# Finalist for Best Book of the Year by publishing industry magazine



## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I just learned my book, independently published, is in the running for Book of the year at _ForeWord Reviews_, a leading industry magazine. What this means is the books gets to have a gold award sticker on it, and, if I do this right, it could become noticed by bookstores and libraries. The winners will be selected in June at the ALA convention.

This is a wonderful surprise, and now I have to see what options, if any, I have for a surge in sales. Click here for a press release on it: http://ow.ly/aRZVf

*LOVE AT ABSOLUTE ZERO*

In this comic romp, physicist Gunnar Gunderson, channeling his inner salmon, is determined to find his soul mate in three days using science. Gunderson, a 32-year-old star physicist at the University of Wisconsin, first finds his university career has brought him to this very second: a surprise party where his department head announces his tenure. Once he learns he has his job for life, he can think only of one thing: finding a wife. His research falters into what happens to matter near absolute zero (−459.67 °F), but he has an instant new plan: use the Scientific Method to find his love. His research team will help. Will he survive his quest?










"It is impossible not to like Gunnar Gunderson," says *critic Sam Sattler of Book Chase. * _Book Chase_ selected _Love At Absolute Zero_ as a *Top Ten Best Fiction of 2011*

"The magical thing," says *reviewer Grady Harp* (Top Ten on Amazon) "is that Meeks makes us really care about this strange bright naïve nerd."

"As engaging as it is amusing, _Love at Absolute Zero_ is, ultimately, a heartfelt study of the tension between the head and heart, science and emotion, calculation and chance." - *Marc Schuster, Small Press Reviews  *

"The author hit a home run. It's a very good story, very well told." - *Jim Chambers, Red Adept Reviews*, a site that selected it as *Best Romance, 2011.*

"As if Einstein didn't struggle hard enough failing at a unified field theory," says *Philip Persinger, author of Do The Math, * "Meeks ups the ante by tossing philosophy, anthropology, hashish, and love (with a capital L) into the mix. And while we're so sorry, Uncle Albert, in Love at Absolute Zero, Meeks succeeds absolutely."

"I've read both of Meeks's short story collections and _The Brightest Moon of the Century_. I roared through _Love at Absolute Zero_ in a day and a half. Meeks's prose is carefully crafted, his characters compelling and entertaining. I love everything he writes, and I recommend _Love at Absolute Zero_ without reservation.
-- *author Kevin Gerard * (_Conor and the Crossworlds_)

THE WRITING ITSELF

Now that this is my fifth book out (the fourth book of fiction along with a play), I'm seeing reviewers and average readers are talking about the quality of my writing, as Kevin Gerard mentions above. Here are a few more examples:

"It is a given, now, that Christopher Meeks is a master craftsman as a writer. What surprises us in this novel is just how much research he's done to get the scientific part of it right. Where does all of this passionate knowledge of physics lie, knowledge that allows him to write so comfortably, opening every chapter with a scientific quote, that we novices stay on board with him? It is a gift-and one of the many that continue to emerge from the pen and mind and brilliant trait for finding the humor in life that makes him so genuinely fine a writer." *- Grady Harp*

"Thus while Meeks is, in fact, doing new things with this novel (as all artists must!), he's also allowing his natural talents to shine through by focusing on that which makes his other works especially gratifying - the quest for love, the quest for self-knowledge, and the quest for personal fulfillment." *- Marc Shuster*

"Fortunately, the author has such technical control over his material that the reader does not share the same misery index with the main character as Gunnar bounces down a difficult path to ultimate happiness. It's a great read." - *Philip Persinger*

"I love that [Meeks] is a pure storyteller and without affectation or pretense he tells a great story that you can finish in one sitting (or one international flight)." *- Corie Skolnick*










---

Thanks also to the people who helped with the title and the cover choices. In celebration, I wrote about the journey to get here, particularly about the marketing of my previous books. If you're a writer and are open to the realities of what I've found in marketing, go here: http://www.redroom.com/blog/christopher-meeks/my-realities-or-how-to-market-your-book-or-watch-it-die


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Congratulations on your book, Christopher!

(If you've gotten this welcome before, it's just as a matter of housekeeping. We like to put a copy of the "welcome letter" in each book thread. It doesn't mean you've done anything wrong, it just helps us know that you know the rules.)

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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Thanks, Ann. While May 16th is technically my publication day (which will be announced on Kindle Nation Daily), and it's only Sunday the 15th here in Los Angeles, I'm figuring it's the 16th in Japan--so I'm promoting it now. It's great to reach publication day at last.


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## alan nayes (Jan 11, 2011)

congrats, chris--have a question that may sound stupid but what is kindle nation and how do you get your book announced there? thanks.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Alan, that's not a silly question at all. Kindle Nation is a newsletter written by Steve Windwalker that goes out to about 6,000 kindles and 9,000 emails, and it has Kindle news, reviews, profiles of new books, and free books and stories. Tomorrow afternoon, you can get two of my stories for free. It's all supported mostly by indie advertising. For something like $120, you can sponsor a day. You can read it online at http://kindlenationdaily.com/ and learn about sponsorship info at http://kindlenationdaily.com/authors-and-publishers-how-to-sponsor-kindle-nation-daily-2/

Also, for $35 a day, you can have the KB Book of the Day here on Kindleboards. The way I look at it is if your book is $2.99, you make about two bucks, so you'll have to have 18 people buy your book from seeing your ad to pay for KB Book of the day. You'll have to have 60 people buy your book thanks to Kindle Nation Daily. Both seem to work out to about that. I really like Kindle Nation Daily. I've found some good books that way. Steve Windwalker is becoming my hero.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

My wife and I are having our own challenge here today. My wife's father, 76, called to borrow $5,000 to give to a man he met online with a sad story. It turns out my father-in-law, who lives in Georgia on a small pension has drained his bank account of $30,000. Yet this man who "borrowed" the $30,000 needs another $5,000 to get to Afghanistan to get to the treasures he has there in order to pay back my father-in-law. If the stranger can't get the $5,000, the $30,000 is gone, and if the man doesn't get the money, he may as well kill himself, he said. My father-in-law has been a very conservative and responsible over the years with his money, so this is crazy. It reminds me how older people can be vulnerable to scam artists, so we're trying to figure out what to do.

As for "Love at Absolute Zero," a banner ad is on Red Adept's Reviews today with an excerpt, which you can see at http://redadeptreviews.com/. Or you can get an excerpt at http://www.redroom.com/publishedwork/love-at-absolute-zero. Also, if you have a Kindle, just grab a sample of it on Amazon. (Click on the cover below.)

As for my father-in-law, there must be someone in Savannah's law enforcement we can call. I'll update you next week if not sooner. What to do with a distinguished man whose reasoning may be slipping?


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## JimC1946 (Aug 6, 2009)

Christopher, my heart aches for your father and your family. I sincerely hope there is a special place in hell for these scam artists who prey on the elderly. Just today, the Atlanta newspaper had a story about this, so I know it's a growing problem.

*Love At Absolute Zero* looks like a good read, so I just one-clicked it. I'm looking forward to reading it.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Jim, thanks for your note, which was nice to get on the day my book's banner ad is up here on Kindleboards. Thanks, too, for getting the book. 

As for my father-in-law, we called the Savannah Police fraud department, and a man there said that if my father-in-law freely gave the money, there's nothing they can do. It was freely given as an I.O.U. My wife's brother discovered this con man in some newspaper articles in Texas. Apparently the man embezzled money from a judge, who then sued the guy for $1.4 million. The judge, for whatever reason, later dropped the suit. Anyway, my brother-in-law spoke to the man and told him never to call his father again unless it's to pay him back. My father-in-law accepts the loss. 

Ah, the golden years....


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I just returned from the El Segundo Author's Fair, which I'd been invited to with 34 other authors, to sign books. I had a few proof copies of "Love at Absolute Zero" to show and sell. (The Kindle version is available now but the printed version won't be out until September.) One thing I realized about "in person" versus "online" is that I'd see people approach the book with curiosity. Many would say, "Hey, I like the title," pick it up and then look at the blurb on the back and laugh. That's the kind of response I hoped for. I sold out my printed copies. 

Here on Kindle, I don't get to see what draws a person--or not. I see people look at this thread. I'll hope for people to sample the book. 

