Making A Book Trailer by Janice Seagraves

I've discovered I can make a book trailer by using a free online website; https://www.conva.com/

It's simple. 

You make up your pages, link them, and then animate them. 

Download your pages and put the pages into whatever you use for making videos. 

Once you're done you load it into Youtube and you can add music for free. 

Here are two I made.

Alien heart

The Arcons Tane and Brock Moonwalker are vacationing in the small town of Greenwood. Tane is dealing with agoraphobia, a condition worsened by the loss of their female. Brock and his friend needed to get away, but a tiny, gang ridden town is the last place they expected to find love.

Saki Starling had trouble on her heels and couldn’t catch a break. She lost her apartment and a local gang threatened her at every turn. With her week at its lowest point, Tane and Brock promised to brighten her darkening world.

Tane, Brock, and Saki must find a way to come together, if they have any hope of overcoming their past and heal their broken hearts.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Alien-Desire-Chronicles-Janice-Seagraves-ebook/dp/B09DFBWBXS/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1101434

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alien-desire-janice-seagraves/1140118729

And Alien Heart.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Alien-Heart-Chronicles-Janice-Seagraves-ebook/dp/B09F8M12WC/

Blurb: Divorcee and single mom, hardworking Audrey Westberry is the host of a TV show called Miz Fixit.
Romance was the last thing on Audrey’s mind when two handsome extraterrestrials join the audience of her show.
Soon Audrey finds out a single word “mated” has different meaning when you are born a galaxy away. After a wonderful night of passion, Audrey finds herself far from home, impregnated and her life turned upside down.
Will she ever be able to leave the alien compound, see her son again, or get home in time to film the fall season of her Miz Fixit show?
But what’s a girl to do with two aliens that smell like candy, and their kisses taste like it, too?

The Romance Genre Is Real Life

All The Hate

The romance genre is considered nothing more than a marshmallow—fluffy, saccharine treat that benefits no one. The New York Times doesn't even bother covering the genre. People call them bodice rippers or women's porn. The genre is considered frivolous escapism that is fake. Life doesn’t end in Happily Ever After.  

I disagree. The Romance Genre is real life. Perhaps, there aren't hundreds of dukes or billionaires. Those aspects of the genre are the dressing not the inner soul of the genre. This genre reflects real life. 

All The Feels

In the pages of a novel, you read these words, dealing with universal emotions. Love, fear, hate, insecurity, yearning even hatred. Just as in real life, we deal with those emotions. Think about the Presidential race. Your emotions must have been high, feeling rage at the candidates (whoever you voted for) and defensive behavior for the candidate you supported. Emotions bombard us every day like meteors striking the earth. Through, reading romance one can learn how to deal with emotions in a different way, expand their understanding of the human race and the self. 

We In The Pages

Self—life has a way of wounding our internal self. We develop flaws and beliefs about ourselves that are not necessarily true or need to be overcome. As with the romances' main characters, we go through life, searching for contentment in our lives. We must learn to resolve those issues or the happiness we seek (in whatever form you desire) will forever be out of your reach. That’s why we keep on dating the guys we should stay far from or don’t demand the raise we deserve or go after our dreams. The romance genre tells you, again and again, to fix yourself—self-care if you want to call it that. 

The Outside

But this doesn’t happen just in the pages of the romance. In real life, we deal with external conflict. Those people, events, or just life that we must deal with. It could be the job that your hate or the boss that annoys you. It can be caring for an aging parent while working, full-time, and caring for kids. It can be heading off to war or even dealing with a neighbor who annoys you. Life lives to throw things at people so we are forced to strive for what is most important in our lives. That isn’t all the romance genre does. Stories revolve around issues we deal with in life. Sexism. Illness, Family issues. Death. And so much more. The genre shows you a slice of life. Since most romance authors are women—they write about issues that women face in this world. 

All Hail Romance

The romance genre is real life, just dressed up in a story that will leave you satisfied and hopefully, feeling more hopeful about life than you did before. So, raise your romance paperback high and be proud.   

Make Your Book a Hardback by Janice Seagraves

 

I went on Kindle Direct Publishing website to submit one of my books to be publish and noticed that Kindle Direct now allows you to publish your book as a hardback.

