Book tour: What's next?

A frequent question I and other authors are asked is, “What are you working on now?”

I’ve been pondering why do I get this question more often than one asking me to give an overview of my previous novels? Why are readers more interested in yet-unwritten books when there are so many out there crying to be read?

The answer may lie with interest in the creative process. How does an author sit down and pours out a 400-page novel, or 110,000 words that are meaningful, entertaining, and leave a mark—even if that mark is as transient as an ebb created by a stone thrown into a pond.

That is why, at my event at the East Meadow Jewish Center (Long Island, NY,) rather than focus on the [fascinating] historical, political and cultural aspects of Russia and its people during a painful transition time--the focus of HOTEL MOSCOW--I spoke about, “Take A Skeleton Out Of The Closet—And Dance With It.”

That speech, covering the breadth of my four published novels, allowed me to share with the audience the way a social issue grabs me and doesn’t let go. The subject may ferment in the hinterland of my consciousness for years, with bits and pieces of exposure or insights feeding it. Finally, the subject ignites a fire in my belly and demands that I explore it in depth. I am almost feverish, distracted from my immediate world, as I crawl under the skin of the protagonist as she learns the tragic realities. Like in a dream, I see the sights, hear the sounds, smell the aromas, and feel the emotions. Inevitably, what interests me is the story of the human spirit as it rises over the forces that shape our lives. That is also when you, the reader, encounter a memorable protagonist that stays with you and gives you what I call “a good reading experience.”

In the process of writing, suspense is the key. I take a page from author Stephen King who fine-tuned this art form into every sentence and every paragraph. But there is also the larger suspenseful arc of the entire story. I call it “get the cat on the electric pole, then get the cat off the electric pole.”

Until I am ready to speak about my novel-in-progress (yes, there is one,) please turn to any of my

previous novels, PUPPET CHILD, CHINADOLL, JERUSALEM MAIDEN, and most recently, HOTEL MOSCOW. I can promise you a great reading experience—each novel a journey that stays with you long after “The End.”

The book tour for HOTEL MOSCOW continues!

My appearances for HOTEL MOSCOW have been so successful, with captivated audiences raving about the thought-provoking talks, that invitations are spilling into a second year. In the second half of 2016 and early 2017 I’ll be covering mostly Florida and the Northeast, including Newport, RI this summer. Since the list gets updated every month, please check it periodically.

And if your community has a fund-raiser or a meeting that can benefit from a keynote speaker  that engages and inspires, please contact me or my events coordinator.

Q: How does an author know that she’s “made it?”

 

A: When she is asked to endorse a novel in the form of a blurb to appear on its cover.

Just as I have received endorsements over the years from top bestselling novelists, it is my duty and

pleasure to give forward by helping other authors on their way up. I will be forever grateful to Tess Gerritsen, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Nelson DeMille, Tami Hoag, Andrew Gross and more than a dozen other successful authors who put aside their precious writing time to read my manuscripts. By lending their names to my novels they have sent messages to readers that the new book was “a must-read.”

To such requests recently got my attention—and my full endorsements. One is a translated novel by an Israeli author, Sarit Yishai-Levi, “The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem,” which I found fascinating. It was released last month with my blurb on the back. (The other will be released in September, so I’m withholding my announcement until it is available.)

“Discovering” a new world through HOTEL MOSCOW:

“I loved the book. I learned so much, and I tell everyone about it.”

Often, a reader who “discovers” a good book can’t wait to share that experience with friends. Word-of-mouth indeed is the best way for a book to get traction. That is why, in today’s fragmented marketplace, bloggers with only a few hundred followers each create a tapestry of devoted readers that collectively often surpass the effect of a review in a major newspaper reaching hundreds of thousands. It is the personal testimonial of a reader that carries trust with other readers.

Therefore, may I ask that you share your reading experience of HOTEL MOSCOW with the world by posting a review on Amazon or GoodReads? (Even a line or two would suffice--unless, of course, you want to articulate more.)

Book groups’ reactions to HOTEL MOSCOW:

* “It was fascinating to grasp the nightmare of waking up one day to a world where all laws have

been obliterated.”

* “We’ve had the best meeting! The terrifying portrait of a nation in transition from Communism came to life.”

* “HOTEL MOSCOW taught us all lessons about humanity, about what we, as people, are capable of.”

Has your group select HOTEL MOSCOW for discussion? Please contact me, and I will join your meeting via phone or Skype.

My Personal Corner:

 

Happy post-Mother’s Day to the mothers and grandmothers among you. My birthday happens to coincide with Mother’s Day, giving me a double blessing (but some years half the celebration.) Here I am, with the mothers and grandmothers of my immediate family with our children and grandchildren--after we excluded the men from the photo.

Thank you all for your great support!

Talia Carner
www.TaliaCarner.com

P.S. If you haven't read HOTEL MOSCOW yet, here are links for both the trade paperback--about $12--or the digital format for under $10.

Or, you may read for free the first chapter of HOTEL MOSCOW on my website or download a free sample digitally. 

Some fun book tour highlights of 2015:

Starting 2016 with a bang!

       For my first of many keynote speaking events scheduled for the coming months, at Hadassah Cascades in Florida, I’ve had the pleasant task of pre-autographing all the 190 copies of my novel, HOTEL MOSCOW! It was included in the price of the brunch, and as always, my talk was not about the book itself but rather about issues relating to its background. (Organizers can choose from 4 suggested topics.)

Please check the list of many events coming up in Florida, Arizona, New York and New Jersey, and hopefully you’ll join me.(If you read the testimonials you'll see why my presentations are not to be missed.)

Some fun highlights of 2015:

         In my December newsletter I promised to highlight some of the many memorable/ unusual activities surrounding my book launch of HOTEL MOSCOW. It's hard to pick just a few from the series of events starting with the celebrity-studded book launch party at the Manhattan's famous Friars Club to the exhilarating luncheons and dinners where I connected with appreciative readers. I love the TV and radio interviews, which I invite you to watch/listen. But here is a look at "behind-the-scene":

1)  A tasty morsel to go with the novel: The request for a recipe to for a book-group meeting in which the novel is discussed brought out my culinary creativity. So here is my recipe for a Blini Caviar. It's easy to make for your next book meeting--and please remember to contact me to Skype your book discussion! 

2)  HOTEL MOSCOW was honored with the USA Books News award in the multi-cultural category.

The novel tells a universal story about people going through a political upheaval. Does the fall of a totalitarian regime mean that people wake up to Democracy--or to chaos and lawlessness? I hope that if you have not yet read this suspenseful, historical novel you will do so soon and get the inside view of this thought-provoking experience.

3) Authors’ endorsements:

The blurbs that HOTEL MOSCOW received from NYT bestselling authors were the ultimate

affirmation, and each took my breath away. It is a huge sacrifice for a working novelist—often under a contract to produce a new book each year—to take the time to read a full-length novel and lend his/her reputation to endorsing it. I am grateful to the many authors that have found HOTEL MOSCOW so worthy of their names—Nelson DeMille, Andrew Gross, Tami Hoag, Ellen Meister and many others!

4) Reviews:

As an author I toil in solitude and silence for about 5 years on each novel. Then comes the Big Bang

when the story is thrust out to the world and is embraced by both taste-makers and readers. Both ends of the process—the lonesome creative and its ultimate public reception—are equally satisfying, especially when my latest “baby” has received accolades such as:

“Stunning,” “A compelling narrative,” “Gripping,” “Unflinching and unforgettable,” "Skilled and vivid writing," "Fascinating," "An ambitious, timeless story," "Intriguing," “An eye-opening exposé ,” "Awesome," “Thought-provoking,” “A can’t-put-it-downer,”  “Action-packed, steamy and suspenseful,” “A moving, poignant, and heartening novel.”

All describe what I had sought to achieve in writing HOTEL MOSCOW.

5) Mah-Jongg tournament:

At a Book & Author luncheon in St. Petersburg, Florida, where I planned to arrive the night before, the organizers got a whiff of my love of Mah-Jongg. They asked me to participate in a special fund-raiser dinner and proceeded to sell tickets for attendees to play Mah-Jongg with the author! The fun was all mine.

