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I get a list of demands? Neat! ... A pen would be good in case I forget mine.

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Oh, you poor dear. You clearly need training in "How to Become A Demanding Primadonna."

You don't just ask for a pen.
You specify the manufacturer, brand name, point size, and color of ink.

I remember spending a half an hour one day running round the building trying to round up a handful of Sanford Sharpie medium tip black pens for a well-known folk singer's last-minute demand prior to his performance.

Regarding the public speaking thing... especially in regards to television and radio... Remember this:
The camera adds ten pounds to your figure.
The camera adds ten years to your age.
The camera adds ten times the goofy appearance to your unconscious fidgeting, throat clearing, "you know"ing, waving hand gestures and odd mannerisms.

Toastmasters is a natural for authors, as they use the critique method. You prepare and give a speech to your club, they analyze it not only for content and smooth presentation, but also your gestures, your stiff attitude, your unconscious as well as conscious gestures and mannerisms.

If you think you are ready for prime time, have someone videotape you during a mock interview. THEN make a decision as to whether you need polish.

I have a friend who is a professional consultant and marketer for newly published authors. It's the number one hazard of new authors going before the TV is that they have no clue how much the camera is going to accentuate their unconscious behaviors and mannerisms, and rarely to their benefit.

Toastmasters International ( http://www.toastmasters.org ) will help you speak like a pro in ANY situation. It's not just for people facing tv interviews, but for anyone who ever has to make a presentation in a meeting or give a rousing speech. I went to a toastmasters conference and heard the 2004 World Champion of Public Speaking winner, Dr. Randy Harvey talk about how he crafted his award winning speech. I learned a heck of a lot about WRITING from him: about including important details and leaving others to the audience's imagination, about pacing, about engaging the audience emotionally. Public speaking and writing are more similar than not.

Then he produced his little 35mm slide and placed it squarely in the centre.

It always horrifies the subject infinitely more than the audience .

Do avoid lairy patterned clothes making the audience feel strabismic.

I have been making more posts on my website lately. (http://www.christineamsden.com) I am gearing up for the e-book release. Most of the promotion for the e-book will occur in cyberspace. I am thinking of setting up a question and answer session, either live or through e-mail. (Probably through e-mail unless there is enough interest in it in that form to warrant a live chat.) I am also compiling lists of on-line publications that may be interested in the release of my novel, including the 'zines that have published my stories in the past. I am hoping to interest some in an author interview.

My publisher has also recently been given the opportunity to showca her entire collection at an online writer's conference this October. She has asked me to send her a mp3 relating to my book to bundle with the book for this conference -- a forward, an interview, or me reading part of the book. I haven't decided what to do just yet.

Here's a link to the conference. I will certainly be posting it again as it comes nearer.

http://www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference/