Small Town Hearts by Christine DePetrillo

I did it. Actually, we did it.

Author Amanda Torrey and I started a reader group on Facebook called Small Town Hearts. Both of us had our reservations about taking on such an adventure so we decided to join forces and get to know a core group of our readers. Together. We both write about small towns in New England and had some crossover readers already, but this group represents a more structured attempt to connect with our audiences.

So far, it’s been an absolute blast!

We designed the reader group page and then advertised it in our separate newsletters, asking readers to join the group. Within a day we had a bunch of readers knocking on our virtual door. Excitement buzzed through us! The beauty of teaming up was that we didn’t have to experience the empty feeling of starting a group and having no one join. Between the two of us, we pulled in a nice variety of fun readers who wanted to be there in Small Town Hearts. If they didn’t want to be there, they wouldn’t have accepted the invite.

Amanda and I channeled our excitement into a super awesome kickoff party on the Saturday after the invitation went out. The party included several games throughout the day with small prizes. Participation in anything going on in the group earned members extra points toward the Grand Prize, which was a Fire 7 Tablet and a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

The group page had activity all day long during the kickoff party. With two of us working to keep readers engaged, it didn’t seem like that much work. In fact, I’ll let you in on a little secret… playing in Small Town Hearts was the highlight of that weekend. I enjoyed the company of readers I already knew, met many new readers, and got to joke around with a favorite author – and friend – Amanda Torrey. It’s also awesome to be teamed up with an author who is more than willing to do her fair share of the work in running a reader group. I was that kid in school who hated group work because I always ended up doing ALL the work. I get a little upset when partners don’t pull their weight, but Amanda is fabulous, as I knew she would be.

We’ve split up the weekly work of hosting the group too. We schedule two posts a day, rotating who posts in the morning and who posts in the evening, and we have the option to spontaneously post whenever we want. Days of the week have themes too – Mood-lifting Monday, Tight T-shirt Tuesday, Warm Fuzzy Wednesday, This or That Thursday, and Flashback Friday. Saturday and Sunday are open for any kinds of posts. Flash games/contests for small prizes can also pop up at any time so readers want to keep checking in.  

I can’t wait to see what else we’ll do in Small Town Hearts. Amanda and I have lots and lots of plans for more fun games, contests, guest author appearances, interviews, and sneak peeks into our books.

There will most likely be pictures of hot heroes too.

I would definitely recommend starting a reading group if you are an author or joining one if you are a reader. If you can pair up with a buddy who writes/reads the same stuff as you, even better! Partying from the comfort of your home where all you need to bring is an electronic device is a great way to party if you ask me.

If you want to join us at Small Town Hearts, we’d love to welcome you to the fun! Check us out! You could be our next lucky winner and you’ll certainly be treated like a friend.   

Toodles,

Chris

www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com

Reader Emails by Christine DePetrillo

I love reader emails. They are a shot of confidence when you are in major self-doubt mode. And if you are a writer, that's pretty much most of the time. A positive reader email has the ability to pull an author away from the edge of that dark and shapeless abyss, where whispers of "you suck" rise up on a constant basis. "Give up," the abyss says. "Try something else. You're just not good at this writing thing."

I hate that abyss. It doesn't know how to mind its own damn business.

But a reader email, found randomly in my inbox, can shine a bright spotlight into that black pit. It sends the beady-eyed rats of judgment scurrying for the shadows. A few kind words from a reader and I'm poking my head right into that hopeless well and laughing at it, fists shaking.

"See that?" I yell. "SOMEONE likes my stuff! I'm not a huge failure!"

Except if someone catches me laughing and yelling and shaking my fists like that to myself. That's kind of a fail.

Anyway... I received a reader email last month where a woman told me she AND her husband had been chewing through my Maple Leaf Series.

Say what?

You got a MAN to read my happily ever after tales?

And he likes it?

