Just My Opinion

Is your family supportive? Do your friends support you?

They are always supportive. But writing and publishing is a mystery to most, so they tend to be awestruck by the whole process

Do you plan to publish more books?

Absolutely.  I have moved into a publishing model instead of an author model nowadays. A number of books are in the pipeline. The next title in the current series will be the Accountability Workbook – a companion guide to my current best seller on Accountability Leadership.

What else do you do to make money, other than write? It is rare today for writers to be full time…

I am a management consultant and executive coach. I work with CEOs and senior executives to design and direct programs of strategy development, enterprise transformation and change.  It’s true that many writers find it difficult to sustain a full time writing career. That’s why I am shifting my business model from writing to publishing.

What other jobs have you had in your life?

Management Consultant, Human Resources Director, Theme Park Owner, Native Animal Rehabilitator

If you could study any subject at university what would you pick?

How to make a $1million on eBay in the first year J

Accountability Leadership Saves Tech Company

In 2005, HCL Technologies was in trouble.

The Delhi-based IT firm was losing market share, as competitors grew by 50% annually.

By 2009, HCL’s president, Vineet Nayar had turned the company around, nearly tripling annual revenues and doubling market capitalisation despite the recession.

Nayar accomplished all this through a top-down culture of accountability, beginning with the leadership qualities of himself—the CEO—and other senior managers.

The Rules Of Accountability Have Changed

Great business leaders understand that acceptance of greater personal accountability and responsibility leads organisations back on the path to success.

But with the evolving nature of 21st century business, the practical steps that go into creating a high performance culture of accountability have become more muddled than ever.

Many organisations have seen temporary improvements, implementing traditional systems of accountability in an attempt to drive high performance in the workplace—only to quickly revert back to their old ways, or worse.

Accountability Leadership Will Teach You:

• What it really takes to lead a high performance culture of accountability
• Why so many of today’s employees avoid personal accountability and responsibility like the plague, and how to reverse that trend
• How to sustain great performance through inspiring feedback, feed-forward and follow-through
• What an accountability plan is, how to create one, and why it’s considered the “secret weapon” behind successful business transformation

Filled with real world case studies and straightforward, easy to digest research, Accountability Leadership offers practical solutions that are direct, engaging, fast, cost-effective, proven, and easy to implement…

Immediate, Concrete Solutions You’ll Take Away From This Book Include:

• How to transform the “dark side” of accountability into a positive force for change
• Why carrots and sticks no longer work—and what they’ve been replaced with
• How to create compelling consequences that inspire people to perform at their best, and achieve the ultra productive workstate known as “flow”
• Crack the code of high accountability conversations, turning confrontation into a productive and positive opportunity

Accountability Leadership Also Sheds Light On Topics Like…

• How negativity bias covertly sabotages your feedback loop with your employees
• The optimal ratio for positive to negative comments in feedback
• The right amount of autonomy to give employees—without overdoing it
• What lack of recognition is really doing to your workforce (hint: it’s staggering)
• The surprising biochemical effect of praise, and why it cannot fail

Plus, You’ll Also Receive A Special Bonus

Reader’s can claim an exclusive 20-minute podcast interview with top-rated thought leader Marshall Goldsmith, sharing his powerful experiences and groundbreaking ideas on coaching for accountability leadership—absolutely free.

A Personal Message From The Author

Accountability is arguably the number-one issue that makes or breaks leadership performance today. Yet most of us were never taught this critical skill—not by our parents, teachers or business leaders.

The good news is, accountability can be coached.

The ideas in this book draw from extensive research and 25 years experience working with executives to improve performance through high accountability.

These ideas work.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - Business, Leadership, Workplace Behaviour, Human Resources, Executive Coaching

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with Di Worrall on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.diworrall.com.au/

Need motivation and inspiration to self-publish, or sign that contract with an interested small press? Have you done all the research you can, but still feel ambivalent about the idea? “Indiestructible: Inspiring Stories from the Publishing Jungle” brings you the experiences of 29 indie authors—their passions, their insights, their successes—to help you make the leap into indie publishing.

This is not a how-to guide. This is the best of the indie tradition of experienced authors paying forward what they’ve learned, giving you information to help you on your journey. The personal essays in this book will leave you itching to get your work into the hands of readers and experience, first-hand, all the rewards indie publishing has to offer.

100% of proceeds from “Indiestructible” purchases will be donated to BUILDON.org

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre –  Non-fiction

Rating – G

More details about the author

Connect with Jessica Bell on Facebook &  Twitter

Blog http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/

Got writer’s block? Got a little extra weight? Many good habits benefit the mind as well as the body. Here are five that will help you think more clearly and shed some pounds at the same time.

