Countdown To Trust (Finding Anna, Book 4) ~ Excerpt #11

The countdown continues.

20 Days Until Trust

I was confused, but I answered him. “I’m twenty-five.”

“And as a twenty-five-year-old man, you have certain . . . needs, shall we say?”

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How To Write An Effective Book Review

Sticking with the review topic, I thought I'd flip things around this week and talk about writing reviews. It's been a hot topic of conversation on one of my Facebook groups this week. One person asked what one should leave in a review, and that's what I wanted to focus on in today's post.

It seems there is a lot of confusion out there about what should be said in a review. I've been writing professionally for three years now, and I've received reviews that run the gambit. Positive reviews that say little more than 'I loved it!' and negative ones that simply say 'This book sucked'. The question becomes, how do either of these reviews help a potential reader decide whether or not to read a particular book?

When it comes down to it, book reviews aren't there to boost an author's ego, or made them rethink whether or not they should even be writing in the first place. Reviews, aren't for authors at all. Reviews are for readers…or should I say, potential readers. They are meant to help readers decide if they want to read a book or not. 

With that in mind, what should be in a review?

Let's start with what shouldn't be there. 

First of all, the review shouldn't be a recap of the entire story. If someone is looking at reviews for a book, the last thing they want is for a reviewer to tell them exactly what happens in the story. It's fine to hint at major plot twists or shocking endings, but details should be left out. The vast majority of people don't want to read a review and find out that the heroine finds out she's pregnant at the end of the book. They don't want to read that one of the main characters dies. These are things that should be left out of reviews. Instead, maybe something like, 'I couldn't believe the bombshell toward the end of the book. I never saw it coming'.

Also, any personal commentary on the author themselves should be kept to a minimum, and it should always be respectful. There is nothing wrong with saying you met the author at a book conference, or chatted with the author in a forum. Going on and on about how wonderful the author is as a person when it has nothing to do with the book or the story itself, should be left out of a review. If you want to tell the author how great they are, send them a personal message. Most authors I know would love to get a note from a reader saying how much they love their books, work, or something they've done outside of writing. 

On the flip side of that, a review shouldn't bash an author, either. There seems to be some disagreement on what bashing is, so let me explain what I think it is and what it's not. Saying an author is stupid and has no clue what they're talking about, would fall into the bashing category. Why? Because the reviewer is making it personal. They aren't saying what the author wrote is stupid, they are saying the author themselves is stupid. A minor destination, but important nonetheless. What the author wrote about may be disturbing, but that doesn't mean the author themselves are disturbed. Again, reviews should be about the book, not about the author. 

So now that I've talked about the things a review shouldn't be, let's get to what, in my view, a review should be. 

Let's be clear here. There is no one right or wrong way to write a review. But with that said, a review should have one goal. It should be written with the goal of helping the person who reads it to decide whether or not to read the book. A good review should say what the reviewer liked most about the book, and if there was anything they didn't like. Again, no spoilers, but a reader should be able to walk away from a review with a good understanding of why the reviewer rated a book the way they did. This is important because we don't all care about the same things when reading a book. Whereas some people may be sticklers about editing, another reader could care less. They only want a good story. 

The whole point of a review, ultimately, is to help other readers determine if they would be interested in reading the book. If a review doesn't do that, then, in my opinion, it didn't do its job. 

So what do you think? What do you look for in a review? 

Countdown To Trust (Finding Anna, Book 4) ~ Excerpt #10

The countdown continues.

21 Days Until Trust

“Stephan Coleman.”

“Ah. The infamous Stephan. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“Likewise.”

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Countdown To Trust (Finding Anna, Book 4) ~ Excerpt #9

The countdown continues.

22 Days Until Trust

Deciding I didn’t care if it was appropriate or not, I climbed onto Stephan’s lap and held him. His arms circled around me, and I felt his chest rise and fall beneath me as he started to relax. 

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Countdown To Trust (Finding Anna, Book 4) ~ Excerpt #8

The countdown continues.

