I am done slacking; it has been six long months since I last posted a blog - that's a long f**king time - but I'm back. So...., what's been going on in the last 180 days (give or take a few)? Well.....

I've been steadily working on The Girl In The Red Balloon and that's coming along pretty nicely. I'm hoping that, by the end of this year, I will have a draft ready that I feel will be fit to be read by some of my trusted colleagues.

What about the HUB series you ask? I had briefly started on it but decided to let it sit until I finish TGITRB. But, while it's sitting, I am busy compiling ideas in my head for it so it's not like nothing at all is going on with it. I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to put out volume 4 (tentatively titled H.U.B. 4Ever (see what I did there??) or simply go ahead and resolve the whole series and get it over with. What do you guys and gals think?

The Hip-Hop book is still happening and Debbie and I are back to working on that again. If you're a fan of Hip-Hop music then I think you're going to be really happy with it. We have put a lot of thought and effort into it and it's going to be something special.

Outside of writing, life has been happening: relationship status changes, moves, etc..., etc.... but I'm still here and doing what I feel that I do best: writing.

So, I'm still here and I'm not done with this writing thing. I still have some beautiful things left to write.

Ben, out.

So yesterday I put a copy of my novel, Head Above Water, into an envelope, along with my bio, contact info, etc..., into an envelope and sent it off to the main guy at the Arkansas Literary Festival. If they like it, and I need you to cross your fingers that they do, they will select me to be a featured author at the festival in April of next year.

So, keep me and my book in your thoughts in the hopes that I make it onto the panel and be that featured author that I know I am. :-)

More later....

Hello everyone and welcome back. Today is special for me as I get to talk about one of my favorite books, I Loved You First by my good friend Reena Jacobs. Now, for those that don't remember how I feel about this book, click HERE to read my review where I gave it a 10 out of 10. So, moving forward, it's coming up on the 1 year anniversary since the release of I Loved You First and Ms. Jacobs has decided to hit everyone with a new cover and it goes a little something like this....

Pretty sweet, huh? I know!! So, on to the real reason you're here - the giveaway!! All you have to do is leave a comment and answer this question: what is your favorite romance book and why? Be sure to list your email address as well or else we won't be able to contact you if you win. What are the prizes?? Glad you asked.

So every day we’re going to do a giveaway. Each giveaway will run from 12:01 am to 11:59 pm. At the end of each giveaway, I'll randomly select a commentator from the posts featured that day. Readers can find a list of the daily winners on my blog.

So, be sure to enter to win one the great prizes. In closing I will give you an excerpt from I Loved You First, more information on Reena and where you can purchase her great book.

Motorcycle magazine in hand, I flopped on Seth’s bed.

My position gave me a direct line of sight to my friend in his bathroom. Every student received their own personal suite with a private bath, small living room, and miniature kitchen which included a microwave and fridge. No stove. Administration didn’t trust young college students not to burn down the dorm. Campus living—one of the many perks of attending Van Buren University.

I set the magazine aside and shook my head at Seth’s primping. “I don’t know why you do this to yourself.”

“Like I have a choice.” He raked a comb through his hair, giving the reflection in the mirror his full concentration. He always avoided gels, leaving his hair baby soft. On rare occasions, I ruffled my fingers through the silky strands. I’d always pretended like it was in play, but really I just loved the texture.

“I don’t have time for this.” He slammed the comb down and tousled his hair, substituting the neat and tidy look for unkempt bad boy and turned to me. “How’s this?”

I pinched my chin, going for serious. Black loafers—nice. Tight black jeans—oh, double nice! Blue shirt which contrasted perfectly with his eyes. The effect had me saying nom nom nom inside. I shrugged. “It’s okay, I guess.”

I LOVED YOU FIRST is a new adult love story told through the eyes of Alex, an African-American/Caucasian student, who takes a journey of self-discovery while watching her best friend come to terms with his sexuality.

Available at Barnes & Nobles || Smashwords || The Book Depository || Amazon || CreateSpace

Reena Jacobs is just a writer who loves to see her words in print. As an avid reader, she’s known to hoard books and begs her husband regularly for “just one more purchase.” Her home life is filled with days chasing her preschooler and nights harassing her husband. Between it all, she squeezes in time for writing and growling at the dog.

Connect with Reena online:

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.reenajacobs.com

Blog: http://www.reenajacobs.com/blog

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4392112.Reena_Jacobs

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reena-Jacobs/460417660477

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/ReenaJacobs

Hello everyone. Today, and today only, there's a contest featuring four of my writing peers and their books. Peep the description/details below as well as the covers for the respective books and make sure you pick up one (or two or three or all four) and support a writer.

Maybe it's the plight of all writers, specifically the "independent" ones like myself, who worry about what this writing thing is going to lead to, if anything.

Writing is one of only a handful of things that I KNOW that I'm good at it but I worry that, when it's all said and done, will I just be like many before and after me who will be a great writer that no one has ever heard of. Maybe I'm a bit narcisstic in calling myself a "great" writer but, if I didn't truly believe that I was good at what I did then I wouldn't be doing it.

I worry that people will look at my books as being "run of the mill" or just average when I want them to be so much more than that. Any time I write something I want to give readers something different than what they've read before.  I want them to feel the characters and the soul that I've put in it because any time I write something I put myself into it because what I write, in varying degrees, is me, even in the H.U.B. series.

But, at the same time, I find solace in knowing that total strangers who have read my book have loved it. I find joy in the fact that even one person has spent their money on something that I have created.

It still amazes me that a reader will leave a comment to me on Goodreads.com telling me that I'm a "great writer" and that they wish they could write a book like Head Above Water. Reading that lets me know that I've accomplished what I had hoped to do, even if I may be 999,000 people short of my intended sales goal.

I find joy in myself - in the fact that I'm committed to doing something, no matter the hurdles or setbacks that I face. I love how I keep trying to find reviewers and keep finding festivals, conventions, radio shows, etc... to get my books out. It makes every penny I've spent worthwhile.