Adventures N Writing

Okay, so you've been checking out my WIP stuff because that's what I've been posting. Today, I figured I'll post a little bit of the next wine mystery due out in April. And here's a little reminder--Books are cheap gifts! The holidays are approaching and I am a book giver because I know how hard writers work and because I LOVE books. I figure if I can't help support the industry then, I'm a schmuck. And I don't just buy the bestsellers for my family and friends. I tend to look for the new authors, the writers I know who could use that extra push. I think there are so many wonderful, overlooked books out there. I won't go into it because I'll get sad and then angry and then confused and frustrated and I don't want to go there. Basically what I'm telling you is that you should buy books for your holiday gifts. People need to be reading! It's a good thing. And people don't just need literary, make you think and pose questions about l...

I get asked a lot at writer's conferences about what works and what doesn't in terms of marketing. It's a great question because in this day and age of publishing the writer HAS to be his/her own biggest advocate. They have to be willing to go out there and shout about their book from the rooftops, and then hope that their shouts get picked up by a strong wind that spreads the title of the book and the name of the author from coast to coast. These days there are so many outlets to market a book via social networking, blogs, virtual book touring, etc--it's no longer about the traditional in-store book tour. Besides, in my opinion, book tours only work well for those household name authors. Trust me. I can't tell you how many times I've sat in a bookstore behind a table and been asked where a certain book is located (and it isn't my book). It's quite a humbling experience. So, with all of these new possibilities available to writers, what does work? Honest...