Author Spotlight ~ Joan Reeves, Part of a Boxed Set of 21 Authors

Box Sets: Win-Win for Readers & Authors

By Joan Reeves

Giveaway also, so read on!

I don’t know who the brave soul was who published the first box set, or what that set was, but the marketing genius who came up with the concept created a phenomenon. In fact, for the most part, a box set is a definite win-win for readers and authors alike.

A Win for Readers

Box sets can be short stories, novellas, or full-length novels. Box sets can be the works of a single author or of many authors.

Regardless of the box set content, it’s a win for readers. The reason is readily apparent. A reader can get a bunch of books--short, long, or a mixed bag--for a very low price. Sometimes a box set is even free! To a reader, this is like finding gold! As a reader, I take full advantage of these bargains.

Another Win for Readers

You’ll have the opportunity to read authors you may not have heard of and not have to pay a lot for the privilege. You may just discover a new favorite author or even a new genre.

A Win for Authors

Sure, there are some drawbacks to box sets for an author. What comes readily to mind is the fear that the low prices undercut an author’s income.

However, the win for the author is very real. Having your work bundled with other authors will expose your work to the other authors’ readers. You may find that readers who hadn’t read you before will read you and like how you spin a story. Voila. You’ll have created a new fan for your work.

Another Win for Authors

When you’re grouped with authors who are more into marketing and promoting than you, you’ll be forced to up your game. Change--growth--is always a good thing.

What’s equally important is you’ll meet some wonderful authors and make new friends. In the cold cruel world of publishing, that too is a good thing.

21 Books by 21 Bestselling Authors

Here are the books of Summer Fire. Just about every type of romance is shown--sweet to suspense to steamy--so readers of every sub-genre will find a story to love plus new genres to explore. There you have the win-win for all.

Gennita Low, author of Sizzle. “Sizzling passion and flying bullets.”

Stacey Mosteller, author of Just One Summer. “Good girl meets bad boy in Just One Summer.”

R.J. Lewis, author of Sinful. “She’s straight and narrow; he’s sinfully rebellious.”

Kym Grosso, author of Solstice Burn. “Love and erotic temptation in the tropics.”

Victoria Danann, author of A Season in Gemini. “A breath of fresh romance--normal and paranormal.”

L. Wilder, author of Summer Storm. “Can their love survive the storm?”

Linda Barlow, author of My Mile-High Mistake. “Can she resist his temptation at 35,000 feet?”

Teresa Gabelman, author of Rodeo Romance. “Summer + Cowboys = Sexy Fun.”

Cat Miller, author of Sun Burnt. “Sophisticated city girl’s wild ride with a cowboy.”

Mimi Barbour, author of Big Girls Don't Cry. “Why cry when no one is listening?”

Helen Scott Taylor, author of Irish Kisses. “Second chance at love in an enchanting Irish castle.”

Clarissa Wild, author of Killer. “Bitterness turns into an obsession; a stalker is born.”

Patrice Wilton, author of A Man for Hire. “She hired him for a weekend, not to find love.”

Nicole Blanchard, author of Anchor. “Guaranteed to get you wet!”

Victoria James, author of Sweet Surrender. “He wanted the sweetest surrender.”

Mona Risk, author of Husband for a Week. “Never fall in love with a fake husband.”

Lorhainne Eckhart, author of His Promise. “A love they thought would last forever.”

Danielle Jamie, author of Tan Lines and Salty Kisses. “Second chance romance sure to steam up your Ereader.”

Joan Reeves, author of Heat Lightning. “Secrets, lies, passion. Secrets can kill.”

Brandy L Rivers, author of Summer Rhythm. “Doug never could resist Chloe. Is she back for good?”

Terri Marie, author of Someone Exactly Like You. “The chase is on!”

Add Summer Fire to Your Library

Amazon | Apple iBooks | B&N | KOBO

Giveaway

Leave a comment with your email address and be entered in a random drawing for a free copy of Summer Fire: Love When It's Hot Contemporary Romance Collection. Giveaway is open until May 23 midnight. Winner will be chosen on May 24 by Random Name Picker and notified by email as well as in the Comments section of An Indie Adventure.

