Authors on Tour
Or...The Dragon supports friends on virtual book tours this month

As I prepared the list of guest bloggers who'll be entertaining you with anecdotes of their pseudonyms this month, I ran into a couple who are touring to support their recent book releases. I'd like to give you more information about that now.

One of those names that you'll recognize is Jamieson Wolf, speculative fiction author and book reviewer for such venues as Linear Reflections and American Chronicle. It's his role as a book reviewer that sparked our friendship, actually.

I'd learned of Jamieson through an online writers group and approached him about reading and reviewing Choices Meant for Gods. He was pleased to do so and a week or so later, my first fantasy novel had a glowing review and I had a new friend who was interested in my work and promotional efforts. I've since been astounded by the marketing and promotional work that Jamieson does. His experiences in publishing can teach valuable lessons to any up-and-coming writer, thus he'll be making a stop during his book tour for Valentine here at Today the Dragon Wins June 26 to give some useful advice to visitors. In the meantime, you can check out his tour schedule at his official blog, and see the fabulous page The Romance Studio has set up for him this month.

Another author who's become a new friend is Kim Richards. She's touring to support her new novel horror novel, Death Mask, and will share the pros and cons of using a pen name June 9. Her other tour stops include:
June 10 Ginger Simpson
June 13 Mike Philbin
June 15 Heidi Martinuzzi
June 16 Lea Shizas
June 18 Billie A. Williams
June 19 Eternal Press Blog
June 20 Lisa Hazelton
June 23 Pamela K. Kinney
June 25 Val Griswold-Ford
June 26 Joyce Anthony
June 28 Glenn Walker
June 29 Sheri McGathy
June 30 Arwen Spencer
Also Diana Castilleja

As you can see, we authors spend a lot of time putting together marketing opportunities. Publishers and agents don't help with that sort of thing in this day and age (unless you got lucky with your agent). In my case, I'm quite lucky in that my publisher will pick up the phone and make a call for me if I need help getting a book signing lined up in another city, etc., but, again, we authors need to create our opportunities. Opportunities don't usually come looking for us. I'd like to commend the authors who took advantage of the opportunity to blog about their pseudonyms here at Today the Dragon Wins during the month of June. We're going to have fun with this!

To all you visitors, the name game continues tomorrow. Stay tuned!
"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."
Tags: book tour, Jamieson Wolf, Valentine, Kim Richards, Death Mask, Choices Meant for Gods, dragon

The Dragon Showed Up Unprepared
Or...I don't have a Grammar Guide ready for today

This picture is of me not ready for the picture to be taken. It fits this article. Why? Because I was a bad dragon and I didn't prep the Monday morning Grammar Guide. Sigh.

Check back tomorrow.

Funny how wrapping up a virtual tour and prepping an article about all the winners from the contests I held during the Choices Meant for Gods Online Book Tour and prepping the contests that are ongoing right now (and you can read the posts from Saturday below to see all those) and editing the synopsis for Choices Made by Gods to send to my publisher and editing the manuscript for Choices Made by Gods kinda sapped up all the hours in my weekend. Now, don't think I was slacking off. We writers know there's no rest for the wicked...or the writer. I only got 45 minutes of sleep Friday night. And I only got 3 hours of sleep last night. (Now, I did indulge Saturday night and got the whole 7 that doctors recommend these days, so, perhaps that was overzealous of me...) But I just couldn't get to everything.

Rest assured, I'll get to it all this week. I'm taking Friday off of work! Woo-hoo! I've built up enough time at the office for a personal day. You can't beat that with a stick. So somewhere between getting the oil changed in the car and finding a company that will sell me and my oh-so-stellar recent credit debacle a cell phone plan, I think I'll do some future blog articles so all ya'll aren't sitting around waiting on me to post useful stuff.

In the meantime, if you're in need of something to read, might I recommend this epic fantasy novel by the new up-and-coming fantasy author Sandy Lender? My good friend Laura Crawford had incredible things to say about both me and the novel at http://greetingsfromthepolebarn.blogspot.com Saturday. You can check that out. And you can order Choices Meant for Gods at http://www.amazon.com/Choices-Meant-Gods-Sandy-Lender/dp/1595071652/ref=dp_return_2/002-3163519-8684042?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books.

See you tomorrow.
"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, Choices Made by Gods, Sandy Lender, fantasy novel, dragon

The Dragon Thanks a Ton of People

Or...this tour has been great

The picture here has been hiding in my tour materials while I've waited to get my computer and my e-mail all coordinated. Having internet access suddenly blip out on me in the middle of the Choices Meant for Gods Online Book Tour was a surprise! If not for that hiccup, this tour would have been a breeze. Luckily, I had a tour page set up before I launched May 21 and my hosts should have had no idea anything was amiss. The picture above was taken by not an event host, but a friend of mine in St. Louis. I don't think he has any qualms about having his name posted on the World Wide Web, but he's had some "issues" with a stalker in his relationship lately, so let me just state this: a way cool friend took this picture of my book on the shelf at Barnes & Noble and sent it to me because this friend ROCKS. And the stalker hasn't caught him yet...

Now there are some other folks I need to thank specifically for this final day in the virtual tour. I sent out word that I had a guest article that could be posted on blogs, and would anyone do me the favor of using this article on Saturday, July 21, to help me take over the blogosphere? See, I figure J.K. Rowling has the bookstores today when it comes to the fantasy genre. Sandy Lender will bow to that greatness - this year. And Sandy Lender will just take the web today. YOW!

So to the following hosts and hostesses, I'm drinking a fabulous wine in your honor tonight and I want to thank you publicly for YOUR greatness! And I encourage all of my visitors here at The Dragon to check out one or more of these sites at your leisure. These are folks who are writing and/or promoting either their own work or the work of others. They have interesting sites, intriguing stories, and good hearts.

http://myspace.com/catmuldoon (this is actually an interview of The Dragon, complete with a nice little homage to Charlotte Bronte)

http://www.letusplaylovestory.blogspot.com/

http://tweenyouandme.blogspot.com/

http://www.jamiesonwolf.blogspot.com/

http://www.thebookpedler.wordpress.com/

http://www.authoralley.blogspot.com/

http://aspiringauthor.blogspot.com/

http://writeurthoughts.blogspot.com/

http://janverhoeff.blogspot.com/

http://lamarwritersgroups.blogspot.com/

http://womenofpower.blogspot.com/

http://cyber-chocolate.blogspot.com/

http://www.freewebs.com/mary-andrews/macrocosm.htm

http://blog.myspace.com/raven_bower

http://ravens-hollow.blogspot.com/

http://greetingsfromthepolebarn.blogspot.com/

http://www.authorisland.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=6&Itemid=511 (contest announcement)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFg0kw_T-3g (and check out the ANNOUNCEMENT and CONTEST article below about this!)

Enjoy your blog surfing and let the hosts know you were there!

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, Sandy Lender, online book tour, virtual tour, J.K. Rowling

Sandy Lender Doesn't Recommend Quitting Your Day Job
Or...the joy and insanity of being a writer

By Sandy Lender, fantasy author

Northeast Missouri State University, now Truman University, prides itself on offering a liberal arts education to graduates. I got out in four years with a degree in English and a liberal arts education that has garnered me a 15-year career in magazine publishing and public relations/marketing, but my true passion, the "career" I've nurtured since I was about six years old, is writing. And I don't mean journalism. Yes, journalism and editing are what have paid the bills the past 15 years (and will continue to do so), but fiction writing...oh...fiction writing is what has kept me alive.

It's probably going to be the death of me.

Let me explain. If you're visiting this site, you've probably been drawn here by an interest in books or authors or a writer's lifestyle or something along those lines. Let me give it to you straight. All writers have a touch of insanity about us (this is normal). We usually carry a muse around with us, but this is not always by choice. We complain about characters fighting for their rights, refusing to conform to our wishes in a scene. We go on writing binges that keep us up until 3 a.m. before collapsing next to our computers just to get up and start typing again when the sun blazes in to wake us around 7, skipping meals, showers, potty breaks and phone calls until some aspect of reality forces us out of the writing cocoon. We will tear a room to shreds looking for a pen if an idea has just struck us. And woe to the fool who gets between us and a piece of paper when we get hold of that pen...

Because I've experienced the insanity described above, I've been lifted up by hearing stories of people who have enjoyed my first published novel, Choices Meant for Gods. Now I get to read comments on my Amazon.com page of people claiming Nigel Taiman is "by far" their favorite character, or "I want to be just like Chariss when I grow up," and I feel this lump of pride in my darlings rise in my throat.

That's the joy and insanity of being a writer. You pour your heart and soul into the work; and pray that someone out there likes it, too. Now here's the hard part. People have to read it to like it. They have to know it exists to read it. So you have to get it to them.

Enter the marketing and promoting aspect of the new author's job. I attended the ArcheBooks Publishing's Professional Novelist Workshop about two weeks before receiving my contract for Choices Meant for Gods, and had attended the Naples Press Club Writers Workshop the week before that, so I thought I had a pretty good idea of the marketing nightmare new authors faced. I was ready. Lay it on me, I thought.

Now I'm on the last day of a two-month online book tour I organized myself, contemplating repeating a moderately successful instore book signing at the local Barnes & Noble that I organized myself, and managing six blogs (including http://www.todaythedragonwins.blogspot.com/) for the promotion of my fantasy novel that I've organized myself, preparing a spate of press releases I've written myself that I'll spew forth like water from an erupting sprinkler next week, etc. Do you see a trend there? New authors are on their own. Unless you have the few thousand dollars it takes to hire a publicity firm/PR agency to send out press releases for you, you're on your own. I don't have a few thousand stray dollars and I don't trust people who charge less than professional rates to do a professional job.

I take hope in the fact that even J.K. Rowling was once in the same boat I'm in now. She was down to her last food stamp as the story goes when that fateful call came: Her little story about a boy named Harry Potter had been picked up. I've already had my call. Choices Meant for Gods is published and out there. Now I need my lottery winning event to propel me into J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter status, but, for right now, I'm going to just keep writing deep into the night and reading those fabulous e-mails that praise Nigel and Chariss. Because making a living at this would be nice, but, truly, the writing binges that result in someone singing Chariss's praises are the real joy and insanity of being a writer.


I'd like to thank all the hosts today for posting this guest blog article. And I'd like to thank everyone who made the CMFG Online Book Tour the raging success it's been. You know that paragraph above where I said new authors are on their own? I'd like to correct that. We actually have each other. Without each of you, the name Sandy Lender wouldn't be all over the internet right now, and readers wouldn't be one click away from http://www.amazon.com/Choices-Meant-Gods-Sandy-Lender/dp/1595071652/ref=dp_return_1/104-9089752-5140754?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&qid=1175821346&sr=8-1 to pick up my epic fantasy novel. And new author Sandy Lender is grateful to every one of you.

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: sandy lender, fantasy author, northeast missouri state university, truman university, liberal arts, journalism, fiction writing, writer's life, muse, choices meant for gods, nigel taiman, marketing and promotion, archebooks publishing, professional novelist workshop, naples press club, online book tour, today the dragon wins, fantasy novel, j.k. rowling, harry potter

The Dragon Thanks The Wolf
Or...just one item, though

I have a lot of things to thank Jamieson Wolf for. The writer / author / promoter / friend has supported me tremendously throughout the Choices Meant for Gods Online Book Tour, and before, and probably will continue to support me afterward. But I want to focus this article on his latest work of genius.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFg0kW_T-3g

I encourage all ya'll visiting Today the Dragon Wins to check out the book trailer Jamieson created to promote Choices Meant for Gods and join me in laughing my butt off at the adorable baby dragon in one of the frames - trust me, you'll know when you see it because you'll start laughing - out loud. The trailer, over all, is fabulous, and I want everyone to see it.

In fact, I'll just make a contest for it. See the next post for your chance to win something cool when you learn how to raise your own baby dragon...

AND thank you to Jamieson Wolf. The coolest villain EVER!
"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, trailer, Jamieson Wolf, youtube, dragon, baby dragon, Today the Dragon Wins

Sweet Jane
Or…The Dragon is at Jane Sutton's Blog Today

See Jane blog. See Sandy blog. See Sandy blog with Jane. All day long.

My friend Jane Sutton has a contemporary women's fiction novel being released later this summer from ArcheBooks Publishing called The Ride. I'm stoked! So we've been corresponding. She's got herself a handy little blog that she's set up connected to her website to assist in marketing this new book. I applaud this. I read it every Friday when she posts. And I thought, "Hey! I need a tour stop at the end of my Choices Meant for Gods Online Book Tour! Wonder if Jane would help me out with that…"

And she said yes.

So you can see this wonderful (and sometimes difficult – I can't believe you forced me to think so much, Jane!) interview at http://janekennedysutton.blogspot.com all day. We welcome your comments and questions, of course.

And if you don't already own a copy of Choices Meant for Gods, order your copy from http://www.amazon.com/Choices-Meant-Gods-Sandy-Lender/dp/1595071652/ref=dp_return_1/104-9089752-5140754?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&qid=1175821346&sr=8-1 or the publisher's site at http://www.archebooks.com/BookIDX/Indexes/Fantasy/CMG/CMGDesc.htm. Jane's book The Ride will be available at Amazon.com and www.archeboooks.com shortly, as well!

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, The Ride, online book tour, Jane Sutton, Sandy Lender, ArcheBooks Publishing, dragon

This Weekend Will Rock
Or...The Dragon wraps up the online book tour with a bang

We'll be announcing new contests and a winner to the Ten Questions contest going on over at Kora's blog (http://choicesmeantforgods.wordpress.com/). We'll talk statistics from the wonderful success of this tour, and, just to liven it up some more...

Fantasy Author Sandy Lender will appear at the following sites Saturday, July 21:
http://myspace.com/catmuldoon
http://www.letusplaylovestory.blogspot.com/
http://tweenyouandme.blogspot.com/
http://www.jamiesonwolf.blogspot.com/
http://www.thebookpedler.wordpress.com/
http://aspiringauthor.blogspot.com/
http://writeurthoughts.blogspot.com/
http://janverhoeff.blogspot.com/
http://lamarwritersgroup.blogspot.com/
www.freewebs.com/mary-andrews
http://greetingsfromthepolebarn.blogspot.com/
http://blog.myspace.com/raven_bower
http://ravens-hollow.blogspot.com/
http://archeblog.blogspot.com/
http://sandylender.blogspot.com/
http://choicesmeantforgods.wordpress.com/
http://abigaillovesnigel.blogspot.com/
http://friendsofdragons.wordpress.com/
http://friendsofdragons.ning.com/
http://www.todaythedragonwins.blogspot.com/

There are a couple more that might confirm before tomorrow, and I'll be sure to post those as soon as I know you can link to them.

Have a great time jotting down your questions for me!

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

There Be Dragons on This Island
Or…chat with Sandy at Author Island tonight

The Choices Meant for Gods Online Book Tour takes Fantasy Author Sandy Lender to http://www.authorisland.com/ for a live chat at 8 p.m. eastern tonight. Join me there to discuss "What makes the perfect heroine?" Of course we'll have to restrain Nigel Taiman because all he'll do is wax poetic about his bride Amanda Chariss, but the rest of us can talk about other fabulous females in fantasy and other literature. I'm quite fond of Jane Eyre, you know...

Go http://www.authorisland.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=59&Itemid=550 tonight around 8 p.m. and join in the discussion. There'll be a trivia question to answer to enter a contest to win your own copy of Choices Meant for Gods, which will be delivered to your door in a fabulous CMFG cloth bag. (I ordered the cloth kind because plastic gets into our oceans and confuses our sea turtles, you know. Bad bad bad.)

If you get to the island early, you can be-bop around and see what goodies I have listed under my name in the Fantasy section. There's a letter from me to readers there, but you have to "find" it. It's like buried treasure. You know…island…treasure…

If you don't already own a copy of Choices Meant for Gods, and don't trust your luck in contests, you can pick one up at Barnes & Noble or Borders or Hastings…or jog over to http://www.amazon.com/Choices-Meant-Gods-Sandy-Lender/dp/1595071652/ref=dp_return_1/104-9089752-5140754?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&qid=1175821346&sr=8-1 or the publisher's site at http://www.archebooks.com/BookIDX/Indexes/Fantasy/CMG/CMGDesc.htm
to order a copy there. See you tonight!

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, Author Island, online book tour, Nigel Taiman, Amanda Chariss, Jane Eyre, fantasy novel, online chat, dragon

Choices Meant for Gods Virtual Tour is at Friends of Dragons Today
Or…meet the lovely Kora Taiman

Nigel Taiman had a fit over this…until I pointed out that Henry Bakerson adores his mother nearly as much as he does. Then he settled right down and, lo and behold, a wonderful little interview of a goddess of Mahriket is part of the Choices Meant for Gods Online Book Tour today. You can read this character interview and gain some insight into not only the mind of an incredibly compassionate goddess, but into the inner workings of the Arcanan estate featured so heavily in the epic fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods.

Go to http://friendsofdragons.wordpress.com.

If you don't already own a copy of Choices Meant for Gods, you can pick one up at Barnes & Noble or Borders or Hastings…or jog over to http://www.amazon.com/Choices-Meant-Gods-Sandy-Lender/dp/1595071652/ref=dp_return_1/104-9089752-5140754?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&qid=1175821346&sr=8-1 or the publisher's site at http://www.archebooks.com/BookIDX/Indexes/Fantasy/CMG/CMGDesc.htm
to order a copy there. Enjoy the story!

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, Friends of Dragons, online book tour, Nigel Taiman, Henry Bakerson, Kora Taiman, fantasy novel, virtual tour, dragon

Choices Meant for Gods Online Book Tour Nears the End
Or…The Dragon might get some sleep Sunday

I have mixed feelings about this week. It's the last week of the Choices Meant for Gods Online Book Tour. And ohmigosh is it packed. So I'm feeling kinda sad and kinda nervous because this two-month tour of constant activity and constant gratification is coming to a close.

I also feel ecstatic because this has been exhausting and insane. Think about it: I've been on a different site almost every weekday (unless I was physically traveling) for TWO MONTHS. Some days I was on two sites. All in the name of marketing and promotion.

I'm not complaining, by the way. I'm stating this because I want all ya'll visitors to know that this tour has been an amazing success. It's not even over yet and I consider it an amazing success. Of course, I say something like that and no one will show up for the chat tonight…I'll sit there alone with the host listening to the chirp of crickets… Oh! The chat is at 9 p.m. Eastern at http://willifordblog.com. Fabulous fellow. He's back at school while trying to hold down a 9 to 5, if I get the story right. Eegads. Anyway, please join us in the chat room (registering takes all of two seconds, if you can type your name that quickly, and you don't get spammed afterward) to discuss "What makes the perfect villain?" with fantasy author Sandy Lender and to take a stab at winning a copy of my high fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods.

So the tour this week takes us on a whirlwind. Here's what I know so far:
Monday: http://willifordblog.com at 9 p.m. eastern for a live chat
Tuesday: http://friendsofdragons.wordpress.com for a character interview of goddess Kora Taiman
Wednesday: www.authorisland.com at 8 p.m. eastern for a live chat (Theme: What makes the perfect heroine?; another contest to win a copy of CMFG)
Thursday: www.storyation.blogspot.com for an interview of Sandy Lender
Friday: http://janekennedysutton.blogspot.com for an interview of Sandy Lender
Saturday: okay…I'll post Saturday's LIST later in the week because it's not complete yet…and…ummm…it's going to be huge. Saturday is going to be an online superparty of Choices Meant for Gods stuff.

I invite you to participate in any or all of these events to celebrate the final week of the Choices Meant for Gods Online Book Tour/Virtual Tour. It's been a blast!

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, Sandy Lender, fantasy author, fantasy novel, online book tour, virtual tour, dragon

End of the Week News

Or...where has The Dragon been?

And where am I going to be, right? First, if you hop over to Jane Sutton's blog today, you'll see a guest post as part of the Choices Meant for Gods Online Book Tour. Woo-hoo! She's at http://janekennedysutton.blogspot.com. The poor dear is waiting on her first novel's publication, The Ride, and going through the worries of how she's going to market and promote it. She read a book called Guerrilla Marketing that I think may be a bad idea for any first-time author; and then I frightened her with my insane schedule. Needless to say, she may be a bit on the fragile side right now. :)

I'll be interviewed at her blog next Friday. In the meantime, gear up for two author chats with me next week. They will each feature a contest in which you can win a copy of Choices Meant for Gods, so if you don't already own the epic fantasy, you can answer a question during the chat for your chance to win it then. Your first opportunity is at http://willifordblog.com during the 9 p.m. eastern chat Monday, July 16. The theme of that chat is "What makes a perfect villain?" I'll be talking heavily about Lord Jamieson Drake from CMFG, of course, but I'm sure I'll call upon my Bronte influences and discuss Heathcliffe at length. Your second opportunity to win is at the www.authorisland.com chat during the 8 p.m. eastern discussion Wednesday, July 18. The theme of that chat is "What makes a perfect heroine?" Of course I'll be trying to restrain Nigel as he waxes poetic about Amanda Chariss and how fabulous she is. ;)

Now, if you have any doubts as to your superpowers when it comes to winning contests, then hit http://www.amazon.com/Choices-Meant-Gods-Sandy-Lender/dp/1595071652/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-9221383-5820111?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183135911&sr=8-1 (good luck there, also; there are only two copies left) to order the fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods now because I'm announcing a contest HERE at Today the Dragon Wins on the final day of the CMFG Online Book Tour (July 21) that will involve you holding a copy in your hand. Woo-hoo! (If Amazon doesn't get their re-supply in right away, then you can always get a copy from my publisher's site at http://www.archebooks.com/BookIDX/Indexes/Fantasy/CMG/CMGDesc.htm.)

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, Sandy Lender, online book tour, fantasy author, fantasy novel, Jane Sutton

I Need More Pictures of My Book or Something

Or...this online book tour is getting long...

Today! You can see info about Choices Meant for Gods at the coo-el site of www.virtualbooktourdenet.blogspot.com, managed by Karina Fabian, co-editor of Infinite Space, Infinite God. We'll interview the lovely Karina here at The Dragon in August, and I'm very much looking forward to it. She's wonderful!

In the meantime, I'm going to seek out some new pictures of either me or my book or something because the picture above has been used enough! I have a writer's meeting Saturday afternoon. Maybe I can get someone to take a picture of me holding Choices Meant for Gods and I'll post it here for the next month or so. That'll be nice. Oh! I also have a writing assignment for the meeting Saturday that I'll share with all ya'll in a Writer's Guide to inspire some creativity. That'll be nice.

In good news, Amazon is running low on copies of Choices Meant for Gods, but claims to have more on order. So jog over there to put in your order now so you're first in line when they come in. http://www.amazon.com/Choices-Meant-Gods-Sandy-Lender/dp/1595071652/ref=dp_return_2/002-3163519-8684042?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books You can also order the epic fantasy novel from my publisher's site at http://www.archebooks.com/BookIDX/Indexes/Fantasy/CMG/CMGDesc.htm. He'll never run out.

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy novel, dragon

Another Day, Another Interview

Or...The Dragon is getting tired...

There's a huge interview of Fantasy Author Sandy Lender at this connective place today. The patient and fabulous Ambrose Musiyawa and I started this process back on May 8 (yeah, I've got this insane e-mail trail for all the stops for the entire Choices Meant for Gods Online Book Tour; these people are getting Christmas cards from me, doncha know) and, not long thereafter, he sent me this amazing list of interview questions. Great! I answered them and sent them back. Not so great. Yahoo began giving us nightmares then. You might not believe this, but we got it all straightened out last weekend. Yeah...check the calendar.

So! Today! I appear at http://leicesterreviewofbooks.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/sandy-lenders-virtual-book-tour/, where you can read some info and start the "connecting." It's like a scavenger hunt of info. You see, as far as I can tell, Ambrose is a Type A Personality like me. He has six blogs/sites where folks can access my info. How cool is that? How's that for networking? I think I'm sending him two Christmas cards...

So check out the site and don't forget to pick up your copy of my epic fantasy novel with all its sword and sorcery adventure! You can grab it from Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Choices-Meant-Gods-Sandy-Lender/dp/1595071652/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-9221383-5820111?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183135911&sr=8-1. See you over at Ambrose's place!

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, Sandy Lender, fantasy author, fantasy novel, sword, sorcery, Ambrose Musiyawa

Follow Me
Or...The Dragon has some cool stuff for you to take note of today

Over at Henry's blog, he's interviewing a young lady by the name of Mave Mallory. She's the Last Witch. Confused? Well...go check it out at http://friendsofdragons.wordpress.com. I ain't explainin' it here.

And, if you're a member of Brenda Williamson's Romance Party, that's where the Choices Meant for Gods Online Book Tour has me today! Woo-hoo! I think Nigel's excited about that because he likes for folks to focus on his relationship with Chariss. Go figure...

The book is still available at www.amazon.com!

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Blog on Over, Baby
Or...The Dragon is at Raven's blog today

The Choices Meant for Gods Online Book Tour takes fantasy author Sandy Lender to http://ravens-hollow.blogspot.com/ today. Check it out!

And get your copy of the epic fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods at http://www.amazon.com/Choices-Meant-Gods-Sandy-Lender/dp/1595071652/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-9221383-5820111?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183135911&sr=8-1, where my ranking improved overnight. I attribute that to the fabulous review in the Boca Raton News yesterday. You can see that review posted here in the archives...I think I posted it Thursday...

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, Sandy Lender, fantasy author, online book tour

Count Your Blessings

Or...The Dragon gets philosophical for a day

Those of us who wonder how we'll be buying our prescription medications and groceries at the end of the week can empathize with others in duress. And so I want to ask visitors to the The Dragon today to join me in praying (or, if you're not the praying type, to send positive thoughts and energy) for a pal of mine, Cassidy McKay. I'm not going to share her private issues in a public forum, but I'm going to tell you that she's a kind person who offered me a place to do an online chat during the Choices Meant for Gods Online Book Tour. She has some worries right now, and those make my ridiculous financial issues look...well...ridiculous.

I am thankful for my beautiful pet bird that is bonded to me. I am thankful for my good health (and the people who know me and who are laughing at me can just stuff a sock in it - I have remarkably good health compared to a lot of other people). I am thankful for the house that the banks haven't kicked me out of yet. I am thankful for my job. I am thankful for my amazing, incredible book that you see me holding in the picture above. I am thankful for the fantastic review of Choices Meant for Gods that's running in the Boca Raton paper this Sunday (you can read it in the post here yesterday). I am thankful for my friends and family who call and write to make sure I'm not dead yet. I am thankful for the new Duran Duran album coming out this September. This list could go on for a very long time...my point is, if you stop and think about it...we've got a lot to be thankful for. And because this is a WRITING blog, I encourage you to WRITE back and tell me something you're thankful for (after you say a prayer for Cassidy's situation, okay?). Okay.

And don't forget that you and your friends can get a copy of Choices Meant for Gods at http://www.amazon.com/Choices-Meant-Gods-Sandy-Lender/dp/1595071652/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-9221383-5820111?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183135911&sr=8-1. :)

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tgas: Choices Meant for Gods

The Dragon is at The Polebarn
Or...the online book tour goes north

Today you can visit with fantasy author Sandy Lender at Laura Crawford's blog at http://greetingsfromthepolebarn.blogspot.com. This is cool because most of you won't physically drive to Minnesota today, but you can still meet me there...

If you don't already have a copy of Choices Meant for Gods, please check out my publisher's site at http://www.archebooks.com/BookIDX/Indexes/Fantasy/CMG/CMGDesc.htm to order your copy with a 25% discount and to see the fancy schmancy flash banner Bob Gelinas made for me. It's very cool...includes my slogan.

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags:Choices Meant for Gods, Sandy Lender, fantasy author, Laura Crawford, ArcheBooks, polebarn

Happy Birthday to George Michael

Or...The Dragon is a child of the '80s

Yes, it's June 25. This means it's Monday so you have a Grammar Guide to read, a new Word of the Day, Fantasy Author Sandy Lender is live at http://ambasadora.livejournal.com as part of the CMFG Online Book Tour, and George Michael is another year older. It's a good day!

Pick up your copy of the fabulous fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods at http://www.amazon.com/Choices-Meant-Gods-Sandy-Lender/dp/1595071652/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-9883296-3024969?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182722132&sr=8-1. Woo-hoo!

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, George Michael, fantasy author, fantasy novel, online book tour, book tour

Where Will You Find Fantasy Author Sandy Lender This Week?

Or...the CMFG Online Book Tour takes Sandy to a few events...

Starting with today's activity, Sandy Lender attended a live event at the Caloosa Yacht and Racket Club where she participated with five other ArcheBooks authors in raising funds for the Adonis Society, which funds research for children and adults with autism. Folks who weren't able to attend can still get a copy of Choices Meant for Gods at http://www.amazon.com/Choices-Meant-Gods-Sandy-Lender/dp/1595071652/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-9883296-3024969?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182722132&sr=8-1.

Monday, you'll find an interview with Sandy Lender at http://ambasadora.livejournal.com. I think that's the one where I selected six questions from a list of topics and answered them at random. I don't remember for certain... Whenever that interview goes up, it's going to be a hoot. (It was fun to do.)

Tuesday, you'll find an interview with Sandy Lender at http://greetingsfromthepolebarn.blogspot.com with the fabulous and uplifting Laura Crawford, who just so happens to be a John Taylor fan. Woo-hoo, Laura!

Wednesday, you can catch an interview with Nigel Taiman at http://friendsofdragons.wordpress.com. And don't think THAT won't be interesting...Sandy will serve as referee, just in case...

Thursday evening, join in for an author chat with Sandy Lender at www.cassidymckay.com in her live chat room at 8 p.m. eastern. Bring questions, comments, etc., and enjoy the conversation!

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, Sandy Lender, fantasy author, online book tour

Big Thank-Yous for the Week

Or...Choices Meant for Gods Online Book Tour stops were coo-el and The Dragon acknowledges the following...

This week's schedule was convoluted thanks to my travel itinerary, the internet connection, a power outage, the deadlines at work, the upcoming training at work, and a few personal concerns that have me on "high stress." I think the airports would bathe me in the color orange or something... But I'll take a moment right now to thank the lovely hosts from this past week for their generosity of space and time, and I encourage all ya'll to go check their archives to see the interviews and whatnot if you missed them!

Tuesday, June 19, Shelly hosted Sandy Lender at http://www.bewitchedbybooks.com/ and a lively little discussion about Harry Potter ensued. I'm honored by the chatter!

Wednesday, June 20, on John Taylor's birthday, my interview for Author Island went live at http://www.authorisland.com/. Go to the Interviews link on the left-hand side of the home page there and follow through to the Fantasy Interviews...that's where I am now. Now, you're not going to find a feature where you can leave comments and questions there on the interview, but you can always e-mail me or leave me comments here.

Thursday, June 21, Nigel cornered me for an interview at http://sandylender.blogspot.com/, and that was very clever of him.

Friday, June 22, my friend Marilyn Morris, who has the military brat novel out right now (you can see the archives here at Today the Dragon Wins for a review of her book and an interview with her) hosted me at http://www.mywritersworld.blogspot.com/ and we got to talk about superheroes! Woo-hoo! I'm going to go check that out again, by the way, and see if anyone left comments last night because that was just a fun topic to delve into...

So last week was a great week for interviews and I thank the hosts who participated in the Online Book Tour! Next week promises to be interesting as well with a live author chat Thursday, June 28, at 8 p.m. eastern on http://www.cassidaymckay.com/. I want everyone to clear your calendars and get ready to join in on that one! I'd love to chat with you.

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, Sandy Lender, Today the Dragon Wins, dragon, online book tour, author chat, Harry Potter, John Taylor