Tag Archive for 'Stacy Juba'

Face-Off Hockey Novel Perfect Holiday Gift For Teens And Tweens

Published on December 5, 2011 in General News. Closed Tags: best Books for Young Readers, Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins, brothers, Cam Neely, Face-Off, hockey, hockey Hall of Fame Junior Education Program, hockey players, ice hockey, Kindle, middle grade novels, Phil Esposito, Ray Bourque, sibling rivalry, Stacy Juba, twins, Wayne Gretzky, young adult novels.

As of December 5, the Face-Off paperback edition is included in Amazon’s 4 for 3 promotion. Buy any 4 eligible items and get the lowest-priced item free.

I’m thrilled to announce that my young adult hockey novel Face-Off is now available in multiple e-book formats, (on sale for 99 cents for a limited time) as well as in a brand new $7.99 paperback edition. Face-Off is special to me as I wrote this book when I was 16 years old, scribbling in high school study halls and then going home to type up my notes on an electric typewriter. I submitted it into a contest and it won, leading to a publishing contract when I was an 18-year-old college freshman. Its success far exceeded my expectations. It was listed in Best Books for Young Teen Readers: Grades 7-10 and the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Junior Education Program placed Face-Off on its recommended reading list.

I had a blast writing this book, about teenage twin brothers battling it out on the ice and off. I got into hockey during the 1988 Olympics, worshiping players like Craig Janney, Brian Leetch and Bob Joyce. Once the Olympics ended, I quickly became a diehard Boston Bruins fan. I’d buy Hockey Digest and Hockey Illustrated on the newstand, and read biographies of retired players such as Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito. Posters of Cam Neely, Ray Bourque and Wayne Gretzky graced my walls. Boys in my classes chuckled when they saw me wearing a Bruins jersey to school, not believing this shy, non-athletic girl knew anything about hockey. I loved watching their jaws drop when I started spouting off players and stats.

An avid reader, I yearned to read a fiction novel about hockey, but all I found were biographies of 1970s hockey players. I’d been writing stories for years and started toying with the idea of creating my own hockey-themed novel. Having grown up as an only child, I was always fascinated by my friends with siblings. I found myself creating the McKendrick family – bickering twin brothers Brad and T.J., their kid brothers Chris and Jory, and their tense parents, who are on the verge of a separation. I wrote the book as entertainment for myself, as it was pure fun to create. One of my best friends, Joanne, would read my handwritten pages in study hall. Every day, she’d say, “Got any more pages?” Although I’d never spent much time around boys, somehow I pulled off telling the story from Brad and T.J.’s viewpoints. They were cool and athletic, but not perfect. I had a soft spot for Brad – he was sort of my alter ego. Brad shared my love of writing, my competitiveness, and my hotheadedness. He was also caring, especially toward his younger brothers. Once you got to know Brad, he had qualities you wouldn’t expect, like I did.

Over the years, I received tons of hand-written fan letters from kids from ages 9-16. Many wrote to me as a school project – word got around in Michigan that I wrote back! You can read snippets of these fan letters here. Eventually, the book went out of print. And I kept writing, spurred on by this early success. With technologies such as Kindle and Nook bringing so many opportunities for authors, I decided to publish an e-book edition and a new paperback for today’s generation of kids. (or adults who’d like to revisit their high school years.) About ninety-five percent of it is the same as the original, except I deleted some outdated references to TV shows, retired hockey players, and rock groups.

Face-Off is great for reluctant readers, as well as proficient readers, both boys and girls. If you know anyone with kids ages 9-16 – kids who love to read or dislike reading – please do me a favor and share this link. If you have kids in that age group on your holiday shopping list and you buy them the book, e-mail me through my contact page and I’ll send you some signed, personalized bookplate stickers to make the gift extra special. You can buy the paperback via Amazon, B&N, or through the publisher, and if you’re placing a bulk order, check out my group orders page. The e-book editions are at the following retailers:
Amazon Kindle
Smashwords
Barnes&Noble (Nook)
iPhone, iPad or iPod touch
I had such fun rereading and revising this book for its new editions. I think Face-Off is a good book to get kids reading and I’m pretty sure they’ll love it. I hope you’ll help me to spread the word and help kids to discover this book.

Sink or Swim 6: Signs of Love’s Vaughn Jackson Plus Kindle Giveaway!

Published on November 3, 2011 in General News. 16 Comments Tags: Chanta Rand, dating shows, reality shows, reality TV, Signs of Love, Sink or swim, Stacy Juba.

