Need Suggestions for a Really Scary Book or Movie?, Horror eBook Giveaway

Do these ghosts scare you??? hee hee

Hello and welcome to the J.Q. Rose blog.

This week my friend, Emaginette, asked "Where has all the horror gone?" She loves being scared and recalls some of her favorite scary movies and books. Emaginette shares on her blog her disappointment with the new batch of "monsters" e.g. the "alpha wolves and pretty, even sexy, vampires". Can you recommend some great scary books or movies for her?

I can't suggest any for her since I stay away from the horror genre. I was scared out of my wits when I was about six years old. My mother didn't do her homework when my older brothers asked if they could go to the movie starring the Three Stooges. Anybody remember those crazy guys and their slap-stick comedy? 

The Three Stooges
Photo from Monster Kid Online Magazine #5

To Monster Kids it was always a special treat when the creatures they loved occasionally crossed paths with their favorite funnymen. ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN with Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney, Jr. and Glenn Strange in their famous monster roles was the ultimate crossover of horror and comedy and will probably never be topped.  from Monster Kid Online Magazine #5   

Mom told the boys they could go, and since I whined and stomped my foot, she allowed me to go with them. I know they didn't appreciate me tagging along, but they really, really wanted to see the movie, so we took off. 

I had no idea Frankenstein would show up in a movie which included that zany, wise-cracking trio. Needless to say, I spent the entire movie under the theater seat on the sticky floor, along with the gum wads on the underside of the seat. No, my brothers wouldn't take me home. They didn't want to miss out on a great movie!

That was the end of my horror movie experience until...

In the eighth grade, Donald asked me to see a movie at the local theater, the Palace, exactly where I had suffered through the three stooges catastrophe. Of course, I wanted to go with Donald. All my friends and their boyfriends went every Friday night. Each couple lined up behind the other along the wall of the theater. I don't remember asking what the movie was, but I was in for a shock again when I discovered it was a horror movie about a huge monster taking over the city. Well, the monster wasn't too real looking, mostly like a big stiff puppet put together with screws and rubber bands. Computer enhancement of monsters was a long way off in the '60's.

I wasn't frightened by the monster, but scared to death when Donald leaned across the arm of the theater seat to give me a kiss on the lips. I turned toward him, ready to experience my first real kiss, just as the monster disappeared into the ocean. The credits began to roll and the lights were coming up in the theater. All I could think of was everyone was going to see us kissing and the word would spread in my small town and my parents would find out. Oh, noooooooo. 

I don't remember what happened after that, if my mom found out I'd been kissed, or not. I do know my first kiss was a memorable one, but for the wrong reason. Instead of the thrill of a first kiss, I was scared to death the whole world would know. 

Do you like reading horror stories or watching horror movies? Can you help out my friend, Emaginette, and share some recent horror books or movies you have enjoyed? 

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You can imagine my consternation when my first published book was published in the horror genre! MuseItUp Publishing accepted what I thought was a quirky mystery with a few suspenseful moments. I do remember writing the story during the day because if I wrote before bedtime, I was too afraid to go to sleep. 

The reviews for the book confirmed readers thought it was scary too.

~~"The novella contains a good amount of snarky but good-natured humor in addition to the mystery and body horror. It was a fast, fun, easy read. It reminded me of one other book I read before in the same horror subgenre, but alas, to name what that subgenre is would spoil the mystery. Best to just read it for yourself, if you're any kind of a comedy/mystery/horror fan." ~~ by reviewer Erin O'Riordan

Since it'is the Halloween season, and for those who enjoy being scared out of their wits, I will be giving away an e-copy of Sunshine Boulevard. Easy entry--leave a comment and you're in! Deadline to enter is Sunday, October 25 at 9:00 pm EDT.

