MEET ME IN CHICAGO AT LOVE IS MURDER

Well, just outside Chicago if you want to get technical. I'll spend tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday at the best little convention I know - Love is Murder - http://www.loveismurder.net . Love is Murder is an annual convention for writers, readers, and…

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When I look at my ambitious plans for the year it hardly seems there could be enough time to do it all. However, I have learned that we can't trust our perceptions because time is all relative. For example, how long a minute is depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.

This week's bad news is that we’ve had a computer meltdown at home, making it impossible for us to update my web site. This means that none of the real news can appear there. It's a good thing you read this blog.



The good news is that I had a good time and made some new friends at the Borders Express in Dulles Town Center. In fact, they were so pleased with the results that they invited me to return and do it…

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When I began this blog I promised to make it personal and talk about what was going on in my writing life. I figure that will involve sharing the actual metrics – how many words written, events attended, submissions made – but that data will require some context. What kind of writer am I? Well actually, I’m all kinds.

I am a Print on Demand author. Two of my novels were first published by a POD publisher and…

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At book signings, negative people and the idly curious sometimes ask me, “With so many writers out there, what makes you think you’ll be a success?” Positive people and aspiring authors often ask me who my inspirations are in the business. Today I might be able to answer both those questions.…

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If you happen to live in my area I want you to know that tomorrow I'll visit a new shopping area, at least new for me. It's the Dulles Town Center and I'll be a guest of the Borders Express there. I'll be there from 2 pm to 6 pm and I have to wonder if anybody will still be returning their Christmas gifts. No matter. If you stop by the store while I'm there - at 21100 Dulles Town Circle, Dulles, VA - mention you read about it in my blog and I'll have a special gift for you.

Often I use this space to introduce you to great reads or to point you to web sites where you can find them. Today I want to show you how to save money on your book habit. I've discovered Smart Bookfinder.com, - http://www.smartmediafinder.com/buybooks - a price comparison search engine for Internet users. Just type in the title or author you're interested… Continue

Now here's some cool news. The folks at a web site called Simegen have gotten on the Toys for Tots bandwagon, supporting sales of the "Carols and Crimes, Gifts and Grifters" anthology put out by Wolfmont Publishing. None of the writers got paid for their contributions to this holiday collections and, despite the date, all profits from the sales still go to the Toys for Tots foundation. You can go to their web site - …

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Well, here it is the first weekend of the New Year and already I'm having trouble keeping pace with my ambitious goals. But I'm not getting discouraged. I figure the sooner you fall behind, the more time you have to catch up.

How is everybody else doing with their writing/marketing goals?

My writer’s year kicked off Friday with an early morning book signing at the Borders store in Baltimore Washington International Airport. I must admit I was surprised that anyone was conscious at 6 am, but in fact for those three hours several people came up to talk, and to buy my…

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So many books… so little time. If only you had time to find the right ones. Of course that would require you to pick them up and read a couple of pages to know if they appeal to you, but who has time to do such a thing? Well, YOU do, if you do it the smart way. That would be by joining an OnLine Book Club at Dear Reader.com.…

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So many books… so little time. If only you had time to find the right ones. Of course that would require you to pick them up and read a couple of pages to know if they appeal to you, but who has time to do such a thing? Well, YOU do,…

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The home team has spent the last week or so building a plan for 2008 intended to break my writing into the mainstream outside my home area. We ended up considering what seemed like hundreds of options, each with a long decision tree. Mailings? Sure, but to who? Where? When? How many? What will the postcard say? And that's just one tiny bit of the puzzle. But we have arrived at a conclusion.…

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In the last couple of weeks I enjoyed two very different book signing experiences. First, I visited the Borders bookstore in Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. This one was easy, since the store is on the concourse before the security gates, unlike the other airport stores I’ve signed in. It’s also right at the bottom of the escalator people come down on their way to one set of gates. I saw a lot of people that day, but many of them were rushing to catch…

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