Diversion Books has launched a new online bookstore exclusively dedicated to the romance genre. The organizers behind EverAfter Romance have developed a free app available for download on both iOS and Android mobile devices.
Seth Kaufman, the head of the marketing and PR team, gave this statement in the press release: “One of our goals is to help partners get their eBooks in front of a truly dedicated audience. So we feature titles from all leading romance publishers, including Harlequin, Avon, Kensington, Forever, Samhain, and Ellora’s Cave, and we sell everyone from Nora Roberts, E.L. James, and Georgette Heyer to Sylvia Day, Nalini Singh, and Debbie Macomber. But we also want to create space to sell new authors and titles.”
Consumers will be able to choose from over 100,000 titles through this shop. The app will give alerts about recommendations, flash sales, and free eBooks. To celebrate the launch, romantic fiction readers who download the app and register for an account will receive a free digital copy of Alessandra Torre’s novel, Sex Love Repeat.
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Romance novel Friends–And Then Some by Debbie Macomber has joined Apple’s iBooks top paid books in the U.S. for week ending 3/3 at No. 11.
Every week Apple publishes the top selling books for the week including top paid iBooks, and the top selling audiobooks, as well as the top sellers by genre including Arts& Entertainment, Biographies & Memoirs, Business & Personal Finance, Children & Teens, and Comics & Graphic Novels.
We’ve included the entire list of top paid books after the jump. continued…
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As Carmela pointed out, it's only fitting that my final post should be a Wednesday Writing Workout, given my usual agony over finding appropriate material to share in this space.
My college semester begins on Monday, and I've been trolling the Internet for ideas to borrow and steal. My chief goal this year is to get students more invested in what they're writing. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've been reading Debbie Macomber's
Once Upon a Time: Discovering Your Forever Story. I was struck by her observation that the prevalent themes in her writing were set in her life from early childhood. As a children's book writer, I can certainly say this is true for me. In fact, I often worry that I have only a few stories to tell, and it is a relief to hear from such a prolific writer that there is hope for me.
At a recent writers' conference, I heard bestselling author Sylvia Day tell the audience that the prevailing theme of everything that she writes is "survival." When she put it this way, I immediately know that mine is identity. Who am I? Where is my place in this world?
Here is an
exercise I found based on a George Ella Lyon poem titled
"Where I'm From." I think everything I might ever have to write about is touched upon somewhere in my responses. Try it and, if you're so inclined, share what you come up with. Happy writing! --Jeanne Marie
My husband and I were introduced by a mutual acquaintance in 1996. She flew in from Yakima, Washington state from our wedding, and that was the last time we saw her before her husband's job took their family to Germany and then Australia.
This weekend, we were picking up our kids from a sleepover (yay) with my in-laws in western Maryland. My father-in-law wanted to have dinner at a local pizzeria, but my daughter voted instead for Ruby Tuesday. While there, my husband escorted my son to the restroom, and lo and behold... at a nearby table he found our matchmaker and family. They had just returned stateside and were living in a hotel in Virginia. They had driven to Ohio to buy furniture and had planned to stop in a different town on the way home but had missed the exit, and so... in a city that was neither theirs nor ours, in a restaurant where none of us had planned to be that night, our fates collided once more. It was with great pleasure that we were finally able to introduce our children to the woman responsible for their very existence. Ah, serendipity.
As a reader, I am most impatient about plot contrivances and coincidences. But the truth is, these are also a part of real life.
This week I have been reading the prolific Debbie Macomber's Once Upon a Time, which details her blueprint for both living life and writing about it. In the book, she mentions her hometown of Yakima, Washington and her childhood librarian, Miss Bunn. As a Beverly Cleary devotee, I know that Mrs. Clearly (formerly Miss Bunn) was once a children's librarian in Yakima. Could it possibly be? I turned to google, and sure enough -- uber-famous (and admittedly poor student) Beverly Cleary had, once upon a time, been the beloved librarian of uber-famous (and admittedly poor student) Debbie Macomber.
As teachers, librarians, and writers, these are the stories that we live for. Often the rewards of our vocation are intangible and far in the future. In the results-oriented world in which we live, it is important to remember that, ultimately, patience reigns triumphant. Thank goodness for the occasional grace of serendipity to let us know we are indeed on the right track. --Jeanne Marie
This is a terrific "farewell WWW, JM." Thanks for sharing it, and for being a terrific TA! Good luck with your classes this fall.
Thank you, Jeanne Marie, for sharing this terrific exercise!
I quickly Googled George Ella Lyon's poem to add to your shared exercise which I cut-and-pasted to create a document now entitled "Where I'm From."
Then I emailed it pronto to two of my writers needing to learn their characters' Back Stories (as well as their own).
I won't be alone in missing you.
Sigh.
Your posts brought our readers The Real World, as well as, sometimes, your beautiful, clever children.
I'll simply say, "Au revoir!" - and hope you'll return to share news of your newest book.
I now crown you our TAF - TeachingAuthorForever!
Your Fan Esther
Loved this exercise. Sharing what you inspired:
I am from afros and kaftans and peace symbols on a protest sign.
I am from the smell of homemade cookies, clean towels and the neighbor’s spilled beer.
I am from the freshly turned dirt, the broccoli patch
I am from expertly packed suitcases and pride and stubbornness, from Charlie and Alonzo and Pam, now Sarah.
I am from those who look ahead and look away.
From beauty and ability.
I am from an erased and redrawn Star of David. And erased, again.
I'm from rocky mountains, the share croppers fields, ham hocks and beans and McDonald’s.
From the temporarily disowned mother, the four-times divorced grandmother, and the Air Force-bound grandfathers.
I am from mantels and walls of mounted and framed photos and no where but “It’s all up here.”
Jeanne Marie, I'm going to miss your humor, your honesty, and your warmth. BEST of luck as you move on to other endeavors! Hugs.
You loved the exercise, Serene.
I loved that you shared it's completion with us - and let us get to know you better.
Serene, what a beautiful (and fascinating) poem! I would love to hear more of your story.
Esther, Jill, Carmela (and April and Mary Ann), I send eternal love and thanks.