Today’s contestant on the fictional reality show Sink or Swim is Vaughn Jackson, 37 years old from San Antonio, TX. Vaughn is a character from the new book Signs of Love by Chanta Jefferson Rand. Vaughn is no stranger to reality shows, but more on that later. For now, the rules of “this” game show. Here’s a recap: the three literary characters with the highest number of unique commenters to their post will be chosen as winners at the end of the year, so be sure to leave a comment. Chanta is also giving away a gifted Kindle copy of Signs of Love to a commenter. To enter, leave your name and email address in the comments by November 15 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Here are Vaughn’s answers to the Sink or Swim 6.

1. Tell us about the book you’re from.
I’m the hero from the reality TV show romance called Signs of Love by Chanta Jefferson Rand. I get to choose my soul mate from 12 lucky bachelorettes who each have a different zodiac sign – thus the title, Signs of Love. Pretty catchy huh? Yeah, I know. The author is one smart Pisces. You can find Signs of Love on Amazon here.

2. What is something about yourself that no one else knows?
No one except my best friend and manager knows that I’m on a self-imposed hiatus from sex. I’ve got too many damn paternity suits against me, so I’m very distrustful of women. The sad thing is I’ve never even met some of the women accusing me of being their “baby daddy.” But I guess the promise of a huge pay day lures gold-diggers from around the world.

3. Tell us about an unusual job or hobby that you’ve had?
Fifteen years ago, I was the hottest singer on the R&B charts. I was known as the man with the velvet voice. But when I refused to conform to the changing trends in music, my record label turned its back on me. Ever since then, I’ve had a sour taste in my mouth for the entertainment business. But I still got it, baby. I can sing the panties off any woman.

4. What is the strangest or most exciting thing that has ever happened to you?
The most exciting thing was winning four Grammys. The strangest thing would be appearing on Signs of Love. Unfortunately, it’s the only way I can make enough money to pay the IRS the $700,000 in back taxes that I owe them. Correction: I don’t owe them – my sorry ass accountant, Willie Armstrong put all the money I made up his nose and now, the sonofabitch has been missing for six months. So, guess who’s left holding the bag?

5. What would you do if you won a million dollars?
If I won a million dollars, I would try to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. My grandmother, Elsa (who raised me because my parents cared more about drugs than children) is suffering from this devastating disease. Back in the day, she was a gorgeous German burlesque dancer. To me, she’s always been “Grams.” I provide round-the-clock care for her every need. She’s always been there for me and I intend to do the same for her.

6. Please tell us briefly about your author and list web sites.
My author’s site is www.ChantaRand.com. This site showcases all of her and links to other sites and charities she supports. Each month, a percentage of the proceeds from her books goes to charity.

Chanta’s radio show site is www.TheChantaRandShow.com. This site provides information on all the authors she interviews on her bi-monthly internet radio show. The guests are limited to romance authors only, but they have a ball (no pun intended) discussing love, romance, and all things related to the romance industry.

For newcomers, this on-line “game show” is inspired by the reality TV-themed mystery novel Sink or Swim. Mark your calendar for January 17, 2012 when Stacy and Chanta will chat about reality TV show novels on The Chanta Rand Show!

Win an E-book Copy of Vampire Romance Novel in Spooktacular Hop!

Published on October 23, 2011 in General News. 101 Comments Tags: book giveaways, contests, Dark Before Dawn, I Am A Reader, michele Drier, Not A Writer, paranormal books, Spooktacular Giveaway Hop, Stacy Juba, vampire novels.

Thanks for entering! I have contacted the winners, and they are Judy and Sheila!

I love Halloween and I’m especially excited this Halloween with the release of my new paranormal young adult thriller Dark Before Dawn, which is 99 cents on Amazon, Nook, and Smashwords this month as a special spooky promotion, along with nine other spooky paranormal YA books, and is a fun read for lovers of the Twilight, House of Night, and The Vampire Diaries series, Meg Cabot’s The Mediator series, or Lois Duncan books. It is also newly available in paperback.

Since I love Halloween so much, I couldn’t resist participating in the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop sponsored by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and The Diary of a Bookworm. Do you love winning books? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Below, you’ll find well over 400 blogs, all giving away book-related prizes. That’s over 400 prizes up for grabs! All you have to do is click down the list and follow the instructions on each blog to enter each individual giveaway. Enter as many or as few giveaways as you choose.

For this giveaway stop, my friend, fellow author Michele Drier, generously agreed to donate two Smashwords downloads of her vampire romance novel Snap: The World Unfolds. I’ve read this and, whether you usually read vampire novels or not, it is a great book.

SNAP, a multinational celeb TV show and magazine, is the holy grail for Maxie Gwenoch. When she snags the job as managing editor, she’s looking for fame, fortune and Jimmy Choos. What she finds is a media empire owned by Baron Kandesky and his family. A family of vampires. And when she meets the gorgeous Jean-Louis, vampire and co-worker, she’s a goner. Maxie believes she’s found her ultimate career. She doesn’t realize that she’s found a family feud like none other, a centuries-old rivalry between vampire families, with her as the linchpin.

