12 Days of Review Requests Begins Tomorrow

Happy Sunday, everyone! It's that time of year again, and I'm gearing up to take you all on a wild ride for a chance to win a book review and some great prizes. This is a long post. But you need to read it all. I know what you're thinking: Why would I compete for a review when I can just send my book here, there, or yonder and get one? Well, let me tell you why a book review by me is different (and totally worth it).

Why a Book Review by Jo Totally Rocks

I always buy the book I'm reviewing. It's just good manners. I've had many Indies offer to give me copies for review, but then I feel like a louse if I can't finish them for one reason or another (usually bad writing or formatting is the issue). So, I buy them myself. Booyah! Sale for you.

There's one thing you don't get from a lot of reviewers, eh? Most I've seen want you to send them a copy of the book for review. But what does that get you? Well, when they post that review to Amazon, it gets you nothing but words and stars (and a disclaimer saying the book was gifted). If your reviewer buys your book, it's shown as an Amazon verified purchase. Score!

Moving on...

In addition to the review showing shoppers I've actually spent money on your book, I start by telling the customer why I picked up the book, where I got it, and sometimes say a little word about the cover art, and then break the review into three parts:

1. From a Reader's Perspective - This is where I break down my review into plot, character, pacing, structure, and consistency in the first section. Those items are given a total of four stars to be awarded or redacted. Part two includes a look at grammar, punctuation, redundancy, and niggling things like that. My reviews are thorough.
2. From an Editor's Perspective - In this section, I outline where the book could use a little work if it needs it and what I liked and disliked about the structure, grammar, and punctuation. Books I've worked on have won awards. Yes, really.
3. Rating - I break the star rating down so potential buyers can see I'm not blowing smoke. I then go on to say who might like the book. I do NOT go on and on with filler about the plot, they can get that from the description. I never post spoilers.

See some of my reviews here.

My tastes:
I've read books in every single genre on the planet. Yes, really. I enjoy most of them. So don't be shy no matter what you write. I get into books that are well written. Next week, I'll be listing some of my favorite reads of 2014; you'll see the wide range of stuff I've read and liked.

Where I post reviews:
Everywhere I can find your book. Goodreads, B&N, and Amazon are my top three. But wait! It gets better! I also curate a review magazine on Flipboard with almost 2,000 regular readers, and has enjoyed over 30,000 shares of articles I include. My review also goes in there. Keep reading, there's more! Yes, really! I post to two blogs. This one and one over on Tumblr. Each has at least 200 followers (this one has more) and I have a huge list of people who subscribe by e-mail. Add to that, I'll be pinning your book covers with a link to the Amazon page over on Pinterest. At the end of the year, I'll be making a YouTube video (with awesome music) highlighting my favorite reads, as well as recapping here on the blog. I also have a large number of people on Goodreads who follow my reviews. So, you get plenty of bang.

Why does this matter?
Because I market your review to the people who read books. I make it really easy for them to buy your book by linking things. That market is those who are hungry for something new and exciting. People looking to snag the next great unknown author. I've spent a lot of time building trust with my readers and most of them love me. You should see the fan mail. :) The keyword is: Trust.

So, now that you know how all this is going to help you, I bet you're asking what's in it for me, right? I would be. If you aren't, you might want to think about why...

I'm getting to know new authors, building relationships, and becoming a recognized authority on what's good and what sucks in the literary world. So, yes, there's something in it for me. Hey, at least I'm honest!

What I don't do is use affiliate links or make money off your book in any way. I don't want someone thinking I gave your book five stars so I could make a buck off their purchase of a crappy book. Got it?

I do expect you all to give my page a like on Facebook, a follow on Twitter, an add on Google+, a follow of my YouTube Channel, and an entering of my fan-dom on Goodreads (or a friend request). Why does this matter? Because if you don't see the review, you can't share. Those who share their own review and the reviews of others will get preferential treatment during the next round of selections. I pay close attention.

Now for the rules and requirements!

I told you this was going to be long.

1. There's a place on each Rafflecopter entry form where you need to put the link to your book on Amazon. Do it. I export them as excel documents and go to the links from there.
2. Your pitch goes in the comments. Moderation will be turned off during this event. No ugly captchas, either. If you aren't nice, I reserve the right to delete your stuff. DO NOT put your link in with your pitch. I'll remove the entire thing.
3. NO affiliate links and do not shorten your links. I understand the need to make a buck, but really? I'll remove them/ignore them. Please only give me the basic link with the ASIN.
4. I announce one review winner per day. You may pitch more than one book to me.
5. DO NOT review my books. Please. Feel free to read and love them, but if I'm reviewing yours, don't review mine. I'm not a swapper *grin*
6. Comments will be closed at 8am for the previous day's post. This is when a new post will go up. If you can't comment, you're on the wrong post.
7. BE NICE. Don't goad, harass, or annoy the other authors pitching their books (or myself).
8. DO feel free to buy some of the books and read/review them. We're all in this together. It's a party, guys!

