Serious Wednesday: A Winner, a Question, and a Best Friends Contest

 

BETTI,

You are the winner of our July Contest

for a kindle copy of

Caleb's Destiny! 

Your prize is on its way! 

* * *

Question of the Day:

What book is the Number 1 best-selling book ever?

If you guessed the BIBLE, then you'd be right!!

Why do you think it is?

Here are some of my thoughts:

* It is God's Word

*It is a light on the path of those seeking Him

* It is the bread of life for those hungry for the truth

It is a fountain who wishes to be free from their sins

It is a shield of faith for those being persecuted by the enemy

It shows us the way to live Godly

It shows us the way to heaven

It gives comfort

It encourages us to hold fast to God's almighty hand

What is God's Word to YOU?

Be blessed! 

* * *

Best Friends Contest for August:

To win one of my KINDLE books for you...

(Your choice) ...

and to win one KINDLE book for a friend or relative...

Tell me: 

If you wanted to share one of my books to someone

* who would that be 

* and why?

Happy Wednesday! 

Serious Wednesday: Winner!!

WINNER!!

Alicia Haney

is the winner of a Kindle copy of

CALEBS DESTINY

from the Wednesday, June 3, 2020 post.

Congratulations, Alicia! 

Look for your book soon.

*************************************

For all those who didn't win,

I will be hosting another giveaway of

CALEB'S DESTINY

on the Wednesday, June 24, 2020 post.

Be sure to check back for the rules to enter.

Thank you to all who commented! 

**************************************

An Inspirational quote to encourage you!

The past cannot be changed.

The future is still in your power!

Have a beautiful day!

Serious Wednesdays: A New Book! and a GIVEAWAY!

Mr. Michael, Destiny Rose McCulloch, and Hunter have a mysterious history. Why were three fathers, all business partners, murdered under suspicious circumstances while on their quest to find gold?

Hunter is determined to protect his boss and the precocious young lady who he suspects holds a key answer to his questions.

Mr. Michael wants only to be left alone to attend to his property, but what can he do when Destiny refuses to leave and captures the heart of every one of his employees?

Destiny almost forgets her quest when she falls in love with Mr. Michael's ranch and all the people there. And then Mr. Michael is much too alluring to ignore. The preacher man back east where she took her schooling tried to claim her heart, but the longer she stays the less she can remember him. She only came west to find a little boy she knew years ago. A little boy all grown up by now...unless, of course, he's dead.

Three children, connected through tragedy and separated by time, are fated to reunite and re-right some powerful wrongs.

https://www.amazon.com/Carole-Brown/e/B00EZV4RFY/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Giveaway Opportunity! 

I will giveaway one kindle book to one person.

Conditions:

* You must post a response on this blog post

* You must be a follower of this post

* You must follow me on my author page on Amazon (see above link)

I will announce the winner next Wednesday, June 10, 2020.

Serious Wednesday: A Winner, and More About Suspense!

Time to announce a WINNER!

Dawn Psik

You are the winner of Shirley Reye Redmond's 

Courageous World Changers!

Congratulations!

***

More About Suspense...

Let's talk about some examples of suspense. 

*  If you want to create suspense in your books, use Words. Certain words are powerful in creating atmospheres and emotions. Take a book like Tarzan. When the gorilla is described by Jane as an antagonist, what is brought to mind? A powerful beast? A creature who is much stronger than mankind? Something to be feared? A danger? Use your words to bring images to the readers' minds. 

*  Use Irony. For example, the reader will know that such and such is not guilty, is not in the wrong, is not unworthy, etc. BUT by using a character who constantly drills into the other person's head that his companion is guilty, tension will build in that character's life. The reader will feel the stress, the sense that any moment something is going to cause a serious problem. Look at Shakespeare's Othello. It's a perfect example.

*  And if you like fantasy, consider a vampire and a normal girl who fall in love. Think about the always-present temptation to suck the blood from his beloved. Twilight would come under this situation and be a good one to study. 

Remember, whether it's internal or external tension, it keeps your readers on the edge of their seats. Study it, write it, use it. Your readers will love it! 

Happy writing!

Oh, No. Not a Book Blurb!

A book blurb is one of the most important items of a marketing plan. Without it, you will find it harder to "sell" your book to agents, editors, and readers. Here are a few thoughts on how to create an excellent one:


Introduce your main character(s). Use the names they'll go by in your book. Keep it simple. Unless it's absolutely necessary, you don't need to go into detail about their personality.

Reveal the genre. Again keep it brief. Set the tone or mood of the book. Mystery? Romance? Sci-fi? Thriller?

Reveal the main conflict. Most books have subplots but they won't need (usually) to be mentioned here. In one sentence show the problem. Will the detective be able to find the thief? Can the hero save the heroine's life (or vise versa :) ) etc. Many times this will begin with one of these words:  Until. But. However.

