BLURB
Military grade weaponry is disappearing from bases all over the world, only to end up in the hands of terrorists and dictators.

Governments are helpless as the threats of being overthrown mount. As a last resort the world leaders turn to The Consortium to bring the biggest arms dealer to justice. They set Special Operative Jessica Sale on the trail of Justin Grey.

Portraying herself as the go to person when a buyer is looking for quantity and quality Jessica easily instills herself into his organization.

Buried deep within the mountains of Wyoming she finds her target and something she didn’t expect-a traitor in the guise of her boyfriend.

With personal feelings aside she charges ahead with the mission. Flying to New York Jessica arranges for monies to be transferred and weapons shipped. Pleased with her work he invites Jessica back to Wyoming except he never makes it home.

REVIEW

The Ice Queen by Lindsay Downs is part of the Jessica Sales series. This suspenseful romance employs a kick butt heroine. I can picture Angelina Jolie playing her in her earlier Tomb Raider days. Jessica works for a top-secret organization who ferrets out evil doers by often pretending to be fellow players in the game of dirty tricks.

Jessica’s reputation is being ice-cold beauty with her ever-present knife The long legged beauty does not hesitate to use what God gave her to make the baddies into slobbering morons. When that doesn’t work, she uses her excellent ability with her knife and her equally talented brain.  This book features a troubled Jessica Sales as she seeks to infiltrate an arms selling ring.

Normally the job would be dangerous, but not anything, she couldn’t handle assisted by her able crew.  Only this time, there are some unexpected problems in the mix. Turns out her boyfriend is two-timing her and possibly betraying the agency. Once she penetrates the arms stronghold, one of the key players informs her that she’s on her side. It is hard to know whom to trust. Trusting the wrong person will not only lead to her demise, but possibly her crew's deaths too.

Mr. Downs draws the setting with a fine hand to detail. I almost felt like I was out in the sunbaked West. The interaction between primary and secondary character was realistic and enjoyable. Jessica Sales demonstrates a complexity and aloof manner, which only adds to her reputation as The Ice Queen.

The Ice Queen is a fierce, fast read that pulls no punches, and occasionally sucker punches you, not unlike Ms. Sales. Read Ice Queen and be prepared to have your appetite whetted for more adventures. This book is appropriate for ages eighteen and over.

Here's my grand prize in honor of promoting my book, Heading West.
The Ultimate in Western Collections Available now from Mill Creek Entertainment, a collection of classic Westerns featuring some of your favorite stars including Lee Van Cleef, Richard Harrison, Jack Palance, Joseph Cotten, Klaus Kinski and many more!You'll be thrilled at the action, suspense and drama involved with this 32 hour collection of cinema features that cover tales of the Old West!

Click on the photo to see all the movies included.

Here's my  poem, which is almost twenty-two years old. It deals with my personal obsession with the historical romance genre, which includes westerns too. If you ever wondered, why women prefer reading about romance in historical settings this should answer those questions. Keep in mind, this poem was for fun only. LOL

The Midnight Confessions of an Addict

Normal, that’s what I look like.
Evan Picone business suit paired with classic 2” pumps
Disguise me as one of the administrative set.
Power lunches and Y membership define me as a new woman.
California wines, Sierra Club card, and a Honda Hybrid give
the appearance of political correctness,
but secretly I am an addict.

I twist restlessly in my chair while checking the clock.
Two more hours to go before the weekend starts,
I only indulge on Fridays, my form of discretion and reward.
Cheryl, my boss, asks about my weekend plans.
I mumble laundry, housework and a new foreign flick.
She shakes her head despairingly.
Dare I say, “I’m an addict and tonight I get my fix.”

I lay the blame on Margaret Mitchell and the school librarian.
My mother suspected, but did nothing.
I see fellow junkies in the mall clutching small sacks reverently to their bosoms.
Whispering of delights hidden inside the bookstore,
With their eyes widened in anticipation.
That’s right, I’m a romance addict!

I’ll admit I buy books where I cover the cover.
The heroes are too handsome, too sexy and too witty to be real.
The heroines are exotically beautiful, clever and slip out of their clothes amazingly well.
Mean girls in period costumes create conflict
While the heroine keeps faith in her man.
In the end, they live happily ever after.

