Be Happy-- Read a Romance

Hey, all!

I've been busy in my little writing hole these past few days so I'm happy to fnally come out and announce that I've crossed the halfway mark of my WIP with about a month and a half still to go to meet my Book In Three Month Challenge. Woo-hoo!

And you know what else? I was so distracted on Monday that I forgot to announce my book winner. Duh. SORRY. So without further ado...


The winner of The Role of a Lifetime is lucky number 15--er, I mean Courtney! Just let me know whether you'd like the book in print or ebook format and I'll send it out!

Thank you SO much to everyone who came over and entered. It was fun and I really appreciate it. :)

And now for MORE fun!!

One of my favorite authors, Kristan Higgins did a really cute trailer for her new romance coming out, My One and Only, so I have to share it here too. I just think it's brilliant and fun marketing. :)
It's called "English Teacher Busted"




So there. Be happy and read a romance.
(As long as you don't get fired or go to jail or anything)

Have a great weekend!

Special Guest Blogger: Patti Lacy!

Hey, all! Happy Monday!
I'm SO excited to be hosting such a special author on my blog today!

In case you didn't know, the one and only Patti Lacy is the author of An Irishwoman's Tale and What the Bayou Saw, both Foreword Magazine Book of the Year finalists. (In addition to being such a talented writer, Patti just so happens to be THE nicest woman on the Internet)

Her third novel The Rhythm of Secrets was just released and to some wonderful reviews. So I asked Patti to stop by and talk about her new book, which she will be giving away to some lucky commenter here! :)

So please welcome Patti!
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Hey, Jennifer!

Thanks for letting me plop down on your comfortable couch and share the story of what inspired The Rhythm of Secrets, my third literary baby.

On the morning of July 8, 2007, I opened the Chicago Tribune. Coffee (yeah, I’m an addict) sloshed on the table…and I didn’t care. Gail Rosenblum’s article about Sandy Sperrazza, a mother giving up…and then reclaiming…her baby grabbed my heart and wouldn’t let go. The idea for my third novel rustled right there in the pulpy pages, begging to be SET FREE!

Stories of two Vietnam veterans, a Moody Bible Institute student, and a brave pastor’s wife collided with the fictional character of Sandy. We time-traveled to my beloved N’Awlins during the 1940s, headed north when things exploded down South, and jetted to Thailand for a tumultuous climax. It was SO MUCH FUN!

How long did it take you to write this book?
I received my box of author’s books on Christmas Eve of 2010. We are talking OVER THREE years for the birthing of perhaps my most unruly child. During that time, I was working on two other books, but still…

TALK ABOUT A PAIN!!

And now I’m “pregnant” with a fifth baby. Book four is in foster care right now with Bethany House editor Sarah Long. Translation? Substantive edits are in Sarah’s hands.

In the meantime, Below Normal and Beyond Normal are itching to get on paper. Here’s my hook: Evelyn Sechrist, a bereaved widow, and Jamie Sue Symmes, a mentally handicapped grocery bagger, fight their families and city hall to open a soup kitchen on the poor side of Normal, Illinois (by the way, my hometown!)

I hope y’all drop by my website, http://www.pattilacy.com/, from time to time. There are book reviews and a blog. If you’re an art lover, don’t miss my ART BITES, posted five days a week at on my main Facebook page.

Thanks, Jennifer, for letting me hang here on Monday, Monday!
Blessings, all!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
See? I told you she's the nicest woman on the Internet!


Here's a little about her book: The Rhythm of Secrets
Since 1955, Sheila Franklin, a talented musician, has perfectly performed the role of devout pastor’s wife, locking away her past as Sheba Alexander and Sylvia Allen. Her carefully constructed façade crumbles with a single phone call from a young Marine named Samuel, the illegitimate son she secretly put up for adoption. Samuel begs Sheila to use her government contacts to get his fiancé, Mali, a Thai prostitute, into America. A dangerous mixture of love and guilt spurs her to help her only child even though it devastates her husband Edward and exposes her questionable past. After a quarrel with Edward, Sheila and Samuel board a C-130 for Thailand and then search Bangkok’s steamy streets for a Madonna-faced prostitute. The two whisk Mali from a brothel but are seized by a warlord who considers Mali his “number one girl.”
In a teak “ghost house,” Sheila discovers God’s grace and gains the freedom she needs to find her own identity—Sheila, Sylvia, and Sheba. A framed story, this novel has roots in the bohemian 1940s New Orleans French Quarter and spans three decades, including the turbulent Vietnam era.

And here's the trailer:




Awesome, Patti!



CONTEST: Patti is generously giving away a copy of her book, The Rhythm of Secrets to some lucky ducky commenter!

The contest will run NOW until Thursday 11:59PM (EST). I will announce the winner this Friday, January 28th.



Good luck and happy reading!

This and that part 10

MOOD STATUS: "Excited". Looking forward to going out to dinner--with no kids! :)

Thanks to everyone who stopped by Writer Routine Wednesday to hear about Camy Tang's new book and her writing routine!


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And now for the this and the that...

First up:

My friend Clarissa Yip has a new book just released by Decadent Publishing called LOVE BY AUCTION.

Here's a little bit about it:

Intent on leaving the Date for Charity Auction, billionaire Mark Passmore vows not to bid, until he sees the gorgeous blond strut across the stage. Need overwhelms his senses and he has to have her.

With an etiquette drill sergeant and society snob for a mother, Rebecca Hathaway a.k.a Ice Princess accepts an extraordinary dare—one that lands her in the arms of her ex, except he doesn’t know it’s her.

After an explosive passionate night with Mark, Rebecca sneaks back to her mundane life of tea parties and book clubs. But she knows she’ll never be the same again.

Although he’s ended their relationship three years ago, Mark has never stopped loving Rebecca. When he learns the truth of Rebecca’s role in the action, will he forgive her for her betrayal or walk away again?

CONGRATS, Clarissa!
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And check out my other friend's (Stephanie Taylor) new book trailer for her recent release DOUBTING THOMAS. She did a fabulous job with it!



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Also, Karen G is having a little BBQ Blog party over at her blog this whole weekend. So if you want to add some followers to your blog, go check out her party!

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Writer Routine Wednesday: Tricia Mills

Hey, all you writers and readers!
It's another week of my new blog segment: Writer Routine Wednesday, where every Wednesday from now until September 8th, I will host an author.
We'll get to know them better and their books as well as hear them describe their usual writing routine
Maybe you'll pick up an idea they use for yourself!
Lots of great prizes are scheduled too!
Yes, only two more authors left! What will I do with myself after this blog segment is done? We'll cross that bridge then. :)
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Please welcome author Tricia Mills today and hear about her writing routine!

BIO: I began writing romance when I was in college, but I got serious about writing and trying to get published when my local RWA chapter was formed in 1996. It took me 11 years and lots of manuscripts before I finally sold two young adult novels to Razorbill in July 2007 (written as Tricia Mills) and two contemporary romances to Harlequin American in October 2007 (written under Trish Milburn).
In the years leading up to selling, I finaled in RWA's Golden Heart contest (the top award for unpublished romance novels) eight times, winning twice. My second Harlequin American, Her Very Own Family, recently won the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, which was very exciting.

FMI please visit her website.


Thanks for stopping by, Tricia!


**Describe a “typical” writing day for yourself. For example: Do you get up have your coffee, check e-mail, then write to a certain time? Do you have a set word or page goal when you do write?
I'm not normally a crack-of-dawn riser, so I typically get out of bed around 8 when my husband goes to work, fix my breakfast (typically some fruit) and sit down to read e-mail and read/comment on blogs until around 9. I just recently joined the YMCA, so depending on what I want to do there on that day (certain classes at certain times), I work around that. For instance, if I go to the noon yoga class, I might get in a couple of hours of writing/editing and then check e-mail again for anything pressing before I head to the Y.
Really, after that first hour of my day, the rest of the day is flexible depending on what I have to do -- write, edit, freelance work, yard work, house cleaning, travel, RWA board duties, etc. I typically take a lunch break and watch something I've recorded on my TiVo while I eat.

**Do you have another job outside of writing? (Being a mommie definitely counts!!) If the answer is yes, describe how you balance the two and how much time you devote to each.
Until early 2005, I worked as a magazine writer and editor. I still do freelance work for them, but I mainly work on my fiction writing. We don't have kids, so no mommie duties.

