Colorado Author -- Justin Matott

I needed a gift for one of my great-nephews who has a birthday coming up next week, so I chose to buy a book by the author I featured last Monday, Mark Ludy. When I Was a Boy...I Dreamed seemed like a good choice.

When I picked it up, however, I found a bonus. This book, as well as its companion, When I Was a Girl...I Dreamed, was illustrated by Mark but the story was written by others. In the case of "Boy," the author was Justin Matott. And what a coincidence, Justin is also a Colorado author.

Seems today's blog post should naturally feature Justin, don't you agree?

I began by checking Justin's website to see what other books he's written, and I found a gold mine. With other titles such as There's a Fly on My Toast, Chocolate-Covered Frog Legs, and Ol' Lady Grizelda, I'll be looking for more of Justin's books as gifts for birthdays and Christmas.

Here's a little bit about the Go Ask Mom series which includes The World According to Gabe.

"Gabriel deals with repeating fourth grade with Sister Mary Claire, UGH! With many new twists and situations Gabe and his Secret Brotherhood of Boys must overcome and triumph over. New characters enter in, including a war-obsessed boy named Murph, Gabe's crazy grandma and a new girl who seems to have captured the attention of the older brothers."

I love to find new Colorado authors to add to my long list. I was once worried I'd run out and have to give up on my Monday feature. Now I don't think there's the slightest chance that will happen. More fun for me, and, I hope, more great discoveries for you.

Getting Serious About Promotion

It was so gorgeous yesterday in my part of Northern Colorado that I set a lawn chair in the shade of my grape vine and ate my yogurt/blueberry/granola lunch outside. Chilled a bit. Still couldn't go back inside, so I grabbed my book and read out there for thirty whole minutes.

Okay, enough of that "feel good" nonsense for now. Time to get back to work.

I'm finally getting around to setting up local book signings, and look what fell right into my lap. Our public library district is going to sponsor a "Writers' Block" at the end of September during which local authors and anyone else from the district can participate as we write a community creative story on the sidewalk all around the library block (yep, a whole block, all the way around). In addition, authors can set up a table or booth to talk books, sell books, sign books, pass out freebies, whatever.

I've already told you about the two-day Holiday Market right after Thanksgiving that now features an Author's Nook. I'm expecting to hear back on my application within the week.

And on top of that, check this out. My town has a love affair going with 10-foot-tall rearing horse statues (a smaller version of the giant scary blue one at the Denver airport). One of those horses will be covered with quilt squares created by local authors and artists and will stand outside our Senior Center. Clever, huh?

As authors, it's important to make sure we're on the mailing lists of libraries, city recreation departments, writers' organizations, and bookstores in the area where we live so we don't miss any of the great opportunities to participate in writerly events such as these.

More About That Good Feeling

I was very tempted to run out and buy a Lotto ticket as Galen Kindley suggested in a comment on my post yesterday. Since I've had this feeling something good was about to happen, one would naturally think I should cover all the bases. But there was only a small window of time when I had the car yesterday (since the hubby played bridge both afternoon and evening), and I would have had to change out of my sweats and comb my hair to be presentable in public. It wasn't worth the trouble. Sorry, Galen, I was just too comfortable.

Not that a Lotto jackpot wouldn't be most welcome, but the feeling I have doesn't seem like a money thing, at least not up front. It feels more like winning free massages for a year, or having an agent call me up out of the blue instead of me having to write a gazillion query letters with no results, or receiving a box of free books I didn't even order.

There was one lovely bonus in my e-mail. I subscribe to posts from Zen Habits and always enjoy what Leo Babauta and his guest bloggers have to say. Monday's post was How to Live a Better Life With Less. It's not a new concept, but there was something about the way Leo said it that sounded right to me. That's why I shut down my computer and watched the DVD of Doubt last night instead of working. Don't you just love Meryl Streep?

I'm still on watch for more good things. Maybe Helen Ginger's comment yesterday was right on the money. She said, "Keep enjoying the tingly powerful feeling. Either something big is going to happen or you'll look back and be amazed at all the small great things."

Small great things are just fine (but I'd still like to have a year's worth of free massages).

That Feeling Something Good is About to Happen

Do you have days when you feel something good is about to happen? A little tingly across the shoulder blades? A desire to turn around, look in all directions, make sure you're not missing something?

I started feeling that way yesterday, so I checked phone messages, perused my e-mail, and searched through the snail mail. There was news from the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Volunteer Committee about my volunteer assignments. I'll be working as moderator/room monitor for some of the workshop sessions. And a wonderful note from the Bouchercon 2009 Program Committee that I've been assigned to a panel about Geezer Lit (the graying of the genre).

Did someone giggle? I was sure I heard someone giggling. Never mind. I have a gaggle of lady geezers in The Desert Hedge Murders, so I'm on the right panel. Trust me on this.

Anyway, even with that good news, the feeling didn't go away. On into the afternoon, when I (PAY ATTENTION NOW) worked three whole hours on my current book project. That felt so good. But there had to be more.

