My first Novel Spaces post

My first post over at Novel Spaces is up today... Don't be a stranger - come across and say hi!

The making of an author photo - Part I

I didn't want my image on the Internet. Didn't want it my book(s) either, and definitely not in any newspaper. For an author these days achieving this, I realized, would demand a bit of dodging, running and conniving.

When the editor of Café Au Lait sent me the list of items I needed to submit, a photo was among them. Was this optional? I asked hopefully. Yes, she replied. Bingo! One down - but how many more to go?

The blog came next and I saw that I had lots of company in the incognito-blogger department. Then I realized that although this was true of writer blogs in general, it was certainly not the norm for the sites of published authors. Norm be damned, I resolved. My avatar would be a beachscape, and that was that.

The press releases were a bit trickier to negotiate since an author photo was de rigeur there but no one made it an issue - except for the features editor at one local newspaper. She called and told me she'd run an article, but insisted on a photo.

"I don't have a recent, decent one," I replied. That was the truth. All my decent pictures were taken years ago when I was young. And thin.

"No problem!" she chirped. "Are you in Trinidad at the moment?"

My alarm-o-meter redlined. "Uh, well, yes..." Damn. A lie would have solved the looming problem but where was one when you needed it?

"Okay, then. I'll send a photographer around."

"No!" I thought fast. "You can't do that."

"Really, it's no problem. We do this all the time."

"You don't understand," I squeaked. "I have the cold, I've been in bed for two days and I'm an absolute wreck right now. I cannot, CANNOT face a photographer." This was the truth, but it sounded like a whopper even to my ears. I produced a wracking, hacking cough for effect and the editor lady capitulated.

"Okay," she decided. "I'll run it as is this time but I'm just letting you know I'll be coming back at you for that photo."

Ha, I thought. Catch me. But I could feel my time running out...

Men, Fidelity and a Skillet

Novel Spaces is honored to host Bonnie Glover, our very first guest blogger, on July 10th. Her column, with the intriguing title Men, Fidelity and a Skillet: Back to the Basics, promises to be a thriller - so don't miss it!

Bonnie is the author of Going Down South (nominated for an NAACP Image Award for an outstanding literary work of fiction earlier this year) and The Middle Sister.

News just in: Bonnie Glover's novel Going Down South is #3 on Essence magazine's paperback fiction list - that's the August issue that's on newsstands now. Congratulations, Bonnie!

Novel Spaces Launch & Giveaway #7

You are cordially invited to the launch of

Novel Spaces

Date: July 1st, 2009

Venue: NovelSpaces.Blogspot.com

Contributing Authors:
Phyllis Bourne Contemporary Romance
K.S. Augustin Science Fiction & Romance
KeVin Killiany Science Fiction
Stefanie Worth Paranormal
Farrah Rochon Romance
Terence Taylor Horror
Karen White-Owens Contemporary Romance
Marissa "Pynk" Monteilh Mainstream & Erotic
Jewel Amethyst Contemporary Romance
Shauna Roberts Fantasy, Science Fiction & Historical
Liane Spicer Contemporary Romance

Giveaways * Contests * Guest Columns by Agents, Editors,
Publicists & Award-Winning Authors

A couple months ago I started a series of book giveaways on this blog. Six have gone by and the last, a copy of Café au Lait, will go to a visitor who leaves a comment on any post on Novel Spaces. Just mention over there that you came from here - and you're in! Contest closes July 31!

(Members of Novel Spaces & their immediate family are not eligible to enter this promotion. :D)

And the winner is...

The winner of Book Giveaway #6 is DeeDee. Congratulations! I'll be e-mailing you shortly to request a mailing address, and A Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena De Blasi should be winging its way to you soon.

There's one more giveaway to go... I'll try to tie it in to the launch of Novel Spaces, so stay posted!

A third Amazon review :)

This writing life is so uncertain, you learn to treasure every glimmer of light that comes your way. My ray today came from Café Au Lait's third review on Amazon. It was added June 17 but I didn't see it until tonight. The reader got the book in a library and is actually considering buying it. Here are some tidbits that have me smiling into the screen right now:

"Wasn't a 'romance' reader until this book!"
"a book that transcends the genre"
"plot is well-thought out"
"kept me intrigued the ENTIRE time"
"love the characters"

Thank you, reader, whoever you are. Now where did I put those happy-dance shoes? Never mind - I'll dance without!

Book Giveaway #6: A Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena De Blasi

The second-to-last in the series of book giveaways is A Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena De Blasi. National Bestseller. Random House trade paperback. 2002.

You know the drill: leave a comment in the trail and you're entered in the draw.

Lane and Flowerpot have confirmed receipt of their packages. If any other winners are reading please let me know whether you've received yours.

Interview with Eddie Tadross

"An outstanding artist" - Taxi A&R

"[A] gifted songwriter" - The Deli Magazine

WT: Welcome to the blog, Eddie. I'm honoured to have you as a guest on Wordtryst. I 'discovered' you when I created a promotional video for my novel, Café Au Lait, on the Animoto site. I remember going through hundreds of song clips, but the decision was easy: I wanted your music. Can you tell us a bit about your background?

Eddie: I grew up in the Long Island suburbs of New York City, started piano lessons around 11 and played open mics in the city as a teenager. I headed to New Orleans at 18 on a scholarship to Tulane University and got hooked up opening up for local bands at Jimmy's, a rock club uptown. After a year in the U.K. (I vaguely remember briefly singing for an Oasis cover band), I moved to southern California, where I fronted an alt-rock band in San Diego and played solo there and L.A. Now I'm back in New York City, where I've been performing solo/writing/recording, etc.

WT: What kind of music did you love growing up? Which artistes in particular inspired you to write your own music?

Eddie: I was very into some of the greats, such as Tom Petty, Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, Paul Simon. So I guess you could say "classic" rock.

WT: When did you begin creating your own music? What prompted you to start?

Eddie: At some point I switched piano teachers from a stuffy classical teacher to a vary cool jazz/rock musician. I was probably around 14 or so. I love classical, but I wanted to write my own music. So he taught me chords, and it all started from there.

WT: Tell us a bit about your process.

Eddie: Usually the basic idea and melody of a song will come out of me, most often when I'm not thinking about it (on a train, in a hotel room, taking a shower). Then I develop the lyrics and the rest of the song from that first idea. Sometimes it's easy, and sometimes I end up shelving an idea and returning to it later, if at all.

WT: Sounds a lot like the writing process! I love the You Without Me track that I used on my video, and when I found you on MySpace I listened to some others songs that were equally impressive. I thought: I want this! Where can a fan buy your music?

Eddie: For now there are some free downloads (including You Without Me) on my website. I am [currently writing] an album, which will be available on iTunes and everything when it comes about. Hopefully in 2010. Otherwise, there is an electro-pop EP I recorded back in 2004 available on iTunes; search "Governortea" to find it.

WT: How would you describe your genre? (pop, alternative, easy listening...?) Are there other genres you'd like to explore?

Eddie: That's a tough one. I guess it's a little of each of those, with a bit of indie thrown in. I've done electronic music (see above-mentioned Governortea EP), I also love country and jazz. I think there will always be elements of different genres in my music.

WT: Who are your favorite artistes currently? Have you met any of them?

Eddie: Tom Waits, Rufus Wainwright, Regina Spektor, Brazilian Girls. I ran into Regina on a flight to Chicago a while back, I'm sure she doesn't remember :)

WT: How do you fit family life into what must be a hectic schedule? Do you have a day job as well? I ask this because most of us writers cannot support ourselves by our writing, and I wonder if it's the same for the majority of musicians.

Eddie: I do have a day job and a family, so yes, it's not easy. Everybody is totally supportive of my music, at work and home, and it is just that I have to put things off until 11 at night or even for a few weeks...definitely requires patience.

WT: Hm. That scenario sounds familiar. I doubt it's ever easy balancing a creative life with the demands of everyday living. It was great having this chat with you, Eddie. I'm on your mailing list now, so when your album is released I'll be sure to mention it on the blog.

Eddie: Thanks for the interview opportunity and I wish you all the best with your writing.

WT: You're welcome, and thank you for the music!


Eddie's news:

• He is currently in Vienna, Austria writing an album.
• "You Without Me" is on the Best of SongHall CD, Vol 7, released June 2nd 2009. www.songhall.org/
• "You Without Me" appeared on Billboard's 12-song compilation CD for the inaugural Music & Advertising convention at the W Hotel in NYC, June 4th & 5th. http://www.billboardevents.com/billboardevents/ma/index.jsp

Eddie's website: www.eddietadross.com
Eddie on MySpace: www.myspace.com/eddietadross
You Without Me on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdTnVxGLdS0

What's your word?

Your Word is "Think"

You see life as an amazing mix of possibilities, ideas, and fascinations. And sometimes you feel like you don't have enough time to take it all in. You love learning. Whether you're in school or not, you're probably immersed in several subjects right now. When you're not learning, you're busy reflecting. You think a lot about the people you know and the things you've experienced.

What's Your Word?

Those numbers again

Okay, I can see where this obsession can get really boring for everyone but the author involved, so I promise to stop posting search results after today. I'll even attempt to not check in with Amazon on a daily basis, but don't know if I have the required self-control. Consider that a work in progress. So here goes...

When I looked at the search rankings this morning Café Au Lait showed up as:

#1 of 1,659 in African-American romance
#1 of 201 in Caribbean romance
#9 of 1,676 in African American romance (no hyphen)
#29 of 32,003 in contemporary romance

This must surely signify something! Not sure what, though. Probably some anomaly in the Amazon algorithm.