Tag Archive for: Should Have Played Poker

What a Month or Three New Babies!

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What A Month or Three
New Babies! by Debra H. Goldstein

May proved
to be a crazy and wonderful month. It was so exciting, I want to share it with
you.

The
month began with my husband and I being on pins and needles anytime the phone
rang for fear our daughter, Jennifer, whose first child was due on May 25th
had gone into early labor. We breathed a sign of relief at the end of the
first week.

Then,
the doorbell rang. It proved to be a different kind of delivery. Two boxes from
Harlequin . I
tore into the box and held the new Harlequin Worldwide Mystery version of my second baby (book).

Should
Have Played Poker: a Carrie Martin and the Mah Jongg Players Mystery.


Here’s
the history of my second book. In 2014, Five Star purchased Poker.
Because its 2015 calendar was filled, the book was scheduled for publication in
2016. A hardback version was released in April 2016, but to my dismay shortly
thereafter Five Star ended its mystery line. Instead of a series, Poker
became a standalone. Then, a nice thing happened. Harlequin Worldwide Mystery bought
the book’s mass market rights. That meant it would be distributed to Harlequin’s
book clubs and mystery subscribers and would also become part of its catalog for
the general public to buy in a reasonably priced paperback format. With joy, in
May 2019, I held the new edition of Poker, which officially
releases on August 6, but already can be pre-ordered for the special discounted
price of $6.39 – https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335455468_should-have-played-poker.html.

Despite
my happiness of the rebirth of this book, my attention still was on when Jen’s
baby would   Another week went by –
nothing. Her due date came – still nothing. She appeared to be no closer to delivery than I was. The doorbell rang again. When I opened it, no one was there. I looked
down and was surprised to see a box. Confused, I carried it inside and carefully
opened it. The box contained ARCS of Two Bites Too Many, the
second book in my Sarah Blair series, which will be available on September 24
(but can be pre-ordered for delivery on that date at https://www.amazon.com/Bites-Many-Sarah-Blair-Mystery/dp/1496719484
or https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/two-bites-too-many-debra-h-goldstein/1130055243
.

Again,
I was excited, but my mind was on Jennifer. Would her baby ever arrive? Of
course, on May 31, 2019, Eliza Rose Feld entered the world. As happy and
excited as I was at the other two May deliveries, neither topped Eliza. I’m
over the moon at my third May delivery … and I think it will be a few days
until I come down long enough to write anything that isn’t gibberish. Do you
blame me?

Where’s Should Have Played Poker?

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Where’s Should Have Played Poker? by Debra H. Goldstein
One month down since Should Have
Played Poker was published and while marketing, pr, and everything that goes
into launching a book has killed my writing time, I’m still standing.  Better yet, people are reading the book and
telling others they should read it, too. 
There are many different strategies and schemes for marketing a novel,
but nothing goes to the credibility of a written work more than word of mouth
satisfaction.

The success of Anita Diamant’s The
Red Tent is an excellent example of a novel owing its success to readers
finding it and telling others about it.  Another
that comes to mind is The Celestine Prophecy. When it was published, no one
predicted the book James Redfield was selling from his car’s trunk would be a
bestseller.  Now, I’m not saying Should
Have Played Poker will end up in the same class as these books, but in today’s
day of social media, I’ll bet I can point to something neither of these authors
had: postings of where my book is being read. Similar to the Where’s Waldo
game, people have been playing Where’s Should Have Played Poker.  Here are some of the places it has turned up:
Don’t Ask 
Airport Travels
Between Hands in Asheville
Hawaii
What do you think about word of mouth?  If you happen to read or see a copy of Should Have Played Poker, feel free to join the fun by posting your picture on my facebook author page (and like it, too:)) – https://www.facebook.com/DebraHGoldsteinAuthor/ .

Reviews- Shuddering in Our Boots

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REVIEWS – SHUDDERING IN OUR BOOTS by
Debra H. Goldstein

After a Broadway show opens,
everyone gathers in a restaurant not sure whether they are celebrating or about
to attend a wake.  Why?  Because they’re waiting for the reviews. 

