Pages

Monday, March 31, 2008

And the Amazon answer...

Don't you just love spin???

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-printondemand


I don't know who they think they're fooling. Removing options for consumers is not going to save anyone time. It's going to have them shopping (or supplying) elsewhere.

Stop Booksurge and Amazon cold

www.ipetitions.com/petition/protectPOD

Not sure who is sponsoring the petition but I caught it this morning on the Writer Beware Blog.

I'm not in print, and I don't have a book on Amazon, so I have no beef, BUT I do not want a corporation ruling how my personal book business is done.

Feel free to pass this on.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Another discussion over the Amazon/BookSurge push

Check out Dear Author's post here:

http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2008/03/30/amazon-flexes-its-market-muscle/#comments

If you're not finding out what you want there, why not try these (although many basically say the same thing, it's a lot of opinions on how Amazon is doing the customer (and authors) wrong:

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Amazon's lesson on monopolies

This hit the waves on Thursday or so, and it's looking more and more like they are going to go through with it. It's nothing short of strong arming small POD (Print on Demand) companies who service publishers for their author's books into using Amazon's printer to be marketed on their website.

What does that mean?

Amazon regulates who they publish, who they market, and can double charge you for the effort. They can charge you for the print of the book, then again for the sale of the book. No, not the consumer, oh heaven forbid! No, they can charge the AUTHOR. There's a fee to use the printer to supply the book and there's a fee to sell your book to the consumer.

There's thousands of authors at stake and tens of thousands of books. Please review the links, read the blogs, and read the comments. The comments are made by authors, readers and booksellers from around the world. Then tell Amazon if you feel this is fair, or an anti-trust, an anti-trade, demonic attempt to strong-arm the book publishers of the world to kowtow to a corporation.

Amazon.com's mission statement reads - "
“The mission of Amazon.com is to leverage technology and the expertise
of our invaluable employees to provide the best buying experience on
the Internet. Our goal is nothing short of building the world's most
customer-centric Company capable of providing our customers with the
best shopping experience online today, and into the future.”


http://www.writersweekly.com/the_latest...04597_03272008.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8032800327.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120667525724970997.html

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/...&id=8401149

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Prays and healing thoughts to Emilio and his family

If you listen to Tejano music, there's a real good chance you've heard of Emilio. A native of San Antonio Texas, he's a Grammy Award talent signed with several music labels to date, since first starting out with Willie Nelson and George Strait singing both Tejano and Country.

Sunday he suffered severe injuries after being thrown through the windshield of his tour bus. The accident happened in Bellaire, southwest of Houston and he's in intensive care.

A couple News Links:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/27/america/NA-GEN-US-People-Emilio-Navaira.php
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/5641425.html

He's showing improvement, but at this time by the doctor's reports, it's too early to discern if it's going to continue in a positive manner. I want to send him, his family, wife and children, my heartfelt hugs and prayers for a full recovery.

Abrazos, Emilio.

Review : Don't Fence Me In


Lizzie's father had died on the beach of Normandy, her mother she was sure, had died from a broken heart from the loss of her husband, and her brother died in the Korean war. She refused to fall for a man in the service. Until she met her brother's best friend Jeremy, the man who carried that final last letter home to her.

Jeremy is a quiet man, and feels a deep guilt because of Sebastian's death. A death that was only a matter of chance on that day, but to Jeremy, it was his fault.

Through letters back and forth, she'd learned about Jeremy through her brother's eyes, and upon meeting, felt a deeper affection for him because they both had memories of her brother.

This is a very poignant, yet unfortunately short story. I had tears in my eyes nearly from the first page at the amount of emotion and perserverance that showed not only through Lizzie's character, but even through the nearly silent Jeremy. Since her own vow was not to become attached to or involved with a man in the service, her only hope was to keep him company through her letters, silently praying his name never showed up on the casualty lists.

I'm not familiar with the 1950's as an era, but I could easily see the time through Ms. Arkins' words. I just wish it had been longer, giving more time for the character relationship to have more grounding, although the letters and their importance of the era for communication were a nice touch.

