Authors, Kai Strand & LA Dragoni

Worth the Effort - Ayden's Story turns two years old this month and I'm celebrating by offering it free of charge to subscribers of my newsletter. Ayden's Story has never been offered for free, so this is a big deal! Since Ella's Story is always free to download, this means you can get the entire novella series for absolutely nothing. Seventeen-year-old Ayden Worth shouldn’t have to seek peace of mind in the streets. But as family pressures mount, his anxieties increase, and he turns his back on comfort for a life in homeless camps and back alleys. Then one fateful day he runs into the only person he ever wanted to know better. Ella Jones. His memories paint her as kind and undemanding, and it seems the years haven’t changed her. Her simple expectations draw him to her. Against all odds, a relationship buds and grows. Yet, as Ayden repairs his life, Ella suggests he help others who also struggle. Will Ella turn out to be just like his dad, expecting more...

The tough part of self-publishing is that it all falls to you. ALL being the operative word. Because I publish independently as well as with small press, there is always something going on that gives me an excuse to put off that which I don't know. This is my official excuse for why it took more than a year for me to publish my Worth the Effort series in ePub. But ALAS-the deed is done! And to celebrate, I've decided to offer Ella's Story for free. Forever. Or at least for now, since this industry can change faster than my underwear, which I promise I change daily. Here are the links for the Worth the Effort series on all the major ePub retailers. Ella's Story Barnes & Noble iTunes Kobo Ayden's Story  Barnes & Noble iTunes Kobo And an exciting bonus: while I slept Amazon did their amazing price match thing for Ella's Story and by the time I woke up, she'd already started to climb the charts. Seriously, it'...

Be sure to visit the grand master Alex Cavanaugh Purpose:  To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Posting:  The first Wednesday of every month is officially  Insecure Writer’s Support Group  day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time. Let’s rock the neurotic writing world! Our Twitter hashtag is #IWSG The awesome co-hosts today are  M. Pax,   Tracy Jo, Patricia Lynne,   Rachna Chhabria,   Feather Stone,  and  Randi Lee!  Please visit their blogs & say hi! First, I just want ...

I'm thrilled to participate in another fun group giveaway. When considering what to share as part of the hop, I considered a story about one of my favorite-ever Christmas gifts--a 3 foot tall, stuffed Snoopy I received when I was four years old. I thought about sharing the story of my husband's and my engagement (during the Christmas holiday.) However, I decided the most fun for both me and you--the reader--would be for me to provide a BONUS WORTH THE EFFORT story. How would Ayden surprise Ella at Christmas? Now you'll know. If  you haven't read my WORTH THE EFFORT series, treat yourself this holiday season by starting with ELLA'S STORY . Can't beat it at less than a dollar! Then be sure to enter to win AYDEN'S STORY as part of the hop - entry below the story. Or just pick it up too from Amazon . Enjoy Ayden's Christmas ! AYDEN'S CHRISTMAS      “Did the blindfold slip? Are you peeking?”      A small smile tipped the ends of Ella’s m...

I'm so excited for the official release of WORTH THE EFFORT: AYDEN'S STORY, the novella duet to ELLA'S STORY . Seventeen-year-old Ayden Worth shouldn’t have to seek peace of mind in the streets. But as family pressures mount, his anxieties increase, and he turns his back on comfort for a life in homeless camps and back alleys. Then one fateful day he runs into the only person he ever wanted to know better. Ella Jones. His memories paint her as kind and undemanding, and it seems the years haven’t changed her. Her simple expectations draw him to her. Against all odds, a relationship buds and grows. Yet, as Ayden repairs his life, Ella suggests he help others who also struggle. Will Ella turn out to be just like his dad, expecting more from him than he can give? Or will he prove that he is worth the effort? *** What do I mean by novella duet? Each story is told in the main character's point of view. Ella kicked it off by explaining to us what it was like to ...

With only days left before the publication of WORTH THE EFFORT: AYDEN'S STORY, I thought I'd give you a peek at the first chapter. For those of you who have read ELLA'S STORY, this opening answers the question of why Ayden was in the alley in the first place. For those of you who haven't read ELLA'S STORY - what are you waiting for ?! ELLA'S STORY is told from her point of view in first person, present. AYDEN'S STORY switches gears and puts us inside Ayden's head. He tells his story in first person past. I found the past tense a better fit for his careful personality. Chapter One: The timer in the lower corner of the computer screen showed only five minutes remaining. After saving the document I worked on, I clicked into my inbox. Empty. Three minutes. I drummed my fingers on the keyboard, making the clicking noises, but not actually typing. The lady at the computer across from me glared in my direction, and I stilled my nervous digits. When h...

I'm looking for a few (read hundreds of) good readers to review my upcoming novella, WORTH THE EFFORT: AYDEN'S STORY. It is not necessary that you have read Ella's Story first. Seventeen-year-old Ayden Worth shouldn’t have to seek peace of mind in the streets. But as family pressures mount, his anxieties increase, and he turns his back on comfort for a life in homeless camps and back alleys. Then one fateful day he runs into the only person he ever wanted to know better. Ella Jones. His memories paint her as kind and undemanding, and it seems the years haven’t changed her. Her simple expectations draw him to her. Against all odds, a relationship buds and grows. Yet, as Ayden repairs his life, Ella suggests he help others who also struggle. Will Ella turn out to be just like his dad, expecting more from him than he can give? Or will he prove that he is worth the effort? Worth the Effort – Ayden’s Story is a young adult contemporary romance novella at 22,000 ...