The Book Signing – A Little Advice

Hello All!

So nice to see you!  I know I’ve been away awhile, but I’ve been so so busy with all the book release adventures and trekking through Promoland.

I have stopped in today to give a few pieces of advice on The Book Signing.

This is not the normal advice you’ll hear about what to wear or what to give to the book store owner.  This is more of what not to do.

#1 Not to do.

Don’t stay up late to paint your fingernails.

But, if you do, only have one color on your table where you’re working.  I have two colors that are very similar.  They resemble the glittery ruby slippers Dorothy wore in The Wizard of Oz.  One is really a hot pink with glitter and the other is the genuine red ruby color.  I love them. They are so fun!  However, it was 3:30 a.m. when I was brushing the glittery paint on my nails.  My left hand is hot pink.  My right is the ruby glitter.

#2 Not to do.

Don’t try new hair products on the day of the signing.

I have naturally curly hair.  I have to use very specific products in my hair so it doesn’t frizz out!  Especially, if it is humid or raining. Well, a few days before the signing I was running out of what I normally use.  The store had run out too. Yes, I know, but I do live in Montana.  🙂  So I picked up a new “flavor.”  That morning, the new item turned my hair white–momentarily–but I still panicked a little.  It rained all day.  By the time I got home, my hair was an embarrassment!

#3 Not to do.

Don’t forget the lipstick.

I keep my lipstick in my purse.  I took my wallet out of my purse so I wouldn’t have to carry that extra bag.  My lovely husband even asked me, “Do you have your lipstick?”  Of course, I responded and left for town.  Luckily, I stopped to buy roses for the bookstore owner and realized, I had no lipstick.  The dear lady at the floral counter helped me pick a color that would be good for my skin and the clothes I wore that day.  Wild!

Can this day get any more crazy!!!!

It turned out to be a wonderful day.  My fellow Crimson Romance Sisters & Montana Romance Writers and I had a wonderful time.

Thank you Fact & Fiction in Missoula, Montana for such a fabulous day!

Casey Dawes, Danica Winters, Pam B. Morris, Rionna Morgan

And thank you to you for sharing in my laughter.

…Do you have any book signing advice?

Sweet Gone South & Alicia Hunter Pace

We are very excited to be here for our first post on the Ladies in Red blog. We have both really enjoyed reading everyone’s posts and feel fortunate to be part of the Crimson team with the release of our debut book, Sweet Gone South.

Our series is set in a small Alabama town called Merritt. The books feature the stories of four women who form a book club. Like many book clubs these women sometimes talk about books but more often spend their time together catching  up with each other about the highs and lows of their lives. In fact, in one of the books one of the men  says they should call the club, “The Drink Wine,Gossip and Eat Club” rather than a book club. The women in the book club discover that through life’s ups and downs the women of the book club are there for each other.  These women support each other through pregnancies, adoptions, marriages, and, of course, break ups. They learn that although they each bring strengths to the group that  together they have a wonderful bond that simply can’t be beaten!

Have you ever been part of a circle of friends that made you stronger than you were alone?

I Sat My Character Down…

I wanted to make my kids laugh.

And said, “Listen up, Honey…I don’t get you.  Why do you do the things you do?”

Isn’t that the biggest question of all?  Why??

Even in real life – gasp – I know, I know.  My characters aren’t real.  Sometimes I swear they are.  Sometimes I’ll be at a dinner party or get together and realize I’m talking to a real person and not with the people in my head.  And I’ll be discombobulated for a bit.

Back to – even in real life, isn’t why the biggest question?

Why are you wearing that?

Why did you eat that for breakfast?

Why is your favorite tea Earl Grey?

Why do you write in the middle of the night?

Why do you eat with your fork upside down?

Why do you tell your kids everyday that you love them to the moon and back?

Why do you let someone else go ahead of you in the grocery line?

Why do you stare into space for large spans of time?

I think Earl Grey smells like Ireland does.

This leads me to motivation.  Everyone has a reason for doing what is done.

This is one of my favorite parts of writing.  Digging into the past of my characters to flesh out their reasons for why they do what they do.  It is so exciting to find out something wonderful about my characters, especially when I didn’t see it coming!

So as for my reasons…

…because

I wanted to make my kids laugh.

I couldn’t be bothered to cook anything real.

I think it smells like Ireland does.

My house is quiet then.

My mom ate that way.

I so do, love them to the moon and back.

They only have a few things.  I have a million.

That’s how my imagination works.

Why I stare into space for large spans of time.

How does your imagination work?

What do your characters do to surprise you?

Rionna Morgan

Romantic Suspense as Big as Montana

A Look Into My World

I am married to the most amazing man!  We have four children, a beautiful son and three gorgeous daughters.  Missoula, Montana is home.  At the base of the mountains we see deer and fox out our windows.  We love to watch the storms roll in over the hills.

We own our own business and some days relish the wild times of corralling a 19 year old, a ten year old, a six year old and a 19 month old into the daily routines.  And sometimes we’d like to run and hide.

My secret passion…I love to dance.  I love to drift around my kitchen in the arms of my husband to the tune of a George Strait song.   While my son dips his head in mock aloofness, my daughters look to see how it’s done and my tiny one claps—yay Mommy!

The one thing about myself that I would never change is my determination.  I never give up, nor do I take no for an answer.

My family and I love to travel.  The oceans are a favorite stop.  If I had to move, there’s this small town on the edge of the Oregon coast.  Depoe Bay.  I’ve spent many, many hours there reading and writing and watching the ocean.  There is something very magical about settling into a place that isn’t yours, but feels as if it could be.

In a way I suppose that I do write where I live.  Or I write where I have lived.  I was born in North Carolina and have lived many places across the United States, even ended up in Eugene, Oregon for a time.  But, mostly I create the world my characters need in order to struggle and to thrive.

Why I write romance novels…I think life is a romance novel.  I think we all want that spark—that heat.  I think we want that relationship where we can look across the table, the yard, the pool, the street and know that the person we see is the other half of our soul.  I think that’s what we search for.  I know that’s why I write what I do.

Besides writing romance novels, I’m a poet.  I love to play with words.  I love how they mold and form and take the shape I urge them to.

The one thing from my book that I take from personal experience…I was a professional barrel racer for years.  I went to college in Colorado.  So it was natural for me to pull from my life to form Kate’s.

The best part of writing is that when I am seated with only my imagination and my pen and paper, anything is possible.  I can do and be and create anything.  I get to be anyone!  Believe anything and change the world many times over.

The worst part of writing:  …I really hate it when I have to go to bed!

The Wanting Heart is released, today!  In it a barrel racer gets swept off her feet by a serial killer.

My next book, Judge Thyself First, is about a profiler teaming up with an investigative reporter to uncover the truth about a 20 year old murder at an Alabama prison.

I have loved introducing myself a little.  Thank you for spending some time in my world with me.

Dear, Ladies in Red, you are wonderful and beautiful.  I am so proud to count myself as one of you.

All the Best,

Rionna Morgan

I’d be pleased if you would share what you see out your window.

From Dream to Reality

Here I am, a soon to be published author.  I am cheering and crying and my emotions are pinballing around in my chest.  I can’t focus…I have no idea if I intended to eat the piece of toast that I put in the toaster or if it’s for my husband.  I am so busy celebrating…a long held dream come true!

I’ve written the book.  I’ve sent it off.  I’ve signed the contract.  Whew! Done.

Not a chance!

I don’t know about you, but when I received those infamous “3 e-mails” from Jennifer, my heart nearly stopped.  How in the world am I going to fit in all the things, all the social media networking, search engine optimization, blah blah blah into my life?  I went from having a few e-mails from my sister once or twice a week to having almost three-hundred a day.

I am the mother of four children.  Cooking and cleaning for them is a full time job.  I have a husband who loves having me around.  And I have a psycho cat.

Then I remembered this.  This is what I have been waiting for.  This is why I do what I do.  I am now a writer.  For real.  Not for hobby.  No longer is it squeaked in between television episodes of Winnie the Pooh.  This is my job.

I am thrilled! Honestly.

I don’t have it down to a science yet.  But, I do have a schedule, and I stick to it.  I write everyday…on my next book.  I spoke recently with a USA Today Bestselling Author.  She is a member of Montana Romance Writers along with me.  She gave the best piece of advice, I think.  Only do what you can do.  But always write.  Your fans, your readers want your next book.  Make sure they get it.

So I do check e-mail.  I do respond to everyone who responds to me.  I share links, and I’m currently reading two books for fellow Crimson Romance authors.  And I write.  (And I force myself to stand up once an hour to do five yoga poses).  And then I write.

I think it is a tough thing going from what you thought it would be–to what it is. I am very glad, ladies, that we travel this lovely path together.  I would love to hear your ideas, and how you are finding your way from dream to reality.

All the Best, Rionna Morgan

Crimson Romance Author:  Romantic Suspense

The Wanting Heart, Set to be released July 9, 2012

Please be invited to drop by my blog; I love visitors!  Rionna’s Blog

 

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