Most independent writers and small press get a lot of business from Amazon customers.  Amazon has this thing called tagging, where readers choose words that best describe the book, for example, Michael E. Benson's book, Openers, has tags like crime drama, forensics, serial killers, etc.  Readers can add additional tags they feel are appropriate and vote for the tags.  These tags enable Amazon to push a book toward Amazon members who have made similar purchases in the past.  It brings your book to the attention of Amazon members who might not have heard of it before.  The more tags you get, the more times a tag is selected, the better chance you have of being seen. 

Naturally, we'd like our books tagged by as many people as possible.  I'll bet you'd like that, too.  So, I'm going to play tag with you.  If you've got a book for sale at Amazon, send me a note at [email protected], or a comment here. amd I'll tag your book.  If enough people show interest, I'll start a second blog just to list book links available for tagging.  Of course, in the interest of fair play, if I tag your books, you've got to tag ours.  Right? 

While you're browsing around here, check out this month's What Writers Write and How They Write it.  We're featuring Barbara Silkstone and a lot of naked men.

And take a look at Steven L. Revare's trailer for his upcoming book, Raw. 

And I've saved the best news for last - although it really has nothing to do with Inknbeans...except making us all happy.  The Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back early this year!  That's right.  The Boss and I are going over this evening to have one.  Let Autumn commence!

BGP

I've been offering a little contest to give a fair and free review for anyone who gave me a chapter to review by today.

I suppose not a lot of people took me seriously because my inbox was not flooded with submission chapters.  However, a few did, and that means I received a few very interesting chapters to read, too interesting to choose one over all the others.  TherI've decided to review them all.

That's right, those of you who submitted chapters, you're all winners.  Please submit your entire book, via [email protected] and I'll review one a week throughout September.

Thank you for playing.  We must do this again sometime.

BGP

The weather's been unseasonably mild here for weeks.  No one's complaining, because normal here is triple digits, but it has been noticeable and remarked upon.  It reminds me of that old movie The Music Man, talking about the weather in Iowa.    Well, no one's talking now.  It's too hot to talk.  Summer came back with a vengeance this week.  Yesterday the Boss sent me to pick up some supplies at Staples.  The thermometer in the car said 112. 

Of course, this was an excellent excuse to get a nice, icy tea, and go for a swim after the errands.

There's something to be said for this miserably hot weather, though.  We've gotten a lot done around here.  Check out the new Menu Board the Boss designed.  Very cool. 

And Michael E. Benson's new book debuted this week.  A chilling story in the middle of the New Mexico desert.  It's called Alvarado's Woman. 

I've had a few entries to my Win-A-Review contest, but there's still time to enter your book.  Go ahead.  Send me the first chapter at [email protected], but don't wait.  I'm making my decision on Friday. 

The newest bean will be here next month.  TThe book is Raw, about a man who moves from Manhattan, NY to Manhattan KS to simplify his life, and complicates everyone else's.  And, the Boss says to add it's about cheese. 

It's seven fifteen am and we're already drinking ice water and turning on the fans.  So, I guess the weather's in season.

Stay cool out there.

BGP

After my last blog, the Boss said it was clear I don't have enough to do around here.  It was suggested that, since I always have an opinion on everything, perhaps I ought to be reviewing books. 

Okay.  I'm going to review a book.  How 'bout yours?  If you'd like an independent review of your book send a sample chapter to [email protected] by August 20th.  I'll pick the one I like best and have that person send me their whole book.  I'll review it in September.  You'll get a nice but honest review and I'll get to keep my job.  Win-win. 

We've got a new mystery coming out next week.  If you read Openers, you'll want to read Alvarado's Woman.  Frank Petrovic is back and, although he isn't the star of the show this time, trust him to save the day. 

Steve Revare's the new kid in town.  He wrote a book about Kansas.  There's more going on there than you think.  Watch for it in September. 

Are you on our mailing list?  If you are, then you know you get advance previews of new work, discounts and special offers.  If you aren't, well why not? 

The Boss wants me to go to work.  Send those chapters in. Hurry!

BGP

Publishing is a devilish business.  Naughtiness is everywhere.  For example:

The Devil Went Down To Georgia is a song the Boss always wanted to learn to play on the violin.  Everyone knows what happened in Georgia.  But what happened when...

The Devil went down to Nevada?

Kristie Leigh Maguire was inspired to write things like this.  No wonder it's so hot in Vegas. 

The Devil went down to Florida?

Men were exposed by Barbara Silkstone in her book.  A lot of men were exposed.  A lot.  So many that she had to rename the book and re-release it.  That's a hot title. 

The Devil went down to Reading?

Lisa C. Hinsley described the horror hiding in the woods.    Who knew Old Wily had an English accent? 

The Devil went back in time?

Baseball was never the same.  John Fitch V should know, because he's a Boston fan and we all know they'll do anything to win.

The Devil went down to Los Angeles?

No one noticed.  It was just another day in Los Angeles; murders, attempted murders, bad cops, good cops, hookers, tramps, truck drivers, music loving taxi drivers and out of town teachers who just want to go home and get off their feet, in Emjae Edwards' sixth book. 

The Devil went down to New Mexico?

Children disappeared and racism raised its ugly head in Michael E. Benson's upcoming release Alvarado's Woman - A Frank Petrovic Mystery.  If you read Openers, you'll want to read this.  Coming August 9th.

The Devil went down to Kansas? 

He died of boredom.  But you won't, if you read Raw, Steven L. Revare's ode to the Sunflower State, dairies, accounting, lactivism, bad marriages and following one's dream.  Coming in September.

These great writers don't all belong to Inknbeans, but they've contributed in one way or another to our growing success.  Drop in, take a look at their work, and have the Devil's own time with them.

On a Heavenly note, spend yesterday with the Boss and Manservant!Geeves.  Brunch at Red Robin, then a drive along Cajalco Expressway which was anything but express, meandering through rolling hillsides of gold and old trees, and literally stumbling onto the sapphire blueness of Lake Mathews.  Later, sitting in the mildness of the evening in their back garden, watching the sky turn aquamarine and pink, and then very, very black.  Thanks, Boss, I had a great time.

Hope all of you do, too.

BGP

The Boss just talked to Emjae and Emjae doesn't want to sell the rest of her cover art cards.  Emjae wants to raise money for cancer research.  Here's what she said:

Make a donation to American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, or Think Cure (the Dodgers Baseball/City Of Hope partnership), send proof of donation to [email protected] and I'll send you one of my cover art postcards, autographed with my Sharpie and our heartfelt thanks. 

We have a new writer joining us; his book in in the review stages now and we hope to publish it in September.  Steven Revare is the author of Raw; the oft mentioned Cheese Manifesto, and proprietor of the Slugworth Entertainment Cabal.  He seems as excited about joining us as we are to have him.  You can read his announcement here

Emjae Edwards' new book, A Lady Must Decline is a little different from her previous books.  This is a mystery; with guns and chases and a tour of the Queen Mary. 

She also has a few of her virtual booksigned cover art cards available.  If you already owned A Plane Proposal, but would still like the signed cover art, drop us a note, either here or at [email protected] 

Hope everyone's having a safe, comfortable summer. 

BGP

I've been away for a couple of weeks, and missed out on the busiest time of the month, when we get our promotions lined up, and get books ready for publication.  The Boss somehow managed to muddle along without me, though.

If anyone has any doubt that e-books are here to stay - James Patterson became the first man to sell one million ebooks, yesterday. 

Kristie Leigh Maguire's Inknpage was a big hit yesterday. 

Michael E. Benson's Openers had another big week, he's doing great.  If you've read his book, drop us a note and tell us what you thought, or better yet, leave a review at Smashwords, Amazon.com or wherever you happened to purchase a copy.  He'd love to hear what you thought. 

He has another in the series coming out in August, called Alvarado's Woman.  It's a shorter book, with a lot of twisty and twisted characters, but they have Frank Petrovic to straighten everything out. 

Emjae's sixth book, The Lady Must Decline was supposed to be out on the second but got delayed at the editors.  It should be out on Monday.  If you're on the mailing list, watch for your twenty five percent discount code at smashwords.

We're hoping to close out July with our best sales month ever.  If we do, it will be because of you! 

BGP

Still a whirlwind a top the Hill of Beans; contracts are off to our newest writer, Michael E. Benson's second installment in the Frank Petrovic series is being prepared for pre pub reviews and Emjae Edward's sixth (!) book goes on sale the second of July. 

Speaking of Emjae, the Boss gave her a couple of bowls as a 'just because' gift. Bowls may not seem like great gifts to the rest of us, but these had birds on them, and Emjae loves the birds she's discovered since she moved to the desert.  I won't say where the Boss found them, (imagine a bull's eye) but Emjae loves them.  Who knows, she might be inspired to write a book about birds, or bowls, or friends who give bowls, or friends who are for the birds.

Here's a couple of pictures, if you're curious.

I've been too busy to blog, lately.  Emjae gave us another book to go live in July, Michael's got another in the Frank Petrovic series for August, and our new writer will be delivering his new book as soon as the ink dries on the contracts.  Whew, I think I need a nap. 

Did you participate in our virtual booksigning?  It's not too late, if you haven't.  Emjae and her Sharpie are sitting by.

Well, the Lakers won.  And how does their fan base celebrate?  By looting and burning the city of which they are so proud.  Someone please explain to me the rationale behind burning down your own city after a victory?  Or a defeat for that matter?  And what is it about basketball fans that incite this kind of behavior?  I don't recall any rioting in the streets when the Dodgers fell out of the playoffs (okay, I will admit there was some small tantrums thrown in the offices of Inknbeans, but that's because the Boss and Emjae Edwards are both fans, and were both disappointed.  But there was no looting, burning, car smashing or brick throwing.  One box of Tetley's tea was tossed.  That's it.  Very refined riot. 

And just how does this so called celebration reflect on Laker fans, Californians, Americans in general in the global view?  When we behave this way we reinforce every negative stereotype imaginable; that {you fill in the blank} can't control themselves, are animals, are nihilistic and narcissistic, weren't raised right.  Next time the gold and purple win, and you're standing there with someone's private property in your hands, ask yourself if a news camera panned over you, what would your mother's neighbors think?  Is this how you want them to think you were raised?  When you break that window, it's your mother's reputation you're smashing. 

It seems to me when the Lakers win, Los Angeles loses.

Put down the brick and go buy a book.

BGP