Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Join me for Long and Short Reviews Halloween Blogfest!

It's Trick or Treat at LASR!  And YOU get the treats!  From 10/29/12 - 11/2/12 dozens of authors in all genres will be blogging and you can win!

Every post will be offering a goodie... all you have to do is knock on their virtual door and leave a comment. One comment will be chosen at random at every blog to win -- it might be you!

So don your best costume and come party with us at our Halloween Blogfest.
I'll be blogging about my favorite fall festivals on November 2 at 2:00 p.m. EST. Here's the link that you can go to then to read it: http://lasrguest.blogspot.com/2012/11/halloween-blogfest-alison-chambers.html.

Let me know what you like best about fall. One lucky commenter will receive an e-copy of my latest romantic suspense thriller "Prisoner in his Arms!"

Don't miss it!

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Don't Miss Year End Splash Party!

Coming soon: the Romance Reviews Year End Splash Party, November 15-December 15, 2012.  The Romance Reviews is gearing up once again to make a big splash at its year-end party in November/December! As usual, there will be fun activities geared toward providing readers with tons of information about exciting books available, including my new book "Prisoner in his Arms," just released on Amazon.com. The activities will take participants to author websites as they answer a series of questions and answers. Visit my website www.alisonchambersromance.com to answer one of the questions on November 16 for a chance to win! They can also visit featured books and chat with authors and fellow book lovers at the Romance Reviews chat site! Prizes include gift certificates, book giveaways and lots more! Check it out at http://www.theromancereviews.com/event.php!  And don't miss "Prisoner in his Arms." Now available on Amazon!
 
 
 
This is the sequel to "The Secret Sentinel" you've been waiting for!

Lexie O'Shea is kidnapped by masked men who give her ten days to find the mysterious Virgo Stone or her father will be killed along with her fiancee and terrorist attacks will be unleashed upon the Capitol during the Presidential inauguration. A sexy masked bodyguard accompanies her on the hunt. But is he only her jailer or something more? And what strange secret does the Virgo Stone possess? They embark on a dangerous journey following a series of cryptic clues as the clock ticks away to a shattering, heart-pounding conclusion. Visit my website
www.alisonchambersromance.com for an exciting excerpt! And join us for the Romance Reviews Year-End Splash party on November 16 for a chance to win a free copy!
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Prisoner in his Arms Debuts on Amazon


This is the sequel to "The Secret Sentinel" you've been waiting for!

Now on Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00961HXCM

Lexie O'Shea is kidnapped by masked men who give her ten days to find the mysterious Virgo Stone or her father will be killed along with her fiancee and terrorist attacks will be unleashed upon the Capitol during the Presidential inauguration. A sexy masked bodyguard accompanies her on the hunt. But is he only her jailer or something more? And what strange secret does the Virgo Stone possess? They embark on a dangerous journey following a series of cryptic clues as the clock ticks away to a shattering, heart-pounding conclusion.





Saturday, June 16, 2012

Sizzling Summer Reads Party Coming Soon

Don't miss the Sizzling Summer Reads party going on at The Romance Reviews! I'll be giving away an e-copy of "The Montezuma Secret!" (Five stars on Amazon and Goodreads).

Visit my website:www.alisonchambersromance.com
on day five of the contest to answer one of the questions of the day for a chance to win!

The Sizzling Summer Reads 2012 party begins July 1! Play games, have fun and win prizes! Meet your favorite authors and chat with them! Hundreds of authors are participating.

Enter for a chance to win the grand prize of a $100 gift certificate.  Here's the link for more information: http://www.theromancereviews.com/event.php.

See you then!




Monday, May 14, 2012

Sinful Sirens Giveaway Hop!

