Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Attention #Authors - Looking for #free Promotion Check out #Eggcerpt Exchange


#Eggcerpt Exchange


Here's how it works:


  1. You sign up and agree to host others on your blog by leaving your email address in the comment section  here  http://authortinagayle.blogspot.com/p/authors-helping-authors-egg-exchange.html . Put your Name, Email address, genre.
2. Then email others on the list and let them know that you are interested in doing an exchange
    • Give dates you have available to host them.
    • Please put Author Exchange in the subject line so they won't think you are spam.
    • Decide on dates and exchange posts.

Post should included the following information:

  • Title should use #Eggcerpt Exchange. (this is to make it easier to retweet) Also use #Eggcerpt no spaces if you don't put it in exactly others will not be able to retweet it.
  • Also include the graphic above.

- a link to your cover (blogger doesn't let me upload pictures anymore.) Some people prefer it as an attachment.

- blurb - less than 300 words
- excerpt - less than 500 words
- Purchase links not more than 5
- author short bio - 100 words or less.
- author links - no more than 5


Now you might be asking why should I or anyone do this.


  1. Because it gains exposure to your books.
I personally have
  • over 45 K followers on Twitter
  • I'm on Triber and my post are retweeted by others which claims over a million more people are reached (but I have no way to confirm this number)
  • my blog is shared on social networks- FB, Google +, Twitter, and LinkedIn
  • If you use the #in the title your post can be easily retweeted by other people involved in the author exchanged.


Add in other authors that also have twitter, goodread and facebook accounts and you increase the exposure for your book.


The Exchange starts  (Feb. 28 - April 16) Check back daily for others who have signed up for the exchange.  ****No one will be allowed to join after  March 25

If have any question or problems email me. tina9561@yahoo.com subject  #Eggcerpt



Thanks for letting me share your book with the world,



Tina

Monday, February 20, 2017

Want a #ebook to Read? #Free #romance

Welcome to your free book giveaways for February. I hope you enjoy this varied selection of books, and if you have friends who you think would enjoy the freebies, please send them to http://free.myauthorhome.com to sign up!

Sensual/Mainstream

Sometimes we meet people but not to share the rest of our lives with them, but merely for them to guide us onto a different path.
Set in London and Dublin we follow the life of Beth, a young mother of two who is married to Shane, an actor whose work requires him to be in Los Angeles. When Beth meets Daniel, a fun-loving, spontaneous man from Ireland, she realises how much joy and passion are missing from her marriage, and consequently her life. Beth is torn between her marriage to Shane and her love for this Irish charmer.
Author Website: www.irisblobel.com
Get this book for free.




When you’re enemies, does love have a fighting chance?
For Amiria of Berwyck, defeat does not come easily as she watches her home and clan being ripped asunder. When the very enemy who has laid siege to her home demands her fealty, she will do whatever it takes to protect her people including a hastily concocted ruse that quickly begins to unravel. All too soon, she starts to question whether she can forgive herself for betraying those she has sworn to protect.
Dristan of Blackmore, champion knight of King Henry II, has a reputation to uphold as the Devil’s Dragon. After his invading army conquers Berwyck castle, he sets out to manage the newly claimed estate by training its knight in the art of proper defense. At first, everything appears as it should be, or is it? Betrayed by those he believed he could trust, he must first set aside his anger before he can make room in his heart for love.
Together they are tied by an unspoken bond. As they begin to rebuild the land and unite their people, forces beyond their control attempt to tear apart their fragile truce and only time will tell if love will forever bring them together.
If My Heart Could See You is available now as an eBook and paperback on Amazon. eBooks are also available on major platforms. I have this eBook currently up for free in the hopes that you’ll enjoy Amiria and Dristan’s journey to finding love and will write an honest review!

Author Website: https://sherryewing.wordpress.com/

Get this book for free!
Brock believes his witch, Celeste, will be safe in his Elvin city...he is wrong.
The Warloc's protégé is bent on his physical return to the living and uses her necromancy brings forth Brock's first victim and more.






Lyndsey Turner only wants to have fun. She doesn’t care if her dad marries Travis Clark’s mother. Travis is super-hot and sets her body on fire every time he steps near her.
Travis has other ideas. He understands Lyndsey’s wild streak and wants her attention on him. All seems to be working according to his plan until his mother discovers she may have breast cancer.
Now, Travis wants to solidify his relationship with Lyndsey and start planning for their future.
Will Lyndsey commit to be his alone or does he have to play the dating game a while longer?

Erotic Romances

Improbable love. Impossible life. Immeasurable danger.
Jewell’s stepfather thinks she’s worthless. She agrees. When she looks in the mirror she sees an overweight, overemotional, overeating mess who can’t keep her fangs to herself.
Ria hails from a family of old world vamps who’d be happy to share their wealth with her, if only she’d fall in line. Fat chance, especially since being in that line includes not being gay.
Being in love is easy for Ria and Jewell—the young vampires belong together like vodka and tomato juice. Adding Cheyenne, a talented and sexy incubus, to their union is the hot sauce in their Bloody Mary. The only problem? Vampires and incubi are mortal enemies.
Despite the odds Ria, Jewell and Cheyenne find their way to happiness. But Jewell is hiding a huge secret, one that defies the laws of procreation: She’s going to have a baby.
While she tries to figure out how to break the unbelievable news to her lovers, a horror from Jewell’s past slithers into her present, forcing choices no one should have to make.
Will it be love or death? Happiness or safety? She has until dawn to decide…and it’s already After Midnight.

Get the book for free!
Author Website: www.trevannrogers.com

Get this book for free!


It’s a hard life living on the western plains. Elizabeth Murphy knows she lives it every day.
Then just like some medieval knight in shining armor, a stranger arrives at her door. He claims to be a friend, who is down on his luck and looking for work. Just looking at him sets her body on fire, and with them sharing a small log cabin, the nights are bound to heat up. Can she resist the chance to take a ride with the cowboy? Or should she trust him at all?
After all, he thinks wearing a shirt is an optional item and he knows way too many facts about her dead gun slinging husband?
Author Website: www.anitaphilmar.com

Get this book for free!



Hope you enjoy,

Tina

Friday, February 17, 2017

No, I have to Have Silence #MFRWauthor #writing


Doing the Marketing for Romance Writers - 52 week Blob Challenge.

Now I know lots of authors write to music.

For me this does not work. I begin listening to the music and stop writing.

While writing, I'm in another world and everything in that world, including the noise is in my head. I don't like to mix the two so I write in a quiet environment.

Luckily, no one else is home so this isn't too hard to do, but even when I have people around I lock the door of my office and keep it quiet.

Make sure to read the post from other authors doing the challenge.

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

#NewSeries for the Over 50 Community - Good Idea? #romanticsuspense

***

Starting a new Series -

The Silver Leaf Community and the Sunrise Girls

__What is the series about?
Hi everyone,
I've been thinking about this series for some time. I'm starting the first book and decides to see what you think of the premise.
Set in a 55+ community, Maybelline Beasley has created a group of likeminded women, who enjoy getting up early and heading to the gym. Most of the time, they enjoy each others company and have an activity social life.
Then Maybelline discovers her neighbor has been killed and everything changes.
Mainly because, the chief detective on the case is William Robert Cooter, better know as Billy Bob Cooter. He thinks Maybelline has something to hide. Loving a mystery, he decides he needs to get to know her better, especially when another person in the community is killed.
Love to hear your thoughts on this idea. Please comment.
Upcoming Must-Attend Events
My Best Friend's Ex on Sale for 99cents
Marketing Exec's Widow - Instafreebie book
A Cowboy's Pleasure - new release for Author Anita Philmar
Also, I'm involved in a number of instafreebie events, I love these because it helps me discover new books. Hope you enjoy them too.
TG-MBfE-100x150
Now on sale for 99cents
 
TG-EWC-MEWidow-100x150
Instafreebie available until end of month
 
AP-ACowboy spassion-100x150
A Friend's New Release
VDay Promo 2017 FB Graphic
 
Fall in love with books  small
Coming soon
==========
I'm hoping to rework my website with a new theme and other fun things. Stay tune for more information.
Thanks for all your support. I truly appreciate you traveling on this journey with me. I understand that like me, you are probably get lots of emails. If at any time, you want to opt out, I wish you the best.
All the best to you and yours,
Tina
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Monday, February 13, 2017

Lily and the Gambler by Linda McLaughlin #Bookfriends #romance #historical



Thanks so much for hosting me today, Tina!


I’m thrilled about my latest release, Lily and the Gambler, a Western romance set in the California Gold Country.

My husband and I toured the area twice some years ago and I fell in love with it. Gold Country is best enjoyed by driving State Highway 49. We started at the southern end, in Mariposa, and drove north to Sacramento, and then Grass Valley and Nevada City, where my book is set Valley in September 1868. I recall scribbling descriptions of the scenery as we drove along.

 She watched mile after mile of open spaces pass by, all bathed in brilliant sunlight. In the distance, clusters of dark green trees dotted a hillside, standing out in contrast to the lighter yellow-green of the grass. Wispy white clouds, without a hint of rain in them, streaked the sky, separating shades of blue ranging from pale turquoise to bright azure.

 We made the trip twice, first strictly as a vacation, though I kept thinking how I’d like to set a book in the area. The second was a research trip for me, if not for my DH. At one point, he threatened to divorce me if I dragged him through one more mining museum!

 A lot of the old Victorian homes have been turned into bed and breakfasts, and we took advantage of that to stay in some lovely old homes.




Interesting stops along the way include:



Sonora, a lovely little town that hosts the Railtown 1897 State Historic Park. For the kid in all of us.


Columbia State Historic Park, the best preserved Gold Rush town.


Angels Camp, where Mark Twain heard a story on which he based his short story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County."

 Placerville, formerly nicknamed Hangtown for the zeal of its law enforcement.


And my favorite, Grass Valley, a charming town with the attraction of having the wonderful Empire Mine State Historic Park, a fascinating glimpse into the lives of 19th century miners.


If you’re up this way, do take a side trip to Sacramento, the state capital, with its charming Old Sacramento historic area, and the amazing California State Railroad Museum. This is one of my all-time favorite museums. It was fun to climb aboard the old trains and imagine a different time.

 Grass Valley was especially interesting to me because of the large Cornish population in the 19th century. This area had deep gold veins that couldn’t be panned. The Cornish miners were encouraged to come because of their experience in the tin mines of Cornwall, which were petering out. To this day, the Cornish pasty is a local treat, and the city still celebrates a Cornish Christmas.



Lily and the Gambler by Linda McLaughlin

 Blurb: Respectability is in the eye of the beholder, or so Lily hopes. After her lover’s death she pretends to be his widow and travels to California to marry a mine owner. Then she meets King Callaway, a charming gambler. King knows he’s found his Queen of Hearts. But can he convince her to take a chance on a foot-loose card sharp? Only Lady Luck knows for sure...


Excerpt:

 “Do you tell fortunes, too?”

 “As a matter of fact, I do. Is the lady interested?”

“Perhaps,” she said, aware he was flirting with her again and annoyed with herself because she was enjoying it. “There should be a deck of cards here somewhere.”

 “No cards required. Just let me see your palm.”

 Unable to stop herself, Lily stripped off her gloves and let him take her hand. He held it in his left hand, and with his right index finger, traced the lines on her palm. Shivers ran up her arm at each caressing touch. His scent, a mixture of bay rum, male musk, and a faint hint of tobacco, overwhelmed her.

“What do you see?” she asked, her voice suddenly breathless.

“Health and long life.”

 “What, no handsome stranger?” she joked.

 He raised his head and stared into her eyes. “Oh, yes, I see romance ahead for you. With a dark haired fellow. But he isn’t a stranger.”

 For what seemed an age, she stared into his green-gold eyes while her pulse quickened and warmth stole through her veins. It would be so easy to surrender to the feelings he evoked.

 “I also see a fork in the road ahead,” he added softly. “You have a decision to make. A very important decision.”

She snatched her hand away, knowing she couldn’t afford to be distracted by him. It wasn’t as if he had made her any promises. “I think you need to practice your fortune-telling skills, Mr. Callaway.”



He chuckled. “There’s something else I’d like to practice.” Cupping her chin, he stared at her, his eyes full of half promises. “Oh, hell, I may get my face slapped for this, but…” His hand moved to the back of her neck as he lowered his head and captured her lips in a kiss that stole her breath away.

 For a moment, she closed her eyes and gave herself up to the kiss. Then a door slammed somewhere in the house, reminding her of where they were. She pushed him away. “How dare you?” she hissed.

 He gave her a lazy grin. “What’s that old saying? Nothing ventured, nothing gained?”

“I think you’d best be going.”

He paused at front door, turned and held her gaze for a moment, then left.

She sighed and leaned against the doorjamb. What had she been thinking to let him kiss her, however briefly?


Author bio:
Linda McLaughlin grew up with a love of history, so it’s only natural that she sets most of her books in the past. A native of Pittsburgh, she now lives in Southern California.

 Website: http://lindalyndi.com 



 Thanks Linda for stopping by,

Tina
tinagayle.net

Friday, February 10, 2017

What Do You Do With Your Free Time? #Hobbies #MFRWauthor


Doing the Challenge

Hobbies

Sad to say, writing and promoting takes up most of my weekdays like most authors but on the weekend I hit the golf course with my husband.


Or if we have time off, we travel to awesome places.



When not doing either of them, I have been known to spend time in the kitchen cooking. Love to try new recipes. The problem lately is I've been on a diet.

So what is your favorite hobbie?

Please share,

Tina



Monday, February 6, 2017

Bootleg Broadway by @DianaLRubino #BookFriends #romance




BOOTLEG BROADWAY, a story of debauchery and a little romance
by Diana Rubino

Booze, music, sex, murder, Prohibition… NewYork…what a time to be alive!
The birth of BOOTLEG BROADWAY:
With FROM HERE TO 14TH STREET set in 1894, I needed to set this a generation later, which happened to be the 1930s—with Prohibition and the Great Depression as the backdrop. This is the first book I ever wrote where I created the characters first, with nothing to do yet. The plot developed the way it did because of who they are. My goal was to get the protagonist Billy McGlory into one mess after another. This era couldn’t have been more suited to Billy’s adventures, a few of which he barely escaped with his life.
About BOOTLEG BROADWAY:
In this sequel to FROM HERE TO 14TH STREET, Vita and Tom McGlory and their three children are struggling to make ends meet.
It's 1932. Prohibition rages, the Depression ravages, and Billy McGlory comes of age whether he wants to or not. Musical and adventurous, Billy dreams of having his own ritzy supper club and big band. On the eve of Billy’s marriage to the pregnant Prudence, the shifty "businessman" Rosario Ingovito offers him all that and more. Fame, fortune, his own Broadway musical…it's all his for the taking, despite Pru's opposition to Rosie's ventures.

Meanwhile, Pru's artistic career gains momentum and their child is born. Can anything go wrong for Billy? Only when he gets in way over his head does he stop to wonder how his business partner really makes his millions, but by then it's far too late…
Nicknames from real life:
As in FROM HERE TO 14th STREET, a lot of characters have nicknames like Piggy Balls and Dirty Neck Bruiso. I sat around the table with my surviving aunts and uncles who were then in their 80s and 90s, and they rattled off these nicknames from ‘the old days’ in Jersey City like they made them up yesterday. That was a standard Italian neighborhood custom, everybody had a nickname. Some were more descriptive than others. But you didn’t just ‘get’ a nickname. You had to earn it.  
Some more nicknames from the old neighborhood:
Bruno Chicken Body
Butta Jeans
Charlie Burp
Chick a la zoo
Dirty Dicky
Dirty Neck Bruiso
Floody
Frankie Butch Butch
Gravel Gertie
Hoo Hoo
Jazzy Lou
Jijji Balls
Jinji
Johnny in for the pot
Juu-jo
Sloppy
Vigi-Leak
My fav passage from BOOTLEG BROADWAY (which made my aunt cringe):
Pru had kept closemouthed all day about what she was giving him for his birthday. He badgered and hounded her, but she wouldn’t give in.
As Ma began divvying up the rum cake, the doorbell rang, and Da came back with a long box. “This thing’s heavy. What’s in here, Pru? Billy’s tombstone?”
Billy cut the ribbon with the cake knife and slid the lid off. Wads of tissue paper filled the box. As he removed the last layer of covering and revealed what was inside, they all gasped—a sculpture of a naked man, in all his masculine glory—and fully aroused. He had one hand on his hip and one foot upon a pedestal on which was inscribed in bold letters, “BILLY.”
“Oh, crap.” His face turned red hot.
Where Did I Begin?
This was the first book I ever wrote where I created the characters first, with no storyline whatsoever. All I knew was that it was during Prohibition, and I wanted to get the main character, Billy McGlory, into one mess after another.
Here’s a prime example of that, in this excerpt:
Heading south on Madison Avenue, I heard the siren. I glanced into the rearview mirror and saw the unmistakable Greyhound radiator ornament of the Lincoln behind me. Cop car. All the gangsters drove Lincolns, which had a top speed of 80, so the cops had to get Lincolns to keep up with them. I tried to get the hell out of his way—he must've been going to a robbery or a diner or something. I pulled over, and he pulled up next to me. Oh, shit. It was me he was after.
I rolled down the window and asked sweetly, "Yes, sir, what can I do for you, sir?"
"License and registration please."
"Uh—what's wrong, officer? Did I commit a traffic violation?" As the son of the ex-Chief of Police, I should have been real comfortable around cops, but to tell the truth, they scared the hell out of me. The cops my father knew weren't the crooked ones. They were the straightassed ones, just like him, who fought Tammany and made a career out of busting crooks. They didn't have a price, like the rest of them. Hardnosed bastards, some were frustrated politicians and not smart enough to get into law school, so they enforced the laws from behind their badges. Hell, I was all for law and order, but these guys sometimes took it too far. "Your back license plate is missing."
Relief drained me. "Oh, drat. It must've got stolen. You know this city—just crawlin' with thieves."
"License and registration, please," he repeated, in what passed for a more menacing cop voice. Now he assumed his cop stance, pudgy fists on meaty hips, waiting while I dug through the glove compartment, tossing aside all the crumpled up sheet music and junk crammed in there. Oh, that's where my emergency pack of cigarettes was, and that old box of prophylactics! But damned if I couldn't find the registration.
"Uh—I can't find it, but it's my car, honest. I mean, it was a gift to me, but it's been paid for, it's not stolen or anything. I can probably find it in my penthouse. You wanna follow me there? It's only two blocks aw—"
"Step out of the car, please."
Uh-oh. I felt my bowels burning. I had two briefcases bulging with two shitloads of money in the back seat.
He poked his head into the car. "What's in the briefcases?"
"Uh—I dunno. I'm doing an errand for somebody."
"Yeah, I'll bet you dunno. Step aside, please."
"Hey, you got a search warrant?" I demanded.
But demanding a search warrant from a New York City cop was like demanding a shot of Scotch from Satan in the middle of Hell.
I didn't want to look. I turned my head and flattened my palms on the roof of the car, like I was being searched. I heard the clicks as he sprang the latches and his not-so-surprised "mm-hmmm" as he checked out the contents.
"Who you doing this errand for, sonny boy?"
What was with the "sonny boy"? He wasn't much older than me. I knew he just wanted to put me down. Screw that. I've been called a lot worse by much better cops than him. He obviously didn't know who I was. "Uh—I'd better get a lawyer or something."
"You'd better come with me."
"Look, uh—you wanna just take a few bills outta there and forget it?” I asked, real generously. “I mean, uh—we're all in this mess together, ya know—"
"Bribing an officer of the law is a very serious offense, sonny boy. You'll have to come with me. Park your car there, please."
"Here? But there's a hydrant here. I'll get a ticket."
 I CONSIDERED THESE TITLES BEFORE I CHOSE BOOTLEG BROADWAY (feel free to use any of these if you’re writing a book set during Prohibition or the Depression—it was a tough decision)
Headin' for Better Times
How Strange
If It Ain't Love
If I Had You
Never Let the Same Bee Sting You Twice
Opus One
PA6-5000
Puttin on the Ritz
Say it Isn't So
See if I'll Care
Smile


Somebody Loves You

Take the A Train

Thanks for the Memory

Under the Moon

When Dreams Come True

Wherever you Are



OTHER PROHIBITION BOOKS YOU’LL ENJOY:


The Stork Club - Ralph Blumenthal

Once Upon a Time in NY - Herbert Mitgang

Incredible NY: High Life & Low Life - Lloyd Morris

The Night Club Era - Stanley Walker



Purchase BOOTLEG BROADWAY:













Contact Diana:











Thanks for stopping by,

Tina



Sunday, February 5, 2017

The Old Saying about Lemons - #MFRWauthor @AuthorTinaGayle

We all have those days that nothing goes right, but we can still be thankful for all the wonderful things in our life.

So I'd thought I'd share a few things to brighten your day if things aren't going exactly great.

Will Rogers

I love to read Will Rogers to brighten my day. Here are a few of his quotes.

"Everyone is ignorant, only in different subjects."



"Nothing you can't spell will ever work."



"People are getting smarter nowadays; they are letting lawyers, instead of their conscience, be their guide."



"No man is great if he thinks he is."



"I guess truth can hurt you worse in an election than about anything that can happen to you."

Or


Hey, what is the saying about lemons. I like to make Lemon Curd.
Really good on scones.

6 Tbs unsalted butter--softened at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon zest

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer about 2 minutes. Slowly add the eggs and yolks. Beat for 1 minute. Mix in the lemon juice. The mixture will look curdled, but don't worry...



In a medium, heavy-based saucepan, cook the mixture over low heat until it looks smooth. (The curdled appearance disappears as the butter melts) Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Be patient, this takes about 15 minutes. When you dip a spoon into the mixture and draw your finger (careful, it's hot) down the middle of the back of the spoon it will leave a path. Or, if you're like me and cook with a thermometer, it will read 170 degrees. DO NOT let the mixture boil.



Remove from heat and stirr in the zest. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in refrigerator. The curd will continue to thicken as it cools.

Covered tightly this will keep in the fridge for a week and about 2 months in the freezer.



Also, I'm thankful for you. If not for you, no one would read my blog...so thanks for being you.



Hope your day improves and life treats you better,


Tina
tinagayle.net