New Website

Hello Everyone!  I wanted to let you all know that I have started a new website.  For new information on my current works, please click www.aliciarivoli.com.


Thank You!

Now Available!

Unknown Presence is NOW AVAILABLE!! Click the link below to get your copy while it's on sale for $0.99. Don't forget to leave me your honest review on Amazon and Goodreads!

 Also, all of my my published works are now available on Kindle Unlimited!

Click Here to get your copy.

Thank You!!

Over the last 30 days I have posted and asked for your help with my Kindle Scout campaign, and now the waiting begins. In the next few days, I'll receive word on whether or not Kindle Press Publishing will accept Unknown Presence for publication. I just want to thank each and everyone of you that took the time out of their busy lives to nominate Unknown Presence. I appreciate every one of you and what you have done for me. I'll keep you all posted as we move forward.

KindleScout Update

The last week and a half has been a whirlwind of emotions. Having Unknown Presence on KindleScout is exciting, stressful, overwhelming, and many other different feelings. Thank you so much to everyone that has nominated it and has been putting up with my constant reminders, posts, emails, tweets and calls. It's because of your efforts that I'm able to keep calm as each day passes. There are still a few weeks left in the campaign, so if you haven't had an opportunity to nominate it, please do. Also if you all can keep sharing that would be awesome. Don't forget, if it's selected you'll receive a FREE eCopy!! Thanks again everyone!!

https://goo.gl/gdC4IK

I NEED your help!

Great News!!  Unknown Presence, my new young adult romantic suspense, has been accepted by Amazon Press Publishing's Kindle Scout program.  Kindle Scout is reader-powered publishing for new, never-before-published books. It’s a place where readers help decide if a book gets published. Selected books will be published by Kindle Press.

  In order to get to the publication selection process, I need your nominations!  I'm asking that you please click the link below and nominate Unknown Presence, then share the link with your friends, teachers, family, etc... and ask them to also nominate and share it.  If Unknown Presence is selected for publication, you will receive a FREE eBook copy!  My campaign ends July 7th! PLEASE go nominate and share it now.  Help me get Unknown Presence published!

(Click Below to Nominate)

https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/26M607T4CXV2

One Girl, One Gift, Unlimited Possibilities...

Kate desperately tries to keep her gift hidden from the world. Her ability to locate people near or far has been an immense load to bear. When her secret is leaked, she flees everything she knows and loves in order to protect herself and her family. As her brother, Jack, a world-class tracker, tries to locate her, she desperately tries to free herself from her past with the hope of starting anew. Will she be able to survive on her own, or will a stranger discover her real identity?

Unknown Presence Book Trailer!

Kate is on the run with a secret, one that people are ready to kill for.  Her gift has led her to an unknown destination in hopes that she can finally be free.  Will she be able to survive on her own, or will she need the help of a stranger who seems just a little too eager to discover who she really is.

Unknown Presence is coming June 2017!

Cover Reveal!

Coming June 2017!

Book Signing and COVER REVEAL

10 more days until my book Signing at the Northwest Arkansas Convention Center in Springdale Arkansas. I'll be there May 5th-6th from 9AM-7PM. I'll have 3 of my books available for sale.

I will also be doing a COVER REVEAL at the event of my newest book that will be available in a few weeks!

Mark your calendars and come visit me!!

Comfort Zone

  I have people ask me about different  uthors and genres all the time.  Most of the time, I have no idea who the author is, but I always know what genre I like to read. From the time I was a young girl until now, I read fiction. I'm not the type of person that enjoys non-fiction, with only a few exceptions.
  I love stories that help me escape reality and take me to worlds with magical creatures or have unrealistic relationships. I also love to read stories based on the regency period, Pride and Prejudice for example. These types of books and stories catch my attention and pull me away from the harsh realities of life.
  As an author I have the opportunity to write whatever I want when I make up a story and for the most part, can't be contradicted because, well, I made it up. It's my story and if I want a purple and green dragon that spits acid bubbles, turns invisible and flies without wings, I can do that.
  What I didn't ever realize while writing my fantasy series, was how hard it would be to write something for this time frame. My current book is based in modern day time, it has no dragons, no wizards or my own version of the grim reaper.  Writing something that is fictional, but needs to be realistic is hard. The amount of time I've spent researching different topics, talking to professionals in their respective fields so I don't write something that is inaccurate and not believable takes me completely out of my comfort zone. How can I write about survival skills, if I have no idea what it takes to survive? I have no experience in this field except the few episodes I watched of Bear Grylls on television. How can I write about seizures, medicine or hospitals without having a knowledge of them to begin with?
  I have gained an enormous amount of respect for those authors that write non-fiction. I have gained respect for people who specialize in certain careers that people like me have to research forever just so we don't make their careers look like a joke.
  Stepping out of my comfort zone has been an eye opening experience. I have learned so much in my research about so many different careers, life saving techniques, hospital procedures and many more. I'm grateful that I've been blessed by so many different ways to discover and learn things I never knew before, like escaping from a moving train. Who knew there was an actual way to do it without just jumping off?!
  So here is to all those people that are part of these careers that I've had to study, or have been on the other end, actually needing survival skills to survive something real. I'm grateful I only have had to research and write rather than actually experience all the things I've learned while stepping out of my comfort zone.

