A new book, a new adventure!!

So so excited to finally share this with you all! I signed on to do a Kindle World!! What is a Kindle World, you ask? Basically, an author creates a virtual "world" with her books, a series. Then they invite other authors to write books that connect to their world. Super fun!

My first is called Refuse to Settle and it's part of Melody Anne's Billionaire Universe.

Pretty, right??? I just love this cover!! And I helped design it!

Check out Refuse to settle and all the rest of the world here: Refuse to Settle

How to show an author love!

Writers are a pretty self-conscious bunch. We work for hours day in and day out, sacrificing so much, and never really know if what we're doing is worth it. Is it good or just crap? The only way to know if the stories in our head come out on paper (or e-reader) as vividly as we hope is to get feedback from readers. The best way to thank an author for a story you read and enjoyed is a review, whether it be on Amazon, Goodreads, email, blog post, FB post.

Recently my husband passed my debut novel, the only one in print, on to a coworker. Two days later he came home with this note:

Hi Stephanie,

I loved your book! You are an amazing (with the word "amazing" underlined TWICE!) writer. I read it in a day and a half. Can't wait to read your next one and I loved the title. Continue writing...it's what you should be doing!!

This has to be the best review/letter I've ever received about my work. It really means the world to me!

Speaking out on reviews????

Since before I even published my first book, it's been branded on my brain that it is taboo for authors to respond to reviewers. Many won't even read their reviews. I think thats smart to some degree, but I do read all of mine. I like to know what people think. If it's something I completely disagree with, I let it go. But if it's a valid point, I learn from it.

For the most part, my reviews have been positive. I've yet to receive a really awful review. There was one pretty negative review a while back, but it was obvious to me that the reader rarely read romance. They just didn't understand the fantasy aspect of the genre.

I used to thank people for their kind reviews, but then I learned even that was kinda taboo. Reviewers and readers, especially on sites like Goodreads, want the ability to talk about books without the intrusion of the author....whether good or bad. Now I know things can get really nasty on Amazon...like really bad, all out scathing reviews. And for an author, it can be devastating. We put so much blood, sweat, and tears into our books...they're our babies. It hurts to hear they're not liked. Or despised...or compared to the contents of a litter box.

Recently a very popular author made some comments about a negative review she received on Amazon...or rather her husband did. Whatever. This isn't new. It happens every so often. Some author flips out and chaos ensues. Her reactions after it all went down were less than favorable. And they make all authors look bad. This is a subjective business. Everyone will have their opinion, and not all of them will be nice. You have to grow a thick skin and put on your big girl panties if you want to survive this business. And keep your mouth shut. And make sure your husband keeps his mouth shut too.

Do you love me???

As much as I love it, today I'm not talking about this iconic teach-Baby-to-dance scene from Dirty Dancing!


Today I'm talking about author and book love.

When you read an awesome book...it takes your breath away, makes you cry and laugh...or if mysteries are your thing, keeps you stumped til the end then blows your mind when you find out who did it. Books often have a profound affect on us...sometimes we can't get them out of our heads and think about them for days and weeks afterward. We can't wait until the author releases the next book in the series or releases anything else in general.

But what do you do after that?? Do you show the author your love???

Many authors have email address for readers to contact them at. Many have blogs and Facebook pages, they Twitter or use whatever type of media they like most. But how many fans actually show tell them how much they adored their book??

Let me tell you, we LOVE it!! NOTHING brightens my day more then hearing that someone loved my book and can't wait for my next one. It reassures me that I am actually doing the right thing here by continuing to pursue this dream.

Wanna show your favorite author even more love?? Pop over to Goodreads, Shelfari, and Amazon. You can leave a comment/review for every book listed. Great reviews help more than you can ever imagine!

My First Official Blog Contest!!! YAY!!!

I am super excited about this!!! I have seen others do contests in the past and I knew I wanted to do my own someday!!!

So for my first contest ever, I'm gonna keep it simple!!!! In honor of my debut novel A Bitch Named Karma, which will be released later this summer from Lyrical Press, all I want you to do is tell me your karma moment!!

Here's what you do: Post a comment telling me about a moment where you've experienced karma, good or bad! It can be anything!!!

All commenters who answer the question will be entered into a random drawing for a $10 gift card from Amazon.com!!! Only rule is that you must be one of my followers!! Please feel free to share this contest with your friends and blogger buddies!!! Cause if my follower list reaches 100, I will add an additional $5 prize!!! AND if I have at least 25 karma commenters for the contest, I will add a 3rd prize, another $5 gc!!

Please enter my contest!!!!! I am so excited!! And I hope to hold more contests in the future!!!

PS: Forgot to add, deadline to enter is Friday at midnight, EST. I will draw the winner sometime over the weekend and announce it Monday on the blog.

PPS: I figured I should add one of my karma moments.....Guinevere's comment made me think of this.... When I was a sixteen, I started seeing this guy...I was still kinda dating someone else. Okay...there was no kinda about it. But I was out camping at the seasonal campground my family camped at every weekend and my boyfriend was at home and I knew I'd be breaking up with him the minute I got home and had access to a phone (this was before cell phones). So I fooled around with the guy, went home, broke up with my boyfriend, then the next weekend....the other guy was back with his ex girlfriend.....yeah...karma was NOT my friend that day. But, I deserved it!

Busy busy busy!!

YIKES! This new blog was not supposed to go so many days without a post!!

Apologies to my loyal readers...all 6 of you.

Seems we all have busy days, weeks, months...things just get away from you. You get so immersed in whatever you're doing...and some things just get tossed aside.

I have been looking into some new and exciting things though...for me anyway. One is the Romance Writers of America. Now that I know what I write is definitely in the romance genre....I feel quite at home on the RWA site and really feel like I need to join. Unfortunately the $110 fee is standing in my way. I plan on working on it....sell some blood on ebay or something..I don't know.

I also checked out Amazon.com and what is involved in publishing your work for the Kindle. Apparently anyone can publish and it's free. You set the fees for your work, and amazon obviously gets a cut. I need to read all I can. I just need to make sure that if I do this, that some day down the road, if I say, sell 1000 copies on Amazon, can I then go to a publisher and use that info to get a publishing contract for that book.

And lastly, I've been snooping arond the Harlequin website and I'm excited to find they accept unagented submissions. I prepared a query for A Bitch Named Karma and that will be shipping out tomorrow. I plan on querying Spellbound as well...but will hold on that for at least a few weeks. There are still tons of agents I haven't heard from yet.