FREE AND DISCOUNTED BOOKS FOR EBOOK WEEK!

 

Read an Ebook Week began March 3 and will last through March 9.

Participating authors and publishers use this nationwide opportunity to promote ebooks, share the joys of ebook reading, and acquainting readers with new to them ebook authors.

Below is a list of free and discounted ebooks from many of our participating authors at Publishing by Rebecca J. Vickery and Western Trail Bazer. Please click on the title to go to the applicable book page, get the coupon code provided, and proceed through checkout to get your copy. HaPpY rEaDiNg!

Free Ebooks

Christmas in Bayeux by Stephanie Burkhart

Lucca: Warriors for the Light by Karen Michelle Nutt

The Devil's Wolf by Karen Michelle Nutt

Last Assignment by Les Williams

Unwanted Reputation by Les Williams

Last Stand at Bitter Creek by Tom Rizzo

The Prodigal by Chuck Tyrell

Deirdre by Miriam Newman

Changing the Future by Paula Martin

Death at the Whistling Swan by John D. Nesbitt

Rose of Durango by John D. Nesbitt

Give it All You've Got by Linda Swift

The Trouble With Fishing by Rebecca J. Vickery

Now Spit by Troy D. Smith

The Windigo by Troy D. Smith

The Soul of the Hobnailed Boot by John Duncklee

Crashing the Superbowl by John Duncklee

A Distant Call by Gerald Costlow

Mars Needs Men by Gerald Costlow

Ianthe's Dream by Clova Leighton

The Hands of Time by Laura Shinn - PG15+

The Infidels by Troy D. Smith

The Last of Her Kind by Cheryl Pierson

Scarlet Ribbons by Cheryl Pierson
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Texas Promise by Celia Yeary

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Familiar Shadows by Bert Goolsby

The Trials of Lawyer Pratt by Bert Goolsby

Catch the Lightning by Madeline Baker

25% Off Ebooks

I Bit the Silver Spoon by John Duncklee

In the Shadow of the Hills by Madeline Baker

Long Ride to Limbo by Kit Prate

Blood of the Scalphunter by John Legg

Bound for Texas by Kit Prate

Brothers in Arms by Troy D. Smith

Colorado Justice by Lee Aaron Wilson

Fire Eyes by Cheryl Pierson

Ties That Bind by Anne Patrick

Surviving With Love by Rebecca J. Vickery

Following Destiny by Rebecca J. Vickery

Looking Through the Mist by Rebecca J. Vickery

In the Shadow of the Hills by Madeline Baker

Tales of Western Romance by Madeline Baker

  50% Off Ebooks

Jessie's Girl by Amanda Ashley

A Court Lady by Clova Leighton

Chances Are by Laura Shinn

Dixie Cup Assassin by Jerry Bohnen

Field Combat Manual for Zombie Slayers by Marc Sherman

First Love, Lost Love by Jory Sherman

FLYER, a novel by Judith McAlister

The Devil's Galley by Michelle Rodriguez

Four Horses Dead Ringer by J. D. McCall

Palomino Days by Mart Shaughnessy

Song of Hoofbeats by John Duncklee

Seeking Shelter by Rebecca J. Vickery

Participating Blogs
http://rebeccajvickery.blogspot.com/
http://www.kmnbooks.com/karens-shenanigans/

http://onceuponaword1.blogspot.com/
Smashwords Blog 

Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/celiayeary

My Website

My Blog

Sweethearts of the West-Blog

My Facebook Page 

YOUR NOVEL IN THREE ACTS

Authors surely know that fiction should be in three acts, resembling a play. I honestly did not learn this for a long while into my writing experience.

All it means is that your story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Each part is distinct from the other. This is not particularly easy, nor are the parts clearly identifiable. However, if we use the concept as a rule of thumb, we may write a better novel.

