Saturday, October 30, 2010

It's Hallo-EVE YAY!!!!!

Did you get your pumpkins all carved????  Did you get your candy ready?  I serve candy out of a blow up coffin with a blow up skeleton!  He's ready to spook the kids and give out his gruesome treats!  Kids carved one pumpkin earlier and will be carving more tonight!  Then we are roasting Pumpkin seeds!  WOOHOO!

I hope you all have a safe and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Here are some yummy Pumpkin Seed Recipes from Allfreecrafts.com

Simple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:

Spray a baking sheet with no-stick vegetable spray. Spread the seeds evenly over the sheet and lightly spray again with no-stick vegetable spray. Roast in the oven at 300° for about half an hour, or until toasted to a golden brown color. Season to taste with salt, garlic salt, seasoning salt or Worcestershire sauce.

Butter Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:

Preheat oven to 300&deg. Combine about 1½ cups of pumpkin seeds with 2 tsp of melted butter and a generous pinch of salt. Spread seeds in a single layer on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Place 2 cups of pumpkin seeds in a mixing bowl. Add 1½ tablespoons of butter or margarine, ½ tsp salt, 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt and 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce; stir to combine thoroughly. Spread on a baking dish or baking sheet and bake at 275° for about 1 hour, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Sugar and Spice Pumpkin Seeds

Spread 1 cup of pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 250° for 30 to 35 minutes or until dry and toasted, turning occasionally. Place 2 teaspoons sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon of pumpkin spice in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable or olive oil in a skillet, using medium heat. Add toasted pumpkin seeds and 4 tablespoons of white sugar stirring for about 45 seconds or until sugar melts. Add pumpkin seeds to sugar and spice bowl, stirring seeds to coat completely. Let cool and serve.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds:

Preheat oven to 300&deg. Wash and pat dry about 2½ cups of pumpkin seeds to remove strings of pumpkin pulp. Grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Spread seeds evenly over baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes to loosen and turn over seeds for even baking.

Pan Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Heat a little oil or butter in a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed fry pan. Add cleaned and rinsed seeds, stirring constantly as seeds begin to roast. They will puff up a little as a they cook. Remove from the pan when the seeds are roasted to a nice golden color. Add salt, spices or your choice of seasonings.

Oil Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:

Wash 2 cups of pumpkin seeds to remove traces of pulp; pat dry with paper towels. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil and 1½ teaspoons salt. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 300° for about 45-55 minutes, stirring or shaking occasionally.

Microwave Pumpkin Seeds:

If you are rushed for time, combine 1 cup of washed and dried pumpkin seeds with 1 tablespoon of oil in a microwavable dish. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, remove from microwave and stir. Continue microwaving at 1 minute increments, removing to check and stir until seeds are dry and crispy. Season with salt to taste.

Storing Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:

If pumpkin seeds are not eaten with a day or two, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to six weeks.



Wednesday, October 27, 2010

***** Review of She Serpent by Jim Woods

She SerpentShe Serpent by Jim Woods

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


She Serpent by Jim Woods was another fabulous short story. I must say Jim did it again.



Detective Harper finds an ad in the local newspaper about "At Sea Burial Services" aboard the Sea Spirit. Something just isn't right about him, he can feel it in his gut.



When his superiors tell him he has a enough work through the department, Harper decides to take a moonlighting job to investigate the Sea Spirit on his own time as a Security Guard.



He meets the owner of Sea Spirit, Angela Mastro after setting up a burial service inquiry. Angela explains the procedure for an at sea burial, along with the prices. As Harper looks further into the activities of Sea Spirit, he learns that he may have been wrong.



Though his gut is still nagging at him, he agrees to go to dinner with the beautiful Angela Mastro. In light of the evening, Harper now finds himself liking Angela.



Will Harper's instincts prove him right, or get him into trouble? Find out in She Serpent.



Woods has always written great material with an imagination that puts his own twist into crime and mystery. This short story was no different.



I give She Serpent ***** (5) Stars, BK Walker. http://bkwalkerbooks.weebly.com





View all my reviews

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

5 Days Until Halloween!


5 days and counting!  I absolutely love Halloween!  The kids in costumes trick or treating,  throwing parties with all the spooky and gory snacks and beverages,  and PUMPKIN CARVING! 


What more fun is there than getting your hands in the guts of a pumpkin and creating a design that you can show off on your own porch?  How about roasting those pumpkin seeds?  Mmmm Mmmm Mmmmm!