How can thinking women consume it?
No only like it, but crave it.
It’s heady stuff.
Where else can a girl with brains, beauty and a smart comeback line hook the man, the title and the estate?
She has no bad hair days, no flat tires or dead cell phones.
Never doubts the sexual orientation of her hero.
Historical romance is the preferred drug of this romance addict.

Blurb
Kitty Hamilton is unsure how her life got so out of control. The unexpected deaths of her parents earned her a berth at her embittered aunt’s home. Her latest beau abandoned her, which made the prospect of leaving town appealing.

Her version of leaving didn’t include fleeing town dressed like a man, but circumstances dictate otherwise. Kitty becomes Kit to throw the law off her trail. As the pretend brother to her best friend Harriet, she accompanies her friend out west to her contracted bridegroom.

They encounter Nick Kennedy, flamboyant gambler, who takes an interest in the odd couple. Kitty enjoys the freedom her disguise allows, but she abandons any hope of attracting the handsome Nick Kennedy. Revealing her gender, might snag her a chance at the elusive gambler, but could also land her in prison. She keeps telling herself he isn’t worth it, but she’s not entirely convinced.

Excerpt Setup: Kitty takes off in the night with Nick's saddle bags when a suspicious man enters the bar and threatens Nick. In her impulsive flight, she falls into deep hole. The scene opens with Nick attempting to rescue Kitty.


Why did she do such an impulsive, stupid thing? She knew why even if she didn't want to admit it was something in his kisses. Then there was his voice, low, intimate calling her name.

“Kit, where are you?”

She could even hear it as if he was nearby. Amazing, Kitty shook her head bemused until she heard the voice again.

"Kit."

Her imagination must be working overtime. Duke nickered loud and hard. She started to tell him to hush when she heard boot steps on the gravel. Freezing in place, Kitty strained to hear the approaching footsteps.

"Kitty, it's me, Nick. Where are you?"

Letting go of the breath she'd been holding, Kitty took another breath before calling out. "I'm over here in the hole. Be careful."

"I'm coming, sweetheart." He called back, his boot heels scrambling for purchase over the rocks.

He'd called her sweetheart. She sighed then she accidentally put her weight on the wrong foot. "Ouch!"

"What, honey?” Nick called out in a voice that sounded a little closer.

"Hurry," Kitty managed through clenched teeth. He was there before she knew it. Deftly jumping into the hole and wrapping her in his arms, accidentally battering her already savaged ankle.

"Ouch, watch it," she complained.

"I didn't expect undying gratitude, but something like my hero might not be out of line," Nick commented laughingly.

"Thank you, Nick. I am grateful. I hurt my ankle when I fell into the hole." Kitty snuggled into Nick's shoulder appreciative of his warmth and inhaled deeply, enjoying the smell of worn leather and clean male.

Nick paced around the small hole with Kitty in his arms. He dragged his boot toe around the edge trying to find a way up or out.

"Well, darling, looks like I am going to have to toss you up," Nick acknowledged.

"What," Kitty squeaked. "Toss me where?"

"I looked, and there seems to be no easy way out of here. It’s up to you. Once you're up, I need you to tie the rope to the saddle horn on Duke's saddle and back him up. Once I get a hold of the rope, pull me up. Can you manage?"

Kitty had her doubts as she felt Nick's voice vibrate through the clothing separating the two of them. In the end, tossing seemed to be her only hope of getting out, and she imagined Nick was a good tosser. Naturally, he would be good at everything.

"Okay, are you ready?" Nick's voice rumbled against her ear.

"I guess. What do I need to do?" Kitty hoped she sounded braver than foolish, scared and half-frozen, except for the part of her touching Nick. He moved closer to the rock face.”

"I’m going to push you up the rock face. Grab on the ledge and I will boost you over. Can you do that?"

"I guess I'll have to if I don't want to freeze to death," Kitty agreed grudgingly, willing herself to do so.

"Good girl," Nick replied a hint of laughter in his voice.

He dropped a brief kiss on Kitty's hair before disengaging her arms from around his neck.

"Feel the wall," he ordered as he put his hands around her waist and lifted her up with a small grunt. Her face flushed as she realized Nick was struggling to lift her. It wasn't as if she was heavy, but she wasn't exactly petite either.

"Grab the lip."

The growled order had Kitty's hands skittering across the rock wall until she finally felt the edge. She put both hands on it and pulled herself up a little. "Got it," she huffed.

"Uhm," Nick managed while putting one hand on Kitty's posterior.

"Hey, watch where you are putting your hand!" Kitty squealed when his large hand covering her butt cheek.

"Honey, it's necessary to get you up," Nick huffed as pushed upward with both hands.

The sudden boost had Kitty up over the lip of the hole. She grabbed for the trailing reins of Duke's bridle. Another shove from below pushed her all the way up.

"Don't remember you kicking up such a fuss last time I touched you," Nick grumbled more to himself than Kitty.

"I can hear you," Kitty hissed back. Pulling herself upright by holding onto the stirrup and moving her hands up the side of the sturdy horse she was able to stand with a minimum of pain.

"Don't forget I'm down here."

Kitty winced as she set her foot gingerly on the ground. "Keep your pants on. I'm getting the rope."

"It's tied onto the pommel," Nick instructed.

"I know. It was practically under my leg the whole ride here," Kitty grumbled wondering why Nick had to ruin a perfectly good moment by being such a know-it-all. Surprisingly, being out in sub-zero weather, inappropriately dressed with a banged up ankle was a good moment. What was she thinking? Of course, Nick came to her rescue, only to kiss her on the hair like a wayward little sister and bark orders like a domineering big brother. Not a good picture, but he did call her sweetheart and honey.

Thanks for stopping by the blog hop. :) I hope you wins lots of books and other stuff. Because you have read this far and you deserve it.

Want you own copy of Escaping West? Hope you win, but you can always buy it on:

BLURB-

Military grade weaponry is disappearing from bases all over the world, only to end up in the hands of terrorists and dictators.

Governments are helpless as the threats of being overthrown mount. As a last resort the world leaders turn to The Consortium to bring the biggest arms dealer to justice. They set Special Operative Jessica Sale on the trail of Justin Grey.

Portraying herself as the go to person when a buyer is looking for quantity and quality Jessica easily instills herself into his organization.

Buried deep within the mountains of Wyoming she finds her target and something she didn’t expect-a traitor in the guise of her boyfriend.

With personal feelings aside she charges ahead with the mission. Flying to New York Jessica arranges for monies to be transferred and weapons shipped. Pleased with her work he invites Jessica back to Wyoming except he never makes it home.

Excerpt for Ice Queen-

With a mental brain shake, she lifted her head. As their gazes met she leaned back only to settle her elbows on the bar top. The effect was damn near instantaneous as it helped stretch the flimsy material over her breasts.

His heated smile of approval, she saw, confirmed the distraction was working. While part of her kept him occupied she positioned her booted right foot against the front of the bar. “You got it?” Her voice was soft with a touch of sensual huskiness.

“And more, if you want,” he replied, as he leaned forward to close the distance.

From the bottom of her vision she caught movement as he lifted a hand. She fought back a cringe when he brushed the tips of his fingers along the side of her breast.

“Nope, just what I ordered.” She paused to look him down and up. “Don’t see anything else that I could use,” her voice hardening ever so slightly.

“You sure?” he asked before his thumb drifted toward her peaked nipple.

“Yep, and if you don’t want to sing with the Vienna Boys Choir, I’d suggest you remove your hand. Oh,” she paused to let the words sink into his lecherous brain, “and look down if you don’t believe me.”

Never one to doubt or underestimate a dangerously beautiful woman he dropped his eyes. He could feel them open even wider when he saw a knife point glisten in the weak light of the room, a centimeter from his groin.

“You really are the Ice Queen everyone says you are.” He stepped back, taking his hand with him. “You have the money?”

“Sure am. That’s why I’m so good at what I do.” She saw he was about to say something but silenced him with a glare. “And don’t ask what I do—you might not like the answer.”

When he wouldn’t step back any farther she knew he was someone who liked to be control, not just people but situations. The problem was that wasn’t on her agenda. She had to make him know who was the boss. Without her connections he’d be just one of hundreds of weapons dealers. The only thing he had going for him was his inventory and ease of delivery.

With a menacing gleam in her eyes Jessica brushed the flat side of the tanto blade against the bulge in his pants. She watched as his eyes took on a panic-stricken glaze. Then, with a slow deliberate motion of her hand, more for her pleasure than his, she withdrew the instrument of torture.

She knew round one was hers when she heard a soft sigh of thankfulness that he was still intact slip from between his lips.

With victory hers, confirmed by the unconscious relaxing of his shoulders, in one fluid motion she sheathed the weapon. From the way his eyes still took her in she suspected Justin knew what would happen, especially if he made any sudden movement toward her, the blade would once again appear and cut off more than his manhood.

Bio

What does it take to be a bestselling author? Determination, skill, talent, luck or taking a risk with a venture into a totally new genre. For me it was a little of some and a lot of the others.

In 2008 when I got two books published I thought it was due to skill; little did I know it was more luck than anything. Over the next three years I wrote, submitted, got rejected. I then did what I tell everyone who asks; I wrote some more. I didn’t give up.

More on a dare than anything I tried my hand at a regency, one of the most difficult genres because of the rules, which I might add I broke almost every one. Within two days of its release the book was on a best seller list and stayed there for two months.

Turns out it is all of the aforementioned.

After two failed marriages, one from divorce while with the other died unexpectedly I decided upon retirement to move. That opportunity came in September 2012 when I migrated to Texas.

For me, as a multi-published author, it was one of the best things I’ve done to date. Now, every day I can write, creating stories to take my readers to places they can only dream about.

I’m also a member of the Published Authors Network (PAN) by the Romance Writers of America (RWA).


 

Ice Queen Buy links

Secret Craving Publishing-http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=products_all&filter_author=175

Amazon-

http://www.amazon.com/Queen-Jessica-Sales-Novel-ebook/dp/B00DGDZK58/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372269752&sr=1-5

AllRomance-

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-icequeen-1222948-149.html

B&N-

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ice-queen-lindsay-downs/1115703341?ean=2940016596419

Hi, Morgan. Thank you so much for inviting me and giving me the opportunity to introduce your readers to Magic Moment.

1.      What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write romance since that’s mostly what I read. If someone recommends a mystery or suspense, I’ll read their recommended book. Which is probably why some suspense found its way into Magic Moment. I knew I needed a secondary story and the suspense end seemed to work out really well.  Plus, I watch a lot of crime dramas on television.

2.     How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?

I do have two other books that I’ve written – which I can barely remember. They were written so long ago, typed on my Smith Corona typewriter. 

I do have a favorite short story, though, “Cracks in My Heart.” It appeared a few years ago in The Long and Short of It (now the Long and Short Reviews) when they were doing their “Thrifty Thursday” short story.  The heroine is sitting in a park, remembering the hero.  Before going off to war, he had told her not to wait for him to return, but to move on with her life.  Although she tried to do just that, she can’t forget him, the love of her life. I purposely wrote the story with an ambiguous setting so that the time frame could be any war in our history, World War II, Vietnam, and not just the war in which our country was currently involved.

Many readers told me they weren’t expecting the ending – which was exactly what I had intended.

3.     What inspired your latest book?

For Magic Moment, I had the idea for a hero, Chase, who seemed egotistical and shallow on the outside, but was anything but once you got a look into his soul. My idea for Laura came when a colleague of mine mentioned how sad she was over having missed milestones in her daughters’ lives because she had to work. She said she wished she could just stay home and be a Lunch/PTA mom. Some of our colleagues frowned at her. I thought, “well, what’s wrong with just wanting to be with your girls and be a stay-at-home Mom?”

I knew I needed something suspenseful as a secondary story. At one time I did clerical work at a produce warehouse. Although it was many years ago, I still remembering saying to myself as I maneuvered through the banana crates, “Are there really bananas in here?”

4.     Give us an elevator pitch for your book.

A man and a woman who think they don’t like each, really do.

5.     Do you have a view in your writing space? What does your space look like?

I have a corner in the basement with a television, my stereo…bookcase and desk with computer. A bulletin board with lots of sentimental stuff – a picture of my 2008 World Series Phillies…my dog who passed away many years ago, a couple of “Peanuts” and “Family Circus” cartoons that bring a smile to my face.

My radio is always on while I’m working. If I’m not listening to the Phillies, or someone talking about the Phillies, I’m listening to an Oldies station.

6.     What did you want to be when you were a child? Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

I always wanted to be, but always thought of it as more of a hobby over a career choice. My grandmother was a big influence in my reading, my writing, and my love of the Phillies. When I was little, I would write stories in a copybook and my grandmother would read them – and critique them. She was the best.

7.     Do you have any rejection stories to share?

I was never one to dwell on my rejections – unless the editor offered suggestions, and I never got many of those. I generally got the form rejection.

