Rebecca Leonard's Self-Publishing Blog

An Author's Spring Office Cleaning - Part 1

2008-04-06T10:43:00.000-04:00

My second book has a new title, The Hermit in the Hemlocks: A Ghost Story. It still takes place in the Adirondacks but I want to make it appealing to a larger audience so I'v given it a new title.

I'm also giving my office a much needed facelift. Running three businesses out of a 12x9 foot space isn't the easiest thing in the world. I'm very grateful for the space, though. It has a window!

I'm throwing junk away first. I'm on my fourth garbage bag full. 33-gallon sized bags! Boy, does this feel good. It's a lot messier and unorganized than I thought but I've come across a few surprises.

I've found a lot of information from the publication, book signings, author's fairs, marketing, publicity and so forth with my first book, Adirondack Nightmare. Tears gushed down my cheeks as I sorted through everything. I had no idea of the magnitude of ongoing support I had throughout this process. I'd like to thank some of those people now as I reread their letters, articles, emails and as I look at the photos they were kind enough to send to me. There's no order to this list...just going through the "keeper" pile on my desk!

Thank you Janet Duprey, Assemblywoman of the 114th District of the State of New York for your kind note.

Thanks, Frances Fairchild of the Chazy Public Library !

Thanks to the Momot Elementary School PTO for our first school presentation!

I have barely begun to thank those friends who have helped and supported me along the way. You have given me the inspiration to continue with a second book and to continue cleaning this office! I'll be posting more thanks next.

Take care.

Adirondack Center For Writing & North Country Public Radio

2008-04-02T09:21:00.000-04:00

The Adirondack Center for Writing and North Country Public Radio invite your submissions for the next biennial Writing Contest.

The categories for the 2007/2008 Contest are:

Short Story

Humor

The first-prize winner in each genre and age group will receive $300, and will have their work posted on both the Adirondack Center for Writing and North Country Public Radio websites! Runners-up will receive $150, and have their work posted on the two websites!

Who is Eligible?
Anyone living in the Adirondack Park and/or in the NCPR listening area who is twelve years of age or older. The submissions will be divided into two age groups (12-20 and 21+) for each of the genres listed above. Published as well as unpublished writers are welcome to enter the contest as long as the work submitted is unpublished.

Submission Guidelines
Entries must be between 500 and 2,500 words, double spaced. All manuscripts must be typed and submitted on paper. Include a cover letter with your name, telephone number, complete mailing address, in which age group you belong (12-20 or 21+), and to which genre you are submitting. Number all pages, and include the title of your work on each page.

*NOTE: Your name should only appear on the cover letter, not on the manuscript, only the title should appear on the upper right hand corner of each page of your piece.

Send three copies of each submission to
The Adirondack Center for Writing
PO Box 265, Paul Smith's College
Paul Smiths, NY 12970

Entries must be received by April 11, 2008. Submissions will not be returned but everyone will receive a decision letter.

For information on the judges, visit the Adirondack Center's Web site here.

Good luck and take care.

Self-Publishing With Amazon's Booksurge Or Else!

2008-03-29T11:27:00.000-04:00

Well well well. Amazon's selling policies may be getting quite interesting. It appears that they have "notified publishers who print books on demand that they will have to use its on-demand printing facilities if they want their books directly sold on Amazon's Web site". That's a direct quote from The Wall Street Journal and several other credible news sources.

This reminds me of the video rental industry. Blockbuster's exclusive deal with the Weinstein company shut out, or tried to, independent video store retailers from renting Weinstein DVD's. It didn't work but monopolies do exist in business.

Looks like Amazon's throwing their muscle and threatening POD (print on demand) publishers. Some observers feel Amazon is targeting subsidy publishers. It could be as that's a very lucrative business. (Personally, I feel subsidy press is a big rip-off for most publishers but I guess it has its place in the publishing world.)Anyway, I'm getting off topic.

It is true that BookSurge does not offer distribution through any channel other
than Amazon.com. That's pretty limiting. It looks like Amazon's new business model is simple: Print your POD books with Booksurge if you want them to be sold by Amazon on Amazon.com. If you have another POD source, Amazon will not sell your book.

It'll be interesting to see if this works for Amazon. I bet not but time will tell.

Take care.

Calling All Adirondack Authors!

2008-03-24T14:23:00.000-04:00

In celebration of the Town of Indian Lake’s sesquicentennial (hey, you try to spell it!), the Indian Lake Library will be hosting an Adirondack Author’s night on July 30 at 7PM. All local Authors are invited! If you are interested, please contact the Library Director, nberkowitz@sals.edu

You can also sign up here: http://indianlakelibrary.wordpress.com/2008/03/22/calling-all-authors/

Have you been to Indian Lake? It's beautiful. I visited several times last year while peddling my book, Adirondack Nightmare: A Spooky Tale in the North Country. Indian Lake is near Blue Mountain Lake and Sabael, a gorgeous spot in the heart of the Adirondacks.

Book signings are kind of fun. I've been to quite a few and can say that it depends on where you are sitting, the weather and the amount of press the signings get. I won't be doing as many as I did last year but I will probably do a few just to keep in touch with my fellow Adirondack author buddies. I've sold from one book to 30+ at a signing.

I don't know if I'll go to this one or not, I can't seem to decide...

Take care.

Writing For Children

2008-02-28T12:35:00.000-05:00

I'm reading another book called Writing For Children by Catherine Woolley (who is also Jane Thayer). It's a thought-provoking, 167- page book with a bibliography and an index. It goes into great detail about characterization, conflict and setting. I took a look at my book and asked myself, "What is my main conflict?". I realized I had several and would have to rework a few places to make one of the conflicts the main one.

The author also does a wonderful job of reminding us to to keep in mind the perspective of the child. I have difficulty with this when I'm on a roll. This book helped to keep me on track. I like that the author suggests humor in children's books as I agree. I'm finding that my humor can be a bit sarcastic, especially between siblings, and I don't care for that style. I'm trying to correct it.

The author is adamant about, "you cannot hope to become a first-rate, recognized juvenile author unless you possess some sense of world history and literary history." She goes on to explain that she doesn't mean all writing should be of historical events (unless you want to). She means a writer should be an educated person if books written for children are to have substance. I'm still out about this one. Of course, I've written one small, regional children's book. What do I know?

Take care.

Adirondack Literary Award

2008-02-19T15:51:00.000-05:00

The Adirondack Center For Writing is having its annual Adirondack Literary Award. Please enter! Here is the official press release:

February 19, 2008

For Immediate Release:
Contact:
Nathalie Thill
Executive Director
Adirondack Center for Writing
326-6278
acwevents@gmail.com

Call for submissions for Adirondack Literary Award!

The Adirondack Center for Writing (ACW) is accepting submissions to its annual Adirondack Literary Award. This award recognizes books published in 2007 by regional authors and/or books written about the region. Awards for best works of nonfiction, memoir, fiction, poetry, children's literature, and photography will be decided by a panel of judges for each genre. We will also offer the popular People's Choice award for best overall book regardless of genre, voted for by ACW members. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in June.

If you would like to have a book considered for this award, please send two copies of it to:
Adirondack Center for Writing
PO Box 265
Paul Smith's College
Paul Smiths, NY 12970

Books must have been published in 2007. The deadline for book submissions is March 11, 2008. All books submitted for consideration will be displayed at the Awards ceremony.

For more information, please contact ACW at 518-327-6278 or go to our web site, www.adirondackcenterforwriting.org, there you will also find a list of past winners. Good Luck!

About the Adirondack Center for Writing
The Adirondack Center for Writing is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting literature and providing educational opportunities and support to both aspiring and established writers in the Adirondack region. They provide workshops, conferences, and readings throughout the year in locations all around the Adirondack Park.

See, I made the text green for Adirondacks. You know, the mountains? Oh well. I strongly support the center and hope you will, too. I'm not sure if I'm going to submit Adirondack Nightmare or not. I think it will be a waste of everyone's time. It was a good first effort but, an award winner? I don't think so!

Take care.

How Many Rewrites?

2008-02-15T17:24:00.000-05:00

I had a nice post all typed a few days ago, went to submit it and Blogger was down. I'll try again!

I've got ten chapters done and am doing another rewrite. I'm taking out unnecessary words. Too many adverbs and adjectives. Too much redundancy. I'm not worrying about word count anymore, now it's quality of writing and the flow of the story. I am writing the purpose of each chapter in my notes. This has been very helpful to me. It keeps me on track with the storyline.