1. Get more sleep. Most adults need six to eight hours or more of sleep for optimal brain function. Getting enough sleep makes concentration and clear thinking easier. When we don’t get enough sleep we tend to get distracted easily, have a hard time getting motivated, and are more likely to crave junk food. Get to bed early before you get hungry and feel the need to snack, and avoid watching television just before going to bed, as it can make falling asleep more difficult.

2. Exercise at least two or three times a week. Regular exercise benefits the mind and body in many ways. It gives the mind a break and provides oxygen to the brain to facilitate clear thinking. It helps elevate mood and combat depression. And it burns calories, both directly, and over the long term by boosting metabolism. Choose ways of exercising that you can enjoy (or at least not hate), so you’ll be more likely to stick with it. Even better, exercise with a friend.

3. Eat fewer processed foods. Processed foods are foods that have been altered beyond recognition. If you can’t tell what the ingredients are in a food item just by looking at it, it’s processed. In general, processed foods tend to digest quickly, causing a rush and then a dip in blood sugar. Blood sugar is what fuels your brain. To think clearly and creatively, you need a constant supply. Fluctuations in blood sugar can also prompt cravings for fattening snacks. Unprocessed foods such as whole fruits, vegetables, and nuts digest more gradually, allowing blood sugar levels to remain more stable so you can think better and longer without being hampered by cravings or writer’s block. To start out your day, try a yogurt parfait with fruit and granola or chopped nuts, a bowl of cracked wheat cereal or steel-cut oatmeal, or eggs with salsa or avocado. Stock your refrigerator with weight loss foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt, nuts, and whole grains.

4. Take a brisk walk. When you have writer’s block, are getting easily distracted, or feel like your mental wheels are spinning, it’s time to give your brain a break. Not only will a 15-minute brisk walk help clear your mind and reset your thinking, it has also been shown in scientific studies to calm junk food cravings. If you can’t get outside to walk, do a few body-weight exercises inside, or at least get up and walk around the room.

5. Meditate daily. Meditation-based therapy has been used successfully in the treatment of chronic pain, stress, anxiety, and depression. Stress and anxiety not only impair thinking, they can prompt us to turn to food to make ourselves feel better. Meditation can be as simple as closing your eyes and paying attention to your breathing. Try to make it a daily habit. For a meditation session to be most beneficial, it should last at least 12 minutes.

Don’t try to develop all of your healthy mind and body habits at once. Start with one or two of the easiest ones and work on those for two or three weeks. Once you see the rewards, you’ll be motivated to tackle the habits that require more effort.

Stan Spencer, PhD, is a biological consultant, former research scientist, and author of The Diet Dropout’s Guide to Natural Weight Loss: Find Your Easiest Path to Naturally Thin (Fine Life Books, 2013). He lives in southern California and blogs on natural weight loss techniques at fatlossscience.org.

This book isn’t about the latest celebrity diet, wonder food, or miracle supplement. It’s about creating a personalized weight loss plan—your own easiest path to naturally thin. While you can lose weight with almost any diet, keeping the weight off is much more difficult, requiring permanent changes in eating and exercise habits. This book provides a science-based approach for making those changes in a way that works best for you, without wasting time, money, or effort.

Dr. Spencer explains why we gain weight and why the fat lost by dieting almost always comes back. He then presents an array of practical weight loss tools for controlling emotional eating, calming cravings, boosting metabolism, and improving nutrition and exercise. In the final chapter he has you create a natural weight loss plan based on your unique set of needs, abilities, and preferences. Simple recipes are provided for weight loss foods that reduce cravings and prolong satisfaction.

What this book offers is a solid approach to weight loss—self-directed, gradual, and lasting—in contrast to the quick but fleeting weight loss offered by most one-size-fits-all diet plans.

Buy Now @ Amazon & iTunes

Genre – Non-fiction

Rating – G

More details about the author and the book

Connect with Stan Spencer on Facebook & Twitter

If you could do any job in the world, what would you do?

I would be an action movie superstar, just like Bruce Willis, only the female version.

Who do you admire?

I admire President Obama for what he has accomplished and for being so lovable.

When you have free time on the internet, what do you want to read about?

I am on the internet for hours everyday researching different topics about social media, diet, self improvement, almost anything that helps me improve my life.

What do you do to unwind and relax?

I love to read inspirational books in the bathtub. I can sit in there for hours.

What’s the best thing about self-publishing?

I love the freedom to write whatever kind of story I want to write, about any character that I want to write and display any cover that I like.

THREE beautiful redheads – THREE Motives – ONE Murder

Tapping into the common wish to be someone else, if only for a short time, this suspense drama explores what happens when a woman, bored with her humdrum existence dyes her hair red and takes on the persona of her late sister.

After the murder of her beloved sister, a quiet and warmhearted legal secretary, Charlie Weiss, who works for the prestigious Whitley & Austin, is in search of an escape. A few sessions with her psychologist propel her to the realization that the excitement that she seeks is in a new life, the life of her late sister.