I: THE FIRST ACT: Main characters and the Incident
The first act is to establish main characters, their relationships, and their place and time. The main statement we hear today from editors and publishers is "begin where the story begins." I had a terrible habit to break in which I felt I should explain and describe for the reader to inform him of the coming story. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
The opening is the "hook," and it bodes well if we spend some time working on that very first sentence or paragraph.
Throughout the first act, the main character is involved in or aware of some incident that leads to a turning point. This turning point ensure the main character's life will never be the same, that he will confront this issue until the end of the story. He has a problem, an enemy, or a question to solve, and his life now revolves around such an issue.

II: THE SECOND ACT: Action and Character Development.
During the second act, the main character finds himself confronted with some entity that appears to thwart his goal. This may be in the form of a person, force of nature, or even an internal personal problem. In fact, the main character cannot solve the problem easily because he might not have the skills to do so. He must go through a learning process to repair his predicament. In doing so, he may need the help of another character in the form of another major character or a mentor.

III: THE THIRD ACT: Climax and Resolution.
Now, during the third act, the main characters reach a turning point, intensifying tensions and reaching a conclusion. The character, as well as any others connected to him, find their way, a new direction, or a new life.  

This is a simplified version of many articles and books written on the subject. If I were an expert, I would give more instruction. This much is the skeleton framework I try to follow, and I find it amazing that often a story naturally takes this route.

In a romance novel, the skeleton framework is boy meets girl, boy and girl face dissension and part, and boy and girl make up and live happily ever after.

In RODEO MAN, a novella about a city girl and a rodeo man, follows this skeleton in this way:

I: Marla inherits an abandoned town in West Texas. When she arrives to camp out for a week she finds a stranger there, whittling and whistling. The main characters have met.
They talk, argue, have fun, and learn about each other. Then Marla receives a threat--the incident-- and they must leave the town.

II. When they arrive in the rodeo town, Cody helps Marla track down the person or persons who made the threat, and why. During this time, the two become more acquainted, but Marla is ever diligent about becoming involved with a man who might have a girl in every rodeo town.

III. Cody and Marla confront the perpetrator of the threat and have him arrested. But do the two fall into each other's arms? Not yet, not until Cody proves that he is her man.

 http://www.amazon.com/Rodeo-Man-ebook/dp/B00B14S4X4/ref=sr_1_21?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358284697&sr=1-21&keywords=celia+yeary

Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/celiayeary
My Website
My Blog
Sweethearts of the West-Blog
My Facebook Page 

All About Me and All About You

Our blogs are our "brand" as much as our books. What is the personality of your blog? Is it "you?" I believe this is a pertinent question. As I've recently read, "Don't sell your books--sell yourself." I've come to believe this is the way to go. Even if you don't intentionally try to sell yourself instead of your books, I think you're doing that.

This past week I participated in Romancing the West Blog Hop, and in my spare time I have checked out the other blogs in the list. Yes, I know some of the authors and can truthfully say their blogs fit them to a "t." Well done, Western Authors.

To learn about yourself, list a few things about you as a person.

First, I'll tell about myself. Then, make your list and tell us here...or just keep it for reference to do a self-analysis.

 

ABOUT ME

1. I'm the middle daughter—enough said.

 

MISS MAE CREATED THIS
AWARD FOR US.
SHE DID THE COVER FOR
THE NOVEL
TEXAS PROMISE--
AND "WE" WON
SECOND PLACE!

 

2. I have a killer instinct which I call "a competitive nature,"

but it's quietly buried until I need it. I LOVE to win.

 

3. I still have no idea why I'm writing romance novels.

 

4. I save every scrap of fruit and vegetable matter and feed it to my deer.

 

5. Politicians make me as angry as I ever become about anything.

 

6. Something that breaks my heart on a daily basis is the fact

so many children in the world don't have a real home.

 

7. Of all the traits we humans possess,

I most especially hate dishonesty—in all forms.

Feel free to say a few things about yourself. I'd love to know!

Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/celiayeary
My Website
My Blog
Sweethearts of the West-Blog
My Facebook Page