Leaving Facebook #socialmedia #ebookadvertising

Posted on December 10, 2018 by Mae Clair

Where does time go? I looked at my blog and realized I haven’t posted in a month. How does that happen? I’m online constantly, visiting other bloggers, but have somehow neglected my home base. With the holidays coming up, I may not have another post until January, but thought it was time to share…well, something!

For those of you who have followed my blog for a while, you probably know I’m not a fan of Facebook. Never have been from the time I signed up, but I hung in there because authors are expected to have a presence on FB. I’ve been awful about posting on my profile, but I have run several ads over the last few years, all with decent results. I considered Facebook worthwhile as a good ad source, never where I connected with others. I’m better with mediums like the blogosphere, Twitter and Instagram.

Then FB did something I couldn’t ignore.

Last week, my publisher reduced Cusp of Night to .99c for a few days. As usual, I signed onto Facebook to run a promotion. I modified the same ad I’ve run twice in the past, targeting the same audience as before, but got flagged for violating FB’s new ad policy.

Huh?

I didn’t include men in my audience and didn’t target women under 25. Guys, if you read my books, I love you, but honestly I know that the bulk of my readers are women, and the majority are over 25. My guess is that Facebook considered this discriminatory (let’s not forget they let me target the exact same audience multiple times in the past), so they deactivated my ad manager and wouldn’t approve the ad.

Oops! Facebook even sent me an email saying I had violated their ad policy.

Okay, got it. I figured I could fix the problem and all would be good. I understand they need to make adjustments. But when I tried to change my target audience I couldn’t. The powers that be had shut down the ad manager for my account, no chance to change anything.

Just. Locked. Out.

That left me an option of jumping through hoops with FB support, emailing, and trying to straighten the situation out. In other words, a major headache.

Um…for a platform I’ve disliked from day one? No thanks. So, I deactivated my Facebook account. Then the good folks at FB asked me (through an online form) why I was leaving their wonderful community. I explained they’d deactivated my ad manager and why. I thought perhaps they’d send me a follow up email. You know…customer service and all that, but of course that didn’t happen. I’m a drop in the bucket, and customer service is a dinosaur of days past when people mattered.

So I’m outta there. If you’ve tagged me in the past, or might try to in the future, I wanted to share why you won’t find me. Look for me on BookBub, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, Pinterest, or in our lovely blogging world, but I’m done with Facebook.

I never did get to run my ad, but thanks to a large BookBub push by my publisher and other promotions I did, Cusp of Night did well, hitting:

278 in the paid Kindle Store
#2 in Mystery Supernatural
#5 in Mystery Cozy
#7 in mystery paranormal

I would have loved to hit the top spot in one of the genres, but coming close was nice. A few of my other books picked up sales as well. And all without Facebook. I guess I didn’t need it as much as I thought.

In other news, I’m plugging away on the final book in my Hode’s Hill series. Book two, End of Day, releases on January 19th and is available for pre-order from all major booksellers. If you haven’t reserved your copy, now’s a good time. 🙂

As we gear up for the holidays, I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I love this time of year and am in permanent happily-ever-after-Hallmark-sap mode. And let’s not forget Elf and A Christmas Carol, my two favorite holiday classics.

Ho-Ho-Ho and sugar plums to all!

When Your Muse Skips a Date

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Mae Clair

My muse and I had a date. I planned my work/vacation time so I had a four day weekend. Perfect for writing, right? Given I’m behind on my WIP, I was jazzed to pull off such a coup. Mr. E. knew when and where he was to show up. If you’re not sure who Mr. E. is, you may want to check out book two of my Point Pleasent series, A Cold Tomorrow.

In the meantime, let’s check out how things went wrong. 😦

Plans for day one (Thursday) of my four-day writing schedule:
Several hours of writing in the morning.
Run errands.
Immunization shot at pharmacy.
Lunch with hubby.
Writing in evening.

What went wrong:
Overslept and got a late start. Part of this is the fault of my cat, Raven, who likes to curl up in bed with me. Seriously, who could resist a cute, sleepy ball of fluff in snuggle mode? Here’s a shot of what she looks like when she’s pouring on the power-cute.

Cute black cat curled up on rug looking at camera

Errands got a late start and instead of writing, I caught up with email. After I finished with errands I headed to my local pharmacy for the second half of a two-part shingles immunization shot. Have you guys heard about this thing? It’s for anyone over fifty—an uber precaution against getting shingles. The shot comes in two parts, You get part one (shot), then somewhere between two and six months later you get the second shot.

The day I got the first shot, I had also gotten a tetanus shot and had a bad reaction (chills, muscle aches, slight fever). I thought that was from the tetanus, but NOOOOO!

Thursday afternoon I got the second shot and by the evening I was a mess. Fever, extreme chills, body aches off the scale, headache, nausea—not to mention my arm felt like I’d never be able to lift it again. I got up in the middle of the night to get a drink of water and was shaking so bad from chills, I spilled water all over the place. Not a good night. The next morning, I checked out the side effects on the handout they give you, and I had every one of them.

Joy! I know countless people (including my husband) who have gotten this series of shots without any side effects. Leave it to me. Needless to say, no writing got done.

Plans for day two (Friday) of my planned four-day writing schedule:
A few hours writing at a coffee cafe.
Meet with friend at the library regarding plans for a 2019 trip to Maine.
Get together with my niece and SIL (spur-of-the moment, planned Thursday morning).
Afternoon and evening writing,

What went wrong:
Couldn’t sleep because of a miserable night with side effects from the shingles shot.
Up early and went to the coffee cafe but spent my time catching up on email and blog visits.
Enjoyed time with my niece and SIL, but was dragging from lack of sleep. Still feeling horrible from side effects of shot.
Came home, zonked on the couch and went to bed by seven PM.
No writing.

Saturday of my planned four-day writing schedule:
Starting to feel better—not 100% but enough to feel well enough to do laundry and make a huge pot of New England Clam Chowder.
My den looks like a cyclone hit it (thanks to the recent author presentation I did for a historical society) so I decide to clean it up into order to get to my desk.
That involves cleaning out my closet—which involves sorting through boxes of family photos to give to my nephew (don’t ask).
The entire day vanishes.
Evening out with my family, something that popped up at the last minute. My brother bought one of those drive-able RVs and he and his wife drove it up for everyone to see. A bunch of us ended up going out for dinner.
No writing.

Sunday of my planned four-day writing schedule:
Now fully recovered from the shot. YAY!
Back to the den to finish the cleaning project I started yesterday.
Caught up on my author record keeping (expenses, royalties, inventory, banking).
Caught up with email and blog visits again. No writing,

Four whole days without a single hour at my day job and I didn’t manage a single minute of writing. My friend, Craig Boyack, recently experienced something similar, so I know I’m not the only one who experiences plans that go haywire. Still, as much as I enjoyed time with my niece, sister-in-law, and family, it was frustrating not to manage even a few thousand words of writing. On the plus side, I’ve got a second chance. I have the entire week of Thanksgiving off and hope to hammer out major word count. I may not be as visible that week online, so if I miss a few posts I hope you’ll forgive me. My deadline is looming and the last few days have set it back another notch thanks to a dreadful shot and an absent muse!

I’m hoping your week (and week ahead) was/is much more productive—and that if you opt for the Shingrix immunization you’re like my DH and the bulk of people who don’t experience the debilitating side effects I did!

Pre-Order The Body In The Attic by Judi Lynn #cozy #mystery

Posted on November 1, 2018 by Mae Clair

Happy first day of November! To kick off the month, I’m delighted to welcome friend and sister author, Judi Lynn. We’ve shared the same publisher for many years now. Judi has a new mystery release coming out in November that I’m super excited about and have already pre-ordered. Before I turn things over so she can tell you about it, please be sure to check out her blog. She’s wonderfully supportive of others and shares engaging posts that I know you’ll enjoy. And now….take it away Judi!

I want to thank Mae for inviting me to her blog. We’re sister authors for Lyrical Press. I loved her Point Pleasant series and the start of her Hode’s Hill series. CUSP OF NIGHT has such a great mix of mystery and paranormal, I’m waiting for the second book to come out in January! My first mystery, THE BODY IN THE ATTIC, due out Nov. 27, is a straight cozy with food and family tossed in. I love to cook, so there are a couple of recipes at the back of the book.

Book cover for the cozy mystery novel The Body in the Attic by Judi Lynn shows an old trunk surrounded by various items in an attic

You can find it here: http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/37036

Here’s the blurb:

Welcome to River Bluffs, Indiana, a cozy small town populated with charming homes, close-knit families, and the occasional deadly secret . . .

House-flipper Jazzi Zanders and her cousin Jerod have found their latest project. The property, formerly owned by the late Cal Juniper, is filled with debris that must be cleared before the real renovation begins. But a trip to the attic reveals something more disturbing than forgotten garbage—a skeleton wearing a locket and rings that Jazzi recognizes . . .

Tests confirm that the bones belong to Jazzi’s aunt Lynda, who everyone assumed moved to New York years ago after breaking up with Cal. Soon enough, the whole family is involved, sifting through memories and rumors as they try to piece together what really happened to Lynda—and the baby she gave up for adoption. In between investigating and remodeling, Jazzi is falling for the old house’s charms—and for her gorgeous contractor, Ansel. But with surprises lurking in every nook and cranny, a killer might be waiting to demolish her dreams for good . . .

And here’s an excerpt:

Jerod called 911. While Jazzi waited for the detective to arrive, she went from room to room upstairs, checking them out. She needed to keep busy to distract herself. Her aunt was folded into a trunk, and her mom was going to relive a crappy memory. When Lynda had accepted Cal Juniper’s engagement ring but told him that she needed to leave River Bluffs for a year to think things through, friends had lined up behind Cal, not Lynda. And now here Lynda was, stuffed in a trunk in Cal’s attic.

Detective Richard Gaff and crime scene experts arrived before Jazzi could sort out her thoughts. Gaff looked at the trunk, frowned at the stains halfway up it, and shook his head. “How long did you say she’d been here?”

Jazzi watched the techs take one picture after another. “She disappeared twenty-six years ago, a few months after she got engaged. Why is everything stained there?”

A tech answered automatically. “A body liquefies when it decomposes—all the fluids draining and organs breaking down.”

Jerod grimaced at the floorboards.

“A clean-up crew comes when we find a body or remains. They can fix anything.” Gaff looked at the diamond ring caught on the knuckle of the bony finger on her right hand. “And who was she going to marry?”

“That ring came from Thomas Sorrell. She broke up with him.” Jazzi pointed to the small heap of bones that had fallen off when Jerod moved the trunk. Another diamond glistened among them—a little smaller, but classier. “That’s Cal’s ring. She was going to marry him.”

He stopped writing and frowned. “Those are both big diamonds.”

Jazzi shook her head. “Both men were rich.”

“You said she was engaged when she disappeared.”

“To Cal Juniper, but she asked him to give her a year in New York to think things through.”

“And he was all right with that?”

“He wasn’t happy, but he agreed to it. My mom told me that it bothered him so much, he left River Bluffs before Lynda did. He was going to travel across Europe on business trips until Lynda was supposed to come back.”

“So he wasn’t in the house. For a year? That makes sense. It would stink to high heavens for a long time.” Gaff scratched his head, confused. “Okay, let’s start at the beginning. Can you tell me what you know about your aunt?”

Jerod and Jazzi exchanged glances.

“That could take a while,” Jazzi said.

Author Bio:

Judi Lynn lives in Indiana with her husband, a bossy gray cat, a noisy Chihuahua, and a parakeet. She loves to cook and owns more cookbooks than any mortal woman would ever need. That’s why so much food sneaks into her stories. She also loves her flower beds, but is a haphazard gardener, at best.

You can find her at:

You can find her webpage at: http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/

Her blog: http://writingmusings.com/

Her author facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JudiLynnwrites/

Twitter: @judypost

On BookBub at Judi Lynn with a link to Judith Post: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/judi-lynn

In Honor of National Cat Day: Raven! #blackcats

Posted on October 29, 2018 by Mae Clair

It was recently brought to my attention (ahem, Julie) that Raven hasn’t made an appearance on my blog in a while. It also dawned on me that today is National Cat Day. Given Raven is a black cat, it’s almost Halloween, and it’s National Cat Day, that’s a trifecta I couldn’t pass up. I’m late in getting this posted, but for all the cat lovers out there, here’s my gorgeous girl . . .

This past spring, hanging out in the bow window.
The little birds that visit in the morning provide hours of entertainment.

Beautiful black cat in bow window with rose in bloom behind glass

Peek-a-boo from her collapsible cube.
She likes to flatten it like a pancake when she’s playing.

Black cat peeking out of a large toy cube

Taking a nap on tree #1 by the bow window.
So innocent—while plotting . . .

Black cat curled up on a large cat tree

The perfect way to get a second tree is to hang out where she isn’t allowed.
Smart girl.

Black cat balancing on the back of chair

The plotting worked.
Tree #2 overlooking the rear deck arrives.
She and a resident chipmunk play tag, racing between this spot
and the patio doors in the family room. More entertainment!