Here are the steps to enter: Please submit a separate comment below for each entry. The winners will be selected via Random.org, with each comment receiving an entry number.

1. Mandatory entry – Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect or Networked Blogs. (both options are in left sidebar)

Optional Bonus entries:

1. Follow Michele on Twitter.
2. Follow Stacy on Twitter.
3. Join Stacy’s newsletter list. (sent 3 times per year)
4. Tweet this post.
5. Share this post on Facebook.

Good luck!!

YA Halloween Sale – 10 Spooky Paranormal E-books for $10!

Published on October 14, 2011 in General News. 5 Comments Tags: 99 cent Kindle sale, Blood Angel, Brightest Kind of Darkness, Dark Before Dawn, Demon High, Demon Whisperer, Edie Claire, Flo Fitzpatrick, Halloween books, Immortal Faith, J.A. Templeton, Kelly McClymer, Lori Devoti, Melody's Follies, Nine Horoscope in Catsup Stories (Wicked Good), P.T. Michelle, paranormal romance, Phoebe Matthews, Shelley Adina, Stacy Juba, Tawny Stokes, The Deepest Cut, urban fantasy, Wraith, young adult Kindle books, young adult paranormal books.

I’m delighted to be participating in a Spooky 99 Cent Sale with nine other young adult paranormal authors! Each book on this list is only 99 cents through Oct. 31. Buy all of them – 10 e-books for $10 – or just choose a few. Curl up on a dark night with these bewitching offerings from 10 traditionally published authors whose credits include Kindle Bestsellers, Romantic Times Top Picks, and Rita and Eppie award winners! We’ve served up a variety of Halloween treats! You can check them out below, as well as on this Amazon Listmania list. Also join our brand new Goodreads group to ask questions, read excerpts, or chat about Halloween fun!

DARK BEFORE DAWN by Stacy Juba
Psychic chills and thrills in a deserted New England beach town

BRIGHTEST KIND OF DARKNESS by P. T. Michelle
Seeing your entire next day has its advantages…and dangers. A dark paranormal YA full of mystery, adventure, horror and romance!

IMMORTAL FAITH by Shelley Adina
A spooky tale of vampires and unholy love

DEMON WHISPERER by Tawny Stokes
Zombierific action adventure!

NINE HOROSCOPE-IN-CATSUP STORIES (WICKED GOOD) by Phoebe Matthews
Tales of fortunetelling, a love potion, a zombie, a sorcerer, an unintentional stalker, a shapechanger, a vampire and a smash wizard. And then there’s the dog.

MELODY’S FOLLIES by Flo Fitzpatrick
Sheet music, a doll and an eccentric witch throw Melody Flynn through
time to the Ziegfeld Follies and a mysterious Egyptian cult.

WRAITH by Edie Claire
Kali thought that seeing dead people was a curse. Until, while spending her spring break on a sunny beach in Hawaii, she sees him…

DEMON HIGH by Lori Devoti
Dark and edgy urban fantasy with a heart-tugging romance

THE DEEPEST CUT (a MacKinnon Curse novel, Book 1)
by J. A. Templeton
A haunting dark paranormal romance with a twist of spine-tingling horror

BLOOD ANGEL by Kelly McClymer
Some decisions haunt you forever

Hope you enjoy discovering these fun books to get you in the Halloween spirit. Any help spreading the word about the sale is much appreciated!

Patriotic Family Books Featured on Army Wife Talk Radio

Published on September 26, 2011 in General News. 2 Comments Tags: Army Wife Network, army wife resources, Army Wife Talk Radio, army wives, How to Raise an American Patriot, Making it Okay for Our Kids to Be Proud to Be an American, Marijo Tinlin, military families, patriotic children's book, Stacy Juba, The Flag Keeper.

I’m excited to be a guest tonight on The Army Wife Network show “Army Wife Talk Radio.” This weekly 90 minute live talk show is broadcast every Monday night from 8 to 9:30 p.m. EST and is designed specifically for Army wives by Army wives. It is primarily a resource designed to bridge the gap between military and civilian resources and the families that they strive to support. Listeners can participate in a variety of discussions on topics ranging from relationship builders to parenting advice and care package ideas to health and wellness tips.

The show’s purpose is to motivate, inspire and empower Army wives worldwide to make the most of their military journey. Listeners hear the broadcast via streaming audio through their computer speakers, and can participate in the conversation via live chat, Skype, or by calling in to the broadcast. The broadcast is live and then archived and available for download on the web site in mp3 format, and is also available through many podcast directories including Apple iTunes. The show has two main segments: Main Guest and Resource of the Week. I will be discussing my children’s picture book The Flag Keeper for the Resource of the Week segment, scheduled from 9:07 to 9:22 p.m. Earlier in the show, Marijo Tinlin will discuss her new book How to Raise an American Patriot, Making It Okay for Our Kids to Be Proud to Be an American.”