There is so much associated with Halloween that makes this my favorite holiday!  I don't know what I'd ever do if it got cancelled lol.  But some of the things related are:

Spiders
 Bats

 Skeletons

 Vampires

And of course let's not forget Michael!


The word itself, "Halloween," actually has its origins in the Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of All Hallows Eve. November 1, "All Hollows Day" (or "All Saints Day"), is a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints. But, in the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31. The holiday was called Samhain (sow-en), the Celtic New year.  (http://wilstar.com/holidays/hallown.htmGreat article on Halloween.

I love the decorating and the celebrating.  I love seeing all of the costumes and movies that are out during Halloween. 

SOOOOOO......How do you like to celebrate Halloween?

Wishing everyone a very Happy and Spook Filled Halloween from BK Walker Books Etc.  to YOU!



If you're looking for a great book for Halloween reading,  check out Katie Salidas' new release - Halloween Fantasies!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Being sexy; a costume or a way of life?

9

 About Michael:

 From his website - The Holy G-Rail

A sexuality life coach and the author of the Top selling book, “The Holy G-rail”. (G-spot, R-relating, A-anatomy, I-into, L-lovemaking) (Booksurge 2007).

He believes all women are The Holy Grail and should be treated as such. The Holy G-rail shows the dualities between the fabled "HOLY GRAIL" and the beautiful women that are within our presence daily.
He is also the Denver Sex and Sensuality Expert for Examiner.com and writes a weekly Q&A column for them.

Michael has been interviewed by many Local, National and International magazines and radio shows including;  The Susan Block radio show out of LA as well as Sirius 198 PLAYBOY Radio's "The Afternoon Advice Show" with -Host- Tiffany Granath and "Night Calls" with -Host- Christy Canyon. Locally he has been on shows like, 106.7 KBPI "The Uncle Nasty Show" and 105.9 Alice "Your time with Kim Iverson" just to mention a few.

He is also a painter, photographer, and student of the Kabbalah residing in Colorado.
His many artistic works represent the sensuality, passion, and movement of all forms. Michael’s paintings, photography, and writing mirror his belief that all beauty is an expression of the One Self. Thus Ladies and Gentlemen he has found the "Holy Grail"- or rather it has found him. As Creation flows forth through him, this simple system of "relations" has also come forth like a lightning bolt from the Heavens. He gives thanks for the knowledge and inspiration given to him and eagerly shares it with you.

 

Being sexy; a costume or a way of life?

It’s time to address this age-old problem; year in and year out, we all see it! Ladies and Gentlemen letting their hair down, dressing scantily in almost no clothing, all for this ritual we call Halloween. I sometimes find it really hard to swallow this same old… same old.

Why is it that Halloween is the only time some of us feel that we can actually go out and push the bounds of our beauty and sexuality? Why is it we only use this age old holiday as an excuse to strut around with a mask and barely anything on below it? For that matter, why pull out that beautiful sexy gown that you hide back in the closet and pretend to be Cinderella only on this one sacred day?


Each and every one of you has beauty and sexuality to share.
I know that Halloween seems to be a good day to do this, only because everyone is in costume and no one can scoff at you.

But really, why wear beauty and sexuality as a costume, and then for only one day?
If you can see yourself this way for one day, why not try for a second, then a third, etc. Let your insecurities down; see yourself as beautiful each and every moment of each and every day. I believe the reason we see so many more people dress sexy and provocative on this one day, is because no one can say anything about it... it's a costume and... who cares what anybody thinks??
There-in-lies the Secret: “do what you will”, again if it comes from your heart of hearts, and makes you feel special and good, who cares what anyone else thinks? Pour beauty into yourself daily, thus you pour beauty into the world. You are Beautiful, you are Special, share it with each and every soul you come across, do this each and every day, thus you too will change the views we have, in this the world, in which we live!
Smiles,
Michael Schuessler~
www.theholyg-rail.com




Michael Schuessler, author of the sex and sensuality classic, ‘The Holy G-rail', Please visit his website, www.holyg-rail.com   or www.amazon.com

If you have any questions, in the sensual or sexual arena of life please E-mail :  Michael@holygwear.com
If you would like to see more of Michael's blogs and his Q&A column "Ask Michael" at Examiner.com (Michael is the Denver Sex and Sensuality Examiner)  please visit:
http://www.examiner.com/sex-and-sensuality-in-denver/michael-schuessler



Thank you so much for stopping in Michael.   You are so right.  We should show our beauty each and every day not just for dress up :). 

