Amazon Breakthrough Novel Entry

Yesterday was the first day for a week to enter the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest. I had been preparing for a month to enter my next book. After I finished writing the story, I went over and over it. Even taped the book for a friend in the nursing home. Reading the story out loud helps me catch mistakes that I missed when I read the sentences to myself. So by Sunday, I had the book ready to enter. A 300 word pitch and a copy the first 5000 words to the story had to entered in a separate part on the form.

I'd be the first to admit that blurbs for book covers and pitches are not my strong point. For me, trying to condense the whole story into a few words is hard. I entered the Amazon contest last year. My pitch was not good. Once I found out about the contest, I didn't have a whole lot of time to work on it. This year I was better prepared. That 300 hundred words is what the judges look at to pick the 1000 contestants to go on, or how ever many have a good pitch up to a 1000. Next the judges look at the first 5000 words in the story and narrow the entries down again. Finally, three are picked and from that three one gets a book deal with Penguin.

This contest takes place until late June. In late February, the writers of the 1000 pitches are announced. Do I expect to be in the running? Yes, I think this year I've a good chance of getting into the first round. I'll update you on that when I find out. If I'm not in the running, I should have a new self published book on the market in a few months. My pitch entry will work well as a jacket blurb so I have that out of the way. Look for the next book in my Amish Series Nurse Hal Among The Amish - Nurse's Hal's Rainbow.

As usual, anything that has to do with the computer does not come easy for me, but I didn't expect the entry to take me all day. Once, I started I had to stay with it. The first entry was contact information. I filled it in and saved it. Time after time, red words warned me I need to enter the complete address or that my zipcode was wrong. Finally, the last time the form came up the space for state popped up. I filled that in, and I was ready for the next form. Copy and paste for the pitch and 5000 word entry went well, but no way could I get the form to accept my manuscript. My word processors weren't compatible. I have Open Office and an outdated Lotus that no one has heard of lately. I could buy Microsoft, but once I figured out what I was doing with what I had, I didn't want to take the time to learn anything new. I'd entered in this contest before so I knew I could if I figured out what I needed to do. After hours of trying, finally the manuscript was accepted, but the form didn't think my pitch was right. I cut and copied the same pitch again and clicked save. That did it.

Last year, I received two reviews from the judges based on the first 5000 words. One judge was very complimentary about my original idea. The other pointed out my piece was poorly written with grammatical errors which didn't surprise me since the story was no way near ready to turn in. That was the review that was the most helpful. I took the review to heart and went over my story to clean it up before I published it. I'm hoping this year's entry is in better shape, but no matter what, I'm looking forward to the expert reviews if they do that again.

Now I'm working on short stories for the writing contest that is due the last of April. That gives me plenty of time to tighten the stories up to fit the word criteria and theme. I have some luck in those contests, but even if I didn't to compete with other writers is fun.

Do We Know The Author?

When we buy a book, we think we're going to like it because the title, synopsis or cover attracts our interest. I'd be the first to admit that I don't often read a book that makes me stop to wonder about what the author is like. Questions like what does the author look like, where does the author live and did life experiences give the author ideas for the book. An author's brief biography is in the back of the book and sometimes a picture, but that short paragraph is not nearly enough to get to know the author.

The more famous authors becomes, the more we learn about them, because of the publicity they generate. Lesser known authors just starting out, especially self published ones like me, are strangers and will pretty much stay that way unless the author reaches out to them. I don't hire publicity, but I do use the internet, my local newspapers and book signing. I have the idea that if I make myself known to my readers, providing they like me and my books, the more books I might sell. So far this reasoning seems to be working.

