Just the Right Match
January 4, 2017 by marianne h donley in category Events, Reading, Spotlight tagged as A Boss Inc Novel, heroes, heroines, Kat Martin
Finding the right match for the hero and heroine is one of the toughest and most exciting parts of writing a novel. The hero of INTO THE FIRESTORM is Luke Brodie, one of my strongest, toughest, sexiest heroes.
Fortunately, Emma Cassidy showed up, a strong woman in her own right, a fighter, a lady determined to achieve the goal she has set for herself–bringing a murderer to justice, a criminal who is threatening her family.
Emma is also hunting Vance. It’s been almost a year since she arrived at her sister’s home to find the housekeeper murdered and her young niece the victim of Vance’s sick assault.
Emma is determined to find Vance and make him pay. And no one–not even the infamous Luke Brodie–is going to stop her.
I loved that Emma was just as determined as Luke, perhaps more so. I liked that Luke came to admire her. Though Emma is nowhere near his equal in skill and physical strength, she is smart and she has learned to handle herself well enough to keep up with him.
The attraction between them was magnetic from the start. Add to that, the sexual heat both are fighting to control is a battle they are sure to lose.
Finding the right woman for Luke was fun, and of course setting them off on a dangerous, desperate adventure added to the mix.
I hope you enjoy INTO THE FIRESTORM and if you haven’t read INTO THE FURY and INTO THE WHIRLWIND, the first two BOSS Inc. novels, you’ll give them a try.
Till next time, all best and happy reading.
New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. She is married to L.J. Martin, author of western, non-fiction, and suspense novels.
Kat has written more than sixty-five novels. Sixteen million copies of her books are in print and she has been published in twenty foreign countries, including Japan, France, Germany, Argentina, Greece, China, Russia, and Spain.
Born in Bakersfield, California, Kat currently resides in Missoula, Montana, on a small ranch in the beautiful Sapphire mountains.
Her last 12 books have hit the prestigious New York Times bestseller list. INTO THE FURY and INTO THE WHIRLWIND her most recent releases, both took top ten spots.
Visit Kat’s website at www.katmartin.com
Or look for her on Facebook at Katmartin/author.
Update on the California Dreamin’ Conference
January 2, 2017 by A Slice of Orange in category Writing Conferences tagged as Orange County, Writing conference
Happy New Year!
The Twelve Days of Christmas have almost passed, but there’s still time for you to register for the California Dreamin’ Conference, at the regular rate, before prices go up on January 15, 2017.
Your California Dreamin’ Committee is working hard to make this year’s conference the best ever. We’ve lost some presenters for business and personal reasons, including OCC member Kitty Bucholtz who is now residing in a beach front home in Wellington, New Zealand (tough life, right?!).
But, we’re excited to announce we’ve added a new speaker, Robin Blakely, a top business coach, who’ll present a workshop STORYography Cards: From Big Idea to Marketing Success.
Here’s part of the blurb for her workshop:
Writers, you CAN make a solid living from your talent. But first, you have to write or re-write the storyline for the success of your talent-driven brand. Top business coach Robin Blakely, CEO of Creative Center of America and a member of the Forbes Coaches Council, shows you how to bring structure–and a sense of peace–to the common chaos of your creative career.
And there are still spots available for Debra Dixon’s Book Camp on Friday, March 24, 2017.
This pre-conference add-on provides valuable tools a writer needs to pull a book together. The intensive workshop covers the three most important elements of popular fiction-goal, motivation and conflict (GMC), and how those elements work with the mythic structure of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey to help writers conceive and create strong plots and compelling characters.
Book Camp is available as a single purchase for those not attending the conference. Writers from any genre will benefit and are most welcome.
If you have questions, check out the conference FAQ page, or come speak to me or Jann Audiss at the January OCC meeting.
Alina K. Field
I’m a Bookaholic
December 20, 2016 by Meriam Wilhelm in category A Bit of Magic by Meriam Wilhelm, Reading tagged as books, magic, Meriam Wilhelm, reading, writing
I am a confessed Bookaholic.
For as long as I can remember I’ve cherished every opportunity to get lost within the pages of a good book. Nothing is sexier to me than the sound of cracking open the spine of a crusty hardback and nothing more enjoyable than being introduced to a character I never knew existed.
I understand that the reason I so love to write is because I am enamored with and made whole through reading. Even if it’s only ten minutes a day spent looking for a clue, discovering a new land or getting lost in the emotions of another, I’ll find the time. I can always count on a book to bring me comfort, challenge my status quo or add magic to an otherwise drab day.
It may sound strange to some, but I enjoy reading two or three books at one time. Never bored, I’m constantly seeking out new words, phrases and ways of illustrating ideas through language. So you can be sure that I was a bit distressed when a friend shared with me that she thought I was being lazy by spending so much time engrossed in a particular story.
I was initially stunned, then a little baffled and then just plain fired up – motivated to take on a new quest.