Hook the reader’s curiosity.  Is all lost when another man shows up and does what the hero should have done? Is the detective a failure because his main suspect turns out to be innocent?

Give the reader a hopeful possible. This "longshot" will give your reader hope that all is not lost and keep them reading.

Book blurbs should not be too long nor too short. Fifty words at most; Twenty-five to thirty words is a perfect sized blurb. Keep to these main facts, edit and you should have a winner. 


Happy Writing!

Great Day in the Morning! and a CONTEST WINNER

Are you one of those individuals who get up at the crack of dawn?

Confession time: I am. Or at least, most of the time. I love rising and knowing I've got a whole lovely day ahead of me. Fresh and brand new, ready for me to go at it with renewed strength and vigor.

Let me tell you what I like about the early mornings.

• The misty dawn sliding up over the hilltops. We live in the hills--not mountains--hills. I don't know if there's anything more lovely than waking and seeing that beautiful blue-gray mist hanging over a valley.

• Then there are the animals. They waken, and those dependent on us for their nurture--come bounding--big and small alike--awake and crying out for their sustenance of the day. "Feed me. Feed me." the spoiled animals say. And we caring humans bow to their demands. Their innocent and loyal faces ready and waiting patiently--or impatiently--whatever the case.

• I love the dew on the summer grass, getting my toes wet or my nose when I bend to smell the roses. I love the new layers of snow--untouched and clean from the night's storm.

• I like starting anew with a fresh aspect on the day. Sometimes it only takes a night time to clear my brain of a confusing jumble of hesitation, to know what to do about a situation. I like to start my writing of the day with the new idea that came to me in the night.

• I love the sleepy sound of birds beginning their morning songs. I like the sound of my coffee dripping into its pot. I like the tingle of coldness on a winter day before the house warms enough to take away the crispness. I like the patter of raindrops on my roof and on my umbrella when I need to dash around here and there.

Now you see why I titled this meandering post as I did. 

It's because I thank God for mornings.

***

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT

It's my pleasure to announce April's Winner! 

Congratulations to...

LUCY REYNOLDS

You have one week to contact me with your addy.

Happy Reading, folks,
join in

and don't forget to spread the word

for May's contest.

(beginning next Wednesday, May 2nd)

Happy Reading!

Winner of January's Contest

It's always such a pleasure to announce a winner

(although I ALWAYS want to choose everyone! Lol) 

so without further ado...

January 2018's winner is...

BONNIE WILT

You have one week to contact me with your addy.

Happy Reading, folks,
join in

and don't forget to spread the word

for February's contest.

Coming soon!

Announcing! 2015 Christian Small Publisher Book Award Winner!

The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman

Carole Brown

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas

 

WINNER

of the 2015 Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Award

in the General Fiction category.

Wandering Around . . .

$.99!  LAST Day to order the Kindle version of  

The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman 

at Amazon for $.99. 

After day, the kindle version price goes up to $2.99. So . . .

~~~~~~~~~

I want to announce the winner of my February Contest: 

Name the Twins for my Bat Crazy mystery book. 

Drum Roll ~ ~ ~ ~

Christina Ratliff!

Congratulations, Christina.

You did a fantastic job and well deserve to win. 

Thanks so much for spreading the word about 

The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman

and

Hog Insane

~~~~~~~~~

And some fun pictues for you to enjoy!

Grandsons having some fun!

Valentine's Day roses from my hero!

Winter from my Window

Particularly notice the ice cicles at the top of the picture. 

See how they're straight back toward the house?

I suppose because of the way the wind blew?

Blessings.

The Winner is . . .

Jackie W.

For my March St. Patrick's Day contest (prize FIVE books) in honor of the upcoming release of my book, The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman!

Congratulations, Jackie.

Everyone: thank you so much for entering.

Check back later to see what I've got in store for Easter! :) And of course, there's April, May, June . . . and on and on--more contests until my book releases!

Thank you so much for visiting. Wish I could have picked all your names!

Blessings!

Winner of the Weird Contest and NEW Picture Contest

Really enjoyed your comments, ladies, for the Weird Contest about animals.

I've made my choice and the winner is . . .


Rebecca (RivkaBelle)

Thanks for commenting, Rebecca!

If you'll email me I'll give you a list of books you may choose from.
browncarole212(at)yahoo(dot)com. You have two weeks to get in touch with me.

NOW for the next contest:

How does this picture strike you?
Scary?
Peaceful?
Hopeful?
Does it stir you to strike out on a new adventure?
Does it urge you to write a fantasy? Suspense? Romance?

Does it make you want to dream away the afternoon?
Hide in your house?

Tell me your thoughts and I'll choose a winner before the end of October. DON'T forget to check back to see if you won.

And remember, if you win, you'll have a choice of at least three books I have on my shelf. Old, but goodies.


Blessings!

Summer Extravaganza Winner!

Whooeee! I have a winner . . .

This was so-o-o-o much fun to do with all of you! And I get to pick only ONE winner of four books! Hard. Without anymore to-do, here's the winner's name . . .

REBECCA.

Rebecca's been contacted, and she's responded with her address and is very excited. Her books will be on the way shortly!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remember, if you ever win a book and don't receive it--for whatever reason--contact me. I'll make it right, somehow.

Thanks, readers. Look for more contests. And come back anytime for a visit.

Blessings!

CONTEST:

Summer Reading Extravaganza

BOOKS!

    BOOKS!


        BOOKS!

Hot diggety dog! My friend, Suzanne, and I are cooking up some summer relaxation time for TWO people.

• FOUR books for ONE Fortunte (LUCKY?) person who's chosen from this blog and . . .
• FOUR books for ONE fortunate (LUCKY?) person who's chosen from Suzanne's blog!

What more could a reader ask for than to have FOUR FREE BOOKS given to them to enjoy all summer long?

Here's what to do:

• Comment whenever you see a post about this summer reading extravaganza! I'll make sure to have at least one or two mentions a week about this contest! Don't miss out; you get your name in the "baggie" for every comment.

Want EXTRA chances? Then . . .

• Broadcast this contest! On your blog. Facebook. Twitter. Shoutlife. Email. Snail Mail. Word of mouth. Airplane messages. Message in a bottle. Messenger Boy. I trust you. Just make sure you mention it in your comments HERE so I can add your name.
• Check out my friend Suzanne's blog for an extra chance. And don't forget, by doing that, you're getting chances to win her FOUR books too.
• Become a follower

And here's the books I'm giving away to ONE person who's chosen from my blog:

• The General's Notorious Widow by Stephan Bly (historical western)
• The Restitution by M. L. Tyndall (historical/pirates)
• Rain Song by Alice Wisler (contemporary dealing w/a woman raised in Japan but who vows never to return)
• Summer of Joy by Ann H. Gabhart (contemporary w/touches of suspense and humor)

Here's Suzanne's blog addy:
http://suzanne-hartmann2.blogspot.com/

And the four books she's giving away:

• Wonders Never Cease by Tim Downs
• Almost Forever by Deb Raney
• The Alarmists by Don Hoesel
• An Irishwoman's Tale by Patti Lacy (autographed)

Best wishes for a happy summer of reading!

Congratulations

to the winner of Jamie Carie's

beautiful book! 

Father and Son!  Email on its way!

*******

And some fun stuff . . .

Isn't this pencil artwork fantastic?

A PENCIL MAKER TOLD THE PENCIL 5 IMPORTANT LESSONS JUST BEFORE PUTTING IT IN THE BOX :

• EVERYTHING YOU DO WILL ALWAYS LEAVE A MARK.

• YOU CAN ALWAYS CORRECT THE MISTAKES YOU MAKE.

 

• WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS WHAT IS INSIDE OF YOU.

• IN LIFE, YOU WILL UNDERGO PAINFUL SHARPENING, WHICH WILL ONLY MAKE YOU BETTER.

 

• TO BE THE BEST PENCIL, YOU MUST ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE HELD AND GUIDED BY THE HAND THAT HOLDS YOU.

 

We all need to be constantly sharpened. This parable may encourage you to know that you are a special person, with unique God-given talents and abilities. Only you can fulfill the purpose which you were born to accomplish. Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot be changed and, like the pencil, always remember that the most important part of who you are, is what's inside of you.

"There is more to life than increasing its speed" --Mahatma Ghandi

Wonderful Blessings!

Winner!

of Connie Cameron's book,

God's Gentle Nudges

Congratulations to Linda!

NEXT WEEK: Wednesday, April 28, Donna Winters will visit my blog. Be sure to leave your comment and email address for a chance to win her book, set in Michigan!

Blessings!

                         Winner of . . .

Jena Morrow's book,

"Hollow!"

I'm thrilled to announce that "DAWN" won a copy of Jena's book. A big congratulations, Dawn, and thanks for visiting and commenting on this blog. Please contact me as soon as possible with your email address.

To all you others: I'm so sorry I couldn't announce that YOU won a book too! But thank you so much for visiting.

Tomorrow, Roseanna White, author of "A Stray Drop of Blood" will guest blog on here, talking about the genre, Biblical Fiction. Come and read what makes her fascinated with the genre!

Blessings to all!

Winner of Roseanna White's Book!

