INKSPOT NEWS - May 4, 2013

Here are the new releases from Midnight Ink for May, 2013. They're all astounding reads!


Brush With Death by Karen MacInerney

"A welcome return to Maine's Cranberry Island and its sleuthing innkeeper, Natalie Barnes."     —LIBRARY JOURNAL

"The fifth Gray Whale adventure provides complex characters, stunning scenery and many recipes."     —KIRKUS REVIEWS

Carved In Darkness by Meagan Beaumont

"Pulse-pounding terror, graphic violence and a loathsome killer."     —KIRKUS REVIEWS

"Beaumont knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat . . . Buckle up for the ride of a lifetime, this one is the roughest rollercoaster you ever had to endure."     —SUSPENSE MAGAZINE

 Heard It Through the Grapevine by Lizbeth Lipperman

“Cozy fans will have fun.”     —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“Entertaining, wickedly hilarious, and thoroughly addictive . . . a spectacular reading experience.”     —SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

Picture Perfect Corpse by Joanna Campbell Slan

“The characters are so well developed that each installment leaves the reader yearning for the next.”     —KIRKUS REVIEWS

“A damn good read . . . Treat yourself to a wonderful traditional-feeling mystery with characters you will love.”     —CRIMESPREE MAGAZINE

'What If' Launches a New Series

‘What If’ Launches a New Series

By Joanna Campbell Slan

My first “love” will always be Kiki Lowenstein, the spunky single mom who inhabits my mystery series set in St. Louis. In fact, I’m busy writing Book #6 in that series. However, I wanted to write a second series, and I wanted to challenge myself. But where to look for a good idea?

I stumbled on a worthwhile premise after answering a question for a Malice Domestic panel: “What’s your favorite classic mystery?” I knew most readers might mention a work by Agatha Christie or Dorothy L. Sayer or Rex Stout, but my choice was Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. To me, it had all the hallmarks of a great puzzle. Who was bumping around in the attic, and why did Mr. Rochester pretend it was that silly drunkard Grace Poole?

In fact, the more I thought about it, the more loose ends I noticed. Where had Adéle’s mother gone? Adéle seems to think her mother died, but Edward Rochester tells Jane that Adéle was abandoned. Which is it? What happened to Blanche Ingram after she discovered that Edward Rochester had tricked her? That he’d lied about his fortune being so small? What really happened to Jane Eyre’s uncle who died in Madiera? How did he perish? Was it true that her parents both died of natural causes or was that a lie that her evil aunt told her? Where did Bertha Mason’s brother go after she stabbed him? He must have kept tabs on Edward Rochester, otherwise, how could he have sent his solicitor to interrupt Jane and Edward’s wedding? Could Bertha have survived the fire at Thornfield Hall? What was the strange force that drove St. John Rivers to be such a martyr?

Every creative endeavor starts with a powerful question, “What if…?” But if you want to write a series, you must venture beyond those two powerful words and ask, “What happens next?”

So I set out to discover what happened to Jane Eyre at the end of Brontë’s classic. In the last chapter, Jane writes that Adéle was sent to a girls’ school in London, but the environment proved incompatible, and the girl was brought back home. What really happened? What if Adéle was bullied? What if that bully turned murderous? What if Jane was forced to protect her old student? What if Jane plays the role of amateur sleuth, and does it so well, that snooping around becomes a passion for her?

All of a sudden, I couldn’t type fast enough!

And so, Dear Reader, the Jane Eyre’s saga continues with Death of a Schoolgirl (Berkley Trade/August 7), the first book in my new series, The Jane Eyre Chronicles.

I hope you’ll check it out!

Joanna Campbell Slan is the author of the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series. Her first book—Paper, Scissors, Death—was a finalist for the Agatha Award. Her newest series, The Jane Eyre Chronicles, starts August 7 with the release of Death of a Schoolgirl (Berkley Trade). Visit Joanna at her website.

Where Have I Been?

Hello everyone!

Yep, I haven't posted in a while.  What have I been doing that is more important that writing a blog post??  Sigh, everything it seems.

