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Quarterly Winner & Updates

Quarterly Winner

This quarter's winner of the $50 gift card is…..*drum roll*

Cindy

Sorry, no last name is provided on her account, but I've contacted her via e-mail and Cindy has selected the $50 Barnes & Noble gift card option! Congratulations!!!!!

FYI – Over the last year or so since I started the VIP Club, I've been conducting a quarterly drawing of $50 for those who joined. Everyone who is a member of the club is automatically entered into the drawing every three months. However, most of my very devoted members have expressed that the money is nice, but that's not why they joined. They joined because they love my books, they love vampires and they love the vampire freebies – short stories, graphics and special announcements. So effective immediately, I will no longer be doing the Quarterly Drawings. However…there are other opportunities! Keep reading…

New Subscriber Lists

I've done some reorganization on my site and added a few more lists based on some reader requests. Some people ONLY want to know when I have a New Release. Others want to be part of a Review Team. And many have asked about whether or not I have a Street Team. As such, I've created new lists and you can pick and choose which ones you'd like to subscribe to. CLICK HERE to see information on each of these lists.

ML-streetteamWith that being said, I've decided to redirect the quarterly funds to the Street Team, which is the core function and purpose of the quarterly drawings – to help me spread the news about my books. The more you participate in the weekly activities, the more chances you have of winning. I'm still ironing out the details, so I won't have anything for Street Team Members right away, but I'm accepting sign-ups now.

How to Sign-up for the New Lists

If you're already a member of my VIP Club, then CLICK HERE to modify your membership options to join any of the above mentioned lists (you may need to login). If you're NOT a member of my VIP Club, then CLICK HERE to sign-up and you'll see the new options available on the registration form.

ML-reviewteamNOTE: If you ONLY want to receive notifications of new releases and you're already subscribed to the VIP Club, change your subscriptions to New Releases ONLY and DE-SELECT the VIP Club list option when you edit your profile. I'll be double checking as people enroll for this list, to be sure this is the ONLY list you're subscribed to. If you're new to subscribing and you want this option, ONLY select this option. Thank you!

BBB05_mysteryWhere is Book 5??????

I've been getting this question a lot and I know you all are waiting for the next exciting and sexy adventure for Broderick and Davina. The good news is, I have the entire book plotted! The bad news is, I don't want to start writing it until I have Book 6 plotted. I'm not exactly sure what Book 6 has in store yet and I want to be sure I've planted little tidbits in Book 5 for properly setting up the novel.

Unfortunately, I don't have a release date yet. Just so you all know, I've had to put my writing aside for a few months. We're in the middle of prepping our house to sell and we'll be moving. My mother – the Home Improvement Queen – was here for the entire month of June to help me and though we got a lot done…I still have a LOT of work to do yet. I'm talking tearing out ceilings, knocking down walls, and remodeling the kitchen and bathroom so we can hope to make a decent profile on the house to help us afford the move.

Where are we moving to? I'll have to make that announcement as soon as we know. I have no idea how long it will take me to do all this and my husband is only available on the weekends to help me do the real hefty work because he works at least 9 hours a day and commutes 6 hours a day (3 hours EACH WAY). Precious darlin' is tuckered out by the time he gets home and I don't blame him. As such, the rest of the work will be up to me, much to his disappointment and dismay. He wants to be here so badly, but can't get the time off work. 🙁

Sneak Peak – Midnight Savior

 However, I CAN give you a sneak peak of Book 5. Now remember, this is first draft stuff, so it's far from polished. This is fairly close to the opening of the book. *Drum roll*

CLICK HERE TO READ A SNEAK PEAK!

 I'm anxious to hear your comments, so leave them below and I look forward to interacting with you!!! Until then…

That's my two pence..

Arial 😉

Nicholas Sparks Gets Divorced – Love is Dead?

Nicholas Sparks - TMZ.com photoIs Nicholas Sparks Divorce the End of True Love?

