Welcome to Silent Screaming, the Annette Gisby newsletter.

In this issue:
News
Book Reviews
Feature Article
Qoute of the Month
Bad Joke of the Month
Contests/Offers
Sites etc.

NEWS:

March 9-15 is Electronic reading week, so if you're looking for an
interesting e-book to start you off, how about my own Shadows of
the Rose? Only $4.99 from www.double-dragon-ebooks.com and they
have lots more too if Shadows of the Rose isn't to your taste. :-)
And the e-book version of Silent Screams is available with a 15%
discount for March at
http://www.ebookad.com/eb.php3?ebookid=14456

You can order the paperback direct from my website, where as a special
offer, you can have free shipping and a signed copy.
www.annettegisby.n3.net

Writing the Dream has also been recently released in paperback and
CD-Rom, which has a few extra items not included on the free e-book.
It is available from www.lulu.com/annettegisby

If you would still like the free ebook, just email me.

You can read an interview with me on Sell Writing Online:
http://www.sellwritingonline.com/gisby.html

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BOOK REVIEWS:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blessed be the Jewel
by Stefani Sobers
www.twilighttimesbooks.com

Reviewed by Annette Gisby
author of Silent Screams and Shadows of the Rose

The book opens with a young woman being attacked physically by her
drunken husband, who feels that maybe this will be the last time,
that finally he will kill her. Suddenly, from out of nowhere a black
clad, raven haired woman appears and fights the husband, allowing
the young wife to escape.

Tess Riley has never forgotten the sapphire eyed heroine who saved
her all those years ago. Imagine her surprise when years later
she is face to face with those eyes again, this time in the face of
a little girl, Sage August, her daughter's friend.

Tess eventually marries Grant August, Sage's father, widower of the
woman who saved Tess that night. Sage is not like other girls her
age, she is strong, stronger than most boys and she has strange
dreams, dreams of other women who look like her, and who tell her
that there was a mistake all those years ago.

Tess Riley was not meant to be saved, the balance is out, and now
someone else has to die. And then one day, Tess sees Eric Riley, her
abusive ex-husband...

This is an interesting, fast moving book, with hardly time to catch
a breath before some new strand is revealed. There are stories within
stories, taking the reader from Medieval Europe, to 19th Century Boston and
modern day San Diego.

Sage is only one in a long line of women known as the Jewel, in
previous years they had been persecuted as witches. Her confusion at
discovering her past and what she can become is deftly handled. She is
scared at first, scared of her power, scared of losing control of it.

With a cast of well drawn characters and baddies who you can just
imagine wearing black cloaks and twirling a moustache, it's a good
book for anyone who loves a good story with hints of adventure and the
paranormal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drowning Rapunzel
by Annette Gisby
Reviewed by T. C. McMullen, author of Whispers of Insanity
and Gone Before Dawn.

Beth Gregory is young and full of uncertainties. Memories of her
parents’ deaths and of the visions that plagued her afterwards darken
Beth’s days and strain her relationship with her over protective
brother Andrew. Yearning to finally break out on her own, Beth applies
for a job as live-in assistant for independent artist, Josh Warrington.

Feeling nervous and excited, Beth takes the job. On her first tour of
Josh’s beautiful estate she sees a reflection in the lake, a
reflection that isn’t hers. The visions return and reveal murders of
women with long hair. Bodies turn up. Beth is questioned by the police.

Beth finds herself falling in love and fearing Josh’s long time
housekeeper who seems even more protective of Josh than Andrew is of
Beth. More bodies are discovered, Josh’s niece is abducted, and Beth’s
visions grow more disturbing, leading her to believe the next murder
will be hers.

The more this story progresses, the faster the pace moves, diving
through twists and turns. This is a wonderful thriller, sure to keep
you hooked and guessing until the last page is turned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crazy Thoughts of Passion
byEpstein LaRue
www.epsteinlarue.com

Psychiatric nurse, Kaitlyn Malloy is very proud of her work and her
self-imposed ethics. BUt trouble starts when she finds herself becoming more
and more attracted to Lance Rosenthal, the son of one of her patients.
Should she reconcile herself to the fact that he is out of bounds? Or
should she give in to her heart? What would happen if Mrs. Rosenthal
was discaharged, should she give in to her feelings? What if she was
re-admitted, what would happen to her relationship then?

