Nancy's Notes From Florida

Orlando Reads Books – Social Events
September 2, 2023

Thursday at the Orlando Reads Books Convention in Altamonte Springs, FL focused on writer workshops. Friday morning had several more workshops, followed by lunch with sandwiches, pasta salad, chips and cookies in the ballroom. After this meal came a Mastermind session where authors could ask questions of industry guests.

Friday night was a Masquerade VIP Reader and Author Dinner. Many attendees wore costumes and/or masks, but others did not. Some authors had reserved tables to sit with their fans. Otherwise, you could sit wherever you wanted. Dinner was a salad, chicken with sides, and cheesecake. I sat with author Corinne Kenner and her husband. Since the dinner started at 8:00 pm and I was commuting, I left early.

Saturday morning had a Book Panel with Elite Authors, a Reader Café for New Releases only; and then Author-Reader Speed Dating. For the speed dating, authors were assigned tables. Our table had six authors and four empty seats. There was little guidance as to how this was supposed to work except someone in charge yelled out every five minutes that it was time for readers to switch tables. We each gave our spiel, and I handed out postcards. It was a good way to meet readers but it would have been better with fewer authors per table and more readers. Also, the moderator could have used a whistle or bell to sound the time.

The Book Fair was Saturday afternoon. I shared a table with cozy author Natalie Palma. Saturday night was a pajama party, but I did not attend.

    

Note that this hotel was warm, not chilly like other places. But it was also undergoing remodeling with some doors left open to the hot air.

Here are authors JoMarie DeGioia and Jessica Baker:

 

Coming Next: Writers Workshops

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Orlando Reads Books – Overview
August 31, 2023

This was my first time attending the Orlando Reads Books Convention. It’s a three-day event held at the Embassy Suites in Altamonte Springs, FL. The first two days were “Industry Days” with workshops for advanced authors. These talks blew my mind with info I hadn’t heard before. Topics included Mastering the Art of Ad Strategy, AI in Your Author Business, Tackle the Trifecta Touch – Email, SMS and MMS, Strategizing Your Way to 10k a Month, and Author Direct Sales. The speakers were excellent. I took notes and still need to absorb all the data.

Saturday held reader events. I participated in the Author-Reader Speed Dating. Authors were assigned tables, and there were six authors at mine with four empty seats for readers. The moderator could have used a bell to ring when it was time for readers to switch tables because she had to shout to be heard. I gave out a lot of postcards and hoped to see some of these readers at the signing.

A lunch break of an hour and a half followed. We were on our own, and I’d brought my lunch from home. At 1:30, we began to set up for the booksigning. VIP Readers would be allowed in at 2:30, and the doors would open to the public from 3:00 to 6:00. We’d been given seating charts ahead of time so it was easy to find my spot.

Overall, book sales for me were disappointing. I sold only 4 books, swapped books with 2 other cozy authors, and gave one away for the raffle. But… I met a lot of people, gave out postcards to readers, and attended some powerhouse workshops. I’d say the majority of writers did contemporary, paranormal or urban fantasy romance. Someone said paranormal romance is swinging toward fantasy. A smattering of cozy authors represented the genre.

I’d signed up to share a six-foot table and that was adequate. It didn’t appear that displaying books on racks made any difference to sales. I had fun seeing what other authors offered for swag. The usual magnets, key chains, candy, pens, stickers and other goodies prevailed. I liked the glow headsets one author provided. QR codes were popular among this crowd. These could send readers to Bookfunnel for a free book, or to a retail site or a newsletter signup. The codes were engraved on a fan, put on a sticker at the back of a lollipop, or came on a business card.

  

Would I go again? Yes. The fee was worth it alone for the networking and advanced seminars.

Next year’s dates are set for Oct. 10-12, 2024. Go here for more info: https://orlandoreadsbooks.com/

Coming Next: ORB Social Events & Workshops


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Suspending Belief in a Cozy Mystery Series
August 23, 2023

Reading a cozy mystery requires a certain suspension of belief by the reader. Certain common elements are accepted in this popular subgenre and some are not. Let’s examine each one and see what we writers can do about them. Readers, feel free to chime in with your opinions!

