Ozarks Indie Book Fest in One Week - Plus a Ticket Sale

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Today, let's talk about OIBF! Eep! Get your clicking fingers ready, and let's get going!

Ozarks Indie Book Fest is having its inaugural event starting on Thursday, October 19, 2017, and running through Sunday, October 22, 2017!

There's a ton of awesome stuff planned, and you can find the full schedule on the OIBF website here. See any names you recognize on there?

Of course you do!

Our weekend will kick off with a keynote speech by the one and only Christina Benjamin, and then the fun shall begin with treasure hunt fliers being passed out! This treasure hunt includes several of the attending authors, and readers will get to seek out the authors during the signings, Friday and Saturday, and quiz them to find out what to put on the paper. A huge gift basket full of goodies is up for grabs.

Saturday opens with a keynote speech from the always awesome BJ Sheldon before readers swarm the signing hall!

Want to be one of those readers?

Use the code oibf2017

on this link for $15 off a two-day ticket! 

That's right, two day passes are just $20! With the single day passes being $10, and no t-shirt or bag being included, this is one HELL of a steal. With your twenty bucks, you get entry into the keynote speeches, all the panels, entry into the signing hall, entry into the Saturday night awards program, and both of these goodies:

That bag is FULL of alllll kinds of author stuff. Wow, am I right?

Plus, you get to listen to my keynote speech Saturday morning, and you'll get to come to the princess party Friday evening from 5-6:30pm! Three of the War and Pieces ~ Frayed Fairy Tale authors will be there! We have a ton of cool games and prizes for you all.

At the awards, you can dress up as your favorite book character. That's right, it's a COSTUME PARTY! Huzzah! So very fun, and so close to Halloween, you can reuse your costume to go trick-or-treating just a week and a half later.

You know you wanna come, so get to clicking that link!

Drop a comment in below if you're coming and will see me, and I'll have a special prize waiting for you at my table. ;)

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

CRAY-Z Weeks - Updates and Such

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Holy crow, what a nutty few weeks it's been. Today's post is just a little what-not about what's been going on and why the blog has been so everloving silent. Ready? Grab your coffee (or tea), and let's get going!

So, after my London trip, I know you've noticed things have been rather quiet around here. It's hard to get back into the groove after being bombarded on all sides by people, but that wasn't the only issue. My husband was overly stressed, and he had to travel to another state to be with his father in his last few days.

Let me tell you what, trying to concentrate on anything when you wish you were with someone you love while they're going through a hard time isn't easy. I'd just come "down" from the overseas trip, and I thought I was ready to get back on the pony, when all this started.

Sad to say, my father-in-law took his last breath on September 11. I jumped right on a plane, and just returned home Saturday. Now, I sit here, wondering if I'm going to be able to get back on my schedule. I believe I'll be tweaking it today and starting fresh tomorrow. Some things worked, and others, not so much. But you never know until you try! I did well for a month or two, but a couple of things just weren't given enough time (like my blog), and I found myself scrambling to get it done in the short time I'd allotted. If you have suggestions for new topics, drop them in here.


That all changes this week. If you've been following me a while, you'll know I have two events at the end of October. I'll TRY to post during that week I'm on the road, but I'm making no promises. Keep up with my Facebook page, because I intend to have live video happening when I do my keynote speech. Yeah, it won't be me manning my device, but I promise it'll be live--October 20 at around 9am EST. WHEEEEEEEEE!!

On another note, Utterances is about 20-25k from being complete. That story is draining as hell. Very emotional. I'm gonna try like hell to have it out before Christmas. Send me good vibes! LOL!

One upside to all of this is that my road trip is with another author, Tia Bach, so we'll probably spend a good amount of time writing in the evenings. Maybe even plot new novels together. How exciting would that be? *grin*

As for events, these are my last for a lonnnnnng time. I'm only doing Roanoke Author Invasion next year, so if you wanna see me, you'll have to either come to OIBF or GLBB this year, or RAI next year. After that, I'm giving it a rest for a while and getting back to what I do best: WRITING.

November is NaNo month, and I'm planning to get back on my serial killer novel then. Anyone else going to write all the words that month?

Drop your NaNo name in the comments, and I'll give you a friend request/follow before then. Or, you can friend me here.

Well, I've chatted your ears off long enough. Time to get to revamping my schedule! That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Nominations are Open for the First Annual OIBF Awards!

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I have the most exciting news for you all today. No intro. Get your typing fingers ready, and let's get going!

As you may know, the first annual Ozarks Indie Book Fest is happening October 19-22 in Springfield, MO. If you'd like to pick up tickets or an author table, here's the links you need: OIBF Website  ~  OIBF Tickets

Reader tickets are just TEN DOLLARS per day, and you can choose Friday or Saturday. If you purchase a thirty-five dollar ticket (which includes the awards and such), you'll be automatically entered to win dinner with several best-selling authors and the OIBF 2017 keynote speakers.

That being said, it's time to nominate your favorite authors' books for awards! There's only one caveat to winning: They must be present at the book fest to win.

If you want to nominate, you must be logged in with your email address, and you only get one shot at the form. Once you hit submit, that's all she wrote. You're done. Here are the categories (you get one nomination per category, and it cannot be yourself):

Best Indie Publisher

Best Editor

Best Formatter

Best PA

"Author of the Year (Aug 2016-Aug 2017)"

"Best Debut Author (Aug 2016-Aug 2017)"

Best Anthology

Best Book Cover

Best YA Book

Best NA Book

Best Hero/Shero

Best Villian 

"Best Overall Book Series (Has to be a complete series)" 

Best Fantasy/Paranormal Book 

Best Inspirational Book 

Best Contemporary Book 

Best Romance Book 

Best Mystery/Thriller Book 

Best Horror Book 

Best Dystopian Book 

Best Sci-Fi Book 

Best Children's Book 

Best Historical Book

Here's the link!

NOMINATE!

How awesome is that? Anyone can nominate anyone except themselves. If you have a large or enthusiastic fan base, get on it!

Did you fill it out? Will I see you at the conference?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Win Free Dinner with Several Amazing Authors

Did I catch you with that heading? Happy Friday! Eeep! So much great info for you today. Let's jump right in.

If you purchase a 2 day pass ($35) to Ozarks Indie Book Fest, you'll automatically be entered in a drawing for a chance to join the VIP signing authors and keynote speakers!

Who are these authors, you ask? Right now, they're:

USA Today and NYT bestselling author Mary Ting
Christina Benjamin
B. J. Sheldon
and yours truly (me!)

There will be more, but they can't be named yet. *wink wink* I can't even begin to say how excited I am to be a part of this! I'm the Friday morning keynote speaker, and there will be a block of time after that keynote for you to meet me one-on-one and get your books signed.

Ready for a linky?

Get your entry ticket here. Remember, it's the 2 day pass!

Here's a "few" more of the amazing authors that will be at OIBF! Meet, greet, get your books signed! EEP!

Will I see you there?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

$25 off Tables at OIBF

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Oh my gosh, I'm excited! If you remember my post from Monday about the conferences and signings I'm attending this year, you'll know about Ozarks Indie Book Fest. Well, there's a SEVEN DAY sale on tables! Get your clicking finger ready, and let's get to the details!

To start, a half table is only $100, which I think is a steal to begin with. But for the next seven days, you can get one for just $75.

Use code springfling17

Get your ticket or table here! 

If you want to know more about the fun stuff happening at the conference, check out the schedule on the OIBF website. It promises to be a weekend of FUN.

Remember! Reader tickets are just TEN DOLLARS! Grab them on the link above.

Let's talk hotel rooms!

UNIVERSITY PLAZA HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER

This is where the Ozarks Indie Book Fest is being held.

Rooms can be booked. Call or go to the website of University Plaza Springfield Missouri.

(417) 864-7333 http://upspringfield.com/

Booking Code is OZARKS.

Rates are $109.00(Plus Taxes) for 2 Queens in 1 room. $139.00(Plus Taxes) for 1 king suite.

Check out the amazing sponsors for the event here. There are some great ones. I can't believe I'm gonna be surrounded by so much awesome.

What are you waiting for? Will I see you there?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

My 2017 Signings

Happy Monday! Long time no speak, eh? Well, I'm finally managing to get a few things done, and I have some updates and news for you all. Ready? Let's get going!

First and foremost, in just FOUR weeks, I'll be in Virginia again with all the lovely Roanokeians. If you haven't heard about the Roanoke Author Invasion signing, I suggest you get on over to the website and check it out. It's organized by the lovelies Liz C. Long and Laura Howard. Be sure and give them a shout out on social media via those links. *wink* Tell 'em Jo sentcha. Ha!

What I love most about RAI is that it's very reader friendly. Not only are the tickets 100% FREE, but the first 100 folks through the door get special stuff like tote bags. Very classy.

So, if you're within a couple hundred miles and have nothing to do Saturday, April 8, pop on over and say hello to me. If you mention seeing this post, I'll have a special little something for you at my table. *grin*

Get FREE tickets for RAI here

Now, later in 2017, I'll be heading to a couple conferences. The first is Chapter.con, and it's in LONDON! *squeals*

It's hosted by the lovely Katie John, and it's a true conference lasting two full days. Dates are: August 25 and 26, 2017.

I have THREE super special Saturday signing passes to give away, so keep your eyes on the blog. That will happen very soon!

I've never been to London, so I can't say what I love about the city, and since this is the first year of the conference, I can't drop any super amazing tips or anything about it, either. We can figure it out together!

Find more info and get tickets for Chapter.con London here

OZARKS INDIE BOOK FEST!

Yeah, I typed that in all caps. You guys! I'm the Saturday keynote speaker for this event, and I'm thrilled beyond words. Ticket prices range from $10 for readers (one day, all day, entry either Friday OR Saturday) to $100 for a half table for authors all weekend. DATES: October 19-22, 2017.

