Moonlight Romance Authors

Sunday, March 30, 2008

I am so ticked off at Amazon...

Well I have some very sad news about Amazon, (and I'm very ticked off about this) apparently they have decided that they are going to strong arm POD authors into only having their POD books printed with BookSurge or they will loose their Buy Now button on their Amazon sales page. The thing is I started out as POD author publishing my very first book Getting Out Alive with Lulu Press (an excellent POD publisher by the way), and while I decided not to go and post my books on Amazon due to cost constraints at the time of publication, I still find this news highly disturbing as both an author and a reader. Apparently, BookSurge which was purchased by Amazon in 2005 is now calling and e-mailing all POD authors who have their books listed on Amazon but who are having their books printed by printers other than BookSurge that if they do not switch over to having their books printed by BookSurge only, that their Buy Now button will be removed from their sales page on Amazon! What are these idiots thinking? This takes POD books who are not printed by BookSurge out of the loop for free shipping, and not directly available from Amazon anymore. This is going to loose money for authors as well as those small e-pubs who POD the print versions of their books because people are not going to want to order from Amazon if they can't get the free shipping when they spend $25, it's just not going to happen. Removing the Buy Now buttons is going to make some people go elsewhere to buy the book they want or choose not to buy at all.

I have not heard good things when it comes to BookSurge's quality of print books either, in fact consistently I've been told by more than one author that their quality is crappy to say the least. So, switching over to them is not an option for me should I decide to make my POD print book available on Amazon in the future, which I will not now.

Amazon is even cutting out Lightning Source and saying they are going to remove Buy Now buttons from those pages whose POD books are through Lightning Source. Yikes! Lighting Source is how you get your book listed in Ingrams and as we all know if you are a POD author, this is absolutely critical. So, let me see if I have this straight Amazon? *sarcasm* I have to allow you to only print my book through BookSurge, a low quality POD printer at best, and if I still want to be listed in Ingrams I have to pay for both Booksurge to print my book, and Lightning Source so I can make sure I remain listed in Ingrams? I don't think so. I will be taking my business as well as my books elsewhere thank you very much. I refuse to support any company that takes these sort of stong arm tactics to try and bully POD authors. I hope those of you who read this will follow my example and discontinue doing business with Amazon in any form. I see some lawsuits in the future and while I'm not a lawyer by any stretch of the imagination, I wonder if this doesn't violate anti-trust laws? And I'm not the only one wondering that one! For more information check out this article by Angela Hoy, one of the owners of Booklocker, a POD publisher. You can read it here.

Welcome Spring

Can you believe it? March is all but gone and April is just a day away. It doesn't feel much like Spring right now because it's cold and cloudy but I have the promise of warmer days coming up all the same. Spring really is here. It’s good to see the trees begin to bud and the azaleas blooming in their many different colors. I feel kind of lazy—is that Spring Fever?

I do have some news about some fun stuff going on today. New Concepts Publishing is having a series of THEME DAYS that starts off today with a Vampire Party. The authors there will be putting out excerpts from their Vampire books and having contests and prizes for readers. Although my books won’t be in on this Theme Day, as soon as I get off work, I’m going to go over there and see what’s happening. I hope to get some excerpts out on Fantasy Day or Paranormal/Shifter Day with my books from the Valmora series.

More good news: Carolina Romance Writers group (local chapter of RWA) is having some fantastic online classes for May: Spilling The Beans: Secrets, Lies and Backstory by Lynn Kerstan, Writing Erotica by Angela Knight, and From Fiction to Freelance by Beth Morrow. Go to www.carolinaromancewriters.com and check it out. If you’re interested in giving a two week long or month long online workshop, let me know. I’m the workshops Coordinator for Carolina Romance Writers and I’m looking for Workshops for 2009. You can email me at starcriter@yahoo.com I’ll be happy to hear from you.
Well, that’s it for this Sunday. I hope you’ve had a wonderful week and another great week coming up. All good things to your corner of the universe,
Sarah McNeal
www.sarahmcneal.com
Author of the time travel romance, The Violin, at Amira Press available in print and ebook and for sale at Amira Press, Amazon.com and Fictionwise
Also, from my dark fantasy, Medieval Valmora series:
The Dark Isle at New Concepts Publishing and
Lake of Sorrows at New Concepts Publishing

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Sorry I've missed a post or two

I just wanted to say that I have not been able to post for a while. So I popped in today to let you know that I am still around. At the moment I do not have a lot to report. I am waiting on something important and may have news soon. However, I have been busy checking proofs and writing as well as personal stuff.