I checked Worldcat to see if any libraries had listed my book yet. Yes! One of Colorado's library systems has posted two copies already.

I went to my rankings at the online booksellers. Barnes & Noble is looking good (thanks to members of my critique group who pooled their order and bought four copies over the weekend). Just so you know, it took my sales rank from 375, 802 to something just under 73,000. For one day.

Next I checked amazon.com. WHOA! Look at the price. ANNOUNCEMENT EVERYONE. The Desert Hedge Murders (in hardcover) was only $17.51 at 8:00 PM Mountain Time last night. If you were going to buy the book anyway, you might want to grab it before the price goes back up.

That good feeling was still there last night when I left my computer and turned to the thriller I'm reading (The Apostle by Brad Thor).

I still think something good is about to happen. Maybe today.

A Kreativ Blogger? Moi?

Elizabeth Spann Craig, at Mystery Writing is Murder, awarded me the Kreativ Blogger Award on August 17th. Before I followed up on that honor, I was blessed a second time.

Yesterday I was presented a Kreativ Blogger Award by Karen Walker at karen...following the whispers.

Well, thank you so much, ladies. (I bow from the waist -- creaky knees don't allow me to curtsy with anything resembling grace and style.)

There are some interesting instructions attached to these awards, and these two are not exactly the same. The rule for passing on the award as it came from Elizabeth:

*****Rule for Passing on the Kreativ Blogger Award

It functions as a meme---list 7 of your favorite things, 7 of your favorite activities, 7 things no one knows about you, etc.

Detailed rules as noted by Karen:

Kreativ Blog award. As with other awards, there are rules! Here they are:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.

7 things very few people know about me:

1. When I was in my thirties I took a series of classes in belly dancing.
2. I took piano lessons for nine years and still couldn't play worth a darn.
3. I'm afraid of bats. (Hmmm. Maybe that's why I don't like vampire novels or movies.)
4. I was a smoker for 20 years. I quit cold turkey before I turned 40.
5. I love movies and am especially fond of old musicals. My favorite is An American in Paris.
6. My favorite breakfast food is crunchy peanut butter.
7. I would like to start a political movement to vote all incumbents out of office, regardless of their political affiliation.

And on that controversial note, I'd like to pass on the Kreativ Blogger Award (recipient gets to choose the preferred logo from the two above) to a few of the many bloggers I enjoy. Pass the award on if you wish. Or not. Your choice.

1. Sonia Marsh at Gutsy Writer
2. Peg Brantley at Suspense Novelist
3. Elspeth Antonelli at It's a Mystery
4. Linda M. Faulkner at Author Exchange Blog
5. Alan Orloff at A Million Blogging Monkeys
6. Hart Johnson at Confessions of a Watery Tart
7. Maryann Miller at It's Not All Gravy

Hopefully, this will be a most kreativ day for all.

Colorado Author and Illustrator -- Mark Ludy

Today's author, Mark Ludy, is a man of many talents. Writer and illustrator of his own line of children's books, published by his Green Pastures Publishing Co., Mark is also a talented speaker. The motivational presentation he did for Northern Colorado Writers a year ago was excellent. I came away thinking Mark could do anything (and that maybe I could, too).

And then there's the coffee shop, Loodles, which has a media room for presentations and art demonstrations and book displays, and that secret room where Mark works on his new projects. About once a week, this talented man gives drawing demonstrations on a big screen, something I'm looking forward to seeing when I drive to Loodles to do my kidlet Christmas book shopping.

More than anything, I wish I could show you some of the illustrations within these wonderful books. I've seen them and can guarantee that moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, will enjoy studying the artwork and reading the stories as much as your kids and grandkids (don't forget nieces and nephews) will.

The books are available from Mark's website as well as online booksellers where you'll find a synopsis and reviews on each. The titles to look for are: The Grump, The Flower Man, When I Was a Girl ... I Dreamed, When I Was a Boy ... I Dreamed, The Farmer, Jujo: Of the Jungle. The five covers I've included here should at least give you a hint of what you can look forward to when you read a Mark Ludy book.

Regina Brett is Not Really 90 Years Old

Yeah, I know. I don't usually post to my blog on Saturday. But I thought you might like this. There's a great blog post (May 28, 2009) making the rounds via e-mail. It's called 45 Life Lessons and 5 to Grow On. Somewhere along the line, someone made a mistake and listed the author's age as 90. That attracted a lot of attention.

I don't know what made me decide to verify that Regina Brett was a real person, a columnist at The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio, but I did a Google search and found her right away. She's very real, very interesting, but definitely not 90 years old. A follow-up post on June 6, 2009 is entitled: Life's lessons speed up on Internet; 90 years of living in 50: Regina Brett. Check out Regina's bio as well.

Your time will not be wasted if you follow these links. After that, think about this one tiny blog post written from the heart that is now traveling around and around the world making people nod and smile.

Joseph Finder's Twitter Book Tour

My apologies to any of my readers who aren't Twitter fans, because some of this post will make no sense. Even so, if you're a published author, I recommend you read on.

I know some authors hold launch parties on Twitter by grouping exchanges under a hashtag title (often the author's name or book title such as #josephfinder or #vanished). Friends and fans gather to tweet (send messages), win prizes, and ask questions. The author stands by for the duration of the party and feeds the dialogue, awards prizes, and monitors the tweets.

Joseph Finder's Twitter book tour, however, is the first time I've seen this particular approach. Under #josephfinder, at scheduled times (one hour each day) over a period of three days, fans were able to engage @JoeFinder directly, to ask questions and receive answers real time.

Compare that type of activity and its short exchanges to a full-fledged blog book tour. Think about all the negotiation to arrange guest appearances, to write and submit the blogs, the need to check in throughout the day to respond to blog comments. I gotta say, a Twitter book tour is looking mighty good. You can give away prizes, answer questions, make new friends, and do it in an hour a day for three or four days. I love Twitter. This is a no-brainer.

Except for one big thing: We're talking about Joseph Finder here.

So what's special about Joseph Finder, and why might he have a lot more success at a Twitter book tour than, say, a Patricia Stoltey? Might be the fact that his new novel, Vanished, is the ninth novel listed on his website. Or that his novels are incredible best-selling thrillers. The fact that he has over 5,900 followers might help. And look at his appearances schedule. He must have unlimited energy. Don't discount the fact that he was once a Whiffenpoof.

So what do you think? Would an author who's not well known benefit from this kind of promotion? Would retweets adequately make up for a small following? Would the promise of giveaways make an author's frequent tweets less annoying to his followers?

How I Spent My One Day Vacation

Started out with a little Twitter and the important e-mails and coffee. Lots of coffee.

Took the book I was reading and left the house (the laptop stayed home). Picked up a latte at a nearby coffee shop. Drove to a wonderful quiet place and read for three hours with no interruptions. Made it more than halfway through the book.

Went home and did a few minor chores (couldn't just sit all day long). Checked for important e-mail and sent out a couple of tweets.

Went to Whole Foods. Bought Norwegian salmon steaks for only $6.99 lb. and three ears of sweet corn (Colorado grown) for only $1.00.

Went home and sat down in comfortable chair with the book and a tall glass of ice water. Got within 60 pages of the end and stopped to fix supper. Decided to check in on e-mail and Twitter one more time before shutting down the laptop.

Suddenly realized I was supposed to submit my chapter to my critique group on Tuesday evening (for critiquing next Monday night) and forgot to do so. Stuck to my vacation plan, however, and just sent an e-mail promising my submission this morning.

Husband left to play bridge. I popped popcorn, watched The Boy in Striped Pajamas, cried, wished I'd picked a less intense movie for my vacation day.

Then I picked up my book and finished reading Inhuman Remains. Excellent thriller, excellent writing. I now have to add all of Quintin Jardine's books to my reading list.

Even with the tragic movie and the forgotten critique submission, I had a great day. I might have to do this again very soon, whether I have something to celebrate or not.

Books, Books, and More Books

Anyone who has been checking up knows that amazon.com thinks the release date for The Desert Hedge Murders is August 31st, and Barnes & Noble online thinks the release date is September 9th. Just between you and me, Five Star still had it listed as August 19th the last time I looked. I choose to celebrate today, and since I'm having my own private little celebration, it doesn't really matter at all.

I'm going to read for fun today. All day. I'm reading Inhuman Remains by Quintin Jardine, the first book in his new Primavera Blackstone Mystery Series. I've not read this author before, but I'm happy to say he has a long list of mysteries from which to choose if I like this one. Don't you just love discovering new authors?

By taking an online class about Blog Book Tours, I discovered quite a few authors who have been published (or soon will be) and I'm gradually requesting their books at my library as well as buying the ones that sound like my kind of good read. So far, I've read two of the mysteries, and am slowly working my way through a nonfiction book, starting, oddly enough, with Chapter 20.

I resolved early on that I wasn't going to do professional in-depth book reviews on my blog. There are plenty of places you can get reviews written by far more accomplished reviewers than I would be. Besides, I have a heck of a time reading books for fun these days. I read as though the author just joined my critique group. It takes solid effort to get past that, relax, and focus on the story.

That's why the only thing you'll get from me is the fact that I'm recommending the book (otherwise I wouldn't be talking about it on my blog) and what I liked the most.

The first one I read was Pretty Is As Pretty Dies by Elizabeth Spann Craig. Loved it! The North Carolina setting is enhanced by prose that reads as though it has a Southern accent. My favorite thing about this Myrtle Clover Mystery is Myrtle Clover, octogenarian who lives across the street from her police chief son, Red. When he displeases Myrtle, she tortures him by filling her lawn with garden gnomes. I love quirky elders in any kind of story, but they're extra fun when you throw in a little murder and mayhem. Since Myrtle picks up a male sidekick during the course of this story, it doubles the pleasure.

The second book on the list was also a mystery, Freezer Burn by Gayle Carline. Another loved it! Gayle's protagonist is Peri Minneopa who left her exciting career as a house cleaner to become a licensed Private Investigator. To the sometimes annoyance of her guy, a detective in the Placentia (CA) Police Department, fifty year old Peri rarely follows instructions (not even from her doctor after she's beaten up by a creepy scoundrel). Along with the other interesting (I hate to use the word quirky again, although it would apply) characters and the unfortunate human hand in the freezer incident, I had a lot of trouble putting the book down and tending to other business.

I'm taking a lot more time with the third book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Preserving Food by Karen K. Brees, Ph.D. No one dies in this book, we don't have a protagonist, and the only mystery I need to solve is whether or not I can successfully dry some of the fruits and vegetables available now from our local Farmers' Markets. After that I want to try the Pumpkin Butter recipe on page 273. The topics Karen covers in this book range from canning and freezing to pickling, salting and smoking. I think she has everything covered.

I hope there's something on that list that appeals to you. And always remember, if you'd like to support your writer friends but you just can't buy everyone's book, it's a powerful thing to visit your local library (some will let you do this online) and request that they order your friend's book. Give the library the book title, author name, and the ISBN number (available on amazon and B&N) and then cross your fingers.

Countdown Continues to Wednesday Book Release

Tomorrow will be the official book release day for The Desert Hedge Murders, and I'm taking the day off to do fun stuff. There will be a blog post, maybe something unusual. Be sure to drop by.

Today, however, is going to be a bear. After I run a couple of errands and meet a writer friend for coffee and writerly conversation, I'm back here to get my bookmarks and postcards designed and ordered, finally update my website, write some blog posts, and attack three other tasks I must finish today, no matter what.

I had a bit of a scare yesterday. Something on my computer must have pinged Google and made it think I was sending automated messages, because it shut me out of Blogger and Google Connect. I exited everything and ran a deep virus scan, removed a bunch of Cookies, restarted the computer, and sighed a big sigh of relief when everything seemed to operate normally. I'm still a little nervous, though. This would not be a good time to lose my blog.

There is a new review out for The Desert Hedge Murders. Lesa Holstine's blog, Lesa's Book Critiques, is an excellent resource for readers. With her library background and her love of books, Lesa is a natural for this kind of work. She is a contributing reviewer for several publications and websites. If you like books, you'll like Lesa's blog. Please stop by when you have a chance.

Colorado Author -- Denise Vega

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending an evening author event featuring Denise Vega, author of books for children, tweens, and teens, at the Northern Colorado Writers Studio. One of the things that I found most interesting is that several young people attended to hear her speak and to ask perceptive questions about her writing experience, but also about writing in general. I had the distinct feeling I was in the company of several future authors.

According to Denise, she was interested in writing from a very early age. Her first story, The Laziness of Peter Rabbit, was written when she was about twelve. You can actually see this story, with its artwork, on her website.

Denise's most recent books for each age group are:

Children: Grandmother, Have the Angels Come? This book deals with aging in a question and answer format between a young girl and her grandmother.

Tweens: Access Denied (and Other Eighth-Grade Error Messages). The continuation of Click Here (To Find Out How I Survived the Seventh Grade), computer whiz Erin Swift deals with her first boyfriend, first break-up, and a multitude of other life problems.

Teens: Facts of Life #31. The trials and tribulations of teenager Katima Flynn who works for her midwife mom.

Facts of Life #31 tied for the win of Colorado Authors' League Top Hand Award in YA Fiction. This is notable enough in itself, but Denise mentions on her website that the author who shared that win was Wick Downing (The Trials of Kate Hope), who is a member of Denise's critique group. Facts of Life #31 also won the CAL Award for Young Adult Literature.

Although she does not have a blog at this time, Denise posts to a journal on her website about once a month, where she documents her progress on her newest book.

Getting Ready for Three Months of Book Promotion

The countdown has begun. The official release day for The Desert Hedge Murders is August 19th. If you didn't see the excerpt and synopsis from an earlier post, you'll find it here.

I've been trying to think of special ways to celebrate the day. Maybe go out to lunch and a movie and ignore my computer all day long. Or maybe read for fun all day. And have wine and chocolate for supper. Ah, the possiblities are endless.

But to get serious, there's a lot of work to be done. I've scheduled the conferences/conventions I'll attend this fall, and am now involved in setting up bookstore signings. One joint signing with another mystery writer is in the works, and three of us are working on a panel presentation we can propose to libraries in the region.

I'll be attending a writers' conference in Denver in September (Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold) and a big mystery convention in Indianapolis in October (Bouchercon 2009), but a major goal this time around is to spend less time driving I-25 up and down the Front Range of Colorado, more time in Northern Colorado, and more time on the internet.

Although I'd originally planned to do a blogbooktour early in the fall, that's the best time to be out and about, visiting bookstores and libraries. One of our local independent bookstores even has a table at the nearby twice-weekly Farmers Market well into October, a great time to put on a sweater and do a booksigning outdoors. And the two days after Thanksgiving is when the well-attended Holiday Market takes place at our Senior Center. I've applied for a table in the Author's Room, so am hoping I'm accepted for that.

I finally decided the best time to head inside and blog my little heart out is after the weather turns iffy, maybe December and January. And as all of these events are scheduled, I need to update my website, which has been sadly neglected since I set up this blog.

While all this was whirling around in my head yesterday, I went to the mailbox and found a package from a dear friend in Indiana. She sent me homegrown tomatoes and sweet corn from the huge garden she and her husband have cultivated since way back before I even met her in 1969. The sweet corn is gone already. We ate it last night. Oh, yum!

Blogs About Books and Bookish Things

I know you're just dying to add a few more blogs to your blogrolls or your blog reader because you don't have nearly enough fun stuff to fill your day, so I pulled a few from my own list, added a couple more I found from following links, and here you are:

Jen's Book Thoughts. Jen Lorain, Ohio. "I'm a reader who never tires of talking books." Jen has plenty of author photos, bookcovers, and book reviews. Follow her on Twitter @jenforbus

Editorial Ass. By Moonrat, "a recovering editorial assistant. I'm like most of my kind: impoverished coffee-and-gin survivalists, underpaid but ambitious, bitter but hopeful. I like this one a lot, but you'll have to bop over there and make up your own mind. On Twitter @moonrat

Marketing Tips for Authors. Tony Eldredge, Texas. "the author of the action/adventure book, The Samson Effect, that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." The article, 12 Places Authors Should Look to Develop a Strong Web Presence by Ryan Frank, is a good example of the material on this site.

On the Path. Jody Hedlund, "Writer of Inspirational Historical Fiction." Posts about the things she has learned on the path to publication. Twitter ID @JodyHedlund

Lesa's Book Critiques. Lesa Holstine, Librarian and Book Reviewer. Lesa just interviewed the well-known Elizabeth Spann Craig (author of Pretty Is As Pretty Dies) and also gave that new mystery release a very nice review. On Twitter as @LesaHolstine

For a short list of blogs like this one: Visit the sites that sound interesting to you. If you like what you see, then leave a comment. Before you leave that site, look at the blogger's blogroll(s). Jen, for instance, has a great list. So does Moonrat. Pick a blog or two from these lists. Drop in and read a couple of posts. Again, if you like what you see, leave a comment. It's a great way to make new friends, and a great way to get new visitors to your blog as most will make return visits. And, if they like what they see, they may just come back to visit you again.

First Sentences in Short Stories

Just to keep you posted on the results of all that thinking I did on Monday, I added 1,400 words to my novel yesterday, and knocked four promo items off my To Do List. I will take a bow while you all applaud. Thank you, thank you.

Today, I decided to do one of my favorite things and take a look at outstanding (in my humble opinion) first sentences. I usually do novels, but this time I'm going to focus on short stories. To narrow it even further, I'm selecting only crime stories. No analysis, no comments, just opening lines. So, here we go.

"You asked what kind of record could be worth killing someone for, and if you were smarter you would know the answer is an old blues record." ..........Kevin Guilfoile, O Death Where is Thy Sting?, from the collection Chicago Blues (Bleak House Books, 2007)

"Harry Chase sat in the back of a small casino chapel watching as bikers dressed in wedding casual--black leather, chains optional--exchanged prayers for endless roads, a long happy life together." ..........John Wessel, Neighbors, from Murder in Vegas (Forge, 2005)

"If God (or Whoever's in charge) had wanted Dr. Netta Bernstein to continue living, He (or She) wouldn't have made it so easy for me to kill her." ..........Harlan Ellison, Killing Bernstein, in A Century of Great Suspense Stories (Berkley Prime Crime, 2007)

"Contrary to popular belief, the human cranium isn't a single helmet-shaped bone but eight bones fused together, and the facial mask is fourteen bones fused together, and these, in the victim, had been smashed with a blunt object, smashed, dented, and pierced, as if the unknown killer had wanted not merely to kill his victim but to obliterate her." ..........Joyce Carol Oates, The Skull, originally in Harper's Magazine and reprinted in The Best American Mysery Stories 2003 ( Houghton Mifflin, 2003)

"Stubborn and mean are a lethal combination, a perfect case in point being Conroy Bittune--an old coot of sixty, as skinny and dried-up as a stick of jerky." ..........Faye Kellerman, Malibu Dog, in Sisters in Crime 3 (Berkley 1990)

"I became a prostitute because I was bored." .........Faye Kellerman, Bonding, in Sisters in Crime (Berkley, 1989)

That's it. Just a few sentences that would draw me into a story and make me read on to see what comes next. Does an exercise like this make you check back to the first sentence in your own current project to see if it measures up?

The Days When Nothing Gets Done

Yesterday was one of those days. The laundry did not get done. I knocked nothing off the To-Do list. I bought a supermarket salad for my husband's dinner, and I ate yogurt with blueberries and granola.

Here's why:

Yesterday morning, I spent too much time on e-mail. I read several chapters of a good mystery I'm reading for fun. At lunchtime, a friend and I met at a nearby restaurant. I talked to my 90-year-old mom on the phone for half an hour. Evening was reserved for my writers' group meeting. And then, when it was nearly 10:00 PM, I suddenly realized I had not written a blog post for this morning.

So I sat down at the computer and with my fingers on the keyboard, thought a moment. Write post? Read book? Watch television? I began to type: "Yesterday was one of those days."

You see where the rest of this post could have gone, don't you. Infinite loop, same story over and over?

Here's the rest of the story. All during the day yesterday, the next scene of my novel was bopping around in my head, bouncing off the walls, growing in energy. I saw the scene play out in my head. I liked it. I went to bed knowing what I would write about this morning, hoping that my subconscious would add more details as I slept. I was feeling pretty good.

Sometimes the days when nothing gets done are the best days of all.

Colorado Author -- Teresa Funke

Today it is my great pleasure to feature Northern Colorado author and publisher, Teresa Funke. After reading two of Teresa's novels set during World War II, I wanted to ask her so many questions, probably enough to write a dozen interviews. I've narrowed it down, however, to Teresa's publishing experience.

As I thought about the focus for this post, I remembered much discussion recently among blogs I follow on the topic of self-publishing. As a result, I've asked Teresa questions specific to this topic. Later on in the fall, after her next book for children is published (V for Victory), we'll talk to her more about writing for children and her interest in World War II historical fiction.

And before I go one step further, I wish to tell you I've read all of the stories in the Colorado Book Award Finalist, Dancing in Combat Boots. The writing is excellent, and the content is both uplifting and poignant. The women in these stories are based on real women, from the adventurous who learned to pilot military planes to those who joined the Red Cross and literally danced in their combat boots. This is one of those self-published gems that should be picked up by a major publisher and distributed worldwide.

So, how did Teresa get published? Here are my questions and the author's answers:

Question: How are your books published (the story of Bailiwick Press)?

Teresa: I had originally submitted my first novel, Remember Wake, through an agent to publishers who praised the writing and story but said, “World War II novels don’t sell.” This was pre-release of The Greatest Generation, which renewed interest in WWII. Because one editor had told me she knew by page 50 she wouldn’t be able to take on Remember Wake, but also couldn’t put it down till she finished it, I knew I had a good book. So I self-published that book through Author House.

I then wrote Dancing in Combat Boots. Originally it was an oral history collection, and I had a couple of different agents for the book, but they told me oral history collections don’t sell (which is true). So I spent two years rewriting the book as a short story collection and ten top agents praised the book but said, “Short story collections don’t sell unless you already have a name.” Well, at this point, I could give up on that book or publish it again myself.

A writer friend of mine, Karla Oceanak, suggested we start our own press to publish Dancing and reprint Remember Wake. So that’s what we did. Very shortly thereafter, we decided to also publish my new children’s series, The Home-Front Heroes Collection, so we could do some unique things with that series. I never did submit it to agents. We started Bailiwick in 2007 and knew we could pull off owning a small press because between us, we had nearly 40 years experience in writing, editing, publishing, marketing, etc.

Question: Did you understand the promotional challenges in advance of publication?

Teresa: Even while I was submitting Remember Wake to traditional publishers, I understood that much of the promotion for that book would fall on my shoulders. So even before I decided to self-publish, I joined CIPA (Colorado Independent Publishers Association). I figured the people who knew the most about promoting books must be successful self-pub authors. I learned so much from that organization, and when I did self-publish my book, I knew how to begin. But even within CIPA, most fiction writers weren’t successful with promotion efforts. I was one of the few who gained any ground.

It’s MUCH harder to promote a self-published work of fiction than a work of nonfiction. Nonfiction sells based on the topic and on the credentials of the writer, but fiction is subjective, and many readers aren’t willing to take a chance on a self-published fiction book. More importantly, most bookstores wouldn’t stock the book and reviewers wouldn’t touch it, etc. (especially since I had used a POD). So I got around that by pursuing feature stories in newspapers about the little-known story of Wake Island and about my approach of writing a fiction book based on interviews with real people. Because all of my books are based on real people, I’ve always been able to spin unique angles that attract the attention of the press. And those feature articles are read by more people than read the reviews page anyway.

As a writer’s coach working with a variety of clients (some who go the traditional route and some who choose to self-publish) I always warn my clients that promotion is the hardest part of the job once the book is finished, and that’s especially true if they self-publish. But if you’re willing to invest your time, money and creativity in promoting your self-published book, and if your book was well written and carefully edited to begin with, you can achieve success. By the way, I do recommend PODs for some of my clients. It all depends on their goals for their books.

Question: What do you recommend to fiction writers who have not been able to find an agent or publisher for their work?

Teresa: Back when I started writing, if your book didn’t get picked up by an agent or editor it languished in your drawer forever. I always thought that was so sad. I knew literally a dozen writers who had written GOOD books who couldn’t get their books picked up for various reasons. But I wasn’t willing to let Remember Wake languish. It was a story I thought needed to be told. And I wasn’t about to give up on Dancing in Combat Boots either. What I tell my clients now is that there’s still a bit of a stigma associated with self-publishing fiction, but it’s getting better. And if your book is good, it will slowly build an audience. It might not hit and become an instant best-seller, but I know several self-published writers who are still seeing steady sales of their books ten years after they released them.

The glory of self-publishing is that your book doesn’t have to make a big splash right away. You’ve got time to grow your audience. But with fiction in particular, your book WILL NOT sell if it’s not good. Invest in a good editor, pay attention to the feedback from your writers group, listen to the opinions of your objective readers, put your ego aside and do what’s best for your book. Keep your goals realistic, but your hopes high. It’s not easy to promote or sell a self-published work of fiction, but the satisfaction of hearing that someone enjoyed your book is no different for a self-published author than it is a bestselling author. And isn’t that better than having that story languish in a drawer?

I want to thank Teresa for providing excellent information and advice for those who choose self-publication. Remember that I'll be talking to Teresa again after V for Victory is released in October.

The Desert Hedge Murders -- Excerpt and Synopsis

Once again it's time to inflict a little blatant self-promotion on my friends. Originally, I had planned to post just the back-of-the-book excerpt of my new mystery, The Desert Hedge Murders, but then I decided to show off that rattlesnake skin background as well. So I scanned the book cover, then cropped off the bottom with the bar code to save space. Here it is:



The synopsis:

Retired Florida judge Sylvia Thorn escorts her elderly mother’s travel club to the gambling city of Laughlin, Nevada, but before the ladies are even settled in their hotel rooms, one of them finds a body in her bathtub. The innocent weekend of gambling and ghost-hunting turns into a frantic search for the connection between the dead man and the Florida Flippers, until one of their own disappears and the relationship becomes clear. From flamboyant Marianne Gruber, whose husband was killed by a three-legged alligator, to lottery winner Diane Chacon, author of a sexy novel for the older generation, the ladies try their hand at crime solving.

Finally FBI agent Damon Falls, the younger man in Sylvia’s life, calls a halt to the Flippers’ investigation. Once the elder group is under control, Sylvia teams up with the mysterious Patsy Strump, a last minute addition to the Flippers’ vacation, and they do a little sleuthing of their own. In the touristy ghost town of Oatman, Arizona, and an after hours tour of the Lone Cactus Gold Mine, Sylvia and Patsy find clues … and trouble.

Sylvia’s brother, reluctant clairvoyant Willie Grisseljon, and her father, alarmed at what Willie sees unfold in his visions, abandon their bachelor weekend in Florida and fly to the rescue. The Desert Hedge Murders is full of plot twists, complicated by mistaken identities, secrets and lies, and the energetic and often crazy antics of the Florida Flippers.

In September, I'll be giving away a couple of books from this blog and from my website. There will be plenty of advance warning, which will give you the chance to participate . . . or run screaming in the other direction. Stay tuned.

Skunk, Peanut Butter Cookie, or Books on Writing?

You never know what you're going to get when you drop in here, do you? Well, except for Mondays. That's almost always a Colorado author feature. There are so many authors in Colorado that I expect I'll keep on doing that for a long time.

The other days, though, anything can happen. I might tell you about night before last when a skunk took offense at a barking dog in the neighborhood, which meant I had to jump up right in the middle of Big Brother and shut the window.

Or I might pick something more pleasant to talk about. Like the fact that I had pepperoni pizza and a peanut butter cookie for dinner last night. No veggies. No fruit. Just plain old delicious unhealthy carbohydrates and a pinch of protein.

Okay, enough of that. I do have something better to offer you. Here are three of the writing books I've kept on my shelf for years and reread from time to time.

Natalie Goldberg is so well known for Writing Down the Bones that another of her books, Wild Mind: Living the Writer's Life, is often overlooked. Published by Bantam in 1990, Wild Mind is about writing practice and is filled with stories, prompts, and the expected connections to Buddhism and Zen practice.

I like the chapter on Procrastination and Waiting. It speaks to me. The chapter begins:

"There is a difference between procrastination and waiting. Procrastination is pushing aside or putting off writing. It is thinking the moment is tomorrow. It is a way not to let in vital energy. Don't procrastinate. Write now.

Waiting is something full-bodied. Perhaps waiting isn't even a good word for it. Pregnant is better. You've worked on something for a while. You are excited by it, even happy, but you are wise and step back. You take a walk...You are letting writing work on you."

For Writers Only by Sophy Burnham (Random House 1996) is another older book I've kept around. A collection of quotations from great writers, mixed with Burnham's observations and personal stories, this book's chapters range from On Knowing You Are a Writer to Writer's Block. "What to do about writer's block? Write anyway," Burnham says, but then lists other things you can do while rejoicing in your "respite from your work."

