tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13589624357681870842024-03-13T11:35:11.683-07:00WITH THE WIND AT MY BACKVic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-71725981941861117562012-02-29T14:56:00.000-08:002012-02-29T14:56:06.919-08:00It's a Violent World Out There<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>688</o:Words> <o:Characters>3926</o:Characters> <o:Company>Windrusher, Inc.</o:Company> <o:Lines>32</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>7</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>4821</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>11.1287</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:DoNotShowRevisions/> <w:DoNotPrintRevisions/> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:UseMarginsForDrawingGridOrigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_7hQF-p4iWZwVb55L6TfjcmvTzLT-NuzRjLu3K90vwEkZHXVd-2snK4M4FhKKWP9gXaOrvZuJt0ytCXt3iKSWKLs9ignTzuEuMBPFWqt4ApwTAqXMTIlstnP2oJtmfHUaS4SEvtqwZtw/s1600/Matanzas-Bay_cvr2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_7hQF-p4iWZwVb55L6TfjcmvTzLT-NuzRjLu3K90vwEkZHXVd-2snK4M4FhKKWP9gXaOrvZuJt0ytCXt3iKSWKLs9ignTzuEuMBPFWqt4ApwTAqXMTIlstnP2oJtmfHUaS4SEvtqwZtw/s200/Matanzas-Bay_cvr2.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">There’s a fine line I try to walk as a writer of mysteries. My goal is to create a compelling story filled with ever-rising tension and conflict as background for a cast of memorable characters. Together the characters and plot should jump off the page and form an adhesive bond with the readers. Like most writers, it’s hard to be objective about our own work, but we usually know when the story rings true. When we’ve created the illusion of realism in our fiction.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And that’s part of the balancing act. Truth and realism. The real world overflows with the all too true realism of death and destruction. We live it through the 24-hour news cycles that inch us closer and closer to paranoia, one gruesome story at a time. Today it’s a school shooting in Ohio. Tomorrow, another bombing in Afghanistan. My protagonist, Quint Mitchell, is certainly aware of this creeping paranoia. He opens <b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Matanzas-Quint-Mitchell-Mystery-ebook/dp/B004TNGO8Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303061638&sr=1-1">Matanzas Bay</a></i></b><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"> with these words:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>People who grumble about life being unfair have it all wrong. It’s life’s alter ego, death, that isn’t fair. Pick up the paper. Turn on any of the twenty-four hour news channels. See what I mean?<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And he continues in that vein, listing some of the crimes that have galvanized the media’s and America’s attention over the past few years. These stories were front and center for a few days or weeks, until the next big scandal or missing child case came along. So sometimes I have to ask myself isn’t there enough misery in the world without fabricating more? Shouldn’t I be spending my golden years in more uplifting pursuits, or at least not contributing to the avalanche of violence that’s the mainstay of so many novels these days, no matter what the genre — mystery, thriller, suspense or horror? <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Specifically, should I include these kinds of descriptions in my books?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Marrano’s head had a deep indentation over the left temple. Blood had seeped from the wound and caked along the left cheek in dried rivulets.<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That comes fairly early in <b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Matanzas-Bay-Parker-Francis/dp/0983433615/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1303061638&sr=1-1">Matanzas Bay</a></i></b><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">, after Quint unearths the body of St. Augustine’s vice mayor in chapter one. It’s not exactly the stuff of musical comedy, is it? Rest assured this is tame compared to many of the novels I’ve read. And it’s probably tame compared to the grisly cases real life cops see. Even so, many people read to be entertained, not grossed out. These are the folks who might enjoy cozy mysteries where the violence usually happens off stage, and the crime is solved by an amateur detective while working her pet-sitting job. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So why do we write such graphic passages? Why stress the negative side of life when we could accentuate the positive? <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I could argue that hard-boiled crime fiction is just as entertaining as the soft-boiled variety. That there are many readers who enjoy the intellectual exercise of matching wits with the police and the detectives to solve the crime before the novel’s hero has an epiphany. There’s also a certain satisfaction to be found in living vicariously as the hero faces danger and death. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I know that my heart was racing when Quint stood outside the St. Augustine Alligator Farm late one night to meet an informant.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a dark shape rise up from behind the thick foliage. My muscles tensed. Adrenaline spiked into my system. I pivoted toward the hedge, raising the gun as I turned …<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Well, you’ll have to read the book to learn what happens to our hero. But be forewarned, you may look at the Alligator Farm a bit differently after you’ve read that chapter. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I don’t think writers are much different than ordinary people. What was it that Shylock said in <i>The Merchant of Venice? </i><span style="font-style: normal;">“If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">True enough, particularly the poison part. Yet when I sit down at the computer it’s more likely I’m communing with the dark side rather than with the better angels of my nature. And it’s not for the shock value alone. If I do my job right, my story can ferry readers away from their everyday lives into a fictional world where they can forget their troubles for a few hours, maybe even feel intellectually superior if they solve the case before the protagonist. All of this and more can happen between the pages of a book.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you haven’t read <b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Matanzas-Quint-Mitchell-Mystery-ebook/dp/B004TNGO8Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303061638&sr=1-1">Matanzas Bay</a></i></b><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">, I believe you’ll find it’s that kind of book. It’s filled with surprises, and it has a character you can believe in. Quint Mitchell is not a superman, but he’s good at his job and he wants to do the right thing. Yes, it has its share of violence. After all, Matanzas is Spanish for </span><i>place of slaughter</i><span style="font-style: normal;">. But fictional violence is just that—fiction. A good book can help us forget the real violence that permeates our society. And maybe that’s why I chose to write mysteries. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><!--EndFragment-->Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-76668919631746545592011-10-28T11:59:00.000-07:002011-11-01T09:11:30.873-07:00The Day Arthur Ashe Spoke To Me<div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGebqnHhnAP1nNzxDLVNijQCNRzmYMrV_gzHhwZOyGlB_K0FEB0WryXJsHXvM83uQAmSFxvxh8zqPPAfdyag2JKjp0r979BoMSHUHmTXy5PqUNQ4N9DK7v3hKoaMw-kiteOQMc0ON-1Rn/s1600/Arthur+Ashe.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGebqnHhnAP1nNzxDLVNijQCNRzmYMrV_gzHhwZOyGlB_K0FEB0WryXJsHXvM83uQAmSFxvxh8zqPPAfdyag2JKjp0r979BoMSHUHmTXy5PqUNQ4N9DK7v3hKoaMw-kiteOQMc0ON-1Rn/s200/Arthur+Ashe.jpeg" width="200" /></a>I’ll never forget the day Arthur Ashe spoke to me. Ashe was a quiet man who loomed large both in the world of tennis and as a determined fighter for the rights of others. He was also one of my heroes.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In my younger days, I was an avid tennis fan, a so-so player whose game ranged from mediocre to average. I accepted the fact my athletic abilities limited me, but I kept striving to improve. Like millions of others, I watched Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, and Boris Becker battle it out week after week. Arthur Ashe never quite achieved the notoriety of these players. He wasn’t volatile like Connors, or brash and explosive like McEnroe. He was a quiet winner. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Ashe had a challenging childhood, which made his achievements even more spectacular. Ashe’s mother died when he was only six, a year before he picked up a tennis racket for the first time. He demonstrated an early aptitude for the game, but living in Richmond, Virginia meant living under the confines of racial segregation, which denied him an opportunity to play in junior tournaments. With the help of his mentor, Dr. Walter Johnson, he moved to St. Louis to continue training. In his first tournament, Ashe reached the junior national championships. </div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">That was only the beginning. Ashe captured the junior national title in both 1960 and 1961. Later he accepted a scholarship to play for UCLA, and shocked the tennis world by taking the U.S. Open title in 1968 as an amateur. All-in-all, he won 35 amateur singles titles, and in only 11 years as a pro, netted 33 singles titles, including becoming the first and only African American to win titles at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the Australian Open. I watched in amazement as he upset Jimmy Connors to win Wimbledon in 1975, not knowing 15 years later the quiet man himself, Arthur Ashe, would speak to me.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Sadly, a heart attack in 1979 brought an end to his competitive career, but in that short time he had accomplished more than most of us do in our lifetimes. He was one of the founders of the ATP, and served as its president, using his quiet assurance and intelligence to represent the world of tennis. While still a professional player, he protested the apartheid policies of South Africa, applying for visas to play in that country and being refused, until, in 1973, he became the first black to win a title at the South African Open.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The exciting day Arthur Ashe spoke to me occurred in 1990, a year after the Association of Tennis Professionals moved its headquarters from Dallas to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, only three miles from my home. I was looking forward to watching the pros play, especially when I learned Ashe would make a special appearance to present scholarships. I knew I probably wouldn’t get close enough to meet him, but being there when he walked on the court would be a thrill. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When my Rotary Club partnered with the ATP for the exhibition match, I volunteered thinking I might have a chance to see Ashe up close and maybe shake his hand. Some of the volunteers sold tickets or acted as ushers. I was a driver, working a three-hour shift driving players and officials to the airport. That’s when fate stepped in and delivered the quiet man to the rented Cadillac I was assigned to drive. One of the ATP officials accompanied him to the car and settled him in the back seat. Ashe carried a heavy brief case and looked tired. Before I took the wheel, the official pulled me aside, telling me Ashe was running a little late for his flight. He also let me know that Ashe was a private person and preferred not to be bothered on the ride to the airport. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As we motored away from the tennis courts, I introduced myself and told him not to worry that I’d get him to the airport in time to make his flight. In the rear-view mirror I saw him look up and nod. He didn’t speak to me then, instead he opened his briefcase and pulled out a stack of papers. A maelstrom of thoughts blew through my head as I drove. I was in the same car with my hero. There were so many questions I wanted to ask him: How did it feel to break the color barrier in South Africa? What was it like to beat Jimmy Connors and take the Wimbledon title? What advice would he give young players today? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I should have been concentrating on my driving, but my mind raced with strategies I might use to break the ice. There must be a way to start a conversation with this quiet man who’d been so instrumental in the game of tennis. That’s when I made the mistake of flying through an intersection instead of taking the turn to the airport.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I thought he wasn’t paying any attention, but Ashe immediately looked up from his reading. He stared back at the intersection, the directional sign signaling the turn to the airport fading in the distance. Then he caught my eye in the mirror and spoke to me.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Arthur Ashe spoke in the same quiet, confident voice I’d heard when he presented the scholarships earlier in the day. But this time he was speaking directly to me when he uttered this unforgettable line:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“Do you know where you’re going?”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I assured him I did, made a nifty U-turn and got us to the airport on time. I can’t recall if he responded when I told him it had been an honor to drive him, and wished him well. But I’ll never forget the question he directed at me that day — “Do you know where you’re going?”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It would be overly dramatic to say the words had hidden meaning. But I like to think of it as a metaphor for getting the most out of life, and I have Arthur Ashe to thank for presenting it to me.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Arthur Ashe succumbed to H.I.V. in 1993, having been infected with the AIDS virus from a blood transfusion during his second heart bypass operation. President Clinton later posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and ESPN established the Arthur Ashe Courage Award as part of its annual ESPY Awards. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We all have heroes in our lives. Individuals who quietly fight for what’s right. Individuals like Arthur Ashe demonstrate by their actions that we can rise above the challenges of our past, racial bias, even issues of health, to act courageously and with dignity. So, yes, maybe Arthur Ashe was offering me more than a comment on my driving, which is why I constantly ask myself, “Do you know where you’re going?”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">In my book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Matanzas-Quint-Mitchell-Mystery-ebook/dp/B004TNGO8Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303061638&sr=1-1">Matanzas Bay</a>, </i><span style="font-style: normal;">private eye Quint Mitchell is a man readers can respect. He always tries to do the right thing, and he definitely knows where he’s going. Try it, you’ll like it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-47254698795023130562011-07-21T06:45:00.000-07:002011-07-21T07:41:54.250-07:00The Music Won't WaitMost writers began telling their own stories because they loved to read. I wasn't any different. Grew up reading everything I could put my hands on, and I have my father to thank for that. He loved to read and I followed his lead early and often.<div><br /></div><div>Dad taught me a lot of things, but I didn't share his other talents. He was a whiz of a carpenter, building a beautiful family room on our South Florida home. He had a knack for knowing how things worked and how to fix them when they broke. I'm so inept, my wife had to explain which end of a hammer to use.</div><div><br /></div><div>Dad also had a pretty fair singing voice, while I couldn't carry a tune in a wheelbarrow. Not that he would have given Pavarotti any competition, but he could belt out a song, impressing his friends and family. </div><div><br /></div><div>One thing dad couldn't do was play the piano. I remember him sharing that secret wish one day, and telling me he was going to get around to it before he was too old. Dad didn't usually share his feelings except when my brother or me made him mad. Then he let us know how he felt — big time. But he surprised me when he said he wanted to write songs and jingles, and thought playing the piano was the first step in the process. Words and music rattled around in his head, and he was convinced if he could play the music, the songs would come to life for him.</div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps it was all a dream, but we'll never know. </div><div><br /></div><div>Dad waited until he had a heart attack before he bought an old stand-up piano. I recall visiting him and seeing the piano sitting in a corner of the family room. He said he was going to hire a teacher and learn to play as soon as he felt a little better. And he did. He'd just started his lessons when a second heart attack ended his dreams and his life at the young age of 52.</div><div><br /></div><div>That was forty years ago this summer, but I often think about my dad and his unfulfilled dreams. We spend our lives working, raising a family. We pay bills, go on vacations, and back to work. It seems like we're waiting for some divine signal to start our real lives, putting off our dreams until the time is right.</div><div><br /></div><div>"When the kids graduate, we can travel."</div><div><br /></div><div>"When I pay off the mortgage, I'm going to write that book."</div><div><br /></div><div>"When I retire, I'll learn to play the piano." </div><div><br /></div><div>I've told my sons the story of my father and his piano dreams. Told them not to delay pursuing their passions because when it comes to how long we'll be around, we're not our own timekeepers. </div><div><br /></div><div>Go ahead, play the piano and write your songs while the rhythm of life surges.</div><div><br /></div><div>The music won't wait.</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58s3reMdkDIZV8Ctms8e-bfXI2gQ6wtm4XThibd7QIi8vFuDuvDZbE6hbIrxf9lhy-PewQXbaUfMLiEuGp3aLySGQMZagRUiAs6PvBDNsIXJ2tK3R7p_GiOFrOpTmBR_VWs8UP5PsTF3R/s200/Matanzas-Bay_cvr1.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631814884470841138" /></div><div>(See how I made one of my dreams come true with my newest book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Matanzas-Quint-Mitchell-Mystery-ebook/dp/B004TNGO8Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303061638&sr=1-1">MATANZAS BAY</a>)</div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-78557507370219218452011-07-07T12:23:00.000-07:002011-07-07T12:51:35.061-07:00How Hard Are You Working?Every writer jumps into the publishing pool with dreams of making a major splash. We might work at a book for years, believing the payoff will come as soon as we see the book in print. Never mind that we haven't been paid a single cent for those many hours we've invested, our dreams are driving us forward.<div><br /></div><div>And dreams are good to have, but reality tells us that most books never sell enough copies to compensate the author for the investment he or she has made. Still, the times they are a'changin', as Bob Dylan reminded us so many years ago. So we shouldn't be satisfied with small dreams. Last month, Amazon.com announced that <a href="http://donovancreed.com/">John Locke</a> was the first self-published author to sell more than one million Kindle downloads. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, self-published isn't a dirty word anymore because independently published authors are making serious money. But it still involves creating and working your marketing plan, continuing to work daily on self-promotion and building a buzz for your book. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm curious what has worked for you. Social media like Facebook and Twitter? Guest blogging? Or the old-fashioned newspaper review like <a href="http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/literature/2011-07-03/story/oldest-city-stars-new-mystery-local-author">this one</a> in <i>The Florida Times-Union</i> for <i>Matanzas Bay</i>. Or Karen Harvey's <a href="http://staugustine.com/entertainment/arts/2011-06-20/%E2%80%98matanzas-bay%E2%80%99">kind review</a> in <i>The St. Augustine Record</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's share our secrets and keep our dreams alive.</div><div><br /></div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-3433552528097172392011-05-11T07:12:00.000-07:002011-05-11T07:57:16.848-07:00The Future is NowIt's a new day for authors and publishers. Everything we've learned has been flipped upside down. Traditional publishing calls for months, maybe years, of querying agents and publishers. Living and learning from rejections, continue writing to improve until the big day when finally signing a publishing contract. Then it might take another two years before your book is released. <div><br /></div><div>The publishing house was in control of it all, from cover art to title, and, of course, keeping most of the sales revenue. Contrast that with how things have changed with epublishing. Today's independent publisher/author uses epublishing platforms to add their books to digital library shelves within days, while controlling the creative and business processes. It is a new day.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Matanzas Bay</i></b> was launched as an ebook for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Matanzas-Quint-Mitchell-Mystery-ebook/dp/B004TNGO8Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303061638&sr=1-1">Kindle</a> and <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Matanzas-Bay/Parker-Francis/e/2940012316172/?itm=1&USRI=matanzas+bay">Nook</a> about two months ago. Sales have moved briskly, particularly for Amazon.com's Kindle, which controls about 70% of ebook sales. My alter ego, Parker Francis, has been helped by guest blog interviews, such as Jerome Parisse's <a href="http://alivewithwords.com/2011/04/23/francis-parker-%E2%80%9Cmatanzas-bay%E2%80%9D/">Alive with Words</a>, and Nancy Quatrano's, <a href="http://nquatrano.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/meet-the-author-vic-digenti/">Faith, Hope and Grace</a>. And I was a guest on <i>First Coast Connect</i>, an interview program hosted by Melissa Ross of WJCT-FM. Listen to the interview here: </div><div> </div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dze_WU78QPBdoPUlP_4ZfO3ZGWkQhNeZTKGKVzeGVQOW1yg8kN3gxScT6YKr_94MxDL5dt17Gvk5guLIGUm' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><div><br /></div><div>The final bit of news is equally as exciting—the print books are now available. You may order them from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Matanzas-Bay-Parker-Francis/dp/0983433615/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1303061638&sr=1-1">Amazon.com</a>, <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Matanzas-Bay/Parker-Francis/e/9780983433613/?itm=2">BarnesandNoble.com</a> or ask for them at your favorite bookstore. Or contact me for an autographed copy. If you're in the NE Florida area, Parker Francis is the featured author at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library on Monday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m. It's rumored that he will have books with him. Hope to see you there.</div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-71679439174678007662011-04-16T08:36:00.001-07:002011-04-16T09:45:23.173-07:00Let's ConferenceI spent last weekend in Ft. Walton Beach at the Emerald Coast Writers Conference. I've attended a number of conferences through the years. The annual <a href="http://www.floridawriters.net/2011_FWA_Conference.html">Florida Writers Association Conference</a> each October in Lake Mary, Florida is one of the better ones, and the entire schedule is now online. Other conferences I've attended have taken me to Wilmington, NC (<a href="http://www.capefearcrimefestival2.com/Home_Page.html">Cape Fear Crime Festival</a>), <a href="http://www.mwaflorida.org/sleuthfest.htm">SleuthFest</a> in S. Florida, to several conferences of the <a href="http://www.catwriters.org/">Cat Writers Association</a>, one in Dallas and another in San Francisco. Good times there.<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.emeraldcoastwriters.org/">The Emerald Coast Conference</a> was a first for me. It was intimate, right on the beach, and I met one of my favorite authors, James W. Hall. In his keynote talk, Hall told about how he got his start with the Thorn novels. He hadn't intended for Thorn to be a series after he wrote and sold the first one. In fact, he was 150 pages into his second novel when his agent told him he'd make a lot more money if he continued with Thorn as his protagonist. He tried to tell the agent that his new work wasn't about Thorn and he wasn't interested in making more money. Can you believe it? Hall told us that to show how naive he was as a young writer. Of course, the agent convinced him it would be foolish to leave money on the table when all he had to do was change the name of his lead character.</div><div><br /></div><div>Considering how successful he's been with that series, I'd say he made a good decision.</div><div><br /></div><div>Conferences can play a valuable role for authors of all stripes. When you're just starting out, they are a way to learn from more experienced writers through the craft workshops. They're also a great networking venue, and a way to meet and pitch to agents and editors. Many writers have found their agents at a writers conference. As published authors, conferences offer exposure and book sales, although these tend to be limited unless your name is on the bestseller list. </div><div><br /></div><div>One excellent conference I'm involved with is the <a href="http://www.unfwritersconference.com/">UNF Writers Conference</a> August 5 - 7. UNF, the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, has partnered with FWA to present this conference for the past three years. It is unique in several ways. The first day, Friday, August 5, offers a full day of <a href="http://unfwritersconference.com/fridayworkshops.html">exceptional workshops</a> ranging from writing the query letter to writing dialogue, from converting your book to a screenplay to writing the YA novel. Saturday and Sunday offers a slate of comprehensive critique workshops in most genres, including general fiction, general non-fiction, screenwriting, and children's books. This year we've added poetry, romance, science fiction/fantasy, and a workshop for teen writers.</div><div><br /></div><div>But that's not all. The conference ends on Sunday with a four-hour workshop on ePublishing. You'll hear from people who have insider knowledge on cover art, marketing, formatting, etc. It's an amazing value for the registration fee, plus there's the Pitch Book—an opportunity to have your logline included in a compilation to be sent to agents, editors and film producers. </div><div><br /></div><div>So visit the <a href="http://www.unfwritersconference.com/">conference website</a> for details. And while you're there, check out the <a href="http://unfwritersconference.wordpress.com/">conference blog</a> highlighting some unknown author named Parker Francis.</div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-80235285411782609422011-04-07T09:05:00.000-07:002011-04-07T09:50:27.294-07:00Book Launch NewsLaunching a new book may not be on a par with launching a NASA rocket, but it sure has kept me busy. I'm new at this independent publishing business, and learning as I go. What I've learned so far is that more and more readers are climbing aboard the ebook train.<div><br /></div><div>While I've heard from some folks asking when the print books would be available, I've heard from many more who have downloaded <i>Matanzas Bay</i> to their <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Matanzas-Quint-Mitchell-Mystery-ebook/dp/B004TNGO8Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1302194151&sr=1-1">Kindle</a> or <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Matanzas-Bay/Parker-Francis/e/2940012316172/?itm=1&USRI=matanzas+bay">Nook</a>. A true story, I walked into my local YMCA the other day, presenting my membership card to Mary Ann behind the counter. She greeted me with a big smile, saying, "I bought your book." She then proceeded to pull her Kindle out of her purse, turn it on and open <i>Matanzas Bay</i> to the page she was reading. "See," she said. "I love my Kindle."</div><div><br /></div><div>Every author loves to hear from their readers. And instant gratification like Mary Ann's is fantastic. </div><div><br /></div><div>What else is new? <a href="http://www.floridabooknews.com/2011/04/matanzas-bay-by-parker-francis.html">Florida Book News</a> announced the publication of <i>Matanzas Bay </i>earlier this week. Then Kent Holloway, publisher of <a href="http://www.sevenrealmspublishing.com/">Seven Realms Publishing</a>, was kind enough to interview me for his blog, <a href="http://kenthollowayonline.blogspot.com/2011/04/let-me-introduce-you-tovictor-digenti.html">Kent Holloway Online</a>. And today, I found myself spotlighted on the <a href="http://unfwritersconference.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/kudos-to-victor-digenti-and-matanzas-bay/">UNF Writers Conference Blog</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Pretty heady stuff. Still there's a lot to be done, including working on the second Quint Mitchell Mystery, <i>Bring Down the Furies</i>. Did I tell you I included the prologue and first chapter of that book with <i>Matanzas Bay? </i>So when you purchase it either for your Kindle or Nook, you'll be able to preview the next book in the series.</div><div><br /></div><div>Stay tuned for more launch news.</div><div><br /></div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-31287910427749127472011-03-29T08:57:00.000-07:002011-03-29T09:44:31.509-07:00Read Matanzas Bay Now!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHBp_4Ugl1U1lBqgSeObZzh8dkgluXBp5JEXv6ARmyDggguNYB1Pf8ea_uVzOd7JGwkMQJ8oz92mHG7dM3jtfbdNAJWSJPNUKImP8ljL40P7QW7Z2J4ZKlHxqrFSMVADAnWtdqJqnFqwSS/s1600/Matanzas-Bay_cvr1.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHBp_4Ugl1U1lBqgSeObZzh8dkgluXBp5JEXv6ARmyDggguNYB1Pf8ea_uVzOd7JGwkMQJ8oz92mHG7dM3jtfbdNAJWSJPNUKImP8ljL40P7QW7Z2J4ZKlHxqrFSMVADAnWtdqJqnFqwSS/s200/Matanzas-Bay_cvr1.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589533740105389378" /></a><br />If you saw the lead on my home page, you know the cat is out of the bag and my long-awaited mystery novel, MATANZAS BAY, is now available to eBook readers. Take a look at the cover and you instantly get the feel that something is amiss in the nation's oldest city. You might think it's the name of the author. Who is this Parker Francis? you ask. As blogged last week, that's my newest persona, a pen name under which you'll find the Quint Mitchell Mystery series and a short story collection to follow soon.<div><br /></div><div>MATANZAS BAY has had a long gestation period, undergoing countless rewrites and winning two major awards as an unpublished manuscript. Now you can read about the nasty doings in St. Augustine for yourself. Download MATANZAS BAY to your Kindle by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Matanzas-Quint-Mitchell-Mystery-ebook/dp/B004TNGO8Q/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301409032&sr=1-2">clicking here</a>, or to the Nook from the <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Matanzas-Bay/Parker-Francis/e/2940012316172/?itm=1&USRI=matanzas+bay">Barnes & Noble catalog</a>. And for a limited time, the price is only $2.99. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's the book description: When PI Quint Mitchell volunteered to help with an archaeological survey in St. Augustine, he didn't count on digging up a murder victim. In the nation's oldest city, Mitchell discovers links to ancient sins, comes face to face with his own past, and unleashes powerful forces that will do anything to keep their secrets — even if it means taking his life.</div><div><br /></div><div>The eBook also contains the prologue and first chapter of the second Quint Mitchell Mystery, BRING DOWN THE FURIES, hopefully available by the end of the year. Let me know how you like it.</div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-29559171104719652002011-03-22T03:54:00.000-07:002011-03-22T09:05:08.361-07:00Sleuthing Out the MysteryMystery readers live vicariously inside the pages of the fictional world an author spins for them. The reader is able to tag along as the sleuth tackles the bad guys, butts heads with clueless cops, ferrets out clues, and finally solves the case. <div><br /></div><div>Whether it's a cozy like Elaine Viets' <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=mystery+shopper+series&x=0&y=0">Mystery Shopper Series</a>, or the hard-boiled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_44?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=michael+connelly+harry+bosch+series+in+order&x=0&y=0&sprefix=michael+connelly+harry+bosch+series+in+order">Harry Bosch mysteries</a> of Michael Connelly, the mystery has always fascinated readers. Even while I was writing my adventure/fantasy <b><i>Windrusher</i></b> series, I kept reading mysteries. In my second Windrusher adventure, <b><i>Windrusher and the Cave of Tho-hoth</i></b>, I introduced a private </div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixCe3-BdFKxBnC0akhd25S4mN8BQYTPXH_8eZIZ_VOPMK_tSauqbMCZJRbRDPz_N5k3Ith0xzAlTWc_QlLt3aqshPSN7Oo4QR6Bx29PdlS-3KOrUoA6cn2NCGdQr-CwfCDrbyxzd6Ljqp/s200/WindrusherCave_2inch.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586923150447069106" /><div>detective named Quint Mitchell who helped the Trembles track down their stolen cat. As I was fleshing out Quint's character, I provided him with an interest in archaeology dating back to his college days. A "what if" idea popped up in which Quint unearthed a murder victim while volunteering on a dig in St. Augustine. As writers do, I made a few notes about the scenario before returning to complete Cave of Tho-hoth.