A Thought, Here and There

Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Virtual Craft Fair

Ready to buy signed print books?

The weekend of August 14th is BookRhythm's Virtual craft fair and I'm selling my books. I also have t-shirts available in four sizes. Plus, if you purchase at least two items you will receive a free handmade mask (limited to the first six customers).

I currently have print copies of the following:

Born of Stone

Born of Magic

Trusting an Angel, Desiring a Demon, and Saving Her Angel

Love Beyond Barriers (in limited supply). I don't have copies of Lunchtime Sex yet, but they're on order

Also pictured above is the t-shirt and the masks.

Please visit the Facebook event to see all of the participating vendors. The Craft Fair begins on Friday, August 14th and ends on Sunday, August 16th.

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Getting Back To It

This Friday afternoon will mark my first day back in the office at my regular job (the one that pays the bills) since Friday, March 20th. For ten weeks I've been able to work from home, something I've considered a privilege. My office is unique in that there are only six people in a lot of space. Technically, we could've stayed working there, but the boss gave us the capability and the option to work from home. I am very lucky to work where I do.

This isn't the first time I've worked from home, but the past couple of times were by choice not necessity. Once was an attempt at advertising sales, the other was an attempt to make money solely as an author. Neither worked out in the long run. Whether it be from age or the different type of work, this time I enjoyed being stuck at home a lot more. Of everyone in my family I'm the only one not suffering cabin fever. I have gone grocery shopping every week the past month (as soon as the store opens on Sunday morning only). Plus we've picked up to-go orders and such, so I haven't been stuck completely at home the entire time.

Since my life will be getting back to a semblance of normal by the weekend, I'm hoping to get back into a writing groove. I've received an order of bags with my logo on them and am considering some other promo items. I really miss going to book events and meeting readers. One of the items I'm considering is a credit card sized magnifier that can be used as a bookmark. I might do a FB or Twitter poll, but feel free to comment below on whether that's something you would pick up (for free) at a book sale or if there are other items you like to see as giveaways on authors' tables.

It's going to take a while for everything to feel "normal" again, or for us to get used to our new normal. I hope all of you have stayed healthy and safe during this pandemic, and I sincerely hope we're on the homestretch. Keep reading and take care.

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Thoughts on Hoarding and Other Things

Calico cat named Jessie

It's Thursday afternoon and I'm in my office trying to ignore the television in the living room, just on the other side of the wall. Kid #3 is home from college and is watching Hoarders with kid #4. I've told them my grandmother might have had hoarding tendencies, but there was a very distinct reason.

I grew up visiting my Nana in El Paso every summer and Christmas break. I clearly remember her saving food scraps to feed the neighbor's livestock. I remember her making every meal from scratch. So many memories of pennies pinched and things that I didn't understand at the time are much clearer now. Nana grew up during the Great Depression. She became the single mother of four children when my mom was eleven, and worked as a nurse at a hospital near her home for as long as I can remember.

There are so many things we take for granted when we're children. My kids want for nothing that my husband and I can provide and I've always told them so long as there is breath in my body they will never be homeless and never go hungry. In these uncertain times there are so many people without that family safety net that my kids have always known. It's something I was blessed with myself, and I don't know what I would've done without it. So, I'm sitting here thinking about that and how such things, lack of family and security and/or growing up as a child during a depression, might have effected the hoarders on the show.

I'm not a TV watcher myself. I leave that for my husband and drown myself in books instead. This year I've been more determined than ever to record every book I read in order to keep track. I use Goodreads and am always happy to add a friend to my roll if you're interested. Unfortunately, I haven't been adding to any bookstores myself. I'm almost halfway to my desired word-count for the third installment of my Gargoyle Masters series. Kid #2 (a great artist in my opinion) is working on a new cover for Day Shift. I want it to have more of a comicbook feel to it this time. The sequel is done but needs to be edited and covered as well. Hopefully, by the summer I'll have at least one new release.

On June 15th I will turn 45. My goal is to release Born of the Forbidden: Gargoyle Masters Book III by that week. Technically it will be my twenty-third manuscript to be published since I started this journey in 2008. The first couple of years were very productive, but the knocks from a thieving publisher, the closing of my favorite publisher, and then be completely ignored by my final publisher, really took its toll on my muse. I'm trying to find it again one sentence at a time. So you may be seeing more blog posts as I work out my writing muscles over the next few weeks. I hope you'll join me on this leg of my journey.

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

New Release: Erotic Images

Erotic Images

Erotic Arts Book 1

Love creeps up when you least expect it.

Lynn Graves is desperate for money to pay off the debt left behind after her divorce. So, when she comes across an ad from an erotic photographer looking for a model, the answer is easy. However, being shy and slightly inexperienced aren’t exactly traits needed for her to take off all her clothes for the world to see.

A photographer with years of experience under his belt, Weston Myers is pretty sure he’s seen it all. However, he’s never encountered a woman with the natural beauty and grace that Lynn exhibits. He knows his camera’s going to love her from the first moment he sees her but convincing her of it won’t be easy. Once her clothes come off attraction hits hard, but it’s the quiet moments between them that are the real kicker. With a stalking ex-husband and Lynn’s insecurities, Wes has his work cut out for him. He’ll do whatever it takes to make Lynn believe he wants more between them than her erotic images.

Get the ebook here: https://books2read.com/u/bP9R7j

Saturday, February 1, 2020

Thrill Me - New Release from Tina Donahue

Thrill Me:
Wanna Be Bad Book 2

by Tina Donahue
Genre: Contemporary MFM Menage Romance

I'm happy to announce that my friend and fellow Romance author Tina Donahue has a new release!

Do you like hot, sexy books? Do you like menage storylines? Do you like sexy characters? Great! This book is for you!

Longing to be bad…

For too many months, Shelby’s craved bad boys Ben and Dominic, cousins and celebrated chefs at the opulent Caribbean resort where she works. Their heated gazes prove they hunger for her as much as she does for them, but they’ve yet to make a move on her.

That won’t do. Yearning for their potent masculinity, killer smiles, and effortless charm, she sets into motion a decadent plan to be with them … at least for a little while. Her ideas include nude photos, a locale where anything goes 24/7, plus BDSM and other kink.

Fun-loving Dominic’s fully onboard. He’s had his eye on Shelby from the start. Ben has too, but he’s reluctant to mix business with pleasure. Since a previous work relationship screwed him big time, he doesn’t want to repeat the experience and won’t … as long as he keeps this strictly about sex, no strings or expectations.

Yeah, right. In an erotic journey that will surprise this threesome, all bets are off, resistance impossible, surrender assured.

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Evernight Publishing * Smashwords

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50700268-thrill-me

Buy Links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0844FPFQW

Apple: https://books.apple.com/lu/book/thrill-me/id1495716821

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thrill-me-tina-donahue/1136155960

Evernight Publishing: https://www.evernightpublishing.com/thrill-me-by-tina-donahue

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1000975

(Bookstrand and Kobo coming soon!)

GIVEAWAY

Giveaway

$55 in GCs and ebooks from bestselling authors to one winner

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://www.silverdaggertours.com/sdsxx-tours/thrill-me-book-tour-and-giveaway

Tina is an Amazon and international bestselling novelist who writes romance for every taste – ‘heat with heart’ – for traditional publishers and indie. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. Three of her erotic novels were Readers' Choice Award winners. Another three were named finalists in the EPIC competition. One of her erotic contemporary romances was chosen Book of the Year at the French review site Blue Moon reviews. The Golden Nib Award at Miz Love Loves Books was created specifically for one of her erotic romances. Two of her titles received an Award of Merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competition. Another two won second place in the NEC RWA contest (different years). Tina is featured in the Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. Before penning romances, she worked at a major Hollywood production company in Story Direction.