Five Fast and Easy Ways to Help an Author

with Meghan Carver

I came across this meme quite a while ago, and quite frankly, I can’t remember where. (I’m glad it has the url on the bottom. At least amarketingexpert.com can get the credit. 😊 )

It summarizes perfectly several fast and super-easy ways a reader can help an author. In this day of social media and online shopping, it isn’t just a matter of writing anymore.

As the image says, reviews really do matter. This past Sunday, a woman at church told me how much she had enjoyed Amish Country Amnesia and that she had stayed up way too late to finish it. (By the way, that’s one of the best compliments you can give an author. We love keeping you up late! 😊 ) But then we talked about reviews, and she stated quite emphatically that she always reads the reviews for anything that she is thinking of purchasing.

That started me thinking about all the reviews I read as I browse online. If I’m looking at a jacket online and reviewers say that the zipper doesn’t work well, I’m much less likely to follow through with the purchase. On the other hand, if several buyers rave about the soft fabric of a knit top I’m considering, then that will, most likely, seal the deal. Truly, though, I find reviews as simple as "I love it!" helpful.

On behalf of all the authors on this blog, thank you for reading our books! We appreciate you!

Q4U: How much do reviews influence your purchases?


Before you go, let's take a moment to remember what happened on this day seventeen years ago ~

May God bless the sacrifice of so many that day, the families left behind, and may He preserve and protect our freedoms!

~ Meghan

A Winter Walk In the Forest

by Jill Kemerer

I'm a nature girl. No, I don't run marathons or climb mountains, but I love to be outside. This can be a problem during the winter. You see, the end of November in northern Ohio tends to be cold, and it only gets colder. The weather doesn't really grow warm until May.

Since I love the outdoors, I layer it up and go out EVEN WHEN IT'S FREEZING. I know! Brr... It's mind boggling! But being stuck inside for months will not do for this gal, so I bundle up and head to one of our gorgeous parks to walk--as long as it isn't single digits or icy.

I took this picture last year on one of my walks. A river is to the left. This scene looks completely different in spring and summer!

Here are some tidbits for anyone unaccustomed to cold winters.

The Hallmark Christmas movies? I love them--seriously love them. However, when they show people wearing coats with open collars revealing bare skin while it's snowing out, I cringe. If it's cold enough to be snowing, trust me, you zip that coat all the way up!

Another issue? If you step outside, you will see your breath. And your nose and cheeks will quickly grow pink from the air. Don't let the flawless faces on TV fool you!

Back to the topic...

Winter walks. In the forest. Right.

When I go to a park for a winter walk, I dress appropriately. If you're jogging or cross country skiing, you'd wear lighter layers because you work up a sweat. Since I'm just walking, my outfit usually consists of a few layers (long sleeve tee under a sweater and leggings under jeans), warm boots and my jacket, scarf, hat and gloves. I always stuff a few tissues in my pocket. The cold air bites, drawing tears from your eyes along with the sniffles.

This cardinal might not be visible in the summer, but you can't miss him in the winter!

Once I hit the trail I'm reminded why winter is special. It's quiet. No rustling of leaves, fewer birds chatting above. The busyness of the forest is less frantic. It's also pretty in a different way. Things hidden in the summer are visible without the leaves on bushes or trees. Brightly colored birds like cardinals and blue jays pop against the grays, browns and whites.

A winter walk in the forest is truly breathtaking.

Remind me to come back and read this post in three months when I can't stop whining about how long winter lasts!

What is winter like in your neck of the woods? Do you enjoy being outdoors or do you prefer snuggling up in a cozy blanket inside?

Have a wonderful day!

How I Love September!

by @jillkemerer

Usually by  September I'm ready for jeans, sweatshirts and cozy time on the couch. We had a rainy, mild summer, but the last few weeks have been hot and muggy. What can I say? Our weather gets confused. Anyway, I'm giddy for all things September, and yep, I've compiled a list in no particular order.

I took this photo last year in September--isn't the cardinal pretty?

1.  My writing schedule evens out.

I write during the summer, but it's not as easy when the kids are out of school. Summer brings daily distractions in many forms. Fall and winter are great for my writing!

2. The leaves grow colorful.

I live in northern Ohio. The full color display really pops in October, but September hints at the yellows, oranges and reds on their way. So pretty!

3. Football!

I. Love. Football. Yes, I do. There's nothing better than a steaming mug of coffee while watching ESPN's College Game Day on Saturday morning. I root for University of Michigan's Wolverines, and I enjoy NFL, too. It's not easy being a Detroit Lions fan, but someone has to do it.

4. Fall sports.

We have two teens busy with fall sports. Saturdays usually mean cross country meets, and Sundays bring an afternoon baseball game. Fun times!

5. Sunday school.

I take turns with another woman teaching preschool Sunday school. The kids are so cute at that age, and I love spending an hour with them. 

6. Birthdays.

My birthday and my son's birthday are in September. Double the cake. Ditto the ice cream. :)

7. Crisp nights.

When the weather starts to cool at night? Yes! I love that! But in another two months I'll be whining about winter...

8. Hearty food.

I enjoy cooking and baking. This is the time of year I cook chili all day in the slow cooker and bake an apple pie. Good stuff!

9. No holidays.

Yes, Christmas is my favorite time of the year, but it's really, really nice to get a break from holiday planning. No pressure to buy gifts, decorate, figure out costumes, fill a basket, etc... I'll take the mini-break. 

