Whether you’re just sticking your toe into the murky waters of the publishing industry, traversing the white waters of your already established career, or somewhere in between, The Tricked Out Toolbox is for you.

In The Tricked Out Toolbox, you’ll identify your personality type: introvert or extrovert. Read anecdotes from authors about what’s worked for them and what hasn’t. Get ideas, craft a budget, build a marketing plan, and learn how to execute it.

With checklists and worksheets galore, real-life advice, and an easy to read format, this user-friendly, practical guide allows you to pick and chose what promotion and marketing tools will work for you. If you buy one business book this year, make it The Tricked Out Toolbox.

“In today’s tough market, savvy promotion is often a key ingredient to an author’s success, but few authors are familiar with all the tools available to them. They spend a fortune on the things that don’t work and overlook opportunities that might create more impact. That’s why I’m thrilled Melissa Bourbon and Tonya Kappes have taken on this aspect of the writer’s life and demystified the process. In Tricked Out Toolbox, the new author has all she needs to successfully promote her latest book. If you buy one business book this year, make it this one!” ~ Brenda Novak

International Bestselling author Tonya Kappes believes that targeted and smart promotion and marketing can take a book from lackluster sales to the world of bestseller. She pooled her resources and knowledge to write The Tricked Out Toolbox: Promotion and Marketing Tools Every Writer Needs. When not touting marketing and promotion through her workshops, she write cozy mysteries, romantic suspense, and women’s fiction. I’m addicted to coffee, McDonald’s Diet Coke, and Red Hots Candy!

THE RODEO MAN’S DAUGHTER

by Barbara White Daille 

His Rodeo Career Is Over…

When Caleb Cantrell left home as a dirt-poor teenager, he never thought he’d return as a wealthy rodeo star. As a matter of fact, he didn’t think he’d return at all. The accident changed all that. It ended his career, nearly ended his life and rekindled a bitterness he thought he’d left in the dust long ago.

But A New Life Begins

To rebuild, Caleb has to go back to where it all began—back to Flagman’s Folly, New Mexico, and back to his high-school sweetheart, Tess LaSalle. But a ten-year-old secret stands between them, one that could hurt everyone Tess loves, especially her daughter…their daughter…the one Caleb never knew existed. No rodeo ever required the courage Caleb needs now—to forgive, to forget and to start over again…if it’s not already too late.

THE RODEO MAN’S DAUGHTER, a February 2012 release, is available for order in print and e-book from:  Harlequin, Amazon, Barnes & Noble  

Best,

Barbara

On the Crystal Coast of North Carolina, in the small town of Emerald Isle…

Available in print and eformats at Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all of the usual places. Contact Grace at grgreene.fictionATcomcast.net or www.GraceGreeneAuthor.com

A water ghost, a young magician, a magic-talented hare and a good witch: Magic and intelligence, reality and legend connect in these stories.
Two stories, which tell about the force of nature and the thoughtlessness of men.
One story, in which counts to consider well what to wish.
And a very particular Christmas story.
Some years ago, “The Brook“ and “Cork“ have been published in German, the Christmas story in Italian.
Short stories with humor and wisdom; and not only for children to enjoy.

This now is the English edition of my first e-book “Magische Geschichten”, published in January.  I thank two GIAM-members for their help correcting my English.

Like the other books its available at the Amazon kindle stores and in all formats at Smashwords.

Traumatized by a blaze that killed her parents, young Johanna Vaughan remembers nothing of her privileged past. She remains ignorant of the complexities and dangers that surround her and gladly accepts a new identity when her guardians, an aging tenant couple, deem it necessary to disguise her as their adopted son.  Raised among the servants, she develops a sense of purpose that helps her survive the betrayal that unmasks her true identity. Forced to take her proper place in Regency society as the highly-sought heiress to the Ambersley fortune, she must defy the relatives who would make her a pawn in their struggle for power.

When her distant cousin Derek Vaughan inherits the dukedom, his dubious parentage makes it sacrilege to accept. But touched by the ravaged estate and its destitute servants, he confronts a society that shunned him while he rebuilds Ambersley and protects it from his stepmother’s bankrupting clutches. He intends to grant the title to his half-brother when the boy comes of age, but Derek’s plans go awry from the moment the gardener’s apprentice—once his trusted young friend—is revealed to be not only an heiress of beauty and spirit, but the one woman who may finally capture his heart.

Ambersley is now available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

This short story plays with facts and speculations around two historical events, taking place  in the 80th of last century in Germany and Italy.  The dramatic end of a flight show, destroying a small town’s quarter  …  A journalist has many questions; and then her children are kidnapped …

Language: German

Available now at Smashwords and the Amazon kindle store

I grew up in one of those towns and it has haunted me for years. I really wanted to make a town of my own, with special people, and places. After I wrote a few novels, I decided it was time to write that series set in my fictitious town of Grandberry Falls.

The Ladybug Jinx is the first in the series, and is available now!! YIPEE!!! I can’t wait for everyone to take a stroll down the cobblestone streets of Grandberry Falls, and stop in The Fatted Pig for a great lunch. After lunch you can walk into The Figure 8 Boutique for the perfect outfit, or The Purple Cow Bookstore to roam the aisle for the perfect book that you and read at one of Trembling Cup Cafe’s outside table near the waterfall that the town is centered around.

Be sure to say hello to Mayor Mitch Dozier, who frequents the waterfall, talking about the looming eminent domain case against long time resident Hazel Greenlee. But if you see Hazel, don’t tell her you’re single or she’ll fix you up!

Come on over and pick up your copy of The Ladybug Jinx.

Blurb:

Celia Briggs has always lived her life for everyone but herself. With the death of Celia’s mom, Celia realizes life is too short not to follow her dreams. In her small town of Grandberry Falls, Kentucky-Celia decides to open up, The Ladybug Florist, which is only fitting due to her love of flowers and ladybugs. 

How can she not love ladybugs? Her deceased grandfather always said ladybugs bring luck and love.

Marty Briggs, Celia’s father, never dreamed his life as Grandberry Falls, Kentucky’s only flower delivery boy is harder than the job he’s retired from.

Sam Barber jumps in his car leaving his Hollywood life behind. He didn’t know stopping in the cozy town of Grandberry Falls, was about to change his life forever. Especially after answering the help wanted ad at The Ladybug Florist and giving a fake name so no one would recognize him.

Celia knows something is up Sam’s sleeve. Why would a thirty-year old man want to deliver flowers? Marty doesn’t care, he’s just happy to be retired-again.

Will Celia ever figure out Sam’s true identity? Does Sam reveal the big family secret Celia’s parents have kept from her all her life?

Celia’s about to find out if ladybugs are lucky or a jinx?

Buy links for The Ladybug Jinx

• Amazon page with all my books: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_12?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=tonya+kappes&sprefix=tonya+kappes
• Barnes and Noble page with all my books: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/tonya-kappes
• Smashwords page with all my books: http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=tonya+kappes

In honor of The Ladybug Jinx, I have lowered the price of Carpe Bead ‘em for the month of June! Be sure to get your copy for .99!!

Amazon for Carpe Bead ‘em

Barnes and Noble for Carpe Bead ‘em

However, I also went for the potential of meeting agents/editors. At my second conference, I obtained two appointments, which, combined, accounted for 15 minutes of my weekend. I prepped, polished, paced, and then performed. Admittedly, I was nervous. Not about my pitch. Not about my clothes. Not about having my work critiqued (destroyed).

I feared breaching agent/editor conference etiquette.

I’ve heard the recommendations. You meet the agents/editors at scheduled appointments, and then you leave them alone unless they approach you. Yet, there are overzealous writers who wait outside elevators, approach agents and editors while they’re eating, and, the scariest one, chase them into a bathroom. I’m smart enough, hopefully, not to do any of these things. However, there were agents/editors I wanted to meet at the conference, if only for a minute. And the potential for my emotions to override my common sense shook my nerves.

So, I looked for ways to take a measured attitude. Being a numbers geek, I sought advice from one of history’s greatest writers, Sir Isaac Newton.

Yes, I know. Newton is known as the discoverer of gravity and for his laws of motion, but he also was a prolific writer. Extremely shy, he once published under a pen name. He soon received letters from colleagues telling him his distinctive voice still resonated in his work. (Actually, the letters said, “Ike, we know it’s you. No one else on the planet can do the math.”)

So what did I, a newbie writer, learn from Newton? One of Newton’s laws of motion is often paraphrased as “Objects in motion tend to stay in motion. Objects at rest tend to stay at rest.” Using this law, I created Newton’s guidelines for meeting (stalking) agents and editors.

(1) Agents/editors in motion should be allowed to stay in motion.

(2) Agents/editors at rest should be allowed to rest.

(3) Even though agents/editors may be the irresistible force, do not become the immovable object.

That’s it. I’ve followed these tenets at my last two conferences—but this doesn’t mean I wasn’t proactive. While getting coffee at one conference, I noticed that the woman next to me was the person I was meeting in 30 minutes. I mentioned how much I’d enjoyed her comments in a panel discussion she’d participated in the previous day. She thanked me, but left frustrated as there was no cream at the table. I tracked down a member of the hotel staff, procured a small pitcher of half-and-half, and asked one of the volunteers at the agent/editor appointment area to take it in to her. While I’d like to think my brilliant pitch and potential were the reasons she requested a partial, I’m still giving some credit to the cream.

I don’t have an agent. I don’t have a publisher. And some might say I don’t have a clue about what I’m doing. Until I do, though, I will send out my query letters, follow my guidelines, and be proactive. And, as I return to my writing desk, I will focus on Newton’s second law of thermodynamics, the one that says chaos is always increasing.

Walt Mussell is an aspiring writer, specializing in inspirational historicals with Asian settings and humorous nonfiction. He hopes the above qualifies in one of those two categories. Visit him on the Web at ”Daddy Needs Decaf” (Parenting: Tues) www.waltmussell.blogspot.com.