Black cat on a large cat tree in front of french doors

I was an idiot to think that large spray of reeds in the corner could stay.
Tree + cat + reeds = large cat toy.
The spray was moved in less than an hour.

Black cat sitting on a large cat tree in front of a French door

A new toy—sort of.
Stolen from my key chain.
She makes a good thief.

Black cat in sitting pose looking at camera with a puff toy in front of her

Ready for bed at the end of the day.
She has me wrapped and knows it!

Black cat under sheets in bed

Raven and I wish you a Happy National Cat Day!

The Emissary 2: To Love Somebody is Now Available on Amazon

Posted on October 25, 2018 by Mae Clair

Happy book buzz day! I have major ebook news to share as Marcia Meara rolls out her latest release, The Emissary 2: To Love Somebody. I’m positively delighted to share this new novella on my blog. I adore the characters and devoured the first Emissary novella. Needless to say, I snatched Emissary 2 up the moment it became available. Please welcome Marcia with her brand new release!

Absolutely lovely to be here on your blog today, Mae! Thanks so much for having me over to share the release of The Emissary 2: To Love Somebody with your followers. Your wonderful review of The Emissary was a big inspiration to me as I worked on the newest one. I’m really excited to have finished this latest run of adventures between Jake, Dodger, and their angelic boss, Azrael, and I hope you’ll enjoy following along once more as they come to terms with their ever-increasing powers. I also hope the blurb and short excerpt below will tempt some of your followers to do so, as well.

Both Book 1 and Book 2 of the trilogy are quick, easy reads, which are definitely not meant to be viewed as any sort of religious dogma. Rather, they are merely excursions into a bit of “what-if-ery,” with a few nuggets of universal truths scattered throughout.

When I get the third novella of this trilogy finished, I’ll be combining all three into a set I can offer in print as well as eBook format. But for now, folks looking for a bit of Urban Fantasy Lite can download Books 1 and 2 and find out for themselves exactly what’s expected from the world’s first Emissaries to the Angels.

Note: I do need to point out that The Emissary 2: To Love Somebody is the middle book of the Emissary Trilogy, and not a stand-alone novella. With that in mind, Book 1, The Emissary, can be downloaded HERE.

Corrected The Emissary 2_kindle cover_2

BLURB

They’re back!

Jake and Dodger, the first (and so far, only) Emissaries to the Angels, are on the road again.

They’re looking for mortals about to take a wrong turn. You know the ones—the kid thinking about stealing from a corner market or the man planning to lie about a coworker and destroy her career. Yeah, them. People on the brink of making a mistake that could send them down that wrong road and jeopardize their mortal souls.

Of course, there are rules by which the emissaries must play, and the archangel Azrael stands ready to enforce them. First and foremost, a person’s free will must never be compromised. Emissaries are allowed to use only the smallest of mental nudges. Thankfully, a whispered suggestion here or images of a better course of action there is usually all it takes. The potential mugger walks on by. The thief drops the wallet back into the unattended purse. But whether the results are obvious or not, Jake and Dodger are fully committed to making a positive difference, even as they struggle with issues of their own.

Will Dodger get over losing his chance to learn what true love is all about? Will Jake survive the grueling angelic equivalent of Boot Camp? Will Azrael ever finish the Official Emissarial Guidebook—including the chapter titled Do Not Even Think About It?

One thing’s for sure—Jake’s and Dodger’s strengths are growing daily, as they help more and more people make better choices. But is the price for so much power higher than they’re willing to pay?

EXCERPT

Lounging Beside a Cluster of Heat-Yellowed Palms,
Drinking Warm Bottled Water Gone Stale as Old Bread,
Watching Dodger Work His Magic on Unsuspecting Beachgoers.

TWO DAYS HAD slipped by since Dodger confessed his tale of woe to Jake, yet Jake was no closer to knowing how to handle the issue than he’d been when he first heard the boy’s story. On the one hand, they both ought to be well beyond any of the concerns they’d had in their past lives. On the other, that wasn’t actually the case for either of them, in spite of the differences in what they worried about.

They hadn’t had a visit from Azrael since departing Atlanta two weeks earlier, which in itself seemed ominous. They’d pretty much ignored the angel’s wishes by heading south together, and while he wasn’t sure how Azrael felt about that decision, the continued silence probably wasn’t a good sign. Combine that with Dodger’s unhappiness, and Jake figured it might be time to reach out to the big guy.

“Why have you not done so sooner?”

