I have been a book reviewer here at Jami's Words for more than ten years. I've worked with publishing house review groups, and I've worked one on one with traditionally published authors and indie authors. Book reviews are an important part of an author's world, and working well with book reviewers is important, too. Let's look at some important aspects of working with book reviewers. How you, the author, interact with book reviewers is key. How do we work with book reviewers? Read more to learn ...
Beta Readers: Finding Them & Putting Them to Use
I see questions regularly on social media and in writing groups about beta readers. Who is a beta reader? What do they do? Are their services free? What's the difference between a beta reader and a book reviewer? Let's delve into the world of beta reading. Who is a beta reader? A beta reader is an individual who is a reader first and foremost. A beta reader reads a manuscript and provides feedback on the meat and bones. Ideally, a beta reader is not a family member and maybe not ...
Ten Years and Counting at Jami’s Words | Amazon $10 Gift Card Giveaway
On June 9, 2010, I posted my first review. A lot has changed since then! In ten years, I went from book reviewer and casual blogger to editor. A lot is about to change once again. During the last year, I have been a university student once again and have taken courses to further my skills in editing. I am adding a lot more experience to my resume, and soon, a lot more content will be added here for my writing friends. For now, let's have some fun and look at a few reviews of some ...
Friday Grammar Focus – Commas – Part 1
To be such a tiny thing, the comma has been known to cause frustration in the life of the writer. If you can relate to that, read on; this article will cover the use of the serial comma, and fixing comma splices and run-on sentences. Fixing Run-On Sentences Run-on sentences (also called fused sentences) are sentences that have two or more independent clauses that are not properly joined. An independent clause is one that has a subject and a verb and, thus, forms a complete thought. "Is ...
Friday Grammar Focus – Dashes and Hyphens
The hyphen seems like a simplistic form of punctuation to the average reader. In truth, the words hyphen and dash are often incorrectly used and interchanged. Hyphens and dashes are quite involved little fellows, and it can be confusing to understand which form to use in writing. If you are a writer, these tips will help you to not only distinguish between a hyphen and a dash but to also use them properly. More Than Just the Button Beside the Zero No doubt, when you learned to type, you ...
Menu for November Week 3 – a Birthday Week
It has been a long time since I have made Trim Healthy Mama (THM) posts. My menu posts get a lot of views, so clearly people are interested in those! I'm sharing my weekly menus, and maybe doing so will keep me on the right track! I thought this week would be a perfect time to explain how I plan "cheat" meals. As any of you who follow THM know, the creators Pearl and Serene advocate for food freedom and discourage feeling guilty about choices. Off plan meals aren't forbidden, but clearly too ...
Jami, the Editor
Relocation These days I'm wearing a new hat! Some of you may already know that. I made a small announcement a year ago about taking on the career of freelance editor, then my world went topsy-turvy. At this exact time a year ago, my husband interviewed for a position a few hundred miles away from our home in Kentucky. When he was notified of his acceptance to the position, his start date was about three weeks later. Suffice it to say, we couldn't get moved before his starting date, so ...
Life and Death on Troublesome Creek by Bordes Slone
Writing this leaves me a bit nostalgic. Life and Death on Troublesome Creek is a historical novel by Bordes Slone, and it takes place in the area of Troublesome Creek in southeastern Kentucky. I spent a few years in the area, graduated college there, and having the opportunity to read the novel made me take a step into my own past inside the beautiful mountains of Kentucky. The Art of Storytelling First, let me tell you about the beauty of Appalachian storytelling. Author Bordes Slone ...
The Number of Love by Roseanna White – a review
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White with JustRead Publicity Tours! Follow along with the tour for a special inside peek at how The Number of Love is connected to the author's previous book from another series, A Song Unheard. ABOUT THE BOOK Title: The Number of LoveSeries: Codebreakers #1Author: Roseanna M. WhitePublisher: Bethany HouseRelease Date: June 4, 2019Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Intrigue Three years into the Great War, ...
The Dad Next Door by Stephanie Dees | A Review
A Summary The Dad Next Door, a contemporary Christian romance novel by Stephanie Dees, is a story of second chances. Claire Conley, a social worker, has inherited a mansion from her biological father. Claire, along with her twin sister Jordan, plan on turning the mansion into a foster home. After having had their own difficult upbringing after the death of their mother and their father turning them over to adoption, Claire has a heart for kids who have had difficult childhoods. However, ...
Lethal Legacy by Carol J. Post – a review
Lethal Legacy is Carol J. Post's newest novel in her Murphy, North Carolina series. This Harlequin Love Inspired novel is full of suspense that left me on the edge of my seat. An author who has proven herself to me time and again, Carol Post has impressed me again. Heroine Andrea Wheaton, after having lost her parents in a car crash, has the task of finding answers. After suspecting that someone wanted her father dead, Andrea launches her own investigation beginning with the family home in ...
Christmas with the Cowboy by Tina Radcliffe – a review & giveaway
Welcome to the JustRead Publicity Tour's BLOG TOUR for Christmas with the Cowboy by Tina Radcliffe. Christmas novels are a favorite of mine. Couple that with a contemporary romance foundation, and I'm sold. Tina Radcliffe's newest novel Christmas with the Cowboy was a wonderful story. The hero and heroine were very likeable, and the secondary characters were amazing. Tina's writing is so easy to like. Christmas with the Cowboy had no complicated characters that drove me insane, and the story ...