Of course it isn't the end of true love! But you'd think it was if you listened to all the Twitter chatter about Mr. Sparks's separation and pending divorce with his wife of 25 years. I'm just flabbergasted at the drivel that people are spewing because this bestselling romance novelist's marriage didn't work. Here are some of the ridiculous quotes flashing around the Twittersphere and I don't want to put the author credits because they just don't deserve the attention – but you can do searches on Twitter for them yourself if you're interested.

  • “PSA: I was just informed that nicholas sparks got a divorce so basically love is dead”
  • “Nicholas Sparks is getting a divorce and love is officially dead.”
  • “Nicholas Sparks is getting a divorce?! There's no hope for love :(“
  • “Nicholas Sparks got a divorce this week so basically there's no hope for any of us”

I could continue, but I'm sure you get the point.

Reality Check

As a romance novelist myself, and having been through two divorces AND now in a very successful and healthy relationship, I think I have a pretty solid soap box on which to stand. Since this is my website, I'll take the liberty of climbing on top of said makeshift podium and pontificate. TRUE LOVE IS NOT DEAD. I know because I'm living it. MUCH of the romance in my books is based on the true love principles I'm sharing in this article. I've said many times before, my husband is the heart that beats within Broderick MacDougal, the main character in my Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles.

How bloody absurd it is that people are taking this leap just because Nicholas Sparks had problems in his love life! BUT it highlights how unrealistic people are about love today. I'll make a couple of important points I've learned the hard way through the years: Continue reading →

Author Guest: Lisa Kessler – Moonlight

Welcome Lisa Kessler!

Lisa Kessler

Author – Lisa Kessler

I'm so very proud to have Lisa Kessler as a guest today, featuring her new release Moonlight. Who can resist shapeshifters? I know I can't! And this one features not only wolves, but jaguars! RAWR! Be sure to scroll down and view her awesome cover, blurb and buy link information. AND enter the Rafflecopter drawing for a $25 Amazon Gift Card! So, Lisa…

Arial Burnz: Where did you get your idea for Moonlight?

Lisa Kessler: The first chapter of Moonlight was actually a short story I wrote while I was taking up Ray Bradbury’s challenge to write a new short story each week for a year. That particular week was a full moon and I thought it would be too easy to write about a werewolf. From there my little writer brain kicked in and Lana came into my head—a woman with no clue that every time the moon vanishes from the sky during the New Moon, she shifts into a huge black jaguar. There’s much more to the book, but that was the beginning! LOL After I posted the short story, I couldn't stop wondering what would happen next, so six months later, the first draft of the novel was finished… 🙂

AB: I love the way that works and I can already see some of that happening with my own short stories. I can’t thank you enough for introducing me to the Ray Bradbury Challenge. So exciting! Incidentally, folks, Lisa compiled a bunch of her short stories from that challenge and it’s available on Amazon—Forgotten Treasures: 25 Short Fiction Tales.

So, what prompted you to write the novel in first-person alternating point of view? (For those not familiar with this POV, the story is told in first person, as if the characters are talking to the reader – “I looked up and saw him enter the room.” However, the POV changes each chapter. In Moonlight, it's Lana one chapter and then Adam the next.) Moonlight Blog Tour Button LK:  This book is very action-packed and gritty like urban fantasy, so the first person POV really enhanced the story telling. At one point, I did rewrite the first 4 chapters into third person and it really sucked the life out of the book, so even though it made it a little more out-of-the-box for paranormal romance, I ended up keeping it in alternating first person. I’m so glad I did. Readers have really connected with the Pack so far!

AB: I so glad to hear that! And I love it that you’re so in touch with your readers. As I understand it, this novel was an RT Book Reviews Magazine Writing with the Stars Finalist. First off, congratulations!! Second, would you mind sharing a little of that experience and how you think it affected the current success of your book?

LK:  It was nerve-wracking and very exciting! It was also a super opportunity to get my name and my work in front of a large audience of readers. Also, by having readers vote, they were buy nolvadex 20mg invested in the book, so I think it has helped sales now that it’s out.

AB: Between Adam and Lana, who would you say was the most difficult character to write and why?

LK: Hmmm… This book was a blast to write, so neither character was really “difficult”. I guess since Lana came to me first, maybe that made Adam a little tougher?

AB: Understood! And no worries. So, your heroine and hero are both shapeshifters, but Lana is a jaguar and Adam is a wolf. PLEASE forgive me, but I can't help thinking of that line from Ghostbusters: “Dogs and cats, living together! Mass hysteria!!” LOL! What was your motivation for choosing such different animal forms for your main characters?

LK: Ha! Yeah, the thought crossed my mind… 🙂  I also have them shift on opposite schedules, so the jaguars shift with no moon, and it made sense to me because cats can see well in darkness. It also worked to my favor with the cats being independent and better suited to be lone assassins, whereas the wolves work together as a Pack. I did play a little bit with the concept of dogs and cats not getting along, too.

AB: Thanks for being a good sport about that. I love the way you played with the moon cycle and the strengths of the species!! Well done! Lisa, thank you soooo much for taking the time to come by and visit my website today.

LK: Thanks for having me on your blog Arial!!!

AB: Do you have any parting comments for our visitors?

LK:  I’d like to thank everyone who entered the blog tour contest and helped to spread the word on Twitter and Facebook about Moonlight!  Also, Hunter’s Moon (Book 2) will be out October 21st, so it’s not long to wait to find out what happens next…  Woot! Be sure to pick up a copy of Moonlight (see other links below).

Moonlight by Lisa KesslerMoonlight Blurb:

Rancher Adam Sloan is more than meets the eye. As the heir to his Pack, the sexy werewolf's biggest challenge is keeping his kin's true nature under wraps. But a group of jaguar shifters threatens to reveal the pack, blasting into town killing humans in plain sight. And when he smells one at the local diner, his standing orders are to take her out. Lana Turpin doesn't realize she's a moving target. Raised in the foster system, she only knows that she blacks out during the new moon and wakes up without remembering a thing. But now she's being tracked by some strange organization that wants her back–even though she's never stepped foot inside their compound. And the stranger across the diner is watching her like an enemy. It should be a simple mission for Adam, but when he touches the frustratingly beautiful Lana, his inner wolf howls…mate. Now, the two must find and stop the people who hunt her…and Adam must keep his own family from killing the only woman he will ever love. Website: http://www.authorlisakessler.com/ Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | ARe | iTunes

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ray Bradbury Challenge – Week 2

This post is part of my Ray Bradbury Challenge. Click here to learn more!

Genre: Paranormal
Word Count: 691
Update: Edited as of 7/16/2015

Seeing is BelievingThe Path of Dawn by Consuelo Parra

“You won’t believe. You must see.”

Megan Blake lurched upright on the couch, a cold sheen of sweat covering her face and body.

“Meg.” Her name was a whisper, an echo in her mind.

Mouth agape, Meg swerved her head side to side, searching for the source of the voice. “Meredith?” She stood and gawked through the high, floor-to-ceiling windows of their family vacation cabin. At the edge of the forest, the ethereal figure of her twin sister beckoned.

“Come. You won’t believe. You must see.” Meredith turned and glided into the woods.

“Merry!” Megan kicked the empty Dewar’s bottle with her bare foot and cursed. Shoving her feet into her sneakers, she grabbed her jacket off the back of the couch and dashed through the glass doors, jumping from the porch and bolting across the meadow.

Trees whipped by. Branches slashed her face as she pursued the ghostly visage, always just ahead, always obscured by lanky trunks or offending bushes. When Meg reached the next clearing, she skidded to a stop, windmilling her arms to keep from falling on her face.

“Come. You must see.” Meredith stood at the entrance to the caves.

“Everyone thinks you're dead!” Continue reading →

Ray Bradbury Challenge – Week 1

This post is part of my Ray Bradbury Challenge. Click here to learn more!

Genre: Science-Fiction
Word Count: 464

The Claw

“Ten-time Galactic Champion. THE CLAW!” the referee shouted.

Branford Stanley–The Claw–stomped forward, his arms held high as the crowd roared their worship.