Sunshine Boulevard

Mysterious deaths upset the Florida retirement community 

interfering with their seasonal activities and turning up more than dead bodies

Back of the Book: Sunshine Boulevard by J.Q. Rose

Who or what is killing the seniors on Sunshine Boulevard?  Follow Jim and Gloria Hart, snowbirds who annually migrate to Florida for warm sunshine, fun, and games in snow-free winters. However this season, Jim Hart, a volunteer First Responder in his retirement community of Citrus Ridge, is drawn into the investigation of the mysterious deaths. Even in the midst of the unfortunate demise of the residents on Sunshine Boulevard, the Harts try to enjoy the winter with friends. They don't realize that their friends are getting together for their own kinds of affairs with each other. The neighbors are in a dither over the deaths, but perhaps more intrigued by the gossip about the affairs and why the naked lady was found lying in the geranium bed.

For those of you who can't wait to see if you win the book, here are the buy links.

The e-book is available at all major online booksellers.

Buy Links:

Muse It Up PublishingBookstore

 Amazon 

Kobo Books 

Or click below to read Sunshine Boulevard now on your Kindle or Kindle app. Thank you!

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Self-Publishing with KDP, This Week, Giveaway

The Good Neighbors
How could being good turn out to be so bad?

Self-publishing with KDP by J.Q. Rose

Yes, I tried it. I published my short story, The Good Neighbors, on Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). I am not a guru when it comes to formatting, so I was really nervous about getting it right. I learned a LOT about formatting from Mark Coker's FREE Guide to Publishing on Smashwords and reading amazon's information. I think the short story, 4000 words, was a good one for my first project because there were no chapter headings to worry about formatting for a Table of Contents.

After I published The Good Neighbor, I discovered a ridiculous, obvious error, so I re-pubbed it after fixing the error. I uploaded the story and it was live again within hours. 

Designing the book cover was difficult for me. I'm not satisfied with this one…pretty amateurish, but I wanted to use the cartoonish flamingo to clue readers into the idea that it is a funny, holiday story. It also helps readers realize the same characters are in my mystery novella, Sunshine Boulevard,  because flamingos are on the cover of the mystery e-book.  

Sunshine Boulevard
Mysterious deaths upset the Florida retirement community
interfering with their seasonal activities and turning up more than dead bodies...

 Not only did I enjoy re-visiting my characters, Jim and Gloria Hart, in my mystery/horror novella, I hope The Good Neighbors will stir up interest in reading more of my books. 

Check out my humorous story, The Good Neighbors on amazon. While you’re there, discover Sunshine Boulevard on amazon or at the Muse It Up Publishing bookstore and major online booksellers.

Have you tried self-publishing? What did you learn? Are you a reader? Do you notice who publishes the books you read? Thanks for your input.

Post originally published on my Word Press site

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Coming Up This Week

Wednesday, January 7

First Wednesday of the month means it's time for the Insecure Writers Support Group (IWSG) blog hop. Join me and a few 100 of my writerly friends as we talk about writer's insecurities.

Thursday--January 8

Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing series 

Mystery author Sara-Jayne Townsend offers her writing tips and advice. Sara's newly released title, Dead Cool: A Shara Summers Mystery, is second in the series of the Shara Summers Mysteries. Find it at amazon, MuseItUp Publishing, and all major online sellers. Please join us and enter to win a door prize!!

DEAD COOL
They were dying to be famous.
And someone was prepared to kill for it.

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Future Readers, This Week, FREE Writing Tips Book

Once our words are inked to paper, they continue to speak for generations to come. A writer has an infinite voice that travels through time, impacting those who wish to hear it. 

- Susan Hornbach 

Bag Full of Books for Kids

Photo by J.Q. Rose

Future Readers by J.Q. Rose

When I read Susan Hornbach's quote above, I got goose bumps. I've had my nose in my WIP trying to "fix" plot holes, enhance my characters, and decide on a satisfying ending to the story. I never thought about the longevity of my writing. Susan is correct. Whether our books are in print or e-books, once we as writers let them go, they are "out there" for the generations to read.

I doubt Shakespeare looked into the future and believed his plays would be performed in the 21st century. Do you think Mark Twain ever imagined folks would still be laughing at the shenanigans of Huckleberry Finn today? To think my great grandchildren, yet unborn, might pick up a book that I wrote boggles my mind. I'm sure they will be reading or listening on some contraption not yet invented. 

