National Coloring Book Day 2018

Well, I almost did it again. I almost missed celebrating National Coloring Book Day–which would have meant a post for tomorrow instead with a few mea culpas to type. But this year, I made it! Well, by evening across North America anyway (if you’re already at tomorrow on your calendar, I apologize, as usual). But if you love to color with crayons or pencils or paints or pens…Today’s the Day. And besides my own page full of Free and Downloadable Coloring Pages at   https://ritterames.com/coloring-pages-to-download/  where you can always find famous cities, landmarks, and art-themed coloring pages, if you want more here are some other free coloring options I’ve noticed recently:

If you’re planning a coloring party today or in the future, get ideas and want to find links to clickable downloadable monthly coloring page samples, check out —

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-coloring-book-day-august-2/

 

And if you’d like downloadable coloring pages, puzzles and book excerpts to fuel your creativity, check out this page —   http://www.doverpublications.com/ds014/index.html

 

This free downloadable mini-coloring book is available through August —   http://www.coloringbookday.com/

 

A free 26-page downloadable coloring book showing current and historical landmarks in Oklahoma is at  —   https://okcfox.com/news/local/okc-releases-sketches-of-landmarks-and-neighborhoods-for-national-coloring-book-day

 

A couple of free Texas-themed coloring options are at   https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/local/celebrate-national-coloring-book-day-with-cbs19/501-579643940

Happy coloring, everyone!  

Weekend Excerpt Available for Fun Fast Mystery Reading

I’ve been talking a little lately about FATAL FORGERIES, book #4 in the Bodies of Art Mystery series. And for anyone who hasn’t yet had the chance to start the series–so you’ll be ready for the June release–Henery Press is running COUNTERFEIT CONSPIRACIES on sale this weekend only for 99¢

Is that good timing or what?

But if you want to test drive the book before you buy the bargain, Kindle Nation Daily was nice enough to provide an excerpt today. Just click this link– KND Early Chapters Excerpt of COUNTERFEIT CONSPIRACIES

But if you’re rather simply buy, go to my Where To Buy My Books page, and find all the buy links for COUNTERFEIT CONSPIRACIES at all the different booksellers. Links for FATAL FORGERIES and the rest of my books are on that same page.

Happy Reading this Weekend!

 

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What’s New and Free Wednesday–Giveaway Edition!

My posts have been on the lean side lately, I know, but I’m rounding the editing bend on the next to the last set of proof pages for FATAL FORGERIES. I received my cover last week, too, and will share it soon–probably around the time preorders go live in March (yes, March is almost here–unbelieveable). But in the meantime, I scooped up links for some freebies by my author friends, and have a giveaway of my own today (My giveaway at the end, so be sure to check it out and enter, or please tell all your friends if you already have a copy).

Ready? Here goes–

First up is one of my all-time favorite cozy series is Michele Scott’s Wine Lovers Mysteries series, which is set in Napa Valley and features Nikki Sands. The covers have been updated, and the first book in the series is free right now on Amazon. Grab it and see if you don’t like it as well. Just click the Murder Uncorked picture below.

Next, my friend Diane Vallere is featuring the first book in her Samantha Kidd series, Designer Dirty Laundry, free right now on Instafreebie. You can sign up and request the freebie download at https://www.instafreebie.com/free/HgVY3

 

Just learned my friend Morgana Best has the first book in her Kitchen Witch series up for free at the moment. If you like cozy paranormal mysteries, grab a copy before this title goes back to full price. Fun read!

I haven’t read MA Comley’s JUSTICE series yet, but several people who read the same types of books I do have given it high praise. But if that’s not incentive enough to try it, the box set of the first two books in the series Cruel Justice and Impending Justice are free right now on Amazon. Yes, I downloaded my copy and will crack open the file as soon as my edits are completed. Pick up your own copy by clicking the picture below–

https://smile.amazon.com/Justice-Box-Set-Books-thrillers-ebook/dp/B06WD2R1CZ/

Finally, I went out to Amazon this morning and generated a couple of coupon codes, and I now have two copies of Counterfeit Conspiracies available for giveaway. If you’d like a Kindle copy of Counterfeit Conspiracies, just leave a comment below and I’ll draw the names of the two winners on Friday and post the names. So if you don’t Follow this blog, please check back in case I’m trying to contact you.

Okay, that’s all, folks! Now back to my writing cave to work on proofing more edits. Have a great Wednesday  🙂

 

 

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Armchair Traveling on a Chilly November Afternoon

Had the need today to page through some pictures that tie back with books in my Bodies of Art series, and thought I’d share them with anyone needing a little Armchair Traveling for the day. I’ve thrown in pictures I used for all four books written–but only 3 are available for sale right now. The fourth, Fatal Forgeries, will be released in 2017. Sit back. Enjoy.

For a bit of a picture legend to these shots–

The first two pictures are London, where all the Bodies of Art Books are at some point each time. Third is the hilly street of Le-Puy-en-Velay from Counterfeit Conspiracies, fourth-through sixth is Florence for Marked Masters, seventh is a picture of Cassie’s flat entrance mentioned in book #1 & visited by Laurel & Jack in book #4, with the eighth the artists restoration pit where Cassie worked at the Victoria & Albert Museum that Laurel used to get away from Jack in book #1.

The next beach shot is Barcelona from Fatal Forgeries, followed by the Raphael Sibyls featured in Abstract Aliases. The small church coming up next is the Rome’s Santa Maria della Pace where The Sibyls reside, then Baden-Baden one of the stops after Rome in Abstract Aliases. 

The bar scene beside the Baden-Baden shot is in the Bar at La Boqueria in Barcelona as in Fatal Forgeries. The two fountains are the Trevi Fountain in Rome (left with classical statues) and Font Magica in Barcelona (right-colorful). And the next two shots are additional colorful sights of Barcelona, Spain from my Fatal Forgeries notes–the first a market shot of Le Boqueria on La Ramblas and the second a view of the mosaics used in architecture by Gaudi. The final two are shots Cologne, Germany–both of which feature the amazing cathedral where the mystery continued for Laurel & Jack in Abstract Aliases.

 

Could It Really Be a Year Already?

Yes, it is a fabulous anniversary, my friends. One year ago I signed my contract with Henery Press to publish my Bodies of Art Mysteries series. So with two books released and another available in preorder, how am I celebrating? By working all day on lovely book #4, of course–but that’s not all. In a surprising coincidence, I have a blog post today over on Club Hen House telling behind the scenes stories about writing book #3, Abstract Aliases, and there’s even a giveaway to one lucky commenter for a copy of Marked Masters.  The post isn’t long, but it was fun to write, and I hope that makes it fun to read too. If you like “story behind the story” reads, grab a cup of tea or coffee and take a break over at Club Hen House. And be sure to leave a comment on the Club Hen House blog so your name will be in the drawing. 🙂

It’s Elementary

This week I have a half-dozen writing projects at all different phases of completion. So what will I spend my evenings doing? Well, it’s elementary…since PBS is rebroadcasting the Sherlock series this week on one of their digital channels–and I get to feast on double servings of the fabulous episodes the next few nights. 

Yes, I know there’s some kind of party going on in Cleveland, with the planners there ready to offer me a front row seat to the festivities while the event plays out in prime time on the main PBS station. But really, I just prefer switching to digital channel two and follow along behind Benedict Cumberbatch as he so beautifully resolves crimes that he’s already shared the answers to before. I don’t watch a lot of television series reruns but Sherlock is one I cannot resist.

And I hear there’s another big party coming to Philly soon for the opposing team to the current festivities. Think I might send off an email to PBS and suggest they run another Masterpiece Marathon featuring Inspector Lewis that week, or maybe bring back The Bletchley Circle. They probably don’t need my input though. I can’t think of a Masterpiece show–especially those with the Masterpiece Mystery label–that isn’t a winner.

Makes me almost wish we had more than two political parties, so I could look forward to more weeks of Masterpiece marathons. In the meantime, this week I’ll be the one in the comfy chair watching every move Sherlock & Watson make, and reveling in every line of evidence and banter. Enjoy!

What’s your favorite “gotta watch it” marathon show?

Friday Peek Behind the Scenes

I turned in a blog post recently on what I do with stories and scenes that don’t necessarily make it into whatever book I’m currently working on. That got me thinking about ways books and stories have changed. In particular, I thought about the original opener for Counterfeit Conspiracies. While most of the original opener still makes up over half of the first chapter, the whole “reclamation” scene that starts the book now wasn’t even an idea for a long time. The book originally started with this:

This line is still in the first chapter, but the book was originally written to start with this line when she was in the castillo and trying to work through the party to find the contact who was supposed to give her the snuffbox. She was feeling ill at ease about the way things were going, and wishing she had some backup.

But even after adding the whole scene ahead of this opener, so the line was now buried about a third of the way into the first chapter, the line didn’t even get to stay where it was. Instead, it was moved to the the balcony scene where Laurel and Jack had their interchange–and yes, by that time her wanting the gun was more because of irritation and concern about Jack, than over all the other irritations and concerns she had by that point.

It really is fun to think back on all the ways books evolve between original idea and publication. The blog post I mentioned in the first paragraph is focused almost entirely on all the different openers I test-drove before I decided on the final one for Abstract Aliases, and what I’ve changed those earlier openers into in the meantime. When my guest post goes live on the 26th, I’ll add a link here in case anyone would like to read it, too.

And just noticed a little while ago that Abstract Aliases is already up for preorder. I didn’t think it was supposed to happen until Monday, but an early start is always good news. I’ve built the page to start revealing the extras I’m offering to people who preorder Abstract Aliases ahead of the 10/11 release day. Look on the banner line above for Preorder for Even More! There will be additional details about the freebies coming next week. There will also be a cover reveal on the Girl with Book Lungs blog, and her review of the book–so look for that link here on Monday 7/18.

Have a great weekend. What are you reading?

 

First of the Week Giveaway

I posted a fast contest yesterday over on my FB Author page. Winner will be announced tomorrow. Only criteria to enter is that you must LIKE or have already LIKED my FB author page and have a U.S. mailing address. See all the details here:

https://www.facebook.com/RitterAmesBooks/

 

 

 

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My Litographs Reward

Confession time: I try to stay away from Kickstarter because I like just about everything that hits the site. While I love encouraging and supporting entrepreneurship and innovation, I also like to eat and pay my electric bills (my laptop appreciates when I pay that bill too). So I tend to ignore a lot of the enticing emails Kickstarter sends my way–they’ve already pegged me as a soft touch. But when one of the guys at Litographs sent me an email saying they were starting another Kickstarter project earlier this spring, I opened it. And yes, I contributed (in about 0.5 seconds–told you I was a soft touch).

I already adore Litographs. The company takes the words from a published book and creates a picture on a t-shirt using just the words. I’ve loved this company for many reasons:

1. The shirts not only have great designs, but they’re high quality and very comfortable to wear.
2. I love wearing my favorite books (yes, the text is clear enough to read, though I usually just stick with the paper or Kindle versions for my nightly reading).
3. Every time Litographs sells a shirt (they also sell totes and posters) they give away a book to an under-served community. The exact wording on their website is: “We’re committed to promoting literacy all over the world — to make a direct impact, we proudly partner with the International Book Bank to send one new, high-quality book to a community in need for every order placed on Litographs.com.”
4. And my very selfish reason for loving Litographs is that their products help bolster my side in all the arguments I’ve had–okay, heated debates–with some rather egotistical graphic designers who’ve tried fruitlessly to convince me the picture or design is much more important than the words (y’all know I love visual art, but I’m not going to back down when someone disparages the written art of creativity). In the case of Litographs, it isn’t just that the words create the book that inspires the picture–yes, it does that–but more importantly The Words Are The Medium Used To Actually Create The Picture. So, from two different directions (or points of evidence if discussing this as a debate), the t-shirt (or tote or poster) could not Happen in its sell-able form without the words. The words don’t just come first, they are necessary to completely conclude the project. Okay, I’ll step down from my soapbox now.

Then there’s the new Kickstart project they launched and I contributed to. The offer? I could not only use of my own books for my “reward” for helping in the effort, but I could choose between either a t-shirt or a scarf (long scarf or infinity scarf). Wow, Litographs is already one of my favorite “gotta buy this because” companies, but now I’m offered a brand new choice to showcase my own words.

The Kickstarter campaign ended–it was a success–and I’ve been waiting for my followup email to give my choice in what kind of wearable art I want them to use for my word art. I picked…The Infinity Scarf. I already have two of their t-shirts (Don Quixote and The Princess Bride, and I want many more) and I don’t need another tote (yes, I have several from VistaPrint with my book covers printed on the canvas). But I love the idea of throwing on a plain tee and jeans, then adding the infinity scarf to any outfit.

For the book of words to use, I chose Counterfeit Conspiracies, since it was my first published novel. And for the color I chose a light green to go with the lovely new book cover. I won’t receive my prototype until sometime in August (hurry faster, Litographs, faster), but here’s what the sample looks like–just envision my words in light green instead of this text in dark pink.

If you’d like to check out their products, the website is http://www.litographs.com/ I highly recommend them 🙂

Fun, Friday Giveaway

How about a Fun Friday giveaway? I set up a new one-day giveaway with a handful of copies of Counterfeit Conspiracies. Amazon will pick the random winners, and the contest ends within 24 hours–or as soon as the copies are all given away. So hurry to enter if you want a chance at a Kindle copy of Counterfeit Conspiracies 🙂
Click here to enter at Amazon