All the Single Ladies, Put Your Hands Up!

To the single women on this Valentine's Day.

A toast to my single sisters who refuse to settle.
To the women who are willing to wait for the right one, and not right now.
To the women who refuse to dim their shine to make others feel better about themselves.
Who refuse to pretend to not have goals, ambitions, or desires.
Who walk this earth in all of their sexy, confident glory.

Keep your chin up and your stride strong.
You are worth only the best, and being single is not a sign of unworthiness.
The people in your life are there for a reason,
And if "the one" has not appeared, then they are not ready.
You need someone who will add value to your life, inspire the best in you, make magic.

While others are showing half-hearted
 professions of love because they have to, enjoy this time when you are creating the best you.
Sparkle on, my friend. Sparkle on.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Pick it up today for
$0.99!

Until next time!

Anna- The Super Diva

Website- http://annaalexander.net/
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Readers and Writers- Head to Portland February 20-21st

We are book people in the Pacific Northwest. I have heard that this area has the highest concentration of writers, and I believe it. But it's not just the Seattle area that is in love with the written word. My friends in Portland are also book lovers, and whether you are a reader or a writer, they have you covered February 20-21st
 
For writers:

February 20th – Full-day Workshop beginning 9:00am

Join Rose City Romance Writers for a day-long workshop at the University Place Hotel, beginning at 9am, followed by a cocktail reception with our instructors, Damon Suede and Geoff Symon.

• $60 for RCRW members (full day)
• $75 for non-RCRW members (full day)
• $20 for Cocktail Reception (5-8pm)
• Lunch, snacks and cocktail hour ticket are included in the Full-day Writing Workshop registration

Forensics for Fiction: make your crime pay with Geoff Symon

When writing crime scenes, what is the balance between accuracy and overkill?  Geoff Symon shares his experience as a 20-year Forensic Investigator with authors of every popular genre.  We’ll visit the most common forensic flubs and fallacies while discussing true primary forensic methods and fundamental terminology to bring authenticity to the scene of your crime.

Geoff Symon is a 20-year Federal Forensic Investigator and Polygraph Examiner.  His participation in high-profile cases includes the attacks on September 11, 2001, the War in Iraq, the Space Shuttle Columbia explosion, the 2002 bombings in Bali and the Chandra Levy investigation, among countless other cases. He has specified and certified training in the collection and preservation of evidence, blood-spatter analysis, autopsies and laboratory techniques.
Agent Symon has direct, first-hand experience investigating cases including murder (of all types), suicide, arson, kidnapping, bombings, sexual assault, child exploitation, theft and financial crimes, and is highly skilled in the psychophysiological detection of deception. He has taught undergraduate and graduate-level college courses in forensics at the George Washington University (DC) and Marymount University (MD).

 

Half-day Brand Plan with Damon Suede

 Branding is the cornerstone of all promo and marketing plans and is necessary to building a career and setting long range goals. During this workshop, author Damon Suede will assist attendees in identifying, honing, and crafting their personal author brand. Participants will also leave with a platform for effectively wielding their unique brand.
Damon Suede grew up out-n-proud deep in the anus of right-wing America, and escaped as soon as it was legal. Though new to romance fiction, Damon has been writing for print, stage, and screen for two decades. He’s won some awards, but counts his blessings more often: his amazing friends, his demented family, his beautiful husband, his loyal fans, and his silly, stern, seductive Muse who keeps whispering in his ear, year after year. Get in touch with him at DamonSuede.com.

For readers:

Love Between the Covers Showing – Feb. 21, 3pm

Venetian Theatre & Bistro, 253 E. Main St., Hillsboro, Oregon 97123

$7 per person online

$10 at the door

The first 100 attendees to arrive at the theatre will receive a special event goodie bag.

 

Love stories are universal. Love stories are powerful. And so are the women who write them. For three years, we follow the lives of five published romance authors and one unpublished newbie as they build their businesses, find and lose loved ones, cope with a tsunami of change in publishing, and earn a living doing what they love—while empowering others to do the same. Romance is the behemoth of the publishing industry; it outsells mystery, sci-fi, and fantasy combined. Yet no filmmaker has ever taken an honest look at the amazing global community that romance writers and readers have built. Until now.

 

 

 

 

 



Pick it up today for
$0.99!

 

 

Until next time!

 

Anna- The Super Diva

Website- http://annaalexander.net/
Facebook
Twitter
Newsletter
Amazon Page
YouTube 
Instagram- annam.alexander

Nancy Corrigan - Love Repeated

Love Repeated

By Nancy Corrigan

Blurb

Young lovers, Kyle and Ronnie, had the world ahead of them at seventeen. Stubbornness, misunderstanding and a mother’s influence forced them to forge their own paths. A decade later, neither can find love.
Ronnie always thought it was easier to move on than deal with the pain and hurt of past mistakes. She made plenty of them, but so did Kyle and her parents. Kyle knows the moment he touches Ronnie that he still loves her. He won’t repeat the past and let her leave him a second time.
It takes a tragedy and a secret to reunite them, but their passion returns in a rush along with regret and guilt. To have love, they’ll have to overcome their issues—before her mother’s sin takes Ronnie away, once and for all.

