Book Festival time

Yep - you guessed it. I'm heading to Columbia (SC) next weekend for the SC Book Festival. The weird thing is that I'm going in a capacity I haven't been in since I started attending book festivals. What, you may ask, is up with that? Well, usually I am a volunteer. This year, I had tried to get on as a guest speaker but didn't get selected and I wanted to be there as an exhibitor but funds prevented from or the company from doing this. I wish the other authors for 4RV would see that book festivals are beneficial way before their books are actually published. They allow one to get their name out there and be associated with a publisher who is putting herself out in the public's eye. They are great places for networking. You never know who will stop by your booth and buy tons of copies of all the books and pick up information on other persons in the publishing house. I can't persuade them though to contribute funds to book festivals. It's frustrating and the economy is so bad that not many folks are really buying books; they are going to the libraries where they can get them for free, read and return them for more.

Although I'm not an official SC Book Festival volunteer, I will be manning the SCWW booth most of the weekend, other than the few times I'll be visiting a couple of folks' workshops. It seems that there are quite a few people who won't be able to help out this year, so if you happen to be in Columbia, SC, this coming up weekend, make sure you stop by our booth and speak. State of Wilderness will be on display as a published author of the SCWW. My books, along with several titles from 4RV - Trockle, Lion in My Living Room, Bubba and Giganto, Al-the-Gator and Freddy Frog, Case of the Missing Coach, Midnight Hours, Hidden Lies and other stories, will be available but not in the arena of the book festival, so stop by and let me know if you are interested in getting a copy of the books I have available.

See you all in the postings - hopefully I'll see you at the book festival - and I'll post more after the book festival. This year I made reservations at the Homewood Suites (which is part of the Hilton Family Hotels, since I've become a member having stayed at the Hilton twice now for the SCWW conference in Myrtle Beach), so I know I won't be staying in a rundown, flea ridden hotel and I won't be sleeping in my car either. Luxury. Hailie is going with me this weekend but she will be spending the weekend with her sister who lives in that area so I will have a nice hotel suite to myself. It should be a very good weekend.

See you all at the festival and in the postings - E :)

Midnight Review

I've been asked to host Vivian on her Midnight Hours tour. I am posting a review of this well-written thriller.

I like thrillers and anything that borders on the psychological really intrigues me. Midnight Hours is well written and kept me intrigued all the way to the end. Just when I think it is one person, I got fooled into believing it was someone else. The reasons for Midnight's "calling in life" become apparent as the reader reaches the end of the story. Vivian has a way of weaving a tale and making the reader want more. This is a highly recommended story for those who enjoy getting inside the mind of a serial killer.

Vivian is not only a writer but she is a publisher, my publisher. Over the past few months I have been getting to know her first online and then when I met her for the whirlwind weekend of the Decatur Book Festival. She is an author of several middle grade novels for reluctant readers (Case of the Missing Coach and The Base Stealers Club) and a newly released historical novel, Prairie Dog Cowboy.

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Born to Raymond and Dolly Gilbert July 28, 1943, Vivian followed her father as he transferred from military base to military base from Randolph AFB, Texas to Loring AFB, Maine. During her school years, Vivian, always a reader and story teller, discovered a love of writing.

She wrote her first poetry in third grade. By the time she was in junior high, she wrote stories and knew that some day she would write a book.

After marrying Robert Zabel, she became the mother of three children, the grandmother of ten, and the great-grandmother of four, so far. All the time telling and writing.

She now has three juvenile books written under the name V. Gilbert Zabel and under the name Vivian Gilbert Zabel a mystery/suspense novel, a collection of short stories with Holly Jahangiri, and an anthology of poetry with seven other poets.

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Product Details
Hardcover: 228 pages
Publisher: 4RV Publishing LLC (June 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0979751330
ISBN-13: 978-0979751332
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds

Ordering may be done at 4RV's site or through Amazon or check your local book store for a copy.

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CONTEST INFORMATION:

There will be a prize offered: Prize: $25 gift certificate from Amazon.com

Rules:
1. Each person who comments on a blog stop receives one entry.
For example, if a person leaves a comment ( or more) on four blog stops, he has four entries. (one entry per blog tour stop)

2. A purchase of Midnight Hours from the 4RV Bookstore, or from the author, receives fifteen (15) entries.

Books must be bought directly from the author or from the publisher.

A person may have entries from a purchase and from leaving comments.

3. The final step in the contest: Each person with entries must send an email to president@4rvpublishingllc.com with the answer to the following question:
What time does Midnight appear on the game site to chat with Martin?

November 5, a random drawing will be held using a program online to choose a winner. I will notify the winner by email and will post the result on my blogs at Vivian's site and Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap.

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Please remember to put your email address in the comment and send the answer to the question in #3 to Vivian in order to be eligible for the contest. No email addy equals disqualification. See you all in the postings - E :)

Midnight schedule update

I am posting the new Midnight Hours virtual book tour update (since it just changed a couple of days ago and I've not had a chance to do so).

