Posted in my books, promo

Roxy’s Betrayal Cover Reveal Party

Join me at Bed and Books on Instagram and Facebook, Tuesday, January 26th,

https://www.instagram.com/bedandbookspr/

https://www.facebook.com/bedandbookspr

to get a glimpse of the bad sister, Roxy! I had a lot of fun writing a bad girl. Roxy is no one’s idea of a romantic hero. She was voted most likely to steal your boyfriend in high school. Roxanne Harrell doesn’t do anything that doesn’t benefit Roxanne until she meets the niece she didn’t know she even had. When her brother’s ex-fiance threatens sell her niece and friend to the highest bidder, has no choice but to do her bidding. Can she save her friends by betraying her family or will she end up destroying them all?

The Washington (NC) waterfront is mentioned often in both my book series. This is where the Pamlico and Tar Rivers meet.

On the new cover of White Gold, Dana is walking the waterfront after shopping with her sisters. It is where she strolls with Jake, agent sexy and where Rae Lynne walks with one of her dates before he is murdered.

When I was planning the cover for Roxy’s Betrayal I knew I wanted the waterfront and I found this photo I took while strolling the waterfront with my granddaughter. It is one of my favorites with the old warehouse and bridge.

In Roxy’s Betrayal I mention Bill’s Hot Dogs. Bill’s is a famous hot dog place here in Beaufort County but I have a confession to make. I had never eaten one of Bill’s dogs until after I married my husband. They are known for their white bean chili which is spicy and delicious.

excerpt from Roxy’s Betrayal

“So, is there any place you’d like to go before I take you home?”

“I thought your brother wanted you to take me straight home.”

“Remington likes to give orders, but he knows I won’t listen.” She gave him that 1000-watt smile. “So, what have you missed most while in lock-up?”

The buxom blonde wasn’t his normal type, not that he really had a type. Roxanne Harrell was definitely more than he would have asked for with her big personality, luscious figure and daring. She was tempting him more than was wise for someone in his position. He tamped down his desire. He wasn’t exactly a free man. What had he missed most since being locked up? “Sunshine,” he whispered.

“What’s that?”

“I’ve missed sunshine and fresh air.”

She turned down Water Street. Leaning across his lap, she rolled down his window. She turned her head and gave him a wink.

Heat pooled in his groin. He shoved his hands beneath his armpits to keep from holding her head to his lap. Sliding a little closer to the door, he put his head out the window like an old hound.

Slowing the truck, she cruised the waterfront. “Are you hungry? We could stop at Bill’s for a hotdog.”

Jorge licked his lips and nodded. He could smell the world-famous hot dogs from a block away, the peppery scent of the white chili tickled his nose and his mouth watered. He chuckled imagine himself as a dog with his tongue lulling out his mouth with his head hanging out the window.

She pulled into a parking lot and whipped the truck around cruising back to the town’s famous hot dog stand. “You want to go in or do you want me to order for us both?”

“Do you mind?” He was not up to dealing with people just yet.

“What do you want?”

“All the way.”

Giving him the once over she nodded. “Well of course, I should have known. How many, a dozen?”

He laughed. “I’m not quite man enough for a dozen but I’ll take half that.”

“Oh, I bet you could handle it.” She called in their order. “Do you want anything to drink, chips?”

He gave her his preferences and she made comments on all of them until he was ready to forget the food and find some place to sink his cock deep inside her. Shit! When was the last time a girl’s teasing comments had made him so freaking horny? Well, maybe when you haven’t had sex in forever it does something to your brain. He watched her walk down the sidewalk to the café. She had a heart-shaped ass, and long muscular legs that looked as if she could crush a man’s head between her thighs. Aw fuck, now the image of him dying between her thighs was forever imprinted on his brain. Remy should never have trusted a sex-starved jailbird to come within ten feet of his gorgeous sister. Jorge needed to remember she was his lawyer’s baby sister.

The smell of garlic, onions, spices and processed meat assaulted his senses. “Oh fuck me.”

