Friday Fun Facts!

I know, I know - I've been gone all week. But with good reason! It was Spring Break, and hubby and I went on vacation to Salt Lake City, Utah. He did a Mustang racing school at a road course out there, and then I spent a spa day with my sister. So we both had a great time :) Pictures and more details to come on Monday...

In the meantime, here are 3 Fun Facts for you today:

Fun Fact #1: The Romance Studio's "Stay Home" Party starts today! Three days' worth of authors posting excerpts, chatting, and vest of all, giving away prizes! And yes, Yours Truly is participating. Drop by this link to see what you can win - and all you have to do is either comment on a post, or fill out a form with your choice of prize. Have fun!

Fun Fact#2: My April Showers Facebook Contest is going on right now, with new "shower scenes" being posted daily through Sunday. Stop by, spend some time reading, and email me your favorite next week to be in the running to win a travel umbrella + your choice of any of my ebooks!

Fun Fact #3: My fellow Hudson Valley RWA member Jennifer Probst debuted at #11 on the New York Times Bestseller List with her new contemporary romance The Marriage Bargain! I started reading it on during one of my flights this week, and I'm thoroughly loving it so far :) If you're looking for a new, compelling sensual romance, I highly recommend it!

Special Saturday Blog Announcement: Facebook Contest Starting Today!

Allie’s April Showers Contest!

It’s time for another fun Facebook contest – are you ready? We all know April showers bring May flowers, but sometimes those rainstorms can bring a little (or a lot!) of romance too. For the next week, I’ll be posting an excerpt each day on my Facebook Fan Page from my published novels (and a couple of WIPs too) that features a “shower” scene. Vote for your favorite by email, and the winner will be chosen randomly from all emails to receive a super-cute travel umbrella (for those REAL spring showers) and your choice of any ebook from my backlist.

Are you ready to get wet? Come over and join me!

Friday Fun Facts!

Fun Fact#1: I finished my taxes this morning. Yippee!! (not celebrating so much that now we have to pay the govt, but at least they're done...)

Fun Fact#2: My April Showers Contest is starting up on my Facebook Fan Page TOMORROW! Come on over for a week of sexy wet scenes and have a chance to win a super-cute travel umbrella and your choice of any of my ebooks!

Fun Fact#3: My new publisher, Lyrical Press, has a Goodreads group that's growing every day with chatty authors and industry news. Stop by and give a peek if you'd like.

Fun Fact#4: For spring break, hubby and I are traveling to Salt Lake City, Utah, so he can take part in a race-car driving experience. I will be looking on from the stands and taking lots of pictures!

Fun Fact #5: It's Easter Sunday this weekend, which means it's also time to take a few deep breaths, look around us, and rejoice in the new and wonderful things that make our lives so precious. Have a wonderful weekend!

Writers' Wednesday: Two Good Websites

Hey, writers! Two sites worth visiting today:

WOW! Women on Writing has posted their latest edition, and this one's all about The Art of Storytelling. Looks like a great collection of info on captivating readers and the media as well.

Savvy Authors has a number of pitch opportunities coming up this summer (July will be here before you know it!). I landed my contract with Lyrical Press through a pitch on this very website, so polish those book descriptions if you're interested in any of these agents:

Tamar Rydzinski (Laura Dail Literary Agency)

Jill Marsal (Marsal Lyon Agency)

Laurie McLean (Larsen Pomada Agency)

Peter Knapp (Park Literary Group)

Good luck, and happy writing!

Monday Mentionables: Reflecting on a Reading

Last week I was one of 6 authors featured at a local library "Author Showcase." I was with a self-published suspense author (who asked me if I could hear his knees knocking under the table), a British poetess, an 83-year old Italian-American woman who wrote a novella about her own love story/marriage, a local historian, and a woman who wrote a fictionalized account of a 1920s local murder.

My thoughts?

~It's always nice to be with other writers and hear about other authors' stories and struggles.
~It's also nice to be comfortable and confident in a setting like that ~ I've spoken in front of lots and lots of groups (New Authors: get yourself out in the public eye whenever you can!)
~Come prepared with enough bookmarks/business cards/promo materials - you don't want to run out!
~Bring singles so you can make change when people buy your books.
~Bring a good pen (and a back-up) for signing those books!
~Take time to chat with the people who've attended a reading. I've noticed that people of all walks of life get a kick of talking to a "real author."
~If you're reading an excerpt, choose and practice it ahead of time.
~Have fun and try not to be nervous!! I mean, you already wrote the book and got it into the world. This part should just be pure enjoyment :)

Writers' Wednesday: Two Guest Blogs & One In-Person Appearance

Hey everyone! I'm guest blogging today over at Marketing with Mandy....would love for you to pop in!

And tomorrow I'm blogging at Samhain Publishing's Blog, all about the romance of a warm spring rain. C'mon...you know April showers are right around the corner!

Also, tomorrow I'm sitting on a local authors' panel at the Pine Bush (NY) Library. I'm the only romance writer (6 different authors & 6 different genres), and I just found out today that I'll start the discussion off! I'm looking forward to chatting with other authors and readers. This afternoon I spoke with the woman who's coordinating the panel, and she asked me if I'd seen the local paper because my picture was featured in the article about the panel (I hadn't but asked if she could bring me a copy) So that's kind of cool...

Hope to see you in cyber-world (or maybe the real world, for anyone local??) on one of my stops :)

Monday Mentionables: Are You Getting My Newsletter?

Just a quick mention today: my e-newsletter will be going out later this evening, so if you havent' signed up to receive it, go ahead and do so (the link is in the right sidebar) - lots of info about some of my upcoming appearances and blogging gigs!

Happy Monday :)

Friday Fun Facts: A New Contract!

Well, since I signed the contract yesterday, I can officially announce it here: my full-length contemporary romance novel, Beacon of Love (my "lighthouse story" as I've been calling it) will be published with Lyrical Press in 2013!! This contract was actually the result of an online pitch session last month over at Savvy Authors - so a big thank-you to them, as well as the acquiring editor!

Lyrical is a small press but they've been around for a few years and appear to have solid sales in their romance genres - and so far I'm pleased with the correspondence from the publisher especially regarding contract language and some changes/adjustments that I requested. Covers are pretty, too - check out their website. Of course, I'm always a little nervous signing with a new publisher, but I did some research on them & talked to a couple of their current authors, and bottom line: I think this will be a good place for Beacon of Love.

I just wish I didn't have to wait so long!!

Writers' Wednesday: April Showers!!

Heads up everyone! It's almost time for another contest :) I won't start this one up until mid-April, but here's a sneak peek at the details and what you can win:

We all know April showers bring May flowers, but sometimes those rainstorms can bring a little (or a lot!) of romance too. From April 8 - 16, I’ll be posting an excerpt each day on my Facebook Fan Page(you'll have to "Like" it first, here) from my published novels (and a couple of WIPs too) that features a “shower scene." Vote for your favorite by email, and the winner will be chosen randomly from all emails to receive a super-cute umbrella (for those REAL spring showers) and your choice of any ebook from my backlist!

And just because you can never have too much romance in the rain, here's a brief "shower scene" that's super-tingly:

Monday Mentionables: Considering Digital-Only Publishers

Did you have a jolly St. Patrick's Day Weekend? I'll admit, I'm not Irish and I'm not one of those people who takes advantage of the holiday to go out and get rip-roaring drunk - though I did take advantage of the weekend without schoolwork to get some writing done. I'm about 18K words through my current novella, Sex on the Beach, with a goal of 30K and to be finished by the end of the month.

I've also been mulling over the pros and cons of submitting to publishers that are "digital only" - meaning no matter how long your book is, they will only format it to be sold in ebook (some publishers still put full-length novels, those over 60K or so, into print). I have mixed feelings about this, to be honest. Certainly, the ebook market is growing hugely, and almost everywhere you go, you see people with e-readers and iPads. Authors make more royalties on ebooks than they do on print books, and the number of brick-and-mortar bookstores seems to be dwindling on a daily basis. My digital sales have been higher than my print sales for every title I have.

At the same time, I know I have some readers who still want to read and buy print books. hey probably won't ever read a title if it's only available as a digital file. So will I lose those readers if I publish with a company who will never put my books into print? And , is that a big enough piece of my audience to affect my decision? It's tough to say....

Any thoughts?

Friday Fun Facts: Auction Goods and Mommy Porn

Hey, everyone! The Brenda Novak Online Auction will start up next month, and both Yours Truly and the Hudson Valley RWA have donated prizes just waiting for your bids! Writers can bid on a 25-page critique by 3 published Hudson Valley RWA members, and readers can bid on an awesome Vera Bradley tote filled with donated books from our members.

Or...you might be interested in snagging yourself my "Summer Fun" tote instead :)

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In other news, has anyone read the new/next hugely popular erotic romance trilogy Fifty Shades of Grey? Nicknamed by some as "mommy porn" for its appeal to housewives/mothers who are re-discovering their sex lives thanks to its inspiration (hey, I don't judge, I just report), it's a small-press published book by a first-time author that's gone viral in the world of romance (and non-romance) readers. I read the first few pages over at Amazon and will reserve judgement at this point. Will I read the whole thing? Maybe. In truth, I'd rather work on my own writing, though...

Happy Friday!

Writers' Wednesday: The Subjectivity of Publishing

OK, for all you aspiring and already published authors out there, here's a stark reminder of how subjective the publishing world can be. We already know that one person can love a book while another can hate it. That happens with editors and agents too, all the time. And I've had my share of rejections that eventually led to publications elsewhere. But this just happened in the last 24 hours, so I had to share:

I had sent a work, a novella, out to 2 different editors at 2 different small presses. They each responded within a day of one another.

Editor A: "I am actively looking to build my contemporary list, I really like your voice, and...so I approached this submission with high hopes. Unfortunately, the first chapters feel very generic. It’s become almost a cliché for a contemporary romance to open with a friend encouraging the heartbroken friend to get laid. We’re looking for something fresher.

I’m sure you must be disappointed, but it’s important to have an editor who really loves your story and can be its champion. As you know, the publishing business is very subjective, and I have no doubt that [your story] is exactly what another editor is looking for..."


Editor B: "I shared the pitch with other actively acquiring [editors in our house]. Specially, [Editor C] requested your partial, read it and she emailed me to let you know she'd love to receive the full. In fact, she stated she's keen to read it. I've copied her on my email to you so that you two may start to dialogue. I'm thrilled to give you this news and I wish you much success..."

So there you have it. What one doesn't care for, another craves. Bottom line? Try your best not to be discouraged when one person tells you "no" or "I don't like it" (and actually, this pretty much goes for life in general, not just writing and publishing).

Happy Wednesday!

Monday Mentionables: A New Novella and A Catchy Tune

Well, I've managed to get almost 9K words into a new project: a novella titled Sex on the Beach (it's a companion piece to Tequila Sunrise and features two of that story's characters). I'm liking it so far, although now that I'm a third of the way through, I'm fearing the sagging middle a bit. Still, two members of my writers' group have joined me in a goal to finish a writing project by the end of this month, and Sex on the Beach it is! 30K here we come...

Excerpt from the opening chapter:

At that, Bryce kissed her. He took the heart-shaped mouth that had been teasing him for the last half-hour and cut her words off in mid-sentence. His hands moved down that exquisite body, curves from head to toe, and finally wound their way to the small of her back. He didn’t let go. He didn’t stop. Her head fell back, and she laughed under his lips as they tasted her throat, the soft spot at the ...base of her neck, the line of her jaw.

After a moment Cass stopped laughing, and when her breath caught in her throat and he felt goose flesh on her bare arms, he pulled her in closer. Whispered, word by delicious word, exactly what he wanted to do to and with and for her, and when she lost her balance in his embrace he was certain, absolutely certain, she’d come back to his cabin.

Then the fire alarm sounded.

And I heard this song for the first time over the weekend and really liked it. Isn't it a catchy way to start your week? Happy Monday!

Friday Fun Facts: Giveaways!

Exciting news today! Beyond Her Blog at Publisher's Weekly is sponsoring a week-long celebration, and both today and tomorrow Yours Truly is participating as one of the giveaway authors. Check it out - lots of fun and so many prizes you can win, just by commenting!

I'm heading to my local RWA meeting tomorrow - always an inspirational way to spend a morning, talking to other authors and sharing ideas and potential publishing and promotional leads. Next week I'll also be sharing the item(s) both I and my RWA chapter will be donating to the Brenda Novak Online Auction. Hint: This year mine will be a "Summer Fun" basket...I know you can't wait to see what's inside ;)

Writers' Wednesday: A Local Appearance on March 29th

Just a quick announcement: I'll be one of 6 "local authors" featured at a showcase at the Pine Bush Library (Pine Bush, NY) on Thursday, March 29, from 6-8 pm.

The cool thing about this appearance is that the Special Events Coordinator contacted me (usually it's the other way around when I'm trying to set up an author appearance)...via my Facebook Fan Page! So I guess maybe FB is a good promotional tool after all (OK, I knew it was, but this was a nice confirmation of that fact).

I will be the only romance author, kind of neat, as the other 5 represent a variety of genres from poetry to mystery. Though I'm not positive on the format, I think we will each discuss/read and then have time for chatting and signing/selling after the panel.

I'm looking forward to it...and if you're anywhere in the area, I hope you'll stop by! Click here for library location and details.

Monday Mentionables: Seeing "The Artist"

I finally saw the movie "The Artist" over the weekend (you know, the silent film that won 5 Oscars this year, including Best Picture and Best Actor). So what did I think?

Well, it's very cute and charming. Very sweet and entertaining. And hey, it has Uggie (super-cute dog) in almost every scene, hamming it up for the camera. Overall, the storyline is pretty straight-forward: it's about a silent movie star who becomes washed up while the pretty young girl he helped "discover" goes on to become a star of talking movies while his life falls apart. No spoilers here, but don't fear - it does have a happy ending.

While I enjoyed it, I didn't think it merited Best Picture honors. I felt very much as if I was in the 1920s, watching a nice silent film. I think it probably won because it was a novelty for 2012. However, I will say that Jean Dujardin deserved the Best Actor award for his really moving performance - all achieved without words. And the musical score, which also won an Oscar, really added to the nuances of the plot. Loved the score.

Here's the trailer:

Writers' Wednesday: Something for Writers and Readers Alike Today

So I've been listening to some narrator demos that Audio Lark has sent me, in preparation for 3 upcoming audio book releases in summer 2012. I have to admit, even though I've been through this process before, it's really cool to hear your own words read out loud by someone else :)

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Attention all authors: Savvy Authors is currently seeking bloggers. Details:

Once again I am scheduling blogs for the Savvy Authors Learning Center page. If you're a published author willing to write an original blog on a subject related to writing - craft, promotion, publishing, etc. - I'm scheduling for March 1st and forward (dates are first come first serve).

We ask for a blog of between 750 and 1500 words - negotiable. Our blogs include, as requested, book blurb and cover. The Learning Center Page gets hundreds of unique hits per day, the blogs are promoted in our newsletter, which is sent to over 4000 people weekly and will soon also be included in our weekly events mailing.

Contact: savvyauthors@gmail.com


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Attention all readers: Coffeetime Romance is sponsoring a HUGE ebook sale! Check this out:


Check out the new books! Check out this great sale! Stock up your eReader and save a TON of money!

Untreed Reads Publishing - 30% off
Wild Horse Press - 50% off
New Line Press - 25% off
Chances Press - 25% off
Melange Books - All books are $3.99
MuseItUp Publishing - 30% off
Decadent Publishing - 50% off
Eirelander Publishing - 30% off
Write Words Inc - 30% off these selected books:
Nazca Star: Book Two of the Bride of the Condor Series
Last Priestess: Book One of the Bride of the Condor Series
Spirit of Fire: Book Two of the Spirt Series
Spirit of Wind: Book 3 of the Spirit Series
Spirit of Earth: Book One of the Spirt Series
Inspired Romance - 50% off
Chances Press - 25% off until February 10th & a Free Book: Two Spirit Ranch
Champagne Books - Save 25%
Carnal Passions - Save 25%
Eternal Press - Save 25%
Damnation Books - Save 25%
Torquere Press - 25% off

We're expecting snow over the next 48 hours, so it looks like I better find some good reading material for myself as well. Happy reading, and stay warm!

Happy Leap Day!

Monday Mentionables: The Oscars

Ah, the Oscars...always a night to make you rejoice in wonderful stories, in the underdog triumphing, and in really great fashion :0

I admit, I didn't see most of the movies nominated for Best Picture this year. Most years I'm better and see at least half, but this year...I don't know, I think time got away from me. The only one I saw (and loved) was The Help. But going to my favorite local indie theater and seeing The Artist is on my To-Do list this week!

Anyone else see and recommend any of the nominees or winners?

Writers' Wednesday: Contest Winners and a Pitch Opportunity!

Congratulations to CHRISTY & MARILYN, the 2 winners in my Facebook "Hero Worship" Contest last week! They'll each receive their choice of any of my ebooks, along with a $10 Amazon gift certificate. Don't worry...I'll be having more contests coming up this spring :)

And attention authors! Abby Rose, an editor from Lyrical Press, is taking 3-sentence pitches over at Savvy Authors this Friday. Here's the info:

Abby is looking for stories packed with action/adventure and romance across the various genres:

* urban fantasy
* paranormal romance (all kinds)
* science fiction romance
* fantasy romance
* contemporary romance
* historical romance
* upper YA (but only paranormal romance in this genre)

WHEN: Feb 24, 2012 9:00 AM EST - Feb 24, 2012 11:00 PM EST


COST: FREE for ALL PREMIUM Members!
$0 for Basic Members


REGISTRATION: This event does not require registration.


This pitch session is open to anyone, so check it out if you have a manuscript that might fit Lyrical Press. And if anyone's had experience with this small press and wants to share, please so. I know they're relatively new, but the comments I've heard have been positive. As always, authors should do their own research when submitting anywhere. Good luck if you decide to pitch on Friday!

Monday Mentionables: Last Day for Hero Workshipping!

Last day to enter my Hero Worship Contest! All last week, I posted excerpt over at my Facebook Fan Page, highlighting my romance heroes. Now all you have to do is email me which one was your favorite - and I'll randomly choose 2 winners to receive their choice of any ebook from my backlist AS WELL AS a $10 Amazon gift certificate~

Can't go wrong, can you? So hurry on over, take a peek at those hero excerpts, and then email me at tboniface@frontiernet.net with your fave. The winners will be announced right here on Wednesday!