Friday, May 27, 2016

#LifeBooksWriting Author Challenge, week 4: Character Inspiration

This is one part of writing I really enjoy, character inspiration! For me, I don't necessarily invent characters, they come to me in a way. I'll be listening to some music or be thinking about something and a character will pop into my brain with a story they want me to tell. The character usually comes to me with a first name, and some times a last name, but often times a part of their story comes before their last name. I also find their physical features often develop after I've come up with with their story is about.

So, for every story I write, I have a character board on Pinterest, you can view them all here: https://www.pinterest.com/bkrivers/

For Raining Down Rules, here are the lead characters (at least as far as I imagined them to look):

Jemma

Jordan:

Vic:

For Raining Down Redemption (coming Aug. 2nd):

Jordan (is the same from above - though we could all use a little more Ryan Guzman)

Reggie:

For Raining Down Release (coming late 2016):

Stacey:

Ace (multiple pics because, yummy!):



Sunday, May 22, 2016

Like Zombies? Try this!!



FALLBACK (The Dead Survive Book 2) by Lori Whitwam, Author​ is available for on Amazon!

► #oneclick →→ http://amzn.to/1NicBG5
► Publisher: LIMITLESS PUBLISHING

►►► SYNOPSIS ◄◄◄
After being rescued from a brutal band of marauders, Ellen Hale rebuilt her life in the fortified neighborhood that became her home. A heartbreaking decision and devastating loss pushed her to become a fierce fighter, because weakness only got you and those you loved killed. 

Now her community is facing a deadly threat, and Ellen has another choice to make. 

Ellen volunteers as a member of fallback team three, tasked with establishing a temporary refuge for their citizens in the event their community is overrun by the enemy. As the danger intensifies, she and her adopted sister, Melissa, set off with the rest of their team on the road trip from hell. 

Their mission is cloaked in secrecy, but suspicions of a traitor arise. 

Something is affecting the zombies’ migration patterns, and when blacksmith Tyler Garrett is discovered trapped in a farmhouse, the team refuses to trust him. But Ellen believes his story, and it’s not just because of his rugged, blond good looks and soft-spoken manner—his skills can greatly benefit their team. 

As the team struggles to reach the fallback, previously secure locations are overrun, and their chances of success seem remote. With the likelihood of a traitor nearly certain, and the lives of everyone she loves at risk, Ellen must figure out who to trust before the traitor—or the zombies—destroy them all. 

Is there a spy among the fallback team, 
or is there another threat lurking in the Kentucky hills?
 


►►► PURCHASE ◄◄
AMAZON →→ http://amzn.to/1NicBG5

►►► Meet the author ◄◄◄
LORI WHITWAM
Lori spent her early years reading books in a tree in northern West Virginia. The 1980s and 90s found her and her husband moving around the Midwest, mainly because it was easier to move than clean the apartment. After seventeen frigid years in Minnesota, she fled to coastal North Carolina in 2013. She will never leave, and if you try to make her, she will hurt you.

She has worked in public libraries, written advertising copy for wastewater treatment equipment, and managed a holistic veterinary clinic. Her current day job, conducted from her World Headquarters and Petting Zoo (her couch) is as the Managing Editor for Limitless Publishing, as well as editing for a select group of indie authors.

Her dogs are a big part of her life, and she has served or held offices in Golden Retriever and Great Pyrenees rescues, a humane society, a county kennel club, and her own chapter of Therapy Dogs International.

She has been a columnist and feature writer for auto racing and pet publications, and won the Dog Writers Association of America’s Maxwell Award for a series of humor essays.

Parents of a grown son, Lori and her husband were high school sweethearts, and he manages to love her in spite of herself. Some of his duties include making sure she always has fresh coffee and safe tires, trying to teach her to use coupons, and convincing the state police to spring her from house arrest in her hotel room in time for a very important concert. That last one only happened once—so far—but she still really, really appreciates it.

You can find her online at http://www.loriwhitwam.com.
Her Facebook author page is http://www.facebook.com/loriauthor.

