Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Interview with Amy J Hamilton
1- How did you pick your genre?
Personally I think I’m probably writing in three genres and one of them isn’t even a real genre. Erotica, Sci Fi and Weird. Weird is self-explanatory, it’s the way I am. I’ve had so many people call me a nutter over the years it’s now a compliment. I grew up reading and watching Sci Fi for the escapism. I would like to take a moment to explain the erotica genre though because it has personal meaning for me. Writing erotica is one ways I deal with the bullies at school years ago. As the school’s “fat kid” the bullying made me feel like I was never going to amount to anything romantically. Although I didn’t know what it meant at the time I heard one parent use the phrase “left on the shelf.” Later I assumed that was what I was destined to be. Writing erotica, in my mind proves that wrong. I’ve been there and done a couple of things! Plus I cannot tell you how disapproving my mother was when she found porn in my bedroom when I was a teenager. It wasn’t even very good porn, heavily censored and so disappointing. Even I could tell the text needed work. The pictures were so censored you’d be forgiven for believing that certain male body parts were actually star shaped! Mum made the huge mistake of telling me “It’s not even a proper book” and in the next sentence said “And you shouldn’t write things like that in your diary.” I was incensed. I had not invited her to read my diary and at the time there was nothing of note in it other than the angry rants of a teenager. I put those two phrases together and promised myself that one day not only would I read what I wanted to read, but I’d write what I wanted to read. In the meantime back then as soon as I could get my hands on a Black Lace erotic novel-I did-it was a “proper book” and I left it lying around my bedroom. In my head I now dedicate every gay sex scene I will ever write to my disapproving mother who died over 12 years ago. She’d love that-not!
2- Explain how you use humor in your books.
The humour really just happens. I’m probably taking experience from stage work I’ve done in the past and scripts I wrote while I was at school. I never sit down and plan something to be funny and I don’t think I’m particularly hilarious, I just end up reading something back and thinking “that’s quite amusing.” The humour tempers the dark aspects of some of the subjects I write, but is a natural entity. Life is not just one thing or another, it’s a mixture of light and dark, funny and sad, love and hate. There are people with absolutely no sense of humour whatsoever, but the majority of people I have met over the years have the ability to say something that will amuse at least one other person. So much of the humour in what I write comes from the characters and dialogue rather than the narrative, just because that’s been my experience. I never intend it to happen it just turns up.
3- You said that Modified started out as a story in a mundane office and then you moved it into space, can you explain why.
Sheer terror. I am constantly looking at ways to reduce my stress levels. I had tried to write the story set in London and on our moon. A couple of weeks before I published I realised I barely had a grip on reality anymore and was terrified that someone would point their finger at my fictitious version or London or some piece of technology that I’d made up and take joy in pointing out that what I’d written was ridiculous. A lot of it is ridiculous, but that’s the point, it fires the imagination. Throwing the whole story onto a made up world just took away the stress of potentially dealing with people who think everything set on our world should be absolutely true to what we know about our universe. It’s my world, I created it, therefore my rules apply.
4- What are the challenges of being an indie and juggling your regular life?
Finding time. I read so much about how authors write until 4am or get up hours earlier than everyone else. I can’t do that because one of the symptoms of my hypermobility syndrome is fatigue. I need to sleep. I have a family and I run a small part time business, there are a few hours of the day, usually in the morning when I’m awake enough to get things done. Being an indie is hard work. It’s not just about writing the book. If you haven’t got the money, you’ve also got to edit the book yourself, format it, create the cover and do the promotion. It’s a huge amount of work. Another challenge is dealing with self-doubt. It’s there and I deal with it some days better than others. Modified should be available as a paperback by now, but my head is full of too many “what if’s” and not enough “oh for crying out loud woman, just do it’s.”
5- What life experiences have helped prepare you for being an indie?
