Readers' Favorite

September 7, 2013

Afternoon eBook Deal 9/7

...definitely a sizzler... ~ Kim Tomsett

...hot, passionate, funny, and definitely HOT HOT HOT!!! ~ Carol Lilla


All Casey Reynolds wanted was peace and quiet and a long vacation from covering the crime beat in Boston. That's why she agreed to borrowing a villa in Mexico to rest, be alone and work on her novel.

But then he showed up -- Travis Craig. He said he was offered the villa to recover from a serious illness. He had just lost his teaching job and had no money to leave.

She agreed with his plan to share the house -- but on her terms. Soon rest and relaxation were a thing of the past when their double occupancy proved too erotic to control.

99 cents at Amazon US, Amazon UK, and B&N

Sale ends Sept. 9

Girl Who Reads is an Amazon US advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made through the Amazon US link. Please verify price at time of purchase. Prices are subject to change without notice.




Enhanced by Zemanta

New Things at Girl Who Reads

Changes are coming to Girl Who Reads. Some of them are behind the scenes as I get ready for a fourth year of blogging in 2014. Other changes you will already benefit from. My readers are important to me and I wanted to take a moment to address these changes. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions I would love to hear from you. You can contact me through any of the social media platforms in left side bar, leave a comment on this post, or email me at donna (at) girl-who-reads.com.


Afternoon eBook Deal

You may have noticed a new feature this week - Afternoon eBook Deal. Every afternoon at 3 pm eastern a bargain, discounted, or free ebook will be featured. Some of the deals will only last the day, so make sure you stop by every day. On Sundays, the Sale Page will continue with 5 featured books, plus any print book deals. If you are an author planning a sale, fill out this form to be considered for the Afternoon eBook Deal or Sunday Sale Page.

Paid Advertisement

Another offering I have been debating for a while is paid advertisement. I don't want to make Girl Who Reads all ads, but some of my future goals require funding. I already use the Amazon affiliate program and Google Ads to support the blog. However, as plans unfold to develop Girl Who Reads into an ezine more expenses will arise. My goal is always to bring my readers high quality content and through increased revenue I can bring even better content to Girl Who Reads.

Authors, publishers, editors, publicists, and anyone else who has a reading, writing, and/or publishing service or product may sponsor a post for $5. The ad size is 300 x 250 and will appear in the post you sponsor. Contact me at donna (at) girl-who-reads.com for to sponsor a post. 

Behind the Scenes

Changes you may not notice right off, but I hope to be implementing once funds are sufficient include moving to a self-hosted server and possible Wordpress. A new layout design will be needed and I do not have the technical skills to implement the layout an ezine will need.  As Girl Who Reads grows there will also be a  need for additional writers and editors. It has long been a goal to be able to pay those who contribute to Girl Who Reads. There will be other minor changes - some new labels, etc - that will gradually be made as I have the time.

I love my readers and I hope you are as excited as I am about the potential for growth for Girl Who Reads.

Donna 

Enhanced by Zemanta

September 6, 2013

Afternoon eBook Deal 9/6

...this second book is a definite must read! ~ Marissa Aldana

The story is fast paced and with so much humor... ~ Mary Loesch


Rose Gardner Mysteries, Book 2

When Rose reports for Fenton County jury duty she figures she's lucky to get out of a morning working at the DMV. Instead, despite a disastrous encounter with the new assistant district attorney, Mason Deveraux, she's picked as a juror on a murder case. As the trial progresses, she realizes an ominous vision she had in the men's restroom proves the defendant is innocent. And there's not a cotton picking thing she can do about it. Or is there? As if things weren't bad enough, Rose's older sister Violet is going through a mid-life crisis. Violet insists that Rose stop seeing her sexy new boyfriend, Arkansas state detective Joe Simmons, and date other men. Rose is done letting people boss her around, but she can't commit to Joe either. Still, Rose isn't about to let the best thing in her life slip away.

99 cents at Amazon and B&N


Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above. Please verify price before purchasing. Prices may change without notice. To have your free or bargain ebook featured, fill out this form.




Enhanced by Zemanta

Name that Book: Opening Lines


Ready for a little fun this Friday? Try to guess the title of the book from the opening lines. Leave your guesses in the comments or cheat a little and follow the links to get the answer.

This is it, he thought, as he clicked on his left blinker. The end of the road.
The sign for the bridge had snuck up on him. He had done this drive before, but not at 2 a.m., and he had never been much of a night driver. There had been a little traffic leaving the city, but now there was almost none. Every time a car passed him on the left he wondered who the driver was and why they were on the road this late. He wondered if they were thinking the same about him.

Find the answer here

***

My father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist. He was already married ten years when he first clamped eyes on my mother. In 1968, she was working at the gift-wrap counter Davison's downtown when my father asked her to wrap the carving knife he had bought his wife for their wedding anniversary. Mother said she knew something wasn't right between a man and a woman when the gift was a blade. I said that maybe it means there was a kind of trust between them. I love my mother, but we tend to see things a little bit differently The point is that James's marriage was never hidden from us. James is what I call him. His other daughter, Chaurisse, the one who grew up in the house with him, calls him Daddy, even now.

Find the answer here

***

The George Washington Bridge had never been anything but strong and beautiful, its arches monumental, cables thin and high. Kate watched them spindling like ribs past the car window as her husband drove eastbound across the span. It was a testimony to optimism, a suspension bridge, each far-fetched plate, truss, and girder an act of faith against gravity and good sense.

Find the answer here

***

The Wayland Inn was behind the slums, on the west end of Knoxville. It was a place that had festered since the War, buzzing with flies that bred in the clogged severs, stinking of dirty river water brought in on the afternoon breeze. A place attracted those who thrived in the shadows. People you had to seek to find.

Find the answer here

***

When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim's warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress. She must have had bad dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of course, she did. This is the day of the reaping.

Find the answer here

***

The flashing lights of the ambulance, police cars, and fire department vehicles danced before Darcy's eyes in a kaleidoscope of colors, distracting her from the questions she was supposed to be answering.

Find the answer here

***

You just know it's going to be a bad day when you're stuck at a red light and Death pulls up behind you in a station wagon.

Find the answer here

***

All our attempts at subterfuge had been in vain.
With ice in my heart, I watched him prepare to defend me. His intense concentration betrayed no hint of doubt, though he was outnumbered. I knew that we could expect no help - at this moment, his family was fighting for their lives as surely as he was for ours.

Find the answer here

***

You could say that my father was a watchmaker by trade, but that would be like saying the Nijinsky liked to dance. Fixing watches was not only his livelihood but his life. This skill had saved him when he had been imprisoned at the death camp of Dachau, during the Second World War, and he continued to fix watches until the day he died. Simon Taitz was nothing less than a restorer of time. And I was his daughter, born to continue in his life work - restoration and repair.

Find the answer here

***

At the beginning of my daughter's princess party, right before Cinderella is scheduled to arrive, my sister Sylvia announces, apropos of nothing, that she is going blind.

Find the answer here

***

How did you do?

Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the links above. 

September 5, 2013

Afternoon eBook Deal 9/5

Companion book to the movie The Lamp

FREE at Amazon and B&N


For every man there is a moment in life when he wants to give up. For Stanley Walters it was when he lost his son in a tragic accident. From that moment on he was trapped in a downward spiral of depression. Then he met a very special man named Charles who brought with him a very special message that he said has been passed down for thousands of years. This simple message changed Stanley's life forever. From Charles he learned what it truly means to succeed in every area of life.


You can learn this too as you join Stanley as he relives this very exciting journey from despair to triumph. Contained within this book is his journey and each lesson he learned that brought him one step closer to a life he given up in believing was possible. Will you join him? You can, if you Just Believe.

Sale Ends 9/5

Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above. Please verify price before purchasing. Prices may change at any time without notice. To submit your discounted or free ebook for possible feature, please submit your details here.