**Are you a laptop, PC, Alphasmart, or by hand kind of writer?
Laptop. It's kind of funny, but I do most of my Internet, e-mail, blogs, Facebook, etc., on my desktop computer, but I don't write on it.

**Plotter or panster? If you’re a plotter, how much time do think you put into plotting before writing.
I'm somewhere in between. I have to plot some because I have to do outlines and partials to sell to my publishers.

**Some writers make collages or listen to or create music soundtracks for their work-in-progress? Do you do any of those or have you thought about doing one of them?
I do like to collage. And I didn't think I would, but I did one at a retreat I was at once and loved it. I don't typically listen to music when I write. I'm too easily distracted. I love movie and TV soundtracks though, and those can inspire story ideas.

**What’s your favorite book on writing?
Hmm, it's been awhile since I've read one, but I'd say Stephen King's "On Writing".

**What’s your favorite fiction book you’ve read so far this year?
Can I mention three? :) Lover Mine by J.R. Ward, New Blood by Gail Dayton and Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. That's two paranormals and a young adult post-apocalyptic.

**What’s your favorite way to reward yourself after you’ve finished writing a book?
Going to the movies (I love seeing movies on the big screen) and getting a massage (to get out all the kinks from sitting at the computer).



Thanks so much, Tricia! I think I'm about due for a massage too! :)

Guess what? Tricia has a new YA release this month!

It's set in Alaska and is entitled WINTER LONGING.

Here's a little bit about it:

Winter Craig finally gets up the nerve and tells her long-time friend Spencer that she likes him as more than a friend. The best part? Spencer likes her as more than a friend too. With the perfect boy to love and be loved by, she begins her senior year at her small Alaska school and indulges in the dream of becoming a costume designer for the movie industry.
Life is perfect — until tragedy strikes.
Winter’s perfect life turns upside down as she deals with an unbearable loss, doubts about her future, a best friend whose home life is getting worse by the day, and unexpected feelings for an unexpected boy.


Check out the trailer!



Available at Amazon.com


CONTEST: Tricia has generously offered to giveaway a copy of her first YA book HEARTBREAK RIVER to some lucky commenter!






Please leave a comment below to be entered to win. The giveaway contest will run from now until Thursday 11:59PM (EST). I will announce the lucky winner this Friday!






Good luck and get into your own writing routine!

Writer Routine Wednesday: Patti Lacy

Hey, all!
It's another week of my new blog segment:Writer Routine Wednesday, where every Wednesday from now until the end of August, I will host an author. We'll get to know them better and their books as well as hear them describe their usual writing routine.

Maybe you'll pick up an idea they use for yourself!
Lots of great prizes are scheduled too!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, please welcome author Patti Lacy today and hear about her writing routine!

BIO: When Patti Lacy left the Louisiana swamps for college in 1972, she returned to the home she’d lived in as a five-year-old, the boys’ athletic dorm at Baylor University. Patti’s two hundred big brothers entertained her with magic tricks and tales of wild escapades, planting the love of stories in her heart.
The influence of her schoolteacher parents led Patti to pursue an education degree at Baylor and master’s work in literature at Indiana State. She taught in public schools and at Heartland Community College until she resigned in 2005 to write full-time.
Patti’s first novel of women’s Christian fiction, An Irishwoman’s Tale, explores the first memories of a feisty woman grappling with scars inflicted by two dysfunctional mothers. What the Bayou Saw, Patti’s second novel, takes a chatty Southerner from Normal, Illinois, back to a Louisiana swamp. Patti’s first two novels were finalists in Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year contest. In January 2011, Kregel will release The Rhythm of Secrets, Patti’s third novel. Reclaiming Lily, a story that took Patti to the hutongs of China, is a work in progress.
The secrets women keep and why they keep them continue to capture Patti’s imagination. She writes full time, teaches Bible studies and seminars, and attends book signings. Patti and her husband Alan, an Illinois State faculty member, live in Normal. They have two grown children and a dog named Laura.
FMI: http://www.pattilacy.com/



Thanks for stopping by, Patti!

