The L.A. Times Book Festival through the Eyes of a Small Press Author

Recently, I was honored to host author Marilyn Meredith, author of No Sanctuary on her virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion. Meeting her this weekend at the Los Angeles Times Book Festival was one of the thrills of writing this blog. When you write about celebrities whether they are movie stars or book authors it’s nice to meet them in person.

Here is Marilyn’s guest post/review on the festival.

This was the third time I've been to the L.A. Times Book Festival. For those who've never been there, it's sprawled all over the UCLA campus--which by the way is beautiful.

Each booth is housed in a white tent and they seem to go on forever and ever. Thousands and thousands of people come. There are bookstore booths, publishing company booths, college bookstore booths, library booths, single author booths, booths advertising all sorts of things from health products to every religion you can imagine and some you never imagined, and of course, food booths.

In order to get to the festival, first you must find a place to park--there are plenty of parking garages. Then you must be prepared to take a long walk. If you are toting books for signing, like I was, then you need some kind of conveyance for transporting them--which I do. Actually we pulled along two rolling beverage carriers filled with books.

If you are a big name author and signing in a bookstore's booth (there are lots of these), the bookstore will order them and bring them for you.

I had two signing spots: one hour both days in the Author Co-op Booth and a two hour slot in the L.A. Chapter of Sisters in Crime's booth.

In the Co-op booth I only sold one book each day during my short time period, but I certainly talked to lots of people and my husband handed out many cards with my website and information about my books.

The Sisters in Crime booth had an advantage in that it was right in the middle of the action and it was a corner booth. Six authors signed at a time, but I sold nine books while there.

Of course this comes nowhere near paying for what it took for me to get there. It's a three and a half hour drive and we stayed in a motel two nights and of course had to pay for food.

Was it worth it? In monetary terms, no. I think every author ought to experience it at least once.
It's absolutely mind-boggling! If you got tickets ahead of time (free) you could see and hear all sorts of celebrities who have written books, including Mary Higgins Clark and her daughter.

For me, one of the pluses was meeting Rebecca who hosts this blog! I also met someone who graduated from the same high school in L.A. that I did, though she graduated a couple of years before I did. I ran into author and friend, Sue McGinty, who lives in San Luis Obispo twice. I also got to see another author friend, Gay Kinman, who lives in the L.A. area and haven't seen since we went to the Edgar Awards in New York together.

Drawbacks: It's easy to get turned around and sometimes hard to find what you're looking for. Food was overpriced. During the busiest times, lines for the bathroom were long. The pluses far out-weigh the drawbacks. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience--and I've done it three times.

Marilyn a.k.a. F. M. Meredith

http://fictionforyou.com
http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/
http://rockybluffpd.blogspot.com/
Stiletto Gang: http://thestilettogang.blogspot.com/

The Real Hollywood Reviews No Sanctuary by Author F.M. Meredith

F.M. Meredith’s novel reads like a “who done it” Agatha Christie novel with murder, mystery, intrigue and plenty of suspects. The small town of Rocky Bluff has a hard time coming to grips with the murder of the local pastor’s wife. It registers a shock for all townspeople and even more baffling for the Rocky Bluff Police Department who can’t seem to come up with any leads even though there are a lot of suspects. Secondary to the main story is a second crime taking place that the main character Officer Stacy Wilbur must handle delicately for all those involved. As a police officer, she often has to make quick decisions—usually they are the right ones, but sometimes she finds herself in a situation that will take all of her abilities to figure out an escape route.

As Officer Stacy Wilbur does her best to balance life between her son and work she has a hard time dealing with her apparent interest in Detective Doug Milligan, of which she vowed she would not let happen. In the end she makes a decision that is better for the benefit of her son and herself.

