THE PUBLIC MUSINGS OF

Trick-O-Tweet!

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:23:00 +0000

Trick-O-Tweeting for the Digitally Impaired

Besides being an author, I also work full-time as a New Media specialist for a medium size destination and attend several conferences throughout the year geared towards website marketing.

So, I thought it would be great to share what I've learned in the travel/tourism industry regarding the world wide web with those who don't have enough time or inclination to research the many tricks people use to market or brand themselves on the cyber highway.

For the next couple of days, I'm going to devote a few of my blog posts, to web 2.0 for writers/ authors/anyone who wants to build their online presence.Today's blog, as you can guess by the big, scary pumpkin, will be about Twitter.

I'm sure most of you have heard of this 140 character phenomenon which pitted Ashton Kutcher against media giant CNN for bragging rights on who could reach 1 million followers first or the Anti-P Diddy campaign that wanted to keep him from the same magic number. If not, don't sweat it.

Twitter is simple, FREE and at times highly contagious micro-blogging service that receives more than 55 million monthly visitors and is ranked as one of the 50 most popular websites on the entire web. In layman's terms it's a treasure trove of potential readers!

Signing up on Twitter is easy and takes less than five minutes. And for less than a minute a day, but sometimes more, you can build a loyal following. BUT that's only if you know what you're doing.

So, what do you do when you get on? Well...you tweet. I know it sounds very easy, but its what, how often and to whom you tweet, which will either sink or float your boat.

What do you tweet? Tweets are meant to be short and to the point. You have only 140 characters so don't waste your time or your followers with vague generalities only you understand or purely throw away messages such as, I'm heading to the kitchen to make myself a PBJ. Instead spice up this tweet with something like, Didn't plan on it but my heroine has a kid who likes PBJ sandwiches, heading 2 the kitchen for research. The key is to be engaging and entertaining.

I hear the groans out there. You don' t want to waste your brain cells on kitschy things to say especially on a free social networking site that doesn't send you monthly royalties. But think about it. As a writer your career revolves around what you write. So, what better way to showcase your voice or your sparkling sense of humor in order to attract potential readers who've never heard of you?

How often do I have to tweet? Well there isn't a maximum, but in my opinion there is definitely a minimum. If you don't have the time to tweet at least once a day or more, I wouldn't bother getting on Twitter. There's nothing worse than to visit someone's website and they haven't bothered to write anything for a month. Bye-bye, I'm gone.

To whom do I need to tweet? The easiest followers to gather on Twitter are of course friends, other authors reviewers and book publishers. But eventually you'll come up against a brick wall since we all have our limits on whom we actually know. So that's when we need to spread our wings and start finding people outside our circle to befriend.

But there's nothing worse than to follow someone who doesn't like to read. So you should target your audience by using twitter.search.com. This is an advanced search option that allows you to seek and follow people with an interest in what you write about. Type in "erotica" within a 100 mile range and tweets with the word erotica will pop up.

I typed in the phrase vampires books within a 1000 mile radius and dozens of pages popped up with people talking about books with vampires in them. And all I had to do was click their follow button and cross my fingers that they will follow me back. And there's a pretty good chance since research shows 60% of all people on Twitter follow those who follow them. But if they don't right away, you can simply send them a message of hello:)

Are there any other ways to build followers? Here's a few of tweet-o-tricks that have helped a few people.

Compete against another author to gain fans a la Ashton Kutcher. Wouldn't it be cool to see JR Ward compete against Anne Rice for the most rabid vampire fans;
Hold a contest. The quirkier the better. The city of Baltimore gave away a free tattoo if a person recruited people to follow their profile. In less than 48 hours, they had 4K followers;
PROMOTE IT on your website, yahoo group, anywhere you have other social networking profiles; and
Don't limit yourself to just posting. Interact/talk with other people on Twitter. Seeing your name on someone's else's profile will spur someone's interest to follow you as well. In fact, quite a few celebrities such as Mr. & Mrs. Demi Moore are well known for talking to just about anyone.

Now that you have the tricks...now go tweet! Stay tuned for "Inside Twitter: what do all those @,#, and RT mean"?Do you have any tricks for tweeting? If so, I would like to hear about them!

