Kissed by Winter Cover Reveal

Here is my new cover for Kissed by Winter!

 

As an artist, sometimes you have to step away from the four covers you designed (and aren't happy with), take a moment to clear your head, and return with a whole new perspective. This is the cover I envisioned in my mind. It just took me a little while to find it, lol. Minimalistic, but simply beautiful!

Kissed by Winter 

A Redford Falls Story ~ Book 2 

Nothing thaws the chill faster than a warm winter kiss. 

A woman who knows what she wants and a man who knows what he needs... 

She's been on a flight from hell for over eight hours, lost four hours of daylight, and arrived in temperatures twenty degrees lower than accustomed to. Disliking winter for a reason she refuses to discuss, Danielle Lerato would rather be anywhere than in Redford Falls. She needs to get the job done and return home before getting caught up in the small town's charm—and the arms of the handsome, brown-eyed restaurant owner. 

Andrew Bailey's first encounter with the buttery blonde didn't go so well, and he well-remembers the chill of the glass of water she dumped over his head. Now, nine months later, a raging storm drops Danielle back into his life. She's determined to leave, but he'll do whatever it takes to convince her to fall in love with Redford Falls…and him.

A New...New Cover for His Candy Christmas

As an artist, I tend to be a perfectionist and sometimes it gets in the way of the vision in my head because I tend to go too far when creating an art piece. That saying 'stop while you're ahead' screams inside my mind, but I don't listen and keep going. Sometimes my art pieces are tossed in the trash/recycle bin or sometimes they turn out even better than the original.

If you stopped by my blog on March 13, you would have seen my post on revealing the cover for His Candy Christmas. It looked like this...

I designed five other covers but picked that one (and after getting critiques from my family, lol). But I wasn't completely happy with that cover. It was too muted and didn't grab me. SO...this weekend I designed a new...new cover.

I am beyond thrilled with my new design! It really portrays the story and stands out a lot more. I love it, and so does my family, lol. I went back to my March 13 post and updated the cover reveal to the polished (new) cover.

I also worked on a new cover for Kissed By Winter, which again took me five designs before I finally hit the jackpot with the 'right' look/feel. Be sure to watch for that cover reveal later this week!

Bedtime Stories

In this art piece, I combined a few of my favourite things - reading, stars, and the moon.

While momma was reading a bedtime story, this little guy just couldn't keep his eyes open. Could he be dreaming about traveling in space?

How to Have a Great Garage Sale (Part 2)

If you visited my blog last Tuesday, you read part one of my guest's post on having a garage sale. Kelli is back today to share more helpful tips and tricks. Take it away, Kelli!

Hello Everyone, 

Welcome to Part 2 of my blog series on how to have a great garage sale. In Part 1, I discussed what to do before you have a sale. In this blog, I’ll give you some expert tips and advice on what to do on sale day. Ready? Let’s go! 

Start with Signage: Put up all your signs as early as possible. (I enlist a helper to take care of the signs while I set up the sale.) If your sale starts at 8am, start putting up signs by 6:30 or 7am. You can also attach balloons to your mailbox or a tree to help shoppers find your house. Remember, you want to draw customers to your location. Which brings me to… 

Early Birds: Early birds (or EBs) are people who show up hours before your sale starts. They think that by arriving super-early they can get the best deals, but they’re just an annoyance. I’ve been besieged by EBs parked outside my house two hours before my sale started. They weren’t happy when I wouldn’t let them dig through my unpacked boxes, and got huffy when I told them to come back later. 

If you engage with EBs while you’re setting up, have a friend or a relative keep an eye on them, just in case they decide to help themselves to something while you’re busy. (Yes, shoplifting does happen at garage sales.) If you’re selling small, high priced items like watches or jewelry, it’s a good idea to have a helper stand guard over them during the sale. 

Setting Up: Now it’s time to set up your sale. I put large or higher-priced merchandise (bikes or furniture) at the end of the driveway, closer to the road. This will attract people who are passing by, and might entice them to stop. 

From there, I line both sides of my driveway with tables. This lets the shoppers see everything I have for sale, and they’re more likely to buy stuff if they can see it. 

Group similar items together on one table. For example, make a table of kitchen-related items, such as dishes, mugs, sugar bowls, etc. When customers can see all of your themed merchandise in one place, they may linger and buy more. If you’re selling several small items (stuffed animals, paperback books, gift bags) put them in a box and label the box “$5 All”. It’s a fast way to make a sale. 

Be sure you have extra price stickers, pens, tape, newspapers (for wrapping breakables) and bags handy. Keep your change/cash box in a safe location and assign a helper to watch over it when you’re busy waiting on people or need a bathroom break. 

While You’re Selling: Make your sale an inviting and engaging environment. Talk to everyone and be friendly. Greet them with a simple “Good morning” or “Hello” and ask if they’re looking for something specific. If people feel comfortable, they’ll browse longer. 

I’ve been to sales where the seller was yelling at their spouse, arguing with children, ignoring customers because they were talking on the phone (or texting or playing games) and doing all sorts of other rude behavior. Their actions/attitudes drove people away from the sale. Don’t let this be you. 

