Maddy Barone

Tuesday Teaser 8/13/13: Wolf’s Oath

Here is a snip from Wolf’s Oath. Connie told Des that she finds him attractive, but she doesn’t know him well enough to sleep with him. They’ve spent the evening talking and she’s wavering in that decision. They are in his room at the den. It’s night, and without a wood burning stove in the room, it’s cold.

“Des, I’m cold.”

His brows puckered. “I’ve kept you up too late talking in this cold room. Scoot under the covers. I’ll tuck you in.”

She ran her gaze over his wide shoulders to his burnished brown skin stretching smoothly over taut pectoral muscles. His nipples were the color of dark rosewood. She wanted to lick them. “I’d be warmer if you were under the covers with me.”

He froze. “I don’t think I can. Not without touching you, and if I touch you I’ll want more.”

“That’s good. I want more too.”

Somehow he went even more still and spoke in a hushed voice. “If we start, I won’t be able to stop at a kiss.”

Now she knew another thing about him: he was principled. He’d promised to not take anything from her she did willingly give. “I don’t want you to stop. I want everything. You, kissing me. You, touching me everywhere. You, moving inside me.”

His nostrils flared when he inhaled deeply. “Don’t tease.”

“I’m not teasing.” She braced herself against the cold air in the room and ripped the T-shirt over her head. “Des, I’m cold,” she said again.

Her nipples furled into tight points, partly because of the cold air, but mostly because Des was  staring at them. He murmured something she didn’t catch, maybe in Lakota, but she understood awe and greed well enough. Then she was flat on her back and he was under the covers lying over her.

Would you like to Win an ARC of Ellie’s Wolf?

      It’s two weeks until the release of Ellie’s Wolf.  Actually, 15 days. (yes, I am keeping track!) But maybe you’re anxious to ElliesWolf_600x800.finalread it and hate to have to wait. If so, you might have a chance to get it early. I’ll be having a contest in my newsletter this week, and on the evening of Saturday August 17 I’ll draw two winners and send them an Advanced Reader’s copy of Ellie’s Wolf.

      I have to say I’m pretty attached to Quill and Ellie. He is everything a wolf warrior of the clan should be: strong, possessive and ready to crawl over broken glass to protect his mate. Ellie is sweet, gentle and demure–at least as long as no one threatens the men in her life. I hope readers will love them as much as I do.

      How do you enter to win? On Wednesday I’ll send out a newsletter with an entry form. Just fill it out and send it back before 5pm central time on Saturday 8/17, and cross your fingers.  I will be notifying the winners immediately via email. If I don’t hear back before 7pm central time on Sunday 8/18 I will draw another name.

      Not subscribed to my newsletter? You can do that by filling out the form on the right. I send out a newsletter about once a month, or when I have news to share. Your name and email addy are private. No one else will see them and you can unsubscribe any time.

      Good luck!

Tuesday Teaser 8/6/13 Ellie’s Wolf

Ellie’s Wolf will be released in three weeks! Here is a snip to whet your appetite. Ellie and her friends Sara and Mel are in their tent getting ready for bed. Ellie has just returned from a long romantic walk with Quill.

Sara couldn’t seem to keep her curiosity in check. “How far did you go? Did you like it?”

“Sara!” Ellie couldn’t believe the teenager would ask something so personal. Yes, she could. “Nothing happened. We’re waiting until we can be married by a minister or priest.”

“Oh, that’s right.” Mel blew out the lamp. “My uncle is an ordained Methodist minister. He could marry you tomorrow if you like.”

A whisper of desire flared back to life between Ellie’s thighs. Under the blanket she pressed them together.

A voice just outside their tent said, “Did you say your uncle can marry people?”

Ellie identified the voice as Stone’s. Sara growled. “Can’t you let me get even fifty feet away from you?”

“No. And answer the question.”

“Yes,” Mel said. “My uncle can marry people.”

There was silence for a few moments. Then a dozen wolves lifted their voices in a joyful chorus of howls that sent a shiver down Ellie’s spine. Tomorrow she would marry Quill Wolfe, and tomorrow night she wouldn’t be sharing a tent with Sara and Mel.

Last Blood by Kristen Painter

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The Day Is Finally Here!!!!! Last Blood (House Of Comarré #5) Is Available To Buy!!!!

Last Blood is the 5th (and final) installment in the captivating story of Mal and Chrysabelle.

(For those that may have somehow missed this exciting saga scroll down for a special offer on book 1)

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In the final showdown between the forces of dark and light, Mal and Chrysabelle face not only Tatiana, but the ancient evil that now controls her: the Castus Sanguis. Chrysabelle gathers her friends and family around her, forming a plan to bring an end to the chaos surrounding them. But the Castus is the most powerful being they’ve ever come up against. Defeating such evil will require a great sacrifice from someone on the side of light.

One of them will change sides. One of them will die. No one will survive unscathed. Can Chrysabelle save those she cares about or will that love get her killed? What price is she willing to pay to draw last blood?

Get the book now in either eFormat or Paperback at

Barnes and Noble HERE

or Amazon HERE

Special Offer!!!!! For Book 1 In The Series – Blood Rights!!!!!!

For those that haven’t joined the journey yet right now you can get book 1 in the series for just $2.99 for either Kindle Or Nook!!!!

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Get it from Barnes and Noble HERE

Get it from Amazon HERE

About The Author

Kristen

When the characters in Kristen Painter’s head started to take over, she decided to put them on paper and share them with the world. She writes paranormal romance and the gothic fantasy vampire series, House of Comarre, for Orbit Books. She has also been published in non-fiction, poetry and short stories. The former college English teacher can often be found online at Romance Divas, the award-winning writers’ forum she co-founded. She’s represented by Elaine Spencer of The Knight Agency.

Sign up for her newsletter – HERE

Find her on Facebook – HERE

Follow her on Twitter – HERE

Ming the Merciless

 

Ming3On Thursday a friend of mine who volunteers at the local cat rescue and shelter emailed me to ask if I could foster a kitten. I’ve always said I would never have a kitten again. They’re so much work to take care of, and they make messes, and they climb things they shouldn’t, etc. But this little kitty was scheduled to be euthanized on Saturday if they couldn’t find someone to take him for a month. Of course I said yes.

 

I brought him home yesterday and he is scared spitless. My two older girl cats are scared even more spitless. Somehow this 1.75 pound kitten has managed to dominate the other two. I’ve named him Ming the Merciless. If you’re a Flash Gordon fan you’ll recognize the name.

 

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It’s a male domestic shorthair with a cream colored belly, a gray and black tabby back, mittens on his front paws and boots on his hind paws. He’s probably about 12 weeks old and he was in the pound for a week, several days past the “Must Terminate” date.

 

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Now that he’s getting a little more used to his new (TEMPORARY) home, he’s learning to play. He still won’t let me touch him, though. That might take time. Meanwhile, he has claimed the top of the armchair as his throne and likes to sneer at the world in general while looking around with a regal air.  Meanwhile, the other two cats cower in the bedroom and hurl outraged insults at him from under the bed.

 

I was told I would have him for about 3 to 4 weeks while he had his shots and worming, etc. Kittens usually get adopted pretty quickly. He’s fairly well behaved. He’s used his box (and kicked sand all over the bathroom!) Since kittens don’t come with an Off switch, I’m looking forward to passing him on to his furrever home.

 

I do think that with a little time and love he’ll make someone a wonderful feline friend.

 

Tuesday Teaser 7/23/13-Wolf’s Oath

Here is a snip from Des and Connie’s story. Enjoy!

 

Connie drifted on the edge of waking, feeling utterly relaxed. Something poked at her mind, something that wanted to disturb her, but she was curled too comfortably on her side to want to let it in. For the first time in weeks she felt deliciously warm. She wanted to savor the feeling. When she tried to tug the edge of the blanket higher under her chin it snapped taut and didn’t move. She tugged harder with the same level of success. Frustrated, she rolled onto her back to free it and realized she wasn’t alone. She opened her eyes a slit and found herself nose-to-nose with Des.

That woke her up in a hurry, the feeling of warm relaxation fleeing. Des? What the hell was he doing in bed with her? He had the nerve to smile at her.

“Good morning,” he said, and his voice was rough with that sexy, just-woke-up gravel note in it that made her want to melt.

Connie refused to melt. Des was gorgeous, sexy, and smelled good enough to eat, but why was he in her bed?

Mid-Summer Dream Man Blog Hop

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Welcome to Maddy Barone’s stop on the Midsummer Night’s Dream Man Blog Hop! If you’ve fallen off and need to hop back on, click here.

      I don’t know what it’s like where you live, but it’s nasty hot here in North Dakota. Yes, I know a lot of you are laughing your butts off at me, but hey, I hate 90 degree weather! It makes me cranky. I don’t want to cook, or clean, or do anything except lay around. And maybe read. So if you’re like me, a blog hop where you can win books and gift cards to book stores is just the thing. I hope you’re having fun!

     The prize I’m offering for the hop is a free download of any of my After the Crash titles. You can learn more by clicking the Books tab above. Oh, and I should mention that the first book (digital format of your choice) in the series is FREE at the publisher at the moment!  http://www.lsbooks.com/sleeping-with-the-wolf-p507.php  And the other books in the series are on sale there too.

     I’m also offering an additional prize to someone who leaves a comment on my blog. If you enjoy listening to audio books you might want to enter this contest, since my prize is a download of the audio version of Sleeping With the Wolf. To receive the prize the winner will need to setup an audible account (which can be immediately deleted if they choose) or have one already.  The hero, Taye, is my idea of a hot midsummer night’s dream man! He’s a hot, possessive, protective, jealous Alpha werewolf with a sweet streak where the heroine is concerned. I will be drawing a name on Sunday night in the chat room.

     Any subscribers to my newsletter who enters is automatically entered twice to win. My next Newsletter Drawing will be in August, for an ARC of my upcoming release, Ellie’s Wolf. So if you’re interested in small contests and getting excerpts before anyone else, feel free to sign up for my newsletter. Thanks for stopping by, and good luck!

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Tuesday Truth AND Teaser 7/16/13

Yes, today I have one of each! The Truth is that the Mid Summer Dream Men Blog Hop is this weekend, Friday July 19-Sunday July 21. There are going to be great prizes, so drop in at www.JustRomance.me to come along on the hop!

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And I have a teaser from Des and Connie’s story. This snip is from chapter 2. It’s visitation night and Connie would rather be anywhere than here, but she feels obligated to stay. She’s leaning against the wall beside the kitchen door, watching the flirting and maneuvering with distaste. Enjoy!

Katie, the blonde who shared Connie’s apartment with Kathy, was at the nearest stove. She laughed loudly and playfully slapped the shoulder of one of her current boyfriends. Connie mentally shook her head. Katie was one of the women who enjoyed all the male attention. She and JaNae loved flirting with the men who tried to outdo each other in their lavish gifts and compliments. Katie’s voice rose above the low murmur of voices.

     “I need the little girl’s room,” she told the six men hovering around her, flashing them a flirtatious smile. “I’ll be right back. Don’t any of y’all fight while I’m gone, hear?”

     She detached herself from the cluster and gestured for Sammie to join her. The younger woman jumped up and abandoned her admirers without a backward glance. Katie paused to grin at Connie, who raised one brow. “Why do you flirt with them like that?” she asked.  “And why are you using that southern accent? I thought you’re from Minnesota.”

    Katie’s cheeks turned pink, then her grin flared bigger. “It’s fun.”

     “Are you ever going to actually pick one and marry him?”

      Katie shrugged. “Someday, I guess I will. But I’m enjoying myself too much to settle down with one yet.” Her hand smoothed down the curve of her waist to her wide hip and down to her thigh. “After twenty-eight years of being too fat to attract a man it’s a rush to have dozens of men fighting over me.” She winked and grabbed Sammie’s arm to tow her through the kitchen door toward the outhouse in the yard.

     That was one thing Connie did like about the men here. They didn’t judge a woman solely by her slender body. They liked big women even better than skinny women, but every woman, no matter her age, looks, or size, found herself the object of blatant admiration.

How To Publish an Audiobook

Some online author friends have asked me how I had my book made into  an audiobook. There must be other people wondering the same thing, so I thought I’d share my experience of the process here on my blog. I went through the Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX). With ACX there was very little for me to do. I listed my book, posted a short excerpt to be used for auditions, invited some narrators to audition, listened to the auditions and selected a narrator, and approved the final product. After that, my part is done. I found the process very easy, and the people at ACX were professional and friendly when I emailed with questions. I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into, but I took a deep breath and plunged in.

