Bloody Words 2011 in Victoria!

I’m one of those people who always thinks of the end of summer as the beginning of a new year, probably because my kids are still in school. It’s also time to decide which of the many writing events to attend this fall, and to prepare for workshops which I’ve arranged to give. So far, the next three months are already guaranteed to be one of the busiest, most productive autumns yet.

One of the largest events I want to mention isn’t happening until June, however it’s worth mentioning now to give you a chance to check it out and register. This is the annual Bloody Words mystery conference which will be held in Victoria, BC, for the first time ever. The event will take place from June 3rd to 5th at the beautiful Hotel Grand Pacific near the inner harbour, which is close to great sites and shopping.

This is conference is designed for both writers and fans of mysteries. Writers can enter the short fiction competition, have their manuscript evaluated, and have an opportunity to pitch to an agent. Of course, there will be many panel discussions and events as well. Honoured guests will be Michael Slade, Laurie R. King, and William Deverell. Registration is $190 Canadian and can be done online. Hope to see you there! To learn more about Bloody Words XI, go to www.bloodywords2011.com

My amateur sleuth, Vancouver-based, Alex Bellamy mysteries can be purchased at
FATAL ENCRYPTION, http://tinyurl.com/ddzsxl
TAXED TO DEATH, http://tinyurl.com/czsy5n

Register for Bloody Words 2009

Canada’s premier mystery writers' and fan conference Bloody Words will be in Ottawa from June 5-7, 2009.

Confirmed guests of honour include Denise Mina, Louise Penny and Barbara Fradkin with Mary Jane Maffini as Mistress of Ceremonies.

For more information and registration forms, please visit:

http://www.bloodywords2009.com/

Authors: Learn how to use social networks to promote yourself

In July 2008, I presented on a panel at the 2008 CanWrite! Conference in Edmonton, Alberta. The topic of the panel was Hot Trends, Hot Markets. As an author, I was looking at this topic from the perspective of aspiring and published authors.

As someone who's been nicknamed "Shameless Promoter" because I promote my books with everything I've got, utilizing everything I can think of or learn about, I want to share what I've learned. This information will help writers and authors connect with readers and fans, which can lead to sales once a book has been published.

The question I asked myself was: "Which hot trend or market is really on fire today, one that actually benefits writers and authors?"

The answer I came up with?

SOCIAL NETWORKING!

Read my article: How Can Authors Use Online Social Networks?

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif (aka 'Shameless Promoter')
http://www.cherylktardif.com/

Alaska's Bouchercon Conference

Last month, I attended the annual mystery writers' conference, Bouchercon, held in Anchorage this year. Bouchercon is a fan-based conference that usually attracts about 2,000 mystery-loving readers, writers, publishers, editors, etc. But because of the distance to Alaska, numbers were much smaller this year and, for me, a lot more fun. At the Las Vegas conference in 2003, I felt lost in the crowd. Throngs of people carrying large orange book bags often slammed into my legs and elbows as I maneuvered my way through the corridors, and the line was always long at the morning buffet.

I travel to these conferences not only to meet people, but also to sightsee and learn about the places I visit. One stroll down the Vegas strip and I could figure out what drives that city in ten minutes. Anchorage, though, took a deeper search.

Conference coordinators provided a CSI day where we learned about Alaskan crime and criminals, past and present. We were also treated to a search and rescue dog demonstration, and more interesting stories about the state. The local museum offered insights to the state's history, and just walking through downtown Anchorage gave me a sense of a more relaxed pace than I see in Vancouver. The six days I was there, I didn't hear one car horn blast, and rush-hour was practically nonexistent. Yet, there were two shootings near our hotel, a fatal beating, and a plane crash in the short time we were there. Coordinator, Dana Stabenow, and her colleagues put on a terrific confeence. Panels and guest speakers were interesting, the food great, and I even came away with pages of useful notes for writing novels. If you're looking for a beautiful vacation spot, I heartily recommend Alaska.

Next week, I'll talk about a entirely different type of conference, one I also recommend . . . the Surrey International Writers' Conference.

Self-Publishing that Works FOR You!

September 28 was officially Day 1 of the 8th Annual Express Yourself...Authors' Conference, sponsored by Infinity Publishing, and I have to share some of what I observed and learned. First, I feel I should clarify that I was recently published by traditional publisher Kunati Books, a new company based in Ontario, Canada, with offices in Florida, US. Kunati has made it very clear that they wish to support my endeavors to help other authors and they know that I am particularly passionate about self-publishing, since I originally self-published 3 very successful titles, and not with Infinity (sorry, guys!). Publishing companies like Kunati make an author's journey far more satisfying, and I must thank them for this support.

That being said, I must also thank Infinity Publishing for allowing me to be a small part of their journey. I feel honored to be part of this conference and share my experiences with other authors. I have gotten a true sense of "family" with these Infinity authors, employees and the management, and they have extended this to many authors published by other companies, including myself. They have all made me feel extremely welcome and valued. Thank you!

There are so many things that have impressed me over the years about Infinity's strategies, service and journey. I have been 'watching' them for about 6 years, and became their Canadian Author Liaison less than a year ago. Today I had the pleasure of touring Infinity Publishing's facilities, and again...WOW! I toured one other publishing company a few years ago, and I have to say, Infinity has far surpassed anything I saw there. Not only is this company efficient in their processes (largely due, I think, to the sharp wit and bubbly authority presented by their office 'queen' Michelle), Infinity is like a well-oiled, organized machine that breathes synergistically with its authors. The company is clean and environmentally conscious, printing 288 pages a minute and anywhere from 100-200 books per hour, depending on the books. I watched covers being printed, laminated, bound, cropped, all within minutes. (And, Kelly, I even had a chance to see how your book's information has been packaged! ;)

After breakfast, Tom Gregory, President of Infinity Publishing, welcomed the conference attendees, and I found him to be genuinely interested in not only the success of his company, but the success of the authors--ALL authors! You don't find that often. I never met the President of the other self-publishing company I toured. :) One thing that impressed me with Infinity is the expense that this publishing company puts into having an event that benefits their authors and other publishers' authors. They have made the Express Yourself...Authors' Conference affordable for any author.

I was also impressed with Infinity's ability to get top-notch speakers to present at their conferences. I have been receiving Jerry D. Simmons' newsletter for a few years now and finally got to meet him. It is awesome to put a face and voice to a name and newsletter one receives via email. :) Other guest speakers were Dan Poynter, Penny Sansevieri and Brian Jud, who are big names in book marketing. Infinity also managed to entice Dave Lieber, an award-winning columnist, and Eric Kampmann, publisher of the controversial O.J. book If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer by the Goldman Family. I'll go more into what these speakers talked about as soon as I have more time.

P.S. Jerry, I promise I will get you some articles on marketing books as soon as possible and I look forward to being of assistance to other writers via your newsletter. Thank you for this opportunity. :) CKT

8th Annual Express Yourself...Authors' Conference

Tonight I am 'penning a Pennsylvania post' from the Sheraton Park Ridge Hotel in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. And yes, two days ago I was in Edmonton, Alberta. So how did I get here? Well, by plane, of course. :)

I am attending the 8th Annual Express Yourself...Authors' Conference, sponsored by Infinity Publishing. I was very honored when the Special Projects Director John Harnish asked me if I would take part on a panel, and since one of my goals is to give back to writers--particularly to new authors--I was thrilled. Plus, I've never been to PA before.

I left Edmonton yesterday morning very early. The flight was uneventful, with a stop in Minneapolis. Haven't been there either, although I didn't see much from the airport windows. :) When I arrived in Philly, I couldn't get over the heat. 90 degrees F. It was about 40 in Edmonton when I left.

Today's conference event was a writing workshop that covered self-editing, overcoming writer's block and much more. The day ended with a terrific buffet and our guest speaker Dave Lieber, an author and award-winning columnist for the Fort Worth Star Telegram. Dave encouraged us to "break the rules", something which I seem to not have a problem doing. :)

Tomorrow will be a full day and I'm looking forward to it. Conferences always give me ideas for writing and marketing, and anyone who knows me knows that I am always looking for creative and fun ways to market my books.

On Saturday I will be presenting at the conference--on 2 different panels. The funny thing is that I knew about one of them but had no idea about the other. I found out today that when I told Infinity Publishing that they could "use" me in any way that would benefit them and the attendees that they did just that. :) Good thing I love to talk about writing and marketing. I am really looking forward to being able to share some of the things that I have learned along my journey. So for any of you who are writers, I will put together some of my notes next week and post them on my site.

Also, as the Canadian Author Liaison for Infinity Publishing, my goal is to connect writers (especially Canadian writers) with one option for getting published--self-publishing. This has become a viable and acceptable method of publishing, especially since most traditional publishers accept less than 2% of manuscripts. Although my personal goal is to have all of my novels traditionally published (and I would be quite happy with one or more of the big New York houses), I recognize that there are different goals for every author. So if you're a writer looking to get published and you want to consider self-publishing, I invite you to check out Infinity Publishing, a company that really does have its authors' interests at heart. http://www.infinitypublishing.com/

For my dear readers, please know that I am always striving to learn more about my craft. There are always new things to learn. I write for 'me' in the beginning, because I have a story that needs to be told. But then I write for you--for every fan who has supported my work in the past and for every new one who discovers me. My goal as a suspense author is to challenge myself with writing a story that is sophisticated yet entertaining, suspenseful yet emotional, and always my best work with enough twists and turns to keep you on your toes. I hope you'll let me know when I succeed.

By the way, if you are in the Valley Forge area tomorrow and Saturday, please stop by the Sheraton Park Ridge Hotel and have the hotel come find me at Infinity's conference. Providing I am not in the middle of my panel, I would be happy to autograph a copy of Whale Song, The River or Divine Intervention. I have limited copies available.

http://www.cherylktardif.com/