Learn About Marketing with Deborah Riley-Magnus

We are pleased to have Deborah Riley-Magnus as our guest blogger today.  She will be teaching the online workshop "Geisha Marketing for Authors" for us November 7-12, and has offered to give us this preview of her topic:

Geisha Marketing for Authors vs. Hide-Under-the-Blanket Marketing.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say the word … marketing? Don’t be afraid, just spit it out. I already know what you’re thinking.

“Oh no! Will I need to become one of those authors? The kind that talk about their work all the time? The kind who think about nothing but selling books? Will I need to be like a used car salesman? A slimy manipulator? Can I get away without doing any marketing at all because really, I’m just too shy (or too busy, or too important, or above all that stuff, or all I want to do is write)?”

Um … no. Let me start by addressing your concerns. First, you will not become one of those authors because true marketing has nothing to do with irritating repetition. You will not be thinking about selling your book all the time because marketing is an ongoing component of being an author and creative thinker. Good marketing is a second nature, not a disruptive activity. If you market like a used car salesman, you’ll turn people off. If you come off like a slimy manipulator, you’ll turn people away.

Can you get away without marketing at all? This final concern is the primary reason for my workshop, Geisha Marketing for Authors. Unfortunately, no matter your reason for not wanting to market, you must market. The state of the publishing industry has unceremoniously dropped all that responsibility on the author’s shoulders but I’m here to tell you … this is a challenge and a huge benefit. Controlling your destiny is the key to this, so don’t look at it as a sad, terrible turn of events, look at this as a great opportunity.

Marketing is nothing you thought it was. Marketing is an art, and an effective marketing strategy must be creatively developed specifically for you and the book you wrote. The Geisha Marketing for Authors workshop covers the primary elements to help you to understand, craft and implement marketing exactly the way you and your book need it to be.

The definition of Marketing is: The process by which one creates customer interest in products or services. The definition of Geisha is: An entertainer whose skills include performing various arts such as classical music and dance. This workshop ties together the elegant art of the ancient geisha with the power of effective marketing. It is five days of exploring possibilities that work and don’t overwork the author because hey, you’re supposed to be writing your next book, right? Here’s what we’ll be covering:

1. The Training for Geisha Marketing
1. Tools, goals and creating perfection
2. Polishing speaking, appearance and pride
2. The Art of Geisha Marketing
1. Building an Author Platform
2. Building a Book Platform
3. Social Networking at its best
3. The Beauty of Geisha Marketing
1. Marketing harmonies outside the norm
2. Commitment to what art you have and will perform
3. Finding and cultivating new lovers of your performance
4. The Performance of Geisha Marketing
1. Consistence, continuity and patience
2. Short and long performances
3. The harmony of presentation
5. The Reputation of Good Geisha Marketing
1. Follow up, building upon and the poetry of the “T” (testing) Ceremony
2. The Geisha Marketer’s agreement with their readers

Marketing is personal, based on you and your book. Powerful marketing strategies come from powerful creative ideas and that is the primary goal of this workshop … to take the amazing creativity you put into your book and expand it into a marketing tool like no one else’s.  All those other authors making that ruckus and noise on twitter and facebook, shouting that you really should buy their book, have not looked at marketing this way. They are doing what everyone else does.

Good marketing is developing a new or more creative path to better results. Are you up to the challenge? If so, Geisha Marketing for Authors is for you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Deborah Riley-Magnus is an author and an Author Success Coach. She has a twenty-seven year professional background in marketing, advertising and public relations as a writer for print, television and radio. As an Author Success Coach she focuses exclusively on publicity, marketing and promotional solutions for authors.

Deborah produces several pieces weekly for various blogs and websites including her author website and Unruly Guides, and an author industry blog, Deborah Riley-Magnus,Writaholic. She teaches online and live workshops as an Author Success Coach.

Cold in California, book one of The Twice-Baked Vampire Series, was released in July, 2011. Her non-fiction, Finding Author Success: Discovering and Uncovering the Marketing Power Within Your Manuscript will be released in November, 2011. In January of 2012, she will be launching a new online publication called the Whispers of the Muse Literary Magazine.

She belongs to several writing and professional organizations and is a member of the WriteSEX blog group as the marketing, promotions and publicity expert. She can be followed on Facebook and Twitter.

A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she has lived on both the east and west coast of the United States and has traveled the country widely.

Guest Blogger Kristina McMorris on The Bumpy Ride Toward Publication

It's known across the globe as the "Happiest Place on Earth." Yet one begins to question this self-proclaimed title while standing in a two-hour line at Disneyland, in ninety-degree heat, surrounded by crying children and irritable strangers. I remember pondering this irony years ago, awaiting my very first turn on the popular Thunder Mountain ride. This thing better be worth the trouble, I thought to myself. 

Looking back, I suddenly realize the similarities shared by my journey to publication. Many a time, my query letters, then copies of my manuscript, stood in lengthy queues to reach the eyes of a promising agent or editor—only to learn it didn't reach the required height line. With a pat on the head, I was sent away, encouraged to come back when I had grown enough, or to try a more suitable ride. 

And so, I continued to improve my craft, despite the rejections that streamed in, and I would stand in line after line. Each time that I was told World War II women's fiction would be a tough sell—or worse, that it would never sell—I grew more determined to succeed. 

You see, I didn't write my first novel, LETTERS FROM HOME, to fit neatly into the marketplace. Truth be told, I was barely a reader when I discovered my grandparents' wartime courtship letters, which inspired the premise of my story. Instead, I transcribed the vision of a movie that played out in my head, and always I did my best to write from the heart. 

Eventually, I made it to the front of that daunting line again, though this time, to my delight, I was invited to board. An official contract was offered with my name on it. Since then, uncertainty and excitement have continued to swirl through the clickety-clack, two-year climb to reach my book's launch date. The past few weeks, following the release, have passed in a blur. Twists and turns and an almost constant adrenaline rush have often overpowered what I had foreseen to be a blissful feat. 

At last, however, life has begun to settle to a comfortable speed. And this week, I actually had the chance to sit back and savor the moment. The ride has hardly been free of bumps, but as I stood in the Costco aisle, staring at my pleasantly shocking stack of books—of a novel, mind you, that was never supposed to sell—I couldn't help but smile. 

Was it worth all the trouble? I asked myself. 

Absolutely. 