Reading is not being lazy. What better way is there to develop vocabulary, validate life choices, challenge intellectual abilities, open new worlds, contemplate conflicting ideas or find unique topics to engage others in conversation?
Reading rocks my world and encourages me to pry open doors that have threatened to close due to years of aging. I’ll take an enticing mystery, a melancholy love story or an adventurous travel sequel to any evening mindlessly sitting in front of the television, and I like television!
I hope over the upcoming holidays you find a moment to dream a little, travel through time or expand your world through a good book. And if you happen to stumble upon a friend enamored with the pages of a hardback, paperback or manuscript – take a moment to ask them what they’re reading. You might like what they have to share. But whatever you do, please don’t presume that they’re just being lazy.
About Meriam Wilhelm:
The one thing I know, after all my years as an elementary school principal, is that there is magic everywhere and in everyone. When I retired after 35 years in education, I longed to share all that I had learned and created several parenting books on topics from bullying to homework strategies. While I miss those enchanting moments with children and their parents, I always wanted to let my imagination run wild as I sought out my own magic and wrote about it. In short, I was lured into the world of fiction writing where I soon created my first series, The Witches of New Moon Beach. The first book, Morning Magic is currently FREE on Amazon.
Inspiration isn’t hard to find as I have lived in Redondo Beach, California all my life and New Moon Beach might have more than a passing resemblance to my hometown. Every day I walk on the path that runs along the beach, sometimes with my sisters, but most often with my thoughts as I plot out my next book. I am long married and mom to three great grown kids. When I’m not writing or walking on the beach, you’ll find me sewing, reading or traveling and taking pictures.
Feel free to check out my website: www.meriamwilhelm.com or contact me by email: meriamwilhelm@hotmail.com
Civil War Letters: I’ll be reading letters from Love Me Forever at Lady Jane’s OC Salon by Jina Bacarr
December 11, 2016 by Jina Bacarr in category Jina’s Book Chat tagged as books, Civil War, Confessions of a Podcast Goddess, Lady Jaen's OC Salon, letters, love, reading, rebel, Ripped Bodice Bookstore, romance, South, war letters
When was the last time you wrote a letter?
Website: www.jinabacarr.com
Blog: www.jinabacarr.wordpress.com
================
Giving InstaFreebie a Try by Kitty Bucholtz
December 9, 2016 by Kitty Bucholtz in category It's Worth It by Kitty Bucholtz, Writing: It's a Business tagged as It's Worth It, Kitty Bucholtz
 |
| My new writing desk complete with inspiring view! |
Hello from sunny New Zealand!
Yes, if you haven’t heard, my husband got his dream job and we moved to New Zealand last month! Woohooo!!! The earthquake thing is a little weird, but we have loved pretty much every aspect of our transition.
The people are fabulously friendly and laid back, and the weather is gorgeous. Having lived in Southern California for many of the last fifteen years, I’m excited to have weather! It actually reminds us of Michigan, where we grew up. Don’t like the weather – give it an hour. LOL!
In addition to all the changes in my personal life, I’m trying something new in my marketing as well. My friend Jennifer very kindly invited me to participate in my first InstaFreebie promotion. I know several friends who rave about their InstaFreebie results (especially Tracy Reed), but I haven’t gotten around to looking into it.
Then I got this invitation to join a group of folks who write humorous paranormal or urban fantasy. Our promotion will run starting tomorrow, December 10 through Friday the 16th. I’m posting the link here so you can see it, even though it’s a day early.
If you don’t know anything about InstaFreebie, let me tell you what I know. Readers click over to the book they’re interested in downloading, choose the format (mobi, epub, pdf), and enter their email address. Authors have the option of forcing the reader to signup for their newsletter in order to get the book or allowing that to be optional. Then the reader gets an email with the book file. Easy!
I’m told that the best way to get the most value from your InstaFreebie giveway is to make the newsletter signup mandatory. The friend who invited me got about a thousand newsletter signups from her very first InstaFreebie giveaway a few months ago!
I don’t know what will happen for me, but I’ll let you know next month. Meanwhile, check out all the free books you can get this next week! They look super fun!
Kitty Bucholtz decided to combine her undergraduate degree in business, her years of experience in accounting and finance, and her graduate degree in creative writing to become a writer-turned-independent-publisher. Her novels, Little Miss Lovesick, A Very Merry Superhero Wedding, and Unexpected Superhero are currently available on Amazon . The free short story Superhero in Disguise and the new short story Welcome to Loon Lake are available wherever ebooks are sold. You can find out about her courses on self-publishing, marketing, and time management for writers at her website Writer Entrepreneur Guides.
Featured Books
MIGUEL’S BRAVE KNIGHT
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra finds refuge from his difficult childhood by imagining the adventures of a brave but clumsy knight.
More info →
COME MIDNIGHT
A routine flight turns into a suspenseful race through the remote jungles of Honduras
More info → 
SLIVERS OF GLASS
Southern California 1955: the summer Disneyland opened, but even "The Happiest Place on Earth" couldn't hide the smell of dirty cops, corruption and murder.
More info →
