Dog Days of Summer

In celebration of the Dog Days of Summer, the DH and I took Rascal to obedience class this morning. She loves being around other dogs, not to mention the petting from the handlers and the extra treats.

So, for an hour I tromped around with Rascal and the other owners with their dogs and followed commands like right about turn, left u turn, etc. Fortunately, the weather was not typical Dog Days weather. Actually it was kind of cool, which is one reason we decided to go over there. Since lessons are free for life with dogs from Chicagoland Dog Rescue, we thought it would be a good idea to every once in a while take a refresher class.

She made me proud, following almost all the commands, despite the distraction of other dogs.

Afterwards, we stopped at Bentley's Corner Barkery, her favorite store, where she got another treat and got the royal treatment from Mia, one of the staff.

Rascal was so happy, after we closed the gate and took her leash and collar off in the backyard, she ran around like a nut. You'd think she'd be tired like I was, but apparently not.

To round off her memorable Dog Day, I gave her a femur bone, which is one of the few bones that are safe for dogs to eat and one of her favorites. Actually, almost any food is her favorite.

All in all, this has turned out to be a wonderful Dog Day for Rascal.

KILLER CAREER'S FIRST REVIEW

I want to thank Hagelrat for such a great review. It's especially dear to me since it's my very first. I kind of went all over the place Friday mentioning the review, but if somehow you missed it, here's the link:

http://hagelrat.blogspot.com/2009/07/killer-career-morgan-mandel.html

It's still me

When I updated my Blogger user profile because Killer Career will be out soon, I couldn't help but notice I was still wearing my Wisconsin sweatshirt. It's kind of hot for sweatshirts right now, even though this summer is running cooler than usual in the Illinois area. I feel much better not looking silly wearing a sweatshirt this time of year. Never fear, I haven't abandoned Wisconsin. I will be visiting there again over Labor Day weekend.

While I was at it, I also updated to the same summer gear at my Google profile. When I have more time, I'll add more pics there for my gallery.

Anyway, if you see someone somewhere in a white top holding her head at a strange angle, it's me. Photographers do have strange ideas for poses.

What about you? Have you updated your Blogger or Google profile lately? What about your profile pic?

Bookmarks

Wednesday night we picked up my Killer Career bookmarks, which had finally arrived at my brother's house. He's the one with the protected porch.

For some reason, I'd put off ordering them. Then I had the other decision of where I wanted to go. I chose Print Place. After that, I had trouble figuring out how I wanted them to look.

I was kind of nervous, but they turned out just lovely. Thursday I'm off to a few downtown Chicago bookstores to hand out my own bookmarks for a change. Usually I'm dropping off those from my friends.

By the way, that's a good in at a store. If you want to get known, just bring bookmarks from friends when they have a new book and drop them off. The staff then gets to know who you are. Sometimes that's all you need to get a book signing.

What about you? Do you drop off bookmarks for your friends? If not before, will you now?

Scrap at Acme Today

What do you do with your scrap? My topic today at http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/

Come on over and let us know.

If you get a chance, check out Helen Ginger's post today - A Killer In My House at http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com

Thanks,
Morgan

Two by Two

I received my author copies of Killer Career and already they’re marching out two by two. On a normal day, I lug a laptop computer, a tote bag and purse with me to work. On these Killer Days, I add to the mix two copies of Killer Career. I’d bring more but the 300 page books get heavy along with everything else.

On my lunch break I drop them off at the post office. Today, one is going to Robert W. Walker, another to Austin S. Camacho for providing terrific back cover blurbs. Yesterday, I sent a few out for reviews, tomorrow will be two copies to a friend who already received her own copy and now wants to share Killer Career with others.

You might ask why I don’t do this on weekends when it’s easier to get to the post office in the car. Actually, I did drop off nine filled bubble envelopes last Saturday and will probably bring more the next.

I don’t like to wait and I don’t like to make others wait, so as the need arises, Killer Career is marching out two by two.

The official release date is August 15, but Killer Career is available for pre-order, on & off line.

Publisher: Choice One Publishing
isbn#978-0-9819916-0-3

Reviewers, Blog Book Tour, Reader

I've got quite a few reviewers lined up for Killer Career and hope to get some feedback soon.

There are only two days left to fill on my blog book tour. I'll be posting the links to the tour stops when I get it all set up. Very soon I'll need to think up some witty things to say on the blogs I visit. The last stop, which will be for an entire week, will be on http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/ when I tell everyone the process of getting Killer Career published.

Anyway, I thought I had the Microsoft Reader conversion figured out until I discovered that the Reader program doesn't support Microsoft Word 2007, though it's the same company. It uses Microsoft 2003 like most of the world. So, even when I set my document to compatibility mode for 2003, I got weird error messages. Now I'm trying to use my old computer with Word 2003 on it to see if the program will work there. So far the old one is getting hung up on adding the cover art. It doesn't have much room. That's why I usually just let the DH use it for surfing. Nothing's easy.

I did get to go to Mount Prospect Saturday night where they had a doings called a Block Party on their main street, with food booths, tables and bands. The DH and I met some fun people to sit with and had a great time.

KILLER CAREER NOW AVAILABLE AT MOBIPOCKET

I'm happy to announce Killer Career is making its way along the Internet. I've found several sightings. Of course, I had to print out each and every page I discovered and add all of them to my special folder as keepsakes.

Anyway, the first ebook offering of Killer Career, mobipocket edition, is available for order right now, is over at
http://www.mobipocket.com/en/eBooks/eBookDetails.asp?BookID=208914&Origine=6314

For Pre-Order links of the paperback version to date, with more to come, check out http://choiceonepublishing.com/.

