My Love Story

Once upon a time, many years ago, a boy and a girl went to kindergarden together, and grade school in Chicago. The boy's and girl's Mom were good friends. Since the boy was born on the Guardian Angel Feast Day, his Mom bought a picture from the girl's Mom at her shop. It was that of a Guardian Angel watching over a small boy and girl as they cross a rickety bridge over rushing water.

When he was in fifth grade, the boy's family moved to the suburbs, while the girl's remained in the City. The boy and girl grew into a young man and woman, entered high school and lived separate lives.

The young man went to college and dated throughout freshman year, as did the young woman. Then one day in sophomore year, the young woman's roommate introduced her to a friend in the school cafeteria. It turned out to be the same boy she'd known years before.

They went steady. Then, over four years later, on Veterans Day in 1972 they got married.

All these years later, 36 to be exact, that same picture, a little faded by now, hangs in the hallway of my home. I was that young woman and my husband was that young man.

Now we're a bit faded also, but still living our love story.

Rascal's New Winter Wear

Rascal's style'n these days with her new fleece jacket with the velcro tabs and the handy little pocket for Mom or Dad to stuff a wallet or keys in on the top, not to mention the two reflective safety strips. Right after we slipped the jacket onto her at Bentley's Corner Barkery in Arlington Heights, she had no problems adjusting to it. She became so nonchalant she even lay down!

New Spot to List Blog Tours

I've been busy most of the day setting up a new spot for blog tour folks to list when and where they have their blog tours.

If you have an upcoming tour or an ongoing one, come on over to include yours at Blog Tour Update, http://blogtourupdate.blogspot.com

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel
http://blogtourupdate.blogspot.com

And the Winner Is....

And the winner of Michele Cameron's novel, Moments of Clarity is JAIME. I've sent her an e-mail asking for her full name and snail mail.

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest. I hope you all enjoyed Michele Cameron's great post. She did a wonderful job.

Morgan Mandel

Meet My Special Guest, Michele Cameron

Contest for Michele's Book, Moments of Clarity - Comment & follow instructions at the bottom of this post to get a chance to win.

I'm excited to present my next guest, Michele Cameron, who speaks from the heart and very eloquently. You don't have to be black to appreciate what her novels are all about. I'll let Michele explain. She does a much better job than I could.

Why Black Women Read Romance Novels

Black women read romance novels because we have to. It is a way for us to escape from the daily pressures of being a strong black woman and sometimes a strong black man and woman. Romance novels are a way for us to connect with sisters that are going through the struggles that we are. Running a household, raising children, often working more than a nine to five, keeping up our physical appearances, and trying to get, or maintain that all elusive everlasting love is a lot of wear and tear on our nerves. But we deal with it. Why? The history of black women is having that ability to juggle and cope with it all. But that gets old… sometimes we need the fantasy. The hope that one day, everything we want, we will have and everything that we need will someday be provided for us.

As we flip through the pages of books that features African American women, it is a way for us to commiserate with our own and feel in the sometimes cruel world that there is a rainbow at the end of the yellow bricked road that we travel. Reading romance that features the sisters is a great thing. It certainly beats channel surfing for a television program that is sprinkled with a sister or brother here or there. Or trying to identify with a television show that supposedly models our families and their lives are only a minor semblance of the world we live in.

I’m the author of two published novels and there are two more on the way. In every book that I write, I have one main goal and that is to make my readers feel a kinship with the heroine as she goes through her trials and tribulations. All of my heroines have great sex. They have the kind of sex that once you have it, you never forget it, and after each and every time you have some not so good sex, you remember the good old days with nostalgia. In every novel that I write, my main characters have flaws and they grow from the inside out. I would love one day for some good looking millionaire with high standards to save me, but in the meantime, I’ll make my own way and live vicariously through books about people that like me do the best they can with what they have.

In Never Say Never, the heroine, Desiree Diamond is tired of being taken for granted by her man. Who isn’t? She had a set image of what her future husband would look like and how their life would be. Who doesn’t? But then she got her heart broken. Who hasn’t? She’s totally taken off guard when she realizes that she is deeply in love with … A White Man! Who wouldn’t be? But the novel deals with other issues because one of the characters in the novels was sexually harassed. Who hasn’t been?

My second novel , Moments of Clarity…is about Sasha Diamond, Desiree’s sister who readers met in Never Say Never. Sasha is totally disillusioned by men when she finds out her long time relationship is a complete sham and she doesn’t even really know the man she’s been sleeping with. Then she meets real true love, but her best friend is jealous and tries to mess it up for her. Has that ever happened to any of you? Even though I can’t see your raised hands I know they’re out there. But this novel has a lot more than that. It deals with foster care and the adoption system in America and having faith in yourself and your man when it appears that you have no choice but to let him go.

My third novel is titled When Lightning Strike! will be released August 2009. Grace Foxfire is in love with two men and they are both deeply in love with her. Now if that’s not lightning striking, I don’t know what is. The social issues in this novel give background to the civil rights movement in a small town, Lake City South Carolina. It also deals with forgiving your parents when they weren’t the best because if you truly do that, you can move on and ultimately be the winner as you make better choices than they did.

My fourth novel titled Unclear and Present Danger will be released February 2010. The main character, Solange Montgomery has a stalker. Have you ever had a stalker? Loosely translated, that’s an ex that shows up where you are and at first you think that it’s a coincidence. How about the hanging up phone calls that you get in the middle of the night or the animosity you encounter when you bump into your ex because you left when he obliquely insinuated while you were dating that, ‘you are not the one.’ This novel also deals with racism in America. The heroine is black and the male lead is an Arab-American and even before the war in Iraq, there was an undercurrent of fear or suspicion when people were forced to interface with those people.

As an author, my goal is to give lovers of romance some enjoyable hours of pleasure and once you turn the last page of one of my books, you feel crestfallen because you’ve finished the novel. If I can accomplish that, then I’ll feel a personal satisfaction that no one or nothing can take away from me.

Michele Cameron
http://michelecameron.blog.com/

BIO

Michele Cameron, a native of Bridgeport Connecticut is a graduate of the Danbury High School Connecticut school system.
She is a graduate of North Carolina A & T State University in Greensboro with a B.S. degree in professional writing and English Education.
Michele Cameron’s first novel, given a 4 star rating, Never Say Never, was published in January, 2008 and earned her the prestigious title of New Face among African-American writers for the month of January by Romanceincolor.
Her second novel titled Moments of Clarity, received a 5 star rating from Affaire de Coeur and was released October 7, 2008 through Genesis-Press, Inc.
Ms. Cameron’s third novel When Lightning Strikes! will be released August, 2009.
Her fourth novel titled, Unclear and Present Danger will be released February 2010.
Cameron currently teaches Language Arts in Central Florida.
http://www.michelecameronblog.com/

CONTEST: For a chance to win a copy of Michele Cameron's Moments of Clarity, post a comment and also send an e-mail to Morgan Mandel at blogcontests@morganmandel.com

The winner will be notified by e-mail and then asked to provide a snail mail.

Good Luck to all of you, but only one can win.

Interview of Mari Smith, Facebook Diva, by Angela Wilson

Learn the ins and outs of Facebook right here in Angela Wilson's special interview of Facebook Pro, Mary Smith (Photo to the left)


Angela's Comments about Facebook:



Social networking is the key to your writing success. And Facebook is the hottest social network around. Without the clutter of MySpace, Facebook offers easy navigation to help you find fans old and new through friends, groups and fan pages. Through Facebook, you can promote yourself to a more mature demographic - one that reads and has cash to spend. Limiting the number of friends each user can have forces users to target their demographic - a key component to any successful marketing strategy.


Today, I chat it up with Mari Smith, relationship coach and Facebook expert. She has great tips on how to utilize this important social network.

Mari, how did you become a Facebook expert?

My background is as a Relationship Coach. I have certifications in relationship coaching, success coaching and developmental coaching. I've always been fascinating by people and relationships and I have much expertise with many personality assessments. At the same time, since 1999 I've been an internet marketer and have created many successful information products.
I felt I was running a "two-hat" business!


So when I became active on Facebook in July 2007, it was such a natural fit for my personality and skillset because my two worlds merged perfectly: relationships + the internet. I quickly immersed myself in Facebook and before long my peers started asking me to teach them how to get started with the platform.

What are the advantages to using Facebook over other social networking sites?

In my opinion, Facebook is very stable and is here to stay – they will be one of the long-term giants alongside Microsoft and Google. They are rigorous about enforcing their terms of use, their platform has more whitespace and is cleaner/easier to use than likes of MySpace. The demographics show members are more mature (average age is 35), better educated and more quite collar workers.

In addition, Facebook's feeds enable members to create consistent visibility among their friends. Plus, members tend to be more responsive when you reach out to connect via a wall post or email, for example.