I think I'm going to stop after this rewrite and write the last chapter before I tackle more of the middle of the book. I like the beginning chapters. It's the middle I'm getting a little wishy washy with.

What has helped me tremendiously is Stephen King's book, On Writing. His "memoir of the craft" is dead on. I've read and reread it several times. This last time really hit home for me. I realized I was writing just to get words down. It was necessary for me as I had become so frozen with my writing but now it's time to clean it up, delete, and rewrite. Thank you, Mr. King.

How many rewrites is this? I've lost count. Let's say twelve, that sounds about right.

First Person vs. Third Person With Reggie's Ghost

2007-12-30T12:36:00.000-05:00

Well, I've overcome another huge roadblock and am now in the process of rewriting the whole first seven chapters. Sigh.

I'm used to writing in third person. I like that it suits any age and I'm able to sneak in more information about the characters that way. This book has to be written in first person. Reggie has to tell her story in her own words. She's too strong and independent to have someone else tell it for her.

This means I am using some new writing muscles. I have to write better. I have to be able to have Reggie tell her point of view and do this consistently.

The prologue has been rewritten and checked out by Nick, Amanda and Jim. A thumbs up times three. It's time to move on.

Title pages are drafted and the book cover designer will get some materials this week. With a down payment, of course. Grin.

Life marches on. Take care.

I'm Starting From Scratch

2007-12-28T10:13:00.000-05:00

Okay, now that I've had a rest (yeah, right) I've decided to start over with Reggie's Ghost. I had a prologue written and asked two kids to read it.

They both said it was sad, so sad. I asked them if they would want to finish
reading the book after reading the prologue and one of them said, "Well, does
it have a happy ending? I might want to if it has a happy ending."

I'm rewriting the prologue. I'm creating more intimate and detailed character
sketches and I am slowing down. I need to learn to stop imposing impossible deadlines on myself which I've created. Sometimes I'm a friggin' bonehead. I do this over and over and over again. Pavlov's dog here. Bark.

But no more Pavlov's dog for me! I'm changing my ways! I've listened to The Secret audiobook and watched the DVD! Over and over and over again...LOL!

Take care.

Prologues Are Hard To Write!

2007-12-07T15:56:00.000-05:00

The sequel to Adirondack Nightmare is still in the works. I have written a short prologue because there's quite a leap in time from the first book to this sequel.

Well, writing a prologue is much more difficult than I thought! I needed to introduce the protagonist, Reggie, and give readers a feel for the type of young woman she is.

I also made sure to let the reader know that a significant moment was happening in Reggie's life. It was difficult for me to squeeze in just enough about Reggie so readers would get a sense of how Reggie's feeling about this big change.

Another main character, or two, had to be introduced. Very briefly. As a teaser of sorts.

I'm hoping readers will have questions in their minds after reading the prologue, get their curiosity peaked. Here's part of it:

Reggie was sitting in her purple and pink bedroom, tortured by her family’s upcoming move. She was wearing her favorite sweater, belt, sneakers and hair band. They were all pink, her favorite color. The stylish outfit normally put her in a cheerful mood, but not today. Reggie’s mind was racing from one thought to another as she looked around her beloved room. It was a total mess due to the endless job of packing her precious belongings.

Reggie looked down at a picture of her mom in an almost-full moving box. The funeral for Reggie’s mom was long over. The horrifying feelings of losing her beautiful, fun-loving mother to Cancer were coming back. Reggie was becoming overwhelmed. She needed to sort things out in her head.

It seems like my heart is always going to be broken, Reggie thought as she pulled her pillow to her chest. How could Dad remarry so soon? I just started sixth grade, why do we have to move now?

Middle of prologue here. Then the end:

“Reggie? Reggie, come on down and finish your breakfast,” Mr. Durant yelled up the stairs. “I’ve got work to do and your food is getting cold.”

“Be right there, Dad,” Reggie answered. She got off her bed, put her pillow down, wiped the tears from her face and looked at her mother’s picture in the box. With a heavy sigh, Reggie blew her mother's picture a kiss. With a determined step, she walked out of her bedroom and went downstairs to the kitchen.

Take care.

Adirondack Nightmare is Back in Borders in Plattsburgh!

2007-11-30T11:52:00.000-05:00

The day before yesterday my mother-in-law, Gerrie, called to tell me our local Borders no longer carried "Adirondack Nightmare". Well, I thought, this just can't be!

I wondered what would be the best way to tackle the situation without offending the manager. So, I faxed a very professional-looking letter to their home office.

This morning I got a phone call from them. They ordered 12 copies directly from me, without going through my distributor! Never give up hope!

Thank you, Borders!

Just for the heck of it, here's Tiki, editing my book.

Okay, here's Tiki again, helping me make photocopies:

Take care.

Is Your Book In Libraries?

2007-11-27T14:44:00.000-05:00

I found something that's pretty cool. It's a web site which shows where (or if) your book is in libraries. Here's the link:

http://worldcat.org/advancedsearch

Put in your isbn, and press enter. That's it. You can also put in different zip codes if you'd like.

Adirondack Nightmare is in two libraries: one in California and one in Nebraska. I'm in the Adirondacks in Upstate New York! What the heck? Is it me or is that weird?

Hey, two libraries is better than none, right?

Take care.

Adirondack Nightmare Sequel is on it's way!

2007-11-23T14:55:00.000-05:00

An update on the sequel to Adirondack Nightmare! I have hired a book cover designer and will be sure to post her info here once the cover's approved and completed.

I also hired a professional photographer to take photos of my daughter, Amanda, to use on the cover. She is so much like Reggie (the protagonist). I will also post the photographer's info here once we have an approved and completed photo.

The working title of the sequel is:
Reggie's Ghost
Another Adirondack Ghost Story

I left out the word "nightmare" on purpose. I had some negative feedback with using that word from several people.

I'm working on Chapter 7 now. I'd say the book is about 20 - 30% done. The writing part, I mean. Once this NaNoWriMo project is done - I'm at 37550 words - I'll be able to hammer out the sequel. I've had some good feedback on it this far.

Okay, back to work. There's no rest for the weary. Take care.

An Author's Threat - Be Warned

2007-11-14T14:15:00.000-05:00

As I'm slowly destroying every last brain cell I have with my NaNoWriMo project, I want to warn everyone out there...

...be nice to me or I'll put you in my next novel!

Take care.

NaNoWriMo May Be The Death Of Me NOT!

2007-11-10T10:12:00.000-05:00

As I sit here, daring to take a minute or two from my NaNoWriMo task, I'm analyzing my situation. Just as the protagonist, Mandy, is analyzing hers in my 30-day novel.

I am at 12,910 words write now (get it? "write"? Oh, no, I'm losing it.) and I should be at 16670 (1667 words a day for 30 days). I am wearing a pedometer which I purchased a few days ago, determined to get to 10,000 steps a day. The most I've reached was 6,000. Why am I doing this to myself? How can I possibly step 10,000 steps a day AND write 1667 words a day AND still join in the rest of the human race AND continue life AND my regular job AND be a mom AND wife AND host Thanksgiving dinner? I don't have a clue.

The pedometer is now in second place. The words come first. My hair is greasy, I will take a shower today, I promise. The kitchen is clean. I am going to catch up on my word count today. No matter what. That AND the laundry.

No more conjunctions. I think I need a character who stutters. I now love adjectives and will use them as much as humanly possible.

Wish me luck. I need it. Take care.

Suicide is Painful - Writing Will Go On

2007-11-04T09:39:00.000-05:00

I sit here, after a sleepless night, wondering if I should post this on my blog. For some reason, something is telling me to do it, to get it off my chest and to move on. I've had a hard week. About a week ago I received two phone calls on the same day: 1)My first cousin had died and; 2)A great friend since high school (he was my junior prom date and he introduced me to my current husband of 18 years) committed suicide. He lived near Schenectady, New York and his funeral was yesterday. I will miss him forever, he was such a funny, kind person. My cousin has been cremated and we will come together as a family in the spring. Enough said. I think I do feel better.

This past week I was in a fog, trying hard to keep up with my regular job. My housework wasn't so great, well, it never usually is, but it was even worse than usual. I don't remember what I made for dinners. I know one night I used the crock pot, what a great cooking tool that is. Friday we ordered pizza. The kids are still doing well which is what matters most to me anyway.

Another thing that begain on November 1st was/is my involvement with NaNoWriMo. I joined earlier in the year when things weren't quite so hectic. NaNoWriMo is the abbreviation for National Novel Writing Month. Here, I'm going to take this directly from Wikipedia:

"NaNoWriMo is a creative writing project originating in the United States in which each participant attempts to write a 50,000 word novel in a single month. Despite the name, the project is now international in scope. Nearly 80,000 participants registered in 2006, with almost 13,000 winners verifying their novels as meeting the goal. The cumulative word total for all participants in 2006 was 982,564,701."

It boils down to 1667 words per day. I'm okay up to now as I've got 5018 words in. No plot, some characters, and it's my first attempt at writing a teen chick lit book. Piece of cake. Yeah, write. I'll keep typing away and see what comes up. It helps to avoid contractions as that adds to the word count, LOL.

I'd like to finish Chapter 7 and 8 of the Adirondack Nightmare sequel. Then I think I need to devote a day to a bulleted outline to kind of keep myself on track. We'll see how the day goes. I was going to try to put some pics in this blog but I guess I'm not up to it.

It's sunny and beautiful out, a perfect Adirondack autumn day. Take care.

Adirondack Nightmare Goes To Glens Falls New York!

2007-11-02T14:47:00.000-04:00

Now that I finally have internet access again, I'm able to share some photos of our trip through the Adirondacks from just south of Plattsburgh, New York, to Glens Falls, New York and the HUGELY popular Chronicle Authors Fair. I think there were 130 attendees or something like that. It was a blast and, yes, we sold books.

Take care!

Aaron Shepard's Writing For Children Book

2007-10-25T13:40:00.000-04:00

Ok, here's a shameless plug for a FANTASTIC book. It's Aaron Shepard's The Business of Writing For Children book.

This book is vital to any author contemplating writing a children's book. It speaks the blunt truth...the writing part is only a tiny piece of the pie. It's also a business and a very difficult one, to put it mildly.

When you buy it, read it from beginning to end. It's an easy read, about 100 pages, and a nice, large font.

Aaron Shepard also has a fantastic web site for authors, please take time to visit it here. I've been reading a lot lately, trying to develop my writing style, and I know a great book when I read one. This is a great book.

Take care.

Goosebumps or Grossbumps?

2007-10-21T13:05:00.000-04:00

I'm on Chapter 5 of the sequel to my first book, Adirondack Nightmare: A Spooky Tale in the North Country. This sequel is much longer and won't leave readers hanging as much as the first one did. My apologies for that, I rushed and was psyched to get it to print. A common mistake for first-time authors. So, I learned a valuable lesson. Quality!

I will write a very nice prologue in this second book to get readers up to speed as time has moved very quickly for William Durant. Here's his daughter, Reggie, the protagonist in my second book.

Well, Reggie has a step-brother who likes to read the "Goosebumps" series of books. I'd like to put this in the book but a question has come up. Do I need to get permission to use that word? If so, it might take forever and a day so, instead, should I use "Grossbumps" with the implication of, well, you know.

I kind of like the idea of Grossbumps because it cracks me up. We'll see what happens when I call the R.L. Stine folks. I'll let ya know.

Take care.

Writing With Depression

2007-10-17T15:57:00.000-04:00

I have so much I could blog, post, write, contribute and just can't get myself to do it. I'm suffering from depression. Like a dummy, I let my anti-depression medication expire. I felt I could keep it under control with vitamins and the like. I've tried it before, without success. Why would I try it again? That's part of the cycle of depression. I should have known better but I wanted to be strong without the medicine. Duh.

My husband's been wonderfully supportive and I'm now back on the meds. In a few days I'll be my old self, catch up on some work and have fun writing again. I'll probably even smile, be goofy and such.

Take care. I know I will :-)

Author's Access Web Site

2007-10-11T17:18:00.000-04:00

Here's a great web site:

Author's Access

They boast "Visit Authors Access podcasts: www.authorsaccess.com where authors get published and published authors get successful."

I've listened to many of the podcasts and they are so helpful and interesting.
I just listened to one about the importance of book covers featuring Patrick Snow who has "spent over ten years of his life developing this unique system that is designed to save you both time in money in your quest to achieve your publishing and book promotion goals". His web site is here and I strongly urge any author or author-wanna be to check it out.

Take care.

The Chronicle (Glens Falls NY) Book Fair

2007-10-11T16:08:00.000-04:00

The Chronicle Book Fair In Glens Falls, NY will be held at the Queensbury Hotel on the corner of Ridge and Maple Streets in downtown Glens Falls. It is on Sunday, October 14, from 11a.m. until 4p.m. Almost 120 authors will be there, including yours truly!

Come early for "coffee with the authors". Their restaurant will be open and they'll also have a "grab and go" self-serve soup and sandwich vendor on site.

I hope to meet you there! Take care. PS I'm nervous!

Win a Publishing Contract With Court TV

2007-10-08T14:36:00.000-04:00

I'm busy writing my second children's ghost story but thought some of you might be into this.

Court TV is looking for the next big crime writer. If anyone is interested
here's the link:

http://courttv.gather.com/

Good luck! By the way, the second book is coming along great. If anyone would like a peak at the first chapter, let me know. I'd love your comments/suggestions.

Take care.

Author's Den is No Nightmare!

2007-10-03T19:03:00.000-04:00

I've found this great site for authors. It's called Author's Den.

It's a great FREE marketing tool and I just love it! Here's
a link to
my entry. The site boasts "Home to 50,000+ authors. Visited by
1,000,000 people monthly." I don't know if that's true or not but
did I mention that it's free?
LOL

You can upload photos, have url links and more.

Take care.

Adirondack Nightmare $100 Cash Winner!

2007-10-02T15:41:00.000-04:00

Our winner is....(how do I put a drumroll on a blog?)...

Sally Sears-Mack! Congratulations, Sally, and thanks to everyone who purchased a book and sent in a ticket.

We've now sold over 500 copies of our book on its first-run. We're so thankful to everyone who has supported us. It's been quite a ride, that's fer sure!

Take care

Adirondack Memories From Tampa, FL

2007-09-28T11:40:00.000-04:00

I received this email a few days ago. It made my heart soar! Nick was thrilled, too. Thanks so much, Chuck. I greatly appreciate you taking the time out of your day to contact me. It means the world to us.

Becky,
My name is Chuck Bombard. I was born and brought up in Plattsburgh. I lived on "Fox Hill" (Johnson Ave.) and went to Our Lady of Victory High School (class of 1962). I am currently in Tampa, FL. A friend of mine recently returned from a vacation in the Adirondacks and brought me back an autographed copy of "Adirondack Nightmare." As I scanned through the book, my friend watched as my eyes lit up when I saw that the author was from Plattsburgh and on one of the pages was a picture of a michigan hot dog! I told him that the picture of the michigan brought back so many wonderful memories for me. I was in the Army for 29 years and would always return to Plattsburgh to visit family whenever we could. One of our first stops whenever we were back in town was Clare and Carl's michigan red hot stand. My mouth waters just thinking about it. My wife has a great michigan recipe, but we're going to try yours. Thanks for bringing back some memories of great times. Chuck Bombard

MySpace, Marketing, Bookmooch...

2007-09-19T20:25:00.000-04:00

Well, I've been busy. On MySpace. Wow, it takes a lot to get that set up. I'm still not finished, I think I'll never be finished and I also think that's the whole point of MySpace...to stay on it forever!

Here's a fun book marketing tip, I learned it from someone on a Yahoo group. You know all of the annoying mail you get with postage paid envelopes included? From credit card companies and such? Well, here's how to have some fun with it. I used to just throw the envelopes away, that is, until I ordered 3000 bookmarks. Hey, the price was great. The bookmarks didn't turn out all that well but I DID approve the proof online so it was "my bad". What I do now is I send a bookmark back in every prepaid envelope. Hey, they might as well get something for their money, right? I have no idea if I've made any sales or not.

I found a web site I just LOVE. It's called Bookmooch. I've been using it a while and it's great. You put in an inventory of books you want to get rid of, then request books you're looking for. There's no fees, you just need to pay shipping for the books you send out (not for the ones you request). I just love it.

Take care.

