THIS WEEK'S BOOK WINNER

Thanks to all who stopped by this week at Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers. We hope you'll come back often and also tell your friends about us. We have lots of exciting posts and guests planned for the months ahead. I’d also like to thank Gerrie Ferris Finger for being our Book Club Friday guest and offering a copy of THE END GAME to one of our readers who posted a comment this week. The winner this week is Susan (vermontcozy). Susan, if you'd  please email your mailing address to me at anastasiapollack@gmail.com. I’ll forward it to Gerrie, and she’ll mail your book to you. Happy reading! -- Anastasia

BOOK CLUB FRIDAY -- GUEST AUTHOR GERRIE FERRIS FINGER

Today’s Book Club Friday guest author is mystery writer Gerrie Ferris Finger, the latest winner of the Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition. In The End Game, she puts a new spin on the classic mystery novel with a strong new heroine in a vivid Southern setting. Gerrie has graciously donated a copy of The End Game to one lucky reader who posts a comment to the blog this week. Read more about Gerri at her blog and website. -- AP

I'm in a good place – a busy place – but a good place. I have less than a week now to finish the final edits for my ebook, WAGON DOGS, to be released in October.

I'm doing constant on-line promotion for my hard cover, THE END GAME, which came out at the end of April, and squeezing in a library appearance in my town.    

I've been polishing the third in my Dru and Lake series, THE DEVIL LAUGHED, and there's the fall and winter appearance season for which to prepare. My calendar filleth up.

Did I mention constant on-line promotion?

It doesn't feel like promotion to me. I enjoy the company of friends on DorothyL, Crimescene Writers, Sisters in Crime, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and the blogs I write for and read. One cannot live by fiction writing alone, or I can't. But I have to limit myself to two hours in the morning, max, before getting to the business of editing and writing. Sometimes in the evening, I'll get on Facebook where a different group of friends have gathered.

It's promotion, but it isn't. It's like talking to a friend on the telephone about your day, the weather, the books and films you like, and, oh by the way, your own books. It's not at all like meeting people at public events where you talk solely about your books (and the creation thereof) or sign them for those who buy. I can't put a two-hour max on these appearances, all of which take me out of writing and editing  

One appearance I'm looking forward to is the Deadly Dinner in Calhoun, Georgia on October 23. It's a Southeastern Sisters in Crime event, featuring eight or nine (not sure of the exact number yet) authors who will each host a table of six to eight people who will pay $25 to have dinner with an author. After about fifteen minutes, a bell tinkles and authors change tables so the attendees get to meet and learn about each author and his or her works. A book-signing ends the evening. They do an event like this at the annual Malice Domestic fan convention in the spring. It's a fun time because you never know what questions will be tossed at you.

Still, I'm foremost a writer. I have all these ideas cruising my brain – titles, scenarios, settings, names for my characters. I loved naming people.  And writing first lines. Suffice it to say, I spend more time rewriting first lines than I spend on any other line in the book. 

So I'm busy, and next week will come too soon for our last vacation of the summer, which is a three-day, two-night golf trip  down the coast with friends.

I can't say I don't have time for golf, or vacations, or long-time friends, can I? I'll fit it in, no laptops allowed. I'll forget about writing and promotion and try my best to beat the spikes off my friends in the skins games. 

Now back to WAGON DOGS edits.  

Gerrie Ferris Finger

http://www.gerrieferrisfinger.com

I am giving away a copy of THE END GAME. Details provided by Anastasia, who I wish to thank for the opportunity to appear on her delightful blog. 

Thanks for stopping by, Gerrie! And thanks so much for offering a book to one of our readers. 

Be sure to stop back tomorrow to see if you’re the winner. . -- AP