I'm Happy!! It's Release Day.

 

Is this better? Yes!! I'm happy!!

Both the Kindle and the paperback editions are available for The Lakeshore Lottery: Carly's Ticket. If you have Kindle Unlimited, you know the drill -- it's FREE!!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HCJKLC5Z

Here's a little bit about it:

Day to day life was tough for the seventeen-year-old girl named Carly. Growing up with an absentee father and an alcoholic mother, meant, as the oldest child, it was up to her to take care of her four younger siblings. Carly was strong and determined. She was not about to let her three brothers and sister go without food or shelter, even if it meant she had to put in extra hours after school at The Shooting Star Diner. Harry, the owner, knew something wasn’t right at home, but Carly had not confided in him, so he never asked. He simply kept watch and made sure he was there for her if she ever needed him.

Putting all her own needs aside, she selflessly continued to care for her little family. The house wreaked of stale cigarette smoke and spilled alcohol – often the electricity was turned off, and they were threatened with eviction at every turn, but Carly forged ahead with a smile on her face. Her tips were the main reason they were surviving, but every once in a while she would receive a lottery ticket in place of cash. Discouraged and disgusted that it was not real money she could use, she shoved them aside, until one day a boy from her school encouraged her to scratch off a ticket to see if she had won. What happened after that changed the course of her life, but would it be enough? Because sometimes money can’t buy everything.

Another New Release

 

What a beautiful day! I'm thrilled to surprise you with my newest book which has been released shockingly quick. I think you're going to love this little series as it's a quick read. Great for the beach. Here's a bit of the Amazon summary.

(The audible version will be coming soon.)

What would you do if you won the lottery? Would you spend it, share it, save it, or give it away? Every one of us thinks we would know how we would react to suddenly coming into big money, but do we? Is money truly the root of all evil, as the Bible says, or are there ways to overcome the evil and have it, too?

In this intriguing new series, called The Lakeshore Lottery, Jane O’Brien takes another turn in her writing genre. Michael’s Ticket is just one tale of many standalone novellas which will grouped together in a common theme – Lottery Winners. People from all walks of life rejoice when they find themselves wealthy. For some the money will be a Godsend, but for others, it might come close to destroying them.

A New Christmas Bestseller

 

Well, I'm geeked this morning. My new Christmas novella is already #46 in Religious Short Stories. Max Lucado holds #28 and #30 at this time. Look out, Max, here I come!

Thank you, readers for making this happen. This is my third Christmas novella. (Pinecones and Promises; A Kindred Christmas.) I love writing them. What do you think? Should I do one every year?

Forever and Ever

Pinecones and Promises

A Kindred Christmas

Is it Christmas Yet?

 Do you hear the Christmas Bells coming from Hallmark yet? Their Countdown to Christmas has begun. Their first movie is on October 17th.

I really don't like rushing the season, but some things have to be worked on far in advance. So while I'm waiting for my new book, The Black Moon, to go through the editing process, I have been writing a new Christmas novella. If I work hard, I'll have it ready in time for Santa to bring you a copy.

Christmas Sale

 On sale for a limited time only.  Pinecones and Promises is only $.99 on Kindle! If you haven't read this sweet Christmas romance, get it while you can at this great price.  Only a few days left.  And there's still time to order a paperback gift for your friends on Amazon. 

Pinecones and Promises.

Nate Finnegan has never been a fan of Christmas. His homelife as a child did not include pine trees and holly wreaths. It was not that he disliked Christmas; he just didn't have an opinion one way or another. When he decides to move to Michigan to work on a pine tree farm while going to college, he meets the Sparks family. For them Christmas is not only an occupation, it is the best part of the year and what family is all about. Soon their enthusiasm becomes infectious, and Nate has a big change of heart.
Molly Sparks, the pine tree farmers' daughter, is exactly the girl Nate has dreamed about falling in love with, and having a family like the Sparks is something Nate has been waiting for his entire life. But as the young couple soon begin to discover, things aren't always as easy as they first seem. Will the promises they make to each other ever be fulfilled? Or will Nate be left forever hoping for something unattainable? It takes a Christmas miracle to work out the details of this sweet and tender love story.

