Sunday, June 29, 2014

Meet Romantic Suspense Author Rachel Sharpe

I'm very pleased to introduce another Soul Mate Publishing Author. Meet Rachel Sharpe. She writes romantic suspense and her debut novel is entitled COLD AMBITION.

Welcome, Rachel!

Q. Tell us about your new release—the inspiration, genre, characters or anything you want us to know.

"Cold Ambition" is the first book in the Jordan James, PI series, which is the story of a young woman from New Orleans living in Boston and trying to make it as a private investigator against some pretty serious odds. Her first case is a twenty-something-year old unsolved murder that not even Boston's finest could crack. Little did she know that with her very first case, Jordan would find herself unwittingly involved in an international conspiracy that puts her very life in jeopardy... 

The inspiration for Jordan James came from the fact that as a child, I loved watching re-runs of "Magnum, PI" so much that I literally wanted to become a PI myself. The lifestyle presented in that show was possibly the most thrilling life I could have imagined - living in Hawaii on an ocean front estate free of charge and getting to drive a Ferrari you don't own while solving sensational cases with your friends? Who wouldn't want a life like that? When I truly began to put pen to paper, however, I couldn't imagine a more exciting city to begin a career as a PI than in Boston which, along with New Orleans, is one of my all-time favorite cities. 
 
Now that you put it that way, I think I'd like to be a PI as well! That was a good show. I agree Boston and New Orleans are both great cities and wonderful fodder for novels.
 
Q. How long have you been writing and what is your typical writing day like?
 
I've been writing stories ever since I could write. Reading and writing have always been passions of mine, which is most likely why I became an English major in college. A typical writing day for me is atypical at best. At this point in my career, I still have a "day job," so I write whenever I can. Oftentimes, I get the most writing done on the go via my cell phone's writing app. If I'm writing a novel, my goal is to complete the first draft within a season. Editing takes more time, but as long as I get that first draft down, I'm good.
 
I've heard you talk about that phone app before. What is it called? Though, I can't imagine penning a novel (even part of one) on my phone. I love that idea to finish a draft in a season. Hmm. Maybe I'll try that.
 
Q. How many books have you written or is this your debut? 
 
This is my debut novel, but there are currently four books in the Jordan James, PI series. Soul Mate Publishing contracted book two, "Lost Distinction," and I am editing book three, working title "Retribution." I am also writing book four. I hope for this to be a continuous series like "Jack Reacher."
  
You are making me feel like a real slacker especially since I can no longer say my day job is anything but writing. But I did work outside the home for over 25 years. Congrats on selling book #2 and working on #'s 3 and 4. I'm impressed.
 
Q. Any suggestions on balancing writing and social media?
 
It's all about consistency. You have to remain active to keep your name and your work out there, but you don't want to over-saturate your market to the point you lose readers' interest. I try to keep semi-active on Facebook and Twitter as well as my blog, but I do not post daily. Marketing is easily a full-time job that could take away from your writing time if you let it. That's why it's important to be consistent, but keep things in balance.
 
Marketing can definitely be a full-time job. Achieving balance is key, I agree, but it's often hard to follow that advice.
 
Q. Tell us something quirky about you that we may not know.
 
It's not exactly quirky, but I love music and I play the guitar. I was in a band in high school called Outta the Blue. If I couldn't write novels, I would probably focus more time on my music.
  
You're cool! Love the name of the band and the fact that you can play a guitar!
 
Q. What is your favorite marketing tip/promotional advice?
 
When I first began my journey to publication, I was talking to a friend and fellow author and he said, "You're going to write? Then you need to Tweet." After a minimal argument, I agreed that whenever that wonderful day happened, the day when a publisher finally said, "Yes, we want to publish you," on that day I would give in and get Twitter. And I did. And my friend was right. Twitter allows you to reach, in my opinion, a wider audience than Facebook. Both are amazing marketing tools that anyone needing to promote themselves or their product/service should utilize, but so far, I've found it easier to engage readers on Twitter. 
 
Interesting. I've found more fans and networking opportunities on Facebook! But I'm also on Twitter.
 
Q. What’s your next project?
 
"Lost Distinction," book two in the Jordan James, PI series. In it, Jordan is called upon to find the missing son of a US Ambassador. With time running out and lives at stake, she must race to uncover the culprit of an elaborate plot while also uncovering a far more personal truth too intimate to ignore...
 
Sounds intriguing and complex.
 
