Thank you readers!

Black Velvet sales are much higher than I had hoped when I signed the contract!

#6 on Once Upon A Bookstore Fantasy Best Sellers
#8 on Once Upon A Bookstory Paranormal Best Sellers

AND

#6 on Fictionwise.com for Lyrical Press.

Thank you! Every one of you who have pulled out your credit card to purchase it.

Veteran's Day

I know I’m supposed to blog about something concerning writing or my latest release, but today isn’t for me. No today is for the Veterans, the men and women who have sworn to protect and defend this country and by extension me and you.

The day after the public memorial for the Victims of the Fort Hood shooting, can any of us not look at a soldier, sailor, marine, or airman and not think of the loss of their brothers and sisters in arms. Yet feel pride that they still get up and put on the uniform ready to give their lives to protect us?

Can we not think of the military wives and husbands who keep the home fires burning while their soldier is deployed to faraway places. Those heroic men and women who kiss their spouse good bye and pray daily for their safe return.

And we should remember than unlike soldiers of the past – there is no draft now. All those wearing the uniform now, the veterans of the future volunteered to take on that burden. The veterans who were served in the past, deserve our respect and that we never forget what they’ve done for us.

So, today as you go about your life here in the U.S. remember that somewhere probably sitting next to you at the traffic light or waiting in a doctor’s office or at the office is a veteran who took the time to fight for the rights we all take for granted. If you happen to know a veteran – tell them thanks. I think they deserve it.

Release Day +6

Black Velvet released this past Monday the 2nd. Thanks to everyone who has bought it. Because of you it is currently at #7 on the Fantasy Best Sellers and #8 on the Paranormal Best Sellers lists at Once Upon A Bookstore It also has the distinction of being my first pirated book. Folks, I don't get the big advances and only make a few cents on the dollar for each book. So please, buy it don't steal it.

I'm doing NaNo. This years story is a murder mystery and a paranormal romance. It's coming along great and I'm hoping I don't lose interest in it because it's really a good story.

I've also applied for a Copy Editor position and I'm hoping that I get it. Waiting on that and word on my last submission.

Also working on a project that is driving me crazy organizing - but that's half the fun! That's the news for the week. Talk to you next week.

Day After Release

A pounding on the door awakened me. Followed by the commanding voice of Jett Houston.

Jett: Del! Get your lazy butt to your computer. You ain't going to believe this - crap.

Me: I'm up. I'm up. What has your boxers in a twist?

Jett: Pirates! Nasty little ebook pirates.

Me: Yeah, they are a pest but why do you care?

Jett: Because, they are pirating ME! And Blue Boy. And the Prick.

Me: WHAT?

Jett: Yeah. So what are you going to do about it.

After a google search I locate the site - ahh them.

Me: Well what I'm going to do is send the information to Tir and Lyrical since my name isn't listed.

Jett: (Huffing he leans against a wall in the office) It just pisses me off. You can't afford to have your work given away like that. You struggle every month and don't complain. Don't like someone thinking they can take the money out of your budget.

Me: Thanks Jett. And yeah it's tight living off disability and the little I get for the books. But these folks seem to be under the impression I make big bucks and them getting it free won't hurt because the economy is bad.

Jett: You know where that door to your reality is? I'll come kick their asses for you - bring the others with me even Eddie. That should scare the shit out of them.

Me: Jett what have I told you about cussing on my blog?

But he's gone obviously to find the doorway to this reality. Wonder if he'll find it?

November = NaNo

So what is NaNo? National Novel Writing In A Month! Where writers from around the world try to write 50,000 words in 30 days. This will be my third year doing it and hopefully I'll complete the 50k this year.

The muse is resting getting prepared for the 1667 daily word count. I've got the prep work mostly done - just need to put the info on post it notes so I can put them up on the corkboard and figure out a couple more minor details so I can be off and typing on the 1st of November.

This year I'm doing something I've never done - a Romantic Suspense with a Paranormal twist. The Blurb:

Detective Adam Spencer is puzzled by a series of murders and the mysterious woman that keeps appearing at the scene. Something about her is familiar but he's not certain what.

Lena has been the Angel of Death since the beginning of time. Drawn to the murders she breaks the rules and allows the handsome Detective to see her.

When he becomes a target of the killer, how far will Death go to keep him safe?

and a cover mockup!

Update

I've been busy since my last post. Helping the husband get his paperwork together to go back to College, then deciding that's not a bad idea and rushing to do mine. Waiting on a response on my last submission - 9 weeks and nothing yet... to be fair they did say 8 to 12 weeks. Finally I've been trying to learn a new program.

Of course in 2 weeks I'll have to put aside learning the program to concentrate on NaNo. NaNo is National Novel Writing in a Month. It happens every November and writers from around the world try to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. I've done it two years - won once. But the year I didn't make it - I wasn't thrilled with my story idea. This year I am! I'm going to spend the next 2 weeks brainstorming and researching so I'm ready to go on November 1st.

And top it all off with November 2nd being the release date of Black Velvet from Lyrical Press!

November should be a good but busy month!

A Word About Reviewers

More than a word actually. Too often writers are guilty of telling their friends and other writers about great reviews, but seldom take the time to thank the reviewer. We authors must do better.

Before I signed my first contract I'd been a reviewer. The truth is I recieved maybe 5 comments from the multitude of authors I did reviews for. When the thank you notes came through the review sites group, every reviewer was thrilled that they or someone else got a thank you from the author. That's how rare those emails are. After that review site closed the reviewers got together and founded of another review site. Again, we may recieve 10 responses from authors for the 40 reviews a month that we do. As reviewers we do get the occassional temper tantrum from an Author who believed they deserved a higher rating than they got.

Now why did I mention the thank you's and complaints - believe it or not a response on one review influences your next review. If a book is teetering on going up one level - a thank you from the author on the previous review might push it up. Throwing a fit to the reviewer could result in no reviewer taking your book. One more thing to remember - most reviewers aren't paid.

We must face that a good portion of our sales come not from our exhaustive and expensive promotion, but from those multitude of review sites that say something about our book. It takes two seconds after you read the review to either send an email or click the comment button. If it's a great review - thank them; if it's a not so great review - thank them and sincerely apologize that the book wasn't to their taste. That's it.

So Authors - remember to be kind to your reviewers. Good or bad they did take the time to read your book.