Blog Posts for Karen Dionne

Backspace in Writer's Digest Magazine!

Karen Dionne — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:48:54 -0700

Backspace is the online writer's organization I co-founded 5 years ago.Check out this sneak preview from the October Writer's Digest Magazine. What a fabulous two-page spread! Be sure to pick up a copy when the magazine hits the newsstands next week! You can also read the full interview on Writer's Digest's website.

Colleen Lindsay's giving away two Backspace Agent-Author Scholarships

Karen Dionne — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:31:10 -0700

Deadline's tomorrow!http://theswivet.blogspot.com/2009/08/win-scholarship-to-backspace-agent.html

Looking for an agent?

Karen Dionne — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 10:41:18 -0700

If so, check out the Backspace Agent-Author Seminar, November 5 & 6, in New York City - two days of panels, workshops, and small-group meetings with ONLY literary agents on the program - Janet Reid, Colleen Lindsay, Paige Wheeler, Scott Hoffman, Jeff Kleinman, Holly Root, Miriam Kriss, and many more - over 20 in all. Registration is limited to 120. Early registration discount through ...

Joseph Finder to join the Backspace conference faculty

Karen Dionne — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:59:53 -0700

Backspace is pleased to announce that New York Times bestselling author Joseph Finder (POWER PLAY, KILLER INSTINCT, COMPANY MAN) has joined the 2009 Backspace Writers Conference faculty and will present the discussion, "What I Know Now That I Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out." Joe's an accomplished author and a fabulous speaker, and we're thrilled and honored to have him! Other ...

"In the event of my death" - a gift from Neil Gaiman

Karen Dionne — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:31:32 -0700

There's some talk here and there on the Web about Michael Crichton's two posthumous novels, and whether or not their publication is what he would have wanted. That got me thinking about what might happen to my intellectual property after I pass away, and the terrific gift that author Neil Gaiman gave to writers a few years ago - a simple will designed for writers to help us make sure our ...

On Buying Books

Karen Dionne — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:21:13 -0800

According to a survey commissioned last spring by Random House Inc., 28 percent of Americans purchase between 11 and 20 books every year. The figure is slightly higher for Canadians: roughly one-third (34%) report buying themselves at least one book per month. 36% of non-reading Canadians said they had bought a book as a gift during the previous year. Not bad for an industry rocked by declining ...

A Web 2.0 Launch Party

Karen Dionne — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:04:44 -0700

As co-founder of Backspace, an Internet-based writers organization with hundreds of members in a dozen countries, I knew only a handful of friends would be able to attend my book launch no matter where it was held. So I decided to recreate the traditional launch party experience on the Web. Entertainment for the October 1-3, 2008 event includes video welcomes from David Morrell, Gayle Lynds, ...

Publishers Marketplace Unfolds Bookstore Maps

Karen Dionne — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 05:32:50 -0700

What a fabulous innovation, and just in time for me to plan a few drop-in signings on my travels from Detroit to Boston and back next month! I did a preliminary search by plugging in "Pennsylvania," and this looks great - a huge list of bookstores and their locations and contact info popped up! Once we decide on our driving route, I can pick out what bookstores I want to stop at along ...

What Can You Do With a Book Trailer?

Karen Dionne — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:23:22 -0700

Authors post them on their websites. They upload them to Google Video and YouTube. If they’re particularly savvy, they search out display sites like Book Screening and Preview the Book. Even websites that aren’t primarily intended to showcase trailers like the Backspace homepages have a section where users can upload them. The jury’s still out as to whether or not book trailers help sell ...

Writers Helping Writers and The Book Promotion Idea of the Century

Karen Dionne — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:33:25 -0700

“Writers Helping Writers” is the unofficial slogan of the Internet-based writers organization I co-founded four years ago called Backspace. It’s a good tagline, because Backspace members are an extraordinarily supportive group. Besides answering questions at the discussion forums, they turn each others’ books face-out at bookstores, blog about them, buy them as gifts, recommend them to ...