I reserve the right to block you if you don't follow my rules. They aren't hard.

AUTHORS, go to the corresponding day on the rule page to find where to pitch your book. Updated with which day we're currently on each morning. Thank you!

DAILY LINKS and RULE RECAP
can be found HERE

This is for you, not me. I update that page so you can get to the entry form and post for the corresponding day.

**Kindly remember, there's no guarantee your book will be reviewed by me. You will get a purchase if your sample interests me, and I'll try my best to read it. But if I find I can't give it more than 2 stars, I won't write the review. I've had a few I couldn't finish and it led to me not giving a review.**

Here's the Rafflecopter that'll run for the duration of the event (there will also be a daily one, so be sure and go to that day's page to pitch your book):

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck! See you all tomorrow.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Merry Un-Birthday! Day One

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! This week, I'm starting some awesome giveaways. If you look here: Prize List you'll find a rundown of things to be given away. What an awesome two weeks it will be. You have fourteen days to enter every drawing but one. That one will be the purchase and review contest. It'll be revealed later in the week. No, I'm not saying what day! You'll have to wait to find out. But it'll be a quick contest (only 72 hours).

Today, I'm rolling out the entry form for the Mystic series. That link will take you to a page where you can find out more about them. Here are some snapshots of the covers:

Melody hasn't been released yet. But you'll get an advance copy when it is.

On to the rafflecopter!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck!!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Blog Party - Day One

WELCOME TO THE PARTY!! 

Man, do I have some great stuff going on this week. Lots of giveaways, courtesy of my guests, and tons of great blogs and authors for you all to check out and follow.

If you missed it, check out Friday's post for a list of guests and prizes and to get an idea of how this contest will go. My guest today, Tia, has graciously offered up a printed, signed copy of Depression Cookies! I have to tell you, this is a book I've been dying to sink my teeth into. Entry form is after the interview!

Please help me welcome our first author: Ms. Tia Silverthorne Bach!

Jo: A big HELLO to you, Tia! Thanks for taking the time out of your day to visit with us and talk a little bit about you and your book Depression Cookies.

I’m that rare interviewer that enjoys digging into things about you, personally, before I get to the meat and potatoes of what you’ve written. So, let’s get going.

Jo: I found a neat interview with you and your mom via The Balancing Act on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1Rk5alF020 Tell me how you got noticed by them and how you felt on stage.

Tia: I came home one day to a phone message from Lifetime TV, and I was dubious at first. The coordinator noticed our press release for Depression Cookies and loved the concept, especially as a mom of daughters. She invited us on, and it was a wonderful experience. Although I have to be honest, I felt like puking when I walked onto the set. Luckily, we had the questions beforehand and only did two takes. I honestly didn’t know how I’d handle live TV.

Jo: Tell us a little about your WIP concerning the young girl and the accident. I’m intrigued because I’m releasing Lily later this month and it’s along those same lines. I’ve said this before, but I think you’re my long-lost twin! Our thinking is very parallel.

Tia: In addition to writing the follow up to Depression Cookies with Mom, I am writing my first young adult novel. It’s about a young girl who loses her brother in a horrible accident, one she barely survives herself. She’s left questioning how it has changed her, and those who care about her. There’s a paranormal twist as well, because I wanted to explore how obsessed this generation of teenagers is with vampires, werewolves, and other creatures.

Jo: You’ve moved a lot (three daughters born in three different states). How has that impacted your writing?

Tia: Loss is an inevitable part of moving, and I think we can all relate to loss. The flip side is that I’ve met many different kinds of people, potential characters, in my moving adventures. Every single one had their own story. Plus, with every move, I was an actor in a new movie. I had to learn how to fit into that new culture. By wearing so many different hats, I learned how to create. All of this led to a love of stories.

Jo: I know my mom is my rock and, without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Tell me about your relationship with your mom. Was it strengthened at all with the writing of the book?