Q. I love first lines. Post your first sentence. Hook us!

Perilously perched on the edge of a high-rise that offered a spectacular view of Faneuil Hall is most certainly not how I pictured my untimely demise...

Good one!!! I just love compelling first sentences. They're so important. Now, I wish I had asked you why you decided to write using first person. Maybe you can tell us in the comments.
 
Everyone, please read Rachel's excerpt below, then leave a comment and follow her on Facebook and Twitter. And, of course, check out her novel, COLD AMBITION. Thanks for stopping by, Rachel.
 

COLD AMBITION Excerpt
 
My name is Jordan James, and I am a twenty-four- year-old woman. I just wanted to get that straight from the beginning. I am well aware that Jordan is commonly a boy’s name, but for some reason my parents decided that a normal name like Melissa or Amanda would not suit me. Regardless, my name has not caused me any trouble since an unfortunate teasing incident in the third grade. In fact, it has been quite useful in my line of work. But again, I digress.
I’m originally from a suburb of New Orleans but moved to the Northeast to attend Brown University. I spent four fabulous years in Providence and graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in psychology. Like most bright- eyed, eager graduates, I assumed jobs would be thrown at me as soon as I was handed my diploma. I assumed that I could take my pick. The world was my oyster. To make a long story short, my ideas and reality did not match. After several frustrating months of searching, I decided to move to Boston. I thought this city would provide me with all of the wonderful opportunities I had been unable to find in Providence. When it didn’t, I settled and took a job as a waitress at a small Italian restaurant along the Freedom Trail near the Old North Church to make ends meet. It wasn’t a bad job; the tips were good, and the owners were wonderful. In fact, they became quasi-parents to me when I didn’t know anyone else in Boston, but I wasn’t satisfied. This job wasn’t what I had spent four grueling years studying for.
After work each evening, I went home to my one- bedroom apartment on Sewall Avenue, counted my tips, and then spent many hours searching online for different career opportunities that might be available to someone with my credentials. Unfortunately, I had already looked into most of them and during an economic crisis, good jobs can be hard to attain. I started saving religiously and continued the search for my dream job.
After I saved up a decent amount of money and recruited the reluctant help of my parents, I decided to go into business for myself. What career did I decide on? What job could possibly stimulate me intellectually and help me provide for myself in a manner that I could finally be on my own, both physically and fiscally? Private investigation. Yes, I decided to set up shop as a P.I. Now, one might wonder, what could have possibly led me to believe that I could make it as a P.I.? Another valid question is: why did I want to become one in the first place? The answer to both questions can be summed up in one word: Magnum. I grew up watching re-runs of the classic 1980’s show and was enthralled by both his career and his lifestyle. It was exciting and thrilling. He lived in Hawaii, drove a Ferrari that he didn’t own, and lived on an expansive oceanfront estate free of charge. Who wouldn’t want a life like that? With the black belt in Tae Kwon Do that I had earned in college, I felt more than prepared to take on a potentially dangerous job. However, even with my black belt and my education, my choice of career received less than enthusiastic responses.
“No one is going to hire a woman to investigate anything,” my father stated when I called him with the news.
“Oh, that is such a dangerous job. You could be killed! What’s wrong with the restaurant? In fact, what’s wrong with moving back home?” my mother inquired. I must admit I shuddered at the thought.
“A private eye? Good luck with that one,” scoffed my older sister, Alicia, the pediatric neurosurgeon. She had graduated from an in-state university and set up her practice within thirty miles of my parents’ residence. She was always the good one.
Despite the negative feedback, I decided to forge my new life in the home of our country’s forefathers, where liberty was conceived and it was decided that freedom was considered worth dying for. Unfortunately, the cost of living had gone up substantially since Paul Revere had galloped into history with his famous midnight ride. Finding a reasonable apartment in an area that didn’t have the police on speed dial was difficult. Finding an office that didn’t put my unborn children into debt would be a miracle.
I learned, however, that perseverance pays off. My landlord owned an office building near Fenway Park with a tiny, unrentable office. It was smaller than all of the other offices in the building and, therefore, considered undesirable. I investigated this situation and found out that my landlord had been unable to rent it for over a year and a half. This was the perfect opportunity for me to put that minor in communications to work. Although it took nearly a month, I was able to logically convince Mr. Chambers that if he were to rent the office to me at five-eighths the normal price for six months, it would be beneficial to us both. Eventually, he saw it my way. He says it was actually because I nearly drove him to jump into the Charles River because of my incessant nagging. I like to believe it was due to my keen negotiating skills.
So, on November 3, nearly a year and a half after graduating, I unlocked the door to my office, turned on the light, and smiled at the black letters freshly inked to the opaque glass in my door—Jordan James, P.I. Now all that I needed were clients. As fate would have it, someone was looking for a P.I., someone whose case would affect not only my career but my very existence.

