Saturday, March 31, 2012

Surprise!!

Okay, so this photo may not mean a lot to some, but to me it is the beginning of a new 'chapter' (ahem - pun intended) in my life. I have been a romance novelist for many years, but I am now 'reinvented' and have finally stepped up into the life I always, since I was twelve, wanted. I am - ta-da - a mystery novelist!

These are review copies, or galleys, or ARCs (whatever you want to call them) of the first Vintage Kitchen Mystery, A Deadly Grind, coming to a store - online and in the real world - near you! I was so excited I did a happy dance right there in the kitchen.

BTW, the table the box is on is in the front window, and is actually where the cats sit to look out on their domain. They let me borrow it... LOL. I gave it right back to them.

Anyone want to review a mystery??

Saturday, March 24, 2012

The Gallery of Regrettable Food

I love vintage cookbooks, and when I'm surfing the web, I often go to blogs and sites of other people who love vintage cookbooks. I set out this morning in search of a particular type of vintage recipe for the completion of Book 3 of my Vintage Kitchen Mystery series. The book is tentatively entitled Picked for Murder, and my heroine, Jaymie Leighton, as usual, gets into a bit of a pickle.

So then I found this site, The Gallery of Regrettable Food.

I'm not going to say how I wandered onto this site, but once I did... be prepared. Some of these cookbooks are 'snorting coffee out your nose' funny, and some are just a little... scary. Especially click on the 'Meat Fisting At Home' link for some creepy food fun.

http://lileks.com/institute/gallery/index.html

Enjoy!

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Libraries and Authors

Publishing is one of those industries that seems perpetually on the edge of collapse. I have been in the business long enough to hear so many doomsday warnings and threats that whatever new thing coming down the pike is the 'death of the publishing industry'. As long as the industry keeps evolving, I think it will be just fine. People will always read, despite warnings to the contrary.

But one thing I do know, is that readers are not oblivious. Conscientious readers worry that they are contributing to the decline by buying books at used book stores and borrowing them from libraries.

I received a lovely letter from a future reader of my May release, my first mystery novel ever, A Deadly Grind, Book 1 of my Vintage Kitchen Mysteries cozy series.

Maureen said: "I am on the waiting list at my local library for the book and am eagerly awaiting reading it. I apologize for not purchasing it. I live with multiple illnesses which have put me on disability, and money is extremely tight. I am sure at some point I will either buy it, or perhaps ask for it as a Christmas gift! I read voraciously and love to lose myself in a good book. Especially at night, or when the pain or fear are bad, it is nice to live vicariously through the characters and escape for awhile."
 
I was deeply touched. Whenever I have been frightened or lonely, a good mystery has done the same thing for me, and I have spent many hours at a hospital bedside with a riveting mystery.
 
I wrote back to her that she must never apologize to a writer for borrowing their book from the library, or buying it at a used book store. Sure, we, as novelists, need the sales, but it is so much more important that people read the books, enjoy them, and look forward to more. There have been many times in my life when the library has been my solace and saving grace. I've used it voraciously my whole life, and consider libraries one of the most vital signs of a civilized nation. Any country that encourages its citizens to read (openly, and without censor) is, if not already a democracy, well on its way.
 
So if you borrow books from the library, but want to do the author a solid, review the book for a review site, click 'like' on amazon.com and the other sales sites, talk about the book and recommend it.
 
Oh... and hug a librarian. It'll surprise the heck out of her/him!


Friday, March 2, 2012

It's Online!!

I'm so excited to be able to announce that at long last my Victoria Hamilton Mysteries webpage is done and online!


I would love for folks to click through and tell me what you think. Obviously, I love it. I like the lightheartedness of it, and the simplicity, and that Hoppy the Yorkie-Poo and Denver the Crabby Tabby are in residence. I also am excited that folks will get their first - albeit brief - taste of A Deadly Grind, Book One of my Vintage Kitchen Mysteries. Chapter One is online.


Better still, concerning the website, I think my designer has captured the essence of A Deadly Grind, because ultimately, while my book has what I believe is a compelling mystery at the heart of it, it is also about life and love and growing up, while holding on to joy and standing up for what you want in life.

Whoo, that seems like a lot! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that readers like it as much as I loved writing it!


So, check it out, and PLEASE tell me what you think!