A Word of Warning

I teach Kindergarten. Today I started teaching rhyming words, emphasizing words that sound alike, but may not necessarily be "real" words.  For example, "red" can rhyme with "zed", but "zed" isn't an actual word.  So I gave the class words like "table" and "chair" and "rug" to make rhyming words as I glanced around the room, looking for objects to name. 

A word of warning:  don't give them the word "bucket".

TONIGHT, Caroline Aubrey Will Be My Guest Author on Blog Talk Radio!

Oops!  Sorry!  My bad!  Caroline Aubrey and I got our wires crossed last Monday night, so instead of her appearing on Other Worlds of Romance on Blog Talk Radio to read from her erotic collection of fairy tales SECOND NIGHT: MORE FAIRYTALES RETOLD, she'll read from it tonight!

I had planned on reading from my erotic sci-fi apocalyptic novel THE BATTLE LORD'S LADY tonight, but instead I switched and read from it last week, the 23rd.

The show begins at 11 pm ET!  Come listen!

CODE 30 is Now Available at Omnilit!

CODE 30 is now available at OmniLit!
***
http://www.omnilit.com/product-code30-449676-241.html?oid=173

E-Magazines?

I just re-upped my subscription to a magazine I enjoy, when the thought occurred to me...

How long will it be before all mags go to e-version?  Or will they?

Will they be available only online, and I get a notification that the newest issue is there for me to read?  Will I get to download a copy to my e-reader?  Or will my issue be sent to me via email as an attached file?

Worse, what's going to happen to all those perfume samples that made my mailbox smell so good?

You Know It's Hot When...

Heehee!  Hubby sent me this one.  I couldn't resist sharing.

Leeway

Let's say you're reading a new book by one of your favorite authors, but the story sucks. And the one after that sucks also.


How much leeway do you give your favorite authors when their output declines? Do you stick with them regardless of their works, hoping to finally get to a great novel? Or by the third DNF, you give up on them altogether?

Why Do You Keep a Book?

Do you actually go back and re-read a book you've decided to keep?

Why keep it? Is it because by simply looking back at it, or leafing through it, you recall a particular emotion that made you decide to make it a permanent part of your collection?

If Historical Events had Facebook Statuses

This little bit of genius over at Cool Material is absolutely hilarious! Someone took historial figures and events, and pretended they had FB accounts (and friends).  If you have a Facebook account and know how to work it, you'll get the jokes and the jive.

Enjoy!

Guest Author Caroline Aubrey Has Some Hot Fairy Tales Tonight!

Tonight on Other Worlds of Romance on Blog Talk Radio, guest author Caroline Aubrey will be reading from her brand new book of erotic fairy tale retellings, Second Night: More Fairytales Retold.

Show begins at 11 pm et.  Hope to "see" you there!
* * * *

Ever wonder what really went on between Beauty and the Beast during those long winter nights? Why did Cinderella’s stepmother hate her so much? Who was Sleeping Beauty seeing the night before she pricked her finger on a spindle? Just what was the mysterious appeal of the Robber Bridegroom that made so many women marry him? Caroline Aubrey imagines what was left out of those familiar tales when they sanitized for children with her Torrid Twisted Tales series...

Caroline's second book of her fairy tale series explores two traditional tales and two contemporary. Stories include a retelling of "Mr. Fox" and "The Goose Girl" and a modern "Beauty and the Beast", as well as a shapeshifting Selkie story.

Back to School

Well, I've spent 6 days in training. School begins for us Monday, and the weather is predicted to top 100 degrees.

True to just about every school district in the nation, we're beginning a "new" curriculum, and also a new discipline method. If you've been in education as long as I have, there is one sure bet in life -- a "new" way of doing something will come and go about every 5-to-7-to-9 years.

My brain is tired. My body aches from all the lifting and stuff I've had to do to get my room ready. I have 5 more years to go before that magical retirement pops up.

I just hope I can hold out. In the meantime, I'm going to add a countdown clock to my site, just to help give me something to look forward to.

Kissez

I found this site by accident.  Stick it in your Favorites, and go back every so often to see what new real-life photos of people kissing that they've uploaded.

NaNoWriMo

I've never actively participated in the NaNoWriMo before. This year I think I will. I've had a very busy and productive summer, but I've hit the ground with nowhere to go. I have story ideas -- just no umph to get going.

