Sunday, November 04, 2007
Reader Thank You Contest:
** Many thanks to everyone who entered my Reader Thank You contest! The name that was pulled from the hat was Vicki Thompson of Sarahsville, Ohio. Congratulations, Vicki!
Thank you to everyone who entered! You are terrific!
A fun new contest will begin in the near future. Check the contest page soon for your chance to win!
Lauren
Romance that knows one true thing. Love changes everything.
Posted by Lauren Delaney ::
12:07 PM ::
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Monday, October 01, 2007
25 Funniest Analogies
This list of funny analogies came in an e-mail forwarded from a co-worker, who received it from their sister - so my apologies if you have recently read it too.
The e-mail says the analogies were taken from actual high school essays and collected by English teachers across the country for their own amusement.
I'm not sure if every one of the following analogies was actually written by a high school student as the note said, but they made me smile and I hope that they will make you smile too.
The 25 Funniest Analogies
1. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a ThighMaster.
2. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.
3. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.
4. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. Coli, and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
5. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.
6. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
7. He was as tall as a six-foot, three-inch tree.
8. The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM machine.
9. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't.
10. McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.
11. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.
12. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.
13. The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease.
14. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.
15. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth.
16. John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
17. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant, and she was the East River.
18. Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long it had rusted shut.
19. Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.
20. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.
21. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.
22. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame, maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.
23. The ballerina rose gracefully en Pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
24. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.
25. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.
Some of these teens were born to be writers.
Lauren :-)
http://laurendela.tripod.com/
Posted by Lauren Delaney ::
4:51 PM ::
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Tuesday, September 11, 2007
I've been interviewed by Carol Ann Erhardt!
Carol Ann Erhardt has posted an interview that she did with me on her blog this morning.
Thank you so much, Carol Ann! It was a pleasure, and you always do such fun interviews! :-) You can read it here :
http://carolannerhardt.blogspot.com
Lauren :-)
http://laurendela.tripod.com
Posted by Lauren Delaney ::
7:21 AM ::
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Saturday, September 08, 2007
New
Reader Thank You Contest:
I'm hosting a new contest over on my website -
http://laurendela.tripod.com/. Enter to win a Wild Rose Press 16 oz. Roadster Travel Mug and carry your beverage in style. The travel mug is pink with the Wild Rose Press logo on one side and on the other in black - "Writers never go to bed angry...they stay up and plot their revenge."
This is a fun contest to say thank you to all of you great readers out there. Simply drop me a line at
laurendela@gmail.com and tell me what is your favorite type of story to read.
The contest will close October 31, 2007 and the winner announced November 3, 2007.
Good luck - and thank you!
Lauren
Romance that knows one true thing. Love changes everything.
Posted by Lauren Delaney ::
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Saturday, July 14, 2007
The thirteenth turned out to be my lucky day! I was interviewed by the lovely Rachelle for her wonderful and informative blog which is featuring author interviews all month long. She is also hosting a terrific contest this month which you can enter simply by posting a comment to her blog.
Visit Rachelle's blog here :
http://www.zyphe.blogspot.com/
I've saved the text of the interview below. Thank you, Rachelle, for inviting me to participate in the author interviews on your blog.
- posted by Rachelle at 3:32 pm Friday, July 13, 2007
Dark Encounter by Lauren Delaney
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lauren Delaney has always been an avid reader and writer of romance, especially paranormal romance and fantasy.
Lauren grew up in St. Catharines, Ontario and now lives in historic Kingston, Ontario. She has two beautiful daughters, a supportive husband and two cats that think they own the family.
Two of Lauren’s short stories, The Fall of Lions, and Race Against the Dark, have been published in the 2006 Kingston Writers' Group anthology, Snapshots.
Lauren enjoys discussing romance stories and writing, and invites you to visit her website at: http://laurendela.tripod.com/ to take part in a contest created to celebrate the release of her new paranormal romance story entitled, Dark Encounter, available through The Wild Rose Press.
