# Casey Holland Transit Security Mysteries



## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I'm delighted to report that my publisher has finally made my first Casey Holland transit security mystery available on Kindle!! Here's a blurb of the book:

When police inform transit security officer Casey Holland of her father's murder the previous night, Casey doesn't believe them. After all, she buried her dad three years earlier. Complicating the situation is the stranger now following Casey, the irritating new tenant living below her, and her estranged mother, Lillian. The search for answers about her father's past takes Casey to Europe, where she discovers how little she knew about her parents. But revelations only lead to more trouble. A killer wants the missing three million dollars he's convinced Casey has, and he'll he won't stop killing until he gets it.

You can also see the book trailer at: http://www.youtube.com/user/TouchWoodEditions#p/u/3/ojgoDKDW_ck

Thanks!!
Debra


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Hi Debra, and congratulations on your book! 

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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

This week, I'm a guest blogger on Pat Bertram's wonderful blog. Pat's graciously interviewed me about my work, and especially about _The Opposite of Dark_. At the end of the interview there's also a link to an excerpt of the book! You can find it at http://patbertram.wordpress.com/2011/12/26/debra-purdy-kong-author-of-the-opposite-of-dark/

Thanks, and a very Happy New Year to everyone!!

Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone, and Happy New Year!

I've been very fortunate to be on two guest blogs over recent days. The most recent one is on Dorothy Dreyer's blog, at http://we-do-write.blogspot.com/2011/12/interview-with-debra-purdy-kong.html

Thanks!
Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone, here's part of a long review for _The Opposite of D_ark. I don't believe this one was posted on amazon.com.

Casey Holland is a transit security officer who enjoys her job and capturing petty criminals is second nature to her. But, when she takes down her last suspect and is interrogated by her boss and the police what she learns is definitely going to change her life. Imagine burying your father and finding out that he might have died again? Imagine picturing him in his coffin and then being told by the police they just found his body and he is dead? All of the documents found lead the police to believe the man they found is her father and that the person buried might have been a fraud. But, as the clues are uncovered and she identifies the body Casey realizes that the man she buried as her father three years before was really someone else and the man in the morgue is her father. Why did he fake his death? Who is buried and why did he invent a secret life for himself allowing her to think he was dead? These questions still remain to be answered as the plot thickens in this outstanding mystery titled The Opposite of Dark by author Debra Purdy Kong.

Working as a transit security officer she meets some really unsavory people but her police and investigative skills seem to equal or even surpass that of the detectives on the case and for some reason they are withholding information from her but she has yet to learn why.

Auhor Debra Purdy Kong weaves a tale so intricate and detailed filled with so many plot twists that the reader will stay glued to the printed page until everything is finally sorted out. Did Rhonda, her father's fiancé and her close friend have anything to do with the murder? Who is this new tenant Darcy that appeared out of nowhere and claims concern for her? Why did her daughter Summer see him coming out of Casey's room? What connection does he have to Theodore Ziegler her father's partner? Wait until all of the pieces fit together and your find out the hidden truth, the secrets, lies and deceits of all of these characters and much more. As Casey delves in deeper her friend Lou faces more dangers just by being close to her. Will anyone survive this killer? Will she ever find out the truth behind her father's death? Who is in the morgue and what relationship did he have to her father and to Rhonda? The answer to these questions you won't believe and you will have to read for yourself.

There are so many layers to this story and so many levels to this plot as Casey learns the truth behind her father's death, her mother's lies and deceptions, Rhonda's duplicity and much more. Meeting Theo Ziegler, learning who Gustaf Osterman was and hearing from too many sources including Rhonda's different truths about her father, his business dealings and three million dollars that seems to be at the center of all these murders. Greed, deceit, love triangles, one child named Summer caught in more than the crossfire and purse-snatcher that might have started it all. When the police are late and their communications and signals are crossed will Casey get away from a killer or will she never see the light when there is so much dark. As the pieces fall together and the darkness falls and surrounds Casey and her best friend lies critically ill in the hospital will the light ever shine for her again? This is one fast paced novel filled with characters that will definitely keep the reader wondering just who can Casey trust if anyone and what happens when the startling truths are revealed. This is a definite must read and let's hope author Debra Purdy Kong brings Casey Holland back again and brings her a shining light.

Fran Lewis: Reviewer


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I've been reading a number of articles about the growing conflict over ebook rights, between publishers, authors, and/or their family members. The question is who owns the ebook rights to decades-old titles? While this might not apply to those of us who've only published in recent years, it is relevant for anyone who's published in print before the whole question of digital rights was an issue. Here's what's happening:

The latest battle for ebook rights involves HarperCollins and a company called Open Road Integrated Media Inc., whose owner is a former HarperCollins CEO. Open Road released an ebook version of a popular children's book published in 1972 called Julie of the Wolves. (To date, 3.8 million copies have been sold). HC is suing for copyright infringement, claiming they still have rights to the book, even though the original contract was made long before the digital age flourished.

It's a huge issue. As one publisher noted, ebook revenue for publishers could be as much as 40% by the end of 2012. HC states that the ebook is directly competitive with the print book, which is still being sold. They also indicate that they had planned to bring out an ebook version. A spokesman for Open Road states that HC is trying to intimidate authors and grab rights that were nonexistent several decades ago.

And this is the crux of the matter. If there were no clauses in an author's contract addressing ebook and other digital rights, does a publisher have rights to those books? Some publishers are claiming that they do. Since big bucks are at stake, you can expect this issue to be played out many times in the near future. To read more, go to http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052970203436904577153142705735660-lMyQjAxMTAyMDEwMDExNDAyWj.html?mod=wsj_share_email


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

I'm one of those writers who likes to know what's going on in the publishing world, but a recent article in Guardian.co.uk caught me by surprise, and then it kind of bothered me.

The article is about hostile responses to a negative book review. Apparently, one incident in particular recently invaded Goodreads and Twitter. I love Goodreads. It's a wonderful place for readers and writers to gather and share a love of books, and although I only belong to a handful of groups, I've never seem flame wars erupt there, but it seems at least one has happened lately. The war apparently spilled onto Twitter where authors and even agents have also stepped into the fray.

According to the article, a much-hyped young adult novel called _Tempest_ by Julia Cross received a negative review, which caused the author's friends to put down the review and the reviewer. Even the author's agent offered up comments. Their responses caused more backlash from readers until all hell broke loose on the forums, resulting in reader and review bashing on both sides. The article makes it clear that the author at the center of all this responded gracefully.

I want to reflect on reviews in general. First there's a difference between a negative review and a bad review. In my mind, a bad review is a poorly written condemnation (or the exact opposite) that misses the point of the work, but caters to the reviewer's agenda. Bad reviews, if totally off the wall, can be removed from places like amazon, if one is so inclined.

But why respond to negative reviews? Aren't they simply one person's opinion? Maybe some reviews will hurt sales, but maybe they'll help. There is some merit to the line, "a bad review is better than no review at all", and I know indie authors who've garnered impressive sales numbers, reviews notwithstanding.

The bottom line is do you want to harm your reputation as a reviewer, author, publisher, or agent by jumping into these types of name-calling squabbles? Is it worth it to create the kind of bad blood that will make future readers not want to buy your books, or read your reviews? Sure, lots of opinions on the Net are irritating. If we feel compelled to reply, shouldn't we at least take time to think carefully before we reply? As the article demonstrates, words are powerful. Let's use them wisely.
You can find the whole article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jan/16/ya-novel-readers-publishing-establishment


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

This week, I was interviewed on the "Sweater Cursed" blog by mystery writer and knitter extraordinaire, Leanne Dyck. Leanne was also kind enough to post the first chapter of The Opposite of Dark, so if you're interested in reading the excerpt, go to

http://sweatercursed.blogspot.com/2012/01/opposite-of-dark-by-debra-purdy-kong.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheSweaterCurse+%28The+Sweater+Curse%29

Just scroll down below the gorgeous guy on Leanne's book cover!

Thanks,


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

This week, I've been working on the 5th book in my Casey Holland series. I wrote the first draft over a period of several weeks, and now I'm doing heavy rewriting on the 2nd draft to bring some chapters to my writer's group. But as I started the edits, I began wondering if I'd brought back too many characters in this story. When your books center around someone's workplace, you can wind up with a lot of characters. But it's always interesting to introduce new people, right?

I brought the chapter that sparked this whole inner debate to the group and the consensus was that this character (Marie Crenshaw) who appears in _The Opposite of Dark _ is colorful enough to keep in the series. So, that's what I'm doing, but the character's role will change significantly in this book. She won't be the antagonist, she'll be the ally against a new antagonist. Switching it up will keep the story fresh and intriguing, I hope. We'll see how it goes.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone, I wanted to give you a heads up warning about certain online ebook publishing courses.

This week, I read an interesting article by Angela Hoy, owner of WritersWeekly.com, about an online course which is teaching writers how to write ebooks and become rich. Sounds good, doesn't it? Can you see how newbies would be attracted to the pitch of no financial investment and guaranteed success?

The instructor of this particular course informed his students that they could quickly produce nonfiction ebooks by taking information from other books on a subject and compiling it to create their own book! But it gets worse. Said instructor also advised students to create a pseudonym that would complement their topic and purchase a portrait from a stock photography website. The implication was that students could take this a step further by adding letters behind their name to establish "credibility". Are you kidding me? As Angela states, this is fraud, folks. And any writer who attempts to do this is setting themselves up for lawsuits, which they could quite possibly lose.

Apparently, there are several websites and online courses offering writers the path to riches by pilfering other writers' work. Unfortunately, plagiarism, get-rich-quick schemes, blatant scams, and misleading promises targeting writers is nothing new. Remember those American poetry contests who tell you how wonderful your poem is, publish it as part of a collection than sell the book to you for fifty bucks? Remember those publishers who said your work needed a bit more editing and they gave a recommendation, only that individual had a business relationship with the publisher which involved grabbing as much of your cash as possible?

Fraud is a shape-shifter. It changes form to suit the needs and opportunity of the day. It's always there, right before your eyes, all nicely packaged in a deal that sounds wonderful. I'm betting that most of you are savvy writers who know better. But I'm also betting that most of you know a newbie who's just starting out and wonders about these courses. Guide them down the right path, okay? You can visit Angela's website at www.WritersWeekly.com, or go directly to her article at http://writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/007184_02082012.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Recently, I attended a writing colleague’s book launch for her debut novel, Exit Strategy. It was great fun and I was happy to be invited. I know what it’s like to stand in front of a room of people talking about one’s book, and then signing said book to an appreciative and friendly audience. It’s both gratifying and terribly nerve-wracking.

Since I have a book launch coming up at the end of March, it got me to thinking about launches in general. I’ve attended a few in my time at a variety of locales: restaurants, recreation centers, art centers, an Anglican church (the subject matter was appropriate to the location), and even in my own home for my first novel.

I like attending book launches for two reasons: one is that it’s a joy to see all the years of work, doubt, and struggle pay off for a writer. Secondly, I get to be among the first to read the book and acquire a signed copy. I’m building a wonderful collection of signed books from all sorts of authors, and they’re treasures I plan to keep.

Book launches are like weddings: they bring people together to celebrate an important event in an individual’s life. After the talking and signing is done, there are refreshments and often a party-like atmosphere. Book launches are mercifully shorter than weddings, however, and you don’t have to buy a gift; just a book, if you choose. It’s always optional.

I respect the fact that not everyone likes book launches. They are a great ego boost for the host, after all, and difficult to execute for introverted authors (many of us fit this category). They can also be expensive if one goes all out with food, drink, and decorations. Also, if you’re hoping to put a book a year, is it realistic to expect friends, family, and acquaintances to attend year after year? On the other hand, maybe launches are the excuse people need to come together and confirm that dreams do survive in an increasingly fragmented and turbulent world. Stripped down, book launches can be intimate, humble, friendly, and even moving.

With the growing number of people owning ereaders, iPads, and iPhones, I don’t see why ebook authors can’t hold launches as well. While not everyone owns one of these devices yet, odds are they will in the future. Can you imagine reading from your new book at your launch, while your guests download the book simultaneously? Wouldn’t that be cool?


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

With so many books published each year, it's often difficult to find reviewers, especially established people who review for major publications. So, I didn't expect much attention for The Opposite of Dark, and I didn't get it. Such is life.

But my second book in this series was just released (in print; Kindle will follow in time) and I received a review in a major publication! After 31 years of writing, this is truly a first for me. Here it is, for better or worse...

http://arts.nationalpost.com/2012/02/24/crimewave-the-wild-beasts-of-wuhan-last-dance-deadly-accusations/

Thanks,
Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

About a decade ago, my mother and I were talking about the distant future, when I’d be able to collect government pensions and retire from writing. What struck me about that conversation was her assumption that I would retire while still relatively young (65 is still young to me), just as she had from her day job. She seemed taken aback when I told her I had no plans to ever retire.

Recently, I’ve begun to wonder if that statement is still completely true. Certainly, at some point in my life I’ll cut back on the two blogs a week, book reviews, and novel-a-year output, but completely? Somehow I doubt it, but you never know what the future will bring.

I do know a growing number of writers who, for different reasons, have decided to cut down, or walk away from writing altogether. Some of it is about wanting to do other things on their bucket list. Some are planning to stop writing for health reasons, and still others simply can’t be bothered keeping up with all the technology and marketing expectation foisted on them over the past couple of decades, especially if they started their careers in the 60’s or 70’s.

I’m wondering if there are writers who decide to pack it in after their series comes to an end, whether by choice or not. Which leads me to the question, at what point does one retire a series? For me, it’s not that difficult. Before the first book, The Opposite of Dark, was released, my publisher, editor, and I discussed where the series was going and how many books it might take to get there before Casey’s story ended. While I have a pretty good idea, I don’t have the answer completed nailed down. However, like J.K. Rowling with the Harry Potter series, I already know exactly how my series will end and what the final scene will be. It’s probably the only thing she and I have in common, except perhaps a passion for writing. Rowling wrote her final scene long before she finished the final Harry Potter book. I still have to write mine.

Planning for the retirement of a series isn’t a bad thing. After all, who wants a character to overstay their welcome? As for retiring as a writer, well clearly that decision is personal and probably changes from year to year, due to circumstances. I prefer to keep my options open. How about you? Do you have a retirement plan for yourself or your series?


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

If you haven't had time to read recent Writer's Cafe threads, one of the latest hot topics in the publishing world is that the U.S. Department of Justice has told Apple and five of the big six publishers that they are facing lawsuits for colluding to raise the price of ebooks. The complaint is that Apple and the publishers are making books more expensive for consumers by altering the way retail prices are set. Whether the lawsuit proceeds remains to be seen, however the outcome could have a big impact on Barnes & Noble.

But there's more to the story. Author's Guild president Scott Turow has written a letter stating that the lawsuit would be grim news for anyone who cherishes a "rich literary culture". Hmm. I'm not exactly sure what he means by that, and as you'll see below, neither do Joe Konrath and Barry Eisler. I won't go into a lot of detail or analysis here, but Turow apparently views amazon and the changes they've brought to the publishing and bookselling world as a huge threat to traditional publishers and brick and mortar stores. There are a number of points made in the letter, but at the end of it he says that the lawsuit could kill real competition in order to save the appearance of competition. You can draw your own conclusions after reading the letter at 
http://blog.authorsguild.org/2012/03/09/letter-from-scott-turow-grim-news/

Finally, Joe Konrath and Barry Eisler have responded to Turow's letter, shall I say, less than favorably. To start with, they are also suspicious of words like "rich literary culture" and have their own take on the situation, which you can read at http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2012/03/barry-joe-scott-turow.html

And you think you have trouble finding the right price point for your ebooks? Sheesh! Things seem to get more complicated and tumultuous every month, and I find myself asking, do they really need to be?


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

This week, I'm preparing to launch the sequel of _The Opposite of Dark_, in print form. One of the great things about writing a series is that a new book often sparks interest in the first book.

I regret that I didn't do more to promote _The Opposite of Dark_ when it was first released. One of the mistakes made was that I thought my publisher was taking care of arranging events. They definitely did arrange some cool things, but other plans fell through and I didn't know until after the fact. So, now I'm taking charge and stepping up to sell books and arrange things...things I used to do with my Alex Bellamy series, but not to the degree that I now am.

So, here we go again. A second chance, and new learning experiences, I'm sure.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I'm delighted to report that my second Casey Holland mystery, Deadly Accusations, is now available on Kindle! This was an unexpected surprise as the kindle version of the first book, The Opposite of Dark, wasn't released until about five months after the print version. However, I guess my publisher sees the value of releasing ebook versions at the same time as the print versions. As you all know, there are plenty of Kindle-only readers! Here's the book's blurb:

Transit security cop, Casey Holland is back investigating acts of violence on MPT buses. Someone is smashing windows with rocks on the moving M6, while racial hatred between pre-teens on the M10 threatens to erupt into all-out war. The murder of Casey's coworker escalates the animosity and violence, causing tension among MPT staff. The situation grows more dangerous when gunshots and threats threaten children's lives.

Amidst the professional turmoil, Casey struggles to adjust to her new role as a legal guardian to a traumatized teen, and deal with the loss of her mother. Deadly Accusations is a psychological study about secrets, loss of control, and the lengths some will go to keep it. Is the killer a friend and colleague, or is someone else lurking in the dark?

Thanks!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Saturday was the book launch for my second Casey novel, Deadly Accusations. Those things are always a bit scary, but I actually really enjoyed myself. I prepared a talk about how I really became a writer. There were a lot of twists and turns in the road before I chose this as a career, and nearly 30 years passed before I was able to write full time. But I'm here now, and enjoying every minute.

The idea for Casey Holland, by the way, came from an experience many years ago when I was working a temp job for a transit company. I saw a young woman walk into the office one day, wearing a black leather mini skirt and jacket, and learned that she was an undercover transit security officer. It took many years before Casey Holland was created and found her way into print. But the journey was worth the wait.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

The Association of American Publishers has released its latest round of stats, and I thought you might find the results interesting. First, we're getting a clearer picture of the state of bookselling in the U.S, as the AAP has increased the number of publishers providing input from approximately ninety to 1,149. They've also added categories such as children/YA ebooks.

What's really interesting to note is the 11.5% rise in both print and ebook sales. Those who claim that print books are on their way out might want to rethink that idea. The report suggests that an improving economy could explain why people are buying more books from brick and mortar stores. Also, in January of last year, Borders was returning heaps of books, which is not the case this year, seeing as how they closed shop. Adult trade books rose by 16.4% this year, although mass market books are still down.

Also interesting to note is that the increase in childrens/YA ebooks has driven sales of print and digital books up a whopping 80.5%. Publishers attribute this huge rise to the availability of books for reading devices designed for that age group.

These stats are a really positive sign. People are buying more books in both print and ebook formats. In fact, you'll see the rise in almost every category AAP lists with only three exceptions. Religious paperbacks, mass market books, and children's board books sales are down. You can see the entire chart through the Shelf Awareness article at http://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=1703#m15549


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

For those who live near Victoria, British Columbia, I and two colleagues will be attending At the Mic Night, to chat about our latest mysteries all released this spring (mine is Deadly Accusations) and answer questions on Tues., April 24th at Cadboro Bay Books, 3840B Cadboro Bay Road at 7:00 p.m. Please join us if you can.

Meanwhile, a newsletter I subscribe to posted a list of the top bestselling fiction authors of all time. The list comes from Wikipedia, so I'm not sure it's completely accurate, but it is fun to read. This list includes only those known to have sold 100 million copies or more. Since precise numbers are impossible to determine for many, a column of minimum to maximum estimated sales is provided. Not enough is known about the sale records of some well-known authors to include them in the list at all. Also, the list doesn't include comic book authors, but it does include the number of titles each author published. Here's the top eleven:

William Shakespeare, 2 billion minimum to 4 billion maximum (44+ titles published)
Agatha Christie, 2 billion - 4 billion (85 titles)
Barbara Cartland, 500 million - 1 billion (she published 723 titles!)
Danielle Steel, 500 million - 800 million (72 titles)
Harold Robbins, his minimum and maximum is 750 million (23 titles)
Geroge Simenon, 500 million - 750 million (570 published books!)
Sidney Sheldon, 370 million - 600 million (only 19 titles, my how lazy!)
Enid Blyton, 300 million - 600 million (children's author with 800 titles)
Dr. Seuss, 100 million - 500 million (44 titles)
Gilbert Patten, 125 million - 500 million (209 adolescent adventures)
J.K. Rowling, 350 million - 450 million (7 titles. That in itself is one heck of a record)

You can find the complete list at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_fiction_authors Also on that link, you can click on each individual's name to learn more about them. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to the keyboard. Clearly, I have some work to do.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Today, I'm preparing for a trip to Victoria to take part in an At THE MIKE night with fellow authors. I did this a year ago and had a great time answering questions and talking with the audience. It feels good to get away from the computer and actually go out and meet people.

Last week, I hosted the Arthur Ellis shortlight night, where we announced this year's nominees for Canada's Arthur Ellis awards. These awards are designed to celebrate excellence in crime writing, and the winners will be announced on May 31st, at the Bloody Words conference. For anyone interested in the list of nominees, or to learn more about this year's conference in Toronto, please check out the Crime Writers of Canada website. www.crimewriterscanada.com There's lots of information about Canadian crime writing and crime writers on the site!

Cheers,
Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Promotion for the newly released Deadly Accusations goes pretty well, and recently I received the most amazing review I've ever had. It's from Canada's national book trade magazine Quill and Quire! You can find it at http://www.quillandquire.com/reviews/review.cfm?review_id=7607

Thanks!
Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Ah yes, it's that time of year again, the month when we Canadian crime authors celebrate what we do for a living, or try to. It's practically a motto among many of us that crime doesn't pay, nearly enough. At least we're good at spreading the word that crime writing is alive and well in Canada.

This year's short list for the Best Novel category in Canada's Arthur Ellis Crime Writing Awards features well-known authors (including Louise Penny, William Deverell, and Peter Robinson) not only in Canada but internationally! Beyond the prestigious list of nominees are a number of others Canadian crime writers whose work sells in other countries. I invite you take to visit the Crime Writers of Canada website to learn about more authors and there work. www.crimewriterscanada.com

This month, I have, or will be, participating in events to help raise our profile. Last weekend at the Victoria Public Library's central branch, we held a day-long event of panel discussions and an interactive mini Toastmasters session moderated by Robin Spano. It was terrific to see so many audience members bravely stand in front of the panel and read snippets of their work and then face critique. It was helpful for all of us who have to get up there and read aloud from time to time.

Also this month, Crime Writers of Canada is being featured on CBC's Canada Writes website, and will be posting writing tips from several members throughout the month. Yesterday was my turn, and my 100 words on writing the big scene is now up there for the world to see. You can find it at http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadawrites/2012/05/debra-purdy-kong-the-big-scene.html Below the tip, you'll find a link to more writing tips.

Last but not least, we'll be celebrating crime writing at this year's Bloody Words conference in Toronto from May 31st to 3rd. In addition to the awards banquet announcing the AE winners on the 31st, there will be a number of great events, including workshops, agent appointments, manuscript evaluations and so forth. You can check out more information about the conference at www.bloodywords2012.com

Hope to see you there!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone.

Have you ever thought of acquiring an agent? Not that long ago, and perhaps for some writers today, a writer's goal was to land a top agent who could sell their manuscript to big six publishers, obtain foreign rights, movie deals, and get the best possible contract for each. But things began to change. Recession made publishers more "risk adverse" and therefore less likely to take on new writers unless their books had obvious bestseller potential. The ebook and self-publishing revolution enabled thousands of writers to reprint their backlists, or publish new work without going through the long ordeal of acquiring an agent and publisher. Writers began to wonder if there was any point to having an agent? The answer is both yes and no, depending on the writer's dreams and desires.

I have plenty of anecdotal information about my and colleagues' experiences with agents, and most of it hasn't been great, but I repeat, this is anecdotal only. A recent blog by Dean Wesley Smith, talking about agents, caught my eye, and no, he wasn't agent bashing. In part, it was stupid writer bashing. What he did say about agents, though, was interesting.

The bottom line, Smith says, is that agents stopped working for writers years ago and began working for publishers, unofficially, of course. He goes onto say why agents are bad for the smart writers of the world: ie., taking part of their copyright, having complete control of funds going in and out, etc. He also says that the AAR (an American association many agents belong to) doesn't like the lawsuit the Department of Justice filed against publishers and Apple for colluding to keep ebook prices high (see my blog of March 11, "Ebook Pricing Issues Could Wind Up in Court").

Smith maintains that agents and publishers came together (sort of) to help establish ebook pricing that would grant both of them a larger piece of the pie, and that little thought was given to authors, at least those who aren't bestselling authors. It's a thought-provoking blog, and I would encourage anyone who's thinking of acquiring an agent to read it. I really have no idea whether Smith is right or wrong about agents working for publishers. I haven't been in his shoes, however, he has had three top agents, been traditionally publishing books for over thirty years, and understands the business better than most writers. So, take a look at http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=6876


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Over recent years, I've had several interesting discussions with writers, albeit none of them with the big six publishers, who've been lamenting over the pressure to write more books quickly. Many felt pressured to write one book a year. Many also discovered that their second or third books didn't garner the glowing reviews of their first book, often because reviewers thought the plot or characters weren't as fully developed as they could have been. This was a dilemma, I thought for all writers, however, a recent post by Kristine Kathryn Rusch was a real eye opener.

Rusch maintains that as little as three years ago, big six publishers were discouraging their writers from producing too many books, primarily because the cost to produce them was so high. Rusch states that the average midlist novel costs the publisher $250,000 to produce, figuring in the cost of paper, shipping, returns, etc., and that fewer authors were selling enough copies to reach the 4% profit margin the publisher wanted. Therefore, unless the author was a guaranteed superstar, such as Nora Roberts, publishers were reluctant to publish a book every year. Rusch also said that publishers now seem determined to rid themselves of mass market paperbacks by producing fewer of them, opting for trade paperbacks instead.

The ebook revolution, however, has changed these publishers' attitude toward volume. They've begun to see the financial gain in publishing ebooks (because many of them aren't granting their authors large royalties), and they're jumping on the lets-publish-lots bandwagon that self-publishers have been doing for some time now. Admittedly, much of the drive to publish more comes from readers who want lots of books from their favorite authors. Romance authors, for instance, have been dealing with this for a long time, and it wasn't uncommon (probably still isn't) for established authors to write three books a year.

To meet the demands of readers (and make more money) big six publishers are now apparently pressuring their writers into writing more ebook novellas or long short stories. Publishers tell their writers that it will help sell their next book. One of the problems with this thinking is not only the pressure to maintain quality work, but the lack of financial benefit for the writer. Rusch points out that these big six, and often bestselling authors (excluding the superstars) are receiving no advances and terrible royalties for their novellas/short stories. In other words, it's more work for a financial payoff that may or may not happen much further down the road.

Rusch says that "every writer gets better terms from traditional publishing on paper formats than they do on e-formats". And this, folks, is an important aspect about the business of writing that we all need to keep in mind. Traditionally published, established writers are doing more work just to maintain the status quo, but not necessarily seeing the extra dollars in their pockets.

Rusch writes a great deal more about this issue than I can discuss here, so I encourage you to read her fascinating blog at http://kriswrites.com/2012/05/16/the-business-rusch-the-brutal-2000-word-day/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

An interesting article in The Guardian reported that, based on a survey of 1,007 self-published authors (a tiny fraction of this group) the average amount of money earned in 2011 was $10,000 and half of those surveyed earned less than $500. If any of you have been following the forums on amazon.com or Kindleboards these stats probably won't surprise you. Sure, there are many success stories of authors doing far better than $10,000, but there are even more who aren't despite good promotion efforts.

Here's another interesting tidbit from the study. Romance authors earned 170% more than those writing in other genres. Science fiction writers earned 38% of that $10,000 income, fantasy writers earned 32%, and literary authors just 20%. Mystery/thriller writers weren't even mentioned in the study, so I have no idea where we stand.

The thing is, the success of people like Amanda Hocking, John Locke, and El James (all of whom have sold a million ebooks or more) has become so widespread that plenty of newbie authors with rejected manuscripts in their drawers are pulling them out and publishing them in hopes that they might grab a piece of that action. Some of them will, but a lot won't, especially if they haven't taken the time to edit and format their books properly, not to mention acquire a great cover and jacket blurb. You can read the article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/may/24/self-published-author-earnings?cat=books&type=article

While self-publishing is still flourishing, it's not a dream come true for everyone, but it certainly seems to offer more writers the opportunity to make money and gain readers than they would have if their manuscripts were still languishing on that slush cart.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I just returned from my first Bloody Words conference in Toronto since 2000. Although I was born in Toronto, my parents left when I was a baby so my connection to it is kind of strange. I have relatives there, yet the city feels like a foreign world on the rare occasions I return. I have to say, though, that the clouds and rain, and downtown construction which messed up traffic was a lot like being home in Vancouver.

As a member of Crime Writers of Canada’s executive board, it was time for me to brave the long plane ride and finally return. I was impressed with the Hilton’s facilities and really enjoyed the conference. Things were easy to find and the coffee maker in my room was a huge bonus, since I averaged 4 to 5 hours of sleep a night.

Aside from the great pleasure of seeing old friends and meeting new ones, there were many highlights, but I can’t cover them all, so I’ll focus on Thursday night, which was the banquet to announce the Arthur Ellis Awards winners (I listed the nominees back in April). As part of our promotion efforts to raise CWC’s profile, a couple of board members arranged a special themed dessert with Sugarstars, a team of people who produce a show for The Food Network, which will be shown in August (date to be announced).

After the banquet and awards ceremony, we were hurdled to another room where the TV cameras and desserts were waiting. The team recreated an autopsy room, complete with a skeleton and x-rays on screens. There was a shrouded “corpse” with two large feet made of cake sticking out. You know, it’s pretty weird when someone’s standing there with a knife, asking if you’d like one toe, or two. Also, there were arteries, cupcakes iced with “brains” which looked far too real to eat. There were also test tubes filled with a red drink I wasn’t bold enough to try either, plus “eyeballs”. For a moment, I thought I’d walked into a horror set, but it was all great fun.

And here’s the list of Arthur Ellis winners:

Best Crime Short Story went to Cathy Astolfo for “What Kelly Did” in NorthWord Magazine. Cathy was also awarded the Derrick Murdoch Award for her many contributions over the years to Crime Writers of Canada.

Best Crime Nonfiction went to Joshua Knelman for his book Hot Art: Chasing Thieves and Detectives Through the Secret World of Stolen Art.

Best Juvenile or Young Adult Crime went to Tim Wynne-Jones for his novel Blink & Caution.

Best Crime Book in French went to Martin Michaud, for La chorale du diable 

Best Unpublished First Novel went to Sam Wiebe for Last of the Independents

Best First Novel went to Ian Hamilton for The Water Rat of Wanchai

Best Crime Novel went to Peter Robinson for Before the Poison

The Derrick Murdoch Award also went to Don Graves, a terrific reviewer for the Hamilton Spectator and longtime supporter of Canadian crime fiction and crime writers.

Needless to say, there were many more highlights throughout the conference, but it would take too long to mention them all here. All I can say is that another Toronto conference will be held in 2014. Be there!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Recently, I captured the attention of a bus driver, (for those who don't know, my protagonist Casey Holland is a transit security cop) who also writes the newsletter for his union. He found me on twitter and we struck up a conversation. Long story short, he's featured my Casey Holland transit security mysteries in the summer issue of the union newsletter. He'll also be consultant for the current book I'm working on, which is about driver assaults, which is a huge problem here in Vancouver. This will be an intense book!

Meanwhile, I'm offering a giveaway of a hardcover copy of The Opposite of Dark, which ends June 23rd. You can find it at http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/27185-the-opposite-of-dark

Thanks!
Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I'm happy to announce that my website has finally been updated! It features first chapter excerpts to all four of my mysteries, review excerpts, and links to ordering for different ereaders. You can find it at www.debrapurdykong.com

Meanwhile, I came across an interesting blog by novelist Jon F. Merz this week, where he wrote (and apparently has written) a lot about the changing tide in publishing. You've heard it before: traditional publishers are losing their stronghold on publishing and many still refuse to accept that self-publishing is working well for a number of authors. He believes publishers are still spewing a load of BS about the importance of traditional publishing because of better editing and marketing, etc. Merz wrote that of his first four books published by Kensington, only one was edited. He also wrote that the national TV, radio, and print campaign he understood would be forthcoming never happened. Needless to say, he's now a champion of self-publishing, stating that complete control over one's publishing career is better, as are the royalties (70% vs. 17.5% his publisher paid). Merz believes this is truly the time of what he calls the Authorpreneur.

An Authorpreneur, he says, is someone who embraces technology that puts them in charge of their own destiny. They study the industry and position themselves to take advantage. They work continuously at their craft and adopt many hats, including editing and formatting, hiring cover designers, and marketing, etc. Merz ends the piece by saying it's the time of the Authorpreneur and it's about time, too. http://jonfmerz.net/blog/

Well, maybe, but maybe not. Not all traditional publishers drop the ball as badly as his did. My publisher edited both of my books. They sent out many advanced review copies, which resulted in reviews I could never hope to gain as a self-publisher. They also have my books distributed through the Chapters chain, something self-publishers cannot do thanks to the chain's policies.

Secondly, many of the authors who've left traditional publishing to celebrate the control self-publishing offers had already developed a readership, largely due to better distribution and access to reviews self-publishers would kill for. Would people like Konrath and Dean Wesley Smith be selling as many copies today if they were just releasing their first titles now, as self-publishers?

Third, and here's my main point: a lot of self-published authors don't want to be Authorpreneurs, aren't keeping abreast of industry changes, and don't view writing and publishing as a business. I don't want to speculate on the percentage of self-published authors who have no interest in working that hard, but I'm guessing that it's pretty high. Despite technology, ease of publishing, and access to potential readers, it's not that much easier to sell a book, especially in large numbers, as self-publisher than as a traditionally published author. Just ask the authors (indie and traditionally published) on Kindleboards who share their stats, good and bad.

The bottom line is that, sure, for many lucky, excellent, or marketing savvy authors, self-publishing's time has come, but there are plenty of others who are watching from the sidelines, their single copy in hand, wondering how they managed to miss the boat, and whether they should really care. After all, there's always another book to write, another chance at fame and fortune.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

While all of us love our ereaders, Bowker released some stats showing a 6% growth in the number of print books published in 2011 in the U.S.; the first significant growth in four years. In case you're curious, the number of print titles published last year was 347,178. Would you be surprised to learn that the extra 6% came solely from self-published books? Without them the number of titles would have been completely flat, although, given the number of books already on the market, I'm not sure this would have been a terrible thing. Many of us won't be able to get through a fraction of the number of books published in a single year, in our lifetime.

According to an article excerpt in The Passive Guy newsletter, most people are still reading print books, says an analyst with publishing research firm Simba Information. Based on my own anecdotal observations, I agree. Whenever I'm on planes or ferries the majority of readers are holding print books. On a recent airplane from Toronto to Vancouver, I spotted about six electronic reading devices, but many more people held paperbacks. Whenever I sell books at venues, perhaps two out of every fifty people ask if they're available on Kindle. Sure, the ebook revolution is growing, but it hasn't taken over yet, and won't be this year. You can read more of the article by subscribing to the Passive Voice newsletter at www.thepassivevoice.com

Here's another reason why print still rules. A recent Pew Center poll showed that over half of Americans aren't aware that libraries lend out ebooks. Only 12% of Americans had borrowed an ebook last year. Aside from the lack of awareness, a little over half of those polled said the ebook they wanted to borrow wasn't available at their library, or there was a waiting list. 18% of people said their ereaders weren't compatible with the ebooks they wanted. Interestingly, 46% said that they'd like to borrow an ereader with the book they wanted already loaded, while only a third said they were interested in learning how to download borrowed ebooks. Clearly, there are still glitches in the ebook borrowing system, but they will be worked out over time. Meanwhile, I'm still loving both worlds and the freedom of choice it brings. You can read more of the article at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/22/libraries-ebooks-_n_1617630.html


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## lmolaski (May 16, 2011)

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

You're very welcome, and thanks for your comment. Much appreciated!!

Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I'm thrilled to announce that my third Casey Holland novel, Beneath the Bleak New Moon, will be released in print and Kindle in the Fall of 2013! The editing process starts in September, which is always one of my favorite parts of writing.

Meanwhile, I came across two insightful blogs this week that reflect different thoughts on ebook publishing. Both blogs are quite candid and well worth reading. The first by Jeff Bennington discusses the lies many self-publishers believe about publishing. As an indie author, he's the first to admit he bought into the lies until he learned otherwise.

The first lie is the belief that one's book will become a bestseller, especially if it's critiqued, editing, and promoted sufficiently. Jeff admits that he couldn't see the flaws in his first book and has now taken it out of circulation.

The second lie is that writing and editing are the hard parts. The hardest part about writing is selling one's work. He talks about the frustration many indie authors feel after working hard to blog, tweet, and promote their books all over the place. The fact is that with hundreds of thousands of ebooks out there, probably millions now, gaining even a little attention is a major feat. Yet, many believe they can become part of that elite group who earn enough money to pay the bills, buy a house, whatever. In many ways, putting your book in the virtual world, is a lottery, folks, and while you can improve your odds by writing a wonderful, well edited book with a fantastic cover, there is no guarantee you'll sell lots of copies. Jeff also offers cures to these misguided beliefs, which you can read at http://thewritingbomb.blogspot.ca/2012/05/common-lies-self-published-authors.html

The second blog by Lindsay Buroker discusses what it takes to become a full-time indie author. Although Lindsay's sales have been pretty good, and she considers herself on the right track, she's the first to caution against anyone quitting their day job. But she does offer some strategies, such as writing not only books but novellas and short stories. Taking a page from Dean Wesley Smith's beliefs, she also believes that the more work you have out there, the more exposure, and therefore the more sales potential.

She also believes in giving away free books. When she released her third book in a series, she gave away the first and noticed a jump in sales for books two, three, and four. She also wrote that she tried the blog tours, paid advertising, and guest posts, but none of them were nearly as successful as having a free book in major stores. I guess that's why I see so many free book offers over recent months. The bottom line is to go with what works for you. There is more interesting stuff on her blog which you can find at http://www.lindsayburoker.com/ebook-writing/what-does-it-take-to-become-a-full-time-indie-author/

I'd love to hear about your success stories with ebook publishing. What works for you? What doesn't? For me, Twitter as been quite successful in spreading the word about giveaways and has helped spread attention about my books, although the verdict's still out with respect to sales.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I’ve had a lot of good advice in recent years about the benefits of social networking, and I’ve tried to do my best with blogging, guest blogging, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, AuthorsDen, LinkedIn, and others. I’ve been to my share of writing events, held a book launch this year, co-presented a workshop on ebooks and marketing, and worked on my novels every day.

I love this life, but every once in awhile, I need to take a good hard look at things, see if I’m making the best use of my time as a writer and promoter. In other words, I give myself a reality check.

I’ve never quite been able to nail down a clear definition of what being a successful writer is, and I don’t want to waste hours doing so. It’s a personal thing that’s different for everybody. I do know that if I write every day, take my work to my critique group, and put on a positive front, that I’m probably on the right track. Most of the time it feels right, but sometimes it doesn’t, and then I start driving myself a little crazy by wondering if this is the right track at all.

