Happenings

Last week I was notified that Outlaw in Petticoats was this month's read at an online e-book club. The person in charge for the e-bookclub also puts out a newsletter and she asked me if I'd like to do an interview for the newsletter. Well, heck yah! You know me,if I can do promotion without being in person, I love it! The other good news is being the read for this club boosted my sales and pushed me(last week) to #1 in historical book sales and #5 overall. I've received great reviews for Outlaw in Petticoats, and was worrying the book hadn't been hanging in the top ten for awhile. But those numbers are just for sales at the Wild Rose Press site. I won't know what it's been doing in other places until I get my quarterly report in the next couple of weeks.

Other news, If any or you are in the Spokane area, I'll be at the Inland Empire RWA conference on Saturday March 14th, both giving a workshop on characterization and at the book signing in the evening. I'd love to meet you! It's at the Hilton Garden Inn.

And this week, on my promo Wednesday we have Harlequin Love Spells author Terri Reed talking about her latest release. Terri is a wonderful author and person. I'll tell you more about Terri and I on Wednesday.

So how's your week shaping up? A lot on your plate or just enough to keep life interesting?

Contender- 2008 Best Western Romance

Good morning all! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with love, hope, and thanks for what is good in your lives.

Today marks day one of the countdown to who wins 2008 Best Western Romance at the Love Western Romance website. Because Outlaw in Petticoats received a 5 spur review it is in the running. I would appreciate your votes if you read the story or have read other books by me and believe the book is deserving of the honor. Click here, and it will take you to the site.

The contest runs through January 11th. I appreciate your support!

Friday Five- Internet Promotion Presence

YEEHAW! The DH headed to Elk camp this morning!! If I didn't have a list a mile long of things to do BESIDES writing, I'd be dancing a jig! But I do plan to get as many writing hours in as I can. I want this latest project done! The characters from the next Halsey brother book have been haunting me. They are ready to jump onto the paper, and I can't unleash them just yet.

I had grand hopes of unveiling a new format on this blog today, but I have two little glitches I'm trying to work out. I'm hoping by Monday to roll out the new look.

It is kind of ironic that I was asked by the Willamette Writers organization to put together an article on how to do a virtual tour (a member noticed, on my website, the list of places I've been this month promoting the release of Outlaw in Petticoats ) Then last night at the local writer's meeting our speaker, George Byran Wright, talked about Marketing Strategies. And one of the things he stressed was an Internet presence. So here is a list of ways to make an internet presence when marketing your work.

1) Website: spread the word about the website through friends, colleagues
2) Attempt to link website to book letters, blogs, and other internet sources
3) Have an e-mail newsletter
4) Revise and update website on a regular basis
5) Create a professional press release and send it to websites that promote books like yours

Friday Five- Good News

This has been a good week for news for not only myself but members of my Romance Writers of America chapter. So my Friday Five are good news items.

1) Karen Duvall, a chapter mate, placed 3rd in the PASIC Book of Your Heart contest. Her entry is also the manuscript she snagged an agent with.

2) Elisabeth Naughton, another chapter mate not only captured an agent and a three book deal this past year, but today announced her publisher, Dorchester offered her another contract on a two book deal. Her first book, Stolen Fury, an action adventure romance will be out December 30th.

3)I received a release date for the third Halsey brother book, Miner in Petticoats. It will be available in e-book and print June 12, 2009.

4)Outlaw in Petticoats is a contender for Best Western Romance at Love Western Romances. Beginning December 1st, if you've read the book and liked it, you need to go to here and vote for the book. If you haven't read it yet, you can purchase it from any bookstore or at The Wild Rose Press in e-book. If you purchase it in e-book form by December 14th, you are eligible to enter the contest at TWRP for the SONY eReader. You can find all the details at The Wild Rose Press home page.

5) I am blogging at Alisha Paige's blog today. She asked me some interesting question. I'd be honored if you hopped over there and checked it out.

The photo: Tink and I cruising on the John Deere. Yep, I think his tractor's sexy! LOL

Friday Five- thoughts of the week

I know lame- but as I kept running over this week in my head, I thought, this has been an awesome week even though I've not written as many words as I'd like.

So my list of five thoughts about this week.

1) I was on our local TV morning talk show on Tuesday. While I can't look at the monitor while I'm speaking while on camera, I do feel comfortable with the host and she makes me feel like a New York Times author with her confidence in my writing and her excitement for my writing.

2) I was also on a blog talk radio show on Tuesday night. I'd been apprehensive because of an hour long talk show I did earlier in the year. But this host had me call in early, we discussed how things would happen, and it was a lot of fun and something I will definitely do again. You can click here to listen to the inter view: Canned laughter and Coffee.

3)I stopped in to see if there was anything I needed to do for the book signing tonight at a new book store in my town. They were enthusiastic and said people had already been in asking about the signing. That made my day. I knew my best friend would be there for sure, but to have other people asking- is an elation that is hard to explain.

4) This week I hit the not so much saggy middle syndrome with my WIP but more the YIKES this story is hurdling to the end and I still have X number of pages I have to write! I instant messaged a critique partner and we hammered out another scene or two that makes sense and adds to the conflict. Trusted critique partners are invaluable!

5) My next contracted book with the Wild Rose Press, "Miner in Petticoats" was sent to a final reader to catch any typos and punctuation missed. She wrote to me and said, "I loved it!" I'm waiting to see what reviewers think because I have a character of another nationality and I gave her a heavy accent in the dialogue. But she wouldn't be who she is if I cut back on the accent- so to have my 'first' reader love it and not say anything about the dialogue- I'm busting buttons today.

So did something good happen to you this week? If so please share. I'd love to
hear.

Oh, and today is the release in print of "Outlaw in Petticoats"- hence the book signing tonight and tomorrow!