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norah wilson

My blogging philosophy – do you agree??

By Barb Drozdowich

Happy Monday everyone!

I have an unexpected day free!

I thought I’d take the opportunity to just chat about blogging and stuff!  I was at a conference a few weeks ago and we  had several discussions about blogging philosophy.  These conversations got me thinking about the direction I want this blog to go in.

I started this blog for two main reasons:

1) the technological challenge

2) to write down my thoughts on books that I’ve read

 

I didn’t aspire to be a writer, in fact, I’ve never aspired to be a writer.  I am a reader, a voracious reader.  I am never without a book close at hand.  I can remember reading a post shortly after I started this blog about someone who received free books in the mail.  I thought to myself – that will never happen to me.  Holy cow, has it happened to me!  I have a TBR pile that numbers in the multiple hundreds and I have had to close to reviews to try to catch up.  The reality is that I can’t possibly read all the books that I have been offered.

Books

This made me realize exactly how many authors there are out there that have books that need at least a little voice.  In fact, if it wasn’t for this blog, I wouldn’t have met some wonderful authors like Maureen Driscoll, Norah Wilson, or Virna DePaul.  I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to read some of the best stories that I’ve read in my life!  Feel free to drop by and say hi to these wonderful women….and read their books!!

Frankly, before this blog, it wouldn’t have occurred to me to read something that didn’t come out of a New York Publishing house.  If I couldn’t buy it at a bookstore or Walmart or the grocery store, I didn’t read it.  I didn’t have any sort of an ereader and I preferred to be able to hold the book in my hands. That has changed also!  I understand the advantages of my Nook!

I now realize that more and more book bloggers are the new gatekeepers of book promotions.  I don’t post more than once a day, but I have 7 days a week to give some publicity to some authors. I simply can’t read fast enough to post 7 reviews each week.  As a result I post about 3 reviews on average each week and then offer up the rest of the days to author interviews or promotions.  I want to use the vehicle of my blog to promote as many authors as I can.  Does it matter to me that I may not have read their books?  Not really.  I feel that everyone deserves a chance to talk about their book.  My readers are smart cookies!  I think that everyone can decide for themselves if they want to read a book that is being talked about.  They don’t need my 2 cents on every book they read!

So, have I met my original blogging objectives?  Yes! I have conquered the technology and in fact spend a good portion of each week teaching WordPress and optimization to other WordPress users.  I have had the opportunity to write down my thoughts on the books that I have read, and met so many wonderful authors.

I have discovered that my readers, like me, like romance, be it contemporary or historical or erotica, but they like romance.  When I try to promote an author from a different genre, there isn’t much interest – ie hits.  Because of this, you will see a bit of a change in the next few months.  I’ll be narrowing the focus of this blog to just adult romance.  I might as well stick with what I like!

 

Thank you to everyone who has filled out my survey – more to come on that in the next few weeks, and thank you to everyone who continues to share my enthusiasm for romance novels.

Hope you all have a great week!

Related articles
  • Blogger Confession Time: Switching Genres (geekybloggersbookblog.com)
  • Coffee Talk ~ With Moira (brazenbroadsbookbash.blogspot.com)
  • Escape to Romance: More Historical Romance Chat with Jenn LeBlanc (booksavvybabe.com)
  • Weekly Recap: What Ya Missed (3/26-3/31) (lovetoreadforfun.com)
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Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop

By Barb Drozdowich

Welcome to the Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop!

This hop runs from March 17th to the 20th.  Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!  It is sponsored by I Am A Reader Not A Writer and Books Complete Me.  Since this giveaway overlaps with another one I’ve been running, we’ll combine the prizes and have one large giveaway!  Here’s what’s up for grabs.  I know that some people like to do their own choosing.  So let’s start with 2 $10.00 gift cards (or other appropriate e-card).

Now for the books! I am still giving away His Elle by Jemima Valentino. Click on the title to read my thoughts on this book.

Next up is an EBook of Protecting Paige by Norah Wilson.  I absolutely loved this book.  Click on the link to read my thoughts on this book!

Next up is an EBook of Half-Inch by McCarty Griffin.  This is a suspense, and also a great read.  To find out more about this book, click on the title.

Next up is an autographed copy of The Icing on the Cake by Alison Kent.  I reviewed this book a bit ago.  I really liked how fresh and realistic this story was.

So, lets talk about the rules for this Giveaway Hop.  First of all, you must be a follower to participate.  If you want to earn extra entries you can follow me on twitter (+2) and if you want to blog about this giveaway or tweet about it, I’ll give you 5 extra entries.  I’m also opening this up to international entries.  Just keep in mind that some of the electronic prizes might have to be changed up somewhat as some things cannot be sent to some countries 🙁

Fill everything in on the form below and wait until Sunday to see if you win:)
This draw is closed.

If you want to join the blog hop and enter to win some more prizes. Follow the list below! There are well over 200 blogs giving away prizes.

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Indie Reads Appreciation Week & Giveaway

By Barb Drozdowich

Welcome to Indie Reads Appreciation Week and Blog Hop!

This activity is hosted by That Bookish Girl and each day for the next week there will be special activities going on to promote some of our favorite Independent authors.

Lets talk about the giveaways first!

I have up for the giveaway a copy of His Elle by Jemima Valentino. To read my post on this click HERE.  I’m also offering up a Barnes & Noble Gift Card!  If that isn’t enough, the Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop starts on Thursday and even more will be given away in that Hop!  I’ll make this giveaway simple, if you want to be entered to win, you need to be a follower and you need to leave me a comment with your e-mail address on it so that I can contact you.

