I have had the most productive week that I have experienced in my entire career as a writer! I am both excited and awed and I must say, even abit humbled.
Allow me to backtrack a moment...
When I released my first book, Dancing on the Edge, writing as S. L. Connors, I truly had no clue what to do, how to do it, or even where to do it. I took baby step after baby step into the unfamiliar waters of everything from submitting the manuscript, editing, publishing, and marketing the finished product. Yes, and like a toddler struggling with its first steps, I took many stumbles and falls along the way. The entire process was slow, grueling work, and I must admit frustrating. My most frequent mantra was, "I'd much rather be writing! Why can't I just write!"
Well, it seems that all that hard work and lurching about has finally paid off. Maybe not so much for my first novel, but it seems I am doing a better job at falling into the proper venues of introducing my new book, Curse of the Marhime, and my name, Dayana Knight, into the proverbial limelight.
I've done all the logical things such as: create a website, blog, book trailer, business cards, send announcements out on all the loops I can. And delved into the world of contests. Market, market, market!
Now back to the good fortune the Craft Goddess has smiled down upon me this week.
First, I received an invitation to be a sponsoring author for LASR's (The Long and Short Review) First Anniversary celebration which I graciously accepted.
Then I was invited to be interviewed by peer author and friend, Allie Boniface(http://allieboniface.blogspot.com/), on her blog this coming Wednesday, July 23rd. Please, by all means, tune in.
Next, I had emailed my announcement of Curse of the Marhime's sale to The Wild Rose Press in hopes of getting a mention in the RWA's "First Sales" column in the RWA Report Magazine as well on the RWA official site and was advised my mention is slated for the October issue! This is perfect timing because my ebook release date is Spetember 5th and the print is slated for December, 2008.
On Friday evening I returned home from work and, as is my habit, fired up my laptop to check my email. Well, I came across an email from LASR announcing 'free advertising' so, of course, I opened it. LASR offered three months free ad space on their website for the first ten respondents so, you guessed it, I hurried and shot a response back. I won! I never win anything, but I was number eight and won!
Okay, now I'm doing Snoopy happy dances because I just can't contain my good fortune any longer and emailing anyone I possibly can to share my glee.
This morning I received yet another offer for marketing from another peer author and friend, Donna Sundblad, asking if I'd be interested in being interviewed on BlogRadio.
Can I just say, I can't believe the opportunities that have suddenly dropped into my lap. This is incredibly exhilarating, and it just proves that persistance does, in fact, reap it's just rewards.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
My Erotic Adventure!
Wow! What an interesting day I have had. As I mentioned this morning I had a date today with WEAM, the World Erotic Art Museum located in the South Beach art deco district in Miami, FL.
Curiosity urged me to attend this field trip and boy, am I glad I went! It turned out to be a wonderfully educational surprise. Owner Naomi Wilzig is fascinating. She began her collection of erotic treasures and antiques about 18 years ago and now has 12,000 square feet of erotic art, history, and collectables. The place is totally amazing! There is nothing pornographic about this museum. Miss Naomi has traveled the world and collected pieces of sensual, sexual history from every corner and every century. Her tagline is "The Art of Love-Love in Art."
The collection includes: Biblical, mythological, antiquities, oriental, ethnographic, European, Victorian, Nouveau/Deco, saloon, pin-up. Folk, surrealism, gay, interracial, fetish, and contemporary.
Believe me when I tell you, I've never seen so many ways to depict the sensual side of human nature. I saw many truly beautiful pieces of art, true treasures. I saw things I had no idea in my wildest dreams that people do or fantasize about doing, but the truth is whether you participate or not in any or all of the depicted sexual acts, every part of this collection is interesting, phenominal, and displayed with an eye for detail.
Naomi heads the tour with tidbits of information about every room, every genre, every piece of her precious collection and the history involved. This is a must see! Anyone who writes sensual or erotic love scenes/stories would benefit from a visit to this world renown museum.
My chapter group, The Florida Romance Writers, Inc., sponsored this event. We enjoyed a wonderful tour then had an open panel with several of our pubbed authors who talked about writing everything from sweet romance to erotica. All in all, the day was a clear hit. I'd like give big kudos to the panel and a huge standing ovation to Miss Naomi. You have truly outdone yourself! Thank you for having us!
For more information about WEAM please visit the below website:
www.weam.com
Curiosity urged me to attend this field trip and boy, am I glad I went! It turned out to be a wonderfully educational surprise. Owner Naomi Wilzig is fascinating. She began her collection of erotic treasures and antiques about 18 years ago and now has 12,000 square feet of erotic art, history, and collectables. The place is totally amazing! There is nothing pornographic about this museum. Miss Naomi has traveled the world and collected pieces of sensual, sexual history from every corner and every century. Her tagline is "The Art of Love-Love in Art."
The collection includes: Biblical, mythological, antiquities, oriental, ethnographic, European, Victorian, Nouveau/Deco, saloon, pin-up. Folk, surrealism, gay, interracial, fetish, and contemporary.
Believe me when I tell you, I've never seen so many ways to depict the sensual side of human nature. I saw many truly beautiful pieces of art, true treasures. I saw things I had no idea in my wildest dreams that people do or fantasize about doing, but the truth is whether you participate or not in any or all of the depicted sexual acts, every part of this collection is interesting, phenominal, and displayed with an eye for detail.
Naomi heads the tour with tidbits of information about every room, every genre, every piece of her precious collection and the history involved. This is a must see! Anyone who writes sensual or erotic love scenes/stories would benefit from a visit to this world renown museum.
My chapter group, The Florida Romance Writers, Inc., sponsored this event. We enjoyed a wonderful tour then had an open panel with several of our pubbed authors who talked about writing everything from sweet romance to erotica. All in all, the day was a clear hit. I'd like give big kudos to the panel and a huge standing ovation to Miss Naomi. You have truly outdone yourself! Thank you for having us!
For more information about WEAM please visit the below website:
www.weam.com
An interesting if not unique field trip...
Good morning!
I'm off on a field trip of epic proportions today. We, at the Florida Romance Writers, Inc., South Florida Chapter of the National Romance Writers Association, are having an interesting event/meeting this morning. We are off to South Beach for a tour of--are you ready?--an erotica museum! This is going to be fun.
We will tour the museum, have a panel discuss on the art of the writing of love scenes from sweet to sensual to all out erotica, a book sale, and take lunch on South Beach in Miami. Doesn't get any better than that:) I will be back later with all the unsensored, graphic details to share, I promise!
Well, I'm off to get myself ready. Talk soon!
Dayana
I'm off on a field trip of epic proportions today. We, at the Florida Romance Writers, Inc., South Florida Chapter of the National Romance Writers Association, are having an interesting event/meeting this morning. We are off to South Beach for a tour of--are you ready?--an erotica museum! This is going to be fun.
We will tour the museum, have a panel discuss on the art of the writing of love scenes from sweet to sensual to all out erotica, a book sale, and take lunch on South Beach in Miami. Doesn't get any better than that:) I will be back later with all the unsensored, graphic details to share, I promise!
Well, I'm off to get myself ready. Talk soon!
Dayana
Friday, July 4, 2008
Dog Days of Summer Contest
Check out our Dog Days of Summer contest set to begin August 1st, 2008. Win great prizes and meet the 12 hosting authors.
For more information go to http://www.romawolftales.com/ and click the 'Contests & Links' tab. Looking forward to seeing your entry:)
If you'd like a head's up on new contests and other activities, please subscribe to my blog. Just scroll down to the bottom and follow the prompt.
Have a wonderful and safe Fourth of July weekend!
Dayana
For more information go to http://www.romawolftales.com/ and click the 'Contests & Links' tab. Looking forward to seeing your entry:)
If you'd like a head's up on new contests and other activities, please subscribe to my blog. Just scroll down to the bottom and follow the prompt.
Have a wonderful and safe Fourth of July weekend!
Dayana
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Coming Soon! No longer...It's official:)
The Curse of the Marhime has been given a release date!
The Wild Rose Press (www.thewildrosepress.com) has slated release of the electronic version for September 5, 2008 and the print version will be forthcoming in December 2008.
Now I'm off to load the book trailer on Preview the Book. It should be up and running in the next week or so. If you'd like to take a look, please go to http://www.previewthebook.com/.
Remember the topic for my next discussion is the importance of copyrighting your work.
Talk to you soon:)
The Wild Rose Press (www.thewildrosepress.com) has slated release of the electronic version for September 5, 2008 and the print version will be forthcoming in December 2008.
Now I'm off to load the book trailer on Preview the Book. It should be up and running in the next week or so. If you'd like to take a look, please go to http://www.previewthebook.com/.
Remember the topic for my next discussion is the importance of copyrighting your work.
Talk to you soon:)
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