Recap for Week Ending March 24 & Preview of Next Week

Since I've been hard at work on my sequel to Forever Young: Blessing or Curse, and also keeping up with my group blogs, I'm not over here as much as I'd like to be.

That being the case, I'm offering a weekly recap and preview of the following week here as often as I get a chance to do so. This is your opportunity to catchup, if you haven't seen any of these posts by myself and my guests and see what's coming up.

Next week on Sweet Not Spicy - Roseanne Dowell, on Acme Authors Link - Jean Henry Mead, and on Spunky Senior Authors and Talents - Carolynn Carey

THIS PAST WEEK -
TUESDAY, March 20, 2012 at Sweet Not Spicy
My Guest, Alicia Rasley, Offered a Valuable Writing Technique & Shared Information about her Sweet, Discreet Romance, Allegra's Song at
http://sweetnotspicy.blogspot.com/2012/03/romance-author-alicia-rasley-shares.html

Also, on TUESDAY, March 20, 2012 at The Blood-Red Pencil
I shared my experiences about self-publishing through Lightning Source and Amazon and received varied responses from others who either like self-publisher or prefer not going through the hassle at
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2012/03/is-self-publishing-way-to-go.html

WEDNESDAY, March 21, 2012, at Acme Authors Link,
I posted about those Pesky Little Details at
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/2012/03/pesky-little-details.html

THURSDAY, March 22, 2012, I welcomed my Guest, Romance Author, Mary Marvella
http://spunkyseniors.blogspot.com/2012/03/please-welcome-spunky-senior-romance.html

You're invited to stop by any of these blogs, read them and leave comments if you wish.

Morgan Mandel
Check http://morgansbooklinks.blogspot.com/ for excerpts and links to my books, available everywhere electronically.
Or, come on over to my Amazon Central profile and find links and more about my books there.

Forever Young: Blessing or Curse Blog Book Tour Compilation

Here is the Complete List of All the Stops From the Blog Book Tour for my paranormal romantic thriller, Forever Young: Blessing or Curse by Morgan Mandel.

Thanks to Everyone Who Followed Along With Me During the Tour, and I Invite Anyone Who Couldn't Make the Tour Then, to Stop by Any of the Posts That Are of Interest to You..

I appreciate your support more than I can say!



TWO WARM-UP POSTS
FRIDAY, Dec. 16, 2012
http://jungleredwriters.com/
Permalink: http://www.jungleredwriters.com/2011/12/time-and-again.html
Host: Hank Phillippi Ryan
Topic: Time - - and Again – What It Would be Like to be Young Again – including a photo from when I was young.

THURSDAY, Dec. 29, 2012
http://dragonmyfeet.wordpress.com/
Permalink: http://dragonmyfeet.wordpress.com/2011/12/29/excerpt-from-forever-young-blessing-or-curse-by-morgan-mandel/
Host: Pat Bertram
Topic: First Chapter Excerpt Shared

OFFICIAL START OF BLOG BOOK TOUR
THURSDAY, Jan. 5, 2012,
http://spunkyseniors.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://spunkyseniors.blogspot.com/2012/01/spunky-morgan-mandel-tours-about.html
Host: My Group Blog
Topic: Kickoff of Official Blog Book Tour with a pic from when I had a figure, a little about the book and the tour.

MONDAY, Jan. 9, 2012
http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2012/01/guest-blogger-morgan-mandel-author-of.html
Host: Cheryl Malandrinos
Topic: Them Bones, Them Bones...

TUESDAY, Jan.10, 2012
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2012/01/why-would-anyone-do-such-thing.html
Host: I’m a Member of This Group Blog
Topic: Why Would Anyone Do Such a Thing?

THURSDAY, Jan. 12, 2012
http://circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/2012/01/do-looks-matter-with-morgan-mandel.html
Host: L. Diane Wolfe
Topic: Do Looks Matter?

TUESDAY, Jan. 17, 2012
DOUBLE HEADER DAY - Same Post at Two of Albert Ross’s blogs:
http://albertaross.wordpress.com/
Permalink: http://albertaross.wordpress.com/2012/01/16/red-carpet-dayforever-young/
Host: Alberta Ross
Topic: Wrinkles, Weight, Grey Hair, Spider and Varicose Veins – What Fun!

http://sefutychronicles-albertaross.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://sefutychronicles-albertaross.blogspot.com/2012/01/red-carpet-day-forever-young.html
Host: Alberta Ross
Topic: Wrinkles, Weight, Grey Hair, Spider and Varicose Veins - What Fun!

