Story Time

Good morning!

2010-12-09T11:57:00.000-08:00

Hi,

I wanted to let you all know about another really good book called Murder on the Ile Saint-Louis by classic murder mystery writer Cara Black. Aimee Leduc is the main character, hip, smart, and cunning.

Apparently, this is a series book. I didn't know that when I bought the book. I liked the cover, so picked it up and liked the synopsis on the back, so I bought it. One reason I bought it, too, is that it takes place in Paris. I've never been to Paris, always wanted to go, and many of the reviewers of the book stated that Cara's knowledge of Paris is so prevalent in the book and she really captures the feel of the city of love. I must admit, I didn't quite get that. After finishing the book, I did not feel I knew Paris much better than when I started the book.

I loved the story, though, and the characters were pretty strong. I'm not sure where in line Murder on the Ile Saint-Louis is on the rung of Cara Black's Aimee Leduc series, but I will start at the beginning and get her first book of the series.

I just googled it. Her first book is called Murder in the Marais. I'm going to check out the entire series.

Anyhow, Murder on the Ile Saint-Louis is worth the read, in my most humble opinion.

Have a peaceful, cooperative, and engaging day!

Some Great Books to read!

2010-12-03T16:22:00.001-08:00

Hi,

I'm posting some books I like that I think you'll like.

Girl From JakesCanyon
Girl from JakesCannon

Mystery's Grave
Mystery's Grave

Bullies and Bears
Bullies and Bears

'Scuse Me While I Kill This Guy
'scuse Me While I Kill This Guy

These books are mostly very lighthearted (Mystery's Grave and Bullies and Bears are children's books - litereally for 8-12 year olds).

'Scuse Me While I Kill This Guy's main character's name is Gin Bombay. See what I mean? I love lighthearted funny books, books that leave me laughing.

Girl from JakesCanyon is not humorous. It's a thriller, a killer.

I hope you enjoy them! I did. They are all very easy reading and are all books published at smashwords.com by people like me and you. These authors have written their stories and hope they'll get read.

Oh, most importantly, don't forget this one:
Beautiful Dead Bella - A Lana Cloud Murder Mystery
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/margauxsky

I apologize to those of you who have already investigated the book, if you found it a little awkward to read. The format has since been updated and the reading should be easier on the eyes. I hope you'll give it a real read. It's a great story!

Thanks! Keep reading and writing.

Story Time

2010-12-01T16:43:00.000-08:00

Story Time

Introduction to Smashwords - Ebook Publishing and Distribution Made Easy

View more presentations from Smashwords, Inc..

2010-11-25T15:51:00.000-08:00

Here's the book cover to Beautiful Dead Bella - A Lana Cloud Murder Mystery. You can get the book at http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/margauxsky
How cool is this? I chose the photograph and colored and shadowed it to my liking. I chose the font, the size, the colors, everything. Now, had I been under the thumb of a publisher or an agent, I may not have had the freedom to do as I chose with my own work, but because there is this fantastic, creative life form called smashwords.com, I was able to invest into my work 100% of myself.
There isn't a person in the world that doesn't have a story to tell and they want to tell it their way, show it their way, reveal it their way and at smashwords.com you can. You don't need a publisher, you ARE the publisher, you don't need an agent, you ARE the agent, you don't need a creative/artistic designer, you ARE the creative/artistic designer. However, if you feel you need these additions to guide you through your work, they are available to you.
E-books really are the wave of the future and that wave of the future is kind of taking a tumble back to the past when writers didn't need agents and could work one on one with the publisher. Today, the writer now has the opportunity to be the publisher as well.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying agents and publishers are not needed. They most definitely are. But in this day and age, agents and publishers only want writers with a "platform". What is a platform? In a nutshell, a platform will promise your publisher and agent that you've got a strong steady, worldwide following that will ensure the agent and publisher are going to make money off of your fruits.
In fact, in this era many publishers will not give advances to even well established writers and use what money would normally have been an advance toward marketing the book. Well, what chance do most of us have when our platform reaches across the street or maybe in town or maybe even a thread across the country? It isn't enough to garner the attention of agents and pubs.
I would love an agent and a publisher and I DO have a bit of a platform having been on the Oprah Show, ET, the Food Network, and other shows and countless radio programs across the world.
So, what's the hold up for me, you might ask? My platform isn't big enough. Now, even being at smashwords, if the right agent or pub popped up, I'd go with them. But until that happens, the smashwords site is priceless.
This is why this site is so unbelievably wonderful: anybody can write a book and anybody that goes to the site can read whatever kind of book you can imagine by people just like you and me. Very creative people who probably won't have the chance to get an agent or pub to notice them, but just might now that there is a site devoted to the creative writing endeavors of the normal Joe like you and me. Even the highest paid celebrities were a normal Joe at some point in their lives.
Am I pushing smashwords.com. Yes, because I know so many people with a story to tell or several stories to tell and those stories can be read by hopefully millions of people with the right marketing tools. Those marketing tools are my next step in figuring out how to get my books out to the public.
Mark Coker, founder and creator of smashwords.com has that all prepared, too. He's written a book-marketing guide that I just downloaded today. Oh, and all of the information Mark gives you is free - absolutely free.
Enough for today, but check out http://smashwords.com/profile/view/margauxsky and check out a free sampling of my book Beautiful Dead Bella - A Lana Cloud Murder Mystery. Then, buy it!
And write on and on and on and on and forevermore.

Hey!

2010-11-22T14:42:00.001-08:00

I've published my new book Beautiful Dead Bella - A Lana Cloud Murder Mystery. It's a wonderfully, goofy, funny book about three teenagers that solve murder mysteries. You can get it at http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/margauxsky.

Soon following will be book two of the Lana Cloud Murder Mystery series - Ridgemoor's Bones.
Also soon arriving will be Constance Cairn at the Battle of Gilden Downs
And, of course, my next cookbook is coming out, too. My new cookbook is called Devastatingly Desirable Desserts.

All of my books can be purchase at the above smashwords address or at http://www.smashwords.com

Simply type my name into the search bar and you'll be directed to my profile.

Thanks for your support.

I'll keep you all posted as they arrive. Please remember to purchase Beautiful Breads & Fabulous Fillings: The Best Sandwiches In America at amazon.com or Barnes & Noble, Borders, or almost any book store or online.