In 2006 Laura Fitzgerald's debut novel, Veil of Roses was released. The sweet story of love and cultural discovery centered around Tamila Soroush, an Iranian woman sent to the USA by her parents to "wake up your luck". The story found a receptive audience and became popular with book clubs and reading groups.

Laura followed up Veil of Roses with the national bestseller One True Theory of Love, and though many other writing projects clamored for her attention, her fans kept asking her to revisit the wonderful characters from Veil of Roses. As any author knows, an idea, once planted, is hard to shake. It turns out that Tami, Maryam, and the rest of the characters from Veil of Roses still had stories to tell.

One of the most exciting things about the small press market is the ability to publish books that cross broad genre boundaries. Joan M. Sargent's TURKOISE, billed as Visionary Fiction, is one such book. It was released by Parendi Press in June, 2010. Combining elements of historical and multicultural fiction, a touch of magical realism, and a strong romantic element, Turkoise is a multiple award winning debut novel. The story of the book's genesis--a concussion followed by vivid dreams and uncanny coincidences--is almost as fascinating as the story itself. We invited Joan Sargent to share more about the book and her creative process here.

In a journey that could heal her heart, or end her life, a young journalist grieving the sudden death of her fiancé is called on to investigate a psychiatric patient's claims of reincarnation with a soul mate across time.

TED: Tell us a little bit about the genesis of the book idea and/or how you came to decide to write it.

For me, Halloween has always signified the start of the fall holiday season. From here it's a quick hop into Thanksgiving, and then the Christmas/Hanukkah/Solstice is upon us. These are all great holidays for families, and if you're looking for the perfect book to share with the children (and kids at heart) in your life, The Goopy Ghost of Halloween by V.R. Duin can't be beat. Goopy is the story of a displaced pile of pumpkin "goo" on the search for a new home after its pumpkin was turned into a jack o' lantern. If you've ever wondered what happens to pumpkin "goo" when the carving is done, V.R. has the answer for you! V.R. Duin worked with Renni Browne on this successful self-published effort, and a Thanksgiving-themed sequel is in the works now.

In the meantime, a second Goopy book is also available now: The Goopy Ghost at Christmas. Why should Goopy's adventures stop on October 31st? V.R. Duin says,"This rhyming, illustrated sequel is about one very goopy ghost that is determined to have a very merry time as it makes its way from a new haunt to the back of Santa’s sleigh. When Santa’s elves get into the “spirit” of the season, there’s even more fun to be had." The books feature gorgeous, vibrant artwork, and are perfect for young readers or reading aloud. We're pleased to have been a part of Goopy's development and encourage everyone to view the book trailer and follow it's author on Facebook for all the latest Goopy news.

"A cabin hidden behind a padlocked gate, no power, no phone, just Revelation and a .38…a true story of abuse, loss, redemption and hope."

AS THE SYCAMORE GROWS, by Jennie Helderman, is a true story of domestic violence, told from the perspective of both the victim and the abuser. It's a unique take and provides an entirely new perspective on a very important, but often overlooked, subject. Unlike many books of this genre, SYCAMORE uses real names and places. The details were not changed, and the book includes photographs and copies of court documents from the participants. It was released by Summers Bridgewater Press, Inc. on October 11, 2010. To celebrate SYCAMORE's release in paperback and Kindle format, we invited author Jennie Helderman to tell us a little more about herself and the book. First, a little about Jennie and her approach to writing:

JH: I like to find out the how and why of things, whether it's reading mysteries, playing word games or working at Pompeii as I did one summer. I like to travel, but not with groups. I don't stay in line very well. I need to walk, let my feet touch the earth, and meet the people along the way. Back in 2000 I walked 125 miles of the Camino across northern Spain and I cherish that experience.

TED: Tell us a little bit about the genesis of the book idea and/or how you came to decide to write it.

STILL MISSING debuted on The New York Times extended bestseller list, where it has now stayed for three weeks as of August 1st!

Read more about Chevy Stevens and STILL MISSING, or follow her on twitter (@chevystevens) to keep up with all the latest news. Looking for a great read once you've finished The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo? Try STILL MISSING. You won't be disappointed!

Susan Helen Gottfried is a woman with a healthy appreciation for loud music and larger than life characters. She's also a talented writer who has channeled her passion for heavy metal music into Trevor and Mitchell, front men of the band ShapeShifter. Set in the fictional town of Riverview (a kind of Anytown, USA) the rock 'n' roll lives of ShapeShifter and their fans are chronicled in the books THE DEMO TAPES (Years One and Two) and TREVOR'S SONG. After many positive comments, but no book deals, Susan decided to quit waiting on publishing trends and took the ShapeShifter gang to Smashwords (ebook) and Lulu (print) where their stories could finally reach an audience. Self-published authors are often perceived as not good enough for traditional publishing, but Susan defies that notion. Pulling double duty as both author/editor and publicist, Susan has seen the writing life from all sides, and her experience can help any author break out of obscurity.

No one is more excited than an author whose book gets published, but all of us at TED are thrilled about what's happening with Chevy Stevens' STILL MISSING, released July 6th. Chevy came to us with her riveting first novel when she'd taken it as far as she could. Chevy was determined and dedicated to making STILL MISSING the best book possible, and enlisted Renni Browne's editorial assistance. "She was tireless," Renni said. "And what she does with an editorial suggestion is just breathtaking."

In 2008 we matched Chevy with literary agent Mel Berger at William Morris/Endeavor, who secured a three-book contract with St. Martin's. All four advance reviewers--Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus, Library Journal, and Booklist--gave STILL MISSING starred reviews, and pre-pub recommendations have also rolled in from Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Oprah Magazine, Romance Times Book Review, and others.  STILL MISSING was touted in People Magazine's "Great Escapes" feature, and the book was held up and recommended in Good Morning America's "Top Picks for Great Summer Reading."

In the last part of the How to Build Your Author's Platform series, I featured Dora Machado, a traditionally published author who came to platform building late in the game. For today's feature, I interviewed Georgia McBride, a YA author with a very different perspective. Georgia is not yet traditionally published, but she has an impressive social media presence, and is very active in both promoting her writing and mentoring and supporting up-and-coming authors. She also speaks to teens about writing, promoting within her target audience, and nurturing the next generation of writers. She has a background as a marketer and manager in the music industry, and has been a part of the launch of several teen and tween music brands including N'SYNC and Fall Out Boy. She's no stranger to promotion and branding, and her expertise can help both new and established authors refine their web presence.

TED: There are many ways to connect with potential readers and publishers. Which do you consider the most essential?

GM: You want both potential readers and publishers to recognize your name when the time comes. However, the attention span of a consumer (potential reader) is so short that spending lots of time trying to get their attention (and God forbid money) now, when there is no book/physical product to promote is like playing the boy who cried wolf. When you finally do have a book out they will be so tired of hearing about you, they may move right on past.

As Children's Book Week draws to a close, we'd be remiss if we didn't share a couple of our favorite client successes. Yes, The Editorial Department works with children's books, and we're especially proud of these two. The first is The Goopy Ghost of Halloween by V.R. Duin. Goopy is the story of a displaced pile of pumpkin "goo" on the search for a new home after its pumpkin was turned into a jack o' lantern. V.R. worked with Renni Browne on this (and her second book, The Amazing Flight of Little Ray), and a sequel is in the works right now. The video trailer for Goopy is on the book's amazon.com page, and gives viewers a glimpse of both the story and the vibrant artwork. (Which, in my opinion, is one of the best parts of children's books!)

Another lovely book we had the privilege to assist with is The Chronicles of Joya by Liane Carter, an author based in the UK.  Joya is a science fiction tale featuring a brave rabbit protagonist and her adventures on Earth. There is a wealth of information and media featuring Joya on Liane's web site, but my favorite part is Liane reading an excerpt from the book. It's always nice to hear a book in the author's own voice!

As you may or may not know, Behind the Bestsellers was a monthly feature of our e-zine, and while we haven't looked at the charts officially since November, to some extent, not much has changed.

The Help is now the publishing feel good story of this year, like it was in 2009.  The Lost Symbol is still on the charts and there's a James Patterson book there as well, along with a stack of similar detective novels.  Also, we might not ever rid ourselves of vampires.