Happy New Year from Quirky Polygamist Country!

Quirky Comedy with January Jones

I had the pleasure of doing some Quirky Comedy with January Jones on her successful radio show.  In addition to Blog Talk Radio, January Jones Sharing Success Stories can also be heard on iHeart Radio.  Give it a listen: http://www.iheart.com/show/53-January-Jones-Sharing-Succ/?episode_id=27414045

The Legend of Mistletoe

Have you ever wondered why people kiss under the mistletoe?  First and foremost, people do it because they can! And why not? Who couldn't use a good smack-a-roo to celebrate the season? The Greeks were on to this idea back in the days when they used to celebrate Saturnalia and then later as part of some primitive marriage rites.

The thinking was that mistletoe might have the power to bestow fertility.

In Scandinavia, mistletoe was considered a plant of peace, underwhich enemies could declare a truce or bickering spouses could kiss and make-up. Either way, these people had more great ideas than just Swedish Fish and Ikea, although they rank right up there.

The English kicked it up a notch in the 18^th century, creating a kissing ball made up of mistletoe, evergreens, ribbons and ornaments. This created what I can only imagine was truly a sticky wicket. If a woman dared to stand under the ball, she couldn't refuse to be kissed, no matter what toad might rush in to take advantage of the situation. And if no one took her up on the offer, it was believed that she couldn't expect to marry during the following year. That only stands to reason if you think about it. If no one wants a free kiss during the Christmas season, they're probably not thinking of laying on on at Easter.

The Brits were no dummies, building an escape clause into the whole kissing ball phenomena. In some parts of England, mistletoe was burned on the twelfth night in hopes that certain boys and girls who kissed under it will never marry. The lesson here would be not to kiss in front of your parents!

Things may have changed, but one thing remains true:  now is the best time of year to kiss someone under the mistletoe!  Merry Christmas one and all!

  

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Bert Miller's Rescue Kitty joins me in wishing you a warm holiday season!

Q & A with Author Alison Perry

Today I have the pleasure of sharing a little information about Alison Perry, the author of the Hell's Belles series of stories.  I listened to the series as an audiobook and was curious about some of the formatting choices for presenting this material.  I applaud Alison for trying something different.  One of the great things about being an "indie" author is that you have more choice in how to deliver stories to readers and listeners.  I hope you enjoy learning more about Alison Perry and the Hell's Belles series, available for sale on Amazon and Audible.com

http://www.amazon.com/Alison-Perry/e/B00YYK0GC4

Your first three audiobooks average around two hours with an on-going plot. Why did you choose to go this route as opposed to having one longer audiobook?

Honestly, if I could go back I would probably bundle them into one audiobook. I was just hoping to offer my readers another way to hear the story of Hell's Belles. I do like that they're short because I feel like they're perfect for a commute or part of a long drive. But I also get that it's not very economical for readers. So for that reason, I wish I had done it differently. And I probably will end up bundling them once Books 4 and 5 are out.

How do you get listeners/readers to come back for each new book?

Well, I love a cliffhanger. Which is evident with these books! I try to leave the listener hanging a little bit, just like the episodic radio shows I used to listen to as a kid.

Is there a Hell's Belles Four in the making? If so, when is the expected release date?

There is a Hell's Belles Four release coming out! I am publishing it in January so the audiobook should be available sometime in February, depending on my narrator's schedule.

Your books are also available in Kindle and paperback. Which format has been most successful for you?

By far eBook has been more successful for me, but audio is definitely in second! 

Rebecca Schwab does a very nice job of narrating your books. How did you find out about Rebecca?

Rebecca is so awesome. I completely found her by pure luck. I was listening to many narrators on ACX and I stumbled upon her audition for another book and I could just hear my main character's voice when she read. I emailed her praying she would agree to do the project, and she did! I am so lucky to have found her.She has her own home studio and the sound is so impressive. Just as great as any professional studio.

How do you market your projects?

I use promotional sites and I depend a lot on my social media followings to get the word out. I am slowly building a mailing list as well. I have found audiobookblast.com was awesome for getting the word out on my audiobooks. 

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?   

Write every day. Study the market. Read a lot in the genre you're interested in writing in. And never give up.

Quirky Polygamist Christmas

Merry Christmas from Quirky Polygamist Country!

For Great Christmas Gifts, Visit the Quirky Audio Books Website

http://www.quirkyaudiobooks.com

Who Will Claim the Iron Throne in Quirky Polygamist Country?