</div><div><br /></div><div>That little <i>what if</i> moment cascaded into a 4-year project in which I wrote and rewrote <b><i>MATANZAS BAY <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">multiple times, entered it into several competitions, and tried to find a publisher. The novel won the 2007 Josiah W. Bancroft Sr. Award and was named a Book of the Year in the 2009 Royal Palm Literary Competition. This win allowed me to hook up with an agent, but after a year of sleuthing, she wasn't any more successful than I was.</span></span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Now the time has come to take the step so many other authors are taking and self-publish </span></span></i></b><b><i>MATANZAS BAY<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">. If you've kept up with the rapidly changing publishing world, you know that ebooks have grown into a major force in the marketplace. Previously rejected and unpublished authors like <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tonya-plank/meet-mega-bestselling-ind_b_804685.html">Amanda Hocking</a> are making huge waves, selling tens of thousands of books, and raking in big money on the strength of their ebook sales.</span></span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">And it's been recently reported that bestselling thriller author <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=barry+eisler&x=0&y=0">Barry Eisler</a> turned down a $500,000 advance to ePublish his next <b><i>Rain</i></b> novel. Eisler believes that traditional publishing will soon be a niche business dealing in paper books, while ePublishing is the wave of the future. Hocking, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=john+locke&x=0&y=0#/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=J.+A.+Konrath&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3AJ.+A.+Konrath">J. A. Konrath</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=john+locke&x=0&y=0#/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Stephen+Leather&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3AStephen+Leather">Stephen Leather</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=john+locke&x=0&y=0#/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=L.+J+Sellers&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3AL.+J+Sellers">L. J Sellers</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=john+locke&x=0&y=0">John Locke</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Selena-Kitt/e/B002BOF8LY">Selena Kitt</a> are only a few of the many independent authors who have struck gold in the digital mine fields. </span></span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">As I wrote in my last post, </span></span></i></b><b><i>MATANZAS BAY </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">will be coming to Kindle and Nook platforms very soon under the pen name Parker Francis. I'll report on the progress of the book launch in future posts. </span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Stay tuned and wish me luck.</span></b></div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-31716757608580188602011-03-03T07:12:00.000-08:002011-03-03T07:57:42.627-08:00A Pen Name By Any Other Name ...Writers have adopted pen names almost since Gutenberg made books available to the masses. Emily Bronte once wrote as Ellis Bell, her sister Charlotte as Currer Bell. Among Washington Irving's many pen names was Jonathan Oldstyle. And you may know Josef Teodor Korzeniowski better under his pen name of Joseph Conrad.<div><br /></div><div>Most everyone knows that Stephen King wrote as Richard Bachman, and that Nora Roberts writes as J. D. Robb. The Ed McBain mysteries were penned by Evan Hunter, who was born as Salvatore A. Lombino. The list goes on and on, and you can find a long Wikipedia list <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pseudonyms">here</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Writers assume pen names for different reasons, the most common might be to not confuse an audience of readers when the author begins a totally different series. One extreme example might be a successful children's author deciding to write erotica. It could happen. Others might feel their real name is too ethnic or difficult to pronounce, as with Joseph Conrad or Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum, aka Ayn Rand.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>All of this musing comes from my decision to publish my mystery/suspense novel, <b>Matanzas Bay</b> under the pen name of Parker Francis. The name has some family connections, but it was done to keep these adult mysteries separate from my Windrusher books, which have a wide audience of young adults. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Upcoming posts will unveil more details about <b>Matanzas Bay</b>, the release date, and perhaps a sneak preview of the cover.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let me hear your thoughts on pen names and some of your favorites.</div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-57186326458858393192011-02-20T03:47:00.000-08:002011-02-20T03:55:40.222-08:00Getting the Words Right<p class="MsoNormal">Writers know the importance—and frustration—of, as Hemingway put it, “getting the words right.” We labor over our manuscripts, writing and revising, sometimes not knowing if we’re on the right path. With more and more people writing and publishing today, we still find too many books lacking the necessary ingredients to hook the reader and keep them turning pages. </p><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 110px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggnlCaBJ21kBAVsDCkLb1MHXtSUW0SDGMAsfWq0zoa1_xWRHHX8O69Eqwe_ry4asNzNuYmvfQaXAhs9hiZspIfiRh88AxMzjemqns0w1d-Tg5qZYUOcPvcvyEbkc-ROEy_HoIYrEn-HU6i/s200/great-beginnings_sm_cvr1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575738025087454850" /><p class="MsoNormal">After years of conducting writing workshops, I’ve put some of this knowledge into the form of a series of Craft of Writing booklets filled with proven techniques and helpful tips. The booklets will help you set that narrative hook with a great beginning, discover solutions to meandering middles and unsatisfying endings, write engaging scenes that move the story forward, create compelling characters, spicy dialogue, and learn strategies for revision. Each booklet is only $6.00 available by clicking on this link,</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://windrusher.com/other-works/the-writers-corner/#order_info">http://</a><a href="http://windrusher.com/other-works/the-writers-corner/#order_info">windrusher.com/other-works/the-writers-corner/#order_info</a>. On that page you’ll also find an archive of a dozen articles taken from my columns in <i>The Florida Writer</i><span style="font-style:normal">.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">While it’s an uphill climb to publishing success, getting the words right is the first big step. Enjoy the journey.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-67043701162897439832010-12-03T08:53:00.000-08:002010-12-03T09:07:28.115-08:00Conferences & WorkshopsI've been involved with producing numerous writers' conferences and workshops over the past six years. I've also attended so many I've lost count, as well as presented my share of workshops. It strikes me that both are good ways to stay connected with the writing community, to polish our craft and add key individuals to our network of supporters. <div><br /></div><div>Maybe you're one of those writers who found an agent or publisher at a conference. Or made a key contact that led to getting published. Or learned how to write more effective dialogue or scene structure at a workshop. All of this and more can happen when writers attend workshops and conferences with open minds and positive attitudes. </div><div><br /></div><div>When you become published, you'll also be invited to participate at conferences, which is always a big ego boost, as well as another opportunity to sell books. Of course, there comes a time when we have to decide if our time is more valuably spent staying home and writing or attending conferences. </div><div><br /></div><div>Let me know if you have a conference success story to share. Now I have to go back to planning the workshops for next year's UNF Writers Conference.</div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-31945931636037998282010-10-27T08:18:00.000-07:002010-10-27T09:05:55.466-07:00A Good WeekIt was indeed a good week. It began with my publisher informing me that <i><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 158px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg53O7ocQuIqMOeCqAbxX9PDID7_-k9RZtDcqQ7M4ZOjPuRLxK9BkYS8BkTNCA7_3bKsFhj5r01WvXGhZfHqoQQPSD25gIEJ44dN0xu0FlujlfS1SSG7_oxCoq5Ia1sQyGx_zOtzgZt5TT/s200/FPA+Silver+Medal.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532751788040809810" />Windrusher and the Trail of Fire</i> had won a Silver Medal in the Florida Publishers Association's annual President's Book Competition. This was indeed good news. On my way to the Florida Writers Association 9th Annual Florida Writers Conference Wednesday, I stopped by the Flagler Beach offices of Ocean Publishing and publisher Frank Gromling presented me with the medal. <div><br /></div><div>After grinning through this photo session, I continued on to Lake Mary, just east of Orlando, for the FWA conference which lasted through Sunday afternoon. It was a busy four days, starting with a presentation of my Novel in A Day workshop on Thursday, moderating the agents and publishers' panel on Friday, and presenting another writing workshop on Saturday. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><div>The FWA Conference was one of the best ever, and I've attended seven of the nine. This year's attracted 420 writers from multiple states. The highlight was the Royal Palm Literary Awards (RPLA) banquet Saturday night where over 350 people were treated to an inspiring talk by award-winning military historian , Carlo D'Este, author of <i>Patton: A Genius for War</i> and <i>Eisenhower: A Soldier's Life </i>among others. Carlo was good, but we all looked forward to learning the winners of the RPLA. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>As a Regional Director and Board member of FWA, it's been my pleasure to participate in the growth of the organization that began just 9 years ago with only 7 members and now is approaching 1,200 members. The Northeast Florida region, which I oversee, was well represented in the awards ceremony, taking home 21 separate awards, including Book of the Year in the Unpublished category. Those of you who have followed my writing career may recall that my mystery, <i>Matanzas Bay</i>, took Book of the Year honors last year. I was happy to learn my short story, <i>The Day Hemingway Died</i>, took second place in the published category. The story first appeared in <i>The Flagler Review</i>, Flagler College's literary magazine. You can read the first few pages of the story by clicking on the Other Works button at the top of my web pages. Or just <a href="http://windrusher.com/other-works/the-day-hemingway-died/">click here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let me hear from you if you've had a good week, like making the <i>New York Times</i> Bestseller list, for example.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-13305573782067867362010-10-11T11:11:00.000-07:002010-10-12T06:33:00.663-07:00Sergio's StoryThis blog post was supposed to be a celebration of my new and improved website finally going live. You can view it as usual at www.windrusher.com. When you do, click on <a href="http://windrusher.com/about-the-author/">Author Bio</a> and scroll down to the photo of Sergio licking my head. We only added this photo last week along with a new page of Vic's Cats. <div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjow8_tTZms8Y86q5mw3WmjIGtqTSXWa1roQCf6pkwqVVEfvxKUAf-7HGH6omjSPtrpVwGAP7ESVe9ZJYuNeyPq4i-xcDUVQeFAFYXgVpghAhs5bqESazrziY0NP2N9orxcb-vANRMyoRgJ/s200/kitty_Sergio_405635120_digenti_08.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526855235630075010" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Even as I added the photo, I knew Sergio was no longer the playful and energetic kitty he was when that photo was taken a few years back. Just two months ago, Sergio was diagnosed with the beginnings of kidney failure. We put him on a special diet and gave him lots of love. You can see by the postscript I added that Sergio lost his battle with the disease and now joins seven other cats in our book of memories.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sergio was a neighborhood stray, growing up feral like many of our adopted cats. He came to us and we fed him. Eventually we had him trapped and neutered. The plan was to return him to our front yard since we already had a houseful of cats. First we sequestered him in a bedroom until he healed from the surgery. But somewhere along the line, we decided to keep Sergio (as we named him) and introduce him to his new family of brothers and sisters. There was Satchmo, Rocco, Sami, Gage and Sasha. Unlike these other rescues, Sergio wasn't ready to be a house cat. He spent all his time hiding under a bed. We figured he'd eventually come out and join the others, but he didn't. And he wasn't eating. The poor cat was obviously miserable inside and my wife decided it was best to return Sergio to the outdoors where we found him. So about two weeks after we brought him in, she opened a window in the bedroom and he scampered out.</div><div><br /></div><div>A funny thing happened, though. Sergio kept returning to our front door, and we kept feeding him. After many months, he allowed us to pet him without running. This went on for more months while we made friends with this stubbornly-resistent outdoor cat. We eventually got him in the house only to have him scurry under the bed again. My wife and I looked at one another, thinking, "Here we go again." But this stage lasted only a day or two ending when my wife entered the bedroom to find Sergio not under the bed but on top of it. He looked at her as if to say, "What? Isn't this where I belong?"</div><div><br /></div><div>Sergio was now part of the household, and a fully socialized kitty. He proved to be one of the sweetest boys we've had, never giving us any trouble. Fast-forward twelve years. We awoke yesterday morning to find Sergio in bed with us, something he never did. Was he saying goodbye as a friend suggested? Perhaps, but yesterday we said goodbye to him after the vet informed us his kidneys had shut down completely. Goodbye Sergio, and to the 12 years of friendship and good spirits you brought to our household.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'd like to think he would have enjoyed seeing his picture on my website, and remembered fondly the times he licked my head while I sat there reading or watching television. I know I will.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-45671554116370688942010-09-30T08:21:00.001-07:002010-10-12T09:09:02.377-07:00New WebsiteWe're making progress with the new website and hope to go "live" shortly. Thanks for your patience. I did want you to know that I've added a new feature that will spotlight Windrusher's fans. You can be part of it by sending me a JPG photo of you and your cat reading or displaying one of my books. Well, unless your cat is extra-cerebral, you'll be reading the book and your cat will be watching you for any sudden movements – like reaching into your pocket for a yummy tuna treat. Send your photos to me at victor@windrusher.com.<div><br /></div><div>And speaking of photos, while updating my page of photos of our cats for the new website, I came across this one of Gage, who passed on some years ago. As I was writing the first </div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 116px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoaSDoFOivFr6uOeSOaPkvuNIw3AcvGud7g9LAniwcsQwhbUUUzawmMRbJjqJEMSBaIzbXddwUm961fMX-HQM6udVpnwZn2x6TRbcsrOGRveuqM0js89XldnybQGyhOsCFEWHHTr6xoSR/s200/Gage.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522730700271515202" /><div><i>Windrusher</i> adventure, I used Gage as my model for Lil One. She was a true Wetlos, though a lovable one. We would crack up</div><div>at her antics like sitting and staring skywards as if a squadron </div><div>of invisible mice was marching across the ceiling. At other times, she enjoyed chasing his tail, though didn't seem to know what to do with it once he caught it. We miss Gage and still speak fondly of her. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm sure you have wonderful memories of your old friends.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-33707895479911787982010-09-13T14:34:00.000-07:002010-09-13T15:13:00.791-07:00What's Going On?Did you know there was a revolution going on? Not the shooting wars in Africa and elsewhere, but one that's affecting everyone who reads. I'm referring to the e-revolution turning books into digital files.<div><br /></div><div>How many of you have already joined the revolution? Do you have a Kindle or an iPad? How about a Nook or Sony Reader? These are the top four right now, with Amazon's Kindle and Apple's iPad leading the way—in a big way. Apple recently announced they had topped the 3 million mark for iPad sales while Amazon has lowered the price of the Kindle several times to stay competitive with the other e-readers.</div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe you think, as I once did, that this was a passing trend. Who would want to read from a screen when they had the option of holding a real book in their hands, feel the weight and texture of the pages? Certainly, there will always be "real" books we can hold and pages to turn, but the publishing industry is learning some hard lessons the music industry learned several years back when the iPod and iTunes turned that industry on its head. Remember all those music stores? Coconuts, FlipSide, Tower Records, Musicland, Sam Goody? All gone.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Association of American Publishers announced recently that sales of adult hardcover books for June were down almost 14 percent, while ebook sales were up an incredible <b>119 percent</b>. Amazon recently reported that for every 100 hardcover books sold in June they sold 180 Kindle books. Authors Charlaine Harris, Stephanie Meyer, James Patters and Nora Roberts have each sold more than half-a-million books, and Stieg Larsson, author of the Millennium series that started wit<i>h The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,</i> has become the first author to sell over one million Kindle books. Unfortunately, he's dead and can't enjoy the fruits of his labors.</div><div><br /></div><div>Which brings me back to my original question—did you know there was a revolution going on, and are you part of it? Each of my <i>Windrusher</i> books are available as Kindle downloads, but I have no idea how many people are taking advantage of this. Let me know if you own one of these devices and if you've downloaded any of the <i>Windrusher</i> books. As for me, I don't own a dedicated e-reader, though I do have several books loaded onto my iPod Touch. I am considering either the Kindle or iPad. What are your recommendations?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%;mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><br /></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-76506803063819617762010-09-02T11:30:00.000-07:002010-09-04T02:59:42.366-07:00Something borrowed, something new<div>If you've gone to my website in recent days you saw the Under Construction sign. After six years of pretending I knew what I was doing, I've turned the job over to a brilliant graphic designer and website professional. I may not be totally objective since he's my son, but I'm confident the results will be a great improvement over my haphazard attempts. </div><div><br /></div><div>Below the Under Construction sign is an invitation to visit my Blog. I accepted that invitation and realized I hadn't added a new post in over a year. Chalk it up to my innate laziness, though I prefer to call it exhaustion caused by excessive multi-tasking. The truth is that last year I switched to sending out a monthly e-newsletter to my readers, but it got me to thinking about what authors do to keep their name alive in the minds of their readers. It reminded me of Billy Joel's song, <em>The Entertainer</em>. In his plaintive testament to the price of fame, he wails, </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>But if I go cold, I won't be sold. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I'll get put in the back in the discount rack </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>like another can of beans</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Most authors I know may not be able to relate to Billy Joel's fame, but we certainly understand his message. Before my first <i>Windrusher</i> book was published in 2004, I attended a writer's conference and heard one author say "a book had the shelf life of a banana." If those black-spotted fruit in my kitchen are any indication, that means they won't be around as long as that can of beans. </div><div><br /></div><div>Which brings me back to my first blog post since February of 2009. With my new website, I promise to make a renewed effort to post regularly, speaking on all things writerly, on the changes in the publishing industry, and introducing you to other authors. And I'd love to hear from you. Offer me your insights, suggestions, comments. preferably written on the back of a ten dollar bill, but please respond either way. It's a brave new world out there for authors and book lovers. Let's enjoy it together.</div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-27752293169176851422009-02-09T11:55:00.000-08:002009-02-09T12:49:41.850-08:00The future is nowHave you heard the news? <div><br /></div><div>Books are on their way out. Yes, that's what many "experts" are saying as the nation's economic bellyflop and technology threaten to turn our treasured books into the latest version of the 8-track tape. </div><div><br /></div><div>Progress grinds on whether we like it or not, and for the most part we're better off with those gadgets that have changed our lives, if not made them better. It's inconceivable to think about living without computers, cellphones, and the host of devices that we take for granted these days.</div><div><br /></div><div>But books going the way of the rotary dial telephone? It's possible. Look at the music industry and you can see an eerie similarity in what might happen to the publishing industry. Those big, expensive stereo systems have given way to iPod speakers, and CD sales are in the toilet since the digital download came along.