tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24159820592357042382024-02-20T20:35:37.385-06:00D A BaleA blog about indie authors for indie authors and readers alikeD A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.comBlogger228125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-58398752107795201462018-06-12T18:52:00.001-05:002018-06-12T23:37:38.927-05:00Next Exit Quarter Mile Release and Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEpwGymgbzhAjsKnlBveoR0d-dPKKMkOgr_TVoOc7OcJNFtC5rN7qaJ1uqPys7RXEhEmVXAD3W1P-8xoIydYMhDbWFUB3Q2ioQvFKVo_pFzwGbrfKG7sL_ox-PnNVRiwPPf-IYSY36_XI/s1600/QUARTER+MILE+EBOOK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEpwGymgbzhAjsKnlBveoR0d-dPKKMkOgr_TVoOc7OcJNFtC5rN7qaJ1uqPys7RXEhEmVXAD3W1P-8xoIydYMhDbWFUB3Q2ioQvFKVo_pFzwGbrfKG7sL_ox-PnNVRiwPPf-IYSY36_XI/s400/QUARTER+MILE+EBOOK.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
As promised a few weeks ago, the release day for CW Browning's latest novel in her Exit Series is here - and it's a killer!<br />
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<b>Book Blurb:</b><br />
When Alina Maschik - code name "Viper" - flees Syria, she has a serious problem. Someone knows much more than they should about the elusive assassin. With orders to lie low, Alina returns to Medford, determined to do just that.<br />
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But once again, New Jersey refuses to co-operate.<br />
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The Casa Reino Cartel is moving mysterious cargo up the Eastern seaboard; a tragic accident in the Pine Barrens kills a local street race; FBI Special Agent John Smithe is looking for answers where there shouldn't be questions; metro area hospitals are stockpiling a new antidote, and an invisible foe has zeroed in on Viper.<br />
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A web of intrigue stretching from Damascus to the Pine Barrens has been skillfully cast. Now, Viper must confront ghosts from her past even as she fights to unravel a sinister plot before thousands of Americans die.<br />
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<b>My Review:</b></div>
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<i>NEXT EXIT, QUARTER MILE</i> is the latest offering in the Exit
Series – and things are about to change in ways Alina never saw coming.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Viper is told to stand down and returns to New Jersey after
being unexpectedly chased across the Middle East to the Amalfi Coast, a strange
concept when the assassin is usually the one doing the hunting. The Organization has a mole that is leaking
like a sieve and death lurks just around the corner.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And when the bill comes due, death always collects.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Alina knows this better than most, having lost her brother
to enemy fire twelve years ago, prompting her to join the Navy and Naval
Intelligence which eventually led her to the Organization. But the past is sneaking up, ready to explode
like the handiwork of the terrorist’s bomb signature she knows all too well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And he’s coming for more than just Viper this time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>QUARTER MILE</i> is part <i>Fast and Furious</i>, part <i>Taken</i>, and part
<i>Jason Bourne</i>, and for a gal that loves cars and things that go ‘splodey, this
was a really nice mix. But it isn’t all
street races in this offering. We are
talking about assassins – and even assassins have a human side.<o:p></o:p></div>
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That’s where this novel becomes a pivoting point in the
series. Circumstances from all sides
force Alina (and that mysterious Hawk) to explore the humanity that was buried
long ago in order to become the weapon of mass destruction her government
needed. But now that that government
might be targeting her, she must reexamine the reasons for what she does – and
what it has required her to give up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And in this, Quarter Mile takes a darker turn – and you’ve
gotta know how much I like the darkness.
The stakes are high once again and the heat gets turned up on much more
than the relationship that has simmered between Viper and Hawk. There is at times a level of gruesome we
haven’t seen before in the prior novels that rivals the torture scene in Taken
– and I’m talking the one that didn’t make the cut in the final theatrical
release version. Viper goes deep, and
for an assassin that means dark.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Since we’re dealing with so much introspection, the pace at
times moves a bit slower than your typical thriller, but there’s so much meat
to process in this novel that it’s appreciated.
Things are set up here that promise an explosive next book – and yes,
that means that not all loose threads are tied up in this one when it comes to
the overall larger story. But that’s
okay in my book. I like the anticipation
of the upcoming possibilities.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As with previous books in this series, there are a few
incidences of head-hopping with point-of-view, though it’s much better this
time around. Overuse of eye narrowing,
lip twitching, and the word slightly ran rampant at times. However, these didn’t decrease my overall
enjoyment of the novel – especially after that killer ending.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But you’ll have to read it to discover what that is.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<u>Content Warning:</u> There is usually little about this series that requires much in the way of warning - except the obvious dealings with assassinations. However, this one requires more caution than usual due to more salty language (nothing outside the normal ie. no f-words to worry about). and there are a couple of more gruesome scenes that might be difficult for some, though nothing I couldn't handle. For the first time, there is also the insinuation of sex but with very little on-camera activity. Probably a lot less than teens read in today's YA genre. Overall, as I usually say, just know your teen.</div>
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Another solid outing of the Exit Series, to which I'll again offer up four stars. I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes - but I liked it so much I went ahead and purchased it for my library.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtQh828cT5H-C6Y8b6HNH-eRVYttD54tWy2WwU5K3mzR3dkztla4Ugkd8vtJQf18RupUfvg_B2oZPMY3MBK-2VHJu2uUGnEO5QtUTO29vEE3SIY25Uv0LKIFRS7A_sBYpvVCcF6zDjW0/s1600/Three+Miles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="230" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtQh828cT5H-C6Y8b6HNH-eRVYttD54tWy2WwU5K3mzR3dkztla4Ugkd8vtJQf18RupUfvg_B2oZPMY3MBK-2VHJu2uUGnEO5QtUTO29vEE3SIY25Uv0LKIFRS7A_sBYpvVCcF6zDjW0/s200/Three+Miles.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
And you can too for the special release week price of $2.99 by clicking <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Next-Exit-Quarter-Mile-Book-ebook/dp/B07D9Z61XH/">HERE</a>. And as a special release week bonus, you can pick up the first book in the series <i>NEXT EXIT, THREE MILES</i> for free <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EK5SMV0/">HERE</a> and the second book <i>NEXT EXIT, PAY TOLL</i> for only ninety-nine cents <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H0NPY2O/">HERE</a>. Better yet, just pick up the entire series of four books for the rootin'-tootin' low price of $7.97 <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Exit-4-Book/dp/B07DCC1GM2/">HERE</a>. But only for a limited time.<br />
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<b>Author Bio:</b><br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7im1edZL9MCXELtnYyRt9N5GidpqI6uKJQhmGo1P127CpXDP7Dverl7JfIsCAAD0Xo5AcIIVkqlqGWwP9KgORIK9ajyZAlVDQvd2776xIwE6KuSgTg2fd0yFlzi9OZ8hMGgTe3tuYw9k/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7im1edZL9MCXELtnYyRt9N5GidpqI6uKJQhmGo1P127CpXDP7Dverl7JfIsCAAD0Xo5AcIIVkqlqGWwP9KgORIK9ajyZAlVDQvd2776xIwE6KuSgTg2fd0yFlzi9OZ8hMGgTe3tuYw9k/s200/1.JPG" width="200" /></a></b></div>
<br />
CW Browning was writing before she could spell. Making up stories with her childhood best friend in the backyard in Olathe, Kansas, imagination ran wild from the very beginning. At the age of eight, she printed out her first full-length novel on a dot-matrix printer. All eighteen chapters of it. Through the years, the writing took a backseat to the mechanics of life. Those mechanics, however, have a great way of underlining what genuinely lifts a spirit and makes the soul sing. After attending Rutgers University and studying History, her love for writing was rekindled. It became apparent where her heart truly lay. Picking up an old manuscript, she dusted it off and went back to what made her whole. CW still makes up stories in her backyard, but now she crafts them for her readers to enjoy. She makes her home in Southern New Jersey, where she loves to grill steak and sip red wine on the patio.<br />
<br />
CW loves to hear from readers! She is always willing to answer questions and hear your stories. You can find her on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/CW-Browning-435606453219187/">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/cw_browning">Twitter</a>. If social media isn't your thing, she can also be reached by email at <a href="mailto:cwbrowning12@gmail.com">cwbrowning12@gmail.com</a> and on her website at <a href="http://www.cwbrowning.com/">www.cwbrowning.com</a>.<br />
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D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-59970376958882958242018-05-27T12:46:00.000-05:002018-05-27T12:46:14.588-05:00It's a Cover Reveal!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My fellow author and long-distance friend CW Browning has an upcoming release in her excellent suspense/thriller Next Exit series. Pre-order for special pricing through the week of the June 12th release day by clicking <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Next-Exit-Quarter-Mile-Book-ebook/dp/B07D9Z61XH/">HERE</a>. While you're at it, I highly recommend you pick up the first three books in the series too. <br />
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Without further adieu, here's the really awesome and explosive cover reveal for Next Exit Quarter Mile!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3jrftZ8xBq5b56R5o0dyGpcBaQC4OE9IbrmKGu7BmXijgJ1oApIc4Lr0N3JxELgA_Y56Wr-lPIW4TW_BAt4pcrWROcGzB5o7ErKp2KSMPwSL2qce0HOm7AB5DiqPD54YHD5U6to5Ejjk/s1600/QUARTER+MILE+EBOOK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3jrftZ8xBq5b56R5o0dyGpcBaQC4OE9IbrmKGu7BmXijgJ1oApIc4Lr0N3JxELgA_Y56Wr-lPIW4TW_BAt4pcrWROcGzB5o7ErKp2KSMPwSL2qce0HOm7AB5DiqPD54YHD5U6to5Ejjk/s640/QUARTER+MILE+EBOOK.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">When
Alina Maschik – code name “Viper” –<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>flees Syria, she has a serious problem. Someone knows much more than
they should about the elusive assassin. With orders to lie low, Alina returns
to Medford, determined to do just that. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">But
once again, New Jersey refuses to co-operate.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Casa Reino Cartel is moving mysterious cargo up the Eastern seaboard; a tragic
accident in the Pine Barrens kills a local street racer; FBI Special Agent John
Smithe is looking for answers where there shouldn’t be questions; metro area
hospitals are stockpiling a new antidote, and an invisible foe has zeroed in on
Viper.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">A
web of intrigue stretching from Damascus to the Pine Barrens has been
skillfully cast. Now, Viper must confront ghosts from her past even as she
fights to unravel a sinister plot before thousands of Americans die.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
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D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-37890410820268031872018-03-29T13:40:00.000-05:002018-03-29T13:47:32.891-05:00Baby Steps to Publishing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The second season of my podcast Coffee and Catastrophe is underway. You can check out both season one and the current posted episodes of season two by clicking the <b>Podcast</b> tab above.<br />
<br />
As many of you know, I started spending a lot of time on KBoards toward the end of 2016 as I tried to wade through the ever-changing world of marketing for indie books. Lately I've been seeing a ton of posts by newbie authors asking about what they need to do since finishing their first manuscript.<br />
<br />
So this season Brian and I are focusing on talking about various insights into the self-publishing realm. The latest episode 2.3: Baby Steps to Publishing offers an overview of the steps newbie authors need to take when they prepare for self-publishing that first book. Since Brian and I tend to yak a lot in between each step, I'm posting the list we discussed below.<br />
<br />
1. Write Your Book - make it the very best it can be<br />
<br />
2. Edit, Edit, and Edit Some More - from self-editing methods to proofing and developmental<br />
<br />
3. Develop a Team of Beta Readers - find people who will give you helpful, solid, and specific feedback<br />
<br />
4. Set Up Website/Blog/Social Media/Mailing List - limit social media initially to what you can keep up with on a regular basis, but be sure to create a mailing list link so readers can sign up for new releases<br />
<br />
5. Get a Professional-Looking, Genre Appropriate Cover - strong legible fonts readable in thumbnail, avoid busyness, and avoid too much flat black<br />
<br />
6. Decide Where You're Going To Sell Your Book - will you stick to one site (KU?), use an aggregator, or go all in wide<br />
- <a href="http://www.kdp.amazon.com/">www.kdp.amazon.com</a><br />
- <a href="http://press.barnesandnoble.com/">press.barnesandnoble.com</a><br />
- <a href="http://www.writinglife.kobobooks.com/">www.writinglife.kobobooks.com</a> <br />
- download iTunes Producer<br />
- aggregators <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/">www.smashwords.com</a> or <a href="http://www.draft2digital.com/">www.draft2digital.com</a><br />
<br />
7. Select Keywords and Categories - study your genre and choose up to 10 keywords and 2 genre classification categories<br />
<br />
8. Prep Front and Back Matter - your formatted manuscript will need a table of contents, legal disclaimers, cover artist information, author bio, dedication, acknowledgements, and a link to that mailing list you've created<br />
<br />
9. Develop an ARC team - don't know what that is, then listen to the podcast<br />
<br />
10. You'll have to listen to the podcast to find out this all-important last step<br />
<br />
Be sure and listen in to podcast 2.2 on how to avoid scams and scammers. They're rife in the indie world, so make sure you're prepared for how to deal with them - 'cause you WILL have to deal with them.<br />
<br />
Until next time, happy reading! <br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-77034947721781417782018-02-14T15:57:00.001-06:002018-02-14T15:57:24.569-06:00Love and Romance??<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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'Tis the season for love and romance.<br />
<br />
Sadly, it's something I'm not very good at as a writer. Countless times I've been told I should write romance, that romance is where the <i>real</i> income is, that romance is the easiest genre to write.<br />
<br />
I've never been very good at taking the easy way.<br />
<br />
But I love what I write. It's what I read! A good mystery will keep me up reading for hours, figuring out who did it and why. A thriller full of explosions and the clock winding down to Armageddon gets my heart pumping the way a sex scene just can't (I know, I know - TMI).<br />
<br />
Still, from time-to-time I do think about the possibilities of adding yet another genre to my repertoire. Yet I just can't seem to wrap my brain around what kind of characters or plot a romance would take - at least one coming from my mind. Every time I start putting together the possibilities of <i>who</i>, <i>what</i>, <i>where</i>, <i>when</i>, and <i>why</i>, I get stuck on the <i>how</i>. I'll come up with a couple of characters and a basic idea, and then it inevitably turns into a mystery that must be solved, with the accompanying murder, mayhem, and all-around madness I tend to put my characters through in my stories.<br />
<br />
I give up.<br />
<br />
As an author, you constantly hear the phrase <i>write what you know</i>. I guess romance isn't something I know much about. After spending my younger years raising my son, working more than full-time, and then starting on a new career path at middle-age, dating and romance rarely entered my field of vision. Now?<br />
<br />
Fugettaboutit!<br />
<br />
These days it's all about family and friends - and readers like you, of course. Love comes in many forms, even when there is no romance involved. Love isn't flowers you may get once a year. It isn't about a fancy dinner at a ridiculously expensive restaurant. Chocolate?<br />
<br />
Okay, that's a different story.<br />
<br />
But love is grasping that tiny hand to keep a child safe. It's a shoulder available for a good cry whenever needed. A phone call in the middle of the night that sends you rushing out the door in spite of the circumstances. Trying to sleep in a chair beside a hospital bed - and failing. A home-cooked meal to say <i>I've been thinking of you</i>. A difficult, but necessary, conversation. Holding a withered hand as a soul is escorted from this life.<br />
<br />
And doing your darnedest to write what your readers love.<br />
<br />
So on this Valentine's Day, I may not have a romance novel to share with you, but that doesn't stop me from sharing my heart with each book I write. Thanks so much for reading.<br />
<br />
Kisses!!! <br />
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D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-64709013322599483282018-01-14T14:27:00.000-06:002018-01-14T14:27:02.436-06:00A Happy New Year Overview<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Let me be the first to wish you a Happy New Year!<br />
<br />
Hmmm...maybe not the first.<br />
<br />
Second?<br />
<br />
Nuh-uh.<br />
<br />
Third?<br />
<br />
Probably not.<br />
<br />
Well regardless, just hope your New Year is shaping up to be smashing.<br />
<br />
Things are moving along here at DA Bale Publishing in 2018. I'm hard at work on AIM BEFORE YOU SHOOT, the fifth book in the Bartender Babe Chronicles, and things are about to get hairy for your favorite heroine. There are just some things you can't take back - no matter how long you stand in the return line after Christmas. But don't worry! It'll all come together with Vicki's blend of snark mixed with a little humor to make all those boo-boos better.<br />
<br />
After that, I'll be wrapping up the BBC with the sixth and final book before yearend, which for an author will be here before we know it. I hope you'll stay tuned for the turmoil in SHOOT BEFORE YOU BLINK.<br />
<br />
Then at some point (haven't decided when) I'm going to introduce a new series to you. Yes, that's right. I'm writing a sci-fi space opera adventure as a homage to that dearly departed-too-soon television series Firefly. The thing I loved about that show wasn't the technology or military tactics but the camaraderie of this simple band of misfit characters, and that's what I hope to highlight in my upcoming new series The Outliers.<br />
<br />
And for all of you thriller lovers out there, I've been percolating a new idea for the past year now and have the opening chapter written out to start a new thriller series. It's still in its infancy, but if all goes well this year, I hope to invest a bit more time in that one too. No titles or series names at present, but once I finish the BBC series and get at least the rough draft of the second book in The Outliers finished, I'll probably delve into this one more deeply.<br />
<br />
Lastly you can check out the interview I did with author JD Core on his Thrills and Mystery podcast just before Christmas by clicking <a href="http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/7/c/f/7cfd2c2c1e1cccad/Interview_episode_41_Bale.mp3?c_id=18238694&expiration=1515964066&hwt=af0fd0dc26d93a22781ffc702623d33e">HERE</a>. It's a little over thirty minutes long, but we sure had some fun and laughs, though I think I scared him at times.<br />
<br />
I seem to have that affect on people.<br />
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<br />
Then before I forget, this is the last day for a big ninety-nine cent ebook sale with my fellow author Renee Pawlish. She puts so much effort into organizing this every month, and this time I'm participating by offering DIE BEFORE YOU WAKE for only ninety-nine cents. But hurry, because these offers are here and gone like Christmas. Just click <a href="http://reneepawlish.com/promo/">HERE</a> to browse the wonderful array of ebooks and find your new favorite indie author today.<br />
<br />
So now I lift a glass to you, my dear readers. Thank you for a wonderful 2017, and here's hoping we'll have a great time together in 2018. Cheers!</div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-63095745995815903322017-10-15T17:01:00.001-05:002017-10-15T17:01:55.586-05:00Free - My Favorite Four-Letter Word<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div>
<br /></div>
Ah free, my favorite four-letter word.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you're like me and love free books, take a gander at a great collection of free mystery and thriller ebooks offered this weekend. Many thanks to Renee Pawlish for putting this promo together - and allowing me to participate!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To take advantage of these freebies, click on the link <a href="http://reneepawlish.com/promo/">HERE</a> and enjoy a selection of some of the best the indie author community has to offer. Looks like there's something for everyone.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But get 'em quick!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-22447376877958516642017-09-15T17:43:00.001-05:002017-09-15T17:43:16.449-05:00Days Away From New Release<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We're days away from the September 18th release of DIE BEFORE YOU WAKE, the fourth book in the Bartender Babe Chronicles.<br />
<br />
You won't want to miss this new chapter in the Vicki Bohanan saga. As a bonafide legal investigator now, Vicki's struggling with early mornings, co-workers questioning her mental mettle (and her ability to adhere to the dress code), and a forensic instructor who's hot on her tail.<br />
<br />
This is Vicki, after all.<br />
<br />
Things only get more interesting when her first case brings out the ghosts of her past - and the claws.<br />
<br />
And I'm not talking her furry feline Slinky.<br />
<br />
So dive in soon - and while you can get the ebook for $2.99. October 1st, books two through four in the series will rise in price to $3.99 each.<br />
<br />
Pick up DIE BEFORE YOU WAKE at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Before-Wake-Bartender-Babe-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B074RQH8PP/">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/die-before-you-wake/id1271173250?mt=11">Apple</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/die-before-you-wake-d-a-bale/1126972422?ean=2940154503812">Barnes & Noble</a>, <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/die-before-you-wake">Kobo</a>, and <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/742018">Smashwords</a>, or your online retailer of choice where ebooks are sold.</div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-16660244225205379952017-08-25T00:33:00.000-05:002017-08-25T00:33:54.486-05:00Bards and Sages eFestival<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello again, dear readers!<br />
<br />
Just a quick note this early morning to remind you I'll be participating in the Bards and Sages eFestival of Words this weekend. This is an interactive, online festival where you can learn about some up-and-coming authors in the indie-publishing community.<br />
<br />
I'll be participating in two panel discussions on Friday the 25th and a Q&A on Saturday the 26th. The first panel <b><i>I Only Kill People on Paper</i></b> will be from 1:00 to 2:00 CDT and the second <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Good, The Bad, and The Ridiculous: Female Protagonists in Modern Literature</i> will be from 3:00 to 4:00 CDT. My Q&A session will be on Saturday from 12:30 to 1:00 CDT, where you can have your questions answered by yours truly.<br />
<br />
To participate, all you need to do is click <a href="http://bardsandsages.com/efestivalofwords/2017/08/24/navigating-the-efestival/">HERE</a> and sign up for the festival or get more information. All discussions will be in interactive chat format to make it easy, but you do have to have a login to participate.<br />
<br />
Come join the fun and learn things you never knew you wanted to know!</div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-79244535848894047552017-06-24T17:02:00.000-05:002017-06-24T17:02:08.548-05:00Plans, Pathways, and Pre-orders<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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You know, sometimes plans have a way of taking their own pathway and screwing up yours.<br />
<br />
I'd hoped to have the fourth book in the Bartender Babe Chronicles ready for your reading pleasure before the end of June. However, I had some last-minute ideas I wanted to incorporate into this particular story to provide hints at the overall larger story of Vicki's journey through this series. So what did that mean?<br />
<br />
Yup - back to the old drawing board.<br />