Oct. 26 Holly Jahangiri http://blog.jahangiri.us/

Oct. 27 Brian L. Porter http://tinyurl.com/4qa4tw
Lee Lofland, The Graveyard Shift http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress

Oct. 28 Karen Syed http://karensyed.blogspot.com
Joyce Anthony http://joyceanthony.tripod.com/blog

Oct. 29 Elysabeth Eldering http://elysabethsstories.blogspot.com
Joyce Anthony http://joyceanthony.tripod.com/blog

Oct. 30 Joyce Anthony http://joyceanthony.tripod.com/blog and
Jean Henry Mead http://advicefromeditors.blogspot.com

Oct. 31 Aidana WillowRaven http://coverchatter.blogspot.com
Joyce Anthony http://joyceanthony.tripod.com/blog

Nov. 1 Crystalee Calderwood http://crystaleecalderwood.blogspot.com

Nov. 2 Vivian Zabel http://vzabel.multiply.com/journal and http://VivianZabel.blogspot.com

Midnight schedule update

I am posting the new Midnight Hours virtual book tour update (since it just changed a couple of days ago and I've not had a chance to do so).

Oct. 26
Holly Jahangiri

Oct. 27
Brian L. Porter
and
Lee Lofland, The Graveyard Shift

Oct. 28
Karen Syed
and
Joyce Anthony - day 1

Oct. 29
Elysabeth Eldering
and
Joyce Anthony - day 2

Oct. 30
Jean Henry Mead
and
Joyce Anthony - day 3

Oct. 31
Aidana WillowRaven
Joyce Anthony - day 4

Nov. 1
Crystalee Calderwood

Nov. 2
Vivian Zabel's multiply blog
and Vivian's Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap blog

Midnight is Coming!

My publisher, Vivian, is touring her mystery/thriller book Midnight Hours starting Sunday. The following is the tour schedule and prize information.

Oct. 26 Holly Jahangiri

Oct. 27 Brian L. Porter
and Patty @ TAL and Patty @ TAL

Oct. 28 Karen Syed
and Joyce Anthony day 1

Oct. 29 Elysabeth Eldering
and Joyce Anthony day 2

Oct. 30 Jean Henry Mead
and Joyce Anthony day 3

Oct. 31 Aidana WillowRaven
and Joyce Anthony day 4

Nov. 1 Crystalee Calderwood
and Lee Lofland, The Graveyard Shift

Nov. 2 Vivian Zabel on Multiply and Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap for the wrap up of the tour.


There will be a prize offered: Prize: $25 gift certificate from Amazon.com

Rules:
1. Each person who comments on a blog stop receives one entry.
For example, if a person leaves a comment ( or more) on four blog stops, he has four entries. (one entry per blog tour stop)

2. A purchase of Midnight Hours from the 4RV Bookstore, or from the author, receives fifteen (15) entries.

Books must be bought directly from the author or from the publisher.

A person may have entries from a purchase and from leaving comments.

3. The final step in the contest: Each person with entries must send an email to president@4rvpublishingll.com with the answer to the following question:
What time does Midnight appear on the game site to chat with Martin?

November 5, a random drawing will be held using a program online to choose a winner. I will notify the winner by email and will post the result on my blogs at Vivian's site and Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap.


Please remember to put your email address in the comment in order to be eligible for the contest. No email addy equals disqualification. See you all in the postings - E :)

Updates on everything

I told you all I was being a bad host for virtual book tours. I am supposed to be hosting Stacy Gooch Anderson on the 20th (tomorrow) with a review of The Santa Letters and an interview. For more on her book tour, you will have to check her blog out for a listing of places to follow. The list is extensive and the tour has been going on for a while apparently.

Next week, I'll be hosting two virtual book tours, one for Chris Verstraete and Search for a Starry Night on Tuesday (I think this will be fun since she has it set up as a scavanger hunt from stop to stop) and one for Vivian Zabel and Midnight Hours. I need to finish reading Midnight Hours so I can post a review for Vivian. Fear not, it won't take too long to read and get that written. Vivian is offering a one prize deal for her tour, so check for details next week.

Band update: We have finished our regular season of competitions. This past Saturday was upper state (online there had been 26 bands listed to compete but when we arrived only 19 in the program). To get to state, a band has to be in the top 6 from upper state and top 6 from lower state - so there are supposed to be 12 bands competing for the title of best in the state. We hosted a competition on the first week, did a competition the next week, and two the following week. Saturday was upper state and we placed 4th out of the 19 bands that competed. This is pretty good considering we only competed in three actual competitions during this season. It seems that they keep cutting our competitions shorter and shorter. Before you know it, we will host a competition and then the next week will be upper state - but hope not - that would be hard on the kids not having the opportunity to go up against schools in regular competitions and see what they need to work on. It's been a crazy season but we survived.

Next weekend, I will miss the state competition but my ears and eyes will let me know what happens. I may post some pictures of the season but just haven't had time of late.

I'll be attending the SCWW Writer's conference in Myrtle Beach again this year (Oct. 24 - 26th) and am so looking forward to this. With one book in the series of 50 published and the second on its way, I'm hoping that soon I can be on panel discussions or do workshops at book festivals and things like the SCWW conference. I can hope for the fame some way some day.

Be on the lookout for more updates as I get them - see you all in the postings - E :)