Sunday, May 17, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
Friday, May 1, 2015
Self Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing
Welcome to Serpent’s Kiss is my first venture in self-publishing. The first
part of the process wasn’t all that different from what I was used to. After
publishing nine books through a publishing house, I was familiar with the
writing and editing process. Just because I was self-publishing didn’t mean I
wanted the quality of my books to decrease so I stuck to what I was used to. I
was able to freelance with the same editor who has worked on my last six books.
The first thing that did
change for me with self-publishing this book was my cover. I decided to have a
custom cover made rather than use a stock photo. The entire process was a lot
of fun. I was able to work with the photographer to pick a model and the props
that would be used. This gave me a unique cover that was able to look exactly
the way I wanted it to.
My biggest challenge came
when I went to create an IBSN for my book, and then upload it to Amazon. Since
I’d never done it before, it took me a while to read through everything and
make sure I was filling things out correctly. All in all, I think those two
things took me upwards of six hours. It will get easier, I’m sure. The first
time is always the hardest.
Overall, I’ve enjoyed my
self-publishing experience. It has, however, made me appreciate some of the
behind the scenes stuff publishers do for authors.
(Originally posted 12/13/14 on Author Lisa Bilbrey's Blog)
Author Bio
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Sherri spent most of
her childhood detesting English class. It was one of her least favorite
subjects because she never seemed to fit into the standard mold. She wasn't
good at spelling, or following grammar rules, and outlines made her head spin.
For that reason, Sherri never imagined becoming an author.
At the age of thirty,
all of that changed. After getting frustrated with the direction a television
show was taking two of its characters, Sherri decided to try her hand at
writing an alternate ending, and give the characters their happily ever after.
By the time the story finished, it was one of the top ten read stories on the
site, and her readers were encouraging her to write more.
Nearly eight years
later, Sherri is the author of eight full-length novels, and two short stories.
Writing has become a creative outlet that allows her to explore a wide range of
emotions, while having fun taking her characters through all the twists and
turns she can create. You can find a current list of all of Sherri’s books and
sign up for her monthly newsletter at www.sherrihayesauthor.com.
Friday, April 3, 2015
Guest Post: Why I Write Romance by Sherri Hayes
I’ve always
loved a good romance. Back when I was a pre-teen, I remember reading Sweet
Dreams romances. As I got older, I graduated to Harlequins. There’s always been
something about two people meeting and falling in love that draws me in, and
makes me want to see them find their happily ever after.
When I started writing, someone told me to always write what
you like to read, and that’s what I’ve tried to do. The hero and heroine have
to be characters I can fall in love with. I don’t want them to be perfect, but
I do want them to be likable enough to make me want to root for them through
whatever struggles they have to go through.
Relationships are complex, which means I can have fun putting
the couples through lots of twists and turns. There has to be a good story,
with strong supporting characters to round things out, and keep things
entertaining.
(Originally posted 2/20/13 on The Daily Opinion)
Author Bio
Sherri spent most of
her childhood detesting English class. It was one of her least favorite
subjects because she never seemed to fit into the standard mold. She wasn't
good at spelling, or following grammar rules, and outlines made her head spin.
For that reason, Sherri never imagined becoming an author.
At the age of thirty,
all of that changed. After getting frustrated with the direction a television
show was taking two of its characters, Sherri decided to try her hand at
writing an alternate ending, and give the characters their happily ever after.
By the time the story finished, it was one of the top ten read stories on the
site, and her readers were encouraging her to write more.
Nearly eight years
later, Sherri is the author of eight full-length novels, and two short stories.
Writing has become a creative outlet that allows her to explore a wide range of
emotions, while having fun taking her characters through all the twists and
turns she can create. You can find a current list of all of Sherri’s books and
sign up for her monthly newsletter at www.sherrihayesauthor.com.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
BOOK REVIEW: Shades of Surrender: Fifty by Fifty #4 by Assorted Authors
Box set average: 4 stars (The ARC I received only had 11 stories, Corrupt Practices and Don't Fall were not included).
From Goodreads:
Fifty By Fifty: Fifty Novels by Fifty Bestselling Authors in four big boxed sets – you've read the others, now don’t miss the climax!
Dominant and uncompromising, these alpha males expect a lot from their women. Will they get the surrender they're looking for?
Join us for thirteen* smoldering tales of alpha billionaires and the curvaceous, delicious women they love.
The Billionaire’s Student by Savannah Reardon
Katie’s parents die unexpectedly, making her desperate for a way to pay for college. Billionaire Jace Weatherton is the answer, but in return, takes Katie on a wild ride of lust, submission, and love.
REVIEW: Well-written, intense, a look at the awakening of one woman's inner submissive as she overcomes the travesty of her parent's untimely deaths. (4 stars)
The Interview by Abby Weeks
A young secretary at a large financial institutions receives instructions to meet the enigmatic, billionaire CEO in his private office.
She has no idea what to expect.
REVIEW: The writing style was a bit jilted in places, the POV slipping between characters during some of the more intimate moments. Nice change of pace seeing a woman who was strong and commanding in her every day life, admitting to needing the freedom submission offers behind closed doors. (4 stars)
Playing Games by Liliana Rhodes
Curvy Cassie Monroe moves to Canyon Cove with only one thing in mind--finding a job. But after a close encounter with her sexy billionaire boss, she’s finds more than she bargained for.
REVIEW: A different setting. The romance builds between a billionaire gym owner (who specializes in MMA) and a newly hired physical therapist. She's uncertain and he has a secret, which leads to a lot of tap dancing around their want and need for each other. When the truth does come out, the result is a sweet, feel-good ending. (4 stars)
Hunting for Curves by Julianne Reyer
A shy curvy girl. A billionaire CEO, plus his longtime male lover. A smoking hot proposition. Will a steamy threesome end in disaster, or can she prove to the two men that one night is never enough?
REVIEW: (warning, m/m sex scenes and a DP scene involving m/f/m) A sexy gay couple decide to add some fire to their lagging relationship by inviting a shy, redheaded female to join them for a night. What starts as an erotic one night stand, turns into something none of them were expecting. (4 stars)
Safeword: Matte by Candace Belvins
Matte, pronounced mah-tay, is Japanese for stop, and is used in some martial arts to end a fight. Sam enjoys various fighting disciplines and is a sexual submissive. What better safeword than matte?
REVIEW: She's a divorce lawyer who enjoys martial arts to let off steam. She's looking for a Dom who is man enough to take her submission from her despite her multiple black belts. Samantha wants to be roughed up.
He's a self-employed businessman who develops moving companies. Like Samantha, he turns to martial arts and sparring to let off steam. When the two meet at a local BDSM party and realize they also have a kink for pain in common, the floggers and canes fly.
Well written, and a responsible portrayal of the BDSM lifestyle. I loved the emphasis on aftercare, no matter how rough the scenes became. Beautiful. Erotic, enticing, excellent ... I'll be reading more Candace Blevins in the future. (5 stars)
The Greek Billionaire and I by Marian Tee
Too proud to let Greek billionaire Mykolas know she's in love with him, schoolteacher Velvet ends up accepting his offer for a marriage of convenience. At least this way, he’d still be hers.
REVIEW: POV changed too frequently for this to be a smooth read. Concept for plot was also a bit farfetched to be plausible. (3 stars)
The Billionaire’s Runaway Curves by Danielle Duncan
Ellie ran from Theo when she found out she was pregnant with their child. Now he's found her and that old spark's stronger than ever. But what will Theo do when he finds out Ellie hid his daughter?
REVIEW: Old lovers bump into each other almost a decade after she ran -- because of a pregnancy and thinking they couldn’t be kinksters AND parents. In all that time, their feelings never lessened. Can they find forgiveness in each other and a chance to try again. (4 stars)
His Weakness by E.K. Sabins
After the death of her parents, Ellie is in need of a husband and thrust into the opulent world of Boston's elite. Will she find love with a handsome scion, or will she be his weakness?
REVIEW: This was a good concept, set up in the Prohibition era. However, the editing was lacking resulting in several slips of 1st to 3rd person POV and other minor typos. Paired with the abrupt ending, I can’t do more than (3 stars) on this one.
The Politician and the Girl from the Coffee Shop by Terry Towers
Jessie knows better than to date her customers, but for the charismatic Senator Morrow she's tempted. Could Washington's most eligible bachelor be interested in the shy girl from the coffee shop?
REVIEW: This was a cute, light-hearted quick read. No BDSM elements, but still some intense heat at times. (4 stars)
Billionaires in Disguise: Rae by Blair Babylon
Rae has three weeks of college freedom before she goes home to her fundamentalist family, so she shoves The Blond Hottie up against a wall in dark bedroom, and all Hell breaks loose.
REVIEW: Titillating, well-written, and excellent pacing. (5 stars)
Anything He Requires by Michelle Fox
Animal trainer Jessica Kingston thinks it’s just another job when wealthy Jacob Daniels hires her to train his willful puppy, but the way he crushes her lips when they kiss says otherwise.
REVIEW: A different storyline, which I found refreshing. Well-written, sexy. (5 stars)
Genre: Erotica
File Length: 1939 KB
Price on Amazon: $2.99
Friday, March 6, 2015
Guest Post: Writing and the English Language
by Author Sherri Hayes
I was
doing a radio interview about a year ago and the host asked if I’d always
wanted to be a writer. The simple answer to that is a resounding no. Becoming a
writer was never a consideration for me growing up.
Why?
First of all, I suck at English. Some of you are probably laughing right about
now, but it’s true. Even today, when my editor tries to explain grammar rules
to me, my eyes glaze over. English is not one of my strengths.
As a child, I had stories in my head. I just never wrote any of
them down. As an adult, I gravitated toward customer service jobs—ones where
good communication was essential. I think these two things, combined with my
love of reading romances, have helped to make me a better writer. I understand
how to break things down and explain them to someone who may not normally
understand the situation. That’s a great skill to have as an author, and one
I’m forever grateful to have.
Although I
may never understand all the technical aspects of writing, I try to concentrate
on my strengths. We all have them. We all have weakness too. It’s part of life
and what makes us unique.
(Originally
posted 3/6/13 on Beautiful
Mistakes)
Author Bio
Sherri spent most of her childhood detesting English
class. It was one of her least favorite subjects because she never seemed to
fit into the standard mold. She wasn't good at spelling, or following grammar
rules, and outlines made her head spin. For that reason, Sherri never imagined
becoming an author.
At the age of thirty, all of that changed. After getting
frustrated with the direction a television show was taking two of its
characters, Sherri decided to try her hand at writing an alternate ending, and
give the characters their happily ever after. By the time the story finished,
it was one of the top ten read stories on the site, and her readers were
encouraging her to write more.
Nearly eight years later, Sherri is the author of eight
full-length novels, and two short stories. Writing has become a creative outlet
that allows her to explore a wide range of emotions, while having fun taking
her characters through all the twists and turns she can create. You can find a
current list of all of Sherri’s books and sign up for her monthly newsletter at www.sherrihayesauthor.com.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
BOOK REVIEW: Maybe by Amber L. Johnson
From Goodreads:
Letting go is hard. Admitting you need each other is harder.
Emily Portman loves her job. A writer for Breakout! Magazine, she shadows and showcases up-and-coming bands. When her next assignment takes her to Austin, Texas, she can’t wait to add the city to her map of places she’s visited. Places she’s left without looking back. Her plan is to keep moving on, and the last thing she needs is a man holding her back. She’s not going down that road again.
Tyler Macy is stuck in a rut. Despite his exceptional talent as a musician, he has chosen to take a back seat with his music and let others grab the limelight. Wounded and mistrustful, he doesn’t appreciate his friends’ efforts to bring him back to center stage. Emily comes onto the scene and sees his full potential, but he fights to stay in the shadows, shutting her out before she can add to the scars another woman gave him.
For Tyler to find his music again, he needs to accept the help that Emily and their friends offer. When he discovers that his muse lies underneath Emily’s skin, it is still not enough to keep her from walking away. Neither will admit what they really want until it is too late.
Emily is once again thrown in Tyler’s path when she is assigned to join them on tour. Despite the pain in his past, Tyler sees that she is worth it, even if she’s stolen both his heart and peace of mind. In order for them to be together, they both must discover whether the music and their passion are enough to overcome the obstacles that separate them.
Maybe finding love is worth the risk.
Genre: Contemporary Romance
(Does include descriptive intimate scenes)
Length: 249 pages
Price on Amazon: $4.99
~R.E. Hargrave's Review~
* * * * *
"Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. No Maybe about it."
These were the words I left on the Ms. Johnson’s Facebook wall the moment I finished reading her latest offering. This contemporary romance is a fairly quick read, not because it’s short, but because it sucks you in and doesn’t let you go.
It’s riveting.
It’s gut-wrenching.
It makes you FEEL.
Maybe is the story of a Emily Portman, a music journalist whose cross-country travels have her crossing paths with the penultimate ‘rockstar’. Tyler Macy (later dubbed Mace Face by Emily due to an amusing misunderstanding) is gorgeous, a handyman, fantastic on the drums, and liquid sex when he takes the mic.
All things Emily has sworn she would never fall for. She never wanted to be ‘that girl’ … the band groupie. After her childhood dreams of being a ballerina were shattered with a knee injury, her goal in life was to be good at her job and get lost in the music, nothing else.
Ms. Johnson will take you on a musical literary journey with her style and quick wit. Her story is told in first person present tense, not a style that is easy to pull off without it becoming a hodge podge of telling instead of showing. Yet she does it brilliantly. You feel the turmoil within Emily as she fights the growing attraction to Tyler. You experience the power of their physical touches. You soar with delight when things work out, and you cringe in despair when they don’t.
Maybe is an emotional powerhouse and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
**I was given an ARC by the author and TWCS Publishing House in exchange for an honest review. This review was first posted Feb. 18, 2015 on www.rehargrave.com**
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