Mystery Writers Key West Fest Friday, August 14, 2015 Mystery Writers Key West Fest started on Friday with a presentation by a crime scene investigator and a detective. “We witness what other people shouldn’t have to witness.” Regarding crime scene shows, the detective said they have most of the technology right but not the timing … Read more
According to some recent online posts, Amazon is changing the way it will be rating reviews. “The new system will give more weight to newer reviews, reviews from verified Amazon purchasers and those that more customers vote up as being helpful.” As an author, I find this promising. Recently I have revised three of my … Read more
I’m excited to announce the release of Body Wave, #4 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries. Body Wave was originally published by Kensington. This Author’s Edition has been revised and updated with added bonus materials. Join my Book Launch Party TONIGHT from 7:00 – 8:00 pm EDT for Fun & Giveaways at https://www.facebook.com/NewReleaseParty Stylist Marla … Read more
Have you sold a book and now you’re panicking about what to do? Does the thought of book promotion strike terror into your writer’s heart? Here are some guidelines to keep you straight on the road to self-promotion. Or if you are a seasoned author, use it as a quick checklist of things to do. … Read more
At the March meeting of Mystery Writers of America Florida Chapter, bestselling author Joanna Campbell Slan spoke for an hour on how to be a great speaker. Her talk was riveting and the perfect example of what she was saying. She should know. Joanna has been named by Sharing Ideas magazine as “one of the … Read more
On Saturday, we heard bestselling author Joanna Campbell Slan give a talk at the monthly meeting of Florida MWA. Joanna gave pointers on how to be a good speaker but the best example was her own talk that kept us fascinated for an entire hour. I hope I can utilize her tips during my forthcoming … Read more
I attended several panels on Saturday at SleuthFest. Here are the points I took away. BOOK PUBLICITY Michael Barson spoke about book publicity. In looking for interviews, does your book have a theme related to what’s in the news? It may take six or seven books to gain traction. For a writer, the radio is … Read more
Lunch on Friday followed the agents and editors panels. There I am seated between James W. Hall and Randy Rawls. As Chapter President, I went up to the podium and gave a warm welcome to the crowd. I thanked our conference chairs, Vicki Landis and Joanne Sinchuk, for their superb job in making the conference … Read more
Friday morning at SleuthFest began the editor and agent panels. Here’s a summary. AGENTS Kristyn Keene likes women’s fiction, thrillers, crime fiction. Mel Berger likes an “important” book or one that has potential for being a commercial success, including romance and thrillers. Victoria Skurnick is looking for “great” books with a unique voice. No sf/fantasy. … Read more
When designing a book cover, a number of items need to be considered. What is the genre? The mood of the story? The background setting? What type of “look” do you want to get across? Is this best done with photography or illustration? Do you like people on the cover? Can you describe a particular … Read more