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Bebo characterizes itself as a next generation social networking service where members can stay in touch with their College friends, connect with friends, share photos, discover new interests and just hang out. In addition to a number of fun applications that you can add to your profile, Bebo offers easy ways to explore videos, music, a variety of groups and in one section, authors. Of course, my books are all listed in their author section at the bottom of the page - with excerpts to read. Come find me on Bebo

Another Day at the Office

As most of you know, I am not yet so successful a writer that I can pay a Northern Virginia mortgage with the royalties.  I continue my Clark Kent job, handling media relations for the Defense Department.  For years I’ve used my lunch hour to work on my writing, but lately my professional world has become chaotic thanks to a shifting mission and personnel turnovers that force me to spend more and more time training new folks.

One thing I haven’t been able to train them to understand is that, despite the fact that I’m sitting at my office computer, I am not actually at work during my lunch hour.  When one of them bursts in, derailing my train of thought, I often consider the fact that I DO have a laser printer in my office.  Now if I could only figure out how to set a laser printer to stun...

Another Kind Review

I pride myself on the readers my work attracts, and I met some pretty impressive people at the Philadelphia book fair not long ago. One of those people was Lynn Penn, who is not merely a chemistry professor, but is in fact the head of the Chemistry Department at Drexel University! Even though she didn’t get around to my novel, Blood and Bone, for nearly a month she was kind enough to write to me to let me know how much she enjoyed it. Every author wants to hear that his work kept someone up all night, but when it’s a professional, making them late for work is even higher praise.

I am proud to post Ms Penn's comments as the new featured review on my web site.  Go there to

Read Lynn Penn's review.

Another Kind Review

I pride myself on the readers my work attracts, and I met some pretty impressive people at the Philadelphia book fair not long ago. One of those people was Lynn Penn, who is not merely a chemistry professor, but is in fact the head of the Chemistry Department at Drexel University! Even though she didn’t get around to my novel, Blood and Bone, for nearly a month she was kind enough to write to me to let me know how much she enjoyed it. Every author wants to hear that his work kept someone up all night, but when it’s a professional, making them late for work is even higher praise.

I am proud to post Ms Penn's comments as the new featured review on my web site.  Go there to

Read Lynn Penn's review.

Author Activity Update

What a weekend it was for signing books. First I got to spread my novels across the globe from the Borders store in the Baltimore Washington International Airport. I learned there is a second, smaller Borders in that airport, and the manager asked to have some of my books shipped over there so she could sell them.

Saturday I spent a couple of hours in what turns out to be one of the smallest stores in the Books-A-Million chain. The folks at that store in Alexandria, VA told me afterward that I was the first author they have ever had do a book signing there. And since I did sell out in less than two hours, they’re eager to have me return. They also want more writers to find them and book signings.

Then it was practically going home to Borders in Dulles Town Center. I’ve done so well there in the past that Leigh, the manager, asked me to schedule a signing there every month for the rest of the year. How could I say no?

I also made an internet appearance of special interest to other authors.  Next month I’ll be going on a limited virtual book tour, add guest posts to several blogs in order to promote my new nonfiction work, “Successfully Marketing Your Novel in the 21st Century.”  One of the sites I’ll be a guest on - All Book Marketing.com - foreshadowed my visit with a very good post on virtual publicity tours in general.  They mentioned my upcoming post in the process (very kind of them) and gave a really good rundown on virtual tours to boot.

Chat with me On Line Tomorrow!

You'd have to be in Virginia to see me today at the Borders store in Dulles Town Center.  But no matter where you are we could talk tomorrow.

Monday night I will be proud to be a guest on a blog talk radio program called Book Bridge: From Authors To Readers.  The fifteen minute segment is a specialty program for African American authors to talk about how their books cross genres and appeal to a broad and varied audience.  The show begins at 8:30PM Eastern and you're all invited to call in to talk to me on the show by dialing 646-200-4071.  The show is aired LIVE at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Circle-Of-Seven.  I really hope you tune in, but if you miss the live action, you can listen to the show as a download afterward at http://www.cospradio.com/

Reminder - this weekend's signings

I told you that today I'll meet new friends at one of the Books-A-Million stores in Alexandria, VA from noon to 4 pm at 6230 N. Kings Highway.

Tomorrow I return to familiar ground at the Borders store in Dulles Town Center. The mall is at 21100 Dulles Town Circle in Dulles VA. I'll be there for the after church crowd, from 1 pm to 4 pm. Come by and say hi, and get a signed novel.

Reminder - Meet me this weekend

I told you that today I’m at the Borders in BWI airport. TOMORROW I’ll meet new friends at one of the Books-A-Million stores in Alexandria, VA. That signing is from noon to 4 pm. Even though I used to live in Alexandria I’ve never signed books there so this will be extra fun. Make sure you come to the right store. It’s the one at 6230 N. Kings Highway. Then Sunday I return to familiar ground at the Borders store in Dulles Town Center.  The mall is at 21100 Dulles Town Circle in Dulles VA.  I’ll be there for the after church crowd, from 1 pm to 4 pm.

Meet me tomorrow in MD

I have an unusually busy weekend coming up, but busy in a very good way with lots of chances to meet and greet readers in Maryland and Virginia.

It all starts tomorrow when go to meet travelers at the Baltimore Washington International Airport.  The busy time is from 3 pm to 7 pm, and that’s when I’ll be there signing my novels.  If you happen to be flying into or out of the area, look for me at the airport Borders store. 

Saturday I’ll meet new friends at one of the Books-A-Million stores in Alexandria, VA.  That signing is from noon to 4 pm.  Even though I used to live in Alexandria I’ve never signed books there so this will be extra fun.  Make sure you come to the right store.  It’s the one at 6230 N. Kings Highway.

Then Sunday I return to familiar ground at the Borders store in Dulles Town Center.  The mall is at 21100 Dulles Town Circle in Dulles VA.  I’ll be there for the after church crowd, from 1 pm to 4 pm.  Come by and say hi, and get a signed novel. 

And if you forget, don’t worry… I’ll remind you again.

Situational Awareness

At the most recent writer’s conference I had lots of chances to chat with what one writer called “my fellow lunatics” about why we choose to use our precious time committing fiction.  One author said that writing mysteries was the only way he knew to escape.

“Escape what?”  I asked.

“My padded cell

“You’re not really in a cell.”

“Sure I am,” he said.  “At work.  Nine to five.  You know a

cubicle is just a padded cell without a door.”