Please describe a “typical” writing day for yourself. For example: Do you get up have your coffee, check e-mail, then write to a certain time? Do you have a set word or page goal when you do write?
The alarm buzzes me out of bed at 5:00 to 5:45. I usually trip over Laura the dog on my way to that first cup of coffee. Then I check e-mails, post my ART BITE of the day on Facebook, eat, guzzle more caffeine, and spend time in worship and praise.
Properly fortified, I glue my seat to the computer chair and try not to budge until three to six pages are written. In sports terms, that task gets me to first base! Other chores, including the typical mom/wifey shopping and cooking and general family social coordinator, follow. If the cylinders are firing, I write more on the WIP. Rewards come in the form of blog and Facebook checks. By noon, I’ve rounded second base and coast to third with lunch and my reading time. I trot on home with publicity stuff, blog posts, and e-mails. This year, I’ve tried to reserve evenings for family and friends.

Do you have another job outside of writing? I run the household here in Normal, where life is anything but! Occasionally I accept speaking and teaching engagements, like this past week, when Monday and Tuesdays took me to a retirement village and memoir writing classes. I love to intersperse (and fund!) my writing life with contracted engagements.

Are you a laptop, PC, Alphasmart, or by hand kind of writer? I am definitely PC on several levels.

Plotter or panster?
Dear Jennifer, I’m plotting this very moment. In fact, I’m in a police station in Fort Worth, Texas. Sigh. I plot for at least a couple of months, mulling things over with a couple of writer soulmates and agent Natasha. My first two novels flew by the seats of their pants and needed lots of in-house and out-house (yikes) unrumpling. Hopefully my conversion will smooth out these little wrinkles I seem to develop…

Some writers make collages or listen to or create music soundtracks for their work-in-progress. Do you do any of those or have you thought about doing one of them?
Music fuels me, along with chocolate, coffee, and tea. I have a wonderful and eclectic collection of CDs…which I cherished until my son taught me, like, two months ago, about www.pandora.com. Yeah, I was a real dinosaur. So far I’ve downloaded Sigur Ros, David Crowder Band, Corrine Bailey Rae, Tenth Avenue North, Jamey Johnson, Ella Fitzgerald, Passacaglia. You wouldn’t believe the “special mix” those little people in the Pandora site have concocted for me!

What’s your favorite book on writing? Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. Hands-down.

What’s your favorite fiction book you’ve read so far this year? Sigh. Jennifer, you’re shoving me into a dark corner. I GOBBLE up books! I just can’t stop at one, so…Hotel at the Corner of Bitter & Sweet, Wild Swans, Chasing Lilacs (Carla Stewart’s new book), The Good Earth, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The Madonnas of Leningrad…I’ll stop now!

What’s your favorite way to reward yourself after you’ve finished writing a book?
I call up my special soulmates who’ve propped up my hands when they are sick of the keyboard and we meet at Thai House, our favorite restaurant. No menus are needed as we order family-style and celebrate with praise in our hearts and delicious food on the table!

Thai sounds fun, Patti! Thank you so much for sharing a little of your writing routine and life with us today!

Patti has two books out now. Here's a little about both:

An Irishwoman’s Tale
Mary Freeman’s earliest memory has haunted her since childhood: An old oaken table, bitter faces guzzling tea, a heated argument about what’s to be done with the “little eejit”—her. Now she is far removed from this family that didn’t want her, and separated from her native Ireland. Living in the United States Heartland, Mary searches out fulfilling roles—businesswoman, wife, Christian, mother, community servant—but her loneliness and torment remain as acute as ever.
A crisis in her youngest daughter’s life—and the encouragement of Sally, a plucky Southern transplant—propels Mary back to the rocky cliffs of her home in County Clare, Ireland. Her harrowing journey unveils her tragic past and forces her face-to-face with God.
Available at ChristianBooks and Amazon
Watch the trailer HERE.


What the Bayou Saw
Since leaving Louisiana, Sally Stevens has held her childhood secrets at bay, smothering them in a sunny disposition and sugar-coated lies. No one, not even her husband Sam, has heard the truth about what happened to her and her best friend, Ella Ward, when they were twelve years old.
Now a teacher in Normal, Illinois, Sally has nearly forgotten her past. Then Shamika, one of her students, is violently attacked, and memories of segregation, a chain-link fence, and a blood oath bubble to the surface like a dead body in a bayou. Lies continue to tumble from Sally’s lips as she scrambles to gloss over the harsh reality of a betrayal that refuses to stay buried.
Finally cornered by the Holy Spirit and her own web of lies, Sally and Shamika embark on a quest to find Ella in post-Katrina New Orleans. With the help of friends, family, and God, Sally can glimpse a life free of the mire of deceit and truly begin to live with joy. Will she pay the price for a lifetime of deception? Can she save Shamika?
Available on Amazon and B&N
Watch the trailer HERE

Don't they both sound wonderful?


