Friday Freebits with Ginger Simpson #frifreebits #blogshare

It's Friday and time for another six paragraphs from Discovery, my short story collection.  There's nothing like a short story to fill the time in the doctor or dentist's office, and you can quite often finish and feel satisfied that you can move on to the next when you have a chance.  I love short stories, and I hope you enjoy the offering today.

Hurricane Warning

"Who in the world would be out in this weather?" Linda mumbled.  On her way to find out, she stubbed her toe on the leg of the coffee table and groaned.  The pain intense,she stumbled on into the foyer.

She turned the doorknob and the wind's force caught the door and heaved it inward. The blast blew her off balance, but she steadied herself and used her weight to keep the oak portal partially closed to the blowing rain.  Someone in a yellow parka huddled on her doorstep.

"May I help you?"  she asked, whisking a wayward hair away from her mouth, her tone unwelcoming.

A face materialized from beneath the slicker.  Masculine eyes, dark as onyx peered at her.  "I was wondering the same."

He swept back his hood, allowing his ebony hair to dance in the blustery current.  His square jaw and tanned face softened with a smile.  "I'm your neighbor from down the street.  I thought perhaps I might be of assistance  My sister, Marcie, tells me you live alone.  If this storm notches itself up a bit, we're in for a turbulent night."

Against warning bells about strangers, she sought escape from the elements.  She knew his sister...maybe, the name rang vaguely familiar.  "Please,come in."  Linda gestured but kept a tight grip on the door to keep it from slamming into the wall.  Her heart thudded.  Would her murder top the evening news? She could see the headline now, "Stupid woman opens door to stranger during storm."

So...will the handsome strange murder her, or has he really come to help?  Linda didn't expect a Hurricane in her new home, but she didn't expect a caller in the midst of a storm, either.  Want more?   Discovery is available on my amazon page.

I know you're thirsting for more great reads, so hop on over to the links below and see what grabs your attention.  Don't forget to leave a comment.  We love when we know you've visited.

Tricia McGill
Juliet Waldron
Taryn Raye
Kathy Fischer-Brown
Rhobin Lee Courtright
Margaret Tanner

Another Brief Haitus...

Second eye surgery scheduled for early morning.  In the meantime, enjoy the latest video I created for my Muse releases:

Holy Cow, It's December 1st

Where has this year flown?  Seems the older I get, the faster time flies.  I'm not complaining because Christmas is my very favorite holiday and time of the year.  Not so much for getting gifts as giving them.  This year, my sister, her boyfriend and my husband and I are going to volunteer at a homeless shelter and serve food.  We decided instead of buying gifts for each other when we already have so much, we want to give back to those less fortunate.  We are rich beyond measure if you count our blessings as we do.

So, what plans do you have for the holidays?  I'd love for you to share them.  I'll also be posting some pictures from friends who want to share their decorations and traditions.  I still have spots open, so if you want me to display a picture, just email it to me.

Oh, and don't forget that the Launch Party for Muse It Up Publishing is today, and also begins the holiday blog fest on the Muse Blog.  Join us, won't you.  It'll be fun.  And mark you calendars for the 7th.  Eternal Press is launching this months new releases, and my White Heart, Lakota Spirit is among them.  Did I mention that Hurricane Warning is available now from Muse?  So many releases, so little time.  :)

I'm Filling in for Chastity Bush, so Welcome, Me!

Video Trailers versus Excerpts – by Ginger Simpson

Some people love video trailers, others prefer to read excerpts. Personally, I love ‘watching’ an excerpt over reading it. With so many new authors coming on board and new promotion groups springing up every day, I feel like my words get lost in a sea of others. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve become frustrated over scrolling through a digest that is nothing but excerpt after excerpt with little or no explanation about the story—no scene setting, no dialogue. Why would I want to buy that book, I ask myself. The author clearly didn’t care enough to stick around and discuss her/his work. Probably off doing more ‘drive-by-posting.’

*Hanging head*. I’ve been guilty of it myself by trying to cover as many loops as possible on the days they offer open promotion. But, I now realize I was doing myself a disservice by using this tactic. I’m looking for a way to initiate discussions with readers about what they truly appreciate and/or hate in a book. The secret is finding a way to ‘delurk’ them. *smile*

In the meantime, I really enjoy the technology that allows me to bring my work to life in a one-two minute video. I’m a fan of short rather than longer because sometimes too much information becomes boring or overwhelming. I’ve done several trailers now, and I think I’ve finally hit upon giving just enough information to whet someone’s appetite and make them want more. At least, that’s my hope.

The cost of having a professional video done is prohibitive in most cases which is the main reason I learned to use the Windows Movie Maker program on my computer. It’s time consuming, but for me, fun because it gets my creative juices flowing. The hardest part is perusing royalty-free sites, looking for inexpensive pictures and music. You must be very careful about what you use, making sure you’ve purchased the appropriate license to display the photo or sound. People get really picky when you use their stuff without permission. As authors, we should all understand this. We don’t like anyone selling our books without permission.

Not all my friends are computer literate or have the time to devote to making their own trailers, so I’ve had the privilege of creating one or more for them. My options are limited to the program I use and can’t compare with the big gun companies, but given what I have to work with, I’m proud of my accomplishments. Here’s a look at the one I did for Sparta Rose using Windows Movie Maker.



And, here's one I just finished for my upcoming release, Hurricane Warning, from Muse It Up Publishing (January 2011). I used Animoto for this, which is a wonderful program. You're very limited on text, but the transitions are awesome.



You can find all my videos at http://www.youtube.com/mizging
Please leave a comment and be entered for a special prize at the end of the month. Right now I’ve been on a political rampage, but I’m taking prozac and drinking vodka to cure it. *big grin*