I’ve run my own business for the past 16 years. It’s a people based business. I’ve spoken to and advised hundreds of people in that time. That form of communication, along with previous blogging experience and work I’ve done with online forums has helped hone an ability to get a story across in what I hope is an engaging way. It was gratifying years ago to read that my blog was the first thing someone would read when they got to the office in the morning. It gave me confidence. I have had a few knock backs in life, whether it was the abuse growing up or not quite being good enough to get into drama college when I was a teenager. These things have helped me remain more of a realist. I am not expecting to win awards or make a fortune or be remembered in 200 years for anything I write. All I want is to write things people think are fun to read and vaguely enjoyable.
6- Where do you see yourself in five years?
Writing full time and better. Better at writing, better at editing, better at covers, better at promotion. Or, better than that-better at writing and affluent enough to pay people better than me to do everything else.
7- What was the actual catalyst that made you jump into being an indie?
This is dark, but it’s the truth. I’d tried for a few years to be published by an erotic romance publisher. Despite their positive feedback and a couple of near misses, I wasn’t getting anywhere because there’s a difference between erotic romance and what I write. They require a happily ever after. I swear the happiest my ever afters will get will be someone saying “I can’t believe we survived that-shall we go to the pub?” I was tired of waiting for someone to take a chance on me. I’d been sent a contract for Modified by a publisher that did both forms of publishing, but they’d offered me the contract that needed me to pay them £2300 to publish, that money didn’t exist. May 2016 was the 30th anniversary of me being sexually assaulted by a female doctor in hospital. I needed to get something published, and have something positive happen for that anniversary to knock the brains out of that experience with a baseball bat. So I self-published erotica to prove no-one had broken me and became an indie author.
8- What would you tell your 21 year old self?
When you meet the guy you’re married to now and you’re looking to buy a house-MOVE AWAY! Go far and do not be tied to the abuse you grew up in. Escape. I really should have done that.
9- If you child tells you they want to become a writer, what advice would you give?
They both already write. I believe they have both published online. I won’t pry because I won’t do to them what my mother did to me. I would tell them to read widely and keep writing and if they haven’t produced it in bottles you can buy in the shops yet-learn patience.
10- What's next?
So many things. Nate and Day-which is the second book after Modified is in the works. I’m currently writing a whole sentence a week on that-so proud! It’s not quite that slow going, but it feels like it sometimes. Blue Lights needs an edit and will be my first gay erotica novella. Cop, medic, set in the future, there’s a stalker and an accident and a fair amount of sex. Its current form is probably too weird even by my standards. And coffee. I haven’t had a coffee in at least five minutes.
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Saturday, February 25, 2017
Forbes Feature
Navigating Self-Publishing Or What Two Successful Business Women Call Indieworld
"If you want something done right, do it yourself."
~Charles-Guillaume Etienne
“A funny thing happened on the way to my retirement…” It’s the first sentence in Julie A. Gerber’s and Carole P. Roman’s book, “Navigating Indieworld: A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing Your Book.”
Read the article HERE!
Friday, February 24, 2017
Carole's Feature In Forbes
“Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction.”~Germany Kent
Carole P. Roman started out as a teacher. Then she helped her husband start and grow a multi-million dollar company. Then she became a mother.
To say she is in her second act would be an understatement. Roman has had many acts in her 62 years, and as they say, the show must go on. Now with more than 35 children's books to her credit, 100-plus book awards, her own radio tour, 3,000 online reviews and some 15,000 likes and followers on social media, the Amazon indie-published author and top book reviewer has reinvented herself again.
Read the complete article In FORBES HERE!
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Getting To Know Alex Carver
1. Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Ever since I was about 10 and was given a creative writing assignment at school, it's the only career I've wanted.
2. What has been the toughest challenge in your publishing journey?
Learning to market my books effectively, I'm very anti-social, it's why I like writing, so I struggle with marketing.
3. How long did it take to write your first book?
I'm going to use the first book I published because I can't remember much about the first book I actually wrote, that was a quarter of a century ago; Where There's A Will took me about 2 months, I was out of work and without either a computer or internet so had a lot of time on my hands, which I used for writing.
4. What advice can you give aspiring authors?
If writing is what you really want to do, don't ever let anything stop you, there are many aspects to being an author but writing is the most important, make sure you do it whenever you can, even if it's only a line a day.
