Life Is Expensive...Books Aren't by Jannine Gallant

Life is expensive. Just getting through the month in the black can sometimes be a challenge. For that reason, we all gravitate toward sales and feel like we've scored a victory when we get a great deal. I, for one, am a deal shopper in everything from clothes to groceries. Or maybe I'm just cheap...

Let's take a look at the price of life. It certainly varies from location to location. Homes are a prime example. In the United States, the median cost of a home is $217,000 (I looked it up in case you were wondering). In Tahoe City, the median price is $720,00. No wonder my husband says we have to move if we ever want to retire! Our gas prices here are also ridiculous. Currently, $4.29 per gallon for the cheap stuff. If you live in the South, you pay $2.55 per gallon. I can't even imagine such a windfall at the pump! But, average wages are higher in CA than in a lot of other places. In Tahoe, there is very little unemployment, although work tends to be seasonal. We all have our own set of challenges.

BUT, people everywhere seem to be willing to shell out $3 to $4 for a cup of coffee at Starbucks without batting an eye. And how about greeting cards. I spend 20 minutes scrounging through the shelves for a card that costs $3.50 because I REFUSE to spend $6 on a freaking birthday card!

Then there are books. No matter where you live, books cost the same. And, in general, they're a damn sight cheaper than a birthday card! I honestly get why no one is going to pay $15 for a Print On Demand book by an unknown author. But they'll pay $15 for a digital book by Nora Roberts! FIFTEEN DOLLARS!! I just checked and nearly fainted when I saw the price. And that book, her latest, is currently ranked #18 in romance! But when we price our digital books at $3.99, readers think they're too expensive. FOUR DOLLARS for hours of enjoyment!! A price they routinely shell out for a cup of coffee that will last fifteen minutes, or a birthday card someone will look at for fifteen seconds and then throw away. Yet the book, which will probably take a reader 6ish hours to finish, is too expensive? I just don't get it.

However, I'm game when my publisher puts one of my books on sale. Because if you can't spend 99 cents on a book, you're even cheaper than I am! All my BORN TO BE WILDE books are on sale for the entire month of October for only 99 CENTS!! If you haven't read this series, now is the time to start. Here is the link on AMAZON. Or pull up the links on my WEBSITE to purchase from other retailers. Happy reading!

Things Are Looking Up! by Jannine Gallant

As you read this, I'll be hip-deep in workshops and book signings at the 2018 RT Booklovers Convention. My very first convention ever! I promise a full report on what I learned for my June 2nd post. In the meantime, this one will be a mishmash of recent book-related news and possibly a photo from the convention if I can find time to download one.

Me right before the Kensington party ready to sign.

So, we've discussed in the past the importance of reviews and the magic BookBub has on sales if only we could get accepted by them! I've been busting my butt to get more reviews on WILDE ONE, the first book in my BORN TO BE WILDE series, but I've stalled at 19. Despite the high average rating, BookBub rejected my publisher's request, and I was seriously bummed. I've also been nagging everyone I know to review BURIED TRUTH, the first book in my SIREN COVE series. That one has 26 reviews, but after being hit by NetGalley trolls, my average is below 4, so not a contender until it gets a little higher. Thinking all had failed, I was amazed and delighted when the editorial assistant at Kensington emailed to tell me I got a BookBub deal for EVERY MOVE SHE MAKES! That book released three years ago and had two BookBub deals way back then. As a result, it has lots of reviews and a high average. Hey, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I'm simply going to cheer! I know from past experience that ALL my suspense books will see sales from one ad! I pretty much happy danced around my house. Anyway, the ad will come out on June 26th, release day for LOST INNOCENCE. How fortuitous! I'm hoping for a big boost in release sales!

AND, as if that wasn't enough good news, my buddy James the editorial assistant just sent me the marketing plan for LOST INNOCENCE. What do you know, it's been reviewed by both Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly--a first for me! More happy dancing, this time around the boat ramp booth. Check out my WEBSITE for the quotes!

The moral of this story is to keep at it and don't give up. Good things will happen! Now we'll wait for the end of June to see if those good things result in actual sales. Happy reading everyone, and if you're at RT, please say hello to me. I'd love to meet both authors and readers!

Writing and Marketing Insights by Jannine Gallant

I didn't have a single topic clamoring in my head to be discussed for this post. Instead, I felt more like Ginger watching squirrels running willy-nilly across the yard--they're fun to bark at but nearly impossible to capture. Except for that one time, but we won't go there... So here's what I pulled together.

