Tag Archives: Laina

Marketing idea that actually seems to be working!

Posted on by
Reply

So as you may know (or not) I write the Presley Thurman romance/mystery series. I currently have three full length novels out and one holiday short story. They are each priced at .99 cents although I am trying to get the holiday short to be free it just isn’t an option on Amazon/B & N unless there is a lower price match, which there is on Smashwords since it’s already free there but I can’t force it. The big guys pretty much do what they want. Anyways for ease of holiday gifting I decide to bundle them up into a boxed set. I thought that way for a still low price of 2.99 I could get all my books out there in a easy way and hopefully get people so excited about my books they would be be anxiously waiting for the next installment of the series in 2012. Well I am thrilled to announce that it has taken off quite nicely and after almost a full week on sale I consider it a success. Just goes to show that there are many ways to package and promote the same things as different things appeal to different people.

Happy Holidays!!

Bestselling, mystery with a little romance (nothing too steamy her mom might read this), author Laina Turner has just released a Boxed Set, featuring her first three full length Presley Thurman Mysteries plus a holiday short story. What a great way to experience all that fashionista-dectective Presley Thurman has to offer in one easy download.

This four-book set includes…

 

Stilettos & Scoundrels

Presley tells her boss what he can do with her job in HR and embarks on a new career as a freelance journalist. What seems like a simple interview with a Senator turns to murder when the day after her interview the Senator turns up dead. Does the fact that Presley was one of the last people to see him alive make her a suspect? Her ex-boyfriend Cooper, who was in charge of the Senators security, might think so. Presley is determined to clear her name but can she do it and resist Cooper’s charms?

Necklaces & Nooses

 

When Presley’s boss is found hanging she thinks its suicide until the police discover its homicide. Who would want to kill a boutique owner? Presley’s not sure but she’s determined to find out. The cute detective assigned to the case makes it all the more exciting.

 

Handbags & Hooligans

 

Presley went to Vegas to watch her friend Anna get married and the event turned into solving the mystery of her brothers girlfriend disappearance. But Ashley wasn’t exactly the schoolteacher she appeared to be. Who was she and was she kidnapped?

 

And the holiday short…Mistletoe & Murder

In this holiday short story, Presley goes home for Christmas expecting it to be a relaxing holiday until her old boyfriend, Brian, asks for her help finding out who has been stealing from him and it turns from theft to murder. Why would anyone want to kill Tommy and what was he hiding?

Purchase for Kindle, Nook, and available on Smashwords

Share

Novels vs. Novellas

Posted on by
Reply

As we know there are many different types of writing from different genres, lengths, fiction and non-fiction and their many subclasses. Today I want to look at novels and novellas. For sake of clarity this is what I am defining as the average length of novels and novellas.

Novella

~ 20,000 – 50,000 words

Novel

~ 50,000 -110,000 words

I have been doing some research and there seems to be a lot of commentary that the 40,000 – 50,000 word range for ebooks is more user friendly while in print it’s better to have 70,000 – 90,000 words because who wants to pay $14.95 for a book that doesn’t have a lot of pages? This leads me to my question is the value perception of a 40,000 word ebook let’s say for $2.99 or less the same as a paperback of 80,000 words for $14.95?

 

When I was trying to go the traditional route my fiction works were 90,000 to 100,000 words and while none of my readers have told me my books are too long I have noticed many other amazing ebook authors that consistently publish in that 40,000 to 50,000 range. Personally, I find great value in their novels so do I just need to change my mindset that my books don’t have to be traditional novel length as long as the story is evolved? But then what if I want to do both ebook and print?

 

I sometimes think I am my own worst enemy:)

Share

What is Chiczofrenic?