Tia: People ask me all the time how I survived writing a book with my mom. It was never a hardship for us. We’ve always had a very open and honest relationship, so writing about a mother and daughter came very naturally. No feelings or topics were off limits, because we trust each other. She is amazing, and I am blessed. (Although, I did skim some chapters where her “mom” character was getting amorous with my character’s dad.)

Jo: I know you’re on Twitter and FaceBook; do you feel it’s helped you or hindered you?

Tia: Social media is a wonderful tool for writers. But it’s also an alluring distraction. I liken it to my sugar addiction. I crave sugar and its quick fix, but I know too much of it is bad for me and my waistline. Same for social media. I have to keep it in balance. If it takes away from writing time, then it’s counterproductive.

Synopsis:
Two distinct voices, two stories interwoven within the walls of family and love.

Depression Cookies is a coming of age story woven around the heart of family triumph. It is told from two distinct vantage points, middle-aged mother, Abby, and her teenage daughter, Krista.

Abby is buckling under the weight of a husband who is climbing the corporate ladder, three daughters each with their own unique needs, a mother who is going off the deep end and family health issues. As she is meeting everyone else's needs, her own keep surfacing. She feels she is losing parts of herself daily and doesn't know how to handle the stress and conflict. All she truly wants is a little magic in her life.

Krista is thirteen, battling acne and low self-esteem, when her father waltzes in and announces the family is moving again. Instead of letting fear and anxiety rule her life, she is determined to survive the trenches of teenage cruelty and family issues without completely losing herself in the process.

What neither expects to find is the true essence of magic in the strength, friendship, power and energy of the female spirit.

Jo: Now, on to questions about Depression Cookies! You’ve won some great awards. Tell me about how you got them.

Tia: I searched for contests on the Internet that accepted self-published entries and then entered the ones where our book was a fit. We ended up receiving a Silver award in Realistic Fiction in the 2011 Readers Favorite Book Awards (and a Finalist in Chick Lit) as well as a Finalist in the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards (Chick Lit). Mom and I are heading to Miami in November to officially accept the Readers Favorite award. Both award programs were well run, and I would highly recommend them to self-published authors.

Jo: I read your recounting of how your initial publishing house’s owner died six months from your publication date, how did that impact you mentally?

Tia: At first, we were stunned and unsure which direction to take. There were moments of self-doubt, and we wondered if we should just go to Kinkos and print some copies for friends and family. We didn’t know much then about other publishing options. I wish we had. But, we also knew he had believed in us and our book. Thankfully, he also gave us professional editing and lots of advice on cover and format. We decided to publish it ourselves. Now, I would do the same, but with a different company and strategy. But I do not regret all the lessons we learned along the way.

Jo: Why write a book like Depression Cookies? What was the driving force behind it?

Tia: We knew we had a story to tell. Since my family did move a lot, sometimes all we had was each other. I am the oldest of three girls, and I don’t know what I would do without the women in my life. But, women can also be their own worst enemy. Women are at the core of some of my best moments, and some of my worst. We hoped a book with two distinct, but interconnected, female perspectives would open up a dialogue between women about the choices we have and the ones we make.

Jo: You manage to keep up with two blogs: Depression Cookies and Mom in Love with Fiction How do you find the time?

Tia: I don’t sleep. No, really, I juggle like we all do. I wish I had a magic answer to share. Sometimes, I rob Peter to pay Paul. Other times, I am blessed with a calm, get-it-done kind of day.

Jo: I know I hate doing this because it seems pretentious of me to assume I have mad skillz like those of some authors, but what novel would you compare to Depression Cookies?

Tia: Let me preface this by saying that I am a Judy Blume fan. She was a huge influence over my teenage years. Depression Cookies is Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret with the mom’s perspective thrown in. My dream… Judy Blume will read it and agree.

Jo: Do you have any trinkets or words of wisdom to leave us with today?

Tia: Don’t be afraid to share pieces of yourself in whatever you do. We all have unique talents and experiences. Own who you are, and don’t try to be a copy of someone else. I learned this from creating different versions of myself through the years. Now, at 40, I’m finally finding me. Not everyone is going to like what I find, but that’s okay. Those that do will be my reward.

Thank you so much, Jo, for hosting me on your blog today. It’s become one of my favorite places to go for insight. Plus, I agree, we do seem to be separated at birth.

