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Sanaa, the Golden Princess

Sat, 21 Oct 2017 23:54:45 +0100

Coming Soon!!

Cover Contest

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 01:56:29 +0100

http://authorsdb.com/2017-cover-contest-results/23430-cover-contest-2017-my-daddy-is-a-star

Are Best-Selling Books Really Any Good

Sun, 23 Jul 2017 18:23:37 +0100

BookMarketingBuzzBlog

Are Best-Selling Books Really Any Good?

Posted: 12 Jul 2017 07:28 AM PDT

Many authors that I speak with, whether self-published or published by a leading publisher, regardless of genre, a writer’s credentials, or the marketing campaign behind their books, will ask about how they can become a best-selling author. It is understandable that they’d want to make a list – they seek fame, fortune, and to be heard in a big way. But do our best-seller lists really represent the best books out there?

Best-seller lists are in today’s world a manipulated reward for those who know how to game the system. Through pre-launch orders arranged by an author’s marketing team, family and friends, one can hit a best-seller list not because of the merits of the book but the proof that expensive and persistent marketing has a pay-off. Nothing wrong there, but one should not be fooled into thinking that a best-seller is necessarily a great book. Heck, it may not even be a good one.

Once a book gets on a best-seller list it tends to beget more sales. More people – reviewers, media, consumers – pay attention to these lists and further create a demand for a book they know little about. It’s a process similar to when people choose the brand item vs. the generic or unknown label simply because it seems familiar and recognized in an authoritative way.

Then again, there’s almost a deliberate opposition to best-sellers by the literary snobbery. Whether it’s jealousy or something else, the elitists may purposely damn a book because it is popular and on a list. Everyone likes to knock a leader off his perch. But that kind of prejudice seems uncalled for. A best-seller can be a very good book. But its selling status is not necessarily an indicator of the content quality, just as a beautiful person may be ugly on the inside. No guarantees there.

Best-seller lists used to be influenced by a number of factors, including traditional reviews by a respected handful, huge advertising campaigns, big publicity tours, and positive word-of-mouth. Now a big player is pre-order shenanigans arranged by people who know how to process a certain amount of orders by reaching out to an author’s list of connections, including ones the author will underwrite book purchases for. Further, social media is now dictating popularity and fueling book sales, but again, the buzz is not necessarily based on the book’s purity – just its author’s financial ability to get influencers to post on his behalf.

Best-sellers are created and rarely just materialize organically. It’s a crafted, controlled process that represents not so much the best of books but the best of book marketing.

What will it take to make these lists purified and truly representative of real consumers and their reading judgments? We may never know.

Do you need a prologue or an epilogue?

Fri, 30 Jun 2017 13:27:20 +0100

Do you need a prologue or an epilogue?

Posted by CreateSpaceBlogger on Jun 5, 2017 5:22:26 AM

Epilogues and prologues are sometimes enigmatic parts of a novel that can even perplex the author of a book. What are they, and are they necessary? The answer to the second question is no, you don't need them. The inclusion of an epilogue or prologue or both is purely a matter of style. Some authors find them useful, but most authors in today's publishing world don't include them in their books. I have used them, and I do find them useful.

They are extra-bits of a story. In mystery books, a prologue can be the incident that triggers the mystery. I've used the epilogue to wrap up a subplot that would be the bridge to the next book in a series. In the final chapter of the book, after the conclusion, I simply used the epilogue as a launching point for the next story.

Some authors, use a different point of view in their epilogues and prologues. They play with style and voice to give the story a book-end feel to it. A prologue can even be in the author's voice. In this case, it would be used to explain the motivation behind the story, what drove the author to write it and share it with the world?

Epilogues and prologues aren't for everyone. If you've never included either in a book, don't worry. They aren't crucial to the structure of the book. But, you may find, as I have, that they can be fun to write, and if done right, they can give your story that little extra oomph that you've been looking for.

-Richard

Richard Ridley is an award winning author and paid CreateSpace contributor.

Authors Don’t Need To Panic When Talking To The Media

Thu, 15 Jun 2017 15:42:57 +0100

BookMarketingBuzzBlog

Authors Don’t Need To Panic When Talking To The Media

Posted: 14 Jun 2017 12:51 PM PDT

As a writer, you must overcome many obstacles. You write a book that’s worth publishing. You find a literary agent, book publisher, or self-publishing platform. You market and promote the book. Then, opportunity knocks, and the news media wants to interview you. Finally, your moment has arrived. But with it also comes pangs of fear, feelings of insecurity and even a touch of panic.