Teaser!

Hey everyone!
  I know it's been awhile since I have posted anything about my newest book, so I decided to give you all a little teaser.  I'm working hard to have it available this summer.  I'll also be doing a book cover reveal very soon, so keep checking back!  Thanks for all your support I couldn't do this without all of you!

Chills shot through my body as the cool night air touched my bare skin. I stared out at the blackened water. I had hoped the fresh air would bring me relief from my recent vision, however it just seemed to intensify the feelings of emptiness. When I first discovered my ability I thought it would be such a blessing. I've learned through the years, however, that my blessing was just as much a curse. 
(copyright 2017 Alicia Rivoli)

Smashwords Read an EBook Week

Starting March 5th and ending March 11th, I will be participating in the Smashwords Read an EBook Week. You will be able to download all of my books to an eReader device for FREE by entering the code SFREE at checkout. You can see all my books and download them by clicking HERE.

I would also love your honest reviews after you've read them!  You can put them on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads and/or Smashwords!

Happy reading!

Busy mom, busy writer.

  Sometimes life can get a little overwhelming.  I stay home with my children every day.  I don't work out of the home, but being a mom takes most of my time.  From laundry, to field trips, and everything in between, I find myself struggling to get any time for myself.  There are many times when I wonder how I have ever found the time to write anything.
  I started writing my first book when my oldest son was only eighteen months old and my time to write was when he was taking a nap.  I never imagined I would finish writing a book and many told me that I wouldn't ever finish.  Now, however, I'm currently writing my fourth full length novel.
  Over the years we have added an additional child, a dog, bought and sold a business, I worked for a short time out of the home, I've become a soccer mom, tennis mom, basketball mom, futsal mom, boy scouts and many other extra curricular activities.  I'm busy with my church, my boys started school and my oldest most recently started junior high!  With my current manuscript, I've had to get creative in how I get things accomplished.  I have had to start setting realistic goals, rather than try and accomplish the impossible that only made sense in my head and be disappointed that I wasn't able to reach it.
  In November I joined the National Novel Writing Month, but I knew that with the Holiday's and everything else on my plate that I wouldn't be able to finish an entire novel, so I set a realistic goal of twenty thousand words by Thanksgiving.  With a lot of hard work, I was able to finish that goal, ending with twenty-one thousand words.  With that goal complete, I decided it was time to get my book complete by the end of May, I've started taking my computer with me to practices and arriving early to other events so I can have a few minutes to write.  I try and get all of my workouts and household chores complete by lunch, so I can have the entire afternoon before my kids get home from school to write.  Sometimes it's easier than others, but I am still proud of how much I have been able to accomplish.  Being a busy stay at home mom, a writer, a wife, friend, and participating in church activities and functions doesn't mean I can't also have a little fun.  With God all things are possible, and He has definitely blessed me in my life.

Breakfast with friends

Basketball Practice

Tennis Lessons

Family Night

A Great Big Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who came out to the John Q Hammons center in Rogers Arkansas this last weekend. I hope you enjoy your books!  It was such a pleasure to meet all my new friends and get re-acquainted with old friends!

If you have a few moments after you've finished reading your new adventure in Mere or with Amelia, I'd love to know what you thought. Just leave me your honest review  on Goodreads, Amazon and/or Barnes and Noble.com. Can't wait to see you all next year!!

Keep checking back often. I hope to get to work on my newest story and will post updates when I have them.

Book Signing Event!

Tomorrow (Friday) is the big day!  Come see me and get your signed copy of one of my books. I'll have Mere Enchantment, Rings of Enchantment and Whispers of Death at my booth. I'll be at the John Q Hammons center in Rogers Arkansas (right next door to Embassy Suites) from 9-9. I'll also be there the same time on Saturday!

Author Signing Event

I'll be at the Ozark Craft Fair at the John Q Hammons center in Rogers Arkansas again this year with all three of my books. Make your plans now to come get your own personal copy!

The honesty of a writer

For many months now, I have really struggled with all things books. Reading, writing, and anything in between. I couldn't find the motivation to do something I usually love. Just the thought of even reading a book was depressing. I think because I felt so much pressure in releasing my last two books that the thought of starting another was daunting. Even though I have begun another book, I am having difficulty throwing myself into the story. With school out for the summer, I used it as an excuse to keep on ignoring my characters and any other books.

A few weeks ago I decided it was time to wake up and restart my engine, so to speak. I went to my local library with my boys and for the first time in months, checked out a book. It happened to be by one of my favorite authors of children's books, Brandon Mull. Sky Raiders seemed like a perfect choice to bounce me back into the game.  It had been on my To Be Read list for sometime.

I quickly opened the pages and began reading. After the first chapter, I was enticed, but still my mind wouldn't allow me the escape I was looking for. I put the book down in frustration. I kept trying, even renewing the book, twice. Chapter by chapter I continued. My mind still forcing the beautifully written book from my mind.

After weeks of trying and still only about 5 chapters in, I had almost given up. The book had now become a permanent fixture on my shelf. One day as I passed by it for the millionth time, I decided to sit down and try again. I tuned out the sounds around me, sat back in my comfy chair and opened the book. I soon found myself lost in the story line, wanting to know more. A couple days later I closed the book for the last time and have already placed a hold on the next book. After a couple more weeks, I have now completed three more books.

I'm still not back to 100% but I can feel the stories forming again. I'm hoping that I've finally found myself reaching the top of the rut and can now begin a new chapter. Literally. 

Did you leave a review?

Every time I want to go see a movie, the first thing I look at are the reviews.  Did people enjoy the movie?  Would it be worth the $10-$12 per ticket to go see it or should I wait and get it for $1-$2 in Redbox?  Reviews from others are what gives me the insight I need, in order to make a good decision.  Even though people have different opinions I can still read those reviews and develop my own opinion.

It is the same with book reviews.  They will help guide your friends, family, and others to know whether or not it's worth their time.  They are especially important for Indie (self-published) authors.  Without those reviews, Indie authors will struggle to get their book noticed.

I came across a website by Trish Milburn (http://www.trishmilburn.com/why-book-reviews-are-important-to-authors/) that describes the reason we need to leave reviews.  I have listed her steps below.

1. We live in a world where people are much more likely to vent online if they hate something than to post something nice if they enjoyed it. Sad but true. So if you have 100 people read a book and 98 love it but only the two who thought it was garbage post a review, guess what. People who come across that book on a retailer’s site are going to think it’s garbage. They won’t know about the 98 people who thought it was a wonderful story with engaging characters. Those negative reviews could keep people who might enjoy the book from buying it, depriving the author of sales that are necessary to help pay his or her bills.

2. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, authors look for good opportunities to get the word out about their books. Sometimes online advertising venues have requirements such as a certain number of positive reviews on retailer sites before they will even consider selling you an ad. The same is often true of book review sites, especially if those sites are popular and have a lot of clout among readers.

3. I feel like a larger number of reviews, especially positive ones, helps books get seen on sites such as Amazon.com. We authors have heard about the mysterious algorithms that determine which books pop up on things such as the “you might also enjoy this” suggestions, but we don’t know what aspects of our books are weighted more heavily than others. Visibility is important in a marketplace flooded with books, so every little bit helps. I have seen mentioned elsewhere that it takes 10 reviews on Amazon before a book can be added to those “also bought” and “you might also like” lists, so my goal is to have at least that many for each of my books. But the more, the merrier.

4. Word of mouth. If someone sees a positive review of a book and decides to give it a try, he or she might also enjoy it enough to not only leave a review but also tell their friends about it. We’ve all heard stories about how word of mouth sent a book from obscurity to the bestseller list. Sure, it’s a long shot, but it’s better than no shot.

Writing a review, as you can see, has many advantages to everyone.  I know that time is precious, and these days it seems like people have less and less time.  So I ask, please take a few minutes after you've read a book and leave a review.  Even if all you can do is give it a star rating that helps too.  Thank you to those who have already left reviews for any or all of my books.  I truly am grateful.  If you have read my books, and haven't had a chance to write that important review, please go to the Buy Me tab, click on the links and write your honest review. They truly help!

Best Cover Nomination!

Whispers of Death has recently been nominated for Best Cover of 2015 for Paranormal/Horror over at New LDS Fiction!  Click the link below to cast your vote!!  Voting ends January 23rd at midnight!!

http://bit.ly/1QcqauD

Encourage Holiday Reading

This time of year we find ourselves busy with the preparations of Christmas. We try to volunteer our time and services to others, spread Christmas cheer to those around us, and prepare the decorations and gifts that are eagerly awaited by all. Christmas Break is a great time to encourage your children (and ourselves) to read. I found these great tips over at www.morethanareview.com. Check out their site for great book reviews!

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First, let’s talk about ways to encourage reading with your family throughout the Christmas season.

• Have Elf on the Shelf? Perhaps your elf could be discovered reading a favorite book or even in a pile of books your child might read.
• Create an advent calendar surrounding books or authors. Count down to the big day with a different author quote or information about an age-appropriate book.
• Set aside a family time for reading. This is a great thing to do all year long, but especially in the winter months. If you have older children who can read on their own, you could even start your own family book club.
• Is your family doing Angel Tree? Even if it’s not requested, include an age-appropriate book or two (or three!) with the gifts.  

Most of these ideas center around kids, but it’s important (and fun!) for us adults to read too. We suggest:

• Joining (or start) a book club
• Create a routine around reading at night with a favorite blanket, location, and warm drink, and
• Use More Than A Review to choose your next book!  

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I pray all may have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  Keep reading!

ENTER TO WIN!!!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Whispers of Death

by Alicia Rivoli

Giveaway ends December 10, 2015.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway