Can you believe it, tomorrow is the release of >>Murder at the Marina<<! I'm torn between being really excited about the big day and wanting to curl up in a fetal position while downing a really large bag of M&M'S because the thought of anyone reading my book is really scary.
Fortunately, I've got the upcoming >>Murder at the Marina<< blog tour to distract me. Some very kind folks have agreed to spread the word about my book on their blogs starting tomorrow and running through July 4th.
In fact, so many people signed up to help out that it's not just a blog tour, it's a. . .
. . .blog fiesta!
I'm absolutely blown away by how many people volunteered to pitch in. Have a look at the schedule below, check out these fabulous blogs, and make some new friends. I'll update here with their blog fiesta posts as they go live, as well as do updates on Facebook and Twitter with links to each day's posts.
Thursday, June 21st (release day!)
Molly's Cozy Book Nook
I got to know Molly through her old blog (great family recipes and book reviews on there) and she's just started a new one to better reflect the direction her life has taken where she'll focus on reading, writing, travel, photography, scrapbooking, and musings on MidLife. The fact that she shares a first name with the main character in my book is pretty neat (albeit with a different spelling).
The Retirement Project
I've followed Deb and her husband's sailing blog for many years now and really hope our paths cross on the water one of these days. If you're thinking about buying a boat, check out their book, >>How NOT to Buy a Cruising Boat<<. It's one of those must-reads for wannabe cruisers. Deb also writes children's books.
Greenawalt's Travels
Jillian and her family are super adventurous. They're boaters and former liveaboards, they've been farmers in Idaho, and now they live in central New York with their three children. Jillian writes great posts about sailing, travel, family adventures, and homeshooling.
Darla M. Sands
Darla is one of those people who always leaves the most encouraging and uplifting comments on my blog, so you know that's she a special lady. She also has a soft spot for cats, which makes her an even more special lady.
Friday, June 22nd
Elements of Emaginette
Anna is a talented writer (I've had the pleasure of beta reading for her - check out her books here) and shares wonderful writing tips on her blog. She's been a great resource for me over the past several years.
I Think; Therefore I Yam
I absolutely loved Susan's book, Hot Flashes & Cold Lemonade. She had me at the title and it just got better from there. Susan's got a great sense of humor which really comes through on her blog.
Jennifer Lane Books
Jennifer is a psychologist and an author - which makes her a "psycho author." In addition to writing sports romances, she also recently published, Twin Sacrifice, a psychological suspense thriller that had me turning pages well into the night. So many exciting twists and turns.
Bookworm for Kids
If you have kids, hop on over to Tonja's site and check out her reviews of children's books. From time to time, she also does book reviews for mommies and daddies, because every now and then, parents need a break and a good book to escape into.
Saturday, June 23rd
Sarah on Tarquilla
Sarah, her husband, their three children, and one dog all live aboard s/v Tarquilla in England. So cool! I love her posts about family life aboard their boat and the books she's reading. She's also a writer, which you can find out more about here.
Quiet Laughter
Guilie is a writer and a dog rescuer who lives on the island of Curacao. Yes, you read that right - she's a dog rescuer. Pretty awesome, huh? She's recently released It's About the Dog: The A to Z Guide for Wannabe Dog Rescuers.
Sunday, June 24th
Mangoes, Marley and Mermaids
Chris is one of my sweet friends from Indiantown Marina. We'd been blogging buddies for years and it was so great to finally meet her in person. I think she's going to tell you how that all happened on her blog, so hop on over and get the scoop.
Dru's Book Musings
Dru is a book reviewer extraordinaire. She showcases authors, has character interviews, features new releases etc. If you're looking for some new books to add to your To Be Read list, check out Dru's blog.
Monday, June 25th
Christine Rains
I "met" Christine through the Insecure Writer's Support Group or IWSG (along with a lot of other people on this list). This woman is a seriously prolific author - check out her Totem series. Shapeshifters in Alaska, action, and adventure. . . yes, please!
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Alex is the founder and Ninja Captain of the IWSG. I honestly don't think I'd be publishing a book if I hadn't have found his writer's support group. He has given so much of himself to the writing community. And on top of all that, he's written the amazing Cassa space opera series. I've read them all. He's also a big film buff and I'll be talking about some boating-related movies over at his place.
Tyrean Martinson
While I've haven't had the opportunity to meet Tyrean in real life, I can tell that she's a real sweetheart. She was another one of my awesome beta readers, providing thoughtful and constructive feedback. She teaches language arts at a homeschooling cooperative and is a writer herself. Check out her YA Christian fantasy series, the Champion Trilogy.
The Ninja Librarian
Rebecca writes awesome cozy mysteries (check them out here) and she's a library person, which makes her super cool in my book. Rebecca was one of my fabulous beta readers and has been there every step of the way for me.
