Cover Art in process

While I can't share it yet - we are still in the early draft stage - the artist for the Desert Breeze cover art has given me several art concepts for the cover of my first book, More than a Job, due out March 15.

Yes, e-books have covers, too. 

This makes the book more real to me, and I can't wait to share! Soon!

Reading again!

When painful arthritis flared up in my thumbs I began to adjust my lifestyle.  I dropped most of my Facebook games.  I changed to a bigger mouse at my desktop.  Sometimes I wore a hand brace to drive any distance to keep my hand in good alignment and to keep me from gripping the wheel too hard - which I would pay for later.  And I stopped carrying my latest read with me.

I travel quite a bit for work, and used to carry four books - the current one, and three to move through as the trip progressed.  Often I could finish all four during the flights and waiting times.

But I found I could no longer hold a book open for long periods of time. 

What to do?

For me, the e-reader has opened up the reading world again.  I can care four or even more books with me.  If I finish all I have with me, I don't have to stop at a bookstore to get more.  I used my sister's Kindle first.  I really enjoy the compact size.  I found, though, that I have already adapted to a touch screen to the degree that I needed another option.  For me the iPad was the perfect blend of other functions and a reader.

I have come to realize that the ereader accommodates many other people, too, in providing reading selections without having to carry heavy books or hold them and turn the pages. 

Do romance and religion mix?

Years ago one of my brothers shared a book with me, and said he loved this author because while there was a lot of suspense, and heat bordering on erotism, the physical part of the romance was always between two married people.

One of the most interesting boundaries to sort out as an author is that of how hot, or physical the romance should be and how you build the heat and urgency of a developing relationship without crossing the line that would offend your own sensibilities or those of your friends and family who honor values of sex within marriage. 

I am currious - maybe some of you have posted about this in the past; if so reply with a link or paste your comments here. 

Why Desert Breeze Publshing?

As I considered options for an e-publisher, I looked first to my friend, Tami.  She has had amazing success with her time-travel romances, and the cover art for each, as I said, is absolutely amazing.  When I submitted to her editor, and got back an offer and contract, I was also impressed by the network of authors assisting each other, and by the work that the publishing house does to get our books out to the public.  There is a team behind each author, working with us for success, including the editor, the cover artist, the network of reviewers, and the support from other authors who are also readers.  We tend to buy from each other because these are the books we are most interested in.

Desert Breeze also has standards for its books, and ratings to assist buyers in buying romance that fits  their comfort level. It has a line of inspirational titles, but also time travel and fantasy, suspense, and others.  I enjoy all of these, so it is a good fit for me.

Check them out at:
http://desertbreezepublishing.blogspot.com
http://desertbreezepublishing.com

So why e-publshing?

I read something earlier this year that struck me as a profound cultural change, a tipping point.  This year we crossed the point where Amazon sold more ebooks than paper ones. E-books had been creeping up, but recently took a huge leap.   At the time I heard this I didn't own an e-reader yet, but I was struggling with another reality, that I was no longer able to hold any book for more than a few minutes due to the arthritis and pain in my hands.  I was also limited in how many books I could carry along on a trip, because I don't manage luggage as well as I used to.  I am a very fast reader, and have been known to finish three or four books on a trip and, rather than carry them, give them away to another reader in the waiting area or on the plane.

Because disability and accommodation are related to my other job, I began to think about how the iPad and Kindle and Nook and other ereaders have opened up options to people with disabilities.  If, like me, you can't use your hands in certain ways, an e-reader on a stand is much easier to negotiate. If carrying a lot of paper books is a barrier -- you can carry more than you can imagine in your ereader and download more whenever you want to purchase them. The related field of audio books has removed siginicant barriers for people with vision disabilities. Our world is changing and the changes are more accessible to people with many different types of disabilities.

The final reason for taking this route is related to Tami Dee, a friend I met through an on-line critique group who has published with my publisher.  I saw the fantastic cover art developed for her, and I joined the book club and ordered her books and learned how easy it is to get great deals on books I really enjoy.

Perhaps some days I will long to hold the paper page in my hand.  The original Star Trek series showed us the nostalga with which Captain Kirk held the printed books in his collection, and that theme has been repeated in other science fiction worlds.

I have an e-reader now, and I am not missing those books at all, at least not yet.  The ease with which I can carry and read large numbers of books thrills me.  It has been awhile since I have read so much, simply because I lacked the stamina to hold a book long enough.  Now I always have the latest book with me, and it is convenient to read it a few minutes or a few hours, depending on my schedule.

So I decided the world is moving to e-publishing for many reasons.  I am on that bandwagon! 

Tomorrow, more about why this publisher.

Check out the Publisher site.

It is official.  I am now listed as an author at Desert Breeze Publishing.  Check it out at http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-template/LynetteEndicott/Page.bok

Why the story matters to me

We meet Paige in the parking lot after she is dismissed from a job she's held for ten years.  We follow her as she dreams about what she wants her life to look like and reaches for the life she wants in spite of all obstacles.

In the big picture, that is what makes a worthwhile life.  Paige finds that as she learns to lean on her faith and trust that she doesn't have to remake her life alone, the Help she needs is there for her.

More than a Job

I am thrilled to announce that my debut fictional romance story is schedule for a March 2012 release by Desert Breeze Publications.