Friday Fun Facts: Thinking About my Father

Happy Friday, everyone! Today's fun fact/photo is in honor of my dad, who passed away from a long battle with cancer 4 years ago yesterday, January 10.

This is one of my favorite pictures of the two of us, because it really epitomizes our relationship. I'm always reminded how lucky I was to know him and have him as an influence in my life. Lots I could say, but the biggest one, that I always tell others, is that he was my biggest fan. Yeah, I suppose I was a Daddy's girl: I could do no wrong. And yeah, I suppose maybe that's not always the best message to send a child (humility, anyone?). But for the most part, that *value* that he gave me, about myself and everything I did, was the most powerful gift he could have imparted. That I was loved no matter what, that everything I did mattered, whether little or big, that accomplishments could be measured in all sort of ways but that at the end of the day he was awfully lucky and proud to be my father, and I was awfully lucky and proud to be his daughter.

We inherit all kinds of things from our parents - hair color and voice and quirks and fears - and I look back and know that I've gotten all that and then some, from my dad. At the end of it all, I am so, so fortunate to have experienced the kind of love and support I did from him, as a child and as an adult. I miss him terribly.

Writers' Wednesday: Promote, Promote, Promote!

Happy Wednesday to my writers! Today I'm sharing a great link that Affaire de Coeur Book Review magazine posted a while ago. I have it saved in my favorites and I go back to it every few months as a reminder of what I could or should be doing in terms of promotion. Most important? When you have a new release coming out, Create a Marketing Frenzy! Get your name out there as much as possible, as often as possible, in the 3-6 months leading up to the release and at least 3 months after. A writing friend and I were talking the other day about finding the balance between writing and promoting, and I do find it challenging. But maybe this list will help focus and streamline your own promotion efforts. And if you have any tips you've found particularly effective, please share!

Creating a Marketing Frenzy

Monday Mentionables: A Blurb and a Release Date!

"In a town that won't give up its secrets, she wants to find the answers..." ~ Allie Boniface

Happy Monday, everyone! I'm excited to announce that I have a (tentative) release date for Beacon of Love: May 5, 2013! Mark your calendars...I can't wait for you to read this one! And in addition to a release date, I just received the official promotional blurb from my publishers, and here it is to whet your appetite:



Welcome to Lindsey Point, Connecticut: suspicious of outsiders, loyal to tradition, and
absolutely devoted to its local legends.

Enter Sophie Smithwaite, travel show host, in town to film an episode about Lindsey
Point’s haunted lighthouse. But digging into the story of a tragic murder-suicide and love gone
wrong reveals startling connections to Sophie’s own past. When a gorgeous local handyman fills
in behind the camera, Sophie’s life gets complicated by more than just her family history.

Part-time paramedic, handyman, seasonal Santa... Lucas Oakes does it all--except get
attached. He’s still reeling from the death of his best friend ten years ago and the more recent
infidelity of his ex-fiancee. Yet despite Sophie’s big-city nosiness and her insistence on chasing
long-dead ghosts, he’s drawn to her.

But mixing with an outsider means questioning people and traditions Lucas has always
defended. When a series of attacks seem to be connected to Sophie’s investigation, both Sophie
and Lucas must decide if they are willing to risk everything to uncover the town’s secrets...and
their own.

CONTENT WARNING: Contains one barb-slinging travel show host, one hunky
handyman who knows exactly how to use his tools, and a small town brimming with secrets...

A Lyrical Press Hometown Heroes Romance

Hope you're looking forward to it as much as I am!