FRIDAY, Jan. 20, 2012
http://bobsanchez1.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://bobsanchez1.blogspot.com/2012/01/am-i-old-yet.html
Host: Bob Sanchez
Topic: Am I old yet?

SUNDAY, Jan. 22, 2012
http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/2012/01/book-review-forever-young-blessing-or.html
Review by Maryann Miller

MONDAY, Jan. 23, 2012
http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/2012/01/monday-morning-musings_23.html
Intro by Maryann Miller on her Monday Musings

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25, 2012
http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/2012/01/wednesdays-guest-morgan-mandel.html
Host: Maryann Miller
Topic: The Fountain of Youth Myth, with Excerpt including reference to Fountain of Youth

FRIDAY, Jan. 27, 2012
http://candidcanine.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://candidcanine.blogspot.com/2012/01/welcome-morgan-mandel-author-of-forever.html
Host: Chris Verstraete
Interview, including a shocking happening from my own life, Plus an excerpt relating to how I used it in my book

MONDAY, Jan. 30, 2012
http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com/
Permalink: http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/what-was-life-like-before-an-iphone/
Host: Heidi M. Thomas
Topic: What Was Life Like Before an iPhone?

TUESDAY: Jan. 31, 2012
http://www.jennymilchman.com/
Permalink: http://www.jennymilchman.com/blog/?p=2116
Host: Jenny Milchman
Topic: My Made It Moment

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1, 2012
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/2012/02/name-one-method-to-promote-book.html
Host: My Group Blog
Topic: Name One Method to Promote A Book

MONDAY, February 6, 2012
http://ascamacho.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://ascamacho.blogspot.com/2012_02_01_archive.html#7815048673197469077
Host: Austin S. Camacho
Topic: How Long Did it Take to Write This Book

THURSDAY, Feb. 9, 2012
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2012/02/ageless-love.html
Host: My Editor, Helen Ginger (We are both members of this blog)
Topic: Interview by Helen – How Love Plays a Role In My Book & Other Questions

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 15, 2012
http://lesleatash.com/
Permalink: http://lesleatash.com/post/17655104984/writer-wednesday-welcomes-morgan-mandel
Host: Leslea Tash
Topic: Are Your Friends the Same Age as You?

FRIDAY, Feb. 24, 2012
http://heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com/2012/02/todays-friday-friend-morgan-mandel.html
Host: Paula Martin
Topic: Would You Take an Experimental Medicine?

AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS TOUR, I WILL STILL BE STOPPING OFF AT OTHER BLOGS AS A GUEST NOW & THEN. I'll let you know when I do.

New Year, New Book, New Tour



Forever Young: Blessing or Curse -
Thriller on Kindle & Smashwords.

To start the New Year out right for my brand new book, Forever Young: Blessing or Curse, I'm plunging into a Blog Book Tour. Most, if not all of the spots are lined up, with a few testing-the-waters visits already concluded.

If you wish to follow along, and I hope you do for at least a few, you'll find the entire list at the top of the sidebar to your right. Click any of them on the day of, or even after the date they appear, and you can see what's going on.

In case you're wondering what the posts will be about, I've listed some of the topics I'm covering below:



THURSDAY, January 5, 2012,
http://spunkyseniors.blogspot.com/

Permalink:
http://spunkyseniors.blogspot.com/2012/01/spunky-morgan-mandel-tours-about.html
Topic: Kickoff of Official Blog Book Tour.

See a pic of what I looked like when I had a figure,
and learn a little about the book and tour.

MONDAY, January 9, 2012
http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/
Permalink:
http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2012/01/guest-blogger-morgan-mandel-author-of.html
Topic: Them Bones, Them Bones...

TUESDAY, January 10, 2012
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/
Permalink:
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2012/01/why-would-anyone-do-such-thing.html
Why Would Anyone Do Such a Thing?

THURSDAY, January 12, 2012
http://circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/
Permalink:
http://circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/2012/01/do-looks-matter-with-morgan-mandel.html
Do Looks Matter?

