13 – Issue 21

July 18, 2013August 16, 2013 / Rhonda Laurel, Author

In this Issue…

MVP News – The Blake Legacy

MVP Virtual Book Tour

Print Anthology

Short Story: California Bored and Tourism Release

New Discussion Group

And of Course…

MVP News – The Blake Legacy

The 3rd installment of Morgan and Seth’s lives is underway. The next book, titled The Blake Legacy, will delve into their changing lives! Some of your favorite characters like Tate, Michelle, Tyler and even Charisma will be back! Thank you to everyone who reached out and asked that there be another installment for the couple.

MVP Virtual Book Tour

The MVP Virtual Book Tour starts Monday, July 22nd! The tour stop schedule is posted on the right side on my blog for anyone who wants to visit. I will be posting dates on Facebook and Twitter if you want to pop over that day and show some love.

Print Anthology

The author copies of my print anthology arrived in the mail yesterday! I have to tell you it is a surreal feeling holding your life’s work in your hands. Thank you to everyone for you support and making this possible for me. I am a new author but I intend to be around for a long time. Thank you for taking such interest in the characters.

Short Story: California Bored and Tourism Release

California Bored and Tourism, my interracial short story, has released and is currently available now on the Sweet Cravings Publishing website only. All other third-party buy links like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. will be available on Monday, June 22nd. I will post links on the California Bored and Tourism release post as soon as they are available.

New Discussion Group

I received a lot of responses about the Yahoo Discussion Group. I have created another discussion group/board on a new website. Check out the new site and tell me what you think. It is under construction now but if you register, feel free to respond to a post, leave a comment, there are a lot of interactive things to do. The Rhonda Laurel, Author group remains active until everyone transitions to the new site.

http://rhondalaurel-author.boards.net/

And of Course…

The winner for The Rhonda Laurel Collection print anthology will be announced on Friday, July 20th.

Until Next Time

Happy Reading!

Rhonda

The Rabbit Hole Chronicles 7/9/13 – Issue 20

July 9, 2013July 22, 2013 / Rhonda Laurel, Author

In this Issue…

Happy Anniversary to Ebb Tide!

Rhonda Laurel Author Group

Short Story: California Bored and Tourism Release

MVP News

And of Course…

Happy Anniversary Ebb Tide!

July 2012 was the release month for my debut novella Ebb Tide! Ebb Tide was my literary introduction into the world and still holds a special place in my heart. It didn’t get much traction in the beginning, but for those of you who have read the novella, I enjoyed writing about Griffin and Evan. And in tradition of my Six Degrees of Character Relations, the very minor character Faith, the tour guide mentioned in Ebb Tide, has her own short story coming out at the end of the month: California Bored and Tourism. I was asked a while ago if Ebb Tide would have a sequel. It is on my list of continued stories. I think there is a bit more to tell about how Griffin and Evan are managing their happily ever after. Because sometimes you just want to peek behind that relationship curtain.

Rhonda Laurel Author Group

The Rhonda Laurel Author Group went live last week! This group will be dedicated to chats about releases and periodic updates. It allows members who want to discuss the characters, plots and new developments in my novellas and short stories. (I’ve already talked about the next chapter for Morgan & Seth and some things are taking shape for their next book.) You can start your own discussion thread, take a poll, or leave me a question! Word Press only has so many capabilities for this blog and this allows me to offer a new coffee lounge atmosphere for my readers. The rules of engagement are very simple: have fun and be polite to others!

Thank you to the new members who signed up and participated in the MVP chat on Sunday! We had a blast! I had two people actively participate, which was a happy coincidence since I had two $5 gift cards to give away.

For those of you who did not see the post or sign up link, just click below to join the group.

Click to join Rhonda Laurel’s Author Group

Short Story: California Bored and Tourism Release

My short story, California Bored and Tourism will be released at the end of the month. As I mentioned above, Faith had a bit part in Ebb Tide!

MVP News

MVP has been going strong since its release! I am happy to say that the many fans of For the Love of the Game returned to see how Morgan and Seth’s happily ever after bloomed. I was touched by the reviews detailing why the story worked for them.

MVP will be on a virtual book tour starting July 22. I will post details for anyone who would like to follow it.

MVP was on the All Romance eBooks best seller list for a moment and has fluctuated on Amazon’s interracial/multicultural, African-American, multicultural and sports best seller categories the past week and a half. But I am especially pleased with the way readers have reached out to me on Facebook, Twitter and my blog. Thank you for giving this couple a chance. And THANK YOU for giving me the inspiration to write about them again.

For the Love of the Game/MVP fan page link

And of Course…

I will be launching a new segment in The Artist’s Studio called the Feature Release. The Feature Release will showcase a new book cover and blurb of an author, instead of a full-blown interview. The debut post is tomorrow and will feature author Susan Arden’s new chart climbing book Rock Into Me. The Artist’s Studio will still post interviews and I have them scheduled for the rest of the summer.

My writing varies in many ways and sometimes a story becomes a short story and sometimes it develops into a novella. Memories of You was a glimpse inside the lives of Cameron and Marc. California Bored and Tourism will peek into the lives of Faith and Nick. As I’ve said before I write until it’s finished and I would never monopolized a reader’s time with unnecessary filler. But that mode of thinking does change every now and again. For the Love of the Game was intended to be a short story but after working my publisher, it became a novella and the best decision I’ve ever made as a writer. Happy reading everyone.

Until Next Time

Happy Reading!

Rhonda

The Rabbit Hole Chronicles 2/16/13 – Issue 16

February 16, 2013February 19, 2013 / Rhonda Laurel, Author

In this Issue…

Shutter Release

MVP Complete!

Memories of You

Contest Winners!

And of Course…

Shutter Release

Shutter will be released on Friday, 2/22! Yay! I am so excited about this novella. This will be my 3rd novella and 3 is my favorite number! As I’ve said before, Antonio is a photographer and Lucy is an artist, so I am going to see if I can bring out the best of both those characters with some awesome giveaways. If you’ve seen my giveaways in the past you know I like to create! And that hasn’t changed. One of my favorite giveaways will be an autographed copy of my photobook Dreamscapes. Dreamscapes is a pictorial I created from my many travels around the United States. I also have a collection of themed bookmarks titled Bookmarks Across America! Even in the technology age, I still think bookmarks are necessary! And I will have trading cards again! Don’t miss your chance to enter and win some cool stuff that is an expression of Antonio’s vision of the world around him.

Seattle is the setting. I LOVE the west coast and have felt for years that I was destined to visit Seattle somehow, as if something important was waiting for me there. In my mind’s eye I journeyed there and found Antonio and Lucy! My goal for the characters of Antonio and Lucy was to evoke an awakening of sorts. Each time I send my characters on their personal journeys down the rabbit hole, my wish is for them to emerge better somehow as human beings. I found them be enjoyable, even funny at times and even choked up a few times. Love is nothing but a spin on the Ferris Wheel of emotions. And Antonio and Lucy helped me experience that.

MVP is Complete!

My sequel to For the Love of the Game, MVP, is complete! Once I found my groove and delved back into Morgan and Seth’s lives, I have to admit it was a lot of fun. My goal was to continue their journey in the most realistic and nurturing way possible for the couple. I must admit I miss them after I finished writing! Seth’s character kind of snuck up on me and I had to resist having a crush on him. Lol. I think he and Morgan are complementary characters and I appreciate all who contacted me and my publisher, inquiring about a next phase for these two. Their landscape gets bigger and we see how they blend two very different worlds together. Old supporting characters return, a few new ones come in and pop out immediately with their own stories.

Memories of You

Memories of You is in the editing stage right now and I hope to bring you more information soon! Cameron and Mark are a great couple.

Contest Winners!

Congrats to Susan Taylor and Cassandra H. for winning my Valentine’s Day Swag Giveaway! Thank you to everyone who entered. I am happy to say I am getting a steady number of entrants for my contests.

Congrats to Beckey for winning a copy of Ebb Tide in the Love is in Air Blog Hop! Ebb Tide is my debut novella and I have Natalie & Evan to thank for bringing attention to my writing.

The Swept Away Valentine’s Day Blog Hop ends tomorrow!

And of Course…

The Artist’s Studio has scheduled author visitors through June! Every Friday an author gives insight on their latest projects and share a bit of themselves. It’s nice to see who’s behind the curtain sometimes. Have a question you always wanted to ask an author? Send it to me! I don’t mind mixing up the interview questions. The format I use is concise and authors don’t get a headache when they complete it. (I hope!) Lol.

Think you might want to chat with me on release day? Take the poll on my site! I am trying to see what venue and time would be good for those who want to connect on Friday, 2/22.