Have you ever thought about how your stories will impact both present and future readers? This question drives me to develop the best stories I can write and to believe in the message I am sending through my words. That's a whole lot of responsibility to shoulder. 

As we come to the close of this year, many of us choose goals for next year. Will you choose to write the best stories possible with messages that will resonate with generations to come? 

This Week:
Thursday, December 18--Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing has over 100 writing tips for you in The Insecure Writers' Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond. One of my tips on marketing is included.

Find it  FREE at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Goodreads.

I am giving the romance and mystery authors a break for the holidays. 

Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing series will resume January 9, 2015

We'll resume the series on January 8 when mystery author Sara-Jayne Townsend offers her writing tips and advice. Sara's newly released title, Dead Cool: A Shara Summers Mystery, is second in the series of the Shara Summers Mysteries. Find it at amazon, MuseItUp Publishing, and all major online sellers.

DEAD COOL
They were dying to be famous.
And someone was prepared to kill for it.
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Take a break during the holidays 
with this quirky, entertaining short story from J.Q. Rose.

The Good Neighbors.

Jim and Gloria Hart, snowbirds from Michigan, always help out the neighbors in their Florida retirement community when asked. 

Who knew being good could turn out to be so bad? 

It's My Birthday! Celebrate with Me, Giveaways

Welcome to my birthday celebration! I hope you didn't wear your best clothes because we are playing wiffle ball and croquet in the backyard. Corn Hole is set up near the deck. You can't wear your high heels because the ground is so soft from the rain. Oh well, it's okay if you want to go bare foot. The grass is lush and green. 

My daughter, Sara, is serving Texas sheet cake (the official birthday cake) and ice cream on the deck  Be sure to grab the fresh strawberries to garnish your plate. Head on over to the punch bowl for what began the party as Presbyterian punch, but a sneaky guest spiked the punch. Pastor Christine hasn't complained about it though! She and her florist friend, Lacey, have been a big help setting everything up for me. Come to think of it, they made the punch!

My DJ daughter, Lee Ann, is in charge of keeping the party lively with great music. Be sure to request her to play your favorite song. She has everything from the Oldies to Country to Rock. 

Jim and Gloria Hart are here waiting to welcome our friends from Sunshine Boulevard. I am especially anxious to share this beautiful spring day in Michigan with you, my readers.

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Thank you for coming to my party. I hope you didn't bring a present ( but if you did that's okay!) LOL I have gifts for you. Be sure to enter to win prizes after the party. Three winners will be chosen. Deadline to enter is 12:01 Sunday a.m.

The giveaways are:

1. Chocolate!

2. A short story

3. Your choice of an e-book (If you already have my books, then I will send you the first couple chapters of my WIP, a mystery of course, AND when the book is ready for publication, I will send you the ARC)

Here are your choices of books:

Coda to Murder

Pastor Christine Hobbs has been in the pulpit business for over five years. She never imagined herself caring for a flock that includes a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer. 

Detective Cole Stephens doesn't want the pretty pastor to get away with murdering the church music director. His investigative methods infuriate Christine as much as his deep brown eyes attract her.

Can they find the real killer and build a loving relationship based on trust?

Available at MuseItUp Publishing

Amazon.com, bn.com and major online booksellers.

Sunshine Boulevard

Mysterious deaths upset the Florida retirement community interfering with their seasonal activities and turning up more than dead bodies.

Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, MuseIt Up Publishing, and major online booksellers.

Girls Succeed! Stories Behind the Careers of Successful Women

An interactive e-book filled with dreams and passion to inspire, entertain, and empower girls. Fifteen remarkable career women in a variety of occupations share their stories in these pages.

Explore careers which include women who have discovered cures to stamp out disease, made people laugh, earned Olympic and Paralympic gold medals, and crossed the country in the cab of an 18 wheeler.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Six More Weeks of Winter Weather, This Week, and Free E-book

Here's a cup of coffee to warm you up! Sounds like there will be six more weeks of winter weather.
Actually I am sitting here at the laptop with iced tea because in Florida it's 80 degrees. Okay, don't throw rotten tomatoes at me. I am thrilled to be a snowbird and in fact, my first mystery novella is a story about snowbirds. Some of you may recall Sunshine Boulevard. It's a fun read to escape with whether it's 80 degrees or 0 degrees. Check out the video below for you viewing pleasure...!!

Available at a MuseItUp Publishing and all major online booksellers.

 

THIS WEEK

 



 

Wednesday, February 5-- I am looking forward to participating in the Insecure Writers Support Group blog hop. The IWSG is a grand group of supportive authors who share their thoughts the first  Wednesday of every month. Join us to discover so much knowledge about writing and publishing and sign up to be a part of the gang too. Check out the new IWSG Website for all kinds of helpful information for writers!

 

 

Thursday, February 6-- I am honored to have award winning Carolyn Howard-Johnson sharing her information about Editing is Marketing and a chance to win her e-book, The Frugal Editor. Her outstanding series of books for authors, How to Do It Frugally, has won awards and praise. You don't want to miss out on her wealth of knowledge. She loves to answer questions. Plus your comment will enter you into the random drawing for her e-book. So you're invited to get in on the discussions on Thursday through Sunday. Winner will be drawn after 9 pm on Sunday evening.

Humorous Holiday Short Story, The Good Neighbors by J.Q. Rose

T'is the season! 

Snowbirds Jim and Gloria Hart, main characters in my mystery novella, Sunshine Boulevard, have a Christmas story for you.  The action takes place in Florida's Citrus Ridge Senior Retirement Resort. Action in a retirement resort? Read this fun story, just right for a lunch break, and find out.

Humorous holiday short story set in Florida

Jim and Gloria Hart, snowbirds from Michigan, always help out the neighbors in their Florida retirement community when asked. Who knew being good could turn out to be so bad?

This delightful holiday short story will tickle your funny bone and question the idea of being good during the warmth and good cheer of the holiday season.

Here's what readers are saying:

 I disturbed the peace at Wendy's because I was laughing so hard reading this while I had lunch today. It's another great waiting room read--the kind of short-story you can devour along with a quick burger or while waiting to see the doctor. But try not to laugh too loudly unless you want to tell people what you're reading. On second thought, go ahead. Laugh out loud. Don't be afraid to let people know how much you're enjoying Ms. Rose's writing. Isn't a good hearty laugh in the middle of Wendy's a great recommendation for a book? 

5 stars Rochelle Weber

I wouldn't have believed that a retirement community in Florida would be a fascinating setting, with intriguing and fun characters. But J.Q. Rose's short story delivers exactly that--I also believe it is an excellent taste of her mystery novel, Sunshine Boulevard, with the same setting and characters, and if so, I'm certainly off to read Sunshine Boulevard! More, please. 4 stars Conda Douglas

Buy The Good Neighbors short story now for 99 cents at amazon.com.  

All royalties from the sale of the story support local food pantries. 

Mysterious deaths upset the Florida retirement community interfering with their seasonal activities and turning up more than dead bodies.

Reviews for Sunshine Boulevard:

What a page turner and full of surprises! I couldn't put this book down.

 Roseanne Dowell, author Stranger on the Shore

This story blends humor with mystery and death very cleverly, making it a book I had to keep reading. Even after I found out the answer to the above question, I was still hooked and had to read on to find out what happened next.  Sue Perkins,  Sue’s Book Reviews

Buy Links for Sunshine Boulevard

Muse It Up Publishing Bookstore

Amazon.com 

bn.com 

Vegetable Garden Roundup, This Week, with Giveaways

Another marvelous Michigan Monday! A bit chilly last night at 36 degrees, but this afternoon is sunny and crisp. Fall is in the air and sadly, the vegetable garden is disappearing as my DH tears out the spent plants. Gardeners are such optimists. As he pulls out the beans and peppers, etc, he already has plans for next year's garden based on the results of this year. And of course, next year always looks better, in his mind, than this year. 

This year, IMHO, was a winner. We had a beautiful crop of veggies and enjoyed every bite. Truth be told, I believe my DH enjoys giving away the bounty as much as getting his hands dirty and his tummy full.

Here is some of the bounty from our garden this year:

pumpkin

red and green pepper.
 (Leave the green pepper on the vine and it will turn red and be sweeter.)

white, yellow, yukon, and red potatoes

muskmelon or cantaloupe

yellow summer squash

leaf and head lettuces

broccoli

green beans, tomatoes, and basil

Now that's some good eatin', folks. It just may be a coincidence that the main characters in my mystery novella, Sunshine Boulevard, are snowbirds. And just like my DH and I, Jim is a big gardener and Gloria loves to use the veggies from Jim's garden in recipes. If you'd like a FREE copy of her recipes, email me and I'll send you out the Gloria Hart's Garden for Eatin' Recipe Collection. Email me at jqrose02 at gmail dot com.

Mysterious deaths upset the Florida retirement community 

interfering with their seasonal activities and turning up more than dead bodies...

THIS WEEK:
Tuesday, September 24--Join me at Lorrie Struiff's blog, Flowers and Thorns, where I'm talking about the movie Julie and Julia, both cooks and writers. Leave a comment to win my latest mystery, Coda to Murder.

Thursday, September 26--Hobby Hoedown features Roseanne Dowell's amazing handiwork combining embroidery and quilting. You don't want to miss out on seeing her beautiful pieces.

Thanks for stopping in today!

Gone Flamingo Because of Delilah Stephans

Yes, I have gone flamingo. I now have a flamingo on the front of my house.

No, at least they are not the pink flamingos usually displayed in the yard. This is a classy one I found on sale at Old Tyme Pottery. The bright flamingo welcomes visitors to our home.

As if that welcoming flamingo isn't enough, inside my home there are more flamingos--on mugs, in photos, and even on my t-shirts for heaven's sake.This delightful figurine was a gift from my brother and sister-in-law. They were so excited when they found it in a jewelry store, they called me from the store and asked if I would be home. They wanted to drop something off.  This beautiful figurine was the perfect way to celebrate. I posted a blog about it if you want to read about this very special surprise.

Celebrate what?

We celebrated the launch of my first mystery novel, Sunshine Boulevard, from MuseItUp Publishing in March 2011. Look at the cover and you can see why the flamingos have taken over my life. It's all Delilah Stephans fault. She is the book cover artist and selected the flamingos to grace the front of my book  and signal readers the story takes place in Florida. Notice this little caveat, the flamingos are in a heart shape.--because the main characters in the story are Jim and Gloria HART. Pretty clever of Delilah. I smile every time I see the flamingos.

As much as I loved the book cover, I look forward to moving on with my next mystery/sweet romance novel from MuseIt Up Publishing, Coda to Murder. It will be released in February and as soon as I get the book cover, I will put it up on display here. Hmmm....I wonder what I will be collecting to celebrate this new story!

Coda to Murder--Pastor Christine Hobbs never imagined she would be caring for a flock that includes a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer.

Need a Break from the Holiday Madness??

The official holiday season is in full swing now. Time for decorating, shopping, cooking, partying, and sometimes stressing out. Take a break from the madness and retire to a quiet corner to read.

If you truly want to escape and just chill out for awhile, pick up my holiday short story, The Good Neighbors. The main characters are Jim and Gloria Hart whom you met in the mystery novella, Sunshine Boulevard. This snowbird couple from Michigan always help out the neighbors in their Florida retirement community when asked. Who knew being good could turn out to be so bad?

Amazon Review:

I disturbed the peace at Wendy's because I was laughing so hard reading this while I had lunch today. It's another great waiting room read--the kind of short-story you can devour along with a quick burger or while waiting to see the doctor. But try not to laugh too loudly unless you want to tell people what you're reading. On second thought, go ahead. Laugh out loud. Don't be afraid to let people know how much you're enjoying Ms. Rose's writing. Isn't a good hearty laugh in the middle of Wendy's a great recommendation for a book?  Rochelle Weber

The Good Neighbors Buy Link

All royalties will be donated to local food pantries.