All posts by Denny S. Bryce

Book or TV Boyfriend: How Far Would You Go?

As authors and/or readers of romance, we are passionate about the characters. We love our heroines, but the hero–well, we can get obsessed. They are strong, captivating, bad boys, decent men, with honor, revenge, loyalty or redemption top of mind. We want them silent and brave, sexy and broad-shouldered (a six pack can add to the love), but willing to do whatever they must do (once they’ve put aside that pesky character flaw) to be the man they were always meant to me (for that one special woman!). Yep. We love to write them and to read them. And we are fans.

But let’s talk about the extremes of fandom for a moment (since I understand extreme fandom better than most:)…

Scan 141770001Back in the day, I fell for a show called Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and yes, around the Internet lately, I’ve been talking about my Whedon obsession. And yes, I know NOT a book, but a TV show that wrote characters as if they were in a book (IMHO). I traveled far and wide to have moments with my TV boyfriends. The photo here was taken at an event in London a few years ago. And yes, I was a happy girl that day:)! I was sandwiched between (and oh, how I wish:) David Boreanaz (Angel) and James Marsters (Spike).

My other TV boyfriend is truly my boyfriend although a few authors (Avery Flynn, Robin CovingtonTracy Brogan, and Michelle Monkou) have been tricked into thinking he belongs to them, or should be shared equally among his fans, or some rot. But Dean Winchester aka Jensen Ackles is MINE.eb54b6116aa81eca0c440ed792899332

I have had many TV boyfriends, and have fallen for many a book boyfriend, but right now, I have fallen hard, and forever, for a man named Jamie.

Yes. I’m nearly two decades behind on reading the books – but OMG, I’m in it now and OUTLANDER is heaven. And Jamie is the pearly gates (prize at the end of the rainbow and everything else you can throw into the pot – he’s it!). And dang STARZ for producing the TV series starring a man who embodies Jamie in my mind, or at least who looks the part:)…Outlander_Cast_Jamie_420x560_v2-420x420

I am seriously thinking about heading across the pond to wherever they are filming OUTLANDER and vacationing (for a few dozen weeks). And do they have fan events like Outlander-Con? If they do, I also in!

So question of the day, name your latest book boyfriend or TV show boyfriend, and have you ever gone as far as London to meet them in person (me and the Buffy boys for example:), or fought with friends over pillowcases with their images on them (Tracy, Michelle, Robin, Avery, you know who you are!). How badly have you fan-girled an author? – The adjustment from normal to fangirl is a thin line…and slipping over the edge could be, you know, embarrassing!   (Remember  the root of the word fan – is fanatic:)…Full disclosure, please!

I’m in New Orleans at RT Convention!

New Orleans has one of the most intriguing and unique neighborhoods in the USA–The French Quarter. It  only encompasses a few blocks, but it attracts millions of tourists every year. This is my 10th trip to New Orleans, and I am excited this trip is all about reading and writing romance! Here’s a brief pic-spam from my first day and a half at RT.

My first RT Convention has  started  with a bang. I hung out with Cherry Adair and met debut authors Stella Barcelona and Tina deSalvo – and visit Tina’s website for more information about  Friends Fight Together.

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Those are raw oysters, but look at the gigantic oyster in the middle – it’s like the Godzilla of oysters!

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 And yes, that is Ms. Avery Flynn herself, taking a bite out of Godzilla and texting about it!

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Monday I was sitting on a bench in the  hotel lobby and ended up meeting a few dynamic historical romance authors (three of whom are alumni Golden Heart Finalists!) From left to right (First Row): Erin Knightley (who I met at RWA Orlando and who took this group selfie!) and Heather Snow and Second Row from left to right: Jade Lee, (moi), and Elizabeth Essex (who has cool luggage tags:). 

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Today I’m spending a few hours with Cherry Adair and Avery Flynn (and likely a few hundred others:) for Ms. Adair’s day-long workshop entitled Pre-Con Intensive Plotting Program. (So excited!)

Are you at RT? Find me @dennysbryce and include the hashtag #RT14!

Marketing 101: What in the Heck is a Gif (Not Gift Misspelled Either!)?

I woke up in a sweat. There were video images racing through my mind, short, no sound, with words moving across the bottom, or sides or the top, and sometimes with thought bubbles – words and images capturing a feeling, an energy, a world of emotion in one quick glance, and you were like yeah, that’s it.

But darn it, what was it and why do I need to know MORE?

Well, they are called GIFs, the latest craze (actually a very old craze on the Internet), but with YouTube, Tumblr, and Google+, even Facebook, is playing with ‘motion-oriented’ images. In the realm of social media, GIFs have leapt to the forefront of marketing, making GIFs the hot new darling of 2014.