TUESDAY, January 17, 2012
Double Header - Same Post
http://albertaross.wordpress.com/
Permalink: http://albertaross.wordpress.com/2012/01/16/red-carpet-dayforever-young/

http://sefutychronicles-albertaross.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://sefutychronicles-albertaross.blogspot.com/2012/01/red-carpet-day-forever-young.html
Wrinkles, Weight, Grey Hair, Spider  and Varicose Veins - What Fun!

FRIDAY, January 20, 2012
http://bobsanchez1.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://bobsanchez1.blogspot.com/2012/01/am-i-old-yet.html
Am I old yet?

Blog Book Tour Stops This Week & Special Kindle & Smashwords Price For Tour

The Blog Book Tour Continues For Forever Young: Blessing or Curse
Blog Book Tour Special at Amazon on Kindle & Smashwords - Now $1.99 (Other venues will take longer for the new amount to kick in) 

See http://morgansbooklinks.blogspot.com/ for all venues

If you missed the beginning of my continuing Blog Book Tour for Forever Young: Blessing or Curse, you can find all the permalinks, plus the entire schedule to date in the righthand column.

Here are some immediate stops:


FRIDAY, January 20, 2012

http://bobsanchez1.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://bobsanchez1.blogspot.com/2012/01/am-i-old-yet.html
Am I old yet?

SUNDAY, January 22, 2012
http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/2012/01/book-review-forever-young-blessing-or.html
Review by Maryann Miller

MONDAY, January 23, 2012
http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/2012/01/monday-morning-musings_23.html
Intro by Maryann Miller


WEDNESDAY, January 25, 2012
http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/2012/01/wednesdays-guest-morgan-mandel.html
Topic: Excerpt & Topic: Fountain of Youth Myth

FRIDAY, January 27, 2012
http://candidcanine.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://candidcanine.blogspot.com/2012/01/welcome-morgan-mandel-author-of-forever.html
Interview, including a shocking happening, Plus an excerpt to show how it was included in the book

Forever Young: Blessing or Curse Now In Print, Plus More Blog Book Tour Stops

I'm excited to report that I did conquer CreateSpace and now Forever Young: Blessing or Curse is also available In Print. For those who like the feel of paper in their hands, you can order a copy by going to this link. Now, my new release is on Kindle, Nook, iTunes, Kobo, Diesel, Smashwords, Sony, and even in the UK!

I'm still plugging along on my Blog Book Tour. Listed below are some recent stops, and upcoming ones. As usual, I include the blog link, then later the permalinks after they become available, so feel free to click any of the old posts if a topic interests you. You'll find the entire list on the right sidebar, also more easily read details here in the main section. Hope some of you can stop by.


Heidi M. Thomas Blog - Monday, Jan. 30, 2012
http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com/
Permalink: http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/what-was-life-like-before-an-iphone/
Topic: What Was Life Like Before an iPhone?

Jenny Milchman's Suspense Your Disbelief - Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012
http://www.jennymilchman.com/
Permalink: http://www.jennymilchman.com/blog/?p=2116
Topic: My Made It Moment

Acme Authors Link - Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/2012/02/name-one-method-to-promote-book.html
Topic: Name One Method to Promote A Book

Austin S. Camacho's Another Writer's Life - Monday, Feb. 6, 2012
http://ascamacho.blogspot.com/
Topic: How Long Did It Take to Write This Book?

Helen Ginger, My Editor, Interviews Me At The Blood-Red Pencil - Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/
Topic: How Love Plays a Role in My Book & Other Questions

More Blog Stops

Current Blog Book Tour Stops for Forever Young: Blessing or Curse:

My Blog Book Tour for Forever Young: Blessing or Curse is moving right along.
This is the paranormal romantic thriller about a widow who takes a pill to turn her from 55 to 24, but may not live to regret it.

On Kindle and in Print, Available anywhere else you can imagine. Complete list of buylinks is at http://morganmandel.blogspot.com/



Monday, February 6, 2012
Austin S. Camacho's blog - A Writer's Life
http://ascamacho.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://ascamacho.blogspot.com/2012_02_01_archive.html#7815048673197469077
Topic: How Long Did it Take to Write This Book

Thursday, February 9, 2012
Helen Ginger Hosting at The Blood-Red  Pencil
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2012/02/ageless-love.html
Topic: My Editor, Helen Ginger,  Interviews Me

Check sidebar for permalinks to past posts of interest.

