Today’s blog tour stop is at Mandy’s blog Twimom 101. She asks me my top 10 favorite things, and I learned from her that Titanic (my favorite movie) will be re-released in April of 2012, yahoooooo!
Stop by to enter the giveaway.
The CONduct Series Blog Tour Day Four
Today my romantic suspense series travels to three book blogs. These book lovers all read With Good Behavior, so check out their varied reviews! Each will offer an ebook giveaway, and readers who comment on every tour stop are eligible to win a $25 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
1. Alexa Loves Books Blog
2. Kelsey’s Book Corner Blog
3. Ramblings From a Chaotic Mind Blog
And now it’s time for the Author Blog Bounce, hosted by Omnific Publishing!
Poughkeepsie: Homeless No More + Giveaway
I’m happy to be part of the Poughkeepsie Blog Tour. I’ve heard amazing things about this novel by Debra Anastasia, and I can’t wait to read it.
This is a story about homeless man and the young woman he meets at the train station. Her smiles sustain him though she has no idea of her impact on him.
I actually worked at a homeless center during my graduate training in counseling psychology, and I’d like to share that experience for the Poughkeepsie blog tour. At the homeless center, I did counseling, psychological testing, and led an anger-management therapy group.
One thing that struck me was the similarity between myself and individuals living at the center. Warmth, intelligence, and talent abounded in homeless people. One man was a gifted musician and another woman had gone to extreme efforts to protect her children from her abusive husband. But one big difference between us was their lack of safety nets. When times got hard for them, they didn’t have friends or family to bail them out due to poverty, substance dependence, mental illness. I know that if I lost everything, my family and friends would have my back. Homeless people don’t have that luxury.
My internship director taught us that when we encounter homeless individuals on the street, it’s up to us whether or not to give money. But one thing we should do is show respect by looking them in the eye. I know my brother-in-law will often buy food from a convenience store and hand it to a homeless person in Chicago, and I try to keep an energy bar in my purse or car to share with those in need.
The homeless center where I worked was famous for helping its residents work toward owning their own home. It was so inspiring to witness such rebuilding and redemption.
Give a Copy of Poughkeepsie a Home:
GIVEAWAY
There are 2 eCopies of Poughkeepsie to give away on the blog today. To enter, please leave a comment and a valid email address.
Poughkeepsie in eBook, ePack, and Print: Omnific Publishing
Poughkeepsie in Kindle and Print Amazon Kindle Amazon Print
Poughkeepsie Book format allromanceebooks.com
Poughkeepsie in Kindle and Print Amazon Kindle Amazon Print
Poughkeepsie Book format allromanceebooks.com
Watch the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tHdSFrxnp4
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Today is day three of my own blog tour for The Conduct Series, romantic suspense with a psychological twist. There are two stops today:
Bookworm Lisa has an excerpt of Bad Behavior and a giveaway HERE.
A Girl and Her Diary has an excerpt of With Good Behavior and a giveaway HERE.
Leave a comment to enter the giveaway, and give Poughkeepsie a home!
The CONduct Series Blog Tour Day Two
Today there are two stops on The Conduct Series romantic suspense blog tour:
Jessica Subject’s Mark of the Stars. I share “My Writing Family”, including all the friends and loved ones who have supported my writing HERE.
Lindsay’s Turning the Pages. Lindsay gave With Good Behavior a great review and offers a giveaway HERE.
My First Blog Tour!
Excitement bursts within me for The Conduct Series Blog Tour, starting TODAY! That’s right, my romantic suspense series is going on tour for the next two weeks, visiting 28 blogs. Julie from A Tale of Many Reviews is the gracious host for this virtual book tour.
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| A Tale of Many Reviews |
Today’s stops include The Unread Reader blog where I discuss what I do when I’m not writing.
There will be a giveaway of With Good Behavior or Bad Behavior at every stop, and a grand prize of a $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card for a lucky reader who comments at every stop.
See the list of participating blogs HERE
Congratulations to the winner of the Gratitude Giveaway Hop:
Denise Z!
She wins a $10 Amazon gift card. Thanks to all who entered and shared what they’re thankful for. We are all blessed in many ways.
Omnific Release Day: Poughkeepsie
Today is release day at Omnific Publishing . . .
Introducing Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia!
He counts her smiles every day and night at the train station. And morning and evening, the beautiful commuter acknowledges him—just like she does everyone else on the platform. But Blake Hartt is not like the others . . . he’s homeless. Memories of a broken childhood have robbed him of peace and twisted delusions into his soul. He stays secluded from the sun, sure the world would run from him in the harsh light of day.