A sound 4.0/5

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Review : Runner's Moon - Simolif

Sarah Drumman loves the stars. She loves the wonder of the unknown, of the possibility of what could be out there. The possibility that more than us exists is one of her driving passions. In fact, she's convinced alien life forms have landed on our planet and are somehow integrated with human life.

Over roughly seven years, she's tracked several anomalies that could be spaceships, which have landed and then left Earth. She's so sure of her research, that she's betting her tenure at her college, her position, and her future on it.

A near rape is the beginning of a fast paced and page turning read. When Simon interrupts the man's attack on Sarah, she's shaken and set off balance in more than one way. He wasn't just being a good Samaritan for her. She is his one and only life mate, and now that he's found her against all odds on a planet as far from his own as is possible, he'll do anything to prove his heart is hers.

Until she explains her theory of otherworld visitors. Fear of exposure is the only thing stronger than the fear of their past jailers finding the escaped Ruinos people scattered across Earth. One thing has to happen to make Simon and Sarah's bond complete and unbreakable. She must accept his Ruinos form. She doesn't realize how close she is to the truth her research has led her to until her own life is in danger and she must face Simon in his Ruinos shape.

Simon's story of Runner's Moon is a definite winner for me. The action was fast paced, the emotions came across in well written depth and as a reader, it was hard not to crush on Simon Morr. The only thing that caught at me was the sound of the characters' tones as they spoke. In the book, it says Simon learned to cook and to read mostly from cookbooks, since he obviously wasn't American or English speaking. It's a good thing that is mentioned because it explains several points where the tone is almost too exact, too educated. I will admit I haven't read the other books yet, so I can't tell you how Jeb is suppose to sound, but at least two dialogue scenes came across where to this readers inner ear, they sounded very similar, so I can't say if Jeb learned in the same manner or not.

Overall though, I have to give this book a screaming 4.5. rating. It was hard to put it down, easy to understand the Ruinos story background and even though it was the third book, I didn't feel at all out of sequence because I started in the wrong place. I'd been looking forward to reading this installment of the Ruinos stories, and I wasn't at all disappointed.


4.5 / 5

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Review : Runner's Moon - Jeberal

One survivor of thirty one. A race unlike anything on earth, yet able to shapeshift to look human with the rise and fall of the moon and sun for protect themselves from detection.

They are Ruinos.

A race that has been enslaved and almost brought to extinction by the Arra. All the survivors of the escape pod prayed for was a chance to live in freedom. After the atrocities suffered for years at the hands of their jailers, freedom held an appeal that they gladly embraced. Except none expected to find a blood mate, the Ruinos' soul mate, among humans.

Jeberal has lived in secrecy, moving to hinder any hunt the Arra may have initiated to find their missing cargo. The last days at his current construction job means it's time for him to move on again. Telling the waitress he's seen every morning for five months leaves him feeling a deep hollowness. Her sadness is something he isn't expecting. He knows she is in trouble, but not used to human customs, doesn't know how to help, until he has no choice but to take her away from her current situation to save her life.

The story that comes is a full throttle exploration of the Ruinos life and history, their fears and triumphs. How can two different species find compatability, much less love? I have to give Ms. Mooney kudos for bringing to life such an enigmatic people, similar yet so distinctly different. The overall detail of the background, to the distinct differences between the two races were gripping. Finding a commonality between the two races to make the emotional and physical aspect of the stories work was amazing. She has garnered a full time fan in me.

Rating: 5/5




--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

Friday, March 21, 2008

Review - No one heard her scream Jordan Dane VBT

Jordan Dane:

After award-winning author Jordan Dane sold her first 3-books in auction to Avon/HarperCollins in June 2006, her debut title NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM held more significance. Everyone heard her scream! And this went double when she sold another 3-book series in May 2007 without having one book on the shelves yet.
Ripped from the headlines, Jordan's gritty suspense plots weave a tapestry of vivid settings, intrigue, and dark humor. Her first back-to-back releases are planned for Apr, May and Jun 2008. Jordan and her husband now share their Oklahoma residence with an intelligent canine and two cats of highborn lineage.
In spring 2008, take a front row seat to suspense with Jordan Dane's NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM, NO ONE LEFT TO TELL, & NO ONE LIVES FOREVER.


No One Heard Her Scream

No One Heard Her Scream

A relentless detective with the San Antonio Police Department is barred from an investigation into the disappearance and murder of her younger sister and forced to take another assignment. Skeletal remains buried in the wall of an old theatre destroyed by arson make an intriguing new case. But when the bones turn out to be of a woman, close in age to her sister, the hunt for a killer gets personal—a vendetta for justice.

A seductive enforcer to the mob, with secrets of his own, stands between the detective and a powerful man she believes is linked to the murder. Will the reluctant henchman become an ally or betray her to his treacherous 'benefactor'? Drawn into the sinister world of human trafficking, the modern-day slave trade, the detective unravels a grim trail of destroyed lives—leaving her little hope for vindication in the death of her sister and a nameless young woman buried alive.




Rebecca Montgomery, a homicide detective who had taken her family and life for granted is destroyed from the inside out when her sister is kidnapped and murdered. She's tossed a cold case unveiled by arson at an old theatre
when she is banned from her sister's case for conducting her own investigation too closely to the acting agent. And finds her gut telling her Diego Galvan is more than a mob boss' leashed henchman when she interviews Victor Cavannaugh, looking for information about the building where the skeleton of her case victim is uncovered. A woman who was buried alive.


The entirety of the story can be summed in one word: intense. From dank alleys to secret after-dark meetings, the story is in continuous motion, driving the reader as much as the action drives the next scene. For the fans of CSI, high suspense and drama, this is a must read.


First let me thank you for inviting me to your blog. I love networking with other authors. In fact, on my website is a page FOR WRITERS that has links to various articles I've written on many subjects form Craft to Promotion. Hopefully you'll find some of them helpful. http://www.jordandane.com/writers.php

  1. What was your inspiration for the story? For the characters?

Several things influenced me with this story. I wanted to tell the story of a woman homicide detective (Rebecca Montgomery) who had to deal with her own grief and carry on with her job after her sister had become a victim of violence. Because of my detective's emotional frailty, she was caught between good judgement and her undeniable bias when it came to anything that reminded her of Dani, her sister. Becca's emotional handicap interferes with her police training and slants her impartiality—a strong cop with real vulnerability.

And the Natalee Holloway investigation in Aruba shaped the story. I watched the drama played out in the media and witnessed the parents' pain through this ongoing nightmare. I had also visited Aruba during the 1980s and knew something of the layout and terrain. And in my book research, I found many Internet sites that theorized a human trafficking angle to this very compelling case. Human trafficking and the trauma of such an ordeal became a facet to the plot.

As further inspiration, a friend once revealed what it was like to experience the murder of her sister. For her, the horrific experience defined the rest of your life. Her words always stuck with me. So with SCREAM, I depicted a woman detective who carries an emotional hardship that hinders her job performance and touches the way she looks at the world.

  1. Being from Texas, and raised in the Valley, I'd love to know what prompted you to place this book on South Padre Island and San Antonio.

San Antonio was my old hometown growing up and I've visited Padre Island many times on annual trips when I was in high school. Combining my experiences at Padre and Aruba with what had happened to Natalee Holloway wasn't a stretch, but certainly very sad.

On a brighter note, I still have plenty of family in San Antonio. I make it to Texas every chance I get. If you'd like to see the locales used in my book in digital images, along with excerpts from the book and the significance of these locations to me and my family, you can visit this link on my website: http://www.jordandane.com/scream_photos.php This is my Story Behind the Story. If you've read my book, you'll get a deeper understanding of why I selected certain locales.

  1. How long did it take you to get from idea to finished first draft? Did you have to do a lot of research for the investigation details?

It took me a while to think about how I wanted to structure the general idea of the story. I'm not a plotter. I see things unfolding in my mind like a movie once I get into the comfort zone that I can begin writing. But once I started writing this story, it took me only 6 weeks to finish it. I actually wrote this story while I was on medical leave from major surgery (6 weeks at home). I like to say that I sacrificed a body part to sell. For more info on my FIRST SALE story, please visit this link - http://www.jordandane.com/writers_firstsale.php Author Sharon Sala played a big part in how I sold.

  1. Who is your largest writing inspiration?

Real crime and real life influence me most when I'm writing. I'm constantly working out plots in my head for current projects or future ones while I'm doing ANYTHING—watching TV, eating, sleeping, and breathing. My mind is never at rest.

If you're referring to other authors, I don't really look to other authors for inspiration. I prefer to enjoy what they do as a reader, rather than trying to deconstruct the book. I don't see my style in anyone else. I write the type of stories I want to read.

  1. How long have you been writing?

I've been writing since 2003 when I first joined RWA. I sold three and a half years later with the help of Sharon Sala. And although I never want to look back with regrets in my life (I'm more of an optimist), I wish I had known the joy of writing before 2003. My quality of life has grown immensely. As an author, I'm more of a listener and an observer. I've slowed down my pace and there is stillness deep in my soul. It feels good.

6.) And the killer... How long did it take to get "the call" on your queries?

I didn't get "the call" like most other pubbed authors. My books sold in auction in 10 days, a whirlwind of exhausting agony. And with the houses that bid on my 3 books, I had an opportunity to talk to each editor and ask them questions on what they liked about my work and how they planned to market my books and if they had career aspirations for me. It was a great opportunity to grill an industry professional. I selected Avon HarperCollins and Executive Editor Lucia Macro who is an absolutely brilliant woman and a delight to work with. Avon had blown me away. They are launching my career by making all three of my books lead titles with huge print runs in mass market, a national ad campaign, extensive online promo, significant ARC distributions, and co-op dollars for store placement. In hindsight, it looks as if I knew exactly what I was doing, but luck played a big part, in my opinion.

But to commiserate with anyone who has gotten a rejection letter, I got PLENTY. I wanted to have that great "guy" attitude when it came to rejection letters—the more the merrier. You have to risk getting your work out there, even if it stings sometimes. And to help ease the pain, I made up a shredding ritual to expel all the negativity once I'd crossed them off my list of proposal requests outstanding. There's a certain empowerment to the ritual that I liked.


I appreciate your interest in my work and I wish all of you the best in 2008! Thanks for supporting a new author.

Diana


WIN! WIN! WIN!

Visit each stop of the Jordan Dane Virtual Book Tour and leave a comment (with your name). Each stop enters you into the drawing to be held at the live "Launch P-A-R-T-Y!" on March 30th. (Up for grabs are FIVE $20 gift cards to B&N bookstores.)

Stop by Jordan's website: Jordan Dane says, "By going to my website contest page, you get an exclusive sneak peek inside my book-up to 20% of it. And to celebrate my first release, my publisher is giving you three different ways to WIN MY BOOK or OTHER BOOKS from HarperCollins. Click on the links below for more details."

The Browse Inside Link: http://tinyurl.com/28nd9x

Visit Jordan's contest page: http://www.jordandane.com/contest.php

Show up for the live "Launch P-A-R-T-Y!" on March 30th! Who knows what might be up for grabs there! After all is said and done, this is TWC.


Future date:
March 26 - Renee' Barnes http://msqtpi.livejournal.com/





Thursday, March 20, 2008

Jordan Dane Contest and News

WIN!  WIN!  WIN! 

Visit each stop of the Jordan Dane Virtual Book Tour and leave a comment (with your name).  Each stop enters you into the drawing to be held at the live "Launch P-A-R-T-Y!" on March 30th.  (Up for grabs are FIVE $20 gift cards to B&N bookstores.)

 

Stop by Jordan's website:  Jordan Dane says, "By going to my website contest page, you get an exclusive sneak peek inside my book-up to 20% of it. And to celebrate my first release, my publisher is giving you three different ways to WIN MY BOOK or OTHER BOOKS from HarperCollins. Click on the links below for more details." 

 

The Browse Inside Link:  http://tinyurl.com/28nd9x

 

Visit Jordan's contest page:  http://www.jordandane.com/contest.php

 

Show up for the live "Launch P-A-R-T-Y!" on March 30th!  Who knows what might be up for grabs there!  After all is said and done, this is TWC.

 

Next up on the tour:

 


March 22   Diana Castilleja at http://dianacastilleja.blogspot.com

March 26   Renee' Barnes at http://msqtpi.livejournal.com/

March 29   TWC founder Glenn Walker at http://www.monsura.blogspot.com/

  

Jordan has had plenty to say in our TWC interviews.  If you haven't already done so, visit these previous stops for some first-hand info on how to succeed as a novelist:

 

Cricket Sawyer at http://www.Cricketshearth.blogspot.com

Billie Williams at http://printedwords.blogspot.com

Linda J. Hutchinson at http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com

Kim Richards at http://kim-richards.livejournal.com/

Lisa Haselton at http://lisahaselton.tripod.com/reviewsandinterviews/



--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

More posts about NCP

And it isn't pretty. That's your only warning.

http://kg184613.bravejournal.com/entry/31548

http://karenknowsbest.com/?p=1050

What burns me is the obvious DISDAIN even the owner manages to exude for her own authors and consumers. I'll leave you to form your own opinion.

I have heard over and over of authors having problems with this company, and have stayed away, but when readers have valid complaints, and are then told to suck it up by the owner.... *sigh* Read if you care to. It all makes my stomach hurt.

--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

Monday, March 17, 2008

Jordan Dane Contest and News

PR: Jordan Dane Virtual Book Tour for her first release, No One Heard Her Scream.


We've certainly had some great comments during each stop of the Virtual Book Tour for Jordan Dane. 

Why was she chosen to be our first vic … I mean featured author?  Because she has a very professional website.  Because she has a very professional blog. Because she has a presence on MySpace and other networking sites around the 'Net.  Because she attends every writer's conference she can possibly get to to network with successful writers, editors, agents.  Because she promotes herself as a professional writer. 

She isn't resting on her laurels after having sold SIX books to Avon HarperCollins before the first one hit print. 

If you're like me and wannabe like Jordan, take a look at how you're promoting yourself.  Does your website look like a novice put it together?  Do you remember to blog more than once a month?  Do you network with other writers? 

Or do you do like too many very good should-be-published writers … and hunker down in the corner pretending that you've done everything you can and the publishing world and all its agents are against you? 

Think about that as you visit the next stops on The Writer's Chatroom's "Show—Not Tell" virtual book tour featuring debut author Jordan Dane. 

Jordan and Avon HarperCollins are offering opportunities to win great prizes all along the tour.   

Next up: 

March 19   Cricket Sawyer at http://www.Cricketshearth.blogspot.com

March 22   Diana Castilleja at http://dianacastilleja.blogspot.com (Hey! That's me! HERE! yay!)

Give yourself every advantage to learn from this marketing dynamo—who just happens to also be a very good writer—and read the interviews and comments at previous stops: 

Billie Williams at http://printedwords.blogspot.com

Linda J. Hutchinson at http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com

Kim Richards at http://kim-richards.livejournal.com/

Lisa Haselton at http://lisahaselton.tripod.com/reviewsandinterviews/ 

And don't forget to come to the "Launch P-A-R-T-Y!" on March 30th!  There are prizes galore!

--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

I have news!

Great news! Huge flipping "It's Monday and I need good news!" news! LOL

I'm excited to say this....

My vampires that have been out of circulation for almost a year now, have a new home! And they will be in print!

The Eternal Kiss was picked up by Tease Publishing as part of the Dark Tarot line! They'll be in stores! Squueeeee! They'll be... *gasp* available! 038.gif

This book was a Recommended Read from FAR. A 5 Angel Read! Now I get to announce that! It's been killing me to not splat that!

I've had a chance to learn more about the marketing and the owners and there's some smart chicks running this small press house. I have hopes to finally continue my vampires, for print, which was how they were always intended.

QUOTE
Blurb:
Diego Viteri has lived for centuries with only one real goal, to avenge himself against the one who destroyed the man that he was and created the creature he is now. He is suffering a growing loneliness that is becoming impossible to ignore. His only reason for not ending his life is to see that Brakka is served his justice and then, Diego can rest.

The last thing he is expecting is to have an encounter with a human woman who is willing to jump between himself and Brakka during a harsh and bloody battle. Their one meeting changes everything for Diego, bringing to life emotions and wants that he has long believed to be as dead as he is.

As he follows Titania and her band, his needs reshape into something that he can't ignore. Before he knows what he has done, he bonds with her and sets into motion the very thing he swore he would never do to another person. He has shared his curse and in the process may have very well killed her. And there is only one choice to be made to try to save her.

--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Romantic Inks has launched their forum!

If you want a chance to scope out some fabo prizes, check out the New forum at Romantic Inks.

http://www.romanticinks.com/forum/index.php?www

Read this thread!

http://www.romanticinks.com/forum/index.php?topic=10.0

Come and say hi!

--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

Friday, March 14, 2008

Blogging at Romantic Inks today

Hey, all. Looking for me?

I'm at Romantic Inks today. Stop by for a spell.

--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Show Barbara Vey some love!

Barbara Vey works as a blogger for Publisher's Weekly, a book industry magazine that's pretty much the "gold standard" of the business. Barbara is unique in that she LOVES romance novels and frequently talks about them (along with lots of other genres), which increases the status of them in the industry.

Tomorrow (Today!!) is the one year anniversary of writing my Beyond Her Book blog http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog/880000288.html

I know, I can't believe it's been a year already. So, I'm planning an online party to include lots of giveaways.

In a couple of weeks I'll be in New York talking to the bigwigs at PW about my "success" online and I'd like to blow them away with numbers. So I'm asking everyone I know to send out messages to have everyone and their uncles to read and/or post a comment to the blog on Friday (tomorrow) to try and hit record numbers. Anything you can do to help would be much appreciated.


So, if you have a few seconds tomorrow, could all you wonderful authors wander over there and comment or just say hi? We romance authors need every advocate we can find, and this one is a BIG one!

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

3-Ways to Win Contest - Jordan Dane

3-Ways to Win Contest

HarperCollins has graciously offered a wonderful incentive to promote the
debut of my suspense novel NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM, upcoming release March
25th. By going to my website contest page, you get an exclusive sneak peek
inside my book-up to 20% of it. And to celebrate my first release, my
publisher is giving you three different ways to WIN MY BOOK or OTHER BOOKS
from HarperCollins. Click on the links below for more details.

http://tinyurl.com/28nd9x
The Browse Inside link

And here is a link for a contest on my website to promote the Browse Inside
post, listing the three ways to win. http://www.jordandane.com/contest.php

No obligation of course, but feel free to forward or post. I'd appreciate
it.


Jordan Dane - www.jordandane.com
Avon HarperCollins - No One Heard Her Scream, No One Left to Tell, & No One
Lives Forever - Apr-Jun 2008
".a dynamite debut. Dane's smooth style, believable characters and intense
pacing will remind readers of Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner and Tami Hoag."
Publishers Weekly 12/10/07

An author speaks out

http://ellenashe.blogspot.com/2008/03/serious-problems-at-new-concepts.html



--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Authors have rights

Take a stand against a publisher who is not taking legal nor ethical actions.

Legal Defense Fund

Stand up for liberty and fight the New Concepts Publishing Tyranny

Strike a blow for freedom and help an author take on the publisher.

Donations can be made via paypal – ellenashe@hotmail.com



From:
http://karenknowsbest.com/?p=1013#comments

Only more in the NCP (WTH do they think they're doing?) quandry.