Monday, October 18, 2010

Upcoming Guest Tomorrow Michael Schuessler - author of The Holy G-Rail

Don't miss out on my upcoming guest tomorrow - Michael Schuessler, author of The Holy G-Rail. 

A sexuality life coach and the author of the Top selling book, “The Holy G-rail”. (G-spot, R-relating, A-anatomy, I-into, L-lovemaking) (Booksurge 2007).

***** Review of All I Want Is Everything by Kim Upstone

PictureAll I Want is Everything:  A Guide To Love, Peace, and Happiness by Kim Upstone was a fantastic read.  A great guide for self improvement.

With exercises throughout the entire book to help you change your mindset,  and advice on how to change the way you think,  this title was great.

I followed the exercises and found myself enjoying what Kim Upstone lays out for a blueprint on life.

Getting you thinking and putting into practice to control your thinking, this title helps you gain control of your life and your mind.  Broken down into areas of life we may be struggling with,  it's easy to read and follow Kim's guidance.

Once you read this book,  you will definitely have a different outlook on life, choosing what you will let bother you and what you will now be able to overlook.  What's really important vs. what's not.

Upstone did a fabulous job engaging the reader,  and though it will take time to make your new way of thinking a habit,  it will definitely get you looking at life differently.

I give All I Want Is Everything:  A Guide To Love,  Peace, and Happiness,  the first installment in the All I Want Is Everything Series ***** (5) Stars,  BK Walker.  http://bkwalkerbooks.weebly.com

Learn More about Kim Upstone and her work at A New Day A New Vision.
 

***** Review of If I Could Ask God Anything by Kathryn Slattery

Picture
If I Could Ask God Anything by Kathryn Slattery was a fantastic book!  Easy to read and full of questions and answers that are easily understandable for any child.

It starts off with a parents guide which was fabulous. Then broken into sections of the bible, with common questions kids might want to know.

There is an explanation of the questions with bible verses to refer to,  along with a reason at the end of each question as to why God did or said a particular thing.

I absolutely loved this book and not only can it benefit children with questions, but new Christians as well.  Aren't new Christians like children anyways as they try to learn about their faith?  I wished I would have had this book when I first started reading the bible and became a new Christian.

Slattery did such a magnificent job with If I Could Ask God Anything. I would recommend this book to anyone that has questions about God,  Jesus,  and the bible. 

It would be great for any Church to have on hand as well.

I give it ***** (5) Stars, BK Walker.  http://bkwalkerbooks.weeby.com

BK Walker Books - All Rights Reserved

 

Sunday, October 17, 2010

BK Walker Books - A Dramatic Romance.wmv

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Denise Verrico at Bitten By Books - Interview & Giveaway


Talking about her newest release, Denise had another fantastic interview. She is also having a huge giveaway and you could win a copy of both of her books, Cara Mia and Twilight of The Gods, along with a chance to win signed posters for each book.  Lots of ways to gain entries so stop in for your chance to win at Bitten By Books.

Congratulations on the new release Denise.  I can't wait to read it :).

Friday, October 15, 2010

Book Shelf Cleaning Party and Blog Hop - November 5 - 7

Book Shelf Cleaning Party Hosted by BK Walker at Walker's Muse.

I have so many books on my bookshelves right now.  I am receiving new books on a regular basis and am out of room.  So I am going to do a bookshelf cleaning party.  So with that being said,  if you would be interested in doing a bookshelf cleaning party with me,  join up using the below form.

Not ready to part with your books just yet?  That's ok,  you can use any prize giveaway you choose.

Let's Make It A Virtual Party!

Party Date - November 5 - 7.  Starting at 11:59am on the 5th.  You will need to have your post ready before Midnight,  on November 5.  To sign up,  use the form below.  Spread the word and let's have fun!



If you would like to help out and create new buttons,  you can submit them with code/picture to bkwalkerbooks@comcast.net.  It would be greatly appreciated!  Watch here for a list of participating blogs as well.


Book Blogger Hop - Oct. 15 - 18


In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word!  This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!  It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read!  So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky Crazy-For-Books!!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun!  This is a weekly event!  And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added!  We get over 200 links every week!! 

"When you read a book that you just can't get into, do you stick it out and keep reading or move to your next title?"

I stick it out and keep reading,  though I may read another book as well to break it up.  It will take me a lot longer to read if I can't get into it.

