Guest Post, Excerpt, and Giveaway by Kat De Falla
Guest Post
Conference DO and DON’T
(Here is a picture of me at my very first book signing the Wisconsin Romance Writers of America annual conference in Brookfield, WI last weekend)
DO: Have your manuscript polished and ready to rumble. Pitch from the heart. Know your book inside and out. Have it ready to email to an eager agent or editor that night!
DON’T: Skip out on the talks. Be a lifelong learner. Even if the topic sounds like something you know everything about – go anyway! There are always new tips, tricks, and hints to discover.
DO: Have the perfect pitch – I’ll share you the pitch I used for The Wild Rose Press – fine tune yours until it sparkles in the noon day sun!
For years, Calise Rowe has been able to sense unusual energy from certain people, making her believe she's different. She's about to find out she's right.
On a cold December night, an elderly Hispanic man comes into her pharmacy and takes her hand. In broken English he tells her that demons walk among us. He leaves a paper with four words, “Mal Pais, Costa Rica.” She heads to the sultry jungles of Costa Rica where her search for the truth leads her to Lucas Rojas, a seer who's been hiding from his gift of sight for years.
Calise begs him for answers, but he is terrified to bring her into his dangerous world. She finds herself falling for the reclusive Lucas. As their love intensifies, Lucas agrees to help her, unwittingly drawing her into an ancient war between demons and seers. But the biggest danger to both of them comes from her past. Her ex-boyfriend is a fallen angel, known as a transitor, who will do anything, including consort with demons, to get rid of Lucas and win her back.
DON’T: Forget your business cards and network, network, network. Don’t be afraid to talk to as many people as possible. Ask questions! It doesn’t matter if you are published or not, the sooner you build a group of writer friends that you support the better! Then down the road, these people may remember and support you.
So, check out local conferences in your area and go and have some fun!
As a giveaway, I’ll critique two pitches. I attended the NYC Perfect Pitch Conference a few years back and learned quite a bit on how to query online and pitch in person. I’d love to help you polish your query! Leave a comment about how many times you’ve revised your own query (I’ve lost count) and two winners will be picked.
Purchase Links:
AMAZON
BARNES AND NOBLE
KOBO
She traced a circle in the sand with her finger.
Why would she disclose her whole existence to someone she’d just met? Someone who talked so little about himself that she found herself talking to fill the void. Saying things she could barely admit in her own head.
His hand covered hers. “I’m lonely, too. Getting to know you this week has been the brightest point in my life and I don’t want you to leave, but I know the only place you’ll be safe is far away from me.”
She swallowed. He had read her mind.
He lay down on his back and closed his eyes. “Cali, you know when you hear a song for the first time and you kind of ingest it? You can’t possibly know right away that it will be one of your favorite songs for the rest of your life. A classic.”
“Yeah.” She hoped he was going somewhere good with this.
“That first listen,” he continued, “you pick up a little of the melody and some lyrics that catch you. But when the song ends, you have to hear it again because you want to memorize all the words and sing along. After you hear it a few times and learn the words inside and out, then you begin to let the melody seep inside you. Next thing you know, you’ve completely digested the song and find yourself humming it while you are doing nothing, like shaving or driving your car. Finally, the song becomes so ingrained it becomes a part of you. Forever. You can recall it and it’s with you whenever you need it. Am I making any sense?”
She nodded, blinking back the tears fighting to fall.
“Cali, I don’t want you to go back because you’re my favorite song.”
Calise Rowe's question of who walks among us leads her into an ancient war between seers and demons.
Book Description:
For years, Calise Rowe has been able to sense unusual energy from people, making her believe she is different. Pulled into an ancient war raging for centuries between demon hunters and seers, she's about to find out she's right.
Her search for the truth leads her to Lucas Rojas, a seer of angels and demons who walk the earth shrouded from normal human eyes. He's hidden his gift for years and refuses to endanger Calise by sharing it with her.
In the sultry Costa Rican Jungles, their worlds collide. As their passion and desire ignite, so does the ancient war between demons and seers. Will their combined efforts be enough to save themselves and the entire human world, or will their new found love be their downfall?
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/17gFt26ncoU
Available at Amazon Nook Kobo Wild Rose Press
About the Author:
Author Kat de Falla was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she learned to roller skate, ride a banana seat bike, and love Shakespeare thanks to her high school English teacher.
Four years at the UW-Madison wasn’t enough, so she returned to her beloved college town for her Doctor of Pharmacy degree and is happily employed as a retail pharmacist where she fills prescriptions and chats with her patients.
She is married to her soul mate, classical guitarist, Lee de Falla and raising four kids together ala the Brady Bunch.
Author Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Lee de Falla's Info:
Composer Lee de Falla, a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was raised in a family of professional musicians. He picked up his father's guitar at age eight and hasn't put one down since. Although well versed at playing all genres of music, his love is composition for modern classical guitar and instrumental orchestrations. He is finishing work on two CD's which will be available later this year.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/leedefalla and www.facebook.com/bfpmusic
Composer Website: www.bayafaya.com where FREE music requests are available that accompany THE SEER’S LOVER:
1. Anna’s Dance is a jazzy bossa nova meant to accompany chapter two.
2. Shane's Torment is a churning soundscape of despair meant to accompany chapter six.
3. Cali and Lucas First Dance is a Latin fusion instrumental love song meant to accompany chapter twelve.
As I touch on Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) in this book, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to www.iorphan.org
DO: Have your manuscript polished and ready to rumble. Pitch from the heart. Know your book inside and out. Have it ready to email to an eager agent or editor that night!
