November is my birthday month, and we have a lot to celebrate! Here’s a rundown of upcoming events. More detailed posts will follow in the next few days.
As 2013 is upon us, I hope to see some of you at my upcoming Author Appearances and Book Events. Stop by to introduce yourself, to chat about books, and to share your opinions. In some of these, I’ll be giving a presentation on my romance or mystery novels. Others will be writing workshops. Booksignings will accompany each event. Please come join us!
January 12, Saturday, 9:00 am, “Social Networking for Writers” with Author Nancy J. Cohen and Contributing Editor Barbara Vey from Publisher’s Weekly, Florida Romance Writers, Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Airport Hotel, 1825 Griffin Road, Dania, FL 33004. Advance reservations required
February 3, Sunday, 2:00 pm, Delray Beach Public Library, “World Building: Create a Sizzling Setting for your Novel” with author Nancy J. Cohen, Delray Beach Public Library, 100 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33444; 561-266-0798
February 12, Tuesday, 2:00 pm, Florida Author Showcase Coffeehouse , West Regional Library, 8601 Broward Blvd, Plantation, FL 33324, 954-382-5860
April 17, Wednesday, 6:30 pm, “Marketing Strategies for Authors”, Writers Network of South Florida, Glades Road Branch Library, 20701 95th Avenue South, Boca Raton, FL 33434, 561-482-4554 http://www.pbclibrary.org/branch-gla.htm
April 20, Saturday, 11:30 am, “Promotion Strategies in Today’s Market”, MWA-FL, Doubletree by Hilton (formerly Deerfield Beach Hilton), 100 Fairway Drive, Deerfield Beach, 33441 (at Hillsboro Blvd exit, east of I-95). Advance reservations required.
May 1, Wednesday, Florida Library Association Annual Conference, Hilton Orlando, 6001 Destination Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32819, http://www.flalib.org/conference_2013.php
11:30 am – 12:30 am, “New Possibilities in Publishing” with Authors Sandra Balzo, Nancy J. Cohen, Patrick Kendrick, Ron Farrington Sharp and Elaine Viets. Location: Lake Concord Room
A Gathering of Be-Witching Authors on Halloween October 31 at 7 pm
(I won’t be here but a lot of my writer friends will be participating and it will be howlingly fun.)
Who says that Halloween is just for kids? Join us for blood refreshments, skeleton door prizes, and a handout with great tips for would-be authors. You’ll be spellbound by this coven of multi-published authors as they discuss:
Their work (Double, double, toil and trouble. How did they get published?)
Their writing habits (By the light of the moon? Alone in a churchyard?)
The bewitched and bothered world of publishing (To e-publish or not? That’s the question!)
Book signing will follow, and you’ll have a chance to chat one-on-one with our featured guests.
Open to the public and reservations are not required.
Witches Attending (and a few Warlocks): Heidi Lynn Anderson, Sandra Balzo, Traci Hall, Jeremiah Healy, Marcia King-Gamble, Kathleen Pickering, Randy Rawls, Deborah Sharp, Joanna Campbell Slan, Carol Stephenson, Cynthia Thomason
Murder on the Beach Mystery Bookstore
273 NE 2nd Avenue
Delray Beach, FL 33444
Phone: 561-279-7790 www.murderonthebeach.com
Please follow me on my blog tour. I have some interesting and unique topics lined up for you. All commenters on these guest posts will be entered into a grand prize drawing for a Warrior Prince T-shirt and magnet and a pdf copy of Warrior Prince.
Congrats to Nora-Adrienne and Lisa Rayns who have won their choice of one of my backlist ebook romance titles in my excerpt commenter drawing. Ladies, please let me know your choice of title and email. Find more info here: https://nancyjcohen.com/books/romance/
My Blog Tour is off to a running start. Here is my schedule. Please follow along, leave a comment, share, and tweet. Check out the original topics for each visit. Some offer special giveaways in addition to a drawing from all commenters at the end.
September 21 RELEASE DAY PARTY! Spot giveaways of backlist titles and bonus prizes on my Blog or Facebook Page for commenters all day Sept. 21 between 8am and 8pm.
Share and Retweet my posts all weekend and comment on my Blog or Facebook Page, and you’ll be entered into a grand prize drawing for a Warrior Prince T-shirt and magnet and a signed copy of “Wicked” Women Whodunit.
