Wise Words on the Writing Life

by Kristi Belcamino

I'm up to my eyeballs in revisions for Blessed are Those Who Mourn. This fourth book in my Gabriella Giovanni mystery series is due to my editor Monday, June 1,

This fast turnaround times is one of the cool parts about being with the HarperCollins imprint I'm with. From what I've read, and my own experience, if someone likes a book in a mystery series they don't want to have to wait around very long for the next one!

But I've worked hard to make this happen.

This book comes out Sept. 29, which means I've published four books in 15 months. On Monday, after I turn it in, that will be the first time in ten months that I haven't been writing or revising a book.

I have a long list of items to do during this free week.

READ my friend's books!
Make biscotti!
Clean the entire house (it has been woefully neglected!)
Send out my author newsletter.
Weed the yard.
Go to doctor's appointments.

Anyway, in the meantime, while I'm finishing MOURN. 'll leave you with links to a few articles about the writing life.

My take away from both of them is that the key to succeeding in a writing career involves lots of hard work and being stubborn enough to never give up.

What do you think are the keys to success in this writing world?

This first article by Lea Wait is gritty and inspirational at the same time. If you want a career as a writer, you can't let the bastards get you down.

When Days are Dark (click on this link for the full article) is on Main Crime Writers

"And, over and over, people (often “pre-published” writers) told me how lucky I was. After all: I’ve had thirteen books published since my first was published in 2001, and I have contracts for more.

And, yes. I am lucky. I also do what most published writers do. I work hard. I do a lot of research. I write and re-write and re-write again. And, when a book is published, I visit bookstores and libraries and schools (and conferences). I blog. (Here I am!) I don’t do as much social media as some of my fellow authors, but I’m on Goodreads and Facebook. (Friend me, both places!) And if I’m not working on a book, and sometimes even when I am, I’m planning another one. Or two. I love my life … but I work seven days a week at my writing job, all year."

The second article, What I Know For Sure, by Rachel Howzell Hall, ran on Jungle Red Writers.

These two points she made really resonated with me. So much so that I am going to buy and read her books for sure. Here is even more from Rachel Howzell Hall on Dru's Book Musings.

      If you really want to write, you’ll find time to do it. A pox on that, ‘I really want to write but I can’t find the time.’ Malarkey. Balderdash. Did you watch the Red Wedding episode of Game of Thrones? Did you eat that entire pint of Chunky Monkey? Wanna know why? Cuz you wanted to. An hour and three minutes—every episode of GOT. An hour and three minutes—how long it takes to eat a pint Chunky Monkey. An hour and three minutes—how long it takes to write a decent chapter. If you wanna do something, you’ll do it.

      It’s never enough. I landed a book contract. Now, I want another book contract. I have ten book reviews, I want fifty more. I want to win a Rotary Club Certificate of Excellence, an Edgar, a National Book Prize, a Pulitzer, a Nobel Prize, and… and… God. I want to be God. Or Stephen King.

Now Available: The Phantom Automobiles

by
Scott D. Parker

Today, I get to announce that THE PHANTOM AUTOMOBILES, the second book from Quadrant Fiction Studio, is now available as an ebook. You can get it via Amazon, Kobo, or Barnes and Noble, depending on your preference. The new cover image over there on the right takes you to the main book page over at Quadrant’s website. The trade paperback will arrive in June.

It’s an exciting day. A much better book announcement than WADING INTO WAR back in February when my son’s successful appendectomy sidetracked my carefully laid out plan and gave me tons of perspective.

THE PHANTOM AUTOMOBILES features Gordon Gardner, reporter for the Houston Post-Dispatch. It’s 1940 in Houston, a few weeks after the events of WADING INTO WAR. When I wrote that first book, I wanted the hero, Benjamin Wade, to have a co-star, a partner, to talk with and aid in the completion of his case. Gordon was thus created.

And I liked him. Even as I was creating the first draft, I knew that Gordon was going to star in his own book. Early readers concurred. They thought he could carry his own tale.

Now, that tale is here.

Product Description:

Gordon Gardner, Ace Reporter!

There’s not a story he can’t crack. He’s got his finger on the pulse of his town. His dogged tenacity means no politician is safe. Even the U. S. Army keeps tabs on him to ensure he safely harbors national secrets. And he looks smashing in a tux.

His latest assignment is a basic police blotter piece: a pedestrian struck dead by a car. As a reporter who is second to none, Gardner’s disappointed. How could a simple accident be worthy of his considerable talents when there are so many other more interesting stories to cover? Even his pairing with a beautiful photographer doesn’t lighten his mood.

His editor wants the piece yesterday. The police already closed the case. But then Gardner asks a simple question: why would a seemingly normal person willingly dive in front of a speeding car? Witnesses said the man went crazy just moments before he leapt to his death. What he alleged made no sense: he said the cars on the street didn’t exist and there was only one way to prove it.

He was wrong. Dead wrong.

Now, Gordon Gardner, in defiance of his editor and the police, resolves to investigate the mysterious circumstances behind the dead man’s life and uncover the real truth behind the phantom automobiles.

