Home Where You can find me on the webs The Threshold DesignWrite

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

I've Moved!

Thanks Fibro Mom


Yup. Just when I get this blogger interface all figured out, I go and open up a Wordpress account. 
Not only that, I bought a domain name. 
So, if you're missing me (oh please! please miss me! because yes! I miss you too!) 
I'm over there. 
I mean here. At writermason.com. 
Catchy no? 

Monday, January 30, 2012

February Dates for Edge of Midnight Tour

This week's Upcoming Appearances :
  • Leslie on Ex Libris Wednesday, Feb 15 with a giveaway that will be up til Feb 24! Comment for a chance to win a copy of Edge of Midnight.
USA Today's Joyce Lamb interviews Leslie on HEA blog Wednesday, Feb 15! All things sci-fy and Farscape, with some flourless chocolate torte thrown in! 


 Edge of Midnight reached #3  in Romantic Suspense and #20 in Romance overall on Amazon's rankings! See what the 4 and 5 star reviews all have to say! 


The collection isn't complete without her...

The writer becomes the story when crime reporter Mia Hale is discovered on a Jacksonville beach – bloodied and disoriented, but alive. She remembers nothing, but her wounds bear the signature of a sadistic serial killer. After years lying dormant, The Collector has resumed his grim hobby: abducting women and taking gruesome souvenirs before dumping their bodies. But none of his victims has ever escaped – and he wants Mia back, more than he ever wanted any of the others. FBI agent Eric Macfarlane has pursued The Collector for a long time. The case runs deep in his veins, bordering on obsession...and Mia holds the key. She’ll risk everything to recover her memory and bring the madman to justice, and Eric swears to protect this fierce, fragile survivor. But The Collector will not be denied. In his mind, he knows just how their story ends.



Jan 26 Post and Giveaway  The Romance Dish 
Jan 27 Interview and Giveaway with M.v.Freeman on Romance Magicians  
Feb  2 Review of Edge of Midnight on Paranormal & Romantic Suspense Reviews  

Feb  7 Interview and Giveaway with Romanceaholic 
Feb 11Interview and Giveaway with It's-Raining-Books     
IN PERSON at Books A Million in Kingsport, TN for signing Edge of Midnight 
Feb 15 Interview and Giveaway (through Feb 24) with Ex Libris
Feb 15 Interview with USA Today's HEA blog
Feb 21Post and Giveaway on Night Owl Reviews 
Feb 25Post and Giveaway on RomCon

March 4 Kelly L. Stone's 2012 90 Day Writing Challenge Post and Giveaway
Mar13 Post and Giveaway on Kiss and Thrill 


Contact me at writermason at att dot net if you are a book reviewer, reader or author of romance novels (all subgenres), and want to showcase great new releases on your blog... 
Plus get a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card plus the tour's featured book! 
Contact me at writermason at att dot net if you are a romance author with an upcoming release to promote, social networking agenda to tackle, or seeking online support services.  

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Edge of Midnight Tour


Today we welcome romantic suspense author Leslie Tentler to the Romance Dish ! 
Leslie is the author of  the critically acclaimed Chasing Evil trilogy from MIRA Books (Midnight Caller, Midnight Fear, and Edge of Midnight). To celebrate the release of the third book in the series – Edge of Midnight – she’s giving away a free copy. Comment below to enter for a chance to win! Welcome, Leslie!


The collection isn't complete without her...

The writer becomes the story when crime reporter Mia Hale is discovered on a Jacksonville beach – bloodied and disoriented, but alive. She remembers nothing, but her wounds bear the signature of a sadistic serial killer. After years lying dormant, The Collector has resumed his grim hobby: abducting women and taking gruesome souvenirs before dumping their bodies. But none of his victims has ever escaped – and he wants Mia back, more than he ever wanted any of the others. FBI agent Eric Macfarlane has pursued The Collector for a long time. The case runs deep in his veins, bordering on obsession...and Mia holds the key. She’ll risk everything to recover her memory and bring the madman to justice, and Eric swears to protect this fierce, fragile survivor. But The Collector will not be denied. In his mind, he knows just how their story ends.



