The Cast Net, Re-woven! The Southern Redemption Series!

I have completed the “Southern Redemption” trilogy that begins with The Cast Net. The story that first emerged in The Cast Net has changed so that all three novels weave together. The Cast Net and the second novel in the trilogy, Of Sun And Rain will be released soon.

The Cast Net 

Millie West gets my attention on the first page. From then on, I am turning pages to see what happened. The thing is, I never want the book to end. She has the ability to create a world that draws you in and you don’t want to leave it. The Cast Net is a “Must Read” book…Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief, Southern Writers Magazine.

The Cast Net Synopsis

When Mills Taylor, a talented New York advertising and public relations agent, accepts a job as the director of an educational scholarship foundation in Alston Station, a town near Charleston, South Carolina, she never imagines that her new position will launch a year of living dangerously.

Mills agrees to help after the foundation’s former director, Cooper Heath, suffers a personal tragedy. His wife is missing and some people think he made her disappear.

The Cast Net chronicles the year when Mills plunges into a socially unfamiliar world of Southern money and power in the late 1980s. As she helps Cooper cope and seek the truth behind his wife’s disappearance, she learns the deeper meaning of “the cast net” and why it’s been embraced by generations of Low Country residents. The Cast Net is a compelling and engaging novel about roots, a sense of community, trust, betrayal, redemption, and especially—love.

Of Sun and Rain
I fell in love with the characters Jeff and Callie in Of Sun and Rain. I was pulling for both of them and literally could not put this book down. I was mesmerized throughout the story line. Millie West truly knows how to capture a reader’s imagination and bring them into the story. Well written. Cannot wait until her next book releases…Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief, Southern Writers Magazine.

Of Sun and Rain Synopsis

Reeling from addiction and on the run, accused murderer, Jeff Radcliffe escapes South Carolina authorities by sailing to the U.S. Virgin Islands. In Saint John, Jeff tracks down old sailing rival, Marcel Renaud, who invites him to sail to Trinidad. En route, a storm throws the two off-course to the coast of Venezuela.

Injured at sea, Jeff recuperates in the small fishing village of Puerto San Marcos at the home of Father Gilberto, a Catholic priest. American doctor, Callie Forte treats his wounds, and senses Jeff’s desperation. But, as their relationship deepens, it’s clear that both Callie and Jeff keep dark secrets. Together, they make a plan to settle old debts and start a new life.

When Callie is abducted and held for ransom, the hunted becomes the hunter. While Jeff combs the jungle for his beloved Callie, Jeff’s cousin, Cooper, is hot on his trail, vowing to bring him to justice for his wife’s murder.

 

Advice for authors: The power of the bookmark!

For sixteen years, I worked in the real estate business; eight of those years I ran my own company, Portfolio Real Estate. I specialized in properties on Lake Murray which has over six hundred miles of shoreline and is located northwest of Columbia, SC. During my real estate days, I learned that promotional items are key to maintaining a successful business. I developed a buyers’ guide to Lake Murray called the Lake Murray Portfolio, where I previewed and photographed lake houses that were for sale. I advertised in my local newspaper, and with the help of an advertising company, created a brochure about my business that was distinctive, memorable, and brought me sales. I took these lessons learned from real estate into my business as an author.

When I do a book signing, I am armed with several hundred bookmarks that were designed by the talented man, Robin Krauss, who creates the book covers for my publishing house, Boutique of Quality Books, Atlanta, Georgia. The book marks are eye catching and provide information to help customers learn about, and purchase my novels, The Cast Net and Catherine’s Cross. I have found that people who take a bookmark from me sometimes later purchase my books, or download them in an ebook format.

Another important rule to having a successful book promotion is to schedule your signing alongside a community event that will bring foot traffic in front of your table. This past Memorial Day weekend, I signed copies of my novels at McIntosh Book Shoppe, on Bay Street in downtown Beaufort, South Carolina. Since both of my novels are set in the Low Country of South Carolina, a couple of weeks before the book signing, I made a tour of the Low Country of South Carolina visiting newspapers and book stores along the coast. I visited over fifteen venues, but heard back from one very important news source, The Hilton Head Island Packet. A reporter for this newspaper called and interviewed me about my novels and wrote about them preceding the scheduled book signing. His article was outstanding. Not only did I benefit from the foot traffic that was in Beaufort for the Saturday before Memorial Day, but I had customers who had read the article and came especially to purchase my novels. I had a wonderful signing event and sold thirty copies of my novels. This broke my old record of twenty-six books that I sold last summer during an annual celebration that takes place in Beaufort.

I would like to say more in regards to giving away bookmarks. It is a nonthreatening way of introducing yourself to passersby. As people go by my signing table, I ask them if they’d like a bookmark. Usually, the answer is yes. When a person comes forward to receive the bookmark, I tell them that I’m signing my novels, and I give a brief synopsis of the stories. I find that this works in a positive fashion, and then I close on the sale. I don’t sell everyone a book, but I have a good success rate. If you think about it, I signed books for three hours and sold thirty books. That’s a book sale every six minutes!

All right authors—get those bookmarks ready! Don’t be afraid to make eye contact with passersby at your signings, hand them out, and smile!

Please check out these links. The first one is the article written about me in The Hilton Head Island Packet: http://www.islandpacket.com/2013/05/19/2509240/a-chat-with-millie-west-author.html

This link is to Southern Writer’s Magazine. Catherine’s Cross was recently the must read of the week: http://southernwritersmagazine.blogspot.com/

My website: www.milliewestauthor.com