Moonshine Murder Book Launch Around the Corner!

[Moonshine Murder] The Final Countdown!

This is it! Moonshine Murder book launch is around the corner (next Monday, to be exact). And I couldn’t be happier.

Now, happiness does not equate to chaos-free (even if it's good chaos). My piano top has stacks of unopened mail and PILES of papers accumulating, and my front entryway looks like a shipping center -- boxes filled with books, business cards, and bookmarks.

You will most likely hear from me a few times next week. I will send a launch week update as well as a template email that you can forward to friends and family to help spread the word. I want you to feel like you've got a front-row seat for all the festivities, and will do my best to include you as much as possible in everything that goes down next week! If the extra emails annoy you, feel free to mark as read and carry on.


BOOK LAUNCH EVENTS



FREE Kindle –The first 100 purchases of Moonshine Murder will be entered in the drawing for a free Kindle. Just simply go to www.erinsgray.com, and purchase your autographed copy. That’s it. Oh, and if you buy more than one, your name goes in the drawing more, too. Kind of like, Hunger Games but with a much better outcome! So, “may the odds be ever in your favor” (for those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, go buy Hunger Games today). You can pre-order your copy of Moonshine Murder today!

Amazon reviews -- My goal is to get 10 reviews by the end of next week. Please leave your HONEST review when you get a chance.

Local Event Book Party and Door prizes. Yep, more prizes, and chances to win that FREE Kindle.

Coldstone Creamery Book Party (Cortez, CO)
When: Friday, September 21, 4-7
Discounted ice cream, book signing, and door prizes (Cold Stone Gift Cards)! Purchase a book, enter the FREE Kindle giveaway.

Counting Drafts

I spent today going through the 8.5 x 11, 10 ream box in my closet and throwing away old drafts of my novel, Moonshine Murder. To save trees, I would print double-sided, and would edit on the computer when I could. My total? Well, honestly there are too many to count accurately since I would often use the same print-out for several drafts, using different color ink to track changes.

Let's just say that I've taken quite the trip through those drafts.

Tossing that incredibly heavy pile was like letting go of a chunk, a big chunk of my life. Some drafts had artwork in bright red and green crayon left by my little helper. I kept those pages, and taped them to my wall with his other artwork. Others were covered in a different kind of red, the formidable red ink of a marked-up page. I kept a couple of those too, to remind me how far I've come.

But it was worth it. All those drafts. Moonshine Murder finally has a home! I'm now entering into a whole new phase of my writing career, and probably a whole new stack of drafts.

And the rejection letters? I'm keeping those as a road map of my journey--some wrong turns, some right.

The 2012 LAURA Finalists!

Women Writing the West and The LAURA Committee, which includes myself, President Pam Tartaglio, and Past President Suzanne Lyon is proud to present the five finalists for the 2012 LAURA Short Fiction Contest. The 2012 Finalists, alphabetized by title are:

"At the Thirty-Fourth Latitude" by Sheila MacAvoy
"Elvira" by Liz Duckworth
"Grub Line Rider" by Anne Schroeder
"Pueblo Dancer" by Leslee Breen
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"Todas Las Madres" by Karen Stevenson

Short story author and creative writing instructor Melodie Johnson Howe will serve as the Final Judge. She will select the first, second and third place winners and two Honorable Mentions.The five authors will be recognized with award certificates at the LAURA Dinner on Friday, October 19 at the WWW Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At this time, we will announce the placement of the finalists.

For more information about our Final Judge, Melodie Johnson Howe, please click on the LAURA Application button on our website.

A big congratulations to our finalists!

Erin S. Gray
2012 Women Writing the West President Elect
www.erinsgray.com

What I'm reading now: The Forgotten Garden, by Kate Morton

I just finished The Forgotten Garden, and thinking about allegory. There are several themes in the novel, Eliza's fairy tales connecting to the plot, for one. But what really intrigued me was character names. Eliza Makepeace, always wanting to make things right, the more obvious one. But Rose, striving for perfection, and Ivory, representing purity, even under scandalous circumstances. What are your thoughts? And if you haven't read this novel yet, download or pick it up today!

Women Writing the West

Where Have I Been?

I know I haven't posted on here lately, and I have a beautiful excuse. Elliot Eero Gray was born November, 21, 2011. I also went from working full-time outside of the home to hitting the keys on my laptop again. Its a refreshing feeling to be kept from a good night's sleep because of fantastic writing ideas and a gorgeous little boy. Expect to see more posts in the future!

Women Writing the West and the LAURA Journal.

As President-Elect for Women Writing the West, a non-profit association of writers and other professionals writing and promoting the Women's West, I act as the LAURA Short Fiction Awards Coordinator. The 2011-2012 winning short stories are currently up on the website. There are five fantastic stories to read, just the perfect length to click on and read from your phone while waiting to pick up the kiddos or to get in those last few minutes of reading before bed.

I am honored to be the coordinator for the LAURA Awards and to be a member of this prestigious writing community.

Please take a few minutes to check out the website: www.womenwritingthewest.org