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Alyssa Richards

Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense

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Summertime eReader Giveaways!

August 3, 2015 by Alyssa 1 Comment

images-2Share your Best or Worst Pickup Lines and you could win one of four Kindles!

Want to Win a Kindle?

Then join me and over 20 other authors for two fun filled weeks of shenanigans where we share the best (or worst) pick-up lines we’ve ever experienced while we give away dozens of prizes, including swag packs, print or eBooks, gift cards, etc…and of course, a grand prize of an eReader.

Sign up here for a chance to win one of 4 eReaders in our eReader Giveaways including:

Two  7″ Kindle Fire Tablets
One Kindle Paperwhite
One Kindle Touchscreen

Plus Dozens of other prizes offered by the authors!

Be sure to register here!

If you’d like to know my best/worst pickup experience, then visit the Facebook Event Page or this page on August 6th and you can read my story.

After this event…stay tuned…because I’m getting to ready to release Book 2 in The Fine Art of Deception series! If you’d like advance notice of the release and to be included on more fun giveaways, be sure to sign up here!

If you’d like to pre-order your copy of Book 2, you can do so on Smashwords, iBooks or Kobo.

As always, The Fine Art of Deception, Undoing Time, is available on Amazon and Smashwords. It will soon be available on iBooks and Kobo as well!

Have fun with the contest and good luck!
Alyssa xx

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Filed Under: Giveaways, News Tagged With: giveaways

NY Times Bestselling Author Survives Ninja Typos

July 28, 2015 by Alyssa 1 Comment

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There is a mysterious condition that occurs in manuscripts of all lengths. They can be plagued by what is called — ninja typos. They’re called ninja typos, because, no matter how many times you and trained editing professionals edit and proof your book, these ninja typos will hide. In fact, they will not reveal themselves until the editing staff has put away their red pens and readers are allowed to take a look at the final — printed — piece.

Then, like Cato in an old Pink Panther movie, they jump out and scare the life out of you.

It’s happened to me, so I know. As the daughter of an English teacher, I’ll recover any day now.

At RWA (Romance Writers Association) in NYC this past week, I met Susan Andersen, a lovely person and NY Times Bestselling author who has also had an encounter with ninja typos.

My editor sent me this article about a ninja typo Susan experienced, after I bemoaned the presence of several typos in my final piece.  http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2011/sep/12/shift-typo-romantic-novel-susan-andersen

Here’s a snippet of the article:

Author Susan Andersen was horrified to discover an unfortunate typo in the ebook edition of her new novel Baby, I’m Yours, which takes the novel out of the romance category and into something rather darker.

“I apologise to anyone who bought my on-sale ebook of Baby, I’m Yours and read on pg 293: ‘He stiffened for a moment but then she felt his muscles loosen as he shitted on the ground’,” says Andersen. “Shifted – he SHIFTED! I just cringe when I think of the readers who have read this.

***

When I met Susan, I told her I’d read this article, how I could relate, and she and I shared a laugh. “These things happen,” she said.

And they do. She handled the whole thing so gracefully. And I can breathe now about the errors I found in my own book, because I’ve since had the chance to correct them.

I guess we’ve all read a book and wondered why the proofreader didn’t do their job, or even if the publisher/author bothered to hire a proofreader. But sometimes, despite best efforts, ninja typos happen.

So, if you’re someone who is apt to fly into an eyeball-rolling fit of huffiness when you come across a typo, or make accusations of sloppy editing, you may want to take a cleansing breath and think of extending the benefit of the doubt instead.

Because shift happens.

By the way, Susan gave me an autographed copy of her newest book, No Strings Attached. I can’t wait to read it!

You can read an excerpt of it here.

Enjoy!

Alyssa xx

Filed Under: Giveaways, News

Fitness Secrets from Cover Model for Romance Novels

July 10, 2015 by Alyssa Leave a Comment

jasonbacashot2 Romance Novels. They definitely inspire visions of fit men and women, don’t they?

Check out this interview with Jason Aaron Baca, who graces the covers of more than 320 Romance Novels and see what he does to stay in shape!

http://www.betternutrition.com/fitness-secrets-of-a-romance-model/ 

If you’ve spent any time on my Instagram page, you know that I’m a huge fan of fitness and healthy eating. The kids and I take a short trip to the farm every week for the healthiest foods available, I work out six days a week and just generally try to stay active. Which isn’t easy when you write — a very sedentary practice — but, with effort it can happen.

You know, it’s funny. I’m such a health nut that I cringe whenever my characters have bad eating or drinking habits. I’ll write a character a certain way and then think, ‘wow, do you know what that’s doing to your body?’ Ha! Well, they are who they are…

PS If you’ve never tried pasture–raised eggs, you must! You can find them at your local farm for less than standard grocery store eggs. And I’ve seen them at Whole Foods, though they’re expensive as they truck them in from far away farms.

Enjoy the picture of Jason and let me know how you stay healthy!

Filed Under: News, Romance Tagged With: fitness, health, romance novels

Interview with Big Little Sister Blog!

June 14, 2015 by Alyssa Leave a Comment

The Fine Art of Deception Book Cover - Alyssa Richards (Paranormal Romance Books)As a part of our Blog Tour this week for The Fine Art of Deception, Undoing Tim, I was interviewed by Big Little Sister Blog! You can find the interview below or by clicking this link:  http://biglittlesister.com/?p=313

Also, the giveaway continues this week #WIN , see the rafflecopter link below so you can register to win an Amazon giftcard!

Was it the mob?

Posted on June 12, 2015 by The Big Little Sister

Today, I’m featuring an interview I did with Alyssa Richards author of The Fine Art of Deception.  Given her paranormal romance takes place in the art world, we’re talking all things art –  theft, sculpture and more!

It seems that we share a love of outdoor sculpture (check out her pics!).  I have to thank Alyssa for my current fascination – the Isabella Gardner art heist, which is the backdrop to Alyssa’s story.  I didn’t know much about it before I read her book but I’m fascinated by it now.  I love how a book can open up a whole new world for me.

And look out there’s a competition for a $20.00 book voucher (Amazon or Barnes & Noble).

What research did you do to understand the art world & art galleries?

I’ve loved art, art history and museums for as long as I can remember. Every vacation is usually built around a museum and a bit of history. I did have to research the Gardner heist in detail and now I’m obsessed with that crime — as everyone seems to become once they read about it.

Can you share your favourite art galleries to visit? 

Museums are my favourite haunt. I’m hoping that one of them will let me move in one day.
The Louvre in Paris, (as well as Musee d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie ) Tate Gallery in London, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, The British Museum in London, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, The High in Atlanta, Los Angeles County Museum of Art…
I remember the art I’ve seen in these museums the way sports fans remember the plays of a game.

I love sculpture especially outdoor like the Cass Sculpture Park in Goodwood UK.  What’s your favourite form of art?

I love sculpture as well! I went to Musée Rodin over the summer in Paris and just could not get enough of his work. Many of his pieces are spread throughout his gardens, which are an exhibit in and of themselves…  https://instagram.com/p/r32PswTZBr/?taken-by=alyssaauthor   I think the opportunity to appreciate sculpture outside, in nature, allows a more uninhibited appreciation of the piece. We feel unhurried and less aware of others appreciating the art near us https://instagram.com/p/r31DKPTZA4/?taken-by=alyssaauthor

I also love portraiture as created by the masters. It’s fascinating to me to think about the how Picasso or Matisse or Renoir might observe the same person.

Is there a piece of art with a potential story that you think would make a great book?  I’m thinking along the lines of a girl with the pearl earring… 

Ohh, I saw Girl with a Pearl Earring not too long ago. They had just restored it and it’s exquisite! Every piece of art has a story, as Addie Montgomery shows us in The Fine Art of Deception …  Right now I’m researching several well known artifacts as potential story centres. I love to look at an artist’s intent, why they might create such a piece, and the life it takes on once appreciated by so many.

What’s your theory about the Isabella Stewart Gardner art? 

I think it was a hack job by the mob – not a very well planned out heist on a soft target. When you look at how the thieves navigated the museum and what they took, it’s easy to think that they hadn’t planned ahead of time what they would take.
The Gardner Museum, was not unlike many others, in that they did not maintain solid security systems in an effort to cut costs.  Terribly short sighted decision at an extraordinary cost.  Art is sold along the black market at roughly 10% of its value. It’s thought that dealers in the black market hold and sell the art against other types of debts.
It hurts my heart to say this, but I doubt we ever see those pieces again.

What artist would you have liked to hang out in his/her studio?  For me it would be Matisse or Pollock.

I would love to travel back to 1920 and live in Montemartre among the expats who lived, wrote and painted in that era. (Stay tuned for future books along this theme…!) I’ve read so many books on those characters I would probably have to repeat the decade several times to get my fill!

What’s your favourite period in art history?

That’s hard for me to answer since I have such a voracious appetite for art history. I’m not much on modern installations and such, though I do try to appreciate them. I much prefer the more classical works.

One for the girls – do you have a favourite female artist?

I love Camille Claudel’s work. There is such an innocence and a life, a soul to her pieces,  especially when she sculpted female figures, that I’ve not seen anywhere else.  https://instagram.com/p/r2DX8kzZCy/?taken-by=alyssaauthor   Look at the difference between her work here, as it sits next to Rodin’s: http://www.musee-rodin.fr/en/rodin/educational-files/rodin-and-camille-claudel#artiste  There is a sensitivity to her work that doesn’t appear in Rodin’s piece.

So, have you had any spooky or romantic moments in art gallery?

No romantic moments, but there was a portrait I saw once — the energy of the woman in the painting was so strong, it was unnerving. It was as if the artist captured her in that work and it was dying to get out… Fodder for another book, perhaps….

Thanks Alyssa – especially thankyou for getting me hooked on that art heist!

Here’s the link to the competition for the gift voucher so you can go shopping for Alyssa’s book. And meet Adeline & Blake, the connection between them is old and fascinating.

 http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef2985/?

Alyssa photo_1

Filed Under: Giveaways, News

BBs Book Reviews FaceBook Takeover

June 14, 2015 by Alyssa Leave a Comment

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Join me here on Monday, June 15th at 7pm EST as I take over BBs Book Reviews FB page for an hour of behind the scenes fun and giveaways! Hope you can join us!

https://www.facebook.com/events/824475644274069/

Filed Under: News

The Fine Art of Deception – Romantic Suspense

June 9, 2015 by Alyssa Leave a Comment

Romantic Suspense…The Fine Art of Deception

The Fine Art of Deception

 

Filed Under: News, Paranormal, Romance

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