Saturday, March 28, 2015

Triberr, The Basics for #MFRWorg @MFRW_ORG

This is a repost of a blog written by Barbara Bradley from the MFRW - Marketing Blog.

What I know about Triberr – The Real Basics
Putting it simply Triberr is a platform for blogs. It helps get your blog out to people who otherwise might not find it. Once you join Triberr and find the proper tribe your tribe members will upload your feed – your blog – to their twitter account.

I’m not going to go into detail on how to get started. Triberr has lots of documents that are easy to understand to help you understand the way it works. I’ve used them and they’re great, I found Triberr very easy to understand. If I had a question they had a tutorial for it. Anyway, once you load your RSS feed to Triberr, and there is a tutorial depending on the blog web site you use, you now have your blog programmed to go out via Triberr and your tribe mates. These tutorials can be found in the little drop down box labeled account, then help.

If everything goes smoothly, and most of the time it does, your blog will load to your stream within a few hours. I give it about a half hour and normally it is there, but every once in a while I have to give it a helping hand. You do need to know enough to know how to check your feed from time to time. I check for my blog and if I don’t see on my stream I go to my settings, then my blogs. There you’ll see the details of your blog, your rss feed and the opportunity to check and make sure it’s working.

Now your stream is the list of blogs waiting for you to release to your twitter account. I try to check mine twice a day and release the ones waiting for me. It doesn’t take long. I belong to ten tribes and can work my way through my list in about five minutes, but I don’t stop and read the blogs when I do that. My main goal is to make sure I release the blogs waiting for me. My tribe mates are kind enough to release mine, I should reciprocate. If I don’t release the blogs of my tribemates why should they release mine?

Since I joined triberr I have had a lot more visits to my blog. It has been a wonderful investment for me and it could be one for you too.

Want more information on Triberr?
Try these other INFORMATIVE ARTICLES...
All Triberr... A Guide to Getting Started  |  Don't Get Spooked By Triberr  |  WoW! The Impact of Triberr

This Post was provided by MFRW Staff Member, Barbara Bradley.

As a member of Marketing for Romance Writers - I encourage you to check out their site and see how they can help you learn more about marketing your book.


Tina

Friday, March 20, 2015

Pumpkin by Ines Johnson




Blurb
Single mother Malika “Pumpkin” Tavares lost faith in fairytales after she fell for a toad. Now she believes she’s not cut from the storybook, heroine cloth and searches for Mr. Good Enough amongst the sidekicks and supporting men of the town.

Love at first sight isn’t a cliche for town royalty Armand “Manny” Charmayne. For generations the Charmaynes have spotted their soulmates by seeing a golden aura the first time they laid eyes on The One.
When Manny meets Pumpkin he sees…nothing, but sparks fly off the richter scale. The more he gets to know her the more he considers defying fate, if only he can convince her to take a chance on love again.






The Grand Gesture

Traditionally the Grand Gesture is known to be a common plotting point in romance stories where the hero does something bold or gives up something big in order to show the heroine that his love is true.

In Pride and Prejudice, Darcy puts aside his contempt of Wickham to help save Lydia’s reputation. This grand gesture is what finally convinces Elizabeth to take his hand.

In Twilight, Edward’s grand gesture, the thing that shows his true love of Bella, is when he sucks the poison out of her wrist without killing her.

For more on grand gestures, we’ll turn to the hero of my latest release, Pumpkin: a Cindermama story. This romance is a fairytale retelling of -you guessed it- the Cinderella story.


EXCERPT
The Mistress of Ceremonies hurried through her introductions and then the microphone was in Manny's hand, but he didn't take out the notes of his prepared speech.

"Many of you knew my mother," he began. There was a murmur of nostalgic assent throughout the crowd.

"You may not know that after her diagnosis, she spent most of her days watching romantic comedies. She believed she could laugh the illness out of her body. Her favorite moments in these films were something called the Grand Gesture. That scene just after all hope is lost because one of the lovers, normally the guy, has done something stupid that's led to the end of the relationship. So he thinks up this bold, romantic move to get the woman back."

A glance around the room told Manny that he held the largely female crowd in rapt attention.

"An example of a grand gesture would be a guy telling his estranged wife that she completes him in the midst of an angry mob of women. Or rescuing her underwear from the class geek and returning it to her at her sister's wedding. Or holding a boom box over his head, in front of her bedroom window, early in the morning, while blasting the song that was playing as he deflowered her."

A different wave of nostalgia swept through the crowd this time as they remembered these treasured moments of Hollywood cinema.

"In the real world, some people might call these behaviors creepy, or stalker-ish. But not my mother. She loved them. She believed in love, believed that when you loved someone you said it loud, you showed it often, and you never gave up."

Manny paused here, partly for effect, mostly to collect himself as visions of his mother's joyous face played in his head. He rubbed the heel of his hand against his chest.

"The national divorce rate is 50 percent."

There was no surprise in the room, where most of the men were older and the women on their arms were younger.

"There's never been a divorce in the Charmayne family. Not one recorded anywhere in our family line."

The sparkle of young women's eyes threatened to blind Manny from where he stood on the stage.

"What that means is when a Charmayne gives you their pledge, they are committed."

The decision was a split second one, but once Manny made it he stuck with it. He stepped around the podium, mic in hand and dropped to one knee. The gasp of every woman in the room was near deafening.

"To earn your vote, I will do whatever I have to, including blast Peter Gabriel in the streets. Charmaynes don't quit. I'm committed to this, to the people of this town. I hope that I can count on your vote."

The room erupted in thunderous applause, and the women's eyes sparkled even brighter.



We’ve seen literary heroes perform the feat of a grand gesture near the end of the tale.


In Pumpkin: a Cindermama story, my hero Manny talks about this moment in the first act. I take a moment early in the book to teach the reader the rules of the grand gesture in this speech so that they are prepped for later in the book when I break these rules in favor of a more non-traditional grand gesture near the end of the story. To find out who messed up and how they declared their love in a grand way, pick up the book.


Ines' Amazon Page
http://www.amazon.com/Ines-Johnson/e/B00P5OKTMK


Check out this book at your favorite ebook store.


Tina



Thursday, March 19, 2015

Eggcerpt Exchange with Betty Bolte - Sharing Samatha's Secret






Samantha’s Secret by Betty Bolté







Series: A More Perfect Union


Book #: 3



 


Bio for Betty


Betty Bolté writes both historical and contemporary stories that feature strong, loving women and brave, compassionate men. No matter whether the stories are set in the past or the present, she loves to include a touch of the paranormal. Get to know her at www.bettybolte.com.


Social Media Links










Twitter: @BettyBolte










eBook Discovery: http://bit.ly/ZOhVhL




 


 


Buy Links


Barnes and Noble:


Kobo:


Amazon: Pre-order: http://amzn.to/1AVKyna


iBooks:


Google:


 


Blurb


In 1782, the fight for independence becomes personal in the port city Charles Town, South Carolina.


Midwife and healer, Samantha McAlester returns from the front lines to find Charles Towne under British siege and the town's new doctor at war with its citizens.


Dr. Trent Cunningham intends to build a hospital staffed solely with educated doctors. What he doesn't need is a raven-haired charlatan spooning out herbs and false promises to his patients, while tempting him at every turn.


Then a mutual friend develops a mysterious infection.  Trenton is stumped.  Samantha suspects the cure but knows treatment will expose her long-guarded secret, risking all she holds dear... including Trenton.


 


Excerpt


Chapter 1


 


Charles Town, South Carolina, 1782


                “I must say, I am glad this day is behind us and we can relax and enjoy the festivities.” Samantha McAlester sighed, trying but failing to release the tension building between her shoulders. As night descended upon the garden, she cringed as barks of laughter interspersed the hum of the party guests’ conversation, increasing in volume along with the flow of wine and ales. Before long, Trent would arrive, and then what would she do? How could she tolerate his presence after his disdain the last time?


                “I find it hard to fathom the danger you and Amy faced.” Emily Sullivan tugged her shawl around her shoulders to ward off the late November chill and slowly shook her head. She swiveled to look at Samantha, her long skirts rustling with the movement. “If Benjamin hadn’t caught up with you, and then Walter hadn’t stepped in to sacrifice his own life to save all of us, I don’t know what we’d have done.”


                “That’s all in the past, Em. Do not dwell on the matter.” The horrifying sound of gun shots around the manor house surely would echo in her mind in a similar manner as to other shots and shouts she’d experienced over the past several years. Walter had vowed to die defending his home, and he kept his word. Emily’s cousin, Evelyn, had lost her husband but gained her freedom from his overbearing nature. “No good can come from reliving this morning’s adventure. Let us close the book on those events.”


                Emily shrugged and let her gaze drift over the garden before focusing on the dark-haired couple strolling away. “You’re probably right, but it’s hard to ignore the sobs from poor Evelyn up in your spare room. Besides, planning a double wedding with such sadness hanging in the air might be considered disrespectful. What do you think?”


                “I think you and Amy have the right to marry your betrotheds. And moreover, this town needs the happy event after the terror and uncertainty we’ve endured under the British occupation.” Standing beneath the peaked roof of the white-washed gazebo, which was draped in dormant climbing rose vines, Samantha hesitated to follow two of her closest friends as they made their way toward the cluster of guests.


                Emily’s white teeth flashed as she chuckled. “I never thought I could be as happy as I am in preparing to marry Frank.”


                “The idea of holding the wedding at the end of the holidays is brilliant.” Samantha glanced at Emily, and couldn’t prevent a smile from easing onto her lips. “Everyone will already be in a festive mood and gathered in town to be with family and friends.”


                Emily bobbed her head and then indicated the pair moving away from them. “They appear to be as besotted with each other as Frank and I.”


                Amy Abernathy and Benjamin Hanson ambled away from her, arm in arm down the crushed seashell and pea gravel path toward tables laden with a variety of meats and sweets. So much had happened over the past year, month, even day, she couldn’t imagine what more awaited in the near future as the fight for America’s independence from British rule ended in victory. One thing remained certain: all the dueling and fighting, the anxiety and terror, her friends had endured since the beginning of October had been relegated to the past. As the Britons prepared to evacuate, she and her compatriots could all look to the future and plan for a better world. Mostly, in the event. Her heart sunk at the thought of Trent’s imminent arrival.


                From where Samantha stood at the very back corner of the property, she could see over the heads of her guests as they wandered through the unusually large and diverse garden. Winding paths crisscrossed the area, providing easy access to the variety of flowers, vegetable and herbal plants, and bushes. Several tall oaks and cypress lent shade in the summer heat as well as ingredients for her simples and poultices. She drew in a deep breath of crisp fall air along with the sense of peace only this space evoked. As long as her parents owned the sizeable property, she’d be content with life.


                They’d spent years designing and creating the perfect medicinal garden, containing every kind of beneficial plant that would grow in the hot and humid southern climate. Surely they’d never move. Not after all their hard work and expense. But with the tensions in town targeted at those who sympathized with the British, the future for her family remained unclear, like the harbor on a foggy morning. What if they were forced out by the British? Or someone else? The South Carolina government had initiated a list of known loyalists whose property was subject to confiscation as the British withdrew. Had her father’s loyalties become too flagrant in recent months? Unease fluttered in her stomach, and she pressed a hand to her waist, trying to quell the turmoil within. What would she do without her lovely garden and charming home? Indeed, without her loving yet stubborn parents?




Signup for her newsletter at www.bettybolte.com/newsletter.htm to be first to hear of new releases!


Thanks Betty for sharing,


Tina
 

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

A #Ebook Store That Support Indie Authors

Have you looked at adding your books to Coffee Times Romance?


I'm added my books to a number of different ebook stores but I have to say that CTR does the best job of supporting it's indies authors.


They send out post like below to their readers and let them know when your book go up on their site.


KarenneLyn is very helpful and makes you feel as if you are a valued member of the CTR team.


Take a good at their site and see what you think.


I'm sure KarenneLyn would love to help you add your books to the site.




Have you seen our new spotlight giveaways?

Book & Coffee News!

Save during our St. Patrick's Sale! 
 
Publisher Sales:
Indie Author Sales:


See the new eBooks...
I Wrote My First Story, Now What?

I Wrote My First Story, Now What?

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Stormy

Stormy

Blurb - A widower, a divorcee, co-workers, lovers...a future together...marriage? Consoling...

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Fallen Leaves

Fallen Leaves

This is the second book in the unfolding saga of the psychics and talents associated with the...

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Summer's Growth

Summer's Growth

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Encounter: Calculus and Cupcakes

Encounter: Calculus and Cupcakes

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Coyote Games (SOS Multi-Author)

Coyote Games (SOS Multi-Author)

There's coyote trouble in the canyon. One coyote, to be specific. A male. He's been...

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A Better Promise

A Better Promise

When Braedon hires shy and serious Alicia as a secretary in his furniture business, he falls for...

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Breathe Me In (Crescent City 1)

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Tired of facing immortality without love, John Rabbitt refuses to consume life energy -- until his...

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