Ariane the Overexposed Stock Image Model

When I shopped around for pictures for the cover of Good, Clean Murder, I was looking for someone young, fresh faced, and cleaning houses. There was only one girl in all of stock-photo-land who fit that bill. She had dozens of cleaning poses and outfits to chose form. Her pictures were professional and well produced. It was a no brainer to pick Ariane!

As it turned out, the rest of the world agrees with me. My Plain Jane is everywhere! I spot her on the ads at the bottom of celebrity gossip blogs telling me to reduce my debt. I've seen her in Walmart on the packaging for a backpack you can color. The other day she was telling me to get some exercise, and while at the library last week, I saw her on the cover of Face Magazine (for kids) telling me she loves Paris!

It's no wonder fans have started a Facebook page for her called "Ariane the Overexposed cover model" or that I get fan mail--for her!

Even though she's everywhere, selling everything from train tickets to cell phones, I'm not sorry I made her my Plain Jane. She's embodies so much of what I picture when I write this character; energy, enthusiasm, a natural beauty. Little known secret: The model is half Chinese, so I like to think that maybe Jane's Grandma was Chinese too. :)

In honor of Ariana, I want to reveal the cover for Health, Wealth, and Murder: A Plain Jane Mystery and offer a contest.

In the comments, let me know a place you think you have run across Plain Jane and I will put your name in the hat for an early release of Health, Wealth, and Murder! I'll draw THREE names for a free copy of Health, Wealth, and Murder and announce the winner next week. (The book will release May 1st, so that is the day I will email the books out!)

Without further ado, here's the newest cover!

Celebrate With Me!

 It's here! What you ask? The third book in my Trixie Montgomery Cozy Mystery Series, "Terror on Tybee Island." It's available on Amazon.com or you can email me through my website www.deborah-malone.com for an autographed copy. Don't forget Christmas is right around the corner. Let me tell you a little about this book.

 

 

 

 

Trixie Montgomery is the main character and her sidekick and best friend is Dee Dee Lamont. Trixie is a writer for a magazine and is sent on assignments to different towns. It seems everywhere they go a dead body turns up and Trixie and Dee Dee must find the person who committed the dastardly deed. Trixie’s eccentric great-aunt, Nana, joins in on the fun. With Nana around there’s never a dull moment. For instance she gets a tattoo in “Terror on Tybee Island.” 

“Terror on Tybee Island” takes place on the beautiful Tybee Island off of Savannah. Trixie, Dee Dee, Nana and Trixie’s mother Betty Jo go for a relaxing vacation on the island. Betty Jo’s friend puts them up in her bed and breakfast. It turns out to be anything but relaxing when Trixie finds a body in the sand behind the house. Betty Jo’s friend, Laura, is accused of the murder so of course Trixie and Dee Dee must come to the rescue when Betty Jo begs them to help Laura. They run into quite a few suspects as they attend a taping of Paula Dean’s cooking, a trip to the Mercer-Williams house, and a pirate festival.

 

During the festival Nana is kidnapped and you’ll have to read the book to see if Trixie and Dee Dee arrive in time to save her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deborah Malone’s first novel Death in Dahlonega, finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Category Five writing contest! Deborah was also nominated for 2012 Georgia Author of the Year in First Novel category. She has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, for the historic magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published, and her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails,” edited by Olin Jackson. She is a member of the Georgia Writer’s Association as well as Advanced Writer’s and Speakers Association. As a current member of the American Christian Fiction Writer she has established a blog where she reviews Christian Fiction.  

Catch the Wave Wrtier's Conference



Hard at work at the conference.

One of the first things seasoned writers advise beginning writers is to attend writer's conferences. I've been doing this for about ten years now. Long before I finished my first novel. This past weekend I believe I attended the best conference I've been to.

Georgia Christian Authors Guild sponsors the Catch The Wave Writer's Conference in Atlanta, GA once a year. This year a fellow author and friend Jennifer Hallmark rode to the conference with me. She was a great navigator. Thursday evening we arrived and settled in our rooms. Then we went to the evening meal and listened to a couple of speakers. After the speakers all of the staff was introduced. Terry Burns an agent from Texas was there along with his wife Sandra. (in picture below)

The next morning we gathered for a devotional and signing. Then the fun began. We had classes taught by some super authors: Fay Lamb, Terry Burns, Tracy Ruckman, and Lin Johnson just to name a few. Some of the topics were on Deep POV, Creating memorable characters, magazine writing and speaking. There were other topics I didn't have time to hear. When evening came I was tired, but in a good way. Several of us got together for a game of Banana Split (something like scrabble). When my eyes got to tired to stay open it was off to bed for me.

We got up Saturday morning and started all over again. What a day! On both days there were agents and publishers available for appointments and they were busy with authors pitching their writing projects. I didn't come prepared to pitch anything but wound up pitching an idea for a magazine article and it was excepted by Lin Johnson. So I've been busy writing a how to article for writing cozy mysteries. I'll be sure and let you know if and when it is published.

If you've never been to a conference and you are interested in writing then get yourself to one. I know some of them are very expensive, but there are many that are not so expensive and some that are only for one day that are affordable. I have gathered much information from these conferences. You don't have to go broke attending. There are also scholarships with some of the conferences. Check into these. Well I guess this week I'll spend coming back down to earth and getting back into the routine. I can't wait to write! Thank you Cynthia Simmons of the Christian Author's Guild for a great conference.

Deborah Malone is a freelance writer, speaker, and novelist. She has two cozy mysteries available, "Death in Dahlonega" and "Murder in Marietta."





Giveaway and Interview for "Murder in Marietta"

"MURDER IN MARIETTA" GIVEAWAY

CONGRATULATIONS
TO LOUISE WINNER OF
MURDER IN MARIETTA

I don't know what the weather is in your part of the country, but it has been raining, raining and more raining here in the North Georgia Mountains. I thought it would be good to have another giveaway for my latest book to put some sunshine in our lives. I am posting some questions that I use for interviews - thought it might be fun to interview myself. All you have to do is leave a comment about Spring and how the weather is where you live and be a follower. Hope this brightens your day just a little:)

 

 

 

Tell us a little about yourself. (Where you grew up, how many siblings you have, when you came to know the Lord, a little about your life now, etc.)

 

My dad was from Opelika, AL and my mother was from Cincinnati, OH. It’s so true when they say opposites attract. My dad had moved there to work for General Electric. While they were there they had my two older brothers, Bill and Curtis. In the early 1950’s they moved to north Georgia where my dad was transferred to work at GE. I wonder sometimes how I would have turned out if we’d stayed in Ohio – I’d be a *&^% YankeeJ This past summer we had a reunion of twelve cousins in Cinn on my mother’s side. Some I hadn’t seen for 40 years. It was so much fun!

 

My mother had RArthritis, but Dad never missed a church service taking us kids to church.  I have had my ups and downs with my faith, but I’ve never given up on God. I’ve come to the conclusion there are some things we will not have the answers to while on this earth. And that is alright – in Pro. 3:5 we are told to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” That is the verse Trixie holds on to in “Death in Dahlonega.”

 

Tell us three things about you that would surprise your readers.

 

I went back to college in my early 40’s and graduated at the age of 45 in 1999.

I’ve had Fibromyalgia since 1992.

I’m a novice photographer and love macro shots of nature. I’ve had a showing of my photographs at our local hospital.

 

Were you an avid reader as a child? What did you read?

Yes, yes and yes. I’ve been saying lately that I came out of the womb readingJ Mysteries have always been my favorites and I loved Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon.

 

What is your favorite genre to read now?

Gee – would you believe mysteries? LOL  However, since I’ve been reviewing books for my blog I have read just about every genre there is and I feel I’ve opened a whole new world of reading for me. I would encourage others to read outside their safety zone –favorite genre – and discover a whole new world.

 

As a child or teenager, did you ever dream of being an author?

Yes – When I was a teenager I started a mystery. I think I made it to page 3 or 4.

 

When did you first begin writing, and why do you write still?

