Come on over to AllAuthor and find out. Read the new interview I had with the people over at All Author recently and see where I come from, how my process works, and how my past experiences work into my writing.
Where can you find it?
At All Author’s Author Mellie Miller Interview! Find out all the details about my past, my present, my writing and interests.
And watch for holiday sales on my books later this week.
…you had telekinetic abilities during a snowball fight?
Well, I wondered the same thing while writing Too Many Talents.Here we have Connell, heir to Belfort, hosting a winter party. Of course there will be a snowball fight at some point. You can’t have a bunch of ten to twelve year old boys playing in the snow without it. The only strange thing is that they didn’t come up with it on their own…
How about an excerpt as we get ready for the winter holidays?
The forts weren’t too close together, so even when hit in the face, Connell wasn’t injured. He hastily retreated behind the fort and wiped the snow and water out of his eyes. Grabbing up another snowball from the ammunition pile he pulled back and threw his snowball in a high arc toward the other fort.
And as it arced toward the fort, Master Olivier strolled through the grounds right into the trajectory of the snowball.
“Master! Stop!” Connell shouted at the top of his voice.
Master Olivier stopped short, looked up, and waved his hand. And as he did, the snowball dodged sideways in midair and missed him by three feet. With a nod, the man continued on his way for a few feet. And then with a wide grin on his face, he approached the fort.
“I see everyone here is a student of mine, in one class or the other, and there are several of you on either team who can do telekinesis. Why don’t we see how a Talented game works?”
“Master Olivier, what do you mean?” Connell asked.
“Can I have all those with telekinetic Talent from both sides come to me,” he instructed.
Soon he was surrounded by a circle of young boys.
“Right. Now let’s divide you into equal teams.”
This took just a couple moments and they all retreated to their forts.
“Now, you who are telekineticists must direct the snowballs with your Talent. The rest can fashion ammunition for you. Who says practicing your Talent can’t be fun?”
And how about an odd game of tag? Jareth wants to help Viviane control her Talent, and sometimes a little bit of a break can make the difference. Especially if the break includes a game incorporating Talent in some way.
The first couple of days at the cabin were pretty lazy. Viviane decided she had needed a break. Jareth promised to work with her a little bit while they were up here, but only a little. He was afraid she was pushing too hard and creating her own obstacles.
One morning over breakfast, he looked up with a particularly mischievous look on his face.
“What, Jareth?” she asked. “I know that look and it means you’re up to something.”
“How about a game of tag?” he asked.
“What? Up here?”
“Why not? Only let’s change the rules to accommodate your new Talents.”
“Okay, what are the rules?”
“You know you have telepathic abilities, and you also have porting Talents. On top of that, you have kinetic Talents. So, this time, you’re going to be the hunter and you’ll have to catch me. But I can port to keep away from you, or use kinesis to move you away.”
“How is that fair?” she demanded.
“You have the same abilities and using them is fair in this game. If you use your telepathy, you will know where I’ll jump. I won’t shield my thoughts from you. Figure out where I’ll jump and get there before I can either jump again or move you. Or you can bring me to you with kinesis. Duncan says you have plenty of power.”
“Did he also tell you I tend to fling things pretty violently? What if you get hurt?”
“I’ll take my chances. Ready?”
“You’re on. Let’s get changed.”
To an onlooker their game would have seemed bizarre. At first, Viviane stood in one place, irritated and frustrated. But as the morning went on, she began blinking out at one place to reappear at another, just as Jareth had been doing. Occasionally Jareth would appear right behind her and startle her before jumping away again.
“Viviane, the object is to use your telepathy to get here when I do. You’re doing much better at your porting though.”
“I can’t seem to switch back and forth between Talents. I can either figure out where you’re going, or follow you there after I see you.”
“So move me back to you,” he countered, and ported again to a place about twenty-five meters away.
The first time she brought him back to her, his body hit hers quite hard, and they both tumbled backwards several feet before fetching up against a tree trunk.
“I told you I flung things about!” she shouted before he could get in a word.
“Yes, you did, but you did well, nonetheless. You realize you’ve won this round, don’t you?”
“I have?” she asked, then, “I have! Wow!” as she did a little dance in the snow.
Whatever snowy games you get into, have fun. Whether it’s tag, snow forts and snowball fights, or a simple walk in the snowy woods, get out into nature and enjoy.
The holiday season is here with all its stress. So take a break. Take a walk. Throw a snowball. You deserve it. And don’t forget to check out Too Many Talents.
Today I’ll introduce you to Kort Behrens. How about a little history?
Born into a well-to-do and supportive family, Kort grew up confident in his own abilities. Being a bear shifter may have had a bit to do with this, too. At 6’8″ tall when he reached adulthood, he seldom had to worry about being bullied, though he did discourage it in others whenever he saw the need. His father owned an electronics company, often experimenting with new and innovative ideas. Living in Dallas, Texas, his work often leaned toward aerospace.
Kort went to university to study business management and electronics, so that when he graduated he could work in his father’s business. While he was there, he met Liz, who became a good friend. Nothing romantic ever developed between them, but during their time at university, they remained friends. Of course, they sometimes met for coffee and complaints, or ran into each other at an event, but nothing serious. There was no spark between them. So after graduation they parted ways. He went on to graduate school and she returned back East to teach.
During his time at university, Kort’s father developed a new drive for the shuttles, which slashed the time it took to travel between worlds, opening up the developed planets to business and vacation travelers. Before this drive, business travel was slow, but doable. Vacation travel was for the wealthy only. But with the new drive, nearly anyone could find a vacation destination they could afford. Behrens Industries became the biggest name in electronics in the country.
After graduate school, he married a young woman, who seemed to share his interests. But shortly before the wedding he began to have doubts, though he went ahead with the marriage. At first it was little things. And then the list grew. When she decided they could no longer have a sexual relationship due to the teachings of a local guru in an obscure sect, he’d had enough and filed for divorce. Around the same time, his father chose to retire and left managing Behrens Industries to Kort. While he had worked with his father for some time, the day to day running of the business took much more time than he’d figured it would. It took several months before he felt he had a firm grasp of his role in the company, but he’d earned the respect of those who worked for Behrens and of the shareholders. The company was growing and he was worth billions.
He’d had plenty of women showing interest, but one stood out. Once he had his business life sorted, they began to date and eventually married. Once again, things began to sour only a few months into the marriage. Frequent absences from home made him suspicious, and a private investigator confirmed that she was having an affair. As it turned out, she was interested only in his money and social stature, not him as a person. So divorce two was soon a thing of the past.
Several more times he was nearly pulled into relationships, only to discover the same pattern. Money and social standing drew gold diggers like flies to honey. Eventually, he gave up on relationships altogether. There seemed no point. No one saw him as a person, only a bank account and a place in the spotlight. Throwing himself into his work, he kept Behrens Industries at the top of the of the list when it came to electronics. Romance was never going to happen for him, unless he should somehow meet his fated mate.
By age fifty-five, solitude was an old friend. Once in a while, he would invite a lady out for dinner, but it was always a one off kind of occasion. He found he looked forward to some time alone after dealing with cut-throat business dealings during the day. With his home up in the mountains, on a thousand acres of land, there was plenty of space to roam around in either form and work out the frustration from a tough day at the office. His estate manager knew to keep the media and any unauthorized visitors away. This was his sanctuary, his safe place. The place he could let his bear out without fear of it getting into the media. His life was a media circus most of the time anyway.
As will happen, Kort discovered someone was counterfeiting parts for the shuttles. The latest had been shipped to Gambler’s Folly. What the heck, he needed a vacation anyway. Why not mix a little pleasure into the deal? He had a couple properties on the planet. And his friend, Damiano Leone, always kept a suite for him when he got into town. Always a character, a good dose of Dam and Kari’s hospitality would be a welcome relief. Who could have imagined he would meet his soulmate at the hotel before taking the shuttle off world? And even more surprising, it was his old friend from university, Liz. Neither of them expected romance to spark between them. After all, they’d spent years as just friends at university. Maybe he could take her out a few times on Gambler’s Folly. This was her first trip to the vacation destination of the galaxy. It would be like old times, a little fun with an old friend, no strings.
