Harper Bliss

Lesbian fiction

Why the Pink Bean Series is no longer in Kindle Unlimited

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No Strings Attached

Finally, my long overdue blog post about why I’ve decided to remove the Pink Bean series from Kindle Unlimited, Amazon’s ebook subscription program.

I guess the reason it took me so long to write this down is that it was something I felt that I should do in my gut more than anything.

There are the obvious (and often-repeated) reasons, like no longer being comfortable with Amazon exclusivity and making much more on a sale than on a KU borrow. Anyone who asks me will get these reasons as a reply, but there’s actually more to it, which I will try to explain below.

My #1 long-term goal is Amazon independence

This ties in with no longer wanting any books to be exclusive on Amazon, but it’s much more than that.

Amazon Independence has been a buzzword in our house for a while now. By this, I don’t just mean leaving KU, but no longer relying on Amazon alone to provide the bulk of my income, which is very much the case now.

I’ve always managed to ignore that niggling voice at the back of my brain because, well… to be perfectly honest: because of money.

If it weren’t for Amazon, I wouldn’t be typing this blog post today. Because if it weren’t for Amazon, I wouldn’t be making a living with my writing.

7 years

My first book was published in February 2012 so I’ve been doing this for almost 7 years now and I believe it’s time to look ahead, change strategies, and do things differently in the future.

The numbers are very clear: 2018 will have been our best year yet financially. I could just keep doing what I’ve been doing for the past couple of years: write like crazy, publish like crazy, put everything in KU, and think: goodness me, no matter what anyone says, writing lesbian fiction can be rather lucrative.

But that’s not what I want any more.

Because I can

Additionally, and no less important, I’m leaving KU because I can. Just like I left Facebook in May 2018 because I could. And I happen to think the two are inextricably linked. Leaving Facebook (and all social media) made me realise that I don’t need it. I don’t need it to sell books, to ‘cultivate my brand’, and I certainly don’t need it for personal happiness.

Leaving Facebook was a very personal decision, of course, that had nothing to do with business, but I did make the very conscious choice to no longer interact with a business like Facebook—or should I say a ruthless data-acquiring and money-grabbing machine like Facebook?

It seems like every day there’s an article in the newspaper about Facebook’s disgusting practices—and every day I’m so relieved I no longer associate with them. I also no longer use Facebook Advertising for that reason. In short, Facebook’s no longer getting my data or my money. That’s a very reassuring thought in this day and age.

Who’s got the power?

But this is a blog post about KU… although not really. It’s about Amazon and all it stands for. And about my financial dependence on them when it comes to my income. A not-so-reassuring thought if ever there was one. I’m not specifically talking about all the recent glitches and the slow disappearance of the Also-Boughts, which has already resulted in a significant drop in organic income.

I have the biggest issue with being at Amazon’s mercy. Yes, I make a lot of money through Amazon—to give you an example: only the other day I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed that the KU payout for November had gone up to 0.0052 per page. Which was all very nice, but it doesn’t change the issue at heart. Just like Facebook, Amazon is a behemoth of a corporation that wants to make a lot of money and, ultimately, couldn’t care less about me as an indie author.

They can change the rules whenever they want. They can change the royalty rate or the KU terms and conditions without giving any of us prior notice. For instance, only a few weeks ago, a bunch of indie authors reported that their books were no longer for sale for non-US customers on Amazon.com. But this isn’t about specifics. It’s about the power Amazon has over me, my business, and my livelihood.

I’ll always be there…

Don’t get me wrong: my books will always be available on Amazon. While I’m being frank, I might as well say that the other retailers like Kobo and Apple simply don’t offer a comparable shopping experience. And try to get your book into a Lesbian Romance category! (Although Kobo has just made these available from the back end.)

I’m well aware that Apple is just as big a corporate behemoth as Amazon, but at least they don’t require exclusivity in return for a bigger piece of the pie. Sure, I will miss the KU money, but I strongly feel like I’m getting something else instead. More peace of mind—something that money can’t buy.

I’ll be publishing in a way that is much closer to truly being independent. Because how indie are you when 95% of your income is made on Amazon?

Direct, direct, direct

As I said before, I’m leaving KU because I can. And because my long-term strategy is to sell much more direct.

For years now, I’ve been chasing higher and higher Amazon ranks, writing book after book to dodge the 30-day cliff or the 90-day cliff or whatever’s-next cliff. I’ve made a comfortable living doing so, which, admittedly, doesn’t make this an easy thing to walk away from.

Side note: Ironically, Life in Bits (the book I co-wrote with T.B. Markinson) is currently sitting at the top of the lesfic chart, enjoying a very high rank, thanks to KU. And I won’t lie, it feels wonderful. Just like getting ‘likes’ on Facebook used to give me a dopamine rush, there’s something addictively satisfying about seeing one of my books go to #1 in the charts. But, in the end, it’s just another kind of false validation.

