News & Events
September 7, 2017
This section has been quiet awhile because I’m working on the next book in my Great Wharf series. But I’ve been meaning to add this snippet. This spring, a year and a half after coming out with my debut novel, one of the places I’d sent it to for possible review, Reader Views, published a wonderfully positive commentary. The final paragraph of the review by Tammy Petty Conrad ends with this summary statement: “In ‘The Year Mrs. Cooper Got Out More,’ Meredith Marple skillfully weaves the story line back and forth, and twisting it so that there are plenty of surprises. This reader left satisfied!” It’s uplifting and motivating to receive kudos on the first book while in the middle of writing the second one. Thank you, Reader Views.
August 13, 2016
In August 2016 I put The Year Mrs. Cooper Got Out More in my second giveaway campaign at Goodreads. Twice as many people entered this second giveaway as the first. It was open to more countries, and there were also more reviews in place that might have convinced people they would enjoy the book. Of the five winners, three different countries were involved and 80 percent of the winners were women.
August 7, 2016
The Year Mrs. Cooper Got Out More took home the gold this weekend when it was named Chick-Lit category winner in the FAPA President’s Award (Florida Authors & Publishers Association). I consider the book more “women’s fiction” than “chick lit,” but a lot of contests, understandably, don’t try to differentiate. In any event, a gold is a gold is a gold and okay by me!
Aug. 1, 2016
I’ve just been informed that The Year Mrs. Cooper Got Out More is a Women’s Fiction Finalist in the IAN (Independent Authors Network) Book of the Year Awards. Beautiful badge! I’m staying tuned to learn whether Mrs. Cooper is named a category Winner, but in the meantime and “whatever,” I’m thrilled with this laurel.
June 30, 2016
The Year Mrs. Cooper Got Out More is currently a Chick Lit Finalist for the FAPA (Florida Authors and Publisher’s Association) President’s Award. The novel is really cross-genre cozy mystery and women’s fiction, but also great fun to read, so Chick Lit works too! [Update: Took home the Gold!]
January 2016
In December 2015 I put The Year Mrs. Cooper Got Out More in my first giveaway campaign at Goodreads. It was fun to watch the numbers of entrants climb during the month, and altogether about 550 people entered. Of the ten winners, ten different states were represented, and 70-80 percent of the winners were women.
August 24, 2015
As an Unpublished Manuscript, The Year Mrs. Cooper Got Out More rose from Finalist to Bronze winner in the 2015 Royal Palm Literary Awards (Florida Writers Association). Thank you for the applause! The award gave me renewed motivation to get this book out there. 