And thank you to all my friends who supported by sharing the links across social media. You guys made this a success!

Now, for the winners (Random.org)!

Winner of R.J. Ellory’s A Quiet Vendetta: Karen Rought, The Midnight Novelist.

Winner of Margie Lawsen’s awesome course packet: Vicki Batman
*This was announced on Margie’s post. Vicki, email Margie through her site if
you haven’t already, and let me know if you have questions!

Winner of Kathy Bennett’s A Deadly Blessing: C.K. Crouch

Winner of Allison Brennan’s Winner’s Choice: Donna Galanti:
*** You can pick either a signed, print copy of Silenced, the most recent Lucy Kincaid book (or the first book, Love Me to Death), or you can pick digital copies of Silenced AND my stand alone romantic suspense novella, Murder in the River City.

Winner of Vicki Hinze’s Winner’s Choice: Susie Lindau
***digital or print copy of SURVIVE THE NIGHT (inspirational romantic suspense) or NOT THIS TIME (faith-affirming thriller) or digital copy of DUPLICITY (military romantic thriller) or MIND READER (paranormal romantic suspense).

Donna and Susie, let me know which book you prefer, and I’ll pass the information on to Allison and Vicki.

Thriller Extravaganza GRAND PRIZE (Rafflecopter)

So who wins the awesome Silver Spot in Kristen Lamb’s WANA Blogging Class?
By virtue of her tweets and charm, it’s Natalie Hartford! Whoo-hoo!

Second place wins an Amazon gift card and a box of healthy goodies from August McLaughlin, and that winner is…Jenny Hansen!

Congrats, ladies! I’ll let Kristen know, and of course you both know where to contact me. Jenny, look for your gift card soon and please give August your mailing address for the yummies.

Thank you all so much for participating! This was so much fun, and I learned a lot. I hope you did too.

And don’t forget to mark your calendars, because Thriller Thursday returns this week with an all-new true crime post guaranteed to send chills down your spine.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

We’re on week four of Thriller Extravaganza, and I’m excited to welcome one of my favorite authors, Allison Brennan. I could have asked Allison to write on just about any thriller related topic, but since I’m starting my own series and I’m selfish, I asked her to tell us about how she approaches creating a series. She’s giving away a copy of one of her books, so make sure to read and leave a comment.

And don’t forget to sign up for Thriller Extravaganza’s Grand Prize: a silver spot in one of Kristen Lamb’s WANA International blogging classes or a $25 gift card and a bag of healthy goodies from August McLaughlin.

Writing Series by Allison Brennan

Until 2010, I always wrote in trilogies. Three books, very loosely connected, with a common theme or family of characters. For example, my “Prison Break” trilogy was connected by an earthquake at San Quentin that precipitated the release of some death row inmates. Each book was a stand alone romantic thriller stemming from that one event. My “No Evil” trilogy centered around the Kincaid Family, a close-knit Irish-Cuban family of (mostly) law enforcement. Each book stood alone as a complete story with a separate hero and heroine, but the books were all set in San Diego and the secondary characters were woven through the three books.

I didn’t plan to write in trilogies, but when I sold my debut novel The Prey, my publisher asked me to write two more connected stories. I decided to focus on three women who were at the FBI Academy together and now, ten years later, their individual pasts are coming back to haunt them.

I always wanted to write both a stand alone and a series. A stand alone because it’s completely self-contained. A series, because I can build on one character over time, both layering and deepening characterization. Readers like all types of stories, but it’s often a solid series that finds resonance in the mass market. Readers know Jack Reacher as well as his creator, Lee Child. They know Stephanie Plum as well as Janet Evanovich. And one of my all-time favorite series, the In Death series, by J.D. Robb, has the formidable and sexy Roarke and Eve Dallas.

When my publisher agreed to buy the Lucy Kincaid series, I was initially thrilled. I loved Lucy, and wanted to see how she’d overcome her brutal ordeal from Fear No Evil, the last of the Kincaid Family trilogy. I sped up time a bit, made her 25 in the first book, and on the cusp of becoming an FBI agent. I wanted to take her from the beginning of her career—through the academy—and into her first real assignment.

Then I became scared. How could I keep the series fresh and original? I didn’t want readers to become bored with Lucy or her boyfriend Sean Rogan; I didn’t want to write the same book over and over. I also feared that, over time, I would tire of writing in the same world. A true, traditional series takes the same core group of characters and puts them in different situations over multiple books. A connected series is usually built around the same world, but with different characters taking a lead role. Laura Griffin’s Tracers series is a good example of a connected series; J.D. Robb’s In Death series is a good example of a traditional series.

I had to make some choices early on: First, I tightened the timeframe. For example, though the first seven books will be published over a three-year period, only 11 months will have passed in Lucy’s world. Each book takes place anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months apart. The primary reason is that I wanted all the major events to be part of the series. Also, I didn’t know when some of the books would be published, so I didn’t keep them true to real time. And mostly, I wanted to show Lucy’s growth during the pivotal years as she begins her career as an FBI Agent.

Michael Connelly successful wrote Harry Bosch in real time, so he aged in real time, and the stories took place a year apart (or however long his publishing schedule was for that series.) Lee Child writes out of order—some of his books take place in Reacher’s past, for example, so they’re not published in chronological order. And in J.D. Robb’s In Death series, I believe only 18 or so months have passed over 30+ books.

Other choices I had to make dealt with reader expectations. Because I write primarily romantic thrillers, and the first few Lucy books were published as romantic thrillers, I needed a love interest for Lucy who stays for the series. Reader expectations are important because if you mess with the readers, you’re toast. I decided that Sean Rogan was the perfect guy for Lucy as soon as I wrote him in an early book, Cutting Edge, where his brother, Duke, was the hero. I had to figure out how to get him out to DC, and which Kincaid’s would be part of Lucy’s series, and which would be completely off-page. I also needed to build Lucy’s world – what has she been doing for the seven years since the events in Fear No Evil? How did they change her? Strengthen her? What are her fears that will play a part in the series? Her strengths?

I don’t plot, so a lot of this I didn’t know until I was writing the first book—and some I didn’t know until I was writing the fourth book! But for my readers, Sean and Lucy are together. They will certainly have rough patches, but they will weather any storm. I hope I’ve laid that foundation well.

The difference in reader expectations plays a part in a new series I’m developing around Maxine Revere, an investigating crime reporter. This will be a thriller series, so I can play around more with relationships and don’t have to “pick” a romantic interest right off the back … though there will certainly be one (or two or three) that may be possible. The series is more about Max and the crimes she investigates, as well as her relationships with her staff and friends and, yes, the men she’s involved with.

The hardest part of writing a series, for me, is knowing how much to share in each book without being boring to continuing readers (or “telling” too much back story) but also giving enough information so new readers won’t be lost. It’s a delicate balance that I don’t know if I’ve mastered, but I’m constantly striving to find the right balance. My former editor gave me some great advice early on: give as much information as necessary for readers to enjoy THIS book. I think about that often!

For anyone considering writing a series, remember that character is the most important thing. Not just your protagonist, but the supporting cast. You want readers to want to return time and time again to see what your characters are up to!

What is one of your favorite book series, and why? Everyone who comments (even just to say hi!) will be put in a drawing for one of two giveaways, winner’s choice. You can pick either a signed, print copy of Silenced, the most recent Lucy Kincaid book (or the first book, Love Me to Death), or you can pick digital copies of Silenced AND my stand alone romantic suspense novella, Murder in the River City.

Allison Brennan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nineteen novels and many short stories. The next Lucy Kincaid thriller, Stalked, will be out on October 30. She lives near Sacramento, California with her husband, five children, and assorted pets.

www.allisonbrennan.com

Thanks so much to Allison for this great post! She’s got some vital point in here that I hadn’t considered the past few weeks while working on my own series. Please leave her some love and give yourself a chance to win a copy of one of her books.

How can we help each other? That’s been the burning question in my Suspense, Mystery, and Mayhem group on Kristen Lamb’s WANA Tribe.

So many things to discuss: craft, book launches, social media, marketing–the list goes on. And of course, the million dollar question: what do readers want?

I want to help my writing friends and connect thriller and suspense readers to new, exciting authors, so I decided to go to the experts. The thriller writers who’ve been there, done that, and have hard-earned experience to back up their advice. So in August, I’m bringing you Thriller Writer’s Extravaganza!

