Tag Archives: book

Submitting Your Proposal? I Did.

23 Feb

Nothing seems more stressful than having to pare down a novel into a page or two synopsis, or worse yet a back cover blurb. As an author of romantic comedies, my characters and story lines tend to run in the hundreds of pages per book, with plots and subplots carved into the running chapters.

Yet submitting to an agent or publisher means first drafting a query letter, including a short blurb or paragraph encompassing the essence of the story hooking the person into wanting more. An elevator pitch, if you’re familiar with the term, describe your book in the few seconds you might have if a literary agent or publisher stepped into an elevator with you. Not many details, but must grab the person’s attention through emotion s or action.

If you pass this hurdle, next is submitting a synopsis of the book. In two to four pages you must describe the highlights of the plot and subplots, the ins and outs of the main characters and reveal the ending. Shocking, I know, but the publisher or agent needs to know you have a tightly wrapped up ending, nothing dangling in midair by the last page.

I just sent a proposal packet to Crimson Romance for the sequel of “Her Ghost Wears Kilts.” Now begins the waiting – will it be accepted or not? The new book is titled “Frolic and Foibles” sharing the same crazy characters with a new villain. Think good thoughts to the publishing fairy it will be picked up for 2015.

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Launch Day a Family-Fractured Fairy Tale

28 Aug

Sunday night at five hours until my latest title would go on sale an ominous feeling weighed heavy on my shoulders. The phone rang shortly thereafter and set in motion the wheels of another family crisis in an ongoing saga. Anyone who understands about putting the “fun” in dysfunctional family, you know you can almost guarantee that someone is going to break something, hurt someone or otherwise upset a perfectly decent day at any time.

If you’ve read my book “The Crowded Nest Syndrome,” a humorous look at the return of adult children, you’ll know the cast of characters, one of which deflated my launch day. I ended up on the highways, blood pressure soaring from 5 am until after 8:30 pm on my August 26th. Did I get a chance to send out tweets of joy? No. Did I get to relish in the congratulations of friends and family? No. I know the rule “Family before fame,” (I just made that up) but (ready to stomp my foot in a pout) I was really looking forward to this day with all of you. Isn’t that what social media is all about? Getting to shout and tweet and post the wonders of a new book?

I missed the birth of “Her Ghost Wears Kilts.” By the time I returned home to wi-fi and a computer in the dark of night, I was thoroughly drained of energy and personality. There are powerful people out there who can wring the life out of you if locked in a position of listening to them for hours at a time with no escape.

Launch Day-plus-one celebration.

Launch Day-plus-one celebration.

This morning I crawled to my day job knowing I’d face an inbox of customers needing help and a stack of finished books from calling in absent on a Monday. Not overwhelming, because I knew we all cover what we can for each other when someone’s out. But (get the Kleenex ready) Kate, from production, came in with a gorgeous bouquet she’d created herself and a delicious cookie pizza with “Best Author” across it. Oh, how the tears fell. And, yes, I Photoshopped some of the puffiness from under my eyes. Jeez, I’d been crying and she wants to take a picture!

Okay, so I missed the official Launch Day – doesn’t mean the party’s over, I’m just getting warmed up. My virtual blog tour doesn’t start until Sept. 16 and there is much to do and people to encourage to enjoy the perils of HGWK. And those who pre-ordered and are now able to jump into the story of Baillie will soon be telling their friends.  Right? Doesn’t mean HGWK can’t make the best-selling list of paranormal romances about ghosts.

Right??? You betcha.

 

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Book Trailer by Ami Blackwelder

22 Aug

Four days until “Her Ghost Wears Kilts” published by Crimson Romance is launched, Ami Blackwelder, Book Trailer Creations, sent me the finished product of the book trailer. A mini commercial of my latest novel – and it’s just fun. I uploaded it to YouTube.com and went about sprinkling the link throughout my social media.

Ami took an image of the cover and a short summary of the book to put together my commercial. Her talent of picking out short lines about the story, mixed with images and adding a soundtrack happened in a short blink of time. That which would have taken me weeks to even attempt with no assurance of a tangible product, she whipped together and only charges $50.00 – that’s right, fifty dollars. Fab-u-lous.

What a great way to reach more possible readers, something easily shared, that brings a “feel” to the story. What would your book trailer look like?

Her Ghost Wears Kilts Book Trailer

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Available for Pre-Order Now

12 Aug

Magic Monday came at six this morning seeing “Her Ghost Wears Kilts” listed on Amazon.com. This starts the two-week pre-order window by Crimson Romance for the eBook edition. It is also available at iTunes and will soon be listed with Barnes & Noble for Nook readers.

How intense should marketing be for pre-orders versus waiting until the book releases for sales? This is an interesting question and one I’m finding with a variety of responses.

What are your feelings on the topic? I look forward to hearing your comments.

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36 Days and Counting

23 Jul

At the stroke of midnight, Monday August 26th my paranormal dramedy Her Ghost Wears Kilts goes on sale. That’s thirty-six days from now. Cover image posted on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and my website with the release date: check. Blog set up for the book: check. Initial contact made to Author Marketing Expert services, Penny Sansevieri. Thirty-six days and so much still to do.

Postcards ordered with Ninth Moon promotional services. I’ve already received my promotion stickers with the cover image and release date. Next step is the postcards.

Need to research and send out celebrity endorsement requests. I don’t have a list made. Do I want to shoot for best-selling authors in the romance field or do I send to actresses I see as perfect for the protagonist? Sally Fields is the first name that comes to mind or Valerie Bertenelli, she’s always fun in a Lifetime made for TV movie. Time to subscribe to Contact Any Celebrity for at least a month and find addresses for sending out request letters.

I need to gather names for my Street Team, close friends and family who are willing to work at spreading the word about my latest book.

I understand two weeks before the release date, the eBook will be available for pre-orders. Do I focus most of my advertising energy to gain pre-orders or spread the news around but punch into high gear once the eBook is available? Do my readers want immediate gratification by reading the book as soon as it is purchased? Or patient enough to order early and remember to put HGWK at the top of their list once it is downloaded to their account? Decisions, decisions.

Stay tuned for more. I need to get a few pages written on the sequel and get plenty of sleep for my day job at Gorham Printing.

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Upcoming Release

17 Jul

My latest romantic comedy is officially on the Crimson Romance website as an upcoming release. Don’t those words have a special sound? Maybe you have to be a writer to appreciate them. The only other thHer Ghost Wears Kilts, by Kathleen Shapuitsrill I could relate to them is a movie release. This new book would make an adorable Lifetime Made for Television movie. It’s fun, suspenseful and has a cast of memorable characters. But I digress (unless there is an agent or producer in the audience). August 26th at the stroke of midnight this eBook will be available for download. From what I understand pre-sales start two weeks before the release date.

This is my first venture with a romance publisher and I am proud to be chosen as one of the team with this new imprint of F&W Media: Crimson Romance. It will be interesting to experience the eBook edition released first and the printed edition early in 2014. Many of my Baby Boomer friends do not own an eReader yet. I

Her Ghost Wears Kilts, by Kathleen Shapuits

own a Kindle and my husband has one but we also have a house overcrowded with books.

So begins a new adventure. Come with me and find out the struggles and ecstasy of a new book’s launch into the world.

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