Website Tips & Tricks and Enterprise in Prison May COFFIN Classes –

To register for one or both classes go to:

https://rwakissofdeath.org/coffin

***PERMISSION TO FORWARD GRANTED AND ENCOURAGED***

COFFIN is the acronym for the online workshop program, College of Felony and Intrigue , through RWA Kiss of Death. The four-week classes are 100% online via an email loop and open to anyone.

Killer Instincts: Website Tips and Tricks

What if I told you that managing your website – and having it work for you – is a task you can understand? In “Website Tips & Tricks” we are going to cover some straightforward topics that will make a difference in how your website works for you. Information will be handed out in straightforward lessons throughout May. Unlimited questions encouraged.

Instructor Bio:

Barb Drozdowich started teaching in 1986 and hasn’t looked back. Since 2010 she has taught authors and bloggers technical subjects in an easy to understand, non-technical way. She delights in taking complex subjects and breaking them down so that the average person can understand.

She can be found on her author site ( http://barbdrozdowich.com ), her business site ( http://bakerviewconsulting.com ) or her course site ( http://authorstechschool.com ) Her Amazon page can be found here:  http://amazon.com/author/barbdrozdowich

MurderOne: Enterprise in Prison

With over two million people incarcerated in the United States, what do they do to fill their days? Michael Beedy will detail the legitimate ways some of the men and women participate in activities to get a high school diploma or learn a trade. And the illegitimate ways some earn power, respect, and a whole lot of money while incarcerated. So, when the antagonist in your next novel gets locked up, you’ll know what they’ll be facing, or participating in while they are locked away.

Instructor Bio:

Michael Beedy has worked in the law enforcement profession for more than 10 years and is a security lieutenant for the Department of Corrections.  Michael holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Sociology from Coker College as well as a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati.  In addition to his law enforcement training position, Michael is also an Adjunct Criminal Justice Instructor for Bryant and Stratton College Online out of Orchard Park (outside of Buffalo) New York.  He is working on completing this first mystery thriller novel.

Go Here To View More Upcoming COFFIN Workshops: https://rwakissofdeath.org/coffin

Make Your Own Book Trailer

Instructor: Tracee Garner

Dates: May 6-31, 2019

PRICE: $20 YRW members/$25 non-members

Description :

Lesson 1 – What are the most important parts of the story to convey in the time allowed. Storyboarding your trailer or author interview. Time management, how long should you strive for and when do you lose potential readers/fans. (Storyboard handout provided)

Lesson 2 – Finding, editing (if needed) and selecting the right photos, how to easily alter a photo you love but is not quite fitting just right, careful considerations for free photos, tips for taking your own and where to get appropriate music to suit your story, carry the right emotions you desire to evoke in viewers and ensuring music fits the text you’ve created

Lesson 3 – Arranging your photos in a way to test them out and tweak the flow before you explore best video tools and finalize your story segments/text

Lesson 4 – Choosing and working with the right video tool to suit your needs and your knowledge – will overview pros and cons of Ripl, Youtube Studio Creator and Animoto (students should set up free versions of one or more of these accounts)

Lesson 5 – Pulling it all together (resource handout)

Lesson 6 – Common issues with these audio / visual tools and how to avoid pitfalls. Where to place your videos and how to increase engagement and viewers and what else can you use your video for?

For more information or to register: https://www.yosemiteromancewriters.com/workshops

About Tracee Garner :

Tracee Lydia Garner is a best-selling and award-winning author. She is a dynamic speaker and engaging presenter with a wealth of knowledge and resources. She writes fiction and nonfiction hoping to uplift, inspire as well as educate readers through her tales of hope, love and overcoming adversity. A northern Virginia native, Tracee makes her home in a suburb just outside of the Washington, DC metropolitan area and loves writing, reading and teaching all about marketing and publishing. As a person with a disability, Tracee has been an advocate for over twenty years and maintains a day job currently as a case manager in DC at a small nonprofit organization. Tracee Lydia Garner has done workshops for the RWA National conference on disability topics, diversity, as well for her local DC chapter of RWA where she is involved and has been the editor/agent coordinator for three years. Tracee also taught How to Write the Novel, Romance Novel Writing and the Self Publishing Boot Camp within her almamater’s workforce development section of the college’s offerings for almost 14 years.

HCRW Writing Conflict Hurts with Melinda Curtis

Writing Conflict Hurts — not just because it makes your characters suffer, but also because it’s painful to create and carry through on a page. However, conflict drives story and holds an editor’s attention, which means it sells books. Conflict also entices readers to turn the page, which helps create a satisfying experience (plus repeat purchases). Bring a story idea to this interactive course and learn how to build, refine or edit your stories by creating compelling conflict and stronger plots, one element at a time.

REGISTER AT: hcrw.rwa.org/HCRW/Events/…

May Workshop: Writing Conflict Hurts with Melinda Curtis

Instructor: Melinda Curtis

Cost: $40 non-members/$35 HCRW members

Description: Writing Conflict Hurts — not just because it makes your characters suffer, but also because it’s painful to create and carry through on a page. However, conflict drives story and holds an editor’s attention, which means it sells books. Conflict also entices readers to turn the page, which helps create a satisfying experience (plus repeat purchases). Bring a story idea to this interactive course and learn how to build, refine or edit your stories by creating compelling conflict and stronger plots, one element at a time.

Takeaways include:

* Developing story goals that are hindered by conflict

* How to deepen character and create emotionally satisfying reads

* Better understanding of internal and external conflict

* The “bumpers” that keep your characters acting consistently

* Conflict that catches the attention of editors and agents

* Summarizing and presenting your finished or developing story

Instructor Bio: Melinda Curtis, an award-winning USA Today bestseller of over 35 romances, is a writing craft geek. Before turning to writing as a career, she worked with a cultural anthropologist and a marketing psychologist on how to create more compelling packaging at the shelf. One class short of a psychology minor, Melinda believes that “knowing more about what makes people tick can add depth to your writing.”

Trouble Registering? Contact jjohnston4@nc.rr.com

Spring is flirting with us, at least in my part of the country. Crocuses poke their heads out and then get covered with a white blanket. This could be the setting for a sweet romance. And that brings us to this month’s discussion topic – Does the season ever play a part in your setting? How do you think seasons affect setting & plot either physically or metaphorically?

It’s another interesting discussion, thanks, Rhobin.

          Winter is always a good season. You can use it to put lovers together, track villains in the snow, all sorts of things. I use seasons in my stories but it’s more a combination of season and weather.

         In my Hawkins’ Ranch series, I use season to tie in the work around ranches, like calving season in the spring.

In a WIP, I use the weather in late spring in New Orleans to set the scen.

  Dark clouds hovered over New Orleans. Thunder rolled through the skies. The late May rain pelted down on the streets of the French Quarter. The drops bounced off the pavement behind Perrine Dupré. Wind whipped her umbrella inside out. Rain clouded her eyes. She stumbled up the three steps to her front door. Juggling her parcels, umbrella and the key Perrine jabbed it in the direction of the lock. Finally the key found the opening and turned.

Her daughter was finally coming home for a visit. Excitement bubbled up and a smile sneaked out.

Julie Ann had been building her interior design business in New York for the last couple of years. Perrine was proud of her daughter and understood Julie Ann couldn’t visit, but she’d missed her. She could have gone to New York, but Perrine loved New Orleans and hated to travel. Tomorrow she’d finally be able to hug her daughter again.

Thunder rumbled across the sky.

Perrine turned the door knob. She paused.

A vision flashed in front of her. Her shoulders sagged. She wasn’t going to see Julie Ann after all. And she’d miss their regular telephone call tonight, too.

A single tear shimmered down her cheek.

Thunder continued to rumble across the sky.

She had no choice. If she ran away they would follow her and shoot her down in the street. She could put her friends and neighbors in danger. They could get hurt.

Even if she did manage to escape tonight, they would kill her eventually.

The people involved were too powerful. They didn’t care about collateral damage or anyone else who might get hurt.

The information she’d counted on to protect her and Julie Ann obviously wasn’t going to protect her any longer. Had they killed off all the other people involved? Was that way the documentation wasn’t important anymore?

There was so much she should have shared with Julie Ann. At least she would be aware of the threat.

Perrine pushed the door open. An icy cold shroud of death drop over her. 

Thunder crashed. The skies opened wide and lightning flashed across the sky, turning it an electric white.

At the same time a light slashed across the room.

Perrine crumpled to the floor, her parcels scattered beside her. She felt no pain, not even when footsteps crossed the floor, paused by her side, then kicked her sharply in the ribs – twice.

The steps moved off. The door closed. The lock clicked.

I hope it affects the plot. What do you think?

Don’t forget to check out other authors to see what they have to say on the topic.

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea

Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.com

Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/

Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/

Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/

Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog

Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-1A3

Rhobin L Courtright http://www.rhobincourtright.com

The child of a painter and a psychic dreamer, Kate Hill feels spirituality and storytelling go hand-in-hand. She loves the scent of gardenia, the sound of wind chimes and the taste of honey. By listening to what isn’t said, she creates works based on unspoken desires. Kate prefers blurred gender lines and many varieties of romance. In a world where passion must at times be restrained, she believes erotica is a pleasure to be shared. With her stories she would like to make her fantasies yours and hopes you enjoy the ride. She also writes under the name Saloni Quinby.

2018 Character Interview

Beverley: What’s your name?

Jolanda: Jolanda.

Beverley: Where did you grow up?

Jolanda: I grew up with my wolf pack. I don’t want to give details about which pack or where it was. The demon masters are still around, watching and listening. The last thing I want to do is lead them to more wolves.

Beverley: During what time period does your story take place?

Jolanda: The too near future.

Beverley: What’s your story/back story? Why would someone come up with a story about you?

Jolanda: I don’t consider myself special. Some might call me unusual, and I feel that I’m lucky. I wasn’t accepted by my birth pack because I’m a wolf who also practices magic, but that’s what’s going to help me against the demon masters

Beverley: What’s your goal in this story?

Jolanda: To free the captive wolves and defeat the demons. It’s a tall order, but we wolves don’t give up.

Beverley: What conflicts are you facing?

Jolanda: Wow! I’m facing more conflicts than I ever thought possible. The demon masters are powerful. They’re more than cruel. They get off on suffering. If they discover my true purpose, I’ll be lucky if they kill me fast.

Beverley: Do you have a plan for resolving them?

Jolanda: Oh yes. I’ve got a plan, but it’s not one I’m willing to share. You’ll have to watch it unfold.

Beverley: Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?

Jolanda: I’d like everyone to know this, especially wolves who are still anti-magic. My clan is as much a family as any pack. We’re wolves. We’re witches. We’re not evil and we’re not traitors. If we were, we–I–wouldn’t be risking so much to help our brothers and sisters.

Blurb for Fangs and Fists 3: Victor:  

Werewolf gladiator Victor vows to escape captivity by demons or die trying–which nearly happens when his latest opponent takes him by surprise.

Jolanda is a member of a secret pack of wolf witches who want to free their kin from the dreaded demon tower. Strengthened by the power of her pack, she defeats Victor in the arena and demands that he be given to her as a mate.

Alone, they surrender to their overwhelming lust for each other, but Jolanda needs him for more than sex. She’s been sent to rescue the captive wolves and Victor is the Alpha she needs to help her. Together he and Jolanda plan a mass escape from the tower, hoping to strike a blow the demon masters will never forget.

