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Book signing
I am delighted to announce that I’ll be appearing at The Bookery Nook,
"Career Killer" available at Boulder Bookstore
Hoo-ray!
"Career Killer" is now available for purchase at the Boulder Bookstore on the downtown Pearl Street Mall in the "new fiction" section on the first floor. It can be found also at the Boulder Public Library on Canyon Boulevard.
"Career Killer" is now available for purchase at the Boulder Bookstore on the downtown Pearl Street Mall in the "new fiction" section on the first floor. It can be found also at the Boulder Public Library on Canyon Boulevard.
"Career Killer" in local libraries
Promotion and circulation of "Career Killer" continues to churn along. Saturday afternoon I will be visiting with members of a south Denver book club. One of the members, Lorraine Banfield, saw my appearance on Denver channel 8 recently and invited me to talk with her group. I love events like this, the opportunity to share my experiences with other fledgling writers.
Copies of "CK" soon will be available in the Denver and Boulder public libraries. JeffCo libraries already have 4 copies circulating. I will be doing a reading and signing in early November at the BPL at Canyon and Broadway in connection with that city's writers' festival. That should be lots of fun.
I've been nursing a painful lower back strain, the origins of which completely baffle me. Chalk it up to age. Yesterday I awoke with the back issue, and a sore left big toe as well. Toe is fine today. Back is worse. Will be treating it all day with heat.
Copies of "CK" soon will be available in the Denver and Boulder public libraries. JeffCo libraries already have 4 copies circulating. I will be doing a reading and signing in early November at the BPL at Canyon and Broadway in connection with that city's writers' festival. That should be lots of fun.
I've been nursing a painful lower back strain, the origins of which completely baffle me. Chalk it up to age. Yesterday I awoke with the back issue, and a sore left big toe as well. Toe is fine today. Back is worse. Will be treating it all day with heat.
DPL to carry "Career Killer"
I spoke with an official at the Denver Public Library today and he said the sprawling DPL system will be glad to carry "Career Killer; A Journalist's Wild Ride With Scotch, Sex & The Sundance Kid." It should be available in about a month.
I'm hoping to set up a similar agreement with the Boulder Public Library this week, too.
Other good news today: Orchard Books, located in the brand-new outdoor mall off I-25 and 144th Street in Westminster, will be hosting me soon for a book signing/reading.
In addition to those encouraging developments, I've been asked to appear at a South Denver writers' group on Saturday, Oct. 10. More details later.
I'm hoping to set up a similar agreement with the Boulder Public Library this week, too.
Other good news today: Orchard Books, located in the brand-new outdoor mall off I-25 and 144th Street in Westminster, will be hosting me soon for a book signing/reading.
In addition to those encouraging developments, I've been asked to appear at a South Denver writers' group on Saturday, Oct. 10. More details later.
DPL to carry "Career Killer"
I spoke with an official at the Denver Public Library today and he said the sprawling DPL system will be glad to carry "Career Killer; A Journalist's Wild Ride With Scotch, Sex & The Sundance Kid." It should be available in about a month.
I'm hoping to set up a similar agreement with the Boulder Public Library this week, too.
Other good news today: Orchard Books, located in the brand-new outdoor mall off I-25 and 144th Street in Westminster, will be hosting me soon for a book signing/reading.
In addition to those encouraging developments, I've been asked to appear at a South Denver writers' group on Saturday, Oct. 10. More details later.
I'm hoping to set up a similar agreement with the Boulder Public Library this week, too.
Other good news today: Orchard Books, located in the brand-new outdoor mall off I-25 and 144th Street in Westminster, will be hosting me soon for a book signing/reading.
In addition to those encouraging developments, I've been asked to appear at a South Denver writers' group on Saturday, Oct. 10. More details later.
Isherwood Foundation grants
I am just putting the final touches on an application to be sent to the Christopher Isherwood Foundation for one of its 2009 grants for novelists. I learned of the foundation and its grants after "Career Killer; A Journalist's Wild Ride With Scotch, S ex & The Sundance Kid" was published in April.
The foundation typically awards 6 to 8 fellowship grants a year -- out of several hundred applicants. The judges weigh the merits of an applicant's resume, writing sample and letter explaining what will be done with the grant money in the pursuit of fiction writing.
Without sounding arrogant, I would match my writing resume with anyone's. My writing sample (29 pages) and applicant's letter are strong, as well.
The marketing of "Career Killer" continues. I will know more about prospective readings and signing in the next several weeks.
The foundation typically awards 6 to 8 fellowship grants a year -- out of several hundred applicants. The judges weigh the merits of an applicant's resume, writing sample and letter explaining what will be done with the grant money in the pursuit of fiction writing.
Without sounding arrogant, I would match my writing resume with anyone's. My writing sample (29 pages) and applicant's letter are strong, as well.
The marketing of "Career Killer" continues. I will know more about prospective readings and signing in the next several weeks.
Spike in Hits
A check of the number of hits on Web site, www.chanceconner.com, indicates as rather large spike the last couple days. Not certain why since there were no recent events for "Career Killer" and I had no TV appearances. Just the nature of the waxes and wanes of an volatile publishing industry.
Hoping to make some more public appearances in August and September. For now, keeping things local but will be moving into a more regional marketing approaching with an eye on national exposure.
Things look promising.
CBC
Hoping to make some more public appearances in August and September. For now, keeping things local but will be moving into a more regional marketing approaching with an eye on national exposure.
Things look promising.
CBC
The Marketing beat goes on...
Marketing efforts for "Career Killer" proceed, some days at a medium pace, others a little faster. Have asked Denver's Tattered Cover and the Boulder Bookstore -- two of the Front Range's most popular indies -- to carry my first novel. A broader distribution locally will translate to greater popularity.
Copies have been sent to selected newspapers on the East Coast and in the west, wherever Jack Clancy and the story within "Career Killer" leads. That includes New York, Philly, Montana, Utah, California and Colorado. I keep reminding myself of the time-worn cliche: This is a marathon, not a sprint. The tired adage does, indeed, hold up these days.
Have been reading novels by popular writers like Michael Connelly (a former reporter) and John Grisham (a former lawyer and state legislator) to get a better feel for their styles of story telling and marketibility of their products. Combined, their body of work is prodigious. Still looking for Connelly's most recent effort -- "The Scarecrow" -- about a journalist who is about to be laid off at the L.A. Times. It has a familiar ring to it locally, except the Rocky Mountain News canned everybody when it folded in late February.
In my spare time I've been involved in a second draft of "Career Inferno," the second leg of a planned "Career" trilogy. I'm not so sure I'm ready to tackle that novel head-on and fulltime at the moment. And I have even considered starting to write the third book, which has been outlined chapter by chapter.
Like they say in recovery circles, first things first, one step and a time, one day at a time, keep it simple, etc. Again, cliches all, but they seem to hold true.
Copies have been sent to selected newspapers on the East Coast and in the west, wherever Jack Clancy and the story within "Career Killer" leads. That includes New York, Philly, Montana, Utah, California and Colorado. I keep reminding myself of the time-worn cliche: This is a marathon, not a sprint. The tired adage does, indeed, hold up these days.
Have been reading novels by popular writers like Michael Connelly (a former reporter) and John Grisham (a former lawyer and state legislator) to get a better feel for their styles of story telling and marketibility of their products. Combined, their body of work is prodigious. Still looking for Connelly's most recent effort -- "The Scarecrow" -- about a journalist who is about to be laid off at the L.A. Times. It has a familiar ring to it locally, except the Rocky Mountain News canned everybody when it folded in late February.
In my spare time I've been involved in a second draft of "Career Inferno," the second leg of a planned "Career" trilogy. I'm not so sure I'm ready to tackle that novel head-on and fulltime at the moment. And I have even considered starting to write the third book, which has been outlined chapter by chapter.
Like they say in recovery circles, first things first, one step and a time, one day at a time, keep it simple, etc. Again, cliches all, but they seem to hold true.
Denver Press Club event
My book reading/signing went exceedingly well last night at the Denver Press Club. The event lasted about an hour and was videotaped by Denver Channel 8, which will air in next month.
I also did a brief guest bartending gig, so brief that I mixed only one cocktail -- a Long Island Iced Tea knockoff with four shots of clear booze and topped with cranberry juice. The proud owner of the drink loved it.
About 25 friends and colleagues showed up for the informal program. Buddy and former Denver Post colleague Patrick O'Driscoll did the introductions and peppered me with some trenchant questions about "Career Killer" -- the writing process, the search for a literary agent and publisher, the re-writes, the rejections and, finally, the day the novel was released.
A dozen folks also had questions and thoughts of their own. Overall, it was a success. I even signed and sold a few books.
Tomorrow, Saturday, July 11, I'll be doing a similar thing at the Fraser Valley Library, from 1-3 p.m. I'm looking forward to it, since I wrote the bulk of "Career Killer" in the library in 2006-2007.
I was pleased to see a positive and accurate article in today's Sky-Hi Daily News, which serves Grand County. Editor Autumn Phillips did a terrific job on the story itself, the plot, and the process I went through writing it. You can find it by going to www.skyhidailynews.com.
I also did a brief guest bartending gig, so brief that I mixed only one cocktail -- a Long Island Iced Tea knockoff with four shots of clear booze and topped with cranberry juice. The proud owner of the drink loved it.
About 25 friends and colleagues showed up for the informal program. Buddy and former Denver Post colleague Patrick O'Driscoll did the introductions and peppered me with some trenchant questions about "Career Killer" -- the writing process, the search for a literary agent and publisher, the re-writes, the rejections and, finally, the day the novel was released.
A dozen folks also had questions and thoughts of their own. Overall, it was a success. I even signed and sold a few books.
Tomorrow, Saturday, July 11, I'll be doing a similar thing at the Fraser Valley Library, from 1-3 p.m. I'm looking forward to it, since I wrote the bulk of "Career Killer" in the library in 2006-2007.
I was pleased to see a positive and accurate article in today's Sky-Hi Daily News, which serves Grand County. Editor Autumn Phillips did a terrific job on the story itself, the plot, and the process I went through writing it. You can find it by going to www.skyhidailynews.com.
"CK" momentum
Love that local pub -- as in publicity.
Denver Post columnist Bill Husted today mentioned my new novel, "Career Killer; A Journalist's Wild Ride with Scotch, Sex & The Sundance Kid." Also mentioned in his local notes, quotes and anecdotes is former Rocky colleague and fellow Irishman Mike Madigan, who has written a history of the departed tabloid.
The main event this week is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Denver Press Club. I'll be doing a guest bartending gig for 45 minutes before the book reading and signing to follow.
A second book event will be at the Fraser Valley Library on Saturday, 1-3:30 p.m.
The format for both events will be very, very casual. Very loose and fun. An audience Q & A will likely take up a large portion of the program. My friend and former Post colleague Pat O'Driscoll will introduce me and moderate the rest of the event with lots of questions of his own.
I am looking forward to Thursday and Saturday -- especially the notion of getting out of the Denver heat all weekend in Grand County.
Denver Post columnist Bill Husted today mentioned my new novel, "Career Killer; A Journalist's Wild Ride with Scotch, Sex & The Sundance Kid." Also mentioned in his local notes, quotes and anecdotes is former Rocky colleague and fellow Irishman Mike Madigan, who has written a history of the departed tabloid.
The main event this week is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Denver Press Club. I'll be doing a guest bartending gig for 45 minutes before the book reading and signing to follow.
A second book event will be at the Fraser Valley Library on Saturday, 1-3:30 p.m.
The format for both events will be very, very casual. Very loose and fun. An audience Q & A will likely take up a large portion of the program. My friend and former Post colleague Pat O'Driscoll will introduce me and moderate the rest of the event with lots of questions of his own.
I am looking forward to Thursday and Saturday -- especially the notion of getting out of the Denver heat all weekend in Grand County.