The fragile writer ego

I’ll have to live with it that my non-KU books will no longer shoot to #1 (I think my fragile ego will be able to cope), but again, I’ll be getting something else instead: a long-term strategy to sell more and more books directly to my readers, and as time progresses, to become less and less reliant on Amazon. For me, that’s the only way forward.

All of this also ties in with my decision to write fewer books in 2019. All too frequently in the past year I have found myself simultaneously writing the first draft of book 1, processing edits of book 2, revising book 3, all while gearing up to launch another. For a while, it’s been a good way to make a living, but it’s not sustainable and it’s not what I want anymore. Most of all, because my writing has suffered.

Room to breathe

More than anything, writing is what gives my life meaning. I’m lucky that it also pays the bills. But while paying the bills, I’ve lost track of all the good things writing does for me. More than once in 2018, I simply ran out of time on a book because the next deadline was looming. I won’t name titles, but there are a couple of books that I’ve released in 2018 that I wasn’t 100% happy with—not even 80% happy, to be perfectly honest. And that’s not how I want things to be.

The Harper Bliss Book Factory

The kind of books I write—deeply emotional and often on the edge of controversy—require a lot from me. They take time and thoughtfulness and, most of all, unbridled passion, and I haven’t been able to give that to all of my books. That’s not the kind of writer I want to be.

Just like I feel in my bones that I want more independence, I also feel that it’s time to take it up a level. I want to give you longer, better, more heartfelt books with truly authentic emotion—as opposed to churning out book after book in what I’ve come to call The Harper Bliss Book Factory.

I know this has consequences for you, the reader. But for a while now, I’ve had most of my non-Pink Bean books available on other retailers. If you’re a KU subscriber and only borrow books, then I’m very sorry. If Amazon ever decides to no longer demand exclusivity, I might enrol again. I’m also not completely turning my back on KU. I can’t really say anything about it yet, but in 2019 I will do a different kind of collaboration and the fruits of that might end up in KU (as I’m not the only deciding party.)

Everything will be okay

For the first time in 7 seven years, I’ve also planned to write fewer books next year. But instead of a new release almost every month, I hope to give you longer, more thoughtful books that are ‘quintessentially me’ (to put it in a slightly poncy way). For this reason, I can’t give you a publication date yet for my next book. I’m not even sure yet what my next book will be! I’ve decided to take a writing break until mid-January, and tackle all the tasks that have piled up while I was working in my book factory. Not having my next book in the pipeline is a feeling I need to get used to, but I know that in the end, everything will be okay. It always is.

As I said before, all my books will always be available on Amazon, but also on a bunch of other retailers.

You can find my books on these stores via the links below:

– Direct from me (via PayHip)
– Bella Books
– Apple Books
– Kobo
– Google Play

I hope you understand.

Thanks for reading & Merry Christmas!

Bye Bye, Social Media

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You may have noticed, or, if you’re like me now, you won’t have (good for you!), but I’m no longer on social media.

To be clear, for me ‘social media’ includes Facebook, Instagram & Twitter. I’m still on YouTube, so I haven’t gone completely off the grid.

I wanted to write this blog post to explain why I’ve made this decision and, perhaps even more importantly, why you’ll never find me lingering on the likes of Facebook (so long, Zuck!) again.

The red terror of notifications

Ah, that heady rush when you open your Facebook app and someone has liked one of your posts. Sometimes, even more than one person has liked it. Oh, the joy! Put like this, it sounds silly, but it’s just how our brain works. And Facebook is designed to make us come back for more. I was sick of this near-constant agitation and the quest for ever more dopamine hits.

An hour extra every day

I can’t tell you how many times per day I’ve said to myself: I’ll just quickly check Facebook, only to be pulled into a black hole of link clicking and notification hunting for the next hour or so. I wasn’t counting. I’m not counting now either, but I do suddenly seem to have more time on my hands.

Social media is so effective at leeching on our time, because we don’t notice that it is. But even 5 minutes in the morning, 5 after lunch and 5 before logging off in the evening adds up to fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes that, almost certainly, could have been better spent.

I’m no obsessive lifehacker wanting to make the most out of every minute of my day, but I’d rather not give any more of my time to what is, essentially, an advertising platform. (You’ve no idea how many times I’ve hesitated to buy that pet vacuum!)

I reckon I get an hour extra every day, what with eschewing Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter completely. I use the extra time to go for a walk in the forest, where no one’s trying to sell me a vacuum for my cat.

A weight being lifted

As an indie author, I always believed I had to be on social media. How else was I going to sell books? It was one of these indisputable truths, which turned out to be nothing more than just another myth.