CONTEST: Patti has generously offered to give away a signed copy of one of the above books-- An Irishwoman’s Tale or What the Bayou Saw (winner's choice) to some lucky commenter!

Please leave a comment below to be entered to win. The giveaway contest will run from now until Thursday 11:59PM (EST). I will announce the lucky winner this Friday!


Good luck and get into your writing routine!

Writer Routine Wednesday: Eileen Cook

Hey, all!

It's another week of my new blog segment:Writer Routine Wednesday, where every Wednesday from now until the end of August, I will host an author. We'll get to know them better and their books as well as hear them describe their usual writing routine.

Maybe you'll pick up an idea they use for yourself!
Lots of great prizes are scheduled too!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, please welcome author Eileen Cook today and hear about her writing routine!

BIO:
Eileen Cook is a multi-published author with her novels appearing in six different languages. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer. Her latest release, Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood was released in Jan 2010.
You can read more about Eileen, her books, and the things that strike her as funny at http://www.eileencook.com/. Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and two dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.

Thanks for stopping by, Eileen!

Please describe a “typical” writing day for yourself. For example: Do you get up have your coffee, check e-mail, then write to a certain time? Do you have a set word or page goal when you do write?
I roll out of bed and take the dogs outside. In addition to the unconditional love that comes from having dogs there is the added benefit that you rarely oversleep because they want out. Then a quick dash on the treadmill and a shower. I am not a coffee drinker, which is practically a crime here on the West Coast where there is a coffee shop on every corner. I am however, a total tea junkie.
Tea in hand, usually around 8am, I tackle my email first. I secretly hope that every day there will be something fabulous in my email. If there is no email from Oprah begging me to be on her show, then I let myself check out a few blogs before I realize that I am never going to hit my writing target for the day if I don’t get started. I don’t set a daily word count goal, but I do have a weekly goal. This gives me the option to write like a crazy woman one day and then take the next day off if I want. It seems easier to give myself this flexibility, because life changes for me one day from the next.
I start writing by reading over the past few pages that I’ve written. I try to never stop writing at the end of a chapter if I can help it and instead like to leave off in the middle. This lets me jump right into the middle of things. The day then progresses between writing and beating my head against the desk- depending on how things go.

Do you have another job outside of writing? (Being a mommie definitely counts!!) If the answer is yes, describe how you balance the two and how much time you devote to each.
My “day job” is as a counselor. I specialize in working with people who have had catastrophic injuries or illnesses. When I sold my second book I went to part-time. So far this is a good balance for me. I have enough time to write, have at least a couple days a week where I put on grown up clothing and find I’m more productive on the days I do write. I wrote my first two books while working full time. It can be done, but being able to work part time has let me had more balance. I don’t write well late in the evening and I’m not even functional before 6am, so being able to write during the day is a luxery.

Are you a laptop, PC, Alphasmart, or by hand kind of writer?
I am a total Apple junkie. If Steve Jobs made it, I probably own it. I have an Apple laptop that I use for most of my writing. When I get stuck (and there is a point in every manuscript when I’m stuck) the way out is to switch to pen and paper. Something about writing by hand seems to shake things free.

Plotter or panster? If you’re a plotter, how much time do think you put into plotting before writing.
I am a panster by nature, and a plotter by practice. This is due in part because my editor wants to have some idea of what I’m planning to do before she’ll write a contract. (Those publisher people are so fussy) The more I write the more I find it handy to spend at least some time plotting things out before I start. I tend to spend a couple of weeks thinking about the plot, the characters and brainstorming different options. When I’m done I have a plan for the book, but I leave myself open to chucking the plan and going where the book takes me if a new idea comes up.