“Gladly but why don’t we eat first. You’ll need your strength.”

Jorge stopped breathing.

She laughed. “Damn, I was just kidding but now I’m interested. How long has it been?”

“Unless you’re planning to do something about it, I suggest you stop baiting the bear or haven’t you learned yet, we bite.”

“Okay, I’ll quit teasing you but for the record, I was only half teasing.”

He growled.

https://books2read.com/u/boD5Na

Roxy’s Betrayal is available for pre-order. The eBook goes live February 5th, it will be 99 cents through Sunday, February 7th then the price goes up! Don’t wait!

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram to get a glimpse of Roxy’s Betrayal!

https://www.instagram.com/suspenseshewrites/

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Posted in Creekside Cafe, interview

Front Porch Chat with Tom Kane

Tom Kane

Today I’d like to welcome Tom Kane to my virtual café. I’d say name your poison but after reading your bio I’m afraid it’ll be lethal.

Tom: Probably not as lethal as you would expect. I’m partial to a good dry Chablis if you want me to open up, otherwise coffee with cream… preferably Colombian. But don’t get me on the whisky, you’ll never shut me up until I fall asleep!

Sherri: I’m a whiskey gal myself. I love Kentucky Bourbon but I drink more coffee than whiskey.

Are you still an ex-pat in Cyprus or have you finally gone back home?

Tom: Still in Cyprus and I expect I may end up falling off my perch here. With the Pandemic still doing its thing airports are sort of opening up, but, well, who knows. Life is one long juggle and all my balls seem to have stayed in the air far too long.

Sherri: Doing research for this interview was definitely interesting. I’m not sure if I should approach with caution or dive right in. You have an eclectic list of books from serious historical to humor. I love both by the way. You even have a couple of “How Tos.” Tell me about the author Tom Kane.

Close-up portrait of a female student holding book in front of her face in the library

Tom: Now you’re on dangerous ground. Tom Kane is three authors. A little boy of 8 who always wanted to write a book and tried, unsuccessfully. A man (kid) of 24 who wanted to write a book, bought an early personal computer to write his book, found nobody had invented the word processor, so learned to write software in order to create a word processor. The author was subsumed into a programmer and never saw the light of day again until about 12 years ago. I don’t know where Tom Kane the author went, but I’m glad he’s back… just in time if you ask me.

Sherri: How do you go from writing historical to humor?

Tom: Deep down inside me there is a comedian, striving to come out. I see humour in many things.

Yesterday I was in a hospital in Nicosia collecting drugs for someone, it took hours in multiple queues, but as I left a man in full surgical gown was wheeling a large bin on wheels full of misshapen blue bags tied at the top in red. Body parts?

He caught my eye and I his and I simply said, “Hi Victor,” as I walked past. His confusion was sublime. I always wondered what happened to Victor Frankenstein and now I know. Mary would have been proud of me.

But to answer the question (I did warn you about the whisky) I see humour in all things, even history that is somewhat dry to others offers a glimmer of humour.

http://mybook.to/DemonMurders

Sherri: Have you always been a writer? When did you start writing seriously?

Tom: As I mentioned earlier, I only managed to take writing seriously about 12 years ago and it’s a big regret in my life. I was a journo for a PC magazine for a while, writing about business software, but that was soul destroying for a seriously silly writer like me.

Sherri: Two of your books feature World War 2, one was heavily influenced by your father but when I read the title, I thought at first it was a paranormal. How has that book done in the historical market and has there been any confusion? What is the importance of a title and marketing a book?

Tom: When I wrote Operation Werwolf I was somewhat naive about both book titles and genre. I knew nothing of paranormal books and Werwolf refers to the young kids and old men Himmler glued together to create a ramshackle partisan force to repel the allies from Germany.

However, it only caused two people to return their books. But it did prove another point because sales went okay, a couple of hundred, and so the vast majority of people who bought it actually read the blurb, but two didn’t. Point proven? There are more intelligent people in the world than dimwits.

http://mybook.to/OpWerwolf

Sherri: You are active on social media, how do you feel books and reading are perceived and promoted differently in the US versus Europe?

Tom: I have a love hate relationship with Twitter and Facebook, particularly Facebook. But it is what it is and we have to use these as tools to showcase ourselves. But the difference between US showcasing and UK showcasing is stark and very much the way we perceive each other. US is in your face and anything goes, whereas UK is more reserved, bordering on deference sometimes. As for Europe, I can only go on what I know of Cyprus, which is even more reserved than the UK and quite gentile… that is until you get into politics and then all hell breaks loose and there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth from all corners of the globe.

Sherri: With your list of books, what are some tips you would give new authors on publishing and marketing. What five things are the most important?

Tom: 1) Build an author platform that includes social media and a blog. Writing a blog will hone your writing skills if you write generalized stuff as I do, from short stories to reviews of other people’s work.

            2) Build your brand. Make your name something to be remembered. If people recognize your brand as being something worthy of paying attention to, you will do okay. It’s a big pond with some very large fish, don’t sink to the bottom and end up covered in silt, to be forgotten about.

            3) Read more, and read varied books. Not just fiction. Anything and everything. You need a broad scope and depth of knowledge. Knowledge is power, fill your head with knowledge.

            4) Never give up. Grit your teeth, get up at 4am, drink gallons of coffee, ignore family and friends, dedicate yourself to your writing.

            5) This is the hard part. Believe in yourself. Don’t doubt yourself. You need an iron resolve even to be mediocre. And I’ll give you another snippet of advice for free.

            6) Do not trust family and friends to read your work and believe what they tell you. It takes a very special family member of friend to tell you the truth. 9 times out of 10 they can’t help themselves and they lie. “Oh yes, I enjoyed that.” Sorry, no, you probably didn’t. Get reviews from paying members of the public or via places like Goodreads, but only from strangers. People who will tell you the truth.

Sherri: What advice do you wish you’d had as a new author?

Tom: One of my family told me I would never make money as a computer programmer and the same one said I would never be able to write a book. WRONG! That ‘advice’ spurred me on, but you may not have the luxury of a family member full of his own BS.

Be honest with yourself. It is bloody hard being a writer, even an unsuccessful writer has to work at it. A successful writer has it even harder because your next book has to be better than the last. Be brutally honest and ask yourself, can I do this?

Sherri: What writing project are you working on now?

Tom: My Brittle trilogy. The Brittle Sea is published, the second book The Brittle Land is ongoing as is the third, The Brittle Sky. It’s a family saga that is taking a lot of brainpower to keep all the characters in place and stop them wandering off for coffee breaks or taking a dump. Families are hard to discipline!

Sherri: What do you wish you’d done differently when you published your first book?

Tom: Paid more attention to the cover. It will attract people or it will make them wrinkle their noses and walk on by. Pay attention to what it is you are trying to sell.

Sherri: How do you feel your writing has grown? What has been the biggest change in your writing?

Tom: I’m a lot more relaxed with my writing. With that relaxation I find the storylines are flowing better. But with that comes more and more ideas. I have about 10 works in progress and another 120 ideas in the pipeline, time’s running out!

Sherri: What would you like readers to know about you as a person?

Tom: I’m human. I have all the good and bad traits any human has. All of my being, good and bad, goes into my writing in the hope that as you read my work, you may just see a glimmer of me from the corner of your eye.

Sherri: Have you published a new book recently?

Tom: Yes, The Brittle Sea has been out about a month and it’s a very slow process building traction. But, I have some good reviews (don’t get me started on Amazon refusing reviews) and good feedback from readers who I have sent copies to, so I’m hoping this Christmas may prove a good Christmas for me. Who knows… by the way, any whisky left?

http://mybook.to/BrittleSea-eBook

Sherri: Tom, thank you for stopping by my Creekside Café. If I ever win the lottery, we will do this for real. If y’all enjoyed our chat follow Tom Kane through his social media and check out his books, he is sure to have something to interest you. Thank you again Tom, I look forward to seeing you on Twitter.