23 Days Until Trust

Moisture pooled in my eyes as I let the sadness I felt engulf me. I missed him. I missed him so much. It hurt every day. 

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Countdown To Trust (Finding Anna, Book 4) ~ Excerpt #7

The countdown continues.

24 Days Until Trust

“Go get in my bed. Don’t bother getting dressed. I’ll be in with the food in a few minutes.”

To pre-order your paperback copy, click here.

Release Day Blitz: Beatless by Amber L. Johnson

Synopsis
Mallory Durham has been left behind and it is making her feel less like an adult and more like an afterthought.

Divorce, sickness, educational aspirations being shattered, and her Aunt Sam moving into her home, have made Mal's life nearly unrecognizable to her.

When Tucker Scott re-enters her life along with his band, will they offer what she needs to once again find her voice and self confidence or will it strip her of it even more?

Told through the dual voices of Mallory as she navigates her new world, and Aunt Sam's letters to her niece, Beatless tells the story of two women at very different points in their life, fighting the same battles; proving that no matter what age a person is, there are always lessons to be learned.

Buy Links
Amazon
Smashwords


Add to Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20693377-beatless?ac=1

About the Author
Amber is a full time mom, full time wife, is employed full time, and writes when she can. She believes in Happily Ever Afters that occur every day - despite the obstacles that real life serves up on a regular basis. Or perhaps they're sweeter simply because of them. She always has 2 rubber bands on her wrist, a song in her head, and too much creamer in her coffee cup that reads 'Cocoa' - because she's a rebel. If she's not at her desk, with her boys, or behind the computer, she's supporting live music with her arms raised above her head and eyes closed, waiting for the drop.  



Connect with Amber

Website: amberlynnejohnson.com

Twitter: @WhereIsJakeRyan

Facebook author page: Amber L. Johnson Author

Giveaway

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Countdown To Trust (Finding Anna, Book 4) ~ Excerpt #6

The countdown continues.

25 Days Until Trust

“It’s good to see you happy, Anna.”

“Stephan makes me happy.”

“I can see that.”

To pre-order your paperback copy, click here.

Sneak Peek Sunday: Just Rewind by Jennifer Garcia

~ Just Rewind ~

A Work in Progress

Don't you wish you could just rewind time

and go back to when things were simple,

people were unchanged,

and we still believed in fairytales?

[caption id="attachment_70527" align="aligncenter" width="311"] “She fell off the swing from way up high. I saw it all. She landed on her face and says her arms hurt. She needs a doctor.” With a flurry of movement, several more adults surrounded. But my eyes kept going back to the boy’s. They were my safe place.
“What’s your name?” I asked, my breath coming out in gasps while the pain throbbed in my arms and chest.
“Francisco Javier. Yours?”
“Harlie,” I said. His hand smoothed my hair back and told me I’d be all right.
“Listen, here comes the ambulance. See, you’ll be just fine. They’ll take you to the hospital and get you fixed up.” And I replayed his words over and over as they hauled me off to the emergency room and put a cast on both of my arms.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_70525" align="aligncenter" width="522"] “Harlie, why are you here?”
Her blonde hair hung in two braids out of her straw hat. She wore a black T-shirt and a pair of painted on jeans with a pair of very worn, light brown cowboy boots. She looked beautiful and more mature. The lines on her face were more defined and less baby-like.
“My job.” She flicked her blue eyes up and I saw the moisture in them.
“Well, your job is done. Go home, there’s no need for you to come back either. I’m home now.” So much anger was built up inside me, and I just so happened to throw it at this poor innocent girl that did not deserve it at all. However, I couldn’t find it in me to stop.
“Hey, she’s more than welcome here. You can’t just come home after four years and boss us around.” Came the voice of my sister, Lupita, from behind me. She was the same age as Harlie, a year younger than me. They were thick as thieves since they started Kindergarten together.
“Fine.” I moved toward Whiskey, grabbed the curry brushes from Harlie’s hands, and stepped between her and my gelding. “There’s no need for her to be touching my horse.”
“You know, you’re an ungrateful jerk! She’s been here almost everyday since you’ve been gone taking care–”
“Lupita, come on, let’s go.” Harlie didn’t let her finish speaking and grabbed her by the arm leading her toward the main house.[/caption]

