One of My Favorite JAFF Authors Needs Help!
The author MJ Stratton had a book pirated, and now Amazon is punishing her for it. Help me help her!
The author MJ Stratton had a book pirated, and now Amazon is punishing her for it. Help me help her!
You know how we all have a favorite JAFF author? Or perhaps a few favorites?
An author that, when they release a new book, we immediately add it to the top of our TBR pile because we know it’s going be good?
That’s how I feel about MJ Stratton. I have loved every single one of her books! They’re well-written with unique storylines, they’re realistic (I’m personally not a huge fan of “Perfect Lizzy” books), and they go in-depth on feelings and emotions.
Well, yesterday morning MJ got a letter from Amazon, telling her that her new release Love Unfeigned has been found online in other places, so it’s been removed from the Kindle Unlimited program.
The problem? MJ didn’t release her book anywhere else. She followed Amazon’s rules that Kindle Unlimited books can’t be made available anywhere else as an ebook. (That rules is why I can’t post my books on FFN anymore.)
Now, Kindle Unlimited is most JAFF authors’ bread and butter. I think about 80% of what I earn from books comes from KU page-reads, not outright purchases. And it’s most likely something similar for MJ.
AND the first month of a book’s release is when it earns the most. Not only do more readers want it because it’s new, but Amazon likes to push and recommend new releases. And the better your new release does, the higher it’s rankings, and the longer Amazon will push it.
So having her book taken out of KU just as it’s released is quite a devastating blow.
She’s lowered the price to just $2.99, but at that price level, she gets less than half the royalties she would normally get. She’s hoping that the lower price will have more people buy it, however, to help it rise so Amazon’s algorithm will keep showing it to readers.
I know MJ personally (well, we’ve never met IN person, but we have quite a few things in common, so we’ve become online friends), and I know that her writing income is used to support her family’s needs. And as y’all know from my blog post a few weeks ago, the price to publish a book is really expensive.
I want to help her, and the best way I can think of is to tell all of you about her books! If you’re able to make a purchase for Love Unfeigned, please do so. Even if it’s not going to be read for a while.
And if you use Kindle Unlimited, go check out some of her books and move them to the top of your TBR pile! Even better, starting reading one today, or at least this month, to help offset the cost.
I’ll list them here, along with a blurb, so you can get an idea of which ones you might want to read first.
**Update: Amazon reinstated Love Unfeigned to Kindle Unlimited! You should still go check it out and read it, help her recover from the slump of it not being available during such a crucial period of its release!
The Redemption of Lydia Wickham
Lydia Wickham used to think herself rather clever, having caught a handsome man and being the first to marry of her sisters. Soon, however, she finds herself trapped in a marriage to a man who is not what she thought him to be. Her pride keeps her from revealing her plight to her sisters and family, suffering in silence for years.
Unexpectedly, Lydia is freed from her marriage and begins life away from her misery in Newcastle. How has she changed? Can those changes last?
The events of Pride and Prejudice are well known by those familiar with Jane Austen’s work, but what would we see if the minor characters told the story? What were Mrs. Hill’s thoughts on the heir to Longbourn? How did Anne de Bourgh feel about her cousin’s fascination with the guests at the parsonage? Did Mrs. Younge willingly help Mr. Darcy find Wickham? From Another Perspective follows the events of Pride and Prejudice as seen through the eyes of some of the lesser players found in the novel, along with some others of the author’s own creation.
A Far Better Prospect (this one is one of my favorites!)
Louisa Bingley had never defied her mother in her life, until she found something she wished to fight for. In love with a man with close ties to trade, Louisa refuses to give him up when her mother demands it. But Mrs. Bingley is not to be reckoned with and through despicable means manages to force her daughter into a much more appropriate marriage to a gentleman named Mr. Hurst.
Married to a man she does not love and finding herself in increasingly desperate circumstances, the newly wed Louisa Hurst must learn to navigate her husband’s expectations and demands while still trying to hold on to the threads of herself. Through all of this she must also survive the malice of her younger sister Caroline when the responsibility for her care is thrust most unwillingly upon her.
Convinced contentment in life is all that she can expect, Louisa finds herself quite unexpectedly released from her unwanted marriage and free to pursue her own happiness. But does she dare take the chance at allowing herself to feel again?
George Wickham was content to ride the coattails of his well-connected friends, right up until they declared him a lapdog good for little else other than his connection to Fitzwilliam Darcy. Properly humbled, and with his father’s death imminent, he returns to Derbyshire in hopes of seeing the man who raised him before it is too late.
One last conversation with his father sets George’s feet on the right path and on a journey of self-discovery. Along the way he makes new friends and pursues new interests better suited to his disposition than that of a clergyman, eventually finding himself in Meryton, clerk to Mr. Philips, a country solicitor.
Stunned to encounter his friend Darcy and others he knows in the area, Wickham sets out to correct the poor impression Darcy has made on the citizens of Meryton… one lady’s opinion, in particular.
Catherine Called Kitty: Christmas Charms Book 1
Catherine Bennet does not believe in magic, per se, but she unequivocally stands by her mother’s assertion that the Christmas charms in their yearly pudding hold mystical properties. She was raised on Mrs. Bennet’s own tales of the charms predicting her future, after all, and had not Lydia married the following year she found the ring?
When Kitty unearths the wishbone the winter after Lizzy and Jane wed, she is excited to use the charm’s magic to secure a happy future. Having been awakened to the possible consequences of Lydia’s choice in husband, she wishes for what Jane and Lizzy have secured in their respective husbands.
Mary, Marry? Quite Contrary!: Christmas Charms Book 2
Mary Bennet despises the tradition of Christmas charms. Too many years she discovered the thimble, and too many times Lydia taunted her, declaring her a spinster in the making. When she finally discovers the ring in her Christmas pudding, Mary scoffs at the idea that a little silver charm could decide one’s fate for the coming year.
When Mary is given several doses of humility, the very foundations of who she thought she was is called into question. Joining her sister on a journey of self-discovery, Mary seeks to amend the flaws in her character. If she finds love along the way, it is purely a matter of chance. Isn’t it?
Charmed: Christmas Charms Book 3
What is a family to do when a certain Christmas tradition may or may not tell their future? A collection of short stories accompanying the first two books of the Christmas Charms series answers that question. Beginning with Fanny Gardiner’s story as she meets and marries Thomas Bennet and ending with the story of what happens to Mr. Bennet five years after the events of Mary, Marry? Quite Contrary!, Charmed contains eight short stories surrounding Mrs. Bennet’s favorite holiday tradition. Are the Christmas charms magic? You decide.
Charming Caroline: Christmas Charms Book 4
Lady Caroline Harpwell thought she had everything she wanted. Married to a baronet, her title put her above everyone who had ever denied her what she deserved. But instead of happiness, she found herself in a gilded cage.
Widowed after only two years of marriage, Caroline is forced from her home by her husband’s heirs: distant cousins from one of the former colonies, Virginia. Unwilling to live in a home less opulent than she deserves, she accepts an invitation to spend the holiday season with her brother and sister-in-law at Pemberley.
An acquaintance from her childhood joins the celebrations, discomposing Caroline and making her question every belief she has ever held. With the help of those around her, Caroline just might learn that money can’t buy happiness, and that love is more precious than jewels.
No Less Than Any Other (another one of my favorites!)
Elizabeth Bennet is not the son and heir her mother wished, much to Mrs. Bennet’s despair. But all was not lost, for soon after her second daughter’s birth, Mrs. Bennet delivered a son. Tom Bennet, born just minutes after his sister, was their family’s savior from the moment he took his first breath.
Tom Bennet’s peculiar nature soon sets him apart from others around him. His striking intelligence, key in aiding his family, paired with his many oddities leaves those around him with many differing opinions. None, though, are more dedicated to his well-being than his twin sister Elizabeth.
The closer to reaching their majority the twins get, the more frantic Mrs. Bennet is, for should anything befall Tom, her hopes and security will be dashed. She is determined that her girls must marry wealthy, eligible men as an extra precaution.
When Netherfield Park is let at last and is filled with eligible men, Mrs. Bennet sees her chance to ensnare at least one wealthy man for her daughters. But will the rumors of heartless neighbors prevent the new tenants from forming any serious designs on any of the Bennet daughters?
What Became of Miss Mary King
Miss Mary King was whisked away to Liverpool by her uncle, thus escaping the clutches of Mr. Wickham. What became of the heiress once removed from the fortune-hunting cad that wished to marry her?
At First Slight
What happens when an angry fairy takes offense to Mr. Darcy’s insult of one of his favorite mortals?
A Change of Outcomes
What would happen if Lydia Bennet, while snooping in her sister’s room, discovered Lizzy’s letter from Darcy before going to Brighton? How would her perception of Mr. Wickham’s attentions change?
Before leaving Norland forever, Elinor Dashwood forms an attachment to Edward Ferrars, but her hopes for the future are shattered when she unwillingly becomes the confidante of Lucy Steele, learning that Lucy has been betrothed to Edward for four years.
However, Lucy fails to secure Elinor’s vow of secrecy. When Marianne finds Elinor in her misery, the sisters share confidences, leading Marianne to compare Edward’s honorable conduct with that of John Willoughby. Her musings lead to some startling revelations, igniting a spark of defiance within her.
Determined to right the wrongs done to her and her beloved family, Marianne takes matters into her own hands.
Mr. Darcy is unmarriageable. Every time he shows any interest in a lady, be it casual or serious, the lady disappears or has disaster befall her. Soon, society spreads gossip that he is cursed, and mamas and daughters alike shun his company. Some unknown nemesis keeps the rumors alive, and soon, he suspects he will never find happiness until he discovers who wants him ruined.
In Meryton, a humbled Mr. Darcy finds himself drawn to a local beauty. Ever cautious that the villain behind his misfortune is watching, he takes great pains to keep his courtship a secret. He disguises his intentions by showing equal attention to all the ladies and being amiable to everyone. When an old enemy arrives in Meryton unexpectedly, Darcy is instantly wary and works even harder to keep his relationship with Elizabeth from being widely known. Will he ever be free to marry and love her openly, or is his love doomed to be thwarted?
In 1812, Elizabeth Bennet, eager for her first visit to the seaside, accompanies her beloved sister Jane and her new brother, Charles Bingley, to Ramsgate. Their retreat, the Lake House, offers an ideal location for Mrs Bingley, whose delicate condition requires rest and care by the sea.
When Jane’s condition worsens, Elizabeth steps into the role of mistress of the house, managing the servants, overseeing the menus, and even attending to her brother’s correspondence. One letter, intended for the solicitor who arranged the lease, unexpectedly draws a shocking reply from Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Stunned by Mr Darcy’s accusations and confused by his claim that it is 1810 and that he owns the Lake House, which he has never leased in his lifetime, Elizabeth responds with sharp, cutting words. As their correspondence continues, it becomes clear that neither has lost their senses; instead, they find themselves caught in a romance that transcends time.
Determined to marry for affection, Elizabeth Bennet rejects her cousin’s proposal, unaware that doing so will throw those she loves most into turmoil. When her decision forces her sister Jane to marry without affection and leaves her dear friend Charlotte Lucas bereft of hope, Elizabeth is ensnared in a tangled web of interference and obligation.
Fitzwilliam Darcy is certain he’s left Hertfordshire and the beguiling, impertinent miss he met there behind, only to find her in Kent when next he visits his aunt. While Miss Elizabeth Bennet may seem indifferent to his presence, wrapped as she is in her own concerns, Darcy finds it impossible to mirror her disregard. But as his love for her comes to the fore, her mire of obligations and hope threatens to keep them apart.
Escape to London? Elizabeth Bennet is happy to. Her mother has been unbearable ever since Elizabeth refused to marry her odious cousin. Besides which, her beloved sister Jane is in London, heartbroken, and much in need of Elizabeth’s help. Jane’s recovery from her suitor’s defection is utmost in Elizabeth’s mind, until she receives a letter filled with romantic sentiments from the only source less likely than her already-refused cousin, the aggravating, arrogant, obnoxious Mr. Darcy.
Darcy has tried to purge Elizabeth Bennet from his thoughts and heart, but her fine eyes and pert opinions haunt him even in his sleep. When a letter arrives from Elizabeth Bennet, the machinations of someone close to him come to light. Delighted at the chance to pursue inclination rather than expectation, Darcy continues the correspondence started by another.
When untold truths surface, Elizabeth must decide if she can trust the gentleman with whom she has fallen deeply in love, and Darcy must do everything he can to persuade her that he is not the same unfeeling man she despised in Hertfordshire. Love Unfeigned is a sweet, low-angst Darcy and Elizabeth novella that brings an early happily ever after for our dear couple.
Character and Countenance (available for pre-order – I am SO excited for this one!)
Elizabeth Bennet has led a quiet life in Hertfordshire. Longbourn, her home since birth, hardly feels welcoming given the less-than-loving treatment bestowed by her stepmother, half-sisters, and more recently, her most beloved stepsister, Jane. With plans to partake in the season with their mother’s family, Elizabeth and Mary anticipate the moment when they can go where they are wanted. When three handsome gentlemen arrive, Elizabeth discovers that appearances are not everything, and a handsome face does not readily reveal the qualities—good or bad—that lie within.
Fitzwilliam Darcy did not come to Meryton to fall in love. Despite his best efforts, the beguiling sister of Bingley’s latest angel fascinates him, drawing him in with her fine eyes and pert opinions. Every natural feeling protests against uniting the Darcy name with someone so beneath him, and he flees Hertfordshire before he falls further under her spell. Fate has other plans, and despite his best efforts, Elizabeth is thrown in his path once more. But all is not as it seems, and when Elizabeth’s true circumstances are revealed, Mr. Darcy must decide if he can become a man worthy of her or lose her to another.