Today’s my day to blog at Inkspot, the blog for authors of Midnight Ink. I discuss book covers, why they’re so important, and some of the challenges I’ve had with mine.
http://midnightwriters.blogspot.com/2017/04/judging-book-by-its-cover.html
Enjoy!
Tracy Weber
All four books in the Downward Dog Mystery Series are available at booksellers everywhere!
Hey all! This week I’m blogging at Inkspot (the blog for the writers of Midnight Ink).
I’m so excited I can barely see straight! A Killer Retreat, the second book in my Downward Dog Mystery Series, was a BookBub featured deal on Saturday! It is still on sale for only $1.99 (normally $10.99) on Kindle, Nook, and Kobo!
Sale ends April 23, so don’t wait!
In honor of the special sale, I’ve shared a few mini-excerpts from the book and the photos that inspired them. Here’s a teaser photo of the dog that started it all, my German shepherd, Tasha. If you want to see the rest, you’ll have to go to the link!
http://midnightwriters.blogspot.com/2016/04/killer-excerpts-and-killer-prices.html
Please share the sale links below with your mystery, yoga, or dog loving friends! Sale purchase links are below.
Happy reading!
Tracy Weber
Until I was a writer, I rarely read the acknowledgements section at the beginning of a book, but I know now that it represents the village of people it takes to write a novel. So, for your reading pleasure, here is a pre-view of the kudos coming when my book is released this Friday. I’m sad that my mom never got to see the dedication, but I was able to tell her about it before she passed.
Dedication:
To my mom, Marcia. Your support of my writing means the world to me.
Acknowledgements:
First of all, I’d like to thank every reader who has contacted me to tell me that they enjoy my work. Each e-mail, Facebook post, and letter makes my day. Without you, I’m not sure I’d have the fortitude to continue writing.
Karma’s a Killer has a special cast of supporters I want to acknowledge.
My yoga students continue to listen to my grumblings, join in my cheering, attend my events, and support my writing in more ways than I could ever have hoped for. Special thanks to Katie West, who addressed and mailed a seemingly infinite number of packages to my street team members, and Katie Burns, who proofed the manuscript before I submitted it to Midnight Ink. Thanks also to my agent, Margaret Bail, editors Terri Bischoff and Sandy Sullivan at Midnight Ink, and freelance editor Marta Tanrikulu, who all continue to give me invaluable help and feedback.
Special thanks go to Michael Westerfield, author of The Language of Crows. Michael graciously answered my many questions about crow behavior. His insights about crows raised as fledglings and released to the wild were invaluable. Of course, if there are any errors in this work—about crows or anything else—they are completely mine.
My husband, Marc, and my real-life Bella, Tasha, continue to be the lights of my life. Anything I accomplish is only possible through their love and support. Marc gets extra kudos for designing and maintaining my author website. Tasha gets credit for introducing me to her crow friends and fueling my fascination for these intelligent, underappreciated creatures.
Finally, thank you to all of my street team members. These dedicated individuals spread the word about my writing, pass out my bookmarks, and make me smile on days that otherwise seem glum. The best part of writing has been connecting with all of you.
Tracy Weber
Purchase my newest mystery, KARMA’S A KILLER, now at Amazon Barnes and Noble, or a bookstore near you!
Check out Tracy Weber’s author page for information about the Downward Dog Mysteries series. A KILLER RETREAT and MURDER STRIKES A POSE are available at book sellers everywhere
Today is my monthly posting at InkSpot, the blog for the writers of Midnight Ink. You don’t want to miss this one–it’s a preview of the first chapter of my next book, Karma’s a Killer, which will officially be released on January 8! Enjoy, and let me know what you think!
http://midnightwriters.blogspot.com/2015/12/i-present-to-youkarmas-killer.html
PS–Purchase Karma’s a Killer before January 8, 2016 and e-mail me at Tracy@WholeLifeYoga.com to receive an autographed bookplate!
Tracy Weber
Purchase my newest mystery, KARMA’S A KILLER, now at Amazon Barnes and Noble or a bookstore near you!
Check out Tracy Weber’s author page for information about the Downward Dog Mysteries series. A KILLER RETREAT and MURDER STRIKES A POSE are available at book sellers everywhere
Why is it that every time I write about life’s suffering, I’m thinking about my dog? I adopted Tasha-dog eleven years ago this week. I was missing something in my life, though I wasn’t sure what, exactly. I had a lovely husband, a fulfilling career, four (yes four!) cats, and lots of friends.
But I was still lonely. I had been pining for a German shepherd for approximately thirty years, since my family rehomed the German shepherd of my childhood. My visions of Tasha were laughable, in hindsight. Perfectly behaved, she’s not. Healthy, she’s not. Cat loving…well, let’s not even go there. She was everything I thought I didn’t want, but ended up being exactly what I needed, and more.
She is the biggest source of joy in my life.
And the source of my most debilitating anxiety.
The other night, I was thinking about how many times Marc and I have almost lost her, due to the many diseases she’s had to live with or overcome. Her imminent death has been predicted countless times, by vets I usually ended up firing.
But now that she’s eleven years old in a breed whose average lifespan is ten to twelve, even I have to admit, she’s approaching the sunset time of her life. In the past three weeks, she’s been plagued by a neurological issue of unknown origin. It may resolve; it may not. It may stay the same as it is now, or it may decline until we have no choice but to end her suffering. We continue to do tests, but as of this writing, all is one big unknown.
Oddly enough, the most challenging part of this for me is that her neurological status cycles, and my mental health seems to cycle with it. One day she seems better, the next worse. One day I’m optimistic and happy, the next, devastated.
The Yoga Sutras clearly predict my suffering. You see, I’m attached to this girl. I hesitate to say she’s like my child, because that’s not how I think of her. But she is as important to me as any living being has ever been. And I will inevitably have to say goodbye. I knew that the day I adopted her. As crazy as it seems, I signed up for this.
My work now, as Tasha and I walk down this sunset path together, is to not be attached to the good days, because the good days won’t last forever. If I can somehow learn to be present without gripping the good, perhaps I’ll have more peace during the inevitable challenges.
Then again, maybe I won’t.
Maybe grief is simply part of life’s process. Another obstacle to overcome that helps us appreciate the blessings of life while we have them.
Regardless, the Sutras say that meditation helps overcome suffering, so it’s time for me to reignite my practice. If you care to join me, this is one of my favorites.
If you’re willing, please send Tasha happiness, her doctors wisdom, and me peace.
Namaste
Tracy Weber
And if you want to show me some love, you can preorder my newest mystery, KARMA’S A KILLER, now at Amazon Barnes and Noble.
Yee haw, yippee, and yahooey!
Come visit Whole Life Yoga in Seattle, and check out Tracy Weber’s author page for information about the Downward Dog Mysteries series. A KILLER RETREAT and MURDER STRIKES A POSE are available at book sellers everywhere
Not long ago I lamented to my husband how exhausted I was. He looked at me oddly and reminded me that I’d been on sabbatical for the past six weeks. I understand his confusion. I reminded him, in a very kind and gentle way 😉 that I was, indeed, still working. In many ways harder than normal.
I call my time off from teaching every August a sabbatical, but really I should call it a time of refocus. These days, that refocus is around writing. So for those of you wondering what I did on sabbatical, here’s a partial list of things both fun, not-so-fun, and surprising. I don’t feel like as much of a slacker when I read it!
What I did on my summer sabbatical:
What I didn’t do that I planned:
So, all, I’ve missed you, but I’ve been busy! I look forward to being back teaching starting tonight. I hope you all had a fantastic summer, filled with love, joy, and lots of play.
How did you spend your summer vacation?
Tracy Weber
My newest mystery, KARMA’S A KILLER, is now available for pre-order at at Amazon Barnes and Noble, and Whole Life Yoga!
Yee haw, yippee, and yahooey!
August is an exciting time for me on so many levels. I’m on sabbatical from teaching yoga, which means I can concentrate on my writing. Sounds simple, right? It’s significantly more complex than you might think. Just as I was ready to dive into the second draft of my fourth novel, tentatively titled A TWISTED DEATH, I got requests to read and endorse two new fabulous mysteries, and my second editor at Midnight Ink got back to me with edits on my current novel, Karma’s a Killer.
This is the first time I’ve worked with Sandy, and I must say she’s AWESOME! She brings an attention to detail that my work has rarely seen before. And, if I have to brag, I guess this is the time: Karma’s a Killer is my best book so far. I truly believe it. Even better, it’s definitely by far my best cover!
Just when I thought my excitement couldn’t get any higher, the advanced copies and press release for Karma’s a Killer arrived on Wednesday. I keep burying my nose in the books, inhaling their new book smell. Can you tell I’m excited or what?
Here’s an excerpt from the press release for this newest installment in the series.
The latest mystery by award-winning novelist Tracy Weber, Karma’s a Killer is a fun, fresh, feisty new mystery featuring Seattle yoga teacher Kate Davidson and her trusty canine companion Bella.
About Karma’s a Killer: Yoga instructor Kate Davidson is about to discover that when it comes to murder, there’s no place like om. When she agrees to teach doga—yoga for dogs—at a fundraiser for Dogma, a local animal rescue, Kate believes the only real damage will be to her reputation. But when an animal rights protest at the event leads to a suspicious fire and a drowning, a few downward-facing dogs will be the least of Kate’s problems…
The police arrest Dharma, a woman claiming to be Kate’s estranged mother, and charge her with murder. To prove Dharma’s innocence, Kate, her boyfriend Michael, and her German shepherd sidekick Bella dive deeply into the worlds of animal activism, organizational politics, and the dangerous obsessions that drive them.
And if solving a murder weren’t complicated enough, Kate will also have to decide whether or not to reconcile with the estranged mother who abandoned her over thirty years ago. Not to mention having to contend with an almost-bankrupt animal rescue, a cantankerous crow, an unwanted pigeon houseguest, and a rabbit in a doga class. What could possibly go wrong?
A taut tale with more twists and turns than a vinyasa yoga class, Karma’s a Killer brims with suspense, wit and whimsy. With a to-die-for plot, sensational storyline, and charming characters—of both the two- and four-legged varieties—Karma’s a Killer is a clever, colorful, and utterly captivating cozy mystery.”
Sounds like a book I’d actually like to read. How about you?
Time to get working on scheduling those book launch events!
Namaste
Tracy Weber
Come visit Whole Life Yoga in Seattle, and check out Tracy Weber’s author page for information about the Downward Dog Mysteries series. A KILLER RETREAT and MURDER STRIKES A POSE are available at book sellers everywhere! KARMA’S A KILLER is available for pre-order now!
I’m so excited about the cover of my next book, Karma’s a Killer, that I’ve decided to share the fun with a cover reveal contest! Here’s how it works:
Each day Monday through Friday of this week, I’ll post an element of the cover on my Facebook author page https://www.facebook.com/TracyWeberAuthor. Before midnight that day, leave a comment naming the object pictured and you’ll be entered into that day’s contest. “Liking” my author page or “Friending” me on Facebook while you’re there is good Karma, but not required.
While you’re there, be sure to make a note of the object for the grand prize round.
Then, any time between when I post the final object on Friday, May 15 and Sunday, May 17 at midnight, send me an e-mail at Tracy@WholeLifeYoga.com with all five objects, and you’ll be entered for the grand prize “Agatha Sweepstakes” drawing for an autographed copy of all five of the Agatha Best First nominees AND an autographed advanced copy of Karma’s a Killer when it becomes available in August.
Here are the prizes!
Monday: An autographed copy of my Agatha Nominated first book, Murder Strikes a Pose. If you already own it, remember: books make great gifts!
Tuesday: An autographed copy of the second book in the series, A Killer Retreat. If you already own it, remember: books make great gifts!
Wednesday: A Downward Dog Mysteries coffee mug.
Thursday: An autographed book bag from this year’s Malice Domestic.
Friday: An autographed advanced copy of Karma’s a Killer when it becomes available in August.
Grand Prize: Autographed copies of each of the Agatha Best First nominees AND an advanced copy of Karma’s A Killer when it’s available.
And here’s your free example. Today’s photo is:
The object is…you guessed it…the Space Needle!
Visit today’s post at https://www.facebook.com/TracyWeberAuthor and make your first entry!
NOTE: By entering, you acknowledge that Facebook is not liable for any part of the contest. The contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. 😉
Namaste
Tracy Weber
Come visit Whole Life Yoga in Seattle, and check out Tracy Weber’s author page for information about the Downward Dog Mysteries series. A KILLER RETREAT and MURDER STRIKES A POSE are available at book sellers everywhere!
Fiona had to wait so long for the book launch that she outgrew her shirt!
It’s been a fun and exciting book launch, and we’re just getting started. Here’s a summary of some of the highlights so far:
Reviews from Mystery Blogs: Check out the fun reviews from posted by the bloggers below: If you’ve seen any reviews that I haven’t listed here please let me know!
Interviews: I’m continually surprised by the diversity of questions I get asked by interviewers. There’s a tiny bit of overlap in the interviews below, but not very darned much. I’ve highlighted some of the unique questions in each.
Guest articles: In addition to this writing blog, I’m a contributing author for several other blogs in the upcoming weeks. The two articles below posted in the past week.
Upcoming events this week: If you’re in the area, come see me! The party at Whole Life Yoga will feature champagne, killer cake, and lots of door prizes!
Thanks all! Have a great week and I’ll give you another summary next week!
Tracy Weber
Come visit Whole Life Yoga in Seattle, and check out Tracy Weber’s author page for information about the Downward Dog Mysteries series. A KILLER RETREAT and MURDER STRIKES A POSE are available at book sellers everywhere!
Reader Missy Schwebach and her dog Heidi
It’s here, it’s here, it’s here! Book launch week for A KILLER RETREAT. The official launch is this Thursday, January 8, but I have tons of activities scheduled over the next several months. Today’s article outlines my live book launch events through March. For the next few weeks on the blog, I’ll post links to some notable interviews and articles, as well as some radio shows! After that, we’ll be back to all yoga, all the time. 😉
Please join me for one, several, or all of the events below! And please support these booksellers who have gone out of their way to support me!
Signings and Launch parties:
I have to admit, typing this all out just gave me heart palpitations. It’s going to be a BUSY few months! Add to this three radio shows, ten guest articles, and seven interviews scheduled—so far—and I may never sleep again. Please come see me at one of the events, give me a big hug, and let me draw from your energy.
And always, of course, come see me us at Whole Life Yoga! Thank you for your support!
Tracy Weber
Come visit Whole Life Yoga in Seattle, and check out Tracy Weber’s author page for information about the Downward Dog Mysteries series. A KILLER RETREAT and MURDER STRIKES A POSE are available at book sellers everywhere!