 

Dead bodies all over town

Ever since Murder, She Wrote aired on TV, the “Cabot Cove Sydrome” has been well known. Set in a small town, this series of murder mysteries had a new dead body—or more—per week. Move these over to a book series, and you have a new murder show up in each installment. Some would say that the town or the sleuth is cursed. Our hapless heroine may be the unlucky person to stumble across the corpse. At other times, she’ll be informed by someone else and is stunned by the news. As the series progresses, she develops a sort of ennui when discovering dead bodies. It’s not that death is disrespected. She still shudders and shakes and feels compassion for the dead person’s family, but then she forges ahead to solve the crime. After all, no one can find peace until the criminal is caught.

A personal connection to the deceased

The sleuth must have a reason for getting involved in solving the crime. Either she knew the dead guy or she has a friend or relative who asks for her help. Even when our gal resolves to mind her own business, a mystery presents itself  and only her unique talents can root out the truth. This personal connection is essential to the cozy genre. Finding the crook isn’t an assignment or a job. It’s her calling, and others recognize it even if she denies the role.

Not leaving it all to the police

If the heroine were smart, she’d dust her hands off and leave the crime solving to the cops. But no, that’s not possible in a cozy. The homicide detectives are too clueless, or too intent on the wrong suspect, or too busy with more important cases to follow through. Or they lack the heroine’s skill to get townspeople to talk because she’s one of them. Perhaps she’s better than the gruff police detective in coaxing people to spill the beans. Whatever her reasons for thinking she could do a better job, she still should consult the authorities and share relevant information with them. In some stories, the police may serve as an obstacle to her goal. In others, the handsome detective may turn into a potential love interest. Either way, she can’t just charge ahead on her own and ignore the cops unless she has a good reason.

Too Stupid to Live (TSTL) moments

This is where the plucky amateur sleuth goes to meet the killer on her own. She has no backup and oops, she left her cell phone in the car. As my editor would say, this is a no-no. We don’t want our heroine to appear dumb. She’s a smart woman, and she knows enough to at least text the detective where she’s going or to take a friend with her. She can have the best of intentions, and they may get sidetracked, but make her appear to be smart. Then things can go awry.

Time and energy for sleuthing

Does your protagonist have a job or a family? If so, how does she squeeze in the time to investigate a crime? Is she eating properly, feeding the pets, taking the kids to school, doing laundry, and fulfilling all the dozens of chores that capture our time? Making her life seem real includes all these daily activities. If she’s single and has her own business, it’s easier to free her schedule. But if she has inflexible job hours and family obligations, make sure she takes some down time and fits in her crime solving with everything else.

This is a big reason why I had a gap in my series books between when Marla, my hairstylist sleuth, had a baby and then the series resumed a year later. After seeing what our daughter went through with a newborn and a steady job, there’s no way my sleep-deprived heroine would have been able to think clearly enough or have had the energy to track down killers. Yes, Marla could have hired a nanny, but she was also nursing the child and not getting enough sleep. Would you have the energy under those circumstances to solve crimes? I couldn’t accept this for her reality, and so I skipped an interval in her life. Maybe I’ll fill this gap in later with a milder mystery that she can solve from home or between pediatrician visits.

A happy ending

In the real world, an amateur investigating a murder may very well end up dead. Or she’d be smart and run in the opposite direction when a crime is committed. We have better things to do than chase down murderers. But not so in a cozy. The sleuth investigates. Nobody gets badly hurt. Animals and children are safe. And the bad guy is caught. All’s well that ends well, which isn’t very realistic. Even if the crook gets caught, he might slip through the bars of justice, or his lawyer will find a loophole in the case. Nothing is guaranteed, except in a cozy which ends up like a gift package with all the plot threads neatly tied into a bow. Our heroine lives to see another day and another installment in the series.

What would you add to this list?

Suspending Belief in a Cozy Mystery Series #cozymystery #writingcommunity Share on X

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Warrior Prince – New Print Edition
August 15, 2023

I am excited to announce a new trade paperback edition of WARRIOR PRINCE, #1 in the Drift Lords Series. Inspiration for this action-packed fantasy romance came from the Maelstrom ride at Disney’s Epcot theme park. The tale begins in Orlando and involves sinister theme parks, ancient prophecies, and Norse myths.

Warrior Prince

Published by Orange Grove Press
Digital ISBN: 978-1-952886-13-3
Print ISBN: 978-1-952886-32-4
Cover Design by The Killion Group, Inc.
Interior Design by Formatting4u.com

A galactic warrior joins forces with a feisty mythologist to stop a dimensional rift from destroying Earth in this action-packed fantasy romance.

Nira Larsen’s dream job interview at an Orlando theme park turns into a nightmare when she’s attacked by costumed thugs. She’s rescued by a band of space warriors known as the Drift Lords. Their leader, Zohar Thorald, explains that Nira’s assailants were Trolleks, invaders from another dimension. They’ve targeted her because she has the power to defeat them. The Trolleks have opened a dimensional portal through which they’re invading Earth, and Zohar needs Nira’s help to seal this rift.

As her dormant powers awaken, Nira realizes the ancient myths she’s studied as a mythology grad student are real. Her elemental abilities are derived from the Norse gods. But she also feels an unexpected connection to the Trolleks that she can’t explain.

Zohar falls for the feisty redhead until one of the Drift Lords is murdered, and his doubts about her loyalty threaten to derail his mission. While he’s torn between his duty to save Earth and his love for a woman who might betray him, he has no choice except to trust her. A worldwide cataclysm will result if he fails, and only together can they succeed in saving Earth.

“I’m a huge fan of Nancy Cohen’s Bad Hair Day Mysteries and was thrilled to discover her latest book, a terrific mix of science fiction, mystery, and sizzling romance.” Mary Kennedy, author of the Talk Radio Mysteries

“Cohen’s Drift Lord series weaves science fiction, fantasy, and ancient Norse mythology into a sexy tapestry of action, adventure, and love. A fun read.” Muddy Rose Reviews

“Sci-fi, fantasy, mythology, paranormal, and humor wrapped up in a steamy romance.” Wilovebooks

Excerpt

Zohar noticed her sudden silence. “You will be fine, Nira Larsen. We shall talk as soon as we finish these tasks. Sweep the signal detector over each surface in the room and let me know if a red light blinks.” He focused on setting up his poles around the perimeter of the suite.

“That sounds easy.” She did as instructed, glad to put some distance between them. Whenever he neared, her senses zoomed into hyperdrive.

Absorbed in her task, she scanned the drapes and bedding, even inside each drawer. Meanwhile, Zohar stood two of the poles at the far corners of the bedroom. A heavy silence fell between them as they worked.

Her rounds produced negative results. Probably the killer had been in such a hurry that he’d left right after gunning down Rayne. Or maybe he’d shot Rayne elsewhere then dragged the body here for Zohar to find.

Another thought chilled her. What if Rayne’s death had been a mistake? What if the murderer had meant to get Zohar instead? Is that what Zohar meant when he’d said Rayne wasn’t the target?

Zohar finished setting up the remaining poles. “When I activate these rods, our defense grid will prevent the Trolleks from spatial shifting into our location.”

He was just about to press the switch when the door burst open and a wild-eyed man charged inside, a curved blade in his hand.

ORDER NOW

Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KD6X9VF
Amazon Print: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1952886325/
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/warrior-prince/id6447256889
BN Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warrior-prince-nancy-j-cohen/1112989278?ean=2940185602539
BN Print: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warrior-prince-nancy-j-cohen/1112989278?ean=9781952886324
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Hnm3EAAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/warrior-prince-7
Indiebound: https://bookshop.org/p/books/warrior-prince-nancy-j-cohen/20067446?ean=9781952886324
Books2Read: https://books2read.com/Warrior-Prince

Norse myths & magic mix in this action-packed fantasy romance #fantasy #pararomance Share on X

Play the Warrior Prince jigsaw puzzle – https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=2b2b63038e2d

GIVEAWAY

Enter Here to win two free books at Booklovers Bench in our August giveaway!

 


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Taking the Plunge into AI
August 9, 2023

You may have noticed that AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is suddenly in the news. This new technology could be a valuable tool for writers. However, authors are concerned about copyright issues since the source material for AI’s algorithms is based on previously published material. The Author’s Guild has a letter calling for AI industry leaders to obtain consent, give credit to, and fairly compensate authors.

There’s also the issue of disclosure. If your idea derives from AI, do you need to announce it? If you’ve written an article or blog using AI, are you truly the author? And what’s the danger of AI taking over for audiobook narrators and writers entirely?

Artificial intelligence lacks our human emotions, our compassion and empathy. How can a program write a story that derives from the writer’s deep well of experience? While I wouldn’t rush out to read a book written this way, I admit that AI can be useful for other tasks.

Until recently, I’d been ignoring the online commotion about ChatGPT. Don’t even ask me what this stands for. I couldn’t see myself using it until I read an interesting article on using Prompts to get the results you want. As an experiment, I wrote this into the box at ChatGPT:

My prompt: “I write a mystery series featuring a hairstylist and amateur sleuth. Give me six unique story ideas centered around national holidays.”

