I’m not a reader of romance or N/A, and it doesn’t seem fair to me that those genres get missed on my blog, so here I am sharing a very nicely and fairly written review by an author I trust.
Month: January 2017
An Interview With Julie A Gerber
Today I am interviewing fellow author and marketing manager/consultant, Julie A Gerber, who has written several books and who provides excellent help and support when it comes to marketing and social media management.
Welcome to ARCBookBlog, my little corner of the web, Julie, sit down and put your feet up, the tea will be ready in a few moments.
First off, tell me a bit about yourself:
Hi, I’m Julia and I am the founder of Away We Go Media- social media management, author services, and consulting for authors, blogger at Hits and Misses, Business Manager/Assistant Publisher at TopShelf Indie Authors & Books, co-author of Navigating INDIEWORLD: A Beginner’s Guide To Marketing and Self-Publishing Your Book and Amazon best-seller, Tortured Souls: The House On Wellfleet Bluffs.
And now a few questions
Me – How long have you been writing?
Julie – I have been writing for almost nine years. First as a blogger, then as a published author.
Me – Is writing something you’ve always wanted to do?
Julie – Not really. I am a nurse, but I guess I didn’t want to do that either since I am not working in my field of study. I keep my license to practice nursing as a back-up plan. As a teen, I wanted to be a marine biologist. As a child, I wanted to be the female equivalent of Indiana Jones. Now, I just want to help authors sell books and that makes me happy.
Me – How would you describe yourself as a writer, a plotter or a pantser?
Julie – I do not plan things. I wing it. Unless I’m mad. When I’m mad, I like to plot.
Me – Do you write every day?
Julie – Not at all. I wish I were more like some of my clients. I have a few that schedule time to work each day and they stick to their schedules. I do make an effort to work on something related to writing every day.
Me – What is your favourite genre?
Julie – My favorite genre is anything apocalyptic. Zombies, EMPs. End of the world stuff that changes how we live. Those are the things that scare me. I also love paranormal and historical books.
Me -Is your favourite genre one you write in?
Julie – Not yet, but I have been toying with the idea of switching things up!
Me – If you could have written any book in history, what is it?
Julie – That is a tough one. It would be a tie between Gone With The Wind and the series, The Chronicles Of Narnia. I live in Georgia and I have always been fascinated by Margaret Mitchell and her tale of the Civil War era South. If I had written the book, Scarlett would have been a lot more trouble than she was in Mitchell’s version. The Chronicles of Narnia was a huge part of my childhood. I read and reread those books until the pages were falling apart. To have had the opportunity to touch so many young lives would have been an honor that I would have loved to have.
Me – What would you like to achieve with your writing?
Julie – I have two goals. With Navigating Indieworld, I would like to help someone. If someone takes away something from that book and it helps them grow as a writer and achieve something they were putting off or afraid to do on their own, then I have succeeded. With all other books, I want someone to remember a character, a place, or a time. If I write something that the reader thinks about after the cover is closed, then my wish has come true. I consider that a success.
Me – Which of your books is your favourite?
Julie – Navigating Indieworld. The book carries the theme of paying it forward and it has so many positive thoughts and words of encouragement within the pages.
Me – Tell me about your next release.
Julie – I am working on a book based loosely on the story of my great aunt. She was a fascinating woman who lived a very interesting life. For years, I have been a beta reader for Carole P. Roman. The tables have turned and she is now beta reading for me. She is a wonderful mentor. She’s not only teaching me a few things when it comes to writing, but she is also helping me sharpen my game when it comes to beta reading!
Book Name: Tortured Souls: The House On Wellfleet Bluffs and Navigating Indieworld: A Beginner’s Guide To Self-Publishing And Marketing Your Book
Book Blurb:
Tortured Souls:
In some towns, the past is easily forgotten. Not in Wellfleet Bluffs. Lynne and Jason buy their dream house online and quickly move to the quaint little town. After unexplained events send them looking for answers, will they become a forgotten part of history or will they find the answers and help the ghosts of the past find peace?
Release date: April 25, 2016
Buy the book here – Amazon Kindle
Navigating Indieworld:
Social media guru, Julie A. Gerber and award-winning author of forty-three best-selling books, Carole P. Roman, team up to travel the winding road of self-publishing, promoting, and marketing a book. Join these two experts as they share their vast store of experience in an easy to read book.
Learn why you need a beta reader and the importance of a good editor. Make a list of what you need to do when choosing an illustrator. Compare the many ways to promote your book.
Navigating Indieworld will end up being your travel guide as you journey from writer to published author.