The cheers and applause pierced Henry’s ears and he strained not to cower. You have nothing to lose, he reminded himself, and trembled, sweat gushing from his brow. He flung the salty drips stinging his eyes, careful not to use his right hand.

The referee raised his palm and the volume dropped. “Our challenger…HENRY!”

The wrestling cage filled with riotous guffaws. Patrons clutched and yanked at the chain-link fence, rattling the thin barrier.

Henry glared at The Claw, who laughed.

The ref said, “Winner takes all—one million dukkits!” The crowd cheered. “Come forward, gentlemen.”

Branford stomped his giant frame to the hovering platform at the center of the cage. Henry took three strides on his lanky legs.

“You know the rules,” the referee explained. “Get your grip, nod when you’re ready.”

Arm WrestlingBranford slammed his elbow onto the levitating tabletop, fingers spread wide, a grimace of challenge transmogrifying his face. “You’re mine!”

Henry placed his elbow on the floating surface and a sickening thud rammed into his stomach. Do it for her.

The Claw grabbed Henry’s hand.

Henry winced. “Be sure you give it a good squeeze,” he goaded with a quivering voice.

The Claw laughed. “You can count on it, kid.”

When the referee’s hands covered their clutched fists, they both nodded. “Go!”

Henry squeezed, praying to be able to hold on long enough for his plan to work, and grunted when Branford crunched his hand. Pain sliced through his palm. Yes! Just hang on a little more.

“Not bad, kid,” Branford growled. “But it’s not enough to prove to your mom you’re the man of house.” The Claw leaned closer. “That’ll be me from now on, whether you like it or not.”

Henry ground his palm into Branford’s. Please let the venom micro-bots be worth what I paid.

Branford’s scowl wavered through Henry’s watery gaze. Henry blinked. His face tingled. No! Not yet! Just a little longer! His breathing quickened as razor-like shards slashed through his shoulder. He searched the crowd…and order fluconazole canada found her face. “I’m sorry, Mom,” he mouthed as she clenched the chain-link fence, tears glistening on her blackened eye.

Branford heaved. His eyes grew wide. He released Henry and lurched, blood streaming from his lacerated palm. Smiling, Henry collapsed. The glass capsule he’d taped to his palm did the trick, just like the smuggler at the spaceport promised.

The referee failed to catch the toppling champion. “Medic!”

“It’s okay,” he mouthed to his mother. He hoped her tears didn't sting her swollen and bruised eye. “Pain is temporary,” she used to say. Now it would only be a memory, since Branford would never touch her again.

—————————

Author Notes

Okay, first week is up!! Feedback is encouraged!!

I wrote this short story in about 10 minutes during Lisa Kessler's Writing Short & Powerful class in San Diego. I spent the first 20 minutes of our allotted time trying to figure out what the hell I was going to write. After brainstorming an old idea and trying to explore a few new ones from Writer's Digest writing prompts, I trashed all my notes and started over. The first thing that came to my mind was, “An arm wrestling match gone wrong.”

This was the first story I “pantsed” – wrote by the seat of my pants. I am NOT a Pantster. I'm a huge advocate of plotting. Plotting just didn't work for this story, though. I had no idea what Henry was up to until Branford crushed his hand. Nor did I know why he was doing it until he saw his mom's face in the crowd. *shudder* Scary experience, this pantsting. I don't know how my friends do it.

Next week, I'll be starting with a fresh idea instead of using the one from my class. Looking forward to seeing how that turns out! Until then…I'd love to know your thoughts on this story. Good. Bad. Caught you by surprise? Predictable? It will all make me a better writer, so please be nice but honest.

If you liked this story, please hit the LIKE button below and use the social media buttons to share! Thank you!

That's my two pence,

Arial 😉

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Ray Bradbury Challenge – Defined

What is the Ray Bradbury Challenge?

A writer pal of mine, Lisa Kessler, shared her experience when she met Ray Bradbury. Working at a writers event, she and several of her colleagues had the chance to speak with Mr. Bradbury about their own works in progress (WIPs). When she asked him if he could give her any insight on how to improve her writing, he answered:

“Write a new short story every week for a year. You'll have ideas to last a lifetime and you'll be a different writer by the end.”

