Sunshine on a Cold Day

Rascal on a warmer day

Rascal and I went on our usual walk this morning. Believe me, it was cold when we started out. The ground was frozen, with snow and ice still clinging to bits of the grass. I knew we needed the exercise, but the effort felt more like a chore than anything else. Something to get over with, so I could get back into my nice, warm house. 

Then the sun came out!

The temperature remained the same, but everything looked brighter. Not only that, I could feel the warmth of the sun shining on my face and even on my legs under my slacks. It's effect was amazing, transforming a frigid day to a pleasant one. Whereas before, I could hardly wait to get home, the sun's warmth made me want to walk further and enjoy it more.

In a way, it reminded me of authors. We work hard in isolation to get our books finished, all the while wondering what readers will think of them. When our books are done, they're thrust out to walk on their own in the cold, cruel world. Will they have enough stamina to continue on, or be forced to retreat in defense from an onslaught of criticism?

Then, magically, a reader says a kind word, or posts a nice review, and everything changes! 

Such kind words are like sunshine to an author. They not only make the struggle worthwhile, but encourage us to carry on. They also give our books strength and longevity in the marketplace, making it possible for more readers to enjoy them.

Thanks to everyone who has spent the time to write a review for any of my books, or told me in person or writing that you liked it. Your thoughtfulness is much appreciated! 

Morgan Mandel

Morgan Mandel's current release is

Her Handyman, a romantic comedy,

at http://amzn.com/B0097EVXBK

Find Morgan's romances, mysteries & thrillers at

Her Website: http://www.morganmandel.com

Follow On Twitter: @MorganMandel

Detour to My Guest Post, Please

Please stop by The Book Connection today. I'm over there sharing about the dog who owns me, and the one who owns my heroine in Her Handyman, my new romantic comedy - Here's the link - http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2012/09/guest-blogger-morgan-mandel-author-of.html




Thanks,
Morgan Mandel
http://www.morganmandel.com 

Her Handyman by Morgan Mandel Coming Soon!

                                                                                                          
Things have been hectic lately, since I've been working on a new romantic comedy, which I'm calling Her Handyman.

I hope to have it out and about by the end of August. In the meantime, I'm offering a sneak peak at the cover.

Yes, this one has a dog in it. It's a Chinese Crested.

The only resemblance between this dog and my own dog, Rascal, is they both are white with black spots.

This one is cute in an ugly sort of way, which fits into the story.

Now, I'm back to my writing.

For excerpts and buy links to my available books, check out http://morgansbooklinks.blogspot.com/

Authors, Pay Attention To Your Animals



Morgan Mandel with Rascal

 Since I own a dog named Rascal, or should I say she owns me, I bond with animal lovers in fiction and in real life. I don't purposely seek books with animals included, but consider it an added perk if I find one. Somehow the characters with animals, even if they're villains, seem more human, as long as they treat their animals right. In Killer Career, a dog is mistreated by a villain, but the hero and heroine save it in the nick of time.

One thing I don't like is a storyline where an animal is introduced, yet the author doesn't pay attention to it. Sometimes it seems a dog is completely forgotten in the plot, and never seems to go out or get a walk. Or, a cat is never mentioned when the person comes home and the poor cat has no litterbox.

Later, conveniently the pet may be trotted out when the author remembers, oh yes, maybe I better say something about that animal I stuck in here to lure animal lovers to my book.

All I have to say about that is Authors, Pay Attention To Your Animals!

Are there any books with animals in them which you like, or have you noticed instances where authors don't pay attention to their animals?



Killer Career is 99 cents on
Kindle and Smashwords.
Forever Young-Blessing or Curse
is Coming Soon to Kindle and
Smashwords, as are the re-releases
of Girl of My Dreams and Two Wrongs.

Inadvertent Publicity by Morgan Mandel

I subscribe to Google Alerts. On Tuesday, a funny one came up which I just have to share.

I've got a number of videos on Youtube.com under the search name of morganmandel, many of which feature my dog, Rascal. Others are about authors.

Anyway, on Tuesday in my Google Alert was a link to an article about the country group, Rascal Flatts doing a 10th anniversary tour. Alongside the article happened to be a number of links to videos. Believe it or not, the second one happens to be about my dog! It's Rascal Attends Bentley's 1st Anniversary Party. I  had a good laugh over that one.