Release date: August 31, 2016
Buy the book here – Amazon Kindle
If you would like to know more about Julie, visit the following links
Website: http://www.awaywegomedia.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/awaywegomedia and https://www.facebook.com/NavigatingIndieworld
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Awaywegomedia_
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15215458.Julie_A_Gerber
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/101471856155148729010
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/J.A.-Gerber/e/B01EXQSLFW/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
An extreme zombie and a kick-ass zombie hunter
Today, after what seems like an incredibly long time, I am able to get around to posting a new review, of a book I read for relaxation no less. I managed to sink my teeth into book 2 of the Anita Blake series, and here’s what I thought of it.
The Laughing Corpse
Laurell K Hamilton
‘The older the zombie, the bigger the death needed to raise it.’
After a few centuries, the only death ‘big enough’ is a human sacrifice.
I know because I’m an animator. My name is Anita Blake. Working for Animators, Inc. is just a job – like selling insurance. But all the money in the world wasn’t enough for me to take on the particular job Harold Gaynor was offering. Somebody else did, though – a rogue animator.
Now he’s not just raising the dead… he’s raising Hell. And it’s up to me to stop it.
The plot of this book is different from the first, but there isn’t much else that is. Anita Blake continues to get into a number of scrapes fighting paranormal creatures and helping the police, all of which she survives through a combination of luck, her growing powers/experience in dealing with the monsters, and help from friends; occasionally it gets a little too much and you can’t help thinking that she should be dead many times over.
Laurell K Hamilton overcomes that by ensuring that her heroine gets injured and is affected by those injuries, leaving her with an ever increasing collection of scars, and a changing attitude about what is and isn’t a monster.
I like these books, but only because I like Anita Blade and Jean-Claude. If it wasn’t for the dynamic between the two of them I don’t think I would enjoy the books half as much.
On the up side, the writing is decent and the mythology/creature lore is well-researched, that counts for a lot because I’m a big fan of vampires/zombies and all manner of mythological creatures.
Five Reasons You Can’t Get Your Novel Published – And Why It’s Not Your Fault
I think the information here is something authors, indie or otherwise, should read and take on board, being rejected by a publisher may not mean you’re rubbish as a writer, perhaps you just need to look for a different way to get published.
An Interview With Carole P Roman
Today I am interviewing a fellow author, Carole P Roman, who writes childrens’ books and spends a lot of time being incredibly helpful to indie author in a variety of ways, whether it is cheerleading, offering advice or suggestions, or more direct, like giving us the opportunity to have our books in swag bags at awards shows – I have to admit, I loved knowing producers, directors and actors were potentially getting their hands on my book.
Welcome to ARCBookBlog, my little corner of the web, Carole, sit down and put your feet up, the tea will be ready in a few moments.
First off, tell me a bit about yourself:
Named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best of 2012 for her first book, award winning author Carole P. Roman started writing as a dare from one of her sons. Using an imaginary game she played with her grandson as a base, Captain No Beard was born.”Captain No Beard- An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate’s Life” has not only been named to Kirkus Best of 2012, it received the Star of Exceptional Merit, and won the Pinnacle Award for 2012. “Pepper Parrot’s Problem with Patience” Book 2 in the series, received 5 Stars from The ForeWord Review The Clarion Review. Strangers on the High Seas has won second place in the Rebecca’s Reads Choice Awards 2013. It has followed with six more books to the series. This year, Captain No Beard and the Aurora Borealis was named to Kirkus Best 2015. The entire cultural non-fiction series If You Were Me and Lived in… was named Best Series by Shelf Unbound.
And now a few questions
Me – How long have you been writing?
Carole – I have been writing since 2012 when my kids dared me to write a book.
Me – Is writing something you’ve always wanted to do?
Carole – I always dreamed of being a writer, but I thought I’d be more of an adult fiction. It never occurred to me to write for children. I love it.
Me – How would you describe yourself as a writer, a plotter or a pantser?
Carole – All three. Writing is fluid- it changes as our lives change. Sometimes the characters slap us on the head and say-“I’m not doing that!”
Me – Do you write every day?
Carole – I do some form of writing every day. I write articles for magazines and blogs. I write reviews. I even write letters to friends. I am always reading and always writing.
Me – What is your favourite genre?
Carole – I am a regency fan. Love the social codes and mores of Regency England. I do love to read history- so I read a lot of non-fiction.
Me -Is your favourite genre one you write in?
Carole – I love genre jumping in my reading, so I enjoy the same in my writing.
Me – If you could have written any book in history, what is it?
Carole – Shogun is my all time favorite book. It has the adventure, intrigue, romance and every time I read it, I learn something new about the characters and myself.
Me – What would you like to achieve with your writing?
Carole – I would like my non-fiction books to bridge the gap on confusion and misunderstandings between cultures and customs. I’d like Captain No Beard and my nursery series help children cope and adjust in certain situations. I’d like parents to write and say, I enjoyed reading your book the 400 times they requested it and I didn’t get bored. I’d love for a student to write and tell me, they finally understand about the flow and development of history from my historical series and they actually enjoyed learning about it.
Me – Which of your books is your favourite?
Carole – Awww. That would be like picking children. Each book is both a piece of my heart and soul. Each was a part of my own life at the time and people who know me will be able to tell from the dedications.
Me – Tell me about your next release.
Carole – I have so much going on- If You Were Me and Lived on …Mars is taking students into space. Rocket-Bye, Can a Princess be a Firefighter and One to Ten are being released in hardcover. They are beautiful. If You Were Me and Lived in… the Ancient Mali Empire is being released. On the way to the end of production are If You Were Me and Lived in… Germany, Cuba, and the Ancient Mayan Empire. Well, that takes care of January. February is a whole different story!!
If you have a specific title you would like to promote alongside this interview, please fill in below
If You Were Me and Lived on…Mars
Join Carole P. Roman when she blasts off to colonize the planet Mars, in the newest book of her informative series. Learn about how life would be living on the Red Planet. Travel to Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system. Look into the sky and watch Phobos and Deimos, Mars’ two moons. Discover what you would wear, and how the seasons change. See Mars through the eyes of an adventurous youngster like you and understand what life is like in a trip of a lifetime. Don’t forget to look at the other books in the series so that you can be an armchair traveler.
Book Release Date: January 9, 2017
Website: http://www.caroleproman.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarolePRomanAwardWinningAuthorAndBooks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/caroleproman
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5854108.Carole_P_Roman
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Carole-P.-Roman/e/B008ZOXI0W/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
An interview with the princess of paperback
Today I am interviewing a fellow blogger, Joyce from Princess of Paperback, who reviews and provides some of that all important support to indie authors like myself.
Welcome to ARCBookBlog, my little corner of the web, Joyce, sit down and put your feet up, the tea will be ready in a few moments.
First off, tell me a bit about yourself:
Joyce – Hi! My name is Joyce and I’m a thirty-something bibliophile who grew up reading Robert Munsch. The Paper Bag Princess was my all-time favourite story. Coffee and fiction are my addiction. I love reading mystery/thrillers, crime, fantasies like Harry Potter, fairytales, a little bit of horror/paranormal, historical fiction and YA.
When I’m not busy at my day job, I’m a wife and mommy to 4 kids. Some people eat to live, but I live to eat! I’m a foodie who appreciates good food and doesn’t mind sharing recipes. So here I am. New to the world of blogging.
I’m also a bit of a couch potato. From time to time, I’ll quote or write about the shows and movies I like to watch.
Now we’ve been introduced, I just have a few questions for you so my readers can get to know you better.
Me – How long have you been blogging?
Joyce – I’ve been blogging for 3 or 4 months now.
Me – Is blogging something you’ve always been interested in doing?
Joyce – I didn’t discover the world of blogging till just this year. So I’m kinda late on the blogging bandwagon. I never really thought I was particularly good at writing. So it wasn’t something I gave much thought to until now.
Me – Do you write every day?
Joyce – No. I post once every week or two, or when I have time really. Life is busy with 4 kids.
Me – What is your favourite genre?
Joyce – Mystery/thrillers
Me – What would you like to achieve with your blogging?
Joyce – I would love to be a book reviewer for a publishing company..wishful thinking right?
Me – What’s your favourite book?
Joyce – My favourite book..hm. That’s a tough one. There are so many good books. But the only one I have ever read more than once, was Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. Ooh. And of course, the beloved Harry Potter series.
Me – Tell me about your next post
Joyce – My next post will be a review of The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney.
Okay, now that we know you, a little better than we did before, how can we follow you?