I went to a conference in April in Madison, WI.  I went for two reasons - I lived in Madison for 10 years and it was great to go back and visit.  I saw a few friends, saw some sights and ate at a few of my favorite places.  The other reason - all my family lives 20 minutes from Madison so I was able to to work in a visit.  :)

I also attended Malice Domestic.  Holy cows.  What a fantastic weekend.  We had a ton of Midnight Ink authors there and we had a blast.  What amazed me was the excitement and electricity around the MI authors.  Pretty much if you saw one Inker, you would see two or three more.  If an Inker was on a panel, other Inkers were there in support.  I could not have been more proud of our group.  It felt like we were a big family - a family that actually liked and supported each other. 



The Inkers (missing a couple) - Joanna Campbell Slan, Lois Winston, Cricket McRae
Kathleen Ernst, Jessie Lourey, Linda Hull, Jessie Chandler,
Darrell James, Maddy Hunter, Deborah Sharp,
Alan Orloff, Beth Groundwater, Vicki Doudera, me

This weekend I head to Denver to teach a writing workshop.  Me?  OMG.  That might kill me.

In between travelling, I have by boys.  This last weekend was the fishing opener in MN.  So, I took the boys fishing with the help of an expert, lol.  They caught a lot of panfish and had a great time.  Since it was our first time fishing, there was a lot of learing and lines to detangle but thankfully no one got hooked!!  This is the first catch of the day:

Besides fishing, my oldest son is in baseball and my younger two are in soccer.  T-ball for them starts soon as well.  Noah playing catcher for an inning.

What else is on my plate?  Oh yeah.  Contracts.  They never go away.  Awful, nasty yucky stuff for me, but good news for you.  Why is that?  Because more contracts mean more books.  I aim for 10-12 books per season for 30-36 titles per year.  As of right now, Winter 2013 has 11 titles, Spring/Summer has 10, and Fall has 10.  Great news, right?

Yes and no.  I love doing more books.  I love having a broad catalog.  If I have 12 titles, 9 of them fall into the softer categories of traditional, cozy or soft-boiled.  The other three fall into medium, thrillers or suspense.  A nice balance for us.  I love to find new books and read more in the series that we already have going.

But there is a negative side.  Besides contracts, which I worked on for 5 solid days in a row, I have to read all the manuscripts that have come in and send the authors any revision requests that I might have.  I have at least 6 on my desk right now.  These are manuscripts for Winter and Spring/Summer 2013.  I also have to find the time to read submissions.  Don't get me wrong.  I am not whining.  This is my job and I totally dig it.  And let's face it, I've got a pretty damn good gig here.  But sadly, under the weight of doing so many books per catalog, some things get pushed to the back burners.  :(  Like doing my laundry, reading for pleasure posting here.  I shall try to do better!

Lucky 13

A guest post by Joanna Campbell Slan

To celebrate the release of Ready, Scrap, Shoot, the fifth book in the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery series (aka "Scrap-n-Craft Mystery series"), I wanted to do something really special. Something fun, something extra for my fans. So I've joined together with a dozen other mystery writers, and we're turning Friday the 13th into a lucky day for anyone who loves to read. Yep, today you can download thirteen great reads for free on Kindle.

One of the reads is a short story featuring my protagonist, Kiki Lowenstein. I named it "Kiki Lowenstein and the Purple Passion," and it's been getting five-star reviews on Amazon.

Is it lucky for you? Undoubtedly. You'll get to load up your Kindle with a fresh crop of books (and a short story!). If you don't have a Kindle, you can load the app onto your computer for free.

Will it be lucky for me? I dunno. It's a brave new world out there for authors with the advent of so many ways for readers to access our work. Since all thirteen of us are pitching in to promote our reads, I'm sure I'll attract at least a few new fans.

So why not check out these thirteen offerings? And let me know…does this sound like a good promotional idea to you? Why or why not?
 
Sink or Swim by Stacy Juba- After starring on a hit game show set aboard a Tall Ship, personal trainer Cassidy Novak discovers that she has attracted a stalker. Can she trust Zach Gallagher, the gorgeous newspaper photographer assigned to follow her for a local series? As things heat up with the stalker and with Zach, soon Cassidy will need to call SOS for real. "Easy read and extremely well written." -Stephenie LaGrossa, Survivor; "I could not put this book down." -Book Club Queen

Darker By Degree by Keri Knutson - A missing girl. A mysterious break-in. A brutal murder. Actress Maddie Pryce is looking for her big break, but finds herself at the center of a series of seemingly unrelated crimes. Soon she's tangled up with a persistent detective, a driven director, a playboy producer, and an unstable ingenue. Can Maddie unravel the clues before her next role is as a serial killer's victim?
 
Diary of Murder by Jean Henry Mead - Dana Logan's wealthy sister, Georgi, dies and Georgi's husband claims it was suicide. Dana knows her sister would never take her own life and sets out to prove it was murder, with her friend, Sarah Cafferty. During their investigation, they stumble over more bodies and place their own lives in jeopardy when they encounter a vicious drug ring.

Ghost Island by Bonnie Hearn Hill - Is Aaron a dream, or is he something much more deadly? Livia Hinson has just begun a Seminar at Sea when a storm hits their boat. Now, she is stranded with the other students on an island off the coast of California. Far away from her foster home and her heartbreak, Livia finds Aaron, the perfect love. But the only way they can be together is in her dreams.

One Small Victory by Maryann Miller - The story of one woman's courage. Suspense novel by Maryann Miller, based on a true story of a woman who infiltrated a drug ring and helped bring down a major distributor in her small Texas town. Don't discount what a mother can do to protect her children. First published in hardback, now available as an e-book and as a trade paperback.

Rock & Roll Homicide by RJ McDonnell - The 1st novel in the Rock & Roll Mystery Series finds PI Jason Duffy helping the widow of a slain rock star after she climbs to #1 in the police suspect charts. Duffy, an inexperienced former club musician, sorts through suspects ranging from band members to the Russian Mafia in this rocking whodunit. 4.67 Star Average.
 
Southeast Asian Quartet by William S. Shephard - Suspense and murder in Southeast Asia in the style of Somerset Maugham, these four tales evoke Singapore, Borneo, Malaya and Indochina. Perhaps you'll solve the disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Thai Silk King, missing for 35 years. Draw up a chair at the Raffles Bar and join us!

Taken by Debra Lee - Welcome to the fictitious little town of Watery, Pennsylvania where the district attorney's personal secretary, Mary Murray never planned to become a single mom or a suspect in her infant's disappearance, but she plans to find Jena before she suffers the same fate Mary's younger brother had when he was taken twelve years earlier.

The Four Last Things by Timothy Hallinan - Hired to follow a young woman, private eye Simeon Grist becomes mired in murder and a million-dollar religious scam in The Four Last Things, the first in a series of highly-praised LA private-eye novels written in the 1990s by 2011 Edgar nominee Timothy Hallinan. The Drood Review called it "One of the 10 best books of the year." Publisher's Weekly: "Very satisfying;" Booklist: "a sure winner"
When a Man Loves a Woman: Enhanced Multimedia Edition by Alina Adams - Can a man and woman ever truly be just friends? What about if one of them is married? What if one of them suddenly isn't anymore? Originally published as a paperback by Dell in 2000, the 2011 e-book re-release multimedia edition now features all the text of the original, plus a bonus musical soundtrack to compliment the story! A romance from mystery author Alina Adams.

Willowtree: A Bruce DelReno Mystery by Mike Bove - Bruce DelReno, retired postman, golf and food nut, finds a body near the golf course. He believes the murder is connected to others and involves his Apache friend. Together, they stay a step ahead of the police in trying to solve the cases. They uncover dark secrets of a close knit group of friends in the town of Willowtree, Arizona. This is a fun read with some interesting characters.

