15 August, 2013

#SpecialFeature :: #GuestPost - Sweet Karoline's Birth by #Author Catherine Astolfo

Now Presenting:
*** SPECIAL FEATURE - August'13 ***

Sweet Karoline's Birth

Don’t Put Baby in a Corner

I just gave birth to a new book baby. Her name is Sweet Karoline. After all the pain and suffering it’s a bit of a relief. However, it does mean that I have to send her into the big, bad world. Until now she’s been protected in the womb of my imagination.
Her siblings wait for her to join them on bookshelves and online. They are all girls, too. Just like Michael Jackson I gave my previous children the same names. They all end with “An Emily Taylor Mystery”. They’ve got so many traits in common you might think they’re quadruplets. Except that they were born a couple of years apart.
Sweet Karoline, however, is completely different. She’ll always stand alone.
Here’s how I began to introduce my new baby to the world. First I had to register her birth. Next I gave her to my first readers. They were gentle but nevertheless found ways to make her better. They poked and prodded and did all kinds of checks on her. Like examining all her commas and inner dialogues and clues. Similar to the invitees to Sleeping Beauty’s christening, they gave Sweet Karoline their blessings and gifts. (Luckily, no Maleficent showed up!)
After that Sweet Karoline went off to publisher’s school. This could have subjected her to rejection. Several times over, perhaps. Publisher schools are private and very particular about their students. If she hadn’t been accepted she’d again be poked and prodded. She might even be rearranged. Parts of her might have had to be redone.
Happily, she passed publishers’ school then proceeded to pass the examinations of the editor with flying colours. She learned a lot. In some ways Sweet Karoline was a different novel when she graduated from Imajin Books. Slimmer. Lovelier. Definitely more refined.
Once all her schooling was finished she was off on her own, out in the world. So far, so good, but I hope Sweet Karoline always receives acceptance, joy, success and good health. I hope no one puts Baby in a corner but lets her dance freely. I can’t protect her forever, though. She’s at the mercy of reviewers, bloggers, random media and people around the world. She’s traveling a lot. She’s bound to meet people who love her and some who don’t. I can’t make her life perfect. Sweet Karoline’s sightseeing missions could be short lived. Or they could be wildly successful and blessed with longevity. Either way, I’ll always love her!
Meanwhile I’ll be at home. I’ll enjoy Sweet Karoline’s successes from afar. Grieve when she gets hurt. Work on sibling six, which has already germinated. 

About the Author :: Catherine Astolfo
Catherine Astolfo retired in 2002 after a very successful 34 years in education. Catherine received the Elementary Dufferin-Peel OECTA Award for Outstanding Service in 1998. She was also awarded Dufferin-Peel Catholic Elementary Principal of the Year in 2002 by the Catholic Principals Council of Ontario.
Catherine is a past President of Crime Writers of Canada and a Derrick Murdoch Award winner (2012). She was a Zonta Club 2012 Nominee for Women of Achievement.
Writing is Catherine’s passion. She can recall inventing fantasy stories for her classmates in Grade Three. Her short stories and poems have been published in a number of literary Canadian presses. In 2005, she won a Brampton Arts Award. Her short stories won the Bloody Words Short Story Award (second and first) in 2009 and 2010. She won the prestigious Arthur Ellis Best Short Crime Story Award in 2012.
Catherine’s novels, The Emily Taylor Mysteries and Sweet Karoline, are published by Imajin Books and are optioned for film by Sisbro & Co. Inc.

Her Books

"If I knew what I know now, would I have searched so hard for the truth?" 
Anne Williams says she killed her best friend, Karoline. But did she? Or is there more to Karoline's mysterious death than meets the eye? 
Anne embarks on a compelling journey to discover her past and exposes an unusual history, horrific crimes and appalling betrayals. Through unexpected turns and revelations, Anne learns about love, family and who she really is. Can she survive the truth? 



The Emily Taylor Mystery Series
   
(Click on the Book Covers to visit their Goodreads Page)

Say Hello to Catherine

Buy Sweet Karoline


Giveaway
Ms.Catherine has kindly agreed to sponsor prizes for the 5 top winners! 
Each winner will get a copy of their choice of any ebook from www.imajinbooks.com

Imajin Books have Adventure, Anthology, Chick Lit, Fantasy, Historical, Horror, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Paranormal/Supernatural, Romance, Religious Fiction, Science Fiction, Suspense/Thriller, Western, Young Adult (YA) books. So matter your preferred genre, you are sure to find something to your liking.

So what are you waiting for? Enter the Rafflecopter Now! 
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2 comments:

  1. I found your great blog through the WLC Blog Follows on the World Literary Cafe! Great to connect!

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  2. This is a completely new series for me and it looks like great fun. I love humor with suspense and if I am reading this right that is what the series is offering. So a question, hummmmmmm - do you find writing in humor to the suspense difficult? or is that just how you roll ;) (I tend to crack jokes when tense)

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