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.

I'm All Packed!

Okay, it’s a blog tour, but it’s still going to be a real trip… !

I’m blogging all over the place anyway, so why not hand pick a variety of entertaining spots to visit while I’m at it? The entire schedule can be found on the Book Tour calendar on my website.  I hope you’ll join me on my tour and leave a comment here and there—there’s bound to be some reward for the fans who visit all of my stops!  More details on that CONTEST to come!

On the first week of the tour—between August 3 and August 7th—you can find me at the following websites with lots of fun and reading matter. Thanks to my fab publisher, Ms. Karen Syed, for helping me get this off the ground!

August 3: Life as a Publisher with host Karen Syed

• Tour kicks off with an article about a subject near and dear to my heart: Kids & EBooks
• How EBooks Will Increase Literacy

August 4:          Beth Fish Reads

• Read how photography can enhance your writing in
• A Story’s Worth a Thousand Pictures

August 5:          Write First, Clean Later interview with host L.J. Sellers

• Ever had a conflict between your professional life and your true self?
• Finding Time to Be Yourself (and Stay Sane)

August 6:          Alley of Books review post by Mitali Dave

• What did Ben find in his school locker?
• Mitali will be reviewing LOCKER SHOCK!

August 7:          My Friend Amy hosted by… Amy!

• What do lighthouses have to do with romance? Find out in
• Living, Loving and Lighthouses

Come along for the ride and let’s have some fun!

“Amy Winslow isn’t looking for a mystery, and she doesn’t even like secrets. In fact, secrets have nearly destroyed her life. But when her brother’s accident forces her to take over a mysterious California lighthouse in his place, Amy finds herself immersed in its shocking past and uncertain future.

“Case McKenna hasn’t quite reconciled his own painful history when he sails his crippled boat into Newburg Harbor. Despite an overwhelming urge to flee, Case follows intrigue and passion, as he too is drawn in by Point Surrender…”

So goes the blurb for my lastest novel, POINT SURRENDER. As you can gather from the copy, there’s a lighthouse, and two people who may or may not be destined to uncover its long-held secrets. PS is the first in a trilogy of lighthouse-mystery-romantic-ghostly books with a broad appeal.

As much as I love ebooks and advocate them at every turn, I am hesitant to accept my publisher’s challenge that I can sell 100 copies within 30 days. She’s even making it easier this week, by offering 25% off any ebook that retails for over $3.00. Read about it here. I think that makes it around $4.50, which is a super price for any full-length novel, and especially for mine. $12.95 in paperback, mind you. CLICK TO BUY!

So how do I go about selling 100 more ebooks? Offer autographed cover flats? (Yes.) Run a contest? (Nah.) Beg? (Why not.)

If you buy it from Echelon, you can get it in PDF or HTML, readable in any computer and most hand-helds (including your iPhone.) If you need it in another format, check out Fictionwise (where it is not on sale but is still only $5.25, and is available in MS Reader, Kindle, Mobipocket, eReader, Sony Reader and others.

I hope you choose to help me out. Prove to me that it can be done!