Catherine Bybee's Blog, page 20

New Profile Picture ~

Well, what do you think? Its a new profile picture for my website, blog...publisher etc. 
As I said to my editor, I don't look too fat or too old. So I'm happy. 
Your thoughts? 
And no! I'm not fishing for compliments, just wan honest opinions. I'm always so disappointed when I see an author in real life and the profile picture on theback of their books were taken ten years and fifty pounds ago. 
Ya know? 

Deadlines

Deadlines...love 'em or hate 'em?

For the first time in my writing career I have deadlines. Dates circled on a calender when I have to have my work to my publisher so they can then go forth and do their part.

And you know what?

I like it.

Is it stressful? Yeah, kind of. But I was always that girl who did better with a budget, did better with a time limit to get stuff done. In my early twenties I was a full time student, worked 30 plus hours in a day job...taught aerobics at a local gym and still managed to date my now husband. Busy! So busy!

Deadlines make me streamline what I'm doing, and how much of the non essential stuff I can put aside until I meet my deadline.

So if you don't see me online as much as usual, know I'm working hard to bring you more books to read.

Have a great week!

Catherine

Six Sentence Sunday ~Not Quite Dating

So here is the first taste of my upcoming novel, Not Quite Dating. And yeah, I've posted a tad more than six lines...but that's what I wanna do and this is my blog. LOL

I love sister scenes. And this one named my book for me. My heroine, Jessie, has just been dropped off at her apartment by the hero Jack. Her younger sister is giving her crap about the date...or the NOT QUITE date.


“Sounds like a date to me.” Jessie had spent the whole night in Jack’s presence, driven home with the guy, talked about their past, their futures. That kiss wouldn’t be forgotten any time soon. “Not quite a date.” Monica pushed in between the covers of her bed with a catty smile. “If what I saw is ‘not quite dating,’ I want some.” She air quoted the dating statement, and then turned off the light. “Good night, Mo.” “Night, sis. Have amazing, ‘not quite kissing’ dreams.” Jessie tossed a pillow at her. “Brat.” 

Not Quite Dating is available for Pre-Sale on Amazon HERE  Official release date is pending, but we're looking at late October early November. 

Write your next book!!!

*On soap box*

I've been doing this awhile now...you know, the writing thing. Been published for several years. With a back list of books and a pile of 'To Be Written' work stacking up, I'm asked all the time this one question.

"Catherine, how do you keep selling so many books? "

To which I reply... "I keep writing more books!"

I've said this over and over so many times yet some people simply don't listen.

WRITE YOUR NEXT BOOK!

I see many writers promoting and trying to 'sell' a book that was released three years ago. Or maybe even a year ago. I want to shake them up and tell them to spend their time writing another story instead of trying to 'sell' their old one. Even if you've taken your rights back and are self publishing your older work...you still need to move forward with new stuff.

Your readers, the ones who pick up every book you write because they 'get you' or 'love your voice' or whatever...these readers are the ones who will talk about your latest novel. But they can't do that if you're stuck online 'selling' your old work.

I'm not saying you can't put a shout out every once in a while about your older books, but don't spend the bulk of your time and energy 'selling' older books.

And by the way...No one, and I mean NO ONE, likes to be 'sold' anything.

*Off soap box*

BTW: I'm getting ready to send out my newsletter and if you want a monthly, or perhaps every other month reminder of what is new in Bybee Books, go ahead and click this LINK and sign up.

Thanks,

Catherine

~Sign Up~ Bybee Newsletter

I am generating a new newsletter that will come directly to you. All you need to do is go to this LINK  and add your email address.

Why do you want a Bybee newsletter? It's simple. There will be contests and giveaways and information given away on my newsletter that you wont want to miss. I have so many exciting things going on right now. I'm finding it increasingly hard to inform everyone individually of what is happening.

As some of you know, Not Quite Dating is now available for PRE-SALE  over on Amazon. I'll be discussing my upcoming series in my newsletter and talking about the progress of the next Bride Series book and my next Time Travel book.

I truly wish I could write my books as fast as all of you can read them, but alas, my fingers simply don't move that fast. LOL

So please, sign up for my newsletter. If you have already signed up for my yahoo newsletter, I'll be sending out a post soon asking you to move over to the new Mail Chimp site. At that time I'll be opening up my Yahoo Loop to discussion.