The Last Few Blog Book Tour Stops

My Blog Book Tour for Forever Young: Blessing or Curse is winding down. Since this is the week for Valentine's Day, you still have time to get the Valentine's Special, lasting through Saturday, Feb. 17, 2012, where this book on Kindle is sale priced at only 99 cents.
Here's the link for the deal: http://amzn.com/B006MO28CQ

The last two stops are on:
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
Details below.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012
The Fabulousness - http://lesleatash.com/
Permalink: http://lesleatash.com/post/17655104984/writer-wednesday-welcomes-morgan-mandel
Topic: Are Your Friends the Same Age as You?

Friday, February 24, 2012
As Paula Martin's Guest on Heroines With Hearts
http://heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com/
Permalink: #ff @MorganMandel
http://heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com/2012/02/todays-friday-friend-morgan-mandel.html
Topic: Would You Take an Experimental Medicine?

Christmas Decorations & People Gone, But Not Forgotten



These two wreaths are gone now



By now, you may have heard of the Great Flood of July 23, the one which blessed us with about seven inches of water in our basement. I spent a goodly amount of time cleaning up the mess, throwing ruined items away, drying others, washing others, sorting countless photos which got wet.

I thought I was through.



This wreath is also gone

Little did I know when I went downstairs (late to start decorating because I'd been finishing Forever Young: Blessing or Curse) to my horror I discovered I'd missed two containers of carefully packed away Christmas decorations, which had tipped over in the flood, and somehow trapped water inside. As soon as I opened the cartons, I had to shut them fast, then go outside with garbage bags, and wearing gloves, removed what was inside for the garbage.

I only managed to salvage two items, which were ceramic and could be sanitized. Fortunately, I do have photos from prior years to remember my decorations by. Still, they're not the same as the real thing.

It reminds me of other losses that can't be replaced, which have occurred in my family, and everyone's. Those are the people near and dear to us. Only memories and photos are left, instead of the real thing. I'm grateful for those who are still with me -- my husband and family, my friends, both off and online, and my little buddy, Rascal.

A Great Big Thanks to everyone who has enriched my life!

Forever Young: Blessing or Curse is Now on Kindle

It took me a while, but I've finally done it! Forever Young: Blessing or Curse just got released today on Kindle! Smashwords will follow.

Buy Link: http://tinyurl.com/6tsntn6

This is the story of the 55 year old widow whose husband had been killed in a hit and run accident. In desperation, she takes a pill to be 24 forever, then finds out the pill isn't all it's cracked up to be. Her husband knew that. Was his death really an accident?

FIRST CHAPTER EXCERPT:
A limp object lay sprawled in the parking lot where Dorrie was to meet her husband. It looked like, no it couldn’t be...


Pulse pounding, she hit the brakes and flung open the door. A few steps, and she stood staring in disbelief at her husband’s still form. That red streak didn’t belong in Larry’s salt and pepper hair, nor should it mar his olive skinned cheeks, and trickle onto his white cotton shirt.

She groped in her purse for the smartphone. Fingers shaking, she dialed 911. “There’s been an accident at the Life is for Living Institute. I need an ambulance. Hurry, please.”

A helpless feeling engulfed her. If only she knew first aid, but in all her fifty-five years, she’d never bothered to learn. She had to do something, but what? Bending down, knees scraping the asphalt, she touched her husband’s hand. “Larry, it’s all right. I’m here.” She wanted to be brave for him, but couldn’t keep her voice from quavering.

He whispered something she couldn’t catch, something about his iPhone.

“I found it on the nightstand, Larry. It’s right here in my purse.”

“Dorrie, I want you to keep it. Something’s…on it,” he gasped.

She bent closer. “I know honey, all those songs and photos. They mean a lot to me, too. Don’t worry, when we get home tonight, we’ll share them together.”

“No, more…Life is for Living isn’t…Forever Young isn’t…”

He struggled to speak, but his voice faded in and out. He probably shouldn’t talk. Where was that ambulance? Her husband needed help.

Larry flashed a weak smile and looked straight into her eyes. “Love ya,” he whispered.

Stifling a sob, she completed the ritual. “Love ya, back.” In their thirty years of marriage, how often had they said those words to each other?

