Kauai Writers' Conference

I hope some of you will be able to make it to the Kauai Writers Conference, coming up soon. Organizer Dave Rosenberg has made it even easier by creating a payment plan. This is truly going to be a great time. I haven't met Tom or Jill yet (looking forward to meeting both), but Joe Clifford is one of my authors, and he has a lot to offer (plus he's fun, has big muscles, and tattoos).

I'm going to be in Oahu for about a week before the conference, so I'll be primed and ready to hear pitches and give you as much knowledge as I can to help you further your career.

When I present at conferences I can see there is a gap of knowledge between what an author thinks is market ready and what the publishing industry knows to be. It's a personal goal of mine to help bridge that gap as much as possible. I'm a very approachable agent and truly want to help authors succeed.

I hope to see you at the conference!

101 THINGS TO DO WITH A PICKLE!

For all you foodies out there, my author Eliza Cross's book 101 THINGS TO DO WITH A PICKLE is available for pre-order now! Eliza is also the author of 101 THINGS TO DO WITH BACON.  

Eliza is a prolific author. Soon I'll be shopping another cookbook for her, and I also have a fun women's fiction project from her that I hope to sell soon!

To pre-order 101 THINGS DO WITH WITH A PICKLE, click here. 

To view Eliza's top-rated blog Happy Simple Living, click here.

Eliza's website can be viewed here: http://www.elizacross.com

Book Bloggers Review TJ O'Connor's DYING TO KNOW

A dead detective solving his own murder mystery?  Book bloggers are blowing up their pages about TJ O'Connor's unusual perspective of a classic genre.

"The reader is treated to unique antics and seeming magic," says Joseph Arellano from Joseph's Reviews.  "Well recommended."  See the full review here.

And J.P. over at CrimeSquad.com found O'Connor's novel "to be highly entertaining and completely addictive [...] a great debut into a competitive section of the crime genre and hopefully the first of many in this 'Gumshoe Ghost Mystery' series," rating it a 4/5.  Check out the complete review on the site.

And who loves mysteries more than a site entitled I Love A Mystery?  Aylah Foureste highly recommends this "fascinating read."  Read the short but sweet review here.

So, dying to know more?  Read more reviews posted on our blog.  And check out TJ O'Connor's official webpage and connect with him on Facebook for more information about this novel and other works by TJ O'Connor.

Posted By Intern Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe

Kimberley and George Fong at Book Passage

Kimberley and her client George Fong attended a reading from Fong's novel FRAGMENTED at Book Passage. George Fong spent twenty-seven years as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, investigating all facets of violent crimes, including kidnapping, extortion, serial killings, crimes against children, bank robbery, drug trafficking, fugitives, and Asian gangs. He was a member of the FBI's Evidence Response Team and a certified undercover agent. He is now the Director of Security for the world-wide sports television network, ESPN. George brings his life-long experience to the character Special Agent Jack Paris of FRAGMENTED.

Kimberley and her FBI Agent-Turned-Author, George Fong

Visit George Fong: georgefong.com

Elizabeth Kracht Interview On 'The Debutante Ball'

I did a fun interview with Kilmoon author Lisa Alber on The Debutante Ball website. Lisa asked me fun questions. You won't find me waxing poetic about the publishing climate or self-publishing (thank goddess). You will find me talking about my desire for Keanu Reeves, though, and soliciting signature cocktail ideas.

To read my interview on The Debutante Ball, click here.

KAUAI WRITERS' CONFERENCE

I've gone and co-founded a conference in Kauai, Hawaii that I'm hoping some of you will attend! My author Joe Clifford will be presenting as well. We also have award-winning author Jill Landis on board as our Keynote as well as Tom Corson-Knowles, who will be speaking on the self-publishing climate.

Take a look at the website for more information: www.kauaiwritersconference.com

Garrett Calcaterra and The None-Traditional Path to Publishing

Client Garrett Calcaterra returns to his roots with a guest blog post at the Pacific University, Oregon, "Navigating the Stormy Seas of Publishing." Calcaterra offers a candid look at his experience publishing his novel DREAMWEILDER, represented by our own Elizabeth Kracht. 

