I’ve read a few posts lately questioning whether writers should enter their work in contests. So I decided to weigh in and share my opinion. Come on, you knew I had one. Didn’t you?

Before you enter, and spend your hard earned bucks make sure the contest is right for you. How many score sheets do you get? Are the preliminary judges published authors? Check out the judges. What do they represent or publish. In my opinion, you need to know what you want to accomplish. A win? An agent or editor begging to guide your career? Feedback?

Before  my first book was published, I entered lots of contests. I loved getting feedback from the judges. Some of their suggestions were spot on, but some either didn’t work with my story or fit my voice.

Yes, I had a few who’d make Simon Cowell blush, but even the harsh ones gave me something to think about. But I didn’t revise my book to fit every judges opinion. I read the comments, digest them, and checked to see if more than one judge picked up on the same thing.

I won a few, placed in a couple, and didn’t make the cut in some. But I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. Can you guess the best thing to come from entering those contests? It wasn’t the wins, although they were awesome.

What I treasure the most are the wonderful friends I made. Yes, from entering contests! The first time a judge signed her name to my entry and promised me she’d buy the book when it hit the market, (thank you, Ellis Vidler) I was beside myself. In fact, I cried.

I thrived, even survived, on a few author/judges who gave me words of encouragement and praise. Had it not been for Ellis Vidler, (http://ellisvidler.com) Lena Diaz, ( http://lenadiaz.com) Donnell Bell, (http://www.donnellannbell.com) and Mimi Barbour (http://mimibarbour.com/) taking the time to comment on my entries and believe in my work, I might have hung up my spurs long ago.

Even though I still haven’t meet them all, I treasure their friendship and support. So for me, entering contests has been fruitful in ways more important than a win. No win or award will ever be more important than the relationships I made along the way.

Do you enter contests? Doesn’t have to be a writing contest, but one where you learned something? Think contests are a good idea?

Thank you!, Jerrie, for having me as a visitor on your blog. I’m a big fan of your books and feel very honored that you asked me to join you.

Q. Do you do any special research for your novels?

I don’t think I’d call it special research. I do a lot of research, as do most authors, on locale, occupations, and whatever else is needed to make my stories real and plausible. But if a novel I’m working on calls for special research, then I’d be more than happy to do it if it lends realism to my story.

Q. What made you pick your particular genre?

I find contemporary romance something I can relate to. I’ve always believed in love at first sight, true love, and happily ever after. My parents were actually the reason for those beliefs. My mother and father had a romance exactly like the romance novels. They were married for 69 years and their love stayed true to the end. My marriage follows the same lines as theirs. So contemporary romance not only makes sense to me, but I know that the true, abiding love with the happily ever after that exists in that genre, does exist in real life.

Q. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?

I’m almost finished with the second book in my Diamond series. The series continues with Jace and Dani’s son, Nicholas. It takes place in Las Vegas, just as Fair Play did, with Nicholas being an executive in the Diamond Hotel and Casino. I hope to have it published in the next couple of months.

Q. Do you ever hit the wall or find you’ve written yourself into a corner? How do you turn that around?

Actually, I’ve never written myself into a corner. I’m a pantser. I know how the beginning of my novels will start and how they will end, but I let my characters steer me in the direction they want me to follow. So far, this works fantastically for me. My characters, in fact, sometimes have me going in so many directions that I have to edit parts of my story and place those parts in another novel. If I should ever hit a wall or find myself in a corner, I’m confident that my characters will show me the way out.

Okay…enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff. You know, just between the two of us.

Sounds decadent. Okay, I’m game.

Q. The opportunity to go on a surprise vacation arises. You have 90 minutes to pack and get to the airport. Where will you go and what will you pack?

How exciting. I love surprises. To answer your first question, I’d go to a tropical island where I can enjoy the beach and sun. Of course, I’d have to bring along my husband. He’d be the first thing I’d pack. Then, I’d pack my ereader and laptop. After that, I’d also pack a couple of dresses for romantic dinners with my husband, my favorite perfume and lotions, jeans, t-shirts, shorts, underwear (the sexy kind), a couple of bathing suits, some strappy sandals, a couple of pairs of sexy heels , and some killer lingerie for romantic nights with my husband.