With help from WANA friends August Mclaughlin, Catie Rhodes and Piper Bayard, I’ve got some AMAZING authors lined up.

Thriller Writers Extravaganza

August 2
R.J. Ellory, bestselling author of A Simple Act of Violence
* Creating Tension *

August 9
Margie Lawson, writing coach of awesomeness
* Killer thriller craft *

August 16
Kathy Bennett, police officer turned crime writer (A Deadly Blessing),
* Writing authentic crime scenes *

August 23
Allison Brennan, bestselling author of The Lucy Kincaid Series,
* Tricks of crafting a superior series *

August 30
Vicki Hinz, bestselling author of The Mind Reader
* Crossing genres in fiction *

Five Thursdays devoted to thriller writers and readers. Bestselling thriller authors giving us the tricks of craft, advice on plotting a series, and the secret formula to figuring out what readers want. And don’t worry, thriller readers! You’re the most important, and we want you to meet new writers, so there will be a special post dedicated to awesome up-and-coming thriller writers.

Of course, no extravaganza would be complete without prizes, and I’ve got them lined up for you. For readers, every author will be giving away a copy of their book, and you can also win a $25 Amazon gift card and a bag of yummy healthy goodies courtesy of August McLaughlin (U.S. only). And for the writers, Kristen Lamb is offering a grand prize of a silver spot in her awesome WANA International blogging class.

For more details on the contest, exclusive news on my debut suspense novel,  my decision to go Indie, and other thriller related fun, sign up for my newsletter,
Twisted Minds and Dark Places.

Mark your calendars and spread the word to join us on Thriller Thursdays for the Thriller Extravaganza!

When Nicole first asked me to write this guest post, I jumped at the chance. With my Thriller Thursday feature, of course I could tell everyone the difference between the two genres.

Right. Defining the two turned out to be much more difficult than I anticipated. Suspense and thrillers are so interchangeable that pinpointing a true separation is tricky, but the subtleties are there, if you look closely.

“Suspense is the state of waiting for something to happen.” –Alfred Hitchcock.

When I think of suspense, I picture dark shadows, peaking around corners, heart pounding, body sweating, stomach-churning waiting. Readers often sit on the edge of their seats with the nagging feeling that everything is adding up to the moment the main character is going to be in mortal danger. Suspense novels are akin to puzzles: lots of little pieces come together for a shocking, “oh my goodness, that’s the bad guy” moment. Sometimes the most benign circumstance can turn out to be the clue that binds the entire story together.

Suspense is subtle, building with the story. It’s slower paced (not boring, but the action scenes are more calculated and the pacing is different). Readers might be inside the bad guy’s head in some suspense novels (Allison Brennan), but they don’t always know his true identity. In most suspense novels, the main character starts out with very little sense of danger and is simply thrown into a situation.

For example, in Greg Iles’s excellent novel Turning Angel, prosecutor Penn Cage has remained in his hometown of Natchez, Mississippi to raise his young daughter in a safe world. But then the nude body of a prep school student shows up, and Penn’s best friend is a suspect in her murder. Penn agrees to help and gets caught up in the world of blackmail and deadly violence. As the book progresses, Penn finds himself in increasing danger, and of course, the bad guy is never who we think it is. Getting to the heart of the plot and the building sense of foreboding keeps readers turning the pages in suspense novels.

So how do you write great suspense?

1)    Strong, relatable characters. Penn Cage is a small town doctor and a widower just trying to do what’s best for his young daughter. He’s middle-aged and handsome but has no idea how to get back into the dating game, nor does he care. He wants to do what’s right, but he can’t turn his back on his friend.

2)    Setting is key. The mood of a story can be set and changed with each scene description. Vivid descriptions and pacing can be used to set the tone so the reader knows something heart stopping is just around the next page.

3)    Conflict. Like any novel, conflict needs to be in every scene, and your main character must continue to limp forward despite her setbacks.

4)    Antagonist must be riveting and as three dimensional as possible. In suspense, he’s usually a step ahead of the protagonist, and the clues are constantly building as to who the bad guy is and what his motivations are.