Friday, May 20, 2016

#LifeBooksWriting Author Challenge, week 3: Six Book Marketing Tips

Whew, this week the blogging challenge is to talk about 6 book marketing tips. I'm still pretty new at book marketing, but I'll gladly share what I've done thus far. #LifeBooksWriting

  1. Connect with readers. This one should be a no brainer, however the question is, how do you connect with readers when you're a brand new author? What's been working for me is Facebook parties. My very first one I did was for the actual release of my first book and I was SOOO nervous. Now I have several under my belt and I love doing them!
  2. My next tip would be to keep track of all those you give free eBooks to. Create a spreadsheet and make sure you at the very minimum have their name so you can contact them through Facebook and follow up with them about how they liked your book. Hopefully, they'll leave a review for you - but if you don't keep track, you'll be handing out books left and right and have no idea who has them. When someone agrees to leave a review and after 30-45 days have passed with no review, you know for your next book not to give them your book for free.
  3. On the subject of giving away a free eBook...only send to KINDLE email addresses. Sadly there are those out there who will take your book and disperse it around the internet if they receive it on their regular email address. Just...don't do it. Send directly to Kindle every time.
  4. Giveaways work! If you're looking for newsletter subscribers or Facebook likes, try a giveaway. It can be something as simple as a $5 Amazon gift card, but people will sign up. I would stay away from giving away your book for free during a giveaway though because ultimately you want people to BUY your book!
  5. Respond to friend requests and comments on your social media pages. No one likes to be ignored, so be sure to at the very least leave a thank you when someone comments on your page or blog post.
  6. Lastly, help out your fellow authors. We're a pretty tight-knit community and you'll go a long way when you connect with other authors and share their work. It pays to be nice and helpful. Trust me.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you get some ideas for marketing your books!



Monday, May 16, 2016

What's this? A MASSIVE giveaway?!?!

 So who's ready to start celebrating early for the release of my second book,

Raining Down Redemption?

 


Here's what's happening...did you notice the pics of all these pretty books below? Yeah? Well, I'm giving away 22 eBooks and 3 signed paperback books to ONE LUCKY WINNER on August 10th, the day after the Facebook party I'm having for Raining Down Redemption.

Are you excited yet?!?! I sure am!!

I mean look at all these gorgeous covers. I just want to hug them. And pet them. And stroke them. And love them all day long!

Want a shot at winning all these books? Enter using the Rafflecopter below. Best of luck to everyone who enters!!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Visit the authors here:

EBOOK COPY OF:

Chameleon Soul (Chequered Flag 1) by Mia Hoddell
Rules of Her Sins by A. Gorman
Blackmailed by A. Gorman
Unwanted Fate by A. Gorman
Love, with all my Heart by A. Gorman
Keeping Secrets by M.T. Miles
Perfectly Honest by Linda O'Connor
Stricken (The War Scrolls #1) by A.K. Morgen
Until Then by Delisa Lynn
Red Night by R.K. Close
Stripped Bare by Rebecca Moon
Stripped Raw by Rebecca Moon
The Locket by S.M. Stryker
Never Forgotten Love by S.M. Stryker
Refugee by Erica Stevens
Renegade by Erica Stevens
Catching Fox by Aimee McNeil
Tangled Up In You by A.L. Vincent
A Shot of Reckless by Maddie Paige
Better Than Revenge by Taylor Henderson
Deadly Hallows by Taylor Henderson
Rewriting Destiny (Forsaken Sinners #1) by Shelly Morgan
Forever Mine by Mary B. Moore

SIGNED PAPERBACK COPY OF:
Trusting in Love by Debbie Allen
Love, With All My Heart by A. Gorman
Until Then by Delisa Lynn

Friday, May 13, 2016

#LifeBooksWriting Author Challenge, week 2: My Book Shelf / Latest Reads

This week's challenge is all about them books, 'bout them books! Here is my overflowing bookshelf - only a third of which are the books I like to read, the rest belong to my hubby. #LifeBooksWriting


Here is the book I am currently reading:

It's super good so far!! Read the sample below

Here is what is currently loaded on my Kindle - though I have others that I haven't read yet on there too, but you can see what's there!


Come back next week for 6 book marketing tips!!


Friday, May 6, 2016

#LifeBooksWriting Author Challenge, week 1: My Writing Room

My Writing Room, week 1 challenge

This week's challenge is a fun one because you get a little peek into where I write my novels. When I designed my house (I drew the floor plan and it turned into a house!!!) I made myself a rather large laundry room to use as a crafting/writing/laundry space. Well, that actual space hasn't come together yet, though it will soon! So, in the meantime, I have my little space in the kitchen where I sit during Author takeovers on Facebook and where I write after my kids go to bed. #LifeBooksWriting




Hope you've enjoyed this little peek into where I do my writing and feel free to ask questions if you like.