Promo that works – from this reader’s perspective

Has self-promotion run its course?

Here’s a great blog post written by my friend, Glenna Jenkins, detailing Ernest Hemingway’s views on writing. Tons of advice for writers from a master of the craft.

Yesterday, at the Calgary Public Library’s Writers’ weekend I got lots of comments about my T-shirt.

The truth is I rarely base my characters on people I know. Honest.

Those rare times I do, the character becomes so changed from the original that he or she is no longer that person.

Thanks to my new role as a Crime Writers of Canada Prairie Region director, the CWC invited me to write a guest blog for their Crime Time newsletter’s From Sea to Sea column. Scroll down the newsletter for my take on the topic Boomer Lit: A Booming Market?

Friday was a fun evening at Fish Creek Library’s annual Wine and Cheese event, featuring wine samples sponsored by Willow Park Wines & Spirits, cheese provided by Springbank Cheese, paintings and photography by local artists and readings by Calgary writers. This year, I was thrilled to be invited to read, along with Fran Porter and Rosemary Nixon, this fall’s Calgary Public Library writer-in-residence.

Close to 200 people attended. A large number brought their wine into the reading room. They seemed to enjoy the readings and asked lots of interesting questions.  Many thanks to the Fish Creek librarians for including me in their event. I hope to attend next year to listen to other readers, while sampling some tasty wines and cheeses.

In support of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month (September) and Sheryl Gordon’s book project in support of Alzheimer’s Disease.

I spent this past weekend at Calgary’s When Words Collide Writing Conference. As always, it was inspiring, informative, exhausting and fun. Already, plans are underway for next year’s event. I’ve registered already. Three days of full programing for $45 is a price that can’t be beat.

At When Words Collide next weekend I’ll be on a panel of judges for the conference’s annual short story contest. We’ll discuss the ten stories that made the finals and announce the winners. The panel takes place at the Carriage House Inn, Calgary, at 11:00 AM. Judging a writing contest was quite an experience. I plan to blog about it after the conference.

On Sunday, August 10, 3:00 PM I’ll be on a panel at When Words Collide writing conference titled Boomer Lit – An Overlooked Market – Romance, Mystery, and More. Boomers created the YA market when they swept through their teens. Today there are over 83 million baby boomers in North America. Here comes Boomer Lit. Boomers have time to read and money to buy books, but what do they want?

Are they seeking protagonists who are boomers and problems relevant to boomers? Do they want action, sex, mystery?

Join me and my fellow panelists  Brenda Collins, Ilonka Halsband, Eileen Bell and Mahrie G. Reid (Moderator) for a lively discussion and revelations about this growing market.