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    Karma Girl by the numbers …

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    karma-girl-cover.jpgI’m finally done with my first round of publicity and book signings for Karma Girl. I want to thank everyone who came to a signing and bought a book. I hope you all enjoy Karma Girl! 😎

    Here are some other fun and weird facts from my May signings:

    Number of signings: 8

    Number of books I sold at signings: 63 

    Number of miles I drove to signings: 471 (258 to one signing alone)

    Best signings: My local library and comic book store. I sold 34 of my 63 books at those two signings.

    Worst signing: A local coffee shop. It was on a Tuesday night, and no one came except two women from my critique group. I sold one book that night to the store owner, who probably felt sorry for me.

    Worst signing redux: I drove 258 miles round trip to a store and sold a grand total of two books that day.

    Nicest thing someone said to me: It (Karma Girl) was better than a Nora Roberts book! (Said by a really sweet lady who had already bought and read the book and came to a signing just to get me to autograph it for her. She totally made my day with the NR comment.)

    Strangest thing someone said to me: Are you married? (A male comic book fan after we started talking about Bruce Campbell.)

    Strangest thing someone did: After my signing, someone called the comic book store and asked the owner if I was single. I’m extremely flattered, but seriously guys, I’m not that hot. And, for the record, I have a terrific fella in my life.

    Most annoying thing someone did: A guy talked to me on and off for an hour, asking me questions about writing, getting published, etc. Then, he didn’t even buy a book. I thought that was a little rude.

    Best location: The front corner of the comic book store. You had to walk by me to get or out of the store.

    Worst location: Getting put in the back of the coffee shop behind rows of books at one of my local chain stores. Nobody could see me, and I didn’t get very much walk-by traffic either, since I was in the history section. Who wants to read history in the summertime besides my significant other?

    So, I lived, I learned, and I sold some books. I’ll be doing some more events in July and updating the Appearances page and the rest of the Web site soon. Check back for details.

    What about you? What are the best and worst things that have happened at your signings? Inquiring minds want to know …

  • The Demon Moon LURVE Train …

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    Meljean Brook has a new book coming out June 5. It’s called Demon Moon and is about Colin, the most beautiful vampire in the world. In fact, he’s so beautiful that MJ is petitioning People magazine to put him on its annual list of gorgeous people. Below, MJ states her case for Colin, or you can get all the juicy details on her blog, including how to win some free books and Amazon gift certificates:

    Dear People Magazine,

    Every November, you come out with your “Sexiest Man Alive” issue; every spring, you print your list of the “World’s Most Beautiful People.”

    But in 2007 — and for the last two hundred years — the sexiest man and the most beautiful person has been … a vampire.

    George? Pffft. Brad? Come on! Jude? …no.

    Why isn’t it that Colin Ames-Beaumont hasn’t graced your cover? Is it simply because his picture cannot be taken? (He’s so beautiful a blank cover with just his name on it would make your readers drool.) Because he usually only comes out at night? (How is that different than Johnny Depp?) Because you think he hasn’t bared his assets for a Hollywood camera?

    Are you afraid of his tainted blood? You shouldn’t be: one look will not send you to the Chaos realm, surrounded by flying dragons and the screams of the damned. Only Colin sees that realm when he looks into a mirror — it will not trouble you. Is it the woman he’s falling in love with? Geeks need love, too, People Magazine — a fact you have long overlooked (but that is another campaign to be won.)

    Is it the fear that if you met him in a dark alley, the words “Oh my God you’re so beautiful!” would hardly be past your lips before he had you up against the wall for some hot sexing that you wouldn’t remember the next day?

    No; none of those things are true impediments to being called “the sexiest” or “the most beautiful”. I think the problem is that you’ve been stuck on one pesky little word in the “Sexiest Man” title: Alive.

    But there are those of us — readers and authors, geeks and norms — who know that Undead can be just as sexy as Living. And we’ve got hundreds of paranormal romances to prove it.

    So I’m beginning my campaign to get a vampire on the cover of your magazine. To no longer be forced to stare longingly at men who can’t read my mind. Men who can’t use a sword. Men who can’t wear satin-lined capes and look good doing it. I’m calling for all readers, living and undead, to fight for vampire equality.

    And I’m nominating Colin Ames-Beaumont to the be first representative of the “Sexiest Man Alive (and Undead)” for 2007. What separates him from other vampire romance heroes, you wonder? He’s strong, as they are. He sucks blood, as they do. He’s got out-of-control sexual appeal, as they do. But there is one thing, People Magazine, that makes Colin stand out from the rest of the vampire heroes.

    Colin … is blond.

    But do not take my word for it; judge for yourself. And because he is cursed, unable to see his reflection or to have any pictures taken, the only proof I can offer is in Demon Moon. The book cover cannot do him justice — you must look inside. Want a peek? The first four chapters are in a PDF here. Or you can buy it at Amazon (it is available June 5 in stores everywhere).

    Sincerely,
    Meljean Brook

    Living and Undead Readers for Vampire Equality

    Join the L.U.R.V.E. Train – Because vampires are beautiful people, too.

    Wow. I think that’s all I need to say. 😎

  • Book signings — Round 2 …

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    So, I did my second round of book signings on Saturday. Sold 16 books total. Not too shabby for only two signings.

    And I learned something important — it’s all about location, location, location. I sold 10 books at the store where I was stationed by the entrance, compared to only six at the store where I was in the back corner of the coffee shop.

    Next time, I think I’ll ask them to move the table to a better spot.

    Six signings down, two to go (as of right now). I’m taking a break this weekend, but I’ll be haunting bookstores again on May 26-27. 😎

    What about you? Do you think location matters when you sign books? Inquiring minds want to know …

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    Numbers game …

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    Karma Girl has been out almost two weeks now, and I’ve been trying to figure out how well it’s doing. Mostly by checking my online Amazon and Barnes & Noble rankings every day. Yes, I am that obsessive. 😎

    I also got some good news from my editor. Karma Girl was #22 on the B&N trade romance list last week and #36 on the BookScan list.

    At least, I think this is good news. I have no idea what those numbers actually mean. Copies sold? Shipped? Returned? Put in a big pile and burned to ash?

    Actually, I have no idea what any of the best-seller numbers mean. Why is Publishers Weekly different from the New York Times list? Why are both of those different from USA Today? And those lists don’t count actual copies sold, right? They look at books shipped … or something.

    If anyone knows of an article that explains the numbers game, please pass it on. Inquiring minds want to know how well the book is doing …

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    And even more book signings …

    So, here’s where I’ll be at this Saturday, May 12, for my latest, greatest book signings:

    Fron 12:30-2:30 p.m., I’ll be at B Dalton Booksellers in the Bristol Mall in Bristol, Va.

    From 4-6 p.m., I’ll be at Books-A-Million in Johnson City, Tenn.

    Also, on Monday, May 14, I’ll be guest blogging over at Milday Insanity.

    Hope to see you there! 😎