Thursday, December 6, 2012

Mystery Times Nine 2012 - SOLD OUT in First Two Hours on Sale!


What has nine tales, nine authors, and is an Amazon Bestseller?

    Featuring stories by Kristina L. Martin, Michele Shaw, Wendy Sparrow, KC Sprayberry, Johanna Harness, Sam Hilliard, Melanie Cummins, Donna Jean McDunn, and Pat Cox, it has enough thrills, chills, murder, and revenge for any mystery fan! Hurry and get yours now, there's only a few left!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Harper Fails to Capture Penguin, Now Pursuing S&S

After expressing at least theoretical interest in bidding for Penguin when that merger deal was all but finalized, News Corp. has reportedly moved to the next most likely potential target: Simon & Schuster. The WSJ, which often has a good line on parent company News Corp.'s strategy, is clear in their lead that the company simply "has expressed interest to CBS about acquiring its Simon & Schuster book business," which is a soft starting point.
To underscore that, "the people described the talks as preliminary and cautioned that a deal isn't imminent." But it does indicate that News Corp. remains interested in the possibility of adding to their trade publishing holdings as they prepare to spin all publishing (and education) into a separate company, which will naturally lead through a range of possible acquisitions. (Note there is a significant error in the WSJ piece that more than doubles Simon & Schuster's annual sales, which were $787 million for 2011.) Representatives for both Harper and S&S have declined to comment on the report.
CBS ceo Les Moonves did say to the WSJ in a video interview earlier this month, when asked for what amount they would sell their publishing division, that "we would never put a price on" Simon & Schuster, but "if someone came to us with a big offer, we would have to listen." Moonves underscored that "when you look the profits from books, they're very strong." At the end of the interview, unprompted, Moonves notes News Corp.'s late interest in Penguin and says, "If Mr. Murdoch called, I would always be interested in hearing what he had to say."
Speaking to Publishers Lunch after reporting third quarter earnings earlier in November, Simon & Schuster Carolyn Reidy said this about the pending Penguin Random House deal and the possibility of further consolidation among large trade publishers: "I'm not sure how much size gets you in a digital world," Reidy observed, noting "we're happy with our position in the marketplace. I think CBS is happy with its position in the marketplace." She said she will "be watching with fascination to see how this works out for them. Those results may be part of what determines whether a string of other consolidations follows."

*From today's issue of Publisher's Lunch

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Rejection Letter Nightmares

Every agent, editor, or publisher has them.


They start off with a vision of an ever-growing slush pile of manuscripts, emails, letters, chat messages, or dentist chair encounters, that involve some-usually poorly conceived-idea, story, novel, poem, that arrives with the plaudits of  "my friends and family all say this would make a great book."

The pile shifts slightly off center as you approach it. Carefully, precisely, you pull one or two from the top of the tower only to find that through some paranormal process you'd prefer not to think about, the two are replaced by four more that quickly morph into twelve. You step back cautiously, never turning your back on the mass, fearful that it will tumble down and bury you alive.

You sit down to peruse your selections, find them noxious, and repeat the process. No matter how many you take from the stacks, they just keep climbing ever closer to the limits of your 12 foot ceilings. You do this again and again, until soon you have achieved nothing more that acquiring a new pile on the floor. This one sits next to your chair. And as awful as it is that you didn't find the gem you were hoping might be lurking in that evil-smelling mess threatening to take over the entire room, nothing is worse than what faces you next - writing those rejection letters.

All of this was brought to mind by a recent Forbes article titled: Why You Shouldn't Be a Writer. It was full of all the usual things, but one of them struck me as the perfect wording for what I'd like to send out to the worst of the wanna-be authors.

" . . . here’s the question you should be asking yourself: Can I write? Not literally. Not physically. Not technically. Anyone can do that. Can you make the words sing? Does your prose have that certain something? Are you gifted at showing not telling, or telling not showing, or creating an entire world that didn’t exist before that is born again when someone else reads your work?
Probably not. Most people cannot write well. This is a fact. This is something that is true. This is a hard thing to accept. Most people cannot write well, and that includes you, and what we can conclude from this is that the person we are talking about here who cannot write well is, in all likelihood, you."

Now of course I would never send something so cruel out into the world . . . but a girl can dream, can't she?

*Click HERE to read the entire Forbes article.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

The Under the Same Sun Blog Hop Winners are . . .

AND THE WINNERS ARE:
Christine Marshall / Krishenka
Rosona Taranta
and Kathy Wicks

YAY!!!!! Your book and chocolate will be shipped out as soon as we get your shipping addresses!

Monday, October 29, 2012

Random House and Penguin Make Merger Plan Official

After last week's official confirmation of talks and a newsmaking weekend overture from News Corp., Bertelsmann and Pearson made their intended partnership official in an early Monday morning announcement that they have agreed to combine their trade book businesses into a single entity known as Penguin Random House. Under the deal, which is "expected to complete in the second half of 2013" but could take some time while awaiting regulatory clearances in multiple territories, Bertelsmann will hold 53 percent of the new company and Pearson will take a 47 percent stake, agreeing to hold those stakes for a minimum of three years. Markus Dohle will be worldwide ceo while John Makinson is to be chairman of the board, and Bertelsmann will appoint five executives and Pearson four to the new board of directors. Until the deal closes Penguin and Random House "will maintain their current separate operations and continue conducting business independently." A Bertelsmann spokesman indicated the deal was preceded by "five months of detailed discussions."
Those percentages are more closely aligned than some had expected, at least in part because the new entity will not include Bertelsmann's German-language publisher Verlagsgruppe Random House. (While sales figures are not provided separately for that unit, it is the largest trade publisher in the world's second biggest market. We no longer know just how big the combined company will be, but it's smaller than the $4 billion previously cited when you strip out the German sales.) RH Germany's ceo Frank Sambeth will continue to report to Dohle. RH spokesperson Stuart Applebaum told us the exclusion of the German division was part of a "strategic consensus between the two partners in the new company to invest in English- and Spanish-language publishing." Bertelsmann, however, "will continue to invest in German-language publishing as a 100 percent owner of VGRH [and] intends to endow VGRH with all the resources it needs to maintain and grow its German-market leadership."
Once the Penguin Random House deal closes,  the new company, which they say "will continue to publish their books with the autonomy they presently enjoy, and retain their distinct editorial identities," will comprise all the English, Spanish and Portuguese language interests of Penguin and of Random House, as well as Penguin's operations in China and other interests. That includes Penguin's recently-acquired Author Solutions (whose roughly $100 million in sales has not been included as everyone has compared the relative sizes of the companies) and other Penguin assets such as Bookworld, the Australian ebookstore comprising the Borders and Angus & Robertson online businesses.
As the minority partner, Pearson can "offer to sell its entire shareholding" to Bertelsmann after three years and if their partner declines, then Pearson can "require a recapitalization" by raising debt equal to up to 3.5 times EBITDA, with "a dividend distributed to shareholders in line with their ownership." Five years after the deal closes, "either partner may require an IPO of Penguin Random House."
While some news organizations have noted the deal does not include a breakup fee if it is not consummated, it cannot be derailed by anything other than regulatory issues. Makinson tells us both companies "have signed a binding undertaking" and "the only condition to closing is regulatory approval," so Pearson's board could not abandon the deal in favor of a cash offer from some other party. If HarperCollins is looking to acquire more scale and has money to invest, they-- like their other peers -- will have to look to other potential acquisitions. (Presumably Les Moonves' phone has been ringing.)
As we hinted in calling it a "cashless sale" last week, the deal structure should please Pearson shareholders. Once it closes, Penguin's results will be treated as discontinued operations and Pearson will report only their share of Penguin Random House's profits. "It will have quite a positive effect on both the margin and balance sheet of Pearson," Makinson said, since Penguin is lower margin business than education for Pearson and trade publishing "employs a lot of working capital." Makinson underscored, "there's no write-off of goodwill" at Pearson when the asset transfer is made. While Pearson has been supportive of Penguin with capital investment for purchases like ASI, Makinson noted "one of the issues I thought about a lot in this combination...is the competition for capital." He expects that "within the Bertelsmann balance sheet we probably have a better shot at getting access to investment capital" in the future.
In a letter to Random House staff explaining "this is the future," Dohle stressed "the coming together of Random House and Penguin is both a realization of [Bertelsmann's] strategic plan for growing creative content businesses, and further affirmation of their belief in the great future of trade book publishing."
Echoing Makinson's words in a letter to Penguin staff last week when the talks were first acknowledged, Dohle wrote to employees, "I understand how difficult it is not having all of the details immediately about our new company. In order to overcome the uncertainty for all of you I will communicate and share with you directly and regularly as we move toward this transition, and I will do so with complete openness and transparency."
The key to the new joint company is, Dohle said, that "authors remain the center of everything we do" and that they, and their agents, "will continue to enjoy an enormous choice of publishing homes, where creative autonomy and great resources will be a defining hallmark."
Dohle said he is "deeply convinced that the creativity and experience of our publishers, aligned with our decentralized entrepreneurship, will enable us – together with our new colleagues – to more completely and immediately realize our vision to provide our content for everyone, everywhere, in every format, and on every platform." The combined Penguin Random House "will be able to offer a deeper, even more robust backlist, along with our highly successful frontlist" on a global scale. In addition, "both companies are already highly advanced and accomplished in digital publishing, and with this new partnership we will accelerate our digital transformation, while ensuring a strong future for print." Dohle also wrote separate letters to agents, authors, and booksellers, which we link to at the end of this piece.
In a separate letter to Penguin staff, Makinson said that discussions of industry consolidation had been taking place among Penguin management "for several years now" and as such, "we could have waited" to make a deal. But, Makinson explained, "in any industry it's always right to lead the process of consolidation rather than to follow. That way you get to pick the most attractive partner and steal a march on everyone else. I have always thought that Random House would be far and away the best partner for Penguin, not just because of its reach and our obvious complementarity, but because of the outstanding quality of its publishing."
The scale of the consolidation will lead to regulatory scrutiny in many places. Makinson told us "we know that there is quite a regulatory compliance burden" and "we are realistic about that," though he said "we aren't expecting there to be anything material" required for approval since "the combined market share of the two companies falls short of 30 percent" in major territories. He added, "we wouldn't have reached this point of announcing the transaction unless we felt some confidence in our ability to obtain regulatory clearance."
Trickier, perhaps, is that Penguin is currently in litigation with the US Department of Justice over ebook pricing and is the one trade publisher in Europe that declined to settle with the European Commission over similar issues. Makinson acknowledged that "our relationship with Justice becomes more complicated as a result of having two parallel inquiries" (the regulatory clearance and the ebook litigation). While saying their position on DOJ suit has not changed and they are "not about to settle it," Makinson admits that "we'll be giving it some more thought" and "will sit down with our partner at Random House and try to figure out the best way through this." (Though minor, the deal also enmeshes Random House in the Bookish joint venture.)
Penguin's release notes the expectation that the combined company "will generate synergies from shared resources such as warehousing, distribution, printing and central functions" and financial analysts have started trying to estimate the costs savings, though Makinson emphasized to us that "the deal isn't really driven by the costs arithmetic." He said that they will now "embark on a more careful and granular process to think about how we achieve the benefits of combination." Joint teams from Penguin and Random House will work through some of those details "and Markus and I will exercise joint stewardship of that process." Makinson said that in many ways it's an extension of "a conversation we've been having for some time" since "many of those decisions are going to have to be taken in any case because of the changes from physical to digital content."
*From today's Publisher's Lunch 
In further remarks, Bertelsmann ceo Thomas Rabe said in the announcement: "With this planned combination, Bertelsmann and Pearson create the best course for the future of our world-renowned trade-book publishers, Random House and Penguin, by enabling them to publish even more effectively across traditional and emerging formats and distribution channels. It will build on our publishing tradition, offering an extraordinary diversity of publishing opportunities for authors, agents, booksellers, and readers, together with unequalled support and resources." He further added: "The combination of Random House and Penguin, first of all, significantly strengthens book publishing, one of our core businesses. Second, it advances the digital transformation on an even greater scale, and third, it increases our presence in the target growth markets Brazil, India and China."
Pearson ceo Marjorie Scardino, who is leaving the company at the end of the year, stated: "Penguin is a successful, highly-respected and much-loved part of Pearson. This combination with Random House--a company with an almost perfect match of Penguin's culture, standards and commitment to publishing excellence--will greatly enhance its fortunes and its opportunities. Together, the two publishers will be able to share a large part of their costs, to invest more for their author and reader constituencies and to be more adventurous in trying new models in this exciting, fast-moving world of digital books and digital readers."
Dohle, who will run the day-to-day operations of Penguin Random House, said as part of the joint statement: "Our new company will bring together the publishing expertise, experience, and skill sets of two of the world's most successful, enduring trade book publishers. In doing so, we will create a publishing home that gives employees, authors, agents, and booksellers access to unprecedented resources. I deeply believe that the support and services that we will be able to offer, coupled with the creative and editorial independence that we will continue to maintain, will benefit everyone in the book publishing environment, especially our passionate readers from today's generation to the next."
Dohle Letter to Agents
Dohle Letter to Authors
Dohle Letter to Booksellers
Dohle letter to staff
Makinson letter to staff