5. What has been the best and worst experience you've had as a self-publishing author?
My best experience was during my first time as a published author (this is my second go at it) I hit the top 30 of the Nook charts on Barnes & Noble with one of my titles. The worst was having to give up my first shot as an author through legal and financial troubles.
6. What is your favorite genre/character/author?
This is such a tough one; I'd have to say fantasy is my favourite genre, and my current favourite author in fantasy is George RR Martin with Arya and Tyrion being tip-top characters.
7. What has been the most valuable advice you've been given as an author?
Keep writing, don't sweat the marketing, releasing more titles will help more than poor marketing.
When I feel like it, when I can fit it in. I've been known to scribble on a scrap of paper while I'm supposed to be working.
9. Describe your writing space.
Currently my writing space is restricted, I've been working in the armchair in the living room, it's not the best but it works.
10. What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing or promoting your book?
I like watching TV and playing computer games. I'm hoping to take up golf again at some point, it's been years since I played but I love it.
11. What are you working on now? Do you have a new or upcoming release?
Right now I'm working on two books, Written In Blood, a serial killer thriller set in a small village, and an Eye For An Eye, the 2nd book in my detective series.
12. What are your goals for this year?
I hope to have the two books I'm working on released, and maybe a third.
Excerpt from Written In Blood tbr March/April
“What’re you talking about?” Oliver surged to his feet again. “Why hasn’t anyone told me Lucy’s missing? How long’s she been gone? What’s happened to her?”
“If you hadn’t acted like such an idiot earlier, racing off to attack Kieran the moment you were told about Georgina, you’d have found out then. It’s part of what we wanted to talk to you about,” Melissa told him. “Her mum reported her missing last night. Of course, we couldn’t do anything then because she’s sixteen, but her mum still hadn’t seen or heard from her by this morning.
“After Georgina was discovered, we realised we had to take her absence seriously; so far we’ve discovered that the last time she was seen is yesterday afternoon, about two…”
“Let me guess, by Wright!” Oliver spat the name. “Can’t you see, you should be arresting him, not standing here talking to me like it’s any other time you’ve got me banged up. That sick bastard killed Georgie, and he’s probably killed Lucy by now as well. I don’t even wanna think about what he did to them before he killed them, the sick fuck!”
“What is your problem with him? Come on, what is it? There must be a reason for you to hate him so much.”
“You wanna know what my problem with that asshole is. He’s a rapist, that’s my problem with the bastard, he’s a fuckin’ rapist!”
“Are you saying Kieran raped Georgina? When did this happen?”
“No, I don’t know, maybe; she never said anything if he did. I’d’ve killed him already if she told me something like that.”
“Then what are you talking about?”
“Lucy.”
“Kieran raped Lucy?”
“As good as. He sure as hell tried to.” Oliver’s face darkened, and he punched one fist into the other palm, hard enough to make Melissa wince. “That’s why she dumped his ass. He got her one night, up at the picnic area, when they were seeing each other. He tried it on, and when she said no, he attacked her.
“If she hadn’t managed to get away, he’d’ve raped her.” He saw the look on Melissa’s face. “You don’t believe Lucy would be seeing someone and not sleeping with them.”
“Her reputation does make it difficult to accept.”
Oliver gave her a look of amused bemusement. “Don’t ask me to understand women, especially Lucy. She were with Wright for months, and wouldn’t let him go further than copping a feel, but she jumped me the first night.”
“Did she tell you Kieran tried to rape her? She never reported it to us. At least not that I heard, and I’m pretty sure I’d have heard about it if she had.”
Bio
Alex Carver has worked a number of jobs over the years, none of which provided the satisfaction he got from writing, and he has now given up the day jobs to write full-time. Primarily he writes crime fiction, reflecting his interest in the seedy underbelly of life, but science fiction and kids adventure have featured in his writing, with books in those genres on the long list of titles he is preparing for release.
Amazon author page - https://www.amazon.com/Alex-
Twitter - https://twitter.com/
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
C.L. Lynch
At first, I thought it would be simple. Edit my book, get a cover design, publish it on Amazon.
Then I started researching it.