"Kiki Lowenstein and the Purple Passion: A Kiki Lowenstein Short Story" by Joanna Campbell Slan - When a customer's daughter is falsely accused, Kiki Lowenstein foils a nasty plan to ruin the girl's reputation. Mystery, crafts, recipes, humor, romance/short story.

Whispering by Gerrie Ferris Finger - Will Cleo Snow admit to making love with charming World War I fly-boy Graham Henry to clear him in the disappearance of an island woman who claims he plans to marry her? Will Graham compromise Cleo to clear himself? With her spirit firmed by deceit, Cleo vows to uncover the truth and keep her secret.

Please mark your calendar for Give Your Child a Free Kindle Book Day on April 19 - in which numerous books for children, pre-teens, and young adults will be free.

5 questions with Joanna Campbell Slan

Today's Midnight Ink author subject to my 5 questions is Joanna Campbell Slan.  I have had the pleasure of hanging out with Joanna at several conventions and enjoy our conversations about the mystery world, the current market, trends, etc.  If you haven't yet entered the world of Kiki Lowenstein, do yourself a favor and pick up Joanna's books asap!

Was there an author or a book that inspired you to write? 

There were several. Jane Eyre saved my life. My father was a violent alcoholic, and my mother was an enabler. Jane Eyre encouraged me to believe that I could escape that environment by getting a good education. So I did. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith showed me that I was not responsible for my father’s disease, as he and my mother would have me think. These books taught me that reading offered both an escape and a game plan. Recognizing their powerful influence on my life spurred me to want to become an author.

Your books involve scrapbooking, but also with strong social themes.  Was it a conscious decision to go in that direction?

Yes. I wanted my work to matter. I aim to offer my readers entertainment, so they can forget their own troubles, and edification, so they can change their lives. Including scrapbooking was a marketing decision. I am a scrapbooker. I do enjoy it, but my books have strong appeal to those who have no interest in gluing photos onto pages. I don’t write books about scrapbooking. (Not any more. I have written seven scrapbooking technique books.) I write books about a character who happens to like to scrapbook. There’s a big difference.

Do you have a favorite movie, book or artist?

Since I’ve answered the portion about books, let me tackle movies: Michael with John Travolta; Bell, Book and Candle with Kim Novak, Jimmy Stewart and Jack Lemmon; The Ghost and Mrs. Muir with Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison; Cross Creek with Mary Steenburgen, Rip Torn, and Peter Coyote; and Starman with Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen. Oh, and of course, Gone with the Wind. I think you’ll quickly spot the common themes in them. All feature outsiders, who don’t fit in but who manage to make their way in this world.

Do you have a daily writing routine?  Is it harder now that you are juggling two series?

I write every day for as long as I can. (I get stopped by aching wrists and back and so on.) I start my day by taking care of my dogs, checking my email, and so on. I try to work in an exercise class, so I can stave off the dreaded “writers’ butt.” Actually, with two series it’s both harder and easier. Harder because there’s more to juggle. Easier because I tend to feel sad when I finish I book and don’t have another assignment. I’m one of the few authors I know who actually loves the process of writing. Everyone enjoys “having written,” but I love the act and process of writing.

If you needed to bribe your editor, what you make/buy her? 

I would make her a scrapbook so she could savor her memories of her three growing boys. As the mother of a guy who’s now a senior at University of Miami, I would remind her that they really do grow fast—although at some stages, time really grinds along slowly. And as my old friend Liz Curtis Higgs once said, “You’re the only person who has the title of ‘Mom’ to them.”

       

Books 1 - 4

Thanks Joanna!!  I appreciate you playing along with me today!

Summer ebook promotions - free ebook downloads

Free on Kindle, Nook, Kobo and Sony ereaders for the month of June!

June Bug by Jess Lourey

This summer we are also planning free giveaways with Sue Ann Jaffarian, Cricket McRae and Deborah Sharp.  If the program goes as well as planned, we will probably continue into the fall.  :)  Each of these promotions will last for one month.