* from today's Publisher's Lunch

Friday, October 12, 2012

Yes Virginia, It Is a Blog Hop and Other Fun Stuff!

AND THE WINNERS ARE:
Christine Marshall / Krishenka
Rosona Taranta
and Kathy Wicks

YAY!!!!! Your book and chocolate will be shipped out as soon as we get your shipping addresses!



DUE TO SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS CAUSED BY HURRICANE SANDY we were without internet access until late Friday night (11/2). We are checking all the posts, and entering all the names of the commenters and will be posting the winner's names tomorrow, Sunday 11/4.



MONDAY, OCTOBER 15th - follow @Mariam_Kobras on twitter as she celebrates the launch of her new book, UNDER THE SAME SUN. Mariam will be tweeting, 140 characters at a time, the full first chapter of the book!

Also on Monday, Mariam will begin hopping and bopping all over the web, making 14 stops in all! Follow here as she is interviewed, reviewed and leaves guest posts at each stop.


What's in it for you?
Well, besides a really good time following Mariam, you could win one of THREE SIGNED COPIES of her book, PLUS CHOCOLATE (yes, I did say chocolate). It seems more than one reviewer has said the perfect way to read Mariam's books is with a good cup of coffee and a stash of chocolate, we thought we'd help you out. You'll have to supply your own coffee (sorry, it's just impossible to send a cup of hot java safely through the mail) but if you're one of our three lucky winners you 'll be able to settle in for a terrific read complete with some chocolate to nosh as you follow the continuing story of Jon and Naomi Stone.
How do you win? Simply follow Mariam to each stop on the Hop and after reading that day's post, leave a comment. That's 14 chances to win if you leave a comment at each stop.
We'd love it if you would also follow the blogs you like along the way-they're all pretty terrific!

Want more chances? If you're on Facebook - just LIKE the page for Under the Same Sun .

What's the schedule?




   10/16 Lisa M. Stull  Live at noon EDT  http://lmstull.com/2012/10/16/interview-with-author-mariam-kobras/






   10/25 Junying Kirk  http://www.junyingkirk.com/?p=3459


   10/30 Lauri Rottmeier  http://rottitude.com

   10/31 Wendy Mason  http://wisewolftalking.com/2012/10/31/6922/ (interview)


We were floored when her book released and made the Amazon bestseller list, you'll want to order yours soon.While you're waiting for it to arrive, you can follow the link at the right to read the first two chapters for FREE!

