From here on out...

From here on out, we're going to do news of client book releases and new website development on Facebook and Twitter exclusively. Join us by liking the xuni FB page and following us on Twitter!

This blog will now be mostly for client news, with any important xuni info which needs to be shared, especially notes re the server and/or email, mixed in now and then some personal stuff... if anything exciting non-work ever happens to happen. :)

I love my xuni team (Ryan, Audrey, Jen, and Josh), my clients, and my work. I'm so fortunate!

maddee

Sophie Littlefield's Dystopian Series has a Rebirth!

Harlequin Luna released the second book in Sophie Littlefield's dystopian series today. According to Red Hot Books, Rebirth is "Absolutely mesmerizing...hauntingly beautiful...even more powerful than its predecessor."

Cass Dollar beat terrible odds to get her missing daughter back—she and Ruthie will be happy. Yet with the first winter, Cass is reminded that happiness is fleeting in Aftertime. Ruthie retreats into silence. Flesh-eating Beaters still dominate the landscape. And Smoke, Cass's lover and strength, departs on a quest for vengeance, one that may end him even if he returns.

The survivalist community leader, Dor, implores Cass to help him recover his own lost daughter, taken by the totalitarian Rebuilders. And soon Cass finds herself thrust into the dark heart of an organization promising humanity's rebirth—at all costs. 

If you haven't had a chance to check out the Sophie's novella, Survivors, that takes place between Aftertime and Rebirth, you can read about it and download it here for free.

For more information about Sophie Littlefield, her dystopian series or any of her other books, check out her website.

Can you solve the Dominance puzzle?

Alex Shipley is a professor at Harvard; she made her name as a member of Richard Aldiss's night class, taught from his prison cell. Alex exposed the truth of notoriously reclusive author Paul Fallows's identity, and in the process uncovered information that acquitted Aldiss of the heinous double murder for which he was convicted. But when a fellow night class alum is murdered—the body chopped up with an axe and surrounded by Fallows novels—can she use what she knows of Fallows and the Procedure to stop a killer before each of her former classmates is picked off, one by one?

Will Lavender is back with his "puzzle-within-a-thriller" style that first earned him a spot on the New York Times Bestseller list. Dominance, his second novel, is hailed as "Twisty and turny, with all kinds of side roads" by Kirkus. And Publishers Weekly finds it to have "Full-bodied characters, an effective Gothic atmosphere, and a deliciously creepy, unpredictable finale."

If you love a good psychological thriller, you aren't going to want to miss Will Lavender's Dominance. Check out his website for more information.

Today you can unlock The Vault!

Boyd Morrison's The Vault is available today from Touchstone. His newest thriller involves an ancient puzzle, a ruthless mastermind and the curse of a legendary treasure.

Tyler Locke's routine commute on a Washington State ferry is interrupted by a chilling anonymous call claiming that his father has been kidnapped and that a truck bomb is set to detonate on board in twenty minutes. When Tyler reaches the bomb on the boat's car deck, he's stunned to find classical languages expert Stacy Benedict waiting for him. She's received the same threat and her sister has also been taken. In order to disarm the bomb, they must work together to solve an engineering puzzle—a puzzle written in ancient Greek. Preventing the explosion is only the first step. They soon learn the entire setup is a test created by a ruthless criminal who forces them to go on a seemingly impossible mission: uncover the legendary lost riches of King Midas.

In its starred review, Publishers Weekly said The Vault is "[An] electrifying blend of history, myth, and science." And bestselling author Steve Berry said The Vault is "another smart, sassy tale fraught with action." Sounds like the perfect book to pick up for your beach bag. There's still plenty of sunny, summer weather left to enjoy The Vault.

Learn more about Boyd and his novels or listen to an audiobook excerpt of The Vault at his website.

Lisa Desrochers' demons have been released!

Original Sin, Lisa Desrochers' second book in her Young Adult Frannie Cavanaugh/Luc Cain series, is available today from Tor Teen.

In Original Sin Luc and Frannie discover you can't desert Hell without consequences, and suddenly they find themselves targeted by the same demons who used to be Luc's allies. 

Paul Goat Allen of Barnes & Noble called Personal Demons, the first book in the series, "Twilight with a soul." Now's your chance to see just why. Check out Original Sin. You can find more information about the books and Lisa at her website.

Unlock The Secrets of James Barney's The Genesis Key

Today James Barney makes his fiction debut with HarperCollins' release of The Genesis Key in mass market paperback. In the book Steve Barry calls "remarkable and unconventional,"

Dr. Kathleen Sainsbury stands on the brink of a miraculous breakthrough: the discovery of a gene that could extend human life by hundreds of years. But at the moment of her greatest triumph, a mysterious phone call reveals a hidden truth that draws chaos and violence into her world . . . and threatens to irreversibly alter the destiny of human kind.

John Hart says James Barney is "a welcome player in a crowded field." I'll personally second that sentiment since I'm engrossed in The Genesis Key right now. It's captivating and intriguing, going well beyond just entertaining. You can check out more about James Barney and The Genesis Key at his website.

The Genesis Key is a perfect book to pick up for your summer beach bag. Be sure to grab your copy today!

Katherine Easer Makes Her Debut!

Congratulations to xuni author, Katherine Easer, whose debut young adult novel Vicious Little Darlings is released today from Bloomsbury USA Children's Books.

Sarah Weaver wasn't looking forward to starting at an all-girls college. But that was before she met Maddy. Maddy and her best friend, Agnes, are fun and rich and interesting—and for some reason, they seem to really like Sarah. Before long, Maddy and Agnes have moved Sarah into a big house off campus, where they cook together, buy each other presents, and share each other's secrets. So why does Sarah feel like something's bizarrely wrong?

Find out more about Katherine and Vicious Little Darlings at Katherine's website. Then help us celebrate the start of a long and prosperous writing career.

Irene Kelly Book #10 Hits Stores Today!

There is great cause for celebration! It's the first day of summer and Jan Burke returns with her newest Irene Kelly novel.

Disturbance finds Irene facing an old enemy: serial killer Nick Parrish, who is connected to the outside world through an online group of misguided fans that calls itself The Moths.

Irene has other upheaval to contend with. The newspaper where she has worked most of her adult life is shutting down. Being a reporter has been more than a job—it has been a bone-deep part of her identity.

She's tough and resilient, but this is a blow that leaves more than a bruise. Can she reinvent herself, or even find the will to do so?

Nick Parrish may not give her time to answer that question. He's back. And he's not alone.

Be sure to check out the book Booklist is calling "Tautly written and suspenseful." Available today in hardcover from Simon and Schuster.

You can learn about Jan Burke, Disturbance and more at Jan's website.

Good Day for a New Bad Day

Happy release day to Sophie Littlefield! Today, A Bad Day for Scandal, the third in her award-winning Stella Hardesty series, comes out from St. Martin's Minotaur.

When big-city businesswoman Priss Porter returns to town with a body in her trunk, she expects Stella to dispose of it for her. She's even got a snapshot of Stella doing what she does best—curing woman-beaters by the use of force—in case Stella needs convincing. But Stella refuses to cooperate, only to hear later that Priss has gone missing. Stella is implicated when Sheriff "Goat" Jones discovers a scarf she left behind.

Since I've found the previous two Stella novels to be must reads, A Bad Day for Scandal is most definitely on my list. You can find more information and an excerpt at Sophie's website. Then take Kirkus' advice:

"Fans of quirky mysteries need to grab a Littlefield pronto."

Unearthing Secrets in THE REVENANT

Knopf debuts Sonia Gensler's THE REVENANT today. In 1896 Willemina Hammond is seventeen and eager to leave her family's farm in Tennessee, so she fakes her identity and heads off to teach at the Cherokee Female Seminary where she finds refined young ladies, prejudice and ghosts. Her grand scheme to escape the farm may turn out to be her death warrant.

Booklist calls THE REVENANT "A compelling ghost and love story... The uncommon setting and time period add to the appeal."

