New Orleans Book Signing - March 4th 2012 (Loads of authors!)

I've been really bad with keeping up this blog, but I promise to get back on track after the FF&P (Fantasy On The Bayou) Writers Conference and Book Signing is over.

For those in the New Orleans/Gulf Coast region - check out this list of authors signing at the book signing on Sunday at 9am-11am at the Marriott -555 Canal Street - New Orleans, March 4, 2012.

Click this link from Octavia Books!

Just to name a few. Maggie Shaye, Bob Mayer, Kristen Painter, Claire Ashgrove, Diana Rowland, Farrah Rochon, Diana Avet, Leanna Renee Hieber, Kate Kaynak, Rebecca Zanetti, Angie Fox, Damon Stenz, and I could keep on going...but my brain is too tired...

Book signing is free to the public! Get there early, are you might miss out!

Dawn

p.s. For the raffle winners of the Tavioli necklace, I will ship it next week. I didn't forget you. Sorry for the delay.

New Orleans Writers Conference coming to town...you don't want to miss this one!

If you follow me on Twitter and FB you know I've been busy as heck working on the 1st FF&P "Fantasy On The Bayou" writers conference and book signing.

Where: Marriott 555 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA
When: March 2-4, 2012

Why you ask? Well, first it's because the New Orleans region doesn't get too many writers conferences coming into town. Normally we have Heather Graham's (which is wonderful by the way) for Labor Day weekend, and then the jubilee conference in Houma. Other than that, there is really nothing else that I know of. So, being a FF&P member,(no you don't need to be a member to come) I decided I would volunteer to help out. (that's what us southern girls do. lol) Well, somehow I'm now Co-Chair along with Staci McGlothlin who is amazing! And with the help of other FF&P members the moment has come. Woot! Can't wait!

And second, who doesn't want to come to New Oleans? This is the best place in the world to get inspired, eat the best food and the locals are just super friendly! Just don't stray into a dark alley with them...they might suck on your neck...

The conference starts off with workshops on Friday, a agent/editor panel Q&A and then for those who sign up a vampire/ghost tour. (I've been and loved it)

Saturday is filled with loads of things to do all included. Pitches/Workshops/Luncheon with keynote speaker, Karen Moning/Workshops/Dinner (cash bar not included) and then your on your own to party or write if you are inspired. (or just hand out with me) Sunday morning will be the book signing. Then back to the real world.

So if you want to join us, go sign up! There is still room available. www.fantasyonthebayou.blogspot.com

You never know. You might just meet your future agent or publisher!

Luncheon with Sherrilyn Kenyon and crew! And Nano!

This past weekend I went to Baton Rouge with a good friend, Debbie Dolme. We attended the Heartla Luncheon. This is the Baton Rouge RWA Group. What a nice bunch of ladies. I got to chat with Sherrilyn Kenyon, Deborah LeBlanc, Diana Rowland, Farrah Rochon, Barbara Colley, and several other wonderful authors. I was surprised to see some ladies that I'd met in RWA Nationals. (waving to the Leger ladies)

The lunch was really good, especially the dark chocolate cake. Yum.

The only minor bump we had was getting to the hotel - the LSU game was only minutes away and traffic was horrible. Matter of fact, we were in the hotel with the Auburn coaches, staff and players.

They put a curtain around our conference room so we wouldn't disturb the players, guess it didn't work. (grin)

Anyway, let's talk about NaNo. I'm a little behind with my goals, but I plan to do a really hard push tomorrow. I'm meeting up with a writing buddy and we will do some writing sprints at Starbucks. With all the caffeine (and chocolate) in my system, my fingers should fly across the keyboard with no problems...

If you are doing Nano - how are you coming along?

Diana Rowland's latest book release....

This is straight from Diana Rowland's blog - A contest to win goodies and books....(I'm sure she doesn't mind me passing this info around - Blood of the Demon is released....)....

Diana says,

So, most (normal) authors do a big promotional push for the release week of their book. This makes sense, see, because those first week numbers are considered super-important blah blah blah… And, for Mark of the Demon I did do a big push during the run-up to the release and the release week itself.

