Thursday, December 1, 2011

A book I gifted and it's impact on me and one special reader.

For the next month, between December 4th and the 31st I'll leave this blog post up as part of a Holiday Blog Hop. The way it works is that several authors are listed on a central page. If you click on Jo Ramsey's Blog (highlighted below), it will take you to a page with links to their sites where there will be contests and giveaways galore, along with some lovely blog posts about books that have been given or recieved as gifts and the impact of those books. (Remember, the site doesn't go live until Sunday, December 4th).

For my contest, just leave a comment below and let me know how you can help me spread the word about me and my books. You can follow me on Twitter @pjsharon, @secretsof7scribes, or @yabeyond. You can "like" my Facebook Fan Page @ facebook.com/pjsharonbooks, or sign up for my mailing list on my website @ www.pjsharon.com. Just let me know what you've done and I'll put you in the running to win a signed hardcopy of both Heaven Is For Heroes and On Thin Ice. Five random commenters will recieve a free download of On Thin Ice. I'll also be donating a copy of one of my books to a public library in your name. So thanks ahead of time for paying it forward and have a wonderful Holiday Season.


When my first book, Heaven Is For Heroes, came out in September, I had no idea how it would be received. As an indie-published author, I didn’t have the benefit of an agent or editor telling me if my story was good enough or assuring me that it would sell. So I wrote the best book I could and put it out there. I set up my promotional blog tour, and one of my first stops was The Jaunty Quills. Kristan Higgins put in a good word for me and the folks there welcomed me with open arms. I was honored to be a guest there among so many awesome and award winning authors and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Boy was I ever surprised when I had something like forty-five comments! I also offered a free e-book copy of Heaven Is For Heroes to a lucky commenter that day.

Little did I know that the woman who won that copy would become such an ardent supporter of my books. Not only did she spread the word to friends and family, she left a glowing review in several places and recommended the book to her local library. Five copies were ordered and distributed in and around Orlando. I was overwhelmed and ecstatic. This young mother of two teen aged kids has followed my posts and kept in touch through Facebook and has become a lovely friend in this process. Big shout out to Lorelei!

I am always amazed at the generosity of people and their willingness to support causes they believe in. That my book touched someone’s heart in such a way that they feel compelled to share it with others is humbling. This kind of readership is what every author hopes for and why we put such labor and love into making the next book as good, if not better than the last.

Thank you for being here and please Hop on Back to Jo Ramsey's Blog to visit the next site on the tour
http://www.joramsey.com/?page_id=1051



Leave a comment here and enter to recieve an e-book copy of On Thin Ice. I'll also be donating books to local libraries. At the end of December one commenter will be chosen to recieve signed copies of Heaven Is For Heroes and On Thin Ice. Thanks for participating.

9 comments:

  1. Aw, Paula you're so sweet! Thank you for such kind words. I was so honored to win your book which I truly loved and had to share and support what I believe is an awesome story. You did a Random Act of Kindness by gifting me your book and what I did was to Pay it Forward.
    As I've been shopping for gifts for family and friends it came to mind (before you even posted this!) that sometimes material things don't bring as much joy to someone as much as a favor or kind deed one does for others and it just fills me with joy when I think of the smile or happiness I made someone feel because of a single act or lending a helping hand. So I got teared up when I saw your post (even goosebumps). My heart swells with joy for it just confirmed what I was thinking and thankful for your friendship and kindness. These are the gifts I truly enjoy. So, you gave me a wonderful gift today, a big smile that brightened my day! Thank you!
    I'm just an ordinary person, who humbly tries to teach my kids such lessons in life. Blessings to you and continued success! Smiles, Lorelei

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  2. I'm with you, Lorelei. Spreading the love and making people smile is worth more than anything money can buy. blessings back to you, my dear.

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  3. You and Kristan are an inspiration to me, for following your dreams and sharing your gifted talents that fill many readers with joy each day!
    ;D

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  4. PJ, you hit the jackpot by having Lorelei as your fan...when she loves an author, the world hears about it! We've been in touch so much, we've become friends...such a gift! xox to you both, ladies!

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  5. You got that right, Kristan. Lorelei's a sweetheart. And I owe it to you and The Jaunty Quills!

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  6. Thank you so much Uzzal, and welcome!

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  7. i think Uzzal is using your site to spam his links if i'm wrong sorry but i've seen it before and they collect email addies from the posts

    i think it's important to spread the word when you find an amazing author i recently found Gracen Miller and i tell everyone about her and her amazing books i like to get the word out there and i welcome authors to advertise their books on my FB and twitter pages.
    thanks for the chance to win.

    terri_dion (at) hotmail (dot) com

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  8. I think you're right about uzzal. I hate to assume. Thanks Terri. I agree about passing along the word about favorite authors. I'm a fan girl big time!

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