Sunday, May 31, 2015

Is Kindle Worlds for you? Writing Romance in Melissa Foster's #RemingtonWorld #writertip


Amazon and Kindle Direct Publishing has truly changed the world for both readers and writers. By providing a platform for writers to publish directly to readers, KDP has revolutionized the reading experience with a greater variety of books, everything from nonfiction to fiction. Now, with Kindle Worlds, Amazon is creating an opportunity for fan fiction in a way that benefits both the original content owner and the fan writer.


I've always been a fan of Melissa Foster since she first started writing and have read more than fifteen of her books. I was aware of Kindle Worlds before, but I wasn't familiar with any of the existing worlds until Melissa launched her Remington World about her sexy family of five siblings ranging from video game designer, fashion model, to professional Olympic skier.

I was excited to jump in with both feet. I already knew Melissa and some of her other author friends, so it was fun for us to brainstorm together and talk about what we were going to write. I read Game of Love, Flames of Love, and parts of Read, Write, Love so I knew Dex Remington and Siena Remington best. I loved Leana Bray too and at first, I wanted to write about her at Cape Cod.

My next step was to find a Stock Photo image to use as a cover. We only had twenty-one days from start to finish with a strict deadline, and I knew that making a cover would be hard once I had a solid idea of what my character would look like and do. Imagine my delight when I scored this one of an athletic woman with a heavily tattooed hunk on a beach.


Immediately, the story started to flow. Kerry Mills is a professional surfer who was wounded by a shark during a surfing competition in Western Australia. Finn Meriwether is an Army Ranger searching for a place to scatter his buddy's ashes. I wanted them to meet on a beach, similar to how Kurt and Leanna in Read, Write, Love met on a beach, so I decided they would both be seeking a vacation. One would be Leanna's friend and the other would be Kurt's friend. Both thought the cottage was empty and that their friend was away.

Here is where I ran into my first snag. A Kindle World story is licensed to you in ways that restrict which characters and time periods are allowed in your story. In the case of Melissa Foster's world, an author is not allowed to use any Bradens, Snows, Ryders, or any of the hilariously cool ladies from the Seaside series [who are Leanna's friends and neighbors in the row of cottages they live at]. How would it be possible for Kerry, who is Leanna's best friend, to NOT meet any of her Seaside friends?

Melissa and I discussed locations and decided that the Cape would be too crowded. It would be too hard to avoid the Bradens who also frequented Wellfleet and skirt around Leanna's Seaside friends. I then researched surfing spots in the East Coast from Maine down to Ocean City, Maryland and came up with the fabulous Montauk, New York at the eastern tip of Long Island.

Remembering that I only had a few days to write, since I needed time with my editor and proofreader, I decided to change the Remington friends to Dex Remington and Siena Remington. Finn would be Dex's friend from high school on R&R break from the war, and Kerry would be a surfer who met Siena, a model, at a swimwear shoot in Kauai. Location problem and friend problem solved. Yay!

Once Siena got involved, the story blossomed. Siena encouraged Kerry, shared makeup tips with her, and helped her see that not everyone out there has an angle. She's also loads of fun and provided the perfectly cute ending. Dex, of course, spared his wisdom with Finn and even though their man talk was more brutal, done on a punishing run up Cat Hill in Central Park, he turned out to be a sensitive and compassionate friend, too.


I wrote the first draft in 12 days and spent 7 days working with my editor and beta readers. 1 day for proofreading and formatting, and I uploaded it with 1 day to spare. Next, we split into teams for the launch. I teamed up with Zoe York and Elena Aitken. We shared our ARCs with our Street Teams and Readers Club, and held a cross-promotional launch party in our groups. This was so successful, that the other authors in the set asked to join our groups and party with our readers and street teams.

Was it worth it?
Our set of EIGHT romances took the top eight spots for Romance at one point. While sales do not show up on the KDP dashboard [they are available 60 days later at Author Central], our rankings indicate that we sold briskly our first week. The best part about this experience was the exposure of working with the other chosen Remington World Authors, the camaraderie of writing a romance in a short period of time, and the cross-promotion and pooling of our resources.

Also, by the licensing terms of Kindle Worlds, every character and location I introduce into the Remington World is available for YOU or any other writer who wants to write in Melissa Foster's Remington World. This is an excellent opportunity for you to write where there is already an established fan base, and add your story to the Remington lore. So, if you're on the fence and trying to decide if Kindle Worlds is for you or not, jump in. The water's warm! Surf's up. See you there.

My contribution to the Remington World is Leap, Laugh, Love, about a professional surfer and an Army ranger on vacation. Here is the list of characters and locations I added to the World. Remember, you can only use them IN the Remington World and NOT anywhere else. So, go ahead, and give it a whirl! You can pick up all the Remington Kindle World books to study:
SEE THE BOOKS HERE -->> Remington Kindle World

Kerry Mills is a professional surfer who travels the circuits of the world’s surfing competitions until a broken heart and a shark encounter send her reeling to a tiny beachfront cottage. Focusing on her recovery, she has no interest in a rebound relationship. That is, until a tattooed hunk she spies in an outdoor shower asks her to teach him to surf. Suddenly, romance doesn’t look so bad.

Finn Meriwether used to be the life of the party and the class clown, but years of war in the Middle East have replaced his smile with a deep frown. He’s overdue for a vacation and heads for his friend’s seaside cottage for some well deserved R&R.

Kerry soon discovers that sharks are the least of her worries. Her heart is at risk of being swallowed by a man whose grief and guilt overrides his ability to live and love. Can Kerry and Finn rise above their fears and take a leap for true love?

Beach Cottage in Montauk, NY - Even though Dex and Siena are diehard New Yorkers, seeing Kurt and Leanna enjoying life at Wellfleet made them yearn for a spot by the ocean. They bought the cottage together and share it with friends and family. Cottage includes: cherry wood sleigh bed and double tub [gray/cream marble surround] in master suite. Gourmet kitchen. A loft has a girl's bedroom with two twin featherbeds and daisy comforters, Jack and Jill bath, and a boys' cave with video game equipment and a large sectional to sleep and play on. Outdoor shower with cedar wood surround, storage shed full of surfboards.

Characters added to The Remingtons' World: Kerry Mills, born March 1989, professional women's surfer, friend of Siena whom she met at a surfwear modeling shoot.[blonde, six-feet tall, gray-blue eyes] Finn Meriwether, born January 1988, Dex's classmate from the high school somewhere outside of NYC. [six-two, 210 lbs, dark brown hair, dark brown eyes]. Jared Dunbar, surfing promoter, Kerry's ex [dirty blond hair, dark brown eyes]. Safire Chu [Asian woman, petite, dresses fashionably] artist at Thrive Entertainment who dated Finn the year before. Marina Martinez, current women's surfing champ after Kerry dropped out [never makes an appearance, but is talked about].
Updates to Rem characters: Ellie [Dex's girlfriend] wins "Teacher of the Year" award

Here's what Kerry and Finn look like:

Finally, checkout my Also-Boughts! Some of the hottest Authors in Romance today!
Thanks Melissa for letting me play in your world.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

#NewRelease Leap, Laugh, Love by Rachelle Ayala #RemingtonWorld #romance #surfing

It's here on Amazon. LEAP, LAUGH, LOVE A surfer, a soldier, and a shark. Will love bite?



Kerry Mills is a professional surfer who travels the circuits of the world’s surfing competitions until a broken heart and a shark encounter send her reeling to a tiny beachfront cottage. Focusing on her recovery, she has no interest in a rebound relationship. That is, until a tattooed hunk she spies in an outdoor shower asks her to teach him to surf. Suddenly, romance doesn’t look so bad.

Finn Meriwether used to be the life of the party and the class clown, but years of war in the Middle East have replaced his smile with a deep frown. He’s overdue for a vacation and heads for his friend’s seaside cottage for some well-deserved R&R.

Kerry soon discovers that sharks are the least of her worries. Her heart is at risk of being swallowed by a man whose grief and guilt overrides his ability to live and love. Can Kerry and Finn rise above their fears and take a leap for true love?
Early Reviewers Say:
From shark attacks to attacks between the sheets, this book will keep you turning pages. - Keli Morgan

Extremely well written story, A hot army guy & a strong willed pro surfer. Both with fears that they have to face. I loved it!! - Rachel Marie Williams

She has provided yet another hit.  Can True Love be found through Pain?  Kerry and Finn are both suffering with different pain and heartbreak, yet they find each other, but do they find true love?  You will need to read and find out. - Terri Merkel

Love the story. It was nice to see a man who is not afraid bare his heart. - Reggaewoman

When you've given up on the ability to love and find happiness it can appear at the right time and give you that chance to really live. - Rebecca Austin

I fell in love with Kerry and Finn as their interaction bloomed into something more! - Corissa Palfrey

Kerry and Finn will keep you breathless like a shooting gun and high waves that will knock your senses out. - Jessica Cassidy

Two scarred people finding love while riding the waves.  I love how this story has everything in it. - Lindsay Medina

Fun, flirty, and fabulous! Kerry and Finn are so much fun to read! - Chantel Rhondeau

A story that teaches us to never lose faith on life and love. - Vera Neves

Enjoy every exquisite moment and savor each momentous interaction because these are stories and characters that are truly unforgettable and you will want them to stay with you long after you have read their last words. - Amber McCallister

Leap, Laugh, Love is one of eight new Remington World romances based off Melissa Foster's Remingtons Series.



Read them all!

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

#NewRelease Eight Exciting Romances - Introducing The Remingtons #KindleWorld #romance


Hey there Romance Lovers!
Do we have a big surprise for you!
The Remingtons KINDLE WORLD is now open with eight amazing authors writing fan fiction set in the Remington World based off Melissa Foster's Remingtons Series.

From Rachelle Ayala comes a surprising vacation romance between a professional surfer bitten by a shark and an emotionally scarred Army Ranger in Leap, Laugh, Love

Zoe York presents a gritty New York City cop with a sexy fashion reporter looking for click-bait but finding love in Love on the Record

A sweet and steamy story about a florist named Daisy and a real estate mogul named Ben headed for a developmental collision comes from Elena Aitken in Love Me, Love Me Not

Kaira Rouda delves into the world of high fashion and rock and roll with her love at first sight romance between a small town aspiring model and a jaded celebrity in Spotlight on Love

Meanwhile, Ella James presents survivor's guilt and a grieving widower finding his future with feisty bartender running from scars of her own in Love on the Rocks

From Melissa Storm comes a sweet girlfriend adventure where Siena Remington and best friend Lousie Stark arrive in Texas and meet up with a star bronco rider in A Texas Kind of Love

Stacy Eaton dishes up a hard-boiled drama of a physician determined to uncover why a woman he meets at a bar is satisfied with a series of meaningless one night stands. But can he take the challenge he sets up in Cured by Love?

Finally, the super sweet Amy Manemann scores with a romance between candy rivals and accusations of a stolen salt water taffy recipe in Pulled by Love.

So, there you have it! Eight brand spanking new romances in one Fabulous Remington World based off Melissa Foster's Series: The Remingtons

SEE THE BOOKS HERE -->> http://bit.ly/RemiKindleWorld



Saturday, May 23, 2015

Surfing, Sand, Sharks, Oh My! Announcing Leap, Laugh, Love, a #RemingtonWorld #Romance

Hello Readers, Hope you have great plans for the Memorial Day weekend. I'm excited to announce my latest romance. It's about a professional women surfer who has a scary encounter with a shark. Writing the story got me remembering my surfer friends, who thankfully have never met a shark, as well as finding out all about shark tagging.

Did you know that famous sharks have internet accounts: facebook, twitter, and websites? And there's a Shark Tracking App you can use to track the movements of tagged sharks?


While writing my book, I paid special attention to two of the sharks, Mary Lee, and Cate Ells. Mary in particular was working her way up the Atlantic Coast, past Atlantic City and even made it to Jones Beach, outside New York City. She seemed to be on her way to Cape Cod!

Anyway, my lovers, Kerry and Finn, are visiting a vacation cottage in Montauk, New York, at the eastern end of Long Island. Montauk is actually the original home of Jaws, the book written by Peter Benchley which put Great White Sharks on the map. The book is set in Montauk, even though the movie was moved to Cape Cod. Anyway, I love Montauk now, after writing my book, and I hope you will enjoy Kerry and Finn's surfing, sand, and shark romance! It's no wonder Montauk is called 'The End' and I would add, Happily.

Happy Memorial Day! Remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice so you and I can enjoy our freedom.

Leap, Laugh, Love will be available at Amazon ONLY on Tuesday, May 26, but you may bookmark this link (it will be updated to point to the download URL). Leap, Laugh, Love – by Rachelle Ayala

I'm also inviting you to a Launch Party, May 26, 2015 from 7:00 - 8:30 Eastern Time [4:00 - 5:30 Pacific] at my Fabulous and Fun Reader's Club
There will be prizes, giveaways, games and fun chatting with 3 of the Remington World authors: Zoe York, Elena Aitken, and Rachelle Ayala [that's me].


Last thing: Everything in the book is fictional. Don't try what my characters did in real life! The Montauk police will not appreciate it and neither will the sharks. :)

Join CLUB RACHELLE AYALA for the party.


Tuesday, May 19, 2015

#NewRelease Book Boyfriends Cafe: SUMMER LOVIN' Multi-Author Boxed Set

SLA15FINAL

14 Full-length Novels & Novellas
Available as a boxed set for a limited time - on sale now for only .99!
A savings of more than 75% if the books were purchased separately

Summer is heating up with 14 traditional romances from USA Today, national bestselling, and award-winning authors, brought to you by Book Boyfriends Cafe. Foreword by USA Today bestselling author, Leanne Banks.

Cora Rules by Mel Curtis, USA Today Bestselling Author. NBA coach Trent Parker is a stickler for the rules, until he meets Cora Rule, the biggest rulebreaker of the Rule clan.

Surrender to Love by Raine English, USA Today Bestselling Author. When Tara Spencer agrees to spend the summer caring for her ailing grandmother, she has no idea how her life will be changed by the handsome stranger next door.

The Merry-Go-Round by Author Donna Fasano, USA Today Bestselling Author. When Lauren divorces her husband, her life quickly turns into a 3-ring circus. Will she step off the merry-go-round--or reach out and grab the brass ring?

Twist of Fate by Patti Forsythe, USA Today Bestselling author. Rebecca Perris is on a dangerous quest to find her sister, but when she meets Aaron al-Rashid again, it’s her heart that’s at risk.

Her French Count by Mona Risk, USA Today Bestselling Author. A Da Vinci Code in a French Chateau. The lovely American architect has turned his life upside down, but are his chateau and a missing statue worth endangering her life?

Love Me Forever by Ari Thatcher, USA Today Bestselling Author. Escaping to Maui to get over her divorce, Jen runs into her first love, who blew her off at the end of her vacation. Matt had given up hope of ever finding her again. Can he convince her to give him a second chance?

Playing the Rookie by Rachelle Ayala, National Bestselling Author. A rookie pitcher and a sports intern on the rebound connect to get over their exes. Will their fling turn into true love or destroy both of their careers?

Duke of Devonwood by Carly Carson, National Bestselling Author Sparks fly as Miranda plots to gain control of her inheritance from a modern day Duke who tries his best to resist her wiles. Can both of them win?

True North by Kelly Collins, National Bestselling Author. Alexa leaves Los Angeles with a scarred heart, a beat up car and a secret. She’s fleeing her hopelessness to find her future. Can a sexy stranger mend her heart and be her compass?

Fashion Victim by Suz deMello, best-selling, award-winning author: Hot isn't a hot enough word to describe corporate raider Fletcher Wolf, but since he's suing couturier Cara Fletcher for, oh, a gazillion dollars, she figures she shouldn't hit on him…at least not too hard.

Season, Unforgettable by Keta Diablo, National Bestselling Author. He promised his mother he'd wrap up the Pine Bay project, and he would have if not for a nature lover who can't be bought at any price. Now he's fighting for the other side, fighting to recapture his abandoned dreams, and fighting to win her heart.

Most Likely to Turn up the Heat by Cheryl Harper. Sue Walker’s “no soldiers, no cops, no coworkers” policy doesn’t stand a chance against injured cop turned high school security guard Max Holt. His mission to return to Dallas and danger could be the deal breaker.

My Favorite What If by Lyssa Layne, National Bestselling Author. Jacob "Smitty" Smith and Sloan Talbott have both have been hurt. Neither is looking for love. Will one week in paradise be a fling to remember or could it possibly lead to something more?

Relay For Love by Susan Ann Wall, National Bestselling Author. A cancer survivor who celebrates in silence…a widow who remembers the man she lost…a fight back where two hearts battle to be together.

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Facebook Party

Don't miss out on the fabulous Facebook party on May 19!!

Sunday, May 17, 2015

#Alert Exciting Times coming in the #Remington World by Melissa Foster Love In Bloom Series


Exciting things are coming your way in the Remington World. We can't announce the exact time, but soon, very soon, Dex, Sage, Siena, Rush, Kurt, Jack and their forever lovers may be featured in all new and original stories [written by Kindle World authors] with new characters and friends.

So, get prepared! Pick up Game of Love, Stroke of Love, Flames of Love, Slope of Love, and Read, Write, Love and get up to speed on the Fabulous Remington Family of New York City.

Here's a teaser of things to come!