Tuesday Toolbox - Book Giveaways, Part 2

Last week I talked about the promotional tool of giving away copies of books you’ve published that readers would otherwise have to pay for. Readers have to comment or register to be entered to win a copy of these books.

Today, I’d like talk about a giveaway where you don’t have to pick a winner. Everyone wins with free book/short story downloads.

The great thing about free reads is an unlimited number of readers can download the story and read a sample of your writing. Hopefully, they’ll love it so much that they’ll want to pay money to read everything you've ever written!

Free read story involving a character from a “for sale” book: In December 2011, I did a free story that followed two secondary characters from Mr. Forever that followed up with them after Mr. Forever ended, an epilogue essentially. This was available from my publisher’s website for a couple months, and then I used it on blog hops last spring. (If you want a copy of Penelope’s Pleasure’s, email me or leave a comment with your email address and file format preference and I’ll shoot it out to you.)

Free read stand-alone story: Last Valentine’s Day, I wrote a short story entitled Second Chance Valentine. This is still available for free from Musa Publishing, All Romance eBooks, and Bookstrand. Anyone searching for free reads on these sites can download it. Hopefully, they’ll read it and love it and want to check out other books I've written…or at least remember my name.

Both of my free reads were done through and edited by my publisher. I highly recommend that if you give away free reads, make sure they are professionally edited and of the same caliber as your “for sale” books. You don’t want your free reads to be so riddled with errors that they turn off potential readers! 

Second Chance Valentine

What would you do if you got a second chance at love…with your husband's best friend?

Rick has always been a shoulder for his best friend's widow to lean on, but to him she will always belong to his friend. Gianna is ready to move on with her life, and no other man affects her like Rick. To give them both a second chance at love and life, Gianna must convince him that her husband would have wanted him to be the man she moves on with.

Sensational Secondary Characters Blog Hop

I am thrilled to participate in this blog hop because I LOVE secondary characters, especially those quirky, funny characters who "help" the hero and heroine on their journey to happily-ever-after. At least in my case, these characters, who usually have good intentions, complicate the hero and heroine's journeys, testing their mettle and ultimately making them grow into stronger, better people that we want to cheer for.

My new release Construction Beauty Queen is filled with quirky secondary characters who have a common goal--to drive my heroine out of town.  Barney from the convenience store tries to accomplish this by offering Veronica one of his trademark (inedible) welcome gifts.  "Nonsense," he tells her when she attempts to graciously decline. "You're malnourished. You need donuts."

The Wiccan Haus series from Musa Publishing is full of quirky continuing characters that populate the island. My favorite happens to be Myron who works the front desk in the Wiccan Haus resort, is continuously wearing the wrong name tag, and receives psychic answers from a seemingly ordinary deck of playing cards. At times she uses these answers to nudge the hero and heroine together, and at other times she deliberately withholds information, forcing them to look inside themselves to figure out the answers.

Two characters who completely stole the show in my book Mr. Forever were the heroine's brilliant, eccentric and insecure sister Penelope and the hero's brother Ethan, a suave lady's man.  I loved their secondary story line so much that I wrote an epilogue to Mr. Forever to show them getting their happily-ever-after. Offered last December as a free holiday read, I will give away a copy of Penelope's Pleasures to everyone who leaves a comment telling me their favorite secondary character and what book (or movie or TV show) he or she is from. Please indicate your preferred e-book format (Kindle, Nook or pdf) and include an email address for me to send to.

Return to blog hop here

Sinful Sirens Giveaway Hop

A sinful siren is exactly what stuffed shirt marriage therapist Dr. Caleb Paden thinks of Olivia Wells when he shows up on her doorstep to collect his son. Olivia has a few things to add to his theories. First of all, she's going to add some letter to his Forever marriage, specifically sex, tenderness, intimacy, needs, kissing, and sentimentality. Perfect. Now they can call it Forever Stinks.

I loved the idea of a marriage therapist who was so sure of his theories coming face-to-face with the woman who believed those theories destroyed her dreams of happily ever after.  It was so much fun to watch Caleb try to convert her while she's trying to bring down his empire.

The discovery of a secret baby threatens Caleb's professional reputation. Falling for the woman who loves this baby would ruin him. 