Contact Lauren at: http://www.blogger.com/laurendela@gmail.com
ABOUT THE BOOK:
BLURB:
Cressida Aylesworth - or Criss as her friends call her - is attending the gala masquerade ball sponsored by her employer, Maplethorpe Industries.
Another predictable company function, or so she thinks, until she meets the mysterious and unusual Rafael Ambrose and her whole life is turned upside down in one magical night.
The night has several unexpected surprises in store for Criss as she finds herself bonding with this man whose life is a secret.
Can Rafe accept that she could love him as he is? Could Criss be the one to uncover the secret of his past? What will happen if they defy convention and consummate their love in a night of passion that neither will ever forget?
Criss is an independent woman who does not give her heart easily, but can she see beyond Rafe's appearance to the brave heart within the sexy and tormented man-beast?
~ And can the moonstone that condemned Rafe, also save him?
EXCERPT from Dark Encounter:
“Trish, why did I let you talk me into this?”
The sound of running water and a little off-key humming was the only reply Cressida Aylesworth received to her question. She leaned her forehead against the bathroom door with a small thump, and sighed in frustration. She knew that her friend, Patricia Bennington, was only trying to improve Criss’s social life - but a Halloween masquerade ball? That was a little extreme, even for Trish. Criss would have preferred meeting someone new over coffee, thank you very much.
As Criss turned away from the door, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror that hung on the opposite wall of her bedroom. She moved toward it slowly, appraising her appearance with a critical eye.
Her formal gown skimmed the lines of her body, accentuating both her slimness and the soft curves of hip and breast. The rich black velvet of the dress emphasized the creaminess of her skin and the unusual depth of color in her green eyes. Tightly fitted sleeves ended in points of fabric that rested against the back of her hands. Beneath the snug band of the gown’s empire waistline, the black velvet was split and a v-shaped panel of red velvet had been inserted into the front of the dress. The blood red color peeked out from the folds of black whenever she moved.
Criss had decided to wear her chestnut hair down tonight, and it curled against her throat and rested on her bare shoulders. The costume was stunning and showed off her lithe figure to perfection. She turned slightly, admiring the effect. Maybe those kickboxing classes were worth the time and effort after all. The click of the bathroom door latch opening interrupted her thoughts.
Trish emerged from the bathroom wearing an old green bathrobe. She ruffled her damp hair with a towel. Criss stepped out of range of the flying water droplets.
“Did you say something?” Trish asked, as she peeked out from under the towel. “Oh wow! Look at you, Criss!”
“I said…Oh never mind.” Criss shrugged. It wasn’t as if she had anything else planned for tonight, and unless she could think of a doozy of an excuse, she knew her attendance at the ball was expected. The masquerade ball was a gala fundraising event sponsored by her employer, Maplethorpe Industries.
Earlier that evening she handed out candy to all of the little ghosts and goblins that came knocking at her door, and enjoyed the fun. But now that the candy bowl was empty and the porch light turned out, she had to admit that the rest of the evening stretched ahead emptier than a costume shop two weeks after Halloween.
She faced her friend. “Honestly Trish, I don’t really feel like going. Why can’t we just stay in, watch a scary movie, and eat candy?’
“You promised!” Trish turned on the blow dryer and began vigorously brushing her honey colored hair. “Besides, it’ll be fun. How often do we get to dress up and play make believe?”
Everyday at work, Criss thought. The growing restlessness that she felt in her personal life was spilling over into her work. She knew that attending tonight’s ball was all part of Trish’s plan to get her back into the social scene after the tragic death of both of her parents last year in a car accident. She looked at her friend fondly and reached out to tuck in a few stray hairpins that protruded from Trish’s head at odd angles, as she sectioned and dried her hair.
Criss didn’t know what she would have done without Trish’s support and caring after the death of her parents. An only child, and without any other close family members nearby, Criss had felt bereft and very alone in the world. Trish had been there for her, just like always, and there wasn’t anything Criss wouldn’t do if Trish really needed her to and – a wry smile tilting her lips - she suspected Trish knew it.
Criss wasn’t ready to give in graciously just yet, though.
“I feel like a princess waiting for the stroke of midnight, so I can turn back into a pumpkin, or scullery maid, or whatever it was Cinderella turned into.”
“La, la, la, I can’t hear you.” Trish turned the hair dryer up to the next setting and as the warm air roared out of it, she raised the volume of her own voice to match. “It’s such an exclusive party and how often do we get to go to the Embassy Hotel? I heard Maplethorpe Industries has invited artists and musicians and actors - ”
“- and their wives,” Criss pointed out.
Trish stuck out her tongue and carried on as if she hadn’t heard Criss’s comment. Trish’s hearing was selective that way, Criss had noticed.
Both women were employees of Maplethorpe Industries. Trish worked as an executive secretary to the president, Darcy Maplethorpe III, and Criss was head of the Research and Development department. They had been fast friends ever since the day that Trish had plopped herself down beside Criss in the company cafeteria and asked her if she had noticed the handsome new guy from Marketing at the next table.
Trish shut off the hairdryer, satisfied that all the ends of her up swept hair were dry and in place. She moved back into the bathroom, and began to apply her makeup. A knock on the front door abruptly ended their conversation. Their eyes met for a moment in the bathroom mirror, and Criss looked both surprised and slightly annoyed.
“Those kids are out late.” She walked towards the hallway.
“Mmph” Trish replied, as she carefully applied her lipstick.
Must be teenagers out trick and treating later than their younger counterparts, Criss thought, as she went to answer the door.
“I turned out the porch light and the candy bowl’s empty, you’d think they’d take the hint,” she called over her shoulder to Trish. Criss opened the door. “I’m sorry but the candy’s all gone…”
The man in the chauffeur’s uniform looked apologetic - and confused.
“The car is ready, Miss.” He gestured towards the darkened street where the longest limousine Criss had ever seen was parked. It gleamed under the streetlight.
“Thank you, Mr.…” Trish had walked up behind Criss and her voice faltered, as she found herself momentarily at a loss for words.
“Charles, Miss.” The man stood motionless, peaked cap in hand.
“Thank you, Charles. We’ll be out in a moment.” Trish swung the door closed and looked at Criss with an amused twinkle in her eye.
“A chauffer?” Criss’s voice was incredulous. “You didn’t say anything about a driver. Surely not everyone going to the masquerade ball tonight gets picked up in a limousine?”
“Not everyone. Just you, Cressida Aylesworth,” Trish reached for her wrap, “and me, because I’m going with you. Mr. Maplethorpe arranged it and told me to keep it hush, hush. I think you have a secret admirer.”
Trish changed the subject hastily at the warning look in her best friend’s eye. “Let’s get a move on. We don’t want to keep Charles waiting.”
Criss admitted defeat. “You win.”
She picked up her mask from the hall table and linked arms with her friend. Trish glowed in a white full-length chiffon gown, fine gold braid wound through the swirls of her upswept hair. They looked at each other from behind their sequined and feathered half-masks, like a pair of exotic birds - one dark and one light - and laughed as they walked towards the waiting limousine.
INTERVIEW:
Why did you become a writer? Was it a dream of yours since you were younger or did the desire to write happen later in your life?
I’ve always been a writer and a storyteller, but for many years I focused on the visual arts and it has only been in the past four or five years that I have sought publication for my writing. I currently have three stories in print - a paranormal romance with The Wild Rose Press, and two stories - a police procedural and a fantasy - that were included in an anthology sold as a fund-raiser in support of a local hospital. I am currently in the process of polishing and editing a novel and a novella for submission.
What do you love about being an author? Is there anything you dislike?
I love capturing the stories that are in my head and putting them down on paper. The characters become your closest friends for a time and you become swept up in their adventures. Writing is solitary work, however, and it is wonderful to have the support of friends, family and fellow writers - and of course, the readers!