Social media doesn’t sell books, not a great number of them anyway. And isn’t it better to spend the time I gain by not having to come up with yet another witty Facebook status writing new material instead?

Peace of mind, where art thou?

I had a personal profile on Facebook, a page for my author name, and a profile for my author name. I belonged to several groups about lesbian fiction. I even set up my very own Readers Group a few months ago. All of these required constant feeding of one-liners, pictures of my cat, and status updates (preferably with gifs) about my work in progress. All of that followed by the hankering for the instant gratification of a thumbs-up symbol.

It’s no secret that I’m a delicate little flower of a writer and I have no qualms admitting that it was all a bit much for me. My peace of mind has increased significantly because I don’t have to worry about any of that anymore. Meanwhile, my ego is just fine.

Because I may have told myself that I needed to be on social media to sell books and make readers aware of ‘my brand’, but, when I’m really honest about it, it was all about myself. The attention. The dopamine hits. How accomplished it made me feel when someone like Jae left a comment on one of my posts.

I don’t need to have an opinion anymore

I stopped spouting opinions on Facebook a while ago, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t still trying to come up with witty/accomplished/look-what-I-can-do status updates all the time.

An example: a few months ago I bought an old desk I wanted to up-cycle. All through the process of picking it up, sanding it, painting it, and making it look pretty, in the back of my mind there was this little voice: the before and after pictures will look so good on Instagram. What the hell is that about? Was I up-cycling this desk for my personal enjoyment or for Instagram likes?

I don’t wanna miss a thing

The days of me scrolling through my Facebook news feed had been long gone already. But it used to be such a thrill to see what my nephews were up to or which new decadent cocktail my friends in Hong Kong had discovered, but after about a decade of seeing family members’ lunches and old classmates’ babies, I’d had enough.

When we lived in Hong Kong it was the perfect way/excuse to stay up to date with our family and friends in Belgium and vice versa when we moved back home. How many conversations didn’t start with: Oh, I saw on Facebook that you did this… And sure, it may have been convenient, but you know what it also did? Cause FOMO (and so many eye rolls)!

The fragmented mind

I made the decision to quit social media after reading Cal Newport’s Deep Work for the second time. He challenges his readers to try it for 30 days and then see how they feel.

I knew after one day that I wouldn’t be going back, because of all the things I mentioned above: Delicious peace of mind. Like a weight being lifted off my fragile shoulders. Not needing to spend any precious energy on other people’s issues. No longer having to roll my eyes at my mother’s oversharing.

I read Deep Work for the first time a year ago and I really wanted to try a digital fast then, but we were traveling and I wasn’t in the right state of mind and I simply still believed I had to be on Facebook for my brand (how silly does that actually sound when you really think about it?)

This time around, though, I was ready. The book advocates deep work, gives you strategies on how to accomplish it, and lists the many benefits of it. When you read it, you want to work deeply.

Not only does frequenting all your favourite social media haunts eat away at your time, leaving less of it for deep work, but it also fragments your focus. It’s always easier to quickly check Facebook than to write a chapter in your new book. Always. But if there’s no more Facebook/Instagram/Twitter to check, you’ll be less inclined to procrastinate on writing that chapter.

And all the useless information you’re no longer bombarded with leaves your mind far less cluttered and able to focus on what matters: (in my case) how am I going to get these two female characters in bed together?

I’m still here!

You won’t be able to private message me on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram anymore, but you can always email me.

You can listen to my wonky accented voice on our weekly podcast, or even look at my face in our weekly YouTube video.

I’ll also be spending more time keeping my mailing list subscribers up to date about the goings-on in my life (I may even send them a picture of that up-cycled desk!) by sending a newsletter every two weeks, regardless of new releases.

You can always subscribe here (and get some free books in the process!) >>

And who knows, maybe I’ll start writing more blog posts like this one?

Come join my brand new Facebook Readers Group!

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via GIPHY

I now have a Readers Group on Facebook and you’re very welcome to join >>

I’m currently running a lucky draw for French Kissing Audible codes, so do come over and have a look (and join in the GIF fun!)

I hope to see you there!

Huge Lesfic Sale

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Lei ho from Hong Kong, where it’s raining lesfic deals! 😉

Since summer is nearly here, many of you may be looking to stock up your e-readers with scorching lesbian romances to read at the beach, by the pool, or wherever. (Or if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, these may keep you warm.) This is why fellow lesfic author T.B. Markinson has put together a HUGE lesfic sale, of which I’m lucky to be part.

I’ll keep this intro brief because there are many lesbian fiction goodies to discover at rock bottom prices. Here we go…

Please note: this sale ends on May 26th. Before you click the buy button, please ensure the sale price matches.

Now, for the authors and their e-book deals just for you!