Does anyone out there like those #SUDOKU puzzles? I used to think they were pure torture. I tried working on the one in our local paper a few times, guessing numbers to see if they worked, and then getting halfway finished only to discover my initial supposition was wrong. At that point, I simply gave up. More recently, I sat down with the paper and attacked the puzzle from a more logical standpoint. No guessing involved. I penciled in each possibility and went at it from a process of elimination. The strategy actually works! Now, I look forward to the puzzle in the Friday paper. Sure it distracts me from writing for an hour, but I feel like it's keeping my mind sharp. I also decided to extrapolate my strategy for SUDOKU to writing and marketing. I'm beginning to believe throwing out words without a plan and writing myself into an impasse might not be so smart. I also feel like floundering with marketing without a clear plan isn't productive. So, the following is what I've come up with.

My work in progress is moving rather slowly. I've had a lot of distractions lately. A good distraction has been my youngest home from college for a week and a half on spring break, which happened to include her birthday. It's been nice to have her around. But I can't seem to write productively when someone else is in the house. So, my word count has been hit and miss (mostly miss) and limited to when she's out with her friends. That got me to thinking about WHY I'm so easily distracted. I can edit like a champion with people around, but creating new content has been a challenge ever since I started this book. Basically, I've been moving forward like a turtle from one scene to the next, and when I finish the one I'm working on, I hope like heck it will suggest something new. I haven't written with an outline in quite a few books, but it may be time to rethink this strategy. Not a full-blown outline, mind you, but I need to sit my butt down and try to put together a coherent list of bullet points to see where this book is going. Then maybe I wouldn't have so much downtime between scenes while I ruminate over that ever important question, What happens next?

Then there's the whole promo thing to distract me. My latest plan is the Amazon Sponsored Products ad campaign I put together for one of my older self-published books. It actually was working pretty well. I was seeing a few sales and more borrows for WE'LL NEVER TELL. But the .99 cent sales price meant every click was seriously digging into my profits. Two things happened. I started getting sales on the other two books in the series. YAY! I wasn't sure exactly what the ad benefited until a reader reviewed all three SECRETS OF RAVENSWOOD books (the targeted series) on Goodreads, and then left a review for WILDE ONE, book one in a completely different series. So, yes, I'm getting crossover sales from the ad to all my suspense books. In the meantime, I'd done something incredibly stupid. I dropped my bid price from .25 cents to .20 cents, hoping to save a little money. I definitely saved because the clicks stopped completely, and impressions dropped tenfold. So, I just went back in to return my bid to .25 cents. We'll see if my momentum picks up again. Patience is a virtue with marketing. It takes a while for someone who buys the book to read it and then buy more books. Expecting too much too soon got me into trouble. You have to put in the time on a marketing strategy to see results. But, if your efforts continue to produce nothing, maybe it's time to make a change. Knowing when to draw the line and quit vs. changing tactics and sticking with it is a steep learning curve. I hope I'm making progress.

One final plug. Starting soon, WILDE ONE will be on sale for a limited time for .99 cents. If you haven't read it yet, now's a great time to start that series. Buy it on Kindle, Nook or Apple. Happy reading!

Fresh Covers for a New Year! by Jannine Gallant

I've mentioned before that my BORN TO BE WILDE series is getting new covers. The old ones had more of a contemporary feel, so they wanted to update them with a suspenseful vibe. My publisher has been teasing me by sharing them one at a time, and I finally got the fourth cover. They are officially changing them out on all the major retail sites this week. Today is day one of the four-day cover reveal. Yippee!

So, here they are! I like the new look. What do you think? Do you have a favorite?

Whether or not the new covers will improve sales remains to be seen. I'm crossing my fingers. If you haven't read them yet, find the buy links on my WEBSITE. Happy New Year, everyone!

New Book Covers and Branding by Jannine Gallant

A few months ago, I received the cover for the first book in my new SIREN COVE series, releasing in 2018. Then, a couple of weeks ago, I got the cover for the second book. They're all scenery and have a suspenseful vibe. I've been given permission to share, so...tada!!

What do you think? I love them! Not long after the first cover was finished, my editor emailed me to say they were giving my BORN TO BE WILDE series a new look. Everyone at Kensington loved the cover for BURIED TRUTH so much, they wanted a do-over for the current series.

I know lots of self-published authors who've gone through multiple incarnations of a book cover, making it more professional and going for a different look. But usually with a publisher, we only get one shot at a cover. So, why is my series being repackaged? The original covers are professional and eye-catching. They feature an attractive couple. They're upbeat. Romantic. Cheerful! I always thought they better suited contemporary romance than romantic suspense, even though they accurately reflect the story. They capture the content but not the mood.

I think there's more to this than going for a suspenseful look. I've always wondered about the mystery of author branding. I never could quite grasp the concept, but with these new covers, I'm beginning to see the light. Kensington is feeling their way with me, finding my specific niche in their company. My brand. I write suspenseful stories where rugged, outdoor settings are a focus of the plot. They're repackaging my books to give me an identifiable look. Currently, only the first two covers are finished. Until all four are available, the old covers remain up on retail sites. I'm giving you all a sneak peek to make my point!

I love this new look, this brand they're giving me. So here they are, the old...

And the new...

What do you think? For those of you who read my books, does this look more like me? I hope one day readers will pick up my books and identify me by the covers the way we do authors who have a brand we know well. For now, I feel like I've found my niche in the world of romantic suspense.

The final two books will get their face lift soon. Stay tuned... And if you haven't started this series yet, read WILDE ONE...with the old cover. Get your copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, or KOBO now. Or, pre-order BURIED TRUTH. The buy link is on my website. Happy reading!

Leaving the Nest by Jannine Gallant

My last post was about my oldest coming home from college for the summer and the change in household dynamics. So, I thought my youngest should get the spotlight this time. (Can you tell I'm tired of talking about books? LOL) Kristen graduated from high school a few days ago. Come September, my husband and I will have to get used to being empty-nesters. With all this new uninterrupted togetherness, we'll either remember why we got married in the first place...or kill each other. Could be a toss up!

The last two weeks have been hectic with "senior" activities. First there was the prom. Lots of picture-taking involved.

Kristen and her best friends.

Kristen and her date.

Then we had awards night. Lots of clapping (my hands are chapped), as most of the senior class received scholarships and awards from our incredibly generous small community. Then there was the senior breakfast followed by graduation. (More photos and clapping!)

Kristen and her older sister, Tara.

The husband, the graduate, Tara, me, my mom.

Kristen and her best buds again.

I've been busy...but not with anything book related. I really need to get back into the writing groove. Sometimes a break to spend time with family is critical, however, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the festivities.

So now that I've entertained you (hopefully) with a few pictures, feel free to check out my books. WILDE ONE is still on sale for .99 cents. I'm not sure how long the sale will last. You can find links to all my books on my WEBSITE.

I almost forgot this was posting on Sunday. Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! 

Book Sales...a Good Idea or Not? by Jannine Gallant

I just got my statement and check from Kensington for my 4th Quarter 2016 sales. As of the end of 2016, I had five titles available through Kensington's Lyrical Press. This was also the first quarter in a while I didn't have a BookBub ad, so all sales were pretty much organic without that giant boost. And, I had two new releases, one the very end of September (so it didn't get any representation in the 3rd Quarter) and one the end of October. After some intense scrutiny and number crunching, I thought I'd share my insights on sale books with all of you.

First of all, for those of you who are curious about the benefits of BookBub, here are some figures for a book that released over a year ago. Every Step She Takes released in July of 2015. in July of 2016, it was featured on BookBub for .99 cents. I actually made it into the top 100 overall on Amazon for one day during that period. Total sales of this book for the 3rd Quarter were 3,541 copies. By contrast, total sales for this book the 4th Quarter were 468. I think the value of BookBub speaks for itself. I don't know of any other site that can produce those types of numbers.

So, in the 4th Quarter, my pub put several of my books on sale, trying to stir up interest. The thing with sale books is you don't make a whole lot off of them because Amazon gives the publisher 35% of the total for a .99 cent book vs. 70% for a book priced at $2.99 or higher. The author share of a .99 cent book with a publisher taking their standard 60% is about .14 cents. My ex-agent gets her 15%, so I make .12 cents. Those who are self published would make .34 cents. On a $2.99 book, I make .71 cents, so 6 times as much on a non-sale book. You might ask yourself why anyone would ever sell their book for .99 cents at those prices. Good question. Answer to follow so keep reading!

Remember those two brand new releases in my Born to Be Wilde series? In 2016, neither of them were on sale, and both sold for 3.99. The results were pretty pathetic... 270 sales for Wilde One, and 222 sales for Wilde Side. During this same time, my oldest book with Kensington, Every Move She Makes was on sale for over a month. The result...it sold 662 copies. This book released in March of 2015 and has been on a ton of sales including BookBub, yet it still outsold the brand new releases by 300%! As for actual profits, royalties for every one of my five books were within a $30 differential despite a huge swing in total sales. But, those sale books have an intrinsic value as a promotional device. I estimate that at least 1 in every 3 people who buy the sale book will pay full price for the other books in the series. Those would have been lost sales without the .99 cent book.

