Roxanne Bland's Blog, page 3
June 17, 2017
It Was All About Me
Friday's (6/16) interview was a bit of a blow-away. The host called me about a half-hour before the show and said he wanted to talk about me. My childhood, my teen years. College. Law school.
It was unnerving, because I'm such a private individual. But the show must go on. It wasn't as bad as I thought. I mean, maybe it was because I was doing the show from my office, instead of in a studio, on TV, or being videotaped. But I opened up. A trip down memory lane, as it were.
Growing up in Washington, D.C. in the 1970s was a blast. The museums and monuments were my backyard. Can you imagine letting your 10-12 year old kid wander around the city unaccompanied? Absolutely not. It was a different time, and the world was a very different place.
Went to a fine arts high school. Played music every day. I was a pianist. Learned to play oboe (badly) and trombone (not so badly). I belonged to a city-wide orchestra and traveled to Japan with them.
College. Left music behind because though their music program was very good, it wasn't stellar. Should have gone to Julliard. But I didn't, and so college shaped me to go in a different direction. And I did.
Law school. Biggest mistake of my life, one that I'm still paying for. Enough said.
So there you have it. My life in a few paragraphs. Oh, there are a few other things that I'm leaving out, mainly because I don't want to bore you any longer.
Thanks for listening.
It was unnerving, because I'm such a private individual. But the show must go on. It wasn't as bad as I thought. I mean, maybe it was because I was doing the show from my office, instead of in a studio, on TV, or being videotaped. But I opened up. A trip down memory lane, as it were.
Growing up in Washington, D.C. in the 1970s was a blast. The museums and monuments were my backyard. Can you imagine letting your 10-12 year old kid wander around the city unaccompanied? Absolutely not. It was a different time, and the world was a very different place.
Went to a fine arts high school. Played music every day. I was a pianist. Learned to play oboe (badly) and trombone (not so badly). I belonged to a city-wide orchestra and traveled to Japan with them.
College. Left music behind because though their music program was very good, it wasn't stellar. Should have gone to Julliard. But I didn't, and so college shaped me to go in a different direction. And I did.
Law school. Biggest mistake of my life, one that I'm still paying for. Enough said.
So there you have it. My life in a few paragraphs. Oh, there are a few other things that I'm leaving out, mainly because I don't want to bore you any longer.
Thanks for listening.
June 12, 2017
Radio Interview
Below is a link for my upcoming interview with Doug Llewelyn of CUTV News Radio. The show will air LIVE on Friday, June 16th at 2 PM Eastern. If you can't join us, the show will be archived on my website, http://www.roxannebland.rocks.
Hope to "hear" you there!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/closeupt...
Hope to "hear" you there!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/closeupt...
You'll Either Love It Or You'll Hate It
I just had to share this.
The Underground: Second Edition received a 5-star review the other day. The review was thoughtful and insightful, what a review should be. The reviewer wrote something that absolutely tickled me. She said, "you'll either love it or you'll hate it," depending on whether you can "meld" with my world. She pretty much said the same thing--you'll either love it or you'll hate it--depending on whether you can stomach the profanity, violence and graphic erotic content. This is what I was trying to tell readers with my warning on the online descriptions and the warning--in big red letters--on the back of the book. If you can't handle it, move along.
At any rate, I'm also running a giveaway. When that review appeared, my numbers shot up. I suppose readers are curious now. But whoever wins, if they hate the book, they can't say they weren't forewarned.
Hee, hee.
The Underground: Second Edition received a 5-star review the other day. The review was thoughtful and insightful, what a review should be. The reviewer wrote something that absolutely tickled me. She said, "you'll either love it or you'll hate it," depending on whether you can "meld" with my world. She pretty much said the same thing--you'll either love it or you'll hate it--depending on whether you can stomach the profanity, violence and graphic erotic content. This is what I was trying to tell readers with my warning on the online descriptions and the warning--in big red letters--on the back of the book. If you can't handle it, move along.
At any rate, I'm also running a giveaway. When that review appeared, my numbers shot up. I suppose readers are curious now. But whoever wins, if they hate the book, they can't say they weren't forewarned.
Hee, hee.
June 4, 2017
Book Reviews
My last radio interview focused on book reviews. The first point, to state the obvious, is that a review is one person's opinion of your book. That can't be stressed enough. It is not about you as a person. I know of so many authors who take negative reviews personally, instead of for what they are. And negative reviews can be helpful. They can offer good, solid criticism that can help an author be a better writer. I know that the criticism I received on the first edition of The Underground helped make the second edition better. So don't dismiss the value of a negative review.
Second, we talked about paid reviews. There are two types of reviews, the editorial reviews--which you will pay for--and the reader reviews. Philosophically, most authors I know are against paid reviews. It cheapens and undermines the review process, they say. Money skews the review toward the positive. Philosophically, I am not against paid reviews, as long as the review is honest, meaning both parties understand that a paid review does not guarantee a good review. After all, we pay others for their opinions. Ah, but those are professionals, just like the professional reviewers. Unpaid reviewers do what they do for the love of books and reading. Yes, but is it so bad that these reviewers are paid? They invest a lot of time and effort in what they do. Personally, I have never paid for a review. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't. I have, however, investigated paid review sites, and they simply cost too much.
So that's what I think. How about you--what's your opinion?
Second, we talked about paid reviews. There are two types of reviews, the editorial reviews--which you will pay for--and the reader reviews. Philosophically, most authors I know are against paid reviews. It cheapens and undermines the review process, they say. Money skews the review toward the positive. Philosophically, I am not against paid reviews, as long as the review is honest, meaning both parties understand that a paid review does not guarantee a good review. After all, we pay others for their opinions. Ah, but those are professionals, just like the professional reviewers. Unpaid reviewers do what they do for the love of books and reading. Yes, but is it so bad that these reviewers are paid? They invest a lot of time and effort in what they do. Personally, I have never paid for a review. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't. I have, however, investigated paid review sites, and they simply cost too much.
So that's what I think. How about you--what's your opinion?
June 1, 2017
Back From Balticon!
And a good time was had by all. Saw a lot of old friends and made some new ones! That's what I love about Broad Universe. The networking. I've met so many wonderful writers who've become friends.
What's Broad Universe? It's an international non profit dedicated to promoting women writers of speculative fiction, of which I happen to be its President. BU sponsors tables at various conventions at which members can sell their books (this year, I sold several).
Here's something amusing. A woman walked up to me and handed me her card, introducing herself as a rocket scientist from Johns Hopkins. Balticon was her first con, and she was there to solicit ideas for projects Johns Hopkins might initiate. Just goes to show you--imagination is always the starting point. I tried to think of something, but all I could come up with was making the ion drive commercially viable. But NASA's already working on that.
My Balticon radio show went very well. What? I never told you? I'm doing a series of radio shows on Fridays at 2 PM Eastern (US) talking about life, the universe, and everything about writing and being an author. This week, I'm talking about reviews. If you're able to join me, here's the link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/closeupt...
If you miss the show, it'll be archived on my website, www.roxannebland.rocks.
That's all for now. Later, gators!
What's Broad Universe? It's an international non profit dedicated to promoting women writers of speculative fiction, of which I happen to be its President. BU sponsors tables at various conventions at which members can sell their books (this year, I sold several).
Here's something amusing. A woman walked up to me and handed me her card, introducing herself as a rocket scientist from Johns Hopkins. Balticon was her first con, and she was there to solicit ideas for projects Johns Hopkins might initiate. Just goes to show you--imagination is always the starting point. I tried to think of something, but all I could come up with was making the ion drive commercially viable. But NASA's already working on that.
My Balticon radio show went very well. What? I never told you? I'm doing a series of radio shows on Fridays at 2 PM Eastern (US) talking about life, the universe, and everything about writing and being an author. This week, I'm talking about reviews. If you're able to join me, here's the link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/closeupt...
If you miss the show, it'll be archived on my website, www.roxannebland.rocks.
That's all for now. Later, gators!
May 19, 2017
Great Giveaways!
