Book Launch Finalized!

It's been over a week since I last seriously posted but so much has gone on that it's only now that I am able to post.

After a lot of headaches, sleepless nights, frustration, to get "Angel of Death: Book One of the Chosen" ready to print we finally have a release date: June 8, 2009. I'm so excited about this. We were having a lot of problems with the design department of the American publishers that finally I had to call the senior VP of Production. My head of production for up here left a message on my behalf because of all the f-ups on their part. The Senior VP checked into it and called us back apologizing for the f-ups and offered us a better deal. So for all those headaches, etc, it looks like it worked out in our favour.

Now that we have the date of launch I was able to organize the Book Launch Party. It's going to be on Sunday, July 5th at the Fox and Fiddle (1535 Yonge Street, Toronto). I'm really looking forward to this party! There's still so much more to organize! It was originally on the 19th of July, but I had to move it because my cousin is getting married on the 19th. I'm also looking into finding a musician to play there. So far I have one that may be able to do it, if she's in town. That means I should also look for a second/back up one too. What's really nice about this venue is that they don't mind us using their projection system to show off the commercials for the books.

Three of many commercials are shot and are currently being edited. I'm so excited! I've seen some bits of them, but I can't wait to see the whole thing! My Marketing Goddess has plans for at least three more to shoot. Once they are out I'll post them here and let everyone see them. I think everyone will really like them.:) As for the others, we're hoping to shoot them in May when it warms up. They're booth to be outdoors, but one of them requires that we shoot in the woods. That means warmth and foliage. We don't want to freeze our actress.:)

Last Friday my Marketing Goddess took me to the Toronto Alternative Arts and Fashion Week (FAT). I've never been to a fashion show before and I have to admit it was more than interesting. The first part I'm not sure whether or not they were clothing. Completely sober I kept up the one liners that had my Marketing Goddess laughing. The second part had us oohing and aweing. The clothing was wonderful and I think I'll be contacting one or both of these designers - Starkers! Corsetry and Futurestate. Personally, if I had to choose just one of them, it'd be Starkers. In the crappy lighting my Marketing Goddess took this photo of us with her blackberry

This past weekened we also celebrated my hubby's birthday with a big party on Sunday that left me wasted on Monday. I managed to get through my day job, but after dinner I said I needed to go for a nap. That was at 7pm. I woke up at 9am. Boy did I need that! I feel almost caught up. Luckily I don't work on Tuesdays. This meant I could get some work done for "Angel of Death" until it was time to pick up the Bug from JK.

Then it was off to the mall to have a bite of lunch and see Earth by Disney. It was awesome! Everyone should go and see it. I can't wait for the next one on Earth Day 2010.

Then it was back home and lo and behold I was able to get lots of stuff done for "Angel of Death." 6 things are currently crossed off my to do list for the book! Woo Hoo! Only two left, which requires my publicist Goddess and my designer. Now I can relax a bit and get back to what I really and truly love...writing the next novel in the series 'Shadow of Death: Book Two of the Chosen."

Karen Dales
Author
"Angel of Death: Book One of the Chosen"
Release - End of May 2009
karendales@thechosenchronicles.com
Website: http://thechosenchronicles.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenDales
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/cn27xa

It's over.

I can't believe this weekend is over.

It feels as though it never really was a weekend, but, alas, I am back to the job that pays the bills tomorrow morning.

This weekend marks the amazingly successful shooting of three fantastic commericals for the upcoming release of my novel, Angel of Death: Book One of the Chosen.

I MUST thank Irith, my Marketing Goddess. She's the one that came up with and organized Saturday's shoot. She rocks and I am so incredibly blessed to have her in my life. She arranged for Tiffany, Thalia and Bronwen as three of our actresses for the two shoots on Saturday. Thank you to these three lovely young women for coming out and helping!

A MONSTROUSLY huge thank you to Evan of WAVStudios for doing all the filming and most of the set up for both Saturday and Sunday's shoot. He's also the one who wrote and directed the third commercial that was shot today, Sunday. He also arranged to have Lazlo and Robin for that shoot. I can't wait to see the results.

Another HUGE thank you goes to Lazlo and his girlfriend, Willow, for coming to Toronto from Ottawa to help out with the shoot. You are such wonderfully kind folks. Especially Willow for standing in as one of the actors who didn't show for Saturday's shoot. I know it was last minute and completely unexpected, but THANK YOU! I can't wait to see the two of you again at Kaleidoscope Gathering this year.

Now I have to wait to see what WAVStudio's does with the footage and everything. Evan figures he'll be able to get them all done in about the time my book is released. This is great because next month there will be two more commercial shoots for the book. Irith is, again, the mistress of marketing magic and is doing the stuff she does so well. I can't believe her well of creativity. She has probably two more to do after that as well!

So keep an eye on here and everywhere 'cause when they are released on the internet you're just going to love them!



Karen Dales
Author
"Angel of Death: Book One of the Chosen"
Release - End of May 2009
karendales@thechosenchronicles.com
Website: http://www.thechosenchronicles.com
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/cn27xa
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenDales

Ups and Downs

It's been a while since I last posted and I can't believe that it's been only a week. It feels like a month!

Update on my book -
It looks like because I have a book fair already booked for June my publisher has agreed with me to press forward towards printing a little faster than they expected. Had we gone with their original time line I wouldn't have had books for the fair. At this rate it looks like I will. Please cross your fingers!

I am currently booked (sorry for the pun) for three events: the Toronto Small Press Book Fair, Kaleidoscope Gathering, and the FanExpo Canada. I am currently waiting to hear back as to whether I'll be at Anticipation: the 67th World Science Fiction Convention. Please cross your fingers! I really want to go to that! If I do, then that will be at least four events booked for this year alone. It'll take me into the end of summer at which point I'll probably have to start looking for more events to go to for the fall and winter.:)

Update on life -
Last Thursday evening I had my family (sans my sister and her hubby) and my inlaws over for dinner. I stupidly volunteered and tho everyone had a great time I was still dealing with the exhaustion of the week previous of getting "AoD" closer to production. Sunday was dinner at my mother-in-law's. That coupled with a weekend of lots and lots of socializing, meetings with my Marketing Goddess, my Publicity Goddess and my Tech God, I was burned out.

So here comes a week of work. I'm burnt out. I have no desire to step foot into the office. I am so in need of a mental health month. And then on Monday night, right after work, my step-mum calls to let me know that my Aunt finally passed away from Pancreatic Cancer. OY! So...off I go to call my boss and let him know I will not be in this Friday to work because of the funeral. He was fine with it, completely understandible. The only person I know I'm going to have an issue with about it is the Dr. I work for on Friday since the other secretary won't work for him. I'm expecting a more than 'interesting' day with him tomorrow.

So, if you believe in any higher power, please send me good thoughts/prayers/wishes, so that I can survive the week.

OH CRAP>>> This weekend is the commercial shoots for my book. Phew...at least I don't have to be there.:)

Onwards and Upwards

Today, under the advice of my marketing Goddess and because I really, really wanna go, I sent off my cheque to "Anticipation: The 67th World Science Fiction Convention" being held in Montreal August 6th to 10th.

My fingers are crossed in the hopes that they will still have some space for me. If they do, then please cross your fingers that I'll be able to take the extra time off of my day job. I am so finding that my job is interfering with my career!LOL

I'll update everyone on this as soon as I know.

On the publishing front, the publisher has acknowledged that they received everything they were supposed to receive and that I will be getting a digital proof soon. Once I sign off on that then they send me a galley which I'll have to sign off on. I'm getting closer!