Malice Domestic Upcoming

I leave tomorrow for Bethesda, Maryland, and this year's Malice Domestic conference for cozy mystery writers and readers.  I've been going to Malice for several years now and really enjoy it.  Maybe that's because I love writing, and reading, cozy mysteries! 

The panel I'll be on this year is Murder with a Little Education on the Side: Mysteries that Tackle Social Issues.  The social issue I tackle is, of course, pet rescue and how humans deal with animals.  My Pet Rescue Mysteries each have a theme involving pet rescue as their background but my intent is not to hit people over the head with the moral of the story.  Instead, I hope to provide an enjoyable mystery that just happens to involve something important.  So now you know some of what I intend to say on the panel!

This will also be an interesting Malice for me for another reason.  The Pet Rescue Mystery TEACUP TURBULENCE, which was published in January of this year, is the last one scheduled for publication by Berkley Prime Crime.  In fact, I don't have any other books currently scheduled with Berkley.  I've had a great run with them: 9 Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter Mysteries, plus the 5-book and 1 e-novella Pet Rescue Mystery series.  I'll be joining the Berkley crowd for dinner on Friday night.  And I hope perhaps to write for them again in the future. 

But I'll also be joining the Midnight Ink crowd at the Agatha awards ceremony on Saturday night.  My new Superstition Mystery Series will be published by Midnight Ink, starting with LOST UNDER A LADDER in October of this year.  I'm also working on a second series for my wonderful new publisher, although it's still premature to say much about it.  But both of them, of course, involve dogs.

So this Malice will be special to me in many ways.  Plus, I'll have the opportunity to see and hang out with a lot of fun people with whom I keep in contact over social media during the rest of the year. 

By the way, I'm delighted to repeat that I also have more romances coming up for Harlequin Nocturne and Harlequin Romantic Suspense.  There's no romance presence at Malice except perhaps for panels that happen to address romances in mysteries.  But I will be at the Romance Writers of America National Conference at the end of July to celebrate that aspect of my writing, too. 

Usually, after Malice, I've gone to Pittsburgh both to visit family and to attend the Mystery Lovers Festival in nearby Oakmont, Pennsylvania.  But there won't be any Festival this year.  And my Pittsburgh family is, unfortunately, dwindling.  As a result, no Pittsburgh for me this year. 

So... will I see you at Malice?  If so, what are you especially looking forward to there?

Online Chats

I participated in an online chat at the Writerspace website yesterday.  It was scheduled for Berkley Prime Crime authors who had new books out this month.  Two of us attended, along with readers and the online monitors.

This chat went well.  In case you’ve never chatted online, it’s a series of ongoing live emails that scroll down the page as people post.  Names are identified--either real or whatever someone has chosen to be called during the chat.  The other author and I went by our writing names, and everyone else appeared to have assumed a name for the chat.

There wasn’t a huge turnout on this one, possibly because it conflicted with the President’s State of the Union address.  Whatever the reason, it was a lot more manageable than some chats in which I’ve participated.  I was able to follow who was saying, or asking, what to whom.  Sometimes people’s questions or responses scroll so quickly that it’s hard to follow, but not this time.

However, I’ve also been invited to participate in the Writerspace online Valentine Soiree on Sunday evening for Berkley Jove Authors, NAL Authors and Berkley Prime Crime & Obsidian Mystery Authors and interested readers, which will be a similar format.  There’ll be a giveaway of 100+ books, and it will run from 8-11 PM eastern time.  It’s likely to be one of those crazy chats I described.  Am I participating in that one?  Yes!  I’ll be giving away a copy of OODLES OF POODLES, my new Pet Rescue Mystery, and will make a valiant attempt to follow what’s going on, and respond, for at least half an hour, most likely from 5:30-6:00PM Los Angeles time.

Join me there!

Have you ever participated in an online chat?  What do you think of them?

Changes

Killer Hobbies is changing again.  Not surprising.  As time goes on, we all change. 

I’ve been a member of Killer Hobbies since 2007.   I remember wondering whether it was a good idea for me to join when I was invited, since the themes of the other bloggers’ cozy mysteries involved... well, hobbies. 

My mysteries involve pets.  And although some people might think of pets as hobbies, I don’t.  To me, they’re family.

I joined anyway, and here I still am.  But one of our wonderful founders, Joanna Campbell Slan, is now leaving us.  We’ll miss her, and I hope she does stop by now and then for guest blogs.

There are three of us remaining now--Monica Ferris, Betty Hechtman, and me.  We’re a fun group, and we will soon be adding another blogger, too. 

The new year is in full swing now.  Hard to believe we’re well into January already.  We’re all twelve months older than we were at this time last year--of course!  I became a grandma in 2012 and I’m thrilled about it!  I also lost my dad, so there were bad times, too.  More changes.

This year, I’m going nuts already with my tight deadlines along with all the things I’m planning so I can introduce people to my two new books being published next month.  I wish they’d been spread out in time a bit, but I’ll have fun with both of them.  In case you’ve forgotten, they’re OODLES OF POODLES, my next Pet Rescue Mystery for Berkley Prime Crime, and UNDERCOVER WOLF, my next Alpha Force paranormal romance for Harlequin Nocturne.   I’m also working on a Pet Rescue Mystery novella for Berkley... and I may publish another novella myself.  Yes... more changes.

Unchanging, of course:  my love of animals, especially dogs.  And, yes, growing older.  But I keep thinking that the more I age, the more I learn.  It’s not so bad at all!

Have you come across any changes in your life recently?

Preparing for Next Year

This year has gone awfully fast! 

I now keep three calendars to remind me about what’s coming up next.  One I do on line, and it’s pretty easy.  It even sends me reminders, although I usually don’t see them until after the event is over.

I keep another on the wall in my kitchen, and that one includes things going on with my husband and the rest of the family. 

And I also keep another small one right beside my computer.  It’s usually a two-year pocket planner, and whenever possible it’s one with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels on the cover.  Come to think of it, the one hanging in my kitchen is filled with Cavalier pictures.  Did I ever mention that I’m obsessed?  With dogs, of course, and especially with Cavaliers.

I recently bought a new two-year pocket planner that starts with next year, but the room to write things under the dates is really small.  I’ve gone back to another two-year pocket planner that started with 2012 and ends in 2013 to update my 2013 occurrences-to-be.   I just hope I find one for 2014 that I can write in more easily, when the time comes.  My handwriting leaves a lot to be desired, and I need to be able to see what I’m going to be doing.  On the other hand, since I type events into my online calendar, I can always go to that one to confirm what I tried to say more briefly with my illegible scrawl.

Keeping track of what I need to do is especially important for the first couple months of the new year.  I have two--yes, count ‘em, two--books being published in February: OODLES OF POODLES, my fourth Pet Rescue Mystery for Berkley Prime Crime, and UNDERCOVER WOLF, my fourth Alpha Force paranormal romance for Harlequin Nocturne.  I’m not sure what the significance may be to having books number four in two series coming out in the same month, but it’ll certainly keep me busy.  I’ll be doing a lot of promotion including guest blogging, for one thing, to let people know about them.

Have you been planning what you’ll be up to in 2013?  How do you keep track of it?

Out and About Online

Last week I blogged about how wonderful it was to be distracted from my work--by family.  And most especially by my baby grandson.

Right now, I’ve got more time to dig in and work on the books I’m writing.  But that’s not all.  I have two--that’s right, two!--new books being published in February.  That’s only about two months away now, and I want to do everything I can to get the word out so people will know about them.  Which books?  My next Alpha Force Harlequin Nocturne UNDERCOVER WOLF, and my next Pet Rescue Mystery OODLES OF POODLES for Berkley Prime Crime.

Since there’s a little bit of time till then, I want to plan on letting people know about both books as much as possible using social media.  I’ve been invited to participate in some online blogs and magazines, and will be delighted to do that.

I’ll also be working on a blog tour.  I’m on Facebook, but have been avoiding Twitter since I’m already too distracted by the things I actually do online. 

I’m additionally looking for ideas.  So--what can you suggest?  Are there any blogs besides Killer Hobbies that you read and think I should try to guest on?  Any groups or magazines or anything else you can suggest that I do?