Jo: Thanks for giving me your time, Tia! As a recap, here are the links to follow Tia:

Depression Cookies blog
Mom in Love with Fiction
Follow @Tia_Bach_Author
Depression Cookies on Facebook
Buy Depression Cookies for Kindle ($3.03)
Buy the paperback ($23.99)

Enter below and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


As you all know, I include a couple of great blogs other than my feature. After all, this is a party! Here are today's great blogs:

If you're looking for a reviewer who knows how to review a book, give these blogs a visit:

Tana Rae Reads
On Twitter: @TanaRaeReads

Shut Up and Read

The Educated Book Review
On Twitter: @educatedbookrev

Looking for a new author to read? Check out this one:

Megan Curd
On Twitter:  @MeganCurd

Well, I don't want to inundate you with a billion blogs and authors, so that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Holiday Weekend and Triberr

Well, I went out of town for the holiday weekend, as I'm sure many people did, and my brain had a glorious chance to reset itself. I am raring to go on Mystic ~ Shelia and The Abigale Chronicles - Book Three. I can't wait to get back to writing. Looks like a 10am start for me today. Ah well, catching up on e-mails is the fun part, right?

On another note, I checked out a new service called Triberr. I have a few first impressions that I'd like to share:

1. Their UI is difficult to navigate and leaves a lot of unanswered questions.
2. I loved the idea behind the service but, once I got into it knee-deep, I'm a bit disenchanted.
3. They use a currency they call "bones" and you need them to join other tribes. Once again, it all comes down to spending money. Why would I do that if I have a free blog and an RSS feed already? Hmmmm?
4. When I read about their service, I was eager to try it out. It didn't take me long to get lost in the muck. Please understand, I'm a very VERY savvy internet and service user. This was like: I'm supposed to click where for what?
5. Triberr wanted permission to post on my FB wall and update my Twitter feed. I am always hesitant when giving access to my stuff by any app, much less one I know very little about.

So, there you have my first impressions. I'm gonna give them a shot and will update you all later on what I find.

If you entered the contest on my blog for a copy of Soul Sisters, please visit here to see if you won. Thanks to everyone who participated!!

My giveaway for a copy of Mystic ~ Bronya over on Goodreads is now over. If you entered that one, please go see if you'll be getting a copy in your mailbox anytime soon. Thanks to the 775 people who requested it. I am humbled and honored by your zeal.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Author Interview: Janiera Eldridge

Happy Thursday, everyone! Today, I have the pleasure of bringing you an interview with Janiera Eldridge, the author of Soul Sisters. It's available on Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords for just $2.99 and in paperback on Amazon for $10 and CreateSpace for just $9.99.

Enter to win our rafflecopter giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
First, a little about Janiera:

Janiera enjoys feeding her book addiction when she not writing. She is also a book blogger at Beauty and Books where she mixes being a book nerd with keeping things chic. When not reading or writing she is freelance writing in the entertainment industry. Soul Sisters is her debut novel.






Now, a little about her new book Soul Sisters:

Synopsis:

Soul Sisters is an urban fantasy novel about African-American twin sisters Ani and Dana who have a rather unique secret: one sister is human while the other is a vampire. While the sisters have lived peacefully with each other for many years one fateful night will change both their lives forever. When a drunken man tries to attack Dana (the human sister) Ani (the vampire sister) protects her sister with all of her ferocious power.

However, when the vampire’s leader Donovan finds out about the public display he calls for the sisters to be assassinated for disobedience. Ani and Dana now are in for the fight of their lives to protect each other as well as the lives of their dedicated friends who have joined them on their mission for survival. If Dana and Ani can make it through this time of uncertainty, Ani can take her new place as vampire queen. Soul Sisters is expected to be a trilogy; The book also features a multicultural cast of characters that brings a new edge of chic to the vampire world.

Soul Sisters is published by Mystic Press and was released on August 18, 2012.

Hi, Janiera! I’m happy to have you here today and thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions about yourself and your new book Soul Sisters.

Jo: I’m a curious person by nature and am dying to know where the idea for Soul Sisters originated. Humor me?

Janiera:   I get this question a lot and it’s still really hard to answer because I’m never really sure. LOL.  I’ve loved vampires since I started reading and one day the idea just hit me- what if there were twins and one is a vampire and one is human? I know it hard to believe that his just popped into my head but it really did and I have no idea where it came from.

Jo: What does a good writing day look like for you?

Janiera: A good day of writing contains getting up in the morning, doing promotions and scheduling more promotions for about 2 hours, then writing for the rest of the day. Sometimes that works out a lot of times it doesn’t.  Promotions are a big part of being a writer but they’re not nearly as fun as writing itself.  With the release of my first book, I’m really just trying to slip in writing whenever I can.

Jo: I know you have a physical disorder. Can you tell us a little bit about your illness and how/if it affects your writing schedule?

