New Release - FEVER DREAM - Book 9 by J.J. "James" DiBenedetto

I'm pleased to have J.J. "James" DiBenedetto as my guest. Book 9 of the Dream Series, Fever Dream, is now available, and I'm sure you'll find the author just as interesting as his book.

James, did your dream series literally begin with a dream? How did the idea come about?
The idea came from asking a question.  Why do people in mystery stories always try to solve a crime themselves, when most sane people would just go to the police?  The answer I came up with was: if the only evidence they had was in their head.  If they were seeing the crimes from inside the mind of the criminal.  What could you tell the police then?  If you wanted to stop the crimes, you’d have to investigate yourself, at least to find some physical proof you could then go to the authorities with.  And the main characters – Sara, the heroine, and Brian, her boyfriend (and husband as the series goes on), sprung fully-formed from that idea.  The setting of the first book (a very thinly veiled version of where I went to school) also came to life right away with the initial idea. 

Men aren’t normally known for romance adventures. To what do you credit being able to write good romance?I don’t know, honestly.  I just try to be true to the characters.  Writing in first person, I’ve had to try and get into Sara’s head, and after nine books, I know her better than I know myself (which is sort of frightening, but I’m sure my fellow authors can relate to that!)

When did you first know you wanted to write?
Ever since junior high school.  But I didn’t finish the first really long thing (the initial draft of Dream Student) until after college, and then it sat on my computer for years because I didn’t know what to do with it.  In 2012, a friend sold her first novel to a small publisher, and I thought, “why can’t I do it, too?” and I dusted off that draft, rewrote it from the beginning, and all of a sudden I’ve got nine books now!

What is your writing process? Do you have a special place to write, are you alone, do you have a favorite drink by your side?
I don’t have any special process.  Basically, since I have a full-time job, I write whenever I can find a free moment (this is being written while my wife is getting ready for church, for example!)  I write on my desktop PC – I’d love to use my iPad, but I can’t work for any length of time on the virtual keyboard.  And I know some writers use a notebook and write ideas down longhand, but that would be pointless for me – I can’t read my own writing! I usually have music (classical, so it’s familiar and not distracting) and if I have any drink, it’s water.

What are your preferred methods for promoting and marketing your books?
Writing more books!  That’s the first thing – keeping the series going and providing new material for people who’ve discovered it.  I’m on social media (mainly FB and Twitter – I still have yet to really understand Pinterest), I advertise regularly, and just anything else I can think of.  I’ve had the books recorded for Audible audiobooks, I’m having them translated (so far there’s an Italian version of Dream Student, and there are Portugese, French, German and Spanish versions in the works, too).

Thank you, James, for visiting my blog! James has quite a collection of adventures in the Dream Series that start with the question: What if you could see everyone else’s dreams?

Dr. Sara Alderson can. And her gift–or curse–will lead her on an extraordinary journey. Follow Sara as her newfo und ability leads her into adventures she never imagined while she finishes college, becomes a doctor and falls in love.

In book 9, Sara isn’t used to her patients dying for no reason. She refuses to accept that her young patient succumbs to a mysterious illness that defies all efforts to treat him. She probes into the boy’s background and soon discovers a greater threat to even her own life. Enemies she didn’t know she had, powerful people who don’t want their secrets uncovered, threaten her career, family and freedom. Time is running out as Sara must act fast before anyone else falls victim to the mysterious illness or before she falls victim to those who want to stop her.

Enjoy an excerpt from Fever Dream:

     “Laurie, calm down. Just tell me. Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad.” I try and push calm thoughts through the line, across a few hundred miles to her down there in Washington. I don’t succeed.
      “They were – he doesn’t know. There were two of them, a man and a woman. They showed him badges, and they threatened him. They wanted – he said they wanted all my financial records – everything for the practice, going back to when we first bought it. He said they told him to make copies of everything, give it to them, and not to say a word to anyone else about it.”
      “Obviously he didn’t.” I see why she’s upset. What happened to Craig is illegal. It has to be. If whoever came to his house – if they do have real badges, if they are police - they have to have a warrant. And there’s nothing to find in the records anyway. At least, I know for sure there’s nothing as of the spring of 2002 when I left the practice. And I can’t believe Laurie would ever do anything illegal or even slightly questionable.
      “That’s not all,” she says. “He said they were asking about legal problems we’ve had. Criminal matters.”
      I pinch my arm as hard as I can; I don’t want to drift back to what happened almost a decade ago. That has to be what she means – what these mysterious people, whoever they were, meant. I ask, in a small, faraway voice, “Did he get their names?” but I already know the answer.

