Lelia Eye's Blog, page 4

Publication: A Bevy of Suitors

 

If you haven’t checked out A Bevy of Suitors yet, we would encourage you to do so! For the paperback, you can go here, and for the ebook, please go here.

When a chance remark from Mr. Darcy causes Mr. Bingley to rethink which Bennet daughter he wishes to pursue, Elizabeth Bennet finds herself the focus of Mr. Bingley’s attentions. Though her dearest sister encourages her to allow herself to determine her feelings for the man, Elizabeth finds her eye caught by the more reserved Mr. Darcy.

But these are not the only suitors for Elizabeth’s hand, as Mr. Wickham and Mr. Collins also prove themselves determined to draw her attention.

Though Elizabeth would never have imagined that she would be the focus of such attention, she finds herself forced to choose from among a bevy of suitors . . . .

Publication Date Announcement: A Bevy of Suitors

We are excited to announce the upcoming publication of the Pride and Prejudice variation A Bevy of Suitors. Our anticipated publication date is May 31, and you will be able to find it on Amazon.

When a chance remark from Mr. Darcy causes Mr. Bingley to rethink which Bennet daughter he wishes to pursue, Elizabeth Bennet finds herself the focus of Mr. Bingley’s attentions. Though her dearest sister encourages her to allow herself to determine her feelings for the man, Elizabeth finds her eye caught by the more reserved Mr. Darcy.

But these are not the only suitors for Elizabeth’s hand, as Mr. Wickham and Mr. Collins also prove themselves determined to draw her attention.

Though Elizabeth would never have imagined that she would be the focus of such attention, she finds herself forced to choose from among a bevy of suitors . . . .

Future Publication Announcement: On Wings of Air

We are happy to announce the upcoming release of our newest novel, On Wings of Air. As anyone who has been following us will know, we have published a series of Pride and Prejudice variations over the past two years. While we are pleased with the success of those works and have enjoyed writing them, our first love has always been fantasy fiction.

To that end, we have been developing a fantasy fiction work which will be released this year. It will be the first of a trilogy which chronicles the adventures of Prince Skye of the Skychildren and Princess Tierra of the Groundbreathers, two scions of ancient races which have a historic enmity against one another.

As a part of this release, we will create a separate page within our blog for the series. This page will be populated with character bios, places, creatures, facts, and personal anecdotes about the development and ultimate release of the series. We will also include cover art and release information as it becomes available.

In the interim, here is a small excerpt from On Wings of Air.

 

Tierra had rarely seen such a fog as had fallen that evening. It drifted throughout the courtyard, slinking around statues, creeping along the cobblestones, sneaking through the shrubs. Its undulations were almost otherworldly, as if some mysterious force were pushing it through the air like waves of incorporeal water. The fog was so thick that it seemed almost impossible to penetrate, and the notion of returning to her warm bed was a tempting one.

But Tierra knew that she needed to be the one to prevent Skye from escaping, and so she continued to step forward carefully, her eyes darting here and there in search of the rogue slave.

“I know you are here, Skye,” she said. Her voice sounded eerily loud in the seemingly empty courtyard. “If you give yourself up now instead of forcing me to bring you in, your punishment shall be much lighter.”

A soft snort sounded in the air above her.

Tierra looked up in surprise. There, squatting among the eddying currents of the fog, was Skye. A self-satisfied grin stretched across his face, and his blue eyes glittered with amusement.

For a moment, Tierra froze in surprise. How was Skye actually able to stand on the fog, of all things? But the question soon disappeared from her mind. She was caught by the ethereal beauty of the Skychild as wisps of fog swirled about him, the light of nearby torches causing the air to shimmer like the dance of moonlight on newly fallen snow.

Skye reached down and grabbed her. She did not struggle as he lifted her into his arms. She was too surprised to do more than gasp.

He sprinted upward into the rising fog and over the castle walls, moving toward the countryside beyond. In a night of surprises, the act of actually going over the walls on stairs made of nothing more substantial than air was the greatest shock to Tierra’s already alarmed state. After they made it over the walls, they descended a little closer to the ground, the fog unfurling before them to create a path.

It was impossible for her to process much at that point. Changing from captor to captive in an instant was enough to draw anyone up short. Yet despite the whirlwind of confusion assaulting her brain, she was able to register two things.

The first was that Skye was holding her in a rather intimate way while she was in her nightgown. He had one arm was wrapped around her waist, and the other was beneath her legs, almost as a man might hold his wife. She had not simply been thrown over his shoulder as she might have expected from a Skychild carrying off a captive Groundbreather, and she shivered at the realization. The second (and more important) thought that occurred to her was that she had not been tied up . . . and that the ground was not so far beneath her that a fall would kill her.

She looked up at the Skychild, noting the amusement tugging at the corners of his mouth and the way he clutched her tighter when he felt her gaze on him. Beneath that smugness hid something soft and perhaps even warm. He did not wish to hurt her.

Tierra smiled to herself. Then she jammed the edge of her palm up against his chin.

“Celesta’s skies!” he swore, his grip on her loosening.

She tossed her sword down to the ground and struggled out of his grasp, pushing away from him. As she fell, she grabbed the bottom of his legs, trying to slow her momentum right before she let go. But all she did was bring him down with her.

They fell in a heap onto the grass, with Skye landing heavily on top of her. She let out a grunt of pain and glared up at him.

Ignoring her discomfort, the arrogant Skychild grinned down at her. “I should have expected more of a fight from you. Just be glad my sword didn’t accidentally bring a quick end to our night with that foolish move you pulled. It could have gutted one of us, you know.”

The close proximity of their faces made Tierra’s stomach twist, as if someone had stirred up a nest of ground-snakes which writhed in her abdomen. Yet she ignored the feeling and shoved Skye off her. She sprinted over to her sword and picked it up, feeling a sense of relief once the familiar hilt was in her hand. This was territory she could handle.

In the meantime, Skye was calmly rising to his feet and pulling a sword out of his belt.

She took a few steps forward and pointed her own blade at him. “You cannot win this fight, Skye. You might as well give up now.”

Implacable Resentment – Publication Announcement

I am pleased to announce the publication of my new novel, Implacable Resentment. This is my third solo effort, and I’m excited about its release. Like all of the previous novels Lelia and I have written, is now available on Amazon, here in paperback format, and here in ebook format.

For those who have read my previous efforts, you will notice that Implacable Resentment has a different atmosphere, as it is not a typical Pride and Prejudice variation. It deals with some serious subjects, and though the heroine prevails in the end, she does not achieve her happy ending without heartache.

* * *

The cruelty of an all-consuming grudge is enough to drive a nine-year-old Elizabeth Bennet from her family home to spend the rest of her childhood with the Gardiners.

When she is nineteen, her family calls her home, and she heeds the summons with her head held high, only to discover that the prejudice against her has not abated with time.

She meets a variety of people previously unknown to her, including the pleasant Mr. Darcy and the odious Mr. Collins, and she is allowed to feel as if love is within her grasp. But first she must defeat the machinations of her father, who has her future planned out for her . . .

* * *

It is an inescapable truth that a gentleman, when confronted with a set of untenable circumstances, must take it upon himself to ease the situation when the principals involved in said situation are unable—or unwilling—to resolve matters for themselves.

Edward Gardiner was painfully aware of that fact as he walked the corridors of his brother’s house one fateful morning, determined that something must be done to ease the situation before something tragic happened.

He stepped up to the door of his brother’s bookroom, and after a staccato rap on the door, he heard the command to enter, a prompt with which Gardiner lost no time in complying.

The bookroom was his brother’s sole consolation in a house where the boisterous concerns of a wife and five daughters were paramount, and although Gardiner was not precisely forbidden from going inside the room (unlike his female relations), he was not precisely welcomed in Mr. Bennet’s sanctum either. The room was not overly large, but every available wall space was covered with bookshelves, and although there was still space left on the shelves for further purchases, Gardiner could tell Bennet had not been remiss in adding to his collection over the years since they had first become acquainted.