Jennifer Garcia’s (aka Forbes Arnone) home until she was sixteen was a small coastal town near Boston. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. Her lifelong love for reading and writing was put aside for many years while she made her way in the world and nurtured her young family. Even though she is older, and life never seems to settle, she’s finding her way while attending college full-time in pursuit of a B.A. in English Literature. She also runs a business, and is still caring for her family. Believing she can do it all, with the help of her family, she worked on her first novel during the late hours of the night while balancing the rest of her life during the day. Her hard work paid off, as her first novel, My Mr. Manny,  was  published in August 2013 and her first novella, In My Mother's Footsteps, was published July 2013.

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Countdown To Trust (Finding Anna, Book 4) ~ Excerpt #5

The countdown continues.

26 Days Until Trust

Taking her hand, I led her around the coffee table and into the center of the room. I skimmed the tops of her bare shoulders and ghosted down her arms until I was holding her hands in mine. Goose bumps peppered her skin in the wake of my touch. “We should get you out of this dress. As much as I love how you look in it, you’ll be much more comfortable sleeping with it off.”

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Countdown To Trust (Finding Anna, Book 4) ~ Excerpt #4

The countdown continues.

27 Days Until Trust

He ran the back of his hand down the side of my face. “What is it?”

“I’m just . . . remembering. The last time.”

To pre-order your paperback copy, click here.

Dealing With Criticism

A few weeks ago I stumbled onto a motivational speaker named Marie Forleo. I've been watching some of the videos she has posted on Youtube, and stumbled upon one talking about how to deal with criticism.

One of the things I hear most often from new authors is 'I just how this nasty review. What do I do?'

As Marie points out, criticism is part of being human. We all make judgements on just about everything. But as authors, as creative people, we can't let it get us down. Easier said that done, I know.

I want to share a story with you. When I was seven my second grade teacher requested a conference with my parents two weeks into the school year. During their conversation, the teacher told my parents that I would flunk the second grade. Why? Because I was such a horrible speller.

Just for the record, no, I didn't flunk second grade.

Was the teacher wrong? Was I not a horrible speller? No. She was right. I wasn't gifted with a natural ability to understand the spelling and grammar rules of the English language.

Was her criticism constructive? Not really.

Let's jump twenty three years into the future. For the first twenty-nine years of my life, I'd never written anything that wasn't required for school or work. Because of the criticism I received from that second grade teacher, and the many events that followed which only worked to prove her point, becoming a writer never occurred to me. It wasn't even on the table…or even in the room.

So what change? Nothing dramatic. I didn't magically receive the gift of spelling and grammar from the English fairies. What happened was that I was laid off from my job and discovered fan fiction.

For those who don't know what fan fiction is, the concept is quite simple. Have you ever read a book, or watched a TV show that you absolutely loved so much you didn't want it to end? Did you ever wonder what would happen next?

That, is fan fiction. It's people who loved a story, characters, worlds, so much that they didn't want to say goodbye.

After waffling back and forth for almost a month, I took the chance and posted the first chapter of my fan fiction story. It got some positive feedback, so I posted several more chapters. by the time I was finished posting the story, it was the eight most read story on the fan site. Quite an accomplishment for someone who didn't think they could even write a story.

Fast forward seven more years. I am not the author of seven novels and one short story. My last four books have hit the Amazon Best Sellers List in their categories. Looking back on my writing history, I could never have imagined being where I am today.

Criticism is everywhere. It isn't something that's going to go away, and that's not a bad thing. We can learn from criticism as long as it's constructive.

Does that mean I don't occasionally let bad reviews get me down? Of course I do. As a creative person, I can be extremely sensitive.

My advise to new authors starting out is to set up a support system. It can be one person, or a group. These are people who will be there to listen to you vent when you need it, and bolster you up when the creative juices aren't flowing like you want them too.