Q. Are you more likely to be spotlighted on the TV show Hoarders or Fashion Police?

Unfortunately, I’d probably be more likely to be spotlighted on Hoarders. I don’t hoard a lot of things, but I do hoard my books. I absolutely love to read, and I keep my books to be read over again. Thanks goodness someone invented ereaders or I’d have more than the library I now have, that overflows on my book shelves. In fact I have two ereaders that are full to the max.

Q. If they make a movie about your life, who do you want to play your part?

This is a really good question. Let me see. I guess I’d want Diane Lane to play my part. I love her acting and the movies she’s been in.

Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us…it can be a secret…we won’t tell.

I use to race cars. In my younger days I did some street racing. I love fast cars and love to drive them. The faster the better.

Book Blurb

Forced to live a clandestine life, Danielle “Dani” Jordon believes she has found a safe haven in Las Vegas until she meets devastatingly handsome casino owner Jace Diamond. With his compelling sexual magnetism and mind-numbing kisses, Dani finds her world turned upside-down. Resisting the most compelling man she has ever met proves to be a task she doesn’t have the strength to fight.

Inexplicably drawn to her, Jace embarks on a relentless pursuit to make Dani his. It isn’t long before he finds himself irrevocably in love, but can he convince Dani that she belongs with him?

Trapped in her life of deceit, Dani is afraid to admit her love for Jace or believe in a life without fear. Can she take the chance and trust him to provide the sanctuary she so desperately needs, or will that trust lead to exposure of her secrets and destroy her life?

 Excerpt

Dani stopped halfway in the room. She felt like she’d just been undressed with his eyes, but instead of making her feel disgusted as she had with Martin Pace, he’d caused her body to warm with pleasure. She hated that he could control her reactions to him, so she said indignantly, “One look wasn’t enough the last time, so you needed a repeat performance?”        

He rose to his feet and smirked. “If I recall, we were supposed to exchange notes. I was just refreshing my memory.”

“Tonight I escaped the mauling of one pervert. Do I need to defend myself from another?”

His eyes flared with anger at her words, but he replied calmly, “Don’t put me in the same category as that excuse for a man.”

“Sorry. That was totally uncalled for.” Her gaze fell to the floor. “It’s been a tough night.”

He circled the front of his desk to face her. 

She raised her head and followed him with her eyes and couldn’t help scrutinizing his body as he moved. He was tall. She figured him to be at least 6’3”, with broad shoulders, a lean body, and long legs. He had a really great body and so much male sexuality pouring from him, she figured women threw themselves at him all the time. No wonder he was so self-assured and arrogant. Her reaction to him was no different than other woman. No matter how much she denied it, she was very attracted to him.

She had to make sure Jace never learned of her attraction. It would be a very dangerous weapon to put in his hands. When her eyes returned to his, she realized he was watching her.

He crossed his arms and grinned. “Refreshing your memory, too, I see? Do you like what you see?”

Dani’s face instantly heated as she realized what she’d been doing. A few minutes ago she’d berated him for leering at her, and she was doing the same thing. Damn! She was treading on dangerous ground. Jace didn’t seem to be a man to be played with.

“Forgive my rudeness. You wanted to talk to me about something?”    

 Book Info

FAIR PLAY

By Janna Shay

Contemporary Romance

Buy Links

Amazon    -  http://www.amazon.com/Fair-Play-ebook/dp/B007ZTKOR8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339168320&sr=8-1

B&N   -   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fair-play-janna-shay/1110593776?ean=2940014468053

Kobo     -   http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Fair-Play/book-BVrnd_P5QkSMSfe9yrULag/page1.html?s=6LmVS-qceUqDXPA66xhkhQ&r=1

Soul Mate Publishing   -   http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/fair-play/

Author Bio

Janna Shay, a writer of contemporary romance and romantic suspense, lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with the love of her life, her husband, and her spoiled miniature schnauzer.  She is a mother of seven grown children and has twenty-seven grandchildren, who all live in nearby Northern California communities.

Not only does Janna write novels, she also edits and reviews books for other authors. Her passion is writing as well as reading. When she isn’t engaged in her literary pursuits, you will find her enjoying activities with her husband and family.

