Later today I’ll be drawing the winner’s name in my Blog Tour contest! Yep, everyone who went to my excerpt page and posted a comment about CAPE SEDUCTION, and those who commented along the way in my blog tour will be in the running for free books!

Stop over at the Echelon Press blog for another chance to win. Tell Karen I sent you and she’ll give you a good seat.

A quick surf through cyberspace will turn up numerous celebrations of National Lighthouse Day. I am celebrating by kicking off my month-long campaign to launch my latest romantic lighthouse mystery, CAPE SEDUCTION!

But back to NLD. What’s it all about, actually? Well, back in 1988, Senator John H. Chafee (Rhode Island) sponsored a joint resolution that was introduced to Congress on April 28^th, designating the day of August 7, 1989 as “National Lighthouse Day.” The enactment of the resolution would coincide with the 200^th anniversary of the signing of the Lighthouse Act and the commissioning of the first Federal lighthouse in the United States. Read more about it at my Legendary Lighthouses Blog.

Traditionally, those lighthouses open to the public plan special events and celebrations every August 7^th. This year is especially fun because the 7^th falls on Saturday, a day when lighthouse visitation is already high. One particular lighthouse, however, will remain shuttered today, as it does for most of the other 364 days a year:  St. George Reef, the inspiration for CAPE SEDUCTION. Which brings me to my campaign!

CAPE SEDUCTION officially launches in September. So, between now and September 10^th, I’ll be conducting a contest! I haven’t done one in awhile, so it’s time. Here are the answers to your questions:

WHAT DO I DO?

• Visit the excerpt page for CAPE SEDUCTION on my website.
• Post a Comment. Must be relevant to the excerpt, please!
• By posting, you agree to let me Tweet your wonderful comment or post it to Facebook.

WHEN DO I DO IT?

• Between August 7 and September 10, 2010, during which time I’ll be on my annual BOOK BLOG TOUR! (More on this next time.)

HOW DO I WIN?

• I will make a random drawing and announce the winner at my last BLOG TOUR STOP, which is LIFE AS A PUBLISHER with Karen Syed!

WHAT DO I WIN?

• Winner’s choice: $25 Gift Card from Barnes and Noble or
• Flash Drive loaded with 5 Echelon Press novels of your choice! (A $40 value!)

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU (ME)?

• The hope that the excerpt will inspire you to BUY CAPE SEDUCTION! You enlightened ebook readers can get it for $2.99, and those tactile-feely-paper-lovers are welcome to it for $13.99 from Amazon! Check Omnilit for various ebook formats of both lighthouse mysteries, CAPE SEDUCTION and POINT SURRENDER.)

As always, thanks for visiting my blog today. I know how valuable your reading time is.

St. George Reef Lighthouse

Hollywood was wooing back the public with blockbusters like The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Key Largo and The Three Musketeers. The beautiful people were “seen” at the Brown Derby and held their not-so-secret trysts at Chateau Marmont. They drove fishtail-finned Caddies and flew in the luxurious Douglas DC-6.

Darla Foster wanted to be in pictures. Just 21, she worked the circles, attached herself to the arm of any available actor with connections. On this night, March 20, 1948, one of her dreams came true as she sat at Sid Grauman’s Chinese Theatre watching Hollywood’s brightest accept their coveted Oscar statuettes. Later, at the Derby with her date, she met one of Tinsel Town’s favorite sons: the suave, slick headliner, Jordan Kent.

Darla’s life was about to take a sudden left turn as she found herself cast in Jordan’s next big film, about star-crossed lovers, a lighthouse and murder. Exciting fantasy, or true life?

CAPE SEDUCTION… available now for your reading pleasure!  BUY IT HERE:

Chicago 2007

It’s been three years since I last attended Printers Row in Chicago. It was hot but pleasant. Hoards of people. There I met fellow Echelon Press authors J.R. (Jenny) Turner, Luisa Buehler, Robert Goldsborough, Marc Vun Kannon, Margot Justes, Mary Welk and of course our fearless leader, Karen Syed. This year, we’ll be joined by Norm Cowie, Nick Valentino, Sam Morton, Joel Fox, L.J. Sellers, Beth Solheim, Kieryn Nicholas and Marlis Day.

Here’s the press release for my appearance this year.

I’m not packed. I’m leaving the house at around 6:30 AM tomorrow. Mentally, I have my list:  bookmarks, postcards, banner; stickers, pens, Altoids. My standard signing kit, which includes sunscreen, scissors, granola bars, change, lip balm, more pens. Bookstands—new ones this year.

Technology-wise, I’ll have my laptop. My Blackberry. My nook. My iPod. Numerous AC adapters. I’ll be wired for sound.

Also toting some new things. A very pretty necklace with a USB drive hanging from it. Some mini-coloring books with pictures of lighthouses. A hat. Yes, I am wearing a hat.

And I will be seeing my new release for the first time. CAPE SEDUCTION will “pre-release” in limited quantities at this event. I’m so excited about that! I love this book and can’t wait to see/hear the response. Official release will be in August. Ebook is a few days delayed, but should be online for purchase any day now.

Technology slows things down. Yes, that’s what I said – new formats take longer to prepare. We’ve waited this long, a few more days won’t matter!

Come by booth #FF if you’re in town. If not, hang out and read the excerpts while I’m gone.

Will report in when I return. This is going to be a great weekend, thunderstorms and all!

My New Cover!

My upcoming release has a face! I am so delighted with this cover. The lighthouse is none other than St. George Reef Lighthouse, the inspiration for CAPE SEDUCTION. This photo, taken by the delightful Lighthouse People, perfectly captures the dark, broody mood of the setting in this novel. The young woman represents Darla Foster, a young starlet whose terrible plight is central to the plot, which takes place in both 1948 and in present day.

Cover artist Nathalie Moore did a wonderful job in matching the artwork on my previous book, POINT SURRENDER, also created by Nat. I can’t wait to hear what people think of this cover.  Oh no! Here comes the commercial…

“In 1949, up-and-coming starlet Darla Foster goes missing after the release of Cape Seduction, a tragic romance filmed in a California lighthouse. Now, sixty years later, the long abandoned lighthouse is causing trouble for its present-day owners. Has the sexy, eccentric actress returned to avenge her stolen life? CAPE SEDUCTION by ANNE CARTER, November, 2009, from Echelon Press!”

Whew. End of commercial. For now.

Sandie Snap Treasure

It’s been a busy week. What with blog touring, cake baking, You Tubing and not-so-glamorous “day-job” stuff.

Some great news:  although I haven’t written a formal press release yet, I’m thrilled to tell you that CAPE SEDUCTION will available in e-formats this November! That’s so soon! A paperback version will follow in the spring. We are working on edits and cover art, and I need to get the ol’ potamus in gear and notch up my pre-release buzz. More–a lot more–on that to come.

And yes, the eBook scene is heating up. I have Google alerting me daily on all things digital-book, and every day there is new information coming down the pike. My publisher and I have been brainstorming on ways to sell ebooks at festivals and other public gatherings. I love the idea of flash drives being pre-loaded with an assortment of stories, along with a teaser or two for other books. Still ruminating on that idea. But the good news is, people ARE buying ebooks, and it’s getting better all the time.

West Hollywood Book Fair (WEHO), normally the last weekend in September, is on October 4th this year. I will be there, signing with Sisters In Crime Los Angeles, which is a great bunch of mystery authors. The day before, I will be at the Duarte Festival of Authors signing with fellow Echelon Press author Gayle Carlene (FREEZER BURN).

We had a thick marine layer this morning! [Read=fog] A lovely, fresh start to our dog days of August.

Hoping to attend our local Concerts in the Park tomorrow night. Each week, they have a different cover band performing, and tomorrow it’s Don’t Stop Believing doing songs by Journey. Should be good, will report back if we go.

Blog Tour! Today I am at Candid Canine, the blogsite of Christine Verstraete. Christine is the author of SEARCHING FOR A STARRY NIGHT, A MINIATURE ART MYSTERY, which is a great kid’s book. I was asked to blog about keeping young readers motivated. Not that I’m any expert, to tell the truth. My own daughter pretty much hates reading! Sunday I will be blogging at Teen Seen on one of my favorite topics:  Hollywood!

Have a great weekend, all!

PS:  I graced this page with my dog’s smiling face because she has been BARKING THE WHOLE TIME I WAS WRITING THIS BLOG!  Sheesh! She doesn’t like the neighbor’s gardeners. Get over it, girl!

DISAVOWED tells the story of ex-cop-turned-short-order-cook Mike Chandler, whom, despite all his best intentions, can’t seem to stay away from his investigator roots. What starts out as a reasonably cut-and-dried side gig to retrieve some stolen silver turns out to be a deadly journey into the dark world of racism and white supremacy. Before he knows it, Chandler is up to his collarbone in dealings with the Ku Klux Klan, going undercover in hopes of thwarting their efforts to bring down their minority targets.

Complicating things for Chandler is a beautiful FBI agent, of course, this one a smart, single mom who’s helping him to become a better ruse. Morton handles the romance with a light touch, not forcing anything that doesn’t feel right. It all works.  And guess what? The book is well-written, as good as any A-list author I’ve read.

I’m interviewing Sam today at Beacon Street Talk. I hope you’ll stop by for a listen, or pick it up later on the podcast!

Visit Sam at his website!

Pam:     Well, Case McKenna. Or is it Casey?

Case:     Just Case. (Shakes dark, shaggy locks away from his face.) But yeah. Casey’s my given name. Just got a bit worn.

Pam:     Case it is. Let’s see. You own a lighthouse?

Case:     (Shakes head, grins) Oh, no. Not me. You’re talking about Point Surrender, right? Nope. Not mine. Thank God. It belongs to my girlfriend’s brother and his wife.

Pam:     I see. But you have a connection.

Case:     Well, yeah, you might say that.

Pam:     You don’t want to talk about it.

Case:     Can I buy a vowel, Vanna?

Pam: (laughing) Can you tell us anything about this famous lighthouse? I heard it was haunted.

Case: (chews bottom lip, thoughtful) Yes. Yes, I’ve seen…a ghost there.

Pam:     Scary!

Case:     Not really. He’s a benevolent type. He had a … message for us.

Pam:     Us. You and ?

Case:     Amy. My lady love. My cohabitant. My significant other.

Pam:     What kind of message?

Case:     He wanted us to know about some…important events that occurred in the lighthouse. To clear up some things. You know. He couldn’t rest… all that stuff.

Pam:     Do you know who he was?

Case:     Yes.

Pam:     And?

Case:     Just—yes.

Pam:     Is it true that the last keeper died in the lighthouse?

Case:     Yes. And no, it wasn’t him. (Chuckles).

Pam:     Well thank you for that, at least! Now, you are a veteran of the Marines?

Case: (Shakes head, again) I’m a marine veterinarian. I take care of sick sea mammals and birds.

Pam:     But do you visit Point Surrender?

Case:     Not if I can help it.

Pam:     Did anyone ever tell you you are a tough interview?

Case: (Blue eyes twinkle) You want to talk about whales or sea otters?

Case McKenna and Amy Winslow are both characters in POINT SURRENDER by Anne Carter, from Echelon Press, Amazon and available for your Kindle, iPhone or other ereader from Fictionwise.