The Adirondack Book House Blog Radio

2007-09-04T12:07:00.000-04:00

Well, I must say, The Adirondack Book House Blog Radio is one of the coolest things I've heard yet! The host is Pete Klein, author of The Dancing Valkyrie. This is "a vampire horror novel about an erotic dancer who becomes a vampire while hiking in the wilds of the Adirondacks". I intend to buy an autographed copy from Pete at our Inlet Book Signing this upcoming weekend. It sounds like my kind of book! Here's Pete:

Pete's radio program is every Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. Feel free to call in and talk with Pete. He's awful easy to deal with, believe me, a very nice guy. I can't wait to meet him. You can call in any Saturday beginning at 6:30 p.m. Here's the phone number: 1-646-716-8094. Call in, I'd love to talk with you!

I look forward to meeting you, Pete, and to the upcoming book signing!
Take care.

Celebrity Black Book - Free!

2007-08-31T09:54:00.000-04:00

Well, this is a good deal. The 2007 Celebrity Black Book is now available for free. There's just a $9.95 US shipping charge. ($19.95 for international orders.)
Click here to order it. I just ordered mine. It's been seen in "Us Weekly, Autograph Collector, Entrepreneur, Book Marketing Update, & More". I highly recommend it.

It's a great resource for authors to get endorsements for their books. Currently, I'm working on Rachael Ray and am getting nowhere. But, I'll never give up!

Maybe I'll try Stephen King, what do you think? It can't hurt. He seems like a nice guy.

Take care.

Adirondack Nighmare is Ready to Give $100 Cash!

2007-08-30T12:27:00.000-04:00

Ok, the book sweepstakes count is at 98. I only need 2 more people to send in a proof of purchase for the book and we draw the winner! I'm psyched to see who wins it. It's been a fun promotion.

Wow, I'm a pretty horrible photographer. The above is a picture of the 98 tickets from book buyers for the promotion. It's in my office now and why did I take the photo in front of a window? Duh.

Good luck to everyone who's participated and thanks so much for the support!
Take care.

Great Book Signing And Online Course With Anastasia Suen

2007-08-27T14:51:00.000-04:00

Our book signing at The Bookstore Plus went well. It was so great to see John Briant and his wonderful wife, Marge, again. The weather was wonderful!

Nick and I sold six books, John did MUCH better. He has quite a following and it was interesting and informative to watch how he interacted with people. He's such a "people person". I wish I had more of that skill.

I've also just finished a fantastic online writers workshop titled: "School Visits 101" by Anastasia Suen. I learned so much from this independent study workshop. It was worth every penny of the $75 fee plus more. I simply can't recommend it enough. Anastasia has "sold 100 book manuscripts: board books, picture books, easy readers, and chapter books (including a book for adults about how to write children's books)". She's also written articles for textbooks and magazines. What an inspiraton she is! Thanks, Anastasia!

My Book Order Form Is A Nightmare...With or Without The Adirondacks!

2007-08-23T13:49:00.000-04:00

Well, now that I've had some downtime with the book, I decided to revamp my order form. It was suggested to me by a fellow blogger and she's right, mine was a mess.

Here's the new form. I think it's pretty straightforward and a bit neater. I haven't had any orders from my web site yet so I'm curious to see if this helps.

I also added a button to direct folks to this blog on each web site page. A blog button used to be on just my home page and I think that made things look inconsistent. I'd been putting it off, to be honest, as it's pretty monotonous!

Tomorrow, Nick and I will go to The Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid for a signing with John Briant of the Adirondack Detective book series. It might be cool but I'd rather have that than heat any day. Here's to hoping the rain holds off!

Adirondack Nighmare Hits The Newspapers

2007-08-13T16:47:00.000-04:00

Wow, I'm a bit overwhelmed right now!

First, on August 8th, the Tupper Lake Free Press put our book news release, verbatim, in their popular regional newspaper. Our release was originally written by Shel Horowitz and I strongly recommend his services. I can't speak highly enough about his work. I've tweaked the release a bit but it's basically his skilled writing which got us in print.

Second, on August 9th, Geoff Hayward, Features Editor of the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, gave us a WONDERFUL review of the book. He really understood that it's for "reluctant readers" without my pointing it out. He even put the front cover of the book in his review. I think I'll start marketing it that way more often. Hey, I used to be a "reluctant reader" and now I've turned into a reading machine! Well, almost.

Third, on August 10th, Lisa Bramen of the Glens Falls Post Star put this blurb about our book in her paper! (I'm not sure how long the link will last but what the heck.) Notice how she lists where she thinks people should be able to buy the book. Now I can follow-up with those places to be sure they have it in stock .

How did I do it? I mailed a copy of the book with the inside cover stamped in red, "NOT FOR RESALE". I encluded a print copy of our news release and a CD-ROM which contained separate files of:
The News Release
Book Endorsements
Author Bio
Author Picture
Front Cover of the Book
Where To Buy The Book

I've sent this to five papers, follwed up with two so far, and got in print three times in one week! In three days!

We've got a big book signing in Long Lake tomorrow at Hoss's Country Corner. It's called the Adirondack Author's Fair and I'm hoping this exposure will help. There's going to be 75 authors there and Nick and I will be attending.

Wish us luck?

Adirondack Nightmare Is Selling Like Hot Cakes, Rachael Ray!

2007-08-09T09:15:00.000-04:00

Well, I just got an order from my book distributor, North Country Books, Inc., for 40 copies and one retailer, Raquette Lake Supply Company, just reordered! Theresa said she's down to three copies and needs more! You betcha!

Now, back to Rachael Ray. I haven't heard from her regarding an endorsement for the michigan sauce recipe in the book. Hmmm, I'm quite surprised. I just called John Rosen's office at the William Morris Agency. He's Rachael Ray's contact person. When I tried her office at the Food Network, the mail room guy said he sent it to her New York office. Anyway, I still haven't spoken to John (or is it Jon?) but John's assistant took down the information again.

The Devil Wears Prada, anyone?

Ok, time to do my running around and get my act together. Take care.

Adirondack Daily Enterprise & A Great Stephen King Interview

2007-08-06T15:16:00.000-04:00

I'm sitting here, blogging away, trying to find ways to plug our book. Just did a follow-up phone call with a regional newspaper, The Adironadack Daily Enterprise, and Editor Geoff Hayward said we'd be in this weekend's issue. He's passed the book along to a colleague and she's going to read it to her grandkids. I look forward to the artcle, fer sure! Geoff's been really nice to work with.

Ok, the Adirondack Daily Enterprise hasn't interviewed Stephen King, at least not that I know of, but I did find a great online interview with the "King of Horror", Stephen King, On The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos. I found it to be very candid and interesting.

Hey, cool. I just opened my mail and there was an entry for our $100 cash sweepstakes. SOMEONE JUST BOUGHT A BOOK! Time to update the number on the web site!

Take care,
Becky

Adirondack Nightmare at The Chronicle Book Fair!

2007-08-03T10:15:00.000-04:00

I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted. Shame on me! Well, to be fair, I have just closed one video store. Under One Roof Video in Morrisonville is now a goner and the closing went very smoothly. I still have some inventory there to bring over to the Plattsburgh store to sell. It's been hard to finish that task because this past week has been our annual family vacation week. We've had a great time and I only wish I could have taken more time off to visit with everyone.

About the book...we're in a very large author's fair in October. I'm so excited! It's The Chronicle Book Fair at the Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls. Cathy DeDe has been wonderful to work with. It will be held on Sunday, Oct. 14, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Great, just got a room booked for us for only $89.

One of our next signings is in Lake Placid. It's at The Bookstore Plus on Main St. from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.and we're signing with John Briant, the author of the Adirondack Detective book series. What a wonderful guy! We met him and his wife, Margaret, at the Old Forge Author's Fair. Margaret cracks me up, she's hilarious. John and I swapped autographed books and I can't wait to see them again.

Pounding the Pavement in the Adirondacks Part 8

2007-07-18T10:21:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, July 14th, the whole family got in the Envoy to head down to
Raquette Lake. It killed me to take the gas-loving vehicle but we couldn't fit in the hybrid with all the books, etc. We were heading down to the First Annual Festival of Life. This event was a benefit for North Country Life Flight, a non-profit air medical rescue program with headquarters at Adirondack Airport in Lake Clear. My friend, Jan Washburn, invited me and she organized the whole event. I was honored to be invited. We all loved watching the Life Flight helicopter land outside the school where the event took place.

We set our table up along with the other crafters. The event was from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and we did quite well. We sold 24 books to individuals and 10 to the Raquette Lake Navigation Company. They have daily and nightly cruises on the W. W. Durant (our protagonist is William Durant) and we could see their ship docked outside of our hotel room.