It's Christmas Time!

 

Did you get enough shopping done on Black Friday? I did my share, but I have a little ways to go. But never fear, there's still Cyber Monday tempting me.

While you're on the computer looking for good things to buy for your family or friends, consider my two Christmas Novellas. They're both sweet little romances with a lot of heart.

Pinecones and Promises is a standalone story set at a Christmas tree farm. Where else would you expect it to be if you live in Michigan?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1719947937

A Kindred Christmas can be read as a standalone, but you will get more out of it if you have already read The Kindred Spirit Bed and Breakfast in The White Pine Trilogy. I list it as number 3.5 in the series.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798013894

These two together can make a perfect gift in a basket with some hot chocolate packets, tea bags, a mug, and some warm socks, suggesting a cozy evening of reading by a fire.

Happy shopping!

Christmas Novellas

 It's never too early to get yourself in the mood for Christmas.  Hallmark channels on TV have been showing Christmas shows for a month. If you're ready to settle in with a good book that doesn't take up too much of your time, look for one of my two Christmas Novellas.  Both can be read as a stand alone story, but A Kindred Christmas does follow The White Pine Trilogy and is connected to the third book in that series called The Kindred Spirit Bed and Breakfast.  If you've already read that book, you might remember some of the characters at the bed and breakfast.  Take a little time to slow down from the hustle and bustle of the season with a feel good Christmas story.  You'll be glad you did.

Pinecones and Promises

A Kindred Christnas

Two Great Christmas Novellas

By the looks of it, even though Thanksgiving has not yet arrived, you're getting in the mood for Christmas -- or at least stories about Christmas. When Hallmark movies begin to run on TV, they always help boost sales of my Christmas books, So just in case you haven't read these yet, here are the links. Pinecones and Promises is a standalone book. A Kindred Christmas actually follows The White Pine Trilogy, but it can be read on its own also, although you would miss references to certain people. I listed it as 3.5 in the Trilogy.

If you like feel good books that help will you get in the spirit, try these two out.

Pinecones and Promises

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GY464YW

A Kindred Christmas

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PHLJ6B4

 

New Release - The Golden Crystal

 BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! The Golden Crystal, which could previously only be read on Vella, is now available on both paperback and Kindle. If you liked The Unforgettables, you will love this newest addition, Book 6, of the series. If you haven't read this series, I recommend starting with Book 1, Ruby and Sal.

In this book you will go back in time to a young gypsy named Gina, and as you read along, the background of who she is and how she connects to the families in this series is slowly revealed. I hope you love this new Gina like I do, because more books are already being planned. Once I started writing about this captivating and magical person, I couldn't let her go.

For fans of A Slip in Time, never fear. I'm still working hard on Yesterday's Boys.

The Golden Crystal

Paperback

Kindle

Vella

Kindle Countdown Sale

 

Just to get you in the mood for Christmas, I have put my two Christmas novellas on a Kindle Countdown.  Today they are only $.99, but they're going up a little each day until they reach their original price.  So hurry!  Download them now and save then until you're in a Chirstmassy mood.

Pinecones and Promises

A Kindred Christmas

 The Golden Crystal by Jane O'Brien

Today I posted the seventeenth episode on my Vella story called The Golden Crystal.  I am learning my way through the whole Vella process, much like some of you.  So far my main complaint is that Amazon is not advertising the Vella platform and most people don't even know it exists.  Other than that, I find it an exciting new way to read and write. 

When I first signed on as a reader, I was told that I would be able to read the first three episodes of every series for free.  After that I would have to buy tokens to unlock the episodes one at a time.  But when I completed the first three episodes, I was given 200 free tokens to get me started!  That was a nice bonus.  After using those up, I did purchase 300 tokens.