Jaime won "A Stray Drop of Blood!" Congratulations, Jaime.
As soon as you contact me with your address, Roseanna will get your book in the mail. (browncarole212@yahoo.com)

Thanks so much, everyone for commenting! I'm sure it made Roseanna's day.

NEXT WEDNESDAY:
Author: Toni Cyran-Brock

Toni is the author of Prisoner of Love. It's non-fiction, but a terrific book for those who have (or might know of someone) loved ones/friends in prison.

Here's a small blurb about the book:

Today, over two million Americans are incarcerated and nearly 10 million family members are waiting for their loved ones doing time behind bars. Prisoners and their families ,by proxy, lose many of their civil and personal rights during the time of incarceration. Prisoners of Love is a 300-page guide designed to help these family members and their loved ones behind bars strengthen their relationships during the time they are incarcerated. The book, written by real people in this situation is filled with ways to use the time to better survive and thrive as individuals and as a family. Prisoners of Love is filled with stories that the incarcerated and their family members can identify with and hands on ways to improve every situation in their lives.

 

The book features chapters on these topics:

•  How to keep love alive during times of incarceration.
• How to use the time to deepen bonds with loved ones.
• How to make time for writing and visitation.
• How to plan for a visit to a penitentiary.
• How to use the time to grow as individuals.
• How to spot a player.
• How to deal with death, dying, and grieving.

Maybe you don't need one, don't know of anyone who needs one, but could your church use a copy? The library?

 

Don't miss out on a chance to win a copy!

 

Blessings, dear readers.

Winner of Laurie's Book!

Donna Alice!

Contact me, Donna! You've won one of Laurie's books!

Big congratulations!

Thank you, everyone, for participating and helping to make Laurie's interview such a success.

Tomorrow: Wednesday, January 27, Linore Rose Burkard will be on my blog! Yippee! She's a super writer of regency novels. Remember Mr. Darcy? She's got a hero that's fantastic.

Come visit us tomorrow!

Blessings

Oh, Yippedy, Do Da Day!

We have a winner!

You guys sure didn't make it easy! I loved all your names. I had to go over them several times, but f-i-n-a-l-l-y narrowed it down to three, then two, and finally chose the one that best suited the characters I had conceived in my mind for the aunt and uncle.

Remember: I have in my mind (and ready to go on paper) this couple. Their actions have a lot to do with what names I can associate with them.

But let me tell you: I will be keeping the rest of your suggestions. Everyone of them brought images up in my mind of certain types of people.

Want to know who I pictured with some of your offerings?

• A Native American couple.

• A couple from England.

• Two of them will probably go into a future novel as older couple protagonists.

• Another one will no doubt be prominent characters in an adventure book of some type.

Loved, loved, loved your suggestions. Can you tell?

On a funny note: my youngest son practically BEGGED me to use his name as the man's! But since these characters are bad people, nope! I absolutely refused; besides, I happen to like son No. 2's name as a good character name! Laugh!

What did you say? You want to know who won? Well, okay . . .

Ann.

That's it. Her suggestion? Marvin and Jane Stillwell.

Why did I pick that name? You might be thinking: that's not as good as mine!

Because in my mind these bad characters put on a front of being good. (Only someone who is looking for clues or traits will see under the surface.) The name suits them in that it's not pretentious; it's simple and doesn't call attention to them.

Perfect for them and their career and their crime.

So, Ann, a big congratulations! Look for that gift certificate from Amazon in your email box.

And thank you to all who participated! You did great.



Announcements:

1. Don't forget to email Donna (donna at donnafleisher dot com) with your physical address so that you can get your free book (IF you commented on the interview blog with her!).
2. A Father's Day Contest in June -- coming up! Smile.
3. June's interview is with Teresa Slack from Ohio. She's written several books. Look for info about the interview--coming right up!
   

Hint:
Since lots of people have gone to dishwashers, here's a hint from Heloise that's good for cleaning your kitchen necessity!

Clean with household vinegar or citric acid powder. Pour a gallon of vinegar in the bottom, let set for an hour or so, then run the washer through a full cycle. Citric acid powder will also help remove hard-water buildup. Add a half-cup of powder and run the dishwasher. If there’s still an unpleasant odor coming from inside, examine the drain hose to see if it’s crimped and check the bottom for bits of food or gunk. After checking, if the odor it still strong, call a plumber because it might be a possible hazardous plumbing problem, like sewer gas, that needs to be remedied.

I loved this Trivia question I selected today.
If you get the answer, well, you're right up there at the top!

What is the name of Moscow's largest department store?

Quote:
When I look at the galaxies on a clear night--when I look at the incredible brilliance of creation, and think that this is what God is like, then instead of feeling intimidated and diminished by it, I am enlarged--I rejoice that I am part of it. --Madeleine L'Engle

Blessings!