Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Win $100 plus great prizes in a new contest!

A fellow author is having a contest where readers can win wonderful prizes for entering, so I thought I'd share the details. I had the honor of reading an ARC of Haunting Beauty, and it's a fabulous book that will earn a place on your keeper shelf to treasure forever, so don't hesitate to enter!

Order a new* copy HAUNTING BEAUTY by August 30, 2009 and I'll enter you into a grand prize drawing for books, merchandise and other great stuff. To enter, email me a copy of your proof of purchase and you will be entered to win $100 dollar gift card to either Borders, Barnes & Noble or amazon.com (your choice of one) AND 20 books--many autographed by author-- AND a Haunting Beauty tote, coffee mug and mouse pad and a photo album! Right now Haunting Beauty is on pre-order sale (30% off cover price) at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

(*must be a new copy to qualify)

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

FOR WRITERS (and readers): Why are heads cut off on book covers?


Now, this wasn't something I thought much about, until I received my new book cover (Isn't it beautiful?). I've always assumed that publishers cut off the model's heads so that readers could imagine the faces for themselves (our imaginations are often times much better than reality). But I found out that there is a subconscious marketing technique at work here. Publishers know that they only have seconds to capture the interest of a reader, whether he/she is looking through books in a bookstore or on the internet. So if you glance at an image that is incomplete your brain registers that within seconds...and you're more likely to take a second look. Then you might be tempted to read the cover, the back blurb, and hopefully, purchase the book itself. But those first few seconds are the most crucial, which is why publishers invest a great deal of research in producing an eye-catching cover.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Releasing Today: Dragons Prefer Blondes

Candace Havens has a book releasing today! Check it out:
Dragons Prefer Blondes
Alex Caruthers is a sassy socialite who knows when it’s time to turn in her dancing shoes and kick some serious dragon booty. But when Ginjin—the dragon warrior who’s tried to kill her numerous times—chooses her as his mate, Alex finds herself in a situation that’s too hot to handle.For help she turns to Jake, head of Caruthers security—and a total hottie in a suit—and asks him to pose as her boyfriend. Their relationship might be fake, but Alex can’t deny that one touch from Jake makes her burn hotter than any dragon could.

By Candace Havens
Berkley Trade
ISBN-10: 0425227804

Friday, July 3, 2009

Guest author Sandy Lender asks "Who are you thankful for?"

Gratitude
By Fantasy Author Sandy Lender
http://www.authorsandylender.com

I left this guest post until the last minute not because I was procrastinating, but because I wasn’t sure how to phrase all the things I wanted to cram into it. You see, I’m very thankful to all the blog hosts who’ve supported me during this month-long online book tour and to all the bloggers who’ve left lovely comments along the way. I certainly have to thank Kathryne for being the kind soul to finish off the tour today.

There are kind people doing good deeds all around us. It’s the kind people in my life who inspired the loveliest of characters in the novel I’m promoting during this tour. CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS has some complex evil bad guys, I won’t deny that. We’ve mentioned them during the tour. But there are wonderful, good, pure, loving, devoted, loyal, endearing characters as well. I’d like to talk about Kora Rothahn Taiman in particular.

Kora is the matriarch of the Taiman family when the reader is introduced to the CHOICES series. You don’t learn it right away, but you figure out soon enough that she’s a former goddess. This beautiful woman of compassion gave up the life of immortality and comfort in the city of the gods (Mahriket) to live in the mortal world and raise another woman’s child. She is the picture of self-sacrifice and loyalty. Everyone who comes in contact with her owes her gratitude.

Our fabulous heroine, Amanda Chariss, reluctantly accepts Kora’s help in the beginning of CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS, and tries to flee the first chance she gets. She knows who Kora is—the daughter of The Master Rothahn—and she fears for Kora’s safety. Because the complex evil bad guy chases Chariss, the heroine wants to get away from the lovely benefactress as soon as possible. But Kora won’t hear it. She’s convinced she can help Chariss and her wizard guardian.

I’ll let you read the books to see how that turns out. You can read excerpts from my current novel, CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS, and the upcoming CHOICES MEANT FOR KINGS, at my brand new website http://www.authorsandylender.com, but I encourage you to become followers at my blog, too. Now that the online book tour is ending, my tour organizers will pull winners of the hardcover, first editions of CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS, and I’ll post those at my blog. I’ll also have new articles, new info, and new contests in the works there. http://www.todaythedragonwins.blogspot.com

Now for the interactive part of today’s post. Is there someone loving and caring in your life that you owe gratitude? Is there someone you’re thankful for? Chariss, Nigel, Hrazon, Master Rothahn, all of Kora’s children, the lesser goddess Mia, all the citizens of Arcana City, and more are thankful for Kora Rothahn Taiman. Who are you thankful for? “Some days, I just want the dragon to win.”



Not even the gods noticed when Chariss was born with the mark of The Protector. Now she and her wizard guardian seek shelter from a mad sorcerer in a household not just full of secrets and false hope, but watched by the god who will unwittingly reveal her role in an impending war.

When an orphan sets aside a lifetime of running and fear to accept the responsibilities of guarding an arrogant deity, can she face the trials in the prophecies she uncovers? Will Nigel Taiman of her latest refuge dare to use his dragon heritage to bind her to his estate or to help her in her duty?