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Setting Up an Author Page on Facebook…YIKES!

Posted in Book Cover, Cape Cod, Conferences, FaceBook Author Page, Marketing, Published, Seminars, Social Media, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on September 20, 2016| 2 Comments »

scaredy-catDuring the Cape Cod Writers Conference, I attended a class to learn about various Social Media as they relate to writers. One such outlet is an Author Page on Facebook.

Back home, I managed to register my author portrait and also a collage of the book cover from ‘The Uninvited Guest’ as the header image. But I need more content before I ask my regular FB ‘friends’ to like my new page.

The instructor emailed the link to my Amazon page, but I have yet to attempt the registration of the link.

All right, I admit it… I’m a Scaredy-Cat!

Fortunately, I discovered that the Ames Free Library in Easton, MA, offers one-on-one workshops with patrons who are seeking a comfort zone for FaceBook. I’ve signed up for a session next Thursday, and hope to come away with enough confidence to complete the set-up and release my Author Page to the world.

 

 

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More Author Talks & Book Signings

Posted in Book Signing Events, Marketing, Published, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on February 20, 2016| Leave a Comment »

book club at tableAfter the successful author talk and book signing with the local garden club, the Ugly Dog Bookstore, and a private Girls Night Out last month, I dove into chasing down additional events. Friends were anxious to advise their connections of who to ask and where to go to share my story! Most organizations need a speaker for an upcoming meeting, and have been glad that I dropped into their laps!

To entice the program director of non-bookstore organizations to schedule me into her events calendar,  I offered 15% of books sold during her event. Not only will I cost them nothing as a speaker, but they will receive a small donation as a result of their book sales!

Not every contact gets back to me on a timely basis, requiring a follow-up email or phone call. But the results have been quite satisfactory. Here’s a list of interviews/author talks/book signings scheduled for the coming weeks:

Feb 26… ‘Books and the World’ cable interview, Cape Cod, MA

March 16…Allentown Public Library, Allentown, PA

March 19…Brandywine Community Library, Topton, PA

March 22…Kutztown Community Library, Kutztown, PA

March 31…Ames Free Library, Easton, MA

 

Am I supposed to be having this much fun?

 

Happy reading and writing!

Debi

 

 

 

 

 

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Crime Bake…third time is a charm.

Posted in Agent Review, Conferences, Seminars, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 11, 2013| 4 Comments »

hands on keyboardThis past weekend, I attended Crime Bake in Dedham, MA. Sponsored by Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, this conference is always inspiring, but not without its disappointments to a budding author.

First, there was the ‘First Page Critique’ session after lunch on Saturday. When my first page was read, only one agent defended my efforts because she has seen my progress. But neither she nor the other four agents raised a hand to indicate they would read further.

Second, my pitch to an agent, hoping to hook her into asking for my first three chapters, fell on deaf ears. This could be my fault, because I decided to change my genre from mystery to romantic suspense after the pitch practice session on Friday night. I’m going back to mystery genre.

Third time was a charm! My manuscript evaluation was provided by Ray Daniel, a Boston author. He pointed out that although my writing is good, and my verbs are strong, I’m asking my reader to hang in with me for a third of the novel before we find out that there is a body. Over the months, I’ve changed my opening scene too many times to count, but Ray’s words made sense to me. I finally got it!

So I flew out of bed early on Sunday morning, rushed to my computer and opened a new file. I pulled Chapter 12 forward, did a bit of tweeking and printed off a new page one. When I arrived at the Dedham Hilton for the final day of the conference, I bumped into Ray within minutes and asked what he thought of the new first page. He gave it a thumbs up…yea!

My writing days will now include not only regular revision, but a re-sequencing of my chapters to move my suspects into the middle.

But, oh,  how exciting this is!

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Choose Your Pitching Agent

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 22, 2013| Leave a Comment »

three women sepiaAn email arrived inviting me to choose my top three agents for the pitching session at the Crime Bake Conference, sponsored by Sisters in Crime New England and Mystery Writers of America during the weekend of Nov 8-9-10.

This year, the organizers are offering eleven agents and editors for our selection process. Bios for them all are provided on the Crime Bake website.

And so my analysis began! I read each bio to discover what sub-genre that agent is seeking at the moment, and their experience in the publishing industry. A follow-up exploration of each corporate websites with a browse through their most recently published authors solidified if they seem to be a good match for my mystery/romance story.

I settled on my top three, registered my picks via the online form, and will now wait until I register at the conference to find out which one is my assigned agent.

The pitching session will take place on Saturday afternoon during the conference weekend. Those authors who are participating will be collected outside the pitching room, and herded in as a group to spend our five minutes in front of the pour assigned agent. If all goes well, and my pitch includes enough of a hook, the agent may request more of my story. Wouldn’t that be encouraging?

Cross your fingers!

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Manuscript Evaluation

Posted in Agent Review, Conferences, revision, Seminars, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 1, 2013| 1 Comment »

imagesWell, today was the deadline to submit 15 pages for a manuscript evaluation at the upcoming Crime Bake Conference, sponsored by Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America.

After several revisions, I managed to condense the first 13 pages of my story to end with Chapter 2 where the initial hook hopefully sinks in. The first page was a cover sheet, and the second a one-page synopsis. How difficult was that to write??? All the broad strokes on one page!

My submission will be assigned to an agent, an editor, or a published mystery writer for evaluation. I’ll find out who when I register on November 8.

The two of us will find a quiet corner in the Hilton Hotel and spend fifteen minutes together. She will tell me what she thinks of my story and my writing. It will be a nerve-wracking experience, but a necessary evil. After sending my story through two separate writing groups, eliminating my original opening chapters and many unnecessary scenes, plus rewriting the first page a gazillion times, I can only hope that my evaluator thinks my story is in pretty good shape.

During this conference, I will also pitch my book to the attending agents. Maybe I’ll finally get a bite!

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Is it ever really finished?

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on April 26, 2012| Leave a Comment »

I key-stroked “The End” on my first mystery months ago, but continue to revise, revise, revise. Sending chapters through two different writing groups always elicits valid comments. Although the story reads easily with active verbs and definitive description, there might be a glitch with a chunk of dialogue or a mis-match of logic to previous clues. It all needs attention.

And so I’m nervous about sending a query to a publisher who requires that my novel be finished and POLISHED. Will my story ever REALLY be polished enough to submit? I’ve heard it said that we could revise our story forever if we choose to do so. At what point do we stop? I suppose the fall-back position is that even if I think it’s done, my agent–if I ever find one–and the editor at the publishing house—if they ever hold my manuscript in their hands–will have their own ideas about sections that need revision.

Actually, to put a little pressure on myself to finish the first novel, I have begun my second. Not very far in, but I know who is done-in, and who-done-it. The inciting incident has been established. I’m wrestling with the reason behind the crime. Several possibilities are floating around in my head. I just have to pick the one that seems most logical and can be justified to a degree that is believable.

Well, that’s enough moaning and groaning for this morning.

 

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E-Books and Self-Publishing… or not?

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on March 4, 2012| 2 Comments »

Yesterday, I attended an all day seminar in Hyannis, MA, sponsored by the Cape Cod Writers Center. The morning presenters shared their knowledge and experience with preparing printed books or manuscripts for e-book publication. It’s much more involved than I would have ever thought. But first thing this morning, I reformatted my entire novel in WORD!

The afternoon speaker from Grub Street spoke about marketing and self-publishing. She sees the big-box publishers as unfair to authors and quickly becoming dinosaurs. There are many relatively-new services out there for the express purpose of helping authors prepare their manuscripts for either or both e-publishing and self-publishing. The expense is not as big as you would think and is becoming more attractive for authors all the time. The payback when your book sells is a bigger piece of the pie than you’d ever receive from a main-stream publisher.

Given my recent disappointment with an agent search, I find I’m leaning more and more toward self-publishing, with the sister offer of an e-book.The best words of advice? Read any contracts carefully and don’t box yourself in with only one distributor!

And so, I now need to master the art of marketing through the social networks!

 

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Agent Update

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on February 21, 2012| 1 Comment »

It’s not good news… sigh.

It’s not bad news… sigh, again.

After three months of waiting, I finally received a response from the agent who’s been holding my first three chapters since November. She advised that she’s no longer accepting new clients.

I can’t say I’m surprised. Hitting the jackpot my first time out was a slim-to-none chance.

So now, it’s back to the drawing board, so to speak. A writer friend has given me the names of three publishers who do not require an agent. Unfortunately, one of them is closed to submissions until August.  The other two advise 12-16 weeks to respond to my submission.

On a positive note, that time frame will expire by the time the Cape Cod Writers Center conference occurs in August. They will be offering a “Pitchapalooza” of agents. Think of it as speed-dating! http://capecodwriterscenter.org/

Off I go to prepare my query letter for publisher #1… wish me luck!

 

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Follow Up with Agent

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on January 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Well, its been two months since I emailed my first three chapters to the agent from CrimeBake. Because of the holidays… Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years… I decided it was only fair to allow her extra time to read those chapters and get back to me.

I’ve been nervous about asking her… do I really want to hear what she has to say?

But I’m telling myself I’m totally prepared for her to tell me that my story is not quite what she’s looking for. Not many writers hit the jackpot first time out.

My fingers are crossed. My toes are crossed. So how much time do I allow for her to answer? How soon to follow-up on a follow-up?

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The Waiting Game

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on November 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Several weekends ago, I ‘pitched’ my novel to an agent at the New England Crime Bake, the annual conference sponsored by both Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America.

Sitting on the other side of the table from the agent was not as daunting as I had expected. She smiled at me, and I explained the story behind my novel. After asking a few questions, she looked at me and said, “Here’s my card, email your first three chapter.”

YEA! It was all I could do not to jump up off my chair and dance around the room. But, of course, I didn’t, being a completely professional person. I thanked her as we shook hands, and exited the room, passing the next author in line on my way out.

And so I sit and wait for her to find the time to read my chapters and get back to me with either good… or bad… news. The good news would be if she sayd, “I like your writing style and your characters sound interesting. Your story has potential, so I’d like to read the remaining chapters.”

The bad news would be, “I’m sorry, but your novel is not what I’m looking to publish right now.” That would be so disappointing, but I’m prepare to hear those words as well.

And so I sit and wait.

 

 

 

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