Hi all and welcome to another stop on the Sinful Sirens Giveaway Hop!  I'm giving away an e-copy of "The Montezuma Secret," where you can meet my sinful siren, fashionista Erica Kingsley, as she battles handsome survivalist, Trey Zacco, in the wilds of Belize.  Five Stars on Amazon and Goodreads!  Here's a synopsis:  Hunky Trey Zacco, gritty survivalist and host of the Miami-based Holiday Channel’s hit "Wildman" series and glitz and glamour girl, Erica Kingsley, host of the channel’s "Lap of Luxury" show, are thrown together in the steamy jungles of Belize as a publicity stunt. Erica’s father, Arthur Kingsley, the owner of the Holiday Channel, has proposed the angle, not only to boost ratings, but also as a way to toughen up his spoiled daughter. And Kingsley wants them to search for Montezuma’s lost gold, presumably moved to Belize from the Guatemalan jungle. Zacco cannot hide his resentment at having to share the spotlight with the flighty fashionista
Erica, and he locks horns with her every step of the way even as both try to ignore the strong physical attraction growing between them. But when Arthur Kingsley’s plane crashes in the jungle, Trey and Erica launch a desperate search to find him. And when, one by one, members of the camera crew are killed and the equipment sabotaged, Trey and Erica find themselves stranded in the middle of the jungle where no rescue crew can reach them.

And speaking of steamy reads, two of my favorites are "Slow Heat in Heaven," one of Sandra Brown's first novels, and "Chill Factor," published more recently.  In "Chill Factor," magazine publisher Lily Martin is thrown together with a man she accidentally hits with her car during a blizzard.  As the pages turn, Lily suspects the man may be a serial killer.  However, there is still a strong attraction between them as her suspicions ebb and flow.  Extremely suspenseful and very HOT.  "Slow Heat in Heaven" revolves around a romance between Schyler Crandall and handsome Cash Boudreaux, a man with a dark past that may threaten Schyler's beloved childhood home, Belle Terre, in Heaven, Louisiana.  The love scenes are some of the most sensual I have ever read.  Be sure to check them out!

Enter for a chance to win an e-copy of "The Montezuma Secret!"  Leave a comment about your steamiest read.  One lucky commenter will be chosen at random to win!

Hope you enjoy all the hot stops on the Sinful Sirens blog.  Here's a link to the other stops:
http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspot.com/.  Enjoy!















Friday, March 9, 2012

Visit Me on ibookbuzz.com and Read "The Montezuma Secret!"

Thanks to everyone who voted for “The Montezuma Secret” as best romantic suspense for March on http://www.ibookbuzz.com/. I enjoyed ramping up the romantic tension between the two main characters, Erica Kingsley and Trey Zacco, two complete opposites, who find they have only one thing in common—a strong physical attraction to each other. I particularly liked developing the jealousy angle between Erica and Morgana and had the fun of putting hunky Trey in the middle of these two very determined, sexy women! Watch for Trey struggling to control his libido (sometimes unsuccessfully) and laugh at Erica’s exploits in the jungle minus her stiletto heels, trying to survive on smuggled vitamins, hand sanitizer and mini-bottles of Stoli vodka!

Here’s how I came up with the idea for “The Montezuma Secret.” I don’t know if any of you have seen the show ‘Man vs. Wild.’ It’s a show on the Discovery Channel starring Bear Grylls, a former member of the British Special Forces Unit. In the reality show, Bear strands himself in remote locations to demonstrate survival techniques.  I thought what if a survivalist tough guy was stranded in the jungle with a really attractive woman who was his complete opposite, a girly girl glamorous type who hosts a show dealing with all the luxuries in life? I decided the character had to be totally averse to roughing it and a bit spoiled. So that’s how I created Trey Zacco, host of “The Wildman Show” and Erica Kingsley, hostess of “The Lap of Luxury” show, on the fictitious Holiday Channel. Then, to raise the stakes, I thought what if the channel is in financial trouble? To increase ratings, Erica’s father, who owns the channel, suggests a special reality show in which Trey and Erica are thrown together in the jungle and viewers must vote for their favorite (like on American Idol) to determine who they like best. Only one show can survive.

But that wasn’t quite enough. Being a fan of lost treasures, I researched treasures that might be lurking in Central America. I learned Montezuma’s gold has never been found. Legends abound that after Montezuma was killed in the 1500's, the Aztecs took Montezuma's treasure and hid it from the Spaniards. Some believe the treasure was hidden on the outskirts of Mexico City. Other suspected hiding places include Guatemala and even Kanab, Utah! So I decided Trey and Erica would search for Montezuma’s gold to further raise ratings. Since Guatemala was adjacent to Belize, I decided Belize was the perfect setting for “The Montezuma Secret!”

I hope you enjoy Trey and Erica’s story as they struggle to survive and find love, the greatest treasure of all!
Reading Schedule on http://www.ibookbuzz.com/:
March 1-7: Chapters 1-14
March 8-14: Chapters 15-30
March 15-21: Chapters 31-48
March 22-31: Chapters 49-59



Thursday, March 1, 2012

Romance Reviews Anniversary Party All This Month

Want to be eligible to win the Grand Prize of $100 Gift Certificate and other major prizes? Here’s how.

The Objective!

Match up all the book covers in the Matching Covers Game.  If you complete it, that’s 1 chance. Play and complete the Matching Covers Game everyday, and that will give you maximum of 31 chances to win any of the major prizes. Each player starts the game with 10 clicks (number of times to open the covers).

Get More Clicks (chances)! Each correct Q&A you answer gives you 2 additional clicks. The more Q&A you answer, the more clicks you have to match all the covers. If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. Click on the “Reset” button, and the number of clicks you earned will be restored and you can try again to complete a new Matching Covers Game.   http://www.theromancereviews.com/event.php.  Don't miss out and watch for my question about "The Montezuma Secret," the ibookbuzz.com book of the month, on March 30 in The Romance Reviews contest!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

March Romantic Suspense Book of the Month on ibookbuzz!

I won as the best romantic suspense for "The Montezuma Secret" for March at ibookbuzz.com! Watch for news on the exciting chats, blogs, discussion, excerpts, etc. going on over at www.ibookbuzz.com all month. Thanks to everyone who voted for me! Your support means a lot!

"The Montezuma Secret"

NOW Available on www.amazon.com Click to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004JU0IX6 Only $.99 in e-book format for your Kindle, PC, MAC, iPhone, Blackberry, iPad, or Android

Also available on Smashwords!
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/49140

FIVE STARS: "Excellent writing! Enjoyable hero and heroine! Great romance! Fast pace! I read it straight through! Author thorough in research! I lived the experience!"--A reader on Amazon.com

FIVE STARS: "Erica Kingsley, a twenty-nine year old spoiled woman had to be taught a lesson and her CEO father planned with the help of her ex-lover to do just that! Does Ms. Chambers hold her readers captive with a book that you just can't put down and gives her opinion on where the king's daughter buried his gold! From the descriptions of the jungle, the visions fairly leaped off the pages and I can't wait to read her next!"--A Reader on Goodreads.com

FIVE STARS: "A Wild Sultry Ride! Wonderful, action-packed story! I was completely lost in the author's words. Ms. Chambers created quite a world for us to lose ourself in. The chemistry between Trey and Erica is fantastic. With curves, twist, romance and action. Take the chance, The Montezuma Secret is well worth your time."--A reader on Amazon.com

Alison Chambers
http://www.alisonchambersromance.com/



Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Vote for "The Montezuma Secret" on ibookbuzz!

My book "The Montezuma Secret" has been chosen as one of the final FIVE in the Romantic Suspense category, and one will be iBookBuzz's Book of the Month for March.  Please vote for me! Go to www.iBookBuzz.com and click on Vote.


You can vote for me between February 1st and 14th, with the book accumulating the most votes being announced on February 15th.  Amazon links to my book are conveniently located next to the Review boxes.