Marriage therapist Caleb Paden has just found out he has a son from a one-night stand, making a mockery of his core belief of stable relationships--"friendship above all physical encounters." On his way to take the child for a paternity test, a snowstorm leaves him stranded with single mom Olivia Wells, who blames his advice for breaking up her marriage. Caleb finds himself fighting the urge for the most basic of physical encounters. Olivia would like nothing more than to destroy the career he spent a lifetime building, but her maternal instincts draw her to help Caleb bond with his child. Soon, she finds herself falling for both of them. Nowhere in any of his advice does Caleb have an answer for how to make a relationship work if he loses his heart to love.

Also in Mr. Forever is a fun, quirky secondary romance involving Olivia's sister Penelope and Caleb's brother Ethan.  Penelope is far from a sinful siren in the beginning of Mr. Forever.  However, I created an epilogue entitled Penelope's Pleasures just so we could see her overcome the last of her insecurities and embrace her inner sinful siren. 

Penelope’s Pleasures
Penelope is confident in her ability to create dazzling perfumes, but on the personal side she believes she has nothing to offer a man. Ethan is used to having his way with women. He's smitten with Penelope but has committed himself to working only as her business partner. Penelope finally works up the nerve to act on her attraction. Will true love follow, or will they ruin their partnership when they mix business with pleasure?

On Monday, May 21st I will send a copy of Penelope’s Pleasures to everyone who leaves a comment by midnight Sunday, May 20th. Giveaway is international. Put your email address in the comments, as well as your preferred file type (Kindle, Nook or pdf). For extra Brownie points, like my page on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, and follow my blog here.

Return to blog hop here

Fallen Angel Interview & April Fool's Fun

Fallen Angel Reviews has posted my lovely in-depth interview with them where I talk about A Man Worth Fighting For and my writing life. You can view the interview here.

Today is the last day to comment on the Romance at Random Luck O' the Irish blog hop. I'll be sending out copies of Penelope's Pleasures on Monday to everyone who commented.

April Fool's Fun:  Today and tomorrow only, The Bravest Squirrel Ever is free on Amazon. Download your copy now. If you have a Kindle, you can download it instantly. If you don't have a Kindle, you can you can download the free Kindle app for your PC or phone.

Romance At Random Luck 'O the Irish Hop

Thank you for joining me on the Romance At Random Luck 'O the Irish Hop.  I am feeling extra lucky because the release for A Man Worth Fighting For falls right in the middle of this terrific blog hop.  I’ll give you a minute to drool over the cover. *pause*

Shot by a member of his military team, Justin Lawson retreats to the Wiccan Haus.  Holly Walters refuses to accept her boyfriend's out-of-the-blue rejection without an explanation, even if getting the answers forces her to be trapped on a bizarre island for an entire week.  She's going to use every minute to work Justin out of her system once and for all.  Justin's body and spirit begin to heal under Holly's loving ministrations.  As she talks about never seeing each other again, he realizes he never wants to let her go.  But the rogue assassin who had gone after Justin before is after him again.  Before he can fight to make Holly believe in their love, he'll have to fight for both their lives.

I am so excited to bring a virtual pot of gold to each of you in addition to the great Barnes and Noble gift cards offered by Romance at Random.  In my contemporary romance Mr. Forever, I have a fun, quirky secondary romance.  Although it’s clear at the end of Mr. Forever that Penelope and Ethan get together, we don’t get to see their final scene.  Because I loved these characters so much, I created an epilogue to Mr. Forever so we could see Penelope finally overcome the last of her insecurities as she and Ethan seal their love for each other. 

Penelope’s Pleasures

Penelope is confident in her ability to create dazzling perfumes, but on the personal side she believes she has nothing to offer a man.  Ethan is used to having his way with women.  He's smitten with Penelope but has committed himself to working only as her business partner.  Penelope finally works up the nerve to act on her attraction.  Will true love follow, or will they ruin their partnership when they mix business with pleasure?

You can enjoy Penelope’s Pleasures on its own, but I think you’ll enjoy it more after reading Mr. Forever.  The only woman who can help Caleb bond with his son is on a mission to destroy the career he's dedicated his life to.

On Monday, April 2nd I will send a copy of Penelope’s Pleasures to everyone who leaves a comment by midnight Sunday, April 1st.  Put your email address in the comments, as well as your preferred file type (Kindle, Nook or pdf).

Don't forget to enter the Barnes & Noble gift card giveaway below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Return to blog hop here!