Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

$5 Gift Card & Ebook Giveaway!!

ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A $5 AMAZON GIFT CARD, AND THE EBOOK
YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO MURDER!




a Rafflecopter giveaway


Available NOW!
There's a killer in Sanctuary, and the prime suspect is a horse! 

When spirited Ember Burns is led back home to open her own veterinary practice, her first client lands her in the middle of a mystery. It starts as a desire for Ember to clear her name, and turns into a personal entanglement in a rapidly unfolding story of lies and deceit. 
The small mountain town of Sanctuary has always had its secrets. Who can be trusted? It's been ten years since Ember lived there but roots run deep. Discerning friend from foe isn't an easy task. Relying on her intelligence and instinct, Ember tries to piece the clues together as the town gears up for its centennial celebration. 
From the quaint historic shops, to the rugged mountains surrounding them, Ember works to unveil the true culprit before they get away with murder.

Don't wait! Click HERE to buy it now! (Always FREE with Kindle Unlimited)




How about a guaranteed FREE Ebook?


THE SECRET OF CAMP WHISPERING PINES




Can be read as a stand-alone!
-Discover the series being called a modern-day Nancy Drew
What could be better than hiking, swimming, and horseback riding? Having a mystery to solve, of course!
When Sam and Ally go off to summer camp together, they discover the secrets of Camp Whispering Pines. Set in the beautiful, rugged mountains of the Pacific Northwest, the clues are slowly revealed and it's up to the two girls to figure it out.
New friendships are formed, while at the same time enemies lurk nearby. The closer they get to uncovering the truth behind the camp, the further they are pushed into danger and deceit. Can Sam and Alley put all of the pieces together before it's too late? Follow them on another thrilling tale filled with excitement and adventure, along misty, high mountain trails and deep ravines, where the answers wait to be found!

  
Read the whole Samantha Wolf Mysteries series, now an Amazon bestseller!

Book 1 The Mystery of Hollow Inn
Book 2 The Secret of Camp Whispering Pines
Book 3 The Beach House Mystery
Book 4 The Heiress of Covington Ranch
Book 5 The Haunting of Eagle Creek Middle School
Book 6 A Mysterious Christmas on Orcas Island
Book 7 The Case of the Curious Canine
Book 8 The Legend of Shadow Mountain


Click HERE to start your adventure!



You can read the WHOLE 8-book series for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

Click HERE


Saturday, January 6, 2018

Get 2 #BoxSets for less than 1 #NancyDrew #eBook!


(Comment below for your chance to win book #8, The Legend of Shadow Mountain!)

Yup! That's right. One Nancy Drew eBook costs $6.99. Box set 1 in The Samantha Wolf Mysteries is normally priced at only $5.99 and set 2 is on sale until 1/12/18 for .99! You can have SIX eBooks for an amazing price of $6.98. Then, if you STILL haven't had your mystery & adventure fix, you can go on to read books seven and eight, available now!!
(books can be read out of order)







An endearing series perfect for fans of Nancy Drew!

Whether you're craving a good, old-fashioned mystery or you're looking for a clean read for your child, this is the series for you!

Sam and Ally are two twelve-year-old girls growing up on the coast of the Pacific Northwest, in Washington State. While they encounter and battle all the normal preteen issues in today's world, they also manage to always find a good mystery to solve!

Unlike so many of the novels and series out there on the market, the Samantha Wolf Mysteries are clean, light-hearted tales that involve likable and realistic characters. Sam and Ally prove that you can be a good friend, have sibling rivalry, and family issues while at the same time being intelligent and kind. Not only that, but they use their uncanny intuition for trouble to help others, and have a good time while doing it!



Want more? How about book #8 for FREE? Just make a comment below, and I will randomly select winners to gift it to from Amazon. No strings attached. :)





Like mysteries? How about cozy mysteries? I'm launching a new, adult cozy mystery series (under my pen name, Tara Meyers) in March! If you would like to join my special street team, hop on over to the secret Facebook group, THE SECRET SOCIETY OF SANCTUARY, where you'll get special deals, giveaways, and an advanced review copy of the first book, You Can Lead a Horse to Murder. Please, only SERIOUS readers. I'm looking for a special group of people who are willing to read, give feedback, review, spread the word, and share this experience with!!!

