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Southern Comfort Blogs Women’s Books, Writing and Marketing

Diary of a Hype Hag

With the promotion of a paperback and hardcover, things are crazy in hype land. Right now I’m working on the Dixie Diva portion of my tour, which includes stops in North Carolina, Florida and Alabama. Almost everyone is VERY enthusiastic to have host us so that’s encouraging.  Talking with strangers is never easy for me, but, for the most part, book people are so warm and welcoming they don’t seem like strangers at all.

What I like least is sending out press releases to newspapers because you have to do it over and over again (at least three times) before you get a response. (maybe) Much of promotion work can be tedious, mind-numbing work but I honestly think it does pay off! You can get tired and say, “Oh it won’t matter if I send out this release or decide not make this phone call.” But it can and WILL matter. You never know what will pay off. Often it’s the thing you are least resistant to doing.

My dad has been tweaking the design of my web site and I really like what he’s done. It looks cleaner. Another thing on my list is updating some of that web content.

You might wonder when all of this leaves me time to write. It doesn’t! I simply don’t write for two or three months. There’s no time. Luckily I’m ahead of myself with two books under contract besides Bet Your Bottom Dollar and A Dollar Short.  In other news:

I’m guest blogger at Patry Francis’ blog “I’m Not Really A Waitress.”

Here’s a dishy article on BEA, an article about a book that lives up to its $2 million dollar advance, an article about choosing a book cover, and a scary piece on book returns.

Someone sent me this and it’s an appropriate list to read before my Georgia tour. See my commentary in bold

You know you’re from Georgia if

1. You measure distance in minutes.

2. You've ever had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day.  (All the time! A few days ago we had sweater weather, today it’s been in the 90s.)

3. You use "fix" as a verb. Example: "I'm fixing to go to the store "  (I try not to say it, especially in interviews but sometimes it slips out.)

4. All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect or animal. (We have a Chiltlin Strut and a Catfish Stomp.)

5. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked. (Yup!)

6. You know what a "DAWG" is. (Woof! Woof! Hunker Down Hairy Dog.)

7. You carry jumper cables in your car...for y our OWN car! (I don’t get this one. Of course you carry cables for your own car.)

9. You only own four spices: salt, pepper, Tabasco and catsup. (They forgot that jalapeno stuff that Texas Pete makes. Great on collards.)

10.  The local papers cover national and international news on one page but require 6 pages for local gossip and sports. (Not so much gossip, but we do have a religious section—Bible belt and all-- and a daily Bible verse.)

11. You think that the first day of deer season is a national holiday.  (Doesn’t apply to me. I’m no shooting Bambi’s mom.)

12. You find 100 degrees Fahrenheit "a little warm". (Maybe for others. I won’t go out of house if it’s hotter than 95.)

13. You know all four seasons: Almost Summer, Summer, still Summer and Christmas.

14. You know whether another Georgian is from Atlanta, north or south Georgia as soon as they open their mouth. (South Georgia for sure, like folks from Albany or as they say it All-benny.)

15. Going to Wal-mart is a favorite past time known as"goin' Wal-martin" or off to "Wally World".  (I’m a Target girl myself.)

16. You describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good pinto-bean weather. (Yup, as long as those beans are in chili.)

17. A carbonated soft drink isn't a soda, cola or pop...it's a Coke, regardless of brand or flavor. Example: "What kinda coke you want?" (I eat regularly at a Chinese restaurant and when I ask for Coke the waiter winces as if I might slap him and says, “Pepsi okay?” 

18. Fried catfish is the other white meat.  (Or country-fried steak.)

19. You understand these jokes and forward them to your friends from Georgia (and those who just wish they were). Not EVERYONE can be a Georgian, it's an art form and a gift from God!  (There’s that peachy pride at work.)

Shout Out

 Cindy Cruciger, author of  Revenge Gifts was nice enough to send me a copy of her book, which I really enjoyed. She has a column in Romantic Times called  “The Path to Publishing.” I also love her eerie bio and she provides a sample excerpt. This is a cool, beachy read about Tara Cole, who specializes in exacting revenge for her clients. Tara’s best friend warns her that she’s creating bad karma, and it looks like her warnings may prove to be accurate. All kinds of bad things start happening to Tara, and then she meets this guy named Howard who might be a good guy or her worst enemy.