The Writers Crypt

4 Book Give-Away!

2009-10-26T12:44:00.007-04:00

Okay, so in October, my favorite month, I get as giddy as a schoolgirl who was just asked to the prom. I go from speaking engagement to another event (with sometimes multiple bookings in one day), excited to talk about my books. I love sharing my stories with others, and especially this time of year, spooktacular central, or October, I'm a sought after commodity.

Well, I can't be in all places, and with the cost of travel lately, I'm forced to stay a bit closer to the place I call home (or at least 100 miles radius thereof).

So, since I'm feeling in a frightfully good, sharing kind of mood, I've decided to run a little contest and give away 4 books! (your choice of book, and either e-book, or paperback)

Here are the rules if you wish to play along.

I'll post 4 different questions. Some will be easier, others more difficult. A correct answer to the question will close that question down and the person with the correct answer will be awarded their choice of book written by yours truly.
*IF you guess a question correct, you are automatically ineligible to answer other questions. ONLY 1 book per person.* (I'm trying to be fair and spread the love here)

So - to make sure we all get it -
1 - I post question.
2- first person to correctly answer question, receives book from me.
3 - that correct answer shuts down that particular question (so if you know the answer, and want a book, you better act quick before some other genius guesses correctly).

Contest will remain open until questions are all correctly answered and books awarded. Some questions will require a bit of work on your part - meaning, you may need to hunt out the answer, or have seen me at a local event in order to know.

To Answer: send me an email (author@christinabarber.net) with contest in the subject line and then provide the question number and answer. It's that simple.

I'll announce here, on the blog, when the question has been answered correctly, by whom, and then what the correct answer is. (in case you're curious).

SO- Ready to get to it?!? Let's rock:

ANSWERED! 1) What is the name the town where I grew up? Answer: Mountainside, New Jersey. Correct answer goes to Matt!

ANSWERED! 2) Who was the cover artist for my novel, Seely's Pond? Answer: Mark Helwig. Correct answer goes to Dana! If you wish to see more of his work, check out his website at www.markhelwigart.com.

3) At the recent Necronomicon convention, in a crowded panel room, I stated: (either panel will work, and get as close as you can to my words. If there's a tie here, I'll pick the more precise answer):

On the panel, 7 Mistakes Writers Make, What was my Pick for the 7th mistake writers make?

Or

During a discussion on Women in SF/F panel, my panel mate commented that he critiques romance in return for his partner to critique his sci-fi work (both admit to dislike the others genre). My comment to him about things he DIDN'T discuss in his critique was?

4) Who is it that I believe haunts my home?

A Rant (or whine), Take it or Leave it

2009-10-09T13:17:00.002-04:00

Oh, yay, yet another day in the life of a miffed writer post. Too bad. Suck it up, and read on, or click away. A warning though, I'm in one of those 'feisty' moods.

Rejection. It sucks no matter how you look at it. Whether it's on a query to an agent, or a submission to a publisher, it is inevitably, and unfortunately, part of the publishing business. I'm sure every aspiring writer, and published writer, has heard this ad nauseam. And everyone who has been there, done that, owns the t-shirt, can also tell you that you have to keep trying.

And it is that - trying. Yep, trying my patience. You have to wait, and wait, then get that rejection, sometimes so fast that you wonder if they even read one word, before tossing it into the big 'R' pile.

But honestly that's not the part that is, pardon the expression, but burning my biscuits. What's got me angry is timing. For what it's worth, timing is everything.

I've discovered that you may have the new best idea, with clever characters, well-written plot, and done in a way that hasn't been slimmed to death by a thousand other authors, yet no one will give it the time of day. And it's all because of timing. Damn. Unfortunately when one book becomes an instant hit, you'll see publishers scrambling to climb aboard the money express. All they want is, 'how can we get our own series like that one? or can so-and-so write something like this? and pull from their stable of authors' and grab at the opportunity to get similar books to ride the popularity wave. And hey, you can't blame them! They know what the public demands, and so they'll give it to them. Oh, and in the process make a butt load of money. Again, no qualms there either.
But that only equals the market being flooded with type X novels. Be it other houses wishing to grasp that golden 'hot' ring, or new writers who want to hook into the hottest selling stuff. Well again, here goes with the timing. First, it takes around 18 months from the time a book is purchased from the author until it sees the bookstore shelf. So, what's hot now isn't what will be hot in 18 months. Never, ever, write to the current market. By the time you get your novel out, it'll be glutted with others like it and no one will touch it with a ten foot pole. Even IF you write something a little different, it's just not going to appeal to agents and editors because they are looking for the next big thing, not last years clearance items.

So, while writing takes skill, patience, and tenacity, it also takes a ton of luck. BTW- luck has never been my strong suit. But I'll keep plugging away, because if nothing else, by sheer bullheadedness, I'm going to get there.

And Where Have YOU Been Young Lady?

2009-09-16T16:25:00.002-04:00

Okay, so you're probably wondering if something had happened to me, possibly something like that I fell off the face of the earth, right? No, sorry, just got stuck in limbo.

Between all kinds of general 'life' chaos, I hadn't done much in the way of writing. Partially because 1) my vampire series was still in limbo. No offers. And you certainly don't want to waste your time writing book two if the first in the series hasn't been purchased.
2) because I didn't know where I wanted to go from here - what was I going to write next?

There was also a niggling feeling that my work was flat, it was missing something. And it wasn't easy to qualify that statement so I could find a solution to the problem. I agonized over it, which of course didn't help matters. I wanted desperately to go back into Eideann's War and rewrite it, fix the staleness, but how?

Over the summer I read a few books, at the suggestion of my husband (thanks, love!). I wasn't looking to dissect the books, but rather to just plain out read for enjoyment. But that's when the 'Ah-ha!' moment struck. It was my voice, or lack thereof that caused me to feel my work was flat. Funny thing is that I was told in a rejection that while the storyline, and writing were good, it lacked any distinct voice. Voice. I never really understood what the meant, until now. Sure, I'd heard the term often enough in writing seminars, and among fellow authors, but it never clicked.

The hardest thing about learning to trust my voice was that damn internal editor. You know the one, with the huge red pen, dark, brooding eyes, that pops up way too often commenting, "No, no. You can't do that." or "No, that's not correct. You can't say it that way. And you certainly don't need that information." I had learned some pretty hard lessons over the years, but my first eye opening critique group is the one that had beat me into shape - or truly over-beat me.

I'd taken my my bruised and shredded manuscript, and worked hard to eliminate all the unnecessary information, but to a fault. 'Throat clearing' was the term used - what a writer does before they actually get to the story. Unfortunately they called the first four chapters of my novel, throat clearing, or extraneous. I cut, cut and cut some more. Every time I went to write descriptive, that horrid editor would jump out, "Is that really necessary to the over all story?" Most of the time my answer was no, and then I'd delete it, or simply not write it.

But something has to be said for overall descriptive prose. Certainly we don't want, or need chapters upon chapters of basic information, but in a way, we do. This is where I find myself today. Now I know there is more to world-building than just knowing everything about the world in which your characters live - your reader needs to see it as well. And it will all come out in the form of my voice - how I wish it to read, how I want the story to be told.