I'm hoping that by the time November rolls around, I'll be ready to crank another one out.

Why is it...

...books that I think are going to do well don't, and books that I think are decent (but not spectacular) sell a ka-jillion copies?

Are Series Books More Popular Than Stand-Alones?

I just got a strange comment from a fellow teacher who also reads my work. She prefers my "stand-alones" more than my series books. When I asked her why, she said she hates having to wait for the next installment.

I've often read where people exclaim on blogs that they will sometimes wait until a series is complete before starting on book one. I wonder how they can do this if the author doesn't have any idea how many books will be in the series.

I'm discovering a lot of readers are very adamant about saying "yes" or "no" to series books. Personally, I have no preference either way. But I do know that if I read a stand-alone that I dearly love, I'll wish the author could come up with a sequel.

The E-Reader Wars

A recent publication regarding the "war" between e-book readers has left me scratching my head.

Hey, guys! This isn't Highlander, where "there can be only one". To me, e-readers are like cars. Some people prefer FORD, some want their Toyotas, and others go for the BMWs. If there can be a multitude of car dealers all selling basically the same item, why can't e-book readers be the same?

However, there is one major bump in the road with this analogy. All those cars use regular unleaded gasoline. The same can't be said of e-readers when it comes to formats.

I remember back in the days of BETA tapes vs VHS standard. One wouldn't play on the other. So if you bought into BETA, you soon found yourself out a lot of $$ when the norm became VHS. Same for Blu-Ray DVDs.

Why can't e-readers adopt one basic "standard" for their e-books, and let the public make their own decision as to which vehicle they want to drive? Sometimes the public may want to buy Book One by Author A, but can't find it in the format that their e-reader demands. Result? A lost sale. If enough of that occurs, then the public may ditch that e-reader and/or buy another one that the book they want is available in.

Maybe I'm seeing this all wrong, but to me these so-called wars sound an awful lot like high school football teams bragging and battling it out over who is better. And we the reading public are sitting in the bleachers, awaiting the outcome so we can go home.

Talia Kelley is My Guest Author Tonight on Blog Talk Radio

Come listen tonight at Other Worlds of Romance on Blog Talk Radio when erotic author Talia Kelley will be reading from her best selling paranormal romance JUST DUCKY.

***

Shy, unassuming Emma Brooks loves curious and unique items, and thanks to the generous legacy of her great aunt, she lives a life of travel without itinerary, searching for old books and curiosities to fill the manor she calls home. It's a life for which many would give a selected body part, but it's also a lonely one.

Things change for Amy when she accepts the gift of a strange little bath toy from a grateful shopkeeper. Suddenly, she finds herself in a world of strange occurrences and erotic dreams, with a phantom lover who seems uncannily real, and whose passions bring to the surface desires Emma has long denied and would rather not encourage. But the spirit is counting on those passions, and he's not about to let her abandon them -- and him.

Readers, Where Do You Buy Most of Your Ebooks?

Readers, where do you buy most of your ebooks?

From the publisher's website?
From ARe/OmniLit?
From Fictionwise?
From Amazon for Kindle?
From Barnes and Noble or Borders?
From another 3rd Party Distributor?

Authors, by the same token, where do you sell the best?

It's Been a Productive Summer

It's been a very productive summer.  I finished one novel and three short stories (each just under 20K words).  Plus I've managed to completely re-edit The Battle Lord's Lady (taking it from 111K to 113K) for future subbing.

I feel accomplished.

I Went Back to School Today

I had to start back at school today.  This is my 33rd year teaching.  In some ways I'm always happy to go back and see my new batch of Kindergarteners.  But on the other hand, I'm getting burned out of teaching.  Still, I have 5 more years before I can retire and become a full time writer.

I am sooo looking forward to that time!

Please Support Your Mom-and-Pop Bookstores!

I often do book signings at locally-owned book stores, and I do them for many reasons.  For one thing, the owners are very personable, and they go out of their way to make you comfortable.  Plus they do boocoos' worth of advertising.

Secondly, they have a built-in audience.  People come there to browse and buy books.  The overall atmosphere is much more laid back than at a large corporation book store.