Awesome! She went on to say, "We both enjoy reading and you have captured us with your writing." Oh good, that means there aren't holes in my reader net--you know, like a butterfly net only bigger. This email came to me when I had just finished writing the last book in a series and was ready to start planning out a new series. Every time I am at this place in my writing process, I always take some time to contemplate whether I should keep doing this writing thing or maybe try something else. Say, playing an instrument or getting back to jewelry making or taking up karate.

Shut up. I could take karate...

There have been a few times when I almost walked away from being an author. Packed up my writing notebook and pen. Powered down the laptop. Tuned out the voices in my head.

Reader emails, however, always draw me back in. When a reader takes the time to write up a message and send it to me, I know I've done something right. My story touched them in a way that made them have to contact me. People are busy. They don't have time to waste on emailing authors, so I know when they do, they really mean what they're saying and just had to tell me. Not much else gives me the warm fuzzies like this does.

Well, maybe puppies do. I love puppies. Who doesn't love puppies?

I've emailed some of my favorite authors when I've loved their books too. I think no matter how "big" the author is, most likely he/she still enjoys hearing directly from readers. They aren't immune from the abyss either. It taunts all of us.

One kind word can make all the difference, especially on a day where the blank page seems insurmountable.

My recent reader email ended with, "Thank you for these wonderful stories that always have a good ending... There is way too much garbage out there... Keep up the amazing books."

No, dear reader, thank YOU. Due to your email that abyss hasn't swallowed me yet. 


What keeps you out of the abyss if you are a writer? If you're a reader, have you emailed an author to tell them how much you liked his/her work?

Toodles,
Chris

The Maple Leaf Series, Books One to Six, available now, Book One is always FREE!
The Shielded Series, Books One to Three, available now, Book One is always FREE!
Wolf Kiss, Book One in The Warrior Wolves Series, COMING SOON!
www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com 

 

Hooking Readers by Christine DePetrillo

The hardest part about being an author is getting your work in front of readers. Writing the story is a piece of cake compared to finding people who genuinely want to read your books and who will leave reviews that get other people to read your books. I’m not a very outgoing person. I don’t like to shove my work into people’s faces. I can barely get myself to give a bookmark to someone who has already shown an interest in what I write. The one time I did resulted in a bank teller giving me her phone number and saying that she had “experiences” she could share with me that I could write about. Think Fifty Shades experiences, people. Not what I write at all.

And now I had to switch banks.

I’m also not a look-at-me person. I’d rather be the wallpaper in the restaurant than the flaming dessert the waiter has wheeled into the middle of the room, causing everyone to gasp and clap and be wildly impressed.

Yeah, I’m sweating just thinking about that sort of attention.

I’ve done price promotions, newsletters, book excerpts, blog tours, book signings, made book trailers, ran contests… the usual stuff. I’m wondering in this post today what other authors have tried with good results.

I’m also curious about what readers want. What lures you in to try a new author? What turns you off?

 

Toodles,

Chris

www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com

SAFE, Book One, The Shielded Series, available now!

REVIEWS ARE THE LIFE FORCE OF A BOOK

REVIEWS ARE THE LIFE FORCE OF A BOOK

The writing process takes an incredible amount of time. My third book, which came out last March, took me a year to write and get published. 

Writing also includes a ton of self-doubt. This is something that most authors go through. Will the reader like the characters? Relate to them? Does the dialog sound natural? Are there plot holes?

No matter the fictional genre, the writer's overwhelming desire is to entertain the reader. 

Hearing from you is how we know if we've accomplished this goal. We learn from our reviews. For instance, one reader said I needed to 'up the heat level' of my love scenes. I've taken the critique seriously as I'm working on my fourth book, A COLD-HEARTED VAMPIRE. This title will, hopefully, come out next year. 

The days of large publishing houses, those that provide advances, advertising, and an army of reviewers are ending. Brick and Mortar stores are going out of business as more and more readers buy online. Some publishers, like mine, only sell through the internet.

In an effort to get our books noticed, authors now depend on our readers. YOU, the reader, is the most important cog in the wheel. YOU provide the necessary feedback. Every word you write about one of our books provides priceless advertising.

Of course, we hope for positive appraisals but more than that we want honest reviews. A few sentences suffice.Your opinion matters. Reviews don't have to be long essays. Take a look at this short and sweet review which I received on my latest book: A VAMPIRE TO BE RECKONED WITH. It had me glowing for days: 

5.0 out of 5 stars... THEN AN AUTHOR WRITES A SEQUEL THAT IS ACTUALLY BETTER THAN THE FIRST

By Amazon Customer on May 2, 2016

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

IT DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN AN AUTHOR WRITES A SEQUEL THAT IS ACTUALLY BETTER THAN THE FIRST . IN MY OPINION FOR WHAT ITS WORTH, THIS IS ONE.

Each and every review helps an author connect with potential readers. Statistics show that buyers do check the comments on Amazon and Goodreads before they make a purchase. Additionally, reviews provide name recognition and help the author reach their target audience.

So, please, leave a review after reading a book. I promise, you'll earn the author's undying gratitude. 

REMullins
Author of:
IT'S A WONDERFUL UNDEAD LIFE
VAMPIRE IN THE SCRYING GLASS
A VAMPIRE TO BE RECKONED WITH 

connect with me here or at
https://www.facebook.com/REMullinsauthor/

Buylinks:
Amazon
The Wild Rose Press Catalog 
or any online book outlet

I Love My Readers by Betsy Ashton

We all say that. We are grateful when one reaches out and shares a review, an e-mail, a picture. Today's post is all about you who have taken time to let me know how you enjoyed or didn't enjoy my first two books. Some sent photos from around the world. That's right. Mad Max has gone global.

My first picture comes from my heart daughter in India. Debarati translated Max 1 and read it aloud to her mother when her mother was ill. Debarati holds my book, while her mother looks down from her portrait. Her dear Maa passed a few months after this picture was taken. Both live in Kolkata.

Another friend, Prakash Brother, also lives in India. He's an actor who I met through Facebook. Actually, I met Debarati through a private FB group. I sent a copy to Prakash, because he's been very interested in my creative process. It is different from his, because he's in performing arts, while I'm in literary arts.




Add Ansu, who has the only copy (that I know of) on the African

continent. Another FB friend. we have been corresponding for more than a year. Ansu lives in The Gambia in West Africa.

Of course I have many readers in the U.S., the U.K, Canada and Australia. Oops, I nearly forgot those in New Zealand who've been kind enough to let me know they read my books.

I love all of my readers. I even love those who didn't like Max 1 and who will not likely read Max 2. For those who shared their reasons for not liking the book, I thank you. I know I disappointed you in ways I didn't intend. I'll try to do better.

Some of you will not like the manuscript my agent has out with several publishers. For those of you who thought Max 1 and 2 had too much violence, please stay away from the serial killer book. It's psychological suspense. It has violence. It has blood. And it's written from the point of view of the serial killer. She is a psychopath with her, that's right, her, own moral compass. Just thought I should warn you.

How do your readers let you know you've satisfied or disappointed them?

###

Betsy Ashton is the author of Mad Max, Unintended Consequences, and Uncharted Territory, A Mad Max Mystery, now available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Reviews Matter

Have you ever left a review for a book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or another e-book distributor? What was your goal in leaving that review? To give your opinion? To let other consumers know what’s good and what’s not? To give your favorite author a boost? All of these? Some other reason?

As an author, reviews matter. They often make the difference in an author’s books getting noticed by readers and by the silly algorithms distributors use to promote books. I don’t claim to know all the ins and outs of how Amazon – The Ebook Mecca decides who gets recommended and who doesn’t. All I do know is that reviews factor in to the discussion.

Now reviews can be a great friend to authors. Positive reviews let an author know what he/she is doing right, what readers like, and often help in deciding what to write next. Nothing makes me happier than to read a review in which a reader tells me my characters were real to them. That’s something I really strive for in my books, so to hear that I’ve achieved what I’ve set out to do can fuel me for months of lonely writing where self-doubts are always a-knocking.

Negative reviews can also be a friend to authors. Yes, that’s what I said. Reviews that offer constructive feedback in a non-confrontational way are always welcome in my eyes. If a reader tells me that they weren’t feeling the setting, I’ll double my efforts to make the setting more interesting in whatever book I am currently writing. If someone says they thought the ending was rushed, I’ll make sure to check the pace of the ending in my upcoming novel. I like to learn from my mistakes, grow, deliver what readers want. Criticism from which I can make improvements can only make my stories stronger.

Reviews that simply bash, however, are of no use. I often find that these are poorly written (dear Lord, somebody proofread before hitting the submit button), don’t make sense, and are not based on a full reading of my book. When a reader review starts with “I didn’t finish the book, but…” I wonder what prompted that reader to bother writing a review at all. If that reader didn’t finish the book, how can they comment on the story overall? Short answer – they can’t… and shouldn’t. It’s not fair to color the opinions of other readers when a complete picture of the story hasn’t been achieved.

I’ve gotten reviews in which the reader called the characters by the wrong names, talked about characters that didn’t exist, discussed plotlines that didn’t occur, and harped on details that had little to do with the love story, which is the main point of everything I write. So what’s their goal in writing a review? Why waste the time if you’re not going to be accurate?

I also laugh when I get a negative review that says the ending was “predictable.” Umm… my books are romances, peeps. That happily ever after is a guarantee or it’s not a romance. In fact that predictable happily ever after means I did it right. I’d be mad as heckfire if I read a romance and it wasn’t predictable at the end. I read them for the comfort of that predictability. I like knowing that I’m not going to be crying sad tears at the end, but only happy ones. If you don’t like this flavor of ending, pick up another genre. If I don’t like a book, I just don’t leave a review and chalk it up to that particular author just not being for me. No biggie.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions I suppose, but I can’t help but think that if you wouldn’t say something to someone’s face, you shouldn’t say it in a review either. It’s okay to be nice when you’re also being critical. It’s not okay to rip something apart just for the sake of ripping it apart. Remember, authors pour themselves into every story they write. It may just seem like words on a page, but to us, we’ve spent months, sometimes years bleeding—often fatally—all over those formerly blank sheets of white.

We’ve worked hard, and a few kind words go a long way to boosting our sensitive spirits. Lately, I've received quite a few nice reviews on my FREE book, More Than Pancakes, Book One in The Maple Leaf Series. Many of the reviews have absolutely made my day! To celebrate, I'm running a Reader Appreciation Giveaway for a $50 Amazon Gift Card. To enter, visit my website HERE and scroll down on the homepage. One winner will be chosen randomly by March 15, 2016.

Have you loved an author today by leaving a review? If not, go give it a whirl. You’ll make us smile. Trust me. 

Happy reading AND reviewing!

Toodles,

Chris

The Maple Leaf Series, Books One to Five, available now. Book One, More Than Pancakes, is always FREE.

www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com  

Reaching Readers Through Telepathy by Betsy Ashton

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The

important thing is to not stop questioning. ~ Albert Einstein

On January 22, Leah St. Thomas had a great post in this blog about overcoming the fear of public speaking. After she completed and published her book, she was faced with the Now What moment. Now what do I do to tell people what the book is about? Do I have to do it in public? Or will osmosis sell my book.

Source: Wikipedia

I'm here to tell you neither osmosis nor telepathy will sell your books. Unless you are a David Baldacci or a James Patterson, your book is going to "get found" only when you get down and dirty with marketing and promotions. In today's book environment, most publishers are not going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising, television interviews and book tours. The return on their investments for most newbie or relative newbie writers is non-existent. Not that most of us wouldn't want our lives to be managed for the first six months after our book launches. But, it so doesn't happen.

For us to have hope for tomorrow, we have to set up a plan to get our messages out without spamming our readership. That line between sensible marketing and spamming is so fine that a mistaken step will send a writer sliding down the razor blade of life. (OMG, that's a cliche! I'm damned proud of it.)

My first book launch taught me many lessons, some of which I plan to apply to my next launch, which is coming up in June or slightly before.

Lesson one: Don't listen to people who say you have to be active on every social media site. You don't. If your readers don't use Pinterest, you don't have to have a presence there. If they are active on Facebook and post reviews on Goodreads, you'll want to be more active there. Twitter? It never hurts, although 1800 followers must find some reason for following me, even though I still don't know what I'm doing. I also find LinkedIn groups very helpful. I spend about an hour a week there commenting on the forums where I have the best likelihood of finding readers. Total amount of time a week setting up my multiple feeds: 2 hours. Most of that is on Sunday afternoon when life is quiet.

Lesson two: After Mad Max 1 launched, more of my readers bought my e-book than my trade paper book. Like ten to one. So, when my publisher asked how I felt about launching Mad Max 2 as an e-book first, it made sense. And it made life a lot easier because I could set up my marketing campaign in advance. I now need to execute it.

Lesson three: There is NOTHING like meeting readers face to face. Book clubs have been very kind to me. Seriously, with 25 around the lake where I live, I've reached hundreds of readers. Local libraries have helped. Book clubs out of my region often have Skype options, so I don't have to spend a day traveling to a group of 20 women. I will tell you from experience, libraries out of my immediate region have been a waste of time. I'm not going to pound on them again.

Lesson four: I look at Mad Max 2 as a whole new beginning. I am so enthusiastic about it. I can't wait for people to read it. I hope they will be as excited as I am. I won't know until I track online sales promotions.

In looking back at the Einstein quote, I want to amend it. The important thing is not about questioning. It's about the quest itself. May those of us who write because we are inspired by words and driven to reach readers accept the quest and go for the Holy Grail, whatever it might be. Onward.

###

Betsy Ashton is the author of Mad Max Unintended Consequences available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The second book in the series, Uncharted Territory comes out in e-book in June 2015. 

One Thing I Fear --- Is Sex by Margo Hoornstra

I do fear sex.....in my writing.

However, I write romance. If you check out my website, I advise; Be Good To Yourself, Snuggle Up With A Little Romance. Or Sometimes sweet, sometimes sensual, always satisfying. That's another line I use to define my stories. Lofty promises, so I'd better deliver.

Though I constantly ask myself, how much is too much? What, exactly, is just enough? How detailed should I be in describing the love scenes? What are the logistics of it all? To paraphrase a presenter at a conference I attended, "We all know what goes where. So, it's a matter of how to get there."

I suppose the amount of sex used in any given work depends on the audience. Case in point.

 

A copy of my first book was on the end table one day. Enter my oldest daughter, who is well over the age of eighteen by the way, who decided to peek inside. Wouldn't you know, she opened to the one and only explicitly detailed love scene in the entire book. One, in my naiveté as a new author, I felt obligated to put there. As far as I know, to this day she has never read another word I've written. For good reason, I suppose. She later shared with a mutual friend her eyes were on fire for days.

 

I took that as a compliment.

 

As I wrote and sold more and more books, I found I preferred to, if not close the bedroom door behind my characters, at least keep some of the details in the shadows. Allow them a bit of privacy in their love scenes.

 

Or maybe I gained confidence my readers will be able to, shall we say, fill in the blanks.

 

A cherished snippet from one of my reviews reads: "Her love scenes are sensual and sexy, but full of sweet romance."

 

My latest work is part of the Dearly Beloved series from The Wild Rose Press. In Only If You Dare my heroine struggles with her own questions surrounding sex, romance and love--in that order.

 

When recently divorced Cynthia Buckingham meets well respected judge Jonah Colt their mutual attraction is immediate and strong. They both believe a one night stand will suffice. Which is so nice, they indulge in  another, then another, and another. Cynthia cares about Jonah, she really does, but isn't ready to share his existence with her only daughter. As their relationship inevitably progresses, neither Jonah or Cynthia is prepared for the quickly growing avalanche of emotions that threaten to sweep them away.

She had no business stoking a fire she never should have started in the first place.

This is an excerpt:

 

“Jonah. I was wrong, and I’m so very sorry.”

 

His hand froze on the gear shift. “About picking up your car? I can just give you a ride home then.”

 

He obviously wasn’t going to make this easy for her, but who could blame him? “You know, I always tell my patients they need to focus on reality, to believe in what is, and go from there.”

 

“I understand you care about your patients. I’m not one of them.”

 

What did he think? That she was creating notes for one of her counseling session? “I was wrong about—I should have admitted to myself how much you mean to me and let you know, too.”

 

“It might have been nice.” He didn’t respond with anything more, just put the car in gear and pulled away from the hospital.

 

The litany of confessions had already formed in her mind and, when she couldn’t contain them any longer, began to gush out. “I tried to pretend what we had together—” She paused when her voice cracked. “—wasn’t incredibly special. I wanted to believe I could enjoy a physical relationship and dismiss my emotions.” Her voice lowered. “As irrelevant.” She laid her hand on his arm, and a bicep muscle twitched then tensed. “And that was my biggest mistake of all.”

 

“You were only doing what was working for you, I suppose.”

 

Squaring up in her seat, she concentrated on the scenery passing by outside. He’d said very little as she went on and on. Because she hadn’t given him a chance to speak? Or because there was nothing he cared to share with her? Either way, she had to go for broke.

 

“I love you, Jonah.”

Only If You Dare comes out on Amazon October 28th. It will be free on their KDP Select December 10-14, 2013.

 

Before you go, I have another issue, sex related. Covers. Covers for my books have included beach scenes with a shadowed couple holding hands, head shots of a man and a woman kissing. A caricature of a knight in shining armor. A chin to waist shot of a very handsome, tuxedo clad hero. All in all though, they have been relatively tame.

Along comes an author friend who knows of such things. She suggests I may want to push the envelope a bit. Go for a tad sexier cover. Anxious to try new things, I took her advice. This is what my publisher and I came up with. What do you think?

 

 

 

My days to blog here are the 11th and 23rd. Information on me and my books, along with the link to Only If You Dare when it's available, can be found at:

 

www.margohoornstra.com  or www.margohoornstra.blogspot.com

 

 

Dear Readers: What Do You Want?

By Glenys O'Connell

Readers, what do you want?

In the words of the Spice Girls (which dates me, no doubt) tell me what you want; what you really, really want?

I mean, take books for example. We writers sit at our computers, or pens and notebooks, or chalks and slates, and we pour out our hearts and souls. Then we send those words out into the world, after fussing over them like mother hens, and wait. And wait. And wait. Sometimes there's a kind word from an editor or a publisher; sometimes there's a contract.

And all too often, there's a rejection.

Which, try as we might, we do take personally. Who could help but do so, after all we've given up – time with family, lazy days in the sun, movies and tv, reading other writers' books, dinner dates and trips out – in order to write those words that are so unappreciated.

And the worst of it is that those editors, publishers and agents that we rely on so heavily for a yeah or a nay, these people are only human. Stories are subjective – I might love a particular writer's work, someone else might hate it or worse, be indifferent.

Stephen King, my hero, was told his work was 'not commercial'. That not commercial writer has sold millions of books, and his work has been made into television shows and movies.