RWA "Readers for Life" Literacy Autographing

Tonight from 5 - 8 I'll be sitting at table 902 in the Anaheim convention center with hundreds of other authors signing books.

For me, this is a huge high. I am one of a select few authors who squeezed into the signing as a self published author. You see, all the books are donated by the publisher and all the money made off each sale is given the the charity "Readers for Life". Since I'm both the author and the publisher of several of my titles RWA wasn't sure how to deal with me. I volunteered copies of my books to be given away at my expense...and even then at first I wasn't going to be able to sign.

However, many things are changing with Romance Writers of America and they are starting to understand that self publishing is here to stay.

So, dear reader, I'll be signing copies of Highland Shifter and Wife by Wednesday. Even if you've read the books, be sure and come over and chat. I have a few swag items you can take with you and, well, you know I'm the ultimate Chatty-Cathy!


Here is the LINK to the list of authors and the tables they are signing at. My goal in life is to be at one of those LA Tables.

Shindig TIME!

Today's the day... the day for my LIVE video chat.


Tonight, I'll be hosting a live video chat on my recent book Married by Monday.  If you go to the following link at 6PM EST, you can talk with me, ask questions, and hear some never before insights on my novel and career.  You're not going to want to miss this.

Event link:  http://www.shindig.com/event/bewitching 
Time: 6PM EST 

Six Sentence Sunday ~ A cup of coffee

Sometimes a cup of coffee wakes you up...and sometimes a cup of coffee gets you up. It's all in how you spin it.

A sip of Wife by Wednesday where Blake is watching Samantha drink her morning java for the first time.




As the first sip met her lips, she sunk into her chair with a sigh. The sound was throaty and brought another wave of awareness over his skin. He needed to get the hell out of Vegas or all bets for not bedding his wife were off. 
Not realizing the effect she was having on him, Samantha lifted her legs and sat them on the opposite chair. The robe gapped open revealing another flash of thigh. Blake’s body responded with a vengeance. 


New York Times Bestseller
USA Today Bestseller
Wall Street Journal Bestseller
#1 Amazon Bestseller
#1 Indie Reader Bestseller 


$2.99 E-Book $9.99 Print


Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Smashwords 

Make Welcome Susannah Sandlin

Today I have the lovely and talented Susannah Sandlin who has agreed to answer a few questions for us to get to know her better. And what a yummy cover! Don't you all agree? The book sounds amazing. 

Thanks for coming today, Savannah.


How do you respond when someone says... "Oh, you write THAT kind of book?"
Usually, I just say, “Oh, these are my smut books,” and they think I’m joking. (The joke’s on them!) But lately, instead of “Oh, you write THAT kind of book,” I’m getting, “Oh, is it like Fifty Shades of Grey?” Uh… if the guy in 50 Shades has fangs and is 400 years old, then, sure. Whatever.
I'm hearing that all the time now. *sigh* 
How many books do you read a month? What was the name of the last book you read?
Not nearly as many as I’d like. I also write an urban fantasy series under another name, and between the two series and my daily book blog, Preternatura, it limits my reading time. But I probably average two or three a month. The last book I read was (okay, don’t judge) Cannibal Reign by Thomas Koloniar—I have a weakness for a good apocalypse. It was a DNF for me, though. So the last book I actually finished was Marta Acosta’s gothic YA recasting of Jane Eyre, Dark Companion. Not a romance, except in a dark way, but a very, very interesting book.
 I love a good apocalypse now and then myself. I can skip the zombies, however. 
Do you have anything new in the works?I just finished copyedits on the second book in the Penton Legacy series, Absolution, which comes out in October, and am furiously writing Omega, book three, scheduled to come out in December.
December? Wow, that's not a lot of time. Fingers crossed to make deadline. 
Where can we find you?At my website (http://www.susannahsandlin.com), at my alter-ego’s daily blog (http://suzanne-johnson.blogspot.com), 
Where can we find your books?On Amazon (the Kindle book is on sale for $3.99 right now!)On B&N.com At Book Depository
What are your thoughts on self publishing?
I have mixed feelings about it. Because so many authors are self-pubbing now, it’s hard for a debut author to rise from the sea of books. Too many are not getting the professional editing and cover design done that is needed, as well. I’m not saying I’d never do it—I do think it’s a great option for a lot of authors who are taking control of their backlists—but at this stage in my career, I want the marketing and editing and design pros behind me. The attractive thing about self-pubbing, of course, is controlling your price, trying some different things with your marketing, and the higher royalty rates.