Please be aware that multiple voting is not allowed and those votes will be deducted at the end.
Check out my reviews:

FIVE STARS: "Excellent writing! Enjoyable hero and heroine! Great romance! Fast pace! I read it straight through! Author thorough in research! I lived the experience!"--A reader on Amazon.com

FIVE STARS: Does Ms. Chambers hold her readers captive with a book that you just can't put down and gives her opinion on where the king's daughter buried his gold! From the descriptions of the jungle, the visions fairly leaped off the pages and I can't wait to read her next!"--A Reader on Goodreads.com

FIVE STARS: "A Wild Sultry Ride! Wonderful, action-packed story! I was completely lost in the author's words. Ms. Chambers created quite a world for us to lose ourself in. The chemistry between Trey and Erica is fantastic. With curves, twist, romance and action. Take the chance, The Montezuma Secret is well worth your time."--A reader on Amazon.com

Thank you!






Sunday, January 22, 2012

Excerpt "The Montezuma Secret"


NOW Available on www.amazon.com

Click to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004JU0IX6

Only $.99 in e-book format for your Kindle, PC, MAC, iPhone, Blackberry, iPad, or Android.  Also available on Smashwords!

FIVE STARS: "Excellent writing! Enjoyable hero and heroine! Great romance! Fast pace! I read it straight through! Author thorough in research! I lived the experience!"--A reader on Amazon.com

Does Ms. Chambers hold her readers captive with a book that you just can't put down and gives her opinion on where the king's daughter buried his gold! From the descriptions of the jungle, the visions fairly leaped off the pages and I can't wait to read her next!"--A Reader on Goodreads.com

FIVE STARS: "A Wild Sultry Ride! Wonderful, action-packed story! I was completely lost in the author's words. Ms. Chambers created quite a world for us to lose ourself in. The chemistry between Trey and Erica is fantastic. With curves, twist, romance and action. Take the chance, The Montezuma Secret is well worth your time."--A reader on Amazon.com

A Blurb from “The Montezuma Secret”

Hunky Trey Zacco, gritty survivalist and host of the Miami-based Holiday Channel’s hit "Wildman" series and glitz and glamour girl, Erica Kingsley, host of the channel’s "Lap of Luxury" show, are thrown together in the steamy jungles of Belize as a publicity stunt. Erica’s father, Arthur Kingsley, the owner of the Holiday Channel, has proposed the angle, not only to boost ratings, but also as a way to toughen up his spoiled daughter. And Kingsley wants them to search for Montezuma’s lost gold, presumably moved to Belize from the Guatemalan jungle. Zacco cannot hide his resentment at having to share the spotlight with the flighty fashionista Erica, and he locks horns with her every step of the way even as both try to ignore the strong physical attraction growing between them.

But when Arthur Kingsley’s plane crashes in the jungle on his way to film the opening of the show, Trey and Erica launch a desperate search to find him. And when, one by one, members of the camera crew are killed and the equipment sabotaged, Trey and Erica find themselves stranded in the middle of the jungle with sultry producer Morgana Montez, Trey's ex-lover, where no rescue crew can reach them.

An Excerpt from "The Montezuma Secret"

"Up?" she pointed, unable to believe her ears.

Trey gave her a hard shove.

"Get going!"

"But how?"

"Grab the vines and pull yourself up!" he shouted over the thundering rain.

"You must be joking! It’s got to be one hundred feet high!"

"Good calculation. Now move!"

She stood her ground. "But why?"

"A. There’s no other way. B. I’m ordering you to. And you’ll listen if you ever want to get out of here."

Trey stifled an urge to smack her luscious wet bottom and watched in amusement as she struggled to grab hold of the slick vines, then smirked as she scrambled up a few feet and then landed in the muck with a splat. Her thick mane of black hair, once so splendidly coifed, was heavily matted and caked in mud.

"Again!" he yelled.

Raindrops, big as bullets, pelted her mercilessly. "I can’t do it. It’s impossible."

"Watch the master," he said, stowing the camera in his backpack.

He brushed her aside and grabbed one of the sturdier vines, then pulled himself up arm over arm with the agility of a spider monkey until he reached the top of the cliff where he had a perfect view of the lush jungle canopy and could see for miles.

"Now you know how it’s done. Get your ass up here or I’ll leave you behind."

"You can’t do that. You wouldn’t."

