Day After Release Day

So I spent my official release day training accountants then flying back from Irvine, but hey, Rumble's out and that's all that matters!

A couple of new items:

My friend, Kelly Parra, does fabulous interviews with authors and this month she's posted an interview with me - check it out!

My Booklist review came in last week, but I am woefully behind on posting. Here's what it said:

"The worst crime Deputy Dorie Berenger usually faces in Gator Bait is Maylene Thibodeux weaving about with too much liquor in her and too few clothes on her. This time Maylene's troubles herald events far more serious. An alligator winds up in her pool stoned on heroine, and the drug trail leads to Gator Bait itself with big-city DEA Agent Richard Starke hot on the trail. Funny thing is, there could be an even bigger problem: Dorie's feeling pretty hot for Agent Starke. Part of the growing romantic mystery genre, in which romance and mystery tie the knot with chick-lit's blessing, this debut novel is chock-full of quirky small-town characters and
an entertaining, offbeat love story. The mystery pulls its weight, taking readers on a ride as intriguing and wild as a flat-bottom-boat race in the bayou. "
Nina Davis

My review is up on Romance Reviews today. Check it out.

My new contest for the Dooney is up on FreshFiction and my friend Ally Carter blogged about Rumble's release yesterday! Thanks Ally!

That's all I can think of for now and a mountain of paperwork from the last two weeks of training awaits me. (sigh) More later!

OFFICIAL RELEASE DAY!!!!

It finally arrived - official release day!!! Rumble on the Bayou is on sale now! (and somewhat before). I can't tell you how excited I am so I'm not even going to try.

So many things are going on, it's hard to remember to share them all, but I'll do my best to keep everyone updated.

Sooooooo...........

First off, I got my first official fan email yesterday from a complete stranger. She read Rumble in one day and loved it! I am thrilled that people take the time to write and say these things. No one (outside of other writers) believes we have the most incredibly fragile egos when it comes to our own work. God himself could come down from the heavens and bestow his blessing on our work and we're still going to sweat an RT review.

Second, I am a little miffed at the mapping system on the internet. I spent 2 hours last night trying to find bookstores to sign more in-store stock to no avail. And let me tell you, the traffic going from Orange County to LA is ridiculous. I could have walked faster. It took me 45 minutes to go 2 miles! Then both sets of directions lead my right into the middle of a residential neighborhood. No bookstore in sight! I was so frustrated the second time, I just decided to get something to eat and call it a day. I am seriously thinking about using my AmEx travel points to get a mobile GPS system, though. Or just buy one - heck it's a tax deduction if I'm using it to find bookstore, right? :)

On a more pleasant front - I am the featured author of the month on The Romance Reader Connection. Check out my interview here.

My friends, Colleen and Diana blogged about me yesterday - lubs ya much!


And finally, the official contest for the Dooney & Bourke bag has begun. Register for my newsletter to be entered to win. If you've already registered, you're already entered. No need to do it twice. Here's a pic of the bag. Isn't it gorgeous?

I'm sure there's a million things I'm forgetting but it's time for breakfast and I am starving! More tomorrow!

Update to previous post: People are selling my book on ebay. How funny is that? Check out this link and see the woman's comments. I need to get her as a PR person.

Likes Books

So obviously I like to read. Kinda a given if I'm willing to put myself through the ringer trying to write, eh? And I figure my blog readers like to read or they wouldn't give a hoot what I have to say. And my friends like to read, a lot of my family and miscellaneous people I see in the airport (most of whom now have my bookmark).

So this is something I don't understand.

I've been visiting bookstores as I travel around the country and I get a completely mixed response from some of them. Before release, I introduced myself, explained about my book and asked if they would like promo material - booklets, bookmarks, etc and how many if they were interested. Then I either provided them right there or mailed if it was early on and I didn't have my stock yet.

Now that the book is on the shelves some places, I've been visiting bookstores and asking to sign in-store stock. My understanding from industry people is that this is the preferred method of gaining autographed copies rather than wasting everyone's time and money on a booksigning for an unknown author when, like two copies of the book might sell and you just sat there for half an afternoon.

But my experience with booksellers has been remarkably different. Some have been polite and businesslike - retrieved stock, I signed, they stickered, we shook hands and I was off. Some were excited and happy to have an author in the store and get autographed copies (I have to say, these are my favorites since face-to-face sales is the hardest thing for me). Then there are the ones I don't understand. The other day I introduced myself to a clerk at an information desk, asked to sign there stock (if they had it) and she actually looked at me like I had just told her I had the flu and took a step back from the counter. Finally, she went off to ask the manager something, then came back with a card for someone I needed to contact M-F between the hours of 8:00 and 5:00 in order to sign my books. Yea, because all writers are independently wealthy and we're available during normal work hours. BTW - the manager didn't bother to make an appearance at all.

The worst part was - this is the bookstore in my hometown and I usually shop there. And everywhere else in town and around the country, the same chain has let me sign in-store stock without a qualm.

So their reaction begs the questions - do they even like books? I can understand an hourly wage clerk taking the job for a bit of money and not caring either way about the books, but the manager? Am I being a purist in believing the manager of a bookstore should like to read? Isn't that kind of like thinking a preacher should believe in God?

I believe some things are sacred, like any art form, and should be loved by the people responsible for distributing it. Am I out of my mind? I'm not asking for people to strike up the band, but please don't act like I just asked to distribute the plague either. At RWA, highly respected booksellers have instructed authors to do drive-by signings and said that autographed copies sell better. I didn't make this up - I'm getting my information from leading industry professionals. I'm trying to follow the "rules," I swear!

BTW - I'm in sunny Irvine, CA today and tomorrow and signed SEVEN copies of Rumble last night at the B&N at 13712 Jamboree Rd. Huge store and very nice people!!!!!! So if you're in CA and want a signed copy, head to Irvine.

A Surreal Moment

So I was in Boca Raton last week on a training gig and walked into the local B&N at lunch time for coffee and a new book. I was cruising the "New Paperback Releases" display, rounded one side and there was RUMBLE ON THE BAYOU!!!! I almost fell out. It took like a half-second for it to totally register - one because technically, the book has a lay-down date of October 3rd. Two - it was on a display at the front of the store with bestselling authors!

I was so excited - my first sighting. And did I have a camera - of course not. Why - well, see number one in the prior explanation again. So I introduced myself to a staff member and asked if I could sign the in-store stock. They were excited and I did my first official drive-by signing!

So back at home on Saturday, my husband and I spent the day driving to bookstores. I signed stock and he hustled bookmarks to everyone in walking distance. He even convinced one woman to buy it on the spot. :) If only I could clone him and send him to every bookstore in the US! He is a mega-star at customer relations and sales. I've learned a lot from him, but selling like that is just not in my bones. He's scary good.

One interesting thing, though, and anyone looking for the book please make note. B&N has it shelved as "Fiction." Not romance, not mystery - Fiction? I'm not sure whether this is a good, bad or doesn't matter sort of thing, but that's where you have to look to find it.

I admit, that evening after class in Boca Raton, I DID go buy a disposable camera and go back to the B&N and take a picture of the display. I'm sure people thought I was crazy since the employees I'd spoken to at lunch weren't working any longer, but I didn't care. It was my very first sighting! As soon as I have the film developed, I'll post a picture.

I'm off to Irvine, CA today, so I'll be chatting to you this week from the other end of the US. Nothing like an east-coast to west-coast shift to mess up your internal clock.