BOOKLINKS

The Brittle Sea: – http://mybook.to/BrittleSea-eBook

A Pat on his Back: – http://mybook.to/PatonhisBack

Operation Werwolf: – http://mybook.to/OpWerwolf

The Demon Murders:-  http://mybook.to/DemonMurders

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Twitter:- https://twitter.com/TigerBites

Amazon Author Page: – amazon.com/author/thetomkanecollection

Blog: –  https://www.tom-kane-author.website/blog/

Website:- https://www.tom-kane-author.website/

BIO

I was born in the corner of the living room, behind the TV, so my father said. That set the tone for the rest of my oddball life.

What is officially known about my birth is that it took place in England. My love of writing was borne from a need to create worlds I wanted to read about, so in some ways writing feeds my egomania.

MOTTO:  A Word Can Change a Mind. A Sentence Can Change a Life. A Book Can Change the World.  © Tom Kane 2020

Regards

Tom Kane

Posted in event, inspiration, my books, News

International Anthology Release Party

“Kissing and Other Scandalous Pastimes”

Join the fun at The New Romance Café Facebook Page, December 2nd 12 pm until 9pm for our International Release Party! We’re celebrating our first historical romance anthology. It is one of two winter anthologies we’re releasing this year!

I am so honored to be a part of this awesome group. My friend and fellow Pamlico Writer, Tammera Cooper invited me to check out this group and I fell in love with the page, the people and the program. Andie Wood the page founder and her team of awesome moderators have worked tirelessly to put out five anthologies this year. FIVE! All the proceeds have gone to breast cancer research. In the spring I was able to fill in when a family emergency took out the original author. While I’m so sorry she was unable to participate, I’m so thankful for the opportunity to have been a part of that first anthology.

I hope you will join us as we celebrate the launch of this most recent anthology. For many of us it was a labor of love. “Kisses and Other Scandalous Pastimes,” is our first historical romance. My story, “If Only in My Dreams,” is the story of lovers torn apart by war and duty. When Lydia’s brother is killed at Pearl Harbor, she calls off her wedding. After graduating nursing school, she joins the Army Nurses Corps and leaves her heart in North Carolina.

As we celebrate this, our fourth anthology, “Kisses and Other Scandalous Pastimes,” I’m struck by how much has happened in such a short time. Like the short stories and novellas, we write, we have accomplished much in so little time. It takes true heroes or in this case, heroines to accomplish such great feats. I won’t call names for fear of leaving someone out, but I think these amazing women deserve a bow. I will mention Andie Wood who brought us all together. She wanted a safe place for beginning writers to learn from more experienced writers. A place where we could share ideas and experiences. The New Romance Café Facebook page is a place to share our love of books both reading them and writing them.

When I first started writing this story, I knew I wanted to write about World War II. I love history and for me, this was living history having known so many who played a part in the war from my great aunts who went off to work in munitions’ plants, to my great uncles who served in every branch of the military to my grandfather who was a merchant marine and to my neighbor, who was a Navy nurse. So many stories swirled in my head I didn’t know where to begin. When Lydia first made her appearance, I knew she was going to be from my home state of North Carolina and a nurse. Then Jeremy came on the scene and I tried to decide who he’d be. With a husband who is a mechanic both by trade and talent, I decided that Jeremy, like my husband could take anything apart and make it better. He could drive anything with a motor. Unlike my husband, I thought he might also like to fly air planes. My baby sister’s father was a pilot and flew me around when I was a kid. After I got used to my stomach lurching when he did a loop de loop, I loved it.

In a short story, you don’t have the time or space to really build up a relationship, especially if you are still learning like I am. I thought I’d start with the couple already planning their wedding and work my way back. Figuring out the mechanics of telling the story can be as difficult and as interesting as developing the story itself. I could tell the story in a straight line and that’s often the best way. By flashing back to when Lydia and Jeremy were a couple then back to the war, I hope the story lives up to the title. “If only in my dreams,” is a line from the Christmas classic, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Our Allies banned the song from being played fearing it would negatively affect morale. No matter if you are in a war zone, or just far from home, when you are missing those you love, it is often the comfort of dreams, memories, letters and phone calls that help us through. To me, the song and thus my borrowed title remind us of what is truly important, as the Bible says, the greatest of these is love.