For the purposes of this post and my blog, I'm defining these guidelines (but if you want to do the challenge, you can do whatever you'd like):

  • Word count: 300-1000 words
    • Minimum 300 because for SEO purposes, it is recommended you have a blog post of at least 300 words to increase your rankings.
    • Maximum of 1000 because it fits into the definition of Flash Fiction (see below)
  • Posting Day: Pick a day
    • Pick one day each week when your post is due and try to stick to it!

UPDATE: I failed miserably at this challenge. Got too busy with other things and I didn't make this a priority. BUT I did get a couple of great short stories from it. Join my VIP Club and you'll get them right in your inbox! It's FREE!

What is Flash Fiction?

As I've come to understand, the term “short fiction” or “short stories” is passe. “Flash Fiction” is the trendy term and it's generally 1000 words or less. Anyone can write approximately 2.5 pages of prose. I quote Lisa from her Writing Short & Powerful class, “The challenge is to write a complete story with a beginning, a strong middle, and a satisfying ending in spite of using so few words.” She taught us that a short story should contain…

  1. Hook – You gotta grab your audience from the title or the first sentence. She said statistics show that people will give novels about 20 pages before they'll put one down. Short stories…about 20 words! (I hope I got that right Lisa!)
  2. Character Arc – Choice words to describe the key elements of your character as it pertains to the story. In the short story I'll post (The Claw), I really only share that Henry has lanky legs…indications he's thin and non-threatening. That's also part of my hook…and my…
  3. Twist Ending – That unexpected conclusion that has your readers say, “Doh! That came outta nowhere!” Go for the surprise or the exact opposite of the direction your story might go.

What You Gain

Lisa shared that she didn't take up the challenge immediately. She confessed she thought it was about the money – pumping out product. After a couple of months, though, she caved in and decided to take up the gauntlet. She had so much fun and learned so much through the experience, she did it for 75 weeks! Some of the lessons she garnered:

  1. Quality of Words – She learned to choose her words carefully since short means short. So when on a word budget, pick words that have more impact (e.g., swaggered vs. walked). The more you do it, the better you get at it. (Okay…the erotic author in me just went somewhere else with that…mwuahahahaha!.)
  2. Write Faster – When she first started the challenge, it would take her a few days to generate an idea, write it, edit it and get it posted by her Sunday deadline. By the end of the challenge, she would start the short story on Sunday afternoon and have it polished and posted by Sunday evening.
  3. Working Under a Deadline – As Lisa wrote more, she started gaining a following and she didn't want to let her readers down, so she really learned how to stay focused and committed to meet her weekly deadline. What writer wouldn't benefit from that?

Who's Taking Up the Gauntlet??

So that's the Ray Bradbury Challenge! And I'm doing it!! And I'm starting today! I'm using the short story I wrote while I was in Lisa's short story class called The Claw. So who's with me? Are you going to take up the gauntlet?? UPDATE: Uh…yeah…as I said above, I failed miserably at this. But don't let that stop YOU from challenging yourself!

If you're still wondering how this would benefit you as a writer, consider this…

The side-effect of Lisa posting her weekly short stories was she gained an audience. By the end of the challenge, she'd had over 65,000 collective views on her site and over 500 followers…doing what she LOVES to do…WRITE. She had quality readers already interested in her writing, waiting to buy her books when she published her first novel. Imagine that! And building an audience is important for authors!

Share Your Challenge!

If you're going to take up the challenge, I would LOVE to know about it!! Please go to my Facebook Page and post the permalink of your blog post for your weekly challenge. Please list the following:

  • RAY BRADBURY CHALLENGE (Week #??) – Please put this at the beginning of your post so we know what the link is for and include the week of your challenge.
  • Genre: This can either be the genre of the story you wrote (preferred) or the genre you write as an author (which might be the same…or not)
  • Title: Give the title of your short story.
  • Permalink: Provide the direct link to your short story, not your blog. We don't want people hunting for your story if they want to catch up on your posts.

