the Amazon download link!

Lonely Road To You by Jannine Gallant
To Be, Or Not by Margo Hoornstra
Promises, Promises by Silver James
Embraceable You by Kat Henry Doran
Something More by Keena Kincaid

For more 80's nostalgia, follow me on my mini blog tour where I'll be talking about 80's fashion (shudder), the TV shows and movies that held us enthralled, and how life back then was different for kids than it is today. Find me at these places:

Vintage Vonnie June 19th
Keri Neal June 20th
JM Stewart June 21st
Kathy Wheeler June 22nd

So, what were some of your favorite songs from the early 80's? Let's immerse ourselves in nostalgia!

For information on my other books, including two more in the Class of '85 series, check out my website.

Sharing the Love: And Oh What A Party It Was by Margo Hoornstra

My second ever major book promotion tour is now history – and what a party it was.

While my first campaign was a blog tour solo effort, this one I did with some of my author friends and their titles. Lonely Road to You by Jannine Gallant; Promises, Promises by Silver James; Something More by Keena Kincaid; Embraceable You by Kat Henry Doran and To Be, Or Not by yours truly.

Albeit virtual in nature, the idea was to draw attention to the Class of ’85 series published through the Last Rose of Summer line of The Wild Rose Press. Five of us who authored multiple Class of ’85 books each gave one of them away all day on February 2, 14 and 15 through the Amazon KDP Select. Our plan was to use all social media available to us including a blog network, Facebook and Twitter to get the word out.

With a twenty-fifth high school reunion set in a fictional town in upstate New York as the base, over twenty inter-related Class of ’85 stories were the result. When our series first came out in 2011, and we heard from those who had discovered various Class of ’85 titles, the reactions were favorable. Most said they loved our characters and our stories and were going to find and read each and every one.

Music to our collective ears but, as with most books, especially in romance, the novelty of older titles wears off quickly when newer titles emerge to take their place. Add to that dilemma, few people had discovered us in the first place. That was until our Five Free Titles promo blitz.

After the party we threw, they certainly know us now.

Sharing the Love: One Way to Look at Writing a Book by Margo Hoornstra

“If I don’t make a dime on this book, that’s okay, because I truly enjoyed the process.”

That was me about four years ago as I gazed down at my first published novel, Honorable Intentions.

I wasn’t lying, I had a good time writing that book every step of the way.

Who wouldn't love the magic that happens when you combine the concepts of what if and why not.

Or the germ of an idea as it becomes the pages of a first draft.

The reconsiderations and rewrites as characters develop pasts and personalities.

The suggestions of critique partners and editors who see possibilities I never would have imagined.

The value of their fresh eyes on a manuscript I’d read over and over and over again was invaluable. They caught everything from typing mistakes to erroneous descriptions. (The hero’s eyes were brown when he was introduced then somehow turned to green later on.) To incomplete story arcs. (The heroine had issues with her father that needed to be resolved.)

And my work was made better as a result.

What I really enjoyed were the occasional and coveted WOW! comments from an editor who had read and re-read my many, many writes and re-writes as we neared the finish line.

Receiving the jpg file of cover art is another kick. A combination of my descriptions and the artist’s skill.

And that wonderful experience of the book going ‘live’ as it’s introduced and available for public consumption.

Yes, sir, I certainly did enjoy the process of writing my first book. But, now that I have three more books published for the Class of '85 series, one contracted and soon to be released for a new Dearly Beloved series and with more in the works, getting a dime or two for all that effort would be nice.

And on that note, a gentle reminder: Join me and four other authors - Jannine Gallant, Keena Kincaid, Kat Henry Doran and Silver James - who are Sharing the Love with FREE DAYS for our Class of ’85 reunion series books, February 14 and 15 exclusively on Amazon KDP Select. So mark your calendars and join us over at Amazon on those days. Check out my blog for the links.

By the way, my contribution is To Be, Or Not.

Hope to see you there.

MY WEBSITE

MY BLOG

Breathing New Life into an Old Series with FIVE FREE BOOKS by Jannine Gallant

The tendency of people to live for the moment then move on to the next new thing makes me nuts. We publish our books, promote like crazy for a month or two, bask in a few weeks of decent sales - then watch our babies fall off the face of the publishing cliff into a wasteland of old releases that have had their brief moment of glory. Many of these books were barely a blip on the radar screen of buyers. The Class of '85 Series with The Wild Rose Press falls into this category. These are terrific stories with a reunion theme written by talented authors. But for some reason, few people (except me LOL) bought them. I can attest to the fact that they're all winners.

So, I put on my thinking cap. I have three books in this series. Four other authors also have multiple books published with the Class of '85. Maybe as a group, we could make something happen. So I approached the authors and our marketing guru at TWRP with a proposal. We each offer one book in the series for free and hope that people will buy the others. After a little shuffling to follow the rules we came up with a plan. Five books from the Class of '85 will be offered on KDP Select exclusively through Amazon. This means free days to use for promotion! And today is the first free day - our big ONE DAY SALE. We're sharing the love. I hope everyone will download our books and spread the word for us.

Download Lonely Road To You by Jannine Gallant for free here.

Kate Abbott isn’t looking for excitement and is perfectly content with the secure life she’s built in Seattle, even if her son thinks she’s in an uninspired rut. Former rock star Tyler North has no intention of shaking up his life on the Montana ranch where he fled years before to escape the ravages of fame and fortune. Neither plan to attend their 25 year high school reunion in Summerville, but fate throws them together on a lonely road, leading them on a journey of discovery.

