Year Progressing Fast
March 6, 2023 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as Bouchercon, Harlequin Romantic Suspense, March, Romance Writers of America, Undercover cowboy defender
It’s March already. Yes, the year is progressing fast. And it’s a bit different from the way it’s been for the past couple of years. I’m actually attending more meetings in person now—including a meeting of the local Sisters in Crime chapter yesterday. Some meetings are still on Zoom, though. And although I will be attending a couple of writing conferences, I won’t be going to as many as I used to. Looks like I’ll be at Bouchercon and the Romance Writers of America National Conference this year. Both will be in Southern California.
And March? It’s a good month for me. The third Shelter of Secrets story for Harlequin Romantic Suspense was just published: UNDERCOVER COWBOY DEFENDER. Two more books coming this year too.
I’ve finished the edits I was working on before, and now I’m writing my fourth Shelter of Secrets story.
Still busy, yes. And my dogs still keep me busy too.
How is the year progressing for you?
Buy Links for Undercover Cowboy Defender
All Three Shelter of Secrets Novels
Hover over cover for buy links. Click for more information.
STILL GROWING
March 5, 2023 by Tracy Reed in category Pink Pad by Tracy Reed tagged as email lists, followers, Marketing, Newsletter swaps, Tracy Reed
Happy March. This month we’ll usher in the beginning of spring. You wouldn’t know we were close to spring by the way the weather has slammed us. Last week I kept looking outside for Noah and the ark, but he never appeared. Instead, my neighborhood was hit with hail about three times. Then we get hit with a wind storm. It was so severe I kept looking for Dorothy and her crew to drop by.
I’ll keep it brief. As I mentioned earlier, this year I’m trying new things to grow my mailing list, BookBub followers and Facebook presence. I tried TikTok, but it’s not for me. I ascribe to that statement of only using the social media you understand. Right now, I don’t have the time needed to learn or grow a following on TikTok. My priority is to grow my mailing list because these are my people and I want to reach out to them when I want to, not when the algorithm wants to.
How is my mailing list project going? As of this post I have added 1800+ new subscribers. Let’s just pause and scream as I do a happy dance. Unfortunately, I’ve lost 48+/-. I’m not upset about the ones that left because I’m still ahead. February only had twenty eight days, which means I lost two days at thirty new subs per day. I’ll make them up with the months that have thirty one days.
I have to admit it’s getting trickier each month working with the swaps. I have yet to make a sale via the sales swap. However, I’ve had a few clicks.
The other thing I messed up on was posting/sharing. I misread the details. I thought I was only to post via my newsletter, which I did. However, I was also supposed to post to my socials. The other day when the March swaps went live, I started posting to Insta and FB. Within a few minutes of posting, I started getting clicks and downloads. As of this post, I’m at 115 new subs for the month of March. Overall, I’m averaging between 28+ new subs per day. These are great numbers considering in order to reach my goal I only need to average 19 new subs per day. Where I made the mistake, was not calculating for loss. I need to stay at this pace of 28 per day in order to reach my goal and cover any losses.
The other mistake I need to correct is focusing on sales. I’ve put most of my energy into growing my list that I’ve neglected sales. So far, this year’s sales have been dismal. Bright side, my Kobo sales are picking up. Praise God. I have been hoping to crack the Kobo freeze. I do well with freebies, but not sales. I hope this is the beginning of a fabulous relationship with Kobo.
The other area I’ve wanted to grow is my FB group. Thanks to an anthology I’m in and a release event, my reader list has grown to 120. YEAH! I am so excited about this. I really want to get this in the high hundreds. I would love to have at least a thousand followers here by the end of next year.
Then there’s my BookBub followers. I’m not at 1000 US followers yet, but I’m getting close. I’m currently at 684. I really want to get to a thousand US before my the end of the second quarter.
I know it’s going to take a little while to get to the numbers I want on my mailing list, BookBub and reader group, but I’m patient.
See you next month.