What are the disadvantages?

If not approached properly, Facebook can be a huge time-drainer. It's vitally important to have a strategic plan, a way to measure your results, limit your time and delegate some of the activities to a trusted assistant.

Applications are a PAIN, but many feel if they ignore a request, or block an application, that it will hurt their social networking savvy on Facebook. Is that true?

Gosh, not at all. I recommend to my students and clients they make best friends with the "ignore all" button! There are simply way too many applications to worry about using/testing them all. When you ignore a request to add an app, the friend who sent you the request doesn't receive a notification. You can block apps, ignore all app requests from specific friends or just use the ignore all button which seems easiest.

Every day, I get three to five emails from the same groups, or individuals on Facebook. I've finally started deleting without opening, because I simply don't have time to read them all. What should Facebook users know about using the email option in the site?

I'd love to see improvements made to Facebook email. It's possible to email any other member on Facebook unless (a) you've blocked them/they've blocked you or (b) they've set their privacy settings to not receive emails from non-friends. So, you could find yourself receiving a LOT of email the more active and visible you are.

Responding to email is one of the primary tasks my Virtual Assistant helps me with.
Many group members send out excessive emails to the point it feels like spam. The simple solution there is to leave the group. If you're a group owner, keep in mind once a week is probably sufficient – and/or be sure to survey your members and ask them what they want to receive.

Is there a way to send a mass email out to everyone in your Facebook network without typing in each name?

No. This is one of the most popular questions I get. Many marketers want to be able to build a "list" and message them all at once. Facebook wasn't designed to be used this way. You can message up to twenty friends at once – but there's no BCC and the default is "reply all." So, often you may find yourself on the receiving end of an email thread that has no relevance to you.

My recommendation with emailing lists of friends is to only message people who (a) have a pre-existing relationship or (b) the purpose of the email is to introduce them.

The good news, however, is there are workarounds to reaching your friends en masse. Building out your own group is a popular way as is creating a fan Page. Other workarounds, include staying active to maintain a presence in the News Feeds of your friends.

Facebook offers Fan Page and Group options. Tell us about these and how they work.

A Fan Page is one of Facebook's solutions for business. The idea is you build up fans (as opposed to friends on your personal Profile). Everyone in business should for sure create at least one Page for two primary reasons: (1) the Page gets indexed so can be found on search engines and (2) you'll need another place on Facebook to direct people once you hit the 5000 friend limit. With Pages, you can have unlimited fans.

Groups are also a must-have for business owners. I recommend setting one up for a special interest or particular focus of your business, as opposed to a Group just for your business. The nice thing about groups is they are more informal and members tend to be more active than on a page. However, I do recommend having both at least one Group and one Page for starters.

Facebook ads are becoming more frequent. Do they really work?

It depends. I have read stats that show the click through rate is lower on social network ads because members are not in the mode of searching, unlike on Google. However, Facebook's Social Ads can be a powerful way to increase visibility and notoriety. And, with consistent use, over time you may see a significant increase in click throughs. Ads are also good for promoting a one-time event, for example.

How can you make Facebook ads work for you?


Advertise something that is inside Facebook, not outside. For example, your Page, Event or Group. That way, members don't feel like you're trying to sell them something. So, you can use ads to simply build more awareness of your presence on Facebook and then use the Page, Event and/or Group to further build your relationship with your friends.

Can using Facebook mean better sales?

Absolutely. More and more business members are discovering the power of Facebook to reach targeted clients, set up profitable joint venture partnerships, and deepen relationships with key influencers in their industry. All this leads to an increase in sales.


Are contests effective on Facebook? Can they really drive traffic to your site, or increase your number of friends?


It depends on how well executed the contest is. If a contest also includes promotion on your blog, Twitter, YouTube, press releases, ads, interviews etc. then for sure you could increase your friends. However, would they be key targeted individuals? I'm a huge advocate of building out your friends organically, deliberately and strategically. With over 110 million active users and you can only be friends with 5000 of them, why not choose your friends very, very carefully!

How should you consider working your Facebook presence into your marketing campaign?

I would start with a solid blog with a design that reflects your brand. Import your blog into Facebook using the Notes application. Set up an account on FriendFeed – import every site you're on with an RSS feed. Add the FriendFeed Facebook application.

