The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow interviews me (plus, a #giveaway of CODE NAME 711!)...

The awesome Secret Files of Fairday Morrow blog was kind enough to review Double Vision: Code Name 711 a few weeks ago. And now they've interviewed me, so I had a chance to talk about how long it takes to write a book, and what spy gadget I'd like Henry to invent for me.

Check out the interview, and enter the giveaway of Double Vision: Code Name 711!

And if you're in Jackson, Mississippi, come see me at Lemuria Bookstore. I'll be signing books at 5 p.m., and sharing cool spy stuff about George Washington...

You've Made It As A Writer When....

How would you answer that question, fellow writers? Are you in it for the money (ha!), the fame (double-ha!), your name on the book cover?

I shared my 'Made It Moment' with Jenny Milchman, and it wasn't about any of those things... Check it out here.

What's yours?

Join Me For My Book Birthday! There's Cake...

If you've been hanging around here a while, you probably know: it's launch day for Double Vision! Seems like it took forever for this day to come, and then suddenly, here we are.

Pass the cake (I'm all about the cake, you know)...

And for more partying, come on over to Sleuths, Spies, and Alibis for an Interrogation Room interview with yours truly. You can enter to win a signed copy of the book!

And if you've followed me this far, I hope you'll consider buying a copy of Double Vision--it makes a great present... Easy buy buttons are to the right, see?

That's it for the hard sell from me. Have some more cake, and let's celebrate!

October's Must Have Book Is...

...Double Vision. Well, at least it is over at the ThinkBannedThoughts blog, where you can read an interview with me. Come say hi, take a load off, and join us for virtual drinks and snacks.

And I'm all about equal opportunity reading, so tell me: what book are you excited about this fall?

I would love some recommendations for my shrinking TBR pile...

Interview, And The Drinks Are On Me

It feels like I've been talking a lot about myself this week, but I hope you'll come check out Laura Golden's blog for her interview with me. Come say hi, and admire Laura's blog (it's really pretty...) She has her own middle-grade out in 2013 called Every Day After--hurray for her.

My interview is part of a big blog tour of all the faculty coming to Southern Breeze's fall conference, so check out some of the upcoming posts and blogs...

And come to Birmingham in October! We'll have loads of fun, and if you tell me about your kidlit work-in-progress, I'll buy you a soda. 

Happy Friday, all.

How To Make An Author Video When You're Not A Techie

"We'd like you to make an author video." This was in an email my editor sent me a few weeks ago. And my response was a cheerful, "Sure!"

Of course, I wasn't all that sure. I mean, an author video--that meant I had to videotape myself. And to be honest, I'm the type of person who tries to avoid cameras at all cost. The isolation and ability to wear yoga pants all day are big perks to authorhood in my book.

Not that I couldn't have seen this coming--I mean, Harper had listed an author video as part of their marketing plan. Anyway, I made a quick video. Edited it on my basic editing software, the stuff that was already on my computer. Only it looked... Well, pretty terrible.

So I made a better video. And I thought I'd share with you what I learned, so you can be awesome right out the gate.

1. Yes, you need an author video

Maybe your publisher didn't ask you for it, but an author interview is a great tool in telling the world about the great book you wrote. If you're an indie writer: what a great tool to promote your work, right? Especially if you're a middle-grade writer, like me. Author videos allow librarians, teachers and parents to hear you talk about the story, and why kids should read it.

2. Watch some examples

The best way to decide what you want your video to look like is to watch other writers strut their stuff. Some look at the camera, some don't. Some look like they had a stylist, and some look like they just fell out of bed. Just search for 'author video' on Youtube, and it'll toss you examples. I've pasted mine below, but you can do much better.

3. State your talking points

What do you want to say about your book? If someone were to interview you, what do you wish they would ask? Unless you're Stephen King, try to find a good way to introduce yourself and the book. Keep it to the most important stuff. You really don't want your video to run much longer than three minutes.

4. Write a script

Think about how your video will play out. Imagine what slides you'll use (for questions), and what you'll say.

5. Buy some software, if you can afford it

I started my video on Moviemaker, but it's pretty limited in its templates. I tried freeware, and even considered (briefly, until I saw the pricetag) buying a Mac.

Bottom line: unless you're a techie, you want to buy some software with templates. This blog, my website, the video--they're all built with them. Templates are your friend--look for video editing software that gives you sound effects if possible. You'll want to be able to adjust the sound, so look for that function. I made my video with Pinnacle (which set me back $80), but there are several alternatives for about the same price.

6. Shoot lots of video

Unless you're Oprah, you probably need a little warm up time in front of the camera. Videotape yourself answering the same question five times--your software will allow you to edit it. You can use a basic camera; just make sure your sound quality holds up. Shooting outside may be a bit ambitious...

7. Get images and music

Make sure you own the rights to whatever images and music you use... Buy what you need, or ask friends (my Paris pictures were graciously donated by my sister).

8. Have fun

So maybe seeing yourself on video is not your favorite thing in the world. But enjoy the creative process! Play around with your slides, transitions, and other effects. Make sure they fit the mood/message of your book.

I hope this is helpful for you fellow authors! Here's my video; let me know when you make yours, and I'll post it here on the blog with your permission.