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Pick up cool tips from Tasarla Romaney author of The Hollow King @tasarlaromaney #RLFblog #YAFantasyQuest
In Tasarla Romaney’s high stakes YA fantasy, The Hollow King, the slightest misstep will result in eternal darknessTasarla, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Thanks for sharing two tips with us today, but first, please tell us about The Hollow King.
The Hollow King by Tasarla Romaney
Genre YA romance fantasy
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG
Thought by most to be a simple child’s chant… A king of no kingdom Who walks among the living yet is void of all but breathe He will be known as the Hollow King and will yield the Spector. The Warrior Queen with compassion will fuel the Hope The one who walks on two legs but has the soul of an animal will guide the Spector’s magic. Together they will use the Spector of Hope to rid the land of evil. Until creatures most thought to be make-believe start to hunt at night… Freed by Ovezara, a sorceress of what seems to be unlimited power. Queen Taraly dying father’s command is to visit Grandmother June and learn what must be done to stop them. King Crenshaw has lost his kingdom to the Ovezara and vows to have revenge. Sancha returns from a hunting trip to find his father’s body torn to shreds by an evil so dark people refuse to acknowledge it. The three unite to find the fabled Spector of Hope. As their quest starts to unfold, they realize that the line between good and evil is often blurred. What they believed to good is twisted. Can they locate the Spector of Hope in time to restore good and save all from the evil Ovezara unleashes?
Two Tips for Writing
Read! Not only for enjoyment but as an author (which should be enjoyable also). When reading a book through ‘author’ eyes there are a few things I suggest you look for.
*The plot points.
*Character traits.
*The setting.
The key here is to remember that no one will write a story the same way. What you are doing is studying how a fellow author wrote the story and learning from it.Secondary characters matter!
Who your supporting cast is as important as the main characters. Think about Harry Potter, where would he be without Ron? More isn’t always better. I love using enneagrams to develop my supporting cast.
Remember every time you introduce a new character, you are giving the reader something else to think about than your main characters.
Two Tips for Cooking
Menu planning. Make a master list of meals that your family likes. Include crock pot/instant pot meals, double meals (eat one now, freeze one – tacos are great for this), it’s been a crazy day and I’m on a deadline meals, and a favorite for each family member.
Pre-cooking. I spend a couple hours every Sunday pre-cooking. My favorite pre-cooking ‘meal’? Omelets. I cook up six to seven of the egg omelet shells then chop up a variety of fillings (onions, peppers, ham, potatoes, cheese) and put them in containers in the refrigerator. Then whoever wants an omelet during the week, pulls it out puts whatever they want in it and heat it up.
Where to buy The Hollow King
Universal buy link https://books2read.com/u/49PzX0
Tasarla Romaney Social Media
I live in Northern Michigan (where it is cold ALL the time) with my hubby of many years. Some of my favorite past times when I’m not writing include reading (any genre), taking pictures (that I use on Facebook, my blog, Instagram, twitter and the journals I make), crocheting blankets for the Linus
Project. I’m addicted to M&M’s, planners, tarot cards, and lattes.
Other books:
The Night of the Gryphon series
The Fairy Crimes
Blog https://tasarlaromaney.wordpress.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/tasarlaromaney
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/authortasarlaromaney/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tasarlaromaney/ -
The Cinderella Curse by Dee S Knight @DeeSKnight #RLFblog #Romance #FairyTale #Contemporary
In Dee S Knight’s erotic Cinderella, a worldly Prince, a naïve Cindy, and an unassuming fairy godfather come together in a magical HEA ending.Dee S Knight, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Thanks for sharing two tips with us today, but first, please tell us about The Cinderella Curse.
The Cinderella Curse by Dee S Knight
Genre Contemporary erotic romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
One evening, in a land far away, a wife spins a story for the amusement of her husband. Like the original tale, this contemporary Cinderella is definitely for those who love romance and a HEA. However, she adds a few touches of the erotic. For her husband, you understand.
In this tale, Charlotte dreams of her prince, James, but learns about beauty and love from her fairy godfather, Cooper. She might not lose a glass slipper, but her heart is in danger of being left behind. One thing for sure, by the time our Charlotte arrives at the ball, she’d sure like to know which man is her real Prince Charming.
Two Tips for Editing
Self-editing can be so hard! And most of us can’t afford a professional editor. So here are two tips I use. As a former professional editor, I recommend them!