The Flag Keeper is an illustrated children’s picture book that teaches children about U.S. flag etiquette through a fiction story, flag facts, activity idea, and discussion questions. It follows the story of Elizabeth, a bear whose father goes away on a business trip. During his absence, she wants to prove that she can raise their American flag by herself without his help. Unfortunately, some amusing mishaps occur, such as raising the flag upside down. The book has received endorsements from representatives of the national American Legion and VFW posts. It is available in paperback and as a $1.99 e-book edition for Kindle, Nook and more. For a special $7.99 discount code, visit The Flag Keeper page. I’ve noticed that the book is often ordered in bulk on Amazon, so for that reason, I now have a special group orders offer.

Based on Army Wife Talk Radio’s 2010 performance, the program averages 2100 downloads per show, and I’m honored to be a guest. I hope you’ll stop by and listen to the show, either live or archived. And if you know anyone who might be interested in learning more about the Army Wife Network or Army Wife Talk Radio, please help to spread the word!

Win Book Prizes During Bestseller Bound Birthday Bash!

Published on September 10, 2011 in Bestseller Bound. 10 Comments Tags: bestsellerbound, book contests, book giveaways, Darcia Helle, giveaways, indie authors, Maria Savva, Stacy Juba.

It’s hard to believe that it has been one full year since Bestseller Bound launched, bringing together indie authors, readers, and bloggers. This friendly community of like-minded people has become an important part of my life. Darcia Helle started this message board forum site, with input from myself and Maria Savva. My greatest contributions were coining the name Bestseller Bound and helping to write some of the mission statements, but Darcia and Maria have really kept the site blossoming with the day-to-day moderating and administering and have taken it in all sorts of wonderful directions. How Darcia has time to put out one excellent book after another, and be the leader of Bestseller Bound, I will never know but indie authors everywhere are thankful she brought us together. We’ve had all sorts of exciting projects, such as short story collections and sample chapter anthologies, not to mention the networking, book reviews, and literary discussion on the boards. If you’d like to come by and join the site, we’re always happy to have new members.

In honor of our anniversary/birthday event, a bunch of our members have gotten together to offer their books to interested readers. We have 12 prizes – 11 ebooks and 1 very special, not yet released, print book. The deadline for entry on all the blogs is midnight on Saturday, September 17. Winners will be notified via email, so please be sure to include a valid email address in your comment. The only other rule is that you need to be 16 or older. Here is the list:

1 coupon code for a free ebook copy of The Dream by Maria Savva from Smashwords

1 coupon code from Smashwords for free ebook copy of any one title by Darcia Helle

The Choice by Sydney S. Song (my pen name for fiction, only) from Smashwords giving free e-book coupon

1 coupon code from Smashwords for free ebook copy of Echo Falls by Jaime McDougall

1 coupon code from Smashwords for free ebook copy of any one title by Gareth Lewis

1 coupon code from Smashwords for free ebook copy of The Other Room by James Everington

1 coupon code from Smashwords for free ebook copy of any one title by Susan Helene Gottfried

1 coupon code from Smashwords for free ebook copy of Nexus Point by Jaleta Clegg

1 coupon code from Smashwords for a free eBook copy of 2010 Hindsight: A Year of Personal Growth, In Spite of Myself by Sharon E. Cathcart

1 coupon code from Smashwords for a free eBook copy of Caraliza and also Breathing into Stone by Joel Kirkpatrick

and…

1 free hardbound, signed copy of Joel’s secret 5th novel, shipped the week it is released.
*
I’m coming into this late after a crazy few weeks of vacations, computer troubles and hurricane power outages, so I am going to throw in a Smashwords download of my book Sink or Swim.

Want a chance to win? All you have to do is leave a comment here, with a valid email address. You need to be 16 years or older and can live anywhere in the world.

Want a few more chances to win? Seven other BestsellerBound authors are also running features on their blogs. Visit each one and leave a comment. You’ll receive one entry for each blog you comment on. Here is the list of participating authors, along with the link to their blog post:

Maria Savva: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1418272.Maria_Savva/blog

Cynthia Meyers-Hanson: http://mchanson714.blogspot.com/2011/09/year-anniversary-celebration.html

Susan Helene Gottfried: http://westofmars.com/2011/09/06/its-the-bestseller-bound-birthday

Jaime McDougall: http://www.inkyblots.com/bestseller-bound-turns-one-giveaway/

Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick: http://www.thetaleisthething.blogspot.com/

Jaleta Clegg: http://thetaleisthething.blogspot.com/2011/09/bestsellerbound-is-1-year-old.html

Darcia Helle: http://quietfurybooks.com/blog/2011/09/bestsellerbound-giveaway/

Rob Lowe’s New Book and the “Brat Pack” of the Writing Life

Published on July 16, 2011 in General News. 24 Comments Tags: bestseller Bound, Brat pack, C. Thomas Howell, Class, Darcia Helle, Emilio Estevez, Kindle Boards, Maria Savva, Michael J. Fox, Oxford Blues, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio, Rob Lowe book, S.E. Hinton, Sisters in Crime, St. Elmo's Fire, Stacy Juba, Stories I Only Tell My Friends, The Outsiders, The West Wing, Tom Cruise, writing organizations, Youngblood.

