THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR CHERYL KAYE TARDIF

Mystery, suspense, thrillers, paranormal, horror & YA by "Cheryl Kaye Tardif" & romance by "Cherish D'Angelo". Cheryl is represented by Trident Media Group in NY.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Cheryl Kaye Tardif's "Touring the World" Virtual Book Tour - Week 1


Welcome to my "Touring the World" virtual book tour, where I'll be introducing you to my new bestseller Whale Song, and giving you a peek at my other works, including a chilling new suspense thriller. Don't forget, I'm giving away over 50 prize packages in two separate promotions (hint: one on August 12th). Be sure to stop by ALL my hosts' sites because you never know where or when I will be giving away free books!

For August 1st to 4th:

Please bookmark this page and come back to it on the 4th to view the next week's schedule.

Read more about my 44th birthday contest, Kunati's Great Summer Reads Contest.

Move over Harry Potter and make way for Whale Song


In a recent email from Amanda Richards, a Top 100 Amazon.com (and Top 50 Amazon.ca) reviewer, she states that Whale Song took precedent over reading the final Harry Potter novel.

"[Whale Song] is a wonderful book. I will be happy to read anything else you have written...FYI, I stopped reading Harry Potter 7 to read yours." --Amanda Richards, Amazon Top 100 Reviewer

Monday, July 23, 2007

"An amazing story." --Amanda Richards, Amazon Top 100 Reviewer

"This is an amazing story, and one you'll want to read again and again. Cheryl Kaye Tardif skillfully weaves her tale of friendship, love, loss, pain and forgiveness...and just about the point when you think you have it all figured out, the author throws in a twist, and an ending well worthy of being called a grand finale. A short yet emotional read that may just move you to tears."
--Amanda Richards, Amazon Top 100 Reviewer

Read full review on Amazon.com.

(I am seeing stars! :)

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Cheryl Kaye Tardif on Publishers Marketplace

I am now on Publishers Marketplace.

Please show your support by clicking on the following link:

http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/cherylktardif/

(Especially if you are an agent or New York Publisher! :)

Thank you,
Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
author of Whale Song, The River and Divine Intervention

Memory tricks

Thought for today:

"If I can't go on holiday, at least my memory can!" ~ Cheryl Kaye Tardif

(officially my shortest blog post :)

~CKT

Fighting with Harry Potter

Ok, I wasn't really "fighting" with him, but he was my competition yesterday when I was at Indigo Books & Music in Edmonton, doing a book signing less than 12 hours after the big Harry Potter tsunami hit the bookstores. When I got to the store you could still see the decorations and signage.

But what was most impressive was the huge box on the floor across from the entrance. The box was big enough for two adults to curl up in and have a nap. And it was piled high with the 7th and last installment of J. K. Rowling's sensational series.

I watched in envy as people walked in the store and plucked up a book almost immediately. They were polite, no pushing and shoving...which I suppose is a good thing since many of the customers were 40-something men! :) Now there's no way they were ALL buying for their kids! I could see the gleam in their eyes.

The store was pleasantly busy considering that the major event was held at midnight the night before. I could see a few of the staff were a bit partied out though. But I got to see some of my favorite gals--Sheila (who always treats me like I'm a famous New York Times bestselling author) and Beth, Jenn and Brenda.

However, it's the customers that truly make my day. So Deanna, Janet, Ryan and all the others who stopped by or bought my books, thank you for your support and for the conversations. I hope you enjoy my novels as much as I enjoyed writing them.

When I left, the Harry Potter box was about 1/2 full. Go, Harry!

One day I hope to get a box filled with books at the front of the store...

One day--Wait! Didn't my fortune cookie say I would be showered with luck before my next birthday? (August 12) lol

~CKT

Saturday, July 21, 2007

What's the Definition of a Compulsive Writer

Well, in three words?

Cheryl Kaye Tardif!

I recently submitted my answers to a word game that was in the newsletter for Crime Writers of Canada, one of the writers' organizations I belong to. They asked for definitions to a list of words. Today's newsletter came out and what did I see first? My submission. lol

Please enjoy a wry look at my sense of humor...

