Writing Life

Category

Nine Ways to Support Indie Authors

Most readers don’t care if a book is traditionally published (i.e. Harlequin, Simon & Schuster) or self-published by an indie author. Many times, you can’t even tell the difference. What some readers don’t know is that being a self-published author means that author does everything – production, distribution, marketing plus writing. It’s a lot of work to bring a book to market, which is why I am so grateful for each and every reader who picks up one of my books.

If you’d like to show your support for self-published authors (including me!), here are nine easy things you can do.

1. Buy the book.
2. Review the book.
3. Request the book from your library.
4. Tell a friend about the book.
5. Talk about the book on social media.
6. Buy the book as a gift for someone else.
7. Buy your books at local indie-owned bookstores.
8. Connect with your favorite indie authors online.
9. Let the author know you enjoy their books.

Thanks so much for everything you do as a reader. You might not know it, but sometimes these acts of kindness are what keep authors writing!

#reader (or Hashtags for readers)

Some social media conventions come and go, but hashtags (aka #, also aka “pound sign”) have been around for more than 10 years. With the increase of activity and interaction on social media, they are more relevant than ever.

If you aren’t familiar with hashtags (#), they serve as a means of organizing and finding information on social media platforms. For example, if you enjoy reading romantic suspense, you might search #romanticsuspense to find authors, readers, books and events related to this genre on Facebook or Twitter.

Using hashtags as a search tool can help you find new content and information beyond those sources you’re already familiar with.

According the site amreading.com, these are ten of the most popular hashtags used by readers.

#AmReading

#BookLovers

#Bibliophile

#FreeBooks

#BookAddict

#Ebooks

#Books

#BookPhotography (a good choice if you’re on Instagram or Pinterest)

#KindleBargain

#WhatToRead

If I were to add my own favorite hashtags to the list, I would include:

#RegencyRomance

#Regencies

#AmWriting

#RomanticSuspense

#NewReleases

#AlphaHero

I dare you to have a little fun with hashtags. Enter #(Pick a word or phrase) and enter it into the search bar on your favorite social media platform. Did you find something new and interesting? Comment and let me know!

Coming Soon! MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE TO SURRENDER

Last week was Thanksgiving, the perfect occasion to pause and reflect on the good things in life, big and small. What are you grateful for this year? I’m thankful for friends, family, good healthy, the opportunity to travel and my occasional participation in the performing arts. 

I’m also grateful for my writing life ~ the ability to tell stories and the readers who enjoy them. Thanks to each of you who has purchased, reviewed and read my books this year.  It’s heartwarming to know readers connected with my characters and that my stories provide a pleasurable interlude from the daily grind of life.

Special thanks to everyone who made the launch of my new military romantic suspense series, Impossible Mission, a success. It’s always daunting to launch a new series, but readers responded positively and enthusiastically to the release of Mission: Impossible to Resist.

I’m currently working on the next book in the Impossible Mission series so keep reading for a cover reveal and excerpt.

Wishing you a bountiful feast with those you love most,

Jacki

And now…the cover for Mission: Impossible to Surrender! Coming February 7, 2019

Navy SEAL Finn Jenkins will do whatever it takes to protect beautiful Sophie Dean, no matter the risk to his own life…or heart.

Preorder now!

Amazon
Apple Books
Nook
Kobo
Google Play

Continue on below for an excerpt from Mission: Impossible to Surrender! Want to read this as a PDF? Click here: MITS Excerpt

Finn Jenkins stepped out of the sleek supersonic Gulf Stream jet and concentrated on masking the pain of his abdominal wound with each step down to the tarmac. Traveling 7000 miles to Nepal might be a bit extreme but nothing new as SEALS were trained to do extreme and the chance to have Sophie alone over the next eight hours back to Seattle was worth the trip.

Finn scoured the area, hyper-vigilant for anyone or anything out of place for this trade off of Sophie in the private section of Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport. The visceral memory of Sophie’s capture just months ago by 14K was worse than any stab wound. All because he had left her to check on the hired security in Hong Kong.

Never going to happen again, not on his watch. Not that Sophie would like hearing that her arrivals and departures were planned as if she were a package, highly valued, compliments of her father’s billions, but also a very loved package.

Finn heard the alert of a new text and saw that Reeves, the family’s security IT genius, had sent a message. What did Reeve’s mean that Sophie had a surprise that Finn wasn’t going to like? Was her surprise that she was with Alex Hardy, the damn famous rock star? He had heard that Hardy had followed her to Nepal. Finn’s plan of giving Sophia space might have blown like a M67, shattering his dreams into unrecognizable fragments.