We were too tired to take a cruise but it looked like so much fun! Next time, we promised ourselves.

The next day we were off to Inlet for our next signing. We had a fantastic breakfast at the Tamarack Cafe & Movie House. Woof, we ate too much. Jim had the Lumberjack special and it was a plate FULL of heart-stopping goodies, like buscuits and gravy and sausage and toast and eggs and woof! I had an egg sandwich and we had to take a walk after that before the signing. Our signing in Inlet was at the Adirondack Reader, right on the main road. It was scheduled from 1 p.m until 3 p.m. We set up our groovy display a bit early. The father of the owner of Adirondack Reader, Reggie, took our picture. They were so nice and funny and easy to be with.

Yup, that's my little baby. Sigh. We only sold 7 books but we have been invited to Reggie's Author's fair in September so it's cool. We also gave out a lot of bookmarks so all's well that end's well. We were pretty tired on the drive back home and the kids fell asleep in the back. I fell asleep on the couch that night, exhausted. It was a good weekend!

Brodarts, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Midwest Book Review

2007-07-12T10:02:00.000-04:00

I received a notice from Brodart which says "Titles With NYP Status To Be Checked" and my book was listed. It clearly states that

*** THIS IS NOT AN ORDER ***.

Thanks, I need that? What the heck is "NYP Status"? Anyway, they are a library fulfillment service so I guess it's good they're checking on things. Does this mean libraries are trying to order the book? I don't know but that would be pretty cool.

I also received a letter from my distributor, North Country Books which says that Eric Burger, Barnes and Noble's regional buyer for the northeast, has requested I send him sample copies of my new publications as they become available. Okey dokey, but what the heck happened to the two copies I already sent in to Barnes and Noble? So I sent my newest buddy, Eric, two more copies. At least the book now shows as in stock. Where did those other two copies go? Did they just fly away? Hmmm.

Now for the biggest, best news of all! Midwest Book Review has given our book a 5 out of 5 star review! Here it is:

"Written by mother of two Rebecca Leonard and featuring numerous black-and-white computer-generated illustrations by her son Nick Leonard, Adirondack Nightmare: A Spooky Tale in the North Country is a Halloween adventure novel for young people new to chapter books. Enhanced with tasty original Adirondack recipes like "John and Mary's Best Michigan Sauce Recipe Ever" and "Caramel and Chocolate Covered Candied Apple Recipe", Adirondack Nightmare is goosebump-inducing treat from cover to cover. A great holiday mood-setting story for reading aloud chapter by chapter or allowing novice readers to immerse themselves in the spine-chilling joy of words."

Can you believe it? I was so happy I didn't know what to do. They posted it on Amazon, too, which really helps.

Well, time to get ready for our two signings this weekend. We need to prep a lot of books! Take care, thanks for reading.

Sunscreen - Why I Will Never Quit

2007-07-07T11:42:00.000-04:00

As I was working on our "$100 cash to one of the first 100 people who buy our book" promo yesterday, I became discouraged. Again. The NCCCA Dream Picnic book signing and presentation on June 30th was a bust. I put it in all the calendar of events, 1100 fliers to 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students at local elementary schools, posters all over the place. Colleen, the DEC Coordinator and Educational Programs Director was there and brought a neighbor, a very nice young girl. Colleen also sent some fliers to some students but to no avail.

See, what happened on the same day was a ceremony for a fallen soldier. Hundreds of people attended and I would have, too, if it weren't for the commitment we made. It was a very sobering and sad day for Plattsburgh.

We did sell seven books, five of them were to a postal employee who bought three initially then came back for two more! So, it was worth it. Colleen and I also talked about hosting a winter "Read Around The Campfire" book reading. Our book is a perfect readaloud around the campfire so I think it'll work out well.

Back to the beginning of the blog and my work on our "$100 cash to one of the first 100 people who buy our book". I decided to fax or mail a flier announcing the promotion to each store which carries our book. Haven't heard anything from one of them. Are they in the trash or being displayed? Hmmm. Becoming discouraged. Time to take action.

I played my favorite song, Everybody is Free aka The Sunscreen Song, by Baz Luhrmann. I played it over and over again. I cried. Then I wrote a letter to the editor of our local paper which I've been meaning to write. Then I went to camp. My haven. I'm ok. I'll never quit. I'm simply not a quitter. I'm just human.

Pounding The Pavement in the Adirondacks Part 7

2007-07-02T13:22:00.000-04:00

I took Patty's advice and stopped at The Lake Store in Indian Lake. It's very close to Sabael, where Patty's Squaw Brook Motel is. Sure enough, Eris was nice enough to bring in six copies of the book. What a great way to start the day!

I went into Indian Lake and saw a store called Gramma's Things on Big Brook Road. The owner, Jean Turner, was a bit hesitant to bring in the book so we made a deal. I promised to not hit any other stores in Indian Lake if she took a few copies. It makes sense as it's a fairly small town. Sure enough, she took in four copies. She is so talented with quilting. It was hard to leave without buying something.

Time to move on to Raquette Lake, which is where the book takes place. I had some great tips from my friend, Jan, so I started with the Raquette Lake Supply Co. right on Main Street. Her sister, Theresa, works there. I went into the office and she greeted me as if I were family! She also brought in twelve copies of the book. Her store is amazing as there is a little bit, no a lot of, everything. I mean everything and then some.

OK, Patty's store isn't quite that big but it felt like it at the time. I also stopped at the Raquette Lake Free Library and Carolynn, the director, brought in two copies. I walked over to the Raquette Lake Navigation Company and that place is so cool! They have a caboose gift shop and urge people to "Climb Aboard the W.W. Durant", a wonderful ship which tours Raquette Lake. The protagonist in my book is William Durant. No one was there so I had to move on. I'd love to do that tour someday.

Next stop was Blue Mountain Lake and I was more than happy to see they already had the book in stock at the Adirondack Museum. I'm not much of a museum fan but this place is more than a museum. It's an entire day of fun and exploration. I love it.

On to Inlet and the Inlet Department Store. They were so psyched when they saw the book it made me blush! The owner said that the day before a tourist was in looking for a book just like it to read around a campfire. That's exactly what this book is good for. Twelve more copies sold!

I was getting pretty tired and hot at this point but I was determined to make it to Old Forge. I stopped at the Adirondack Reader bookstore on Main Street in the center of Inlet. The owner was so excited I couldn't believe it. She bought fifty (yes, 50) copies on the spot, signed us up for a book signing and invited me to her upcoming author's fair! I hit the big time!!

OK, OK, I stopped at the local wine store and bought a bottle of wine to celebrate. Sheesh, can't get away with anything on this blog. On to Old Forge. I should have stopped when the going was good but I was determined. And exhausted. I went to the Old Forge Hardware Bookstore and they reluctantly brought in ten copies. I won't go into it. I'm grateful to them for bringing the book in and I was simply too tired to sell any more books.

Not a bad day.

Pounding the Pavement in the Adirondacks Part 6

2007-06-29T23:30:00.000-04:00

On Thursday, June 28, I hit the road again to peddle books. It was a bit late in the day, about 2:00 p.m. or so, and I was determined to hit Raquette Lake, Indian Lake, Inlet, Blue Mountain Lake, Old Forge and Tupper Lake. Not necessarily in that order.

Well, I guess I haven't learned yet. I tend to get lost easily. I took I87 (The Adirondack Northway part) and got off at Exit 29. My husband assured me that was the right exit. Then I was to take a right then a left. Or was it a left then a right? OK, I got lost. I also got stuck in some pretty heavy duty construction which took a good 45 minutes off my time. The radio kept broadcasting severe thunderstorm warnings with winds up to 60 mph and hail and to get to a safe shelter, preferably one with few windows. Sigh.

When I made it to "undisclosed location", it was 4:00 p.m. I was bummed out and tired. I stopped at the first store I could find to ask for directions for a hotel or a cabin as I was going to stay the night and start over fresh in the morning. I went in, the place was empty, and was "greeted" by a man I assume was the owner. The place will remain anonymous because this turns out a bit creepy.

I asked for directions to a hotel/cabin and he said there were none in the area. He was very talkative, asking me a lot of questions. He kept talking. And asking. Finally, I got a bit abrupt and walked out, explaining I had to leave. He followed me out of the store and into the parking lot. Then I heard him say, "You fertile?" I heard it loud and clear but couldn't believe it so I turned to him and said, "What?!"

