Thursday, October 29, 2009

Hallopalooza #19 Stop


Morgan Mandel - Stop #19  Good luck everyone!
This stop is offering a Killer Career cap or tee shirt, your choice. Make sure you leave your email address when you comment here at
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com/ to be eligible.

The Scavenger Hunt begins 8 am ET, Friday, October 30. It ends 5 pm ET, Sunday, Nov 1.

Winners will be announced at noon ET on Monday, November 2 at the Stiletto Gang blog site, at
http://thestilettogang.blogspot.com/

The Stiletto Gang is writing a mini-mystery, with a different clue to solve the mystery found on the home page of each of the participating blogs. The mystery begins and ends at The Stiletto Gang, but in order to solve the mystery, the reader will have to visit every one of the 24 participating blogs.


Each blog will provide a clue which will be posted. The reader will move from blog to blog, collecting the clues which will help solve the mystery.

In addition to the mystery clue, each blog will post the name of the next blog the reader should visit in order to find the next clue.

The grand prize is a $50 gift certificate that the winner can use for books from any online or bricks and mortar bookstore (winner’s choice of bookstore). If multiple readers solve the mystery, we will have a drawing to select the grand prize winner. Runners Up will receive a book from one of the authors of The Stiletto Gang. If there are more than 10 Runners Up, then there will be a drawing among the Runners Up for the books – maximum number of books to be awarded by The Stiletto Gang is ten (10).

Here's the mystery: (Clue #19)

"So you admit you were providing more than make-up at G. Winston Howard's Halloween Ball?" Milla was feeling a little better. She'd cleaned up in the women's locker room (it paid to have connections) and changed into her power suit and red stilettos. Unfortunately she could have used some of Liza Barrymore's legal wares to cover up the bruises and scratches on her legs and wrists.

"I told you before; I don't know what you're talking about. I don't do drugs. I don't sell drugs. Drugs give you wrinkles."

"I think that's smoking," Milla responded. "Moving beyond beauty care, I found traces of cocaine in the powder room where you pitched your costume make-up tent in. How do you explain that?"

"You might be right about the smoking thing. But are you sure it was cocaine you found? I use a finishing powder that gives an airbrushed effect on your pores. You should let me try some on you. You could use a makeover. I gave one to Buffy St. James, really covered up her wrinkles."

No, she really wasn't sure it was cocaine. The tests were inconclusive, too much contamination and too small a sample. Plus there might have been upwards of three dozen people passing through that restroom during the event.

"I do manicures, too. Your nails are in rough shape."

The banal chatter from Liza was giving her a headache. Milla wondered if she'd have better luck with Sonya Reyes. Maybe. After all, the woman had certainly wanted to talk to her last night.

"Did you know you have some blue petals stuck to the back of your jacket?"

Great. The greenhouse was following her everywhere. Maybe the killer was wearing petals too? No, she wasn't that lucky. Still …she glanced down at her broken nails and scratched hands. She considered their similarity to Carla's hands. The greenhouse had left its mark on both of them.

Maybe it did the same to whoever dug up that file! She needed to be looking at hands.

Next Clue Location - http://www.juliabuckley.blogspot.com/
BEFORE YOU RUN OFF TO GATHER THE CLUE, remember to leave a comment here with your email address to be eligible for the drawing here to win either the Killer Career cap or tee shirt. Comments can be about Halloween costumes you've worn or someone else wore that you liked, one a dog or cat wore, or maybe about the participants in Hallopalooza, or whatever else you want to say.-----Thanks, Morgan Mandel

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Digital-Bookshop.Com Now Carries Killer Career

I'm very happy to announce that another and very handy place, namely Tony Burton's The Digital-Bookshop,  now carries Killer Career  not only in trade paperback edition, but also in a variety of e-book formats, excluding the kindle and mobipocket which remain with Amazon and Mobipocket.Com.


This will make it lots handier for people to order Killer Career. Also, if you like signed author copies, you're in luck. Print editions ordered through Tony's store will carry my signature.

I've put Tony's logo up, along with an easy buy link in the left column here, as well as at my website, http://www.morganmandel.com/.

By the way, Tony's got a great lineup at The Digital Bookshop, starting with  The Gift of Murder, a Christmas anthology, with proceeds going to the Toys for Tots Foundation. Also available are some great books by Robert W. Walker, among other fine authors.

Stop by and look over his selection if you get a chance. There will be more coming.

Please Welcome Marilyn Meredith to Acme Authors LInk

Please hop on over to http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/ where Marilyn Meredith, mystery author, is my guest.