With a daring wish to continue the wild life of her late sister, she colors her hair red and dares to reinvent herself. And with this new persona comes a different type of experience, including becoming one of three redhead suspects to a murder.

“This whodunit suspense drama will keep you guessing until the last page.”–Elance book editor

Parker Paige has been writing fiction for several years with a passion for creating eccentric characters. She is fascinated with true stories and for that reason, she is drawn to the network Investigation Discovery like a drug. She is the author of “The Color Pink” and “Whitley and Austin.” She is not completely insane, maybe just a little bit crazy. She lives in Los Angeles.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - Romantic Suspense

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

Connect with  Parker Paige on Twitter

Website parkerpaige.wordpress.com

Could you tell us a bit about event writing used in Invasion?

Sure, but let me point out the key difference. The traditional chapter style way of writing tells a story sequentially from beginning to end – much like programming was back in the last century. Basically, information is read in order, building on the previous, until reaching the end. Events, however, are similar to programming in today’s world. Each event contains sections or packets of information that combine together to create a story. Each event follows the same structure by combining information and building on it. This method of storytelling creates a dynamic atmosphere because the source of information is always changing. For instance, an individual event may contain three sections. The source of information contained within each section will be different. Some of the information may come from short stories, but a lot of it may come from documents, recordings, or even raw data. One section may contain the main storyline while another section tells a completely different story which reinforces, builds, and completes the other. For present tense writers this concept is limitless because it allows the story to break the sequential mold.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I pull my inspiration from the world around me. I watch and listen. I try to imagine things beyond what is presented to me. Technology is one of my main subject matters. I disguise it very well within my stories because to me, the story is the most important aspect of my work. However, the story typically originates from something I’ve seen or heard such as the concept of panopticism. I first learned about it many years ago while in college, and it will be one of the governing themes in my next novel. I tend to take an idea and run with it, sculpting, bending and twisting it into something exciting and different. The idea may become part of the story itself or just an overlying thought. I pull a lot of information from my surrounding environment from topics and themes to names and locations.

Do you plan to publish more books?

Absolutely, I keep an active folder where I jot down all my ideas. Over time I add to the original idea, even changing it if needed. I have several future novels outlined this way that I hope to someday complete. Currently I have four books planned over the next couple of years of which two will be in the Darkness & Daemons series. The current novel I’m working on is Cult of Tattoo, and once I finish that I will complete the Darkness & Daemons trilogy. I have a couple more novels planned later next year but nothing is written in stone at this time.

How and where do you write?

Actually I prefer to use a desk top computer. I never enjoyed using notebooks, too small and uncomfortable when typing. I spend most of my time at my desk pounding away at my keyboard. When I do write, I focus just on writing and begin early in the morning and can write late into the evening. Twelve hours of writing is nothing new to me. I tend to only write when I’m in the mood. Usually when I begin a new project I’m fully prepared and motived to write it, so I tend to keep writing until the manuscript is complete. I’ll spend months if need be at my desk completing whatever project I’m working on without distraction. This is when I slip into my silent mode, nobody will hear from me during this time. That’s why in between books I try to get all I need to get done before beginning the next such as promotions or updating my website. No matter what I’m doing, I’m always at my desk it seems.

Every writer has their own idea of what a successful career in writing is, what does success in writing look like to you?

I measure success first by being able to complete the projects I set out to do. Writing a novel is a major undertaking for anyone to endure. It sounds easy enough, we get an idea and write about it, but it is so much more than just that. Everything has to come together. The story needs to move along swiftly and stick to the storyline. Editing and revisions can be very time consuming and is mentally straining work. Completing the project is a huge accomplishment, publishing and sharing it with others is part of the reward. Any more success after that just adds more icing to the cake. We all would love to become rich and/or famous, but I don’t use that as a measure of success. I take it one milestone at a time, and after each milestone is conquered, a new level of success has been met.

An otherworldly force opens a gate in a remote mountain range in Colorado and unleashes an alien organism into the forest. Once the gate opens, a shield is placed over the entire area blocking all communications in or out of the zone. It then releases a time pulse every 30 minutes locking everything inside the shield into a checkpoint. If anything destroys the gate, everything within the shield is reset back to the previous checkpoint before the gate was destroyed.

The organism is highly infectious and anything it touches mutates and joins the invading force. They become soldiers with a darker will and help spread the infection even further. Survivors caught within the shield try to escape and stop the organism from leaving, but something keeps destroying the gate, resetting time, and changing their fates.

INVASION is the first volume in the Darkness & Daemons series, event 1-10.

