We CAN! promote our books

In Times of Tragedy

Hi! Sherry Kyle, here, writing from my laptop in California. Do you need hope today? I was raised in
Colorado and my heart goes out to the people who lost their homes in the recent fires and lost loved ones in the tragic killings in Aurora.

At church yesterday, my pastor talked about the common reactions to tragedy—isolation, irritability, inaction, fear, and hopelessness. Do you relate to any of these? I do. My husband suggested we go to a movie the other day and I shook my head in fear. Besides the recent events in Colorado, I remembered a time twenty years ago when a gunman ran through the elementary school campus I worked at and how I felt trying to protect the four-year-olds in my care.

Seven tips for great travel.

 

 

By Janet Perez Eckles

 

“No way,” I said to the lady across the counter at the airport, “that bag has my make-up.

Help! Where's my story?!

Hello, again! Maureen Pratt here with my monthly CAN blog about the art and craft of writing. This month's topic is, "Help! Where's my story?!" or, "What to do when your story goes one way while you go another."

Whether we write fiction or non-fiction, plotting or outlining is often an essential part of the publication process. From the first query to the last book cover blurb, most of us try to envision the beginning, middle and end of a work before we dive in.

 But, as we authors know, as hard as we might work on those early ideations, "things happen" once we get started. New facts come to light. A secondary character takes center stage. A plot thread we knew was right suddenly becomes oh-so-wrong.

How do we handle these and other creations of the creative process? First of all...

The industry and retail stores

I ’ve spent a lot of time this month with other writers as well as editors and retailers. I spoke at the International Christian Retail Show in early July and attended two conferences. The trade show continues to decrease in size but the energy and hope abounded. The publishing industry has done more to partner with author organizations.

 

Hi everyone. Pamela Meyers here for my monthly column on what I’ve learned about marketing your debut novel.

We’re almost to the end of July and with fall just around the corner, I can look forward to Love Will Find a Way, my second book in the On The Road to Love series, coming out November 2012—exactly one year after Thyme for Love made its debut appearance.

Over the past several months, I’ve let the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer lull me into a kind of laid-back stance as I’ve spent time researching historical information for a book series. I’m still in the midst of all that, but time is flying and I need to develop an action plan prior to Love Will Find a Way releasing.

Here’s my to-do list so far:

 

1. Target the people who read Thyme for Love with reminders about my characters and the storyline. For many it’s been quite a few months since they read the story, and their memories are probably a bit faded. I will be writing some blogs about my characters and talking about what happened in Thyme for Love while hinting of things to come in Love Will Find a Way.
2. Because April, my heroine, is a chef, I’ve already posted pictures of recipes I’ve was trying out for the second book, and I’ll be doing more of that and posting pix of the steps in each recipe. I won’t post the same recipes I included with the manuscript, but other ones April prepares in the story. 
3. Since I’ve been in the Lake Geneva area a lot this summer doing research for the historical series idea I plan to pitch at the ACFW conference, I’m going to start sending a pic or two on Twitter of spots mentioned in TFL  while I’m there. Even though the story takes place in a fictional town, it is near Lake Geneva and my characters go there often.
4. Even though I have only recently turned in the manuscript and have not yet received the edits, nor has the book cover been designed, my friend who developed the TFL book trailer has begun preliminary work on the trailer for LWFW. I purchased photos from several online stock photo companies such as www.istockphoto.com and www.shutterstock.com when I was unable to find those I needed in my personal collection or at the free-use site at www.morguefile.com. I also roughed up a script to be incorporated into the trailer. We won’t get down to the nitty gritty of actually putting the trailer together until the manuscript is approved and I know the storyline will stay as is. Then we’ll have it ready to go when the cover art is finalized.
5. I recently noticed there is a cooking school in Lake Geneva, not far from a small bookstore. What a great place to possibly hold an event when the book comes out. I’ve added stopping in there for a chat with the chef and hopefully working out some kind of creative event there.
6. My current book has been available on Kindle for a long time, but I want to ask my editor about having either a reduced price offering, or even a free offering, for a specified timeframe in the weeks just prior to the second book releasing. Everything I’ve read indicates that these types of promotions help book sales.
7. During October I plan to set up a blog tour for November and December, and will be putting into practice some of the things I learned during last year’s tour.

In future columns I will share how this action plan plays out, so keep tuned!

Now back to that historical research I’m doing. Hmmmm. Where was I? Oh yeah. In 1871 the first train from Chicago arrived in Lake Geneva.