5)    Keep it visceral. One of the main elements of suspense is the nerve-wracking wait for the next shoe to drop. Show your main character terrified, confused, upset. Make the reader feel what your protagonist is feeling. Margie Lawson’s Empowering Character’s Emotions is a fantastic guide for getting a reader deep into your character’s head.

Thrillers have all these elements, too, but they also have something more.

“It “thrills” as one reads it. The plots are scary, the characters are at great risk and the novels are constructed in a manner that makes the reader really want to turn the page.” –Thriller Press

Thrillers are more like a terrifying, nine-hundred turn roller coaster. Fast, slow, fast, dip, circle, quick pause, and then start all over again. And don’t forget the gigantic ticking clock in the background. That’s a must in a thriller, but it doesn’t always have to be a high concept, end of the world or bust deal. The stakes can be local (saving the next women from becoming a victim in Tess Gerritsen’s brilliant medical thriller The Surgeon) or global, as in War of The Worlds.

And there are any number of thrillers: spy thrillers, techno thrillers (From Russia With Love), legal thriller (John Grisham), medical thriller (Robin Cook), true crime, action/adventure, and my personal favorite, the psychological suspense (The Silence of The Lambs, Shutter Island.)

Seriously, if you want a lesson in how to get into the minds of your readers and scary them silly, study Silence of the Lambs. Thomas Harris makes us feel Clarice’s every emotion: fear, pride, anguish, anger. When Hannibal calls her at the end of the novel, even though the main story line is all tied up and Buffalo Bill is dead, our hearts our still pounding at what the good doctor might say. That’s the essence of a thriller – the ride doesn’t stop until the very end.

So what do you need for a great thriller?

1)    Start off with a bang. An action scene is a great way to kick-start a thriller – think of any James Bond movie. They always start when Bond’s in a precarious situation and has to fight his way out of a jam.

2)    Larger than life hero/heroine. Your main character has to be someone who defeat whatever evil he’s facing. Clarice Starling is a quiet, reserved FBI recruit with the heart and determination of a lion. It’s her sheer will and stubbornness that defeats Buffalo Bill and saves the senator’s daughter.

3)    Your villain had better be all-powerful, too. In Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons, Robert Langdon is up against the powerful and secretive Illuminati as he tries to thwart the group’s efforts to destroy the Catholic Church. These guys are willing to sacrifice themselves – and each other – for their cause.

4)    What about the stakes? Whether they’re local or global, they’ve got to be high. Saving a president from assassination, biological warfare, or stopping a serial killer – it’s about life and death from the beginning in a thriller. And the main character knows it. That’s the key difference. Robert Langdon knows he’s trying to save a life (his own neck) in The Da Vinci Code as soon as he’s suspected in the priest’s murder. And in Angels and Demons, the threat is global, as the anti-matter being stolen from CERN is the inciting incident.

5)    Hero’s plans – he’s got to be out to stop the villain from committing a further crime, not just trying to solve a previous one. Clarice is trying to save the senator’s daughter, Robert Landgon the Catholic Church – you get the point.

So what do you write? Thrillers or suspense? Or both? Are current thrillers more interchangeable with suspense than the classics? Has this post helped you understand the difference and the similarities?

Since I’m leaving for vacation for 10 days tomorrow (yay!), I won’t be posting a new Thriller Thursday until June 28. Will be checking in on Facebook and Twitter when I can.  

Thanks to the Writer’s Unboxed Facebook group and Catie Rhodes for their help with this post.

It’s a Thriller Thursday special edition! New York Times Best Selling Author Allison Brennan is one of my favorite suspense writers. Her stories keep me on the edge of my seat, and her characters are relatable—a must for great fiction. When I first joined Twitter, I was lucky enough to win a signed copy of Allison’s Kiss Me, Kill Me. I was amazed at how approachable she was, and she’s been a great resource as I stumble through this writing thing.

My autographed copy of Kiss Me, Kill Me.

I’ll shut up now and let you read the interview. Don’t forget to give her some love in the comments!

Stacy: You started writing after serving as a consultant on the California state legislature. How did your experience there help when you began writing?

Allison Brennan: Motivation: I wanted to quit my job. LOL … seriously, I think ANYTHING that we do prior to writing helps us understand human nature, which gives our characters depth.

Stacy: You decided to write a book from beginning to end at the age of 30 – what led to that decision?

Allison Brennan: Several things. First, I was burned out in my job. Second, I had always loved writing, but put it aside to get married, have kids, start a career. It was not on the back-burner; it was off the stove!

When I was on maternity leave with my son (Brennan #3) I wanted to quit my job and stay home with him, but at the same time knew I’d be bored (I wasn’t cut out to be a SAHM) and I needed to earn money. I read a lot while on maternity leave (77 books in four months) – two of those books jumpstarted my writing. The Search by Iris Johansen and The Third Victim by Lisa Gardner. They were both romantic suspense, but darker and grittier and more focused on the suspense than the romance, but still had a resolved HEA, which I like. I thought, this is what I want to write! And started a new book that I promised myself I would finish. And I did—though it never sold (and shouldn’t have!)

Stacy: You wrote five books before selling The Prey 2004. I know you’ve destroyed the first four, but how did you stick it out after writing four non-published books?

Allison Brennan: Every book I wrote was better than the last. I wanted to be published, and I knew I didn’t know everything (and still don’t!) So I was committed to writing, learning, writing more, reading, writing more, and if it took two books or five books or twenty, I would have kept going. (I’m just glad it didn’t take twenty!)

Stacy: What did you learn from writing the first novels? What were some of the writing mistakes you made in those books?

Allison Brennan: Some of the mistakes are basic—head hopping (which is different than POV changes); backstory dumps, too many subplots, too many coincidences, not enough/too much description, etc. Some aren’t mistakes per se, just things that I improved the more I wrote—i.e. practice improves dialogue, character development, action scenes, etc. I don’t think I was ever a BAD writer, but I was certainly mediocre. I also read Self-Editing for Fiction Writers which really helped tighten my prose and identify some of my own personal stumbling blocks.

My first completed manuscript was particularly bad. Not that it was unreadable, but it was weak. It had EVERYTHING in it – it was a romantic suspense where the heroine worked from home in computer security. She was being stalked by the guy at the coffee house on the corner. She found out her ex-fiance at the computer company was embezzling secrets, and in the middle of the book he kidnapped her and forced her to transfer payroll funds to his off-shore account or he’d kill her brother (who happened to be an ex-Marine turned priest!) She was a virgin. Hero was a cop who moved into the apartment beneath hers. He has a psycho ex-girlfriend who stalked him, trashed the heroine’s apartment. The villain killed the ex-girlfriend and framed the hero, who while in prison, the heroine is kidnapped and taken to the mountains where she’s forced to wear the villain’s mother’s wedding dress so they can get “married” before he rapes him. Oh, and the hero was investigating a serial rapist who, surprise, targeted women who looked like the heroine.

Needless to say, there were three complete stories in that book.

Stacy: How do you come up with your ideas?

Allison Brennan: The million dollar question! Everywhere. I read true crime, watch television, watch people, and have a pretty vivid imagination. I play the “What if” game constantly. What if a mild-mannered guy killed his whole family? Why? What if one of the kids survived? Who would she become? (My heroine in The Prey.) What if you testified against the man you thought killed your sister—but find out years later you sent an innocent man to prison? (My heroine in The Kill.) What if you find out that sex offenders you think you’re tracking to put back in prison are actually being killed in old blood? (Lucy in Love Me To Death.) What if there was an earthquake under San Quentin? (The Prison Break trilogy.)

Ideas are everywhere. I just like thinking about all the possibilities.

Stacy: In your bio, you mention research trips such as an autopsy and an 8-week course at the FBI Citizens Academy, as well as trips to Quantico and various interviews with law enforcement. What advice to have to new writers just starting out who don’t have those kinds of resources? And how do you apply what you learned from Quantico and other resources to your writing?

Allison Brennan: There are lots of FREE resources for writers. (I wrote 8 books before participating in the Citizens Academy, which was really my first big research thing.) I mostly know what’s available to crime writers.

