Thank you all so much for the great suggestions! The winner of the free pendant is Jackie! Jackie, send me your snail mail address and I’ll ship your prize!
* * * * *
If you post a comment today, you’ll be entered to win an altered art pendant made by me!
I’ve been wondering what I can do for a contest to run alongside the release of Shattered Souls. Something that will entice you to stop by and check out the excerpts here, and something that will encourage you to talk the book up with your friends.
I love this book. Adore the characters. The hero and heroine are very strong individuals. The supporting cast is fun. I loved writing them all into the next story and having Cait find her witchy footing, albeit reluctantly.
So what might help you decide to read the book? Yes, I’ll share excerpts to tempt you. How about you tell me what would entice you to talk up the book and post it on your FB or website? Does anyone know how to run contests on Goodreads? What sort of prizes stimulate interest there? I’ve never spent much time there because I feel lost. I don’t know how to take advantage. I need advice! But in the meantime, meet Sam and Cait.
[Right now, you can save $7.00 on the Kindle version of Shattered Souls. Follow the link!]
The Excerpt
Hands gripped Caitlyn O’Connell’s shoulders and shook her. “Get up, dammit.”
The gruff voice was familiar. Felt right, hearing it in her bedroom—for all of two seconds. Then she pried open her eyes, wincing at the overhead light, and stared at Samuel Pierce.
Same taut expression, same hard body. Brown hair cut short, freshly shaved, and not a crease in his pale dress shirt or dark trousers. A silk tie ringed his strong neck. Strong lines bracketed his mouth, the corners turned down.
He didn’t seem particularly happy to be here. Which was sort of sad. Once upon a time, he’d sworn there was nowhere else he wanted to be more.
“How’d you get in?” she muttered. Was he aware his thumbs caressed her shoulders? She glanced down, then back up again.
Sam looked down at his hands, let go of her shoulders, and straightened. With his gaze still on hers, he raked a hand through his hair and sighed.
Now all six feet two inches of his sturdy frame loomed, bristling with ill-concealed impatience.
“Damn, Caitlyn, you still have a spare key on top of the door frame. I told you it wasn’t a good idea a long time ago. Anyone can let himself in.”
“Only person ever used it was you,” she grumbled, rubbing a hand over her eyes. “What time’s it?”
“Time to get your ass out of bed.”
“I don’t work on your schedule anymore.” She glanced at the clock on her nightstand and pulled on a scowl that would have had a lesser man backing up. “It’s eight fucking o’clock. Whatever it is can wait.”
“Sweetheart, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Your choice.”
“Always preferred it hard,” she purred, but the sound was a little too raspy for sexy.
“Cut the crap, Cait.” His gaze lifted to the ceiling and his jaw tightened, a muscle flexing along the hard line. When his eyes locked on her again, for just a moment, something warm but haunted shone in the blue depths.
She stared back, wishing he still loved her. But hey, wishes were like elbows—everybody had ’em. Cait hoped she hadn’t drooled, but knew she had bed-head, and dark mascara likely rimmed her lower lids. Just great. First time she’d seen Sam alone in months and he had the advantage.
“How much did you have to drink last night?” he asked quietly.
“What do you care?” she said thickly, hiding her face with her arm. “Enough. Slept good.” A faint, staticky whisper sounded inside her head, and her hand shot out for the glass on her nightstand.
The glass slid out of her fingers before she had a chance to grab tight.
“No way, babe. I need you sober.”
Now she was pissed. Her head began to pound. She came up on her elbows. “I’m not your partner anymore. Not a cop. And I don’t get out of bed before noon.”
With a quick move, he peeled away the sheet covering her.
“Agh.” She fell back to free an arm to stop him, not sure what he’d see, but hoping that at least her underwear was clean.
But he was fast, and the room spun.
She opened her mouth to deliver another complaint when she was yanked upright by a grip on her upper arm. “Sam, what the hell do you—”
A grunt sounded as he pulled her over his shoulder and stomped toward the bathroom.
Upside down, her stomach lurched. “Stop moving. I’m gonna throw up.”
He came to a halt at her shower, rustled the curtain, and turned on the faucets. Then he dumped her on the tiled floor under a spray of cold water.
The water made her jump. She sputtered, cursing, and pushed back her hair to scowl up at him. “Why are you doing this?”
“Get washed up.” Sam’s lips twisted in disgust. “You’re coming downtown with me.”
Sitting in the bottom of the stall, she firmed her lips, ready to tell him to go to hell.
His stark, angry expression halted her.
“I need you.”
Just those three words were all it took. She sighed, put her face into the water, and let it sluice over her before gathering her armor around her and giving him a glare. “Do you mind?”
A look came over his face, but before she had a chance to put a name to it, he turned away and stalked back to the bedroom. The sounds of drawers slamming told her he wasn’t letting her off.
“What’s this about?” she shouted, beginning to shiver. With a jerk, she pulled her sodden T-shirt over her head and tossed it outside the stall. Her underwear followed, and she slid up the tiled wall to turn on the hot water.
“Just hurry it up. I don’t have all day to wait on you to get your head straight.”
Cait turned her face in to the spray again, closing her eyes as the water warmed, and she swayed. Her legs stiffened, catching her before she slid to the floor again. If she passed out now, he’d just shove her into her clothes wet.
She’d seen him this mad a time or two. Quiet fury made his movements jerk. His face became a tight, scary mask. She loved that look…when it wasn’t directed at her.
Must be something big for him to be in such a foul mood, but what did he want with her? The way he acted, she wondered why he hadn’t slapped on cuffs. He treated her the same way he did scumbag suspects.
Still, he hadn’t Mirandized her. Maybe he just needed her expert opinion, which set her stomach roiling even more. The only area of police work where she’d had a specialized skill set was the “full moon” cases.
Trying to remedy the dehydration that would keep her head muzzy for hours, she opened her mouth and drank down the warm water. She’d really needed that gulp of Scotch before she got out of bed, but she didn’t think he’d buy that she needed it to think.
The curtain flew back. Sam reached in, turned off the faucets, and tossed her a towel, his frowning gaze sweeping her body only briefly. “Five minutes. Your clothes are on the bed. I’ll be in the car. Don’t make me come back in here.”
She watched the stiff set of his shoulders and wondered if seeing her naked again after all this time had bothered him. Seeing him fully clothed set all her dormant hormones firing, even if they were swimming in alcohol.
Cait sighed and blotted her body with the towel. If he’d been even the least bit nicer, she might have asked him to join her for old times’ sake. However, she guessed they both needed to hold on tight to their anger or they’d never get through the day.
Anger was the deepest emotion either one of them could risk. Anything else would hurt too damn much.
Comment
Well hot damn! I’m in the beginning stages of edge of my seat to finish reading the rest. I will be honest i Like my fave authors on facebook to show support and will once in a while post something about a book i read if its good, i am also signed up at Goodreads but like you i feel lost when i go to their site and almost overwhelmed by all that i would need to do to get set up properly? maybe just need to take the time to actually set it up would probably help lol. I love to talk about my books and especially when i feel personally connected to the stories, i.e they make me cry, laugh or argue out loud to myself (kids think im losing it too by the way). As for prizes free stuff of course or giftcard to like Amazon ect to buy more books seems to work. 😉
Comment
There’s never really any contests on GR – authors just tend to use a raffle-type thingy to randomly select a commentee 😉 Similarly, they will offer a free book, state a time-line, and at the end choose an entrant who ‘wins’ – again a form of random lottery 😐
There are a number of authors on GR who do exactly like you: refer the reader to a blog, read the blurb or an extract, get them to comment, and throw in the random selection at the ‘end’ – I think that will always work because peeps always want something for nothing 😯
I’ll join in occasionally, but usually I’ve already bought the book (or have it on my urgent to buy list!) anyway – especially when its a fav author (like you!)
OK, that was a bit sucky, but I try to keep up with release-dates etc so I don’t forget! (and I have Shattered Souls pre-ordered anyway!) 😉
Hugs
Comment
This book sounds really interesting and I totally plan to purchase it.
As for what you said about Goodreads I completely agree! I have spent a lot of time on there and still don’t get. I finally gave up trying. So instead I focus on authors on Facebook and enter contests posted there. I have been trying to win a Kindle for like two years with no luck lol! . But, recently I won a contest for an Amazon gift card which I loved using. I also enter contests on newsletters. So to me any of those ways work.
This is the first author’s blog I have actually followed and so far I have enjoyed it so I may do some others in the future.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Comment
WoW the is a very good example and I can’t wait to read the rest of it.bibbiesparks@yahoo.com
Comment
I can see why you enjoyed writing this book, definitely have me wanting to read more, but as if any of your book you write don’t leave you wanting more. Gotta get this just so I can finish what you teased us with. 😉 As far as GR, not sure how it’s done, but really don’t see to many out on there. I see more authors using the random raffle time thing, just as Carole-Ann had mentioned.
Comment
you simply can’t go wrong with a gift card to amazon.com which is where I get most of my books,because people who are avid readers and read a lot ,spend a lot and sometimes if you are like me and spend a little over $200 a month on books then a gift card is the best thing in the world.specially on authors like yourself and the others like Cynthia Eden ect who have made a name because those books are expensive,In the store your books can run up to $15 and so if I didn’t get a lot of free books from sites,there would be a lot of books Id never get to read and at the library your books usually have a long waiting list.As far as spreading the word,if a book has certain authors names on them like yours I usually buy them because of who wrote them and I always tell my friends about what books to read,I also blog on goodreads and Marsyes book blog and in the comments section,if I find a really good book ,I just keep on making daily comments until I guess they get tired of seeing it and read the book and then they recommend it lol, I have dont this on Marsyes and this week she actually recommended 2 books that I have been commenting on for a week solid,because other people saw my comments and they tried them and liked them so much they agreed with my comments, I also have about 50 people who when they need a book to read and they know I read all kinds of romance from erotic to contemporary that they gmail me and ask me whats a good one and I keep a list of every book I like in catagories and ask them what they are in the mood for and then go to that section and recommend it,I even have people in 8 other countries that gmail me and ask me about books because they can order them thru amazom.com so thats kind of cool.Lately I have had a lot more request than ever for paranormal which is my specialty and for bsmd books and when it comes to menages or bondage fantasies,yours is the first name I give them and then they complain about the price so I have a list of used bookstores that do business thru the mail and I refer them to there and 70% of the time they are usually able to get some of your older books which are just as steamy as your newer ones,I have never had anyone complain about a recomment I did on any of your books except for the foursome one,a few of them thought 4 men and 1 women was a bit much but 1 book out of all you have written says to me that they loved all the others and now will continue to read,I have already have a couple ask me about your new release coming out on the 29th because I mentioned it on my facebook page and after reading the blurb above it looks like it will be one that I will be advertising a lot !!!!! oh and back to gifts, for those of us with kindles a gift card via email is manna from heaven ,for those who dont have a kindle getting a free book is a wonderful thing, I recently won a contest and got a coffee mug and some bookmarks and a pen and while it was fun to win and have something from the author,the book bag has a man tied up with rope on a bed so its not something I can take out in public much and the mug has the same picture so I have to be careful that my grandkids dont reach for it out of the cabinet and with a kindle 12 bookmarks while still nice because I still buy real books,I never have 12 reading at once lol , dont get me wrong it was nice and I loved recieving it but most people that go to authors website and facebook sites do so because they love to read so anything that can help them to read more books is the best gift ever.
Comment
Can’t wait to read it!!! Plus I’m so happy mI get $7 off for my kindle copy! ❗
Comment
Another great teaser!! :). I am looking forward to the release of Shattered Souls…and more excerpts!! I enjoy reading paper books and ebooks, so to receive gift cards or book marks or whatever is offered and I won is a treat!! I LOVE to read, for me its a relaxing mindcation!! Take me away!! 😉
Comment
I know autographed books are a good seller for me in contests. I would imagine on Goodreads there is a way to contact them to figure out the details on how to run contests through them. Hope this helps.
Comment
ok – you got me
I ordered Shattered Souls for kindle & tweeted
I said NO to that review – insert rude noise here
and i liked it on amazon
now- I’m going to buy the good little girl Kit Kat
Kit Kat lower sodium – 30 mg 😳
Comment
I pretty much use Goodreads to keep track of some of the books that I have read but I will send you a link to the help page that I found that is directed towards authors.
This is indeed a fabulous read and I look forward to more stories about Cait and the hunky men in her life!
Comment
I do enter contests on goodreads to win books
I’ve won several — but not lately
I’m having better luck on blog tours & such
Comment
This is only the third time I’ve done it, but I pre=ordered the book today.
Comment
I always share info on my favorite authors. I also have a book club where we share books and ideas. If we think someone would love a book or an author we let them know. I have shared links on facebook and goodreads for books before.
To get me to read a book is not that hard. I love to read. I pretty much buy all my favorite authors’ books. If an author that I like recommends a book/author to me I will check them out. Most of the time I end up buying their books also. 🙂 I am a bookworm. I have been since I was a kid. I never really go by reviews. Everyone has their own opinions and I like to make my own. So even if everyone gives a book a bad or negative review and I think it is interesting I will still get it. Just becasue someone else did not like it, does not mean that I won’t.
Shattered Souls is on my need to get list…..just waiting for that payday. :-/ Thanks for sharing.
Comment
Thank you all so much for the great suggestions! I ran the number of comments through a random number generator to get a winner. It’s commenter #1—Jackie! Jackie, send me your snail mail address and I’ll ship your prize!