Jake jerked around so hard, he tipped his folding beach chair over and fell face first into the hot sand. Scrambling to his feet, he swore before he could catch himself. “Dammit, Azrael—I mean, geez-lou-freakin’-weeze! Why do you do that? It’s not funny, you know. And even if it had been funny the first ten times, it sure isn’t now!”

“On the contrary, my friend. Watching your various reactions to my sudden appearances is something that never seems to grow old.”

Jake righted his beach chair and offered it to Azrael. It wasn’t until the angel took a seat that he realized Azrael had once again referred to him as his friend. His anger evaporated immediately.

“Good to see you, too.” He smiled at the archangel he privately called Boss. “I really needed to talk to you.”

“Yes. I am aware of your concern about Dodger. It is a thorny problem, is it not?”

“I’m afraid so. It’s causing Dodger a whole lot of pain right now, and by extension, it’s causing me pain, too.”

“Ah. When he hurts, you hurt. This is both good and bad, as most meaningful relationships among humans seem to be.”

“I’m glad you understand.”

“Oh, I did not say I understand. I am aware of these things, yes. You cannot observe humans for centuries upon end without seeing evidence that this is the way of it. But knowledge is not the same thing as understanding. That is one of the reasons building a cadre of emissaries like you and Dodger is so important. Having been mortal beings and lived lives filled with human dreams and passions and relationships, you are both far better equipped for this job than I, or any other angel, could ever be.”

“Does that mean you’ll take me at my word when I say we need to help Dodger?”

“No. As always, it means I will listen to you and evaluate what you tell me, and then do my best to help where needed.”

Buy The Emissary 2: To Love Somebody HERE

~~~

Author Marcia Meara

Marcia Meara lives in central Florida, just north of Orlando, with her husband of over thirty years, four big cats, and two small dachshunds. When not writing or blogging, she spends her time gardening, and enjoying the surprising amount of wildlife that manages to make a home in her suburban yard. At the age of five, Marcia declared she wanted to be an author, and is ecstatic that at age 69, she finally began pursuing that dream. Her belief in the redemptive power of love is a unifying factor in both of her popular series and her poetry. Today, she’s still going strong, and plans to keep on writing until she falls face down on the keyboard, which she figures would be a pretty good way to go!

Marcia has published six novels, one novella, and one book of poetry to date, all of which are available on Amazon:

Wake-Robin Ridge
A Boy Named Rabbit: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 2
Harbinger: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 3

Swamp Ghosts: A Riverbend Novel
Finding Hunter: Riverbend Book 2
That Darkest Place: Riverbend Book 3

The Emissary: A Riverbend Spinoff Novella

Summer Magic: Poems of Life & Love

Marcia’s Amazon Author Page

You can reach Marcia via email at marciameara16@gmail.com or on the following social media sites:

The Write Stuff: http://marciamearawrites.com/
Twitter: @marciameara
Facebook: www.facebook.com/marcia.meara.writer
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marciameara/

Atonement in Bloom Book Launch Party Bus

Posted on October 20, 2018 by Mae Clair

All aboard! Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene is having a book launch party and I’m happy to be one of the bus stops on this fun tour!
Atonement Blog Party Bus Loaded

All aboard! Beep-beep, yeah! The party bus is here. (Click here for theme music Magic Bus!) Our first stop is in Connecticut to pick up Dan Antion, who has a handy guided tour of Atonement, TN. Dan agreed to be a relief bus driver too, since bus-driver-Lilith the calico, sometimes has to take a break to give Deme or Honeybell a head bath.

Where “atonement” begins

It’s best if you read the first book first. So, for the launch of “Bloom,” Atonement, Tennessee is on sale for 99¢ (e-book). Click Atonement book covers for purchase links.

Residents of my fictional town might be of any race and from any ancestry. So author and translator Olga Núñez Miret translated the debut novel to Spanish! For that language I changed the title to Expiación y Magia!

Cover Expiación y Magia ― Una Fantasía Urbana

Atonement, Tennessee in Spanish

Speaking of the otherworldly pigs, I should mention the order of the Atonement stories. Your first visit to the town is Atonement, Tennessee. It’s an urban fantasy — set in our present-day, real world but with magical elements. Aside from the heroine and her neighbor-friends (or as Diana Peach likes to call them, the gall palls (Diana’s review here), you’ll meet the grumpy sheriff, Robin Warden.

Includes the prequel

The first “snort” in The Glowing Pigs, Snort Stories of Atonement, Tennessee is about a very young Deputy Robin. (Review by Dr. Phuong Callaway here.) That particular story is tied to the novel I’m launching today, Atonement in Bloom.

Long awaited sequel to Atonement, Tennessee

Here’s the blurb!

The quaint town was stranger than Ralda Lawton could have imagined. The local population included supernatural beings of the fae variety. Although only she and a few others knew about that.

In a past life, Ralda ― Esmeralda had been involved in something with those supernaturals and it had carried into her present life. In Atonement, Tennessee, that almost got her killed. Now she has new problems, and new supes to complicate matters.

Atonement in Bloom continues the misadventures of Ralda, her friends, and neighbors in the small (but far from peaceful) town of Atonement, Tennessee. Her old house and cemetery are still there, along with Lilith the cat, quirky townsfolk, and assorted supernaturals.

Now Lilith the calico sniffs out a strange beast.

Fae foolery backfires. A friend is abducted.

On a cold December day, Atonement, Tennessee comes into bloom.

The Unfolding Of An Orange Rose Bud

I don’t know why the party bus is stopping. Oh! It’s a delivery of flowers in honor of the book launch from Kirt Tisdale of The Wall Gallery! Wow… beautiful blue roses. Thank you, Kirt. The blue rose of the impossible is an important element of Atonement in Bloom.

We’re back on the road, and Dyanna at Ravenhawk’s Magazine has plenty of music for our road-trip. Lilith, slow down. I see Melissa from Today You Will Write at that bus stop up ahead.

Hang on to your seat-belt. Lilith just took a sharp curve and we are magically in Kentucky. Deme wanted to check out Teri Polen’s October horror and suspense book fest, Bad Moon Rising! You’ll find 31 authors and their books there!

Welcome to Atonement, TN! Everybody in town is taking part in the fun. Annie’s Antiques is hosting an exhibit of Art by Rob Goldstein.

My Blue Heaven

What’s that on the next table? It looks like an Aladin’s lamp. And a puff of colorful smoke! Oh, it’s the Lamp Magician. Welcome, Magician. I’m glad you could join the party bus!

My stomach is growling. Thank goodness Carol Taylor and Gerlinde de Broekert have catered the book fair. There are delicious foods at every booth! However, Deme and Honeybell love to read, so they ran straight to the Atonement, TN Book Fair. They’re in hog heaven with so many great books!

Heartfelt thanks to everyone for supporting this Bloomin’ Party Bus. Click the author names for more info.

(If anyone wants to share a link to a review of your book, or anything about yourself, please leave a comment with the link.)

D. Wallace Peach

Image result for legacy of souls d wallace peach

Chris Graham (for Agnes Mae Graham)

My Vibrating Vertabrae cover

Olga Núñez Miret For this book see here.

Angelic Business 1. Pink Matters Now available as an audio book too

D.L. Finn

Image result for dl finn the button