FREE: crimescenewriter@yahoogroups.com is a group with cops, retired and active, FBI agents, PIs, paramedics, etc. all willing to answer questions for writers. It’s harder to get answers from cops and others when you don’t have credentials (because EVERYONE is writing a book) but there are often public openings in ride-along programs, tours, and it never hurts to contact the public information officer and just ask! Don’t forget friends, family and neighbors—the guy (a mechanic) who solved my plot problem for The Hunt I met through my brother-in-law at a baptism!

CHEAP: Join writers groups (anywhere from $25-$95/year) or chapters within writers groups that specialize in your genre. Many of my earlier questions were answered by chapter members who either knew the answer, or was married to someone who did. On-line classes–$10-30. Many times you don’t have to be a member and can take classes on a variety of subjects, from craft to research. Do a little research of your own and see if the instructor is good. Margie Lawson, for example, is one I strongly recommend if you want to take your writing to the next level, or if you’re struggling with craft-related issues like emotion, depth of character, pacing, etc. Another resource that people forget are BOOKS. I have over 100 craft, crime, forensics, and (because of my paranormal series) supernatural books. I have The Writers Journey and Practical Homicide Investigation. I also read a lot of true crime because it gives me some insight into the minds of people who hunt criminals, as well as victims. Some books I’ve bought are duds, others I would have paid twice the price.

Stacy: How do you manage to juggle a family and write three books a year?

Allison Brennan: Caffeine.

Seriously, I’m no different than any other working mom on the planet. I work, I raise the kids. My entire life is writing and kids. Fortunately, I love both and use my research trips as my fun vacation time.

I don’t sweat the small stuff. I don’t clean. I don’t make elaborate dinners. It’s all about prioritizing and making sacrifices. We all do what we need to do.

Stacy: You’ve got sixteen bestselling novels under your belt. You’ve talked about being a pantser with No Plotters Allowed handout at RWA. What’s your process? Do you start out with an idea and just jump in, or do you have a system? How do you keep organized throughout the book writing process?

Allison Brennan: I am not an organized person. And I don’t like the word “pantser” – I prefer “organic writer.” The story comes from the characters and the inciting incident, and I go from there. This requires a lot of rewriting, but I would rather do that than plot an entire book out, which feels like a job more than a discovery. I WISH I had another way, but I’ve tried everything, and the only thing that works is sitting down, writing, editing as necessary, and USUALLY before the midpoint I know what’s not working, go back and fix, and then write the ending. Sounds easy, but it’s not. I delete twice as many words as end up in the final book.

I have a white board in my office to keep track of my crimes and victims. I didn’t use to and had a lot of timeline issues. I call it my murder board, and it works.

Stacy: What about POV? Is each its own storyline, or is the process more intuitive?

Allison Brennan: Intuitive. I write in the POV that makes sense at the time.

Stacy: There is so much advice out there for new authors regarding craft, marketing, etc. What advice can you give to newbies inundated with information?

Allison Brennan: Write a good book. Pitch it. Write another. It doesn’t get easier, but you will get better. If you don’t have a book to market, what good is marketing? Focus on the book, it’s the ONLY thing you have control over. Once you sell, don’t let all the other stuff interfere with your writing time. You’ll have some business things to attend to, but make your writing time sacred.

Stacy: Self-publishing and ebooks are on a rapid rise. Where do you see the industry going in the next few years? Do you still think new writers should attempt traditional publishing, or is self-publishing the new way to go?

Allison Brennan: I think that NO ONE knows what’s really going to happen, and that no one should make life-changing decisions based on limited information that we have now. I don’t think print books are going to disappear. I think e-books will become more popular, but there will likely be a 50/50 balance in the market. You’ll make more money per book if you self-publish, but how are you going to break out of the pack? With EVERYONE and their brother publishing a book, how are you going to stand out? Not everyone is successful, and all the costs are on you, the author – editing, cover design, etc. Yes, you don’t need to sell a lot to earn that back, but breaking out will be just as hard, or harder, in the self-publishing world.

I think that traditional e-publishers that have a proven record will continue to thrive and grow. The author doesn’t pay into the production, though they may have little to no advance. But the publisher has a team of professional to handle ALL the editing and production work (which is very time-consuming to do right.)

I’m not saying not to self-publish. I just think that individuals need to make their own decisions based on unbiased information, and I’m not seeing a lot of unbiased information out there. There are a few successful self-published authors who started that way, but most of the success stories are those authors who have the rights to their backlist and have successfully re-published them themselves.