Apart from the fact that No Sanctuary involves a murder, a suicide and cheating spouses it deserves a PG 13 rating. It’s refreshing to read a book that can illustrate police work without gruesome violence, annoying car chases and snappy, clichéd comments.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Under the name of F.M. Meredith, Marilyn Meredith writes the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, the latest is No Sanctuary from Oak Tree Press. She is also the author of the award-winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series as well as over twenty published novels. The latest is, Kindred Spirits, from Mundania Press.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, EPIC and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She was an instructor for Writer’s Digest School for ten years, served as an instructor at the Maui Writer’s Retreat and many other writer’s conferences. She makes her home in Springville, much like Bear Creek where Deputy Tempe Crabtree lives.

Visit Marilyn online at http://fictionforyou.com

Thursday Thirteen - F.M. Meredith Author of No Sanctuary Highlights 13 Character Traits

No Sanctuary is about two churches, two ministers and a murder. Officer Stacey Wilbur helps Detective Doug Milligan in the investigation of the case, but also finds herself involved in the attempt to trap a pedophile, and has to make several decisions, one that jeopardizes her life.

Thirteen Good Qualities about Stacey Wilbur by F.M. Meredith

1. Though small of stature, Officer Stacey Wilbur has learned to use her intelligence to defuse volatile situations. She has earned the respect of her fellow police officers.

2. As a police officer, she often has to make quick decisions—usually they are the right ones, but sometimes she finds herself in a situation that will take all of her abilities to figure out an escape route.

3. She’s a good mother and always puts her son Davey’s welfare first. Because she lives with her parents, she has built-in babysitters she can trust. It is important to her to spend quality time with Davey, something that isn’t always that easy because of her job.

4. Though she once made a vow not to date anyone on the Rocky Bluff P.D., her attraction to Detective Doug Milligan caused her to break the vow. Despite a very real interest in Doug, the romance is developing slowly because she wants to be sure this will be right for her and for Davey.

5. Stacey loves her parents. She’s grateful to them for taking her and her son in when her first husband died and left her with a small child. She enjoys being with them and is thankful for all their support.

6. A member of the same church as her parents, Rocky Bluff Community Church, Stacey tries to attend as often as possible—not as much as she’d like because of her job. Fortunately, her parents see that Davey gets to Sunday School as Stacey believes it’s important for her son to have a religious background.

7. Stacey has empathy for those who have been hurt by crime, making her a caring police officer. It is also the reason she often has to be the one to deliver bad news to relatives of victims.

8. Stacey is kind. When Officer Gordon Butler had an obvious crush on her, Stacey continued to be nice to him and tried to let him down easy. She also overlooks Butler’s bumbling actions.

9. Brave, Stacey moves in when needed—though sometimes it would’ve been better if she’d waited for back-up.

10. Never vain, Stacey wears her honey colored hair in a simple short-cropped style and the only make-up, a little mascara and blush when she happens to think about it—though always when she goes out on a date with Doug.

11. She is always ready for a challenge. As a police officer, she has taken on many jobs that have been far beyond the job description of a patrol officer. Because she’s the only female officer on Rocky Bluff P.D., she has been given opportunities her male counterparts couldn’t qualify for.

12. She has learned it’s always better to live day-to-day since planning for the future seldom turns out the way she hoped for or thought it would. Though she does love Doug, she isn’t thinking ahead to a marriage and happy life together, but rather just enjoying the hours they manage to be together.

13. Stacey knows what’s important: to provide a good life for her son, to protect him and love him with all her heart, to cherish the time she has with him and her parents, to do her very best while on the job, and to thank God for all her blessings.

No Sanctuary can be purchased at http://www.oaktreebooks.com or Amazon. For an autographed copy, go to the author’s website at http://fictionforyou.com

Author F. M. Meredith Creates Blog for her Novel No Sanctuary

When I finish a good novel I always feel a let down because the novel came to an end and after investing all that time with the characters I feel they have almost become extended family. I want to know what happens to the characters long after the book ends. Trust me, you will feel the same way after finishing No Sanctuary, but author F.M. Meredith has felt your pain and has come up with a way for you to check in with the characters of the Rocky Bluff Police Department. You can find all the characters in the novel at The Rocky Bluff Police Department at the Rocky Bluff Police Department Blog and find out what crimes are happening in the small town.




About the Author:
Under the name of F.M. Meredith, Marilyn Meredith writes the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, the latest is No Sanctuary from Oak Tree Press. She is also the author of the award-winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series as well as over twenty published novels. The latest is, Kindred Spirits, from Mundania Press.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, EPIC and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She was an instructor for Writer’s Digest School for ten years, served as an instructor at the Maui Writer’s Retreat and many other writer’s conferences. She makes her home in Springville, much like Bear Creek where Deputy Tempe Crabtree lives.

Visit Marilyn online at http://fictionforyou.com


About the book:
First on the scene of a traffic accident that turns out to be murder, Officer Stacey Wilbur calls Detective Doug Milligan. Despite her former vow to never date anyone on the Rocky Bluff P.D., she and Milligan are romantically involved. Finding time to be alone together isn’t easy.

The murder victim is the wife of a popular Rocky Bluff minister, and several suspects immediately come to the forefront, the minister himself, his nosy secretary, the choir director, and a nerdy stalker. Stacey helps Doug with the murder investigation, but the Chief asks her to go undercover as a prostitute to expose a pedophile which leads to a surprising job offer.

Stacey must make two major decisions that will change her life forever, and a third that nearly causes her to lose her life.

F.M. Meredith's virtual book tour promoted by Pump Up Your Book Promotion.

Memories of a Simpler Time Interview with Author of No Sanctuary, F.M. Meredith

Today, F.M. Meredith, author of No Sanctuary, the latest in her crime fiction Rocky Bluff P.D. series joins The Real Hollywood Book Chat and shares with us her memories of growing up in Los Angeles during World War II. The places she talks about no longer exist today and the way of life is completely different. It’s always a pleasure to welcome an author that has ties to the same locations as the writer of The Real Hollywood Blog.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
First on the scene of a traffic accident that turns out to be murder, Officer Stacey Wilbur calls Detective Doug Milligan. Despite her former vow to never date anyone on the Rocky Bluff P.D., she and Milligan are romantically involved. Finding time to be alone together isn’t easy.

The murder victim is the wife of a popular Rocky Bluff minister, and several suspects immediately come to the forefront, the minister himself, his nosy secretary, the choir director, and a nerdy stalker. Stacey helps Doug with the murder investigation, but the Chief asks her to go undercover as a prostitute to expose a pedophile which leads to a surprising job offer.

Stacey must make two major decisions that will change her life forever, and a third that nearly causes her to lose her life.


Welcome for day two Marilyn,
Will you share with us your memories of growing up in Los Angeles?

Thank you, it will be my pleasure.


F.M.: My growing up years were spent in Eagle Rock, CA a community located in Los Angeles, between Glendale and South Pasadena. It was a wonderful time to grow up despite the fact the 2nd World War was going on from the time I was seven until I was thirteen.

This is what I remember about the war: I heard the frightening announcement about Pearl Harbor by President Roosevelt on the radio, we had an inner room to go to during blackouts (where we played games and ate snacks), sometimes there would be a blackout while my dad was driving—no streetlights, we had air raid drills and alarms while we were in school. Mom had a Victory Garden, don’t think she did very well growing things. Sugar, gas, and other things were rationed. We had food stamps and gas stamps. The Air Warden held meetings at his house where the adults learned about First Aid and other important things while we kids played hide ‘n seek in the dark. I was convinced if we lost the war that I would make the perfect spy. My dad rode his bike to work at Paramount Studios every day so we could save our gas stamps for our vacation camping trips to Bass Lake. Bubble gum was impossible to find—once paid 50 cents for one piece that ordinarily cost a penny.

I told everyone my sister was a princess who’d been sent over from Europe to live with us in order to be safe—I don’t think many believed me except my sister who was convinced she was adopted since she was never sent back home.