He was shaking all over, hadn't been before, and he had a big bugger coming out of his left nostril. I won't go into more detail but I became very scared. I closed the trunk of my car and he came toward me. I went to the driver's side, got in and locked the door. There he was, still shaking and his nose...eeewww.

I left (ok, I "peeled out") and found a place with a public phone. My cell phone had no service for quite some time. I was very upset and told Jim I was going to find a place to stay the night, get up early and start over. I told him what happened and that I'd call him when I found a place.

I did! After driving a bit I found the Squaw Brook Motel in Indian Lake. Indian Lake is such a wonderful place! Patty Eicher, the owner, greeted me warmly, gave me a room and let me use her phone to call Jim. I went in my room, it was so quaint and warm, and called Jim again. I started to cry. I was so tired and creeped out and hadn't sold one single book. He asked me if I wanted him to drive down. I said no, I'd be fine, I just needed to veg for a bit. I told him I'd call again in the morning.

I brought the phone back to Patty and she told me about her free continental breakfast and, after we talked a bit, she said she'd buy a book in the morning! I went back to my room, wrote for a bit, then drove down the road about a half a mile and had dinner and a glass of wine. I felt much better. I went back to my room and slept like a brick.

Patty's coffee and continental breakfast were perfect. She bought a book and told me to go up the street a ways to check out a store where her sister worked. I was on my way again, ready to tear up the road.

Old Forge Library Author's Fair...We're In!

2007-06-23T14:26:00.001-04:00

Just as I was getting a bit discouraged because I haven't been able to peddle any books, Simon Conroy of Conroy Organics brought in 6 copies. That store is amazing, I can't leave without buying something!

In today's mail was an invitation to the Old Forge Library Author's Fair! How exciting! It's being held on Tuesday, July 24th from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Isabella Worthen, the Director of the library, was kind enough to send us the invitation. Boy did I respond to THAT quickly!

There's a writer's workshop beforehand entitled Writing What You Know from author M.E. Kemp. I can't wait for that. I've never been to a writer's workshop before. I hope I can take lots of notes. The workshop is made possible with funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, The Literature Program.

After the Author's Fair, there's a concert titled All Around The Mountain by musicians Tom Akstens & Neil Rossi. I've never heard them and am really looking forward to it. I hope Nick wants to go, it'll be too long a day for Amanda. The concert is made possible with funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, The Presentation Program.

Now I'm all happy again! All of this book promoting/marketing does pay off. I just had absolutely no idea how much work it was/is. I'll have to read The Little Engine That Could over and over and over again, I guess.

Take care.

Rachael Ray, Are You Out There?

2007-06-20T14:48:00.001-04:00

Well, I did a little detective work and found the contact information for Rachael Ray. I sent her two more books, a fan letter and a pre-stamped, self-addressed postcard. All I'm looking for is a little written endorsement for the michigan sauce recipe in our book. That would be so cool and the press would be great.

Are you out there, Rachael Ray?

We missed the deadline for the North Country Cultural Center For The Arts (NCCCA) newsletter. They send out to 21,000 people. Ouch. So, our "Dream Picnic Book Event" isn't in the newsletter. It's on Saturday, June 30th from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. I've been able to get fliers in most of the 3rd-5th grades in the area, about 1100 of them. I also visited the Plattsburgh Public Library and they put up a flier and said they'd order the book. Put some fliers in a few other places. I'm running out of ideas...anyone have ideas for me? I'll look at some books I have for marketing to kids. I sent notices to every single local calendar of events media I could think of.

I've got to get pounding the pavement again this week. The kids will be out of school and can fend for themselves for a day. I really want to get to Tupper Lake and the surrounding area. Something always seems to come up. Like life. Or death. My neighbor and friend, Dot Scott, passed away and I'm brokenhearted about it. The wake is today and her family will be here all weekend. Time to go pay respects. Take care.

2nd Annual Adirondack Literary Awards

2007-06-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, June 10th, Jim and I drove down to Blue Mountain Lake to attend the Adirondack Center for Writing's 2nd Annual Adirondack Literary Awards. This was for books copywritten in 2006. It was a lot of fun. On the way down we stopped at Adirondack Buffalo Company on Route 28N in North Hudson. Steve, the owner, was nice enough to bring in 10 books. What a great place they have there. Jim bought some buffalo steaks and we borrowed a cooler to keep them cold in the car.

When we got to the event, it was from 1 - 3 p.m., there were people milling about, chatting and eating the wonderful appetizers they had. Lemonade, wine, it was great. The books up for awards were all beautifully displayed in the center and it was interesting to see all of them. I believe there were a total of 17 books. Here's the winners:

BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK
Adirondack Mouse and the Perilous Journey by Irene Uttendorfsky
Judges: Danielle Hoepfl and Nancy Beattie

BEST FICTION BOOK
Lucy's Eggs by Rick Henry
Judges: Ellen Rocco and Joe Bruchac

BEST POETRY BOOK
Glacial Erratica: Three Poets on the Adirondacks, Part 2 by Elaine Handley, Marilyn McCabe, Mary Sanders Shartle
Judges: Maurice Kenny and Paul Pines

BEST MEMOIR
Schroon Lake by Lueza Thirkield Gelb
Judges: Bibi Wein and Jerry McGovern

BEST NONFICTION BOOK & PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD
Welcome to the Homeland by Brian Mann
Judges: Bibi Wein and Jerry McGovern

BEST EDITED COLLECTION (TIE)
Oswegatchie: A North Country River by Christopher Angus
No Place I'd Rather Be: Wit and Wisdom from Adirondack Lean-To Journals by Stuart Mesinger
Judges: Bibi Wein and Jerry McGovern

BEST PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK
Adirondack Waters: Spirit of the Mountains by Mark Bowie
Judges: Nancie Battaglia and John Radigan

Congratulations to all of them! It was quite a learning and humbling experience for me. Jim just loved the food. He must have had 5 or 6 (or more?) plates full. Our book will be up next year!

Win $100 Cash!

2007-06-09T14:19:00.000-04:00

Well, Jim and I just flew back into Burlington from a business trip in Ohio. Nice people out there. They remind me a lot of "Dackers" (Adirondackers). We almost didn't make it as there was an "Orange Alert" at the Dayton Airport. We were there when it happened and were stuck in the airport for quite a while. They told us all to go in the bar and wait. Someone turned CNN on and there we were.

Here's what happened, according to shiotv.com: "There were some tense moments at the Dayton International Airport after reports of a suspicious package had been found Thursday night. Officials said the front part of the airport was evacuated as a precaution and flights were allowed to land, but not take off. The package was found shortly before 7 p.m. and was later determined to be discarded phone books. Things returned to normal around 9 p.m. There were no injuries."

While sitting in the bar, sipping a glass of wine, I started writing about the incident. I mean, what if we were in the middle of a big story? That's how I think. Well, it looks like this is the story. End of story.

Now for the big news! Nick and I are giving out $100 in cash to someone who buys our book. Details are on our web site at www.rebeccaleonard.com. Good luck to all who enter!

Foxy on the Run Cable Show a Success!

2007-06-04T16:05:00.000-04:00

I simply can't thank my old (not old as in age, old as in past) English teacher, Foxy Gagnon, for the wonderful job he and Tipper did on the Adirondack Nightmare book show at Borders. It was so much better than I ever could have hoped for. Foxy did a great job at explaining the uniqueness of the book, with it's factoids, recipes, real-life references, etc. Nick was also amazing, and so calm! I can't think of one single question Foxy didn't ask or one single important part about the book he didn't point out.

As a "thank you" to Foxy, I'm going to set up an account for him at my video store, Under One Roof Video in Plattsburgh. You see, he doesn't already have an account there. Hmmmm. I'll also send a few free rentals so he's inticed to come in. I don't believe he's been in yet. Of course, he's forgiven because he's always so damn busy.

I'm still searching for ways to market my book. Right now I'm checking out book fairs. I'm going to have to do some more peddling but today I had to do ordering for the stores and tomorrow I'm helping Jimmy out with some problems we're having at our camp in Champlain. Thursday and Friday are booked already. Gee, looks like that leaves Wednesday to get out there. I'll write it on the calendar before I forget.

Speaking of busy, the kids are home from school and I have no idea what we're having for dinner. I really don't feel like cooking. I'm rambling, time to go.

Can't Peddle Books Today!

