Laurie London's Blog, page 18

Newbie Author 101: Links and Landing Pages and Websites

In anticipation of my book's release in February, there sure are a lot of small, but time consuming details that need to be done beforehand. My goal is to make it easy for people to find my various corners on the web. Since I'm the one who designed and maintains my website (using Web Plus software - under $100 and easy) and my blog, all these little tasks are up to me. I've been eagle-eying authors whose web presences I like as a reader, asking myself, "How'd he/she do that?" Here are a few things I've discovered.

1. Buy links. Although I haven't posted my cover(s) yet, I did add a Coming Soon blank cover to my website along with buy links to all the major online booksellers. The handy-dandy little script I used came from author Courtney Milan who is a whiz at coding, widgets, websites, and blogs. If you're another author or a blogger who wants to add "buy this book" links, check it out. All you need is the ISBN and it generates the HTML code for you. Thanks, Courtney!

2. Simple graphics. I had planned to use book images that looked like an actual book (once I figured out how to do that), but after reading this post at Smexybooks about author websites, I decided to go with just a plain rectangular cover shape. Fancy graphics are difficult for bloggers to grab and post. Simple is better. Yay, it's easier for me too!

3. Author pages. I created author pages on Amazon (it takes a few days for it to be active, so I'll add the link when I have it) and Goodreads and will be doing the same thing with Barnes and Noble, Borders, and Shelfari. These are simple to do, but again, it does take time to walk through the steps. As readers, we all have our favorite places where we buy our books, get information about books, and hang out online. But as an author, I need to make sure my book info is in many places and easy to find.

4. Facebook Landing Page. On Facebook, in addition to my personal profile, I created an author page. I'd have preferred to just have a profile page for now (how can you "like" someone's books if they're not even available to read yet?), but I've got a weird Facebook glitch that says page not found (unless we're already friends) if I try to link to my profile. It's a known bug, but so far, there's no solution other than to create an author page and link to that. Here's a fantastic blog that explains how to create FBML Facebook pages. I walked through her steps, read people's comments, and ended up with a decent "landing page" using my website/blog banner. As soon as I have cover art, I'll post that as well.

5. Automatic blog feeds. On Facebook and Goodreads, I automatically linked this blog. All new posts here automatically show up there. I don't like all automatic stuff (for instance, I don't link my Facebook and Twitter updates), but I thought the blog feed was cool.

I'm not done with everything yet, but I'm hoping that by doing this well in advance of my books coming out, it'll be easier for readers to find the information they want. Plus, I'm always changing my mind and this gives me plenty of time to do that.

And in case you want to check out some website features that give me website envy, look here, here, and here. Yes, more work to do, including figuring out how to make my pages load faster.
 

Emerald City Writers Conference

Last weekend I attended the Emerald City Writers Conference put on by the Greater Seattle Area Romance Writers of America. It's open to all writers--published or not, romance-writers or not--and it will forever hold a special place in my heart. Because of this conference, my dreams of becoming a published author are coming true.

The first time I attended in 2008, I was a contest finalist in the Emerald City Opener and ended up winning the paranormal category. I made connections that weekend which led to signing with an agent on my top ten list. The second time I attended the conference I had an offer on the table from a publisher but I couldn't tell anyone. I walked around that weekend like a zombie. See my account here. And the third time I attended (this year), I was on a panel of debut authors, talking about how we found our agents and how we sold. The fourth time I attend, I'll be signing two books.

[image error]Me, Cherry Adair, Emmanuelle MorgenThis year's conference started out with a cruise around Puget Sound aboard a gorgeous yacht with some of the agents, editors, and keynote speakers. It was by sheer chance that I got to go. Because I didn't sign up in time for a special workshop before the conference, I was waitlisted. The organizer called to tell me I got in and I mentioned that my sister (and fellow author Rebecca J. Clark) and I were taking my agent wine-tasting before the conference started. Turns out they had room on the yacht for a few more people and we got an invite.

