Ordering Online and More

What I'm blogging about today isn't nearly as great as last week, when I described SMART, the Specialized Mobile Animal Rescue Team, my friendship with them, and the new film about them--although I might do that again soon since I may go to another showing of the film. 

But one fun thing I did was to go see a production of The Fantasticks at the Pasadena Playhouse.  That show has been part of my life since I was the age of the teenage female character Luisa.  My high school did a production, too, and I was script girl.  (No, I can't sing.)  I pretty much remembered the script and the lyrics and found it interesting that over time the production has been changed to be more P.C. than the original.  Most people there wouldn't have known it, though.  I've seen many versions of the show at different stages of my own life so I can identify with different characters each time.  I really enjoyed it, including the room at the playhouse filled with pictures and memorabilia of The Fantasticks. 

This week I also want to talk about a different kind of experience I had which was fun: ordering dog food online and by phone.

 Boring, you say?  Well, it turned out not to be. 

My younger dog Mystie eats prescription dog food because of a digestive track problem.  I used to buy it from her vet but the price kept being raised and I found a less expensive online source.  Then I started getting ads on Facebook from other companies that sell pet food.  I happened to receive a coupon from one of them that I promptly misplaced, but I nevertheless looked at their site and saw that they sell the prescription food we need.  It was cheaper than the source I'd been using, plus that first source's website never seemed to work right. I had to give it a try. 

Time to order.  I began filling out the online order form and realized I had a question.  Since I'd been ordering food by phone from the earlier source, I didn't hesitate to call. 

What a fun experience!  The guy who answered could see what I had already filled out online, and he was easily able to answer my questions.  Plus, he was really friendly.  We wound up talking about dog food and dogs and all sorts of related stuff for nearly half an hour.  I was surprised he was able to do that without losing his job--but then again, as we talked, I thought of other foods and treats and other dog-related items that I would ultimately need for my dogs and asked if he had them.  I didn't order anything else yet but there are a couple of things I will most likely order in the future from them. 

My order is supposed to be delivered no later than today,so we'll see how that goes.  And my mind, as usual, is mulling over how I can use the experience in a book. 

But though I've ordered other stuff online, this has been the most fun.  Have any of you had a similar--or a better, or worse, experience? 

And do you have a show or play that means something different to you each time you see it?

It's a Facebook Launch Party!

Tomorrow is the book birthday for my third Downward Dog Mystery, Karma's a Killer, and I'm celebrating by hosting a Facebook launch party.  Please join me! 5 - 7 PM PST at the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/events/761634017313789/

We'll have games, contests, excerpts, inside scoops, and lots and lots of prizes, including books (many signed) by some of my favorite authors, including:

• Kathi Daley
• Waverly Curtis
• Krista Davis
• Penny Pike
• Leslie Budewitz
• Jessie Chandler

I'll also give out more than a little Downward Dog Mysteries swag and share photos of some of the book's most important settings.  Come for five minutes or hang out for the entire two hours. Pop the virtual champagne and I'll see you then!

Tracy Weber



PS--All three books in my Downward Dog mystery series are now available!  Learn more at http://tracyweberauthor.com.  Thanks for reading!

Fun with Facebook

I have a Facebook friend page.  I haven't yet tried an author page, and I've heard some of the pros and cons about starting one. 

I admit I'm not always diligent about posting on Facebook.  I'll check it out often and do a lot of "likes," but I don't always stick something on my own page or even share others' posts.

This week, though, I have been posting a few things.  One of them was the celebration of National Dog Day yesterday.  I definitely had to share that.

And on Monday I did a fun post where I mentioned that I'd seen the promotion for the new Disney version of Cinderella, which will be a 2015 release.  That particular promotion really caught my attention since its symbol is a glass slipper.  I consequently posted on Facebook the cover of my own Faerie Tale Romance called--what else?--The Glass Slipper!  It, too, depicts a glass slipper. 

This version of The Glass Slipper is my first republication of one of my backlist books for which I got the rights back.  It's only available on Kindle, at least for now.  The process was fun and educational, and now I'm particularly glad I chose its cover as a symbol.

