It’s not like I’ve even been taking time off to just relax, because each day seems like I am busier than the last. The initial project that pulled me away from working on some articles that I have been mulling over or even having the time or energy to blog about minutiae was the redesign of the LL Book Review site. If you haven’t seen the new site and taken a look at the new layout, I suggest you click on over there. The difference from the old site is dramatic and the information that is available on the site is much more accessible. I am proud of how quickly I was able to get the new site built and operational. We were actually a couple weeks ahead of schedule as the official launch was supposed to be June 1st, but it didn’t make sense to maintain both sites simultaneously, especially since the new site was ready and so much better (if I do have to say so myself.) And while I am proud of the accomplishment, it was definitely a team effort.

On top of that, work got heavy duty and I started having nightly conference calls with Hong Kong, so after the completion of a full day, I got to come home and spend a couple more hours on the phone – working. By the time those were over, my brain was dead and all I wanted was to spend a few blissful hours unconscious to prepare to do it all over again. Then, Denny and I babysat Memorial Day weekend for my sister and took care of her 4 children, the oldest being 13 and the youngest an 11 month old, so there was no time to even think about writing, reviewing, or anything else. We did have fun though.

I have finally reached the point where I feel like I can re-enter the world where writing is the main objective, and hopefully will not be quite so absent in the future. I have already read two books and need to complete the reviews, and next week my target is to finish editing Nowhere Feels Like Home, or at least get it closer to what I will consider a finished product.

The post Thoughts From the Morning Commute – Going MIA appeared first on Be the Cat.

I am always amazed when I run across someone wanting a review that doesn’t provide a preview of their work. Once upon a time, as a novice writer, or even earlier – before I started writing (in my infancy), I may have considered posting a portion of my work where anyone could look at it as potentially detrimental. Why would I give something away for free, and even worse, would someone come along and try to steal my story. Now, those ideas are absolutely laughable to me. Not that literary theft doesn’t exist, but I just figure that’s not a huge threat right now in my life. And I quickly realized that every time I went into a bookstore, I would browse the shelves, picking up books, reading the back and then reading a few pages from the book itself. I used to spend hours doing that. Now I do most of my buying online and I still read a few pages of books before making the decision to buy.

Here’s the pay off for giving a little of your book away for free. Someone may not like your cover (even though you may love it – not everyone does), but become a little intrigued with your blurb on the back cover. The next thing they will want to do is take a peek inside to see whether the writing grabs them. If it does, you probably have a sale. If not, well, better luck next time. Without the preview, they may simply pass you on by. A book preview is like taking a car for a test drive. You’re interested in the car, you like the looks of it, or at least something has captured your attention, but you want to see how the car fits you and how it handles before making the decision to part with your hard earned money to but it.

So, then why, someone please tell me why, I keep running into books that people want to have reviewed but don’t offer a preview anywhere? Am I as the reader supposed to take it on faith that you are a fabulous writer and I will be captivated from the moment I flip to page 1? As a book review site, we can’t possibly read and review every book submitted to us for consideration, so we need a mechanism to assist us in making a determination as to whether or not we are intrigued enough by the writing to ask for the entire work. And the reading public works the same way, they want to see a few pages. And by pages, I don’t mean the copyright page, the acknowledgement page, the table of contents or anything else that fills the front of a book. We want actual content, and more than a paragraph or two.

If you don’t know how to best present your material in a preview, I would recommend the BookBuzzr widget as a nice, free tool to assist you in getting your work out there. Your goal as an author is to draw attention to your book, so use the book itself as a marketing tool. Let people take a peek. It will end up being well worth your while. The BookBuzzr tool is featured below. Take a look at the preview of Misfit McCabe

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LK Griffie
To buy Misfit McCabe, visit my store at Lulu.com or purchase at Amazon.com
To track Misfit McCabe across the country, visit: Where in the World is Misfit McCabe?
Own a Kindle? Download Misfit McCabe in an instant.
For other e-book formats, visit Smashwords.com
To read book reviews by LK Griffie, visit: The Lulu Book Review

The post Thoughts From the Morning Commute – Book Previews appeared first on Be the Cat.