Exclusive! Included in this volume, a heretofore unpublished action mystery from the golden age of pulp fiction!

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So, there you go. This volume also has a preview of the next book coming out this fall.

There is also a deal: offer up a review on any of those sites above and you'll get the next book published for free and before wide release. Two books for the price of one.

Can't beat that.

Enjoy!

So you want to do a reading

By Steve Weddle

A thousand years ago, when Country Hardball first hit the shelves, I had a calendar loaded with readings and signings. People were very nice, those who invited me into their places of business and those who took time out of their Thursday night to drive into the city to see me talk about me for 45 minutes at Fountain Bookstore. the Mysterious Bookshop, One More Page Books, and elsewhere.

I screwed up a few things, of course, but I also had people who were kind enough to warn me of some potential problems. Here are a few tips and tricks I hope are helpful to you new authors.

1) Don't bring books to readings to give away.

Giving away a copy of your book at your reading seems like a no-brainer, doesn’t it? You’ll want to turn the brain back on for a second, though, and consider what would help the venue most. Are you having the reading at a bookstore? Maybe you’ll want to pony up for a gift certificate to the store. When I launched, I gave away a cap and a t-shirt and some other goodies. I knew, for a true fact for serious, that most folks that night would be buying my book, so I wasn’t too worried.

Steve Weddle and Ben LeRoy at Fountain Bookstore

I’ve been to readings where not too many folks buy my book, and I’ve been to readings where the author doesn’t sell any books. So book sales aren’t always guaranteed.

Eventually, I realized that I wanted to give away a copy of a book by someone not me at events. So, I tried to do that when I remembered. Gift cards are great, too. You can always talk to the bookstore owner or manager and ask what would be a cool giveaway.

If you’re holding the reading in a bar, maybe give away a booze gift certificate or a bar t-shirt. Bowling alleys, brothels, hardware stores – gift cards make good giveaways. Support the folks who support you.

2) Get sticky notes for the books you sign.

Someone with you (the store manager or your spouse or a random Lithuanian ventriloquist from the neighborhood deli) needs to place sticky notes on the title page of the books to be signed with the person’s name right there. FOR SHERRI. FOR MATT. Whatevs.

I was signing books one night for some folks and I just kept blanking. I’d look up at people and couldn’t remember names. I mean, for Cliff’s sake, it’s a stressful time.

Me: So who should I make this out to?
Her: Just to me. I’m so proud of you.
Me: Um, so your name here?
Her: Yes. I can’t wait to tell everyone.
Me: Yeah, so, uh, like the spelling? I want to get it right.
Her: Oh, just the normal spelling.

This went on for seven minutes, this back and forth. Seven minutes doesn’t sound like much, but good gracious it was. Eventually, my Aunt Edna realized what was going on, but it was painful for us both.

3) Send signed copies to your blurbers, you goofball.

I nearly screwed this up, but I think I ended up OK. A couple of folks who blurbed my book came to a reading and bought the book there, and I wasn’t sure what to do at that point. Send a thank you note? It’s probably what Joelle would do. Instead, I just bought extra copies of their books for giveaways here at DSD and elsewhere.

But, for the most part, once I got the hardbacks in, I wrote a ‘thanks’ in the copies and mailed it off to the folks who were kind enough to take the time out of their lives and say nice things about my book.

Honestly, blurbing can be quite a favor. You’re saying to someone, “Hey, would you take time away from your family and your job and your own writing and spend some time, not just reading my book, but coming up with something nice and clever to say in order to help me out? Kthxbye.” Really, it’s asking quite a bit of people, and the least you can do – the very friggin least you can do – is send them a copy of the book with something nice scrawled in there with your signature.

4) Give some people two copies

You’re going to send copies of your book to people. And, yeah, you’re probably going to reach high for a few copies.  As Bob Browning wrote: "Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, Or what's a heaven for?"  You’ll write “Dear Mr. King” on the title page or “To Ms. Evanovich.” (You’ll likely be so nervous you’ll screw up a copy or two before you get one you feel OK sending off. (Or so I’ve heard.))  That’s cool. Take your shots.

That said, you’ll have some people – mentors, professors, friends, magazine columnists you met once at a party, ministers – who you want to send a copy to. You might think about sending an extra signed copy with a sticky note inside suggesting they give it to someone who might like it. Essentially, you’ve just created a small army of hand-sellers. (It’s a cool trick I stole from someone on the Internet.)

Anyway, do what you want, of course. Read from the book. Don’t read from the book. Plant people in the audience to ask questions you want to answer. Hire a streaker. Give out chocolates. Whatever.

Basically, what I’m saying is that you want to be nice about it and make things easier for folks. These things can get pretty painful in your soul, can cause you to sweat right through your fancy $89 new sport coat from Kohl’s and spend the rest of the night hoping no one notices that you’re not lifting your arms.

Relax. Plan a little. And, of course, don’t try to do any of this without substantial pharmaceutical help.