Still lousy at blogging...

Yes, I'm still very very very lousy at blogging. I am a writer that is actually writing. A few updates to add here:

ANGEL FALLS - Release Date April 2011, Medallion Press
(this is the second installment of a three book trilogy following Jake and Cassidy)

DEVIL'S GOLD - November 2, 2009 - will be the featured thriller for Dear Reader

I have been writing monthly reviews for International Thriller Writers - Here

Also, if you are a debut thriller author with your very first book in print, please stop by and join ITW Debut Authors program - Here

Julie

74W is where?

Last weekend, my husband Bob and I embarked on our road trip to Asheville, North Carolina. As I was wrapping up logging my hours for work, Bob decided to map quest our route and print a map. We live in the northern section of Georgia and decided to take the scenic route through the mountains as we had plenty of time to reach our destination before my 7:00 p.m. signing.

One hour into the trip:

Bob: Check the map and let me know where to go?
Julie: (glances at the minuscule square that's supposed to be a "map") Seriously?
Bob: Yeah, why?
Julie: The map is too small. I can't make out the route numbers because of the fat blue line that shows us where to go.
Bob: Oh.

Two hours into the trip:

Bob: We're in Franklin, NC - check the map and tell me where that is.
Julie: (glances once more at the flippin' tiny map, puts on her reading glasses to see if that will help and then glares at her husband) Seriously?
Bob: No Franklin?

Three hours into the trip:

Cell phone rings:

Mother-in-law: Hey we're here. Where are you?
Julie: Seriously?

........................................

We did make it well within our time limit. And I'm the first person to tell you that I love the feeling of not really knowing where you're going but knowing everything will be okay. It's adventurous and fun.

Leaving Asheville was an entirely different experience.

Bob: 74W right?
Julie: (feeling smug) Yep.
Bob: Ok. 40W to 74W right?
Julie: (definitely the superior gender) Yep.
Bob: Ok. That sign says 240W to 74W.
Julie: Seriously?
Bob: Yeah. Do I turn?
Julie: Uhhhhh...yep. (decisiveness is always good)

Ten minutes later:

Bob: That sign says we're on 74E.
Julie: Uhhhhh...go that way 40W.
Bob: (cannot print what was said)
Julie: There...that sign says 40W, 74W uhhhh and 26W and 74E. How can we be going both East and West?
Bob: Seriously?
Julie: (cannot print what was said)
Bob: (cannot print what was said)
Julie: (really can't print what was said)

We made it home. We didn't kill one another. And we have learned not to follow what the signs say in Asheville, never to print anything from map quest, and to invest in a GPS system.

Book Signings...

I am a rather shy person. I see y'all who know me rolling your eyes and shaking your heads. But I am shy. I don't like to toot my own horn, and I certainly am NOT a salesperson. In this business, however, I need to just get over myself.

In January, when I received my box of books, I dragged myself here and begged my friend who happens to be part-owner of the bookstore to allow me to have a book signing. Ellen was extraordinarily gracious and, much to my surprise, more than happy to offer her services. On March 7th, I had my first book signing. It was great fun. I had threatened all of my friends and family appropriately and forced my father to serve wine to prevent people from running out the door. Phew, book signing number one was a success.

Onto book signing number two. With the help of family, I managed to secure a signing at Malaprops in Asheville, North Carolina. Finding Malaprop's was a piece of cake. It was finding North Carolina that we had trouble with. That story will be told at a later time. Anyway, Malaprop's wanted a reading. Please refer to Paragraph 1 of this post regarding my inherent shyness. This was a nightmare to me. A huge obstacle and one I sweated about. My kind friend, Ellen, laughed and told me to pick a paragraph or two and keep it under three minutes. Three minutes is a life time when reading ones own words.

I didn't read. Couldn't. Nope. No way. What I did do is play on one of my strengths -- talking. I love to talk. And I had a whole room full of people ready to listen to me. So I talked about the Niger Delta and about the plight of the gray wolves. I was nervous. I kept that "three minute" number in my head and blabbered away. In hindsight, I probably could have slowed down just a bit and relaxed. But Ellen said three minutes, damn it. And that's what I was going to do. So in three minutes, I educated everyone on the Niger Delta and the gray wolves. You can imagine how fast I was talking. But I survived.

And now I am on a mission to find other independent book stores to allow me a signing. It's not easy to garner book signings. Actually, it's plain frustrating. But it's my job. Because after this month, Devil's Gold is no longer new. I am the person that has to push it out there and keep it fresh.

On a totally unrelated subject -- I have some very cool bookmarks. So if any of you have my book and would like a bookmark, just let me know!

Julie

Marketing...who me?

My boss, who you can find here, is an inspiration when it comes to marketing. I am a lousy blogger but have come to the realization that this is an important tool and should not be overlooked. I sat back and thought about what I can do to make this an interesting place that readers would want to come back to again and again. Honestly, I know none of you care about what I had for dinner or how much weight I need to lose. I had to figure an angle out, similar to how my boss has cornered the market on Father's Rights. I am a curious person by nature and nosy. In addition to that, I do live a rather unusual and larger than life existence. I'm also a klutz and know how to laugh at myself. So I have thought that my angle to this whole blog thing will be to allow y'all a small insight to my crazy existence while connecting the dots to influences in my writing. This will either be extraordinarily boring or slightly entertaining. AND, most of all, having just had my book released this month I thought that I would also bring you on the journey of self-promotion and all the thrills and frustrations I am finding along the way.

So to break it down...I am going to have three focus points of this blog:

1. Writing - my personal insight into the craft
2. Marketing - my personal insight into promotion and book sales
3. Another dreaded moment - your insight into my person

Here we go....

Release Day!

I can't believe my baby is officially part of the "published" world. Amazing. What a wonderful feeling this is.

Countdown!

March 1 is peeping its nose around the corner. I am very excited. So far, my reviews are great. I pray I don't embarrass myself with this book. It's not exactly like the times I open my mouth when I shouldn't then adamantly deny it later with a "I said what? No no no...that's not what I meant at all..." I don't think I can run around and pull my book of the shelf and say "Honest, I didn't mean to write that..." LOL.

Switching topics -- I would like to give a shout out to all my other Medallionites. For those of you who have never read a Medallion Press book, I encourage you to go here and order away. These individuals are an incredibly talented group of writers and definitely worth reading.

And I have SO NOT picked my contest winner yet! Seeing as everyone who entered is forced to love me through the one-bat syndrome, I know I can get away with my procrastination.

Back to the writing corner for me...

CONTEST!

I received my author copies of Devil's Gold and have decided to initiate a contest to give away a free autographed copy.

Contest Rules:

Post the most bizarre wildlife trivia you know. The one that makes me laugh the loudest or stuns me into silence gets a book. I will confirm the validity of the trivia, but I certainly won't rule out a well-crafted and believable fake fact when selecting a winner. You have until Sunday at 10:00 a.m. The winners will be announced Monday morning. Get busy.

There will be two winners:

First Place: Free Book & trivia inserted in ANGEL FALLS (acknowledged, of course)
Runner Up: Trivia inserted in ANGEL FALLS (acknowledged, of course)

Disclaimer: It's my contest so whatever I say goes -- enter at your own risk.

Have fun and be creative.

Julie

The Darker Side of Inspiration...

I don't write fluffy.

Along with the beautiful comes the ugly...

And what the ugly is destroying...

Inspiration

As the release of Devil's Gold nears, I thought that I would disclose my inspiration for the story. Several years ago, we vacationed here:

Rancho Alegre

It was an amazing trip, comprised of Hot Air Balloon Rides

and a day with Mad River!

But most of all, it was the quiet beauty of the majestic Grand Tetons that permanently invaded my soul. Soaring mountain peaks tipped with white embracing plains scattered with buffalo, elk and, of course, wolves.

This is where the inception of Devil's Gold occurred. This is where I left a small piece of my heart.

The Year of Wolfee

I am now anxiously counting down the weeks, days, hours and minutes until I can hold my book. I love my publisher Medallion Press. However, they have certainly gone above and beyond with the publicity for Devil's Gold. I knew they liked the book, but who would have figured it was earth shattering...

March 2009 - DEVIL'S GOLD

Happy New Year all!