What Makes A Novel Great

What Makes A Novel Great

I've researched and read hundreds of romance novels since my journey began as a writer. I tried to analyze what I noticed about the stories I read that either drew me in or turned me off.  I remember one book in particular that stands out in my mind that I had a lot of trouble connecting too. First, I want to say that the author who wrote this book is an excellent writer. I’ve read most of her literary works and she is outstanding. However, this one story she wrote based on the Greek Spartan Leonitis did not capture me like I thought it would. I was really excited to read her fictional story based on him. However, after I read about three or four chapters, I put the book down and didn’t finish it. When I analyzed my reasons, I found I had trouble connecting with the protagonist in her story. It just didn’t click for me.

Then last October, I stumbled across another author whose first book had me absolutely riveted. I couldn't put the damn thing down.  She really inspired me. I connected with her characters immediately.  The protagonist in each book had flaws, but not the type of flaws that made them weak and not relateable.   After I read that first book, I worked my way through the rest of this author's books and enjoyed every single one of them for different reasons. She captured the emotional elements in her stories perfectly and drew me in each time. It was like magic in my opinion. It’s definitely a gift in my opinion and this particular author possesses it.

So tell me readers what makes a novel great? I read a comment once by a reader that I thought was very interesting. The reader said, “The writer has to bring forth strong emotions in you. You have to leave the book feeling strong feelings about the ending. I’m not talking about where you strongly disliked or liked the ending, I mean you sobbed at the end or felt elated. Or you feel animosity towards one character, etc. A great novel also makes you think. It has thought provoking themes in it. Or you need to spend time unraveling the different characters in the books.”
I know an emotional connection is key, especially when writing romance. Without that connection, your reader will put the book down. We aspire as authors to find that connection and bring it out in our writing.

RJ Ellory said, ”Some of us, I imagine, write out of anger; some out of pain; some write out of prejudice or loss, some out of passion, the promise of something better, perhaps the belief that—even now—a book can be capable of changing a life. Some of us write to remember, some to forget; some to change things, some to ensure things stay the same. Some of us—as my editor and agent will all too easily testify—write because we cannot stop.”
What are your thoughts on what makes a novel great? I would love to read your comments and feedback on this post.

Decadently yours,
Erin Simone

Alpha's Claim & His Two Anthologies

by Author Persephone Jones

Author Persephone Jones is stopping by the Divas today to share her two new anthologies. Alpha's Claim & His.  You can find these books at Evernight Night Publishing.  Here's a sneak peak...

Strength. Power. Domination. 

The shifters in our Alpha's Claim anthology have one thing in common—they won't take “no” for an answer. Whether they lead packs of their own, or whether they walk a solitary path, these alphas won't let anyone stop them from claiming their women.

Lose yourself in these ten sinfully delicious love stories. After all, who could deny an Alpha’s claim?

Strength. Power. Experience. No obstacle is too great when an alpha male decides what he wants, and these dominating men are so sexy and irresistible, no woman would dare think of anything but submission. Billionaires, Doms, and mobsters alike aggressively go after the women they want, and they will stop at nothing to fully possess them and make them beg for more.

Come and find out how good it feels to be HIS.

HIS

				HIS Quality Romance and Erotic Romance
				View on www.evernightpubli...	Preview by Yahoo

 and...

Alpha's Claim

				Alpha's Claim Quality Romance and Erotic Romance
				View on www.evernightpubli...	Preview by Yahoo

  

SEDUCTION OF NIGHT

RELEASE DATE AUGUST 20TH
Please stop by August 26, 2014 for a chance to win prizes

Immortal Embrace, Book Three

Ta’breyianWolffe is no stranger to loss. He’s on intimate terms with the pain and rage caused by losing his wife to the Rogue vampires he’s made it his mission to destroy. He keeps his emotions in check, the guilt over his part in his beloved’s death a cloak he wears always. Dangerous and lethally efficient when slaying his enemies, Ta’breyian has lived with his grief for more than a thousand years, ever alone.

Until a raven-haired beauty awakens his carnal side at long last.

Reporter Serena Miller’s determination to chase the story of mysterious deaths in New York City sends her plummeting into Ta’breyian’s violent world. The gorgeous woman tempts him like no other. She offers her body, but her love is off limits as long as Ta’breyian’s heart still belongs to a woman long dead. The time has come. He’ll have to confront his past—especially when it threatens to destoy his and Serena’s future.

A Romantica® paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

I'm very excited peeps!

Decadently yours,

Erin Simone, Author

SEDUCTION OF NIGHT

RELEASE DATE AUGUST 20TH
Please stop by August 26, 2014 for a chance to win 

Immortal Embrace, Book Three

Ta’breyianWolffe is no stranger to loss. He’s on intimate terms with the pain and rage caused by losing his wife to the Rogue vampires he’s made it his mission to destroy. He keeps his emotions in check, the guilt over his part in his beloved’s death a cloak he wears always. Dangerous and lethally efficient when slaying his enemies, Ta’breyian has lived with his grief for more than a thousand years, ever alone.

Until a raven-haired beauty awakens his carnal side at long last.

Reporter Serena Miller’s determination to chase the story of mysterious deaths in New York City sends her plummeting into Ta’breyian’s violent world. The gorgeous woman tempts him like no other. She offers her body, but her love is off limits as long as Ta’breyian’s heart still belongs to a woman long dead. The time has come. He’ll have to confront his past—especially when it threatens to destoy his and Serena’s future.

A Romantica® paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

I'm very excited peeps!

Decadently yours,

Erin Simone, Author