Win a Nook

In case you haven't found my new blog, you're missing a chance to win a NOOK. Head over and see how to enter.

Generic or Name Brands?

What I'm reading: Because of You, by Jessica Scott (Nook)

If you haven't read my weekend post, please take a minute to check it out, because there's giveaway information you don't want to miss. My Newsletter will go out on Wednesday, and while you can still get an extra entry if you sign up after that date, you won't get the newsletter until the next issue comes out in April.

Today is one of those strange days. It's January 2nd, which is usually a "normal" day. But because New Year's Day fell on a Sunday, it's a holiday. But yesterday was the "real" New Year's Day. I'm confused! There's something just not "right" about not having the Rose Parade on television, not to mention the Bowl Games. But the NFL has commandeered Sundays—or so we think. But before that, back in 1890, the Tournament of Roses organizers established the precedent that it would never be held on a Sunday. Why? Because they were afraid it might scare the horses tied up outside the church. (I'm not making this up, honest. I'm not that clever. See for yourself.)

So, I'm feeling that there are probably a lot of you out there who aren't into your normal Monday routines, either. I thank you for stopping by.

While watching so many football games (or just having them on in the background—I'm not a faithful "watcher"), the repeated commercials quickly grated. While I grasp the concept that there's no way these manufacturers could create enough commercials so they're all different, hearing the same ones over and over had me hitting the mute button. The same thing happened in a couple of books I read recently.

Which brings me to "product placement" in our novels. Most of my publishers don't like using brand names. One makes its authors list every trademarked product and the page it's on so their legal department can make sure they're not going to get sued. Another goes so far as to list every single one in a "disclaimer" at the front of the book. The temptation exists to make up or avoid brand names. However, you still have to look them up in the trademark database, because a made-up name could actually be real!

You Can't Win Unless You Enter

I've reached Milestone #1 by surpassing 375 followers, and am ready to start giving away books. To clarify, these are books I've picked up at conferences, etc., --not the books I've written. Here's how it all works.

The BIG CONTEST has lots of ways to win. Along the way, there will be smaller giveaways, such as the one going on now. You can enter each individual giveaway as well as the one for the BIG Prize -- an envelope crammed with books and goodies.

But you have to tell me you've entered, which means emailing my contest address. Check the Deals & Steals tab for directions, deadlines, and details, and the Sidebar for updates.

Read an e-Book Week - Read Mine Free

In conjunction with Read an eBook week, which runs from March 6-12, I'm offering WHEN DANGER CALLS for FREE at Smashwords. Use coupon code RE100.

And don't forget to check out my March contest--an ARC of WHERE DANGER HIDES, the sequel to WHEN DANGER CALLS, could be yours.

A Writer's Dress Code?

I'd like to welcome Carolyn J. Rose to my blog today. After 25 years as a television news researcher, writer, producer, and assignment editor in Arkansas, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington, she teaches novel-writing in Vancouver, Washington, and founded the Vancouver Writers’ Mixers. Her hobbies are reading, gardening, and not cooking.

Over the course of my life, I’ve had to adhere to a number of dress codes in order to succeed—or at least stay far enough under the rule-makers’ radar to reduce the hassle factor and/or hang onto a job. I despised most of those codes. In my opinion, they didn’t make good sense.

The first code was imposed by my grandmother who loved to sew and made almost all of my clothing. The code was simple: pink is for girls and blue is for boys. Part two was: you’ll grow into it. Suffice it to say that once I got a job and could buy my own clothing, I never again wore a pink tent dress.

The second code was the one enforced at my high school in the mid 60s. The word Draconian leaps to mind. Girls weren’t allowed to wear slacks. So, on icy Catskill winter mornings, I walked the quarter mile to the school bus wearing two pairs of tights, knee socks, boots, and long woolen skirts (in shades of pink and red my freshman year). Books clutched against my puffy ski jacket, I repeated through chapped lips, “Get good grades and get out of here.”

And the Winner Is...

Congratulations to KIM the winner of my Flash contest.

