TELL ME THAT YOU LIKE IT TRAILER

LOOKING GOOD!

I just received a rough copy of the cover for my new book and I am excited! It looks great! In many ways, writing the book is the easy part. Getting the word out - and making all the little decisions about the final product...these things are much more difficult for me. Self promotion does not come naturally to a southern gal! Actually, I have often joked that my self confidence couldn't fill a matchbook! So, it is a challenge, to say the least, for me to market myself - and my books.

That said - I AM proud of them. I think they are good reads. I try to write books with the same kind of pacing that I like to read. Kind of like a thrill ride. So, I will continue to keep you updated on the progress of book two - and hope that you will spread the word. And - if you have read my first book, please leave a review. I would be interested to know what you think.

WHO KNOWS WHAT LURKS IN THE HEARTS OF MEN...

Here we go again. My second novel will soon be coming out! Anyone who thinks writing is lucrative, is sadly mistaken. Unless you are J.K. Rowling! I love to write - and I want people to READ what I write, and I think that is the only pay off. At least, I am entering into this publication with a more realistic view of what to expect.

The world of publishing has changed so much - and everything seems to be moving into the digital medium. Online bookstores are the way to go - and I am going to make that my exclusive base for sales. When my first book was published, I went into Barnes and Noble proudly carrying my copy, thinking they would certainly want to stock 20 copies! Ha! After much begging, they agreed to stock 5 - and then 5 more - and finally, I stopped bugging them and just directed people to Amazon.

Anyone who knows me thinks of me as funny and light - but when they read my books they are shocked. I write crime thrillers. I write grizzly crime filled with real bad guys. I never thought much about it until I kept running into people who claimed they couldn't read anything with bad words in it. These same people read lurid romance novels - I suppose they are edifying. I struggled with this for quite awhile. Being a people pleaser, it was hard to think that I was horrifying anyone! But, I've decided that they just have to get over it! News Flash! Bad guys say bad words - and they do bad things! AND - in my books, so far, the good guys win.

Crazy how we (okay - I) can let other people's opinions paralyze us. The hardest part about writing crime is crawling into the minds of the criminals - going into the dark places and trying to think like they think. That's why I try to balance everything by spending time doing art - and reading fun books and playing with Bizy and Sophie. But, when it comes down to it- when I write, crime comes out.

Hmmm...maybe I have some dormant murderous tendencies. Hee, Hee!

ONE PERSON'S POOP IS ANOTHER PERSON'S POETRY

Last night I attended a "Writing Show". The topic was writing fiction for Young Adults. I hadn't been to one of these events in over a year, but this topic interested me, so I decided to go. For days the weatherman has predicted rain - and not a single drop has fallen. So - yesterday's prediction was the same - except that the heaven's actually opened just about the time I was leaving the house. Fortunately, every time I had to get out of the car - the rain stopped...but I was enveloped in a blanket of humidity so thick it was difficult to breathe. And - it was DEATH to my hair. A slow death, actually. As I was sitting inside, listening to the speakers, I could feel my hair slowly falling, getting flatter and flatter - and my bangs stretching longer and longer until they rested uncomfortably on my eyelashes. I've seen women whose hair is deliberately in their eyes, and I don't know how they stand it! Plus - humidity and hair spray makes for a sticky mess.

The speakers were not stellar - I really didn't learn anything new...but I did enjoy going, and had an interesting conversation with the woman next to me, especially during the parts of the program when we couldn't hear. (screwy sound system) It is always nice to meet new people. I think we might get together again sometime over coffee or something.

It was really crowded. Mostly because one of the speakers was a middle school teacher and she was offering her students extra credit if they attended. I was seated behind four squirming preteens who were busy texting each other. Guess they weren't learning anything new either!

One writer said that she had an idea for her next book: The Haiku of Poo...not "Pooh" as in Winnie the Pooh...but poo as in poop. I certainly won't be rushing out to buy that one - but it did serve one purpose. I realized that maybe my ideas aren't crazy after all. In my opinion - nothing could be dumber than poetry about poop!