Press release regarding Lancelot's Lady making the semi-finals in the Dorchester Next Best Celler romance contest hits the US

NEW YORK, NY, November 04, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- When Canadian author Cheryl Kaye Tardif decided to dust off an old romance manuscript and enter it in the "Next Best Celler" contest sponsored by Dorchester Publishing and hosted by Textnovel.com, Cheryl had no idea how popular her debut romantic suspense would become.

Read the full press release at 24-7PressRelease.com:

Lancelot's Lady by Cherish D'Angelo (aka Cheryl Kaye Tardif) is a Semi-finalist in the Dorchester "Next Best Celler" Contest Hosted by Textnovel.com

Textnovel.com Announces Semi-Finalists in Dorchester "Next Best Celler" Romance Writing Contest

PARK CITY, Utah, November 3, 2009—Textnovel.com announced the Semi-Finalists for the current Dorchester “Next Best Celler” Romance Writing Contest, which combines a live, serial publication model with a unique voting and ranking system to help identify top new novelists and fiction writers.

See who made the Top 20 Semi-Finalists.

I'll let you know that Lancelot's Lady, my debut romantic suspense, is #3 on the list. In fact, I'm the ONLY Canadian author to make the Top 20.

If you haven't read Lancelot's Lady yet, please do. If you enjoy it, click on the blue thumb and phone circles. This contest isn't over yet, and points still matter.

Thank you all for your support!

Fan mail from a teenaged boy in BC who loved The River

Every now and then I get a piece of fan mail that really tugs on my heart and fills me with gratitude. This morning I received one such email, and I've received permission to post it here.

Dear Ms. Tardif,

Hello! My name is Cliff. I am 15 year old and live in Nanaimo, BC Canada. I just finished your novel "The River" and wanted to tell you that i really loved it. I think you are an awesome writer and can't wait to read more of your work. I'm honestly not much of a reader and it normally it takes me a long time to actually finish a novel, but I read "The River" in only five days. That is a record for me! Your writing really grabbed my attention and made me want to continue reading. I'm actually kind of shocked that I could get so much enjoyment out of reading. I want to thank you for that!

Anyways I was wondering if it would be possible to get an autographed bookplate? Or would it be possible to send you my copy of "The River" and have you sign it? I'm not sure how it works, but I could send you a money order or a self addressed stamped envelope if you'd like. Just let me know. I'd truly consider it a great honor to have your autograph!

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Cliff

Anyone who has ever received fan mail before will be able to identify with how this email made me feel. It's one thing to write a novel that adults have embraced, but it's particularly meaningful to me to have written one that inspires teenagers to read--probably because it makes me think of myself as a teen writer dreaming about getting published.

Cliff is one of many teens who have discovered my work in the past few years. A while ago, I blogged about ESC Trillium high school students who used The River and Whale Song as a novel study project this year and last. The first batch of readers wrote me awesome reviews for The River that I also posted here.

And in case anyone's wondering, I feel honored by such fan mail. That anyone would take the time to email me about my novels is hugely rewarding and touching.

Cliff, I am very happy to send you a signed bookplate. I've also added a couple of bookmarks. :-) I am so honored to have written a novel that opened your eyes to the pleasures of reading! And thank you from the bottom of my heart for your email.

Reviews of Lancelot's Lady on Textnovel.com

In the comments link and comments for each chapter you'll find some wonderful reviews of Lancelot's Lady, my debut romantic suspense.

Some of my most favorite reviews are:

"Desperate to leave her sordid past behind her Rhianna has found a new job and a new life. At long last she feels like she belongs.When her employer and companion T.J. Lance, gives her a ticket for a six week vacation on a secluded island, in the Bahamas, her life takes on a new and exciting dimension. There she meets the dark haired, dashingly handsome Jonathan. But why is he so reclusive and what secret is he hiding? Will Rhianna ever be able to heal the scares of her tortured past and give herself fully?.......Another brilliantly crafted novel by Cheryl Tardif. This is a beautiful love story rippling with suspense and just the right amount of sensuality. Its great dialogue will sweep you along and its well stocked cast of colorful characters will draw you in and make you feel what they feel." --Emily Ross, aka Pauline Holyoak

"Cheryl Kaye Tardif is the Next NORA ROBERTS/ J.D. Robb. She writes her stories with passion. I can not put her books down. Anyone who loves suspense, drama, and romance will love her books. I can only hope that Ms. Tardif continues to write, she has a wonderful gift with words." --grapie

"You've got that mythical "voice" down to a fine art, both in setting the stage and character dialogue. Well done!" --Jennifer L. Hart

"I can't believe I'm so hooked on this story! I NEVER read this genre, but it's so wonderfully written-I can't help but LOVE this story!" Firen Hendrix

"Another winner, Cheryl!Your work is riveting.It holds on and won't let you go!Your descriptive powers are amazing.You summon up scenes like genies from bottles!" --Susan McLeod

"Lancelot's Lady is bestseller quality and you've created characters we really care about." --Marc T

"This is a fabulous story! I knew I would be hooked. I have been a fan since "Whale Song". You truly have a gift!" --Tamara

"This new novel of yours is awesome, Cher. I love your characters, especially Rhianna and Jonathan. And I guess I love Winston too, although he's such a jerk!! This is a winner in my books." --BunnyS

"Love the characters and the premise of the story --Love the potential heat and intensity of tension of the characters." --Karen Vaughan

"Read the excerpt you have on your site Cheryl, and I couldn't stop reading. Now I want to wait until I can buy Lancelot's Lady." --bmorrison

"I have to tell you that the minute I started reading I couldn't stop.:) I love the whole idea of this story and the characters.Everyone of them. I can't wait to read the rest. Good luck with the story Cheryl. It's excellent." --Carol Luciano/Lucky4750

"Like everything you write your new novel is exciting and suspenseful. You always make me want to read more and your characters seem real." --AliKat

"Still to this day everytime I walk into a bookstore I look to see if they have your books. I loved (and cried) Whale Song and also loved Divine Intervention. Im still on the hunt for The River but I will find it! I really like that you still have some suspense in Lancelots Lady but still have the mushy stuff! I dont think I could handle just the mushy stuff in a whole entire book (BORING) anyways I'm excited to read the nxt book and I'm cheering for you all the way!!!" --Princess Cairo

"On a recommendation from a friend, I looked up your story. I intended just to read a chapter or 2. I am on chapter 38 now and had to force myself to quit so I can get some work done. I look forward to finishing the story!" --AER

"Riveting!!!" --GOT BOOST

"Its nice to find finally find a writer who has a vast dimentions to her writing. From paranormal, to thriller to mystery and more to come, I can't wait to read whats next. Great job Cheryl." --skydiva

"You have a fantastic and unique way of using your words to set the mood and tone of the scene. The reader is immediately pulled into the scene with the character. I enjoyed how you were able to describe almost her whole life story in one small paragraph! It did not take a lot of dialogue between characters. Stated simply we knew alot about her background. I do enjoy your writing style. I enjoy your subjects too! I will have to explore more of your books. I know they will make it to my 'must have' list!" --chloeev

"What a wonderful writer. This is a great story. You can not stop reading it." --nella

"Wonderful novel, easy to read and colorful characters!!!" --graciem

"I do not usually read this type of novel, but once again Cheryl Kaye Tardiff has my attention and the desire to stay up past my bed time." --abigail

"Exceptional characters and intriguing plot. Your writing is magical - I end up in the characters' heads, thinking what they're thinking, seeing what they're seeing. And your descriptions are absolute poetry. I'm hooked!" --Alexis Sinclair

"This is fantastic!! Where do you get these ideas from. I think you'll do fine branching out into romance. You seem like a natural. My favorite of all your novels so far though is Whale Song." --Ashgreen

...and so many more.

You can read these reviews by signing up for a free account at www.Textnovel.com. Then click on my title Lancelot's Lady in bottom right box.

And if you'd like to leave me your own review or comment, please do. I love reading them. :-)

Also, if you enjoy reading Lancelot's Lady, feel free to click on the 2 blue circles by my title. This gives me 2 points in the contest.

Reflections on the past 5 months in the Dorchester - Textnovel Next Best Celler contest

Tomorrow, the top 20 semi-finalists will be selected from all the entrants in the Dorchester/Textnovel Next Best Celler contest, and I'll admit I'm a bit nervous. My entry, my debut romantic suspense Lancelot's Lady, is currently in #3 Most Popular place, but I've seen people whiz by the forerunners in a day. Like they say, it ain't over til the fat lady sings!

So today will be spent hoping for more votes to secure my place and most of all thanking everyone who has supported me in this 5 month "marathon". :-) THANK YOU! I couldn't have come this far without your support.

I've been getting emails and DMs asking what this contest has been like. First of all, I have to tell you, I've entered some contests, but not many during my career as a novelist. I'm just not big on them. It's not that I'm afraid of competition; I'm not. In fact, I seem to do some of my best work when I'm forced to compete in some way, whether it's versus someone else or the ticking of a clock. I thrive on the latter kind of competition, the one where I'm really competing with myself.

This has been the longest contest I've participated in. Or at least it's felt that way. Kind of like a writing triathlon--write, edit and get votes. The first two I revel in. Writing fulfills me in a way that no other career ever has. And I've had a few. The getting votes part has been the most difficult part. Not because I can't promote my novels. I CAN. In fact, I'm known as "Shameless Promoter" and I speak at writers conferences on book marketing. However, in this contest, I found 5 months a bit long to be begging for votes. 3 months isn't so bad. And this contest isn't over yet. I really need to keep my votes going until the winner is chosen--which will be in early February.

With my background in sales, advertising, promotion and motivational speaking, I find my skills learned years ago really complement my life as a writer and a promoter of my work. I love that I'm not only creative in constructing my characters and stories, I'm also creative in the ways that I market my work.

I was one of the first contest entrants on Textnovel to offer a contest to reward my fans for their loyalty. From August to November, I've offered Giveaways, with prizes of signed novels and $75 Starbucks cards. While some may think this is a bribe of sorts, I look at it as a fun way to engage my fans and thank them. I also held an interactive contest, one I've done in the past. For my "Create a Corpse" contest, I asked fans to supply me with a name of a character that would be killed off in Lancelot's Lady. The winner, Waheed Rabanni, gave me the perfect name--Winston Chambers. Winston has proven to be one of my most interesting and well-hated characters ever, and I love that!

I've talked about the Next Best Celler contest and Lancelot's Lady on a radio station and I've been a guest at various blogs where I've talked about how Lancelot's Lady was "born", and how I chose my new romance pen name Cherish D'Angelo.

Someone asked me "why" I chose to enter this contest. My answer is simple. One writer is going to win a publishing contract with Dorchester Publishing, a publisher that I've been very interested in. In fact, I believe they are still considering my suspense thriller Children of the Fog. Something I've heard about Dorchester from a few of their authors is that being one of their authors is like being with family. That really appeals to me. I view every publisher who takes on my work as a partner in my success and I want to share that success with them.

Links about my debut romantic suspense Lancelot's Lady and Cherish D'Angelo:

• Lancelot's Lady gets official sponsor--24-7PressRelease.com
• The Business Side of Being a Writer
• Cheryl Kaye Tardif talks about her new pen name Cherish D'Angelo and her debut romance Lancelot's Lady at the Author Island Tiki Hut
• The birth of Cherish D'Angelo, pseudonym of author Cheryl Kaye Tardif
• Lancelot's Lady Giveaways (August, September, October & November)
• Cheryl's Deadly "Create a Corpse Contest"
• The Top Ten Bad Events in Rhianna's Life in Lancelot's Lady
• CHIP 101.7 FM interviews Cheryl about Textnovel, Dorchester, the "Next Best Celler" contest, Lancelot's Lady and the creation of her new romance pen name Cherish D'Angelo
• Press release: Cheryl Kaye Tardif's debut romance Lancelot's Lady is #1 Most Popular (so far) in the Dorchester/Textnovel "Next Best Celler" Contest

Please check out LANCELOT'S LADY. If you enjoy my new novel, please consider clicking on the blue thumb circle and blue phone circle beside the title. This gives me 2 points in the contest. Thank you so much.

Lancelot's Lady gets official sponsor--24-7PressRelease.com

I was elated today when I got the word from Senior Business Development Advisor Michael Iwasaki, that my debut romantic suspense Lancelot's Lady now has an official corporate sponsor -- 24-7PressRelease.com, a major press release distribution service.

Over the years, 24-7PressRelease.com has come to be my favorite onlne newswire service and the one I recommend to my coaching clients and to other writers. They have worked with me in the past on other projects, including Project Drumheller, a special project that granted the wish of a young BC boy to visit Drumheller, Alberta, and see the dinosaur bones.

I have had great success at obtaining interviews because of my press releases, and I find 24-7 offers competitive pricing, quick service, and I love that I can attach a video (or book video trailers) to my releases, where appropriate.

I've used "the other guys" but none of the other press release services have given me the personal attention and huge support that I've found with Michael, Philip and their company, and none of the others have sponsored me as 24-7PressRelease is now doing.

For those of you who are unaware, my debut romantic suspense novel is in the Dorchester Next Best Celler contest held at www.textnovel.com. As of right now, it's #3 Most Popular. I've been begging for votes since June 3rd. For the first 3 months of this competition, Lancelot's Lady was in #1 Most Popular place. Please drop on by and read it. It's free, and you can even let me know what you think about my new novel.

You can expect to see press releases regarding Lancelot's Lady, complete with a stunning book video trailer, to hit news editors' desks very shortly.

THANK YOU, Michael and Philip. I can't tell you how grateful I am for your support.

To learn more about 24-7PressRelease.com, please visit their website:
http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/

The business side of being a writer

Some people might not view an author as a business person, but I have to tell you, there's far more to being a writer than cloistering oneself in a small room for months and typing out 80,000 words. In today's world, a successful writer must also take on the hats of publicist, marketer, event planner, advertising rep, accountant, stocker (not stalker) and more.

As a successful Edmonton author, I am right at home with the writing and marketing part. I even make a decent publicist and have done this for other writers. It's the accounting part I suck at. And the stocking of shelves.

I'd love to discuss this here with other writers. How do you manage the number side of writing? Do you hire someone else or just suck it up and do it? Are there other options you've discovered (other than having books published by a traditional publisher, which I've also had)?

For me writing is both an immense pleasure and a business. I can't really have one without the other--unless I want to be my only reader. With the economy being as it is and so many changes in the book industry, authors must take on more of the marketing role, no matter who publishes you.

Finally, a small bit of promo from the marketing side: I am one of only a handful of Canadians who are competing in a writing competition sponsored by Dorchester Publishing, a very respectable US publisher. I think I'm the only Edmonton contestant as well. I'd sincerely appreciate your support.

Please check out my debut romantic suspense Lancelot's Lady on Textnovel.com and click on the blue thumb and blue phone circles. This gives me 2 points in the contest. There are 3 days to go until the semi-finalists are selected. I really want to win this! The prize is a publishing contract with Dorchester.

http://textnovel.com/stories_list_detail.php?story_id=928

Sign up is fast and free and you'll have access to many novels and short stories you can read for free. Thank you, in advance, for your support of an Edmonton author.

Now I must go and procrastinate about doing my accounting. :-)

Cheryl Kaye Tardif
http://www.cherylktardif.com