THE BLACK THREADnow available as E-books

Recently another of Margaret Muir's Hale books has been converted to e-book format.

THE BLACK THREAD was first published by Hale in 2007 and reprinted as a Large Print for Ulverscroft the following year.

This is a dramatic historical novel set on the Leeds Liverpool canal at the end of the nineteenth century.
This is now available at Amazon.com for $3.99.

The Black Thread and USPs

All books have at least one USP (unique selling point).
My recent novel, The Black Thread, (published Jan 2009 in large print), had two:
1) British canals and Barges,
2) The historic mill town of Saltaire.
As a result of targeting these specific points for my publicity and reviews, I was surprised how many canal and waterway magazines were interested in a story set on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.
The publicity I received was excellent and the hardback edition sold out soon after publication.
I hope the large print will perform equally as well.
For more information go to http://www.squidoo.com/theblackthread
Margaret Muir

Hale author promotes books on Squidoo

I believe Hale authors need a web presence to publicise their books.
And like Michael (previous post), I started promoting my latest book, THE CONDOR’S FEATHER last year, immediateley after the manuscript was accepted.
Although this book will not be published until July 2009, it already has its own page on the internet and is already attracting traffic:
http://www.squidoo.com/thecondorsfeather
Though I have a personal website and an active blog, I have made good use of Squidoo.com whose site allows me to create a dedicated site for each of my Hale book.
Setting up a Squidoo site is simple (open the website and it tells you how to do it in 60 seconds!)
It’s fast. And it’s free!
You can add to it at any time and illustrate your posts with a range of pictures of: people, places, events, reviews – anything associated with the writing of your story.
I have a Squidoo site for each of my previous Hale novels:
http://www.squidoo.com/seadust
http://www.squidoo.com/thetwistingvine
http://www.squidoo.com/theblackthread
Two of the above books sold out within a few weeks of publication but I still maintain the sites to promote the books which were subsequently published in large print (Ulverscroft) format.
Want another string to you promotional bow?
Why not give Squidoo a go?
Visit http://www.squidoo.com to set up your own book site

Photo: I don't have a cover for THE CONDOR'S FEATHER. I took this photo in South America. It's probably an eagle and not a condor - sorry!

Haunted by Whitby

In 1890, Bram Stoker visited Whitby.
Sitting on the top of the East Cliff he imagined a shipwreck. Then he visualised a black dog leaping from the stricken vessel and running ashore. After climbing the 199 steps, the hound was seen disappearing into the graveyard.
That black dog was, of course - Count Dracula.
Stoker found Whitby, with its ruined abbey and 11th century Parish Church, to be a haunting location for a scene in his classic novel.
I too found Whitby an enigmatic place and it was that setting I used for the opening of my first novel, SEA DUST.
Though I have lived in Australia for almost 40 years, it is the places which haunt me from my childhood that I write about.
THE BLACK THREAD (published this month in large print) is set on the Leeds and Liverpool canal. It is a dramatic tale set in the dark days of the inland waterways.

Photo: (Margaret Muir) Caedmon’s Cross stands in the graveyard of St Mary’s Parish Church. It was erected in memory of the poet who died in AD 680