Whenever this happens, I do what works best: I have coffee with a colleague or two, or three, who have similar issues or questions, and we talk it out. It’s immensely beneficial to have others listen, to help you put things in perspective.

Staying connected through social media is one thing, but the physical connections are the ones that keep me sane. It’s incredibly helpful to lay one’s cards on the table and share how publishing and marketing is really going, or not going, in our lives. Sure, social networking and virtual friends are great, but face-to-face contact, where you don’t have to smile and pretend it’s all fun and perfect and productive is often better. Sometimes the writing life kicks you to the curb through bad reviews or no reviews, low sales, nonexistent royalties, or merely unrealistic expectations. Face-to-face friends help you back on your feet and don’t expect you to smile every time you type 140 characters.

Oddly enough, shortly after I went through my recent reality check, TouchWood Editions offered a contract for my third Casey Holland mystery. Beneath the Bleak New Moon will be released in the fall of 2013. I’m very excited and happy about this. Of course, once it’s been released and I’ve completed a few weeks of promotion, I imagine another reality check will be necessary at some point. But that’s okay. They keep me sane.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

To launch a multiyear celebration of the book, The Library of Congress launched a special display called "Books That Shaped America". As is noted in the link below, the top fifty books, (in alphabetical order) is not a list of the best books in America, but the ones which have shaped our lives, which explains why Cat in the Hat is mentioned. I totally understand this choice. Who doesn't remember reading the book in childhood, or reading it to children or grandchildren?

As the Library of Congress points out, a number of the titles would definitely make a top fifty list as well. As I browsed through the first twenty, I was surprised by how many I had read (probably at least half), including Atlas Shrugged, Adventures of Huckleberry Fin, Beloved, and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. Some of the books I haven't read include Alcoholics Anonymous and American Cookery.

There were a number of excluded titles that I would happily add to my own list: books by Gloria Steinem, John Irving, and Betty Friedan, for instance. But as you'll see on the page, the Congress does invite people to nominate other books.

The thing that struck me is that I read a fair portion of the top fifty before I ever decided to try my hand at writing. Perhaps those books not only helped established my lifelong love of reading, but my passion for writing. How about you? What books helped shaped your life? Do you agree with the list? You can find it at http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/books-that-shaped-america/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Canadian reviewer, Don Graves, who writes for the Hamilton Spectator, recently published a column for the online magazine, spec.com listing a series of mysteries he's reviewed lately. I'm delighted that he's chosen my second Casey mystery, Deadly Accusations among them. He calls the book "a good read with urban grit and a spicy climax".

You can read more at http://www.thespec.com/whatson/books/article/764213--road-trips-authors-take-us-to-france-germany-alaska-and-alberta

Thanks!!
Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

This week, I joined World Literary Cafe, which is a great forum for promotion, so while I'm thinking of it, if anyone wants to Like my business page, I'd be happy to reciprocate. You can find it at http://tinyurl.com/6nqn9ds

Meanwhile, as we all know, big world events, particularly involving terrorism and major crimes, usually result in a number of books, but I was interested to learn that the same applies to the Olympics.

An article in Bowkers reports that even before the London summer Olympics began, over 120 Olympic-related print and ebooks have been published. This figure eclipses the 109 titles released for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Reviewing stats back to 1996, this spike in publication around Olympic time has been an ongoing trend, but one that applies to the summer Olympics more than the winter games. In fact, the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics resulted in only 55 more titles. Bowkers notes, however, that the timing of the winter games in February makes it more difficult to track publications, although the article doesn't explain why this is so.

The aftermath of the Olympics also prompts more books. After Michael Phelps' remarkable swimming performance in Beijing, 32 books were written about him. Part of the reason for the plethora of books is attributed to the ease of producing books with today's technology.

I imagine we can expect a lot more books once the Olympics are over, which is fine by me. You've got to admit that a lot of great stories will come out of these games, but at the moment, I'm enjoying every minute on TV.

To read the Bowker's article, go to http://www.bowker.com/en-US/aboutus/press_room/2012/pr_07242012.shtml


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Did anyone read the recent Publisher’s Weekly article about the ten most difficult books ever written? Those who follow my blog know that I love lists almost as much as I love stat, so I couldn’t resist this one. I’ve read only one on the list and am certainly not inspired to read more of them unless I’m feeling particularly masochistic. According to two curators, Emily Colette Wilkinson and Garth Risk Hallberg, here are the titles. By the way, the titles of some would keep me from picking up the book in the first place!

Nightwood by Djuna Barnes (whom I’ve never heard of). Dylan Thomas said that in order to read this book you must first master its “tortuous gothic prose style”.

A Tale of a Tub by Jonathan Swift. This book apparently has multiple problems, among them “superabundant references to obsolete cultural squabbles”. Oh, dear. There’s also a 100 footnotes for those who are particularly self-punishing.

The Phenomenology of the Spirit by G.F. Hegel. Apparently, Hegel’s refute of the “history of consciousness and the quintessential explanation of the process of dialectic” goes through you like lentils, according to one Stanford professor.

To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf – I read this one and don’t remember a thing about it probably because it’s not only “hard to tell who’s who or who’s saying or thinking what, it is also disconcerting....” 

Clarissa, Or the History of a Young Lady by Samuel Richardson. Given that this was written by a man, you’d think it would be a relatively short book, but think again. It’s 1,500 pages. I guess Clarissa had a long history. And here’s the kicker, the novel apparently lacks a plot!

Finnegans Wake by James Joyce – Many of you won’t be surprised to see this one on this list. Happily, I’ve never even attempted to crack open the cover. According to the article, Joyce purposely set “traps” for the reader out of hostility born by years of frustration. Maybe he should have gone into the trades.

To keep this blog from becoming too long, I won’t go into detail over the last four, as the article does this beautifully anyway. Let me just say that these titles in particular make the content suspect for me.

Being & Time by Martin Heidegger

The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spencer. The spelling puts me off right there.

The Making of Americans by Gertrude Stein.

Women & Men by James McElroy

I encourage you to read the PW article, and if you’ve read any of these books let me know. If you have more to add to the list, I’d love to hear them as well!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

This week, I stumbled across something that has raised the ire of readers and writers. As you know, ebooks can be borrowed, not only through one of Amazon's programs, but in libraries as well. It's more common all the time, and this is a good thing. But this week, a number of authors were up in arms over what they believed was a book piracy site. The site, Lendlink, which has a page on Facebook, is actually a legitimate book lending site, according to a piece I read in Techdirt.com. Lendlink allows Kindle and Nook owners to exchange books, however, a group of uninformed authors decided to attack the site via Twitter, among other things, and demand the site be taken down, which it was. When the Techdirt.piece was posted on August 8th, the site had not been restored as of Friday, the 3rd.

Here's the bizarre thing. Below the article are comments from authors, some of whom believed Lendlink was a piracy site. Those authors have now received threats. If you click on the link, you'll see a caveat about this, warning others not to threaten anybody.

Oh my gosh. What can I say about the importance of restraining emotion and presumption when making a public statement on the Net? I don't know if Lendlink it back up and, truthfully, I'd never heard of the site until a newsletter I subscribe to raised the topic. You can find the post at http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120807/21080519958/legit-ebook-lending-site-taken-down-angry-twitmob-writers.shtml


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Experienced authors often advise writers to put aside a finished draft of their novel, short story, or article for at least a week, or longer. It’s good advice. There’s nothing better than tackling rewrites and edits with a fresh pair of eyes. The pros suggest working on new manuscripts during this time to thwart the temptation to make changes before we should. Also good advice. The authors write less, however, about the importance of taking a break, or at least cutting down, from writing altogether for a period of time. This week, I did exactly that when I left town on vacation, refusing to take any of the Casey Holland mysteries I’ve been working on every day for ages. It was one of the best things I did for myself this year.

When our kids were young and I was working day jobs, vacations were much-needed writing times. Like the kids, I couldn’t wait to reach our destination. While they played, I sat nearby and pulled out my notebook. It was sweet productive bliss, if only for an hour or two each day.

Now that our children are grown up, taking their own vacations, and writing has become my day job, holidays are different. I realized that I needed a break from my three-to-four hour daily writing schedule (and two hours of promotion) to unwind and not think about the Casey series. My mind relaxed, ideas for something new sprang up, and then more ideas came. But I spent no more than an hour each day developing plots and characters. It was so much fun it felt like play rather than work.

Here at home again, I’m refreshed, rejuvenated, and eager to return to Casey and finish a difficult draft of the fifth novel. I gained a lot of inspiration from the 3,000 Iron Man competitors we recently saw in Penticton, BC. These people somehow incorporate grueling training regimes in the water, on bicycles, and marathon runs with their family and working lives. Through commitment, dedication, and passion, participants accomplished their mission. I’m sure many of them are now enjoying a well-deserved break from what they love to do. We all need it now and then.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

So much has been written about the growing ebook revolution over the past couple of weeks that it's tough to keep up. For example, did you know that the explosion of ebook sales in Great Britain has created a notable reduction in bookshelf space? U.S. observers aren't surprised. Some estimate that the U.S. has only half the shelf space that was available in 2007, due to the closure of Barnes & Noble and many independent stores.

Another article says that available Brazilian ebooks have grown from 11,000 to 16,000 in a short period of time, and a press release from Amazon Media Room now boasts over 100 million books downloaded through their Kindle exclusive program. This is with a catalogue of only 180,000 tittles! Here's the release, which names some of their bestsellers, http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1729200&highlight=

An article in Marketwatch.com poses a really interesting question: Who inherits your digital ebook and music collection? If you answer, "it's complicated" you're on the right track. Bequeathing your print books and CDs is one thing, but doing the same with your iTunes and ebook collection is another matter, partly because of ownership problems. When you purchase a book or CD it's yours, but if purchase a digital book, you're not buying the right to own it but a license to use the digital files, and legally, this is a big difference!

Also, Apple and amazon.com grant "nontransferable" rights, which means you can't give your downloads to others. Furthermore, Apple only grants licenses to account holders, so what happens when the account holder dies? The potential for legal fallout is huge, as the law hasn't really begun to address these issues. The article goes onto say that there are ways to inherit ebooks and digital music, which you can read at http://www.marketwatch.com/story/who-inherits-your-itunes-library-2012-08-23


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

There have been many complaints about scathing1-star reviews posted on amazon. Some reviewers show an obvious lack of knowledge about the book, and/or a personal agenda designed to hurt the author's reputation. It's small wonder then that many readers believe amazon reviews aren't honest or helpful.

Based on reviews I've read, I'd say the level of competency runs the whole gamut, as I've seen some really good reviews, along with the not-so-great ones. As a caveat, I need to say that I also post reviews on amazon, so I understand if you think I'm biased. I've also received 1 and 2-star reviews, but they weren't hateful, so I let it go and moved on.

The online world is still like the old wild west, when people were trying to build lives on foreign ground. Back then, a few morons thought the new frontier entitled them to get away with bad behavior. The same thing applies to life in cyber space. It's simple to create a fake identity and say what you want (up to a point) without anyone knowing who you really are, or so you think.

Reviewers with agendas develop a pattern and observant people pick up on that pattern. They also tend to discover that person's real identity. This is exactly what happened to a British author who stooped to some pretty low tactics by giving himself great reviews while trashing fellow authors.

What's different about this incident, though is that the culprit, author R.J. Ellroy, was already an award-winning, bestselling crime author. Ellroy apparently used a number of fake identities to give himself glowing reviews while he trashed authors Mark Billingham and Stuart MacBride, among others, 1-star reviews. He was outed by another British crime novelist and has apologized, but Ellroy's also facing a lot of wrath from readers everywhere and the condemnation of writers such as Ian Rankin, Lee Child and Val McDermid.

Why someone who already's garnered awards and is able to make a living through his work felt compelled to act this way is baffling, but the sad thing is he's only one of many lesser known authors who are behaving the same way.

I still believe that amazon is a good place to post reviews. It's easy, and reaches a lot of people who purchase a great deal of books there. I'm doing my best, along with others, to keep the bar from sinking into the sewer but honestly, sometimes it feels like an uphill battle. To read the whole telegraph.com article about Ellroy, go to http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/9518531/RJ-Ellory-fake-book-reviews-are-rife-on-internet-authors-warn.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Another survey has made its way through the newsletter circuit. This one is about self-publishing and is called the Taleist Survey. The survey caught my attention because blogs are using the headline, "Women Fare Better at Self-Publishing". Well yes, data from the 1,007 respondents did show that two-thirds of the top money earners were women, but the article also says that romance writers do better than other genres, which might partly explain the ratio. Although men write romances, the genre is still dominated by women.

Most revealing to me was the marked differences between writers who earn a living from self-publishing with those who didn't. There were key factors at play, but before I get into it, I have to say that this study doesn't seem to distinguish much between print and ebooks, and as I've written before, there is a big difference in sales ratios between those two formats.

The study revealed that top money earners spend 69% more time writing than lower income writers. They not only write a third more, but spend 24% more time on those words. In other words, editing is important. 29% of top earners have an agent, whereas only 10% of lower income earners do. Respondents who paid for professional editing earned, on average, 13% more than those who didn't.

Here's an interesting revelation. The group of respondents who earned least were the ones who spent the most time marketing. In fact, those who spent the least time marketing were earning the most money!

Another thing: the top money earners had four times more reviews for their most recent books and earned six times the revenue compared with those outside the top earning range. In other words, get as many reviews as you can, especially from established sources. It really does help sell books! To read more of the article go to http://www.epublishabook.com/2012/05/30/self-publishing-statistics-who-are-the-top-earners/#axzz26eHvSwrm


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

An interesting article in guardian.co.uk this week discussed the ebook price war happening in the U.K. The article says that ebook sales were up 188% in the first half of this year. Part of the reason for this is that Sony and Amazon are offering new titles by well known authors such as Jeffrey Archer and James Herbert for just 20 pence! One horror author boasts sales of 10,000 to 20,000 copies a week at this price, yet he and his publisher are being paid royalties on the full price.

The appeal of 20p titles has become a double-edged sword. Authors, while delighted with increased sales, are concerned that the 20p price will become the norm. The fear is that readers won't buy a book unless the prices are this low. Also, not everyone will receive royalties on original prices. Given the way contracts are written these days, I'm sure that many authors are relinquishing decent royalties to gain readers.

Here's the other point, and one I've heard debated before. If new books by bestselling authors continue the 20p trend, will the perception of a book's value change? In other words, if books are priced less than the value of a pack of gum, will they have any real value to potential buyers to begin with? Will cheaply priced ebooks be quickly consumed and then discarded with the same regard as that stick of gum?

I know that defining a book's value is subjective and holds a wide variety of opinion. It's always been that way. Several years ago, I bought a paperback for fifty cents at a library sale, and told a friend about my great find. He had already read the book and asked me how much I paid. When I told him he said "you paid too much". He wasn't cheap (although he was thrifty) but he didn't like the book. It happens all the time. You pick up two books on the shelf, same price, same size, and both with intriguing blurbs, but the content of one might be beautifully written while the other is mediocre. And what you think is beautiful, the person next to you might think is mediocre. In other words, the value of a book is based on personal opinion about the content.

But here's another thing. Suppose that beautifully written book has a stunning cover, terrific editing, and perfect formatting prepared by a team of professionals, yet it's only 20p. How are those professionals supposed to pay their bills? Should they be forced to go without so buyers can get cheap goods?

I'm all for enticing readers. Heck, you know I've had my free days. But free weeks, months, years? The article doesn't say how long Sony and Amazon are selling these titles for, but while this may introduce many new readers, will those readers expect all future book purchases to be 20p? If so, how will the writers and publishers pay their bills? Most writers, even good ones, make little enough as it is. If we devalue the price of a book, the publishing industry as a whole, and not just the traditional publishers, just might suffer. To read the whole article, go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/sep/18/ebook-price-war-discounts

There are probably points I haven't considered, and I welcome your comments on this topic!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I'm very excited to be starting the final edits with my publisher for my third Casey Holland mystery, Beneath the Bleak New Moon, to be released in the Fall of 2013!! Meanwhile, here's something to ponder.

Every profession has its stars and deadbeats, people who set a standard of excellent in their work and behavior, and those drag the profession though the muck. The world of publishing has taken a lot of hits over recent years about its lack of professionalism over everything from fake reviews and literary agents, to amateurish indie books, stingy publishers, and trash talk on all sorts of networking sites.

Sometimes it's hard to rise above it, to ignore nasty reviews, accounting errors in royalties, and all the other things that are part of the profession, and just get on with writing the best book possible. But lots of writers do, and I admire those who've worked hard and landed traditional contracts that pay great advances.

As you all know, when a publisher and author sign a contract it's a binding legal document that should be honored on both sides if reputations want to be saved and lawsuits avoided. An advance-paying, contract offer from a large publishing house is pretty much the holy grail for writers seeking the traditional route. So, I was surprised to read about the number of authors who've reneged on their contracts with the Penguin group, and are now being sued for a return of advanced money, with interest.

Heaven knows Penguin has made mistakes in its past. What company hasn't? But this time, they have a legitimate gripe. What I find so amazing is that an author would take someone else's money and not deliver the goods as promised. An article in the smokingun.com lists several authors who are now being sued, however, it doesn't report on the authors' side of things, so maybe there are reasonable excuses in some cases, I don't know. But as the article indicates, saying that you've spent the money is no defense.

Aside from squandering an amazing opportunity, the other troubling aspect of this is that the authors' lack of professionalism doesn't help the rest of us gain respect from the public. Of course, Penguin's lawsuits are only one small part of the publishing scene, but when stuff like this happens (let alone the points raised at the top of this blog post), should book buyers seriously be expected to run out and fill their shopping carts with books? The bar which has been raised by wonderful authors over the years seems shaky to me. Given the lies some writers have passed off as nonfiction in recent years, and other highly publicized gaffs (see an earlier post on writers behaving badly), I wonder if readers have started to think a writer's word isn't worth much, never mind the quality of his books. And that diminishes us all.

To read the piece, go to http://www.thesmokinggun.com/buster/penguin-group/book-publisher-sues-over-advances-657390


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Once again, BC members of the BC/Yukon chapter of Crime Writers of Canada were out in full force to man the table at this year’s Word on the Street festival in Vancouver. For those of you who don’t know about it, this annual free event is held in cities across Canada usually during the last Sunday of September. Its purpose is to celebrate literacy and books, and many nonprofit organizations, publishers, booksellers, and writers help make this happen. Workshops, panel discussions, reading, and entertainment are provided in the main Vancouver Public library and in tents on two streets which are blocked off for the occasion.

This year, our Vancouver celebration was held on September 30th, a week later than other cities, but the weather remained glorious. Since those of us with smaller tables are situated outside the library’s perimeter, weather matters. As usual, our table was beside the romance writers’ table, which is always great fun and works well for attendees. After all, crime and romance tend to go together, and those romance writers really do have the coolest bookmarks!

Volunteers handed out CWC bookmarks, and those who dropped by our table know that crime writing is flourishing not only in BC but throughout Canada. We were delighted to see familiar faces return and continue to buy books in support of local authors.

Leaving the table in capable hands, I walked around the festival, listened to writers read their work aloud, and caught up with colleagues I hadn’t seen in a while. One of the reasons I attend this festival every year is because there is always a sense of fun and positive energy there. The event makes me happy to be part of the reading and writing community and I can't wait to do it again next year!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Although ebook sales are still surging, I've found that selling the print version of my Casey Holland novels here in Canada isn't that hard. Mind you, the books don't sell on amazon, but with ebooks and used copies for sale, I don't expect them to. What I have discovered is that getting out to meet the public and hand selling still works. In Canada, it seems that print still sells through other means, too.

Earlier this week, a CBC report announced that a non-profit industry group called BookNet Canada conducted several consumer surveys during the first half of this year, and made some interesting discoveries regarding print and ebook sales in Canada.

Results show that ebook sales now represent 16.3% of total book sales, which is a huge surge in digital sales over the last two or three years. The study also showed that while book sales overall have remained fairly steady over the years, consumers are buying fewer books through traditional bookstores. In fact, 30% of book sales now come from big box stores and 27.5% came from online sources.

Compared with the United States, however, print sales are more prevalent here than in the U.S. with paperbacks making up 56.7% of the market and hard covers 23.6% Only 7% of book buyers, however, purchase both print and ebooks. I found this stat strange because many people I know buy both. According to the article, one reason Canada sells more print titles than the U.S. is because Canada entered the ebook market later than the U.S., and there are fewer Canadian ebook retailers than south of the border.

Generally speaking, consumers are paying less for books than they used to. This could be because of big box store discounts and that ebooks are generally lowered priced anyway. It will be interesting to see how quickly and how far the rise in ebook sales surges before it levels off. You can find more interesting info at http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2012/10/10/ebook-sales-cda.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I read a fascinating blog the other day from a group calling themselves the Harriet Klausner Appreciation Society. For those of you who don't know, Klausner has been a prolific reviewer on amazon for a number of years. In fact, she reviewed my first book, Taxed to Death, quite some time ago. She also happily accepted a copy of Fatal Encryption, although I don't believe a review was ever posted, although I'm not sure because I don't follow up to see who's reviewed my books. For some time, I've heard negative comments about Klausner, and frankly, I've been ambivalent on the issue, however the group's recent blog "She Works Hard for the Money" convinced me that the negative comments have merit.

According to the blog, Klausner has over 28,000 reviews to date. By any standard, it would be impossible for her to have read and properly reviewed that many books alone. At issue here, though, is not the reviews, but what she's been doing with all of those free books she's received over the years.

The bloggers did some detective work, piecing together bits of personal information Klausner has revealed on various sites, and discovered that her son has been selling the books on various sites. In fact, he's sold so many that he has accumulated 7,500 comments through just one venue alone. Also, a significant percentage of the sold books were actually available for sale before the publisher's release date, which means the Klausner family has been selling advanced review copies. Worse, in the reviews Harriet does post, she never states that she received a free copy for review, which is apparently a violation of the Federal Trade Commission guidelines regarding disclosure. That she inevitably posts only positive reviews means she's endorsing the product in exchange for a free book. Again, this is not what real reviewers do.

I have no idea how much money Klausner's made from the sale of all those books, but it appears that by using her son's name and email address, she's been less than forthcoming about her activities. By the way, the bloggers bought a couple of books from these sites and the address is the same as Klausner's. It makes you wonder about her true motive for posting all those reviews, also posted on other sites, doesn't it? I'm not sure what Amazon would, or should, do with this information.

I suspect that Harriet Klausner isn't the only reviewer who acquires free books then sells them on other sites. And I'm quite sure she's only one of many reviewers who don't disclose the free copies received in exchange for a review. In fact, I'm sure many reviewers are unaware of the FTC guidelines to begin with. The point is, this type of activity gives readers good reason to question the legitimacy of reviews. I'm also sure it makes authors wonder if reviewers are profiting from their books in less than forthcoming ways.

To read the blog, which goes into detail about how the detective work was done, go to http://harriet-rules.blogspot.ca/2012/10/she-works-hard-for-money.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

You know I'm a bag fan of ebooks and ereaders, otherwise I wouldn't be here. But the recent publicity over Amazon's dealings with an ebook customer got me to thinking.

In case you don't know, an interesting blog by Martin Bekkelund made the rounds this week, when he wrote about a friend named Linn whose Kindle account was suddenly closed and all of her books deleted. Linn wrote to Amazon to ask why. As far as she knew she'd broken no rules. She received an email from Michael Murphy, representing Executive Customer Relations with amazon.co.uk. He wrote that her account was directly related to another account which was previously closed due to an abuse of policies. He also said that Amazon has the right to refuse service, terminate accounts, delete content, and cancel orders at their discretion. He then advised her that any attempt to open a new account would be unsuccessful. In other words, they were done with her.

Linn claims she had no idea how she'd broken any rules and asked for further explanation. She told Murphy she had only one account, which was with amazon.com, not co.uk. All Murphy would say was that her account was related to a previously blocked account, but he wouldn't tell her how they were related. She wrote again for more explanation, but had no luck. Also, whatever money she spent on Kindle and ebooks wouldn't be returned.

Bekkelund says that in the world of technology, DRM (Digital Rights Management), user and privacy rights, or lack of them, are not in the consumers' best interest, and in this case, it appears that he's right. It's also important to mention, though, that obviously we don't know the whole story as Amazon won't disclose key information. I do know that it's really important to read the fine print when dealing with Amazon, or any business for that matter. It will be interesting to see if other Kindle users go public with similar experiences.

Bekkelund's blog also appeared on Yahoo News this week. In a sidebar, Yahoo asked readers if they would buy Amazon ebooks after reading the article. 89% voted no. You can read Bekkelund's blog at http://www.bekkelund.net/2012/10/22/outlawed-by-amazon-drm/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

As you probably know by now, Amazon is removing reviews from their site on a fairly large scale, some say. Prolific author Joe Konrath discovered that some reviews he posted have also been removed, reviews he says are legitimate and have nothing to do with the sock puppetry that started this mess.

If you follow stories in the author/reviewing/publishing world, you're likely familiar with the term, but for those who don't know, sock puppets are authors who favorably review someone's book in exchange for a good review of their own, among other things. Authors who've paid for reviews have also seen those reviews removed (this has been going on for some time). Also, as I've written before, some authors have stooped to adopting fake identities to give themselves wonderful, 5-star reviews while trashing their competition. Honestly, it's been a bit of a zoo in Amazon's reviewing world, but as Konrath notes in his blog, legitimate reviewers are now being branded with the sock puppets.

Konrath wrote that Amazon's decision to remove reviews was in response to a petition with four hundred signatures for the fake reviews to stop. Amazon listened and now, are arbitrarily (or so it seems to some) removing reviews they don't think are legitimate. So, how do they define legitimate?

The response to Amazon's review removal has prompted different takes on the issue and here are just two of them. First, Konrath doesn't blame Amazon for taking these measures. As he wrote in a letter to Amazon, he still believes in the company for doing more to help authors than almost anyone else in the publishing world. He does, however, blame the petitioners. As Konrath notes, this won't hurt him specifically as he still has thousands of posted reviews and book sales haven't diminished. He acknowledges that this does hurt the small author who's trying to get noticed and build a presence, and it will also make him choosier about the books he reviews in future. By the way, he has links to the sock puppet petitioners. To read more of his interesting blog, go to http://jakonrath.blogspot.ca/2012/11/amazon-removes-reviews.html

A different viewpoint from Derek Blass clearly places the blame on Amazon, and comes in the form of his own petition demanding they stop arbitrarily removing reviews. His position is that this is move is hurting independently published authors and vulnerable booksellers. He's also asking that Amazon produce clearer, more definitive guidelines regarding what reviewers can and cannot post. You can find his petition at http://www.change.org/petitions/amazon-stop-arbitrarily-removing-customer-reviews-from-indie-author-books

I'm not completely sure if Amazon's decisions are arbitrary, as I've not heard any clear explanation about how they decide which reviews to remove. Clearly, sock puppetry sparked a lot of anger, and Amazon's response has triggered more anger, but controversy is nothing new in the publishing world.

I've posted 184 reviews on Amazon. I'm not sure if any of them will be removed, but I'm not planning to spend time worrying about it. There are two many other reviewing opportunities on Goodreads and elsewhere, and there are far too many books to write to lose precious time worrying about Amazon's latest moves, at least for now.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

There have been a number of articles and blogs over recent months about how self-publishers are destroying the publishing world. There have probably been almost as many responses convinced that indie authors are saving the industry. An interesting guest blog by Ed Robertson comes down on the saving side, focusing mainly on book pricing. Robertson provides some interesting stats which does appear to show that the publishing industry has shot itself in the foot by charging far more for books than one might perceive reasonable.

The other interesting aspect to his blog is that this is not the first time people have cried "publishing is dying!" Robertson notes that it also happened back in 1939 when Robert De Graff of Pocket Books began selling paperbacks for twenty-five cents. At that time, hard covers were between $2.50 and $3.00. In 2012 terms, this means a hard cover would be $40 to $50 and the mass market paperback version would be $4.16. A big difference! Pocket Books' strategy sparked a lot of debate. Some authors weren't interested in selling their books for twenty-five cents, while genre authors were happy that their books were selling in greater numbers than ever. Furthermore, the quality of the covers was hotly disputed. The thing was that within five years Pocket Books sold 100 million copies. Is any of this sounding familiar yet?

As Robertson points out, for a number of reasons, publishers didn't keep the price of their books affordable and thus sales began to drop. I won't recap the whole blog here, but suggest you give it a read. He also provides other links to more of a historical view of the publishing industry. You know, someone (if they haven't already) ought to write a book about the publishing industry of the last 150 years. I'd buy a copy. To read his blog (he's guesting on David Gaughran's blog), go to http://davidgaughran.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/self-publishers-arent-killing-the-industry-theyre-saving-it/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Through my blogs, part of which I post here, I've covered a fair amount of stats that reflect the huge rise in e-reader and e-book sales. I still think the trend is growing, however an interesting survey in publishingperspectives.com suggests that a third of e-reader owners only used them once!

The survey came from CouponCodes4u.com and polled only 2,000 people, so who knows how accurately their survey reflects what's happening in the digital world? Having said that, I don't think the survey is horribly off the mark. The survey also showed that 17% used their readers once a week while 29% used theirs every day.

Of those asked why they'd only used their e-readers once, 57% said they were too busy too read, 25% reported that they preferred physical books, and 22% had received the e-reader as a gift and didn't think they were necessary. I have to wonder if these gadgets are catching on as much as Amazon and others would have us believe? Sure, Amazon sells a lot of Kindles, but is every buyer using them regularly? Are a third of consumers using the device only once or twice, then tossing it in a drawer?

My Sony was given to me as a gift. It took me three months to take it out of the box. I downloaded a few things, but I haven't used it in months, as I too prefer physical books and have a large stack still waiting to be read. This would likely change if I downsized my home, or traveled more often.

I'm convinced more than ever that those who try e-readers and download books are reading only a fraction of them, particularly if they are free. The bottom line is that print still has its place and people are still busy, and trying to find avid readers will always be a challenge. You can find the piece at http://publishingperspectives.com/2012/11/survey-reveals-a-third-of-e-readers-only-used-once/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

If you're a writer and reader, you've likely heard of the popular site goodreads.com. If you haven't, you should check it out. The site is devoted to the love of books and has twelve million members. Among those members, 410,000,000 books have been listed on their shelves! But here's the other reason you should join, particularly if you're an author. According to one blog, it's a great way for a new book to get noticed, as demonstrated by new author Colleen Hoover with her first book, Slammed.

Hoover succeeded by first offering a pair of free giveaways. From there a few prominent bloggers wrote about the book, spreading the word to their followers (there's more about these bloggers in the link below). The bloggers gave the book enough ratings for the Goodreads search engine to place it on their recommended reading list. The book came out in January. By summer it was on the New York Times ebook bestseller list, and then Simon & Schuster's Atria Books imprint took notice.

As noted, one has to have a lot of good ratings. Slammed had 20,000 averaging 4.4 out of 5. Of course, it all starts with writing a good book!! To read more about Hoover's success story in the Goodreads blog post, go to http://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/394-how-readers-discovered-a-debut-novel-a-case-study?auto_login_attempted=true

Thanks!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I came across a really interesting blog called Legal Minimum by Don McGowan which discusses at length a class action lawsuit launched by several Harlequin authors against their publisher. In this day and age, lawsuits are nothing new, yet the outcome of this one could have huge ramifications for all authors and their publishers.

I encourage you to read the blog post for details, but it boils down to the fact that Harlequin allegedly is giving their authors only 3 to 4% royalties on their ebooks due to a strange (and possibly prejudicial) arrangement between Harlequin Enterprises (HE) and Harlequin Switzerland (HS) Authors originally signed contracts through HS, however Harlequin Canada administered those contracts. With ebooks, licensing rights were issued back to HE. Original publishing contracts with HS gave authors 50% royalties on ebooks, however, the license with HE gave HS only 6 to 8% of the cover price, which meant that authors only got 50% of that! Yikes! The authors came this was an unlawful tax dodge. Needless to say, Harlequin disagrees.

As you'll note in the blog, there are other legal issues at play here, but McGowan notes that the ramifications could be as huge as it was in the music industry when Eminem sued his record label for treating digital music like physical goods when, in fact, consumers were making a digital purchase under the licensing agreement with iTunes. Eminem was supposed to have received 50% of digital sales, however, he was paid 12 to 20%, the same he received for the physical product. He sued and won, which improved the royalty situation for other musicians. McGowan says the same outcome could happen for authors.

He also points out, though, that publishers are entitled to produce whatever tax plan and advantage they can, provided it doesn't prejudice authors, and this is the heart of the issue. It will be interesting to see how this turns out. To read more of McGowan's interesting blog and related links, go to http://legalminimum.blogspot.ca/2012/11/harlequin-plaintiffs-bring-new.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Just before our Canadian Thanksgiving, which was the first weekend in October, I began the final editing process with my publisher for my third Casey Holland mystery, Beneath the Bleak New Moon. Yesterday, I sent the finished product, along with back cover blurb, to my publisher! Whew!

We didn't work on this everyday, as my editor and I both had other responsibilities, but I'm happy to say that she really likes the book. This one is about street racing in Vancouver, a problem that has been plaguing our streets for years, as it does many cities throughout North America. Here's a draft of the blurb:

While transit security officer, Casey Holland, is dealing with an unruly pair of teenage twin girls on the M7 bus, the unthinkable happens. Street racers hit a jogger crossing an intersection on Granville Street, a major Vancouver thoroughfare. Casey tries to save the jogger’s life, but fails. Days later, a second hit-and-run on the same street outrages her, especially when witnesses insist the victims were deliberately run down.

Young journalist, Danielle Carpenter, is determined to find the person who’s killing people for sport and asks for Casey’s help. Casey’s reluctant, until the twins reveal more about street racers then they should know. Helping Danielle isn’t easy. She’s not only reckless but on a vendetta. When Danielle goes missing and a racer is murdered, Casey’s compelled to step up the search for answers while trying to balance a demanding professional and personal life.

The third installment in Debra Purdy Kong’s transit security mysteries takes readers on a wild ride that will leave them breathless and wanting more.

Thanks,
Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

For those of you with traditional publishing contracts, you'll know that retaining your ebook rights is almost impossible, but things could be changing...

Two of the most intriguing authors in 2012 are E.L. James and Hugh Howey, for good reason. As you likely already know, James is the author of the phenomenally popular Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. All three books in the series were published in 2011 by a print on demand company in Australia. Word of mouth boosted ebooks sales to 250,000, while the trade paperback copy lagged behind at about 7,000. When one of the big six publishers, Random House/Vintage came along and offered Ms. James and her agent a contract, the stipulation was that Vintage also keep all ebook rights or there would be no deal. Needless to say, they went for it.

According to a fascinating blog by Steven Pressfield, although Ms. James has made a great deal of money from her books, she likely would have made millions more if she'd turned the contract down and kept her rights. He estimates that the publisher made $72 million from paperback sales alone, which was why Random House gave each employees a $5,000 bonus this year. Pressfield goes into a number of calculations to prove his point, which you can find in the link below.

Now, here's the really interesting bit. Simon & Schuster also bid on the Grey trilogy and lost. Pressfield says they too did the math on paperback profits, so when another opportunity arose they changed tactics. S & S offered a contract to Hugh Howey, author of a popular series called Wool, (which had already sold 300,000 ebooks before the offer) and allowed them to keep the ebook rights! As Pressfield says, the decision to publish Howey's books in hard cover and trade paperback only is a game changer. It will be interesting to see if more deals like this occur in future. It appears that Howey could soon become a very rich man, if he isn't already.

I urge you to read the whole piece, as there plenty more good observations in there, at http://www.stevenpressfield.com/2012/12/the-story-behind-the-random-house-gives-5000-bonuses-story/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

An article in technologyreview.com states that tablet sales are now surpassing e-readers and that Kindle sales are falling to Kindle Fire. A research firm anticipates that 15 million Kindles will be shipped this year, which is down by 40% from the previous year. As the article indicates, consumers apparently want more from their devices than the ability to read.

Amazon seems to be undermining itself by offering a tablet version of its product. The article suggests there isn't room for both devices, and that tablets will apparently win the battle. You can find more in the article at http://www.technologyreview.com/news/508711/amazon-is-undermining-the-e-reader-market-it-created/

Speaking of battles, it appears that Wal-Mart and Amazon are in a battle for sales. Wal-Mart has stopped carrying Kindle products, and has stepped up its efforts to sell Apple tablets. They're offering iPads at discounted prices and offering a $30 iTunes gift card in the bargain. According to a piece in The Motley Fool, Wal-Mart and Amazon have been on a collision course for some time, as Wal-Mart believes Amazon has encroached on its territory. It's estimated that Amazon sales will reach $22 billion this season. Online sales growth has exceeded that of physical stores, and with the development of tablets, Amazon seems intent on grabbing an even larger share of the pie. It's a strategy Wal-Mart doesn't want to support. Neither does Target as they too pulled Kindle devices from their stores back in May. The tablet war is on! To read more, go to http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2012/12/17/retailers-put-amazons-kindle-in-the-crosshairs.aspx

Happy Holidays!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

A couple days ago, I discovered that Amazon has put my first Casey Holland mystery, The Opposite of Dark, on sale for $3.99. I'm not sure when it started or how long it will last, but if you like contemporary mysteries with a little romance and humor, please check out transit security officer, Casey Holland, and learn why her father was murdered. Or was he? Just click on the book cover below!

If you haven't read the online publication, January Magazine, edited by Linda L. Richards, you should really give this publication a try. They always have insightful articles about books and news in the writing/publishing world. At the end of each year they also produce their Best Of lists in a number of different categories. This week's entry is crime fiction. Long-time reviewer and contributor J. Kingston Pierce has compiled a list that includes comments from various reviewers.

Unfortunately, I haven't read any of these books, but I now have a great start to my 2013 reading list. Here's the list, with brief excerpts of reviewers' comments or the setting description:

Absolute Zero Cool by Declan Burke (described as a wild, zany read)
Big Maria by Johnny Shaw (an exciting young writer)
The Blackhouse by Peter May (the first of a trilogy set in Scotland's Hebrides archipelago)
Black Skies by Arnaldur Indridason (set in Iceland, and translated by Victoria Cribb)
Broken Harbor by Tanya French (a compelling and finely crafted tale)
Confined Space by Deryn Collier (might put Canadian crime writing into the spotlight)
Creole Belle by James Lee Burke (a Dave Robicheaux mystery)
Dare Me by Megan Abbott (a possibly breakout book by a writer at the top of her game)
Dark Room by Steve Mosby (a superb thriller)
Dominion by C.J. Sansom (a what-if spy adventure set in 1952)
The Double Game by Dan Fesperman (a brilliant tribute to spy literature in general)
El Gavilan by Craig McDonald (his most compelling work to date)
The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye (set in New York in 1845)
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (prepare to be disturbed in this disquieting tale)
House of the Hunted by Mark Mills (a refreshing change from rapid-clip adventures)

You can read all of the reviewers' comments at http://januarymagazine.blogspot.ca

Happy New Year and Happy Reading!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Last week I posted a list of top crime fiction for 2012 from January Magazine. The magazine has now produced a part II to their top crime list. They've also completed their best children's books, cookbooks, fiction, and nonfiction lists, among others, so take a look at them at http://januarymagazine.blogspot.ca for the latest.