Tracy’s Books
Scandal
March 3, 2023 by Janet Elizabeth Lynn and Will Zeilinger in category Book Research, Partners in Crime by Janet Elizabeth Lynn & Will Zeilinger tagged as Hollywood, Scandals, Twilight Zone, Vic Morrow
Safety Working Conditions in the Hollywood Film industry
The civil and criminal actions lawsuit that came after the accident, during the filming of Twilight Zone, was the result of negligence. It was scandalous as the film’s director, John Landis, was charged and tried for manslaughter, along with other members of the film crew. They were eventually acquitted in terms of criminal liability, but civil penalties were assessed. Landis continued his career with little negative impact, but he found several of his long-term friendships with other filmmakers ended as a result of his “condescending attitude” towards the accident.
Millions of dollars were awarded to the families of the victims, mostly paid by insurance companies. Landis deflected the blame for the accident, claiming that the cause of the accident had been in part a special effects fireball detonated by error.
The television series The Twilight Zone was a popular weekly program from 1959 to 1964, the brainchild of writer and director Rod Serling. Its popularity resulted in a demand for reruns for years, and eventually was adapted as a full-length motion picture.
During the filming of the motion picture verson, an accident involving a helicopter killed actor Vic Morrow and two child actors, with multiple injuries to the helicopter crew and film personnel onboard. Morrow and one of the children were decapitated by the helicopter’s rotor; the other child was crushed. The accident brought to light unsafe working safety, particularly for children on film sets, and years of litigation which kept the story on the front pages for a decade.
On July 23, 1982, Morrow, 53, and two child actors, seven-year-old Myca Dinh Le and six-year-old Renee Shin-Yi Chen, were filming on location in California, in an area that was known as Indian Dunes, near Santa Clarita. They were performing in a scene for the Vietnam sequence, in which their characters attempt to escape from a deserted Vietnamese village from a pursuing U.S. army helicopter. The helicopter was hovering at approximately 24 feet above them when the heat from special effect pyrotechnic explosions delaminated the rotor blades (the blade material fractures into layers) causing the helicopter to plummet and crash on top of them, killing all three instantly.
Special-effects explosions on the set caused the pilot of the low-flying craft to lose control and crash into the three victims. The accident took place on the film’s last scheduled day of shooting.
Co-director John Landis and four other men working on the film, including the special-effects coordinator and the helicopter pilot, were charged with involuntary manslaughter. It was the first time a film director faced criminal charges for events that occurred while making a movie. During the trial, the defense maintained the crash was an accident that could not have been predicted while the prosecution claimed Landis and his crew had been reckless and violated laws regarding child actors, including regulations about their working conditions and hours. The trial lasted ten-months with the jury acquitted all five defendants in 1987. The families of the three victims filed lawsuits against Landis, Warner Brothers, and Twilight Zone co-director and producer Steven Spielberg who settled for undisclosed amounts. Twilight Zone: The Movie was released in the summer of 1983. The film received mixed reviews.
Click here for the news report of the accident.
Janet and Will’s Skylar Drake Mystery Series
Author Chrysteen Braun talks about The Guest Book Trilogy!!
March 2, 2023 by Jann Ryan in category Jann says . . . tagged as fiction, mystery
Chrysteen Braun is a California native, born and raised in Long Beach. The mountains, where she and her husband had a second home, were the inspiration for her first three books, The Guest House Trilogy. These fictional restored cabins from the late 1920s all had their own stories to tell. Her writing crosses genres of Women’s Fiction with relationships, and a little mystery and intrigue. She’s published articles about her field of interior design and remodeling, both for trade publications and her local newspaper. She lives in Coto de Caza, with her husband Larry and two Siamese cats.
Contact her at chrysteenbraun@gmail.com, or www.chrysteenbraun.com
Today I have the pleasure to chat with the amazing Chrysteen Braun, author of The Guest Book Trilogy.
Jann: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Chrysteen: I think every author “always knew” they wanted to be a writer. I was around twelve when I wrote my first book. I have no idea what it was about, or where it ended up, but I do recall being so proud of myself. I actually knew how to type at that age since my parents worked from home and I learned to type and use a 10 key adding machine. Did I just date myself? I joined a writer’s group in the 80s and then got sidetracked with business, so I wasn’t able to write much more than newspaper articles about decorating. Our business was remodeling and interior design. It wasn’t until I retired that I decided I only had so many summers left, and if I wanted to write my novel(s) I’d have to get on the ball.
Jann: Was your journey to publication easy? Tell us about it.
Chrysteen: I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what I was going to write; I knew I didn’t want to write romance, but I also wasn’t a mystery writer, so I had to figure out how to combine the two. Then I had to decide whether to publish traditionally or go indie. I listened to a lot of seminars and webinars about everything writing related, and honestly got so overwhelmed, I had a difficult time figuring it all out. Then, I wrote the first drafts of five novels while they were fresh on my mind. That threw me into another state of overwhelm, along with Covid-19, and I knew if I didn’t make some decisions, I’d never get anywhere. I decided to jump into indie publishing, and began editing the first book, which is the first in the Guest Book Trilogy. Three years later, I’ve published two books, am working on the third, but have gotten sidetracked with a sequel novella, and a prequel novella, (which is turning into another book.!) I went with a company called Bublish, who does everything; book cover, ebook and paperback layout, book description, ISBN, NetGalley, editorial reviews, and initial Amazon and Facebook Ads. I’ve paid for these services, and they’re all under roof, but I knew I’d never be able to finish my books if I tried to learn how to do it all.
Jann: Book One in The Guest Book Trilogy, The Man in Cabin Number Five, made its debut on May 10, 2022. Which came first—plot or character?
Chrysteen: The overall story. Then I had to figure out who my characters were, and since I’m a pantser, I
didn’t do an outline. I did, however, keep track of all my characters, and I made up a timeline since the story itself is set in the 1980s but works up to that. I really got myself confused a couple of times and have learned how important it is to keep track of it all.
Jann: Would you share with us what The Man in Cabin Number Five is about. Where did you get the idea for the book? Who are the main characters?
Chrysteen: I read about an unsolved murder in the 50s. and knew I wanted to add it to the story, and The Trilogy is about Annie Murphy who moves up to the mountains in Lake Arrowhead, Ca, to move on with her life after discovering her husband was unfaithful. There she reinvents herself and restores a series of cabins. She complicates her life when she meets a new love interest. She also meets Alyce Murphy, whose story runs parallel. Alyce discovers her father didn’t die of natural causes as she was led to believe but was involved in a murder/suicide in one of the cabins Annie now owns. You don’t know until the very end, what really happened, until Alyce’s father John Murphy tells his story, The main characters are Annie, Alyce and Noah.
Jann: On November 28, 2022, The Girls in Cabin Number Three, Book Two in the Trilogy came out. Tell us about Annie Parker and Carrie Davis, the book’s main characters.
Chrysteen: In book two, Annie makes a wrong turn in her relationship, but also meets Carrie Davis, whose mother Elizabeth, also stayed in one of the cabins during prohibition. There was a (real) speakeasy up in Lake Arrowhead in the 20s and 30s, and as with book one, the reader doesn’t know the real story until the end, when Elizabeth tells us what happened.
Jann: Are you working on the third book in the trilogy? If so, can you give us a sneak peek?
Chrysteen: Book Three is about a Starlet named Celeste Williams who stayed in cabin number seven when filming a movie. Annie meets her son, and he describes growing up with an ‘absent’ parent, and again, it isn’t until the very end Celeste tells her story.
Jann: What would you like the readers to come away with after reading your books?
Chrysteen: I don’t write for causes; I write so my readers close the book and say, “That was a good read.”
Jann: What preparation did you do for the launch of your books?
Chrysteen: I stressed about it, but Bublish launched both books. I wish I knew more about book launches, and hopefully with the next books, I’ll have a better idea of what I can add.
Jann: What still excites you about writing?
