Here come the Texty Ladies!  Some of us, anyway.  The rest will be here when they get here.  2009 was a bit busy for us all, but we’re all dedicated to this site and we’ll be hanging around more.

So . . .

Magic Monday is back!

To celebrate, [...]]]>

Here come the Texty Ladies!  Some of us, anyway.  The rest will be here when they get here.  2009 was a bit busy for us all, but we’re all dedicated to this site and we’ll be hanging around more.

So . . .

Magic Monday is back!

To celebrate, we’re having a contest. Yay!  But more about that later.

Each Texty Lady has her own story for our hiatus but here’s mine:

In May, 2009, Ann Charles and I launched a website called 1st Turning Point, dedicated to help authors teach, learn, and share with each other—all about marketing and promotion.  The way we had it set up is that she would write an article on Mondays, I would write one on Fridays, and we’d try to find a guest columnist to contribute something on Wednesdays.

That was the plan.

Now we have almost fifty columnists and reviewers, we post four how-to articles per week, plus a website review every Saturday, and a book video review every Sunday.  We have five deckhands to handle the running of the ship.  And we’re all called Parrots—subscribers, crew, everyone.  So we have a great time but man-oh-man are we ever busy!!!

Meet the Parrots (podcast)

We had no idea how popular 1st Turning Point would be, and in such a hurry, too!  Now we also have a monthly podcast called Meet the Parrots.  If you’re an author, you might want to listen the latest show, Your Website: The Essentials.  I’m the host, and my guests were Library Goddess and event planner Deborah Schneider, 1st Turning Point Co-Captain Ann Charles, website designer and owner of DewPoint Studios April Rickard, and first-time website owner Wendy Delaney.  And of course all these authors have a unique perspective on what comprises a good author’s site.

Plus, there’s the forum, and now we’ve started classes, too.  And just because Ann and I didn’t have enough to do, we also started Platform Coach™ and we’re writing a non-fiction book about platforms.  More on that later (we’re still in the proposal stage).

And then there are the workshops—one with Ann and Wendy Delaney, one with Eilis Flynn, a couple on my own, and probably more that I’m not remembering right now.  I’m booked through the end of the year. :faint:

Plus, there’s the actual story writing—you know, the thing I originally started out to do?  Sheesh.

So yes, I needed a hiatus!

Next week, we have a special guest, Carrie Lofty.  She has some awesome books out and more on the way—one with Anne Aguirre.  You’ll learn more about her next week.  I participate in Carrie’s group blog, Unusual Historicals.  If you’re even the faintest bit interested in history, that’s the place to go.  I love the articles.

Oh wait, I got off track.  Anyway, Carrie has contributed a fantastic guest article that all you writers will enjoy.  She calls it “Window Characters,” and I’m not saying anything more.  My lips are sealed.  But come back next Monday and see what she has to say.

As always, Magical Monday will give you a craft article either from me or a guest, and an occasional author interview.  Okay, maybe a frequent author interview.  In fact, we might have a few returning guests.  If life gets too crazy, I might have to skip a posting occasionally, but I’ll try my best not to.

And now {drum rollllllllll . . . } for the contest!

One commenter who posts a comment on any Texty Ladies article posted between now and May 31st will be the lucky winner of a copy of Justin Saragueta’s latest CD, Gueta, and a print copy of Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues.  I have to limit the contest to USA mailing addresses because of postage costs.  If you’re the winner and you live outside the USA, let me know and I’ll see if I can get a download of Justin’s music, and an ebook to you.  Can’t guarantee that, though.  Winner will be drawn May 31st at 10pm Pacific Time and announced on the comments of Carrie’s article.

Sound good?  Just tell me what’s been going on with you over the first part of this year—truth or lies, I just like to have fun.  Don’t forget to leave your email address.

Have a Magical Monday!

Jacquie

Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues (See the Book Video featuring Justin Saragueta)
Jacquie’s website * 1st Turning Point * Myspace *** Twitter * Facebook
Faery Special Romances * Book Video Royalties go to Children’s Tumor Foundation, ending Neurofibromatosis through Research

Continuing with Part 3 of singer/songwriter Jusin Saragueta’s interview.  In case you missed the previous posts, you might want to read Part 1 and Part 2.

Justin draws from his Basque heritage as well as the diversity of cultures in California where he was raised.  His songs [...]]]>

Continuing with Part 3 of singer/songwriter Jusin Saragueta’s interview.  In case you missed the previous posts, you might want to read Part 1 and Part 2.

Justin draws from his Basque heritage as well as the diversity of cultures in California where he was raised.  His songs obviously have a Basque flavor, but also riffs of traditional Spain, a little salsa, some islander beats, all to make a rich sound that will touch your heart.

I’m really looking forward to his debut CD, gueta.  Justin is well respected in the music industry.  Brain of Guns N Roses plays drums on some tracks as well as Billy Johnson formerly of Santana.  This will be a great album!

So let’s get on with it.  Remember, if you commented on parts 1 or 2, or you comment on this post, you’ll be elegible to win a free, autographed copy of gueta!

JR: We talked about your songwriting in parts 1 and 2 of this interview. You also write stories, poetry, and vignettes.  How does your thinking process change when you go from writing music to writing words on the page?

gueta:The process always stays fairly consistent. Writing a song, poem, short story or even a novel all has to do with telling some type of story or conveying some type of message. Obviously a song or poem will tend to be very short in length in comparison to, say, a novel. I have the utmost respect for authors who wrestle with the novel all their lives. It is a very rewarding feeling to finish a novel but the process is very demanding and can take years or even lifetimes for some.

My songs and poems tell stories but in a more ambiguous short breathed manner. With the novel or even short story, one can be very detail oriented. They are the same type of beast but I believe one for me is more demanding than the other. My father tells me I am the only guy he knows who can get bored of his own shadow.  That’s probably why I love writing songs so much. But in retrospect, I just love to write.

Words are the bridges to many things in my life .

JR: What else would you like to write?

gueta: I haven’t written a screen play yet but have brainstormed through some ideas. I know that I have one in me. This will be something that I will list as a must do before I die!

JR: Do you tour?  Do you enjoy performing?  Do you get stagefright?

gueta: I do tour. I was up in Seattle last year playing through Washington, Oregon and parts of Canada. Once the new CD is released, I am going to hit the road again. I love being on the road and playing. I feel like a bird released from a cage. It’s funny: through the displacement of travel I become the most grounded and liberated. My soul sings when I’m on the road.

Let’s see. The second part to this question…I do enjoy performing as much, or even more so than the actual creating. Writing, music, art, it’s like life, needs to be shared!  To play in front of a crowd who is singing along is unlike any other feeling in the world for me. It justifies all the hard and good times. It tells me I am on the right path. That maybe I am still as crazy as most think but at least I can be crazy with purpose. The type of warm loving energy playing live creates is as addictive and amazing as anything in the world.

I don’t get stage fright anymore. Let me stress anymore! Now I just get excited. I am always eager to get back on stage. I don’t know one kid who doesn’t want to rip open presents during Christmas, and playing a live show is no different for me. But there was a time, the first few times, where it might have felt a little more like going in for your very first kiss.

The first time I performed live at a real venue, I had only been playing guitar for about three months. I could barely play the thing at all. It felt a bit like trying to hold onto some upside down planet without gravity. I was just trying to hold on so I wouldn’t fall off. On top of that I had to bring in my computer so I could read the lyrics I hadn’t yet memorized off the screen. Cockiness and stupidity are not always a good combination.

I remember being so sick with nerves that I thought I was going to vomit in the guitar. So my buddy Daniel and I went to a dive bar and tied on a pretty good one. Half nauseous from whiskey and half nauseous from stage fright we swayed to the venue. Half laughing and half crying I took the stage at a full bar filled with eyeballs piercing through my wall of toughness. I was shaking so badly I had to sit on a stool to steady the guitar on my leg. I took a deep breath and a longer pull off my beer and decided to start with what I felt was the easiest song to play . . . because it then occurred to me that I had left my playlist on the counter at home!

