Two-Books-in-One-Day Author Wendy Corsi Staub Launches Cutting Edge Social Networking Site

When New York Times bestselling thriller author Wendy Corsi Staub realized she would have two major novels published on April 29, the dynamo promoter knew she’d need to work some magic to get readers’ attention at this critical point in her career. With Dying Breath (Zebra Books), a mom-in-jeopardy thriller, and Lily Dale: Believing (Walker), a young adult paranormal, Wendy and her husband, Mark—who met when they were both working for a Manhattan advertising agency—had a challenge on their hands: two books with two different reading audiences. How could they simultaneously reach both without spending Madison Avenue-type promo bucks? "We knew social network sites like MySpace and Facebook are the hot ticket these days," Wendy said. “But we wanted to build an exclusive environment to engage my readers, where they could express themselves, discuss the books, and actively participate with me and each other. My husband, along with former advertising agency colleagues, came up with an innovative concept in Internet promotions: the first—we think—author specific social networking site, where readers can see a bit more than the usual About the Author page. Please check it out," she said enthusiastically, "on www.WendyCorsiStaubCommunity.com and let us know what you think." Wendy, a former bookseller and New York editor who has published more than seventy books, launched the site featuring a "Read Along with Wendy" promotion for Dying Breath, member pages, forums, fan photos, her first blog, and a surprise hit. "I’m hearing from readers who love Mark’s blog!" she said, referring to the account her husband writes about what it’s like to be married to an author who's a mom of two sons and a promo machine writing furiously to meet deadlines at four publishing houses. Does she ever sleep? Does she cook? Check out the blog to find out! Wendy’s innovative site was created by Ed Dintrone and Peter Meluso, owners of ACQUAINTinteractive.com, which specializes in creating custom social networking sites. Wendy still maintains www.WendyCorsiStaub.com, where information on all her books can be found. Dying Breath finds a serial killer on the Jersey shore and a mom who has terrifying premonitions of the victims—visions that include her own daughter. Book 2 in Wendy’s young adult series, Lily Dale: Believing, is about a teen girl who lives in Lily Dale, NY, a town populated by psychics. A spirit has a cryptic message for her, and her life depends on deciphering it. The Lily Dale series has been optioned for television. Wendy’s suspenseful thrillers have been compared—by readers, booksellers, reviewers and authors like mega bestseller Lisa Jackson—to those of Mary Higgins Clark. This month Wendy was awarded the 2008 Career Achievement Award in Suspense by RT BOOKreviews magazine.

A native of Dunkirk, NY, now living in the New York City area, Wendy will
keynote the SUNY Fredonia Commencement ceremonies May 17. And you can bet Mark
will be in the audience, blogging about his wife’s speech.