Chrysteen: I thought for sure I was going to run out of ideas, but I’m finding I can hardly wait to finish one story so I can go on to another. That’s what happened with the prequel novella; I kept coming up with more ideas so it’s not turning into another book.
Jann: What’s the best writing advice you ever received?
Chrysteen: Oddly enough it’s from my husband; “When in doubt, just write it.”
Jann: Do you have a website, blog, twitter where fans might read more about you and your books?
Chrysteen: Website, www.chrysteenbraun.com and I’m always available to chat at chrysteenbraun@gmail.com
Jann: Do you ever run out of ideas? If so, how did you get past that?
Chrysteen: I wish I had a writing ritual. I absolutely have to get all my ‘busy work’ done (like answering emails, doing marketing, listening to seminars, bookkeeping) before I can focus on writing, but sometimes this takes me into the afternoon and I’m burned out. I’m constantly making notes on little pieces of paper, and then when I’ve finished a draft, I go through them and see where I can add or embellish. And when I think I’ve run out of ideas, I go to my husband and ask something like “Where would they go next?” “What could they do?”
Jann: What profession other than your own would you love to attempt?
Chrysteen: Would I sound pretentious if I said I’ve done everything I’ve loved, not always successfully? Interior Designer, retail store owner, contractor, writer….I haven’t had a ranch or been a court judge. Hmm
Jann: What’s your all-time favorite book?
Chrysteen: I have several. Everything written by Jonathan Kellerman, Sue Grafton, Robert B. Parker to name a few.
Jann: What’s on your To-Be-Read pile?
Chrysteen: Any Jodi Picoult books, The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek,
Jann: What’s your favorite song?
Chrysteen: The Wind Beneath my Wings, Bette Midler, and Conte Partiro, by Andre Bocelli
Jann: What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
Chrysteen: Waterskiing in Capetown harbor.
Jann: What is your favorite word?
Chrysteen: “Dork” when I’ve done something dumb, but “love you” would have to be my favorite
Jann: What is your least favorite word?
Chrysteen: The “F” word and shut up.
Jann: What turns you off?
Chrysteen: People who go overboard with a cause or are totally opinionated.
Jann: What’s the funniest (or sweetest or best or nicest) thing a fan ever said to you?
Chrysteen: “You don’t look as heavy as your photo.” No, just kidding!!! “I’ve read your book and I’m buying six more to give to friends for Christmas!”
Chrysteen, is was great doing a Q&A with you. Thanks for giving us a peek into your writing world. Good luck with Book Three!!
Book One Buy in Links
Amazon ebook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Y9KGZ3R
Amazon paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1647044626
Amazon hardcover: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1647044642
B&N paperback: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-man-in-cabin-number-five-chrysteen-braun/1141373079?ean=9781647044626
B&N hardcover: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-man-in-cabin-number-five-chrysteen-braun/1141373079?ean=9781647044640
Kitty Bucholtz, March Featured Author
March 1, 2023 by Kitty Bucholtz in category Featured Author of the Month tagged as Featured author, Kitty Bucholtz, romantic comedy, Superheros, Write Now Workshop Podcast
March featured author, Kitty Bucholtz is a writer, podcaster, and a book coach. She has combined her undergraduate degree in business, her years of experience in accounting and finance, and her graduate degree in creative writing to become a writer-turned-independent-publisher turned coach.
She writes romantic comedy and superhero urban fantasy, often with an inspirational element woven in. She loves to teach and offer advice to writers through her WRITE NOW! Workshop Podcast.
Kitty has also created the Finish Your Books Coaching Program. Find out more about either 1:1 Coaching or Group Coaching on Kitty’s website. http://kittybucholtz.com/
Besides Kitty’s Coaching Program and WRITE NOW! Workshop Podcast, you will find her here at A Slice of Orange on the 9th of each month writing It’s Worth It.
Books by Kitty Bucholtz
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THE ALLIANCE
When Leora Ebersole sees the small plane crash in her Old Order Mennonite community, she has no idea it's a foreshadowing of things to come.
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