Book Club Babes : Suffolk VA

I've been invited to join the Book Club Babes for their September meeting. I can't wait!
Thanks for choosing Sweet Tea and Secrets for your book this month.
See you soon!
Nancy

Novel Night Book Club

Thanks to the gals that get together for Novel Night the second Wednesday of every month. Sweet Tea and Secrets was their book of the month for August 2011 and I joined them for some fun via telephone during their meeting.

This creative bunch had a blind sweet tea taste test...
McDonalds -vs- Hardee's -vs- Chick-Fil-A ...
no homemade sweet tea in the bunch with these working girls and that really tickled my funny bone.
They did promise to use Pearl's Perfect Sweet Tea recipe someday.

Thanks again for the invite, Novel Night friends. I sure enjoyed our time together and really appreciate your support of my debut novel. I'll keep you posted on the November release of the second story with ties to Adams Grove...OUT OF FOCUS.

I'll try to figure out how to podcast the call by the next time we get together in December.

Hugs and happy reading~
Nancy

Sweet Tea and Secrets - Summer Jacket

We just released a 2nd edition of Sweet Tea and Secret to correct a few minor editorial issues and while we were at it.....we refined the cover too.

You'll notice good old Clyde made the back this time :) We love him.

I hope you'll help me continue to spread the word about SWEET TEA AND SECRETS and the other novels that will be coming soon with ties to the small town of Adams Grove.

If you're not sure how YOU can help....check out the SPREAD THE WORD tab on my website at www.NancyNaigle.com You can help all your favorite authors get attention for your favorite books.

Don't forget, too, if you have a book club (formal or just your best girlfriends planning to get together) and would like some treats from me to go with your books....let me know. I'd be happy to send you a package to enhance the Sweet Tea and Secrets fun.

Hugs and happy reading,

Nancy

A summer treat

June is when we all think about all those years as kids when we had the summer off.
No matter where you are the temperatures are rising and we all want to spend a little less time in the kitchen.

Here's a couple options for a cooler meeting:

• Serve southern iced tea for a change. You can get Pearl's Perfect Sweet Tea recipe here
• Find some good old fashioned ice trays and pop a piece of fresh fruit in each divet....add water and freeze for a beauiful garnish to your refreshments.
• Pinwheels - Easy as can be and yummy, too. Use large flour tortillas and spread a generous serving of your favorite filling (pimento cheese, tuna salad, egg salad) roll and slice into colorful bite size tidbits.
• Watergate salad - Whip up a lovely green (hey, it matches my book cover!) treat by mixing a tub of cool whip, pistachio pudding packet dry, can of crushed pineapple drained, marshmallows and chopped nuts if you like. waaalaaaa....pretty and delightfully refreshing.

What are your favorite quick and easy get together dishes??

May all your books be brightly colored and enjoyed!

Greetings book club friends:
It's official. My debut novel, Sweet Tea and Secrets, is out. The cover is perfect for a May release. Bright, fresh and just a feel-good kind of look.

Did you know that authors have very little say in the matter of titles and covers? It's true. One story sticks with me about an adorable cover with a basset hound on it. I loved it. The book was wonderful, too...BUT the dog in the book was a boxer. Huh? I guess boxers don't sell books quite as well as those adorable droopy ears and eyes. Marketing and sales professionals drive features like title and cover. I have to say Turquoise Morning Press did a wonderful job in both of those areas. The original title of my book was Pearls of Wisdom. When you read the book, you'll probably know why, but I think the new title fits the story even better.

Can't wait to hear what you think.

May all your May reads be brightly colored and filled with smiles, tears, and memories.
Hugs~
Nancy

It's April!

It's hard for me to believe we're already a quarter of the way through 2011! Time is zipping by and that makes our get together's that much more important.

So, it's April. The Cadbury bunny is bwak-bwok-bwaaaking on the TV between every other commercial and that makes me think about Easter eggs. For April's get together how about a smorgasbord of anything that has eggs in it in hors d'oeuvres size. 

• Deviled Eggs
• Quiche
• Cake (hooray!)
• Souffle
• Meringue
• Potato Salad with the pretty hard boiled egg slices in a flower shape on top!

Yeah, not as hard as it first sounds is it? It'll be interesting to see what everyone pulls together.
Eggs-actly ;)

Now....tell me what kind of fun you have planned!

March Book Club

Start now and you'll be ready for the holidays with a perfect gif for your book club friends.

As books are selected for your get-togethers, print a copy of the front cover from your favorite online site .
In December, gather them and paste in random angles and you'll have an adorable collage that you can turn into a holiday card for the group.

Don't you just love cutting and pasting :) AND with technology these days you can craft one and make color copies on cardstock -- waalaaa! A personalized gift.

Finally, March-ing into Spring....
Want to put a couple books on your list for this summer?? Two  friends of mine have books coming out. I was a beta reader on both of them .... trust me, you'll love them.

• GIRL THREE by Tracy March coming in June   (Big city thriller)
• BEACH RENTAL by Grace Greene coming in July    (Outer Banks love story)

Kindle Reader Cover Fun

What a fun idea. Did you see the DIY Kindle cover on the BookTrib site?  Check it out and this one too! http://booksprung.com/want-to-make-your-own-ereader-cover-here-are-50-ideas-to-get-you-started

I'll admit I sprung for a leather OBERON DESIGN cover when I first got my Kindle. I went for the one with the tree on it. It's so pretty. BUT, if you aren't up to something quite that snazzy (okay I can be a bit of a spoiled reader, I admit it!) then this DIY is absolutely adorable and fun to do.

What?? Wait! You don't know about BookTrib? Oh honey, you are missing out. It's like a breath of fresh, happy air. Bright, colorful and full of the latest book news. http://www.booktrib.com/ Visit today and join for free.

Hugs~
Oh...and if you take this little DIY project to heart...I'd love for you to send me pics of your design. :)

Everybody's doing it -- or should be ;)

Had to share this post about book clubs by Kelsey Browning.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/kelsey-browning/book-clubs-books-that-bite/10150091438681500

Get started. Have fun. Make some new memories :)

Be Mine, Book Club Valentine

Hi book club friends,
My first publication is out! FOREVER IN MY HEART, is one of twelve short stories in the Valentine's Day anthology, BE MINE, VALENTINE. I've got a couple Valentine's Day events planned and this is becoming a favorite holiday all over again. As fun as when I was in the second grade and nervous to give out my very first valentine's day cards, and as sweet as the time I got not only a dozen roses for me--but a dozen rawhides for my dog for Valentine's Day. What are your fondest memories?

Back to business...Book club planning.
Fun for this month's book club gathering doesn't require much planning.
What you'll need:

• Conversation Hearts
• Box of kids Valentine's Day trading cards

Open the box of Valentine's Day cards and spread them out on the table.
Have each book club member pick out a card that they will address to their favorite character of one of the novels they've read. Then couple that with the appropriate Conversation Heart to match. Be ready to share why!?!?!

You might just be surprised at how many extra details we add to the romantic hunks in the books we read that are never on the written page. Funny how many of the guys in the books I read look like Kevin Costner.

I'd love to hear from you with ideas or comments.
Have fun!