Excerpt from Fangs and Fists 3: Victor:

Two demon guards clad in black body armor entered the barracks. Their red eyes glowed behind dark face shields. They approached Victor and one guard said, “Get up and come with us.”

All the guards sounded and looked alike. They were even the same height and body structure.

Victor knew better than to refuse. There would be no point in fighting, even if he was so inclined.

He guessed he would be going to one of two possible places. It would either be the punishment chamber because he’d killed Slate too quickly or — and this was more likely — to the demon masters who had bargained with him to kill for their entertainment.

The guards brought Victor out of the barracks and down a steel corridor to an elevator at the end. They boarded it. Except for the soft whir of the elevator descending, there was silence.

It stopped with an almost imperceptible lurch. The door opened and Victor, accompanied by the guards, stepped into a spacious room with an enormous glass ball in the center of it. Several couches surrounded it. While the upholstery resembled leather, Victor’s sense of smell told him the couches were covered with material that hadn’t come from any four-legged animal.

He’d been in this room before. Here, the demons had bargained with him for the lives of his fellow gladiators, their mates, and their cubs. Here, he’d traded his integrity and his soul for their lives.

The guards disappeared into dark corners of the room.

Since he had no intention of sitting on the foul furniture, Victor stood near the glass ball and waited.

The ball glowed faintly at first. Then it brightened. From within, two demon masters — one male and one female — stared at him. He knew they weren’t actually there. The ball was similar to television. He could see and hear them, but they were far away.

The male had ink-black, elbow-length hair. Tall and slim, he was dressed from head to foot in red. The female had short white hair. Her skin was nearly as pale as her form-fitting white dress. Both demons stared at him with black eyes.

“Your game has improved, Victor,” said the male, “but I’m afraid you still haven’t mastered the art of performing. Your kills aren’t entertaining enough, but for now that’s beside the point. We haven’t called you here to critique your style, but for another reason.”

“We have something special planned for you,” the female continued. “There’s a new contender in the tower — one who has seen you fight and wishes to face you in the arena.”

Buy Links for Fangs and Fists 3: Victor:

Amazon – https:// amzn.to/2UAUM2c

Changeling Press – https://www.changelingpress.com/victor-fangs-and-fists-3- b-2610

* ♥ * ♥ * ♥ *15% off any order when you shop Kate Hill * ♥ * ♥ * ♥ *

Code: Fangs-and-Fists

Will work on the entire cart, as long as there’s one Kate Hill book in the cart.

Only at Changeling Press

You can find Kate at:

kate-hill.com

twitter. co m/katehillromance

twitter.com /compbeastsblog

fa ce book. com/compellingbeasts/

facebook.com/ katehillsaloniquinby/

K ate is giving away a $10 Amazon GC during the tour. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Remember there is a chance to enter everyday so be sure to follow the Blog Tour. You may find the tour schedule and locations here https://bit.ly/2G1mPye

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’m busy doing my taxes (dues April 30th ) and suddenly I quit adding numbers and realized I’m supposed to have a blog ready to post today. Yikes!

My mind is mush.   All I can think about is finding all my receipts. I was missing a couple of government ones and had to phone and listen to their lovely music waiting for an agent. They send it by the postal system. I’m working around it for now, adding and subtracting all my receipts and putting numbers into my working copy.

The reason I do it myself is I feel it keeps my brain active and I resent paying for programs of to have someone do it for me. I know I should probably take my shoebox with all the receipts and tax forms and give it to an account.

What do you do, as a writer? Do you do your own or pay someone to do it?

I figure out the percentage of the space and utilities etc. I use for my writing space, books, internet and take deductions for it. Once I figure out my business forma I can use the number and move on to the general form.  Why do they have all these funny formulas and percentages? Why can’t they say if you make $20,000 you pay certain amount? My theory is, if you do them yourselves, you’re so exhausted by the end of all the formulas you don’t care, you just want to finish them.

That’s my thought and I’m sticking to it, as I dive back into the numbers.

Depending what country you’re in, have you finished your taxes? Your thoughts on the process?

A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex. Writing was so much fun Dee decided to keep at it. That’s how she spends her days. Her nights? Well, she’s lucky that her dream man, childhood sweetheart, and long-time hubby are all the same guy, and nights are their secret. For romance ranging from sweet to historical, contemporary to paranormal and more join Dee on Nomad Authors.

Knowing What’s Important

Fair warning, this post is not about writing. It’s just about everyday life.

A few weeks ago I muttered and whined to myself because I seemed to be hitting every light red on a long street I used to get home. Fate seemed to be keeping me trapped in the car when I was tired and my back ached to the point of distraction. Hitting all the lights green, the trip would have taken twenty minutes. I’d already been twenty minutes and I was only half way home, where I could walk out a Charlie horse, take off my shoes and put up my feet until an Aleve took off the pain’s edge.

Later that night, I complained to Hubby about all the red lights and he casually commented that, yeah, that’s happened to him a lot, too.

What had bothered me so much rolled right off his back, making me admit what I knew all along: I’d made more of the situation than I should have It was just a trip home that took a bit longer than usual. Nothing bad happened, I was simply inconvenienced. Wow.

Hubby excuses these little bumps in my equilibrium because he knows that once in a while, little things get to people, and I’m only human. (And all this time I thought he thought I was a goddess. Funny the things one learns…)

Anyway, sometimes it’s a good thing to be reminded that everyday life is what it is. I’m lucky that most of the time, life rates somewhere between good and wonderful. Once in awhile, it sucks big time—hopefully not very often or for very long. For quite a while, I’ve had back trouble. For me it’s sometimes hell (for Hubby, too, putting up with me. Sorry, honey!). But it’s not the end of the world. My back problem can be controlled for the most part. Lots of bad things happen that are out of our control.

I’m reminded of something that happened a long time ago. A colleague of Hubby’s delivered a premature baby boy. He was born just under two pounds and had to fight for every breath. All his parents cared about was life and living. They hoped that someday their son could experience the inconvenience of being stopped by a few red lights. That he would get to swat at mosquitoes and cry over a stubbed toe. That years from the day he was born he’d be able to fall in love, fall out of love, and fall in again as he grew into being a man.

That he could live . And (spoiler alert in the best way) he did.

Look, intellectually I know what to worry about and what to let go. But remembering that tiny baby, recalling his daily effort just to stay here among us, sure puts everything in perspective in a way that’s anything but intellectual.

The perspective is all heart. All love.

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe this post is about writing, after all.

Like me, my main character in Only a Good Man Will Do , is suddenly faced with all kinds of road bumps in an otherwise smooth path. Will he swear and complain like a wuss or suck it up? I’ll just share that one of his “problems” becomes his greatest asset. Find out how Daniel Goodman shapes up into becoming a very “good man” indeed!

Blurb for Only a Good Man Will Do , Book 1 in The Good Man series :

Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!

Daniel Goodman is a man on a mission. He aims to become headmaster of Westover Academy. For that he needs a particular, special woman to help him set high standards. Into his cut and dried life of moral and upright behavior, comes Eve Star, formerly one of Europe’s foremost exotic dancers. Her life is anything but cut and dried, black and white. Daniel is drawn to her like a kid to chocolate. Nothing good can come of this attraction. Or can it? He is after all, a good man.

Excerpt for Only a Good Man Will Do :

“Daniel, am I talking to myself, here?”

“Oh, no, I’m…” He chuckled an amused admission. “Tell me what you said again.”

He could almost hear Eve smile. “I said, you called at four-thirty on Saturday and Sunday, so I took a wild leap that you would today, too.”

“Ah.” Smiling to the empty room, he squirmed to get into a more comfortable position. “A woman of logic.”

“Absolutely. You don’t want to play me in chess. I think five or six moves ahead.”

“I’ll remember that. There’s nothing worse than seeing a guy cry when he’s been beaten at chess by a girl.”

Buy links for Only a Good Man Will Do :

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2q7ovi4

B&N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1129630612?ean=2940161770603

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/898008

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/only-a-good-man-will-do

You can find more about Dee at:

Website: https://nomadauthors. com

Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/265222.Dee_S_Knight

Newsletter (sample): https://preview.mailerlite.com/o2g1i0?fbclid=IwAR0COlyuPY-Hu30KTBdT092j_GZeuN5z4pc1LtsvHTyr6IbiSpsGqeIgT90

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN

A native of western Pennsylvania, C. Becker earned a B.S. degree in Medical Technology and MT (ASCP) certification. She has worked in clinical settings analyzing body fluids and testing drugs of abuse.

As an author, C. Becker has published multiple stories in various genres.

Character Interview

Beverley: What’s your name?

Hailey: I’m Hailey Robinson Langley.

Beverley: Where did you grow up?

Hailey: I grew up near Sacramento, California, but moved to Austin, Texas when I was seventeen. I stayed there until I went to college on the East Coast.

Beverley: During what time period does your story take place?

Hailey: The majority of the story takes place in 2016 .

Beverley: What’s your story/back story? Why would someone come up with a story about you?

Hailey: I ask myself that question all the time. Maybe because I have many secrets. Very people know about them, though. I was kidnapped and assaulted, even lost my sight and hearing for a time. My world came crashing down when I got pregnant and put my baby up for adoption. That’s when I fell in love with my doctor Tom Parker. When I joined the Special Crimes Agency, Parker worked alongside me solving crimes.

Beverley: What’s your goal in this story?

Hailey: My goal is to find joy in life again. I’ve been going through the motions, raising my kids, but the regret of giving up my oldest son constantly haunts me. In this first story of the Euphoria Trilogy, my son needs my help and I need to track down the drug he took so I can save his life.

Beverley: What conflicts are you facing?

Hailey: The first struggle I have is facing my past when my oldest son falls in a coma and Tom Parker, the adoptive father, asks me to track down the drug so the doctors can treat him. My husband Mark doesn’t have a clue about my past, at least I think he doesn’t.

Beverley: Do you have a plan for resolving them?

Hailey: Not yet. I know I’ll do whatever it takes to save my son, but maybe, just maybe, I can do it without my husband discovering my secrets. I’m the only one at the agency with a biochemistry background to help ID the drug and stop it from spreading across the country.

Beverley: Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?

Hailey: My husband has been acting very strange lately. He said it’s because he’s under a lot of stress at work, but I wish he’d tell me what was wrong…( Shakes her head). No, he couldn’t know about my past….I want to open up more to Mark but I’m afraid he won’t understand if he finds out. I’ve never fully given myself to him (both heart and soul) and I’d like to have that type of intim acy between us.

Blurb for Finding Euphoria

Hailey Langley refuses to be a victim and has moved on from her traumatic past. But her marriage problems worsen when a deadly illicit drug threatens to draw her into the life she left behind.

Mark Langley has allowed his job to interfere with his marriage, but he never suspected the secrets in Hailey’s past might hold the key to solving both of his current investigations.

Together, they must unravel the mystery of the drug called Euphoria and find a way to save not only their marriage, but countless lives, before it’s too late.

BUY LINKS for Finding Euphoria:

Amazon Finding Euphoria ebook link

Barnes & Noble Finding Euphoria ebook link

Apple itunes Finding Euphoria ebook

Kobo Finding Euphoria

You can find C Becker at:

Website http://cbeckerauthor.com/

Blog https://cbeckerauthor.wixsite.com/cbeckerauthor/blog-1

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CBeckerauthor/

Twitter  https://twitter.com/cbeckerauthor

Amazon Author Page Amazon Author Page C. Becker

Instagram : Instagram C.Beckerauthor