LINKS

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Two Releases by Samanthya Wyatt

I promised a spot on my blog for fellow Soul Mate Publishing author, Samanthya Wyatt, who has not one but TWO releases this month. Whew! What an accomplishment but that would make me hyperventilate. I'm running hard to prepare for my August release.

Samanthya writes both historicals and contemporary novels. Her covers are featured below. Let her know which cover, title, and blurb you prefer. I'm sure she'll be curious to hear from you. Good luck with your releases, Samanthya! Both of them. :)



The Right One 

He abducts the wrong woman . . . she proves she is the right one.
Katherine Radbourn’s brother is missing and she will do anything to find him. But, when a dark lord kidnaps her and holds her captive, she finds he has captured her heart as well. Even though he tells her she is the wrong one, she knows she is the right one for him.


 

Something More 

A determined man, a headstrong woman, and a battle of wills.

On his way to an important meeting, a light flirtation turns into more than Matthew expects. The alluring beauty does not need his money, and makes it clear she does not need him.

Carrie trusts no man. Until a pair of mischievous eyes melts her defenses, and has her second guessing her convictions.

 
In Samanthya's Own Words:
Ever since I can remember, I’ve loved curling up with a good book. I wrote poems and short stories as a child. When I graduated, my life changed. I married a military man, traveled, and had a family. My own children were in high school before I started writing again.

I enjoy penning a story with strong characters, a bit of humor, and active scenes. I invite you to lay the worries of the world off your shoulders and get lost in the pages of a romance, where you embark on a journey with the hero and heroine, become involved in a dream, plunge into a world of fantasy, live an adventure your heart can share.

Website:  www.samanthyawyatt.com
Both books are available at amazon
The Right One      http:amzn.to/1lEk2qY
Something More    available June 25th
Also, find her on Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, and Soul Mate Publishing.
 

 

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Meet Romance Author Toni Sue VerSteeg

Meet Toni Sue VerSteeg. Isn't she adorable?! I met her through a local writing group, Ozarks Romance Authors, in Missouri. Toni Sue has done very well for herself and has even co-written with Gemma Halliday.

Toni Sue writes romantic comedies which I love to read and watch on the big screen! Let's get started with her fun, new release, MY EX-BOYFRIEND'S WEDDING. Just by the title, you can imagine how hysterical this will be. Most of us can relate to having an ex and possibly (surely not!) trying to get even with him or her. I haven't yet read Toni Sue's novel but I'm looking forward to it. Let's ask her some questions and be sure to comment. Toni Sue is giving away one FREE copy of her new release, plus an awesome writer button for EVERYONE who comments! (See photo of the buttons below.)

Q. Tell us about your new release. What was the inspiration? What’s the genre?

My Ex-Boyfriend's Wedding is a romantic comedy. It's about a very stubborn redhead (which may or may not be loosely based on my youth *whistles and looks away*) who can't back down from a challenge by her two-timing ex. I mean, we've all had someone in our lives who knows how to push those buttons.  Jemma's no different. She accepts the challenge...and struggles with her choices. Then she meets Tony, the bride-to-be's cousin, and things get really interesting. I wrote this book to work out revenge on an ex of my own. It was very therapeutic. 

Q. How long have you been writing?
 

Forever. In a serious capacity, for about fifteen years. It's been a wild ride.

Q. What is your typical writing day?

I'm a pantser, so it's usually a 'fly by the seat of my pants' kind of session. I know that some people claim you have to write every day to be a 'real' writer. Well, If this is a fact, I'm not a 'real' writer. I write when I have a scene or scenes worked out in my head. I've tried to sit at the computer each day, hoping for inspiration. All this accomplished was some wasted time. Facebook can be such a naughty Siren when you don't have the words at the ready. ;)

I write the same way. I never know if this is spelled correctly--panster or pantster. And about Facebook...I know exactly what you mean. We have a love-hate relationship, for sure.

Q. Tell us something quirky about you that we may not know.

I am a giant mass of quirkiness. Let's see... Most people are befuddled that I can't eat any type of meat with a bone in it. I...just can't. *shudder* And if you have to crack it open, just don't. Not around me.

LOL. I'm the same way. In fact, I won't buy roast if it says "shoulder" or "butt" because I don't want to know which body part I'm eating. I'll only buy stuff that's non-descript so I totally get your no-bone thing.

Q. Do you use a pen name? Why or why not?

I do, but it's my maiden name. At first, it was just a way to make sure people from high school recognized the name when I 'hit the big time', and it was all in fun. Well, it was unique and tsueversteeg.com was available...of course. So, I went with it. 

Q. What is your favorite marketing tip/promotional advice?

ARCs! Advanced Reader Copies are an author's best friend. Offer those free books to people willing to post a fair/honest review on a major site like Amazon or B&N when your book comes out. It helps generate a buzz and gives you something to post about on social media without having to toot your own horn. 

Good to know. Thank you!

Q. I love first lines. Post your first sentence. Hook us!

My first book has my all-time favorite first line of anything I've written. "Men suck!" How can you top that? Especially when the man-panion is working on that very last nerve. ;)
Love it!

Q. What’s your next project?  

I have several in the works right now. The most pressing is the sequel to Luck Be A Lady. Gemma Halliday and I are working on Hey Big Spender. Tessie finds herself helping her childhood nemesis prove her innocence in her husband's death. Tate will, of course, steal the show in most scenes. I just love him.
 
That's quite an accolade working with Gemma Halliday. Big congrats on that and the sequel sounds great. Love the title!

 I'd love to give away a book and some buttons. :) Thanks again for hosting me!
 
Thanks for coming by and for offering those cute buttons and one free copy. I can't wait to read your novel. Here's the blurb for MY EX-BOYFRIEND'S WEDDING:
 

BLURB

Agreeing to photograph your two-timing ex's wedding... What could possibly go wrong?

Most women have them: those two very distinct, very different voices in their mind. One can usually be chalked up to common sense, the other to mischief, mayhem or just plain morbid curiosity. Both are always there, though, ready with their two cents worth.

Jemma Keith is no exception to the rule. She doesn’t have a problem agreeing to photograph her cheating ex-boyfriend’s wedding. The dilemma, however, is what to do once she gets there. Common sense feels like taking the high road; she can handle being the better person. Mischief wants to slither in, crashing the whole affair down around his worthless ankles.

What’s a woman to do when she can’t make up her mind? 

At least both sides are in complete harmony about the bride’s cousin, Anthony Giovanni: he’s hot, handsome, and oh, so tempting.

Join Jemma as she weaves through a web of lust, temptation, revenge, and maybe even love.

Kindle:http://tinyurl.com/prmtp2g

iBooks:http://tinyurl.com/nhrpbkn

Nook: http://tinyurl.com/nzvtrzw

Kobo:http://tinyurl.com/qz57hw9

Paperback print:http://tinyurl.com/nmp7rph


 
You can visit me at facebook.com/tsvbooks or if you want to get to know me better, I am also at facebook.com/tversteeg. Tweet me at twitter.com/tsueversteeg

 

 

Monday, June 16, 2014

Romance Writers Weekly


It's time for another blog hop from the writers of Romance Writers Weekly.
Follow our Facebook page and our Twitter handle at #lovewritechat. And look for a HUGE give-away from several of the authors next month!This week's questions come from author Jami Denise. http://jamidenise.weebly.com/blog

Q.When writing your novel, do you know how it’s going to end before you write, or do you write from start to finish?

A. I generally know the ending so I can work toward it and drop red herrings, build in conflict and employ plot twists along the way. *rubbing hands together*  In THURSAYS AT COCONUTS (my novel that releases mid-August), I knew the beginning, the ending and a couple of plot points but that was it. I am a pantster, although I do see the value in outlines. However, my characters always take over so it's pointless for me to have much of an outline. That said, I have begun the sequel and I don't have a clue how it will end. I'm just brewing up trouble for now.

Q. How do the people you know impact your writing? Are you influenced by friends and family
for your characters?

A. I am influenced by some family members and friends. I'd say more friends and acquaintances than family--and usually the ornery or strange ones are the most fun to create/emulate. I also infuse a bit of myself in a few of my characters. Not the weird ones!! Come on. In all seriousness, some of my characters are a complete figment of my imagination and others are a mix of reality and fiction.