-----

Kristina McMorris's first novel, Letters From Home, was released in February.  You can learn more about her writing and her journey to publication at her website: http://kristinamcmorris.com

Guest Blogger Leanna Renee Hieber

Welcome today's guest author, Leanna Renee Heiber!

Award-Winning author, actress and playwright Leanna Renee Hieber grew up in rural Ohio where her childhood memories are full of inventing elaborate ghost stories. While performing in the regional theatre circuit, her one-act plays such as Favorite Lady, were published, produced, won awards and continue to b produced in colleges and festivals around the country. She has adapted works of 19th Century literature for the professional stage.

She hit the fantasy fiction scene with her novella Dark Nest which won the 2009 Prism Award for excellence in Futuristic, Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker is the first in her Strangely Beautiful series of ghostly, Gothic Victorian Fantasy novels published by Dorchester Publishing.

From the Back Cover:

"What fortune awaited sweet, timid Percy Parker at Athens Academy? Considering how few of Queen Victoria’s Londoners knew of it, the great Romanesque fortress was dreadfully imposing, and little could Percy guess what lay inside. She had never met the powerful and mysterious Professor Alexi Rychman, knew nothing of the growing shadow, the Ripper and other supernatural terrors against which his coterie stood guard. She knew simply that she was different, haunted, with her snow-white hair, pearlescent skin and uncanny gifts. But this arched stone doorway offered a portal to a new life, an education far from the convent—and an invitation to an intimate yet dangerous dance at the threshold of life and death…"

The Strangely Beautiful Haunted London Blog Tour day 11!

I’m thrilled to be here. Thanks so very much to Elisabeth for inviting me!

Today we visit:

The Ship Tavern – 12 Gate Street, WC2

A Place of Refuge

During the intolerant reign of King Henry III, Catholics would sneak into this cozy 18th century pub to attend a furtive Mass conducted outside of the law by priests. Lookouts were posted in the surroundings and signals would warn the congregation when officials were coming to pry. The priest could then escape into one of the pub’s hiding places and allow the congregants time to pick up their mugs and play the part of mere pub regulars. If the priests were found, only torture, jail and execution was in store. There is an air of relief in this pub, a sense of comfort and refuge, likely left over from those sentiments of old, when priests could leave their hiding places undiscovered and blessedly return to their lives. The staff is rather fond of a prankster of a ghost that likes to hide cooking utensils or move keys.

It is this same sense of comfort, refuge and ghostly pranks that I’ve created in The Guard’s “Local”, their favourite pub/café; La Belle et La Bete.

From The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker:

--- (Beginning of Excerpt) ---

Headmistress Rebecca Thompson owed Professor Alexi Rychman a very expensive bottle of sherry. Luckily, spirits—liquors as well as ghosts—were in ample supply at Café La Belle et La Bête.

The spectres came and went as they pleased, now and then troubling to adjust the glassware, to the owner Josephine’s unending irritation. One pair of Restoration wraiths kept to a corner, eternally interested in gossip divined from the living. One former army general never left his post at the end of the bar. And of course there were many, many others.

Everyone inside, living and dead, turned as the door opened and the scowling Rebecca entered.

“Good afternoon, my dear Miss Thompson!” hailed her jovial, rosy-cheeked friend in a modest suit, rising from a table by the window to press her hand. The other gentleman at the table, more finely dressed, waved a limp hand and resumed gazing out the window.

“Hello, Michael … Elijah,” Rebecca murmured with a curt nod.

Vicar Michael Carroll, maintaining his affable grin, pulled out a chair. “And what has you so flustered?”

“Alexi, of course,” she spat, taking a seat between them, removing her hat and gloves to replace stubborn locks of hair falling from her coiffure. She failed to notice Elijah roll his eyes.

“What now?” Michael asked, twirling his grey-peppered mustache.

Rebecca sighed, adjusting the gathered folds of her navy skirt with a pronounced rustle. “Do you recall the trouble at Fifty Berkeley Square?”

“What of it?”

“Alexi seemed to think I was outmatched. But as we often perform alone, I never dreamed—”

“Old Bloody Bones got the better of you, eh?” Michael grinned.

“Yes,” Rebecca muttered. “What a horrid sight. And stench. It wouldn’t stay still long enough to bind properly! I’m afraid I made a mess of it.”

“Alexi’s been hard on you, then? Did he come to your aid?”

“Yes, yes. He was right. It took the two of us to dispel the bloody devil.” Rebecca glowered. “So, as was our wager, I owe him a bottle of sherry. His absurdly expensive label, of course.”

“Ah! A bet against Alexi?” Michael shook his head. “While I admire your pluck, my dear, I must say I’d have foregone that temptation. Now he will be gloating and unbearable.”

Elijah sniggered against the window.

Rebecca turned. “Good afternoon to you, too, Lord Withersby. Your impeccable manners are always a balm.”

Elijah turned, as if he hadn’t yet noticed Rebecca or heard her previous greeting, and inclined his head in an exaggerated bow. “Miss Thompson. Delighted.”

Michael laughed. “You know, Elijah, you match the consumptive artwork Josephine has on these walls. You really should sit for Rosetti. Or … I suppose we could simply leave you in your seat and hand you a gold frame to hold over your face.”

Elijah pursed his thin lips in annoyance.

“Oh, is that a new one of Josephine’s?” Rebecca pointed to the opposite wall and rose to examine the indicated canvas. Michael followed, always eager to be near her side. Elijah remained seated … and held a peppermill over Michael’s tea.

A clatter of glasses above the polished oak bar brought the lovely, olive-skinned Josephine, cursing in French, out from a back room. Brandishing a wet towel, she waved it in the air with a few words that were not French but instead the Guard’s strange and ancient tongue. The towel passed straight through the portly body of that spirit in military uniform who was trying to unsuccessfully help himself to a glass of wine. Glumly, the general heard the odd words, felt the tickle of the towel and went again to sulk in his usual place.

It was good the four friends were the sole living occupants of the bar, Rebecca mused; the afternoon was shaping up to be a bit of a production unfit for outsiders. Improper familiarity across class lines was one thing, but blatant interaction with the dead was another.

