Category Archives: Giveaways

Four Corners Monument by @TaylorLeeWrites

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Quiz: Where in America can you find four state governments, two semiautonomous Native American governments, and four US federal government departments. Answer: The Four Corners Monument.

Four Corners Monument

Believe it or not, this inauspicious monument marks the quadripoint in the Southwestern United States where the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet. It is the only point in the United States shared by four states. The monument also marks the boundary between two semi-autonomous Native American governments, the Navajo Nation, and the Ute Mountain Tribe Reservation. As if that is not enough, the US Government has a large presence in the area specifically, the Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Department of Agriculture and the Forest Service.

Breathtaking Scenery

In addition to all these government entities, the Four Corners Monument area includes some of the most breathtaking scenery in the country. Extraordinary forest covered mountains, raging rivers, gorgeous red rock cliffs leave visitors like me speechless with wonder. If you get the chance, please visit the Four Corners Monument area.

Not surprisingly the human elements of the area are as varied as the geographic wonders. Ranchers, farmers, miners, cowboys, Qanon crazies, local and state government officials, law enforcement officials, White Supremacists, Artists, Granolas, Canabisseurs, Mormons, and Native Americans to mention a few.

Soaking Up The Scenery

I’ve now spent three summers soaking up the glorious scenery and varied cultures of this amazing area. And not surprisingly stoking my creative story-telling genes. This is me:

I’ve concluded that if ever there was a place where stories are born, it’s the Four Corners region. At least, in my imagination, it is filled with a variety of people—the good, the bad, and the seriously wicked.

Which brings me to my new release:

Rampage by Taylor Lee

Available for $0.99 for Kindle Readers.

She’s an investigative media superstar.

He’s a formidable county sheriff.

She’s determined to expose the insurrectionist leaders. He’s determined to stop her.

If ever there was an iconic Western county sheriff, it was Calian Begay. Ruggedly handsome, arrogance was his middle name. But then, having been elected by seventy-plus percent of the voters was no small feat. Particularly for the grandson of a famous Ute Indian chief.

Determined to take down the insurrectionist leaders threatening his county, Cal wasn’t interested in the foot soldiers. He was after the clandestine political and financial kingpins underwriting the dangerous violence.

Scarlett knew all her blockbuster exposé needed was for her to capture the leader of the American Patriotic Front addressing the “White is Might” conspiracy crazies. She frankly didn’t care if that compromised the sheriff’s campaign to torpedo the insurrection.

Remembering Cal’s fierce warning if she refused to pull back, Scarlett admitted the formidable sheriff had done what no man had. Made her think twice before she blew him off.

Face it, which was more compelling? Winning a coveted national award or obeying the arrogant sheriff who, after warning her for the third time, had the temerity to threaten her personally if she “didn’t behave.”

If you dig brazen media stars, tough-as-nails lawmen, and scorching passion, hop aboard Taylor Lee’s sizzling new thrill ride. Discover how challenging exposés can be when sex and violence are in the mix. Grab Rampage: Book 1; Mayhem on the Mountain and prepare to be wowed!

And while you are savoring the sexy sheriff and audacious superstar, dive into these two fantastic Box Sets, my Author Billboard pals and I created to celebrate the Christmas season.

Unforgettable Christmas Promises

My book in the Box set is: Nuthin’s Gonna Stop Us Now.

FREE! Festive Christmas Nights (Fabulous Freebie Collection Book 5)

My books in the Box set is: Blue Christmas and Special Ops and Cops.

Leonardo, My Hero

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Leonardo da Vinci: a man of many talents and ambitions. Did he have ADD?


