Catching Fire Movie

Remember when you saw New Moon (Twilight Saga) and were blown away. Even though you loved Twilight, New Moon, in terms of quality of film making, was leaps and bounds above movie one? Catching Fire was like that for me! It was FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC!

Don't get me wrong. Hunger Games was by far not the same indie produced budget Twilight was but Catching Fire, in my opinion, blew it away. I don't know if the sophomore release was easier for the cast because they knew what to expect from each other or the fact, that unlike Twilight, CF kept the same director. As much as I liked HG, triple that for my reaction after CF.
If you didn't read the books, then don't keep reading. But if you watched HG and don't plan on reading the books (shame on you!), keep reading.
Our game winners set out on their victory tour and you can still feel the tension Katniss feels for winning and her "fake" feelings for Peeta. She's threatened by Snow to be more convincing when it comes to her new romance. He feels their romance will keep the districts contained but let's be honest, their romance didn't set things into motion, or maybe it did. Maybe it was seeing someone fighting for their life, literally, give up their own for another that set the districts in motion. Read into it and conjure your own theories. Either way, chaos breaks out and in an attempt to keep the peace or show who's boss, they hold a Quarter Quell which is supposed to weed out the weak. Little does Kat know that there is a secret plan which will ultimately throw the 12 districts into war but not before Kat confesses that she needs Peeta.
And this my friends has me counting down until The Mockingjay releases! Man! My mind raced with scenes the entire night forcing me to evade sleep. The costumes were wonderful. The drama thick like pea soup and the smattering of kisses was enough to keep you until the next ones. There was only one part from the book that wasn't featured in the movie but I don't think it had any affect.
I'll be honest, I enjoyed the books and watched HG with interest, never feeling the same craze I got when I went to see Eclipse or Breaking Dawn but my fan-dom has been thrown into overdrive. I even considered not seeing CF last night because my interest wasn't as strong. I'm glad I didn't back-out and I'm thinking I might re-read the books.
Have you seen it yet? What did you think?

All on the Same Page book signing and you!

First off, I'd like to thank Holly Gilliatt for joining me and Robin Tidwell from All on the Same Page for her support. Holly and I had a great time and feel we've made a friend with this indie bookstore.

Do you have a book releasing soon and not sure how to schedule book signings? I'm not sure how it works with agents or even big publishing houses but for indie, small and self pubs, the process is pretty much the same.

Create a list of all the bookstores in your area. Then think outside the box. Gift shops, coffee shops or even cafes with possible wine nights. And then start making calls. Keep in mind, most of your guests will be family and friends so don't schedule one every week for a month. Most of the big name authors do one per city on their book tours. And while I'm sure your book is great, your family might get tired of attending. Make sure to book the event far enough in advance so you can gather some PR from local agencies.

Next, create a press release announcing your signing and send that baby out to local press. TV, radio, on-line and print (yes, there is still print out there). Wait a week and then follow-up. I suggest, if you have a connection with a smaller area, personalize your release. For example, I graduated from high school about 25 minutes from my house now, so when I contacted those papers, I made sure to include that fact. Smaller papers like to give props to a townie.

Holly and I were lucky enough to video a spot for a local cable station. If you get a chance to do a live interview, remember to bring a copy or two of your book. They make great thank you gifts and you can use them as props.

A week or two prior to your event, contact the venue. Make sure all your ducks are in a row. If they ordered your books, are they in? If you ordered then, are they in?!

Plan to bring candy or something beside promo material to your signing. Holly brought mint chocolates because her book had a St. Patrick's Day theme and I brought plastic jeweled rings for my Honey Creek Royalty series. Although, I did wear a precious spider sparkly ring for Spider.

Make sure you bring plenty of pens. You don't want to assume the venue will provide any.

When the day arrives, make sure you have your smiley face on. Author friends of mine always suggest bringing support staff who can walk the store and talk up customers. I've never done this but its not a bad idea. If you have a mailing list, bring a sign up sheet.

If you have any tips to share, please leave a comment and happy signing!

The Naked Truth

Today, I was featured on STL Live, a local government funded cable station featuring St. Louis happenings. A fellow author and STLer, Holly Gilliatt, and I are doing a joint signing this Saturday at All on The Same Page.

For a few weeks, Holly and I discussed outfits and make-up, hoping we didn't look washed out or too big to be on TV! Plus, we didn't want our clothes to clash.

In order to make sure I had the right make-up and enough time to get my face on today, I prepped last night, looking more like a call girl than the stay-at-home mom face I normally wear. The entire experience has been rather revealing and not in the good, sexy way.

I'm 36 years old, a fact I normally forget. So I'm not old but I'm no spring chicken, either. I learned that the creases in my forehead are profound. I have crows feet and bags with bags beneath my eyes! Traits I never thought I was inflicted with. When asked what I'd fix about myself, I'd say my weight or the fact I don't have a butt. Now, I'm adding several more items to the list.

Would I take back the interview? No. Would I try to put on my make-up with my eyes closed? Maybe!

Have you ever done something and thought, "Holy crap. I look like that?"

If you'd like to watch my video, check-it out on YouTube. *closes eyes*