[image error]Barbara Vey and meThe sold-out conference was packed with informative workshops (love any workshops given by Robert Dugoni) and we had lots of networking time. I got to meet Brenda Novak, Barbara Vey (who put my sister and I on her Publishers' Weekly blog!), and Alyssa Day, as well as editors from St. Martins and Avon.
[image error]Me and Brenda Novak[image error]Me and author Alexis Morgan The well-organized conference is small enough that you don't feel lost among the masses. People are friendly and inviting, and there are workshops for everyone, whether you're just starting out as a writer or if you're a multi-published author. Plus, there's always a great mix of top editors and agents in publishing. (They know there's something magical about the Pacific Northwest, home to so many hugely successful authors.)

[image error]The Cherry Plotters The conference raffles off baskets during the meals and proceeds benefit the chapter and DAWN, a women's charity. My plot group pooled our money and donated the iCherry raffle basket, a Cherry-themed basket in honor of our fearless leader Cherry Adair, which included an iPad. The ticket bag was full--it had to be one of the most highly coveted baskets! I'm so jealous of the winner. 

[image error]Me and Delilah MarvelleAnd then I caught up with a dear writer friend, Delilah Marvelle, whose new Scandal series with HQN comes out the month before my Sweetblood series comes out with HQN. We're planning a few fun author/reader events together, so stay tuned! I'm eagerly awaiting next year's conference where I'll be signing my first two books, BONDED BY BLOOD and EMBRACED BY BLOOD, at the book fair which is open to the public. Imagine my fangirl excitement when I heard that Sherrilyn Kenyon will be the keynote speaker next year! I can hardly wait.

My Homemade Pizza Dough and Sauce Recipe

[image error] I've been making this easy and delicious pizza ever since I adapted a recipe for the dough and sauce from a college roommate's cookbook. If you have a bread machine, this homemade pizza is almost as fast as delivery and much much better. Since we make it often, I bought the big package of yeast from Costco and keep it in the fridge. What's not to love about homemade pizza? And, please, don't buy pre-made sauce. This is easy and MUCH better. Trust me.

Pizza Dough (makes 4 individual dinner-plate sized pizzas)
Dump into bread machine or bowl: 2-3/4 cups flour, 1 pkg of fast-rising yeast (or 2 t. yeast), dash salt.
In glass measuring cup, add 1 c. water (heated to 115-125 degrees), 2 t. olive oil, 1 t. honey.
Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and turn bread machine to the dough setting. You may need to add a little more flour if, after mixing, it's really soft and sticky. (If doing by hand, mix together, knead on a floured board till smooth and satiny. Place dough into greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let raise till doubled.) When it's ready, divide into four equal parts and roll each one out on a floured countertop. I use a rolling pin, but you can toss them if you want. Don't worry--it doesn't need to be perfect. Mine never are.

Pizza Sauce
Heat 1 T. olive oil and 1 clove of minced or chopped garlic in bottom of saucepan over medium heat. (Don't let it go for more than 30-45 seconds or it'll burn.)
Add 1-14 oz. can of tomato sauce (I've used premium organic brands and cheap store brands. Both work.)
1 t. dried basil
dash of salt
1/4 c. wine (red or white) or water
Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Uncover and cook over medium-high heat until thickened and reduced to about 1 cup of sauce. (This process is what differentiates a mediocre sauce from a great sauce.)

Assembly:
Sprinkle a little cornmeal on a cookie sheet to keep pizzas from sticking. Place rolled out dough onto cookie sheets and drizzle with about 1 T. olive oil. Use your fingers to spread it to the edges. Sprinkle with a little salt. (This is also a simple, but important step. It really elevates the flavor.) Now, add sauce and any toppings.

Bake in 450 degree for about 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is browned to your liking. Enjoy.

I also use the dough to make a Mediterranean-style pizza that can be cut into bite-sized pieces for an easy party appetizer. Make the dough above, but omit the sauce (or just use a small amount to help the ingredients stick). Top the pizza with chopped kalamata  olives, sundried tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, feta cheese, and a sprinkle of dried oregano. Bake for 10 minutes or until browned.

Teaser Tuesday: SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson

Today's Tuesday Teaser comes from SPEAK, a book first published in 1999. My daughter and her friends passed it around several years ago, so we didn't have our own copy. Given the recent controversy where a Christian professor wanted it banned from a Missouri high school, I bought our own copy yesterday. Please see the author's website here for more details. You can also check out my post on why I feel so strongly about it here.

My teaser:

"It is easier not to say anything. Shut your trap, button your lip, can it. All that crap you hear on TV about communicating and expressing your feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say."

Pg. 9 from SPEAK






Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that pageBE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! I first heard of this fun meme from my friend Violet over at Eager Readers.
 

Speak Loudly - My Story of Speaking Up and Having Someone Listen

On Twitter today, I've been reading with much interest the controversy surrounding Laurie Halse Anderson's book SPEAK. A professor is trying to have the books banned from a local high school because he equates rape with soft-porn, and thus, inappropriate in a school setting. Learn more here. If you'd like, follow the #SpeakLoudly chat on Twitter.

Myra McEntire weighs in with a very moving article about Christianity and banning books. Check it out here.

But it wasn't until I read CJ Redwine's post about her experience being a rape survivor, having no one listen when she spoke up, and her feelings about a Christian professor wanting to ban the book, that I decided to share my own experience.

I hesitated posting this because the event I'm about to tell you about does not define me. In fact, I barely think of it any longer. It's just one of those unpleasant experiences in one's past that I've thankfully put behind me. But when I read CJ's story and what she's been through as a result, I realized that could've been me had no one listened. I want to share the power of SPEAKing up and the power of having someone listen.

In high school, I guess I'd classify myself as being in the popular crowd. I was a cheerleader, had lots of friends, loved school, and had a great family.

My mom had a glamorous, hairdresser friend who said a well-respected man from her church was a photographer and needed a model. She wanted to know if I was interested and said he could do my senior portraits. What high school girl doesn't dream of being a model? Of course, I said yes.

I went to her house where she did my hair and make-up, and the man took lots of pictures. It was fun. Then (I can't recall where my mom's friend was or if it even happened at that time) he asked me if I'd like to have lunch and talk some more about modeling. He could take some "on-location" shots at the same time. I said yes, and we met a few days later. He paid for lunch, we walked on the waterfront, and he took pictures of me around all the boats. Again, it was fun. I remember him telling me I was pretty and that I could make big bucks being a model. Oh my gosh, really? I was totally flattered.

After the photo-shoot was over, he asked if I'd be willing to do some photographic experiments for him. It would involve putting white clown-like makeup on any exposed skin (my face, my arms), and he'd shoot w/ black and white film under bright lights. The result would look like a negative--dark black and stark white. (This was in the days before digital photography and Photoshop.) I said sure, I was game. Then, he told me he'd worked with a few other girls at my school and they basically flipped out, couldn't stand the white make up. I assured him that wouldn't bother me.

Because he didn't have studio, he asked if I had a basement at my house where the lighting was dark and he could set up artificial lighting. He asked if it was quiet as it takes a lot of concentration. One thing led to another and soon we were at my house, alone, in my basement.

At first it was fine. He put white make-up on my face and started shooting pictures. But then he asked me to change into an off-the-shoulder dress--one where I couldn't wear a bra. When he started applying makeup to my chest and slipped his hands down inside my dress--slowly stroking, with much more care than when he put it on my face--I remember closing my eyes, hardly believing what was happening. It felt so wrong. Over and over as he touched me, I told myself that this man was a friend of a friend. He was a respected member of a holy-roller church. This couldn't be wrong.

He took pictures (I was clothed) and, thankfully, that was as far as it went. After he left, I remember feeling sick to my stomach. As part of his church, this man used to lecture around the state to other churches about the subliminal messages in rock music when you play it backwards--supposedly Stairway to Heaven has messages from the devil. How could a guy like this be doing something evil? It had to be me and my over-active imagination, right?

But because I had a good relationship with my mom, I waited till she came home and told her what happened. I honestly believed she was going to say it wasn't a big deal and reassure me. Looking at it now, I'm shocked at my naivety and what I thought my mom's reaction would be.

She went ballistic, said he was totally wrong, it was completely inappropriate what he did to me, and that it wasn't my fault. Her reaction totally validated my feelings. I wasn't wrong. I wasn't paranoid. She blamed herself for not being more diligent and asking more questions. When she wanted to call the police, I begged her not to. Nothing really happened, I didn't want to make it a bigger deal. Reluctantly, she agreed, however, she did call him and told him that he was under no circumstances to speak to me ever again and that all the photos were to be destroyed. She still wonders if she did the right thing in not calling the police.

I never saw or heard from him again. I told a few friends about it and one told me he'd done the same things to her older sister too.

In my situation, I spoke up, someone listened, and as a result, the whole situation is just an unpleasant and mostly forgotten memory. Although, I have wondered if my distrust of overly-religious people stems from what happened that day in my basement.

Banning a book that encourages people to SPEAK up, is just wrong, no matter how unpleasant the subject matter.

~Laurie

Teaser Tuesday: CUTTING FOR STONE By Abraham Verghese

[image error] My teaser:

"You use what? Interuptus? Pull and pray? Good God, man! No wonder you have five kids! It's noble of you to try to get off the train at an earlier station, but it's unreliable."

Page 370 Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese





Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that pageBE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My New Website Header

Just wanted to give a shout out to Kim at Hot Damn Designs for making this awesome new header (the one above, not the little one you see in this post) for my blog, website, and landing page on Facebook.

[image error] Although I enjoy designing and maintaining my website myself and I'd made a decent enough header on Photoshop, it lacked panache and flair. It accomplished the job, but it was way too functional, didn't have much form. As Mackenzie, the location scout/art instructor heroine from my book BONDED BY BLOOD would say, it had no je ne sais quoi.

One day while on Twitter, I clicked over to author Gwen Hayes website. Oh wow, I had a case of serious website envy. The swirly thingies, the colors, the cool and grungy vibe, but most of all, that really gorgeous website header. Like I do whenever I see a cool design, I clicked the link on her page to find out who designed it.

Since I'd already put a lot of time into designing my website and am happy with the flow of everything, I didn't want to have it completely revamped. When I saw Kim does website banners as well as whole websites, I knew I had to contact her.

After completing my homework (easy, because I'd taken a marketing/branding class from Theresa Meyers a few months earlier where we answered many of the same questions), Kim got to work and created what you see at the top. Yes, it's similar in color and the font and tagline are the same, but it's got style now! I think it's sexy, mysterious, elegant, and just a little ominous.

I also took the opportunity to spruce things up on my pages. I got brave, downloaded some vector art from iStockPhoto, opened up Adobe Illustrator for the first time, and figured out how to put in some decorative lines and curliques.

I promised myself I wouldn't tinker with it anymore until I get the final artwork for my covers.

What do you think?

My Peanut Butter Popcorn Recipe

[image error]
When author Christina Dodd recently tweeted the link to Caramel Popcorn, it reminded me of my family's recipe for Peanut Butter Popcorn. Well, except hers doesn't have peanut butter.

We've been making this for years and pretty much anyone in the family old enough to use a stove, knows the recipe by heart. It's simple and oh-so-good! I tried tweeting the recipe but couldn't quite condense it into 140 characters and include a picture, so here it is:

In a saucepan bring to a boil 1/2 cup light Karo syrup, 1/2 cup sugar, and dash of salt. In the meantime, pop 1 bag of popcorn in the microwave. Remove syrup from heat. Add 1/2 cup peanut butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Pour over the popcorn (try to get out the old maids first). Mix well and enjoy.

My Nook ereader

[image error] After much internal debate, I bought myself an ereader last week. I considered the nook, the Kindle, the Sony (both the touch and the pocket readers), the Kobo, and a few obscure readers.They're all great devices, with their own pros and cons.

Here's why I chose the Barnes and Noble nook over these other readers:

1. It's an open format reader, meaning it reads many different formats, not just books you buy from Barnes and Noble. I've got ebooks on my computer in various formats that I bought from various online sources. (Also, some publishers offer free downloadable reads directly from their websites.) With some ereaders, you can only read content you've purchased from them. They say you can send them the book in question and they'll reformat it for you, but I've talked with people who've done this and they tell me the format often comes back wonky. Plus, I didn't want the hassle of this extra step and wait for them to reformat.

