Phishing for a Book Review Giveaway

Every spring I try to do a book giveaway and it's that time again. I've been trying to think of a way to combine my love of writing, running, and hats into one blog and this is it!

Want a free book? Want a free hat? Want to support the Boston Be Strong One Fund for the people affected by the 2013 Boston Marathon tragedy. Want to support an author? How about all of the above?

And it's so easy!

All you have to do is write a book review. Well, okay, maybe you actually have to read one of my books and then write the review. But it's that simple.

Read my latest novel, PHISH NET STALKINGS and write a book review. Then post that book review at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. Increase your chances of winning by writing more than one review. Write a review for several of my books. Read other novels written by me (IT HAPPENS IN THREES, KILLER BUNNY HILL, CONNECT THE DOTS, NEVER TEMPT DANGER)  and write a review.

Place a comment below and include the link to the review(s) and your email address so I may contact the winner.

A winner will be chosen at random and will receive a copy of one of my books and the B STRONG hat you see above. The proceeds from the hat, which I've already purchased goes to the ONE FUND in support of those hit by the Boston Marathon tragedy.

The winner will be announced Memorial Day, May 27!

There may be even more than one winner [WINK].

Want to learn about my most embarassing moments?

Then stop on by my last book blog tour stop for NEVER TEMPT DANGER at My World. . .in words and pages where I reveal. . .

Today, I had the opportunity to talk with Melissa at My World. . .in words and pages where she asked me a few questions and I shared some little known details about me. Stop by and ask a question and shh. . .maybe even learn a secret or two about me.


Melissa also wrote a very nice review of NEVER TEMPT DANGER and is giving away a copy of the book so stop by My World. . .in words and pages and leave a comment of your own or if you haven't had a chance to read it yet, see what Melissa and others have to say about my latest novel.

Saturday's sweet surprise

I am an author and I have to keep reminding myself of that. No, seriously. Yes, I love to write. I'm a writer. It's because of the words and the images you can draw on a page.

Then I receive an email from a reader who expresses her joy in my story and my heart does this little leap, bounce and quick spin before thudding back into place. Yippee! This is when I know I am an author.

Earlier in the week, I received a message about a great book review from Intense Whisper (Robin K) on my first novel, IT HAPPENS IN THREES, which I shared in a previous blog post.

On Saturday, I not only received an email from a reader, but a reader who is also an author. Joyce Sterling Scarbrough, sent out an amazing review of the very same novel that Robin just reviewed.

I just have to say I was floored to read her review and honored she took the time to share her words, not just with me but with my publisher's loop and on Amazon. It's an amazing, squishy feeling that makes your tummy quiver inside like a bowl of jelly when another author heartily endorses not only your story, but you as a writer.

I emailed Joyce Saturday morning and asked her if she would mind if I shared her review and posted about it on the blog and here is her response. "Post it anywhere you want to, Denise. I will be proud to have my name associated with such a great book and great writer!"

So, without further lip-smacking by me, take a look and see what Joyce had to say about IT HAPPENS IN THREES. Tell me if this wouldn't make you feel like there was more than one Santa Claus.

"This book is like an action flick, erotic love story, romantic comedy and crime drama all rolled into one! I love it when it's obvious that the author knows what she's talking about, and that's definitely true in this case. The technical and procedural details are spot-on and startlingly realistic, and the sex scenes are white hot! Throw in vivid descriptions of to-die-for locations and some of the snappiest dialogue around, and it makes for one enjoyable read. Looking forward to more!"

Can you believe all that?! Joyce must be a writer.

Wait! I'm not done yet. Add to that Gina Leuci's (author of A Lesson in Love) comment to Joyce's review.

"Joyce

Your review of Denise's book is spot on. Eloquently said."

Here is the thing you need to know about Gina. She is one of the few people who read and critiqued pieces of the manuscript before it was published.

Check out Joyce and Gina's books and tell them I sent you and while you visit their blogs, tell them I said, "Thanks."

Picture this . . .

Picture me, yes me, the funny redheaded blonde who loves to write and can barely squeeze it in unless. . .wait for it. . .she goes to her local watering hole, Margaritas, with her laptop and no WIFI, has a couple of "girlie" beers as a friend refers to them, and writes her fanny off. Okay, I wish it was that easy to make a fanny disappear.

Wait! That's not it. I get home, decide to log onto the computer and the first thing I see is a Facebook posting of a review by Robin K of my first novel, It Happens in Threes. And WOW! Now picture said redheaded blonde doing a dance around her house with every dang window open for the world to see.

Yes, all my neighbors, that's a dancing girl in that fishbowl of a house.

The truly funny part is that I had literally just hung up the phone with my longtime friend who has been the inspiration behind my stories and the person who Connect the Dots is dedicated to. Talk about timing!

Could there be a better compliment than this? "I do not know if a book could be written more perfectly for an easy escape of reality. Denise writes so eloquently. Her characters flow across the pages, enriched by well written landscapes and interplay. I loved being able to experience the paradise of Florida and Hawaii through the heroines eyes. The setting so entrancing I could taste the salt of the ocean and feel the warmth of the sun. I actually approached my husband about vacationing where we could scuba dive."

Robin ends the review with this. "This book is vacation anyone can afford!"

Okay, yes, I love knowing someone has enjoyed my stories. What can I say? I'm an author. OH! I can say that.

Thank you Robin for the wonderful review and I hope the winner of the bookgiveaway loves it just as much.

See Robin's full review and enter to win a copy of IT HAPPENS IN THREES at http://intensewhisper.blogspot.com/

Please drop by Robin's blog and leave her a comment.

Great way to end the week!

You ever have one of those weeks where you just don’t get to do the things you want to do because the job and life takes over? That has been my week or last two weeks.

On the other hand, this has been a week of great enjoyment for me as a writer. On Monday, I posted about the guy who yelled out his truck, blocking traffic, to tell me he liked my latest book, CONNECT THE DOTS.

Monday night I came home to find a message from Heather Bishop of WZID who said, “I’m not a cute guy, but I REALLY like Connect the Dots!”

One of the guys who work for me out of New Jersey sent me an email on Wednesday sent me an email telling me that he started reading Connect the Dots and is with him so he can read during lunch. Mike claims, “It is non-stop movement and action.”

Friday morning, I decided to get some breakfast and ran into Scott who works for the postal service and is reading Connect the Dots during his lunch break. According to Scott, “I’m really enjoying it and it makes me want to turn the page.”

The piece de resistance is after a very long week, I come home and at 1 AM I see a Google alert in my email. I click the Google alert and it takes me to Intense Whisper’s blog where I see she posted a review and book giveaway of CONNECT THE DOTS. Not just a review, but a wonderfully worded and high-praise review that immediately put a smile on my face and made me send the link to my family at one in the morning.

Thank you all and especially Robin for making me feel loved as an author. It's always nice to hear someone say they like your story and want to read the others. What a compliment!

Please click the link above and show Robin/Intense Whisper some love by leaving a comment and entering her book giveaway.

Intense Whisper AKA Robin K and I met on Twitter and send quick quips back and forth. She is hysterical, and a great follow on Twitter.

Now, would you say this was a great week to be a writer or what?

Time to go celebrate the 15th Anniversary of my favorite bagel shop, Big Easy Bagels, in Manchester, NH. Hope to see you there.

This is one way of hearing how someone likes your book

Remember a month or so back how I posted about a guy giving me his card and asking me to call him one morning while I was pumping gas at my local gas station?

This morning I had to fill-up and as I stood there freezing my tail off at the pump someone honked the horn. Figuring it was some car honking at another on the street, I didn't look up.

My mistake. The next thing I know, someone is yelling my name from the road. I look up and there is the same guy sitting in a big truck on the road. He blocked traffic to shout, "I read your book."

Cool! My response was, "Well?"

To which he replied, "I really liked it!"

"Excellent!" I hollered.

Then before he rolled away, he shouted for me to call him.

Good start to a day!

I lose power and get a great review of Connect the Dots

One bad turn deserves a good one.