At least we have the sun here, which is nice today.

Friday, March 28, 2008

Raven Author Chat Tonight!

http://ravenhappyhour.com/raven_chat.htm

Join me from 9 PM to 11 PM EST tonight in the Raven Chat Room for my author chat! Drop by and ask me questions, and we'll talk about my books!

~Marly

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Checking in

Sorry for having been so quiet, darlings. I've been writing and studying like a fiend, plus going through a bit of a (pre) mid life crisis with my birthday yesterday.

I'll be signing books this coming Saturday at the Jacksonville Marriott from 4:30 to 5:30, as part of the First Coast Romance Writers' Southern Lights Conference. If you're in the northern Florida area, stop by and visit me along with Elizabeth Hoyt (*squees!*), Marianne LaCroix, Suzanne Brockman, Alyssa Day, and more! A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Jacksonville Public Libraries. More info here.

Monday, March 24, 2008

The writer's life...

Lately, I've been reminiscing about the writer's life because well I haven't been able to do much in mine, sadly. While I do write full-time often, there are times when money needs make it necessary for me to work for a while, and this is one of those times. While I love having the extra money, getting caught up on my bills and such, it is really hard when I get home and am just too tired to write. That's been happening quite a bit the last few weeks. I'm really excited about my current projects and I always have these ideas during the day at work when my energy level is better that I'm going to come home and write. Of course by the time I get home, that doesn't always happen. I'm going to be really glad when this current assignment ends and I can get back to the business of being a writer again which is of course my first love.

I know I'm not the only writer who works at least part of the time to make ends meet, let's face it, very few writers make enough to actually be able to write full-time all the time unless they are Nora Roberts or Stephen King. Still I'm looking forward to the time when I can start listening to my characters again who I can hear yelling at me in the background, but for whom I am unable at the moment to put all my attention on.

Fortunately, I'm almost done with Doomed to Be Charmed, and I'm hoping that maybe I can squeeze in a few writing hours this next week and see if I can at least get that much closer to finishing Kyle, Tyber and Tyrel's story. Then I'll be off to outer space again and working on Leilani's story. I have the say the author's who participate on this blog with me are a real inspiration, and I'm blessed in having them here. :-)

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Happy Easter!

It is my hope that all of you have a peaceful and loving Easter.
Some day I'm going to figure out how Easter Bunnies and baskets of candy came into being. Since hard boiled eggs are one of the symbolic objects of the Passover Seder meaning eternal life, I get why we do Easter eggs. I'm not getting the part where we dye them--just to be pretty? Ever notice how they taste better dyed?
But bunnies and baskets? Go figure.
In any case, as you ponder these mysteries, I hope you enjoy friends and family who come to share the Easter holiday with you. Maybe one of them knows the answers.
All good things to you and yours this Easter.
Sarah McNeal
www.sarahmcneal.com
Author of THE VIOLIN Amira Press
THE DARK ISLE New Concepts Publishing
LAKE OF SORROWS New Concepts Publishing

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Regina Paul

Natalie-Nicole Bates

Natalie-Nicole Bates may be new to the world of publishing, but she’s always been a fan of books and is an active book reviewer. Now she gets to see what’s it’s like on the other side of the book fence when her paranormal romance, Antique Charming, is released through Books To Go Now Publishing this fall and her contemporary romance, Change of Address, will be published in January 2012 by Secret Cravings Publishing.

In addition to her love of books, Natalie also has an uncharacteristic love of hockey which can be attributed to the fact she was born in Russia. Natalie now resides in the UK with a collection of Victorian and Edwardian era photography, her favorites being the post-mortem photographs. Visit Natalie-Nicole online at Natalie-Nicole Bates.com

Tara Fox Hall

I'm an OSHA-certified safety and health inspector at a metal fabrication shop in upstate New York. I have a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with a double minor in chemistry and biology from Binghamton University. My writing credits include nonfiction, horror, suspense, erotica, and contemporary and historical paranormal romance. I am the author of the paranormal action-adventure Lash series and the vampire romantic suspense Promise Me series. I also coauthored (with Eric Dietrich) the nonfiction book Forbidden Conversations. I divide my free time unequally between writing novels and short stories, chainsawing firewood, caring for stray animals, sewing cat and dog beds for donation to animal shelters, and target practice. Visit me at Tara Fox Hall.com

Lindsay Townsend

Lindsay lives in Yorkshire, England, where she was born, and started writing stories at an early age. Always a voracious reader, she took a degree in medieval history and worked in a library for a while, then began to write full-time after marriage.

