Cocktails in Blood and Groom

Well, like the hardboiled dicks of yore, booze plays a part in Blood and Groom. However, unlike the old sleuth who pulled a fifth of scotch from his desk drawer, Sasha imbibes with friends at funky bars around town.

Sasha's tastes in alcohol are varied; it all depends on her mood, the setting and the company. On a hot summer day, she'll have a fruity drink with an umbrella, and on a cold winter day, she'll pour a coffee with Bailey's.

Sasha and Lindsey knock back a few martinis when they have dinner at Shane's restaurant; they get into the Jagermeister when they go on a tear along Queen West; Sasha hoists a pint of Creemore while at the Wheat Sheaf; and - of course - she enjoys the odd glass of wine... just so long as it doesn't get thrown in her face.

New Web Site is up and running!

I finally got a friend to update my web site.
This is such an improvement over the old version!
Thanks Dave!


http://www.jilledmondson.com/


Of course, it has a synopsis of Blood and Groom,
and one for Dead Light District;
it also has a cool photo tour and a Google Map
of the places mentioned in
Blood and Groom.

Tag Lines for "Blood and Groom"

So, continuing with the theme of promotion and more promotion, I spent all day Sunday at the computer. I was creating, rejecting, printing, screwing up, and designing various print things I can distribute hither and yon in order to get word of mouth happening and to generate interest.

I came up with a few good tag lines:

A fatal comedy of Eros...
Haute couture homicide...
Four funerals and a wedding...
Always a bridesmaid, never a suspect...
Malice, mayhem, murder and Manolos...
Gives new meaning to "until death do us part"...
Nancy Drew in a head-on collision with Sex and the City...
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something dead...

A little more about Victor and his Dating Profile

I haven't said much about Victor yet...

To know him is to love him, sort of. Victor is a very nice, very rich DWEEB! He's a nerd, a dork, a geek... There is no nicer way to put it. He's socially awkward, always says the wrong thing at the wrong time, but he's harmless, and he means well, it's just that he's so... argh!

Victor was one of Sasha's first clients, and since she wrapped up his case a while back, he has developed a crush on Sasha... lucky her, not!

So, Sasha is doing her best to try to help him find the love of his life, or at least a date - anything to get him out of her hair. He had his eye on one woman and Sasha gave Victor advice about how to try to sweep the woman off her feet. One thing Sasha suggested was a box of truffles, but Victor thought Sasha meant truffles the mushrooms, not the chocolates. Needless to say, that didn't work.

So now it's time for Victor to try online dating. Here is Victor's profile/personal ad:

Are you the Girl for me?????

Looking for a long term, committed relationship with someone who shares my hobbies. I enjoy stamp collecting, rock polishing, reading old maps and calculating baseball statistics.

I am a successful, self-employed male, 5'5", 192 lbs. I am clean shaven, have brown eyes (I wear bi-focal, horn-rimmed glasses with tape on them), brown hair (I'm kind of going bald but no one notices because I comb over the bald spot).

I enjoy going out for a nice romantic dinner at an all you can eat buffet, and I like polka dancing. I also like a quiet evening at home - drinking a glass of warm milk and listening to my Ethel Merman collection.

My favourite colour is plaid, my favourite flavour is vanilla, my favourite book is Roget's Thesaurus, and I have a pet goldfish named Goldy.

Drop me a line if you think we're a match!!!

Reality Check: Book Promotion and PR....

The world of publishing – like so many other industries – has changed a great deal over the years. The changes mean that (among other things) publishers and authors handle promotion and publicity very differently than years ago. If a writer thinks his job is done once he finishes the manuscript, he’s living in the clouds.

In many cases, once the contract has been signed and all the final edits are done, that’s when the real work begins! This is probably especially true for new, unknown authors. Publishers don’t roll out the red carpet, book first-class airline seats on your world book tour, and give you an unlimited publicity budget.

This link from the Washington post details what one new author did the get people to notice her book.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/23/AR2009092304603.html

This New Yorker article – funny as hell – gives a tongue in cheek overview of PR and Marketing in a memo form. Well worth the read!

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2009/10/19/091019sh_shouts_weiner?printable=true

Finally, this article in Walrus gives an overview of dollars and cents in the book world. Very informative.

http://www.walrusmagazine.com/articles/2009.11-business-turning-the-page/

More of The Devil's Dictionary (Ambrose Bierce)

INJUSTICE, n. A burden which of all those that we load upon others and carry ourselves is lightest in the hands and heaviest upon the back.

JEALOUS, adj. Unduly concerned about the preservation of that which can be lost only if not worth keeping.

JUSTICE, n. A commodity which is a more or less adulterated condition the State sells to the citizen as a reward for his allegiance, taxes and personal service.

KILL, v.t. To create a vacancy without nominating a successor.

KLEPTOMANIAC, n. A rich thief.

LAWFUL, adj. Compatible with the will of a judge having jurisdiction.

LAWYER, n. One skilled in circumvention of the law.

LITIGANT, n. A person about to give up his skin for the hope of retaining his bones.

LITIGATION, n. A machine which you go into as a pig and come out of as a sausage.

Planning the Launch Party

Well, this is very exciting - finally!!! Things are moving on schedule, so I can finally make plans for the book launch party, wheeee!


I have been thinking of it for a while and have lots of ideas. I almost think I'm putting more thought and effort into it than I did for my own wedding :)


Since the book is called Blood and Groom it obviously has a wedding theme to it. I've decided to have a twisted wedding theme for the launch party.


So, there will be a wedding cake (made by my neighbour Patricia), but instead of all cutsey and nice, the tiered confection will have "blood" drizzling down it and the groom doll lying in a bloody mess at the bottom. There is a blog called "Cake Wrecks" that has sample of the kind of cake I have in mind.


I am also having customized roses done up with the book title and a smoking gun. Yes, really. I know a florist who does this - it's almost like putting a tattoo on a real flower. The florist's name is Moose (yes, really!), and he is also going to make up a bridal bouquet for me to toss at the end of the night. Moose the Florist's website is http://www.sayitwitharose.ca/ .


Finally, what "wedding reception" would be complete without a "toast to the bride"? So I have asked the bar where I'm having the party to order some bubbly for me.


As for decor, well, I have ordered two rolls of yellow crime scene tape: Police Line Do Not Cross.


All in all, I think it will be a hoot!