Oh, and don't forget to follow Mariam on the Hop!

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

The Final Countdown . . . 5 . . 4 . . 3 . . 2 . .

The final countdown has begun for the release of Under the Same Sun , Book 2 in the Stone Trilogy by Mariam Kobras. Today the final copies arrived from the printer!

Monday, the 15th, is the official release day and we will be marking it with a Blog Hop (watch here for more details) and Mariam will be tweeting the entire first chapter, 140 characters at a time, from her twitter account @Mariam_Kobras. You won't want to miss the fun, so be sure and follow here on twitter, and watch here for links to all the fun!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Book Publisher Goes To Court To Recoup Hefty Advances From Prominent Writers | The Smoking Gun

A New York publisher this week filed lawsuits against several prominent writers who failed to deliver books for which they received hefty contractual advances, records show.
The Penguin Group's New York State Supreme Court breach of contract/unjust enrichment complaintsinclude copies of book contracts signed by the respective defendants.
The publisher is seeking repayments from:
* "Prozac Nation" author Elizabeth Wurtzel, who signed a $100,000 deal in 2003 to write "a book for teenagers to help them cope with depression." Penguin wants Wurtzel, seen at right, to return her $33,000 advance (and at least $7500 in interest).
* Blogger Ana Marie Cox, who signed in 2006 to author a "humorous examination of the next generation of political activists," is being dunned for her $81,250 advance (and at least $50,000 in interest). Her Penguin contract totaled $325,000.
* Rebecca Mead, a staff writer at The New Yorker, owes $20,000 (and at least $2000 in interest), according to Penguin, which struck a $50,000 deal in 2003 for "a collection of the author’s journalism."
* Holocaust survivor Herman Rosenblat was signed for $40,000 in 2008 to describe how he "survived a concentration camp because of a young girl who snuck him food. 17 years later the two met on a blind date and have been together ever since, married 50 years." While Rosenblat’s story was hailed by Oprah Winfrey as the "single greatest love story" she had told on the air, it turned out to be a fabrication. Penguin wants him to repay a $30,000 advance (and at least $10,000 in interest).
* "Hip-Hop Minister" Conrad Tillard signed an $85,000 Penguin contract in 2005 for a memoir about his "epic journey from the Ivy League to the Nation of Islam," and his subsequent falling out with Louis Farrakhan. The publishing house's lawsuit is seeking the repayment of about $38,000 from Tillard.*

*From The Smoking Gun, Sept 25, 2012

We can sum this up in a few sentences: Too often Big Names + Big Advances = Big Flops!
At the same time, talented, but unknown writers receive blanket rejections from the big houses. That's why we left big house publishing. We at Buddhapuss Ink, are always looking for new, talented, authors that we can grow!

What's your opinion?

Friday, September 14, 2012

Bookstore Sales Up Again in July

Bookstore sales rose 1.2% in July to $981 million, according to estimates released Friday morning by the U.S. Census Bureau. The July increase followed a 3.8% gain in June and resulted in a 0.6% increase in bookstore sales for the first seven months of 2012. In the January-July period, bookstore sales hit $7.96 billion. For the entire retail segment, July sales rose 3.0% and sales for the first seven months of 2012 were up 5.9%.
Bookstore sales include results from retailers that generate at least 50% of their revenue from books.

*from today's issue of PW Daily

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

We Will Never Forget


  Eleven years later and it is still so fresh in our memories, but today for the first time my thoughts turned to the future. How much longer will the memorials continue to be covered live on all the networks? I thought as I watched today. I'm struck by the fact that many of the children reading the names today were just babies, toddlers when this all happened. How much longer will this memory-which seems seared permanently onto my brain-live on?
  Children grow up, parents, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles, move on and pass away until at some point there will no longer be anyone who remembers this day because they lived it, there will only be the pictures, the videos and timelines, to bring it into the collective consciousness. In a way, I envy these future generations. They won't have that pit of the stomach churn, the tears, the nightmares and fears. For them it will be a memorial of something tragic, something awful, that happened once, but not to them.
  And so, eleven years later, as I listen once more to the seemingly endless list of the victims names being read one more time, I pray that these future generations will never experience anything even approaching the horror of that day. I pray that we will all finally figure out how to live peacefully with one another, no matter how farfetched and impossible that thought might seem.
  At the same time I pray that we will truly never forget all those people-who just like me-got up on September 11, 2001, grabbed breakfast and hurried off to their jobs or flights, but never came home again. Those of us who did come home will never be the same. We carry their thoughts, their memories, their lives, their deaths, forward with us into that great unknown-the future.

  Dedicated to all my former fellow workers at NorthSouth Books and NordSued Verlag who witnessed this day from our office windows. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.


