WHAT I READ THIS WEEK: The Ruins of Karzelek by Ruby Lionsdrake. Wayward by Blake Crouch.
Views of Lockhart, Texas, by Roxanne Rix. Books featuring Lockhart by Gretchen Rix include Talking to the Dead Guys and Tea with a Dead Gal. http://amazon.com/author/gretchenrix
5 reasons why I’m lowering my e-book prices to $3.99.
1. Because I can.
How great is that? I can lower the prices when I want to. I can raise the prices if I think it’s warranted. I can sell the books virtually free at 99 cents. Or I can look at the market, think about the economy, and set a reasonable price of $3.99 for each of my books.
2. I’ve been experimenting with prices all along.
Since the beginning (July 2010), I’ve tried about every price. The books sold well enough at $3.99 at the beginning, sold extremely well for a short time at 99 cents, sold regularly at $2.99 for a long time, and still sold when I experimented with $4.99 and $5.99 this past six months.
I’ve finally decided I’d rather sell more books and engage more readers than sell less books at the higher price, even though the monetary result is about the same.
3. I can always change my mind.
And I probably will. Given more books and more time. But right now $3.99 feels correct. It’s what J.A. Konrath sells his books for. It’s what Lindsay Buroker sells most of her books for. And they’re the two writers I enjoy reading that I feel most akin to, as a writer, not counting Charlaine Harris (who can’t control her book prices so she doesn’t count).
4. I’m getting ready for the Christmas and New Year’s rush.
I believe in planning ahead. By the time this blog is published, all six of my novels and the two short story collections will be priced at $3.99.
5. Except for The Cowboy’s Baby.
My romance novel, romantic comedy, contemporary take on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale The Cowboy’s Baby will remain priced at $2.99. If you like this one, you’d probably enjoy any of my other books because this is pretty much my “voice,” except for Arroyo, and maybe The Safari Bride. The two Baby romances and the two Boo Done It mysteries tend to the humorous, as do the 
two short story collections.
WHAT I READ THIS WEEK: Cold Call by Dean Wesley Smith. Pines by Blake Crouch.
Photographs by Roxanne Rix
Visit The Book Spot in Round Rock, Texas, for a copy of The Safari Bride. Visit Bookpeople in Austin, Texas, for The Safari Bride. Logos and Buffalo Clover in Lockhart, Texas, have most of my books. Or, if you’re a Lockhart citizen, check them out at the Dr. Eugene Clarke Library.
http://amazon.com/author/gretchenrix
SMOOCHES FOR POOCHES. Sounds like an event where you get to cuddle and kiss dogs, doesn’t it? And maybe even sign the adoption papers and take one home right then and there?
ALAS, we’ve never been able to persuade the local Cause For Paws spay and neuter charity to bring adoptable dogs and cats to the nighttime party. Speaking of which, the 12th annual Smooches for Pooches (and Kisses for Kitties) is this upcoming Saturday (September 12, 2015) from 630 pm until midnight.
Even without man’s best friend and man’s supposed best friend in attendance, this annual event usually brings in the animal lovers and raises money for the Cause. Join us this Saturday at the Evening Lions Club (220 Bufkin Lane) in Lockhart, Texas, and dance the night away with music from oldies but goodies cover band the Fossils, spend your money at the live auction, and eat nachos to your heart’s content. 
The newspaper story advises that a silent bar will be open until 11 pm, but I doubt that it will be very silent.
If you’re out of the area and want to donate money instead, call 512/557-9025 or 512/227-4255 for more information.
Cause For Paws successfully spays and neuters feral cats in Caldwell County. This event is where they get most of their operating money.
See you there. And get your pets spayed or neutered, and keep them in the house or your backyard. The life you save may be your own pet’s.
Photos by Roxanne Rix
Books by Gretchen Rix available at The Book Spot in Round Rock, Texas, http://www.juliesbookspot.com and through Amazon.com http://amazon.com/author/gretchenrix.
I’ve even got several books that feature pets:
The Cowboy’s Baby, The Cowboy’s Baby Goes to Heaven, Talking to the Dead Guys, Tea With A Dead Gal, and Baby Sings the Boos. A monkey features heavily in the plot of The Safari Bride.
WHAT I READ THIS WEEK: Asphalt and Blood by Warren Bell. Murder by Misrule by Anna Castle.
I received the suggestion last week to show the original blurb alongside the changes. So, here goes. For my short story THE TAKING OF RHINOCEROS 456.
Cover design by Molly Humphrey. Photo by Roxanne Rix
ORIGINAL:
Something mysterious goes on after hours at the San Antonio Daedalus Memorial Zoo. Myths live here. Mother Earth, for one. When the rhinos vanish, Steve the bum finds a talking dog. Maybe. Oddball whimsy combined with a puzzle: THE TAKING OF RHINOCEROS 456.
This is a short story.
FIRST REVISION:
A homeless man named Steve lives in the zoo in the empty cage next to the abominable snowman. There stupid zoo visitors hound him for photographs, mistaking him for the chimera.
Steve is much more dangerous than that.
Southern Gothic shot through with whimsy. Imagination let loose. THE TAKING OF RHINOCEROS 456.
SECOND AND MAYBE FINAL REVISION:
Arguably the most vicious exhibit contained at this zoo—
Steve, the homeless man living in the empty cage next to the abominable snowman.
Things aren’t quite what they seem at the San Antonio Daedalus Memorial Zoo. Southern Gothic meets Texas Whimsy in this highly imaginative short story.
Contains The Taking of Rhinoceros 456
WHAT I READ THIS WEEK: The River of Corn by John Rose Putnam. Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee.
Here is the link to the story http://amzn.com/B006P10KGM and here is a link to the collection http://amzn.com/B00HQ0PH1O. Those of you subscribed to KU can read them for free.
Over the next few months I’m going to redo all my product descriptions, commonly known as blurbs.
I started with the short story TRUEPENNY. Here’s what the new one looks like:
The braver the mouse, the better the supper. Not every house cat’s slogan, but Paw Paw likes them feisty. Cats eat mice, you know; even in stories.
As Paw Paw relates the latest Truepenny legend to his attentive mouse audience, he thinks of nothing but the food sitting so vulnerable in front of his eyes.
Until he remembers the real Truepenny, and what actually happened.
TRUEPENNY is available as a single story, or as part of the collection TWISTED RIXTER
(Believe me, it’s a lot better than what I had.)
And here’s the one I’m working on for THE TAKING OF RHINOCEROS 456 (I’m not finished).
A homeless man named Steve lives in the zoo in the empty cage next to the abominable snowman where stupid zoo visitors hound him for photographs, mistaking him for the chimera.
Steve is much more dangerous than that.
Southern Gothic shot through with whimsy. Imagination let loose. THE TAKING OF RHINOCEROS 456.
Cover design by Molly Humphrey. Photo by Roxanne Rix
Comments appreciated.
WHAT I READ THESE PAST WEEKS: The Kingdom of the Sun and the Moon by Lowell H. Press. Smoke-Filled Rooms by Kris Nelscott. Falling Down the Aether Sky by Sekji Ani. Never Trust A Dead Man by Vivian Vande Velde.
You can find my books and stories at http://amazon.com/author/gretchenrix
And most of the books at http://barnesandnoble.com/c/gretchen-rix and http://smashwords.com/books/view/494824.
Paperbacks are available in Lockhart, Texas, at Buffalo Clover on the square and at Logos off the square near Blacks BBQ. And in Austin at Bookpeople http://www.bookpeople.com/search/apachesolr_search/the%20safari%20bride and in Round Rock at The Book Spot http://www.juliesbookspot.com
(Truth of it is, though, any bookstore can order the paperbacks for you).
WHAT I READ THIS WEEK: Dune by Frank Herbert. Finders Keepers by Stephen King.
Photos by Roxanne Rix
Books and stories by Gretchen Rix available at Bookpeople in Austin, Texas, The Book Spot in Round Rock, Texas, Logos in Lockhart, Texas, and Buffalo Clover in Lockhart, Texas. Also at http://amazon.com/author/gretchenrix
Best part of being in the dealer’s room for two and a half days at ArmadilloCon 37 this past weekend:
Number One: Getting to talk with Howard Waldrop! We’ve met him before, have heard him read before, but have never had the opportunity to chat. Priceless.
Number Two: Selling a copy of my short story collection TWISTED RIXTER to Joe Landsdale! Joe Lansdale, people! And we didn’t even twist his arm.
Number Three: Getting to meet Facebook friends Juan Perez and his lovely wife Malia, trading a copy of my TWISTED RIXTER for their SEX, LIES, and CHUPACABRAS.
Number Four:The birds-eye view we got of the autographing sessions that were smack dab in front of our two tables of books.
Number Five: Selling 32 books.
Number Six: Meals delivered to the dealer’s room, a very good hotel experience, an totally easy and safe drive there and back again. Hotel was the Omni off I35 South.
Number Seven through Ten: Meeting and talking with all the other dealers in the room, some of whom we knew from other ArmadilloCons and others new to the con. Bought two novels from new writers selling in the dealer’s room, bought a lot of tea (a lot of tea), bought artwork. Spent more than we made, actually. Had fun being there.
Thank you ArmadilloCon staff and participants. Good job.
Here’s the book we sold the most of:
WHAT I READ THIS WEEK: All Clear by Connie Willis.
Photo by Roxanne Rix (doesn’t have anything to do with ArmadilloCon or the hotel)
Come visit us at Armadillocon 37 at the Omni in Austin, Texas this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We’ll be in the dealer’s room with my books (more than these three titles) and books by Patrick Kampman. All good reading. Giving away free rubber ducks. You know you’ll want one.
WHAT I READ THESE PAST WEEKS: Day Shift by Charlaine Harris. The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks. To The Hilt by Dick Francis. Blackout by Connie Willis.
The Cowboy’s Baby has a crossover book called Baby Sings the Boos. 
What’s a crossover, and what is The Cowboy’s Baby crossing with?
A crossover book marries two different novels that seem to have nothing in common, but they do. The Cowboy’s Baby is tied into Talking To The Dead Guys and its sequel Tea With A Dead Gal by virtue of setting, time, and the coincidence of quirky animal characters.
You see, the made-up town of Creighton where The Cowboy’s Baby takes place is less than thirty miles from the real town of Lockhart,Texas, where Boo Radley, the dog character in the Boo Done It mysteries, lives and wreaks havoc.
So I had them meet.
Yes, Boo Radley meets Baby.
At the State Fair of Texas. 
At the local comic-con in San Marcos.
Baby Sings the Boos contains humorous short stories combining the two characters in adventures.
Photos by Roxanne Rix.
Bet you didn’t know there was a sequel to THE COWBOY’S BABY. Here’s the cover.
THE COWBOY’S BABY GOES TO HEAVEN. It’s a better book, I think. Takes the characters of Ralph Maybeath (the preacher man) and Leona Robin (the recently retired diplomat) and throws them in with Baby and Little Leon. But you’ve also got Cassie and Frank and a couple of new characters, and hay falling from the skies.
Next year there will be a third book, THE COWBOY’S BABY GETS MARRIED.
http://barnesandnoble.com/c/gretchen-rix