This will be the last winner for a while--contests are taking a hiatus.

It's a Party! Rules here

Welcome to the virtual launch party for Nowhere to Hide, plus a celebration of surpassing the 200 follower mark. I've decided to make things easy. All action will take place in the comments, but I'm going to post several separate excerpts, etc., today. Comments in any of them count toward winning one of my giveaway prizes. Headers will all say "Launch Party" so scroll down to join in.



What are the prizes? I've got bookmarks, post cards, notepads and other miscellaneous swag I picked up at RomCon. I've got books (some gently read).

To enter: leave a comment. For an extra chance to win, be one of my blog followers, either through Blogger/Google or Facebook Networked Blogs. Another chances to win by following me on Twitter. Also, enter my Swag contest (see the tab) for yet another chance.

The only "catch" is that this blog system doesn't collect your email address when you leave a comment, so you're going to have to check back to see if you won a prize.

If I draw your name, you'll have until Saturday to e-mail me with your snail mail address. Due to legal and postage issues, any snail mail prizes will have to be limited to US addresses. But if you're out of the US, there are still download type prizes, so don't go away!

Launch Party #7

A HUGE Thank You to everyone who's dropped by to party. I will be drawing the last name at 8 PM Mountain Time, so make sure you've left a comment somewhere on one of the party posts to be eligible.

Decking the Walls

In addition to getting some of our furniture delivered, we had about a week off from contractor action. In other words, our home was ours for a while.

We've got the installation date for our countertops at last. And, as I feared, this was indeed the one item that fell well outside the window the company had given us when we ordered the materials. So, instead of today, it's one week from today before we have a kitchen that looks like a kitchen. It'll still be a few more days before everything else is hooked up and usable, but I'm looking forward to having a sink. And a stove. And a dishwasher that isn't in the middle of the living area.

But the place is beginning to look and feel like home, and I think it's because I finally got out the hammer, ladder and picture hangers and decked the walls with our personal (and familiar) belongings.

Sweetening the Contest Pot

What I'm reading: Through the Grinder by Cleo Coyle; Finding Hope by Katie Reus

If you're taking advantage of the long weekend for the July 4th holiday, have a great one. Normally, I tried to avoid purely promotional posts on this blog, but heck. 1) It's a holiday and 2) It's my blog. And I wanted to share some good news.

A trip through my email inbox. First, I got a notice from The Wild Rose Press saying that NOWHERE TO HIDE is available for pre-orders in paperback. I wasn't expecting that so soon; the release date is officially July 16th, and that's when the digital versions are out. Normally, print comes after digital. So that was good news. You can buy it here.

Then, I was surprised to find an email from "Got Romance Reviews" saying they'd posted a review of NOWHERE TO HIDE. I never expect these before the book is actually released. I opened the email and learned that the site was actually "Got Erotic Romance." Now, I know the publisher casts a wide net for reviews, but I don't write erotic romance. Yes, I have sex-on-the-page, but usually one or two scenes per book, and then, only after my characters have earned it – usually at least halfway through the book. So what was I going to find?

Handling Transitions

What I'm reading: Better Late than Never, by Savannah Stuart

Thanks to Lynda for her intriguing post yesterday. Don't forget, she's giving away a copy of one of her books to a commenter. Scroll down and read yesterday's post, leave a comment there, and then come on back. You have until Thursday. Lynda will select a winner, and I'll announce it on Friday.

Last week, I mentioned transitions, and how everything has to flow.
In our house, we have small areas of tile at the entry doors and in front of the two fireplaces. The rest of the flooring is newly installed ¾ inch hardwood. One of the challenges the contractors faced was making sure the transition between tile and wood was smooth, because the new hardwood was thicker than the pre-existing laminate flooring.

In your manuscript, you have to decide how you're going to get from one place to the next. My writing style tends to be write it, then juggle it. The danger is that things will get choppy. I don't want my tile mixed in with the wood.

Clutter Clearing Continues - with a contest

What I'm reading: In Their Footsteps & Thief of Hearts, by Tess Gerritsen

First, thanks to Beth Trissel for taking us on a trip through Virginia's countryside and history. And thanks to everyone who stopped by and left a comment.