 To view the interactive timeline of the events of September 11, 2001, click here

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Trade Books Sales Rise in May-ebboks Set New Record

The AAP monthly sales reports remain relentlessly cheerful, with May statistics released Wednesday morning showing strong trade sales and another burst in ebook sales. Total trade sales from the reporting publishers were $535 million, up 17 percent from $457 million a year ago. In contrast to some previous months, the gains came from higher true shipments/sales in multiple categories, rather than just fewer returns.

eBook sales, which had been growing at a slower pace since last fall, hit a new record for the month, at $133.7 million overall--well ahead of the previous high mark of $121.1 million in January. Since the whole trade is healthy, though, ebooks remained at about 25 percent of all sales, consistent with the year's pattern. And the gain, while big, was up 77 percent compared to a year ago--still below the doubling that had been common when the market was smaller.

Adult ebooks alone rose to $106.3 million--up from $70.1 million a year ago--though they were still outpaced by both trade paperbacks ($135 million) and hardcovers ($106.6 million). They comprised 27 percent of all adult sales. Children's ebooks of $27.7 million comprised 20 percent of sales across that segment (a new high), up sharply from $7 million (and 5.5%) a year ago. Here are updates of our standing charts to visualize the ebook sales trends. Updates of our standing charts that visualize the ebook sales trends are available at the PM site.

*From Today's issue of Publisher's Lunch

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

UK Publisher Triples Sales by Bundling

A truly interesting experiment that was reported in today's PW Daily

"The Clonefiles initiative was a small experiment, involving a single imprint of Osprey Group, Angry Robot, and one indie bookstore, Mostly Books in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England. The store tested bundling by offering a free electronic edition of every one of Angry Robot's print novels it sold and promoted the venture with a window display. But the initiative could have big implications. According to reports in the Futurebook blog of The Bookseller, Clonefiles has already been so successful since it began on July 4, tripling sales of those titles, that Angry Robot is planning to roll it out to more stores.
 
Mostly Books owner Mark Thornton told Futurebook that the initiative has been a game-changer. “It has allowed us to engage with customers and break the ‘ereader taboo’ with people coming into the shop,” he said. “At Mostly Books, we assume that everyone coming into our shop has an ereader. Clonefiles allows us to start a conversation with them, and it is amazing how customers have responded. From a slightly-embarrassed ‘let’s all pretend eReaders don’t exist’ awkwardness, customers have opened up to us about their eReading experience—and in the process are actually telling us what we need to offer to stay relevant—and survive.”
 
Given the number of independent booksellers in the U.S., who have advocated bundling print books with e-books for several years now, Clonefiles could have an immediate impact on this side of the Pond as well. In the UK experiment, purchasers simply gave the bookstore their e-mail address and were then sent a DRM-free electronic edition. No heavy tech knowledge required."

Although we're not sure exactly how we would accomplish something similar, we are definitely investigating the possibilities!

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Amazing Book Maze!

We've been recouping from surgery for the past month but wanted to share this with our followers:

Visitors walk in a labyrinth installation made up of 250,000 books titled "aMAZEme" by Marcos Saboya and Gualter Pupo at the Royal Festival Hall in central London July 31, 2012.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

And the Winners Are . . .

All winners of our 2012 Mystery Times Nine Short Story Competition will receive:

Two (2) copies of the finished book and the opportunity to “fast track” their next manuscript with our Editorial staff

And they are:

KC Sprayberry - The Shame of West Landry

Johanna Harness - The Disappearance of Belle Robbins  

Sam Hilliard - The Stash

Melanie Cummins
- Wings

Donna Jean McDunn - Trapped

Pat Cox - It Is So Sweet


And the Top Three Winners are:

The THIRD PLACE winner who will also receive a $75 Gift Card, featured placement in the book, and a Buddhapuss Ink tote filled with swag is:

Wendy Sparrow - Time Slime and Other Acne Cures

The SECOND PLACE winner who will also receive a $100 Gift Card, featured placement in the book, and a Buddhapuss Ink tote filled with swag is:

Michele Shaw - A Shot in the Dark

AND a drum roll please!

The FIRST PLACE winner who will also receive a NEW Kindle, featured placement in the book, and a Buddhapuss Ink tote filled with swag is:

Kristina L. Martin - Freeing Blue

Congratulations to all our winners and huge thanks to our Judges!

Mystery Times Nine 2012 Winners to be Announced Later Today!

Most cats have nine lives, but this cat has nine tales. Tales of murder, mystery, intrigue, and revenge!
You won't want to miss it!

Don't forget, you can still get Mystery Times Ten 2011 - in paperback or kindle - that includes the THRICE Nominated story by Barb Goffman, Truth and Consequences. Barb has been nominated for the Anthony, Agatha AND the Macavity Awards for Best Mystery Short Story. WOOO HOO! Of course, the great reading doesn't stop there, this book is jam-packed with great mystery shorts.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Winners in Mystery Times Nine, 2012 Competition Have Been Notified!

And we are awaiting their responses. Stay tuned for the official announcement!

Monday, June 11, 2012

Anthony AND Macavity Award Nomination for Best Short Story!

IMPORTANT NEWS UPDATE!!   ANOTHER NOMINATION!!
Barb Goffman's Truth and Consequences from our Mystery Times Ten 2011 has been nominated for an Anthony Award for Best Short Story AND a now a Macavity Award!
We're so proud, we're busting our buttons! Catnip all around!
Congratulations Barb!
Mystery Times Ten 2011 is available in paperback and kindle. Get your copy now!