From Fingerprints Online:

We had only one response to last month’s challenge either to create a flash story using 18 words I pulled from The Disheveled Dictionary by Karen Elizabeth Gordon (she of The New Well-Tempered Sentence and The Deluxe Transitive Vampire, both sources of grammatical tips presented in past FPOLs) or to come up with some wacky definitions.

CHERYL KAYE TARDIF rose to the challenge with some definitions that, scarily enough, make a certain sense:

· Adumbrate - an intellectually-challenged vertibrate, aka "dumb-ass"
· Amanuensis - the inability to follow an instruction manual
· Anodyne - a common expression in the south by those who are not in touch with reality: pronounced, "Ah no' dyin'"
· Aperçu - a few drinks one has before going into court to sue someone
· Asseverate - to release a noxious fart, most common in men
· Bildungsroman - a camper or trailer
· Cachinnate - to hold onto things, to “pack-rat”
· Callipygian - a rare gray bird found only in California
· Charivari (aka shivaree) - the act of using the same shiv in prison to take out an inmate and then oneself
· Chasmophile - a person who prefers to live in deep, dark holes, i.e., caves or underground bunkers
· Chthonic - someone who lisps because of an enlarged tongue
· Cicerone - adj. describing an extremely large, protruding nose
· Concatenation - the audacity of a cat burglar
· Crepuscular - having a creepy demeanor or body build - you know, like Mr. Rogers
· Décharné - some French word...no, that's what it means, really
· Divagation - separation by age, like in the new TV series The Age of Love
· Dolce far niente - some Italian saying meaning "sweet f*** all" (OK, you don't have to print this) [sure I do – Ed.]
· Ensellure - a new drug for combatting the obsession with making up definitions for weird words; FDA and CWC approved

These definitions were provided by ANONYMOUS, an adumbrate who likes to cachinnate because she has a cicerone appendage on a crepuscular body and is on Ensellure because she does dolce far niente but think of weird definitions to even weirder words.

* * * * *

Ok, in my defense...I, uh...have no defense. I have always liked word games. Helps to sharpen the ole brain! :) CKT

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Suspense Author: Free to Good Home!

A dedicated, motivated author of 3 published novels, mainly in the mystery/suspense/thriller genres, is looking for a fabulous literary agent. The ultimate agent candidate deals with successful authors, and is persistent and creative.

The author is also persistent and creative. Plus she is well-trained, always learning more about the craft and marketing, passionate about writing and has numerous works in motion, easy to work with and spends hours a day promoting her work.

Recommendations from other successful authors will be greatly appreciated. Serious enquiries can contact Cheryl Kaye Tardif at cherylktardif (at) shaw.ca.

http://www.cherylktardif.com/
http://www.whalesongbook.com/

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

8 Random Things About Me

While I normally don't do chain letters of any kind, Manky at The Old Book Bag tagged me to come up with 8 random things about me. And I decided to do this...just once.
(So everyone else, beware, if you 'chain' me, I'll hit 'delete'.)

Ma...this is for you!

1. I used to have all the ABBA 8-tracks...and I knew every word and sang them all the time...with a microphone.

2. I won a fishing derby when I was a kid. I caught a 14 lb. coho salmon. I cried when my dad made me pick it up by its gills.

3. When I was a teen, I visited my best friend's house and hate almost half a pan of brownies she and her dad made. They were really, really good. But I couldn't figure out why she put parsley in them. A short time later, I was in a really good mood...but strangely, I was very hungry again.

4. Where I grew up, a popular evening sport was shooting rats at the dump. My parents did this with their friend's on New Years one year. (Ok, this one wasn't really about me, but I just had to share.)

5. My first friend in Bermuda was the daughter of a very wealthy couple. It was the first time I'd ever been in a house that was a mansion, with swimming pools, tennis courts and maids.