Enhanced by Zemanta

Goodreads for Authors

Book discoverability is a priority of every writer. With thousands of books coming to the market every month, it is difficult for authors to get their book noticed. Add in that book marketing budgets are slim for most authors, it is not only a daunting task but may seem an impossibility. There is a site that often is overlooked by authors, but can help get your books in front of readers: Goodreads.com.

Goodreads is a social media site that is dedicated to book discoverability. For years, it has focused on readers. It is still focused on readers and can be a great place for bloggers to find an audience. But did you know it is also a place for authors?


This summer Goodreads, surpassed 20 MILLION users. That’s a lot of people and a whole lot of books. You may be thinking that you will never be discovered there. Well, you are right and you are wrong. There are a few things you can do to help increase your presence and get your book more notice.


First things first, add your book to their catalog. For most published books, they get added to Goodreads.com as they become available in publisher’s catalogues and listed in WorldCat.org. For indie authors, this often means your book is not visible to readers until it’s available for sale. You want to build pre-publication buzz, right? That is why you sent out those ARCs, right? Well, guess what...Goodreads.com can help you build that buzz. 

Why should you add your book pre-publication?

One, you know those ARCs you sent to bloggers? Many bloggers are on Goodreads and use it to organize their reviews. If your book is listed in the catalog, they can easily add it to their shelf. When they add it to their shelf, their friends see it (most marketers believe it takes 7 - 12 impressions to make a sale. Learn more about the importance of impressions on book sales.). You are one impression closer to a sale. 

Two, Goodreads sends out a monthly newsletter that mentions upcoming releases. At the top of the newsletter is a section called “New releases from authors on your shelf”. Your fans are now notified that you have a new book coming out. Another impression closer to a sale. 

Three, your fans not only can add your book to their shelf, but vote for it on lists. Users have created lists for everything on Goodreads. Each time your book is listed it shows up in the user’s feed for their friends to see. More impressions and you haven’t even really gotten started. 

Four, on your book listing you can upload sample chapters for readers to view right there on Goodreads. What a great way to give an early glimpse of your new book!

Authors (and any member can) add their title to Goodreads at any time. I recommend authors doing this as readers sometimes get information wrong. You may need the assistance of a Librarian to upload the book cover. Finding a librarian is not too difficult. I am one and you may also find several within the writer groups you belong to. Authors can also apply for Librarian status.
Next, it’s time to work on setting up your author presence on the site. An author page is set up for every author who has a book on the site. It is just waiting for you to claim it. (Members with librarian status can make entries on to author pages, so there may be information already there). To keep your page as accurate as possible, I recommend claiming it.


Like any social media site, there is some basic information for you to fill out. Since most of us have dealt with social media, I’m going to skip that tutorial and get to the features that you can use to increase your presence.


On your author dashboard you will see several headers. The first section on your dashboard is “my books” all the books associated with your author name should be listed there. If not, then check to make sure your name is spelled exactly the same on all listings (extra spaces are almost always the culprit). If there are books listed there that aren’t yours, it means that another author has your same name. Goodreads librarian fix this by adding extra spaces to make the names different. You will probably need the help of a librarian to get this fixed.


Next up is “Your Blog”. You can connect your blog to feed directly to the page. Each week, I receive an email listing all the authors who I follow who have updated blog posts that week. It’s a great way to get another impression. We are always inundated with information, so this is a great way to get a reminder sent without it really coming from you. If you aren’t blogging somewhere else, you can always write your posts right there.


The third section is for advertising. You can set up book launch and other campaigns to get your book in front of their 20 million users. I haven’t used their advertising and not sure about pricing. But with their stats, I would think it would be worth looking into.


Giveaways is the fourth section and is meant to help you launch your book. Any title not yet released (a fifth reason to list your book prior to publication) or has been released in the past 6 months is eligible. Sorry, digitally published only authors, books must be physical copies to participate. For those looking for more advice on running a Goodreads Giveaway, check out this post at Novel Publicity.


Moving on down the dashboard is a section to manage the ebooks you have uploaded at Goodreads. I mentioned that you can add a sample of your book, but can also choose to load your entire book. It will allow members to browse, preview, download, and even purchase your work all right from the site. This could be a way to capitalize on impulse buyers or another place to provide your free books.