10. My second book released this September. 

This book is so dear to my heart. It's a reunion romance with a divorced couple, and the hero, Tom, finds out he has a child. The cover and blurb are below. It should be in stores all month, and it's available to order online.

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His Surprise Daughter 

After five years apart, Tom Sheffield is shocked to find his ex-wife, Stephanie, on his doorstep. The news that they share a child he's never met sends him reeling. Four-year-old Macy has his eyes, his mouth and, from their first encounter, his heart. Things with her mother are much more complicated. He doesn't understand what went wrong between them or why she kept their daughter a secret. And he's afraid of falling in love all over again. Yet he feels a glimmer of hope that somehow he can convince Macy and Stephanie to stay in Lake Endwell—and with him—for keeps.

Interested in purchasing Unexpected Family? Click HERE for purchase links!

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About Jill ~

Jill Kemerer writes contemporary romance novels with love, humor and faith. A full time writer, she relies on coffee and chocolate to keep up with her kids’ busy schedules. Besides spoiling her mini-dachshund, Jill adores magazines, M&Ms, fluffy animals and long nature walks. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two children.  Jill loves connecting with readers, so please visit her website, jillkemerer.com.

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What do YOU love about September?

Have a fabulous day!

Question for readers...whaddya want?

I've been perusing sales numbers recently for my 20 Harlequin novels. The fact is, they haven't all sold the same number of copies. Some have amazed me with their popularity, and some have disappointed, but all of them confound me. When I am whacking away at those keys, I'm completely convinced this is my BEST novel ever, one that really speaks to the readers, a pulse pounding thriller that will fly off the shelves. Trouble is, sometimes I'm wrong. Gasp! Sometimes, for reasons which I can't explain, my book just isn't what people want to read. Go figure! Was it the theme? The cover? The timing? A dull premise? Tired prose? No idea.

So tell me readers and writers...when faced with a shelf full of romantic suspense novels, what makes you pick one over the other? What themes really trip your trigger? Do this confused writer a favor and share! 

A Day in the Life of a Writer :)

Missy Tippens, here. What do you think a day in the life of a writer would look like?

Well, for me, it's a bit like this photo. Me, working with my laptop in my lap while sitting on the family room couch--with my dog sitting at (or on top of!) my feet. :)

I usually have books and papers scattered all around me. My cell phone nearby for quickly checking email without facing the temptation of getting online on my computer. A cup of coffee on the table. Pens, pencils and highlighters also on the coffee table. My work-in-progress notebook at the end of the couch in case I need to look something up, like the color of a character's hair or the name of a secondary character. Or goodness, sometimes I even have to look up the color of my hero's eyes or the name of his father! :)

Yesterday on one of my group blogs that's geared for writers, Seekerville, Tina Radcliffe shared this really cute video about a day in the life of a writer. I hope you'll check it out and enjoy! Click here.

Now, what would you say is your dream work setting?

Making Up Stuff

Merrillee here, thinking how much fun it is to create characters and places--in other words making up stuff. Ever since I was a kid, I've had imaginary people in my head who had conversations with each other. I didn't know that those voices would one day lead me to become a writer. I didn't plan to be a writer when I was young. I wanted to be a teacher, and I became one. But I had always enjoyed reading a good story, and one day I decided I should write one of my own and try to sell it. I wrote for years without making that sale. A little more than a year before I made my first sale, I received a rejection that made me question whether this dream of becoming a published author was something I should continue to pursue.

I decided to quit.

That was in November 2002. In January 2003 after I had put away the Christmas decorations, I started writing again. I started again because Jillian and Sam kept telling me that I had to write their story. Those imaginary people wouldn't let me quit. So I began writing their story just to get rid of them. After I did that, then I'd quit. I had no idea that Jillian and Sam's story would become my first sale to Steeple Hill. The Heart's Homecoming came out in August 2005. I had created a town for Jillian and Sam that I called Pinecrest. My imaginary town is located near Spokane, Washington. I wrote two more books set in that location.

In February, the first book of my new Kellerville series, Hometown Promise, will be available. My latest imaginary town, Kellerville, is located in Ohio near Cincinnati. Juliane and Lukas are the imaginary people who brought me to that little town, so I could tell their story. I hope you will take a journey with me to Kellerville. Check out the cover where you can see the town square with its gazebo and clock tower.


Using your imagination is fun whether you are a writer or not. What kinds of things do you like to imagine?

Procrastination

Merrillee here, thinking about how easy it is to procrastinate. The time ticks away, and I still haven't made that phone call, written that letter or worked in my yard. Sometimes there are legitimate reasons why I haven't completed a project or started one, but other times I have no excuse. I have just found it easier to put things off.

Occasionally, that happens with writing. I have a a "Shoe" comic strip by Jeff MacNelly taped near my computer to remind me that I shouldn't procrastinate. In the first panel we see a little sign that says, "Quiet Author At Work." In the next four panels of the strip we first see Perfesser Cosmo Fishhawk turning off the phone and sitting down to write his novel. In the sixth panel, he asks, "What's the theme?" In the following three panels, he wonders about conflict, character motivation and plot. In the final panel, we see him sitting in front of the TV. He asks, "Where's the remote."

As writers, sometimes it is easier to watch TV, read e-mails or surf the Web than it is to sit down and tackle the important elements in our stories. I'm working hard not to become a Perfesser Fishhawk.

What about you? What causes you to procrastinate?