Bio:

Joan Reeves, whose book in Summer Fire is Heat Lightning, is a bestselling author of Contemporary Romance. Available as ebooks and audiobooks, her romance novels all have the same underlying theme: “It’s never too late to live happily ever after.” Joan lives her happily ever after with her husband in the Lone Star State. Sign up for WordPlay, Joan's free email list for readers: http://eepurl.com/Yk61n.

Take Five With Author Phylis Caskey

Welcome to An Indie Adventure, Phylis Caskey.  Tell us, what inspired you to write your book Skinny Dipping in Cane River?

Hi Leslie, thank you for inviting me.

The story originally started as a short story about my grandfather and a secret he kept for 50 years. However, the characters became bigger than the story, and I had to pluck them out and give them a bit more space. I had a mystery outlined with no hero or heroine so I merged the two stories. It was the perfect fit. Once the two were combined, it just took off.

I have always loved living in the South so I wanted to share similar experiences with the reader. No one can define behind-the-scene small-town crazy like a native.

What were your experiences as a child that contributed to you becoming a writer?

My family never lived anywhere longer than two years and believe me, this was no picnic.

My father was a Baptist minister, so people had preconceived notions about me before I even arrived. I was constantly reinventing myself to fit in, especially in middle 

school.

Enter imagination… no matter where you go, you can take it with you.

Since my father counseled members of his church at our home from time to time, there were several discussions behind closed doors that a child or teen could overhear. One thing stood out early on: People are not always who they appear to be, and situations are rarely simple, even the most idyllic families have issues.

Do day-to-day life experiences influence your stories?

Of course, even when sitting at the carwash the conversations are fascinating. People love to talk about themselves. Sometimes I’ll find myself writing down a conversation, the syntax and vocabulary may find a home in my next character. Our son comes home with friends, and their word choice is drastically different than mine.

Recently, someone hit my car from behind. No one was hurt, thank God, but I was shaky getting all the information together and calling the tow truck, etc. The police officer was making sure everyone was safe and all the forms were in order, but she kept telling me: accidents happen. She must have said it five times or more. I know she was trying to calm everyone, but she was having the opposite effect. She reminded me of the tooth fairy hanging around while you still have the toothache. I thought about it later. What a wonderful character. 

The police officer that kills everyone with kindness, the townspeople hide, slip and fall, wreck… anything to avoid her. But she always shines in the end, solving the mystery.

What is the first thing you do when you begin a new book?

I outline the story idea on paper. Then I decide on the characters. Once I’ve named them, I interview them and discover their motivations, goals, hopes, quirks, and backgrounds.

Once they are fully fleshed out, I drop them into the appropriate scenes. That’s where the real fun begins.

If you were a TV, film or book character, apart from one you've created, who would you be?  And why?

I have loved Jane Austen since I was in high school. So, it would have to be Eliza Bennett. She is such a strong character: wise, witty, and kind. Also, I could marry Mr. Darcy and live at Pemberley. Seriously, who wouldn’t want to live there?

Give us a brief summary of Skinny Dipping in Cane River:

Julian James returns to his hometown of Natchitoches, Louisiana with an urn under his arm––and a heart full of regrets. Around every corner are haunting memories, one in particular:

As a teenager, Julian’s worst nightmare comes true when his father supposedly commits suicide. But he never believes the stories swirling about his father and soon discovers a hidden diary with three coded messages. Sara, a clever new friend, helps him decode the first message, and his fears are confirmed. His father’s death was no accident.

Julian digs deeper, investigating clues overlooked by the local authorities. But the closer he gets to solving his father’s mysterious death, the more dangerous the game becomes––risking not only his life, but Sara’s, too.

Buy Links:

Kindle Edition | Print Edition | Kindle Edition UK | Kindle Edition France

Bio:

After traveling in Europe, Phylis Caskey returned to the university setting to study French and Fine Arts. Along the way, creative writing piqued her interest, but it wasn’t until her youngest child went to high school that she started writing seriously. Her love of all things Southern led to her debut novel, Skinny Dipping in Cane River, and her passion for French history contributed to her medieval series. When she isn’t writing, she is tramping the world with her husband, visiting their children, and looking up friends. She enjoys getting lost in a good movie, especially an Indie film, with a huge bucket of popcorn. She lives in Louisiana with her husband and their anthropocentric dogs.

Find Phylis:

Website | Amazon Author Page | Facebook Profile | Facebook Author Page | Twitter | Instagram