Drum Roll....And Our Winners For The Robin Cain Giveaway Are.....

David Fingerman won a copy of When Dreams Bleed!  Congratulations David! 


Crazy Cat Lady won the $10 Itunes Gift Card!  Congratulations Crazy Cat Lady! 

Winners were chosen using Random Number Generator at Random.org.


Thank you all for stopping in and commenting :).  Thank you Robin for chatting with us and offering this giveaway.  You Rock!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Author Robin Cain Joins Me In The Gazebo & She is having a Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome my guest,  Author Robin Cain.  We have found this lovely Gazebo overlooking this beautiful lake,  it's a warm sunny day and we are enjoying some tasty coffee as we sit down and chat,  while enjoying the view.

Welcome Robin,  thank you so much for chatting with me today.  I'm very excited to learn about your new book,  "When Dreams Bleed".  I'm always up for a good mystery/suspense,  and your book sounds wonderful.  Robin will also be giving away a copy of her book to one lucky commenter,  and an added bonus will be a $10 Itunes Gift Card for reposting this interview & giveaway.  Yay and thank you Robin. (see below for entry rules).

About When Dreams Bleed:

A software genius with a knack for business, Frank Campelletti's been living the dream his whole life. He's amassed money, success, and is now accumulating women, but someone out there thinks he's gone too far. 

Who is seeking revenge and why? His wife? His mistress? Or the shadow who's been following his every move? 

Just when he thinks he has anticipated his opponent's next move a tragic car accident leaves him paralyzed, his life's work is being stolen and his wife has disappeared. Just how far will someone go to teach him the correlation between deception and despair? 

WHEN DREAMS BLEED examines temptation and the ensuing consequences in a contemporary world. It's no secret that dreams come at a price, but what happens WHEN DREAMS BLEED?

Before we begin,  let me tell you a little about Robin - 

Robin Cain lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with her husband, daughter, three dogs, three horses and donkey. As a novelist and regular contributing writer for an online publication, she spends her days searching for the perfect words to amuse, enlighten and touch her readers. By reading her work, you’ve not only helped make her dreams come true, but others as well.

A percentage of the proceeds of this book will be donated to the American non-profit organization To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), which aims to present hope and find help for people struggling with problems such as depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.


A wonderful cause Robin.  Kudos!  Now let's get down to the nitty gritty,  shall we?

BK:  Have you always considered yourself a writer?  When did you start writing?
RC:  Writing is a passion and, like any creative endeavor, it just runs in one’s blood stream. I don’t think I considered myself a ‘real’ writer until I actually had the first copy of my book in my hands and could see a tangible product from my efforts.

My desire dates back to my school days when I use to write plays for the neighborhood kids to perform. While others played ball in the park, I was hashing out lines for my imaginary characters.

BK:  What inspired you to pen this novel?
RC:  The idea for this particular story originated from a headline in a local newspaper. A woman’s body had been found in a nearby lake and had gone unidentified for days. The sadness of that got me to wondering about what kind of life a woman would lead which would end up with her being an ‘unidentified body’. I mean, who doesn’t have someone that would notice her missing? It got my creative juices flowing and the story began almost backwards from there.

BK:  How did the title transpire?
RC:  WHEN DREAMS BLEED actually wasn’t the first title; for the longest time it was something else. I was nearly done with the first draft of the manuscript when I added the character of Billy Harwood (the violent pretty boy movie star). He added a new dark twist to the plot line and, singlehandedly, seemed to inspire tragedy among a great many of the other characters. That ongoing tragedy became the underlying thread which tied everyone together.

All these characters had so much going for them, so many dreams and so much opportunity, but greed, lust and revenge got the better of them. To me, it was as if all their dreams began to bleed. It was then when the title came to me.










 
BK:  What was your inspiration to write in this particular genre?  How do you keep it different from all the other novels in this area?
RC:  I didn’t choose the genre. I definitely chose me. The headline I read about the woman’s dead body being found simply fanned the flame of an idea and I ran with it. I had some background in working with a police department, I’d always had a penchant for murder/crime/police stories, and I’ve always had a love for the intricacies of human relationships.  It was just a perfect fit for me.

As for keeping it different from all the other novels in this area, I think anyone who reads the book will realize it is truly a little bit romance, a little bit suspense, and a little bit mystery. One of the hardest things regarding this book was typing it to one particular genre. There are some sexy love scenes, yet there is also a great deal of techie stuff, police work and forensics. It’s not your typical anything – which I think keeps it different.


BK:  How difficult was plot and character development?
RC:  Hmmm…difficult question to answer. I think with any kind of suspense/mystery genre, plot is always a whole lot trickier than, say, romance or something paranormal in that the writer has to hide the clues and engage the reader to the end; ‘fool’ them in a way. Much of what I wrote I had to do in sort of a backwards method, so that it made sense in a linear fashion. In this case, plot was more time consuming than character development.  For me, I could ‘see’ my characters, so it was just all about describing them to the reader.

BK:  Do you read a lot in this genre?  Who is your favorite author?
RC:  Well, I’ve read Sue Grafton’s entire alphabet and most, if not all, of Michael Connelly’s work, so yes, I do gravitate towards crime-based, detective stories. That’s not to say I don’t love women’s fiction, all wrapped up in human relationship drama – like Jodi Picoult’s work (which I think is often brilliant). I’d like to think that WHEN DREAMS BLEED combines a little bit of both genres.
  
BK:  Did you run into any road blocks during your writing?  How did you handle them?
RC:  What is writing without road blocks? There were the occasional days when I wasn’t sure where the story was going or what a character was going to do next, but nothing in particular stands out as a major road block as far as the writing goes. My road block came in the road to publication.

 I had spent so much of my time devoted to getting this book written that when the first agent rejections came during my query process, I was devastated. When months started to pass waiting for either agents to initially respond to me or to get back to me on partials they had requested, I reached a point where I felt like life was just passing me by. Not only that, but my characters were getting very impatient for their 15 minutes of fame! I made the decision to form my own publishing company and get my book out there. Likely not the choice some would make, but it worked for me and the urgency I felt at the time.

Funny story: Months after my book came out, I got an email (from an agent I had written nearly 8 months prior) requesting a partial. All I have to say to that is life is just too short.

BK:  Are you currently working on any projects?
RC:  I am currently working on two different manuscripts. One would fall in the genre of women’s fiction and one is looking like a follow-up to WHEN DREAMS BLEED. Stay tuned….

BK:  Any upcoming events you'd like to share?
RC:  The Scottsdale Public Library is hosting an event for the public involving local authors whose books are in the library system. I will be participating in that Meet & Greet this November.

BK:  What advice can you give to new aspiring writers/authors?
RC:  Two of the most important things I’ve learned along the way:
1) Don’t edit your creativity. Just let it flow and worry about the editing later.
2) Not everyone is going to like what you write, so don’t write for them. Write to please the critic inside yourself. He/She will be the toughest one of all.


Just for a little fun....

BK:  What is one thing your readers may be surprised to know about you?
RC:  See the answer to number 4 below…

BK:  What do you like to do when you're not writing?
RC:  I really like to read other people’s writing. I think there is something just fascinating about the different ways people express themselves and translate sights, sounds, smells and feelings into something other people can interpret and visualize. The ability to do that well – in my opinion – is an incredible talent and tremendously inspiring.

BK:  What is your favorite food and/or restaurant?
RC:   I love to eat out. I don’t get to do it as often as I’d like, but when I do, regardless of cuisine type, it makes me happy – particularly when it involves an inspired chef.

BK:  What is the craziest thing you have ever done in your life?
RC:  Oh my…the truth is a really long story, but the facts remain: I threw my panties out the back of a moving convertible one summer’s night on a busy street in Scottsdale. What can I say? It was really hot out…

BK:  That is too funny.  I'm sure we have all done something a little crazy at some point in our lives lol,  but hey if it was hot haha.



Thank you so much for joining us today Robin.  When Dreams Bleed is going to be a fantastic read and it has been added to my TBR.  I am wishing you much success and will definitely be following your success.  Please stop back in anytime to keep us updated.

Robin's Giveaway Rules:

One Lucky Commenter will win a copy of "When Dreams Bleed".

*Leave a comment for Robin
*Include your email address so we have a way to contact you



In addition to her book giveaway - by sharing this post you will also be entered to win a $10 Itunes Gift Card.

In a separate comment:

*Let me know where you shared this post - facebook,  myspace,  twitter,  your own blog, other social network (Leave the link so I can check it)
*Leave your email address

You can visit Robin online to learn more about her and her book at Robin Cain

You can purchase When Dreams Bleed for a signed copy here.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Upcoming Guest - Robin Cain Tomorrow

Tomorrow,  Oct. 13,  I will be chatting with author Robin Cain.  I had such a fantastic chat with her that I wanted to give everyone a heads up to stop in tomorrow as we talk about her book,  When Dreams Bleed.  

