Alan Orloff's Blog, page 18
May 9, 2011
So Many Questions
On today's blog tour stop, I'm being interviewed by my writer pal Stephen Parrish on his terrific blog, called, strangely enough, Stephen Parrish.
May 6, 2011
Come By and Say Hi!
I'd love to see you at an upcoming event as I promote KILLER ROUTINE. And, as luck would have it, I have three events in the next two weeks or so.
Sunday, May 15 at 2:00 - One More Page Books in Arlington, VA (just over the Falls Church line).
Come out and support this terrific new indie bookstore! I'll be giving a presentation and signing books (come for the books, but be sure to peruse their very nice wine and chocolate selections). I may even pull out my "simulated" open mic night routine!
Saturday, May 21 at 10:00 am – Gaithersburg Book Festival
This is one of my favorite events of the year and I'm excited to be invited back! It's an all-day affair, taking place in multiple pavilions with authors in all genres. My presentation begins at 10 am sharp in the Dashiell Hammett Pavilion. Others following me in that pavilion include mystery/crime writing luminaries Rita Mae Brown, Donna Andrews, Alex Berenson, Louis Bayard, Stephen Hunter, and Brad Parks.
Sunday, May 22 at 2:00 – The Writer's Center (Bethesda, MD)
I am thrilled to be doing a joint reading with my wonderful first writing instructor at The Writer's Center, Ann McLaughlin. This might be your only chance to hear me actually read from one of my books!
May 4, 2011
I Heart My Friends, Old and New
Today, I'm blogging on InkSpot about seeing old friends and making new ones. Click on over and join the lovefest!
April 27, 2011
Convention Game Plan
I love going to writing/book/mystery conventions and festivals. Where else are so many book lovers crammed into one space? And where else do I get a chance to talk shop and meet tons of interesting people? I've got two big events coming up within the next week, the Malice Domestic convention and the Festival of Mystery; both are loads of fun.
But despite how fun they are, these gatherings can be overwhelming. So many people to talk to, so many great panels and workshops and interviews and banquets and poker games. In order to maximize my enjoyment, I've found it helpful to prepare a game plan.
Some things I consider:
Specific people I want to meet or talk to. Many conventions post lists of attendees, so I go through these ahead of time and note people I'd like to make sure to meet. I've made a lot of friends in cyberspace and I love meeting them in person. Also, this is my chance to meet some of the writers whose work I've admired.
Panels I'd like to attend. At the bigger conventions, there are multiple panel tracks. This means you have to make some tough decisions. I'll look at the program ahead of time and figure out which panels seem most interesting. Of course, once I get to the convention, my plans usually change. Often, it's a lot more fun to get involved in an impromptu discussion in the lobby with a small group.
Downtime. After going non-stop, from dawn to the wee hours, at a couple conferences, I've learned I need some downtime during the day, whether it's just to get some fresh air or recharge my batteries. I'll look at the schedule and try to determine possible times for doing that.
Meals. Gotta eat, right?
Books. Can't go to a convention without buying some books! I see which of my favorite (or new) authors are going to be there so I can buy one and get it signed.
Promotion is a valuable aspect of these conventions. I speak on panels and sign books, so I need to make sure I arrive at the right place, at the right time, and have my material—notes, handouts, bookmarks, Sharpies, etc.
If you're going to be at Malice Domestic (April 29 – May 1 in Bethesda, MD) or the Festival of Mystery (May 2 in Oakmont, PA), please stop by and say hello. Like I said, I love, love, love meeting my cyberspace pals in person!
April 25, 2011
Launched
A week ago Saturday, about 50 loyal and waterproof souls braved the monsoons to come to my KILLER ROUTINE book launch at the Reston (VA) Barnes & Noble. I had a great time, and I hope everyone else did too!
There was cake!
And books!
And an introduction by my son!
And comedy!
And lots of well-wishers!
Thanks to everyone who came out to support me!
(And thanks to my Sis-in-Law for taking pics!)
April 21, 2011
April 15, 2011
Busy Weekend
I've got two events scheduled for this weekend.
Tomorrow, Saturday, April 16, at 4:00 pm, is the Book Launch for KILLER ROUTINE. It will be at the Reston (VA) Barnes & Noble, and everyone is invited! There will be a 30-minute (or so) presentation, followed by the signing of the books. And…there will be cake!
On Sunday, April 17, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, I'll be at the Kensington Celebration of the International Day of the Book in Kensington, MD. I'll be chatting with people about Mystery Writers of America (and I'll have books available, too!).
Hope to see you at one of these events!
April 14, 2011
The Mean Streets
Want to hear about my harrowing experiences at a Citizens' Police Academy? Visit The Thrill Begins blog (International Thriller Writers).
April 13, 2011
Three for the Price of None
Today is Triple Blog Wednesday.
I'm guest blogging on Elizabeth Spann Craig's Mystery Writing is Murder (one of my favorite blogs, BTW!), talking about writing FAST.
I'm also honored to be interviewed on the terrific Jungle Red Writers blog as they celebrate Awards Month.
And I'm on InkSpot today, talking about my on-going attempts at being entertaining.
April 11, 2011
Two Years of Blogging
Two years ago, today, I began blogging. 303 blog posts later, I'm still at it.
Here's a link to that first post.