Here's an example for my own short story:

RAY BRADBURY CHALLENGE (Week #1)
Genre: Sci-Fi
Title: The Claw
Permalink: http://www.arialburnz.com/2013/07/25/ray-bradbury-challenge-week-1/

Woo hoo! Can't wait to see your stories!

That's my two pence,

Arial 😉

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Virtual Book Tour: Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles by Arial Burnz

Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles – Virtual Book Tour!

Virtual Book Tour with Goddess Fish PromotionsWoo hoo!!! Today is the start of my first official Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles Virtual Book Tour with the lovely ladies at Goddess Fish Promotions!! The tour will go from July 15-26 and visit a slew of wonderful blogs. AND I'm giving away prizes and swag, so be sure to leave comments at every stop to increase your chances of winning!

Here are the stops for the virtual book tour:

Pre-Order MIDNIGHT HUNT (Book 3)

I'm so excited to announce you can pre-order Midnight Hunt – Book 3 of the Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles! The new release date is July 31st. You can order your copy at All Romance eBooks (ARe) now! And I can't tell you how wonderful ARe is for self-published authors. It's the only place I know of where we can post our books for pre-order. The other where can i buy clomiphene online websites just haven't caught on (*cough-cough* Amazon *cough* B&N) or I just don't get out that much. If anyone else knows of a site that allows self-pubbed authors to post their books for pre-order, PLEASE let me know!! Leave a comment below. 😉

Character Appearances

Broderick MacDougal - Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles - catch him on the virtual book tour!

Broderick “Rick” MacDougal

Broderick MacDougal and Angus Campbell are really enjoying the Internet and connecting with all you ladies out there!! And there's a little bit of a rivalry going on. Leave a comment for these immortal Scottish rogues and you just might hear from them.

Angus Campbell - catch him on the virtual book tour!

Angus Campbell

Remember, though, they're at the whim of the sunset and rumor has it they're in the UK and Europe during the virtual book tour, so at least the time zones will work pretty well for connecting with these HOT Scottish Vampires.

(Okay, I don't know about you, but Rick just gets my heart pumpin' and my kitty purrin'!!!)

James Knightly (Model: David Gandy)

James Knightly

And don't forget, we haven't heard from our shy Beta Hero, James Knightly…be sure to leave him a comment, too! And he's mortal, so he can come out to play anytime. 😉

The ladies – Davina and Cailin – are available, too, so don't be afraid to leave them a comment.

Looking forward to interacting with all of you on the Virtual Book Tour with Goddess Fish Promotions.

Virtual Book Tour - Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles

That's my two pence…

Arial 😉

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I’m Falling in Love…with Google+

Facebook SucksYes, I'm going to publicly confess…I've never really been a fan of Facebook. But as a writer, it's a necessity to use the darn social media networking tool. My biggest beef is all the changes they keep doing. The YouTube video “A Facebook Update In Real Life” says it all. That's EXACTLY how it feels when Facebook changes something. However, if it wasn't for Facebook, I probably never be in contact with my relatives back in Chicago. It's really the only interaction I have with them. And I have indeed met a lot of WONDERFUL people in the publishing world. So many awesome readers and fans and authors and *sigh*. Love all the people I've connected with.But it's not the people that make Facebook suck. It's the interface and all the bloody ads.

I love Google+Now Google+ (aka Google Plus, G+ or GPlus) will be celebrating a 2-year anniversary come June 28th, so admittedly I've been a little slow in getting on board. Yes, I've heard it went through an embarrassing launch and there were a lot of bugs to work out…so did Facebook. And I know it's changed it's interface, even very recently…so has Facebook…many, many, many times (see previously referenced YouTube video). But I just really started using G+ in the last month or so…and OMG I'm really liking it.

There is indeed a learning curve, especially since I've been using FB for a few years. You don't go to someone else's wall and post something. You actually post it all on YOUR G+ profile page, but address it to either individuals or groups or even a community. That was a little scary at first because I wasn't sure if I just shared my latest endeavor of shopping for panties with one of my girlfriends…or if it was out there dangling in the breeze for everyone to see. Lucky for everyone, it was a private post.

What do I love about Google+?

Well, that's the kind of embarrassing part. I don't know! I just do! I like the way the individual posted messages flip around like, well…a card. I think that's what they're called. It's just freakin' neat! And they have these communities you can join where people share like-minded ideas. Yeah, FB has Groups you can create, but the interaction just seems cleaner and more organized…without all the ads…in G+. It's bizarre. I go to Facebook and I can almost hear the din of activity and noise traveling through cyberspace. I get to Google+…ahhhhhh! Blessed silence.

The one thing I think I can nail down about what I like about Google+ are the Circles. It's soooooo much easier to share information with a whole group of people or a community when you have your connections sorted into these Circles. They're so easy to sort, too. Just drag and drop. And you can have the same person in many Circles.

In FB, they do indeed have lists you can add people to when you become friends…but then what? I can't use them when I want to send a message to all my reader friends or to my writer friends. It's crazy! Create a list for what purpose? Of course, I could be using it wrong. But here's the point…I've been using G+ for a month and I already know how to do that. I've been on FB for over 4 years…no clue.

So that's my rant for the day. Anyone else getting into G+ and have some fun tips to share? I'm new, so I'm eager to learn new ways of using the fun social media interface.

That's my two pence… Arial 😉

Guest Spot on Bathsheba Dailey’s Blog

I am very honored to be featured on Bathsheba Dailey's Blog! And she's as cute as a button, too! Please be sure to stop by and leave a comment or say hello. We did a fun, short little interview. She's been very helpful in spreading the word about my Mother's Day book promotion and chatting with people about my books.

A little about Bathsheba:

Bathsheba Dailey

I've just met Bathsheba, and in the short amount of time I've come to know her, she's shown herself to be a courageous woman, being a single mom and raising three girls, and gifted with a loving heart. She's a talented writer, too. She has a new book coming out soon, which I cannot wait to get my hands on, titled Five Year Old Death. Please click on the link or the cover to read the description and learn more about her story.
As always, please show your support of indie authors by LIKING and SHARING where you can and as much as you can. Readers will only know about us if we help each other spread the word.

Thank you!!

That's my two pence…

Arial 😉

Help Stop E-Book Pirating

E-Book Pirating is a Problem

I just found a pirated version of one of my writer friends' novels. Just as her friend, I felt violated and protective of her hard work. I know what she went through to publish that novel and it's disheartening to see others trying to make money off of someone else's sweat and tears. And contrary to popular belief, unless an author is selling tens of thousands of copies of their books, authors do not make a lot of money. For my friend, this is her sole source of income right now along with unemployment and she's a single mom. Every penny counts for her.

Pirating is an ongoing struggle for any person in the creative industries – people selling illegal copies of artwork, fiction, music, etc. for their own profit and at the expense of the creative individual. Though it's impossible to stop all such activities, our combined efforts – as readers, authors and publishers – can work together to stop what we do find.

FBI Piracy WarningPirating is Illegal

According to the FBI, pirating software, music, movies and books (among other things) is a punishable offense of “up to 5 years in federal buy xanax online safe prison and fine of $250,000.” Ouch!

But if you're an author and you find your books being pirated, what can you do? Report it!

Report Pirating

ic3_logo

Why not go directly to the people who have the resources to stop pirating? The Internet Crime Complaint Center (iC3) is that resource! Who's that? As quoted from their About Us page: “The IC3 was established as a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) to serve as a means to receive Internet related criminal complaints and to further research, develop, and refer the criminal complaints to federal, state, local, or international law enforcement and/or regulatory agencies for any investigation they deem to be appropriate.”

Whew! Quite the mouthful…but they're a powerful ally. If you see artistic work being pirated somewhere, please be sure to inform the author immediately and you can provide the above link for their reference so they can report the pirating directly. You can also post on Facebook, Twitter and other social media what website and individual is in violation of that piracy, warning friends and family.

Thank you for protecting the hard work we authors put into our stories.

That's my two pence…

Arial 😉