• Author Marketing

    MFRW: Follow Your Passion @AuthorTinaGayle #RLFblog #MFRWauthor

    Summer’s Growth 

    Today, author Tina Gayle takes over the blog with a tip for following your passion as a writer.
    ===

    Follow Your Passion with the Help of MFRW

    You can’t buy it…you can’t get it from someone else–It is
    right there within you.
    My passion to be a published author has taken me on a wild ride.
    The up and down adventure has required perseverance and tenacity. I’ve had to sit
    in the chair and write, deal with situations that I’d never imagined, encountered
    a number of “Oh Shit moments” and had more fun than I could have ever
    believed possible.
               
    With no agent, spelling challenged, and an aversion to commas,
    my love of a good story kept me going. I took writing classes, networked with other
    writers and put myself where I needed to be to hone my skills. My rose colored glasses
    wouldn’t let me see what others said were insurmountable obstacles.
    Also along the way, I found promoting my book to be a challenge.
    That is one of the reasons I love Marketing for Romance Writers. The group is very
    supportive and helps me discover new ways to market my book.
    This summer they are also offering a free summer camp to not
    only help me learn about new promotion sites, but to also help me be a better writer.
    What more can you ask for?
    No matter which road you travel remember to follow your passion
    and discover a new world of adventure.
    — Tina Gayle

    Summer’s Growth

    A mainstream novel with romantic and paranormal elements about
    two women.
    Mattie Winston, an almost fifty recluse who lives on a lonely
    estate and guards generations of family spirits, and a young college student, Amber
    Harrison, who doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life. The Winston spirits
    decided that Mattie needs to develop a life outside the estate and Amber is going
    to be the new family keeper, which throws the two together.
    Both travel down different paths of self-discovery but their
    reliance on each other grows stronger after several scary moments. Mattie, challenged
    by an old flame, rethinks the idea of love. Amber, faced with the appearance of
    her distant grandmother’s ghost, decides to solve the mystery of why her grandmother
    disappeared without a trace. By the end of the book, after love is embraced and
    family secrets are revealed, Mattie and Amber are both ready to meet their futures
    with enthusiasm as stronger more self-confident people.

    Buy links

    Amazon http://amzn.com/B00B8VXGLK/
    Barnes and Noble http://barnesandnoble.com/w/summers-growth-tina-gayle/1114375064?ean=2940044285521
    Kobo http://kobobooks.com/ebook/Summers-Growth/book-sLxVut-IzUWfKJDoVOIg5A/page1.html?s=qrQp7DVJq0mXP9mX4wF8ww&r=1

    Find Me Here

    Blog http://tinagayle.blogspot.com
    LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/pub/tina-gayle/11/689/759
  • Contemporary

    Contemporary All for Spilled Blood @AnnSiracusa #RLFblog

    All for Spilled Blood 
    Cover Love at Romance Lives Forever is a short intro to a
    book and includes a cover, blurb, buy links, and social media contacts for the
    author. Today’s featured book is All For Spilled Blood by R. Ann Siracusa.
    Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Publisher: Breathless Press
    An international youth convention, art smugglers, and terrorists
    trying to recruit young computer geniuses and a national art treasure.
    Harriet Ruby, tour director extraordinaire, and her fiancé and
    favorite spy, Will Talbot, travel to Russia
    undercover as tour directors for the US delegation to an international youth
    conference. Harriet tackles her first covert assignment to investigate smuggled
    artwork while Will’s mission is to locate and destroy a group of terrorists recruiting
    young computer experts.
    Their marriage plans hit a snag when Will locates a long-lost
    cousin with startling news about his heritage. When the artwork being smuggled has
    particular significance to one of the terrorist sympathizers, their missions entangle
    and begin to unravel, leaving Will at the mercy of terrorist kidnappers and Harriet
    holding the bag.

    Buy links

    Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Spilled-Blood-Director-Extraordinaire-ebook/dp/B00BJG1SZA
    Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/all-for-spilled-blood-r-ann-siracusa/1105875608?ean=2940044399136

    Find Me Here

  • Character Interviews,  Science Fiction Romance

    Character Interview: Evan Sinclair #SFrom @EvaCaye #RLFblog

    Evan’s Ladies
    Eva Caye, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. We’re excited to
    interview your character, Prince Evan Sinclair, from the book Evan’s Ladies.
    Genre: science fiction romance
    Publisher: self
    Cover artist: self
    Length: 81,072 words
    Heat rating: warm with one controversial topic
    Tagline: What is Fate?
    Blurb:  Science, sex, sorrow,
    solidarity, scandal, sympathy, and sense deprivation are hallmarks of this add-on
    novel to the To Be Sinclair series!
    Prince Evan Sinclair may be a brilliant stargate scientist, but
    his love life has soared to incredible heights and plunged to unbelievable depths.
    Who will stay by his side forever?
    Is true love more than attraction? More than compatibility? More
    than fascination? More than friendship?
    These four novellas chronologically take place between Loyalty and Nobility, books six and seven of the To Be Sinclair series.
    Part I: The Cremian Dance
    Part II: Good Enough
    Part III: Breathe
    Part IV: Treasure Your Words
    Buy links:
    Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CX76ZC0
    What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?
    Prince Evan Sinclair, 22, stargate scientist; Lady Nicole Knightley,
    23, environmental scientist; Lady Sara Bonnaire, 22, assistant to the Lord Protector
    of the Ducal Assembly; Lady Vivian Oberman, 21, artist; Lady Leah Redgrave, 26,
    teacher.

    Interview with Evan Sinclair

    Tell us about yourself.
    I am the youngest son of Emperor Victor and Empress Felice Sinclair.
    My fellow triplets Josef and Sophia and I were body-births, whereas our parents
    used gestation chambers for our first nine siblings. The benevolence and brilliance
    with which our progressive parents raised their Imperial Brood means my magnificent
    sibs are renowned for their wit, intelligence, and social skills. My identical twin
    Josef and our age-mate Stefan are so ingenious, however, that I always felt like
    a dunderhead next to them, so when Mother began training us up in her secret stargate
    science, I struggled to keep up.
    When my first long-time girlfriend dropped me because she had
    fallen in love with Stefan, who would have nothing to do with her for breaking my
    heart, I felt even more terribly outclassed by my sibs, all of whom had found incredibly
    smart, loyal, and remarkable mates. All I want is to find an honest, brilliant lady
    who loves me for myself, stays true to me, and can stand to live with the dangers
    of being an Imperial spouse.
    What do you think is your strongest point?
    I will do anything to make my lady happy. Our parents based our
    sexual education on a Manuvian sexology textbook, The Pleasure Centers of the Body, so I know I can always make a lady
    happy in bed. But when she longs for her former lifestyle, or feels as if I cannot
    give her the attention she needs, I will pull strings and bend over backwards to
    be what she needs. And sometimes it is still not enough!
    What was it like where you grew up?
    Built almost 400 years ago, some 100 years after Landfall, the
    Palace and its walled and force-shielded grounds were considered a miracle of engineering
    in the galaxy back then. The kings and emperors over the centuries ensured it became
    a virtually impregnable fortress, and the queens and empresses a comfortable and