You are going to love her so mark your calendars and stop back in tomorrow :).

Monday, October 4, 2010

Call For Submissions for "Unique"

My friend over at Authors By Authors is organizing a Unique Anthology.  I think this is a fantastic idea and am giving a shout out for Submissions.  If you would be interested in submitting your story for this fantastic upcoming anthology,  please send an email to KiKi Howell - authorsbyauthors@gmail.com.

Here are the details for submitting your story:

Unique, An Authors By Authors Promotional Anthology

This anthology is a unique promotional opportunity being offered by the Authors By Authors Blog http://authorsbyauthors.blogspot.com    For the author, not only will you get all the advertising/promo that will go along with this anthology and a chance to introduce your work to new readers, but the giveaways and lottery will gather many opportunities for reviews.  No royalties will be made from this anthology, it is for promotional purposes only.  All money made minus costs will go into the final lottery for the readers to win.  Please read through the timetable below to see how this unique project falls together and to see all the chances for promo the authors whose stories are chosen will have. My goal is to pick a wide range of genres to be represented from paranormal, horror, chick lit, romance, suspense and all the mixes you can create!  I do want to limit the contest to those over the age of 18.





Time Table For Unique:

Submissions Accepted - until November 1st, 2010
  **To Submit - Send the following in One Attached as RTF or Doc – using the naming convention of “Unique_Title_Author Name” to authorsbyauthors@gmail.com with  the Subject Line of “Unique Submission”:
1.    Author Name
2.   Author Email
3.   Author Website (opt.)
4.   Story Title
5.   Story Genre(s)
6.    Story Blurb
7.    Story (Never before published because I think that would defeat the unique theme I have going on here! LOL)
Word Count: Generally 1K – 5K, but flexible within reason
Theme: Unique – However you want to interpret that! That includes a unique storyline.
8.   Individual Story Giveaway – More info below
9.    Lottery Donation (opt.) – More info below

Final Decisions  of Stories to be Included – No later than November 10th, 2010
 ** I have gathered help in reading through submissions and deciding which are chosen to fill the spaces available.
**Contracts will go out to the authors of the stories selected just giving me rights to use the story once in the ebook and possibly print.  Not getting complicated here, this is a promo opportunity.

Edits/Beginning Promo – November & December, 2010
  **General Promo Information will be emailed to authors to give them a place to start.

Book Release – January 1st, 2011
  **Will be released on Amazon & Smashwords, as well as hopefully a few others I am looking into.  Suggestions welcome.  Ebook will be available at an inexpensive price - thinking like $0.99  Again, all the money made after costs are covered will go into the final Lottery.   If  I decide to go with Print, the price will be $1 over cost to print through CreateSpace.  I have considered the idea of doing print after with authors best reviews from the contest in it, and make it available at cost if authors wanted to use it later as a giveaway themselves. Open to thoughts and ideas.

Sales/Giveaways/Promo – January and February 2011
  **Through these months the following things will happen:

1. First few days of sales each story will be featured on the blog (short blurb/tagline, genres, author name, author links, other works). Giveaway for that individual story will be announced.  Depending on amount of stories accepted, I may end up grouping these to get them all out in the first days.

2. Readers will purchase the book, read it and submit one line minimum reviews of a single story to be entered into any story giveaways plus the final lottery.  The more reviews entered for individual stories – the more entries into the final jackpot giveaway. These reviews will be posted on the blog daily.  Info about the reviewer can be anything from anonymous, a name, an author name with website link, a blog owner with blog link, a publisher with pub link, etc.  So, lots of chances to win, plus a little free advertising for those who want it – more enticement to enter.

3. Authors By Authors as well as the authors in the Anthology will continue to promote the book.  I (as Authors By Authors) plan on purchasing a banner and buying some cover ads as well as getting a book tour going on other blogs to advertise the anthology and giveaways.  I will encourage authors to do all the promo they wish/can on blogs, yahoo groups, Facebook pages, etc. as well trying to get reviews/entries for their story.

