Birthday sale

In honor of three birthdays next week I put the e-book version Cursed on sale at all locations where the book is available including Amazon, B&N, Kobo and Smashwords.
The sale runs from June 30 to July 6. Cursed is now 99 cents, down from $2.99.
The birthdays I speak of are mine, Canada's and the United States.
July is a busy birthday month because it's also my daughter's fourth birthday at the end of the month.
So, Canada celebrates 146 years of independence, the U.S. is 237 and I'm ??. I'm at an age where I don't like to talk about my age.
So Canada's big day is July 1, the U.S. July 4 and I'm also July 4.
So have a slice of cake, blow out a candle and celebrate. Maybe shoot off some fireworks too!!
I think I'll go to a July 4 parade and help teach my daughter about her county's history.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

New office location causing me angst

This isn't a dilemma but I am undecided about our new office location.
We used to be in this 100 + year old building one block from the Detroit River and I could see the water from my desk, which meant I could see a bit of Detroit. I could see right down Ferry Street and occasionally an ice breaker would be parked at the dock.
When Red Bull came to town, I didn't need to go to the races because I could see the planes do practices from my desk.
But here is the new view:

I can't see the water anymore but I can still see Detroit. I never had a view of the Ren Cen before and it was only a few months ago that I discovered GM has an LED sign that changes images.


I think I'm feeling guilty about liking our new location. Change is good. Right?

AMC's The Killing continues its deadly streak

AMC's third season of The Killing hasn't disappointed although it's starting off much like the first season.
I love how Lyndon goes for a run, recognizes the surroundings as from the drawing a little kid drew while locked in an apartment with his mother's body for several days and finds several bodies in a swamp.

The only problem with this story is that the original crime was 4 years ago when the kid was 6. There is no way a kid of 6 could draw that well.
My daughter is 4 and just started coloring within the lines and not very well. Ok. I'm nitpicking.
I have so far found the street kids to be very realistic, especially Bullet. I don't want to say the other kids are formulaic because we've only seen a bit. The Lyric chick is a bit stereotypical in that she's hooking to make money for her boyfriend so he can start his modeling career. This is a pathetic love affair and yet somewhat realistic in that kids that are prostitutes don't exactly have high self esteem.
I'll have to see where this goes before I judge too much. So far I'm loving being back with Holder and Lyndon. Holder still talks like some goofy white rapper street kid. It's nice to see he hasn't changed.

Went back to work

I've been recovering from foot surgery for the past two months and returned to work this week for the first time. The time off enabled me to finish Cursed and catch up on the television shows I had wanted to watch but couldn't.

I'm watching The Killing as I contact book lovers about reviewing my book. It's a tough slog. It reminds me of job searching. You get a response from every 15 to 20 contacts.

I remind myself there are 330 million people in the U.S., 60 million in the U.K. and 33 million in Canada. These are the countries I'm targeting. There has got to be 50 people in those three countries interested in getting a book for free in exchange for writing a review.

If you want to read the book contact me. The offer won't be around forever.

Cursed in paperback now available

This is the official launch of Cursed, the first in the Tysseland Chronicles series.

 

 

 

The book synopsis is here:

When 17-year-old Sasha orders her latte at a local café, she hardly expects to get robbed. Strangely, the men don’t want money from the register. Instead they are interested in the necklace she is wearing that her mother gave her years ago.

Sasha can’t understand why the men would want the worthless piece of stained glass that hangs around her neck from a leather cord. It’s not worth anything or is it? She comes to realize not all value is measured in dollars and cents.

This is the night she meets Evan, who saves her life by distracting the robbers as the couple dodge flying bullets. It takes days for Sasha to acknowledge that her burgeoning magic abilities helped keep them safe. She’s adamant in keeping that secret from Evan. She doesn’t want him to know she’s a freak.

Cursed is a thrilling romantic and exhilarating read. Monica Wolfson takes readers to a fantasy world they won’t want to leave.   

______________________________________

 

The book is available in  e-book or paperback. You can find the links under my Shop tab.

I will have a giveaway in a couple of weeks on Smashwords and at least two signed paperback copies will be available.

 

The Tysseland Chronicles is a set story told over four books from Sasha's viewpoint about a young teen discovering her new magical powers, finding love and nullifying a threat on her life.

A fifth novel is a companion story told from Willow Bean's viewpoint about her life after she left her mother's queendom.

 

One reviewer of Cursed on Goodreads commented that it was nice to read about a heroin that could solve her own problems. No one can do everything on their own but I don't like victim heroines. I also hate DUMBASS moves by lead characters. (Case in point read my review of AMC's The Walking Dead).

There is a difference between taking a chance and doing really stupid things.  I like books with thoughtful plots and I hope that's what readers think of my book. I hope I haven't put any characters in peril for just a thrill. I feel like every chapter was written for a reason and moved the story along.

If you want to send me feedback or report a typo/writing issue send an email to monicawolfsonwrites@gmail.com.

 

Thanks for reading,

Monica

Amazon may be a juggernaut but don't dismiss Nook/Kobo/Smashwords

I was in Panera Bread on Friday and the woman at the table beside me was reading a book on a Nook. I didn't think much of it. She said she paid $75 for the device and it's only good for reading books. She said she loves that she doesn't have to carry around armloads of paperbacks.
I know most people seem to read books on the Kindle, which has a ton more capabilities. I read books on an iTouch. I like being able to load more things on my device than just books. I can read the books with either the Kindle or the Nook apps.
I mention this because in reading a lot of blogs about self publishing many big authors recommend enrolling in the KDP Select program, which means for three months you can only sell your book on Amazon. In exchange your book in enrolled in a library system. If someone borrows your book you get almost $2 versus .35 cent if your book is 99 cents or .70 cents if it's 2.99 and so on.
You also get the ability to give your book away for free or put it on sale.
I read some blogs about how some authors made more money from the library borrowing than they did from sales at other online stores like B&N or Kobo or Smashwords.
That may be true. I've had a couple of people borrow the New Parents Survival Guide, which means I made $2 instead of 35 cents. But I've decided that Cursed is going to be available on the many outlets out there until I think I need to change tactics.
So far my sales on B&N, Kobo and Smashwords combined represent 50 per cent of my total book sales.
So I'm not giving up on everyone else yet.