Authors are the same.  We nash our teeth waiting to see reviews that
appear before our books are released. 
Afterwards, we can’t help but glance at any that appear on Amazon, Goodreads,
or in national publications.  If they are
good, we happy dance and hope that everyone in the world sees the review.

But, what about the bad ones – and
there will be some.  Do we hide away and
hope no one reads them? Do we take them on? In my mind, we don’t do
either.  We read them carefully to see
what we can learn from them.  Our first
reading of a bad review tells us which type it is: one carefully reasoned or
one that is from left field that should be disregarded.

When my first book, Maze in Blue was
published, most of the reviews were excellent. Two were not. One, by Dr. Don Noble, who reviews for NPR
and Alabama Public Radio, praised a few things, but then pointed out flaws in
the structure and styling of the book. His comments cut to the quick, but today,
his review is my favorite. He taught me to avoid dumping and how to properly
write the ending of a book – something no class had ever fully explained to me.
Even though people continue to enjoy the book – reading it for fun rather than
with a critical eye, I still cringe at the rookie mistake I made. The good
thing is that because of his review, I’ll never make that mistake again.
And, the bad review? Someone gave me
two stars on Amazon noting that in writing about Ann Arbor, Michigan, I’d made errors in where the hospital entrance was located and how one of the main roads ran. I thought about writing a
response explaining that six to eight months after the book is set, the road was rerouted because the new dental school was built causing the hospital’s emergency entrance to be moved, but knew I shouldn’t. Happily, another reviewer, who gave the book five stars, took him on by noting that she was a professor’s daughter who lived in Ann Arbor at exactly the time the book was set and that I’d caught the locations and feeling of being on campus perfectly.  I chose to embrace her review and disregard his.

My new book, Should Have Played Poker: a Carrie Martin and the Mah Jongg Players Mystery, was released by Five Star on April 20.  Happily, at this point, all the reviews have been good. I know there will a few negative ones sometime in the future, but for now, I’m happy dancing so much that I’m going to engage in a little blatant self-promotion.  Forgive me in advance J:

“There are numerous plot threads
being woven into this relatively short mystery, and yet all are neatly tied
together by its stunning conclusion. … While the investigations remain the main
focus driving the novel, added elements of romance and humor only enhance this
thoroughly entertaining novel.  Carrie is
a very sympathetic character, and despite her traumas she allows herself
moments of playfulness and joy.  As much
a legal thriller as a family drama, readers will find much to enjoy in this new
series.” – Cynthia Chow – Kings River Life Magazine

“Should Have Played Poker has a
fast-paced plot with short chapters, enjoyable characters, and an  It touches on issues of
aging, family ties, corporate responsibility, and religious tolerance, and
culminates in a surprise ending that makes Carrie question most everything she
has ever believed in.” – Sharon Marchisello – Killer Nashville Book of the Day

abundance of
red herrings.

“If you’re a maven of mah jongg and
a fan of mysteries, you’ll find this easy-to-read, enjoyable, suspenseful,
well-paced adventure belongs on your nightstand right between your good-luck
tile and your playing schedule.  Judge
Goldstein deftly immerses the reader in rich characters, cozy settings,
complicated relationships, and intrigue. 
As the characters come together, cross paths, discover clues, and
unravel relationships, you’ll find yourself wringing your hands worried for
Carrie’s safety, wondering who should she trust, and who is the kikenhai
(dangerous tile) in the lot.”  – Scott D.
Miller –Mahjong News

“This was a very enjoyable
story.  …smoothly paced with enough
action to keep me delving into all aspects of this intriguing mystery that I
could not put down until I knew who the killer was. …With a loveable cast of
characters, good dialogue and a feel good atmosphere, this was a terrific read
and I hope there are more stories with Carrie and her friends.” – Dru Ann – dru’s book musings