Small Business Saturday #ShopSmall

Did you know that the day following Black Friday is Small Business Saturday?  It’s a day to support the local economy by shopping at small, independently owned businesses.  Instead of heading to the mall in search of holiday gifts, maybe hit up a small funky boutique for something cool and unique.

And, as long as we’re talking about it, let me just point out the fact that Indie Authors are small business owners.  We’re one-man-bands, so to speak, writing, editing, and marketing our own product.  Buying your next read from an Indie Author directly supports that writer’s work rather than padding the bottom line of a big box publishing house.

So where do you start in your search for your new favorite Indie Author?  Search your go-to genre on Amazon or iBooks.  Read the reviews.  We’re all over social media, too.  Ask people what they’re reading–you’ll probably get some great recommendations.

Remember to #ShopSmall this Saturday!

Shameless Book Plug–FOR SPARROW

Thanks for understanding, friends.  Occasionally, worlds collide.  Such is the case tonight.  I’m super excited to tell you about my new book, FOR SPARROW, coming out October 3.

It’s the third book in my Dream Dominant Collection, a series of stand-alone light BDSM novels featuring strong, red-haired submissives and the sexy Alpha males they can’t resist.

FOR SPARROW may be my sexiest book yet.  Here’s the description.

When Jessi Crenshaw’s husband Graham dies unexpectedly, she’s devastated. He’s the only man she’s ever loved. Just eighteen when she met him, she’s been married to him for twenty-five years. Now she’s lost her friend, her lover…and her Dominant.

But as it turns out, Graham had an inkling that his health was in decline, and he tapped his friend and protégé in the Lifestyle, firefighter and paramedic Judd Farris, to be Jessi’s Dominant until she gets back on her feet.

Judd is determined to fulfill his promise to his friend. But it’s a damn odd arrangement—a platonic Dom/sub relationship. With her fiery auburn hair, sparkling green eyes, and audacious spirit, Jessi captured his attention the first time he ever saw her. At her husband’s funeral.

A man could go to hell for the things he’s been thinking. But they’ve drawn a line, and he’s going to stick to it.

Judd’s sexy good looks and his gentle confidence aren’t lost on Jessi. She’s torn between loyalty to the man she loved, and desire for the man increasingly in her fantasies. In the letter Graham left for her, he mentioned that she might find Judd attractive. But that’s simply ridiculous. He’s five years younger than she is. He couldn’t possibly be interested in her. Could he?

Judd’s a Dom without a sub, and Jessi’s a sub without a Dom. It’s perfect for the time being. Could it be that Graham had more in mind than merely a temporary solution?

And could it all end at the hands of a madman?

FOR SPARROW is a contemporary erotic romance novel with a light BDSM theme. It’s the third book in the Dream Dominant Collection.

While FOR SPARROW doesn’t come out until Oct. 3, I’m running a special pre-order deal.  You can reserve your copy for just 99¢ until release day.

Use this Universal link: books2read.com/ForSparrow

And if you aren’t already, follow my author blog: PandoraSpocksAuthor.com.

Meet Me in Tampa!

Looking for your next great read?  Love to have fun in the sun?  Join me this Sunday, July 16, in Tampa for the Tampa Indie Author Book Convention!

I understand that about 40 Indie authors will be there, chatting with readers and signing books.  I’ll have copies of RESISTING RISK, LUKE & BELLA, and LOST & BOUND.  I’ll also have some free swag.

Admission to the event is FREE, and you can buy tickets to the VIP after party where there will be food and an OPEN BAR.  Just imagine, sipping cocktails and chatting with your favorite Indie authors.  Sounds amazing, right?

Check out the official Facebook page of the Tampa Indie Author Book Convention.  And if you’re going to be anywhere close, please stop by and say hello!

Just A Literary Giggle

The Pythons never get old. This still makes me giggle.

Shameless Book Plug

It’s only every once in a while that I allow my worlds to collide like this, but I’m in promotion mode.  Plus it’s my birthday, so we’ll just call it my gift to me.  The following is copied and pasted from my author blog, Luke & Bella.

I am beyond thrilled to present the cover for my new spicy contemporary romance, Rannigan’s Redemption Part 1: Resisting Risk.  It’s the first book of a trilogy about the complicated relationship between Manhattan attorney Michael Rannigan and Maggie Flynn, a young lawyer fresh out of law school.

Most of the action takes place in New York City.  There is crisp dialogue, exciting courtroom drama, and, of course, sexy romance.

I’m hoping that Michael and Maggie become favorite characters you’ll want to return to again and again.  Here’s a sneak peek at the book description.

     Brilliant Manhattan attorney Michael Rannigan has his life arranged exactly the way he likes it. As a founding partner at the law firm of Murphy, Rannigan, & Metheny, he can let his underlings do the legwork on the high profile defense cases his exclusive 50th floor division handles. He prefers to simply breeze in and do what he does best: dazzle juries and charm the press.
His private life is well-ordered, too. Michael doesn’t have the time or the patience for relationships. Instead, he has a contact list of hot blondes who meet his needs at any given moment, whether it’s a date to a gallery opening or awards show. Or he just wants to get laid.
Some people would call him shallow. But they’re just envious.
Maggie Flynn has her life mapped out as well. After she graduates from law school she plans to take a job with the Prosecutor’s Office where she interned. But when she attends a job fair and meets Michael Rannigan, her plans change. She’s studied his cases, even heard him speak once. He’s smart and sexy and she can’t resist interviewing with him.
Michael hires Maggie and has her assigned to his elite 50th floor team. He knows smart when he sees it. He also sees the spark in her eyes. She wants him. And having her nearby strokes his ego. It’s not like anything will come of it, she’s so far from his type. But there’s something unsettling about Mary Margaret Flynn, like she can see through his bullshit in a way no one else ever bothered to do.
Maggie realizes that her crush on Michael is all but hopeless. He’s a self-absorbed womanizer. But beneath that cool exterior, she’s seen the man he can be and she’s sure that love can bring that out. In the meantime, she’s content to work with him.
What would happen if they ever crossed that line?

The release date is December 8, 2015.  Rannigan’s Redemption Part 1: Resisting Risk is now available for pre-order at these fine retailers.

Amazon

iTunes

Barnes&Noble

Kobo

Re-Releasing TODAY!

Sorry, folks.  Another shameless plug for my Smart, Sexy Adventure, Luke & Bella: Two Streets Over.

While it’s been out on Amazon since early June, I’ve re-published it with the help of Draft2Digital and today it comes out on three more venues.  If you’ve been waiting because you don’t use a Kindle reader, now’s your chance to get it in a different format.

Here are the links for the new online markets.

iTunes

Barnes&Noble

Kobo

I hope you check it out, and please be sure to leave a review, good, bad, or indifferent, where you buy the book.  And once again, thanks so much for supporting Indie Authors.

Date Night–A Walk in the Woods

No, we didn’t go hiking for Date Night.  Instead, Saturday night Mr. R. surprised me with tickets to see the Robert Redford/Nick Nolte film at the fancy-pants movie theatre.  I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, I can’t see going to a movie at a regular theatre ever again.  I’ve been spoiled by being able to choose our luxurious leather recliners online when we order the tickets.  I’ve been spoiled by friendly and efficient wait staff greeting us and taking our orders, only to return moments later with glasses of wine and an elegant cheese platter.  It’s the high life, I tell you.

On the downside, there was a woman in front of us who slipped off her sandals and put up her feet.  Shed of their coverings and propped up right there in front of God and everybody were, without question, the ugliest feet you’ve ever seen.  Mr. R. took a photo as proof but since this a classy blog, you won’t see the picture here.

But I was excited to see the movie, A Walk in the Woods.  I read the Bill Bryson book a lifetime ago, way back when I was married to my nightmare, and I loved it.  It’s the true story of Bryson, an American writer who lived in the UK with his family for years, and had recently moved back to New Hampshire.  Determined to reacquaint himself with his home country, he found a willing partner and set out to hike the 2,000 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.  The book is at turns humorous and heartfelt and the movie is the same way.  If you’d like a break from movies about robots, superheroes, and shit that blows up, you’ll like A Walk in the Woods.

I also recommend reading the book because like so often is the case, the movie can’t tell the whole story.  While you’re at it, I actually recommend any of Bryson’s books.  He’s sharp and witty with a dry sense of humor and a keen sense of observation.  And by the way, he knows that’s a grizzly bear on the cover of the book.  It’s a joke. Get it?

Another of my favorites is A Short History of Nearly Everything, the very title of which reflects his tongue-in-cheek pomposity.  It’s a terrifically informative and fun read.  So with this Date Night post, you get a two-fer–a movie review and a book review.  Plus a reminder to try out the fancy pants movie theatre in your community.  You’ll never look back.

Shameless Plug–Luke & Bella: Two Streets Over

My first book, Luke & Bella: Two Streets Over has been out on Amazon since early June.  As with anything, there’s a big learning curve in publishing and promoting a book and I’m very grateful for the support and advice I’ve been given.

One bit of constructive criticism I received was that my original blurb was boring and uninformative.  It was true, actually.  I revamped my book description and came up with what I think is much better.

Strong-willed ginger Bella Grant is a take-charge television journalist with an appetite for adventure. Handsome and sexy Luke McGillicutty is a world-weary photographer coaxed out of premature retirement with the promise of traveling the world with a smart, spunky redhead. They’ve been paired up to create a new brand of television travel program.

Traveling to romantic destinations, staying in first-class hotels, finding adventure at every turn, it’s not surprising that the two fall in love. Luke is stunned to realize that Bella is the woman he’s looked for his whole life. She’s beautiful, smart, funny, and courageous.

The only thing is, Luke hasn’t been completely up front with her. He hasn’t told her that he’s into BDSM. He could play it safe, keep the relationship going exactly the way it is. But Luke wants more. As a Dominant, he craves the intimacy that a Dom/sub relationship provides. And he knows without a doubt that Bella is the perfect submissive. How will she react if he approaches her about submitting to him as a Dominant? Maybe she’d be intrigued by the idea. On the other hand, he could lose her forever.

Life on the road working with Bella is great. Nights spent in Bella’s arms are amazing. Should Luke just be satisfied with the way things are? Or should he risk everything on the chance that they could have it all?

If spicy contemporary romantic fiction is your cup of tea and you appreciate Indie Authors, check out Luke & Bella: Two Streets Over at Amazon.com.  It’s even FREE every day on Kindle Unlimited.

I Mean, Think About It

I love this quote from George R.R. Martin, author of A Song of Ice and Fire, otherwise know as the Game of Thrones books.

I’ve known people who don’t read.  It boggles my mind, really.  Because, like this quote points out, that means they only get the one life they’re currently living.

Not that I hate my life, I’m a very lucky girl.  But I can’t imagine being so incurious that I could be satisfied without ‘trying on’ other lives, other situations and emotions.

I think that’s why I write as well.  The world is full of infinite possibilities.  How can you not explore them?

Of course, I should also mention that we’re mere hours away from the Season 5 premiere of Game of Thrones.

And there was great joy throughout the kingdom…

Simple As That

Simply well-said. Just saying.