While I’m physically at the Mallorytown Legion taking part in their Christmas Bazaar and Bake Sale, virtually, I’ll be in Bath, England talking with my author friend, Jo Lambert, at Sally Lunn’s Tea House and Restaurant. Isn’t this a fabulous old building? While I’m here, I plan on having one of their scrumptious Bath Buns – I just need to decide if I want sweet or savory. Their menu options are so varied, it’s really hard to decide.
To eavesdrop on our chat, drop by Jo’s blog.
It’s been a busy day for me here today at Celtic Connexions. First of all, I’m taking part in Janice Horton’s Spellbindingly Fun Blog Party, celebrating the launch of her new novella How Do You Voodoo? And secondly, because it had been arranged some time ago that I would do a spot for our cable company’s program Reader’s Corner.
The show’s host, Doreen Barnes, and I chatted about my novel, A Shadow in the Past. What made me decide I would write a book? Why I set it where I did? We talked about my characters, Sarah & Robert, the research involved, and what my favourite scene is.
I could give you all the answers now in my blog post, but then you wouldn’t want to watch the program when it comes on next month.
At the end of our interview, I was asked to read a very short (about 30 seconds) passage from my book. So I picked one that I hope will entice you into purchasing your very own copy.
For those of you who are local to Brockville and have cable you’ll be able to watch it on local channel 10. I’ll post the date and air time when I get it, but with so many of my followers being scattered to the four corners of the world, the episode should be shown on their website. TV Cogeco Readers Corner. Once the show goes online, I’ll post the complete link.
Not quite the ear-to-ear grin that I had in Kansas but still looking pretty pleased with myself.
You can buy A Shadow in the Past from the following:
In Canada:
ChaptersIndigo: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/A-Shadow-In-The-Past-Melanie-Robertson-king/9780983801887-item.html?ikwid=a+shadow+in+the+past&ikwsec=Home
and if you’re local to Brockville, you can buy it from Leeds County Books, 73 King Street West or directly from me melanie@melanierobertson-king.com
In the US:
4RV Publishing: http://4rvpublishingcatalog.yolasite.com/robertson-king.php
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-shadow-in-the-past-melanie-robertson-king/1112348992?ean=9780983801887
And in the UK:
Today I’m being roasted by the lovely ladies and Oliver over at Author Roast & Toast. Setting my novel in Scotland and loving all things Scottish, it seemed fitting my roast takes place at a ceilidh.
One lucky person will win a signed copy of my novel A Shadow in the Past. Just drop by and leave a comment and the winner will be chosen at random. Who knows it might be you!
And for those of you who might have come in to my blog tour late, here is a list of the previous stops.
Rebecca Emin’s Ramblings of a Rusty Writer blog
and fellow Ottawa Romance Writers’ Association member, author Maggie Jagger http://maggiejaggerauthor.blogspot.com/
Stephanie Keyes Fall Fantasy Authors Series
Nikki Bywater reviews A Shadow in the Past at Books4U
Rosemary Gemmell hosts me over at Ros’s Reading & Writing blog
Nicky Wells CentreStage
and fellow Ottawa Romance Writer member Maureen Fisher at Books by Maureen
Joe Mossman
Christopher D. Hanna at My adventure in becoming a writer
and Dorothy Bush at Twisting in the Wind
Peggy Stanton’s – Looking Out
Janice Horton – Writer & Novelist
Shaz reviews A Shadow in the Past at Jera’s Jamboree
Carol E. Wyer at Facing 50 with Humour
Patricia Sands at Everyone has a story…
Ashley Stoyanoff at The world of Ashley Stoyanoff and over on her Goodreads blog
Chris Longmuir at Chris Longmuir, Crime Writer
fellow 4RV author Penny Ehrenkranz
Lindsay Healy reviews A Shadow in the Past at Little Reader Library
Stop back here tomorrow or at Author Roast & Toast to see who the lucky winner of my signed book is!
I’m over at Lindsay Healy’s Little Reader Library where I’m talking about going from short story to novel.
My international blog tour draws to a close tomorrow at the fun Author Roast & Toast blog. I can’t wait to see what they’ve cooked up for me.
Two more interviews today. Since I’m already on this side of the pond, I’m going to take an EasyJet up to Scotland and visit my good friend, crime-writer Chris Longmuir. What does crime-writing have to do with the genre I write you ask? Well, we have another interest in common which is how we met. To find out what first brought us together you’ll have to visit her Chris Longmuir, Crime Writer blog.
From Bonnie Scotland, it’s back to North America where I’m visiting fellow 4RV Publishing author Penny Ehrenkranz on her blog.
Tomorrow, on the second last day of my blog tour I’m back in the UK at Lindsay Healy’s Little Reader Library blog.
Day 12 on my International Blog tour takes me back to England and to the home of the lovely, multi-talented Mandy Baggot, who among the ranks of loveahappyending.com we lovingly refer to as Lady Baggot!
In addition to being an excellent writer, self-promoter, and singer she’s an excellent hostess. I just hope I don’t spill anything or otherwise embarrass myself whilst being her guest.
Psst… it’s a secret, don’t tell Mandy but I’m trying glean as many of her promotion ideas as I can.
I’m back in Canada today and whilst not in my hometown, I am in my home province – Ontario. My first stop is at fellow loveahappyending.com Patricia Sands’ Everyone has a story… blog.
After that I hop onto the motorway and head east where I stop in for a visit with Ashley Stoyanoff at her blog The World of Ashley Stoyanoff who I met through Goodreads. I won a copy of her book in a blog giveaway and couldn’t resist asking if she would be willing to host me on my tour. She graciously accepted to host me on her blog today.
Tomorrow I’m back in England with Mandy Baggot but if you’ve missed any of my daily stops so far, here’s a recap…
Rebecca Emin’s Ramblings of a Rusty Writer blog
and fellow Ottawa Romance Writer, Maggie Jagger
Stephanie Keyes Fall Fantasy Authors Series
Nikki Bywater reviews A Shadow in the Past at Books4U
Rosemary Gemmell hosts me over at Ros’s Reading & Writing blog
Nicky Wells CentreStage
and fellow Ottawa Romance Writer member Maureen Fisher at Books by Maureen
Joe Mossman Christopher D. Hanna at My adventure in becoming a writer and Dorothy Bush at Twisting in the Wind
Peggy Stanton’s – Looking Out
Janice Horton – Writer & Novelist
Shaz reviews A Shadow in the Past at Jera’s Jamboree
Carol E. Wyer at Facing 50 with Humour
Today Carol E. Wyer is hosting me on her Facing 50 with Humour Blog! I’ve seen her guest hosts and they’re sure to bring a chuckle! I just hope mine can live up to the zany humour that’s been there before me.
And while I’m hanging out over at Carol’s blog, she’s at Celtic Connexions! So please drop by both places and see what mischief the pair of us have gotten up to.
I’m pleased to welcome fellow loveahappyending.com author Carol E. Wyer to the hotseat here at Celtic Connexions today. Make yourself comfortable Carol and we’ll get started.
So, tell us a bit about yourself. What makes Carol E. Wyer who she is?
Crumbs! I’m not entirely sure since I don’t really know who Carol E Wyer is other than a humorous author and lover of life, but I think I became a comedienne of sorts a long time ago when I was at school. Being an army brat I moved about so often I never had the chance to make proper friends. Each time we moved I had to try harder to get into groups where friendships had already been forged and the easiest way to do that was to be the class clown. I developed an ability to make people laugh very early on in life aided by the fact that I smashed my front teeth out when I was seven and had false teeth which I could take out at whim. Everyone cracked up when I ‘gurned’ at them. I was quite a mimic too so I could also do great impressions which made people chuckle. I learned pretty early on in life not to take myself seriously and it has spilled into adulthood.
What made you decide to go indie with your novels Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines and Surfing in Stilettos? Did you try the traditional route first?
I was pretty familiar with the traditional route because years ago I sat for weeks with The Writer’s handbook bombarding publishers and agents alike with copies of my children’s books.
After a telephone sized book of rejection slips I actually got a publisher interested in my work and they were keen to offer me a deal. Sadly, my illustrator for the books passed away suddenly and as it was a joint venture I didn’t take up the opportunity to go ahead with a different illustrator.
When I finished Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines I sent my script off to agents who I felt could best represent me. I got some very positive rejections and would have continued in my quest to find an agent had I not stumbled across YouWriteOn. I liked the idea of uploading my chapter, getting feedback and having my script looked at by a publishing house if it did well. Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines has been in the top ten of my publisher’s chart for six months now and as a reward my script is currently awaiting a critique from Orion so we’ll see what happens next.
With Surfing in Stilettos I was actually offered a contract with a publisher but after a sleepless night I decided to stick with FeedARead (who used to be YouWriteOn). That way I get better royalties, I am in control of my book and I like the way FeedAread operate.
I have however signed a two book deal with ThornBerry Publishing to produce the eBook to Surfing in Stilettos and it will be released on October 8th so I am pretty excited about that.
You’ve won some prestigious indie awards. Can you tell us about them?
I’ve been pretty lucky with awards and picked up the Readers Views Reviewer’s Choice 2012 Award for humour. I got lots of stickers to put on my books for that and a terrific review from them. I received an invitation to the award ceremony in New York at the plaza hotel and got a huge Silver medal for the Indie Book Awards 2012. I couldn’t attend the ceremony but I have the medal and some more stickers. I got finalist placing for 2012 Indie Excellence awards again for humour and Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines is a semi-finalist Kindle Book Review Best Indie Book of 2012. I have my fingers crossed for that and results are to be announced September 1st.
I’m even prouder of Surfing in Stilettos which is a Costa award nominee and is entered for a couple of other highly prestigious awards.
What was your reaction when you landed your contract with ThornBerry Publishing?
I did that stupid victory dance that very happy people do (or very drunk people attempt to do) and made Hubby buy me some Cava to celebrate with.
Can you tell us about future projects… works in progress?
I am currently working on Follow You, Follow Me, another humorous novel but has a dark side to it. It must be good because Hubby has laughed at it and he doesn’t laugh at much these days. I hope to have it ready by the end of the year.
About Carol:
An ex teacher and linguist Carol used to live and work in Casablanca until the late eighties when she returned to the UK, set up a language company and settled down to married life.
When her son finally left the nest a couple of years ago Carol took up writing full time. She has written articles and novels which generally encourage others to age disgracefully and enjoy life.
Carol is a loveahappyending.com featured author and author contributor to Famous Five Plus and Indies Unlimited.
Links to Carol’s books:
Yes that’s right! Another review! This time by the lovely Shaz Goodwin. In addition to her review, there’s a little something extra, not to mention another givewaway. Today some lucky person can win A Shadow in the Past mouse pad!
Be sure to leave a comment at Shaz’s blog – Jera’s Jamboree for your chance to win!
Tomorrow I’m over at Carol E Wyer’s Facing 50 with Humour blog and she’s here at Celtic Connexions! See you then!