Serious Wednesday: Welcome Back, Linda Weaver Clarke!

We have a winner for Valerie Comer's ebook! 

Andrea Stoeckel

won

Lavished with Lavender

Please contact me asap by FB pm,

reply on here or

email me at: browncarole212(at)yahoo(dot)com

Congratulations!

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It's always a delight to share Linda's newest books with all of you. Check out this collection of short stories! 

Welcome, Linda! 

The Willow Valley series has humor, adventure, romance, and mystery. Set in the The 1800s, each book is family-friendly for teens and adults. 

The first book is One Last Dance, which will keep you guessing until the end of the book. In this historical romance, there is a mystery to solve.

Felicity Brooks is a talented watercolor artist but her career is cut short when her father passes away, so she travels home to care for her mother during this difficult time. When Felicity meets their charming new neighbor, a fine-looking bachelor, she soon discovers that he is hiding his true identity. Nicholas Adams is on a quest. But that is not all. When she finds out that someone is after a valuable heirloom…a precious treasure that her father discovered in his attic, her life takes a new turn. After realizing how much she misses her father, will one last dance heal her broken heart?

The second book in this series is Angel’s Serenade. You will learn about the infamous River Pirates, the remedies for illnesses of that time period, the effects that music has on a person, and you will fall in love all over again.

Emmeline Scott is raising her sister’s two children and is surprised when she finds out the new doctor in town is helping her nephew adapt to his surroundings. It is not easy to be uprooted and have to start a new life. Each day when Emmeline practices the piano, she doesn’t know the doctor secretly sits on his porch to listen to her music. As Emmeline gets to know the charming doctor, Lucas Golden, they become intrigued by her neighbor’s mysterious behavior. Will they discover his secret? And who is the leader of the River Pirates, who is causing so much havoc?

The third book has many surprises. In A Pleasant Rivalry, Angelica Davis is surprised when she finds out that an old school chum has returned to Willow Valley to take over his grandfather’s business. Since she writes articles for the Chronicle and Simon Morgan owns the Willow Valley News, they just happen to be rivals. The competition is on. Who will be the first to discover the identity of the jewel thief or the arsonist? Will it be Angelica or Simon? Gradually the feelings she once had for him return as they both search for the same stories. To her surprise, Angelica realizes she is losing her heart to her rival.

Now for book four! I decided to try something new and different. Since I have never written short stories before, I took upon myself the task of writing six short stories for the Willow Valley series. Before I knew it, I realized that writing short stories was a pleasure and quite fun. It’s called Holidays in Willow Valley. This book is full of surprises.

What were the holidays like at Willow Valley, Illinois, in 1840? Relive life in the “olden days” in each of these stories, featuring the characters from the Willow Valley Series: 

* How will Emmeline and Felicity celebrate Valentine’s Day? 

* Do Sam and Josie believe in leprechauns and the pot of gold when St. Patrick’s Day comes around? * Is it common to play jokes on one another on April Fools Day? Nicholas and Lucas find out first hand. 

* How will Simon and Angelica celebrate Independence Day and Christmas? When the Irish and Scottish came to America, they brought their Halloween traditions with them. 

Will Willow Valley accept these traditions? Find out as you share their experiences.

“I have enjoyed all of Linda Weaver Clarke’s books. You can be assured that they are all clean and sweet. This book contains six short stories of various characters and different holidays celebrated in the 1840 time period. These are enjoyable stories to read any time of year, not just in holiday times. The book carries Christian values, which I love. These are very entertaining stories and I hope you will take the time to read them!” –Sunny Reviews

Buy the books! 

One Last Dance is available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GVNWSP9

Angel’s Serenade is available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RV79LDN

A Pleasant Rivalry is available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z49N2LJ

Holidays in Willow Valley: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089CQL6NB

Order any of my books from Amazon at both my websites below.

Linda’s Website: www.lindaweaverclarke.com

My Book Blog: https://lindaweaverclarke.wordpress.com

About Author:

Linda Weaver Clarke was raised among the Rocky Mountains of southern Idaho and now lives among the red hills of southern Utah. She is the author of Historical Romance, Cozy Mysteries, Swashbuckling Romance, a Children’s Book, and Nonfiction. Linda teaches a class about writing your family history that is free to the public at the Family Search Center in Southern Utah. She is also a missionary at the Family Search Center where she helps people find their ancestors and learn about their heritage.

Serious Wednesdays: Excellent Reasons to Write Short

So you want to break into fiction? How can you do it?

Many say, "write a lot."

Or "begin with a series."

Or even, "look into the easier markets: romance..."

Build your platform first

Blog every day.

And on and on.

Overwhelming? Yep. It takes time to write anything, but a book? While taking care of a family and working a day job?

Why not start with short stories?

It's a good, traditional starting point to break into fiction writing. It can stretch your creature juices, build up a readership, and help you fine-tune your writing for longer projects. You might just bring in some added income too.

Here’s some reasons to write short:

1.  Easier to be discovered

Because the more you write, the easier it is for people to discover you. On Amazon, you'll have a far greater chance of being discovered, more people will begin to read your work, review and spread the word that you're a great author.  Have you seen the "Customers who bought this also bought" phrase on Amazon? The more work you have out there, the greater opportunity to be read. Once readers are acquainted with your work, the more apt they are to pick up your next piece of work and recommend you to their friends.

2. You also have a better price option to choose. 

For someone who doesn't know you or your work, it will be easier to pick up a short story for $.99 than a longer book selling at $12.99. It's easier to take a chance. Even fans will feel happy to pick up a short piece of work. Once you have the short stories under your belt, you can then move on to novellas and price them accordingly.

3.  Short Stories can give new readers a glimpse of your work before commitment.

New readers to your work may find it easier to put in the short time reading your work...at least until you've "hooked" them. Once they enjoy your writing, they can move on to your longer books, and hopefully, have a devoted fan for life.

4.  Gimmicks, Etc.

Giving away copies of short stories has several benefits: less time to write and less expensive for you. Not only that, but you can use them on your blog to draw new readers or newsletter readers, and if you wish, use them as kindle giveaways. 

5.  Writing Short Stories can help improve your writing.

You learn to write "tight." You can experiment with writing points of view you normally don't write with. Or you can tackle different genres or time periods. Even if it's not to your own satisfaction, have fun, maybe even get feed back from readers...there's all sorts of possibilities.

6.  This is one of my favorites:  Write about secondary characters from a longer work of fiction you're writing. This is an exciting way to include more information from a longer work. It expands the readers' view of the characters and give them an entirely different view from a new direction. Not only that, but it helps you expand your view and consciousness into your longer work. What connections your readers will gain...and even you!

7.  And, finally, writing short stories is a huge opportunity to combine them into an anthology or a series which means you have yet another new way to sell, and at a novel-price point. It also gives you another product for your list of works, and a way for readers to connect with you.

Happy Writing Day!

*****

Sabotaged Christmas

Perrin only wanted to be left alone to write. He didn't need a cute, curly-haired carpenter to disturb his concentration.

Toni wanted to save her business from destruction, but Perrin seemed the one person to whom she could point a finger. 

But there was more than snowflakes in the air. Trouble was abounding all around Appleton. And romance and sabotage is not a good mix. 

Buy your copy here:

https://www.amazon.com/Carole-Brown/e/B00EZV4RFY/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1492661357&sr=1-1

Free Saturday ONLY!

From Diane Dean White we get . . .

~A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST~

IN RECOGNITION OF MOTHER'S DAY AND THE WONDERFUL MEMORIES OF GROWING UP WITH LOVED ONES WHO HAD TIME TO SHARE THEIR HEARTS. 

ENJOY A: 

* SLEIGH RIDE, 

* KOOL-AID KIDS, 

* EVENING IN PARIS, 

* TANGERINE LIPSITCK AND SANDRA Dee,  

* SNAPPING BEANS IN THE SUMMER, 

* THE COURTING QUILT AND 

*MANY OTHER FUN STORIES IN THIS E-BOOK.

To Buy, go here:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JXRQ0O6