A short book, Crazy Thoughts of Passion is big on characters and
ideas, it's almost as if you are facing the dilemmas with Kaitlyn and
wondering what you would do in that same situation. An easy read,
the book's pages seem to turn themselves.

Although billed as a traditional romance book, it is more than that,
a book that explores ethics, feelings and romance and the effects
decisions made have on other people.

A must for any romance fan.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


FATURE ARTICLE:

Promoting your Work on a Budget
by Annette Gisby

So you've got that elusive contract, or you've gone the self-published
route, but what happens now that you have a book? Well, if like me
you're on a limited budget, the web is a good place to start.

1) Have your own web page. Think of it as a shop window, where you
want people to browse as long as possible. Put samples of your work,
picture of the cover, details of where people can buy your book,
anything you like within the law really.

2) At authorsden you can have your own professional page for free.
You can upload pictures, samples, short stories, articles, even have
your own newsletter! (You're reading mine right now. :-)

3) Join webrings, writing webrings, webrings suitable to your genre.
Or even start your own.

4) Join online writing clubs and message boards of any subject that
interests you or that you think will have people interested in the
subject of your book. Every time you post, add the URL of your book or
website. Exposure is what it's all about. Have a book about gardening
or where a character is a gardener, then visit online groups for those
interested in gardening.

5) At http://www.allreaders.com, you can post a review and plot
analysis of your book. It takes a bit of time, but it's free and there
is space for your URL at the end of the review.

6) Free business cards are available at http://www.vistaprint.com, but
you do have to pay for postage and any extras you would like such as
lamination or removing their advert from the back. They also now
do postcards, how about some postcards with your book's cover on them?

7) At www.cafepress.com, you can get t-shirts, mugs and other
accessories with a picture of your book's cover (or whatever else
you'd like.) They only print what's ordered, so it doesn't cost
anything for you to offer the products for sale to buyers. And you
can order your own custom items when you have an event like a booksigning
coming up.

8) Print stickers with your books details and stick them on every
piece of mail you send out. Letters, card, bills, everything. That
company that keeps sending you junk? Mail them back your sticker!

9) If you have the nerve, stand on the street or a mall and hand out
flyers or bookmarks to passers by. Bookmarks for your computer are
available from http://www.paperdirect.com, and they have various
designs to choose from. Or try www.earhtlycharms.net who will custom
print bookmarks and other items for you.

11) Write articles or short stories for other websites to get your
name known.

12) Get good reviews of your book and place them on your website. A
good place to start is the reviewers choice group on yahoo. Post
details of your book and reviewers will email you if they are
interested in reviewing your book.

Always get permission from the reviewer if you wish to use their
review.

13)There are lots of places on the web offering free classifed ads,
but I've tried that and just didn't receive any interest that way. What
seems to have worked is having my site on webrings, posting my URL in
message boards, writing sites, email etc.

14) List details of your book at www.published.com, www.ebookheaven.com,
www.readachapter.com, www.bitbooks.com.

There are lots more ideas on places like:

http://www.bookmarket.com

http://writersmanual.com

http://www.writing-world.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

QUOTE OF THE MONTH:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"In all large corporations, there is a pervasive fear that someone,
somewhere is having fun with a computer on company time. Networks help
alleviate that fear." - John C. Dvorak


BAD JOKE OF THE MONTH:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How do you get freckles?

Lie out in the sun with a sieve over your face!




