Free E-Books for Read an E-Book Week

One of my favorite weeks of the year is here. During Read an E-Book Week, many publishers and authors offer free e-books to introduce readers to e-books in general and to their stories in particular. Of course, I’m already a big fan of e-books—and a big fan of free. So this week, I’ll be stocking up on great reading material for my Kindle.

I’m giving away several e-books, both fiction and nonfiction. You can download the books from my Smashwords page—simply place your order and enter discount code RFREE at checkout to receive a 100% discount. (Note: not all titles will be available at the beginning of the week but all will be added very soon. If you see a title on the list of books I’m offering that you don’t see at Smashwords, just return in a day or two and you will be able to download it.)

Be sure to check out all the other free books at Smashwords and Read an E-Book Week.

And don’t forget that Read an E-Book Week runs March 7-13, 2010.

Exciting News: Always Keepers Press

After I had a stroke several years ago, I couldn’t read for several months. Having been an avid reader all my life, I was devastated until I discovered audio books. Although I didn’t expect to enjoy hearing a book as much as I enjoyed reading a book, I did.

Now, I’m very excited about a new audio publishing company—Always Keepers Press, founded by author Donna Wright. The company opens today with the launch of its first book, Between a Clutch and a Hard Place by Gayle Trent.

Myrtle Crumb buys a purse from a consignment shop and finds a note inside. The note leads her to believe something bad might have happened to the purse’s previous owner, so she investigates.

I enjoyed this book when I read it several years ago, and I know the audio version will be just as great.

Gayle will be here next Saturday, February 27th for an interview. On Wednesday, March 3rd, I’ll interview Donna about starting her new publishing company.

One more exciting bit of news: Always Keepers Press will release my mystery novel Dream or Destiny in audio in April!

I’m thrilled that Dream or Destiny will be available in audio, and I’m thrilled to be part of this great new publishing company.

Christians and Domestic Violence

When Bluestocking interviewed me on her podcast during my blog book tour, she raised an interesting question. She asked how I would respond to someone who blames domestic violence on Christianity. She explained this issue came up in a law school class on domestic violence, and she had been surprised at how many people said Christianity caused domestic violence.

People who are hostile to Christianity will use any excuse to blame Christian faith and practice for anything and everything. Unfortunately, there are people who claim to be Christians who give ammunition to the critics. In Dream or Destiny, David’s father claimed he had the moral right as the head of the Christian family to discipline his wife and children using violence. David turned against religion until he left home and came in contact with true believers and realized that his father’s words and actions were the opposite of the teachings of Christ. The abuser’s excuse was just that—an excuse, not a justification.

St. Paul’s words in Colossians 3 and Ephesians 5 are often misinterpreted to mean that the husband should completely control the wife.

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ~ Colossians 3:18, NIV

However, the rest of the passage is frequently ignored by those hostile to Christian faith and by those using the Bible as an excuse for abuse.

 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.  ~ Colossians 3:19-21, NIV

The word submit does not mean subject yourself to abuse. Submit means to yield to the authority of someone else or to defer to another’s judgement. In any organization—a business, a club, a government, a family—the buck has to stop somewhere. Someone has to make decisions.

The owner of a business will probably surround himself with talented people he trusts. He will solicit and consider their advice. He will probably authorize them to make many decisions independently. However, the business owner retains the authority to make the final decision on major issues. He has the responsibility of the success of the company, but he values his employees and heeds their opinions.

In the same way, a Christian husband will discuss decisions with his wife. If they don’t agree, she can try to persuade him to her way of thinking. A good husband will listen to his wife and give serious consideration to her ideas. However, if they continue to disagree and a decision has to be made, the husband’s vote is the tie-breaker.

A Christian husband who is sincerely striving to follow God’s will shows respect for his wife and prays about his decisions. He will never abuse his wife or children. Rather, he will do everything in his power to love, nurture, and protect them.

Unfortunately, many churches fail to recognize domestic violence in their congregations. The book Woman Submit! Christians & Domestic Violence describes the experiences of a woman who was abused by her pastor husband. Although I’m not in complete agreement with some of the theology author Jocelyn E Andersen espouses, I think it is important for Christians to be aware that domestic violence can happen within the church. An abused woman needs spiritual help, of course, but she also needs help to get out of a dangerous, life-threatening situation.

During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I am trying to do my part to raise awareness of this serious problem everywhere it exists, including the church.

I am donating $5 to the National Domestic Violence Hotline for every copy of Dream or Destiny sold during the month of October. 

I will also give every purchaser a free e-book of Fern’s Fancies as a thank-you for supporting my efforts to raise money to fight domestic violence.

