Happy New Year - Drive Safely!

Happy New Year! Please drive safely - not only this evening, but year-round.

I am a board member of the Missoula County DUI Task Force and chair of its Public Information & Education Committee. Each year at this time, we host a 3-hour live remote at a local bar, lounge, or tavern that hasn't received any violations from law enforcement. Our purpose is to prevent impaired driving, specifically drunk driving. Property damage, injuries, and fatalities resulting from drunk driving can be prevented. Our goal is to inform the public about just how to prevent drunk driving tragedies.

FYI, the city of Missoula has two programs that help impaired drivers get home safely: Home Free Missoula - participating bars provide free cab rides to patrons who shouldn't drive - and Designated Driver Missoula - which costs about $10-15 but their driver gets you home in your car when you shouldn't drive. There are also MANY folks, such as myself, who'd be more than happy to crawl into my car in my jammies to come retrieve your imparied self and drive you home rather than have you risk yourself and others by driving drunk.

I met many wonderful people at the live remote yesterday and reconnected with others I see each year. The event was held at the Brooks & Brown Lounge at the Holiday Inn/Downtown -- and I met another writer! Members of law enforcement and the county attorney's office were not only wonderfully supportive by airing their stories and advice on radio during the live remote, they volunteered themselves as writing resources. Many thanks to the following participants: Missoula County Sheriff's Department, Missoula City Police, Montana Highway Patrol, Missoula County Attorney's Office, St. Patrick Hospital, Turning Point, Missoula Forum for Children and Youth, Kinzie Kinziel/Farmers Insurance, and Missoula Underage Substance Abuse Program. Special thanks to Gapwest Broadcasting - and Peter Christian - for making all of us so comfortable spreading our messages via live radio.

Happy Writing, Happy New Year!

Check out what the NY Times has to say about eBooks

We're all familiar with print books: hardbacks, mass market paperbacks, and trade paperbacks. But what do you know about eBooks - books that can be purchased online and downloaded either onto your computer (PC or laptop) or a hand-held device like a Kindle?

The New York Times explains:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/24/technology/24kindle.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Merry Christmas!

Best wishes for wonderful holiday.

Linda to be Guest Speaker at Missoula Businesswomen's Network Business Referral Networking Meeting

Linda will be the guest speaker at the February 5th meeting of the Business Referral Sub-network of the Missoula Businesswomen's Network. Her topic: Marketing Anything.

The meeting will be held at the offices of Lambert Family Chiropractic in Missoula from 5:30pm - 7:30pm and will be hosted by Steph Lambert and her husband, Dr. Anthony Lambert. (Steph, a graphic artist, designed the book cover for Linda's newest mystery Second Time Around.)

It is hoped that copies of Linda's book will be available for purchase at the meeting.

Second Time Around in Production

Second Time Around was placed in production earlier this week and we're expecting publication sometime between the middle and end of January. Keep checking back: as soon as we have the publication date (date the book will be available for purchase), that information will appear here.

Special thanks to my super-duper editor, Herb Holeman, and Judy Goldman for helping me get the book into tip-top shape.

More soon...

"Second Time Around" publication date expected in January 2009

It is expected that Second Time Around will go into production within the next 2-3 weeks and will be available for purchase sometime in mid to late January. Keep checking back for more details!

Steph Updated the Book Cover

Super-duper editor, Herb Holeman, was wondering how the book cover would look with a crime scene tape... Cover artist extraordinaire, Steph Lambert, said...

What a team! An author couldn't do better. Kudos to Herb and Steph.

Monthly eLetter Launch Date Postponed Until Thanksgiving Week

I've postponed the launch date of the eLetter until later this month because Steph has made a wonderful change to the book cover. I'd like to post the revised cover on the eLetter as well as the website and blog, so a little delay is in order. Thanks for your patience!

Monthly eLetter to launch in November

The first issue of Linda's monthly eLetter is scheduled to be released on November 1st. Look for news about the upcoming release of Second Time Around, current contests, Linda's works in progress, and tips and news about the writing world. To subscribe to Linda's monthly eLetter, click the link in the far-right column beneath the book cover for STA.

Here's the Book Cover for "Second Time Around"

Woohoo! Didn't Steph Lambert do a terrific job? The photo is a scene of Missoula taken from Blue Mountain. Steph is not only the cover artist but the photographer as well!

Rough Draft of Book Cover

Steph Lambert has outdone herself! She showed me two drafts for my Second Time Around cover: both are great, one is absolutely fantastic! I'll be getting them out to my publisher within the next few days. Once I have the OK from them, I'll post the draft of the cover on my blog and the website.

Enter Contest to Win Autographed Copy of "Second Time Around"

Want to win an autographed copy of Second Time Around? Visit my website and click on the Contests link.

Invitation to a Mystery Anthology

More good news! I've been invited by a publisher to write a story in a mystery anthology. More details as they develop and are confirmed.

Contract signed, working on edits

Just thought I'd keep you posted on my progress. The book contract has been executed and I'm working with my two editors, Herb and Judy, on the edits. Lucky for me they've both been helpful and kind! We're shooting for an 8-10-week time frame to finish the edits and get Steph's book cover approved. More later...

Cover Artist - Steph Lambert

Steph Lambert, owner of Luella Design, will be designing the book cover for Second Time Around. Links to Steph's website will be following soon...

SECOND TIME AROUND SELLS!!!!

Second Time Around received an offer of publication this morning! I'll keep you up-to-date as details become available. Oh, did I mention that I accepted? Gotta run - am really motivated to finish my current mystery, What You Don't Know. More later...

2nd Publisher Interested in Second Time Around

Just received an e-mail from a second publisher (1 of 5 I queried on August 3rd) expressing interest in this book. She wants me to send her the first 3 chapters for consideration. Yay!!! More info as I receive it.

Book Accepted for Consideration - Track its Progress!!!

Hooray! Hooray! My book was accepted for consideration by the Board of Directors at their meeting last night; it was also accepted for "fast track" consideration. At this point, my submission (1st 3 chapters and last chapter) will be reviewed by at least five readers/editors and must get the thumbs-up by at least three of them. I'm working with the senior mystery editor to prepare outlines and other stuff with the hope that I get through Stage 2 of the three-stage process and will have the materials they need ready for Stage 3. More later...

Help me with book title

The book I'm working on now needs a catchy title. It has to with a person dying and his beneficiary collecting his death benefits. Your thoughts?

My first blog

Great news! My mystery, Second Time Around, is currently being considered for publication! Check back here for more details!