Jan 26 Post and Giveaway  The Romance Dish 
Jan 27 Interview and Giveaway with M.v.Freeman on Romance Magicians  
Feb  2 Review of Edge of Midnight on Paranormal & Romantic Suspense Reviews  
Feb  4 Kelly L. Stone's 2012 90 Day Writing Challenge Post and Giveaway
Feb  7 Interview and Giveaway with Romanceaholic 
Feb 11Interview and Giveaway with It's-Raining-Books      
Feb 21Post and Giveaway on Night Owl Reviews 
Feb 25Post and Giveaway on RomCon
Mar13 Post and Giveaway on Kiss and Thrill 


Contact me at writermason at att dot net if you are a book reviewer, reader or author of romance novels (all subgenres), and want to showcase great new releases on your blog... 
Plus get a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card plus the tour's featured book! 
Contact me at writermason at att dot net if you are a romance author with an upcoming release to promote, social networking agenda to tackle, or seeking online support services.  

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

I "Like" Coffee, Voodoo, and... Nutmeg


http://mashable.com/2012/01/17/facebook-apps-open-graph-gestures/


File this under "Be Aware and Be Afraid" .

Remember when we all lamented the lack of a thumbs down pic on the Facebook status updates? Somebody you didn't really know would post that their pet gerbil was involved in an unfortunate Epilady accident, and you really didn't feel comfortable joining that conversation, but there was no thumbs down to dislike bald gerbils so you at least could show support without the entanglement of engaging.

Or...

Perhaps you think that new cover on the latest SciFi Paranormal Fantasy Vamp Romance novel published by the latest indie wunderauthor is only meh, and you don't  like it enough to endorse it with even a thumb.
http://mashable.com/2011/09/22/facebook-gestures/

The Thumbs Up was Facebook's initial introduction to endorsements by the user on their friends' activities.

Bertha posts that it's snowing and she's all snuggly-wuggly by the fire with the latest romance and a Starbucks salty caramel macchiato (my personal favorite).              Like. 
Later down the ticker, Agnes is working out with her Wii and getting in shape.        Like. 
Since most of my readers are romance novel lovers, I'll just go out on a limb and make a blanket assumption that we ALL like pages with our own favorite flavor of ManCandy. For me, it's the Black Dagger Brotherhood Brothers, but Jimmy Thomas has melted my smartphone more than once.      Like
Along product lines, Valentine's Day always brings promotions for "Nutmeg," and if you like Nutmeg's product page, maybe you'll get a high value coupon for Nutmeg.              Like

Are you seeing a progression from simply liking your friend Bertha's fireside Starbucks to endorsing products?
 I like Kraft's Macaroni n'Cheese. I like Community Coffee.
 I like Paranormal Guide to New Orleans  and  I like Voodoo Dolls.

Lightbulb!

Thumbs Up is a Facebook Gesture, and it moved from liking products like Nutmeg to opening up to Spotify, Yahoo, and Washington Post. Lots of updates pop up in my ticker like this:

"Winifred just read Best and Worst Dressed Golden Globes Winners on Yahoo. Winifred just read how indie published authors may be scammed on Washington Post. Winifred is listening to Moves Like Jagger on Spotify." 

Yes, that Winifred is one busy girl. 

I've also clicked the Like button on pages and experienced the pop up that says "Pamela, tell your friends that you like ...Coffee... Voodoo... Nutmeg....  by clicking here!"

Um... no thank you.
I mean,  thanks for the coupon, but can't we keep some things discreet ?
Does everyone need to know my favorite type of spice?

Apparently Yes!  in Facebook's app developers and future stockholders' eyes.