His lips stilled. His hand slackened. His brown eyes stared unseeingly, as his face froze into a smile.

This can’t be happening. Larry, you can’t leave me. It’s too soon.

Blood rushed to her head. Roaring filled her ears. Larry couldn’t be gone. She’d prove it. Dorrie bent to kiss his lips. They felt warm and soft. He must be alive. Soon the ambulance would come, the paramedics would fix him, and he’d be all right.

She glanced again at Larry’s still form. The truth hit, sucking her breath away. She didn’t need a medical examiner to tell her what she could see with her own eyes. Larry had left and would never return. Her stomach convulsed, her chest heaved with sobs.

It shouldn’t end like this, not in the middle of a parking lot. Larry deserved better. So did she.

FOR MORE, ORDER FROM http://tinyurl.com/6tsntn6

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel

Two Wrongs is Now on Kindle & Smashwords for 99 cents

Two Wrongs by Morgan Mandel

Finally, Two Wrongs has been re-released on Kindle & Smashwords for 99 cents each.

This is my debut mystery set in Chicago, with the climax happening in the Christmas Season.

For more, and an excerpt, please hop over to
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/2011/12/two-wrongs-now-on-kindle-and-smashwords.html

Or follow these links for Kindle
And Smashwords 

Soon, Very Soon

I've ignored this blog for a while in favor of getting my books ready. Soon, Very Soon, my debut mystery, Two Wrongs, will be out again in Kindle and Smashwords for 99 cents.

Forever Young: Blessing or Curse, my new thriller,

will also be out on Kindle and Smashwords, at

the slightly higher price of $2.99,

since it's a brand new baby!

In the meantime, for romantic comedy fans, my re-release of Girl of My Dreams is still available for 99 cents in Kindle and Smashwords.








Still available on Kindle and Smashwords for 99 cents is my romantic suspense, Killer Career.
Also in print at Amazon for $13.95.

Girl of My Dreams is Now on Kindle and Smashwords!

My re-release of Girl of My Dreams is now finally on Kindle and Smashwords, both at the very low price of 99 cents.

It took me a while to figure everything out, but I did it!

Before I get too smug with myself, I have to remember I still have more work to do. Forever Young: Blessing or Curse is in the very final editing stage. Maybe I can have it ready to go up before Thanksgiving. (fingers crossed)


My re-release of Two Wrongs is also waiting in the wings. I'm hoping that will go smoothly, since it was already published before. Also, I did take notes this time around about things I really need to remember, so I'm hoping that will help.

Of course, my work won't be over after that, because I do have a sequel to Forever Young: Blessing or Curse which needs finishing. It's about one-third done. This one will probably be called Blessing or Curse: A Forever Young Anthology, and it tells what happens to some of the other test market subjects who take the young pill.

My editor has also suggested another sequel starring my original heroine. I'll have to see if I can rustle up enough dire happenings to make another book worthwhile about her.

Now that I'm psyched up, I think I'll hop over and try to update my website. That will be a project and a half. (g)

Kindle Buy Link, For only 99 cents  - http://tinyurl.com/84rhje7

Smashwords Buy Link, For only 99 cents - http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/104525

What's Going On

I haven't spent too much time on this blog. That's because I've been enormously busy getting ready my thriller, Forever Young-Blessing or Curse. Right now it's with my editor, Helen Ginger, but I'm not sitting around in the meantime.

Since I received the rights back to my debut mystery, Two Wrongs, and my romantic comedy, Girl of My Dreams, with the aid of Stephen Walker of S.R. Walker Designs, I have some great, new covers. I'm almost through getting Girl of My Dreams ready for its second chance in the sun, with only a few tweaks to go, before tackling the electronic formatting for Kindle and Smashwords. I chose Girl of My Dreams to work on first, because it's shorter, and I wanted the good feeling of a job accomplished.

It's all a giant puzzle, which I hope will come together very soon!

Please Welcome My Guest, Anne Kelleher, Author of How David Met Sarah

                                                                                    

Anne Kelleher is sixteen years older than her brother, and is the author of 11 previously published novels in addition to How David Met Sarah. Anne holds a degree from Johns Hopkins University and has studied English literature at the University of Connecticut. A gifted intuitive medium, Anne helps others connect to inner guidance and deceased loved ones. The mother of four and grandmother of two, Anne lives and writes in Connecticut, surrounded by a large circle of family and friends.

And now, something about her latest book...

Reading specialists, special education teachers and librarians agree that there are no other titles like this available. How David Met Sarah, the first in a series of five books written for intellectually or developmentally disabled individuals, uses vocabulary appropriate for a third-grade reading level.

David is a young man who works in a mailroom and lives at home with his parents. When a young woman named Sarah moves to his neighborhood and begins to attend his church, David believes she’s the girl of his dreams. First, however, he has to figure out to meet her.

David’s carefully structured world seems to contain all sorts of roadblocks, but David is determined to get to know the girl with the long red hair. Through a series of adventures (and a few misadventures) that illustrate the challenges and rewards of life as a differently-abled person, David indeed gets his wish at the end of this first installment in the series: David and Sarah are well on their way to becoming good friends.

And What Anne has to say about it...

How David Met Sarah is totally different from any of my other previously published eleven novels. I wrote the story for my 36 year old brother who has Down Syndrome. He reads at a third grade level but doesn't enjoy stories for third graders. How David Met Sarah is both content and reading level appropriate for someone with my brother's limited reading skills. However, what has truly delighted me is the way the story offers insights into the world of the developmentally disabled to the average-level reader.

I was inspired to write the story because I wanted my brother to have the experience of something that has always been an important part of my life: a good story well told. In order that my brother identify with the main character, I used the broad outlines of my brother's life as the starting point: like the main character David, the real David does work in a mailroom, he lives at home with my parents, and he did fall in love with a girl with long beautiful hair.

As a writer, what was interesting to me was that the story and its sequels are no easier to write than any of my other novels. Initially I had no plan to share the story with anyone other than my brother. When I shared it on a whim with a critique group, because I had nothing else to bring, I was amazed by the positive response. My brother loves his story. We both hope everyone else will, too.

That is fascinating, Anne.

Blog Followers, if you'd like to read her book, or know someone who might benefit from reading it, here's the link:

http://www.amazon.com/How-David-Met-Sarah-ebook/dp/B005SMBFHM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1319115196&sr=1-1

For more from Anne, visit:

http://howdavidmetsarah.blogspot.com/

Please leave a comment to welcome Anne today. 

Happy Halloween

Good Paul

  




Morgan Mandel


Some pics of me and Good Paul with our costumes at the Festival Committee recognition dinner, plus some other members with their costumes. I don't know all their names.

Nemo James Reveals the Hidden Music World in His New Book

Book Spotlight - Just a Few Seconds, A Story From the Hidden World of Music and Beyond

Nemo James dreamt of becoming a professional musician from the first time he picked up a guitar following a talent content disaster. Thought of by his friends as being the person most likely to make the big time he turned professional but was continually side tracked by the need to earn a living from music.

His journey takes him all over the world from private gigs for the rich and famous to the roughest pubs. Starting in the late sixties when heavy rock was born, through to the 1980’s and 90’s when discos and electronics decimated live music dance halls.

Just a Few Seconds is an amusing and heartrending story of perseverance showing how the road to success can lead us down the strangest of paths. Just A Few Seconds is a story of one man’s experience in the music business. It is an amusing and true story of a successful freelance musician whose gigs ranged from private parties to the very rich and famous to the roughest London pubs where playing the wrong song at the wrong time meant the difference between life and death. He takes more twists, turns and knocks than a mouse trapped in a pinball machine but the ending shows how the road to success can lead us down the strangest and most desolate of paths. If you are looking for the usual rock star memoirs full of sex drugs and rock and roll then this book is not for you, but if you are interested in a unique insight into the music business that reads like a thriller then this book won’t disappoint.

Here's what Nemo has to say about the inspiration for his book:

Although I was a successful musician, composing was my real love and after 30 years of being unable to a make a living from my compositions I had dug myself into such a huge rut that I knew I had to change my life drastically. Before deciding on what direction my new life should take I had a strong compulsion to write everything down that had happened to me in my old one. I suppose it was a kind of closure from the past and avoidance of the future. This happened twelve years ago during a tour of Switzerland when I had to drive hundreds of miles between gigs and it was during those long drives I practically wrote the whole book in my head. Having spend so many years memorizing everything from thousands of song lyrics to complicated classical guitar solos I was fortunate in being able to remember everything vividly. A year later I finished the final draft and tried to find a publisher but although a couple of them called to say how much they liked it they said it was impossible to sell autobiographies written by unknown musicians and to get back to them when I became famous. I was well aware of how slim were the chances of getting published but it was my last resort so that rejection forced me to look for a new life. It seemed extraordinary to me that the requirement for getting an autobiography published was not good writing and an interesting life but having a record in the charts.


In Just A Few Seconds I wanted to write about what life is like for the 99% of musicians that don’t become rich and famous but still earn a good living often working for the rich and famous. The most interesting stories I have to tell are not about backing artists like Tom Jones and Cliff Richards or playing at private parties for Sheik Yamani or the Aga Khan but stories about holiday camp epidemics, strippers with flatulence and being the cause of US military personnel being Court Martialed. It is amazing how music is such a huge part of everyone’s life and yet so little is known about the ordinary working musicians who supply that music.

12 years later I finally got my big break and so came to live in this beautiful seaside village near Dubrovnik in Croatia. I had the time to return to my book and was determined to publish it even if I had to do it myself. I contacted one of the many publishers that published my music and he advised me not to bother with traditional publishing but to go down the self publishing route. This made sense as for years it has been necessary for bands and songwriters to produce their own albums. Record companies love it because it removes a lot of the risk of signing unknown bands as the band has already produced an album and shown there is a market for their music. I needed to publish my own book and prove there was a market for it and then hopefully a mainstream publisher would offer a solid deal as opposed to small publishers whose only real commitment is to get the book in print.

The more I looked into self publishing the more surprised I was at how sophisticated it had become. I was fortunate in having the I.T. skills to physically produce the book and some loyal fans of my music who offered professional editing and advice so the whole process was plain sailing. I released Just A Few Seconds in February this year and have already been approached by a publisher although it was a small company who were unable to make a firm commitment on promotion so I had the luxury of turning them down. All I have to do now is sit back and dream while I wait for the bidding war. The longer I wait, the longer I get to enjoy the dream.

Amazon Paperback Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Just-Few-Seconds-James-Nemo/dp/0956798608/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319654177&sr=8-2

Kindle Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Just-A-Few-Seconds-ebook/dp/B004T3FCAW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319654177&sr=8-1

Other Ebook Versions can be purchased from Nemo’s store at

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nemojames

Born and based in England, Nemo James worked as a professional musician and singer/songwriter for more than 30 years. He now lives in Croatia with his wife Federika and their cat Jutko who is becoming intolerable following his rise to fame on Youtube.

Visit Nemo James at his website http://www.nemojames.com/
Find Nemo James at his tour page at Pump Up Your Book
Watch his videos at You Tube

Please welcome Nemo James to Double M by leaving a comment for him.

Who Has 99 Cents Books?

I've been busy getting my work in progress edited, and have neglected my blog here lately. Still, today I saw a question on the Book Spa Friends egroup which I thought could use some attention.

It was Who Has 99 Cents Books?

I invite anyone with a book selling for 99 cents to let us know and leave a link.

Mine is Killer Career, about the lawyer whose career change could be deadly for her and the man she's come to love. Here's the Amazon kindle link:

http://www.amazon.com/Killer-Career-ebook/dp/B002PDOPPG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318883582&sr=8-1

It's also at Smashwords for 99 cents at

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21007

Do you have a 99 cents book or know someone who does?

My Guest, Mystery Author, Marilyn Meredith, Tells Us About Changes in the Writing World

THINGS KEEP CHANGING IN THE WRITING WORLD, according to my guest today, Mystery Author, Marilyn Meredith. Here's what she has to say:



Marilyn Meredith


I’ve been at this longer than most and I’ve seen a lot of changes in the writing world, enough to know that nothing ever stays the same.

When I first started writing, I did it in long hand then transcribed it on a typewriter. So I would have copies when I began with a new page, it was paper, carbon paper (had to be sure to put it facing the right direction), and another piece of paper. It was awhile before copying machines came along.

When sending out a manuscript, I had to have two boxes, one with my return address and postage to put inside the larger box so that my manuscript would come back to me if it was rejected. After all, I didn’t want to type all 500 words over again.

Eventually, I would have to retype the manuscript, though, because after being sent out and returned from about five different publishers, it would become rather shop-worn: bent pages, coffee stains, and smelling like cigarette smoke. When I retyped I often also rewrote. (By the way, my first book was rejected nearly 30 times before it found a home.)

Electronic typewriters came along, ones with a correction ribbon. Oh, what a wonderful discovery. By this time, there were also outfits that had copying machines, so for about 5 cents a page, I could get a copy of my manuscript.

Personal computers were the biggest gift to a writer yet. My first one had two places for floppy disks—and these were big and really floppy—one was for the program being used, the other for your story. Neither held very many words. To learn how to use it, the fellow who sold it to me had to come to my house—he also received a lot of phone calls from me.

I have no idea how many other computers I’ve had since then—each one far better than the one before it. You could even have your own printer, copier and fax included.

The next great change was the Internet and email. Sending a whole manuscript via an attachment to e-mail was wonderful! Think of all the paper I saved. Wow!

The first notion of e-books came along about then—10 years or so ago. I had an e-book published before there was such a thing as an e-reader. Not only did that mean anyone buying the book had to read it on a computer, but purchasing it was not easy. The Rocket e-Reader came along and it was great. Ebooks were easily purchased and downloaded. And of course everyone knows how the ebook revolution has taken over with all sorts of eReaders available. Not only that, people can publish their trade paperbacks and their own e-books in various ways

I recently heard that for 150 ebooks are being purchased for every 100 paper books.

Change is coming faster than ever before and it makes me wonder what’s next.



Bears With Us by
Marilyn Meredith

 My latest book is Bears With Us and Deputy Tempe Crabtree has her hands full when bears turn up in and around Bear Creek, a young teen commits suicide and his parents’ actions are suspicious, a prominent woman files a complaint against Tempe and her preacher husband Hutch, a love affair from long ago comes to light, and a woman suffering from dementia disappears.

Available from the publisher as a trade paperback and most e-book formats at: http://mundania.com/book.php?title=Bears+With+Us/

The link at Amazon is

http://www.amazon.com/Bears-Us-Marilyn-Meredith/dp/1606592645/


All my books are available as trade paperback and e-books. You can see what I have on my website: http://fictionforyou.com/

My books are also available at Barnes and Noble, and can be ordered through your favorite independent bookstores.

Marilyn Meredith is the author of over thirty published novels, many award winning, including the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series. Writing as F. M. Meredith, her latest Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel is Angel Lost, the third from Oak Tree Press. Marilyn is a member of EPIC, Four chapters of Sisters in Crime, including the Central Coast chapter, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She’s also a been an instructor at many writing conferences including the Maui Writers Retreat, Central Coast Writing Conference and many others.


Visit Marilyn online at http://fictionforyou.com/
and her blog at http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/.

Please leave a comment for Marilyn. Maybe you'd like to mention if you've noticed any changes yourself.

Really Roughing It

I'm sitting on the deck of my cottage in the Northwoods. Inside, along with electricity and running water, I have basic cable TV with remote control, VCR and DVD players, a laptop computer, an iPhone from which I can get email and connect to the Internet, or in the alternative, connect the iPhone to the computer and read it all there. On the end table by the bed sit my hands-free landline phone and clock radio. The kitchen contains a small stove and refrigerator, and running water. The bathroom boasts a toilet and shower.

Coming Soon
Forever Young-
Blessing or Curse

My husband fishes from the pier or takes his motorboat out when weather is permitting. So far on this trip, weather is very much cooperating.

From the campground further down the road, I can see a Fed Ex truck coming out.

Did I mention all the great restaurants nearby, and the casino a little too close for my pocketbook?

It's a wonder in the midst of all this hardship I can actually find the strength to sit down and get any editing done on my thriller, Forever Young-Blessing or Curse. Despite the enormous odds, somehow I'll have to manage.

Tell Us How It Got There

On one of my many walks, I happened to notice a hole in the window of a new house that was for sale. I had a few ideas of how it could have gotten there, but I thought I'd ask you to tell me and everyone how you think a hole in a window could have happened.

Please give a short scenario of how the hole got there - a sentence or two, or if you wish, 1-2 paragraphs.
Later, I'll tell you my theories.

If you like romantic suspense,
Killer Career is 99 cents on
Kindle and Smashwords,
$13.95 in print

Thriller - Forever Young-Blessing
or Curse - almost ready!

Mystery - Two Wrongs coming out
again soon!