Cover Reveal!

Look at my brilliant cover for my upcoming release, Linda Mercury's Naughty Notes! This collection is oddly mostly heterosexual, but later releases will be more diverse.

I will share the link when it is ready for pre-order.

Flash Fiction!

I am participating in Baby Shoes: Celebrating Flash Fiction. And we have a Kickstarter!

What is this all about?

The Plan

The world needs more flash fiction anthologies, and we're here to do our little part to fill that need.

Our concept is simple: bring you 100 authors with 100 different voices in bites you can fully enjoy waiting in line, using the restroom or getting in a brief reading fix at the end of a busy and exhausting day. We're also hoping to introduce you to a writer or two you'll be happy to begin a lifelong relationship with.

Flash fiction is challenging, powerful and intense -- and underserved because it's a difficult business model to serve. That said, it's perfect for a crowdfunded project like this one.

The Money

We're looking for $1,800 to fully fund an e-book release.

• $900 for author payment and fulfillment
• $200 for cover art and design (we're getting a great deal from a pro we know)
• $300 for editing and publishing prep (again, we're getting a steal from a pro we know)
• $100 for promotion before and after the Kickstarter funds
• $100 for reward fulfillment (based on selling 100 copies)
• $200 for Amazon and Kickstarter fees (they take their bite)
• $150 for cost overruns (because $3,500 is a nice, round number)
  

Our stretch goal of $3,500 gives us enough money to produce a beautiful print copy of the book. Nearly all of that goes toward the cost of printing and shipping the physical tomes. 

Any money above our goal goes right into a profitable publishing venture -- and is shared with our authors.

The Promise

Our goal here is to celebrate flash fiction and the authors who create it. If we have to make a decision about the project, process or any money that comes with it, we will make that decision to serve the authors and story first.
For example, when our first Kickstarter campaign failed, we went to the authors and all voted on whether or not an e-release would be okay. That led to this e-release with a stretch goal model.

The dude even does push-ups for charity.

Risks and challenges

Jason Brick (Executive Editor) has published more than a half-dozen books on his own and advises others on the same. Before working as a writer, he ran brick-and-mortar businesses for almost 15 years. He has the project management chops to make this work.

By far the biggest risk is the number of moving parts: 100 authors and 100 stories leaves lots of room for stuff to go wrong. In fact, we're planning for late turn-ins, people flaking out and even plagiarism. Our timeline and budget leave room for those problems.

If things go badly wrong, we will find replacement authors and push back the release date. No matter what happens, there will be a book and you will get all the rewards you've been promised.

Donate here!

Quotes and snippets; Dracula's Secret.

Here is a teaser from my first book,
Dracula's Secret:

Then sheer vehicular lust overwhelmed everything. The black Shelby Mustang crouched on the pavement like a rare predator. This sweet machine was the pinnacle of all muscle cars, the most legendary of engines combined with perfect design.

And he was about to get in it. There was no way he was going back to work just yet.

“She’s a ’67?” He touched respectful fingers to the glossy black paint over the hood. The white Le Mans stripes decorating the hood shimmered in the outdoor lights of the motel.

“’66.” The smooth skin around her eyes crinkled, giving her a mischievous air. She was planning something. With a sly smile, she said, “You want to drive her?”

“You would let me behind your wheel?” He slapped his hand over his heart and staggered, feigning a heart attack

A creaky, unpracticed laugh escaped from the vampire. What a beautiful noise.

She pulled out keys, complete with a battered leather Mustang fob, and dangled them in front of him. They chimed like church bells in the dark. Her smirk revealed still-extended, wickedly delicious fangs.

His mouth watered at the thought of those 350 vintage horses under his fingers waiting for his command. A vague memory from his youth told him the Shelby could go from zero to sixty in 4.5 seconds. This was every car-crazy boy’s fantasy, hot babe included, right here in front of him.

“No need to ask me twice.” He snatched the jingling keys from her hand. Their eyes met.

Watchfulness swam in those dark depths. She was testing him. His awareness slid up a notch. The wrong move from him and she’d take that gorgeous car and disappear from his life.

That would suck.

Cheap reads!

So perhaps you have been short of funds. Or perhaps you are the cautious sort and would rather not buy a book from a new author without a test drive first.

Either way, you can sample my writing with my short short horror story  - yes, straightforward horror, no sex -

Predator and Prey!