That internal editor - well, she's bound, gagged, and told that if she even makes a peep, I'm callin' in the 'Guys' from Jersey to make her a custom set of cement shoes. I can't have her dead, after all, I'll need her eyes later, way later, after I'm ready to edit.

So - with a new found voice I revamped my vampire novel (yeah, pun-ny huh?). I inserted things that I wanted my reader to see, places, people, all how I want the story to be told.

Speaking of limbo - I'd stopped querying for around a year on this novel. It was honestly one day away from becoming a trunk novel (one that will lay in a drawer for years, untouched). But after my work on it, I've decided to try again. It has been year, and I've also noticed a trend. Several agents are now actively looking for horror, literary horror, or upscale horror. Ask anyone in the publishing industry and they'll tell you what may sell today, won't tomorrow, or next year - and visa-versa.

I'm a firm believer in 'things happen for a reason', so maybe I'll find out what the grand plan is.

But incase we still don't have any nibbles on Eideann's, I have been working on a new series - sort of a YA with lots of psychic abilities, ghosts, and outerworldly trouble.

So, to answer that original question - I've been busy!

Non-Romantic Vampires

2009-06-24T07:54:00.003-04:00

This is a pet peeve of mine, that is, vampires that are all about romance. I'll confess, I don't read romance. It just doesn't 'do it' for me. There's something that really irritates me about Happily Ever After (aka HEA). Life doesn't end in an HEA. Ever. I know that really sounds as if I'm a pessimist, but for clarity sake here, I'm not saying that people can't be happy, but rather that the EVER AFTER part is bogus. There's always something that crops up to cause change or unrest.

Now onto the real issue - the vampires and romance. Of course there's a ton of books out there with vampires and romance - including the wildly popular Twilight Series. It's not my cuppa. Believe me, I've tried to read some of these Best-selling fiction, but each time I find I'm disgusted with the leather-pants wearing vampire hottie man (usually with long hair) who falls in love with a mortal woman, though he knows he's not supposed to be with her, thus making him a bad boy too. And she is strangely attracted to him, all of his hulking mass, and despite him being a 'monster' (yeah right), she loves him anyway. Ugh. Tell me how many novels that little blurb describes - probably the majority. They're all the same underneath, and the paint on top is just a slightly different color (if you get my drift).

Let's face it, romance sells. Period. No matter what other genre trappings, if there's romance in the novel, it'll more than likely have a better chance of hitting the shelves than those that don't. And mine don't. To go one step further down that path, I will not consider adding it either. It doesn't make sense in the way I wish to portray my vampires and world.

I KNOW there's a readership out there, hungry for vampire novels that don't have romance. I know this as fact since I've spoken with a lot of you at conventions, book signings, and other events. I also know that there are always changes in what is popular, and I'm placing my money on a movement away from the shiny, leather-pant, long haired, hunky vampire toward a darker, more evil fanged friend. When you look at vampire lore, you'll see that vampires are evil, undead creatures of the night.

And what about a strong female vampire lead? Novels like that are definitely far and few between. This is where I'm going with my vampire series. I have a strong female lead, with a funny, yet strong male counterpart. One of my beta readers said their relationship is very much like Scully and Mulder from the X-Files. Even my vampire is different. I went out to mythology to find a different take on vampire lore. While it is a loose interpretation, I'm using the myth of The White Women of the Scottish Highlands.

Now, to be fair, I will say that there has been some interest in the series by a few select publishers. To date, we do not have any offers. Yet. And certainly when we do receive the offer, I'll be certain to let you all know. :-) (See I'm really an optimist).

Imagicon - Day 2 and 3

2009-03-30T09:42:00.002-04:00

So, with all that went on, I didn't have time to update the blog until now - Monday morning after the convention, sorry.
Here is the recap of day 2 and 3 of Imagicon:
Saturday started with a 10am panel on Killing off Characters. We had a blast discussing ways in which we 'did in' characters. From there I went to my table and chatted with all those who stopped by. Just before Noon (and my two panels), we had a fire alarm go off and had to exit the convention space. So, now we have all these costumed people standing outside, meandering around, waiting until we were allowed back into the building. I have to say that several passers by did a double take, the kind that could cause whiplash, when they saw this motley crew standing around outside. After a few minutes, we were allowed back in, and I scrambled to the panel room. Since I was double booked, I'd decided to do a half-and-half session at each. The first half hour, I attended the Ghouls and Monsters panel. We had fun talking about the monsters we created. And in usual style, I tossed out a question to my fellow panelists, then promptly left!
From there, I raced, literately, down the escalator and into the 1st floor panel, No DQ Q&A. There, I joined wrestler Mr. Terrific, and Amazing Race stars to discuss whatever the audience wished to talk about. Of course, my field of ghosts really brought out the goose bumps, as expected. After that session, I wandered back to my table and chatted with more folks, and sold and signed books.
Sometime around 5:00, my stomach reminded me that it was once again time to find food, since the last meal had been at 8 in the morning. After packing up, I headed to grab a burger at the pub - yes, I know I was a bad girl, but it certainly was worth it!
In all the running, I'd forgotten about the Artist Meet and Greet, and realized it wasn't too late to stop by. After making a wrong turn, I found the room. I had a nice glass of wine, and talked with the artists attending the convention.
At 7:00 I went to my last panel of the day, Making make-believe, believable. I was really tired, but managed to keep it together and give my thoughts on the topic.
After the panel, I went to my room and crashed. Hard.

Sunday:
We had an early start - the writing seminar started at 8am. This meant that I had to be up, ready, packed, checked-out of the hotel, and fed all by 8. I managed to accomplish it, but I think it had a lot to do with the fact that I'd gone to bed early the night before. We broke into groups and started helping the attending writers with their prose. My group worked our guys hard. We had them write both a character, as well as a setting, using prompts that we'd given them. They did a great job!
At 11:30, I went directly to the panel, Creating Villains, where we discussed creating the 'bad guys' and answered some great questions tossed out to us by the audience.
With a long drive home ahead, I left when the panel was over.
All in all it was a good convention. I met a lot of new faces, and had some good times talking with some old friends.
Here are the links to those writerly friends, all of whom were panel mates at one time or another over the course of the weekend:
Alan Gilbreath
M.B Weston
Jeremy Lewis
Sherrilyn Kenyon
Jeannie Holmes
Wandering Men

