Looking for help from Readers

Readers, I need your help! I am doing research for an article I am writing about the promotional value of authors hosting their own contests for the September issue of the Romance Writers Report. If you’ve ever read a book, entered a readers’ contest or thought about entering one, I’d love to have some feedback from you. You may answer any or all of the questions, or just share what you think.

1. Have you ever entered an author-sponsored contest?

2. If so, why? The prize? Getting to know a new author? Keeping tabs on a favorite author? Contest junkie? etc.?

3. What prizes draw you to a contest? Free book(s)? New releases? Backlist titles? Pampering gifts like chocolate or lotions? A unique gift? etc.?

4. If/when you enter the contest, do you take some time to explore the author’s website?

5. Has entering or winning a contest ever led you to discovering a new author whose books you will read, check out and/or purchase in the future?

6. Does a repeat regularity of an author’s contest (monthly/seasonally/with each book/etc.) get you into the habit of coming back to check his/her website on a regular basis? Or does the frequency of a contest make it lose its luster for you?

7. Any particular perks or peeves about author-sponsored contests you’d like to share?

Thanks for your help!

Sherry James

Pot O' Gold Contest & More!

My Pot O' Gold contest is offically over. My thanks to all of you who entered. I have drawn two winners this time, and they will each get to choose between Studs for Hire: Woman on Top, or Studs for Hire: Woman in Charge, in e-format.

Drum Roll!!!!

Congratulations to Sue Ahn, and Cynthya Petzen! Woo-Hoo! Contact me and tell me your book preference.

I'll be hosting another contest sometime this summer, so keep a look out for that. But in the meantime, I'm interested in what you'd like to see for my next contest. This is going to be a readers's choice contest. You tell me what you'd like to see for a prize, (within reason, sorry no cars, money or diamonds etc., hey, I'm a starving author!) I'm looking more for prize ideas like book choice, chocolates, coffee, etc. I'd also like you'd to tell me how you want to play the contest. Do you want to read an excerpt and answer a question? Go on another scavenger hunt? Simply enter your name in the drawing? Or do you have another fun, fabulous idea? I'm all ears. Please share. I want to hear from you, the readers!

Sherry

Pot O' Gold Contest

It's contest time again. To celebrate St. Patrick's Day and the arrival of Spring, I'm giving away two e-books (your choice) to two lucky readers. You can choose from my romantic comedy series Studs for Hire: Woman on Top, or Studs for Hire Woman in Charge from Black Velvet Seductions! All you have to do is visit my website, www.sherryjames.com, and find the 3 pots of gold hidden around the site. Email me your answer and you'll be entered! That's it! Deadline to enter is March 31, 2008.
May the luck of the Irish be with you!
Sherry

I'm a Wanted Author!

Wow! What can I say? I'm a Wanted Author. No, I didn't commit any crime, unless you count writing as a crime, but I'm wanted because of my last name. Yep. The good 'ol name of James has gotten my face plastered on a Wanted Poster. Even though I'm not related to the infamous Jesse James, at least not that I know of, I am now a member of the Wanted Poster Club. Well, in a good way. Fellow romance author Marcia James came up with the cute idea of the James Gang. Each month she interviews fellow authors who have James in their names. I'm pleased to be her guest for the month of March. Check out the interview at her web site at http://www.marciajames.net/James_gang.html

Marcia is quite a lady. She is fun and dynamic. I had a blast sitting next to her at the Romantic Times BOOKlovers convention book fair last April in Houston, TX. I don't know how many pairs of thumb cuffs she gave away while signing copies of her book At Her Command from Cerridwen Press, but it was a bunch!

If you could be wanted for something, hopefully good ;-), what would be? A great mom? A good neighbor? A sex symbol? For me, it's a great mom/spouse/friend, a great writer, and a as a compassionate friend of animals. Let me hear from you! I'm always looking for great ideas for characters.

Sherry James

Chatting on Saturday

It's Friday! And that means I will be chatting off and on all day tomorrow, Saturday, March 1st, at Beth Wylde's e-mail group during the Black Velvet Seductions Publisher spotlight day. You do have to join the group to chat, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bethwylde/ , but it'll be a fun day of Q & A, excerpts, and prizes. Be sure to check in and you just might win a free book!

I hope to see you there!
Sherry

5 Hearts for Studs for Hire: Woman in Charge

Golly. The reviews for my Studs for Hire books have been slow in coming but they certainly have been worth the wait. I’ve just received a review on Woman in Charge from the Romance Studio and I’m thrilled.

“Ms. Sherry James has written a marvelously entertaining, fast-paced book which was almost impossible to put down. I love her writing style—she introduces alpha males, but does not minimize the abilities and strengths of the women she pairs the men with. Her characters are dynamic and confident in their abilities to perform. The characters are believable and compliment the sub characters in her stories. . . . I loved this book and anxiously await the release of the third book. I highly recommend it to all.”---Brenda Talley, The Romance Studio

To read the complete review, visit http://theromancestudio.com:80/reviews/reviews/studsforhirejames.htm

I’m so happy Brenda commented that she felt Woman in Charge is a fast-paced book. I love to read fast-paced books and I love to write them, too. It’s nice to know that in her opinion I succeeded. Since writing a book can take weeks, or even months, it doesn’t always seem like the book is meeting that fast-paced goal. In fact, it can often seem like it’s slugging along at a snail’s pace. But, to me that is one positive sign that I am writing a good book. The harder to write, usually the better the book turns out to be.

Do you have any fast-paced favorites? Some of mine are Lois Grieman’s UN Mystery series: Unzipped, Unplugged, Unscrewed, and Unmanned. Julie Miller also does a good job of delivering a fast-paced read in all of her books. Janet Evanovich also delivers an awesome fast-paced read in her Stephanie Plum books.

So what are yours? Do mine make your list? Come on, share! I’m always on the look out for good books.

Sherry

Five Red Roses for Studs for Hire: Woman on Top!

Hey, everyone! I’ve just received another review on Studs for Hire: Woman on Top! I’m thrilled that Red Roses for Authors gave Woman on Top 5 Red Roses.

“Do not be mislead by the title! It is a clever pun. This is sassy, fun and sensual. I loved this romance by an author new to me.” Five Red Roses, Linda.

To read the complete review, go to http://redrosesforauthors.blogspot.com/2008/02/studs-for-hirewoman-on-top.html

Whew. I tell ya, writing a book is hard work. You pour out your heart and soul into every page, every paragraph, and even every word. It’s nice for us authors to be acknowledged by our peers and review sites to give our fragile egos a boost!

I’m curious. Do you use reviews to help you to decide to give a book a try or not? If so, do you only read 4 & 5 Star books, or do the 1 Star books pique your curiosity because you're dying to know what’s so wrong with it to warrant such a low rating? Have you ever read a book and totally disagreed with the rating it's been given?

Happy Hearts Day!
Sherry