One person at the fair came up to me, already having read it, and turned to other people and said, "Buy this book. It's a page turner and it's funny." Again, that's the thing I hope would happen.

I aimed the book to be one that might change your life--and be entertaining.


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## Will Granger (Apr 12, 2011)

Congratulations on publishing your book! It is difficult to write comedy, and your scenario sounds original. 

Best of luck with your book


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Thank you, Will. In looking at your books just now, the creative writer in me sees you have grasped dramatic action well. Your hero, without magical powers, has to face some mighty foes. The tough thing then, as you're probably learning, is marketing your series. At the Author's Fair yesterday, I learned a lot. First I discovered that to be invited there meant the librarians, in searching out Los Angeles authors--which there must be thousands--found our work and felt it was compelling. That meant our marketing efforts--or the efforts by publishers--worked.

The second thing I learned was that most of the authors were self-published, which surprised me. As I went from table to table, I had to say everyone's front cover was good but few were stunning. In general, the authors from big publishers had books whose front cover, back cover, spine and interiors were all unified and well designed. This is something not judged on a Kindle where each book gets the same font. It made me realize that the front cover is the only unique design element readers see on Kindle, which perhaps makes the cover that much more important.

The third thing I heard from authors all across the board, self-published or not, was that marketing was much more than they ever expected. Author Katie Arnoldi, whose book Point Dume: A Novel is not on Kindle, only in paperback from The Overlook Press in New York, had quotes from Joan Didion and David Mamet, which she told me came through her efforts. "I wish I could write more and market less. I really like the writing," she said.

A few self-published authors felt a little bitter for things they paid for that didn't work out, such as a woman who spent several hundred dollars on a single press release. The release went to thousands of newspapers and blogs across the country, and she was given the email list for follow-up correspondence if she wished. She sent a mass mailing to the list reminding the editors of her press release.

"Not one person used the release," she said. "I got nothing from it. Nothing." It reminded me there are a lot of people preying on authors, promising the world, but for naught. This passion of ours, writing, has plenty of hurdles.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

After I saw two films this week, "The Tree of Life" and "Love and Other Drugs," I got to thinking what is it I want in a great story. I ended up blogging about it:

*WHAT DO I WANT FROM MOVIES? ("THE TREE OF LIFE" VS. "LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS")*

I might even go farther and ask what do I want from any story? I happened to see two films this week, Terrence Malick's Palme d'Or-winning _The Tree of Life_ and Edward Zwick's _Love and Other Drugs_, co-written with frequent partner Marshall Herskovitz and Charles Randolph. I liked both movies and yet I was frustrated by each. They made me examine what it is I want.

I went to _The Tree of Life _ knowing I wasn't going to see an average movie. I came to admire Malick's Da_ys of Heaven, The Thin Red Line_ and _The New World _ not for their rip-roaring plots--there are barely any storylines--but for their imagery. You have to watch his films letting each wash over you much in the way you do in a night at the planetarium.

The first words in the new film come in a voiceover, a woman telling us there are two ways to view the world: as nature or as grace. In short order, I'm witnessing incredible images, such as the dancing shadows of people, the beauty of skyscrapers against a blue sky, blood coursing through the smallest of veins, water cascading over a waterfalls, and the planet Mercury moving in front of the sun in such detail, you see the undulating surface of the burning orb. Grace and nature.

To read the rest, go to:

http://www.redroom.com/blog/christopher-meeks/what-do-i-want-from-movies-the-tree-life-vs-love-and-other-drugs


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I was humbled and pleased this week with two critics' reviews, those from Grady Harp and Marc Schuster. They'd reviewed my previous work well and were able to put _Love At Absolute Zero _ into context. I'm humbled because they're seeing my stories in more objective ways that I can, so I'm learning of my own optimistic nature. Additionally, Harp wrote, "[Meeks] is likely to continue on his climb to one of America's more important writers this decade."