DON’T: Skip out on the talks. Be a lifelong learner. Even if the topic sounds like something you know everything about – go anyway! There are always new tips, tricks, and hints to discover.
DO: Have the perfect pitch – I’ll share you the pitch I used for The Wild Rose Press – fine tune yours until it sparkles in the noon day sun!
For years, Calise Rowe has been able to sense unusual energy from certain people, making her believe she's different. She's about to find out she's right.
On a cold December night, an elderly Hispanic man comes into her pharmacy and takes her hand. In broken English he tells her that demons walk among us. He leaves a paper with four words, “Mal Pais, Costa Rica.” She heads to the sultry jungles of Costa Rica where her search for the truth leads her to Lucas Rojas, a seer who's been hiding from his gift of sight for years.
Calise begs him for answers, but he is terrified to bring her into his dangerous world. She finds herself falling for the reclusive Lucas. As their love intensifies, Lucas agrees to help her, unwittingly drawing her into an ancient war between demons and seers. But the biggest danger to both of them comes from her past. Her ex-boyfriend is a fallen angel, known as a transitor, who will do anything, including consort with demons, to get rid of Lucas and win her back.
DON’T: Forget your business cards and network, network, network. Don’t be afraid to talk to as many people as possible. Ask questions! It doesn’t matter if you are published or not, the sooner you build a group of writer friends that you support the better! Then down the road, these people may remember and support you.
So, check out local conferences in your area and go and have some fun!
As a giveaway, I’ll critique two pitches. I attended the NYC Perfect Pitch Conference a few years back and learned quite a bit on how to query online and pitch in person. I’d love to help you polish your query! Leave a comment about how many times you’ve revised your own query (I’ve lost count) and two winners will be picked.
Purchase Links:
AMAZON
BARNES AND NOBLE
KOBO
Excerpt
She traced a circle in the sand with her finger.
Why would she disclose her whole existence to someone she’d just met? Someone who talked so little about himself that she found herself talking to fill the void. Saying things she could barely admit in her own head.
His hand covered hers. “I’m lonely, too. Getting to know you this week has been the brightest point in my life and I don’t want you to leave, but I know the only place you’ll be safe is far away from me.”
She swallowed. He had read her mind.
He lay down on his back and closed his eyes. “Cali, you know when you hear a song for the first time and you kind of ingest it? You can’t possibly know right away that it will be one of your favorite songs for the rest of your life. A classic.”
“Yeah.” She hoped he was going somewhere good with this.
“That first listen,” he continued, “you pick up a little of the melody and some lyrics that catch you. But when the song ends, you have to hear it again because you want to memorize all the words and sing along. After you hear it a few times and learn the words inside and out, then you begin to let the melody seep inside you. Next thing you know, you’ve completely digested the song and find yourself humming it while you are doing nothing, like shaving or driving your car. Finally, the song becomes so ingrained it becomes a part of you. Forever. You can recall it and it’s with you whenever you need it. Am I making any sense?”
She nodded, blinking back the tears fighting to fall.
“Cali, I don’t want you to go back because you’re my favorite song.”
The Seer’s Lover
Kat De Falla
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Calise Rowe's question of who walks among us leads her into an ancient war between seers and demons.
Book Description:
For years, Calise Rowe has been able to sense unusual energy from people, making her believe she is different. Pulled into an ancient war raging for centuries between demon hunters and seers, she's about to find out she's right.
Her search for the truth leads her to Lucas Rojas, a seer of angels and demons who walk the earth shrouded from normal human eyes. He's hidden his gift for years and refuses to endanger Calise by sharing it with her.
In the sultry Costa Rican Jungles, their worlds collide. As their passion and desire ignite, so does the ancient war between demons and seers. Will their combined efforts be enough to save themselves and the entire human world, or will their new found love be their downfall?
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/17gFt26ncoU
Available at Amazon Nook Kobo Wild Rose Press
About the Author:
Author Kat de Falla was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she learned to roller skate, ride a banana seat bike, and love Shakespeare thanks to her high school English teacher.
Four years at the UW-Madison wasn’t enough, so she returned to her beloved college town for her Doctor of Pharmacy degree and is happily employed as a retail pharmacist where she fills prescriptions and chats with her patients.
She is married to her soul mate, classical guitarist, Lee de Falla and raising four kids together ala the Brady Bunch.
Author Website
Blog
Lee de Falla's Info:
Composer Lee de Falla, a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was raised in a family of professional musicians. He picked up his father's guitar at age eight and hasn't put one down since. Although well versed at playing all genres of music, his love is composition for modern classical guitar and instrumental orchestrations. He is finishing work on two CD's which will be available later this year.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/leedefalla and www.facebook.com/bfpmusic
Composer Website: www.bayafaya.com where FREE music requests are available that accompany THE SEER’S LOVER:
1. Anna’s Dance is a jazzy bossa nova meant to accompany chapter two.
2. Shane's Torment is a churning soundscape of despair meant to accompany chapter six.
3. Cali and Lucas First Dance is a Latin fusion instrumental love song meant to accompany chapter twelve.
As I touch on Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) in this book, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to www.iorphan.org
Thanks for having me today Cloey!
ReplyDeleteHi Kat,
ReplyDeleteYou are awesome for offering a look at the writer's pitches. I shared this post with my g+ circles for writers so don't be surprised if someone accepts your offer.
Thanks for hanging out with us today
No problem - happy to help :)
DeleteIt was so wonderful meeting you at the WisRWA conference. The Seer's Lover sounds amazing, and is on my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteYea! It was great meeting you, too Steve! I look forward to collaborating on book signing and also reading Son of Thunder!
Delete