Booksweeps Time ~ An Amazing Way To Find New Authors for Romantic Suspense

Ryan Zee is the brilliant mind behind BookSweeps as well as other promotional opportunities to help readers find new reads and authors, and I decided it was time to join the Romantic Suspense Sweep. The RS sweeps don't happen that often, so this was too good to miss, for you and for me.

This graphic shows the updated cover I did for Dare To Believe, my romantic suspense set on the idyllic beaches of Hawaii and the majestic mountains of Colorado.

The great thing about the BookSweeps is that it's easy to enter and by doing so, you get a chance to win 55 romantic suspense novels and a new ereader. What a great way to find new authors to love.  

I will receive your email address to add to my mailing list, but I only send out quarterly newsletters, so I don't inundate you, and it always includes a great freebie and often a great deal.  Yes, I'm tempting you, 55 new authors, a new ereader, and a newsletter from me with great stuff :)  How can you resist?

Oh, and when you sign up for all the newsletters (great idea) or just my mine, I treat you with the first chapter from 4 of my books, including Be Mine This Christmas Night, a #1 Bestseller on Amazon, Dare To Believe, an award-winning suspense in The Daphne du Maurier RWA unpubbed contest--it's pubbed now :) and Stone Of Heaven, rewritten from award-winning script--top 100 in Scriptapalooza. And my latest novel Prince Of Granola set in Costa Rica on a cacao plantation...yum chocolate! It's my way of saying thank you.  

So, please click here and sign up. You can always unsubscribe from any of the newsletters at any time, but not mine (kidding).

Hugs, 
L.A. Sartor

A Freebie & A Sale ~ Don't Miss This!! #Free #Amazon

It's my birthday month and I'm giving presents.

 After all, it's you guys that made me a Best Seller on Amazon.  

Thank you!!

FREEBIE  April 1-5

The Children's Author …

Annie Hamilton's children's series Star Light~Star Bright is a mega hit. She loves kids and wants nothing more than a family of her own, but twice burned, thrice shy. When a gorgeous man with two young boys moves next door, Annie can't help but dream her impossible dream.

And The Widower Who Moved Next Door …

Cole Evans is a brilliant scientist, but finds fatherhood a challenge. When his son develops a bond with their enchanting neighbor, the boy’s favorite author, Cole discovers just how much he's lost—and how much he needs.

Will Their Wish Come True This Christmas Night?

Can Cole overcome family meddling and alleviate Annie's fears so they can be a ready-made family?

ONLY AT AMAZON ~ CLICK HERE

ON SALE for only .99 cents!!  

April 1-5  

The Recluse …

Tori Carswell treasures her solitude and simple life.  Her identical twin, Abby Carswell, is the polar opposite, seeking increasingly risky adventures.  Now Abby has put herself in mortal danger, captive of an ancient Mayan cult.  Her only hope?  Woefully under-prepared Tori.

And the Treasure Hunter …

Reid Hunter, good-natured and currently broke, aims to beat his ex-partner Abby to the fabled blue jade known as the Stone of Heaven.  But when reclusive, aero-phobic Tori overcomes her fear of flying and tracks her sister to a well guarded tomb deep in the Yucatan rainforest, he realizes Abby is in serious trouble.

Can Opposites Accomplish the Impossible?

Abby no longer trusts Reid. Can Tori risk doing so now, and join forces with him to save her sister?  Or will Reid put riches before life and love? 

ONLY AT AMAZON ~ CLICK HERE

ON SALE for only .99 cents!!

April 1-5

The Pulitzer prize winning writer …

Catherine Hemstead Malloy had it all – riches, glamour and happiness – or so it seemed. When her husband dies in an accident, she discovers she never really had anything at all. Now with nothing but a dismal bank account and her precious daughter, Cate fights to rebuild her life—until her daughter is kidnapped. Cate has no money, no resources – why would someone target her child?

And the knight in shining armor …

Jason St. Pierre doesn't think of himself as a knight, just a man who does what must be done, lives by his rules and damn the consequences.  He'll move heaven and earth to protect the innocent, and his heart—he loved once and lost and won't risk it again, especially to Cate Hemstead.

Together …

Their reunion pits them against a kidnapper who is always one step ahead and takes them on a hunt from the majestic mountains of Colorado to the idyllic beaches of Hawaii.  Can they solve the who-dunnit turned why-dunnit kidnapping in time to save Cate's daughter?

ONLY AT AMAZON ~ CLICK HERE

Thank you once again.  I hope you enjoy reading my stories, and please, if you did, leave a review, as they are the life blood for an author.

Hugs, L.A.

Book Signing Fun and Lessons Learned

I was part of a group book signing at Barnes & Noble in Loveland CO, Nov 30th.  My first ever. I had a blast and even sold books.

I learned a couple of interesting lessons and I was totally broken-in by being asked the dreaded question; "Can you tell me where the bathroom is?"

Lesson #1.  Romance, oddly, doesn't appeal to everyone:)  And while my books have romance in them, I turned off a couple of people by stating they were "romances." Now I'm going for Adventure with Romantic Elements, or A Christmas Story with Romantic Elements, hoping that by saying that, it will continue the conversation.

Lesson #2.  I knew this, but got to put it in action.  Don't sit behind your table all the time.  Stand and greet people. Some will drop their gaze to avoid a conversation, but saying hi is better than not saying anything. Engage, you never know where it will take you.

Pictures from the signing.

 

Just about to get in the groove.  Really the only time I sat.

My set-up. Notice the candy :) and the sign-up book.

Looks serious.  Richard Lawrence and me.

Audra Harders, buddy and author extraordinaire



Richard, Audra and L.A. (me)



Marilyn Leach, Jill Haymaker & LeAnna Shields

First Encounter With a Book Club ~ As Featured Author

Frankly, while I was thrilled to learn that a book club had chosen my book and had asked me to come visit them and discuss that book, I was terrified at the same time.

Mind you, I'm not afraid of meeting new people and anyone who knows me is aware I can talk up a storm with the best of them. 

But this was MY first book, my first child and I was actually going to hear live, not in a written review of what they thought of it.  I think most creative people are all somewhat fearful that what they put out there will be liked or ridiculed. I was no exception.

Yikes.

Well the 5-W's, The Wild Women of Wisdom, Wine and Words, couldn't have been more fun, gracious and interesting.

Christine, Nina, Missy, Diane, Gayle, Dayle, Jessie, Karen and Rose, thank you so much for having me.  You all hold a special part of my heart as my very first book club.

Christine

Christine isn't in the picture...she took the picture

I'd prepared myself for all sorts of questions, but all the answers flew out of my head as the questions started coming.  Why I picked that cover? What was my theme,? What was my schedule and work flow like? Why Jason acted the way he did and my character's pasts. Did I think it was a romance or a kidnapping?  Why change the cover?

In turn I got to ask them if the characters rang true, did the conflict work for them, was it what they expected, did it satisfy them, did they want to throw it against the wall or stay up and read it? Did the Cate scene when she found her daughter, (no spoiler alert here, promise) drive them to tears as it did me?

They also offered great suggestions for future books and made me think. We didn't always agree, but hey, what more could an author ask for?

Nothing. 

There was wine, food, great conversation and I left feeling stronger as a writer, more confident as an author. I found new friends and maybe they'll read my other books. But that's not the reason for my new found confidence.  It was because they'd read a book of mine and enjoyed it and I got to watch their faces as they said so.

And I believe I even found beta readers for my upcoming release.

So, if you're invited to a book club as featured author, jump at the chance.

I want to do more.  So you if you have a book club...find me at www.lasartor.com and use the contact me link.  I'd love to be there.  In person, via Skype chat or Google hangout.  We can make it work.

All About Firsts

Firsts....

Well to start, this is my first blog hop.  I'm excited to see what it's all about, and I hope it's fun for all of you as well.

But my really big first is that my book is published.

I'm not a newbie writer, I've been writing for years, getting better, winning contests...but I never had the right book in the right niche that needed to be filled at any of the publishing houses I contacted over the years. I received very nice letters....of thanks, "but we don't have a spot for you, or we have too many of this type of story." 

But I believed in me.

When it became clear to me that digital publishing was the wave of the future, I wanted to get on top of the wave and ride it all the way in, then get back up and do it all over again.

And here I am. 

First book out, filled with love, adventure, mystery, in the mountains of Colorado and the beaches of Hawaii. 

And did I mention love?


How perfect is this first book for Valentines Day or any day you need to curl up and fall in love all over again.  Just the way Cate and Jason did.

Dare To Believe....

I did.

 Please Visit Me  I'd love to hear from you.  I always have lots going on at this blog, so sign up to a follower and I'll give away a book at the end of the hop to one of you who has!


Dare To Believe Available at:

• Amazon
• Amazon Paperback
• Barnes and Noble
• iBookstore  
• Smashwords  
• Kobo
• Goodreads  
• All Romance Books (ARe)  

 

Friday's Recipe ~ Coconut Cake from the Halekulani Hotel, Hawaii

Disclaimer right off the top.  Do not read the nutritional info. Just bake and enjoy!

This fabulous cake came from the majestic Halekulani Hotel on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii, where it has been the hotel’s signature cake for years. It’s cut into three layers, then pasted together with pastry cream. Don’t worry if your layers aren’t perfect; once it’s put together, you’ll never know. The taste is all you’ll care about.

Ingredients
Sponge Cake:

1 1/2 cups cake flour

2/3 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2/3 cup water

8 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Pastry Cream:

2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk, divided

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 tablespoons cornstarch

2 eggs

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup amaretto

Whipped Cream:

3 cups heavy cream

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Prep Time - 25 min.