Using the next section on your dashboard, you can great a special Q&A group. Goodreads groups can be quite active and a Q&A group can add an additional method for readers to connect with you. Follow these instructions to set up the group as it is slightly different than creating other groups at Goodreads. Goodreads will help advertise your group and you could have it featured in their monthly newsletter.


As with any social media site, Goodreads has a way to connect to your other networks. You can advertise your books, ratings and reviews with a Facebook app on your Facebook Fan page. In the side bar, there are widgets for adding this information to your website or blog.


Goodreads offers a lot of publicity potential and should not be overlooked during your pre-publication planning. But the most important tip is to remember it is a SOCIAL site for readers. Spend a little time building your bookshelves there. Even if you don't want to rate and review books, just adding what you have read or looking forward to reading gives a readers a glimpse into what you like. Many authors write the kind of books they like to read, so you may make a connection with a reader through what you have read.


Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the blogger behind Girl Who Reads and author of the how-to manual Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.


Enhanced by Zemanta

September 4, 2013

Afternoon Book Deal 9/4

Forever My Girl Book 1 of Beaumont series by Heidi McLaughlin

99 cents at AmazonB&NKobo

A USA Today best seller
Top 10 Paid Kindle Store


I was never supposed to be a rock star. I had my life all planned out for me. Play football in college. Go to the NFL. Marry my high school sweetheart and live happily ever after. 

I broke both our hearts that day when I told her I was leaving. I was young. I made the right decision for me, but the wrong decision for us. I’ve poured my soul into my music, but I’ve never forgotten her. Her smell, her smile. 

And now I’m going back. 

After ten years. 

I hope I can explain that after all this time. 

I still want her to be my forever girl.

Sale ends TODAY

Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above.




Enhanced by Zemanta

From the TBR pile: Distortion by Lucie Smoker


Artist Adele Proust is over her ex, activist Jack Thomas — or so she thinks. At a 3-chord punk bar, Adele drinks to forget him, but when shouts of “Fire!” send the nightclub into chaos, she stumbles over a slashed-up corpse. The details of that murder scene are etched into her memory before she’s yanked away as the nightclub burns. Any clues to the slasher’s identity burn in the club, until Adele brings them back in a revealingly distorted painting. Her signature technique brings out a pivotal clue that was missed by the police: a paper currency strap. The FBI thinks Jack may be behind the murder and they want Adele to spy on her friends, but she refuses … until someone starts killing them off.
Sure, the FBI can protect her, but they want something too. That victim was one of their agents and the murder suspects include Jack Thomas and her best friend, Marvin. Without explaining much, the FBI asks Adele to spy on her friends, for her country.
Adele refuses until someone starts killing her friends. Now she’ll use the the FBI, the clues–and even her friends–to save them.

Published October 2012 by Buzz Books USA
ebook & paperback (316 pages)
ISBN13: 9781938493041

Praise:

Just when you think you know what's about to happen - you don't. Filled with twists and surprises and fresh ideas. Addie Proust is a unique character and a welcome addition to the fictional landscape. ~ William Bernhardt, author

With strong characters, a great story line and wonderful descriptions Distortion is a fun read for all. ~ Ashley Horning

I liked the human feel of this book; it felt so "real." ~ Rowena M.

About the Author:

My imagination grew up in a Little House on the Prairie and at 221b Baker Street. I was born in Natchez, Mississippi but grew up mostly in Slidell, Louisiana, Houston and Colorado Springs. My best friends were my little sister Minnie, the Hardy Boys and The Count of Monte Cristo. Like them, my life followed a path of adventure, sometimes intrigue. Then I fell in love and finally found home down a long, empty road. I live with my husband of twenty years plus our two boys on the great North American Prairie—and mysteriously turn caffeine into stories.
Distortion is based on my experience as an activist in Houston’s free-spirited Montrose arts district.
website  *  Twitter *  Goodreads

Buy Distortion at Amazon

Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above. Information for this post came from Goodreads.com



Enhanced by Zemanta

September 3, 2013

Review: Hickey of the Beast by Isabel Kunkle

I've had Hickey of the Beast by Isabel Kunkle in my reading pile for a while. I picked it up from Candlemark & Gleam, I read their Extrahumans series, and found it oddly enjoyable. When I picked Hickey of the Beast I was expecting another enjoyable, if a bit off from mainstream fantasy/sci-fi story.