The day New England is hit by a powerful rain and wind storm and half of New Hampshire loses power, including me, I find out that April of Cafe of Dreams posts a terrific review of Connect the Dots. Of course, I don't find this out until I'm sitting at Panera Sunday morning because while I have power back, I still have no Internet access. What a terrific surprise!

April starts the review with "The queen of techno thrillers, Denise Robbins, once again graces readers with her clever talent in Connect the Dots." How's that for cool title? "Queen of techno thrillers." [HUGE GRIN]

Please stop by April's blog to see the review, leave a comment, and enter to win a signed copy of Connect the Dots. Cafe of Dreams

Keep your fingers crossed that my Internet access is returned on Friday. In the meantime, I will try to check in while I am at the office or make more stops at Panera.

April - If you see this post, I hope you know I wish I had had access to see your review sooner, but it was a much needed pleasant surprise. Thank you!

Great birthday present. . .

Yesterday, as some of you know, was my birthday. As a terrific surprise and present, I received a wonderful review of Killer Bunny Hill from Night Owl Romance.

To quote Danya at NOR: "The only complaint is the wait till the next book comes out."

Now that is what I call a great last line! And a happy birthday surprise.


See the rest of Danya's review of Killer Bunny Hill at Night Owl Romance click here: Killer Bunny Hill Review

Who wouldn't want to read an email like this

When I checked my email this morning I found this message waiting for me and had to share. Who would not want to wake up to this note first thing in the morning? What a lovely message to read before the sun even comes up and before my morning Mountain Dew!


Hi Denise,

I just finished reading KILLER BUNNY HILL and I'm writing to let you know that you are a wonderful writer. I loved it! I was on the edge of my chair the whole time I was reading it. What a lot of neat twists and turns that were unexpected. I'll be watching your website for ALL your new novels.

Big Hugs and thank you again,
Lorraine

Thank you, Lorraine for making me smile and starting my day out on the right foot.

Killer Bunny Hill receives killer review

Killer Bunny Hill receives killer review from Cafe of Dreams.

April from Cafe of Dreams quoted. "Ms. Robbins blends together secrets, intrigue, suspense, and romance as easily and wonderfully as a master chef blends the ingredients for a delectable gourmet meal."

Checkout the rest of the review written by April of Cafe of Dreams.

April is offering a giveaway of a free copy of Killer Bunny Hill if you post a comment.

In celebration of this killer review, I am going to double the giveaway. All you have to do is leave a comment on April's blog post for Killer Bunny Hill then return here and post a comment with your 'favorite line from April's review' of Killer Bunny Hill.

That's it! Post a comment in both places and you have entered yourself in a chance to win TWO FREE books.

You have until August 21 to post the comments and enter to win. The winner will be announced on my blog on August 22.

Good luck and happy reading!

Cafe of Dreams gives a dream review of Killer Bunny Hill

Cafe of Dreams gives a dream review of Killer Bunny Hill and a chance to win a copy of the book.

As you all know, my latest novel Killer Bunny Hill was just released. And at the end of this exciting tale there will be information on how to win a free copy of Killer Bunny Hill, so read on! (BTW - I don't wite short stories and you'll see why as you read this 'brief' quip.)

Two weeks ago, I came home and found boxes of the book in my driveway, I jumped out of the car (almost forgot to put it in park) and ripped open the first box I came to. Broke a nail doing so, but who cares when it comes to seeing your work in print.

As soon as I held the first book in my hands, I did the screamin' Mimi dance of excitement!

What exactly is that?

In my case, it's me yelling, "Yippee! Yeehaw!" and every other hootin' and hollerin' phrase I can think of. Then the jumping up and down begins along with the screams of joy, followed by the running up and down the driveway all the while shouting, "I got my book! I got my book!" Picture me pumping my arms up and down with a book in each hand. At the end of the drive, I turn, do a little hip shake, and do it all again.

You think I'm kidding?

Ask my neighbors. They will confirm my insanity.