Finn ground his teeth, a habit he thought he had left behind. He was going to kick Reeve’s ass for taunting Finn. Panic, an unknown and unacknowledged feeling for a highly trained operator, twisted in his gut.

A black SUV pulled up at the gate. Finn checked his watch—right on time. Nick, his older brother, climbed out of the SUV, scanning the entire area, reinforcing to Finn that everyone was vigilant about Sophie’s safety.

Nick had taken over coordinating Sophie’s months in Nepal while Finn was on his last mission. A joint military training to assist the Batallones de Comandos, Mexico’s counterpart to SEALS, who were trying to stop the deadly cartel in the Baja California Sur. Training mission, my ass. More like a set-up. Finn had finished off the cartel shooter who had killed the Mexican Comando, but not before the guy had sliced and diced Finn’s abdomen.

A familiar warmth spread through him watching Sophie climb out of the SUV, baring her shapely legs. She smiled and waved when she saw Finn. He nodded, trying to act like he had his shit together.

“Finn, I’ve a surprise for you.” She chirped from ten feet away, her light voice taking on the familiar teasing lilt, triggering his need for this woman, and only this woman. He had blown a possible future with her by caring too much to burden her with his feelings when she was shaken and vulnerable from the abduction.

He walked toward Sophie, wanting to sweep her into his arms and swing in a circle but knowing that his carved up abdomen wouldn’t allow it. Dread blocked out the pleasure of seeing Sophie, with her blond curls swinging around her shoulders, her violet-baby blues, and her childhood habit of worrying her lower lip between her teeth when she was nervous or excited.

He kept his steps even and unrushed as he tried to hide his feelings. He was an expert of hiding his love for Sophie.

Passport to Romance Reader Appreciation Event

Greater Seattle Romance Writers of America is sponsoring the Passport to  Romance Reader Appreciation Event on October 27, from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Bellevue Westin Hotel.

If you’re a fan of romance novels, come out for this “booktail” party! It’s free and open to the public. More than 40 fabulous authors will be signing books. There will be cover models! Stop by and say hello to Wayne, Terrence and Shane!

Even if you cannot attend the Passport to Romance, you can still vote in the Passport to Romance Cover Contest. Voting is open through October 19. Click here to view the covers and vote for your two favorites.

I hope to see you in Bellevue. Here’s a list of other authors who will be participating.

• Beverly Jenkins
• Damon Suede
• Elizabeth Hunter
• Julia Quinn
• Anna Alexander
• Pam Binder
• Carmen Cook
• Jami Davenport
• Tammy Dennings Maggy
• JC Hay
• Joanne Jaytanie
• Shirley Penick
• Tolden Rhys/Hanna Rhys Barnes
• Olivia Waite
• L.E. Wilson
• Arwen Paris
• Sally Brandle
• Asa Maria Bradley
• Jasmine Silvera
• Joleen James
• Gerri Russell
• Crista McHugh
• Marie Tuhart
• Tess Thompson
• Augustina Van Hoven
• E.L. Roux
• Jacquolyn McMurry
• Aliyah Burke
• Madeline Olson
• Jaycee Jarvis
• Piper J Drake
• Liv Rancourt
• Josie Malone
• Danielle Annett
• Kathy L Wheeler
• Sabrina York
• Brent Archer
• Marie Tremayne
• Marie Harte
• Jodi Ashland
• Last Kiss Comics
• DJ Holmes
• Kerry Blaisdell

New Year Resolutions for Readers and Writers

Happy New Year! Are you ready for a new start? I know I am. The New Year always brings a sense of optimism. There’s something both healing and invigorating about a clean slate ~ putting the past to rest and facing unlimited potential.

Do you make New Year resolutions? Even if you don’t, here are some ideas for achieving your reading and/or writing goals.

Resolutions for Readers

Share your love of reading. Donate or volunteer with literacy organizations, your local library, student tutoring programs, schools or organizations that support at-risk youth. You can donate time, books or financial support.

Try a book in a different genre than you usually read.

Send fan mail to a favorite author.

Keep a reading log. Write down the titles you read and rate them (1 star being the worst/didn’t finish to 5 stars, the best). Make a note about which books you’d like to re-read or which books were especially meaningful.

Visit and explore your local library.

Resolutions for Writers

Make time to write every day (start with 15 minutes).

Document your daily word count.

Learn more about the business of writing.

Try writing in a new genre, even if it’s “just for fun.”

Every month, read a new book about the craft of writing.

Share your knowledge and experience. Mentor a new writer, give a workshop, speak at a conference.

Connect with other writers.

What are your writing or reading goals for 2018?