I started writing when I went back to college and took a creative writing course. I knew then I wanted to publish something. In 2001 I published my first article in a historical magazine “Georgia Backroads” and I’ve been writing for them since then. I still write because I still have goals in my writing I haven’t reached yet. Also, I love it and it helps me keep my sanity in a stressful world.

 

How long did you write before you sold your first book?

I found a floppy disk dated 2002 when I began, but life got in the way. I wrote and edited consistently for three years to finish it.

How many books do you have published?

My debut cozy “Death in Dahlonega” published by Lamp Post Publishing was my first book.  “Murder in Marietta” will be my second book so that is two I’ve had published. I’m working on my third in the series, “Terror on Tybee Island.”

 

Tell us about your latest book.

Trixie and her best friend Dee Dee go to Marietta on assignment where Trixie is going to spend the night in the supposedly haunted Marietta History Museum.  She has convinced Dee Dee to spend the night with her. When the director of the museum woke them up the next morning they thought he was having a heart attack – but he had just seen a dead body. Add in the antics of Trixie’s great-aunt Nana and you have a recipe for murder and mayhem.

 

Do you put yourself into your main character, or do you find yourself borrowing from family or friends as your characters develop?

My goodness yes – but that’s all I’m going to sayJ

 

Is there any scene in your book that came from a real-life happening?

There are several in my first book “Death in Dahlonega.” At the beginning when they are going to Dahlonega and eating trail mix is reminiscent of when my friend and I took a trip to Dahlonega. I don’t think there are any scenes in “Murder in Marietta” that really happened.

 

Are you a plotter, a pantster, or somewhere in between, and can you elaborate on your answer?

I’m definitely a panster. I have a general outline on how I want the manuscript to progress, but that’s it. Then I might do a general outline for each chapter, but none of it is done in detail. Now after I’ve written a chapter I will go in Microsoft One Note and detail the chapter so I can keep up with my characters, timeline, setting, etc.

 

Share something about your day-to-day life that might help a reader to feel as though they know you a little better.

As I’ve mentioned I have fibromyalgia which limits how much and how often I write. I also have an adult daughter, Niki, who is severely disabled. About five years ago I needed help with her care. So now I have caregivers who come every day to help with her care. There are people coming in and out during the day so there is never a dull moment.

 

Do you have a favorite scripture? If so, why is it your favorite?

Trixie’s favorite scripture for “Murder in Marietta” is Eph. 4:32

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.

How do you choose names for your characters?

I use the phone book, internet, and I also ask other writers to give me suggestions.

What is the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you?

Several years ago I decided to let my hair grow out. I used a curling brush/iron on my hair. One day it got tangled and I couldn’t get it out. I had to unplug it and go to my neighbors and ask for their help. They had a good laugh about it.

 

Where can your readers find you on the internet?  www.amazon.com,   www.barnesandnoble.com

www.deborah-malone.com

www.deborahsbutterflyjourney.blogspot.com

www.sleuthsandsuspects.blogspot.com

www.cozymysterymagazine.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Deborah has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, since 2001, for the historical magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published during this time. Her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails” edited by Olin Jackson. She has also had a showing of her photographs at Floyd Medical Center Art Gallery as well as winning several awards. Her debut cozy mystery "Death in Dahlonega", a winner in the ACFW Category Five Writer's Contest, is now available.She is a current member of the Georgia Writers Association, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Deborah has been nomiated for Georgia Author of the Year 2012. She has an established blog, Butterfly Journey, where she reviews Christian Fiction. You can also catch her at
Sleuths and Suspects, where she reviews mysteries. She also contributes to the Cozy Mystery Magazine every other Tuesday.

 

 

 



How To Support An Author's New Book

Ways You Can Help Your Favorite Author



www.writerunboxed.com

1. Buy the book to read or buy it for a friend or a gift. Books are a great gift that aren't often thought of.

2. Face the book out at bookstores. Simply rearrange a bookstore shelf so that your friend's book faces out to make it much more noticable.

3. When you actually read the book, read it where people can see it.  Read it in public. Read it on the subway. Read it in the aisle seat of a plane. Read it on the deck of a cruise ship. After all, don't you find yourself looking at what others are reading when you pass by? I do!

