#SINC Author FRANKIE BOW and Her Experience with Kindle Scout

Today's guest is Sisters in Crime member Frankie Bow, author of the Professor Molly series.

Like Molly Barda, Frankie Bow teaches at a public university. Unlike her protagonist, she is blessed with delightful students, sane colleagues, and a perfectly nice office chair. She believes if life isn’t fair, at least it can be entertaining.

 

In addition to writing murder mysteries, she publishes in scholarly journals under her real name. Her experience with academic publishing has taught her to take nothing personally. Frankie has agreed to share with us her experience with the Kindle Scout program.

 

Sisters In Crime: Thank you for joining us today, Frankie, and sharing your experience with the Kindle Scout program. You submitted a book for consideration to Kindle Scout, where readers vote for books they would like to see published. Which book did you submit for consideration and how did you qualify to submit your book?

 

FRANKIE BOW: I submitted the latest book in the Professor Molly series, The Blessed Event. It was a pleasant surprise to find that Kindle Press will consider books that are not first in series.

 

 

 

Sisters In Crime: How did you get readers to notice your entry and vote for your book?

FRANKIE BOW: To give readers a sense of the book, I put together cards with a quote from the book and an illustration. The cards went out on Twitter and Facebook. (I've attached some examples.) 

The  Clean Indie Reads community (my books are PG-rated), was great at retweeting and nominating. And of course my SinC - Hawaii friends were wonderfully supportive in helping me get the word out! I also posted on my blog and made the announcement to my mailing list.

 

You can't just throw your book out there and hope it gets noticed!

 

Sisters In Crime: Your book was selected for publication. Congratulations! What follow-up work are you required to do before publication?

FRANKIE BOW: They were wonderfully kind in their feedback. There was one description of Molly's wardrobe that they recommended shortening (they were right), but other than that there were no recommended changes. Some of the comments: 

 

·         light-hearted, funny, and smart standalone murder mystery featuring well-drawn and interesting characters.

·         The author does a great job integrating the several minor character-driven plots with the central murder mystery plot, which kept the story consistently interesting.

·         The author does an excellent job making all of the characters likable, even when they do unlikable things, 

 

 

·         Very entertaining and great reading flow.

·         The humor is great – there were several LOL moments.

·         It’s a light read, but it’s also a smart read. The author’s insights on the characters and the absurdities of their situations are compelling and give the book a sense of satisfying substance.

 

 

 

Sisters In Crime: The website for Kindle Scout has answers to the questions of who, what, when, where, and why. But having gone through the process, Frankie, can you give us an idea of your personal experience with Kindle Scout?

 

FRANKIE BOW: They made it very easy to submit. The hard part was working to keep reader interest high, to keep people coming by to nominate the book. The readers aren't the final judges, but I think the editors need to see that the book will get some interest. After the nomination period ended, it took about a month to find out that my book had been accepted for publication.

 

Sisters In Crime: Would KS be more beneficial to a new author or to someone who is already self-published? 

FRANKIE BOW: It's a great platform for a new author to get experience and exposure. Experienced self-publishers may feel restricted by the fact that they can't control the pricing or distribute the book on other e-publishing platforms. For me, it's worth the tradeoffs. I would definitely go the Kindle Scout route again. 

 

 

 

 

Sisters In Crime: Just an aside: Are you planning to attend LCC2017 in Honolulu?

 

FRANKIE BOW: YES I am already registered for LCC, and looking forward to meeting my SinC sisters and misters in person! 

 

 

You can visit with Frankie Bow at these sites:
www.frankiebow.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frankie.bow.1
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Frankie_Bow

frankie@frankiebow.com 

 

*****     *****     *****

 

For answers to the questions of who, what, when, where, and why, the link to the website for Kindle Scout is: https://kindlescout.amazon.com/about

 

 

 

Launching 2015 on a Very High Note!

Sisters in Crime/Hawaii launched the 2015 New Year on a very high note!

Our guest speaker for January was John Madinger. He is the author of Death on Diamond Head, a Kimo Rigg mystery. He also authored Money Laundering: A Guide for Criminal Investigators (not a “how-to” book, but about anti-money laundering).

He is a Special Agent- Retired – with the United States Department of the Treasury. He is an Anti-Money Laundering Consultant at United States Department of Justice OPDAT, and is currently working with the Deauville Partnership and US DOJ on stolen asset recovery issues in the Middle East and North Africa - Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, and other countries.

During his excellent talk, John gave a detailed history of “Opium Smuggling in Old Hawaii.” While he wasn’t able to smuggle any samples into the meeting, he did pass around several items from his fantastic collection of opium tools and containers. 

John Madinger, Author

http://www.amazon.com/John-Madinger/e/B001JS23U2/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3?qid=1422156671&sr=1-3

 

Audience Pictures at Sisters in Crime/Hawaii January, 2015 Meeting

In attendance: Vicki White, Pamela Gibson, Daisy Chun Rhodes, Rose Mary Thompson,  Doris Chu,  Dennis Keating, Jenny Delos Santos, Dawn Casey, Rosemary and Larry Mild, Gloria Andrada, Gay Gale, Jan and Fred Hines, Holly Madinger, Ramona Kazma, Burke Holbrook, Gail Baugniet

 

Opium Smoking at Makiki Library
Secretary Rosemary looks on

John Madinger speaking on
"Opium Smuggling in Old Hawaii"








Daisy says it is never too late to
try something new.
Dennis, a past CPD police officer,
is giving that some thought.







Opium pods point to Larry and Jenny



Opium pods on display
in front of Gloria and Gay

 

Wooden-handled Opium pipe from John Madinger's collection

Ivory-handled opium pipe from John Madinger's collection
Holly and Burke observe to Jan's immediate left and right

 

 

John displays a tool used in the
preparation of smoking opium
(opium pods frame him in foreground)
while Larry looks on



Ramona displaying
opium pipe made of bamboo
Dawn, Vicki, and Fred look on


Amateur photographing by Gail





 



Makiki Library Accepts Sisters in Crime Grant Money for Books

ALOHA EVERYONE, Thank you for joining us today for a short but exciting event. One goal on most everyone’s wish list of accomplishments is to be “A WINNER.” Few people set goals without having a desire to accomplish that goal.

The main goal of the organization Sisters in Crime is to promote the ongoing advancement, recognition, and professional development of women crime writers.

And they LOVE LIBRARIES!

SinC/Hawaii members Dawn Casey, Gay Gale, and Kent Reinker 

socializing with Makiki Library staff, Lani and Julie. 

Libraries within the U.S. can enter a monthly drawing for the Sisters In Crime ‘We Love Libraries’ grant by submitting an entry form along with a photograph of one or more staff members holding up three books by Sisters in Crime members in their collection. The grant money must be used to purchase books for the library, in any genre by any author, at the library’s sole discretion.

In February, 2013, as president of Sisters in Crime/Hawaii, I approached the manager of The Makiki Community Library, to suggest the library submit an entry for the Sisters In Crime ‘We Love Libraries” grant. I took a couple of pictures with four of the library’s staff members holding up Sisters In Crime novels. The library submitted the entry and we all crossed our fingers that Makiki Library would become A WINNER.

Our local chapter, Sisters in Crime/Hawaii meets at The Makiki Community Library once a month, usually on the third Wednesday. Library staff member Nicole kindly volunteers her time to watch over us on those evenings. Thanks to efforts of the library, works of several SinC/Hawaii members who are also members of Makiki Library are displayed on the “Local Authors” shelf.

Laurie Hanan’s mystery series features protagonist Louise Golden, a Kaneohe mail carrier who oftenfinds herself in the thick of a murder investigation. Events in Louise’s personal life and her subtle sense of humor keep the reader engaged in Laurie’s stories from beginning to end.

Rosemary Mild, Dawn Casey, Laurie Hanan

Sisters in Crime/Hawaii booth

Hawaii Book and Music Festival 2014

 

Rosemary and Larry Mild are Sisters In Crime/Hawaii’s Partners In Crime. They have two mystery series available to readers; and a stand-along novel, Cry Ohana, set in Hawaii. Rosemary also writes non-fiction, including a memoir entitled Miriam’s World - And Mine; and her latest work: Love! Laugh! Panic! Life with My Mother.

