Welcome

22 May, 2012

Today I am sending out ARCs (Advance Review copies) of CHAMPAGNE: The Farewell  to book reviewers I've come to know through their reviews, and hope will give me a mention. My publisher has sent out quite a few ARCs, but I wonder how many of the hundreds these magazines receive get read. Since the book was sold, I have done a rewrite, gotten three "famous" authors to endorse my book, which I am happy about, and stepped gingerly into the social networking arena, which still baffles.  My webpage should be up and running this week, and next I will focus on Twitter. I finally bought a fat book on social networking, and understand that this is what really sells books. 

Bookstore owners are hesitant to set up readings for first-time novelists. The old Catch-22 syndrome. But then there are people like Michael Desantis, owner of Phoenix Bookstore in Essex Junction, Vermont. a jewel of a man, who sits down and listens and then decides from instinct that it could be fun to combine a reading of CHAMPAGNE with a case of champagne, and then involve community. I'm working on that now, talking to Alliance Francaise about participating, which also brings public awareness to them. Michael is smart!  His bookstore is all about community, and he and his wife have been successful enough that they have opened another store on Bank Street in Burlington. 

While browsing in his store, I found a life-changing book called The Conference of the Birds, by Peter Sis. It is an art book, a philosophy book, and a spiritual book that says in pictures and very few words what is contained in hundreds of books about our journey through life and its purpose. I highly recommend it.

Back to promoting Champagne. My goal is to dine at Danielle's in New York City in the near future, where a scene in my next book, BORDEAUX: The Mouton Murders, will take place.  See how this works?  I can write more about this topic if you're interested. 

Don't forget to go to Astrid's "Savouries" blog.  

More soon, Janet