Discounted Price on Kindle

Death of a Cozy Writer by G.M Malliet   $1.99

Murder on the Rocks by Karen MacInerney  $1.99

Paper Scissors Death by Joanna Campbell Slan  $.99

This Kindle promotion only runs for two weeks

Happy reading everyone!  Keep checking back for more promotions and giveaways!!

Inkspot News - April 23, 2011

Next Friday, April 29 - Sunday, May 1, the Malice Domestic conference will take place in Bethesda, Maryland, and many Midnight Ink authors are participating.

Friday, April 29th, at 10:30 AM, Beth Groundwater, Alan Orloff, Joanna Campbell Slan, and Deborah Sharp will participate in the Malice-Go-Round.

Saturday, April 30th, at 7:30 AM, Alice Loweecey will host a table at the New Authors Breakfast.

Saturday, April 30th, at 10:15 AM, Beth Groundwater will take part in a panel entitled Shot At, Robbed, Hypothermic and More: Travails Authors Endure to Get it Right. Other panelists include Sandi Ault, Joanna Carl, and Vicki Delany with Toni L. P. Kelner moderating.

Saturday, April 30th, at 10:15 AM, Alan Orloff will take part in the panel, New Kids on the Block: Agatha First Novel Nominees, along with Avery Aames, Laura Alden, Amanda Flower, and Sasscer Hill. Moderated by Margaret Maron.

Saturday at 1:45 PM, Jess Lourey is fan-girl, geeked-out thrilled to take part in the panel, Gumshoes with Gams: Female PIs on the Job, along with Sue Grafton, Laura DiSilverio, and Cathi Stoler. Moderated by Con Lehane. Sihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifgning to immediately follow.

Saturday, April 30th, at 4:10 PM, Lois Winston and Jess Lourey will take part in a panel entitled Funny Gals, Dark Books: An Intellectual Look at Humor in Mysteries. Other panelists include Donna Andrews and Judi McCoy with Cathy Pickens moderating.

Sunday, May 1st, at 8:45 AM, Deborah Sharp will take part in the panel, Here Comes the Corpse: Wedding-Themed Mysteries. Other panelists include Rhys Bowen, Mary Jane Clark, and Tracy Kiely, with Ilene Schneider moderating.

Sunday, May 1st, at 10:15 AM, Kathleen Ernst will take part in a panel entitled Behind the Curtain: An Inside Look at Unusual Settings. Other panelists include Janice Hamrick, James Lavene, Joyce Lavene, and Clare O'Donohue.

Sunday, May 1st, at 11:45 AM, Alice Loweecey will take part in a panel entitled Grannies with Guns and Trash-Talking Nuns: Characters Who Defy Stereotypes. Other panelists include Rhys Bowen, Chris Grabenstein and Parnell Hall with Chris Roerden moderating.

Dame Agatha

Dame Agatha Christie.  The mother of traditional mysteries.  Just her name brings so many things to mind.

Aunt Agatha's Mystery Bookstore in Ann Arbor, MI.  http://www.auntagathas.com/  I've never actually been to Aunt Agatha's, but I've met and talked to owner Robin Agnew several times at conventions or thru the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association.  I'm sure store is as wonderful as she is.

Then there is Malice Domestic http://www.malicedomestic.org/aboutmalice.html, a fan convention honoring the traditional mystery.  The attendees of Malice vote on and present the Agatha Awards.  I'll be there this year, along with a bunch of other Inkers.  We'll be cheering for all the finalists, but in particular, we'll be hoping our own Alan Orloff walks away with Agatha for Best First Novel.  Our past finalists for best first include Lisa Bork, G.M Malliet (winner), Joanna Campbell Slan and Karen MacInerney.

Of course, there are the characters Agatha Christie created.  My favorite is Poirot, particularly David Suchet playing that role.  One of my favorite customers at Booked for Murder had named her cats Tommy and Tuppence.

 


So what about you?  What do you think of when you think of Dame Agatha?  I bet it's not an lolcat!

PS - I will address the evolution of traditional/cozy mysteries in another post.

