Updates from the Writer's Crypt

Due to family business, I've been unavailable but I'm back now and ready to work. We're several weeks behind on event related emails, texts, and phone calls, but hope to catch up by this time next week. Brent will be returning phone calls. Amber and I will work with April Allen and try to convey everything to her so she can step in and start helping with events and hopefully every email, phone call, and text message will be handled soon.  If you need immediate information for one of the events mentioned below, please email with URGENT in the subject line. Space is very limited for the bus tour.

By the way, I keep my phone set to silent or turned off most of the time. If I didn’t, I’d never write or get anything done so the best way to touch base is email. The only exception is during events.  Due to the number of current pen names with active contracts, I’m very strapped for time. I’ve always bitched and moaned about a phone and it’s because I really don’t have time for thirty-minute-long conversations. While I enjoy them, there’s absolutely no time for phone calls right now due to pressing deadlines and upcoming events. I hope you understand.  A writer’s business focus is online anyway.

Since my grandmother’s passing, we’ve had a lot of family business and other family matters to handle. I’ve always heard that trouble travels in threes and now I’m a strong believer. All of that aside, Brent is committed to helping with emails and events and we’ll be right back on track soon. My daughter Amber is an important team player here and I couldn’t do half of what I do without her so she’s on board for helping with event matters, too. As many of you saw in December at the workshop here, she stays behind the scenes but really gets things done. We’ve also hired April Allen, Professional Author Assistant and we’re so excited to have her on board as well. I’ll be touching base with April later today and post again this week so you’ll know how to get in touch with her.

As you can imagine, after a required disappearing stint, there are now thousands of emails to answer, texts to find and reply to, calls to respond to in some form, etc. We have events in planning stages, various stops to nail down for the upcoming VIP AUTHORS ON TOUR, guest appearances for that special tour, advertising, etc.  

For those of you who don’t know, in 2015, the VIP Authors on Tour will hit the open highway with special guests Julie Kenner and Dr. Charley Ferrer along with sponsoring bestselling author Marla Monroe and the acclaimed author Roz Lee as well as many others coming aboard! This is an exclusive bus tour with EXCITING TOUR STOPS and very special guests/talented authors are invited to join us. Please note, this tour is not an easy undertaking  as we quickly discovered so it may be the only bus tour we ever host but it is an EXTRAORDINARY opportunity for authors thanks to the PR stops, signings, tour coverage, national media exposure, guests on board and more.  We believe in throwing our efforts full-force into this tour so it goes down in history as a memorable event. Come along for the ride!

Email  destinyblaineauthor@gmail.com for ticket pricing and sponsorship information as well as payment arrangements for your reserved seat. Those of you who have emailed will soon hear from April, Brent, Amber, or myself in regards to the tour, workshop, ads, sponsorships, etc.

*More Bus Tour Info*

Our site for the VIP Authors Tour should’ve been live by now but we were delayed thanks to shopping charter bus tour companies. PLEASE NOTE: We’re booking the bus tour now. Seats are limited due to signings as well as seating availability on the chartered bus.  Sponsors, this is an unsurpassed exceptional opportunity for your sponsorship dollars to work hard for you in multiple states, cities, and through media coverage nationwide and some worldwide exposure due to the media spots in the works. Contact us soon. Sponsorship prices are subject to change based on demand.

*****DESTINY BLAINE WRITING WORKSHOP AND READER RALLY UPDATE*****

A PHENOMENAL event is planned for the October 2014 workshop: http://www.destinyblaineworkshops.com and we have a couple of sponsorships left for the workshop and INCREDIBLE NEWS to SHARE!!!!

We'll be partying all night long at a local Tri-Cities, Tennessee bar for an unprecedented reader appreciation event which is also OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! Multiple sponsors are welcome for this event. Please tell your publishers and fellow authors because they’ll want to get involved. Author-sponsors are welcome, too. Gunslinger will be playing at the event, but an opening act is optional so if you have someone in mind, let us know ASAP! 

 For those of you already signed up for the workshop and reader rally, thanks so much for your patience while we catch up on emails and responses. You’re much appreciated!  At this time, we are gathering promo items and swag for the author event in Kingsport. Email destinyblainewriterworkshops@gmail.com with SWAG in the subject line for an address.

RAINBOW CON: Due to the fact that we are caring for a family member at this time, we will not be able to attend Rainbow Con in Tampa. Brent and I are very disappointed we won’t be there.  We hope to be there next year. For those of you who are going, you’re so very fortunate to have the opportunity because Rainbow Con promises to be one of the best events of the year. Have a good time for us!

*****RELEASE DATES AND MORE*****

On the release day front: Rise to Power, Search for Pride, Book One will release from eXtasy Books on May 5^th and marks the start of the series release! The books will release every 30 days. I’m looking forward to these books and some of you have indicated you are too!

Dark Hollows Press, publisher of the Sins of Wolves: The Safe Mountain series released Few and Far today. *Cheers loudly* I can’t wait to hear what you think of this series so email with your comments: destinyblaineauthor@gmail.com.  We’re putting together some exciting promo for the series and there will be a bike rally coming soon so watch Safe Mountain, Tennessee’s blog for more information!  Visit the blog for series order and purchase Few and Far today on release day! :)  Let’s make this the best release day yet for the Sins of Wolves series books!

Natalie Acres news: Some of the Natalie Acres books are rolling out for release day soon including the second installment of the Dominant Wolves, Submissive Mates. Watch for Bounty coming to Siren-Bookstrand later this month and available for pre-order later this week. The Cowboy Sex spin-off, Contemporary Cowboys will debut in May. More details forthcoming.  If you missed the debut of Natalie Acres’ Pleasant Extortion,  please check out the M/F shifter/biker romance. There’s a new vampire in Pleasant, North Carolina and you’ll want to find out more in Pleasant Extortion.  

An Introduction to Horror: Say Hello to Crystal Meth, Second Edition is in its final round of edits with Secret Cravings Publishing/Sweet Cravings Publishing. Written under my real name, An Introduction to Horror: Say Hello to Crystal Meth will kick off a rural area campaign entitled NOT IN MY TOWN, a drug awareness and prevention program designed to help communities educate their young people about the dangers of crystal meth.  Guest appearances can be booked at destinyblaineauthor@gmail.com for the time being. Upon release of this book, new site details will follow.

Let’s see…what else….Sweet and erotic westerns will soon be submitted to my publishers for consideration.  A new YA book is on the horizon. I recently found the nearly completed manuscript on a disc so the manuscript is with my YA beta readers who are deciding how much work still needs to be done prior to submission.

The final installment of the Sins of Wolves: The Safe Mountain series w/Marc Alice is almost complete. Vampire Island (Dark Hollows Press) is well underway along with a sequel to the bestseller Lucifer’s Lunatic, with Marc Alice. For those of you who’ve read the Heroes and Rogues books and loved them, there are more installments coming soon. Cara Darling, a secondary character from the Heroes and Rogues books, has her own story in the Dark Hollows Press book,  Red Hot Valentines.

As some of you know, it’s tax season!  Self-employed writers aren’t real excited about this time of year, but for those of you expecting a refund, I have a TAX REFUND special for you now through May 1^st. Buy any 5 of my books from any publisher or third party vendor and send a copy of your receipt or receipts to destinyblaineauthor@gmail.com with SEND ME SWAG in the subject line.  I’ll mail some neat flat swag to you. Be sure to include your snail mail address in your email and make sure you include the receipt for your FIVE purchased books. The books can be any length, print or e-books.

By the way, if you have ordered anything from us that you haven’t received, let me know as soon as possible. If you’ve entered a contest and won prizes or books, let me know when, where, and what you haven’t received. We’re working hard to stay on top of shipments but mistakes happen.

On ghostwriting: I have room for two ghostwritten projects, one at the end of 2014 and one in mid-2015. Retainers are discussed after proposals are sent. If you need a ghostwriter for one of your fiction or nonfiction books, send what you have in mind to destinyblaineauthor@gmail.com. 

Finally, the shirt you see in the photo below is still available in some sizes for $20 per shirt. Overseas customers, add $5.00 shipping and handling.  Readers who’ve purchased this shirt  love it and I think you will, too!  For size details, email destinyblaineauthor@gmail.com.

I'm so glad to be back to work and can't wait to get back in touch with you! Let's keep in touch via Twitter: www.Twitter.com/DestinyBlaine or Facebook: www.facebook.com/DestinyBlaine.

More soon. 

Destiny Blaine