Me and Jane Austen…Who knew?

15 Jul 2012

So there’s this thing called a sales rank on Amazon that ranks your book’s sales against all the other kindle books being sold every minute, of every day.  Well I had absolutely NO CLUE about it until my dear friend, Belinda Boring, (check out her books, she is awesome) tells me in a Facebook chat one night:

Belinda: “Raine!  You’re a rockstar!  You’re on lists!”

Raine: “Come again?”  *has no idea what she is talking about*

Belinda:  “Your sales rank!  On Amazon!”  *geez, Raine really is naive*

Raine:  “Can you show me the link?  I never heard of it.”  *wonders what other things I am in the dark about*

Belinda:  “You have a 1600 ranking for Libertine.  Authors would kill for that rank.  You are selling a lot of books!”  *can she really be this dumb?*

Raine:  *does a Google search for ‘Amazon sales rank” and starts reading* Wow.  So I am selling some books.  *long pause*  Huh.  *another pause*  For realz?!  People are actually buying my book?  I really had NO idea!  *Belinda must think I am an idiot*

Belinda:  *thinks Raine is sweet, but a little slow on the uptake…good thing I love her*  YES!  You are selling a lot of books!

Raine:  Thank you for telling me, sweetie.  You are a great friend.  *thinks Belinda is amazingly smart and savvy*

…So this brings me to my picture.  Yes, there is such a thing as Amazon Bestseller Sales Rank and it updates every hour for books below 10,000.  You want your number to be small by the way.  And if you get into a low enough ranking for your genre category you get on the Top 100 List.  So yesterday I had a look (I really look like every hour now) and The Undoing of a Libertine was number 83 on the Top 100 Paid List and Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was right beside it at 83 on the Top 100 Free List.  It was so pretty I could not resist the screen shot.  My book sitting on a bestseller list right beside hers.  Kinda surreal.   So here you go.

I am sure you are absolutely thrilled and amazed by this image, just like me.

Raine~

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Rom Con here I come!

3 Jun 2012

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My second convention.  Last year it was Romantic Times in Los Angeles, this year it’s Rom Con in Denver.  How different are things from a year ago?  In some ways, not very much. But in others…well, it’s making me smile just thinking about it.

This time I have two published books to my name.  Last year my first book, His Perfect Passion, had not yet been released so nobody had read it. This year I actually have some fans who have read my stuff and tell me they are looking forward to meeting me!!  *shaking my head in amazement*

Last year I showed up at the conference pretty much terrified and all alone. This time I will meet up with people I know and love and…drum roll, please…have ordered my first ‘author swag’ and eagerly await its arrival upon my doorstep–very gorgeous tote bags with my name emblazoned upon them.

Now add into that mix the chance to meet some authors I idolize and adore *cough*  Elizabeth Hoyt  *cough*  Julia Quinn   …and I’d say the whole thing is shaping up into a special time for me.

I’M GOING TO ROM CON!

~Raine

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Release Day Giveaway~The Undoing of a Libertine

5 Feb 2012

To celebrate the release of The Undoing of a Libertine on Tuesday (February 7th), I’m giving away a copy of the book.  To enter, all you must do is leave a comment on this blog and an email where I can find you. Winner will be announced that evening after other pressing duties are fulfilled, ie:  day job, taxi service for teenagers, meal preparation, etc.  What happened to my champagne and celebratory dinner?  I’m sure that got forgotten by accident.  Surely I will come home to a surprise party…  *snickers*

Attention please…  Aretha is the winner of a copy of The Undoing of a Libertine.  And all I have to say is thank the gods for http://www.random.org/ because I would never be able to choose a winner on my own.  Congrats, Aretha and happy reading~

Now for a little tease of what’s inside this marvelous book.

EXCERPT~

Georgina started to drop, and Jeremy reached out his arms instinctively. He got to her just before she hit the floor. Her head lolling back, limp and lifeless in his arms—he realized she’d fainted dead away.

Carrying her over to the chaise, he laid her down carefully, supporting her neck. He poured water from the pitcher and wet his handkerchief to press against her cheeks and forehead. Her skin looked pale, and she felt thinner to him. She hadn’t weighed enough when he’d lifted her. Please don’t let her be ill, he prayed, feeling himself break into a sweat. He should have never accepted her refusal last time, should have been with her all these weeks.

An errant thought popped into his mind that she looked just like Sleeping Beauty from the fairy tale. Caressing her face, he said, “Wake up, Sleeping Beauty. Georgina, please wake up!” He shook her a little, still calling her name before he couldn’t wait another second. Cupping both sides of her face, he tilted her so he could reach her mouth and brought his own down close. Jeremy’s lips met Georgina’s lips. Velvety. Warm. So sweet.

Time stopped dead, or maybe he’d just died and gone to heaven. He was kissing an angel, and he could smell roses. The touch of her breath brushed into him, the taste of her infused his blood with incredible need. Cradled in his hands, he kissed her over and over. And for a beautiful instant, all was well in the world. It truly felt like it because she opened her eyes just then and spoke to him.

“Is it really you?” Her voice sounded deep and a little rough.

“You fainted,” he said, stupidly. “I kissed you, and you woke up. Are you well?” he croaked, feeling like he might need to lie down himself.

“I—I thought you were going to be—” She shook her head as if to clear it. “I never thought you’d come back here, or want me.”

“I can’t do anything else, and I don’t care about—what has happened in the past, other than you being hurt by it. I do want you. I want you, Georgina. Marry me. Be with me.”

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