After the first round, I repeated my inquiry and asked for six more unique story ideas.

AI Response: “These holiday-themed mysteries will challenge your hairstylist amateur sleuth and keep readers entertained with the perfect mix of beauty, suspense, and intriguing puzzles.”

Combining the two rounds, I received multiple ideas for St. Patrick’s Day, April Fool’s Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. One of the elements sounded suspiciously like it came from my book that spoke about the “Black Gold” hair trade. It’s hard to know what’s being copied and what isn’t since these suggestions are all based on material that’s already out there.

Here’s an example for Easter from ChatGPT. I’ve already done this holiday in Easter Hair Hunt, #16 in my series. Note that my story includes a missing jeweled Faberge egg.

The Easter Egg Heist: In the weeks leading up to Easter, your hairstylist sleuth has been busy organizing an Easter egg decorating competition for charity. When the highly anticipated event finally arrives, the town’s precious Golden Egg, filled with valuable jewelry, goes missing. With all the suspects in their colorful Easter attire, including rival hairstylists and charitable participants, your protagonist must untangle clues hidden within elaborate hairstyles and uncover the thief behind the Easter egg heist.

Not too bad, huh? Some of the ideas I gleaned from this experiment could be springboards to plot a novel. In this way, ChatGPT can be useful. It may provide the spark of inspiration to get the writer’s brain up and running.

ChatGPT also gave me a step-by-step outline for another story when I gave it a few parameters, but the plotline had quite a few holes and didn’t relate to my series characters. The results were interesting but I don’t want to write a book that way.

My stories stem from my characters and their evolving relationships along with the setting, and much of the plotting happens in my subconscious. Story magic kicks in and then the book takes off on a direction of its own. AI will squash that creativity. But I can see others taking this easy road once AI is more established. Then what will be disclosable and what is not?

Book titles could be generated this way. Ditto for Book Descriptions. Check out the suggestions on this Kindlepreneur site on how to make your own book blurb better using AI. First you need to write a story blurb. Then you paste it into the AI dialogue box and ask for a better version.

I gave it my book description for Warrior Prince, book #1 in the Drift Lords series coming in a new trade paperback edition on Aug. 15. Then I said to the AI: “Make this Book Description Better.”

My Blurb

Nira Larsen’s dream job interview at an Orlando theme park turns into a nightmare when she’s attacked by costumed thugs. She’s rescued by a band of space warriors known as the Drift Lords. Their leader, Zohar Thorald, explains that Nira’s assailants were Trolleks, invaders from another dimension. They’ve targeted her because she has the power to defeat them. The Trolleks have opened a dimensional portal through which they’re invading Earth, and Zohar needs Nira’s help to seal this rift.

As her dormant powers awaken, Nira realizes the ancient myths she’s studied as a mythology grad student are real. Her elemental abilities are derived from the Norse gods. But she also feels an unexpected connection to the Trolleks that she can’t explain.

Zohar falls for the feisty redhead until one of the Drift Lords is murdered, and his doubts about her loyalty threaten to derail his mission. While he’s torn between his duty to save Earth and his love for a woman who might betray him, he has no choice except to trust her. A worldwide cataclysm will result if he fails, and only together can they succeed in saving Earth.

AI Version:

Nira Larsen’s dream job interview at an Orlando theme park takes a dark turn when she’s attacked by otherworldly thugs. Rescued by the Drift Lords, a band of space warriors, Nira learns she possesses the power to stop these invaders. As her dormant abilities awaken, Nira discovers a link to Norse gods and an inexplicable connection to the enemy.

Zohar Thorald, the Drift Lords’ leader, battles his growing feelings for Nira while a traitor among them threatens their mission. With Earth’s fate hanging by a thread, Nira and Zohar must overcome mistrust, embrace their unique bond, and save both worlds from impending destruction.

What do you think? Is the AI’s version better than mine?

How about you? Have you ventured into the deep waters of AI? Do you believe it can be helpful or dangerous for your career as a writer?

GIVEAWAY

Enter Here to win two free books at Booklovers Bench in our August giveaway:

Booklovers Bench Contest Aug2023

 

IN-PERSON APPEARANCE

Saturday, Aug. 26, Book Signing 3:00-6:00 pm EDT
Orlando Reads Books
Embassy Suites by Hilton – Orlando North
225 Shorecrest Drive, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
Get your free tickets here: https://orlandoreadsbooks.com/

 

 

 


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