I'm very lucky that I have some great women in my life who listen to me gripe and complain about bad reviews, writing frustrations, and general life difficulties that get in the way of my writing. They are always supportive, but they also don't just tell me what I want to hear. They are honest and aren't afraid to tell me like it is, but they are also people I know I can count on.

What about you? Do you have people in your life you lean on when the criticism gets you down? Leave a comment below telling me who is part of your support system and how they've helped your creative process.

Countdown To Trust (Finding Anna, Book 4) ~ Excerpt #3

The countdown continues.

28 Days Until Trust

“Your name, please?”
“Anna Reeves.”
“Yes, she’s expecting you. One moment, and I’ll let her know you’re here.”

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Countdown To Trust (Finding Anna, Book 4) ~ Excerpt #2

The countdown continues.

29 Days Until Trust

“Brianna, what are you doing?” 

I remained silent. 

“Answer me.”

“I’m showing you, Sir, in the only way I know how."

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Count Down to Trust (Finding Anna, Book 4) - Excerpt #1

The countdown has begun.

30 Days Until Trust

To tide you over, here is a little excerpt. Enjoy!

Harsh light filled the room, and I looked up, panicked. Who’d found me?

The shower curtain was gently pushed aside. Jade glanced down at me, her eyes sad. “I sent Cal into town for some food.”

I didn’t respond.

Jade sat on the edge of the tub and looked down at her hands. She seemed nervous, and it increased my anxiety even more.

“Cal told me what happened—what Emma told you.” Wiping her hands on her legs, she met my gaze. “Are you all right? I can’t imagine what you’re going through after hearing—” She paused and sighed.

The sound of our breathing seemed to echo in the small space.

“It would have been me,” I whispered.

She nodded, not attempting to sugarcoat the situation.

“I should be dead.”

“But you’re not.” Jade reached out and touched my arm. I flinched, and she dropped her hand. “You’re not dead, Anna. You’re here. Alive. And you have your whole life in front of you.”

To pre-order your paperback copy, click here.

Trust (Finding Anna, Book 4) Now Available For Pre-order

The long awaited final book in my Finding Anna Series went up for pre-order today. 

To order your paperback copy click here. 

Summary

Brianna is lost for the fourth time in her life. Each time was unexpected, and each changed the course of her future. The first life-altering event occurred when her mother died, and she moved to Minnesota to live with her father.

The second was when she was kidnapped at the age of seventeen and forced to be a slave. She would never forget those ten months. Brianna thought her life was over.

Everything changed again the day Stephan steamrolled into her life and brought her home to live with him. She had no idea what to expect—what life with her new Master would hold. That first month with Stephan was, in some ways, more confusing than the prior ten. As a slave, she’d known her place. With Stephan everything was new and different. He’d given her freedom and so much more.

Five months after Stephan rescued her, Brianna once again finds her life flipped upside down.

In this fourth, and final, installment of Finding Anna, Brianna must unearth strength she never knew she possessed. Stephan can no longer protect her from the outside world. She must learn to trust herself, embrace who she is, and discover who she wants to be. Only by facing her demons can Brianna find true happiness and peace.

Finding Anna Series

Slave

Stephan has lived the lifestyle of a Dominant for five years. After several rebellious teenage years, it gave him the stability and control he had been seeking after his parent’s death.

As president of a not-for-profit foundation, he knows what his future holds and what he wants out of life. All that changes when a simple lunch with his college friend and Mentor, Daren, leads him to buying a slave.

Thrust into a situation he never thought he’d be in, Stephan can’t walk away. He is compelled to help this girl in the only way he knows how.

Brianna knows only one thing, she is a slave. She has nothing. She is nothing.

Can Stephan help Brianna realize that she is much more than just a Slave?

Buy now

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Praise for Slave:

"Slave is one of the most emotionally charged, mentally stimulating and body shattering romance novels I have ever read. It is so much more than a story about human trafficking, sexual slavery or BDSM; it is a tale full of redemption, kindness and hope." www.thesubclubbooks.com 

Need

As Brianna comes to terms with the realization that she is no longer a slave, she must figure out what she wants for her life. Forgetting her past isn't an option. It is an integral part of who she is now, and it will forever shape her view of life. The one thing she knows is that she cannot imagine her life without the man who saved her, but can she be what he needs? 

Stephan never imagined falling in love with the woman he rescued, but the thought of her no longer being part of his life is physically painful. The scars from her past continue to haunt her, and he is helpless to stop them. All he can do is try to help her work through the traumas of her past. Can he be everything she needs and help her move on?

The two must figure out how to navigate not only their relationship with each other, but also the outside world. A friend from Brianna’s past shows up where she least expects them, and Uncle Richard continues to enforce his well-meaning agenda to get Brianna more traditional help. As forces, both friend and foe, threaten to tear them apart, Stephan and Brianna have to navigate the turbulent waters and find what they need in each other.

Buy now

Truth

For the last two months, Brianna has discovered something she never thought she would again. Hope. After the horror of being Ian’s slave for ten months, a fate she never imagined she’d escape, it feels as if she is living a dream. She has freedom she hadn't expected to have again, and she wakes up every morning not fearing what the day will bring.

There is also Stephan. The man who saved her from the daily torture she had to endure at the hands of Ian and his friends. The same man who makes her heart race with just the thought of him. Life is good.

Outside forces are determined to conspire against them, however. When Brianna’s father shows up on her doorstep, it sends her world spiraling out of control. He brings with him new information about how Brianna ended up in Ian’s clutches, but will it make a difference? Will Stephan be able to find a way to make Ian pay for all he made Brianna suffer?

As Brianna and Stephan try to find out the truth, their relationship is tested. She is forced to face her past head on and deal with the ugly reality of what happened to her. Will Stephan’s love be enough to see her through her newest challenge, or will the fragile trust they've built come crumbling down around them as the truth makes itself known.

Buy now

Sneak Peek Sunday - Grave Possession by Angel Lawson

Summary

In Shadow Bound Wraith readers met Jane Watts. Seventeen and scared. Her classmates thought she was a freak and her best friend was a ghost.  With the help of the school's resident bad boy, Connor Jacobs, she found a way to find a balance between the living in the dead, while almost losing her own life.

In Shadow Bound Jane found herself with both a real life boyfriend and best friend, but struggled with the weight of her family "gift." As she learned more about her abilities the more she encountered the dark side of death--and what it does to the people you love.

On February 18th the Wraith Series comes to a gripping end.

Strong.

Loyal.


Independent.


These aren't the words Jane ever expected to use to describe herself, but in the years since she first began seeing ghosts things have changed. A lot. Jane has spent the last two years losing one person after the other. Both dead and alive. But this year things will be different. She’s entering her freshman year of art school, rooming with her best friend Ava and has a new boyfriend. Oh, and she’s no longer afraid that she’s Shadow Bound with a direct connection to ghosts. In fact, she’s learned to use her abilities for her benefit.

Jane soon discovers she can’t walk away from her past. The wounds from her battle with Charlotte are deep and no matter what she tells herself, the break up with Connor weighs heavy on her heart. Balancing these emotions prove to be a weakness for her and Jane finds herself in a fight against the most dangerous spirits she’s encountered yet.

Excerpt

Grave Possession

The buzzing razor grazed over my ear, sending vibrations across my scalp, down to my jaw. Each pass felt like a weight being lifted.

Ava smiled from the chair next to mine, swiveling back and forth. When the next hunk of hair fell to the ground, she gave me a thumbs up. I smiled back nervously, hoping her encouragement was a good thing because I wasn’t facing the mirror and, really, why did I even think this was a good idea?

“It looks awesome,” Ava said the minute the razor snapped off.  “Seriously.”

“It really does,” the stylist said. “Ready?”

“Yes,” I said. They couldn’t see my hands under the cape. They were latched to the arms of the chair, fighting off the panic, because holy crap, what had I done?

She spun my chair toward the mirror on the wall and I got the first look of my new hairstyle.

“Isn’t it amazing?” Ava asked. She stood and ran her fingers over the short-clipped hair over my ears. The rest of my hair had been pulled back in a ponytail, giving the appearance of a mohawk.

 I turned my head back and forth to get the best view. I wanted something different and I got it. My hair had grown out over the last two years, since I’d cut it off in a fit of anxiety and panic. It now hung down past my shoulders to the middle of my back, but I wanted something new. Something to start off the next phase of my life.

“You look badass.” Ava’s face popped into the mirror. “Perfect for college.”

I broke into a grin, turning my head side to side, checking out the new look. The new me. “Freshman year is gonna rock.”

 *

Phase two involved hot pink hair dye. Just a couple of streaks down the back. Ava left after the bleaching process, leaving me with four copies of People magazine and a lot of questions about who, exactly, picked the Sexiest Man Alive.

“Five minutes,” Suzie the hairdresser said, pulling the domed hair dryer over my head. She left me alone in the drying area, a room painted neon green. Everything had a sickly glow.

A shadow crossed the front window and I looked up in time to see the woman pass by again. It was her third attempt to come inside, but she obviously hadn’t gotten the hang of it yet. I lifted the dryer, ceasing the dull roar of air and said, “Suzie, do you mind if I step outside for some fresh air?”

“Hurry and be careful with the foils.”

 “I will.”

I pushed open the glass door and found her waiting. A faint blue light radiated from the crown of her graying hair like a halo. Blue. Safe, but disappointing.

“Follow me,” I said to the woman, leading her around the side of the building. “I only have a minute. What’s the problem?”

She stepped forward and I held up my hand. “Don’t come any closer or I’ll leave and won’t help you. Just tell me what’s wrong.”

Helping the woman only took a couple of minutes now that I had a system.

1. Always stay in public. It’s better to look crazy than dead.
2. Almost all information can be found quickly on a smart phone. I no longer needed to go home to help these people pass over.
3. Never make personal attachments to ghosts. I was no longer allowing them to hurt me emotionally or otherwise.
4. Take my payment in full.

“You need to let go,” I told her. “It’s okay. The cancer finally won.”

“But I never got to see my grandbaby. Did my daughter have her? Is she okay?”

Ah. I glanced at my phone and went against my gut.

“Look, I never read the obituaries. It’s too depressing. But I’ll read the names of the survivors and you let me know if it’s there, okay?”

Hope lit in her faded eyes and she nodded.

“Survived by her two sons, Robert and James, and their wives—“

 “It’s my daughter,” she repeated. I skipped ahead.

 “One daughter, Karen, age 29, and her three granddaughters, Macy, Ariana and Bridget.”

“Bridget. That’s her.”

 “Great,” I said, pushing the phone back in my pocket. “It’s time for you to move on.”

“Thank you.”

“Just one thing,” I said. “Take my hand.”

“What?” she asked, staring at my hand in confusion.

“Take it,” I said, thrusting it toward her.

Tentatively she placed her hand on mine and a surge of energy rushed through my limbs, filling the darkness and pushing the cold that had settled in my bones last year. The relief would be fleeting, but the small hit would hold me over until I could find something more substantial later.

I re-entered the salon and found Suzie waiting for me. She checked her watch. “Don’t blame me if your hair falls out,” she said.

“I won’t.” I settled into the swiveling chair, cheeks rosy in the mirror. “Let’s do this.” 

Author Bio

Angel Lawson lives with her family in Atlanta and has a lifelong obsession with creating fiction from reality, either with paint or words. On a typical day you can find her writing, reading, plotting her escape from the zombie apocalypse and trying to get the glitter out from under her nails.

She is the author of five books, including the Wraith Series, Serial Summer, FanGirl, and Vigilant. She is the co-author of the New Adult Paranormal book, Odin's Murder with Kira Gold. She has one other New Adult title, No Regrets, under the pen name Lila Atkinson.

Website: Angellawson.com

 Twitter: @lawsonwrites

 Goodreads

*Grave Possession will be released on February 18th with a one week price of 2.99. This special price is for all of my great readers and supporters over the last three years! The price will go up (and stay) at 3.99 on February 25th.