Jan Sikes

Image result for jan sikes flowers in stone

Mary J McCoy-Dressel

Mary J McCoy-Dressel, western romance author, Book Three Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series, Blog Post Cover Reveal

Sally Cronin

Jacquie Biggar has a sheriff too…

Valentina Cirasola will help you tour Atonement, TN in style.

Barb Taub will keep you laughing the entire way.

Resa will help you find the right thing to wear. She’s a costume designer. She would have enjoyed helping Ralda, Bethany, and Lacey search through the antique clothes in Sunhold’s closets (scene in “Bloom”).

Staci Troilo

Tortured Soul

Mae Clair

Book cover for End of Day, mystery/suspense novel by Mae Clair shows old dilapidated church with bell tower and a cemetery in the background overgrown with weeds

John W. Howell

Annette Rochelle Aben

Image result for booku Annette Rochelle Aben

Robbie Cheadle

Image result for robbie cheadle while the bombs fell

Chuck Jackson

Image result for chuck jackson what did i do

Vashti Quiroz-Vega

Teri Polen

Image result for teri polen sarah

Guest Post: Writing horror and supernatural stories by Robbie Cheadle #DarkVisions #HorrorAnthology #NewRelease

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Mae Clair

114

I’m happy to welcome guest blogger and author, Robbie Cheadle, today with a look at how she became interested in writing horror and supernatural tales. Already an accomplished children’s book author, Robbie is now venturing into other genres. Her stories, The Haunting of William, and The Willow Tree, are featured in the new anthology, Dark Visions. Perfect reading at this time of year, this goose bump-inducing collection is high on my TBR. Please welcome Robbie with her first guest appearance on my blog!

As a pre-teen I was fascinated by horror and supernatural books and stories. At the age of ten I read Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. It scared me to death, but I loved the thrill. I steadfastly read my way through all the horror and supernatural books I could get my hands on.

I started writing in 2015 by accident. I had been writing poems for many years and made up stories from time to time for my children, but I had never consciously sat down and tried to write a story. The Sir Chocolate series of books evolved with Michael through a process of joining our ideas together and creating rhyming verse stories to help him to learn to read and write and practice his spelling.

During 2017, I decided to write the story of my mom’s early years growing up in the town of Bungay, England during WWII. That was the first time I actively plotted a story line. A lot of historical research was required for the book to establish the setting and enable the reader to understand the historical facts of the time and follow the timeline of the war. I completed While the Bombs Fell in May 2018 and it has recently become available on Amazon.

This historical research for my mom’s book resulted in my discovering a lot about the folklore of her hometown, much of which is steeped in superstition and mythology. Bungay abounds with ghosts and other mythological creatures and these gave me a lot of fodder for my imagination. The idea of trying my hand at a darker story emerged. I have written four short stories in the supernatural and horror genre. I submitted two of these for Dan Alatorre’s Word Weaver competitions this year and I received an excellent critique in respect of both. I implemented Dan’s advice and resubmitted the two stories to him and was very thrilled when they were accepted for his new horror anthology, Dark Visions.

BLURB:
Book cover for Dark Visions, a horror anthology shows cloaked, hooded figure holding a glowing sphere From the creators of the #1 bestseller The Box Under The Bed horror anthology comes Dark Visions, 34 horror stories from 27 authors.

Tag along on a con man’s New Orleans vacation where he gets more than he bargained for from a mysterious voodoo shop. A collection of family photos reveals an eerie secret about a beloved grandmother’s true nature. A child’s horrifying memories haunt her into adulthood. A new camp counselor learns that the camp has secrets she might not live to reveal.

Edited and compiled by Amazon bestselling author Dan Alatorre, this anthology of horror brings together the minds and pens of more than two dozen amazing authors.

Dark Visions will take you into the realm of the eerie and macabre, with thrills and chills from:

bestselling author Dan Alatorre (The Navigators),
bestselling author Jenifer Ruff (Everett),
bestselling author Allison Maruska (The Fourth Descendant),
bestselling author J. A. Allen,
award-winning author MD Walker,
award-winning author Juliet Nubel,
award-winning author Dabney Farmer,
award-winning author Sharon E. Cathcart,
award-winning author Heather Kindt,
award-winning author Bonnie Lyons,
award-winning author Sharon Connell,
award-winning author Geoff LePard,
award-winning author Anne Marie Andrus,
award-winning author Christine Valentor,
award-winning author BA Helberg,
Ernesto San Giacomo,
award-winning author Alana Turner,
Nick Vossen,
award-winning author Robbie Cheadle,
Betty Valentine,
award-winning author Frank Parker,
award-winning author Bonnie Lyons,
award-winning author Lori Micken,
Chuck Jackson,
Ellen Best,
Victoria Clapton

Perfect for Halloween or any time, these stories will make you think twice before spending the night alone, planting a tree in your garden, or even visiting your mother.

Consider yourselves warned.

Purchase Dark Visions from Amazon

Connect with Robbie Cheadle at the following haunts:
Twitter | Facebook | Blog

Visiting with a Friend

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Mae Clair

"Self parking" sign attached to a streetlamp beside a building. Flying saucer is pictured on sign Hi, friends! I’m so excited to be the featured blogger on Rob Goldstein’s blog today. If you don’t know Rob and aren’t following his blog, you’re missing out on something wonderful. His corner of the blogosphere is filled with musings, digital art, and photography.

Wait! Make that spectacular digital art and photography (and his musings are pretty outstanding, too, LOL). Seriously—I’m blown away every time I see his work.

I originally connected with Rob through Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene (thank you, Teagan!) when Rob was illustrating Teagan’s Hullaba Lulu serial. Teagan’s whimsical story and Rob’s insanely gorgeous artwork kept me riveted each week. I was flattered when Rob asked me to be his featured blogger for October. He does an awesome job of tailoring his questions to each guest, so I hope you’ll check out our interview on Art by Rob Goldstein.

And be sure to look over artwork while you’re there, then click the “follow” button. Rob is a great guy to get to know!

Get Your Ghost On #BadMoonRising

Posted on October 3, 2018 by Mae Clair

spooky raven on tree branch with full orange moon in the background

We all know that October is a time for ghouls, ghosts, and things that go-bump-in-the night. Friend, author, and sister blogger, Teri Polen, hosts a paranormal-centric event this time of year called Bad Moon Rising. I’m delighted to be her guest today, answering questions about Ouija boards and haunted houses among other things. Some of my answers might surprise you. Intrigued? You can find our interview here.

And while you’re visiting, I encourage you to poke around Teri’s blog haunt and check out her books. She’s a talented author of YA, horror, and sci-fi. If you’re not following already, I encourage you to click the follow button on her blog and get to know this friendly, gifted writer. I’m already looking forward to her next release!

New Release: The Button by D.L. Finn #ParanormalThriller

Posted on September 17, 2018 by Mae Clair

Happy Monday, everyone! I’m not usually a fan of the first day of the work week, but today is a special Monday. Denise (D.L.) Finn is making her first author appearance on my blog with her latest release, The Button. She has generously helped me with promotion in the past, and I am delighted to be able to return the favor. I’ve also read several of her works and always find them enjoyable. Knowing her latest is a paranormal thriller is a win-win for me. I’ve already downloaded my copy and look forward to curling up with my Kindle—just maybe not on a dark and stormy night 🙂

Please welcome Denise . . .

Thank you, Mae, for inviting me on your blog to help celebrate the of The Button!

Blurb:

Lynn Hill left a difficult childhood behind when she turned eighteen. The 1980s were going to be the beginning of a great life. Then what started as an ordinary evening out with her best friend, Stacy, turns into a nightmare. Lynn hears warnings: “Go!” “Leave!” Believing she is hearing things after partying too much, she goes back for one more drink before going home. That decision sets off a chain of events that nothing could have prepared her for. While humans and not-so-human beings are attempting to either help or harm her, Lynn risks everything to find the only person she trusts, Stacy. Who can help her? The stepbrother who shows up right when she needs him or the attractive, helpful bartender who gives her his phone number? Lynn must learn to trust again. Her survival depends on it in this paranormal thriller.

Excerpt:

PROLOGUE

Castro Valley, California, 1976

Lynn was suddenly aware of her surroundings. It was tranquil floating above her still body next to angels. She felt indifferent at seeing her pale form hooked up to wires and IVs, although the beeping machines indicated that her body was still alive.

“You have to go back—you have more to do,” the female angel informed her.

Lynn met the angel’s steady gaze. While she was in awe of her beauty, it was the angel’s silver dress that drew her attention. It reminded her of how the water in her grandmother’s pool had wrapped her in serenity when she sat at the bottom. She’d loved doing that for as long as she could hold her breath. It was one of the few times she felt safe, cocooned in water where no one could hurt her. That dress, flowing like water around the angel, affected Lynn in the same way as the pool did—it made her feel safe. The angel pushed her hair back, causing it to cascade over her peacock-green wings.

Lynn turned her attention to the male angel. His smile was mesmerizing—like a lava lamp, hot and fluid. What a babe! With his long brown hair, strong chiseled features, and green eyes she could get lost in, she felt she could totally spend eternity with him. He smiled broadly at her, but the smile quickly disappeared when the female angel scowled at him. Wait a minute—do they know what I’m thinking? Not cool! Lynn felt her face redden.

The embarrassment was quickly erased as both angels smiled at her again. Lynn wished they’d say more, but she wanted to continue to hang out with them. She was feeling a peace she’d never felt before.

She started to express her desire to stay. “I don’t—” was all she got out before images of an older version of herself filled her mind all at once. Then she was thrust back—into her life and that pallid body hooked up to the beeping machines…

Random Finn Facts:

My fear of bees used to be extreme. I once jumped out of a moving car (in a parking lot) to prove that point.
I’m afraid of the dark. Nightlights are a must.
I write poetry while riding on the back of my husband’s Harley.

D.L. Finn is an independent California local, who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 relocated with her husband, kids, dogs and cats to the Sierra foothills in Nevada City, CA. She immersed herself in reading all types of books, but especially loved romance, horror and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, being surrounded by towering pines, oaks and cedars, her creativity was cradled until it bloomed. Her creations vary from children’s books, young adult fantasy, adult paranormal romance to an autobiography with poetry. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to her readers to join her.

D.L. Finn’s social media:

Links to purchase:

Amazon

Smashwords

Barnes &Noble