So one of the ways I "thank" the owners for having me is that I take half a dozen or so books I've read and no longer wish to keep, and I give them to the shop keepers.  It's free revenue for them, and a great chance to clean out my bookshelves!

My Kindle Books Are Now Available at Amazon UK!

This is such great news!  I've gotten an email that my ebooks for Kindle are now available at Amazon UK!  They include both my romances with Whiskey Creek Press Torrid and Red Rose Publishing, and my horror books. 

Sweet!

Dear Linda - a ? About Eating

Dear Linda,

I've noticed in several of your books (I haven't read them all to be 100% sure), you always have a scene of some sort where the H & H are eating, usually in a restaurant. Is this a little perk of yours?

Oh, geesh, do I? LOL! I've never been aware of that odd habit that I seem to have. Now I'm going to be very conscious of it, but to me such a scene is always inevitable. The hero and heroine need to talk at some point, and a very comfortable way of doing that - prior to and after love scenes - is when they're having a bite. I guess you could say that food and sex go together like peanut butter and jelly.

R. G. Porter is My Guest Author Tonight on Blog Talk Radio

Tonight on Other Worlds of Romance on Blog Talk Radio, my guest author is R. G. Porter.  Come listen to her read an excerpt from her erotic paranormal romance, CURSE OF INNOK.

Show time is 11 pm et.

There be dragons!
***
A curse placed by evil was just the beginning…

Gabriel is a man who is cursed to live a half life. Images and visions of the past haunt his dreams while the loss of his love shatters his soul. He wanders alone, fearful of eternal life and unable to succumb to death. Sure he will live his life alone he wanders in from the night to wallow in his despair while he eats only to find the pull to a woman who tugs at heart but is more than she seems.


On the run from her family and the man they want her to marry, Alayia wants nothing more than to be left alone. Haunted by the murder of her brother she’s on a quest to kill the beast that took him from her life. If only she’d known that the very creature she was after was the same man who’s piercing gaze drove straight into her heart.


Destiny has brought them together once more— to unlock the past and free the future.


But first they must release the dragon within.

Now Available! ISABELLLA, a Tale of Paranormal Horror

Now Available!
ISABELLLA
A tale of paranormal horror
by Gail Smith
(Linda Mooney w/a)

Four years ago Byron Shales was a manager for a department store. Now he hunts down and captures the newly zombie-fied dead, and resells them at auction to the highest bidder. What his buyers do with them after the sale is finalized is none of his business, and frankly he couldn’t care less.

His beliefs and apathy come to a sickening halt when he elects to keep one young woman for himself, and discovers that all his pre-conceived notions about these non-living creatures have been a lie. In fact, the truth about Rothsburg’s Disease may be more horrifying than the flesh-eating creatures it infects.

http://www.lindamooney.com/Isabellla.htm

And available on Kindle!  http://www.amazon.com/Isabellla-ebook/dp/B003YOSC40

****
EXCERPT:

Taking the snare pole in both hands, he took several steps into the room. Habit made him double-check the corners for signs of another one of those things. A good trapper had to keep an extra pair of eyes in the back of his head if he wanted to live long enough to spend his money.

Glancing back at the girl, Byron saw she had gotten to her feet, but she remained where she was. If he didn’t know any better, he would swear she wasn’t in any hurry to attack him.

"What’s the matter? Why won’t you come over here and take a bite? Huh?" He held out an arm in invitation. "Come on. Here it is. All nice and warm and juicy. Bet you’d love to take a chunk out of it, wouldn’t you? Well, come on!" He gave his arm a little wiggle. "Come one and try."

The creature looked at his arm, then back at him. She took a tentative step toward him. Byron took an identical step backwards.

"That’s right. Come and get it. It’s full of warm blood, and I bet you’re hungry, aren’t you?"

She took a second step, which he echoed in reverse, but her gaze wasn’t on the tempting arm he was baiting her with. She was watching him. As ridiculous as it appeared, it was like she was wary or something. Byron shook his head. No way, man. No fucking way.

He grabbed the snare pole with both hands and played out more of the wire. The creature stopped. One of her hands reached for her throat, and he nearly dropped his jaw.
It was starting to be too goddamn freaky.