The tokens are set in relationship to how long each episode is, so if one of my episode is 1500 words long, you would spend 15 tokens to read it.  In the end, it's not much different than buying a Kindle book for $4.99.  The difference is that you have to wait for the next episode to be published unless you are reading a story that has released many episodes already.  Then you can buy all you want that exists.  Make sense?

Overall, it's just plain fun.  If you do want to try this new way of reading, be aware that as of now, you can only read on your iPhone Kindle app or your iPad Kindle app.  These can not be viewed on Kindle itself and are not allowed to be published anywhere else as an ebook or paperback until they are on Vella for a specific amount of time.

I do plan to publish The Golden Crystal as a book at some time in the future.  In the meantime, here's the link to my episodic story.  The Golden Crystal.

Don't forget to hit the THUMBS UP button if you like it.  Once a week, you'll be given the change to FAVE a particular series.  If you like mine, Id appreciate it if you would do that, too.

Thank you for giving my new venture a try.  Let me know what you think.

Kindle Vella is Here!

 Kindle Vella has been released! And here is my story, The Golden Crystal. It's a spinoff of The Unforgettables where the character named Gina created magical moments with the necklace and bracelet. You can only read Vella on your iPhone or computer. No Androids as yet. And it's only for the US market. The first three episodes are free. After that you buy tokens to continue reading. In the end the tokens would equal the same price as the cost of a kindle book. So far I only have 11 episodes to offer. One episode will be downloaded a week, similar to a TV show. Check it out and leave me a thumbs up if you like it. You can also 'follow' the story and be informed when a new episode is published. It's something new and exciting to explore.

Here's the link to my story:

https://www.amazon.com/The.../dp/B094FCX4KX/ref=sr_1_1...

Scroll down to the episodes and click "see more episodes" if all the episodes aren't showing.

Let me know what you think.

Sweet Christmas Novellas

 Check out one of these Christmas novellas to put you in the mood for Christmas.  Great as gifts, too.  I often put paperbacks in a bag or basket along with hot chocolate, Earl Grey tea, vanilla candles, cinnamon pinecones and roasted almonds. Smells good and looks great!!!

Pinecones and Promises

A Kindred Christmas (follows the White Pine Trilogy but can be read as a standalone)

Find them at amazon.com/author/obrienjane

Christmas Novellas

 And so it begins. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving even if it was a little different than in the past. And now the Christmas season is upon us. Get yourself in the mood with some feel good stories, while I frantically work to get my next book, Yesterday's Moon, out to you. The proof copy is on the way, and then with one click of the approval button, it can be yours. Stay tuned for more updates next week.

The Perfect Gift

Are you searching for the perfect gift?  It's that time of year when we all begin to scratch our heads and wonder what we can get that person in the office we don't know too well, or the stranger whose name we drew from a club or group.  Here's a simple solution. If you have a clue that the recipient is a reader, try giving one of my beautiful Christmas novellas.  The covers are so festive that they inspire even the non reader to pick it up and turn a few pages, plus since they're novellas, they're a quick read. I have two wonderful uplifting stories to share with you.
Find them here at  my Amazon Author Page 

or go straight to Amazon Books:

Pinecones and Promises

A Kindred Christmas

Enjoy the season and have a Merry Christmas!

A Time for Giving

Pinecones & Promises

A Kindred Christmas

                                         

 Normally, I don't like to skip right to Christmas after Halloween, but when writing seasonal books it's necessary.  My two Christmas novellas are sweet,  feel-good  love stories, just right for getting you in the holiday mood or as gifts to put under the tree.  These pretty book covers look great in a gift basket too; just add a pine scented candle, a small box of  Chai tea, or a bottle of wine.  You can even add a pair of spa footies or some stretchy winter gloves.  I also like to throw in a few cinnamon scented pinecones. Mmmm!  They put me right in the mood for the best season of the year. Use your imagination.  Anything goes.  Happy holidays.  Jane O'Brien

Christmas in July

Ho Ho Ho!  It's Christmas in July.  I have two books for you and they're only $2.99 for Amazon Kindle!

     Yes, just as the weather finally turns warm here in Michigan, my home state, I am bringing to your attention my two Christmas novellas.  Hallmark does it, so why not?

     Last winter I offered you my first Christmas book  A sweet winter romance.  A young man named Nate had a rough start in life without much of a family, so when he begins to work for the owners of a Christmas tree farm, he sees for the first time what a family is really all about, and how Christmas is celebrated in their household, so unlike what he was used to.  And best of all is when he falls in love with their daughter, Molly.  But they are young and life has a way of changing things.   Will they stay together?  Only Christmas miracles will work things out the way they were meant to be.

Click here to find this book on Amazon:   Pinecones and Promises


My newest Christmas novella has not been formally released yet, so you can be among the first to read it.  This story tackles the problem many women face when they suddenly realize they are getting older and their marriage is going stale.  Is he cheating or isn't he?  Should she stay or should she give herself a chance before it's too late?  They were so in love once; she still is.  Is he?  A weekend at a bed and breakfast helps three friends to figure things out and a true Christmas miracle sums up the story.

To be truly inspired read:  A Kindred Christmas  Enjoy, and Merry Christmas in July!

A Christmas Book in March

Ta Dah!
    My second Christmas novella is now ready for your reading pleasure. It's a strange time, I know -- the first Sunday of Lent. I had originally intended to release it in July, another weird time, but Hallmark does a 'Christmas in July' then, so I will promote it again at that time. No matter the season or time of year, it's still a good read! Here's the link and description so you can see for yourself. Enjoy!

A Kindred Christmas: A Christmas Novella:

Cover Reveal

Yes, I know it's almost spring, and here I am revealing a Christmas book cover.  Weird, right?  Well, not in my world.  I like to write Christmas stories in the winter when there is snow on the ground.  I find it impossible to write about cold and snow and ice in the summer, so when I finished this book a few weeks ago, I had full intentions of holding it back, but I was just too excited.  And this cover turned out to be one of my favorites.  So I decided to pass it on to you as a little tease.
Look for A Kindred Christmas coming soon!

A Readers' Favorite Five Star Review

I was pleasantly surprised to find this review waiting for me this morning.  And even more please with the rating.  This reviewer truly gets my story.  I couldn't ask for more.

Review #1: Review by Emily-Jane Hills Orford
Reviewed By:

Emily-Jane Hills Orford

Review Rating:

5 Stars - Congratulations on your 5-star review!

Reviewed By Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers’ Favorite

Not everyone enjoys the festivities and excitement of  Christmas. There are a lot of people who have no family to  share the season with and no happy memories to carry them  through. Nate is one of these people. As a baby, he was  abandoned, adopted by a couple who really didn’t want him,  and he grew up distanced from happy memories. Once he was  old enough, he moved out and didn’t look back. He picked up  a job on a Christmas tree farm and grew to love the family  that ran it, especially their daughter, Molly. Invited into their  home for Christmas, Nate learns that happy family memories  of Christmas really do exist. But will it last? Or will a  heartbreak interfere with his growing passion for this magical  season.

Jane O’Brien’s romance novella, Pinecones and Promises,  nurtures the true meaning of Christmas. A gentle,  compassionate story, the opening narrative provides the  reader with Nate’s background in a realistic and sympathetic  manner. The setting, primarily on a Christmas tree farm, is  ideal for the initiation of a romance that is not only with the  daughter of the family that owns the farm, but also with the  beauty and excitement of Christmas and the love that makes it  all possible. The characters are well developed and the reader  is drawn into the story right from the opening lines. The  reader feels compassion as Nate reveals his life story; they  cheer when he finds love and learns to appreciate Christmas;  and they cry when he feels heartbreak and rejection. Through  it all, both Nate and Molly grow and learn to appreciate the  wisdom of their elders and the words of scripture.