The big sellers are still going to be the big print authors, who will not only sell more copies, but they’re asking (and getting) higher e-book prices.

Anyway, my advice is to sit down and make a plan, but no matter what, never send a book out—traditional or self-published—that isn’t the absolutely best book you can make it.

Stacy: Let’s talk about marketing for a moment. Most agents, editors, and publishing experts say that even if you’re lucky enough to get a traditional contract, you’ll still have to do the vast majority of marketing on your own. That’s one of the more intimidating parts of the process to me. What works for newly published authors? In this digital age, what’s the best way to get word out about our book without sounding like a door-to-door solicitor?

Allison Brennan: I wish I knew! I hate promoting myself. However, I think what works best is to BE YOURSELF. Go into communities you feel comfortable with and participate. Every post doesn’t have to be about your book. I’m active on Facebook, Twitter, and several Yahoogroups, and have been for years, on yahoogroups before I sold. Be friendly, find people with common interests, etc., then when you want to talk about a new book or something, you mention it. Like, one out of every 100 comments. Or 200 comments. Or 1,000 comments. If you hate blogging, don’t blog; if you like it, do it. Not every blog is about your book.

I can not stand 1) drive-by promoters (authors who never participate in a group, except to post they have a new book out) and 2) message board that are all about self-published authors promoting their books. I don’t think I would make a good self-published author on that end. However, I would hire an editor, a proofreader, and a cover artist—and probably send out for reviews, do a blog tour, and make sure I respond to reader mail.

Stacy Green: Who are you reading right now, and who are the authors you admire?

Allison Brennan: I admire many, many authors. Nora Roberts for her no-nonsense attitude and support of the romance genre; Lee Child and James Rollins for their unfailing support of debut authors and other writers, even with their hectic schedules; Michael Connelly, Lisa Gardner and Tess Gerritsen for talent—I love the way they tell their stories; Stephen King for both his storytelling and being humble even after great success; Sandra Brown for her class and amazing ability to blend thriller and mystery and romance; there are many more. Many authors are more than willing to help others, and I feel blessed to be a writer.

Right now I’m reading A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard (non-fiction) and The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen, plus a galley for a debut author.

I can’t thank Allison enough for taking the time out of her busy schedule to give such great answers. She’s a great author and a perfect example of social media should work: do unto others as you’d have done unto you.

Allison’s new book, If I Should Die, drops 11.22.11. Stop by her website for more details on her books as well as some great writing resources.

I wish I could say today’s Row80 post was all about writing sex scenes, but it’s not. I just wanted to share the picture:)

Onto Row80!

This week turned out to be really productive. The first half of the week resulted in a major plotting breakthrough with The Prophet, and I was able to dig into writing on Wednesday, as well as Friday and Saturday. I wrote about 2700 words this week, just short of my goal of 3,000. I’m feeling pretty good about them, too.

I’ve been overcoming my whole “butt in the chair” issue by telling myself I’m just going to sit down and write 250 words. By the time I get those done, the scene is usually moving, and I can keep writing.

My query letter is getting closer to being ready, and I’ve made some major decisions on who I’m going to query my completed MS to and why.

And I’m REALLY excited to announce that I will be interviewing Allison Brennan this week in a special Thriller Thursday edition! She’s one of my favorite authors, and I’m honored to be able to speak with her.

On the home front, Grace had her first performance as a Jr. Rider Girl Friday night. She hasn’t had any dance or cheerleading, and they only had one practice together. I was so nervous I had to have a drink to calm down. I just didn’t want her to go out there and freeze up and feel bad. But she did GREAT! We were so proud of her! She’s in the middle of the front row, fourth from right:

Some great blog posts for you to check out:

The always hilarious Tawna Fenske talks about peckers and spam here.

Roni Loren had the post of the week with her rant about blogging, platforms, and the pressure on writers. It’s a must read.

Jami Gold had a really informative post about what it takes to actually sell your book. Another must read.

Julie Glover posted about the frustrating and sometimes delicate matter of
discussing politics with friends and family. This one really hit home for me.

How was your Row80 week? Do you have any great links to share?