4. Story Giveaways and Final Lottery Winners Announced and Contacted – February 28th, 2011
  **Number of winners for Lottery will be determined by amount of entries. Prizes will be a $25 gift cards, plus division of any donations of items (books, booksmarks, etc) by authors, or anyone else involved in making of the book.
      NOTE: How many gift cards to be won in the lottery will be determined by total sales minus costs to produce book -- costs will be editing provided by Gateway Editorial Services (gatewayeditorialservices.com), cover costs, banner and ads, etc. The donations I get from authors for the lottery will be divided up as evenly as I can between the prizes.

If this goes well, response wise, I will be planning on doing additional anthologies.

Any questions please send to authorsbyauthors@gmail.com
Permission to forward or repost granted!

Thanks,
Kiki

Meet Me In Manhattan Free Book Event & Giveaway!

Please join me for a Tweet-Up and Book Giveaway for Meet Me In Manhattan by Judith Arnold.  I was excited when I was invited to share this event by HCI Books,  and this romance novel,  which is part of a reality based series is going to be a fantastic read.  By registering for the event you could win the first three books in "The Vows"  Series.  Don't miss out,  go register for this fun and exciting event before Tuesday 9pm EST/6PST.  Hope to see you all there :).



CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

HCI Books Presents First Reality-Based RomanceT Live Tweetup Event

Free books, free chapters, and free tweets will help launch a new
Reality-Based RomanceT line of books at a live Reality Romance Tweetup on
Twitter October 5, 2010 at 9:00 p.m.ET. Romance author Judith Arnold will
tweet live with romance novel fans, along with Ted Skala and Erika
Fredell, the real-life couple whose true love story became the plot of the
romance novel, "Meet Me In Manhattan."


Deerfield Beach, Florida (PRWEB) October 4, 2010 -- On Tuesday, October 5,
at 9:00 p.m.ET, HCI, the publisher of the original Chicken Soup for the
Soul books, will conduct the first "Reality-Based RomanceT Tweetup event
as part of the launch of their new True Vows book series. For an entire
hour, romance readers will have the opportunity to tweet with the author
and the real-life couple who had their true love story featured in the
book, Meet Me in Manhattan.


Each of the first three books in the True Vows series matches a real life
couple with a real romance novelist resulting in a whole new romance novel
category. For the event, tweeters can tweet in a live Q&A session about
Meet Me in Manhattan with the author, Judith Arnold and Ted Skala and
Erika Fredell, the reality romance stars of the book.


The first 100 to register for the Reality Romance Tweetup event will be
eligible to win a complete set of the first three Reality-Based RomanceT
books in the True Vows series which include: Meet Me In Manhattan, The
Icing on the Cake, and Hard to Hold. By simply registering at
http://vowsbooks.com/tweetup, readers and tweeters will get to read the
first five chapters of Meet Me in Manhattan prior to the event. Free books
will be given away every ten minutes during the Tweetup event.



Ted Skala and Erika Fredell were the perfect New Jersey high school sweethearts. Like many teens, Ted and Erika spend plenty of time in parked cars under the stars, but there was so much more between them than the chemistry that ignited their courtship, and Ted couldn't imagine a life without Erika. By graduation he was ready to get engaged. Erika, however, was ready to spread her wings, and faraway she flew to college. She broke his heart. She sailed the world.

Fast forward sixteen years. Living in Manhattan, Erika successfully climbs the corporate ladder but her love life stinks. Ted is also living the life of a successful businessman in Manhattan, and he's involved in a serious relationship.

Problem is, he still can't get Erika out of his system. When fate intervenes and their paths cross, the result is emotionally explosive and that old black magic is back with the force of a super nova. But Erika once ravaged his heart: How can Ted ever trust her again? And now that he's seriously involved with another woman, how can Erika hope for a second chance with the man she never should have let go?

Meet Me In Manhattan is a classic love story that is told as only Judith Arnold can tell it. With a deep grasp of the complexities of the human heart, this acclaimed author explores Ted Skala and Erika Fredell's compelling true story of a lost love unexpectedly found again.  (From Judith's Website)

The True Vows series of "reality-based romance" novels where a real-life
love story is paired with a successful romance targets romance novel
readers and viewers of reality television. According to the Nielsen
ratings, 15 million people watched The Bachelor propose and 11.5 million
people watched The Bachelorette get proposed to. The Romance Writers of
America reports that over 70 million Americans read romance novels and 29
million Americans read romance novels regularly. True Vows "marries" these
two media in this new genre-bending book series. And, all love stories are
candidates for the series and readers are welcome to submit theirs on the
website: http://truevowsbooks.com.