Category: Giveaways

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Bribery AKA My Biggest Giveaway Yet

8/5/2010 Update – it’s not too late to enter!

I’ve always tried to be pretty laid back about promoting myself.  e.g. I really want the work to speak for itself.  I do like to give away stuff here on the blog, and free books are almost always welcome, aren’t they?  If some kindly reader posts a review or rating somewhere, I’m incredibly thankful.

Let’s face it:  reviews and ratings matter.  The more ratings and reviews a book garners, the more attention will follow.  It’s a gradual snowball effect, especially when you’re a very small fish in the big world of millions of available books. 

Thanks to Kait Nolan, I found this article Why Your Review Matters on Amazon and I’m curious.  Really curious.  Will a high number of reviews help a new release like THE BLOODGATE GUARDIAN?  Will more reviews help some of my older releases, especially the ones that so far haven’t won any ratings on Amazon at all?

But Amazon is only one piece of the puzzle.

So here’s the scoop (I’ll create a clean page for this contest, but here are the details):

1. Rate and/or review ANY of my releases on any book site, including but not limited to Amazon, Goodreads, Shelfari, B&N, Audible, etc.

2. Review any of my releases on your blog or website.

3. Advertise this contest on your blog, website, Facebook and/or Twitter.

4. Send me the links.  One link = one entry.

Prizes:  We’ll begin with two $50 gift certificates to ANY online book retailer of your choice. 

Optional Prizes:  If we hit 20 Amazon reviews or more on THE BLOODGATE GUARDIAN before July 31st, I’ll throw in another $50 gift certificate to any online book retailer.  If we hit 20 Amazon reviews or more on any of my other releases before July 31st, I’ll throw in an additional $25 gift certificate for each book that breaks the 20-review threshold.

To Enter:  send an e-mail with subject BREAK 20 GIVEAWAY to joelysueburkhart AT gmail DOT com with your link(s) to each review and/or rating (or capture a screen shot of your Tweet).  You may enter as many times as you wish before July 31st, 2010 midnight CST.

Please do write HONEST reviews for my books that you’ve actually read.  The more real and thoughtful the review, the more impact it’ll have on future buyers.  Obviously I hope you love my books, but I don’t expect raving fangirl 5 star +++++ reviews.  Honest!

Please note:  the reviews and/or ratings can be old!  (e.g. previously submitted on any of my earlier releases)  Please do send me the links, even if I’ve blogged about your wonderful review before.  I simply don’t have the time to go searching across the ‘net because I’m writing a new book.  I definitely want to reward people who’ve already reviewed me in the past.

THE BLOODGATE GUARDIAN is available for reviewers to download at NetGalley.  For any of my other releases, if you have a blog/website for which you’d like to review a book, drop me an e-mail and I’ll hook you up.

Any questions, comments, etc. that I should address before I write up the main contest page?

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Lynn Viehl Kyndred Giveaway

I loved Lynn Viehl’s Darkyn series and so I wasn’t surprised at all that I enjoyed Shadowlight too, the spinoff “Kyndred” series.  I absolutely loved Rowan’s sharp wit in Shadowlight, so I can’t wait to see how her story unfolds in Dreamveil (I keep typing Dreamviehl ha ha).  Plus, what a gorgeous cover!

So to celebrate Memorial Day weekend, I’m giving away a copy of both Shadowlight and Dreamveil.  This contest is open to anyone on the planet, whether you’ve won anything from me before.  I do not retain your name or information after the contest is over. 

To enter, comment on this post and tell me your favorite Lynn Viehl book, or drop me an e-mail at joelysueburkhart AT gmail DOT com to throw your name in the hat.  The contest will close on Monday, May 31st at midnight CST, and the winner will be announced on Tuesday. 

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Conn Writes a Poem

Never seen anywhere else, an exclusive poem written by the sexiest English professor alive, Dr. Connagher himself!  Check out his response to “Lecture vs. Teach” over on Susi’s blog and wish her a happy blogoversary while you’re at it, for a chance to win a free e-copy of Dear Sir, I’m Yours or an advance e-ARC of The Bloodgate Guardian, releasing June 14 from Carina Press.

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Winner: Launch Vicki’s Line

Thank you to everyone who helped me brainstorm Vicki’s new fashion line.  I didn’t end up using your recommendations, but talking about it helped me come up with the idea I’m going to use (for now):

Bound by Madame, with a swirling V on her label

The winner drawn from comments is:  Marie!  I think I already have your address, and I’ll drop you a note once I get your signed Dear Sir, I’m Yours in the mail!

Thanks, everyone!

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Easter Egg Hunt & Vicki Snippet

Welcome to all the Long & Short of It Scavengers!  My egg should be easy to find (look in the right sidebar) but I hope you stick around awhile and at least check out the Free Reads.

And since I missed the Friday Snippet last week (we were on vacation), and I was generally missing Vicki and the gang something fierce, I decided to post a bit more of Vicki’s story.  This scene is after the last one posted at VCONN Tower and occurs in Victor’s penthouse suite.  Hopefully you remember Mal — e.g. Malindre Kannes, the Mistress of Dallas — from Victor’s book.  She’s not just a side character, because she’s been clamoring for her own book lately.   *headdesk*

Warning:  first draft, subject to heavy revision later.  Genre:  Contemporary erotic (BDSM) romance. 

