My Favorite POV (point of view)? to Write? By Connie Vines. #Writing Tips, #POV, #Round Robin Blog #Dark Winds

This month’s topic: What is Your Favorite POV (point of view) to Write? Why?

My favorite POV is a first-person narrative. It works best when writing YA/MG fiction or a RomCom novella.

Why? 

Because it builds a rapport with readers by sharing a personal story directly with them. Bringing the reader close like this makes a story—and storyteller—creditable. I find this especially so when writing a historical novel.   

Excerpt from Tanayia: Whisper upon the Water, First Peoples Series.

Prologue

1868

The Governor of New Mexico decreed that all Indian children over six be educated in the ways of the white man.

Indian Commissioner, Thomas Morgan, said, “It is cheaper to educate the Indians than to kill them.”

1880, Apacheria, Season of Ripened Berries

Isolated bands of colored clay on white limestone remain where the sagebrush is stripped from Mother Earth by sudden storms and surface waters. Desolate. Bleak. A land made of barren rocks and twisted paths that reach out into silence.

A world of hunger and hardship. This is my world. I am Tanayia. I was born thirteen winters ago. We call ourselves N’dee, The People. The white man calls us Apache. 

Chapter One

Only a soft light from the east lit the dirt path I soon would walk.  I rose from my blanket and dressed in my favorite buckskins and moccasins.  After combing my hair, I stepped from my wickiup and walked toward the center of camp. Women from neighboring Apache bands, dressed in their best clothing, squatted around their campfires, patting tortillas and fry bread. My relations traveled great distances to share my coming-of-age ceremony. I am proud and happy.  I smile and call out my morning greeting, ya'atche."

"Many blessings, my child," several replied as I passed.

The sharp scent of crisp dough and the bitter scent of acorn stew floated in the cool air. My stomach grumbled in hunger. Large feasts, such as the one my people prepared today, are no longer common. Grandmother, Ligai Tlenaai- White Moon, however, remembers the long-ago days when her band feasted at each change of season. She told me of times when food was plentiful.....

Sunrise

Preparing for feast

Wickiup

Geronimo

Native American Boarding School

Life before San Carlos Indian Reservation

The link will go live on August 23, 2023, at 8:00 AM Eastern Time.

The permalink is https://www.longandshortreviews.com/guest-blogs/lasr-anniversary-scavenger-hunt-tanayia-whisper-upon-the-water-by-connie-vines/

These amazing authors participating in today's Round Robin Blog:

💃🎉🎉🎉

Anne Stenhouse 

AJ Maguire

Connie Vines

Helena Fairfax

Skye Taylor

Purchase links:

https://bookswelove.com/products/tanayia?_pos=1&_psq=tana&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Spanish version: 

https://bookswelove.com/products/tanayia-un-murmullo-sobre-el-agua-spanish-edition?

Introducing Romance Gems by Connie Vines

On February 1, 2019, Friday, 23 popular authors including NY Times and USA Today bestselling authors, open the doors on ROMANCE GEMS, a wonderful new group blog where the focus is on Readers. Look for conversations about Life, Love, Books, Romance, Sex, Kids, and all the other really important things in your world. Some chuckles and some good times await you so drop by and check out ROMANCE GEMS at http://RomanceGems.blogspot.com.

Be sure and enter the Rafflecopter (A Chance to Win Books, Kindle Fire, and ebook Gift Bundles/) for a Kindle Fire and ebook Gift Bundles. Every week, there will be a "Comment & Win" Random Draw for an Amazon Gift Card. Read and comment with your email address written out on the daily posts. The more comments you make; the greater your chance of winning. Enter the Rafflecopter and the "Comment & Win" Random Draw as often as you wish. The more you enter, the greater your chances of winning.

If you've been looking for a Gem of an Author and/or a Gem of a Romance, look no further. You'll find both at ROMANCE GEMS.