When Facebook goes public and sells off shares, no longer will it be our little promo / party line.
Apps developers will no longer be required to ask you repeatedly for permission to infiltrate your feed and access all your information on yours and your friends' pages.
Nope, one permission will suffice, thanks.

You know how you feel incomplete when you only charge $18.61 on your credit card and the cashier says, "You don't have to sign..." ? It's a little peeve of mine. 
I like to sign. 
I like to have control of my $18.61. 
And I like to give that permission, even if it is the fifteenth time. 

Tomorrow, Gestures will open up to more than just Liked, Watched, Listened to, and Read.
We'll all be Frictionless Sharing every little thing effortlessly with each other.

On her Facebook page (that I like)  Mari Smith   jokingly asked what new verbs we'll be seeing, and I think she has a point.
So don't be surprised to soon read on your Facebook Timeline:

Pamela ate Free Range Eggs by OrganicFarms Chickens...! 
Pamela guzzled Happy Harmony Green Tea... !
Pamela scarfed down Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds... !
Pamela bought Exercise Woah! for the Old and Infirm.... !
Pamela relaxed to the tunes of TeenScreamingMedley....! 
Pamela devoured the latest fantasy historical romance, Pirates Rocking the Stowaway Faery's World...! 
Pamela stopped her husband's snoring with Open Nose Bandages! 

Pamela likes Nutmeg. 

Moral of the post: Careful what you " Like."
 And Careful with your permissions to Facebook apps.

Mashable articles - Open Graph Apps  and Gestures.
More on Facebook's Frictionless Sharing from All Things D.
Cnet - How to Revoke Facebook App Permissions

Nutmeg:

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Making it Worth your Time, Beginners' Tips and Jan Mashup:



The holidays are over and the diets and work have started up again. Two weeks into the year, and there's a feeling of positivity and optimism in the air already. Hopefully the economy has hit its bottom and is on the upswing. 
Something to note about the hard times we've come through is we writers have hunkered down and put out more product than ever before. I didn't note the tweet, but I read yesterday that there are more books competing for attention in a month presently with digital publishing and ereaders, than there ever were published on paper and competing in a retail year only a generation ago. 

Which means creativity and productivity are the highest ever. 

As is the competition.  


I admit it -- I've been quiet these past two weeks, but I've been reading all my emails and loops, trying to catch up and stay caught up on all the networks I belong to, and I'll be the first to tell you:
It's not easy!

I don't care what your favorite social media guru says, I've tried it and I'm going to give you the unvarnished, plain truth:
It's not easy being  a writer, a marketer, a publisher, a blogger, a cover designer,
a girlfriend/wife/ mom AND hold down a full-time job ...

AND manage to keep the pizza delivery boy from knowing your regular order everytime your name pops up on the online order site! Count yourself lucky if your husband still kisses you goodnight - you're probably up way past his bedtime.

And let's please ignore that funky smell coming from the hamper in the hall (did I mention I have two teen sons?)


Then there's that pesky business of money. The mortgage and credit card and pizza boy won't wait.
You want to make your time well spent and worth something, not to mention fulfill your fantasy of making  rock star status with lines of squealing fangirls lining up to breathe the same air you're breathing and to tell you how they ruined their book with drool and have to buy extra copies....

Our time is not our own. The editor is sending revisions and the email loops demand your attention and that latest  call for submissions from your dream publisher isn't going to write itself.
Maybe you're formatting your manuscript or wrestling with photoshop to get that extra appendage off the cover of your latest menage book...,
And what (or who) possessed you to volunteer for that chapter meeting or writers' conference?
I'm raising my hand here - Guilty!
The pizza boy's at the door, the cat irked on your favorite shoes, the puppy is about to piddle and if you don't leave in the next thirty seconds to get your kid from practice he'll be out there all alone --
Ah! tasty prey for those wicked weres who you THOUGHT were just living  in your head all day!

Yep, it's pretty hard to keep up with all the sites, all the opportunities, and all the news.
Technology is a double edged sword, full of time suckers and frustrations,along with the wealth of opportunities it presents.
And if you're a creative like me, there is a learning curve to tech that takes precious time away from your real work - Writing.

The good news? There are people and tools out there to help you out, and even better, there are tools to optimize your results.
The bad news is, it takes trial and error and time to get those results.

So why should you be listening to me?

Because I am you.
Maybe I'm a few steps ahead of you or a few steps behind in parenting, in life, in my own wip --

But -- I am in step with the publishing/ ebook/ social networking worlds for writers like you and me.

One of the great things about the writers' community online is ... we're all in the same boat together.
 And we all row. 

I'm here to help.
This blog will be my way to share with you a weekly mashup and some practical, do-able tips on how to manage time and media. Got your own to share? Please do!
Some of us are fascinated by criminal mentalities for our romantic suspense, or Norse god mythology for our paranormal romances....
I happen to love social media news and sites and all things techno -geek to make life easier.

If you have tricks and tools that help you beat the monster called Media, feel free to leave them in the comments.

Today is a Beginners' Tip. New to blogs and don't know how or why to comment? Being a newbie is totally okay -- so long as you own up to it.
One building block of Communities is Communication. Go figure. 
So, if you're at a loss for a comment, if you're new or shy, just say something like --
 "Thanks for the great post!"   or ...
"Thanks for sharing... I enjoyed this!" 
Do remember what your mama taught you: if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. 
                         Building your online presence means your words are YOU. 
Be HONEST, be KIND, and be Warned: if you're sarcastic, people who don't know you will always take that snarky impression away with them. Don't take anything for granted in others' posts -- assume that if they write something that may sound crazy - like they're 'radioactive' - they really are! (Thank you > You Know Who You Are!)
When you're commenting, don't add  your own blog link -- Internet Etiquette calls this SPAM: Self-Promotion on another person's turf, making it all about you, and shows you to be an amateur. Most of us will give you a pass, but best to just ... not.
And lastly, keep your comment on subject. People on Google + will actually block and delete you from their circles there if you can't stay on subject in the comments thread. 
It's just a good way to get the most out of the Commenting Conversation. 

Questions? Feel free to ask and if I don't know the answer, I bet someone else here does!


 Now we all deserve a reward, and then the Social Media Mashup for the Week of Jan 8. 
                                                                          

Mashup: 

http://blog.galaxyweblinks.com/2012/01/02/facebook-advertising/things-that-you-may-fail-to-do-in-face-book-marketing-campaign/  Some basic Facebook Page Marketing facts and to do list.

http://socialmediatoday.com/bradfriedman/424216/build-your-social-media-schedule-2012 A daily & weekly schedule for network marketing to make you think about how to manage & structure your time.

http://jamigold.com/2011/10/the-insanity-behind-the-pressure-to-have-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-7575 Jami Gold's post on the numbers insanity to please the publishers' marketing departments

http://mixergy.com/smith-relationship-marketing-interview/ Long but informative video interview on how to focus your efforts online. There is a choice of Mp3 download also.

http://www.techipedia.com/2012/how-to-hire-your-social-media-marketing-partner/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+techipedia+%28Techipedia%3A+Tamar+Weinberg+on+Social+Media+Marketing+Strategy%29
Exhaustive list of what a professional SMM does and can do for you. Word of caution - writers are different animals and need a specialized focus to further distill the online deluge of book bloggers and readers' and reviewers' sites down to find their reading target audience. Without that, you can be spending dollars and time going everywhere on the web than where you truly need to be.

http://crimefictioncollective.blogspot.com/  Have B&N Executives Gone Mad? L.J.Sellers discusses the latest news that Barnes & Noble is selling off its Nook and PubIt! arms to save its legs. Much speculation on the future of B&N here, Amazon's looming monopoly, and where writers will be finding readers in the future.

A bientot!


Ready to get your book noticed but you don't know where to promote? Contact me writermason at att net and let's find your target audience and save your writing time! 

Thank you for following!