ETA: more sitings:

http://cumhitherglobal.blogspot.com/2008/03/new-concepts-publishing-following.html
http://mayareynoldswriter.blogspot.com/2008/03/whats-up-at-ncp.html

--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

Monday, March 10, 2008

Jordan Dane Contest and News

The Jordan Dane Virtual Book Tour

The Writer's Chatroom is doing something special this month, hosting a virtual book tour for author Jordan Dane's new novel NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM.

Please take the time to check out these tour dates and stops on the tour:

March 5 - Billie Williams http://printedwords.blogspot.com

March 8 - Linda J. Hutchinson http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com

March 12 - Kim Richards http://kim-richards.livejournal.com/

March 15 - Lisa Haselton http://lisahaselton.tripod.com/reviewsandinterviews/

March 19 - Cricket Sawyer http://www.Cricketshearth.blogspot.com

March 22 - Diana Castilleja http://dianacastilleja.blogspot.com

March 26 - Renee' Barnes http://msqtpi.livejournal.com/

And don't forget to visit Jordan at her own website and MySpace, and please join her for her own live interview at The Writer's Chatroom on March 30, 2008 at 7 PM EST.

As part of her tour, she will be giving away books,  and have giveaways at the LAUNCH chat!  Be sure to check in at  the blogs and comment to  increase your chances!



--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Trouble at NCP?

I have nothing vested in NCP, but I am SICK AND TIRED to quote Bill Cosby, of seeing Authors getting shafted (as it appears to be here-not throwing any opinion on that fire.) yet again.

How hard is it treat a business, well, like a business? A business for which you are supposedly in operation to run as a certain market?


http://karenscott.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/new-concepts-publishing-behaving-very-badly/#comments


To quote from their management:
In the first place it doesn't say any where on the
contract that we have to post the books for sale--naturally we do
because the objective is to sell the books--but there is no REQUIREMENT that we
do so.





--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Jordan Dane Contest and News

From Linda Hutchinson::

Because this IS The Writer's Chatroom, we're going to SHOW—NOT TELL all month long.  We're also going to have a great time doing it! 

One year ago Jordan Dane's name popped up on my MySpace friend request list.  She had already sold three novels to Avon Harper Collins.  A few months later, she sold three more to the same house.   

Her FIRST novel, NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM will be available April 8th . 

Jordan Dane is "one to watch" if you'd like to see how the marketing and networking part of being an author is done—and done well.  She is going to SHOW us how to get it done—right. 

We'll be hosting a live "Launch P-A-R-T-Y!" on March 30th at The Writer's Chatroom.  Plan on stopping by to meet Jordan.  Because this is TWC, the virtual bar will be open, but feel free to BYOB.   

In the meantime, please visit these Virtual Book Tour stops as Jordan visits with:  

March 5th  Billie Williams at http://printedwords.blogspot.com

March 8th  Linda J. Hutchinson at http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com

March 12   Kim Richards at http://kim-richards.livejournal.com/

March 15   Lisa Haselton at http://lisahaselton.tripod.com/reviewsandinterviews/ 

AND, Jordan has added a contest to make it even more interesting!   

Per Jordan:  "Any guests participating in TWC's Virtual Blog Tour will have their name in a random drawing. And I hope to announce the FIVE winners ($20.00 each - B&N gift cards) at the moderated chat on Mar 30th and have an official posting at the TWC website on April 1st." 

Enter to win by leaving a comment at each of the blogs during the tour.  The more blogs you visit and comment at, the more chances you have to win. 

There will ALSO be drawings during the chat for NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM!  

(The full tour schedule is available at:  http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?chatroom&ID=AEwMDBy0DMy0DEwEjCxcDMxcTKx0rIzs7MwctAysAA  To ensure that you don't miss a thing, sign up for the announcements and monthly newsletter, Spotlight.) 

Bonus review, courtesy of Pat Reid:   

http://www.booksnbytes.com/reviews/dane_nooneheardherscream.html 
 

Linda J. Hutchinson

(aka J'linn Kramer)

www.lindajhutchinson.com



--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com