Sunday, April 29, 2012

Let's hear it for the eyes...



I love the new cover for THE TRAZ!  I believe it is the girl’s eyes that draw one into the picture.


In the story, Katrina’s icy, clear, brilliant, deep blue eyes are mentioned often. In fact, everyone’s eyes are mentioned—Shrug’s slate grey eyes, Chad’s liquid dark eyes, Stack’s black eyes.  Eye contact and body language play a large part in THE TRAZ—highly reflective of what happens during street-level communication.
 
Clever members of criminal gangs seldom say what they really mean—motives are concealed, business is conducted in coded language, and exotic words and phrases known only to members bind the gang together. Those who possess secrets, knowledge, and information are those who become powerful.

To survive in a gang one must at the very least be able to interpret emotions expressed in basic body language. To advance in a gang, to attain a position of power, one must be able to both conceal one’s emotions and thoughts and see through the facades of others.

Katrina, as young as she is, is fairly adept at reading body language and rapidly hones that skill as she struggles to stay safe amidst the danger.

Learning to read others is a life-enhancing skill for all of us. Being able to tell if someone is joking or serious, sad or angry, focused or distracted is vital in both personal and work place relationships.
Not until we leave behind the self-centred thinking of childhood does our awareness of others become keen enough to read body language.  THE TRAZ may be a teen reader’s first exposure to the concept that much can be said without the use of words. 

It’s my hope that by the end of the book, my young readers will have lost a bit of the egocentricity of childhood and begun to develop the socially important ability to both ‘speak’ and understand body language.
_____________________________
THE TRAZ School edition eBook is free on AmazonKindle for THREE DAYS ONLY-- April 28, 29, 30th. Don’t have a Kindle? No problem—you can easily download Amazon’s free KINDLE FOR PCs software to read eBooks on your computer or Kindle Apps to download to your smart phone.

THE TRAZ is available in paperback and ebook formats and in a special School Edition that includes a Teaching Guide. Click on the following links to purchase or sample THE TRAZ

Also available from other fine online bookstores.
If THE TRAZ is not on your local bookstore or library shelves, ask for it to be ordered in for you.

“LEAVE A COMMENT, WIN A KINDLE” Virtual Book Tour. Follow me through cyberspace as I promote THE TRAZ on blogs around the world. Each time you leave a comment beneath my guest blogs, I’ll enter your name in my draw for a Kindle.  For more details visit my  Facebook Fan Appreciation Page or follow me on Twitter.

Eileen Schuh is also the author of the adult Sci-Fi novella SCHRÖDINGER’S CAT

For more information on Schuh and her books visit her at:
Follow Katrina on Twitter: KatrinaBuckhold

Eileen Schuh, Canadian writer www.eileenschuh.com

Friday, April 27, 2012

THE TRAZ and the kids....

 

 

 THE TRAZ

School Edition

ON SALE!

£0.77  in UK


Click to Download


I was ecstatic when my publisher, Imajin Books, suggested we publish a special School Edition of THE TRAZ. To me, her suggestion was a wonderful tribute to the merit of this novel.  It took me back to those heady weeks following the release of the first edition of THE TRAZ, when I answered several invitations to speak to at-risk children about the social issues touched on in THE TRAZ.

I loved those visits to the class rooms and libraries. I spoke about gangs and drugs. Bullying and adult influences. I spoke about making good decisions...and poor ones.  When one teacher asked me to speak about empowerment, I gained a whole new perspective of THE TRAZ.

As I'm prone to do in real life, I had become too focused on the negatives of the story.  Yes, Katrina made a bad decision to join a criminal gang but she also made good decisions--decisions that would always stand her in good stead.

She was only 13, but her life-long interest in things binary started her down the path to a lucrative career in computers.  She bonded with her Grandma through yoga--learning a mastery of her mind and body that would save her soul during troubled times.  She'd embraced ancestral traditions of hunting and gathering and this connection to nature would make her strong.

Yes, even at 13, Katrina was able to make empowering choices--despite being pelted with tragedies and traumas.  So, yes, THE TRAZ is a story with many positive lessons for those on the cusp of adulthood as well as warnings about the dangerous side of life.
___________________________________

The Teaching/Study Guide includes questions, discussion points, and possible answers on topics such as swearing, gangs, finances, depression, and freedom of speech.  It also includes a list of world-wide resources for help and information on things such as addictions, abuse, street drugs, and suicide.  A similar guide for adults and reading clubs is available on my website as a downloadable pdf file.

THE TRAZ School Edition ebook for Kindle on Amazon!
The School Edition is also available in paperback for $12.99

THE TRAZ 2nd edition ebook is only $1.99
THE TRAZ 1st edition Paperback is only $9.99



Eileen Schuh, Canadian writer
www.eileenschuh.com

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Catching a publisher...

 
How THE TRAZ caught the eyes of a publisher

I was hunkering down to learn the ropes of self-publishing, having given up hopes of capturing an agent or publisher, when I received an emailed contract from WolfSinger Publications for my Sci-Fi novella, SCHRÖDINGER’S CAT.  This was a complete surprise as I had submitted my manuscript almost 2 years earlier.  It was a WONDERFUL surprise, though.  Awesome.