How do you balance your personal and writing time?
Ah, * the * question! It’s always difficult to find the balance between work and family time – but if writing is your work and you love it, then you will find the time for it. Having a regularly scheduled time for writing – morning works best for me – helps a lot.
How do you write? Do your characters come to you first or the plot or the world of the story?
Sometimes it’s the place - a sudden flash of a specific time and place – that comes first, and I find the characters standing there, waiting to tell me why they are there, and what is happening to them. It’s a little startling at first but also exciting, and you can’t wait to tell their story and share it with your readers.
What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?
I enjoy writing in different genres. I have written police procedural, historical fantasy romance, and paranormal romance stories – and each genre offers a chance to visit a new world with your characters. I enjoy writing character-driven stories with elements of adventure, so that in the end, no matter what circumstances they may find themselves in, they are characters that you care about and want to succeed.
Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?
I think that all good characters have elements of real people in them –personality quirks that one sees in the course of everyday living, even though you may have forgotten from whom or where.
Out of all the characters that you've written, who is your favorite and why?
I love them all, but at the moment I would have to say Cressida and Rafe, the heroine and hero of my paranormal romance story, Dark Encounter. Cressida has just come through a difficult time after the loss of her parents but she has an open and brave heart. Rafe has been scorned and hurt so many times in the past that he has almost come to expect that is how others will treat him, yet somehow he finds the courage to trust again.
Someday there may be a little more to their story – they tell me that it has only just begun.
What would you want readers to take away from your books?
I would hope that readers might take away from my books a feeling of hope, and know that despite place and circumstance, there is truth in the knowledge that love changes everything.
Do you have any advice for beginning writers in regards to writing a book?
Don’t be afraid to try and fail. It’s your story to tell and so make yourself sit down and tell it. It is a fact that your twentieth story will be much better than your first, simply because you will have learned so much through the act of writing and honing your craft – and so go ahead and tell the story that is inside of you. You may surprise yourself.
What are you reading right now?
Neil Gaiman, mostly. After reading American Gods and Anansi Boys, I’ve begun Neverwhere. In between, I’ve also enjoyed the historical romance Lion’s Lady by Suzanne Barclay as well as the paranormal romance Master of Swords by Angela Knight. I have a very long TBR list.
If you could be anyone or anything that you wanted, who or what would you be?
I think that I am at a place in my life where I’m doing what I love to do and - despite the same daily concerns that everyone faces - happy to be who I am, and so I don’t think I would trade places with anyone else right now.
REVIEW:
"Dark Encounter is a short story perfect for a short road trip. The mystique of this man from the night keeps us enthralled in the possibility of saving him from his curse. Cressida or Criss as she has come to be called is still suffering from her loss and startles readers with her bravery amongst all her angst. Lauren Delaney proves good things come in small packages with this novelette, and I am looking forward to other stories from her in the future."
- Jayne, Fallen Angel Reviews
Dark Encounter by Lauren Delaney
Genre:Romance/Dark Fantasy
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press/Black Rose
Release Date: November 2006
$3.00 from The Wild Rose Press
Dark Encounter ~ now available as part of the Black Rose line of the Wild Rose Press, and through Fictionwise. Purchase it HERE!!
Interview posted by Rachelle at 3:32 PM July 13, 2007 http://www.zyphe.blogspot.com/
Posted by Lauren Delaney ::
1:47 PM ::
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Saturday, June 16, 2007
'Win Rafe's Moonstone' Contest Update!
Congratulations to Crystal Broyles of Williamsburg, Kentucky. She is the winner of the 'Win Rafe's Moonstone' contest. Crystal has won the sterling silver genuine purple moonstone pendant.
A big 'thank you' to all who entered the contest!
An exciting new contest will begin soon. Check back for your chance to win!
Lauren Delaney
Romance that knows one true thing. Love changes everything.
http://laurendela.tripod.com/
Posted by Lauren Delaney ::
9:03 AM ::
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Sunday, June 10, 2007
Great tips on Increasing your Book Sales.
Hi all,
I wanted to share this article by writer Regina Paul with you, available from the Wordpreneur Article Bank http://wordpreneur.blogspot.com/2007/05/6-free-book-marketing-techniques.html - as it has six great marketing tips that you may find useful.
Are there any tips that you have found effective, that you can share?
All the best,
Lauren. p.s. Don't forget my contest to win a beautiful purple moonstone pendant ends June 15. Visit my website at http://laurendela.tripod.com to enter.
6 Free Book Marketing Techniques Guaranteed to Get You Book Sales
By Regina Paul
As an author I spent years looking for free marketing techniques which would help me to sell my books. As a struggling beginning author, I had no idea at first how to even get started. Almost 2 years after the publication of my first book I can say with confidence I have found six techniques which have garnered me book sales, and will work for you too. I'll even let you in on a technique that I found garnered me no sales at all!
1. Offer a monthly newsletter that has useful content besides just information about your books. I have found that having a newsletter that offers something to both potential readers, and either aspiring or already published authors has increased my newsletter membership and sold more of my books.
2. Offer free reads. There is one thing that as both a reader and an author will make me stand up and pay attention; offer me something useful for free. People love getting something for free! My only piece of advice regarding this is just make certain that what you are offering is high quality. If you offer a story you wrote 10 years ago that does not reflect your current polished writing style, this is not going to get you book sales for your current books. Either write something new, or do polish up something you have already written, so it reflects your current style.
3. Have at least one of your free reads available through your publisher. Some publishers give writers the option of offering stories for free. Potential fans and readers do scan book catalogs for free reads, and sometimes publishers will advertise the free reads as well. If someone reads the free read you made available through your publisher, and they liked it, they are going to be much more likely to come back and purchase the books you have for sale.
4. As further incentive for someone to sign up for your free monthly newsletter, offer at least one free read (Or do like I did and offer two or three!), either a serial where you post a chapter a month (I've found this to be very helpful when it came to making sales!), or a novella. I started out checking my member list every day for new members and then sending them my freebies via e-mail, that is until I found the Files section in my yahoo group! Now I have all of my freebies in the Files section and all new members can just go there and download all my freebies to their computer. This saves time for you, and your new subscribers.
5. Write articles similar to this one on different aspects of being a writer, and the publication industry. Once you have done so, publish them in a few free high profile article directories. Because of the danger of duplication within the search engines I don't suggest publishing duplicate articles at more than two places at a time.
6. Get your books reviewed. I can't stress this one enough as it is one of the most important ways to get the word out about your books. There are many places online you can have your books reviewed for free. Do not pay someone to review your book! There are some very reputable organizations out there such as Coffee Time Romance (who incidentally review all different genres and even non-fiction; not just romance) and The Romance Studio to name two. Strangely, the one technique which did not garner me many book sales that I am aware of, and which many beginning authors try is sending bookmarks with information about their books to book conferences. I've even heard some horror stories about authors who had friends that were at the conference talking about how they saw the other person's bookmarks laying on the floor, or in the trash. If you can afford to have pens, or calendars or other more original/different items that are more likely to be picked up and taken home made, then by all means do so and send these items. From what I've heard though, bookmarks aren't getting picked up anymore.
If you follow the six techniques I've listed here, you will find your book sales do increase, and you will have many happy new readers as well!
Regina Paul is a full-time author. She has four books available, Getting Out Alive, a science fiction romance, Illara's First Christmas, a holiday novella which is a continuation of Getting Out Alive, The Mark of the Guardian, a free fantasy romance novella, and Destiny's Choices, a romantic suspense recently released from Amira Press. To find out more about Regina and her books you can visit her website. http://www.reginapaul.com
Posted by Lauren Delaney ::
12:12 PM ::
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