Here's the link:
http://article.wn.com/view/2010/06/15/Rascal_Flatts_prepares_for_anniversary_tour/

Have you ever gotten unexpected or inadvertent publicity? Or maybe you can think of other ways to get it. Please share in the comment section.

Morgan Mandel
http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel

Going to the Dogs by Morgan Mandel

You may see more Rascal pics on my blogs off and on. That's because I'm going to the dogs, well, kind of.

I'm trying to piece together a children's lesson book with Rascal as the star. It's slow going since I've never done a children's book before. I need to learn such basics as how large the pages are, and all kinds of other not-as-much-fun things that drags down the process.

Since I'm not as organized as I'd like to be, I've had to hunt down all my Rascal photos. They've been hiding in all sorts of digital photo albums on two computers. Anyway, I think I may have them all, or close to it. I've copied them onto a memory stick, so I can pick and choose from them for illustrations.

Most of my videos of her are on Youtube, so at least I know where they are, thank goodness. Tonight, I was working in Microsoft Publisher, Adobe CS4 and Adobe Elements 7. As you can tell, I was all over the place, trying to get my bearings. It's got to get better. Well, at least I hope so. I'll keep you apprised of my successes and obstacles in the project.

What about you? Have you written either a children's or a book about a dog? Or, maybe you've included a dog in an adult novel. Please share.

Starting Over by Morgan Mandel

There's something about the start of  a New Year that makes people want to start over. I'm sure you've seen countless ads featuring organizing containers and other items designed to relieve household clutter. I wish it were that simple.

Then, there are the machines and weights and cute outfits to wear so people can work out and lose all those extra inches. If only buying those products would do the trick, without the added ingredient of will power.

As a writer, I'm examining my goals for 2010.  Though I don't want to ignore my present release, Killer Career, it'll soon be time to get cracking on my new book. I do have one in mind about Rascal, which I should get done, instead of talking about it all the time. That will be my goal in the coming months.

I've also got my Boomer thriller waiting in the wings, but first things first.

What about you? What's your goal for 2010? To lose weight? To declutter your house? To get a new book finished? I'd like to accomplish all three. If only it were that simple.

Okay, it won't be simple, but let's see how far I get by this time next year.

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com/
http://www.morganmandel.com/
http://twitter.com/morganmandel
http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel

Children's books

I keep saying this, but I do mean it. When I get some time, and I believe that time will be coming soon, I'm getting my children's book about my dog, Rascal, finished. Whether or not I self-publish it is still up in the air.  I've never written a children's book before and have lots to learn first.

I'm mentioning this sidenote for a purpose. On Tuesday, Mary Cunningham was my guest at my personal blog, http://morganmandel.blogspot.com/. She left an excellent post about her new children's mystery book, The Magician's Castle, part of her Cynthia's Attic series. She's also got one of the most entertaining book trailers I've seen in a long time. I've left her post up for more people to enjoy.

If you haven't seen it yet, we'd both be happy if you dropped by to check it out.

Rascal says for now she'll wait to take center stage. That's unusual for her, because she loves being made a fuss over.

Morgan Mandel

http://morganmandel.blogspot.com/

http://www.morganmandel.com/

Advertising Can Be Obnoxious by Morgan Mandel

As I sit in the commuter train on my way to my day job in Downtown Chicago, I can't help but be annoyed. That's because on select cars at varying times, a bunch of signage covers the car. Today, it's the one I'm in. When I glance out the window, it's like looking through a screen door. Apparently, aesthetics aside, Metra has found a way to get advertising dollars, which in this day and age are sorely needed. If it keeps the fares from going up more, it's worth the inconvenience.

When he sees a commercial come on, my DH grabs the remote and flicks to a different channel. I'm more willing to watch, but what drives me crazy is when a short commercial comes on, is followed by a different commercial, and then after the second one, the very same first one appears. At that point I'll get up and let the dog out or do some other chore because it's just too irritating.

As an author, to get my brand out I'm forced to do advertising, which we like to call promotion. How else will the public know that I've so far written three books? So, I do book signings where people will still stop by and say they've never heard of me before. "That's why I'm here," I usually tell them.

I hand out bookmarks, I get reviews and post them, I send out postcards, I do presentations at libraries, I do so much networking online on blogs, egroups, and networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Myspace, sometimes I wonder if I'll ever have time to concentrate on my work in progress.

Lots of authors find the promotion side of the coin obnoxious. Most of the time I have to admit I enjoy it, maybe even too much - Except for those times when I see thirty emails waiting to be opened so I don't miss something important and I just don't have time to open them, or when I just want to spend time with my husband and our dog child, Rascal and I have to tear myself away from the computer and ignore it.

A happy balance would be nice, but in this competitive day and age, somehow that doesn't seem possible.

What about you? Do you enjoy promotion? Or do you consider it obnoxious? Please share.

Morgan Mandel
http://www.morganmandel.com/

Name Recognition by Morgan Mandel

Rascal says:
Catch Angela Wilson - author publicist, virtual tour editor, author, and more at http://morganmandel.blogspot.com this week giving tips on virtual tours. Then Angela will visit here at http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com on Wednesday, Sept. 17 to offer marketing suggestions. Don't forget our new Man of Mystery will be here Thursday, Sept. 18 - the one and only Craig Johnson.


As some may know, I do Youtube videos. I happened to do one with our dog, Rascal, visiting her favorite hangout, a local pet goods store called Bentley's Corner Barkery.

My husband and I were on our way there again so I could do another video and Rascal could get spoiled, when half a block away a couple with their dog approached. The guy immediately said something to the effect "That must be Rascal. Are you doing another youtube video?"

I thought I hadn't heard right. There was no reason he would know our dog's name since we hadn't told him.

As it turned out, when we spoke to Lisa, co-owner of Bentley's Corner Barkery, we learned the guy had Googled Bentley's and found the youtube video also. Of course, he had to watch it. Here's the link if you'd like to see it too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNDXV-zu-Y

So, the mystery was solved, but not completely.

Why is it that I, an author with two books out, with lots of websites, blogs, links, and anything else you can think of on the Internet, have never received the recognition Rascal got? I must admit I'm a bit jealous.

All kidding aside, I'm happy the response was good. At least some aspect of my cross promotion worked. I gave Bentley's a plug and by chance it swung back to me, actually to Rascal. Since I plan on doing a book wither Rascal as the star, any publicity generated about her is a good thing.

Building up name recognition isn't easy, but when it clicks it's so wonderful you won't forget it.

Morgan Mandel
www.Morganmandel.com
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com

LEAVE YOUR MARK By Morgan Mandel

Rascal leaves her mark. What about you?

Leaving your mark is not only a dog thing. We authors strive to do it also. Why else do we have such a strong urge for people to read our words? Or do we have OCD?

Okay, I confess. I do have some tendencies towards obsessive compulsive disorder. I must check the stove and make sure the doors are locked before I go to bed each night. Even worse, at the casino, I have a terrible time tearing myself away from the slot machines whether I'm winning or losing.

Still, deep down I know the real reason I write is to share and leave my mark. I don't want my existence to go unnoticed. Somehow I want people to know I'm here.
Those are the deep meanings for why I write.

Now, let's apply this to blogs. I've been writing quite a few lately in the hopes of getting myself noticed. In fact, I'm trying my hardest to do one a day at http://morganmandel.blogspot.com. It's not easy with my busy schedule, but I'm proud to say I've got three up this week, which is a lot for me. I plan to continue on and see how far I can go without missing a day.

Today and most Wednesdays except when I'm on vacation, I also do my blog here at http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com and also at http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com.

There's a little spot at the end of the blog for comments. I, like so many other bloggers I know, like to check that area to see if anyone leaves a comment. Too often we're disappointed.

When you read a blog, do you just finish it and go on to something else? If so, you're wasting a great opportunity not only to make a blogger feel happy, but also to leave your mark on the Internet. When you leave a comment for a blog, you may think it is buried in obscurity but you're wrong. That comment goes into Google! When you're Googled, your comment in many instances will show up. The more Googles you have, the better it looks, especially if you're an author establishing your identity on the Internet.

So consider leaving your mark here and at other blogs. I'd be very happy if you'd leave a comment, even if it's about how cute Rascal is. If you're very determined to get noticed, consider visiting my now daily blog at http://morganmandel.blogspot.com and leave another comment.

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
www.morganmandel.com

EXERCISE YOUR EARS By Morgan Mandel

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE MEN OF MYSTERY NEXT WEEK. WEDNESDAY - MARCUS SAKEY - FRIDAY - JOE KONRATH.

RASCAL ON VACATION

As I walked Rascal around the block yesterday evening, I not only exercised my heart, lungs and legs, but also my ears. I really listened and was amazed at all the sounds I heard. Here’s my list:

Cicadas screeched loudly, almost enough to drown out the other sounds, but not quite.

A squirrel chattered.

A bird chirped. I’m not sure what kind.

A horn bellowed from the tracks five blocks away.

A car’s engine accelerated.

A dog barked from a nearby yard.

A child laughed from the playground.

A whistle blew from the practice field by the middle school.

A truck rattled past, empty for the moment, but it will probably hold scrap later since tomorrow is garbage day.

Rascal’s chain jingled.

A jogger’s shoes plopped as she ran down the street.

The gate to my yard clanked as I opened and closed the handle.

A cricket chirped from the grass by the walkway.

A plane roared as I neared the stoop.

The doorknob squeaked as I opened the back door.

Inside, I heard my husband speaking on the phone.

My exercise is over, but yours is beginning. Pick a short period of time and really listen. See what noises you come up. You’ll probably be as surprised as I was at how many you can notice when you try.

Write or type down your list. Do this more than once and save it. Then, when you feel like adding extra layers to your writing, you’ve got a great cheat sheet ready to use.

Now go out and exercise. You don't need a dog to do it.

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://blogsthatrule.blogspot.com
http://bookplace.ning.com
www.myspace.com/morganmandel

Animals in Books by Morgan Mandel

Our Little Rascal

My dog is cute. Okay, lots of people's dogs are cute. Still, how many dogowners when walking their dog are constantly stopped and told their dog looks like the one on the Little Rascals, or the RCA dog, or Patton's dog?

It's no surprise that her name is Rascal or that she lives up to her name. Anyway, I will be writing a book about her soon - the length is yet to be determined. I'm still trying to decide if it should be a children's or adult book, whether to add or not add photos.

I have a few books started already, so I'm not sure when it will happen. In the meantime, I'm gathering up cute photos and making note of special memories. Right now she's got her head on my foot, which the dog handler at obedience school says is a no-no. No leaning on your master, since that means the dog is staking ownership.

It makes me feel good when she does that, so I allow it. I spoil her in more ways than I can mention, more ways than my husband even realizes. Maybe that's why she considers him the boss and I'm just another littermate.

It's not unusual to include a dog or cat in a book, or even to make it a main character. If you have a special animal, think about adding it and some of its characteristics for a special touch. There's lots of us animal lovers out there.

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://bookplace.ning.com
www.myspace.com/morganmandel
http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://www.juniorscave.com/morganmandel.html

DO YOU NEED AN AUDIENCE? By Morgan Mandel

I’m busy writing or editing a manuscript, doing Internet promotion, or God forbid, doing housework or cooking. I’m intent on getting what I want done. My dog, Rascal, is at least three, but acts like the puppy she was in the photo I'm sharing with you. She doesn’t understand the importance of my tasks.

Rascal wants my attention. She does this by grabbing something I don’t want her to have. I can hide stuff away from her, but when she wants something, she goes after it. If it’s not in sight, that does not deter her. She knows how to dig into my coat pocket and pull out my gloves.

A challenge doesn’t stop her either. She’s been known to grab a cap off my head.

Suddenly she’s got what she shouldn’t have in her mouth. It’s something I don’t want wrecked. That’s when the chase begins. I run after her. She looks back to make sure I’m following, then hides under the piano bench or table. I get closer. She looks up at me again to make sure I’m there. She scoots further away, but I manage to nab her. I reach into her mouth and remove the object in question. She’s lost. No, wait a minute – she’s won. She achieved her objective. She got her audience.

Some writers can get along fine by themselves. They read what they write and find enjoyment by doing that. Others need an audience. It’s not enough to merely like what they write, but they need others to know about it and like it.

I belong to the latter group. Here’s what I’ve learned.

The first step to gain an audience is to get published. Once that happens, some writers stop, believing they’ve achieved their goal of getting an audience.

Don’t make that mistake. If you want an audience, you need to reach out and get one. You do this by promotion. Find that hat or glove which will make your audience notice you. It could be a blog, a booksigning, a panel, or a gimmick connected with an item in your book. Better yet, don’t stop at one. Find more and use them all.

Be persistent. Be creative, like Rascal.

Morgan Mandel
http://www.morganmandel.com/
http://bookplace.ning.com/
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/
http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com/
http://myspace.com/morganmandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com/