The eyes on this new cover designed by my publisher catch everybody's attention

With such a confidence-booster now under my belt, I decided to continue on my journey to self-publishing—after all, if someone else thought they could make money off my writing, why shouldn’t I believe I could?
 
I spent lots of time and money preparing THE TRAZ for publication and learned many new things. I used some of the money I had saved by quitting smoking to pay for coaching, editing, covers, press releases trailers….

Along with those direct expenses, I built a website and blog, learned to Twitter, and tackled facebook—I increased my cyberspace presence in preparation for marketing THE TRAZ to the world. 


I paid for the design of this cover for THE TRAZ 1st Edition paperback

I established relationships, both online and face-to-face, with librarians, media personnel, teachers, adults who work with at-risk children… I garnered beta readers, proof readers, and reviewers.

I published THE TRAZ first as an eBook and then as a paperback. Once the paperback was out, (shortly after the release of Schrodinger’s Cat) I arranged book-signings, media interviews, and speaking engagements.

Then I began working on publishing the sequel to THE TRAZ. I was about to lay out some coin for the initial editing, when Imajin Books approached me. They wanted the eRights to THE TRAZ and both print and eRights to the sequel. I admit I was astounded. 

Yes, Imajin Books was familiar with me through my online presence, previous correspondence and a business relationship. I knew the publisher had read and reviewed THE TRAZ, but hadn’t read the sequel—nobody had read the sequel. They were willing to take a chance unseen on my next book.  That amazed me—and frightened me. But I quickly signed.

It was a bit difficult to give up the total control one has when self-publishing…but not all that hard—because it is quite easy not to spend all the money needed to bring a fine product to market. It is also quite easy to accept advance deposits into one’s PayPal account.

Besides, I’d been through this process with WolfSinger—and it hadn’t been at all painful.

Soon, Imajin Books also purchased the rights to publish both ebook and print School Editions of THE TRAZ, complete with a Teaching Guide at the back. 

Where’s my career going to go from here?  I can only Imajin….
__________________________________________

THE TRAZ eBook is free on Amazon Kindle for THREE DAYS ONLY-- April 14, 15 and 16. Don’t have a Kindle? No problem—you can easily download Amazon’s free KINDLE FOR PCs software to read eBooks on your computer. There are also Kindle Apps for iPhones and Androids.

THE TRAZ is available in paperback and ebook formats and in a special School Edition that includes a Teaching Guide. Click on the following links to purchase or sample THE TRAZ

Also available from other fine online bookstores.
If THE TRAZ is not on your local bookstore or library shelves, ask for it to be ordered in for you.

LEAVE A COMMENT, WIN A KINDLE” Virtual Book Tour. Follow me through cyberspace as I promote THE TRAZ on blogs around the world. Each time you leave a comment beneath my guest blogs, I’ll enter your name in my draw for a Kindle.  For more details visit my  Facebook Fan Appreciation Page or follow me on Twitter.

Eileen Schuh is also the author of the adult Sci-Fi novella SCHRÖDINGER’S CAT

For more information on Schuh and her books visit her at:
Follow Katrina on Twitter: KatrinaBuckhold





Eileen Schuh, Canadian writer www.eileenschuh.com

Friday, April 13, 2012

Around the World Book Tour


TODAY the new e-edition of 

THE TRAZ

Kindle Edition

Only $1.99 !

Download to your eReader, PC, or SmartPhone

Paperback edition 

only $9.99


In celebration of the new editions of THE TRAZ, I'm virtually travelling around the world to promote this moving story about kids, gangs, drugs, bikers, murder, and cops.

Click to Purchase



Please travel with me because you will learn never-before-published insider info about me and THE TRAZ.

Please leave a comment below each guest article because it lets me know you visited and because I will enter the names of all commenters in my draw for a Kindle (or an optional $100 Cdn Amazon Gift Card).

Here's my itinerary--join me for some fun...

Saturday April 14th CRIMINAL MINDS AT WORK on writing Crime Fiction


Saturday April 14th AUSTRALIA ~ Sheryl Gwyther's blog ~
We talk about the Alberta setting of THE TRAZ and the writing of the novel

Saturday, April 14th - Edmonton, AB CANADA ~Cheryl K Tardif's blog~ The Suspense is Killing Me I talk about THE TRAZ Teaching Guide

Saturday, April 14th - Oregon, USA ~Kai Strand's blog~ Strands of Thought
I speak about THE TRAZ and at-risk children

Saturday, April 14th - Ontario, CANADA  ~Catherine Astolpho's blog~ Katy's Words I talk about the cover of THE TRAZ and the role of body language in the novel

Saturday, April 14th - PORTUGAL  ~ Suzy Turner's blog ~ I talk about how I came up the title for THE TRAZ

Sunday April 15th - back to AUSTRALIA  ~ Sheryl Gwyther's blog ~ to talk more about THE TRAZ

Sunday, April 15th - Texas, USA ~Beth Fehlbaum's blog~ I talk about course language in literature

Monday, April 16th - St. Paul, AB Canada right here on  ~ Magic of the Muses ~  I speak about the twists and turns THE TRAZ took on its road to publication


Also, visit these guest spots that are already live:


Moncton, New Brunswick Canada
~ Sarah Butland's blog ~  I speak about the writing of THE TRAZ

New Jersey, USA ~ Chris Redding's blog ~ I talk about kids unwittingly getting in too deep...and no way to escape, like Katrina-- my young protagonist in THE TRAZ

Eileen Schuh, Canadian writer
www.eileenschuh.com

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

You never have to remember the truth...


Although I write crime fiction, it is true crime that I love reading.  Anne Rule is one of my fave True Crime authors.  

That said, I'm really looking forward to reading Kelly Moran's book YOU NEVER HAVE TO REMEMBER THE TRUTH --a true crime story about the Bembenek case.




I remember "Bambi" escaping from prison and ending up in Canada and the media hoopla surrounding the events.  A new view on this old case, sounds very enticing...

Take it away, Kelly.... 

Author, Kelly Moran

 
Thanks for having me today, Eileen. It's a pleasure. I'll give away one free eBook to a commenter.

I typically write romance and children's books, so writing a true crime memoir was out of the norm for me, but an opportunity I couldn't pass up. See, this happened in my city. I was four when the murder occurred, five when Bembenek was found guilty, and thirteen when Gugliatto helped Bembenek escape prison. I remembered a lot, especially the craziness surrounding the case. It's still going on to this day, not just in Wisconsin, but across the States and Canada.

Though I enjoyed getting involved in this and learned a lot, rest assured I'll stick to my imaginary friends from now on. Now, here's a bit about the book...

BLURB:
It was one of the most sensational murder cases in U.S. history. Lawrencia "Bambi" Bembenek, a former Playboy waitress and ex-Milwaukee police officer, was arguably railroaded and convicted of murder. When all hope of proving her innocence seemed lost, she planned a daring escape from prison with her boyfriend, and together the lovers slipped into Canada under assumed names. Now, nearly twenty years after the escape, Dominic Gugliatto wants to set the record straight. The man who laid it all on the line tells a different tale — one of deception and betrayal. For the first time, Gugliatto speaks out about the lies and secrets long buried. That Bembenek knew more about the murder than she professed, and that the prison escape involved co-conspirators, including a retired Milwaukee police officer. The truth is coming, told by the only man who knows it all.

TRAILER


BUY ON AMAZON:





FIND KELLY:
Web site- www.authorkellymoran.com
Blog- www.kellymoranauthor.blogspot.com/
Facebook- www.facebook.com/authorkellymoran

KELLY'S BIO:
Kelly's been known to say that she gets her ideas from everyone and everything around her, and that there's always a book playing out in her head. No one who knows her bats an eyelash when she talks to herself.
She began her writing career in the Indie market, becoming the recipient of an Editor's Choice Award, a Finalist in the 2008 Best Book Awards, and a Finalist in the 2009 Indie Excellence Awards before moving into traditional publishing. Her books not only have honors from the top review sites, but from NY Times bestsellers too. She is a respected reviewer for Bookpleasures and a Romance Writers of America member.
Kelly's interests include: sappy movies, MLB, NFL, driving others insane, and sleeping when she can. She is a closet caffeine junkie and chocoholic, but don't tell anyone. She resides in Wisconsin with her husband, Darren, three sons, Logan, Evan, & Ethan, and her black lab, Willow. Most of her family lives in the Carolinas, so she spends a lot of time there as well.
_______________________________

Remember to leave a comment below to be eligible to win an eBook from Kelly. It couldn't be easier.

Also, while you're on facebook 'liking' Kelly's author page, stop by and 'like' my facebook author page, too. These special pages don't allow one to have friends, only 'likes' so make sure you click that little thumbs-up icon for the latest on our careers, book deals, give-aways, and other super stuff.

Eileen Schuh, Canadian writer
www.eileenschuh.com

Sunday, April 8, 2012

The Third Easter

 
The look of bewilderment on a 3-year old’s face when told he must look for his Easter basket is priceless. Up until that third Easter, all good things have been handed the child. All of a sudden, after days of anticipation, hours of decorating eggs, aisles of colourful treats—the morning arrives…and he has to look for goodies?

They aren’t just there—in front of him? Under a tree or something? Concealed in nothing more than thin boxes wrapped in thinner paper? What’s up with the bunny?

Enjoy that look of bewilderment for it will never again appear.  Next year, the 4-year old will take to the basket-finding task with vigor and enthusiasm. Rush here and there and everywhere. Look up and down and in and under.

Because he has learned.

Learned that not all good things are handed to him—that with a bit of work on his part he can experience the richness of life.

He has watched the older kids and learned that the more diligently and quickly he looks, the sooner he can reap his award.

He has learned that beneath the ordinary—treasures are waiting to be discovered.  

He has learned that in his everyday unchanged world, magic can happen—but he must make the effort to find it.

Ah, yes…the things that Easter Bunny teaches us….


Eileen Schuh, Canadian writer www.eileenschuh.com