Book Bash in Orlando - After Party Info!

The creators of Book Bash partnered with authors, S.C. Stephens and K.A. Linde, to create:  ANGSTfest, the Official After Party of Book Bash!


And we want to invite YOU!


Event Info:


Come party with the hottest angsty authors out there at the
official Book Bash after party for FREE! Located in the same ballroom
in the Hilton Doubletree as the book signing, you will get to hang out
with more than 30 authors with a DJ and bartenders present.*



Where: Hilton Doubletree ballroom @ CityWalk, Orlando, Florida

When: Saturday, June 29th

Time: 7:00pm VIP early access, 8:00-11:00pm regular event access



How to Get Tickets to ANGSTfest:

• go to:  www.bookbash.net/angstfest


• Use the EventBrite access to get your FREE ticket


• Bring your ticket with you to the event!

Author List:



Abbi Glines

AL Jackson

Andrea Randall

Carey Heywood

Charles Sheehan-Miles

Christina Lauren

CJ Roberts

Colleen Hoover

Dina Silver

Emily Snow

Gail McHugh

Georgia Cates

Gretchen de la O

Jenn Foor

Jenn Sterling

Jillian Dodd

KA Linde

Karina Halle

Kelli Maine

Kendall Grey

Kim Karr

Kristen Proby

Laura Kaye

Madeline Sheehan

Maggi Myers

Michelle Valentine

Monica Murphy

Nicole Edwards

Rebecca Donovan

Renee Carlino

SC Stephens

Shey Stahl

Sylvia Day

Tarryn Fisher

Willow Aster



Stay Connected to the Party:

• https://www.facebook.com/events/174516889368248/">Facebook Event

https://www.facebook.com/events/174516889368248/">Book Bash Website

https://www.facebook.com/BookBash">Book Bash Facebook

Did you already have an ANGSTfest ticket?

• You don't need to get one through EventBrite, because your name will be on the VIP list!


• Stay tuned for other ways to make VIP and get in an hour early to see some of your favorite authors!

Can't wait to see you all there!  We hope to make this an unforgettable experience for each and every one of you!


-Dina


*cash bar

Writers, are you living in a vacuum?

The inside of a vacuum is an air-free, isolated place that’s not influenced by the outside world. The expression “living in a vacuum” means you’re caught up in your own little world and unaware of the big picture. It refers to people with a limited range of experience, who are oblivious to real-world perspectives. 

I’ve worked in advertising as a copywriter for over 15 years, and this is an expression that comes up all the time. When a creative team gets so wrapped up in every nuance about a particular product (typically what the client says is important), that they’d often fail to realize that the outside word, the people they’re trying to sell this product to, could care less about most of the things they’re obsessing about.

A trend I’m seeing is that writers are getting caught up in a social media vacuum. Where they think that the only world that exists, and the only opinions that matter are the ones swirling around them online. It happens to me, so I know it happens to other people. You start believing what you read about other people’s books, about your own books, about the success and failures of those around you. But if you were to instead, turn away from your computer and walk out your front door and ask anyone else about the things that are influencing you, they’ll likely say they’ve never heard of any of it.

The woman at the grocery. The mother of your child’s friend. Your cousin’s book club. They read, and they’d love your book! And no, they’re not familiar with ANY of the people or things you’re obsessing about. Nor do they care.

My point is…it’s so easy to get caught up in this vacuum. Where you tend to care about only what exists on Facebook and Twitter. Where you begin to accept cyber opinions of yourself. People who’ve never met you, will never meet you, and will certainly never care about you, are influencing your writing…not to mention your daily mood.

Don’t let it happen. I guarantee you it isn’t worth it.

If you are a writer, then write. Yes, social media is a huge part of the publishing process. It’s critical to marketing “you”, but it shouldn’t define you.

The online world you live in, vast and important as it may seem, is an infinitesimal part of the real world. And if you want longevity in this business, then you’re going to need people in the real world to care about your books too.

Empty that dusty, suffocating vacuum and focus on what matters.

Maybe get yourself a broom instead?

My time at RT - a photo essay

I don't get out much. People who know me, know they can find me at home...a lot. My husband starts shaking if he's required to stay awake past 8pm most nights, and quite honestly, after this weekend, I have confirmed (embarrassingly enough) that the few occasions I'm able to stay up past midnight are just that...few...and far between.

However! This weekend, at the RT (Romantic Times) Booklovers Convention, I gave it the college try. And had an unbelievable time hanging out with some amazing talent, and some of the coolest, kindest people I've ever had the pleasure of cocktailing with.

I also ate and drank WAY too much. Below is a depiction of my time at RT - a photo essay if you will...

 Here's where I parked at Midway Airport. 

Always good to take a pic if you're going to be gone for five days.

 Here's me in the back of Michelle Mankin's Navigator with the fabulous Elizabeth Hunter. I took this picture to make my friend Meg (a.k.a Elizabeth's biggest fan) jealous. I was smiling so hard at said jealousy, that those ugly tendons in my neck popped out.

Here's me at dinner with the awesome, energetic, adorable, 

Rebecca "I drink tequila like water" Donovan. A fellow APub sister :)

 Here's a shot of the menu to make my hubby jealous. 

Does anything sound better than duck fat fries? Be honest. No, nothing sounds better.

(see below)

 Duck fat fries. Shared with me by Fred LeBaron.

And by shared I mean that I allowed him to have three of them.

This is what I ordered for dinner. Blackened shrimp & grits. 

It was to die for.

 Just as everyone was finishing dessert, I took this picture of my son on television.

 A full, motley crew. Including Fred, Rebecca, Elizabeth, moi, Killian McRae and Michelle Warren.

Sadly our hostess with the mostess, Michelle Mankin, was outside warming the car for our sorry asses because it was SNOWING IN MAY!

 This was my set-up for the Indie Book Expo on Thursday. 

 Kitty is my only indie title anymore!

Here I'm pictured with Larry Kirshbaum, Vice President of Amazon Publishing. 

I hope I'm getting his title right, because I think he's also my boss. 

I am very fond of him. 

 Here is the warm brie and parmesean pita chips I had at Rebecca's hotel. Delish! 

I also had braised short ribs over orzo, but I can't find that pic. 

I sense your disappointment in missing that photo, so we'll move along...

 I never wear dresses, so I thought I should include this one of me in a dress.

This photo was taken after I lead a workshop on self-publishing along with the awesome duo of Rebecca Donovan and Tracey Garvis-Graves. 

We were told we did a fabulous job, so we're going to take our show on the road. 

Large arenas in major metropolitan areas are hard to reserve, so...tour dates to come.

 Here I'm following Jamie McGuire onto one of those limo/party bus things that have stripper poles and flashing strobe lights. In fact, I may still owe Tina Reber money for this. Hopefully she will let me buy her a drink next month in Orlando.

 Here Jamie and Abbi Glines react with shock and awe when they hear that 

Tracey has never seen the movie Tombstone.I think it was Tombstone. Oy vey.
Y'all look out if I'm wrong!

 Housemade mozzarella. Delish. Odd pairing with asparagus, right?

Capellini with peas, mushrooms, and prosciutto. 

If only it had more sauce...

 I took this picture and sent it to Jessica Park, wishing she were with us being snarky.

 My table set-up for the Saturday Book Fair. 

Sat right behind the cutie-patootie couple of Jasinda Wilder and her hubby.

 My number one fan-girl, Rebecca Donovan. 

Wishing she had pink covers on her books...

Well, that about does it. The rest of the photos are filled with black-mail-able content, and while they would have made for a more interesting post, I'm going to hang on to those for now.

I really want to name drop all the awesome authors I had the pleasure of hanging out with this trip, but I'm afraid I'm going to leave someone out. So let me conclude by saying how truly humbling and inspiring it was to be surrounded by such wonderful women...and equally wonderful writers.

Who's going next year??

New Orleans 2014

Finding Bliss: Cover Reveal

It gives me great pleasure to present the cover of my new novel, Finding Bliss.

FIND YOURS 7/16/13

Finding Bliss is my first non-self published title, and will be released by Amazon Publishing 7/16/13. It's currently available for pre-orders on Kindle and paperback. 

SYNOPSIS:

Chloe Carlyle has always longed for the perfect family.

Growing up with an alcoholic single mother, she has seen her share of heartbreak and disappointment, and is striving to build a new legacy for herself. After graduating from college, she takes a job working as a summer girl for the Reeds––a wealthy, accomplished family that personifies her American dream. Her summer takes an unexpected turn when the Reeds’ eldest son Tyler, the star quarterback for Notre Dame, shows up and turns her life upside down.

An ambitious young woman with a wry sense of humor, Chloe never imagined herself as the type to succumb to the looks and charms of the hometown hero, but she falls hard for Tyler, and is devastated when they part ways at the end of the summer. As she heads off to law school, Chloe tries to convince herself this was just a fling, but she can’t quite get over him. It’s not until Tyler contacts her out of the blue late one winter night that everything changes.

After doing everything in her power to build the perfect life, Chloe soon learns that there are things beyond her control. She must draw on inner reserves of strength as her life takes unpredictable—and sometimes heartbreaking—twists and turns, and she finds herself faced with decisions she never thought she’d have to make. Poignant, heartfelt, and emotional, Finding Bliss is a reminder that you don’t have to live a fairytale life in order to have a happy ending.

