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Darden North talks writing at the Eudora Welty Library - September 23, 2010

http://www.youtube.com/user/dardennorth#p/a/u/0/zq4ZIVFIvBg Recently I was asked to be the featured speaker at my local library to kick-off the annual membership drive for the Friends of the Jackson (MS) Library held at the downtown Eudora Welty Library. At the last minute, I handed my digital camera to a friend and asked her to take a few pictures. My presentation included a discussion of my writing career balanced with being a doctor and then was followed by a reading from my third novel FRESH FROZEN. I also threw in an excerpt of my work-in-progress, planned fourth novel, WIGGLE ROOM. My friend had the insight to use the video feature of the camera and recorded the majority of the talk, even though handicapped by the absence of a tripod or HD camera features. I took my "free" video and had it professionally edited by Leslie LaCour of Hazel House Marketing for an hourly fee and then posted it on YouTube. I think it turned out to be a nice piece, suitable for inclusi

Sometimes it's OK to brag

A nice bit of fan email from D.B., who lives down the road a piece from Jackson: Hi, Dr. North! I finally read all of your books and I loved them! I had actually read Points of Origin first which was a few years ago. Then I purchased House Call and Fresh Frozen at this year's Mistletoe. I loved all the twists of House Call! And the end was so unexpected!! Thank you, D.B. A little bit of encouragement and praise go a long way. ----- Darden North

Was the Experiment a Success?

I recently conducted a little experiment in book marketing, placing an ad on FaceBook promoting the release of my three mystery/medical thriller novels as eBooks. The materials utilized for the experiment were no more than my laptop, a little electricity, a high speed cable Internet connection, and a credit card --- as well as some spare time that I did not have. (Perhaps I should have spent the minutes moving past page 100 of my work–in–progress, a fourth novel tentatively titled Wiggle Room .) The results of my non-scientific experiment are detailed in this essay and presented in the guise of a blog entry on my author’s website. While it is meant primarily to interest other authors or maybe publishers, I hope the piece is clever enough for my book fans as well. I was intrigued when author Jeffrey Marks recently reported his own experience with advertising on FaceBook, publishing an article and follow-up piece in the Mystery Writers of America newsletter. I decided to see for myself

I'm breaking my rule, sort of ...

Although I have been happy to sign a book for one of my much appreciated ob/gyn patients, my policy has been to keep my medical practice and writing novels separate. While my novels are mysteries and medical thrillers, I do not render professional medical treatment or address personal medical concerns through my author's website or my Facebook listing. (I use Facebook as a combined fan and personal venue.) However, Melanie Calvert Benton recently asked me to contribute an article about nutrition to her blog Fat Kat. Since I was able to work in a little book promotion into the piece (cleverly, I hope), I decided to share it here as an example of taking the opportunity to slide in a bit of free book marketing. Here is the link to the article: http://www.fatkat.us/Darden_North_MD.htm Darden North, MD www.dardennorth.com award-winning fiction available in print and ebook

Operation Warrior Library

I was glad to learn about "Operation Warrior Library," where authors can donate their work to interested troops overseas. A case of Points of Origin , my second novel, is headed to them now. The link to the organization's site and updates is: http://www.facebook.com/dardennorth#!/pages/Operation-Warrior-Library/173775762919?ref=ts

Darden North's three contemporary mystery novels now available as ebooks

Mystery and suspense novelist Darden North announces that his three novels to date are now available as ebooks for purchase and download to several electronic reader venues through Smashwords.com. The links for Darden North's novels as ebooks are listed below with the option available to sample first: FRESH FROZEN   http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/16905    POINTS OF ORIGIN  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/17079   HOUSE CALL   http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/17078

Author Extravaganza Mainstreet Books - Hattiesburg, MS - December 2009

Mystery Author Darden North to Sign Novels at Mississippi Picnic in NYC

____________________________________ Date: 6/5/2010 Time: Noon til Dusk Location: Central Park East Meadow between 5th Avenue and 97th Street Darden North will join other native Mississippi authors and artists at the 2010 Mississippi Picnic in Central Park East Meadow in the Mississippi Authors tent. Copies of Norths three novels will be available for purchase and signing. The New York Mississippi Picnic was started in 1979 as the brainchild of a handful of native Mississippians living in New York City. The group joined together to create an event to highlight Mississippi’s attributes. The first picnic attracted some 500 individuals, and that number has steadily increased over the years; the 2010 picnic is expected to attract more than 2,000 picnic-goers! In addition to the picnic and live music, there will be a Mississippi Authors Tent where mystery and suspense author Darden North and others will have their work available for purchase and autographing. For more info ... h

BLOG JOG DAY

Thanks for stopping by Recent Musings on www.dardennorth.com . While here, please explore my website which includes the book trailer for my third novel Fresh Frozen . When you're ready, jog on over to http://www.thegoldenpathway.blogspot.com/ . If you would like to visit a different Blog in the jog, go to http://blogjogday.blogspot.com . Enjoy! Darden North

Today I was the lucky author interviewed by fellow author Susan Whitfield on her Guest Blog

http://www.susanwhitfield.blogspot.com/ Through her popular blog, North Carolina mystery writer, Susan Whitfield, interviews and showcases other writers from around the globe as they discuss the writing process On May 5, 2010, I was lucky that she interviewed me. Whitfield's published books include Genesis Beach , Just North of Luck , and Hell Swamp ." Killer Recipes ,a cookbook by mystery writers, will be released in August. Sin Creek will be released in late Fall. For more information, go to www.susanwhitfieldonline.com. The following is a reprint of Susan Whitfield's Guest Blog of May 5, 2010: My special guest today is Dr. Darden North, a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist physician and the author of three mystery/suspense/medical thriller novels published in hardcover: House Call (2005), Points of Origin (2006), and Fresh Frozen (2008). All three works have been awarded nationally, most notably Points of Origin for southern fiction by the Independent Publisher

Strong Female Characters

When I attended the International Thriller Writers' Conference in New York City during the Summer of 2009, those who registered for the AgentFest portion of the event were allowed to pitch themselves and their work one-on-one, face-to-face with literary agents. As I courageously pitched my current fiction manuscript, Wiggle Room , to a beautiful female Manhattan agent, she asked, "Do you have any strong female characters in your manuscript?" Suddenly, I was struck by what many agents, publishers, and readers are seeking ... strong female characters. I answered the agent truthfully, "No, but I can fix that!" Luckily, I was recently able to pose my own question to freelance editor and author Helen Ginger on The Blood-Red Pencil blog . I asked Can you define a strong female character? Ginger's detailed answer and the comments to follow have been enlightening. I invite you to the link: http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/ The specific blog post written by Helen

Darden North's "Points of Origin"-January's feature on Booktown Giveaway

The featured novel on the Booktown Contest Giveaway for January 2010 is Points of Origin by Darden North, MD. The winner of the autographed 377 page hardbound novel will be named Februaruy 1, 2010, on the Book Town Myspace page. http://booktown.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network Points of Origin was awarded in Southern Fiction by the Independent Book Publishers Awards (IPPY). In Points of Origin Sher Foxworth, the wayward son of a plastic surgeon, recounts his father’s destruction by attorney Cordell Pixler as the result of a medical malpractice case. Losing his parents when his father crashes their private plane, Foxworth is left to the whims of his still wealthy grandfather, who resents his grandson’s failure to become a doctor almost as much as he does the actions of the conniving attorney. Nevertheless, there are others remaining in the small, affluent town of Larkspur, Mississippi, who seek the attorney’s ruin. The litigious family of the teenage girl who dies at the hand of t