Sandy Appleyard

I’m a Canadian mom of two and wife to a very supportive husband. My first two books, which are memoirs (The Message in Dad’s Bottle, I’ll Never Wear a Backless Dress), outline what my life is like. Essentially I’m an animal lover, avid reader and writer, a clean freak and a health fanatic.

Writing my first romantic mystery/suspense novel ensued after reading ‘A Walk to Remember’ and eating way too much cheese. I dreamed about a very different take on Nicholas Sparks’s storyline and began writing when I woke. Eight months later ‘Blessed and Betrayed’ was complete.

The idea for my second romantic suspense developed after I had an interesting conversation with a friend about adultery. A day or two later I had enough notes to begin writing and the story basically took off from there. ‘The Wife of a Lesser Man’ was the beginning of a love affair I now have with classic cop and whodunnit-style mysteries.

I’m so in love with the characters from ‘The Wife of a Lesser Man’ that I’ve completed another (‘Don’t Mess with Daddy’s Girl-to be published tentative 2014) and another is a work in progress (‘The Wheels of Change’ completion date winter 2013).

It’s tough to say whether my writing career found me or I found a writing career. I’m happiest when I’m writing, and giving birth to my children is the only thing that comes close to the feeling I get when I complete another book.

I’ve ventured into other genres as well; I write self-help books under the pen name Denice Shaw, and I also write erotica under the pen name Denice Simmonds.

My favourite mainstream authors are: Nicholas Sparks, Sue Grafton, Philippa Gregory, Stephen King, John Grisham, Andrew Morton, Jodi Picoult, E. L. James, Charles Dickens and Margaret Mitchell.

The Message in Dad's Bottle

Memoir/Inspirational

My father was an alcoholic all his adult life, and the disease took his life at the age of forty-one. When I was ten years old, I became exposed to alcoholism. This book describes what I saw, my reactions to it, and how each situation made me feel. Most importantly, this book illustrates how these factors shaped who I am today.

It also focuses on the experiences of others in my life and how each coped with their own alcoholic family member. Included in this section is helpful advice from each person to those who may also be touched by alcoholism. I also share with the reader some of my poems that I have written to help me deal with my past and explain the significance of each.

(Published Oct. 2010-Dorrance Publishing)

I'll Never Wear a Backless Dress

Memoir/Inspirational

Diagnosed with Scoliosis at age twenty three, there was little doctors could do to help her. She was faced with daily discomfort or pain, fear, and not knowing what future complications the medical condition would bring.

The author illustrates to the reader what the last twelve years have brought her in dealing with her deformity. Against the perceived odds; she started a career, birthed two children, went through several specialists, clinics and therapists, wrote two books and fought for disability.

This book was written for anyone who is challenged with daily pain, and would like some help emotionally with how to make the best out of life despite it.

(Published April 2012-Createspace)

Blessed and Betrayed

Romantic Mystery/Suspense

Victoria’s life is a jigsaw puzzle. Her nightmares, unfeeling mother and a secret picture of her sister, are the puzzle pieces. The ghost of her nanny and her best friend begin to help her put the puzzle together. A near fatal accident reveals one of the missing pieces, but will Victoria solve the puzzle in time?

Blessed with the love of her life and betrayed by the secrets of her past, Victoria finds herself torn. Blessed and Betrayed is an unforgettable novel about unexpected love, forgiveness and letting the past shape, not dictate your future.

Since a major theme in this book is people with cancer, a portion of the proceeds will benefit cancer research.

(Published Dec.2012-Createspace)

The Wife of a Lesser Man

Romantic Mystery/Suspense

They were deeply in love, their days and nights filled with scintillating romance and passionate love making—even after 20 years of marriage. Then fate delivered a hammer blow when a heart attack led to Mark’s impotency and Shelley’s unbearable frustration.

Encouraged by a friend, Shelley becomes flirtatious and unfaithful, finding those moments of glorious intimacy for which she hungered with another man. Mark, a police chief, suspects nothing as he channels all his time and energy into tracking down a serial killer.

But when the murderer leaves a terrifying final clue too close to home, only Shelley can solve the case.

Writing as
Denice Shaw

How to Get Followers on Twitter: A Simple Guide on How to Optimize Twitter and Hootsuite

How to/Web Marketing

This book is for both new and experienced Twitter users. The information also applies to writers, small business entrepreneurs, online marketers or just about anyone who wants to gain targeted, loyal followers on Twitter.

What you’ll find in this book:

• Five easy steps to get massive retweets on Twitter
• Five things you should avoid doing if you want to be successful on Twitter
• How to make a Twitter list and why you should
• Ten simple ways to use your Twitter time wisely
• To follow or not to follow: that is the question
• How productive are Twitter DMs anyway?
• What is Hootsuite and how do you use it?
• Ideas for what to post on Hootsuite
• How to tweet your book-5 easy steps
• What happens when you don’t use Hootsuite?
• What Buffer is and why you should use it
• Tweople to follow

Indie Writing Advice: A Simple Guide on Writing and Optimizing Your Social Media Platform

How to/Web Marketing

Publishing a book today isn't just about writing. With the turbulent industry we all need to establish our platform, mostly on our own, and before our book hits the shelves.

In my experience with self publishing six books, I've learned many things from others and independently. This book outlines all the useful tips, advice and awareness that I've picked up along my writing journey.

Here's what you'll find in this book:

• Being a writer is easy, right?
• Your first book, is it all about ego?
• Subsidy publishing; friend or foe?
• Character development: letting your baby go
• Let your readers fall in love with your character, not your plot
• Tips on how to write an honest book review
• How to write a crappy book
• 10 common mistakes made in your first draft
• Do you like weak blogs or strong blogs?
• If you wouldn’t read it to your mother, would you read it yourself?
• 15 Tips for the First Day of Your KDP Select FREE Promotion
• 5 More Tips to Make the Best out of Your KDP Select FREE Promotion Days
• My Kindle FREE promotion is over….now what?
• Should you help promote a book you haven’t read?
• Are you actually reading other people’s blog posts?
• What is your literary lifeline?
• To join KDP Select or not…that is the question
• The writer/reader: a Jekyll and Hyde character
• What if readers don’t use the ‘Look Inside’ feature?
• Book sales hit a slump?
• How to tweet your book-5 easy steps
• Places to market your book for free or minimum cost
• How important are reviews and likes anyway?
• How to come up with book ideas
• Don’t get stuck in the promotional time warp