Go on over to Amazon and get your copy ofOld Flame, to follow this romance between old friends. During the month of October, it’s on sale for only $0.99 for Kindle. Or you can read it for free on Kindle Unlimited!
Come to Gambler’s Folly and join Kort, Liz, Dam, and Kari, along with a few other friends. Who knows? You might find a romance of your own.,,
Gambler’s Folly—the world where every love story is a gamble and Fate always deals the final hand.
I hope you enjoyed this little intro. Next time we’ll talk about Elizabeth!
I assume, since you’re here on my blog, that you are a reader.
As a reader, do you also review?
Now, why am I asking this question? And why is it important?
I look at my sales every month and see the figures. And then I look for reviews, but very rarely ever find any. So I’m left to draw my own conclusions. Is it because the people who bought the books just don’t do reviews? Or is it that they didn’t like the book and don’t want to leave a bad review?
So far, the few reviews I’ve received are positive ones–mostly five star. Are they the only people who liked the book?
Why does it matter?
If you’re books are on Amazon, you get very little from Amazon unless you have at least 50 reviews. It doesn’t matter what kind of reviews they are, as long as they show up. Once you’ve reached their magic number, they will promote your book in their recommended for you lists. Otherwise, you’re on your own.
So you’ve spend all this time and money to publish a book and now you have to do all your own marketing and promotions, unless you want to spend more money to have someone help. And that adds up pretty quickly. But if Amazon were to help give you a boost, it would definitely help.
Reviewing a book you’ve read is one of the best ways to help an author you love, especially an indie author. You can also share the book with your friends or mention it on social media. But reviews are fantastic.
So the next time you read a book, stop long enough to give a review, or at least a rating. It only takes a minute, doesn’t have to be too long, and really helps the author.
Have you read my book?
Did you leave a review? I hope so…
Anyway, that’s all for now. Have a great week.
And as always,
Don’t Forget…
…to Share the Romance…
P,S. If you listen to Spotify, check out my podcast version of my blog–Share the Romance!
I know. Right? Does it make a difference? The purists say only print books are real books. Anything else is a poor copy, at best. And audio books don’t even enter into the discussion there. Others are fine with print or ebooks, but waffle when it comes to audio books.
Now, I know this is going to make one group or the other upset with me, but here’s the deal. I prefer actual physical print books. I love the feel of the paper, the smell of the ink, and the act of turning the pages to discover what waits on the other side.
That being said, I can’t afford to buy all the books I read, if I buy them in print. And when I travel, the weight of books alone would put me over the limit. So ebooks are easier and more economical for me, especially when reading a new author. Do I want to invest $15-$20 on a book I may decide wasn’t worth the $0.99 for the ebook?
Another thing to consider. Before my cataract surgery, I couldn’t read most print. On my e-reader, I could adjust the print size and the brightness, which allowed me to read while I waited for surgery. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to read at all.
What about audio books?
I love to listen to an audio book while I drive. With road noise, I find music difficult hear properly and get annoyed with the whole thing. But an audio book I usually enjoy–traffic noise or not.
And what about people who are blind or are vision impaired? Should we accuse them of “not reading,” because they don;’t pick up the physical book or e-reader? Must they be shunned because they choose to listen to an audio book? What other choice do they have? I suppose they could buy the print book and have a family member or sitter read it to them. But what is the difference between this and an audio book?
In my opinion, and only my opinion, I see no difference between the three. As an author hoping for royalties, whichever version of my book they buy still means a sale. Someone has chosen to read my book. And this makes me happy.
Folks, let’s not be judgmental. We don’t know the reasons a person is choosing a particular format of their reading material. They are still reading and that’s what’s important. It really doesn’t matter.
Just read!
Or listen.
But if you want to check out my books, or the books by my alter ego, Sultonna Nadine, go on over to Amazon or Smashwords and give them a once over. I also have 2 books available at Audible and one over atApple Books, as Sultonna Nadine.
So, that’s my rant for the day. Don’t be petty. Be grateful for the opportunity to read, however you choose to do it.
Just as I was getting used to the cooler autumn temperatures, Mother Nature decided to revisit summer, with high’s in the 90’s. I am so over this heat…
In the meantime, I’m working on getting Old Flame out for the holidays. With any luck, this will be the last rewrite.