As you sell down, rearrange the stuff you still have (and regroup it if needed) so it looks like you still have a lot of merchandise. This will keep shoppers interested. 

Haggling: People have different opinions about haggling. Some people set higher prices knowing they’ll go down if someone asks for a deal, while others refuse to budge on the price. Haggling is up to you. My advice is to use your best judgement. If you’re selling a bookcase for $10 and someone offers you $2, you’re okay with refusing the offer. If someone offers you $1 less than the listed price on something you don’t really love and want to get rid of, take the $1. After all, the goal here is to sell your stuff and make some money. 

Winding Down: As the sale winds down, start lowering prices. I do this two hours before the sale ends. I also place stuff I know I don’t want in a box, label it “FREE” and put it at the curb. People will stop to check it out, and may do some shopping, too. 

After the Sale: As soon as the sale is over, ask a helper to remove all the signs. Most towns don’t like them hanging around after a sale. 

Do a final sort of the unsold merchandise. Ask yourself if you really need or want each item, and if not, it goes into a donate box. Drop off all your donations or arrange for them to be picked up as soon as possible. I find it liberating to be rid of extra “stuff” and don’t even remember (or miss) what I’ve sold or donated. 

If you have large items that didn’t sell, you can post an ad for them on Facebook, Craigslist, or other sites. 

When all the unsold merchandise has been sorted, sit back and count your money. Hopefully, you made a good profit. What do you do with the money? Anything you want. You’ve earned it! Why not save it for a vacation, go out to dinner, buy flowers for your garden, or donate it to a local animal shelter? 

Having a great garage sale takes a bit of work, but in the end, it’s worth it. You’ve got some extra money, less stuff, and lots of customers who are satisfied with their treasures. 

Hope you have a great sale! Until Next Time, Kelli.

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 20+ romance novels, 6 mystery/horror ebooks, and several non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror and mystery stories. She is also the author of More Than I Bargained For, a cozy mini-mystery set at an estate sale. Visit her website/blog: www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list, book summaries, and social media links.

His Candy Christmas Cover Reveal

I'm excited to share the new cover for His Candy Christmas!

His Candy Christmas is being edited to include a new plot twist and it needed a fresh new cover.

Here's the refreshed back cover blurb:

When returning home contains a cool nip in the air, irresistible chocolate...and a Santa suit.

Candace Cane agrees to sign the divorce papers with one condition, Jackson Frost must be Santa Claus in her chocolate shop for four days. Will Candace’s Christmas miracle fall apart when Jackson discovers they aren’t married?

Jackson returns to his small hometown for one reason...to get a divorce. So, he's not sure how he ends up in a Santa suit in the middle of a chocolate shop, at the behest of its beautiful owner, instead of high-tailing it back to the city as fast as he can.

It’s going to take more than a few pieces of chocolate to fill this Scrooge’s heart with Christmas cheer. Luckily Candace has a whole shop full.

How to Have a Great Garage Sale (Part 1)

Today, I'd like to welcome back my regular guest, Kelli, who has a great post to share. If you're thinking about having a garage sale, this is the post to read. And be sure to return next week for part two!

Hello Everyone,

Spring is around the corner, and soon it will be garage sale/yard sale season. If you’re like a lot of people, you probably have some extra stuff lying around. Now is the perfect time to gather it together and have a yard sale. 

Part 1 of this series will get you ready for your sale and Part 2 will show you what to do on the day of the sale. Let’s get started! 

Where & When to Have Your Sale: Most people have garage sales/yard sales at their homes, but if you live in a remote area, ask a friend or a relative who lives in a more populated place to let you host the sale at their house. (And they can sell some of their stuff too!) 

Some towns require a permit to have a yard sale. Permits are usually free, but call and find out. If you don’t have a permit, you risk getting a fine and a visit by the police. (This happened to someone I know. And no, the officer didn’t buy anything.) 

While you’re checking about the permit, ask if your town does an annual townwide sale. A townwide sale means everyone in the town is allowed to have a sale on a certain day, and there’s no permit required. These sales are becoming more popular and are often held in the spring or fall.

If you’re not taking part in a townwide sale, pick a date for your sale. Most people have the sale for one day, with Saturday the most popular day. Avoid scheduling your sale during major holiday weekends because many people are on vacation or celebrating at home. 

What to Sell: About two weeks (or a month) before your sale date, start combing through the house and decide what you want to sell. Go room by room and take a hard look at the “stuff” you have. Ask yourself if you still use it, need it, or want it—if not, put it in the sale pile. If you have children, ask them to sort through their toys or collectibles and see what they want to part with. 

So, what should you sell? Anything! Toys, books, exercise equipment, furniture, candle holders, bakeware, dishes, clothes, silverware, jewelry, luggage, electronics, holiday decorations, knickknacks, collectible glassware, purses, art supplies, tools… the list is limitless. Yard sales are fun for treasure-seekers. I’ve always said, “You never know what you’ll find.” I’ve seen (and bought) some strange things at yard sales over the years. 

If you’re going to sell clothing, make sure it’s in good condition (nothing ripped or stained) and clean. Baby/toddler clothes generally sell well at sales. If you don’t feel comfortable selling the clothes but still want them out of the house, consider donating them to a local charity or Goodwill. 

The general rule of selling anything is that it works, it’s clean, and in good shape. Nobody wants to buy a broken lamp, a throw pillow covered in dog hair, or moldy-smelling suitcases. Don’t even try to sell expired food, half-used bottles of shampoo, medicine, or anything illegal. (Yes, I’ve seen people do all this.) 

If you don’t have a lot of your own things to sell, invite friends, neighbors, and relatives to join in and have a multi-family sale. The more stuff you put out for sale, the more buyers you’ll attract. 

A Few Tips: Now is a good time to make sure you have enough tables to display your merchandise. If you don’t, ask a friend or a neighbor if you can borrow a few. Also, arrange to have at least one reliable person to help you on the day of the sale. You’ll need someone to put up signs and watch merchandise for you. 

Be ready to make change for your customers. Quarters and small bills are a must! I get $50 in $1 bills and several dollars in quarters so I can make change easily. 

Pricing: Items with prices sell better than items without prices, so it’s to your advantage to price everything. Yard sale shoppers are after bargains, so don’t make your prices too high.

As you do the pricing, ask yourself what the item is worth to you and how much you’d like to get for it. I price things low (under $5) because I want to get rid of them. You can set prices a few dollars higher and go down if someone wants to haggle, or set the price you want and put “firm” on the tag. 

If you have many items that are the same price, use a color-coded tag or sticker to make pricing easier. For example, use a green sticker for everything that’s $1, a blue one for things that are $2, a red one for $5, etc. Then make a sign explaining the prices. 

I don’t bother pricing anything I’m selling for a quarter. Instead, I group all the items together on one table and make a sign that says “Everything on this table 25 cents each”. 

Advertise: A week before the sale, start spreading the word. List your sale on social media (Facebook has groups for yard/garage sales, plus local/town pages), Craigslist, garagesalefinder.com, yardsalesearch.com, nextdoor.com, garagesalestracker.com and other sites. You may be able to list your sale on your town’s website. 

Keep the listing short, but include your address, date (with a rain date) time, and a bit about what you’re selling. Words like “All must go” and “Everything Priced to Sell” are great attention grabbers. 

When it comes to signs and flyers… the bigger the better! You want to attract a lot of attention, so make your signs big and bold. Use bright colored paper and write in HUGE letters with a thick black marker. If people can’t read your sign, they won’t bother to stop at your sale. (I’ve passed by sales because the sign was illegible, too tiny, or didn’t include crucial info.) 

Post your signs at both ends of your street, major intersections, and anywhere else you can think of. Sign can generate lots of customers who may be driving around and decide to stop “just to take a look.” 

I hope you enjoyed this post and found my tips helpful. In Part 2, I’ll share more info and advice about what to do on the day of the sale.

Until Next Time, Kelli. 

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 20+ romance novels, 6 mystery/horror ebooks, and several non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror and mystery stories. She is also the author of More Than I Bargained For, a cozy mini-mystery set at an estate sale. Visit her website/blog: www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list, book summaries, and social media links.

Happy Birthday Keefer

Wednesday, March 6th was my little/big bear's 6th birthday. Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday he was a little bear sitting on my lap, and now that little bear is a solid muscle, 110-pound big bear. Keefer is a yellow lab and like most labs, he's a kind and gentle soul. He just wants to be cuddled and loved. However, don't come anywhere near our property because that's when he'll let you know you don't belong. Keefer has always been a great watch dog. Some days he acts like a puppy being silly and playful and then he is an old man who just wants to nap, lol. 

We've disrupted Keefer's peaceful life by bringing Rambler into the house. Keefer wasn't too sure about the new family member. It took a few months before he decided Rambler wasn't too bad. He has a lot of patience to put up with the feisty eight-month old, and his patience has been rewarded because they have now bonded. Seeing them cuddle is too cute.

Keefer is a sweet and special boy. I pray we have many more years with my little/big bear. He'll always be my baby boy no matter how old he is. Much love was given to him not just on his 6th birthday but ever day.

💖

Take a Breath

Hi! I'm back!

First, I want to thank Kelli who has been wonderful with filling in for me while I was hiding in the writing cave, and I've asked Kelli to stop by every now and then to share her stories, which she has graciously accepted.

I had a March 1st deadline and I achieved it! I spent months researching a new form of writing and then in February I took one of my books and reformatted it. The learning curve was difficult, but I am really happy with the final product. I have decided to reformat several of my books. But first, I'm taking a well-deserved week off. I have a few book reviews to write and I want to design new covers for my library of books. I also promised a writing friend I would create a book trailer for her upcoming release. And, I want to work on a few art pieces. I might even paint! Wow...that doesn't sounds like a relaxing week off, lol!

I hope to post more on my new writing adventure soon, but for now, I'm not saying too much as I don't want to jinx the universe of good vibes. In the meantime, I'll be back soon to share some photos of my boys. :)