4. Ask a bookstore employee where the book is located. When entering a bookstore, do not look for the book. Go to the bookstore customer service clerk and ask them about the book. They will find it in their system and lead you to the book. My hope is that if several people do this at the same bookstore, then the employee(s) will take notice of the title.

5. Leave a review on Amazon or BN.com or Goodreads or all. Reviews are still very important. Think about it. If you come by a new book and see it has a 2.0 stars on Amazon, would you buy it? On some level, that silly rating does affect me and my decision - and my guess is that it affects you, too. So it's crucial that, when you read a book and enjoy it, you leave a review on Amazon or BN.com or Goodreads or all. Those first 10-20 reviews really matter and can set a book on the right path. (Note: You can leave the same review on all the sites to save time.)

6. "Like" the book on Amazon, or "Like" the author's facebook fan page. I head from a literary agent once that more "Likes" a book had on its Amazon page, the more frequent it turned up in Amazon's comparable titles elsewhere. Getting your personal friends to "Like" another friends page is an easy favor to ask, as it requires no money.

7. Reserve a copy at the library.  An employee here at Writer's Digest Books once told me that if all copies of a book are reserved from our county library before the title comes out, the system has a way of noticing popularity and marking the book as one for "more orders."

8. Attend the book release party if there is one, and bring a warm body or two. It is to help the author's self-esteem. It's lonely to have a book release party or a local signing with low attendance. If you already bought a copy, bring that book to be signed.

9. Spread news of the book through your social media channels.  When the author mentions it on Facebook, share the news with your soical circles and include a small note about what the book is and why they should buy it. In other words, spreading the word by saying "My friend got published!" is nice - but it's better to say, "This new book by my hilarious friend is a great gift for dads who are raising daughters. Laugh-out-loud-funny stuff for all fathers to enjoy!" See how the second one targets people in a simple-yet-specific way? Do this kind of targeting when you spread the word via Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, or blogs.

10. If you have media contacts or know people of influence, arrange a connection.  This is the best thing you can do and probably the biggest way you can truly influence the life of the book and the success of the author. If you're married to the cousin of a local news personality, it's exactly that kind of connection that serves as a great introduction between author and TV host. If you know a book reviewer at a newspaper in Boston, say so. If your old college buddy now runs the biggest reading club of all of Central California, try and help your author friend's book be a future choice in that club. Utilize your network!

Deborah Malone’s first novel Death in Dahlonega, finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Category Five writing contest! Deborah was also nominated for 2012 Georgia Author of the Year in First Novel category. She has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, for the historic magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published, and her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails,” edited by Olin Jackson. She is a member of the Georgia Writer’s Association. As a current member of the American Christian Fiction Writer she has established a blog where she reviews Christian Fiction.  

 

The New Baby Has Arrived!

By Nancy Jill Thames

                                         

Is it a boy or girl? You'll have to read "Waiting for Santa" to find out.

Available now on Kindle $3.99 or Paperback $8.99
Coming to Nook soon!

                                                   

Mystery novelist Nancy Jill Thames began publishing Christian fiction in 2010. The author of six books in the Jillian Bradley series, she is an award winning blogger and is listed numerous times on the Author Watch Bestseller’s List, this in addition to winning first place for her Chocolate Cream Pie.

When she isn’t plotting her next book, she spends time with her six grandchildren in two states, tags along with her husband on business trips, and plays classical piano for her own personal enjoyment. She is an active member of the Leander Writers Guild and supports the Central Texas SPCA with a portion of her book sales.

Nancy Jill is busy working on book 7 "The Ruby of Siam" a mystery taking place in London, England.

To learn more about the author and check out her books, please visit her blog at  
Cozy Mystery Author, Nancy Jill Thames.

CONTACT INFORMATION

jillthames@gmail.com

To view and purchase her books on this site, please visit the Cozy Book Store.

Murder Mystery vs. Suspense

I've been reading "How To Writer Killer Fiction" by Carolyn Wheat who was a long time mystery writer. I have really enjoyed the book. It is chock full of great tips for the myster/suspense writer. I wanted to share a little from her book about a few differences in the classis whodunit vs. the suspense book. She likens the books as being in a dream.



The Mystery:
     At the opposite end of the popular crime fiction genre is the whodunit. Here the nightmare of sudden, violent death is tamed, put into a neat, logical package of detection and clues, rendered less frightening by the impostition of order. The detective hero, unlike the suspense hero, is the master of the situation, keeping her head when all about her are losing theirs. The detective manages the out-of-control emotions of othersand brings logic and insight to bear on the puzzle of unexplained passions. Here the experience is one of taking control while the dream is going on, of telling oneself: I can handle this; it's only a dream.
     In the whodunit, the reader indentifies with someone outside the troubled circle where the crime takes place; whether the sleuth is a cop, a private eye, or an amateur, the classic mystery is a story of other people's troubles. In recent years, detective characters have begun solving thier own personal problems in the course of the mystery, but the core of the genre is a situation involving murder that happens to other people. In the ideal mystery novel, the reader is two steps behind the detective.

 

 

The Suspense:
     In a straight suspense novel, the hero is the center of the book. The troubles are his, not someone else's. The reader indentifies with the hero and goes through a catharsis by following the hero's journey every step of the way. At the end of the story, the hero, as in a fairy tale, emerges at a different level of maturity.
     In suspense, the emotions are up-front and dominant. The big scenes are played out in front of the reader; we see the good and evil clash before our eyes. The hero is pursued, captured, tortured in real time, while a time bomb ticks in the background. We expect to see the hero working her way free from the ropes that bind her; we will be extememly disappointed to come on the scene after she's freed herself. The ideal suspense reader, is two steps ahead of the hero.


Deborah has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, since 2001, for the historical magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published during this time. Her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails” edited by Olin Jackson. She has also had a showing of her photographs at Floyd Medical Center Art Gallery as well as winning several awards. Her debut cozy mystery "Death in Dahlonega", a winner in the ACFW Category Five Writer's Contest, is now available.
She is a current member of the Georgia Writers Association, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Deborah has been nomiated for Georgia Author of the Year 2012. She has an established blog, Butterfly Journey, where she reviews Christian Fiction. You can also catch her at
Sleuths and Suspects, where she reviews mysteries. She also contributes to the Cozy Mystery Magazine every other Tuesday.



    

Tools For Publishing - Part Two

 

THINGS YOU CAN DO WHILE WAITING FOR PUBLICATION

1.      Establish A Website: Once your book is contracted and by the time it shows up in online bookstores, you should have a website – preferably one with your author name as the URL,(www.deborah-malone.com) so that readers can easily find you. Use Google blogspot for free and pay only for the URL.

2.      Start A Blog:  I’ve discovered blogging and reviewing books is a great way to get your name out in the world of writing. You can build a following before you have your book published. If possible use your author name as your URL. Interviews and book giveaways are a great way to draw traffic to your blog. You can use Google or Wordpress for free

3.      Start An Author Facebook Page:  If you start an author page as opposed to a personal page it allows followers to connect with you without having to wait for a friend approval. You can post book news, awards, and book signings.

4.      Get An Updated Author Photo:  This doesn’t have to be a high-priced photograph, but make sure it is updated and of good quality. It won’t hurt to have a couple of different shots.

5.      Set Up Accounts On Reader Sites:  There is a great opportunity in this area. You can sign up at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, and Shelfari. Then when your book is published you can set up author pages and list your book and your information.

6.       Get Business Cards, Postcards and Bookmarks:  Vista Print offers great prices on these items. You can get your business cards before your book comes out – be sure and put your picture on your card. Someone might not remember your name, but they will remember your face. If you place a small order with Vista Print they will send you discount cards with that order then you can place future orders at a greatly reduced price.

I made my own bookmarks out of heavy duty paper and saved a lot of money. Don’t forget the book I mentioned earlier “Stress Fee Marketing” by Renea Winchester, it includes a lot of detailed information on these marketing strategies.

