"Celebrate Libraries Contest"

Released (Book 1 in The Shapeshifters' Library series) 
has over 50 reviews on Amazon and 76 ratings on Goodreads. 
I’m so thrilled I’m celebrating with a big contest. 
Win one prize for yourself and one to share with your favorite librarian.

• For you - A book bag filled with books and swag.(Canvas book bag, T-shirt (size large), Fluffy dog puppet, Books: The Shapeshifters’ Library Book 4 – Reprinted, Heads in the Clouds, Relaxing the Writer book & CD, plus misc. swag: dog biscuits, real wolf fur, tea bags, etc.
• And for your favorite Library - Print copies of The Shapeshifters’ Library book 1-4 mailed to the library of your choice.

Why would your librarian love The Shapeshifter's Library series?

• A library filled with shifter librarians and human librarians with ordinary librarian superpowers.
• Library humor: RFID labels as a plot device, werewolf bookclubs, disappearing books, a children's librarian grows a tail, bookworm crisis, censorship of anthropomorphic books, a library janitor challenges a incumbent werewolf for town mayor, and more...
• Warning: Some humor is aimed at cat-loving librarians (this is a dog-shifter focused fantasy)

So, what do you have to do?

Only one thing!

Send me an email: amber@amberpolo.com 
Add the Subject heading: "Celebrate Libraries Contest" and tell me the name of your favorite library (the library I'd send books to if you were chosen as the random winner.) That's all and I'll pick a random winner.Contest ends: Midnight Wednesday, September 16th, 2015

Dear Library Lovers:
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Even though this contest doesn’t require it, I’d still love library lovers and dog lovers to visit my website, watch my book trailer, and sign up for my newsletter.
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And please forward to your friends and librarian friends,
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Amber
 

Light urban fantasy for lovers of libraries and dogs!
Librarian dog-shifters and book-burning werewolves

Book 1 Released - Liberty and Chronus's story (Golden Retriever & Old English Sheepdog)
Book 2 Retrieved - Godiva and Cynerik's story (Chocolate Labrador Retriever & English Mastiff)
Book 3 Recovered - Bliss and Harry's story (White Greyhound & Werewolf-Dog mix)
Book 4 Reprinted - Pacifico and Atlandia's story (Chihauhua and white Werewolf)

50 Plus Reviews for Released!

 

I'm thrilled to see Released
has over 50 reviews!

To show my love of  reviewers, readers, and libraries, I'm celebrating by sharing my favorite outtakes.

And Coming Soon - Watch for a big giveaway and the chance to win prizes yourself and your favorite library.

Amber 

Outtakes from Released

When Released, the first in The Shapeshifter's Library series, was published some of my favorite librarian scenes fell on the Editing Room floor, perhaps because they lacked paranormal twists or because contained too much library humor. Some of that humor tickles librarians and serious library lovers more than readers entranced with dog-shifters and book-burning werewolves.

So, indulge me and let me share three of my favorite outtakes.

• Elsie Dustbunnie's Retirement Party (The original opening chapter of Released)
• In Released Liberty Cutter's staff think she has no life outside the library and encourage her to date. Readers loved her elegant dinner date with dreamy Gregory who (spoiler) turns out to be a shifter.
  
  But before that children's librarian Bliss D. Light convinces Liberty to go on three blind dates. The first two dates didn't make it into the book, BUT here they are:
• Date One (Liberty meets Rolf Grimm, an academic librarian for Sunday brunch) Sort of, based on personal experience.
• Date Two (A library salesman takes Liberty to a library conference and helps make her presentation a success.) Based on library vendor friends.

Memoir Helps All Writers Reap New Ideas

Just had to share some photos from a Memoir Workshop with Ann Metlay on Friday, May 1, 2015 held at the Camp Verde Library.

Ann Metlay, poet, writer, reader, life-long teacher of writing, is the author of the short story collection It Happened in the Cottonwood Library Parking Lot offered a rollicking memoir writing workshop for writers, and for those who don’t label themselves as writers, but want to record memories, memorable moments, and family stories. An introduction to memoir with writing exercises with writing prompts to spur memories with opportunities for optional sharing.

Writers who write fiction, non-fiction and other serious words often need to reap their memories for ideas.  

Susan Orlean, Rin Tin Tin, and Libraries

Rin Tin Tin

Those who know me know I'm no fan girl. Celebrities do not send me into a swoon.

Susan Orlean and Amber Polo

This weekend I met Susan Orlean, author of Rin TIn Tin and The Orchid Thief, and I was thrilled. She appeared as part of Yavapai College’s Hassayampa Institute (I love that word) Literary Southwest series in Prescott, Arizona.

Susan Orlean

The Orchid Thief

Besides her book about an iconic dog, there's more. The Orchid Thief was made into the movie Adaptation and Meryl Streep played Susan Orlean. Is that cool! Staff writer for the New Yorker. Contributing editor to both Rolling Stone and Vogue. Wow.

Orlean read from Rin Tin Tin and her work in progress about libraries. That should be a clue. Any writer who writes about dogs and libraries has my attention. She’s an amazing journalist and creative non-fiction author. You know the kind. You read their articles and their books even if you have absolutely no interest in the subject.

And now for the personal part. After I read Rin Tin Tin I heard Susan Orlean was writing about libraries sparked by her interest in the fire that damaged the Los Angeles Public Library in 1986 and destroyed 400,000 volumes – 20% of the collection.

Dogs, libraries, and book-burning. This former librarian and dog breeder was  seriously hooked. I sent her a copy of Released (dog-shifting librarians nose to nose with book-burning werewolves) and a few treats for her dog. And I received a thank you note. I think she and her dog appreciated the biscuits more than the book, but I was thoroughly impressed to receive a reply. And a fan turned into a fan girl.

Now, I’m waiting for her next book.

Self-Publishing Workshop

The Camp Verde Community Library sponsored a free self-publishing workshop on  February 20th. For anyone who aspires to be an author, choosing how to publish a book is essential. Sorting through the choices in today’s changing publishing world is daunting, but crucial. This workshop covered the new ways to publish, discussed print-on-demand books, ebooks, and more.

 

Pathways to Publishing

Creative writing instructor and author Val Chanda, Yavapai College Emeritus English Faculty shared her perspectives during “Pathways to Publishing Workshop: An introduction to the world of digital self-publishing” outlining differences between traditional publishing, old-style “vanity presses,” and current options for self-publishing print and ebooks. She published her first novel, a science fiction thriller, Psy Mind: Deadly Reckoning, in 2011 and has since published two others in the Psy Mind series and launched a new mystery series.

Val Chanda

I facilitated the afternoon panel featuring local authors who have self-published in a variety of ways, including: fiction, non-fiction, memoir, inspirational, art books, a card deck, an audiobook, and audio CDs. The panel discussed their own personal paths to publishing and answered questions. Members included: Amber Polo (me), Melissa Bowersock, Ronni Ann Hall,  Val Chanda, and John Jenkins. For a very small town it was exciting to see the talent we have. 

Amber Polo, Melissa Bowersock, Val Chanda

John Jenkins, Ronni Ann Hall

 It was also exciting to see so many writer at all stages on their paths wanting to explore self-publishing.

Amber Polo

Attendees also learned about Reading Arizona (ebooks about Arizona), and SELF-e (a national collection of ebooks) both sponsored by the State Library.

Kathy Hellman, Camp Verde Library Director