Fair Play, the first novel in her Diamond Series, set in Las Vegas, Nevada, is contemporary romantic fiction with added suspense. It is available in eBook edition at Soul Mate Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo Books.  It is also available in print edition at Amazon & Barnes & Noble.

Janna is a member of Romance Writers of America, San Francisco Area Romance Writers of America, and Black Diamond Romance Writers of America. She is a tour host for four touring companies and maintains two blogs.

Author info – social media links  

Website   -     http://www.jannashay.com/

Facebook  -     https://www.facebook.com/JannaShayAuthor

Twitter   -   https://twitter.com/JannaShay 

Goodreads  -    http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5836131.Janna_Shay

Romance Novel Center  -  http://www.romancenovelcenter.com/jannashay

Blog sites

WordPress   -     http://jannashay.wordpress.com/

Blogspot  -     http://jannashay.blogspot.com/

Jana, thanks again for being my special Friday guest.

I love how after seven children and twenty-seven grandchildren, the first thing you thought to take on vacation was you husband. Frankly, if that is a sustaining love, I don’t know what is. How about it, fellow readers? Can you top that?

I’m thrilled Brynna Curry is with me today. She writes Captivating Magic, Heart-Stopping Suspense, Sweet and Spicy Romance. I’m turning the blog over to Brynna so she can interview the interview the heroine of her book, FIRE’S ICE.

She’s due a good day. It’s been quite a year for her. While at volleyball practice, her hamstring snapped off a one inch chunk of bone from her hip. Ten weeks later, after hobbling around on crutches and weeks of physical therapy, she’d managed to keep her grades up and herself on the head master’s list.

Here’s the picture I received the day the doctor released her. She was ready to rejoin the team.

A week later, she bent two fingers sideways and missed another week.

All that was bad enough, but a few days after she started practicing with the team, she was hit in the temple by a ball. Yep. Slight concussion. She couldn’t play until she‘d passed a series of tests at the doctor’s office.

A lot of time had passed. The team had formed, gotten used to each others strengths and weaknesses. Which meant she had to start from zero with one game left to play. An important game at that. This was the team’s last chance to qualify for the national finals.

Would she get to play? Would she contribute? Would this group of fourteen-year-old girls welcome her back?

I’m happy to answer yes to those questions. Not that she played all the time, but she played and played her heart out. Her hits were spectacular. (I wouldn’t want that ball hitting me) And most if not all of the girls embraced her as one of them. The team won first place in the tournament and will play in the national finals!

So why am I telling you this? Other than the fact I’m incredibly proud of her? Because of her resiliency. Her ability to face and deal with setbacks. To keep her head up when it seemed nothing would go right. I am awe struck by her determination and spirit.

Our young people have this incredible ability to bounce back from crisis. They have this innate ability to handle the up and downs of life, the disappointments, and even heartbreaks that we grownups would deem catastrophic.

Anybody know where that resiliency is stored? Is there a repository where I, now that I’m an adult, can go get a refill? I can’t speak for you, but I could use a double dose.

Bio: Born and raised in New England, Mia Fisher spent twenty years freezing in the Midwest before returning to the east coast after the death of her husband. A prolific author who spends quality time in several genres and the mother of four children, Mia moved to the sunny state of Florida in 2012. She lives there with her youngest child and a cat with evil intentions. When she’s not writing, she’s a graduate student in social work.  

Q. Tell us, do you do any special research for your novels?

I do research for every book I write. I try to be as accurate as possible when it comes to the sciences so I’m not beyond emailing a total stranger at the CDC and asking a question. I have many friends and associates who work in numerous fields so that helps as well. Back in January I dropped a line to Homeland Security regarding bombs which resulted in a rather firm phone call from an HSD agent wanting to know what my intentions were regarding the information I requested. Once I explained it was for a book they were actually very helpful in presenting an accurate yet slightly off-the exact mark presentation, that way nobody could recreate the technique being used in the book. I tend to avoid the internet for straight research just because one never knows if what they’re reading is correct. More than once I’ve found stuff that wasn’t accurate based on personal knowledge of the topic so I try to limit my research to one-on-one interviews if possible.

Q. What made you pick your particular genre?

I kind of float from genre to genre but I like to stay within the contemporary avenue if possible. I like paranormal genre because I fully believe there’s another world going on around us while we’re totally oblivious to it. I love mystery/suspense because I love to delve into why people do what they do. I like erotica because there’s nothing like a little steam to spice up one’s life! Then there’s the straight contemporary which can provide a plethora of storylines.

Q. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?

I’m currently finishing up the sequel to Blood Roles. It’s book two of what was going to be the NABSU mystery series. I began the series before my husband passed away and we had originally prepped six books. Unfortunately he passed away in 2010 and after some soul searching I decided to release Bad Medicine and then shelf the rest of the series for a while. It was just too hard to work on the storylines without my husband there to bounce the ideas off of. Bad Medicine is going to a compilation of several storylines at once – it will address Andie’s relationship with her co-worker, Marty Bear and address the continuing relationship she has with Taylor Rains. They’ll be going undercover to expose a black market eagle feather before finding themselves inadvertently involved with Homeland Security more than they want to be before having to return to White River where the vicious serial killer that terrorized the reservation in Blood Roles has resurfaced.

Q. Do you ever hit the wall or find you’ve written yourself into a corner? How do you turn that around?

If I really love the storyline I’m working on it’s rare I hit a wall. If there’s an issue with a story where I’m struggling with its presentation that’s usually when I’ll hit a wall. When that happens I’ll just get up and walk away for a while. For me that’s what works best. Just dismissing it for a bit and then going back to it with a clear head helps me work it all out.

Okay…enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff. You know, just between the two of us.

Q. The opportunity to go on a surprise vacation arises. You have 90 minutes to pack and get to the airport. Where will you go and what will you pack?

Hmmm, I think I’d go to England and see the castles of King Henry VIII’s wives. I’ve always wanted to do that and, of course, I’d be packing semi-formal because it’s not exactly appropriate to tour great castles of Europe in sweatpants! ;o)

Q. Are you more likely to be spotlighted on the TV show Hoarders or Fashion Police?

Definitely hoarders. Lol My office is organized chaos – I have piles for each project.

Q. If they make a movie about your life, who do you want to play your part?

Melissa McArthy – my kids constantly tell me that I have no sense of humor so it would be nice to see a funny person play me! lol

Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us…it can be a secret…we won’t tell.

I am an incredibly shy person – to the point of social anxiety. I stopped doing book signings because they were just too nerve wracking. I’m slowly working through it and moving forward. I’d actually gotten geared up to go to RWA National this year, as the president for Kiss of Death, and then my internship for my masters assigned me to uber-shifts that week so I’m not going to get to go now. Oh well, maybe next year!!

PARAMOUR

IS LOVE EVER REALLY ENOUGH?

FEBRUARY 1, 2013

Paramour Blurb:

Hot Men & Women, Hot Sun, Hot Sex – There’s Nothing Hotter Than Florida In

The Summer!

Paramour: Book One In The Bayside Erotica Series

 By day Aurora McClellan is a hard driving literary agent – she’s focused, driven and completely jaded regarding life and love. She’s married to her work and likes it that way. Enter Sergio Vega – a hot blooded Spanish Lothario with a player reputation and an eye for a challenge. Assigned to work with the seemingly uptight Ms. McClellan, it doesn’t take Sergio long to realize that underneath the business façade is a ball of passionate fire just waiting to explode and Mr. Vega takes great pleasure in lighting that fuse.

Link for Paramour :

http://www.amazon.com/Paramour-Bayside-Romance-Volume-1/dp/1481190970/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1367624082&sr=8-5&keywords=Mia+Fisher 

ILLUSIONS

Because Everything Is Not Always As It Seems…

AVAILABLE NOW!!

Social Media Links:

http://www.miafisher.net

http://www.authormiafisher.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/mia.fisher.9

https://twitter.com/AuthorMiaFisher

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5410789.Mia_Fisher

Recently, I was asked if my writing style had changed since working with two different editors. I didn’t have to think hard. My answer was a quick yes.

What’s different?

I may have mentioned I can’t write a book in a week or two or even thirty days. I can’t do it. It doesn’t work with my brain. First thing in the morning, (after I’ve checked in with the world on social media) I grab a cup of coffee, open my work in progress, and read yesterday’s pages. I tighten, edit, and revise as needed. I look for uses of throwaway words, repeated words, and run on sentences. I used to think it would leave less rewriting in the final stages.

