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Where have all the Podcasts gone?

by Jina Bacarr

Was it only three years ago I did my first podcast for OCC/RWA? Check out the press release I wrote back then about podcasting at OCC:

Romancing the O.C. with Podcasting

What I find interesting about the state of podcasting since then is that most authors seem to prefer making book trailers. Book trailers are the new basic black for authors, but YouTube isn’t the only site where you can upload your trailers. TubeMogul.com allows you to upload your trailer to several sites at once.

If you want someone else to put together the book trailer for you, Circle of Seven Productions is the “go to” company for book trailers. You can check out their award-winning trailers and get information about the different book trailer packages they offer.

What if you want to make your own trailer?

With companies like iStockphoto.com/ to license photos and a plethora of podsafe music sites like Shockwavesound.com along with the free software like Windows Movie Maker, we can all be directors and let our characters tell the story. But is that enough? Readers love to connect with the author, find out more about her. You can only do that by getting up close and personal with a video or audio podcast.

Romance Novel TV does a fabulous job with author video podcasts and authors Jill Monroe and Gena Showalter’s Author Talk is my favorite video site for fun and informative author podcasts.

Filmmaker Terry Kate with her Romance in the Back Seat author video podcasts is a new face on the horizon with her author interviews in the back seat of a car and, when possible, I interview our local OCC authors and guests at our local monthly OCC/RWA meeting.

All this makes me wonder: what is the future of podcasting for authors? That’s not an easy question to answer. With technology changing every day, I believe it will continue to evolve so more writers can take advantage of this great marketing tool.

I love shooting video and will continue to turn them into podcasts, but like all authors, the writing comes first. That doesn’t mean we can’t promote our work with podcasts, whether we use book trailers, upload video interviews or make slide shows of those great research photos we took in Ireland.

We can’t spend all our time in front of the computer, can we?

Best,
Jina

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jinabacarr

Jina Bacarr is the author of The Blonde Geisha , Naughty Paris, Tokyo Rendezvous, a Spice Brief, and Spies, Lies & Naked Thighs, featuring an Indiana Jones in high heels.

New: Cleopatra’s Perfume “One whiff and every man was her slave.”

Read Cleopatra’s Perfume: The Prequel

Weimar Girls Gone Wild: The Berlin Sex Diary of Lady Eve Marlowe

Cleopatra’s Perfume, my new Spice release, is mentioned in Candy’s Inside Books at FreshFiction.com)

How Saint Nick helped me put together my “Holiday Poem” Video Podcast

by Jina Bacarr

I feel the holiday spirit in the air. Cold, windy days here at the beach. The smell of pine and cinnamon wafting in the supermarket. The sparkle of red and blue and green holiday lights evoking a warm, cheery feeling inside me down to my toes.

“Saint Nick, Cleopatra and me”

I also have a lot of writing to do. A lot. I just finished my author edits for my next Spice, Cleopatra’s Perfume (“One whiff and every man was her slave…”) and I’m working on a new Spice as well as another project, both that require an immense amount of research. I’m not complaining. I’ve worked years to get to this point in my writing and every day when I sit down at my computer, I give thanks for all I have.

Yet this holiday season I won’t be able to make the OCC/RWA December meeting and see everyone and share holiday cheer. My deadlines are just too close and there’s so much writing to be done.

What does this have to do with podcasting?

When I was in the midst of recording my audio podcast for the December 13th meeting, I was also in the middle of doing author edits for my 460 page manuscript. I began to think “What if Saint Nick could do these edits for me…”

I was so inspired by that idea that in minutes I’d written my holiday poem and decided to record it. I posted the audio recording here on our blog page and I also put together a video podcast using pictures from previous podcasts I’ve done on various subjects.

The result is my Holiday Poem video about Saint Nick, Cleopatra and me. I hope you enjoy it. And you never know, Saint Nick might log in on your computer and help you with your writing…

Best,
Jina

Jina’s Podcast Tip:

You can use video editing software to make a fun, creative video with photos you’ve taken yourself or purchased from sites like istockphoto.com. Then add a voiceover, sweeten it with podsafe music, transitions, special effects, etc.