The Dream Series by J.J. DiBenedetto! Book #9, FEVER DREAM, is available now at these retailers:

Amazon (Kindle or Paperback)
Smashwords
Barnes & Noble (Nook or Paperback)
Apple iBookstore
Kobo
AllRomanceEbooks


The first five books in the Dream Series are collected in one Kindle Box Set, and it's on sale this weekend for just $0.99!

Amazon
Smashwords
Barnes & Noble
Apple iBookstore
Kobo
AllRomanceEbooks.com
Google Play
 
The first five novels and a short story are all available on Audible. Books #6, 7 and 8 are all available at Amazon, too!

---

J.J. DiBenedetto is a native New Yorker and has lived in the Washington, DC area for the last 20 years. He loves the opera, reading, photography, science fiction, fondue, travel and the New York Giants. He lives with his lovely and talented wife and amazing cat, Danny. Visit James at his website, on Facebook, on Twitter and at his Amazon Author Page.

Nana Prah takes Love Undercover

I am pleased to promote a new release by my author friend, Nana Prah. Her book, Love Undercover, is thoroughly entertaining and ON SALE for 99 cents through January!

 

Love Undercover by Nana Prah 

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction (Sweet, Multicultural)

Publisher: Black Opal Books

About Love Undercover

The last thing she expects is to fall in love with a prison guard…

Hotshot Secret Service Agent, Sarita Cerez is thrown into a medium security prison—for work. Her job is to protect the daughter of the president of South Korea. She never envisioned making friends with illegal immigrants or falling head over heels for one of the guards. Now the clandestine activity, which is integral to protecting her charge, may destroy her only chance at love.

He's never fraternized with the inmates—until he met her…

Matthew Carter always plays by the rules, which includes maintaining a strictly professional relationship with the inmates in his charge. But when Sarita saunters onto the unit, all bets are off. Her status as a deportee with a permanent ticket to Columbia means they can never be together, but try as he might, this doesn’t stop him from risking his career for her.

He's a man who values honesty above all else, and she lies for a living. Can two people from such different worlds find any common ground?

 

As inappropriate as the situation had turned out to be, Sarita was his. At least until she returned to Columbia in what? A few days? A week? No matter when, she would go. “No wife or girlfriend to hang out with.”

Her chest deflated with her released breath. He wished he could have taken her air into himself. I’m screwed. “What about you? Are you married or have a boyfriend waiting to break you out of here at the first opportunity?”

Her eyes blazed into his. “Single as single can be.”

The admission sparked something deep within him. He had to touch her. Nothing else mattered except having his fingers glide over her flawless mocha skin. The all-encompassing urge pushed him to stand.

With a controlled effort he strode to the area across from the television and leaned against the wall.

On every unit, one spot existed where neither the cameras nor inmates could see. Management knew about it, but the cost of adding a third camera would be too expensive for the facility to contemplate so they left it. At least that’s the story Matt had been told.

He’d never used the spot, but as he waited for her to join him, he couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

He motioned her to him with a crook of his index finger. “Come here.”

 

Buy links

Amazon / Smashwords / Barnes and Noble / ARe / Kobo
 

About the author

Nana Prah is a multi-published author of contemporary, multicultural romance. Her books are sweet with a touch of spice. When she’s not writing she’s reading, indulging in chocolate, and enjoying life with friends and family.

Contact details

Blog : www.nanaprah.blogspot.com

Twitter: @NanaPrah

Facebook: Nana Prah, Author

Goodreads: Nana Prah

Google + :  Nana Prah   

Tsu: https://www.tsu.co/NanaPrah

Nana is giving away a $44 Amazon or Smashwords Gift Card

 

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Believe!: Quickly & Easily Increase Your Amazon Ranking

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Write it Down & Make it Happen!

I think that when we take our thoughts out of our heads and put them into writing or some other form of self-expression, that we will manifest those desires. I selfishly made my Christmas and 2015 New Year’s wish list about me, but  I think it's always been that way, and so it should be. After all, we have to take care of ourselves before we can address the needs of others.

• May I keep the Spirit of Christmas year round, remembering to give to those in genuine need, be it of my time, money, or prayers.
• May I remember to honor my body through healthy foods and physical exercise.
• May I continually honor my mind with meditation, prayer, and gratitude.
• May I remember that although I don’t have to hang out with toxic people, be them family or former friends, that I can still wish the best for them, as what I send out in thought comes back to me as well.
• May I remember always to keep my thoughts positive, my words peaceful, and my actions filled with love.
• May I hold the hopes and visions of others in their highest good and use my energy to help co-create their dreams, as well as my own.

What Is Your Christmas Wish?

It's Raining Books: The Ambivalent Memoirist by Sandra Hurtes - Guest ...