"Pull yourself up, Kingsley. If you have to, use the side of the cliff to push off and boost yourself higher. But watch out for the holes. There may be spiders and bats hiding in those nooks and crannies."

Erica re-tied her sagging ponytail and pinned it to her scalp. Her breath was ragged, her heartbeat erratic.

From above, she heard the sudden monotonous drone of a plane’s engine cutting through the rain splatter, then listened to the sputter as the motor spit and coughed, struggling to stay aloft. Wings slashed through the jungle over her head five hundred feet from her, both turbo props flaming. The plane wobbled and rolled before hitting the ground with an ear-splitting shriek of steel against steel followed by a blinding explosion of light that knocked her off her feet.

A sickening sensation shot through her and she suppressed the urge to vomit. The stench of black smoke as dark as blood filled her nostrils. She knew what had happened. She hoped to God she was wrong, but more than ever she wished with all her heart and soul that she was still safely home in Miami Beach and that she had never come.

From a safe distance, comfortably positioned to witness the entire spectacle, a smiling figure breathed a sigh of relief. It had all gone according to plan. On schedule and on time. They were right where they needed to be. Soon they’d both be dead and no one would be the wiser. Untimely accidents. Marauding terrorists. Ancient Mayan curses. Any excuse would do. Completely believable, considering the dangers of the jungle. They’d just disappear. Perfect. Simply perfect.







Sunday, January 15, 2012

The Rhythm of the Word, Part 2


The Rhythm of the Word continues with more sentence selection choices to vary your writing style and engage your reader:

Repetition of a key term. Example: We all inhabit a mysterious world—the inner world, the world of the mind.

A variation: same word repeated in parallel structure. Example: Romeo and Juliet captures a moment of time, a moment of passion, a moment of desperate indulgence.

Emphatic appositive at end, after a colon
Example: Atop the back of the lobster is a collection of trash: tiny starfish, moss, sea conchs, crabs, pieces of kelp.

A variation: appositive (single or pair of series after a dash)
Example: Many traditional philosophies echo the ideas of one man—Plato

Interrupting modifier between subject and verb
Example: A small drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought, can make millions think.

A full sentence as interrupting modifier
Example: Juliet’s famous question—early in the balcony scene she asks, “Wherefore art thou, Romeo—is often misunderstood; she meant not “where,” but “why.”

Introductory or concluding participles
Example: Overwhelmed by the tear gas, the rioters groped their way toward the fountain to wash their eyes.

A single modifier out of place for emphasis
Example: Frantically, the young mother called for help.

Prepositional phrase before subject and verb
Example: Despite his master’s degree in economics, the only job Chester could get was making change in an Atlantic City casino.

Object or complement before subject and verb
Example: His kind of sarcasm I do not like.

Complete inversion of normal pattern
Example: Down the street and through the mist stumbled the unfamiliar figure.

Paired constructions
Example: The more the Texas Ranger searched through the country, the more elusive the trail of the train robbers became.

A paired construction for contrast only
Example: Genius, not stupidity, has limits.

Dependent clause as subject or object or complement
Example: What man cannot imagine, he cannot create.

Absolute construction anywhere in sentence
Example: His blanket torn and his finger burnt, the small boy cried on his father’s shoulder.

The short, simple sentence for relief or dramatic effect
Example: Days passed.

A short question for dramatic effect
Example: What caused the change?

The deliberate fragment
Example: Fair enough.

Keep all these sentence styles near your computer to help you remember all the different variations.  And pay attention to the rhythm of the sentences, the syllables and the words.  The ear is the best writer.  If you keep your writing lyrical, you're writing will sing!

Weeks to come:  Shameless Promotion


Sunday, January 8, 2012

The Rhythm of the Word

Words are like musical notes. They have to form together properly to make a pleasing sound. That’s why they say the ear is the best writer. Sentences have to have a certain rhythm otherwise they sound choppy and discordant. As a piano player, I draw on my musical skills to understand when writing sounds right and when it doesn’t.