Second: be sure to read the entire post. I've decided to have a Clutter Clearing Contest! Details at the end.

Our moving plans are moving. S-L-O-W-L-Y. Getting a house ready to put on the market is a stressful endeavor, and when the market is as down as it is now, it's even more so, because you have to make your home stand out—in a good way.

So, each gaze raises the tri-fold question: Donate, Take it with us, or Trash?

Two things I've discovered:

Keep Reading...

One: It's Deductible. This is something that came free with Turbo Tax – I don't know if it's free otherwise. But it tracks all those charitable donations, and gives fair market value for just about everything. We're on our second donation load—and still the closets seem too full.

Two: Freecycle. There are things that don't make the donation grade, for one reason or another. Freecyle is a vast number of local networks that puts people who have stuff they don't want in touch with people who want it. I've signed up for the group in my part of town, and have already found homes for my 9 years of National Geographics and my 7 years of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. And tonight, someone's coming by to pick up bags and boxes of miscellaneous craft items that I will never use.
(Do you think anyone would want hubby's fish squirt gun?) Meanwhile there are the serious projects, starting with curb appeal. We've already painted the outside of the house. Re-screened the patio. Have someone coming to take care of windows that don't open properly, etc. Hubby has spread 2 truckloads of pine bark mulch in the yard. Then there are the little things inside. Touch up painting, cleaning the carpets, and heaven only knows when hubby will pack up the skulls. Somehow, those probably won't show well.



We still have to get rid of enough "stuff" so we can do the inside painting. Right now, there's no way anyone can get to the walls. So, I thought I might find another place to get rid of some of my "stuff." How about a contest? Winner will get a grab bag of whatever I can fit into a priority flat rate envelope. (Has to be the US, though – sorry). What will it be? I don't know yet. I have a LOT of stuff that won't be making the move. (No worries – you won't get a skull)



How to enter?


1. Check with your library and see if they carry my book, When Danger Calls. If they do, let me know which library. If they don't, please request it. Give them the title (When Danger Calls) , author (Terry Odell), ISBN 978-1-59414-723-4, Publisher: Five Star Gale/Cengage. Let me know you've requested it.

This is the honor system, but it won't cost you anything. Most libraries will probably let you do this over the internet.

2. Answer any ONE of these questions (answers on my website.)

a. What were the draft and final word counts for Finding Sarah?
b. What word did I have to use in the short story that let to Hurricane Breeze?
c. Who reviewed When Danger Calls in Orlando Magazine?

Email your answers to contest@terryodell.com.

Civilian Police Academy Notes - Seniors

What I'm reading: Smoke Screen, by Sandra Brown

What I'm writing: Chapter 23

First -- There's a new contest on my website. I have some chapter booklets with the first chapter of my December release, WHEN DANGER CALLS. I'll be giving away three of them -- these are the ARC version, unedited with the ARC cover. For details and how to enter, go to my website

Last night, our Civilian Police Academy Alumni meeting featured Laura Lang, who's responsible for running programs to protect our seniors. She shared some fascinating (and often scary and depressing) information about what's going on in our country. I'll be recapping what she discussed over the next few days -- or as long as it takes.

Some of the boring statistics:
Each day, for the next 30 years, 9000 people will cross into the "senior" category.
In Florida, the fastest growing segment of the population is the 100+ set.

There are 6 basic categories of Abuse:
Mental, Physical, Sexual, Exploitation, Neglect and Self-Neglect.
86% of all abuse is performed by family members.

Beware the stereotype of seniors as old and infirm. Ms. Lang told us that she speaks to senior groups all over the area. One of her recent visits was to a group where the requirements to be admitted were: Over 86 years old. Male. Own a Harley.

Another side note: In the last 6 months, there has been a 40% increase in crimes committed by seniors.

In addition to abuse, there are scams and frauds. While not limited to seniors, these people are especially vulnerable because they grew up in a more trusting time.