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – SciFi Horror

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

Connect with  Michael Dismuke on Facebook & Twitter

How much of the book is realistic? I guess it would depend on your definition of realistic. I don’t believe people would be kidnapped and put into a gruesome experiment. However, I hope that the characters I have written are real to the reader and that they invoke anger, sadness, joy, and other emotions.

Have you included a lot of your life experiences, even friends, in the plot? Very much so! When I write, I try and take my own emotions from life experiences and place them into the story. Sometimes I take the personalities of friends and make them into characters, though most of the time, a character contains a different aspect of me in some way, whether it’s a habit they have, or the way they speak.

How important do you think villains are in a story? I think it depends on who the villain is and what their motives are. Villains can create much needed conflict and move along the story’s plot. At the same time, a story doesn’t always need an antagonist.

What are your goals as a writer? My goal is to write stories that shape your reality and challenge your thinking. Will every story do that? Maybe not, but I enjoy trying!

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)? Not yet! But maybe someday!

What books have most influenced your life? The Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker has influenced my life the most. I couldn’t recommend them highly enough. The story is thrilling!

Have you ever considered anyone as a mentor? I’ve never really had a mentor in my life. I hope to have one someday!

Have you started another book yet? I’m currently working on the second book in The Midas Trilogy. The first book, Erased, is soon to be in the hands of an editor.

Where do you see yourself in five years? I have no idea. I like taking things one day at a time!

What are your current writing projects now? I’m promoting BoX, all the while trying to prepare Erased for editing, working on the second book of The Midas Trilogy, and planning a secret project for the future!

How far would you go to save yourself? Would you compromise your religion, morals, or integrity to avoid death?

Twenty-seven people wake up to discover they are imprisoned in isolation cubes. They are forced to endure multiple trials in an experiment designed to test the limits of human nature.

In each cube is a pistol. During any test an individual can use the gun to end the torment and take their own life. In doing so, they believe the test would immediately end for everyone and potentially save the lives of others.

Would you lay down your life to save another? Would you pass the tests?

It’s the ultimate trial for human nature and the will to stay alive.

Would you survive the experiment?

This story is a novella, at around 100 pages, or 26000 words.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre –  Thriller / SciFi

Rating – PG13

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Lucas Heath on Facebook  & Twitter

Website http://lucasheathbooks.com/

Did writing this book teach you anything and what was it? Writing this book taught me to never, ever, ever quit my day job.

Do you intend to make writing a career? At this stage of the game, I think that question should be directed at the person who might hire me and if you know who it is, I’d appreciate getting a phone number.  Otherwise, I’d say it’s more of a hobby at present.

Have you developed a specific writing style? I’d like to think so.  My first person work is generally very consistent in tone and rhythm and the jokes reflect certain comedy rules, at least where such rules exist.

What is your greatest strength as a writer? I think it’s being able to see the humor in everyday situations and conveying that humor in a way readers can relate to and identify with.   My other great strength as a writer is using spellcheck.

Have you ever had writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it? I have had writer’s block and find the only way to deal with it is to just sit in front of the computer until something comes, no matter how mundane, that you can work with.  I often start my blog posts without having the slightest idea what I am going to write about.

Can you share a little of your current work with us? These are some jokes that will be part of my next book
~ I don’t know why people say you should follow your dreams. In almost every one of mine I’m being chased to the edge of a ravine by a pack of headhunters from New Guinea.

~ If I was on a jury where someone was being tried for murder and their defense was that they had sunscreen in their eyes at the time, I would vote to let them go because I’ve had sunscreen in my eyes and let me tell you, it’s no picnic.

~ Monopoly isn’t fun anymore. As soon as I start winning, people just walk away from their mortgages.

~ I purchased a Magic 8 Ball in Little Italy and every time I asked it a question it said, “I don’t know nothin’.”

~ I wonder, if Jesus were alive today, how many of the disciples would be texting during the Last Supper.

~ If I was going to murder someone, I would use a pumpkin because it’s hard not to laugh when you hear that word, especially in the context of a very grave situation, and that could come in handy at the trial.

~ I thought I would be one of those few people who didn’t need yoga but my doctor just told me I have to stop drinking WD-40.

~ According to a national survey, 4 out of 5 cardiologists agree that people who jog in place while waiting for a traffic light to change look silly.

~It was so hot today in NJ, three Jehovah’s Witnesses rang my bell and offered to convert to the religion of my choice if I would let them sit in front of my air conditioner for 15 minutes.

~Just launched my new line of “Big Screen TV Dinners” available at supermarkets everywhere. Don’t worry about asking for them by name. Just look for the handsomely packaged 52-inch box in the freezer section.

How did you come up with the title? “The Barber’s Conundrum and Other Stories” includes a story of the same name that chronicles my 50 year plus history of never getting a really decent haircut.