Wish me luck…
Anyway, if you’re looking for my books on Amazon, go to my Author’s Profile Page! You’ll find all the books I’ve written there. Looking for a particular series?
Don’t worry! I’ll have another book out for the Esperance series soon, too. And after that, I’ll work on getting Sultonna’s next book finished. (It’s in editing…)
In the meantime, have a lovely last week in September.
All right, I know there are some of you writers out there who don’t mind editing. And some who actually enjoy the process.
I am not one of those people. Hate it with a passion. I find it particularly tedious, even though I love the results once I finish with it and send it on to my editor. And I’m sure she appreciates my efforts.
I’ve heard the saying that your first draft is you telling yourself the story. The edits are you refining this story for your audience, and I suppose it’s true. I just hate the process. It gives me a headache.
I’m hoping to have Whiskey Jug Genie out later this year and I’m struggling through it. I may have to start adding a splash of whiskey to my coffee at this rate.
It’s like I can see the story unfold in my head, but capturing those thoughts on paper as I paint those pictures for others is another matter.
And it seems in each story I write, I pick one word to continually repeat–sometimes several times on one page. What is wrong with me?
At any rate, this is only an update on my trials and tribulations. Wish me luck as I fight my way through.
Writers, drop me a comment and tell me about your woes as a writer.
And tell me which version of the cover you like best. It is still a work in progress. Remember, this is a redneck genie…
I mean, why is it so difficult to get people to review your book?
As an author, you get notified that you’ve sold a book, or several books. And you wait. And wait some more. But the reviews never come. Even if the one or two reviews you’ve manage to obtain are top rated reviews.
Why review?
It isn’t to give the author a good feeling about their book, even though that’s great.
When it comes to selling on Amazon and getting their help to promote your book, they go by the number of reviews you’ve received. It doesn’t matter whether they are one star reviews or five star. They only look at how many reviews you have.
Until you have at least 25 reviews for your book, you really don’t get recommended at all. After 25 reviews, your book starts showing up in the recommendations. You’ll see it in the “customers who liked this also liked…” area when you buy a book in a similar genre.
After 50 reviews, an author really starts gettine promoted on Amazon.
But until then, you’re pretty much sunk.
So, why is it difficult to get people to review a book? It isn’t hard to do. Takes maybe two minutes. But that two minutes meas a lot to an author, especially an indie author struggling to get a book into the public eye.
So, please, if you read a book, stop by Amazon and review it. It means so very much to those of us putting all that blood, sweat, and tears into writing them.
If you’re looking for something to read, check out my Mellie’s Romance page.
I swear, Mother Nature needs to get back on her meds or something. Maybe see a shrink. She seems stuck in bitch mode. Yesterday was a little chilly and rainy, but not really cold. I think it was in the mid-50’s And during the night the temperatures slowly climbed until it was around 60 degrees this morning.
Of course, since then, the temperatures have been dropping, with an expected low in the 20’s tonight. From spring to winter in one overnight jump. Our animals can’t figure out what to do. Should we grow fur and feathers or begin shedding again?
What am I saying? I can’t figure out what to do either. I have winter clothes out, summer clothes out, clothes everywhere. And I’m still not comfortable. I’m either too hot or too cold, but never quite comfortable.
In the meantime, I’m working on the next book in the Esperance Series. No, not the next one for you, but the next one in the series I’m writing. The next one for you, Too Many Talents, is in its final edit. And after that will be Ben of Blackstone’s Forge. Finally we’ll get to the one I’m working on now, Gregor Thayne.
Yes, I do have new books planned, but they take a little while for me to get them out to you.
But if you haven’t read the first books in the series, this would be a good weekend to give them a try.
Why?
All the Esperance books are on sale this weekend over at Smashwords. Take your pick, or pick all three. They’re only $0.99 each through Sunday evening.
Come on. You can’t even buy a cup of coffee for that any more. And at Smashwords, you can choose which format ebook you need for your reader.
So keep warm. Or cool. Or whatever it is you need today. Maybe Mother Nature will get her act together soon.
