Book Signing!

Book Signing at Equine Chic!

Greetings bibliophiles! A new and exciting feature has just been added to Fort Ligonier Days! I'll be doing my first ever book signing for Murder at Morgan House at Equine Chic on the Diamond in Ligonier. 

Saturday October 12th from 2pm till 4pm, and Sunday October 13th from 2pm till 4pm.

Hope to see you there! 

Janet

"Murder at Morgan House" Now available in print!

 "Murder at Morgan House" now available in print at amazon.com!

   Getting into publishing at this stage of the game has been very interesting. When I began writing the novel two years ago, I did so with some preconceived notions about what was involved with getting a book into print. My notions were not unfounded, as they were based on traditional publishing avenues; write the book, find an agent to sell the book to a publishing house, (or in rare and extremely lucky circumstances sell directly to the publisher) and then work with their editors, graphic designers and marketing department to get the book on the shelves of booksellers, both chain and independent. 

   Fast forward one year later, and a new reality was poised to set in. The publishing world changed at the speed of light. When I attended my first Writers Workshop in New York in the spring of 2012, there was scant mention of independent publishing, relegating  it to the scoffed upon "vanity publishing." It was what one did when no publishing house would accept the manuscript. 

   That was then, and this is now. Several major factors have contributed to the changes. First, the growth in popularity of e-books. With Kindles, Nooks, and i-pads flooding the marketplace people found that they could enjoy their favorite reads on demand , and for a fraction of the cost of a book in print. This of course affected retail sales and resulted in the demise of Borders, and the re-dedication of space in Barns and Noble expanding the gift departments, and of course Starbucks. Many independent bookstores bit the dust, but fortunately for us browsers, not all.  In addition, publishing houses themselves went through mass mergers and consolidations. Actually, there are very few large publishing entities left, they just have numerous imprints under their banners that only look like separate entities. E-book divisions at traditional publishing houses are cropping up daily.

   After much research, I concluded that time, money and aggravation would be saved by going the independent publishing route. Considering the fact that in publishing today, authors all are expected to create their own "platform", including websites, blogs, social media etc. Whether independent or traditionally published, writers must spearhead the marketing of their own books.  At the end of the day, I decided to offer my books in print as well as e-versions for those who prefer to touch actual pages. So, please read my blog, visit my website, and like me on Facebook. I hope you will enjoy "Murder at Morgan House."

I Thought a "Platform" Had Something to Do With Shoes!"

Janet & Ivy Take a Road Trip!

We're heading to Middleburg VA for the Hunt Country Writer's Retreat! It may be an unusual way to spend a holiday weekend, but I'm excited to be attending a writer's retreat sponsored by Jan Neuharth, author of three great novels..."The Hunt", "The Chase" and "The Kill". As you can probably surmise, these mysteries involve the foxhunting, mayhem and murder set in the bucolic Virginia countryside. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from industry specialists and network (or commiserate) about the ups and downs of the writing life. If you've never been to Middleburg, it's definitely worth the trip. It's a lovely little town surrounded by beautiful farms and estates populated by commuters and weekenders from the D.C. area... not to mention the friendly locals who exemplify southern hospitality. If you'd like to know more, I can suggest three books by Vicki Moon: "The Middleburg Mystique", "Equestrian Style", and for Jackie O fans "The Private Passion of Jackie Kennedy Onassis...Portrait of a Rider."
As for my own riding adventures, my Gypsy Vanner, Pirate (the Pirate King) and I have had a most interesting week with the Rolling Rock Horse Masters. Pirate had his first group lesson ever and I couldn't be more pleased. Under the tutelage of the fabulous Patrick King (PK Horsemanship) Pirate trotted around the ring like he's done it a hundred times, and he took the jump every time (although it was only a few inches high.) Good Boy! What made it even more impressive is that he did it in a deluge. That was pretty impressive for me too as the rain drops dripped off the beak of my cap.
So as not to spoil the pattern, it's raining again today. My hope is that rain won't spoil the holiday celebrations and that it's not raining in Middleburg Virginia!
Happy 4th
God Bless America!

Getting My Act Together With Goodreads

Hi Mystery Fans! I'm in the process of getting my act together with Goodreads. It's a great way to get more exposure for "Murder at Morgan House", and to find out what others are reading and writing. It seems that there are new social media sites popping up every day, so it's going to be a challenge to keep up and link everything together. I could be sitting at this computer all day :)

Cover of my new mystery novel!