Cook Time - 10 min.

Instructions

1. To prepare the cake, preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan.

2. Sift together cake flour, 2/3 cup sugar, salt and baking powder in a small bowl. In separate bowl, combine oil, egg and water; add to flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

3. Whip egg whites and cream of tartar. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter until just combined.  

4. Pour into pan and bake about 30 minutes or until center is set. Remove from pan set aside to cool. Store in the refrigerator several hours before cutting.

5. To prepare the pastry cream, combine 1 3/4 cups milk, sugar, salt and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until tiny bubbles form. Combine remaining milk with cornstarch; add eggs and beat several times.

6. Add ½ cup hot milk mixture to egg mixture; mix well. Pour egg mixture back into milk mixture in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Scrape custard into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator.

7. To prepare the whipped cream, combine heavy cream and sugar in a nonreactive mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. 

8. Add 1 cup of whipped cream, amaretto and 1 1/4 cups coconut to pastry cream; stir well. Set remaining whipped cream and coconut aside.

9. When cake is completely cooled, cut into three layers using a serrated knife. Place one layer on a 9-inch cake board or a serving plate. Place half the pastry cream on top and spread to edge evenly. Place second layer of cake on top of pastry cream and spread remaining pastry cream on top. Place third layer of cake on top. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining whipped cream and sprinkle with 1/2 cup coconut.

Recipe by permission from the Halekulani Hotel, Honolulu.

Nutritional Info (per serving)

Calories 600

Fat 35g 

Saturated Fat 20g

Polyunsaturated Fat 4.5g

Monounsaturated Fat 9g

Cholesterol 155mg

Sodium 360mg

Potassium 250mg

Carbohydrates 61g

Fiber 2g

Sugars 38g

Protein 9g

Read more:

http://www.relish.com/recipes/halekulani-hotel-coconut-cake/#ixzz25inq0GVW

 

What I Learned From Vince...

If you haven't read Vince Mooney's post on Cover Art and Advertising Headlines published on this blog, stop, go back and read it, then see why I've worked on several new covers.

ORIGINAL COVER

People liked this cover, it was pretty. I LIKED it, but it was niggling at me that something was wrong.  And while it stood out on a page in a thumbnail when person queried my title, I'm not sure it stood out in the way I wanted.

Then I read a post on Seekerville where Vince said something that triggered an even stronger feeling that I was on the wrong track with my cover.  (something about it looking like wall art, not a cover...)

I was adamant, however, that I was going to make watercolors my brand.  So how to do all I needed to do?

Then I realized that I wanted, needed Vince to teach me about marketing and book covers.  I asked and VOILA, his  incredible post about cover art and marketing.
 
And as we were working on it, I'd already thought of a new cover.

COVER CHANGE ONE:

 

AND ANOTHER RENDITION:

 

 

 

Then his post was ready...we'd edited and cut and added and cut...it was time to publish.

 

And as I pushed the publish button, I realized the above art didn't quite do justice to the story. I think you understand from the art that Haley, the little girl is ripped from her mother. 

 

But it wasn't enough.

 

It didn't say Hawaii, which most my reviewers mentioned as being extremely well researched (I lived there) and my readers seemed to particularly enjoy those scenes.  (Market research, I asked them.)

 

The above covers didn't say pathos, loss and hope. And again, it didn't say Hawaii, although it could be inferred from the watercolor...but only AFTER you'd read the book.

 

So, I came up with another idea, worked on it with my cover artist and vetted it with Vince...who actually loved it.   

 

FINAL COVER:



 

 

So, here it is. I'd love your comments and thoughts. 

 

Cover art is vital in marketing our stories.  It is the first image planted in your prospective customer's mind.  It should offer an image that relates to something in their life. It makes them want or NOT want to delve further and read the blurb (another subject for a blog) and then finally either read the first chapter, and then your writing is going to make them buy the book.

 

I'll let you know as time goes on, whether the cover makes a difference in my sales, etc.

 

NOW for another big reveal: my next book's cover, which Vince also loves.

 

STONE OF HEAVEN

  

This one is for Digital versions, because the pyramid stands out more for the thumbnail. As I posted this I realized it will need a thin border or shadow to help set it off from the page and I've already sent the email to my artist :)

 

 

 

And this one is for the Print on Demand because I love the way the pyramid is transparent and it will be gorgeous on the glossy cover.

 

 

Hope this visual lesson helped.

 

Ciao,

LA aka Leslie Ann

 

 

 

The Idea Behind The Blog

I'm on this great adventure.  I'm tackling the world of Indie Publishing. 
 
What I hope to do with this blog is to tell it like it is, at least for me, about the world of  Indie Publishing.  Answer questions if you have them. Offer bits of advice. 
 
Oh, and I'm a screenwriter as well, so we can go that direction too, if you want.
 
~ciao
LA
 
Oh, sheesh, I almost forgot!  My website: www.lasartor.com