Sadly, Becoming Magic is NOT up in the Kindle store in spite of everything having been done right by me. I’ve sent them a message and hopefully it’ll be fixed within 24 hours. In the meantime, I’m sending everyone to Smashwords who have a lovely big sale going on in which ALL of my other books have a 100% off coupon (SS100) for the month of July only. And Becoming Magic is only $2.99, so you could catch up on all the Sleight of Hand books for the single price of $2.99—who wouldn’t want to do that? Check it out here: Smashwords Summer Sale!
Tag Archives: Kindle
Behind the times? Catch up on Synchronicity now!
It occurred to me that many of you may not have had a chance to read Book One of the Synchronicity series yet, so here’s your opportunity. Check out the Amazon Kindle book giveaway here: Out of Time Giveaway.
Celebrating Winter Solstice with a Giveaway!
It’s the winter solstice! December 21, my favorite day of the year. Guess why?
Here’s a hint:
Startled, Becky raised her head to meet John’s gaze in the mirror. He shrugged and smiled at her reflection. “You didn’t look too good, and when you weren’t out by the time I finished my shower, I decided I’d better check on you.”
He crossed the room and turned her to face him, touched her sweaty forehead gently, then reached back and released her hair from its knot. Perhaps his only intention was to help her relax, but as her hair fell around her shoulders, Becky realized with a jolt of self-consciousness that she enjoyed the intimacy of the gesture.
When she looked at him, he moved a little closer, his hand lingering at the nape of her neck. He drew his fingers through her hair, letting it slide through them, and she closed her eyes in pure sensuality, forgetting every tragedy she had witnessed in a simple desire to live in the moment.
Neither spoke as he bent his head to cover her mouth with his. She lost herself in his touch, aware of his arms around her, his lips first on hers, then on her neck. She slid her hands up his biceps, caressing as she did so, wanting to encourage his response. He smelled good–clean and male in a way she had never experienced. In some detached part of her brain, she thought maybe it was the hospital soap.
She clung to him, thankful for the strength of his body as her own betrayed her weakness. Not until his hands slid beneath her scrub top did she come to her senses.
“Not here.” She could only think that she didn’t want to become another of the legends–the PR woman who couldn’t resist the irresistible John Grant in the locker room.
“Where?” His body still pressed hard against hers, his lips against her hair. Becky felt the cold porcelain sink behind her, but he was warm and solid and the heat of their passion was thick in the air around them. In such a position, restraint was the last thing on her mind.
“My place,” she whispered and told him the address.
“I’ve got a few things to take care of.” His lips brushed her ear and she shivered. She felt his smile. “I’ll be there in a couple of hours.”
Before she could change her mind, he left, taking the warmth and safety of his arms with him, and Becky was left to wonder if she had suddenly gone insane.
Okay, maybe that’s not much of a hint, but it’s an excerpt from my book Winter Solstice, which was just a fun romantic romp starring a slightly bumbling public relations guru (Becky) and a sexy, strong, alpha-male ER doctor (John). It was my second published book (2011) from Lyrical Press. And you could win a Kindle copy on Amazon today. Check out the giveaway here: https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/78f45d8e0611e57f#ln-tw.
Enjoy the shortest day of the year, and look forward to new, brighter days ahead!
Happy Friday! Out of Time Giveaway
Happy Friday! Let’s celebrate…Out of Time style. I’m giving away 20 Kindle copies to lucky random winners on Amazon. Check it out here: Out of Time Amazon Giveaway
And just in case you need more convincing, here’s one of my personal favorite excerpts from the book to whet your appetite for romance and adventure:
Oh! And the awesome book trailer by Farah Evers Designs:
What are you waiting for? Go enter! Out of Time Amazon Giveaway
Dear Amazon: I am one of your writers.
Dear Amazon,
I am one of your writers. One of your writers who truly believed up until yesterday that your Kindle Select Program would eventually prove to be a winning game for me. I have written and published seven books using your Kindle Select Program. I’ve taken advantage of the promotion system you had in place of rollback deals and free days for my Kindle books. Because of this, my self-published e-books were available exclusively on a Kindle platform, in spite of the fact that I know people who own Nooks. When I gave away e-readers, it was always a Kindle.
Yesterday, to my sorrow, I lost faith in you, not because I think your program is a bad one, but because you made a move that I believe takes advantage of writers like me. Writers who are trying to get our words out to the public. Writers who believe we have something to say, even if we don’t always have the patience and forbearance to deal with the traditional publishing system. Writers with talent and passion for their work.
By changing your policy of paying Kindle Select authors by the download to paying them by the number of pages read, you devalued my work. You said my work is worth less than traditionally published authors. You said you have lost faith in me.
My work is worth as much as any traditionally published book out there, whether it be a bestseller or a struggling indie book. I already charge less for my e-books, and when they’re borrowed through the Kindle Select Program, I get a fraction of my already small profits. But I guarantee you, I put as much work into my romances as any Harlequin or Kensington author out there, and I insist that that work be respected.
With regret, I have stopped the automatic re-enrollment of my books in your Select program. By the end of the summer, I will be free to seek other platforms to publish my books on, and if your new policy is still in effect, I will do so. I imagine I won’t be the only one, either. Any smart self-published author out there will also look elsewhere if they want the world to know they respect themselves and the writing process.
Sincerely,
Michelle Garren Flye
Review a Book, Win a $50 AMAZON Gift Card!
Last week I gave away more than a thousand books on Kindle. Free. I was astounded. Blown away, really, by the enthusiasm. Okay, yeah, this is America. Stick the word “FREE” on something and we’ll likely pick it up. Even if we throw it in the garbage can later. But this was different because there are literally hundreds—probably thousands—of Kindle books up for grabs every day. Most written by people like me who are just trying to make it in the big world.
And more than a thousand readers selected MY books from that pile of free Kindle books. That means something. To me, anyway.
Okay, so, step one for me as an author is complete. My books are out there on Kindles everywhere. Check. The next step for me is to encourage you to READ my books. I know how it is. You download a “To Read” list on your Kindle and you never quite get around to actually READING them. And certainly not to REVIEWING them (step three). So here’s my idea. How about, if you read my books by August 15 at 6 p.m. AND review them on AMAZON, you get entered in a drawing for a $50 AMAZON gift card. For FREE! Certainly makes reviewing sound a lot better, doesn’t it?
And I’m talking about a real, honest review. If you don’t like my writing, I invite you to tell me why. If you do like my writing, I’d love to hear from you. I’ve learned a lot from both types of reviews from readers. Of course, I’m taking a risk here. It’s quite possible I could get one star from someone who reads my book just because of this giveaway and posts, “I didn’t like it because it wasn’t the Wall Street Journal.” I hope I don’t get those, but I have enough faith in my ability to write well in my genre that I’m willing to risk it.
So, if you like romance and women’s literature, and if you have read one of my books, and if you’re willing to write a review on one of them before August 15, here’s how to enter:
1. Download and read one of my books or read one of the ones you got in last week’s freebies.
2. Post an honest review on Amazon about the book.
3. Email me at michellegflye@gmail.com to let me know you posted a review.
4. Winner (selected by random draw) will be announced August 15 6 p.m. Eastern!
Good luck! I’ve already got a couple of entries!
Five Days of Free Kindle Books: Tracks in the Sand
Each day this week I’ve given away one of my books on Kindle for free, and I’ve spotlighted them on this blog, taking the opportunity to give you a little background on why I write what I write. And to sweeten the deal, I’m offering a $50 gift card for anyone who writes a review of one of my books on Amazon and posts it by August 15. Winner will be chosen by random drawing that evening. All you have to do is drop me an email at michellegflye at gmail dot com to let me know you posted the review. I want your honest take on ANY of my books (including the three published by actual publishers), not just the five I’m offering for free. But if you want a free book, here’s your chance!
Tracks in the Sand is my ninth book, but only the second I’ve set in my hometown of Brevard, N.C. I’m not totally certain why this is. Maybe I’m concerned my writing will be greeted by the people at home with the same enthusiasm Thomas Wolfe got for Look Homeward, Angel. Whatever the reason, when it came time to write about a woman going home after years away, it just seemed right to set it in Brevard.
Tracks, like Saturday Love, went through many revisions. I wanted the main character to be strong. I actually started Tracks right after Where the Heart Lies. I’d just written a super strong but very sweet character in Alicia, and I wanted to try something different with Paige. Paige is tough because life has made her that way. But she has so much more vulnerability than Alicia does. Alicia is strong clear through in a very good way. Paige is flawed, her strong exterior actually a mask for the hurt child she still is. It took me many hours of revisions to get Paige to the point where it was possible to like her, but I’m happy with the result. And, well, the hero who cracks through her tough outer shell at last and wins her heart…well, you read it and tell me.
Tracks in the Sand, my newest release, is free today. Go get it. But if you’re not convinced yet, here’s a little excerpt:
She’s thinking about playing cat and mouse with him again. An unexpected stab of jealousy made Sean grip his clipboard hard enough to turn his knuckles white. He turned away to pretend to count the hammers hanging on the pegboard nearest him. “Jesus, Paige, are you really thinking about going down that road again?”