Read more about DREAMWEILDER here.

Follow Garrett Calcaterra: @GarrettCalcaterra

Visit his website: garrettcalcaterra.com

Follow Liz: @ElizabethKracht

Success and Series Set-Up: Vaughn Entwistle's THE REVENANT OF THRAXTON HALL is a classic in the making

US Edition

If it seems like I've been posting about Vaughn Entwistle's The Revenant of Thraxton Hall a lot lately, it's because I am.  It's not my fault.  Blame the author for writing an epic novel bound to be an epic series.  Everyone from professional critics to book-bloggers are intrigued and entertained by this paranormal take on the traditional Sherlock Holmes mystery.

OpenLettersMonthly.com, an arts and literature review, has this to say:

"This is Grand Guignol fun. Entwistle is an original who has assembled a delicious, extravagantly eccentric cast of characters. And it turns out The Revenant of Thraxton Hall is just the first adventure for Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde. I, for one, can’t wait for the next installment."

Click here for the full review.

Move on to LiteraryEscapism.com, a hub for fantasy and paranormal reviews ("and more!"), and we see the same, if not more excitement: 

"Entwistle makes use of the showmanship as well as the inherent eeriness of being in a large manor away from home.  Hallucinations reinforce the thin line between realistic and fantasy [...] I can't wait to see what Entwistle comes out with next."

Read the full review here.

 Go across the pond, and the book is receiving constantly accolades in Entwistle's home-country as well from FantasyBookReview.co.uk:

"...a fun read and I look forward to the next in the series."

Here's that full review.

UK Edition

So, what I'm hearing right now is not only is this paranormal, Holmsian murder-mystery a MUST read, but it's also a MUST write another.  Hey Entwistle...I'm waiting for your first draft!

To learn more about the author, order his book, learn about his other works (and future works...hint, hint), check out his personal website and follow him on twitter.

And check out these other reviews from our agency blog featuring Vaughn Entwistle.

Posted By Intern Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe

Interview With Vaughn Entwistle as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Titan Books puts a twist on the interview by interviewing our client Vaughn Entwistle as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Vaughn cuts a dashing Sir Doyle don't you think?

Read Interview

Buy a copy of Revenant here.

Visit Vaughn Entwistle: vaughnentwistle.com

Follow Vaughn Entwistle: @VaughnEntwistle

April Book Release: Leigh Anne Jasheway's 101 COMEDY GAMES FOR CHILDREN AND GROWN-UPS

Leigh Anne Jasheway, Humor Speaker and Author is set to release her latest book, 101 Comedy Games for Children and Grown-ups this month (actual release date: April 15, 1014).

About the Book
101 Comedy Games for Children and Grown-Ups includes eight different sections, each geared toward a different genre of comedy. The first section concentrates on introductory games for getting to know fellow participants and familiarizing oneself with the basic rules of comedy. Later chapters introduce games geared toward a specific type of comedy. Each section includes numerous games, which are presented with a general description of the activity, the purpose behind it, a list of supplies (if necessary), helpful hints, and rule variations. Jasheway also provides a key to indicate the target ages for each activity, making it easier to pick the best games for the participating group. Jasheway’s book promises to provide fun times and lots of laughs for anyone that picks it up!

About the Author
Leigh Anne Jasheway, Master of Public Health, uses the craft of comedy to inspire, engage, and relax her audience (who, according to her ranges from business organizations to dogs and occasionally empty chairs).  Her goal with her work is to "help the world become healthier and more sane through laughter."

To learn more about this stress-management/humor expert/comedy writer/stand-up comic/comedy instructor coach (including live performances, classes, or to hire her for an event) visit her personal website.

101 Comedy Games for Children is now available for pre-order on Amazon, but don't forget to check out her other books, podcasts, and video-clips.

For amusing daily anecdotes, follow her on Twitter.

Posted By Intern Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe