Readers: How to @ LATFOB

Going to the festival as a book reader? I have tips for you, too!!! Because really, we authors are also readers. We escape the booth and walk around looking at all the wonderful books as far as we can see. We struggle, because we need to be behind the table talking up our own books but we want to be out there admiring, thumbing through, turning over and plopping down the plastic for other peoples’ books.

Crowded: 2012 at USC

So here’s how you do this. With a little preparation, you’ll have a great time and come home with exquisite reading material:

Arrive early. Parking is… a little challenging. There are buses, too, so if you take the time to do a little research, it could pay off royally. Driving down to USC from… uh… anywhere can be daunting, so know where you’re going before you get behind the wheel. Parking is $10.00.
Bring sustenance. Food is… a little expensive. April is normally warm, so bring bottled water and sunscreen. Hats are good.
Dress for comfort. Layer your clothes if the weather warrants. Walking shoes are a must.
Budget. Think about how much you want to spend, and expect to spend twice that much. Honestly, it happens! And while you’re thinking about how many books you’ll be toting home, also figure out how you’ll carry them. Some book devourers drag along those folding shopping carts. Others bring wheeled suitcases. Backpacks work, too. Booksellers may or may not have shopping bags.
Money! Bring some cash for those few vendors who are living in the dark ages. Most will take checks, and more are now accepting credit cards.
Get a map, so that you can mark booths you intend to return to. Better yet, buy the darned book when you see it the first time. And get it autographed!

Most important:  Come meet the authors of MURDER, WE WROTE! Booth number will be coming soon.

Keep up with our plans by visiting our Facebook page!

Halloween: Got Your Tunes On?

When I was a kid, my mother used to sing to me. I was, at times, embarrassed, bored, delighted, patient and impatient. She sang silly, childhood songs, Christmas carols, honky-tonk chartbusters and lullabies. And once a year, usually while rolling popcorn balls and filling treat bags, she crooned Halloween songs to me and my sister. Here are my favorites:

Let the “Race” Begin!

Today I renewed my vow to raise a bunch of money for the American Cancer Society. I’m ready to hit the ground running! Team Check ‘Em Out is poised to break our record this year by building our team, trying new ways to fundraise, restaurant nights, dessert sales, percentage donations, and good old fashioned bowling-alley-panhandling! Hey, we’re not proud!

Well, actually, we are. We have a great team of dedicated, passionate and motivated members, each with a personal reason to fight this horrendous disease. Sadly, our Reasons to Relay still grow with each coming year, but we remain confident that our efforts will be rewarded someday.

Planning will soon begin for our SIXTH ANNUAL wine tasting,

POP A CORK FOR A CURE!

This awesome event will be held in early May, date TBD — but you can bet we’ll let you know. In the meantime, I’m humbly accepting donations at my Relay page. Donations of $100 or more will get you an autographed copy of my latest book–but I’d take just your Starbuck’s money for a couple of weeks, too!

Who’s with me?

2012 Special Offer – Circle of Hope

Some of you know that besides my passion for serving education through the SCV Education Foundation and supporting the American Cancer Society through Relay For Life, I also serve of the board of Circle of Hope, Inc., a tireless group of warriors who support local breast cancer patients. One tiny way I can help is by donating a portion of my book proceeds to this worthwhile non-profit organization. So from every copy of CAPE SEDUCTION purchased through this website, I’m passing along $3.00 to Circle of Hope.  Just click HERE to take advantage of this special offer. More about…

Circle of Hope, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit breast cancer organization located in Santa Clarita Valley, California.  We are dedicated to making a difference today, for a brighter future tomorrow. Circle of Hope is the only breast cancer organization in the Santa Clarita Valley that provides financial, emotional, and educational support services for uninsured and underinsured individuals with breast cancer, their families, and the local community. We have helped over 130 clients to date, issuing over $100,000 in financial support.

I’m happy to be a part of the Circle of Hope family. I hope you will take advantage of this offer–and don’t worry, CAPE SEDUCTION is worth a read even without the donation!

Thank you for your support.

Fall for a Good Mystery Author Panel

Barnes & Noble Valencia

My Other Life: Keeping Track of Money

As shocking as it may seem, not all published authors support themselves on their royalties. I know, huh? Yeah, I was a little surprised, too, when I first discovered that little known fact. So, to answer the many questions I get about how I earn income between blockbusters, here’s the scoop:  I make sure that OPM handled by my clients is all accounted for. No, that’s not opium. It’s Other Peoples’ Money. Trust funds. If you’ve ever been a homeowner or played one on TV, you’ll know that real estate transactions require good faith deposits, down payments and loan proceeds – all of which are placed into bank accounts in trust. Escrow and title companies, real estate brokers, banks and attorneys act as disinterested third-party facilitators, and the regulations imposed upon them are quite strict when it comes to the bookkeeping part. Every penny must be accounted for and recorded—daily. Their bank statements must be reconciled by the 15^th of each month, and any discrepancies must be identified and corrected by month-end.

Enter moi.

For the past 20 years, I have made it my business to help escrow holders keep track of their trust funds. I balance checkbooks with running balances in the millions of dollars. I’ve been forced to become proficient at computer networking, various software programs and banking systems. I have excellent clients, some of whom have been with me for 14, 15 and 20 years. The business is pretty much arranged so that I don’t have to leave my office; my customers don’t need me interrupting their days anyway. I don’t spend a lot of time marketing my business because I’ve never had to—word of mouth has been very good to me. But still, I’m always open to new customers and appreciate referrals.

I just updated my business website and am updating some promo materials. Just in case you know someone whose escrow trust account has fallen into disarray.

Valdata Services, Inc.

Pam Ripling

(Um, President.)