Thanks for visiting!!
-D

Meet me at RT!

The 2013 RT (Romantic Times) Booklovers Convention is just a few weeks away and I can’t wait! May 1st - May 5th, booklovers will ascend on Kansas City and the Sheraton Hotel & Convention Center will have no idea what hit them.

I will be attending for my first time, and would love to guilt you all into stopping by and meeting me in person.

***I’m also giving away 2 signed paperback ARCs of Finding Bliss to two lucky RT attendees. If you are going to RT, and would like to win a signed ARC of Finding Bliss, leave your name and email in the comments section at the end of this post. I will contact you before the convention, and have the ARCs on hand to present to the winners in person.***

Here is where you’ll find me for sure:

Thursday, May 2nd, 4-6pm - EBOOK EXPO

Here I will be selling copies of Kat Fight, both eBook & paperback. I will also have some fab swag on hand.

Friday, May 3rd, 5-6pm - WORKSHOP - Debut Authors Tell All...

If you’ve ever wanted to write a book, or get some insight into how authors tackle their debut novel, spend and hour with me, Tracey Garvis-Graves (author of On The Island), and Rebecca Donovan (author of Reason to Breathe). Here’s what we’ll be chatting about:

So you want to write a book? Or maybe you’ve written one, but it’s your first time and you’d like a little extra hand-holding. Here’s your chance to spend an hour with three debut authors and learn how they’ve turned their self-published debut novels into bestsellers and landed traditional publishing contracts in under a year. They’ll discuss the paths they took to market their books, format their files, utilize social media, attract readers and build a fan base. Hear their stories, and get some crucial advice from three newbies who combined their passion for storytelling with their dreams of becoming a novelist. Discover how learning curves can sometimes be your best asset.

Date: Friday, May 3, 2013 - 5:00pm - 6:00pm

Panelist(s): Rebecca Donovan, Tracey Garvis-Graves, Dina Silver

Location: Mezzanine Level

Room: Fremont

Saturday, May 4th, 11am-2pm - GIANT BOOK FAIR

Here I will be selling signed paperback copies of the NEW and IMPROVED One Pink Line. This is exciting because readers will have a chance to purchase copies of the new version of One Pink Line, before it goes on sale 5/28/13. Amazon Publishing is releasing this new, gorgeous edition of OPL, and RT attendees will have the first crack at it. Fab Swag will be on hand as well.

Here’s where you’ll also likely find me:

The lobby bar.

The front desk, complaining about something.

The concierge, asking for directions to the best BBQ spot.

Wherever coffee is sold.

So stop by when you’re in KC and meet me at RT!

***...be sure and leave your info below to win an ARC of Finding Bliss (pub date 7/16/13).

Under the Covers with Kat

Did you get a haircut? Lose some weight? There’s something different about you…

My second novel Kat Fight has undergone a transformation. Much like a snitch in the witness protection program, she’s got a whole new look.

Why, you ask?  I’ll tell you.

I really liked my old Kat Fight cover for lots of reasons. It was cute, it branded well with One Pink Line, and it had bright colors. I also hated it for the same reasons.

The funny thing about my original Kat Fight cover, is that as great as it was, it didn’t really reflect what’s inside. The book is irreverent and funny (like me!), and not what I would describe with bubble gum colors and a pink heart balloon. The pink heart thing works perfectly for One Pink Line, but not for Kat. She’s different.

So here she is, the new and improved Kat Fight! Designed by Sarah “patience is my middle name” Hansen at Okay Creations.

I hope you like her as much as I do…

Everything I need to know about Facebook I learned in Kindergarten.

Share everything.

Especially that time your cat’s hairball looked like the Heisman trophy.

Play fair.

Use your brain. Not that Scrabble Word Finder.

Don't hit people.

Or tag them when they look hideous.

Put things back where you found them.

Unfriend. It exists for a reason.

Clean up your own mess.

Delete. It exists for a reason.

Don't take things that aren't yours.

Unless sharing something makes you look hipper and more irreverent than you already are.

Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.

Unless you’re not.

Wash your hands before you eat.

Totally your call.

Flush.

It exists for a reason.

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

So are wine, cheese fries and truffle oil. I swear.

Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.

This one is just stupid.

Take a nap every afternoon.

It gives everyone else a break from your incessant stream of consciousness.

When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.

Since you’re always at your computer, this really doesn’t apply.

Wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

This one is just stupid.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.

Not on Farmville they don’t.

And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.

The second biggest was LIKE.