Saturday, December 9, 2017

TWO Free Books!

HAPPY SATURDAY!


To kick off the days leading up to my favorite holiday, Christmas, I have made TWO of my ebooks free for a few days.

First, book #3 in The Samantha Wolf Mystery series, The Beach House Mystery!





What should be a quiet week at the beach turns into the most challenging mystery that Sam and Ally have uncovered yet. What's the truth behind the odd family renting the cabin next-door? Is the tale of a sea creature and haunted lighthouse just a myth? How does a missing girl, and suspicious boat tie into all of it? The girls can't solve this puzzle on their own, so they turn to their brothers for help.

Travel with them to the scenic Washington Coast and into the Olympic Rainforest, where the four have to work together to untangle the clues and fit the mysterious pieces together.



This is book #3, but can be read as a stand-alone.
Read it for FREE!!!



Always free with Kindle Unlimited







FREE BOOK #2

Getting Out Alive, The Noah Messenger Story


Book #3 in the True Stories of Survival series!







A true story...

A lethal fall from a remote cliff shattered the spine of eighteen-year-old Noah Messenger. Paralyzed and broken in what most would consider a hopeless situation, the next 48 hours would determine whether he'd make it out alive.

This short story is a true account of a young man's will to survive. Using only his arms, he dragged himself across a treacherous, secluded landscape for two days. When most would have given up, Noah persevered.

Find out what it takes to be a survivor.





Free with Kindle Unlimited


Sunday, December 21, 2014

Bloodline on sale for 0.99!

In light of the Holidays and also since Bloodline is in the running for a contest (best Indie book of the year), I am putting it on sale for 0.99 until the first of the year!

Find it HERE on Amazon


On other fronts, I am finally able to relax a little and say, "Yes, I am ready for Christmas". ;)

I had the pleasure of watching my beautiful daughter dance in a Christmas recital last night and I get to go again tonight! Parents will understand when I say how special it is to watch your child participate in something that they work so hard for, and are rightfully proud of. Whether it be sports, a play, dancing or a science fair...they are those milestones in life that we tend to always remember!


Thursday, December 18, 2014

December 18th, 2014

Christmas is fast approaching!

Do you ever get a little...weary of people always asking each other if they are "ready for Christmas"? Like it's a burden, rather than a time of joy and love. I feel that a lot of people have become a bit overburdened by the holidays, due to the commercialization. So in answer: no. I am not ready. I never am, because I'm not good at time management and therefore am always the one in line at the post office on the last day that a package can be shipped out priority to get there on time. :)  But I still love Christmas, because as I said, it isn't about the gifts. Right? Right.

I'm still waiting for the final production of the Bloodline audiobook to be released (drumming fingers)...should be anytime now! It's been over a week since it was approved. I am not a patient person. Have I mentioned that before?

Meanwhile, I have decided to run a Kindle Countdown on The Mystery of Hollow Inn, since sales have most definitely stalled. If I thought it was hard to find an audience for my Young Adult books, that's not near as hard as the Middle Grade genre! I guess I need to target the moms...or something. I don't know, I haven't figured it out yet! Anyway, here is the link. Only 0.99 for the firs three days of the promo. So if you haven't read it, now is a good time to pick it up, or give it as a gift! You don't have to be a middle grader to read or enjoy it. I know I have gone back and re-read my Trixie Beldon and Nancy Drews many times as an adult!

Amazon link to the Mystery of Hollow Inn .99!




I will post again before Christmas...but keep your chin up! Throw out some lights, don't spend too much on needless trinkets, and maybe donate instead to your local charity, or go give out some gift cards at your local grocery store. (I've done that a couple years in a row now...it's a great experience!)

I will leave you with a picture of our family project this year. It was a group effort, but I think I chose the worst part: painting! About 20 hrs later, after lots of tracing/cutting/nailing/painting and planning:



Monday, December 1, 2014

December 1st, 2014

Oh my gosh, where did November go?!

I can't believe it is already December, and I sit here looking at the naked Christmas tree, waiting to be decorated.

I like the holidays, but I think that I am not alone in that there is also a certain amount of stress and pressure to get things done that come along with them. It is always this time of year that I try and slow things down and remember what the season is really all about. NOT giving and giving gifts, but LOVE.

So take a deep breath and hug someone. :)

I am STILL working on finishing up the audiobook for Bloodline,  but I can see the finish line. I will cross it this week and then it should be available the following week. I'm excited to get it out there!

I am also excited about my next book: The Secret of Camp Whispering Pine (Book #2 in the Samantha Wolf Mysteries) I just got the proof for the book cover and I LOVE it! I will be planning a reveal for it in a week or so.  I'm still hoping to get the book out by the end of the year, but we'll see. While I always try and keep the deadlines that I set for myself, it will never be at the cost of the story quality. I'm behind on it as of now, due to the audiobooks taking me longer than anticipated, but it will just depend on how fast the writing goes these next few weeks. Either way, it will be soon and I think readers will like this next installment!

I've had a blast doing senior pictures these past couple of months and I just completed a really fun shoot yesterday. It flooded this past week on our street, and then froze. So we took advantage of this unique setting and literally went out on the ice! The pictures turned out great, and I always feel privileged to be a part of such an important time in their lives. I continue to charge just $50 for everything (including copies of all the pictures), because I can't stand to take more. My son just graduated two  years ago, and I know that the going rate for a professional photographer starts at around $250. These kids already have so many expenses, and there are a lot that can't afford the pictures. (I also do some free ones each year)  I will end up doing about eight senior portraits this year, and I hope to continue it!

Happy Holidays to everyone!


Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Giveaway for The Mystery of Hollow Inn!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Mystery Of Hollow Inn by Tara Ellis

The Mystery Of Hollow Inn

by Tara Ellis

Giveaway ends January 15, 2015.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

November 11th, 2014

So a friend of mine shared her daughters book report that she wrote, for my middle grade book, The Mystery of Hollow Inn. THIS is why I write!!! :)


Monday, November 10, 2014

November 10th, 2014

Today's blog is pretty simple: I have got some amazing, GREAT kids that God has blessed me with!

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Oct 22nd, 2014

So, I've been slacking!

I've been caught up this past week in homecoming for my daughter, and finishing my first audiobook!

The Mystery of Hollow Inn is now available on Audible.com, Amazon and Itunes in audio format.

Audible.com
Amazon

I'm actually thrilled with how it turned out, and I've already started recording Bloodline!


Oh...and homecoming was a success, too! I am blessed with a gorgeous daughter on the inside and out!

Monday, October 13, 2014

October 13th, 2014

Last night, I accomplished a 'first'! I completed my submission for the audiobook version of my book, The Mystery of Hollow Inn.

This story has special meaning to me. I began writing it when I was sixteen. I can still remember sitting in detention (for being late to class. I was a pretty good kid. :) )  writing my book. I was thrilled to be detained in the small room, isolated so that I could write uninterrupted. I guess I was always a bit weird.

I didn't finish it until I was twenty, and then I tried to get it published. This was back when you had to mail out your manuscript to the publishers...after painfully printing it off the dot matrix printer. I gave up very quickly.

This manuscript sat in a box for over twenty years, until I took it out last year, in between writing Bloodline and Heritage. I was taking a 'break' from the trilogy, but got bored. So I decided to revisit Hollow Inn. I ended up re-writing the whole thing, changing the POV and adding a couple of chapters.

I just love this book and the nostalgia it evokes. As soon as I finished Descent, I went back to it again and concentrated on giving it a new cover and doing the audio. The cover that Mel at Melchelle Designs made is just so absolutely PERFECT, that I can't get over it. I employed a couple of family friends to model for me (putting my photography skills to use), so that I could capture exactly what I was hoping for. Mel has a way of taking the image and blending it and matching it up with the perfect concoction, to produce a near perfect match with the image I have in my head.

Here is the new cover for The Mystery of Hollow Inn, #1 in the Samantha Wolf Mysteries

I is a middle grade book, (ages 9-12, but a fun read for anyone!) Amazon link