Author Interview: Bella Andre

Today we have Bella Andre here for a quick interview.  Bella is a USA Today and New York Times Bestselling author.  Her books are a huge hit with readers at all retailers and I recommend trying out her works if you haven't already.

The Sullivans series

The Look of Love    

From This Moment On    

Can’t Help Falling In Love    

I Only Have Eyes For You    

If You Were Mine

Let Me Be The One

Come A Little Bit Closer

Bad Boys of Football series

Game For Love    

Game For Anything    

Game For Seduction

Take Me series

Take Me

Love Me

Stand-alone

Candy Store    

Ecstasy    

Red Hot Reunion    

Tempt Me, Taste Me, Touch Me

Hotshot Firefighter series

Wild Heat    

Hot As Sin    

Never Too Hot

1. When is your next new release due out?

I just released Come A Little Bit Closer!

2. Tell us about the new release you have coming out? Is it part of one of your series?

Come A Little Bit Closer is the seventh book in my Sullivan Family series and features Smith Sullivan, a famous actor in the middle of the most important movie of his career when he's distracted by the self-possessed and utterly sexy Valentina Landan – the sister and manager of his co-star.

3. You write a lot of different series. The Sullivan Family, which your previous release, Let Me Be the One, hit the New York Times and USA Today Best-Seller's list! The Bad Boys of Football, Hotshot Firefighters and the Take Me Series. What is your favorite thing about each series? 

I love how to revisit characters that we've already seen fall in love. With a series, we can get continual glimpses of their happily ever after – what they're up to, whether they have children. 

4. If you were to venture outside of contemporary romance genre and begin a completely new series, what genre what it be?

Honestly, I love romance so much I can't imagine writing something else!  The farthest I'd veer would probably be the “New Adult” genre where the characters are in their late teens and early twenties vs. 20s/30s like my current romances.

5. What one thing can you not live without while you are writing?

I have little rituals that keep me sane. I take a daily hike, love to swim, drink endless bottles of San Pelligrino and also eat these delicious Trader Joe mint chocolate cookies. I also listen to a handful of songs on repeat while I write my books.

6. What was the last book by another author that you read?

The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst. Love her!

7. What is the craziest thing you've done when coming up with an idea or during research for a book?

My “crazy” probably has less to do with research and more to do with how much time I spent obsessing over my Sullivans. :) It's pretty much an every-waking-hour situation while I'm writing a book...which is all the time!

 Note from Bella:

Thank you so much to everyone who has been reading – and loving – my Sullivans! I absolutely love hearing from all of you, so please come find me on my website at www.BellaAndre.com and drop me a note. :) Bella

Thanks so much for taking time to visit with me today. It’s been a lot of fun!! 

Thank you! I loved being here.

~ Bella Andre

12 Days of Christmas from Romance Authors!

I'm so excited by the response the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway has received! Melody Anne, a fellow author, came up with this idea and it's taken off throughout the Romance community!

As for the prizes, each winner for 12 days will receive a full set of my books, signed, along with some Kentucky Chocolate, and a variety of e-books and paperbacks provided by the following authors. Make sure you check them out on Facebook and online. Many of them have free books for you!

Barbara Freethy
Marie Force
Christie Craig
Tori Scott
Melody Anne
Ruth Cardello
Jennifer Probst
Jan Scarborough
Cali Mackay
Lynn Raye Harris
Annette Blair
Amy Metz
Terri Marie
Mary Campisi
Christine Major Depetrillo
Jerri Hines
Kerry Connor
Christina Tetreault
Elaine Raco Chase
Liberty Blake
Carri James Haynes
Carolyn Sullivan
Gabriella Edwards
Sydney Landon


And if that's not enough, make sure to check out these authors who are hosting their own giveaways for even more chances to win!

Melody Anne
Ruth Cardello
Jennifer Probst
Sandra Marton
Christina Tetreault

Good luck everyone! Remember to check my Facebook page starting at 10:00 pm (US Eastern time) on November 30th for your first chance to win!

12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

The holidays are here and I'm ready to spread the cheer with plenty of giveaways! This promotion is running on facebook only, so make sure you sign up or find a friend who has a facebook account and you all can share the prizes! There are 12 chances to win and I will also let you know of other giveaways by authors such as Melody Anne and Ruth Cardello!  Here are the rules:

Rules of 12 Days of Christmas

There will be twelve separate contests, one held each day with a single winner.  The contest will begin on December 1^st and run through December 12^th.  I will post at 10:00 pm United States Eastern Time Zone the day before to begin each contest and the contest will close at 10:00 pm United States Eastern Time Zone the following day.  The winner for each day will be announced shortly after 10:00 pm each day.  Each day will feature different prizes and the prize will be announced in that day’s post. They will range from free e-Books, signed books, giftcards and more!  No contest will be first come, first win since we have people participating from around the world.

In order to enter each contest, you must post in that day’s comment thread on Facebook.  Some days will feature trivia or fun challenges of some sort where only the correct answers will be entered in the drawing. Some contests will only require you to comment and what you comment will not determine if you win or not.  Commenting will give you one entry into that day’s contest.  If you share the contest on Facebook, then you will be given an additional entry for that day regardless of the contest type.  Everyone is encouraged to enter both ways on each of the twelve days of contests.

There are many wonderful authors contributing to this event and I encourage each of you to visit their facebook page to check them out.  This contest is my way of saying THANK YOU to each of you.  You have made this an incredible year for me and I am very grateful.  Please have fun and good luck!

Facebook is in no way a sponsor of or a participant of this giveaway and is hereby released by every participant of any liability. 

Author Interview: Amy Metz

I share a lot in common with this next author in the interview series.  We are both Kentucky authors, attended Centre College, and write Romance themed mystery/suspense novels set in small Southern towns.  We met at Centre's homecoming this year during the book signing and I am pleased to introduce you to Amy Metz!

Information about books by Amy Metz:

Murder & Mayhem In Goose Pimple Junction is the first in a humorous southern mystery series. The second book in the series, Heroes & Hooligans In Goose Pimple Junction, will be released soon.

1. Your book has a very catchy title.  Can't help but wonder... is Goose Pimple Junction a real place or a product of your imagination?

It’s both. There is a real Goose Pimple Junction in Virginia that I came across in 1985. I loved the name then and never forgot it. When I decided to write a humorous southern mystery, set in a quirky town, the name just seemed to fit. My fictional GPJ is in Tennessee.

2. What do you have planned for the future?  Will you work on stand-alone books or are you creating a series?

Again…both! Goose Pimple Junction is a series. The second one is complete, and I’m working on the third. But because I have writer’s block a lot, and probably because I’m a little ADD-afflicted, I’m also working on two romance novels, a memoir, and a thriller. It depends on which of my imaginary friends is talking to me as to what I work on.

3. What was your inspiration to write Murder and Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction?

Sadly, the two murders that take place in the 1930s portion of the book are based on family history. As a child, I heard the stories of the murders many times and always thought someone should write a book about them. One of the murders was never solved, and that’s the basis for they mystery in the book.

4. What one thing can you not live without while you are writing?

Well, I’m not just being cheeky when I say it would be my computer. In addition to the word processor aspect of it, I use the Internet for research or the online thesaurus. Plus, I’d go crazy if I couldn’t check email or take breaks to feed my addiction with Pinterest once in a while.

5. What was the last book by another author that you read?

Life Minus 3 ½ by Dennis Hart. I highly recommend it.

6. Bless your heart!  What is your favorite Southern saying or slang?

Oh my goodness, GPJ is full of southern sayings, so it’s hard to choose, but I do love “Get your straw out of my Kool-Aid.”

Rising Storm Announced

We're fully into summer in Keeneston! The days are long and hot and the sprinklers are on full blast! A perfect night for me is to grill out and have dinner on the deck. I enjoy the sound of the cows behind our house and sip some Rose Sister Special Ice Tea as I read at night.

Coming in Mid August will be the second book in the Bluegrass Brothers Series, Rising Storm. In Rising Storm Marshall discovers love is not always smooth sailing. But, with the help and advice from the whole town of Keeneston, maybe he'll find his happily ever after.

To get ready for Rising Storm, make sure you read Cade's story in Bluegrass Undercover, now available in all ebook outlets and in paperback.

 For your Kindle

 For Apple

 For your Nook

For your Kobo

For your Sony Reader



Happy Reading!

~Kathleen

Wow, What a Month!

It’s been a little while since I posted, so let me first say “THANK YOU!” to all of my readers.  During February, I experimented with Bluegrass State of Mind as a free book. I was able to reach nearly 80,000 new readers during that month. And many of you went on to read Risky Shot and Dead Heat. I have been on the top ten of eBook charts for Romance on Apple, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. I have even seen multiple books hit the #1 spot on those lists during February.

Basically, I feel like the luckiest writer in the world and I owe it all to you, the readers.

With more readers, I have gotten all kinds of feedback. Numerous fans have asked about future books set in Keeneston. You’ll be happy to hear that I am in the process of editing the first book in a new series now. The new book, Bluegrass Undercover, will be released in the end of March and features Paige’s brother, Cade Davies. Other fans have reached out to tell me what characters they relate to the most. I freely admit, these comments make my day every time they come in. You all are great!

At the same time, I have had a few comments about typos and proofreading mistakes. In the spirit of always seeking to improve, I have asked for outside help in the proofreading and editing process for all of my books. I currently have Bluegrass State of Mind being re-edited by a very knowledgeable woman with many years of experience in this area.  She will edit Bluegrass Undercover next to prevent delay in its release. Risky Shot and Dead Heat will follow closely behind.

I am very excited about the new Bluegrass Brothers series featuring the Davies brothers.  In anticipation of the release of my new series, I thought we could have a little fun. I invite you to submit the name and a short description of your own “Keeneston” on the Kathleen Brooks Facebook page or on Twitter using the hashtag #MyKeeneston. And you can always leave your comments below. Have fun building your own perfect small town!

As I sign off to edit the final chapters of Bluegrass Undercover, I once again want to say “Thank You”. I couldn’t ask for better readers, bless your hearts! I wish you all Happy Reading!

An Opinion on the Amazon KDP Select Program

First, I am thrilled to see Amazon include independent authors in this program.  It is a definite sign of the times to see the market opening up so much for all who love to write.  Amazon Prime is set to be a big hit in the near future.  The program is able to pull more potential readers into the eBook market by promoting their movies, music, TV shows, and now books.  One yearly fee for access to so much is surely going to secure many more Amazon customers.

One of the stipulations is that the author exclusively lists the eBook in Amazon’s Kindle Store.  While Amazon has been a strong source of sales for me, I cannot ignore the success I have experienced on Barnes & Noble.  I have seen some authors talk about only selling 10% as much on Barnes & Noble as they have sold on Amazon, and therefore it’s not a big enough market for them to consider.  In contrast to those authors, 46% of my sales are derived from Barnes & Noble and other outlets like Kobo, Sony, and iBooks. It would be crazy for me to let down 46% of my readers just to have a chance at a small share of that $500,000 per month.

More importantly, I would be doing my readers a disservice if I took my books down from Barnes & Noble and other outlets. It would be a disservice to readers from Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Sony, etc. who have taken the time to email me about how much they like my books. Why should I take my books away from them?  There are some creative ways to use a Nook tablet to download Kindle software.  But, if I told 46% of my readers that they had to go buy another device or hack their Nook Color, I am pretty sure we’d never see each other again. Furthermore, I have just enrolled in Operation E-Book Drop that offers my books for free to deployed active duty military through Smashwords. If I joined Amazon’s KDP Select Program, I would have to withdraw my support of this important program that I proudly support. I will gladly keep my books in the Kindle Store.  But for all of the reasons listed in this post, my books won’t be enrolled in the KDP Select program.

Readers are customers and they deserve quality customer service from the author.  That begins with access to your books.  I will keep my books listed with the online retail sites that ensure any reader can find the right format for their eReader.  A listing of each is here.

I applaud Amazon’s policy of inclusion for independent authors, but I must decline the invitation at this time.  Each of the readers that select my books are worth hanging on to. 

A Book for the Holidays

When I was in school, the last thing I wanted was a book for Christmas. In law school if I saw a book I would run screaming from the room. Try reading approximately 200 pages of law text a night and then see a book and say, "I want to read more!" Did. Not. Happen.

But, then something great happened. I passed the bar exam! I grabbed every book that I had not picked up for three years and toted them to the beach. I polished off eight books in six days.It was glorious.

Now I am so excited for Christmas because I hope for books under my tree and in my e-reader stocking. I love having other people buy me books, send me a book download (Amazon lets you purchase actual ebooks as gifts!), or through a Nook gift card. That means that person took the time to look through books for something they know I would like. It means a lot to me and it has the added benefit of experiencing something new.

Some of my favorite authors have been from a book that was given to me as a gift. My aunt will give me a different type of book than my mother-in-law and she'll give me a different kind of book than my best friend. You know why I love it so much? You find new authors, new books, and a new adventure with each one.

So, this year if you don't know what to get your best friend with her new Kindle or Nook, give her a book or books to build up her library on her new eReader! A thought for a gift - give a Kindle or Nook gift card with a list of books you recommend. Find your favorite books and pass them along - you never know what great new book you'll discover in return this holiday season!

Wishing you all a cup of hot cocoa, a warm blanket, a soft sofa, and a good book to curl up with this holiday season.

~Kathleen

Small Business Saturday for Indie Authors

Today is Black Friday. Walmart stores are packed and people are frenzied with deals trying to find the perfect gift. I, myself, have ordered all of my daughter's presents online this morning. But, then the American Express commercial comes on and reminds us about Small Business Saturday. This is about supporting Mom and Pop stores in your local community and not forgetting about those business run by your neighbors. It got me thinking - aren't indie authors the equivalent to the family store down the street?
Indie authors can be the girl/boy next door. They are the Mom and Pop stores competing with the large publishing houses similar to Walmart. But, you know what? In almost all cases, indie authors sell at a lower price than other authors. Yeah, published author's books may be 40% off- on sale from their $28.99 price down to $15.99 for hardbacks or on sale from $12.99 to $7.99 on e-books, but indie authors regularly price their books lower. So, if you want to find a great deal this holiday season, shop indie authors this Saturday (or this whole holiday season!) and support the small guys and gals out there who are your friends, neighbors, and co-workers. 

Indie-pendence Day Weekend!

Indie-pendence Day Weekend! 
 

Most Americans are getting ready to enjoy a long weekend in honor of our Founding Fathers signing the Declaration of Independence. I have found four independent authors that I plan on reading in the very near future and I want to encourage others to give them a shot too. And remember to let each author know what you think with a review on Amazon.com. They've worked hard to give you a quality work at an amazing price.
Happy Reading!


Erin Kern - Looking for Trouble
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00472O74M

Anna Mara - The Perfect Revenge
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YOSCA4

Emma Jay - Eye of the Beholder
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZUT15G

Courtney Milan - Unlocked
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052YFNFQ

  
And I wouldn't mind you trying Bluegrass State of Mind either :)
http://www.kathleen-brooks.com/Bluegrass_Series_Books.html