But before I go, how about a small excerpt from Too Many Talents?
Too Many Talents
Excerpt from Chapter 2–Connell
“But Mom, why do I have to go live with Grandpa? I want to stay here with you,” Connell complained for the hundredth time.
“You know why, young man,” his mother scolded. “And as soon as your father and I can take care of everything here, we’ll join you.”
“But how long will that be?” he asked, rolling his blue eyes at her. “I don’t know why we have to go anyway. I don’t want to be First Lord.”
“Now that is enough. We don’t have time for this. You’re ten years old and you know better.”
“I’m almost eleven,” he countered.
“Then start acting like it,” his mother snapped, exasperation beginning to show.
“But what about all my friends? I won’t have any friends there,” he continued.
“I’m sure you’ll make new friends.”
“But I like my old ones.”
“Connell, find something to do besides complain, or I’ll find something for you to do.”
“Fine!”
The little boy of almost eleven spun on his heel and ran out the door. Arriving at his favorite spot by the stream, he dropped down onto a large gray boulder and fought back the tears. No, he would not cry. Selecting a flat stone from the bank, he skipped it expertly across the water.
He wasn’t sure how long he’d been there before he heard someone behind him.
“Connell? Can I sit with you?”
Great! The voice could only be little Nell. She was all right for a girl, but, well, she was a girl. And she was always trying to help him with whatever he was doing. Two years younger than he was, they’d grown up together in the village, and he’d always liked her, even though she could be annoying.
“I guess. Sure,” he answered with a sigh.
He turned to give the little blonde, blue-eyed girl a hand so she wouldn’t slip on the bank. Once seated on the rock bench, she smoothed her flowered frock down over her knees.
“What are you doing down here? I thought you guys were moving.”
“Mom’s mad and told me to find something to do. So I came down to skip stones.”
“I could never do that. Can you show me?”
Even if she was a girl, Nell took his mind away from his problems. They skipped stones until the light began to fade.
“We should probably go back, Nell,” he told the little girl. “Mom was mad before I came down here. If I’m too late getting back, it won’t help anything.”
“Will I see you before you go, Connell?” she asked.
“I guess. We’ll be here a few days yet, and anyway, I’ll come back sometimes.”
“Can I still be your friend when you’re First Lord?”
“Of course. Why couldn’t you?”
“I don’t know. I just wondered. Thanks, Connell.”
About a week later, over the weekend, his father got the cart ready for the trip to Belfort Manor. Connell had determined ahead of time not to cry, no matter what, at least until they were out of town.
Though his mother said she was fine, he saw a few tears threatening to fall before he looked away. He so wished his parents could come with him right now. The idea of living with his grandfather, the First Lord, was intimidating
Of course, Nell had been there, tearful, and sure she’d never see him again. The pretty little bouquet of wildflowers was a sweet gesture, and after a quick hug, she buried her face in her mother’s skirt with a big sob.
“He’s not going away forever, Nell,” his mother had said. “He’s going to train his skills so he’ll be a good First Lord.”
I went in for my second cataract surgery yesterday. I had the first cataract removed a month ago, which helped quite a bit in the reading department. I’m hoping this one goes just as well. It’s nice to be able to read labels in the store, newspapers, magazines, and print books again.
Thinking about the same thing yourself?
Don’t sweat it!
The surgeon at Gainesville Eye Associates does laser surgery. It’s quick, and virtually painless. From the time I went in until I was back in the car was about an hour and a half. And that included the post surugery check up. What takes most of the time is getting your eye dilated, IV hooked up, and all the things you need to do before you reach the OR. The surgery itself takes about ten minutes.
Ten minutes?
Yep. That’s it. I will have eye drops to put in several times a day for a month, but that’s no biggie. And for the first few days, my vision will be a little blurry as everything heals. But the results will give me vision like I haven’t had in years.
So what’s happening in my writing world?
I’m still working to finish Gregor Thayne. Too Many Talents should be about through editing, and a few other things are in various stages of editing.
So this weekend, reach out and take home a little magic!
Master of the Fleet will be on sale at Smashwords for only $0.99 this weekend.
So reach for the magic, settle into a comfy chair, and visit the Cote d’Or!