Florida has the second highest senior population in the country, and this doesn't count transients (we call them snowbirds) who maintain their legal residence up north somewhere.
There are efforts to follow Texas' Silver Alert legislation. This would be the senior equivalent of an Amber Alert.

Interesting tidbit on safety:
Women are told to carry their purses with the strap going not just over the shoulder, but around the neck, and in front of their bodies, so they can't be stolen. However, those who are serious about grabbing a purse will grab the strap and pull backward, dragging the victim down. They often do this from their moving vehicles. There's not much one can do about that if the purse straps don't break. Ms. Lang sees countless seniors with broken ankles, hips and arms, not to mention 'road rash' from such attacks. Thieves are looking for credit cards and SSNs. She said the cops know if cash is taken, the perpetrator was probably 13 or younger. In fact, she recommended not carrying a purse at all, but to take only what you need for a specific excursion and to carry it in a deep front pocket. Not sure I could manage that -- first, I'd need a whole new wardrobe. Most of my clothes don't have pockets like that.

More tomorrow. And into next week, I think.

Odds and Ends

First: There's a new contest for July on my website. Caitlin was the winner of my June contest, and her prize will be in the mail today.

I have reclaimed the "sitting room" as part of the house! Of course all the overflow is now piled in my office until I find the motivation to reorganize all the shelves. The recycling bins will be overflowing for the next few weeks, I'm sure. But I'm exciting to have a "writing" office.

To 'celebrate' retirement, I actually cooked a meal, and we ate together at the table. I'd bought a bottle of champagne, but decided to wait until the holiday weekend to drink it. Hubby stopped at the store on his way home with another bottle (and ice cream, which we DID have!)

I've mentioned I'm hooked on the Tennis Grand Slams. What I'm not hooked on is the commercials. When a show is on the air for hours at a time over a two week period, there are going to be lots of commercials. I only wish the sponsors had the money to make a wider variety. I'll never be able to listen to "Let the Sunshine In" again without gritting my teeth. At least in this final week, the matches are alternating between ESPN2 and NBC. I can tell which channel I'm on by the different commercials.

As for writing ... Fozzie and Torie are hibernating while I put together my portion of a panel on short story writing for my RWA chapter and do the required critiques for the contest I'm judging.

Contest reminder

June is half over... still plenty of time to enter my website contest for some souvenirs from my trip to South Africa.

All the details are on my website.

Cover Quiz for Hidden Fire

What I'm reading: That Which Survives by Ciana Stone

What I'm writing: mystery short; e-publishing workshop presentation notes. (Trying to learn PowerPoint on the fly)

I got the cover for Hidden Fire, my next Cerridwen Press release. As the author, of course I'm very close to the story, and as an author, know next to nothing about what kind of a cover sells a book. I'm lucky that Cerridwen Press gives authors a chance to comment on the cover after it's designed, rather than blindly accept a cover artist's interpretation of a one or two page cover request form. The elements on the first go-round were there, but there were things that bothered me, so I requested some modifications. The second version was much better, and that's where management said it would stay.

I did (and still do) have one niggling questions, which was part of the image. It jumped out at me, yet after studying it, I still wasn't sure exactly what it was.

What do you think?

I'll post the full cover in a day or two. But now, let me know what you think this is. I'll even send an autographed copy of the full cover to a random draw of the comments. I can't pick a winner based on "right" answers, because I'm not 100% sure what it is.

Impromptu Cover Contest -- Jump into the Pool

For whatever reasons, my upcoming release, "What's in a Name?" which is supposed to come out on April 19th, does not yet have a cover. So, how about a pool? Guess what day and time I'll get the FIRST email with my draft cover. Then, for another shot at winning, guess what day and time I'll get the FINAL approved version.

Prize? How about an autographed cover? Can't tell you what it will look like yet! Email me your guesses. Put Cover Pool in the subject line. All I can say is that the publisher promises the cover will appear BEFORE my release day. Details on my website.

Might as well make some lemonade, right? Ready, set, go. Pool is open. Jump in.