You're probably sick of the math lesson by now, but my conclusion is sale price books do help boost your overall sales, both in numbers and $$. So, even if you think you're making pennies off each one (which you are), in the long run, it pays off.

I hope you found all this helpful if you're considering putting your own books on sale. As for my books, right now all three Wilde books are on sale. WILDE ONE and WILDE THING are 99 cents, and WILDE SIDE is $1.99. The sale on Wilde One is supposed to end today, so grab it while you can. I'll be very interested to see what these sales do for my 1st Quarter 2017 figures. I'll report back in a few months! Just click on the titles to go to the Amazon buy links. Happy reading!

The Dreaded Sagging Middle by Jannine Gallant

No, I'm not talking about my middle, which certainly isn't as firm as it once was...but let's not go there. I'm talking about the middle of my manuscript. My books are about 90,000 words. I hit the 50,000 word mark and came to a bumpy halt in my current work in progress. I know how it ends and have enough exciting action planned for the last 20,000 words (hopefully), but that gives me 20,000 words to get to that point. (This is a series with each book required to be roughly the same length, so shortening it isn't an option.) I have a couple of events scheduled for this middle section, but I've been diddling around for days writing the first one and getting nowhere. It finally occurred to me that I'm not moving the action plot forward. It's stagnating, waiting for the exciting end. The build-up of my villain has happened. It's too early to spring the really creepy part, and the feeling of danger has tapered off with a whine and a whimper.

What to do? What to do? I think all authors go through this sagging middle phase in their writing. Or maybe they don't, and I'm just lame! It's not because I haven't made a rough outline because I finally broke down and did that. But these two big events on the schedule (a wedding and an overnight getaway for the hero and heroine) serve to progress the romantic conflict. They do zip, nada, zilch for the suspense. The problem is my book is romantic suspense. Readers expect to be kept on edge! So, what's the solution to prop up my suspense?

I turned to my trusty CP, Margo, who suggested making something happen to give the villain a sense of urgency that causes her (yes my villain is a woman) to lash out. A very good idea. Now I just have to figure out what and how. But since none of my potential bad girls have a reason to be at the wedding in progress (and I certainly can't drag all of them there), I'm still stuck. Deep sigh. So, what do all you authors do to claw your way out of the sagging middle of a manuscript. I could use a few brilliant suggestions!

My latest release, WILDE THING, doesn't have a sagging middle. I promise. Nor does the first book in the series, WILDE ONE, currently on sale for 99 cents. Get your copy now! Visit my WEBSITE for more info on my other straight-up books that don't sag. Happy reading!

The Joys of Pioneer Life...NOT by Jannine Gallant

My work area to make dinner.

I always thought I was born in the wrong era, that I should have been a pioneer conquering the West. I was a history major, and that time period always fascinated me. Let me tell you...I was wrong.

Our street after the cutter came through. The berms are taller than me.

We had a massive series of storms move through Tahoe last week that took out power to the entire region. We went through a 31 hour stretch without power then had power for a day before it went out again. 45 hours of no power for the next stretch. We had one blissful evening of light and internet before it went out yet again...and stayed out. As I'm typing this, I'm at work in the main PUD offices, which have been set up as a Red Cross warming zone. Since the rec center I normally work at on weekends is in my neighborhood and powerless, they decided to send me over here to make myself useful. Yea, power and internet for my six hour shift before I go home to the dark zone... Have I mentioned cell reception in my house sucks. Yeah, one bar if I put my phone in the right spot by the dining room window. So, I'm truly cut off from the world!

Even Ginger isn't thrilled since the snow is so deep in the woods we have to walk on the street.

I took Ginger for a walk this morning and found the crux of my problems for this most recent outage. A tree fell, taking out power lines in our neighborhood. There's a wad of tangled wires on the ground with caution tape blocking that section of the street. Oh joy. No one was working on it, and I have a feeling we're low on their priority totem pole. We're 2 days into this most recent stretch of no power and counting. I can only hope it'll all be over by the time this posts on the 18th.

Our driveway after I got the car shoveled out.

So, the moral of my story is...being a pioneer wasn't a whole lot of fun. Or maybe we're just spoiled. By the way, WILDE ONE is on sale for 99 cents all month. So, if you haven't started my BORN TO BE WILDE series, now's a great time to do it! Available on AMAZON or find additional buy links on my WEBSITE.

Have a great day filled with light and internet connectivity!

