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Stories I Left Out of Baseball Girl
* * * The book’s been out for over two months now. The typical questions I get are as follows: 1) How true is this story? 2) Did you marry a reporter? 3) Did you date a ballplayer? 4) Did all these things happen to you? People are always fascinated by writers and where they get their ideas. Even friends with whom I’m close are probably wondering if aspects of the book are true and what I’ve held back from them. (Nothing…well, maybe…) What is more interesting, as the person who wrote the story, is how many stories I left out of the book (of course to protect the innocent).…
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It’s Not Bragging. It’s Marketing.
It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, and if you don’t toot your own horn now and then, you will get buried in the monstrous pile of authors who are all doing the same thing you are doing. The life of an independent author is not a glamorous one, unless of course, you are Amanda Hocking. The world of the independent author who participates in this craft is one of resilience, determination, boundless creativity, and an unwillingness to stop promoting a product you think is decent work (at least good enough to share with the public). Therefore, when you get a 5-Star Review from a reputable organization such as Readers’ Favorite,…
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Baseball Girl Receives Some Hometown Press in Annapolis
Thanks to my friend Tim Thomas, writer Sarah Hainesworth, and photographer Paul Gillespie at The Annapolis Capital for running this great feature story on Baseball Girl in Sunday’s Life section. I’m so happy they were willing to get the word out about my second novel. Thanks for the support! Click here to read the article in The Capital.
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Snow, Spring and The Dad in Baseball Girl
* * * This picture above was taken minutes ago in my backyard in Maryland. It’s the first day of spring, and Maryland is “supposedly” in the South. Sometimes you wouldn’t know it. Like today, when the birds should be chirping and tulips should be starting to come to life. This weather is for the birds. And by “the birds,” I mean the Bay City Blackbirds in Baseball Girl. Won’t you consider hunkering down with a book written by a struggling independent author and see what happens in the love triangle among a ballplayer, a sports writer, and a woman who works in baseball before the official start of this…
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Women Writing Women & A Quick Update
* * * Yesterday, in a tribute to Women’s History Month, I sat on a panel along with other female writers at the Aberdeen Library. Our moderator, Laura Fox, associate professor of humanities at Harford Community College, asked insightful questions in order to get all of us panelists talking about the female characters we write. Our panel consisted of published authors Karin Harrison, Jen Vido, Lynn Reynolds, Terrie McClay, Diane Wylie, and yours truly. All of us have written more than one book, and all of us write because we love it. For some, it’s a hobby; for others, it’s a vocation. Nevertheless, we all write because we feel compelled…
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Readers Share Baseball Girl on Social Media
I said this earlier in the week, and I mean every bit of it: I am touched by my friends and supporters. Thank you so much for helping a little independent author like me get the word out there. It’s word of mouth, sharing on social media, pinning, and talking it up that are seriously the best promotional tools for any indie author. Please know how much I value your support, encouragement, and kind words. As a quick tribute to those who have helped promote the news of Baseball Girl, I thought I would share some of the photos they have been sharing on social media. I’m truly tickled by…
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“Baseball Girl” Is Now Available
* * * After almost three years in the making, my new novel entitled Baseball Girl, is now available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The follow-up novel to Beneath the Mimosa Tree is another contemporary romance that uses baseball as a backdrop. The story revolves around Francesca Milli, whose father passes away when she’s a freshman in college and nineteen years old; she is devastated and copes with his death by securing a job working for the Bay City Blackbirds, a big-league team, as she attempts to carry on their traditions and mutual love for the game of baseball. The residual effect of loving and losing her…
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10 Things That Baseball Idioms Have Taught Me
My second novel, Baseball Girl, has been prepped and is almost ready to make its appearance on Amazon. The main character, Francesca Milli, learns a few things from her love of baseball in the novel, as you will see if you decide to read it. And although I wrote the main character and modeled some of her experiences after my own life working in professional baseball, she is not me. Therefore, what I’ve learned from baseball may be slightly different than what Francesca learns. I thought I’d share the Top 10 things baseball idioms have taught me. Coming home means the world to me. It’s important to touch base with…
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The Final Trailer for Baseball Girl
Happy Friday, everyone! Today, I’m posting the trailer for my upcoming novel Baseball Girl, which will be released next month. While it’s certainly a contemporary romance, it’s also about the love a girl has for her father, with baseball as the perfect backdrop. Enjoy, and I hope you have a lovely weekend!
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Baseball Girl “Teaser” Video
Happy New Year, all! I’m getting all of my marketing materials together as I prepare my novel for publication in early 2015. So, here is the 30-second “teaser” for the novel which I’m planning on publishing when pitchers and catchers report to spring training. As always, thanks for your support.
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10 Memorable Baseball Quotes
Baseball’s back, the weather is getting brighter here in Baltimore, and I’m coming in from third to home with the writing of my baseball-themed novel. In baseball as in life, quotes can be inspirational, funny, or just tell it like it is. Quotes are a big part of my novel; each chapter’s lead quote ties into something that’s going on in the story, and I’ve had a lot of fun constructing them and their meanings. Here are some quotes from notable players, coaches, managers, and folks who love the game. I can’t call it my all-time favorite list, but it certainly includes some great ones. * * * If a…
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My Writing Space
I have to be inspired by my space when I write. Period. End of sentence. And while I’m still drooling over the notion of a writing shed in the back yard (dream on…dream on), I’m warming to my home office. It is by no means done; I’m still searching for a chandelier to replace the fan, and curtains might add a nice touch at some point, along with a cozy guest chair to sit near the bookshelf. However, we’ve been in the house for eight months now, and I’m more inspired in there than I have been. The walls are a Tiffany blue, with built-in desks and countertops; there is…
