Ebook prices for suspense thrillers The River and Divine Intervention lowered to $2.99

The ebook prices for my bestselling thrillers The River and Divine Intervention have been lowered on Amazon (Kindle) and Smashwords, with KoboBooks price changes coming soon.

Instead of $4.99 US, you'll only pay $2.99 US.

Please note: Amazon charges a $2 Whispernet fee if you're outside of the US.

I hope you'll check out The River and Divine Intervention. I am very happy to make them even more affordable than before. Happy reading!

~Cheryl

Upcoming ebook release: Remote Control, a novelette of supernatural suspense

Release date: July 1, 2010

In this dark, suspenseful and somewhat comical look at one man's desires, Remote Control by bestselling author Cheryl Kaye Tardif delivers a strong message:
Be careful what you wish for! 

Meet Harold Fielding--plumber by part of the day, slacker/tv addict the rest of the day and night. Harry believes that fame and fortune will come to him if he wishes hard enough. God forbid if he should actually work for it.

Beatrice Fielding is Harry's hardworking wife. She holds down multiple jobs so her husband can laze about on his recliner, eating popcorn and drinking cola while watching his favorite shows. She has many wishes--some aren't so nice.

***2008 Textnovel contest finalist***

This novelette (10,000 words) will be available July 1st via Amazon Kindle, Smashwords and more.

Smashwords affiliate codes for Whale Song, The River, Divine Intervention and Lancelot's Lady

Yesterday, I invited readers to join the Smashwords Affiliate Program and become a partner in my endeavor to get my books into the hands of more readers worldwide. It doesn't matter where you live in the world, you can join my sales team.

You'll earn money when friends or family you recommend my novels to buy my books from Smashwords.com. Once you've signed up, you'll earn money from the sales of my novels, plus 4000+ others that are included in the program.

And don't forget: I raised the affiliate rate on my novels from 11% to 20%. :-)

Quick Affiliate Links:


To link to my books, feel free to copy and use the book cover from my website or from Smashwords. Or you can use plain text to create a link. Either way, either link the picture or the text to the corresponding link below, replacing yourScreenName with your actual screen name.

Whale Song:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/15512?ref=yourScreenName

The River:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/13708?ref=yourScreenName

Divine Intervention:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/13677?ref=yourScreenName

Lancelot's Lady:
(available after September 27th, 2010)

Sign up as an affiliate now and start earning money.

Please note: you are not entitled to copy any of my ebook files, distribute them for free or sell them. However, you can use Smashwords to sell my works as I have permitted this. It's a legal affiliate program. Please respect all authors and refrain from piracy. Thank you. ~Cheryl

Fans of Cheryl's novels can now earn a cut of sales they generate

Over the years, so many readers have read my novels and referred them to their friends and families. Many of you have written reviews (I can ALWAYS use more reviews!) or blogged about my books or interviewed me. THANK YOU! Through your kind words and recommendations to friends and family, my novels have traveled the world.

But now it's time to reward my fans!

If you choose to promote Whale Song, The River, Divine Intervention and Lancelot's Lady (once it's published), you can now earn a cut of the sales you generate when sending people to Smashwords.com to buy my books.

If you're blogging about me or my work, interviewing me, hosting me on your blog or reviewing my novels, I highly recommend you sign up for the free affiliate program. Because I value my fans so much, I've upped the ante from the standard rate (11%) to 20%.

All you have to do is sign up as an affiliate at:
https://www.smashwords.com/account/smashwords_affiliate_signup/1

You'll find more information about the Smashwords Affiliate Marketing Program at:
https://www.smashwords.com/about/smashwords_affiliate_documentation

If you decide to promote my novels and join my affiliate program, please let me know in the comments and leave your blog/site URL. I plan to link to my affiliates' sites/blogs on my website.
~ Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Cold Lake

Cold Lake, Alberta's best kept secret, is a town I've been familiar with for years, though I'd never been there until last weekend. My father was in the military, so growing up as a "military brat", I knew that we could one day be posted there. What I knew of Cold Lake was this: it had a military base, it was cold and there was a lake. Though all three are true, my perception wasn't even close to reality.

Yes, there is an air base in Cold Lake; Marc and I saw F-16's flying overhead. Though it can be quite hot in the summer and was hot enough for me last weekend, Cold Lake is very cold in the winter, but that doesn't stop people from ice fishing and winter sports--unless you experience one of their freak winter storms where the waves virtually freeze in mid-air. And yes, there's a lake with a popular marina, but the lake is far grander than what I thought I'd find and it's cold but swimmable during summer months.

Cold Lake is divided into a north and south area. We stayed mainly at the north end, right by the lake and the marina. This is where I'd recommend people stay. There's a short strip of charming and unique accommodations along Lakeshore Drive, all with an amazing view of the lake, which is right across the street.

I was very pleasantly surprised by Cold Lake. It's a hot spot! So if you're looking for a relaxing holiday destination or even a 4-day escape from the every day, check it out. You'll be glad you did.

Searching for Kinosoo, the Monster Lake Trout of Cold Lake

This past weekend, my husband and I spent 3 wonderful days in Cold Lake, Alberta--"Alberta's best kept secret", as everyone there will tell you. And it's true! It wasn't at all what I expected. It was spacious, lush, beautiful, charming, quaint, intriguing and liberating. Then again, why should I expect anything less from a place that spawned such legends as Kinosoo, the monstrous lake trout of Cold Lake?

At lunch time, Marc and I stepped aboard a speedboat captained by our B&B host's neighbor. Wilf took us out onto the lake, which at first glance made me think I'd somehow been transported to BC and was now staring at the ocean. And we set off in search of Kinosoo.

If you've read my novel Whale Song, you'll know that native legend fascinate me. I grew up on the Queen Charlotte Islands and often heard the stories of the Haida. One of my most loved characters is Nana, the native grandmother from Whale Song who tells such wonderful stories with moral messages and deep meaning. Cold Lake is surrounded by legend and the great lake trout Kinosoo is a large part of that.

Legend has it that a young Cree man set out in his canoe to meet his betrothed, who resided across the lake. While paddling, the young man heard a thunderous splash and Kinosoo appeared with its monstrous head and gaping mouth. The giant lake trout bit the canoe in half, and the young man was never seen again. Later, while his betrothed waited, the halves of his canoe were found, along with giant teeth marks etched into the wood. It was a long time before anyone tried crossing Cold Lake again.

People come from far and wide in search of the great Kinosoo. Fishermen dream of the day when they'll reel in the giant trout--if that's possible. Tourists strain eagerly, hoping to spot a giant head or tail in the water.

As we sped along in the speedboat, Marc and I saw huge pelicans and other birds. We saw a few boats carrying people with fishing rods and there were some brave souls swimming along the shores. But we never saw Kinosoo.

Maybe next time.

If you're an adventurous soul who loves the great outdoors, fishing, hiking, camping or staying in lovely bed & breakfast inns (we stayed at the lovely Bloom 'N Breakfast Inn with its gorgeous lake view), winter sports (it's a year round destination spot) check out Cold Lake, Alberta's best kept secret. You'll be glad you did.

Father's Day weekend sale - 50% off THE RIVER ebook at Smashwords

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful fathers out there worldwide. In celebration of your day, I'm holding a 3-day special on THE RIVER, my most popular novel with men.

THE RIVER is 50% OFF until Monday morning!

Get it now via Smashwords and SAVE $. Multiple formats available for multiple devices, including Kindle. Go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/13708 and use coupon code: QJ73M

Stem cell research, cloning, and world domination--with a twist...

For LOST fans now going through withdrawal symptoms, here's a quick fix. My bestselling thriller THE RIVER is like LOST meets PERSONS UNKNOWN meets TIMELINE meets THE DA VINCI CODE, and I am positive you'll enjoy it.

THE RIVER is set in the wilds of the northwest territories, in an area along the Nahanni River that many refer to as the Bermuda Triangle of Canada. For decades people have gone missing or have ended up dead. For real.

In THE RIVER, a group of people travel to this unpredictable and deadly area in search of a missing father, only to discover that another world awaits them--one that is fraught with danger, deception, conspiracy, time travel, medical experimentation and murder. Who will make it out alive?

Go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/13708 and use coupon code: QJ73M
 
P.S. You don't have to be a Dad to take advantage of this offer. It's open to anyone. :-)

THE RIVER ebook is on sale for 3 days only - a great Father's Day gift

THE RIVER will be going on sale tomorrow (Friday) thru to Monday morning.

50% OFF!

Check back here tomorrow for the special coupon code and instructions.

Bookmark my blog. :-)

~Cheryl

WHALE SONG is on sale at Amazon - only $0.99 (Kindle Edition)

For 24 hours only, buy WHALE SONG for only $0.99 on Amazon - Kindle Edition only.

This sale will start later today and run for approximately 24 hours.

"Whale Song is deep and true, a compelling story of love and family and the mysteries of the human heart...a beautiful, haunting novel." --New York Times Bestselling novelist Luanne Rice, author of Beach Girls and What Matters Most

Thirteen years ago, Sarah Richardson’s life was shattered after the tragic death of her mother. The shocking event left a grief-stricken teen-aged Sarah with partial amnesia.

Some things are easier to forget.

But now a familiar voice from her childhood sends Sarah, a talented mid-twenties ad exec, back to her past. A past that she had thought was long buried.

Some things are meant to be buried.

Torn by nightmares and visions of a yellow-eyed wolf and aided by creatures of the Earth and killer whales that call to her in the night, Sarah must face her fears and recover her memories―even if it destroys her.

Some things are meant to be remembered―at all cost.

"Moving...sweet and sad." --Booklist

"A wonderfully well-written novel...would make a wonderful movie." --Writer's Digest

WHALE SONG ebook (Kindle) now only $0.99 for 24 hours only. Get WHALE SONG now.

Summer reading suggestions for tweens and teens

This summer, give your tweens and teens the gift of reading and eliminate the "I'm bored and I don't know what to do while school's out" syndrome.

As an adult who enjoys YA literature (and many are cross overs to adult fiction), here are my summer recommendations that are sure to keep your tween or teen's mind a-churning...

Tweens:

• Nancy Drew series (I grew up on these!)
• A Series of Unfortunate Events, a series by Lemony Snicket
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• Whale Song by Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Teens:

• Pretty Little Liars, a series by Sara Shepard (also a new TV series)
• The Vampire Diaries, a series by L.J. Smith
• Maximum Ride series by James Patterson
• Uglies, a series by Scott Westerfeld
• Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney
• Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
• Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
• The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
• The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
• Whale Song by Cheryl Kaye Tardif (a discussion guide can be downloaded from my website)

Happy reading! :-)

Just who IS Sarah Richardson?

In a recent Q&A session over at I Love Canadian Authors on Goodreads, I was asked if I drew upon personal experience for my critically acclaimed, bestselling novel Whale Song. Here's my answer...

I definitely drew on parts of my life for this story. I often say there is "more of me in Whale Song than in any other of my books". And it's true.

The main character in Whale Song is Sarah, a young girl who moves to an isolated town on an island in BC. When I was young, we moved to Masset, a small town on the Queen Charlotte Islands, north of Vancouver Island. It was very isolated, very different.

Sarah is thrown into a different culture--the native indian or First Nations cutlure. I had the same experience, but the culture was that of the Haida indians.

Sarah is introduced to racism and is bullied in school. I experienced the same thing.

Later, she becomes attached to the native customs, rituals etc and is fascinated by them. She begins to see their value instead of the differences. It took me much longer to find the value, but eventually I did and I'm glad for all the wonderful stories, the dance, the art from the Haida nation I grew up with.

Sarah learns an important lesson. At the time I wrote the novel, I was working through some personal tragedies and changes and I also learned the same lesson that Sarah does. That, I believe, is the key to why this novel is so popular.

To discover this life-changing lesson, read Whale Song by Cheryl Kaye Tardif. It'll change the way you view life...and death.

Available in ebook format at KoboBooks.com, Amazon.com and Smashwords.com.

The loss of a child never goes away

Today is a hard day for me. Twenty-one years ago today, my life was shattered with such intense pain and loss. On this day every year, I remember June 12, 1989, like it was yesterday. It's a day I remember becoming a mother for the first time. And it's the day my son died.

I don't talk about him as much as I used to. But that doesn't mean I've forgotten him. I haven't. I never will. After a "perfect" pregnancy with no health problems except heart burn, I went into hard back labor. It lasted 16 hours. I was monitored throughout, but the montior only picked up a slight increase in heart rate about 20 minutes before my baby was born.

As soon as he was born, that very second, I knew something was wrong. I could see it in the doctor's eyes. I could feel it in the stillness of the room...and the silence. I caught a glimpse of my son as the doctor and nursing staff attended him. He was a purplish color from the waist down. I saw my doctor pick up his tiny foot and let it go. It dropped and stayed still.

But he was alive.

He lived for four hours. They did everything they could to save him. They sent him by ambulance to a better hospital, but he died before arriving. My deepest regret. I was so drugged, so devastated, that I hadn't thought to demand they send me with him.

He's with me now. Always. In my heart.

I often wonder what life would've been like with a son turning twenty-one. Jessica would've had an older brother. What would he be doing now? Would he be in college? Would he join the military, like both of his grandfathers and his dad? Would he look like his dad, sound like him?

I miss him. I never got the chance to even know him and I miss him.

Yes, the loss of a child never goes away. But it does get easier to bear. I've made my peace with Fate. I made it twenty-one years ago today. On the day my son was born...and died.

My daughter Jessica was born a year later. On a Monday morning, just like her brother. Geminis, the two of them. She had a head of hair just like him too. In fact, they looked identical. Even down to a small red splotch in the middle of their foreheads--a mark my doctor told me was called an "angel's kiss".

My idol, author Gail Bowen, talks about Love You to Death, an Orca Books 'Rapid Reads'

One of my favorite authors is Canadian mystery author Gail Bowen. I love her work, her generous spirit and I consider her a friend, though we've never met in person, just via the internet. Gail first caught my eye with her Joanne Kilbourn series, which has been made into TV movies starring Wendy Crewson.

Not long ago, Gail told me about a new venture she was involved in--Orca Book Publishing's new 'Rapid Reads', novelettes that are being used to promote literacy to reluctant readers. I am fascinated by this concept, since I don't always get through a novel in two days like I used to when I was a kid.

So I picked up Gail's 'Rapid Reads' offering--Love You to Death. I was immediately intrigued by the main character, a radio talk show host with a birthmark that covers half his face. Gail doesn't mince words. She doesn't waste them either. She made every syllable count. And I was hooked by page one.

In Love You to Death, Charlie the radio host has one hour to find a killer. Or more correctly, to lure a killer to--

Wait a minute! Here. Why don't I let Gail tell you more?



Check out Love You to Death. You won't be disappointed.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif
http://www.cherylktardif.com/

Konrath says "steal this book"; Tardif says "please don't steal mine"

So the debate over book piracy is still alive and kicking over at author JA Konrath's blog. I, for one, don't have the time or energy, to be beating this issue with a stick on a daily basis, but I have put my two cents in here and there and I did successfully get some of my material removed from a pirate site. Piracy is theft; it's that simple. Copyright laws are in place for a reason and until those laws change, I won't and can't condone copyright infringement and piracy, unlike my fellow author Joe, who embraces it and welcomes it. However, I'm not going to spend my days hunting down every pirate either; I have a business to run and novels to write.

I'm busy working on creating more value for my fans and more new works, but don't think I'll shrug it off if I find one of my works pirated. A lost sale is a lost sale. If you were interested in a book enough to search for it on a pirate site and download it (possible viruses and all) for free, you should still be interested in it if it's priced affordably (ironically, Joe believes in making ebooks affordable too.) My ebooks are $1.99 and $4.99 (the latter going down to $2.99 in July.) My new release Lancelot's Lady will launch in late September at $7.99--for a brand new book. You can't tell me these aren't affordable when the majority of books are priced much higher.

So how inexpensive do these book pirates want them? What's their price point? DUH! Free, of course. That's why they go to the pirate sites in the first place. Sadly, many get caught in the "free" cycle and that's where they stay for the most part. When they want a new book, they request someone download it. I'll admit, there are probably some who WILL use pirated copies to "test" an author out, as some pirates have defended. Then they'll run out and buy the book or another of the author's works, or so they tell me. I just don't see this as being the majority.

Since I got involved with the pirate debate, I've had about a dozen admitted pirates take up my offer of a free ebook (for their own personal use only)--and all said they'd consider buying it or another of my works afterward. As far as I know none of them have done this yet--and I asked them to let me know.

With Joe's "experiment", I believe he's cashed in quite smartly on this controversy. Kudos, Joe! He's using the hype of the situation to create awareness, publicity and branding. But don't get too caught up by the numbers he's quoting. Let's get real here: Joe sells exceptionally well --period. Just read his blog and you'll see his numbers. So, for me, his experiment does nothing but prove he's good at capitalizing on free publicity (something I'm fairly good at doing myself). It certainly won't and can't prove his claim that piracy doesn't hurt sales.

It's a skewed experiment that will show an increase in sales. Joe will always have great sales--because he's good at marketing his books and because all his new pirate friends who accepted his free ebook will want to defend their belief in piracy so a few will now pay. More than likely, the increased sales are from non-pirates who happen to read his blog or like his work or read about him online...or read about the experiment. There is no way to determine where those sales came from. Joe may not view the 15% or so he's lost to piracy as a big deal (or as real lost sales) because he's still making more than enough to pay his rent/mortgage and bills (and good for him!) For the average author, that 15% could mean the difference between having enough food for the month or keeping their home--especially in today's still-recovering economy. Not so good for them.

So while Joe says "steal this book", I'm saying "please don't steal mine." If you're interested in my books, download free samples from Kindle, Kobo or Smashwords, or visit my site and read samples on the cool BookBuzzr widget. (You can flip pages like a real book :-)

Here is MY challenge to pirates:

I challenge those of you who pirate books on a regular basis to read one of my FREE samples--you can read larger portions (50%) of my novels via Smashwords--then email me when you've decided to buy one of my novels at any of the ebook retailers I mention above and send me proof of purchase (the receipt). This will show me that pirates DO take pirated copies because they're looking for a way to sample an author's work and that the authors do then benefit by future sales. Of course, I'll be looking for staggering numbers, not just a handful.

I'll take my challenge one step further...you can call this The Tardif Effect ;-)

If you're a pirate who enjoys suspense thrillers, read a sample of my thriller THE RIVER on Kobo, Kindle, Smashwords or my site and email me when you're done. If after reading that sample, you're still intrigued by my novel, let me know and I'll give you the ebook for FREE. However, if you accept this challenge, you'll be honor-bound to email me with proof of purchase of any of my novels within, say, 6 months. This free ebook offer to pirates is good until the end of August 2010.

You can even share the file with 3 people--WITH my permission. BUT those 3 will be held accountable by the same terms. They'll need to email me to tell me they got the free ebook from you and then later email me to tell me that they've bought one of my novels. This should be quite fair in establishing that sales do result from piracy and that pirates are basically honest people--arguments I've heard numerous times.

I'm not saying "steal this book", I'm saying "please don't steal mine, but here, I'll give you a free sample, maybe even a free ebook and you'll have a chance to show me that piracy will help my sales, not hurt them." Prove this to me and I may change my views about book piracy.

Again, don't get me wrong, I think Joe is a great marketer. I just don't agree with him on this issue. I DO agree with him on most of his marketing advice though. So if there are any brave pirates out there who want to show me the error of my ways (or beliefs), please follow the above instructions. Without naming names, I'll report the results in as much detail as I can on my blog The suspense is killing me!