<br />
However, I'm so much more excited about the twists and turns the storyline is now taking and am so much happier with the resulting flow, even though that means it's taking longer to get ready for release.<br />
<br />
But that also means perhaps you'll better enjoy it too.<br />
<br />
Being an independent author is sometimes a lonely journey where every single decision - large and small - rests solely on the writer, and we have to daily juggle so many hats. Between writing, research, editing, manuscript formatting, cover work, pre-publishing preparation, post-publishing follow-up, marketing, communications, bookkeeping, etc., etc., we're a single person encompassing the varying departments of a large corporation. As Vicki would say, <i>this life ain't for the fainthearted</i>!<br />
<br />
However, in the overall scheme of things, nothing matters if as an author I have not worked my butt off to provide readers with my very best work. My very reason for doing this is to provide you, my patient and devoted readers, with an entertaining story that will give you a chuckle, allow you to shed a tear or two, keep you up reading late into the wee morning hours (even though you'll curse me when your alarm clock goes off), or simply offer up an opportunity for a few uninterrupted hours to yourself.<br />
<br />
So even though I've had to come to terms with the fact I will never be one of those authors who churn out a new book or two every month, I hope you'll rest with the patient assurance that when a novel with my name on it is finally published, it will be the best story I could possibly write.<br />
<br />
And that's all because, to paraphrase L'Oreal, you're worth it!<br />
<br />
Stay tuned for a release announcement of DIE BEFORE YOU WAKE with special pre-order pricing before summer's end.<br />
<br /></div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-45349123775463431182017-05-13T15:22:00.001-05:002017-05-13T15:22:22.570-05:00Psst...A Super Secret Reveal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Psst...I've got something I want to share with you.<br />
<br />
It's something fun.<br />
<br />
It's a new book.<br />
<br />
It's upcoming.<br />
<br />
It's a revelation.<br />
<br />
Only for you, my faithful readers, an unveiling of my latest cover for the upcoming release of the fourth novel in the Bartender Babe Chronicles <i>DIE BEFORE YOU WAKE</i>.<br />
<br />
This is the cover I've been dying to <i>un</i>cover since starting this series. It's been in the works since day one. It has special meaning not only to your favorite bartender Vicki Bohanan, but to me as well.<br />
<br />
And maybe Garfield.<br />
<br />
So without further adieu, see below for the very first peek at BBC 4 <i>DIE BEFORE YOU WAKE</i>, coming soon to an Ebook near you.<br />
<br />
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D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-83071827826388319652017-03-10T14:51:00.001-06:002017-03-11T00:18:17.388-06:002017 Writing Schedule Quarterly Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's been a busy writing year thus far in the DA Bale Publishing universe - and it's time for a quarterly update to key you in on where things are headed for 2017.<br />
<br />
First item on the agenda, I've got some good news to share with you in relation to my publishing schedule.<br />
<br />
The first book in my upcoming space opera series (think that old TV show I still miss, FIREFLY) has cleared the first draft hurdle and I've started working on the storyline for book two in that series, the working title being THE OUTLIERS' WAY, though I'm considering something more along the lines of Outliers' Pact or Outliers' Accord for the final title. Who knows? I may use all three in the end. My plan is to get two books in publishable shape before releasing book one. That way I can put up a pre-order for book two and release it within thirty days. Be looking for the book one cover reveal coming later this spring and release dates announced for sometime this summer.<br />
<br />
For those of you who are dying to read the next chapter in the Vicki saga, I'm nearing the halfway point of the fourth book in the Bartender Babe Chronicles DIE BEFORE YOU WAKE. Last night I cleared twenty-thousand words toward my fifty-thousand word first draft goal. If you've followed Vicki's antics up through book three, you know some major changes are getting ready to take place in her life. I can't wait to bring them to you! Seems lately I wake up and go to sleep (and sometimes dream) with Vicki's voice in my head. My bedside notebook is getting pretty full about now, which is a really good sign to me. I've no problem coming up with more crap to hit the fan in Vicki's world this time around. By the end of this month, I should have a release day locked down and a cover ready to reveal. Stay tuned!<br />
<br />
Now for those of you who want the dark stuff, I've started on a new series that will take some time to dig down deep and fully plumb. Originally I'd planned to approach it in a different way, sort of a dark romance perhaps (this from a non-romance reader who got tired of the strong-arm tactics of my fellow writers). However, after allowing myself to ruminate on it for several weeks now, I've decided to give it a dark mystery bent since mysteries and thrillers are a better fit for me. Sorry, gang, but my brain just isn't wired to be all gooey and mushy - bleh! Tentative working title is UNAPPROACHABLE, but don't look for any form of release announcements on it until sometime in 2018. This one is gonna be a slow burn to get all of the strings laid out to eventually weave together.<br />
<br />
So for this fall, I'm allowing myself a chance to see which final book for 2017 I'll be in the mood to work on. Will it be AIM BEFORE YOU SHOOT, the fifth book in the Bartender Babe Chronicles? Or will it be the third as yet unnamed book in the Outliers' series?<br />
<br />
I guess we'll all have to wait for that one.<br />
<br />
Next item on the agenda, don't forget to check out some of the silly discussions we get into on the Coffee and Catastrophe podcasts. For all of the other writers in the audience who seek to improve their writing, fellow author William Brian Johnson and I have spent the better part of this year thus far in our Nuts & Bolts series, discussing various mechanics of novel writing. If you'd like to catch up on some of it, just click on the "Podcast" tab above and take your pick to listen in right here on the blog.<br />
<br />
Last item on the agenda, be sure and sign up for my new newsletter. On the far right of the blog here, you'll see a sign up box. Don't worry. I won't continually hound you about all things through the newsletter - that's what my blog, Twitter, and Facebook accounts are for! However, my newsletter will now be the first place to go to get specific news on releases and special sales of my books. You won't want to miss the pre-order pricing you'll only hear about there and notices when prices are about to change. Since I'm now also direct-selling through Kobo Books, I get to take advantage of their promotions from time-to-time, so you'll want to have the newsletter to stay abreast of those deals.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, watch for the cover reveal and release announcement of DIE BEFORE YOU WAKE coming soon.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-820809176306221682016-12-28T17:04:00.000-06:002016-12-28T17:06:13.465-06:00Year In Review and a Thank You<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello again, dear readers!<br />
<br />
I've been remiss in posting regularly to my blog this year, mainly because I've been so focused on getting as much writing done as possible. And I succeeded in hitting my goal of releasing three novels this year in my Bartender Babe Chronicles series. Yay!!!<br />
<br />
Another 2016 milestone target was to start a podcast, which I have done with fellow author William Brian Johnson (see Podcast tab above). We've been having a blast just feeling our way through some of the in's and out's of that whole mess, but I think we're beginning to find our stride (finally). I was pleased to hear from a listener about how helpful he found Episode 6 to be, where we talked about reviews, how to find reviewers, and how to professionally ask for reviews. Since I forgot to post the data mentioned there, I will do so below for the indie authors in the audience:<br />
<br />
Review List Sites:<br />
1. <a href="http://indiebookreviewer.wordpress.com/">indiebookreviewer.wordpress.com</a><br />
2. <a href="http://theindieview.com/">theindieview.com</a><br />
3. <a href="http://bookrevieweryellowpages.com/">bookrevieweryellowpages.com</a><br />
4. <a href="http://bookbloggerlist.com/"> bookbloggerlist.com</a><br />
5. <a href="http://tweetyourbooks.com/">tweetyourbooks.com</a><br />
<br />
Also in said podcast Episode 6, I mentioned my top ten pet peeves of things authors do wrong when requesting a review from reviewers. I talk about this repeatedly in the podcast, but the first thing to remember is to always, ALWAYS follow each individual reviewer's guidelines on their website/blog when sending out that initial request for review. Then be professional in your request. <br />
<br />
Top Ten Pet Peeves:<br />
10. Not addressing your email request to a real person - instead using Sir/Madam/To Whom It May Concern, etc.<br />
9. Asking for an "honest" review - as if all reviews we've written before yours are less than honest<br />
8. Piles request with positive comments of other reviewers - we'll make our own decisions, thank you<br />
7. Listing personal accomplishments that have absolutely nothing to do with NOVEL writing<br />
6. Sending the book and/or a bunch of other attachments with your initial request - some want it up front while most don't, and you can find this out by reading each reviewer's guidelines (see above for a reminder if you've already forgotten)<br />
5. Including a bunch of links for reviewers to discover your book blurb, cover, author bio, etc. - you want the review so don't expect the reviewer to do your work for you<br />
4. Unrealistic expectations - i.e. expecting a reviewer to read and review your book within days or even weeks of submitting a request when we're usually running months out on our TBR piles<br />
3. Not including the book title, author name, or book blurb - and the sender's email address gives no clue as to who they are because it's cutsie or disturbing<br />
2. A request to review a novel outside of specified genres - again, read the guidelines of every reviewer<br />
1. Expecting reviewers to BUY their book to review - ain't gonna happen<br />
<br />
So with those out of the way, podcast Episode 7 is now live if you'd like to listen. Again, find it under the Podcast tab above.<br />
<br />
Another thing I really wanted to do in 2016 was to begin treating my writing more like a business instead of a hobby. One of those ways I succeeded this year was to write and release more books. Even though this took me away from my more in-depth stories, it did allow me to branch out into other genres I enjoy reading and writing. However, even though I'm going to spend time in 2017 writing these lighter books, I'll also be working behind the scenes on some deeper and more complex stories I've got percolating around in my head. When they'll release is uncertain at this time, but for those of you who prefer something more along the lines of the Deepest Darkness series, trust that I'll have more for you again from my publishing quiver. <br />
<br />
So continuing with the business model mindset, though I have yet to incorporate, I did begin to keep better track of income and expenses, created a variety of spreadsheets, tracked promotions and their effectiveness, and have started a newsletter in 2016.<br />
<br />
I realized a little late in the game how important newsletters are to keeping in touch with fans and followers and the impact that has on growing sales of new releases. When I ran a BookBub promotion back in 2014, I could've been much more ahead of the game by now if I'd have had this one little piece in place. So instead of spending so much time and energy on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads this coming year, I'm going to expend more energy with my newsletter. Just remember to be patient with me as I better learn these rather complicated ropes. Hey, I'm teaching myself as I go (and for an older dog, it's a little harder to learn new tricks).<br />
<br />
The other thing I've done is to start updating front and back matter of my book backlist. One thing I'd never done was to incorporate a page at the end of each book asking for reviews. After talking with several more successful authors through <a href="http://kboards.com/">Kboards.com</a> (if you're an author and haven't spent time there, I highly recommend you do), I figured it was high time I grit my teeth, swallow my squirms with this well-used trope, and go ahead and do this too. It goes back to that aspect of treating my writing like a business - and like a business, I need reviews to sell books, and to sell books I need reviews. This makes it easier for a reader to click the link and leave a few kind words if they are so inclined. Already I've gotten several new reviews these last couple of days (and a couple of signups for my newsletter too).<br />