Imagicon - Day 1

2009-03-27T22:23:00.002-04:00

Okay, so you'll get a blog today, but sadly no pictures. I'll try to remedy that for the next posting.
Recap of Day 1 -
I got started a bit early from Georgia, headed to Birmingham since it was pouring rain. I *hate* driving in the rain. So, I figured the slow and steady approach would be best given the wet circumstances. After a mind numbing 2 and a half hour trip - I successfully pulled into the Sheraton slightly ahead of schedule, around 11:30 Alabama time. Just so you know, last trip this way, I was plagued the entire time by the one hour time difference. I know, one hour isn't like jet lag material, but it still mucks with my whole system.
I checked in, settled into the room, then went on the hunt for the convention check-in. After that was handled, I had time for a quick lunch before my 1:00 panel.
The 1:00 panel on publishing and self-publishing went very well. We had good attendance, which, honestly, was surprising since it was such an early time slot - the first panel of the convention. I stated my opinionated view on self-publishing. From there I had a 2:30 panel on Character development. Again we had a good number in the audience and lively participation from the authors.
At 3:30 I spent about an hour at my signing table. But my stomach began to rumble, since it was used to the Atlanta time zone, and I went in search of some down time and food.
After a brief stop in the room to check email and such, I went to dinner and had a wonderful feast of salmon from the hotel.
I decided to wander for the remainder hour until my 8Pm panel. However, when I went up to the panel area, the director snagged me, and asked if I'd be willing to hop onto the 7PM panel about Paranormal. Of course, I said yes.
The 7Pm panel was sparsely attended, perhaps due to the other events going on, but we still had a good time talking about ghosts and sharing our stories.
Again the 8PM panel had sparse attendance, but we still had a fun time discussing Urban Fantasy and all it entails.
So, that was today. . . and I'm tired and ready for some shut eye, before it's time to do this all again tomorrow.
A few minor points about the hotel - first, it is a very nice hotel. Staff is friendly and helpful and the rooms are well appointed. Food is good quality, and an okay price (a bit more than I would normally pay, but well. . .). I do have one major worry though. . . the tornadoes. Last year, on the same weekend in March, I was here for another convention. That was the weekend the tornado ripped through Atlanta. Here, I had hail pounding my 17th floor window - a very scary experience. So I was a little worried this time around, knowing that the weather promises more of the same - rain, storms and tornadoes. But this time, at least, I have an East facing room. . . where as last time, my westerly facing floor to ceiling window took the brunt of the wind driven hail.
So, more to come, but hopefully no 'Wizard of Oz' stories about me being sucked up by a tornado.

Imagicon Convention

2009-03-24T11:45:00.001-04:00

Are you going to be at Imagicon Convention in Birmingham this weekend? I will be there! I’d love for you to drop by and say, ‘Hi’. You can also pick up a signed copy of my newest book, SEELY’S POND! Reviews have been pouring in now and they’ve all agreed – It’s a creepy tale!

Here’s a copy of my schedule:
*NOTE: There is a missing signing block time, but I’m sure it will be available at the convention.
Friday:
1:00 PM Publishing and Self-Publishing
2:30 PM Character Development
8:00 PM Urban Fantasy

Saturday:
10:00 AM Killing off your characters
Noon Goblins and Monsters
6:00 PM True Scifi
7:00 PM Making make-believe believable

Sunday:
9:00AM – 11:00 AM Writing Workshop
11:30- 11:55 Creating Villains (*note – I’m leaving this panel early due to a schedule conflict!)
12:00 No DQ Q&A

Back from FantaSci Con

2009-03-23T12:41:00.008-04:00

(Photo:(left to right): Cheryel Hutton, Christina Barber, Georgiana Kotarski)

Okay, today’s blog is a recap of the weekend at FantaSci Convention.

The weather was great in Chattanooga, though slightly a bit on the nippy side at night. The cold evening normally wouldn’t be an issue for the convention, but this time we were in a new hotel, rather a motel, with outdoor halls. All in all though, it wasn’t too bad.

Somehow, I was the 'Featured Literary Guest', so that was just cool!

Friday was the meet and greet. We had all of our fellow guests and some wonderful food (OMG – French Onion dip!) crammed into a small area. Several attendees joined us for some laughs, and a look into art and writing from the perspective of the artist and author. It was interesting to me how much art and writing are similar in their creative process, but equally fascinating is how much they are different.

Saturday was an early start and breakfast at a diner. It had been ages since I ate at a diner, so this was truly a treat for me. On my first panel, Cheryel and Georgiana joined me for a talk about how a book journeys from the author’s imagination to eventually sit upon the bookshelf in a bookstore. We had a lovely time and good discussion.

My next panel was solo, but Cheryel showed up to drop something off to me, and I snagged her to sit on the panel. In this panel we talked about genres, and bending or blending genre. We had a lively group, who ultimately asked some very good questions. I love an active audience! We also had a fun talk about my novel, Seely's Pond. And the reason it was 'fun' was that we, those in the know, didn't want to tell specific plot points to those who hadn't read it. It would truly spoil the read if we had divulged that information. Anyway, we talked in a code like fashion. For instance we discussed the 'medical' parts - (those who have read will have no trouble knowing what we mean by that one) and how it was really scary/twisted. etc. It was also great to hear others view of the novel, including the men who pointed out that while Seely's was in first person female perspective, they could easily hook into the character. BTW- You guys rock my world!!!

From there I talked with Charles of Silver Phoenix Entertainment about his comic and graphic novel line.

I was then asked to be on the TPIT (Tennessee Paranromal Investigation Team) radio show. We had a rockin’ time, including my surprising the team by turning the ‘interview’ table and asking them a question.

Afterward, much food and merriment (read wine) followed.

When Sunday arrived, I was exhausted and brain dead. After my two plus hour drive home, I relaxed with the family.

Now, I have four days to resume the regular schedule before I’m off again to Imagicon.

I’ll post after (or maybe during) that event next!

Reviews Abound!

2009-03-18T09:47:00.003-04:00

Wow! We have two reviews for SEELY'S POND in the last week. And these rock! I'm so happy that the reviewers enjoyed the twisted, horrific tale.

So, without further ado, here are the two reviews:
From ChrisChat Reviews:

SEELY’S POND

By Christina Barber

Publisher: HD-IMAGE

http://www.hd-image.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=206

Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy
ISBN: 0-9770437-5-4

Pages: 206
Price: $15.95

How do you tell an author to stop scaring the bejeebies out of you?

If the author is Ms. Barber – you don’t. You go along for the ride, hold on tight, and be glad you did.

Yes, another phenomenal read. And I can’t give you any details.

Why? Because, “Seely’s Pond” is a read that you must take alone and allow it to unfold and sweep you up into its tense and frighteningly silent menace.

In, “Seely’s Pond” Julia Tayte, her Minister husband, and son have moved to a new home in Western New Jersey. Their new home comes with its own pond and secret history. Only, when Julia starts finding skulls washed up from the pond does she question what’s in the pond.

You do not want to know.

This starts the creepiness of “Seely’s Pond.” What is in the pond and what does it want Julia? Will Julia be able to convince her closed-minded husband, she isn’t crazy? Can one woman destroy an ancient evil?

Okay, you do want to know. But, trust me – do not read this when you are alone. Do not read this at night, in a darkened room. Do not read this near any body of water.

Do read “Seely’s Pond.”

How soon till “Seely’s Pond II”?

AND
From Coffee Time Romance and More Reviews:

SEELY’S POND
CHRISTINA BARBER
ISBN # 0-9770437-5-4
April 2008
H-D Image
www.hd-image.com
Paperback
$15.95
203 Pages
Horror
Rating: 4 Cups

Julia Tayte, along with her husband and young son, has just moved into a small town in New Jersey, a far cry from city life. But soon strange things start to happen that put her and her family in danger. She discovers she has accidentally released an ancient curse.

Edwin Tayte is Julia’s husband and the new minister in town. Even though he loves her, he has a hard time believing what Julia claims she has seen and found near the pond. Trevor is the couple’s son who has felt the strangeness since they moved in and has been witness that what his mother says is true.

Instead of finding a relaxing, comfortable life, the Tayte’s find way more than they bargained for with the release of this curse. It turns the family upside down and life becomes stranger. But will they have a chance to fight the evil, or is it too late for them?

Seely’s Pond is a wonderfully spooky story. It has all the elements to keep the reader on the edge of their seat, biting their nails and wondering what will happen next. I was also pleased to see there is a second book coming out soon. It will certainly add more to the mystery and maybe put closure on the surprise ending of Seely’s Pond. This is a read you will not want to miss.

Matilda
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

ConNooga Convention Recap

2009-02-24T12:11:00.011-05:00

Even though the temperatures were a bit on the chilly side (high of mid-forties), we all still managed to have a great weekend. This convention was at a venue with buildings scattered throughout the hotel property – so lots of walking, in heels, carrying books etc. Yup, I got my workout this weekend, and didn’t even have to use the treadmill!

We’d left early on Friday in order to hopefully miss traffic. Thankfully it was smooth sailing up to Tennessee. Once we made it to the hotel around 1 PM, we had to wait until 3 to check in (the room wasn’t ready). No sweat. I had to get to the dealer room anyway and get my table set up. Luckily I had my trusty assistant and official photographer (aka my daughter) to help. I left the table in her capable hands and did a quick sweep of the other vendors. Friday in the dealer room was slow, but I also needed to be at a 5 PM panel, so that did limit my time there.

My 5 PM panel was on ‘Guidelines to Getting Published’ and though we were in the main building, it was sparsely attended (both by panelists and audience). Guess it was too early for most folks. Once finished there, I scooted to dinner with the family at the Station House Restaurant. We had a nice time eating and watching the singing wait staff. Hubby and I both felt that while the food was okay, I could have done a much better job. Another minor complaint were the unending rounds of ‘and we have another birthday celebration here tonight’, followed by the Happy Birthday song. All in all it was a nice dinner. After dinner my usual entourage joined us for a few drinks and social time.

Saturday – Saturday was chocked full of panels and whatever spare time I had was spent in the dealer room.

At 9 AM we had a ‘Meet and Greet’ in the dealer room. The Army sponsored the convention, so they had a presentation and served coffee and some pastries. During this little party, the ‘Coffee Nazi’ reprimanded Joe and me when we picked the wrong cups for our coffee. That’s what I get for trying to not be wasteful.

After the Meet and Greet, I had an hour at my table before I had to race off the 11 AM panel ‘Authors Roundtable Q & A’ where I was the moderator.

We had such a large and diverse group of authors for the Q&A, though some made me cringe when they made their introductions. For example, I knew darn well there were a few from vanity presses who claimed they were ‘traditionally’ published. Pft!

A few of my panel mates noticed my expression when they misrepresented themselves. I did wish to go down that road, but felt it wasn’t professional, nor what the audience came to hear and see (though I know of a few on the panel and audience who wished I did take these folks to task).

From there, I grabbed a quick bite and dropped a sandwich off to my husband who was amidst a Munchkin Tournament. I was then whisked off to the dealer room for another mini-round. I sold a few books, talked with many people and had such a good time, I nearly forgot about the panel at 4 PM.

And my hubby won the Munchkin tourney, and called to say, “Bring a bag, I need help!” At first I thought he was joking, but soon realized he wasn’t.

In all the confusion, I raced from the dealer room to the 4 PM panel, ‘Writing Short Stories.’ There we talked about short vs. long fiction and some methods we use, as well as discussing the difficulties. I enjoyed talking with everyone, though there were more panelists then audience members, but we got to have a cozy one-on-one chat with them.

Then I had a 5 PM panel about ‘Agents.’ This time only one attendee came to hear the discussion. Unfortunately I was on the panel with a vanity press. And I knew it too. Though the website does NOT state they charge fees, the prospective author will soon find this misleading fact out. While I gave my two cents about what agents are for, and who needs an agent, I also threw in the fact that no matter who you send a manuscript to – agent, publishing house – you ALWAYS check them out first. And I also added that an author should never pay a publishing house a dime. Of course that didn’t sit too well with the vanity publisher! She mentioned that she charges fees. I inquired as to what those fees were for. She explained the fees were for editing, cover art and her time. Then she proceeded to go into the whole marketing thing.

I really did want ask why on earth anyone would pay a publisher fees, then pay them a portion of their sales – when they’d be better off going with a small press or heck, even self-publishing (at least then they get to keep the money they actually make!) But alas, again I didn’t feel it would be professional or right of me to do, especially when we had only one person who came to hear the panel on agents to begin with.

I excused myself early – I was cold and tired of song and dance routine by the vanity publisher.

I had to grab a quick bite, so we went for my favorite food in the world, pizza and beer. I choked down dinner, then ran off to my 7:30 panel on ‘Promotion for Creators.’ There a great group of people – mostly authors, but a movie director and artist, also joined in the fun.

In this panel the one point I made was that even though we’re all struggling to gain fans, make book sales, we network and work together to make some of this happen. With that said. . .

So, while I made some new friends, I also had the chance to visit with others whom I’d met at other conventions:

Shane Moore, Cheryel Hutton, David Boop, Sean Taylor, Bobby Nash,

Rob Freese, Billy Tackett, And of course, my artist – Mark Helwig, And my publisher for Seely’s Pond, H-D Image.

Sunday, got off with a slow, tired start, then time in the dealer room. We packed the car and headed out just shy of 1 PM.

Another convention down . . . and only, what, another 7 to go?

Back in the Saddle Again

2009-02-19T09:49:00.002-05:00

I'm BAAACCKK! Yep, after a few months of down time, this weekend marks the beginning of my 2009 Convention and book tour season.

So for the kick-off to the season, our first venture is ConNooga. I'll be there starting tomorrow until Sunday. Lots of panels, signings and fun planned. Of course, my official photographer is attending, so I promise to post pictures and updates when I get back.

On another note, I've been busy writing, editing and brain storming. Hopefully I'll have some big news from at least one of two venues this year. At least one can hope. :-)

Status updates for those of you eagerly awaiting new releases from me:

Elements of Magic (non-fiction from Dragon Moon Press) my chapter, Of Dragons and Jade - scheduled to release this spring - no firm date yet.

Seely's Pond 2 (from H-D Image) - in progress. Working on it bit by bit. Should be released in 2010.

Vampire Legends (non-fiction from Schiffer Publications) - Finished compiling history and data. Scheduled for release late 2010.

Allergy-free cookbook (uncontracted) - Still compiling recipes and helpful information.

Book 1, Wind of Changes, Eideann's War Series (uncontracted) - Still playing around with editing and molding it. Started book 2, but nothing major yet.

And speaking of Seely's Pond. . . I am still in need of reviews! Please, if you've read it be so kind to pop onto Amazon or Barnes and Nobles and write a review. Even two sentences would be terrific!

Same goes for Spirits of Georgia's Southern Crescent - if you've read it, tell other readers about it.

. . . And Where Have You Been?

2009-01-15T13:56:00.002-05:00

I know I haven't updated this in a while. Yes, I've been busy and writing, though not what you'd suspect from me. See, I've been consumed lately with a non-fiction writing project close to my heart. . . an allergy-free cookbook.
For those who don't know, I'm allergic to soy and I also LOVE to cook. My grandmother taught me and she made everything from scratch - she was an amazing cook.
So - for the past few weeks, I've been recipe writing, researching, writing proposals etc. in hopes we have a publisher for this book. It is a needed topic and the more people I talk to about food allergies and recipes, the more I find others with food allergies.
Also, with the market for fiction appearing to be at a standstill, I've decided to focus my energy in non-fiction for a bit and return to tickle my muse whenever the feeling strikes, but not to worry about the fiction market right now. I'm sure in time it will return, so in the meantime, I cook, I write and see what happens from here!
Oh - and here's a link to my other blog - http://noallergycooking.blogspot.com/
Enjoy!

The Future of Publishing

2008-12-23T10:52:00.003-05:00

I often wonder what will happen with regard to books, distribution, and the marketing of books in general. I often read different articles by experts in the industry. One article which I read today brought up some very good points.
As you know (or if you don't), I really consider large publishing houses dinosaurs. They use antiquated business methods with regard to book selling. And with the economy tanking, everyone has had to take a step back and look for ways to sell more with less waste - that includes the publishing industry. For those who are not up to date with how the publishing industry works - let me give you a brief rundown. As a matter of fact, I delivered this news to my hairstylist yesterday who was shocked to learn that I only make a small (read very small) portion of each book sold.

So here is how it works: After a long process (one which I won't cover now) book is ready for distribution. Sales team sells Y number of books to chain book store. Book buyer for chain store orders a very generous amount. Books get delivered to chain stores distribution warehouse to then be shipped directly to chain stores. Chain store has invoice for books purchased. Chain store keeps book on shelf for about 90 days. After 90 days whatever amount of X book remains, gets sent back to publisher. THEN any book that is returned gets deducted from book sellers account thereby reducing their invoice. Invoice is paid based on books actually sold. Okay, not a big deal. Except - guess who gets charged back with those books that were sold but then returned? Yep the author. Now, I don't know about you, but what I really want to know is this. . . why isn't the book seller responsible for selling the books they purchased? And 90 days. . . wow.

Anyway, I guess I am now wondering if and how the industry will change. Especially with consumers moving toward a more 'green' world and every industry looking to cut costs and max out profits. This article pointed out that while the publishing industry is slow to change, it is at least opening new doors and seeing what's behind. http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6622219.html?nid=3335

So, again I wait, watch, read, write.

How About a Story?

2008-12-11T12:23:00.002-05:00

So - how would you like to read a free story? Well, here is your chance to read a few!
I'm going to start posting some of the back stories from my vampire series, Eideann's War. I hope you enjoy - and feel free to send others my direction - the more readers the merrier!
Wishing you ~ Unsettling Reading,
Christina

WIND OF CHANGES, is the first novel in the Eideann’s War Series. The series could be compared to a blend of the movies Highlander and Underworld. My vampire is a change from the norm, and based on the myth of The White Women of the Scottish Highlands. My vampires can go out in sunlight, do not fear crosses or garlic, and have fangs in addition to a feeding claw - all aimed at making them the ultimate predatory machine.

Here is a brief synopsis of WIND OF CHANGES:
Vampires have lived for centuries, in the shadows of humanity with the aid of the Seers, an ancient group designed to maintain the delicate political balance. During the year 2020 in Atlanta, rogue vampires set out to change the balance in their favor. There is a price for this ultimate power, if any survive . . .

Though currently, WIND OF CHANGES has yet to be contracted for publication, I've decided to publish to my website and blog background chapters (or teaser chapters) which do not currently have a home in the series.

Weylyn's Creation

Leipzig, Confederation of the Rhine

October 19, 1813

Weylyn Itai stood among the slain soldiers. The bloody battle ended ten hours after Napoleon’s troops attacked. The allied forces were victorious and drove the French back across the Elster River. Since the bridge was out, some swam, most died.

It pained Weylyn to see the destruction. He sat upon the cold, hard ground - rough terrain covered with brown leaves and the distinct red of blood under him. The smell of gun powder and smoke from the cannon fire still hung low in the sky. It hurt to breath in the foul air. He wanted to go home, to Prussia and to his wife, embrace her again and smell the sweet scent of her auburn hair.

He looked down at his hands, those capable of slaughter, covered in blood and filth, and wept. While they won the battle, Weylyn didn’t feel victorious. He made the sign of the cross and prayed.

“Lord, please forgive me for what I have done to my brother.”

“It’s no use. He doesn’t hear your plea.”

The voice startled Weylyn. He turned around and through the haze saw a man wearing odd robes, almost like the priests wore. He stood behind Weylyn.

“With most certainty, Sir, I know you are wrong. The Lord sees all.”

The man moved closer. “Perhaps he does. But I can tell you he cares not for you.”

The man’s long dark hair hung down his back. His green eyes matched his robes.

Weylyn rose to his feet and readied his bayonet. “Do you challenge my faith?”

“You are misled, Prussian.”

Enraged by the stranger’s accusation, Weylyn thrust his bayonet directly into the man’s stomach.

The man clutched his stomach briefly, then removed his hands revealing no wound, only ripped fabric.

“You are the devil!” Weylyn yelled, and thrust his bayonet again at the man.

The man stood and allowed Weylyn to pierce his flesh again.

Weylyn stepped back preparing to lunge, but as he did so, the man moved with an unnatural swiftness and kicked Weylyn’s legs from beneath him. Weylyn fell to the ground onto his back. His eyes filled with fright and surprise as the man moved on top of him.

“I’m not the devil. I am your salvation,” the man said.

He looked into Weylyn’s eyes. It felt as if he caressed Weylyn’s soul, taking control. He couldn’t move and felt compelled to obey the command of this stranger.

“Now Weylyn of Prussia, I end this life in exchange for another.”

He grabbed Weylyn’s head, twisted it to the side, slashed his throat and drank deeply from the warm fluid which spilled out. Weylyn prayed silently as his vision distorted, and he felt weak.

* * *

Weylyn opened his eyes to the faint glow of a fire and a great stone hearth. He sat up slowly realizing he was in commoner’s clothes and sitting on a cot.

He heard a woman humming in the distance. He searched his memory to recall his own death. Weylyn remembered sitting at the battlefield, but he knew he didn’t die in battle. He retraced the events over in his mind.

There was the battle. We won. I sat on the ground for a few moments to catch my breath. Then a man . . . THE MAN!

Weylyn jumped up at the realization of what happened, but felt lightheaded. He stumbled across the room and fell into the dark wooden support beam. His stomached ached with hunger.

A young woman entered the room. She had fair skin and dark hair. She called out in a language which Weylyn didn’t understand.

She moved over to him, placed his arm over her shoulder and guided him to the cot.

“Please sit. You must eat, you are very weak.”

Weylyn nodded.

She took Weylyn’s hand and grabbed his pinky finger. He noticed the nail on that digit was very long and sharp. With that nail, she slashed the skin on her wrist.

“Here.” She placed her arm in front of Weylyn’s face.

Repulsed by her actions, he drew back.

“Please, drink!” she commanded, and moved her wrist just below Weylyn’s nose.

Weylyn felt an urge to drink the ruby substance dripping from this woman’s arm. He couldn’t rationally explain it, but the wonderful smell and the urge became too intense for him to fight. He took her hand. He licked very gently at first. The blood tasted sweet, unlike anything he’d ever had before. He locked his lips over the wound and began to suck the nourishing substance.

“Ah, excellent. It is good to see you are awake.”

Weylyn looked up and saw the long haired, green eyed man from the battlefield standing beside them. The man said something in the same language the girl used earlier.

She gently removed her arm from his grasp. She moved from the bed and went out of the room.

“I know we had a rather difficult day yesterday, but please allow me to introduce myself. I am Cedric. You are now in my home, as a guest.”

“Do you feed all your guests blood?” Weylyn said sarcastically.

“Only the ones who are of Eideann’s blood.”

Weylyn looked blankly at Cedric.

“I am a soldier in the Prussian army, I . . .” Weylyn stopped, as his mind searched for the words.

“You were a human soldier and now you are something physically different. You are one of Eidiann’s Children – a vampire.”

Weylyn shook his head, as if to erase the words he just heard. “This can’t be. How can I be a vampire?”

“I created you. I am one of Eideann’s Children.”

“Who is Eideann?”

“Eideann is the creator of our kind. She is our leader and mother.”

“Yes, but who is she where did she come from?”

"Why do you ask?" Cedric inquired.

Weylyn thought briefly, then answered, "I would like to know of her story."

“Fair enough." Cedric stated, then he continued. "The High King, Eochaid Ollathair of the Tuatha De Danann, known as Dagda, and the Goddess Morrigan coupled on Samhain, around 1200 BC. A child, Eideann, was conceived. Both refused to raise her, and with no one to care for her, she died within days of being born. Eochaid Ollathair and Morrigan each blamed the other, claiming trickery as cause for their union, and never spoke of it again. But after time, Morrigan felt sorry for the child and would visit the buried corpse – sometimes in crow form, or wearing a dark, hooded robe most resembling the crow. Morrigan would take blood from slain soldiers and pour it over the grave. She did so repenting the blood spilled for her carelessness. Eochaid Ollathair felt guilty as well. He returned on May 1^st, during the celebration of Beltane. A great bonfire was erected near her grave and Eochaid Ollathair used his magic spear to return Eideann to life. However, neither knew about the others meddling and Eideann rose as a vampire – damned to consume blood for eternity. In the beginning Eideann would rise from her grave once a year and feast on human blood. As time went on she became more powerful and required more blood to quench her thirst.”

Weylyn sat quietly, trying to process all the odd information he just heard.

“I know this is difficult to fully grasp. I will teach you and train you before you are released from my care.”

Cedric turned and began walking out of the room.

“Wait. One more question,” Weylyn called out.

Cedric faced Weylyn.

“Elvia. She’s my acolyte.”

Weylyn was taken aback by Cedric’s response.

“But how did you know what I was going to ask?”

Cedric grinned. “It’s a gift I have. I hear thoughts of others.”

Weylyn didn’t believe him. So he thought, prove to me then, what is an acolyte?

“Ah, yes. An acolyte is a servant of the vampires. She is my daughter.”

“Your daughter? She does your bidding, even though you are a vampire?”

“Yes. She wishes to serve Eideann even though she wasn’t a chosen one.”

“Am I a chosen one?” Weylyn asked.

“Yes, Prussian. Rest now. We can talk later.”

Cedric walked out of the room and Weylyn sat, trying to absorb the entirety of the dizzying conversation.

Publishing Industry Woes

2008-11-25T14:10:00.004-05:00

As chicken little said, “The sky is falling!”

Yes, just like every other consumer driven industry, those that publish books (aka the publishing industry) are taking a nose dive. Writers all over the internet board and social network sites are up in arms and hitting the panic button. Why? Well, let’s start with this one from yesterday:

(HMH Halt on Acquisitions)

Okies, not stellar news. For those that don’t realize how the publishing industry works, this ultimately means that they aren’t buying any new books (likely for the 2010 slots).

Now add in this from last month:

(Profits Tumble at HarperCollins)

And this one:

(B&N Braces for terrible season)

And you've got a whole mess of woe!

Last month I asked my agent if anyone was buying anything, as it seemed like things were at a standstill. She told me that they certainly weren’t buying like they used to. That did it for me - I knew where this was headed.

I’m not panicking, not one bit. Seriously, I am not worried at all.

Here’s my laundry list why. . .(Caution – opinionated stuff lies ahead)

First, I didn’t want to get a deal in such a poor state of the economy. Not as many would buy the book, sales would be low and it would be a huge failure. I’d much rather wait until things get a bit more settled to release my series into the world.

Next, I’ve been getting cold feet lately with moving from the midsized presses and into the shark infested waters of the large NY houses. Yes, I have an agent, but there’s a lot to consider: Like charge backs - which is what’s really going to hurt the authors pockets this year when they get that royalty statement since B&N sent back unprecedented amounts of books in October just to have the credits to buy more (and new) books for the holiday season.

Another big worrisome thing is meeting sell through: and especially right now. . . all I can say is that I’m grateful to be with smaller publishers.

I am also wondering what this will do to the smaller publishers – will they be receiving more submissions from previous NY published authors? I think so, so much so that I’m willing to bet on it.

Also I think this will clear out a lot of the wanna-be rabble.

I believe that there are two types of writers:

1) Those who write because they have stories to tell and could not imagine not writing.

2) Wanna-be rabble – Those who write expecting to make a huge advance and to become a household name.

I fall into category 1. Even if I never made another dime for my writing, I’d still do it. Sure, it helps to pay the bills if I can get paid, but that’s not why I write.

I think this poor state of the economy in the publishing industry will help do one thing – flush out all the wanna-be rabble, because they won’t be willing to wait until things turn around or they expect that they’ll be able to command the money anyway. Either way, when things get tough it’s the loyal, and dedicated ones that hold on.

Honestly I think after this economy debacle is stable once again the way the publishing industry works will change. Thankfully. The major publishers in NY have been working, as I call it- a dinosaur in the Stone Age, using out of date business practices. They will have to change, or they won’t make it in this horrid economy. It is plain and simple. How they’ll change is another ball of wax, one that I’m not so sure of the outcome.