J.K. Rowling, creator of the breathtakingly popular Harry Potter books, was told that kids today weren't interested in dragons and wizards and magic. 'Nuff said.

Somewhere, out there in the Great Unknown, are editors or editorial assistants or publishers' purchasing committees who are crying into their beer for turning down the next great thing. At least I hope so.

So it seems these days that it is the readers who have the final say; the readers who spread the word about King and Rowling and many other bestsellers – once a publisher decided to take a chance on an unknown writer.

You see, readers know what they want.

There's a story about George Sands that says she began to write because she couldn’t find a book that interested her. The same is said of Louisa May Alcott, author of my girlhood favourite, Little Women and the sequel, Good Wives. But just like Rowling, they kept right on writing. The readers found them, and the rest is history.

So, readers, what do you want? What stories light up your lives, or leave you afraid to go into the dark basement alone? What inspires you? Makes you laugh, makes you weep? Lifts your mood and makes you feel better when your world is in chaos? A Love that makes your toes curl?  What, in fact, would you say are the ingredients of that Next Great Thing? Or even a book that you'd love to read?

The Internet is full or how-to advice for writers. I'm as guilty as any other blogger or article writer; I teach creative writing to would-be writers. I'm glad to say that quite a few have gone on to be published.

But to me the burning question isn't what is selling today; not what formula works to make a book successful – the very existence of such a formula is a fallacy.

The real question can only be answered by you, Dear Reader: What do you want?

Right about now you may be wondering what this has to do with the current theme of this blog: Organization.  The answer, of course, is absolutely nothing.

I always wanted to be a rebel!

Glenys O'Connell is the author of several mystery & romance novels with good reader reviews; her long-awaited (in her dreams) book based on her creative writing course: Naked Writing: The No Frills Way to Write Your Book, will soon be published. Her 'brand' is Romance Can Be Murder, which tells you a lot about her.... Learn more here.

The Secret Dreams of Readers.....

By Glenys O`Connell
In my last blog I offered a print copy of my Canadian set romantic suspense novel, Judgement By Fire, to a reader who posted a comment that I liked the best.
Unfortunaterly, I loved all the comments about how you survived winter, and I'd love to send a book to all of you. Not possible, of course, but I did choose two winners instead of one, McKenzie Crowne and Kerry Schafer - congratulations! Please send your snail mail addys to me at RomanceCanBeMurder @ hotmail. ca (without the spaces) and I`ll get your books in the mail. Doing this contest reminded me of the wonderful relationship between readers and writers - one thing a writer must never do is lose sight of who we`re doing this for: You, the reader. Without you, we writers would be lonely indeed!
So onto the long list of people and things I am thankful for, I`ve added all the wonderful folks who buy and read my books.I am truly grateful for your support and encouragement.
I`ve taught a creative writing class for many years - initially in the classroom at third level, and mopre recently online. You can read a little about the Naked Writing: The No Frills Way to Write Your Novel at www.glenysoconnell.com.
Whenever I receive a note from one of my students, announcing that they`ve received a publishing contract and praising the course, I am just thrilled. But I also know that this has been a symbiotic relationship - I`ve learned lots about the craft of writing while working with the students taking the course.
One thing I do know is that many readers harbour a secret dream to write their own novel. So, in honour of that dream, and readers everywhere, I`m offering an ARC - an Advanced Reading copy of my new creative writing book. No Frills Way to Write Your Novel is a compilation of the lessons from the writing course along with some of the wit and wisdom I learned while working with new writers. I`m told it`s a great read, and this is your chance to grab a copy before it is actually published in the New Year.

Just leave me a comment here on the blog about your writing, or dreams of writing.Good luck!


Glenys O`Connell writes romantic suspense and comedy, award winning plays, and non-fiction books on subjects such as depression and PTSD. She has also been known to stop traffic on the busy TransCanada Highway to help turtles cross safely. You can read excerpts of her fiction at www.glenysoconnell.com