June 2009 Blog Posts (183)

Using Craigslist for promotion

The last few weeks I've been using Craigslist.com to promote my books. I took up a suggestion to give it a try, not expecting much one way or the other. But it's free. And it has the advantage of targeting specific cities around the world and across the US. And did I mention it was free?

It works. Every time I use it books sales on Barnes&Noble go up. So what if it's from one book a month to maybe two books a month? The evidence suggests it goes up. Since I don't have a publisher… Continue

Added by B.R.Stateham on June 28, 2009 at 4:55am — 2 Comments

End Google's Partnership Program with Publisher

The recent Authors Guild settlement of $250 million against Google for copyrighted materials scanned off out of print library books is just the start of Google's encroachment on author's legal rights. Under their Partnership Programs with a good number of presses they are entitled to print 20% of an author's book, ostensibly for promotional reasons. In fact, Google has in fact displayed entire books on line, in clear violation not only of the Partnership Program but the author's copyright as… Continue

Added by David L. Hoof on June 28, 2009 at 2:52am — 6 Comments

The Voice of Anton Bouchard Receives Another 5 Star Review

It's great to be able to report that 'The Voice of Anton Bouchard' has just received its second 5 star review at the site of Amazon.com. This is what the reader had to say:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Clever., June 26, 2009

By Ralph R. Deluca Jr. (USA) - See all my reviews

(REAL NAME)

The Voice of Anton Bouchard is a book of short, well written, and entertaining storys. I blew through the book in one short afternoon. The storys contain horror, brotherly love,… Continue

Added by Brian L Porter on June 28, 2009 at 2:12am — No Comments

Meet Me This Weekend in VA

This weekend I’ll visit my two home stores. Today I sign my novels at the Borders Express in Springfield Mall, Springfield VA, from 11 am to 4 pm.

Tomorrow I roll over to the Borders Express in Dulles Town Center Mall. I’ll hang out there from noon to 4 pm so if you miss me in Springfield, stop by and say hi. If you haven’t been there, Mapquest to 21100 Dulles Town Circle, Dulles VA. Borders Express has become the neighborhood bookstore in both these locations and the best place to… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on June 27, 2009 at 11:34pm — No Comments

When poets do the talking

A new book examines the lives of Palestinian poets

By Matt Beynon Rees - on GlobalPost

JERUSALEM — Whenever Palestinian and Israeli artists get together for public “dialogues,” it always seems to end with the Israelis saying, “We’re sorry,” and… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on June 27, 2009 at 4:10pm — No Comments

Among Family Tree's

Among Family Tree’s

A soldier’s heart yearns
For the romance and love
Of another’s wife

A spider’s web of love affairs
Hangs in the balance of
Wanting forgiveness

The shade of an old oak tree
Grows larger,
Foreshadowing that of danger

Anger brings on
The hunger of
Death fire and brimstone

Caught in the crosshairs
Of foul play,
One digs his own grave

© 2009 Arthur Henn

Added by Arthur on June 27, 2009 at 3:06pm — No Comments

White Ocean Beaches

White Ocean Beaches

Searching the waves for another heartbeat,

not really knowing how I feel or

what I’m looking for?

White Ocean Beaches,

Seeing tears flow down from your cheeks

falling into receding waves.

The sun rise of another’s heart

shines through broken clouds,

seeing a storm of two souls embrace each other,

My hearts an open sea

Full moons rising upon the horizon of… Continue

Added by Arthur on June 27, 2009 at 3:00pm — No Comments

The Sea is Her Companion

The Sea is Her Companion

Emptiness closing the shutters to my soul

Trying to find that place where I belong

I’ve faced the pain of trial and error,

Not knowing where this heart of mine belongs

The gracefulness of your beauty

What my eyes observe my soul yearns for

Thriving by the minute, day by day,

Landscaping the irises of my eyes

Wanting to tread softly upon the footprints

Of your soul

Time is only grains of… Continue

Added by Arthur on June 27, 2009 at 2:58pm — No Comments

Sneak peek at Switch - debut novel launching July 2

I just discovered that Random House has placed a free sneak peek at the first chapters of SWITCH online. It appears to be Flash based and can be found HERE. Switch has also just received a four-star review from New Books magazine in the UK. New Books is an influential magazine for book clubs. And it was also selected as the Recommended… Continue

Added by Grant McKenzie on June 27, 2009 at 3:00am — 1 Comment

Kirkus offers grudging praise.

THE CONVICT'S SWORD was reviewed by Kirkus a day or so ago. Now, Kirkus has a reputation for grumpy reviews and a certain amount of snootiness, so I'm not too disappointed -- even if the reviewer misread Seimei's character. Subtlety doesn't always work. :) Here it is:

THE CONVICT'S SWORD

Author: Parker, I.J.