<br />
All in all, I'm still not exactly where I wanted to be by the end of 2016, but I have accomplished most of my goals for this year - and I have you, dear readers, to thank for what successes I've achieved. From the bottom of my heart, please know I appreciate you sticking with my writing and thank you immensely for your support and for the encouraging words so many of you have passed along.<br />
<br />
Now I'm on to finalizing new goals for 2017. Fingers crossed!<br />
<br /></div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-67031922579639031212016-11-17T16:27:00.001-06:002016-11-17T16:27:53.923-06:00Cover Reveal - Knock Before You Enter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The story writ. The release nears. The cover made.<div>
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The cover you ask?</div>
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Ah-ha!</div>
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Your favorite bartender is headed on vacation - and this time it isn't all handsome hunks and high heels. More like grumpy gators and a grandmother on the side as Vicki heads to Louisiana for the holidays.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So with neither fanfare nor frolicking and with nary a nudge (okay, maybe a little), catch the first glimpse of the brand new cover for KNOCK BEFORE YOU ENTER, book three in the Bartender Babe Chronicles coming December 15th.</div>
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D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-5223071020433717652016-11-10T18:29:00.000-06:002016-11-13T00:02:52.767-06:00Catastrophic Coffee New Podcast Episode<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hey, readers! If you aren't yet aware, I've partnered with fellow author William Brian Johnson to host a podcast on writing and self-publishing - and we've got a new episode posted on D A Bale Publishing.<br />
<br />
Click on the <b>Podcast</b> tab up above or <a href="http://dabalepublishing.blogspot.com/p/podcasts.html">HERE</a> for the link to all four episodes thus far, including the most recent Episode 4: Marketing for Idiots, Complete Idiots, No Not You. Some of the promotional websites we discuss during this episode are referenced below:<br />
<br />
Free<br />
<a href="http://www.mybookcave.com/">www.mybookcave.com</a><br />
<br />
Low Cost<br />
<a href="http://www.readingdeals.com/">www.readingdeals.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.thefussylibrarian.com/">www.thefussylibrarian.com</a><br />
<br />
Mid Cost<br />
<a href="http://www.ereadernewstoday.com/">www.ereadernewstoday.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bookgorilla.com/">www.bookgorilla.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.booksends.com/">www.booksends.com</a><br />
<br />
High Cost<br />
<a href="http://www.bookbub.com/">www.bookbub.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.freebooksy.com/">www.freebooksy.com </a><br />
<br />
If you like what you hear and have a specific topic you'd like us to pursue, email us at <a href="mailto:catastrophiccoffee@gmail.com">catastrophiccoffee@gmail.com</a>. Stay tuned for more episodes!</div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-61539924314154682692016-10-31T14:26:00.000-05:002016-10-31T14:27:44.460-05:00A Halloween Announcement<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Happy Halloween!<br />
<br />
On this auspicious day of candy and capers, I offer up an announcement guaranteed to rot your brain better than a year of candy bars.<br />
<br />
There's a podcast going on.<br />
<br />
Yes sirree. After months of working out the details and tripping over ourselves through the whims of the weather, I've partnered with a fellow writer to put together Coffee and Catastrophe...Writers on a Caffeine High, a podcast on novel writing and the ever-changing realm of indie publishing. We'll converse about general principles, the important rules of novel writing, my personal experience with many of the marketing websites out there, NaNoWriMo, and what it's really like to visit the Vomitarium.<br />
<br />
You read that right - but you'll have to listen to find out more.<br />
<br />
If you've visited the site within the past week, you'll notice a new tab at the top labeled <i style="font-weight: bold;">Podcasts</i>. Or you can click on the link <a href="http://dabalepublishing.blogspot.com/p/podcasts.html">HERE</a> and follow the few episodes posted thus far. Each episode is just under thirty minutes, and the plan is to post new episodes weekly.<br />
<br />
So join me and co-host William Brian Johnson as we explore this world of novel writing and self-publishing. Or just laugh at us as we try to navigate our way through the podcast experience. Either way, we promise a wild and interesting ride.<br />
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D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-9790463732547952342016-09-29T15:30:00.000-05:002016-09-29T15:42:06.553-05:00Interviewing Bestselling Author Elle Casey - Part Two<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last week I had the pleasure of introducing you to bestselling author Elle Casey in part one of her interview (read <a href="http://dabalepublishing.blogspot.com/2016/09/interviewing-bestselling-author-elle.html">HERE</a>). This week we continue our discussion about life and writing within the world of self-publishing.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>DAB:</b> <span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Have
you written stories your whole life or only recently when deciding to pursue a
novel writing career?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC:</b> </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I
have written stores my whole life, unofficially. I remember writing a romance
for a girlfriend of mine in seventh grade who had an unrequited crush on a boy.
It featured her as the main character and him as the boy pursuing her. She
begged me for new chapters everyday. That was fun to do, but we were always
panicked someone would get their hands on it. I also did a lot of letter
writing when I was very young, as a teenager, and in my 20s, before computers
and printers were in every house. In those letters I told stories and many
people have saved them because they liked them so much. I’m an attorney (one of
those many work lives I mentioned) and there's an awful lot of writing included
in that career field, although it’s mostly non-fiction. I decided to try
writing novels in November 2011. I had read an article about Amanda Hocking and
that inspired me to try.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Inspiration well channeled, I must say. Going from being an attorney to a teacher and now an author, d</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">id
those around you support your career decision or did you struggle with
detractors?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Anyone
who knew how well I was doing was absolutely supportive. Other people who were
kind of clueless about self-publishing probably thought I was a weirdo, but I
didn't pay any attention to them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Not so easy to do sometimes, but good thing your husband and family were firmly in your corner. That had to make you breathe a little easier, but w</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">hat were some things you researched before diving into this crazy new
self-publishing world?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">When
I read about Darcie Chan and Amanda Hocking and how they were publishing
directly to readers without the middlemen, and how they did it almost
immediately after they were done writing and editing their books, I decided
this was something I'd like to try. My goal was to sell my first book to
a single stranger who liked it, and I figured if I was able to accomplish that
goal, it would mean that I had a possible future as a writer. I achieved that goal
in my first month of publishing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Ha! W</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">hat would you say to those detractors now?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I don't feel the need to say anything. My success speaks for itself. Some people are just negative by nature, and I don't waste my time on them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b>DAB: </b>And what a success it is too, with so many books published in such a short time. So w</span></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">hat
steps do you take to get the word out about an upcoming release?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">My
assistant gets in touch with my ARC team, we run ads, use social media and my
newsletter to let as many readers know about the new book as possible. I
sometimes will run contests for free or reduced price books. I will also do
cross-promotions with other authors where we share each other's work with our
readers to help spread the word. When I have a release with Montlake, they do
price promotions, use NetGalley to get reviewers on board, Goodreads giveaways,
and other promotional levers that only Amazon has access to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Ah, I've seen some of this implemented in your newsletter (sign up for Elle's newsletter <a href="https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/m3s8z5">HERE</a>). </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">How
far ahead of release do you begin your marketing campaign, and how does
publishing a book every six weeks or so affect planning?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Not
far, since I publish so frequently. I finish a book, get started on a new one,
and my team starts the marketing machine going as we release the new book. That
goes for my indie books. My trad books with Montlake follow their plan, which
is marketing months out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b>DAB: </b></span></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">After
a new release, is there a process you go through when deciding what novel to
work on next?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Usually
I will work on the books fans most want me to work on, and I try to spread
myself out among genres. For example, my fantasy readers have been waiting for
the next </span><i style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: 14pt;">War of the Fae</i><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> books for a loooong time. They’re next. But
sometimes I have contractual obligations that decide which book I’m working on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Waiting for more DRIFERS' ALLIANCE here. I just love Captain Cass and the Ginger Twins (hey, sounds like a music group). So w</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">ho
is your favorite created character thus far, and why?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Probably
Tim the pixie in the War of the Fae series. He’s a blast. Whenever I’m writing
his dialogue or have him in a scene, my spirits are soaring. It’s impossible
not to love that little guy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Okay, you've convinced me. Now I'm gonna have to try your WOTF fantasy series. Speaking of fantasy, h</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">ave your travels and life experiences bled into any stories you've written?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b>EC: </b></span></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I took a trip to Scotland and the Isle of Skye a couple of years ago, and I stumbled upon some information about the McKenzie clan. That’s what sparked my novel </span><i style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Shine Not Burn</i><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> which made the New York Times bestseller list. I also used the setting in my </span><i style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: 14pt;">War of the Fae</i><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> books. Scotland and the Isle of Skye are magical places. I think it's impossible not to be inspired there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Sounds heavenly! I'll have to depend upon your imagination/inspiration there. Settings aside, h</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">ow
do your characters/plots come to you?</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Dreams?</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Situations?</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">An amalgamation of people you know?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Life.
My past. My future. Things I see on the street or daydream or nightdream about.
Sometimes weird stories on Yahoo.com are fodder for good books too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Isn't that the truth? Life oftentimes is literally stranger than fiction, but that doesn't stop us from reading about it, eh? </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">What is
your preferred reading medium (paper, electronic, audio), and what are you
reading right now?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I
read in both paper and e-book form. I don't like audiobooks very much. The
narrators usually sound very different than the narrator in my head and I find
it distracting. I also read really fast and audiobooks take too long. I have
very little free time right now, what with my writing, family, and animals, so
I have to cram the books in as fast as I can. Right now I’m reading a book for
book club called </span><i style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Extraordinary People</i><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> by Peter May. I didn’t choose it,
but he’s a great writer, so it’s a pleasure to read.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>I don't know how you find the time to read, what with your prolific output of writing. </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">What
would you say then is the most satisfying thing about being a bestselling
author?</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">The most difficult?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">The
most satisfying thing is getting messages from my fans telling me how much they
like my work. Especially when people tell me how one of my books helped them
through a hard time or made them laugh so hard they peed their pants or woke
their spouse up in the middle of the night when they were reading in bed. I
know about that experience from a reader's perspective, so it's really
flattering to hear somebody saying it about my work. The most difficult part of
becoming a more popular writer is that it tends to bring the online trolls out
to play. They can be very unkind which is demotivating for a writer. Writing is
a creative endeavor, and if your heart isn’t in it, it's almost impossible to
do. Trolls kill creativity_; at least, that’s how it is for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Unrelentingly true. When life becomes difficult, writing becomes impossible. H</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">ow does your mood/emotional state
affect your writing (life situations, bad reviews, etc.), and h</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">ow do
you deal with the down times</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Well,
the most critical thing someone’s ever said is that I’m dead stupid and should
never even think of writing another book for the rest of my life, but that kind
of garbage isn’t helpful and really isn’t about me so much as it’s about an
angry, mentally unbalanced person with free access to the Internet. As silly as
those kinds of reviews are, and even though I can rationally tell myself that
it’s just a person blowing off steam, it still makes it difficult for me to
work after reading one. What I’ll do nowadays is read all the negative reviews
on a certain day, prepare myself as best I can for the anger and vitriol, and
then take a couple days off to cry and hate myself before I get over it and go
back to work. lol. (not kidding, but lol anyway) I do, however, get helpful
writing tips from reader reviews, those that are actually discussing the book
and not me as an author: things like a romance happening too fast, not enough
description of a character to get a good picture, cliffhangers (I ignore any
complaints about those, haha), etc. If enough people tell me something they
didn’t like about a book, character, or series, I am definitely thinking about
it as I write the next book, assuming I agree with it. Sometimes I think a
reader just didn’t get what I was trying to do with a certain character or
scene, so I just let it go. But if I think their gripe is legit, I work to be
better next time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Oh yeah. I've had my fair share of reviewers angry about cliffhangers too. However, it's good to hear you've learned to take those in stride and kept on plugging away. Now that we're here at the end of our interview, do you have a</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">ny
further advice you’d like to offer the authors in our audience?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Ignore the haters. Even
the most amazing authors in the history of writing have them, and none of us
should expect to be different or allow those jerks to define who we are as
authors. It was my readers who gave me that advice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times-roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m often asked to give advice to to aspiring
authors. Here’re my 2 cents: Write. Don’t just dream about writing, or talk
about wanting to write, or read about writing, or do practice exercises
designed to help you learn how to write. Just write. And then keep doing that.
You can’t have a career as a writer if you can’t finish writing a book. Then,
once you’ve done that, edit over and over until it’s the best you can do. Then
ask for feedback from trusted, gentle sources. If you have problems with your
writing, read a book or two on writing and edit again. You’ll never be a good
writer if you don’t WRITE. Also, if you don’t read a lot, you should probably
read at least 50 books in your preferred genre before you even start to write
in it, because you have to know what readers of that genre will be looking for.
Reader expectations must be met always and exceeded whenever possible. If
you’re not a big reader, I don’t think it’s possible to be a big writer.</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<b>Sage advice, Elle</b>, though I still wonder where you find the time to read what with all the writing you do. Keep at it, though, and we'll keep reading.<br />
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<br />
If you haven't had a chance to read any of Elle Casey's work, dear readers, she's got plenty of material to choose from in a wide variety of genres to satisfy your tastes. I can personally recommend her sci-fi space opera series DRIFTERS' ALLIANCE. Now I'm off to sample the first in her ten book series WAR OF THE FAE so I can see why Tim the pixie is such a favorite character of hers.<br />
<br />
Happy reading!<br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times-roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b>Elle Casey's Bio:</b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">ELLE CASEY, a former attorney and teacher, is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA
TODAY bestselling American author who lives in France with her husband, three
kids, and a number of furry friends. She has written books in several genres
and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month.<br />
<br />
BOOKS BY ELLE CASEY<br />
<br />
ROMANCE<br />
By Degrees<br />
Rebel Wheels (3-book series)<br />
Just One Night (romantic serial)<br />
Just One Week<br />
Love in New York (3-book series)<br />
Shine Not Burn (2-book series), also available as an Audiobook<br />
Bourbon Street Boys (3-book series), also available as an Audiobook<br />
Desperate Measures<br />
Mismatched<br />
<br />
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE<br />
All the Glory: How Jason Bradley Went from Hero to Zero in Ten Seconds Flat<br />
Don’t Make Me Beautiful<br />
Wrecked (2-book series), Book 1 also available as an Audiobook<br />
<br />
CONTEMPORARY URBAN FANTASY<br />
War of the Fae (10-book series) *Book 1, The Changelings, is a free ebook at
most retailers*<br />
Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons (short story, The Dragon Chronicles)<br />
My Vampire Summer<br />
Aces High<br />
<br />
SCIENCE FICTION<br />
Drifters’ Alliance (ongoing series)<br />
Winner Takes All (short story prequel to Drifters’ Alliance, Dark Beyond the
Stars Anthology)<br />
The Ivory Tower (short story standalone, Beyond the Stars: A Planet Too Far
Anthology)<br />
<br />
DYSTOPIAN<br />
Apocalypsis (4-book series)*Book 1, Kahayatle, is a free ebook at most
retailers*<br />
<br />
PARANORMAL</span><span style="font-family: "ms mincho"; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Duality (2-book
series)<br />
Monkey Business (short story)<br />
Dreampath (short story, The Telepath Chronicles)<br />
Pocket Full of Sunshine (short story & screenplay)<br />
<br />
A personal note from Elle ...<br />
If you've enjoyed any of my books, please take a moment to leave a review on
the site where you bought this book, Goodreads, or any book blogs you
participate in, and tell your friends! I love interacting with my readers, so
if you feel like shooting the breeze or talking about books or your family or
pets, please visit me. You can find me at ...<br />
<br />
www.ElleCasey.com<br />
www.Facebook.com/ellecaseytheauthor<br />
www.Twitter.com/ellecasey<br />
<br />
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www.ElleCasey.com/news</span></span></div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-53788909373211737242016-09-23T17:13:00.000-05:002016-09-23T18:10:03.576-05:00Interviewing Bestselling Author Elle Casey - Part One<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Have I got a real treat for you today, dear readers! I stumbled upon Elle Casey during one of her freebie promotion days for her sci-fi space opera adventure series DRIFTERS' ALLIANCE (read my review <a href="http://dabalepublishing.blogspot.com/2016/08/love-space-opera-try-drifters-alliance.html">HERE</a>). It was such an enjoyable read, I quickly downloaded books two and three in the series and devoured them. Her characters are rich. They're flawed. They have pasts, presents, and are dreaming of futures yet to be realized - and I can hardly wait to jump back on board the spaceship DS Anarchy for additional adventures with Captain Cass and Company.<br />
<br />
While I was in full geek-out mode, I took a chance and contacted Elle through her website (<a href="http://www.ellecasey.com/">www.ellecasey.com</a>) to see if she'd be willing to let me interview her for the blog - and she graciously agreed, answering not just some but all of my questions. Thus, please join me today for part one of this interview and get to know bestselling author, Elle Casey.<br />
<br />
<b>DAB: </b>Welcome, Elle! <span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">You’ve
been an attorney, a teacher, and now a bestselling author.</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Tell us a little of what the progression was
like through your various careers, and how it prepared you for the life you’re
living as an author today.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I’m
the kind of person who gets interested in a particular topic or subject and
then I research the heck out of it. And if it interests me beyond that,
sometimes I turn it into a career. I've done that several times, in fact.
(stock broker, insurance sales, restaurateur, medical devices, etc.) But I'm
also the kind of person who, once I have mastered something, I get bored with
it. That goes for jobs and it also goes for places where I live. So I guess you
could say I've been a bit nomadic in both my work and private lives. Most of my
life, the people who love me would make offhand comments about me being flaky
(“She can’t settle down, she’s always starting something new.”) But as it turns
out, this kind of life can turn a person into a great storyteller. I've met
many kinds of people, I've worked in a lot of different environments, and I've
lived in a lot of places. You will see bits of that in all of the books I
write.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Well here's one reader that hopes you won't give up this particular writing career anytime soon. </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">You’re
an American living in France.</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">How did
you arrive at the decision to make the move, and did moving to France influence
your decision to pursue a novel writing career?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">My
husband and I decided to take a one year timeout with the kids so that we could
all learn about another culture and take a break from the rat race. But once we
were here, we didn't want to leave. So that put me in the position of having to
figure out a way to make a living here. At first, I was working as a teacher,
but as everybody knows, teacher salaries aren't so great. Self-publishing came
along at just the right moment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>I come from a family full of teachers, so I can definitely appreciate that aspect. </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Was
it exciting, frightening, nerve-wracking, or simply business-as-usual to move
from the corporate/business environment to self-publishing?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">It
was just plain exciting! I did it while I was also working as a teacher, so I
had nothing to lose and everything to gain by trying.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>So I guess we could say teaching was your transition career between being an attorney and an author. So at this point, w</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">hich
of your novels is your favorite?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">They
all take a piece of me to put together and they all pull from my life or my
history in one way or another. My favorite might be </span><i style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Apocalypsis</i><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> because
I dreamed of a post-apocalyptic world often as a teen, wondering what I’d do to
survive. I also love </span><i style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: 14pt;">War of the Fae</i><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> because the characters are so crazy
and I adore supernatural stuff. There will always be a part of me that believes
vampires, witches, elves, and fairies exist here with us. No one will ever be
able to convince me they don’t.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Maybe they're all part of that world in a galaxy far, far away. Speaking of other galaxies, </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I’ve
read your DRIFTERS’ ALLIANCE series and loved the three books thus far.</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Where did the germ that sprang into the idea
for this series come from?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I’m
a big fan of the television series </span><i style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Firefly</i><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">. My husband and I were always
looking for something similar on TV, but there's not much out there. So, I
decided to write my own story. I would love to see it on television one day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Me too! Total <i>Firefly</i> geek. Personally, I'd love to see your DA novels become the next space opera TV series. Now who would play the ginger twins???</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">But sci-fi aside, y</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">ou
write in a broad category of other genres such as romance, mystery, etc.</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Have you experienced unexpected challenges to
writing under and juggling so many hats?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I
write in several genres including action-adventure, contemporary urban fantasy,
romance, romantic thriller, paranormal, paranormal romance, science fiction,
and post-apocalyptic dystopian fiction. I really believe there are no genre or
subject matter limits to what indie authors can publish. Indies can write in
any genre, and that work will be accepted by readers around the world. </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">In fact,
I believe that indie writing lends itself to a much broader spectrum of fiction
than what has been accepted by the traditional publishing world. Right
now indie authors are setting the trends, and traditional publishers are
playing catch-up. But there’s a valid reason for it. It’s all about the
cost of doing business. Traditional publishing companies like to make sure that
their marketing money is being spent as efficiently as possible, therefore they
limit their authors to a specific genre so that every dollar they spend can be
focused on a single group of readers that’s very easy to find and identify and
“speak" to. If an author were to write in several genres, that marketing
money could be wasted, in that they’d be talking to the wrong people sometimes
and they’d have to build up and attract a new audience for each genre. I’m sure
they see it as re-inventing the wheel over and over. It’s true to say that reader-fans
don’t always cross over and read other genres written by their favorite
authors. Many of my readers have told me that they will read all the romance
novels I write, but they won't touch the other genres that I write in; and, on
the other hand, I have readers who will only read my fantasy or paranormal work
and nothing else. From a marketing dollar perspective, it's very
expensive to have to build new audiences for each genre, but indie authors
don't really worry about this kind of thing, in general. Indie authors write
what excites them, write what they're interested in reading, or write what they
think their readers are looking for. Indie authors are not limited by a company
head above them telling them what they can and cannot do. Personally, I like to
read in all these genres, and I also get bored writing in the same genre all
the time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>I second that. It's nice as an indie to be able to write what we enjoy without all of those restrictions. You've mentioned many different genres in which you write, so that's got to translate to quite a few books. </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">How
many total books written/published are you up to now?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I
currently have 44 published works (this includes full-length novels, serials
and short stories).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>In three/four years as an author? That's incredible! </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Have
you found certain genres perform better than others?</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">If so, what’s your take on the reasons for
this genre performance?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">The
romance genre performs better than any of the others because the market is so
big and readers of romance tend to be very voracious. They read more books in a
the year than any other genre reader, I’m convinced of that. A close second
would be mystery/thriller readers, but that genre is more popular in the UK
than the US. Lately, science fiction has started to jump, and I'm really
excited about that. It's one of my favorite genres to watch on television and
in the movies. My </span><i style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Drifters’ Alliance</i><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> science fiction space opera has been
really well-received.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Uh, big fan here if I've yet to make that clear. </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">What
project(s) are you currently pounding out that we might see later in 2016/2017 (please say DA4)?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Yes!