Each day, Livia McHugh smiles politely and acknowledges her fellow commuters as she waits for the train to the city. She dismisses this kindness as nothing special, just like her. She’s the same as a million other girls—certainly no one to be cherished. But special or not, she smiles every day, never imagining that someone would rely on the simple gesture as if it were air to breathe.
When the moment comes that Livia must do more than smile, without hesitation she steps into the fray to defend the homeless man. And she’s surprised to discover an inexplicable connection with her new friend. After danger subsides, their smiles become conversation. Their words usher in a friendship, which awakens something in each of them. But it’s not long before their bond must prove its strength. Entanglements from the past challenge both their love and their lives.
Blake’s heart beats for Livia’s, even if her hands have to keep its rhythm. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails. Love never fails, right?
In an interwoven tale of unlikely loves and relationships forged by fire, Debra Anastasia takes readers into the darkest corners of human existence, only to show them the radiant power of pure adoration and true sacrifice. Complicated families and confused souls find their way to light in this novel, which manages to be racy, profane, funny, and reverent all at once.
This popular novel already has a 4.7/5 rating on goodreads! Check back on 11/30/11 when I’ll host Debra on her Poughkeepsie blog tour. I’ll share what I learned from my counseling internship at a homeless center, in honor of Blake.
Speaking of blog tours, I’m also excited for the start of my first blog tour in less than one week. The Conduct Series, romantic suspense novels featuring two parolees who fall in love and battle bad guys, is going on tour 11/28 – 12/9, hosted by Julie from A Tale of Many Reviews.
Your POV on POV
I have a point-of-view issue. What’s your POV?
I’m rather new to writing, and my initial fledgling efforts were from a third person omniscient POV. In my debut novel With Good Behavior, I do a bit of “head hopping” from character to character. As a psychologist, I’m fascinated by the motivations of each perspective, so third person omniscient worked well for me.
Reader feedback is always varied and interesting. Some readers loved hearing from each character, believing it enriched the story. Other readers (like author Darcia Helle) commented that the constant change in POV was confusing at first, and suggested trying third person limited POV in which I represent one character’s perspective at a time (by section or chapter). Darcia shared how an agent asked her “Whose story is this?”–a tough question to answer when using third person omniscient POV.
I shared this feedback with my amazing Omnific Publishing editor Jessica Royer Ocken, and we discussed the pros and cons of omniscient vs. limited. We’re currently editing my first Young Adult novel, Against the Tide, and we decided to try third person limited. That created a LOT of work, I tell you! Whew. It’s been a challenge to view the scene from only one character’s perspective at times, but the advantage is a tighter, easier to follow story (I hope).
Last summer was my first attempt at first person POV for my short story Swim Recruit in the anthology Summer Breeze. First person writing was so fun! I found it a bit easier than writing in the third person.
What’s your POV? Do you prefer reading and/or writing in the third person omniscient or limited, or the first person POV?
Time for the Thursday Blog Bounce hosted by Omnific Publishing.
Gratitude Giveaway Hop
I’m so grateful to my readers, fellow authors, and followers! To express my gratitude, I’m joining Kathy and All-Consuming Books for the Gratitude Giveaway Hop.
Up for grabs is a $10 gift card to Amazon to a lucky U.S. winner.
To enter, all you need to do is to leave a comment including:
1) What you’re thankful for
2) Your email address so I can contact you if you win.
(Edited the post to add I LOVE reading all that you’re thankful for, everybody! Thank YOU for sharing your blessings).
Also, don’t forget to enter to win a Kindle Fire by clicking on the link to your right! I’m joining with other authors for the Kindle Fire giveaway and all you need to do is provide your email address.
I’m also offering my romantic suspense novel With Good Behavior for only $.99 in November.
Winners of November Giveaway Hop
Congratulations to our two winners of the November Giveaway Hop:
Mary
from Sweeping Me Blog
and
Kalea
from En Route to Life Blog
Mr. Darcy was their favorite historical romance hero. He’s quite popular with the ladies!
Mary wins an ebook of Bad Behavior (The Conduct Series #2). Remember, you can get With Good Behavior (The Conduct Series #1) for only $.99 in November!
Kalea wins an ebook of A Love By Any Measure by Killian McRae.
Congratulations to you both, and thanks to everyone for all the lovely comments and follows.
November Giveaway Hop
Kathy from I Am a Reader, Not a Writer, and Tristi Pinkston are hosting another great giveaway! We all have things we’re thankful for, and we all have goodies to give away too.