No more. My bubble has burst. I’ve had my Ah-ha moment. (Pardon the clichés.) I met my editors. These folks are very important people in my life.

To say I’ve learned a great deal is an understatement. A good editor will spot those nasty overused and weak words from five paragraphs away. And aren’t we thankful they can?

So what’s changed about my writing? I still reread yesterday’s work today, but with a better trained eye. I work my list of throwaway words more diligently. I have a tendency to over describe, but now I watch my words closer. Hopefully, I deliver a cleaner manuscript and a better book to my readers. Because these folks are even more important!

My handy dandy list of words to kill are next to my keyboard. Here are just a few:

About, already, just, that, even, so, somehow, there, then, was, now, nearly, seems, knew, really, actually, usually, suddenly, wondered, very, see…and the one word my friend Marsha works hardest not to use…it.  

So when you read do you notice throwaway words? If you write, do you have words to add to my list?

Don’t forget THE GREEN-EYED DOLL has been nominated for best Thriller/Suspense by InD’tale Magazine. You can vote right away by going here http://indtale.com/sites/default/files/editor_uploads/files/RONE_Awards_Mail_In_Ballot.pdf  Scroll down to SUSPENSE/THRILLER, fill out the book title and my name, and email back to tjmackay@indtale.com. Easy instructions and I really could use your vote!

First I have a couple of announcements and then I dug out and refurbished one of my first posts. One that’s still relevant today. Point of view.

 I’m super excited to tell you THE GREEN-EYED DOLL has been nominated for best Thriller/Suspense by InD’tale Magazine. Voting starts May 17th or you can vote right away by going here http://indtale.com/sites/default/files/editor_uploads/files/RONE_Awards_Mail_In_Ballot.pdf  Scroll down to SUSPENSE/THRILLER, fill out the book title and my name, and email back to tjmackay@indtale.com.

SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME, my 32K word short story finally has a cover! I’ll have it and a release date to post soon. Stay tuned!

Monday we talked about turning the reins loose and listened to our characters. I do this by metaphorically putting on that individual’s hat!

Imagine me sitting in front of my computer. Got it? I’ve donned my Phantom of the Opera’s mask, killing off character’s who refuse to do what I want. People who don’t understand that I have their best interest at heart. People who don’t realize how damaged I am inside. People who die for not bending to my will.

Then I slip on my heroine’s hat of mystery. How’d she get into this mess? Strong willed and brave, she’ll do what it takes to solve the mystery and survive. Maybe, as she fights her way through her story, she’ll fall in love on the way.

Ah, the hero. *sigh* Okay, so he doesn’t have a hat. Getting into the mind of a hundred percent kick ass male, who doesn’t think he needs love to survive, is great fun. Hat or no hat. If I struggle with his persona, I’ll turn to my standby song Holding Out For A Hero. If you don’t know this one, please, go to Itunes and look up Bonnie Tyler. 

While writing, I wear all those hats. Now, I don’t really have a wall of hats that I swap back and forth. It’s all in my head and done metaphorically. For me it’s a method. It’s my way to dig deep into the characters persona and tell the story from his/her point of view without my ideas or morals interfering.

Not that I’d be opposed to putting on a black fedora or silver belly Stetson if I thought it would get me past a particularly hard scene to write.

Shoot, I’d write naked if it worked. But that’s another post.

After all of my research is complete and I understand their motivations, immersing myself in a character, trying to feel and react as he or she would, is the best way for me to develop separate and distinguishable personalities for each person in the book.

What about you? Maybe you have a trick you can share. You don’t have to be a writer to slip into a character’s point of view. Maybe at the movies you lose yourself. Ever become Merle Streep? Or Alex O’Loughlin?

That steady rhythm, the flash, repeating these words. Not now, not now, not now. Try it! Take a look at yours. Go on, I’ll wait.

Admit it, you tested me and mentally timed the flash by repeating not now, not now, not now. Didn’t you?

I decided the time had come to dig through my resources. I’d saved notes I’d taken at different conferences I’ve attended. Surely, one of those would have something that caught my attention. An idea would form and I’d have this keyboard humming.

I remembered how Kristen Lamb, a guest speaker who guided us through a session on social media at the North Texas Conference, instructed each of us to write 100 descriptive words that would define us. Being the folder freak I am, locating my list was easy. Much to my disappointment, I only had 43 written down. None of them appealed to me.

I emailed a friend. She fired back a super interesting list. Truth be told, one of her ideas peaked my curiosity. Why are there so many varieties of dry cereal? The question was too deep for my shallow brain to ponder. Besides, she’s started her own blog and will need to use those ideas.

The cursor continued its taunt.

This reminded me of when I write myself into a corner. That usually happens when I’m forcing my will onto a character. I had to cut an entire scene in NO TIME TO KILL, book two in the Lost and Found, Inc series, because my Army Ranger dug his heels into the jungle floor and refused to move forward.

Geesh, can you say temperamental male? Now I didn’t have him walking unarmed down an dark alley where a serial killer was waiting. I wanted him to walk away from the heroine. (Not forever, just temporarily to add drama.) But oh no, that went against his moral code. His job was to rescue this woman, and until I cut him loose and allowed him to do it his way…we watched the cursor blink.

Sometimes, I have trouble releasing the reins. But when I do, things flow so much easier from my brain to my fingers to the keyboard.

How about you? Do you have trouble releasing the reins and allowing your imagination to run free?

Karen and I  belong to the RWA North Texas Romance Writers. I had the opportunity to get to know her better at a writers retreat a few years ago. Aside from being a brilliant writer (count’em…35 books published) she’s warm and personable. Plus she’s a dog lover and you know that makes her special. I’m thrilled she stopped by today!

Q. Do you do any special research for your novels?

Since I’m a “seat of the pants” type writer, I do research as needed. If I’m writing and then need to know about something, I stop and do some online research.

Q. What made you pick your particular genres?

My first published books were short contemporary. After five of those, I wrote what I wanted – a time travel, Fae, Paranormal romance. I wasn’t sure I could sell it – I didn’t have an agent then. But I sent it off to Dorchester and they bought it! Five of those books later, and I now had an agent and wanted to write for Harlequin. I wrote a female shape-shifter book and Leslie Wainger loved it. Now I continue to do paranormal books for Harlequin Nocturne and also write for Harlequin Romantic Suspense. My 25th book with Harlequin (35th overall) will be out in September!

Q. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?

Currently I’m working on a book titled Texas Lies, Lover’s Secrets. It’s due in less than two weeks and will be out from Harlequin Romantic Suspense in October 2013. The heroine ran away from her past but must return home after five years when her best friend disappears. The hero is the fiancé she left at the altar.

Q. Do you ever hit the wall or find you’ve written yourself into a corner? How do you turn that around?

Oh yes. All the time. When I hit the wall, I make a list of three random things that could happen in the book. The more outlandish the better. Then I pick one and write it. Most times, it ends up being something I can use. I also write out of order. Like right now, I’m labeling the random scenes so I can put them back in the book in order. As to writing myself into a corner – that’s what the delete button is for. I can always tell too, because not only do I feel that something’s off, but my characters totally stop cooperating.

Okay…enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff. You know, just between the two of us.

Q. The opportunity to go on a surprise vacation arises. You have 90 minutes to pack and get to the airport. Where will you go and what will you pack?

Salmon Fishing at Campbell River on Vancouver Island, Canada. There’s a beautiful fishing lodge there called Painter’s Lodge. Best vacation ever. Pack layers of clothes, rain gear, lots of jeans and comfy shirts.

Q. Are you more likely to be spotlighted on the TV show Hoarders or Fashion Police?

Fashion Police. I don’t hoard, but my grown daughter often rolls her eyes at my fashion choices. I’m all about comfort.

Q. If they make a movie about your life, who do you want to play your part?

A movie about my life would be kind of boring. I’d pick Sandra Bullock, just because I love her.

Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us…it can be a secret…we won’t tell.

I just signed up to volunteer for Legacy Boxer Rescue. I love dogs and have two Boxers (and one Schnauzer) of my own and want to do what I can to help.

Karen Whiddon’s blog is at www. KarenWhiddon.blogspot.com

She can be found on Facebook at Karen-Whiddon-Author or her personal page at Karen Whiddon. Her Twitter handle is @KarenWhiddon

As a writer, I can honestly say receiving a good review is the most rewarding thing that happens. The recognition from one reader who was whisked away from reality and into a story I wrote is like mainlining adrenalin straight into my vein!