Review Date: JULY 01, 2009

Publisher: Penguin

Pages: 418

Price (paperback): $$15.00

Publication Date: 8/1/2009 0:00:00

ISBN:… Continue

Added by I. J. Parker on June 27, 2009 at 12:11am — 4 Comments

Meet Me Tomorrow in VA

This coming weekend will see me at my home stores. Tomorrow I’ll sign my novels at the Borders Express in Springfield Mall from 11 am to 4 pm. I know Dan has laid in a good supply of Russian Roulette for my neighbors who want to complete their Hannibal Jones collections. Map to 6725 Springfield Mall, Springfield, VA.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on June 26, 2009 at 10:42pm — No Comments

Interview with Oscar Elizondo

Hi Everyone,

I was recently honoured and blessed to be given the opportunity to interview someone I respect highly, who has inspired and taught me a lot about myself and about writing.

I hope that by sharing it with you, you will gain some of his wisdom. I am sure he will inspire all writers regardless of which genre you specialise in.

Please go to:… Continue

Added by Flic Manning on June 26, 2009 at 8:35pm — No Comments

Is the heat getting to me?

I'm taking a break of a couple of weeks between drafts of my latest novel. To clear my head and to allow my body to accustom itself to a step up in desert heat here in Jerusalem (it's hard to concentrate the first day the temperature hits 35 degrees, particularly when you write standing up as I do). So it's good to have reminders of how my novels are establishing themselves on the international thriller and mystery scene.…

Continue

Added by Matt Rees on June 26, 2009 at 6:13pm — 2 Comments

The most obscure band in Jerusalem

I bet you didn't know there was an underground scene in Jerusalem (at least not an underground music scene; you've probably heard of some other undergrounds that operate here). Here's a little bit of Middle East insider poop for you: what's the most obscure underground band in Jerusalem?

Answer: Dolly Weinstein.

A fivesome (formerly a sixsome, sometimes foursome) of folk rock and rock standards, featuring yours truly on bass.

Other writers are notable for… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on June 26, 2009 at 5:39pm — No Comments

Just chillin'...kind of

This week’s been a relatively quiet one for me. Book 5 in the Sophie Anderson series, KISS OF DEATH, is currently with my Aussie publishers, Pan Macmillan. It feels a little like Sophie is away visiting – but she’ll be home soon. In fact, I’ll be getting the editorial report next Friday 3 July.

It’s always a nerve-wracking time for an author, and that first week is especially tense. Will the publisher/editor like the book? Will they identify many problems? Luckily I heard back from… Continue

Added by Phillipa Martin (PD Martin) on June 26, 2009 at 4:16pm — 1 Comment

MEMOIRS OF BEAR: Nueces Means Nut -AVAILABLE TODAY AT AMAZON.COM IN PRINT AND KINDLE FORMAT.

Just a short note to let you know that MOB:NMN is finally available at Amazon.com. I've been working on getting it off the shelf and into some hands all day and I'm pooped... If you pick up a copy, enjoy. I'm hitting the sack.
Tom

Added by Tom Cooke on June 26, 2009 at 3:01pm — No Comments

They're Talking to Me Again--the Voices

"You're overworking me!" Character M claims, and I have to admit, she's right.

At the beginning of a project I often have in mind too much "stuff" for a character to bear. Once I'm a way into the story, that character is liable to rear up and berate me. For my own good, of course.

Typically what happens is that I come to a place where it feels wrong. It just isn't going as it should, where it should. If it's possible, I take a walk at that point, because that's where my… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on June 26, 2009 at 8:00am — No Comments

Legacy of the Ripper Released

I'm delighted to announce that 'Legacy of the Ripper', the sequel to A Study in Red - The Secret Journal of Jack the Ripper was today released in its e-book edition by Double Dragon Publishing and is available from http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/single.php?ISBN=1-55404-689-0 The paperback edition will follow soon.

About the book:

Jack Thomas Reid, nephew of Robert Cavendish who… Continue

Added by Brian L Porter on June 26, 2009 at 7:36am — No Comments

Something Evil's Lurking in the Dark

(Also posted on One Bite at a Time.)

“Raising the stakes” is the buzzword for thriller writers. Books that purport to tell authors how to write best-selling or breakout novels use the term more than “and” or “it.” Constantly raising the stakes is supposed to intensify the reader’s interest by making a successful outcome more important and less likely all at once. What it’s mainly doing is killing thrillers for anyone looking for more… Continue

Added by Dana King on June 26, 2009 at 7:16am — 4 Comments