6. I owned a hair salon when I was 22 and was one of the youngest salon owners in BC. It was called Cheryl's Scissor Trix (the 'x' was a pair of scissors).

7. I have done the hair and makeup for 2 models before photo shoots.

8. I hum and sing constantly. It used to drive my parents and brothers nuts. Now it drives my husband and daughter nuts. I have no intention of stopping. I even sing in the car. :)

I won't tag specific people, but I will tag two blogs:

http://writetype.blogspot.com/

http://criminalmindsatwork.blogspot.com/

CKT

Monday, July 16, 2007

My Fortune

And now...my shortest post.

The other night Marc and I went for Chinese Food at our favorite little restaurant--Tasty World. At the end of the meal I opened my fortune cookie, as always. This is what it said:

'You will be showered with luck before your next birthday.'

My birthday is August 12th.

Okay...I'm waiting...

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Suspense Author Cheryl Kaye Tardif - "Touring the World" virtually

August brings a very special event for Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of the Amazon.ca bestseller Whale Song. Cheryl is the first Kunati author to organize her own virtual book tour. She will be "appearing" at a variety of websites and blogs over the entire month of August, sharing thoughts about writing, her novels, the publishing process, the characters in Whale Song and her newest novels success.

Cheryl will be interviewed on some of most popular book/author blog and websites, including BookPleasures and The Dark Phantom Review. Along with these insightful interviews, you can read reviews of Whale Song, listen to audiocasts of the prologue and a chapters or two, and maybe even read one of Cheryl's short stories.

Cheryl's "Touring the World" virtual book tour begins August 1st, so mark that down on your calendars. Then check out back here for more information. BOOKMARK THIS PAGE. Prizes will be given out at some of Cheryl's stops, so be sure to visit them all.

This event also comes at a great time for Kunati Books, with their new Great Summer Reads Contest. Read 3 or more Kunati titles and you could win FREE BOOKS!

And midway through "Touring the World", on August 12th, Cheryl is celebrating her 44th birthday in a BIG way! She will be giving away 44 prize packages.

Prizes:

Grand Prize: A limited edition collector’s copy (autographed) of the original Whale Song novel featuring cover art by world-famous David Miller; a beautiful Whale Song limited edition collector’s mug; an autographed copy of BOTH Divine Intervention and The River; and some beautiful bookmarks. Prize valued at approximately $100.00.

43 Second place prizes: Choice of either Divine Intervention or The River (autographed) and a beautiful bookmark.

Click HERE for more info on how you can win.

Waking Spirit - An Inspiring, Uplifting Mix of Boldness and Courage

4/5 Stars

Waking Spirit: Prose & Poems the Spirit Sings
by Shirley Cheng
ISBN: 9780615136806
May 6, 2007
Trade paperback; 144 pages; $14.97
Non-Fiction/Inspirational/Poetry

Waking Spirit: Prose & Poems the Spirit Sings is an emotional journey into the heart of a young woman who has faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles, yet has risen far above them in courage and perseverance. A combination of thoughtful, emotional prose, sweet poetry and spirited haiku, this book can’t help but make the reader feel powerful.

Waking Spirit begins with a foreword by Cynthia Brian, a New York Times bestselling author who met Shirley during a radio interview. It then takes you through a delightful concoction of stories and poetry, interspersed with “A Moment with Shirley”―an inspirational message for the reader.

I was drawn to the stories most of all, to that rare insight into the mind of an author who “dances” with joy in her heart. The stories of her relationship with her mother are compelling, although I know that they suffered many tragedies together and were separated for lengths of time by government policy. But they have conquered all! And that is what this book is really about. Conquering disease and not allowing it to hold you back. Overcoming obstacles of every shape and form so that one can reach his or her dreams.

Certainly each of us could learn from Shirley Cheng, a young woman who is blind and suffers from severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. She may be confined to a wheelchair in body, but her spirit soars far above, free and unhindered by negativity or pain. I have had the honor of calling her a friend for a number of years, and although we have never met in person, she has truly touched my life by her old-soul wisdom, which is far beyond her years. Shirley Cheng has delivered another work that is sure to inspire all ages, nationalities, whether abled, disabled or ultra-abled. I recommend Waking Spirit for anyone who needs a boost of encouragement or hope.

~ Cheryl Kaye Tardif is a freelance journalist, book reviewer and the author of three mystery novels set in Canada―Divine Intervention, The River and the bestselling novel Whale Song.

Friday, July 06, 2007

Want FREE autographed books?

"Great Summer Reads Contest" - read any 3 or more Kunati titles to enter. Contest will open shortly but start reading now.

No purchase necessary. You can buy the books, borrow from a friend or library.

Proof of reading could win you 1-3 FREE books.

More info at:
http://www.kunati.com/great-summer-reads-contest

(You can purchase Whale Song from your favorite bookstore or one of many online retailers, including Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, McNally Robinson and Chapters/Indigo.

http://www.whalesongbook.com/

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Hidden Palms...Cancelled?

Some of you may know that I am a TV junkie, and I need my fix of good television just to keep me sane. It helps me clear my mind and shut off the novels that I am working on. As a non-recovering TV addict, I get hooked on dramas with interesting characters and gripping plots. LOST, Heroes, CSI...those are some of my favorites. And then there was The O.C..

Ok, the latter may seem strange considering I'm a wife, mom and author of 40+ years. But I put it down to: these shows keep me young! Not only do they remind me of what it was like to be young (the good parts), they remind me of what it would have been like if I had been a spoiled rich kid going to an elite school and going to posh parties every weekend thrown by pampered wives. There is something so magnetic about seeing the "other side".

And then they cancelled The O.C. and I was left with this void.

But this summer, I discovered a new show--Hidden Palms. And I thought it was even BETTER than The O.C. because of one intriguing aspect. The plots were based on a mystery. And I am a mystery writer. Therefore it would stand to reason that I would be drawn to it. And I was.

I watched every episode of Hidden Palms, and even had my PVR set up so I wouldn't miss a show. And then last night they showed the 8th episode--the series finale. At first I was thinking the season finale. Until I went onto the CW's Lounge to chat about the last episode.

That's where I found out Hidden Palms is cancelled.

Cancelled? What the heck are they thinking?

Hidden Palms had exceptional acting by an adult and young adult cast, a storyline that kept you guessing and wanting more, an awesome soundtrack and theme, and so much more. Yes, it is a 'soap opera' of sorts, like The O.C. and so many others, but it had an edge, a darkness that made it unique.

And then just as I was getting used to what night it was on and the fact that it is in the higher channels than I normally watch, they cancel it. Phooey!

You can expect more ranting from me on this topic in the future.

For now, I wish Johnny, Greta, Nikki, Cliff and everyone else a fond adieu. I will have to join this Save Hidden Palms Campaign!

~Cheryl,
who now has HPWS...
Hidden Palms Withdrawal Syndrome

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Whale Song wins book cover of the month

Sometimes people underestimate the power of the reader or fan. I am always humbled as an author when someone comments on my novels, and over the past three years I have had fans nominate me for awards. Being nominated in 2004 for the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Award was a huge honor. And even a nomination for a book cover award (which I had nothing to do with) makes me very grateful.


Whale Song was nominated by a fan to compete in Erin Aislinn's Book Cover of the Month contest. After nomination, it had to be accepted...and it was. For the month of June, 5 covers in total competed for the honor of May Book Cover of the Month.

http://www.erinaislinn.com/BookCoveroftheMonth.htm

Whale Song won!

I wish I could take credit, but I can't. All the credit for the beautiful, haunting cover go to Kam Wai Yu, from Persona Corp. Kam is an award-winning graphic artist who has designed all the Kunati book covers.

On behalf of Kam and Whale Song, I would like to thank everyone who voted. There are a lot of awards out there for book covers and books, voted on by people in the book industry. But to me, the contests voted on by fans and readers are the most special. Thank you!

To order Whale Song, please visit your favorite bookstore or online retailer.
Some quick links: