Terry Odell's Blog, page 120

Marketing – Review Building Programs

On Monday, I talked about newsletter mailing lists as a critical part of book marketing, and referred to a service I’d tried. Today, I’m going to share results from another program offered by that same service, a “read and review” option.

The first time I tried the feature, authors paid a fee and got twenty names of people who wanted to read and review your book, and you gave them a copy. Not everyone followed through with a review, or they had so many other books they’d signed up for that it...

What’s Cooking Wednesday – Quinoa Fiesta Enchilada Bake

Hubster found this one on a friend’s Facebook page.

Quinoa Fiesta Enchilada Bake

 

Ingredients:
t olive oil
1 clove crushed garlic
cooking spray
1 c quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 c reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth*
1 t cumin
1 T chipotle in adobo sauce (adjust to taste)
S&P
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
c canned black beans, drained and rinsed
c fresh or frozen thawed corn
c chopped fresh cilantro, plus 2 tbsp for garnish (we leave this out because I’...

Character Interviews – Augustina van Hoven’s Rachel Bartlett

Thanks for letting me interview you, Rachel. First, a few introductory questions:

Your name:  Rachel Bartlett
The book you’re in: The Bloom of a Rose
Your author’s name:  Augustina Van Hoven
Your role: Heroine

And now, on with the interview:

What was your favorite part of being a character in this book?
My favorite part of the book was meeting Paul.  When the story started I had no idea I was meeting my perfect match.

Do you have any input into how the story goes, or does your author call all...

Marketing – Building Newsletters

For many authors, marketing is a dreaded chore, yet something that has to be done in this competitive industry. Consensus says that the most effective way to reach potential readers is through newsletters. But how to find subscribers? Having sign up forms prominent on websites is one way. Offering incentives, such as a free story can attract new subscribers. But you still have to get them to your website. When I do ‘in person’ events, I bring along a newsletter signup sheet (and usually have...

Friday Field Trip – Paradox Beer Company

Last week, I promised to show pictures of our Paired Dinner at the Paradox Beer Company, which specializes in wild and sour beers. It was their first event of this nature, and everyone agreed it was a rousing success.

We arrived at the tasting room to find it decked out in elegant finery.

Here’s the menu

I’m not going to caption or describe the courses, since you have the menu to refer to–saves typing!

Salad

Soup

Appetizer

Amuse-bouche

At this point, they swapped a couple of courses arou...

Reverse Birthday Presents

I’m over at Booklover’s Bench today talking more about birthdays, and I have gifts for everyone who stops by, so I hope you’ll pop on over. And while you’re there, be sure to enter the contest for a $25 gift card.

Save

What’s Cooking Wednesday – Cod Puttanesca

I asked Hubster to find a different recipe for his Tuesday seafood night, and he found this one in the Food Network Magazine. This is his version.

Cod Puttanesca

Ingredients
4 1-inch-thick slices ciabatta bread
3 T extra-virgin olive oil
2 T chopped fresh oregano
2 T chopped fresh basil
3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
4 anchovy fillets
1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes, crushed.
c pitted kalamata olives, halved
2 T capers
Pinch of red pepper flakes
4 cod fillets (about 1 1/2 inches thick;...

Character Interviews – Nancy J Cohen’s Marla Vail

Thanks for letting me interview you, Marla. A few introductory questions:

Your name:  Marla Vail
The book you’re in: Facials Can Be Fatal
Your author’s name:  Nancy J. Cohen
Your role: Heroine

And now, on with the interview:

What was your favorite part of being a character in this book?
I took a trip to Key West and learned about Florida’s history regarding shipwrecks and pirates.

Do you have any input into how the story goes, or does your author call all the shots?
Certainly, I have input....

Don’t Tell Me Again

Keeping readers informed and up to speed is one thing, drowning them in repetition is another. A recent read drove the point home for me. A character was being briefed about a new job, and the potential employer laid out what he’d be doing, and why. A chapter or two down the road, when he’d been hired and was having his orientation with the employer, those same points were repeated, almost verbatim. Skim territory—if you’re lucky. If not, it’s find another book time, and no author wants that....

Put Another Candle on my Birthday Cake

It’s official – entering a new decade today (at least I think that’s how it’s counted). I’ve got a gift for you, so be sure to read to the end of the post.

Anyone growing up when I did in Los Angeles will recognize today’s post title as a song sung on Sheriff John’s Lunch Brigade television show. And for those too young, or who lived elsewhere, you shouldn’t have to wonder what it was all about any longer. No apologies for the quality of the clip–television wasn’t quite the same back then! T...