Do you want something light, fun and romantic?

Temps here in Dallas hit the century mark last weekend. Bursting_Thermometer__Arvin61r58-300px

Weekends I decompress and reload my brain cells. Often I read one or two books just for fun. No studying how to be a better blogger or writer. I read just read for the sake of reading.

Last weekend was like one the perfect time to curl up with a light, fun book. No one wants a heavy meal when the heat index is 105.

If you’re a Jane Austen fan, or like light, romance you might enjoy My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White.

I can’t imagine many of us who didn’t get all mushy over Pride and Prejudice during our high school years. Ms. White lets us relive those feelings but also takes it a step further when her main character becomes obsessed with finding her real-life Mr. Darcy.

I debated back and forth between 4-5 stars but settled on 4 because of how Amazon defines 5 (loved it.) I really, really enjoyed My Mister Darcy. It was perfect for a hot, sunny summer afternoon.This romantic, nostalgic book will thrill Bridget Jones fans. It’s  light, fun, and a quick read.

Karey White did Jane Austen proud with this well-written story about a naive, romantic young woman who refuses to give up on her dreams of happily ever after. Sigh…

My Own Mr. Darcy by [White, Karey]

When do you find time to read for pleasure?

Read any good books lately? Do tell.

I’d love to hear from you! Click the “write me” tab or contact me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter  peeps and Facebook fans.

Do’s and Don’ts of Asking for Reviews

I loved, loved, loved the information posted over at comfyreading this morning!

I’ve written a lot about writing book reviews. How to write a good review, who to ask and what should be included in a review. But, I failed you, my friends, when I left out this very important information.

Thank you, Kerrie, for giving us 7 important Do’s and Don’ts. 

I especially loved her very first two Do’s:

  • Do know what the reviewer enjoys reading.

Think about it folks, if the person you are asking to review your book reads historical romance and you ask them to review your latest medical thriller, you lower the odds of a favorable review. Just logical. So do a little homework. Research their website before you ask. Spend a little time getting to know them.

  • Second, Do send a synopsis of the book.

It helps if they know what your book is about. Also, if your book is already published, send an e-sample through Amazon. By sharing a free book preview or embedding it on a website, anyone can read a sample of this book with just one click – no need for them to sign in or install an app.screenshot_Thu_Jul_28_09.22.18

I’d like to add one more to her list.

# 8: Don’t be offended if they decline.

On her list was don’t get upset if the reviewer doesn’t like your book. I add, don’t get upset if they decline to review the book. As Kerrie mentioned it might not be their genre. Or there may be other issues such as time. Everyone is busier than ever these days. Deadlines, kids, jobs, and their own stories to write. So be gracious if the person you ask says no. They don’t owe you an explanation.

I hope you will click on the link below and head over to comfyreading and read the entire post. It’s great!

Hello my lovely bookworms! I spend a lot of time talking about what to do in order to GET books to review, but today I wanted to switch gears a little and address authors that want to get their BOO…

Source: Do’s and Don’ts of Asking for Reviews

Can you add another “Do or Don’t” to the list?

What is one of your pet peeves for getting or giving reviews?

I’d love to hear from you! Click the “write me” tab or contact me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter  peeps and Facebook fans.

What will you do when you grow up?

I’m gonna write epic books!

Books like Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter, that take kids on great voyages through time and space on to complete dangerous quests.

Thanks to friend and blogger, Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog for sending me a terrific post by Bryn Donovan.

Bryn lists 15 Great Plots from European Mythology and Ancient Literature and suggests we consider making them our own. To rewrite them with a modern twist, with a different time and place. It’s been done many times, think Romeo and Juliet. And I can’t begin to count how many times Cinderella has been rewritten.glasshighheel-300px

Ever thought about writing a story differently?

AJ-Books-2-300pxA movie, TV show, Bible story, children’s rhyme, murder mystery, or a ghost story?

I love the idea of taking an old idea and making it mine. It’s not as simple as it sounds.

How about you? What type of story would you like to retell?

Be sure and click on the link above to read the entire article. You might just get a great idea for a new book or short story.

I’d love to hear from you! Click the “write me” tab or contact me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter  peeps and Facebook fans.

Everyone needs a little applause now and again

The encouragement and help of so many writers and readers have helped to make me a better writer. I would have probably thrown in the towel by now without it. So, today I’d like to pay it forward.

Let’s give a big hand of encouragement to Jacqui Murray, author of the popular Building a Midshipman, who is revealing the cover of her new book.

To Hunt a Sub

THAS-small

The USS Hampton SSN 767 quietly floated unseen a hundred fifty-two feet below the ocean’s surface. Despite its deadly nuclear tipped arsenal of Trident missiles, its task for the past six months has been reconnaissance and surveillance. The biggest danger the crew faced was running out of olives for their pizza. That all changed one morning, four days before the end of the Hampton’s tour. Halfway through the Captain’s first morning coffee, every system in the submarine shut down. No navigation, no communication, and no defensive measures. Within minutes, the sub began a terrifying descent through the murky grays and blacks of the deep Atlantic and settled to the ocean floor five miles from Cuba and perilously close to the sub’s crush depth. When it missed its mandated contact, an emergency call went out to a retired Navy Intel officer, Zeke Rowe, top of his field before a botched mission left him physically crippled and psychologically shaken. Rowe quickly determined that the sub was the victim of a cyber virus secreted inside the sub’s top secret operating systems.  What Rowe couldn’t figure out was who did it or how to stop it sinking every other submarine in the American fleet. 

Kali Delamagente is a struggling, over-the-hill grad student who entered a DARPA cyber security competition as a desperate last hope to fund a sophisticated artificial intelligence she called Otto. Though her presentation imploded, she caught the attention of two people: a terrorist intent on destroying America and a rapt Dr. Zeke Rowe. An anonymous blank check to finish her research is quickly followed by multiple break-ins to her lab, a hack of her computer, the disappearance of her three-legged dog, and finally the kidnapping of her only son. 

By all measures, Rowe and Delamagente are an unlikely duo. Rowe believes in brawn and Delamagente brains. To save the America they both love, they find a middle ground, guided by the wisdom of a formidable female who died two million years ago.

Book information:

Title and author: To Hunt a Sub by J. Murray

Release Date: August, 2016 by Structured Learning

Genre: Thriller

Preview: Available on Kindle Scout

Cover by: Paper and Sage Design 

Author bio:

Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to the United States Naval Academy. She is the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer,  a columnist for TeachHUB, Editorial Review Board member for Journal for Computing Teachers, monthly contributor to Today’s Author and a freelance journalist on tech Ed topics. Her debut novel, To Hunt a Sub, launches this summer. You can find her nonfiction books at her publisher’s website, Structured Learning.

Are you having a launch soon? Do let us know!

I’d love to hear from you! Click the write me tab or contact me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at  jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook Facebook fans.