WANTED: More Crime Sistahs!

The Crime Sistahs are planning to revamp the blog and add more members to our line-up. If you are a published (or soon to be published), female mystery/thriller/suspense author of color, and would like to join us here on the Crime Sistahs Blog, please email me at: angelar.henry@gmail.com.

Please include the following in your email:

Name
Book Titles
Publisher(s)
website link

Please also indicate whether you would like to be a regular blogger or a guest blogger. Regular members will be required to post on a weekly basis. Posts can be about anything, including book reviews, interviews, writing life, etc.

If you know anyone who might be interested in joining, please pass this information on.

Thanks!
Angela Henry

Hello All,

I've decided to take a breather this morning and use my laptop for something other than emailing and writing legal thrillers.

At the moment, I'm hiding out in my timeshare in Palm Desert, California, working on my next novel, tentatively titled -- Conditions of Employment. When you still hold down a "regular" job, it's truly a luxury to have an entire week to do nothing but write. So my vacation time is devoted to non-stop writing. I figure I can lay on a beach and read a good book AFTER I'm a best selling author.

I recently read Walter Mosley's, This Year You Write Your Novel, and found it quite encouraging and helpful. He proclaims that you can finish a first draft in three months if you write every day. Unfortunately, I've never been one of those writers who write every day. Life, just seems to get in the way. But . . . I'm still going to give it a try. I'm currently in the process of outlining the book. (I don't like to write a word until my outline is complete!)

Once my outline is done, I'm going to put Mosley's three-month rule to the test. I will keep you posted on my success.

By the way . . . my fellow Sister in Crime, Angela Henry, whips 'em out at the speed of lightening. So she's already a testimony that it can be done!

Pamela Samuels Young
"John Grisham with a Sister's Twist"

In Firm Pursuit is on sale now!

CALLING ALL MYSTERY WRITERS!

Liz and Bob over at the ReviewedbyLiz blog are looking for authors of adult mysteries to feature in their Summer Mystery Reading Challenge. They want to expose readers to mystery authors that they've never read before and are missing out on. I will be participating and would love to see some of my fellow crime sistahs and brothas featured as well. The challenge is open to ALL mystery writers. The details are below:

Reviewedbyliz.com is hosting a Summer Mystery Reading Challenge from June 1st to August 31st. This challenge is designed to encourage people to read mysteries by authors whose books they haven’t read before.

To introduce our Challengees to authors they haven’t read, we are going to feature at least one mystery author on our blog each day. We will be posting a brief description of their works or new book, biographical information, and a link to the author’s web site or blog, if available. If you are interested in being a featured author, please contact us at:liz@REVIEWEDBYLIZ.COM and we will email you the details and directions.

We hope you will join us for the Summer Mystery Reading Challenge!

Angela

Press Releases & Paris!

For the past two weeks I've been taking a fabulous online class through Author MBA on how to write a press release called "The Pitching the Press Challenge". Author coach, and former PR professional, Louise Ahern is the instructor. She's amazing and very knowlegable. The class is winding down and I'm very pleased with the way my release turned out. A lot of writers think that since they write books that writing a press release is a piece of cake. It's not. Many of the book related releases I see, including the ones I've written in the past, are all about the book it self. Well, guess what? The press could care less about your book. The major thing I've learned in the class is to look for angles that can tie back to your book but don't actually have anything to do with your book alone. In other words, give the press a reason to care. Make your release newsworthy. I learned how to think outside the book. I highly recommend this class for all authors. So, keep an eye out for the next time it's offered. It was very affordable( $19.00!) and Louise will edit your release and make suggestions to make it the best it can be.

In book news, I got my advanced copies of Diva's Last Curtain Call last week. This is my third book. You would think I'd get less excited about holding a new book in my hands. But I'm just as excited as when I held my first book. I guess it's like holding a new baby. Tangled Roots was released in mass market paperback this month, and is also available as an ebook through the eharlequin website.

And lastly, the thing that I'm most excited about is: I'M GOING TO PARIS IN SEPTEMBER!!!! Yes, that's right. I finally took the plunge and booked a trip. I've been longing to go to Paris since I was a teen. I booked a semi escorted tour, meaning that there will be some days where there will be organized excursions like a day trip to Versaille, and tours of the Louvre, and a boat cruise down the Seine. But the rest of the time is at my own leisure to see and do what I want. I won't be completely on my own; but I won't be tied to a schedule either. I'm not looking forward to the 8 hour plane ride. But, I can't wait! Don't worry, I'll take tons of pictures and share them here on the blog!

Angela