Give us your top 5 tips to using Facebook.
Focus on quality relationships, not quantity.
Import your blog using the Notes application.
Be active daily, if only for five minutes.
Include Facebook as part of your overall marketing plan.
Start a Facebook Page to represent your business, along with your Profile.

Special thanks to Mari Smith, Facebook diva.
Mari offers free Facebook advice on her YouTube channel. You can also find her on Twitter, WhyFacebook.com and her Web site, MariSmith.com.

If you have a marketing question for Angela Wilson, visit http://www.askangelawilson.com/ and use the Contact Angela form.

Find Angela Wilson at:http://www.linkedin.com/in/angelawilson
http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela_Wilson/775118823
http://www.myspace.com/angelawilson
http://twitter.com/angelawilson

Book Signing Today at Barnes and Noble DePaul

To the left is a photo from my last book signing at Barnes and Noble DePaul Center in February.


I'm off to another book signing today, this time revisiting Barnes and Noble, at DePaul Center, State and Jackson, Chicago, IL from 12-2pm, maybe longer, depending on the foot traffic.

When I set up the book signing, I didn't realize it would be the day after Election Day, so I'm not sure how many people will be coming through the store, or how many will be awake enough to even think about looking at books.


Anyway, it's a great store in a great spot and I'm honored to be able to come back again to provide autographed copies of Two Wrongs and Girl of My Dreams.

If anyone reads this beforehand and is in the area, please stop by and say hello or tell a friend.

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel
http://www.morganmandel.com/

I Got Tagged

I was thinking of what to say in my Tuesday blog when fellow Make Mine Mystery member, Marvin Wilson, solved that dilemma by tagging me in the Random Bookish Things tag game.

So, here I am, following the rules, which are:

1. Link to the person who tagged you, and post the rules on your blog
2. Share 7 random bookish and/or weird facts about yourself
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs
4. Let each person know that they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog

So, here goes about the random or weird facts about Morgan Mandel:

1. On the way to work in Downtown Chicago, I eavesdrop on people's conversations. When they turn the corner to go the other way, I wonder about the rest of the story.

2. I talk to my deaf dog, Rascal, as if she can hear me.

3. I love just about every country singer there is and can listen to GAC, Great American Country TV, for hours while I'm writing.

4. Now that I'm old, I swear a lot more than I used to when I was young.

5. Everyone probably already knows this, but for those who don't, I'm a slots fanatic. That's why I only play on vacation. Otherwise, I'd go broke.

6. I'm a sloppy housekeeper. Because of that, I rarely have people over. I've got more interesting things to do, such as play on the Internet or write books.

7. I know how to do shorthand, which is almost like a secret language since dictaphones came into being.

There, I've done it. I've shared some weird/random bookish pieces about myself. Now I'm tagging the bloggers below with their links so you can check out their great blogs:

Beth Groundwater

Emma Larkins

Dorothy Thompson

Jenny Beans

Rebecca Camarena

Dana Fredsti

Jennifer Ertmer

Have Fun!

I'm A Saver

I confess. I'm a saver. Why is it so hard for me to get rid of things?

My boss asked me to look for whatever file cabinet receipts I'd saved, because he wanted to order some new ones. He was surprised when I pulled out one from 1989 and another from 1994. The guarantees had long since expired.

I suscribe to magazines, put them aside, forget to look at them, but vow that some day I will, especially the ones about writing. I print out stuff from e-mails and websites about promo or writing, but can't always find it when I need it.

My inbox is filled with unopened messages. The ones I have opened, I usually keep. I thought that's how most people did it, but then I learned that a lot of people delete their messages after they've read them. How strange.

The Sunday paper is always a challenge. Not so much the part with the news, since I barely glance at that. It's all the ads that I have to go through and decide if I feel like buying any of the products, or maybe keeping the ads to compare prices later for when I actually will do my buying.

I do have a bright pink clothlike container with a neat zipper and two brass handles on the side which I got from Kohls. That's my dumping ground for all my writing receipts to save for the IRS each year. It can hold a lot, but it's surprising how many receipts I accumulate to go in there.

My regular purchase receipts I put in a rubbermaid drawer thingee.

In a way I'm organized, but not really. It doesn't come naturally. How could it, when I'm a saver?

What about you? Are you a saver? Or not?

What to Do With That Extra Hour

It's that Fall back time again.

Just wondering what to do with my extra hour. It's around the same time I usually go to bed, right about now. I could stay up for another hour, but I'm kind of tired. Plus the DH is already in bed and the dog is in the hallway waiting for me to go upstairs to bed. She won't go to her spot until I do.