2007-05-30T12:53:00.000-04:00

Well, today was to be the day I was going to peddle "Adirondack Nightmare" in Tupper Lake.I was also going to pick up some checks from a few retailers in Wilmington who now carry the book. I trust them...how could I not trust Fran Betters? So why am I here, blogging? Because Amanda's sick from school and she needs me at home. I have a sneaking suspicion she's stressing from school. She had a lot of homework last night and finished it but I think she's worn out. Anyway, she's not her usual bubbling-cup-of-sunshine self so it's good she's home.

I miss my drives into the Adirondacks. I'll get there eventually. I love my hybrid. I'm rambling.

Instead of peddling books I wrote a few letters, shamelessly promoting the book. Sent a free copy out to someone who might be interested. Got caught up on my emails from the self-publishing yahoo group I belong to. No one in the group is answering a question I posted so the heck with them for a while. A lot of them are going to the BEA in NYC so I can understand how they're a bit busy. I hope to be going next year, with another published book under my belt.

I see the book is now "in stock" on Amazon. Finally. I won't even go into what that took to do. Ok, if you want to know just email me. I'll tell you my secret. My printer rep is also supposed to make sure the book is listed with Ingram THIS WEEK. Gee, it's only been months.

As you can probably tell, I'm still working on the patience thing. It just takes too long.

Maybe I'll make a few follow-up phone calls. Take a nap with my daughter?

Now THAT'S the ticket.

Take care.

Adirondack Nightmare Wows Fifth Graders At Momot Elementary School

2007-05-27T12:12:00.000-04:00

Well, I do believe we've hit the nail on the head! Jim, Amanda and I did a book presentation for the fifth graders at Momot Elementary School in Plattsburgh. (Thank you so much for the invitation, Mrs. Bouissey!) We started at about 1:15 p.m. and ended right before the end of the school day, about 2:30 p.m.

It was so wonderful for the kids to share their dreams with us. Nick couldn't attend because he had to go to school to get help with his English journals. He's got a lot going on at school right now and we've all agreed that school comes first for him.

There were about 60 kids and more than a handful of adults. Jim and I made a CD-rom of some of Nick's illustrations and we showed them as a part of the presentation. One of the highlights for me was when we started up the DVD portion (made by John Mitchell of Silver Lining Photography and Video (www.silverliningphotovideo.com). It was near the end of the presentation and before the Q&A part. Jim queued up the Excerpt From The Book, read by John, and I heard a young man say, "This is so cool!". My heart melted.

I'm so grateful to Momot Elementary School for allowing us to share our dreams with them and to hear their dreams. The opportunity is just beyond words.

Take care, time to post some photos from the presentation on my site. www.rebeccaleonard.com

Adirondack Nightmare in Lake Placid and Saranac Lake!

2007-05-22T11:21:00.000-04:00

Last Friday (May 18, 2007) I hit the pavement again and sold some books in a few new places in Wilmington, including Fran Betters' Adirondack Sport Shop. What a great new store they have! Fran was sitting there, tying fly ties, of course. (Or is it just fly tying? Tying flies?) His wife, Jan, was there and their cute dog. I can't remember the dog's name but he sure is a great store-greeter. Fran took 5 copies and we're talking about publishing his new books. I sure hope we can help him out. He's a legend!

Next I went into Lake Placid, what a mess with all their road construction! The whole center is torn up. It doesn't seem to bother the merchants too much. They were as friendly as can be. I met up with Marc Galvin of The Bookstore Plus and he and his wife, Sarah, are going to be bringing our book in through our distributor, Norch Country Books, Inc. Very cool! Nice store, well organized and the staff is helpful.

I decided to skip the rest of Placid, too much construction right now, and headed to Saranac Lake. Oh yeah, I stopped to see my brother-in-law, John, at the Price Chopper in Lake Placid first. Boy was he surprised! So, I signed a book for his daughter, Haley, and headed to Saranac Lake.

Carrie, of Fact & Fiction Bookshop was more than happy to bring in a bunch of books. This has got to be the cutest bookstore I've ever been in. Right on Broadway.

Time to head home, it was getting late and I wanted to eat dinner with my family. Plus, my ankle was acting up and I needed some ice. My ice pack had melted back in Wilmington!

Overall, a good day. Great scenery, wonderful townsfolk. What more could I ask for?

Nothing.

Adirondack Nightmare gets Squidoo and del.icio.us and Stumbleupon.com

2007-05-17T15:35:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm treading into deeper water, here. I was determined to hit the pavement and sell some books today but my stupid left ankle is too sore.

I couldn't sit around and do nothing. So, I've learned about Squidoo (and their lenses) and del.icio.us. Oh yeah, and Stumbleupon.com. These are fabulous tools to use to help get the word out about a book, web site, just about anything. They're fun, too. Here's the links:

http://www.stumpleupon.com
http://www.squidoo.com
http://del.icio.us

Stumbleupon could be a bit addictive, I think. Maybe too much so but it also "lets you 'channelsurf' the best-reviewed sites on the web. It is a collaborative surfing tool for finding and sharing great sites". I added my site and blog, of course.

Ok, so Squidoo's also a bit addictive. And an awful lot of fun. It "is home to tens of thousands of everyday enthusiasts. Spread your ideas, make yourself known, meet new traffic. (You could even earn a royalty)." Try it out and be sure to invite me to your lens.

On to del.icio.us. I don't really know enough about it yet to say much. I'm pretty sure I posted my web site, though.

So, all-in-all, another productive day. Just not in the way I had expected, is all.
Never give up, never say die.

Adiorondack Nightmare is on TV!

2007-05-15T13:34:00.000-04:00

Well, the interview with Foxy was great. Nick was so relaxed and calm that he helped me to stay focused on the book and what it has to offer Adirondackers. Foxy's pretty easy to deal with and the 32 minute interviews flew by.

Borders in Plattsburgh was nice enough to let us film the shoot at the front of their store. They were also generous to bring in 12 copies as the order they placed with my distributor hadn't come in yet.

IAG.

The show is scheduled to air on June 1, 2, 3, 2007 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and midnight. Nick and Becky were interviewed with Foxy Gagnon on his Fox on the Run cable show. It's on North Country Cable Network and will be televised on Charter Communications cable system public-access channel (Channel 15).

Be sure to tune in! Thanks Foxy, thanks, Borders!

We're In The 21st Annual Adirondack Authors Night!

2007-05-12T12:59:00.000-04:00

This is so exciting! We've just been invited to the 21st Annual Adirondack Authors Night at Hoss's Country Corner in Long Lake! I can't begin to explain how grateful we are to Lorrie for putting our book in their store and for the invitation.

If you've never been to Hoss's Country Corner you should. They have the greatest collection of Adirondack memorabilia there is. The last time I was in there, well, let's say I didn't leave empty-handed! Tons of books, t-shirts, knick-knacks, decorations, jewelry, on and on and on.

Another really cool thing about the store is the tree which is growing up in the center of the showroom. Seriously, a real tree. It's amazing, I can't explain it well enough to give it justice. You'll have to check it out for yourself!

The Adirondack Author's Night is always the second Tuesday in August. Plan on going, it'll be a fun event. Guaranteed! Hoss's is located at 247 Lake St (it takes up a whole block) in Long Lake and their phone number is 1-800-952-4677.

First Book Presentation/Signing...Total Success!!

2007-05-09T16:37:00.000-04:00

Well, our first book presentation and signing could NOT have gone any better. There were probably 40-50 people present at Lake Forest Community Center. Eleven students, who are pen-pals with some of the Lake Forest residents, were there for the show. Jim, my husband, manned the DVD and projector. Nick (my son and illustrator of the book), Amanda (my daughter and book helper/bookmark hander-outer) and my mom (book editor) sat in the front as contributors. Johnny Mitchell of Silver Lining Photography and Video (great friend, great neighbor, great photographer) was there to take pics for my web site and promos. I've never seen my mother so proud of me! The audience was completely engaged throughout, Jim told me after.

The presentation lasted about half-an-hour, then we had fun! We brought out some props and I did a Q&A session. The kids hands flew up in the air! I was able to reach out to every single one of them. I believe I've met an up-and-coming future President of the United States. I was honored to be with them. Their hopes and dreams keep me going.

Oh yeah, we sold some books, too :-)

Peace out.

Lake Forest Senior Center - Adirondack Nightmare Presentation!

2007-05-07T13:24:00.000-04:00

Well, we're getting ready for our very first book signing and presentation. It's on Tuesday, May 8th at the Lake Forest Senior Center in Plattsburgh, NY. It should last about 40 minutes with time for questions and signings afterward. I'm a bit nervous with my left ankle, it's not healing as well as the right one did. But my kids, Nick, the illustrator of the book, and Amanda are more than enough to cheer us on. It should be fun, there'll be students from Momot school who are pen pals with some of the residents of Lake Forest.

My mom, Beth Brush, is one of the pen pal mentors there. What a wonderful program it is. Lake Forest is such a great facility and we're lucky to have it in the area.

We haven't practiced together for the presentation yet. We're all to busy! My husband, Jim, will be working the DVD player as we have a short, trailer type of DVD. I just hope we get everything set up in time. Nick will be there for "illustrator" questions and Amanda will be there to help hand things out and to put stickers on any books which will (hopefully) be sold.

Time to update the web site and rehearse for tomorrow! Take care!

Adirondack Nightmare - On the Sly With Foxy!

2007-05-04T15:15:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was an upbeat day for pushing the book. Got the book in a new store, The Mountaineer in Keene Valley. What a nice store, I strongly recommend it for anyone who wants to see a large selection of authentic Adirondack knick-knacks, books, crafts and more.

Nick and I are being interviewed by the infamous Foxy Gagnon for his "On the Sly" TV program. The filming will be held at the Borders store in Plattsburgh. We're so grateful to him for this opportunity and there's a link to his very popular blog on this blog. Foxy was my middle school teacher and I'll always remember him as being one of the cool teachers. He is still cool!

Last night I put my daughter, Amanda, to bed as usual. I had our dog, Tiki, tucked under one arm and a pile of laundry in the other arm. Walking down the stairs, I felt myself begin to slip. I put my left foot out and managed to skip 3 or 4 stairs and toss the poor dog in the air.

Both of my ankles are sprained. The doctor said 7 to 10 days to heal. I don't think so.

We have our first book signing and presentation on Tuesday, May 8th and it's been promoted in all the local papers. This should be quite a challenge. My presentation is a very upbeat, "don't ever quit on your dream" presentation for kids. I guess I'll have to practice what I preach!

Time to ice the feet. Sheesh.

More Adirondack Nightmare Publishing News

2007-05-02T15:40:00.000-04:00

I took yesterday off from blogging. My laptop is dead and that's where my web site info is stored. I was so frustrated.

It turned out to be a good day for the book, though. My distributor called with an order for 30 copies and I got a big book signing/presentation at a local elementary school. And, get this, I'm being paid for it! The only other signing I have now I'm doing for free so I've learned that it doesn't hurt to ask.

Today I read the book to a class and really enjoyed myself. I thought I'd be nervous but it went so well I'm a little stunned at the success of it! The kids were wonderful and the teacher had michigans made up for the kids while I read to them. The book was definitely well received, more than I could ever have hoped for.

Now I need to get my projector fixed for the presentation on the 6th, haven't even rehearsed for that yet. Yikes. And my laptop fixed. Then I'll feel fixed.

Have a good one.

Will Rachael Ray Endorse Adirondack Nightmare Book?

2007-04-30T13:58:00.000-04:00

Today I'm focusing on book endorsements. I've been fortunate enough to get one from Sid Couchey, Gordie Little and John Mitchell. I've been thinking and emailing and asking and I came up with an idea. Why not ask Rachael Ray?

Rachael Ray was born in Glens Falls and grew up in Lake George. Her first job was at the candy counter at Macy's in NYC. (Hey, I worked there when I was in college!) Anyway, she also worked at Mister Brown's Pub at The Sagamore, a very famous hotel on Lake George. Then, she became a buyer at Cowan & Lobel, a gourmet market in suburban Albany. My husband, daughter and I watch her 30 Minute Meals show and love it. My daughter, Amanda, has her book, Cooking Rocks! Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals For Kids, and loves it. Amanda's 10-going-on-11 (as she puts it) and has made meals for us using this book.

I've heard her talk about her working in Upstate NY on her show. She says very clearly that they've helped shape her into the popular TV personality she is today. What an Adirondack success story!

I think the michigan sauce recipe in our book would catch her attention. It's so simple and fast and perfectly delicious. It just might be the type of thing she'd dig. I hope so. I've sent a copy of our book to her office in NYC with a letter and some promotional material. My fingers are crossed.

Ok, now on to try to solicit more endorsements. Have a good one.

Learning to Blog to Promote Our Adirondack Book

2007-04-29T11:47:00.000-04:00

Ok, I've spent quite a few hours getting used to this blogging stuff. It's pretty fun! I changed my template so many times that I finally gave up and am happy 'nough with what I have now.

I need to learn how to connect with other bloggers in the region. Any suggestions out there? I'll take all the help I can get. I learned a lot by looking at other blogs and paying attention to what caught my eye. I think I need to learn to have some patience with blogging and not rush things.
I'm learning that labels are pretty important and when I rush, I miss labels.

I have a problem with patience. I'm working on it as fast as I can. Ha ha ha.

My husband, Jim, wants to know where the word "blog" came from. He thinks it's a weird name. He called me a "blog" and I told him I'm a "blogger" not a "blog". According to Peter from peterme.com, it began in 1999. He writes, "'Blog' would have likely died a forgotten death had it not been for one thing: In August of 1999, Pyra Labs released Blogger. And with that, the use of blog grew with the tool's success."

So, I googled "Pyra Labs blogger" and came up with this link, http://www2.blogger.com/about. It's an interesting article, you should check it out if you're a noob like I am. My son, Nick, told me recently that the new word for "newbie" is "noob". Feelin' groovy now, I am.

Ok, since I'm getting off topic, it's time to end my second post.

Pounding The Pavement In The Adirondacks

2007-04-28T13:40:00.000-04:00

Well, this being my first blog post and all, I guess I'll try to catch folks up on what I've been up to. My son, Nick, is a sophmore at Peru Central School and he is the illustrator for our new book,
"Adirondack Nightmare: A Spooky Tale in the North Country". The book is published and it's time to get it into stores!

I have a distributor but, well, a little legwork doesn't hurt. I could use the exercise and fresh air. I've gained some weight (ok quite a bit of weight) this winter and really need to do something about it!

So, on Friday, April 22nd I grabbed a bunch of books and fliers (for our upcoming book signing/presentation-our first, gulp) and hit the road on Friday. It was sunny and beautiful out. Sold books to 2 bookstores, 2 museums, a beauty salon, and 1 to my kids' orthodontist. The only retailer who said "no" took a flier to display. So did all the other retailers. One museum is going to let us do a presentation at the end of June! A good day.

On Tuesday, April 24th I went to a school book presentation. The authors are Gary and Justin VanRiper, a father and son writing team residing in Camden, New York of the Tug Hill region. They write the "Adirondack Kids" series of books and are very friendly and supportive. They've been doing presentations for a long time and since we have our first one coming up I thought I'd go to get some ideas, meet the authors, etc. I showed up at the wrong time and the presentation was just finishing. I asked when the next one was and found I had 2 hours to kill. I hit the pavement. I went to 6 locations. Two local pharmacies (I've learned that small towns have pharmacies which carry local books) and sold to both of them. They're in two different towns. I sold to two apple orchard giftshops (the book has an apple recipe in it) and will return on Thursday to two other places when the owners are in. Got back just in time for the presentation, learned a lot and hooked up with another local author team. Good day #2.

Wednesday, April 25th, I made 2 follow-up phone calls to 2 important retailers. It looks like a big NO from both of them. Drat. Not such a good book selling day.

Thursday, April 26th I hit the road again and traveled deeper into the Adirondacks. I was able to get our book into 4 giftshops and 1 bookstore in 5 different towns. After 3 weeks of trying, I decided my book WAS going to get in our local Borders store in Plattsburgh. I had faxed book info to the manager, sent him some info in the mail and followed up with an email. The employees would tell me to stop back in each time I went, as he was always on a conference call. Today, the manager was in the store after being on the road for a bit. When I went in, he was on a conference call. So, this time when the sales clerk asked, "May I give him your name?" I said, "Halle Barry" with a straight face. He eventually got off his conference call and when I met him he said he'd already ordered the book through my distributor. When I asked how many copies, he said, "Dozens". The most I've ever sold at once is 10 copies so I'll find this interesting when I see them in the store.

Well, I've caught things up to speed here. I'll keep learning how to live in blogosphere and plugging away at getting our book in regional stores.