Normal, Illinois was the perfect place for Stuart to live. A college town surrounded by corn fields was the perfect hunting ground. And he has found the perfect victim right next door.

 For a mere .99, you can sample a taste of my writing!

 Buy HERE!

Also, my first book, Dracula's Secret, is currently on sale for $1.99 over at Amazon, right HERE!

Dracula's Secret, Blood Wings #1
Dracula's Desires, Blood Wings #2
Dracula Unleashed, Blood Wings #3, to be released March 21, 2013

Interview with Lou Malcangi

Please welcome Lou Malcangi to my blog! Lou is the brilliant Art Director for Kensington Books and the designer of my own humble covers. I was so impressed with my artwork, I asked Lou if he would be willing to be interviewed.

Much to my delight, he agreed. :)

1. What is your job title?

Art Director, Cover Design Dept. I've been designing book covers since 1993.

2. Walk me through the design process for a book's cover. How do you choose the color palette, poses, models, fonts, where to place the title, blurb, and author's name?

Wow, that's a pretty intense question there! You're asking me to distill my professional existence into a few sentences, but here we go!
 
First of all each category of books seems to have its "look" political thrillers look like political thrillers and romance novels look like romance novels. We are not in the business of being vague or confusing the consumer. A book's cover is VERY important, especially to a new or unknown author. 

I have about 3 seconds of the consumers time to convince them to pick my cover up and give it a closer look. The real trick in book packaging is to look familiar but always try to incorporate some new, different, and exciting elements while designing. I like to work the entire design around my art/photo/illustration. I get especially excited when I feel that the the type I design doesn't just sit on top of the art but incorporates itself into the art work. 

There are more people than just myself who help direct the final look of a books cover, I usually work along with the books editor, and our sales dept management. 

Designing a cover is very much a cooperative effort. I am always on the look out for interesting compositions that that I can pick up and use in my books covers. I go to many sources for ideas, classical fine art, movie posters, comic books, ad on the side of a bus. I use all these influences as a starting point to help me achieve my goal, which is a great book cover.

3. Name a few of your current projects.

I usually work on the "butch" book covers :) Lots of thrillers, westerns and some cute mysteries as well.

 
4. What was your educational background? What prepared you for this career?

I just loved to draw, paint and create from the time I was a little kid buying comics and magazines in my local candy store in Queens NY.

I spent my childhood drawing superheroes, monsters, and TV personalities. As I got older, I started copying paintings from album covers to the backs of denim jackets. I thought that really taught me a lot about painting and composition. 

Then I really learned what it took to be an artist when I headed off to study painting at city university and the Art Students League here in NY. 

Somewhere in the midst of all my drawing, painting and sculpture classes I discovered graphic design. I had always been more of a fan of pop culture art than fine art, so commercial design came naturally. I always prefer a comic book or movie poster to the highbrow art that fill NYC art galleries. I fell in love with, and became obsessed with graphic design. Plus, being a geek who loved gadgets...I took to designing with a computer in a heartbeat.

 5. On those inevitable days when you feel like your brain is completely tapped out, what or who inspires you?

The mortgage bill...seriously I juggle so many projects at one time that if one is problematic or just stumps me, I can put it down and move to another book and come back later. Often to a good results and great relief to me. 

 6. How many people are in your department?

5 people design all the covers produced by Kensington, we're a busy bunch.

 7. Do you have any advice for someone interested in publishing as a career?

If you love books, and are interested in publishing, GO FOR IT! Get an internship, do anything to get your foot in the door.

 Do it when you're young and flexible career-wise. I loved reading as a kid and young adult and I really loved looking at those amazing book and album covers! I consider myself lucky to be doing what I do. If you love it, get involved with the business any way you can, internships, networking, groveling, whatever it takes. Life is so much easier when you have a career and not just a job.  

 

Thank you so very much, Lou! These are fantastic covers and now I want to read every one of them. :)

Dracula's Secret, Blood Wings #1
Dracula's Desires, Blood Wings #2
Dracula Unleashed, Blood Wings #3, to be released March 21, 2013

Re-order news!

If you pre-ordered Dracula's Secret back in January (when it was available the first time), you will need to re-order.

From my editor:
"The reason the pre-orders for the original listing of DRACULA’S SECRET didn’t carry over is because the ISBN was changed (I suspected that might be the case).  Normally people wouldn’t have to re-order but a new ISBN makes for an entirely different product."

Fortunately, you aren't charged until the book ships, so re-ordering shouldn't be too big of a problem. Sorry for any inconvenience. 

More awesome things.

Romantic Times magazine is the best way to find romance book reviews as well as to learn when books will be released.

Kensington has taken out a full page advertisement to tell the world about their new e-book line. And my book is one of the July releases to be highlighted.

Look!

 

I can't wait to read all these other books, too. 

Check out a sample!

You can check out a sample of Dracula's Secret over at E Kensington Books!

YES!

Dracula's Secret, the first book in the Blood Wings series, is available for pre-order again!

It will be released July 19th, 2012.

I guess it wasn't delayed all that long!

I can't stop dancing!

Technical difficulties.

Right now, my pre-order links aren't working. Kensington (my publisher) is making some adjustments and you will be able to pre-order again soon!

Watch this space for more updates. :)

In the meantime, here is some Viennese coffee and Sacher Torte to keep you entertained.

Dracula's Secret is now available for pre-order!

OH MY GOD! Look at this!

Dracula's Secret is now available for pre-order!

Nook:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/draculas-secret-linda-mercury/1108361642?ean=9781420129755&itm=1&usri=linda+mercury

Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/Draculas-Secret-ebook/dp/B0070XF028/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1327443099&sr=8-6

OH. MY. GOD!

This is my gorgeous cover art for Dracula's Secret! I love how sexy and mysterious my heroine looks, and how strong and determined my hero is. YUM yum yum!

In additional news, Dracula's Secret will be available for pre-order within the week. It will have a mid-July release.

And to top it off, here is my back cover blurb.

In a new world where paranormals and humans share an uneasy coexistence, the most dangerous and sensual legend of the night lives once more—and one of the greatest secrets of all time is about to come out….

SHE HUNGERS FOR HIS LIGHT

She calls herself Valerie Tate. One of the few vampires left on earth, as beautiful as she is powerful, Valerie has resisted her craving for human blood for years, just as she once hid her true gender. But the night she lays eyes on the most enticing man she’s ever seen, it’s game over. He radiates goodness and light—and searing sexual energy.  Valerie must have him. Taste him. Consume him. For he is temptation—and he is her destiny…

HE BURNS FOR HER DARKNESS

Lance Soleil is a rugged war veteran who runs a homeless shelter in Portland. At first gaze, he knows what Valerie is—and wants her even more. But when he welcomes a pack of werewolves into his shelter, he attracts the attention of Valerie’s oldest rival—her bloodthirsty brother, Radu, who hopes to become the first vampire President of the United States. Valerie knows Radu has a hidden agenda, and with Lance’s help she is determined to stop his unholy rise to power. But first, she must risk their growing love by fully revealing herself—as the one and only Dracula…

Visit us at www.kensingtonbooks.com

Where the hell have I been?

I've announced in other places that Kensington Publishing extended a three-book contract (with options to consider the series). I am going to be the flagship author of their new e-book line and I am stoked!

(insert running around like a happy chicken here)

I'm keeping mum on a lot of details right now - I'll be able to post more once the contracts have been signed and all the marketing has started.

As of lately, I've finished the editorial revisions to Dracula's Secret, I've gotten the back cover copy for both Dracula's Secret and Book Two (untitled at the moment). Again, I'll post them once we get closer to publication - after all, things change and I don't want to get things out too early before everything is set in stone.

Mostly, I've been writing Book Two. I'm getting a good grasp on my antagonists and I've got the plot hammered out much better. It's due in February, so it's going a lightning speed. That can be exhausting, so I'm taking lots of naps and making sure I get out and about for intellectual stimulation.

I can share that Dracula's Secret will be released on June 12th, 2012, and that Book Two will be released July 12th, 2012.

So get your reading eyes ready! I'll be able to share lots more soon. :)

Where I was, what I was doing, Part Two.

Due to jet lag, I got a late start on the conference on Wednesday, the 29th. Fortunately, I was able to get up and get going in time for the PRO Retreat.

In RWA, there are various sub-groups aimed towards serving the needs of every member. The PRO subgroup is aimed at people who have finished a manuscript and sent it to an agent or editor. (If you get accepted, then you move into the Published Author Network group, but I'm not there yet.)

The PRO retreat ran from 2:00 to 5:30 and was packed full of things to help unpublished authors reach their goals.

The Keynote speaker was Carolyn Pittis, the Senior Vice-President for Global Marketing Strategy and Operations at HarperCollins. Carolyn is a supergenius who understands her field better than anyone I've heard speak on the changing environments of publishing and creating. I take notes very quickly (all those years in graduate school come in handy for something!), but even I could hardly keep up with her insightful analysis.

If anyone who was at the retreat wants to chime in on anything I missed, please feel free!

I've been hearing about "The Digital Revolution" since I was in Library School back in 1996. In these last six months, the revolution come into fruition faster than it was in the last 15 years. Since Christmas 2010, the new players in publishing - Apple, Google, Amazon - and in retail - CES reported over one hundred  new electronic devices in the past year- caused the biggest jump ever in the purchase of e-books.

J.K. Rowling has left traditional publishing to go completely to online sales. On the other hand, Amanda Hocking, one of the most successful e-writers ever, has joined a traditional, paper-based publisher in order to get her books into Wal-mart and other brick and mortar shops.

The rise of new tech, the increase of data, and the wider demand of consumer choices has created an atmosphere that allows writers to chose paths they never would have thought of. No longer is the NYT or the USAToday bestseller lists the only choices in the path to success.

Authors deciding to publish their books have to ask themselves some key questions:

1. Money: What is my break-even number? How much money do I have to make as a writer in order to write comfortably?

2. Marketing: Do I have to have marketing reach on my own? How much do I need? And (here's the big one), how much do I like marketing?

3. Collaboration: Contrary to the myth of the solitary writer, writing and publishing is an act of collaboration. How much do you need to control your work? How well do you take feedback? Can you handle someone  telling what you need to do to make your work more market friendly?

4. Author Equity: How much do others like your work? What might I do to increase my work's popularity?

Next time, I'll be talking about what authors need to focus on in today's market.

Moving forward!

I had an amazing phone meeting with Kensington editor Audry LaFehr and her assistant, Martin Biro today.

They love my imagination, the relationship between Valerie and Lance, and how well the sex and violence work. They also said it was strong visual writing (woot!!).

They wanted to talk to me personally instead of through a letter in order to discuss what they thought needed work - basically, Dracula's Secret is very powerful, but also confusing. They suggested focusing more on the main romance, doing more with the secondary plots - ie what purpose do these characters have, etc.

So basically, I got the world's most awesome revise and resubmit phone call! Martin will be in town for Willamette Writer's conference, and he'd love to meet for dinner, too.

They made no promises, but said they loved my writing talent, wanted to give me lots of encouragement, and said that they very very rarely call an author to give her feedback.

I'm all verklempt!!

Quote of the Moment.

Sometimes, other people just say it best. Here's Anne Lamott from Bird by Bird.

I still encourage anyone who feels at all compelled to write to do so. I just try to warn people who hope to get published that publication is not all it is cracked up to be. But writing is. Writing has so much to give, so much to teach, so many surprises. The thing you had to force yourself to do - the actual act of writing- turns out to be the best part. It's like discovering that while you thought you needed the tea ceremony for the caffeine, what you really needed was the tea ceremony. The act of writing turns out to be its own reward.

Sometimes I need to be reminded of this.

Buy the book!

My good friend Delilah Marvelle just sent me this email:

Despite being sold out of my first print run and going to reprint soon for my debut book, Mistress of Pleasure, Kensington will not be renewing my contracts citing lack of sales. So I have a favor to ask everyone. I am looking to do one last huge push for the second book coming out this August 4th, Lord of Pleasure, so that this series doesn't die a sad pathetic death.

I'm hoping everyone can help in any way by blogging, pitching, sending out newsletters, telling their brothers and sisters, ANYONE to buy the damn book when it comes out August 4th, to show to the publisher that this series DOES matter.

You can also send them to my website www.DelilahMarvelle.com

The campaign is called Save the School of Gallantry Series.
I'm also having a contest, which everyone can post everywhere.

The contest is as follows:
From August 4 until August 28, anyone who e-mails me at
Delilah@DelilahMarvelle.com with the School's quote from Lesson 27, will be entered to win one of three $50 Visa Cards. Winners will be contacted via e-mail by September 10th.

I appreciate all the support!!!

Mistress of Pleasure, Sold out

Lord of Pleasure, August 2009

RT Reviewer's Choice Award Nominee,

N.O.R's Best Historical Romance of the Year

& Booksellers Best Award Double Finalist!