Q. Describe the hero in your current WIP in three words.

A. That's hard since mine is women's fiction with three main characters. I'll write a word for each one:

Suzy - Loyal
Alexandra (Alex) - Sassy
Hope - Unhappy
  
Please comment and be sure to read the answers by the next author on our hop, Amy Jarecki http://amyjarecki.blogspot.com

 

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Meet Author Emelle Gamble

Ever wanted to write about a Hollywood legend? Most writers might have considered this idea but couldn't figure out where to begin. I know that's how I'd feel, anyway. In DATING CARY GRANT, author Emelle Gamble wove the ghost of Cary Grant into her novel. Let's ask her some questions, shall we?


Q. Welcome, Emelle. Tell us about your new release.

It  stars a career woman in Manhattan, her small-town husband and the ghost of a hunky screen icon...Welcome to the comic romantic novel, Dating Cary Grant.

Tracy Connor is mulling over what to do about her marriage, her career and her life. While she's mulling, she moves out of her family home in quiet Cukor, Connecticut and sublets a small apartment in a brownstone in Turtle Bay, Manhattan. There she meets – and becomes great friends with –the ghost of her film idol, Cary Grant. He’s the best kind of friend to her, a man who appeals to her on every level, and man she's always regarded as “Mr. Perfect.”

Cary proves a very charming and pragmatic ghost who only she can see, and he has a co-conspirator on page, a certain red-haired screen legend named Kate, who spars with him as she opines and helps show Tracy the errors of her views on men, marriage, and just what real love is all about.
What was the inspiration?

I had a dear friend who didn’t understand that marriage is all about compromise, on both partners’  issues. She read the book and DID NOT SEE HERSELF. HA!

Hilarious!

What’s the genre?
I always write blended genres, can’t seem to do just one. This is a pretty clear Romance, but with a dash of paranormal (ghosts) and, like all women’s fiction, is truly about the heroine’s journey and changing her life. 

I write genre straddlers, too. And I LOVE your cover!

Q. How long have you been writing?
On and off for thirty years. Pause. Writer is fanning herself in disbelief. But it’s true. Professionally since the 1990s with a 10 year break in 2000s because life has a way of intruding into fiction.

Q. What is your typical writing day. 
Marketing 2 hours in the a.m. Writing 4 hours at night and all weekend. I have a day job that is not writing, a husband, 2 cats, 2 kids who think they are on their own but they are not (HA – as I stalk and harass them still), and I read books. As many as I can fit in.

I like that idea to do the marketing the first two hours of the day and then clear the rest of the day for writing and other life responsibilities!

Q. Tell us something quirky about you that we may not know.
I took college drama classes with Potsie (Anson Williams from Happy Days). He was handsome and funny. I was serious and changed to English as a major. The rest is history.

I loved Happy Days! How cool that you took classes with him.

Q. Do you use a pen name? Why or why not?
Yes…and when I published my first book with Soul Mate Publishing in July of 2014, everyone who knew me  asked ,Who the heck is Emelle Gamble?”

Marsha Gamble is my maiden name, and I used “M.L. Gamble” as my pseudonym when I wrote for Harlequin Intrigue in the 1990s. When I began a year ago to stage my comeback (HA!) and gain an electronic presence, I quickly realized that initials are a bit hard to correctly use in email, blog and websites. I got completely different lists of information if I entered ‘mlgamble’ vs ‘m.l.gamble’ and even different lists of books with ‘m. l. gamble’ on Amazon!

So I came up with “Emelle”, which, when you say it out loud, sounds like “M.L.”, unless you’re my darling husband, Phil the fist, who make it sound like “umLLL”, but that’s his New York accent getting in the way of marketing progress!


Yes, your initials do sound like Emelle. lol. Interesting tidbit.

Q. What is your favorite marketing tip/promotional advice?
Do it everyday. Every. Day. Reach out and engage your readers. They want to know you and you’ll gain enormously getting to know them.

You are very good at marketing and I've been in the marketing field (in other industries) for 25 years!

Q. I love first lines. Post your first sentence. Hook us!
It was a dark and stormy night….wait, what?

My first lines are never that ‘hooky’, but I do try and get you interested by the end of page one. Here’s the first two lines of DATING CARY GRANT.

Tracy Connor stepped out of a cab at the corner of Second Avenue and 49th Street, right into the middle of the classy Manhattan neighborhood known as Turtle Bay. When she looked up at the stately homes, reality hit.
The "reality hit" part hooked me and made me want to know more!

