Disclaimer: I'm not nearly so good at writing "thank you" notes as I should be. But I try, I really try.Lately, I've been spending at least a portion of my day writing them. And I think quite possibly that a "thank you" note is the most accessible form of magic that we can create. I've noticed that writing them seems to make me happier--and that shouldn't be surprising. Martin Seligman, the psychologist, found that people can improve their … [Read more...] about The Tremendous Power of a Thank You Note
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What I Miss Most…
Last Wednesday I participated in Chill Me, Thrill Me--a panel of mystery authors who spoke at the McClay Branch of the St. Charles City-County Library. Saturday I moderated a panel and taught a class at The Big Read. So my "social" calendar for promotions has been very full.And I miss writing.You see, as I write I tell myself a story, and I indulge in that world of my fantasy. When I don't get to work on a book, I find myself cranky and sad. I … [Read more...] about What I Miss Most…
Addendum to Marketing Your Book Class
As promised yesterday when I was presenting at The Big Read, here's a list of resources every writer should consult. Please also go to my older blog posts and look up my February 22 post, as I have a list of books there to help you with publicity.Note that I haven't organized these--I simply pulled everything off my top shelf and started typing. In that respect, it represents a snapshot of the resources I have used most frequently in the two … [Read more...] about Addendum to Marketing Your Book Class
One Book at a Time
My friend Angie Fox told me that she read this startling statistic in USA Today: 85% of all Americans want to write a book.Wow. That's...that's just an enormous number.I've been thinking a lot about how to make this blog special. As many of you know, I also blog over at http://killerhobbies.blogspot.com/ with six other writers of craft cozies. That's a pretty free-wheeling blog, although we often write about our crafts.And I contribute to the … [Read more...] about One Book at a Time
Standing in the Footprints of Giants
Last night I did a signing at Left Bank Books.My heart was banging around in my chest like a pigeon caught in a trap. I was that nervous, and since I'm accustomed to public speaking, the question was, "Why?"Well, Left Bank Books is the premier independent bookseller in St. Louis. All the biggest names in literature come to town and sign at LBB. In fact, just the week before, I'd been in the audience to hear what John Lutz had to say. And last … [Read more...] about Standing in the Footprints of Giants
A Brief History of The Best of British Contest–and How That's Been a Great Promotional Tool
I started The Best of British Scrapbooking Contest to encourage the growth of scrapbooking in the UK. You see, scrapbooking became big here in the US due in part to contests which spotlighted new talent and added excitement to the marketplace. I lived in the UK in 2001-2 and I was there when the first dedicated, independent scrapbook store opened. No one there was doing a contest for talent, and having seen how that worked here in the States, I … [Read more...] about A Brief History of The Best of British Contest–and How That's Been a Great Promotional Tool