Sentences have to flow like music. The number of syllables in the word also makes a difference when determining which one to use. Too many long sentences won’t work and the same is true of too many short sentences. In music, staccato means a note of short duration. Lunga means long and sostenuto means sustained or lengthened. Forte means loud, adagio slow, pianissimo, soft. Andante means moderate, crescendo means growing progressively louder. When a pianist is unskilled, all the notes may be played exactly the same, without emphasis or feeling. He or she hasn’t put his soul into the music. When a virtuoso pianist hits the keys, we can immediately tell the difference. Some parts of the melody are played soft, others strong. It stirs us emotionally. We hear not just the notes, but the emotion behind it. The same is true of writing. The key is variety. And the ultimate key is to know when to differentiate between all the different options and make the words sing—with emotion, intensity and fire. It can make our writing not only readable, but memorable.

There are 20 Patterns for sentence structure. Here are the first 10:* (I’ve copied these and pasted them next to my computer)

1. Compound sentence: semicolon, no conjunction.   Example: Hard work is only one side of the equation; talent is the other.
2. Compound sentence with elliptical construction.   Example: A red light means stop; a green light, go.
3. Compound sentence with explanatory statement.   Example: Remember what the old saying advises: Be careful what you wish for because you may actually get it.
4. A series without a conjunction.   Example: The United States has a government of the people, by the people, for the people.
5. A series with a variation.   Example: Peering down from the hill, Merlin could see the castle swathed in gloom and fear and death.
6. A series of balanced pairs.   Example: Antony and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, Tristan and Isolde, Lancelot and Guinevere were all famous lovers in literature.
7. An introductory series of appositives.   Example: Vanity, greed, corruption—which serves as the novel’s source of conflict?
8. An internal series of appositives or modifiers.   Example: My favorite red wines—Zinfandel, Cabernet, Pinot Noir—blend well in making California rose wines.
9. A variation: a single appositive or a pair.   Example: A sudden explosion—artillery fire—signaled the beginning of a barrage.
10. Dependent clauses in a pair or in a series.   Example: When he smelled the odor of pine, when he heard the chatter of jays, when he saw the startled doe, the hunter knew he had reached the center of the forest.

What writers use words that flow the best, ones that are the most pleasing to the ear? What writers make you say ‘gee, I wish I’d written that,’ or ‘gee, that sounds great!’ My favorite wordsmiths are Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. They can create an atmosphere like no other and string sentences together with truly imaginative words that have life and rhythm. Who are your favorite wordsmiths and what special tricks do they use that make you love their writing?

*From “The Art of Styling Sentences: 20 Patterns for Success” by Waddell, Esch and Walker
Next week: The Rhythm of the Word, Part 2

Monday, January 2, 2012

What Makes a Successful Blog?

What's the Secret Formula to Success?

1. The day you blog?
(Are weekends the best?)
(Or Mondays when everyone is more active, back at work, etc.)

2. The time?
(Early or late in the day?)


3. Name recognition?
(Does this matter?)

4. Subject matter?
(This has to matter!)

5. What’s the most popular topic?
a. Writing tips?
b. Personal Recollections
c. R-rated book excerpts?
d. Promos?
e. Great photos?
f. Great links?


6. Social Media
a. Facebook
b. Twitter
c. Linked in?
d. Writing Groups
1. Coffee Time Romance
2. All Romance Reviews
3. Wild Rose Press
4. Long and Short Romance Reviews
5. Others?
6. Amazon Author Page
7. Facebook Author Page

7. Long list of followers to establish credibility?

8. Length of Time the Writer has been Blogging?

9. Number of Books the Author has Written/Experience Level?

These are things I’ve wondered about since I first started seriously blogging a year ago. What things contribute to creating a big following? I’ve heard it takes six months to establish that following. Is this true? Does it contribute to sales? Is it better than paid ads? My New Year’s resolution is to grow my blog and its followers. How best to do that? And is it worth it? Am I wasting time with this when I should sooner be working on my novels?

Next week: The Rhythm of the Word