Yesterday was the 3rd Annual Local Authors Extravaganza and I had a blast. This year it was held at South Point Chapters in Edmonton, Alberta.

There were some new faces in the crowd, like Patricia Marie Budd, a historical fiction author, and a few others--I should have written their names down. (Sorry...)

And it was great to see so many familiar faces, like Marty Chan, Dan MacDonald, Jackson Carter, and Kelly Komm.

Marty Chan is a well-known Alberta children's author and his play 'The Forbidden Phoenix' will be at the Citadel Theatre from October 25th to November 9th. It's a "fusion of Peking Opera, martial arts, acrobatics and 'western' musical theatre"--and perfect for the entire family.

Dan MacDonald has a series of small and handy (fits in a purse/pocket) booklets that empower people who want to achieve success in any business venture. Dan also conducts seminars, e-training and more through his company BIS--Business Improvement Solutions.

Jackson Carter is a good friend of mine, and he writes conspiracy thrillers with a Canadian flavor. Check out his novels Bull and Sins in the Name of the Father. He came from the airport to the event--a busy guy!

Kelly Komm is another very good friend of mine. Her debut novel Sacrifice officially released in March. I've read this YA fantasy novel and loved it. She's busy working on the sequel. Although Sacrifice is marketed mainly as Young Adult, it is perfectly suitable for adults, especially if you're looking for a light summer or beach read.

The store special of the day was 'Buy any 3 books, get the 4th FREE'. Between Kelly and I, we had everyone covered. :) I think this awesome sale might be on for a while longer, so if you need more books this summer, now's the time to buy them.

I had a great visit with a fan who popped by my table and let me know he really enjoyed The River. Richard visited for a bit, and I was very excited to hear that he's delving back into his own writing. He has a premise for a thriller set in a very mysterious Canadian location that I think will sell like hotcakes! And thanks for your support, Richard. I hope you enjoy Whale Song! :)

The Authors Extravaganza was fun. Thanks to Trish, Maria, Angie and everyone else at Chapters!! Oh, and the cake was delicious. :)

My next event is the Canadian Authors Association's 2008 CanWrite! Conference, which starts next week from July 3rd-6th.

After that, Edmontonians can pick up my books at Capital Ex (formerly kinown as Klondike Days!) July 17th to 26th. I'll be there to personally sign books on Saturday, July 19th from 12-5. Ex marks the spot! See you there! :)

P.S. I SIGNED a few copies of Whale Song before I left South Point Chapters (3227 Calgary Trail, Edmonton), so if you're collecting autographed books, be sure to pick one up. Don't forget, a percent of my royalties for every sale of Whale Song goes to 3 local nonprofits. :)

Happy reading all!

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif

There’s been a lot of discussion about book trailers on this blog and elsewhere on the ‘Net, and the question is: Do book trailers sell books?

As an author who has no access to knowing where book buyers come from or whether they bought because of a trailer, I am very interested in the answer to this question...

To read my article on book trailers, please visit Books on the Brain.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif, suspense author

I'm a Canadian author and long time fan of James Patterson's work. I've been reading his novels since I was a teen. I'd like to say that was only a few years ago...but I can't.

As an avid reader, I've always enjoyed the thrill of suspense--from following the clues, to uncovering the 'red herrings' and the yearning to know just who did it and why. I've been drawn into criminal minds, wondering what motivates people to do things, and I've loved some of the characters that authors have given birth to--the ones that I can't forget--like Max and Lindsay Boxer.

As an author, I've admired James Patterson--his vision, story plots, writing techniques and his success. His stories are usually character driven, and he is well-known by authors for his short chapters--something I experimented with in my novel The River.

I've been extremely impressed by James' willingness to partner with other authors, usually ones who are up-and-coming success stories in their own right--authors like Andrew Gross, whom I've chatted with via email. I can only imagine what Andrew learned from James Patterson, and I hope one day to be one of the lucky authors selected to pair up with him. His willingness to share what he's learned over the years and to inspire other authors makes me determined to be 'just like him, when I grow up'. :)

I think most of all, he's taught me that there is longevity in the writing world if you can find the right 'groove' or genre. He's taught me by example to persevere, never give up and keep writing.

Thank you, James!

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif, suspense author

Canadian Author Cheryl Kaye Tardif wants to know-

What’s Your Book Club Looking For?

As a suspense author, I’m often asked whether any of my books are suitable for book clubs, and I usually answer with: “Definitely! But which one depends on what your book club is looking for.” So what can I offer to a book club?

Check out my guest post at Books on the Brain for the answer.

On Friday, June 20th, I'll be guest blogging over at Books on the Brain. Since it's the first time I've been a guest there, I decided to introduce myself, my books and cover the topic of book clubs, as they relate to what I have to offer.

I hope you'll check out my post, especially if you're in a book club that is looking for their next picks.

Check out Books on the Brain on June 20th.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif