Contests and out-of-town guests
I’m opening up my second contest this week. The prize is a signed copy from my back list and a Mount Rushmore refrigerator magnet and Harney Peak post card.
Joye was the name selected from last week’s contest. Congrats, Joye. Contact me at debra@debrasalonen.com with your snail mail addy so I can get my book to you. 
NOw, about those out-of-town guests. Life is full of surprises, and we had a most pleasant one this weekend. My hubby’s first cousin’s daughter, Josie, was in Yosemite and wondered if she and her pal Jodi might “crash” at our house. (I think the idea of a hot shower and actual bed sounded pretty good to a couple of vagabonds on a road trip.)
Josie and Jodi were delightful. 
Jodi is on the left. And when I told them they’d be on my blog, they were actually thrilled. “We’re going to be famous.” Or, not. 
But here they are.
Have a great week! I just spent time in the old west with my characters. I told you this book was going to be different. 
Deb
Buzz
Buzz is a great thing to have when you’re introducing a new book and that beloved book’s shelf life is so very short.
For the past couple of years, I’ve been too busy writing to put much effort into cultivating buzz.
This time, I tried a little harder. For two reasons: I love BABY BY CONTRACT and I want readers who enjoy connected series to know about that there are more books coming in the Spotlight On Sentinel Pass series.
So, I sent out copies to reviewers (which I never do). I put together a Press Kit and sent out several to South Dakota destinations. I accepted several guest blogging opportunities–the first was a hoot! And I set up a MySpace page. Will this help generate buzz?
I don’t know. But BABY BY CONTRACT did get another excellent review from Gloria Gehres at the The Romance Reader Connection. Here’s my favorite line:
“BABY BY CONTRACT is a wonderful contemporary romance. Debra Salonen gives us a warm loving story, and great characters. The story catches you from the very first page, as we follow the lives of the people living in this sleepy little town. This is romance at it’s best!”
So, faithful readers, if you’re feeling particularly buzzy these days, I’d appreciate your helping to spread the word.
Oh, and there’s a new link on my opening page. If you order your copy of BABY BY CONTRACT through the eHarlequin.com link, I see the results in the form of actual money. Wow. What a concept!
Also new on my site, I changed my photo album, which was completely outdated because it was just a pain to upload. The new album has some shots from my Black Hills research trip and I plan to add more every week.
Have a great May weekend, and “Happy Anniversary’ to Ruth and Jon Paul. Your love for each other inspires me.
Deb
Have you voted? (For the best cover?)
I got a kick out of this and thought you might, too. Thanks to Barbs for sending the link to a site that offers the best — and worse–cover contest. You can vote for the ones you like best in several catergories. I didn’t see any of my books in either contest.
COVERS
Hope the link works.
Deb
Guest blogging TODAY
I’m giving away free backlist books at the Romance Reader at Heart blog today. BLOG
This is so me being…I hate to admit it…me. I could really use some familiar faces. If you have a minute, drop in. Add a quick post and you’re signed up for the drawing.
Thanks in advance.
And, Ellen, I put your winning choice WINDOW TO YESTERDAY in the mail. Enjoy!
Deb
Are we connected? (See bribe below.)
I gotta know.
Am I blogging to myself or are these posts actually getting to the right people? That means you.
Two blogging buddies who have been with me from the beginning suddenly stopped getting notices of when I posted a new blog. My web guru, Bekke, can’t find any reason for that on our end, but I’m worried that there might be more of you who are used to getting alerts and now aren’t. (Or maybe my alerts are winding up in your spam folders.)
I realize this is a tricky question because if you’re not getting notified, how are you going to know that I need to know you’re not getting notified? 
But Bekke has suggested you leave a comment. Yes, if you *are* getting the notifications and no if you *aren’t*. And please be sure to leave your email address in the “email” field when you enter the comment (email won’t be published, but Bekke will be able to see it so that she can verify you’re on the list).
To make it worth the effort, I’m going to give away a signed copy of BABY BY CONTRACT. It’s not even out on stores shelves, yet. First in the series. 5-star review. Top Pick!!
Yes? Or no?
Deb
A 5-star review for BABY BY CONTRACT
Last week, I sent out 6 copies of BABY BY CONTRACT for review. Think of this as chumming the murky waters of the great sea of books hoping to catch a nice, big review that will feed a family of five for a year.
I caught one. A beautiful, shiny, delicious review that I am savoring — and willing to share.
Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews, a very respected online review site, just emailed me this review, which will be posted on her site next week HUNTRESS REVIEWS and will be up on Amazon, as well. Yeah!
TITLE: Baby by Contract
(Sentinel Pass #1, Super Romance #1492, May 2008)
AUTHOR: Debra Salonen
13 ISBN: 9780373714926
10 ISBN: 03737149205 STARS!
Elizabeth “Libby” McGannon is in her thirties and wants a baby. But there is no one in Sentinel Pass that she wants to be her child’s father. Sentinel Pass is a small town in the Black Hills of South Dakota. (Think Mayberry from the Andy Griffith Show.) Libby is the postmaster and knows everybody by name. Sentinel Pass had only gotten high-speed Internet a few months ago. Though they were now able to access the world, most of the town’s citizens do not want the town to change one iota. However, Libby decided to use the net to advertise for a sperm donor. The man chosen would receive a share in her family gold mine.
Cooper “Coop” Lindstrom is a popular actor and TV personality with money troubles. He needs an idea for a new sitcom. Coop’s mother recently died and her irate bookie is sending him death threats to pay up. Then there is his two exes demanding their alimony checks. So when he runs across Libby’s MySpace ad, Coop feels as though he has hit the jackpot. Cooper decides to hide out in Sentinel Pass, donate some DNA, see if the gold mine will produce, AND be able to turn the entire thing into a new sitcom. What an opportunity!
But when his true reasons for being in town is revealed, Cooper finds himself in trouble, not only with Libby, but with the entire town. The old Cooper would never have cared; however, time with Libby and her town has changed Cooper, as well as his desires.
***** Debra Salonen is what my mother would call “A book writing woman!” Well, I totally agree. This author writes better than the norm. Going from the blurb on the back of the book, I did not think that I would really like the story. I am very happy to be proven wrong. I do not think I could have enjoyed the story more! At the same time, this story set a concrete foundation for the rest of the Sentinel Pass series. (The second installment is due out in September, 2008, titled “His Brother’s Secret.” Sounds like Cooper’s producer, Shane, may be the main character there.) Libby’s three close girlfriends, Jenna, Kat, and Char, are the secondary characters. The author did a fantastic job of giving each girlfriend their own unique personality and set of little quirks. I actually came to care for them as if they were real. That is talent! An incredible story that I highly recommend. *****
HUNTRESS REVIEWS
Reviewed by Detra Fitch
Hopefully, this will generate a buzzzzzz……
Deb
MySpace for better or worse
I’ve been caught in a time suck. It’s called MySpace. I’ve been resisting its tractor beam for nine months (at last summer’s RWA conference, the PR people at Harlequin were quite adamant that all authors should have a MySpace presence).
Well, now, I do. DEB
It’s a work in progress. And I’m woefully short of friends. Please, please, if you’re on MySpace come and friend me. I feel like a kid in high school who just moved to a new school and nobody will talk to me. 
Aaawww.
I managed to put up a cool Daughtry song (although not the one I wanted). So, I guess if you’re learning something new, then it can’t be all bad.
When I’m not fretting about MySpace, I’m deep into BOOK 3 in the series, and I just got RAVE reviews for BABY BY CONTRACT from Ruth, who said, “Thank god this is a series. I’d have been heartbroken if this was the last I ever saw of Libby and Cooper.” Isn’t that fun???!!! Thank you, Ruth.
Ruth’s mama — Frani — is arriving today from Detroit for a visit. Can’t wait. She’s a super cool lady.
Just hope our fickle spring weather warms up for her.
HAPPY EARTH DAY, my friends.
Deb
You gotta see this book trailer…
My pal and fellow Superromance author Ellen Hartman just posted a link to her new book trailer. It’s a hoot. So creative and clever. One of the best I’ve ever seen. If you have a minute check it out. Ellen
The premise is two book covers talking to each other on a store shelf.
That got me thinking about what my May cover might have to say if it had the chance. Oh, I don’t know…something like….
Cooper: “How exactly could you be so far along when we just met in Chapter 1?”
Libby: “Hey, don’t blame me. I’m not the artist and Deb’s the one who filled out the Art Fact Sheet. But I look good pregnant, don’t you think? Or are you saying I look fat?”
Cooper, blanching: “Fat? You? No, Libby, you look great.”
Libby, eyes narrowing: “But farther along than I should be.”
Coop, gulping: “Um…no…sweetheart…you’re perfect. Really. Help me out here, folks. Buy this book. Prove to Libby that she’s a gorgeous, extremely appealing pregnant woman. Please.”
Have a great day all. Creativity rocks!!! Kudos to Ellen and Diana.
