Good News and Not So Good News

This weekend I decided it was finally time to update my website. After all, I have a new book out and I needed to add it to the site. As long as I was there, I thought I might as well update everything.

First I’ll tell you a little about the book, another Sandi Webster Mystery.

                                                

“Sandi Webster-Goldberg and her husband, Pete, are definitely out of their comfort zone when they become involved in kidnapping, Internet hacking, cybersecurity, and domestic terrorism.

Sandi’s cantankerous Aunt Martha arrives for a visit at the most inopportune time and discovers that the kidnapping victim is someone from her past; a former student and friend.

Who’s behind what could end up becoming the crime of the century, and can Sandi, Pete and Aunt Martha rescue Andrew Trapper, billionaire, before it’s too late?”

This story was both fun to write, and informative for me. I learned a lot about the world of the Internet, although I didn’t include enough information to bore the reader. After all, this is a mystery, not an over the top learning experience.

When you have a new book, you want to promote it. One thing I did a long time ago was build a short video that shows each book cover in the two series I write. I had to update it and add Entrance to Nowhere - A Sandi Webster Mystery. Therein lies the problem.

I discovered, quite by accident, that an extra frame had been added to the video containing photographs. The frame supposedly indicates places I’ve visited and the viewer can click on the photos to see more videos (not mine). I’ve never visited sites where most of the photographs came from, and one of the photos included a very scantily clad woman. There was another photo of a dog biting someone’s hand. Since my two series include dogs, this is not a good thing. Need I mention that I was upset about this added frame? Oh, I also learned that different people get a different last frame. Go figure.

I called the company I used to build my website. With their newest program, you can’t download your video from your computer. You have to upload it to a specific Internet site and then download it from there. Notice how polite I am about not mentioning company names? Anyway, the video site is the one who adds that last frame, not the website people. I tactfully suggested that the website builder program needs to add an alternative to downloading from another site.

So, when I finish the work on my website, I’ll take down the video altogether.

Writing a book is only part of the process. When you start promoting and marketing, often there are surprises waiting for you. That video of book covers has been up for at least a year, and I’d never played it through on my website, only on my computer. Of course, I wasn’t expecting anything unusual. Surprise!

Last, but not least, I'm happy to say that Marja’s Mystery Blog won a spot on the list of the Feedspot Top Fifty Mystery Blogs (http://blog.feedspot.com/mystery_blogs/) on the web (#29). You may have seen the Badge at the beginning of this week’s post.

I started with good news, moved on to a mini rant, and ended up with a compliment. That’s it for this week, folks.

Now I’ve got to get busy and finish the update to my website, including deleting the offending video. Well, at least the last frame is offensive (to me).

Until next week, have a good week. It’s summer, and with any luck you’re getting ready to take a relaxing vacation. If not, enjoy your weekends.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website (Hopefully you’ll see the updated site)

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

Enjoy Black Butterfly – A Bogey Man Mystery, and when you’re done with that, give Entrance to Nowhere – A Sandi Webster Mystery a try. The first book revolves around an elderly woman who may be a retired Hit Lady. The second book includes kidnapping, hacking, cybersecurity and a domestic terrorist. Hint: The Sandi Webster book also includes a cantankerous aunt. You’ll love her.

From Beginning to End

The two most fulfilling moments while writing a book, at least for me, are the beginning and the end. Big surprise, right?

At the beginning I’m full of enthusiasm and ideas. It seems like everything around me is an inspiration.

Then comes the dreaded (for me) middle, where I’m trying to keep all of my ducks in a row, trying not to lose sight of where I’m going, and hoping I don’t leave any loose ends. I have notes all over my desk. That’s about the time I think, “Oh. I think I want to go in this other direction. Will it work? Should I do it? What does my protagonist want?”

Yes, I think about what’s going to work best for my protagonist. Sometimes I think she knows more than I do. Scary thought.

I have to admit that my latest book, Entrance to Nowhere, took a few turns that I hadn’t anticipated. In this case, I wasn’t surprised. The story touches on topics I hadn’t thought about too much. Okay, that’s not true. It touches on topics that I’ve thought about and read about and that we hear about frequently on the news, but hadn’t applied to my own life.

Sandi Webster gets caught up in kidnapping, Internet technology, hacking, cybersecurity, and a domestic terrorist crosses her path. Oh, and her Aunt Martha comes for a visit at the most inopportune time. This is the same moody Aunt Martha who’s been mentioned in other stories, but this is her first actual appearance. Sandi is most definitely out of her comfort zone.

This story taught me a lot about what’s going on in today’s world of technology, although you don’t have to be a computer nerd to understand the story. It’s simple. Someone wants to bring down the electrical grid in America, and he needs the brilliant mind of Andrew Trapper to help reach his goals.

I wrote, I learned, I added a touch of humor where necessary, and I finally completed the story on July 7^th.

That’s where The End comes in. There’s something so fulfilling about typing those words. As a writer you (the general “you”) worry, you fret, you wonder if this story will appeal to anyone, and you’ve done the best job you can while hoping for results that will make you smile.

Unfortunately, it may be the end of the story, but the work isn’t done yet. Now it’s time for final editing and creating a book cover. The cover won’t be too much of an issue because I found the perfect Entrance to Nowhere just down the street and took pictures. You’ll see what I mean when I post a picture of the cover, coming soon.

I have to admit that it’s difficult to make a sharp turn from writing to marketing and promoting. I’m not good at these things and it’s been a long time since a fresh idea slapped me in the face and said, “Do it!” Oh, well, something new will come to me.

Do you get the feeling this talk about The Beginning and The End is just an attempt to self-promote tactfully? Okay, you’re onto me. I’m self-promoting. It’s all part of the marketing experience.

To writers, feel free to promote your latest title or an upcoming book.

To readers, what types of books do you enjoy reading? Is there something in particular you look for in a story?

Until next time, remember that summer reading can be soooo relaxing.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

COMING SOON: What would you do if faced with a nationwide disaster? Get a few tips from a man named Griz in Entrance to Nowhere – A Sandi Webster Mystery.