So, maybe I'll go up to bed now. But what to do with that extra hour?

I could sleep away that extra time. I could read a book. I could work on my NaNoWriMo novel. I've got 855 words done so far. Maybe I could get ahead of the game and do an extra 855 words.

I could go for a walk with the dog, but we'll probably go on one anyway. I could watch a DVD. I could clean the house. That's no fun, but it really needs it.

Or, I could clean out my inboxes. I've got over 5000 messages I'm behind on in just one of them. Whatever is in them is old news and not that important or I would have opened those messages sooner.

I could get my website updated, maybe even do another first page. I've got these many pages of optimization suggestions to implement, but haven't gotten around to following them.

I've got the Library Bulletin to work on for Midwest Mystery Writers of America. I've got some authors to add in the Author section at my network, Book Place.

I could do more networking. Or, I could get my blogs all lined up for the week so I can do my NaNoWriMo without interruption.

I've got lots of choices. Hmm, lots of these things should get done. I'm afraid it will take way longer than that extra hour to finish them, but it's nice to have it anyway.

Rascal Goes to a Doggie Halloween Party

And Now, I know you've all been waiting for this...

Here's the Youtube video I made of the pics from the Doggie Halloween Party Rascal went to at Bentley's Corner Barkery. No, she didn't win any prizes, but she had a really great time! So did her Mom and Dad. The place was mobbed, with over 50 dog entries, plus their owners.

Everyone had to file through the store so the judges could see all the dogs. There were some really great costumes, so I'm sure it was hard for Giovanni and Lisa, the store's owners, to judge.

The final decision was Brando. I have to admit his costume was a lot better than Rascal's. She was dressed as a DePaul basketball fan, as was her Daddy. He never gives up, but keeps buying season's tickets every year. Kind of like a Cub fan.

Enjoy the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcM-JIj49vg

THE WINNER IS

Even though it's Halloween, I promised that today I'd announce the winner of This Time For Always by Debra St. John. It is KAREN MAGILL. Next time it could be you. November 7 is my next blog contest. Mark your calendar now so you don't miss out on your chance to win Michele Cameron's book.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween was always a fun time for me as a child, but I don't remember as many decorations in the neighborhood as people have now. Also, it was a lot safer to Trick or Treat. My parents didn't have to come with me.

Here's a few photos I took with my iPhone. I've got some others to get into order from my dog, Rascal's Halloween party Thursday night at Bentley's Corner Barkery. It was the in place to be for every dog in the neighborhood. I'll put those up on Saturday.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Ask Angela Featuring Angela Wilson

eBooks: Profitable for Authors?

Rachel asks: What do you feel are the benefits of the new electronic readers such as Kindle to the environment? What impact do electronic readers create on the bottom line for authors in the end? Do you feel they have a negative impact or positive, or no impact at all that you can see?
Blessings,Rachel
http://bittenbybooks.com/ - Book Reviews
http://weirdstuffinmydesk.com/ - Honest E-tailer Reviews!

Angela Says:
First, let me share my bias. I dreamed of eBooks when the first PC came into the home. I craved a time when I could bypass publishers and post my own items in a worldwide forum, where I could share my work, cultivate fans and create my own brand - all while remaining in the driver's seat, rather than at the mercy of publishing houses. As a radio host, I also wanted to share stories with readers in audio, have specific shows like those from years ago, with mystery, romance and suspense.

Thankfully, technology has caught up, and now the globe is open to authors everywhere who want to find their audience.

eBooks are a fantastic way to reach fans. You can publish full-length novels and sell them, or offer free short story bonuses on your blog or Web site to generate more buzz.
Some eBook publishers give generous contracts to their authors, who receive upwards of 40 percent in royalties. (Yes, it's true.) I've heard more complaints from authors with big name publishers, who give a pittance compared to what they should. After all, eBooks are easier - and less costly - to produce. Whenever you negotiate with a publisher, be certain to get specifics on eBooks and make sure you get your fair share of the sales profit.

If you self publish, the profits are yours. Period. Any PDF will work in eBook readers like Kindle. You can use a service like Amazon, or go out on your own. If you choose the latter, buyers will just need to email it to their eBook reader account, instead of directly downloading. You can easily create a PDF, post it on your blog or Web site, and charge for it, or ask for donations. PayPal is a great service to collect your profits.

eBooks are fantastic for self promotion. They are cheap to produce and easily downloadable from virtually anywhere. Readers love freebies of any kind. They are more likely to feel like they really "got" something with a free story, and remember you later on.

They also open up market share. Some city dwellers don't have space for traditional books, but they do have space for a small eBook reader that can holds hundreds of titles. You get an opportunity to sit on their virtual bookshelf that you would not get with a traditional hardcover or paperback.

If you do self publish, I encourage you to consider offer your eBook at a price less than a traditional book. I never purchase an eBook that costs the same or more than a paperback. I know technology and I know the only thing it takes to create a PDF is time. I refuse to spend my dollars on something intangible when I can get the paperback instead. I am not alone in that thinking. If you strike out on your own, find ways to generate interest in your work - including financial incentives.

Many authors have expressed concerns of copyright infringement if they do eBooks - especially in light of the unauthorized release of Stephenie Meyer's unpublished work. This podcast will tell you your rights.
~ Angela

Find Angela Wilson at:http://www.linkedin.com/in/angelawilson
http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela_Wilson/775118823
http://www.myspace.com/angelawilson
http://twitter.com/angelawilson

MEET ROMANCE AUTHOR, DEBRA ST. JOHN

Today, I'm very happy to introduce to you a wonderful friend and and great romance author, Debra St. John. To celebrate the release of her debut Western-style romance, This Time For Always, I'm holding a contest in which you might win an autographed copy of her book for yourself. But first, check out Debra's blog. After that, I'll tell you how you can enter.

For more about Debra, hop over to her website at www.debrastjohnromance.com

My Music Muse

A huge thanks to Morgan for having me here today. In fact, if it weren’t for Morgan, I wouldn’t be where I am career-wise at all. So I owe her thanks in many areas.

But I’m getting ahead of myself…

I have always loved music. All kinds of music. I don’t do much without music in the background: write, garden, scrapbook, exercise, etc. When I was little, my sister and I would crank up our Tony Orlando and Dawn LP and dance in our living room until Mom yelled that we were shaking the whole house. Later we moved on to more hip things. Believe me, in our house, Grease WAS the word.

In high school I went the pom girl route instead of the cheerleader route. I was a huge Rick Springfield fan. In fact, one of my earliest works features a rock star hero that is suspiciously like the dark-haired Aussie. (Too bad I wrote it before I knew what writing was really all about. One of these days I’m going to have to bring that one out of the closet and see what I can do with it.)

After that I moved on to the hair-bands of the eighties. Bon Jovi, Skid Row, Poison, and Motley Crue were among my favorites. I even had a life sized poster of Jon Bon Jovi on my closet door in college. (My roommate was NOT amused.)

On a post-college trip to Texas to visit an old high school friend, I fell in love with country music. It was really this music that started my journey toward publication. After returning home, I found a local bar where I could enjoy my country music and line dance to boot, or boot scoot as it were. Basically from there everything fell into place and brought me to where I am now. There I met the guy who would eventually become my husband. I also met a ton of other great friends. These friends inspired me to write a story set at the bar. That story eventually became “This Time for Always”.

In the course of conversation one day, a friend from the bar mentioned that she belonged to a local writers’ group. When I mentioned that I had always wanted to be a romance writer, she invited me to come along to a meeting. After one meeting, I decided this was the group for me, and I joined the Chicago-North chapter of The Romance Writers of America. Morgan joined the group not long after I did and we became friends.

I dabbled with my writing for years, submitting a couple times to Harlequin and getting rejections. It was a little over a year ago, that I e-mailed Morgan and said that I had decided it was time to get serious about my writing. She suggested submitting to The Wild Rose Press, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Now, here I am today with my first romance out in print, another under consideration, and a free read coming out in December. I’m also working on the next book in the series that features the bar where it all started. (And these days I count Toby, Kenny, Carrie, and Brad among my favorites.)

The music still brings me inspiration. There’s a story in every song.

So, yes, my music muse has been good to me. In more ways than one. Feel free to visit me at http://www.debrastjohnromance.com/ to find out more about where my muse has taken me.

How to enter the contest: Leave a comment at the end of this post, then send an email to blogcontests@morganmandel.com , leaving your name and saying you commented. One winner will be drawn from the entries and an e-mail will be sent to you requesting your snail mail address. Good luck!

Chicago-North RWA

On Monday night, I attended another meeting of my chapter, Chicago-North RWA. I've learned so much since I've joined there, but I'm always learning more. Sometimes I say I'm going to class when I refer to my meetings, because it seems like one, yet even better.

I don't know what I would have done without the support and friendship of my fellow members. I only know without them I would never have gotten either my mystery, Two Wrongs, or my romantic comedy, Girl of My Dreams, published. Both of them were the object of critiques, where I learned which parts didn't make sense, and I was pointed in the right direction - the path to publication.

Each time a member gets a publication contract, the tradition is to bring chocolate to a meeting. Lots of chocolate made the rounds Monday night. That's a good sign. It means our members know what it takes to get a book published and can help others toward that goal.

On Wednesday, I'll be hosting Debra St. John, a special member of our group. It took a little nudging for her to realize it, but she is very talented. I was honored to provide a blurb for her debut romance, This Time For Always. That was an easy task. I couldn't say enough good words for such a wonderful read.

Debra is one of the many gifted members of our chapter. Anyone who doesn't belong to a supportive writing group such as RWA is missing out on a lot. Check out what's in your area, ask around and see which groups contain people-in-the-know, and consider joining one. It's hard enough to get published. It's even harder if you go it alone.

Make Mine Mystery Members Revealed

I never seem to have enough time, so what do I do, instead of freeing up more, I decided to start up a new blogsite at http:makeminemystery.blogspot.com. That was Tuesday. I've spent every free moment since then getting bloggers together, putting photos up, and basically getting the bunch of us organized. We're almost on automatic pilot now. Our bloggers will be blogging all week, with special blogs on Halloween.

Starting November 3, we'll be doing a regular rotation. Here's our schedule of star bloggers:

MAKE MINE MYSTERY BLOG SCHEDULE:
1st & 3rd Monday - Morgan Mandel
1st & 3rd Tuesday - Marilyn Meredith
1st & 3rd Wednesday - Mark Troy
1st & 3rd Thursday - Vivian Zabel
ALL FRIDAYS ARE A FREE FOR ALL UNLESS WE HAVE A GUEST*
1ST & 3RD Saturday - OPEN
1st & 3rd Sunday - Dana Fredsti

2nd & 4th Monday - Anne Carter
2nd & 4th Tuesday – Marvin Wilson
2nd & 4th Wednesday - Libby McKinmer
2nd & 4th Thursday - Christine Duncan
ALL FRIDAYS ARE A FREE FOR ALL UNLESS WE HAVE A GUEST*
2nd & 4th Saturday - Jean Henry Mead
2nd & 4th Sunday – Earl Staggs

We've got a great lineup of serious bloggers together and I have high hopes for the new blogspot to be a smashing success.

*On Free For All Fridays, any member bloggers who have not blogged that particular week will have the opportunity of putting up short posts or photos. That means you won't know what you'll see up that day. Or, even a guest may appear instead. It'll be a mystery. Well, maybe not. If a guest is scheduled, we'll all be telling everyone about it so you won't miss any of the excitement.

So, if you like mysteries, after you spend a little time here, I invite you to wander on over to Make Mine Mystery at http://makeminemystery.blogspot.com/

Addicted - I Can't Say No

I'm hopelessly addicted. My home is testimony to that. They're everywhere, in all kinds of nooks and crannies, taking up space. I still want more. When I see them, I can't say no.

So, when my husband happened to mention I could get more on Friday, even though I still wasn't feel that great, I couldn't resist.

Off I went to the book sale at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library. And, yes, although I had way too many already, I happily came back home with a tote bag jammed high with more books. I don't know where I'll put them all.

I confess, I'm addicted. Also, I don't know of any cure. Judging from attendance on the first night of the sale, I'm not the only one.

Busy Time

It's been a busy time for me lately. Despite the germ which has taken residence in me for a while, I've been setting up a new blog for mystery writers, called Make Mine Mystery, at http://makeminemystery.blogspot.com

It's already up, with lots of fabulous bloggers waiting in the wings to blog about various aspects of mystery and scary things.

Also, there's a poll up asking if you're afraid of the dark and where you put your nightlights.

Come on over if you get a chance, take a look and come back again. Have fun being scared.

Also, if you missed Ask Angela Wednesday about press releases and media kits, read on by all means.

Ask Angela

Debra Shively Welch asks:

I am with a small traditional publishing house and so don't get help with promotion.I have sent press releases out the wazoo but can't seem to get any attention from them. Most disappointing is I can't seem to get my own hometown paper interested. Any suggestions?

Debra Shiveley Welch
http://www.debrashiveleywelch.net/
Son of My Soul, The Adoption of Christopher
A Very Special Child
Jesus Gandhi Oma Mae Adams
Buy them at the Wicked Wordsmith store!

Angela says:
I must admit, news releases these days are hit or miss. The news business is shrinking. Newspapers barely have enough room for daily news stories - and enough staff to cover them. Book reviews are out, and unless you can sell yourself as a feature story, you might be out of luck.

Hometown newspapers - especially the small ones - are some of the most difficult to break into. So scratch that and broaden your distribution. Have you tried an eRelease service like BoStick Communications? This service specializes in book press release distribution - including those for religious distribution.

If that doesn't work - or fit your budget - consider adding releases only to your Web site and pursue different marketing venues.

You have excellent marketing campaign potential with your books. You have a Christian theme in all of them, which means that you should target a Christian niche. Give review samples to church book groups. Send copies of Son of My Soul, The Adoption of Christopher to adoption agencies, or ask members of an adoption forum to review it on Amazon or their personal blogs. A Very Special Child fits a children's market, so target your efforts to blogs and Web site for children and families. If these are available for sale through a site like Christianbook.com, ask someone to post a review on it. Search for children's book readers on Amazon, and ask them if they would like a complimentary copy to review.

To save money, you can always e-mail a password-protected PDF to review.

I recently posted a column on writing news releases for hardcopy and electronic submission. Check it out for tips.

Good luck!

~ Angela

Holly Asks: Hi Angela, My daughter and I just started a Web site selling plays I've written for children to perform. The target market is teachers and youthleaders who are looking for activities to do with children.

We're thinking about mailing half-page fliers to 3rd and 5th gradeteachers in a specific city (Minneapolis). The fliers invite folks to the Web site.

My questions:
1. Is direct mail marketing still considered an effective use of marketing dollars?

2. If it is considered effective, what are some tips for driving traffic to our site?

3. Are certain direct mail pitches more effective than others? Forexample: post card vs. stuffed envelope, or hand delivered vs. bulkmail.

Thanks so much for your help. We're feeling stumped on this!

Holly Y
http://plays4children.com/

Angela says
Holly - Congratulations on your project! What a wonderful way to promote your work and get some quality time in with your daughter.

Direct marketing is still effective - in the right form. For example, political advertisement people receive in the mail many times end up in File 13. That's because politicians use a blanket system that calls up all addresses in their district. They don't break down those addresses by party or other demographics, which makes the mailers a complete waste of marketing dollars, paper, ink and time.

You do not want that to happen to you.

If you really target your niche market, you can spend very little and make a great impact. Your product is for children. You are marketing to people who teach or care for children. You could easily send fun, colorful postcards announcing your site to them. You could mail them or drop them off at district and church offices. Postcards - especially those oversized - are less likely to get lost in transit. Whatever route you choose, be certain the Web site and your contact information is prominent. Be sure the item is designed in such a way that people want to save it, post it on their refrigerators, workplace bulletin boards or other public areas.

That said, this could be costly prospect - especially if you are just starting out. I would encourage you to contact as many schools directly - perhaps work through the district PR offices to distribute the information, which will save postage fees. Join online forums with PTA members and teachers to promote the plays. Contact church district offices or community centers with the information. If you have a Boys and Girls Club, contact the district office and see if they would also be interested.

Use the Web as much as you can. Perhaps choose a group of 10 to 15 people to be part of a group that writes reviews about your site at their blogs or social networks. Ask them to pass the site on to others. Generate buzz from within the community because word of mouth is gold. You have a fun video on your Web site. Be sure to post that at YouTubeand start inviting Minneapolis users to subscribe to your YouTube feed.

You could also choose your top 10 venues and send a sample play along with http://angelawilson.typepad.com/ask_angela/create-an-effective-media-kit-by-angela-wilson.html .

I would also encourage you to consider donating a play for free to various organization to generate buzz. Nonprofits that helps kids after school would greatly appreciate it. Ask them if it would be OK to take video of performances, which you can edit and post to your Web site and YouTube. (Be sure to get signed release forms, so you can legally use the child's image.)

If you decide to go the direct marketing route, wait until after the election craziness settles down, otherwise your postcards or fliers could end up in the trash with political ads.

Good luck!

~ Angela

Angela Wilson
Find Angela Wilson at:http://www.linkedin.com/in/angelawilson
http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela_Wilson/775118823
http://www.myspace.com/angelawilson
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