After reading more self-publishing websites than I can count, I felt that I had learned five things:
1. The more professionally-published your book is, the most likely it is to be read and reviewed. Most people won't read a book that appears to be self-published, because they don't trust self-published books to be written at the same level of quality as books published through major publishers. Which is completely understandable, really. The more self-published stink your book has on it, the less likely anyone is to read it.
2. Professionally-published books have early editions,called galleys or ARCs (advance review copies), which are mailed to reviewers for editorial reviews. That's how newly published books already have quotes on them from the New York Times, or Booklist, or Foreword saying things like "stunning!" or "another tour-de-force from whatshisname!"
3. In fact, most of these major reviewers who have a lot of clout, like Library Journal, won't even review a book after it has been published.
4. Without a review from a big editorial reviewer, libraries, book stores, and other really important potential purchasers will likely never hear about your book. Even if they do, they won't think your book is a real, professionally published book and won't be likely to take a chance on it. If they don't take a chance on it, they won't sell or recommend your book to others.
5. If no one hears about your book, or recommends your book, then no one will read your book.
So it became very clear that if I wanted my book to have a chance of being read, recommended, and then sold to more people, I needed to do a professional job in publishing my book.
The first, and most obvious step, was making sure that I actually had a professional quality book. I spent YEARS editing my book, and getting people to read it, and then re-editing it. I fretted about plot holes. I made sure each character had their own style of speech and was easily distinguished from the others when speaking. I deleted dialogue tags by the dozen, and adverbs by the gross. I looked for places where I could show instead of tell. I read lines aloud making sure that they didn't sound awkward. I made sure that my characters had depth. I got rid of anything that seemed hokey. I picked up books on writing and made sure that I wasn't committing any famous errors, or using stylistic devices which are commonly considered synonymous with the word "hack". I rewrote the ending three times, until I felt that my main character went through a true journey, and wasn't just being carried along for the ride. I asked myself if each and every word really belonged there.
Then I made sure that it was formatted appropriately, which was an odyssey all by itself.
Then I found a cover designer who would make changes to the cover free of charge, so I could have an ARC edition put out, and then (hopefully) put blurbs from reviewers on the back before my book was published for real-reals.
In order to make my ARC cover I needed to get my ISBN (it turns out that Amazon ISBNs are anathema in the industry, since they scream self publishing, and also because brick and mortar stores are understandably resentful of Amazon and have no interest in supporting it by giving it money). Happily, ISBNs are free for Canadians so this involved some annoying paperwork but it didn't cost me any money. I also submitted my book to Library and Archives Canada, the Canadian version of Library of Congress in the USA, so I can get library cataloguing information for my book.
Then I needed to set a publication date 3-4 months in advance, because as formerly stated, most big reviewers won't even consider reviewing your book if they don't get it several months before publication.
I had ARC copies made up on Amazon by uploading my ARC cover and having proofs mailed to me, which you can do 5 at a time. I have a US postal address to avoid customs costs, which my American husband maintains and uses.
I went down to Sears with my proof copies and had an author photo taken, and within 24 hours I had my photo on my website, on my cover letter, my press release, and my media press kit, all of which I made with the awesome advice available on the Midwest Book Review's site.
Finally, I mailed off my ARC's.
...And after all of that work, I know the chance of my being reviewed is still very, very slim. The big review houses receive hundreds to thousands of books per day. They toss away anything that doesn't meet their submission requirements, and then they pick and choose the best of the best from the rest. My chances are near to nil. I know this. But if I hadn't done everything I listed above, my chances would definitely be nil. As it is, I have a lottery ticket's worth of a chance that maybe one of them will read and review my book. If I'm really lucky, I'll hit the jackpot and get a great review, or at least a good by-line that I can use on the back of my book which tells people, "Yes, this is a real book, a good book - one worthy of reading."
Assuming that I don't get reviewed by a major editorial reviewer, my next best hope is to build buzz among other readers. So my next step was to get my book submitted to Netgalley.
