Category: Appearances

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Fall 2015 Events

Women’s National Book Association

Alameda Reads

North Coast Redwood Writers’ Conference

  • Sept. 18-20: Annual Conference: Reading + two workshops (Social Media for Dummies/Why You Need a Platform; Creative Non-Fiction for Writers: Writing Essays and Reviews)

Banned Books Week

  • Sept. 30, 11 a.m. Reading marathon at Alameda Free Library (Main Branch)

Litquake (San Francisco)

Poetry Reading/Workshop

  • October (date TBA): Teachers and students of Sumiton Christian School, Sumiton, Alabama
  • I’ll be traveling and doing research for a book project and will have my nose in books, maps and libraries in…Alabama!

Book Launch Party

  • Nov. 6, 7 p.m. Alameda Museum. Guest speaker Woody Minor. Champagne. FREE!

 

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Upcoming Events (Feb. & Mar.)

  • Feb. 26: Alameda Read & Wine Club — February Book Club Meeting: Thursday, 7:30pm @ Wine & Waffles on Park Street, Alameda. Free (purchase food/drinks). Discussing Veronika Layne Gets the Scoop.
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  • Feb. 27: Girls Inc. of the Island City: Blogging seminar with teen girls.
  • Feb. 28: Booktropia Northern California gathering of authors. Sacramento, noon.
  • March is Women’s History Month: Available to speak about The Doris Diaries any time
  • March 18: Alameda Book Group: Private home. Discussing Veronika Layne Gets the Scoop.
  • March 20: Release of Tongues of Angels (Booktrope). Watch for details online.
  • March 21: Alameda Museum Board of Directors Installation. Reading Alameda Poetry #PoetLaureate Noon-2 p.m.
  • March 25: Alameda Main Library. Poetry Film Series. 6-8 p.m. Free. Film: Dead Poets Society. Rated PG; suitable for middle school and up. 1550 Oak St. Alameda
  • March 26: Women’s History Month reading at Perch, Oakland. Contemporary fiction and feminism. Featuring Alex Langford, Judy Juanita and Julia Park Tracey. 6-8 p.m.  440 Grand Ave. Oakland. Free/cafe drinks available.
  • March 28: Pitch-o-Rama, Women’s National Book Association, San Francisco. Meet agents and editors; pitch your book ideas to them. Free coaching ahead of time. (I’m one of the coaches.) 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.; 3543 18th Street, SF. $65/$75 prepaid; $90 walk-ins if space available.
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The Scoop on Veronika Layne

Who is Veronika Layne? She’s a sassy, tattooed, twenty-something newspaper reporter living and working at an independent community paper in a small city near San Francisco Bay. Never saw herself working for “the Man.” When her small weekly is swallowed up by Singh Media Group, that’s exactly where she ends up, though. Stuck writing fluff pieces that might as well be ads, how can she resist digging into rumors that a real estate developer is destroying native burial grounds? Warned away at every turn by her editor, she worries whether the story will see the light of day? And, dazzled by her sexy rival-turned-coworker, Ivan, what is she going to do about her love life?

 

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“Brilliant imagery, sharp wit, and an entertaining voice had me whizzing through this sexy-fun story. A light read woven with enough depth and juicy suspense to keep the reader on edge, Veronika delivers what it promises and more.” — Christina Mercer, award-winning author of The Honey Queen, Arrow of the Mist and Arms of Anu

Get Veronika Layne Gets the Scoop at Amazon *now* and join me for the online launch party November 12. Join the online release party and you could win some fabu prizes! Contests are rolling now, so don’t wait for release day to check it out. Take advantage now by clicking here to join the party and watch for contests.

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And just how does that work? On the day in question (November 12), between the hours of noon and 5 pm, visit the online party (it’s listed as an event on my author page) and there will be questions, contests, and prizes to win. Books, Amazon gift cards, Starbucks gift cards, ice cream. Did I mention ice cream? It’s a party, my friends. There must be ice cream!

When you finish reading Veronika Layne Gets the Scoop, will you do me a huge favor and go to Amazon and GoodReads and leave a rating and a review? It helps more than you can imagine. Thank you so much for your love and support.

Want more — no fear! Veronika has more assignments and stories to chase and investigate. There could be more handsome men, buried treasure, skeletons in the closet…who knows? Will she find true love? Find out in #2 of the Hot Off the Press series, Veronika Layne Stops the Presses, spring 2015!

 

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Weekend Wonders…

Saturday is the first day of NaNoWriMo and I am raring to go. So ready to start writing book #2 of the Veronika Layne series that I keep spacing out of conversations and falling into my story. I was up on a ridge, hiking, in my mind today, and suddenly there was a love scene happening, and then I realized my husband was talking to me and I had to snap out of it. I wasn’t fantasizing — I was writing. In my mind. Just like that.

NaNoWriMo is a 30-day bootcamp to write a novel. I wrote one last year and it was one of the best experiences — such a challenge — but I did it! And loved the results. That novel is still in the revision stage, not quite ready for the world, but definitely worth keeping. I need to get my second Veronika Layne book out into the world in spring, so it has to be written. And revised. And sent to my publisher. So. What better way to get it done than to force/squeeze/panic/deathmarch my way through it? Fifty thousand words in 30 days? BRING IT.

And just for kicks, here’s the working cover and title:

Veronika #2 cover

All I can tell you now (since I haven’t written it yet) is that she gets an assignment for the newspaper that takes her on a wild ride, with a few pit stops for making hot sweet love, and — well, I’ll stop there. Because it all will come out in NaNoWriMo.

This week I’m freelancing madly — I have interviews almost daily, and deadlines at the end of the week, to get these stories done and off my desk before NaNo begins. Most of these are for Alameda/Oakland magazines, but also for Sweatpants & Coffee and some other sites TBA.

This weekend, speaking of coming events (was I?), I’ll be at the Holiday Fest at Temple Israel in Alameda, signing and selling books. They’ll be specially priced for my neighbors and friends — hope to see you there!