Liftoff Success!

I had a fabulous launch month, in a large part due to the many people who supported me. In today’s blog, I’d like to acknowledge my fabulous street team, Team Tracy. I’ve actually never met most of these people in person, yet they encourage me, help keep me motivated, and share news about my series. In other words, they help me, almost every day.

I always thought that writing would be a lonely, solitary activity, but man was I ever mistaken. Writing the Downward Dog Mystery Series has introduced me to a world of new friends that I would never have otherwise known. I don’t have space to share all of their photographs in this article, but trust me: My street team is filled with gorgeous, fun, kind people.

Let me introduce you to a few of them.

Who says cat's don't appreciate dog-related mysteries?
 Betty Davenport and Kato

Fellow author Sheri Levy, with Mulligan and Slater

Fellow mystery author Amber Polo chatting up a  gorgeous greyhound



James Haviland chilaxin with his dog Misty

Kim Tutt painting the town red with her beautiful smile

Margie Smith



Missi Svoboda borrowed a neighbor's dog, Bridget, to re-enact the cover. 
Note that the dog brought his own tennis ball to the occasion.

Nancy Perkins.  The brightest spot in the parade.

Shelley Giusti, book blogger extraordinaire!



Tracy MacDonald and German Shepherd Fiona.

This is only a small subset of the wonderful people I've met through writing this series.  I wish I could showcase them all. To each of you on my street team, and everyone else that has supported my work in some way, thank you.  I appreciate you more than you can ever know.

Namaste (The light in me honors the light in you.)

Tracy Weber

          

About Tracy:

My writing is an expression of the things I love best: yoga, dogs, and murder mysteries. I'm a certified yoga teacher and the founder of Whole Life Yoga, an award-winning yoga studio in Seattle, WA. I enjoy sharing my passion for yoga and animals in any form possible.  My husband and I live with our challenging yet amazing German shepherd Tasha and our bonito flake-loving cat Maggie. When I’m not writing, I spend my time teaching yoga, walking Tasha, and sipping Blackthorn cider at my favorite local ale house.

For more information, visit me online at http://tracyweberauthor.com/ and http://wholelifeyoga.com/

It Takes a Village--of Writers

There's nothing like the fun of discovering a new book.
Unless it's building a new community of friends.

I’m delighted to end my first book’s blog tour with an unofficial stop at Inkspot.

If you’d asked me two years ago, I’d have told you that writing was by definition a lonely journey.

I was wrong.

If you read the acknowledgements in Murder Strikes a Pose, you know that I didn’t get this work published alone—not by a long shot.  Without my yoga students, husband, agent, editors and early readers, this book would never have come to fruition.

But there are several individuals I haven’t properly thanked—the wonderful authors who helped me on my jolting, often bumbling journey to authorhood.  I can’t possibly prioritize them, so I’ve listed them alphabetically.

To the ladies below, thank you. Your support has meant more to me than you can possibly know. 

To the rest of you reading, if you click each author’s name you will be directed to information about their newest book.  Please check them out, and support me by supporting them.

Laurien Berensen—I’ve read everything Laurien has written, and she is one of my dog mystery writing heroes.  When I asked her to consider writing a blurb for me, I was sure the answer would be no.  But it wasn’t!

Sheila Boneham—Sheila read and blurbed my book and spent considerable time on the phone coaching me when I was looking for a publisher. I appreciated her no-nonsense advice and the follow-up questions she’s been willing to answer for me.

Lucy Burdette (Roberta Isleib)--Lucy (like many of these lovely ladies) agreed to read and blurb my book, even though she only knew me through e-mail. And she pretended not to notice when I acted like a fool introducing myself to her at Malice.

Mary Daheim—I’ve been a fan of Mary’s, well, for so long that I can’t tell you without divulging my age.  I can’t even remember how we connected almost a year ago, but I’m so glad we did.  Mary lives in Seattle, and she and I have shared many drinks, dinners, and laughs. She has also given me lots of advice on surviving the sometimes challenging world of writing. 

Pamela Dennison—I “knew” Pamela years before I ever considered writing. We were both members of a discussion group dedicated to rehabilitating reactive dogs. She read my novel and agreed to sponsor my membership in the Dog Writer’s Association of America. And she’s an amazing dog trainer!

Chrystle Feidler—Chrystle wrote an article for my blog and invited me to join Killer Hobbies.  Because of Chrystle I have a blogging home for my writing pursuits.

Waverly Fitzgerald—Waverly met with me over tea when I was still looking for an agent. She encouraged me and gave me advice about the often frustrating process of finding an agent and selling a book. When I later asked her to read and blurb my book, she did so graciously and quickly.

Hank Phillippi Ryan—Hank gave me an incredibly warm welcome when I first joined Sisters in Crime.  She recommended an agent to pitch, and she read and blurbed my book. When I re-introduced myself at a signing for her newest book, she said. “You act like I don’t know who you are.”  Hank, there’s no reason you should know me, yet you do.  Thank you.

Amy Shojai—Amy was one of the first writers I connected with when I was trying to figure out the business of writing.  She was one of two sponsors than I needed to become a member of the Dog Writer’s Association of America.

MaggieToussaint—Maggie wrote a wonderful article for my blog and a blurb for the book.  Maggie called Murder Strikes a Pose “a yogalicious romp,” which is a term I plan to steal every chance I get.

Penny Warner—Penny has done me many favors, including coaching me on book marketing and blurbing my book. She even made a Murder Strikes a Pose necklace and sent it to me.  I will always cherish it.

To each of you amazing ladies, if I can ever do something for you, I am yours. I promise to pay your graciousness forward to the writers who come behind me.  You are all great role models, and I aspire to he half the writer—half the person—that each of you already is.

To those of you reading this article, please support me by buying and reading their works.

Namaste

Tracy Weber

And in case you're interested, here's a blurb on Murder Strikes a Pose, which was published January, 2014!

 

 

When George and Bella—a homeless alcoholic and his intimidating German shepherd—disturb the peace outside her studio, yoga instructor Kate Davidson’s Zen-like calm is stretched to the breaking point. Kate tries to get rid of them before Bella scares the yoga pants off her students. Instead, the three form an unlikely friendship.

One night Kate finds George’s body behind her studio. The police dismiss his murder as a drug-related street crime, but she knows George wasn’t a dealer. So Kate starts digging into George’s past while also looking for someone to adopt Bella before she’s sent to the big dog park in the sky. With the murderer nipping at her heels, Kate has to work fast or her next Corpse Pose may be for real.

 

Check out Tracy Weber’s author page for information about the Downward Dog Mysteries series.  MURDER STRIKES A POSE is available now at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Whole Life Yoga, and wherever books are sold!

 

Gratitude

by Kathleen Ernst

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  I love the focus on what’s truly important:  pausing to reflect on our blessings, especially such simple joys as good food and family or friends.  No commercialism, no distractions.  (OK, I understand that football can distract.  Not a problem in my house.)

I recently heard a gifted speaker share emerging science about the benefits of developing an mindset of gratitude.  Those who tend to view life with thanksgiving are, in general, happier and healthier.

I’ve thought about that as I saw the buzz online lately about advice that celebrated novelist Philip Roth recently gave to a younger writer:

“I would quit while you’re ahead. Really, it’s an awful field. Just torture. Awful. You write and write, and you have to throw almost all of it away because it’s not any good. I would say just stop now. You don’t want to do this to yourself. That’s my advice to you.”

Yikes.

The children’s mystery I have coming out in February will be my twenty-fifth book, so obviously I have a lot to feel grateful about.  That doesn’t mean I’m completely oblivious to the issues Roth mentions.  I wrote novels for 20 years before I was offered a book contract.  I’ve since written a few that, despite my best efforts, never found a publisher.  I’ve certainly had my share of bad days, even heartbreaks.  (Trust me.  I have.)

However, I can’t imagine ever not writing.  I can’t imagine ever advising someone with stories to tell to not write them.  The publishing industry can euphemistically be called challenging, but that is quite different from the process of writing itself.  And these days, with the rise of self-publishing and e-books, writers have a lot more options than we used to.

So despite all the ups and downs, the long hours and periodic disappointments, I’m very grateful to be a working writer.  I’m grateful for the other writers and teachers who helped me along the way.  I’m grateful for my supportive family, and for my agent and my editors who make my career possible.  And I’m enormously grateful to the readers who have graced my life along the way.