The Barber’s Conundrum and Other Stories has been nominated for a 2013 Best Indie Book Award by The Kindle Book Review

The Barber’s Conundrum and Other Stories is more than just a collection of thirty-seven short literary humor pieces and humorous jokes that will make you laugh. It provides a treasure trove of tips and invaluable advice to help you navigate safely through marriage and relationships, raising kids and to finally understand the more peculiar aspects of day to day living that up until now, had been tossed into a big heap as just another one of God’s mysteries.

For example, did you ever wonder why weather reporters continue to stand in the middle of raging hurricanes to tell us what hurricanes are like when everybody else already knows what hurricanes are like? Did you ever wonder why people stop their cars in the middle of the street to let geese walk past even though geese have been flying long before Cro- Magnon Man was in knee pants? Did you ever think that if aliens do exist on our planet, most of them work in customer service? They do!

All of that, and more is in the book, so what do you say? At $8.99, you’re guaranteed to receive at least $10.50 worth of terrific advice and life extending laughter, which as we know is the best medicine, and there’s never a co-pay with laughter so you’re up well over $20 already and this is only the back cover. Think of the possibilities to save when you read the whole thing.

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre –  Humor

Rating – PG

More details about the author & the book

Connect with John Hartnett on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://monkeybellhop.com/

Where do you get your inspiration from?

My inspiration comes from everywhere. Current science trends and research fuel the innovative and imaginative advances I put into the Shadows of Justice series.

The beauty of being a ‘pantser’ is never having to apologize to an outline for leaving it in the dust. The daily surprises that come from my characters as we venture through the story is inspiration enough to keep me writing.

What is hardest – getting published, writing or marketing?

With all the recent changes in publishing, no matter what route an author chooses to go with a particular book, the marketing falls on the author’s shoulders.

While social media has made marketing more enjoyable and I am thrilled that it is easier than ever to connect with readers, marketing is still the toughest part of the process for me.

Savvy marketing involves so much more than telling the universe the book is out there, please go buy it. It’s the cover design, the blurb, the technology advances, genre trends, and more. Marketing requires consistent attention to effectively balance all of those elements with the vital feedback from readers and still move forward with the next project.

Wine helps.

What marketing works for you?

The direct kind! These days I prefer connecting with readers online through twitter and Facebook or through bloggers and reviewers who are gracious enough to host me and my novels.

Do you find it hard to share your work?

Only in the very, very early stages. In fact I usually don’t share at all anymore until the book is done. I used to need feedback early in the course of a novel, but now I  keep it to myself. If I get in a tight bind, I call on a friend (or two) and have them talk it out.

Is your family supportive? Do your friends support you?

My family and extended family of friends is tremendously supportive. Past and present, they have read rough drafts, listened to me bat around ideas, given feedback on artwork, been the technical experts I’ve needed, and offered a shoulder to cry on when all seemed lost. There’s no way to adequately describe how much my family and friends have done to carry me through this otherwise solitary career.

Do you plan to publish more books?

Yes! For as long as I’m breathing, I hope to create as many books as I can possibly write well, and then afford to pay my editors, cover artist, and formatter to finish!

Whoever said, “You only live once” didn’t know Jaden Michaels.

The year is 2096 and evil is running rampant in Chicago. As the police chief, Brian Thomas has seen it all, until he runs into a would-be thief on her way to the museum.

In every life Jaden has chased down a predatory demon, exacting her fatal brand of justice, only to lose her own life in the process. This time, as she searches for the weapon that will banish the demon forever, she must also fight for the love that has always managed to slip through her grasp.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author and the book

Connect with  Regan Black on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.reganblack.com

Are there any new authors who have sparked your interest?

Yes, E.L. James.  I absolutely love the book.

What do you do to relax?

I drink coffee and watch Lifetime TV.

Are you reading any interesting books now?

I am rereading the Prospering Power of Prayer.

What is your new book about?

The Curse is a teleplay based on HBO’s hit series, Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Why did you choose this particular book?

I love the HBO TV series, Curb Your Enthusiasm and wanted to write an episode myself.

From HBO’s hit series, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” comes, “The Curse, a teleplay:” After Larry David quarrels with his lesbian neighbors, he finds himself under a seven-day curse of bad luck.

LONDON TRACY is an author, screenwriter and freelance writer. She lives in Los Angeles.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Comedy

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

Connect with  London Tracy on Twitter

Website http://londontracy.wordpress.com

What genre of books do you adore?

I love almost every kind of romance. Military and romantic suspense – sweet, small town love stories – even racy erotica. Give me a love story and I’m a happy lady.

Are there any books you really don’t enjoy?

I can’t read anything with torture or really cruel violence. I can sometimes handle serial killer stuff if it’s not too graphic.

How did you develop your writing?