One of the particularly enjoyable things about posting the cover on Facebook was the number of likes I got quickly.  Apparently friends, both those I actually know and those I know via Facebook, liked that cover and its symbolism, too! 

Will the upcoming movie make any difference in the sale of my story?  Unlikely, but I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the movie. 

In case you couldn't tell, I like Cinderella stories! 

How about you--have you seen the movie promotion?  Do you like fairy tales, particularly Cinderella stories?

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?

Facebook Timeline

All right.  It’s happened. 

Facebook has warned me that my home page is about to become a timeline, like so many others I’ve seen.

I’ve looked at its preview but I haven’t gotten to know it intimately.  Not sure whether I like it--at least so far. 

I do like Facebook in general, though.  It’s a surprisingly helpful way to keep up with what friends, relatives and business acquaintances are doing.  Plus, they can keep up with me.

But I’m an admitted non-techie.   I try to use stuff I think will be helpful to me personally or professionally or both, and so far Facebook has worked out well.

The page seems busier now, keeping some of my older stuff more accessible, so that might be helpful.  I guess that remains to be seen.

I’ve been checking out my friends and likes, which usually have something to do with writing and animals, especially dogs, when they’re not family oriented.  It’s fun to get that kind of info.

Yet I’m not sure what the new timeline format will do for me.  Or against me. 

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Mark Your Calendars for These Special Events!

I did not have three thousand shoes. I had one thousand and sixty. -- Imelda Marcos

She was onto something. We all know that Monica loves hats, but (buckle your seatbelts), time for a confession: I love shoes. Yep. And in advance of Valentine's Day I bought a pair tonight that I've been lusting after for a long time: red, patent-leather heels.

I plan to wear them on Valentine's Day when we celebrate our 5th birthday of the Killer Hobbies blog.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR OUR PARTY!

Oh, and did I mention there will be CHOCOLATE? Yes, all the KH Blog Sisters are going out and buying chocolate so we can give it away as prizes. Personally, I plan to drink some champagne while we party. The party will be held from 9 p.m. EST to midnight EST on February 14 on my Facebook page http://www.Facebook.com/JoannaCampbellSlan

CHANGES? HAVE YOU NOTICED?

We've been busily making changes to our blog in prep and as sort of a KH spruce up. Have you noticed? We've added Author Pages so you can learn a bit more about each of us. We've also added a sign up for a newsletter (that's a project for the future). We had an old sign up but it had reached its limit and it was a hassle, so please if you would...re-sign up for our newsletter. We'll be using it to announce new releases and give-aways.

SHORT STORIES

At the start of this year, I pledged to write one Kiki Lowenstein short story every month at least until April when the new book--Ready, Scrap, Shoot--is released. This month the title is "Kiki Lowenstein and the Empty Heart." It's a story I've been thinking about for a long time because it's based in a true happening. Kiki agrees to help her rabbi with a good deed. They discover a congregant's secret, the way she coped with an empty heart, and it changes everything!

All of my short story covers feature Zentangle designs,

and more tangles are included inside. This one that I just love is an example...

There are also two cool recipes included in that short story.

TANGLE PATTERNS GUEST HOST

Next Monday my special guest will be Linda Farmer, creator of the Tangle Patterns blog. In honor of her visit, I'll be giving away a copy of AlphaTangle: A Totally Tangled Alphabet by Sandy Steen Bartholomew. If you've been curious about Zentangle, you won't want to miss Linda'a visit or the chance to get this wonderful "how to" book.

YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO US

Last month I was at the mid-winter ALA meeting in Dallas where I was privileged to sign books. A woman stood in line for quite a while. When it was her turn, she said, "I just LOVE Kiki Lowenstein!" and she threw her arms around me.

You know what? I'm the luckiest girl on the planet. Every day I look for new ways to tell each of you how special you are to me! Happy Valentine's Day in advance!

An Abundance of Addresses

I have 7 email addresses: 5 Yahoo, 1 Rocketmail, and a G-mail.

Too many, you say? Maybe so. But I use them each for different purposes.

One’s my long-time old one that has a lot of stuff saved in it, including an abundance of contacts. One’s mostly for promotional purposes for my writing. One’s to collect names and addresses for my very periodic writing newsletter. One is for my lawyer persona.

Another is one I use to collect junk email that I might actually read, such as Groupon deals and other bargains. Plus, it contains my link to Freekibble, where I answer a question each day about dogs, and each response generates a donation of kibble to help needy canines. (There’s a cat link, too.)

I started my Rocketmail account when I first joined Facebook. My husband joined FB before I did, and his email was immediately hacked. I wanted to protect my other email addresses, so I decided to start a new one to use for social networking, including FB and my website.

My g-mail address has a couple of purposes, including access to the Killer Hobbies blog! I also use it to run Google Alerts on certain subjects, including myself. Always interesting to see what turns up.

I do use different passwords for each. Do I confuse them at times? Not often, but occasionally.

Those are my main addresses, unless you also count other social networking addresses such as my Facebook account...

How many addresses do you have? Do you find them all useful?

The Fate of Blogging

Last Sunday, I participated on a panel for the Women's National Book Association National Reading Group Month Celebration at The Last Book Store in downtown LA. That’s a new store, by the way, large and full of mostly used books that are hard to resist, even though fiction isn’t the focus.

There were five authors on the panel, plus a moderator. I really enjoyed the whole experience including hearing everyone else’s story of how they began writing and got published. The audience was enthusiastic, too, and asked a lot of great questions.

One thing that was discussed was blogging--whether the panelists blogged, how often, and what we thought of blogging.

I’ve been here on Killer Hobbies for years and really enjoy it. I’ve been guest blogging on other sites now more than ever, and also enjoy that.

But some of the people there--audience members and panelists--appear to believe that, with other social networking options like Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and more, blogging is disappearing. They believe it’s not as helpful or relevant as the other choices.

Well, heck. I hate to think that could be true. And I’m not giving up my blogging, at least not yet.

Yes, writing a blog post is more time consuming than describing on Twitter, or even on Facebook, what someone had for dinner. Well, for me, I’m more likely to be describing on Facebook what my dogs, or my books, are doing.

But it’s also still enjoyable to me to come up with a relevant topic and expound on it for a few paragraphs--a subject as important as whether blogging still works, and whether it has a future.

What do you think?

Ink, Red, Dead--You Asked for It!

Coming this Halloween will be Kiki Lowenstein's latest adventure--Ink, Red, Dead--a novella that finds Kiki and her friends drawn into the world of a cat hoarder. The book will be available on Kindle.

Why did I decide to write a new adventure for Kiki? The next traditional Kiki mystery--Ready, Scrap, Shoot--won't be out until April, 2012. Fans have clamored for more Kiki, and I had an idea that wouldn't go away. The plot fit neatly between Make, Take, Murder and Ready, Scrap, Shoot.

The Kindle book will include a wonderful recipe for pumpkin cookies and a free gift, A Crafty Kind of Murder, the progressive story that my blog sisters and I wrote.

To help celebrate the new release, I'll be hosting a Halloween party on October 31 from 9 p.m. EST to midnight EST on my new Facebook page.  There will be prizes and special guest appearances and surprises galore. Just go to that new page and hit "like," and then visit during the party on October 31. We'll select lucky commenters (I hope my guests and my status updates will inspire comments!) as winners.

You know, Kiki is like an old friend of mine. I always enjoy spending time with her. You, my fans, have told me you want more Kiki. I'm lucky to be able to respond to your request!

Now, I'm curious. You know that each of my Kiki books hits on a social problem or concern. What would you like to see me tackle in an upcoming book?

The Long and the Short of It

I never know what to post on Facebook. I don’t post that often, so when I do, it seems kind of weird to make some trivial comment - like boy is it hot today. It’s summer in Southern California, so of course it’s hot.

Maybe if you post all the time it’s okay to keep a running commentary going on things like the weather or what you had for lunch. I forgot to have lunch today, so what would I post anyway - maybe had air for lunch today.

I suppose I could post something about our whale watching expedition last week in Monterey. I found out the hard way that Facebook posts have a limited number of characters. So, they are more like snippets. You can’t really tell a story. I wouldn’t be able to explain that last year when we went whale watching it was magical. It began with a the rare sighting of a blue whale (they are the biggest and either as big or bigger than our boat) Then, for an hour we were surrounded by humpbacks eating krill. Their heads rose out of the water and they made this whoosh kind of sound. In the distance as far as we could see there was spray coming from whales in the area. It was a whale fiesta. It was my first time, so I thought it was always like that. Ha! Not exactly.

Though we went on the same boat, it was a totally different experience. Something must have happened between last year and this year because a very large part of the spiel on the loudspeaker was about getting sea sick and to throw up at the back of the boat. It was a total xnay on using the bathrooms and the voice on the loudspeaker said if you went in there, the close, hot confined quarters would make you feel worse and you’d never come out.

There did seem to be a lot more sea sick people this time. A woman who worked on the boat seemed to be rushing back and forth constantly offering paper towels to people who felt ill.

Last year we were the only boat out there bobbing over the swells. This year, there were at least five boats staking out the same area. Finally two humpbacks were spotted swimming together and all the boats rushed after them, ending up making a circle around them. The black whales made a number of appearances, mostly just diving and giving us their tails as they did. Eventually time was up and the voice broke the news we were getting ready to head back.

Just then a large ominous fin appeared in the water. A giant black shark perhaps? The voice over the loudspeaker explained it was a sunfish and gave us the 411 about them as the boat turned and pointed toward the shore.

A Facebook post could only give an impressionistic swipe of that story. Something like - last year whale watching; this year more like boat watching.

What kind of stuff do you post on Facebook?

Social Networking

I’ve written about networking here before. My most recent discussion was about networking in person. Now, I want to mention social networking once more.

I joined Facebook a few months ago because I heard great things about it, and it sounded like a good way to let people know about some of my upcoming books--primarily my new Pet Rescue Mystery series and my Harlequin Nocturne Alpha Force miniseries.

I started a friend page, and I keep adding friends... and others add me. I’ve found I really enjoy it. I can even keep track of what some of my relatives are doing, when they post what they’re up to on FB.

I’ve found it interesting to see what kinds of posts I get the most responses to. Putting up new book covers gets a lot of attention. So do discussions of what my dogs are doing to give me orders. When I post a link to my Killer Hobbies posts, I also get responses on Facebook, even though the people who like or comment on those references don’t always post comments here.

So, yes, I admit it. I’m glad I joined Facebook and enjoy both posting and reading it.

And, no, I don’t tweet yet. I’m still intimidated by Twitter, and I have heard mixed things about how effective it is for letting people know about an author’s work.

So what do you think? What kind of Facebook posts are you most likely to respond to? Are you on both Facebook and Twitter? Which do you prefer?

BTW, I’ll be networking in person on Wednesday when this is posted and will probably not have Internet access. No, I haven’t gotten a smartphone yet. I may not respond to your posts till my return from the Romance Writers of America conference, but I’ll definitely read them then. Meantime, maybe my dogs will give my husband orders to check out any comments to this post!

Today's Blog Courtesy of Facebook

Last week, I blogged about how I’d asked my Facebook friends what to write about here on Killer Hobbies. The consensus was that I should propose more specific topics than just asking a general question.

So, this week, I asked if I should blog either about how my dogs run my life, or how my writing does. More people posted about wanting to hear about my dogs’ being in charge than my writing.

As a result, Lexie and Mystie are my main topic this week.

First, let me say that my Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are adorable, lovable lap dogs. They’re always around during the day, and in fact as I write this Lexie is lying on the floor beside me. Mystie, to my surprise, is sleeping in their crate (almost always with an open door) in the kitchen. She often chases sunbeams and sleeps where the sunlight reflects on our floor through our skylight. Otherwise, she sleeps under my desk when I’m writing.