It started off okay. Connie is starting her first year at the prestigious boarding school where her mother is the headmistress and her father is a teacher. She has grown up on the school grounds and worried about making the transition from "teacher's kid" to student. She has all the same stresses of any teenager - schoolwork, parents, and boys.

Hickey of the Beast is told through a letter Connie is writing to a summer camp friend. While the format is fine, I found some of the explanations kind of silly. Given that Amanda is also in high school, does Connie really need to explain that a formal dance is a big deal?

I felt the premise was set up to be teen angst, however, there just wasn't enough conflict. It kept felt like it was getting there, unfortunately by the end it did not get there. It seemed to skirt around what could have really amped up the story. I'm not sure why I finished it as I lost interest about half way through. By the ending I didn't really care how it ended, just that it was finished. Up until the use of the f-word, I was considering it for a book my 11 year old niece might read. The writing and even the subject mater was lower young adult.

Maybe my expectations were too high. I thought it would be a quirky high school romance, Hickey of the Beast was an okay story of high school crush. Just because it wasn't my cup of tea, you might like it.

Buy Hickey of the Beast at Amazon

Published March 2011 by Candlemark & Gleam
ebook & paperback (266 pages)
ISBN13: 9781936460229
Source: publisher
Read July 2013

Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchase are made at Amazon through the link above. A free ebook was provided by the source in order to give an honest review.






Enhanced by Zemanta

September 2, 2013

From the TBR Pile: Dead End Deal by Allen Wyler


World renowned neurosurgeon Jon Ritter is on the verge of a medical breakthrough that will change the world. His groundbreaking surgical treatment, using transplanted non-human stem cells, is set to eradicate the scourge of Alzheimer’s disease and give hope to millions. But when the procedure is slated for testing, it all comes to an abrupt and terrifying halt. Ritter’s colleague is gunned down and Ritter himself is threatened by a radical anti-abortion group that not only claims responsibility, but promises more of the same.
Faced with a dangerous reality but determined to succeed, Ritter turns to his long-time colleague, corporate biotech CEO Richard Stillman, for help. Together, they conspire to conduct a clandestine clinical trial in Seoul, Korea. But the danger is more determined, and more lethal, than Ritter could have imagined.
After successful surgical trials, Ritter and his allies are thrown into a horrifying nightmare scenario: The trial patients have been murdered and Ritter is the number one suspect. Aided by his beautiful lab assistant, Yeonhee, Ritter flees the country, now the target of an international manhunt involving Interpol, the FBI, zealous fanatics and a coldly efficient assassin named Fiest.
Published: March 2012 by Aster + Blue Editions
ebook & paperback (402 pages)
ISBN13: 9781938231056

Praise

The antagonist is deliciously devious. Protect the company at all costs. It plays out like a movie and I rather enjoyed that. ~ Nymphaea, Long and Short Reviews

Dead End Deal is definitely one of my favorite books of the year! ~ Moonlight Gleam

Great fast paced thriller. ~ Tea Time with Marce

Buy Dead End Deal at Amazon


Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above.



Enhanced by Zemanta

September 1, 2013

Sunday Sale Page 9/1

A long weekend means plenty of time to read! Check out these deals for your reading pleasure.



Read a character post from Jennifer Loiske
99 cents at Amazon


#1 Contemporary Romance
99 cents at Amazon and B&N


#4 Contemporary Fantasy
99 cents at Amazon and B&N


Thriller
FREE at Amazon and B&N


Environmental Fantasy
FREE at Amazon and B&N


Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above. Prices were accurate as of 8/31. Please verify price before purchasing as price is subject to change without notice.


Shareahollic