Janiera: I have Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and it makes it extremely hard to have a 9-5 job. Luckily, I have wonderful parents who believed in my goal to be published and tell stories for a living. When I left college after one semester, I know they were scared but I got published in less than a year and now they know I mean business. lol. Fibromyalgia is when over active nerves cause constant pain and lack of sleep.  Some days it totally changes my schedule and I can’t do anything because the pain is so severe. The CFS keeps me tired all day so it’s a double whammy. lol. I’m a work-a-holic so I’m still learning how to rest when I need to otherwise it just makes things worse. The people in my life are so understanding about how I can’t work some days and I feel so blessed to have them.

Jo: Tell me about your 100+ reading challenge list. What’s that about and how did it get started?

Janiera: I’d only read like 3 books last year because there was so much going on! However, I knew when I was opening my blog that I wanted to get back into reading again. A really cool book called Book Chick City had a 100+ reading challenge for 2012 and I knew it was a challenge I had to try! So far, I’ve read 41 out of 100 books and Goodreads keeps telling me I’m 22 books behind my goal. I don’t really worry about it though because I’ve read so many more than last year and quite a few of them have been 800-1,000 page books. I’m just glad to be deep back into reading again whenever I can scratch out the time.

Jo: I see you’ve had your Beauty and Books blog going since November of 2011. Why did you get started blogging?

Janiera: I stumbled across a book blog one time and just thought it was one of the best blogs I had ever seen! I loved the fact that I could help promote authors and review books on my blog.

Jo: Have you learned anything via the process you wish you’d known up front?

Janiera: That it would be like having a second job. There are perks to being a book blogger. Since I’m a book and beauty blogger I often get free books and beauty products. I work very hard for these things though and anyone wanting to be a book blogger should know you have to put in the hard work to stand out.

Jo: How much time would you say you spend every day on social networking? Do you think it helps sales? What organizational tools do you use (if any)?

Janiera: I spend about two hours a day on Social networking. That includes promotions for the book on blogs as well as Facebook and Twitter. It totally helps. An author should be doing AT LEAST 20 minutes a day of promos. My book started bringing in sales really fast when it was self-published following the 20 minutes a day rule. I use Excel to keep track of all of my blog promotion obligations and I use hootsuite.com to help me manage and schedule Tweets and Facebook posts. You can’t be on social media all day so, hootsuite really helps.

Jo: You’re an active blogger with over 400 posts. How do you keep up with posting so often and writing a novel?

Janiera: I only post once maybe twice every day. When I’m not reviewing, I’m promoting authors. I schedule all posts the night before so in the morning they’re ready to go. It’s a routine that was really easy for me to get into so I don’t even think about it now. I had no idea I had that many posts though, wow!

Jo: I see you’re an entertainment freelance writer as well. Do you have other blogs or places you write? Tell us about them.

Janiera: I’m currently not writing for any entertainment company but I have written for websites like Directorslive.com in the past. I currently do occasional posts for hersocialnetwork.com but it’s not a paid job. It’s a wonderful website for women to connect and share information. I love writing there.

Jo: You have over 4,000 followers on Twitter. Any secret formula there?

Janiera: No secret formula there, just hard work. I’ve spent time on Twitter interacting with people, sharing other people’s interesting information and posting my own quality info. When people know you’re a real person and you share others' work people naturally follow you because they want to hear what you will say next.

Jo: Tell me about your publisher, Mystic Press (I love their name, by the way). How did you hear about them?

Janiera: I heard about them because someone mentioned them on my Facebook profile. I submitted a query to them on Saturday night and on Sunday evening I got a response that they were interested in my book. I was so shocked and happy! They’re a small press but they work with us authors one on one to make sure everything is perfect for our books. Unlike other publishers they help us a lot in promoting my book.

Jo: Who designed your blog? Have you considered branding across all your platforms or having a logo?

Janiera: I designed my blog and as for branding I already do that. An author’s books are their brand and their logo their covers. I have my covers all over the place and they always lead back to a major platform.

Thanks for stopping by and giving me some of your time. I know a writer’s time is precious and I truly appreciate it!

If you’re interested in following Janiera, you can find her here:
@LazenBeauty
on her FaceBook page
on her blog Beauty & Books
on Pinterest
or on Goodreads

You can purchase a copy of Soul Sisters at the following fine ebook retailers:
Amazon Kindle - $2.99
Barnes & Noble - $2.99
Smashwords - $2.99
Amazon - $10
CreateSpace - $9.99

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo