The Fun Part of an Author's Life
If you keep up with writers' blogs, you'll see a bazillion articles every day about the trials and tribulations that authors have to endure to stay in the business. Yep, they're real and you know them all — the total time suck of promotion, confusion over the Next Big Trend, befuddlement of marketing, yada, yada, yada. Despite all that, we persist. Why?
Because we love to tell stories and we love for you to love them.
We also like to have a good time with others who love books as much as we do. For those of you who participated in the 9 Ways to Fall in Love boxed set party, you know what I mean. We had a month-long party and got to know one another pretty well. It was grand.
Friends had been urging me to form a Facebook group for a long time, but with writing and all the aforementioned authorly things to do, plus dodging four little boys, I just never got around to it. Well, now I have, and several of the 9 Ways party animals are there, so we're still having a good time. You just can't keep a good party down.
Where's it at? The Pickle Barrel Bar & Books.
This is where we have a party now and then, have fun with books, and is the first place I announce my latest releases. (No, it's not a street team.) We talk about everything from ghost towns to chickens, and you get a hand stamp when you join, so be careful not to wash it off.
To go along with this, I also started the Pickle Barrel Bar & Books Newsletter, which is only released when I have actual news. A regularly scheduled newsletter seemed like one more "have-to" to me, and I didn't think I could deal with it, so when there's a contest that might interest my readers, or if I have a new release, then I send out a one-pager. I hope you'll sign up.
So now, for my latest releases (and I have another release from Western Fictioneers due out tomorrow!):
Sleight of hand, or...
A Straight-Laced Spinster
Lexie Campbell, more comfortable with neat and tidy numbers than messy emotions, is determined find the sharper who ruined her little sister and make him marry her. When his lookalike brother Burke appears, she greets him with a rifle and forces him to help her. Can she resist his magic charm?
A Gambler With Magic Hands
To claim the family fortune, smooth-dealing Burke O'Shaughnessy has to find his brother Patrick, despite being saddled with an angry spinster. But when Lexie shows an astounding talent for counting cards and calculating odds, he figures she might be useful after all. Can he draw the queen of hearts?
Another wonderful tale from Jacquie Rogers. I could clearly picture the hard benches, soot and steam of the train, the private cars, the gambling tables and opulent hotels. Burke is a handsome, cheeky and generous gambler who weaves his way into your heart. You can picture Lexie with her straight backed, 'holier than thou' attitude. It is heart warming to read as Burke breaks down her barriers and wins the girl of his dreams. Great read that I highly recommend. ~ Susan HorsnellAnd just in time to bring in the Christmas season:
Cowboys, kisses and love in the holiday air make for a special recipe in each of these wonderful new stories. Christmas miracles can happen when you're Wishing for a Cowboy!
A Christmas Miracle by Phyliss Miranda
Acceptance comes not through frosty eyes, but from the warmth of loving hearts.
A long-ago schooldays crush is rekindled by an Outlaw's Kiss that sparks true love, and a new future for Jake Morgan and Talia Delano.
A Husband for Christmas by Sarah J. McNeal
A haunting night of horror and a wish for a new life.
Peaches by Kathleen Rice Adams
When a strong-willed schoolteacher invades an irascible rancher's Texas range, not even the spirit of Christmas may be able to prevent all-out war.
A Gift for Rhoda by Jacquie Rogers
A mail-order bride disaster!
Her Christmas Wish by Tracy Garrett
Her only wish for Christmas was the man who left her behind.
Covenant by Tanya Hanson
Can a Christmas blizzard ignite love gone cold?
Charlie's Pie by Livia J. Washburn
A wounded man, a desperate woman, a gang of ruthless outlaws... and the best pecan pie in Parker County!
Kindle | Smashwords | Print
What a fabulous idea, Jacquie! And a huge congrats on the new releases!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kimmie! We have parties at the PBB&B, tell jokes, and just generally have a good time.
DeleteLoved your blog!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Karren! ♥
DeleteWhere did the name Pickle Barrel come from? Am looking forward to reading
ReplyDeleteIn the Old West, the general store was their Facebook. People gathered around and shot the breeze--and the pickle barrel was always right by the counter, so became the slang for gossip.
Deletewishing for a Cowboy Christmas. Sorry, my computer is acting up! Drats!
ReplyDeleteWishing for a Cowboy is Prairie Rose Publications' debut offering, so I was tickled to be part of that. And it was fun to read everyone's stories, too. All good. Enjoy!
DeleteJacquie, Sleight of Heart sounds delicious. Congrats on your new release.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sandy. The characters in Sleight of Heart are some of my favorites. Okay, whatever character I'm writing is my favorite. LOL. Hard to pick. But I have to admit, Lexie and Burke really had me hopping to keep up with them.
DeleteJacquie, I'm so pleased that my print copy of WISHING FOR A COWBOY arrived Saturday. You know how much I loved SLEIGHT OF HEART. Can't stand it until Miners is released.
ReplyDeleteCaroline, then I better get off this computer and get to writing. I thought this would be a short novel, but... well, Iris and Kade just keep doing stuff... and not all of it is THAT, either. LOL.
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