Wow! What a week!

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.