To start off this activity filled week, I want to introduce you to one of my favorite authors, Norah Wilson.  You may not of heard of Norah before, but you should pick up one of her books and see if you enjoy her work as much as I do!  As you will find out she is Canadian like me, but she lives on the other side of the country from me!

Norah Wilson lives in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada with her husband and two adult children (both in university), a Lab-Rotti mix dog and five rats (the pet kind). She has been writing romance a long while, and has finalled multiple times in the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart contest. She also won Dorchester Publishing’s New Voice in Romance contest in 2003.

Norah writes sensual romantic suspense. The three novels in her Serve and Protect series, as well as her award-winning Lauren’s Eyes, are available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Apple, etc. She also writes paranormal YA stories with a writing partner, under the name Wilson Doherty, but the team has not yet published.

Currently, three of Norah’s four romantic suspenses are in the Top 10 highest rated romances at Smashwords. She was also mentioned by Smashwords CEO Mark Coker as one of the Top 50 indie authors to watch on Smashwords. Norah loves to meet fans and make friends on  Twitter and her Website and Facebook.

I have now read three of Norah’s books for The Romance Reviews. Honestly, when I got the first one I wasn’t too excited as I wasn’t a fan of romantic suspense.  So, I started in, and kept reading until I was done!  It was great!  This was Guarding Suzannah, the first book in the To Serve and Protect Series.  I actually enjoyed it so much I asked to be assigned any other books she submitted.  I read and reviewed Saving Grace, and Protecting Paige (which can be seen below).  Although I enjoyed all three, my favorite is Protecting Paige.  Because of that I have asked Norah if I can offer a copy of that particular book in the giveaway that starts on  Thursday!  Here are my thoughts on Protecting Paige, and remember to return on Thursday to enter to win a copy!

Single mom Paige Harmer is at her wits end about her son Dillon, who’s running with a bad crowd. She turns to next door neighbor Cst Tommy Godsoe. Sidelined by a gunshot injury, he just wants to be left alone, but Paige is unstoppable. Before long, he’s drawn into their lives. Paige is going to need a cop in her corner, and Tommy needs Paige to bring him back to life.

This delightful and sensual romance is gritty and real. Protecting Paige combines tension filled action, humor and great writing to produce this amazingly tender romance. It unflinchingly describes the recovery of a cop shot in the line of duty and his commitment to upholding the law and protecting citizens.  Protecting Paige also shows the concerns of a mother who’s son is caught by the underbelly of society.  A riveting read from beginning to end.  Clear a few hours, find a comfy spot to sit and hang on for the ride!

Paige Harmer is a single mom who makes her living making specialty desserts for local restaurants.  Her almost 18 year old son seems to be running with a bad crowd which is causing her increasing concern.  When she moved into her duplex, her landlord told her that her neighbor was recovering from recent surgery.  One day, while worrying about where her son has stormed off to, she cooks too much food and decides to take a plate of hot food over and meet her new neighbor.

“ Now, her neighbor stood framed in the doorway, wearing a pair of white boxers and a thunderous expression.
And oh, Christmas, he was the most gorgeous thing she’d clapped eyes on in years, outside of a Calvin Klein ad.
Despite their current storminess, his eyes were blue as the July sky.  Black hair, a startling contrast to his pale complexion, stood up in all directions, all the sexier for its dishevelment.  Thick, black eyebrows slanted over those killer eyes.  More dark hair crowned his chest in a liberal thatch, tapering to a thin line that arrowed out of sight beneath his boxers.”

In her anxiety, she gives Tommy, her neighbour, the impression that she is a bit neurotic with all the rambling about her concerns and her thoughts about the state of his apartment.  She bullies him into eating what she’s made and continues to tell him about her concerns for her son.  Although Tommy isn’t in great shape, he allows her to feed him, make him coffee and bounce ideas off him.  When she leaves to go home he hears her scream.  He finds her looking at a skinned dead animal that has been left on her doorstep.  Tommy immediately becomes the cop that he was and seeks to not only protect her, but to investigate the scene.

This starts the relationship between Paige and Tommy.  Paige is concerned that Tommy is too young for her, and Tommy is concerned that Paige shouldn’t be saddled with an injured cop who is without a job.  Ultimately, they make a great match.  Tommy becomes someone for Paige to care for – to mother – to a certain extent.  Paige and the situation with her son give Tommy something to get out of bed for.

Of all of the books that I’ve read by Norah Wilson, I’ve liked this one the best.  The first few chapters set the scene.  They give the reader a hint of the danger that’s likely to be involved.  They introduce Paige and Tommy in a scene that will have the reader chuckling as well as cringing.  One can just picture Tommy feeling like he is being steam-rollered; staring in disbelief at this woman in his house that doesn’t get the hint that she’s not welcome.  Unable to find the words to stop her from cleaning up his kitchen, chatter like a magpie, and take over his life.

The attraction between Tommy and Paige is immediate.  The chemistry sizzles on the pages!  What was almost more important than the chemistry, was the gentle blossoming of their relationship.  I found myself cheering the characters along!  The progress that Tommy makes with Paige’s son Dillion is delightful to read about.  The interaction between Tommy and his fellow cops is so vividly written that the reader can just visualize the manly back-slapping get-together.  I like that there is enough cop detail, and dog training detail, to round out Tommy’s job and show how his skills are important and something worth trying to go back to.  The scene involving the RCMP and FBI made me feel like I was in an action adventure movie with the good guys conquering the bad guys.   I was cheering all the way!  You really should pick up this book and settle in for a good read!

Protecting Paige is the third book in Norah Wilson’s To Serve and Protect series.

As Norah says above, her books can be found at a number of places.  Here are the direct links to the books on Smashwords:

Guarding Suzannah

Saving Grace

Protecting Paige

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