Peering into my crystal ball, I’m seeing that some of the books slated for 2009 publishing dates, will be either pushed back into 2010, or worse {GASP!} released from their contract. Watch. And then when it happens, you’ll remember you read it here.

One thing I’ve learned over the years – your book isn’t published until you are holding it in your hot little hand. Even though you have a contract that doesn’t mean it won’t get bumped to the next year, and even possibly a few years later.

So – where does this take me? Good question. Right now we’re in a holding pattern. I’ll continue to write, my agent will continue to keep her eyes open. Until then we’ll just be patient and wait to see how this all sorts out.

Ghostly radio

2008-11-14T17:09:00.003-05:00

Last night, The League of Extraordinary Paranormal Women hosted me on their radio show. We had a blast talking about ghosts, ghost hunting, ghosts in fiction, and well . . . all things ghostly! I talked about the two most haunted locations in my book, Spirits of Georgia’s Southern Crescent, and some of the ghosts from other stories in the book, including Doc Holiday’s ghost. I also pointed out that the majority of the stories in my book came from public locales. Certainly, you can visit many of the locations in my book and see what ghostly experiences you have!

Amy and Beverly were awesome - they were the ghostly hostesses with the mostesses. We gave away three e-books and took calls – thanks for the amazing questions callers and chat room folks! You all ROCK!

If you missed the show, have no fear – you can listen at your leisure here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/League_of_Extraordinary_Paranormal_Women

You can listen directly on your computer, or you can download it in MP3 format and load the show to another device. How cool is that? I love technology.

Oh, and at the end of my segment I gave a few teasers for what’s to come with regard to book releases from me . . .

Enjoy!

Seminar, Signing, and Ghosts?

2008-11-06T13:18:00.005-05:00

Last night I was at the Coweta County African American Heritage Museum. There I did a brief talk about publishing for new or unpublished authors with my fellow writer, friend and publisher eTreasures), Vickie Kennedy.

We had a great time talking about many different aspects of writing, including formatting a manuscript, editing, where we get ideas, characters (and when your characters talk to you), and even the ugly side to publishing - the scams.

The attendees were appreciative of us sharing our knowledge and we enjoyed spending the time talking about something we love - writing!

Of course because the building was old, I couldn't help myself, I had to know if they had ghosts (once a ghost hunter, always a ghost hunter - or is that more like curiosity killed the cat. . .?!)
Anyway the museum curator told us that the only thing odd that has happened to her was that the front door occasionally blows open.
While that isn't odd on my 'spook-o-meter,' the next fact had my skin pricking. She then told us that she was surprised that she didn't have more ghostly activity because across the paved lot lies an old slave cemetery with over 20 unmarked graves!
Upon Vickie's suggestion, I go plodding across the street in the utter darkness in search of these graves.
Then it dawns on me. . .
I'm breaking a bunch of 'The Rules of Ghost hunting'. Hmmm . . .
I'm alone, wearing heels, no lights of any kind on my person, only a camera and car keys in hand, late at night, and the kicker. . . searching for unmarked grave sites (especially in the dark, how would I know I found one, if it's unmarked?).
Now, I don't know about you, but it then seemed like I didn't need to be there at that time. So, all of that added to me taking a few quick shots of trees with leaves covering the ground in the absolute pitch black -and me high-tailing it out of there.

I will have to return under more reasonable circumstances (ie: with a flashlight, in sneakers, with a hunting buddy, and ready to do research and such).

Last day!

2008-11-01T22:07:00.002-04:00

Today was the last day of my absolutely crazy October schedule. Yes, I'm aware it is November, but, well. After an afternoon meeting with my home writer's group, I headed home for some Chinese take-out with the family. They're all a bit sick (with what I had), so went to bed early. Which was, honestly, great. It allowed me some relax and catch-up time on Facebook and MySpace.

I had two releases - one yesterday, one today. Yesterday, my short story, Thicker Than Stone came out in the Carpathian Shadows Anthology. Today my chapter on Chinese Magic came out in the Elements of Fantasy, Magic book. I hope I don't seem too blase or jaded about the whole thing - I AM excited. It's just that my energies have all been spent, and now I'm faced with the whole, "Here we go again" of marketing and such. I guess I need a few days to adjust, I'll be okay and back into promotion mode again soon.

I've been working on rewrites for my vampire series as requested by my agent, though it's slow going, I'm sure in a bit it will become a much easier task. I've been asked to 'add more description of the world'. That is not such an easy task. My world is fully 3-D in my mind and I have a ton of images, so that's not the problem. The problem lies in choosing from those images only the ones that truly make an impact to the story. My style has never been overly wordy, but I guess in that I have also been too cryptic and my readers want to be more fully immersed. Fair enough. Working on those changes.

So for now I get at least one week off (WOOT) before I have more bookings and such.

More fun stuff ahead - including a radio interview, an online interview, a book signing and a parade.

For now, I rest, and work on rewrites to the series.

Trick or Treat

2008-10-31T22:24:00.009-04:00

Happy Halloween!

As you can see by the picture, we were totally geared up for the holiday. Today, one of my stories was released - Thicker than Stone was in the new anthology, Carpathian Shadows . Every year I try to give my adult trick-or-treaters a short story, and this time I decided to give them the freshest thing on the market! So - to all those folks who got a copy, you truly have something brand spankin' new in your hands.
Since I'm the local dark fiction writer and because my driveway is a bit of a hill, I feel that I'd reward those adults with the stamina to make it down to the front porch with something other than candy. This year it was a particularly juicy tidbit!

As usual we had a great time decorating and dressing up. My daughter was a dark fairy, hubby was a pirate and I was a vampire. Yeah, I know it wasn't really a stretch for me, but with deadlines and all my appearances lately I didnt' have much down time to play with costume ideas.

And after all was said and done (well after 9PM) my daughter and I sat down to look at her loot. However, she caught me off guard with her choice of foot wear (see picture). I laughed for quite some time. She said her feet hurt from all the walking and she chose these (once home) for comfort. HA! Wish I could wear elephant slippers with my vampire costume.
Anyway, we all had a blast.
Tomorrow I have a writer's meeting and another one of my short works is released. This is the non-fiction chapter for Elements of Fantasy: Magic - in which I've contributed a chapter on Chinese magic and mythology.
Just another day in the life of a crazy writer. . .
Until tomorrow.

Whipping Up Some Mischief

2008-10-31T09:47:00.009-04:00

Traditionally October 30th had been called (at least when I was a kid) mischief night. So, I guess you could call what we did at Barnes and Noble last night, mischief.
I had a signing at the Fayette Barnes and Noble store. We took a bunch of pictures, sold a lot of books, listened to tunes like 'Monster Mash' and 'Ghost Busters' and generally had a frightfully good time!

I talked with Mike Boylan from the Fayette Citizen Newspaper who stopped by to say hello. He'd written this article about me.

My trusty photographer captured an unsuspecting guest who was telling me all about the ghosts in Alabama he'd heard about while growing up. Some pretty cool stuff - I'll have to check them out. Thanks for the tip!

