rabbi.author

AND ANOTHER GUEST BLOG

Fellow author Jennifer Eaton was about to reach her blog #666 (or, as she puts it, 665+1). Being superstitious (or cautious), she asked me, as a skeptic and cynic, to write the blog for her. You can read “Post #662, 663, 664, 665… Oh No! What blog post is this?  Nope Not gonna do it. Quick! Call in the Rabbi!” here: http://wp.me/p1HIMV-1Q7

WHY I GO TO CONFERENCES

I really did plan to cut back on the number of conferences I would go to this year. And I did. I’m currently (note the qualifier) registered for only five. Last year, I went to six.

There are many reasons to attend writers’ conferences. Selling books isn’t necessarily one of them. There is nothing more depressing (okay, I’m exaggerating; but it is discouraging) to sit at a signing table after a panel and see a long line of fans waiting to have their books autographed – by the author sitting next to me. In the meantime, I’m trying to look perky, approachable, and friendly.

But it’s not about selling books. It’s about networking, with other writers who will help promote your books on their blogs and other postings, and with fans, who will keep you motivated by asking when the next book will be released. (My stock answer: “I’d love to know, too. I guess it will have to wait until I finish writing it.”) And it’s about name recognition. As Jon Gibbs, author of the YA novel Fur-Face and founder of the NJ Authors Network (http://www.njauthorsnetwork.com), advises I’m paraphrasing, “What is important is going from ‘I’ve never heard of that person,’ to ‘Oh, I think I’ve heard that author’s name,’ to ‘I saw that author speak on a panel; I think I’ll buy the book.”‘ I remind myself of his words whenever I’m sitting alone waiting for someone to ask me to sign a book. (I’m thinking of signing them “J. K. Rawling.”)

It’s also about learning. No matter how many conferences I attend, I always discover something new about the craft of writing and all it entails. (Including, the best way to kill someone and hide the body.)

Most importantly, it’s about meeting in person authors I admire and finding out they are approachable and friendly (although not necessarily perky, after being bombarded by questions from all the other lesser-known authors in attendance). And it’s about meeting in person virtual friends: other writers (and some fans) with whom I trade Facebook cute kitten pictures, guest blogs, emails, movie recommendations, tips on promotion and time management and sources of inspiration. There’s nothing like meeting “strangers” and already knowing all about their lives and works. Instant camaraderie. Just add a conference.

If you see me at any of the following conferences, be sure to come over and introduce yourself. I promise to be perky, approachable, and friendly.

LEFT COAST CRIME, Monterey, CA, March 20-23

MALICE DOMESTIC, Bethesda, MD, May 2-4

PUBLIC SAFETY WRITERS ASSOCIATION, Las Vegas, NV, July 10-13

DEADLY INK, New Brunswick, NJ, Aug. 1-3

BOUCHERCON, Long Beach, CA, Nov. 12-16 

WHY I CAN’T EDIT MYSELF

Want to know why there are still typos and continuity errors in my books even after multiple edits? Read about “Why I Can’t Edit Myself” on Marilyn Meredith’s
blog site: http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/?m=1

ANOTHER REVIEW OF UNLEAVENED DEAD

I just received an email today with this great review of UNLEAVENED DEAD in “Women in Judaism: A Multidisciplinary Journal,” Spring 2013, Volume 10 Number 2. Snippet: “This is a fast-paced, witty, and intriguing read.” Thank you, David J. Zucker. http://wjudaism.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/wjudaism/article/view/20909/17087

OTP BLOG: ALL ABOUT EAVESDROPPING

Want to know one of my sources for story ideas?
Check out my latest blog for Oak Tree Press. It’s all about “The Power of Eavesdropping.” http://otpblog.blogspot.com/

ANOTHER MENTION OF MY BOOKS

Every now and then (more then than now), I run a Google search on myself. Sometimes, I’ll even find a mention I hadn’t seen before. Today, I discovered a nice mention of CHANUKAH GUILT (with a side mention of UNLEAVENED DEAD) in an article about recommended Chanukah books in the November 2013 edition of The NEW HAMPSHIRE JEWISH REPORTER
(www.jewishnh.org/reporter/2013/Nov-2013.pdf‎, p. 10). My thanks to reviewer Merle Carrus. She wrote in part:

Chanukah is the jumping off point for Chanukah Guilt … [The author’s], mysteries are similar to the popular Rabbi Small series by Harry Kemelman, “The Day the Rabbi….”

These light, entertaining mysteries are solved by a local small town rabbi, while also introducing the members of the rabbi’s congregation and teaching a little bit about a Jewish holiday …. If you enjoy this book, look for another by Rabbi Schneider: Unleavened Dead, a Passover-based mystery.

EQMM ON UNLEAVENED DEAD

Here’s the full quote from “The Jury Box” (now online at http://www.themysteryplace.com/eqmm) by reviewer Steve Steinbock:

“Far more good books arrive on my desk than I’m able to adequately review….Unleavened Dead (Dark Oak Mysteries, $16.95) by Rabbi Ilene Schneider about South Jersey Rabbi Aviva Cohen, is a solid, funny mystery that provides an insider’s look at Jewish life.”

CG2 ON KINDLE

Here’s the promised link to the Kindle version of CHANUKAH GUILT (SECOND EDITION): http://tinyurl.com/lpvu5j9

CG 2nd EDITION ON AMAZON

Here is the direct link to the 2nd Edition of Chanukah Guilt for purchase on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/ljr4vdp

Stay tuned for a link to the Kindle version, coming soon.