(No, really! The suspense IS killing me!!! lol)

Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
bestselling Canadian author
http://www.cherylktardif.com/

Love talking about books? Help me promote mine and you'll earn money

Ever read a book that was so good you just had to share it with your friends? I know I have. And have any of those friends then gone out and bought the book you'd been talking about? And did the publisher or author give you a little cut of the sale? Probably not. But you deserved one, and I'm willing to do that for you.

Over the years, many of my readers have told their friends about my novels, who in turn have gone out and purchased them based on this word-of-mouth-advertising or endorsement. I have truly appreciated readers who have helped me get my name out there, especially since it's a daunting task on my own. THANK YOU!

I am happy to announce that readers who enjoy my work will now be able to earn some income when they refer a friend who buys one of my novels via Smashwords.com. There is an affiliate program available that allows you to promote my Whale Song, The River and Divine Intervention ebooks.

The affiliate program is simple and free. Just sign up as an affiliate at Smashwords and complete the form.

You can advertise any books Smashwords offers through the affiliate program, and I hope you'll continue to promote mine. I can use all the help I can get in this competitive industry.

To create affiliate links, add your referrer code to the end of a URL of a participating book. I'll give you some examples of my books, but keep in mind the referrer code would be replaced by your own specific Screen Name. The basic referrer code to add to the end of a URL is /?ref=yourScreenName

WHALE SONG http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/15512/?ref=yourScreenName

THE RIVER http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/13708/?ref=yourScreenName

DIVINE INTERVENTION http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/13677/?ref=yourScreenName
 
You may also use my book covers and embed the link in them so that people only have to click on the covers. You can save my book covers from my website or blog by right clicking on them and clicking on "Save Picture As..."
 
Smashwords offers multiple file formats for nearly every kind of ereader out there. There are also files available for viewing ebooks on your PC or laptop.
 
Earn real money and watch your affiliate sales grow. The standard affiliate rate is 11% of the sale price of books purchased via your affiliate links. However, I felt that was too low for my readers. I wanted to reward them for helping promote my novels, so I raised the affiliate rates on all my novels.
 
Divine Intervention and The River are paying 15%, but that will change to 20% in July.
 
Whale Song is already at 20%.
 
Occasionally, I may raise the affiliate rate. My books may also go on sale.
 
This is a respectable way to earn a bit of money on the Internet and I am very happy to be able to offer it to you. Don't forget, it's free to sign up and you can start earning a commission from books sold through your links right away.
 
If you decide to become an affiliate and you choose to promote my books, please let me know by leaving me a comment below with the URL to your site/blog. Or send me an email. I'll be happy to tweet about you, maybe even blog about your participation. :-)
 
https://www.smashwords.com/account/smashwords_affiliate_signup/1
 
Thank you, dear readers.
 
~Cheryl

This Friday, Cheryl & Cherish talk murder and romance over at I Love Canadian Authors

Please join me and my alter-ego Cherish D'Angelo, on Friday, June 11th, 2010, as we discuss murder and romance, and answer questions from readers over at I Love Canadian Authors on Goodreads.com.

I'll be popping by the group throughout the day, so be sure to leave me a question or two and I'll do my best to answer them. :-)

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/21249.I_Love_Canadian_Authors

And be sure to sign up on my website for FREeBOOK FRIDAY. I'll be giving away an ebook sometime on Friday. To enter, sign up for Divine News (top right corner) at http://www.cherylktardif.com/

Poll: What is your favorite genre to read?

Today I give you the 'Recipe for a Bestselling Novel' over at the Polished Publishing Group blog

Two nights ago Kim Staflund, a publisher I've recently connected with, asked me if I'd like to write a guest post for their blog. Of course I said yes. I love writing, and even more I love a good writing challenge.

The topic she wanted me to blog about was on becoming a bestselling author. She gave me a good week to complete it. I was finished that evening. :-)

I invite you to check out my post on the PPG blog, and please leave a comment for us if you find it helpful. Now, get your mixing bowl ready...

Recipe for a Bestselling Novel

Lancelot's Lady and the new book video trailer

Here's the new video trailer for my upcoming September release, Lancelot's Lady, a romantic suspense novel. The trailer was created by Kelly Komm, author and trailer creator extraordinaire. Thanks, Kelly!