Showing posts with label kindle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kindle. Show all posts

Monday, October 15, 2018

Happy Autumn and 2018 Fall Amazon eBook Promotion!


We've been having an absolutely glorious Autumn, here on Vancouver Island!

Sunny, warm days with just a hint of a breeze. 

The Mountain Ash trees(above) are looking spectacular; one of my favorite trees.

And if the forecast is right, we are expecting at least a week or two more of this weather trend.

I'm just loving it!😊


Hard to get much indoor work done, but I have scheduled my latest Amazon eBook promotions, for October, continuing into November, for all my current eBook titles. 


The first promotion starts today, October 15th!

You can check out all the dates and details at my Author's site:

What's New Page

🎃 Happy Reading, Cooking and Autumn too! ðŸŽƒ

Monday, June 12, 2017

My New Author's Website AND Summer Book Promos!



Well, I FINALLY have an author's website! 

You can check out my new website here. 



Make sure to check out the "What's New" Page, which includes all the upcoming Amazon eBook promos I am having, starting on June 15th and continuing throughout June. 

Just in time for summer reading in the backyard or at the beach! 😉


I hope you enjoy my new author's site!

 I also welcome your feedback and suggestions for things I could add there and also what you like, don't like, etc... it was a lot of work but it's also still, a work in progress!

And please do spread the word about these upcoming book promos if you can. 

There is something for everyone, I have upcoming promos for 8 of my eBooks, in a variety of genres: haiku, slow cooker recipes, romance, successful aging....




Mr. Cheddar's Chillin' Too!!! 

Happy Summer and Summer Reading! 😊


Sunday, January 3, 2016

How I Sold 1 Million eBooks in 5 Months by John Locke




As an indie author, I have read a LOT of kindle marketing books. 
Some good, some so-so and some, just plain bad. 


John Locke's: How I Sold 1 Million eBooks in 5 Months falls into the GOOD category and for a number of reasons.

First of all, this is an author who really can show that his ideas DO work, not some "pie in the sky" suggestions from someone who has never achieved any success with their own books. 

Locke has definitely done well, going from selling only a few books each month, to thousands and then into the millions on Amazon! And he shares his own success story in a personable and entertaining way.

He also shares not only what worked for him but also what didn't, I appreciated that.
There is only so much time in a day and as a writer, I want to focus on writing and also on marketing strategies that have been proven as worthy of my time. Again, his own background as a very successful author of numerous kindle books gives credibility to his many tips and marketing strategies.

Mr. Locke also mentions (repeatedly) how important his readers and fans are to him and says that he answers all emails personally. He also seemed to sincerely mean that. So I wrote to him after completing the book. I'm still waiting on a reply, but hopefully he will deliver on that promise. :-)

As for the reviews he is suppose to have paid for (as some Amazon reviewers have mentioned) obviously this is not something I agree with or condone. But would that actually account for the kind of phenomenal success that he has achieved as an author? To some small extent perhaps, but it is definitely not the whole story. Whether he is a completely ethical person or not, the fact remains, he does know what works and what doesn't when it comes to book marketing. And he provides a lot more in this book than what most other successful authors/marketers have to share.

One small negative, the formatting of this eBook is not the best. The paragraphs on many pages run together with not even a little space between them. Doesn't add to the presentation and yes, I do think that is important too. A small point though in comparison to the quality content of this eBook.

Overall rating for this eBook: Very Good. 4 out of 5

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Street Magic by William Hammett




This is one of the best novels that I've read in a LONG time! 

And even better, this story was written by a long-time, talented blog pal of mine: Billy Hammett.

Read my full review here.

Happy Reading!

Overall rating for this book: Excellent. 5 out of 5.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

The Groovy Green Kitchen II: Simply, Super, Supper Soups






(click for Amazon.com product page)

I have FINALLY finished this cookbook! 

I am doing a happy dance today. :-)


So much work, so much time invested in this project...but I'm very pleased with the finished results.

I hope you'll check it out soon, now available in Kindle and print versions at:

Amazon.com, .ca, UK, IT....

Happy Cooking and Reading!

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Believe by Louise




I just love this little eBook! 

I re-read it several times a week, on my Kindle Fire HD. 

A quick pick-me-up that always makes me smile! :-)

Read my full review here.

Overall rating for this eBook: Excellent. 5 out of 5

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Haiku Reflections II FREE Promo This Weekend!







If you don't already have a copy of my second haiku poetry collection: 

Haiku Reflections II

it will be available as a FREE Kindle download, all this weekend at:

 Amazon.com, .ca, .UK....

You can read all the details here.

Happy Reading and Have a Great Weekend! :-)

Friday, April 4, 2014

Book Launch: Laughing AT the Grim Reaper!






Ta da....

My newest book/Ebook is now available at Amazon.com. 

You can read all about it here.

A labor of love, comes to fruition! 

I'm smiling, in a big way. :-) People were telling me when I was out and about today, that I was actually glowing!!!  

Happy Reading and Weekend!

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Free Kindle Book Promo This Weekend ;-)





I have another free Kindle promo at : Amazon.com, .ca, UK....all this weekend.

Check out the details here.

Hope you enjoy all my books and do share this promotion if you can!

Happy Reading and Weekend! 

Saturday, December 14, 2013

First Sight by Danielle Steel








I was a fan of Danielle Steel's novels, about 20 years ago.
 
A good friend of mine at the time, got me "hooked" on her books and I read more than 20 of them during the next few years. But for reasons unknown, I gradually stopped reading her new releases and moved on to other authors.

I noted the book cover for First Sight by Danielle Steel a novel published this past summer, while I was doing a recent browse at the Kindle store and thought I'd give this author another try.
 
I'm a sucker for great book covers (aren't we all) and this one certainly is. 
 
And I was curious to see if I would enjoy one of this author's more recent books, as much as I had her earlier novels.

So, I got a copy from our local library and settled in for what I hoped would be a satisfying escape from the dreary grey afternoon that we had that day.
 
Well, as they say: you can't always tell a book by it's cover.
 
And in this case, it was all downhill after turning that first page.

Wow, what's happened to Danielle Steel's writing?
 
I got as far as Chapter 2 and that was it for me.

I remember her books from years ago as: easy, entertaining stories with believable characters, often exotic settings and travel. And with dialogue and narration that flowed smoothly.
 
This story was, in a word:
 
ANNOYING!

Oh (spare me!!!) the details, repeated over and over and over....

Yes, I got it (the first time):
 
-the protaganist: Timmie is a good but not flashy dresser.
 
-yes, Timmie is a good employer and her staff love her.
 
And yes...
 
- Timmie has had a series of bad relationships with toy-boys hanging on to her coattails for whatever they can get.
 
And stop talking incessantly about wearing a real fur jacket and carrying an alligator handbag Ms. Steel. It's no longer considered to be in good taste or chic and by a lot of people, to be wearing animals; haven't you heard?

Boring, pretentious and just plain bad.

Now, I HAVE read my last Danielle Steel novel, that I am sure of.
 
And yes, I'm so glad it was a copy from the library. 
 
Overall rating for this book: BAD. 0 out of 5

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Deadly Readings by Laura Bradford



About the only "plus" of being sick (as I was last week) is having lots of time to do nothing but read or knit, without feeling guilty. ;<) 
 
 I was feeling too lazy to even knit most of the time, so instead I napped and read a LOT of eBooks, including:
 
 
 
The cover and title of this book got my attention right away. And the story itself did not disappoint, I loved this book!
 
 
From the Amazon product page:
 
The Jersey Shore has always been known for warm sand, lively boardwalks, and the promise of carefree summer days. This season the small scenic town of Ocean Point, New Jersey, is not nearly as carefree as tourists would hope. The discovery of the body of a young woman is the first in a string of seemingly random and senseless murders, murders connected only by a warning from the same boardwalk fortune-teller.

It’s a crisis that puts local detective Mitch Burns on edge, and his job in jeopardy. It’s up to him to solve the crimes and protect the livelihood of the town, a livelihood that relies almost entirely on tourists. With the help of newly hired local reporter Elise Jenkins, the two step out to discover who the killer is, before another body is found.

 
 
I read this eBook in a couple of afternoons. It kept my attention to the very last page. Suspense, romance, intrigue...and up until the last couple of chapters, I had NOT guessed who the real killer was. I like that. Nothing too predictable here.
 