A Snapshot of Photo, Snap, Shot

In Photo, Snap, Shot (the third book in the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series), Kiki's daughter Anya stumbles over the body of a dead teacher at school. While Kiki worries for her child's emotional health, Detective Chad Detweiler has a more pressing concern. He fears that Anya might have actually seen the killer, even if she doesn't realize it. Despite all Kiki's carefully constructed plans to avoid Detweiler, the two must work together to solve the crime--and the cost to the detective is higher than Kiki could have ever imagined.

At the root of their investigation is a century old St. Louis tradition, the Veiled Prophet.

There are two theories about the Veiled Prophet and its origins, which date back to 1877. One suggests that the celebration was an attempt at civic boosterism with the good intentions of reviving the St. Louis economy after the damages wrought by the Union army during its occupation of the city. The brothers Slayback looked to their former home of New Orleans for inspiration and for floats and decorations to bring to Missouri. The veneration of young white maidens from prominent families was a central portion of the celebration, but it was also a way for a secret society including the hooded members of the “Order of the Veiled Prophet” to pledge their familial support as the Veiled Prophet, dressed much as one might imagine a Roman god, descended from his lofty throne to choose the Belle of the Ball and present her with a pearl necklace.

Another version reveals a more oppression and unsettling picture of the city, a strike of fifteen hundred workers--mainly African American--paralyzed the city.

In response to this show of strength, business owners of St. Louis countered with their own citizens’ militia parade which was essentially a show of armed power. From this public display came the impetus to create an annual extravaganza designed to make perfectly clear that the elite of the city had the upper hand. Thus the Veiled Prophet was born.

To grasp the import of this happening, you have to imagine the times. There were no television sets, no radios, no color photos, no video cameras, no computers, no cell phones to capture and share images. Indeed, most of life was a hardscrabble, dreary attempt at making ends meet. But at twilight on October 8, 1878, a crowd of thousands gathered by torchlight to watch the waters of the mighty Mississippi River. A cry went up. Rockets exploded. A band began to play. Eyes strained in the fading light to watch a barge make its way slowly to the shore. From that vessel arose a lavishly costumed figure. The Veiled Prophet had arrived to favor St. Louis with his blessing. Once seated on a colorful float, the Prophet and his court were pulled by a phalanx of prancing horses past a cheering throng lining the streets of St. Louis

As part of my research into the event, I purchased a 1946 copy of Life Magazine. Inside is the article "Life Goes to the Veiled Prophet's Ball: St. Louis Society turns out for its biggest event." According to Life, three hundred thousand people lined the streets of St. Louis to witness the parade "but only 12,000, almost all dressed in expensive gowns and formal dress, saw the climax of the affair in the Kiel auditorium, where homage was paid to the Prophet and the year's Queen of Love and Beauty was crowned."

An early image of the Prophet sends chills up the spine. The "regal" figure is robed in flowing white robes and a pointed white cap with slits cut for peep holes. Until the 1980s, this was subsidized with public funds.

Read more about it at http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2000-06-28/culture/behind-the-veil/

The Prophet still reigns over St. Louis. The year I finished Photo, Snap, Shot, I learned that the sister of one of my son's friends had been crowned Queen of Love and Beautry.

Photo, Snap, Shot will be released in May 2010, in time for National Scrapbooking Day. I'm busy planning my Kiki Lowenstein World Tour which will take me from the DC area to as far west as Iowa, maybe even Colorado. As a result, I'm taking a hiatus from blogging for InkSpot. I invite people who wish to follow my progress to visit me at two other blogs http://killerhobbies.blogspot.com/ and http://joannaslan.blogspot.com/

Tips for Authors to Use from the Speaking Platform

Elizabeth did such a terrific job yesterday with this subject that I had to chime in. Speaking is an invaluable skill for an author. Like all skills, the more you know and the more you practice, the better you’ll be.

Here are some of my favorite tips culled from 20+ years on the platform:

1.) Make that glass of water warm. Cold water stresses the vocal chords. This will cause a woman’s voice to sound more strident. So, request lukewarm or warm water. Non-carbonated, please!