Hold on. There’s every reason to feel nervous, that’s natural, and the adrenaline rush can even help you. But there’s no reason to have an allergic reaction to the media. It all comes down to you talking about yourself and your book – two subjects you know better than anyone. You should not fret. Have fun with it.

The reasons people freak out may consist of the following:

1. What if people reject me or my book?

2. What if I don’t say the right thing, or worse, say the wrong thing?

3. I’m insecure about my looks or my voice – can I hide?

4. I fear what they’ll ask me or that I’ll be surprised.

5. I desperately want to make a great impression but don’t know how.

6. I don’t know how to speak in sound bytes.

7. I’ve never done this before, so I have no clue what to expect.

8. What if the media wants to make me look stupid?

9. What exactly should I say that will lure interest in me?

10. I’m not a big public speaker. I would rather write than talk.

It’s quite normal to think of any and all of these things. But I can assure you these can all be addressed.

The first step is to reverse your thinking. Instead of thinking of the negatives, think of the positives. Finally, you get to have your message heard, your views voiced, and your book discovered. Simply choose to see this as a wonderful opportunity with no drawbacks or risks.

Second, to alleviate your concerns or fears, go through media training. Have a professional help you.

Third, write up 12-15 suggested interview questions and share them with media outlets. They are likely to use it as a script for the interview, which helps you anticipate what will be asked.

Fourth, start to think of the key points that you want to stress in every interview and offer a call-to-action, such as going to your website. Have something free and interesting available as a download on your site.

Fifth, break the interview down into what it is – a one on-one conversation. Never mind how many people may watch, listen or read your story -- just think of you talking to one person, one question at a time.

Sixth, boost your confidence by remembering why you started to write books – to help inspire, entertain or elevate others. Feel good about what you’re doing and believe it will go well.

Seventh, imagine for the moment that you fall on your ass in the interview. You stutter. You forget an answer. Your makeup runs. Your shirt has a coffee stain. Your voice cracks. So what!? What ends up happening? Nothing. Maybe you didn’t make the best impression or sell a lot of books but you won’t lose friends or go to jail or be fined. A bad interview is nothing and goes into the rear view mirror when you replace it with good interviews. Imagine the worse, realize nothing bad results from it, and move on. Face your fear and walk away unscathed.

Some things can be addressed or even avoided. For instance, don’t pursue media that may actually try to turn this into a circus, such as morning zoo radio or late night comedy talk shows. If your topic is controversial – race, religion, politics, sex – ready yourself to hear opposing viewpoints but never lose your cool or treat people disrespectfully. And if you’re worried about your appearance, fix it up (new clothes) or accept yourself for who you are. Don’t keep beating yourself up.

Lastly, remember there are endless reels of bloopers of famous, well-trained personalities who messed up royally in their interviews. The bar is quite high to compete with their screw-ups. Believe in yourself and others will too, and if the worst happens, move on to the next interview.

Smile, deep breath…talk.

E-Book Giveaway

Tue, 17 Feb 2015 00:45:43 +0100

February 17- February 19

It's Christmas time again!

Mon, 09 Dec 2013 15:15:15 +0100

I'm featured on the home page this week, snowfall and all...CHECK IT OUT! Christmas time is here and there's nothing like kicking back with a good book ( The Adventures of Boots: The Giant Snowball) and watch the ground become a beautiful white blanket.

http://www.willowmoonpublishing.com/index.html

Guest blogging on Deanie Humphrys Dunne's site today-come join me...thanks

Mon, 09 Dec 2013 15:15:47 +0100

http://www.dhdunne.blogspot.com/

Remembering 9/11

Wed, 11 Sep 2013 13:03:44 +0100

Lest We Forget

Mass destruction we never knew
until nine-eleven, our blood they drew.
We then realized death by numbers,
numbers far too numerous to mumble.

On that day in two thousand one,
the peace we knew was over and done.
Every casualty counted as the world watched numb,
three thousand plus, more than from a terrorist bomb.

All of the wars fought in the past,
could not compare to this in mass
We learned what homeland security means,
from the heinous deeds of terrorist teams.

As I stood gazing at the clouds,
a ray of hope raised my brows.
My prayer was answered from above,
my prayer for peace and brotherly love.

We had never witnessed so much unity,
so much togetherness in our communities.
Then soon to be broken and downtrodden,
the love, the support so soon forgotten.

Our country will never be the same,
since by droves the enemy came
to destroy our solemn world of freedom,
America, our kingdom, the land of freedmen.

Petition on Anti Bullying

Mon, 29 Sep 2014 00:29:26 +0100

http://t.co/fQTF5XvC2S