6) HOTEL MOSCOW in Costco!

In its month-long run, the novel did so well that Costco continued the promotion for two more weeks.

From my very personal diary:

Some of you know that my husband, Ron, is the president of Maccabi USA. Over Christmas/ New Year we had the extraordinary experience of attending the Maccabi Pan-Am Games in Santiago, Chile, where the USA brought 400 Jewish athletes to compete against over 20 teams. It is a highly effective cultural- and Jewish-identity program that brings dispersed Diaspora communities together. It was a chance for me to reconnect with South-American friends I've made these past 30 years.

Finally,

In thanking you all, I’d like to offer you bookmarks. Many readers appreciate them, and I can send up to 30 at a time. Please write me at AuthorTalia@aol.com , and I will be delighted to mail them to you.

Thanks again, and wishing you all a great 2016!

Talia Carner

www.TaliaCarner.com

P.S. If you’ve read HOTEL MOSCOW, please post a review on Amazon or GoodReads. (Even a line or two would suffice--unless, of course, you want to articulate more.) If you haven't read the novel yet, here are links for both the trade paperback--about $12--or the digital format. 

HOTEL MOSCOW --The Adventure Continues

Fun literary events:

Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria

 The summer’s most star-studded literary event in the USA must be the East Hampton (NY) Authors’Night. Once again I was honored to be selected among the 100 invited authors to autograph my books. The reception—catered by the best wines and food offerings of the east end of Long Island—was swarmed by a couple of thousands visitors circulating among the celebrity authors and visitors.

Nelson DeMille, who's become a friend

Nelson DeMille, bestselling suspense author, was also honored at a private dinner following the reception, sharing the honor with Dick Cavett. To my surprise and delight, when DeMille rose to speak, he introduced me and talked about HOTEL MOSCOW! (His prior written endorsement is posted on the front cover of the book.)

Book groups are selecting HOTEL MOSCOW

Recording a video for Sutter Home book club

Is it the end of August already? When it came out of the gate, HOTEL MOSCOW was recommended by Reading GroupChoices directory (print and digital) as a book club discussion choice.

Indeed, the first group to Skype with me will so this week. Quite a few others have informed me that they are gearing up for a lively, thought-provoking discussion because the novel’s themes are so varied. (Many book groups simply do not realize that I am available for a phone or Skype participation, so please pass the word.)

A reminder: What is HOTEL MOSCOW about?

Set in Moscow in 1993 during the uprising of the Russian parliament against Yeltsin, the novel is both the story of the valiant Russians going through transition after the fall of Communism and the personal journey of a visiting American woman who teaches the sorely needed business to women. She becomes embroiled in investigating the mafia that controls their ventures, but soon must come to terms with her parents' legacy and her own personal secret that might compromise her future.

            HOTEL MOSCOW is an eye-opening portrait of post-communist Russia and a profound exploration of faith, friendship, and heritage.

Soviet life—before and after communism:

How much has Russia changed? Below is the layout of a typical Soviet communal apartment, where 13 families (20-30 people) share two lavatories, one bath and one kitchen. Millions of Russian still live in such conditions today. Read more about it in the novel.

                                                    A diversion from book tour:

I must share with you my experience of taking time off from writing and public speaking to fly to Berlin to attend the historical event of the European Maccabi Games. This was the largest gathering of Jews in that city since Hitler’s days, and the show of  Jewish power and pride took on a special dimension at the opening ceremony in the arena adjacent to the stadium where he had once banned Jews from participating. You may read more about the event here.

  

A complaint lodged to Amazon:

Rather than be redundant by posting another rave review of HOTEL MOSCOW, I'd like to share with you a fun "complaint":

"Dear Amazon.com;

            I'm writing to complain about Talia Carner's last book.
My husband is riveted to Hotel Moscow, and I cannot get him to come and play with me. In truth I did the same thing to him last month when he could hardly get me out of the bed in the morning because I had read the book half the night.
            This is almost never happened with the same book between us. But at least I don't have to cook, wash, or comb my hair until he finishes.
--- Page-turner widow"

                                             What’s next?