And, okay, hit me with it.  Do you think I should join Twitter?

Whether you’re a reader, writer or both, what are your favorite online methods for authors to let readers know about new releases?

Weather Change

It’s finally fall in Southern California , as it is over most of the rest of the country.

 

A couple of weekends ago, I sweltered outside all day at the West Hollywood Book Fair--a fun event but the heat exhausted me.

 

This past weekend, my dogs and I took several fun walks outside in cooler weather.  Now, cool weather in L.A. isn’t necessarily as chilly as it is in other parts of the country, but it’s still a lot more comfortable than the heat. 

 

It feels good sitting at my computer without needing the air conditioning on while I write in the middle of the afternoon.  I think I get more done that way, too.  I’m plotting my next mystery and will soon do a final edit on my Harlequin Nocturne that’s due in a few weeks.

 

Of course the weather forecasts don’t say that there won’t be further hot weather this season, but I’ll enjoy all I can for now, at least.

 

When I lived in the east, my favorite time of the year used to be fall, and in some ways it still is even though I don’t usually get to see the leaves change in a gorgeous autumn way.

 

What’s your favorite time of year? 

More Events

I used to think writing was just about writing.  And, hopefully, selling. 

But I’m sure you know from the blogs I’ve been writing lately that now I know there’s a lot more to it.  Including getting involved with things that start out as research but become important in your life. 

 For one thing, I still volunteer at Pet Orphans of Southern California as a Dog Adoption Counselor.  I’m usually there for a few hours once a week.  This week, I got to introduce a lady to the dog she had fallen in love with via the photo on the Pet Orphans website.  Sure enough, she loved the dog in person, too.   I spent a lot of my volunteer time that day with them as they got to know each other.  I smiled a lot!  About a day later, on that same website, I saw a picture that showed she had come back with her husband and adopted that sweet, smart, calm dog.

This past weekend, on Saturday, I attended the Cerritos Library Romance Tea that I’d blogged about before.  Fun!  Not a writing day, but I got to talk about my writing, mostly my romances.

 And then on Sunday I attended the West Hollywood Book Fair, signing at the Sisters in Crime booth in the morning and helping to staff the Mystery Writers of America booth in the afternoon.  Okay, that was fun, too, but it was also exhausting, thanks to the unyielding heat that day.  It’s still hot in L.A., but supposed to ease up later this week.  Needless to say, I was too tired to write when I got home.

But now, I’m back to writing.  And editing.  And planning for the next stuff related to writing that’s going on in my life.

What’s next?  Well, there’s that class I mentioned before, from October 22 - November 18 at the Savvy Authors website, on Blending Romance and Suspense: Putting Suspense Into Your Romance Novel and Romance Into Your Mystery.

And then, on October 20, I’ll be at the Mystery Writers Luncheon at the Long Beach branch of AAUW (The American Association of University Women).

Followed by online activities for both my Harlequin Nocturnes and my Berkley Prime Crime Mysteries.

Followed by a talk at the Ojai Library on November 3.

And--oh, yeah.  In between all of that I have a November 1 deadline for a Nocturne plus a new Pet Rescue Mystery to write...

Okay, I’m not whining.  And I hope you’re not getting tired of hearing about all the stuff going on around me.  It helps me to organize and plan for it by writing about it here.

Anything exciting you’re looking forward to??  Oh, and hey, if you’re tired of me talking about all that’s going on with me, let me know. 

Flexibility

I was having a hard time figuring out what to write about today.  Usually, topics come to me fairly easily.  I eventually realized what my problem is this week: I’ve had to change gears in my writing, so that’s put me off my pace, at least a bit.

I have two books coming out in February 2013: UNDERCOVER WOLF, part of my Alpha Force mini-series for Harlequin Nocturne, and OODLES OF POODLES, my fourth Pet Rescue Mystery for Berkley Prime Crime.  I knew the copyedits were due soon for both--where I’d get to see changes, or suggestions for modifying the manuscripts, from  my editors and get to do some revisions accordingly. 

I’d intended to finish an extremely rough draft this week of the next Alpha Force story after UNDERCOVER WOLF, tentatively titled UNTAMED WOLF.  However, I received my copyedits on UNDERCOVER WOLF--which usually wouldn’t present a problem, but my editor requested my response by the end of this week.

I always try to comply with that kind of request, whenever possible.  First, I’m really fortunate to have wonderful editors.  Also, in the instances that I’ve requested deadline extensions, they’ve been very accommodating to me.   So... I’d better stop writing this and go back to my copyedits!

Fortunately, I shouldn’t receive the edits for OODLES OF POODLES for a couple of weeks.  And the other thing I was writing at the same time as UNTAMED WOLF, a potential novella, will just have to wait for now.

Do you ever start racing toward a particular goal and find yourself swerving a bit because something else has intervened?

Blog Block

I was sitting in my office yesterday with my chin in my hand, my elbow on my desk, when my husband Fred came in. He said I looked like I was thinking. Which I was. I always try to write my Wednesday blog post a day ahead, and I hadn’t come up with a topic.

He had a suggestion. We’d take the dogs for a walk to get my mind moving.

I’m in the middle of finishing my fourth Pet Rescue Mystery manuscript, OODLES OF POODLES, but I knew I’d not get into it as deeply as I should until I figured out what I’d be blogging about. So, we got the dogs ready to take a walk.

Which is fun, but a bit of an ordeal. Lexie and Mystie, our Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, love walks, and they also love telling us exactly what they want. We just had to clip a leash onto Lexie’s collar, but Mystie is small and daring so we always put a harness on her. With her excited wriggling, that always takes a while.

Eventually, we were ready. Since both dogs are lap size, we were able to carry them past our next door neighbor’s home to prevent their spending a lot of time conversing loudly with the two dogs who live there and bark when anyone goes by. Not that I object, since our two also talk a lot when anyone passes our place and our front door is open. They stand behind our closed front gate and defend their turf.

As we continued on our walk, we saw and heard other dogs out protecting their property. We saw which homes had “For Sale” and “For Lease” signs outside them. We kept our little dogs far from the path of cars on our narrow, winding streets.

And, we got to enjoy the signs of spring! That’s not always viable in Los Angeles, but we passed a lovely street-side garden full of tulips. We heard birds chirping excitedly all around us.

One of our neighbors always stops and gives our pups treats if they happen to be on our porch while she’s walking her larger dog. We ran into her, and Lexie and Mystie were treated royally.

Now I’m home writing about my dogs and relishing the walk all over again. On Monday night, I was on a chat night on Writerspace for Berkley Prime Crime authors. Only two authors were present--Dorothy St. James and me. We both chatted about our books and our themes, and I noted that some of the readers who were there chatting mentioned that they were cat lovers, or they weren’t wild about pets. Others also loved dogs. It’s fascinating to me to recognize the diversity of all people, even those who share an interest in something like cozy mysteries.

Me? Well, it’ll be interesting to see whether I have blog block next week. I’m sure that Lexie and Mystie hope I do. They definitely seemed to enjoy my remedial walk!

How do you get your mind in gear if it’s temporarily blocked?

Changing Writing Gears

It’s one of those times again--I’m in the middle of shifting my writing gears.

Earlier this week, I turned in the manuscript for my first Harlequin Romantic Suspense book, UNDERCOVER SOLDIER. Well, sort of my first in that series. I wrote a Silhouette Intimate Moments in 2004, and that series name was changed to Silhouette Romantic Suspense and, more recently, to Harlequin Romantic Suspense. In any event, what I wrote was a romantic suspense story, one that doesn’t include animals. I had fun with it, but that part felt strange!

My next deadline is for a new Pet Rescue Mystery, the fourth in my series for Berkley Prime Crime. The third, HOUNDS ABOUND, will be an April 2012 release, and that’s also when my deadline is for number four. I’m still plotting it but think I know its direction.

In the midst of all this, I came up with some ideas for possible additional Alpha Force Harlequin Nocturnes as well as another mystery series idea. Don’t know if any of them will turn into something I’ll need to write, but I hope so!

Changing genres and voices isn’t difficult for me. I’ve been doing it for a long time, and enjoy it. Each one is a challenge to my imagination. It’s what I do!

How about you--where are the most enjoyable challenges in your life?

At The Starting Line

I’m about to start a race. Well, sort of a race. THE MORE THE TERRIER, the second Pet Rescue Mystery from Berkley Prime Crime, is officially available beginning next week.

And guess what. I was delighted to learn that THE MORE THE TERRIER is a Mystery Guild selection!

In addition, I’ve got two more stories to be published in the next two months, both Nocturne Bites--e-novellas that are part of the Harlequin Nocturne paranormal romance line. My October Bites is HAWK’S CHALLENGE, and the November one is COUGAR’S CONQUEST. Both are part of my Alpha Force miniseries about a covert military unit of shapeshifters.

I’ve always done promotion for my books, but I seem to be doing a lot more these days. I’m starting my guest blogs later this week, with many more to come. My first signing of THE MORE THE TERRIER will be this Sunday at the West Hollywood Book Fair--again, with many more to come.

I’ve talked about some of this before, of course. But at the moment it’s hard to think about much else--except for working on the manuscript I’m under deadline for, and another proposal I’m writing.

I keep copious notes and multiple calendars about what I’ve planned--and still miss things. Fortunately, I received a reminder about a blog I promised to do next week that I’d failed to put on my calendar. I felt terrible!!! Still do. By way of explanation, I was traveling at the time I received the invitation, but I should have sent myself an e-mail or otherwise ensured that I reminded myself, too. But the reminder was timely and welcome, and I’ll send my blog post soon.

In any event, I have around a dozen guest blogs to write in addition to my usual weekly posts here and monthly at A Slice of Orange, the blog of the Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America. Plus, I’ve been guest blogging now and then at Writers in the Storm.

My appearances? So far, they total about a dozen, too. A lot are signings of THE MORE THE TERRIER. Some are more general library or other events to promote mysteries and/or romances. And I always talk up both genres in which I write.

I started this by saying I’m running a race. It’s one I’m already running, and it’s one that’ll never stop. But it’s about to become more intense for a while!

What’s going to keep you busy in the next month or so? Will it be fun?

Where Is This Year Going?

Can you believe it? September starts tomorrow!

I’ve been thinking about all I accomplished this year--and all I’ve yet to do in its final three months. Maybe that’s because I have three stories still coming out before next year begins: THE MORE THE TERRIER, my second Pet Rescue Mystery, which will be an October release, plus my last two Nocturne Bites: HAWK’S CHALLENGE, out in October, followed, in November, by COUGAR’S CHALLENGE.

As I’ve said before, I always thought that a writer just wrote, but some of the additional things I still need to accomplish involve promoting all of the above. I’m in the process of scheduling signings for THE MORE THE TERRIER. Since the Bites are novellas that are only available, initially at least, in e-format, I won’t be signing them. My first Bites, CLAWS OF THE LYNX, was also published in a print anthology, so that’s always a possibility with these two as well.

I’ve been scheduling a blog tour in addition to the fun I have posting here at Killer Hobbies. So far, I have eight lined up and more possibilities to come. If anyone reading this would like me to guest on their blog, too, just let me know. I’m ready!

I met a quick deadline yesterday, in one day--copyedits on COUGAR’S CHALLENGE.

Then there’s my next deadline--my first Harlequin Romantic Suspense story, called at least for now UNDYING LOVE.

And, yes, there’s more, too--my life outside writing also contains some obligations and deadlines that I need to factor in and get done.

What do you still need to accomplish by the end of 2011?

More Genres!

Okay, I’ve done it again. In addition to my existing genres, I’m now writing for a new line--new to me, at least. Sort of.

I just sold a book to Harlequin Romantic Suspense. Almost. The contract hasn’t been signed yet, but I’ve been writing for Harlequin long enough to know that it will be signed soon.

That means I’ll soon have more Pet Rescue Mysteries published, a Harlequin Nocturne plus a couple of Nocturne Bites, and an HRS.

How many genres have I written in--and sold? Well, I started out in time travel romance for Dorchester, and also wrote a romantic fairy tale for them. I additionally wrote a time travel romance for my current mystery publisher, Berkley. I’ve also written Harlequin Intrigues. And I of course write mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime.

Years ago, I wrote a Silhouette Intimate Moments for Harlequin--a paranormal romance for that line in between when they had the Shadows line and now the Nocturnes for which I currently write. Over time, the line and its name have changed--from Silhouette Intimate Moments to Silhouette Romantic Suspense to Harlequin Romantic Suspense. Hence, my “sort of”, above. I’ve sort of written for the line before, but before it morphed to what it is now.

And what is it now? Romantic suspense, with the emphasis on the romantic.

My story’s working title is UNDYING LOVE, although that’s subject to change. So is the currently anticipated publication date of September 2012.

Now all I have to do is write it--with the longer word length the series now requires. That’ll be fun--especially since its background is very loosely based on a mystery in my own life.

Do you like to write in, or read, multiple genres?

What's Next

This year remains a busy one. My next Alpha Force Harlequin Nocturne, GUARDIAN WOLF, is an August release, followed by my next Pet Rescue Mystery for Berkley Prime Crime, THE MORE THE TERRIER. I’ll also have two Nocturne Bites e-novellas published this year.

Meanwhile, I’m doing final edits on another Harlequin Nocturne, and I’ve turned in the manuscript for the third Pet Rescue Mystery. Both will be published next year. I was originally told that only one of my two remaining Nocturne Bites would be published this year, but as I wrote this blog yesterday I was informed that I need to write the second one fast! The Bites series is folding in favor of Nocturne Cravings, so for mine to remain Bites both must be out and available soon.

Then what? At the moment, I don’t know. I’m hoping there will be additional Pet Rescue Mysteries. Same goes for more of my Alpha Force Nocturnes. But I’m in one of those situations that I don’t really know what’s next.

Not that I’m simply sitting around to find out. I’ve been working on a couple new mystery series ideas, plus trying out some additional romances for different Harlequin lines.

I’m considering which of my backlist, or unpublished manuscripts, might work for future e-book publishing.

And, I’m setting my subconscious loose on devising and plotting some additional ideas.

Oh, and yes--I’m about to dig in and write my final Bites... now!

What’s next? I’m not sure yet, but I’m eager to find out.

How about you? What do you do when you’re not sure what’s next?

Advances In Advertising?

Years ago, I majored in undergraduate school in journalism with an advertising emphasis. I even worked in advertising and public relations for a while.

That was before the Internet was so much a part of our society.

Now, I’m utterly amazed sometimes at the interference of advertising onto my computer screen!

Okay, I realize that advertising had to change so companies could make people aware of their products in even more creative ways. TV ads are sometimes a lot of fun to watch--like many of those produced by General Electric. They’re amusing and worth taking the time to see. But I admit that I have a DVR and often will skip over boring ads if I have enough time stored up to do so. If I can’t skip them physically, I’ll skip them mentally unless they grab my attention.

It’s similar with radio. People will often buy and download songs they want to hear rather than listening to them played randomly on the radio--along with ads. Print newspapers and magazines, although they contain ads, aren’t read today as much as they used to be.

More creative places to advertise had to be found.

I decided yesterday to write my blog post this week on advertising when I was both amazed and irritated at the effrontery of an advertiser. I’d noticed that some links to what used to be news stories on a local newspaper’s website are actually ads. I’d clicked on one to find out about the hot cross buns available at Panera Bread. My choice. But while I was reading the “news story,” my computer was hijacked by a runaway ad for some kind of truck. My screen was suddenly filled with the blade of a buzz saw slicing down the middle, followed by a huge, colorful picture of a speeding vehicle in some kind of race with falling logs, and it took me a second to realize I was seeing an advertisement. I clicked off immediately--and knew what I’d be blogging about today.

Yes, it was creative. It was eye-catching. It was also irritating.

It’s not the first time something like this has happened to me, although it’s the most egregious so far. I’ve sometimes had to wait for an ad to finish playing before an online crossword puzzle will appear. The puzzle itself was free, so I understood why the site owner might sell an ad to get revenue for posting it. Of course, I usually keep the sound on my computer turned off, so it’s not always as annoying as it could be. Other times, I’ll have to click on something in the corner of my screen to skip an ad and go on to whatever site I was aiming for.

Bothersome? Yes. But that’s often the nature of advertising. It’s gotten more creative in some ways now, but in other ways it’s still the same.

So... while you’re reading this about advertising, I’ll toss in a plug for my latest book, BEAGLEMANIA, the first Pet Rescue Mystery from Berkley Prime Crime, a spinoff series from my Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries. At least take a look at the adorable cover. It’ll convince you to buy the book, and, let me tell you, it’s a good cozy mystery.

End of spiel. End of BSP (blatant self promotion) for the moment, too.

What do you like--or dislike--about advertising these days?

Oh, and by the way, I guest blogged this week on Sirens of Suspense. For every comment posted, they’re giving $1 to pet rescue--and you get entered into a drawing to win a copy of BEAGLEMANIA. So... please go comment!

http://www.sirensofsuspense.com/Sirens_of_Suspense/The_Siren_Song/Entries/2011/3/22_Suspense._._._with_Paws!.html

New Series, New World!

My new Pet Rescue Mystery series debuted yesterday with BEAGLEMANIA. I’ve been discussing it for a long time here--yet it’s still amazing how time flew!

My first mystery series, the Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries, began in January 2005 with SIT, STAY, SLAY, also from Berkley Prime Crime. I tried a lot of avenues to get word out there about it, some successful and some not.

That was before I started blogging at Killer Hobbies and long before I joined Facebook. I admit that I haven’t yet mastered social networking, but at least I’m doing some--along with writing articles, doing signings, the kinds of things I did before.

It’s much too soon to determine how BEAGLEMANIA will do out there. I hope lots of people read it, since I love it--but of course I’m biased. But it’s amazing to me how different the methods of letting people know about it have become.

Years ago, I majored in journalism with an advertising emphasis at Penn State, then worked for my father in advertising and public relations. I eventually got out of that field, but I did know something about promotion the way it used to be.

It’s really different now! At least some things are. I still watch TV and although I ignore a lot of the ads, some really capture my attention. I still read some hard copies of newspapers and magazines and, once again, my eyes skip over the majority of the advertising--except for things I’m actually interested in learning about or buying.

I also use the Internet a lot. Sometimes I’m highly annoyed by the pop-up ads. I’m also annoyed by other ads that run a film clip either at the edge of the page or right in front of my eyes, making me watch or at least wait until they’re over before the site I really want to look at becomes visible. That’s a modern use of old techniques, I suppose.

I find blogging fun--which you probably know if you’ve been following me here at Killer Hobbies. So’s communicating with people on Facebook. If this is now the way to tell people about a new series, it’s certainly an enjoyable one!

What do you think is the best way to let people know about a new book or series? I’m eager for more suggestions!

Blogmania

I’m a bit obsessed with blogs right now.

Maybe that’s because I’ve been setting up guest blogs for a blog tour to promote BEAGLEMANIA, my first Pet Rescue Mystery from Berkley Prime Crime--a spinoff series from my Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter Mystery series. Hard to believe that its debut is less than a week away!

I’ve been working on my guest blogs and accepting requests for a while now. A couple have already posted. Many are scheduled for next week.

In all so far, I’m scheduled to post on 17 blog sites besides Killer Hobbies, and to have another post about me that someone else is writing. I try to make each one different yet they’re mostly about my new series, why I wrote it, how I researched it, and how it helped to change my life. I’m now involved in pet rescue myself.

I’m always delighted to see comments on a blog site, and especially on my posts. That indicates people are not only reading what I say but have an opinion about it. But even if the comments are few, the primary blogger and people who usually follow that particular site will read a post and think about it, even if they have nothing in particular to say about it. That works, too.

You’re here reading Killer Hobbies. I’m delighted to welcome you! But I’d love to know why you’re here. I hope it’s because you enjoy my fellow Killer Hobbyists and me, what we have to say here, and what we write in our books.