Posted on by
Reply

CHICZOFRENIC is my coined term for the woman who is purposeful and intentional in how crazy her life may be. I came upon this shift on a plane ride back from a conference and thought how even though I enjoyed the conference, I wasn’t as passionate as maybe I should’ve been about business. That led me to think about what I was passionate about. After much brainstorming- I realized this was it.
We need to recognize that so many of us women drive ourselves crazy, intentionally, by trying to be all we can be. I firmly believe we can have it all. A great relationship, marriage, be a great friend, a great mom, keep a good house (if that’s important to you, it’s not one of my top five), be a career woman, follow our dreams, work out, eat right, and many other things. However, somewhere while trying to accomplish all this, we can tend to go a little nuts. Some more than others, and some longer than others. I used to think I was normal. HA! What a reality check I’ve had. Normal is relative. I’m sure Howard Hughes and Andy Warhol thought they were normal.
Know it’s ok to feel overwhelmed with all you have to do to have it all. Life isn’t easy. However, we all deserve to have what we want. Women seem to have the knack of how to manage it all and not go too crazy. Women seem to always take on more and more…and dammit, we’re successful at it.
Being a woman is difficult and a constant evolution of self-discovery. It’s not an easy journey and through the process you realize every woman has her own issues, her own brand of crazy, which is my favorite kind of normal. Crazy is fine. Embrace it.
Women have tried forever to pretend they fit in the norm even when the norm wasn’t what they wanted. I want women to embrace what it is they truly want – without caring what anyone thinks. Learn to laugh at your own craziness and be cool at the same time. Be the strong individuals we all want to be while looking like a million bucks.

Laina

Read more like this in Chiczofrenia – crazy is an art form Get the ebook version of Chiczofrenia-crazy is an art form for .99 with coupon code SH33F
Subscribe in a reader

Share

Balancing it all

Posted on by
Reply

In the world of business, work/life balance is a buzz word. It seems so simple. Like it’s just a balance of two simple things. Work and life encompass so many different facets of your life and what you have to be to yourself and to others. It’s not a wonder most of the women I know are always in pursuit of this elusive work/life balance because it’s so freakin’ hard to find, if it even exists. I believe you can have a good work/life relationship but sometimes the balance part throws me. Though it’s just a word so maybe I’m being too literal. When a woman has a full plate what often happens is we let go of what we should do for ourselves to stay mentally, physically, and emotionally fit. Why? Because we feel guilty for taking care of ourselves first. We’re supposed to be the caregiver and put everyone else’s needs first, but we must make ourselves a priority and not feel guilty about it and still get everything done. My ex used to say “If mommy’s not happy no one’s happy” and it’s true. If we can’t be the best version of ourselves how can we take good care of others?

By definition, balance would be a division of some proportion that makes up a whole. When I talk about this in seminars I get asked a lot if work/life balance needs to actually be a fifty-fifty proposition. I say no. I mean how many things in life get split evenly? Life isn’t a teeter-totter. It’s more about where we each feel comfortable with where we spend our time. Most of us may not have much of a problem with that aspect as a standalone concept, but where we can run into trouble is comparing ourselves to others. How your neighbor spends her time is not how you should measure how to spend your time. Everyone is different and you don’t want to constantly compare yourself to someone else or measure your ability to balance, or how you balance, on how someone else does. You are your own person. You’re not that other person. I struggle with balance, mainly because I’m greedy, and I want to do it all. I try to figure out how I can do it all, but there are only so many hours in a day. Life is too short, and I have so many things I want to accomplish before I’m dead that I don’t want to let any opportunity pass me by. It can make the frantic pace worth it but can also make you question your sanity sometimes and with that your mental, emotional, and physical health.

You are important! Remember that and show it.

Read more like this in Chiczofrenia – crazy is an art form Get the ebook version of Chiczofrenia-crazy is an art form for .99 with coupon code SH33F
Subscribe in a reader

Share

Hello 40 and 1 day

Posted on by
Reply

Get Stilettos & Scoundrels for Kindle 2.99

Just kidding!!!!!! I am not going to subject you to a daily chronicling of my life at 40. Although it might not be a half bad idea. I could journal every day and after a year be able to reflect on all that has happened. I’m just not sure my life, even at 40, is interesting enough on a daily basis for people to want to read about.