Website: http://www.princessofpaperback.wordpress.com
Facebook:www.facebook.com/princesspaperback
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ms_j_ho
IG: http://www.instagram.com/princessofpaperback
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/princesspaperback
If You Were Me and Lived on … Mars by @CarolePRoman #Space #Kidlit #TuesdayBookBlog
Meet Ben Jackson and his Funny #Kidlit Book #TuesdayBookBlog @AuthorsBen_Sam
The History Major – 60% off till Friday
The History Major: A Novella
By: Michael Phillip Cash
4.1* from 128 reviews
“Wow, this was a wild story.” – Doris Lorr, NetGalley Reviewer
“Cash intermingles beauty and violence …It’s smartly ambiguous and open to interpretation, and some may delight in a second (or third) read.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Such an interesting story! Good writing!” – ver ver, NetGalley Reviewer
Book Description
After a vicious fight with her boyfriend followed by a night of heavy partying, college freshman Amanda Greene wakes up in her dorm room to find things are not the same as they were yesterday. She can’t quite put her finger on it. She’s sharing her room with a peculiar stranger. Amanda discovers she’s registered for classes she would never choose with people that are oddly familiar. An ominous shadow is stalking her.
Uncomfortable memories are bubbling dangerously close to her fracturing world, propelling her to an inevitable collision between fantasy and reality. Is this the mother of all hangovers or is something bigger happening?
Get This Deal
Amazon
Should you bother with making a paperback?
This is my second go around as a published author, I was published for a time in the early days of the indie scene, and during both my previous time as an author and my current career I have come across the question posed in this post’s header.
It seems that many indies cannot see any value in having a paperback/physical version of their work out there; either they believe ebook is the way forward and paperback is dying out, or they feel it’s too difficult/time-consuming/costly to make a paperback a part of the catalogue they offer to their readers.
I can’t claim to be an expert in the publishing business, whether indie or traditional, I’m just someone with a bit of experience, and I hope to help by passing on that experience to assist others.
In my opinion, indie authors should release every title in both ebook and paperback versions – they should also release them as audiobooks, and in every other format possible, so long as the cost to produce is minimal; the more ways in which a title is visisble, the more likely it is to be seen, and therefore to sell.
I have heard indies give both cost and difficulty, as well as lack of sales, as reasons for not putting together a paperback version of their titles. It seems to me that along with most other problems a person encounters, these problems can be overcome with some research and a bit of knowledge. To that end, I’m going to address the three biggest reasons for not having a paperback in the hopes of convincing you to create one:
LACK OF SALES
This seems like the obvious place to start, and if I’m honest, there isn’t really a counter I can give to this, the chances are, unless you’re lucky, you won’t sell many copies, at least initially.
Don’t be put off by the prospect of limited sales, sales are not necessarily why you should create a paperback; it’s possible that you will get sales, and you should celebrate each one, but it is more likely that people will see your paperback and then, if they’re interested, buy the ebook as that will most likely cost them less.
A paperback provides increased visibility, it is also handy to have because some reviewers, and you will want to get in touch with them at some point, will only accept paperbacks for review, and giveaways work best when the prize is a physical copy of a book (giveaways are a very effective way of getting people interested in your book without spending too much money).
The last reason for having a paperback is the joy of holding something you have created; it’s nice to have your novel as an ebook, but nothing compares to being able to hold and an actual, physical book.
DIFFICULTY
Those who are not technically minded find adapting their ebook to a paperback format a little daunting, and I can understand that, at first glance it does seem difficult. No-one should let a little difficulty stand in the way of possibly earning some money, though, especially if that money is to be earned through something you love, like writing.
I use Createspace to produce my paperbacks (other services are available) and once I have selected the size for my paperback, they provide a template to follow with all margins and interior layout prepared for me, all I have to do is copy my novel into the template and make some adjustments to ensure the chapter headings appear as I want them to.
I’m lucky enough to be reasonably computer literate, so this isn’t too difficult for me; I can appreciate how it might be for others, though. Fortunately, there is a way around this, which brings me to the third reason.
In addition to the interior file, you will need a cover for the paperback, one that will include front, back and spine. Obviously there are people you can contract to create a cover for you, at reasonable prices, if you don’t wish to do that, however, Createspace provides a feature whereby you can build a cover online.
COST
I appreciate that not everyone has money they can afford to throw at publishing, even when you can find formatting services for a reasonable price. Cost needn’t be a barrier to turning your ebook into a paperback, however.
If you look around, especially in writer’s groups such as those on Goodreads, you’ll find other people who have services they can’t afford to pay for, people who are willing to trade the services they can do for those they can’t. This means someone may be willing to setup the interior file or design a cover for your paperback in exchange for some help with marketing, or something else that you may have a particular ability with.
Whether you pay for a service or trade for it, I recommend you check out the person providing the service to be sure they will do a proper job.
I hope this has helped convince you to put out a paperback and expand the visibility of your titles.
ARC Books 