Link Love!!

Okay, I said I’d post samples from my “Share Your Link” board last month and then I blinked and March was gone. So, I am here to correct that mistake and give you a look at the great links people have posted.
Just in case you didn’t see my original post on the subject, the discussion board on my Face Book page has a Share Your Link post where you can, well, share your link! Post the link to your blog, website, Face Book page, Etsy shop, Twitter…anything you’d like to share with the other members on the board. It’s a great way to introduce you work.

And now to the sampling.

Websites:
The John Springer family band: http://johnspringerfamily.com/

Writers Blogs:
Janyce Lofthouse Swineford: http://wordplayswordplay.blogspot.com/
Julia Dao: http://juleswrites.blogspot.com/
Karen Lang: http://karenelange.blogspot.com/

Esty Shops
One of a kind jewelry by Jasmina: http://www.etsy.com/shop/jasmina100
Satin Stitchery: http://www.etsy.com/shop/satinstitchery
Finding Charm Jewelry: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FindingCharm

Face Book pages.
Teen Harvest Ministries: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ava-MO/Teen-Harvest/102165244983
Extraordinary Life: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Extraordinary-Life/254285190460?ref=nf#

Please visit my page and add your link.
Oh, and just a little bit of added sunshine.
Karen at Write Now gave me the Sunshine award. :D Thanks so much, Karen! I highly recommend following her blog!

Hug An Author

Have you hugged an author today? Well, have you? Let me explain. I was talking to someone the other day about the use of reviews and I decided it was important enough to post here. You see, no matter if your favorite authors are brand new to the market or on the tops of the bestseller lists, reviews are REALLY important to them. Why? It is a widely established and heralded fact that books are primarily sold by word of mouth. Yes, that means the words of your mouth are just as important as a blurb in Publisher’s Weekly. And the advent of the internet has made reviews even more important.
Amazon, for instance, is a HUGE factor these days. Giving a book a “one to five star rating” doesn’t require you to leave your name, but it leaves a lasting impression on future buyers. And clicking a “tag” to help better define the genre and subject matter helps Amazon’s recommendation generator. So, if you tag a book as Romantic Suspense, Amazon will recommend it to someone who has bought similarly tagged books.
If you can take a moment to add a written review to the page that only helps more. A lot of people, including myself, will read the written reviews on Amazon, even if we don’t plan on buying the product from Amazon. A short paragraph is very useful. A lot of other websites, like BarnsandNoble.com and Christianbook.com, have added review sections as well.
Do you have a blog? Write a review on your favorite books! The people who read your blog value your opinion and might buy the book on the ground of your word. Of course, just telling people you know about your favorite books is great too!
These small acts of kindness really add up to a big hug for authors. And of course you could add a little extra love to the day by contacting your favorite authors and telling them how much you enjoyed their books. Most have websites now with contact information.
Publishers like proof that people actually enjoy the books they sell and sometimes authors need a little encouragement, especially when they are facing yet another edit (yes, I’m speaking from experience ;).
So, go ahead, bless an author today!
And tell me what makes you chose a book. Do you read reviews? Take recommendations from friends?

Now, here’s my plug for the day. I recently picked up A Bride Most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist and am here to say it has jumped up to the top of my favorite books list! I wouldn’t say historical romances are my favorite genre, but this book totally won me over.

Shock and Awe

I watched a Joyce Meyer Ministry program yesterday on their current outreach goals around the world and was struck by a rather odd moment. Instead of just showing pictures of the different areas they work in, they chose to show in bold lettering as many statistics as they could find. The staggering number of people who are starving. The staggering number of people who go without shelter. The staggering number of people who don’t have basic medical treatment.
As strange as it sounds, the first thought that struck me was, “My dog has a better life.” Seriously.
Though she might try to convince me otherwise with her big, soppy brown eyes, she never goes hungry. When she is sick or injured I take her right to the vet. At night she sleeps on my bed with her pillows and blankets, air conditioning and heating. I might like to think of her as my little girl, but the fact of the matter is she’s just a dog…whose life is about a 100 times better than half of the world’s population. Does that not just make you want to scream in frustration sometimes?!
Trust me, I’m not saying we shouldn’t have pets or pamper them. Anybody who knows my family knows we will be taking in “last chance” dogs until the final trumpet sounds.
The point of the program was simply DO SOMETHING! Find a way to help, even if your contribution is small. It is still valuable.
And if you are hesitating right now or continually putting it off, just ask yourself this question: Can you really justify treating a dog better than a human being?

A Good Day

I would really love to thank Abi, reviewer and writer of MyHeartBelongs2Books.blogspot.com , for posting a review of my book. You have officially made today a good day!
Reviewers, bloggers, and everyone who passes the word on are so valuable to me and thank God for you.

Check out Abi’s Review and remember to read her blog often. She highlights a lot of great authors.

Oh, and someone actually reviewed my book on Amazon.com! At long last! Check it out..
Okay, so I’m a little excited today. ;)

Check it out.

Giveaway!

Do you like free? Yeah, me too. ;) How would you like a free signed copy of my book?

As I’ve said before, when it comes to having a book on the market sometimes it seems like you’re in a desert and sometimes it pours.
So here’s a new announcement for you!

Flannelgraph.org, a great resource for lovers of Christian fiction, has put Only Angels Are Bulletproof up in their monthly giveaway. Yes, by just signing up to follow the site you will automatically be entered into the giveaway!

If you’re not quite sure if you’d like a copy of my book (free or not), why not read the Backmatter, or better yet, the First Chapter. :)
As always, for more information on places and formats Only Angels Are Bulletproof is available in check out my website. Yes, Amazon.com has it on sale.
Yeah, I love sales too. :)

Thanks and have a great week!
Oh, and thanks every so much to Flannelgraph.org

Good Day

Don’t forget to check out http://www.writer-to-reader.com/ tomorrow! Again, I’d like to thank them for posting the first chapter of my book and information on my book signing.
If you’re searching for some books, you should definitely check in with them regularly. It’s a great resource for finding up and coming Christian fiction.

Help from the blogs...

Having a book on the market is at times an up and down experience. One month I see activity, and the next every message I send out goes unanswered or is outright rejected. It has been a great lesson on leaning on God and waiting for His timing.
But April has been a blessing month and was further made so by a blog titled Writer-to-Reader. They graciously post the first chapters of books and accept posts from writers across the country to help them connect with readers.
On April 22 the first chapter of Only Angels Are Bulletproof will be posted. Thank you!
Check out http://www.writer-to-reader.com/ to read the chapter and check out more information on other new releases.
If you have a blog, please consider putting up a review or an announcement of my book. Every notice helps. Actually, post announcements for any great book you read, especially if it’s a new release. You will never know how much we rely on word of mouth…or posts on blogs. This day and age it’s the same thing. ;)
And thank you to the bloggers who have posted my book! You are truly blessings. :)

Have a happy tax day…or is that an oxymoron. ;)

Shout Out

This is a shout out for help to anyone who has read my book. To date, none of the online sellers have any reviews of the book posted and most only have one rating. I have been informed that this is really important, because these features help boast my visibility in search engines. So, if you’ve read the book would you mind posting a review or rating?
BarnesandNobles, Target, and Amazon all have these features on the page that shows my book. If you don’t feel comfortable writing a review, a simple rating would still be really appreciated. On Amazon, if you scroll down the page you will also find a feature called “tags.” These help put my book in categories like, Christian Fiction or Mystery. You can come up with your own tags or simply vote on the existing ones. This really helps my standing in search engines.
Like I said, every bit of help makes a difference. Thank you so much. :)

Quick reminder: My first book signing is coming up. February 7th at the Borders in Visalia CA. For all the information visit the EVENTS page on my web site, http://www.emilyannbenedict.com/. I hope I’ll see you there.