Seating himself in the chair opposite the desk, Gardiner studied his brother, comparing himself to the older man seated across from him. Gardiner had been taught from an early age the importance of industry; his father had instilled in him a sense of responsibility, not only to himself, but also to his family, those with whom he worked, and society in general. By contrast, his brother Bennet rarely felt the need to stir from his bookroom, preferring to shut himself away from the world, ignore his family, and comfort himself with his books. Gardiner was not certain how the work of the estate was ever accomplished, as he had rarely seen Bennet exert himself in any manner for the betterment of the estate or his children. Circumstances being what they were, Gardiner knew it was imperative that his brother start planning for the future of his family should no heir be produced.

He was greeted shortly and offered a glass of port. Mr. Bennet seemed curious as to what brought his brother into his bookroom and, after a moment, posed the question.

Mr. Gardiner began the conversation thus:

“I have come to speak to you today about a matter of some concern.”

Mr. Bennet regarded his brother through narrowed eyes. “Well, then, speak your mind.”

“It is regarding Elizabeth, brother.”

Mr. Bennet nodded his head, as if his suspicions were confirmed. “What has that child done now? Surely this is something you could have taken up with your sister; I am certain she will see to the girl’s punishment if she has misbehaved.”

Gardiner had to smother his inclination to exclaim in disbelief. “From what I have seen of Elizabeth, she is far too timid and emotionally fragile to misbehave as you suggest.”

Much to Gardiner’s dismay, his brother chose to ignore his words about the girl’s emotional state. “Then why have you interrupted my solitude? Whatever you have to say about the child could certainly have been said at dinner or when the family is gathered together in the parlor.”

Gardiner forbore mentioning that the opportunity to have any kind of discussion while the family was gathered together was unlikely due to Bennet’s propensity for spending every waking moment with his books. Instead, Gardiner came right to the point.

“I would like to know what has happened to her, brother. While I have not seen her in some time now due to being preoccupied with my business, I am startled at the change that has come over her. When I last saw the child, she was a bright and precocious girl of two, and now at nine, she can hardly be recognized as the same child.”

“And what of it? All children change substantially in six years’ time.”

Gardiner was not to be put off. “Please do not insult my intelligence, brother. Sarah and I can both see what is happening here, and neither of us is comfortable with the way Elizabeth is being treated by this family.”

A dangerous glint appeared in Bennet’s eye, and for a moment, Gardiner considered whether his brother was a little mad. The thought was brief and barely flickered across Gardiner’s consciousness. However, the anger on Bennet’s face was evident.

“What are you suggesting, Gardiner?” demanded he. “Do you think I abuse my daughter?”

“Calm yourself, Bennet. I was suggesting nothing of the kind. Anyone with eyes in their head can see the child bears no marks of physical abuse. I was speaking of emotional scars, not physical ones.”

Bennet’s response was to bluster. “I have no idea of what you are speaking. Now, if we are finished, I would very much appreciate the use of my bookroom.”

“No, Bennet, we are not finished. Do not sit there and try to tell me you cannot see what is happening in your house under your very nose—and with your tacit approval, I might add!”

The two men glared at each other over the desk, the tension in the room no less than Gardiner would have expected for a discussion of this nature. He reflected grimly that there had been a time when he would have been hesitant to challenge a man who was not only his elder brother by marriage, but who was also his superior in the eyes of society. It was a fortunate thing, indeed, that his dealings and experience with the world had done away with his youthful reticence when speaking those of the upper classes.

“I am sorry to bring you pain, brother, but I fear I must speak clearly. Sarah and I are very concerned for the emotional wellbeing of your second daughter. She wears the dullest, most threadbare dresses I have ever seen on a young girl—dresses I would not expect to see worn by the lowest of urchins on the back streets of London. No one in this family, outside of Jane, has a kind word to say to her, and even then, if Jane speaks kindly to Elizabeth in the company of her mother, she is immediately scolded and told not to waste her . . . breath on . . . well, let us just say I shall not repeat my sister’s words. Furthermore, your wife treats her as a being worthy of only contempt, as if she is something less than human, and it may have escaped your notice, but the younger girls, Lydia in particular, have begun to emulate their mother, and they treat her with the utmost in disdain and cruelty. And unless I am very much mistaken, I suspect the child’s education has been all but nonexistent; indeed, I would hazard a guess that at the age of nine, she is still unable to read. Need I go on?”

Throughout Gardiner’s recital, he could see the defiance and anger drain from his brother’s countenance, to be replaced with a profound sorrow, the likes of which he had only seen once on Bennet’s face. “You would be correct. To the best of my knowledge, she has had no education and is illiterate.”

“Can you not even say her name, brother?”

Bennet’s countenance darkened once again, but he did not deign to respond to the charge.

“Robert, as a brother and a friend, I feel it is my place to intervene on Elizabeth’s behalf. She is desperately unhappy, and spends every spare minute of her time out of doors, going as far from the house as she can and still be on the grounds, obviously wishing to be as far removed from her family as she can contrive. At the dinner table, she rarely forces more than a few mouthfuls of food past her lips. She is so thin as to be almost emaciated, and soon, you are likely to lose a daughter; she will no doubt starve herself to death—if the unhappiness of her situation does not make her do something desperate before then.”

Mr. Bennet let out a long sigh and stared at the book sitting on his desk, refusing to meet his brother’s eyes. “Believe me, Edward; I know all of this.”

“Then why have you not done something about it?” demanded Gardiner.

“Because I . . . cannot. I fully understand the situation with Elizabeth and have berated myself on my inability to do anything about it many times. I cannot even begin to relate the number of times I have sat here, listening my wife mistreating her, steeling myself to have a word with Maggie over it, only to find myself powerless to move from my desk. Your sister has treated her cruelly, the other girls have been encouraged to speak to her with contempt, and I have allowed all of this to happen. I simply cannot . . . Every time I see the child, I remember.”

“Robert, I understand your pain. Is it not time to let go of the past?”

Gardiner’s statement brought the fire back into his brother’s eyes. “How can you possibly understand? You who are childless,” spat Bennet as he rose to his feet and began pacing the room.

Gardiner never felt more in need of guidance than at that moment, and he said a quick prayer to the Lord above for patience and understanding. “Then let us say that I can empathize, brother.”

“Empathize!” Bennet’s tone was cloaked in bitterness. “I should like to see your reaction to similar circumstances. I should like to see you witness . . .” Bennet’s voice faltered, and he sat down in his chair again heavily, desperately fighting to gain control over his emotions.

Gardiner regarded him for several moments. He suspected his appeals would amount to naught, but there was no other option but to try. It seemed as though his brother and sister were still trapped on that fateful day more than six years before, and nothing could convince them to let the past go and move on. If Gardiner could not make his brother see reason and take action for Elizabeth’s welfare, then he would have no recourse but to fall back on the other option he and his wife had discussed.

“Robert, I understand that it has been hard for you—the births of the younger girls must have made it doubly difficult—but have you never considered the fact that as a child of two, Elizabeth should not have been held responsible for what happened? Indeed, I am inclined to think that negligence was more the cause than willful disobedience.”

Bennet barked a short, mirthless burst of laughter. “You certainly think highly of your sister! Negligence indeed!”

“Can you deny it?”

“I cannot,” said Bennet after a moment’s pause. “The circumstances . . . let us simply say I have tried to tell myself this more often than I can relate.”

“Can you not exert yourself for her welfare, Robert? As I recall, she was once the apple of your eye.”

His countenance cast in a morose expression, Mr. Bennet stared at his desk for several moments. “I am sorry, Edward, but I can do nothing. I told you—every time I think to do something, the mere sight of her causes me to remember . . . Ah! I cannot even speak of it! She is the cause of our family’s distress; she is the instrument of this family’s eventual downfall. I cannot forgive her for this.”

Gardiner sighed and leaned back in his seat, unhappy that his conjectures regarding the result of his appeal should prove so prophetically correct. There was only one thing left to do, and he hoped most fervently that his brother would be amenable to the proposition.

“In that case, brother, I fear it is up to me to resolve the situation.”

Bennet peered at him, his gaze sharp and penetrating. “What do you mean?”

“Let us take Elizabeth with us to London.”

“You, a newlywed man, wish to take a girl of nine to live with you and your wife? What will Mrs. Gardiner have to say about this?”