So what does it mean to authors marketing books, or social media mavens who want to use the latest, greatest – you need to know what you’re working with for one…

GIF – the definition – animated image file formats. Sounds simple enough. There are a lots of websites and easy programs to use in creating your own GIF or going with some of the existing that fit the mood you’re in, or … whatever:)…see examples below…

Hopefully no-one notices how much weight you’ve gained over the weekend. You only ate one chocolate egg after all, right?

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 It’s 5.55am, and here you are. Look how happy and relaxed you are…

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 There are a  bunch of websites where you can find GIFs and use them on with favorite social media tool. But also think about the fun you could have with characters from your book if you also knew how to make your own GIFs. There are some spots on the internet that explain how with and without Photoshop…

http://www.buzzfeed.com/katienotopoulos/how-to-make-a-gif-without-photoshop

Or just Google GIFs – thousands of stuff out there to work with…

Read more at http://www.reactiongifs.com/heeeeyyy-f-you/#yR8hQyZsMy6pBvgY.99

WHEN SOMEONE YOU DESPISE WAVES AT YOU

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 Or what I should be doing instead of googling GIFs for two hours, right?

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Okay, I’m having way too much fun writing this post. Feel free to respond with your favorite GIF, or share ideas on ways you can add them to your social media marketing toolkit! It will grab readers’ attention…

 

 

Writers & Writing & Weekend Retreats: A Match Made in Happy Town

Denny (PortRoyale)This past weekend, I had a fabulous time in Boonsboro, MD, hanging with a bunch of writers I know from the Washington Romance Writers, a chapter of Romance Writers of America (RWA) serving the Washington, DC area.

First, you may not know about Boonsboro (Nora Roberts hangs out there a lot, but not this weekend:). Three years ago, I didn’t know it from any other small town in Maryland. But each year since first attending this gathering I’ve had a tremendous time, but this year, I don’t know, this year was a really, really, good time. Why? What made it different? Well, this year, here’s what happened:

  1. I learned about writing romance and how characters can fall in love – thank you Kathleen Gilles Seidel.
  2. I also learned I will do almost anything to receive the ARC for Lavinia Kent’s next book. Actually, I’ll do anything.
  3. I learned that with a gentle nudge J. Keely Thrall can (and did) update her website:)…
  4. I learned not everyone had heard my story about my date with Denzel Washington (back in the day, people, back in the day, but he’s on broadway now in A Raisin in the Sun – need tickets:).
  5. I learned that a good laugh can be had by all when I tell my story about how then President of the Harvard Law Review, Barack Obama, helped me out by holding my three-year old son.
  6. I learned that I can laugh to the point of tears at Meryl Streep and Adam Baldwin in “It’s Complicated” while learning about character arcs and story structure. Thank you Evie Owens.
  7. I also learned that Evie Owen’s next release, Witch Boy, has a kick-ass cover.
  8. I learned that Lisa Dyson’s debut novel, A Perfect Homecoming, debuting from Harlequin in June, has a shiny new and beautiful website, and her book cover is fantastic. So mark your calendars and stay tuned for launch parties, blog tours, and all sorts of goodness.
  9. I learned that Emelle Gamble, author of MOLLY HARPER, is a marketing all-star, and we’re thinking about putting together a marketing workshop – details to come:)!
  10. I learned that a weekend with writers, focused on their writing careers, their writing, their next book, their marketing plan, their writing world, always includes good times with good friends!
  11. But mostly, I learned that I’m damn lucky. These women writers are part of my circle of writing buddies (which also includes the wonderful Waterworld Mermaids), and in April (4-6), during the WRW In the Company of Writers 30th Anniversary Retreat I’ll get to see them all again!
  12. Also, look how happy (and gorgeous) we look! So tell me, what’s your ideal writing getaway?

 

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Publishers/Authors/Publishing: It’s All About the Kwan? Right?

Denny S. BryceI am excited. After a fabulous writing weekend retreat, I am jazzed anew about writing. Even if lately, I’ve been  jazzed about writing pretty much all the time:)! Just getting things done and submitted makes me happy. But being in the company of writers always fuels my creative juices. And in addition to talking about writing, craft, deadlines, and the number of commas I can put on a page (don’t ask:), we sometimes talk about what’s  in the news or what author blogs are saying about the publishing industry.

I’m not going to share my POV on any of the content listed in the links below (obviously, I’m thrilled about the great news for two fantastic authors:), but the round-up of links below is for your enjoyment, and in case you missed some of these items during the past few months. So take a moment to read or ignore, but as in the first quarter of any new year, publishers and authors have been talking about money – who has it, who doesn’t, and how they can make more or not lose out on the big bucks waiting to be raked in.

As you might imagine, I like money, so these topics and headlines interest me:).

However, the subject of today’s post is not art, or marketing, or writing the best book you can write. It is a  journey through a few news headlines and author blog posts that caught my attention. Have fun, and do feel free to share your thoughts!

Publishers Weekly – Book Sales Decline Slows in 2013

The Guardian – Hugh Howley Calls for Author Earnings Revolution (internet news article, not a blog post)

Publishers Weekly – Sales Up at S&S, But Profits Dip

Huff Post Books – Self-Publishing – The Myth and the Realty

Lexi Revellian Blog Post – Why Authors and Trade Pubs Don’t Reveal Earnings

Delilah Marvelle Blog Post – An Open Letter to the CEO of Kensington Publishing

The Hollywood Reporter – Sylvia Day Signs Blockbuster $10 Million+ Deal With New Publisher for Next Series

Entangled in Romance – Operation Cinderella to be a Major Motion Picture

Have a great Tuesday!

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2014 Social Media Marketing (Yeah, for Books!) – What’s Your Plan?

Denny (PortRoyale)This post has a bit of snark in it so be warned…

And yeah, another title for this post could be: How to Overwhelm and Entertain in 1000 words or less…anyway…:)

I hang out online an average of 90 minutes a day. And no, it’s not 90 minutes that I could have spent writing, or cleaning or doing something else. I am deliberately ‘hanging’ out because the source of information that is most readily attainable is online. It is NOT on TV (well, to me, I hate television news, cable o r network), it is not on the printed page (although, I do miss when back in the day, I’d spend an entire Sunday at a  cool brunch spot on the north side of Chicago, reading the Sunday New York Times and Chicago Tribute – it was so relaxing and so Zen of us:) – and its not only on Facebook (Internet, yes, but not the only source of information left on the planet).

So let me get to the point of this post. I’ve gathered a list of articles from the Internet you should read or at least skim if you intend to have a ghost’s chance in hell (watching way too much Supernatural) of effectively, consistently, and painlessly (or less painfully) using social media tools to sell/market your books and/or your brand.

And yes, if you write books to sell them, you must know and participate in the marketing of your books.

And oh, in case you stumble upon this article, and wonder who in the heck is spouting all of this information as if she knows something? Well, for the sake of credibility, in my other life, I have been a marketing professional for 25+ years – if that doesn’t work for you (I spend 90 minutes a day on the Internet, I’ve got to know something about something, right?)

Authors often look at other authors to get their perspective on what’s going on in the social media marketing arena – which is absolutely fine. We all know romance writers who are doing an exceptional job of marketing and using social media in a smart, straightforward, fresh way. And then there are those like me, marketing professionals who are writing popular fiction, romance or whatever and will be publishing or published by someone at some point, if they aren’t already off and running.social-media-marketing1

But in addition to gaining insights from authors who have great savvy about social media marketing or marketing pros who specialize in the publishing industry, I like to take a look at what the big boys in corporate marketing are doing as well.

Below are a few links. You don’t need to study every word of these articles (as if you would:), but take a moment, see what is being forecast and compare to your current social media marketing plan (and yes, you should have a plan, you don’t have time–hours in a day–to be haphazard). See if there’s something out there that’s new, or can be used differently, or more consistently, to deliver on your bottom line – which is (say it with me) – selling MORE books by finding new readers, and keeping the ones you have HAPPY. (And yes, the best way to do this is to write the best books you can write…but even that doesn’t always guarantee SALES, and/or readers, unfortunately.)

So here goes:

Social Media Marketing (Some links to take a peek at…)

http://www.brafton.com/blog/2013-social-media-marketing-trends

http://socialmediatoday.com/anitaloomba/2035211/top-digital-marketing-trends-2014

http://www.steamfeed.com/google-plus-vs-facebook-g-dominate-2014-marketing-strategy/

http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/2014-digital-marketing-trends_b53891

Okay, to recap…what’s going to be hot IMHO (or at least worth exploring):

  1. Google +
  2. Content continues to be KING (no joking)
  3. Content should include video or at least images (the eye likes a quick fix)

Big News in Publishing (or at least the most recent) and other Kick Ass Stories you May Have Missed!

http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/page.aspx/LYRICALPRESS (Why is it Big News? It marks a trend you will see repeated. It’s all about where the readers – and book buyers are – putting all of your eggs in one print basket isn’t the way publishing works anymore, and you’ll see this trend duplicated, again and again. That’s my predication:)…

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/penny-c-sansevieri/book-marketing-prediction_b_4394295.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&ir=Books&src=sp&comm_ref=false

http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2014/01/5-key-trends-in-self-publishing-for-2014/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeremygreenfield/2013/12/26/predictions-for-book-publishing-in-2014-cutting-room-floor-edition/

http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/12/smashwords-signs-distribution-agreement.html

That’s it friends…some food for thought:)!

Happy New Year!

Also, feel free to ask questions, or complain below:)…or let me know if you have a social media marketing plan, and whether you are published or pre-published, are you thinking about your brand, or if you don’t care about marketing, let me know, I’m just curious…:)

A Brand New Year: A Brand New Me!

Denny's MermaidsWell, world, here’s the announcement you’ve been waiting for:)! No, not that one. And definitely, not that one (seriously? seriously, I can’t believe you thought that!).

I’m getting a face lift! I know you sit there and wonder what took me so long to make that call? But another no, not that face, I mean Denny Mermaid is getting a face lift! or should I say a new avatar! Look below for the gorgeous new me, courtesy of Lee Moyer (the graphic designer, illustrator, artist extraordinaire) and our own friendly pond-hopping princess, Mermaid Alethea Kontis.

Can you believe it? I was hanging out on Facebook, and Alethea tagged me on a comment and that’s how this love story began. I haven’t met Lee in person yet, but after a few emails, a visit to his website, and of course, his permission to use this gorgeous beauty below, I was hooked. And my new love is here to stay!

The perfect Mermaid goddess, don’t you think? Alethea saw it and thought of me, and since these two mega talents are buddies, he agreed to allow me to use this fabulous image.

And the other fantastic news, Lee also has agreed to an interview here at the Mermaid Pond in early 2014. Look for that extraordinary conversation in the beginning of the new year.

In the meantime, if I used the image below as a book cover, what’s the name of the book, and if she is a shifter who dwells in the sea, who is the hero of her destiny? (And yeah, I’m going to write this book, too). Inspiration!!!! (And I think the story will be rather sexy, too:)! Yeah, that’s what I said!

Denny (PortRoyale)

Contemporary Romance Author Sugar Jamison Swims with the Mermaids

Denny's MermaidsI met Sugar this past summer at RWA Nationals in Atlanta. I don’t remember what we started chatting about, I just recall that I laughed and laughed and laughed some more. It was a very good first meeting. After that, I kept running into her (I swear I wasn’t stalking), and then I complimented her on the cover of her then new release and fabulous title: Dangerous Curves Ahead. By the end of RWA Nationals, I’d found a new bud and a new author I truly enjoyed. Today, she’s taking a few minutes to join us here at the pond. She also has a giveaway (all you need to do is comment to be eligible for a chance to win)! So let’s get started with an introduction and then we can dive into the questions, and Sugar’s fabulous responses. Enjoy!

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From her official bio: Sugar Jamison is a southern belle trapped in a New Yorker’s body. With a love of big hair and high-heeled shoes, she spends her day at her very normal day job and night dreaming up sweet but sassy romances.

Denny: How long have you been writing and what was your inspiration for the Perfect Fit Novels?

Sugar: I started writing my senior year of college after reading Jennifer Crusie’s BET ME for the second time. I figured it wouldn’t be so hard to write a romance novel. I was wrong. Writing romance is much harder than I thought it would be, but it’s also so rewarding.

Denny: What has been the biggest surprise about the reaction/response to your Perfect Fit series?

Sugar: I don’t know if anything surprised me about the reactions to the Perfect Fit series. Except maybe how many people took exception to my heroine referring to herself as “FAT”. The book is about a plus sized woman. Real women call themselves fat. ALL THE TIME. It’s not a bad word. I’m not degrading myself when I use the word and neither was she. Overweight, plus sized, big. It all means the same thing.

Denny: How much do you love marketing and social media? What have you found works best in promoting your books?

Sugar: I don’t love marketing, but the team at Saint Martin’s Press does a good job spreading the word about my books. I really like Facebook. I update my fan page daily. I feel like most of my readers hang out and connect with me there. I don’t really like Twitter that much, but other people love it. As far as promotion goes, I’m not sure what really has worked in terms of sales. I took out ads in a few places, but honestly I don’t think I got a return on my investment. Goodreads giveaways and the Free Book Friday I found gave me more exposure to readers than anything else. I’m sure there are other things I could be doing but usually I find that word of mouth has worked the best. I get emails from readers who’ve told me that their friends recommended that they read my books. That is the best feeling, much better than getting reviewed by a big magazine.

Denny: Did you have a pre-launch strategy for finding readers? If so, what was it:)? (yes, inquiring minds – noisy ones like me, what to know!)

Sugar: Nope. Sometimes I think I suck at this whole author thing. My publisher sent out review copies all over the place. I think that really made the difference. But I teased it on Facebook and Twitter. I had really great friends who spread the word for me. I’m very grateful for them.

Denny: What did you think I’d ask that you were hoping to answer?

Sugar: I get asked what advice I would give writers. And it would be… besides writing a great book is to build your backlist. Write as much as you can and put out as much as you can, in whatever format you choose to publish in. But make sure that whatever you publish is polished and professional looking.

Denny: What’s the Next Big Thing for Sugar Jamison?

Sugar: My next Perfect Fit book is out February 25th. Thrown For a Curve. I LOVE my hero in this book. I fall in love with each of my heroes, but I really LOVE LOVE LURVE Colin who is my sexy Irish bad boy. My other big thing is that I have another series of books coming out for Harlequin’s Kimani linphoto 2e. The first book is LIBERTY (Ginger Jamison) is also due out February 25th. Here’s a description. When Ryan Beecher returns home after a long deployment overseas, Lexy barely recognizes her husband. The man who left Texas for Afghanistan was cruel and abusive. The man who comes back to her is a badly injured stranger with amnesia—and no memory of their life together.

photo 3Lexy can’t believe how much Ryan has changed. The wounded marine is now gentle, caring and tender. And his touch awakens yearnings she’s never felt before. As he takes them both to the point of no return, can Lexy trust this lover who seems to live only for her pleasure…as he seeks his salvation in her healing embrace?

A poignant and erotic story of longing, secrets and second chances, Liberty explores the limits of desire and the boundaries of love.

Thank you Sugar!

It was great having you in the pond. And readers – COMMENT BELOW to be eligible to receive a copy of “Have Yourself a Curvy Little Christmas” by Sugar Jamison (and if you’re nice – and only a tad naughty – we may be able to give away an e-copy of Dangerous Curves Ahead, too!)

 

A “Too Many Books, Too Little Time” Blog Post: Have You Read Any African American Historical Romances Lately?

Denny S. BryceThis is a total Catch 22 (Google if the reference is too old for you:) moment. Now that I’m writing almost full-time, I’m also getting the chance to read more. I have a huge stack in my “to read” bin, but lately I am  reading a lot of contemporary romantic suspense and straight-up thrillers. (Some authors I’m very excited about include Robin Perini, Stephanie Freeman, Carla Cassidy, and many more). Additionally, I belong to a Book Club (a quick shot out to my pals in the Phauxcon Book Club) where the diversity of the reading material is giving me even more opportunities to explore and enjoy. Last month, I made the book selection and got to re-read one of my favorite thrillers, Heartsick by Chelsea Cain. This month the book is an oldie by the late Robert Ludlum entitled The Chancellor’s Manuscript (excellent espionage suspense).

But now I’ve gone off and discovered a new genre (new to me, that is:). One of my new pals from the 2013 RWA National Conference is Piper Huguley. She was a 2013 Golden Heart finalist in historical romance, and a Top 50 finalist in Harlequin’s SYTYCW contest in the inspirational historical romance category. She writes African American(AA) historical romances. There is this HUGE world of readers and lovers of  historical romances that feature African American characters (which means there are other ethnic groups that have books out there, too) but I must admit, I did not know about this genre until I met Piper – which just shows there’s a lot of reading and exploring for me to do because its some damn rich story telling, and just wonderful stories, and I love history.

So I was going to share some authors in this blog post who write in this category, but kept coming across one name that dominates (see below).  Not a bad thing, domination, but what does it also say?  I ask because I’m naturally curious (and a marketing person, too) – why aren’t there more authors writing AA historical romance? I’ve talked to African American readers of AA romance who are devotees of historical romances across the board. I visited webs pages on Amazon where readers have read all of Beverly’s 30 books, and are requesting more authors, and more books. Is this an example of a niche that is too small for publisher’s to ‘buy’? Or like me, are publishers/editors just not as savvy about all of the potential of this category? What if the extremely popular AA historical book The Help had a romance as the central story? Would you have bought it?  Read it? If you aren’t black would you pick up a book that has an AA historical romance? Or do you pick up books because they get a good review from a trusted reviewer? Or is this void an example of another opportunity for self- publishing or digital publishers who are naturally ‘risk-takers’? Honestly, I don’t have answers, and I’m curious about what you think:)…

Beverly Jenkins (apparently the Queen of this genre is published by Avon and has a TON of books she’s written)

So my journey will begin with me reading some of the books by Beverly Jenkins…!!!