Introducing My New Assistants…
I’ve got to tell you that, at the moment, it’s good to be me and these two are a dream come true. They’re taking over some of the tasks that go along with PROUD-TO-BE-AN-INDIE! so that I can devote more of that time to telling stories.
Sarah Nicole Howard
I love to read, love my Poms, grew up near Saint Louis, MO. I collect antique books, oldest one so far is 1842. I’m a gamer. Facinated by language, moreso English but learning Japanese. I am getting married next month to a guy who sits still while I read Black Swan books to him.
She is managing the blog, the street team, the Goodreads Group, my advertising schedule, and monitoring Facebook. You can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FFXPrincess. You can email her at blackswanjunkie(at)gmail.com.
If you want an invitation to join the street team or have suggestions for the Goodreads Group, please contact Sarah.
Judy Fox
Like Sarah, I enjoy “long walks on the beach” (referring to a joke about dating site info), good wine, good friends, laughing until it hurts, reading a great book. I’m a mom of 5, wife to 1 (whom I am still madly in love with, well – when I’m not mad at him, anyways…LOL) I have three pets I adore – 2 British Shorthair cats, and 1 Bichon Frise dog – all of whom are neutered males…a fact which makes my husband and sons decidedly nervous!
She is blogger liaison, keeper of the calendar, managing the street team, the Goodreads Group, and monitoring Facebook. You can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/judy.irwinfox. You can email her at judyf1118(at)gmail.com.
If you are a blogger and want to discuss an interview, guest post, giveaway, or review – please contact Judy.
High Adventure,
Victoria
Goodreads Fan Group Page is MOVING!
BLACK SWAN FAN GROUP on GOODREADS IS MOVING!
The old page is going away. We hope you will move with us to our new Goodreads home. Please click here and join.
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/108735-victoria-danann-order-of-the-black-swan
Series Tour Schedule UPCOMING
On Tour with PARAJUNKEE and PARANORMAL CRAVINGS…
7/16: Books N’ Things http://www.mybooksnthings.com Promo Spot Re
7/17: Meredith’s Musings http://meredithraemusings.blogspot.com/ Character Spotlight
7/18: Bookaroo-Ju http://www.bookarooju.wordpress.com Character Spotlight
7/19: Moonlight Gleam http://www.moonlightgleam.com Guest Post
7/20: BBL Reviews http://www.bittenbylovereviews.com/ Promo
7/22: Total Eclipse Reviews http://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com Character Interview
7/23: Paranormal Book Club http://www.paranormal-bookclub.com Promo Spot
7/24: Jessica Loves Books http://www.jessicalovesbooks.com Guest Post
7/25: Books, Books, and More Books http://booksbooksmorebooks.blogspot.com/ Character Spotlight
7/26: Penny For Them http://pennyforthem1.blogspot.co.uk/ Promo Spot
7/26: Words of Wisdom from The Scarf http://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com promo
7/29: Rants and Scribbles http://rantsnscribbles.blogspot.ca/ Character Spotlight
7/29: Reader’s Edyn http://readersedyn.blogspot.com guest post
7/30: It’s Raining Books http://www.its-raining-books.blogspot.com Interview
7/30: Simply Infatuated http://www.simplyinfatuated.com guest post
7/31: Bea’s Book Nook http://beasbooknook.blogspot.com Character Spotlight
8/01: The Bookish Howl http://thebookishowl.wordpress.com/ Character Spotlight
8/01: From Meredith Allard www.meredithallard.com guest post
8/02: Fictional Candy http://www.fictionalcandy.com Character Spotlight
8/03: Andi’s Book Review. http://andisbookreviews.blogspot.com interview
8/05: Books Things and More http://www.bookishthingsandmore.com Guest Post
Storm vs Ram
IT’S A QUESTION THAT NEVER SEEMS TO GET OLD?
My author’s assistant posed this to my street team. “How did you find out about Victoria? Amazon? A friend’s recommendation?”
The answers were fun to read, some surprising, but the best part is that quite a few added their impressions of the first book or the first couple of books. That’s how the Storm vs. Ram thing came up. Again. It’s a question that never seem to get old.
About 7 months ago I took a poll on my FB page that asked, “Who did you want to get the girl?” That was referring to the first book of the saga, of course, My Familiar Stranger. (The number who answered Baka still shocks me. I think there may have been one who wrote in “Sol”.)
The overwhelming majority said Ram, but there were some die-hards who STILL thought Storm was her guy and that the author should be summarily executed at dawn. I recently read a review on Goodreads that said something like “quitting at 48% – she was going to end up with the wrong guy anyhow”. Every time I think about that, it makes me smile because, even though that person only read half the book, she was emotionally invested enough to care about the outcome. (Yay me.)
Someone on my street team recently told me that she had a conversation with a friend, who was so pissed about the outcome of the first book she refused to continue to Book 2. Fortunately she was persuaded, coaxed, urged and cajoled into giving the series another try, but it made me wonder how many other people are still out there fuming.
Here are a couple of anonymous quotes from my street teams answers:
1, Honestly, I can’t remember how I came across MFS first. Think it was recommended to me through Amazon. I read the sample and was hooked. Will be honest though.. At first was disappointed with the ending because I was a Storm fan. Once I found out AWD was coming out, I knew it was going to be ok.. Them 2nd book made 1st book better in my opinion. Now Ram and Elora are my favorite!
2. I love Ram but I was team Storm too I think that’s why it took book 2 and Litha to really hook me on the series.
As to the reason why it all seemed better after Book 2, it’s because the first book was (in my mind) Act 1 of a three act play. The first three books are like a trilogy within a saga. Just as I’m sure the artist in Peter Jackson would have liked to release The Lord of the Rings as one seven hour movie, I would have loved to release the first three books all at one time. Undoubtedly it would have saved both me and readers some grief. It’s the most wonderful thing to be far enough into the saga now to know that anyone who wants to continue the journey after Book 1 can do so without waiting.
http://www.amazon.com/Order-Black-COLLECTED-Anthology-ebook/dp/B00BH68UCG 313,000 words for $6.99
BAD BOYS of Romance Giveaway Hop
So what are “bad boys” anyway? I’ll bet you never needed it defined for you. I think women come with a vague sense of what it means.
The social scientists have a name for the phenomenon. It’s called The Dark Tryad. Seems that heterosexual women are predisposed to the attraction – not all, but a lot.
Here is the triple threat that typically defines a fantasy/romance version of bad boy.
1. He’s a love ’em and leave ’em player with magnetic good looks and fever-hot sensuality.
2. Hes’ a problem-with-authority rebel who may express that defiance in style choices that are antiestablishment, but nonetheless cool.
3. He’s often emotionally damaged, tragically misunderstood, but vulnerable to the one woman who will heal his wounds, polish his rough places, and turn him into a true blue whipster.
So far the men of the Black Swan saga have touched on bad boy without being fully baptized. However, members of Z Team, introduced in Book 4, Moonlight, are definitely going to go there.
Feel free to tell us about some of your favs even if they aren’t my characters. Some of the ones I love (by other authors) are Barrons from Fever Series and Kellan from Thoughtless trilogy.
Rafflecopter Link for GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY
Love of Mythology GIVEAWAY Hop
On the third week of second grade my class was introduced to the concept of “library”. We were told we could select one book, take it home, read it, then bring it back. My choice was a child’s version of Greek Mythology. I was hooked. Eventually I took an ad hoc degree in mythological studies. All this is to say that I have been a serious fan and a lifelong fan. American Gods is raw, unromantic, and probably more appealing to men than women, but it is also an educated, thoughtful, clever treatise on the subject of our relationship with “gods”.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: American Gods is a Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novel by Neil Gaiman. The novel is a blend of Americana, fantasy, and various strands of ancient and modern mythology, all centering on the mysterious and taciturn Shadow. It is Gaiman’s fourth prose novel, preceded by Good Omens (a collaboration with Terry Pratchett), Neverwhere, and Stardust. Several of the themes touched upon in the book were previously glimpsed in The Sandman graphic novels.
TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY…The Grand Prize Consists of the following:$45 Amazon GC or $45 worth of books at TBD.
ebooks from Patricia Bates
a prize from Lisa Beth Darling
an ecopy of Sunburn by Rosanna Leo
an ecopy of Ain’t No Bull by Danica Avet
an ecopy of Remedy Maker by Sheri Fredricks
PROCEED TO THE NEXT STOP ON THE TOUR…
http://booklovershideaway.blogspot.com/2013/02/for-love-of-mythology-giveaway-hop-sign.html?zx=e894b68c0ecd3ed8