With rejections, I’ll always make a note in my file and either delete the email, toss the letter, and then (and this is the most important) submit to the next person on my list.

 

8.    Will you share some encouraging words for authors still struggling for that first contract?

I can only note what I’ve found helpful. First, joining RWA and the chapters, From the Heart Romance Writers and Elements of RWA has been very helpful.  From the networking, to the support from other authors, I can’t say enough about my chapter mates.

Also, enter as many writing contests as you can, and not so much for the aspect of winning. But, for the feedback, and you never know what will catch the eye of an agent or publisher who is judging the final round.

9.     Where can readers find you?

 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorangela

Blog: http://www.authorangela.blogspot.com

10.Where can readers find your books? Print/Ebook?

 

Crimson Romance

http://www.crimsonromanc.com

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Moment-Angela-Adams/dp/1440554943/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355275815&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=magic+moment+by+angela+adams

Books-A-Million

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Magic-Moment/Angela-Adams/9781440554940?id=5387281849566

Barnes and Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/magic-moment-angela-adams/113004656?ean=9781440554940

Powell’s Books

http://www.powells.com/biblio/9781440554940?p_isbn&PID=35396

iTunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/magic-moment/id559862434?mt=11

All Romance ebooks

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-magicmoment-995887-237.html

 

Bio:

Angela Adams writes and reviews contemporary romances. Her work has appeared in Romance at Heart, Oysters and Chocolate, Whipped Cream Reviews and The Long and Short Reviews. Her short story, “Burgers and Hot Chocolate” appeared in the Whimsical Publications’ anthology, Winter Wonders. Her first novel Magic Moment, was published by Crimson Romance in October 2012. Angela is a member of Romance Writers of America, and its chapters From the Heart Romance Writers and Elements of RWA.

Excerpt:

Chase Donovan, who was anticipating a few relaxing days on his boat, stumbles upon his father’s bookkeeper, Laura Roberts, being assaulted. He decides to let the perpetrators believe he is part of the plan and runs them off the boat in order to save her life.

Chase stayed in the shadows while the two men stood on Madre’s deck in the dim light.  He kept the gun in front of him, but out of sight. 

            “What’s your name again?” Chase asked, as if the man was insignificant and the name had escaped him.

            “Lou Kent.”  He shivered in the late evening chill, his crooked knees knocking together.

            Chase kept his eyes fixed on him.  “Well, Lou Kent, don’t ever expect to do a job for us again.  And pull up your pants,” he added with a snicker.

            Kent yanked up his pants and zipped.

            "Now get lost."  Chase waved the gun.  "Both of you."

            He watched as they climbed over the boat’s side and ran up the dock.  Returning the gun to the back of his pants, Chase took a long, deep breath.  His eyes remained on the Towne car until it disappeared.  Okay, he had gotten them off the boat.  Laura, thank God, was safe. 

            Now what?

 

As a new author, I have spent hundreds on contests and tours to promote my book. In the beginning, I made theme basket that were adorable, but costly to ship. Sometimes, it cost me twice as much to ship an item than it cost.  The idea of a contest is to help you get your name out there.  When does it not work for you?

Jayne Ann Krentz when addressing the subject of contests at 2010 RWA conference spoke about knowing your audience. These are the people most likely to buy your books. What do they want? Her answer was chocolate. In the Pacific Northwest, this might be a good possibility. Where I live there are months we can’t ship chocolate.  What she was really saying is watch that your prize doesn’t attract folks who have no interest in your books.

For instance, many people give away Kindles hoping the winner will download their books. Not so, people who do not care for your genre will participate in the contest sometimes hoping to win an item to gift or resale it. Krentz’s point was not to spend too much money on something you may get no return on. What’s even worse is getting a negative return.

The lack of follow through kills the contest, the company and your name. A few months ago, I won an involved scavenger hunt for romance books. It took me two hours to complete it. The prize was a huge bundle of gifts including books. The author asked for my address. After about a month, I sent a note to see why my prize hadn’t come. Nothing. I checked my email to make sure it went. It did. It’s been three months and no gift. I realize I am not getting anything. Someone dropped the ball. I remember the author well because we have similar names. I remember the sponsoring organization too because I do not want to waste my time on any future contests on that site. As a reader, I felt unimportant.

If you run a contest, you are responsible for delivering the prize. Do not depend on a tour company to do it. I have won probably a half dozen books on tours that I never received. Sometimes the author will ask if I received them. When I tell her I didn’t, I still get nothing. I rather be told I didn’t win. At least, I wouldn’t expect anything. The author didn’t value me and it showed.

On the other hand, I’ve had authors follow up who were perplexed why I never received my prize and handled it on their own. Those writers saw a future reader and reviewer.

As a controlling personality, I send out all my own prizes. Sometimes, they do not end up where they should. This happens more with e-gift cards. I keep checking back to see if they are picked up. One woman had a very difficult time picking up her card. I resent it six times. This is my job. I can’t leave it to someone else to do. Not having follow through hurts credibility. A person might be inclined to read your book, but she didn’t get the prize she was so excited about winning and her inclination changes.

My first boss told me no one talks about you when you do a job right. If you do it wrong, then that’s all they talk about. Same with contests, get your prizes out as soon as you can. Announce the winners if they are okay with it. Thank people for entering. Do not allow yourself to become a victim of contest backlash.

Self Pub Highlights from 2013 RWA Conference

One of the biggest differences about this conference was not only all the successful self-pub authors, but also the information about self-publishing. Here are some of the highlights.

·         Self-pub authors needs to invest in distinctive covers as opposed to buying stock art or designing it themselves.

·         All covers look good big. Check your cover out as a small size, which is how people will see it when scrolling for books.

·         Ask a variety of people to comment on your proposed cover. Often what you think is great doesn’t appeal to other people.

·         Unknown or new author books are selected by the cover and blurb only. Make yours count.

·         Formatting is a relatively easy thing to do. Have a professional do it the first time, it should not cost more than a $100 and is often as low as $50. Anyone who charges you more is making money at your expense.

·         No one can edit his or her own work. A copy editor for a 55,000 word-count book should run between $225-$400 dollars. There are horror stories of sub-par editing by vanity companies that often charge over a $1000. Vanity publishers do not have to employ good publishers. Your best bet is freelance publishers whose reputation is on the line with every book they edit. Get references or recommendations.

·         People still love print books. You can make yours with Amazon Create a Space. The merit of this is not only are you talked through it. For a small $25 licensing fee, you can advertise your print book anywhere. You bypass paying for formatting and ISBN numbers. Create a Space also offers stock covers. I would advise against this since it will make your book look like hundreds of other books.

·         Your name is your brand. Keep your name in the same size font in the same place on your books for easy identification.

·         Self-publishing your own book on Create a Space allows you to buy as many books as you want for promotion purposes at rock bottom prices…usually three dollars.

·         Most online booksellers work on a 30-day cycle. With this in mind, every thirty days you have to put out something new are you’re history. This is hard to do. You might wait until you’ve written enough books together to stagger releases.  Novellas, short stories, and box sets can be releases to keep your name out there.

·         Keywords are very important. Amazon allows you seven. Use them all. Find different categories for your book. Your romantic suspense about horseracing might never make it into the top one hundred for suspense, but might make it for horseracing. Then, in turn, you can advertise it as an Amazon top seller.

·         Use sub categories and sub names. Your book's name is The Horse Racing Fiasco. Your subtitle might be An Equestrian Romance. People browsing for romances will be more likely to find your book out of thousands.

·         One of the first steps to promoting your book is keeping an active author page on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, etc. Be aware you will have to have a page for each country your book is available. Your page that shows us in the US will not be viewable in the UK.

·         Lillian Hart, self-pub author, started her career by releasing five books at once. This made it easy to hook new fans because once they finished one book they started on the next.

·         Self-pub authors are in control of their career with this in mind they do all their own promotion. You can seek out reviewers or bloggers of books similar to yours. Make a spreadsheet because you will want to use these people again.

·         Develop your own street team. Have them leave promo cards everywhere they go from doctor offices to hair salons.

When I first came down on Monday, I wondered if I was making an expensive trip for nothing. I realize the Marriott measures success by how much money they take in. I can’t begin to estimate the thousands, even the millions they made off the conference attendees with the six-dollar bottle of waters and other overpriced items. Success to a writer or an aspiring writer is a little more difficult to measure.

The obtainment of needed information is always good. There were great speakers and workshop leaders.  Members shared information in the goody room or bar, even while waiting to pitch. The general mood was upbeat with few naysayers in the group. Most writers might measure their success on how much fulls were requested, how much swag they distributed or positive networking opportunities.

It is amazing that people who have never met you are willing to share the highs and lows of their publishing career if only to help you miss a few stumbles on your writing path. The majority of information wasn’t in keynote speeches or workshops, but in other members. I found most members were willing to encourage one another, even to suggesting editors, agents and publishers.

 At the end of every RWA Conference is a survey asking what went well and areas they could improve.

This is my lists of things that went well.

*The food was excellent. I will admit to be a foodie.

*Workshops were plentiful and informative.

* The main speakers were nothing short of amazing.

*Chapter parties and meetings went well.

*Easy access to the mall and inexpensive food court help to save on daily dining options.

*The Marta was a cheap alternative to get to the airport.

*The elevators worked!

This is my list of things that need tweaking.

*The wait staff at the luncheons often appeared confused and did not communicate with one another. Participants who had pre-ordered vegetarian meals received their entrée after everyone else started dessert. Requests for ice tea and water glasses that needed refilling went unfilled.

*I noticed this year that more people brought husbands and families, but there was not much to entertain them. After visiting the Coca Cola museum & the aquarium, they could hang out at the small pool and the miniscule non-working hot tub.

*Goody Room supervision was non-existent, which resulted in tumbled masses of books marks and cards that serves neither reader nor writer well.

*As a travel writer, I often get information on trips as soon as I sign onto the Internet. I was surprised to see the room I stayed in at the Marquis went for $105 and at the most $145. Trust me; I ended up paying much more. It makes me wonder why the trumped up charge?

*I did talk to other people who were staying in surrounding hotels who received free breakfast and free Internet. This brings me to the Internet, which was nonexistent. You could pay to have it in your room. The promised ability to use Internet in the lobby or conference center proved to be more in theory as opposed to actual use. Instead, I paid .40 a minute to use Kinko’s computers. This should be a no brainer that writers need a good Internet service.

*Most people did have smart phones they could use for simple messages and browsing, but even these were victims of the dampening blockers placed in the rooms to prevent people from having Internet.

*Parking ran between $32-$40 dollars a day. New York City parking was cheaper. I am willing to bet the Motel 6 I could see from my window charged nothing for parking.

*Finally, I would have enjoyed a mildew-free bathroom. The tile in my bathroom had mildew decorating the tub enclosure. We stayed for a week, as did the mildew.

In summary, I would have to say the areas that needed tweaking were mainly the hotel’s responsibility as opposed to RWA.

I am hard-pressed to tell you what previous RWA conferences main theme were. This conference from keynote speaker Cathy Maxwell boisterous challenge to cast aside all self-doubt to appeals in various workshops to take control was about the writer being in the driver's seat. Writers and would be writers are notorious for giving up control to editors, publishers and even agents. The face of publishing is changing and along with it the atmosphere at the annual RWA conference.

In the pro-retreat, both Dorien Kelley and Courtney Milan, both former lawyers, warn authors to look out for publishers and agents who would happily leading trusting writers into decisions not to their advantage.  Some agents even engage in the habit of negging the clients similar to the behavior pick up artists used to get girls in bars. Never understood how it worked on women, but perhaps understand it less on writers. An agent so devalues a client that she’s grateful for whatever sucky contract he manages to wrangle.

At my table for the luncheon, the necessity of agents came up. Some felt agents outlived their usefulness about the time brick and mortar bookstores began closing their doors. This sentiment reappeared at a chapter party I attended later. Have agents lost their appeal?  Many self-pub authors are going it on their own. Still, there are other stories about agents getting authors better contracts, international rights and audio deals. A good agent is always much cheaper than a literary lawyer.

The prevailing battle cry that echoed through the halls of the cavernous Marriot Marquis is the writer is in charge of their tale. Critique partners, editors, even agents might ask you to change your story. A few will attempt to rewrite it in their voice. Remember that it is always your story.

In a different workshop, a police veteran explained about working narcotics. One of her statement translated well to wring too. You should never work a deal that might damage you or your family life. We give birth to our stories, which, makes them our children. As good parents, do we send our child with someone we don’t trust?

Of course, not, as writers, we can say no. Writers often fear that their careers end with each rejection. Self-pub makes publishing a more accessible industry. Some of the seven sisters are stumbling in their traces, wondering why those willing authors are no longer knocking at their door. This has conference attendees wondering what should be their ultimate goal. I will have to attend a few more workshops before deciding.

The Swag of RWA 2013 Atlanta

Today is the first day of the Goody Room where authors placed swag in hopes that someone will pick it up. I don’t pick up all the swag because some items hold no interest for me. This is the mysterious secret behind finding the right swag; to get the potential reader or networker to pick it up. I would like to highlight ten memorable swags.

1.       My personal favorites are magnets, pens, and emery boards. These useful items stay in the potential reader’s hand for a long time.

2.       Stress balls - These are fun items often stamped with a tag line.

3.       Michelle Willingham’s lunch bag (the insulated kind) was an unusual addition to the swag table this year.

4.       Key chains - Adrienne Giordano included a used bullet casing for her Private Protectors series. (Very clever!)

5.       A full-length book on CD - Callie Hutton’s book Run for Love was a welcome change. It wasn’t a sample and it was on a thin CD, which is so much easier to pack. (Two thumbs up Callie!)

6.       Bag clip - courtesy of Nancy Berland. Nancy is a Public Relations person, which every writer can use. If a writer wants to contact Nancy, all she has to do is look for the bag clip.

7.       Bath Tea - a lovely treat for RWA attendees. This welcome swag is courtesy of Sherry Thomas.

8.       Chewing gum, with a promo cover highlighting Coreene Callahan’s book, was another great find.

9.       The tiny hot sauce bottle with recipe card from Hattie Mae made it on my list.

10.   If all else fails, why not use money? Well, make that British money. That’s what Tracey Devlyn did.

This brings me to my all-time favorite swag from Carolyn Brown who used jalapeno bags to promote The Blue Ribbon Jalapeno Society Jubilee. Each pepper-decorated bag contained a colorful pepper necklace, business card, jalapeno gummies, a pen and bookmark. (Thanks Carolyn!)

Honorary Mention: Jennifer Bernard’s door hanger with an image of a bare-chested fireman that reads: Do not disturb… I’m reading something hot.

The real test is if any of these will influence me in any way to buy a book. After mentioning all this great swag, I am focusing on two books: The Blue Ribbon Jalapeno Society Jubilee and Legacy of the Clockwork Key. As for the last book, a simple postcard pointed out the novel. It sounded like the type of book I might enjoy reading. That is all anyone is trying to do: getting book titles in front of people who might like to read them.

Many aspiring and published writers are trying to figure out what’s the latest trend in books and to copy it.  Vampire novels occurred in dribbles until the success of Twilight. Suddenly, everything was vampire, from television shows to books. Everyone and his cousin had either attempted a vampire novel or included a blood sucking character to try to turn their current novel paranormal. It became so bad that agents and editors are demanding no more vampire novels.

The current trend is emulating the success of Fifty Shades’ success with witless heroines and sadistic, uncaring bad boys. There are a multitude of these books out right now and probably a few thousand in the works. I imagine they’ll sell too.  What is wrong with following trends?

A writer might be slaving away on a fabulous vampire novel. It might be the best ever written, but it comes out after the trend is over. It is hard to interest publishers, agents, or readers in a saturated market. It has as much appeal as last year’s shoes.

It is hard to know when a trend will end. What usually happens is an author rushes through a book without employing professional editing or formatting to get it published fast and cheap. In turn, he or she is associated with an inferior product. That’s another danger of trending. The recent vampire trend has lasted for quite a while, but not as long as Star Trek for example. A trend follower does not know his or her subject.

I will not confess to being a great Star Trek fan, but I do have a memory. This is why I am disappointed in Star Trek novels, where events and aliens are out of chronological order. It isn’t hard to research this, but if you have no interest in doing so, then you won’t. Never mind the timeline, the lackluster writing hurts more.

Write what you love. I know some people will tell you there is no market for it. You don’t need everyone to buy your tale, just about 10,000 consistent fans, according to author Bob Mayer. If you love a genre, you know more about it. It isn’t so much work, but more of an extension of you. It will be your best work. Your best work will sell. Anne Rice sold her vampire and demon tales all the years the creatures of the night weren’t trending.

Trends are like hemlines. Let’s face it. not everyone looks good in a micro-mini skirt and not everyone is destined to write a popular vampire series. Everyone does something well. Focus on that as opposed to what you think you ought to be doing. Your novel might end up as  the next big thing.