And finally, published by Henry Holt in 1993, The Courage to Write: How Writers Transcend Fear by Ralph Keyes is useful for helping us diagnose and move past anxiety. I was never particularly afraid of writing, I guess, but was terrified of submitting for a long, long time. Those who are apprehensive about reading their reviews might get some insights from this book as well.

The Twitter Connection

There are still folks among my friends and acquaintances who think Twitter is a fad. They think it's a passing fancy, destined for the vast web landfill within two years. I don't know. Maybe they're right. But does it matter? Can't we enjoy the opportunities and the fun while they last?
Heck, yes. And just to feed the current frenzy, I offer you four fun follows and their blogs:

@GayleGresham -- Coloradoan, librarian, writer, and lover of history. Her blog is called Colorado Reflections.

@terryheath -- Writer and goat farmer from the Seattle area. He blogs at The Goatherd's Tale.

@Jugbo -- This is Gary from Oregon. He's just a totally funny guy with a funny profile photo and an even funnier bio. Pretty cool photographer too. From time to time he even posts here: droll exhaust...

@JanetRudolph -- Janet is a Californian who focuses on mystery (Mystery Fanfare) and chocolate (Dying for Chocolate). That's an irresistible combination as far as I'm concerned.

I'm continually on the lookout for those who make me laugh or offer links to excellent blog posts about books, social media, or writing. Do you have any favorites you'd like to share?

One Interruption Leads to Another, But It's All Good

Yesterday afternoon I saved my WIP to a flash drive and shut down my desktop computer at the first sign of thunder. My fully-charged laptop waited for me downstairs. I figured I could squeeze in more writing time on the battery while the storm passed overhead.The thunder stopped and the clouds wandered aimlessly out to the eastern plains before I had a chance to get downstairs.

As often happens, that interruption led to a series of additional interruptions that eventually led to the real news in this post. However, one step at a time:

1. The drier had completed its cycle so I folded clothes, reloaded the drier, and started a new load in the washer.

2. Hunger pangs struck (this never would have happened if I'd still been upstairs writing), so I slathered cream cheese and lox on five Triscuits and left the plate by my laptop.

3. It was almost 4:00 so it was time to get the mail. I walked outside and found my hubby had forgotten to disconnect the ham radio antenna from the house before he left. I looked at the sky. Still some dark clouds around. I disconnected the antenna and went back into the house.

4. There was something I forgot to do. I stood in the middle of the kitchen until I remembered. Get the mail.

5. I walked back outside and around the corner to the block of mailboxes. Inside the small box with the usual junk mail was a key to one of the big boxes. I hadn't ordered anything new. Maybe something for my hubby. I opened the big mailbox to find a good-sized cardboard box inside. Stamped "media mail." My heart started beating faster. Could it be? Already? The copies of the new book? The box was sure heavy enough. I struggled to get the box out and then lugged it back around the corner, through the gate, in the door, and onto the kitchen table. Opened box, pulled out stuffing at the top.

And I finally held a copy of The Desert Hedge Murders with its gorgeous cover (designed by Christopher Wait at ENC Graphic Services--thanks, Christopher). Turned the book over, and for the first time realized the background of the back cover resembles a rattlesnake's skin. How cool is that? Thumbed through the pages. Checked out my author photo on the inside back flap. Hmmm. Pretty big photo. Shows a few wrinkles. Pretend I didn't tell you that.

Eventally I stopped walking around, grinning, with the book in my hands, doing the little Happy Dance, because it was time to go to another author's booksigning. Where, of course, I bought more books. Oh, forgot to mention that I must have eaten the Triscuits because next time I looked, the plate was empty.

Ann Parker Historical Mysteries Set in Leadville, Colorado

This is a departure from my usual Colorado Author Monday. This week I want to welcome California author Ann Parker to our neck of the woods. Ann writes the award-winning Silver Rush historical mystery series set in Leadville, Colorado.

The Silver Rush series was inspired by Ann's ancestors who played a part in Leadville history. As noted in her bio, she had "a great-grandfather who was a blacksmith in Leadville, a grandmother who worked at the bindery of Leadville's Herald Democrat newspaper, a grandfather who was a Colorado School of Mines professor, and another grandfather who worked as a gandy dancer on the Colorado railroads."

Ann's newest release, Leaden Skies, continues the story begun in Silver Lies and Iron Ties of Inez Stannert, part owner of the Silver Queen Saloon. To quote again from Ann's bio:

Leaden Skies is the third and latest in the series. Publishers Weekly describes it as "a twisty tale of murder and ambition." Booklist says "Parker has created a lively historical tale with a strong female protagonist. The intricate plot, lively characters, and vividly realized historical landscape will appeal to those interested in the Old West as well as to historical-mystery fans."

You can read more about Ann Parker and the series at her website, and at her blog The Silver Rush Mysteries. She is scheduled to appear at Reader's Cove in Fort Collins, Colorado, today (Monday, August 3) beween 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM to sign her books.