Tag: Thirteen Thursday

Marketing: 13 Tips for building TEXT TEASERS

Be a Better Writer for K.M. Saint James teaching tips

TEXT TEASERS are a fabulous way to entice readers to purchase your newest release. Today’s author must write a great book . . . and then seduce the reader to opening the cover. I’ve highlighted Paint for the purpose of this blog, but other numerous options for image-compiling Text Teaser are available. However, the process is what is crucial. Discipline yourself through these steps, and then whatever program you employ will work more effectively. STEP 1 for building Text Teasers: Resize book cover to several different sizes. SAVE with actual pixel count in the title of each save. This pixel count is 392 X 460. The original size from my design team was 1600 X […]

3-2-1 Book Launch

Harm's Way NOW Available book cover

Book releases have changed over the past ten years or so. What was once the primary responsibility of the publisher’s marketing team has morphed into the author’s responsibility. What was once covered with editors/agents emails and flyers to brick-n-mortar shops is now vibrantly alive through social media. To keep myself on track, I’ve compiled a list of what-to-do’s for my upcoming book launch. Am I arrogant enough to think I’ve covered it all? Nope, not even close. Marketing gets to be fun . . . perhaps, not all the time. But as creative types, it makes sense to tap into those inherent skills. Visit with establish authors for last minute insight. Complete final editing & […]

More mom musings

After parenting for almost two decades, I’ve washed/dried/folded more loads of laundry than I care to remember; survived a tantrum or two; mended broken arms, bumped heads, and battered hearts; enjoyed a passel of got-to-squeeze-you-so-tight hugs, sloppy good-night kisses, and ‘Mom, you’re the best’ declarations. After culling through mounds of brought-into-the-house dirt, banging against the rock-hard determination of my kids, and traversing the shifting sands of children’s needs, I’ve managed to mine a few tidbits of gold. Enjoy, and may they add a little extra wisdom to your parenting arsenal. Don’t skimp. Buy the ‘64’ pack of crayons for school. Oh, and get one for home, too. There is no such thing as too-many crayons. […]

13 Things I Can Never Fix . . .

1) A deflated balloon stuffed down inside the bathtub drain. Drano won’t budge it, there isn’t enough suction power in any wet/dry vac manufactured, forget the clothes hanger, the favorite piece of wire . . . nothing short of a plumbing miracle will remove that slippery piece of rubber. 2) Broken zippers on the favorite purse or backpack. Never fails, perfect purse for the perfect location, and then the dreaded un-zipping occurs. Or the backpack is loaded, kids in the car, dog at the ready, and three out of four zippers on the beloved backpack unravel. 3) Something too high (out of reach) when I can’t find my oh-so-tall son or my handy-dandy step stool. […]

13 great reads this year

My taste is more than a little eclectic, but I adore reading from all genres. Here’s what has entertained me this year. Please feel free to add yours. 1) STORM FRONT by Jim Butcher (the first in the Dresden series) 2) DEAD SHOT by Annie Solomon (fabulous romantic suspense author – won this year’s RWA Rita for Blackout) 3) OBLIVION by Peter Abrahams (the author – not the book – came recommended. However after finishing this book, anything Peter writes would be worth my time.) 4) CLAIMING THE COURTEASAN by Anna Campbell (new Avon author and definitely worth the time and investment. I met this lovely Australian lady at the RWA Dallas conference this year. […]

13 Thursday . . . Fall

1) Windows opened. Okay, I live in Texas and it’s just not that often we really get to open our windows — house or car. Most of the time we go from blazing Texas summers (um . . . fall is generally just late summer this far south) to freezing Texas winters. (All right, for those of you who live in the north, I know it’s not really that cold here, but frankly, once it hits the low 30s and the wind is blowing about a million miles per hour, it’s cold as far as I’m concerned and I can’t keep my windows open.) So I happen to enjoy the brief respite of fall and […]

Thirteen things I learned since turning 40 . . .

Okay, I had an absolute blast writing this blog entry. I knew I’d enjoyed life more since turning 40 and now I know why. 1) Gravity wins – no matter what you do, what you nip, tuck, stretch, strap down or hoist up, gravity wins. 2) I’m not as nice as I used to be – I have loads less patience for stupidity. Okay, mine included. Why do I put my glasses down when I know I won’t find them again? Where is that magical place that I keep putting my ‘most important’ documents? Why do people bother explaining things or giving directions when they don’t know how something works or WHERE they are, much […]

13 things I learned from teaching 4th grade:

1) Teachers, any of them, are not paid enough – NOT by a long shot! 2) A one-size educational system does not fit all children! Meaning – the government’s plan, ‘No child left behind’, doesn’t actually mean children aren’t left behind OR aren’t passed on to grades before they are truly ready. 3) There are way too many chiefs (government bureaucracy regulations) and too few Indians (actual teachers) involved in today’s educational decisions. 4) After writing several weeks on the board, I can remember true cursive writing. 5) 4th grade English is harder than I remembered. 6) Nine and ten year olds (4th graders) have wonderful imaginations. Want to know all the possibilities that can […]

Texas Trivia

Betcha didn’t know . . . 1) Texas is popularly known as The Lone Star State. 2) The King Ranch in Texas is bigger than the state of Rhode Island. 3) The Austin state capitol building is made from 15,000 carloads of Texas pink granite. 4) The armadillo is the official state mammal – only in Texas would we name a ‘critter’ a state mammal. 5) The first word spoken from the moon on July 20, 1969 was ‘Houston’. 6) More species of bats live in Texas than in any other part of the United States – okay, this explains a lot. No wonder I don’t understand many of my fellow Texans. We’re all batty! […]

13 Things You Don’t Want to Hear your Kid Say

After mothering for almost a score of years, I’ve decided there are a number of things that no matter which of your kids (daughters or sons) say, it normally means disaster. At least a little one . . . 1) I don’t know what happened to the dog/cat/bird/hamster/guinea pig – honest. 2) But I only added a little soap. I don’t know where all those bubbles came from. 3) Sure I closed the fridge door. Oh, you meant all the way! 4) Little Johnny said there isn’t any stork. So where do babies really come from? 5) Did I get the keys? You mean, like before I closed the car door? 6) Little Johnny’s mom […]