Combining Work and Pleasure

At Le Precope

Work and a long awaited holiday with my sister blended in the best possible way when I dined with my publisher, Gary Heilbron, his lovely wife, Elizabeth, fellow writer, Diana Hutton who flew in from Madrid, and my sister, Marilyn at Le Precope in Paris. Both Gary and Diana have read the first draft of "Biocide.com", the sequel to "The Biocide Conspiracy" which sees the return of the ill-matched duo, Mo Jones and Beth Godson. This time caught up in a terrorist attack at the G20 conference. Once again they are at cross purposes.

Gary's choice of restaurant was inspired.  Founded in 1686, Le Precope  has always been the place where  Parisian writers and philosophers exchanged ideas. I felt honored and humble at having my manuscript discussed where Voltaire thrashed out plots with his contemporaries.

Lovely, talented  Diana who proof read my manuscript is author of "A Grave Above Ground" and "Sisterly Love". She is an ex-pat, Australian, married to a Spaniard based in Madrid and a former translator at the United Nations.  Gary an Australian ex-pat and his vivacious french wife live in the South of France. Although I have had a long business association with Gary through his publishing company, HP Editions, we have never met therefore this dinner was very special. And went on very late!

Gary and Elizabeth are visiting their son in Australia later in the month, after which they intend to drive around Australia. We plan to meet up when they get to Perth. I hope I can show them as good a time as they showed me.

WHEN KARMA COMES BACK TO PUNISH A ROCK STAR IT GOES FOR THE JUGULAR

Happy Karma Christmas:

Ambitious and itching for adventure a schoolgirl auditions for the White Diamond's tour of South East Asia. From the moment she hits Singapore, the new recruit is determined to step into the star's sequinned heels.But how can a seventeen year old dance student compete with a show girl who has performed at the Lido in Vegas? Intent on heading uphill fast, Crystal will do anything....ANYTHING for top billing. People pay for what they do, and even more for what they allow themselves to become. To find out what karma has in store for Crystal, click here. At $2.99 The White Amah is an easy on the pocket holiday read.

Free Kindle eBook:SALVATION JANE by Ann Massey ~ a Christmas gift of hope & goodwill to all men

On December 5, 6 & 7, I am giving away SALVATION JANE. I thought of all my books, SALVATION JANE with its message of "goodwill to all ...men" was the best gift I could give to you at Christmas.

If you like a book that makes you think about the society we inhabit and the challenges we collectively should be tackling you will really enjoy Salvation Jane. Many readers have told me they have laughed and cried. Others say they now feel differently about the homeless.

So today please accept a free copy of SALVATION JANE and share it with a loved one this Christmas.

This book with a Christmas message is FREE on Amazon on the 5th , 6th & 7th only

Books That Defy Genre Labels

Today I'm turning my blog over to author and blogger, AB Shepherd. She talks about the genre challenge facing writers whose books aren't a perfect match for the major book genres. Over to you AB...

"What is a genre? It is a label used to categorize a book. It is intended to be useful to help readers discern whether they will enjoy it, and to help book stores know where to stock it on their shelves.But what happens when a book just doesn’t fit quite so nearly into a pre-established genre?

You end up with a book like Ann Massey’s Salvation Jane - which is chick lit, wrapped up in a political thriller, tied together with a romance/contemporary fiction/literary fiction/drama. It is one of those books that needs to be read by the masses, but just how to get them to read is tricky, because it doesn't fit neatly into any genre category so it can't be marketed easily.






                                                              Sample >

.

The same can be said of my book. Lifeboat is a science fiction/mystery/thriller with aliens and UFOs, but it is so much more than that. It is a story of love, loss, isolation, coping mechanisms, manipulation, and mind games. It is a story that will leave you thinking. Don’t take my word for it - read the reviews on Amazon or Goodreads.

But it is difficult to market because it doesn’t fit neatly into one or two of those predefined genre categories. Several readers have said of Lifeboat, “I hate books about UFOs and aliens, but I loved Lifeboat”. But because so many people dislike books about aliens and UFOs they will pass it by and miss out on a really good (if I do say so myself) book.

How many other authors are having this difficulty with their novels? I’m guessing many. I almost did the same with Salvation Jane. I don’t enjoy books about politics, so I nearly said “sorry”, but Ann told me it was more than that, so I gave it a chance and I really enjoyed it.

Oh sure, there are some authors who say “I write romance” or “I write thrillers” and that is exactly what they write. Those books easily find their target audience. There is nothing wrong with that, and good on ‘em. But what about the rest of us? Ann, me and all those others authors out there whose books are more than they appear at first glance. How do we go about finding our target audience when our books are different, and we don’t have a defined target audience?

It is difficult. All we can do is list the category we think it comes closest too and cross our fingers, hoping.

We can only hope that some open-minded readers like you will find them, like them, and share their discoveries with the world by not only leaving reviews, but talking about them with their friends and family.

I hope you will give Salvation Jane, and Lifeboat, a chance and keep your minds open.

What books have YOU read lately that defy their genre label?  

Jailing a political candidate because you fear him or her is unAustralian

Tuff     I don't think a book about Australian politics is going to fly off the shelves. What were you thinking?

Ann     Well Tuff, I was appalled when Pauline Hanson was jailed to stop her from ruining the Liberal  party's election hopes and ...

Tuff     Poor cow! I know what she went through. I still have nightmares about the time I spent in prison.

Ann     Quite. Like you, Ms Hanson was the victim of a terrible injustice. In fact I believe her arrest and conviction was a shameful incident in Australia's history.

 Tuff     So you admire this Hanson woman?

Ann     That's not the point. Love her or loathe her there is no getting away from the fact that the plot to break Pauline Hanson was worthy of Francis Underwood of House of Cards at his most machivellian.

Tuff    I've never heard of her.

Ann I know you've lived in the UK for a long time Tuff, so to bring you up to speed -- a politically naive fish and chip shop operator cum politician from Queensland was damaging the Liberal Party's chances at the forthcoming Federal Election. Her party, One Nation was perceived as a threat by the major parties. And come hell or high water the powers-that- be were out to get her.

Tuff     What happened?

Ann     When vicious attacks on her character didn't put a dent in popularity steps were taken to remove her. Pauline was convicted of electoral fraud and sentenced to nine years in jail. After serving three months she was released, the sentence quashed and her name cleared. And yet instead of being viewed as a victim of a terrible injustice, Pauline Hanson who conducted herself with dignity and heroism throughout her ordeal is perceived by many as a figure of fun.

Tuff     I didn't get any sympathy when I was jailed either, even though I was innocent. Most people thought I got what I deserved.

Ann    That's what's so awful about a smear campaign. I wrote Salvation Jane to make the point that publishing  material and using the legal system to injure a candidate's reputation to cause him or her to lose office is undemocratic. In essence, the means justifying  the end isn't a justifiable excuse for thuggery.

Tuff    I've known a few thugs in my time ... where can I get a copy?

Ann    All the details are on my website. http//www.AnnMassey.com

Celebrity claims diary kept her out of rehab

My therapist suggested I keep a diary. She said that writing about my feelings might help me to overcome the emotional upsets I've been through and leave me feeling happier, ha, ha ha.

But, to give you a taster of what it's like to be me, take a peek at the last six months ...

November 2010
Zero Tolerance
Feeling pissed.. Can't understand why Benny insists I bring the twins along. WITP ... they were perfectly happy in their boarding school. It isn't as if the doco has anything about African orphans. It's about saving trees for Christsake. Now he says I should have them live with me when we go home. NFW!!!!!

January 2011
Mother of the Voodoo- Bride
How can I face my fans? Today my daughter was married in a voodoo ceremony. At one stage it looked like the ceremony might not go ahead when the groom balked at killing the sacrificial pig. David went as white as a sheet when Entri, (Mei Li's supposed grandfather) told him to slaughter this pig that was tied up in front of the long house. Gross!!! I really felt for him. Of course, the TV crew lapped it all up. Hard to think what was the most cringe making moment. But that time when the witch doctor guy waved a black chicken over Mei Li and David's heads takes some beating.

Tuesday, January 25,
2011SHARPER THAN A SERPENT'S TOOTH: AN UNGRATEFUL CHILD
Can u believe this - Mei Li and David are back in Brit and staying in Manchester at Josh and Sandy's place. What an insult! She never even bothered to let me know she was back. I found out when I switched on Entertainment Tonight.

What an ungrateful bitch she is. I spent three nights in that hovel in the jungle just to help her out. Well I ask you, who could be fagged watching a boring doco about trees - the only reason it'll rate is because I presented it. And you wouldn't believe the accommodation, all of us, (family and the crew), had to stay in the longhouse.

What a hovel! No power and no sanitation. It makes me shudder just thinking about the rats and bugs It's a wonder I didn't catch typhoid or leprosy, even.

I told Benny never again. It was all right for him and Josh off with the men to cock fights and hunting and fishing trips, roaring drunk every night on jungle juice. Me, I was stuck with those god-awful twins and a bunch of illiterate women - they couldn't even speak English, for crying out loud.

Sandy was no company always with her head in a book. I don't know what Josh sees in her ... the fat cow. And as for Mei Li, the way she idolizes that so-called grandmother, makes me want to puke. I mean what about me ... I'm her mother for christsake.

February 2011
Golden Globes ignore most watched TV Special
The Golden Globe awards were announced yesterday and my new doco didn't get a mention. Can't believe they're still not bothering with documentaries. ... I mean how can u ignore the most watched episode of any single TV program. Yeah! Day over for the Dayaks made the Tuff on Poverty Special seem like small bikkies. And I'm not one to brag but IIRC, it had the biggest audience ever and raised the most money for charity. Ah well, there's always BAFTA.

February 2011
Day over for the Dayaks
and, IMO that wouldn't be a bad thing, but I wouldn't say that to Mei Li. She still keeps calling them my people ... as if.

Now I've lost my thread ... oh yeah, Day over for the Dayaks has been nominated for three categories - International, Factual Series and Single Documentary. Benny has already started campaigning. PPPLEASSE! Why bother ... we'll blitz them I told him. We ended up having a row. I mean Benny is supposed to be my agent and yet, who's been asked to sing at the BAFTA's ... Sir Josh freakin' Chadwick. What am I paying him for? All he could come up with was some weak excuse about the profits from the song going to set up a fighting fund to help the Dayaks. Still not speaking.

March 2011
How can you expect a single working mother to get involved in her childrens' sports?
Sooo bored! Is there anything more mind-numbingly boring than schoolboy cricket. You don't even get to drool over the players I mean what's sexy about pimply, greasy skinned adolescents Ugh! This is the first and last time Benny is going to bully me into coming to another Open Day. It isn't as if the twins give an RA ... in fact I think they'd prefer it if I stayed away. Ungrateful brats. They don't seem to appreciate how lucky they are to have been adopted by one the richest and most talented women in the world. I mean the fees for just one term would support their village for a year. Must get into Angelina's ear at the New York Fashion Awards next week. She's got the doting mother act sussed.

March 2011
Get Real
Soooo excited! I'm getting my own reality show on E! Doing it Tuff premieres next month. It's tipped that the first show - The Wedding - is going to be watched by 5.2 million viewers which will make it the most watched show in E!'s history.

Guess the network will be dropping the Kardashians. Sorry Kim ... but I've never understood. What exactly are you famous for?

BTW, Mei Li is having a second wedding ceremony in the village church at Crantock on Avon. To appease Lady Entwistle who missed out on the jungle nuptials. Can't stand the old cow but Sir Roland is dishy. I'll be sitting next to him at the head table and, I think we're going to be very, very ... close friends.

April 2011
43.7 million tuned in to new reality show
Notched up another first ...last night, 43.7 million people watched the debut of Doing it Tuff the largest audience for the premiere of a reality show in television history. No kidding there was more interest in my daughter's wedding than Kate Middleton's. Got to say I'm totally over Mei Li. Can u believe she actually thought I was going to donate my salary from the first episode to 'Fight for Dayak Rights'. As if! Might have to hike the price up for the next season. I'm thinking $3.5 million an episode. Eat your heart out Charlie Sheen.

April 2011
Banged up in Changi
Sounds like Benny has convinced the producers of Banged up Abroad to feature the White Diamonds in the next series. It’s hard to believe but the girls have been locked up in Changi for eighteen years. All three pleaded guilty to drug possession and prostitution. I could have been charged too if Josh hadn’t helped me get away. Not that I had any idea that the troupe was a front for a prostitution ring when I auditioned ... I was only 17, straight out of the schoolroom and green as. You should have seen Benny’s face when I agreed to take part in the program straight off. Sometimes I think he just doesn’t get me. I mean why wouldn't I use my celebrity to help old friends get out of that rotten place? I guess you've got to have been inside yourself to understand.

April 2011
Rockstar helps out struggling author
Ann Massey emailed me - she wants me to tell all my fans that she's launching her new website with a competition. Can't say I'm impressed with the prize - all you win is a part in her next book.

To tell the truth, I think she's got a hide asking for my help when she turned down the opportunity to write my memoirs. I was going to tell her to get a freaking agent. I mean it just shows how far out of touch she is expecting a mega star like me to promote her book for free ... but what the hell. If you're so desperate to get known you can enter the competition by clicking on her website http://www.annmasseyauthor.net
There ... satisfied.


May 2011
Top tip if you want to be a star
Talent is overrated: I’ve met so many talented singers. Guess what, most of them earn less than they would waiting tables. The smart ones forget about it and go back to the 9-5 slog. You see most wannabes don’t get it. If you want to make it big you’ve got to work real, real, hard at selling yourself to the right people. People don’t think the old casting couch still exists in the entertainment business, lol.

Top tip if you want to be a star

Talent is overrated: I’ve met so many talented singers. Guess what, most of them earn less than they would waiting tables. The smart ones forget about it and go back to the 9-5 slog. You see most wannabes don’t get it. If you want to make it big you’ve got to work real, real, hard at selling yourself to the right people. People don’t think the old casting couch still exists in the entertainment business, lol.

Find out more