“What?” She tried to look innocent, but he could tell by the tiny smile on her lips she’d already considered the possibility of sleeping with Travis. Was she looking for revenge on Travis or Melissa? Or both? And would she really go that far to get it?
“What what?” He shook his head, replacing the hammers and moving further down the shelves to continue. “You know what. The son-of-a-bitch broke your heart, that’s what. Now you’re thinking about sleeping with him.”
“I wouldn’t do that.” She folded her arms over her breasts in a defensive posture.
“Why the hell not? And don’t tell me you didn’t at least consider it.”
“Besides the ick factor, I wouldn’t do it because I wouldn’t want to hurt Beth.” She followed him down the aisle. “But yeah, I have to admit, it crossed my mind. It would be the perfect revenge.”
He gave her a sharp look. “But your better nature took over?”
She shrugged. “Not sure I have a better nature. But yeah, something like that. I like that girl, and I don’t want to cause her or her family any more trouble than I already have.”
He paused, deciding to play devil’s advocate. “Well, you know. She knows the deal between you and Travis, right? I mean, she’d probably come around eventually if you guys got back together.”
The shock on her face was followed so quickly by disgust, he realized he had nothing to worry about on that front. “You really know how to turn a girl’s stomach, Sean.”
He laughed. “Well, the way you danced in here, you looked like a woman in love.”
“Not love.” She paused, frowning. “But the kid is amazing, and she’s been the one bright spot in my return home. Aside from you, of course. And if her father breaks her heart, I’ll kill him.” She fixed Sean with a glare. “Have you heard anything about him? If he’d make a pass at me, he’s probably done it before with someone else.”
“Why would you say that?” Sean turned away. What little he knew about Travis he wished he didn’t, but he had to admit he had a hard time following her line of thinking. Paige was a sexy, beautiful woman, and they shared a past. Why wouldn’t Travis make a pass at her? What Sean had a hard time believing was that Travis had ever given Paige up.
“Why?” Paige shrugged. “I want to know if he’s a cheating bastard that’s going to end up hurting Beth. And does Melissa know? And if she does, which she surely does because she’s an intelligent woman, why the hell does she put up with it?”
“That’s not what I meant.” Sean straightened a shelf of drill bits, then turned to look at her. Her curly hair had frizzed a little in the damp evening air. She wore almost no makeup and her jeans and blouse were wrinkled. Her expression was frustrated, half angry, and her posture was defiant.
And his heart skipped a beat every time he saw her.
What would she do if I kissed her? Half the attraction was that he had no idea. She might kiss him back, she might hit him or bite him. She might kiss him back and then hit him. Whatever she did, he knew it would be unexpected because that was what Paige was.
“Well?” She raised her eyebrows. “What did you mean?” Her voice was so crisp and no-nonsense, he knew she had no idea what he was thinking.
And why was he thinking it now? But he knew the answer. Before she’d left ten years ago, he’d never been able to imagine his life without her in it and hadn’t been willing to do anything that might destroy what they had and scare her off in the process. But now he’d lived without her. He could do it again, if their relationship didn’t work out.
I don’t need her as a friend anymore. I want her as a woman.
“Sean? You still there?” Her expression had softened a little, concern overcoming some of her irritation.
“I meant that he never deserved you.” He took a deep breath and stepped toward her. “I meant that I can’t stand the thought of you sleeping with him. For revenge or anything else.”
Decision made, he reached for her, caught her by the arm and pulled her to him. Startled and off balance, she tipped forward into him, catching herself by grabbing his chest. Her expression when she looked up at him had changed from confused to uncertain.
“I never said I was going to sleep with him.” She sounded a little breathless…and like she was trying very hard not to sound breathless. The idea that she felt the attraction too and didn’t want him to know pleased him. And she didn’t try to push him away, either.
Maybe this would be easier than he’d thought. Probably not, though.
He slid his arms around her waist, pulling her closer as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “You don’t have to say anything. I know what you’re thinking.”
“Do you?” Her gaze flickered—instinctively and unwillingly—to his lips and back to his eyes. “Do you know what I’m thinking right now?”
“Sure.” He grinned. “You’re thinking that if I don’t let go of you you’re going to knee me in the groin.”
“Then why are you still standing so close?” She tilted her chin, her voice determined.
“Because you’re not going to do it.” He deliberately stopped smiling, and, still keeping a firm grip on her waist with one arm, he lifted a hand to trace the softness of her lips with one finger. He knew her so well. Even after all these years, he could read the nuances of her expression, could see the battle between attraction and irritation. I’m probably the only one who can do that, too. The wonder of it filled him.
“Why would that be?” Her arms slid up a little to his shoulders. She could be about to knee him in the groin or move further into his embrace. Knowing her, she probably hadn’t made up her mind yet.
For answer, he moved his hand to brush back her hair, exposing the tender skin beneath her ear. Bending, he took a deep breath of her and kissed the spot, feeling her tremble in response. Because you feel the same way I do and you’re wondering why we haven’t done this a long time ago if it feels this good. He didn’t have to speak the words. When she slid her arms around his neck, moving her lips to his, he knew she knew.
What a week! Time to give some stuff away…
Okay, it’s really, really good to be sitting here on THIS side of last week. I feel like it’s the first breather I’ve taken all week. In addition to returning home at 11 o’clock Sunday night from Las Vegas, this was the first week of my online book tour, the last week of school for two of my kids and the week I had to get the school library packed up. I’ve been up at six AM and going until I put my kids to bed all week.
To make it all the more fun, on Wednesday I got up to a fantastic email from Amazon telling me the Kindle version of my book had magically transformed into a string of letters and numbers that nobody could read. I’m not kidding, it was like it was in some sort of code or something. I swear that happened sometime SINCE I put it online. So I had to spend a fair amount of time Wednesday re-uploading the Kindle version, seething all the while because I was technically promoting a book that wasn’t even available for more than twenty-four hours–at least not available in the preferred format. I felt like I was on a speeding train going somewhere I really needed to be…but I’d left the luggage that would make the trip worth it.
Please understand, I’m not complaining, exactly. I’m EXplaining my absence from here.
And I want to make it up to you. I’ve been planning to give away copies of DUCKS IN A ROW and WEEDS AND FLOWERS for a while, and today seems like a great time to do it. So please, be my guest. Download my other two indie babies. And if you’re only interested in CLOSE UP MAGIC, I’ve got something for you there, as well. I’ve already posted Chapter One online. In a few minutes, Chapter Two will join it. You can find them here: CLOSE UP MAGIC.
Happy reading!
Well, that’s embarrassing…Kindle issue alert!
This morning, I woke up to a notice that my new book Close Up Magic is showing up as a string of unreadable characters on readers’ Kindle devices. After my initial shock, I checked it out, and sure enough, it was. Holy cow! What happened to the file between a couple of weeks ago when I uploaded it and now, I cannot tell you. I’ve never heard of Kindle Direct being hacked, but I do know that I uploaded a good file, checked it over thoroughly and didn’t hit the publish button until I had every confidence it would be worth the buyer’s money.
Ah well, I talked yesterday about best-laid plans.
At any rate, long story short, if you purchased Close Up Magic and it isn’t working properly, please return it! I would never want anyone to be stuck with a bad copy of one of my books! And if you haven’t tried it out on your Kindle yet, give it a try. I think there are limits to how long you can return a Kindle books, and I don’t want you to run into a block there.
And if you do return the book, I hope you’ll check back in about twenty-four hours. I uploaded a new file this morning, tested it on the preview reader and know it’s good. I will keep my fingers crossed that it stays that way!
In other news, consider joining me on my book tour today. I’m over at Flirting with Romance, talking about all sorts of flirty, romantic things. It’s a fun interview and not nearly as long as yesterday’s post on the Dan O’Brien Project!
Welcome to My Book Day Party!: Contest Winners!
Welcome! It’s a very happy release day party for Close Up Magic today. First order of business has to be giving away the Kindle Paperwhite, of course. With the help of Random.org, one name was selected, and that name was…Glen Held! Glen’s a fan of the Close Up Magic Facebook Page, so I’ll get in touch with him and find out how to get the Kindle to him.
Second order of business is that yes, I am in Vegas, where Close Up Magic takes place. And I’m doing my best to make it to as many of them as possible, but I also promised a $20 gift card to those who gave me suggestions. And the winner of that card was…Bessamy Snoderly!
Thanks to everyone who participated in my giveaways and who have helped me promote Close Up Magic. I can still use the help, but I’m afraid it’ll have to be out of the goodness of your heart…although I am giving away a basket of magic tricks later this month on my virtual book tour. It starts Monday and I hope you’ll all join me there. In the meantime, check out my Twitter feed today for pictures of me and Close Up Magic in Las Vegas!
BREATHE: Michelle Garren-Flye 