A is for Anticipation

I have waited months for the A-Z writing challenge to begin. Arlee Bird I am so glad you came up with this and continue to do it each year.

I am also anticipating the release of my next book, Crossing the Line. It is well past it's November release date for several reasons. One the original publisher closed their doors. Two, I decided to open my own publishing company. Three,  we finally have the last of the edits done, and the book proof has been read so, I can send it to the printer.

There has been a lot of anticipation. I have more, but want to keep this short.
TTFN

Worst Buy

Most of you are familiar with Best Buy as a merchandiser of all things electronic. They have a rewards program to keep you coming back and they own the Geek Squad for computer repairs. I have a new name for them: Worst Buy.

Let me start the nightmare from the beginning. A friend and I went to get some sort of Ipod/Mp3 player. The first one we bought had us back in there because we couldn't get it to download. We returned later because we had tried four different computers and it wouldn't work. We exchanged it for a different Mp3 player. Different company, easier operating system. Plugged it into the first computer and it burned itself up.

By this time we have been two days on this and I'm fed up. I take every thing back and I'm going to purchase an Ipod. I have one, know how they work. I specifically tell the girl I don't want a used one. She assures me I'm not getting one and I have a full warranty. So, it's $17 off the regular price. I buy it.

I arrive back at the condo with dinner and we eat before I tackle getting the music downloaded to the Ipod. As I start loading it and getting it registered I learn that yes, I do have a used Ipod. I'm livid. It is too late to go back they are closed. I am not feeling well, but I'm mad.

I contacted Best Buy. Not sure why I wasted my time. That was two weeks ago and all they have done is passed my complaint onto the district manager who could care less. I went in to talk to the store manager. They don't have one, you have to walk around trying to find the one for the department you have a dispute with. My thought was just stand in the middle of the stupid store and scream at the top of my lungs, but I didn't have anyone who could bail me out of jail. e

Seriously, you can't pick up a phone and page the manager???? How stupid is that. To make matters worse, no one told me when I bought my computer a year ago that I had to register to get my rewards. Something I only learned because my friend needed to check his. So, I register my account, but I cannot get credit for those reward points. That's how they rip people off. They should be automatic, they are not.

I am  done with Worst Buy. I am cutting up my credit card with them and closing my account. There is nothing on the planet I need bad enough to step into one of their stores again.

Customer service=epic fail. Rewards Zone=epic fail. Overall impression= bye bye


TTFN

My Radio Interview and Other Stuff

If you missed the radio interview, I've got a link for it. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rrradio/2013/03/14/no-limits-with-barbara-m-hodges Feel free to listen and give me feedback. I thought it went well.

Second on my list of things is a four star review I got today. I've got the link for that, too: http://tillyandmertle.wordpress.com/2013/03/13/cold-case-my-thoughts/ Again feel free to leave feedback.

I am working to get my name out there and known. I have a good following, I just need to grow it bigger. I am in the process of putting my older books into ebook format for those who like ereaders. Be patient, there weren't ereaders when the books were published. One of them will need a new cover.

I am busy with the marketing part of my business while I await the copyright so that we can put the finishing touches on the book and get it sent to the printer. Waiting makes me crazy...oh wait, I'm already crazy.

Enjoy the links.
TTFN

Radio Inteview

I had a great time with host Barbara Hodges and her other guest Denise Middlebrooks. I was interviewed the first half hour and Denise was interviewed the second half hour. I got some good questions and  hope I gave some good answers.

Denise is an editor and she said things that make a lot of sense. If you are a writer, you give your most polished piece of work to your editor. You need to have an editor who can work with you. One who will explain why something needs changing or why it doesn't work. Be sure you've read your work before turning to over to an editor. You want this to be as easy and painless as possible. Get your basic grammar right. If you're not sure have the local high school English teacher give it a read through.

I did get feedback from a friend who was able to listen to the interview on her cell phone. She said I sounded good and she enjoyed hearing it. It's always good to know someone is listening. It was broadcast on the west coast.

I also picked up an new connection on LinkedIn. It is good to have a wide network, you never know when you need to call on one of them for their expertise.

All-in-all, I enjoyed myself. It went smoothly. No trick questions.
TTFN

Progress I Think

Today at a women's Bible study meeting I sold two books. One copy of Secrets and one copy of Cold Case: Sleeping Dogs Lie. The ladies made the mistake of asking me to talk about my writing. (insert hanging head). I answered their questions. One liked the poetry book because you can see what my writing was like in my teens and early twenties and what my writing was like as I matured. All in all it was nice.

After lunch one of the other ladies and I helped with dishes. We were asked by the hostess to stay a bit. She talked about how South Carolina came to have the only tea plantation in the United States. There is a real story there. It would require lots of research, but I cannot take it on until the Macy series is complete. I know there are at least two or three more books in that series. Two for sure.

Tomorrow night I have a blogtalk radio interview with Barbara Hodges at Red River Radio No Limits. If you know anyone in California, they can tune in at 3pm PST. (That's 6pm our time). The interview will be the longest one I've had and there will be call in questions from listeners. Hopefully I will not make a fool of myself.

For those awaiting the release of Crossing the Line....all I can say is soon. I am awaiting the Library of Congress information and copyright for the front of the book. Then it will be done and ready to go to the printer. Once I have a proof copy, I can take orders.

As soon as I get my computer back on Thursday, I can get back to work on Sanctuary. I don't expect that one to be out this year. I will be sending it out for review. I have a list of reviewers to send it to. I am ready to get back into to it and see where it will take me. I am also mulling over where book four, Something Borrowed, Something Blue will take me. I hope to work on it while Sanctuary is being reviewed, so there will not be such a long delay between books.

I am also awaiting a book from a new author. I am excited to work with her and get her conspiracy thriller off the ground. It has wonderful potential. It will be exciting launching someone else's career. I am networking to find places for book signings and radio interviews. I am learning to write press releases.

Seems as though I'll be busy for a while.
TTFN

Birthdays

They arrive annually whether we want them to or not. This is my cake for one. Most of my birthdays are spent alone. Not that I care. I take myself to dinner and have a good book to read with my good food.
This morning, however, something special happened. There was a knock on the condo door and a delivery man was there.

He had the above package for me with a card from the night manager at the front desk. I have not seen her for a year. It was nice to be remembered. We had talked in the wee hours this morning because my computer service kicked off. 

I had tons of well wishes from friends and family. Those always brighten my day. Several people called. So, I am never really alone. I also got a text or two. 

I don't care how old I am anymore. Age is just a number. Some days I feel like I'm 102, other days I feel like I'm 17, and still others I feel like I'm where I should be. 

It was a great day. I walked on the beach. Met a woman staying in one of the villas. Took myself to dinner. Ordered chicken nachos and had enough to bring home for dinner tonight. Had a drink....hate that the bar feels they must water their drinks. I don't drink much and I know my limits. Bought the cake and a small ice cream on the way home. Nice peaceful evening. 

Thanks to all those who made an effort to wish me well.

TTFN

Just Another Rainy Day

It only rains 73 days out of the year in South Carolina. I seemed to have forgotten that most of those days are in February. Today is a gloomy, overcast day here in paradise.  The temperature is a balmy 57. It would be a good day for running (in my case dancing ) in the rain, if I could find the energy and motivation. They seem to be lacking.

I have an afghan to finish. I have a book to get started on. I have a couple of phone calls to make. Both of those will get done here shortly. I could in general pick up around the condo, run the vacuum, and sweep the floor. No motivation.

I read part of a novel I'd started. It didn't work out as a  novel as, I didn't have enough knowledge to make it work right. I think I should look at it and take it a different way. It has great potential. Having read the first page at a book event on Wed. and getting feedback of don't leave us hanging. I think it needs another look. Even if it only becomes a short story.

I have an afghan to rip out and restart. It has not turned out the way I had hoped and I need to do something different with it. I have a Barbie doll outfit to finish. It has been years since I started it and I need to get busy and get it done. Don't know if I'll be making any more of those. I'm sure I have a couple of baby layettes that  need to be made, too. Just no motivation today.

Curling up on the sofa with a cup of hot tea and becoming an official "Couch Potato." Maybe I'll find motivation tomorrow.

TTFN

Speaking Soon

Next Wed. night at the Charleston County Public Library-Main Branch, I'll be speaking to an audience about my books. Specifically about the Macy McVannel Mystery series. Cold Case: Sleeping Dogs Lie, the debut book in the series was released a year ago. It has had wonderful success. It has been almost a year and the much awaited second book in the series Crossing the Line is due to be released in mid-March.

It has been a long road to get to the second book. The book was finished in May, 2012. It went through the first rounds of edits and we were working on round two and getting the ARCs=Advance Reader Copies ready to go out for review. I don't know what happened, but it all fell apart before my eyes. My publisher closed their doors in October, 2012 with my book due out in November.

What was I going to do? I'd worked too hard and there had been too much press to stop now. Who is going to take a book series when the first one has already been released? I couldn't even get an agent to touch it. So, in talking to a writer friend, I decided to make the next logical step. I am in the process of opening my own publishing company.

Don't everyone send me a manuscript. I am currently the sole author at my company. I am co-writing with a friend and if that gets off the ground it too will be through my company. I also have another new author I am excited about. That is all I am willing to take on at this point. I still have book three in the series to complete and I am a long way from 50 to 60 thousand words. I'm not even in the ballpark.

If you are in the Charleston, South Carolina area looking for something to do on Wed. Feb. 20, 2013. I will be there from 6-7:30pm. There is no admission. As always 20% of my gross sales goes to the Friends of the Library. I am also donating 10% of my net sales after taxes. I donate to tannerstotes.com and I will be donating to an anti-bullying organization. I am not sure which one yet. Hope to see you there.

TTFN

We Have a Cover

The polling is done. Those who left me messages on Facebook overwhelmingly chose the cover I was leaning toward. So without further delay.....insert drum roll here....the new cover is:

While the other cover gave continuity of the main character, Macy was featured on the first book. This book deals with the dark side of bullying. The things we only hear about after it is too late. After the innocence has been stripped from our children.

The next thing to do will be to get us a release date. I am working on that. Stay tuned.

TTFN

Sneak Preview

One of the two following will be the cover for my next book. If you know anything about the first book in the series, you will recognize Macy on the cover of the first book cover.

With it there is continuity of character. Please look at the second possible cover and read the tag-line of the cover.

This one speaks more to the content in the book. Since Macy is still the main character,  I don't know that she needs to be on the cover again. It does tell you this is a Macy McVannel novel. 

I will be finishing all edits and making a decision by the end of the week. I have an informal poll going on my author page on Facebook. So far cover two is ahead 7-2. I will be interested to see what tomorrow brings. Feel free to comment with feedback. I am open to what you think.

TTFN

I am soooo Excited!!!!

My website got a serious updating. It was long over due for something to happen. While it is still hosted on a free site, that will be changing, too. For right now, I am just thrilled with the new look. Check it out.
http://rebeckavigus.wix.com/penadream#!

TTFN