You can order Dream or Destiny from the publisher, Amazon.com, or directly from me. If you order directly from me, I will make the donation and send your e-book from the information on the order. If you order from the publisher or Amazon.com, please complete the form below so I can send you the e-book and make the donation.

Note: request form removed 11/1/09 as promotion is over.

Supporting Domestic Violence Awareness Month

When I started writing Dream or Destiny, I didn’t plan on having domestic violence as an important part of the story. However, the characters took over. David let me know that he and Barbara had been abused as children and Barbara had also been abused by her husband.

I’ve been asked if I have had personal experience with someone close to me being abused. No, I haven’t. The closest I’ve come is the incident I describe in an earlier blog post. Years ago when I was teaching Sunday School, a little boy in my class knocked over a cup of coffee. I wondered why he reacted the way he did—backing away from me, holding his hands in front of his face, and apologizing over and over again. Many years would pass before I learned enough about domestic violence to realize this child was probably abused, and I have always regretted not recognizing the signs and taking action.

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I will donate $5 to the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) for every copy of Dream or Destiny sold during the month of October.   

I will give each purchaser a copy of the e-book of Fern’s Fancies as a thank-you. Fern’s Fancies is a humorous contemporary romance that I wrote to submit to a specific line from a publisher; it wasn’t accepted. Rather than revise it to fit guidelines for other lines or other publishers, I just put it away. Now it’s a thank-you bonus for ordering Dream or Destiny.

If you purchase an autographed copy of Dream or Destiny directly from me, I will automatically e-mail your e-book and make the donation. If you order from GASLight Publishing, LLC or Amazon.com, contact me using the form below to let me know where you bought the book; I will make a donation to the NDVH and send your free e-book.

Note: request form removed 11/1/09 as promotion is over.

Mission Impossible: Book Trailer for Dream or Destiny

This post is an entry in Confident Writing’s Mission Impossible group writing project. Joanna Young challenged us to post something on our blogs that we’ve never done before. I’ve wanted to create a book trailer for Dream or Destiny since the book was published last fall, but I’ve been hesitant to try. I don’t know anything about multimedia except that whatever talent I have is in words, not images and sounds.

Joanna’s challenge motivated me to create this basic video montage. Now I’m motivated to move beyond this to a better and more professional book trailer that I can post on video-sharing and book trailer Web sites.

Last Chance: My Special Days Dream or Destiny Promotion Ends Today

My Special Days Dream or Destiny Promotion ends today. Order a copy of Dream or Destiny by midnight tonight, and I will e-mail you an e-book of Fern’s Fancies, my unpublished contemporary romance novel.

To order directly from me through PayPal, click the “buy now” button below. Please be sure to indicate the name you would like the autograph inscribed to.

On July 2nd, I will draw a name from all buyers for a virtual gift basket of six e-books written by my clients (plus one of mine).
This is your last chance to get an autographed copy of Dream or Destiny plus a free e-book of an unpublished novel and a chance to win a virtual gift basket filled with e-books.

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The End Is Near: Only 4 More Days to Get Your Free E-Book

My Special Days Dream or Destiny Promotion ends next Tuesday. Order a copy of Dream or Destiny within the next four days, and I will e-mail you an e-book of Fern’s Fancies, my unpublished contemporary romance novel.

You may order Dream or Destiny from:

• My publisher, GASLight Publishing, LLC
• Amazon.com
• Directly from me

To order directly from me through PayPal, click the “buy now” button below. Please be sure to indicate the name you would like the autograph inscribed to.

If you order from GASLight or Amazon, e-mail a copy of your sales receipt to lillie@lillieammann.com, and I’ll e-mail your free e-book.

On July 2nd, I will draw a name from all buyers for a virtual gift basket of e-books written by my clients (plus one of mine).

• As Shadows Fall by Grace Anne Schaefer
• The New Day Dawns by Grace Anne Schaefer
• On the Wings of the Wind by Patricia Eytcheson Taylor and the Reverend Doctor James Taylor
• Some Monument to Last by James Doughty
• Spring House by David Bowles
• Stroke of Luck by Yours Truly

Many readers have told me Dream or Destiny is on their to-buy book list. Don’t miss this opportunity to get an autographed copy plus a free e-book of a contemporary romance novel and a chance to win a virtual gift basket filled with e-books.

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My Special Days Dream or Destiny Promotion Midpoint

The My Special Days Dream or Destiny Promotion is half over. Order a copy of Dream or Destiny before the end of June, and I will e-mail you an e-book of Fern’s Fancies, my unpublished contemporary romance novel.

Not sure Dream or Destiny is for you? Read what reviewers and readers are saying about the book.

Learn more about Fern’s Fancies or read an excerpt.

I will draw a name from all buyers for a virtual gift basket of e-books written by my clients (plus one of mine).

• As Shadows Fall by Grace Anne Schaefer
• The New Day Dawns by Grace Anne Schaefer
• On the Wings of the Wind by Patricia Eytcheson Taylor and the Reverend Doctor James Taylor
• Some Monument to Last by James Doughty
• Spring House by David Bowles
• Stroke of Luck by Yours Truly

You may order Dream or Destiny from:

• My publisher, GASLight Publishing, LLC
• Amazon.com 
• Directly from me

To order directly from me through PayPal, click the “buy now” button below.  Please be sure to indicate the name you would like the autograph inscribed to.

If you order from GASLight or Amazon, e-mail a copy of your sales receipt to lillie@lillieammann.com, and I’ll e-mail your free e-book.

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My Special Days Dream or Destiny Promotion

I will e-mail you an e-book of Fern’s Fancies, an unpublished contemporary romance novel. It’s quite different from my other books, and I had fun writing it. I hope you have fun reading it. 

In addition to the free e-book, everyone who purchases Dream or Destiny during June  will have a chance to win a virtual gift basket of e-books. The titles of the books, which I either edited or wrote, are listed below.

 

Back cover blurb for Dream or Destiny:  

Marilee Anderson dreams about a murder and wakes to find it really happened. She and David Nichols, the victim’s brother, become the prime suspects. Though they have their secrets and aren’t sure they can trust each other, Marilee and David team up to find the killer.

Does Tess, “the crazy lady,” know anything about the murder or is she just delusional? Does the cheating couple on the victim’s floor have any information about the night of the crime? Why has the abusive father of the victim and her brother suddenly reappeared? What about Barbara’s ex-husband? Will Marilee and David find the killer? Or will they end up in jail—or dead?

You can learn more about Dream or Destiny, read an excerpt, or find out what reviewers say.

 

About Fern’s Fancies:

When Fern Tate sold her interior landscape company to a national corporation, she didn’t expect to have a boss like Pendleton Morgenthal, III. Had she made the biggest mistake of her life?

Pen never allowed a woman—especially a subordinate—to distract him from his fast-track career. What was it about Fern that made her different?

Read an excerpt of Fern’s Fancies.

I wrote this story early in my writing career in response to a call for submissions from a romance publisher for contemporary romance novels that began with a letter or other form of correspondence. I had just sold my interior landscape company and enjoying sharing some humorous incidents that we had encountered in 20 years in the business.

 I submitted part of the manuscript as homework in an online writing class, and the instructor predicted this book would be picked up by a publisher right away. However, when it was rejected by the publisher I targeted it for, I never tried again. Fern’s Fancies is genre romance, a la Harlequin or Silhouette Romance (the “sweet romance” lines).  It’s a light, fun, and sometimes humorous read.

• As Shadows Fall by Grace Anne Schaefer
• The New Day Dawns by Grace Anne Schaefer
• On the Wings of the Wind by Patricia Eytcheson Taylor and the Reverend Doctor James Taylor
• Some Monument to Last by James Doughty
• Spring House by David Bowles
• Stroke of Luck by Yours Truly

You may order from:

• My publisher, GASLight Publishing, LLC
• Amazon.com
• Directly from me

Although I don’t ordinarily sell direct, I want buyers during this promotion to be able to order an autographed copy. Click on the “buy-now” button at the bottom of this post to order through PayPal using your credit card or PayPal account. Price is $12.95 plus shipping ($3.00 US or $10.00 International). Please be sure to indicate the name you would like the autograph inscribed to.

For those of you who have Dream or Destiny on your wish list, now is the perfect time to order it. For those of you who have read and enjoyed the story, you can buy a gift for a friend and keep the free e-book for yourself.

If you order from me, I will e-mail your free e-book at the time I prepare your paperback book for shipping. If you order from Amazon or GASLight, e-mail me your receipt, and I will send Fern’s Fancies by return e-mail.

Happy anniversary and happy birthday to me, and happy reading to you!

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Story Behind the Story at Writer-in-Progress

Beth Morrow at Writer-in-Progress interviewed me for her feature “The Story Behind the Story.” Stop by to say hello and learn how Dream or Destiny came into being.  

If you’re not a regular reader of Writer-in-Progress, you’ll want to check out Beth’s other posts, especially her daily writing tips.

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