 

Tips from the Pros: Mike Dellosso

Greetings from Sarah Sundin in California! Today I have the privilege of interviewing best-selling, multi-published thriller writer Mike Dellosso, who also writes contemporary drama as Michael King.

Mike, how did you get into writing?

I began writing in 1998 as a way of dealing with a family crisis. My brother-in-law was in a terrible motorcycle accident that nearly claimed his life. In fact, the doctors were sure he wasn't going to make it. He was in a coma, clinging to life. I was so overwhelmed by grief and just about every emotion imaginable and I had no way to express it...so I turned to the written word. I fell in love with writing then and haven't stopped since.

How many books do you have published?

To date I have six novels and one novella published, with novel seven releasing February 2013. Frantic is my latest full-length novel. Rearview, my novella, just released in May. And A Thousand Sleepless Nights, my first contemporary drama under my new pen name Michael King, releases October 2012.

How did you get your first book contract?

I met an author, Kathryn Mackel, at a writers' conference, had an appointment with her for a critique, and she loved my manuscript. We corresponded, and eventually she offered to introduce me to an agent friend of hers. He agreed to sign me, and about six months later I landed my first contract with Realms Fiction/Charisma House.

MAKING POEMS DIFFERENT II

Hello, I’m Donn Taylor, here again to talk about poetry and ways to achieve the “higher voltage” that distinguishes poetry from most prose. This month and for several more we’ll be talking about ways to make your poems different from many, perhaps most, that editors will see. Most of the new poems I’m seeing are written in the poet’s own voice, with the poet as speaker (persona) of the poem and the poet’s self as the subject. It’s safe to assume that editors will see more of that kind of poem than any other. Last month we illustrated making your poem different by MAKING THE SPEAKER OF THE POEM SOMEONE BESIDES THE POET.

ICRS is Over…Now What?

Hello from sunny Florida! Ava Pennington, CAN Secretary here, trying to get organized after a hectic week.

The 2012 International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) is over. Three jam-packed days of everything related to Christian publishing. Hundreds of booths filled with books, gift items, cards, church supplies, home decor, toys—even a “Jesus Toast Toaster,” (the less said about that one, the better!)

But why did I go? I didn’t carve three days out of my schedule—four, if you count the AWSA Banquet—to window-shop  in a mega-Christian version of Walmart.

Tips from the Pros: Marcia Gruver

Greetings from Sarah Sundin in California! Today I have the privilege of interviewing Marcia Gruver, a multi-published author of historical fiction set in "The Old South." Her latest novel, Hunter's Prize, was published this month by Barbour.

Marcia, how did you get into writing?

I taught children's church for many years. Unhappy with our curriculum, I began to experiment with writing my own. This exercise in creativity became my proving ground. After my last little chicken flew away to college, I nestled into my empty nest to whip out the "Great American Novel." With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, this venture into writing became an inspirational novel, one of six so far.

What are a few of your latest titles?

Hunter's Prize released July 1, 2012. It followed Raider's Heart and Bandit's Hope in the Backwoods Brides series. My first series is titled Texas Treasures and consists of Diamond Duo, Chasing Charity, and Emmy's Equal.

How did you get your first book contract?

At the 2007 American Christian Fiction Writers Conference in Dallas, Barbour Publishing editor Rebecca Germany stood to announce the recipient of their first-ever three-book contract. Steeped in a foggy cloud of yearning, it took a second to realize she'd just called my name. Years later, I still get a thrill recalling this life-changing experience.

I love these types of stories!! Marcia, what has helped you promote your books the most?

My husband's job requires that we travel extensively. Often we stay for extended periods in small, rural towns. This is such a boon for a writer, providing wonderful opportunities for exploring new settings and discovering new characters. Using the towns as settings and mentioning the local legends has afforded me whole communities of people who are excited about my work before the books ever hit the shelves.

Intimate Storytelling - Part III Revealing Character

 

Hi from Gail Gaymer Martin at www.gailmartin.com

I look forward to dropping by to share a new post with you about writing Christian fiction. I've been blessed for the past twelve years with an amazing career - second career actually, and I've learned so much on this journey.

One thing to know is that learning never ends. I read magazines and books on writing, continual improving my craft and loving every moment.

I've been sharing thoughts on Intimate Story telling which means bring the main characters to life in a dynamic way that they seem real. Today I will show you how you can reveal characterization in a rather different way.