CONTESTS/OFFERS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
John T. Lupton "New Voices In Literature" Awards
Category: Fiction
Closes: 15th April 2003
Fees: $25.00 for one entry. Waived if author attends BookExpo seminar
Prizes: $10,000 for first place. Plus $2,500 for travel to BookExpo
Details: Please see www.booksforlifefoundation.com for more information about the award, guidelines and entry form. With questions, please telephone 317.685.2500 or e-mail bis@booksforlifefoundation.com
Contact: Books For Life Foundation 1060 Virginia Avenue Indianapolis,
IN 46203
Country: United States
Email: bis@booksforlifefoundation.com
Website: http://www.booksforlifefoundation.com

Cadenza
Category: Fiction
Closes: 30th April 2003
Fees: £5.00 for one entry.
Prizes: £200 for first place. £100, £50, runners up (2): Free annual
subscriptions to Cadenza
Details: The winning stories will be published in Cadenza Magazine.
Length: Up to 4,000 words.
Contact: Cadenza Short Story Competition, PO Box 1768, Rugby CV21 4ZA
Country: United Kingdom

Flash Fiction
Category: Fiction
Closes: 1st May 2003
Fees: $10 for one entry.
Prizes: $150 for first place. Publication on website
Details: Take our breath away--in 500 words or less.
Country: United States
Email: awards@wordsmitten.com
Website: http://www.wordsmitten.com

Haunted Newport Short Story Contest
Category: Fiction
Closes: 1st June 2003
Fees: $10 for one entry. U.S. currency only.
Prizes: $500 for first place. Plus first-time rights publication of
winning entry in "Tales of Haunted Newport" and public reading.
Details: Theme is Haunted Newport--the writer must incorporate
paranormal episodes and at least two Newport, Rhode Island locations
or landmarks (i.e. mansions, Colony House, Newport Bridge, Old Stone
Mill, etc.)
Contact: Austen Sharp Publishing and Promotions, P.O. Box 12, Newport,
RI 02840-0001
Country: United States
Email: scary_tales@hauntednewport.net
Website: http://www.hauntednewport.net

$2,000 Awaits Winners of
Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition

Entries are now being accepted for the 23rd annual Lorian Hemingway
Short Story Competition, created to recognize and encourage the efforts
of writers who have not yet achieved major-market success. Writers
will compete for a $1,000 first prize, $500 second prize, and $500
third prize in this internationally acclaimed competition. Several
honorable mentions are also awarded each year.

Stories in all genres of fiction are welcome. Maximum length is 3,000
words, and writers retain all rights to their work. The final deadline
is May 15, 2003; winners will be announced at the end of July.

For complete guidelines, please visit www.shortstorycompetition.com,
e-mail Calico2419@aol.com, or send an SASE to the
Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition, P.O. Box 993,
Key West, FL 33041.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Books Direct is a UK website where you can join bookclubs which
normally have special offers such as books from 1p a book to join.
UK only.
http://www.myuk.com/booksdirect/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Advance order copies of Georgia's Ghostly Getaways by Kathleen
Walls to get a discount, more details here:
http://www.katywalls.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Advance order a copy of The Briar and the Rose by Laura Mills Alcott
for a chance to win one of over 200 gifts:
http://theromanceclub.com/authors/lauramillsalcott/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SITES/CLASSIFIEDS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone of us has a book locked up inside. If you've ever thought
of publishing, let us show you how. Paperless, no commission
publication. Drop us an email admin@1manmarketing.com .
Publishing your thoughts for independence.
http://www.1manmarketing.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


http://www.aspire2write.com/
articles, contests, free writing software and more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.ideas4writers.co.uk/
Site motto: Great ideas to make yu a better writer
(fee based site)

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www.womenonwriting.com
Interviews with writers, helpful articles, poetry, essays, short
stories, competitions, and various chat forums.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


NUW Book Club
http://clik.to/NUWAuthorsBookClub

March top five:

In St. Patrick's Custody by Janet Elaine Smith (cosy mystery)

Coosa by Jack Prather (historical/memoir)

The Protectors by Mark Haueser (Book 1 of the Second Coming Trilogy)
(fantasy)

A Stab in the Back by Phillip Beebe (sci-fi)

The Enemy Stalks by Betty Sullivan LaPierre (mystery/suspense)

And new for this month, the NUW Book Club announces the Browsable
Book, each month one title will be selected and readers on the site
will be able to read a short extract. March's Browsable Book is
Conduct Unbecoming by Nina M. Osier (sci-fi)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, that's it for March, Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Take care till next time,
Annette.

www.annettegisby.n3.net