Feeling a Little Panicked by Jannine Gallant

I've never been one to doubt my skill as a writer. Other authors share their angst--feelings of not being good enough, worry that people won't like their books, fear the ideas will run dry, etc. etc. I can empathize but not really relate. I've always been very confident about my craft...or maybe delusional is a better word... But all of a sudden, I'm having self-doubts. I think it's that mass market paperback contract and the advance I have to earn back. I don't have a huge following. Why would a romance reader standing in the aisle of a Barnes and Noble pick my book out of the many familiar authors on display? I'm jittery just thinking about it...and I'm only on my second cup of coffee. Plus, this is a new line of books for Kensington, and I'm one of their guinea pigs, uh, I mean launch authors. So, I don't even have a familiar little emblem on the spine to draw loyal readers.

So, what do I have going for me? What will make that reader reach for my book? The first thought to pop into my head--the cover. My editor tells me they're working on it now, even though the book won't release until 2018. I've shared my ideas for a concept. Who the heck knows what I'll get, but it won't be a half-naked man. This is romantic suspense, and their focus will be on a suspenseful cover. I love scenery covers, but my greatest fear is you MUST HAVE name recognition for scenery covers to work for you. People don't know me from Adam.

Oh, and on the cover note...my editor also told me they need an author photo on the inside back cover. When I mentioned this to my daughter, she stared at me in horror. "Please don't tell me you're going to use the one you have up on Facebook?" So, I made a panicked phone call to get my hair cut (it's been a year and looks like hell) and another to the photographer who took both my daughters' senior pictures. She's pure magic, but I seriously doubt I'm going to look as awesome as my gorgeous, skinny, young girls. No one is that good... Then I stood in my closet for an hour wondering why I own nothing that will make me look like a best selling author...hey, appearances count, right? Anyway, the photographer is squeezing me in later today, so please hope for the best.

Back to my angst...I'm currently writing the last chapter of the first book in my SIREN COVE series. For the first time in, well, EVER, I'm wondering if the book will work. They wanted traditional romantic suspense, and I aim to please. I've got a very dark undertone to the suspense, plus a secondary mystery with a creative twist. I've tried to tie it all together and think...hope...pray...I've succeeded. But I'm worried. Will new readers (the one's who're going to pick up my book despite the fact there's no naked man on the cover) keep flipping those pages to see what happens...or are they going to find the plot too convoluted? I'm hyperventilating just thinking about it. Is this book clever...or did I try too hard? I guess I'll find out.

We all have a safety zone, and I'm out of mine. What about you? Do you freak out over new and different or take it in stride? Or do you stay with what's familiar and comfortable and doesn't give you an ulcer?

The first two books in my current series, BORN TO BE WILDE, are available now. People seem to like them, but I could use more reviews...just saying. All buy links are on my website. Or, click on the covers to go straight to Amazon. Happy reading!

Another New Release ~ I'm Not Kidding! by Jannine Gallant

Let's talk about the strategy of spacing our new releases. It used to be I was simply thrilled to get a book written and submitted. Then came the long wait while it made the rounds, looking for a home. The whole process took a year or two or three before the book was released into the digital world. Then everything changed with the popularity of contracting an entire series of books instead of single titles. Now, I submit Book One (or 3 chapters of Book One) and a proposal for the rest of the books in the series to my publisher. I'm given turn-in dates and release dates before I've even finished the first book in the series. The pressure to produce is on...

But with the advent of contracting a series comes strategy in release dates. With my Who's Watching Now series, I had a March release and a July release in 2015, then the final book didn't come out until March of 2016. The results were a huge drop off in sales for the final book in the series. The momentum for Book One held through Book Two, and both sold very well, but people forgot about them and didn't pick up Book Three. Nor did they pre-order that far in advance. Sad. Very sad.

So, my pub had the bright idea of back to back releases for my second series, Born To Be Wilde. Wilde One came out the end of September. Wilde Side just released the end of October. Books Three and Four are on pre-sale with release dates in February and May of 2017. And, I'm noticing an interesting phenomenon. Based on Amazon rankings (which I track relentlessly to the detriment of word production) after Wilde One came out, I saw pre-orders for Book Two but not much action on Three and Four. However, in the week since Wilde Side released, pre-sales for the final two books have jumped. So, something about reading two books back to back motivates people to pre-order the rest of the series when the wait isn't terribly long. Very cool. Now, if I could just get the first two into more hands, I might actually see some serious success with this series.

But there's a downside to this rapid fire release schedule. Promotion. I have a feeling all my Facebook friends are sick to death of seeing posts about my new books. I only scheduled a couple of blogs for each book that required new content posts on sites with high traffic. Both books went on the standard cover/blurb/excerpt blog tour arranged through my pub. Those get little traffic or exposure and seem like a huge waste of time and money...but what do I know? I can't promote the same content day after day on social media without running the risk of being unfriended by everyone I know! It's quite the conundrum. Right now I feel like my best bet is to stop harassing my Facebook friends and rely on organic sales. I'm going to have to trust that people who buy Wilde One or Wilde Side will like them enough to pick up the rest of the series. And if my pub can get me a BookBub ad, I'll probably kiss their collective feet in relief! In aid of that goal and the 20 review requirement, if you've read either book, please, please leave me an Amazon review. I'll be eternally in your debt!

So, what have you found to be a winning (or losing) strategy for release dates? Those who self-publish are in control of their own destiny, so it'll be interesting to see if you have a process beyond finish the book and publish. Curious minds want to know.

In the meantime, pick up your copy of Wilde One or Wilde Side anywhere e-books are sold! Info on all my books can be found on my Website.

Hero Meets Dog by Jannine Gallant

So, after fifteen books, you may have noticed I put a dog in every single one of them. Some dogs play a greater role than others, but they are each unique in their own way. My purpose, other than feeling like it's sort of a trademark at this point, is too add an extra touch of humanity to my characters--because a hero who relates to an animal has to be loveable, right? Oh, and a little comic relief. Most of my canine characters are pretty funny. Wilde One is no different, although I'd have to say hero-meets-dog happens in a pretty unique way. Here's the excerpt.

A big rig thundered by, and Ainslee let out a squeal. But when the Mack truck passed, the dog—if the damned animal was a dog and not a big rat—was still cowering in the slow lane. She leaped out of the car.

“Holy crap!” Griff shoved open his door then slammed it. “No, Ainslee. Stay back. I’ll grab him.”

Horn blaring, a white pickup barreled nearer. Sprinting forward, Griff dashed out into the freeway to scoop the quivering bundle off the pavement. Brakes screeched, but he made it to the edge of the road with a foot or two to spare. The animal in his hand growled.

Griff’s gaze clashed with terrified brown eyes. “Don’t think about biting me.”

Jogging back to the SUV, he handed the tiny critter to Ainslee. Remarkably, it didn’t make any threatening noises at her. Cradling the dog against her chest, she climbed into the car. After running around the rear of the vehicle, he opened the driver’s door and slipped inside then waited for a string of cars to pass before pulling back onto the freeway. They’d gone at least a mile before his heart stopped pounding.

“It’s okay, baby. You’re safe.”

Baby? Oh, she’s talking to the damned dog.

“God, I must be crazy. That truck almost killed me.”

“Thank you, Griff. It would have broken my heart to see this sweet boy get squashed.”

           He noticed she didn’t mention the state of her heart if he’d been turned into a grease spot by oncoming traffic.

So, what do you think? Is Griff hero-worthy for risking life and limb for a miniature pup? Do you like your romance with a side of doggy humor?

Here's my own personal canine comedian...Ginger.

You can pick up your copy of Wilde One at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, or KOBO to see how it all turns out for Griff and Ainslee. Find more info on all my books on my website. Happy reading!

WILDE ONE ~ Making Its Debut! by Jannine Gallant

Sometimes I think we write our books and then practically forget what they're about by the time release day rolls around. At this point, I've finished all four books in my Born To Be Wilde series, and I'm hard at work on book one in a new series. So, finding excerpts to post on blogs became a bit of an effort. Back when I was working on edits for Wilde One and thinking to myself, "Gee, this would be a terrific scene to use for promotion!" I should have had the foresight to actually write it down. Alas, I'm afraid I'm not that organized. On the upside, now I have the job of scrolling through my book, hunting for enticing scenes. And guess what? I actually still like my book! Always a positive when I recall never wanting to see it again after my final round of edits...

So, I picked out an excerpt I hope you'll enjoy. Griff and Ainslee have had a fight, and it's makeup time...sort of. Tell me what you think. If you're an author, do you have the same memory lapse issues I do? Or is that just me...

     He tugged her closer, close enough to smell the floral scent of her shampoo. Close enough to want to do more than run his thumbs up and down the smooth skin of her arms. “Hey, it works both ways, you know. If you ditch me, I’m not going to be too happy, either.”

     “Somehow, I don’t think you’d lose a lot of sleep over it.”

     “Then you’d be wrong. I lied earlier. I’m half dead on my feet from staying awake all night after our fight. Still, I’d rather be here with you than getting eight solid hours in a room full of Gage’s trophies.”

     She smiled. “Peyton’s trophies.”

     “Whoever. The point is, I like hanging out with you.” Another tug brought her up against his chest. “I like kissing you even more.” Cupping her face in his hands, he lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss warmed him clear to his bare toes. When she responded with enthusiasm, including tongue, the warmth increased to a slow burn.

     “Griff?”

     He kissed her again then ran his lips along the side of her jaw. “Hmm?”

     “We’re making out in a field full of cow pies.” Her breath came in a gasp as he licked her ear. “You know this isn’t going any further, right?”

     “I don’t care. I’m good with just holding you. It isn’t always about sex.”

     “Speak for yourself.”

     He threw back his head on a laugh just as something whizzed past his cheek to hit the fencepost with a hard thud.

     Grabbing Ainslee, he threw her to the ground and dropped on top of her. The flashlight flew out of her hand and landed with a thump before going out. From somewhere nearby Rocky yelped.

     “Griff?”

     “Son of a bitch!”

     “What happened?” Her voice was a squeak.

     “Someone shot at us. Again.”

Thanks for reading. For more information on my books, visit my website. You can get your copy of Wilde One at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, or KOBO. Happy reading!

Almost Here ~ New Series Nerves! by Jannine Gallant

Seeing all our book babies roll out is always exciting, but the launch of a new series doubles the anticipation. Will readers like these new characters they'll be seeing for the next four books? Will they welcome the concept of the new series or be disappointed it isn't the same as the last one? Changing up your MO is always a bit of a risk. Readers have expectations, and when authors deviate from those standards, we risk pissing off our reading public. That certainly goes for hopping between genres, but even differentials within the sub-genre can add uncertainty.

The first book in my new BORN TO BE WILDE series releases on September 27th. I can't wait because I loved, loved, loved writing WILDE ONE. My Who's Watching Now series has sold pretty well, and it's fairly typical of its genre. The bad guys are really bad. The threat to the heroine is ongoing and deadly. Readers like and expect that in a romantic suspense. This new series has more adventure added. Yes, there are still bad guys who turn out to be really nasty, but the threat throughout the book isn't the main focus. These characters are caught up in really fun (for the reader) adventures on their way to their HEA. Take WILDE ONE, which features a cross country treasure hunt. Griff and Ainslee have to solve a series of tough riddles leading to the next clue that will eventually lead to a treasure. At the same time, they have to beat the other contestants, one of whom will do whatever it takes to stop them. But, the focus is more on their developing relationship along the journey that the villain's antics.

In other words, this isn't traditional romantic suspense. Will the new series sell well? Boy, I hope so! I'm holding my breath, praying readers will embrace the fun along with the suspense. So far, NetGalley reviews have been positive, but I'm still anxious. So, if you want to try something a little different in romantic suspense, WILDE ONE is available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, and KOBO. Have it waiting on your reader on September 27th, and then you can tell me if my edgy concept hit one out of the park. Or not.

The Wilde brothers have one thing in common—a thirst for adventure. But Griff Wilde is about to be taken on the ride of his life . . . 
 
When Griff Wilde receives a letter from a dead man sending him on a race to find a mysterious treasure, he’s not worried about the competition. After all, salvaging sunken treasure is what he was born to do. But the riddles leading to the clues are a little trickier than he anticipated . . .
 
Ainslee Fontaine is ready for a change. A cross-country scavenger hunt sounds like a piece of cake after teaching in New York City. How hard could it be? For starters, travelling alone seems to have its hidden dangers, like real-life treasure hunters who ignite her deepest passions. But there’s still a hidden prize to find—unless someone stops them by any means necessary . . .

A Long Time Coming by Jannine Gallant

I want to share my news here, where I feel the love and support of my fellow authors who are on the same journey. So, something good happened, something I've waited for and dreamed about since I put pen to paper (literally) the summer I graduated from high school and decided I wanted to write romance books when I grew up. Thirty-six years later, I finally got the call I had stopped believing would ever come. Apparently, I'm a slow maturer! Now mind you, I've been published for six years. I was thrilled when that first digital contract was offered, and the first box of print on demand books was delivered to my door. Nothing is quite as wonderful for an author as the emotional connection to holding a book with your name on the cover. But I never lost the desire to see my books on a shelf in an actual bookstore.

I think we've all been there.

I've felt the frustration, convinced it was all about luck. Thinking that no matter how hard I worked or how good my books were, having my babies brush shoulders with Nora's on a shelf in an actual store wasn't ever going to happen. Turns out, it isn't a total crap-shoot, after all. Apparently we can make our own luck. I hope my story will inspire every author out there who is tempted to give up on their dream.

I've written and published or contracted a total of 18 books over the last six years. I've gone from small publisher to self publishing to a search for an agent to the digital imprint of a large publisher. I think I can say with confidence that my writing has continued to improve. I've worked hard and put out two or more titles per year. I kept producing, even when sales were awful and I felt like a complete failure. Still, I had confidence in my work and kept at it. And little by little the sales improved, and my publisher took notice and began promoting my books. Their efforts grew my audience. As my latest series, Born To Be Wilde, gets ready to launch into cyberspace at the end of this month, my editor told me my pub wanted to consider something new from me. I came up with the premise and blurbs for a three book romantic suspense series, per their request, then wrote a synopsis and the first three chapters of the first book. Then I waited...and waited...and waited.

The phone call finally came. But it wasn't from Marci, my editor at Lyrical, the digital imprint of Kensington. It was from Martin, who is much higher up the food chain. And he made the offer I'd hoped for but never really believed I'd get. He told me my books had attracted notice, that my readership was growing, and that the team at Kensington felt I was ready for print. Would I be interested in a 3 book contract with their new Lyrical mass market paperback line, which would launch in 2018?

Uh, hell yeah I'd be interested! So, in March and July and December of 2018, I'll have books with my name on them on shelves in actual brick and mortar stores. Okay, maybe I won't rub shoulders with Nora since she's an R and I'm a G, but I think I can live with that!

The moral of this admittedly long post is...Don't give up! Keep writing and improving your craft. Keep putting out those books until you grow a following. It took me 36 years and 18 books, but it happened. Perseverance won! Now all I have to do is write these next three books to the best of my ability and promote the ones I have coming out, and hope all the planets line up in the galaxy in 2018 and those babies sell!

If I can do it, you can do it, too!

So, while we're waiting for 2018 to roll around or even for Wilde One to launch at the end of the month, marketing is pushing my old series. Every Move She Makes is on sale for 99 cents for the entire month of September, and Every Step She Takes is selling for 99 cents for two more days. Get them while they're hot at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Apple iBooks! Visit my website for info on all my books, and happy reading!

Book Covers...or...That Feeling You Get by Jannine Gallant

The big morning arrives. You haven't even finished your first cup of coffee when you open your email and discover the one you've been waiting for is in the queue... You know, THE ONE. A jpeg for your new book cover accompanied by an email telling you it's your FINAL cover and can't be changed unless they spelled your name wrong, and even then, they might just let it go... Nerves flutter. Your stomach tightens. Still, you're beside yourself with excitement. Your finger hovers over the button to pull up the image while you say a little prayer...

We've all been there...unless we create our own covers or have a heck of a lot to say about the cover images chosen. With Kensington, they ask for info on the book, a description of my H&H and my ideas for the cover. After that it's out of my hands. For my Who's Watching Now series, I got similar covers with attractive backgrounds close enough to work for each story, and hot, headless guys. Even though my heroes had never worn tank tops in their lives, I decided I was okay with all those muscles showing. At this point in my career, I'd rather sell books than have total accuracy in my cover images. Also, though some readers aren't fans of headless heroes, you can't pick the wrong model if you can't see his face!


I was on edge waiting for my first cover in my Born To Be Wilde series. I knew the concept would be repeated for all four books, so it was nerve wracking! The email came, and I was in LOVE! The hero and heroine of Wilde One looked EXACTLY how I pictured them (except for the ubiquitous tank top) with the perfect background. Whew...huge relief. Since the first two books will be back-to-back releases, my cover for Wilde Side followed close behind. I stared. I swallowed. My stomach dropped. But, but, that wasn't how I pictured my hero and heroine. She had on too much makeup, and he had weird, trendy hair and a too-intense expression. But the background was spectacular. Always a plus. Maybe my expectations were too high. The cover worked, but it wasn't...perfect. I am, however, getting used to it. Maybe trendy hero hair will attract a younger audience. Just because I'm not a big fan of makeup doesn't mean readers will find anything wrong with my heroine and her fake lashes. LOL


So, do the strong mind pictures we have of our characters set us up for failure when it comes to covers? Have you received covers you either loved or hated? What do you think of mine? Will they sell books? After all, that's the cover's number one job. Pleasing the author is just a bonus!


To pre-order Wilde One or Wilde Side, just click on the titles above! Check out my other books on my WEBSITE.