Some readers get to know about me through my blogs where I tell about my rural upbringing. If I didn't tell the readers, would they know that westerns were the books of choice in my house. How I grew up is reflected in my writing. Living near a small, Iowa town helps me use characters and stories that are true to life in my mystery series.
The Dark Wind Howls Over Mary - a western - ISBN 1438221576
Amazing Gracie Mystery Series - Neighbor Watchers- Book One - ISBN 148246072

I often talk about my personal experiences that I have turned into books such as being a caregiver for my parents. I volunteer for the Alzheimer's Association and for eight years was facilitator of an Alzheimer's support group. Because of that experience, three of my books deal with Alzheimer's disease. People who are working their way through that dreadful disease need to know that I went through it before I wrote the books. I want the readers to understand I know how they feel so they can identify with me and my family.
Open A Window - ISBN 14382444991
Hello Alzheimers Good Bye Dad - ISBN 1438278276
Floating Feathers Of Yesterdays - a three act play - ISBN 1438250932

For the readers that haven't found my websites or read my biography, I put my bio and contact information in with the books I sell along with a business card. If they are curious enough to check my information out on my bookstore website, they will learn about me in my bio, blog and book event pictures as well as the titles and prices of my books.

I advertise my bookstore website as much as possible and sell my books on other sites like Amazon. When I sell my books, I send an email to the buyers right after I mail the books to alert them to watch for their books. The mail system has lost some of my books. I do replace them at my expense. Knowing that media mail takes 2 - 9 days, I try to mail a book in a day or two so that the wait doesn't seem so long for the buyer. I want that speedy delivery to please them. If the book does get lost, I replace it. I have developed a trust with the buyers. They find they can depend on my honesty to replace a lost or damaged book. They need to know I will do the right things to work up my customer base and show them I have an honest business. Maybe the books won't turn out to be to their liking, but it will be everything it has been advertised to be.

In my email I always say if the buyers have time, I'd liked to hear what they think of the book. Those reviews come in handy to put on sites where I sell books. Giving my email replies a personal touch has made me friends with people from around the United States and lately in other countries. They continued to keep in touch. These buyers wait for word from me that my next book is ready to buy. Some of the anxious ones email several times to ask how long until my next book is finished. I always reply with a response about how the book is coming and reassure them that I'll let them know as soon as I have the book for sale. Right now, I have a long list of emails to send a notice once I've published the book which should be ready this summer. What I have done so far may not have made me a household word yet, but what I'm doing works for me. Maybe some day.

"Neighbor Watchers" excerpt Mystery Book 1

"Neighbor Watchers" Book 1 of Amazing Gracie Mystery Series ISBN 1438246072


Gracie and Melinda find out snooping on the neighbors can be scary.

Twilight settled around them by the time Gracie elbowed Melinda. "Wake up, sleepy head. You had too big a day what with that birthday party. You might as well go to bed already."

Melinda's head jerked. She blinked. "What time is it?"

"You're the one with the new timepiece. You tell me," cracked Gracie.

"That's right." Melinda smiled down proudly at her brooch. She pushed on the latch, the cover opened, and the music began. Frowning, she squinted at it. "It's too dark to tell. Did I miss anything?" She slurred her words in the middle of a yawn. Shutting the cover, she squinted to look through her hole at Rachel' house.

"Nothing," said Gracie, disappointed. She swatted at a mosquito buzzing near her ear, " there ain't going to be anything happen so we might as well go to bed."

"How do you know?"

"Rachel just lit the lamp in her living room. It's a plain fact, when she has a light on nothing happens." Gracie gripped her rocker arms to boost herself to a standing position.

"Wait," Melinda hissed. She grabbed Gracie's arm to stop her from getting up.

"What's the matter?" Gracie barked.

"Sh! Someone just came from behind Sara's house up to the side door. It's Dan Jordan again."

"That's strange," Gracie puzzled, a dread surging through her as she watched the big man enter the house. Trying to reason away the alarming premonition she felt as
her senses going haywire, she continued, "The lamp's on so it has be an unscheduled visit."
She perked up, thinking that things could get interesting if a scheduled caller showed up while Dan was there. About fifteen minutes later, Gracie felt the sting of
disappointment when no one else came before Jordan slipped out the side door. He disappeared into the darkness. His large silhouette came into view, moving fast amid the
shadows toward downtown.

"That visit didn't take long tonight," surmised Melinda, dryly.

"No, it didn't. Rachel's putting the lamp out now so we might as well go to bed," Gracie grumped. She grasped the rocker arms and started to stand up.

"Wait!" Melinda hissed. Grabbing Gracie's forearm, the little lady applied pressure to jerk Gracie back down.
"Ouch! Let go of my arm. It's full of rheumatism. That hurts. What's the matter with you?" Gracie grimaced, glaring at Melinda while she vigorously rubbed her arm.