Luckily most at the show were my friends and even more fortunate was the fact that I didn’t know my lyrics so I just used the computer and sang songs in chronological order as to when they had been written. When it was all said and done it actually went really well. They wouldn’t let me leave. I played about four encores. Yeah, they were all of the same songs written off the same computer screen played with the same missed and choked chords and notes but it was one great first show! I just sang really loud through the mistakes.

JR: What’s next from Justin Saragueta?

gueta: What’s next? In the immediate future finishing the CD takes precedence over all else. Once that is completed and released I am going to start playing shows and meeting people, so please log onto www.justinsaragueta.com and join the mailing list.  I hope you can catch a show when I am in your area.

I have a few tricks up my sleeve but they wouldn’t be so wily if I were to cough them up at the moment. But I will be doing the ‘if all else fails’ grass roots approach of playing out and sharing what I am creating.

JR: Please list your contact information.

gueta:
Website: http://www.justinsaragueta.com
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/justinsaragueta
Facebook: http://wwwfacebook.com/justinsaragueta”
justin@justinsaragueta.com

Thank you, Justin, for taking the time to answer these questions so thoroughly.  We deeply appreciate your candidness and wish you lots and lots of sales for your debut album.

And speaking of the debut album, who’s gonna win it?  To be eligible, simply comment on Justin’s interview, any or all of the three parts, and you could win an autographed copy!

Have a great day!

Jacquie
Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues (See the Book Video featuring Justin Saragueta)
Jacquie’s website *** 1st Turning Point ***Myspace *** Twitter *** Facebook
Faery Special Romances * Book Video * Royalties go to Children’s Tumor Foundation, ending Neurofibromatosis through Research

This week’s Poetry Play Thursday poetry form is:

free verse  

n.   Verse composed of variable, usually unrhymed lines having no fixed metrical pattern.

Anything goes this week….well, almost!  We’re an R rated (or less) site so anything more than that will have to be posted [...]]]>

This week’s Poetry Play Thursday poetry form is:

      Free Verse

free verse  

n.   Verse composed of variable, usually unrhymed lines having no fixed metrical pattern.

Anything goes this week….well, almost!  We’re an R rated (or less) site so anything more than that will have to be posted on your site with a link left in our comments.   

I was going to post a different form with its accompanying rules but thought it would be fun to see what you’ll do with no restrictions!  Please share your poems with us in our comments or leave your name with a link to the site where your poem is posted.  We’d love to read them!  Have fun!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Just a reminder that the deadline for our poetry contest is this Sunday, April 26th.  The winning entry from each category will be posted here on Thursday, April 30th.  Thanks to all who have already submitted entries!

Oh, and don’t forget we’ve got a running renga going that could use a few more stanzas.  You can find it here.  I’ll post the final renga next Thursday along with our contest winners. 

A big thank you to everyone who has participated in Poetry Play Thursday so far.  We’ll try a little something different next month.   

~ Pamela

Welcome to Poetry Play Thursday!  In celebration of National Poetry Month, the Texty Ladies are hosting a POETRY CONTEST!  Here are the rules:

1.  There are three categories:  Love/Friendship/Family, Spiritual/Inspirational, and Dark/Humorous.

2.  Each person may submit a total of two poems.

3.  We’re not trying to stifle your creativity but please refrain from excessive use of profanity or overly explicit [...]]]>

Welcome to Poetry Play Thursday!  In celebration of National Poetry Month, the Texty Ladies are hosting a POETRY CONTEST!  Here are the rules:

1.  There are three categories:  Love/Friendship/Family, Spiritual/Inspirational, and Dark/Humorous.

2.  Each person may submit a total of two poems.

3.  We’re not trying to stifle your creativity but please refrain from excessive use of profanity or overly explicit language.