Netgalley is a website that posts digital versions of ARCs for librarians, book bloggers, and fanatic readers to see. They can request your book if they like the look of it, read it, and maybe they will even choose to review it. A librarian or independent book store owner who reads and likes my book might order it into their library, where patrons can read it, and may even put it on the "staff picks" shelf. A book reviewer for a newspaper might spot it and enjoy it and decide to write about it. And every day readers can take a chance on it for free, and if they love it, maybe they'll review it.
Of course, there's always the chance that they'll hate it, too, and Netgalley readers often post reviews on goodreads and Amazon, where everyone can learn how awful your book is. Netgalley seems to be a big risk, because while my ARCs only cost me less than $10 to order and mail, and my book will likely just be ignored if it's bad, and even if it's good... Netgalley is REALLY pricey. They want hundreds of dollars for 6 months listed on the site, and chances are you will get at least couple of reviews out of it - and not necessarily good ones. When your books are rubbing shoulders with the newest John Green novel or Jodi Picoult, the reviewers are going to expect that level of quality to your writing. Woe betide ye lest ye disappoint them!
I got around the money aspect by discovering Broad Universe, an organization which promotes female writers of genre fiction, which defines me quite nicely. They rent their Netgalley space to any indie author who wants it, not just women, for quite a reasonable monthly fee. If you become a member, which I chose to do, you get a discount and three months on Netgalley pays for the membership in savings. So my book is now also on Netgalley, where it could be read and either beloved or reviled, or both. Since I don't have an account directly with Netgalley, I can't see any reviews posted there. Broad Universe will let me know how many people read it and whether they reviewed it at the end of the three month trial.
So far, only one person has turned up on my book's Goodreads page claiming to have read my book on Netgalley, and to my relief, it was a rave review. But I'm sure there will probably be at least one stinker. I just cross fingers that more people will like my book than hate it. And, let's face it, if my book really and truly sucks, it's better that I find it out now, rather than after months of promoting it. If everyone hates it, I'm probably better off to drop the whole thing and go back to the drawing board.
In the meantime, I'm in limbo land, waiting to find out whether my book stinks or not.
And so, while I wait, I continue to hunt up reviewers. The next step down from Netgalley is a website like Story Cartel or Xpresso Book Tours, which has a base of reviewers who are known for being gentle, but honest. I paid Xpresso book tours some money for a "review alert" which is basically an email blast to her reviewer base and posting on her website, to fish for people who might be interested in my book. I got a lot of responses back, but we'll see how many people read it, and how many people like it.
Even if I get lots of reviews, that won't matter unless someone READS those reviews, so my next step was to arrange advertising. There's a popular body positivity blogger whom I follow. She uses a lot of swear words, and she actually reminds me a bit of my main character. I think that's one of the reasons I started following her, actually, because I realized that she was like a real life version of Stella Blunt. She does advertising on her site, but it's usually clothes and such. I contacted her about my book and she was very enthusiastic. I have arranged a giveaway and advertising. Her readers like her, so they should like my character. It seems like a good bet.
I've also arranged advertising on YA book central, which is like Goodreads for YA and kids books. My book is YA. Seems like a good place to advertise. If people click on my link, they may read my reviews, and if they like the reviews, they may buy my book.
Ultimately, I can push for reviews all I like, and advertise all over the place, but people will either like my book, or they won't. If it stinks, or it doesn't strike a chord with people, I can promote my book until I hemorrhage money and it will be for naught. I know this. So these next couple of months are my litmus test. There are self-published authors who have made it big - Andy Weir of The Martian, for example, and E.L. James with Fifty Shades of Grey. Some of it is about quality - The Martian is excellently written, truly entertaining. Some of it is just about striking a chord - Fifty Shades of Grey commits basically every "hack" error that I ruthless eradicated from my writing, but people still loved it. Reviewers care about writing quality. Readers just want a story they will love.
I don't know if I can produce either, and I won't know how any of this will turn out until I get a few more reviews. Nor do I know how well my reviews will turn into sales. I don't just need people to leave me good reviews. That's nice, and it helps. What I want, what I need, what people like Andy Weir and E.L. James had, are FANS - people who don't just click a five stars and write a few sentences, but people who crush on my characters make fan art and push my book into the hands of their friends.
Either my book has that capacity to inspire fandom, or it doesn't.