    beautiful one, but growing up in luxury does not mean your life is complete, nor
    completely safe. The Rendelian Wars and Dalanov’s Coup meant Father grew up as the
    sole Sinclair scion on the planet, with rabidly paranoid Sentinels and watchmen
    from the time he was six years old. We children were constantly prepared for potential
    disasters, including memorizing 37 scenarios to maintain Imperial leadership depending
    on which combinations of us survived the next devastating attack.
    Being surrounded by Sentinels meant it was nearly impossible
    for us to form outside friendships, for how many people really want professional,
    paranoid scrutiny of every facet of their lives by grim security men, just to be
    in our presence? Very few of my sibs developed strong friendships outside of their
    eventual spouses, so for the most part we grew up isolated in the Palace with each
    other as best friends.
    Sunday Family Night gatherings exemplified our parents’ determination
    to foster bonding between us, for we all knew we would be important in our oldest
    brother Zhaiden’s government someday. Although we were allowed our choice of careers,
    we used Family Nights to coordinate who would take over which social duties during
    the week, as well as to ask for or offer help on our personal projects. We could
    invite friends or lovers to Family Night, though we usually only did so if we felt
    they could handle it, for to be Sinclair means responsibility in our every word
    and action. Since most people do not live like that, witnessing our dedication to
    each other and the Empire could be rather intimidating to them.
    Until we were 20, the only way we traditionally found lovers
    was to meet them at balls, and Mother required the boys to introduce ladies to her
    before we could bed them in the Palace. We all complied, not simply because Mother
    was Empress and her word was law, but because she would also ask the ladies important
    questions such as whether they had a contraceptive implant. Even now I go through
    the process because the consequences of going against my parents’ rules would be
    severe. Even then, it’s sometimes not enough…
    What do you wish was different about your life?
    I wish I could walk around in public without the constant attention.
    Father upped our visible Sentinel details to six men when Anne, Stefan, Josef, and
    I mastered Mother’s ultra-secret stargate science, and that does not include our
    invisible outer perimeter details. We must give 26 hours notice to Sentinel Command
    for any excursions, which means we often go in groups. And it’s difficult to get
    to know people in such situations, especially because Sentinels only tell us about
    the more blatant assassination attempts on each other, so we naturally try to minimize
    our exposure for our subjects’ sake as well as our own.
    If you were given your fondest wish, what would it be?
    To have married my first fiancée.
    Describe a place of perfect refuge.
    I’m not certain I can. Even the Palace
    got bombed in such a way that the overhead force-shields were utterly destroyed.
    Sentinel Command is the most secure building on the planet, so I’ll go with that.
    What is your most important goal in life?
    To support the Empire of Sinclair Demesne in every way. Providing
    stargates to facilitate the spread of humanity throughout the galaxy garners the
    Empire vast sums of money, but helping my brothers with Sinclair Enterprises will
    lead to a revolution in starship technology, which will help us maintain our status
    as the preeminent Empire in the galaxy. And, all told, to support my extended family,
    since we are the interface between the Empire and the galaxy, protecting the Realm’s
    interests from both civil and interstellar wars.

    About the Author

    A health crisis inspired Eva Caye to become an obsessive writer,
    completing eight books in her To Be Sinclair series before she could afford an editor.
    She published Dignity in August 2012, with the projected release of her 8th book
    Nobility in late June 2013. She laughingly refers to Evan’s Ladies as Book 6.5,
    an ‘add-on’ book to the series since it consists of four novellas. The other seven
    books are full novels, though most have ‘Easter egg’ short stories as bonuses for
    the reader.
    The To Be Sinclair series is set some 600 years in the future
    and covers the lives and loves of the greatest ruling family in the galaxy. Her
    current works-in-progress are a finale to the series, and two prequels set in the
    TBS universe about 100 years in the future.
    Eva lives with her incredibly supportive husband and two lovely
    mutts in a tiny, century-old farmhouse in Louisville,
    Kentucky.

    Find Me Here

    Website: http://www.evacaye.com
  • Historical

    Folly at Falconbridge Hall @maggiandersen #RLFblog

    Today’s featured book is The Folly at Falconbridge Hall by Maggi
    Andersen.
    Vanessa Ashley felt herself qualified for a position as
    governess, until offered the position at Falconbridge Hall. Left penniless
    after the deaths of her artist father and suffragette mother, Vanessa draws on
    her knowledge of art, politics, and history to gain employment as a governess.
    She discovers that Julian, Lord Falconbridge, requires a governess for his
    ten-year-old daughter Blyth at Falconbridge Hall, in the countryside outside London. Lord Falconbridge
    is a scientist and dedicated lepidopterist who is about to embark on an
    extended expedition to the Amazon. An enigmatic man, he takes a keen interest
    in his daughter’s education. As she prepares her young charge, Vanessa finds
    the girl detached and aloof. As Vanessa learns more about Falconbridge Hall,
    more questions arise. Why doesn’t Blythe feel safe in her own home? Why is the
    death of her mother, once famed society beauty Clara, never spoken of? And why
    did the former governess leave so suddenly without giving notice?
    Buy links:
    Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Folly-at-Falconbridge-Hall/dp/1908483369/ref=la_B003MJXQVG_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1366846411&sr=1-8
    Amazon UK
    Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-folly-at-falconbridge-hall-maggi-andersen/1112934372?ean=9781908483362
    Knox Robinson Publishing http://knoxrobinsonpublishing.com

    Find Me Here

  • Author Interviews,  Contemporary

    New Adult: Death of a Waterfall | Interview @KaraLeighMille1 #RLFblog

    Death of a Waterfall
    Kara Leigh Miller, welcome back to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk
    about your book, Death of a Waterfall.
    Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
    Publisher: Rogue Phoenix
    Press
    Cover artist: Rebecca K. Sterling
    Length: Approx. 75,000 words / 292 pages
    Heat rating: 2-3
    Tagline: How far would you go to avenge the death of your unborn
    child?
    Blurb:
    Teghan Jacobs didn’t
    think anything could be worse than learning she’s pregnant by a man she’s been dating
    less than six months. Boy, was she wrong. Her mother, whose drowning in the river
    of denial, refuses to take a side on the issue. And her overbearing, manipulative
    father threatens to disown her and cut her off from her trust fund if she doesn’t
    have an abortion.
    Donnie Marks couldn’t
    be happier. The woman he loves, the woman he fought so hard to be with, is going
    to have his baby. Life has never been better. But when she shows up in his dorm
    room, sobbing and heartbroken, he learns the horrible truth of what happened. He
    vows to get revenge on the man who’s responsible: Teghan’s father.
    What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?
    Teghan Jacobs–20–College Freshman
    Donnie Marks–20–College Freshman
    Robert Jacobs–46–Lawyer
    Buy links:
    Rogue Phoenix
    Press http://is.gd/DeathofaWaterfall

    Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00DAKXOQO/
    Barnes and Noble: http://barnesandnoble.com/w/death-of-a-waterfall-kar-leigh-miller/1115551192?ean=2940016534343

    Interview

    What is the most important thing you do for your career now,
    as compared to when you first started writing?
    I have more of an online presence. I try to spend an hour or
    two each day interacting with other authors, bloggers, readers, fans, etc. I spend
    a lot of time on Twitter, which has led to some great new friends and wonderful
    contacts. I also take the advice of my critique partner a lot more seriously now
    than I did before. He tends to be right about a lot of things. Lol.
    What do you enjoy most about writing?
    The spark of a new idea. I thrive on that feeling. It’s better
    than any drug. I have so many ideas and not nearly enough time to write all of them.
    So, I keep a notebook with all my ideas in it. Someday I’ll get to write them. Hopefully.
    What is your work ethic when it comes to writing?
    I’m a workaholic when it comes to writing. My husband gets upset
    with me because he says that’s all I ever do. I take my writing very seriously.
    This isn’t a hobby for me, it’s a job, my passion. I devote a good eight hours (at
    least) every day to writing, marketing, and research.
    How do you cope with stress as an author?
    Chocolate! Lots and lots of chocolate! No, seriously, when I
    find myself getting stressed out, (like I am right now trying to keep up with two
    blog tours, my responsibilities as an editor for Entranced Publishing, five kids,
    writing three books simultaneously, and doing some freelance work) I sit down and
    take a moment to prioritize. I figure out which projects need my attention the most–usually
    because of an impending deadline–and I make a list. I’ve also found that if I look
    at things in smaller chunks, things don’t seem so overwhelming. I find that taking
    a walk or zoning out in front of a movie for a while helps, too.
    Do things your family or friends do ever end up in a book?
    Of course! In fact, in Death
    of a Waterfall
    there is a scene where Teghan and her friends are talking about
    the first time they all got drunk. Teghan had a “brilliant” idea to go
    swimming, but once she got to the pool she was afraid if she got in, she’d drown,
    so instead she passed out on a lounge chair. That’s true story of what happened
    to me and a friend during high school.
    What are some jobs you’ve done before (or while) you were
    a writer?
    Huh, wow, I’ve had a lot of jobs. Let me see, I’ve worked in
    fast food (Arby’s & McDonalds), as a paralegal, an assistant in a leasing office,
    a freelance writer on Elance.com, and now I’m an Associate Editor for Entranced
    Publishing.
    What kind of books do you read when taking a break from your
    own writing?
    I read primarily romance, mostly contemporary, young adult, dystopian,
    and paranormal. On occasion I’ll pick up a Stephen King or James Patterson novel.
    My go-to authors are Ryan Winfield, Julie Ann Walker, and Lora Leigh.
    What is your favorite holiday and why?
    Halloween! I’ve always been a huge fan of horror movies, so I
    love the concept of a holiday where the goal is to scare people. Plus, it’s that
    time of year when the weather is starting to cool down, the leaves on the trees
    are changing colors, and my kids are back in a routine of going to school every
    day.
    What good book have you read recently?
    Isle of Man by Ryan Winfield.
    It’s the second book in his Park Service Trilogy and it was so much better than
    the first. Every time I talk about this book, I get goose bumps. The ending was
    horrific (in a good way) and I can’t seem to shake it.
    If you were a color, what color would you be?
    Cerulean blue because blue is my favorite color and cerulean
    sounds exotic and tropical. And it’s just a really pretty color.
    Please underline which statement is more like you:
    “I am a vacation spa because I am laid back and relaxed.”
    “I am a ten-countries in ten-days tour vacation, because
    I do things as fast as possible.”

    Please complete the sentences

    I love pizza with extra cheese and lots of meat.
    I’m always ready for a nap.
    When I’m alone, I talk aloud to myself.
    You’d never be able to tell, but I used to be really shy.
    If I had a halo it would be a miracle.
    If I could afford it I’d hire an assistant.
    I can never take a cruise because my husband won’t go with me.

    Find Me Here

    Website: http://karaleighmiller.com
    Blog: http://karaleighmiller.com/index.html

     

  • Gay or MM

    Gay Romance: Raining Men | Interview @rickrreed #RLFblog

    Raining Men 
    Rick R. Reed, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about
    your book, Raining Men.
    Genre: Contemporary Romance, Gay Romance
    Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
    Cover artist: Anne Cain
    Length: 314 pages
    Heat rating: R
    Tagline: Sure he can do sex. But can he do love?
    Blurb:
    The character you loved to hate in Chaser becomes the character
    you will simply love in Raining Men
    It’s been raining men for most of Bobby Nelson’s adult life.
    Normally, he wouldn’t have it any other way, but lately something’s missing. Now,
    he wants the deluge to slow to a single special drop. But is it even possible for
    Bobby to find “the one” after endless years of hooking up?
    When Bobby’s father passes away, Bobby finally examines his rocky
    relationship with the man and how it might have contributed to his inability to
    find the love he yearns for. Guided by a sexy therapist, a Sex Addicts Anonymous
    group, a well-endowed Chihuahua
    named Johnny Wadd, and Bobby’s own cache of memories, Bobby takes a spiritual, sexual,
    and emotional journey to discover that life’s most satisfactory love connections
    lie in quality, not quantity. And when he’s ready to love not only himself but someone
    else, sex and love fit, at last, into one perfect package.
    Buy links:
    Dreamspinner (ebook) http://dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3826
    Dreamspinner (paperback): http://dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3873
    What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?
    Bobby Nelson is a marketing executive, Aaron Shaw and Wade Carlisle
    are both English teachers; Michelle Nelson is Bobby’s mother; and Johnny Wadd is
    the chihuahua he rescued. All the men are in their late 30s, early 40s, Michelle
    is probably 60 something.

    Interview

    What inspired you to write
    this book?
    Bobby, my main character. He appeared first in Chaser. Although
    he was gorgeous on the outside, he was scheming, duplicitous, promiscuous, and boyfriend-stealing
    on the inside. He called out to me to write his story and to show that even a hateful
    character like him could be redeemed. And I believe I succeeded in showing his redemption
    in Raining Men. Already, many readers are telling me how sympathetic they are toward
    Bobby, now that they understand him. I’ve never had a character that was so persistent
    about wanting his story told!
    Which character in your
    current book do you think readers will like the most? Why?
    Johnny Wadd, a well-endowed, so-ugly-he’s-cute chihuahua Bobby
    rescues from behind a Dumpster near the beginning of the book. Johnny brings out
    in Bobby a nurturing side and the chance to understand that to get love, we must
    give love selflessly, expecting nothing in return.
    Why do you write?
    Because I have to.
    Are you a plotter, or
    do you prefer to make it up on the spur of the moment?
    I am a spur of the moment writer for the most part. I have general
    ideas about theme and overall plot arc, but my books are really about my characters,
    whom I come to love. They continually surprise me as they shape the direction my
    stories will take. If I have created a strong character, they practically write
    themselves. It’s honestly a kind of magic.
    What’s your writing schedule
    like?
    I am usually up at 4 am. I walk the dog on mostly silent streets,
    come in, have some breakfast, maybe toast and tea, read a little of whatever book
    I’m involved with at the moment, listen to classical or new age music and…just think.
    All of this takes an hour or less. Then I sit down to write with the goal of completing
    at least 1,000 words. I pretty much always do–and that takes me a couple of hours.
    Any advice for new authors?
    Read a lot. Write a lot.
    What other jobs have you
    held besides writing?
    It’s funny; almost all of my jobs have involved writing. I have
    been an advertising copywriter, a marketing writer for a professional association,
    and a communications consultant for a healthcare company. I sometimes wonder if
    I could do anything else other than write.
    Which of your books was
    the hardest to write and why?
    Caregiver. It’s based on my days as an AIDS buddy to a very remarkable
    young man back in the early 90s, when AIDS was a death sentence. In Caregiver, I
    changed only his name and almost everything that happened in the book to him happened
    in real life. It was both a joy and a pleasure to revisit the memories I have of
    my AIDS buddy, who marked me, really, for life.
    Do you believe in luck?
    I believe in fate.
    What kind of music do
    you listen to while driving? Same question when writing?
    Driving: usually jazz, like Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald,
    Nina Simone or modern classical like Philip Glass. Writing: nothing. I need silence
    to write; music would distract.
    What is your secret talent?
    If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret, now would it?
    What’s your favorite movie?
    The Wizard of Oz
    Are you the eldest, middle,
    baby, or only child?
    Middle

    Please complete the sentence

    I love pizza with sausage and mushrooms.
    I’m always ready for doughnuts.
    When I’m alone, I morph into a scaly green iguana.
    You’d never be able to tell, but I am actually 79 years old.
    If I had a halo it would be bursting into flame.
    If I could sing I’d do it everywhere.
    I can never sing because my voice is laughable.

    Previous Books

    Really? You want me to go there?
    Raining Men
    Rent
    Caregiver
    The
    Course of True Love
    HeartRace
    Dignity
    Takes a Holiday
    Tricks
    A
    Demon Inside
    On the Edge
    Tales
    from the Sexual Underground
    The Blue Moon Cafe
    Mute
    Witness
    M4M
    Bashed
    Dead End Street
    Orientation
    High Risk
    Deadly
    Vision
    IM
    Rick Reed
    Penance

    Books Coming Soon

    Hungry for Love (September 2013)
    Legally Wed (January 2014)

    Find Me Here

    Website: http://rickrreed.com

    Amazon profile: http://amazon.com/Rick-R.-Reed/e/B000AP5H2G/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1272551776&sr=1-2-ent