Her first unpublished historical found her an agent and the second got a publisher in London interested. They wanted her to write with a modern setting, which she did – several romantic thrillers set in Greece, Italy or on Dartmoor in the English West Country - and enjoyed it, but historicals are really her first love. Lindsay is currently writing medieval romance for Kensington, who published ‘A Knight’s Vow’in 2008 and are following it with ‘A Knight’s Captive’ in spring, 2009.

She is also fascinated by the ancient world, especially Rome, Egypt and the Bronze Age. ‘Flavia’s Secret’, set in Roman Britain, came out from Bookstrand in 2008, and two more historicals, ‘Blue Gold’, set in ancient Egypt, and ‘Bronze Lightning’, set in Bronze Age Greece and the Britain of Stonehenge, have also just been released early in 2009.

Please visit Lindsay's blog.

Linda Sole

Linda writes as herself and under several other names. As Linda Sole she iscurrently published by Severn House of UK and USA. She also writes as Anne Herries for Harlequin Mills & Boon. She is happily married and lives in England with her husband. Linda enjoys visiting Spain where she loves to walk, swim and lie in the sun. Writing is her passion and she manages a few words every day, but she also loves animals and especially squirrels. She is known as the squirrel lady at her local supermarket because of all the nuts she buys for them!

Visit her website for more information.

Sarah J. McNeal

I became interested in writing at a young age. My parents didn’t allow us to have a television so my sisters and I became avid readers. We read everything from Shakespeare to my mother’s True Detective Stories that, by the way, scared the hell out of me. I submitted my first story and received my first rejection when I was thirteen years old.

I am particularly drawn to writing fantasy and time travel and have created a magical place called Valmora where winged people with various magical abilities are in constant struggle against the evil forces of the Dark Isle. Two of the books in this series are presently available at New Concepts Publishing: THE DARK ISLE and LAKE OF SORROWS. I am writing the third now: THE LIGHT OF VALMORA. I have written a time travel novel in which a woman goes back to the 1920’s to save a man from dying in THE VIOLIN that has been submitted to New Concepts Publishing. I intend to write a series of musical instrument stories including THE PIANO and one that I intend to start in the near future titled, HARMONICA JOE’S RELUCTANT BRIDE.

Until recent years, I wrote short stories, two of which were the early inspiration for the Valmora series and three other stories that were sci-fi and paranormal.

I have also written nonfiction including an article in The Charlotte Observer and a monthly newsletter from the emergency department of CMC Mercy Hospital that, unfortunately, I no longer have time to write.

Writing brings me a joy and fulfillment that nothing else can. I love creating magical worlds and people who want to make a difference. I hope that anyone who reads them will love them, too.

Please visit her website for more information.

Patricia Richardson

My desire to write began at a young age; my mind was always filled with great stories. However, my dreams, and aspirations were put on the back burner and even at times forgotten after I became married with children. Later the divorce came, which meant I had to become both mother and father to my children. I worked overtime and weekends just to support my family. The struggle to survive and give my children a healthy, loving home lasted until they were grown. Late author, Gracie Cornish, Ph.D. inspired me to follow my destiny. I met her at a place of employment, "just sit down and start writing," she told me and I did just that. I wrote every chance I got; at work, on the subway, and in my spare time at home. This all started in the latter part of 1998. That very same year God impressed upon my heart to relocate from New York to Maryland. I was obedient and moved.

The move meant that once again I had to put my writing on hold to become familiar with my new environment and learn to cope with the conditions of a highly stressful job. Most evenings when I arrived home the only thing I wanted to do was turn the ringer off the telephone and sleep. I seldom picked up my manuscript, which was kept under my bed just waiting for me not to be too tired and stressed to write. The time for writing again did not come until late in 2001 when I finally came to the realization I would always be stressed and tired from working and if I did not use the gift God gave me I would never achieve the independent financial freedom I wanted. After this epiphany I set a goal for myself; to have the manuscript completed and sent to my editor in March of 2002. Finally, in March of 2003 the book cover for my first novel, "A Place for Ida," was approved and I was published! This of course came with a price. I lost work, I cried, and I virtually had no social life. I was on a personal lockdown. I was on a mission. Most of my spare time was spent researching publishers, cover letters, and anything else I felt was pertinent to my success. Since then I established Leap of Faith Publishing and republished "A Place for Ida" and soon after published the sequel, "A Time for Jonathan."