Animal Cracker alive and well!

And she's off! The Kindle version of Animal Cracker has been out for 10 days and selling like crazy! If you're one of my buyers, thank you so much! Here's where you can buy it.

The best part is the comments from readers:

Been reading Animal Cracker, can't put it down. Almost burnt dinner. Great book!


And Kirkus Reviews weighed in: Wry comic voice,smart and enjoyable..funny..extremely satisfying

What a fun ride! Animal Cracker has great characters and a plot that keeps you turning the pages as fast as you can. Plus, the writing is lively and laugh out loud funny. Original and clever as well.

What a great book! Andi Brown has created a brilliant cast of characters and a serious, yet comical story line. Loved Diane Salvi! Definitely a recommended read!

"Animal Cracker" is one of those books that captures your interest from the moment you pick it up and you just can't put it down until you finished reading it. I started reading "Animal Cracker" in the early evening and I stayed up until 4:00am reading it. The character development is superb and you get caught up in the drama right from the moment you start reading. I highly recommend this book to other readers.

We've all had lousy bosses. But this one truly takes the cake. Diane is a believable whistle-blower who is joined by an entertaining cast of supporting characters. I read this in two nights, staying up way too late to find out what happened. A smart "beach read" for any time of year.

This is one of my new favourite books. After discovering the author (@andibrownauthor) on twitter and she promoted her new book which I am so glad I purchased. It is entertaining and so hard to put down! It has mystery and animals- a brilliant combination. You'll understand the picture on the front once you've read it! Cannot recommend it enough!

I am so glad I found Andi on Twitter! This is a fabulous and fun read. The story kept me engrossed from the first page to the last. I just kept wanting to know what was going to happen next! The characters are very believable, we all have a Hal and Betty (to name two) in our workplace. Put this book on your 'must read' list. I highly recommend it to everyone :-)

So far, most of my readers stem from Twitter. I have several other promotional arrows in my marketing quiver. To be continued...

Animal Cracker reading by the author

Animal Cracker is out and selling like crazy! My book launch party was held Wednesday night at the fabulous Newtonville Books. I talked about my journey as a writer, and read from the book. Even if you couldn't attend, you can still "be" there via the magic of video. I will be posting additional videos from that evening, or you can find them yourself on Youtube.

You can buy Animal Cracker at Newtonville Books or on Amazon. If you prefer Kindle, never fear! The Kindle version will be available on or about July 9th. Happy reading!

Animal Cracker is out...and another book too!.

Attention! At long last, Animal Cracker, my comedic novel set in a pet shelter, is out! Currently available in paperback, it will be published for the Kindle too shortly. Animal Cracker is currently available at a "launch special" price for a limited time only. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I liked writing it. And if you really love it, I'd appreciate a tweet and/or Amazon review.

You'll notice that I have another book for sale. (A)Musings, for the Kindle only, is a collection of humor pieces, a travel memoir, some recipes and a few surprises.

Here's where to buy: Amazon.com

Thanks for your support!

PUBLICATION - FOR REAL!

The day has come....almost! On WEDNEDSDAY, JUNE 12, Animal Cracker will be published. Warning: on that day, I will be bombarding the twittersphere with hourly exhortations to BUY MY BOOK. Apologies in advance. Animal Cracker will be initially available as a paperback and in a few weeks, in a Kindle version as well. I hope to make it available for the Nook too at some point.


And...ta - da - a bonus! I'm also publishing another book that very same day. (A)Musings is a collection of short humor pieces, travel writing, some recipes and other miscellany. It will be sold only for the Kindle, at least for now, for just $.99. Double the fun and buy 'em both.

Thank you,blog followers, for sharing this journey with me. I hope you enjoy my work!

Animal Cracker - another excerpt

Countdown to publication of Animal Cracker, my comedic novel set in a pet shelter, that debuts in just a few weeks. To whet your appetite, here's another excerpt. Scroll down to read two more.

I headed to the lunchroom for some late-morning mud. Who was this? Philosophy major/would-be rock star/poet judging from the milky pallor, height of around 5’6,' black geeky/cool rock star glasses, and a hairline inching backwards. Andrew in everything but hair.
“Where’s the sugar around here?” he asked as he poured some java into an APA mug featuring our logo and a trio of basset hounds.
I obligingly opened the cabinet above the sink, inquiring “One envelope or two?”
He took three, saying “It’s gotta taste like coffee ice cream.”
“Hey, me too,” I replied.
“So, I guess you work here?”
“Writer in residence. PR, brochures, stuff like that. You?”
“Actually, I write too. Working on a novel.”
“Starving artist.”
He laughed. “I manage to put food on the table.”
“All legally, I hope.”
He laughed. His teeth resembled perfectly formed Chiclets.
“ Since I left Colgate junior year, I’ve been lifeguarding, bartending, rewriting unintelligible Japanese appliance manuals.”
“You sure have lots of variety in your day.”
“You could look at it that way. I look at it as a bunch of checks.”
I took a slug of coffee.
“So, what’s your interest in APA?” I asked.
“My dad works here. I’m picking him up for lunch.”
“Really? What department?”
“Actually, he’s the big gun. You know, Hal?”
Nothing came out of my mouth.
“You look like you just swallowed a bug.”
“I did, I did.”
But of course he was Hal’s son. He had his eyes, though the mouth definitely hailed from the Joyce side of the family.
Let’s take inventory here. My boss’s son appeared to be flirting with me.. A boss about whom I was starting to harbor some serious doubts. Rule Number One in that great workplace manual in the sky: No dating the boss.* *Or his offspring.
“I’m Diane Salvi, the Communications Director.”
“Mark Mason.”
“Well, I guess I must go do some communicating,” I said, giving him a cute little grin. Yikes, was I actually sorta, kinda interested in a man?
I texted Genie.
guy in lunchroom flirted with me, semi-adorkable. p.s. he’s hal’s son.
She texted back, You finally show an interest in someone and that’s who you pick???? Stay away.
I let my imagination take a brief and unexpected stroll down romance lane, picturing Mark and me ambling along the Esplanade on a warm spring day, arms entwined. Dining in a candlelit North End Italian trattoria. I told my fantasies to take a hike, played a quick game of online Boggle, and probably would’ve played a few more had Betty not interrupted me to reschedule my next meeting with, who else, Mark’s father.

Publication, Part Two

I just finished a phone call with my "publisher" - CreateSpace, a division of Amazon. Next steps: final edit of manuscript, confer with book designer, fork over some money. In about two months, I'm the proud parent of Animal Cracker, a real live book, available for the Kindle and as a paperback.

Could I be more excited? I could not.

If you haven't already, you can scroll down in the blog where I've posted two excerpts. Enjoy!

Publication!

I'm publishing Animal Cracker - hooray! It'll be available for both for the Kindle and as a turn-the-pages paper book. Target launch date: June 1, 2013.

I have lots to do, including raise funds on Kickstarter. Click on the link if you'd like to support my efforts to become published - minimum donation, just $1! Anyone can help my book make the leap from my computer into the hands of readers seeking a fast-paced, witty, sometimes poignant read. Oh, and Animal Cracker features lots of cute, cuddly....animals!

Stay tuned for the further adventures of the "Unsinkable Andi Brown!"

Publishing journey update

My writing activity is moving as fast as a Japanese bullet train. Getting published, well, more like Amtrak.

After months of shopping Animal Cracker around to every appropriate literary agent in New York and beyond, I received a couple dozen requests for the manuscript. Good news, right? Gave me hope. By now, most have declined, saying they liked it but the market's really tough now, hard to sell new author, blah blah blah. I'm now down to four agents who are still clutching the thing in their powerful hands.

My hope for conventional publication is fading, but never fear, I will be published. My investigation into the process of self-publication is well underway. Once I confirm that every last agent has declined, I'm going full speed ahead (to continue the train metaphor) with DIY publication, which will include an unorthodox marketing scheme I've cooked up. So stay tuned. Animal Cracker is coming to an e-reader and yes, turn-the-pages book soon.

AND, I've finished writing a romance novel with a friend. Working title is Goddess and it takes place on the picturesque island of Santorini. The only porn is food porn and travel porn - lots of lovingly described meals, villages and sunsets. It's a little spicy, but this is no Fifty Shades. We've given it to a few friends to read and critique, and then we'll revise and start shopping this one around to agents too.

Finally, I occasionally find time to work on another comic novel. More on this another time.