A couple of articles this week commented about Barnes & Nobles' release of sales figures for the Christmas season and clearly, the numbers were disappointing. Both in-store and online sales were down about 8.2%. The sales of Nook readers were down by 12.6%, while digital content sales were up by only 13.1%. While that might not seem too bad, the article also reports that Nook business last year was up by 43%.

The thing is, a lot of Nook readers have sold over the last couple of years, and if you bought one how often do you need to replace it? Not everyone has to have the latest model of e-readers. Has earlier success caught up with B & N, causing a slowdown, or is something else going on?

An article from The Shatzkin Files says there was lower bookstore traffic this season, while the sale of independent books was apparently strong over the holiday season. Indie authors made solid efforts to sell books in print form this year. Also, they aren't investing money in brick-and-mortar stores, nor spending big bucks to create their own dedicated e-readers like B&N, so profit margins are better.

There's more in the interesting article, but the bottom line appears to be that bookselling is still a tough haul, even though B&N is the largest chain in the U.S. You can read more at http://www.idealog.com/blog/bn-results-are-disappointing-and-one-wonders-if-prior-success-with-nook-might-deserve-part-of-the-blame/

An article in Yahoonews.com, quotes some of the same stats but makes a more dramatic statement proclaiming that B&N's e-book sales strategy simply isn't working. B&N should have been able to capitalize on the closure of the Borders chain a few months back, but hasn't. So, the question they pose is this the beginning of the end for B&N? Will America's last chain survive when Amazon's strategy and sales appear to be so much better? Time will tell, to read the piece go to http://news.yahoo.com/amazon-gutting-barnes-noble-143542411.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

A few years ago, I remember an agent telling us wannabe authors that self-publishing was the kiss of death. Nevertheless, I self-published Taxed to Death in 1995, a decision I don't regret to this day as I sold nearly 950 print copies (it still sells), gained some great reviews, and learned the business of promoting and selling.

It's been both amusing and irritating to read recent blogs by authors who are still being told the same thing by agents. I can understand it from their point of view. After all, an agent's bread-and-butter is to acquire six-figure contracts on behalf of authors, for which they'll receive a 15% commission (on average) and hope the large publisher and author do an adequate job of promoting the book. However, times have changed folks. Publishers are looking to the indie authors' sales rankings on Amazon to decide which new author to invest in these days.

To that end, Amazon recently announced that among its top 100 bestselling authors, fifteen are self-published. According to an article in bookseller.com, at least one of those authors has landed a six-figure contract. Also, over 61 self-published authors have sold more than 100,000 copies through the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) program. Now, before you get overly excited and want to rush your manuscripts into the program, remember this is only a tiny fraction of all the self-published books out there, and most are selling far less than this. The article lists the top ten bestsellers, which you can find at http://www.thebookseller.com/news/self-published-authors-kindle-bestseller-list.html

Prolific author Dean Wesley Smith posted an interesting blog that adds further information to the growing transition from self-publishing to traditional publishing. He writes that according to a piece in Publishers Marketplace, approximately 300 six-figure deals were made in 2012, in all categories of fiction and nonfiction. Of these 300, forty-five were from self-publishers. Smith ends the blog by saying he doesn't know why an author wouldn't start by self-publishing first. There are better royalties, more control, quick information on sales, and no time wasted on waiting to hear from agents and publishers.

Of course, there's another side to all this. Knowing how to adequately market your book to gain some attention, but that's a whole other story. To read Smith's always insightful blog go to 
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=8408


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Publishing these days truly is a see-saw world. Two of my recent blogs addressed the poor e-book sales from Barnes & Noble, and another discussed an article which claimed that dedicated e-readers could become obsolete. Additionally, a number of sources have been saying that the e-book revolution is slowing down, and that about 75% of all books sold are still sold in print. All of those articles and sources make good points, but here's the other side of the coin.

According to an article in Digital Book World, more than half of American children are now reading books on tablets, which is double the portion of adult readers using the devices. Keep in mind that the study DBW quotes came from PlayScience, a New York-based, children's digital research firm. The study also claims that a third of the children who read e-books read them more than once a day, and 85% read an e-book at least once a week. If young readers are growing up reading digitally, then the e-book industry will indeed flourish. To read the piece, go to http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/more-than-half-u-s-kids-reading-ebooks-new-report-shows/

Another article touting the prevalence of e-books got some attention when an ABC News article reported that a community library in Texas will be going paperless later this year. That's right, the library will offer nothing but e-books for patrons, along with 100 e-readers, plus a selection of computers and tablets. Patrons will be able to either borrow e-readers or bring their own. Is this how the future will look? If so, I can't say I'm ready for it. A photo of the library in the link shows that it looks more like an Apple store than a library. It will be interesting to see if this experiment works. You can find the article at http://news.yahoo.com/library-without-books-bibliotech-open-193118588--abc-news-tech.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

If you're a writer who's actually admitted as much in public, I'm pretty sure that ever other person you've met has told you they either have a great idea for a book, or are working on one. With the ease of publishing one's own work and the highly publicized success stories (few though they are), more people than ever want to write and publish a book. If you know someone like this, you might advise them to think it through a little more. They can start by reading a terrific blog, called 25 Hard Truths About Writing by Chuck Wendig. The blog is funny, caustic and entertaining. Also, a lot of what he says is quite true. Be aware that he drops plenty of F bombs in the piece, so if you offend easily it might not be for you. Of the 25 truths, here are some of my favorites:

The publishing industry is alarmingly subjective (no kidding)

They may like your book, and still not buy it. (also very true)

About a billion books are released every week (it's really not that many, but a lot!)

Self-publishing is easy when it should be hard (too many authors are skipping crucial steps, like editing and well, adequately plotting)

All the world's entertainment is your competition (yep)

Your online followers are not also book buyers (there are rare exceptions, though)

People are going to steal your book (a number of colleagues have had their books pirated)

You are now in marketing and advertising. Congratulations (don't you now wish you'd studied this in school?)

It's really hard, luck matters, and frustration is guaranteed (absolutely!)

As I said, Wendig's blog is really worth reading, unless you're easily discouraged. http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2013/01/22/25-hard-truths-about-writing-and-publishing/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone, this will be especially relevant for Canadian authors and readers.

A recent article in nowtoronto.com reported that the Globe and Mail is slashing its books section. In fact, the two literary editors are leaving their posts and apparently no one will be taking their place. One of the editors said that a huge drop in ads is partly to blame, while his colleague maintains that the paper now seems to prefer celebrity gossip to literary criticism. If this is true, then that is a sad state of affairs. Where do readers who appreciate reviews and great books go to read about the latest publications? Please don't tell me there aren't any readers like that around because I personally know several.

What's happening at the Globe and Mail isn't unique, as many major newspapers have slashed their books section, probably for similar reasons. Also, as I've said before, more readers prefer reading reviews online, which is fine. The problem is that our choices are being cut. The mystery writing community has already seen reviewers' columns slashed over recent years. Now, I'm wondering if the Globe's best known crime fiction reviewer, Margaret Cannon, will also lose her longstanding, popular column.

Most disturbing is the sense that newspapers are slowly transforming into celebrity gossip rags to stay alive. Losing the books section wouldn't trouble me so much if the papers were exchanging literary criticism for serious news stories. After all, there are plenty of important events going on in the world that deserve more attention. If celebrity stories are grabbing even more space than they already have, then the media's in deeper trouble than I thought. To read the nowtoronto.com article, go to http://www.nowtoronto.com/books/story.cfm?content=190944


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

In recent weeks, there has been a fair bit of local (Vancouver) news coverage on the price differences between Canadian and American goods. Many British Columbians head south of the border to buy significantly cheaper gas and dairy products, for example. Readers who've purchased books in both countries are well aware that books cost significantly more in Canada.

A recent article from ca.finance.yahoo.com states that a Senate report released this week has analyzed these price differences and come up with recommendations about closing the gap, which is good news for Canadians.

In the late 1990s the Canadian government amended a law which helped U.S. publishers adjust to the currency imbalance at that time and to cover the costs of shipping and distributing books in Canada. Canadian exclusive distributors were allowed to add a10% markup on the sales price from the country of origin and adjust for current exchanges. Apparently, the rules were supposed to act as a price ceiling, however, it doesn't appear to have worked out that way.

Times have changed. The Canadian dollar is now at par, however, the markup still exists under the Border Importation Regulations, which is linked to the Copyright Act. The bottom line appears to be that Canada is still a relatively small market and the cost of doing business here is still high for American publishers. Whether the Senate recommendations will eventually mean cheaper prices at Canadian bookstores remains to be seen.

You'll find links to the Senate report and other info in the Yahoo article, http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/blogs/insight/why-books-cost-more-canada-205637376.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

If you're like me, you've lost track of the number of articles and books telling writers how to promote their work. With over a million print and e-books being published worldwide every year, we read the advice diligently, hoping for a way just to be noticed. One of the common promo tips is to involve ourselves with social media and develop a brand. Experts say it's a must and I agreed, until a recent blog from The Militant Writer made me stop and think.

The blog states that promoting your book on Facebook and Twitter is a total waste of time, primarily because people don't visit these sites to buy books. They go there to socialize or to promote their own books. The Militant Writer states that writers don't buy other writers books, which hasn't been my experience. While I like Twitter a lot and do believe it's helped sell books, especially when offering a giveaway or reduced price, I do see The Militant Writer's point. Twitter often feels like one giant ad board to scroll down until your eyes cross and you can't take anymore. I often look for tweets that have no links, just to see if someone has something non-promotional to say. I try to post something every day that has no link to give myself and others a break.

I've been far choosier about whom I accept as friends on Facebook. For me, this site is more about checking in to see how my friends are doing than it is about promotion. Although, like all dutiful authors, I have a business page with nearly 500 "Likes", mostly from folks who also have books to sell. My business page gives me a place to announce book news or post my blogs, but I haven't seen this translate into sales.

You won't be surprised to learn that The Militant Writer isn't a fan of LinkedIn and other social media sites. I'm also not a fan of hurrying to join the next big thing, whether it's Google+ or Pinterest. In fact, I'm kind of tired of rushing to join the crowd. The contrarian in me would much rather turn around and walk the other way.

Promotion, like many things, has phases and fads. Sooner or later, the appeal of Twitter and Facebook will fade. But then what? Maybe it's time to rethink how I promote myself; if there are better ways to be noticed than by relying on two enormous sites. Or is it simply a matter of quality over quantity, and spending more time writing than electronic socializing/promotion?

I won't give up on social media completely. After all, I do have friends and followers who pay attention to what I'm doing, or what I have to say. The truth is that word of mouth still sells books, and sometimes those first words come from social media, such as a comment or an online review. So I don't completely agree with The Militant Writer. See if you do 
at http://maryww.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/promoting-your-book-on-facebook-and-twitter-is-a-total-waste-of-time/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Whew! I just completed a few more changes to the page proofs for the 3rd Casey Holland novel, Beneath the Bleak New Moon, which will be released by TouchWood Editions this fall.

Meanwhile, you may or may not know that last week was Canada’s annual Freedom to Read Week, a project started by the Books and Periodicals Council. The project “encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed them under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms”.

Despite this declaration and that we live in a democracy which encourages freedom of speech, there are people who appoint themselves gatekeepers and want to decide what everyone should or shouldn’t read. Canadian border officials have been notorious for refusing to permit certain books and magazines to enter the country. Other self-appointed gatekeepers approach schools and libraries and demand they not carry a certain title.

Let’s be clear, I’m not talking about the type of writing and photos that are illegal in Canada, but books such as The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, The Shepherd’s Granddaughter by Anne Laurel Carter (described as a “moving tale about one of the most hotly disputed pieces of land on earth”), Takes One to Know One: An Alison Kaine Mystery by Kate Allen (a mystery novel with a lesbian theme). You can check out www.freedomtoread.ca to read the complete list of challenged books and more about the Freedom to Read project.

Although Freedom to Read week officially ended yesterday, I write about this now because I believe that every week should be freedom to read week. We need to pick up a book, especially a challenged book, to read. After all, where would we be without the right to choose? So please, borrow a book, download a book, or buy a print book to share with others. You have millions of titles to choose from. Heck, you even have a long list of challenged books to choose from. I wrote a blog last year about the top 100 challenged books in America; titles that include the Harry Potter series and Charlotte’s Web, among many others. So, go ahead and read, then tell me your favorites.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Well, I thought the page proofs for my next Casey Holland mystery, Beneath the Bleak New Moon, were finished 6 weeks ago, however, the eagle eye of my editor caught a couple of glitches. I can't tell you how important good editors are!

Speaking of which, I wrote an article on working with editors for Hope Clark's FundsforWriters newsletter, which appeared in the January 25th issue. The article, "Five Key Steps to Working with Editors" is archived, which you can find at www.fundsforwriters.com

Thanks!
Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

If you read Publisher's Weekly, you will have heard about the latest brouhaha to invade the publishing world. For those who don't know, Random House recently launched in imprint called Hydra, created to electronically publish science fiction novels and short stories. On the surface, it seemed like a great opportunity, however, a scathing blog by John Scalzi points out some major pitfalls.

First, Random House offers no advance, which is almost unheard of for a big six publisher. Secondly, the author is being charged for production costs, such as editing and typesetting fees, etc. Third, and most disturbing of all, is that Random House keeps the copyright forever. In other words, authors don't have a chance to get their rights back to sell to someone who has better terms. Should the author die, he probably can't bequest those rights to others either.

Scalzi indicates that Random House is primarily targeting newer authors who haven't had a traditional contract and are eager to get a foot in the door. In many ways, Random's House new model doesn't sound all that different from iUniverse or AuthorHouse, or other publishing services. I'm not sure if Random House is pickier about whom they choose to publish than other services, but this new model has created a lot of buzz, and not much of it is positive.

Some might say that Random House is simply adapting to the rapid changes in the publishing world. Others are saying run away as fast as you can. I'll post the link and let you decide. http://whatever.scalzi.com/2013/03/06/note-to-sff-writers-random-houses-hydra-imprint-has-appallingly-bad-contract-terms/

Now, an article in Publishers Weekly states that Scalzi, who also happens to be the president of Science Fiction Writers of America, has stated that authors will not be granted membership if they are using Hydra as a credential. As you can imagine, Random House has responded, indicating their disappointment with Scalzi's stance. They also stated that this new publishing model is potentially lucrative for authors as it involves profit sharing, but that all business ventures have upfront costs. If you want to read Random House's full letter in response to SFWA, then go to http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/56244-rh-responds-to-sfwa-slamming-its-hydra-imprint.html

Boy, these are fun times, aren't they?


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Last week, I wrote about the controversial contract that Random House was offering science fiction writers under its imprint Hydra. Well, it seems their contract has created such a stir that Random House has backed down, in part, and tweaked its contract to offer writers two different publishing models. One is a more traditional publishing option which includes an advance; the other is their profit-sharing model, with no advance.

If you read the contract, you'll note that under the profit sharing model, the author and publisher split profits 50-50 based on net sales, after production costs have been deducted for both print and digital versions, and shipping costs deducted for the print version! Here's what they also say:

"Hydra, Alibi, Loveswept, and Flirt acquire rights to every book for the term of copyright, subject to an "out-of-print" clause, which provides for the author to request reversion of his or her rights three years after publication if the title fails to sell 300 copies in the 12 months immediately preceding the request."

I'm not a lawyer, so if I was signing such a copyright, I would need to know exactly what the publisher means by "term of copyright". Is it something defined by the publisher, the author, or is Random House referring to the standard lifespan under copyright law, which in Canada and the U.S. is the author's life plus 70 years.

To read the contract, go to http://www.atrandom.com/eoriginals/index.php and thanks to Katherine Wagner for sending me the link.

I'm also bringing up the copyright matter because Dean Wesley Smith referred to the Random House issue in his blog, where he focuses on reversion clauses, like the one quoted above. Smith says that it is now standard practice in American contracts for publishers to demand the right to the copyright for its entire life! Smith is so against it that he refuses to sign any contract containing this clause, for good reason.

It means that authors, their children, and even their grandchildren will not be entitled to get the rights back from publishers, who will be able to do anything they want with the book. They could let it go out of print, or sell it to future technologies for mega amounts of money, all without the author's support. Scary, isn't it? Smith has much more to say on the topic, which you can find at http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=8743


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

With all the talk about Amazon's purchase of Goodreads, I wrote about it in a blog on Sunday, citing 3 strong opinions from others. Honestly, I'm a little worried, but mostly adopting a wait and see attitude. I've been a member of Goodreads for over three years and have found it to be a terrific way to discover writers from around the world.

So, why does Amazon want it? I suppose the obvious answer is to continue building a monopoly. Let's face it, Amazon has expanded big time in recent years, not only in their bookselling ventures, but in publishing. I don't have to elaborate on their success with CreateSpace and Kindle. Amazon purchased Shelfari in 2008 and they also own a portion of LibraryThing. Does it sound like Amazon intends to rule the book world?

It's likely that Amazon will eventually turn Goodreads into one large promotion venture to serve their interests, which may or may not be good news for writers, depending on your viewpoint. Authors whose books aren't selling will welcome the appearance of a buy button next to their titles.

Amazon's excelled at bookselling on some levels but has also failed authors in others. Kindles have helped new authors gain readers and earn money, yet when Amazon introduced secondhand print bookselling, it pretty much killed print sales for independents and small publishers. Other new policies have also hurt writers and publishers, and for me this is a worry. Will Amazon's bookselling strategies extend to Goodreads? Will it become an Amazon sales only please, world?

Needless to say, blogs, articles, and discussions about this have sprung up everywhere, so here's three links to get you started. The Publisher's Weekly article gives a pretty interesting account. In fact, Amazon is quoted as saying that they "want to improve the user experience of Kindle owners". So, what about the 75% of readers who still buy print? You can find it at http://publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/retailing/article/56575-amazon-buys-goodreads.html#path/pw/by-topic/digital/retailing/article/56575-amazon-buys-goodreads.html

Another interesting take on the situation comes from Tim Spalding of LibraryThing, who thinks the acquisition is good, even though Amazon's purchase of Shelfari has left it more or less languishing. He also notes, probably correctly, that once Amazon is running things, Goodreads may very well drop, and be dropped by B&N, Kobo and Indies, which isn't good news for a lot of people. To read his piece, go to http://www.librarything.com/topic/152033

Meanwhile, Authors Guild President, Scott Turow, sees Amazon's monopolization as a means of squelching potential competition, given that Goodreads was rumored to be entering the bookselling business. Also, Goodreads is the site people go to for honest book reviews. What will happen when Amazon starts controlling things? You can read his remarks in http://www.authorsguild.org/advocacy/turow-on-amazongoodreads-this-is-how-modern-monopolies-can-be-built/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone, for anyone who lives in British Columbia's Lower Mainland area, I have a schedule of appearances and book events this spring!

Next week, I and fellow mystery writers Cathy Ace and David Russell will be appearing at the Maple Ridge Library for One Mysterious Afternoon on Saturday, April 13th from 2 to 4 p.m. We’ll be discussing mysteries, reading from our work, and answering questions. Coffee, tea and treats will be served. The address is Maple Ridge Library, 130-22470 Dewdney Trunk Road, Maple Ridge, BC.

Secondly, Crime Writers of Canada’s annual Arthur Ellis Shortlist Night will be held at the Vancouver Public Library’s Main Branch on Thursday, April 18th from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Peter Kaye room (lower level). I’ve arranged a great list of panelists that include Chris Bullock, Kay Stewart, Miriam Clavir, Brock Clayards, and Cathy Ace. Moderator Robin Spano will make this an especially fun evening. After the panel discussion, we’ll be announcing the list of nominees shortlisted for this year’s awards and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a long list of BC nominees!

On May 9th, Cathy and I will be joining short fiction mystery writer Elizabeth Elwood for another mystery evening discussion at the Burnaby Public Library, McGill Branch, on Thursday, May 9th from 7 to 8:30

Later that month, I’ll be in Victoria for a mini conference in honour of National Crime Writing Month. Our conference is called Making Crime Pay and will feature three panels from 9:45 to noon. In the afternoon we’ll be doing Mystery Mini Chats in a fast-paced event that works something like speed dating, but we’ll be talking up our books instead. Refreshments will be provided by TouchWood Editions. All of this takes place on Saturday, May 25th at the Victoria Public Library Central Branch. 

We’ll also be arranging a dinner on Arthur Ellis Awards night on May 30th, location to be announced.

If you can come to any of these events, we’d love to see you!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

There's no doubt that the self-publishing revolution has been a game-changer for nearly everyone in the publishing/bookselling biz. Hundreds of articles and blogs have been written on the topic. These days, it's interesting to listen to colleagues discuss whether to self-publish or take the traditional route. Certainly, the question requires careful thought as the answer isn't easy, especially when there's still a fair bit of misinformation (or perhaps one-sided information) being circulated. Take, for instance, an article called "Ten Ways Self-Publishing Has Changed the Books World" (do you have a grammatical issue with that heading?) in The Guardian.

I've listed some of their points in italics, followed by my comments, because I don't agree with all of it.

1.	The copy editor, traditionally a marginalised figure, is now in strong demand. This is only partly true. Colleagues have noticed increased business, yet there are still a huge number of self-published books that should have been edited. I personally know self-publishers who never hire an editor. Not a good idea.

2.	The re-emergence of the book as a precious object. This one had me laughing for a minute. If anything, low-priced, slapped together McBooks have devalued books in general, but I gather their point is that more people are self-publishing books that hold special memories for friends and family.

3.	The role of the author is changing. With the fragmentation of the media in recent years, publishers were already relying on authors to help with the marketing - and learning how to do so is empowering. Yeah, well maybe, if you like marketing, but a lot of authors don't. For them, it's akin to having a root canal with strangers looking on. The few authors I know who embrace it and do a great job have advertising and marketing backgrounds. The rest of us are supposed to jump on board and get up to speed.

4.	It's not all about making money. Huh? Maybe for a tiny percentage, but anyone who visits the kindleboard and amazon forums regularly will soon be set right on that score. It is about making money for many people, so much so that they're counting on writing income as their retirement plan. Definitely not a good idea.

5.	An end to the vanity-publishing put down. Again, I suggest the journalist hang out at amazon forums for a while. Anyone who dares identify themselves as a self-published author on some forums will not only get an earful but be given a 1-star review and targeted from there on. There are groups of people who avoid anyone and any book that smacks of self-publishing.

There are more points in the article, and I do agree with some of them, but the thing is there are different ways to look at things. While I do think self-publishing has created terrific opportunities for writers, there've also been some definite drawbacks to the book world in general. Consider the sleazy ways some traditional and self-published authors resort to gain attention and sales, for example, through stacking bestseller lists, sock puppetry, and republishing books to gain a higher ranking on Amazon's list.

In the book biz, it always comes down to a matter of expectation versus reality. I think this article is a little too unrealistic about what's really going on out there, however, you can decide for yourself at http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2013/apr/08/self-publishing-changed-books-world?CMP=twt_gu


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

On Thursday night, several cities across the country hosted entertaining events to announce this year's Arthur Ellis Award Nominees. For those who don't know, these awards are sponsored by Crime Writers of Canada, and were created nearly thirty years ago to celebrate excellence in Canadian crime writing. This year we are fortunate, not to mention grateful, for the following media coverage:

From the Regina Leaderpost: http://www.leaderpost.com/entertainment/Finalists+unveiled+Arthur+Ellis+Awards+honouring+Canadian+crime/8267867/story.html?

From the National Post:
http://arts.nationalpost.com/2013/04/19/finalists-for-arthur-ellis-awards-announced/

From the CBC:
http://www.cbc.ca/books/2013/04/arthur-ellis-awards-the-shortlisted-authors.html

The Vancouver Sun also printed a piece, and there might well be others. The list of nominees is posted on the Crime Writers of Canada website at www.crimewriterscanada.com If you are a fan of mysteries, I would encourage you to visit the website to find out where your favorite authors will be appearing. Authors post their appearances regularly and there are plenty of events to choose from.

Because there are eight categories, I won't list all of the nominees here, but I will say that all nominations are for books published in 2012, with the exception of the "Unhanged Author" category, which is for the best unpublished novel. Other categories include Best Novel, Best First Novel, Best French Crime Book, Best Short Story, Best Non-Fiction Book, Best Juvenile/YA Novel and the newly created (on a 3-year trial basis) Best Novella.

For those of you who write mysteries, please bookmark CWC's website for contest guidelines and deadlines. The website is a wealth of information for fans and writers alike.

The winners will be announced on May 30th at a Gala in Toronto and I'm sure it will be an exciting night!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Several months ago, a well-known writer (possibly Joe Konrath or Dean Wesley Smith, I can't remember which) wrote a how-to blog about breaking into self-publishing ebooks. One tip was to start small by publishing short fiction as a way of learning the business, including proper formatting and price points, etc. A number of folks have done exactly this in a variety of genres, however, Amazon recently announced that it's pulling any ebook that is 2,500 words or less. The reason they give is that the book is proving to be an unsatisfying reading experience for consumers.

So, a couple of things here. If a writer has created a work of fiction that is 2,500 words or less, it is not a book, it is a short story, and should be marketed as such. However, since all electronically published works of fiction and nonfiction, regardless of length, are called e-books, this apparently has created dissatisfaction among consumers who feel cheated by the lack of pages. Hmm.

If the complaint truly is about the length of the work, why aren't consumers paying more attention to the information about the ebook on its home page? All four of my books state the number of pages and make it clear that the pages are numbered.

So, is there more to Amazon's decision to pull short fiction? As someone pointed out here on Kindleboards, a sizable percentage of the short fiction in question happens to be erotica. Some writers are wondering if this is Amazon's way of purging certain content from their inventory?

Amazon's letter to one author appears in the GalleyCat blog, which you may find of interest at 
http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/amazon-cracks-down-on-kindle-books-under-2500-words_b69390

Whatever Amazon's reason for the change (Amazon likes to change things up a lot), it's useful information for those of us who are thinking about publishing original short fiction in ebook formats. I can't help wondering, though, if Amazon will change the rules to 5,000 words next month, or 10,000 the month after that?


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Two of the many subjects here on Kindleboards has been piracy and DRM. Well, I found an interesting article in TechDirt on the these and other topics which you might find of interest.

A couple of years ago, people were advising those new to ebook publishing to use Digital Rights Management (DRM), a technology(ies) to protect their books from copyright infringement. However, as the music world has already discovered, the plan appears to have backfired big time. In fact, the TechDirt article states that it is almost unfathomable why any publisher would use DRM at all.

Simply put, DRM limits the use of digital content after it's been sold. In other words, no one can mess around with the work. In fact, it apparently can't even be backed up. Amazon, Sony, and Apple are just three companies using DRM to protect content, but an article in TechDirt claims that not only has DRM proven to be a bad idea, it is actually hurting sales. The limited use of a product consumers have paid for has ticked off many readers so much that they refuse to buy any DRM ebook.

Consumers have a point. If you buy a print book, you can share it with as many people as you want. Not so with a DRM ebook. DRM was supposed to curtail piracy, however, given the many numbers of authors whose DRM books have been pirated, it's a colossal failure. Hey, if computer savvy people want a free book, they'll find a way to get it, and there are now plenty of websites out there offering free copies of someone else's book. One certainly doesn't have to be famous, to have sold well, or have a high price point on their book to be subjected to piracy.

But here's an interesting thing. TechDirt reports that Tor Books, who went DRM free nearly a year ago, found no marked increase in piracy at all. So, why wouldn't more publishers choose this option, especially if it means gaining loyal customers? When you go to the blog, read the comments below and you'll see just how anti-DRM people are. http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130430/22322922899/tor-books-uk-says-ditching-drm-showed-no-increase-piracy.shtml


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Did you read the surprising and somewhat depressing article in the Christian Science Monitor this week about Pulitzer Prize (PP) winning books? Due to low sales, one of this year's winners, Devil in the Grove, (a nonfiction work) was scheduled for liquidation by HarperCollins. In fact, the book was already remaindered by the time the winners were announced. However, as the article points out, winning a Pulitzer Prize doesn't necessarily mean the book will start generating lots of sales.

Two weeks after the 2013 winners were announced, all five books had increased sales, but you won't believe the numbers. Embers of War by Fredik Logevall had sold 40 copies before the nominations. His sales jumped to 353 afterward. The Black Count by Tom Reiss went from 135 copies to 501, and Sharon Old's Stag Leap went from 51 copies to 492. Are you getting the grim picture here? Apparently, all of these books received terrific reviews, while a runaway bestseller like Fifty Shades of Gray didn't.

I don't know if this is a growing trend, or whether Pulitzer nominees have traditionally sold poorly. Perhaps nominated books used to do much better, but the rising popularity of genre work has changed the public's reading tastes. Whatever the reason, it's an interesting commentary on the publishing industry, buying trends, and the usefulness awards to a writer's income. I wonder if award winners in mystery, thriller, and fantasy categories have also experienced a less than dazzling spike in sales after they've won. To read the article, go to http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/chapter-and-verse/2013/0430/Pulitzer-Prize-huge-sales-neither-required-nor-guaranteed


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Did any of you see the front page ad in Publishers Weekly (PW) last month, from ultra-rich, bestselling author James Patterson? The ad says in loud, bold letters Who Will Save Our Books? Our Bookstores? Our Libraries? I didn't read Patterson's article in PW, but clearly he believes that all aspects of the publishing industry are in trouble, and that dialogue needs to be started about the future of publishing and bookselling. Hmm. Based on what I've read, that dialogue has already been going on for some time, and good things are happening in the publishing industry.

It seems that I'm not the only one who thinks this way. A recent blog by the prolific and business savvy author, Kristine Kathryn Rusch points out that Patterson is a little out of date and not seeing the whole picture from high atop his successful-author perch. In fact, she maintains that the conclusions reach from the limited data he's collected are just plain wrong, and that Publishers Weekly knows this, however, they received a nice big check for the ad, so they published his article, without bothering to add any analysis, or differing opinions.

Rusch says Patterson is wrong on several levels. For example, things aren't as dire for bookstores as one might think. In fact, data from the American Booksellers Association (ABA) shows that the number of independent bookstores which have opened since 2009 has expanded from 1,401 to 1,567 (a chart and links are provided to the data).

Second, the rise of the ebook hasn't hurt indie bookstores, it's now helping them sell books, thanks to an arrangement between the ABA and Kobo. Booksellers (and 450 of them have signed up at last count) are now able to sell ereaders, accessories, and books through their stores, giving customers access to 3 million titles!

Most interesting of all is Rusch's take on why Patterson believes the industry is in trouble. It's fascinating look at the career of a bestselling author, and too long to repeat here, so I'll refer you to her excellent blog. You'll learn a lot about the publishing business! http://kriswrites.com/2013/05/08/the-business-rusch-the-year-of-the-bookstore/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I read an interesting article in The Huffington Post this week, which discusses the ten biggest marketing mistakes almost every author makes. The top ten mistakes, according to marketing expert Penny C. Sansevieri, are:

.	Waiting to see what happens
.	Feeling like you have to do everything
.	Not putting in enough content
.	Thinking that the rules don't apply to you
.	Not staying on top of trends in your industry
.	Lack of engagement
.	Waiting until the book is done to launch your website
.	Being in a rush
.	Not asking for what you want
.	Wanting to make a fast buck

Sansevieri goes onto say that these mistakes apply to everyone, including traditionally published authors who've been at it for years and are still struggling to find success. I encourage you to read this blog post because, like me, I'm sure you'll find that you could improve on at least a couple of things. Okay, I admit it that there are four or five things, in my case.

Of course, the continuing debate I have with myself is how to I make the time to market my books properly? At the moment, I put most of my energy into working hard to increase my writing productivity. As I've said before, although I edit nearly every day of my life, I'm not the world's most prolific writer. I take great care with rewrites and edits to create the best possible piece I can. What I still struggle with is creating the most effective marketing program imaginable. Needless to say, it's still a work in progress, but articles like the one below really do help:

To read Sansevieri's piece, go to http://www.huffingtonpost.com/penny-c-sansevieri/ten-deadly-marketing-mist_b_3325486.html?utm_source=Alert-blogger&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Email%2BNotifications


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

There's been a lot of discussion and articles about slowing ebook sales, and I have no idea how much of it is correct. However, I came across a couple of articles containing stats, one referring to buying trends in Canada, and the other pertains to the U.S. You can draw your own conclusions from what these two sources have to say!

An article in the Ottawa Business Journal seems to think that ebook sales are plateauing, based on survey conducted by BookNet Canada, involving 4,000 book-buying consumers. They state that paperback sales made up 58% of all sales in Canada in 2012, hardcovers came in at 24%, and ebooks represented 15%, noting that both Kobo and Kindle are popular brand names in this country. Not surprisingly, digital sales peaked in the first quarter of 2012, which is when everyone's happily loading the e-readers they received for Christmas. Also not surprisingly, ebook sales were at their lowest during the last quarter, or the Christmas gift-giving season. You can find more info at http://www.obj.ca/Canada%20-%20World/2013-05-21/article-3253380/Ebook-sales-plateauing-report/1

In the U.S., BookStats also undertook a survey and found that ebook sales account for 20% of all book sales. Although this is a 15% increase from 2011, ebook sales are not rising at the rate once predicted in that country either. In fact, 65 new independent bookstores have opened recently and unit sales increased by 8% in 2012. As you'll read in the New York Times article, publishers who attended the annual Book Expo America convention are breathing a sigh of relief at what they perceive, or hope, is stabilization in the bookselling industry. But is it really? I don't know. It seems to me that the only constant in the publishing industry is change, and that all of us writers, publishers, booksellers, and librarians, need to do our best to keep up. To read the article, go to http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/01/business/media/bookexpo-america-draws-20000-to-javits-center.html?_r=1&


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone, for all my Canadian colleagues . . .

The Writers' Union of Canada (TWUC) is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and what better way to celebrate than by voting unanimously to pass a resolution to admit membership to self-published authors? This warrants a big applause for me, as I'm both traditionally and proudly self-published, and have long been irritated by the way certain organizations, not to mention conferences, have treated self-published authors like second class citizens. The resolution will be presented to members in a referendum, and a two-thirds majority will be needed to make this official.

As you'll note from the link to TWUC's press release, three criteria must be met before gaining membership. The books must have an ISBN, the author must "demonstrate commercial intent" and also be peer reviewed. You can read more about this at http://www.writersunion.ca/news/writers-union-Canada-votes-admit-self-published-authors#.UbPBKC_2CXA.gmail

The times are indeed changing, however, as so many traditionally published authors have opted for self-publishing, and self-published authors are making bestseller lists and gaining readers all over the world, how can any organization not review their own regulations and requirements? As someone who was self-published years before I signed with a publisher, I've never belonged to the TWUC, but you know, I'll give this serious consideration, after the referendum, and more information about what exactly is involved in the peer review process. Every club and organization has conditions with respect to joining, so let's hope the TWUC's process is a reasonable and fair one.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Last week, I was selling my self-published Alex Bellamy mysteries (and handing out bookmarks for the traditionally published Casey Holland series) at Creative Chaos Craft Fair, which apparently is one of the largest craft fairs in western Canada. Creative Chaos welcomes authors, but has strict guidelines about what we can sell. In other words, they must be made by the authors and not commercially made by traditional publishers.

This was Creative Chaos' 38th year of operation and I had the good luck to have a table beside a lovely woman who'd been on the craft fair's Board of Directors for seven years. In fact, the terrific people on the other side of me were also veterans of this fair, so I had lots of tips and advice about what to expect. Interestingly, not much of it turned out the way they expected, but that's craft fairs for you. Every year's different and unpredictable.

One of the things they noted was the increase in self-published authors over the years. As somebody who tries her best to keep tabs on the publishing world, this wasn't a surprise to me, but what I found interesting was the variety of titles on the tables. Authors were selling everything from young adult fantasy, to children's books, to memoirs.

All this ties in with an interesting blog I came across by author David Farland. Farland earns a living with his books, both traditionally and through self-publishing. Writers often ask him which type of publishing they should pursue. His answer is that it's complicated and not always an either-or decision.

There are a number of factors to consider, Farland says, such as the type of book you've written, your age, your expectations, and the type of person you are, for starters. He does say that certain books seem to do better in the self-publishing world such as self-help books and romance. He has mixed feelings about westerns, fantasy, horror, science fiction, and comedy.

Personally, I'd also emphasize (which could come under Farland's type of person category) how strong your commitment is to taking full responsibility for promoting your book on a long-term basis. As all of us in the business know, it could be years before your work starts to take off. Anyhow, Farland has some interesting insights, which I recommend you read (especially if you're still undecided about your publication choice) at http://www.davidfarland.net/writing_tips/?a=228


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

If I was a new writer starting out and struggling to decide how I should publish my book, this week's stories wouldn't help. Those who've been following me on this blog know that I'm both self and traditionally published, and that I see the pros and cons to both. For me, it's always been about making informed choices. The problem is how does a newbie make an informed choice when with statements like this:

"Self-published authors with their insistent need to spam social media and pump out a copious amount of horrible ebooks are ruining the modern online bookstores". The author of that statement, Michael Kozlowski, posts snapshots of tweets from authors blatantly asking people to buy their books. While Mr. Kozlowski's article isn't totally wrong, he isn't totally right either. He also quotes traditional publishers who are blasting self-publishers, accusing them of underhanded tactics. Again, he's not lying, but he's not looking at the whole picture either. As I've noted in previous blogs, some of the big six publishers and their authors have resorted to some pretty underhanded tactics to sell books by skewing reviews and buying their way onto certain bestseller lists. I hope Mr. Kozlowski's prepared for the backlash. To read his piece, go to http://goodereader.com/blog/commentary/self-published-authors-are-destroying-literature/

One response to his blog by traditionally published author Laura Resnick, offers some insightful thoughts which, among other things, provides good reasons why she doesn't believe that self-publishing has devalued the book. You can find her response at http://lauraresnickauthor.wordpress.com/2013/06/18/self-publishing-is-destroying-the-world-oh-nooooooo/

Another provocative piece comes from a publisher who's quoted saying "the problem is that most of the readers love bad books!" Whoo boy, is he trying to acquire hate mail? The publisher, Carl Hanser Verlig from Munich also states that he's never read an ebook, although he doesn't care if others do. What makes him nervous, apparently, is when he sees people reading second-rate books, reviewers praising third-rate books, and booksellers displaying bad books in their windows. Although Mr. Verlig has a long, award-winning career in the publishing industry, I'm quite sure not everyone will agree with him. To read more of his comments in publishing perspectives.com, go to http://publishingperspectives.com/2013/06/the-problem-is-that-most-of-the-readers-love-bad-books/

Meanwhile, more headlines and stories this week reveal that author Sylvia Day has sold more than 550,000 print and ebook copies of her latest book, Entwined With You . Day was self-published and is now traditionally published. You can read about her at http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/sylvia-day-sells-550000-copies-in-a-week_b72605

And if you need yet more confusion in your life, one of the first self-published stars, Amanda Hocking, who's now also traditionally published, has sold a second series to St. Martin's. While she doesn't rule out the possibility of self-publishing again, she'd rather let someone else work on the editing, jacket design, and typesetting so she can write. You can read more at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/20/business/media/self-publishing-star-amanda-hocking-sells-next-series-to-st-martins.html?_r=2&

And so the debate, and successes, and trash talk rages on. These are fun times, aren't they?


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I'm very excited to announce that my third Casey Holland mystery, Beneath the Bleak New Moon, will be released on September 17th. To that end, we're giving away 10 advanced reading copies on Goodreads! If you're interested, go to http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/57933-beneath-the-bleak-new-moon

Thanks!
Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

The Goodreads giveaway for Beneath the Bleak New Moon is going well! I forgot to post the blurb last week, so here it is:

While transit security officer, Casey Holland, is dealing with an unruly pair of teenage twin girls on the M7 bus, the unthinkable happens. Street racers hit a jogger crossing an intersection on Granville Street, a major Vancouver thoroughfare. Casey tries to save the jogger's life, but fails. Days later, a second hit-and-run on the same street outrages her, especially when witnesses insist the victims were deliberately run down.

Young journalist, Danielle Carpenter, is determined to find the person who's killing people for sport and asks for Casey's help. Casey's reluctant, until the twins reveal more about street racers then they should know. Helping Danielle isn't easy. She's not only reckless but on a vendetta. When Danielle goes missing and a racer is murdered, Casey's compelled to step up the search for answers while trying to balance a demanding professional and personal life.

The third installment in Debra Purdy Kong's transit security mysteries takes readers on a wild ride that will leave them breathless and wanting more.

And on a personal note:

Street racing has been a problematic issue for Vancouverites for quite some time. My interest in this topic began with a news story a number of years ago about a woman who was struck and killed by street racers while she was going for a walk. It took a long time for two street racers to be brought to trial and sentenced. During those years, more people were killed or injured through street racing.

As I began research for this book, I soon discovered that the problem occurs in nearly every city in North America and is still happening as I write this. I'm very fortunate that none of my friends or family have been hit by street racers. I wish the same for you.

You can find the giveaway link at http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/57933-beneath-the-bleak-new-moon

Thanks!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I'm sure that many of you have heard by now that two of the largest publishing houses have officially merged to become Penguin Random House, according to several sources and a particularly interesting opinion piece in The New York Times. The Times article also suggested that HarperCollins has been "flirting" over a possible merger with Simon & Schuster, which would give authors and their agents only four big publishers (the other two are Hachette and Macmillan) to send manuscripts to. Did you know that these five companies publish about two-thirds of the books in the U.S.?

Among the several opinion pieces I've read this week, the general consensus is that the merger is in response to the Goliath that is Amazon, who happened to come out on the winning side of a huge ebook price fixing lawsuit in the States recently. Let's face it, Amazon rules the ebook world, Amazon offers great prices, and has a close (and sometimes tumultuous) relationship with consumers. But at least they're finding ways to stay in touch with folks and respond to opinion, although not necessarily for the better.

The ramifications for authors seeking traditional publishing with big companies offering real advances is huge. Already, some of these larger houses restrict their constituent imprints (publishing houses that have since been bought up and reduced to the cheap seats) from bidding against one another on a manuscript. Fewer options for authors means it will be harder to attract a big publisher's attention and advances will be lower. Face it, with fewer publishers in the game, they won't have to compete as hard and they certainly know that authors will be willing to accept less just to land that all-important contract. You can find the article at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/10/opinion/book-publishings-big-gamble.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130710&_r=1&

Needless to say, there's been a lot of scathing comments in blogs and articles about this merger. In fact, I haven't come across any article that applauds it, although there must be at least one out there somewhere. What I have seen are responses such as the one in Teleread by a writer who's listed the big six publishers' "perfect storm" of mistakes over recent years. It's a long piece and you might not agree with everything, but I think you'll find it insightful. http://www.teleread.com/drm/open-letter-to-the-big-six-publishers-have-you-learned-anything/

As you know, in the publishing biz, the only constant is change, and I have a feeling there will be much more to come. Exciting stuff, isn't it?


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

There's still some time left to enter the Goodreads giveaway for a free Advanced Reading Copy of my third Casey Holland mystery, Beneath the Bleak New Moon. You can find it at http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/57933-beneath-the-bleak-new-moon

Thanks,
Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

This week, I came across a thought-provoking blog by Laura Resnick, who has interesting things to say about writing and the writing life. Her latest piece is a poignant, funny, and head-shaking account of the ups and downs she's had over the years as a writer. Since the link's mentioned below, there's no point in repeating it, but her post made me reflect on my own ups and downs.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy where I am, as my fifth mystery (3rd in the Casey Holland series) will be released this fall by a traditional publisher, and for this I'm very grateful. But there were times before I found TouchWood Editions that I really wondered if I'd propped my ladder against the wrong tree.

I've said it before and it still holds true: I'm not a prolific writer. My first two books took over ten years (overlapping) and twelve drafts each to polish enough to submit, and even then editors found necessary changes to make. Since I've had the opportunity to write full time over the past three years, I've learned to cut the number of drafts in half.

With the very first book, Taxed to Death, I acquired a Canadian agent and, being a loyal person by nature, stayed with her five years before I realized she wasn't going to sell the book. She did, however, give me valuable editing tips and advised me to read lots of mysteries, which I still do.

I continued submitting the book and eventually found a publisher who liked it, however, he wanted to try a new "publishing model" where the authors kicks in a couple thousand bucks to help with production costs. This was before the days of AuthorHouse and iUniverse, but I guess you could say he was one of the pioneers. I went on to self-publish the book, which was a great, albeit expensive, learning experience.

Later, I acquired a second agent, this one American, who also happened to be a writer, for another mystery, which later transformed into The Opposite of Dark. She was a nice person, who actually submitted the book to big publishers. I have a copy of their cordial rejection letters. After two years, we parted company, again amicably. I don't think either woman is in the agenting biz anymore.

Shortly afterward, I found a new, small American press who offered me a three-book deal, but closed shop before we even went into production. Still, I kept trying, and finally found TouchWood. My experiences are short and amicable compared to what Laura, and I expect many others, have endured.

A writer will always have ups and downs, but after 30+ years, I'm still here, still enjoying the process of putting ideas on paper. I've learned how to write and complete novels, how to publish books, and how this somewhat dysfunctional business works. I'm still trying to figure out how to make money at it, but if I hang around long enough, I'll get there. And that's the point of this and Laura's blog: writers who hang in there are survivors. Although there are no guarantees of fame and fortune, there is work, and hope, and luck, and probably some level of talent. You keep mixing and experimenting, and maybe one day you'll get to where you want to be. Staying power and the pursuit of a dream are probably key to any successful career. I wish you luck with yours.

You can find Laura's post at http://lauraresnickauthor.wordpress.com/2013/07/23/the-long-haul-the-wheel-never-stops-turning/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I'm very excited that copies of my third Casey Holland mystery, Beneath the Bleak New Moon, will be arriving on my doorstep any day now. The book won't be available on Kindle, though, until September 17th, so I'm staying busy working on the 5th and 6th installments.

Meanwhile, if you're searching for a job, here's some cautionary advice about scams. And if you're a mystery writer, there's a plot idea in this topic somewhere.

Basically, while online job sites make the search easier, it can also pave the way for fraud. A news-sentinel.com article indicates that the wrong employer can also land potential victims in legal trouble. The Better Business Bureau says to watch out for work-at-home ads, as a growing number of them exist only to seek your personal information. Others might be asking you to conduct unethical, if not illegal, activity, and/or costing you money.

The BBB advises you to watch out for anyone requesting you to ship packages to a home office overseas, to be cautious about working with individuals outside the country, and be especially wary if the individual says his country won't allow direct shipments from the U.S. Also, never accept packages you didn't order. There are more great tips you can find at http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130801/BUSINESS/308019994


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

On the true crime front, there's been a lot of news coverage in our area about a dentist, who really wasn't a dentist at all, caught practicing the trade. I did a little digging and found other stories about fake professionals. Always great fodder for more crime stories  Here's an excerpt from my blog about it:

In these computer savvy, social-media driven times, pretending to be someone you're not is bound to catch up with you sooner or later. Take the case of Vitomir Zepinic, an Australian man who was convicted of passing himself off as a psychiatrist. Zepinic later wound up in England, where he continued to lie about his past. He must have been pretty good at it, as he landed a position as senior instructor of psychiatry at a post-secondary institute. However, the truth was eventually discovered and he was recently found guilty in a trial. You can find more in the Sydney Morning Herald article at http://www.smh.com.au/national/fake-psychiatrist-now-guilty-of-fraud-in-uk-20130811-2rpz4.html

A man posing as a police officer-complete with police lights on his truck- pulled over a vehicle in New Mexico for speeding. However, the individuals he stopped happened to be real police officers driving an unmarked vehicle. Needless to say, after a quick background check, the twenty-six-year-old fake cop was arrested for impersonating an officer. What is really scary is that the fake cop was carrying a gun. To read more, go to http://home.mytelus.com/p/news/source/news_cp/category/oddities/article/24444140

Tung Sheng (David) Wu has been allegedly operating an illegal dental practice in his Burnaby, British Columbia home for nearly twenty years, according to sources in The Province newspaper. Police found records for about 1,200 patients in his home and extracted teeth in the garbage. The B.C. College of Dental Surgeons have known about Wu since 2002. In fact, they were going to prosecute, however, Mr. Wu promised to leave Canada in exchange for his freedom, which he clearly didn't. Nor did the College of Dental Surgeons follow up to see if he left the country.

Mr. Wu was ordered to appear in court on Monday, however, he didn't show and is now a wanted fugitive. A mini-van containing his personal belongings, which authorities believe was to be sent to him, has been confiscated. Mr. Wu's patients were new immigrants, and they've now been advised to seek testing for Hepatitis and HIV, among other things. Authorities apparently found less than sterile conditions in Mr. Wu's home. To read more, go to http://www.theprovince.com/news/Rogue+Burnaby+dentist+suspected+trying+flee+Canada/8780499/story.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

This week, my copies of my third Casey Holland mystery Beneath the Bleak New Moon arrived! I'm very excited as this book was a long time in the making. But it's here, and will be available for sale on ebooks Sept. 17th!



Stay tuned for more info!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Here's a little info you might find of interest if you have kids returning to university.

With all the articles I've read about the growing prevalence of ID theft among children and seniors, it was surprising to read that the age group most risk are between 20 and 29, in other words college age adults. Unfortunately, too many either ignore or aren't aware of their vulnerability, which is one reason why they're a favorite target. The other is that many young adults have a clean credit report. The article offers some good tips on ID theft prevention that include safeguarding your mail, storing passwords safely, and never sharing them. You can read more at http://www.cbs7kosa.com/news/details.asp?ID=47765


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I'm eagerly waiting the release date of my third Casey Holland mystery, Beneath the Bleak New Moon. Sept. 17th isn't far away.

Meanwhile, if you live in California, that bottle of wine you bought at auction might have been stolen goods! A 65-year-old California man, who owns a construction business, was sentenced to six years in prison for stealing $2.7 million worth of wine from his clients' storage lockers and auctioning them off. He also under-reported $3.5 million in payroll to his workmen's compensation insurance carrier. The nbclosangeles.com article says that the man broke into the lockers, took the wine, and then replaced the bottles with cheaper brands. Wow, did he think the victims wouldn't notice? Trust me, if there's one thing a wine drinker knows, it's the difference cheap and expensive brands. Sounds to me like the guy's real problem is that he never learned how to properly plan ahead. To read more, go to http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Man-Gets-6-Years-for-Stealing-Nearly-3M-in-Wine-221920671.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Only six days to go until the release of my third Casey Holland mystery, BENEATH THE BLEAK NEW MOON! Very excited and nervous. Meanwhile, here's something for a future crime novel.

You would think that dealing with the loss of a loved one would be enough for any family, but what happens when the family discovers that someone has stolen their loved one's identity after his death? This happened to an American family who lost their eighteen-year-old son in a car crash. When the family filed his last tax return a few weeks later, they discovered that someone had already filed the tax return, and that the ID theft likely occurred after their son had passed away. Thus began an unwelcome investigation.

The pilotonline.com article states that stealing someone's identity after they've died is becoming more common. In fact, there are thieves who troll the obituaries looking for potential targets. Also, the U.S. Social Security Administration keeps what is called a Death Master File, listing the SSN of every deceased person in the U.S. If a creditor doesn't check thoroughly, a thief could easily set up accounts and start spending. To protect your family from this, it's now advisable to contact a credit reporting company to check on the deceased's report and issue a "do not issue credit" alert on the file. To read more, go to http://hamptonroads.com/2013/09/id-theft-claims-victims-even-after-death


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I'm delighted to report that my third Casey Holland mystery, BENEATH THE BLEAK NEW MOON, has now been released. This is a book about the ramifications of street racing, a problem that arises in nearly every city in North America. So, are you ready for a wild ride with Casey!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Sometimes, people ask me where I got the idea for a book. With _Beneath the Bleak New Moon_, the idea came one night several years ago while I was working in the fashion department at Zellers. At the end of evening shifts, it was often my job to straighten the racks and fold sweaters to return to the display tables. Oddly enough, this was one of my favorite tasks. It was relaxing and gave me time to think. Most of what I thought about was which piece of writing I would work on next. Back then, I was still working on my second Alex Bellamy novel, several short stories, and the first two Casey novels&#8230;crazy times &#8230; slow, but productive.

One night, I was heading home on a dry, chill October night. There'd been updated news coverage about a pedestrian who'd been killed by one of two vehicles in a street race many months earlier. Of course, the tragedy was originally a hit-and-run, but the racers were eventually caught, tried and convicted, and one of them deported. As those events slowly unfolded over the years, more people died.

I can't begin to describe the many hit-and-run deaths there've been in Vancouver's Lower Mainland this month alone, as school has reconvened, and the sunny weather has inspired pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists to share the roads with distracted, bleary-eyed drivers.

As a transit officer who rides the buses a lot, Casey would have seen more than her share of accidents. This book opens when she witnesses a hit-and-run, tries to help the victim, and fails.

One of the things I also thought about while folding all those sweaters was how wonderful it would be to have five books published one day (my self-published series is available in print and will be re-released on Kindle in the future). Well, now that it's happened, the time has come for new publishing goals. I should probably go find some sweaters to fold.

The book is available in print and in different e-book formats and in print, which you can find through my newly created website at www.debrapurdykong.com

Or on my page at TouchWood Editons, http://www.touchwoodeditions.com/display_author.php?contributor_id=2383

Thanks!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Let's talk white-collar crime today. One of the reasons identity theft is so prevalent is that it's not hard to acquire personal information. In fact, would-be thieves are given plenty of opportunities through victims themselves and other institutions. I recently wrote a blog about the high number of small and medium-sized businesses that aren't doing nearly enough to properly encrypt their data or adopt safety measures to keep unauthorized employees from accessing personal information. After reading a blog by someone in Texas, however, I discovered that carelessness reached a whole new, and somewhat disturbing, level.

The blogger was house-sitting for a friend when she noticed that mail wasn't being delivered. She went to the post office and learned that the mail carrier had delivered a package, but the next door neighbor told him the owners were away, so the post office automatically held the mail. The house-sitter went to the post office and said that she was there to pick up the mail for that address. To her surprise, the employees handed over all of the mail without asking for identification or proof that she lived at the house. If that person had criminal intent, the homeowners would have returned from vacation to a world of trouble.

It makes me wonder how vulnerable are people who offer their homes for vacation exchanges? If you're allowing a stranger to use your house and car, are you placing yourself at risk for identity theft? I'm not sure what protocols are in place to ensure one's personal things and information are protected, but I suspect that not all participants are completely diligent about securing personal information. And what about the mail issue?

If we're all more careful about our property, our privacy, and our personal information, perhaps white-collar crime could be cut down. It's not a lost battle yet; at least I hope it's not. To read the story go to http://amarillo.com/blog-post/mollie-bryant/2013-09-30/identity-theft-made-easy


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

These days, I'm editing a new Casey Holland mystery, this one about thugs targeting seniors in home invasions, but this isn't the only way seniors are being victimized in real life.

We all know that seniors are easy targets for fraud artists. In fact, experts reveal that income tax and medical fraud targeting this age group are on the rise. But here's a less technical, although equally successful, scam that's been hitting seniors. The story comes from Oklahoma's Own, but this type of incident could happen anywhere.

In Oklahoma, the scam began with two males, both with African accents, approaching seniors in parking lots and asking for assistance in donating cash to charity. The fraudsters made up a story about how they acquired the cash and claimed to be new to the country. They asked if the seniors would donate the cash on their behalf. The catch is that, as an act of good faith, the fraudsters asked the victims to withdraw cash from their bank accounts so the fraudsters could be certain they were dealing with someone honest. The sum asked for was between $1,000 and $10,000. The pair then escorted the obliging seniors to the nearest ATM, got the cash, and took off. You can read more at http://www.news9.com/story/23635173/okc-police-warn-elderly-to-watch-out-for-parking-lot-scam

While I've given tips about preventing aging parents from falling prey to these types of people, it's worth repeating. An expert from credit reporting company, Experian, says that adult children need to train their parents to shred bank statements, pay stubs, and anything with account information on it. They also advise these things:

. don't care a Medicare card around. It contains your SSN number, which is all thieves need to open an account.

. beware of requests for information by phone. These people can be clever and pushy. Actually, it's a good idea to use call display so you don't have to respond to unfamiliar numbers.

. protect your computer. Good passwords and anti-virus protection are essential tools.

. secure mobile devices and beware of the dangers of using public WiFi.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

As many of you probably know, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. To support cancer research, many businesses sell pink products and donate part of the proceeds to various charities and organizations. However, a number of scammers take advantage of the situation by selling pink products and keeping the profit. The process is called pinkwashing.

The Better Business Bureau advises people to do some careful research before purchasing any product carrying the pink ribbon. It's equally important to know that some businesses which legitimately sell pink products place a cap on how much they'll donate to charity. In other words, you could buy a product that won't apply a single cent to charity. To learn more, go to http://www.thebradentontimes.com/news/2013/10/14/business_and_financial/beware_of_fraud_during_breast_cancer_awareness_month/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I'm delighted to announce that my publisher has decided to publish the 4th Casey Holland mystery in September 2014! Of course, there will be an intense editing period coming up. It's a lot of work, but this is also one of my favorite parts of the publishing process.

Meanwhile, I read a disturbing article this week showing just how easy it is for the wrong people to obtain your personal information, and supposedly from secure sources. This time, the secure source was Experian, which is one of the big three credit reporting companies in North America, and allegedly more savvy at protecting information that most other businesses. However, something went wrong.

It seems that a Vietnam-based group calling itself Superget.info boasted about easily obtaining Social Security Numbers, driver's licenses and other personal information that involved Experian. This group specializes in compiling complete identity theft packages so people can take out a loan in someone else's name. The group used a legitimate company called USInfoSearch.com to obtain data, yet, USInfoSearch claims that it didn't supply Superget with data. They did, however, have a business arrangement with a company called Court Ventures. Court Ventures, which trafficks in public data, was bought by Experian in 2012. Are you beginning to understand why your personal information is constantly at risk? Info is acquired everywhere, it's researched, bought and sold, and used for both legitimate and illegal purposes, and we don't have much of a say in how that happens. Pretty scary stuff. You can find the whole article at http://venturebeat.com/2013/10/21/id-theft-group-gains-data-from-experian-owned-firm-by-asking-for-it/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone, and Happy Halloween!!

Crime writing plans on my Casey Holland series have slowed somewhat since taking a day job a month ago. I'm still managing an hour or so a day of editing, plus social networking in the evening, but it's been a challenge! Sometime in November, I'll be in the editing process full swing with one of my favorite editors; the woman worked on the three previous Casey mysteries and knows the characters, which is a huge help. Meanwhile . . .

It's been a year since Superstorm Sandy devastated peoples' lives. An article from foxnews.com reports that not very much money has come to help the victims, but once it does start flowing in, the scammers will be out in full force. The article reports that some scammers have already been busy filing false claims, for which they've been caught and prosecuted. Gasoline price gouging and filing claims for hotel stays that were no longer needed are just two examples.

This is a common problem after a natural disaster. There are always those who want to capitalize on someone's misfortune for personal gain. Unfortunately, fraudulent actives also make the cost of recovery that much greater, which is why some people are questioning the way funds are being distributed in the first place. To read more, go to http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/28/hurricane-sandy-scammers-fraud/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

This week, I received two great reviews for _Beneath the Bleak New Moon_. Boy, that doesn't happen everyday! You can find them at

http://museunleashed.com/2013/10/29/beneath-the-bleak-new-moon-by-debra-purdy-kong-book-review/

http://www.thespec.com/whatson-story/4186826-a-mystery-mix-addiction-hit-and-run-revenge-and-more/

Meanwhile, did you know that this is Fraud Awareness Week? Not many people do. However, 900 organizations around the world have signed on to help raise awareness through training, communication, social media and other activities. If you run a business or belong to an organization, here are some basic tips to help you raise awareness and protect your company from fraud.

Be proactive. Establish and maintain internal controls to both detect and prevent fraud.

Establish Hiring Procedures. By formalizing hiring guidelines, companies will be better equipped to carry out due diligence through proper background checks of education, employment and credit history.

Train Employees in Fraud Protection. Do your employees know what to do if they suspect suspicious activity? Are they familiar with the warning signs?

Conduct Regular Audits. Surprise audits can reveal a lot about a business. They can identify fraud risks and help creative practical strategies for prevention.

Call in an Expert. If fraud is suspected or identified, calling in a Certified Fraud Examiner can help.

You can find more good info at http://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/news/11223234/tips-to-avoid-fraud-in-the-workplace


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I came across an article this week that made me stop and think how vulnerable we are to ID theft.

An article in timesdaily.com states quite simply that as technology increases so does identity theft. Criminals are quite adept at hacking into cellphones, iPods and iPads to find information. GPS devices is a whole other nightmare. A criminal can track your whereabouts, learn where you do your banking and when, and then show up to rob you. In one case, authorities were shown how a GPS system on a yacht was used to commandeer the vessel. Pretty frightening stuff.

The thing is, we're living in a digital age and digital crime is a part of our lives. People don't even have to dumpster dive anymore to steal your personal information. All they have to do is troll Facebook and Twitter to find out where you live, how old you are, your children's names, where they go to school and so on. Think about it. I don't think it's necessary to live off the grid, but it sure is important to guard your personal information. To read more, go to http://www.timesdaily.com/news/local/article_c622a1c2-4a88-11e3-9cb9-001a4bcf6878.html

Stay safe out there!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Here's an article filled with potential for white-collar crime Christmas stories.

An insightful article from nbc.com stresses the importance of keeping vigilant with your security during the holiday shopping season. Scammers will be out in full force and taking advantage of the fact that too many shoppers are stressed, over-tired, and so busy that they might not take the security precautions they should be when shopping online, or anywhere for that matter.

The article advises you to create a new password when shopping online at a store you haven't visited before. Don't, however, use your mother's maiden name like 21% of the population does. Also, be extra diligent about securing your Smartphone as tens of thousands of viruses are out there targeting mobile devices. Yikes! A link in the article will take you to a site that names the top security software to protect your phone. You can read more at http://www.nbcnews.com/business/fraud-alert-how-prevent-holiday-related-identity-theft-2D11603379

Stay safe out there!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone, and Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends!

This week, I found out that my essay "The Wheels on the Bus" has appeared in _Mystery Readers Journal_, Murder in Transit issue. I wrote a short piece about the Casey Holland series, which you can find at You can find the issue at http://www.mysteryreaders.org/Issues/transit2013.html

Thanks,
Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

After four weekends of non-stop selling print versions of my books, I'm happy to take a rest, sort of. It was a great season, and thanks to the many bookmarks I handed out, I've noticed a jump in Kindle sales. I still think print is a good way to get the word out to local markets, and since my books are set where I live, it helps. Of course,  more potential readers every year ask if my books are available on Kindle or Kobo, but half of my print sales at this time of year are gifts for others, so I'm not ready to discount print books yet!

Meanwhile, here's a story especially for my Canadian colleagues. Anyone who’s had their cellphone stolen knows what a nightmare it can be. Considering all the personal information we keep on our phones these days, a stolen phone could wind up costing you big bucks. Since the number of stolen phones has soared, the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) has launched a stolen cellphone blacklist program which makes blacklisted cellphones useless to the criminals who steal them.

If your phone is lost or stolen, contact the police and your cellphone service provider to report what happened, and give them the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. This is a unique code that identifies a device to a serviced network. Your service provider will then add the device to the IMEI blacklist, which means it will be blocked and cannot be reactivated by any service provider that is participating in the program. Note that the blacklist only covers phones that are reported stolen from September 30, 2013 onward. Once a phone is reported lost or stolen, it can take up to 48 hours for the IMEI to appear on the blacklist. Participating carriers include Bell, Rogers, Telus, and Wind. Participating US carriers are AT&T and T-Mobile. Also note that the device cannot be blacklisted without the IMEI number.

So, find the 15-digit IMEI by dialing *#06# on your phone, or checking the battery cavity, if it’s accessible. You can also check the base and sides of your device’s original packaging. Save the number in a safe place. You can find more information about protecting yourself, and how to make sure the phone you’re buying from an individual isn’t blacklisted by checking at www.protectyourdata.ca


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Edits for the fourth Casey Holland mystery are underway. We're about a third of the way through the book, and while I'm enjoying the process, it's been a challenging will coping with a new full-time day job and Christmas preparations. But how will I know what I can do unless I push myself?

Meanwhile, as you've probably heard, the sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela's memorial service this week was a fake. Not one gesture he made had anything to do with sign language. It was bizarre, offensive, and disrespectful. It also says volumes about the ease with which fraud can be committed almost anywhere, anytime. And that, to me, is a huge problem.

The Sochi Olympics are coming up. Plenty of money will be spent on security, and yet something could still happen. Airports all over the world have tightened security since 9/11, and yet something could still happen. Mistakes can be made, people can be bought, and greed knows no bounds. As I write this, the South African government has yet to put out a statement, although it apparently plans to. When you're not vigilant enough, whether you're a government, a corporate executive, or a parent, you must be careful with your privacy, your identity, and the people you share it with, as the cost can be a lot more serious than mere embarrassment. To read more on the phony interpreter, go to http://news.iafrica.com/sa/890753.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone, and a since we're getting close to Christmas, a very happy holiday to all those who celebrate!

Edits are still going on with my 4th Casey Holland mystery, although I'm not sure I'll make the January 2nd deadline. My editor has suffered a loss in her family, so things have slowed down, but real life often interrupts the creative life, and over the years I've learned to adapt.

Meanwhile, a study by accounting firm KPMG revealed some interesting information about the type of employee most likely to commit fraud. Not surprisingly, the individual is experienced and holds a somewhat senior position. Also, he may have collaborators both inside and outside the company. The fraudster is likely someone who has no previous criminal history and is, in fact, highly regarded and trusted.

What is startling, though, is that once caught only 7% of those employees wind up in jail and a mere 55% are fired. The rest get to keep their jobs! If companies aren't demonstrating zero tolerance for this type of behavior, then how can they expect it to stop? As the CPA article states, fraud schemes are like flu viruses, constantly changing and adapting to new environments and new technologies, which makes them all the more dangerous. To read more go to http://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/news/11282853/who-is-the-most-likely-to-commit-financial-fraud.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays. I have a week off of the day job and a looming editing deadline, so you can imagine what I'll be doing during this welcome break. However, here's a little something I came across, in keeping with the season.

A New York wine collector was recently convicted for switching labels on wine and attempting to pass cheap wine off as the good stuff. Really, did he think he could get away with it? Apparently, wine fraud isn't uncommon. The article also discusses the great grape-switch back in the 1990's. Another incident revealed that some enterprising soul decided to sweeten wine with a chemical found in anti-freeze. Sheesh! Be careful who you buy your wines from! To read more, go to http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20131225/entertainment/131229781#page=1

Be careful out there!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone, and Happy New Year!

I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays. I spent part of it celebrating with family, and part of it finishing up edits for the 4th Casey novel, which pretty much made this a great week's holiday. Meanwhile, I came across some disturbing stats about ID theft this week:

An article in dailyfinance.com reports that in 2012, 16.6 million people victimized by identity theft in the U.S. cost the country $24.7 billion in direct and indirect losses. This is far more than the $14 billion experienced from property and motor vehicle thefts. The Bureau of Justice stats also revealed that financial institutions were the ones who noticed the fraud in nearly half the cases. Another 21% of victims discovered the problem only after another company reached out to them, and 13% discovered fraud by receiving a bill in the mail.

If there is any good news from the statistics it's that most victims don't bear the brunt of the financial loss, and most don't pay that much to have the problem corrected. Also, fewer man-hours are spent correcting the problem than there used to be. For some, it's just one day, for others longer, depending on the extent of the damage. The real problem however, is that credit ratings take much longer to fix. To read more, go to http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/12/31/scariest-identity-theft-statistics/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Wahoo!

I finally finished my edits on the 4th book and sent it to my publisher on the weekend. Obstacles aside, it was as usual an exhilarating exercise. I'm one of those crazy writers who loves the editing process, watching a chapter take shape, bit by bit, is really satisfying. I wonder if that's how sculptors feel...

Meanwhile, on the reality crime front, I written before about the way some people used large disasters to scam others. This week abcnews.go.com reported one of the most despicable situations imaginable, when 100 retired New York police officers, firefighters, and corrections officers were indicted for fraud. These people (many coached by four men who earned a big kickback from each claimant) claimed to be suffering from anxiety and depression due to 9/11, yet a two-year investigation revealed that many were quite active and not the fearful, housebound victims they claimed to be.

Authorities believe that these individuals have cost taxpayers millions in undeserved benefits. On a smaller scale, two men pleaded guilty to keeping the $50,000 they claimed to have raised for the families of 9/11 victims. One has to wonder how many more scams will be born out of tragedy. To read the story, go to http://abcnews.go.com/US/huge-911-fraud-case-accuses-retired-york-cops/story?id=21445783


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Just learned a couple of days ago that my publisher placed my first Casey Holland mystery, The Opposite of Dark, on sale for $1.99 until Feb. 2, http://goo.gl/XysomH

Find out why Casey's past could come back to kill her!

Thanks,
Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

My first Casey Holland mystery, The Opposite of Dark, will be on sale for only 3 more days at $1.99 2, http://goo.gl/XysomH Find out why Casey's past could come back to kill her!

Meanwhile, if major data breaches at retail stores aren't enough, it looks like a cybersecurity journalist has uncovered what could be a massive world-wide scam involving stolen payment cards. The article says that consumers are being hit with a small charge of $9.84 on their credit card statements. It's the type of amount that most people wouldn't look at twice, which is part of the problem. Upon doing some digging, the journalist discovered that the scam stretches from Cyprus to India to the United Kingdom.

The Better Business Bureau and Visa and Mastercard companies are aware of the situation, but at this point nobody really knows how widespread the scam is. The journalist was able to trace the source of the activity to two Cyrpus men and a Malta-based bank that has been processing the fraudulent transactions. So, take a close look at your debit and credit card statements. If you see a small amount that you can't account for, notify your bank immediately. To read more, go to http://fox6now.com/2014/01/28/were-you-charged-9-84-it-might-be-fraud/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Thanks to all those who took part in the sale for The Opposite of Dark. These events do make a difference, as I sold more copies in the past two weeks than I had in the last three months.

Meanwhile, here's some good news in the battle against identity theft. As you know, ID theft has been a major problem in the American healthcare industry for some time. Too many people have used someone else's insurance (often a relative) to pay their medical care. Unfortunately, the victims aren't aware of what's happened until they find themselves facing a huge bill. So, a healthcare system in South Carolina is trying something new by having patients scan the palm of their hand when they come in for treatment. It's not designed to replace the wrist bands used in hospitals to identify patients, but to act as another safeguard. By the way, children over five can also have their palms scanned, using a safe near-infrared beam.

As any palm reader will tell you, your palm print is unique, so if someone's trying to pass themselves off as you, all the phony ID in the world won't help them if their palm print doesn't match yours. The technology wasn't designed just to prevent identity theft, but to ensure that the patient is matched up with the correct medical records. Many people have the same name or some might arrive at a hospital unconscious or without ID. In other situations, healthcare providers might not have the information they need pertaining to food or medication allergies right away. This technology provides quick and correct identification, making errors less likely, and that's very cool. To read more, go to http://www.thestate.com/2014/02/03/3242671/hospital-using-palm-scan-to-prevent.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Page proofs are coming in at the end of this month for my 4th Casey Holland novel, The Deep End, so I'm trying to get as much editing done on books 5 and 6th as I can. My writing life has always been a juggling act and now that I'm working full time, life in general is a juggling act, but after four months of this new routine, I'm learning to find ways to incorporate more writing time, and hopefully writing more efficiently. It's still a struggle, though. Always has been.

Meanwhile, did you hear about the criminal in prison for assault and theft, who then decided to become a white-collar criminal because it made more money and resulted in less jail time? This person did his research while doing time. Once he was finally out, he was ready to set up a phony check operation. At his peak, he had seventy people working for him and had cashed nearly 600 fake or forged checks totaling $1.2 million.

What's truly special about this moron is that he wrote a book on how to become a white-collar criminal. The article didn't say how many copies he sold or whether he made money from book sales, but he did vow to write a sequel. Now that he'll be serving about ten years in jail (he served twelve for assault) perhaps the sequel should include a chapter on how to stay out of jail. To read the philly.com article about this guy, go to http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/Armed_robber_takes_up_white_collar_crime__gets_12_years_for_massive_fraud.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone, and Happy Friday. Hope you're all enjoying the Olympics!

It's been a bit harder to get any writing and editing done with all this terrific competition is on TV. I'm not an athlete by I find these athletes inspiring. It's about hard work and commitment and passion and believing in success....it's a lot like the writing life.

And on the crime front, considering that 110 million customers' personal information was compromised by data breaches at Target and Neiman Marcus, it's a fairly safe bet that sooner or later your personal data will be stolen. A sobering thought, isn't it? ID theft has been going on a long time and the repercussions can be nasty. Take the 2006 case of a man who noticed that he was being charged for things he didn't buy. A few weeks later, he was pulled over on a traffic violation and immediately arrested on a false outstanding felony warrant. Because he'd already been embroiled with banks and institutions over his identity, he knew what had happened, yet it took him years to convince law enforcement that his prints didn't match those of the man they really wanted.

Out of this experience, he came up with some excellent, common sense tips that I don't see on other websites. One of my favorites is-and not a lot of people agree with me-to use cash more often. He also advises people to understand why and how fraud happens. Let's face it, many of us still carry too many plastic cards in our wallets and post too much personal information on social media sites. He advises everyone to photocopy the backs and fronts of all ID in their wallets and to ensure that the name you use on every legal document is identical. Even a missing initial for your middle name can set you back to reclaiming your identity. He also advises stapling the photocopied info in the order it is in your wallet and then storing it in a safe deposit box. Excellent advice! To read more of his experience and good advice, go to http://www.webstercountycitizen.com/news/article_d06f6b26-9815-11e3-82b3-0017a43b2370.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Happy Friday, everyone!

I'm about to get the page proofs from my publisher for book #4, The Deep End, in my Casey Holland series. This is always an exciting part of the process, as you know everything's coming together!

Meanwhile, I've written before about the police officers and firefighters who had claimed all sorts of disability benefits after 9/11 that they weren't entitled to. At that time, authorities had rounded up about a hundred people who were leading active lives while claiming PTSD, anxiety, depression and other disorders that hardly allowed them to leave the house, let alone hold down a job or take up a sport.

Well, it turns out that the problem has gone on for much longer and is far more widespread than first believed. In fact, an ongoing investigation has revealed false claims among police officers and firefighters going back 26 years! They've been claiming the same types of disabilities as the 9/11 folks did, and have been living off of undeserved proceeds for years. It's staggering to think how much money has been stolen. Meanwhile, some of these people have been holding down other jobs and enjoying all sorts of activities. You can read about it at http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303880604579404893769824188?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702303880604579404893769824188.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

So, I'm still waiting for the page proofs for my 4th Casey Holland mystery, but keeping busy with the day job and editing book #6 keeps me from fretting about the increasingly long wait.

My quest for white-collar crime info this week, took me to an article which states that According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), scammers drained over $20 million from the bank accounts of nearly 22,000 Canadians last year. The CAFC also noticed that the culprits seem to be shifting away from seniors and targeting the group with the most money: baby boomers. At least, boomers represented the highest number of victims and biggest losers through mass-marketing schemes.

Theepochtimes.com article states that romance scams appear to be the most lucrative. The scammers are creating phony online identities and profiles to troll for victims. They'll take the time to build a trusting relationship, then ask for money, citing a family emergency. One the month's in their hands, they disappear.

Another popular ploy is the Microsoft scam, where you'll get a phone call from a knowledgeable sounding IT tech, informing you that your computer's been infected and, for a fee, they'll help solve the problem. Often, it doesn't take more than a few minutes of research on the Net to learn that these type of people are far from legitimate. To read about more, go to http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/541075-fraud-scams-identity-theft-costing-canadians-millions/


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Kindleboards is looking a whole lot different than it did last week. This is going to take some getting used to! Well, the copy edits finally came in for The Deep End. I've got a little over a week to go over everything, so we'll see...

Meanwhile, here's the cover!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I finally finished revising the copy edit changes to the Deep End. It was a 9-day hurdle, but I managed. The next step is the page proofs to review to make sure everything's okay. It's a long process, but worth it.

On my fraud blog this week, I posted something about food fraud. According to a piece in care2.com, food fraud is now so common in America that a Food Fraud Database (FFD) has been created to flag all cases of food that has been misrepresented through deliberate substitution, tampering, or adding food ingredients. In other words, the label misrepresents the contents of the package for economic gain. Kind of reminds you of the tobacco industry in the old days, doesn't it? Only this is happening to olive oil, honey, milk, coffee and orange juice. In fact, these are the most typically misrepresented products on the market, but there are many others. To read more, go to http://www.care2.com/causes/food-fraud-5-foods-that-are-deliberately-mislabeled.html


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

It's been quite a while since I posted about my Casey Holland series, but at long last the 4th book, The Deep End, will be released in September. A Goodreads giveaway is happening until Aug. 31st, which you can find at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20578729-the-deep-end



Thanks!


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Just a reminder that the Goodreads giveaway for my 4th Casey Holland mystery, _The Deep End_, is still on until Aug. 31st, which you can find at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20578729-the-deep-end

Thanks!
Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Just a reminder there is only one week left to enter the Goodreads giveaway for my 4th Casey Holland mystery, The Deep End. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20578729-the-deep-end



The book officially launches on September 30th

Thanks!
Debra


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I'm thrilled to announce that The Deep End is now available for sale. Aside from the usual, Kindle and Kobo, the book is also available through Nook and ibooks. You can find more information from my publisher TouchWood Editions at http://www.touchwoodeditions.com/author_details.php?contributor_id_1=2383



Thanks!!
Debra


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