Mary Metcalfe's Blog

Please enjoy my interview with Karen Tyrrell about her new book about recovery from, in her case, bipolar disorder. As Karen says, this book is for everyone who is experiencing mental health issues or knows of someone who is. Her book is positive and upbeat with a message of hope & recovery: "Don’t give up. Learn everything you can about mental illness and become a support person for your friend’s recovery."

http://lakefrontmuse.blogspot.ca/2013...

My thanks for a great month-long blog tour by Novel Publicity Inc. Emlyn Chand and her gang did a great job! I highly recommend them.

Cheers!
Mary

Happy New Year. To start the year out right I'm on a review only blog tour with Novel Publicity from January 28 to February 24. There's a $50 Amazon gift card to be won and a signed copy of Road to Tomorrow. C'mon over and check it out! $50 can go a long way on Amazon!

http://www.novelpublicity.com/road-to...

Cheers!
Mary

Thank you to the 20,000 people who downloaded Winds of Change during its five free days on Kindle Select... and to the 368 who have now borrowed it through Kindle Prime ... and to the dozens who have purchased it since the free promotion. You all helped me have a lovely Christmas as I watched Winds of Change hit #1 in Women's Fiction and Contemporary Fiction in Kindle Free. Woohoo!!

Hi! Winds of Change is free until midnight Friday PST. Midwest Book Review featured it in the November Fiction Shelf with “Strong pick … Highly recommended”. Clarion Reviews called it "a sparkling debut... readers will love being swept along by Winds of Change." Hope you'll download and enjoy it yourself. My way of saying Happy Holidays.

Cheers!
Mary

http://amzn.to/WdM0j8

As of yesterday I have contracted with Author Marketing Experts, Inc. to launch a focused marketing campaign for my books. I must say I am very impressed with the professionalism of the company, including a very transparent system for keeping me up-to-date on what is being done that bypasses e-mail. Stay tuned for more details!

Without fail, every person who sees the cover for New Beginnings develops some kind of amazing affinity with it. It's as if we all have a primaeval longing to bond with horses. I do, for sure. But, it's also resonating with everyone who sees it. My neighbor's girlfriend basically ignored my first cover (Winds of Change) and just vibrated over the second (New Beginnings). I felt her excitement as she clutched both books. Now, I gave them to her for free but I'd like to think it was more than that.

As an author, I'm looking for readers. I cannot tell you how wonderful it felt to see Claire "bond" with my books so quickly, based on their covers. Gotta love that feeling.

Two novels out, the third in final editing and proofreading. Now the hard part begins: marketing the novels in a way that will attract readers without being in your face. I'm hoping that the past year of building friendships and relationships through social media will support my promotional networking. That and some more reviews. I've had enough confirmations by knowledgeable readers and reviewers to know the stories are strong. One told me "you're mastering your craft at an alarming rate!" Got a great chuckle from that. So, time to find my readers!! Helloooo!

Hi All - I have a giveaway through to end October for New Beginnings, the 2nd book in my Look to the Future Series. Ten copies available! http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...

Please sign up! Hope you win.

Cheers!
Mary

It was a long summer that became too short in a hurry. I could feel the tension. I knew something big had to happen. I've written three full-length novels in the past year and have excellent reviews for all. Now, it's production and promotion time and it has to be a full-time job. So, after over four years with a part-time day job (and 30 years in self-employed business)I am quitting the day job and pursuing my passion and dream of being a novelist... full time.

It is so liberating to think that I can wake up and look forward to a day full of my books, whether writing, editing, producing or promoting. They are like friends I want to visit and introduce to all my other friends. So, come to my party! Watch for Winds of Change, New Beginnings and Road to Tomorrow in the giveaways over the next few months. You'll have a ball!