I hope you will all become “page-turner widows and widowers.” If you haven’t yet done so, please get your copy of the book in paperback or digital format by clicking here.

Thank you again, for making the launch of HOTEL MOSCOW a success. Please come and hear me in any of my dozens of speaking events coming up in  NY, CT, NJ, MA, PA, FL and MI.

Yours,

Talia Carner
www.TaliaCarner.com

P.S. If you have missed my previous monthly newsletter (and the interesting photos,) please check them out on my blog, Talia Tells Tales.  

P.P.S. If you’ve read HOTEL MOSCOW, may I ask that you post a comment on Amazon (and/or GoodReads) in the form of a review?  

HOTEL MOSCOW--The Launch

         My new novel, HOTEL MOSCOW was released in June with a great party, in which the ice sculpture was as much of a hit as the book.

          In my April  and May newsletters I  touched on my experiences in Russia: I was a consultant to Fortune 500 companies when, in 1993, I was sent by the U.S. Information Agency to Russia to teach Russian women the entrepreneurial skills they needed after the fall of communism. On my second visit, in October, I was caught in the uprising of the Russian parliament against President Yeltsin, was chased by the militia, and was threatened with jail.

Most intriguing: 

         In the dozen radio talks I’ve given these past two weeks since the launch of HOTEL MOSCOW, every interviewer was fascinated by the novel’s backdrop: the terrifying portrait of a nation in transition from Communism, of a world superpower undergoing a profound and violent change.

            It is hard for us to imagine the misery of life under Soviet totalitarian regime. It is even harder to grasp the nightmare of waking up one day to a world where all laws have been obliterated. While bewildered Russians struggled to learn new survival skills in new market economy, the corruption and brutality of the former Soviet regime was now imitated by thousands of mafia groups. HOTEL MOSCOW tells it with an inside view. As one reviewer wrote, “HOTEL MOSCOW taught me lessons about humanity, about what we, as people, are capable of.”

What has not changed? 

   

Photo by Yevgeny Kondako

In the new Russia young people discover new opportunities and restaurants are now store-front (formerly out of sight in basements or second floors.) Yet, dozens of industrial cities are as bleak and hopeless as before. And in beautiful St. Petersburg, the Soviet kommunalka, the communal apartment, where a family of three may live in a room as small as 5 x10 ft.—and shares a toilet, bath and kitchen with five to ten other families—is still home to millions of Russians. The lack of privacy is shown in this unique photo I was able to obtain. In HOTEL MOSCOW, readers get an inside view of such a life through Svetlana, one of the Russian characters.

 Author at launch time.... 

    “What does releasing the novel involve?” people ask me.

It’s exhilarating. But a book does not break out of the gate without long preparations and continued attention. The book launch was immediately followed by the release of my essays and blogs. My piece about identifying with Second-Generation—children of Holocaust survivors (even though I am not)—garnered a huge readership, as did my essay about my secular, faithless Jewish identity. Both are issues that the protagonist of HOTEL MOSCOW, Brooke Fielding, struggles with. 

            But it is the early morning commuter radio shows that present me with a physical challenge: How do I speak without sounding as though I had just woken up? I wake up 40 minutes earlier and reset my sleepy voice by belting out the ABC song. I am not up to anything more operatic….

Meeting you! 

            The most exciting part of publishing a new novel is my many speaking engagements. After years of toiling away at my keyboard in solitude, now comes the time when I share my passions with others. I don’t do “readings,” but rather talk about the background issues of the novel. Please join me in the coming weeks and months at the many events already scheduled in NY, NJ, CT and MA. (In August I’ll publish the travel schedule to Detroit, Pennsylvania, Boston and others.)

To say that my new novel, HOTEL MOSCOW was “long awaited” is a cliché that I, a writer, must avoid. But the thousands of readers who pre-ordered it and the dozens of bloggers that areposting their reviews give me a high that only an entertainer on stage can understand.

The bloggers are joining the chorus of bestselling suspense authors such as Nelson DeMille who wrote: “A finely drawn tale of a country emerging from its dark Soviet past into a present overshadowed by a new kind of terror and lawless corruption…. That will keep the reader mesmerized…. An insightful post-Cold War thriller.”

Thank you!

Talia Carner

www.TaliaCarner.com

 

P.S. While I encourage you to support your local indiebookstore, and I thank B&N for its loyalty, and Amazon is always a great online seller, I can’t not share with you that Costco now carries HOTEL MOSCOW (see below)!

HOTEL MOSCOW in Costco

  

  

  

HOTEL MOSCOW-- The Surprises

[Note to readers: With the launch of HOTEL MOSCOW this week, I've been late in posting the May newsletter that had been sent last month to subscribers. Please write to MecoxHudson2@aol.com to receive your June mailing as soon as it is available.]

Hello to old friends who have read my previous novels, and hello to new ones that, I hope, will soon embark on a satisfying journey with Brooke Fielding, the protagonist of my new novel, HOTEL MOSCOW.

In my April newsletter—the first in this monthly series—I touched on how my experiences in Russia have finally materialized in HOTEL MOSCOW: I was a consultant to Fortune 500 companies when, in 1993, I was sent by the U.S. Information Agency to Russia to teach Russian women the entrepreneurial skills they needed after the fall of communism. On my second visit, in October, I was caught in the uprising of the Russian parliament against President Yeltsin, was chased by the militia and was threatened with jail.
​
THE SURPRISES
     

What equally terrified me in the midst of a civil war was seeing graffiti of Yeltsin's name with the letter L—a triangle in Cyrillic—turned into a Star of David. When I asked why, I was told, “The Jews are behind it.” 

       It was a sobering introduction to virulent anti-Semitism. Jews were again being blamed for events that had nothing to do with us! 

The second surprise happened on November 3, 1993 at 2:48 PM—just four weeks after my escape from Moscow—when I sat down and began to write fiction. 

       A story happens when the individual’s spirit clashes with the power of religion, social conformity, or political upheaval—and emerges victorious. And I’ve had quite a few stories to tell. But it took me to mature as a writer and have the perspective of time to return to this particular historical time and place. 

THE RESEARCH 

    

An over-arching situation sets the background for a novel and drives the plot, but often marginal fragments of research spin the story into a surprising, new orbit. 

In Moscow I had witnessed some of the uprising first hand, with hundreds of civilians attacking a large police unit, the heavy artillery military confrontation, and the burning of the parliament building. But to make sense of the events, back in the USA I attended lectures about the Russian politics of the time and interviewed Cold War-era US security personnel. I recorded personal accounts of recent Soviet immigrants about the suffering and tribulations of living at the bottom of the food chain in a corrupt society. Personally, while visiting Russia twice in 1993, I watched the most educated group of women I had ever met suffer the indignation that came from deprivation: When the famous food lines led to empty stores, these women were reduced to being gatherers and hunters almost like the African women I had counseled before.

HOTEL MOSCOW's unique themes:

       Brooke meets Russians conditioned to distrust after a lifetime of bankrupt ideology and empty slogans—and living in nightmarish communal apartments. They are trying to make sense of a bewildering world in transition from communism, a world where economic survival is critical yet overwhelmingly foreign. 

       On a different layer, HOTEL MOSCOW also has two strong Jewish themes: One is the legacy of second-generation, children born in freedom to Holocaust survivors. The other is the challenge of forging secular Jewish identity unrelated to faith. I wanted to juxtaposed these ideas against blatant anti-Semitism, and so I sent my protagonist to Russia to see how she would react. 

​COMING UP:

It is exhilarating to meet book lovers. Please check my upcoming book tour schedule, starting in NY, NJ, and CT. (By August I’ll add my visits elsewhere.)

In my keynote speeches I talk about what happens to a society when women are excluded from participating in the public arena. I speak about the forged identity of an unaffiliated, secular Jew, or I discuss how stories find me.

     

Stay tuned: There is so much I want to tell you (and Skype with you in your book groups!) In my next newsletter I will write about the Kommunalkas—the communal apartments that were a lifelong nightmare which has left its mark on the Russian psyche.

The countdown to the release of HOTEL MOSCOW on June 2nd has begun. Now is the time to pre-order it at a great discount at  Amazon, B&N, iTunes, or even better--support your indie bookstore. (My novels are published in paperback format to keep the price down.)

Thank you, former readers and future friends. I am looking forward to hearing from you,

Talia Carner

www.TaliaCarner.com

P.S. PRE-PUBLICATION REVIEWS:

       Endorsements for the book have been coming from bestselling authors of suspense thrillers. Nelson DeMille wrote: “HOTEL MOSCOW is a wonderful evocation of time and place and a post-Cold War thriller that will keep the reader mesmerized.” 

       Or Kirkus Reviews: “…a compelling narrative of lives lived in dystopia. The novel sheds much-needed light on this turbulent period in Russian history."

       For more pre-publication reviews from best-selling authors Andrew Gross, Tami Hoag, Ellen Mesiter, Rodney Barker, and Jay Neugeboren, please click here.

  

HOTEL MOSCOW- The Real Story

THE ADVENTURE

Oct. 1993-During the uprising: The Kremlin
and deserted Red Square behind me

In 1993 I ran my New York-based marketing consulting firm whose clients were Fortune 500 companies. I was also a volunteer counselor for the Small Business Administration for women's programs, when I was asked by the U.S. Information Agency to travel to Russia shortly after the fall of communism to teach women entrepreneurial skills.

On my second visit to Moscow, in October 1993, I was caught in the uprising of the Russian parliament against then-president Yeltsin. In the mayhem, I was chased by the militia and was threatened with jail ! 

THE FLIGHT FROM MOSCOW

​The night the American Embassy ensconced me safely in a hotel--before I caught the first flight out in the morning--I wrote a 23-page report to the USIA. Upon returning home, (pre-Internet) I mailed hard copies to all my concerned friends. A month later, at a lunch with a journalist friend, she said, “All it needs is hot sex and you have a novel.”

And thus, on November 3, at 2:48 PM, my writing career began. 

“HOTEL MOSCOW” – THE NOVEL

HarperCollins,
June 2015

That novel, celebrating the valiant Russian women I had met, was never published. However I had done extensive research, and years later, while on book tour for my third published novel,

JERUSALEM MAIDEN, I decided to use the material in a new novel I was penning.

Set in Moscow in 1993 during the uprising of the Russian parliament against Yeltsin, HOTEL MOSCOW is both the story of Russians struggling through transition after the fall of Communism and the personal journey of a visiting American woman who becomes embroiled in investigating a business crime in Moscow. She soon must come to terms with her parents' Jewish legacy in a country steep in anti-Semitism—and her own personal secret that might compromise her future.
          
Pre-publication, the novel has just received endorsements from the greatest suspense authors of our time!  

Here is what Nelson DeMille writes: "... HOTEL MOSCOW is a finely-drawn tale of a country emerging from its dark Soviet past into a present overshadowed by a new kind of terror and lawless corruption... that will keep the reader mesmerized.... A wonderful evocation of time and place and an insightful post-Cold War thriller which reminds us that in Russia the more that changes, the more that stays the same.” 

Tami Hoag writes: "Talia Carner sweeps us away along with her brave and determined heroine to an exotic and complex time and place, and keeps us riveted with the tension and dangers of international intrigue. A real page-turner!" 

(Read more accolades from best-selling authors, and/or read the first chapter.)

​

DON’T MISS WHAT’S COMING UP!

There is no greater pleasure for an author than to share her work with an appreciative audience. Many readers have enjoyed learning more about the background of each of my novels. For HOTEL MOSCOW, I have fascinating tales to share.

I will mail my newsletter monthly. I hope that you will subscribe (please write to MecoxHudson2@aol.com) and choose to take the journey with me.
  In the meantime, you may also: 

• Pre-order HOTEL MOSCOW now at a great discount on Amazon, B&N, or your indie bookstore. (My novels are published in paperback format to keep the price down.)
• Suggest to your organization, local library or charity to invite me to speak at your events--or check my tour schedule and plan to attend any of my talks in your area, 
• Forward this newsletter to others so they may subscribe directly.

Thank you, former readers and future friends. I am looking forward to hearing from you,

Thank you,

Talia Carner
www.TaliaCarner.com