And the giveaways are on! To celebrate the new release of The Underground: Second Edition, I'm giving away 30 print copies to 30 lucky winners on Goodreads! Ends June 15th!
Don't want a print copy? Then head on over to Smashwords, where you can get a copy of The Underground: Second Edition or The Moreva of Astoreth (or both!) using these coupons at checkout:
The Underground: Second Edition - UP88P
The Moreva of Astoreth - FT64Y
Smashwords giveaway ends on June 10th!
Happy reading!
Don't want a print copy? Then head on over to Smashwords, where you can get a copy of The Underground: Second Edition or The Moreva of Astoreth (or both!) using these coupons at checkout:
The Underground: Second Edition - UP88P
The Moreva of Astoreth - FT64Y
Smashwords giveaway ends on June 10th!
Happy reading!
May 11, 2017
Just Released! The Underground: Second Edition!
I and my publisher, Blackrose Press, are happy to announce the release of The Underground: Second Edition!
Check out the preview!
The Underground: Second Edition
Check out the preview!
The Underground: Second Edition
April 20, 2017
An End...And A Beginning
Well, The Underground Second Edition is in the final stages of production. I'm anticipating that it'll be ready for publishing by May 1, possibly even sooner. If it is, I think I'll hold on to it. I have it in my head for a May release, and we certainly don't want to upset my poor little head...
And my 10-part series of radio interviews ended on April 10. If you missed it, or any part of it, you can listen to the entire series (or just one or two installments) on my website, www.roxannebland.rocks, under the "News" tab.
But...! The news program has asked me to return for 8 more shows. Isn't that wonderful? They liked me that much, I suppose. The new series will run on Fridays and 2 PM EDT (US) from May 19 through July 7. Hope you can take a listen. If not, the shows will be archived on my website, too.
I don't know if this counts as a beginning, but now that The Moreva of Astoreth is out of the way and The Underground Second Edition is pretty much the same, now I can FINALLY get back to writing the sequel to The Underground. I feel like I'm beginning, anyway, and I guess that what counts.
So that's all for now. Peace to all!
And my 10-part series of radio interviews ended on April 10. If you missed it, or any part of it, you can listen to the entire series (or just one or two installments) on my website, www.roxannebland.rocks, under the "News" tab.
But...! The news program has asked me to return for 8 more shows. Isn't that wonderful? They liked me that much, I suppose. The new series will run on Fridays and 2 PM EDT (US) from May 19 through July 7. Hope you can take a listen. If not, the shows will be archived on my website, too.
I don't know if this counts as a beginning, but now that The Moreva of Astoreth is out of the way and The Underground Second Edition is pretty much the same, now I can FINALLY get back to writing the sequel to The Underground. I feel like I'm beginning, anyway, and I guess that what counts.
So that's all for now. Peace to all!
March 3, 2017
And, They're Out!
My commercial came out today on YouTube. I think they did a pretty good job with it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxPDx...
My video interview is also out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDsmo...
And my radio interviews--this is the 4th installment.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/closeupt...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxPDx...
My video interview is also out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDsmo...
And my radio interviews--this is the 4th installment.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/closeupt...
October 8, 2016
Taking It To The Next Level
Since I know practically zilch about marketing, I finally broke down and hired people to do it for me. It ain't cheap. Oh, no, no, no. But I did a radio interview, and it must have had some impact, because this marketing firm reached out to me. At first I thought it was a scam, but then a little voice inside my head (I got lots of 'em) said "why not give it a go?" So they're making up a press kit for me. Next week I do a video interview, complete with makeup artist and all. Then after that, a couple more interviews. And after that, assuming all goes well, I'll have speaking engagements.
Though I'd love to be an "overnight sensation" I know it won't happen that way. It might be a year, it might be years. But I do sort of feel like I'm on my way. We'll just have to see, 'cause only time will tell. Stay tuned.
Though I'd love to be an "overnight sensation" I know it won't happen that way. It might be a year, it might be years. But I do sort of feel like I'm on my way. We'll just have to see, 'cause only time will tell. Stay tuned.