From the majesty of Yellowstone to the shores of Lake Ontario, Kate and Tyler fight unexpected attractions and old insecurities. Their journey is full of surprises and odd twists. From bison and bears to a deep crevasse and a crazy old man, they work together to overcome the obstacles in their path. But will these two opposites be able to put aside fear of change and rejection to take a chance on the promise of love?

Download To Be, Or Not by Margo Hoornstra for free here.

Barry Carlson had it all, a successful career in professional baseball and the adoration of any woman he wanted. Except one. Forced to retire in his prime, Barry returns to his hometown of Summerville, New York to coach the Minor League Hornets.

Twenty years ago, Barry broke through Amanda Marsh’s trust issues. He melted her ice, won her love, then walked away without a backward glance to survey the wreckage. Now Amanda is the head of public relations for the Hornets and happily single—until Barry slides back into her life.

Still reluctant to trust, Amanda gives Barry another chance. But the announcement of their twenty-fifth high school reunion leads to an asinine bet between Barry and his old buddies, and threatens to ruin their newfound relationship. As scandals of the past and present converge, can Barry and Amanda get beyond their differences to find their second chance at love?

Download Embraceable You by Kat Henry Doran for free here.

Award-winning photojournalist Dru Horvath doesn't stay in one spot for too long. Her vocation of documenting abuses against women worldwide prevents her from risking her heart. Every day working stiff Rory McElroy is a two-time loser when it comes to women—and he doesn't plan to take a chance on a relationship again, thank you very much.

But when Dru comes back into his life, he's not sure which poses the greater risk: protecting her from third world thugs who want to silence her permanently—or allowing the one woman who captured his heart years ago to embrace him for good.

Download Promises, Promises by Silver James for free here.

Betrayed former society wife Kelly Kincaid only wants to make things right. Paying off her ex-husband’s debt of honor is tough when a minimum-wage job back in her hometown is the only one she can find. Could the answer to her problems be right in front of her?

The moment pub owner Michael Doogan sees Summerville High School’s former golden girl at the train station, he loses his heart. Again. He’d give Kelly Kincaid the world on a platter, but the stubborn woman is intent on going her way alone. A threat to her safety provides him the incentive to stand up for what he wants, but will he have the patience to win her love?

Download Something More by Keena Kincaid for free here.

If she could, Nora Emerson would demand a "do over" of the last twenty-five years. An emotionally abusive marriage, failed fertility treatments and a nasty, public divorce have left her bruised, skittish and determined to remain independent at all costs.

With an all-consuming business and a furious teenage sister on his hands, Nora is a complication Nick McPherson doesn't need. It's one he wants. Her vulnerability and kick-ass competency intrigue him, and the sexual sparks between them could set Summerville on fire. The more she insists the sex is just for fun, the more determined he becomes to turn their fling into something more.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you read and enjoy each of these books. And I hope my post gives you some inspiration. How can you breath new life into your older releases? Put on your thinking caps!

Reunions by Jannine Gallant

I couldn’t settle on one of our topics for this post. Usually I’m inspired, but this month, not so much. So, I’m going to stray a little. June is about graduations – which brings to mind reunions. It’s been a while since I posted about my Class of ’85 books. This series, published by The Wild Rose Press, wrapped up early this spring. My last book for the series came out a year ago. I’ve read every one of these books, over twenty of them. They are great stories about people revisiting their past and learning something about life and love in the process. The common link in the series is that either the hero or heroine (or both) was a member of the Summerville High class of ’85. He or she receives an invitation to a 25^th high school reunion in Summerville on the shore of beautiful Lake Ontario. These books have gotten terrific reviews. But, frankly, sales stink!

So, I’ll ask the million dollar question – why? Maybe I’m wrong, but I’d have to say a large portion of the women who read romances fall into the over forty category. (I know I do!) The characters in this series have a lot more in common with our readers than they do with a twenty-something hottie. So, why do books about older heroes and heroines not attract the attention I feel they deserve? Are crow’s feet a little too close to home for comfort? Would you, as a reader, rather escape into a world full of shape shifters, cowboys, or a setting from days gone by than read about a woman who has grown children and is on husband number 2? In the contest between escapism and reality, I have a sneaking suspicion reality comes out the loser. I’d love to know why you chose one sub-genre of romance over another to read. Please share your thoughts.

I’ll leave you with a really fun excerpt from Maybe This Time, my third and final book in the Class of ’85 series. This is the scene that inspired me to write the book. I hope you enjoy it!

Chloe Lane stood on the set of the hit reality dating show, Get Lei’d, with five other women, wondering if she’d completely lost her mind. All the other contestants were beautiful and young, painfully young. Sweat beaded her brow despite the tropical breeze blowing through the open cabana. Nerves shredded her stomach lining. She was forty-three years old and the mother of a teenage daughter for God’s sake. She had no business being on stage with the twenty-something girls still in contention.

Why had she let Sarah talk her into this madness? Why hadn’t Rafe sent her home weeks ago? Sure they’d had fun on the extravagant dates arranged by the show, but a long term relationship between the two of them didn’t seem likely.

Lamont stopped in front of her, opened his makeup case with a flick of his manicured nails, and clicked his tongue. Chloe gritted her teeth and concentrated on not kicking the annoying little man. If he made one more comment about her crow’s feet she’d scream.

His black brows lowered, and he wielded the touch up brush with more force than finesse. “Please, no close-ups on this one. I’m good, but I’m not a miracle worker.”

Bruce Kildare, the director, paused in his endless pacing; his voice boomed across the set. “We want her to look her age. That’s why the viewers love her. Cougars are all the rage.”

Blurbs and buy links for all my Class of ’85 books are on my website. Thanks for visiting!