 

Deborah has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, since 2001, for the historical magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published during this time. Her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails” edited by Olin Jackson. She has also had a showing of her photographs at Floyd Medical Center Art Gallery as well as winning several awards. Her debut cozy mystery "Death in Dahlonega", a winner in the ACFW Category Five Writer's Contest, is now available.
She is a current member of the Georgia Writers Association, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Deborah has been nomiated for Georgia Author of the Year 2012. She has an established blog, Butterfly Journey, where she reviews Christian Fiction. You can also catch her at Sleuths and Suspects, where she reviews mysteries. She also contributes to the Cozy Mystery Magazine every other Tuesday.

The Road to Publication - Part One

Just a few of my thoughts on publication. I'm sure there is much better advice, but this can get you started! And remember it is a journey. 

 

 

 

The

 Road to Publication

1.      Finish That Novel:  Finish the book. Publishers are not really interested in ideas. They want to see that a would-be author has the skill, the stamina and the discipline to finish the job. After finishing your book set it aside for a couple of weeks then go back to it and start editing. Hire an editor if necessary. Two books I’ve found invaluable for my writing:

“Write in Style” by Bobbie Christmas and “Goal, Motivation and Conflict” by Debra Dixon.

2.      Researching Publishers And Agents:  Study books that are the same genre as your book and see who their agent/publisher is. It is usually listed in the front of their book. Look for publishers on-line and study their guidelines for submissions. Find out what they are looking for. There are also books that are helpful to find publishers such as: “Christian Writer’s Market Guide” by Sally Stuart and “2012 Writer’s Market” by Robert Lee Brewer. Note: It is necessary to have an agent for big name publishers. If you do not want to go this route please do not forget the small presses. Please do your homework and check out small publishers or self-publishing companies. If you go this route a book you will want to read is: “Stress-Free Marketing” by Renea Winchester.

3.      Write A Synopsis And Query Letter: According to Kaye Dacus at www.kayedacus.com  you should first and foremost familiarize yourself with the kind of synopsis your targeted publishing house requests. Most will want a “normal” synopsis (about one doubled-spaced synopsis per 10,000 words of your novel.)  - Your query letter is your introduction to an editor/agent. You do not want to immediately label yourself as a “newbie” or an amateur when they open the envelope. Spend time learning the correct way to write a query.

4.      Prepare Your Proposal: The proposal is where you really brand yourself as a writer. It’s where you show the agent/editor that you’re so much more than just 100,000 words of a story written down on paper. It’s where you show them you understand the industry, you understand what they’re looking for, you know who your competitors are, and you realize that 80% + of the marketing for a published author is done by the author.

5.      Send Out Queries:  Be sure and follow the guidelines of the publishers you’ve researched. Send only what they’ve ask for – do not add anything unless they’ve requested it. It is important to not send any photographs or illustrations. Do not use fancy paper or elaborate fonts. These are the marks of an amateur, and will only hurt your chances. (www.mythicscribes.com)

6.      Be Prepared For Rejections:  You will receive them. Most of the rejection letters will be in form letter style. Do not let this get you down. Keep sending out the queries. Every author has a story to tell about the rejections letters they accumulated before being published. Consider a rejection letter as a sign you are writing. How many people can say they’ve even received a rejection letter? Keep writing and persevere. The writers who persevered are the ones who are now published.

7.      Continue Writing:  Don’t stop writing. The more you write the more you improve in the craft of writing. It will help you find out if you are able to write more than the “one hit wonder.” It might be that it will be your second or third book that gets published so don’t sit idle while waiting to hear from those publishers.

  Deborah has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, since 2001, for the historical magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published during this time. Her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails” edited by Olin Jackson. She has also had a showing of her photographs at Floyd Medical Center Art Gallery as well as winning several awards. Her debut cozy mystery "Death in Dahlonega", a winner in the ACFW Category Five Writer's Contest, is now available.
She is a current member of the Georgia Writers Association, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Deborah has been nomiated for Georgia Author of the Year 2012. She has an established blog, Butterfly Journey, where she reviews Christian Fiction. You can also catch her at Sleuths and Suspects, where she reviews mysteries. She also contributes to the Cozy Mystery Magazine every other Tuesday.

HAPPY READING!