Their positive comments energize me. Renews my confidence and gives me the incentive to continue to improve. It means I did my job and did it well.

We writers build fictional worlds for readers. We create believable heroes and heroines; develop love stories layered with conflict and emotion. We commit heinous crimes (on paper), or become dragons or wolves. We’ll slay vampires. Heck; we’ll become a vampire for the sake of a good story. And we do that in hopes our readers love reading the story as much as we loved writing it.

Every single time I receive a glowing review, and it never ever gets old, I think of Sally Fields accepting her Academy Award. Clutching the statue to her breast, she exclaimed to the world, “You like me. You really like me!”

I’ve received a few negative comments, but that’s okay too. I read them, learn from them, and move on. There are lots of places to leave a review, such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads. If you read a book, I encourage you to review it.

I asked a few fellow writers to share a review that lifted their spirits. I’ve included a link in case you’d like to read more.

Vicki Batman, author of Man Theory and Other Stories, received this review!

 5.0 out of 5 stars Humor with my romance any day, Batman has delivered with three hilariously wonderful short stories that will keep you entertained and thinking about them long after you finish reading. Her snappy dialogue, spot-on insight into the male brain and just the right amount of humor makes these stories a must read for lovers of Happily Ever After.

 http://www.amazon.com/Man-Theory-Other-Stories-ebook/product-reviews/B00704USSI/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

Ellis Vidler, author of Cold Comfort, received this and it made her heart sing!

For pure entertainment, Ellis Vidler’s Cold Comfort deserves five stars, not four: it has pace and a compelling plot that kept me guessing what was going on right up to the concluding chapters. It’s also a relief to read good writing after a lot of material by people who’ve no grasp of the concept of editing.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/446053120

Jeanne Guzman, author of Dragon Lover, received this review posted on Goodreads!

This is one of the few paranormal romance books I’ve read, and I must say during quite a few scenes I felt as hot as if a fire breathing dragon was in close proximity. A very scintillating read, Jeanne Guzman takes us into a world below the streets of Austin, Texas in her imaginative vision of love and war between dragon tribes and the humans who love them. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13077235-dragon-lover?ac=1

Barb Han, author of Gone, received this from The Printed Fox!

I must admit, it’s been a very long time since a book grabbed me, held me prisoner, and had me emotionally invested on the first page. Gone by Barb Han did just that…Han’s writing is gripping, and beautifully executed. There were a few times when I just had to re-read a sentence because it was so perfect, or poignant.”

http:/theprintedfox.blogspot.com/

P.L. Parker, author of The Chalice, received this from Coffee Time Romance!

This is what I call a complete novel. The author has left no stone unturned. Every question and doubt is answered beautifully. From the very first page I was pulled in and could not let go till it was finished. Each and every character is so vibrant and individual; you can imagine them right in front of you.

http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/thechalicebyplparker.html#.UW9ZNbWuzgY

Larissa Reinhart, author of Portrait of a Dead Guy, received this from Mystery Scene Magazine!

The tone of this marvelously cracked book is not unlike Sophie Littlefield’s brilliant A Bad Day for Sorry, as author Reinhart dishes out shovelfuls of ribald humor and mayhem. It takes a rare talent to successfully portray a beer-and-hormone-addled artist as a sympathetic and worthy heroine, but Reinhart pulls it off with tongue-in-cheek panache.” 

http://www.mysteryscenemag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2777%3Aportrait-of-a-dead-guy&catid=26%3Abooks&Itemid=187

Karen Doctor, author of Satin Pleasures, received this review posted on Amazon!

“Every now and again, you come across a book that sweeps you, the reader, into the folds of a pleasurable and needed distraction. Karen Docter does that in this funny romantic comedy that is Satin Pleasures. Both main characters, Dan and Tess, are friends or coworkers that you know in your real life. They’re believable, flawed, yet hopeful, even when they fight the obvious signs (of subtle manipulation and love). I laughed out loud so many times it surprised me. It’s a fun fast read. I recommend this book. Bravo, Karen.”

http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A2GC8XWYUFKF6K/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview

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If you’re an author, want to share a review or your thoughts on reviews?”