Monday, March 23, 2015
Rummage through those couch cushions and do your best to dig up 99 cents... because then you can buy not ONE but TWO of my books! Yep, you read that right. For a limited time, you can get Confessions of a Paris Potty Trainer for only $0.99 and I'm throwing in Petite Confessions, my new release, for FREE!
Diapers, tantrums, and French bureaucracy—the crazy life of an American mom in Paris.
Think French parenting is easy? Think again! Former party girl Vicki trades wine bottles for baby bottles, as this sassy mommy of two navigates the beautiful, yet infuriating, city of Paris.
How does she steer a stroller around piles of dog poop? Or find time for French administration between breastfeeding and business meetings? And will she ever lose the pregnancy weight with croissants staring at her from every street corner?
This humorous memoir will have you laughing, crying, and wiping up drool right alongside Vicki as she and her ever-patient French husband raise two children in the City of Light.
Kindle: $0.99 Save $4! (through March 27th)
Paperback: $11.99 Save $3!
Already read it? Why thank you! Would you mind leaving a review or sharing this post on FB/Twitter/wherever else the cool kids hang out these days? Merci beaucoup!
From champagne bottles to baby bottles, this memoirette offers a humorous look at an American mom's decade in Paris.
Party Girl Vicki moved to Paris hoping to drink her fill of wine and fall in love. She accomplished her goal, but encountered many bumps along the way: romantic encounters gone awry, absurd French bureaucracy threatening her sanity, and two adorable but impossibly energetic kids keeping her on her toes. This memoirette takes you on a journey of the ups and downs of Vicki's 10 years in the City of Light.
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want to open another bottle of wine.
Kindle: $0
Paperback: $5.99
I hope you enjoy both books. Thanks for reading/sharing/reviewing and giving me warm fuzzies!
Please note: Sale prices may only be valid in the US and UK. Please check the final price before purchasing!
Confessions of a Paris Potty Trainer
Diapers, tantrums, and French bureaucracy—the crazy life of an American mom in Paris.
Think French parenting is easy? Think again! Former party girl Vicki trades wine bottles for baby bottles, as this sassy mommy of two navigates the beautiful, yet infuriating, city of Paris.
How does she steer a stroller around piles of dog poop? Or find time for French administration between breastfeeding and business meetings? And will she ever lose the pregnancy weight with croissants staring at her from every street corner?
This humorous memoir will have you laughing, crying, and wiping up drool right alongside Vicki as she and her ever-patient French husband raise two children in the City of Light.
Kindle: $0.99 Save $4! (through March 27th)
Paperback: $11.99 Save $3!
Already read it? Why thank you! Would you mind leaving a review or sharing this post on FB/Twitter/wherever else the cool kids hang out these days? Merci beaucoup!
Petite Confessions: A Humorous Memoirette
From champagne bottles to baby bottles, this memoirette offers a humorous look at an American mom's decade in Paris.
Party Girl Vicki moved to Paris hoping to drink her fill of wine and fall in love. She accomplished her goal, but encountered many bumps along the way: romantic encounters gone awry, absurd French bureaucracy threatening her sanity, and two adorable but impossibly energetic kids keeping her on her toes. This memoirette takes you on a journey of the ups and downs of Vicki's 10 years in the City of Light.
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want to open another bottle of wine.
Kindle: $0
Paperback: $5.99
I hope you enjoy both books. Thanks for reading/sharing/reviewing and giving me warm fuzzies!
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Tired of looking at the hidden cover of our upcoming anthology "Legacy"? Well today's your lucky day! It's cover reveal time! But first, a bit about the project. This anthology, inspired by The Book Wheel's original #30 Authors international blogging event, includes short stories on the theme of legacy from award-winning writers including Kristopher Jansma and best-selling authors such as Regina Calcaterra.
Author proceeds from anthology sales will be donated to Paws for Reading, a program that allows children to read aloud to a therapy dog (or cat, or bunny!) in order to improve reading and communication skills.
And now, for the cover reveal and an excerpt from one of the short stories, visit Traveling With T!
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Monday, March 9, 2015
*Rafael Mendez arrived like a thief in the night at 120 Rue des Martyrs.
OR should that be:
Rafael Mendez arrives like a thief in the night at 120 Rue des Martyrs.
(*I chose this one for the opening line of my novel “Paris, Rue des Martyrs.”)