How Effective are Book Give-a-ways or Contests? by Connie Vines

1. How effective do you think book giveaways or contests are?

The key: forethought (know your audience). Careful planning, media blitzing, and a gimmick are the elements of a very successful contest. By gimmick, I mean a creative approach, one that is not a usual contest pitch.  Am I going to give you any never fail rule/a road map to success?
No--I wish it was only that easy.

You can Google names of media savvy authors.  Or Google my name and look at my website (novelsbyconnievines.com) read my interviews, my archived contest info (the links are still on Google/ Bing, some are available on my web site).  This is not a do-what-you-see-others-do, it more of fact gathering tour.  You know your story/series, and you are the best judge of what will appeal to your fan base.

After all, what is a successfully contest for me, may not spell success for you. If you write historical novels featuring a lineage page (I do enjoy researching genealogy but. . .) your readers would probably adore winning a book of Sonnets.  While my fan base (me included) are happy with a Starbucks gift card and an autographed copy of my latest eBook.

Be creative. Have fun.  If you don’t enjoy your contest, no one else will either.

2. Do you think all the free books through Amazon and the library offered to prime members affect your efforts?

I believe the free reads and lending through Amazon (for prime members) has a positive effect on my efforts in promotion.  I’m willing to try a new author or genre because of the free read offers.  I have purchase 6 books this month as of this Amazon feature.  Since I do not participate in the lending feature, I have no comment.

3. What are the best promotions you've participated in?

I find that interviews generate the most exposure for me. Contests run as a group (with your publisher, online reader/writer group etc.) is second. Guest blogging (see I’m here!), and all of my combined online presence, is third.  I am visible in my community. I judge local and national writing contests, offer workshops and guest speaking engagement.  As for book signings—in the past this was a wonderful way to ‘meet and greet’ readers.  Signing 75 books during a 4-hour event was the norm, now appearances aren’t a sure-fired way to draw readers.

The online shopping experience, or read a book at your local library and purchase it for your book shelf, seems to be the new norm.

I believe to survive in this very completive field, contests, giveaways, and name branding is a must.
After all, a loyal readership is the key to success.  Write that ‘must read’ story that your readers love and keep your name out there!

Readers what's you take on the subject?
Happy Reading,  (remember my novels are part of the Kindle Count Down this month)

See you on Saturday!  I'm going to being trying out a podcast for the blog, too.

Connie

A Valentine's Day Contest by Ginger Simpson

Released by BWL, Cover by Michelle Lee

Notice the locket the woman is wearing in the picture?  That and a free copy of this novella will be awarded to ten lucky winners, with one winner getting a free box of chocolates.  All you need to do is enter the contest at http://www.bookswelove.com and keep your fingers crossed.  I'll also be giving away a couple of the necklaces and copies of the book here, so stay tuned if you don't win at BWL.

You can win every day with a BWL publication.  The prices are right and the authors are all previously published and have been given an opportunity to right the wrongs in their previously published books.  This story used to be entitled "The Locket."  I truly appreciate having the opportunity to improve my writing and make The Pendant a better read.

Go now, and enter for your chance to win.

If you want to read a sample...you can find this story by clicking here.

Remember When I Asked You To Vote? Well....Here I am Again. Ginger Simpson is my name!

SURPRISE, SURPRISE!  I made the cut and am in the final vote for fifty great writers 2014-15.  I'm so honored that so many people choose to vote for me, and now I have another opportunity to actually make it into the 5th edition of "50 Great Authors You Should Be Reading."  How great would that be?  So, if you follow the link below, you'll be taken to the voting page where you'll see names listed.  Click on the voting link and you'll be able to cast a vote for the author you wish to succeed.  I won't mind at all if it's me.  :)

Winners will appear in the print and electronic versions of '50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading', which will be available to the public through online book outlets. Finalists and winners will appear on a dedicated website: 50GreatWritersYouShouldBeReading.com, with headshots, book covers and links to the author's website.

