Tweets for Today

• 07:44 On the train, almost at work. Hoping people visit guest blogger, Tim Hallinan, acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com - great mystery writer. #
• 07:48 @EchelonPress - Missing socks - A very universally significant topic for a book. (LOL) #

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BUSY NIGHT By Morgan Mandel

I've had quite a busy night because my new ning network, Sixty and Savvy, got a great influx of members during the day.

I like to welcome each member personally, so it took me a little while to respond to the new 20 members. I'm not complaining.

When I set up my now popular Book Place, http://bookplace.ning.com , with at last count 1,318 members, I did it because I didn't see any free networks where all aspects of books and their promotion could be explored.

My new network, Sixty and Savvy, also fills a gap. People in the age group of almost Sixty and over need a good place to hang out and share memories, fads, photos, life experiences, plus offer tips to each other. So Sixty and Savvy, located at http://sixtyandsavvy.ning.com, is designed to answer that need. It's still in its infancy, but I have high hopes to reach out to more members and achieve my goal.

If you or someone you know would like to join either or both of my ning networks, you're most welcome to do so. You'll get your own free page, be able to post photos, videos, blogs, comment, private messages, list events, participate in forums, all kinds of opportunities.

Hope to see some of you over there.

Morgan Mandel.
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com

Tweets for Today

• 08:24 My dog, Rascal, leaves her mark on my blog today at acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com Will you leave yours? Thanks, Morgan Mandel #
• 14:05 Leave Your Mark at acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com - See my dog, Rascal, too. Are Newspapers Dead? at morganmandel.blogspot.com #
• 14:41 Another blog up about making blogs better, mysteryturtles.blogspot.com. #
• 19:23 @lacreshahayes I just linked to you at morganmandel.blogspot.com. You have a great blogspot going. #
• 19:38 @lacreshahayes Thanks Lacresha #
• 19:53 @AngelaWilson Hope you get your computer on time. I called Dell Sat.,got new monitor Tues,Called DHL today.They picked up old one in 20 min! #

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ARE NEWSPAPERS DEAD? by Morgan Mandel

I wonder how many people read newspapers any more.

We get the Daily Herald delivered to our doorstep every morning. I read the Neighbor Section, the front page, sometimes the Business Section, depending if I'm running late for work or not.

It used to be newspapers were our primary source for news, along with radio and TV. Now it seems most people find out what's happening faster on the Internet instead.
To accommodate this, the newspapers have set up web sites. Many columnists have their own blogs also. Often something that's just happened appears on a newspaper's website right away, which gets confusing.

Despite trying to keep up with the times, I've heard that newspapers like the Chicago Sun Times are hurting for readership and laying off people.

So, I wonder how many people are still faithful to the printed word? Also, how does this apply to books?

At the Frontier Days Festival when I was selling my mystery, Two Wrongs, and my romantic comedy, Girl of My Dreams, I had one woman ask if I had audio versions. It's the only way she can fit books into her busy schedules.

Since the Internet and everything associated with it is so popular, ebooks are gaining in popularity. What used to be the cache of small publishing companies has now become a marketplace for NY publishing houses. Let's face it, ebooks are very convenient. They fit on just about any gizmo, even the popular Iphone, plus you can loads scads of them and carry them around in your purse or pocket, unlike the printed books.

Still, there are many diehard readers out there who prefer the look of paper, the feel of turning actual pages, the satisfaction of physically opening a new book.

I'm glad to say both my books are in print and ebook forms. To me, they both have their merits.

Which do you prefer? I've got a small quiz here where you can show your preference.

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://mysteryturtlesblogspot.com

Tweets for Today

• 07:48 On the way to work. Wishing Internet worked faster with network card. Posted Bling blog last night at morganmandel.blogspot.com #
• 21:56 Went on a long walk with the DH & Rascal - Beautiful night - Blogged about it & my book at morganmandel.blogspot.com #
• 22:08 testing out technorati<a href="technorati.com/claim/kradm96qqi" rel="me">Technorati Profile</a> #

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A LONG WALK by Morgan Mandel

Just went for a long walk with my husband and Rascal. It was a perfect summer night with a gentle breeze. Something to remember when the cold winds blow this winter.

