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Archive for the ‘Largo, Florida’ Category

Covid-19 Impacts Author Talks

Posted in Author Talk, Book Signing Events, Debi Graham-Leard, Largo, Florida, Marketing, Published, Writing Process, tagged , , , on March 18, 2020| 3 Comments »

A_Woman_Reading_Papers_At_Her_DeskWhile snow-birding in Florida, I’ve scheduled my Author Talk at local retirement communities. Those planned events came to a screaming halt earlier this week when the governor issued suggested restrictions to tamp down the spread of this nasty little virus.

Because our elderly citizens are the most susceptible to this years flu bug, the local administrators are following the safety guidelines and cancelling outside vendors, such as authors like myself.

All we can do is stay clear of each other and avoid crowds at indoor venues. Not to mention wash our hands, wash our hands, and WASH OUR HANDS!

The silver lining of this outbreak is that I can devote the hours of self-isolation to work on my latest WIP… the 4th story in my Gwen Andrews mystery series titled ‘Wedding Interrupted’. If the plotting and writing moves along at a good clip, I have a chance at publishing this summer.

Stay well, everyone!

 

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Local Bookstore…and more

Posted in An Unlikely Story, Bed, Breakfast, & Blackmail, Cape Cod, Conferences, Debi Graham-Leard, Largo, Florida, Massachusetts, Merry Christmas, Published, revision, Story Research, Where There's Smoke There's Trouble, Writing Process, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on September 7, 2018| 2 Comments »

aus books - smallThere is nothing more satisfying than to walk into a bookstore and see both of my mysteries displayed on the shelf in the local author section.

I’m referring to An Unlikely Story in Plainville, Massachusetts. Children’s book author Jeff Kinney of Wimpy Kid story  fame, built his unique bookstore on the site of the historic Falk’s Market at the intersection of Rt.106 and Rt.1A. Some of the shelving and stairs to the second floor were built using the floor boards from the old market… truly a nod to the past.

When my debut mystery ‘The Uninvited Guest’ was published,  the Strong Women Book Group at An Unlikely Story chose it as their book of the month. I joined them at their follow-up discussion for an enjoyable question and answer session. I’ll be suggesting the second story titled ‘Where There’s Smoke, There’s Trouble’ and ask them to choose it as an upcoming monthly selection.

And it’s time to contact the venues located in the area around Largo, Florida. Last year, when I arrived in January as a first-time snow-birder, I was too late to be included in their calendars. Many suggested I touch base this fall as they’re preparing the calendar for 2019, promising they’d do their best to assign a date for my Author Talk.

About the daily writing efforts … re-sequencing is the word of every day as I continue to create story #3. ‘Bed, Breakfast, & Blackmail’ takes place during the days leading up to Christmas. After attending a 3-day forensics class at the Cape Cod Writers Conference last month, and then discussing the nitty-gritty details with my local police detective, I found I had to re-shuffle many activities one day earlier than I’d written them. Doing this is not as simple as it sounds. By moving a key piece of the investigation to the previous day, it impacts conversations between characters, where they go, and what they do. My opening chapters are now interspersed with green text to signify it’s been moved, and red text to signify re-writing is required. Chapter numbers are also changing as the quantity of pages in each ebbs and flows.

And so, I chug along each morning, knowing that one day, I will type ‘The End’ … and mean it!

 

 

 

 

 

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Two Talks in One Day!

Posted in Author Talk, Book Signing Events, Largo, Florida, Published, The Uninvited Guest, Uncategorized, Where There's Smoke There's Trouble, tagged , , , , , on February 19, 2018| 1 Comment »

For my followers who live on the central Gulf Coast of Florida, I’m pleased to share that I’ll be presenting my author talk titled ‘Have you Ever Wondered How a Mystery is Written?’ not once, but twice, this Wednesday, February 21.

The afternoon presentation to the Caribbean Isles residents will begin at 2pm in the clubhouse on St. Croix.  Park addresscaribbean isles logo.png for your GPS: 10900 Walsingham Road, Largo, FL.

The evening presentation to members of the Creative Writing Group will begin at 6pm. Location: Safety Harbor Public Library, 101 2nd St N, Safety Harbor, FL.Safety Harbor Public Library.jpg

After both events, autographed copies of both ‘The Uninvited Guest’ and ‘Where There’s Smoke, There’s Trouble’ will be available.

Meeting new people who are interested in a writer’s journey and appreciate a good mystery is always a satisfying venture for me.

I hope to see you there!

Debi

 

 

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Marketing in Another State

Posted in Author Talk, Book Signing Events, Largo, Florida, Marketing, Published, tagged , , , on January 16, 2018| 2 Comments »

waitingBecause my first two published mysteries are set in a fictitious Massachusetts town, I’ve had no resistance from New England library directors or senior complex program organizers to schedule my Author Talk about the writing process. I’ve even had success in Pennsylvania and Delaware because I have siblings living in both states.

Similarly, New England bookstore managers have been open to placing my books on their shelves as either an outright buy or consignment.

But down here in Florida, where I’m a first-time snowbird for these winter months, stirring up interest in mysteries that do not take place in Florida are a hard sell. In all fairness, most library calendars are set months ahead of time, and I’ve been encouraged to make contact this fall for possible appearance in the 2019 calendar of events.

One of the most fascinating old-style bookstores in this area is ‘Haslam’s Book Store’ in St. Petersburg, FL. After a lengthy chat, the owner advised me in the nicest way possible that he doesn’t deal with out-of staters. He did offer to consider a future novel if I place the story down here on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

I’ve cast my net far and wide along the Gulf Coast towns in search of readers who might want to learn what it takes to write a mystery, for I know they will enjoy the learning experience, and perhaps be inspired to write that story that’s rattling around in their head.

My only option seems to be patience. Oh, yea, and planning ahead for next year.

 

 

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