Have a great weekend!

Laina

Share

Hello 40

Posted on by
Reply

Get Stilettos & Scoundrels for Kindle 2.99

I am happy to announce my 40′s have thus far be FABULOUS! Ok, I admit I have only been 40 for half the day but it’s sure off to a good start. Good friends, good food, and good drinks made last nights celebration a blast and I am truly grateful for the amazing people in my life. I think about all the things I still want to accomplish and all the goals I have. Getting older does make you realize how fast time goes and you need to live in the moment and enjoy all it has to offer.

Laina

 

 

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
Share

Carbs or No Carbs

Posted on by
Reply

Subscribe in a reader

A bagel
Image via Wikipedia

I wake up this morning and put my low fat, low carb, high protein, high fiber bar in my purse. Fully intending to get my coffee and eat my healthy breakfast and start the day off right. However, I had a meeting at Panera Bread and when I walked in my resolve to not eat carbs started to weaken. The smell of toasting bread and bagels is one that I have a very hard time resisting. Still possessing some willpower I walked up to the counter telling myself that I would only have a coffee – ok and an ice tea (I am a true caffeine addict). But then the person waiting on me had the audacity to say “would you like to try one of our trail mix bagels today” and I caved. I couldn’t say no! My willpower went out the window and I said that I would love to try a trail mix bagel. I ate it and enjoyed every bite all while thinking about how I would just have my high fiber bar for lunch or skip it altogether, which we all know won’t happen.

I get so mad at the bad rap carbs have received over the last few years. I used to be able to eat my bagels with abandon and no guilt. But now I think with every bite how each calorie will turn in to sugar or fat or whatever. To be honest I am not really sure why I shouldn’t eat them. Just that they help contribute to my overall voluptuous curves and I don’t need any more help.

So much for my good intentions – it is true they do pave the road to hell.

Laina

Enhanced by Zemanta

Join my blog tour, Jan 10th-14th

Share

Whew…lots to do

Posted on by
Reply

I hope you all enjoyed listening to Elijah’s music yesterday. Him and I are now facebook friends…I am so thrilled:) Today has flown by. I have heard many heated debates today on the whole health care issue. As a human resource professional I have had people asking my opinion and sometimes you should be careful what you ask for. To be honest I have mixed feelings but then it can be hard to make one decision that will make everyone happy.

Book sales are going pretty well for Stilettos & Scoundrels. Just placed my second order for books to take with me to the DSW book signing on Saturday and a fellow Rainmaker, Amy Woodall, gave me this great idea of having a DSW US book tour. So my Rockstar admin, Amy Bucci, is looking into using this venue for other events. I need to get the schedule up soon but in April I will hit Indy and New York City. May I will be heading to Chicago and Las Vegas and June to San Diego. If of course we make enough money selling the books. It’s kind of like living paycheck to paycheck. Though if I could ever get the business book to print (yes it is a month overdue) I would be much better off. Everyone keeps asking me what my hang up is and I just don’t like it. Not an answer anyone likes but it’s all I’ve got.

I am also back on the bandwagon of building up Chiczofrenic so if you aren’t already a member go to Chiczofrenic.com and sign up!

Have a great day!
Laina

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Share

Stilettos & Scoundrels Book Release – Rainmakers Main Event Tuesday Feb. 23rd.

Posted on by
1

Come to the release for Stilettos & Scoundrels at the Rainmakers Main Event. 20% of all proceeds from this event will go to the Indiana MS Society. The will be a member of the Indiana MS Society in attendance to answer any questions as we get close to the kick off of MS Awareness week March 8th.

If you can’t make it there will be other events or buy the book online at www.lainamolaski.com. Also available on Kindle. 20% of all online purchases prior to March 1st will benefit MS.

Share