It was when I flipped the book over and saw the back cover that hilarity ensued. I refuse to tell you why because you have to get the book to see for yourselves. Suffice it to say, my publishers have a great sense of humor!

I have, since that day, calmed my excitement to a degree. HA! NOT! Especially after days like this weekend. On Saturday, I went to my favorite bagel shop and as soon as I stepped out of the car, the owner, Lori, walks out the door and yells, "I finished the book!" You have to understand that Lori is so busy she barely has time to breathe let alone read. Apparently she could not put the book down. Before I made it to the sidewalk where Lori stood praising me, she asked, "When is number three coming out?"

I stumbled, made a choking sound, and laughed. "Are you kidding? This one just came out. The next won't be until next year."

"That's too far away," she said, flinging her arms out at her sides and spun on her heels.

I followed her inside the restaurant laughing and shaking my head. Gotta love the woman!

Yesterday afternoon, I received an email from a lovely woman who just finished reading my first novel, It Happens in Threes. To quote her, "I loved it!" She went on to say how much she liked the hero and heroine and that the story kept her on the edge of her seat. To end her note, she said she was ready to read Killer Bunny Hill and could not wait. Yes, she has the book there.

To top that off, I received my contract for my 4th novel. Yea!! I responded back to let my publisher know I would send it back this week (oops! better go get it off the printer) and while I was at it, I mentioned the fact that several people asked about the date of the release for my next novel and how they would like it soon.

This is why I love my publisher!! Because of the requests for the book to come out sooner, they are now going to shoot for releasing Connect the Dots in December instead of January 2010. Wahoo! Just in time for holiday shopping. Tell your friends!

Now, finally, I get to the giveaway. Well, almost. Last night, April of Cafe of Dreams posted her review of Killer Bunny Hill. See the first review of Killer Bunny Hill here.

If you click the link above to read the review then post a comment to April, she is offering a chance to win a free copy of Killer Bunny Hill.

I'm going to add my own giveaway. Here's a chance to win a copy of Killer Bunny Hill and It Happens in Threes.

Visit April's blog Cafe of Dreams and post a comment.

Then return here and leave a comment on this post. Tell me "what was your favorite line in April's review?" If you post a comment in both places then you are entered to win.

You have until August 21 to post the comments and enter to win. The winner will be announced on my blog on August 22.

Good luck and happy reading!

Book-A-Week Challenge

I decided that we all need to read more. Actually, I usually read two books a week. I also decided that we need to get us authors more exposure.


In honor of those two big decisions made by me (LOL!), I have created a Book-A-Week Challenge. Look to the left column on my blog and scroll down past the kitty pictures. I started the list.


What exactly is that? Well, every week we should read a book. Okay, yeah, that was kind of self-explanatory. But, besides reading the book, we should post comments/mini-reviews of the book we read.


My thought is that I will post ahead of time the book that I will read for the next week. You can choose to read the same book or read another. Either way, on Sunday, I will post my review of the book I read and ask you to add your comments for the book you read.


What will we get out of this? Simple. We can expose each other to books that we may never have heard of or read if someone else hadn't recommended it.


Added benefit is the fact that some of the books we read may not be on the NY Times Best Seller list. In fact, what I would like to do is suggest to authors like me who are just starting out that you submit on a post your book titles for the TO BE READ PILE. I'm game to read.


Here is my one caveat: I personally like to read mystery, suspense, romance, and the occasional true crime. I will read another genre if someone says "OMG! You have to read this." Well, I will if you beg and plead. :-)


Remember, it's all about being hooked, so hook us to want to read your book.


My first Book-A-Week Challenge post will be next Sunday, May 10. I'm starting with Sweet Forever by Ceri Hebert http://www.cerihebert.com/.

"The List" by Carmen Shirkey

Looking for something light and entertaining to read? Checkout http://www.thelistbook.blogspot.com/

I had the pleasure of finding Carmen Shirkey and getting a signed copy of her book. Below is my review posted on Amazon.

The List" is a fun read and a must read for anyone who has ever dated. You will laugh and cry and say to yourself, "Been there." What woman, young or old, hasn't made a list of quality traits wanted in Mr. Right? Whether you've written it down or kept it in your head, you can relate to the heroine, Candace and her search for the perfect guy.

It is practically summer and the weather is wonderful. Take "The List" to the beach or your back deck, even dinner at your favorite watering hole and lose yourself in the trials and tribulations Candace has to go through to get to her version of Mr. Perfect.

Everyone can relate to this book.

Reviews of It Happens in Threes

The following are review links on my computer-thriller/romantic-suspense It Happens In Threes. Check them out and leave a comment on their pages.

http://reviewsbychristy.blogspot.com/2009/02/it-happens-in-threes.html
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/Ithappensinthrees.html
http://bookbirddog.blogspot.com/2009/03/it-happens-in-threes-review.html

Review from Coffee Time Romance

My day just got better. A lot better!

IT HAPPENS IN THREES just received a review from Coffee Time Romance. I posted the review to the right. . . see their image.

Or, click here. http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/Ithappensinthrees.html

You know you're a writer when. . .

It's not the day you decide to write a story. It's not the day you finish your first or even third manuscript. You're not a writer when a publisher accepts your manuscript. You're not even a writer when the book hits the stand and you can hold it in your hand.

Although all of those events make you feel good, make you believe in your skill or talent, make you feel like you accomplished something major in your life. And you have! But none of those things make you a writer.

It's the culmination of all of those that lead up to the one event that marks you as a writer. For me, that was yesterday. For me, that was having two women I barely know who purchased my book come up to me at different times and tell me that they love my book.

One woman came up to me yesterday at breakfast and with a smile on her face and cheer in her voice exclaimed that not only did she read my book, but she loved it. You should have seen and heard the surprise in her voice. She proceeded to exclaim that she had never read a romance before, but was thrilled that she had read my romantic suspense because she liked the mystery. Not fond of a lot of swearing, she was happy to see that there was a minimum in the story. She also loved the fact that she could tell when it came to the computer stuff, I knew what I was talking about and that I described it so she could understand. She loved that she got to use her own imagination to get a feel for the characters and they weren't spelled out in every detail. She cannot wait for the second book. :-)

Yesterday afternoon when I met my friend Nora for critique, another woman who had my book approached me in the ladies room. (Yes, us women do those things.) Anyway, drying her hands, she told me with a great deal of excitement she had read the first 135 pages of my book the previous evening and didn't want to put it down because it was so good. She said it was even funny and went on to tell me the funny part she liked with Jake and Ruby in the bathroom. She could not wait to read more.

All the 5-star reviews could not do for me what those two ladies did. Those two ladies not only made my day, but let me know I had achieved something I didn't even realize I hadn't until yesterday. When I started writing It Happens In Threes, I knew I wanted to be a writer. Yesterday. . .I became a writer!

Thank you.

Book Review

This morning when I checked my email, I found a link to a review an author did on my book. First, it was a complete surprise. Second, it was nice to know that someone read the book. :-)
Third, she liked it!

I mean, I like my book and so does my editor/publisher, and of course family and friends, but it's nice to see that someone outside that circle read and enjoyed the story.

If you want to read the review, check out Christy's blog at http://www.christytilleryfrench.com/


Now, here is the question of the day. . .how much do reviews (no matter good or bad) influence a reader's selection? What are your thoughts?

And whose reviews do take to heart? Any particular review sites you visit before going out and buying a book?

First Review of IT HAPPENS IN THREES

I'm working on the content for my website, so the other day I contacted my editor and asked if she had received any reviews back yet. What Lisa sent me was the review that will be on the book cover. See below:

Denise Robbins' delicious debut novel, It Happens in Threes, begins with a bang and doesn't let up. Fueled by a heady mix of action, suspense, humor, and romance--and a couple of thoroughly engaging protagonists--the book kept me turning pages (and hoping that the wild, sexy ride wouldn't end!). IHT marks the launch of a career to watch.

--David Daniel, author of Reunion and The Marble Kite


Thank you David! http://www.daviddanielbooks.com/