4.  Entries may be in any poetry form.

5.  Submit by sending your poems in the body of an email to textyladies@gmail.com.

6.  Be sending in your entries, you are giving Texty Ladies the permission to publish your poems on our website.

7.  The deadline for submission is Sunday, April 26, 2009.  One winner from each category will be announced on Thursday, April 30, 2009.*

8.  If you are a winner, we will contact you by email for your snail mail address.

PRIZES will include:

A Texty Ladies t-shirt, pens, notepads and a beautiful book of poetry.  Who knows what else might find its way into your package! 

We do hope you’ll enter our contest and we look forward to reading your entries!  Good luck!

*The Texty Ladies are not eligible to win this contest.

*********************************************************************************

If you’re looking for another poetry form to inspire you, here is the Poetry Play Thursday form selection for this week:

Pleiades

This form was invented 1999 by Craig Tigerman, Sol Magazine’s Lead Editor.  Here are the rules:

1.  The title must only consist of one word.

2.  A single, seven line stanza follows.

3.  The first word in each line must begin with the same letter as the title.

Here is an example from Craig Tigerman:

          Mything

          Men who are from
          Mars perhaps come
          Masking insecurity by
          Mything dreams in
          Midas-power, touching
          Much in hopes of gold, yet
          Missing Venus’ point.

I’ll be adding my own to Mr. Linky below.  I hope you’ll give the Pleiades a chance and share your results with us in our comments or add a link to where you’ve posted your poem!

~ Pamela 

Hi everybody!

I was going to post a tutorial with step by step instructions on how to make bookplates, but I’ve decided to save that post for our new ezine, which should be up by the middle of April. We’ll have more on that later!

I do want to post a link and some information about [...]]]>

Hi everybody!

I was going to post a tutorial with step by step instructions on how to make bookplates, but I’ve decided to save that post for our new ezine, which should be up by the middle of April. We’ll have more on that later!

I do want to post a link and some information about a new blog my friend Kiki Howell is starting. If you’re a writer, contact her if you’re interested. If you’re a reader, please visit the site in the next few weeks for in-depth information about authors, interviews, and much more! I’ll also be pairing with Kiki soon, and I hope to see more writers joining and a lot of readers stopping by!

~Jane

From Kiki:

There is an exciting new blog called Authors By Authors starting up soon.   It is a unique place where readers can come to learn about books and authors through the minds of other respected authors.

There will be two different types of posts with the authors working in pairs: “book” posts, in which authors will talk about each other’s books; and “author” posts where authors will interview each other.   These posts will give a reader a creative take on the stories, and personal look inside the life and mind of an author.

If you are a reader, stop by http://authorsbyauthors.blogspot.com in the next few weeks to read the first posts.   If you are an author interested in being featured on Author By Authors, stop by to find out how to sign up.

Hope to see you there!

****

Now on to the winner of my Puppy Love contest!

I printed the names out, cut them up, and put them in a bag. A completely uninterested person (okay, okay, my son) reached into the bag and pulled out the name….

AFSHAN N from New York!

Congratulations, Afshan! Contact me with your address and I will get your box out to you asap! My email is janejane07 at gmail dot com.

To all who entered, thank you! Keep an eye out because I’ll be doing a contest each time I have a new release.

~Jane

There’s still time to enter the contest! You have until Monday night to either blog or buy.

I’ll announce the winner Tuesday, March 24.

Click here to read the rules and view the prizes.

Good luck and have a  great weekend!

~Jane

Hi everyone! Today I’m posting the interview I did with Freya’s Bower publisher, Marci Baun. Enjoy!

Thanks so much for doing the interview, Marci, and welcome to Textyladies!

~Jane

******

JJ: Are you a writer as well as a publisher?

MB: Yes, although I don’t have a lot of time to write. I have three pseudonyms: Rosa Orrore for [...]]]>

Hi everyone! Today I’m posting the interview I did with Freya’s Bower publisher, Marci Baun. Enjoy!

Thanks so much for doing the interview, Marci, and welcome to Textyladies!

~Jane

******

JJ: Are you a writer as well as a publisher?