If Leonardo da Vinci was an American child in the 80s, 90s, or maybe even now, it’s a good chance he would have been diagnosed with ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder. Clinically, that means the person has a problem, that he has trouble concentrating and controlling impulses. To me, it just means his brain is working faster and over a wider spectrum than ‘normal’ folks. The standard remedy for this is medication. I don’t believe this lack of focus is a fault, but only a character aspect. And if it’s not broke, don’t (try to) fix it.
Leonardo is my hero. Whenever I get overwhelmed, I think of how much this guy did. And no, I don’t think he was, or needed to be, medicated. So what if he couldn’t/wouldn’t focus on whether he wanted to be a painter, mathematician, inventor, sculptor, cartographer (mapmaker), geologist, musician, engineer, writer… He still accomplished a lot in his short (67 years) lifespan.
Shoot! Sympathize with him? I identify with him! Do I want to be a gardener, author, publisher, photographer, create colorful memes, crochet, cross-breed roses, invent a fool-proof gopher/slug/deer deterrent, design web pages, crochet afghans or sweaters… How about all of them because I can’t/won’t focus, either.
I felt so strongly about the bad press ‘over-stimulated’ folks received that I – while in author mode – made sure some of my characters had the same trait.
Here’s an excerpt from Aye, I am a Fairy:
“You know, it may seem like I’m a bit hyper,” she said suddenly. “I mean, look at me; I’ve got at least five different projects going on here. But it’s okay. When I get bored or stumped with one, I just move on to the next one. Mom told me it was because I was ‘highly intelligent.’ She didn’t believe in all that attention deficit disorder stuff. She had the same thing going on when she was in school. She’d finish her work early, get bored and start doodling or daydreaming, and then miss what the teacher had just said. Her mother told those teachers that they weren’t going fast enough for her daughter, and if they wanted to really help her, they would give her something else to do when she was finished with the assignments. So, they let her go to the music room and play the piano. The music teacher showed her the basics. Mom took off from there with just a stack of music books to guide her. Man, she was motivated. She’d rip right through her schoolwork just so she could go do her thing in the music room. Her grades went up and, even though she never did anything with it, she learned how to play piano pretty well. Me, I just drew and doodled until high school. Then, once I started being home-schooled, I dropped the doodling and blasted through everything so I could go to college early, get my degree, and make enough money that I didn’t have to worry about bills.”
Oh, and I created a time traveler named Leonardo da Vinci the Elder for NAKED IN THE WINTER WIND, the first book I wrote in The Fairies Saga series. He’s not the same as his son, but quite the character, just the same.
Yup, writing novels doesn’t produce new hardy and unusual roses nor warm my lap like an afghan (unless my laptop overheats), but it does let me create a whole universe of people with literally hundreds of different temperaments and body styles. And I can put them in any part of the world or time of creation. My folks may lack social security numbers, but they will still raise a heart rate, bring a tear, or bring a chuckle from the readers.
And I couldn’t have done any of this if I had been able to focus.

Now, over to publisher mode: I (as Chill Out! Books) released two CHRISTMAS box sets this month. If life has settled into a new normal for you, kick back and enjoy eighteen holiday-themed romances. First is a set with NEW stories. Check out UNFORGETTABLE CHRISTMAS PROMISES.

Indulge in Romance!! NEW stories & only 99cents or read for free with KINDLE UNLIMITED

And a Christmas Gift for you from THE AUTHORS’S BILLBOARD: A free box set! Check out FESTIVE CHRISTMAS NIGHTS, the fifth book in the Fabulous Freebies Collection series.

Eight classic holiday love stories by six of THE AUTHORS’ BILLBOARD ladies: FESTIVE CHRISTMAS NIGHTS


Judge a Book by its Cover by @Dani_Haviland

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Picking pretties to read on the phone is FUN!

Do you judge a book by its cover? If you said no, you’re in the minority. The first thing a person sees when it comes to selecting her next read is the cover. Whether it’s the title, the author, or the image, they’re all there together on the cover. It doesn’t matter whether they are displayed in brick-and-stick stores, on smartphones, or on the neighbor’s coffee table, either. Their purpose is to grab your attention.

Of course, there’s the huge possibility you’ll hear the news your favorite author has a new book coming out. If you’re like me, then the cover won’t make a difference. I’ll grab it, sight unseen.

An author’s tastes change as do the buying habits of readers

It was over ten years ago I published my first book, DANCES NAKED. I thought the title would grab attention, but the original cover said nothing. I knew it was a painting of The Trees, the Portal through Time, but it conveyed nothing. The next one, by Kim Killion, was great. I chose the model (Harvey Stables) and she changed his hockey gear into a breechclout. He was supposed to be an older man, but he was so cute, I let it go, hoping his pose was enough. He looks older (and hotter!) in the third version (current).

I wrote twelve more books for the series and used four other cover creators, then came back to Kim Killion. I trusted her to find a theme for my series. Wow! She really delivered! Check these out and see what I mean.

The early versions of my covers lacked continuity. Now you can tell they’re part of a series.

If you like time travel with a splash of Fountain of Youth water or discovering your favorite ‘fictional’ characters are real, check out THE FAIRIES SAGA. You could start with the first one in the series (LOST: THE TIME TRAVEL ROMANCE THAT STARTED IT ALL) which is essentially a prequel and #free, but sometimes you aren’t ready to know everything about a guy.

That’s what happened with James. I fell in love with the British lord even though he was only a minor character in the original first book (now the second) in the series, Naked in the Winter Wind. See what I mean in AYE, I AM A FAIRY. Sharp, compassionate, and willing to come to anyone’s aid despite the consequences. The 21st-century hottie has the heart of a white knight despite his spotty history.

So, turn off YouTube and the TV and tune into a great book (or series of thirteen). Let the cover inspire you, and leave the rest up to the author and your vivid imagination.