I used Power Director 7 from Cyberlink.com to make this video and had fun adding interesting holiday effects. This latest version from Cyberlink is a 2008 PC Magazine Editors’ Choice.

Jina Bacarr is the author of The Blonde Geisha , Naughty Paris, Tokyo Rendezvous, a Spice Brief, and Spies, Lies & Naked Thighs, featuring a female Indiana Jones.

Coming in April 2009:

Cleopatra’s Perfume

Video Podcasting Madness: Part 2

by Jina Bacarr

This month I’ll continue with my video podcasting madness. I have three (3) videos for you as well as the descriptions I wrote before I upload the videos to a video sharing website.

Here’s what you need for a video podcast description:
1) a title–use descriptive, eye-catching words.
2) a short description (using sound bites, if possible) to get the viewer’s attention.
3) tags–words that relate to your video content that will draw viewers to your video.

Last month, OCC had the pleasure to have Dr. Doug Lyle as our afternoon speaker. Here’s my video interview with Dr. Lyle:

Meet DR. DOUG LYLE, Forensics Expert, on Romancing The OC with Jina Bacarr


Are you a fan of CSI: Miami, Law & Order, and Cold Case? Wonder how the writers and producers “get it right” when it comes to forensics? Meet Dr. Doug Lyle, the Macavity Award winning and Edgar Award nominated author of the non-fiction books Murder and Mayhem: A Doctor Answers Medical and Forensic Questions for Mystery Writers, a compilation of the most interesting questions he has received over the years, and Forensics For Dummies, an in depth look into the world of forensic science. His published fiction includes the thrillers Devil’s Playground and Double Blind.

I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Dr. Lyle at a recent OCC/RWA meeting. Join me, Jina Bacarr, Romancing The OC with Dr. D.P. Lyle. Visit: http://www.dplylemd.com/ and http://jinabacarr.com/

CSI, Miami, Law, Order, Cold, Case, TV, OC, RWA, California, forensics, science, writer, fiction, author, novel, writing, lifestyle, dummies, Edgar, award, mystery, diagnosis, murder, monk, medium, judging, amy, peacemakers
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Next: RWA Conference Dallas 2007

Jina does Dallas RWA with the Beau Monde

Are you a fan of Regency romance? Did you know RWA has a special chapter called the Beau Monde whose purpose is to “promote excellence in romantic fiction set primarily in the Regency period (1811-1820)?” I had the opportunity to find out all about the Beau Monde at the RWA Conference in Dallas. Check it out! http://jinabacarr.com/ http://www.thebeaumonde.com/

Beau, monde, RWA, conference, Dallas, Texas, Hyatt, regency, romance, writer, fiction, author, novel, writing, lifestyle
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The Harlequin Single Title Author Dinner at the RWA Conference in Dallas 2007:

Jina does RWA Dallas with Harlequin Single Title Authors

Come along with me as I take you to the Harlequin Single Title Authors dinner at the RWA conference in Dallas, Texas at the Iron Cactus Mexican Grill. Harlequin: one publisher, one romance, one world. http://jinabacarr.com/ http://www.eharlequin.com/

Harlequin, RWA, conference, Dallas, Texas, Hyatt, grill, cactus, single, title, romance, romantic, writer, fiction, author, novel, writing, lifestyle

Next month: more RWA Conference 2007 videos.

Best, Jina

Jina Bacarr is the author of The Blonde Geisha , Naughty Paris, Tokyo Rendezvous, a Spice Brief, and her new erotic spy thriller, Spies, Lies & Naked Thighs.Check out her MySpace page and meet Breezy Malone, the heroine in Spies, Lies & Naked Thighs.

“Get Caught in the Act!”

Are you going to RWA San Francisco? Check out Brenda Novak’s auction and bid on a chance to have your own podcast!!

I’ll be doing a podcast for a lucky winner as well a critique and luncheon at the RWA Conference this summer!