Harper Bliss

Harper Bliss is the author of a number of Amazon bestselling Lesbian Romance novels as well as the Pink Bean & High Rise series and the French Kissing serial. She is the co-founder of Ladylit, an independent press focusing on lesbian fiction and My LesFic, a weekly newsletter offering deals on lesbian fiction. Together with her wife, she has a weekly podcast on The Lesbian Talk Show network called Harper Bliss & Her Mrs.

No Strings Attached (Discounted from $4.99 to $0.99)

It’s never too late to find the right person… and yourself along the way.

Micky Ferro has lived her entire life according to other people’s expectations. She married a man, had two children, and became a dutiful stay-at-home mom in suburban Sydney. Until she realized, with a little help from her best friend, that her picture-perfect life wasn’t making her happy.

On the first anniversary of her divorce, Micky decides it’s time for the next step in her journey and gets a job at her neighborhood coffeeshop, The Pink Bean. Becoming a barista sparks a big change in Micky’s daily routine, but could loud-spoken American customer Robin do the same for her love life?

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

Far from the World We Know (Discounted from $4.99 to $0.99)

How far must you run to escape the past?

Laura Baker has just moved to the small Texas town of Nelson for a life of solitude and recovery after a traumatic event that has scarred her irreversibly. But her chosen isolation is difficult to maintain after she meets Tess Douglas, the charming editor of the town paper. Tess is determined to break down the walls Laura has built up around herself. As their friendship develops, so do their feelings for each other. Will Tess be able to get past Laura’s defences? And will Laura allow herself to love, and live, again?

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS / Direct from me / Apple / Kobo / B&N

Suzie Carr

Suzie Carr is a contemporary novelist, podcaster on the Lesbian Talk Show, and avid blogger at Curves Welcome.

With eleven bestsellers on Amazon Kindle, Suzie continues to enjoy writing about the beauty of love and life. She believes strongly in giving back to the community. She donates a portion of book sale proceeds to the Hearts United for Animals and NOH8 Campaign.  

The Dance (Discounted from $5.95 to $0.99)

2016 Rainbow Book Award Runner-Up for Lesbian Contemporary General Fiction

2016 Rainbow Book Award Runner-Up for Best Lesbian Book

Dog trainer Jacky Applebaum is focused on one thing – making up for a grave misunderstanding that damaged her relationship with her fifteen-year old stepdaughter Sophie. They are suffocating under the pressure of hurt and guilt. Old wounds begin to heal between them when a spirited beekeeper named Brooke Hastings contracts Jacky to train her overly-protective dog, Bee. A mutual affinity grows instantly between them, an affinity Jacky won’t allow herself to embrace. But, the heart knows what it needs. Meanwhile, Brooke hires Sophie as her assistant in the bee apiary. A trust forms, and soon Sophie begins to feel alive again as she comes face-to-face with the many parallels between her and the honeybees she nurtures.

Just as they learn to open up and dance with life again, a hurtful truth reveals itself. Will this truth set them free or unravel all they’ve come to learn about life?

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

Sandcastles (Discounted from $5.95 to $0.99)

2015 Rainbow Book Award Runner-Up for Lesbian Contemporary General Fiction

2015 Rainbow Book Award Runner-Up for Best Lesbian Book

Lia is smart, successful, and best friends with Dean, a gay man who is just as neurotic as she. Life is smooth and flowing, unmarked by much more than a little family jealousy here and there, until she runs into Willow, an exciting enigma from her past. Willow, a psychic, receives a sense that something is off kilter surrounding Lia. Should she tell her, even though Lia, the person she’s never been able to stop thinking about since childhood, might run the other way? It’s a risk she decides to take, and Lia’s curiosity surprises her. As truths about life, love and uncertainties are unearthed, Lia and Willow, along with Dean, learn to seek strength from unexpected places and people. Along their journeys, the three learn what a struggle it is to maintain their sandcastles as they embrace the parts of their lives that really matter.

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon FR

JA Armstrong

Nancy Ann Healy writes as J.A. Armstrong and is a woman, a mother, a wife, an author, and an explorer. From a young age she told tall tales and created make believe worlds full of adventure and romance. The difference between J.A.’s tales and those that she spent most of her young life reading, was that she never had much interest in those gleaming knights in shining armor that her friends seemed to dream about. No matter what J.A. became in her fantasies, the outcome was always the same; she found her one true love. And that is where all of these stories were born. So, travel along and enjoy the ride.