Wishing you all a holiday season.

Gratitude ... and a Video

Cricket McRae



Yesterday I drove down to Denver to have lunch with my publicist at Midnight Ink, who's there for a trade show. She's a delight, and three and half hours slid away like it was nothing. Our afternoon together sparked thoughts on the drive home about all the people who have helped my writing career in both small and large ways.

And that in turn sparked a memory. Hadn't I already written a post here about how lucky I felt? Yep, it turns out I did, and it was timed almost exactly the same as this one: right before the release of a book.

That post was prior to the release of Spin a Wicked Web, book three in my Home Crafting Mystery Series. This time Something Borrowed, Something Bleu is due out in six days. Funny how the prospect of a book hitting the shelves fills me with gratitude. Or maybe not so funny. Maybe it's just right.

I've thanked everyone I've worked with at the publisher, the terrific group here at Inkspot, kind blurbers, reviewers and, of course, readers. My acknowledgements mention my agent(s), family, friends, critique partners and people who helped me with research. This fourth book is dedicated to libraries everywhere.

And I'm still grateful to them all.

But unmentioned elsewhere are the other writers who encouraged me early in my journey and also later in my career. Fellow workshoppers and students, teachers and generous published writers. The time William Dietrich told me to never stop writing because I told a good story and he knew I'd make it. When William Kittredge told me after a creative nonfiction workshop that I'd be published within two years (it was close). My chance encounter with Skye Kathleen Moody in the basement of the Denny Building at UW and her out-of-the-blue offer to read my manuscript and recommend it to her agent if she liked it. Robert Michael Pyle's constant, gentle appreciation of my off-the-cuff prose.

Over the years I've contacted them all to say thanks.

And now there are the people in the various professional organizations who offer advice, camaraderie and keep me sane simply because they get it. I've heard of stingy, jealous writers, but I have yet to run into any of them.

Of course I may have tempted fate by writing that. I'll let you know.

Anyway, the book is coming out next week, and I'm guesting at various blogs and wandering around to book stores to do my dog-and-pony show (since it's just me maybe it's only a pony show?). For anyone interested, the whole schedule is here.

Now I'll leave you with the trailer for Something Borrowed, Something Bleu. And THANKS!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Lucky Me

Cricket McRae

The third Sophie Mae Reynolds Home Crafting Mystery, Spin a Wicked Web, came out this month. I feel both thrilled and extraordinarily lucky.

First off, look at that cover. Once again Lisa Novak in the Midnight Ink art department outdid herself. Oh, I know I’m a proud mama and bound to be biased, but so many people comment on all the MI covers that I know I’m not making this stuff up. Other MI authors know what I mean: There’s something almost tactile about the designs, inviting folks to pick them up, handle them.

Then there are the mystery authors who provided cover blurbs. I’m grateful to them for taking the time and for saying such nice things. Just another reminder of what a generous group writers are.

Early reviews are good. Nope, still nothing starred from Kirkus, but they continue to review my books. That’s something! And Booklist and Library Journal continue to recommend the series, which I hope will result in even more library sales.

Reader feedback has been good, too. More email is hitting my inbox than ever, and more people are picking up the first two books, too.

So, of course it’s vital to promote the heck out of Spin. It doesn’t matter that I’m up against a tight deadline on the next Sophie Mae mystery. I mean, what a problem to have, eh?

I’ve scheduled the first dozen signings and more are in the works. My uber-targeted mailing list is receiving postcards. Spinning guilds and book clubs are showing interest. Book trailers populate the web. The list of promotional activities is long, but I’m glad to have it. Much of that list is due to the combined marketing prowess of the authors here on Inkspot. I’ve learned so much from this crew about creative -- and efficient -- book promotion.

Thank you. Seriously, knowledge = sanity. If it weren’t for you, I’d be in a constant state of semi-panic.

I’m really looking forward to Spin a Wicked Web’s virgin reading and signing. It’ll be at The Readers Cove in Fort Collins, Colorado tomorrow, Thursday the 26th, at 6:30 p.m. No booze, but a great deli and terrific coffee shop. Those people at The Readers Cove know what they’re doing.

My full signing schedule, including the Seattle venues, is here.

And this is the book trailer. As predicted, I found animoto to be totally addictive!