The attendees of the Malice Domestic mystery conference for fans of traditional or "cozy" mysteries award the Agatha prize, named for Agatha Christie, yearly to writers in various categories. Two fellow Sisters in Crime members, who have become friends of mine, have been nominated for the prize in two categories:
L.C. Hayden, Best Novel, for her book, WHY CASEY HAD TO DIE
Sandra Parshall, Best First Novel, for her book, THE HEAT OF THE MOON
I'm so pleased for them, and I'll be rooting for them to win when I attend the conference May 4-6 in Arlington, VA. It turns out that L.C. and I will be driving together afterward to attend the Festival of Mystery in Oakmont, PA the next day, May 7th. The long drive and sharing a room will allow us to really cement our friendship. And, Sandy and I will conduct a joint booksigning at the Creatures 'n Crooks Bookshoppe in Richmond, VA on Saturday, May 12th. I'm hoping that some of the cachet from these two Agatha nominees will rub off on me!
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Four Weeks to Publication!
The final countdown to publication for A REAL BASKET CASE starts today, with four weeks to go to March 21, 2007, the official release date. I've been busy with preparations, and the excitement is building. I mailed off seven advance review copies to newspapers yesterday, made arrangements for an Internet radio interview, and finalized my last booksigning for my May trip back east. There's lots more to do, so in between chores, I'm trying to take deep breaths and savor the experience. You only publish your first novel once!
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Congratulations to my Ninth Winner!
I'm very pleased to announce that Kathryn H. from Redmond, WA is the ninth winner in my email newsletter gift basket contest. She's the first one who picked the relax-a-bath theme, so I had a lot of fun constructing her basket. It's winging its way to her now. The newsletter list is rapidly approaching 1000 email addresses, so I should be able to award another gift basket in March. There's nothing I like better than giving away prizes, so if you're not receiving my email newsletter, sign up! Also, I announced a Preorder Promotion in my February newsletter. If you want to read about it, go to my website by clicking on the active text to the right, then click on Newsletter on my website to get access to past newsletters.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Short Story Anthology available!
Way back in June, I announced that Red Coyote Press ( http://redcoyotepress.com/ ) accepted a short story of mine for an anthology. They just published that anthology yesterday! It is a collection of mystery short stories called MAP OF MURDER. My story, titled "Murder Cache," is about a man and his son hiking to a geocache with a murder theme in Colorado Springs that contains more than what they expected!
Here's praise from reviewers:
* "MAP OF MURDER is a fascinating and diverse collection of stories that takes you on a heart-pounding journey...From coast to coast and border to border, it's quite a trip."
- Donis Casey, author of THE OLD BUZZARD HAD IT COMING and HORNSWOGGLED: AN ALAFAIR TUCKER MYSTERY
* "Buckle up for a suspenseful road trip full of mystery and mayhem."
- Kit Ehrman, author of the Steve Cline mystery series
* "Wherever MAP OF MURDER takes the audience, one thing consistently occurs: readers will obtain immense pleasure from this well-written compilation."
- Harriet Klausner, reviewcentre.com
* "While each story occurs in a different location, each story features complex characters involved in complex cases that lead the reader through a delightful tale. The result is an excellent criss cross trail across America full of murder, deceit, and betrayal. Beth Groundwater weaves a twisting tale up into the Colorado Mountains in her tale 'The Murder Cache.' When you are a good parent, there isn't anything you won't do for your child."
- Kevin Tipple, kevinscorner.com
You can order the anthology from Red Coyote Press or at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Susan-Budavari-Editor-Suzanne/dp/0976673339/sr=1-1/qid=1171554148/ref=sr_1_1/102-6823696-3481752?ie=UTF8&s=books
Here's praise from reviewers:
* "MAP OF MURDER is a fascinating and diverse collection of stories that takes you on a heart-pounding journey...From coast to coast and border to border, it's quite a trip."
- Donis Casey, author of THE OLD BUZZARD HAD IT COMING and HORNSWOGGLED: AN ALAFAIR TUCKER MYSTERY
* "Buckle up for a suspenseful road trip full of mystery and mayhem."
- Kit Ehrman, author of the Steve Cline mystery series
* "Wherever MAP OF MURDER takes the audience, one thing consistently occurs: readers will obtain immense pleasure from this well-written compilation."
- Harriet Klausner, reviewcentre.com
* "While each story occurs in a different location, each story features complex characters involved in complex cases that lead the reader through a delightful tale. The result is an excellent criss cross trail across America full of murder, deceit, and betrayal. Beth Groundwater weaves a twisting tale up into the Colorado Mountains in her tale 'The Murder Cache.' When you are a good parent, there isn't anything you won't do for your child."
- Kevin Tipple, kevinscorner.com
You can order the anthology from Red Coyote Press or at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Susan-Budavari-Editor-Suzanne/dp/0976673339/sr=1-1/qid=1171554148/ref=sr_1_1/102-6823696-3481752?ie=UTF8&s=books
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Happy Valentine's Day and Eighth Winner
Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! I hope you all have a sweetie to celebrate with. My hubby and I went on our Valentine's date early, last Friday, to avoid the crowds. We saw a late afternoon movie, then ate a Mediterranean meal at a local restaurant. This morning was the traditional exchange of chocolate treats. Then, we donned our coats to shovel snow off the driveway, what's becoming a very frequent chore these days!
Earlier this month, I awarded a gift basket to the eighth winner in my email newsletter contest. I realized I forgot to announce his name here. His name is Kevin, he's from Plano, Texas, and he chose the mystery lovers gift basket. I'll be awarding the ninth gift basket very soon. I'm very pleased with the number of folks who are registering for my newsletter. Very few have dropped off the list, so I hope to award one and maybe even two more gift baskets in March.
Earlier this month, I awarded a gift basket to the eighth winner in my email newsletter contest. I realized I forgot to announce his name here. His name is Kevin, he's from Plano, Texas, and he chose the mystery lovers gift basket. I'll be awarding the ninth gift basket very soon. I'm very pleased with the number of folks who are registering for my newsletter. Very few have dropped off the list, so I hope to award one and maybe even two more gift baskets in March.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Promotion Work
What have I been doing the past few weeks to prepare for the release of A Real Basket Case? I've created a tri-fold brochure to include with the next mailing of the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers "bluebook" of information about books from their published authors to 400 bookstores in the Rocky Mountain region. I sent the file off to an Internet-based copy firm to get copied and folded. I received them a couple of days ago, and they look great.
I also wrote my February email newsletter and gave it to my hubby to send out. I also gave him a set of website changes that includes a number of booksignings that I've confirmed lately. My trip back east is almost set, with only one event still not firm. I'll be stuffing 7 events into 10 days, including the 3-day Malice Domestic conference. Whew! I also finished another email interview for the Mouth Full of Bullets ezine. And I wrote an article for Mystery Scene, but I haven't heard back from them as to whether or not they accepted it. More ARCs get mailed out today to reviewers. All that, and editing the manuscript I just finished is keeping me VERY busy.
I also wrote my February email newsletter and gave it to my hubby to send out. I also gave him a set of website changes that includes a number of booksignings that I've confirmed lately. My trip back east is almost set, with only one event still not firm. I'll be stuffing 7 events into 10 days, including the 3-day Malice Domestic conference. Whew! I also finished another email interview for the Mouth Full of Bullets ezine. And I wrote an article for Mystery Scene, but I haven't heard back from them as to whether or not they accepted it. More ARCs get mailed out today to reviewers. All that, and editing the manuscript I just finished is keeping me VERY busy.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Profitable Puzzles
How's that for a title? I am both a contest nut and a puzzle addict. I enter about a dozen Internet sweepstakes a few times a week, and I work either the sudoku or crossword puzzle in the newspaper every day over lunch. Makes sense for me to write mysteries, huh?
Anyway, I also subscribe to Conde Nast Traveler magazine and work their two puzzles, "Word Trips" and "Where Are You?" every month. Each time you get one right, you're entered into a yearly drawing for a grand prize of a trip. Well, Conde Nast just notified me that I was the 2006 Word Trips grand prize winner! I won airfare for two and two nights stay at one of the top-rated North American spa resorts profiled in their magazine last year. Wowzer! My hubby and I are drooling over the websites of these exotic resorts. Choosing one is going to be hard.
Anyway, I also subscribe to Conde Nast Traveler magazine and work their two puzzles, "Word Trips" and "Where Are You?" every month. Each time you get one right, you're entered into a yearly drawing for a grand prize of a trip. Well, Conde Nast just notified me that I was the 2006 Word Trips grand prize winner! I won airfare for two and two nights stay at one of the top-rated North American spa resorts profiled in their magazine last year. Wowzer! My hubby and I are drooling over the websites of these exotic resorts. Choosing one is going to be hard.
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