Tuesday, June 26th
The Larks of Independence
Lucy, Matt, and their adorable dog, Hastings, live on a catamaran. They have one of the funniest sailing blogs I've ever run across. Even the posts that Hastings writes are hysterical.Yes, dogs can write blog posts, despite their lack of opposable thumbs. That's what humans are for - to take dictation.
Wednesday, June 27th
Jen Chandler was Here
Jen is a writer of southern fiction and magical realism, fairy tales and folklore, who I had the pleasure of getting to know through the IWSG anthology, >>Hero Lost<<. Her blog posts provide delightful insights into her daily life which is chockful of books, tea, gardening, and gorgeous needlework.
The Warrior Muse
I love the name of Shannon's blog. My muse is a rather annoying cat, but Shannon's muse is cool - a warrior muse! We have a few things in common - she's a fellow writer (check out her latest release) and she's been chased by a shark (I'm still scarred by my shark encounter in Tahiti).
Thursday, June 28th
Perilous & Sparks
Autumn is one cool cat. All you have to do is check out her website and you'll agree. She's a fellow sailor and writer and the author of the Perilous & Sparks series which features two savvy teen agents who keep their cool in a dangerous cloak and dagger game that spans the globe.
Diane Burton
I really like how Diane combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction, and romance into her writing. Her scifi romance novella, Mission to New Earth, was a great read. I feel like if we ever met up in person, we'd have a lot to talk about, including our shared love of the scifi series Firefly.
Friday, June 29th
Chrys Fey
Chrys is another of those kind and supportive people I've met through the IWSG. I think Chrys has hit on a really unique idea - she's combined romance with natural disasters in her Disaster Crimes series. She also shares writing advice and tips - what she calls "sparks" on her blog and YouTube channel.
Gypsy Kramer
I met Bill and his lovely wife, Nina, through my sister - they're all library people in Portland, Oregon. Since they own a sailboat and we own a sailboat, my sister thought it would be fun to get us all together. And it was fun! Check out their blog and see the amazing transformation they've making to their Cascade 36.
Cloud Nine Girl
Erika is one of the most positive people out there on social media. I enjoy checking her Twitter feed to see her latest inspirational quotes and posts. She's a Kansas girl and I loved how she wove in descriptions of life in the Wheat State into her short story in the Hero Lost anthology.
Tuesday, July 3rd
Spunk on a Stick
L. Diane Wolfe is one of the driving forces behind IWSG. She runs Dancing Lemur Press which published the Hero Lost: Mysteries of Death and Life in which I had my very first story published. She's also a writer herself, a cat lover, and a Minion fanatic - just some of the many reasons why she's so awesome.
Crystal Collier
Crystal is one of those people who amazes me. She's a homeschooling mom of a large family, she's a published author (check out her Maiden of Time series), and she still finds the time to support fellow bloggers and writers. Oh, and did I mention that she loves cheese? Anyone who loves cheese is okay in my books.
Buy Links
eBook available at: Amazon (US) | Amazon (CA) | Amazon (UK) | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple iBooks | Google Play
Paperback version available at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Books-A-Million
Find Out More
Check out my author blog, sign up for my newsletter, and follow along on Twitter and my author Facebook page.
How many M&M'S do you think I'm going to eat tomorrow on release day to calm my nerves? Put your guess below in the comments and I'll be sure to count and report back exactly how many were consumed.
Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - pop by and say hi!
Now that is an awesome blog tour! Well done.
ReplyDeleteGlad you did find the IWSG and the support and knowledge of the members have helped you take the steps to publishing your book.
Enjoy tomorrow and don't let Simon on the boat.
Isn't it amazing! I can't believe how many people in the IWSG and in my women's sailing writing group volunteered to help. I'm blown away by everyone's support. I'm getting a little teary-eyed just thinking about it.
DeleteYeh! You should be totally excited AND eat those M&M's. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Madeline!
DeleteWoot! It's so exciting! :) Millions of M&Ms need to be consumed. Have you tried the espresso ones? Yum!
ReplyDeleteEspresso M&M'S? I had no idea those existed. They sound awesome!
DeleteOh, gawd, I wish I hadn't learned that! I have to check those out.
DeleteI'm soooo excited for you!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Chris! So glad you're a part of the tour :-)
DeleteTry to have fun with it. This is your moment in the spotlight and you earned it. Congrats, and I hope this is only the beginning. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Thanks, Anna! Not sure how much I like the spotlight, but I do LOVE all the support and encouragement everyone, like you, has given me.
DeleteThis is just wonderful! I think you deserve to eat as many M&M's as you want to in whatever position you choose. In celebration! Drink champagne with those!