Kent Reinker publishes under the pen name of Alain Gunn. His latest novel, If Pigs Could Cry, is a medical thriller. In A Tale of Two Planets, he tells of a realistic trip to Mars and back, giving readers the feeling they are actually traveling with the space crew.


Gail Baugniet’s Pepper Bibeau mystery series is also included on the shelf, the stories set in places like Chicago,IL; Wisconsin; and Hawaii.

Several members also participated in contributing to and publishing the mystery short story anthology MYSTERY IN PARADISE 13 Tales of Suspense. Everyone who is a member of Makiki Library is welcome to check out any of these books. The books are also available in ebook format on the Internet.

Each month, Sisters In Crime, Inc. draws a winner of their ‘We Love Libraries’ grant. For the month of May, 2014, as you know, THE MAKIKI COMMUNITY LIBRARY met their goal to be A WINNER of the grant. Library President Suzanne Ivey, will graciously accept this award for the library today.

It is the special honor of Sisters In Crime/Hawaii to offer congratulations and to present this check to you today, for The Makiki Community Library, in the amount of $1,000.00.

Congratulations to Suzanne Ivey and Makiki Library.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW With LAUREEN KWOCK

Today we would like to welcome author Laureen Kwock to our Friday - 13 Author Interviews. Laureen was born and raised in Hawai'i. She is a graduate of the university of Hawai'i at Mano, and the author of 20 novels under the pen name of Clarice Peters. A Waikiki resident, she leads the Waikiki writers Group. Her protagonists in Bad Hair Day, Abby and Myron, first appeared in the short story "Driving Aunty Abby" the 2002 Honolulu Advertiser Fiction Contest winner.

Sisters in Crime/Hawaii: Welcome, Laureen. Thank you for sharing with readers your short story, Bad Hair Day, included within MYSTERY IN PARADISE 13 Tales of Suspense, and for taking time to visit with us today. 

Q1. Can you please offer a brief insight into something humorous, poignant, or unusual in your life that led you to a career in writing?

LAUREEN KWOCK: I always loved books and have been drawn to bookstores and libraries. Books seemed magical.

 

Sisters in Crime/Hawaii: Writers, by default, are independent contractors who sit alone at their computer/typewriter/journal, composing prose, poetry, lyrics, haiku, or limericks, for hours on end. 

Q2. Why did you choose to collaborate with 13 authors to participate in a short story anthology? 

 

LAUREEN KWOCK:I had already written Bad Hair Day and knew Gail from our writing group, so when she mentioned she was getting an anthology together and would entertain submissions I sent it in. The story is a humorous slice of life that I hope readers will enjoy.

 

Sisters in Crime/Hawaii: Each short story in the anthology offers a glimpse into the personality of the writer. 

Q3. In Bad Hair Day, what is one phrase or scene that reflects something about you as a writer?

 

LAUREEN KWOCK: The scene when Abby encounters Myron. She was so happy to see him. That’s what I want my readers to feel. The reader is happy to see Abby and Myron. The scene is also dialogue intensive and I tend to feature a lot of dialogue in my work.
 

“Hey, what’s the matter? You’re looking huhu.”

“My car got stolen.”

“For real?”

“Yeah. I parked it right here.” She pointed to the stall now occupied by a silver Lexus. “Then I got my hair cut. When I came back no car.”

 

Sisters in Crime/Hawaii: You’re right about that scene, Laureen. And Abby’s delight at having Myron appear spreads to the reader. The next question relates to something every writer has, a WIP (Work-In-Progress).

 

Q4. Can you tell us a bit about your current project?

 

LAUREEN KWOCK: At the moment I have an idea for another Myron and Aunty Abby story but it’s just a glimmer of an idea. I also have been working on a longer work about three women having a reunion over the years.

 

Where can readers find your books?

LAUREEN KWOCK: Amazon.com recently bought the rights to Avalon books and one of my titles, Aloha Cowboy is available there. It’s a romance not a mystery.

Aloha Cowboy by Laureen Kwock
available at Amazon.com

 

SinC/Hawaii: A Group of Sisters & Misters!