Labor Day happens way too soon. I thought I'd have more time this summer to finish all sorts of things, mainly, the new book I started writing, the e-mails that need pruning, the reorganization of my work space.

I don't think those things will happen soon. But, little by little, yes. I'm encouraged by the steps I'm taking. I received great feedback from my critique at the Chicago-North RWA meeting and have a better idea of where my Mr. Fix-It story is headed.

On the homefront, we received a good quote from Yardworks, Etcetera, Inc, who will soon proceed with trimming the evergreens and clearing out the deadwood, including the Rose of Sharon which refused to bloom this year. It's a shame since I really loved those flowers. The DH has even begun cleaning out the garage, in increments, but at least it's a start.

Everything is falling into place, but not as fast as I'd hoped. That's okay. I'll enjoy the weather, the company of my husband and Rascal, and finish my book a step at a time. It might be a long walk, but I've gone on ones before with Two Wrongs and Girl of My Dreams, so I know I can do it.

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com

DO YOU BLING? By Morgan Mandel

HOW MUCH DO YOU BLING? IS THERE A RIGHT OR WRONG TIME TO BLING?




Which glasses have the bling? The ones on the right, obviously.

After four years of wearing the same frames, even after changing prescriptions, I broke down and added more bling to my life. What prompted the change was a small scratch, which I knew would get larger with time, also Sears had a good sale. For the heck of it I tried on some snazzier frames and decided I liked them.

I wear them a lot, but not always. They do have their disadvantages. For one thing, I can see the sides of the new frames in my peripheral vision, which is very distracting. The old frames were open. Because of safety factors, when I’m driving, I still wear the plain frames. Also, when I go to aerobics class, I use the oldies so the new ones won’t get all sweaty.

For a while I even kept the old ones on the nightstand because I was afraid I’d knock the new ones off, but decided I was being overprotective.

I’ve come to the conclusion there’s a time and place for bling, actually many times and places. Also, there’s a time and place for plain.

Even before I changed glasses, I already was into bling. If you take a look at my website at www.morganmandel.com , you’ll find bling on the main page—banners, review site logos, photos, other doo-dads. At one time, it even had an electronic marquee advertising the release of Girl of My Dreams.
I try to make each page unique, depicting the flavor of my novel and the subject matter I’m presenting. You’ll find airplanes and landmark photos on the travelogue that tracks the rounds in Girl of My Dreams. You’ll find a projector on the page with the first chapter excerpt, plus other gimmicks throughout the website designed to grab the reader’s attention.

On my blogs, whenever I can I add some kind of graphic to catch the eye, like the photos of my glasses above.

I belong to a lot of networks on http://ning.com , also am a creator of a few, http://bookplace.ning.com and http://sixtyandsavvy.ning.com, where you’ll find all kinds of bling in the form of photos, trailers, and other gimmicks.

Along with the glitz, I also belong to a great many no-frill listservs - bookblogtours,longandshortromancereviews, MurderMustAdvertise, and too many more to mention. I learned of these groups through networking and also by typing in groups.yahoo.com and choosing topics I was interested in. From these message groups I’ve gained valuable information and valued friends. They are a necessary part of my education,marketing strategy and online social life.

So, which is better, bling or plain? I say they both have their merits.

What about you? Do you like bling? Or plain? Or both, like me?

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com

Tweets for Today

• 14:52 Just posted a blog at morganmandel.blogspot.com about 2 rock groups and the similarity to the Awe-Struck sale to Mundania Press #

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LEADERS LOST AND GAINED - THE METEORS, AWE-STRUCK, MUNDANIA PRESS By Morgan Mandel

The Meteors at Beacon Tap in Des Plaines

Last night was a perfect evening to sit outside and listen to great music. That's exactly what my husband and I did. We'd heard that The Meteors were playing at Beacon Tap in DesPlaines,Illinois, so we decided to drive over and listen to them. An outing to hear a local band play at a beer garden may not sound inspiring, but you need to hear the history of this band.