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Ready to Build Your Summer Reading List? Check Out IPPY Award-Winners for 2012



All of us at Buddhapuss Ink LLC are proud to have one of our books - The Distant Shore by Mariam Kobras - on the IPPY Awards List!


Following is the official Press Release from the Independent Publisher Book Awards: 


=================
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
=================

 


(May 8, 2012 - Traverse City, MI)  Summer's almost here and it's time to stock up on award-winning books to read. Need some suggestions? The winners of the 16 th Annual Independent Publisher Book Awards have been announced and will be celebrated on June 4th during the annual BookExpo America publishing convention in New York. Conducted each year to honor the year's best independently published books, the "IPPY" awards recognize excellence in a broad range of subjects and reward authors and publishers who "take chances and break new ground."
Independent publishers are extremely diverse, in both style and geography. This year's IPPY competition attracted 5,200 entries, and the 372 medalists represent 44 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia, seven Canadian provinces, and ten countries overseas. Launched in 1996 as the first unaffiliated awards program open exclusively to independent, university, and self-published titles, the IPPY Awards contest rewards winners in 74 national, 22 regional, and five e-book categories with gold, silver and bronze medallions and foil seals for their book covers.

See complete results for the 2012 Independent Publisher Book Awards at http://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1534

"Independent publishers are growing in number, and the quality of their work is increasing," says awards director Jim Barnes. "One element driving the high rate of excellence is participation from university presses. This year, 29 medalists came from university presses and 9 came from museums. Their elevated level of writing, editing, design and production raises the bar and inspires us all."

University presses are known for tackling controversial topics and complex social issues. For example, Arab Detroit 9/11 (Wayne State University Press) explores how the lives of Arab Americans have changed in the "terror decade," Sovereign Erotics (The University of Arizona Press) is an anthology of voices from the Native American GLBT community, and In This Timeless Time (University of North Carolina Press) tells the stories of Texas prison inmates on Death Row.
Looking for something a bit lighter? Popular topics like country music, wine, and 60's counter-culture are covered by these fiction winners: Murder on Music Row (John F. Blair, Publisher) by Stuart Dill, Vertical (sequel to Sideways, from Loose Gravel Press), by Rex Pickett, and We Were Stardust (Bucket List Books), by Kathrin King Segal. IPPY Awards also went to six mouth-watering cookbooks, one of which is Off the Menu: Staff Meals from America's Top Restaurants (Welcome Books) and five intimate biographies, one being House of Cash: The Legacies of My Father, Johnny Cash (Insight Editions), by John Carter Cash.
So many books, such a perfect time...to start reading an IPPY Award-winning book today!
The IPPY Awards are presented by IndependentPublisher.com, "THE Voice of Independent Publishing" operated by publishing services firm Jenkins Group of Traverse City, Michigan. Members of the media are invited to attend the IPPY Awards celebration on Monday night before BookExpo America.
For more details about the Awards, to attend the event, or to interview recipients, please contact:

Jim Barnes, Managing Editor & Awards Director
IndependentPublisher.com / Jenkins Group
IPPY Awards on Facebook

Ph: 1.800.644.0133 x1011

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The Distant Shore Wins the 2012 IPPY Bronze Medal



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 2, 2012

Buddhapuss Ink LLC, a NJ based book publisher, announced today that Mariam Kobras, of Hamburg, Germany, won the 2012 Independent Publisher Book Awards’ Bronze Medal in Romance for her book: The Distant Shore: Book I of the Stone Trilogy. Kobras said she was “beyond over-the-moon” with the news. The Distant Shore, which released in January, sold out on Amazon in a matter of hours. “Winning this award for her first book is recognition of just how talented a writer she is.” said Buddhapuss Ink Publisher, MaryChris Bradley. “She conveys feelings and emotions in one page that take other authors’ chapters. Her command of the English language, and its nuances, is extraordinary. In January we signed a new contract for the next two books in the Stone Trilogy. We extend our hearty congratulations to Mariam for this well-deserved award! ”

The Distant Shore, a contemporary romance with a light twist of suspense, is the story of Jonathon Stone, a rock superstar and Naomi Carlsson, the girl he loved and lost. The story centers on their reunion sixteen years later and takes place in locales from a small fishing village in Norway to LA and New York City. But life in the fast lane comes with its own brand of danger and it isn’t long before their life together is threatened by a jealous fan.  “The storyline for The Distant Shore was inspired by my fascination with the limitations fame can impose on people.” stated Kobras. “The book explores the value of love in a world where money and a front-page photo are sometimes more important than a person's soul.”

Kobras, was born in Frankfurt, Germany. She lived in Brazil and Saudi Arabia with her parents as a child before they decided to settle in Germany. She attended school there and studied American Literature and Psychology at Justus-Liebig-University in Giessen. Today she lives and writes in Hamburg, Germany, with her husband, two sons and two cats.

