Cooking With Author Jennifer Hallmark!

Today at the Patchwork Quilt Blog, I welcome author Jennifer Hallmark. She has a recipe for us as well as a new novel. It's Southern, and being from North Carolina, I love Southern Fiction.

 Welcome, Jennifer! Tell us about your recipe.

The recipe I’d like to share came from my husband, Danny’s grandmother. We call them Mama Landers tea cakes. In my novel, Jessie’s Hope, Jessie’s Mamaw, Martha cooks a lot of down home southern dishes such as pinto beans, cornbread, fresh apple cake, and fried chicken. Although her husband Homer normally loves anything chocolate, he also enjoys tea cakes hot from the oven. Rolling these delectable cookies in sugar before baking gives them a crispy, sugary texture and loads of goodness in every bite. I hope you find these little bites of heaven as wonderful as Homer and Jessie do . . .

Mama Lander’s Tea Cakes

Yield: 2 ½ dozen

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 cups self-rising flour

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Melt shortening and let cool for five minutes. Mix all ingredients together in order. Take a teaspoon at a time of the dough and roll into small balls. Roll in sugar. Add to cookie sheet. Press the top of each cookie with a fork. Bake at 325 degrees until lightly brown on bottom.

Alice: Sounds wonderful! Makes me want one of those tea cakes with my cup of morning Earl Grey.

Here's more about Jennifer's new novel.

Jessie’s Hope

Years ago, an accident robbed Jessie Smith’s mobility. It also stole her mom and alienated her from her father. When Jessie's high school sweetheart Matt Jansen proposes, her parents’ absence intensifies her worry that she cannot hold on to those she loves.

With a wedding fast approaching, Jessie's grandfather Homer Smith, has a goal to find the perfect dress for "his Jessie," one that would allow her to forget, even if for a moment, the boundaries of her wheelchair. But financial setbacks and unexpected sabotage hinder his plans.

Determined to heal from her past, Jessie initiates a search for her father. Can a sliver of hope lead to everlasting love when additional obstacles--including a spurned woman and unpredictable weather--hijack Jessie's dream wedding?

Alice: And a bit more about Jennifer.

She writes Southern fiction and her website, Alabama-Inspired Fiction, and the group blog, Inspired Prompt, she co-founded, focus on her books, love of the South, and helping writers. She’s published 200+ internet articles and interviews, short stories in several magazines, and has co-authored three book compilations. 

Jennifer recently sold her first novel to Firefly Southern fiction (an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas). She also signed with Cyle Young of the Hartline Literary Agency. Jennifer sends out a monthly newsletter, which you can subscribe to by going to her website. You can visit her on Facebook, Facebook author page, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Jennifer and her husband, Danny, have spent their married life in Alabama and have a basset hound, Max. When she isn't babysitting her grandchildren or gardening, you can find her at her desk writing fiction or working on one of her two blogs.  She also loves reading detective fiction from the Golden Age and viewing movies like LOTR or Star Wars. Sometimes you can even catch her watching American Ninja Warrior.

You can find Jennifer online here:

Jennifer's Website

Inspired Prompt

Jennifer Hallmark,Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Instagram

Be sure to get a copy of Jessie's Hope at Amazon.

Good to have you with us today, Jennifer!  Best of luck with your novel.

Checking in with Author Rose Chandler Johnson

  

Join me today with my guest, Rose Chandler Johnson, who has a new novel out. New novels are always exciting for readers. This one has a lake, something I'm quite fond of. And romance, and it's Southern. Those three are always enticing combinations.

". . . a tender story of healing and finding a place to belong. This sweet Southern romance doesn't disappoint."  ~ Liz Talley

More about this novel . . .

Robin Lancaster, a twenty-six-year-old former kindergarten teacher, has her summer and her life all figured out. She’s ready to be on her own, writing and illustrating her children’s stories at her family’s beloved lake house. Once there, she intends to rekindle a romance with Caleb Jackson, the area’s top hunting and fishing guide, and bag him for herself.

Complications arise from the start when Robin finds out her mother has rented the lake house to a man they know nothing about.

Matthew McLaughlin, forty-year-old widowed university professor and author from California, shows up at Pine Lake in crisis. A sabbatical might be his only hope to save much more than his career. He needs a place of refuge. Sharing the lake house with a lighthearted young woman and her dog is the last thing on his mind.

Caleb Jackson has his own plans. He’s used to things going his way, but a man staying in Robin’s house presents unforeseen challenges. When paths unavoidably tangle for these three, hearts are on the line.

 

More about Rose . . .

Rose Chandler Johnson is known for her heartwarming, inspirational writing. In addition to works of fiction, Rose has written an award-winning devotional: God, Me, and Sweet Iced Tea: Experiencing God in the Midst of Everyday Moments. Connect with her on her blog, 

Facebook, or Twitter @rechanjo.

A novel and a cookbook make spring bright

I've always loved looking through cookbooks, so no wonder each of my novels has recipes in the back. Still Life in Shadows has a recipe that will make you smile because it is baked in a coffee can.  Over the years, I've published three cookbooks of memories on my own. All have been in memory of my son Daniel, who died at age four from cancer treatments. The recipes in the cookbooks are compiled from many who have also lost loved ones. People write to tell me that they love the stories and recipes in the books. There are recipes for simple things like a grilled cheese sandwich, to the elegant----a chocolate cake and a Caesar salad with anchovy paste in the dressing.

Still Life in Shadows is a novel about an ex-Amish man named Gideon who lives in the mountains of North Carolina and helps other Amish escape the old Amish life.  I think it's a realistic view of the harshness of many Amish families, not sugar-coating the lifestyle nor omitting the many problems that are faced.  There's also a young autistic girl and her sister who runs a diner. Readers have cheered me on for writing a story of struggle and redemption.  And while my other novels with Bethany House and Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas have females on the covers, this one (published by Moody/River North) has a man (and look at him, who wouldn't want to meet him?).

So what do my novel and cookbook have in common besides recipes and stories?  They are now available together at a great deal.  Not as e-books, no. But as real soft cover books with actual pages!

Both Memories Around the Table and Still Life in Shadows are being offered here for a low, low price.  I hope you'll take advantage of this offer.  Both books will be sent to you for just $9.99 with free shipping.  Or get a copy of Still Life in Shadows by itself for $8.99 with free shipping. Offer is good in USA only!

Order via PayPal below:

Two books or one book

Both books $9.99 USD Still Life in Shadows Only $8.99 USD

When Your Novels Go Out of Print

I remember . . . I recall how when I first started in this writing business the way I felt. I started with a two-book deal my agent Kristin got for me. That was at the beginning of 2007.

My first novel arrived, smelling of fresh paper and anticipation.

Rain Song did exceptionally well for whatever reason. It sold over 40,000 copies within the first year. I was too young in the industry to realize what a good number this actually is. There was a publishing snafu with the cover for my next book (book two of the two-book deal) and How Sweet It Is ended up at the last minute with a new cover (the one it has now). Believe it or not, covers do affect sales, as the VP of Marketing at Bethany House tried to explain to me.

But this post isn't about snafus or sales or . . . Well, it is about sales. Because after my next two-book deal in 2009, I found out that Rain Song was going out of print. How Sweet It Is followed. "They are available in e-book format," my editor told me.

Yikes! My babies, out of print? Why now, why me?

Years earlier, I'd read about how other authors were dismayed because their books were out of print. Now it was happening to me. And I didn't even own a Kindle or Nook, but obviously readers did. And they liked to purchase e-books.

The sale of books for electronic devises has become really real for me this month. Rain Song is at #6 today on the Christian Contemporary Romance rank on Kindle. How Sweet It Is is at #20, also on Kindle. But Amazon has no copies of either book in print to sell. And I do have readers who are like me and actually enjoy an old-fashioned book.

So, I have learned a few things.

1) People like their Kindles and Nooks.
2) People like print books.

What exactly is this post about?

Good question! I answer with:

1) How novels do go out of print, regardless of how authors feel about it.
2) How if you are smart, you can still get a print copy, and even one signed by the author!

Y'all can all be smart today because I am offering How Sweet It Is to you in print. This means that you can smell the fresh pages, turn them with your fingers, and use a bookmark which I will also send to you. Remember, there are not many of these paperback books around anymore.

How Sweet it is when you get a book for only $9.99! (Yep, no shipping costs either!)

So that is what I am offering to my readers this week. Hurry and send a check to the address below or use the Pay Pal button and purchase a real print copy (signed) of How Sweet It Is. Offer good in the USA only and only until September 15, 2013.

Order a copy or two or three! The more you order, the more you save.

From School Library Journal
"Atlanta chef Deena Livingston returns home to the North Carolina cabin she inherited from her grandfather to start a new life far from the heartbreak she suffered in Georgia. But instead of becoming isolated in self-pity, Deena finds her grandfather's will also stipulates that she work with local middle-school children. Written with a seasoning of Southern charm and populated with richly drawn characters, Wisler's second novel (after Rain Song) mixes romance, humor, and drama and tackles such issues such as child abuse and self-image. Sure to appeal to fans of Susan May Warren, Lisa Wingate, Angela Hunt, and Rene Gutteridge."

1 copy for $9.99
2 copies of $16.99
3 copies for $20.99

Send check to Alice Wisler at:
201 Monticello Avenue
Durham, NC 27707 USA

OR

use PayPal

How Sweet It Is

One copy $9.99 USD Two copies $16.99 USD Three copies $20.99 USD

Show your favorite authors some love!

Once again my publishers placed my first novel Rain Song as a free download on Kindle. The rankings on Amazon were great. For two months, Rain Song was on the top-sellers listings on Amazon. There were days it was at #34 and then at #53. It was even #1 in Christian romance and contemporary. Free, of course. So in reality, my novel wasn't "selling" at all because how do you sell something if it is already being given away for free?

As of September 1, Rain Song is no longer free. I was certain that it would no longer be on the top charts of Amazon either.

Because it's true, people love free. People will take free over paid.

So I wrote the following yesterday:

Some readers are only willing to "purchase" a book if it is free. I think the logic behind the marketing department of a publishing house is that a customer will get the free book, read it, like it and then want to read other works by the author. In theory that sounds great. Many wrote to tell me how much they enjoyed Rain Song, people I didn't know before. As a result I have lots of new Facebook friends. Some said that they would be reading my other novels, now lumped together on Amazon as the Heart of Carolina Series.

Reviews went up, too. There were only 184 reviews two months ago and after my novel's two months of freedom, there are now 291 reviews. I imagine some are good in order to keep it at a four-star rating, and I know some are poor. (I have given up reading reviews because my reactions to the bad ones made my husband crazy.) I have found that many times when a book is free, readers don't treat it as an investment (because it's not) and might lightly scan it, not bother to get into it, but feel free enough to add a "not so favorable" review based on the one or two pages read.

I like seeing my books on any top chart, free or not. I thrive on hearing from readers. I like meeting new people.

But when folks ask what is next for me and when my next book is coming out, I want to say, "You know, you can't keep writing just cuz you want to. An author has to make money with her writing in order to continue to be picked up by publishers."

If you like an author's work, why not help an author by actually spending money on a book? If you like her writing style and story lines, why not promote her so that others can also be introduced to her work?

Rain Song is no longer a free Kindle read on Amazon. Free is over and with it, all the hype it generated. Now it goes back to being a book that you need cash to purchase. Even so, it's only $2.60.

The way I see it, if a reader really wanted to show me some love, she or he could skip the second cup of morning coffee at Starbucks or at the Circle K and buy Rain Song. Or any one of my other four novels--How Sweet It Is, Hatteras Girl, A Wedding Invitation and Still Life in Shadows.

And I just might be able to continue to write and make my publishers (Bethany House and River North/Moody) happy.

Update, update!
Today I checked my babies (i.e. books) rankings on Amazon and lo and behold! Yes, lo and behold. What did I find? Rain Song is being bought! By Amazon readers! It is now on the top-sellers for Kindle Paid Books. #8 in Christian contemporary fiction. How Sweet It Is is at #13 in the same category.

Did somebody get the word out that writers need to make a living? If that was you, thank you!

I hope the great rankings continue, but I'm not holding my breath. For right now, I am surprised, grateful, pleased, and ready for another cup of Earl Grey tea.

Rain Song on Amazon.

In honor of Dixie

Today, and today only, I am offering any of my inspirational novels (autographed) to you for only $11! It's Dixie, my beagle's 11th birthday and she thinks this is a great way to celebrate her life and the joy of reading! (Of course, she reads.) The $11 price includes shipping costs. My novels retail for $14.99, so this is a nice birthday deal! (And if you like cake, How Sweet It Is is about a cake decorator in the mountains of North Carolina.)

Simply send a check today for $11 (USD) to the address below or pay via PayPal.
Specify which novel you'd like.





Address:
201 Monticello Avenue
Durham, NC 27707

OR

Use the Paypal button below.

Choose your novel

Rain Song How Sweet It Is Hatteras Girl A Wedding Invitation Still Life in Shadows

Having fun with Still Life in Shadows: Stepping Outside the Norm

Novelist Alice Wisler creates unforgettable characters in a plot that keeps turning up surprises. Read it and weep. Or laugh. Maybe even pray. ~ Eugene H. Peterson, Translator of The Message

So, I am having much more fun than I should ever since my fifth novel, Still Life in Shadows, came out this month.

Having a new novel means a lot can happen and a lot has the potential to happen. Besides book events, there are tweets to post on Twitter, with the hopes of enticing folks to read. Some of the ones I've posted include:

* What's an ex-Amish man doing in the South? Find out for only 99 cents.

* Want to get inside of the mind of a 13-year-old autistic girl? Still Life in Shadows' Kiki is just waiting for you to read her thoughts.

*What do an ex-Amish man and an autistic girl have in common?"

There are photos to share. The one below is of the tranquil Smoky Mountains, since my novel is set there.

And speaking of photos, one of my influencers has set up a Gideon Photo Album, showcasing my character, Gideon Miller. How fun is that! Kimberli Buffaloe, my own photo journalist, takes her copy of Still Life in Shadows with her. The book has been photographed in various locations including the cute one below with Baby Silas. I call it "Still Life with Baby in Shadow."

Kimberli's captions for each photo are intriguing. For the photo with the baby she writes, "As I read Still Life in Shadows, I noticed Gideon is experiencing an emptiness in his life. He misses some things about his family--he definitely misses blackberry pie--and I get the impression he feels another family will fill that cavern. But Gideon's need is deeper, and from what I can tell, he hasn't yet learned he must be "like one of these". Thanks for allowing Silas to explain it to him, Sheri!"

My favorite aspects of this publicity season centers around what others are saying. This includes reading the comments from those who have read Still Life in Shadows. Since the story is an ex-Amish one, dealing with the not-so-pure sides of Amish life, I'm grateful when someone "gets" what my novel is trying to say.

* "None of the typical Amish fluff stuff in it." ~ Rachel Overton

* "This book brought to light the "other side" of the Amish world. Christian fiction has an overabundance of books, in my opinion, in which the Amish are portrayed in an overly positive light, one of purity and simplicity. While Wisler's goal is not in any way seeking to denigrate the Amish, she did draw on true-life experiences of those who have "escaped" the Amish culture in writing her novel. I've only read one other novel (Christian fiction) that dealt with the Amish way of life, and frankly, never much considered the negative aspects of it before reading this book. Wisler handles the topic thoughtfully and tastefully, yet honestly at the same time." ~ Angela McClendon

* "I have your book and I am really looking forward to reading it. I do love the peacefulness portrayed by Amish stories... the canning and the quilting bees, but life's NOT perfect, and I want that portrayed in books too. Thanks for stepping outside the norm!" ~ Ladette Collins Kerr

Others plan to read it, and confess the following:

* "For a long time, I placed the Amish community on a pedestal, thinking they were more pure and holy than the rest of us. Now I have come to realize that they are people just like the rest of us! Thanks for making that point, Alice Jay Wisler." ~ Andrea Schultz

* ". . . Quite frankly I believe that some (not all) Amish communities are not following the Gospel of Christ. There is a strong currency of legalism and works mentality. I'm not saying there are not Amish that are Christians, I definitely believe that there are. Amish is a closed community and also has a high rate of child abuse sadly. I pray that those that leave would come to know Christ and not be caught up in all the false sparkle of the world." ~ Julia Reffner

Pam Kellogg thanked me for having the "guts" to write my novel. I thank her for realizing that in an in-love-with-Amish-books mentality we have created in the Christian fiction world, some might see me stepping out of the norm as a little risky. But I feel the Amish, like the rest of us, are not beyond needing God's compassion, mercy and grace.

And if writing a novel can get someone to get out there and be inspired to be creative, then I like that, too!

* "Just finished it last night. Alice Jay Wisler, I'm truly in awe of this book. It's fantastic. Not what I was expecting (and of course I was expecting it to be good) but it was even better than my expectations. It even inspired me to do some of my own writing today. It doesn't get better than that for me!" ~ Sandra Smith

Hop over to get your own copy!

Hopefully, you'll agree with Kim Snoddy, "I really appreciate that your books have complex characters with real-life heart issues."

The Blog Hop is coming to an end

Have you joined this blog and left a comment way below at the May 6th post? If not, you need to do that! For joining this site, you will be entered into the contest for a free pack of A grateful heart dances thank-you cards. When you leave a comment (after joining), you are entered to win a copy of my second novel, How Sweet It Is. Hurry, the Blog Hop ends May 14th. Be sure to scroll down to the May 6th entry, tell us about your favorite cake, and visit the other bloggers' sites, too.

May 7-14 Blog Hop is ready to start today!

Welcome to the John 3:16 Marketing Network Blog Hop!


I am giving away a pack of thank-you cards and my second novel, How Sweet It Is for the Blog Hop!


In order to be eligible for my giveways, join this Patchwork Quilt blog and leave a comment about your favorite cake to eat and/or make. Winners will be drawn. It's that simple!

And then be sure to tell your friends about the John 3:16 Giveaway Blog Hop! It's going to be a great week of fun!


Just click on the links below to go from blog to blog of these other authors for a chance to win even more! Happy hoppin'!


Blog Hop Participants:

1. Lorilyn Roberts (John 3:16 Blog) – http://john316mn.blogspot.com/
2. Lynn Dove – Word Salt (Host blog) - http://wordsalt.wordpress.com/
3. Laura J. Davis - http://interviewsandreviews.blogspot.com/
4. Paulette Harper - http://www.pauletteharperjohnson.blogspot.com/
5. Carol A. Brown - http://connectwithcarolbrown.blogspot.com/
6. April Gardner - http://www.aprilwgardner.com/
7. Sue Russell – http://www.suerussellsblog.blogspot.com/
8. Thomas Blubaugh - http://tomblubaugh.net/
9. Susan F. Craft – http://historicalfictionalightintime.blogspot.com/
10. Heather Bixler – http://heatherbixler.com/
11. Joy Hannabass – http://splashesofjoy.wordpress.com/
12. Deborah Bateman - http://www.DeborahHBateman.com
13. Kimberley Payne - http://www.fitforfaith.blogspot.com/
14. Rose McCauley – http://www.rosemccauley.blogspot.com
15. Lisa Lickel - http://livingourfaithoutloud.blogspot.com/
16. Alice J. Wisler - http://www.alicewisler.blogspot.com/
17. Amanda Stephan - http://www.thepriceoftrust.com/
18. Saundra Dalton – http://gracetolivefree.blogspot.com/
19. Tracy Krauss - http://www.tracykraussexpressionexpress.com/
20. Ashley Wintters - http://ashleyschristianbookreviews.blogspot.com/
21. Deborah McCarragher - http://www.godmissionpossible.blogspot.com/
22. Lorilyn Roberts - http://lorilynroberts.blogspot.com/
23. Anita Estes - http://anita-thoughtsonchristianity.blogspot.com/
24. Martin Roth – http://www.military-orders.com
25. Kenneth Winters – http://www.lostcrownofcolonnade.com/
26. Eddie Snipes – http://www.eddiesnipes.com/
27. Diane Tatum - http://tatumlight-tatumsthoughts4today.blogspot.com/
28. Janalyn Voigt - http://janalynvoigt.com/
29. Alberta Sequeira – http://www.albertasequeira.wordpress.com/
30. Tammy Hill – http://tammyhillbooks.blogspot.com/p/blog-hop.html
31. Marcia Laycock – http://www.writer-lee.blogspot.com/
32. Nike Chillemi - http://nikechillemi.wordpress.com/
33. Elaine Marie Cooper - http://wp.me/PVo1a-1vM
34. Sidney W. Frost - http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.ca/2012/05/welcome-to-john-316-giveaway-blog-hop.html
35. Jairus B. King – http://ministerjking.blogspot.com
36. Bill Burt - http://kotbooks.blogspot.com/
37. Kathy Eberly - http://authorkathyeberly.blogspot.com/
38. Bob Saffrin - http://bobsaffrin.com/
39. Theresa Franklin - http://theresa-lifesjourney.blogspot.com/
40. Ray Lincoln - http://blog.raywlincoln.com/
41. Lilly Maytree - http://www.lillymaytree.blogspot.com/
42. Yvonne Pat Wright - http://www.spicetoeternity.co.uk/1/post/2012/05/come-blog-hopping-with-john-316-marketing-network-members-for-gifts-and-prizes.html
43. Pauline Creeden - http://fatfreefaith.blogspot.com/
44. Katherine Harms - http://livingontilt.wordpress.com
45. Brenda Wood - http://heartfeltdevotionals.wordpress.com/
46. Deborah Malone - http://deborahsbutterflyjourney.blogspot.com/
47. Melissa Main – http://www.mainwriters.com/
48. Kevin Main - http://mainchristianbooks.com/
49. Sandy Humphrey - http://www.kidscandoit.com/blog/
50. Felice Gerwitz - http://www.writingandpublishingblog.com/
51. Hallee Bridgeman - http://www.bridgemanfamily.com/hallee
52. Lisa Mills - http://www.authorlisamills.com/blog/

Ex-Amish: Why?

"Out here in the world, you leave the Amish, you are on your own," says Mose Gingerich, an ex-Amish man who left his home in Wisconsin for Columbia, Missouri. Now he helps youth leave their sheltered communities, calling himself an Ex-Amish Underground Railroad. He says the young men and women leave their Amish communities for a variety of reasons, some due to wanting more religious freedom, others wanting to further their education beyond the standard Amish eighth grade level.

Mose takes care of the young adults who leave, letting them stay with him and work for his construction business. He knows it isn't easy starting a life outside of the confines of the tight-knit Amish Old Order life. In the modern world, drivers' licenses are needed and since the majority of the Amish have no birth certificates or social security numbers, obtaining the necessary papers take time.


Mose supports the youth and cares for them, giving them advice about staying off of drugs and alcohol. Although far from his birth place, he has not left what he's learned from his Amish roots about helping those in need.


Much to his sorrow, Mose is not recognized by his parents in Wisconsin as their son. When he does go home to visit, he's told that he will only be accepted again if he plans to stay. He asks, "How can you turn the love switch on and off just like that?" His family thinks he's doomed for hell due to the decision he made seven years ago to leave his Amish lifestyle.


Mose's story fascinates me. I've seen his National Geographic documentaries on TV and plan to watch the upcoming ones. He is the inspiration for my new novel, Still Life in Shadows, due out August 1 from River North. In my story, Gideon Miller is known as the Getaway Savior, helping escapees leave the Amish lifestyle. Gideon's reason for leaving his own Amish home in Carlisle, Pennsylvania was due to his abusive father. He held questions then and continues to wonder about his faith and yes, feels he's headed to hell. Yet he misses parts of being Amish and is nostalgic, especially during the harvest season.

My hope is that readers will see the struggle Amish face instead of the unrealistic view many choose to hold of the plain people. The Amish are human and deal with suicide, alcohol, abuse, and bigotry, just as the outside world does. And their need for redemption and forgiveness is just as strong as it is for the most evil of men.

As my character Gideon asks, "Did you know that the Amish look down on those who do not dress or live as they do?" Later he claims they are close-minded.


Gideon shares what he believes to be true. "Jesus say to love everyone. He even said to think of others more highly than we think of ourselves. I don't see that in the Old Order communities at all."


Of course, Mari, the waitress he is talking to, can't believe this. She believes the Amish are the epitome of perfection and wholesomeness. Much like the rest of America does.

Still Life in Shadows is a novel about the ex-Amish, but it is mostly about yearning to belong, something each of us desires in our own way.


For further understanding of those who leave the Amish life, view the National Geographic videos about the Ex-Amish lifestyles.

Rain Song: Interview & Chance to Win

Another opportunity to win an autographed copy of Rain Song! Simply read the author interview at this blog, and toss in your comments. It is that easy!

Name Contest

Wouldn't you like to participate in a name those characters contest?
Here's your chance.

What I need for my fourth novel, set in North Carolina, are the following names:

1. Name for a 15-year-old girl who is half Vietnamese and half American
2. Name for a handsome 28-year-old American man from NC
3. Name for a 65-year-old aunt who raises butterflies in Winston Salem, NC

What to do? Simply send your suggestions to info@alicewisler.com by October 30th.

If your suggested name is chosen for the book, (right now the novel is tentatively titled A Wedding Invitation), you can choose your prize. Winners will receive
either a copy of:
Rain Song
or a copy of:
How Sweet It Is.

Winners will be notified by November 5.
Happy creating!

The Regulator Bookshop

Tomorrow is a night I'm looking forward to because there is nothing quite like a book event at the cozy Regulator Bookshop on Ninth Street in Durham. I like being able to stand up on the podium with a mic and address my audience. I hope many can join me tomorrow for a fun discussion of getting away from it all, how you were named, favorite cake recipes and the power of journaling/writing through pain.

Interview at So Many Books ... So Little Time

Take a moment to drop by So Many Books ... So Little Time time to read an interview Jennifer had with me and posted at her site. The questions she asked were fun to answer---I especially liked the one about my favorite scene in How Sweet It Is. As I answered her questions, I learned a little more about myself. Always a good thing.

Rain Song is a Christy Award Finalist

Yep, in the New Novel category. The finalists
were announced at the Book Expo Event this
past weekend in Dallas. The winners will be
announced in July.

I am just delighted that my novel was
nominated.

It feels great!

View a listing of all the 2009 Finalists.




*********

How Sweet It Is that the pub date is around the corner

How Sweet It Is will be in bookstores and at Walmart soon. Release date is scheduled for May 1. Be sure to read the blog posting below if you would like to be on the Influencer List. You can email your snail address to info@alicewisler.com by March 15th to receive a free copy of How Sweet It Is. Of course, be sure to note what I need you to do.

Callling all influencers: Want to be on the list?

How Sweet It Is is at the printers! I heard this good news from my editor yesterday. I also heard that I need to come up with some folks who can be part of my Influencer List. What does it mean? Here's what you need to do if you want to be on this list.
1. Be willing to read How Sweet It Is.
2. Talk about it to your writers' group/your book club/your librarian/your mother-in-law and/or Oprah.
3. Write a short review about the novel and post it on Amazon or send it to me for posting here at my blog.

If you can do all these, then request a copy of the novel from me by commenting below or by sending an email to info@alicewisler.com before March 15th. Please include your snail mail address so that my publisher can mail a brand new copy of How Sweet It Is to you.

Thanks!

~ Alice, "Fiction with a Quirky Southern Tradition"