--- (End of Excerpt) ---

I’m indebted to Richard Jones, founder of the fabulous Discovery Walks of London and author of the fantastic compendium “Haunted London” and “Walking Haunted London” published by Barnes & Noble Books, a main resource for my research. Visit him at www.haunted-london.com. Come visit me at www.leannareneehieber.com to find out more about The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parkera and follow along the final days of the Haunted London Blog tour! I hope you’ll also pick up the book and love it as much as I loved writing it! Be sure to comment to be entered to win a signed copy!

Blessings!
Leanna Renee Hieber
www.leannareneehieber.com
www.twitter.com/leannarenee

Guest Blogger - Elissa Wilds!

Please help me welcome our guest today, Dorchester author, Elissa Wilds!

Elissa Wilds write paranormal romantic fiction and metaphysical/new age non-fiction. She loves to write about magick (spelled with a "k" to differentiate between stage magic and real magic) because she lives a magickal life. She enjoys investigating all things paranormal and has developed extensive knowledge and expertise in areas such as alternative healing, intuitive development, Wicca, Feng Shui, and more. She's spent the past fourteen years teaching others about these and other metaphysical topics and holds Bachelor degrees in Communication and Creative Writing and a Master's degree in Communication. In addition to writing, she enjoy singing karaoke, reading, meditating, and spending time with her family.

Elissa's 2nd book - DARKNESS RISING, the sequel to her 2008 debut BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK - just released last week from Dorchester. Here's a sneak peek at DARKNESS RISING:

He is a god, and he embodies everything the word implies. Everything. That makes Aurora a very lucky woman. Because Mobius wants her—not for her ability to neutralize the dark forces of the Umbrae, or for her kick-butt approach to the Finders wreaking havoc all over Earth. No, he wants to protect her, to harmonize their separate energies, to show her exactly what it means to be perfectly attuned to another being.

In a realm where creating a sexy little red dress is as simple as thinking it, the mind is the most powerful tool of all. And Aurora will use hers to tantalize her lover, outwit their enemies and defeat the...DARKNESS RISING.


Check out Elissa's website at www.elissawilds.com.
***
Summer is officially over. Sigh of relief. Kids are back to school. That’s good. The house is quiet. It’s easier to work. Summer is officially over. Sigh of sadness. I didn’t make it to the beach even once this summer. Not once! And I live in Florida! I started the summer with all sorts of ideas for how to use the time. I had lots of plans – much to my husband’s chagrin – for what he was going to get done around the house. Some got accomplished. Some didn’t. Not all his fault either. It seems, despite my plans for yard work followed by leisurely days on the beach as our reward – I’m just too darn busy! And I made my family just as busy as me! How did I manage to fill every waking moment with stuff to do? And then more stuff to do? And not much of it, relaxing and enjoyable? Does this sound familiar?

Here’s is what I realized. I’m an overachiever. And I clearly subconsciously expect everyone around me to be one too. Granted, I usually manage to do a lot of things at once. There was the time I was writing a master’s thesis, starting a new job, finishing a book, and became pregnant. There was the time I worked two jobs, took three or four classes, wrote a book, and taught Feng Shui and intuitive development on the side. These are just a couple examples, but my friends will tell you – there are plenty more examples from my life. Apparently doing too much is the norm for me. And I’ll bet I’m not alone. I’d bet plenty of you are also overachievers.

The problem with doing so many things at once is that you rarely get to do everything you’d like, and inevitably, some aspect of your life suffers. For me, it’s been the relaxation and fun part that has suffered. My house is clean, laundry done, book getting written, day job getting accomplished, kids are fed, but…I’m still feeling like I’m lacking somehow. I know it’s because I haven’t gotten to do anything for me. I recently read a book called Harmonic Wealth by James Ray. I loved it. He talks about our attempts to accomplish everything in our lives and how hard it is – if not impossible – to touch on all facets of our lives and keep them in balance. He gives some wonderful suggestions for coping, however. And I’ve already put one of his suggestions into practice. I make a list every morning of 6 things I need to accomplish that day. I automatically make one of those items (and I place it near the top of the list) something that is either fun and/or good for me. Examples, an afternoon at the beach, an hour on the elliptical, an hour of reading for pleasure, etc. Sometimes, I put two of these on my list. I focus on that list and that list only. If the housework isn’t on it, it waits until the next day. If I don’t get to everything on the list, I roll items to the next day, putting the ones I didn’t accomplish at the top of the list.

So far, it’s working splendidly! Granted, I’ve only been working this process for a couple days, but man – what I’ve been able to get done! And, I’ve had time for myself. Which is huge with a new baby in your life!

In honor of the release of DARKNESS RISING, I'm giving away a copy of the book to one lucky commenter! All you have to do is answer this question:

What are your tricks for accomplishing all that you’d like to get done each day?

Guest Blogger - Agent Laura Bradford!

Today I'm thrilled to bring literary agent Laura Bradford with Bradford Literary Agency to the blog!

Laura Bradford has fourteen years of professional experience as a literary agent, editor, writer and bookseller. Laura began her career as a literary agent at Manus and Associates Literary Agency and is a member of the Association of Authors Representatives and Romance Writers of America. She is a former board member of the San Francisco Area RWA chapter and an RWA-recognized agent. During her own misadventures as a writer, Laura came to understand the importance of having a friendly but critical eye on your side, a career strategist in your corner and a guide who can lead you through the travails of publication. With these qualities in mind, Laura delivers the personal and hands-on attention that a large corporate agency cannot offer. As an editorial-focused agent Laura works closely with her clients developing proposals and manuscripts for the most appropriate markets.

Please welcome Laura. And if you have any questions for her, leave them in the comment section. She'll be checking in during the day.

Thanks so much for being here today, Laura!

***

That NEVER should have worked

by Laura Bradford

A couple of days ago one of my authors Twittered that she was looking for recommendations of books that had ugly heroes or heroines. She did not mean one of those warrior-type heroes with a scarred face—the ones that really look more rakish than horrifying. She meant books with heroes and heroines that were plain old unattractive. When I saw that tweet, all I could think was, that sounds awesome! I want to see that list of recommendations, too. I totally adore a story that defies convention and I long ago realized that when referring to books, I use the phrase, “that NEVER should have worked” as a compliment. Which gave me the idea for this guest blog.

As an agent, my job is to sell books—yes, I do lots of other things too, but that is essentially what my job boils down to. I have to be aware of the market and know what will have broad appeal, I have to be aware of how markets shift and what editors and readers want. Some themes that are popular and salable aren’t at all to my personal taste and that is okay. I personally love work that is daring, that pushes the envelope, that is surprising but I absolutely understand the mainstream. It is how I make my living. However, I firmly believe there should be something out there for every taste.

Romance is romance because it embodies a certain set of characteristics or rules (like a happy-ever-after) and I, for one, love it. Then there are the conventions of romance, like pretty heroines and heroes who are, even if they are complete bad boys, ultimately redeemable. Authors may dabble with new ways to present those conventions but to completely defy them, well you run the risk of seriously falling on your face. Sometimes if you try to write something that should probably never work, it DOESN’T work. It is a disaster. It’s a hot mess. The characters are detestable, the plot twists are appalling, the romance is…not even remotely a romance.

But sometimes, those convention-defying elements that shouldn’t work, do. And it is brilliant and fresh and fabulous and breathes new life into the genre. There isn’t anything I love more than reading THAT book. The one that shouldn’t have worked. And I am grateful when I read those books, because they are what keep the genre from becoming hopelessly homogenized. How sad would it be if all the books on the market just started to run together and become the same? I’d cry. So I am here to say, please, please take risks with your writing from time to time. Don’t be afraid to try something that might spectacularly fail. It might just be spectacular.

***

If you have questions for Laura, comment away. She'll be checking in today several times, so don't miss this chance to ask what you really want to know about books, publishing, and agents.

Guest Blogger - Delilah Marvelle!

Today I'm thrilled to have good friend and phenom writer with us, Delilah Marvelle. Delilah and I finaled in the GH together in 2007, and Delilah went on to to sell her finaling manuscript to Kensington. Today Delilah has some important info to share with us not only about her books but publishing in general. And she's got a fab contest going on you don't want to miss.

Please help me welcome Delilah Marvelle!!

***

When I was in high school, I had a dream. I was going to be the next Stephen King. Heh. Yeah. Stay with me. Please. I knew my ideas were fabulous and I knew all it would take is for an editor to look at it and they would offer me up the moon and the stars and best of all, a contract. I had my girlfriends read everything I wrote. And they kept telling me, “This is fabulous! It's SO funny! Hilarious!” Seeing it really wasn't supposed to BE funny, I immediately changed course realizing I actually had a better handle on being funny than scary. I also figured adding a romance into it would even make it better since that is what I loved to read.

I then entered college as an English major. I was going to be teacher and write during the summers. Even then I was a smart girl who knew I wasn't going to make jack and that I needed a job to support the “creative” one. Throughout all of college I wrote historical romances. One right after another. And kept submitting. And submitting. And submitting. And kept getting rejected and rejected and rejected. In the meantime, I got married. I had two kids. I joined RWA. I got critique partners. I did honed and honed and honed the crap out of my writing. And kept writing and getting rejected. I eventually racked up over 200 rejections and had written over 40 books in those 11 years of trying to get published.

When I finally sold my first historical romance, MISTRESS OF PLEASURE, and my second book, LORD OF PLEASURE, I was beside myself. It didn't feel real. To FINALLY arrive at a destination I had been traveling toward for 11 long years seemed like a mirage. Which fortunately, I quickly snapped out of. Because after all, most of my friends are all published and unpublished writers and the stories they all have told me throughout the years made me realize I had to fight with fists up for myself every step of the way. I knew publishers did little to no promotion for their authors, so I spearheaded my own promo, ready to be more than just an author. And even though I was budgeting very well and spending countless hours networking and promoting on websites and blogs, doing tons for free, I still ended up spending $7,000 on my first book. Which was way more than my advance. But hey, every business starts in the red. Right?

Then the reviews started coming in about my series set in 1830 London England about a school that educates men on the topic of love and seduction. People loved it! Wow. It got nominated for awards. Wow. Readers are e-mailing me raving. Wow. Readers from France, Austria, Poland, South Africa and from all over the U.S and the world.. Wow. It just kept getting better and better. I was beginning to feel as if every penny I spent was all worth it (even though my family and I weren't going on any vacations and were eating out of cans). Because all that mattered was that my publisher loved me and my readers loved my series.

Come contract time, I'm ready for whatever they wanna throw at me. Or so I thought. Mistress of Pleasure, though completely sold out and unavailable anywhere (unless it's a used copy, some going for a ridiculous amount of $40.00), hadn't done as well as my publisher had hoped. So without waiting for the second book to come out to see if the series was even worth saving, I get a rejection from my own editor citing lack of sales.

I have to say this rejection felt more personal than any of the other two hundred and some rejections I'd received. Because it was no longer “Your book isn't good enough” it became “Your sales aren't good enough.” Since when is an author supposed to be a market guru AND a fabulous writer? Eck.

I love this series. The men in it make me laugh and it broke my heart to think that my readers will never get a chance to read about Lord Brayton, my glorious male virgin. The only alpha virgin I've ever written about. Then I realized something, why I am letting a publisher decide what is worth holding on to? Shouldn't that be a reader's job?

Ah. Herein lies the purpose of my post. I am challenging everyone, be they readers or writers to help me do something that's never been done before. Save a series from a death sentence given by a publisher. Can it be done? Who knows. But I eat challenges for breakfast and I hope you do to. Please join me in saving my series. Come August 4th, tell everyone you know (yes, even you're 72 year old grandfather) to buy the book, Lord of Pleasure. In doing so, you'll have a chance to win one of three $50 Visa Gift Cards. How? Check out my website for details at www.DelilahMarvelle.com

That said, thank you for all the support and love everyone has already shown me by allowing me to blog about this. Feel free to post and repost this to everyone under the moon and the stars. To all you readers out there, thank you for supporting us writers. To all you writers out there, don't ever give up on your writing. The moment you do, you give up on yourself. Which is why I'm not giving up on my series.

Cheers and much love,
Delilah Marvelle

Guest Blogger Lisa Hendrix!

Today we're lucky to have Berkley author Lisa Hendrix with us! If you happened to make it to the last MWV RWA meeting, you got to hear Lisa speak in person. If not, you're in for a special treat. Lisa writes paranormal historical romances, and her Immortal Brotherhood series is on the road to doing very well. Book One, Immortal Warrior, started the series last fall, and Book Two, Immortal Outlaw, launches next week!

Please help me in welcoming Lisa Hendrix!

***

Cease and Desist

Current project: Immortal Champion (Book III)
Status: Behinder (as in "The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.")


I had a terrific idea for this guest post. I was going to write about the animals in my real life, segué to the were-beasts in my Immortal Brotherhood series, and tie it all up neatly in a discussion of Animal Magnetism, both the original concept and today's meaning of raw sexual charisma and how to use the concept to juice up your own heroes, animal or not.

Summarized like that, I though it sounded pretty good--different, at least, and perhaps useful and entertaining. I figured that with such a thorough idea of where I was going (unusual when I sit down to blog), I could bang the piece out, complete with research links, in a couple of hours.

Not.

I worked at it on and off all day yesterday. I researched. I linked. I revised and reshaped and revisited the germ of the idea to push it further. And at 1 am today I had...a piece of crap.

Now, Nora often says you've gotta give yourself permission to write crap, and it's a concept I believe in. While I'm writing, I have a file called Junk Drawer where all the crap I churn out resides before it is finally and forever erased. But when you've got a blog post due, that pile of pixels in the Trash bin is no consolation. So at 1:05 am, I finally admitted I had gone off track somewhere and I went to bed thinking it would all be clear this morning. It wasn't. At this point, I'm not sure it every will be, but I still have this post to get to Elisabeth (remembering the S this time), so I did what every good writer does when s/he doesn't know what to do: anything else.

In this case, the procrastinatory activity was shopping. To be fair, it was necessary shopping—my daughter's 8th grade class is having their end of year luau today, and they needed more junk food—but it did involve spending money, which is always therapeutic (as are the dark chocolate bars that somehow ended up in the cart...) I also had a face-to-face with dd's principal—does anyone else have to mutter "The principal is your PAL" every time they type that word?--about a series of potentially worrying incidents that might or might not reveal some over-zealous policing by certain staff (e.g., one woman grilled my daughter intently about a T-shirt graphic she thought might be a gang sign. I'm sorry, but anyone who works in a middle school should recognize the World Wildlife Federation panda bear, don't you think?).

Anyway, the distractions, the shopping, and the chocolate worked their magic. As I was driving home, listening to some guy talk about yoga on the local NPR station, I suddenly knew what my subject is. Really. I do have a subject. All this wandering has a point, and that point is that there is a lesson in all that angst over the Animal Magnetism post, a lesson I have to review every now and again (more often than I'd like):

Sometimes you've just got to walk away.

It's a tough thing to do, especially when you're sure it's a good idea, when you've put a lot of time or invested your heart in the project, when you know it could be a terrific piece, if only you can get it right. It's easy to convince yourself that it would be a waste of time to throw all that work away. It's overwhelming to think you have to start over with an empty file and a brand new concept. Really, just a little more work...

I've written at least half-a-dozen proposals that went nowhere. That's full proposals, synopsis and three chapters, all written after I was a published author, that just didn't have the magic. I could probably have pounded each one into a salable form -- and to be honest, there are a couple that I think still may pay off, just as I think that at some point that Animal Magnetism post will see the light of day. But at the time, they hadn't fermented enough, were beyond my skills, whatever. I don't know why, but they wouldn't work. I struggled too hard with the writing, and they came out as crap and remained that way no matter what I did. To keep my sanity and stay on any kind of career path, I had to walk away from them.

The hard part, of course, is knowing when the crap is the kind Nora is talking about, the kind that's just your brain sorting out the story, or when it's the kind that just draws you under like quicksand and suffocates you. The stuff I was writing yesterday was the latter kind; it just plain sucked. If the time ever comes that I feel the need to revisit the Animal Magnetism idea, I will not go back to what I had. In fact, the file is going into Trash as soon as I hit save on this one. When the time comes, I'll start over from scratch, just like I did this morning with this new topic.

And guess what? This only took me 30 minutes to write. It may be crap, too, but it's Nora style crap, the good kind. Something that can be polished 'til it shines.

But I'm late, so I'm sending it out this way. Like my son, graduating from high school next week, it may not be quite ready for the world, but it has a spirit I like, and so I'm letting go.

Have you ever had to walk away from a project? How did you know that it was time, and that your weren't just being chicken?

The Call!!

Today I'm thrilled to welcome recently acquired Kensington author, Kristina McMorris to our blog!

For those of you who don't know Kristina, I'll fill you in on all the deets. Kristina and I finaled together in the Golden Heart in 2007, where I met and fell in instant adoration of this fun-loving writer who is also a member of the Portland Rose City Romance Writers. Not only is Kristina beautiful, tall, skinny and bright, she's also mom to two little boys, is an actress, a talk-show host, an award-winning writer and now...published author. (I know, I know...you want to hate her because of all that...I did too...but keep reading. Trust me, Kristina is a hoot.) Kristina recently got the call from Kensington for her WWII love story, LETTERS FROM HOME - which will be a Valentine's Day, February 2011 release - and she's here today to tell us all about her "call".

So help me by welcoming Kristina!!

*****

Greetings from waaaay up north! Okay, just Portland. But I’m still convinced it rains at least thirty more days of the year than down in your tropical neck of the woods. :)

Well, it’s been a crazy week – what with planning my best friend’s baby shower (take away games like “Identify the Chewed-up Snickers in the Diaper” game, and you gotta get creative); being sucked into the time-swallowing machine that is Facebook (thanks a lot, Elisabeth! Btw, I already have more friends than you...); and explaining to my child – without smiling – why the escape-from-Alcatraz breakout he pulled at preschool with his best friend, a map, and a mission for ice cream wasn’t necessarily a hit with the faculty. I’m not joking.

Anyhow, amidst all that, I did manage to review, sign and mail back my very first publishing contract. Um, let me repeat that: “my very first PUBLISHING CONTRACT!!!” (Sorry, the reiteration was solely for MY benefit, not yours. Moving on to my call story...)

In January 2009, I signed with my third-time’s-a-charm agent. She immediately began to submit my novel, LETTERS FROM HOME, a WWII love story inspired by my grandparents’ epistolary courtship. Previously, during its yearlong reign as a 2007 Golden Heart finalist, the manuscript made the publishing-house rounds with agent #1, garnered significant film option interest, but alas no literary sale. Two years, two agents, and one contemporary ms. later, I decided to revisit my WWII labor of love, giving the book a major overhaul with skills I had gained along the way, thus transforming my first novel into my third.

Within a few days of our submission launch, my agent called with news: John Scognamiglio (don’t try pronouncing that without the help of a native Italian), editor-in-chief of Kensington Publishing, had read LETTERS over the weekend, loved it, thought it was a page-turner, and was taking it to acquisitions. (Yes, I indeed squealed over the phone, but held off popping the champagne!) And so, we waited... one week... two weeks.... three.... four... and FINALLY after seven excruciating weeks, received word that due to concerns over marketing aspects of a WWII love story, my poor little ms. had been subjected to several additional reads.

Fortunately, in the end, LETTERS passed the test, and Kensington indeed made an official offer. But still no champagne popping allowed. Since the ms. was in the middle of second and third reads at two other large houses, my agent gave me strict instructions: I could tell my mother and my husband, but kids, CPs, and friends were off limits until we gave our answer by our one-week deadline. It was a loooong week. Sort of like winning the lottery and not being able to tell ANYONE! (And really, what’s the point of that?!)

Anyhow, we ultimately accepted the offer and I couldn’t be happier! And yes, I’ve since popped some champagne, and even thrown in a few truffles.

Thanks for letting me share. I hope my story provides inspiration for those of you who, like me, have a labor-of-love ms. you stubbornly refuse to give up on. So write what you love, no matter what the “market” says will or won’t sell, and no matter what, keep typing.

And now...a question for all of you. If you are already published, was your call story all that you hoped it would be? And if you are as-yet unpubbed, share the fantasy. I know you have one. How do you envision your call happening?

Guest Blogger - Beth Kery!

Today we're pleased to have Berkley author, Beth Kery, blogging with us! Aside from being an all around awesome person, Beth is also a phenomenal writer. Her latest book, DARING TIME, officially releases May 5th, but it's already getting rave reviews:

Beth Kery spins a unique and sensual tale of time- travel and love. Definitely a must-read
–Fresh Fiction Reviews

A hauntingly beautiful and enduring love story.
— 5 Bookmarks from Wild on Books

Daring Time takes readers on an imaginative and scintillating trip back in time. A truly unique and original story.
— 4 Stars from Romantic Times

Please help me in welcoming Beth Kerry!!

***
Greetings!

I’m here, at Elisabeth Naughton’s invitation to tell you a bit about my newest Berkley release, an erotic romance/time-travel called Daring Time. For me, this story calls to mind a whole host of images of a bygone era of grace, elegance and pure romance. Daring Time was inspired by my love of my hometown—Chicago—and the history of this progressive city, most especially the Prairie Avenue District.

They called Prairie Avenue “the sunny street of the sifted few.”

From the moment I visited this historic neighborhood just south of the Loop in downtown Chicago I was transported to another time and place. This is the famous avenue where self-made men and barons of industry lived shoulder to shoulder with retail giants like Marshall Field and Joseph Sears.

It was a street where late Victorian sedateness mixed together marvelously with unapologetic ostentation and neighborly one-upsmanship in regard to the grandeur of the family residence. On South Prairie Avenue the scientific marvels of the Chicago Worlds Fair of 1893 were first put on proud display and mansions were installed with electricity. Lavish events such as the Mikado Ball (Marshall Field’s mansion was transformed into a Japanese Village) commemorated an emerging American awareness of its place in the international amphitheatre.

But this was also an era of growing social responsibility for the poor and unrepresented, a time period that saw vicious labor union and workers’ rights disputes and the creation of Jane Addams Hull House and the field of American social work. My heroine is a proud soldier of social reform. I could almost envision Hope marching down Prairie Avenue, intent on saving the world one person at a time.

I have a favorite scene in Daring Time where my early twentieth century heroine’s father asks her to show him how she saw them dance in the year 2008. For me, it represents all of the glamour of not only the era, but of the genre of time travel itself. Here’s a snippet.

She obligingly walked several feet into the enormous ballroom while her father sat down at the table. She closed her eyes, perfectly imagining Gail and Ramiro moving in tandem to the unusual, exciting music. She positioned her hands, picturing herself touching Ryan’s broad shoulder while his big hand spread at the back of her waist. She began to softly hum a tune while she swayed to the music, occasionally inserting remembered lyrics.

Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars, da da da ta da, ta da on Jupiter and Mars…

The train of her blue satin gown and her petticoats swished behind her as she circled the ballroom floor in her solitary dance.

Like Prairie Avenue itself, Daring Time mixes together flagrant, lush sensuality with pure, unadulterated romance. I hope you enjoy it.

~Beth Kery

Purchase Daring Time at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425227960/ref=cm_pdp_arms_dp_img_3
Purchase Daring Time at Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Daring-Time/Beth-Kery/e/9780425227961/?itm=1
Or look for/request it at your local bookstore.

Beth is also hosting an AWESOME contest over at her blog. Hop over to enter!

Guest Blogger - Cynthia Eden!

The Two Parts of a Writer’s Life

Hi, everyone! It is a pleasure to be posting at the Mid-Willamette Valley blog today—thanks for having me over!

I thought I’d talk a bit about two main aspects of a writer’s life. Because, well, a writer’s life isn’t all about writing. (Oh, if only!) Instead, as I discovered after I sold my first book, a great deal of a writer’s time can be spent on promotion. (Ah, the dreaded “P” word.)

Now, sure, no writer is required to promote, but I have it on good authority—um, my editor’s and agent’s—that folks really like it when a writer uses PR efforts.
So, now I try to divide my work time between writing and promoting. No, it’s not an equal divide, and I certainly don’t think the divide should be equal. If I have a release coming up, or one that recently hit bookshelves (say my new vampire romance from Kensington Brava, IMMORTAL DANGER), then, yes, I do increase my promotional time. But, otherwise, the actual writing gets the bulk of my attention.
And when it comes to promotion…so many people have different opinions. Some authors swear by advertisements in the Romantic Times. Some authors send out mailings to bookstores and readers’ groups. Some authors attend conferences and present workshops.

For me, promotion comes down to a comfort level issue. I think writers should only promote in the ways that (1) they can afford to promote—because seriously, promotion can become very expensive and (2) they enjoy. I think enjoying promotion is key. If you like to blog, if you like to attend conferences, if you like meeting booksellers—then promotion may be a breeze for you! But, if the very notion of PR gives you hives, then, um, you might have to adjust your promotional plans.

Now that I’ve rambled so about promotion, why don’t you tell me what you think? Do you believe there are some promotional efforts that writers should do? (Say, take out an ad in Romance Sells?) Have you seen any particular promotional efforts that you viewed as highly successful?

Thanks for checking out my post! Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,
Cynthia Eden

www.cynthiaeden.com
IMMORTAL DANGER—Available now from Kensington Brava
Once bitten, twice the bitch.

Guest Author - Michelle M. Pillow!

First, a big thank you to the wonderful authors of MWVRWA for having me! As I’m looking at the MWVRWA website, I realize how much I miss visiting Oregon. I haven’t been there for years. I love to travel and explore. It’s probably one of the reasons I became a writer. What other job lets you go about all day reading research books and exploring new worlds. And, we get to call it a tax write-off. It’s the best career ever!

March was a very busy month for me and I’m so happy it’s finally April. I had four book releases. On March 6th, the three books from my fantasy romance series from Samhain re-launched all on the same day. The series is called Realm Immortal. Then, on the 25th, a brand new alternate reality romance series, Divinity Warrior, started at Ellora’s Cave with Lilith Enraptured. Book 2, Fighting Lady Jayne releases next month. I think it’s a good thing I like having something to do.

Divinity Warriors is a prime example of my love of research and exploration. The Divinity Corporation has discovered a way to jump from reality to reality. In fact, they’re the only ones with the technology. So, like every good corporation, they use their advantage to gain power and money. And really, who can regulate a company that has its hand in every plain of existence?

So being set in alternate realities, it’s full of endless possibilities and plenty of reasons to dig into all kinds of research and take those road trips. Ok, so there’s romance and big, alpha warrior men thrown into the mix. In fact, these are some of the most, erm, alpha-y men I’ve ever written. They’ve been raised on a Medieval-like plain where they’ve been fighting an endless war, taught never to love, only of duty and honor. But, oh how fun it is to make the mighty men fall.

After the four Divinity Warrior books, I’m jumping to another plain of reality, then another, then another…

So, how about you all? What’s your ultimate alternate reality?

Me, I think mine would be filled with pasta, no bake chocolate cookies and a society that never had to worry about cholesterol and calories.

***

About the Author
Michelle M. Pillow is a multi-published romance author. Her newest book, Divinity Warrior: Lilith Enraptured releases March 25th from Ellora’s Cave. Check out her website for more details.

Website – www.michellepillow.com
Blog – www.michellepillow.com/blog
Newsletter - http://www.michellepillow.com/newsletter/?p=subscribe

Guest Blogger - M.J. Fredrick!

This week I'm thrilled to welcome Sahmain and Wild Rose Press author, M.J. Fredrick! M.J. and I met several years ago when we were both Golden Heart finalists. Since then, I've been following M.J.'s career and celebrating her successes right along with her. I can honestly say you'd be hard-pressed to find a nicer author in the biz.

Now, if you've ever visited M.J.'s blog, you know she has a love of hot men...which totally explains her recent fire fighter hottie book - HOT SHOT - which won the 2009 Eppie for Best mystery/suspense/horror romance! If you're in the mood for some smokin' men, this is the book for you. HOT SHOT is available now in print from Sahmain Publishing.

Please help me welcome M.J. Fredrick!!

***

BOOKS & MOVIES

This weekend a new Nora Roberts movie debuts on Lifetime. For the next month, a Nora movie will be on every Saturday. The first is Northern Lights, her Alaska set novel, one of my favorites. It stars Leann Rimes and Eddie Cibrian. Neither are who I would picture as the characters, though I do think Eddie Cibrian is really handsome.



The second movie is Midnight Bayou, with Jerry O’Connell (is he the one from Crossing Jordan or was it his brother?) and Lauren Stamile (no idea). She has the right look, though. The only thing I remember about the book was that she was an exotic woman who lived above the bar in New Orleans. I’m looking forward to seeing the movie.



The third is High Noon, with Emilie de Ravin (Claire from Lost!) and Ivan Sergei (who looks like Eddie Cibrian, don’t you think?) This is one of my FAVORITE Nora books ever. This book had some dark dark dark scenes that I hope are included. I personally think that the FBI agent Renea from 24 would have been ideal for this role, though. Emilie seems a little young.



The last is Tribute, about the former child star renovating her grandmother’s house. This one stars Brittany Murphy (of many romantic comedies) and Jason Lewis (no idea). I didn’t think Ford would be such a big guy.



Honestly, I would love to be a casting director.

I think our expectations affect our enjoyment of movies made from books. I know my son and I had big expectations of WATCHMEN, and it paid off. The same with the Lord of the Rings movies. And PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. But I’m hard pressed to think of other movies I enjoyed as much as the books.

Still, I enjoy watching books made from movies. I would love to see Elisabeth Naughton’s book made into a movie. I even know who I’d cast as the hero:



I’d love to see any of Susan Elizabeth Phillips’s books made into movies. Or Lisa Kleypas’s BLUE EYED DEVIL. Maybe the Virgin River books or Suzanne Brockmann’s books.

If my book was made into a movie, I’d want Clooney and Maria Bello. The scenes I’d be adamant about keeping would be the Girl Scout camp, the tent scene, the bar scene, the motel scene, the smoke jumping scene, the fire shelter scene and the hospital scene. All of those are near and dear to my heart in a story that’s as close as anything I’ve written to the book of my heart.



What movies made from books do you enjoy? What books would you like to see made into movies, and who would you cast?

Can We Say...Supernatural?

Please Help me welcome guest blogger and Nocturne/Dorcester author, Linda Thomas-Sundtrom. Linda writes paranormals for Nocturne Bites and Dorchester Publishing. Her first book from Dorchester, Barbie & the Beast, releases April, '09!

***

Hello MWVRWA. It's so nice to meet you all and have a chat. Since I'm from the west coast, where it's a sunny 75 degrees here at the moment, and birds are singing outside my window, I'll sip some iced tea and hope you'll join me for a while. Before I get back to my deadline. (I've always wondered why that thing lurking is called a deadline. Anybody know? Like maybe your career is dead if you go past that book's due date?) Ha.

Shall I tell you a snippet about myself? Well, I'm a paranormal writer, through and through. No matter how hard I try to write a straight novel or romance, it turns south toward that big "P." It's just something in my blood, I guess. In our family, when I was growing up, telling spooky stories or watching spooky movies was a part of our weekend routine. At that time, supernatural and paranormal were considered "out of the box." I'm not so sure about today. What do you think? Do any of you have the need to delve into the supernatural realms?

My first book was fantasy, called "Cafe Heaven (An autobiography of the Afterlife)," about a guy, a diner, a blonde recruiter for the devil's side of the pavement, and the infamous old Route 66. That book was dedicated to my father, who I'm sure whispered the words to me from the Great Beyond. Café Heaven is currently being considered as movie fodder, which as we all know doesn't mean much in Hollywood until an actual contract were to come through.
Still . . . isn't that a kick? And pretty darned well thrilling?

My next story was a romance published by Kensington Brava, and Brava's first vampire story. The anthology created around it was titled Immortal Bad Boys. My tale was dark historical vampire fare.

Then I just had this story in my head that so opposite from the dark vampire historical, that I took an entire year to write the whole book. "Barbie & the Beast." My blurb on this book would be: A romp through the world of paranormal dating.

Did I mention that I have two distinct sides of my paranormal personality? Light and dark? And that the term "branding" can only apply to me in terms of knowing I'll write a paranormal of some kind?

My opportunity for showcasing "Barbie & the Beast" came in the form of the American Title 3 contest, sponsored by Dorchester and the Romantic Times Book Review Magazine. I entered, was chosen one of ten to participate, made it to the top 4, and Dorchester ended up buying the book.

"Barbie & the Beast" will be released this April 1. I am just so excited! Can you see me wiggling?

A dark, sexy tale appeared next in my brain that had Silhouette Nocturne branded on it. By submitting this novella to them, I garnered a 5 book contract! Yikes.

My first two Nocturne Bites,"BLACKOUT" and "WOLF BAIT" have just been released this January and February. I'm currently writing the next full book in that series, and really digging it.

And . . . the point of all this recent success? Lessons learned?

I followed my internal directional beacon by writing what I wanted to write, when I wanted to write it. Yes, it can happen! It's true. You can write that book that's chattering to you, if you're willing to wait for the opportunity for marketing it to strike. And if you have plenty of patience. My reminder was that writing was my passion, not necessarily publishing. Though I will be the first to admit (and with many squeals of delight) that getting published by New York is better than jumping over the moon, still . . . the beauty was in the journey from mind to paper. The process of telling a story from start to finish was and continues to be, for me, rewarding.

The magic key for the times for me turned out to be WEREWOLVES ! Because those tall, dark, sexy Weres are humanish males most of the time, and warm, mostly normal, and alive . . . This just opened itself right up to creativity and wishful thinking.

I'll bet all the folks in snowy climates wouldn't mind a warm body right about now. So, I'm hoping that curling up with one of my three current werewolves might be the ticket. Theres' something for everybody. Comedy, tragedy, and the space in between the two.

Barbie's beast is a part-time furball. Pure girly fun. The series for Nocturne, much darker than little Barbie, of course, is about a criminal werewolf biting innocent people in Miami, and what happens to those folks who are bitten. Each story in the Nocturnes has a male and female finding each other through this startling "transition."

I am so thrilled to be writing these days, that I can't wait to get to a keyboard, or hold a blank piece of paper in my hands. Though I do have a day job (teacher), and a family (adorable), and some acreage that needs tending (country girl) . . . I have to share with all of you my love for writing, and how patience and perseverance (and werewolves) can make us all the published writers we have always wanted to be.

So, now . . . Why don't you tell me a little bit about your own paths toward success and fulfillment. And of course about that paranormal tweak in your DNA that you might or not have. Speak to me! I'm listening.

Love,
Linda

www.lindathomas-sundstrom.com

Feeds For Dummies

Okay, I waited for Bethany to put up a Tuesday post but it looks like she's still in new mommy-land. (Bethany, take all the time you need and enjoy every moment of it.) However, we lucked out because Barbara Ray is guest blogging today!

Enjoy,
Eli

***

Feeds For Dummies...

Do you try to keep up with the web logs of members of MWVRWA, other genre writers, agents, editors, and publishers? Do you fall behind because it takes so much time to visit each site, some of which have nothing new posted anyway?

I’ve recently discovered a way to save time and still keep up with all the blogs I’m interested in reading. It’s called “Feeds.” For the barely computer literate like me, here’s a step-by-step way to set up your blogs on feeds so you can go to them when and only when a new posting has been made there.

The next time you visit your favorite web logs, check each one for a feed button on the right side of the tool bar just above the main screen. If that web log has a feed, the button will be orange-with-white curved stripes (if the blog doesn’t have a feed, the button will be gray with lighter stripes).

To add the blog to your list of Feeds, press the feed button and wait a moment while a white screen with that blog’s entries in a simplified format comes up. At the top of that screen there will be a banner message about feeds with a button at the bottom saying, “Subscribe to this feed.” Press the button. A decision box will appear again asking if you want to subscribe. Press the Subscribe button.

Now read the entries down to the last one you read, and go on to the next web log. If you want to save the entries to read later, look on the right side of the main screen near the bottom for a line that reads “Mark as read” with a check mark in front of it. Click that line and the current entries will show up again the next time you visit this feed. That’s all there is to subscribing to each web log (at least for PCs with Windows XP).

Once you have blogs on your feed, you can check them for new entries by pressing the single yellow star on the far left of the tool bar. Right next to the button for Favorites will be a button labeled Feeds. Press that button and a list of your feeds will appear.

The feeds that have new entries since your last visit will be in bold print. When you click on them, you will get the white simplified screen you got when you first subscribed to the feed. You can read the entries there if the whole entry is included or if you are just skimming through the entries to find the ones you are interested in reading. If only a few lines of the entry are listed and you want to read the whole entry, you can click on the little green arrow next to the author’s name at the top of the entry or on Continue or More at the end of the entry. From this screen you can read comments and add your own comments to the blog entry.

Not all web logs have feeds, so some you will still need to visit individually from your list of Favorites. I don’t know how a web log writer puts their blog on feeds; maybe someone who has their blog on a feed can enlighten us on that in their comments to this posting. Right now the MWVRWA blog is not on a feed. Would you like it to be? I know I would. Who could do that? Elisabeth?

I know quite a few of our members use Apple computers. Can someone tell us how to subscribe to feeds on a Macintosh?

Is your writing blog on a feed? Did the number of visits to your blog go up when you put it on a feed? How do you use blogs in your research, networking, and marketing?