BUDDHAPUSS INK LLC is based in Edison, NJ. Founded in 2009, it is led by Publisher, MaryChris Bradley, a 28 year veteran in the book industry. “Our company mission is to ‘Put our readers first’ and we are committed to finding and growing new authors at a time when the major houses seem to have turned their backs on writers without an already well-established track record. “ Bradley can be contacted at Publisher@BuddhapussInk.com. “Of course, you can always find us on Facebook, and twitter too.”
@Buddhapuss on twitter      Buddhapuss Ink LLC on Facebook      
www.BuddhapussInk.com Website
http://buddhapussink.blogspot.com Company blog

Monday, April 30, 2012

Buddhapuss Ink LLC Announces First Author in Emerging Voices


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2012

FIRST EMERGING VOICES AUTHOR SIGNED
 
Buddhapuss Ink LLC, a NJ based book publisher, announced today that they have signed the first author to their new Emerging Voices imprint: Martie Odell Ingebretsen of Sacramento, California. The deal is for her novella, Sweet William, the story of one man’s struggle when he loses everything and everyone that he loves.

Emerging Voices, a new program at Buddhapuss Ink, is aimed at bringing new authors together with an audience. “The most difficult thing for writers with little or no preexisting audience is finding a publisher willing to take a chance on them. All but shut out of traditional publishing with the "big house" emphasis on known and celebrity authors, these writers need a forum that will give them the benefits of having a publisher behind them.” said MaryChris Bradley, Publisher of Buddhapuss Ink LLC. “We are thrilled to be able to offer these authors a platform that will give them the exposure they need to become established, while fulfilling our mission to put readers first.” Ingebretsen stated, “I have published poetry before, but not prose, so I’m very excited about this. Sweet William has been an important part of my life for a long time…ever since that rainy night when I started wondering what the homeless were doing."

Sweet William: When William is arrested for suspicion of child molestation, it is the catalyst that finally puts him back on the road to recovery. For too long he was caught in a web of guilt that turned him from the owner of a successful chain of gas stations and loving family man into a homeless alcoholic who spent his time dreaming. What appears to just be more bad luck turns out to be the tipping point that allows him to open the door to the past, and at long last, accept it and the love of the people around him. Slowly, life welcomes William back, and he is ready to embrace life once more.

Martie Odell Ingebretsen, was born in Pasadena, California. She studied English literature, creative writing, and child development at various universities. Inspired by her father—whose stories were published in the Saturday Evening Post—she has been writing since the second grade. She strives to create characters that are always learning, growing and finding answers to big questions. Her poetry has been published in journals, magazines, and various anthologies.  She and her husband currently live in California, as do their two sons and four grandchildren. Sweet William is her first novella. 

BUDDHAPUSS INK LLC is based in Edison, NJ. Founded in 2009, it is led by Publisher, MaryChris Bradley, a 28 year veteran in the book industry. “Our company mission is to ‘Put our readers first’ and we are committed to finding and growing new authors at a time when the major houses seem to have turned their backs on writers without an already well-established track record.” Bradley can be contacted at 732-887-2519 or Publisher@BuddhapussInk.com. “Of course, you can always find us on twitter and Facebook too.”
@Buddhapuss on twitter     Buddhapuss Ink LLC on Facebook

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Buddhapuss Ink Launching a New Program!

We will be launching a new program called Emerging Voices, aimed at bringing new authors and readers together in a mutually beneficial ways.

The most difficult thing for writers today is finding a publisher willing to take a chance on authors with little or no preexisting audience. All but shut out of traditional publishing with the "big house" emphasis on known and celebrity authors, these writers need a forum that will give them the benefits of having a publisher behind them, complete with editing, layout, design and marketing help.

At Buddhapuss Ink we believe in finding these writers and giving them the help and exposure they deserve. At the same time we have to be aware and in line with the changing format climate and costs that are rocking the publishing world today.

In the Emerging Voices program, we will be publishing new fiction in more/different genres and lengths, and will use a different model. Rather than publishing everything in print and digital simultaneously, Emerging Voices will be bringing new works out in ebook format first, in some cases followed by a print version at a later date. This allows us to publish works including novels, short stories, poetry, and novellas, in a format, and at prices that are more flexible and attractive to the reader. It also allows us to publish more new authors!

Our goal is to have a program that will be a breeding ground for burgeoning writers and at the same time provide readers a place to find emerging voices to feed their reading habits. In the coming weeks we will be announcing the first authors in the program, and posting links and submission guidelines on our website.  


Monday, February 20, 2012

The Distant Shore NOW available on KINDLE!

The Distant Shore by Mariam Kobras was released today in kindle format! Get your copy now!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Mystery Times Ten 2011 Story Nominated for an Agatha!

CONGRATS Barb Goffman for her story Truth and Consequences from our Mystery Times Ten 2011 anthology - which has been nominated for an Agatha for Best Mystery Short Story 2011! Way to go, Barb!
Don't forget to pick up your copy of this Amazon Bestseller!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

AND THE WINNERS IN THE BLOG HOP GIVEAWAY ARE:

drum roll, please 

Cathie Olsen
Johanna Harness
hidingout2
WriterLibrarian
Nita Beshear

Darlene Foster
JC Rosen

Sheila DeChantel
A Minor
Victoria Zumbrum
Lilian Cheng

IF YOU  HAVEN'T GOTTEN AN EMAIL FROM US ALREADY - please leave us a message here!

Thanks to all the Blog Hoppers for participating, a hat's off to all our Book Blog Hosts, and a huge cheer to the Etsy crafters who donated some wonderful gifts!

WOO HOO!

Monday, January 23, 2012

The Distant Shore "Love is in the Air" Blog Hop & Giveaways

Launches on Wed, Jan. 25th! Follow Mariam Kobras as she is reviewed, interviewed or guest blogs her way to Valentine's Day.


What Can I Win? 



Each winner will receive a copy of the Amazon Bestseller, The Distant Shore by Mariam Kobras PLUS one of these great prizes!

Please visit & patronize these Etsy businesses who are participating in our Blog Hop. Small businesses like these are the heart of the American economy!


One Dozen Southern Red Velvet and Cream Cheese - Cake Truffles from HappyBakery on Etsy, to enjoy while reading this luscious book.

Tea Cup & Saucer Scented Candle from PamZFunkyJam on Etsy, to set the mood as you are transported to glamorous locales.


Moonlight Cobalt blue Beach Glass Necklace from MimosaMornings on Etsy, to slip around your neck and play out scenes from the book in your mind.


Pink Silk Rose Applique from ConeldasCreationson on Etsy, to pin on your most romatic hat before heading out for that secret rendezvous.  



9 BBJ Mae Rose Bath Fizzles from ButterbyJolez on Etsy, to scent that long, hot bath before your evening out with that someone special, or just for a soak while devouring a good book like The Distant Shore!



Multipetaled Flower Brooch from ClytemnestrasCloset on Etsy, this brooch is 2.5" in diameter and made with vintage ribbon that changes from green to pink.  The two leaves are made with vintage ribbon and the stamens in the center are vintage as well.  All hand sewn, there is a felt backing with a bar pin. The perfect accent for that dreamy dress or scarf you'll wear. It's guaranteed to bewitch the subject of your affection just as the characters in The Distant Shore will bewitch you!



4 Rose Jasmine Natural Bath Teas from peachycreamcorner on Etsy. Drop one of these in your bath for a relaxing, romantic soak after a day with your beloved. 



Buttons and Pearls Retractable Tape Measure from fairbanksfancygoods on Etsy. Does your love "measure up"? 



One lucky winner will also win a box of tea directly from Harrod's in London, where Naomi and Jon take tea the day he proposes to her, and a Distant Shore Mug!



Four lucky winners will also receive one small box of Godiva Mini Hearts because love and chocolate just go together!



How Do I Enter?
Visit the each blog on the hop on the day Mariam is featured and leave a comment after that post. One comment per Blog. (possible 13 chances total)

How Can I Earn Additional Chances?

Tweet a link to each blog on the day Mariam is featured. (Must include the twitter tag #TDSBlogHop in order to be counted) (one chance per tweet)

Post a link on your Facebook page to that day's blog stop. Then leave us a comment at the end of THIS post (below) with a link to your Facebook post. (one chance per link)

Like us at Buddhapuss Ink on Facebook (one chance)

Like us at The Distant Shore on Facebook (one chance)

Follow us on twitter @Buddhapuss (one chance)

Visit any or all of the prize links above - then tweet a link to each shop! (by clicking the twitter bird on their shop page. You must include our twitter tag #TDSBlogHop in your tweet to be counted) (one chance per tweet)

Visit any or all of the prize links above - then click the Facebook button on their shop page. Then leave a comment at the end of this post with a link to your facebook post. (one chance per link)

That's a LOT of chances to win some very romantic prizes!

Where Will Mariam Be?
BLOG HOP STOPS

Wed Jan 25 Interview
http://pjkaiser.com/2012/01/25/mariam-kobras/#idc-container

Thur Jan 26 Interview  http://blog.fayerapoportdespres.com/?p=1408

Fri Jan 27 Guest Post http://chicklitreviewsandnews.com/2012/01/author-article-mariam-kobras-author-of-the-distant-shore/

Mon Jan 30 Guest Post http://serenitywriter.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/five-reasons-by-mariam-kobras/

Tue Jan 31 Guest Post http://www.samhilliard.com/wordpress/2012/01/30/distant-shore-love-is-in-the-air-blog-stop/

Wed Feb 1 Guest Post http://teresasreadingcorner.com/2012/02/01/author-spotlight-mariam-kobras-author-of-the-distant-shore/

Thur Feb 2 Review http://www.junyingkirk.com/?p=1492


Fri Feb 3 Interview http://dawnmkirby.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/meet-mariam/


Sat Feb 4 Review http://www.amberrisme.com/2012/02/04/a-written-masterpiece-in-the-distant-shore/

Mon Feb 6 Interview
http://changingyourgrip.com/blog/?p=568

Tue Feb 7 Guest Post http://www.elizabethawhite.com/2012/02/07/slaying-dragons-by-mariam-kobras/

Wed Feb 8 Review http://www.carrickpublishing.com/?p=1340

Thur Feb 9 Review http://tweet-treats.blogspot.com/2012/02/distant-shore-review.html

Fri Feb 10 Guest Post http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com/2012/02/blog-tour-love-is-in-air-with.html


Sun Feb 12 Guest Post   http://dudleydorights.blogspot.com/2012/02/distant-shore-blog-hop-tour-stop-15.html

Mon Feb 13 Review & Interview http://anadventureinreading.blogspot.com/2012/02/mariam-kobras-interview-distant-shore.html

Tue Feb 14 - WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED HERE, ON THE FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE, AND ON OUR WEBSITE.


NOTE: Contest is limited to US/CANADA Addresses only!