Q. What’s your next project?
I’m currently working on several things. My new book, KISS ME TWICE, is a romantic suspense. So I’ve come full-circle, as that’s where I started.  It’s about a woman facing meeting up with her ex-college lover at her 15th reunion, all the while dealing with her mother’s early onset Alzheimer’s. 
I’ve also got a really weird project completed. All I can say about it is that it’s a noir mystery, set in 1950’s LA. It stars a blonde, a war hero journalist, and, possibly, a monster.  I know, I know, I may have taken the blended genre thing just a little bit too far….HA!

Life is good, and busy, and blessed. What could be better? Leave me a comment below telling me one good thing about your life right now and I’ll give THREE FREE eBooks copies of DATING CARY GRANT on Wednesday. That’s my hubby’s birthday, so we’ll celebrate.

Those sound like intriguing projects to say the least. I bow at your feet. Thanks for a fun interview! I can't wait to read DATING CARY GRANT. And did you read what she said, everyone?! THREE people will receive an ebook copy so comment by Wednesday!!!


BLURB 
    A modern Manhattan fairy tale starring
Tracy Connor, a New York City career woman who loves her job and classic movies.
Mike Connor, her estranged husband, a small town Mayor  who loves his wife but doesn’t seem to have enough time to see her.
The handsome stranger, Philip Adams, who lives downstairs from the small sublet Tracy has temporarily moved into. He’s charming, funny and looks a lot like her very favorite screen icon, Cary Grant.
Dating Cary Grant is a romance all about New York city career woman  Tracy Connor struggling with real issues with her real guy, her husband of six years,  Mayor Mike Connor of Cukor, Connecticut. Tracy is a smart woman, but some of her problems with relationships are partially caused by her unrealistic expectations that real guys should – and can - behave like matinee idols. Mike’s problems are also caused by the fact that he’s such a great guy and overextends his heart, and his appointment calendar, to every constituent, friend or stray animal who crosses his path.
Tracy is also being stressed by  a TV reality show intent on showcasing Tracy and Mike’s personal life, as well as the imminent takeover of her employer, a small, private television station, by a billionaire with unlimited funds and no taste.
Dating Cary Grant considers just how selfless a man needs to be to meet his wife’s expectations, and just how honest a woman must be with herself about what she’s willing to give, and give-up.   And Cary Grant is along to help prove that any woman’s search for ‘Mr. Perfect ‘ might  take her to a surprising place to find him.

Connect with Emelle Gamble at…


Author EmelleGamble on Facebook
@EmelleGamble on twitter

DATING CARY GRANT book of the month at Long & Short Reviews
http://amzn.to/1iiE8Y0
SECRET SISTER RONE finalist for BEST CONTEMPORARY NOVEL of 2013
http://amzn.to/17J2Bn6
MOLLY HARPER and DUETS now available in one paperback volume!
http://amzn.to/1hW6YSj 

http://bit.ly/1l0gfFY  SECRET SISTER by Emelle Gamble on audio

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Author Swag

While thinking about my upcoming release, THURSDAYS AT COCONUTS, in just over two months (eek!), I'm researching swag to give to readers.

First of all, who knew the title of my novel would narrow this down for me? I certainly didn't plan it that way BUT it's turning out to be very helpful.

I will want a launch party on a Thursday, for sure. That's a given EXCEPT there's one tiny problem. My novel releases on August 13, 2014, which is a Wednesday. I'm torn between having the FB launch on that Wednesday or having it the next day, which is also my birthday. I think it's important to have sales the first day so I may need to stick with Wednesday. But I'll have another launch party on a Thursday when the print books come out.

Secondly, I'm looking for all things coconut! I've found coconut-flavored coffee, scrubs, and soaps for gift baskets and give-aways and am also researching some other fun things. I'll let you know when it's all finalized.

I found some coconut cups similar to those mentioned in THURSDAYS AT COCONUTS. They look a little cheap (plastic) but I may order them anyway because they're so darn cute. Look at the cover above. There's a drink served in a coconut cup--all mixed drinks are. I also found palm tree/coconut pens. The only problem is they aren't imprinted. I suppose I could make labels... I'll order some first to see how they look.

Since I have hippies in my novel, I could incorporate some peace signs and tie-dye. See, how fun this is? And I have a wedding planner, so I could have some romantic give-aways and did order some for my daughter's wedding that weren't used so I'm set with those. There's a lot to consider.

How about you? Do you tie in with your title or the theme of your book? You should! That gives you a starting point and just makes sense. Think outside the box when it comes to author swag. Of course, I still think bookmarks are always handy, and business cards are a must. What are some unique author swag items you've seen?