10 Things to Do the Month Before Your Book Releases

  My novel, A Good Excuse to Be Bad has its national release June 28, 2011. When I noticed how I close I was to the book launch date I realized that although I have had the busiest, most trying, family in crisis year than I’ve ever had still needed to apply the action items I often encourage my clients and my Dee Goody Mail members. So as a reminder to myself and to up my accountability, I am sharing my checklist here.

1. Relax. (you don’t have to do anything us, but enjoy it all. so chill)
2. To enjoy this time throw a party.
3. Now promote that party in every free outlet you can find.
4. Get some door prizes for the party.
5. Promote the biggest door prize on your site and every where you can near the venue two weeks before the event.
6. Book a second event, because this party will be so cool. Your buddies will not want it to end, so have another place for them to meetup and provide an invite at this party.
7. Invite people who matter to you and gift them for being such a great help.
8. Prepare what you will read. Practice it.
9. Pay for an ad in your local paper or local email blast.
10. Prep the venue staff for your party. Early visit. Take your book. See who will be working for you. Give them a phone script in case someone calls wondering are you actually there.

Bonus. Have Fun. If no one else have fun, you better! LOL

One more thing. Today is the last day to enter to win a free autographed copy of A Good Excuse to Be Bad. Click the Good Reads pic or the link above to enter.

Dee Stewart is an inspirational book reviewer for Romantic Times Magazine,  contributing writer to Hope for Women Magazine, staff columnist for Christian Fiction Online Magazine, owner of Christian Fiction Blog and DeeGospel PR, an entertainment PR boutique. She is alsoMiranda Parker, novelist for Kensington Publishers Dafina Books. Her debut novel “A Good Excuse to be Bad” releases July 2011

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Women Soldiers Memorial Day Tribute

This weekend a friend shared a link with me that honored Af-Am Women Soldiers who had fallen during their tours in Afghanistan or Iraq. It made me pause. Many of them were mothers. They are all someone’s child. As we celebrate this weekend, please carry them and their families in your heart.

Here’s the link:

If you would like for us to pay tribute to a fallen loved one, please leave their name in the comments.

A Good Excuse to Be Bad GoodReads Giveaway

 

Enter to win an advance copy of Miranda Parker’s A Good Excuse To Be Bad via GoodReads First Reads.

Giveaway dates: May 14-Jun 14, 2011

5 copies available, 121 people have already entered

Countries available: US

terms & conditions

• If more people are interested in a book than there are copies available, we will pick the winners at our discretion. The factors that go into our algorithm are: randomness, site activity, genre of books on your shelves, current phase of the moon, and more.
• No purchase necessary. Only one entry is allowed per household. You must be 13 or older and a legal resident of one of the countries this giveaway is listed for.
• The publisher or author, not Goodreads, is responsible for shipment of books to winners. To list a book, the publisher or author has already agreed never to send you anything except the book in question.
• You are not required to review the book if you win a copy. However, we encourage you do to so, as it's the reason the publishers are giving us free books in the first place. People who review the books are also more likely to win more advance copies in the future.
• By accepting an advance copy and posting a review, you grant Goodreads and the publisher an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, fully paid, worldwide license to use, copy, perform, display, and distribute your review.
• In compliance with FTC guidelines, please disclose in your review that you received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

Click here and enter to win

To learn more about Miranda Parker on Good Reads or www.mirandaparker.com

Reviewed: Miles to Go

MILES TO GO
by Richard Paul Evans

When widower and former advertising executive Alan Christofferson loses everything, he makes a decision to walk from Washington state to Key West. But after he’s viciously stabbed on the side of the road, he’s homeless and bed bound until he is saved by a woman named Angel. She takes him into her home but she needs him to save her before he can continue his journey. Read the full review in May’s RT Book Reviews Magazine (on newsstands now or click here .)

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Our Last Day

Over the weekend while some waited with anticipation for The Rapture and others prepared their jokes about those who waited for The Rapture, my friend lost her battle with Cancer. God indeed took her up. 

As I mourn for her, I am reminded of the two times I had to prepare myself for death. My final arrangements, my will, who will care for my daughter Selah,  what must I tell her about life that she needs to know from me, Selah, how will she go on and grow into the sweet soul that I’ve worked hard for her to be, who will protect her for me, Selah… Both times I couldn’t prepare as well as I hoped.

I am so thankful He gave me more time. Aren’t you?

Continue reading "Our Last Day" »

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Sneak Peak and Excerpt of A Good Excuse to Be Bad

Thursday I finally turned in Someone Bad and Something Blue to my editor. I took Friday off to relax my brain and read. I hope you all will help me write Book 3 (will begin plotting next week.) However, this morning I learned that you could read a sneak peak of A Good Excuse to Be Bad. It releases next month, so I’m pinching myself every day. Would love for you to check out and tell me how you feel. Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/Good-Excuse-Be-Bad/dp/0758259506

Also, mirandaparker.com is a community site. I built it so that you could register share your stories, books, book clubs, whatever with me and others who like the stories I write and the things I like. So register, tell yourself something about me and let’s have a good excuse to get to know each other!!

Still waiting on some cupcake ideas for my A Good Excuse to Be Bad Cupcake. My book release party is in July, so put your thinking caps on.

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2011 Christy Award Nominees Announced

 

2011 Award Nominees

The Christy Advisory Board is pleased to announce nominees in nine categories for the 2011 Christy Awards honoring Christian fiction.

The 2011 Christy Award nominees are:

Contemporary Romance/

Blood Ransom

by Lisa Harris (Zondervan)

Indivisible

by Kristin Heitzmann (WaterBrook Press)

Sworn to Protect

by DiAnn Mills (Tyndale House Publishers)

Contemporary Series, Sequels, and Novellas/

The Reluctant Prophet

by Nancy Rue (David C. Cook)

The Thorn

by Beverly Lewis (Bethany House Publishers,
a division of Baker Publishing Group)

The Waiting

by Suzanne Woods Fisher (Revell Books,
a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Contemporary Standalone/

Almost Heaven

by Chris Fabry (Tyndale House Publishers)

Lady in Waiting

by Susan Meissner (WaterBrook Press)

A Season of Miracles

by Rusty Whitener (Kregel Publications)

First Novel/

Crossing Oceans

by Gina Holmes (Tyndale House Publishers)

Heartless

by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

A Season of Miracles

by Rusty Whitener (Kregel Publications)

Historical/

Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther

by Ginger Garrett (David C. Cook)

For Time & Eternity

by Allison Pitman (Tyndale House Publishers)

While We’re Far Apart

by Lynn Austin (Bethany House Publishers,
a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Historical Romance/

The Girl in the Gatehouse

by Julie Klassen (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

She Walks in Beauty

by Siri Mitchell (Bethany House Publishers,
a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Within My Heart

by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Suspense/

The Bishop

by Steven James (Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

The Bride Collector

by Ted Dekker (Center Street) [George Kerrigan the book cover photographer for Dekker’s The Bride Collector also did my cover for A Good Excuse to Be Bad. How cool is that? :)]

Predator

by Terri Blackstock (Zondervan)

Visionary/

To Darkness Fled

by Jill Williamson (Marcher Lord Press)

Konig’s Fire

by Marc Schooley (Marcher Lord Press)

The Last Christian

by David Gregory (WaterBrook Press)

Young Adult/

The Charlatan’s Boy

by Jonathan Rogers (WaterBrook Press)

The Healer’s Apprentice

by Melanie Dickerson (Zondervan)

Motorcycles, Sushi, and One Strange Book

by Nancy Rue (Zondervan)

Congrats to all the nominees. However, I thought Stacy Hawkins Adams should have been a nominee for  Contemporary Romance Standalone for The Someday List (Revell). Perhaps Revell nominated her and she didn’t make the end cut, but still. This book sparked a movement last summer. What do you think? FYI: I was a Christy Awards Judge for four years

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