Day: July 3, 2014

Anthems for Authors – My Book

Wouldn’t it be kinda neat if, when someone asked you what your book was about, you could pick up a guitar and sing a song about it? Okay, maybe not. I’m not sure what The Beautiful South is doing here while performing My Book – what with those hats and all – and is that dude reading his lyrics out of the book? In any case, if you can get past the nagging sensation that you’ve heard this tune before (*ahem* Spooky by ARS), then you should be able to get a kick out of it.

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Featured Book: Mazie Baby

Mazie BabyMazie Baby
by Julie Frayn
Genres: literary fiction, contemporary
Available at Amazon.

Mazie Reynolds’ husband used to adore her. Now he’d rather blacken her eyes. When he tires of her and turns his attentions to their daughter, Mazie hatches a plan to get them both out, now. But can she outwit the man she vowed to obey until death do they part?

Excerpt:

His breath was heavy and laboured, his chest rose and fell in fast rhythm with each inhale and bourbon-scented exhale. “Mazie.” His voice was gravelly. A hoarse whisper. “Baby.” She used to love it when he called her that. Mazie Baby. It spoke of his love for her, his desire to take care of her, protect her. Like a mother is supposed to keep a child safe from harm. It morphed into a taunt, like a schoolyard bully mocking a weak kid crying for his mommy. What’s the matter, baby? You gonna cry, baby? “Come on, baby. Untie me. You’ve made your point.” He smiled one of his fake smiles. “You know I love you, right?” How many times had he said that? After he hurt her. After the apologies that used to mean something but now rang as hollow and untrue as most every word he spewed.

What others are saying: “Her characters are raw and too real to ignore.” ~ Darcy, Amazon.com

Book Release Checklist

book launch checklist graphicIf the wedding planning industry (and make no mistake – it’s an industry) has given us one useful idea, it’s this: the idea of a checklist leading up to the Big Day. Say what you will about some of the more outrageous line-items (personalized matchbooks?), but it’s a useful thing to have as you work your way through a complex undertaking with a lot of moving parts, like a wedding. Or a book launch.

I just released a new book, so all of this is fresh in my mind. Inevitably, I forget to do something in the effort to remember to do the thing I forgot to do last time. This time, I completely forgot about the ARC, so I had no reviews ready for launch day. Dumb, right? So I am making myself a checklist. Here’s what I’ve got so far: Continue reading “Book Release Checklist”