Some writers make collages or listen to or create music soundtracks for their work-in-progress? Do you do any of those or have you thought about doing one of them?
I’ve tried EVERYTHING. I’m made collages, music play lists, made alters to the muse, interviewed my imaginary characters, and created mind maps. If someone tells me they know a way to make the writing easier or better I’ll give it a shot. I own pretty much every writing guide available.
So far I’ve found different things work at different times. I haven’t found one secret trick that works for me every time other than to keep moving forward. As the saying goes- you can’t fix a blank page. I’m also quite fortunate to have a great editor and agent who are available to bounce ideas around.

What’s your favorite book on writing?
Can I pick more than one? I love On Writing by Stephen King, Save the Cat by Blake Synder and The Anatomy of Story by John Truby.

What’s your favorite fiction book you’ve read so far this year?
Can I pick two? I know, I know, but I read a lot. I loved The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters.

What’s your favorite way to reward yourself after you’ve finished writing a book?
I feel like I should say something exciting like swilling champagne on a yacht, but I typically kick back on the sofa with my husband, our two dogs, a bottle of wine, and catch up on what I’ve missed while I had my head down.
The absolute BEST reward comes a year or so later when you finally get to see the book on the shelf. I still feel like busting out my dance moves every time I see the books there.

Congrats on your success, Eileen! And thank you so much for sharing a little of your writing routine and life with us today!

Eileen's recent YA book is Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood and is available on Amazon, B&N, and a book store near you! Here's a little bit about it:

Popularity is the best revenge.
In the final weeks of eighth grade, Lauren Wood made a choice. She betrayed her best friend, Helen, in a manner so publicly humiliating that Helen had to move to a new town just to save face. Ditching Helen was worth it, though, because Lauren started high school as one of the It Girls--and now, at the start of her senior year, she's the cheerleading captain, the quarterback's girlfriend, and the undisputed queen bee. Lauren has everything she's ever wanted, and she has forgotten all about her ex-best friend.
But Helen could never forget Lauren. After three years of obsessing, she's moving back to her old town. She has a new name and a new look, but she hasn't dropped her old grudges. She has a detailed plan to bring down her former BFF by taking away everything that's ever been important to Lauren—starting with her boyfriend.
Watch out, Lauren Wood. Things are about to get bitchy.




Doesn't that sound fun?

CONTEST: Eileen has generously offered to give away a signed copy of her book GETTING REVENGE ON LAUREN WOOD to some lucky commenter!


Please leave a comment below to be entered to win. The giveaway contest will run from now until Thursday 11:59PM (EST). I will announce the lucky winner this Friday!


Good luck and get into your writing routine!

This, a Winner, and That part 3

MOOD STATUS: "Busy". Jane, stop this crazy summer!

Thanks so much to everyone who stopped by Writing Routine Wednesday to say hi and hear about Rhonda's writing routine!
I'm having so much fun reading all the author's writing habits. :)

But, yes, now the important part.
The book winner.

The lucky commenter who will receive Rhonda's YA book PUCKER UP is...

Julie Musil!!!

Congrats!
Please e-mail me the address you'd like the book mailed to. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



And now a little of this and that...

I'm pleased to announce that my writing friend Chicki Brown has a book just released out on Kindle called HAVE YOU SEEN HER?

Here's the blurb:

If she’d stayed any longer, her husband would have killed her.

Frantic to escape his drug-induced brutality, socialite Marcia Hadley escapes Santa Barbara and flees to Atlantic City. She’s sold everything she owns, rents a seedy inner city apartment and attempts to disappear as Dani Reynolds, cocktail waitress at Frenzy, a neighborhood nightclub.

Taylor Villanova, the club’s sexy multi-racial bouncer recognizes her naiveté and volunteers to teach her about surviving in the “hood.” Fearful and suspicious of men, Dani is at first repelled by his violent profession yet drawn to the compassionate nature that contradicts Taylor’s macho persona. But when her well-laid plans go awry, and Dani discovers someone is following her, she must put her complete trust in Taylor. Her time is running out.




The great news is that you DON'T have to own a Kindle to read it. You can download the FREE Kindle app for your PC or phone. Now that's convenient. :)

Check it out!

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Well, that's all for me folks.
Last day of surf camp for the kidlet is today then we're hitting the beach again this afternoon. (And probably the rest of the weekend, too)

Have a Happy Independence Day!

You Have a Book Trailer. Now What?

IN THE NEWS: Frail boy-king Tut died from malaria, broken leg. Read more HERE.

Happy Monday!


You're probably all wondering--(or maybe not)--after my previous posts on "Why do a book trailer" and "How to do a book trailer", "Now what do I do with my book trailer?"

First and foremost, you tell your mom. (Unless your mom is like my mom and has dial-up internet connection, because then it'll take forever for her to see the video)

Then all your friends.
Some co-workers, neighbors, your enemies--basically, anyone who'll listen. :)

But if you don't have anyone's ear at the moment of unveiling,
you can upload online to these places:

your Facebook page

your Web site

your Blog

Create an author page on Amazon and upload it there.

YouTube.

Yahoo Video

Google Video

Link to it on AuthorsDen.com

mySpaceTV

The Romance Studio (must be a member)

Manic Readers (create an author page and put it there)


Announce it on any writer's forums you belong to, too. If someone is excited about their video and announces it for me to watch, I WILL check it out. (But maybe that's just me) :)


There are a few other places to put your trailer, too. All the ones listed below are free.

Trailer Spy
Book Trailers.net
Daily Motion
New Covey Trailer Awards
Backspace the Writer's Place

Whew!

Have you used any of those sites for your book trailer?
Did I miss a site?

How to do a Book Trailer

MOOD STATUS: "Sick". No more feeling "meh". Now feeling REALLY "meh" and a sore throat, too.


Well, from my last post on "why do a book trailer", I can see most of you are interested in them.
Hey, what a coincidence. Me, too!

Okay. So NOW you're thinking, "How do I get a book trailer anyway?"
I'm glad you asked.

Your first option is You can pay someone to make one for you. I confess, I like this option and am thinking about paying for one for my book due out in October. There are a lot of wonderful online companies who specialize in making videos for your books. Some are pricey and some are extremely reasonable.
Here are just a few examples of places that authors I know have used:

DK RENDERS
Goddess Fish Promotions
Triad Film Productions (uses actual actors instead of pictures)
Trailer to the Stars!

Your second option is You can make your own book trailer. What?! Yes, in fact if a techno dummy like myself can do it, ANYONE can. There are plenty of cool techno places you can use like one true media, but I used Windows Movie Maker. It's on most PCs and is very self-explanatory. If you have it on your computer but need a quick tutorial, it's here.

So... if you're going to make your own, how do you start?

a)Watch a lot of book trailers. Go to YouTube to start. You'll get a feel for styles and lengths and be able to figure out what you personally like. I've watched videos in the one minute to three minute range. The average being about a minute in a half. My first one went a little long (over two minutes). But it was my first! I plan on making my next one a little shorter, after all time is precious to people. :)

b) Next, come up with a frame by frame "storyboard" of what you want to say about your book. What do I mean? Look at your blurb or what you used in your query letter to sell your book. That will give you an idea of where to start.

You're probably going to average about 20 frames (give or take depending on how long your video is). Keep in mind that your first and last frame will usually be your cover and title of your book or maybe your name and website.

**Take out a notebook and start with a simple flowchart of what you want to show. Keep in mind, you may want to take up some frames with just words and no picture or just a picture and no words. In my book, THE ROLE OF A LIFETIME, I used a frame to say something serious then in the next frame I showed a funny picture. In some frames I put words on my picture.

**keep in mind the TONE you want to create. I wanted mine to be amusing since I write lighthearted and wanted people to know that. I also chose to showcase the book from the hero's POV since his "role" was the more comedic part of the story.

c)Now that you have "idea" of what you want to show, the real fun begins: looking for pictures. (I mean this sarcastically because this is the MOST TIME CONSUMING part of the process) When looking for pictures keep in mind you want to look for Royalty free photos. Every online photo store has different rules and procedures. I bought from a sight were I paid $10 to get "credits". I could upload a certain amount of photos depending on how much the credit was for each picture.
Here are a few sites I found looking around online: (Always be sure and read the fine print and that even though they are royalty free you can use them commercially.)

http://www.pdphoto.org/

http://www.bigstockphoto.com/

http://www.shutterstock.com/

http://freestockphotos.com/

http://www.audiomicro.com/free-sound-effects

http://www.jupiterimages.com/RoyaltyFreePhotos

http://www.dreamstime.com/aboutimages

**if you want to save money, take your own pictures

**also, keep in mind that looking for pictures might even give you new ideas as to what you show in your video.

d) Once you have the pictures and the order and what you want to say, you're probably going to need some background music. After all, you don't want to watch a silent video. This is where it can get pricey, so you may need to need to get creative if some of these aren't in your price range.

http://www.audiomicro.com/

http://www.musopen.com/ (free, public domain music!)

http://www.royaltyfreemusic.com/

http://www.studiocutz.com/

http://www.stockmusicsite.com/default.cfm/agent.109929?gclid=COjf3KnHnaECFRRM5QodeGQlzw

http://www.danosongs.com/ (free but must give credit to their site in your video)

Whew! Now that you have all that, you can then start putting it all together to see how it looks. Plus, Windows Movie Maker has a lot of neat gadgets you can play around with, like having your pictures or words fade in and out of the frame. This is the FUN part.

Still need more advice? Shame on you. (Just kidding) Steeple Hill author Brenda Coulter has a wonderful post on book trailers, too, which helped me a lot when I didn't know where to start.

Have you used any of these sites before? Have you used or know of different sites for a book trailer?

Why Do a Book Trailer?

MOOD STATUS: "stressed". I need to cut back on some things I've gotten myself into...

Happy Monday, all!

First some good news: I recently got an e-mail from my editor at Avalon Books and the production of Georgie on His Mind has finally begun. Hooray!!

So you know what that means, right? No? Oh.
It means that I've now begun compiling notes and pictures so I can create a book trailer for it. :)

Now you may be asking yourself, "Why, Jenn? Is that really necessary? Why do a book trailer?"

Well, you may or may not know I'm huge American Idol fan, so I'm going to answer with an example from a recent show.

Picture this: a few weeks ago, it was Beatles's week on American Idol. Awesome singer Lee Dewyze is singing his heart out to "Hey, Jude" and doing a fantastic job.Then... out of nowhere a bagpiper starts playing and descending the stairs behind him. (It's not very often you hear the bagpipes in a contemporary song)
I admit, I was as shocked as the judges. But it was still very cool.

Anyhew, after the performance, Ryan Seacrest went up to Lee and asked the question we were all kind of wondering, "Why the bagpipes?"
Lee's response: "Why not?"


Yes, WHY NOT? I LOVE that answer! Especially if you have an opportunity to set yourself apart.


Okay, so maybe this isn't quite the answer that will sway you all into doing a book trailer.
After all, deciding to do one for your book has more to do with marketing than "just because" or "why not?", and you also might be wondering if having a book trailer really will make that much of a difference in your book sales.

The answer? Probably not. I mean, nothing trumps writing a great book with great word of mouth, right?

But here's some reasons why you should consider a book trailer anyway:


1) It's an easy (and often cheap if you do it yourself) form of advertisement for your book. There are probably more places to upload or use your video than just your book cover online. And what's best, you don't need to say anything to sell your book. Your video will speak for itself.

2) It's a great opportunity for author branding. Maybe having a trailer on YouTube won't mean mega book sales, but if you're doing a good job promoting your video, you will get many views. And if your name becomes recognizable it could mean sales for future books.

3) It's an opportunity to reach a market you might not reach by traditional methods. I have an e-book author friend, who not long after putting her video up on YouTube, was contacted by a person in Europe who saw her video and ended up ordering her book.

4) It's fun. Whether you create one yourself or have one made for you, there's nothing more fun than seeing your book put into a different vehicle. (Maybe not as a fun as seeing your book made into a movie, but it's pretty close) Okay, maybe not. But still fun. :)

5) It adds pizazz to existing book promotion. I've hosted a lot of blog book tours on my blog and a good majority of the authors had book videos to add along with their first chapter sneak peak. Much more interesting (in my opinion) than just using a book cover. (Like adding whipped cream to a hot fudge sundae)

I've probably missed more. But all in all, I think those are reasons enough to sway you into considering a book trailer for your book.

I mean, why not? :)

What do you think? Have you or would you do a book trailer?
Why or why not?