Stephen King to Fuel Our Passion for Vampires and Comic Books

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:56:00 +0000

What's more retro than mixing one our country's never ending love for comic books, Stephen King, and vampires? Why mixing them together. That's right Stephen King will finally take a plunge into the last frontier by releasing his first comic book this coming Spring.

Even though The Stand and Dark Tower were turned into graphic novels, King never penned or collaborated on one until American Vampire.

Why now? Initially, King was solicited to only write the promotional blurb for American Vampire which was the brainchild of celebrated short story writer Scott Snyder, who penned the first five issues. But after reading Snyder's fresh take on an over worked legend, King offered to pen a few issues himself.

In fact, according to a recent press release, the New York Times best selling author summed up his reasons for diving into a genre previously dominated by such characters as Ragman and The Enforcer, the best. "I love vampire stories, and the idea of following the dark exploits of a uniquely American vampire really lit up my imagination," said King. "The chance to do the origin story-to be "present at the creation" -was a thrill. I owe big thanks to Scott Snyder for letting me share his vision, and sip from his bucket of blood."

So what's so fresh about American Vampire? According to DC comics, Snyder and King will "introduce readers to a new breed of vampire-a more muscular and vicious species of vampire with distinctly American characteristics" with Skinner Sweet, a sociopathic outlaw in the Wild West, as the ascendent of all American vampires. Like Stephanie Myer's Twilight books, Snyder and King have twisted the vampire legend to suit their taste. Instead of Skinner Sweet being a creature of the night, he's powered by the sun, he's stronger and faster, and true to his Southwestern environment sports rattlesnake fangs.

First image of the American Vampire by Rafael Albuquerque

Click image to see a media gallery of stills

Inked by illustrator Rafael Albuquerque, best known for his work on Superman/Batman and Crimeland, American Vampire will be told in cycles of five issues each, with two different story lines. King will "provide the origin of Skinner Sweet, a bank robbing, murdering cowboy of the 1880s" and Snyder will pen Skinner's bloodline through various decades of American history including a glamorous Jazz Age flapper named Pearl.

I wonder if King and Snyder's newest take on vampires will spoil the sexiness that many readers have come to love about vampires. I like blood and gore like the next person I just don't want vampires to be downgraded to sylistic zombies that can talk. What are your expectations?

American Vampire will be released by DC Comics under their Vertigo line in March of 2010. Can't wait until then? Elloras Cave is offering up ALL of their vampire titles for 15% off until the end of the month! To take a look at the list visit http://www.jasminejade.com/

Gone Pink!

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:50:00 +0000

My local American Cancer Society is hosting its Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Awareness events this weekend and I've found myself emmersed in everything pink. Unfortunately, I have to admit that I've never participated in these walking events.

I knew they were taking place in my community but I never became involved since no one in my family or close friend was ever diagnosed with this form of cancer. Truth be known, I never participated in American Cancer Society walks for awareness even though I'd lost my own mother at fifty-nine years young to lung cancer a few years ago. I know now that I was running from it and still trying to deal with the pain of losing her.

But then a couple of weeks ago after hearing Delta Airlines was participating in the local MSABC events by flying their special modified Susan G. Komen pink plane to my local airport, I realized the time was right for me to get involved with the fight against cancer.

So I'm going pink!

Yesterday, I attended the special Delta event which featured a few remarks by airport authorities, Delta's CFO, a cake cutting, and then pictures out on the tarmac with the plane. The event I found out was a pretty big deal since the plane is only put in active duty during the month of October, only seen at air shows and rarely flies commerically but when making a rare appearance at a breast cancer event such as this one. (P.S. I apologize again about the quality of pics, I took them with my cell.

(The cake was a yummy chocolate and vanilla marble cake)

(The plane...the plane...the plane)

(people milling about waiting for the program to begin)

(Delta's Susan G. Komen pink plane @ gate 3)

(On the tarmac with another groupie:)

(A shot of the tail with the pink ribbons)

Well I'm off again! This morning MASBC will have their annual walk. Event coordinators expect 5,000 people to show up at the Avenues Viera, which will include a concert by Elvis, a jazzercise routine, and then the walk. I'll post pics later of the event. I'm curious to see if Elvis is going to see pink leather!

***

(Nope Elvis -local favorite Jack Smink-didn't wear pink leather:(

How Single Men Think...Supposedly, I'm an Expert

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 01:49:00 +0000

While peddling around on Cosmopolitan Magazine's online website checking out the newest fasions, updating myself on the sexual position of the day --The Randy Recliner by the way--I stumbled across a test, which gauged how well you really know single men.

I rolled my eyes at this one because this generic quizz seems to find itself in some female targeted magazine every four or five months. And yet, in spite of my cynicism, I still took the test.

Of course some of the questions were somewhat predictable like "more than 47% of single men think a woman should really play hard to get". Or juvenile, "sixty-nine percent (69%) of men love women to go commando".

But I was quite surprised that despite our liberal attitudes towards sex, that "seventy-eight (78%) percent of bachelors say that sex on a first date is skanky" or "a whopping 92 percent of single men say that a hookup can turn into a relationship:.

After completing a dozen or so questions, I discovered I was "Tuned into single men!", which was both bolstering and deflating at the same time since I'm still single.

Anyhoo. If you're wondering what else single men are thinking out there, take Cosmopolitan Magazine's "How Single Men Think" Quiz.

Photo Credit: Charles Paz, Mr. Romance 2009

Vampires Slashed @ Ellora's Cave Now's The Time To Buy!

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:45:00 +0000

In celebration of All Hallow's Eve, Ellora's Cave has discounted all of their vampire ebooks 15% until October 31st! That's right those nocturnal sexy beasts that we all love have been slashed and ready to move people!

So, if you haven't picked up my ode to the vampire romance, Charmed, featuring a sexy British vampire and a firecracker of a heroine from the deep south here's your opportunity!

Word Clouds Are Beautiful...Fun...Even Useful!

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:51:00 +0000

While tooling around on the web, dumping extraneous software I never use off my computer and downloading new software, I stumbled across a new application which takes your words and makes this cool word cloud out of them. As you can tell, I'm easily entertained especially on a slow Saturday:)

Usually you put in tons of text, but since I didn't feel like coming down with a bout of carpal tunnel, I put in the url for this blog, and the blurb for two of my stories Forever, I Do and Charmed. And this is what the program came up with. It seems it took the most current post to make the cloud. Just click on the image and it will take you to a larger version of it.

My Blog

Charmed

Forever, I Do

I'm sure Jonathan Feinberg created the application just for fun or as another means of art, but its also a great tool for writers to pinpoint redundant words we seem to miss even with the FIND/REPLACE function.

Give your text a spin at Wordle then if you like come back and paste the code they give you:)

Romanticon 2.0

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:47:00 +0000

I finally made it home! I don't want to see a gray security bucket for at least six months. Unfortunately no such luck I'll be in the Windy City the first week in December for another conference. So before I have a nervous breakdown, I've downloaded more pics from this past weekend! Hmmm, where did I leave off? Ah, yes the Psychedelic party!

(All the fun on the dance floor)

(Channeling Minnie Ripperton)

(Psychedelic triplets)

(Author Eve Vaughn and I...love...peace...and soul!)

(Liz Andrews and Lena Matthews before Bobby K stole her Afro wig)

(Bobby K in Lena's Afro wig)

The most memorable moment of the night? Too many to name so, I'm going to break them down to my top 6! Why not 10? It was a 6-0's theme party!

KOKO'S 6 MEMORABLE MOMENTS OF ROMANTICON'S PSYCHEDELIC PARTY

6. Ellora's Cave for starting the party on time! Yippee no more waiting 45 minutes in line like other conferences

5. Austin Powers' Psychedelic dance contest intro..."Oh, behave!

4. The (great) DJ dressed like Bowser from Sha Na Na

3. Posing for a personal picture with Angelo

2. Bobby K serenading the audience while being freaked by Lena Matthews

1. Meeting author Sherri King!

Yes my most memorable moment was finally meeting author Sherri L. King. Poor thing. I've stalked her for two straight years ever since Romantic Times' Convention in Pittsburgh. I think I actually made her blush! Tiny little thing. Cute to death! And one of my all time favorite authors. So much so, that I've bought her book Fetish no less than four times over the years.

WHY? I kept losing the story due to two mother boards burning up, getting locked out of my hard drive, and erasing everything on my jump drive:( And I hate to admit it, but when I met her I still didn't have a copy due to a new computer. But I made up for it by snagging an autograph copy at the book signing:)

After all the fun on Friday night, EC had much more in store for conference attendees in the form of one-on-one author meet and greets, craft workshops -the branding workshop headed by Adele Dubois, Susan Edwards and Judith Rochelle/Desiree Holt was great-, and an appreciation dinner.

Any Highlights?

Collecting fellow authors' autographs, meeting Bronwyn Greene and hearing the pet names for her books, and the human sandwich EC cover models Rodney Chatman and Angelo made of author and "Golden Whip" winner Joey Hill.

(Appreciation Dinner: Angelo, Rodney, and author Joey Hill is sandwiched between them)

I was having so much fun at the Appreciation Dinner, I was sad it ended right after the awards. Too bad they didn't have the same great DJ from the night before. But I hear EC didn't need a dance floor for the fun to continue because I heard the party moved to the hotel bar where a little impromptu karaoke singing and light spanking was on the menu.

(Yolanda from Two Lips Reviews and I before the Appreciation Dinner)

Unfortunately, I missed out on the action because I went back to my hotel room right after the dinner. Seems cold air and this Florida girl don't mix...makes me sleepier than a bear at the first sign of winter.

Don't feel sorry for me, I made up for it on Sunday! The third and final day of Romanticon was packed with even more activities: workshops, a huge author book signing and a farewell bingo party.

In the morning, I sat in on a very informative panel on "Researching and Writing BDSM" headed by Joey Hill, Diana Hunter, and Tawny Taylor. And a job well done I must say especially when they held a tight reign on the attendees who wanted to share their experiences into BDSM much to my delight and I'm sure everyone else.

After too short of a group discussion, it was my turn to step up to bat as one of four authors --Liz Andrews, Lena Matthews, and Eve Vaughn-- heading a panel on "Researching and Writing for the Multicultural and Interracial" genre. In our panel we covered everything from the difference between the two genres, great websites for researching different cultures/ethnicity's, stereotypes, and Do's and Don'ts of writing within the two genres. Hopefully, everyone had a great time and no one's ears were singed:)

After our panel, I stayed behind for "Researching and Writing Historical Romance" with Solange Ayre, Kathleen Coddington, Tracy Cooper-Posey, and Ruby Storm. Despite the limited time allotted for the workshop, the group was able to share a wealth of information with us. I especially liked the history portal containing links - covering various time periods, clothing, and culture/traditions -the group created to help other writers. Can you say fabulous?

(Sunday Book signing: Authors Adele Dubois, Isabelle Drake, Cheryl Dragon, and Dalton Diaz)

The mega book signing was phenomenal. I met a lot of readers I didn't get a chance to meet over the course of the weekend and I also had a chance to chat with my girls Dee Brice and Regina Carlysle! It was really nice to meet Regina because she and I used to be in an online word count group this past Spring before I bowed out due to a bout with carpal tunnel syndrome. But we didn't get much gabbing in due to signings, talking with readers, and being teased by Rodney during the raffle drawings.

(My unlucky bingo card)

Fortunately for some people's bank accounts, the book signing finally ended. Tons of people walked away with dozens of books - or more like two dozen! I witnessed one woman's $250 bill - others a brand new Sony reader and a Netbook which was won by Ruby Storm's sister and self-described GPS system. After the book signing we all hung around a bit then headed downstairs for the farewell bingo party.

(EC staff & cover models getting in on the Bingo Party fun)

(Author Jory Strong...trust me she was having a great time:)

Unfortunately I didn't win anything even though I came close, but it just wasn't enough with Lady Luck aka Cris Anson sitting at my table;p She won three times. But who cared about winning when we were all giggling at Rodney having so much fun calling out the numbers! I-69! Oh yes, a big thanks to everyone for the birthday serenade!

(Author & Lady Luck herself Cris Anson)

(Author J. Hali Steele hamming it up for aspiring author & "Bobbie Smith Challenge Winner" Rhonda Marks)

Romanticon 2010 is scheduled for the weekend of October 8!

Romanticon 1.0

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:04:00 +0000

I know this is late, but at least Romanticon isn't over and I can still report to you what's been going on. As you can guess this weekend has been nonstop! EC has our schedules so filled, I really didn't have any downtown until I fell into bed or now...finally.

I got in on Friday evening about an hour before the Psychadelic 60s party. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of people who'd shown up and delighted about our gift bags, which were these nice light weight tie-dye numbers that were a welcome depature from all the computer-type bags I've collected from several conferences over the years.

Even better?

Each bag came with 6 free books and a souvenir book that contained pages for author autographs and all the outlines for each workshop! AND we also received a Tarot card gift bag compliments of the Lotus line.

(Ellora's Cave's infamous tour Bus! Yes it's just as nice in the inside)

(Psychadelic gift bag and souvenir book)

(Free swag from the gift bag)

(One of the best swag items from promo alley--an Ann Kinnenkamp sleeping mask)

Well after settling in, I hurried up and dressed for Friday night's party which was a 60s themed Psychadelic party which at first I was pretty aprehensive about since the whole hippie/flower child thing sort of evaded me until the 13th hour.

At first the party started out pretty slow, but then as you know with any EC party everyone threw off their inhabitions and prediliction for shyness and got on the dance floor. Can I just say that the party was a blast. From the dance by EC's new cover models to the dance contest hosted by Samantha Kane and Mary Freeman.

(EC's Randy Thompson dressed as Shaggy)

(Eve Vaughn and I gettin' our groove on)

(EC's newest cover model from Venezuela Angelo and I...I don't think they made them as beautiful back then did they?)

(EC models pleasing the crowd...as always)

Check back for more pictures and updates on the great workshops I went to and how I stalked Sherri King and bought Fetish for the 5th time!

Ohio or Bust!

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:18:00 +0000

Well, I finally made a plane on time. Must have been because I was so excited about Ellora Cave's Romanticon Reader's Convention this weekend in Akron, Ohio:) And I am. I've been up all night packing, unpacking, and making an afro wig for tonight's psychadelic 60s party tonight, stuffing bags with cds, vampire fangs, and candy poker chips. If you're one of my readers you know exactly which book I'm promoting:)

Anyway, I think this weekend is going to jam packed and I fear I won't be able to get in any sightseeing like I usually do. The powers that be at EC have us pretty much busy the entire weekend. The next three days will be filled workshops (I'm sitting on the Multicultural/Interracial panel on Sunday), on-one meet and greets with readers, an appreciation dinner, pictures with the cover models, a book fair, and even a send off bingo party.

AND I CAN'T WAIT!

The authors at EC are great and they know how to party! I think it's because we're so shunted up the rest of the time writing and not socializing that reader conventions allow us to be around people who understand the agony we put ourselves through to find the perfect word to hook the reader. Also, it's great to talk with readers who appreciate your work:)

Well if you're reading this and you'll be at Romanticon come by and say hello or check out the "Researching and Writing Multicultural/Interracial Romance" I'm on the panel with Eve Vaughn, Lena Matthews, and Liz Andrews. I'll save some chocolate poker chips for you. If you're not attending keep checking back because I'll be blogging all weekend and uploading pictures.

Missing You Toronto!

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 20:55:00 +0000

Strange headline? I know....

I guess an explanation is in order. A few days ago I flew up to Toronto to attend the Toronto International Film Festival (one of my dreams come true) and I'm still pinching myself. I've wanted to attend for several years now. And I don't regret one hard penny I plucked down to attend, well I would change the ghettoness of the online ticketing process, when they release their official schedule, and the prices at the in house concession stand...think NYC prices...BUT other than that I had a great time, I saw several celebrities and even two wonders of the world -- one natural, the other modern.

Here are some of the pics from my stay:)

Spend An Evening With Multipublished Author Lena Matthews!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:46:00 +0000

Spend an evening with the authors of Scribes Unleashed as we chat with multi published author LENA MATTHEWS on Thursday, September 17 @ 6PM EDT in the Scribes Unleashed Yahoo Group.

Published with Pocket Books, Ellora's Cave Publishing, and Loose-Id, Lena is the author of more than 30 books within multiple genres from interracial and mutlicultural to paranormal and contemporary. So, clear your schedule for tomorrow evening because as all of you know our evenings are always a lot of fun and always filled with suprise giveaways! To learn more about Lena before tomorrow's chat visit: www.lenamatthews.com/books.htm

To join the chat go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scribesunleashed/

Just Wanted to Share....

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:28:00 +0000

Just wanted to share a photo from my morning jog along the Indian River. Makes my daily workout a little more bearable.

Eve Vaughn Prepares to Bring the House Down...Sort of

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:27:00 +0000

I guess the title drew your attention. I know it might be a little bit of a stretch, but anytime Eve Vaughn is in the house you can expect her to break down doors and shatter windows. Ha! Just kidding but she is fierce:) That's why I couldn't wait to invite her to Scribes Unleashed's Yahoo Group for a group-on-one chat this coming Thursday, August 25 @ 7:30 p.m.

So, if you're looking for a littly naughty chatter and a rootin, tootin good time come over to the chat. There just might be a few surprises in store;P

Finally Made Romantic Times!

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 22:15:00 +0000

I received my first issue of Romantic Times (September 09) this afternoon and while flipping through the reviews, I came across a review for my April Red Sage release, The Merry Widow. Although Red Sage, places a monthly ad, I had no idea I was up for a review and I didn't receive an email from the magazine or my publisher letting me know.

So as you can guess, I wasn't hoping for much since this is my first RT review. The Merry Widow received...4 stars. I. am. so. tickled. pink! Mainly because this little novella hasn't earned me much as far as my normal sales, but the reviews have been great:) Plus, Romantic Times doesn't giveaway reviews you have to earn them.

Well without further ado, here's a snippet of the review by Donna M. Brown:
This entertaining Victorian novella is laced with humor and hot sex. The characters in this May-December romance are witty and charming, and you'll cheer for Reggie in his relentless pursuit of Phillipa.

To read the rest of the review you have to purchase a copy of their September issue, which can be found at book stores near you.

Guest Author Zena Wynn to Visit Scribes Unleashed August 6th!

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:50:00 +0000

Romance Author Zena Wynn will be a guest author on the Scribes Unleashed Author Yahoo Group this coming Thursday, August 6 @ 7p.m.

Zena is a multipublished author whose catalogue spans almost every genre from multicultural to shapeshifters to contemporary. Her publishers include Loose-Id, Phaze, and Red Rose Publishing.

To learn more about Zena before Thursday's chat, visit her website at http://www.zenawynn.com/.

To attend the chat, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scribesunleashed

See you Thursday!

Firnally...My First Five Star Review From JERR!

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:21:00 +0000

The Merry Widow, my older woman/younger man Victorian romance just received a 5 star review from Just Erotic Romance Rewiew...and I'm tickled pink even though I've recently discovered readers final decision to buy a book isn't necessarily due to a good or bad book. It still feels great, since I haven't been able to recieve anything higher than a 4 from them.

Here's a snippet:

Title: The Merry Widow

Author: Koko Brown

Publisher: eRed Sage Publishing

Publisher URL: http://www.eredsage.com/

Reviewer: Heather Nestorick

Rating: 5 Stars

Heat level: O

Phillipa is lonely and decides to risk it all and hire a “gentleman” friend. After a brief meeting with the town Madam, Phillipa waits for her new friend to arrive. Reggie arrives at Phillipa’s home to talk business but was instead escorted to her bedroom. After a brief encounter both realize they want more but are the costs too high; Reggie is her competition and Phillipa is 10 years his senior. Can Phillipa go against the norm and her own fears to find love again?

The Merry Widow was enjoyable and fun to read. Phillipa was a wonderful character; she had accepted her husband’s death and was determined to move on with her life. She takes control and satisfies her desires....

Romance Cover Model Cuts Out Middle Man

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:48:00 +0000

What's hotter than a romance cover model? A romance cover model with the brains to control their own image!

Yesterday, I received an email from one of my Myspace friends Jimmy Thomas, International cover model extraordinaire. Of course, I opened it right away because I was half expecting words of unrequited love and his desire to see us tying the know in an intimate ceremony in a small church in the Napa Valley.

But alas...le sigh...no such thing happened. Instead, Jimmy was informing the world (not just me unfortunately) that he was launching another venture. Like he needs another one considering he once managed over 50 models (not at the same time...I hope), currently works as a romance cover model, is a certified physical trainer, freelances as an architectural designer for several companies in the Los Angeles area, and also designs websites including his own jimmythomas.com. Jeez Louise, I have to take a deep breath after writing all of that. (To read more....)

(Jimmy Thomas and Friend at work)

Book Reviews: Do They Influence Your Purchase Decision?

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:52:00 +0000

Last week-end, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was the biggest box office draw in the U.S. grossing over $200 million domestically, since it's opening on June 24 making it the second best opening of any film in the history of filmaking behind The Dark Knight. Of course, to many of its legions of fans that really wasn't a surprise because its predecessor was the 5th most successful film in 2007 eventually grossing more than $700 million worldwide. To read the rest of the blog visit the Loose-Id Author Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:52:00 +0000

It's that time of year again! My local Romance Writers of America chapter, Space Coast Authors of Romance, is accepting submissions for their 2008 contest - Launching a Star.

Last year acquiring editors and agents requested an amazing 10 manuscripts from finalists with two of them selling. This year, we’ve added new categories – Romantic Suspense, Inspirational and Novellas – in our efforts to bring you the most value for your contest dollars.

To enter, submit the first chapter (25 page max) of your romance in any of our nine categories. All first round judges (2 per entry, one trained, one published in romance) will provide constructive comments on EVERY entry. In the final round, two industry professionals (one agent and one editor) will judge each. The overall contest winner has a star named in their honor through the International Star Registry. An engraved, star-shaped paperweight is presented to the first place winner of each category, and stars cover the frameable certificate provided to all finalists. This year's final round judges are:

Single Title – Editor Selina McLenmore, Grand Central; Agent Becca Stumpf, Prospect Agency Romantic Suspense – Editor Sara Goodman, St. Martin’s; Agent Kimberly Whalen, Trident Media
Inspirational – Editor Natalie Hanemann, Thomas Nelson; Agent Rachelle Gardner, WordServe Agency
Historical – Editor Talia Platz, NAL; Agent Elizabeth Pomada, Larsen-Pomada Agency
General Paranormal: Editor Heather Osborne, TOR; Agent Laurie McLean, Larsen-Pomada Agency
Fantasy/Futuristic: Editor Meredith Giordan, Berkley/Jove; Agent Deidre Knight, The Knight Agency
Series Contemp: Editor Susan Litman, Harlequin Special; Edition; Agent Michelle Grajkowski, 3 Seas Agency
Young Adult: Editor Kristen Daly, HarperCollins; Agent Elaine Spencer, The Knight Agency
Novellas: Editor Angela James, Samhain; Agent Roberta Brown, Brown Literary Agency

So are you ready to enter? Polish up your first 25 pages (no synopsis needed) and either email it to contest@authorsofromance.com (only for International entries) or mail it in with $25 (STAR members) $30 (NON-STAR members) and a SASE by September 5th to: Launching A Star Coordinator, c/o Lee Rhuday Duncan, 1823 Laurel Oak Drive, SouthRockledge, FL 32955

Author Chat Tomorrow with Marilyn Lee!!

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:17:00 +0000

Hey gang!

My author group Scribes Unleashed will have an author chat with the godmother of interracial romance on Wednesday, June 24 beginning at 8 p.m. est!

We'd love to have you, plus you don't want to miss out on all the free books Marilyn plans to give out:)

Here's the link to join in the fun!
http://www.yahoo.com/groups/scribesunleashed

Beach Party A-Go-Go

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:17:00 +0000

It's time again for the annual Writerspace Beach Party, to celebrate summer and find some terrific beach reads for this year's vacation!

So please join me and dozens of your favorite authors at the 2009 Beach Party at Writerspace on Sunday, June 28th from 8pm ET to 11pm ET.

Authors will be dropping in to chat all during the evening and we will be giving away 100s of new books and other fantastic prizes -- autographed, hard-to-find, advance copies plus special treats like gift baskets and more. We hope to see you Sunday night! You don't have to be present to win, but you must be registered.

To register, and for details on all participating authors and the prizes they're giving away, visit http://www.writerspace.com/beach

Steamy Scene May Lead To Publishing Contract

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 20:23:00 +0000

Are you an aspiring author? Have you written a steamy love scene that's a scene stealer? Why not enter the Maryland Romance Writers Reveal Your Inner Vixen Contest.

According to MWRA's website, your entry should be no more than 25 pages (plus an unjudged 1-page set) should convey the sensual tension between your hero and heroine and that the scene can be anything from a flirtation, a kiss, or a fully developed love scene, just as long as the reader can feel that tension.

Entry is easy this year, no snail mail here guys! All entries should be sent in electronically and time stamped no later than June 15 al0ng with an entry fee of $20 for MWRA members and $25 for non-members. ESPECIALLY NEEDED: SERIES CATEGORY, SINGLE TITLE, HISTORICAL, EROTIC ROMANCE, AND YOUNG ADULT.

Each entry will be judged by THREE qualified judges, i.e., trained and/or published authors and each entry will receive helpful comments regarding strengthening their manuscripts.

The top three scoring entries in each category will then advance to the final round for evaluation by TWO EDITORS in that genre. All finalists receive a brief critique by the final round judge, a certificate, and mention in the next issue of the RWA® Romance Writers Report. First place winners receive a $50 prize. Last year, five out of fifteen finalists were asked to submit partial or full manuscripts.

Here are the categories along with their final round judges:

Series Contemporary: 1950-present, 40,000-79,000 words
Final Judges: Gail Chasan, Harlequin/Silhouett e; Rhonda Penders, The Wild Rose Press;

Single Title:1950-present, 80,000-120,000 words
Final Judges: Allison Brandau, Penguin/Berkley; Bethany Morgan, Samhain Publishing, Inc;

Historical: Historical: BCE-1950, 40,000-120,000 words
Final Judges: Meghan Conrad, Ellora's Cave Publishing Inc; Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks, Inc;

Alternative: TT/F/F/P, 85,000-120,000 words
Final Judges: Chris Keeslar, Dorchester; Amanda Barnett, The Wild Rose Press;

**Young Adult: 40,000 words or more
Final Judges: Krista Marino, Delacorte; Lindsey McGurk, Samahain Publishing, Inc

For more information about the contest or to see a sample score sheet, visit: marylandromancewriters.org

**New Category
Forwarding Permitted and Appreciated

15 Years, 15 Books, for only $1.50!

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:01:00 +0000

To celebrate their Fifteenth Anniversary, my publisher Red Sage Publishing is throwing a party the entire month of June!

So, each week they have chosen 15 titles which will be on sale for the bargain basement price of only $1.50!

Some of the authors include Natalie Gray, Anne Rainey, Alice Gaines, Natasha Moore, and Calista Fox. For more details visit Red Sage's blog.

And don't forget my novella The Merry Widow which is receiving great reader reviews is still available!

Mini Me Has Arrived

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Sat, 30 May 2009 03:04:00 +0000

My Dell Mini computer arrived today. And its really, really small. In fact it's even smaller than one of my vintage Gucci clutch bags. Surprisingly enough the keys aren't that small, but I did notice that I had trouble keeping them from slipping onto other keys. Haven't actually worked with it, trying to follw the instructions and let it heat up for the requisite 12 hours.
At least, I have 15 days to play with it before I have to return it. I'll let you guys know how I like it.

Yipee Kayah! Get Along Little Notebook!

noreply@blogger.com (Koko Brown) — Sun, 24 May 2009 02:22:00 +0000

I just wanted to share that I broke down today and bought my self one of those mini Dell notebooks today. For a long time, I've been looking into a notebook/wordprocessor that wasn't such a burden to carry around, especially since I love to stay connected even when I'm on the road.

I know the color is probably making all the feminist out their puke, but by choosing "Promise" pink Dell will contribute $5.00 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

The small, virtually weightless design lets you travel light while keeping up with your blog, video chat, instant messenger and email so that you never lose touch with your family and friends. Highlights include wireless LAN, an integrated 0.3MP Webcam, and Microsoft Works.

Intel Atom Processor N270

Operates at 1.6GHz/533Mhz FSB/512K cache for very good

GB DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz

Use several applications without a decrease in performance

Widescreen 8.9" display

Powered by Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950 integrated graphics

Integrated 0.3MP webcam

Makes video conferencing and chat easy and fun

Genuine Windows XP Home

8GB Solid State Drive

10/100 Ethernet

802.11g Wireless Card

Integrated 0.3MP webcam

4-cell Battery

3-in-1 Media Card Reader

McAfee 30-day trial

Microsoft® Works 9.0