I was truly star struck. I bought movie magazines and cut out the photos of my favorite stars and taped them to my closet door. My mom and I would go to live radio shows where many movie stars appeared on Lux Radio Theater. After, I’d wait out in the parking lot and get autographs. Once my favorite Van Johnson starred in a show, but he got in his car and drove off before I could catch him. I ran out in the street, chased his car until he stopped at a light, I stuck my autograph book in the driver’s window. He smiled and I got his autograph.

We went to the movies every Friday night and saw a double feature, a newsreel, cartoon and usually during intermission a live Keno game was played for prizes like a set of dishes. My father would talk all through the movies and point out things like telephone lines in period shows that didn’t have telephones yet, trains that were really miniature trains rather than the big ones that they were supposed to be, action that went on in basement sets, water scenes done in a big tank on the back lot of Paramount. Now I’m married to a husband that always points out errors in airplanes used in movies.

When I was around ten, I’d ride my bicycles around the neighborhood, find a lovely front lawn with a big tree (we didn’t have any parks) and settled down with my writing and art supplies and spend the whole afternoon writing and drawing. No one ever came out of the house and asked what I was doing.

Everyone went on the street car to downtown L.A. where all the big department stores were located: the Broadway was on one end of a block and May Co. on the other with all sorts of great stores in between like Woolworth’s Five and Dime. My cousin and I were just 10 years old when we were allowed to go “downtown” by ourselves, but could only stay on that one block.

When I was a teenager, my friends and I belonged to a Calling All Girls club sponsored by May Co. They had a small theater where they brought in stars and we were thrilled to see Frank Sinatra—a new, young and very skinny, singing sensation.

I walked to and from my grammar school about 5 blocks away, fun because there were always lots of kids walking. Took a sack lunch everyday. It was much farther to our next school, Washington Irving Junior High though sometimes we walked there too or took the bus and streetcar. Eagle Rock High was even farther, mostly took the bus and then the streetcar, then had to walk about eight blocks. Sometimes though, I’d cut across the hills, something we weren’t supposed to do because hobos lived in the hills, and then walk the rest of the way.

During summer time, I always organized a Fourth of July parade with the neighborhood kids decorating their bikes and wagons and wearing patriotic costumes. I also wrote plays and the neighborhood kids acted in them. We charged a nickel to come watch. We played at our friends houses, roller skated or rode our bikes, hiked up in the hills, never told our folks where we were going to be, just had to be home on time for supper.

High school was great, despite all the cliques. Had one of my own, mostly kids I’d gone to grammar school with but with a few additions. We even had our own club. I was always an organizer. Didn’t have a real boyfriend, though plenty of crushes, until one day in my senior year, I was asked to go on a blind date with a young man who turned out to be a really cute sailor. He visited our house every weekend after that—and I married him the next October.

Marilyn Meredith author of No Sanctuary, written as F.M. Meredith


Marilyn’s tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion.

Hollywood Trivia Interview with F.M. Meredith, author of No Sanctuary

How would you convince seven shipwrecked individuals on a deserted island to buy your book? If Rhett Butler, one of the characters from Gone With the Wind were to change his famous line from “Frankly, My Dear I don’t give a damn” to Frankly, My Dear I think you should read this paragraph from this bestselling novelist. What paragraph do you think he is referring to? Find out all this and more today when The Real Hollywood Book Chat welcomes author F.M. Meredith, author of No Sanctuary, a murder mystery novel.




ABOUT THE BOOK
First on the scene of a traffic accident that turns out to be murder, Officer Stacey Wilbur calls Detective Doug Milligan. Despite her former vow to never date anyone on the Rocky Bluff P.D., she and Milligan are romantically involved. Finding time to be alone together isn’t easy.

The murder victim is the wife of a popular Rocky Bluff minister, and several suspects immediately come to the forefront, the minister himself, his nosy secretary, the choir director, and a nerdy stalker. Stacey helps Doug with the murder investigation, but the Chief asks her to go undercover as a prostitute to expose a pedophile which leads to a surprising job offer.

Stacey must make two major decisions that will change her life forever, and a third that nearly causes her to lose her life.

INTERVIEW

Welcome to The Real Hollywood Book Chat Marilyn,

I can tell right away this is going to be an exciting game of Hollywood Trivia. Let's get started with question number one.

1. Gilligan’s Island Trivia – Taking a three hour boat tour, you find yourself shipwrecked on this tiny little remote island where 7 people were also shipwrecked. How would you convince this varied audience to read your book? Remember on this island besides The Skipper, his little buddy Gilligan and MaryAnn, is the smart Professor, the rich Mr.& Mrs. Howell who have the money to make your book into a movie and Ginger the movie star who might have a starring role.


F.M: Despite the fact that this is a beautiful tropical island, Skipper, aren’t you getting just a wee bit bored? I happen to have just the thing to give you a few hours of entertainment, my crime novel, No Sanctuary. You’ll meet the men and one woman who serve on the Rocky Bluff Police Department and their families and see how the job affects the family and what’s going on with the family affects the job.

Rocky Bluff is a small beach community which you might want to compare with your own beach. Mary Ann, you might be particularly interested in the interplay between the characters and most especially Officer Stacey Wilbur and Detective Doug Milligan. Gilligan, I suspect you might relate to the well-meaning but bumbling Gordon Butler.
Mr. and Mrs. Howell, should you ever get off this island perhaps you’d consider financing a movie based on this book. Police procedurals and mysteries are popular and No Sanctuary has a different slant on this genre. Lastly, Ginger, since you have acting ability, you might enjoy using your talents to play Officer Stacey Wilbur who must make several decisions, one which might cost her life.

2. Wheel of Fortune – you have been asked by the Wheel of Fortune writers to create a word puzzle spelling one of the books characters his/her name. Which character name would you want on the Wheel of Fortune puzzle board and why?

F.M.: Officer Stacey Wilbur since she is the most pivotal character in No Sanctuary.

3. Gone With the Wind – If Rhett Butler were to change his famous line from “Frankly, My Dear I don’t give a damn” to Frankly, My Dear I think you should read this paragraph from this bestselling novelist. What paragraph is Rhett referring to? Tell us how it fits into the novel?

F.M.: It never failed. No sooner had he put his head down on the pillow when the phone rang summoning him to a suspicious death. No one ever seemed to die under questionable circumstances in the day time. Rather than an annoyance, the call charged his adrenalin--and since it came from Stacey, he was eager to go.

This is in the beginning of the novel, and Officer Stacey Wilbur called Detective Doug Milligan to report a suspicious death. Though Stacey had a rule to never date anyone who worked on the Rocky Bluff P.D., the mutual attraction between her and Doug caused her to forget her vow.


4. Hollywood Book Walk of Fame – A bookstore in Hollywood, California had decided that books should have their own walk of fame. So they have lined the sidewalk in front of their store with book molds in the sidewalk. Your name is to appear on one of these book molds. You give an acceptance speech at the ceremony. What would you say and who would you thank?

F.M.: I am thrilled that you’ve chosen No Sanctuary as one of the books to appear on the walk of fame. I want to thank you for this wonderful honor.

I’d also like to thank my son-in-law, Officer Mike Cole, who is no longer with us. If it hadn’t been for him I would never have begun my fascination with law enforcement. He took me on my first ride-along and spent many hours telling me about his adventures as an Oxnard police officer. I’d also like to thank the other law enforcement officers who let me ride along and watch them work. And of course, I must thank everyone who has read books in my Rocky Bluff P.D. series and enjoyed them. Most of all, I must thank my husband who allows me to spend so much time with the people who live and work in Rocky Bluff.

Thank you, F. M. Meredith a.k.a. Marilyn Meredith, for stopping by The Real Hollywood blog today. I wish you continued success on your virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion and who knows your book might just make it to the silver screen.