Your hostess with the mostest for this event is Ms. Jaci Chaney. While there are several folks working to bring you the most awesome experience ever, Jaci was the one who came up with OIBF. We're forever grateful to her!

Not only is it the first conference I'm going to be a keynote speaker at EVER, it's also donating all the proceeds to pet rescue charities. Loving Paws and Companions for Heroes will be splitting the proceeds from both the conference and the anthology OIBF will be releasing later this year. How exciting is that?

I've been to Missouri once, but we were in St. Louis, so naturally, I ended up at the Anheuser-Busch distillery. It's a little foggy after that. *wink*

I'll be giving away a couple of fan passes to that event this year, too! So exciting!

I'm so looking forward to hitting OIBF. If you're in the area and want to come check out the awesome authors that'll be there, you know the drill.

Get your tickets for OIBF here

For the last conference of the year, I'll be up in Michigan for the Great Lakes Book Bash! It's the weekend after OIBF, so I mayyyy be hitting a few bookstores between one and the other. Keep your eyes open for that. DATES: October 27-29, 2017.

GLBB is organized by the always awesome Rachael Brownell.

This event is also FREE for readers, but you MUST pick up a free ticket. As of RIGHT NOW, there are only TWO Friday tickets left. Your free ticket gets you through the door on either Friday or Saturday. If you want more info before you buy, check out this page on the GLBB website. As you can see, prices range from FREE to $20.

I have TWO Rock Star passes to give away to you lucky readers, so be prepared for that! Not sure what I plan to do for you to enter, but I'll think of something amazing.

If you're ready (and I hope you are!), you know what to do!

Get your Great Lakes Book Bash tickets here

Which of these will I see you at this year?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Ozarks Indie Book Fest - First Panel Announced

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I have some exciting news to share with you all today. OIBF's official blogger, The Katy, announced the first panel and moderator for the conference in 2017 (October 19-22)! See the video embedded below.


Want to join in the fun? You can grab your tickets to OIBF on the website here.

Interested in being a sponsor or want an item in the welcome bags? Check out this quick rundown of sponsorships currently available!

I'll be there, and I know a ton of other people who will be there, too!

If you think you'd like to be a part of the OIBF anthology, write a quick 1k words and enter it here. Blind judging will choose the top ten! Deadline for entries is 9/30. Deadline for completed short stories is 12/31. Coolest thing about it? ALL the proceeds will be split between two charities: Loving Paws Rescue and Companions for Heroes. Oh yeah! What are you waiting for?



I do hope to see you all at the conference! It's gonna be a BLAST. You don't wanna miss it.

What do you think? Did you enter? Planning to?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Enter an Anthology with Proceeds for Pet Charities

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Today, I'm here to talk with you about an amazing opportunity you may want to take advantage of. If you're ready, let's get rolling!

So, if you didn't already hear about it on my radio show, Ozarks Indie Book Fest is happening in Springfield, MO, October 19-22, 2017. They're donating any and all proceeds from the conference to two charities:

Companions for Heroes

and
Loving Paws Rescue

But the organizers wanted to do even MORE for these two charities. They put their heads together and came up with the idea of producing an anthology with ALL proceeds going to the charities above.

Pretty amazing, huh?

Want to know how you can get involved? Well, here you go:




Fill it out now, later, or whenever! If you write a compelling beginning, there's a great chance of being chosen. No one will know who you are until the stories are chosen. Classy, eh?

Winners will also be announced on the Facebook event page. You can join in the fun here.

You have a few months before your full story will be due. Why not?

Will you be entering?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Author Convention News for 2017 and Happy Birthday to Me

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm over on the radio yet again, but this time, I'm talking all things author conventions for 2017. Ready to listen? Here's your link that will go live at 11AM EST:

LINKY

Here's a quick breakdown of what you can expect to hear:

Your hostess, Jo Michaels, of the Jo Michaels blog, talks about author conventions. Some she's attended, some she hasn't, but all are worth checking out. Plus, a special announcement (or two). Be sure and pop back by Friday as I'm joined by Author Rachael Brownell to discuss Great Lakes Book Bash! But, for today, here are the links you'll need:

http://roanokeauthorinvasion.com
http://utopiacon.com
http://chaptercon.weebly.com
http://ozarksindiebookfest.com
http://greatlakesbookbash.com

If you missed my interview with the amazingness that's Liz C. Long, the lady behind RAI, you can find it in my podcast archives or click here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/adailycupofjo/2015/07/24/roanoke-author-invasion-information-with-liz-c-long

If you're dying to find out more about Ann Aguirre, you can find her online here: https://www.facebook.com/ann.aguirre or here: https://twitter.com/MsAnnAguirre

And you can find her books on Amazon here: Enclave (book one of the Razorland Trilogy) and Mortal Danger (read chapters 1-5 here on Amazon for free).

Oh yeah, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEEEEEEE! hahaha!

Did you listen? What did you think?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo