Blog - Mona Ingram

What’s In It For Me?

May 1, 2014 by Mona

Please help me make one of my books free on Amazon.

Friends and readers often ask me why some of my books are free. We authors assume you know, which is probably a big mistake.

Getting a book to market is a time-consuming, expensive proposition. So why give it away?

Because in many cases it’s the first book in a series. We authors hope that you will enjoy it enough to buy the rest of the books in the series. If we’ve done our job, you’ll do just that. I wouldn’t be the first author to point out that an e-book often costs less than a designer coffee.

iTunes, B&N/Nook Books and Kobo allow free on a permanent basis. Amazon is different. Amazon’s policy is that, at their discretion, they will price match other e-book retailers if customers report to them that the book is available at a lower price somewhere else.

And this is where I’m requesting your help. My book Loving From Afar is the first book in The Women of Independence Series, and is available free at the three outlets mentioned above. I’d really like to see it free at Amazon, and I’m asking your help to report it. You don’t need to have purchased it, but you do have to have an account with Amazon to report it.

If you haven’t done this before, here’s how it works:
Copy any of these links, which show where the book is available for free:
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id845351007
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1118970807?ean=2940045783538
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Loving-From-Afar/book-vIajm9hPS0yVgiBx2pVEQw/page1.html

Then go to the sales page on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, or Amazon.ca, depending on where you have your account. Here are the links:
US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DGFXDLO
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DGFXDLO
CA: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00DGFXDLO

then scroll down to ‘tell us about a lower price’ in Product Details, and click that line. A small form opens up. You click on Online/Website, and paste in whichever URL you chose from the above list. Price: 0. Shipping: 0, then click Submit, and it’s done.

Report more than one place it’s free if you like, but I’m grateful for any and all reports.

I’ll let you know if it works, and thanks.

Reprint of interview with The Romance Reviews

April 20, 2014 by Mona

The Romance Reviews was kind enough to run a feature on my series The Women of Independence. Here’s how it went:

Q: When you started this series, did you already have a clear vision of the books and characters you wanted to write about, or did that evolve over time?

A: I thought I did. In my mind, it started out as one book with three female characters. I let my books percolate around in my head for a long time before I actually start writing, and when it came time to sit down at the keyboard, I realized that each of the three had a compelling story of her own. So it quickly became a series. It was important for me to make each book a stand-alone; (I’ve blogged about how I hate cliff-hangers), as well as allowing the characters to flow back and forth between all three books. I think I’ve accomplished that fairly well, and the readers agree.

Q: How do you keep track of your series details?

A: I’m what’s termed a “pantser”. For those who may not be familiar with this term, it means writing by the seat of your pants as opposed to using a strict outline. I’ve tried both, and for me, the story flows more naturally when I let it go off in directions I hadn’t originally considered. Makes it more fun, too. I do, however, think of the book in scenes. I can often be seen sitting at my computer staring down at the keys. I’m visualizing the scene. I also buy some inexpensive card stock, and cut out pictures from magazines for the characters. They don’t have to be an exact likeness, just close to who the character is in my head. I give each one a label with their name and important details like age, height, hair colour, eye colour, etc. When I was writing Book Three, Never Look Back, I printed out a gorgeous picture of the Santa Monica pier at sunset. I was surprised by how often I looked at it.

Q: In the first book, Loving From Afar, what kind of woman was Allison Ransome? How could she have borne losing everything, especially Cole? Tell us how this loss shaped her character.

A: Wow, what a good question. It brings tears to my eyes to think about it. Rather than give the story away, I’ll just say that she went through a rough time after Cole left, but over time, the tragedy of what happened began to strengthen her resolve. Of course she had the love and help of her sister. But she never forgot Cole, and was never able to give her heart to anyone else.

Q: What was Allison and Cole’s first meeting like, ten years later?

A: It was tempting to have them run into each other’s arms, but I don’t believe that would have happened in real life. This is the most true-to-life series I’ve written, and it was important to me that it be honest, within the parameters of a romance. But to answer your question, the meeting was tentative, but poignant. They had both made mistakes along the way, and they had a lot to explain… a lot to think about. Actually it’s one of my favourite scenes, because it’s so real. When he rides off, I can feel the ache in her heart, wanting to reach out to him.

Q: In book two, The Last Goodbye, what kind of man is Grayson, that he so captivated Danielle? What do you feel is the most heartrending moment between them?

A: Grayson is a director from Hollywood, where you’re only as good as your last film. Danielle doesn’t want to fall for him, but he’s handsome, charming, and vulnerable at the same time. They have many of the same interests, and it’s almost inevitable that they would fall in love. The most heartrending moment is one I enjoyed writing. She can’t bear to say goodbye in person, but she knows the direction the film production company’s private jet will take to climb out of the valley. She rides her horse up to a rocky promontory and waves goodbye.

Q: In Never Look Back, book three, please tell us more about Maya. How did the past play a role in shaping her character?

A: Maya leaves home when her step-father starts showing an unhealthy interest in her. She’s watched her mother rely on first her father, then her step-father all her life, and determines that she will be independent. To that end, she works hard to save money with the goal of buying a small home. Falling in love is something she’s never considered, but when it happens, she falls hard.

Q: Which is your favorite scene in the entire series? Why?

A: The scene at the end of the last chapter in Book Three, Never Look Back. There’s something about this scene, where Maya is watching people walk the red carpet at the Academy Awards. I can see her leaning forward, talking to the television, and I honestly shed a few tears when I wrote it. I re-read it the other day, and it still chokes me up.

Q: Among all the characters in the series, major and minor, which is your favorite? Why?

A: I have one of each… major and minor. Carmen Santangelo plays an important, but secondary role as the movie star who comes to Green Lake Ranch in Book Two and captures the heart of Danielle’s Uncle Jake. She’s earthy, she’s sexy, and she knows what she wants. I also like Cole, Allison’s love interest in Book One. He protected his friend, he helps youths at risk, and his moral compass doesn’t waver. Some readers didn’t care for the fact that he had a love interest in the ten years he was separated from Allison, but here again, I made this series real, and I believe that’s what a young man would do.

Q: What kind of research did you do in the process of writing this series? Please share with us an interesting fact that you came across.

A: In Book Two, Grayson has a ranch near San Luis Obispo. I haven’t been there, but I went to Google maps and took my little orange man and drove along the roads out toward where I imagined his ranch would be. The surrounding area is very similar to where this series takes place… the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. I love that little Google guy.

Q: Will there be more in The Women of Independence series? Please give us a sneak peek.

A: Yes, there will be one more book, but not for a while. I believe that Katie deserves a book of her own, and readers agree. In the meantime… oh, I see you’ve asked that in the next question.

Q: What’s up next for you?

A: As this interview goes live, I’m just starting a new series. It’s a historical romance series featuring three different women, a slight departure for me, but I’m quite excited about it.

Fast Answer Questions:

Last book you read:Creole Belle, by James Lee Burke

Favorite vacation location: Long Beach, on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

Favorite dessert: Crème brulée

Favorite drink: Ice cold water

Favorite place to write:In the darkened, quiet corner I have set up specifically for that purpose

It Must Be Spring…

April 9, 2014 by Mona

… because every spring I take a critical look at my book covers and my fingers itch to change ’em. This year, it’s one of my faves that’s undergone a small, but hopefully positive transformation.
The previous cover was lovely, but for some reason people haven’t been noticing it. This is a delightful romance, and I hate to see it go unloved, so I created a new cover. Let’s hope it draws a bit more attention to this story that has one foot in the present world, and one firmly planted in the prairies of the 1930s, when things were hard, and people went to the local Dance Hall for entertainment. If you choose to read it, I hope you enjoy!

Oh, wait. I almost forgot the commercial. It’s now available on iTunes and Barnes & Noble. Here are all the links:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051QFLGG
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0051QFLGG

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id825943272
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1013117298?ean=2940148158387

Who said social media is evil?

February 28, 2014 by Mona

A lot has been written about the evils of facebook… all social media, come to think of it. I’ve nodded my head from time to time, silently agreeing with what I’ve read.

But in the last week, culminating in the last twenty-four hours, I’ve witnessed and been a small part of something so remarkable, I had to share.

I belong to a writer’s group. All genres are represented, and the members are from all over the world. It’s a relatively small group, which means that we ‘know’ each other. As in most groups, some participate more than others. We have one member who is a remarkable talent. He’s a gifted illustrator as well as a top-notch author. And he hasn’t been feeling well.

He told us about going to the doctor, and all week group members have been posting, asking him how he’s feeling. Yesterday, he learned that he has colon cancer.

The outpouring of genuine affection for this young man hasn’t surprised me. He’s a kind, giving person, and, I suspect, something of a philosopher in his own right.

None of us ‘know’ this man, at least not in the traditional sense. But that’s my point. Social media has changed how we get to know and interact with people. (Except those ones in the middle east who want to put six million dollars in my bank account – I don’t think I’ll ever want to ‘know’ them.)

I’ve watched the messages go from expressions of dismay and support to a light-hearted discussion on whether or not he should shave his head and get the hair loss over with. He’s told us that humor is a big part of how his family deals with adversity, and he’s given us permission to laugh with him. I know that every member of the group will go to sleep tonight feeling a little humbled at the way he’s dealing with this new obstacle in his life. And, depending on their own personal beliefs, sending positive energy and prayers his way.

Social media can be a good thing, if we let it.

I’d Never Do That To You

February 17, 2014 by Mona

Picture me with a hand over my heart. Got it? Okay, now hear me say these words: “I will never, ever write a book with a cliffhanger.”
   What brought that on? Well, I read a lot. I like action, mystery, romance. I like big names, and not-so-big names. I guess you could say I’m an equal opportunity reader.
   A couple of days ago I finished a romance by a new author. (New to me, at least). The book ended with a deliberate cliff-hanger. The author even went so far as to have a section at the back saying, in effect, nah nah na nah nah, now you’ll have to buy the next book.
   Too bad I was alone at the time, because I’d be willing to bet there were little wisps of steam coming out of my ears.
   The result? I’ll never, ever, buy a book by that author again. I’ve gone back and checked the product description in Amazon, and there was no warning that this book was not a stand-alone.
   Cliff hangers aren’t necessary. Many authors, including myself, write delightful series, and each story has a satisfying ending. Sure, we’ll offer you a look into the next book in the series, and if you liked the first one, we hope that you’ll buy the next ones, but if you stop at one book, at least you aren’t left hanging. My series The Women of Independence is a good example of that.
   I was so enraged that I swore off romance for a while. I bought a book by an author I hadn’t read before and wow! Billy Kring knocked my socks off with Outlaw Road. Non stop action centering around a border patrol agent in Texas. And guess what, ladies? The protagonist is a kick-ass female. I now know of two authors who write kick-ass females. The other is Russell Blake with his Jet series.
   So something good came out of my disappointment. Two things, actually. First, it strengthened my resolve to never, ever write a story that leaves you hanging. The other is that I found a new author.
   Hey… it was a good day after all.

On Special This Week

February 15, 2014 by Mona

Full Circle. One of my earlier, and most popular books, is on special until February 21st. This title, regularly selling for $3.99 is now offered at $0.99. Enjoy!

Here’s the blurb:

Bella Thompson has news: she’s pregnant. But before she can tell her boyfriend Jeffrey, he shatters her with the news that he’s going to marry someone else. Bella is given a choice: Go to Atlanta and give up her child for adoption, or leave town and raise her child on her own. The choice is clear, and she travels to California, where she settles in Santa Monica.
Determined to make her own way in the world and return to Willow Bend on her own terms, Bella puts all her energies into building a successful business with her partner Rafael Vargas. But at what cost?
Follow Bella as she struggles to balance her passion for business with the ultimate prize…love.

Get it at Amazon:

US Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NTW8SU

UK Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005NTW8SU