All commenters during Nancy’s blog tour will be entered into a grand prize drawing for a Warrior Prince T-shirt and magnet and a pdf copy of Warrior Prince. Winner will be announced on Halloween.
Are you a new author facing your first booksigning event? Or maybe you’re a seasoned player and you haven’t done one in a while. Here’s a checklist of what to bring. Some authors scatter chocolate kisses or other candy on the table, but I’ve found this practice only attracts children to snatch the candy. It doesn’t entice anyone to buy a book, but it does make your display look snappy. Always offer passersby a bookmark or other item. If they’re too intimated to check out your books now, they might read your material and order them later.
Autographed by Author Stickers (optional; not all readers want a sticker on their signed book)
Book Cover of Next Release
Bookmarks
Books to Donate (optional; can be used for a library donation, for a door prize, or as a giveaway to audience members who ask questions)
Box of Books (for when you sell your own; otherwise keep in car trunk in case bookseller doesn’t come through)
Bottle of Water
Business Cards
Calculator (if you are selling your own books)
Camera (if you want pix of your event for your website, Facebook page, etc.)
Cash (if you are selling your own books)
Conference/Membership Brochures (to promote your local writing organizations)
Flyers/Brochures/Postcards
Laptop or iPad (optional; to showcase your book video)
Mailing List Sign-up Sheet
Notice of Upcoming Appearances (in case they want to catch you at another event)
Poster (optional; ask your publisher for one or make your own)
Sharpie ultra fine point black ink permanent markers
Wheels (to carry boxes of books when you bring your own; look in luggage store for folding wheels)
We’ve all had booksignings where no one shows up. So it was a fabulous surprise last weekend as I approached www.bandlbooks.com in Altamonte Springs, FL to see a row of readers lined up to enter the store! My jaw nearly dropped off my face. When had I ever last seen such enthusiasm, and for the dying breed of dead tree books, no less?
The staff welcomed all the eleven or so authors participating in the signing with our tables all set up, books laid out in front of our spots, and even a little gift package for each of us. They had fruit punch and water bottles and cake with our book covers. You have to understand…it’s rare to get a reception like this so I appreciated it all the more. Independent bookstores should be cherished while they still exist. Nowhere else can you find such a variety of choices to peruse in person.
Readers crowded the store but I relished the crush. They snatched up armfuls of books to take to the cash register. People came up to me who didn’t know my work and asked me about my books. Usually our brief dialogue convinced them to try either one of my romances or my mysteries. For two hours, we smiled, chatted, signed books, and had a great time. Many thanks to the store proprietors for sponsoring this popular event and for keeping readers enthralled with print books in this digital age. Of course my hardcovers didn’t sell as well as my paperbacks but that’s always the case. I hope that, down the road, I’ll be able to offer Shear Murder in other formats to my readers. Meanwhile, if you’re in the area, drop by this indie bookstore, browse the shelves of new and used books, and give them your wholehearted support.
Later that evening, I relaxed at the Elephant Bar with my family. I had a Mai Tai and shrimp with noodles. It was a relaxing end to an exciting day.
I’m taking a well-deserved break from writing to play in Orlando, visit family, and participate later today in a multi-author booksigning at B&L Books in Altamonte Springs. I hope you’ll join us if you’re in the area. Free giveaways!
Meanwhile, we visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We took a stroll around, having been on most of the rides on previous stopovers, ate lunch (a really good pressed turkey and cheese and sweet red pepper sandwich on multi-grain bread), and rode on The Great Movie Ride. I wish they’d update this attraction. I know it’s supposed to show classic films but it could use some nods to modern times.
A surprise came with a daily parade. As this month is Star Wars Weekends (or is it Star Tours, as per the ride?), the parade consisted of characters from the films. I’m not a parade enthusiast, but these costumes were wonderfully like the movies.
Join me in person today:
Sunday, June 3, 1:00 – 3:00 pm, 25th Anniversary Signing, B & L Books, 990 N.S.R. 434, Suite 1140, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, 407-682-0090. Authors Nancy J. Cohen, Karen Rose, Karen Hawkins, Roxanne St. Claire, Robin Kaye, Lee Roland, James Gillen, Kristen Painter, and more. http://on.fb.me/Ktum3W