DA 4, 5, and 6 actually—they’re coming next year. I have more </span><i style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: 14pt;">War of the Fae</i><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">
coming this year. I also have a 4th book in the </span><i style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Bourbon Street Boys</i><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">
series in process right now. You can check my website for my full publishing
schedule: <a href="http://www.ellecasey.com/publishing-schedule/">http://www.ellecasey.com/publishing-schedule/</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Okay, here's something I ask every interviewee who visits the blog, and I get some very interesting answers sometimes. </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Are
you a plotter or a pantser (i.e. to outline or not to outline, that is the
question)?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I
don’t use outlines to write; I’m a total Pantser. I’m never in control of my
stories. Never ever. I just take dictation of what I see and hear them
doing/saying in my head. My stories go wherever the characters take them. When
I try to outline it ends up being a waste of time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>I'm so glad to hear you say that! I'm a Pantser as well, but most Plotters shake their finger at me and tell me they get a much higher output when they outline. However, y</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">our
reported word count output per day is astounding.</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Tell us what word count you’ve been running lately,
and advice you would give other authors on how to increase their daily volume.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">It
totally depends on how close the deadline is. If I set a short deadline, I can
do as much as 10k a day for several days in a row. I can do more than that but
it’s mentally exhausting and then I need a break. 5k a day is very reasonable
for me. I would say that practice makes perfect. Getting into the swing of
writing is like anything else; you have to do a lot of it before it starts
feeling natural. I’ve also started doing dictation using a dictaphone and
uploading to Dragon. That makes it much easier to hit my targets.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Hmm, I might have to try that too. To get all of this writing done, d</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">o
you keep a regular writing schedule or do you write all hours of the day and
night as the muse nags?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I
have a schedule but it’s flexible. I write at all hours of the day and night
depending on what else is going on in my life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Do
you ever write to music or do you prefer silence?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I
need either silence or white noise. Anything that can distract me, will! So
anything with lyrics is out, anything I can hum to, etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Uh-oh! The writer's death knell. That reminds me - I've </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">read references on your site about what you call ‘squirrels’.</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Care to explain this term to our audience and
how to deal with these pesky critters that plague us as writers?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Squirrels
are, quite simply, distractions. The reference comes from that movie </span><i style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Up</i><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">
where there's a talking dog who’s having a conversation with somebody and then
stops and whips his head to the side and says, “Squirrel!” Most dogs are
distracted by those little critters. And writers are distracted by Facebook,
Twitter, email, laundry, spouses, kids, etc etc. The list of writing squirrels
is endless and ignoring them is a daily battle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Which is why my desk is covered in notepads. Squirrels are an insanity-inducing challenge some days. Speaking of which, d</span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">id
your husband and children ever question your sanity when you told them you were going to quit your day job and write novels?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Never,
because I think it had been pretty well established already that I wasn't sane
in the first place. Haha. Ask anyone who loves me. . . they’ll tell you I’m a
little crazy. My husband’s favorite line is: “Life with you is never boring.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>DAB: </b>Well, hey - if life got boring, what would you write about? So that brings us to another big question. You could've gone the traditional route and spent time writing and sending out queries to agents and publishers instead of taking such a big risk and publishing on your own. </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">What
advice would you give someone considering traditional publishing versus
self-publishing?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>EC: </b></span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">My
advice to other people considering self-publishing is to absolutely jump in there
and do it. Nobody's going to come knocking on your door asking you to write a
book for them, but there are plenty of people out there who want to read what
you have to write, I promise. And they’ll pay you for it! Also I wouldn't
bother with the traditional publishing process because it takes so long, and
the market is flooded with people doing that. Besides, you really don't need a
gatekeeper between yourself and your readers. Let the readers decide if you're
a good writer. Let the readers give you the very valuable feedback you will
need in order to improve your skills; and then, after you've had some success
as a writer to the real people who matter— that is the readers — go
ahead and send a query letter out if you still feel the need. At least following
this path you will have the confidence you need to push through the closed
doors you’re apt to find. The most pleasing aspect of self-publishing for me
has absolutely been the reader response to my work. I suspect that had I sent
out query letters to agents, I would have run into a lot of closed doors. I
never had to deal with that as an indie writer. I love being able to speak
directly with my readers about my work and to share in their enthusiasm over
it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>As I mentioned before, </b>Elle was so gracious to answer every question I posed to her, I decided to break the interview up into two parts. Stay tuned next week for some additional insight into the world of Elle Casey, self-publishing, and what it takes to become a bestselling author.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14pt;">In the meantime, happy reading!</span></div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-79385068583613350222016-08-17T18:58:00.000-05:002016-08-29T13:47:33.463-05:00Love Space Opera? Try DRIFTERS' ALLIANCE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuBOVa-q5aiPSRY02n8jWqBMjvUYt-_NbEjJ1rzws5xB_e5p3lJgsekzq4cR37aNqtgjM1XLQsOKtZUuezsTkiHquH10GyoXS4Do7ial9jfVZ2czoE4Vzwu1DwJ4NmufiQjAQHMKOVzfM/s1600/Drifters+Alliance+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuBOVa-q5aiPSRY02n8jWqBMjvUYt-_NbEjJ1rzws5xB_e5p3lJgsekzq4cR37aNqtgjM1XLQsOKtZUuezsTkiHquH10GyoXS4Do7ial9jfVZ2czoE4Vzwu1DwJ4NmufiQjAQHMKOVzfM/s400/Drifters+Alliance+Cover.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
Have I got an intriguing series for you!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you're into the whole sci-fi space opera genre (think Firefly, Star Trek, etc.) then you need to pick up Elle Casey's DRIFTERS' ALLIANCE series. Thus far it's only three books, but more are on the way - and I can hardly wait.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Now onto the show.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Book Blurb:</b></div>
<div>
<div>
One hand of cards and it's all over but the crying...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Cass Kennedy finally gets what she's been dreaming of for the past ten years: a drifter ship to call her own. All the sim time and battle training is going to pay off in spades as she sets her course for the future. She'll be living on her own terms, not those of her father.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But drifting through deep space with a crew of nutty strangers on the DS Anarchy carries a lot more surprises than she bargained for. Nobody told her that her ship is falling apart, that dead chickens are something you really want to hang on to, and that the OSG has big plans for the universe that don't necessarily jibe with her plans for herself.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Jump onboard with Cass and her crew as she charts a course toward an alliance that will either make her or break her as Captain of the DS Anarchy.</div>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>My Review:</b></div>
<div>
Through a game of chance, Cass Kennedy has done the impossible - become captain of her very own drifter ship at the ripe age of nineteen. Now she can explore the far reaches of dark space with her crew and escape farther from the clutches of the OSG - and her father, a major general of the Omega Systems Group elite command.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
But the title of captain comes with its own set of challenges - and mutiny doesn't just happen on the Bounty. Throw in a questionable stowaway, and Cass' maiden voyage at the helm of the DS Anarchy might just be her last.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Especially if she can't avoid the OSG's warships and those hunting her down for escaping their elite clutches three years ago. Her only hope? Become a member of a freedom alliance of other drifter ships.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
DRIFTERS' ALLIANCE has a great cast of characters in the vein of that short-lived TV show <i>Firefly</i>. Cass is no wilting flower and has a closet full of skeletons that threaten to expose her and the crew to the mighty and merciless hand of the OSG's ruling order. But all crew members, both old and new, hide behind secrets of their own. Each is drawn as unique, three-dimensional individuals which makes them feel like they could leap from the pages into the real world.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The action takes time to ramp up, but the characters drive the plot forward in the interim, which keeps the pace from bogging down and avoids devolving into a bunch of telling. The reader is simply dropped into the characters' lives where they are without resorting to a bunch of world-building info dumps. Instead the world-building is nicely interwoven into the storyline as it plays out.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Editing is smooth and clean, with only one tiny error I noticed in the entire story. DRIFTERS' ALLIANCE is a quick and entertaining read, with each of the three episodes thus far at just around two hundred pages - and yes, I've already read all three books and am anxiously awaiting the next release. Five stars from me.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Content Warning: Strong language is sprinkled throughout, but it fits with the characters and the nature of the story. Some mild sexual jokes but nothing you wouldn't hear in school or the office. The following books in the series have some violence and blood with danger to the characters, but again not terribly graphic.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Books one through three can be purchased by clicking here on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Drifters-Alliance-Book-Elle-Casey-ebook/dp/B00YO2UO9M/#nav-subnav">AMAZON</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/drifters-alliance-book-1-elle-casey/1122035501?ean=2940151477062">B&N</a>, and anywhere else books are sold.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Author Bio:</b></div>
