Gull makes a startling discovery in Ch 12/Sc 1b of RAGING SEA by @KimHeadlee #amwriting

Graphic overlay c2016 by Kim Headlee.

Slowly I'm getting my new laptop whipped into shape. 

Windows 10 has not been the disaster I was expecting. In fact, as an operating system it's actually halfway decent. This, from someone who still remembers the improvements rolled out with Windows 3.1 in the last millennium.

I have had to bite the proverbial bullet and get accustomed to Microsoft's "ribbon" method of command organization for applications such as Windows Explorer, but I flat-out refuse to drink the Cloud Subscription Kool-aid for Microsoft Office.

Rather than install Microsoft Office 2010, however, I have decided to try an "open" (i.e., free) software suite, LibreOffice. So far, I have used its spreadsheet and word processing programs, and I've found the interfaces to be a reasonable hybrid of the pre- and post-2010 versions of their Microsoft Office counterparts. 

As of this writing, I've also begun dabbling with LibreDraw, which opens Microsoft Publisher files, and thank heaven for that mercy. I had been using Publisher to create promotional materials and to develop the Kindle edition of my forthcoming graphic novel, The Challenge. Now that I have my nonstandard fonts installed, and with the final page of episode 1 soon to be finalized, I have dived into that work in earnest.

Best of all, LibreOffice's command icons are brightly colored, making it much easier for my beleaguered eyes.

Gull can scarcely believe his eyes in today's excerpt from Raging Sea when he sees what Morghe's ship has been transporting.

Previous excerpts of Raging Sea 
Chapters 1–6 in Raging Sea: Reckonings

 Chapter 7: Sc 1 | Sc 2 | Sc 3 | Sc 4 | Sc 5a | Sc 5b |
Chapter 8: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2 | Sc 3a | Sc 3b |
Chapter 9: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 1d | Sc 1e |
Chapter 10: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2a | Sc 2b | Sc 3a | Sc 3b | Sc 3c |
Chapter 11: Sc 1a |  Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 2 | Sc 3a | Sc 3b |
Chapter 12: Sc 1a | 

Raging Sea Chapter 12, Scene 1b

©2016 by Kim Headlee

All rights reserved.

The first passenger off the ship was a wee lad, tugging on his father’s hand and leaning forward for all he was worth, like a hound straining against the leash, whilst his mother struggled to keep pace. Both parents were toting knapsacks stuffed to bursting with the gods alone knew what. The man had a second, larger pack strapped to his back.

As his feet touched the dock, the lad surged and broke his father’s grip. Whooping with triumph, he careened toward Gull, ignoring his parents’ startled, “Eoghann, no! Come back at once!” They exchanged grimaces and rushed after him.

The lad shook his head, his wee little legs and arms pumping in furious rhythm to gain distance. But he missed spotting a loose board, tripped, and smacked headfirst onto the planking.

Gull dashed to his side and righted him in moments. The tyke looked more confused and stunned than hurt, though he already had grown a fair purpling knot on his forehead. But as his parents neared, he broke into a loud wail. Gull scooped him up. The boy, still howling, started flailing his fists and kicking anything in reach. Gull had to hold him at arm’s length to avoid getting bruised.

“So sorry, sir,” said the father in gruff Breatanaiche, reaching for the lad. Gull was all too happy to deposit the squirming dervish into the man’s arms.

“No harm done,” Gull assured him as the mother joined them to coo over the still struggling child, fingering his knot. Gull laid a hand on Eoghann’s shock of carrot hair. “Ye be a brave one, mo laochan.”

That got the lad’s attention. All movement of limbs and torso stilled. Between sniffles he gave Gull a puzzled stare.

“It means ‘my little hero’ in the tongue of my people,” explained Gull to the trio, selecting a word he thought the lad might know.

This time when Eoghann kicked, it was accompanied by a squeal and grin of pure joy.

And this time, Gull noticed the outline of a pair of tiny blue doves flying across the boy’s bare heel.

Only Caledonaich tattooed their children, and only children of the clan’s àrd-banoigin received such a tattoo. And only one clan in all Caledon laid claim to the pair of doves in flight.

Loholt . . . alive? With Móranach guardians? Answering to the name Eoghann?
 
Before Gull could decide which question to voice first, the lady Elian had hailed and her companion jounced down the gangplank. Gull and Elian watched as the warrior tried to steady her while maintaining his balance, though the pair managed to traverse the distance without mishap.

For a few moments the woman appeared to be looking past Elian and Gull, a slight but triumphant smile flashing across her face.

Gull turned to follow the line of her gaze in time to glimpse Loholt and his guardians disappearing into the crowd.

He could have kicked himself all the way to fire-ravaged Ifrinn and back.