From: "The Authors Show" <danielle@theauthorsshow.com>

Subject: THE AUTHORS SHOW - 50 Great Writers 2014-15 Contest Update - FINALISTS SELECTED!

Date: November 4, 2014 at 4:03:30 PM CST

To: "Ginger Simpson" <mizging@gmail.com>

Hi Ginger The first voting phase of our 2014-2015 contest "50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading" ended November 1st and the finalists have been selected.All participants in this initial phase were given exposure to traditional and online media via our MultiMedia Releases (MMR) on October 6 (click on the date to view the MMR).  Within the next few days we will email all finalists a digital seal to post on their website, blog, or any social media platform they see fit. The final phase of our contest is now open for voting through December 1, 2014.   The top fifty authors with the most votes will be included in the 5th edition of  "50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading" to be published in January 2015.  A special prize will also be awarded to the top winner.  To view the names of all the finalists and to vote for your favorite author in our final phase, click here. Congratulations to all the finalists! Danielle Hampson - Executive Producer The Authors Show

Welcome Brenda Whiteside and her Rafflescopter Giveaway #contest

WHERE DO THOSE IDEAS COME FROM?

Thanks so much for having me today on Dishin’ It Out. I’m excited to have your readers learn about my latest release, The Art of Love and Murder, the first book in my Love and Murder series. I hope everyone enters the Rafflecopter drawing for a tote bag of items that relate to the book. The more you enter, the more chances you have to win. This link will direct you to all the blogs on my tour: http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/p/contests-and-give-ways.html

Stories come to me from a phrase, a song, people I know or any other number of ways. This isn’t unique to me. Writers find inspiration in many different ways, at times not even recognizing where or how the idea came to them.

My Love and Murder series started a bit differently this time. There was no zing of inspiration from something I overheard, a phrase I read or a song on the radio. I purposely set out to write a series – and I wanted suspense and murder to be part of it. My husband is an avid reader of suspense. One night at dinner, I announced my intentions and asked for some brainstorming help. He’s a big supporter, but I’ve never asked for input. Once I described my heroine and steered him away from his first suggestions involving the CIA, we rolled along. He’s been instrumental in helping me brainstorm the first three books – The Art of Love and Murder, Southwest of Love and Murder and The Legacy of Love and Murder.

Books four and five are still vague ideas, but I know who I can count on to help me brainstorm.

Blurb for The Art of Love and Murder:

Lacy Dahl never questioned her past until the deaths of her adoptive parents and her husband. A husband who wasn't what he seemed. Her research uncovers secrets about the mother she never knew; secrets that dispute the identity of her father and threaten her life.
Sheriff Chance Meadowlark is still haunted by the murder of his wife and the revenge he unleashed in the name of justice. When he meets Lacy he is determined not to become involved, but their pasts may make that impossible. As they move closer to the truth, saving Lacy may be his only salvation.
Lacy begins to think the present is more important than her past...until Chance's connection to her mother and a murder spin her deeper into danger and further from love. Will the truth destroy Lacy and Chance or will it be the answer that frees them?

Excerpt for The Art of Love and Murder:

Lacy quickened her pace. The footsteps behind her did the same. As fast as her feet touched the bricks, her heart beat twice that speed. If only she could clear the narrow alley, step onto the lit sidewalk… Like a magnet, the street light pulled her forward, and she lunged out of the darkness. Her hand slammed to her chest. After a hard intake of breath and a fast exhale, she cast a furtive glance over her shoulder. With the strap of her purse in a tight fist against her breast, she whirled around to cover the last block at a trot.

She didn’t see him until too late.

As if she’d hit a cement wall, she careened off balance, but his hands grabbed her shoulders keeping her upright. She gasped and reared back and out of his arms. Her fisted purse became a weapon as she hurled a defensive blow to his chest. Her knee came up, landing a jab to his thigh. “Ehhh,” she cried out from the pain of contact.

“Lady, I’m not going to hurt you.” He held his ground and loomed over her, his hands at his chest fending off the swing of her fist.

Her vision filled with the imposing figure, and a chill shivered her body. Run screamed in her head. This time the swing of her purse missed her target when she turned to escape. His hand caught her arm and pulled her close.

“Help, help me!” Her voice came high and hysterical.

“I am trying to help.”

Both hands gripped her shoulders now, and her feet came partly off the ground, forcing her to look into his face.

“What’s wrong? Are you in trouble?”

Her head swung side to side, but the empty street and sidewalks could have been a ghost town. In the distance, a jazzy tune drifted through the air with voices too far away to help. She gulped.

He waited.


Buy Links:
TWRP http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=726&zenid=d06039eba05c5b010fb8a707eecd4259

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Art-Love-Murder-Brenda-Whiteside-ebook/dp/B00K0N0Y6M/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399254400&sr=1-1&keywords=the+art+of+love+and+murder

ARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theartofloveandmurder-1496046-149.html

KOBO http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-art-of-love-and-murder

About the Author:
Brenda spends most of her time writing stories of discovery and love. The rest of her time is spent tending vegetables on the small family farm she shares with her husband, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Together, they’ve embraced an age-old lifestyle that has been mostly lost in the United States - multiple generations living under one roof, who share the workload, follow their individual dreams and reap the benefits of combined talents.

Although she didn’t start out to write romance, she’s found all good stories involve complicated human relationships. She’s also found no matter a person’s age, a new discovery is right around every corner. Whether humorous or serious, straight contemporary or mystery, all her books revolve around those two facts.

Visit Brenda at www.brendawhiteside.com. Or on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/brendawhitesid2 She blogs on the 9th and 24th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com She blogs about writing and prairie life at http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/ a Rafflecopter giveaway

Round Robin Blog with Ginger #RndRbn0714

 How effective do you think book giveaways or contests are? Do you think all the free books through Amazon and the library offered to prime members affect your efforts? What are the best promotions you've participated in?

Wow, I'm torn over the question since I'm with a publisher who has exclusivity with Amazon.  Somehow those free or 99 cent books do parlay into sales, but I'm not sure how.   What I do know is that giving away books also seems to bring "snarky" reviewers out of their hiding places and make them feel inclined to "dis" ones work.  That's even more puzzling to me.  I guess I just don't see the point in ruining the career of someone I know has toiled long and hard over something about which they feel a great deal of passion.  For every one who feels like me, there are two dozen who take pride in just being mean or hope to eliminate their competition.  Yes, all authors, even the mainstream stars, get bad reviews, but when it's evident that your book hasn't even been read, the meanness is hard to comprehend.

In order to compete with freebies, my publisher lowered the prices of our books to try to be more competitive.  The sales didn't increase greatly, but that came about the same time that "self-publishing" became all the rage, and I think the reason had a lot to do with new author's seeing a way to cut out the middle-man and enjoy all their royalties.  Sadly, some of the books released were amateurish attempts at writing a novel, because there is no way you can circumvent the process unless you've already been through it, learned, and know the key tricks to turning a story into a novel.  If there is one thing I've discovered by being an author it's that the learning never stops.  I cannot count how many times I wished I had known "this or that" when I wrote a previous book.  Learning is great, but it can be frustrating at times.  So many rules, so little time.

So in answer to the question...I've tried giving away books as prizes, shared chapters on blogs, share all my posts on FB, Google, and Twitter, and I still haven't found my niche.  I get more likes and shares on jokes and videos than I do on anything "bookwise" that I post.  Even if I share on one of the many topic specific groups on FB to which I belong, I still don't recognize much benefit to my efforts.

I do have a Paypal receipt framed.  It's for $3000 for one book, for one month, but my success was all about "timing."  The book released right after the December that over a million Kindles sold, and I guess my book being promoted at the time was lucky for me.  I consider it a once in a lifetime moment, but  that check sure was a nice one.  :)

 Amazon distributes a large list of books that are free, the lending library allows Prime users to read one book of their choice monthly at no additional cost to their membership, and thousands of authors host contests daily...the yahoo loops are filled with invitations to participate.  I often think giveaways are detrimental to sales because everyone will wait to see if they are a winner and then forget about your book when they aren't. So, in a way, I guess when your competition does what you do, yes, giveaways can be detrimental to sales.

 What I've been reading is the importance of "branding" and marketing to the right audience.  Now if I an figure out the how and who...I just might see my royalty checks increase.  Until then, I keep reminding myself I never started this career for the money BUT...the good new is Jude Pittman, owner of Books We Love, with whom I'm published multi times has just released this statement as part of a press release:

 Of course, any great author would be oppressed without an extensive distribution network for their work. To that end, Books We Love Ltd. has just signed a deal to distribute their books in print in the USA, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. Red Tuque will also be handling a portion of the distribution in Canada, with both distributors releasing a combined twenty-five titles this coming fall.

 “This print distribution is a big step for our authors, returning their work to its original format. Of course, we’ve not forgotten about eBooks and currently have over four-hundred titles exclusively available through Amazon Kindle. With each book priced at $4.99 or under, getting some of literature’s forgotten heroes into your hands has never been cheaper,” Pittman adds.

 Am I excited....you bet!

Now, time to see how others responded to this same question.  Follow the links below.  I know I'm going to.

Rhobin Courtright at http://rhobinleecourtright.com
Ginger Simpson at http://mizging.blogspot.com
Margaret Fieland at http://margaretfieland.com/my_blog 
Connie Vines at http://connievines.blogspot.com/
Diane Bator at http://dbator.blogspot.ca

Today is My Day for the TRR Contest

TODAY IS MY DAY ON THE ROMANCE REVIEWS.

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO MY Q&A FOR A CHANCE TO WIN.  DETAILS ON TRR.

(http://www.theromancereviews.com/event.php) 

Ginger's Sunday Sampler of What's to Come...

Although my passion is primarily western historical novels, sometimes my muse comes from an entirely different setting with a story to tell.  I'm happy to present a little sample of my "coming soon" mystery suspense, A Novel Murder.  I already have the cover and I'm so stoked I had to share it here for the first time.  Consider this a debut of another Michelle Lee creation.  Now all I have to do is tie up the lose ends and get the story to my publisher.  I think Michelle's cover art is the kick in the pants I need.  :)

Blurb:

Unexplained visions, murder and mayhem…that’s what Michelle’s life has come to, and she desperately wants out of her detective position to be behind her own desk, being the author she’s forced to conceal behind a pseudonym.  Even though the fodder for her first book came from past cases, if she can just write her break-through novel under her real name, she’ll leave the force, switch her genre to romance, and pursue the relationship she wants with her hunky partner. His desire is evident, but fraternization on the job is forbidden, and she can’t gamble with the income she needs. Still, maybe those horrible visions seen through the killer’s eyes will go away for good if she’s no longer part of the local police department.

Excerpt:

 The smell of decomposition hung heavy in the air of the small bedroom--a nauseating odor that defied description. A homicide detective in Philadelphia for nearly five years, Michelle Wallace still found dealing with death unsettling. She clutched a tissue to her nose, nerves shuddering through her as she surveyed the posed body of the deceased. In the queen-sized bed, a young woman in her late twenties or early thirties, lay with hands and arms crossed over naked breasts, her blue eyes fixed in a permanent stare. Her mouth, lips painted bright red, twisted in what was probably her last attempt to scream. The piece of rope embedded around her throat left ligature marks on her otherwise flawless skin.

The room hummed with activity. Uniformed officer, with gloved hands, went through drawers and the closet. No one dared touch the body until the medical examiner arrived. Michelle already knew what he’d find as the cause of death. She’d seen the whole thing happen. Not literally, but in an unbidden vision; something she couldn’t help.

Shell’s gaze shifted to the nightstand, specifically the novel laying there, The Perfect Crime by M.D. Lynch. If only her fellow officers knew she authored the book. Her pseudonym, consisting of her initials and her mother’s maiden name, kept her writing persona separate from her professional side. Although proud of her work, she dared not brag. They guys would never let her live down the fact that she used some past cases to pattern her storylines. Only her mother and her best friend, Naomi, knew about Michelle’s fiction passion, and they’d been sworn to secrecy. No book signings or personal appearances for this author until she wrote a breakthrough novel and could earn her way as an author, and leave the force.

Her attention flipped back to the hectic scene transpiring around her, especially the three officers ogling the shapely corpse. She gave a dismissing wave. “Shoo, get on with your job. There’s nothing to see here.” She rolled her eyes, disgusted at the lengths men would go to in order to glimpse a bared breast--even on a dead woman.

Michelle’s partner, Tony Rizetti, turned from the building super in the hallway and came inside. He eyed the body, his brow raised. “How long you think she‘s been dead, Meesh?”

God, she hated his nickname for her. Why couldn’t he call her Shell like everyone else? So many times she’d asked, but the sparkle in his eye when he defied her showed his stubborn side.

Already certain of her answer, she shrugged at his question. “Three, maybe four days--but that’s just a guess.” The lie about the time involved rolled off her tongue as smooth as butter. She turned and eyed the body, knowing for sure that exactly three days ago the woman had been brutally attacked and murdered.


*****************

I hope you enjoyed my little teaser and that you'll be on the look out for it. Watch the coming soon section t Books We Love for the actual release date, and while you're there, check out all the new releases, including the "special editions."  Also, here's information released on the latest exciting contest hosted by Books We Love:

Ask our readers and friends to visit  http://bwlpp.blogspot.com/2012/09/howling-halloween-contest_8.html

or direct them right to the contest page on our website:

http://bookswelove.net/contest.php

 

Contest - Get Published

Shoot for the Moon...Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars - Brian Littrell

BWLPP presents their Shoot for the Moon Contest.

Do you have what it takes to be a BWLPP Author?

Books We Love Publishing Partners (BWLPP), a by-invitation-only publisher, is opening their doors to submissions from now through April 30, 2011. We're looking for high quality manuscripts from published or unpublished authors in three categories:

· Mystery/Suspense. Any sub-genre within this category welcome, non-erotic if romance, please.

· Romance. Again, any sub-genre is fine. These stories should be sweet to sensual romance, non-erotic.

· Spice. Erotic romance in any sub-genre. All the usual caveats apply: No pedophilia, no rape as titillation, no bodily functions, no necrophilia (excluding bloodsucking undead) and no bestiality (excluding shape-shifters).

The top two manuscripts in each category, with sufficient potential, will be chosen to receive a publishing contract with BWLPP which includes editing, cover art and promotion.

Manuscripts should be a minimum of 25K, longer works welcome. Formatting: One inch page margins, Times New Roman 12 pt. font, single spaced, justified, first line indent .05, sent in .rtf as an attachment. Please enter completed manuscripts only.

Submit synopsis and first three chapters (roughly 5K) to bwlpp@shaw.ca by April 30, 2011. Full manuscripts may be requested at any time. Winners will be notified and announced the first week in May. Direct questions to above email address.

Good Luck and always Shoot for the Moon!

* GREAT KINDLE GIVEAWAY POST *

Everyone who comments on this post will receive an extra entry into BWLPP's Great Kindle Giveaway Contest. Winner must be a member of BWLPP's mailing list. Find the list here: http://bwlpp.com/
Limit one additional entry per week.

I'm a BWLPP Author, and very proud to be one.