<div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9yaFTySTqYjIkWBkLhRQmFu5f-v6dN6MOJXG-z69l-inb1fQd1to010TG9tfgn3F2BVKJr1m0HXRFvkpkHf2J4t0E5w16e-TGSrOYf2bdZUtNVmOPxsriLT5vYeOPXcdfZsW37ecmv7U/s1600/Elle+Casey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9yaFTySTqYjIkWBkLhRQmFu5f-v6dN6MOJXG-z69l-inb1fQd1to010TG9tfgn3F2BVKJr1m0HXRFvkpkHf2J4t0E5w16e-TGSrOYf2bdZUtNVmOPxsriLT5vYeOPXcdfZsW37ecmv7U/s1600/Elle+Casey.jpg" /></a>ELLE CASEY, a former attorney and teacher, is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling American author who lives in France with her husband, three kids, and a number of furry friends. She has written books in several genres and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.ellecasey.com/">www.ElleCasey.com</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/ellecaseytheauthor">www.Facebook.com/ellecaseytheauthor</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/ellecasey">www.Twitter.com/ellecasey</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Want to get an email when my next book is released? Sign up here: <a href="http://www.ellecasey.com/news">www.ElleCasey.com/news</a></div>
</div>
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</div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-78832425237218085522016-08-07T19:42:00.000-05:002016-08-08T23:48:54.092-05:00Dark Thriller Review - All Good Deeds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello again, dear readers. I've got a review for you today for a dark, twisted thriller. Stacy Green's Lucy Kendall series book one ALL GOOD DEEDS deals with the subject of pedophiles and human trafficking of children. Oh yes, and murder - Old West style - so this isn't for the faint of heart. My review is for book one in the series, but I bought and read the package deal of all four books in the series (not including the prequel novella) and recommend you do the same.<br />
<br />
If the free first book doesn't make you squirm too much.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFx5iO0h9SuGPq61cfhvSarQ_8EBM_VTHGL_GwshkO1W8GJtHAJj2m3cVJmRBb05fXqKOkzaNsAdDrJfXujm9w799lbCYc3i8gZopRndSJHpbTM6FiyByGe39L8U5i6YRiJ69uoRjTkB4/s1600/all+good+deeds+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFx5iO0h9SuGPq61cfhvSarQ_8EBM_VTHGL_GwshkO1W8GJtHAJj2m3cVJmRBb05fXqKOkzaNsAdDrJfXujm9w799lbCYc3i8gZopRndSJHpbTM6FiyByGe39L8U5i6YRiJ69uoRjTkB4/s400/all+good+deeds+cover.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
<b>Book Blurb:</b><br />
She's no killer. She's just taking out the trash.<br />
<br />
Don’t call Lucy Kendall a serial killer. She’s fighting for the innocent, and she’ll do whatever it takes to bring justice.<br />
<br />
When a child disappears, Lucy quickly discovers the link to a predator she’s faced before–a man the state of Pennsylvania decided to turn loose on the streets. Determined to find the little girl and put a criminal behind bars for good, Lucy forces her way onto the case.<br />
<br />
As the search for the kidnapped child pulls Lucy into a web of evil beyond her darkest imagination, she’ll have to face her own dark truths to save the little girl–and herself.<br />
<br />
Packed with suspense, All Good Deeds is a dark psychological thriller with a finely crafted mystery that takes readers into the deepest recesses of the human psyche.<br />
<br />
<b>My Review:</b><br />
This would've been a five star if not for all of the editing errors (missing words, transpositions, wrong words used, etc.). As is, I'm giving it four and ahalf stars because everything else about it is fantastic - if you can stomach the subject matter.<br />
<br />
Lucy Kendall is a former social worker who quit the system when child pedophiles kept going free because of legal loopholes. Since then she's obtained her PI license and been on a quest of her own choosing - finding and killing these repeat offenders before they can destroy any other lives. Lucy practices justice like they did in the Old West - vigilante style.<br />
<br />
But killing - even for honorable reasons - is taking a toll on her psyche. Then someone discovers her secret.<br />
<br />
Chris tags along with Lucy in hopes of stemming his own fascination with serial killers - and he has secrets of his own he can't keep in the closet. When another neighborhood child goes missing, Lucy and Chris discover there are worse things out there on the World Wide Web - and they're in a race to bring down this child trafficking site before another little girl is lost in the ether forever.<br />
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Such dark subject matter we have here, but handled so well without short-circuiting and holding back too much or going over the cliff and showing us everything so awful about such a topic. The plot and pacing races along, just as a thriller should. Point-of-view is handled well without a bunch of head-hopping in each scene. Then we are shown all the way along the gut-wrenching ride instead of resorting to a bunch of telling or info-dumping. This book has everything a great thriller should have. Like I said, four and ahalf stars from me.<br />
<br />
Content warning: Because we're dealing with the subject of child pedophiles and human trafficking of children, it's difficult to read at times and the emotions it brings out (especially for someone who has been abused) can be devastating. There's also plenty of language and a few uses of strong language (which seemed a bit overreaching and unnecessary at times), so be aware if you dare.<br />
<br />
Book one is free by clicking here on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Good-Deeds-Lucy-Kendall-Thriller-ebook/dp/B00MUZMDYY/">AMAZON</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Author Bio:</b><br />
Stacy Green is the author of the Lucy Kendall thriller series and the Delta Crossroads mystery trilogy. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgVjvVCQf2XHv9PaofHsImc6jHU3QDaKKMkNk9_n9GOwK39u45Wz7EZfH9HZRtjfRJYG0kFm5Ab9Lk-RIpg5wo1hsRiWuHyzTzhjVJ43kelRTPR3BY0BTLTwKbEtcgUdhxXaKN-dpklY/s1600/Stacy+Green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgVjvVCQf2XHv9PaofHsImc6jHU3QDaKKMkNk9_n9GOwK39u45Wz7EZfH9HZRtjfRJYG0kFm5Ab9Lk-RIpg5wo1hsRiWuHyzTzhjVJ43kelRTPR3BY0BTLTwKbEtcgUdhxXaKN-dpklY/s200/Stacy+Green.jpg" width="159" /></a></div>
ALL GOOD DEEDS (Lucy Kendall #1) won a bronze medal for mystery and thriller at the 2015 IPPY Awards. TIN GOD (Delta Crossroads #1) was runner-up for best mystery/thriller at the 2013 Kindle Book Awards. Stacy has a love of thrillers and crime fiction, and she is always looking for the next dark and twisted novel to enjoy. She started her career in journalism before becoming a stay at home mother and rediscovering her love of writing. She lives in Iowa with her husband and daughter and their three spoiled fur babies. Stacy loves to hear from readers! Visit her website at stacygreenauthor.com, or Facebook at www.Facebook.com/StacyGreenAuthor.</div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-30573527892457840842016-07-19T14:55:00.000-05:002016-07-19T14:55:31.874-05:00Spotlight on "A MATTER OF TIME"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6sGrZ30ONS7kvkc_PKizaxqIdImIsSKpb-naHyW5hibCFxamBeh7fGKi1SGtUMkQK0X37bC7hChbUsA9W2KQHE6waR73OunI7lKd4I30elJ-h33-yeszwRlXB5iAQUNILz2ZkQkHX08/s1600/A+MATTER+OF+TIME+%255B+cover+print+format%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6sGrZ30ONS7kvkc_PKizaxqIdImIsSKpb-naHyW5hibCFxamBeh7fGKi1SGtUMkQK0X37bC7hChbUsA9W2KQHE6waR73OunI7lKd4I30elJ-h33-yeszwRlXB5iAQUNILz2ZkQkHX08/s400/A+MATTER+OF+TIME+%255B+cover+print+format%255D.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>
<b>Book Blurb:</b><br />
The world's greatest evil stalks the world's greatest ship, and the only one who can stop him hasn't been born yet.<br />
<br />
Jamie Collins is a junior at Santa Clara University in 1986. He has friends, a professor who mentors him, and a promising future as a writer.<br />
<br />
Then the dreams begin - nightmarish memories that transport him back to a time and place fifty years before he was born: Titanic's maiden voyage in 1912.<br />
<br />
When Jamie discovers a foreign cell in his blood that links him to the famous vessel, the two timelines begin to overlap and he realizes an unimaginable truth - something supernatural stalks the ill-fated ship, something that will kill him if he can't stop it first. And the only way to stop it may be to prevent Titanic from sinking.<br />
<br />
But even if he can figure out a way to do that, should he? What will be the effect on history if he succeeds? And what about the lady he wasn't supposed to fall in love with? As her destiny becomes entwined with his, Jamie discovers the value of friendship, the power of love, the impact of evil, and the vagaries of Fate.<br />
<br />
<b>Prices/Formats: </b>$2.99 ebook, $12.95 paperback, $14.95-$21.83 Audible<br />
<b>Genre: </b>Historical Fiction, Suspense<br />
<b>Pages: </b>340<br />
<b>Release: </b>March 2, 2012<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Outskirts Press<br />
<b>ISBN: </b>9781432787110<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Amazon buy link:</b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Matter-Time-Michael-Bowler-ebook/dp/B007GOAC9C?ie=UTF8&tag=tributebooks-20">https://www.amazon.com/Matter-Time-Michael-Bowler-ebook/dp/B007GOAC9C?ie=UTF8&tag=tributebooks-20</a></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Barnes and Noble buy link:</b><br />
<b><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-matter-of-time-michael-bowler/1109296752?ean=9781432787110">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-matter-of-time-michael-bowler/1109296752?ean=9781432787110</a></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>iTunes buy link:</b><br />
<b><a href="https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook/a-matter-of-time-unabridged/id1035392958?mt=3">https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook/a-matter-of-time-unabridged/id1035392958?mt=3</a></b><b></b><br />
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D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-68120626129674369922016-07-09T15:54:00.000-05:002016-07-09T15:54:48.836-05:00Books and Bindings Reviews THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Well it's two-fer-one week here at the blog. Empress DJ over at Books and Bindings enjoyed LOOK BEFORE YOU JUMP so much, she immediately jumped right into book two of the <i>Bartender Babe Chronicles</i>. Her fabu review of THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK can be read by clicking <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-think-before-you-speak-by-d-a-bale/">HERE</a>. Many thanks once again to this belle from Hawaii. Mahalo!<br />
<br />
And don't forget, you can still pick up book one in eBook format for free on Smashwords only through July 31st by clicking <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/622371">HERE</a> and using the coupon code SFREE at checkout. If you're a Kindle user, click on the MOBI file. For Nook, use the EPUB version.<br />
<br />
Happy reading!</div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-90766126268119961522016-07-07T13:44:00.000-05:002016-07-07T13:44:05.707-05:00A Review of LOOK BEFORE YOU JUMP from Books and Bindings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInijLqsVGVppv-Ejui7jroDgn2rl6mbpYDLl1UZtcoYDB8ZNZ6W_Z6AebRL3litCpQ1SzDtlyubYFybTc08dCmMYbQ28haDrZzVda_ebWJyq8XVr5Utmx9NUjRTebyq8ReDaF6zzW-Dw/s1600/Bartender+Babe+Chronicles+Book+One+Cover+Resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInijLqsVGVppv-Ejui7jroDgn2rl6mbpYDLl1UZtcoYDB8ZNZ6W_Z6AebRL3litCpQ1SzDtlyubYFybTc08dCmMYbQ28haDrZzVda_ebWJyq8XVr5Utmx9NUjRTebyq8ReDaF6zzW-Dw/s320/Bartender+Babe+Chronicles+Book+One+Cover+Resized.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Books and Bindings has a wonderful review of LOOK BEFORE YOU JUMP, book one in the <i>Bartender Babe Chronicles</i>, over on their blog. Thanks much to Empress DJ for taking the time to read my book and for the great review. When you have a chance, run on over and check it out by clicking <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-look-before-you-jump-by-d-a-bale/">HERE</a>. Reviewers are so appreciated here at DA Bale Publishing, because I understand the investment of time it takes not only to read the book but to write a concise review as well. I look forward to reading her thoughts of book two.<br />
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And don't forget about the Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale 2016, where you can pick up an eBook copy of LOOK BEFORE YOU JUMP for free by using the coupon code SFREE at checkout. Click <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/622371">HERE</a> for the product page.<br />
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I hope your summer is going well, dear readers. I'll soon have a few reviews of my own to share with you soon.</div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-33872873889873053922016-07-01T17:32:00.001-05:002016-07-01T17:32:51.590-05:00Happy July Housekeeping Updates<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Happy July, dear readers!<br />
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Just a how-dee-do housekeeping post today to update you on things both new and old. After writing and publishing two novels so far this year, I haven't done a good job keeping you up-to-date on what's happening in the little blogosphere corner that is DA Bale Publishing. So here goes!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcpIKt2rkIU8YFD6jQjf3dhwP8OrnLyMdzE901TOInMJ_vl3R2Ur374Bt4VKZzIirDw21FrCwLkk-B-4GDRv9rl1-Zz1nMlRKvBpeni-rHcJw-eXbjUSBvC5-PsNIG6mr1MdnDLhMjxU/s1600/Bartender+Babe+Chronicles+Book+One+Cover+Resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcpIKt2rkIU8YFD6jQjf3dhwP8OrnLyMdzE901TOInMJ_vl3R2Ur374Bt4VKZzIirDw21FrCwLkk-B-4GDRv9rl1-Zz1nMlRKvBpeni-rHcJw-eXbjUSBvC5-PsNIG6mr1MdnDLhMjxU/s200/Bartender+Babe+Chronicles+Book+One+Cover+Resized.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
As part of the Smashwords summer reading promotion, I've offered up LOOK BEFORE YOU JUMP for their free campaign promotion. From July 1st through July 31st, you can pick up a free copy of this first novel in the <i>Bartender Babe Chronicles</i> through Smashwords - and only through Smashwords - by clicking <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/622371">HERE</a> and using the coupon code SFREE at checkout.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWcEh2rVW6vODXpOAdkni4n1xkaVO4uF6nG47ZJVz1XfoJOX49QmNhYqmm7tyEMzTfetCchEMLKU3K0c-IZJRh4O8xHEvfC0mj7FegV4pi01yTBq2aTET50Klj2FQl9v9S91In-uRF_0/s1600/The+Study+Cover+Final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWcEh2rVW6vODXpOAdkni4n1xkaVO4uF6nG47ZJVz1XfoJOX49QmNhYqmm7tyEMzTfetCchEMLKU3K0c-IZJRh4O8xHEvfC0mj7FegV4pi01yTBq2aTET50Klj2FQl9v9S91In-uRF_0/s200/The+Study+Cover+Final.jpg" width="140" /></a>I've also enrolled my short story THE STUDY for this promotion as well,which you can click <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/170860">HERE</a> to pickup - just use the same coupon code at checkout.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDnnqWCVxlLXF-UImbKgyskWnkIS7Siat0rWDsLGQMHI9kL9iIKdvbugdbHXnmIpO5zXwNNj-XhTjlU-Cx8oXgJXh-xgcNDmJ4qBBcAQ-TZmF813sikOSY71x9ABdj2cZATP0RjGoYB8/s1600/PTD+New+Front+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDnnqWCVxlLXF-UImbKgyskWnkIS7Siat0rWDsLGQMHI9kL9iIKdvbugdbHXnmIpO5zXwNNj-XhTjlU-Cx8oXgJXh-xgcNDmJ4qBBcAQ-TZmF813sikOSY71x9ABdj2cZATP0RjGoYB8/s200/PTD+New+Front+Cover.jpg" width="125" /></a>If you take a gander to your right here on the blog, you can also enter the latest Goodreads giveaway for a chance to win one of five autographed print copies of PIERCING THE DARKNESS, the second novel in the <i>Deepest Darkness</i> series. This opportunity is slated to run from July 1st through August 15th, so sign up before it's too late.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyOdn4MHP1zn6qCRJpbnj-ZqqgShCV6YeRoqPJNXniFfYK4iV6TefXN8xBSXXtyjhmxgibu2m-vGwLuE_UzwZDzzEwfw3NCgRCvH-lUyWKWwZlSfy3CpI1yHAPS0fczY-Hxy-6Nf5m5s/s1600/Test+Cover+18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyOdn4MHP1zn6qCRJpbnj-ZqqgShCV6YeRoqPJNXniFfYK4iV6TefXN8xBSXXtyjhmxgibu2m-vGwLuE_UzwZDzzEwfw3NCgRCvH-lUyWKWwZlSfy3CpI1yHAPS0fczY-Hxy-6Nf5m5s/s200/Test+Cover+18.jpg" width="133" /></a>Lastly, we have an Independence Day sale going on here at DA Bale Publishing for the month of July. We recently partnered with a digital media specialist to offer affordable, professional book cover designs. You can click on the tab above or <a href="http://dabalepublishing.blogspot.com/p/cover-creation-services.html">HERE</a> to see some of the currently available options. The good news for the authors in the audience is that during this sale, you can pick up one of these pre-made covers for the low price of $35 - a savings of $40 over the custom design price. Just email dabalepublishing@cox.net with your cover of choice and your book title and author name, and we'll get a PayPal invoice sent over to complete your purchase.<br />
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Watch for some upcoming reviews of some great books I've read the last couple of weeks. As always, happy reading and have a safe and happy Fourth!</div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-20461766349338609452016-06-15T14:15:00.000-05:002016-06-15T14:15:23.051-05:00Release Day for THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuvscMmmSWS9nGs-phYE6nxjUeXPk4Ozo78C6z5bnFdamWRusm3kRtjzaNwSi-vxvOhIBrP_Ud5uV1CQkZPZpKbWHn53g_qAtvEoXMA2AhDZyY8xhP3pMgvXLoSW7jQjiFYEzt3-dz_A/s1600/Bartender+Babe+Chronicles+Book+Two.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuvscMmmSWS9nGs-phYE6nxjUeXPk4Ozo78C6z5bnFdamWRusm3kRtjzaNwSi-vxvOhIBrP_Ud5uV1CQkZPZpKbWHn53g_qAtvEoXMA2AhDZyY8xhP3pMgvXLoSW7jQjiFYEzt3-dz_A/s400/Bartender+Babe+Chronicles+Book+Two.jpg" width="266" /></a>Today it's official - the release day for THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK, the second outing in the <i>Bartender Babe Chronicles</i>.<br />
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This time Vicki Bohanan's mouth runneth off with her brain - and she must find a way to get it under control before Reggie's secrets are spilled. Find out more below.<br />
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<b>Book Blurb:</b><br />
Vicki Bohanan is at it again, and this time she’s sporting a whole new reputation. On the eve of preseason football, blackmail lands at her feet – and for a woman with an attitude the size of Texas, it’s gonna take more than a pigskin to plug her pie hole.<br />
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Especially when the old reputation continues to nip at her like a never-ending hangover. A Texas Ranger, her undercover boss, and a patron affectionately dubbed ‘Radioman’ walk into the bar and keep Vicki’s head whirling like a ride at the state fair. All she wants is to move back into her remodeled apartment to escape the madness. So when her Aussie model sometimes squeeze invites her to San Antonio for a shootout at the Alamo – cameras this time – Vicki saddles up for a ride.<br />
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Then runs smackdab into an unexpected hitch by the name of Reginald von Braun. Reggie’s got secrets hidden behind secrets, and someone else has discovered the truth. With blackmail in the bargain, Vicki must determine the culprit who has threatened to expose Reggie’s past right when he’s on the cusp of finding a future.<br />
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All while protecting his revelations, hard to do when you’ve got that dreaded disease known as foot-in-mouth – and when you’re fighting off multiple men with an eye on your goods.<br />
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How many men can one woman fend off? As many as Vicki can handle in book two of the Bartender Babe Chronicles. Bring it on, boys.<br />
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Grab your copy today by clicking here on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Think-Before-Speak-Bartender-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B01H2FLBOE/">Amazon</a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/think-before-you-speak/id1093057264?mt=11">Apple</a> <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/think-before-you-speak-d-a-bale/1123516354?ean=2940152918229">B&N</a> <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/think-before-you-speak-1">Kobo</a> and anywhere else ebooks are sold. Watch for the paperback coming by the weekend.<br />
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And if you haven't had a chance to get into this series, you can pick up the first book in the <i>Bartender Babe Chronicles</i> for the rootin'-tootin' sale price of only ninety-nine cents, now through summer's end. Get LOOK BEFORE YOU JUMP while the weather's hot!<br />
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D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2415982059235704238.post-41215785642846863052016-06-08T13:46:00.001-05:002016-06-08T13:46:54.295-05:00Coming Soon and a Sale<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvMevYMmvtN9IPwi4gFTjlT5YMrzTBedlgdAO-kMhCUBUyt42QR6lmYfkSHMQBKPgmysTeVL_YEtIV7uRMZxHAvmUhhYvX_Od5YWzT4X7eJKUThXlb377WfD7zYimx-rKx4OHzIbrtVw/s1600/Bartender+Babe+Chronicles+Book+One+Cover+Resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvMevYMmvtN9IPwi4gFTjlT5YMrzTBedlgdAO-kMhCUBUyt42QR6lmYfkSHMQBKPgmysTeVL_YEtIV7uRMZxHAvmUhhYvX_Od5YWzT4X7eJKUThXlb377WfD7zYimx-rKx4OHzIbrtVw/s320/Bartender+Babe+Chronicles+Book+One+Cover+Resized.jpg" width="213" /></a>There's a sizzling summer sale going on!<br />
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As part of the upcoming release of THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK, the second in the <i>Bartender Babe Chronicles</i>, I've put the first eBook in this cozy mystery series on sale for only ninety-nine cents.<br />
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So for the remainder of the summer you can pick up an eBook copy of LOOK BEFORE YOU JUMP for .99. Then stay tuned for the June 15th release of THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK, and join Vicki Bohanan for an irreverent and fun jaunt through the mysteries of life.<br />
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And don't forget! You can still enter for a chance to win one of ten paperback copies of LBYJ by clicking on the GoodReads link at the top right on the blog. But hurry before entries close.<br />
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Purchase links: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Look-Before-Jump-Bartender-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B01CXJZL18/">Amazon</a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/look-before-you-jump/id1093326422?mt=11">Apple</a> <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/look-before-you-jump-d-a-bale/1123520878?ean=2940152920062">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/look-before-you-jump">Kobo</a> <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/622371">Smashwords</a></div>
D A Balehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08499891456138806820noreply@blogger.com0