Elian would be hearing about his suspicions later; Gull knew not whom else he could trust with such a sensitive matter.

***

All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow<

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books.

Please enter often, and good luck!

The Business of Writing: Introduction to Amazon's Kindle Book Previewer

STOP WISHING. START DOING.
c2015 by zzoplanet.
Depositphotos ID:86051516.

I have been a programmer since the days when to program a computer meant flipping a series of switches on its console—and a deck of punched cards was a vast improvement. 

So please forgive me if I geek out on you a bit and get technical today. I promise I will make it up to you next week. :D

Amazon tops my list of companies that I love to hate (with Microsoft and Google coming in a photo-finish second and third, in case you were wondering), but earlier this year the wit-heads behind the arrow-smile rolled out a feature that I actually like: the embeddable Kindle book previewer.

Before I get too far along, I want to give a shout to author Stacy Juba. It was via this blog post of hers that I first learned of the embeddable Kindle book previewer. Thanks, Stacy!

Why would you want to avail yourself of the Kindle book previewer?

I can think of several reasons:

• The cover images are stored on Amazon's servers, not yours.
• The covers load faster for blog visitors.
• The latest cover image is always displayed.
• Amazon gives you access to "Preview", "Buy", and "Share" options without a visitor ever having to leave your page.

The good news is that implementing the Kindle book previewer is as easy as 1-2-3, as shown in Amazon's tutorial on this page. The process allows you to generate either a link or a chunk of HTML code.

In case you're too busy to click the link, the basic steps are:

1. Display the Amazon product page of the Kindle book for which you want to generate the preview link or code.
   NOTE 1: If you are an Amazon Affiliate, do not display the page with your affiliate tag; Amazon's browser software doesn't know how to process that, and the page will sit and spin forever. Not to worry, however; they give you an opportunity to specify your affiliate ID in the code-generation popup window.
   NOTE 2: The most compact form of the Amazon.com link for your book, without having to grind it through link-shortening software, is
   

   http://www.amazon.com/dp/Your_Books_ASIN
   For example:
   http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BLNN6XS

2. On the product page, click the "<Embed>" link. It is located in the same line with all the other sharing options (email, Facebook, etc.) underneath the long bar that reads "Add to List".
   NOTE: If you are working off a tablet, laptop, or (God help you) an even smaller screen, you will have to scroll down a bit to find the <Embed> hyperlink.
3. On the popup window, select either the "Get a link (URL)" (default) or "Embed on your site (HTML)" option, and then copy the result by clicking in the display area and pressing the <CTRL> and <C> keys. (To dump the contents of the paste buffer into another application, press <CTRL><V>.) These are near-universal hot-key shortcuts.
   NOTE: If you have an Amazon Affiliate ID, click the link to enter your ID before you copy the code or link. Type your ID where they tell you to, and the system will update the result as you watch. Then click in the box displaying the code or link, and copy it.

If you have requested a link, you will see something like this:

https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=Your_Books_ASIN&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_5G2hxb127NHFS
&tag=Your_Amazon_Affiliate_ID

To save yourself the hassle of steps 1, 2, and 3, create a copy of the above link and replace "Your_Books_ASIN" and "Your_Amazon_Affiliate_ID", or delete all text beginning with "&tag" to the end of the string if you don't have an affiliate ID, and you're all set to embed the link.

The link code gets pasted between the "" in your <A HREF=""> HTML tag.


If you have requested an HTML fragment, you'll get:

<iframe type="text/html" width="336" height="550" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen style="max-width:100%" src="https://read.amazon.com/kp/card?asin=Your_Books_ASIN&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_5G2hxb127NHFS
&tag=Your_Amazon_Affiliate_ID" ></iframe>

Same drill as with the link as far as customizing this fragment for your needs, but do not delete the "></iframe> part at the end of the fragment.

Next time, I'll go into detail about how to customize the HTML to "float" the book's cover with text flowing to one side or the other, as shown below, as well as reducing the cover's size as in my sidebar's images.

Meanwhile, happy embedding and promoting!

***

Enter this great Rafflecopter giveaway
for a signed copy of KASIWC and more!

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***

All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. 

Please enter often, and good luck!

Queen Morgan of #KASIWC by @KimHeadlee visits #RLFBlog! #MFRWOrg #ASMSG

BREAKING NEWS!

NOW ON AUDIBLE: The Audiobook edition of
King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court,
performed by Danielle Cohen.

Get your copy today!

King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court
by Mark Twain as channeled by
Kim Iverson Headlee

To learn more about the formidable Morgan the Wise,
sister of King Arthur and
Queen of Gore,
I invite you to visit this post on Romance Lives Forever.

One thing that post does not cover, however, is her favorite saying:

"The past is past. 

The game goes on."

This is the wisdom she imparts to her London Knights baseball players whenever their spirits need lifting.

Wait. What? Baseball?? In a book about Morgan le Fay and King Arthur???

Yes, and it wouldn't be the first time.

Baseball was just beginning to come into its own as the American "national pastime" in 1879, the year Mark Twain began writing A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court and the year he chose for his Yankee's departure to travel back in time. The National League had formed just three years earlier, in response to blossoming interest in the sport across the nation.

It was only proper that Twain have his Connecticut Yankee introduce baseball to the sixth century and King Arthur's court.

And it was more than proper for me to take Twain's idea and turn it on its collective ear, allowing Queen Morgan not only to helm a world-champion baseball team, but to foretell other improvements in the game of the late 21st century.

These improvements include form-hugging uniforms ("immensely popular, especially within the female age 18–80 demographic"), and the creation of the European League and the Asian League to complement the existing National and American leagues—along with an entirely new playoff "Banner" tier—so that the game truly represents its growing worldwide popularity.

Just how involved does Queen Morgan get with her London Knights?

Ah, fair reader, that is for you to discover for yourself! :D

***

Enter this great Rafflecopter giveaway
for a signed copy of KASIWC and more!

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***

All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books.

Please enter often, and good luck!

Gull and Elian enjoy calm before the storm in Ch 12/Sc 1a of RAGING SEA by @KimHeadlee #amwriting

Graphic overlay c2016 by Kim Headlee.

I've been working with computers since the days when you could walk through the middle of them, and this week has been one of the worst for me, computing-wise, ever. 

Suffice it to say that I'm having to limp along with an old XP desktop machine, but I'm grateful for that much because otherwise I would not be able to continue sharing these excerpts with you.

Today we turn back to Gull and Elian, and it's an auspicious day, especially for Gull, who stands on the cusp of an important meeting. Two important meetings, in fact, though neither he nor Elian knows it yet.

Previous excerpts of Raging Sea 
Chapters 1–6 in Raging Sea: Reckonings

 Chapter 7: Sc 1 | Sc 2 | Sc 3 | Sc 4 | Sc 5a | Sc 5b |
Chapter 8: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2 | Sc 3a | Sc 3b |
Chapter 9: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 1d | Sc 1e |
Chapter 10: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2a | Sc 2b | Sc 3a | Sc 3b | Sc 3c |
Chapter 11: Sc 1a |  Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 2 | Sc 3a | Sc 3b |

Raging Sea Chapter 12, Scene 1a

©2016 by Kim Headlee

All rights reserved.

GULL strode beside Elian, trying to recall the last time the auld boar had walked so fast. Dockside shops, inns, warehouses, and other buildings seemed to fall behind them in a blur of color, punctuated by the brisk step-thock of the centurion’s tread and his cheerful whistling of a ribald drinking tune about seven Sasunach sisters, each more lusty than the last.

Training recruits these past several sennights had done Elian a world of good, and Gull was glad to see it. The grueling schedule helped Gull keep his mind off Angusel, and he was glad of that too, truth be told. A parent could worry only so much before it exacted a steep toll.

He was gladder still that he and Elian were on their way to their favorite watering hole on this, their weekly day of rest, with legion coin jingling in their pouches, even though their primary reason for visiting the waterfront tavern was to keep recruits out of any trouble that could be had in the off-duty hours.

Before their destination hove into view, Elian pulled up short. Gull almost collided with him, and jostled his arm.

“Hey! Mind where you’re going, dead Pict!”

Gull grinned, wondering when the epithet had become an endearment between them. “Then give a ghost a wee bit o’warning next time. Why did ye stop?”

Elian pointed at a trading vessel flying the Black Boar of Clan Móran that had just nosed into a berth at the next dock. Crewmen leaped ashore, and shipmates tossed them ropes for winching the vessel into place. Watching the proceedings amidships stood a lovely lady, guarded by a warrior with a fearsome countenance who looked ready to take on all comers. Both their cloaks—hers edged in gold and his almost as fine but plain—sported the Black Boar too.

“Ho, Lady Morghe!” Elian gave a grand wave, which the woman returned with nigh as much enthusiasm, and he abandoned Gull to greet her.

Curious, Gull followed.

***

All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. 

Please enter often, and good luck!

Book spotlight on Corralling Kenzie by @joannejaytanie MOB Promotions

#KASIWC by @KimHeadlee takes its new e-cover on tour! #MFRWOrg

The Business of Writing: Defining Keywords for Your Book

Underground logo by transportation systems in London
c2012 by nanka-photo, Depositphotos ID, 9911981
EDITORIAL USE ONLY.

As I mentioned to an author-friend recently, there is no "magic bullet" formula for getting your book noticed out of the millions of titles that are published each year.

The right keywords, however, can help your work float to the top of potential customers' search-results pages.

I attended a panel at MarsCon (Williamsburg, VA) in January, where I learned that I could stuff the "seven keywords" field available via Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) with huge multi-word phrases.

The "phrases" don't even have to make sense as long as the words are applicable to the book and don't violate rules such as using a celebrity's name to imply an endorsement.

This was exciting news, since most of my novels contain elements from several genres, and redefining their keywords became one of the first tasks I assayed after I got home from MarsCon.

What the presenter neglected to mention was the 350-character limit that I bumped up against in KDP. The keyword limit is even shorter in Createspace—five keywords (rather than the seven that KDP allows) of no more than 25 characters apiece. In Nook Press you're limited to just 100 characters total.

Still, you are doing yourself and your book a favor by stuffing in as many keywords as each e-book publishing platform allows.

Not sure where to start?

Amazon's article "Make Your Book More Discoverable with Keywords" is a good general "best practices" reference. Another general reference, "Selecting Browse Categories", includes links to keyword tables by Amazon category, to help you decide how to land your book in one or more subcategories. Here are a few category tables to give you an idea:

• Biographies & Memoirs.
• Business & Money.
• Comics & Graphic Novels.
• History.
• Literature & Fiction.
• Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense.
• Religion & Spirituality.
• Romance.
• Science Fiction & Fantasy.
• Teen & Young Adult.

Don't be shy about pulling keywords from categories that you might not otherwise think of for your novel, as long as they fit!

Keyword definition is not all fun and games, however. This article by Sarah Arrow on the Sark eMedia blog lists actions that make your keywords irrelevant. It's geared toward bloggers, but the "Know Your Niche" and "Know your Audience" tips are essential for book authors.

If you're struggling with understanding your audience, Georgina Roy offers "5 Ways to Learn About Your Target Audience for Your Book" on e-Books India blog. The title is a bit of a misnomer, since #5 is geared more toward what an author should do once s/he has exercised tips 1-4, but Ms. Roy's advice provides a good starting point.

Best of luck in your book writing and your keyword writing!

***

Enter this great Rafflecopter giveaway
for a signed copy of KASIWC and more!

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***

All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. 

Please enter often, and good luck!

#KASIWC by @KimHeadlee wins IBPA Gold and gets an e-book cover makeover! #MFRWOrg #ASMSG

Spell failed by 300 miles & 200 years!
Whatever is a queen of magic and
minions to do?
King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court
by Mark Twain as channeled by
Kim Iverson Headlee.

Thursday marks the 106th anniversary of Mark Twain's death (April 21, 1910, 6:21 p.m. ET), and in honor of the occasion I have planned something very special: a new cover for the e-book edition of King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court!

The woman on the cover is Queen Morgan le Fay —pardon me, Morgan the Wise (she gets twitchy when you call her "le Fay," and even twitchier if you call her glorious auburn hair "red"… and you might not survive the fallout :D). The Washington Monument at sunset stands proudly in the background.

Why?

Because Her Majesty tried to cast a spell to take her to 1879 Connecticut to waylay the Yankee Sir Boss before he could travel back in time to screw up her world, but she landed in Washington, DC—of 2079—instead!

This magical mishap, causing the most powerful sorceress of the sixth century to pit her considerable skills against the futuristic technology of the latter twenty-first century, makes this novel a true fantasy / science fiction crossover. As such, I am pleased to announce that…

KASIWC  has won the gold medal in the
2016 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy!

 

Given Mark Twain's famous association with Nikola Tesla, and his fascination with cutting-edge technology in general, I like to think Twain would have been proud of this sequel to A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.

Four photos comprise KASIWC's new cover, including Queen Morgan's necklace and a pocket watch displaying its gears. Graphic designer Natasha Brown of Fostering Success did a marvelous job of blending all the elements, don't you agree? This new e-book cover is being revealed on several sites across the blogisphere this week.

I am also tickled to announce that I am scheduled to sign KASIWC at the Connecticut Renaissance Fair on Sunday October 16, and I'll be speaking at The Mark Twain House October 17! Yes I know it's six months off, but I've been sitting on this news for several months already, and I just couldn't keep it in any longer. Set your calendars. :D

Another spot of news brewing on the much more imminent horizon: the KASIWC audiobook edition is in final review, and it features a fantastic performance by the talented British voiceover artist Danielle Cohen.

While you wait for my announcement of the audiobook links, why not jump-start your reading pleasure and download your e-copy of KASIWC today? Queen Morgan foretells that you shall be glad you did.

***

Enter this great Rafflecopter giveaway
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***

All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. 

Please enter often, and good luck!

