Sunday, March 22, 2009

help a sistah out

Talia Carnes is a finalist of sorts in the Amazon Novel Contest. This is from an email she sent. Go to Amazon. Support her career.
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Recently I finished editing a new novel, Jerusalem Maiden. Luckily, the manuscript has just been named a quarterfinalist in a contest run by Amazon to publish a breakthrough novel in partnership with Penguin books. There were close to 10,000 submissions!

Amazon asks its customers--you--to VOTE in order to move it to the semifinal. Will you please read the excerpt on Amazon and post your impression?

Please click http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UG3AOG. The
download is F=R#E^E even as it says "Ready to B-u^y Now?" (If you do not see the blue purchasing icon on the right and you are using AOL, Firefox or such sensitive browser, try Internet Explorer.)

Keep a copy of the review. After you post it, please check in a day or two to see if it’s up. Amazon’s software can be capricious….

Jerusalem Maiden is a story of a young woman's struggle with her fundamentalist society's religious dictates, what Hollywood would tag "The Red Tent" meets "A thousand Splendid Suns." I am certain that you will enjoy reading the short excerpt. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UG3AOG

This is important to me, but also, each novel I publish draws attention to my previous books and gives exposure to the social issues behind my writing. I use 100% of the revenues to finance my activism.

A million thanks for your support.

Talia Carner
www.TaliaCarner.com

1 comment:

Talia Carner said...

Thanks, Gwen.

Here is my update with great news!

New York, April 15, 2009

Out of close to 10,000 entries, my yet-unpublished novel JERUSALEM MAIDEN has now made it to the semi-finals in Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. The selection was made solely upon Publishers' Weekly review combined with Amazon's experts' reviews.

Thank you all who have read the excerpt and reviewed it on Amazon. Your reviews will now play an important role as Penguin's editors are reading the semi-finalists to determine the top 3 finalists. Customers' reviews is one of the three criteria they use.

That also mean that the race for more reviews is far from being over. If you have not yet read the excerpt, please do so, and, since you've had a good reading experience, please tell your reading friends about it. The direct link is:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UG3AOG .

Set in the early 1900s in Jerusalem, JERUSALEM MAIDEN is the story of Esther, a young woman destined to be married in order to hasten the messiah's arrival, when she discovers her talent for art. However, visual expression is against the Second Commandment, “though shalt not make any graven image,” and thus begins Esther's struggle between her yearning for individuality and the demands of her society's religious dictates.
Thanks a million for your support!

Warmest regards,

Talia Carner
Author, Puppet Child & China Doll
www.TaliaCarner.com