Deciding whether to write in the present or the past tense is a conscious decision you should make before you even start a first draft of a short story or novel. Of course, you can change your mind and revise, but the more thought you put into verb tense at the beginning, the fewer headaches you (and your editors) will have throughout.
As simple as this concept may seem, it is a common pitfall. Often, problems arise when the writer heads into the territory of present tense. The charm of the present tense is it adds another layer of excitement to the action. The reader feels as if everything is unfolding at that very moment rather than in the less-dramatic past.
But present tense is difficult to sustain in a story with many characters, subplots and backstories. I’ve often seen writers start in the past tense, then shift into the present, and finally shift back and forth almost arbitrarily. Then there is the writer who sticks to the present tense – but his or her story has many scenes that happen in the past. In the end, the transitions are often awkward and confusing.
I have to admit, I’m guilty too. When I started writing my soon-to-be-released novel “Close to Destiny,” I was itching to use the present tense. But in the end, past tenses gave me a smoother story.
So how to choose?
In most cases, I recommend using the simple past tense. This is pretty much a standard that you will see in most novels. For good reason, it’s easy to sustain and allows you to seamlessly use various past tenses (past continuous, past perfect and past perfect continuous) to build a complex story.
Still want to use the present? Ideally, use it for a short piece with one main event happening right at the moment or a short “slice of life” story. It has more impact when used this way, and you won’t have to worry about awkward transitions.
And, most importantly, whether you opt for past or present, stick to it! You will make your editor’s day.
OR should that be:
Rafael Mendez arrives like a thief in the night at 120 Rue des Martyrs.
(*I chose this one for the opening line of my novel “Paris, Rue des Martyrs.”)
Deciding whether to write in the present or the past tense is a conscious decision you should make before you even start a first draft of a short story or novel. Of course, you can change your mind and revise, but the more thought you put into verb tense at the beginning, the fewer headaches you (and your editors) will have throughout.
 |
| Photo credit: theilr / Foter / CC BY-SA |
As simple as this concept may seem, it is a common pitfall. Often, problems arise when the writer heads into the territory of present tense. The charm of the present tense is it adds another layer of excitement to the action. The reader feels as if everything is unfolding at that very moment rather than in the less-dramatic past.
But present tense is difficult to sustain in a story with many characters, subplots and backstories. I’ve often seen writers start in the past tense, then shift into the present, and finally shift back and forth almost arbitrarily. Then there is the writer who sticks to the present tense – but his or her story has many scenes that happen in the past. In the end, the transitions are often awkward and confusing.
I have to admit, I’m guilty too. When I started writing my soon-to-be-released novel “Close to Destiny,” I was itching to use the present tense. But in the end, past tenses gave me a smoother story.
So how to choose?
In most cases, I recommend using the simple past tense. This is pretty much a standard that you will see in most novels. For good reason, it’s easy to sustain and allows you to seamlessly use various past tenses (past continuous, past perfect and past perfect continuous) to build a complex story.
Still want to use the present? Ideally, use it for a short piece with one main event happening right at the moment or a short “slice of life” story. It has more impact when used this way, and you won’t have to worry about awkward transitions.
And, most importantly, whether you opt for past or present, stick to it! You will make your editor’s day.
Monday, March 2, 2015
Does déjà vu have a deeper meaning?
Velvet Morning Press is pleased to announce the release of the novel “Close to Destiny” by Adria J. Cimino in print and ebook formats.
A puzzling gift from a stranger in a hat shop. Whisperings and footsteps in a dim luxury hotel. Dreams that transport to elegant parties where champagne flows like water. Kat is both frightened and intrigued by the events that have plagued her since she arrived in London, in a final effort to save herself from anorexia and recover from her latest suicide attempt.
Most disturbing is an encounter with a mysterious woman who introduces Kat to Will. And this lovely messenger has information she desperately wants to share with Kat: an incident from more than a century ago that could transform Kat’s future. But will Kat listen?
A story of the role of destiny in life... and of righting the wrongs of the past.
Adria is the author of Paris, Rue des Martyrs and co-founder of Velvet Morning Press. Prior to jumping into the publishing world full time, she spent more than a decade as a journalist at news organizations including The AP and Bloomberg News.
Close to Destiny is available on Amazon!
Thursday, February 26, 2015
We didn’t wear berets, but we were feeling pretty Parisian anyway! Thanks to The Pure Malt in Paris’ 4th arrondissement for hosting the launch of Velvet Morning Press’ first anthology, That’s Paris: An Anthology of Life, Love and Sarcasm in the City of Light.
Stephen Clarke, author of international best seller A Year in the Merde and writer of the That’s Paris foreword, attended, signing our books and delighting us with his humor. We were also thrilled to see contributors Frédérique Veysset, Jennie Goutet, Didier Quémener, Laura Schalk, Audrey Chapuis, Emily Monaco and April Lily Heise.
A big merci to all of the friends and readers who attended the party—even in spirit!
Stephen Clarke, author of international best seller A Year in the Merde and writer of the That’s Paris foreword, attended, signing our books and delighting us with his humor. We were also thrilled to see contributors Frédérique Veysset, Jennie Goutet, Didier Quémener, Laura Schalk, Audrey Chapuis, Emily Monaco and April Lily Heise.
 |
| VMP's Vicki Lesage and Stephen Clarke |
 |
| Contributor Frédérique Veysset and her companion |
 |
| VMP's Adria J. Cimino and Lindsey Kent of Pictours Paris |
A big merci to all of the friends and readers who attended the party—even in spirit!
&
Monday, February 23, 2015
Author photos span the spectrum. Some look amazing, but also look like they cost a small fortune. And some were obviously taken by a webcam, evident from the underlit glow of the subject's chin in an otherwise dark room.
If you're an author on a budget, how do you take a high-quality photo without breaking the bank? Glad you asked.
Even the shyest among us need an author photo for our book cover, marketing promotions, and for Mom to point to when she brags to the neighbors about having a published writer in the family.
Having seen tons of bad author photos, let me start by telling you what NOT to do:
1. Don't have your cat/dog/bird in the photo unless they contributed to writing the book.
2. Use a recent photo or at least one that could pass for recent. If your bio says you've been in the IT industry for 25 years, don't try to fool me with your wrinkle-free face. (Or at least let me know which eye cream you use.)
3. No selfies unless you're a teenage pop star writing an autobiography.
4. Go easy on the props. It's not a garage sale.
With that out of the way, let me share four easy tips to get a great, natural photo. Whether you hire a professional (recommended, if you can afford it) or rope your significant other/aspiring photographer friend/dog into doing it, prepare beforehand with the following tips:
1. Pick a neutral outfit. I know I said not to use a photo that was 25 years old but at the same time, you want this photo to last at least a few years. Don't wear anything too flashy or trendy that will date the photo in six months. Also, you don't want anything detracting attention from your beautiful face. For my photo, I chose a plain gray sweater that was flattering but didn't stand out.
2. Pick a setting that reflects your personality or your books. For my photo, I chose a typical French cafe, since I write about living in Paris. Having the Eiffel Tower in the background would be going overboard but I did want to instantly convey the French connection to my readers. If you write action-adventure, try an outdoor backdrop. If you write chick-lit, an indoor setting with a light, bright background can help convey your tone.
3. Choose one prop, maximum. The majority of photos look perfectly fine without a prop so don't force this. When in doubt, leave it out. But since my photo was in a French cafe, I figured it would be appropriate to have a coffee in front of me. If you're a romance writer and are known for your love of wine, a glass of red could be a nice prop and give you something to do with your hands. Or if you're a mystery writer, having books in the background (a home library, maybe) can be a nice touch.
4. Practice your pose at home. My husband took literally 100 shots of me in different poses before I found the perfect one. Try tilting your head at slightly different angles, lacing your arms and hands in various positions, and varying degrees of smiles/half-smiles, until you find the most flattering shot. Then copy that pose exactly for the real shoot. Don't forget details like wedding rings (make sure it's not turned at a weird angle) and flyaway hair.
Want to see the before and after shots? Of course you do!
Once at the cafe, we made a few last-minute changes. My hair was behaving better than usual, so I decided to wear it down. And the height of the table nicely covered my belly. My arm isn't as prominent as in some of my test photos.
My husband snapped a few shots and once we were sure we liked the set-up, I ordered my coffee. Sure, the coffee could have been cold in the photo and no one would have been the wiser, but I did want to actually drink the darn thing after all that work!
All in all, we spent about 10 minutes at the cafe getting the shot, just enough time for my toddler to get bored and start pulling sugar packets and ashtrays off all the tables. Literally one second after the last photo was snapped, I jumped up to chase him. I'm SO glad I prepped everything in advance or we would have never gotten through the shoot. We could have hired a babysitter, but then how would I afford my expensive coffee habit?
Where you spend your money is up to you and your budget. But you'll still want to follow the tips I outlined above to maximize what you get out of your photo shoot.
If you're an author on a budget, how do you take a high-quality photo without breaking the bank? Glad you asked.
 |
| Photo credit: BigTallGuy / Foter / CC BY |
Even the shyest among us need an author photo for our book cover, marketing promotions, and for Mom to point to when she brags to the neighbors about having a published writer in the family.
Having seen tons of bad author photos, let me start by telling you what NOT to do:
4 Mistakes to Avoid With Your Author Photo
1. Don't have your cat/dog/bird in the photo unless they contributed to writing the book.
2. Use a recent photo or at least one that could pass for recent. If your bio says you've been in the IT industry for 25 years, don't try to fool me with your wrinkle-free face. (Or at least let me know which eye cream you use.)
3. No selfies unless you're a teenage pop star writing an autobiography.
4. Go easy on the props. It's not a garage sale.
With that out of the way, let me share four easy tips to get a great, natural photo. Whether you hire a professional (recommended, if you can afford it) or rope your significant other/aspiring photographer friend/dog into doing it, prepare beforehand with the following tips:
4 Tips For A Snappy Author Photo
1. Pick a neutral outfit. I know I said not to use a photo that was 25 years old but at the same time, you want this photo to last at least a few years. Don't wear anything too flashy or trendy that will date the photo in six months. Also, you don't want anything detracting attention from your beautiful face. For my photo, I chose a plain gray sweater that was flattering but didn't stand out.
2. Pick a setting that reflects your personality or your books. For my photo, I chose a typical French cafe, since I write about living in Paris. Having the Eiffel Tower in the background would be going overboard but I did want to instantly convey the French connection to my readers. If you write action-adventure, try an outdoor backdrop. If you write chick-lit, an indoor setting with a light, bright background can help convey your tone.
3. Choose one prop, maximum. The majority of photos look perfectly fine without a prop so don't force this. When in doubt, leave it out. But since my photo was in a French cafe, I figured it would be appropriate to have a coffee in front of me. If you're a romance writer and are known for your love of wine, a glass of red could be a nice prop and give you something to do with your hands. Or if you're a mystery writer, having books in the background (a home library, maybe) can be a nice touch.
4. Practice your pose at home. My husband took literally 100 shots of me in different poses before I found the perfect one. Try tilting your head at slightly different angles, lacing your arms and hands in various positions, and varying degrees of smiles/half-smiles, until you find the most flattering shot. Then copy that pose exactly for the real shoot. Don't forget details like wedding rings (make sure it's not turned at a weird angle) and flyaway hair.
Want to see the before and after shots? Of course you do!
 OK, but not perfect. My 3-month-pregnant belly was too exposed and my thighs looked ginormous. I needed more focus on my face and less on my body. Also, at that angle the tank top I was wearing under my shirt was noticeable and distracting. |  Much better! The belly is still unflattering and the angle of my face could be improved, but we're on the right track. |
 Nope. We were closer with the last one. The head tilt looks too girlish. |  Bingo! If we can just hide my preggo belly we'll be in good shape! And maybe move my arm to the side so it's not dominating the photo. |
 The final shot |
Once at the cafe, we made a few last-minute changes. My hair was behaving better than usual, so I decided to wear it down. And the height of the table nicely covered my belly. My arm isn't as prominent as in some of my test photos.
My husband snapped a few shots and once we were sure we liked the set-up, I ordered my coffee. Sure, the coffee could have been cold in the photo and no one would have been the wiser, but I did want to actually drink the darn thing after all that work!
All in all, we spent about 10 minutes at the cafe getting the shot, just enough time for my toddler to get bored and start pulling sugar packets and ashtrays off all the tables. Literally one second after the last photo was snapped, I jumped up to chase him. I'm SO glad I prepped everything in advance or we would have never gotten through the shoot. We could have hired a babysitter, but then how would I afford my expensive coffee habit?
Where you spend your money is up to you and your budget. But you'll still want to follow the tips I outlined above to maximize what you get out of your photo shoot.
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