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For this international giveaway, enter to win one of TWO romance e-books:
1) Historical Romance: A Love By Any Measure by Killian McRae. 11/8/11 is the official release date for this angsty Irish bodice-ripper! You can read an excerpt at the end of this post.
2) Romantic Suspense: Bad Behavior, book two of The Conduct Series by Jennifer Lane. (Book one, With Good Behavior, is on sale for $.99 the month of November.)
You can also enter to win a Kindle Fire on the right side of my blog. (No joke—I’m joining other authors to offer a brand spankin’ new Kindle Fire to one lucky reader, and this giveaway is international).
Entries now closed. Stay tuned for the winners’ names!
Accusatory, hostile glares traced Maeve’s every step. Two options lay before her: be apologetic and claim this was only business and nothing was going on between she and August – an effort which Maeve knew would fail, as the truth of her conflict would be evident on her face; or she could bluff and take on an air of authority. In this second scenario, the other workers would at least fear losing their position for saying anything, if they believed she was indeed Grayson’s girl.
“We open in thirty minutes, and I don’t see a single loaf in the window,” she barked with false confidence. “Hop to it, eh?”
Maeve drew her eyes to the most fidgety of the shop girls, Clara, whom she knew would be all too eager to please and not dare speak a cross word. With a flex of her arm and pointing of a finger, Clara’s petite frame practically sprang to the back room. As Maeve turned to exit the shop to follow August, a cacophony of banging pans near the ovens arose and baked loaves were shoved in to the display glass.
The stairs to the manager’s apartment lay behind a cast iron gate on the side of the building. Maeve waited for August to exit and lead to the quarters that must have been the previous owner’s. August’s green eyes twinkled in fervent delight. He still had not understood what he had wrought, making her believe that his intentions had been benevolent despite the dreadful consequences they were likely to bring.
Maeve passed through the door. He followed and waited to be lauded and thanked for his keen plan and humble generosity.
“How could you be so daft?!” Her arms flew up as her balled fist walloped his chest.
He attempted to stutter a response, but she cut him to the quick.
“What did you expect they would think? I’ve been only a shop girl, and that only for a short time. And then some bloody Englishman sweeps into town, puts me up at his place, buys the bakery, and makes me manager?”
“I…?”
“Don’t you see what this does? Brand me a whore, is what. And for what? Just to have a place where you could continue this arrangement in private with me now that your sister and middleman are privy? Has a fortnight without driven you to insanity?”
Without courage, or perhaps, will to look at her, August shook his head wildly and sat on a stout wooden stool next to the door.
“I never …. It wasn’t my intention…..” He paused, collecting his thoughts before finally making a better retort. “Oh, Maeve, I didn’t think. I… I … I was only thinking about… you. This wasn’t what I meant to happen.”
She scoffed with a cackling grunt. “Aye? And just what did you intend to accomplish by this maneuver then?”
“Your freedom.”
August finally chanced an upward glance on the heel of his sincere admission. Maeve shrank back, perplexed.
“You are asked far beyond what should be of someone who’s already given so much. You went as far as to broker a deal with me that nearly cost you your chastity. I don’t want you to have to choose between having a home and having a choice. And if it’s just a question of money —”
“I never asked you for money. I never asked you for … this.”
He gave a weak half-smile. “I know. You’d rather rent your innocence to me than sacrifice your pride for a penny. If I could have simply given you money, I would have. But I could, at least, have seen the ramifications of that action. Instead, I decided to create an opportunity for you to earn your security. I thought, if I gave you the bakery…”
Maeve’s frame eased a little as she began to understand. Crossing the room, she kept her body turned away, yet laid a hand tenderly on his shoulder. She was surprised to feel a twinge of sadness.
“And you would… What about our contract? I still want the cottage, even if I’m living in town. What would I need to do? Would you have to come to town, or would I have come to…?”
“You’d still do that? Just to keep the cottage? Even with this apartment, you’d do anything to still have… the cottage?”
He turned toward her and gazed hopefully into her eyes, as though his very ability to breathe depended on the answer to his query. “Would you not want to be with me, Maeve?”
Brown eyes darted wildly around the room, looking to focus on anything but the optimism etched in his every feature. Yes, she’d want to be with him, but what did it matter? In the end, there was no way of being with August, there was only being under him. If there was a sliver of possibility, a minute modicum of chance that they might ever be together, she’d throw herself at it full force. But wishing simply couldn’t make it so.
Thank you for the excerpt, Killian McRae! Check out A Love By Any Measure.
Jennifer Lane Books 