Get ready for the FIRST Cozy Mystery Box Set from The Authors’ Billboard!

Preorder for only 99cents. Price goes up soon after release. It will be available to read for free with Kindle Unlimited, though.

Writing Short Stories by @Author_Carmen DeSousa

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I’m a fan of Wikipedia for general research for my books and short stories, not quotable text. It’s a great place to start, as it usually has a great compilation of information from other sources. Often, when I Google a question, Wikipedia is the first page to pop up. So I tend to begin my search on the most “clicked on” page, and then I dig deeper based on my findings. In the case of my mysteries, especially where the cause of death and ways to die are an essential part of the story, I seek out scientific journals and experts in that specific field. There, that’s my disclosure. On to my blog post. 🙂

Writing Short Stories

Recently, I had a quick question on the popularity of short stories. I agreed with Wikipedia until I read … “Sometimes, authors who do not have the time or money to write a novella or novel decide to write short stories instead…” — Wikipedia

Say, WHAT???

Umm … wrong! How on earth does a short story cost less? Most authors spend the same dollar amount on their cover, and it doesn’t cost anything to upload it to Amazon. Time … maybe … but even that seems silly, as authors who write short stories, usually write many of them. I think authors write short stories because they enjoy writing short stories, especially in between large projects or while waiting for their editor or publisher to finish reading their current project.

“Short stories date back to oral storytelling traditions which originally produced epics such as Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey circa 7thor 8thcentury” — Wikipedia, again (I didn’t see the need to research further.)

The Power of the Short Story

Charles Dickens and Washington Irving — who were famous for novels and biographies — wrote short stories and, of course, Edgar Allan Poe argued that a literary work should be short enough for a reader to finish in one sitting. And yet, when I went looking for advertising, I found it almost impossible to find a website that was willing to promote my short stories … even if I were willing to pay the same amount as I would to advertise a full novel. I also noticed many publishers refuse to publish short stories, which as far as money goes, I can understand that. They would have to shell out money for a cover for little return.

And now for the craziest thought, considering what Wikipedia said about money. I wrote my short stories, knowing I was going to give them away. Yep. I wrote my first short, The Pit Stop (This Stop Could be Life or Death), as an exercise in “pantsing” versus “plotting” and to have fun with my readers, which a lot of them happened to be authors. I wrote five hundred words a week on my website, and then asked readers where we should go next. When I finished, I informed them I’d publish it and pay tribute to my top contributors.

But then something happened! My lovely readers demanded more — I love it when that happens. Per readers’ requests, I wrote The Depot (When Life and Death Cross Tracks). And then, based on those two short stories — again per readers’ demands — I wrote a follow-up novel, The Library (Where Life Checks Out).

And with no awesome book advertising, but because of word of mouth from some great readers, The Pit Stop and The Depot hit #1 in Mystery Short Stories and spent plenty of time in the top 100 in the last few years. When I received my rights back from my publisher, I had to re-upload them. Again they the hit #1 and #2 spots! The Pit Stop is still available as a free download, but I decided to include The Depot with it AND its follow-up novel, The Library, so readers wouldn’t happenstance on The Library and miss the set up.

My Thoughts on Short Stories

An average movie is one and a half to two hours long, and yet, it can still convey a full life — from birth to death — of a character. We can solve a ten-year-old murder mystery, or view a first date as it matures into marriage and kids. So why wouldn’t I like a quick escape when I’m sitting at the DMV, waiting in the doctor’s office, or a hundred other places where we waste hours of our time? The answer is: I do like that. In fact, I love it! I’ve read many short stories on car trips across the state, flights, and waiting while my car gets serviced.

Short stories are a great way to meet an author without a long-term commitment or a nice release when you need just a little escape before going to bed, since there’s no risk of staying up too late to finish the story, as most short stories take less than an hour to read.

Well, that’s it. Just my thoughts on why I write and read short stories. And so you know, I would never think to compare myself to the “greats” I mentioned above; they were just my point that short stories can be great and are an art. I have a long way to go, but my short stories do have hundreds of reviews averaging four-plus stars. So if you want to try one on for size, you can download The Pit Stop (This Stop Could be Life or Death) and The Depot (When Life and Death Cross Tracks) absolutely FREE from your favorite retailer. I hope you enjoy the quick escape from reality!

American Haunts by Carmen DeSousa

Kindle ● Series ● Play ● iBooks ● Nook ● Kobo ● Audible

Thank you for reading my musings. Remember, these are just my opinions and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I promise you, I will answer. If you’re curious about what I write, please visit one of my author pages. I offer lots of information about my novels and short stories. And hey, I’ll even give you a couple free full-length novels just for stopping by.

Website ● Amazon Author Page ● BookBub Alerts

As always, happy reading, friends,

Carmen DeSousa