Goodreads All Sorts discussion

Hello, everyone!
Welcome to my corner! I thought I had done this a while back, but I guess not.

Anyway, just wanted to add a quick update.
I led my book club in a read of Kent Haruf's Benediction a couple of weeks ago. I didn't love the book as much as I did his earlier Plainsong, but overall, the group gave it a thumbs-up.

I have a great book club, and we read all kinds of books. You can go to my profile for a list and some ideas if you're looking for something new.

Today, I'm featured on Digital Book World talking about my book club and our "rules." Yeah, they're pretty loose. Here's the link if you want to take a look. Feel free to share a thought/comment about your book club experience.

http://digitalbooktoday.com/2013/09/2...

Hi, Happy Friday, Darlene! Welcome to the group, it's great to see your corner!

Hi, Darlene. Great to meet you!:) I'd love to be in a real life book club. It must be so awesome. Enjoy your corner.

Hi, everyone,
I've neglected my corner for a while. Thanks for the welcome!
Just wanted to mention a few things:
First, I had such a great time yesterday . . . I got to visit a book group at the local library and present my books. Was very fun to connect face-to-face with readers! And I picked up some great ideas for reads in my own book club.

Next, my debut novel is on sale! It's the anniversary of my step into publishing! So, for a limited time, you can get a digital copy of Unexpected Legacy for just 99 cents. Hope you'll check it out!


Also, sales have slowed on my latest release, which is a women's fiction -- focusing on lead female characters and their friendships/relationships/issues. I'd love to find a few people to read the novel and then write reviews. If the book sounds appealing to you, let me know. If it's not your cup of tea, please pass on this one! :-)

Here's the back blurb: They say 'lightning doesn’t strike twice.' But they’re wrong.
Claire Stapleton is living proof. First, she loses her beloved son to war. Then, her husband to another woman. As the life she’s known implodes, she struggles to pick up the pieces – to fit in. And in a small community like Whitfield, that’s harder than she ever dreamed.
Overnight, Claire falls from toast of the town to talk of the town. Long-time friends rally around, but confused and off-balance, Claire finds herself traveling a lonely, unfamiliar road without a map. And there are no detour signs to help her get back on the right track. Spiraling on a self-destructive path, Claire fights to find her way – and a reason to start over.
They say, ‘what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.’ Could they be right?


Just getting started on my book club read for January. It's The Lowland. Will let you know how it goes!
Happy reading!

Aaron-{{Everlast}}-Rebel Leader wrote: "Hi, Darlene. Great to meet you!:) I'd love to be in a real life book club. It must be so awesome. Enjoy your corner."

Most libraries sponsor book groups. You might start there if you want a club that meets in person. Mine was started by a few friends, and has grown as a few of us have introduced other friends. The cool thing is that we all take turns choosing a book, and that means we are often out of our comfort zone, and read books that we would never have picked up!

Nice to meet you, Darlene. Happy Reading!!:)

Wrestling with a big decision: continue waiting on a couple of agents who've expressed interest in my new manuscript or move on and self-publish?! It's been three months.

Darlene; If you have someone interested I would say hang in there. I say this because for me, at age 55 and with a load of health issues, plus, 6 grandkids, I self published. I was told all my life to be published by teachers, and professors and even by priests lol. I write everyday and I write for my family and friends. Because I never took anyone's advice on being published, even when my English professor offered to help me, I waited until my health piled up against me and I realized I no longer had the luxury of going the traditional route. I self published a book of thought and poetry. The book looks nice. Even with 5 pairs of eyes reading over my work, there are still 4 typos in the book. For me it's a total waste of time. I hate typo's and now I feel like a dummy. Saying all that, my family and grandchildren are very happy and even proud of my book! All I can soothe myself with is that, after all, I did write it as a keepsake for them, if they are happy with it, then so am I. (I still get bugged at the typos though)
Are you interested in the sales of your book? If so, it really all depends on whom see's your work and who likes your work. I am not promoting my book and I am pleased to say that it has not made big money. What I wanted was something to leave behind, I now have that. In your case, I would think about goals that you have for being published. I would weigh the time and effort you would be willing to put into promotion. Even if you purchased a huge promo package you still have to get out there and sell yourself. You say you have agents interested in your work, then if I were you.. I would let them do everything it takes to make your book a profit not only for themselves but for you. Just my opinion. BTW, I am aware of my run on sentences and horrid punctuation. :)
Wishing you every great good luck
Marianne

Marianne wrote: "Darlene; If you have someone interested I would say hang in there. I say this because for me, at age 55 and with a load of health issues, plus, 6 grandkids, I self published. I was told all my life..."

Marianne, thanks so much for your perspective. I just wish I knew how long to wait! :-) I'm getting antsy about having a manuscript all ready to go but just sitting around. I would like to have backing of an agent and the distribution of a publishing house, though. I did self-publish my first three novels, and it's very difficult to get in books stores and to let readers even know the books exist.
As for the typos, I caught a couple of things after I published, and was able to easily go back and make changes. Can you not do that with yours? Funny how those typos jump out as soon as something is in print!
And yes, having a completed project is an accomplishment. congrats!

Darlene, I asked about the typos and the company told me I could fix them for a HUGE amount of money. They told me I could buy a package to take care of the 4 typos where they charge for a block of 200 plus words, even if you only need 1 letter changed on 4 different pages. Rip off. I self published because my husband, as a present to me, bought two packages with a print on demand company, that a friend of ours had used (very successfully too) So it was published that way.The cost was more to correct the typos than he had paid for the 2 for 1 book deal. Yikes!

Thank you for the Congrats on any account! :)

Happy Friday, everyone! For your weekend reading pleasure, grab a digital copy of my contemporary romance "Something Good" for just 99 cents. Today only! Happy reading!
http://www.amazon.com/Something-Good-...

It's new release day! So excited to share the big news -- Second Wind is now available in both digital and paperback formats! It's book two in my Women of Whitfield series about a group of longtime friends and their lives in a small, fictional town in Kansas. There's a big dose of friendship, some drama, a little family angst, and a dash of romance -- women's fiction at its best!
I'm celebrating the release on my Facebook Author Page. Be sure to stop by for excerpts, info and giveaways! The more you like/comment/share, the better your chances of winning a copy of the book!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Darlen...

just stopping by for a few seconds