"What’s with you, for Christ’s sake? What’s with the hesitation? You’re acting like you have intelligence, and we both know that can’t be true. You’ve been dead now for, what? A few days at the most. Not more than a week. You’re fresh. I gotta hand you that, but your brain’s been rotting inside your skull all that time. There’s no way you could be thinking, much less anticipating me."

He took another step, and this time the girl took a step backwards.

"Fuck!"

Enough of this bullshit, Shales! Get her!

Determined to end this imaginary stalemate, Byron strode over and slipped the noose over the thing’s head, pulling it tight as he gripped the end of the pole.

She didn’t struggle.

She didn’t howl.

She didn’t fight him or the noose.

Byron stared in shock at the creature. He had been hunting zombies for nearly four years, and nothing had prepared him for this. No other undead had acted this way, and those dead things were as predictable as night and day.

He tugged on the pole. The creature didn’t react one way or another. Byron frowned. Maybe her attack button was missing. That, or she never had one. Or it had rotted away.

Something flashed at the corner of his eye. The setting sun reflected off something like a window in the distance. The distraction reminded him he was wasting time. Plus it was a good three miles to the compound if he wanted to get there before the gates were closed for the night.

Pulling on the pole, he watched as the girl reluctantly took a step forward. Then another. Gradually, she followed him outside and to the truck. The entire time her hands remained dangling by her sides.

Once they reached the pickup, he debated whether to slam her up against the board of nails so he could cuff her. To his shock, he saw the creature’s eyes look over at the thirteen-by-seventeen piece of wood attached to the side of the vehicle before she glanced up at him. Warning bells were going off in his head, but at that moment he was totally dumbfounded.

"Shit. Don’t tell me you don’t want to be pinned. Is that it?"

Christ, why was he even asking her? She was dead! She had no brain function anymore. Therefore she couldn’t think, and she damn sure couldn’t be dreading what was about to happen to her! She was already dead, for fuck’s sake! What could be worse?

"Fuck this," he muttered, dragging her to the tailgate. He grabbed a pair of cuffs out of the toolbox and jammed the end of the snare pole underneath the ramp. "All right, girlie. Let’s see if you fight me now."

Borders - Your Neighborhood Used Book Store?

With the traditional publishing industry continuing to turn on its ear, people I've been telling have been asking me what will be the fate of book stores (and from several, used book stores). Where I live (pop. 70,000) we don't have a book store.


Yes. You heard me. There is NO traditional book store. No B&N. No Borders.

However, there is a Hastings, thank goodness. And already they have an entire aisle in their store of used books, mostly hardbacks.

How much longer do you think it will be before the big corporation brick-and-mortar stores start carrying 2nd hand, just to help make ends meet?

Romantic Movies With an HEA

I've been in the mood recently for a nice romantic movie where there's an actual Happily Ever After at the end.  But most of what was suggested to me was...well...I want my HEA, dammit!

Here's some of the titles suggested by friends:

City of Angels
The Count of Monte Cristo
Wuthering Heights
Jewels (Danielle Steel)

I've already seen them and been bitterly disappointed.  If you give me angst, then give me a loving payoff at the end.  Don't give me death.

However, I have found a few titles where the romance may not have been the main "focus" of the movie, but it was sweet and very memorable. And - yes - there was an HEA.  Anyone ever see Timeline with G. Butler?

So here's a few of my recommendations:

You've Got Mail (contemp. rom. comedy)
Innocent Blood (paranormal/vamps)
Crying Freeman (anime)

Any suggestions?

Having a Book Signing When All You Have Are E-books

I've been to several book signings with other authors. All of us are basically e-book pubbed, but several don't have their works out in print yet. So the dilemma becomes "how can I do a book signing when I don't have any books to sign"?


Here's some of the relatively inexpensive and easy solutions I've seen, I've followed, and am passing along:

1. Do a slide show of your covers and various pictures which go with each title. Have the show viewing on your laptop or netbook at your table.

2. Or you can burn a DVD of your book trailer videos and show them the same way.

3. Have a drawing for a free e-book. People just give their names and emailing addys, and pop them in a box, a hat, a bowl, etc.

4. Burn a CD of PDFs of your cover and first chapter of each book, and give the signed CDs out.

5. Use Oriental Trading for inexpensive gizmos which are "themed" to your books/genre. Attach a business card or a signed bookmark to them, and hand out.

6. People will keep bookmarks with tassles or charms attached. You can also do postcards this way. Don't forget to sign them!

7. Give out tiny bags of candy (colored cellophane works great, and it's cheap!). Be sure to attach a business card or bookmark.

****
Readers, any comments, additions, or suggestions?

A Best Seller and an Interview!

First of all, FROM OUT OF THE SHADOWS is now a certified best seller with Whiskey Creek Press Torrid for the month of July!  Thanks to everyone who bought a copy!

Second, Teri Thackston interviewed me about this book at The Examiner.  You can read it here, and leave a comment if you'd like!

New Review for My Horror Novella, CODE 30

I just got this wonderful review for my horror novella CODE 30 (which I write under the name Gail Smith) from Manic Readers. I'm only posting part of it, but including the link if you want to check out the whole thing. Warning - the review includes graphic content.

***

"There were twists and turns, and situations I didn’t see coming. The horror in this story was spine tingling. I can’t even begin to explain how Ms. [Smith] described so well and so fluidly the acts and deprivations that occurred. There was sadness in this story, but don’t get me wrong, this was 100% horror city.

Well done Ms. [Smith], I hope every horror fans takes a look at Code 30 because it is so worth it!"

Reviewed by Claudia, Manic Readers

http://www.manicreaders.com/index.cfm?disp=reviews&bookid=5151

Tonight I'm Hosting Danyealle Myst

Tonight I'm hosting erotic fantasy author Danyealle Myst on Other Worlds of Romance on Blog Talk Radio.  She'll be reading from her book FATE: IN THE BEGINNING.

Show begins at 11 pm et.  See you there!
****
They’ve met twice once at one the Marquis DeSade’s infamous parties, then during World War II in Germany. That should have been the end of it. It wasn’t…

Darious Mooksoon, the demon Lord of Lust, Sex, and Decadence, could have any being he wants, human or dark creature. But there is one he wants more than any other, and he can’t find her—the doe-eyed, sexy and beautiful Lady Danyealle DesLoup.

After more than a century of trying to find her, he’s been able to locate her once more and will do everything to have her again back in his life. They parted amicably, so he feels it shouldn’t be a problem. But it is. Faced with the obstacles she gives him, he has to do the impossible to make it happen, or perform things he’s never thought he would or could do.

Straight From the Horse's Mouth (So to Speak)

I just got off the phone with a girlfriend, who had just read one of my books and called to talk about it.  But she was also pissed that she had been forced to wait for the print copy to come out, while "everyone else got to read the book first" when it was initially released in e-book.  She refuses to buy an e-reader, and has many reasons why not.  Her biggest why not is because she loves the physical aspect of a "real" book -- turning the page, smelling the paper, etc.  Hey, as long as she buys my books, I don't care, but her attitude is similar to several other friends'.

I often have other authors ask me if I believe the print book will ever become obsolete.  In my opinion, I think print books will never completely disappear, but I think the pie graph will definitely shift from minority e-books vs majority print to majority e-books.  Why the shift?  Not because of pricing or availability, but mainly because the older generation is less likely to adapt to the newer generation of technology.  And as the years progress, what we are accustomed to today will be upgraded or replaced by something newer and/or better.

The only thing that bugs me, though, is her referring to e-books as being "not real books".  I wonder if there's any hope that someday she'll change her mind?

5 Things NOT to do at a Book Signing

(as per one of my gracious hosts)

1. Don't assume everyone who walks in the door likes to read your genre. Or, for that matter, doesn't like to read it. A simple, "Hello! Thanks for coming by! Do you like to read (genre)?" is your best introduction.

2. Don't intimidate the readers by trying to get close to them. Remain seated, or if you need to stand, move back a bit and give them room to approach the table.

3. Don't brush off a potential reader if they initally show no interest. Offer them a freebie like candy, a bookmark, a pen, etc. Friendliness pays.

4. Don't get defensive if customers make rude remarks about your covers, genre, etc.

5. And most of all, if a reader buys your book, and you autograph it for him/her, don't summarily dismiss that person as "done that" and turn your attention elsewhere. Keep being friendly. You never know when they may want to get another book for a friend, relative, or for themselves.

(cartoon from toothpastefordinner.com)