I never read biographies or autobiographies – I mean, never. It’s not that I have anything against those kind of books, but I much prefer fiction novels. I have to admit though, I got hooked on Rob Lowe’s new autobiography Stories I Only Tell My Friends after reading an excerpt in Vanity Fair while walking on the treadmill at the gym. The excerpt gave a behind the scenes glimpse into the making of the movie The Outsiders, based on the young adult novel by S.E. Hinton. I loved both the book and the movie growing up, and must have seen the film – which launched the careers of actors like Lowe, Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez, C. Thomas Howell, and Ralph Macchio – 20 times as a teenager.

I also enjoyed Lowe’s other early films, including St. Elmo’s Fire, Oxford Blues, Class and Youngblood. (Youngblood, a hockey movie, was another of my favorites in my teenage days.)

Reading Lowe’s book was like revisiting my adolescence. I found it really interesting that Lowe, the Sheen brothers, and the Penn brothers all attended the same high school and used to make amateur movies together. It was fun reading how all the actors portraying “greasers” in The Outsiders bonded as they pursued their movie-making goals together and wondered how this film would affect their futures. I also enjoyed reading about the Brat Pack and how this group of hot Hollywood actors got the nickname – a nickname that they did not appreciate. Another fun part of the book was learning about Lowe’s friendly rivalry and bantering with Michael J. Fox.

I found it admirable how unlike many of his peers, Lowe was able to outgrow his wilder days and settle down as a husband and dad. I hadn’t followed his more recent career endeavors on television shows such as The West Wing and after reading the book, I was glad to see that he’s been able to maintain his career as an in-demand actor after how hard he worked to break into show business. In fact, Lowe used to get picked on during his school days because his acting aspirations set him apart from his peers. He explains in the book that this is why he went on to form such tight friendships with other young actors as finally he’d found people who understood what he was going through – the highs and lows of auditions, the waiting for a big call, the rigorous demands of making a movie, and the wondering how this role will change your life.

This made me realize that actors and writers have a lot in common. Of course, I have some friends that aren’t in the writing or publishing business, but I also have many that share this world with me. Writing and publishing is not a 9-5 job. It’s a different sort of lifestyle fueled by creativity, head-in-the-clouds daydreaming, determination, and discipline. In my every day life over the years I’ve met a few people that write fiction and are pursuing publication, but not many and most aren’t as driven about it as I am. In my twenties, sometimes I felt like I was the only one who had this intense goal of making it as an author. (though obviously I wasn’t the only one, since there was so much competition to get an agent or land a publishing contract.) But it was easy to feel that way.

Thanks to writing organizations and the Internet, I no longer feel isolated. Truthfully, I know a heck of a lot more authors than non-authors. There’s my longtime critique partner and buddy Carol Baier – we’ve been critiquing each other’s books via e-mail for 9 years. Then there’s Hilary McGowan, whom I met in 2005 at the Malice Domestic Convention when we were both named as recipients of the William F. Deeck Malice Domestic Grant for new mystery writers. She is one of my closest friends and luckily, I even get to see her in person sometimes. (and speaking of the Brat Pack, Hilary has got a chick lit book that will knock your socks off! More on that when it comes out.) I’ve also found many friendships at Bestseller Bound, a site that brings together indie and small press authors and readers. Darcia Helle founded the site with some input from myself and Maria Savva, though Darcia and Maria have really kept it going. How lucky I am to have found such great friends in Maria, Darcia and everyone over at Bestseller Bound.

In addition, I’ve met wonderful authors and friends through Sisters in Crime, the Guppy subgroup of Sisters in Crime, and at the Kindle Boards. Recently, I got together with several of my fellow authors from Mainly Murder Press and we held a marketing brainstorming session amongst ourselves, followed by a well-attended panel discussion and book-signing for the public. What would I do without my inner circle and larger circle of writing friends, who understand what it takes to write a publishable novel, the ups and downs of submitting to agents, publishers and/or being an independent publisher, the overwhelming amount of promotion and marketing needed to make a career out of writing books, the joys of selling a thousand Kindle books in a month, and the frustrations of a slow month?

Our addiction is checking Kindle sales figures and Amazon rankings several times per day. We obsess a lot and dissect these obsessions with one another, i.e. why did I sell 30 Kindle books on Monday and a mere 2 on Wednesday? You want to know when Kindle authors are the most tense? The first day of the month, when Amazon sales reports start over again at zero. You sold 2000 books last month? That was then. This is now. Today you’re at zero. We all understand that relief of getting the first few sales of the month and seeing the numbers climb back up again. And when they don’t climb up… well, we’ve been there also.

In this age of the Internet, authors hang out in the same places. It’s not uncommon to see the same names over and over again on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon forums, various Yahoo groups and message board communities, and in the same newsletters and ad sites. Essentially, we’re one big pack, but it’s a friendly, welcoming pack. We share each other’s tweets on Twitter, like one another’s Facebook pages, team up for blogging events, on-line chats, and local book signings, review one another’s books, and hang out at the bar during writing conferences. Yeah, we may get a little “bratty” if we receive an unfair one-star review, but only in private with one another. To the world, we must present a professional demeanor. To each other, we can be neurotic and analytical.

Thanks to my fellow authors for all that they do. And thanks to my non-author friends and family, who help me to take a break and remind me of what’s truly important.

As for Rob Lowe’s book, if you’re a longtime fan of this actor, a new fan, or someone who is working hard to fulfill a dream of your own, I’d recommend it. He has an interesting story about the importance of being true to yourself and staying on the right path, a reminder that all of us could use from time to time.

8 Tips On Trying Out For A Reality Television Show

Published on June 22, 2011 in Reality Show Rundown. 2 Comments Tags: Bachelor Pad, Beauty and the Geek, Betty Fraser, Big Brother, Billy Garcia, David Olsen, Hashim Trends Locario, I Love New York, Leslie Haywood, Michelle Costa, Natalie Getz, Reality show audition tips, reality television, reality TV, reality TV shows, Shark Tank, Shawn Bakken, Sink or swim, Stacy Juba, Survivor: Cook Islands, Top Chef, trying out for a reality show.

I hope readers have enjoyed my Reality Show Rundown Month, a series of interviews with reality show contestants to celebrate the release of my mystery novel Sink or Swim, a fun summer read with a reality show premise. In conclusion, I am wrapping up the series with tips on trying out for a reality show. If getting picked for a reality show is one of your goals, then don’t miss these valuable tips from former contestants Natalie Getz of Bachelor Pad, Hashim Trends Locario of I Love New York, Leslie Haywood of Shark Tank, David Olsen and Shawn Bakken of Beauty and the Geek, Betty Fraser of Top Chef, and Billy Garcia of Survivor: Cook Islands. Where can you get better advice than from people who have been through it and survived to tell the tale? Here are the tips, straight from the horse’s mouth, and if you’d like to read the full interviews, click on the hyperlinks.

1. Natalie Getz, Bachelor Pad winner: If you are not yourself, a producer will see right through that. When people go over the top trying to get on these shows, it more then likely annoys the producers more then anything. Just be yourself. If you are what they are looking for, they will pick you. If not? Well, don’t quit your day job. They are looking for several different personality types. When you audition, there are probably 100 of you with the same character and it’s only a matter of luck if they pick you.

2. Hashim Trends Locario, I Love New York: I would tell them to not hold back. If you hold back, you don’t make good TV and they will cut out a lot of your screen time. I would say be yourself, but bring out the part of yourself that is the most interesting.

3. Leslie Haywood, Shark Tank: Going into it with the right attitude is KEY! Make your decision based on “what if nothing goes the way I hoped”… would you still do it just for the experience? If the answer is YES, then do it! It truly is a once in a lifetime EXPERIENCE, but there are no guarantees. You could be the “William Hung” (whom we all laughed at and along with) or the “Omarosa” (whom we all loved to hate). If you go into it “expecting” a certain outcome, you run the risk of tremendous disappointment. Instead, go into with the attitude “No matter what happens, this is an amazing OPPORTUNITY and a once in a lifetime EXPERIENCE.” And no matter what, try and HAVE FUN!

4. David Olsen, Beauty and the Geek winner: If I had the silver bullet to get on a reality show, I’d use it myself as I had too much fun and have been trying to get back into that world, so I don’t know any top secret information that will get someone a callback. That said, there are some tricks. As much of a cliche that it is, be yourself. Casting directors are very good at spotting phony people and they’re looking for authenticity above all. Another is try to be unique. If everyone is playing the Jersey Shore angle by appearing like a dirtbag, wear a suit (but only if you feel comfortable in one, as per my first piece of advice). Finally, there’s the old show biz adage of show, don’t tell. Don’t say you’re edgy, be edgy (I leave it as an exercise to the reader of how exactly one becomes edgy).

5. Shawn Bakken, Beauty and the Geek: Aside from “Don’t do it”? Someone asked me about that while the show was on the air (he ended up getting cast for Season 2) and I told him, “Just be yourself.” The problem is that being yourself in front of the cameras isn’t always what ends up on people’s TV screens. If you want to be on a reality show, don’t be surprised if the producers decide to flush your reputation down the toilet.

6. Betty Fraser, Top Chef: First thing I’d suggest is to learn about Pandora’s Box. Because once you reach people in their living rooms, that box is opened and there’s no going back. Reality shows are entertainment so big personalities have become a prerequisite. But what a lot of people don’t think about is the criticism you are opening yourself up for. I think people watch reality TV as much for who they like as who they don’t like. And people aren’t shy about sharing their feelings on chat boards. When the comments are nice, you feel great. But when they lay in to you, especially when they have no idea of the kind of person you really are, it can really hurt. If you don’t have a thick skin, then being on a reality show might not be the best decision.

7. Billy Garcia, Survivor: Cook Islands: Watch Wile E Coyote. That will be how you will look in the edit if you make it on a show and don’t win it. So if you have a problem with being the butt of the joke, then this isn’t for you. Otherwise, good luck.

8. Michelle Costa, Big Brother 10: The best advice I can give is to be yourself never try to be who you think they want. BE YOURSELF.

This concludes Reality Show Rundown Month. To read other interviews and articles in this series, click here. Do you have a few minutes to help me give some buzz to Sink or Swim? Get 8 ideas here that can make a big difference!

Promo Opp. – Author and Book Blogger Promo Days on my Facebook Page

Published on June 21, 2011 in General News and Guest Blog Guidelines. 4 Comments Tags: authors promotions, book bloggers, Book marketing, Book promotion, Facebook, Stacy Juba.

Due to time constraints and the need to focus on getting more books into production, I’ll be spending less time blogging. As a result, my “Twenty-Five Years Ago Today” and “Sink or Swim Interview” guest author features will be significantly cut back. They’re not being totally eliminated, as I’ve promised spots to a few authors and I may have an occasional Theme Week hosting authors in a specific genre, but I will no longer feature guest authors on a regular basis and I’m going to be taking a break.

However, I am going to try an experiment. I’m going to host three Author & Book Blogger Promo Days on my Facebook page this summer. On these Share Your Summer Reads days, authors are invited to promote their book and share an excerpt. Book bloggers and reviewers are invited to promote their blog, web site or latest review. Each individual may include up to two promos on my Facebook page on a given day. Links are fine. The only rules are that you like the Facebook page and that all posts be rated PG-13 – profanity and erotic content will not be allowed. To participate, simply post your blurb and link on my wall. If you’d like to share a brief excerpt (I’d recommend no more than a paragraph or two), you can comment on your own post to include the excerpt.

The Share Your Summer Reads Facebook Open Promo Days are:
Wednesday, June 22
Wednesday, July 20
Tuesday, August 30

Please restrict promotions to the above days. If this is successful, then I might host some more days in the fall. Hope to see you there! Once again, you can find my Facebook page here.

Reality Show Rundown Interview with “Bachelor Pad” Winner Natalie Getz

Published on June 20, 2011 in Reality Show Rundown. Closed Tags: Bachelor Pad, David Good, Natalie Getz, reality shows, reality TV, Sink or swim, Stacy Juba, The Bachelor, The Bachelor Season 13, The Bachelorette.

This is the eighth in a series of interviews with former reality show contestants, an idea inspired by my new reality show-themed mystery novel Sink or Swim, Where Reality TV Turns to Murder. For more information on Sink or Swim, and the interview schedule which features contestants from Survivor, Top Chef, Beauty and the Geek, Shark Tank, Bachelor Pad, Big Brother and I Love New York, please visit this link.

Today’s interview is with Natalie Getz, who viewers will know from The Bachelor, Season 13 and Bachelor Pad. Last fall, David Good and Natalie were the winning couple during the finale of Bachelor Pad, an ABC reality competition which featured former The Bachelor bachelorettes and The Bachelorette bachelors competing for a $250,000 cash prize.

1. Natalie, if you could boil down your experience on the Bachelor Pad to one paragraph, what was your overall feeling about being on this show?
By far the most entertaining, craziest, challenging and rewarding four weeks of my life. The entertainment factor came with the territory due to the fact that I got to film a reality TV show with some of my best friends! All of our inside jokes and ridiculous statements that we said on air to make each other laugh will always be with me. It was crazy in a sense that we had no clue what to expect going into it, except that we were competing for money. I had no clue I would fall for Jesse Beck and get dumped in the first week and then go on to explore my romantic feelings for my bestie David Good. The dating/love component was something I didn’t expect nor want. I think the biggest challenge was to orchestrate the game with Dave to ensure we kept our closest pals in the game at whatever cost to keep us safe. They didn’t show a lot of us brainstorming, but BELIEVE me, that was pretty much all we did. It was nerve wracking- I lost 5 lbs during filming! Dave and I were very fortunate to never be in hot water, simply because we were neutral and friends with everyone- the lives of the party so to speak. All of this paid off in the end when David and I were each rewarded with $125k and gained financial freedom from our debt.

2. What was it like to have cameras rolling all the time? How hard was it to get used to being in the public eye?
During my stint on The Bachelor Season 13, I could NOT get used to the cameras. They scared the be-jesus out of me and I got sweaty and nervous whenever they approached causing me to be way too shy and guarded with every word or statement I spoke. It doesn’t matter, however, because through the power of editing, I looked like an idiot. Bachelor Pad was incredible to film, because at that point I had already went on to do so much more with reality television and honestly didn’t even recognize the camera anymore. We even had them on us when we were sleeping (on The Bachelor and Bachelorette they do not) and it didn’t phase me. I maybe got a little too comfortable now looking back at some of my make out scenes…..it was like a less glorified version of Days Of Our Lives- hahaha. As for the public eye, that wasn’t hard at all. I already am a total Midwest chatter box who has long conversations with complete strangers all throughout the day, so for me, I love talking to fans about the show. I’ve actually made a couple friends from girls who have approached and recognized me. So fun! The first couple times I saw myself in a magazine or googled my name, I found it hilarious and embraced it as a once in a lifetime experience;) I’m not one to change my personality or watch what I say for an interview because that’s me and that’s reality TV! I do not have a filter, I’m raw, slightly obnoxious, and I have no intentions of hiding that. Works for me!

3. What was the best part about being on the show?
Hands down being back together, with no distractions from life’s daily interruptions, with some of my best friends and a bunch of other cool people! I can’t tell you how many incredible lifelong friends I’ve made whether they are cast, crew, or friends of cast mates. It’s real life Facebook! The fact that all of us already did Bachelor/ette, some of us got super close before filming. It pretty much felt like they filmed an ultimate dream vacation of me and my friends- AND I got paid! The next best part was living in a mansion, traveling to Vegas in a private jet and staying in a villa, being waited on hand and foot, and crazy expensive experiences I would never had done had it not been for the show. Thanks, Mike Fliess:)

4. What were your favorite challenges on the show? Least favorite?
My favorite challenges were the water balloon toss and the DWTS competition. Reason being they were the only athletic challenges, and being an athlete and ex college soccer player, I love active challenges! David and I would have won the dance competition if we hadn’t completely forgot the routine. Reason we forgot the routine? Well, because I know David as a man’s man and he is ALL dude, and all of the sudden it hit me how feminine he looked and I started laughing so hard and we completely got off track….whoops! Up until the performance that mattered, our dance was flawless. The music ran out before our awesome finish….dang! The Pie Eating Contest and Twister Contests were so lame. Hello- BORING!!! I’d rather watch paint dry. I hate cherry pie and the reason I lost Twister is because there were too many of us on the board and the board ran out of dots! They said right hand red, and there were zero red dot’s left to place my hand on! Gah! I thought the survey challenge was juvenile and ridiculous, but secretly thought it was damn good TV.

5. What advice would you give to someone who is considering applying for a reality show?
If you are not yourself, a producer will see right through that. When people go over the top trying to get on these shows, it more then likely annoys the producers more then anything. Just be yourself. If you are what they are looking for, they will pick you. If not? Well, don’t quit your day job. They are looking for several different personality types. When you audition, there are probably 100 of you with the same character and it’s only a matter of luck if they pick you.

6. What else have you been up to lately?
I have been keeping extremely busy focusing on fashion. I attend as many fashion shows as humanly possible, write about fashion, style clients, style cast on commercial and movie sets, and most importantly myself for all of my events! I am involved in hosting events and TV shows, as well as having fun as a commercial actress. I’M DEFINITELY NOT trying to be an actress or in commercials, but people keep asking me so I’m not going to say no! It’s a nice little side job;) Socially, I spend as much time with my family as possible back in Chicago and when I’m home in LA, I frequent comedy clubs and hang out with good friends and drink good wine. Riding my bike to the beach, shopping (of course), and style research is a daily must. I’m currently in the process of developing my website www.GetzStyle.com. The site will be all things fashion with a comedic twist. I will be blogging style about TV shows, movies, etc. I will also write weekly articles based on trend and style and have a Q&A advice section. The site will also feature interviews I will conduct with fashionistas, Bachelor/ette contestents, and others. Stay tuned and keep up with me on Twitter: @nataliegetz and Facebook: Search “Natalie Getz” and like my public page for all updates, interviews, articles, and nonsense!

This series will conclude June 22 with 8 Tips On Trying Out For A Reality Television Show. To read other interviews in this series, click here. Do you have a few minutes to help me give some buzz to Sink or Swim? Get 8 ideas here that can make a big difference!