A few days ago I blogged about a new book coming out called Freezing Point. This book seems to be a thriller written in Crichton’s style. Of course this is right up my alley. I first heard about this book from Melanie, over at “What Am I Doing in Mexico?” as this book is written by her aunt Karen Dionne.
Well Freezing Point is out now, and I have already purchased it for my Kindle. I’m only one chapter in, but already the book has a great pace to it and I’m excited to get sucked into this new story. Even more impressive is that Dionne is using the web to help get exposure for the book. I hope you all join me in supporting Karen and reading a great book in the process.
Due to the geographical restrictions of all her readers, Karen Dionne is throwing an online launch party! I HIGHLY recommend everyone check it out, as she’s giving away prizes! You can visit Karen Dionne’s book launch party at www.freezingpointlaunchparty.com.
Here’s more details about the festivities:
An innovative thriller author throws a new kind of party
In a YouTube world, it’s becoming ever more difficult for authors to grab and hold readers’ attention. To a Web 2.0 generation accustomed to tag clouds, wikis and widgets, authors’ static text-and-images-only websites are as outdated as Fred Flintstone’s writing tablets.
“Authors naturally think in terms of words,” says Karen Dionne, whose debut thriller Freezing Point about an environmental disaster in Antarctica releases October 2 from Berkley. “But on the Internet, we’re not limited to text. Today’s Internet is very visual, very interactive.”
Savvy authors are taking a page from the digital age and posting book trailers to their websites. Dionne is going them one better. With help from renowned thriller authors David Morrell, Lee Child, James Rollins, Gayle Lynds, Douglas Preston, and John Lescroart, Dionne is throwing an online book launch party where family, friends, and fans can mingle and win prizes – and catch the buzz about her new novel in the process.
As co-founder of Backspace, an Internet-based writers organization with hundreds of members in a dozen countries, Dionne knew only a handful of friends would be able to attend her book launch no matter where it was held. So she set out to recreate the traditional launch party experience on the Web.
Entertainment for the October 1 – 3 event includes video welcomes from bestselling thriller authors, a reading by a professional voice actress who’s also a New York Times author, standup comedy from one of her author friends – even testimony from a medical doctor regarding the science behind the story’s premise. There are door prizes: a boxed set of the BBC’s “Planet Earth” series on DVD, bottles of genuine iceberg water, and Penguin Gear from her publisher. And because a book launch party wouldn’t be complete without, well, books, two independent booksellers are making signed copies available.
“Writers shouldn’t be afraid of the Internet,” says Dionne. “We’re creative people. We can figure out how to use the Internet to spread the word about our books in new and exciting ways.”
Compared to a real-world book launch, Dionne says her online party has definite advantages. “Where else but on the Internet could my mom hang out with Lee Child?” There’s no limit to the guest list, work schedules and time zones don’t even factor, and perhaps best of all, Dionne’s guests can attend wearing their pajamas.
Visit Karen Dionne’s book launch party at www.freezingpointlaunchparty.com.
Aaron, thanks so much for posting this! I really appreciate it!
I’m more than happy to help you and Karen out. Never a problem! I just started the book and it’s great so far.