MB: Yes, although I don’t have a lot of time to write. I have three pseudonyms: Rosa Orrore for horror, Kit Wylde, and Alyce Brown. I have a few books on Freya’s Bower by Kit and Alyce and a free story as well as a story in Weirdly by Rosa.

JJ: What kind of attitude within the industry does FB receive, as an ePub? Have you seen much of a change in the way the publishing world reacts to ePublishing?

MB: Honestly, I haven’t had any issues with attitude, at least amongst other ePublishers. I have had a newspapers interested in interviews until they discovered I was an ePub. (shrug) As the popularity of ebooks grows, that will change. Education and patience will change this…I hope. And with the big NYC pubs jumping on the bandwagon, there’s no doubt it will change.

JJ: How do you think eBooks will compare to print books in the future?

MB: I don’t think print books will ever go away, but I do think, especially as the younger generations come up, eBooks will become more dominant than print. That won’t be for a number of years, though, and probably won’t happen until we have an ereader that’s affordable.

JJ: What are some important things you’ve learned about the publishing industry, especially ePublishing, since you became publisher of Freya’s Bower?

MB: How wonderful the Internet community really is. I have made some lifelong friends as a result of becoming a publisher. These are people I never would have met without this experience.

JJ: What are your goals for the company in the next five years?

MB: Big plans. (grin) Dominating the industry. (grin) No, but certainly a force to be reckoned with and where when people think of romance and erotica, they think of Freya’s Bower.

JJ: What can Freya’s Bower authors do to make the process, from submitting to release, easier for everyone involved?

MB: For submitting, follow the submission guidelines. If your editor tells you to submit to them, do it, but format it properly. Make sure you’ve filled out your cover art form and send it to the proper email address. Most importantly, communicate with your editor, let her/him know where you are at and what is happening. Set revision date goals and do your best to stick to them. Make sure these dates are viable for your editor too. If you have any problems meeting the date, let your editor know. Also, have a blurb ready

JJ: Are there any genres you’d like to see more of? YA, for instance?

MB: Well, no YA at Freya’s Bower as we publish erotica, but I would love to see more historicals. I love historicals. (grin) I would love to see paranormal historicals, although there’s a rumor that those aren’t popular anymore. (raised eyebrow at that comment)

At EPICon, I was on a publisherÕs panel. This very question came up. All of us laughed and agreed: if you want a bestseller, write an interracial romance (of any genre). Now, if you want to blow it out of the roof, it should be M/M or mŽnage shapeshifter interracial erotica/romance. Yeah, really. These are really hot right now.

JJ: Do you have any advice for authors thinking of submitting to Freya’s Bower?

MB: Read our guidelines and at least a few of our books so you know what we are looking for and what to expect. Also, know your craft. We edit to NY standards of old, so if you are signed, be prepared.

JJ: What would you like people to know about Freya’s Bower?

MB: While our submissions are closed until May 1, 2009, keep us in mind for future submissions. We are always looking for good material. Oh, yes, come by and see what we have to offer. We have everything from sweet romance to erotica that will set your clothes on fire. (grin)

JJ: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

MB: Just a big thank you for having me here today.

Thank you, Marci!

Freya’s Bower

****

I also want to remind everybody that my contest is still going on to promote my own book with Freya’s Bower. Click here to read the rules, see the prizes, and enter the contest.

~Jane

Hi everyone! I’ve updated the list of goodies, so be sure to check out this post to read all about the updated prizes, the contest and the very simple entry rules. Photo coming soon!

Good luck!

~Jane

Hi everybody! This week I’m giving away a romance themed gift bag, with two ways to be entered to win.

All you have to do to for your chance to win is buy a copy of Puppy Love, or post this contest on your blog, or myspace, facebook, etc. If you buy a [...]]]>

Hi everybody! This week I’m giving away a romance themed gift bag, with two ways to be entered to win.

All you have to do to for your chance to win is buy a copy of Puppy Love, or post this contest on your blog, or myspace, facebook, etc. If you buy a book AND blog this contest, you’ll get two entries.

If you buy the book, just email a copy of your purchase receipt to janejane07 @ gmail . com (take out the spaces). If you blog the contest, leave me the link in comments. That’s it! You’ll then be entered to win a gift bag full of goodies:

The gift bag contains:

Four DVD movies (The Phantom of the Opera, Music and Lyrics, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

A stuffed animal-It’s Casper Salt, and he’s so adorable! I’ll put up a picture as soon as the DVDs arrive

Sweet treats-A giant Hershey’s Symphony Chocolate bar (creamy milk chocolate, almonds, and toffee chips), A bag of Werther’s Original caramel chocolates, a bag of Bartons Exquisite dark chocolate pomegranate passion truffles, a bag of Dove silky smooth milk chocolate Promises

A scented candle-Mainstays Cranberry Mandarine in a jar

Popcorn

A notebook

Fuzzy Socks (okay, so they’re not real fuzzy, but they have hearts on them;) )

7.5 oz Black Raspberry and Vanilla softsoap

A hot pink bath and shower net sponge

A pumice stone

A hot pink floppy hat

A tote covered in hearts

A fuzzy pink purse keychain

A yellow handkerchief designed with peace signs and flowers

Four Paper Mate Expressions click pens

A 2 oz bottle of Caress Glowing Touch Silkening body wash

A 2 oz bottle of Dove Supreme Cream Oil body wash

The contest ends March 23 at midnight EST time; I’ll announce a winner on Tuesday, March 24.

To read a review of Puppy Love from NOR’s Diana Coyle, click here.

To buy Puppy Love, click here.

Good luck!

~Jane

Authors are responsible for most of their own promotion now, moreso than any other time, from what I’ve been told. I doubt that will ease up any time soon. The successful authors of my personal acquaintance have spent considerable time and effort on publicity. These authors are on or near the [...]]]>

Authors are responsible for most of their own promotion now, moreso than any other time, from what I’ve been told. I doubt that will ease up any time soon. The successful authors of my personal acquaintance have spent considerable time and effort on publicity. These authors are on or near the NYT Bestsellers list, so don’t think self-promo is for small press authors only.

Bottom line is, I believe every author should learn as much about promotion and marketing as she can, and be willing to do whatever it takes to sell books and earn name recognition. There are many avenues–blogs, social networks, online classes, postcard mailings, spamming your friends (no, I didn’t really say that!), and of course, contests. Most of us choose a variety of these in our marketing plans (you do have a plan, right?), including contests. Today, we’ll discuss what makes a successful contest and how to go about conducting one.

I do think contests are an effective way to build your mailing list and garner name recognition. I’m not so sure it sells books, but as the saying goes, we’re using our current release to sell our next book. Is that true? Don’t know. But I do know if your goal is to build your mailing list, a contest is a jimdandy way of doing it.

(Question: Is it still okay to say “jimdandy”? Or is offensive to someone or something? If so, forget I wrote that, please.)

One thing I learned early on was not to get in over my head. Lesson 1: I have a super hard time getting things mailed–don’t know why, but I’m missing that gene. Luckily, my sister is good at it and agreed to take over that part. I bought business cards with her name and the title “Contest Coordinator” before she could change her mind.

So get the practical, physical aspects of conducting the contest under control.
Who will design and code the web pages?
Who will code the messages for online promotion?
And what is the plan for online promotion of the contest?
(You do have a plan, right?)
What are the prizes?
Who will package and mail the prizes?
How will the contest be conducted?
What timeframe? In conjunction with book release? Or a holiday?

Yes, it’s a lot to think about, but all these considerations and more go into the decision to run a contest. There isn’t enough space to go into all the items in detail, but I’ll touch on each of them.

Contests are nearly always run from the author’s website, and for good reason–to bring traffic so the contestant might be lured to buy a book. A website is the best bang for the marketing dollar, and to make the most of it, we need a dynamic site, not static. Contests are a good way to draw readers. But who’s going to code that page? If the author codes it herself, then that project has to be coordinated with deadlines, copy edits, and all that. If not, she has to be prepared to pay. Either way, website changes don’t happen magically or for free.

Same with online promotion. I’m on over 100 yahoogroups, and of those, probably half are readers loops or promo loops. There’s even a yahoogroup that tracks romance promo groups and sends you an announcement each day of what you can post and where called Promotion Loop Schedule. Again, this takes coding (because you don’t want to send amateurish promos), and it takes time to post all those messages–so again you have to weigh the time involved with your writing schedule.

The plan? Yes, before you even start, you have to decide what kind of contest to run, how long it will take, who’s going to do what and when, and what is a reasonable budget. This is a business, and good business requires planning. Write it down and record the schedule on your calendar.

What are the prizes? More is better–either more expensive, or more prizes. Either will get you more entrants than giving away one download. The prizes do need to be commensurate with the scope of the contest; e.g., if your marketing is limited to emailing, most people will never know about the vacation in French Polynesia you’re offering. Save the vacation for a nation-wide print campaign. Download of your most recent ebook? That’s also iffy, because the people who want it are probably the same ones who would buy your book anyway, so you may have just lost a sale. I like to offer my friends’ books. This gives me a chance to give them a little free publicity because they’ve helped me so much, and it also gives me good publicity, so a win-win situation. And I offer my book to them for contests, also.

Okay, one more paragraph about prizes. I recently ran a pet pictures contest and I was amazed at the really awesome pet pictures people sent in. So I told everyone that “we” would mail them something, whether they won or not. Except I sort of forgot to mention it to my sister. This is not a good thing, I learned, unless one enjoys having knots thumped upon one’s head. So don’t change the rules in the middle of the game. Make sure everyone knows what’s going to happen and when, and make sure they have the money and supplies to get the job done.

I’ve conducted three kinds of contests: scavenger hunts with other authors, two different types of voting contests, and then the join-my-mailing-list contest where the winner is chosen from the mailing list. By the way, if you want to join mine, you have to put up with Princess Keely, who runs Keely’s Contest and News Group. (Hint: she rather likes being called “Princess Keely” and has her own myspace page as well.)

Scavenger hunts have resulted in lots of hits to my website and lots of subscriptions to Keely’s group. (Caveat: too many authors and too complicated searches will put off entrants.) Pet pictures voting resulted in the most website hits and the most inquiries about my latest release. The join-my-mailing-list contests didn’t give me a lot of website hits, but quadrupled the number of members on the mailing list in one month.

The last thing we’ll discuss is the timing of the contest. Every romance author has a Valentine’s Day contest, it seems (including me). Do you want to plan your contest then? Or sit it out? I’m thinking this year I might sit it out and have a St. Patrick’s Day contest instead, just because there won’t be so much competition for PR. If you’re having a winter holiday contest, you’re best planning it to be over by mid-December, if not earlier. People are too busy after that to pay much attention. Make sure you schedule your contest to get the most attention to your books and your website.

Hmmm, we haven’t had a contest on Keely’s Contest and News Group lately, so at 11:59pm Pacific Time on February 1, I’ll draw one name at random from the group. All you have to do is be a member, or join if you’re not currently a member.

That said, I’ve already broken a rule because my sister doesn’t know about this. Oh boy, I’m in trouble now!

The winner will receive one Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues T-shirt and who knows what else. She makes these really cute Faery Special Earrings so you might get some of those if you’re lucky. Don’t know about that–she hasn’t given me any, yet. [pouting]

Coming up: in the next few months, Laron Glover has agreed to discuss her experiences of writing a screenplay, and Justin Saragueta will tell us about songwriting and his journey to release his CD (which will be soon!).

Have a Magical Monday!

Jacquie
Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues (See the Book Video featuring Justin Saragueta)
Jacquie Rogers *** Myspace *** Twitter *** Facebook
Faery Special Romances *** Book Video
Royalties go to Children’s Tumor Foundation,
ending Neurofibromatosis through Research