Small Treasures Blog Hop!

A little over a year ago I finished my first novel, Destiny Divided. I made a half-assed attempt at getting traditionally published but was shot down by all the agents I queried. I had some small press interest but then I heard about self-publishing.

There's this little (and by that I mean big) paranormal erotic romance author named Tina Folsom. A year ago, I took a chance emailing her, hoping she'd tell me about her experience with self-publishing - since she was the most successful self-published author I knew of at the time. I was pleasantly surprised when she emailed me back that same night. She gave me all the facts, told me about her experience, encouraged me to go for it, and even sent me tips on getting started promoting my work.

It hasn't been an easy road - or a perfectly smooth one - but here I am, a year later with all three books in my paranormal series on amazon bestseller lists.

When I set out to start a writing career, I had one goal - to make enough money to send my daughter to Montessori school (we live in a horrible school district). I am happy to report that I have gone above and beyond that goal in the first year. And my daughter starts school in the fall.

I can't predict what would've happened had I made it with an agent and sold to a big publisher. Or if I had even signed with a small publisher. I'm not the type of person who looks back. I only know I'm happy with my decision now and continue to look forward to more success in the future.

So, while Tina Folsom may not remember my name - or that she even emailed me with the advice so many months ago - she has inadvertently helped shape my career.

If you're reading this, Tina, thank you!

For the contest I'm giving away an e-copy of my 3rd book, Destiny Unchained, in my paranormal series. To enter just make sure you're following my blog and leave a comment with your email address below. Open to US and International readers.

Blurb for Destiny Unchained:

They call her The Huntress. A vampire with lethal focus, Natalia hunts rogue werewolves and kills them without mercy. She buried her heart centuries ago. Now she lives only for revenge. But when she’s forced to team up with the alpha of the northwest werewolf pack to catch a werewolf serial killer, her carefully controlled world is shattered by the passionate Cristian. Will Natalia accept Cristian’s claim on her heart even if it means sacrificing a part of who she is?


Don't forget to visit the other blogs in the hop and discover more great independent authors!