Releasing on Thanksgiving from Harper Impulse--Santa Wore Leathers

I'm hosting a Book Release Party on Facebook on Black Friday from 9am to 9pm

We'll be talking about how pets create havoc in our lives. Share pictures of your pet's worst mess! We'll also be talking about handsome hunks...I mean, that's a given. Right? There will be pics of them, too.

And prizes.

And laughter.

Lots of laughter.

 

EXCERPT:
 

Wolf strode to her townhouse, rang the doorbell and waited.

 

Finally, her door opened, and he was greeted with a scowl.

 

“What?” She tugged the lapels of her short white silky robe together.

 

“I…ah…” His gaze snagged on all those ample curves showcased by the slinky material. I…ah…”

 

“You said that already.” She fisted a hand on her hip.

 

Einstein cannonballed around Becca with something red clamped in his jaws. He streaked across the grass, his strong muscles propelling him as he circled both of their yards.

 

“Get back in here!” Becca pointed into her house.

 

Einstein loped across the grass and shrubbery, ignoring his owner’s command.

 

Maybe if he acted the hero and returned the pet to its owner, he’d gain a few brownie points. “Stay here. I’ll get him.” Wolf took off after the dog. Seeing he was being chased only made Einstein run faster. Wolf followed him twice around the yard in front of Becca’s house. The dog leapt over a flowerbed and stopped, his head lowered, shaking his prize, his hind end elevated, wiggling in excitement.

 

“Give me that.” Wolf stepped to the right around the flowerbed. The dog trotted to the left. In a quick move, he sprinted to the left and the dog dashed to the right. “Think you’re smart, don’t you?” He could have sworn the dog smiled. Wolf leapt across the blooms, hoping to grab the smartass canine. Once he’d grabbed the collar, they rolled, and Einstein yelped. Wolf grimaced as he, too, rolled across a low-growing cactus and into the trunk of a palm tree. “Dammit.”

 

The dog whined and dropped the fabric to lick and bite at the prickly thorns in his groin.

 

“Easy now, Einstein.” Wolf cooed as he slipped his Swiss army knife from the front pocket of his jeans.

 

“What’s wrong? What’s going on? What are you doing with that knife?” Becca tugged on the hem of her short robe and glanced up and down the street as if she thought to run out into the yard.

 

“Stay where you are. He’ll be fine. He’s got some thorns in his hide.” Wolf removed the tweezers stored in a slot of the knife and began extracting the offending needles. “We can’t have an awesome fella like you in pain now, can we?” He worked as quickly as he could. “One more, big guy, and then you’ll be fine.” The dog licked him several times. “Yeah, I like you too. Let’s keep what I’m about to do just between us, shall we?” He ran his fingers over the affected groin area, keeping his attentions on the dog’s reactions. “Looks like we got them all.”

 

“What in blue blazes are you doing to that dog? Are you performing some kind of ‘beasty-wildy’ on him?” Mrs. Minelli, his neighbor, punctured the air with her cane, her white eyebrows arched in question.

 

He fought the urge to laugh. “No, Mrs. Minelli. I was taking out thorns.”

 

She cocked her head to the side, her cataract-clouded eyes widened. “In his penis?”

PRE-ORDER LINKS:

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Santa-Wore-Leathers-HarperImpulse-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B00GFD6X34/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1385127025&sr=1-1&keywords=santa+wore+leathers

BARNES AND NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/santa-wore-leathers-vonnie-davis/1117316490?ean=9780007555314

WHERE'S MY READER MAGNET?

Even though it's been nine months since my debut book, Storm's Interlude, came out, I still feel like a "newbie" in the publishing business. A baby with age spots and cellulite.

I find I'm floundering as to what kind of promotion works. How do I market and sell my book? Where do I find readers? I feel quite inept. Granted, I knew it would take time to make a name for myself as a romance author, but I was expecting to make more inroads into the readership market than I have.

But I'm haven't.                     

And it's not for lack of trying.

Experts say to build a brand. Initially I used "I write stories of the heart" as my brand slogan, but have since changed it to "Love: A single syllable with infinite emotion." My blog, website and business cards all contain roses. Is that enough? I mean, what constitues a brand? Different experts tell you different things. And what if your writing changes?

Or, what if, like me, you can't decide exactly what it is your write? I've written and contracted contemporary, historical and romantic suspense. Now I have a humorous paranormal that won't let me alone.

How do you brand yourself when you don't know what you're writing? Most writers wisely chose one sub-genre of romance, but not me. No. Not this ol' gal. She's got to see if she can write everything. How do I brand myself when I don't know who I am as a writer?

My agent said to create an online presence. Start a blog. As you can see, I've done that. I find I love hosting other writers, finding out about them as people and about their books. I feel I'm a little smarter now for reading what they have to say. You see, I love my online writer friends. They're the best. Intelligent. Creative. Fun.

   

And more supportive than my best pair of Spanx.

 

But are readers visiting my blog?

I don't mean to imply that writers aren't readers. We are. We buy a lot of books; I know I do.

BUT WHERE'S MY READER MAGNET?

Rarely does anyone other than other writers--delightful souls that they are--respond to my blogposts. How do I reach the readers? Does the average reader read blogs? I promote to facebook and twitter. Outside of a couple friends, no other readers drop by.

My agent said to create buzz by doing virtual blog tours. And I did. I scheduled so many blog visits, people got tired of hearing me prattle on. I mean, how many times do other writers want to read the same old excerpt? Yet, loyal, supportive souls that they are, they leave a comment. Rarely, rarely does a non-writer comment.

Agent Lady said to join facebook and twitter, which obviously I have. Again, most of my friends and tweet buddies are other writers. Join yahoo groups of romance readers, she said. Guess who I found? Other writers!!!

Do you see a theme here?

Where are the readers?

How do I reach them? How do I build a fan base? I'm at a loss. My sales are flat and it worries me. How do I generate interest in people I can't seem to reach?

How are you promoting yourselves? Where did you find your reader magnet? 'Cause I think mine's broken.

My website is http://www.vonniedavis.com.