It's Raining Books: The Ambivalent Memoirist by Sandra Hurtes - Guest ...:

I was floored by the small excerpt Sandra Hurtes shared in her post at "It's Raining Books"--a wonderful display of exceptional writing talent. Sandra Hurtes was given high praise for her memoir by Publisher's Weekly yet her interest doesn't lie in a writing career. In one e-mail I found her to be a highly intelligent, down to earth woman, and refreshingly forthright.

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions . Sandra will be awarding a copy of her book. Go to the link and find out how you can win a copy of this exceptional work.

7 Easy Reminders to Living Your Dreams



Kristen Stokes Photography

Yes, we’ve heard this from successful self-help gurus, but too often we forget the spiritual basics that worked for others in achieving their heart’s desires.

1.  Be grateful for everything. Each morning and every night name at least one thing you’re truly grateful for. The energy of gratitude brings your strongest desires to you.

2.  Clearly define your heartfelt desires. Be very specific. If you want money for a car, envision the make, model, color, and price (even if you want it for free), and all the amenities.

3.  Write a list of what you want to manifest. Imagine and feel the positive emotions of what it is like to already have it. Be a kid and imagine the best scenario possible, regardless of how big your dream it is.

4.  Manifestation happens in its own time, so don’t focus on how or when it comes in, just the result of what you want. Trust that you'll receive what you want at the time that’s right for you, not the time that you think is right.

5.  Affirmations work! Write down what you want as if you already received it. A paper taped on my wall says: “I am a Financially Successful, International Best-selling Author.” It used to be “I am a Published Author,” and that actually happened.

6. Create a collage or storyboard of what you want to help cement the image. If you already made one, go over it and see if it’s still accurate, and if not, update the images.

7.  Make certain that happiness is always an end result of your desires. If you want a new house on the east coast, could you be separated from your family in Oregon? If you want a new motorcycle is there guilt present because a new car would be better for the family? Conflicting feelings prevent the manifestation from becoming reality. Be clear in defining what you want without any emotional price tags like guilt, anger, or bitterness attached.

8.  As children, we have a stronger and more innocent belief that anything is possible. But as adults, we are tested by having our innocence removed and have to regain our trust despite the trials. Be patient as you practice permanently changing a negative mindset to a positive one.

What do you want for yourself?

Anyone who supports your vision can help uphold your dream by sending you positive energy. They can simply imagine an image of you joyfully experiencing what you want.

What would you like others to help you envision?

Promotion Ideas that $ Paid $ Off

Author Carmen DeSousa

It wasn’t just the terrific stories written by Carmen Desousa that intrigued me. Carmen has valuable information on publishing, marketing, and promotion that she actually shares with other authors!
 

For instance, I didn’t see the value of sharing more than an occasional post on Twitter. I mean, does anyone really read all those tweets? Carmen shared her experiences with Twitter and really opened my eyes.
 

Did you know that studies show a person should tweet 4 to 6 times an hour to keep a feed active and of interest to followers? 

First, here are some basics:

• Be careful about what you tweet. Some things might come back to haunt you.

• Be picky about what you retweet. (For this reason Carmen doesn’t use the auto-follower.)

• 
  Don’t share old news, only choose tweets that are interesting.
• Use the 'pinning' feature on Twitter which allows a tweet to be pinned right at the top of your Twitter feed.
• Always follow back someone who tweets that they just downloaded your book. Word of mouth is still the best form of advertisement.  

Here are the most important points Carmen made about Twitter

Before following someone who follows her, Carmen reads their profile and a sampling of their tweets. (She has read every single profile for the last five years of people who followed her!) If she follows them back, and they retweet her somewhere down the line, they are eventually added to a ‘special’ list of names of those that she will retweet (but only if the tweets are interesting.)

Why go through a detailed process like that on Twitter? The answer is also why we need to connect ourselves with authors in similar genres. It's all about marketing and promotion--branding our name! 

Carmen explained it through this terrific story about retweeting:

Carmen met an author on Twitter a few years ago. "Deb" (fake name) wrote what she did, romantic suspense. Carmen started following Deb and retweeted her books. Deb did the same for Carmen. Then Carmen noticed beneath her list of books on Amazon that Deb's books appeared in the ‘readers who bought this, also bought this’ section. The same thing happened for Deb about Carmen's books on her page. Essentially they swapped readers. Each of their fans recognized that they wrote similar books. Deb just happened to be a NYT and USA Today bestselling author. Carmen felt lucky to share Deb's fans, which increased her own sales.

Find out specific details on what led to marketing success for Carmen using other websites and social media when you visit Carmen's website and read her articles.

Order all of Carmen's
books at Amazon.com

Visit Carmen DeSousa's website:
http://www.carmendesousa.com/

 

Articles worth reading by Carmen DeSousa:

http://www.carmendesousa.com/p/popular-posts-on-writingmarketing.html
 

http://www.carmendesousa.com/2013/08/how-to-make-bestseller-amwriting.html