By Design (Discounted from $1.99 to $0.99)

Building bridges has a very different meaning for Jameson Reid than it does for Candace Fletcher. J.D. Reid spends her days designing some of the most elegant and majestic buildings and homes in North America. U.S. Senator Candace Fletcher has spent her life working to build bridges between people. J.D. Reid is not who Candace Fletcher was expecting to arrive on her doorstep. Candace will challenge all of Jameson’s preconceptions about the women of Washington D.C. The enigmatic architect will test the resolve of the Junior Senator from New York. Two women will discover that falling in love may be out of their control, but creating a relationship in the world of politics and business is completely BY DESIGN.

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

First Course (Discounted from $1.99 to $0.99)

Devon Brine has just left a successful career as a chef in New York City to open a restaurant with her childhood best friend, Bruce (affectionately known as Solo). Carrie Maynard works across town, the managing partner in a design firm that she owns with her best friend, Darlene (Dar) Willis. When Dar decides to promise a last minute decadent affair to a potential client, Carrie lands in the new restaurant Devon owns. Immediately, the charming chef and the quirky businesswoman feel a strange connection. As their friendship progresses, they discover that they have a few quirky things in common—a love of Star Wars, a love of women, and best friends who constantly need them to come to the rescue.

A story full of humorous banter, overcoming old fears, and finding love where you least expect to, First Course is the first installment in the newest romantic comedy series by best-selling author J.A. Armstrong.

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

Special Delivery (Discounted from $1.99 to $0.99)

Obstetrician Brooke Campbell helps families grow every day. She delights in the anticipation of her patients and finds satisfaction in watching new families be born, and families she’s helped for years continue to grow. Still, something is missing in the doctor’s life. Busy with her work, Brooke is determined to avoid romantic attachments.

Tess Sinclair is a single mom raising two incredibly energetic children, Davey and Dani. Every day Tess delivers packages to Salem Women’s Health Center hoping to catch a glimpse of an attractive doctor named Brooke Campbell.

A chance encounter in a pizza parlor will change the direction of both women’s lives forever. The doctor who has spent her life delivering bundles of happiness for others just got an unexpected SPECIAL DELIVERY of her own.

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

Off Screen (Discounted from $1.99 to $0.99)

To the world looking in, actress Emma Bronson has it all; fame, talent, wealth, and beauty. But, Emma spends most of her nights alone wondering how her life became so secluded. Surrounded by people constantly, she remains lonely. Skeptical of people’s true motives, and guarded in her personal attachments; it seems the one thing Emma craves most in life is destined to allude her; love.

Addison Blake is a charming and witty aspiring writer. She sees life as an endless adventure full of possibility and prides herself on taking chances. When Addison accidentally collides with Emma; sparks immediately ignite. Friendship and companionship are rivaled by an attraction that neither woman has ever experienced. But, Addison seems reluctant to pursue a romantic relationship with the popular television star, challenging Emma to finally demolish all of her self-imposed walls.

Off Screen is the story of two women’s discovery of love and passion and the courage to embrace both.

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

Building Blocks (Discounted $4.99 to $2.99)

It’s often said that in life everything happens all at one. New York’s new First Family is about to find out the meaning of that familiar expression.
Just a few months into her first term as governor, Candace Reid already has a full plate. Managing the business of the State of New York is a challenge that requires creativity, intelligence, and infinite patience. And, that isn’t the greatest challenge facing Governor Reid. With three grown children, and three grandchildren underfoot, the thought of becoming parents to a toddler would have seemed preposterous less than a year earlier to Candace and her wife Jameson. Now, the pair finds themselves juggling the demands of work, the issues facing their grown children, and the needs of their four-year-old adopted son Cooper.

A devastating accident in the state, hurtful allegations, the meddling of distant family members, a health scare, and competing personalities will put Candace and Jameson to the test. As the storms of life rage and pass, Candace and Jameson must endeavor to find their way forward. To succeed, they will require patience, compassion, love, and laughter—the Building Blocks for the future. Falling in love may happen in an instant, relationships and families are BY DESIGN.

Building Blocks is the seventh installment in the BY DESIGN series.

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

Miranda Macleod

Originally from southern California, Miranda now lives in New England and writes heartfelt romances and romantic comedies featuring witty and charmingly flawed women that you’ll want to marry. Or just grab a coffee with, if that’s more your thing. Before becoming a writer, she spent way too many years in graduate school, worked in professional theater and film, and held temp jobs in just about every office building in downtown Boston.

Telling Lies Online (Discounted from $5.99 to $0.99)

When her dating app decides she’s a man, what’s a lonely lesbian to do?

Jamie Richards is a scientist who embraces reason– except when it comes to romance. Tired of her impulsive streak leaving her heartbroken, she’s determined to do everything right the next time she’s in love. But her resolve crumbles when a technical glitch matches her with perfection in Claire, a woman who lives on the opposite side of the country. Who is straight. And under the impression that Jamie’s a guy. But Jamie can’t help being smitten. Would one tiny lie be so terrible if it gets her closer to the woman of her dreams?

Claire Flores is a dreamer and a believer in signs, but she has a secret that keeps her cautious about love. All she wants is a picture-perfect family of her own, but she’s never met a man who attracts her. Until now. Throwing caution to the wind, she goes from Portland to Boston to meet Jay, her online love. Instead she meets Jamie, his work colleague, who befriends her in Jay’s unexpected absence. Claire’s heart is aflutter. Jamie stirs up feelings Claire never knew possible, but how close can she get without having to admit that she’s been lying to herself about her dreams all along?

What starts as a simple fib soon snowballs as Jamie fabricates increasingly ridiculous tales to keep her identity as Jay under wraps, until a comedy of errors threatens to topple the whole charade to the ground. Can true love prevail when it’s founded on a lie?

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

Waltzing on the Danube (Discounted from $5.99 to $0.99)

They’re the only two single ladies on the Lesbian Love Boat. Can opposites attract?

Jeanie Brooks is a small town history teacher who sometimes looks before she leaps, but when she books a last minute river cruise for lesbian singles, she knows she’ll have no regrets. Two weeks of beautiful women and glorious adventure against the backdrop of Europe’s most famous cities—what more could she want?

Eleanor Fielding is an actuarial accountant from Manhattan, and an expert at assessing risk from every angle. Analytical and reserved, the only thing worse than spending the summer floating around with a gaggle of desperate single women is the prospect of her sister nagging her for all eternity if she refuses to go.

But thanks to a ticketing error, Jeanie and Eleanor unexpectedly find themselves the only two eligible women on the Danube. What starts as an awkward alliance to salvage some enjoyment from the trip soon transforms into something more. When it comes to love, can this odd-couple learn to dance to the same rhythm?

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

Holme for the Holidays (Discounted from $5.99 to $0.99)

An American musician with a broken heart meets a local farmer with a hidden past on a holiday house swap in Yorkshire. A charming romantic comedy that will fill your heart with holiday cheer.

A country cottage is the last place Paige expected to spend the holidays, but a year after her girlfriend dumped her, her life is in shambles. A last minute house swap sends her from California to Yorkshire to put her life back on track. She doesn’t believe in forever anymore, but when she meets a raven haired beauty in the local pub, she seizes the chance for a night of fun.

On the brink of fame and fortune, Fiona suffered an unthinkable loss, and a year later she’s given up on singing, and just about everything else. When the brother she relies on too much skips town “for her own good” and loans his cottage to a stranger for the holidays, her life is turned upside down. She knows she can’t make a new relationship work, but when she meets a purple haired American at the local pub, she figures it wouldn’t hurt to blow off some steam.

They never meant to see each other again, yet from the very first morning when the vicar comes to call and Paige gets mowed down by a runaway llama, they just can’t seem to escape their lives becoming increasingly, and hilariously, entwined. And when a series of calamities threatens Christmas in Holme village, the two must work together to save the day, and maybe find true love along the way.

A year ago, their lives fell apart. Can a bit of Christmas magic help them build a new life together?

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

A Road Through Mountains (Discounted from $4.99 to $0.99)

When star-crossed lovers reunite, the road to happiness is anything but straight.

When Cecily Parker volunteers backstage at the Oakwood Theater, the only thing she wants is a few hours of relief from the doldrums of her upper class suburban existence. The last thing she expects is to be reunited with the only person she ever truly loved, a woman she left behind almost twenty years ago.

Rorie Mulloy has built a career as an award winning production designer in Hollywood, but her personal life is anything but a success. When she agrees to design the sets for a community theater production of A Streetcar Named Desire in Connecticut, she has no idea that the woman who broke her heart and ruined her for love will be assigned to her crew.

As the sparks are rekindled between them, these star-crossed lovers just might have a second chance at a life together. But only if they can overcome the ghosts of their past, and survive the evil suburban soccer moms and reality television divas determined to keep them from their happily ever after.

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

 

Your Name in Lights (Discounted from $4.99 to $0.99)

Your Name In Lights picks up where A Road Through Mountains ended. Minor spoilers ahead!

After eighteen years, the stars may have finally aligned to give Cecily and Rorie a second chance at happiness together. The trouble with stars, though: they don’t stay aligned for long.

As Cecily settles into her life in sunny California, she imagines her biggest challenge will be learning to take care of herself as a newly divorced mother and publicly out lesbian. The last thing she expects is to land the acting role of a lifetime. But is it worth being so far away from the loving support of her girlfriend and son?

Rorie is dismayed by the prospect of a long distance relationship, but there’s no time to dwell on it. Between stepping in as a surrogate parent and facing a family crisis of her own, she’s soon in over her head. Will Cecily ever be the true partner that Rorie needs?

Despite time, distance, and some very persistent paparazzi, Cecily and Rorie have found in each other a love to last a lifetime, but only if they can learn to navigate the dual pressures of fame and family.

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

 

Noelle Winters

Noelle Winters grew up in Washington and then decided Arizona was a smart career move. While she has not yet turned into a shriveled husk after four summers, each summer she is certain it will be her last. Noelle can most often be found in Starbucks, sipping frappuccinos and enjoying free A/C as she types away at her latest novel, breaking her characters’ hearts and then putting them back together. While she enjoys reading lesbian romance, she loves writing it even more, and especially enjoys writing two flawed women finding love in each other even when they didn’t think it was in the cards.

Falling for You (Discounted from $4.99 to $0.99)

Two women whose pasts threaten to break them. The last thing they expect is to fall in love.

After a past betrayal, attorney Isi Addison is determined to live life on her own terms. She has no intention of falling in love. But when she meets Taylor at a party – well, lust isn’t love, and one night won’t hurt anyone, right?

Dr. Taylor Wallace has locked her heart away where no one can reach it. She knows getting too close is impossible when her tragic past could mean she’s a ticking time bomb endangering anyone she loves. But then she meets Isi, and gets close to her once, twice…well, who’s counting? It’s not like it means anything.

But when the hospital assigns Taylor to be a consultant on Isi’s malpractice cases, keeping emotions separate from sex isn’t as easy as it seems, and that one night together keeps getting repeated. Again. And again…

Can they leave their losses behind them? Or will the past come to threaten their futures before they get their happy ending?

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

Jea Hawkins

Jea Hawkins writes sweet and spicy contemporary lesbian romance. If love conquers all, then she’d like to think her heroines can rule the world one day. An east coast transplant to the Midwest, she loves to write about complicated women and settings that feel like home.

Personal addictions include autumn, cozy sweaters, hot chocolate, and the Sims 3. She’s both an avid reader and gamer, and hopes readers don’t mind a few geeky references here and there in her work.

Game of Hearts (Discounted from $3.99 to $0.99)

When it comes to encountering love, there is no saving throw.

The last thing Tori wants is to live her life by anyone else’s rules but her own. Ever since she left the world of country clubs and debutante balls behind, she has lived free of the standards imposed by others. But something is missing…

…and that something is Madeleine, a carefree grad student from the same upper class social circles. The attraction is unexpected and, to Tori’s surprise, more liberating than the life she has cultivated for herself. Piece by piece, Madeleine takes down the wall that conflict and heartbreak have built around Tori’s emotions.

Is loving Madeleine the key to Tori’s healing and happiness? And is Tori willing to step back into that world, even just a little, to take a chance on a love that could last?

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

Must Love Chickens (Discounted from $3.99 to $0.99)

City girl meets country girl.

Natalie’s life is on a precipice with too many failed career moves in the last year. Faced with the loss of everything she has ever worked for, Natalie looks for a way to get out of the city and realign her priorities.

When Jessica Morgan places an ad for a new farmhand, she doesn’t expect to hear from an urbanite. And when the respondent turns out to be gorgeous Natalie Wells, she’s really at a loss for words!

Natalie thinks taking a job in the country is a great plan, until she realizes she’s attracted to her boss. When she learns her boss’s bias against her is the result of issues with an ex-girlfriend, Natalie realizes she’s not imagining the sparks between them – that Jess might just be open to a new relationship, if only Natalie can prove she belongs in Jess’s life.

The last thing Jess needs is a new love interest, especially one who works for her! But she can’t deny Natalie is pretty darn cute trying to learn her way around the farm and as she falls in love, Jess wonders if there’s a chance for romance with the city girl…

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

Em Stevens

Em Stevens got a MA in Liberal Studies, but she can’t tell you what that means. She’s worked all sorts of jobs, from cashiering to peddling vitamins to building airplanes. Now she lives in Raleigh, NC with her family and writes about the things she loves: Romance, Happily Ever Afters, and Games.

 

Rook Takes Queen (Discounted from $3.99 to $0.99)

Rook Black is determined to leave her chess career in the past. Unfortunately, beyond being able to kick ass on the board, she doesn’t have many skills to offer up, which leads her to a hustle– and a lot of trouble. Trying to make it right, she’s stuck back in the game and miserable about it… until she meets Carmen.

Carmen Barnes is a beauty queen who’s out to prove she’s more than just a pretty face. Determined to use her crown to change the world, she wants to leave a mark that makes people think. Hosting a chess tournament for a local teen’s homeless shelter is just the thing. One caveat: She doesn’t know a thing about chess. There’s also the stifling rules that come with her title. Romance–or a lack thereof– is written into her contract.

When a stubborn chess player is pitted against an ambitious pageant winner, heads butt and sparks fly. Will Rook’s gambit pay off? Fate aims for a checkmate in this lesbian romance!

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

Critical Hit  (Discounted from $4.99 to $0.99)

Kris Hess has more than enough on her plate. She’s taking care of her sick father, struggling to make deadlines with her art, and keeping up with the bills. There’s no room for dating unless it’s for the long haul, and Kris’s past experiences with women have left her full of doubts. Her relief comes from her weekly Dungeons and Dragons session with close friends. As Dungeon Master, this is one world she can actually control.

Lacey Jenkins is getting over heartbreak. She’s still full of resentment over her emotional vampire of an ex. The sole joy in her life comes from her little terrier, Barkley. Yep, she’s reached crazy dog lady status and she doesn’t care if you know it. But she knows the only way to move on is to start meeting new people, and her coworker offers her the perfect opportunity. Nice, easy, and no drama.

Adventure comes easy while playing a game, but finding true love in the real world is quite a challenge. Are they up to it? It’s a roll of the dice.

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

T.B. Markinson

T. B. Markinson is an American writer, living in England. When she isn’t writing, she’s traveling the world, watching sports on the telly, visiting pubs, or reading. Not necessarily in that order.

Confessions from a Coffee Shop (Discounted from $3.99 to $0.99)

Cori Tisdale was on top of the world. A basketball star at Harvard and a promising author with a lucrative book deal.

A few years later, Cori’s life is falling apart. Her beautiful girlfriend, Kat Finn, has a shopping addiction. To make ends meet, Cori takes a part-time job at a coffee shop.

Just when Cori thinks her life can’t get any worse, an old crush appears out of the blue. Cori’s friendship with Samantha Clarke pushes Cori further into a dangerous abyss when Sam reveals two secrets to Cori and asks her not to tell a soul, including Kat.

Will this be the end of Cori’s and Kat’s relationship?

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

Confessions from the Dark (Discounted from $3.99 to $0.99)

Nobody should ever have to lose a baby before it’s born. Both author Cori and artist Kat feel hollow, yet their strong bond enables them to go on despite tragedy since they’ve been through thick and thin before.

The couple has the support of family and friends, though their romantic antics scream for Cori and Kat’s help. This work of LGBT fiction explores the many facets of sexual identity and attraction. From the philandering of Cori’s high-profile uncle, to the throuple situation of their endearing friend Harold, there’s never a dull moment when it comes to love in Boston, Massachusetts.

Kat has some big life change surprises in store and has been conspiring with Cori’s mom and aunt behind her back. Is the couple headed for another tragedy in this lesbian romance, or will their enduring love conquer all?

Amazon US /  Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

I know I just threw a lot of names, prices, and links at you. Take a deep breath, and scroll back up to see which of the above titles you need to add to your library. I don’t want you to miss out on getting all these fab books before the sale ends on May 26th.

Enjoy!

My LesFic

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My LesFic

Hey all,

Today Caroline and I are launching a brand new weekly newsletter focusing on lesbian fiction ONLY. We have called this new baby My LesFic and it works like this:

1. Sign up to My LesFic for free: www.mylesfic.com

2. Every Friday (at approximately 10AM EST – 3PM GMT) My LesFic will send you a newsletter featuring three to four lesbian fiction books that are discounted on that day.

3. Clicking on a book you’re interested in will take you to our website where you will see which retailers are selling the book at the discounted price.

4. Click on your store of choice and you will be taken to that store to purchase the book and download it to your device.

5. The book is yours to enjoy forever.

That’s it. All you really need to do is sign up, and you’ll get all the deals delivered to your inbox.

We’ve been working hard to include some great books by lesfic favourites in the first few newsletters, which you’ll be able to get at a nice discount… if you’re signed up to mylesfic.com! 😉

If you’re a lesbian fiction author/publisher, you can submit your books here: authors.mylesfic.com

Caroline and I believe this newsletter will be great for both readers and writers and we hope to bring you many exciting deals in the future.

Enjoy!

Seasons of Love is on sale!

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Seasons of Love

Seasons of Love is on sale ($0.99/£0.99 only) until 10 October 2016!

I guess you could say it’s the spiritual predecessor to In the Distance There Is Light (and if you enjoyed that one, there’s a very good chance you will enjoy Seasons of Love). Though less controversial and not nearly as grim, it also features a May/December romance (and we all know how much I love writing those!)

Seasons of Love is definitely one of those books I will always remember writing just because of the sheer joy I experienced while doing so. I even named one of the main characters Joy so… how’s that for subtle? 😉

The promo will only run until 10 October so be sure to pick up your copy before then.

Here are the links:
– Amazon US
– Amazon UK
– Amazon CA
– Amazon AUS
– Amazon DE

Enjoy!

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