Thanks,
Morgan

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

What Should Rascal Be For Halloween?





I know there are many burning issues, such as the struggling economy, wars, violence, approaching winter, but right now what's on my mind is What Should Rascal Be For Halloween?

I'm not great at sewing and my mind's a blank on how to dress Rascal for the Halloween party at Bentley's Corner Barkery in Arlington Heights on Thusday. We don't want her to be the only dog wearing a birthday suit.

I'm getting desperate. Anyone have an idea for a costume? It has to be very easy for me to make. I can't think of anything.

Even if she doesn't win a prize, Rascal and I would very much appreciate your suggestion.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Guest Recording from A Book and a Chat

For those with busy schedules and couldn't listen this morning, here's the LINK for the recording from my guest appearance on Barry Eva's blog talk radio show, A Book and a Chat. Barry experienced unexpected Internet difficulties at the beginning, which kept my connection from going through for about the first 10 minutes, but he managed to fill in marvelously. Fortunately, it's a half hour show, so I had lots of time to trade remarks with him.

I got this cute pic from Barry as well to put up here and on my blog. Barry has lots of great guests on his show and also does some great blog posts. At present, he's got over 100 reviews for his YA book, which you can read more about at his blogspot at http://acrossthepond-storyheart.blogspot.com/.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Please Tune In to Blog Talk Radio Across-the-Pond Saturday, 11am EST - I'm the Guest

I'm excited to be a guest on Saturday, Oct 24, at "A Book and a Chat" with Barry Eva, a fellow author from across the pond.

If you care to listen in, it's a half hour show starting at 11:00 a.m. EST, which is 10:00 Central time (my Illinois time).

You can find the show at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Across-the-Pond

A call in question or even a hello would be appreciated at 347-237-5398.

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Who's paying for the new book rates?

Maybe it's just a coincidence, but when I went over to my sales page for Killer Career at Amazon, the price had gone up $2.00.  The book came out in August, so maybe the special deal time is over.
Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but I can't help wondering if the small presses are now funding the big presses' recent drop in prices. How else can they sell those bestsellers so cheap?

What's your thoughts? What about your books' prices? Did they suddenly go up?

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Liz Zelvin is my Wednesday Guest at Acme Authors Link

Hi Gang,
Please welcome my guest, Mystery Author, Liz Zelvin, over at Acme Authors Link, http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/

Thanks,
Morgan

Show us your Signature

My e-mail signature looks too bulky, so I'm changing it. I'll include my website, daily blogspot, publisher url and a very brief snippet from my review from The Midwest Book Review. Should I include more, such as where to order Killer Career, or is that overkill? What do you do?

To help me and others decide, please comment by posting your signature.

Thanks,
Morgan

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Amazon and WalMart Book Price War

Yesterday I saw a e-mail report on Publisher's Lunch from Publisher's Marketplace saying a price war is going on between Amazon and Wal-Mart. They're offering hardcover books by well known authors for $9.00. The book price war even made the news on TV.

This move has me worried. Where does this move  leave the midlist authors published by the big houses? If these authors have hardcover books out, they'll most likely be left in the dust by readers grabbing the lesser priced books by popular authors.

Small publishers will have an even more difficult time. How can they possibly pay expenses and still compete in such a market?

What are your thoughts on this? Does it seem a good or bad thing?

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Updated Website

Thursday I fiddled around and changed my website a bit, trying to make it more current to reflect my latest release, Killer Career. You're welcome to check it out at http://www.morganmandel.com/

Thanks,
Morgan

People Are Crazy

I heard on the radio this morning that some lady went into Burlington Coat Factory, told people she'd won the lottery and each person could pick $500 worth of merchandise and she'd pay for it. Shoppers called friends and the place was mobbed.

The lady said she was going to the bank and left in her limo. She came back and told everyone she hadn't won the lottery after all. She couldn't even pay the limo driver the $900 she owed him. People got so mad they started trashing the store.

Who was more crazy, the lady who lied, or the people who trashed the store? I'd hesitate about putting a scene like that in a book since it would be unbelievable, unless it were maybe a comedy.

Have you heard of any stories about people doing crazy things? Have you included a scene in a book where a person or persons does something crazy?

By the way, here's the link on Youtube for Billy Currington's song, People Are Crazy. It's one of my favorites.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqrogegV1lw

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Hallopalooza coming at the end of this month


I'll be participating in a fun scavenger hunt at the end of the month. You'll get a chance to win some great prizes at the various blog stops.

The Scavenger Hunt will begin 8 am ET, Friday, October 30.

