Kelly McClymer's Blog, page 8

Holiday Book Blitz: Conquering Bah Humbug and Healthy Sticky Bun Recipe with Sylvie Kurtz

Please welcome Sylvie Kurtz to the blog. I have known Sylvie a long time, and have been privileged to have advance sneak peeks of some of her books, including A Little Christmas Magic. I love Sylvie’s writing, and this story of a grinch whose heart is melted by his beautiful neighbor and her son is one of my favorites! Therefore, Sylvie will be kicking off the holiday book blitz — books that help with the holiday blues, make you laugh, make you cry (a little), and prove you can go home for th...

Why It Is a Great Time To Be An Author — Reason #1: Amazon’s Dan Slater

I learned a lot at the recent Novelists Inc. conference. But one outstanding thing I learned was that Dan Slater of Amazon is a very smart man.

I borrowed this picture from his Linked In page because it perfectly captures the face he showed us at the NINC conference — that of a man who loves what he does.

Faced with a room full of published (traditional, indie, and self) authors eager to discover the secrets behind reaching readers (aka discoverability), he dished facts, provided graphs, listen...

Frankenstorm and Novelists Inc Conference 2012

Back From the Abyss

You may have noticed I’ve been absent for a while. Or, conversely, you may have forgotten I exist at all.

As co-chair of the 2012Novelists Inc. conference (held last week in White Plains, NY), I’ve been snowed under with last minute conference details and life has felt a bit like a hurricane for a month or so.

Ironic, eh? The conference (theme: profitable partnerships) went off spectacularly, although news of Frankenstorm managed to penetrate the conference bubble and most of...

Russia: A Land Rich With Contradictions — Perfect Setting for a Thriller

Please welcome George Eccles to the blog today. I heard George speak about the setting and background for his novel, The Oligarchand I just had to have him guest post for you. Russia is one of those countries whose history fascinates me (beginning with my youthful interest in the story of Tsar Alexander’s daughter Anastasia, of course).

Why Russia fascinates me

Russia is a country of enormous contrasts. Geographically it occupies nine different time zones and one-eighth of the total world’s lan...

Bank of America Hates My Small Business

BoA Sold My Account Without a By Your Leave

I feel like occupying Wall Street right now. At the beginning of the year, I decided it was past time for me to get a business account. I went to my local credit union (where I already have several accounts), but the staff person was even less informed about how to open a business account than I was (she slid the paperwork I had earnestly brought with me, in the event that information was needed to open my account, back across the desk to me and info...

On the Way to the Wedding Roadtrip: The Wedding!

Kelly here again (you didn’t think I’d let Jim have the fun of talking about the wedding, did you?) Thank you for hanging in with us as we reported on our roadtrip to the wedding. Apologies for taking so long to get to the main event. We’ve been sifting through pictures and memories while resuming our normal lives. We were blessed to have many pictures from friends and family to choose from, but that takes time…and space.

The trip to the wedding was worthwhile, but the wedding was… perfect fr...

On the Way to the Wedding Roadtrip: Reports From Jim — Brick Oven Pizza and S’Mores at Chalet View Lodge

1 day until the WEDDING!!!

I admit it was a bit of a blur; we met family at the continental breakfast while plans for the day were made. A hike was planned but my blister kept me sidelined and I seemed to have enough to keep me busy. Those who went on the hike climbed mountains and valleys for 5 hours and had a great time. My brother confided he worried a bit about keeping up but his pride wouldn’t let Kelly’s aunt outdo him!

The groom-to-be’s family kept with the casual and friends-and-family...

On the Way to the Wedding Roadtrip: Reports from Jim — The Flocking of Family and Friends

Wedding: Two Days or Bust

I forgot to mention, the previous night, after a quick checking out of the house we headed for the hotel where the Rehearsal dinner was going to be held and where most of the family would stay (The Chalet View Lodge). In an amazing coincidence all of Kelly’s sisters, mom and we arrived within 20 minutes of each other, something we couldn’t have pulled off with months of planning. We confessed the no food situation, but promised there would be a big cookout gathering a...

On the Way to the Wedding Roadtrip: Reports from Jim — We Arrive at the Wedding Venue

Winding Our Way to Graeagle

It was a 5 hr trip from SF to Graeagle, where we rented a house for the wedding. We could choose to travel back on I-80 (through the Donner Pass), which we had done on the way from Reno or the back route, about same time according to Mavis (and future son-in-law Pete). We took the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge (no toll in our direction-saved $5!) on 580 to 80 to Sacramento. We crossed a small bridge which cost $5 (no free lunch for us). Left SAC for 99 north to Yuba Ci...

On the Way to the Wedding: Jim’s Roadtrip Reports — California, Here We Are

For those of you who have been hanging on to read about the best part of the trip, good news: we’re almost to the wedding. Today’s episode sees us arrive in San Francisco, California for a visit with Daughter (aka Kristen) and Almost Son-in-law (aka Pete) before heading to Graeagle, where the wedding will take place. Thank you for your patience as we unfold the story. I promise the wedding pictures will be spectacular.

A Home is Made of Family and Friends, But Walls and a Pool are Also Nice

We...