Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Writer's Week


I woke up to a nice surprise this morning.I received an email from The Artist Unleashed accepted my writing advice article, and it went live. So here I am to tell you my struggles and how I overcame them. I hope they help you. Please visit  and answer the question, How do you manage your writing time?

Note: I'm going to close comments here in the hope that people visit The Artist Unleashed. 



Two posts ago, Gayle Krause visited my blogCrystal Collier won an ARC of Gayle’s historical fiction set during the American Revolution! I’m excited for Crystal, but a little jealous. Now I’ll have to wait until Twice Betrayed is released to get one for my classroom!



On my last post, I requested for people to host me on their blog, and I’m thankful for how many volunteered. It’s winter break for me this week. This meant I wrote 14 guest posts over 3 days. My blog tour will run from 3/13-3/29 for release of TIME & CIRCUMSTANCE. There will be prizes and hashtags, so you can spread the word (with even more chances to win). 

In addition to writing the guest posts and organizing the tour, I'm using this week to catch up. I have a ton of work for my job, assignments for school, and last night I received an email with the study guide to prepare an exam I’m taking in March for my Master’s degree. I may need to keep reading my own post on The Artist Unleashed to inspire me to keep writing.



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Saturday, February 11, 2017

Book Promotion: 5 Pieces of Advice

Vine Leaves set me up with an hour session with a marketing consultant. On a recent snow day we Skyped for an hour. Even though with work, a grad class, etc, I don't feel like I have a second to spare, I have to make many seconds to spare. My book is coming out in 6 weeks.
So far, I've taken five pieces of advice.

First piece of advice:  Consistency between social media platforms is key. I updated my blog to look more like my Twitter, and Facebook profiles and my website. I've got tree branches, more consistent color, and style. What do you think?

Second piece of advice: Plan a blog tour with prizes, contests, and hashtags. I put up a note on Facebook, and a few people kindly volunteered their blogs. Now I've actually got to write some posts!

If you would also like to be a part of my blog tour, I'd love to have you. :)  I can write a post, you can interview me, or other ideas that work for you.

Dates available:

3/21 (taken), 3/22 (taken), 3/23 (taken), 3/24 (taken), 3/25, 3/27 (taken), 3/28 (taken)

Please comment if you're interested.





Third piece of advice: It's important to minimize the number of clicks people have to make to find your book. Rather than just linking to Vine Leaves Press, I'm providing individual links.

TIME & CIRCUMSTANCE ebooks are now available for preorder!

$3.99 AUD (eBook)
Kindle AUS
Kindle US
Kindle UK
Kindle CA
iBooks | Kobo | Nook

If you want to preorder a paperback copy, that's available too.

$12.99 AUD (paperback)
Amazon US
Amazon UK
​Amazon CA
Barnes & Noble

Book Depository
Chapters Indigo

Fourth piece of advice: It's also important to set up local events. I'm trying to connect with the local poetry community like I'm part of the kid lit community. The other day, I attended a poetry book reading. Sure, I hardly talked to anyone, and I left early. But I met a couple of nice poets, bought one of their books, found out from a bookstore how to order books for events, and took a few pictures that I shared on Facebook and Twitter.

Fifth piece of advice: Build relationships online, which I think I already have pretty much covered. I've been blogging since 2009 and attending writing-related events even before then. I've appreciated getting to know you over the years. Thank you for your support.

xo,

Theresa

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Twice Betrayed

I met Gayle Krause at a Highlights Foundation Summer Camp at the Barn last year. There were so many talented writers there. When Gayle told me her book would be coming out, I wanted to help get the word out! This would be a perfect novel for students learning about American History. I'll buy this book for my fifth-graders. 







Release Date : March 28, 2017
Publisher: Trowbridge Books
ISBN - 978-0-9911904-3-0

It will be available for pre-order on that day as well.

About the book:

The thread of friendship is stretched to the breaking point…
With the spark of independence crackling in Colonial Philadelphia, three girls dress as boys and head to the river to put a perilous plan into action, but only two return. The third, a young milliner’s assistant, is found drowned, with gold coins sewn into her hems, coded spy letters in her bodice, and a journal implicating another sewing apprentice in the treasonous plot.

All eyes turn toward Perdy Rogers, Betsy Ross’ thirteen-year-old apprentice. But she’s no spy!  With one friend dead and deserted by another, the thread of friendship is stretched to the breaking point, when Perdy is accused. With her life on the line, Perdy risks more than her freedom as a new nation struggles to be born.

About the author:

Gayle Krause was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania and being the oldest girl on the block, always led the younger kids in creative dramatics, wilderness expeditions through fields, and fossil hunting in the shale piles left from the heyday of mining. Those early interactions led her to a career in teaching, where, as a Master teacher she continued to inspire teens as she prepared prospective Elementary Teachers and Early Childhood Educators at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Simultaneously, she directed an instructional Laboratory Pre-K for her students, where she worked with eager young preschoolers.

Because she taught both young adults and preschoolers, her books fall at both ends of the Children’s Literature spectrum. You can find them on her website: www.gayleckrause.com

Gayle is most comfortable in front of students, be they four years old, or forty. She loves to teach Children’s Literature and enhance literacy skills in young readers. She is a member of SCBWI, Keystone State Reading Association, KidLit, Ink, a member of the Rhyme Revolution Best Rhyming Picture Book Selection committee 2015 and 2016, and a past member of The Poets’ Garage.

Follow Gayle’s writing journey on Facebook at Gayle C Krause, on Twitter @GeeCeeK, and on Goodreads.

I have included a giveaway of an ARC for Twice Betrayed or a first chapter critique of a YA or MG novel to a random commenter on your blog.

Thanks so much,
Gayle