“It was her suggestion, Robert. The plight of your second daughter has touched us both, and we cannot, in good conscience, allow the situation to continue as it has. I wish to God I had paid more attention to your family and visited Longbourn a few years ago. If I had, I would have intervened long ago. I fear the damage to Elizabeth will not be easily overcome, as it has been six years in the making.”

Bennet hung his head in shame at the pronouncement, allowing Gardiner to feel some measure of hope.

“I am not attempting to place any blame,” said Gardiner. “But something must be done, and although I would prefer that you take up your daughter’s cause so that she may stay with her family, I fear this is impossible. Allow us to take her to London with us. We will care for her, provide her with an education, and love her as you and Maggie are unable to do. Think of her welfare, Robert.”

The silence in the room was deafening, and as it wore on, Gardiner began to feel fear that his offer would be rejected. What would he do if it was? Could he, in defiance of all that was proper, remove Elizabeth from his brother’s house forcibly? Yet could he in good conscience leave her in a situation which was crushing her? At the very least, he did not suppose his brother would stop him if he did decide to take so drastic a measure—surely he could not be roused from his bookroom for such an effort.

Finally, Bennet’s eyes rose from where they have been fixed at some spot on his desk, and he tried one last feeble protest. “Your sister will not approve. She will be most put out that you would take her least deserving daughter to enjoy the delights of London.”

“Bennet, to be perfectly frank, Maggie’s opinion does not concern me in the slightest. I have always known my sister was not blessed with the greatest of sense, and although I knew she was capable of spiteful behavior, I never would have imagined it would be directed in such a vindictive manner at one of her own children. I am quite determined that something must be done. You and Maggie are destroying that poor girl, and I cannot stand idly by and do nothing. If you will give me your consent, I will readily deal with my sister.”

With a sigh, Bennet extended his hand. “It is settled then, Edward. Take the girl with you to London. It is for the best.”

Gardiner shook his brother’s hand, feeling no small measure of relief. “Thank you, Robert. Believe me when I say we shall treat her as our very own.”

“She will be far better off with you, I am certain. I advise you to keep this development to yourself until it is time for you to leave—you will hear no end of nervous suffering and complaints of ill-usage once Maggie becomes aware of your plans.”

“I am well aware of my sister’s disposition. Be that as it may, it is of little import, as we intend to leave today.”

“So soon?” asked Bennet, the surprise clearly evident on his face.

“I believe it to be necessary. We must remove Elizabeth from this house as soon as possible for her own good, and Sarah has been preparing all morning for such an eventuality. We will celebrate Christmas in town with Elizabeth.”

Bennet winced as the implications of what he had just been told entered his consciousness. Nevertheless, he nodded curtly to his brother, indicating his consent. “I hope you understand what I am doing for the girl, Edward. Maggie will be upset that you are leaving so soon after you arrived, and that is not even taking into account the objections she will raise over your plans to take her daughter with you. You will only have to put up with her nerves until you close the carriage door behind you, while I will likely have to deal with them for months to come.”

Gardiner inclined his head in understanding. “Consider it the least you can do in light of the situation. If you had been able to control your wife’s behavior toward your daughter, we would not be in this situation.”

Bennet said nothing in response, merely waving his brother from the room, his hand already reaching for the book that had been discarding. Expecting no less, Gardiner nodded in response and strode to the door, pausing to turn and regard his brother, knowing it could be some years again before they met.

“Brother, if I make a suggestion. Now that you are ceding guardianship of Elizabeth to me, it would behoove you to think of your other daughters. Hiding yourself away in your bookroom will not provide for your children once you are gone, especially if there is to be no heir. I strongly suggest you curb Maggie’s spending and put some money aside for their eventual care.”

Bennet scowled but did not deign to look up from his book. Sighing with regret, Gardiner turned his back on his brother and left to inform his wife of their impending departure.

Review of “Thorny” by Publishers Weekly

I am excited to announce that Publishers Weekly has reviewed Thorny, noting, “The story is peppered with sly references to other fairy tales . . . . Beauty (here, called Labelle) and the protagonist are locked in a guessing game over his name for much of the book, à la Rumpelstiltskin; Beauty’s long golden locks require a servant to carry them, evoking a free-roaming Rapunzel; and Labelle’s stepmother is so wicked her father would rather she lived with a beast, crossing into Cinderella territory. Eye weaves a fun tale as she pieces together several well-loved fairy tales.” For the full review, please visit here or here.

The New Year

I’ve been thinking about 2015 and what it might mean. I haven’t thought much more than passingly on a resolution for the new year until today. I’ve had a few thoughts about personal health, of course, but I’m wondering if a more mental approach might be the way to go.

I have heard a few people say they’d like to work on their attitudes–to be positive about things and less inclined to vent/complain. I think that’s really a good approach to take. Thinking positively certainly can’t hurt you, can it? And it has the possibility of bringing about good things. When you are positive, it influences others to be positive, which in turn feeds back to you.

So have a positive attitude! Instead of getting angry when your child makes a mess and giggles about it, try to commit that precious giggle to memory. Instead of complaining about something in your personal life or at work, be glad that you have friends and family and a job to help pay your bills.

It makes me think of a Steven Curtis Chapman song called “Do Everything.” Just because you are flipping burgers or raising kids doesn’t mean there can’t be something spectacular about your life and how you live it. Live happily and with purpose! Don’t waste all your time in front of the television. If you want to be a writer, then do some writing! If you want to be a better-read individual, then buy an e-reader and download a bunch of free old books. If you want to be a good mom, then smile at your child and stop sweating the petty stuff.

Make this new year even better than the last. Don’t put people down to make yourself feel better . . . because in the end, you won’t truly end up feeling better at all. Instead, compliment people, smile at people, and show them you care. Let’s not just make this a better new year, but a happier one!

Writing Musings

I came across this link listing several quotes and philosophies of famous writers and thought I would offer my musings on just a few of them.

One rule Ernest Hemingway apparently lived by was the need to use short sentences and short first paragraphs. You can definitely see that in his works, but I think that using short sentences alone is a mistake. I think one thing it is important for a writer to do is to use a variety of sentence lengths. When it comes to sentence lengths and word choices, it doesn’t hurt to add some variety. As for having short first paragraphs, that isn’t necessarily a bad idea . . . as long as you can think of a really good short first paragraph.
Mark Twain once said: “Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very;’ your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.” It’s obviously meant to be humorous, but there’s a grain of truth in it. Use “find and replace” to delete as many instances of “very” as you can. Do the same with words like “somehow” and “just”–there are certain empty words that add nothing to a work, and you should remove as many of those as you can.
Anton Chekhov said: “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” This is one of the best examples of “show, don’t tell” out there. It’s much easier said than done, but you should always keep it in mind.
Truman Capote said: “I believe more in the scissors than I do in the pencil.” Editing is an amazing thing. Just because you have good ideas and got them on paper doesn’t mean that what is before you is actually good. You need to edit the heck out of anything you write if you expect people to take a second glance.
Stephen King advises, “Read a lot and write a lot.” If you can’t do both of those, there is no sense in trying to be a writer. This is probably the best writing advice you can ever get. The more you read and write, the better you’ll get.

 

Book Signing Tips

If you are a writer and have published something, you will probably want to do a book signing at some point. I recently did a book signing and thought I would share a few tips. I’m going to explain some individual items, but I will also include a checklist at the end of some different items in case you would like a print-off to assist you for the big day.

Assistant – You should find someone to act as your helper. This person can help you get everything set up. Tell them ahead of time how you will want things. It is possible you will get busy talking to some people, and it will be beneficial to have someone who knows what is going on and can work to make things happen even if there are some delays. While you are busy signing books and socializing with people, this person can handle the money and, if necessary, write receipts. If you have a mailing list sheet, this person can invite people to write their names on it after they pay for their books.
Arrival Time – I would recommend trying to arrive at least forty-five minutes early. There could be unexpected issues with parking, and it may take some time to move your books and supplies from your car to the book signing area. It is better to sit and talk to your helper for thirty minutes than it is to feel rushed by early birds or due to unexpected problems.
Candy Bowl – If you are doing a program that has a reception with snacks, then you probably won’t need this. But if you are doing a book signing alone, then this will encourage people to stop by your table, and you can chat with them. If you can include candy that is relevant to your book(s), then so much the better.
Blank Paper – This could have a variety of uses. You might have someone who writes a receipt. You might make a networking connection and find the need to write down contact information.
Books – Obviously, you don’t want to forget these! I would recommend you bring at least 20 of each book. If you are doing a book signing in a place where your family is well known, you might want to bring 30. Any extras can always be sold later. You should also ask the person you are coordinating the book signing with what number of books they recommend.
Mailing List Sheet – You might want to consider putting a mailing list sheet out for people to sign up to receive updates from you. You can sign up at MailChimp for free. Unfortunately, you need to include your mailing address, which must be included on any emails you send (due to U.S. laws). If you don’t have a P.O. Box, you might want to consider this one carefully.
Pens – Obviously, you will need to sign books with a pen, but you might also have need of some to put with things like the mailing list.
Sharpie – You might want to bring a Sharpie or two to be safe. You might need to make an impromptu sign, or you might have someone who wants you to sign the front cover of their book.
Gift – Chances are you have probably had several communications with the person you have been coordinating the book signing with. For putting up with you, they definitely deserve a small gift.
Book Order Form – If you run out of books, there may be someone who expresses interest in ordering some. Create an order form with columns such as: First Name, Last Name, Phone Number, Email Address, Book, # of Copies, Signed (Y/N), and Total ($). If you are going to be mailing books, then you will obviously need a mailing address as well. You might want to look into how much an envelope and postage will cost so that you can charge appropriately.
Pricing List – People need to know how much your books are going to cost. Make an easily visible list by the books. Print this on cardstock.
Book Stand(s) – You might want to have your cardstock pricing list up on a little stand to help with visibility. You might also want to have a copy of each of your books up on stands for visibility.
Scissors – You never know when you will need these. Maybe you have a string hanging off your shirt; maybe you had a tag on something that you forgot to cut off. Bring a pair.
Calculator – If you are good at mental math or simply prefer scrap paper, then you don’t need this. But if you have different books at different prices, this can be helpful.
Tape – If you need to make an impromptu sign, this could come in handy.
Guestbook – You might want to later remember who came to your book signing. If you start a guestbook, you can have that information at hand (which will include approximate numbers, though everyone won’t sign).
PowerPoint – If you are doing a program (and not just a book signing), then you should consider a PowerPoint with some pictures. Since copyright issues can be tricky, you might try to stick with clipart and non-copyrighted images. It is good for the audience to be able to look at something other than you, and there are some things that just work best when shown. When you create your PowerPoint, don’t just put everything you’re going to say on the slides. PowerPoints are meant to be guides and have headers of your major points; the rest needs to come from your brain (and mouth). Most slides probably won’t have more than like 5-10 words on them. If you are merely reading from the slides, it’s boring for the audience.
USB Drive – If you have a PowerPoint, then you need to bring it on a USB drive. This is another reason why it would be good to come early, as you will probably need to get the PowerPoint set up.
Thank-You Notes – This isn’t something you will probably bring with you. But after the fact, you should send thank-you notes to everyone who helped you out.

 

Book Signing Checklist

Candy Bowl
Paper
Books
Mailing List Sheet
Pens
Sharpie
­Gift
Book Order Form
Book Stand(s)
Pricing List
Scissors
Calculator
Tape
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Review of Lelia Eye’s “Thorny” on Been There, Read That

Lelia Eye’s Thorny has been featured on the “Been There, Read That” blog. Haley Keller says in her review, “I’m really happy to say that Thorny was probably one of the best Beauty and the Beast retellings that I’ve ever read. I started off skeptical, but I really did fall in love with this story quickly.” Please click here to read the review in full.

Publication Misprint

Lelia and I wish to extend our apologies for an error which appeared in the first edition of our new novel A Summer in Brighton. In the coming attractions section at the end of the book, we announced our next joint P&P based novel entitled A Bevy of Suitors and incorrectly stated a release of spring 2014. This should actually have read spring 2015 instead. It’s rather amazing to us both that neither of us caught that error. That’s what you get when you act as author, editor, and publisher all rolled into one! We apologize for any confusion this has caused.