The plain paper cup in the picture holds the only thing to have kept me going over the past two weeks - caffeine! While my typical choice of beverage is coffee, this is actually tea. I'd been sick over the past few days, and added to all my speaking engagements, I needed something to soothe my rough throat.

The last picture shows me laughing with some of the wonderful people who stopped by to say hello and check out my books. Thanks to everyone who made it out on a cold night to stop by and talk with me. I had a great night.

Night Off!

2008-10-29T13:13:00.004-04:00

So, last night I actually had an event, though it wasn’t writing or book signing related – it was more like a night off. Instead of ‘working’, my husband and I went to see Great Big Sea. They are what you’d call ‘Celtic Rock’ and while I like their unique sound, my husband is a huge fan.
It was my first time to Little 5 Points and the Variety Playhouse (yeah, I know, I don’t get out much). The venue was small and it was interesting to see the eclectic mix of retail stores which lined the streets of 5 Points.
We had a great time listening to the songs (and singing along in my husband’s case).
On the way home we talked about the show and both agreed they’d done a great job.
Of course, you can’t expect me NOT to work – on the ride to the highway home we went through a not-so-lovely neighborhood. Here is where I can pull more feel into my vampire series, Eideann’s war, particularly book one. I’d captured some great sights and sounds of the late night Atlanta streets.
Oh – I’m sick with some stupid head cold. It started yesterday and although I wasn’t feeling up to getting dressed (in something other than sweat pants and a t-shirt), and go out into the cold night (it was very cold here last night), I did. Certainly it was worth it!
So for today, I’m taking it easy - getting rest, eating my grandmother’s secret recipe for chicken soup and trying to mend for my appearances this week and weekend.
Although I have to say, editing with a head cold takes even longer. I’m finishing up a new column which I’m writing for Polymancer Magazine titled, ‘Beyond the Grave’. This is the debut of the article and while I had most of it complete and ready – this illness has come at a really bad time (Imagine that). But I promise, Andrew, you’ll have my new column before deadline.
So, please excuse me while I go get another helping of soup, more juice and another box of tissues – it’s gonna be a long day.

Hallow Con

2008-10-27T14:24:00.009-04:00

On a rainy Friday morning (October 24th) we packed the car and headed north, to the Chattanooga Area for one of my favorite conventions, Hallow Con.

Luckily we left early enough to escape the traffic, so we arrived in plenty of time to get settled into the room.

I found out earlier that day that there was a news article written about the event and the featured guests, me and my artist Mark Helwig. I had no idea.

Here’s the article from the Chattanooga Pulse:

http://www.chattanoogapulse.com/in-the-arts/arts-features/9-arts-feature/281-the-halloween-party-to-end-all-halloween-parties-

Friday evening we attended the ‘Meet and Greet’ which was hosted by my husband. He had been given the dubious job since he helped out two years ago in getting their very first meet and greet set up. From that day on, he’s been the host.

On my way to the Meet and Greet event, I was snagged by the Tennessee Paranormal Investigation Team for their live Podcast from Hallow Con. I only chatted with them for the last six minutes or so, but if you give the whole thing a listen, you’ll get a better idea what a convention is like (if you’ve never been before).

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hallowconradio/2008/10/25/HallowCon-Radiio

Saturday I spent in the panel room either conducting the panel or listening to other panels. It was very funny, but many of the panels kept going back to vampires. I promise, I did NOT prompt all of the discussion about my fine fanged friends. Seriously, I guess it was because of the topics that we were working with, but you know I loved every moment of it, so I can’t complain!

This was the first time for the convention at a new hotel, and honestly the panel room was hot, and packed full of people, many panels were standing room only! I liked the set up in the other hotel much better, but from what I understand this was the first and last time in this particular hotel.

My usual photographer (my daughter) was off doing other things with her friends, so didn’t get any pictures of me. Instead she chose to shoot pictures of food and her friends.

Saturday evening after the Feast, I helped auction off two copies of my books and then strolled around to the room parties. As usual I had a great time hanging out with my friends, old and new alike.

Sunday we packed up and headed home. All three of us were exhausted from late nights, and lots of fun, but it was well worth it.

Next up: Fayette Barnes and Noble

Double Play Thursday

2008-10-27T14:09:00.006-04:00

I’m playing catch-up since I’ve been busy with book signings and conventions. So, here is the first installment of my travel journal from this month.

Thursday, October 23rd

At 11:00 I visited with the wonderful folks at Newnan Central Library. I read from my book, Spirits of Georgia’s Southern Crescent, and talked about the different ghostly locations contained in the book. We also had a great group of audience members who asked great questions and told me some of their spirited stories. People are often hesitant to discuss a paranormal experience, but I think the group at the library felt relieved to know there were others who had similar experiences.

From there I grabbed lunch and then headed out to Scott's Bookstore for a 3:30 signing.

The ladies at Scott's were terrific and offered a warm, Southern welcome! They had everything set up for my arrival, including a clipping from the local news paper which had appeared earlier in the week (see blog titled, Front Page News). I had a great time chatting with all the patrons who stopped by and shared some of their ghostly tales.

Next up: Hallow Con Convention

Made the Front Page!

2008-10-21T11:22:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I was interviewed by a reporter for the local paper, The Newnan-Times Herald. Well, today that article (and a hefty one at that) appeared on the front page.
How cool is that?

Here is the article (an online version, sans picture though):
http://www.times-herald.com/local/Ghostly-local-tales-in-Barbers-latest-book-571636

Over the next week, I have several appearances and *plan* to take pictures and blog so you can follow my journey.

Thanks to all of my readers for your continued support and love. It means the world to me!

I'm Tapped Out!

2008-10-14T20:34:00.004-04:00

I don't normally vent much, but well, I guess I'm entitled every now and then. (aka Now).
This week has been really rough for me. I'm a pretty tough cookie and handle most stuff thrown my way. However for some unknown reason, possibly the star and moon alignment or just something in the air, it has been a week of whine.
I consider myself a good listener, and others do too as witnessed by the amount of 'I just need to talk' I've listened to this week alone. I swear, if I could've charged for all that time, I'd be rich. (maybe I need to go into psychiatry, it pays better!)
Now, that doesn't even take into account that I've received two major rejections this week and my plate is stuffed full with commitments. I am swamped with writing related work. I have several back-to-back upcoming appearances, a newspaper interview (in my filthy house no less), a looming deadline for a new column, and a weekend convention all within the next week.
Today, I was chased by killer yellow jacket bees when I mowed my lawn. So, all tolled, I'm a bit on the tapped out side. And add to that all the whine I've heard from various sources lately. . . stick a fork in me, I'm done.
Seriously. It's not any one source of whine, but the accumulation of multiple sources that all have decided to dump their collective problems on me that has really just been it.
(writing this at the end of the day). . . I'm sure in the morning things will somehow be better, but until then I need a full nights sleep (without bad bee dreams) to make it all better.
So I raise a glass of wine, to make the whine go away. Now all I need is the cheese. Cheers.