 
Laura Bradford is an excellent writer. Her characters are realistic and easy to visualize. The story moved along at a good pace, with no filler or lag time, which has been too often the case with some other stories I've been reading recently.
 
 
A couple of  reviewers at Amazon did make negative comments about the religious undertone of this book but I disagree. I am not an overly religious person and I don't like being "preached" to in a story of any kind. That REALLY turns me off and in a big way. But I didn't find the religious references in Deadly Readings over the top or superfluous. They were a part of the story that fit. 
 
 
I just noted that this eBook is available for FREE over at Amazon right now, so a great time to get a copy. I am definitely going to check out more of this author's books in the very near future. Based on this story, I'm guessing they'll be well worth the time too.
 
 
Overall rating for this book: Very Good. 4 out of 5. 




 
 


Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Getting Over the "Snuffles" :<( and an Upcoming Free eBook Promo :<)



Hope you're having a healthy and productive week.
 
I've been spending most of my time in the past few days, reading and napping, while I get over a cold. :<(
 
On a happier note, I do have a free Kindle promo coming up this Friday and Saturday, you can read all the details here.
 
I'll be back to posting here at My Real Life Reviews, as soon as I'm feeling better.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Falling Star by Diana Dempsey



I read a LOT of books, including various genres of novels; usually 2-3 books (sometimes more) per week. Since getting my Kindle Paperwhite (click to read my review of this ereader) my reading addiction has gone to an even higher level! :<)
 
At the same time, with so many books to chose from now, arriving within seconds to my Kindle, I tend to pick and choose more, what books I actually read to the end. If it doesn't capture my attention in the first few taps of the screen, it's a goner. LOL
 
What a treat it is to find a truly engaging story, that is hard to put down and enjoyable right to the last page.
 
 I read Falling Star by Diana Dempsey in a couple of days. I had other things I should have been doing but I kept going back to find out what would happen next in the story.


From the Amazon product page:
 
About the author:
 
"Diana Dempsey traded in an Emmy-winning career in TV news to write fast, fun romantic fiction. Her novels have been called “almost impossible to put down” (Romance Reviews Today), “skillfully plotted and filled with realistic detail” (Library Journal), and “spicy, sexy, and sultry” (Booklist)."
 
 
About this story:
 
"Natalie Daniels’ husband just dumped her. Her boss is scheming to replace her. And she’s falling in love with her sexy Australian TV news agent – who’s about to propose to somebody else.

What’s a woman to do? Dig deep and show what she’s made of – which just might land her both the job and the man of her dreams."



When I read this book, I wasn't actually aware of the author's background in TV news. But the authenticity of that fast-paced, at times cutthroat work environment came through, page after page.
 
 
Falling Star is Diana Dempsey's debut novel and was nominated for a RITA award for “Best First Book” by the Romance Writers Association.
 
 
The story is fast-paced, with characters that come alive and make the reader want to succeed or go down hard! And with just enough details provided to set each scene but not over the top.

Natalie Daniels, the protagonist in the story is "the real deal". You want her to win, to get even, to conquer and overcome....and Natalie does not disappoint! 
 
I won't spoil the plot by saying too much. Get a copy and prepare to enjoy a great read. One of the best novels I've read in quite some time.
 
I just noted that this ebook is FREE today over at Amazon. 
Click now, I  don't know how long that offer will last. ;<)
 
I'm looking forward to reading more books by Diana Dempsey. She's written quite a few since Falling Star.
 
Overall rating for this book: Excellent. 5 out of 5
 
 
 







Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Upcoming Free Kindle Book Promos!

 
 
 
 
 
Just to let you know about some upcoming free Kindle book promotions! :<)
 
 
On Saturday Sept. 7th, my novel: Third Chapter, Second Chance will be available as a free download at Amazon.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
On Sunday, Sept. 8th, my new cookbook: The Groovy Green Kitchen: Weeknight Veggie Slow-Cooker will be available as a free download at Amazon.
 
 
 
 
 
This Saturday and Sunday, my poetry book: My Poetic Path (revised August 2013) will be available as a free download at Amazon.
 
 
These downloads are also available at Amazon.ca, UK, de....etc, in addition to Amazon.com.
 
***
 
 
Thanks to everyone who have already purchased and/or downloaded any of my new eBooks and books. 
 
And if you enjoy any (hopefully all) of my books; reviews would be appreciated too. :<)
 
 
Do spread the word and hope to see you there!
 
 
HAPPY READING AND COOKING!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Mortal Faults by Michael Prescott


 
After recently reading the ebook: Kindle Success Stories by Tom Corson Knowles which included a chapter about novelist: Michael Prescott's phenomenal success with Kindle ebooks; I decided to find out more about Michael's work.
 
I am not (and in a big way) a person who normally reads crime thrillers but I decided to give: Mortal Faults by Michael Prescott a try. I think it's fun to get out of my usual comfort zone when it comes to book genres but for that to happen, it's got to be a story that captures and keeps my attention right from the first page.
 
Michael Prescott did not disappoint!
 
 
From the Amazon product page:
 
A one-woman private operative, Abby Sinclair stalks the stalkers. Her new client is a U.S. congressman shadowed by a mystery woman believed to be a disgruntled ex-employee. He wants her stopped. What Abby doesn't know is that FBI agent Tess McCallum is already on the case. Now, despite vowing never to work together again, Abby and Tess have been partnered in a deadly game. And this is a case that takes one surprising turn after another-because there's more to the story than anyone knows.

 
 
I couldn't put this book down!
 
Michael Prescott keeps a fast, blood-pumping pace throughout this story. He is an excellent writer and shows real skill in all areas of what it takes to make a story compelling: believable characters, crisp dialogue, meticulous attention to detail and a plot that is entertaining right to the last page.
 
And speaking of the last page, there are no loose ends at the end of this story. All is revealed and wrapped up, in a complete and satisfying way. I appreciate that. Something where many authors (even the big names) seem to fall short.
 
Michael Prescott is the author of numerous novels (available in print and ebook formats) you can check them all out at his website.
 
I'm trying to decide what to read next. But I will definitely be reading more Michael Prescott's novels and soon!
 
 
Overall rating for this book: Excellent. 5 out of 5.


Saturday, April 13, 2013

Two Widows Mystery Series by Ruth Ross


 
As I posted about here, I recently received a Kindle Paperwhite as a birthday gift, my first ereader.
To say I am loving having a Kindle, would be an understatement, and for so many reasons.
 
One of the best things about having an ereader has been browsing the Kindle Store over at Amazon.com and Amazon.ca on an almost daily basis and finding new authors/books that I hadn't been aware of previously. One click of the mouse and voila!!!  I've got a new ebook on my Kindle, ready to enjoy. Now that's my kind of convenience and book shopping experience! ;<)
 
One of these authors is Ruth Ross, who writes the mystery series: The Two Widows.
Ruth Ross lives in Washington State (we're neighbours!) and shares her life and home in real life with her mom,  as does the main character in her books.
  
In the Two Widows Series, Millie Mahoney and her mom, Margaret share a lot more than just the day-to-day usual activities of the typical middle-aged daughter and older mom duo.
 
The series begins with: Two Widows and the Thrift Store Murders which was a fun, entertaining read from start to finish.

Along with frequent trips to the local thrift stores to check out the weekly "must have" bargains, Millie and Margaret soon find themselves right in the middle of murder and all kinds of mayhem.  I was so glad there was another book to follow in this series, after I had read the Thrift Store Murders in just a couple of days.
 
Second in the series is: Two Widows and the Misdirected Message. This has been my favorite Two Widows story, to date. Ruth Ross does a great job of expanding on her main character's personalities, quirks, likes and dislikes in this one.
 
I also found out a lot more about the identity theft than I previously knew. A cast of believable, but  often unsavory (yes, there are plenty of  'bad guys' in the mix) characters, suspense, even some romance, for Margaret that is! And how I love Margaret throughout this series. My kind of mom. Feisty, supportive, full of fun and ready for sharing all kinds of adventures with Millie, along with Margaret's new beau, Frank.
 
Last in the series (so far) is Two Widows and the Rest Home Menace. Again, Ruth Ross does a fine job of creating believable characters who move the story along and keep the reader wanting to turn that next page. 

The only thing I didn't like about this particular story was that the family pets seem to be a bit forgotten along the way, as Millie and Margaret find themselves knee-deep in yet another mystery to be solved. Take Aurora for more walks and yes, even Chance the Cat gets lonely, I'm sure!  
 
 
Except for Sue Grafton's alphabet book series, I've never been much of a mystery reader. But the Two Widows Mystery Series written by Ruth Ross are stories in the mystery genre that I  thoroughly enjoyed.

Ruth Ross has also done something quite unique with these stories, featuring a 50 + main character and her mom, who are doing anything but slowing down and taking it easy. Tossing out some stereotypes about what it means to be an older woman and in a big way.
  
I'm looking forward to the next installment in the Two Widows Mystery Series. If the first three are any indication, I know I'm in for a good read.

 The Two Widows Mystery Series is available in Kindle and print editions at Amazon. You already know which format I now prefer! ;<)

You can also find out more about this series and author: Ruth Ross at her website.
 
 
Overall rating for this book series: Very Good. 4 out of 5. 

Friday, March 15, 2013

Kindle Paperwhite

As the saying goes: never say never!
 
I was firmly entrenched in the "I will never own an ereader" category for a long time but not any more! I am now the proud owner of a Kindle Paperwhite, which I received as an early birthday present. :<)
 
So far, I am enjoying the Kindle Paperwhite but there were a few tense moments when it first arrived here. Well maybe not tense, but a bit frustrating!
 
I'm careful to follow the instructions with any kind of electronic gadgets,  how to set up etc..when I get a new "toy" . Yes, I actually do read the instructions!
 
Well, when it came to printed instructions with the Kindle Paperwhite, there wasn't any included with the package. I didn't know if I should charge it up first, turn it on first, did I need to be connected to WiFi for charging, set-up... as a non-techie person, I had a few questions and was left wondering how best to proceed.
 
I then checked online at Amazon and it was still rather sketchy when it came to step-by step set-up  on how to get started. And so much info. to browse through, that wasn't pertinent to what I was trying to find either. I finally just plugged it into my computer, allowed it to charge and then went ahead with the set-up, following the prompts on the Kindle itself.
 
Yes, I know that we are all trying to cut down on paper these days but a simple: Quick Set-Up Card or Page, included with the package itself, would have been most appreciated. And do they really need to send instructions in Canada and the U.S. in a gazillion different languages? I don't think so. That's sometimes the excuse for not including instructions with an item now. .
 
After getting things up and running, WiFi passwords and all (I usually don't use it, feel more secure with having my Notebook hard-wired to Internet) it was fun to try out some of the features that come with the Kindle Paperwhite.
 
I appreciated that the screen is really close to reading from an actual white paper book page, not like some of the earlier ereader models I checked out that had a greyish cast to them.
 
The page forward is so quick and easy too, without that unpleasant "scroll"  that again was what I disliked when I looked at ereaders a couple of years ago.
 
The pages load fast, no lag time. I'm a very fast reader and again, this was one of the things I didn't like about earlier ereader models I had tried out. Seemed way too slow to be pleasant to read with them. Not the case with Kindle Paperwhite.
 
The estimated reading time feature based on the speed you read, is so cool too.
 
I have noted already that the battery doesn't stay charged up as long as I had expected, when you are using the Kindle Paperwhite for hours at a time. I'm guessing this one will probably allow me about 10 hours of actual use, based on what I've noted already. Sometimes I read for hours at a time, so I guess I'll have to get use to charging this unit up on a fairly regular basis.
 
Overall, I'm happy to finally have an ereader and I'm glad that it's the Kindle Paperwhite.
 
I did a lot of research comparing the various options available with different brands/models before I decided on the Kindle Paperwhite. As is the case with any gadget, I picked out the features I thought I'd enjoy most and so far, it's exceeded my expectations. Still learning how to use all the features and feel a bit clumsy typing on the onscreen keyboard, but hopefully will improve on this in time. At least I know the keyboard, LOL and don't have to "hunt and peck" as some people do.
 
If you have an ereader, do share which brand/model you chose and why.
 
If you don't have one, are you planning to purchase one soon?
 
March 19th update:
 
 Here's the link to my Kindle (knit) Cover  that I mentioned below in a comment, in case you want to knit one too. :<)
 
Overall rating for this product: Very Good. 4 out of 5.

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