Sisters in Crime/Hawaii, a group of readers and authors, will participate as exhibitors at the Hawaii Book and Music Festival next week-end, May 18-19, 2013, on the grounds of Honolulu Hale. At our booth, local members will offer information about our organization and promote Sisters in Crime, both SinC, Inc. the International Organization http://www.sistersincrime.org/ and the SinC/Hawaii Chapter http://sisters-in-crimehawaii.blogspot.com/p/home.html. Member authors will display their published novels and have books available for purchase.

Honolulu Arts Beat, a popular Hawaii blog site, lists the participating SinC/Hawaii authors and their books. You can visit the site at: http://www.honoluluartsbeat.com/Honolulu_Arts_Beat/Book_%26_Music_Fest.html 

The Hawaii Book and Music Festival website lists all of the authors who will appear at the Author Pavilions on Saturday May 18 and Sunday May 19. The website for listings, times, and site map is: http://hawaiibookandmusicfestival.com/

 

 

Sisters in Crime/Hawaii has been invited to present a panel discussion at the Author Pavilion Mauka on Saturday, May 18 at 1 p.m.  The panel discussion topic is “Why Do Men Join Sisters in Crime?” It will be a lively 55 minutes with time for audience questions.

 

Please join authors Ray Pace, Laurie Hanan, Gene Parola, and Gail Baugniet at

Hawaii Book and Music Festival and learn why Sisters in Crime/Hawaii is

a group of Sisters and Misters!

 

 

Shadowing the Librarian for SinC/Hawaii

 

On April 21, a select group of Sisters in Crime member authors will be volunteering in bookstores and libraries in their hometowns—from Albany, New York, to Honolulu, Hawaii, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., local time. In addition, SinC’s more than 3,000 members worldwide are gearing up to go into libraries and bookstores on that day to personally thank the booksellers and librarians they find working behind the counters and in the stacks.

 

The event, produced by Sisters in Crime, is designed to thank librarians and booksellers for 25 years of support of the mystery genre. Sisters in Crime was established with an organizational meeting held in New York City in the spring of 1987.

Crime Fiction Author, Honolulu Resident, Gail M Baugniet,

Is a Library Staffer for a Day

Takes Part in Sisters in Crime’s

“Booksellers and Librarians Solve Mysteries Every Day” Event

Gail eagerly awaiting ten o'clock!

Honolulu—Gail Baugniet, author and member of Sisters in Crime/Hawaii and Sisters in Crime, Inc.—an international organization founded to support the professional development of women writing crime fiction—will work as a volunteer staffer at The Makiki Community Library in Honolulu on Saturday, April 21, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. as part of a “Booksellers and Librarians Solve Mysteries Every Day” celebration.

Makiki Community Library Librarians

The event, produced by Sisters in Crime, is designed to thank librarians and booksellers for 25 years of support of the mystery genre. Sisters in Crime was established with an organizational meeting held in New York City in the spring of 1987.

“I am very excited about spending time at The Makiki Community Library,” Baugniet said. “In helping readers find their way to the right book at the right time, librarians solve mysteries every day.”

On April 21, a select group of Sisters in Crime member authors will be volunteering in bookstores and libraries in their hometowns—from Albany, New York, to Honolulu, Hawaii, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., local time. In addition, SinC’s more than 3,000 members worldwide are gearing up to go into libraries and bookstores on that day to personally thank the booksellers and librarians they find working behind the counters and in the stacks.

Gail Baugniet is working on the second novel in her Pepper Bibeau mystery series. Her first novel, FOR EVERY ACTION There Are Consequences, is available in print format at The Makiki Community Library, and is also available at Amazon.com in print and e-book format.

While at The Makiki Community Library on April 21, Baugniet will be shadowing Librarian Wendy Maxwell as she assists library patrons and performs the daily tasks required to keep the library running smoothly.

Wendy demonstrating to Gail
the Internet card catalog system

The Makiki Community Library is located at 1527 Keeaumoku Street in Honolulu. The library is open on Wednesday from 2 to 6 pm and Saturday/Sunday from Noon to 4 pm. The Makiki Community Library phone number is 808-522-7076.

Sisters in Crime is currently celebrating its 25^thanniversary year. The organization is made up of more than 3,000 members and 48 chapters worldwide—authors, readers, publishers, agents, booksellers, librarians and others who love mysteries. Sisters in Crime is online at www.sistersincrime.org.