Cara Brookins's Blog, page 12

Readers and Writers Unite!

Is Bouchercon on your calendar this year? You still have time to sign up for one of the best world mystery conventions anywhere. Bouchercon is a roving conference that lands in Albany, NY September 19-22 in 2013. We’ll be at the Empire State Plaza with some of the best crime fiction, mystery, and thriller writers in the world.

Some of this year’s notable guests: Sue Grafton, Anne Perry, Tess Gerritsen, Steve Hamilton, Harlan Coben…. Visit http://bcon2013.com/ for a full list of attendees, the schedule, and your registration form.

I’ll be on a panel of young adult writers on Saturday from 9-9:55. Ask questions and learn more about these panelist: Joelle Charbonneau(M), Charles Benoit, Cara Brookins, Harlan Coben, Chris Grabenstein, Beth Kanell, Lea Wait.

I look forward to spending time with favorite writer friends and making new ones. Send me a note if you’re attending so I know to look for you.

Don’t forget to perfect your two-fisted coffee drinking skills. At Bouchercon, the party doesn’t pause for sleep.

In For a Thrill?

R.L. Stine – Goosebumps

ThrillerFest 2013 in New York was a spectacular melding of wicked minds. If you are a writer or fan of thrillers, mysteries, or crime fiction, you’ll want this on your calendar. The Grand Hyatt hosts this annual event that puts you in the heart of the city and the heart of the thriller world.

Just a few of the special guests this year: Anne Rice, R.L. Stine, Michael Connelly, David Morrell, T. Jefferson Parker, Michael Palmer, Daniel Palmer, Steve Berry Christopher Rice, Lincoln Child, Douglas Preston, Linwood Barclay, Stephen James, Boyd Morrison, Sean Chercover, Brad Parks, Jeff Ayers, Lissa Price, John Gilstrap, Michelle Gagnon, Peter James, Heather Graham, and many, many more.

Writers at all levels gather at ThrillerFest to learn more about the craft of writing and network with authors, agents, editors, producers and fans. This was my second year to attend and I hope to make it a permanent fixture on my calendar. I’ve made life long friendships, including some of the best writers in the world!

ThrillerFest 14 — I’ll see you there!

David Morrell – Rambo, First Blood, The Spy Who Came For Christmas, The Shimmer, The Naked Edge, Creepers, Nightscape + Many More

Jason Starr – Cold Caller, Nothing Personal, Fake I.D., Hard Feelings, Tough Luck, Twisted City, Bust, and Lights Out.

Take the Detour

I recently hiked a long path to a waterfall with my youngest daughter and son. They had been on the same path weeks before, but it was my first time. Our packs were loaded and the kids played tour guide as they shared the coolest bowl-shaped tree roots, a waterfall of moss, and a generous crop of poison ivy.

About a mile in, my daughter mentioned she had left her ukelele in the car, but it was no big deal, she’d just walk back and get it. “I want to get my tadpole net too,” my little guy chimed in. I didn’t want to sound like a wimp, but a two mile hike on a hot summer day was really all I’d signed up for. I was a lot more interested in munching almonds on a damp rock by the waterfall than completeing another round trip to the car and back.

The journey was great, but I was in this for the destination.

We’ve had a drought again this year, so when we arrived the kids were shocked to find their waterfall dry. They found a small pool thick with tadpoles, though, and before I’d settled on a rock were ready to go back to the car for nets and instruments. They launched off in the opposite direction we’d come, and I followed with less enthusiasm. A short walk through the woods and two campgrounds away, we were back at the car. The kids knew the waterfall was just around the corner from the parkinglot, but they took time to enjoy the journey on the longer side of the trail.

Had I gone to the trail by myself with a map in hand, I may have rushed right to the sweetspot without taking time to enjoy the scenery. Back home I had a lawn waiting to be mowed, manuscripts to edit, and laundry to wash. Shaving time off the hike would put me ahead of schedule. Thankfully, my kids are wise enough to know that sometimes a long detour is just the thing you need.

Thanks for the reminder!

Balancing Act – Marketing Yourself

Dixon Rice, author of The Assassin’s club, hosted my guest blog over at Wredheaded Writer about marketing yourself as a writer. Go check it out, and while you’re there take note of the piles of amazing writing tips he’s collected. http://wredhead.blogspot.com/2013/07/tip-oday-441-marketing-yourself.html

Brands, Tattoos, and Vanity Plates

Brands are more than something to wear, they are who we are.

I spotted a clever vanity plate in the parking lot yesterday: 1M2SXY. I’ll admit I checked my email while waiting for the driver to exit. And yes, I had a stereotypical image in mind. There was a gym at the far end of the parking lot, and I imagined that Mr. 2SXY was headed there. The woman who eventually tripped out the door tucked an infant under one arm, latched onto a toddler throwing an I-need-a-nap tantrum, and balanced a stained diaper bag in her teeth where it swung dangerously close to one kid’s head and then the other’s like an Edgar Allen Poe pendulum. Nope. Not what I had in mind. False advertising.

I wondered if she regretted that vanity plate or enjoyed the reminder of what once had been. No doubt, any regret she may have felt wasn’t powerful enough to send her to the DMV waiting room with two wee-people in tow. It struck me that vanity plates are a lot like those tattoos of singing cactuses or portraits of forever loves, except that you can’t legally cover them up when the situation is inappropriate or your grown up regret overtakes your dare-taking younger self.

Everything we do has become a brand. Like vanity plates and tattoos, our words and images last a lot longer than we initially planned. While the regrettable things are difficult to get rid of, we can populate our Google results with a flood of positive, current images that will at least move those other things further down in the search engine archives. Make sure your brand is as unique as possible and use it consistently across all social media networks and news outlets. Search periodically to make certain the major search engines are pulling up at least three full pages (of ten results each) that are saying what you want them to.

Don’t forget to check the images. This is where those tattoos —or in my case the professional wrestler with a similar name— will wait to haunt you. Find out where the images you like are feeding from and get more out there. One of my favorite sources is my own blog. The images you post on your blog should be labeled with your desired branding name and reflect the things you want people to see first about you in a search engine. This doesn’t mean they all have to be professional images, it’s okay to show that you are well-rounded enough to enjoy the roller derby, wine sampling, and the circus in between business meetings…. just make certain the photos are taken during the first glass of wine and the clown isn’t ogling your backside.

Your website, press releases, Pinterest shares, Tweets, LinkedIn, even some Facebook images may creep their way into your search engine results, so pay attention to the things you’re attaching to your name.

To monitor how you are doing on a group of the major social media sites, connect Klout to your accounts for a 1-100 score of how visible and relevant you are in the cyber world. It’s free and it’s a great way to get feedback that is immediately comprehensible and automatically updated when you post a new cat joke or your tweet is re-tweeted by twelve well-connected people in a single day.

(Feel free to share regrettable vanity plate and tattoo stories!)

How Relevant Are You?

Independent Book Sellers = Friends!

Mark of the Centipede – Cara Brookins

Independent bookstores have nearly vanished from our city landscapes, so when you find one make sure you support it! You’ll find that these stores are eager to support you as well. Not only is it good for their business to get some extra street traffic introduced to their gem of a store, but these small stores are usually family owned by people who LOVE books and writers. What a winning combination!

This past Saturday I spent the afternoon at WordsWorth Books & Company in Little Rock, Arkansas for a signing of TimeShifters, Mark of the Centipede. It was a beautiful holiday weekend, and I was competing with a successful River Fest celebration. We still had an amazing turnout and sold just over three times the average for signings at this location. If that isn’t cause enough for celebration, many of the attendees had never been to the shop before. We all know that these cozy shops are impossible to resist, so I’ve no doubt they will be back to support the shop whenever they are searching for a book, a gift trinket, or a quiet place to hide away with book friends.

My oldest daughter created a beautiful dessert table and my youngest daughter took some great photos. The tattoos were a huge draw. My publisher, Buzz Books USA, rocks for coming up with that promotion idea! If you have suggestions for things that work well at signings—or mistakes to avoid—I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Cara Brookins – Signing

Book Signing in Little Rock

Cara Brookins – Signing

It’s time for the local book signing in Little Rock for Timeshifters, Mark of the Centipede. Even though it’s a busy holiday weekend, I hope you’ll stop by and say hello! We’ll have snacks, tattoos, and crowds of book lovers in addition to books. And if you’re addicted to eBooks and not looking for a paper copy, you can still stop by so I can give you a hug and thank you for the support! This Saturday, May 25th from 1-2:30 at WordsWorth Books & Company at 5920 R street in Little Rock (corner of University and R). I look forward to seeing you there!

Timeshifters, Mark of the Centipede – Cara Brookins

Cara Brookins on RatedGRadio Tonight!

Cara Brookins: New Novel Explored!

Join Garrett Miller, on RatedGRadio out of Los Angeles, who welcomes author Cara Brookins to Monday’s show. Cara’s Mark of the Centipede is newly released, she has a suspense novel soon to be released, and she’ll share her inspiration on creating these must-reads! Hear Cara’s story on her life’s journey and her amazing home that she built with her children! All of this on Monday’s show LIVE 10 pm EST/7 pm PST. Call 323 657-1493 during the show with questions!

Free to a Curious Home

Everyone likes to get something for Free, and if you love books like I do, the thrill is beyond measure when that free thing is a BOOK! My library shelves are so full that my children give me that look if they catch me bringing new books in. I feel like a crack addict sneaking paperbacks in through the back door tucked into my pant legs or hidden under a pizza box. So if I can get my hands on a free eBook, life is golden!

Buzz books is offering Treasure Quest free on Amazon today -Saturday (May16-18) so give your sagging library shelves a break and download a copy.

Fifteen-year-old Cooper would rather spend the summer playing r playing the latest Zombie Civil War Style video game than with his ailing great grandfather, Orson. But when Orson’s Civil War stories reveal a treasure buried near his home in Pea Ridge Arkansas, Cooper not only pays attention–he gets involved.

An ancient map and journal lead Cooper to the same spot in the forest where dozens of people have searched for the legendary treasure. Cooper is trapped by a ferocious dog and forced to fight for his life while he tries to uncover the mystery and locate the treasure that is unlike anything he ever imagined.

In this young adult adventure story, Brookins gives readers a treasure that’s the perfect length for busy tweens and teens.

BONUS: Treasure Quest also includes the first three chapters Cara Brookins’ highly anticipated time-travel series,Timeshifters, beginning with Journey 1, Mark of the Centipede.

Finishing a Book = Napping on a Precipice

Survival Nap

With the zombie apocalypse looming closer by the minute, survival is a hot topic. This week I feel like a champ for surviving the successful launch of another book! Timeshifters, Mark of the Centipede is now available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, so go check it out. While I am enjoying the sense of accomplishment with this latest one on the shelf, it’s a tentative rest because several more novels are in various stages of writing, editing, or publishing. All writers learn not to sit around and wait for one project to end before the next begins. It’s a balancing act.

While Timeshifters is obviously a book about time travel, it is also about surviving extreme circumstances. Check out the TimeshiftersBooks Website for more information on survival. I’m working now to add un-survival tips in case you would rather do everything the wrong way.

My first un-survival tip. Take a nap at the edge of a cliff. Only a handful of things could go wrong with that strategy, and if you survive… you’ll be well rested for the next traumatic event.

Now that the edits and early promotions are complete, and I have a minute to catch my breath before diving into the final edits of Timeshifters, Mark of the Serpent, I may schedule a nap in a dangerous location myself.

Check out this photo a very young reader/listener drew of Namor, the Time Ranger from Mark of the Centipede.

Namor