A hardback! Isn’t that cool?

I haven’t done one yet, but I did check it out. The set up looks similar to publishing a paperback. Same tools and submission preference. The graphic for the cover needs to be bigger though, so far that's the only difference. 

 I can’t wait to do hardcover of my own.

 Alien Heart is available for presale. It will be release October 3, 2021.

Blurb: 

Divorcee and single mom, hardworking Audrey Westberry is the host of a TV show called Miz Fixit.

Romance was the last thing on Audrey’s mind when two handsome extraterrestrials join the audience of her show.

Soon Audrey finds out a single word “mated” has a different meaning when you are born a galaxy away. After a wonderful night of passion, Audrey finds herself far from home, impregnated and her life turned upside down.

Will she ever be able to leave the alien compound, see her son again, or get home in time to film the fall season of her Miz Fixit show?

But what's a girl to do with two aliens that smell like candy, and their kisses taste like it, too?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Alien-Heart-Chronicles-Janice-Seagraves-ebook/dp/B09F8M12WC/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1102544  

For the Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alien-heart-janice-seagraves/1140172407

Top Ten TV Shows To Stream

 With network TV, cable, YouTube, and streaming services, there is so much to watch but too many options can be overwhelming. So, here is a list of the top ten TV shows to stream, at least in my opinion.

1. Ted Lasso:

     In case, you haven't heard Ted Lasso is truly a must-see show and if you haven't seen it yet, then you are among the few that haven't. It's the story of an American football coach who is hired by an English football coach (soccer) to be the manager. This Apple + show is in its second season. Ted Lasso has heart, humor and will pull on the heartstrings but you will end every episode feeling good. You must watch it. The writing and acting are perfect.

2.  Vera:

      Vera is a British mystery show that follows DCI Vera Stanhope and her team investigate murders in Northumberland. Brenda Blethyn is the star. She is an older woman and it doesn't focus on her life. She is single, childless, and a little grumpy but smart as a whip and calls everyone love. Each show is about two hours. You can view the eleven-season show on BritBox streaming service. This series arise based on mystery novels written by Ann Cleeves.

3. Nine Perfect Strangers:

    This mini-series is available on Hulu and is brought to you by David E. Kelley who also produced Big Little Lies. Nine Perfect Strangers is based on the same-titled novel by Laine Moriarty. This show stars Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy as well as Luke Owens and other well-known actors. It has beautiful scenery and will make your blood pump as your spine chills in this show. 

4. Truth be Told:

    This Apple+ series is in its second season. Octavia Spencer stars as a true-crime podcaster who solves a mystery and deals with her family issues. This season Kate Hudson is part of the cast. The acting is great, naturally and you never know what is the truth so the twist and turns capture the viewer. 

5. Lucifer:

    This Netflix show is in its sixth season. It was originally on Fox but was canceled and Netflix picked it up. The show follows the devil, Lucifer Morningstar, in Los Angeles as he solves murders with LA detective Chloe Beckett as angels, demons and even Eve come into his life. I have watched this show since the first episode. It's a great show that shows humanity in all its colors. 

6. Only Murders in the Building:

    Another Hulu show, Only Murders in the Building stars Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez as fans of true-crime podcasts who try to solve a murder that happened in the fictional building they reside in. This show feels like a cozy mystery you can watch. 

7. Schmigadoon:

     This show is a musical comedy show on Apple+. A married couple backpacking ends up in a town that is straight out of a 1940s musical but they can't leave the town until they find their true love. 

8. What We Do In The Shadows:

    This mockumentary is about four vampires and their familiar living in modern-day Staten island. It is in its third season and can be viewed on Hulu and FX. It's based on the same-titled movie from the minds of Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Concords) and Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok).

9. Ghosts

    This BBC show can be viewed on HBO Max (at least that's where I watch it). A woman named Allyson who inherits Button House, which is haunted by ghosts from different eras. She has an accident and is then able to communicate with the ghosts. It stars the cast from Horrible Histories (which if you haven't seen yet, you must watch on Hulu). You can watch this one with the family and laugh.

10. Domina: 

     This Epix show centers around Livia Drusilla, the third wife of Emperor Augustus Caesar and mother to future Emperor Tiberius. It has double-crossing, Roman history, and centers on a woman who played a major part in history. 

    

Self-Publishing by Janice Seagraves

 I've been going through the wonderfully weird world of self-publishing.

1. My cover artist's laptop is dying so I'm shopping premade covers. 

2. Our internet server is changing their 3G to 5G and it's super slow and I got a letter that says it will probably be that way for months.

Months!

3.I finally got my eBook to uploaded and then I couldn't upload in my cover for a paperback book since it won't go to the preview page. See above.

3. My sales are still down so my wonderful husband is footing the bill for my covers and editing. (He says he's proud of me.)

4. And last but not least, I missed out on a wonderful cover because payday was today and not yesterday. *sigh* It's okay, I found another premade cover that looks good.

Here's my prerelease/preorder:

My new release is available as a pre-order on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1101434

And on Amazon’s kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Alien-Desire-Chronicles-Janice-Seagraves-ebook/dp/B09DFBWBXS/

The Arcons Tane and Brock Moonwalker are vacationing in the small town of Greenwood. Tane is dealing with agoraphobia, a condition worsened by the loss of their female. Brock and his friend needed to get away, but a tiny, gang ridden town is the last place they expected to find love.
Saki Starling had trouble on her heels and couldn’t catch a break. She lost her apartment and a local gang threatened her at every turn. With her week at its lowest point, Tane and Brock promised to brighten her darkening world.
Tane, Brock, and Saki must find a way to come together, if they have any hope of overcoming their past and heal their broken hearts.

Top Ten Books For Writing A Romance Novel

 Have you ever thought about writing a romance? Don't know where to begin or perhaps, you are in need of some guidance. Here is a top ten list to get you started.

1. Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels by Gwen Hayes
2. Romance Tropes and Hooks by Karen Winter
3. Break into Fiction by Mary Buckham
4. Writing the Alpha Male by Karen Winter
5. Write Naked by Jennifer Probst
6. Finding Your Writer’s Voice by Bria Quinlan and Jeannie Lin
7. Character Arcs by Jordan McCollum
8. Practical Emotional Structure by Jodi Henley
9. The Joy of Writing Sex: A Guide for Fiction Writers by Elizabeth Benedict
10. The Art of Character by David Corbett

Seeking Comfort In All Its Forms

 Life is filled with those moments when comfort is the only medicine needed. Most people think of comfort food, perhaps something that your mother cooked for you or that place where you stopped off to pick up your favorite treat or meal. 

Yet, comforts in life can be found in different areas besides food. Such as comfort television or movies and books. For me, I have my comfort television shows, movies, and of course, books.  Those films and shows I’ve watched so many times that it borders on embarrassment and obsessiveness still feel like a warm blanket that cocoons me from the outside world and lets me escape. As for the books, well, I’ve had to purchase numerous copies since the binding fell apart and pages fluttered away.

Those comforts for me are The Big Bang Theory, Hot Fuzz, Galaxy Quest, Wicked by Jill Barnett as well as Dreaming by the same author. I also cannot forget Julie Garwood’s historical romances.  For me, these items are like a safe haven when life needs to be escaped from. Now, that the world seems to be opening up again, I think we can all use some comfort. Why? 

Because it can feel overwhelming, anxious, and for some downright scary. 

For me, this past year has been easy. Luckily, no one in my family caught Covid-19 but I know people who succumb to the virus. Yet, while people complained about not being about to go out and socialize, I loved it. Yes, I’m an introvert but also I’m chronically ill so for the past year, I found some understanding and for those that don’t I can tell them that my life was like the lockdown. I have to prepare to go out and set up for my return when I come home spent for being out. 

I’m not the only one who feels this way. Life became harder for all. And those without pre-existing conditions or disabilities, now have a way of explaining parts of our lives to others. That in itself is a comfort. So, while the world opens up and people return to their lives, I will be here with my comforts and hoping you all have a good and safe time. 

What are your comforts? Share them with me. 

Get A Hobby. But What?

 

With the world lockdown in their homes and with nothing to do, most people found new ways to occupy their time and discovered new hobbies. Some made bread. Others knitted. There were those who pour over books and some started to write. Those were just a few activities that occupied people’s long stretch of time. But what do you do when your favorites hobbies (reading and writing) are also how you make a living?

 

I had no clue and that was my problem. 

Many advice given to people to destress and find something fun to do is get a hobby. I decided to take that advice and find one that I enjoy and nothing to do with my two favorite ones. I can’t knit because I have arthritis though I had taken it up years ago and found a calm with it. It also helped that I pictured myself as a young Miss Marple but without the murders. I certainly won’t make bread. Cooking isn’t fun for me at all. It turns out searching for a hobby was stressing me out. 

Plaster all over social media were these people posting pictures of their freshly baked bread, sharing recipes, or doing other activities that I couldn’t even begin to understand why was enjoyable. But hey, to each is own. 

So, if you're like me, searching for a hobby and feeling like you were missing out on an experience or lacking perhaps an understanding of this, I’m with you. I felt left out, standing on the outskirts of the group, looking in and wanting to be part of it. 

Then I shifted the way I thought. I have my own group of people who don’t have a hobby and can’t see any enjoyment in the traditional ones and just rather watch Bridgerton or the historical documentaries that I love. So, if you can’t join in with these cool kids toiling away with their hobbies, I want you to remember that follow that beat of your drum, it is much more melodious and enjoyable. 

Do you have hobbies that aren’t cool? Tell me. Tell me. I want to know and maybe, I’ll find a hobby. 

Just Another Day of The Year

A time existed when a day was nothing more than a Monday, Thursday, Sunday, or the others in between. People either Thank God, it's Friday or had the Monday Morning Blues Then there are the holidays. Christmas, New Year’s, Mother’s Day, or Valentine’s Day. Look at the calendar and it will pronounce that it is May 18^th.

Just another Tuesday, right? 

Wrong.

Today is the National Day of…well, a few events. 

It is the:

National HIV Vaccine Awareness Day

National Visit Your Relatives Day (Don’t do this unless vaccinated, please)

National No Dirty Dishes Day

National Cheese Soufflé Day 

I Love Resses Day (the candy and I do love Resse’s Peanut Butter Cups) 

Mother Whistler Day

International Museum Day

Send an Electronic Greeting Card Day

All that in one day. Whew! 

Who are the people who decide this? Is it businesses and corporations? Is there a secret ballot? Someone tweeted the idea? I have no clue about those questions. I don’t care. These days are just a little fun with the days. We can use something to make us laugh, expose us to something new or just share a silly tidbit with a loved one. For me, it is my monthly blog-date here at RB4US and maybe, it’s just Tuesday for you or you wish to celebrate this with one of the National days. 

Just one more question:

Isn’t every day no dirty dishes day? 

 

I Don't Know How She Does It

 I am a spinster (unmarried and childless) but I am an aunt and a grand-aunt. Yesterday, my seven-year-old grand-nephew and two-year-old grand-niece stayed the night with me. I love spending time with them, hearing about their lives, interests, jokes, and seeing their personalities. It brings much joy to my life. 

But by the next day, my mind is numb and my body feels like nothing more than melted butter. I always wonder how my niece does it every day. 

The sibling bickering (I remember them from growing up with an older brother), the frantic play, and the noise. That doesn't include helping with school, bathing, feeding and doing all the other stuff mothers do. 

I must confess that I have always been in awe of mothers. From my own to others who make magic happen during difficult times, who work full-time then come home to be a mom. I am in awe of the mothers who become pregnant and lose the child they yearn to hold. The mothers who birth a child that never takes a breath or the mothers who lose a child after hours, days, weeks, months, and years of loving and only to have their hearts shredded and their souls diminished. 

Motherhood is a fearful yet brave act that the world treats as a normal occurrence but is truly a miracle. And not just because of the life that is carried. To give your life to the betterment of another. To sacrifice, to have moments of great worry, great happiness, and everything that happens in between those moments. I am not that brave. But to all the mothers out there, I don't know how you do it. But as a daughter who loves her mother more than anything, I am glad you do it and thankful that you do. 

So, be kinder to yourselves. And give yourself a pat on the back and take a moment to care for yourself. You deserve it.