But, as you’ve all no doubt figured out by now, I’m not normal. Or sane, or sensible, (or organized), or anything else that could possibly make this whole Profeshunal Riter thing easier. (Plus, I was busy finishing up Secrets of the Demon before its deadline, which conflicted beautifully with the release week of Blood of the Demon.)

So, I’m officially embarking on a WEEK FOUR DEMONTASTIC PUSH TO HELL! (See what I did there? Normally it might be “from hell”, but since I write about demons I thought it would be funny to say “to hell” even though that really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense since the demons in my book aren’t from hell anyway, but I’m on a bunch of bronchitis meds and steroids and crap, so right now it’s TOTALLY HYSTERICAL. To me, at least.)

Anyway. Here’s the deal. I’m going to run a Big Neato Demontastic Contest To Hell! (Hence the title of this post.) Here are the prizes so far (and more may be added as the week progresses):

14 runner-ups will be chosen and be placed in random order to choose from–

An autographed copy of Mind Games by Carolyn Crane
An autographed copy of Accidentally Demonic by Dakota Cassidy
An autographed copy of Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler
TEN autographed copies of Mark of the Demon or Blood of the Demon (winners’ choice)
A $10 Barnes & Noble gift card contributed by Michele Bardsley

And TWO AWESOMELY GRAND PRIZE WINNERS will receive New Orleans-y gift baskets with all sorts of cool New Orleans goodies, both books, along with a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card each.

Now, to be entered into the Demontastic Contest To Hell, all you have to do is:

1) Take a picture of yourself/someone else/a random sculpture/your pet/anything else with either Mark of the Demon or Blood of the Demon. And, because I don’t want to make it so that you have to buy a copy of the book to enter (I don’t want this to be something where you have to pay to participate) it can be a borrowed book, an e-book, a library book, or–if all else fails–a picture of the cover of the book.

2) Post said picture on your blog, or your twitter, or your facebook, or an online photo-sharing site (flickr or that sort of thing. Most are free and easy to use.) along with a link back to my website.

3) Come back and comment here with the link to where you posted the pic. I’ll be collecting all the winning pics and putting them on a page for all to see. (By posting your pic and commenting here with the link, you are giving me permission to repost said pic on the winners page. ‘Kay?)

4) PLEASE please please do NOT email me pics or files or anything like that. I’m super nervous about opening files from people I don’t know, and I’d rather not lose my work due to a virus. Thanks.:-)

Winners will be chosen by a panel of untrustworthy judges. Completely arbitrary and subjective points will be awarded for coolness, creativity, and WOW factor. Contest will close this Sunday, March 21st at midnight Louisiana time. Winners will be announced within the following week.

Go wild!!

P.S. Feel free to spread the word about the contest.

Again this is taken from Diana Rowland's blog (and see the last sentence says to pass it around)..

Dawn Chartier

Not An Angel, coming soon TWRP

www.dawnchartier.com

A cruise to remember!

Just got back from a wonderful cruise on the Carnival Valor. Although, I wouldn't recommend 7 days on a ship to anyone. At least, that is not my idea of a great vacation. Next time I'm flying to an island, skip the boat scene....4 to 5 day cruise would have been plenty of sailing for me.....

I got plenty of writing idea's from this trip, and no it's not going to be about a cruise. It's more of an tropical island mystery thriller. I only say this because after our trip we heard our driver happened to sort of be a sly fellow, I won't go into details, but let's say his day job was a cover-up. He didn't tell us this, but the locals did. Maybe they were joking to give us a thrill, but boy did idea's pop into my sunburned head...

Then we ended up on a nude beach, stunned. We had no clue. You can imagine our surprise. We ended up snokeling in St. Thomas and St. Maarten, what beautiful beaches they have....Wow!!! We also visited Atlantis in Nassau. Gorgeous!

Now its time to get back into the writing, and stop crying about how tired I am and how much weight I gained on the trip...(did someone say diet?)

Okay, anyone in the New Orleans area want to attend a SOLA writers meeting please do. 2 meetings are free...and in August we have a great author speaker, "Diana Rowland".