</div><div><br /></div><div>Many people are predicting the same downward trajectory for books. One literary agent at last November's Florida Writers Association conference boldly predicted that 90% of all books sold ten years from now would be eBooks. </div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 176px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8GyIwrBveFdSLN3VzfrJ-V0dp1AOo6Zadr_Iv9GV89UqVgMROV1MgDJiid1RTKKfdli6B_LjwlZkELqT7_kiC4fDTiKACPlb0IIOOysohatNT3VqcldUqIhS9XSQP6vkZsn6YBw939V4/s200/amazon_kindle_reading.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300899964484530386" /><div>That may seem a bit over the top, but major publishers were already feeling the pinch of an unwieldy and inefficient system before the current recession led to layoffs, budget freezes and cutbacks.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today, Amazon.com unveiled the Kindle2, the next generation in the e-revolution. The device is slimmer, will hold 1,500 books</div><div>(do you think that's enough?) and will even read to you if you want to rest your eyes. All for only $359. But you can bet the prices will drop as more and more companies roll out their own versions of the eBook reader. </div><div><br /></div><div>Those of us who cherish the printed word and are never far from an actual book with real pages, can only hope that there will always be libraries and book stores to serve our interests. After all, my 8-track still serves me well.</div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-21227295745127110932008-12-23T09:14:00.000-08:002008-12-23T09:39:06.230-08:00Happy Ho Ho Ho<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWo84sYlMcEvVKElSg_em1MSYigBQIHsbCLy-g5hppMFnwQSLpJ_8XuG77Ud6PDx2kNkCtJNAZhJk1GLCFcTMDbb2qBNoVdvRVQXMoMBFrOm8XQlK1osBnFxiq673W4iCWCCBljeWs7JHW/s1600-h/santa_cat.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWo84sYlMcEvVKElSg_em1MSYigBQIHsbCLy-g5hppMFnwQSLpJ_8XuG77Ud6PDx2kNkCtJNAZhJk1GLCFcTMDbb2qBNoVdvRVQXMoMBFrOm8XQlK1osBnFxiq673W4iCWCCBljeWs7JHW/s200/santa_cat.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283038200320343602" /></a><br />That tal guy wit da funee whiskas is sleepng in today afta late night of catnipping. He woke only to dress me iN silly suit nd sit me in front of the compUtah. <div><br /></div><div>"Now's you chance to act like an aruthr," he tole me. "You always want to till story in ur words anyway, so go head and write soMethin in my blug--if u can."</div><div><br /></div><div>O somthin lik dat. I wasnT listn. He dint think i cud do it, but what's so hrd bOut ths typin stff?? </div><div><br /></div><div>I did wnt to thnk hM for tellng my last story bouT the fire. That was hot stff, and evry wrd was tru--xcpt the prts he made up. IF u hvnt red TRAIL UV FIRE yet, wht u waitn for?? Science Diet dsnt grow on trees.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sorry, gut cAreed a--way. But guy wit whiskas says he'l b bck afta the holidays. and i thnk its time fr a nap mysef, so thnks to evryonE whu bot and red advntres of me--WINDRUSHER--an hope youhav happy holidays.</div><div><br /></div><div>See, no problm wIt wrtng blug. pieece of tuna.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yurs trudy. </div><div>Windrusher (not Tony)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-74824932516265512542008-12-04T12:17:00.000-08:002008-12-04T13:14:08.750-08:00A winning time of yearNovember turned out to be one of those non-stop months where every moment seemed filled beyond capacity. Each weekend found me in a different place hustling books, speaking at conferences and introducing Windrusher to lots of new readers. It began in Atlanta with the Cotton States Cat Show, one of the country's biggest. Then moved to Jacksonville the next weekend for a 2-day arts and crafts show where we had a writer's tent. <div><br /></div><div>After barely catching my breath, I drove to Lake Mary for the 7th Annual Florida Writers Association Conference and presented two writing workshops, moderated the editors and publishers panel, and attended the Royal Palm Literary Awards banquet. I was among a dozen or more NE Florida writers who took home awards. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Windrusher and the Trail of Fire</span> won 2nd place in the YA fiction category—congratulations to Hank Racer, who took 1st with his book, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">River Rats.</span> This was one of the best writing conferences I've attended.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then it was back to Atlanta the following weekend for the Cat Writers Association Conference. These folks know how to have fun while learning a thing or two about feline health, </div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Z1ylQ-tmghA9RKmC5GrVacS3uiEerEiJow0JEQYsKQEIyFUNtS7icZ7OMz71m1X6PnxmpIEan-sZNluY1vNv-M8yuxcuPinbw6RorgTXBBbvUs4_B5hSCkTZNxw-vBe-4AB6oU_ueSkK/s200/CWA+2008+Muse+Win.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276040533805717090" /><div>writing, and writing about cats. CWA holds an annual competition as well, and I was excited to learn that <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Trail of Fire</span> had won not one, but both of the top awards for fiction. First, it was announced that my third in the series won a </div><div>Muse Medallion, the top award for book-length fiction. One of the judges wrote that, "This author has created an innovative fantasy that is entertaining and inventive. The main character is wonderful: noble, yet humble and dominant, yet gentle and understanding. Great job!" Above, you see the proud author, grinning ear to ear, as he holds up his Muse Medallion. With me is Kim Thornton, one of the presenters at the awards banquet, and another Muse Medallion winner. Thanks to photographer Betsy Stowe for sharing her photo of the joyous occasion.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The competition attracted well over 200 entries covering non-fiction and fiction, and along with the 40 different categories eligible for Muse Medallions, the contest also honored entries with 17 different special awards presented by conference sponsors. I couldn't have been more surprised when they announced that Trail of Fire had been selected as the winner of The World's Best Cat Litter-ary Award, sponsored by, who else, The World's Best Cat Litter. Despite the whimsical name, it's a highly-prized award since it's presented for the outstanding novel, short story, poem or radio/television dramatic script which portrays cats and cat ownership in a positive way. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ruthanne Brockway, a longtime journalist and former editor of the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Fort Worth Star Telegram</span>, was the judge for this category, and she commented, "What distinguishes this book is the smooth pace of the writing. Never too rushed. Never too slow. Always interesting. The author describes a fire and makes the reader feel it, smell it, see it: Wow! That's a page-turner."</div><div><br /></div><div>After the CWA Conference it was back home for Thanksgiving week where we prepared to host a bunch of family for the annual celebration of over-eating. </div><div><br /></div><div>This month will see more activity, but nothing like last month as we prepare to fly across country to share Christmas with our sons, daughter-in-law, and of course, our very special granddaughter who will turn 1 the week before we arrive. In the meantime, I have two book signings lined up in Jacksonville, so if you're looking for a special gift for that cat-lover in your life, let me suggest an award-winning trio of books featuring a heroic cat.</div><div><br /></div><div>Look for me here:</div><div><ul><li>Borders on Southside Boulevard this Saturday, December 6, from noon to 4:00 p.m. </li><li>And at the Barnes & Noble in St. Johns Town Center on Friday, December 12, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. I'd love to see you.<br /></li></ul></div><div>Until then, I hope your days are filled with the love and happiness of the season.<br /></div><div>Vic</div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-19319526060185103222008-10-14T07:06:00.000-07:002008-10-29T14:06:34.870-07:00"Work like you don't need the money...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching." </span></span><div><br /></div><div>Those rules to live by are attributed to the great American baseball player Satchel Paige who took the mound for the last time in 1965 and pitched three shutout innings for the Kansas City Athletics—at the age of 60, if you can believe it. Satchel surely lived by his philosophy—he also once said, "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you." </div><div><br /></div><div>I started thinking about Satchel Paige the other day when my dear wife observed that she thought I was working harder these days than when "I had a real job." As always, I have to admit she's right (there's a reason why our marriage has lasted so long), but it often doesn't seem like work. My days are full, though, especially this fall with the release of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Windrusher and the Trail of Fire</span> and a full schedule of book events. </div><div><div><br /></div><div>In connection with the release of "Wind-3," I'm excited to pass along a new book trailer created by my talented son Greg. It's at the bottom of this post. Let me know what you think about it.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLfz3eiDJE51u8m5QnNFrlkLHZiWR0ncooZ7MRRneJtHHGwaRHZUI44IIxDkoflz5j4dvWf9LJqun_XfNS2loa3uIILiFcPt9NL5cFLy5BI7uJH80AfTkqR_vWWC3dD6PUuXDHf0nb2NQ/s200/vic+digenti+at+yhs+10+3+08.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257082662415492306" /></div><div>Hopefully Satchel Paige will allow me a small look back before I look ahead. Along with several dozen other authors, I participated in the Author in the Schools program as part of the Amelia Island Book Festival. My thanks to Mrs. Brenda Patterson for hosting me during my day at Yulee High School. I had the pleasure of speaking to five English classes and a journalism class where I was the subject of an interview for an article in the school paper. Here I am with Mrs. Patterson's journalism students. </div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqInhV2DO7p-wBhX2nuqXYLwKt9JSKglGMDp8tOGdH8JA8B6P9k4HwlW5YaNcVSzL_OMx5g218eBmC0aHXCwEnxrwWbaw8JjvxOEMSs5DC2b65rd3dwhQKqa2YH7BQPSr-3N_UbULLPJZX/s200/DSC01689.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257077505085527346" /><div><br /></div><div>The next day at the AIBF, I was one of the featured authors and spoke several times as well as participating in the author's luncheon and book signing sessions. This photo by Ron Miller was taken in the bookstore where I was seated next to Peter Post, right, the great grandson of Emily Post. With his back to me is Stephen Noden, one of my newest <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Windrusher</span> fans. Congratulation to all the hard-working volunteers for organizing a terrific event.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you're looking for an autographed copy of any of the three <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Windrushers</span>, you can always order them from my <a href="http://www.windrusher.com/Feedback_Form.html">website</a> and receive two special gifts while supplies last. Or, if you're in the area. you might look for me at one of these upcoming events:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>Friday, October 17 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Ft. Lauderdale Borders, 2240 East Sunrise Blvd.</li><li>Saturday & Sunday, October 18 & 19 at the CFA Cat Show at War Memorial Auditorium, 800 NW 8th Street in Ft. Lauderdale.</li><li>Tuesday, October 21 at 10:00 a.m. at the Belleview Friends of the Library, 6007 SE Earp Street, Belleview, FL.</li><li>Friday, October 24 at 1:00 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library – I'll be speaking to the Sawgrass Women's Club Book Club.</li><li>Saturday & Sunday, November 1 & 2 at the CFA Allbreed Cat Show held at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth, GA. </li><li>November 8 & 9, I'll be part of the FWA Writer's Tent at the Family Art Fest & Salute to the Troops held at Midtown Centre in Jacksonville, FL.</li></ul></div><div>I hope to see some of you at one or the other of my upcoming appearances. And if I could ask a favor, if you've read <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Windrusher and the Trail of Fire</span> and liked it, please go to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Windrusher-Trail-Fire-Victor-DiGenti/dp/0976729199/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224093021&sr=8-1">Amazon.com</a> and write your review for the book. These "unsolicited" testimonials help convince others who might be considering purchasing the book. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks. Until next time, remember to work like you don't need the money. I hope you enjoy the book trailer.</div><div>Vic </div><div><br /></div></div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzkJI9R5C3-gwzria-rgEpaVgjbDWeiB6a9Ki7SoCnlAfELU-McYzkvq2famNprhc5_LLZqhwHRiXhOJkQ_-A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-78205797670281409202008-09-19T08:42:00.000-07:002008-09-19T16:21:03.588-07:00It's About Time<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6mC38suitF3_aXSyep8g9PEQwkYbh9In-IOMo0r6MJ_8MPaHKqeUK1n5dyz5bStj0TPvUgVZs9phIl53gnpV_XiQNWfeeSwpNZxJMW2nciqlTM_rvVonMJuoc4LdZxLPcMJ999-vjUtZ/s1600-h/Alessa-Yawn.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6mC38suitF3_aXSyep8g9PEQwkYbh9In-IOMo0r6MJ_8MPaHKqeUK1n5dyz5bStj0TPvUgVZs9phIl53gnpV_XiQNWfeeSwpNZxJMW2nciqlTM_rvVonMJuoc4LdZxLPcMJ999-vjUtZ/s200/Alessa-Yawn.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247874337204647826" /></a><br />Everyone is busy with their own life, so I won't bore you with the reasons I haven't updated this blog in the past few months. Suffice it to say I'm back. Between my June visit to L. A. for the BEA and now, I've launched <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Windrusher and the Trail of Fire</span> locally with two book parties, travelled to Asheville for a talk and signing, participated in a new book festival – Florida Heritage Book Festival (FHBF), more about that below, and visited with the new grand baby. Can you guess which one meant the most to me? Although I can't speak for baby Alessa, who you can see seems a bit underwhelmed by our last visit, it's been a whirlwind few months, and it doesn't look to let up for a while. <div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4g_ZcbcjNoHmjUUVtrsDlguKPAEKTV5-iJ_wtcYI7O80Im927EBubc1ARB7lI5O2uliFf_tYgxCIj2vmEs0qnZ6VBlKcSCLmqZCxV5eOL2mmS9vi3O0yzIPD7ddAM-vVLIxa5W1vV5nXk/s200/St.+Augustine+9-13+040.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247874927748130002" /><div>Before I jump forward, I wanted to compliment the producers of the FHBF for an outstanding first event. Based in St. Augustine, the festival included a day of workshops for writers and a day for readers with more than 40 authors talking books and their related subjects. Next year's will be even better. I was pleased to present a marketing workshop on Friday, a Windrusher talk on Saturday, and sign books. To the left is faithful reader and St. Augustine writer Debby Jones who purchased the new book at the festival. </div><div><br /></div><div>Looking ahead, the fall months are particularly busy and I'll be giving talks and appearing at several conferences and cat shows. If you're looking to purchase an autographed copy of any of my books, look for me at these events:</div><div><ul><li>Saturday, September 27 – Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 11112 San Jose Blvd. in Jacksonville: I'll be signing books from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m as part of the Literacy Pros Book Fair. Help support literacy programs and starving authors.</li><li>Friday, October 3 – Yulee High School: I'll be speaking to all the English classes that day as part of the Amelia Island Book Festival's Author in the School program.</li><li>Saturday, October 4 – Amelia Island Book Festival: Join me and dozens of other national authors for a day of book talk and signings. It all takes place on the campus of St. Peters Episcopal Church in Fernandina Beach.</li><li>October 18 - 19 – Cats Exclusive Cat Show – War Memorial Auditorium, 800 NE 8th Street, Ft. Lauderdale: Two days amongst the finest cats in the land. My South Florida readers can enjoy the show and buy the new Windrusher from me.</li><li>Tuesday, October 21 at 10:00 a.m. – Belleview Friends of the Library: Talk and signing.</li><li>November 1 - 2 – CFA Allbreed Cat Show, Gwinnett Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, Georgia. One of the largest cat shows in the south.</li><li>November 8 - 9 – Family Art Fest & Salute to the Troops at Midtown Centre in Jacksonville. Formerly known as the Koger Center, Midtown is all-new and will celebrate with a grand arts & crafts show, family entertainment, music and more. I'll be there as part of a Florida Writers Tent hoping to sell a few books and eat a sausage dog or two.</li><li>November 14 - 16 – 7th Annual FWA Conference, Lake Mary Marriott Resort. Three days of outstanding workshops, panel discussions, networking and more. I'm scheduled to do two writing presentation and moderate a panel of editors, publishers and agents. </li><li>November 21 - 22 – 15th Annual Cat Writers Conference, Renaissance Concourse Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. A herd of cat writers assemble for workshops and seminars. We'll also sell a few books at the CFA International Cat Show.</li></ul><div>I may have left something out, but you can see that it will be a very busy fall season. I'll catch my breath at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and maybe watch a few football games in between.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YNmZvJaynNhWTTvqBOTEWB5P1GCRuXJQwtBeJclstkBaWtWUjQI1uvYMw9_4B1oZoBm5GUeDKcTTIxkXVFaPiYwqyoHSJQH7JONpB8chrz8ECNZcjgfC09Lq30iEPezPL95YCoYHQSXy/s200/Sara+Gruen.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247873850022799186" /><div>One last thing before I leave for those of you who have read and enjoyed the marvelous bestselling novel <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Water for Elephants</span>. You'll be happy to know the author, Sara Gruen, is coming to NE Florida next month. The Friends of the Ponte Vedra Library are bringing her here as part of their Major Author Program. She'll be at the Sawgrass Marriott Resort on Friday, October 24 at 7:30 p.m. This is one of the author's rare appearnces, and you can meet her if you attend the VIP Reception prior to her presentation. Tickets are required and you can get all the details at the <a href="http://www.friendspvlibrary.org/">FOL website</a>. Ms. Gruen will be discussing the writing of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Water for Elephants</span> and her upcoming book, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Ape H<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">ouse</span>. A question and answer period will follow along with a book signing.</span></span></div></div></div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-92218102162116070222008-06-22T02:26:00.000-07:002008-06-22T10:21:08.634-07:00From BEA to Red HatsFlying cross-country to Los Angeles for Book Expo America, I had time to reflect (lots of time) on what lay ahead for the newest Windrusher. BEA is the largest book industry trade show in the nation, and my reason for attending was to meet and greet potential buyers and promote <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Windrusher and the Trail of Fire</span>. <div>After landing at the L. A. Airport, we picked up our rental car and headed </div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSyunYtNwayCHZOJCR9bdmC3Nf6iO9CSes2mG12nHsD4pK5HJRq026FuLWuQptf57er7GriYHAqYx8Gsd2C6CsQxnOdYXDQvOH_Ckx8svELuBjBgreFJ__1_qF95kN5o_VxcAC323Ilxo/s200/IMG_5123.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214648386959686130" /><div>for the highway. I wasn't looking forward to driving in what is supposed to be the worst traffic in the country. Although it had it's pulse-quickening moments, it wasn't as bad as I feared, and driving through the heart of L. A. on the 110 was indeed impressive.</div><div>I was told that BEA is huge, and it certainly lived up to that reputation. Held in the cavernous L. A. Convention Center, the halls seemed unending, filled with aisle after aisle of publishers, distributors, and almost every entity connected to the book industry. Covering them all would literally take miles of walking.</div><div>As we moved from the vast parking area into the hall the first morning, we (my dear wife accompanied me) were passed by people heading toward their cars carrying tote bags overloaded with books. Some folks struggled to heft the bags, barely able to walk under the heavy burden. My first impression was that there must be one heck of a sale going on. My second impression was that we were late for the sale. </div><div>But I quickly learned this was even better than a sale. The books were free, copies given to retailers, librarians, and anyone who wanted them, in order to promote the book. I knew that this was the case since I was there to sign copies of the new Windrusher for my publisher, Ocean Publishing. But I had no idea of the scope of the give-aways, or the feeding frenzy surrounding the event.</div><div>Inside, we were buffeted by hordes of people moving from one exhibit to another. From one autograph line to the next. The official BEA autograph section was tucked away at the rear of one of the halls. There were 25 or more tables lined up with a different author at each one. The authors were scheduled for one-hour shifts, then replaced by another slew of authors eager to scribble their names. This went on for at least two days. And that wasn't all. Many other signings were done at the publisher's display area—usually a full aisle. Here and there I spotted Barbara Walters, Robert Crais, T. Jefferson Parker, and Dionne Warwick.</div><div>Ocean Publishing was part of the massive section filled by Publishers Marketing Association (which changed its name to Independent Book Publishers Association that very weekend). This trade association of independent publishers has over 4,000 members. Not all of them were </div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkLvlJ9tzEIZBqZgG8LGS0Oyup8JWVEN3i9yQdG_Jua7g8etWGoC2Ir73Jk3Jr_5KpTR4c9Va2auuvpJcqiz-oXNb0T2CQ9YqFCpNp51pIBw1OZ_3YRaGBvyFf6uSz3jbqEMcziXHbyKd/s200/IMG_5145.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214664422735676898" /><div>represented, of course, but many were. IBPA had its own autograph booths, and Frank Gromling, Ocean's publisher, had signed me up for two 1-hour sessions along with an hour at the main autograph area.</div><div>Here I met many booksellers, librarians and others curious about the cat book. I told them about the Windrusher series and collected business cards. All in all, it was a great experience for a small fish like moi to be swimming in the nation's largest book pond. Just as importantly, we were able to spend time with our two offspring who live on the left coast, and see our new granddaughter once again. </div><div>One week later, jet-lagged and weary, but happy to be home, I began planning the launch of Wind-3, as I affectionately refer to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Trail of Fire</span>. Although my publisher had several hundred advance copies printed for the BEA signings, the book will actually not be available in stores until early August. So I have some time to begin scheduling a string of signings, talks and conference appearances. It looks like it will be a busy year, and I hope to see some of you at one or another of my events. Please check the Appearances page of my website to see when I may be coming to your area.</div><div>I recently had the pleasure of speaking to the Foxy Red Hat Ladies Book Club which meets at</div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBzFxCSJ4iOhnS7l5w2-A2fdY3vOEJbOMzF6EF2g8wHyS1v3n-e1mjSycucvkEqKvDpF3eW7Ka8b5Yrl6cRckwApUB9Wfo8NGZsUH5LBD1PEZlEDmx3DlvpglOUi-jLKYJ8IdsHGio-eRR/s200/IMG_5344.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214655823204680770" /><div>the Books-A-Million in Jacksonville Beach. I tracked Windrusher's journey for them from hairy idea to heroic literary figure. Here I am expounding on the life of a resourceful cat who has suffered through three book-length adventures filled with dangerous challenges and survived them all. Note the red cap. It was a gift from the good ladies of the Foxy Ladies Red Hat Club. Thanks ladies. And BTW, if any of you belong to a book club and want to hear of the further adventures of Windrusher, I'll be more than happy to make either an in-person appearance, depending on your location, or conduct a telephone conversation at your meeting. Let me know.<br /></div><div>One more thing before I go in search of a caffeine fix, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Flagler Review, </span>Flagler College's literary magazine, selected my short story, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Day Hemingway Died</span>, for its latest issue. You may read it at <a href="http://www.flagler.edu/flaglerreview/">http://www.flagler.edu/flaglerreview/</a>.</div><div>Until next time, keep reading.</div><div>Vic</div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-47707924383805130592008-05-07T14:04:00.000-07:002008-05-07T14:15:11.413-07:00"Gripping" Windrusher AdventureWhat do James Patterson, R.L. Stine, Dennis Lehane, Judy Blume, Ray Bradbury, Robert Crais, Michael Moore, Lee Child, Neil Gaiman, Nikki Giovanni, Michael Connelly, Faye Kellerman, Dean Koontz, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Brad Meltzer, and Victor DiGenti have in common? They will all be signing their new books at Book Expo America (BEA), at the Los Angeles Convention Center later this month. These and hundreds of other authors will convene in L.A. May 29 - June 1 for an event combining the largest selection of English language titles on the planet with special industry and author events.<br /><br />BEA is hug<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKSRNFQUSxQOejtS55ulJAa8dAXsoISyu7gTXBkFyj8jSVPWuAiaNbgwljMZS-1BdGsuofCl3MiQngD6GOZQMXZBy-u5gJrPoLbwASBjnxFjkupgaPWKmOquDNkWISkwfj2pxIHbQEc-S/s1600-h/BEA_LA.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5197745426095472050" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKSRNFQUSxQOejtS55ulJAa8dAXsoISyu7gTXBkFyj8jSVPWuAiaNbgwljMZS-1BdGsuofCl3MiQngD6GOZQMXZBy-u5gJrPoLbwASBjnxFjkupgaPWKmOquDNkWISkwfj2pxIHbQEc-S/s320/BEA_LA.jpg" border="0" /></a>e and little old me will be there unveiling <em>Windrusher and the Trail of Fire</em> to the world. Frank Gromling, Ocean Publishing’s head honcho, invited me to be part of this mega-event and set me up with three signings over two days. BEA is the industry’s premier trade show attracting thousands of booksellers, publishers, authors, and librarians. I can’t wait to be part of the excitement and launch the third Windrusher adventure in such an amazing venue.<br /><br />Not everyone had to wait to read what happens to my heroic feline in Trail of Fire. Advance review copies were sent out to some special readers last month and here’s what some of them had to say: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4zLoqFRstOz0Yl91Gcci0fxzKm6wjv5EZJodDrFfBL1GhfAM3beMAqIqHAYUBCyFAV1BjIKD1KaPUq_BIw3R3l7Wu7cRR513TtuIu1DfkHgDuSuzR7LdGjszXBT9kwmaYQM-BWkyN8hW/s1600-h/Windrusher_Fire_2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5197746285088931266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4zLoqFRstOz0Yl91Gcci0fxzKm6wjv5EZJodDrFfBL1GhfAM3beMAqIqHAYUBCyFAV1BjIKD1KaPUq_BIw3R3l7Wu7cRR513TtuIu1DfkHgDuSuzR7LdGjszXBT9kwmaYQM-BWkyN8hW/s320/Windrusher_Fire_2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />“DiGenti invites the reader into a rich and secret feline world, an experience that will change and enhance all you know, or thought you knew, about cats. Windrusher’s third exciting adventure will keep you involved and purring until the satisfying end.”<br />~Shirley Rousseau Murphy, author of <em>Cat Pay the Devil</em><br /><br />“Windrusher and the Trail of Fire cracks along at the speed of a bullet. DiGenti immerses the reader in a cat’s secret world while building suspense with his human characters. I couldn’t wait to see how it ended to be sure everything turned out all right.”<br />~Lee Killough, author of <em>The Leopard’s Daughter</em><br /><br />“Author Vic DiGenti has created a feline fantasy world unlike any other and it's a pleasure to return to in <em>Windrusher and the Trail of Fire</em>. From the first thrilling chase through the last, DiGenti’s heroic Windrusher leads readers through a wilderness in which the cats are as brave, loyal, and spiritual as any two-legged creatures, and more sensitive, to boot. Great fun.”<br />~Clea Simon, author of<em> Cries and Whiskers</em><br /><br />“GRIPPING…DiGenti knows how to depict complicated emotions and interactions. He paints a compelling portrait of both animals and humans in this story of self-knowledge, healing and redemption.”<br />~Pamela Bauer Mueller, children’s author<br /><br />Now that you see what others are saying abut <em>Windrusher and the Trail of Fire</em>, perhaps you’ll want to place an advance order. The book won’t be in the stores until mid-June, but you can place your pre-publication order now by contacting <a href="mailto:publisher@oceanpublishing.com">publisher@oceanpublishing.com</a>. Check back in the next few days for more details on pre-publication specials.Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358962435768187084.post-84783699450809170732008-03-19T11:07:00.000-07:002008-03-19T12:54:24.799-07:00Live Longer - Adopt a CatMaybe you saw the news item last month. It reported on a study suggesting that cat owners are less likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than people who don't own cats. And, sorry, but it doesn't seem to work for people with dogs.<br /><div><div></div><br /><div>Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that cat-less people were 30 to 40 percent more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than those with cats. They don't seem to know what to make of this, other than to point to other studies suggesting pets can help reduce stress. But as cat lovers we know there's a special relationship bonding us to our felines. As a fantasy writer I'd call it a mystical bond. Perhaps our cats are so grateful for the love and attention we shower upon them they've found a way to transfer one of their nine lives to the two-legged creatures who care for them. </div><div></div><br /><div>And while I have a lot of respect for Windrusher, my feline protagonist, I don't always treat him so kindly. In my debut novel, <em>WINDRUSHER</em>, our poor hero was not only chased by Bolt, a murderous brute of a tom cat, but he was terrorized by wild dogs, came close to being euthanized at the Humane Society, and was caught up in one of Mother Nature's most violent acts. </div><div></div><br /><div>In<em> WINDRUSHER AND THE CAVE OF THO-HOTH</em>, Windrusher found himself cat-napped and taken to southern California. There he had to escape from a mad man's house and once he did things became even more dangerous.</div><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwheWWEnm7pIG3-YOF1dwTU7pYNKAVd2SRFOHN39Nqt1sR0omVGQ4iBTeJ1Opxt1vwq_Z4GGMrQWVlkjZ25nWNs9YEnAQy6vX1DAnqdxB_-N6kIjwDWN30fdy4R4tS158wR0ysCvLjMGnJ/s1600-h/Windrusher_Fire_3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179537634748369826" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwheWWEnm7pIG3-YOF1dwTU7pYNKAVd2SRFOHN39Nqt1sR0omVGQ4iBTeJ1Opxt1vwq_Z4GGMrQWVlkjZ25nWNs9YEnAQy6vX1DAnqdxB_-N6kIjwDWN30fdy4R4tS158wR0ysCvLjMGnJ/s320/Windrusher_Fire_3.jpg" border="0" /></a>But like the brave trooper he is, Windrusher triumphed in the end and now faces another series of deadly challenges. <em>WINDRUSHER AND THE TRAIL OF FIRE </em>will bring the much-traveled kitty into another deadly encounter with man and nature. As revealed in my last posting, Windrusher is separated from his caretakers and relocated to a rural cat rescue operation called Precious Friends Cat Sanctuary. Here, the reader is introduced to a number of human characters: Emily O’Connell, the owner of the cat sanctuary, Sam Rawlings, her boy friend, developer Phillip Langston, and his two not-so-bright henchmen, Seth and Nate Tobias. We'll also meet the 200 cats living at Precious Friends. </div><div></div><br /><div>Each character plays a key role in <em>TRAIL OF FIRE</em>, as does a mythical feline hero from prehistoric times. Windrusher must cope with the knowledge that something terrible will soon envelop the peaceful sanctuary, while contending with the awful responsibility that only he can save the 200 cats. </div><div></div><br /><div>In my last posting I teased you with the first page. Here's an extended sample of the first chapter. Click on <a href="http://www.windrusher.com/Fire-Page1.html">http://www.windrusher.com/Fire-Page1.html</a> to view the excerpt.</div><div></div><br /><div>Remember the new book will be released in late May and I'm looking to launch the book with a series of "Book Parties" at the homes of cat rescue people. If you know of anyone who would like to host one of these parties, and collect 25% of any book sales for their rescue organization, please contact me at <a href="mailto:author@windrusher.com">author@windrusher.com</a>. </div><div></div><br /><div>I've heard from a few people in the past few weeks wondering if and when I'd be doing more appearances. You can always click on the Appearances link at my website for a calendar of upcoming talks and signings, but here are a few happening in the next couple of weeks.</div><ul><li>Barnes & Noble Booksellers – Saturday, March 22 at 2:00 p.m. Book signing at the Mandarin store. This is a benefit for Fruit Cove Middle School so come out and support the kids.</li><li>Nassau County Senior Center – Wednesday, March 26 at 10:00 a.m. Talk and signing. 1367 South 18th St. off Lime Street, Fernandina Beach.</li><li>Murder They Wrote – Sunday, March 30 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the St. Augustine Main Library. I'll moderate a panel discussion looking at Mystery, Crime, and Suspense novels by the authors who write them. Participating authors include Mary Anna Evans, Michael Wiley, Rene Fix, and June Weltman. </li></ul><br /><br /><div></div></div>Vic DiGentihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16336263837465009185noreply@blogger.com0