First be sure you have audio rights to your book. If you’re self-published, then of course you have those rights. If your book is with a publisher, check your contract to see if they took audio rights.

If you have the audio rights to your book, then you are the Rights Holder. The Producer is the person or company who will record and create the audiobook. The Narrator is the person who will read the book. The Producer and Narrator may be one and the same and is usually called The Producer. For Sleeping With the Wolf I was intrigued by Brick Shop Audio and invited them to audition. They are professional, with excellent narrators. The narrator I chose was Clementine Cage. I love the way she changes her voice so the listener knows which character is speaking.

What do you need to do to have your book put into audio?

  • A short excerpt of the book to be used for auditions
  • A clean full manuscript
  • Cover art 

1. Go to www.acx.com and set up an account.

2. Click Add Your Title. It will bring up any books associated with your name on Amazon. Select the book you want to  work on.

3. A box comes up with three options. You can narrate your book yourself, but unless you have great sound equipment I’d go with “I’m looking for someone to narrate and produce my audiobook.”

4.  The ACX Book Posting Agreement comes up. This is a legal contract, just like one from a publisher, so read it. When you’re satisfied, click Agree & Continue.

5. A new page comes up: Create the Title Profile. Various fields need to be filled out. About My Book is auto-populated with the blurb from Amazon. You can edit it, add stuff, or even re-write it all together. You need to select what genre the book is, and then list your requirements for the narrator. Male or female? Southern accent, British accent? The Additional Comments box is important because prospective producers will read it to find out more about your book. You want to tell them things that will make them want to audition.

6. Upload the audition file. Unless the first page has great interaction between the main characters, don’t choose the first page. You want to hear how the narrator will speak various characters. Keep the audition file fairly short, just two pages. In the Note to the Producer field write anything you think will help them to understand the scene and what you want the voices to sound like.

7. Next choose the payment type and terms of distribution. Enter how many words are in the manuscript. That will tell you the estimated time length of your audiobook. Do you want to pay the producer up front? A producer may charge $100 to $400 per finished hour. So if your book will be 10 hours long you can expect to pay up to $4000 up front. The good thing about that is you receive the whole royalty. I chose to go with the Royalty Share option. I paid nothing up front, but I will split the royalty with the producer. You can learn more about how this works HERE.

8. Post the book. Producers/Narrators looking for a book to produce can see it and audition. You can invite narrators to audition, which is more effective than just hoping the perfect narrator will find it. Listen to the auditions. This was actually the hardest part for me. It’s thrilling and weird at the same time to hear words I wrote being read by a professional. You can sort them by Like, Dislike, or Maybe. When you choose one, you will make them an offer, listing the deadlines for production. If they accept, you send them the manuscript.

9. The producer records the first 15 minutes and send it to you. Do you want changes made? If you like it, approve it and wait a month or two for the finished product. HERE is where you can find out more about the production terms.

10. Upload the cover art. I am very fortunate in my cover artist, Lyn Taylor. She is willing and able to tweak my cover art to fit ACX’s cover requirements.

Once you approve the final product, it takes a few weeks for ACX to review it and send it to Audible for sale. For me, it took about 2 1/2 weeks for Sleeping With the Wolf to show up on Audible.com. It showed up about 3 days later on iTunes, and it took almost 2 weeks for it to go up on Amazon.

You can check your sales on ACX under the Completed Projects tab of your dashboard. These sales are a day behind and it is usually updated around 9pm. So tonight I should be able to see how many books have sold as of 7/12/13. These are only preliminary sales figures, and may not be accurate. Since my book has been live for only two weeks, I haven’t received an official Royalty Statement yet. I understand these come out monthly, as do royalty checks, provided I have $50.00 in sales. You can imagine I’m looking forward to that!

Well, this was a fairly lengthy blog post. Sorry about that! I found ACX made the process very easy and I plan to put all my books in audio format in the future. I hope that was clear and helpful for anyone who is thinking about having their books put into audio format. More and more people are using their smart phones, iPods and iPads to listen to audiobooks while they commute, exercise, clean and work. This is a great time to give listeners a chance to enjoy your books. Please feel free to leave a comment, or if you have questions you can email me privately at maddybarone@gmail.com