2.) When you show up early, take the time to greet people. I usually move through the crowd, shake hands, and say, “Hi, I’m Joanna and I’m your speaker today. Thanks for having me.” You’ll be amazed at the response! It’s hard to do, but once you try this, you’ll realize that you are among friends. Plus, take what you learn and use it from the platform. (See #3.)

3.) Compliment your audience. The best way is by doing your homework as Sue Ann suggested in the Comments yesterday. Know who they are and why they invited you. That said, you also compliment the audience by referencing what you learned about them. So, for example, I might say, “Elizabeth told me earlier that she’s excited about her new book. We’re all happy to have her join our ranks.” By mentioning an audience member I just met, I emotionally “step down” from the platform and join my audience. The technical term is “jumping the footlights.” All great performers do it.

4.) Take charge of your introduction. Don’t leave it to chance. Ask that someone introduce you, and then, offer to write your own intro. I print this up in 16-point type on colored paper and bring it with me in case my introducer needs another copy. In the intro, emphasize your connection with the audience. In August, I spoke to a Business and Professional Women group. I told them how 20+ years ago, I was one of their young careerists. By emphasizing your connection—whether it be your background or whatever—you are predisposing them to like you. After all, you have something in common!

5.) Defer to them. If you know someone in the audience, mention his/her name. Simply say, “I see my friend Alan Orloff out there. Glad you came, Alan.” It sounds infinitely corny, but it’s a surefire way to connect…and that’s the name of the game, connecting. (And your friend will appreciate the nod from the platform. Trust me—you’ll both look good.)

6.) Don’t read from your work verbatim. I learned this watching the great and generous John Lutz, author of Single White Female. Add “he said” and “she said” where appropriate so your piece makes sense to the audience. There’s a world of difference between reading to yourself and reading out loud. They won’t care if you “fudge” a bit by adding place-minders. In fact, they’ll appreciate it because they can relax as they listen.

7.) Remember why you are there. You are there to make friends. Yes, selling books is great. Yes, you are the speaker and their guest. But if something goes wrong, be gracious. If your time gets cut short, be brief-er. Don’t insist on your full allotment of time. If the introducer botches your name or the name of your book, just repeat the correct name and move on. If at the end of the day, people don’t walk away thinking you are a delightful, charming person, you’ve made a mistake by appearing. See, not everyone in the audience will want to buy your book. Not everyone will want to read your work. But if they like you as a person—FIRST—they’ll speak well of you. And that’s more important than anything else that could happen when you get the chance to speak.

8.) And yeah, always, always bring a handout. I like using paper with a full-color border. (Sometimes called “imprintables.”) You can buy it at the Dollar Store or any office supply store. It’s a perfect way to help the audience remember your name and visit your website. Shoot, I have enough trouble remembering my own name. How can I expect them to remember it, too? Instead, I print up something of value to leave behind—key points, funny sayings, whatever. Terry was right about this. (Read the “Comment” section from yesterday.) Here’s a real plus: You can write your notes on the handout, and the audience will think you are speaking verbatim. (Don’t tell on me!)

What more ideas? Visit my website: http://joannaslan.com/resources.php

And what works for you from the platform?


Joanna Campbell Slan
Photo, Snap, Shot—May 2010
www.joannaslan.com

What Type Is Your Blog?

Have you ever taken a "personality" test? Was it accurate? The Myers-Briggs tests and the Personal Styles quiz were developed in 1943 when there was great interest in what qualities made for good leaders--and with the unveiling of the horrors perpetrated by the Nazis, such tests took on a new question, "Can we predict the monsters who wear the faces of men?"

Various scientists and sociologists scrambled for answers as to how people could allow such atrocities to happen, how leaders could encourage large groups of people to act in ways so inhuman, and if we could predict behavior or tendencies.