The Meteors, known as Johnny Star and the Meteors, were quite popular in this area as a cover band for about 30 years. With a powerful voice, the lead singer, Johnny Star, belted out songs by the Beatles, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Jay and the Americans. Then something wonderful happened for Johnny. About 3 months ago, Johnny was "discovered" and became an "overnight success." Jay from Jay and the Americans had left their group, they needed a replacement, and they wanted Johnny.

Johnny's big break left The Meteors without a lead singer. They could have given up, but instead reorganized and continued on. When we saw them last night, they didn't seem the same as when Johnny Star was their lead singer, yet they still had a great sound. Judging from the amount of people in the audience who got up to dance, we weren't the only ones who thought The Meteors still had it in them.

I'd have to say many of the authors from Awe-Struck right now probably feel like The Meteors did when they heard Johnny was leaving. The success of Awe-Struck became so daunting the owners, great as they were, couldn't keep up with the volume of tasks. So they did the sensible thing. They sold to another press that could better handle the load.

Now Awe-Struck authors are actually Mundania Press authors, though no outward signs are evident at this time and may not be for quite a while. The switch and all of its implications may seem a bit baffling for these authors, yet from what I understand, exciting days are ahead for them with new opportunities.

The main thin is, like The Meteors, the Awe-Struck authors will still be able to share their talents. Bottom line is that's what really matters.

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/morganmandel

SOCIAL NETWORKS by Morgan Mandel

These flowers have nothing to do with the blog subject, but they're pretty enough to share.

Thanks to Blogger, I've got some neat widgets here you can link to and take you to some great social networks. You may even find me on some of them. BOOK PLACE and SIXTY AND SAVVY at http://bookplace.ning.com and http://sixtyandsavvy.ning.com are my own networks, but I belong to many others on ning. The array is endless and addictive.

I spend endless hours also at MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, Shelfari, Youtube, Goodreads. I gave up on Second Life because it was too confusing for me. You'll find some of my links further down in the left column. There are quite a few. When in doubt, if you type morganmandel in the address, you usually can find me.

Does it help market my books, TWO WRONGS and GIRL OF MY DREAMS? I can't tell for sure now, but I do know I'm making lots of friends without leaving home!

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com

VACATION FUN, FOOD, SLOTS - BOOK WORLD BOOK SIGNING

Morgan Mandel at Book World in Minocqua

I combined pleasure with pleasure on my last vacation. I confess to eating an overabundance of evil food, since vacation calories don't count. So I digged into the butter burgers and concrete shakes at Culver's, the fish and shrimp at the fish fry at Tula's, the fried chicken at Fibber's, and raspberry with white chocolate truffle ice cream at Cathy's. No, not at the same time. (g)

I also spent way too much time and money at Lake of the Torches Casino because I'm a player. Players play slots if they win or lose. When we win, we keep going since we have more money to play with. When we lose, the next spin has to be better than the last.

Besides participating in the evil sports of overeating and playing slots this past vacation, I also held a book signing on Saturday, July 26 at Book World on the main drag in Minocqua, Wisconsin. I had a great time talking to readers and telling them about my books.

Armed with a fresh review of my new romantic comedy, GIRL OF MY DREAMS, written in the nick of time by Joyce Laabs of the Lakeland Times newspaper, and the flyers in the window the past month, I set up my table at Book World.

Advance publicity does help. One woman said she'd hear of the book signing and that's why she came in. A younger woman, when she saw the cover of GIRL OF MY DREAMS on the table, said she'd seen the book before.

When I hear such comments I'm heartened to know my name and books are becoming known.

Anyway, Book World also stocked my debut mystery, TWO WRONGS. That was a good thing, since surprisingly that day more readers were in the mood for a mystery than a romance.

I'm looking forward to another booksigning during Cranberry Fest in Eagle River, WI on October 4. It's a very popular event, judging from the response I received last year at my book signing.

More exciting book signings being finalized.

Until then,
Take care,
Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://blogsthatrule.blogspot.comhttp://http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com

Great time at Mystery Authors Book Signing April 5 at B & N

Glad to say the Book Signing yesterday, April 5, at Barnes & Noble -
Arlington Heights, IL was a fun time & great success. We canvassed the store, sold our books and made new friends.
Now I have even more photos to add to my 2008 Book Signing page at
www.morganmandel.com

Here's one to start out with.
Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.comhttp://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/morganmandel
www.juniorscave.com/morganmandel.html
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

NEW 2008 BOOKSIGNINGS PAGE at www.morganmandel.com

You can find this photo & others, plus news on future book signings on the new, colorful page, 2008booksignings, which you can access by clicking on my profile photo on the main page at www.morganmandel.com or clicking the tab in the Morgan Lite Section.
Hope you enjoy them.
Morgan Mandel

GIRL OF MY DREAMS BOOK LAUNCH PARTY

Morgan & Chicago-North RWA Buddy & Right Hand Helper at the Event, Deb Rittle
Gorgeous Flowers From Deb







Sue McCarthy Walden, Morgan, Sue Cherf, Morgan's husband, Paul




Family En Masse



Good Friends & Fans, Al & Rosemary



Morgan Mandel & Husband, Paul

My Impressions - Barbara Walters Show & Academy Awards - Morgan Mandel

I've got a sore throat, which means a cold or the dreaded flu, but I got bored with sleeping.

To break the monotony, I watched Barbara Walters interview:

Miley Cyrus - or Destiny Hope Cyrus, which was the first name her parents gave her. She's 15 years old and already owns an entire wing in her parents' home. What a life!
Very engaging young girl who seems to have her head on straight despite all of her notoriety.

I also watched Barbara Walters interview Ellen Page, a very pretty 21 year old, very sensible, but she just had to close the interview singing a song which I can't get out of my head - nice little ditty.

Vanessa Williams - who spoke about the controversy over her nude photos and admitted they weren't worth it in the long run. Very lovely woman who admitted she, like many other movie stars, uses Botox.

Harrison Ford - who says his new Indiana Jones movie, set for release in May, will not hide the passage of time. Harrison himself is now 65, but doesn't look it.

I love the glamor of the Academy Awards. I particularly enjoy watching what the stars wear and how their hair is done. Sometimes they look completely different in person than on the sample movie clips shown.

Many of the women are wearing strapless gowns - which always make me a bit nervous - how do they keep them up without spilling out of them?

Anyway, I haven't seen any of the movies, but will eventually do so on DVD.

I just watched Tilda Swinton win supporting actress. She looked totally surprised. It was refreshing to see that much spontaneity.

Anyway, I'm signing off now so I can enjoy the rest of the Awards - Also to Dream that some day my romantic comedy, GIRL OF MY DREAMS by Morgan Mandel can be made into a movie - Well, I did say it was a dream, didn't I?

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com

Girl of My Dreams by Morgan Mandel Now Available For Order

Hi everyone,
After all the stress of the Holiday Season, you'll need a break. Consider ordering Girl of My Dreams, my new romantic comedy about an assistant turned reality show contestant, to be shipped after 1/1/08. (Guys, if you order early, you'll be set for a Valentine's Day gift!)

WHAT'S GIRL OF MY DREAMS ABOUT?
When food poisoning strikes the set of a new reality show, Jillian, the straitlaced assistant, steps in and becomes a contestant. The transformed Jillian is swept up into travel and adventure, as each round brings her closer to winning the millionaire. Too bad he's not the one she loves.

Order information for print books is at:
http://www.hardshell.com/Search.aspx?Keyword=Morgan+Mandel
If you prefer ebooks, at present Girl of My Dreams is also available at All Romance Ebooks. You can't miss it at:
www.allromanceebooks.com
I'll let you know when it also comes up at Amazon.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://bookplace.ning.com
http://myspace.com/morganmandel
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com

KINDLE HAS TWO WRONGS!!