ReplyDeleteBubbles go great with chocolate :-)
DeleteWoot woot! That's a great tour! I hope your M&M's are delicious!
ReplyDeleteI bought them yesterday (dark chocolate) and I've managed to have enough will power not to open them yet. Hopefully, they manage to make it until tomorrow :-)
DeleteWOW! Congratulations! That's a very impressive list of supporters, and I'm honored to be part of it. Someday, we can all brag about how we knew you when you first started out... :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
I know, it's crazy isn't it? When I first put a call out for the blog tour I thought to myself that if I got five offers that would be fantastic. But then I got so many more than that and I was utterly stunned. I am completely blown away by this. It really restores your faith in humanity when you see how supportive people are.
DeleteWow, I am totally impressed (okay, maybe even envious!) at the tour you put together!
ReplyDeleteNo M&Ms needed. The book is great, the tour is fantastic. You can eat a handful or two, but only in celebration, not fear!
I'm so so grateful for people like you who have been supporting and encouraging me - thank you!
DeleteYou've got a lot of friends, Ellen. That's a very good thing.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day. ♥
I know - I am one very lucky woman to have so many fabulous friends.
DeleteOh, you're so kind. ~hugs~ I'm so excited for you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind word on my latest adventure. I'm trying to convince hubby that we need to do some searching for a rescue cat or kittens. I'd like to either get an older adult or keep siblings together if we can. Of course, I'd have dogs, too, if he were more of a fan and we had a more appropriate yard. ~grin~ Be well!
Keep working on hubby :-) I think it would be great if you got a rescue cat/kitten or two.
DeleteEnjoy tomorrow. I’m so impressed with your organization that we’ll be chatting before I release my next one!
ReplyDeleteDeb
SV Kintala
www.theretirementproject.blogspot.com
Well, I suggest you wait until tomorrow. :-) Let's see if things go smoothly. I had a nightmare last night that I uploaded the wrong files to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo etc. and everyone who pre-ordered is going to get the wrong book delivered when it goes live.
DeleteYou won’t need to eat any because you will be super-cool and confident!
ReplyDeleteIf only :-)
DeleteYou're so sweet, Ellen. I enjoyed your personal shout-out to each of us. What a lovely thing to do. I'm wishing you all the best with your tour and your book. I'm looking froward to having you on my blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for participating in the fiesta :-)
DeleteYes! Let the epicness begin! I don't think you'll be eating M&M's out of nervousness, but out of glee. I can already see the big cheesy smile that goes with the fun. Enjoy it. This is a crazy time, but a wonderful one as well.
ReplyDeleteEither way, I know I'll definitely be eating M&M'S :-)
DeleteI'm thrilled to participate and many congratulations on a wonderful debut novel, Cynical Sailor Ellen!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for helping out with the tour, Jen!
DeleteYay for your blog fiesta! You've got some really awesome bloggers and bloggeresses talking about your book. I'm certain it will have a fantastic debut! :)
ReplyDeleteThey are pretty amazing people, aren't they :-)
DeleteYou’re gonna be a star! Don’t bother with the M&Ms, just enjoy the ride.
ReplyDeleteIt would be rude not to eat the M&M'S after I bought them, wouldn't it?
DeleteOh wow, this is cool. I never heard of blog book tour before. It'll be awesome. Congrats on your book.
ReplyDeleteBTW, on my affiliate Amazon link, someone bought two of your books a couple days ago. I can't see who -- just what. So people are already buying your book and it isn't even out yet. That's so cool.
Wow, that's wild that they used your affiliate link! And great cause you'll earn a few pennies on the sale. It was up for pre-order before the release today, so that probably bought it that way.
DeleteWow Ellen! I am so honored! You are such a big hearted amazing person And I am enjoying reading your book very much :)
ReplyDeleteI'm the one that's honored by your support :-)
DeleteYour book popped onto my iPad early this morning. I can't wait to read it. Looking forward to your visit next Thursday.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for hosting me during the blog tour & fiesta :-)
DeleteWow, wow, wow, Ellen, talk about a lot of support. This is one hell of a book tour, or fiesta. Good for you, and so awesome of everyone involved. I feel like you are the/a “picture child” of the IWSG, as I’ve seen the change and effect the group has had on you. Your involvement and support is reciprocated and the whole symbiosis shows how well this concept works! You have risen high, my friend, as a writer this last year. Focus, time, and effort paid off! Congratulations again with the release, the support and the tour. You are doing it all the right way!
DeleteLiesbet - I got teary eyed reading your comment. In fact, I'm getting teary eyed replying to it. Thank you so much for this. This is one of the comments I'm going to look back on for inspiration when things are getting tough writing the next one in the series.
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