Mal, on the other hand, took one look at the man hovering at Vicki’s back and a huge smile broke across her face. “I knew it.” She hugged Vicki and gave him a slap on the shoulder. “Good for you, hon. If you need help housebreaking him, you give me a call.”

“I’m not a dog,” Jesse muttered.

With a low, wicked laugh, Mal stepped around Vicki and leaned in close to him. “If I tell you to heel, you will.”

He tipped his chin up and broadened his stance, but he didn’t take his hand off Vicki’s back. “No, I’m won’t. Not for you.”

A sharp thrust of emotion tore through her. Rage, jealousy, she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that she didn’t want Mal touching him, or Jesse doing anything for her. “He’s mine.”

“Of course he is, hon.” Mal drawled, not at all fazed by the sharpness in Vicki’s voice. “But do you know what he likes? Can you take care of his needs, whatever they are?”

She started to open her mouth, but Mal cut her off.

“If he needs you to put a collar on him, strip him naked, and force him to sleep on the floor at your bedside, can you do it? If he needs you to pick up a paddle and whip him until he can’t sit down, will you do it?”

Vicki felt him hovering at her back, nervous, yes, but terribly eager, his muscles tight, his heat rising.

Her stomach churned with anxiety. Her mind felt jammed full of images: Jesse naked, Jesse bound, Jesse begging, helpless, crying, screaming…for me.

A shudder wracked her shoulders and he pressed closer, dropping his forehead against her neck, burying his nose in her hair. “Do you need stuff like that?”

“I don’t know,” he whispered raggedly, but she felt his erection like a steel rod against her ass.

She lifted her gaze to Mal’s face, thoroughly prepared for a smug I-told-you-so look, but the other woman only nodded solemnly. “People think it’s all fun and games being a Dominant, but it’s not. We have a huge responsibility not only to keep the submissive safe but to also learn what they need and then, we have to provide it, no matter what that need requires. It’s your job to help him find out what he needs. You have to push his limits, explore his fears and his desires, and those desires will not always coincide with yours. If you care about him, you’ll make sure he gets those needs met. Your boy claims he doesn’t know what he wants, but I guarantee he’s got a few things in mind that will knock you reeling, and you haven’t even gotten started yet.”

Shaken, Vicki turned her attention to her brother, checking to see his reaction. He nodded as solemnly as his friend, his eyes dark and grim. “When I first met Shiloh, she scared me shitless.”

“Aw, poor baby,” Shiloh purred, turning away from her glowering Master and offering a hand to Jesse. “Let’s all get comfy before we scare the big bad Dominants too much.”

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St. Patrick’s Day Giveaway

Here’s my green!  The monsters were running around frantically tonight looking for cool and interesting things to wear to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow at school, and that reminded me that I’d planned to do a giveaway here on the blog.

Up for grabs:  signed print copy of Dear Sir, I’m Yours, which won’t release until April 1st. 

To enter, simply comment on this post (thru midnight Thursday, 3/18 CST) about what you’re reading right now or just throw your name in the hat.  Anyone on the planet can enter, even if you’ve won something from me before.  I’ll announce the winner Friday when I post the long-awaited Vicki snippet in Victor’s office that I was tormenting you about last week.

Me, I’m reading Shutter Island on my iPhone.

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Read an E-Book Week

In honor of Read an E-Book Week, everything is 20% off at Drollerie Press. 

Don’t forget I have lots of Free Reads on this site as well as downloadable excerpts which you may enjoy.  But to fully celebrate ebooks, I want to give away a copy of any book in my backlist.  Just comment on this post to enter.  Friday, I’ll announce a winner when I post a new Vicki snippet.

I’m celebrating read an e-book week by downloading a copy of Monica Jackson’s latest, Charm Me Baby, available at Red Rose Publishing.

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Launch Vicki’s Line Contest

I need your help!

If you’ve been reading Vicki’s snippets the past few weeks, you know that she’s trying to launch her own fashion line in Dallas, TX.  I have the event planned for the unveiling, and I know exactly how she’ll promote the line on VCONN, Victor’s (her brother) risque cable channel that is featured in his book, Hurt Me So Good (unofficial title), but I have one big problem.

I don’t know the NAME of her line.

Is it just her name?  A special V?  I don’t think so.  The V is special to Victor, very crucial to his story, so I don’t want to over do it.  I want something special to VICKI, that’s allll hers.  It should help me tell her story and reveal another facet of her character.

Obviously, this name is very important, and so far, I’m drawing a blank. 

That’s where you guys come in.  After reading the snippets, what would you name Vicki’s fashion line? 

Comment on this post as many times as you like.  I’ll take each name and pool them together, and on April 1st, I’ll pick one for a prize: a signed copy of Dear Sir, I’m Yours, the beginning of the Connagher stories. 

If one of you really nails the line’s name and I end up using it in Vicki’s story, I’ll thank you in the dedication, assuming of course, that Vicki is someday contracted.  I’ll also give you a free e-copy of Victor’s book when it’s released, a signed copy of Victor’s print book when it’s released, and the same for Vicki’s book (again, assuming it’s contracted).  Whew!  Edited to add:  and of course, I’ll send you a signed copy of Dear Sir, I’m Yours, too, and hook you up with an electronic version if you don’t have it.

This contest is open to anyone on the planet, even if you’ve won something from me before.