"There's someone else sneaking up to Rachel's side door. Look!" Melinda tilted her body over the side of her rocker for a better view around the vine.

Leaning forward, Gracie peered through her hole. With what she saw, she completely forgot the pain in her arm. "Don't that beat all. Looks like a woman."

"It does indeed. Oh my, what's this town coming to. Rachel's house is dark, and a woman's going into it,"moaned Melinda.

"Hush up before she hears you," hissed Gracie. "Let's see how long she stays. Wonder who she is?"

"Don't ask me. It' too dark to tell," grumbled Melinda.

A little more than half an hour passed before the side door opened. The dark form stuck her head out to look around. She eased out, gently shut the door and flattened against the house. After a few seconds, she moved to leave, turning her back to dissolve into the darkness. Suddenly, a lamp, lit in the Bullock house, cast a yellow stream, spotlighting the woman. Blanketed with light, she jerked her head in the direction of the window. Backing up, she flattened against the house again. The light reflected off something in her hand that gave off a golden twinkle middle ways of the woman's skirt. She twirled around to face the mansion.

Automatically, Gracie shrank back in her rocker. Melinda, with a barely audible gasp, slapped her trembling hand against her chest and bumped the brooch latch. Sentimental
Journey cut the silence.

"Shut that thing up," ordered Gracie in a hushed voice.

Melinda smacked the cover. The click seemed deafening. Afraid to move, Gracie tried hard not to breathe. The woman stared intently in their direction. After a moment that seemed to last forever, she turned and melted out of sight.

At the same time, the two ladies inhaled deeply.

Gracie snapped in a lowered voice, "That was real great of you, Melinda. You just had to play your little tune for that woman so she'd know we're over here."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that," Melinda defended herself.

"I reckon you didn't but that watch is too dang loud." Gracie caught herself and focused her attention across the street. It was too late to take back what she said. She could imagine the hurt look covering Melinda' face at the insult to her new watch. "Well, she'd have to have mighty good hearing from all the way across the street, I reckon," relented Gracie. In spite of herself, she added, "But you better pray she didn't hear."

"Amen," replied Melinda, fervently.

"We sure know who that woman is now in that red dress," said Gracie, still unable to believe her eyes. Nervous but curious at the same time, she wondered why Mavis visited Rachel.

"I saw, but I'm praying right now she didn't see us. Mavis is a wild cat when she's riled, and she didn't appear to want anyone seeing her. Why do you reckon she sneaked into that young woman' dark house?"

"Don't know. I wouldn't figure those two ladies to be on friendly terms, especially that friendly. What do you suppose that was shining in her hand?" Gracie pondered.

"Maybe it was a firefly's tail."

"That was too big a shine to be a firefly. No, she had something in her hand."

"I couldn't tell much. It was too dark." Melinda searched across the street for movement. Her voice quivered as she said, "We better go in now."

Attracted to the dim light in the hall, insects splattered against the screen door, sounding like fingernails noises, Gracie glanced from one end of the porch to the other to make sure they were alone. All of a sudden, squawks, cackles and flapping wings along with the robust crowing of a startled rooster came from the Bullock back yard.

Melinda grabbed Gracie' arm again. "Listen!"

"I hear," grouched Gracie, jerking her arm out of Melinda' grasp.

In a moment, Sara's voice penetrated the darkness, yelling from back of her house, " Get away from my chickens, you varmint."

Minutes later behind the Jordan's house, the German shepherd barked ferociously. Gracie listened to the dog's chain clink on the ground until he reached the end of it. A bang reverberated when the chain refused to give anymore. His frenzied barking kept up for a minute, followed by a loud yelp. Then came nothingness.

"Listen," Gracie tittered. "Mavis ran over Sara's chicken pen in the dark. Serves her right! She better have been quick about getting into her house, or Sara saw her sure." Then Gracie turned serious. "Sounds like she hit her dog to quieted him down after she stirred him up."

"Well, I'll tell you one thing. I've had enough excitement for one night. I'm going inside before Mavis thinks better of it and decides to come see if we're really here. Besides I'm ready to go to bed and cry for a little while," said Melinda, stifling a yawn.

Giving Melinda an incredulous look, Gracie considered her last remark and decided that was the strangest thing to say. "Why on earth would you want to bawl?"

"I had such a good time today while everyone made a fuss over me at the birthday party, but now it's over. I feel like a good cry, because I probably won't ever get another birthday party like this one," lamented Melinda.

"Well, I'm going to bed to sleep," said Gracie, struggling to get out of her rocker for the third time. "And you better remember to pray before you go to sleep."

Observing People

I've heard it said everyone has a look alike in this world. Recently, I met at least one woman who believes that to be true in my case. I was in the local farm supply store. One of the employees stopped stocking a shelf when she saw me push my shopping cart by her.

She came to meet me. "Did you come after your syringe?"

That took me by surprise. I answered, "No."

"Don't you need it now for the sick puppy?"

"Guess not," I replied. "I don't have a puppy."

The young woman colored up. "You aren't who I thought. A woman stopped me at the grocery store the other day. She said the medicine she bought for her puppy had a broken syringe in it. When she comes in she wanted me to replace the syringe. You sure do look just like her."

I don't think I've ever met two people I thought looked identical, but I've known people that had some characteristics that were the same and others characteristics that made them the different individuals they were. My paying attention to the difference in people helps me form the characters I write about.

Take for instance, Gracie Evans in my Amazing Gracie Mystery Series. In the last years of her life the real Gracie was a cantankerous, independent woman. She wore the facade of being hardened by a life filled with disappointments and hardships. Under that facade was a soft heart and a fondness for children. Once I made it past her crusty exterior, we became friends.

In 2000, I read some of the Miss Marple detective books by Agatha Christie. Miss Christie's main character intrigued me. Imagine an elderly, observant woman, quietly sitting in the middle of a murder investigation, knitting a scarf without missing a stitch while she solves the mystery.

Miss Jane Marple was a proper English woman with perfect manners. My Gracie Evans was the total opposite, but just as interesting and very infinitely her own person. So since I like mysteries, I decided to give writing one a go as Miss Marple might say. Except my detective is a Midwestern, spinster, farmer who has spent her whole life taking care of herself just like the real Gracie.

Where better to place her to live than central Iowa. After all I know that area best. Her job as a farmer was easy since that is what the real Gracie did for a living. Why not start with her retirement and move to a rest home for women in a small town? After all, I know quite a bit about today's nursing home, elderly characteristics and caring for the elderly. That was my job.

While I was working on book one of the series, I told the real Gracie what I was doing. She gave me a pleased smile when I told her she was my inspiration and asked me several questions about the book. Then the subject was never brought up again. For her, every day worries about her health and remembering to have the television on when "The Young and The Restless" came on were the most important things in her life. If my Gracie had lived long enough to read my book, I think she'd have been pleased.

Here is the synopsis. Next Tuesday I'll give an excerpt from the book.

"Neighbor Watchers" Amazing Gracie Series - Book one - ISBN 1438246072

In 1903, Gracie Evans, a retired spinster farmer, moves into Moser Mansion's Rest Home For Women in Locked Rock, Iowa. She wrestles with feeling of boredom. After living on the family farm, Three Oaks, all her life, town life was hard to get used to. Gracie finds it hard to co-mingle with one of the other residents. Libby Hook is a set in her ways, particular, outspoken woman just like Gracie. Now Melinda Applegate is a different story. She is meek and gentle and only speaks her mind when shoved into it. Gracie befriends Melinda. Together they rock on the mansion's front porch behind vines Gracie tore peek holes in so they can watch the neighbors. Behind the morning glory vine, they hear as well as see a couple across the street have a daily spat. Hidden back of the clematis vine, they watch the retired couple which Gracie says is about as exciting as watching an old dog chase his tale. What they see behind the honeysuckle is a different story. The young woman across the street is a lady of the evening. Using the excuse that it's too hot to go to bed, Gracie and Melinda stay up past their bedtime to see which of the town's men visit Rachel Simpson. When Rachel is murdered, Gracie and Melinda know who came out of her house the night before, but are afraid to tell the sheriff without proof. Gracie is determined to find something that will get the killer arrested before the mansion's residents end up dead, too.