Random Acts of Writing...

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Finding Eden begins the journey in a 5-book romance series

Finding Eden is Book 1 in the Eden Hall Series. It is available as a standalone paperback or Kindle edition and also available in the bundled set of the 5-book romance series.

Both are free on Kindle Unlimited
Amazon.com

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Willow Wood ~ Sale!

Willow Wood is on sale today and tomorrow for 99 cents!
On Amazon.com

Nolan Ramsey thinks he wants to be alone. He leaves his life in the city, leaves his job as a news reporter, and buys a house in the middle of nowhere. He plans a life of complete isolation with just his dog, Scuba, for company.

Calinda Willow returns home to help her aging father at the end of his life. She copes with the loss by throwing herself into her work, rejects social invitations from her friend, Jackie, and thinks she is content with her solitary life.

They are both wrong.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon

It's easy to feel at home in Mitford. In these high, green hills, the air is pure, the village is charming, and the people are generally lovable. Yet, Father Tim, the bachelor rector, wants something more. Enter a dog the size of a sofa who moves in and won't go away. Add an attractive neighbor who begins wearing a path through the hedge. Now, stir in a lovable but unloved boy, a mystifying jewel theft, and a secret that's sixty years old. Suddenly, Father Tim gets more than he bargained for. And readers get a rich comedy about ordinary people and their ordinary lives.

My Take: I'm currently reading this (however my cover is the old version). I've had this book for years, but never thought I would enjoy it. It was given to me as a gift from my mother and she had high praise for the book but the blurb didn't engage me and I didn't think it was a good fit. I read several of the reviews and was shocked at how mixed and mixed-up they all seemed to be (especially on Goodreads). Although I don't ever read anything categorized as Christian, the reviews led me to it. Ironically, it was the negative reviews on Goodreads from those that did not like the book that made this seem most attractive to me. I say that not out of spite, but because those people were looking for drama and harshness that just isn't in this book. I am always seeking "Pleasantville" so it sounded like an ideal fit for me.

Bottomline ~ I am loving it. I may have to read them all. The characters are charming and Ms. Karon brings them each to life. Despite those seeking more excitement, I'm content with the enchantment of Mitford and highly recommend the series to anyone who appreciates a simple life.

Amazon Book Categories - RANT

Now maybe I'm odd, but I actually use book categories on Amazon as a reader searching for a new book. It's come to my attention recently that categories do NOT reflect book contents or topics anymore. They reflect the ingenuity of the writer.

It's disappointing to me to see authors requesting categories that are small just to have their book make #1 with less effort. Again, maybe it's just me, but this would be meaningless to me to have a suspense thriller get a #1 banner for British essays or American Letters and Correspondence. I've never even heard of those categories before, yet it's happening every day.

It's sad that Amazon can't patrol that, but I understand it's a vast empire and authors should be more ethical than that. In addition, those authors that truly write dramas and plays or essays are having their categories invaded by inappropriate books and it's not fair to those that actually write in those categories.

It's just deplorable to me. It's right up there with BUYING REVIEWS. I can't stomach that either, which is why I have few. Yet I wouldn't enjoy them if I'd paid for them. I only want honest organic spontaneous reviews, left by readers who want to share.

As I began, maybe I'm odd but I wish authors would be authentic and genuine. This unethical behavior is so disappointing.