To learn more about the real Cherokee Female Seminary, Sonia Gensler and THE REVENANT, check out Sonia's website

Crush Control out today!

Congratulations to Jennifer Jabaley whose young adult fantasy novel, Crush Control, releases today in mass market paperback from Penguin Group.

Seventeen-year-old Willow is using hypnosis to get what she wants, but you don't have to resort to such measures. Simply pick up a copy from your favorite bookseller and enjoy!

You can learn more about Jennifer and her novels at her website.

The Secret of the White Rose Unveiled Today

THE SECRET OF THE WHITE ROSE, Stefanie Pintoff's third book in her Edgar® Award-winning Simon Ziele/Alistair Sinclair historical mystery series releases today from St. Martin's Minotaur.

In this go around, Ziele and Sinclair try to stop a witch hunt that is ignited by the murder of a judge.

THE SECRET OF THE WHITE ROSE has earned starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly and Library Journal. And Marilyn Stasio from the New York Times says,

"Pintoff delivers a rousing and admirably fair account of the anarchist movement that was unnerving the city at this time."

This is a must-read series and I'm anxious to pick up my copy. Learn more about Stefanie's great series at her website and check out THE SECRET OF THE WHITE ROSE today!

Pittsburgh Noir out Today!

Kathleen George contributes to and edits an impressive line-up of Pittsburgh natives, including Stewart O'Nan, Hilary Masters, Reginald McKnight, K.C. Constantine, Lila Shaara, Nancy Martin, Kathleen George, and many others, in PITTSBURGH NOIR, a short story collection that pays homage to the various neighborhoods that make up the city of "black and gold."

Published by Akashic Books, PITTSBURGH NOIR is available today in paperback. Check out Kathleen's website for more information.

Adam Mitzner makes his debut!

Adam Mitzner's debut legal thriller, A Conflict of Interest, debuts today from Gallery.

Alex Miller is asked to represent a family friend in a high-profile brokerage scam. As Alex digs to find the truth, he discovers more than he was prepared for.

Bestselling author Perri O'Shaughnessy says A Conflict of Interest is

"A heady combination of Patricia Highsmith and Scott Turow, here's psychological and legal suspense at its finest. Adam Mitzner's masterful plotting begins on tiptoe and morphs into a sweaty gallop, with ambiguity of character that shakes your best guesses, and twists that punch you in the gut. This novel packs it. A terrific read!"

With a starred review from Publishers Weekly and a spot on the Indie Next List Great Reads, this is a crime novel I know I'm excited to pick up. You can check out Adam's website for an excerpt and more information.

Tomorrow River now out in trade paper!

Shelf Awareness chose Tomorrow River as one of their Top Ten Books of 2010 and it's no surprise why -- 'cause it rocks!

Bestselling author Tana French raves that it "is packed with warmth, wit, intelligence, images savoury enough to taste—and deep dark places that are all the more terrible for being surrounded by so much brightness."

I (me, maddee) have read and loved every one of Lesley Kagen's books -- she understands the young adolescent girl better than anyone else I know.

If you haven't had a chance to experience Tomorrow River from New York Times Bestselling author Lesley Kagen, this is the perfect opportunity. Tomorrow River is now available as an NAL trade paperback. Check out this fun video with Lesley, find additional information at her website and then get your hands on a copy of the book!

You won't be disappointed.
Jen & Maddee!

New website design: Josephine Angelini!

I put a new site live today which I really like (and the author does too of course!). I ADORE designing Young Adult sites -- SO much fun! And Josie and her husband Albert were a total pleasure to work with.

Her book, Starcrossed, is coming out May 31st. Here's a short synop:

Helen Hamilton has always tried to hide how different she is—no easy feat on an island as small as Nantucket, and only getting harder as she finds herself haunted by hallucinations and vivid nightmares. It's not until she crosses paths with Lucas Delos at school that Helen's true heritage is finally revealed. Yet even as Lucas helps her awaken to her startling powers, they can never be together—not unless they can break free from the tragic destiny the Three Fates have in store.

It's getting amazing reviews, which you can check out here.

maddee

Dr. Andrea Bonior's debut book, The Friendship Fix, is out today -- and I can't wait to read it! Not that I need, you know, any help in that arena. I have awesome friends! :)

Here's a bit about the book:
The Friendship Fix is the first book to delve into aspects of friendship such as how your personality shapes what friends you fall for, how social networking has revolutionized friendship, how friendship affects your health, and how to avoid common pitfalls and complications.

Kirkus says:
"A clinical psychologist cleanly dissects friendships in a surprisingly entertaining manner. In her debut, Bonior (Psychology/Georgetown Univ.) dispenses smart advice, flush with wit and sarcasm, aimed at women grappling with their relationships ...taken from clinical to fabulous."

Besides all that, Andrea is just a wonderful woman!

Check it out!
maddee

Marcia Clark's Making Her Fiction Debut!

Marcia Clark first grabbed headlines as the lead prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson trial. Now she's grabbing headlines as a thriller writer. She combines her sharp wit with her first-hand knowledge of the L.A. legal system to create Guilt by Association, a debut novel which has garnered starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist and Kirkus Reviews!

James Ellroy declares:

"You must read this book: it is wildly and complexly plotted, ebulliently witty and filled with riotous humor; it details the inner workings of the L.A. legal system with unprecedented accuracy and verve—and to top it off, it is a damn, damn, good thriller."

This is the first publication for Mulholland Books, which is off to an auspicious start.  Check out Marcia's website for more fun information and pick up the book today!

New site design for Will Lavender

I put a new site -- willlavender.com -- live this morning which I really love. And his upcoming book, Dominance, looks fabulous -- I can't wait to read it... check this description out:

A famed literature professor Richard Aldiss teaches a special night class called Unraveling a Literary Mystery—from his prison cell. Twelve years ago, Aldiss was convicted of the murders of two female grad students; they were killed with axe blows and their bodies decorated with the novels of notoriously reclusive author Paul Fallows.

Now, Aldiss entreats the students of his night class to solve the Fallows riddle once and for all. He introduces them to the Procedure, a game that supposedly lets one get inside the novels themselves, book which scholars believe are maps to the author's true identity. Soon members of the night class will be invited to play along...

My kind of book!

Have a great weekend everyone!

maddee

John Connolly's Charlie Parker is Returning!

John's website is newly updated with The Burning Soul details.

Randall Haight has a secret: when he was a teenager, he and his friend killed a 14-year-old girl.

Randall did his time and built a new life in the small Maine town of Pastor's Bay, but somebody has discovered the truth about Randall. He is being tormented by anonymous messages, haunting reminders of his past crime, and he wants private detective Charlie Parker to make it stop.

But another 14-year-old girl has gone missing, this time from Pastor's Bay, and the missing girl's family has its own secrets to protect. Now Parker must unravel a web of deceit involving the police, the FBI, a doomed mobster named Tommy Morris, and Randall Haight himself.

Because Randall Haight is telling lies...

The Burning Soul, John's tenth full-length Charlie Parker novel, will be released by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK, Ireland and Australia on September 1, followed closely by the US release from Atria on September 6.

Watch his website for updates as the release draws closer and be sure to check out The Burning Soul.

Adam Bryant's The Corner Office

You may already know xuni.com author Adam Bryant as the Pulitzer Prize-winning deputy national editor of The New York Times. If you read the Sunday Business section of the Times, you may also be familiar with his column "The Corner Office." Times Books has now released his book, The Corner Office, which is a result of his analysis of more than 70 of the interviews with CEOs and other leaders used to create those columns.

The result is a book that Distinguished Professor of Business at the University of Southern California, Warren Bennis, calls

"The first and perhaps only book I would recommend to any aspiring or sitting leader for its wise and practical distillation of lessons for exemplary leadership. It is the best, most reliable GPS/road map, currently available, for successful leadership."

You never know when you may be called on to lead others. Knowing how the best in the business do it successfully can benefit us all. Check out Adam Bryant's website and grab your copy of The Corner Office today!

Jonathan Hayes: new site and new book!

I just got Jonathan's new starkly svelte site live yesterday:

http://jonathanhayes.com/

A little different from my usual work, but the goal is always to express the client perfectly and this is just what the wonderful and interesting Mr. Hayes wanted. He just tweeted: "Maddee James has just completed an elegant, supple rebuild of my site, www.jonathanhayes.com - feel free to gawp at its sleek restraint!"

I love that description!

Even more important, his new book, A Hard Death, is out today! This great Booklist review says it all:

"This is a CinemaScope novel, in Technicolor and surround sound: bloody murders, hot sex, decadence, incest, drug cartels... a story of a depravity that both chills and fascinates."
—Booklist

Enjoy!

maddee

Jen Forbus joins xuni.com!

I am quite thrilled to announced that Jen of Jen's Book Thoughts is joining xuni.com to help with social networking!!!! I've been wanting to keep my blog, facebook fan page, and twitter account much better updated, and I just have too much work to do it on my own. (Having so many incredible clients is a two-edged sword!) So I'm seriously thrilled to have someone like Jen helping me out....

So, everyone welcome the multi-talented, crime-connected (so to speak), very very very into social-networking guru Jen to our team!!!!

Please don't leave copies of emails on the server!

Clients with "real" (non-forwarded) domain emails:

For those of you with domain email addresses (yourname@yourdomain.com) which are NOT forwarded to gmail or elsewhere, everything should be functioning perfectly. There is one change, however, and that is that the new server is limiting everyone to 500 MB of server space for emails. This is obviously a lot of space -- as long as you clear your messages off the server regularly. Note that this does NOT mean you have to clear it off your own computer, you just need to click the box in your email preferences that says to delete email off the server.

In Apple Mail, for example, you can do preferences, then accounts, and then under the Advanced tab, UNCLICK "Remove copy from server after retrieving a message" and you can pick "after one week" or whatever.

If you check your domain email in gmail (a great solution), go to mail settings (under the blue gear in the far upper right corner), choose "Accounts and Import." Under "Check mail using Pop3," on the far right click on "edit info." Then UNCLICK the box that says "Leave a copy of retrieved messages on the server."

Other various email programs should have a similar way to do it.

Simple!

thanks,
maddee

Server upgrade complete

Thanks for everyone's patience throughout this needed server upgrade. It turned out to be pretty hellish, with both Ryan (my wonder tech guy) and I working till 3:30 this morning getting email back up and running. To make a long story short, all spam controls and even more importantly forwarding addresses were lost in the server switch. This means that anyone whose email is forwarded to say a gmail account temporarily stopped getting email this weekend. This was unexpected — GoDaddy had "never" seen this happen before (yeah, right). So Ryan and I had to add each one back in manually — over 300 email addys.

While doing that, we also forwarded any email that came to the new server from Sat-Mon to you each individually so that you didn't lose anything. You should have received what we forwarded, but if not -- if you feel like you might be missing email from those three days -- let me know and I can figure out how you can access it. Again, the vast majority of you should have zero problems at this point, so don't worry unnecessarily! [and note that anyone who gets email via webmail or an email client like Apple Mail was NOT affected]

However, if anything seems funky with your email, let me know and I'll do my best to respond quickly, but to say I've been inundated is a bit of an understatement. ;)

Last note: this was a very important upgrade — it was better to do this now while we were still functioning fine than waiting so long to upgrade that the server crashed and we lost everything! So even though it felt frustrating to many of you, and I have slept little in four days, I do believe this was worth it.

I appreciate all of you!

maddee
P.S. I will be sending one more email to those people who have regular (non-forwarded) email addresses.

Setting up Domain Email in Gmail!

You can set up your domain email (yourname@yourdomain.com) in GMAIL, which means you can send and receive your domain email right from GMAIL.

In gmail, go to mail settings (under the blue gear in the far upper right corner), choose "Accounts and Import.” Under “Check mail using POP3” click the box that says: “Add POP3 email account” and follow the instructions. It’s really quite simple.

Put in your email addy (yourname@yourdomain.com)

Username is full email addy: yourname@yourdomain.com

Pw: xxxx

POP Server: mail.yourdomain.com (port 110 is fine)

Choose: “Send through yourdomain.com SMTP servers”

SMTP Server: mail.yourdomain.com

Click “Always use a secure connection (SSL) when sending mail”

That’s it!

You can even then send using that account, which is awesome.

Make sure to NOT CLICK the box that says "Leave a copy of retrieved messages on the server." – this way, while you can save emails in Gmail, our server won’t be overrun with a million saved messages!

Note, if your domain account is already set up in gmail, to remove copies from server do this:

In gmail, go to mail settings (under the blue gear in the far upper right corner), choose "Accounts and Import." Under "Check mail using Pop3," on the far right click on "edit info." Then UNCLICK the box that says "Leave a copy of retrieved messages on the server."

That's it!

Simple!

Server: almost all set!

To all my clients:
We began moving all client websites to a new, faster, more stable server at the start of this weekend. That means that your website and email should run a bit faster and definitely more efficiently. For today, Sunday, be aware that everyone's ISP (the service you use to connect to the internet, e.g. Qwest, Comcast, Earthlink, etc.) does their internet updates at different time intervals, so it's possible that you might still be seeing info from the old server depending on whether your ISP has updated their information yet. However, the switch from old server to new will be complete by mid-day Monday at the latest.

If you're unable to see your website or get your email after about noon on Monday, please let me know. By the way, I got about 1,000 (no joke!) OLD emails into my inbox last night, so this might happen to others as well. Just delete them, of course.

Some good news: we did not lose any stored email! But if you think you might have missed new email at some point during the transition, this is how you can access it, at a domain I left on the old server for this purpose:

http://webmail.storyinspiration.com

username: yourname@yourdomain.com (example: madeira@xuni.com)
pw: your email password, of course

I would really appreciate it if you give the new server the full time needed for the final switch (till noon on Monday) before you send questions about your site or email.

Thanks so much for your patience through this ordeal. I've tried to keep the stress level down, knowing that there are a lot more important things to be upset about than a weekend of wacky server-ness! :)

The up side to all this is that our new server is faster and more stable than ever before!

maddee

Webmail Users

Clients using webmail for their WEBSITE EMAIL (this has nothing to do with gmail or any other email addresses you may have):

If you use webmail to get your email, that means you do NOT check your website email (i.e. yourname@yourdomain.com) via Outlook or Apple Mail or any of the standard email programs. Rather, you access it via a browser window via this URL:

http://webmail.yourdomain.com

If you use that, and only if you use that, then the following info is for you:

Unfortunately, there's no "easy" way to download email from webmail. The only way I know of to do it is to decide on an email program (such as Windows Live Mail, Thunderbird, Apple Mail, etc.), install it on your computer, and set up your email in it. Then there is a setting to download all email from the server, which is easy.

For those on a PC, here is a link to the "top 11 free email programs for windows":

http://email.about.com/od/windowsemailclients/tp/free_email_prog.htm

For those on a Mac, all macs come with Apple Mail, which I use and love.

Unfortunately, I don't have the time nor knowledge to help you further -- if you don't understand what to do yourself (and most of these email programs are quite intuitive), you'll need to contact someone locally who can help you.

UPDATE: I just got off the phone with GoDaddy and this time the guy who is backing up and transferring our server said that clients who use webmail could "very likely" lose all email stored in there.

SO -- if you use webmail, the email in your inbox and other folders (if you have any) could disappear. In other words, with all the backing up of the content on my server (300+ domains and associated email), GoDaddy cannot guarantee that webmail won't be affected so they wanted me to give my clients a heads up. If you have important stuff stored in there please follow the instructions above!

I'm so overwhelmed with keeping up with work and dealing with this server issue that I really don't have time to look into individual issues -- I'd super appreciate it if you could call on someone who can help you if you can't figure it out from the above info.

Thanks much!
maddee

NEW:
For those of you setting up "real" email accounts, here is the info you need:

username: yourname@yourdomain.com
password: whatever you used for webmail

incoming mail server: mail.yourdomain.com
outgoing mail server: mail. yourdomain.com
then also: make sure that Authentication is clicked on and put in your password

New Server!

To all clients:
After about 7 years with the same server, we are upgrading to a new, faster, more stable one. The actual switch-over will occur over the next three days (Friday-Saturday). There should not be any downtime to your website nor email but I wanted to give everyone a heads up just in case something does happen. We'll do our best to make this as smooth as possible, and we really do not foresee any issues.

The only possibility for an email issue is for those people who use webmail for their domain email, which I think only a very few of you do. (This means you check email with your browser rather than via Outlook or Apple Mail for example.) If you do, and you know how to download these emails to your computer, please do so. Anyone who has questions on this, please email me. Remember that if you can't get through to me at this usual email, I can also be reached at madeirajames@mac.com, but try the xuni one first.

Thanks for your patience with this very much needed upgrade!

maddee

many clients, many books...

I've been completely delinquent about keeping the blog and Facebook updated! I really do want to... and I won't make excuses except that... I have too much work!

The many client books that have come out since my last post:

Desires of the Dead, by Kimberly Derting
How Lamar's Bad Prank Won A Bubba-Sized Trophy by Crystal Allen
Suits, by Nina Godiwalla
The Mountains Bow Down, by Sibella Giorello
Where Shadows Dance, by C.S. Harris
Altar of Bones, by Philip Carter
Shimmer, by Alyson Noel

I'll try to keep better up to date after this.

So grateful for so many amazing clients!

maddee

Craig McDonald Rocks!

Craig's latest book, One True Sentence, come out today. This is my favorite review because it really explains what Craig has done:

"Craig McDonald came up with a brilliant premise for a mystery series. McDonald researched the career of the legendary novelist Ernest Hemingway. Then he imagined another writer named Hector Lassiter to be Hemingway's best friend. McDonald sprinkles One True Sentence with cameo appearances by famous novelists, poets and artists who lived in Paris during that period. Then he imagines a cast of characters who force the action. McDonald's ingenious plot has this maelstrom of mystery writers who are writing their own fictional stories while simultaneously being whirled through a lethal tsunami of impending doom."
—Vick Mickunas, Dayton Daily News

So for people who love historical crime novels, and Hemingway (who doesn't?), this is book for you! By the way, not only is he a great writer but he's one of the nicest guys around. :)

Check out his website for more info!

I love Christina Meldrum's writing...

So far I've only read her debut YA book, Madapple (which PW called "intoxicating" and I agree!), but I'm really looking forward to reading her new novel Amaryllis in Blueberry, which came out last week. Christina's writing style (at least in my opinion) is very literary and lovely ... I'm not good at writing reviews myself, but here are a couple favorite lines from blurbs on her website:

"A perfect melding of family saga, murder mystery and a meditation on faith, loyalty and love, this novel will both haunt and entertain you."
—Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author

"...her combination of coming-of-age and culture clash narratives has a seductive intensity."
—Publishers Weekly

"This lovely novel spans continents and cultures in a love story, a family saga, and an exploration of faith that is 'colored by Africa and flavored by the impurity that is love.'"
—bestselling author Meg Waite Clayton

Now I'm just waiting for her to send it to me... (one of the perks of being author-website-designer-to-the-stars). :)

So Shelly is out today!

Young Adult author Ty Roth's debut novel, So Shelly, came out today. Look at this gorgeous cover! One of my favorite fonts, and I love the image. I am a firm believer that a beautiful cover helps sell a book. I'd like to think a beautiful website does too, but the jury may be more out on that one. (And yes I know good writing is most important!)

Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading this book -- sounds so intriguing. Short description: So Shelly plunges the reader into uncharted territory as it transposes romantic poets John Keats, Lord Byron, and Percy Shelley into present-day high school students. Doesn't that sound interesting... and a slight step above Twilight? :)

Kirkus calls it "Lurid yet literary..." Makes me want to read it!

You can check Ty and his book out here.

Cavanaugh Lee's Save as Draft!

Cavanaugh Lee is a new client of mine whose book just came out last week. It's called Save as Draft: a novel written entirely in emails, texts, tweets, etc. Sound like fun? It totally is! And Cavanaugh is a total kick herself too.

The book is loosely based on real life events... She actually wrote the book in the aftermath of a broken engagement. The catalyst was when she went back and re-read all of her old emails to/from her ex-fiance. What she noticed from those emails was that her ex and she had spent the majority of their relationship on-line, not in-person, and that was what caused its demise. Because of work, responsibilities, and life in general, they didn’t spend any “real time” together and instead took the easy route – emailing, texting, twittering, and posting on each other’s Facebook walls. (Incredible!) Worse than that though, what she also noticed from her Gmail folder was how many emails were stuck in her Draft folder – emails that she never had the guts to send him....

You gotta read it!

Eyes of the Innocent by Brad Parks

The very goofy and talented Brad Parks has a new book, Eyes of the Innocent, out today! (click here at your own risk) Loved his first book and this one is sure to be as good. It's gotten some great reviews:

"The novel reads like a bit of investigative journalism: told in reporter's prose, with dollops of humor, suspense, and violence. Like his creator, Ross is aware of the pain in the things he writes about. He's also aware that makes for darned good reporting." —Booklist

"An enjoyable second mystery featuring a street-smart investigative reporter (after 2009's Faces of the Gone)... Once again, Parks, a former Washington Post reporter, deftly brings the personalities and dynamics of a modern-day city newsroom to life." —Publishers Weekly

"Who says white men can't jump? ... Street-smart Carter, appearances notwithstanding, has all the moves he needs to stay one step ahead. Or one jump. A breezy, entertaining sequel to Parks' well-received debut." —Kirkus Reviews

Buy it and enjoy!

The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley...

... is out in paperback today. I read it when it first came out and have to say, it is a fabulous, thought-provoking read! And the website is pretty sweet too. :)

The Things That Keep Us Here:

"A knockout debut of the decade."
—LA Times

Read more reviews

• Best of 2010—Top 3 Debut, Suspense Magazine


• Nominated for Reader's Choice Award (Salt Lake City Library System)


• Chosen by Target as a Breakout Book

Michael Kortya's new book is out today: The Cypress House

I for one can't wait to read it!

"Scary good...a gripping noir thriller-ghost story..."
—St. Petersburg Times

"Gothic-noir with a seamless atmospheric certainty."
—Houston Chronicle

A bit about the book...

Arlen Wagner has an awful gift, first discovered on the battlefields during his Army days: he sees death in the eyes of men before it strikes them. He is never wrong.

Fortunately, the haunting premonitions that plagued him in the war aren't common back home. They aren't, at least, until a hot Florida night in a train car bound for the Keys, when Arlen awakens to find the telltale smoke showing in every man's eyes...

Check it out on his website!
maddee

Left Coast Crime Award Nominees!

Huge congratulations to all Left Coast Crime Award Nominees -- but especially to my clients Jacqueline Winspear (Bruce Alexander Memorial Historical Award), Margaret Coel (Tony Hillerman Sky Award) and Chris Grabenstein (the Watson Award for best sidekick) (go Danny!). Proud of you all!

Susan Goldstein's debut novel!

Susan Goldstein's debut novel, Hollywood Forever, is now in stores!

A short synop: Things are not going well for wealthy, spoiled Samantha Crowley who thought her world would never collapse until her superstar novelist husband filed for divorce. Samantha's pursuit of "divorce justice" in tinsel town lands her in an even more perilous situation. Within twenty-four hours of meeting with her, the people from whom she seeks help turn up dead in dramatic fashion. Samantha, the unwanted wife, is now a wanted woman...

Check it out on her website!

new xuni.com website!

My new site just went live -- Super Thrilled! Thanks so much to all my fabulous clients (& friends) for supporting xuni.com for the last thirteen -- I can't believe it -- years! You all are the best. Check out the new design page, updated praise and branding stuff!

xox maddee
And thanks to Ryan for the incredibly fresh behind-the-scenes coding. You so rock, my friend.