I hope you will join us for our book launch. “Kissing and Other Scandalous Pastimes” is available Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. The other The New Romance Café anthologies are on sale now for a limited time for 99 cents at all major retailers. Check out these wonderful eBooks and know that the purchase of these books support breast cancer research worldwide.

I’ll be your host from 8:30 pm until the end. Don’t forget, December 2nd, The New Romance Café Facebook Page. You will have to join to participate but you will be glad you did. There will be gifts, prizes and games. It’s a real party. If you stop by, don’t forget to say hello and I’ll put you in a drawing for a $5 Amazon Gift Card.

I look forward to seeing you all there!

Posted in contest, News

The Power of a Tribe

Writers are solo in their endeavor to create but most of us know that being a part of a group, a tribe, gives you more power. As a young writer learning the craft I was thankful to find people willing to read my work, guide me and give me the tools to become a better writer. This is still a work in progress.

I have told the story often of my friend, library manager Robina Norman who pushed me out of my comfortable writing cave into discovering others who shared my passion. From a Carteret Writers contest to the Pamlico Writer’s Group, to my first Romantic Times Convention, and my second, winning the Ann Peach Scholarship, to joining Romance Writers of America, the Heart of Carolina and finding my mentor, Marni Graff, all of this started by sharing my work with one person.

I would not be a published author without all of these people who have held my hand, dried my tears and gave me that swift kick in the tushy when needed. I found my tribe.

Through the Pamlico Writers group I found another writer sister, Tammera Cooper. Tammy has helped guide me through the next phase of my career, Marketing. With her background in retail marketing she has a grasp of how to get the word out about her books. Tagging along behind her, she has led me to a few Facebook groups who have become awesome assets.

Dragonfly Ink Author Support and Dakota Willnik are an awesome asset for any writer but especially an indie author just learning how to market her books. If you are an author, check out this group, you won’t be sorry. https://www.facebook.com/groups/DragonflyInkAuthorSupport/

“We have 65 participating authors, making a total of $650. 100% of the money paid by authors goes to the promo. There is no up-charge. People have asked me why I do this, and the answer is simple – I benefit from doing this because I gain followers just like you do. It’s easier to gain followers in a group effort than it is to do it alone.” Dakota’s dedication to providing opportunities like this has helped many authors gain followers. It’s a lot of work, especially for Dakota but the benefits are amazing.

In our summer giveaway, there will be 3 Amazon gift card prizes in total. The breakdown of the gift cards will be as follows:

1 – $350 Amazon Gift Card

1 – $200 Amazon Gift Card

1 – $100 Amazon Gift Card

Winning is as simple as participating, all you have to do is follow us & take a chance at getting summer book money! The more you enter, the higher your chances are! 3 people will be randomly chosen to receive Amazon Gift Cards in these amounts: $350, $200, and $100. 

ENTER HERE —> https://bit.ly/31OwF0J

#BookLove #Romance #BookMoney

*Winners will be contacted by email. Contest not affiliated with Facebook.

If you love to read, winning one of these gift cards could provide you with hours of entertainment. If you prefer, you can use the gift card for other things, but really, BOOKS.

Show your love and follow us. If you are a fan of our books, please leave a review, it could pay off in a very nice way.

Posted in event, promo

June Promo

Before I became a writer, I was a reader. I love books. I read them on my phone, listen to them on my phone and buy them from authors, book stores and Amazon. Do you love books? Do you need an Amazon Gift Card? You don’t have to spend the money on books, but why wouldn’t you?

74 authors, 6 chances to win
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5678ceb01/

Follow me and my friends on Instagram, Facebook, Bookbub and Amazon.

Sherri Lupton Hollister – BookBub

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sherri-lupton-hollister

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suspenseshewrites

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/shollister