Time will tell. But in the meantime, I feel like I have done what I can to give it a good start, and the best possible chance of finding those fans.
If no one likes it... well... I'll just have to write a better one.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Somewhere Over the Rainbow Enchanted
by Angel M.B. Chadwick
When I was nineteen years old, I traveled cross country with my uncle, aunt, several cousins and my younger sister. I saw the world in its many forms. I traveled through West Virginia, North and South Carolina, Atlanta, Georgia, Columbus, Georgia, Erie, Pennsylvania (I have family in Erie from my mother’s side), Johnstown, Pennsylvania (had family there, but my great aunt who used to live there has since moved to Mississippi) New York and most of all I traveled to Niagara Falls, NY, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, through Quebec. I had the fortunate experience of crossing the Rainbow Bridge over the Niagara River gorge that connects the cities of Niagara Falls, NY (U.S.) to the east and Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada to the west. The Rainbow Bridge is a world famous tourist site and I felt privileged to be able to experience such a profoundly glorious thing.
But what took my breath way and stupefied me to speechless was seeing Niagara Falls very up close and personal. I still remember the waters spraying my face. I watched how hypnotic and systematically it moved. It was the most majestic thing I’d ever seen in my entire life. Niagara Falls generates power (at least at the time it did, I haven’t seen it in twenty years) for the entire city. Water is a conduit and can generate electricity and Niagara Falls literally lights up the whole city. I thought that was so awesome, resourceful and extremely smart. Niagara Falls is man-made which added to its authenticity and majesty showing that man can create such godly things. Seeing Niagara Falls for the first time was so deeply and spiritually surreal, like being in heaven.
I still to this day cannot describe in emotional context how, what it made me feel. The best way I can describe it, if I had to describe the feeling in at least one sentence, “it was like a resurrection, it resurrected me.” I say this because at the time this trip happened, I was experiencing my first years of college and I felt like I was a failure, I was totally burned out that first year and I was starting my second year and I didn’t want to go back. I was depressed and suicidal.
That summer, I traveled those several days with my family (a week and a half) brought me back to life and still to this day I’m grateful to my mother for pushing me and my sister to go and for my uncle and aunt for taking us with them. If I hadn’t gone I wouldn’t be here today, I can truly say that without a doubt.
The whole trip was like being in heaven. I ate good food in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, got to stand at the top of Skylon Tower an observation tower, in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. It’s definitely windy up there and I love heights, but that day being so close to the sky and so close to the edge I started to rethink that for a moment. But before I went outside on the observation deck of the tower I went on the elevator up to the top floor to a shop where they had the most beautiful trinkets and handcrafted creations of beauty I’d ever seen, some of them made of the most gorgeous crystal. We stayed in Toronto for ten days. I saw people from all walks of life, heard them speak both fluent French and English. My ninth grade French was quite rusty, but my uncle spoke and understood French very well. We went to the biggest mall, saw the biggest library there but didn’t get a chance to go in. We went to a Star Trek Convention they were having in Toronto. Yes, I’m a Trekkie from way back. I’d loved every minute of it.
When we came back to Mississippi I gave my mother two postcards with a photo of Niagara Falls and another of the Skylon Tower. She put them on her bedroom wall. Still to this day I miss Canada. I want to go back to Toronto and Quebec. It broke my heart when I left. I was born in Mississippi and raised there in a small town, but I never felt like I belonged there. I was always the unusual kid out who never fit anywhere.
But when I went to Canada that’s where I felt like I belonged. I never wanted to leave. I want to travel the world more take my nine year old son to the places I’ve seen, but also to places that I haven’t yet seen and want to see like the UK, particularly London, Wales, Ireland, and Australia, particularly Sydney. I hope to settle down and live in each of those specific places (London (UK) and Sydney, Australia) with my son while he’s still a kid. If I ever make it big as an author, director, and playwright I’ve always wanted to buy a house in both London and Sydney, Australia and live there, raise my son there for the rest of our lives. And yes, I’ve seriously considered dual citizenship (U.S. /UK or U.S./Australia) for us both, for one of those places, hopefully Australia, to live in Sydney permanently.
Biography
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