Tell us something about your current release that you've not told any other blog.
This book started off as an urban fantasy with paranormal elements I began during NaNoWriMo in 2010. But it straddled the line between UF and PNR and just never quite jelled until I took the advice of an editor and rewrote it as a paranormal romance. It’s also the first book I’ve written from multiple POVs—there are five point-of-view characters in Redemption, one of whom is Mirren Kincaid, the hero of book two.
And the most important question ever... Toilet paper...over or under? That IS important! Over, baby. I’ve even (shhhh….don’t tell) taken off the TP roll in the restroom at my daNOT SAD AT ALL! 




Now let's hear a little bit more about your release:




REDEMPTION Book One Penton Legacy seriesBy Susannah Sandlin
Following a worldwide pandemic whose vaccine left human blood deadly to vampires, the vampire community is on the verge of starvation and panic. Some have fanned into rural areas, where the vaccine was less prevalent, and are taking unsuspecting humans as blood slaves. Others are simply starving, which for a vampire is worse than death—a raging hunger in a creature too weak to feed.
Immune to these struggles—at first—is Penton, a tiny community in rural Chambers County, Alabama, an abandoned cotton mill town that has been repopulated by charismatic vampire Aidan Murphy, his scathe of 50 vampires, and their willingly bonded humans. Aidan has recruited his people carefully, believing in a peaceful community where the humans are respected and the vampires retain a bit of their humanity.
But an unresolved family feud and the paranoia of the Vampire Tribunal descend on Penton in the form of Aidan’s brother, Owen Murphy. Owen has been issued a death warrant that can only be commuted if he destroys Penton—and Aidan, against whom he’s held a grudge since both were turned vampire in 17th-century Ireland.  Owen begins a systematic attack on the town, first killing its doctor, then attacking one of Aidan’s own human familiars
To protect his people, Aidan is forced to go against his principles and kidnap an unvaccinated human doctor—and finds himself falling in love for the first time since the death of his wife in Ireland centuries ago. 
Dr. Krystal Harris, forced into a world she never knew existed, must face up to her own abusive past to learn if the feelings she’s developing for her kidnapper are real—or just a warped, supernatural kind of Stockholm Syndrome in which she’s allowing herself to become a victim yet again.
Susannah Sandlin’s REDEMPTION is the first in the Penton Legacy series. Book two, ABSOLUTION, will be out September 18, and book three, OMEGA, on December 18.


Amazon      Barnes and Noble     Book Depository
About the Author:
Susannah Sandlin is the author of paranormal romance set in the Deep South, where there are always things that go bump in the night! A journalist by day, Susannah grew up in Alabama reading the gothic novels of Susan Howatch, and always fancied herself living in Cornwall (although she’s never actually been there). Details, details. She also is a fan of Stephen King. The combination of Howatch and King probably explains a lot. Currently a resident of Auburn, Alabama, Susannah has also lived in Illinois, Texas, California, and Louisiana. Her novel Redemption won the paranormal romance category in the 2011 Chicago North RWA Fire and Ice contest, and is the first of three in a series that debuts this year.Website/Blog: http://www.susannahsandlin.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/susannahsandlin
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susannahsandlin
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5828129.Susannah_Sandlin
Indie Bound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781612183541

Live video chat with Catherine Bybee

I am pleased to announce that I will be hosting a live book talk on Shindig, a new customized video chat space for live events. We will be connected globally via webcam online, and can interact and participate in a live talk about my latest release, Married by Monday and a little about Self Publishing. 
You can socialize with other participants, or watch and listen. The event will be July 24th at 6PM EST .Here’s how it works. About 15 minutes before it starts go to this link HERE and log in.  . 
You should test your microphone and camera at this time. Then when the event starts we can get underway. We will have an interactive book chat, followed by a question and answer session. The talk is sponsored by Shindig Events.
The way to make this interesting and fun is to have A LOT of people in attendance. So please invite as many of your friends as you like to join us! Spread the word on Facebook and Twitter to as many people as you can. 
Please RSVP for the event today by clicking HERE. 
I'm looking forward to seeing you all there! 
xoxo