1. Listen to Denny a little more often.
   • Denny had a very good idea about taking my laptop to the festival so I could play the book trailer for Misfit McCabe. I wasn’t thinking straight because I kept thinking the ability to play the trailer would be predicated on whether I could have a power connection ande/or internet connection. Have I mentioned I’m blonde? Of course I have a laptop with enough battery to last the duration of the signing and then some. And if that battery ran out of juice, I do have a back up battery which could be fully charged. Ok – chalk that one up for next time.
   • Put together something to show some of my reader feedback vs. professional review. This is also something Denny suggested. The tweens/teens he approached were pleased that someone was interested in giving them something and had a book especially for them, and he felt they would also enjoy reading what others their own age thought about the book.
2. Learn how to answer the question, “What is the book about?”
   • It is the most basic question an author can be asked. Words are our medium. We know our characters intimately, some of us can go on for hours about the intricacies in the lives of our characters. But, when asked point blank to sum up the story, all of a sudden gibberish is our first language.
   • It’s not as if I am shy about talking in front of people. Especially in this type of setting. I’ve always said if I can get up on stage and sing in front of a room full of strangers, saying a few words is a piece of cake.
   • Now I have an action item to be accomplished before May 9th when I attend the San Diego Children’s Book Festival. Develop an answer to the question. But don’t only say what’s on the back of the bookmarks or book cover. Make it appealing and enticing, yet keep it short (my biggest challenge whether the word is written or spoken.)
   • Part of the issue may have something to do with the fact that we are intensley intimate with our characters and in many cases they become real to us. It’s kind of like telling the life story of our best friend to a total stranger and hope they don’t think our best friend is a jerk or not worth knowing.

All for now as it’s late and I’m beat.

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LK Griffie
Visit me at Griffie World
To buy Misfit McCabe, visit my store at Lulu.com or purchase at Amazon.com
To track Misfit McCabe across the country, visit: Where in the World is Misfit McCabe?
Own a Kindle? Download Misfit McCabe in an instant.
For other e-book formats, visit Smashwords.com
To read book reviews by LK Griffie, visit: The Lulu Book Review

The post Thoughts From the Morning Commute – Festival Aftermath appeared first on Be the Cat.

When I was a young child, even before I started going to school myself, I would walk with my mom and my brother as he was off to Kindergarten. At the end of our street as it joined the main thoroughfare through town, was our crossing guard. She had a webbed beach chair to sit in when there wasn’t anyone to assist in crossing the street, although I never actually saw her sit in the chair, and her VW bug was parked on the street nearby. Every time we passed, my mom would chat with the crossing guard for a few minutes, and she always had a smile for all of the children and a few nice words. She knew all of us that made our way down the busy street two blocks to the school.

Soon we stopped walking my brother to school, and I longed for the day when I could walk by myself and let the crossing guard help me cross the street. In my young innocence, I could think of no better job to have than that of a crossing guard. She took her job very seriously and always ensured that everyone was safe. To this day, I still believe that I had one of the best crossing guards of all time. Her sign was always held high as she marched into the middle of the street, and her palm flat as her arm outstretched toward the oncoming traffic. She’d blow her whistle shrilly so that everyone knew that it was time to stop (there were no flashing lights or stop lights at that time).

Finally, it was my turn to walk on my own to school. Now, understand, I didn’t actually have to cross the boulevard, only the small inlet to my own street. For the first few weeks, the crossing guard helped me cross, but then she told me that the following week I would have to start crossing on my own, because her job was to cross the children from the other side of the boulevard. I still vividly remember that first morning when I had to cross the street on my own, not sure when it would be ok to step off the curb and cross the street. Would a car come zooming around the corner, catching me off guard? And then I realized. . .even though she was making me take the steps on my own, and take responsibility for how I made my way across the street, my crossing guard was still watching me.

As those memories flitted across my mind during my commute this morning, it dawned on me that crossing guards are a metaphor for me. They symbolize someone who watches over you to make sure that your way is clear. Crossing guards ensure that all obstacles and danger are cleared from your path before you take that leap of faith across the great divide. Don’t we all want a crossing guard as we go into the unknown future to remove any barriers from our way and to keep us safe from outside menaces?

Like that little girl I was so many years ago, I still stand on the brink sometimes wondering whether I will make it safely across the divide of whatever endeavor I am undertaking. I have to trust that I am up for the responsibility. . .and maybe have a little faith that someone is watching out for me.

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LK Griffie
Visit me at Griffie World
To buy Misfit McCabe, visit my store at Lulu.com or purchase at Amazon.com
To track Misfit McCabe across the country, visit:
Where in the World is Misfit McCabe?
Own a Kindle? Download Misfit McCabe in an instant.
To read book reviews by LK Griffie, visit: The Lulu Book Review

The post Thoughts From the Morning Commute – Crossing Guards appeared first on Be the Cat.