 

I Have To Do What - Part Two

We talked about marketing last time I posted and how important it is in this day and time of writing. Even if you are a well known author you have to continue to market so you will keep your name out in the public. We talked about things you could be doing while you are waiting to be published.
Now we are going to discuss what happens after you are published. I want to mention a great book that is simple to read and gives very resonable advice on marketing: "Stress-Free Marketing" by Renea Winchester.

Frist I'm going to talk about a few things you can put into your marketing toolbox. You can get these very inexpensive from Vista Print. Order your cards first (free cards) and then they will send you a 70% coupon for your next order. I made my own bookmarks because I couldn't find any that were inexpensive. Here is a picture of a few things I've gotten from Vista Print.

These are just a few things - there are many, many things to choose from. But if you are out you always want to have a card to hand out. The big ones are postcard size and the next ones are regular business cards. On your business card be sure and put you picture on it. When we don't remember names we do remember faces!

Now that you've got your marketing toolbox filled with goodies it's time to hit the road. There will be many opportunities where you can market your book. Here I am at a book club (one of my favorite things to do) there are conferences (you can usually sell your books there) book fairs, and just about anywhere you can get an audiance interested in books. Because mine are regional I have them in gift shops and stores. IMPORTANT FACT: Always carry books with you wherever you go. I've sold books while waiting to get my car worked on, in Staples, downtown talking to people, etc. You never know when someone might want to buy a book. Be sure and keep your cards with you, too.

Okay, these are just a few tidbits about marketing. I hope they've given you some ideas about what you might be facing after you've been published. Now don't let this scare you off - really it can be fun! Now get out there and market!!!!!

                                                        

Deborah has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, since 2001, for the historical magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published during this time. Her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails” edited by Olin Jackson. She has also had a showing of her photographs at Floyd Medical Center Art Gallery as well as winning several awards. Her debut cozy mystery "Death in Dahlonega", a winner in the ACFW Category Five Writer's Contest, is now available.
She is a current member of the Georgia Writers Association, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Deborah has been nomiated for Georgia Author of the Year 2012. She has an established blog, Butterfly Journey, where she reviews Christian Fiction. You can also catch her at
Sleuths and Suspects, where she reviews mysteries. She also contributes to the Cozy Mystery Magazine every other Tuesday

The Terrific Trio

Please allow me to introduce to you the Terrific Trio from my Trixie Montgomery Cozy Mystery Series. On the left we have Trixie Montgomery. What's that you ask? How much of me has gone into Trixe? Well, it seems Trixie is a divorced, middle-aged woman who has started a new career as a writer for a historic magazine. It just so happens that I've written for the historic magazine "Georgia Backroads" for ten years. So yes, there is some of me in Trixie, but she also has her own personality. She's been through a rough divorce when her husband tells her he has discovered his soul mate on the internet. When he goes to meet her karma bites him in the bum and he finds out that his blonde bombshell is a 300 woman who takes men for all she can get. However, he still wants out of their long time marriage so she moves back to the small town of Vans Valley to live in her mother's garage apartment. This is when she starts working for "Georgia by the Way" and gets her assignments that lead her to dead bodies and crimes to be solved.

In the middle is none else than Trixie's best friend, Dee Dee Lamont. Dee Dee is a bonafide cat lover and runs an antique shop in Vans Valley called Antique's Galore. She usually accompanies Trixie on her research trips and goes antiquing while Trixie works. In the first book of the series "Death in Dahlonega" Dee Dee is a magnet for trouble. She stumbles upon a dead body while snooping around after a bathroom trip for her overly frequent visits to the potty. Dee Dee is loosely based on the combination of two of my friends. I will say a couple of the incidents in "Death in Dahlonega" really happened. They are just too funny to make up. Dee Dee has gone through the sudden death of her husband so she is able to help Trixie heal from her divorce. This friendship has become a win-win situation.

On the right is Belle, aka Nana, Trixie's great-aunt. When Betty Jo's, Trixie's mother, parents died at a young age she went to live with Nana who raised her like a mother. She is more like Trixie's grandmother. Now Nana is an enigma and for those of you who aren't quite sure what that means this is the definition I came up with:  One that is puzzling, ambiguous, or inexplicable. Yep, that's Nana. She is what some would call a "character." At times she seems to be addle-minded and doing such things as wearing Victoria Secret gowns, flirting with younger men, and forgetting where she was going or what she was going to do. Then at other times she is as sharp as a tack. Trixie thinks some of her behavior is a ruse to get away with her quirky behavior. Betty Jo has the patience of Job when it comes to Nana, but Trixie tries to help out when she can. And it seems Nana is determined to help Trixie, and that is how she comes to be a player in crime-solving trio with Trixie and Dee Dee.

You can read more about these fun-loving, quirky characters in the Trixie Montgomery Cozy Mystery Series. The first book, "Death in Dahlonega" has been out since Oct. 2011 and I hope the next installment "Murder in Marietta" will be out by the first of the year. You can contact me for a signed copy, or it is available at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I hope you've had fun learning a little more about my characters. Next time I might just show you how to breathe life into a character!

                                              

Deborah has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, since 2001, for the historical magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published during this time. Her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails” edited by Olin Jackson. She has also had a showing of her photographs at Floyd Medical Center Art Gallery as well as winning several awards. Her debut cozy mystery "Death in Dahlonega", a winner in the ACFW Category Five Writer's Contest, is now available.
She is a current member of the Georgia Writers Association, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Deborah has been nomiated for Georgia Author of the Year 2012. She has an established blog, Butterfly Journey, where she reviews Christian Fiction. You can also catch her at
Sleuths and Suspects, where she reviews mysteries. She also contributes to the Cozy Mystery Magazine every other Tuesday.

You Are Not Alone! by Nancy Jill Thames

Flying home from Scottsdale last night I was reading an article in some publication (either The Wall Street Journal or the Southwest magazine in the pouch in front of me) that stated 28% of all adults (in America?) live alone these days. That's something like 3.3 million people it said! I wrote a post on my author blog recently about solitude doing a body good and this article backed up that message. To a point.

NANCY JILL THAMES

     Now if you're a workaholic like me, you may think your work keeps you company, right? Truth is we were created to interact with others. The article said even though solitude is something we all need at times, loneliness is a precursor to suicide. That's a bummer. Doesn't have to be that way. People still need friends and that's why we're here - to bring you stories of mystery, adventure, a little humor here and there and most of all characters who are yes, figments of our imagination, but those figures often embody ourselves. So what you get is community with people just like you. And we're real friends! Debbie Malone, Sandra Moore, Cindy Ragsdale, Traci Hilton, Linda Kozar and myself.
      If you're reading this post, you're probably a reader already. But as some of you have commented, you're new to the cozy genre. Well, this is where cozies are different. Our stories are usually based on everyday people solving mysteries - people who could be your next door neighbor - people who want to be in your lives. My old friends are Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot and Jessica Fletcher, but I'm making new friends reading new authors all the time.
     So if you live alone (or know someone who does), remember our books are here to give you friendship and fellowship. Who are some of your favorite characters? What kinds of settings do they live in? Do you think of them as friends or acquaintances?

And don't forget the Giveaway Extravaganza going on right now!  

 

A Fast & Fabulous Salmon Recipe Featured Today 
in the Cozy Kitchen

Nancy Jill Thames is the author of "Jillian Bradley Mysteries," a series often set in exclusive hotels and resorts, based on real life travel adventures with her husband of 44 years. Her mysteries incorporate her love of afternoon tea, which has earned her the title of “Queen of Afternoon Tea.” She holds a music degree from UT Austin and lives in Leander, Texas where she is a member of the Leander Writers Guild. Nancy Jill is busy working on book 6 Waiting for Santa, a murder mystery taking place on Christmas Eve near Jillian Bradley’s home in Clover Hills. She has won awards for her blogs, a pie contest for her Chip Chocolate Cream Pie, and has been on the Author Watch Bestseller List numerous times.

To check out her books, Murder in Half Moon Bay, The Ghost Orchid Murder, From the Clutches of Evil, The Mark of Eden, and Pacific Beach, please visit: 
http://www.nancy-jill.blogspot.com