Deb
Taxes, Dexter and wind
Hate. Love. Hate.
I could leave it at that, but I’m a writer, right? Everything needs more explanation.
I’ve been stressing over taxes for a week. (I bet you thought I was having fun. Not even close.) I just wrote the check and am headed to the post office. Mailing a full 24 hours early should give me some sense of satisfaction….but it doesn’t. 
Do any of you watch
- Dexter
? I am soooo hooked. I’m trying to figure out why. I’m really not a serial killer kind of gal, but the writers of this Showtime-turned-mainstream show are quite amazing. They’ve made him so complex, with great vulnerability and heart-wrenching back story. Since I just figured out how to use Tivo, I can now tape and watch it…since 10:00 is awfully close to my bed time. 
Yesterday, it was almost 90 degrees. Today, it’s sixty-something and windy. I enjoyed the brisk wind in NYC, but our wind seems to drive the pollen straight into my sinuses. Since my sister’s MD confirmed that she’s allergic, I’m going with that diagnosis, too.
I’m still working the kinks out of my photo efforts. Let’s try another shot. Here’s my father-in-law with two of his adorable great-granddaughters. 
Happy TaxDay eve, all.
Deb
My Brenda Novak Juvenile Diabetes Auction donation
I think this is the fourth year my friend and fellow author Brenda Novak has sponsored a charity auction during the month of May on her website. All the proceeds go to Juvenile Diabetes Research to help find a cure for children like Brenda’s son, Thad, and millions others suffering from the disease.
If you’ve ever met Brenda or read one of her books, you know what a dynamic person — and author — she is. Every year, her auction just keeps getting better and bigger. You won’t believe some of the donations she’s gotten this year, including a stay in Nora Robert’s B&B. (I didn’t even know Nora Roberts had a B&B.
The auction doesn’t officially open until May, but check out her site and see what kind of pre-auction things are going on. (The link is to the left.) Brenda is also a master at promotion. And she has a new Mira series starting.
Anyway, here’s a photo of my contribution. I tried to find things that apply to South Dakota and the Black Hills, since that’s where my series is set. 
I bet you figured that out, didn’t you?
Big thanks to my friend and fellow South Dakotan, Jackie Maxwell of Jaximages (link to the left), for adding a gorgeous 2009 desk calendar of her photographs to the collection. With her permission, I’ll add a couple of the shots she included. Jackie? I love them all, but January and May are my personal faves.
Here’s a description of the rest of the offerings:
YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN…
Born and raised in South Dakota, award-winning author Debra Salonen has spent most of her adult life in California, but she always planned to set a book—or series of books—in her home state.
This month, BABY BY CONTRACT, from Harlequin Superromance, will be released. This is the first in Debra’s “Sentinel Pass” series, which takes place in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. “What happens when Hollywood “discovers” a small town that truly isn’t ready for its close-up?”
To research this book, Debra traveled back to her stomping grounds and picked up some fun goodies for this basket.
~ Naturally, Debra will include an autographed copy of BABY BY CONTRACT in this basket, along with a Nation’s Treasures 24K gold-flashed South Dakota ornament, a Mount Rushmore refrigerator magnet, a postcard and a bumper sticker. Value: $20. (Deb will be giving away other SD magnets, bumper stickers and postcards at her blog throughout the month of May.)
~ Deb’s alma mater, South Dakota State University, just replaced its venerable “jackrabbit” icon with a snazzy new updated version. Be the first on your block to own a glorious yellow hoodie with the hot new “Jacks” logo. Size: large. Value: $45. (Inside information: SDSU plays a factor in book two of the Sentinel Pass series: HIS BROTHER’S SECRET – coming in September.)
~ Deb’s high school buddy, Jackie Maxwell of Jaximages www.jaximages.com has generously donated a 2009 desk calendar of her gorgeous photographic images. “When I make a calendar for a specific person, I choose the images that remind of that person. My favorite thing is to make a calendar where the customer chooses his/her favorite images. That way each calendar is unique,” Jackie Maxwell. Retail value: $15.
~ And a very special gift from Deb’s sister, Jean Harming: a beautiful Sioux Pottery vase. The craftsmanship and detail of this unique pottery can’t be found anywhere else. “The Paha Sapa (Black Hills) provided shelter, food and sustenance for the Indian Tribes of the Great Sioux Nation, and continues to yield the red clay used in making Sioux Pottery. Each piece is crafted by Sioux artists and decorated with designs and symbols important to their culture.” If you’re ever in Rapid City, be sure to check out the Sioux Pottery store. Retail value: $25.
Deb