While I just wove in snips of what they said in the first entry to this thread, you can read Harp's full review by going to the book's Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Love-at-Absolute-Zero-ebook/dp/B004ZF9GWE

You can read Schuster's review on the website Small Press reviews by clicking here: http://smallpressreviews.wordpress.com/2011/06/24/love-at-absolute-zero/


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## JimC1946 (Aug 6, 2009)

I've read a number of Grady Harp's reviews. They're almost like literary works in themselves.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

JimC1946 said:


> I've read a number of Grady Harp's reviews. They're almost like literary works in themselves.


You're right, Jim. I reviewed books and theatre for newspapers in the nineties, and I learned first hand what it takes to write a really good review. It's hard. In fact, it's probably where I learned the most about storytelling--what works and what doesn't. When I read Harp's reviews, I'm often in awe with the depth he gives them--and he reads and writes enough to be in the Top Ten reviewers.

While I've never met him, I learned he lives in Pasadena, so I asked if he'd introduce me and the printed version of LOVE AT ABSOLUTE ZERO at the publication party, which is at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena on September 29th, 7 p.m. He said yes! It's a huge honor.

By the way, Jim--you're getting to be quite the good reviewer on Red Adept's site. You're learning, too, what it takes.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

tkkenyon said:


> Hi Christopher,
> 
> Hey, your book looks great! I'll go take a look at it. Let me guess: Einstein-Bose condensates?
> 
> TK Kenyon


TK, thank you! And you're absolutely right about BECs. Gunnar is trying to make a Bose-Einstein condensate of strontium. To anyone intimidated by science: this stuff is secondary--you'll feel brilliant at the end for understanding quantum physics and love.


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## Arlene Webb (Nov 2, 2010)

Couldnt resist. I just hit the buy link. A couple ahead on my kindle, and then I can't wait to jump into the world of Gunnar Gunderson.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Arlene, thanks for buying it. You'll have fun with Gunnar. In fact, today I was thinking he needs his own website. I'm not sure what would be on it, but I'd like to go to it.


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## Arlene Webb (Nov 2, 2010)

Christopher Meeks said:


> Arlene, thanks for buying it. You'll have fun with Gunnar. In fact, today I was thinking he needs his own website. I'm not sure what would be on it, but I'd like to go to it.


Hard to let go of those characters, isnt it? No matter how time consuming for you, I'm sure fans will be thrilled. Maybe Gunnar would be interested in doing reviews, movies and or books, and then he wouldnt compete with his creator's blogging.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Arlene Webb said:


> Hard to let go of those characters, isnt it? No matter how time consuming for you, I'm sure fans will be thrilled. Maybe Gunnar would be interested in doing reviews, movies and or books, and then he wouldnt compete with his creator's blogging.


Arlene, you just gave me a good idea. It'd be funny if Gunnar had a love-advice column. He's Mr. Science, after all and thinks he could come up with good advice, even if he's the last one who should give it. I'm thinking how Garrison Keillor for a short time had a love-advice column called Mr. Blue. If I remember right, that experience later became grist for his novel Love Me

(While that novel sells for $14 on Kindle, it seems to be out of print, and there are a bunch of copies for a penny.)

Anyway, Arlene, you've got me thinking!


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## Arlene Webb (Nov 2, 2010)

That's brillant. Keep us posted. I'd think you could have a lot of fun with an advice column.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Arlene Webb said:


> That's brillant. Keep us posted. I'd think you could have a lot of fun with an advice column.


I'm already loving the idea. Now I'm getting practical--when do I write it? How do I start it?

TK Kenyon, who commented earlier (above) has a link to a website that I followed, and she gives the advice about turning off the Internet each day and just write. I tried that this morning, and it worked. I used to be so focused on my writing time, but the Internet seduced me. If I'm reading, I've found I cannot be in visual sight of my computer or otherwise I get to thinking about all the things I need to do on it.

If I'm going to create an advice column, I'd better finish the novel I'm writing first, then take on this new project fully. Or maybe I'll call it "marketing" and do it in my afternoon hours.

Anyway, thanks for your thoughts, Arlene.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

One of the great things of publishing first to Kindle is that tweaks can be made. One of the things I noticed, for instance, is that all of the reviews that have come in have been from men. I don't eschew that by any means, and the reviews have been strong, but I want women to feel included, too. I went to MJ Rose at AuthorBuzz, a leading firm in book marketing, and asked her if she liked the cover. She said yet but that it was a little masculine to her taste.

Thus, I went to my book designer, Daniel Will-Harris, to see if he could soften the cover a little. I'm such a fan of the cover, I didn't want it changed substantially because he captures the main character, Gunnar Gunderson's character. Yet the cover was missing some of the fun, which the back cover shows.

Daniel's first attempt was changing the red color to pink. It was god awful. I said no, that wasn't it. I suggested the heart he used on a completely different initial cover where an ice cube had a cute heart folded over it. Thus, he came back with this:



I loved it. I went back to MJ Rose. She said "That's it!"

Now I went to the inside of the book. A couple typos were found last week. Despite two editors and an army of proofreaders, a few things got away. I was able to make those corrections.

Additionally, I took some of John Locke's advice and added reviews to the first page. As I said, the reviews have been insightful-thank you Grady Harp, Sam Sattler, Marc Schuster and Jim Chambers-and they now start out my book.

I'm pleased to make these changes, and when the printed version comes out September 17, the changes will be there, too.

Last, a number of writers on Kindleboards have said that $4.99 has been a good price-and a lower price actually gave them fewer sales. Now that I've tried it out at $4.99, and not displeased with the sales, I'm lowering it to $3.99 to see if I get a higher percentage. If you've been on the fence, go for it now.

Thanks for everyone's support during this process.

--Chris


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

This week I discovered the button on Twitter that shows which of my tweets have been retweeted. It also shows me perhaps why sales in my book increased. Twitter for me is like a crossword puzzle: a definite amount of space and only one thing works at a time. Here are a few of the retweets:

LOVE AT ABSOLUTE ZERO. Physicist wants wife in 3 days w/ scientific method and trip to #Denmark http://t.co/b74b0Bj

"We have a superior writer of the genre in our presence" -Grady Harp on Meeks' short stories. http://t.co/P0sriIm #books #publishing #writer

"Each is a polished gem from a gifted artist." -Grady Harp on Meeks' short stories. http://t.co/P0sriIm #books #publishing #writer

"It was a world run over with gas-guzzlers and pollution and cattle prods for semen." http://t.co/P0sriIm #books #publishing #writer

Get-rich-in-pub tip #5: 50,000 words is 200 pages. That's about $2.50 in paper. Insane. Write less. http://t.co/jtkjhWO #writetip #writer

"Ground Control to Major Tom"--my thoughts on the importance of growing up in the space age. #essay http://t.co/opKnCDV #amwriting @NMSI

Self-Pub Tip: If you get a review less than 5 stars, something must be wrong with the system. Complain. http://t.co/jtkjhWO #selfpublishing

--Anyway, I'm still learning the form. Any good tips out there on how to use Twitter best or better?


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

My wife and I saved for two years and took the family to Europe this month, specifically to Venice, Paris, and various parts of Denmark. We arrived back two days ago. While in Denmark, I was happy to visit the Niels Bohr Institute, where a part of Love at Absolute Zero takes place. In fact, as we traveled around Copenhagen and its environs, I was able to photograph certain spots where my novel's action takes place in Denmark. It was a thrill to see things Gunnar saw.

While I was in Europe, I also learned a few things about the Kindle. While I saw many iPads in use on the Metros, trains, and buses, I only saw one Kindle, and when I asked the Danish reader where she got it, she said it was her brother's, and he got it in England. A few people asked my wife and I what we were using, so we showed off the Kindle. People had heard of it, but just had not seen it. That suggests the PR for it has worked well, but the devices just need to be sold more. I found that many Danes bought books using Amazon.com, but I never asked where it was shipped from. I'm guessing England or Germany. (I didn't ask in Italy or France.)

While in Denmark, I typed in www.amazon.com, and I was taken to a site that showed books in American dollars, but the prices were different there--in part due to the terrible exchange rate. (Everything is incredibly expensive in Europe right now using the American dollar.) This book was selling for nearly double at $6.88 "including VAT," which is value added tax. Thus, if you're looking to sell your book primarily in Europe, price it with this in mind.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

This book's print version comes out on September 17th. That day, I'm flying to Minneapolis, MN, to be a part of the book's publication party at the Bookcase in Wayzata, Minnesota. The event is free at open to the public. It starts at 7 p.m.

*The Bookcase - Sept 17, 7 p.m. * 
607 Lake Street East
Wayzata, MN 55391-1776
(952) 473-8341

A second publication party will be in Pasadena at Vroman's Bookstore on Thursday, September 29, 7 p.m. It is also free and open to the public with wine and treats.

*Vroman's Bookstore - Sept 29, 7 p.m.*
695 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena
(626) 449-5320

Come join either party. If you bought it on Kindle, that's great. Come anyway. I'd love to meet you.

--Chris


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

The publication date for my book draws closer, and I'm psyching myself up for being in front of people at the two publication parties. In the meantime, I wrote two articles, perhaps of interest to you:

1) THE ACCIDENTAL PUBLISHER, which is about how my books have come out and the challenge of writing and publishing literary books, as opposed to genres such as mystery and thriller. See it here at http://redroom.com/member/christopher-meeks/blog/the-accidental-publisher

2) AN INTERVIEW WITH BEST-SELLING AUTHOR DARCIE CHAN, who's book, "The Mill River Recluse," surprised her by leaping up the Amazon charts to #1. It's her first novel, and I wanted to know who she marketed such a tender and literary book. See it here at http://redroom.com/member/christopher-meeks/blog/interview-with-best-selling-novelist-darcie-chan


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

The print version of Love at Absolute Zero approaches--September 17th--and for it, I'm about the fly to Minnesota. The publication party will be at the Bookcase of Wayzata, which overlooks Lake Minnetonka--on Lake Street across from Sunsets restaurant. If you're in the area, come for food, drink, and a short reader at 7 p.m. on September 17th.

I'm also having a publication party at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena on Thursday, Sept. 29th at 7 p.m. - free and open to the public.

And the reviews keep pouring in. Check out the latest where I keep a running list at http://redroom.com/member/christopher-meeks/reviews. "A deeply resonant read that manages to be funny without sacrificing its gravity. Highly recommended!" says Heather Figearo at Raging Bibliomanic.

And the price is really low during the book's blog tour that started this week. So is my previous novel, The Brightest Moon of the Century


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

New reviews are pouring in. "I couldn't stop reading," says Kari from _From the TBR Pile_. "_Love at Absolute Zero_ is a funny, yet compelling read."

"_Love At Absolute Zero_ is a gem of a book," says Irena at _This Miss Loves to Read_. "I rarely begin a review with such a direct declaration, you can be sure that I truly enjoyed reading this story."

To see the latest reviews, just go to: http://redroom.com/member/christopher-meeks/reviews. If you're in the Los Angeles area, come to Vroman's Bookstore on Thursday, where Amazon Top-Ten reviewer Grady Harp will introduce me. He calls this book "a gift." Please introduce yourself if you come.

LOVE AT ABSOLUTE ZERO publication party
Vroman's Bookstore
695 E. Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena (next to the Laemmle Playhouse Theatre)
September 29th
7 p.m.

Do you think you can come?


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## par2323 (Nov 22, 2010)

Just started reading "Love at Absolute Zero" and I'm really enjoying it!  Love your take on modern match-making services and academia.  Laugh-out loud and chuckle spots abound.

Patricia


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Thank you, Patricia!

Tonight I realized that my reading tomorrow at Vroman's is extremely close to Caltech where there are dorms full of young Gunnars-in-the-making. I then thought wouldn't it be funny if the very reading were considered a match-making opportunity by scientists. A bookstore could be a hot spot for a soul mate, no? So I just tweeted the following:

@Caltech DATING OPPORTUNITY. Meet hot women who can read. Go to Vroman's book launch LOVE AT ABSOLUTE ZERO, Thurs. 9/29 http://redroom.com/member/christopher-meeks/events/publication-party-for-the-novel-love-at-absolute-zero-in-pasadena

May you enjoy the whole thing.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT. White Whisker Books (www.WhiteWhiskerBooks.com) is a small place. There are only three of us published there, and all three of us have new books, all quite different from each other. While we know each other and are friends, we also keep an eye on the sales of the others, as if superior sales means something special. Yet we all grew up as men, and men tend to compete. Yet our books are so different.

There is E. Van Lowe's Boyfriend From Hell (Falling Angels Saga), which is a gripping young adult paranormal romance--so very different from David Scott Milton's dark, even stark, mystery, Iron City. It's like comparing JK Rowling's Harry Potter to Raymond Chandler's detective Phillip Marlowe. It's apples and oranges.

Still, both are in clear genres, and then there is my Love at Absolute Zero, which is a comic novel that's also literary, cousin to, say, Joseph Heller's CATCH-22 or John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces.

If you go to our pages, we each have very different kinds of reviews, and those are based on one-to-five stars. Having more reviews, more stars--does that make me better? No, because E's reviews are all quite great, too, and David's book is so new, he doesn't have reviews yet. His was the last book out. So why do I need to compare? We're all so different.

Yet we're guys.

And E is having a great sales day. I'm hoping you'll look at my page.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

This coming Saturday, I'll be giving a one-day seminar at UCLA in Independent Publishing. Anyone reading this has probably a good handle on it already. After all, you knew to come here. There are two spaces left in this intimate gathering (the room holds 30), so I thought I'd mention this is case you had a friend interested in the subject who lives in Los Angeles.

As a supplement to the seminar, I created this webpage that has many of the how-to things that people need: http://christophermeeks.weebly.com/goin-indie.html

I'm not out to make my living promoting independent publishing. I've learned so much doing it, I thought I'd give a little back.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I apologize for not popping onto Kindleboards more often. With this new book out, I find I'm pulled in a lot of directions between the following:

1) Writing the next book

2) Promoting this one by going onto Kindleboards, Facebook, Twitter, Redroom, and email. Plus I'm writing two blogs, one on Redroom, one on the Huffington Post. In fact, I gained a new perspective on all these virtual places when our electricity went out from the Pasadena hurricane-force winds. In fact, I wrote about how by being unplugged, our family recharged. You can read it at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christopher-meeks/connections-electrical-and-otherwise_b_1128235.html

3) Reading. In fact, I can only say good things about a new one I found here on Kindleboards: "Jitterbugging with the Bomb" by TK Kenyon.

Merry Christmas!


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Here it is a week later, and I'm starting to realize what makes some writers a bit nuts when it comes to marketing. I happen to be wanting to finish the new book I'm writing, a mystery, but I also want to nudge my last baby, _Love At Absolute Zero,_ out into the world. I'm not the hard-sell type. In fact, I'm not sure what type I am. Elbowing me in the ribs is John Locke's book, "How I Sold a Million eBooks in 5 Months," which basically says write a single great and important blog and then tweet about it a lot. Tweet tweet tweet.

I happen to have several good blogs on Red Room and the Huffington Post, and, in tweeting about them, I gain about as many new followers as I lose, holding around 200. Still, the result is I'm getting a lot of blog traffic, up to 700 hits a day, which suggests the posts are being read. Still, that many people, and I'm just selling one or two books a day. It's not the promised land.

Then I remember here, Kindleboards, but I'm never sure if anyone reads this, either. Ah, the challenges of being a modern writer....

I'm thinking positive thoughts, and if you got this far, may you have some great moments during your holidays. May you find a good book.

--Chris


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Thank you to Sam Sattler and BOOK CHASE for selecting Love at Absolute Zero as one of the best books of 2011. It sits among other impressive titles, such as those by Philip Roth, Russell Banks, and Jeffrey Eugenides. Here's his full list:

1. Nemesis - Philip Roth (October, 2010, novel set in 1950s New York)
2. Saturday - Ian McEwan (2006 novel set in London)
3. Remember Ben Clayton - Stephen Harrigan (novel set in 1920s Texas)
4. The Art of Fielding - Chad Harbach (coming of age baseball novel)
5. The Sisters Brothers - Patrick deWitt (western noir novel)
6. *Love at Absolute Zero* - Christopher Meeks (comic novel about science and love)
7. Doc - Mary Doria Russell (realistic western about Holliday and the Earps)
8. Lost Memory of Skin - Russell Banks (novel about registered sex offenders in Miami)
9. The Marriage Plot - Jeffrey Eugenides (college novel set in 1980s)
10. The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb - Melanie Benjamin (novel about little people and P.T. Barnum)

You can see this and his nonfiction list at http://bookchase.blogspot.com/2011/12/best-of-2011-final-list.html


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Pixel of Ink in featuring this book today as a Bargain Book at http://www.pixelofink.com/bargain-ebook-love-at-absolute-zero-by-christopher-meeks/

I'm impressed how fast the book is selling. I can't tell if this is the perfect sales storm. First came some end-of-the year awards, and then Pixel of Ink showcases it for a day, which made it rise.

Thank you to Lynn and Jim at Red Adept Reviews for making it one of three top Romances for 2011. (You can see that announcement here: http://redadeptreviews.com/2011-red-adept-reviews-indie-awards-romance/

Have you tried a sample?


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

When I wrote and published Love at Absolute Zero, I centered it around a scientist's search for romance, but I thought of it as a comic novel rather than a Romance, per se. However, Romance sites have found it and showed me it is also a Romance, which I think is great. I see the genre is a lot broader than I knew. Thus, the book started a Romance blog tour yesterday. You can see it at http://bewitchingbooktours.blogspot.com/2012/02/now-on-tour-love-at-absolute-zero-by.html

My first big review in England just came out. _Love at Absolute Zero_ "is a hilarious read!" says Amita Murray at BookGeeks. For the whole review, click here: http://www.bookgeeks.co.uk/2012/02/01/love-at-absolute-zero-by-christopher-meeks/

For you writers who are curious what I do, one of the authors I publish, E. Van Lowe, explains it rather well in his blog about the "lottery mentality." If you're an author, you're not likely to make a killing in publishing, but if you take a practical approach, you can slowly work your book into successful sales. Read E's explanation at http://vanlowe.blogspot.com/2012/02/way-i-see-it-lottery-mentality.html


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I just found out LOVE AT ABSOLUTE ZERO will be a Kindleboards Book of the day on March 16th. It'll also be Romance of the Week on Kindle Nation Daily starting April 6.

Sign up for a free signed copy of this book on Goodreads at http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/22243-love-at-absolute-zero


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Sorry, I've been away, but I'm back with news that I also put briefly at the top of this thread. LOVE AT ABSOLUTE ZERO in in the running for Best Book of the Year. It's still inexpensive on Amazon. Try it out.

My bigger point, here, however is that if you believe in your book as I have--and if you've gone through quality control as I have--sometimes that can lead to good things.

Being a finalist caught me by surprise. Read about it here: http://ow.ly/aRZVf


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Hey, Los Angelinos! Not only is my novel a Book of the Year finalist for ForeWord Reviews, but I'll also be reading from it up at the gorgeous Skirball Center on Thursday, June 7th, in UCLA's Publication Party, which starts at 7:30 p.m. Free! Here are more details:

This fun and free event features:

--Readings from Writers’ Program instructors who have published work in the past year
--Book signings and the chance to mingle with our talented instructors
--Light refreshments

(Books will be available for purchase courtesy of Small World Books.)

Skirball Cultural Center
2701 North Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90049 

Doors open at 7pm; readings begin at 7:30pm. Parking at the Skirball is free.

Please RSVP to [email protected] or call (310) 794-1846.

Hope to see you there! 

Featured readers include:

Barbara Abercrombie
Francesca Lia Block
Laurel Ann Bogen
Cecilia Manguerra Brainard
Rick Bursky
Rebecca Forster
Daniel M. Jaffe
Mary Jones
Rachel Kann

Sandra Kobrin
Suzanne Lummis
Marisa Matarazzo
Lou Mathews
Christopher Meeks
Les Plesko
Colette Sartor
Nancy Spiller
Harry Youtt


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

The reading at the Skirball Center went well, and I signed books afterwards.

If you want to get a great introduction to my writing, my first novel The Brightest Moon of the Century is FREE today and tomorrow (June 14-15). Grab it.

BTW, I'm finding that print books are seeping back into the mix. Now that _Love At Absolute Zero_ is a finalist (winners announced in nine days), access to print copies is becoming more important. In fact, I have now set it up at Lightning Source and made returnable so that bookstores can order it if they like. Still, Kindle remains the most popular medium for my books and I.


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