It will end 5 pm ET, Sunday, November 1.
Winners will be announced at noon ET on Monday, November 2 at the Stiletto Gang blog site, at
http://thestilettogang.blogspot.com/

The Stiletto Gang is writing a mini-mystery, with a different clue to solve the mystery found on the home page of each of the participating blogs. The mystery will begin and end at The Stiletto Gang, but in order to solve the mystery, the reader will have to visit every one of the 24 participating blogs.


Each blog will provide a clue which will be  posted. The reader will move from blog to blog, collecting the clues which will help solve the mystery.

In addition to the mystery clue, each blog will post the name of the next blog the reader should visit in order to find the next clue.

The grand prize is a $50 gift certificate that the winner can use for books from any online or bricks and mortar bookstore (winner’s choice of bookstore). If multiple readers solve the mystery, we will have a drawing to select the grand prize winner. Runners Up will receive a book from one of the authors of The Stiletto Gang. If there are more than 10 Runners Up, then there will be a drawing among the Runners Up for the books – maximum number of books to be awarded by The Stiletto Gang is ten (10).

More later about this fun event.
Stay tuned to learn how you can win some great prizes at stops along the way.




Monday, October 12, 2009

Midwest Book Review awards 5 stars to Killer Career!

I'm excited to report a 5 star review from Midwest Book Review for Killer Career at Amazon.com!
Here's the permalink for the review:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R169FXMK7RVLB6/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

The review also appears at the main site for Midwest Book Review on the Small Press Bookwatch page in the Mystery/Suspense category, where Killer Career is "highly recommended" -
http://midwestbookreview.com/sbw/oct_09.htm#Mystery/Suspense

I just found the review when I was on the train Monday evening after coming back to work after vacation. It certainly brightened my day!

Morgan Mandel

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Vacation Report

Well, we closed down the cottage today, loaded up the van and dragged our stuff back home again until Spring. It was a cold week, but the colors got better and better as the days progressed.

The good thing was I enjoyed shopping, going to dinner, going to the casino, and doing book signings. The bad thing was my cold dogged me most of the week. I did lots of sleeping in between doing things. I noticed lots of other people seemed to have colds also. Even tonight, the weatherman has one. It has to be a new strain, I guess, because they say once you have a cold you can't catch the same one again. Or is that a myth?

Anyway, I finally got the better of the germ by Friday when we went to visit WJJQ again in Tomahawk, WI. I'll be doing another interview there again in the Spring and a book signing at their local bookstore, Cover to Cover. Such is the life of an author - always looking for ways to get my books noticed. I'll be posting some pics later this week after I get kind of organized.

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Acme Authors Link about my Eagle River Book Signing & New Blogger Features

Wednesday's my Acme Authors Link day.
Topic is my book signing at Eagle River on Oct 3, plus new Blogger features.
Come on over if you can to http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel

Monday, October 05, 2009

The Lakeland Times reviews Killer Career

Thank you, Joyce Laabs of The Lakeland Times, for writing such a nice review of Killer Career!

http://lakelandtimes.com/main.asp?SectionID=15&SubSectionID=15&ArticleID=10238

She says: "It is a real thriller - a page turner that is hard to put down. However, unfortunately images don't go away as you turn out the light for a night's sleep. Perhaps it is best read during the day."

If you want to read more, click the link above.

Thanks,
Morgan

Friday, October 02, 2009

Sleep

We got up early at 4:15 to leave for vacation. I usually get up at
5:45 to get ready for work.

If I could sleep, I wouldn't sleep later than 7 or 7:30 anyway.

What about you? If you could sleep as late as you wanted, how late
would that be?

Sent from my iPhone

Thursday, October 01, 2009

Look What I Found

I got a chance to Google the other day and my efforts were rewarded! I found a review for Killer Career at Internet Review of Books. I'm not sure how long it was there, but I'm very happy I discovered it.
.
If you'd care to look, it's at
 http://internetrevi ewofbooks. com/sep09/ brief_reviews. html?dsq= 17850973
 
The fun thing about this is the reviewer has the exact same name as my main character, Julie McGuire.
 
Moral of the story - Remember to Google - kind of reminds me of Remember to Floss, which I always forget until right before the next dental appointment. (g)
 
 
If you feel the urge - here are some buy links: 
KILLER CAREER Is At Ingram, At Barnes & Noble, NOW ON KINDLE FOR $5.77, ALSO AT BOOKSAMILLION.COM, AMAZON.COM, BN.COM, MOBIPOCKET.COM, DIESEL-EBOOKS.COM