Oops. This took a little while to write. Now Mystie is in my office and Lexie is roaming. My pack is ever on the move.

So how do they run my life? When I’m at home, they want to go outside and romp probably every hour or even more often. They seem to take turns needing to do something while they’re there--what my husband calls “maximization of treats” since they both get small treats when they come in, if even just one has accomplished something. Lexie will bark to tell me she wants out. Mystie will jump onto my lap and hug my face. Either way, they’re hard to ignore.

Then there are play times. Mystie loves to have squeaky balls tossed or kicked for her to chase. Lexie, not so much--so when we’re playing with Mystie she wants the front door open so she can see the world pass by, or as much of it as there is on our street. Both tell us when they want their own form of nirvana.

Sometimes, they just want a snuggle. One at a time, they’ll sleep on my lap as I’m writing. Of course the one who’s not up there will often demand equal time.

Mealtime? Lexie has a built in clock, although she starts telling me it’s getting close to dinner maybe an hour before she knows it’ll actually happen.

Nighttime? They sleep in our room, mostly in two dog nights in another open crate, although they also have dog mats elsewhere on the floor. Should they need an outing in the middle of the night, they’re not shy about waking us to tell us so, but they usually sleep till morning.

Then, in the morning, they take doggy bets on my husband and me, trying to figure out which of us will be dressed first and into the kitchen to feed them, jumping around to hurry the one they’re banking on.

There are times I tell them that they’re just being pesty--but would I change their behavior? I’m encouraging Mystie to bark less in her shrill voice, but otherwise I wouldn’t change a thing.

Oh, and how does my writing run my life? Whatever time during the day that isn’t doggy-related, I’m on the computer, generally writing the stories for which I’m under deadline. And when I’m not engaged in that kind of writing--I’m often writing a blog post!

What occupies your time the most?

Social Networking - Advice?

I admit it. My Facebook post yesterday was a little bit of a farce.

What was it? I asked for people’s opinion about what I should blog about on Killer Hobbies today.

I got no responses at all, which was interesting. If I’d gotten any, I’d have pondered them and probably just discussed them here, perhaps saving any exciting ones for a future Killer Hobbies post. But I asked the question as an experiment of sorts.

Part of it is that I’m never quite sure what will garner a lot of likes and comments on Facebook. I’ve been posting a lot about my current self-promotion blitz, since my first Pet Rescue Mystery BEAGLEMANIA was just published. I got a lot of positive feedback when I posted that BEAGLEMANIA was a Fresh Pick of the FreshFiction.com website.

When I link my posts here to Facebook, I generally don’t get much feedback either here or there.

I do sometimes have conversations either on Facebook or under its messages or chat functions. I’ve met some fun people there, including other writers and fans of my writing. That really feels great!

I also study what other people post to try to see what gets them the most feedback. After all, I joined Facebook in the first place as a tool to market my books, so I want as many people as possible to be my friends and to communicate with me.

But what’s the secret to getting responses to all questions? Should I have asked about blog subjects differently, or should I not have asked that at all?

What kinds of Facebook posts do you like to respond to?

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!

Year End Business

I’m on Facebook, sort of. That is, I’ve signed up for it, and friended some people. But I haven’t posted a photograph yet – I need to get my webmistress in here to show me how to do that. Nor have I posted a message. I can’t believe how computer illiterate I am. I plan to spend at least part of today exploring the space, trying out some things.

I want to also spend part of today clearing off my desk. Those stacks of paper just keep happening – ! I’m starting to feel the first stirrings of the next novel, and somehow a clear desk will help the thing along. The title is already selected: And Then You Dye. I have an appointment early in January to watch an expert in natural dyes at work.