1) Read your work out loud. I know it sounds weird and you might fee foolish reading out loud, but you will find many problems with your work if you do this. And don’t zip through it, either. Read slowly and take each word into account. When we read to ourselves we often read words we think are there or which we remember being there. You’ll more often see what’s actually there when you read out loud.
2) Don’t rely on spell/grammar check. I’ve found that Word’s Spell Check confuses it’s and its. So, learn by heart some of the most common mistakes and then check them when you read out loud. Here are two common errors I’ve seen in books.
a) If you’re expressing possession, use its. If you are abbreviating “it is,” use it’s
b) If you can substitute “we” in a sentence, you can use XXX and I. If you can substitute “us” in a sentence, use XXX and me.
Example: Jim and I (or we) are playing football.
The game is between Jim and me (or us).No one is going to put down a book if they see a couple of errors, but if the errors are many, it could happen. I would hate to receive a bad review not for my story but for easily correctable mistakes.
Where to buy The Cinderella Curse
Amazon Kindle Unlimited https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R1YSQ8S
Dee S Knight Social Media
A few years ago, Dee S Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex.
After a while, Dee split her personality into thirds. She writes as Anne Krist for sweeter romances, and Jenna Stewart for ménage and shifter stories. All three of her personas are found on the Nomad Authors website. And all three offer some of the best romance you can find! Also, once a month, look for Dee’s Charity Sunday blog posts, where your comment can support a selected charity.
Website: https://nomadauthors.com
Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/265222.Dee_S_Knight
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/dee-s-knight-0500749
Sweet ‘n Sassy Divas: http://bit.ly/1ChWN3K
Get to know Dee S Knight better by signing up for an email newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/h8t2y6 -
Pick up cool tips from MJ Schiller author of Hell Hath No Fury by @mjschiller #RLFblog #contemporary romance.
Husband and wife deal with interfering ex while daughter learns to handle her own trust issues in MJ Schiller’s new chick lit release, Hell Hath No Fury. While addressing serious issues, hilarity often ensues with these fun characters from the Devilish Divas Series. (Hell Hath No Fury can be read as a stand-alone.)MJ, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Thanks for sharing two tips with us today, but first, please tell us about Hell Hath No Fury.
Hell Hath No Fury by MJ Schiller
Genre chick lit
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13-R
Their wedding bells have hardly ceased their clanging when marital discord strikes the Scofields.
After such a rough start, Kyle Scofield didn’t expect for his marriage to be a skate on smooth ice. But then again, the NHL hockey referee had no idea how determined his wife’s ex could be. Will Samantha and Kyle be able to see through Bill’s scheming and save their marriage? Or are they truly skating on thin ice?
And when all Elise knows about relationships is how dysfunctional they can be, does Sam’s daughter even have a chance with Hunter?
Being Samantha Scofield’s daughter can be as challenging as being wed to her. Even if Elise is able to step outside of her mother’s shadow, she’ll still have to deal with the lasting effects of growing up in such a shady environment. Can Hunter make Elise see that she shines with a light all her own?
And while it’s true that Hell Hath No Fury like these two women scorned, maybe when Sam helps Elise to see the light about Hunter it will illuminate a few things about Kyle’s and her marital problems, too, and lead the way to a happy ending for them all.
They may be up against some devilish odds, but don’t count these divas out in Book Seven of the Devilish Divas Series!
Two Tips for Writing
These may be no-brainers, but I know they’ve saved me a ton of time, and it took me a while to start doing them, so I wanted to share. Hell Hath No Fury is my twenty-sixth book, so I had to find a way to make marketing easier. For each of my books I’ve created a document with tweets on them, including the link, so if I have a sale that I need to share, I can just copy and paste it and add hashtags. This is immensely helpful at times—well, at times like this. I have two books releasing in January and a book on sale, and I’m involved in two other promotions (I know. I bite off more than I can chew!). Then I use a tweet scheduler (I use Hootsuite, but there are several out there), fill it in the morning, or night before, and it sends the tweets out throughout the day. Super easy!The second tip kind of goes hand in hand with the first in that it saves time with marketing. I create my own teasers for social media outlets and I figured out (just recently, actually) that it saves a lot of time to create a teaser, and then, at the same time, create one like it to use when the book is on sale, and a third one for when it is free. Just saves a little time and the hassle of re-uploading and changing the teaser. (I like doing my teasers on Ribbet, but there are a lot of other places you can use as well. I keep a folder for each book so they are easy to put my hands on, and also include the book’s title in the name I save it under.)
Like I said, a lot of this is common sense, but if you’re like me and sometimes lack that quality, maybe you’ll find this information helpful. ;)
Two Tips for Household Chores
These are kind of cooking/household chores. The first, and again, maybe everyone in the world has known this for a while except for me, but it’s so helpful I want to share it in case you don’t. This makes cleaning your microwave a breeze. Put a coffee cup half filled with water and a tablespoon of baking powder into the microwave and heat on high until boiling. I do it for three minutes. Then leave it in the microwave for three minutes. The steam will loosen everything up and then you just wipe it out. Even bad splatters come out without a struggle.
The second is a cooking tip to prevent messes, which makes cleanup a snap. There are many ways to prevent water from boiling over on the stove, but I really like this one. If you rim your saucepan with oil, (I use cooking spray) the water can’t climb over it. It has saved me on numerous occasions because I am impatient with waiting for something to start boiling. I move on to something else and forget about my pot. Just make sure if you’re using cooking spray to spray the saucepan over the sink so you don’t have overspray on the oven to wipe up either.
Well, I hope at least one of those makes your life a little easier. Thanks for having me, Kayelle! I’ve enjoyed being here and sharing my work and tips!
Where to buy Hell Hath No Fury
Amazon https://mybook.to/HellHathNoFury
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hell-hath-no-fury-mj-schiller/1136513710?ean=9781644571736
iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/hell-hath-no-fury-the-devilish-divas-series-book-7/id1500442898
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hell-hath-no-fury-the-devilish-divas-series-book-7MJ Schiller Social Media
Bestselling author MJ Schiller is a retired lunch lady/romance-romantic suspense writer. She enjoys writing novels whose characters include rock stars, desert princes, teachers, futuristic Knights, construction workers, cops, and a wide variety of others. In her mind everybody has a romance. She is the mother of a twenty-six-year-old and three twenty-four-year-olds. That’s right, triplets! She likes to escape from life on occasion by pretending to be a rock star at karaoke. However…you won’t be seeing her name on any record labels soon.
Website https://mjschillerauthor.blogspot.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/mjschiller
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RockingTheWorldOneReaderAtATime/
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/mjschiller/
Instagram https://instagram.com/mjschiller
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6479377.M_J_Schiller
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-j-schiller
Amazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/M.J.-Schiller/e/B009JOQFQQ/
Get to know MJ Schiller better by signing up for an email newsletter https://dl.bookfunnel.com/4im3lyvxep -
Linda O’Connor author of Behind the Bench (In the Game Hockey Romance Series) shares a #TechTip for improving security @LindaOConnor98 #RLFblog
The new coach of the professional hockey team is stirring things up, and the team doctor is not immune. When they get caught up in a drug scandal affecting the team, they have to work together. Sparks fly and ice melts in Linda O’Connor’s medical hockey romance, Behind the Bench.Linda O’Connor, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! We want to hear your tech tip, but first, please tell us about Behind the Bench.
Behind the Bench by Linda O’Connor
Genre Sports Romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13
Dr. Danni Angelo is the team physician for the Clarington Quakes hockey team. She’s worked hard to earn the players’ respect, but the new coach, Trey Mason, is stirring things up, and Danni’s worried her job may be in jeopardy.
Trey finds Danni…distracting. Beauty, brains, and sexy moves on the ice have him uncomfortably attracted. He’s the new guy on the block. He has a reputation to build and a standard to set. The last thing he needs is a complication.
When the team spirals out of control and Danni and Trey get caught up in a drug scandal, things heat up on and off the ice. It’s a whole new game plan…Behind the Bench.
Tech Tip
Keeping your home and computer safe from hackers starts by keeping your WiFi router secure. If you’ve never changed the default settings on your router – both the username and password – now’s the time to consider doing so.
If a hacker can figure out the model of your router, chances are they can crack your password if you haven’t changed it from the factory setting. Routers often share common default settings and a determined hacker can take advantage of weak points in a particular model’s security or sneak in using the default passwords.
Change your router’s username so that it doesn’t identify your service provider or your address. This makes it more challenging for a hacker to determine the type of router you’re using. The default password should also be changed. Annoying as it is to have a long password incorporating uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, it gives you an extra layer of protection since it’s harder to guess. For added security, the password should be changed regularly – when you change the clocks for daylight savings time, change your router password, too!
Here’s an additional tip: place your router in the middle of your home. Not only will it provide equal access to the WiFi signal throughout your home, it keeps the signal from spilling too widely outside the perimeter of your property, where it could be more vulnerable to attack.
Where to buy Behind the Bench
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FTWRR9N
Linda O’Connor Social Media
Award-winning author Linda O’Connor started writing romantic comedies when she needed a creative outlet other than subtly rearranging the displays at a local home décor store. Her books have enjoyed bestseller status. When not writing, she’s a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic. She shares her medical knowledge in fast-paced, well-written, sexy romances – with an unexpected twist. Her favourite prescription to write? Laugh every day. Love every minute.
Website https://www.lindaoconnor.net
Blog https://www.lindaoconnor.net/news-muse-and-interviews/
Twitter https://twitter.com/LindaOConnor98
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/LindaOConnorAuthor
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/lindaoconnor98/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/LindaOConnorAuthor/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/795688.Linda_O_Connor
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/linda-o-connor
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Linda-OConnor/e/B00S7CNLEA
Get to know Linda O’Connor better by signing up for an email newsletter https://www.lindaoconnor.net/contact/ -
Read Felicity’s Power by J Arlene Culiner @JArleneCuliner #RLFblog #ContemporaryRomance #WomensFiction
Don’t we all have a memory tucked away of someone we once loved, someone we just might have stayed with had the circumstances been right?And what would happen if we came face-to-face with that person today? Would the magic still be there? Would our hands tremble, our knees knock together just the way they did back then? Or would we just stare, appalled, wonder how we could once have been so silly.
J Arlene Culiner welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Thanks for sharing two tips with us today, but first, please tell us about Felicity’s Power
Felicity’s Power by J Arlene Culiner
Genre Contemporary Romance/Women’s Literature
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13
Forty years ago, Marek Sumner and Felicity Powers fell in love at first sight, but relationships do demand a certain amount of sacrifice, and compromise. Marek wants marriage, security and a family; Felicity wants adventure. So, their love story ends… in a way…
Because, even after forty years of separation, Felicity never forgets Marek. She has spent her life as a foreign aid worker, has been in danger countless times, and has done exactly what she set out to do. Now she’s back, looking for Marek, and wanting to take up where they left off.
What does Marek think? Sure, he’s never forgotten Felicity. But start over? After all these years? No way. He’s too smart for that.
That’s not the sort of response Felicity can accept, and if they go spend a few days on the coast together, anything can happen.
San Francisco, 1971: hippies in the streets, music and revolution in the air. The evening Marek Sumner opened his door to the wild-looking Felicity Powers, he knew nothing would ever be the same. But even love and passion couldn’t keep them together. Forty-three years later, having lived in the world’s most dangerous places as an aid worker, Felicity is back, still offering love, passion, and adventure. Now a well-known author, Marek loves his calm life in an isolated farmhouse, and he knows their relationship would never work : he and Felicity are just too different. Besides, why risk having his heart broken a second time?
But Felicity is as fascinating and joyful as ever, and the wonderful sexy magic is still there too. Can love be more delightful the second time around?
A Tip for Editing
The most important tip: cut. Don’t fall in love with your own words! Cut, cut, cut. Show the essentials and don’t risk boring your readers.
Tips for Organizing
Don’t copy me. I’m hopeless at organizing. I live in a muddle. I am muddled. I lose my keys ten times a day; I lose the dog leashes twenty times a day; I lose all my writing notes constantly.
Tips for Household Chores
Don’t do them. Dust never woke up and ate anyone. Dirty floors can be interesting. Why make a bed if you’re just going to mess it up again? Why own an iron (I don’t)? Wrinkled clothes make you look like a charmingly distracted writer. Why fold anything?
Tip for Cooking
Make it yourself from scratch. It’s healthier, better tasting, cheaper, better for the planet, and it gives you thinking time (writing in your head while kneading bread dough is fun!)
Where to buy Felicity’s Power
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press https://www.thewildrosepress.com/books/felicitys-power
J Arlene Culiner Social Media
Writer, photographer, social critical artist, musician, and occasional actress, J Arlene Culiner, was born in New York and raised in Toronto. She has crossed much of Europe alone on foot, has lived in a Hungarian mud house, a Bavarian castle, a Turkish cave-dwelling, on a Dutch canal, and in a haunted house on the English moors. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village of no interest and, much to local dismay, protects all creatures, especially spiders and snakes. She particularly enjoys incorporating into short stories, mysteries, narrative non-fiction, and romances, her experiences in out-of-the-way communities, and her conversations with strange characters.
Twitter https://twitter.com/JArleneCuliner
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jarlene.culiner
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/jarleneculiner
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jarleneculiner
Teaser j-arleneculiner.com/page-2-book3-felicity3-video.html
j-arleneculiner.com
j-arleneculiner.over-blog.com/
Storytelling Podcast https://soundcloud.com/j-arlene-culiner
https://www.amazon.com/author/jarleneculiner-quirky-romances
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7158064.J_Arlene_Culiner -
Read the new romance Private Lessons by Karigan Hale @kariganspencil #RLFblog #romance
Read a new hot novella from Karigan Hale: Private Lessons During Lockdown. An empty school. A yearning for human touch. Can two educators find lust and love during a pandemic? Part of the Love Under Lockdown seriesKarigan Hale, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Thanks for sharing two tips with us today, but first, please tell us about Private Lessons in Lockdown.
Private Lessons in Lockdown by Karigan Hale
Genre Short Erotic Romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
A year of flirting. An empty school. A need for human touch.
She’s a principal navigating this unprecedented time. He’s a teacher battling his attraction to his boss. Should he resist when she seduces him?
Brock Richards, a teacher at Deerfield High, is called to the principal’s office when the entire school is empty. After realizing his sexy principal is wearing a garter belt, all of his principles disappear.
He can’t seduce his boss, but will he be able to resist if she seduces him?
Amanda Kincaid, principal of Deerfield High, has had her eye on the sexy Social Studies teacher for a year. Usually a confident, powerful, no-nonsense leader, Amanda’s naughty bits take over her brain when she’s around him. Is the mandatory school closure the chance she needs to show Brock she’s not just his boss, but a woman as well?
Two Tips for Writing
Tip 1: Just write! I know people say this all the time, but honestly it is the best advice. When I’m in a rut, I pull out some random writing prompts and just write based on those – a scene, a character sketch, a moment. They don’t even have to be related to my current work in progress. Often these short sketches become part of later published works. And just like any other skill, writing will get easier, faster, and better with practice.
Tip 2: Write what you like. Yes, the paranormal reverse harem shifter romances are all the rage right now. But they aren’t what I enjoy reading. Therefore, if I tried to jump on that bandwagon, I’m sure I would fail miserably and the stories would be cliché, stilted, and forced. By writing in a genre I like to read, I completely understand the expectations of that genre and what the reader expects.
Two Tips for Family
Here are two tips for Photographing your Family. I’m a hobbyist photographer and family historian. My kids call me Momarazzi because I’m always following them with my camera. In an era where images demand our attention, there are some easy ways you can get great photographs of your family even with your cell phone. For examples of these tips, check out my photography Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kariganske photography
Tip 1: Get down on the kids’ (or pet’s) level. Instead of always shooting down on them from your height, bend down and get on their level. This gives your viewer the perspective of your subject and brings them into the moment. It also lets you shoot straight on and capture the true essence of your subject.
Tip 2: Play! Not every shot should be a nice posed portrait. Try to capture your subject as they are being themselves. Instead of asking your child to look at the camera, move yourself to them and ask them questions instead. (What type of bird is that? What do you have in your hand? Show me a funny face) This will get authentic emotions/reactions and capture these fleeting everyday moments.
Where to buy Private Lessons in Lockdown
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Private-Lessons-Lockdown-snarky-romance-ebook/dp/B088DJRW1H
Whole Series: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0885TPY9Y
Karigan Hale Social Media
Hi Book Lovers!
I am a wife, mother, reader, writer, photographer, fountain soda addict, and true crime aficionado. I married my high school sweetheart and have been a hopeful romantic ever since. I live with my husband, two daughters, and a menagerie of animals on a small farm in rural Maryland. Keep up with our cute critters on my blog (link below). When I’m not writing, you can probably find me binging true crime shows or stalking my kiddos with my camera.
I have a dual B.A. in English: Secondary Education and Psychology. My Master’s Degree in Liberal Arts included classes in ceramics, grammar/linguistics, the madness in genius, and juggling among other things. In fact, I still practice juggling with oranges in my kitchen much to the delight of my children and horror of my husband.
I LOVE to read, so feel free to drop me an email with a book suggestion!
Website https://kariganspencil.wixsite.com/books
Blog https://kariganspencil.wixsite.com/books/blog
Twitter https://www.twitter.com/kariganspencil
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kariganspencil
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/kariganspencil
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kariganspencil
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19777029.Karigan_Hale
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/karigan-hale
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Karigan-Hale/e/B082MRW99N
Get to know Karigan Hale better by signing up for an email newsletter and receive a FREE novella!
https://mailchi.mp/c4836309c309/kariganspencil