How many blogs do you read religiously? Do they help you make up your mind about what books to read? Will you pick up a book because you’ve come to know a writer a little bit from her/his blogs?

In other words, I’m encouraging your blog comments!

Goals

I’m in the process of meeting an important goal--even as others are piling up around me!

I finished a first draft of my third Pet Rescue Mystery for Berkley Prime Crime this week, printed it out and edited the hard copy, then made changes to the computer version. I’m re-reading the whole thing now. When I’m done, I’ll let it sit before reading it again, and hope to get it into the hands of a critiquer before finalizing it.

The end of that goal is in sight!

But while I’ve been working on that, I’ve also been scheduling signings and appearances, as well as a blog tour, to help promote BEAGLEMANIA, the first book in the Pet Rescue Mystery series that debuts in March.

I have copy-edits to do on GUARDIAN WOLF, my next Harlequin Nocturne, which will be published in September 2011.

I’m working on some possible new projects as well--and I’ll have to carve out some time to work on them.

Would you believe that I also have a life? My husband sometimes likes to see and talk to me. My dogs never hesitate to interrupt anything I’m doing to tell me what they want--usually a treat or to go outside, not always in that order!

Plus, like to visit with friends--of both human and pet persuasion. I’m volunteering at an animal shelter and I’m writing online articles. And blogging.

Each of those is a goal of sorts--and they keep increasing and changing and challenging me.

How about you--what are your current goals? Do they keep morphing as you achieve them?

Blogging and Shifting

I needed to write two blog posts in one day yesterday.

First, of course, is this one, my weekly Killer Hobbies offering, which I always try to write a day in advance.

I’m also delighted to be blogging next week on the Harlequin Paranormal Blog, since my upcoming Harlequin Nocturne, ALASKAN WOLF, is a December release. I was asked to submit my blog early to give the folks in charge time to review, edit and post.

This isn’t the first time I’ve written more than one blog post at a time. Nor will it be my last. But I’ve been asked now and then--including on a delightful Sisters in Crime panel last weekend about Sassy Sleuths--how I keep my sanity while shifting from one genre to another, possibly at the same time.

Okay, I wasn’t really quizzed about my sanity, only about how I do it. This week was a good example. I’m under a deadline for submitting a proposal about an upcoming sexy paranormal romance in my miniseries about Alpha Force, a covert military unit of shapeshifters, to Harlequin Nocturne. I also was under a deadline to proofread the typeset pages for BEAGLEMANIA, the first in my new Pet Rescue Mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime.

So these two blogs? I suppose I could have done something similar here to the one for the Harlequin Paranormal Blog, but that didn’t entirely make sense to me. Instead, I’m blogging about blogging here, and about ALASKAN WOLF and Alaska there. That’s another type of shifting genres within minutes of one another, but I guess that’s the way my mind works. Which is probably a good thing.

I do intend to attempt a blog tour soon, since BEAGLEMANIA is the first in my new spinoff series and it’ll be available in March. Will I write more than one post in one day? Possibly. Will I also be writing in more than one genre at the same time? I hope so!

Do you blog? At more than one site? Have you ever taken a blog tour? What do you think of blogging?

Never Ending Story

I did it! I met the deadline for GUARDIAN WOLF, the third novel in my Alpha Force shapeshifter miniseries for Harlequin Nocturne. I e-mailed the manuscript on October 31 (yes, Halloween) to meet the November 1 deadline.

Does that mean I can breathe a little better? Well, yes and no. I did take the time today not only to vote, but also to help take my son to the airport, which meant that my volunteer time at Pet Orphans of Southern California occurred later than usual. Not much time to write.

However, my next deadline isn’t far away: December 1, for the proposal for book #4 in the Alpha Force miniseries. More deadlines to come after that, both for Harlequin (including Nocturne Bites) and Berkley Prime Crime (Pet Rescue mysteries).

I used to be an excellent time manager, especially when I had a full-time job, young kids at home and a drive to write. Now, I get things done, but I’m less organized about it. Does that stop me from taking on more? Of course not.

Neither does it stop me from worrying about it.

How about you? Are you skilled at time management? Give me your suggestions--including how you don’t let the Internet affect your schedule... too much!