Every few Decembers the calendar I buy is the Minnesota Weatherguide Environment Calendar, put out by The Freshwater Society and a local television station. I bought one this year. On pages between the months it gives a lot of information about what is going on weatherwise in the state; for example, when the robins come back in the spring, and what blooms first, and when the lakes freeze over in the fall. On the actual month pages, it tells when the sun rises and sets, what the average temperature is (with the record highs and lows), and when the full moon is. This information is priceless to the author. “Betsy went out around six that evening, when the sun was just setting,” I can write with confidence about an early November evening, even though I am writing that scene in August. “A chill breeze was blowing and the air smelled damply of snow.” The calendar also serves to keep me more aware of the natural world. The calendar for 2010 had photos of Newfoundland dogs, in honor of the new dog in Lars and Jill Larson’s family. How do you pick your calendars?

You may have noticed that I am posting on Tuesdays several hours later than I used to post on Wednesdays. This is because I go to water aerobics very early in the morning Monday, Wednesday and Friday – but on Tuesday and Thursday I sleep in. Oh, my body wakes me at five on Tuesday and Thursday but I have the extreme luxury of rolling over and going back to sleep.

Holidays and Social Networking

I’m first to admit that I’m not a tech-type person. On the other hand, I love my computer. I just don’t understand all its abilities--only the ones I need to learn for my writing and otherwise.

Same thing about the Internet. Little by little, I’m learning aspects that make sense for me. E-mail--oh, yes. A long time ago. Blogging--a couple of years ago. Other social networking? I’m working into it gradually. I only joined Facebook a few weeks ago, and I haven’t attempted Twitter yet.

I’m finding that Facebook can be fun! I didn’t think I’d enjoy it, but seeing what other people post intrigues me. And now that the holidays are around us, I’m interested in what others post about how they handle it.

Shopping’s big. Cooking and baking, too. And all of it circles around family. That’s what really counts.

I friend and like a lot of Facebook pages relating to pets and animal rescues, and I’m pleased now to see how they’re related to the holidays, too--caring organizations that can fill people’s dreams with new pets who badly need homes. As long as it’s not all holiday emotionalism, of course. No surprises or impulsiveness that could result in the pet’s being brought back when the holidays are over--a really sad situation.

Some people seem more stressed over the holidays than usual, and that’s what they post about. Maybe talking about it to lots of friends helps.

I’m always interested to read other people’s writing-related posts, too. The holidays can detract from writing time and concentration, so those posts often also relate to this time of year.

How about you? Have you posted something on Facebook or Twitter about something holiday related? What parts of social networking seem to work best for you around the holidays?

Blogging

I enjoy blogging--which is a good thing during a week like this. This is my third blog, on different sites, in four days!

I’m delighted to say that I was a guest blogger on Mysteries and Margaritas on Monday. I was interviewed there about how I started writing and what it’s like now--lots of fun talking about myself. If you’d like to learn more, here’s the link: http://mysteriesandmargaritasblogspot.com Scroll down to Monday, October 4, for my entry--and read some interesting posts along the way, while you’re at it.

This week also included my day to blog on A Slice of Orange, the blog for the Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America. I’m scheduled to blog there on the sixth of every month. What did I blog about? Book titles, which are definitely on my mind since the title for the second in my new Pet Rescue Mystery series was agreed on last week: THE MORE THE TERRIER, an appropriate title for a story about an animal hoarder. The first, BEAGLEMANIA, is about a puppy mill rescue and some of the puppies are, of course, beagles. Once again, here’s the link: http://occsliceoforange.blogspot.com/2010/10/whats-in-name.html

And here I am on Killer Hobbies on a Thursday, blogging about... blogging!

The only problem is that I haven’t really written this week about my main blog topic here or on any of the other sites: pets. My dogs. Anyone else’s kitties or puppies. Or... did I just do that?

I’ve heard that, with other kinds of social networking, blogging is being somewhat left behind. I enjoy both reading and writing blogs, as well as commenting on them.

What’s your opinion? Do you enjoy blogs? Do you like them as much as other stuff like Facebook?

Be my friend

Did you ever think you would have 3300 friends? That's a lot of Christmas cards, and the birthdays to remember ... wow!

I'd love to know what people think of Facebook and other social networking sites, especially readers.

Do you like to play games on the site? I've been resisting all the farm games and Mafia wars my "friends" are trying to drag me into. Similarly, the long quizzes where you answer 25 questions about yourself, but all the answers have to be one word and begin with X.

Or sending virtual roses and candy. I'm sorry, but I'll take my chocolate real hand to real mouth, please.

Does anyone really like and use all the FB features? My feeling is that they're like chain letters (which I always crumpled up and threw away in the days of paper letters.)

But I'm willing to change if anyone out there really cares.

I certainly like the sharing of photos and news about books and events, but much of the peripheral activity is simply not interesting.

If you look at my page, you'll see that I have No Ratings, No Chucks Sent, and No Quiz Rank. Should I be worried? What am I missing?

How about you? How much time do you spend on FB or other sites like it? Do you set a limit? Or do you get carried away?

Options in Social Networking

Okay, here it is. I have a website and I blog and I do lots of research on the Internet for my writing. Plus, I have several e-mail addresses for different purposes.

Last weekend, I spoke at a writers’ organization where at least one person strongly suggested that I tweet on Twitter, and maybe put my face onto Facebook. I’ve been resisting both, since I already spend an inordinate amount of time on the Internet--time when I could be writing or plotting. Or even doing something else productive, like letting my Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Lexie and Mystie take me for a walk.

I suspect that Kendra Ballantyne, the protagonist of my Pet-Sitter Mystery series, does them both, for her pet-sitting company and even for her lawyering. She hasn’t admitted it to me. But, then, she’s much more efficient in her use of time than I am these days.

So... I decided to ask for opinions about Facebook and Twitter, both from readers and from other writers. What do you think? Is it helpful for an author to have a presence on either or both? What are the advantages? The disadvantages besides the additional time it takes to keep them up?


--Linda

The D List

Here's a mystery. Where did March go? Seriously. It's April already. Good news is that that means OCEAN WAVES, the third in the quilting mystery series, is out. Launch party will at Always Quilting in San Mateo on Sunday from noon-4pm. Hope you can be there.

I've been on Facebook several months and have been enjoying the interaction. It's fun to know what other quilters, crafters and writers are up to. I'm even okay with the mundane updates like "I just ate a double cheeseburger for lunch," or "Two birds are fighting outside my window." I don't appreciate the blatant self-promotion ones and find some people need to take a chill pill and stop updating, but I can control those and just enjoy news from those I'm genuinely interested in.

On Facebook, these lists go around. 25 Random Things about Me, or Places I've Been or Books I've Read. I ignore them for the most part, although I love reading others.

I thought it would be fun to do one of these popular lists for Dewey Pellicano, my heroine in the quilting mystery series. Here goes:

The D List.

1. What is your name: Dewey
2. A four Letter Word: Dork (also nickname for Buster)
3. A boy's name: Dino (my first boyfriend, 2nd grade. He had the longest eyelashes allowed on a boy)
4. A girl's Name: Diablo (Cody, the screenwriter for Juno, a favorite movie)
5. An occupation: diamond cutter
6. A color: deep blue (you know who's eyes.)
7. Something you wear: denim (although Buster wears it better)
8. A food: dim sum. (Yum!)
9. Something found in the bathroom: Dog hair. Don't ask.
10. A place: Donner Pass
11. A reason for being late: delay (Vangie tried this one, but she rides a bike to work not BART. Nice try!)
12. Something you shout: Dammit! (Yes, I do. Usually when doing the books at the store)
13. A movie title: Day of the Dead. (Buster talked me into it. But I liked it.)
14. Something you drink: diet Peach Snapple.
15. A musical group: Dead. (Vangie's looking over my shoulder, what else could I say?)
16. An animal: Dingo. (Can you hear Vangie? "A dingo ate my baby." Now she'll be saying that all day.)
17. A street name: D'Anza Blvd.
18. A type of car: Dodge Dart (I listen to Car Talk, too)
19. The title of a song: Delilah (Mom was a big Tom Jones fan)

Tag, you're it!