Eileann dances with Iomar in Ch 11/Sc 3b of RAGING SEA by @KimHeadlee #amwriting

Overlay graphic (c)2016 by Kim Headlee.

Have you ever watched the beginning of a TV show or movie when the characters are having a party? You just KNOW something awful is about to happen because they're all acting way too happy.

Today's excerpt is kind of like that for me, since I've written far enough ahead to know exactly what's coming for Eileann and Iomar. And it's no party.

However, I'll not let my knowledge spoil the experience of this tender moment for you—or for them.

Previous excerpts of Raging Sea 
Chapters 1–6 in Raging Sea: Reckonings

 Chapter 7: Sc 1 | Sc 2 | Sc 3 | Sc 4 | Sc 5a | Sc 5b |
Chapter 8: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2 | Sc 3a | Sc 3b |
Chapter 9: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 1d | Sc 1e |
Chapter 10: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2a | Sc 2b | Sc 3a | Sc 3b | Sc 3c |
Chapter 11: Sc 1a |  Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 2 | Sc 3a |

Raging Sea Chapter 11, Scene 3b

©2016 by Kim Headlee

All rights reserved.

A priest’s blast on the aurochs horn signaled the end of the dance. Eileann halted in front of Iomar of Clan Rioghail. Another year, this might have been considered a surprise; virgins deeming themselves ready to transition to the next phase of life at Belteine were free to choose their mate, who often had no advance warning.

No surprise registered in Iomar’s gaze, of course, only intense desire.

He gathered her into his strong arms and fastened his ravenous lips to hers, stealing her breath and making her crave everything he had to offer.

Gently she disengaged. “We must greet the mothers first, and partake of the blessing of new life,” she murmured.

“I know.” He nuzzled and nipped at her neck, making her arch and gasp. “By this time next year, you shall be one of them.” His confident prophecy sent a wave of heat sweeping through her body.

He slipped his arm around her waist and guided her toward the line of pregnant women who had formed nearby. Every woman, mother and virgin alike, was regarding Eileann, who as àrd-banoigin held the honor of being the first virgin to greet the mothers. She smiled at the man she had chosen to receive the gift of her virginity and become her life partner, ensuring the continuity of Clan Tarsuinn by bearing many heirs.

Iomar’s lopsided return grin reminded her of another, one whose outcast status made him forbidden to her as a mate.

Eileann stumbled and might have fallen against the first pregnant woman if Iomar hadn’t lunged to steady her.

“Are you all right?” Concern throbbed in his tone, mirrored in his fingertips grasping her arms.

She apologized to the woman and flashed Iomar a shy look. “Aye. Mayhap a wee bit nervous.”

The woman giggled. “I’m thinking your husband shall have the remedy for that, my lady.”

As Eileann nodded agreement, she hoped with all her heart that Iomar possessed the remedy for her thinking about Angusel overmuch too.

***

All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. 

Please enter often, and good luck!

Spotlight on (Not So) Good in a Room by Dakota Madison (@karenmbryson)

The Business of Writing: How to Create Permafree Titles #ASMSG #MFRWOrg #IARTG

Young woman reading, c2015 khunaspix,
Depositphotos ID 69719181.

On Saturday we had a blizzard. Yes, a blizzard. In Virginia. In April. Two days later the temperature topped the 70-degree mark. 

Ah, the roller coaster that is the weather of the Appalachian Mountains! :)

With the expectation that winter is finally done with us for another, oh, six months or so, I am happy to post this royalty-free, cost-free spring photo of a young woman reading.

Why is she so happy? Well, it could be that for her it's the first nice day of spring too. Or it could be that she's reading a free book!

Making a print book available for free is as simple as donating copies to libraries; with digital editions, it's a bit trickier, given that the two largest e-book distributors on the planet, Amazon and Nook, do not let you specify a $0.00 price for your e-books directly via your vendor account.

But it's possible, and here's how:

1. Disenroll your e-book from Kindle Unlimited, if you haven't already.
2. Publish it on Kobo and Smashwords, where you can set a price of $0.00 directly via your vendor account. If Smashwords will let you distribute your free book to Amazon, do please leave a comment to that effect below; I have opted out of Amazon distribution via Smashwords because I have my own vendor account there.
   NOTE: If you have just disenrolled the book from Kindle Unlimited, you will have to wait until the current exclusivity period ends before you publish it on any other retail platforms, or you will incur the wrath of Amazon. You do not want to incur the wrath of Amazon, trust me. :D
3. If you have a vendor account on iTunes and they will let you set a $0.00 price directly, please leave a comment and let us all know that too. Lacking any Apple hardware, I publish to iBooks/iTunes via Draft2Digital.com.
4. Definitely get yourself a vendor account at Draft2Digital.com. Here you can set a $0.00 price for your e-book and distribute it to the aforementioned iTunes PLUS Nook, Kobo (if you'd rather not have a separate vendor account there), Scribd, Inktera/Page Foundry, and some European distributors such as 24 Symbols and Tolino. I get a lot of downloads of my free Spanish and German titles downloaded via Tolino.
5. Once the $0.00 prices are in effect at all these other e-tailers' sites, visit the Amazon product page for your book and report the lower price via the link popup located below your book's sales rankings. Get your friends to do the same for you; the more reports they receive, the faster they will activate the price-matching.
6. If for some reason Step 5 fails to achieve the desired result, email Amazon and ask them to price-match the title. Recently author Clare Flynn reported the success of the email tactic in this blog post on the How-to for Authors blog.

I caution you, however, to offer only your very best work free.

Why?

Because this title is going to be your ambassador to potential new fans of your work, and you only get that one golden chance to make a good first impression. Make it shine!

The title you choose to offer free does not have to be a full-length novel. My permafree title, The Color of Vengeance, is a novella excerpted from a much longer work, Morning's Journey. I'm sure it would get more downloads if it was a longer work; one day I may set up book 1 in the series, Dawnflight, as permafree too.

Best of luck to you in all your publishing endeavors!

***

All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. 

Please enter often, and good luck!

Spotlight on Shadows of the Past by Carmen Stefanescu @Carmen_Books

Today on The Maze please welcome returning Maze contributor Carmen Stefanescu and her novel Shadows of the Past, a touching, compelling story of tragedy, loss, and the power of endless love and good magic.

This is a rebroadcast of an earlier Eggcerpt Exchange post that, due to some Triberr glitch, did not get the love it deserves. Please click, read, and enjoy! :)

Synopsis
Anne's relationship with her boyfriend Neil has disintegrated. After a two-year separation, they pack for a week vacation in hopes of reconciling. But fate has other plans for them.

The discovery of a bejeweled cross and ancient human bones opens a door to a new and frightening world--one where the ghost of a medieval nun named Genevieve will not let Anne rest. This new world threatens not only to ruin Anne and Neil's vacation but to end all hopes of reconciliation as Anne feels compelled to help free Genevieve's soul from its torment.

Can Anne save her relationship and help Genevieve find her eternal rest?


The twists and turns in this paranormal tale keep the reader guessing up to the end and weave themselves together into a quest to rekindle love.

Buy links

Wild Child Publishing | Amazon | All Romance | Barnes & Noble |

Excerpt
"Anne, Anne, wake up. Wake up, please," the insistent voice whispered next to her ear.  The touch of a hand, on her shoulder, startled Anne.

She opened her eyes, still half between sleep and reality. Her gaze stopped on a stranger, a woman, by her side.

The moon's pale face, the only light, filtered through a small gap in the tent's entrance; yet the stranger's whole body emanated a kind of soft ray, a yellowish halo making her figure and face easy to discern.

A long, dark robe, similar to those worn by nuns in monasteries centuries ago, covered her body. No traditional headdress covered the woman's red hair, which fell loosely over her shoulders in long, heavy tendrils and continued down her chest and back.

Anne stood up and studied the intruder with open curiosity. The stranger’s wax pale face looked corpse like. Anne opened her mouth to ask her who she was. She looked Anne straight in the eyes, placed her forefinger on her lips and whispered, "Hush, come. Follow me."

Anne's eyes widened.

The woman, moving away from the sleeping bag, appeared to glide above the ground. Her bare feet didn't make a sound.

As if hypnotized, Anne followed the illuminated silhouette heading into the forest, without questioning her own actions.

An onrush of sensations unfamiliar to her followed. Dizziness and a malevolent feeling of unreality suffocated her. The presence of evil, creeping up and enveloping her, became almost palpable. Her throat turned dry, and she gasped for air.


Book trailer:




Character interview of Genevieve:

Please, have a seat. Make yourself comfortable, Miss...
G: "Genevieve. My name is Genevieve, but Sister Clementa, the Abbess,  and some of her followers call me the witch."

Tell me, Genevieve, where are you living?
G: ( a small sigh escapes her lips. Then she shrugs.) "Well, for the moment I reside at St. Mary’s Abbey. On top of a mountain in Britain, in the...cursed forest."

Do you have any schooling?
G: (nods and pats an invisible crease of her dress) "Kind Old Bertha, who took care of me after my family perished, taught me to read and write. Not only English but also Latin. And, most important, she taught me how to prepare healing potions from plants and herbs. Perhaps that’s why the Abbess hates me so much. A peasant girl of the 13th century is dangerous if she knows more than her superiors, I think."

What is your worst nightmare?
G: (throws a shy look around her. She shivers and her voice is small) "I fear the cursed forest. This forest is responsible for what happened to my family. My father’s odd behavior, the death of my siblings. All the evil that lurks in it.
My nightmare - the Abbess, sister Clementa, who threatens me all the time with sending me to the stake. I can’t understand why she wants me out of the way."

Is there anything that you secretly desire?
G: (blushes and wrings her hands. Then she looks me directly in the eyes. Her voice is strong now. ) "To become Andrew’s wife and grow a family. If his family agrees....If the Abbess lets me go... If God  forgives me for giving up being a nun.....If I escape alive from the forest.... If....”

Author bio:
Carmen Stefanescu resides in Romania, the native country of the infamous vampire Count Dracula, but where, for about 50 years of communist dictatorship, just speaking about God, faith, reincarnation or paranormal phenomena could have led someone to great trouble - the psychiatric hospital if not to prison.

Teacher of English and German in her native country and mother of two daughters, Carmen Stefanescu survived the grim years of oppression, by escaping in a parallel world, that of the books.

She has dreamed all her life to become a writer, but many of the things she wrote during those years remained just drawer projects. The fall of the Ceausescu’s regime in 1989, and the opening of the country to the world meant a new beginning for her. She started publishing. Poems first, and then prose. Both in English.

Shadows of the Past, paranormal/light romance/light mystery/light horror was released at the end of 2012 by Wild Child publishing, USA.

Carmen Stefanescu's Links:

Blog | Twitter | Pinterest | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon author page |

***

All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
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Eileann dances with the other virgins in Ch 11/Sc 3a of RAGING SEA by @KimHeadlee #amwriting

Overlay graphic (c)2016 by Kim Headlee.

In my monthly newsletter The Dawnflier on April 1st, I reported that I had resumed work on Raging Sea—no small feat, since I've been busy with evaluating audiobook productions, conducting book promotions, and so forth. 

Much of last week, while I was on vacation, was devoted to helping my daughter shop for clothing and apartments, in that order. And of course we enjoyed several dinners and chats together.

I did, however, manage to find time to finish chapter 14 of Raging Sea and get well into chapter 15. This is a Very Good Thing, because next week I'll wrap up sharing chapter 11 with you. I'm still not ready to disclose why this book is taking me so long to write, when I'm capable of cranking out a good 80K words in a month, but progress is progress.

I thought about going on hiatus in posting these excerpts for a month, since today's scene is set on May 1st, during the Caledonians' version of the May Day (Belteine, or Beltain / Beltane) festivities. But since 5/1 falls on a Sunday this year, and since my editor is nigh begging me to finish this book so she can get her crack at it, you benefit too. :D

Of course in the ancient Caledonian culture I've developed for my series The Dragon's Dove Chronicles, the annual fertility festival is quite spirited indeed.

Previous excerpts of Raging Sea 
Chapters 1–6 in Raging Sea: Reckonings

 Chapter 7: Sc 1 | Sc 2 | Sc 3 | Sc 4 | Sc 5a | Sc 5b |
Chapter 8: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2 | Sc 3a | Sc 3b |
Chapter 9: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 1d | Sc 1e |
Chapter 10: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2a | Sc 2b | Sc 3a | Sc 3b | Sc 3c |
Chapter 11: Sc 1a |  Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 2 |

Raging Sea Chapter 11, Scene 3a

©2016 by Kim Headlee

All rights reserved.

Eileann danced with the other virgins around the central Belteine fire, her heart hammering in time with the relentless drum beats, and her falcon-feathered ceremonial robe conspiring with the flames to roast her from the inside out. Each glimpse of her betrothed, his broad oiled chest and torso glimmering in the flickering light and his widening grin aimed only at her, ignited flames of an altogether different sort.

She threw back her head and leaped and spun all the harder.

This was the last time she would ever dance the Ruidhle na Righinnean, and she would give a performance even the gods would remember.

A priest’s blast on the aurochs horn signaled the end of the dance. Eileann halted in front of Iomar of Clan Rioghail. Another year, this might have been considered a surprise; virgins deeming themselves ready to transition to the next phase of life at Belteine were free to choose their mate, who often had no advance warning.

No surprise registered in Iomar’s gaze, of course, only intense desire.

***

All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
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Meet Sir Rolf #Shapeshifter of ILONA'S WOLF by @LyndiLamont steamy paranormal romance

Lyndi Lamont, author of
Ilona's Wolf: A Fairy Tale Romance.

I had such a tremendous response from authors—including Lyndi—to the recently concluded Eggcerpt Exchange that I didn't have room on my blog to feature this intriguing novel until today. Enjoy! :)

Ilona's Wolf: A Fairy Tale Romance
by Lyndi Lamont
Steamy Paranormal Romance

Synopsis:

Imagine a world filled with magic, a tormented knight, a damsel in distress, an evil sorcerer...

While picking herbs in the woods, Princess Ilona is rescued from a woodsman by a wolf. When the creature licks her wounds, it is suddenly transformed into a man. A very handsome, very naked man who makes passionate love to her in a glade.

Cursed by an evil wizard, Rolf was trapped in wolf form until he tasted the blood of a royal. Now he must escort the princess on a hazardous journey back to the castle to stop an ill-fated wedding.

Passion flares between them, but both know there is no future for Ilona and her werewolf. Or is there? In a world where magic and passion combine, anything may be possible.

Buy links:
Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Smashwords |

Excerpt:

She sat frozen, her back to the tree. Oh, gods, don't let it see me. She tried to cast an invisibility spell, but to no avail. The wolf looked at her, golden eyes gleaming, mouth open, showing off large, sharp teeth. She closed her eyes and gripped her throat with both hands. Quaking with terror, she listened as the animal padded toward her. She felt its hot breath on her cheek.

Opening her eyes a slit, she stared into the face of the wolf. Sad eyes stared at her, and her fears receded. Perhaps he'd been tamed. She reached out with what was left of her powers, but sensed no immediate danger. "Good wolf," she stammered.

She held out one shaking fist, and the wolf sniffed it before licking her knuckles. It moved closer, sniffing her clothing. To her surprise, the animal hunkered down beside her and laid its head on her leg. Carefully, she touched it, stroking the soft fur.

Relief flooded through her. Saved by a wolf, of all creatures. "Thank the gods you showed up when you did. I'd no wish to be ravished by the likes of him."

The wolf lifted its head and seemed to smile up at her, mouth open, tongue lolling.

She smiled at the canine as she continued to pet it. "Grateful I am for you rescuing me, but 'tis not exactly what a girl dreams of. Where's my knight on a white steed? 'Tis he who is supposed to do the rescuing."

When the wolf lowered his head, sniffing between her legs, she laughed and pushed it away. "Rude creature."

The animal responded by sitting up and resting its head on her breast. She put both arms around it and hugged it close, dropping a kiss on its head. "Do not misunderstand, Sir Wolf, but I still wish you were a knight. A strong, handsome knight like my Werner."

The familiar sadness filled her at the memory of her husband. "I miss him so much, you know. Dagmar says another knight will come for me, a handsome knight to protect us and make sweet, passionate love to me."

The wolf whined and raised his head to lick her cheek. Laughing, she tried to push him away, but he licked her full on the mouth. She closed her eyes, stunned when her powers came rushing back, like a flood of magic coursing around her.

Turning aside, she summoned her basket to her side. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the wolf jump up, staring at the basket. Her vision seemed to blur as the wolf's face slowly became humanlike, then shifted back. She must have hit her head harder than she'd thought if she was seeing things. She closed her eyes and shook her head, but the aching had receded.

When she peeked again, the wolf was gone, and a naked man crouched in front of her. A handsome, well-built man with shaggy brown hair and golden brown eyes.

Interview with Sir Rolf of Klosterlupe:

The Maze (TM): Thanks for sitting down with me, Sir Rolf. I just have a few questions for you. What can you tell us about your birthplace?

ROLF: All I know is that I was born somewhere in the Kingdom of Velosia. When I was but a small cub, er, lad, my parents dropped me at Klosterlupe where the monks took me in. Apparently small werewolves are unable to control their shifts. People without magic have no idea how to deal with a situation like that. Still, I would like to learn who my people are some day.

TM: What schooling did you have?

ROLF: I was educated at Klosterlupe, home to the Brotherhood of the wolf, a chivalric order, where I was  trained in the knightly arts.

TM: What is your job?

ROLF: I am a knight in the King’s Guard.

TM: What is your most important goal?

ROLF: Protecting my princess and her family, of course. I owe her a great debt, not to mention she is the love of my life.

TM: What is your worst fear or nightmare?

ROLF: Being trapped again in animal form and unable to shift. That was most disconcerting!

TM: Let's hope that doesn't happen to you again, Sir Rolf. Thanks so much for the chat today!

Author Bio:

Lyndi Lamont is the racy alter ego of romance author Linda McLaughlin. Writing sexy stories gives her a license to be naughty, at least between the pages of her books! She has written several full-length novels plus numerous short stories and novellas, ranging from historical to futuristic. She believes that love is unending and universal, and enjoys transporting her readers into a different world where her characters learn that, in the journey of life, love is the sweetest reward.

Find her online at:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Google+ | Twitter: @LyndiLamont |

***

All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. 

Please enter often, and good luck!