Hi folks,

Just wanted you to know that Two Wrongs by Morgan Mandel is available on Kindle!!!



Anyone who has one of these neat little gadgets and wants to try it out, almost as soon as you decide you want it, you'll have a copy of Two Wrongs on your Kindle.



If you don't have a Kindle, better put yourself on the waiting list. I hear the first batch already sold out. The demand is great.



Also, if you know anyone who has a Kindle and you've already read Two Wrongs by Morgan Mandel, please pass along the good word. I appreciate it.



All the best,

Morgan Mandel

www.morganmandel.com

http://bookplace.ning.com

http://myspace.com/morganmandel

http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com

http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com

SAVE THE DATE & BOOK THE DATE By Morgan Mandel

SAVE THE DATE - MORGAN MANDEL will sign TWO WRONGS at
Barnes & Noble, 590 E. Golf Rd, Schaumburg, on Thurs, Nov. 29,
2007, 7-8:30pm

If you're a romance reader or writer, Chicago Spring Fling is a must conference. I've posted information from the coordinators about how to get in on this great event. Note the early bird deadline for discounted pricing is fast approaching.

Not only does Spring Fling feature big name authors, like Debbie Macomber, Eloisa James and Christie Ridgway, but also featured are editors and agents from major houses taking pitches and offering tips. (Some of our Acme Authors Link members will also be present, myself included)

Two sites of interest on the conference are: http://www.chicagospringfling.com and
http://www.chicagonorth rwa.org.

** Permission to Forward **

2008 SPRING FLING WRITERS' CONFERENCE - EARLY REGISTRATION CLOSES NOV. 30th
April 25-26, 2008
Deerfield, IL

The Chicago-North Romance Writers of America is pleased to announce the
line-up of headlining speakers, editors and agents for the 2008 Spring Fling
Writers' Conference:

FEATURED SPEAKERS

New York Times best-selling author: Debbie Macomber
USA Today best-selling authors: Eloisa James & Christie Ridgway

EDITORS
Tessa Woodward (Avon Publishing)
Victoria Curran (Harlequin)
Editor TBD (Grand Central Publishing)

AGENTS
Paige Wheeler (Folio Literary Management)
Kristen Nelson (The Nelson Agency)
Elaine Spencer (The Knight Agency)
Christina Hogrebe (Jane Rotrosen Agency)

WORKSHOPS ON CRAFT AND BUSINESS PRESENTED BY PUBLISHED AUTHORS:

Marcia Anderson, Sherrill Bodine, Laurie Brown, Sara Daniels, Blythe Gifford, Margot Justes, Maureen Lang, Lindsay Longford, Myrna MacKenzie, Morgan Mandel, Allie Pleiter, Martha Powers, Patricia Rosemoor, Jen Stevenson, Margaret Watson, Pat White

EARLY BIRD RWA MEMBER REGISTRATION RATE OF $139 ENDS NOVEMBER 30TH
RATE INCREASES TO $159 DECEMBER 1ST

For more information about Spring Fling 2008 and to register, please visit: www.chicagospringfling.com

For more information about Chicago-North Romance Writers of America, please
visit: www.chicagonorthrwa.org

Questions? Contact us at: conference@chicagon orthrwa.org


I hope to see some of you over there!
Morgan Mandel
http://www.morganmandel.com
http://bookplace.ning.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.comhttp://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/morganmandel

Newsletter

Newsletter coming soon. To sign up, go to http://www.morganmandel.com
On the main page, you'll find a sign up button.



Mark your calendar: Visit Morgan Mandel and DL Larson at Schaumburg Barnes & Noble on Thursday, November 29: 7:00 - 8:30 pm.

Morgan Mandel's Dog, Rascal, Gets Blessed On Vacation Oct. 3 for St. Francis Day