[image error] 2. The nook was designed to work with Adobe Digital Editions, which is how I read ebooks on my computer, so I was familiar with it. The nook simply shows up as another element under Bookshelves. Check out the tiny red circle in the above image--that's my nook showing up in ADE. To move a book from my computer to my nook is as easy as drag and drop, just like copying a song into another playlist on iTunes.

3. I can read actual library books on my nook. This was a big one for me as I use my library regularly. The one I belong to has one of the largest ebook collections in the country--I'm so lucky! With just a press of a button, I've downloaded an e-book, it shows up under Borrowed when I open Adobe Digital Editions, and I've got 21 days before it disappears off my computer. Drag and drop into my nook, and voila, I'm reading a library book on my nook!

4. The nook displays the color images of the book covers. As a visual person, I'm attracted to book covers. Seeing a black and white image is just not the same. 

5. I chose to buy from Barnes and Noble because it's my closest bookstore, and we're there at least once or twice a week. A few times a month, they host a nook club in the coffee shop where you can drop in and learn more about the device. They have freebies where you can bring your nook into the store and get free stuff. Just before I bought mine, the freebie was Godiva chocolate--no other purchase necessary. You show them the little coupon on your nook (part of the changing digital content each week) and they give you a box with three truffles. Dang! I missed that!

6. And the final reason I bought a nook over the other readers is that my sister loves hers. I listen to my sister.

How Reading Category Romance Improves My Writing

As a writer and reader of paranormal romance, my tendency lately has been toward more plot--more bloodsucking, more killing, more evil dastardly villains. Basically, more paranormal-ness. But unless you have an emotional, internal conflict that's just as riveting as the external one, the story is flat, lacking in depth.

So what do I do to combat this tendency in my own writing?

I read more category romance, particularly Harlequin Presents. Why?

[image error] 1. They're emotional, character-driven stories with alpha-heroes, but without the paranormal-ness. Intense emotion is squeezed out in every scene, every time the hero and heroine are together. I'd been glossing over this in my own writing as I focused on the external story arc. However, my favorite paranormal books are the emotional ones, not the ones with zillions of paranormal creatures. Harlequin Presents books bring this emotion center-stage and Lynn Raye Harris writes some of my favorites.

2. They're fast-paced. I don't have to wade through lots of complex sub-plots to get to the heart of the story conflict, so the story structure is easier to see (and learn from). My favorite way to analyze stories is using the simple W-plot. Pick up a Presents and as you read it, make note of the following elements.
a) Inciting Incident - kicks the immediate story into motion
b) Change of Plans - the character(s), who are resistant to change, do something they hadn't planned
c)Point of No Return - something happens where the character is forced to make a decision and now there's no turning back
d) Black Moment/All is Lost - the world is ending, things look bleak, the characters are forced apart and you don't know how things will ever work out
e) Climax/Resolution - the characters overcome the black moment and the story has an emotional, satisfying ending

3. They're relatively short. You can read them in one or two sittings. As a writer, I don't have as much time as I'd like to read other books.

4. I'm inspired to delve deeper into the emotion in my own writing. While my characters have different reactions because they're different people--vampires, actually--it's interesting to read how someone else handles a similar emotional situation. When you see it in a Presents, it's easier to follow the sequence of how the character grows and changes, because the story is shorter and has less external fluff to wade through.

5. In our politically-correct society, I love reading about larger-than-life heroes, bosses, chiefs, and bad boys who would probably make me mad in real life. The intense emotion is fun to explore because it's so different from my reality. If I receive a critique of my work that my hero isn't sounding or acting alpha enough in a particular scene, I ask myself this: Would a gorgeous billionaire-playboy-prince who's a tortured vampire warrior act this way?

Since there are so many lines of category romance (romantic suspense, contemporary, historical, paranormal), you might want to try this with the type of books you write.