Recently the Myers-Briggs has offered a new twist--they are analyzing blogs at http://www.typealyzer.com/

As I understand it, this is a project dedicated to the research about how the language reflects our psychological type, and thus our motivations and interests. The fundamental idea is that everyone of us use different personas or social roles at different moments. The major research aim of this project is to find and describe patterns in what interests different personas in terms of opinions, brands, media content etc.

So I decided to run the various blogs I'm part of through the gaunlet.

Here's what I found:

**Joanna Campbell Slan

http://joannaslan.blogspot.com/

(My "personal" blog which is geared to writing, marketing and promotion tips.)

ISTP - The Mechanics

The independent and problem-solving type. They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment and are highly skilled at seeing and fixing what needs to be fixed. They generally prefer to think things out for themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts. The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters. (Interestingly enough, my personal style is INFJ--which occurs in only 1.5% of the population--the least common style. That's an Introvert, who is iNtuitive with Feeling and Judgment. My exact opposite would be an Extrovert, who is Sensing with Thinking and Perceiving...stay tuned and you'll see an example of that Type of blog!)

**Killer Hobbies Blog

http://killerhobbies.blogspot.com/

(The blog I started with Deb Baker and now share with five other mystery writers--Camille Minichino/Margaret Grace, Monica Ferris, Linda O. Johnston, Terri Thayer, and Betty Hechtman--who focus on hobbies and pastimes.)

ESFP - The Performers

The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves. The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.

**Inkspot Blog

http://midnightwriters.blogspot.com/

(The blog shared by Midnight Ink authors.)

ESTP - The Doers

The active and playful type. They are especially attuned to people and things around them and often full of energy, talking, joking and engaging in physical out-door activities. The Doers are happiest with action-filled work which craves their full attention and focus. They might be very impulsive and more keen on starting something new than following it through. They might have a problem with sitting still or remaining inactive for any period of time. (Um, see what I mean? This blog is my direct type opposite! Does that mean I can't participate? No, but it might mean that participation is more of a stretch for me. All styles indicate preferences for how we move through the world.)

** Okay, don't be shy! Run your blog through the analyzer and tell me--what's your Type? Does your online persona or blog truly reflect who you are? If you comment and include your blog address, I'll list you in my blog links at http://joannaslan.blogspot.com/

Happy Holidays from Jess Lourey

GM Malliet, mystery writer and author of one of the best books of 2008, recommends creating trailers to promote your books. If she recommended wearing blue mascara and tube socks over your pants, probably we should do that, too. Fortunately, she's only gently nudging us toward the digital era, and out of respect to her bona fides, I have created a trailer for August Moon:



I love how writers share marketing tips. It reminds me of the first time my son Xander sparred at a Tae Kwon Do tournament. He's tall for a six-year-old and as kind as the day is long. His dad died before he was born, and I try to fill the role of both parents. In that spirit, I was coaching him on how to best kick ass (you can decide whether that is normally mom's or dad's job).

"All I know about sparring," I said, "is that as soon as the ref drops her hands to start the match, you get in there with a chinning kick. Catch your opponent off guard and they'll be running for the rest of the match."

So I get him all pumped up. "You can do it!" I tell him. I put in his mouth guard and yank on his shin and forearm pads. I walk him over to the waiting pen, where he nods to the three boys he'll soon be fighting. He indicates for them to lean their heads in close, and when they do, he pulls out his mouth guard and says, "OK guys, all I know about sparring is that as soon as the ref drops her hands..."

That's my boy. He likes winning, but not nearly as much as he likes treating people well. And so generous writers like GM and Joanna Campbell Slan and countless others share their marketing secrets, knowing full well that if we're all doing the same thing, their efforts will have less impact. I guess they just like treating people well. Thank you to all the generous writers out there for your gifts of blurbing, a pat on the back, sharing marketing tips, and all the nice stuff you do to make this a writing community! In the spirit of the season, care to share the best writing or marketing advice you've ever received?

p.s. As a gift to myself, I have just completed and sent September Grace to my agent. Here's the first chapter. I'm pretty dang proud of this one. Now, my kids and I are off to be with friends and family. Happy holidays, and stay warm, full, and generous!