DOUBLE SCOOP of BIG NEWS! The Crystal Ball Book Release, New JoyceMason.com

 The Crystal Ball Video Book Trailer

Dear Radical Readers,

I’m sure it’s no accident that I’m getting to check off Item #1 on my Bucket List during Prayer and Thanksgiving Month on The Radical Virgo. My bucket is overflowing with gratitude about the publication of my first novel. This is the answer to a prayer so old; I wondered if I’d outlive the response. (No wonder I made sure my book had longevity as one of its major themes.)

The Crystal Ball: A Micki Michaels Mystery, the paperback version, is now available for order on Amazon’s CreateSpace store. In about a week, you can purchase it on the “full service” store, where you likely shop for most things on Amazon in the US (Amazon.com). Availability on Amazon’s other channels in the EU and other countries outside the US may take longer. I’ll update links, as they become live, here on The Radical Virgo (check the sidebar) and on JoyceMason.com.

The first eReader version is now available on Smashwords. (Apple iPad/iBooks, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and most e-reading apps including Stanza, Aldiko, Adobe Digital Editions, others.) The Kindle version will be available soon. Again, check the sidebar here and JoyceMason.com.

Website Revamp. Speaking of JoyceMason.com, I’m happy to announce yet another milestone I met today. My website makeover is now complete. Please visit and enjoy my new cyber “digs.” I’m grateful to friend and graphic artist Sara Fisk for her fine work and artistic eye that gives the site a brand new atmosphere to celebrate the release of The Crystal Ball and make it an “information kiosk.” Besides being the place that will focus on my fiction, JoyceMason.com will “give directions” on where to find my non-fiction blogs and books, including those on astrology. All astrology and related topics are now housed here on The Radical Virgo. My namesake website will be dedicated primarily to my new career as a novelist and being the one point of referral with links to find all my publications.

The Blurb. The plot and flavor of The Crystal Ball are captured on the book trailer video, above, but if you’d rather have it in words, see them at the new party on JoyceMason.com. The new incarnation of my namesake site really does have a balloons-and-confetti atmosphere, complete with Fun and Games and a Treasure Hunt on the bottom of the homepage.

Sacramento Book Launch and Signing Party.  If you live within driving distance of Sacramento, California: Don’t miss my Book Launch and Signing Party on Nov. 20, 3:00 – 6:00 PM at The Blue Prynt Restaurant and Bar, 815 11^th St. (at H), downtown Sacramento. There will be food, fun, drawings, fabulous people, and of course, books. I’m so excited!

Not Local, but Want it Signed? See the Crystal Ball under Books on JoyceMason.com for details on how to get a signed bookplate.

How You Can Help Spread the Word and Mainstream Astrology. On the bottom of the new JoyceMason.com homepage in the How-To section, there’s a list of ways you can help get the word out about The Crystal Ball. Readers and writers have an interdependent and exciting dynamic for making a book successful—and the sooner it catches fire and the more popular The Crystal Ball becomes, the more Micki adventures I’ll be able to bring you. I hope you’ll be a part of the buzz, because it really does give you one!

One of the many things I’m jazzed about is the potential for The Crystal Ball to help mainstream astrology. Read more about that in my Thanks  to all of you for your support and friendship. It's at teh bottom of the News on my website.

As always, I’d love to hear your comments or personal emails regarding these new adventures: joyce [at] joycemason.com

Thrilled,
Joyce

What Early Readers Write About The Crystal Ball

A real page-turner and a guilty sweet pleasure … provocatively woven with fiction and facts, past and future, New Age and pragmatism--resulting in a tightly beautiful and colorful wordsmith's tapestry.  An intelligent, fun and thoughtful read.
~ Michael Bartlett, Business Consultant, Astrologer and Co-creator of AstroTheatre

Glittering, breezy, and a bit sexy … The Crystal Ball shimmers with Joyce Mason’s obvious delight in storytelling, mystery, and especially her spunky heroine of a certain age, Micki Michaels. She will delight you, too. 
~ April Elliott Kent, author of The Essential Guide to Practical Astrology

Charming and well-written … Joyce Mason took me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions from laughter to tears and excitement to fear as I kept turning the pages to discover what would happen next.   If you're looking for a mystery novel with a New-Age twist, look no further than this memorable book.  If I were to look into a crystal ball and read this book's future, I'd say it will be a big success." 
~ Ingrid Hart, Author - My Year in California: A Journey Toward Midlife Renewal

Radical Departure: It’s Done!

© 2011 by Joyce Mason

All Rights Reserved

In case you’re wondering what on Earth is going on here, see No Small Change on The Radical Virgo. During October and November, I’ll be doing short posts to take you along for the wild ride of rewriting and getting my humorous, metaphysical mystery book ready for submission to the St. Martin’s Press annual First Mystery Novel Contest.

 

Help me jump up and down, whoop and holler! I finished The Crystal Ball today, and I couldn’t wait till next week's installment to tell you. Hitting “The End” seemed important to report, so this is a quickie to say I’m doing back flips—at least the figurative kind! (I think my arthritic knee just laughed at me.) I still have edits and more detailed manuscript prep to do over the next week, but those are finishing touches compared to sewing the story together.

I love the synchronicity of this day. Sixteen years ago, I adopted two kitty brothers who were my loves at first sight, Duffy and Darrin. It was one of the happiest days of my life—now times two. Even though I lost Darrin in 2007, Duffy is still holding fast at 16. Duffy has his medical challenges, but he’s still full of himself and seems to have no plans to join his brother in the big Catbox in the Sky anytime soon. He’s sitting in his favorite spot right now, acting as my lumbar support in my computer chair. If this book finished on November 16 brings me half the joy of that other November 16; I’m the luckiest woman on Earth.

Another omen: Today I received my first Christmas card and gift from my God Is Not an Aries, stellium in Ram friend, Jessica. I laughed and sent her an email with the header, Prize for Most Aries. Talk about needing to be first. She said she got a jump on it. Call her Evil Knievel. Actually, Tim and I are grateful for a Panera gift card to kick off the holiday season and celebrate my fait accompli at breakfast tomorrow.

My book is a “first” in many ways—it’s not just my first novel but it’s also very pioneering in some of its content. That’s why I think my Aries friend’s gift is reminding me that those Marsy qualities in me are some of my gifts in this adventure, too. Her Christmas card is a keeper. It’s a picture of a lamb kissing a lion …

… reminds me of my astrologer/metafoofoo/do-gooder protagonist and her ex-FBI agent beau. The man who inspired Curt, the spy sweetheart has—you guessed it!—Leo Moon. Another perfect synchronicity.

A very early Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Yummy Yule, and Joyful Kwanzaa … and may you make all your dreams come true, too!

~~~

Photo Credit: © Jaimie Duplass - Fotolia.com