Kindle Romantic Suspense - New Book Cover

Tell Me A Story - News

I've just created a new book cover for WITHOUT REPROACH ~ a Romantic Suspense available on Kindle for only $2.99 (£2.13 UK) ~ to see if I can improve reader interest.

I have been reading how important it is for a book cover, especially on Kindle, to relate to the story and to convey a message in it's own right. So I took it to heart and produced a different cover.

Please give me feedback on it. Does it do anything for you?

Are you on Kindle - and if not, why not. Kindle books are available on PC and mobile devices with a FREE app - giving you access to thousands of cheap books. So get your Kindle app now from Amazon ~ then you too, can try Without Reproach

Talking It Through

Tell Me A Story - Writing Tips

"AJ .... Can you help me? I'm soon to take part in a radio interview. The commentator has sent a list of possible queries and one of them wants me to discuss my story. How do you describe your book. I find it difficult to tell people what my story is about. How do you go on when presented with this?"
- Christine S.

Hello Christine,

This was raised a short time ago. I'm no authority on radio interviews. I detest being the centre of attention, but talking about your story is a fundamental part of promotion, even to a shy person. I have to admit it is challenging putting over the idea of a whole book in just a few words. I feel I'm underselling my work when I do it, but it MUST be done. It just needs a bit of thought.

• Concentrate on things that interest YOU in the book, what excites you about it.
• Discuss the opening premise and how it affects the story.
• Talk about the outlook and mood of the central characters and why they behave the way they do.
• Explain what conflicts exist between the main characters and perhaps what those conflicts mean in terms of the storyline.
• Discuss any issues raised in the story. Are they resolved at the end or partway through?
• Talk about how many main characters are in the story, and how the characters intertwine.
• Explain whether the main conflict is man conflicting with man, man conflicting with nature, or man conflicting with himself (read woman for man).

With a little homework it's surprising what you can come up with.

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Romantic Suspense

Keep Characters Authentic

Tell Me A Story - Tips

I loathe it when I’m reading a novel, and a protagonist, for no logical reason, does something out of character. I recently tossed a book to one side because of it - no, I'm not citing names, I don't want a lawsuit in my face, but I’m sure you know what I'm talking about.

Characters should seem authentic.

Most of us have seen it at some time. I wonder how some authors get away with it. For heaven’s sake, we are supposed to think that characters are REAL. If a character is withdrawn they're not about to make a career in television presenting, are they? They wouldn't do it in real life, so why in a story.

I’m an expert on shyness. I'm quiet (well mostly), I am definitely not an extrovert. In fact I was interviewed on a radio chat show a while ago, and was full of panic. I dislike being the centre of attention - so why put fictional characters in ludicrous situations? It simply does not work.

Character's aspirations and responses should always be consistent within the framework of the story. Don't allow them do phoney things just to make a shoddy passage seem better. Your readers might start reaching for another book if you do....

Make your characters authentic. Make them plausible! Keep your readers turning those pages.



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Romantic Suspense

Finding A Story Plot

Tell Me a Story - About Plots


AJ, can you tell me the secret of unearthing a decent plot. I've been striving to find one but am getting nowhere?

Hello Amy. Thank you for the message. If you're astonishingly blessed, a plot might come to you fully fashioned – but don’t hold your breath. This seldom happens – all right, we've all heard that Stephenie Meyer claims to have done it, but don't count on it happening for you.... Don’t lose hope though, there are other ways. Try these appetizers.

• Look to advice columns in magazines; they can be a source of ideas for stories.
• Check the blurb on the jackets of books in your category and fashion them into your own. Don’t steal a complete plot though; just use the blurb to kick-start your own. Plagiarism is very frowned upon.
• Read the Personal Columns in newspapers. They can be a fertile supply of plots and ideas.
• Check the Obituaries column. As morbid as it seems, there might just be something in there that triggers your imagination.
• Think of ‘maturing’ a bedtime story - the plot can perhaps be brought bang up to date.
• Fables, folklore, and fairy tales, also offer a rich fund of plots that can be adapted.
• Take an already published story, reorganise the plot, make male characters female, play a what-if game with it, and maybe you’ll start ideas rolling.

One thing further, don’t expect to find a unique plot. There’s little likelihood of finding one after all these years. Just settle for a damn good, well-written story.

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Romantic Suspense

Just About Write

Tell Me a Story - Just About Write

Okay, so I'm indulging in a spot of self-promotion again. Here's a link to a free extract from my book about creative writing, Just About Write - available on Kindle for the INCREDIBLY LOW introductory price of 99 cents USA or 70p UK

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Romantic Suspense

Writing From Experience

Tell Me A Story - Writing Tips


Using Feelings
Instead of taking events directly from your life as the basis for a story, think feelings.

A Touch of Emotion
Sometimes it can be better to use the emotions produced by an experience as a premise for a novel, rather than writing about the circumstance itself. The outcome can become an intense story because you have already broached those emotional boundaries and understand them.

Too Close for Comfort
Sometimes you can be simply too close to an incident if it happened to you.  It can distort your writing if you try to capture it. However, you can use the perceptions, and tap into the dynamism of the experience. You can develop it, push the frontier of emotions, and the result can be a smash hit.

Weaving Passion
To breathe life into a story, I generally recommend new writers to weave passions into it, rather than actions. Use your own emotional experiences as a pillar and who knows, you could have the next best-seller.



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Romantic Suspense

Romantic Suspense

Romantic Suspense

Now available on Kindle - WITHOUT REPROACH - a romantic suspense set in Spain. 

This romantic suspense is available for download on Kindle, at the low, introductory price of $2.99. However, three chapters are now available by kind permission of BookBuzzr for you to read FREE. Take a look at the fantastic BookBuzzr device below. Even if you don't want to read the novel, it is worth checking out to see how incredible the device really is, and how it works.


If you have a book ready for publication, why not consider using BookBuzzr, and allow the reading public to check your book before purchasing.
 

Read WITHOUT REPROACH by clicking on the icon below - A romantic Suspense.

Take this link to Amazon Kindle US to purchase the ebook  Romantic Suspense
Take this link to Amazon Kindle UK to purchase the ebook  Romantic Suspense

End of - Romantic Suspense -

11 Essential Checks For a Novel

Tell Me A Story

Are you writing a novel? Have you almost finished and intend to submit it to an agent. Read this first.

Essentals Checks for a Novel


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Without Reproach -a romantic mystery - try it.

JK Rowling cleared of plagiarism

Tell Me A Story - Comment

I’ll bet J.K. Rowling has let out a sigh of relief.

The famous author of  the "Harry Potter" series of books and films was finally  cleared of plagiarism charges filed by Paul Allen, trustee of late author Adrian Jacob's estate in a landmark U.S. judgment on Thursday.

Rejecting the case, U.S. judge Shira Scheindlin apparently said, "...the contrast between the total concept and feel of the works is so stark that any serious comparison of the two strains credulity."

JK Rowling maintains that she was unaware of the book by Jacobs until the copyright suit was filed in 2004. Earlier in October, a London court too dismissed a similar plea by Allen.


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• All About Coriander 

 
Without Reproach -a romantic mystery - try it.

The Author, Dwayne Redmond

Tell Me A Story - Publishing

It's always good to hear success stories.

Takoma Park author, Dwayne Redmond, has published a new book

A Revelation, a new book by Dwayne Redmond, has been released by RoseDog Books.

Dwayne Redmond was born in Greenwood, a small town in Mississippi. Apparently, although Dwayne always enjoyed writing poetry, he never took it seriously until his sister Thelma introduced him to an article about a poetry contest. He entered, and his first poem, “May,” was published in the early 1990's.

Dwayne had his own television show in 1994 called “Poetry in Motion,” promoting poetry, anti-drug messages, and black history.

Dwayne is currently a police officer in Washington, DC.

Good luck, Dwayne. We wish you all the best with your venture.




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• The Book Doctor
  
• The Structure Of A Novel
• Climax And Endings In Creative Writing

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Without Reproach -a romantic mystery - try it.
Short Moments - 'Feel good' short stories

The Pursuit of Happiness

Tell Me A Story - In Search Of Happiness

To find happiness is an admirable ambition.

However, to find happiness takes a commitment that most of us find difficult to discover, even though it’s in our own best interests. In place, we to try to mould the domain outside us, rather than trying to fix the domain inside.

For more read - The Search For Happiness - The Happiness Component





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• The Book Doctor - Edit And Revise Your Own Book
• The Structure Of A Novel - Understanding Story Structure
• Ending A Story - Climax And Endings In Creative Writing
•  

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Without Reproach -a romantic mystery - try it.
Short Moments - 'Feel good' short stories

Structure Of A Novel

Tell Me A Story

Is your story flagging? Something wrong but you're not sure what? Maybe the structure is at fault....

The Structure Of A Novel - Understanding Story Structure


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Without Reproach -a romantic mystery - try it.
Short Moments - 'Feel good' short stories

Chelsea Handler TV Show

Tell Me A Story - News

Chelsea Handler has apparently signed a contract to turn one of her books into a prime-time television series.

Chelsea is no stranger to news headlines - only recently she hit the headlines when alleged sex tapes of her were shown on the internet.

For more read - Chelsea Handler in Prime Time TV Show


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Without Reproach -a romantic mystery - try it.
Short Moments - 'Feel good' short stories

Tapping into your emotions

Tell Me A Story - Congratulations

Congratulations to Joe Mynhardt for his recent success. Joe - a fellow author on MWC had been talking on the forum about the best way of using emotions in writing. I put in my pennyworth and thought you might be interested as well.

"I think the secret of emotive writing is to tap into your own emotions and experiences, BUT apply them in a different slant.
Sometimes real experiences are too raw and we can't do them true justice on paper. In those circumstances it's better to write about something entirely different, yet still tap into the emotion we feel. In this way we give our work depth. For a greater feel for the subject read - The Fulfilling Fact - Emotional Influence.

Joe replied with - "Well said, AJ - and I guess I got it right, because I sent the story off yesterday and got an acceptance email today."

I wish Joe Mynhardt all the very best with his work. I love it when people find success. It gives everyone else encouragement too. So all of you out there still struggling, take heart. It CAN happen.



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Without Reproach -a romantic mystery - try it.
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New Author - Jill Schafer

Tell Me A Story - Dreams

For all of you out there who think it's never going to happen - take heart. Jill Schafer Godbersen had to put off serious writing until her kids were older. Now, it's partly because of her kids that her writing career has taken off.
Godbersen recently published her first three books – a novel and two books aimed at readers ages 6-10: “Dance With Me” and “My Dog is the Best.”
Godbersen initially wrote the children's books as personalized birthday presents for her own children. The books included their names and home in Ida Grove.
“After my family and friends read those books, they encouraged me to write them for everyone,” said Godbersen, who lives in Ida Grove with her husband and children.
So, she generalized them. The books now follow the fictitious Cooper family and are something that young readers living anywhere can read and enjoy.
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Without Reproach -a romantic mystery - try it.
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Editing That Precious Book

Tell Me A Story - Advice

Okay, so the hard work is done. Your manuscript is hot off the word processor and you sit back to bathe in glory ---- Stop!

Your work is only part done, my friend. You now need to edit that beautiful manuscript and turn it into a thing of beauty.... How?

How To Edit A Book - 20 Ways To Edit A Book to Make It Better


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more articles from ajbarnett

• Submission Guidelines - 20 Things You Should Know
• The Plot Of The Book - How to Write a Plot
• A Guide to Getting Published - Write High, Aim Low

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Without Reproach -a romantic mystery - try it.
Short Moments - 'Feel good' short stories

Wellcome Book Prize

Tell Me A Story
Good news for Berkeley doctor.
A NEW book detailing the impact of small pox on society and the groundbreaking work of Berkeley doctor Edward Jenner has been shortlisted for a top literary award.
Angel of Death: the story of smallpox, written by Gareth Williams from Rockhampton, has been shortlisted in the Wellcome Trust Book Prize, the medical equivalent of the Booker Prize.
The book details previously unheard accounts of the disease, and its eventual eradication by Dr Jenner. The book also features John Fewster, a doctor living in Thornbury at the time and a friend of Jenner, who is reported to have experimented with smallpox vaccination before Jenner.
Local author Mr Williams, who is a professor of medicine at the University of Bristol, has penned more than 20 medical books and 200 scientific papers.
Well done, and good luck.
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Without Reproach -a romantic mystery - try it.
Short Moments - 'Feel good' short stories

Author Belva Plain

Tell Me A Story

Sad news I'm afraid.

Author Belva Plain, who shot to prominence with the novel Evergreen in 1978 after decades of writing short stories for women's magazines, has died aged 95, according to a statement Monday from her daughter.

The novel, which was turned into a TV mini-series, was about a beautiful Jewish immigrant who falls in love with one man before marrying another.

The book was on the New York Times bestseller list for almost a year. More than 25 million copies of her books have been sold, and her last novel Crossroads was published in 2008.

"I got sick of reading the same old story, told by Jewish writers, of the same old stereotypes - the possessive mothers, the worn-out fathers, all the rest of the neurotic rebellious unhappy self-hating tribe," she told the Times about her motivations for writing Evergreen.

"I wanted to write a different novel about Jews - and a truer one."

Shortly before her death, Plain reportedly finished a sequel to Evergreen, which will be published next year.

Born in New York City in 1915, Plain was a third-generation American of German-Jewish descent. She died in her New Jersey home Oct 12.

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• a contemporary romance 
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Best Selling Author, Bill Bryson

Tell Me A Story
For all you lucky people out there who live in the right place.
MASON CITY — New York Times best selling writer Bill Bryson will be attending the North Iowa Community Auditorium at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7, as part of the 2010-2011 NIACC Performing Arts and Leadership Series.
Tickets are $25 if you purchase them in advance, or $30 at the door.
His appearance is sponsored by Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, Winnebago Industries, Principal Financial Group and the Globe Gazette Elizabeth Muse Norris Foundation.
Bryson, author of “A Walk in the Woods” and “A Short History of Nearly Everything,” was born in Des Moines, the son of William and Mary Bryson.
He was educated at Drake University but dropped out in 1972, deciding to backpack around Europe for four months where he found his calling as a writer.

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Looking for

• a romantic mystery, 
• a contemporary romance 
• or short stories?

American Scandals

Tell Me A Story - Books

It is human nature to revel in scandal — as long as the scandal isn’t our own.

Laura Kipnis, professor in Northwestern University’s department of radio/TV/film, has examined four of the juiciest and most layered American scandals for her entertaining and erudite book How to Become a Scandal: Adventures in Bad Behavior.

It includes insightful examinations of lives that have gone publicly awry. Kipnis attempts to tell not only how and where, but also why infamous scandalizers put their well-being and reputations at risk.


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Without Reproach -a romantic mystery - try it.
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