If you haven't gone over there yet, you're missing out on seeing what a sexy villain looks like.
Later on, more about the good guy will be up on that site.

Money

A lot of us authors say we're not into the writing business to make money. That has to be true, judging from the data on how much authors make from books compared to the time spent writing them, as well as the time and money spent promoting them.

Still, it helps to get some of it back. I just got my author copies of Killer Career this week and sold three of them at work. It's not a lot of money, but it did feel good to have the money coming in instead of going out.

The downside is I have to go to the bank and deposit it. That's not hard to do, but putting the money into the bank isn't all. I also need to keep track of what's what. Today's deposit is subject to Illinois sales taxes, so I'm putting it in my checking account. That will remind me at the end of the year that 10 per cent is due the State of Illinois. Come December, that amount may change, as Cook County is repealing the tax increase then. That means I'll have to remember to charge less in taxes on whatever date in December it rolls back, also I'll need to fill out two separate sections in the business sales tax form.

There are other downsides to bringing in money for books. I should be happy I'm getting money, but I don't like having to keep track of it. Still, it goes with the territory.

Gee, I'd hate to be a bestselling author. What a hassle that would be. Only kidding.

Continuing on with the frenetics at Acme

I'm continuing on with my frenetic happenings at Acme. The link is http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com if you want to see what I'm up to.

Thanks,
Morgan

A POST OFFICE IN MY FUTURE

My author copies arrived today. After the DH and I picked them up at my brother's house, I couldn't get anything accomplished. I had to check every box to make sure my babies were okay and that someone else's babies hadn't been substituted. Okay, I didn't go over every book, but I did peek inside the first two or three rows in each box and all appears to be well. They did survive the ride over.

Anyway, I was admiring the babies so much and so distracted, I couldn't do lots of the things I still need doing, like getting letters ready to send out for reviews, and lots more, way too much to mention.

Anyway, I hope to get one or two letters ready during the week, but Saturday is the target day for dropping off the main bulk of them. Watch out, post office, here I come!

Crazy times

I'm not posting as much here lately because I've got so much going on. It's been kind of organized bedlam lately. All sorts of summer doings to attend. I don't want to disappoint the DH by not partipating, though it takes time away from the production of Killer Career.

All kinds of kinks for Killer Career being worked out, since I want my baby to be perfect.

In the works is a Blog Book Tour, which I plan to start on August 15. When it's all finalized, I'll be posting the topics and sites here.

Gotta go to a birthday party now.
Morgan

KILLER CAREER Already at Barnes & Noble.Com

Just for the heck of it, I went over to Barnes and Noble.com and searched for Morgan Mandel

Killer Career Came Up!

I'm not sure if orders can be taken yet, but it looks like they can! Here's the link if anyone wants to try:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Killer-Career/Morgan-Mandel/e/9780981991603/?itm=1


If you do order, be sure to let us know how you like it.

Morgan Mandel

Is that Funny, or What?

Catch the second comment on the top post at http://choiceonepublishing.com. Is that funny, or what? Goes to show it's a small world.

Morgan

Dressing your husband? What does it mean?

Check out She dresses her husband at http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com and let us know your thoughts here,there or both places.
Thanks,
Morgan Mandel

Letting Go of Baby

Last night I checked over the second proof for Killer Career and had to make a tough decision. Should I let my baby walk on her own two feet or hold onto her longer? I'm calling her a girl, since that's what's on the cover.

I'd already restrained baby once when I'd found little things here and there that weren't exactly right. Was it time for her to face the world?

Knowing she has to sink or swim sooner or later, I clicked the box to approve the proof and let go of baby. Now she's on her own, but she'll be visiting me with plenty of author copies to make available for reviews, family and friends, as well as special doings which require me to bring her along. I know I can never really let go of her, although I do hope she can stand on her own merits and make a name for herself.

For more about Killer Career, if you haven't done so already, please go to http://choiceonepublishing.com

Choice One Publishing Co.

Please check the current posts at Choice One Publishing Co. http://choiceonepublishing.com for info about my soon to be released romantic suspense, Killer Career.

You'll also find an image of the villain, plus an excerpt from the first chapter.

As always, comments are welcome here or there.

Thanks,
Morgan

Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, IL

All over the news in our area is a horrific true story about unfeeling employees who actually dug up the remains of people buried at Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois, dismembered them and hid them elsewhere. The bodies of some of these loved ones may likely never be recovered. This secretive scheme was done so the plots could be sold to others.

My heart goes out to the families of these loved ones. For more about this travesty, here's the link to the story in the Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-090529-burr-oak-cemetery-pictures,0,2332072.photogallery

If it doesn't come up for you, just go to www.chicago.tribune.com.

This is the sort of thing you might read about in a horror story, but to think it actually happened in real life is dumbfounding. I wonder what makes people do such things. Is money that important?

Scary Hide and Seek Story

While listening to the radio this morning, I heard a story abut a little girl who was playing hide and seek. Nobody could find her because she had such a great hiding place. The family then decided to have their dog look for her. She was discovered safe and sound in a drawer under the dryer. I was glad to hear of the happy ending.

Not to trivialize the event, but I can't help drawing analogies to what some authors do. They write great novels which remain hidden in great spots, like online, at distributors, in book catalogs. Nobody can find these books. That's because the authors don't market.

Writing takes time and effort, but so does promoting. Don't hide something you should be proud of. Get out there and let people know about it.

What about you? Do you write and hide it or do you promote? If you do promote, what methods do you use? Please share.

The Hesitation Waltz is over at Blood Red

Find out what the Hesitation Waltz is all about at The Blood Red, http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com

Hint - It's not a dance.

As always, comments are welcome, here or there.