Barbara Vey

This, that and the Other Thing Monday
June 16, 2008

Great things on the horizon for me.  Thrillerfest just invited me to their conference in New York July 12-15th.  OMG, NY 2 times in one year...I must be dreaming.  And just take a look at that line up.  
 
Right after that I'll be heading to San Francisco for the Romance Writers of America (RWA) Conference.  Never been to SF either and, even though I was a newbie last year at RWA, I had the best time and am looking forward to really rocking it this time around.  You can expect lots of surprises with extra special Drive by Videos™.  Then, the very talented Heather Graham invited me to Writers for New Orleans Conference in August.  Talk about your HEAs.  I'm living the dream people.

Now here's the news I received this week.


                                   

From author Brenda Novak (regarding the online auction to benefit diabetes research:  The winner of the Guest Blogger at Beyond Her Book at PublishersWeekly, is author Angie Fox and it sold for $ 535.00, helping us raise over $252,000.  That’s more than the previous three auctions combined! (Angie will be guest blogging on July 22nd, so save the date!)






 
From David Ewan:  One year anniversary for Today's Author which was launched a year ago serve writers, authors, publishers experts in reporting new works and industry trends. Guests have included all types of people including a 10 year old author and the 6th man to walk on the moon. In addition, guests have called in from Japan, Germany, England, Australia, Canada and USA. Everything from education, politics, religion, alien abduction, history, reincarnation, business, conciseness, law, healthcare, wellness, civil service, science, etc has been discussed on Today's Author.
 
Initially, Today's Author began airing once per week on Sundays. A year later, it airs up to 11 times per week.  Today's Author continues in it's 2nd year with a greater focus on reader's interests. Recently the show joined the Circle of Seven Production radio network and is companion with Book Bridges: From Authors to Readers, Canned Laughter and Coffee, Book Word News and Readers Entertainment Radio. (I was a guest on this show and had a great time.  Click here if you want to hear it.  It's about 15 minutes and I sound semi-literate)
                 


From Dina, one of our own WW Ladies Blurbers (and addicted to contests):  Hey want to know something cool?  My name will appear in the 3rd book of Cindy Gerard's new Black Ops Inc. series, Whisper No Lies.  I won it on her blog.  It will be released in 1/09 and she's going to  mail me a copy too.  I also won her ARC of Show No Mercy.  (Dina, you are on a roll...quick, buy a lottery ticket!)                  
                                    


From author Cait London:  A Stranger's Touch, made the NY Times extended, just. I've made the USA Today and other bestselling lists in my 23 years and almost 70 books in publishing with Berkley, Dell, Harlequin (Desire), and now Avon, but this was my first time on the NY Times and I'm taking that label and running with it. Cannot wait to see that tag, the NYTs bestselling, on the cover of my next book, the 3rd, For Her Eyes Only, in October. (And we can't wait to see it either.  A high five to Cait...well deserved after 70 books!)

                                                  

From Sandra Solberg (Toasted Coconut Media):  I thought your blog readers might be interested in watching "Hot Tips from Cool Authors: How to Keep Kids Reading this Summer" — a WABC-TV segment that aired on Sunday morning.

                    
 The short clip takes a small, medium, large approach— Jane O'Connor (Fancy Nancy) gives tips for the young readers, MAC (Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink) advises the 9-12 crowd, and Scott Westerfeld (Uglies) saves teens from summer boredom. Jane and Scott are of course NY Times Bestsellers; and MAC is an "up & comer" who recently sold out of her debut novel at its sneak preview during NY Comic Con.

Here's a link to the TV clip, which may be a great starting point for your own discussion on how to keep kids reading through the dog days of summer.  (Actually, as a kid, I loved to go to the library in the summer and then take books on picnics.  BTW, I have more than one book with a squished bug in it because it made the mistake of landing on the page I was reading.)


Now if you have any news, kudos or fascinating tibits to share, be sure to email them to me and I'll try to get on as many as possible.

Bottom Line:  Ok, the worst that happened to me while reading a book outside was when a bird crapped on the page.  And it was during a good part too.  I think this was the one book I didn't keep (well, maybe I gave it to someone I didn't like very much <grin>).                         

Posted by Barbara Vey on June 16, 2008 | Comments (20)