It’s still developing and I hope that continues forever. I get a lot of help from a critique group I belong to and my editors are wonderful teachers. I also read the reviews my readers leave and take their comments into consideration. I’m not afraid of criticism when it’s constructive and can help me grow as a writer!

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Sometimes from the things that happen around me and the people I meet. Some of the scenes in the book come from real life. For those who have read NEGOTIATION TACTICS, the mountain scene really did happen;) Sometimes I read something and an idea springs out of that.

What marketing works for you?

I’ve done a lot of different tours and reaching out to readers through social media. I love hearing from readers and getting to chat with them online. I think one of the biggest things, though, is just continuing to write and getting new stuff out there!

Do you plan to publish more books?

Absolutely! I am part of a fabulous romantic suspense boxed set that just came out on November 10^th. It features nine full length novels by bestselling romantic suspense authors and a Christmas bonus by NY Times bestselling author, Rebecca York. You can purchase it at: Amazon US: http://amzn.to/18Ya4Oc. It is only 99 cents this week!

I am also working on a new novel right now that may be a stand-alone or may be part of a trio. I’m not sure yet. I’m shooting for February of 2014 with that one.

Jennie Evan’s heart broke when she lost her high school sweetheart and husband just after college graduation. She’s found some semblance of a new life with good friends and a job she loves at Sutton Capital, but she knows she’ll never love again. That part of her died with Kyle.

Chad Thompson sees the heartache Jennie hides from the world. Despite the chemistry he and Jennie always fight against, Chad vows to keep their relationship friendly. Anything more would hurt Jennie and Chad knows he can’t cause her more pain.

When their well-meaning friends throw Jennie and Chad together in a plot designed to push their comfort zone, Jennie ends up in more danger than anyone could have foreseen. Chad knows he can protect her, but he isn’t able to protect his own heart in the process.

Fans of Sutton Capital have been waiting for Jennie and Chad’s story. Dive in and fall in love right along with them!

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre –  Romantic Suspense

Rating – R

More details about the author

Connect with Lori Ryan on Facebook & Twitter

How to Avoid the Rejection Blues

by Ernest Dempsey

It’s so frustrating.

You’ve worked hard on your book. You’ve spent countless hours writing, re-writing, proofing, editing, and designing.

You know your story is good. Your characters are more than relatable. And from the first page, your readers will be hooked immediately.

Getting an agent and a publisher should be automatic.

Yet all you seem to get are rejections.

Like I said, it’s so frustrating. Actually, it is way beyond that. It’s depressing, infuriating, unfair, numbing, and probably a ton of other things.

I know. I’ve been there. I have fourteen rejections from various agents.

And here’s the good news: there are a lot of other people who have been too. In fact, most authors have been rejected multiple times before finally breaking through.

But how do you keep going? How do you fight through the rejection blues and press on?

There are a couple of ways. Both are going to take a lot of work on your part, but if becoming a published author is what you want in life, you may as well accept it.

Ben Mezrich knows what it’s like to get turned down by the industry. He had amassed over 190 rejection letters from agents and publishers. Mezrich kept them pinned on the wall around his work area in a Boston basement apartment.

Yeah, 190 letters stuck all over the place. They served as a motivator for him.

Most people would look at twenty and think maybe they weren’t good enough. Perhaps writing isn’t their thing after all. Not Mezrich.

He honed his pitches. He kept writing. He researched what worked and what didn’t work when sending materials to agents and publishers.

Remember, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. Don’t send out the same pitch a hundred times if that pitch has been rejected by several people. Change it around a little; tweak it.

Maybe you need to change the first line of your story, the first page, or even the first chapter.

Of course, even when you do all that, you are playing to the whims of an industry. Some rejections I’ve seen were as a result of the company not needing my kind of material at that point, which had nothing to do with the quality of my book.

Fortunately, there is another way.

John Grisham self-published his first novel. Despite all the bad press and the stigma that goes with publishing a book independently, he did it anyway.

He drove around with stacks of books in his trunk, selling them to anyone he thought might be interested. And remember, this was back in the days before Amazon or Createspace. It took a lot more work to self-publish back then than it does now.

Grisham knew what he wanted. He wanted to be an author, but been rejected by publishers and agents. So, he took matters into his own hands.

I believe in self-publishing. I think it’s a viable way for many authors to build a readership. And that is really the key to getting things going as a writer.

Many authors have asked me if they should self-publish. I tell them absolutely. One of the big reasons behind that answer is that the book industry is much like the music industry.

I spoke to a record rep from a major record label once and ask him how bands get record deals. He told me that if a band sells 10,000 albums they will get signed on the spot.

Why is that?

Because the band has shown the record company that they can sell albums. You have given them a reason to want you.

Selling books is the same way. I don’t know if there is some magic number where suddenly agents and publishers are banging down your door, but you can imagine there probably would be if you sold 10,000 copies on your own.

Then you have to figure out whether you need them or not…

No matter which way you decide to go, you cannot let a few rejections knock you down. If you have a talent and a love for creating the written word, you are always going to face rejections, bad reviews, naysayers, and trolls.

Just remember why you started writing in the first place. Doing that is probably the most powerful way to avoid the rejection blues.

When you wake up, does it seem like your dreams were real? Maybe they were.

Imagine if Stephanie Meyer and Suzanne Collins sat down together to write an up-tempo, action packed sci-fi thriller featuring terrifying nightmares, an evil emperor, a beautiful princess, and gladtiator games on another planet.

That’s The Dream Rider, the newest release from Ernest Dempsey, the author who brought you The Secret of the Stones and The Cleric’s Vault.

Falling from buildings, being attacked by terrifying strangers, and ghostly hands that strangle in the night are just some of the fears The Dream Rider must overcome.

Finn McClaren is an average college student, mediocre in every possible way, until one day, when strange men try to kill him. Finn wakes up in his dorm room to realize the whole thing was just a dream. Or was it?

The nightmares continue, forcing Finn to face his deepest fears until one night, he stops running and fights back. When he awakens, he is no longer in his dorm room, but on a strange planet on the other side of the galaxy.

After being arrested, Finn is thrust into an underground prison where the inmates are forced to fight to the death in the arena games. While there, he learns he has incredible powers, and of the true reason he has come to the alien world.

The Dream Rider is a fun, fast-paced, science fiction adventure that also asks serious questions about our fears, self-esteem, beliefs, and facing challenges in life.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre –  Science Fiction

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with Ernest Dempsey on Facebook  & Twitter

Website http://ernestdempsey.net/

How did you develop your writing?

Writing has always been my calling but I have focused most of my life on earning and mothering. I took courses in creative writing and wrote when I could but was never confident that I knew what I was doing really. Breast cancer, followed by other serious illnesses over a five-year period, forced me to ask myself what was really important to me. I prioritised my writing.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

It was very simple to know that She Does Not Fear the Snow had to be written and the story was clear because I lived through it. God claimed me in a Jerusalem church, where, as a Jew, I wasn’t supposed to be, and laid an amazing trail of miracles that led me to meet and marry a good man of faith in Atlantic Canada. My story mirrors that of Biblical Ruth. Like her, God claimed me when  I was at my lowest ebb. Like her, I declared my faith in the Land of Israel and was blessed with a new husband of faith.

Is your family supportive? Do your friends support you?

My family was not very happy, I think, that I was writing this episode from my life. They were against my transition from the Jewish faith to Christianity. Later, they thought me hasty in marrying the man I felt God had for me, just a year after meeting him.

Do you plan to publish more books?

Oh, yes. I have recently launched http://testimonytrain.com, where we hone and share our Christian testimonies. I intend to turn the Workbook for the Write Your Christian Testimony course that I run into a full-length book on sharing your testimony. I am also working on a novel about a young girl who finds she has an unsuspected birth mother, a Holocaust survivor.

What other jobs have you had in your life?

I used to have a business in the UK record industry, a service that provided womb-to-tomb manufacturing for indie record labels and overflow for major companies. Its speciality was vinyl pressing. It did very well for more than two decades. Downloads and 5 years of sickness, including breast cancer, killed it off. I was sad but also free to write…

If you could study any subject at university what would you pick?

I’ve done a number of surface arts courses. I’d love to do a degree in art.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

I divide my time between my native UK and Canada. I’ve lived in many places. These two make me happy.

Bobbie Ann Cole’s inspirational memoir charts her personal journey to faith and redemption. Broken by cancer and the failure of her marriage, she visits Israel, seeking direction and new meaning for her life. She has a profound spiritual experience in a Jerusalem church, where, as a Jew, she’s not supposed to be. Her experience there marks the start of a chain of supernatural events, through which God reveals His purposes to her. This transformational story of love, set on three continents, echoes that of biblical Ruth, who accepts faith in the Land of Israel and receives God’s blessing in the shape of a new husband of faith, a Canadian.

‘Filled with humor, warmth and love, She Does Not Fear the Snow is the promise of love after a battle with cancer and the sting of divorce. Bobbie Ann Cole has written an honest, touching memoir which permits the reader to accompany her through a time of healing, self-discovery and faith. Bobbie’s transparency makes it hard to put down. A great read for those healing from their own journey. You will find encouragement here.’ Kim de Blecourt, Author of Until We All Come Home: A Harrowing Journey, a Mother’s Courage, a Race to Freedom (FaithWords, November, 2012)

‘This book will inspire you to look for God’s voice in everyday events of life. It will cause you to reflect on past experiences and see how God’s hand led you in the right path. It’s a beautiful story full of romance, forgiveness and coming to faith.’ Evangeline Inman, Author of The Divine Heartmender and Extreme Worship for Songwriters

‘Bobbie’s story greatly encourages us that life is not to be lived or viewed through the lens of chance. Open your heart as you read, and embrace the personal truth that God in His providence will direct our steps and bring us to our destiny.’ Pastor Wayne Flowers, Smythe Street Cathedral, Fredericton, NB, Canada

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre –  Faith Memoir

Rating – PG

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Bobbie Ann Cole on Facebook

Website www.shedoesnotfearthesnow.com

What movie do you love to watch?

Fight Club – it was a great book, and an even better film!

How do you feel about social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter? Are they a good thing?

Absolutely! With them I communicate and respond, real-time, with anybody in the world. It helps me stay connected and relevant to my fans.

If you could do any job in the world what would you do?

I’m already doing it – being an author. Though a runner-up would have to be an astronaut.

How do you think people perceive writers?

I think there’s the old romantic view of writers – eccentric sorts, cooped up in an old garden shed, poking at a typewriter, dreaming up stories, guzzling coffee by the gallon. It’s a great stereotype, and I do like it. However, it doesn’t depict me at all! (all except the eccentric bit…)

What’s your next project?

My next project is a graphic novel version of my debut book – The Written, which was the first book in my Emaneska Series. It’s being drawn at the moment, and I’ve raised the money for it via a successful project on Kickstarter, which I was very pleased with.

What would you love to produce in your life?

A series of films based on books of The Emaneska Series. Hollywood, if you’re reading this – I’m happy to talk.

What’s the reason for your life? Have you figured out your reason for being here yet?

To write. It’s as simple as that for me. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.

His name is Farden.
They whisper that he’s dangerous.
Dangerous is only the half of it.

Something has gone missing from the libraries of Arfell. Something very old, and something very powerful. Five scholars are now dead, a country is once again on the brink of war, and the magick council is running out of time and options.

Entangled in a web of lies and politics and dragged halfway across icy Emaneska and back, Farden must unearth a secret even he doesn’t want to know, a secret that will shake the foundations of his world. Dragons, drugs, magick, death, and the deepest of betrayals await.

Welcome to Emaneska.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre –  Epic Fantasy

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Ben Galley on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.bengalley.com

*How do you write – lap top, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?

Since college, I write primarily by laptop at a desk. It’s just more efficient. For awhile I wrote by typewriter as that’s how I got my start, but the transfer time just took too long. I do use pen and paper from time-to-time to get my juices flowing. Once that happens, I move to my computer.

*Where do you get support from? Do you have friends in the industry?

Since I published “Trials” I’ve met so many amazing people, mostly through the use of social media. Twitter has an awesome community of writers.

*Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge and thank for their support?

My partner Sean. “Trials” is dedicated to him. If he hadn’t come into my life, this book would never have been written. I was nursing a mean case of writer’s block and self-pity when I met him. He sort of shook me out of it with tough love. He said things to me that no one in my life had ever been brave enough to say. Hearing the words out loud, and realizing they were true, got me writing again.

*Every writer has their own idea of what a successful career in writing is, what does success in writing look like to you?

Being able to write full-time and able to survive, which I’ve accomplished. By no means am I rolling in cash, but I’m able to pay for my survival and I’m still able to go out and have fun.

*Tell us about your new book. What’s it about and why did you write it?

“Trials of an Entrepreneurial Virgin” tells the story of how I realized that writing is a business and how I learned to treat it as such. Readers will learn how to treat writing like a business through my mistakes and successes. I wrote it because I couldn’t find anything in the market that talked about the business side of writing. Many books exist about the craft itself, but nothing was out about how to build a writing business.

Have you always dreamed of earning your living as a full time writer?

Sonja Hegman has made that dream work for her. Now she tells other writers and “virgin” business owners how to do it, too. In Trials of an Entrepreneurial Virgin Hegman explains how to:

• Choose a business structure
• Write a client contract
• Handle those “clients from hell”
• Develop your marketing materials
• And of course, the ins and outs of networking—both online and in-person

From working at a small town Minnesota newspaper to taking on The Big Apple and finally discovering her niche as a business writer and social media consultant, Hegman tells us about her triumphs and her trials—and offers us the “virgin writing professional’s” practical advice along the way.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Non-fiction

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with Sonja Hegman on Facebook, Google+ & Twitter

Website http://www.writerschatstew.com/

What genre of books do you adore?

I’m still a sucker for a sweet romance. I also enjoy reading new adult romance, and I write some of that myself. Any book I read has to have some element of romance or I have a hard time letting it hold my interest.

Are there any books you really don’t enjoy?

Yes. I’m not a big fan of horror or science fiction. These just aren’t genres that I enjoy reading books or movies usually. The exception to that would be Hugh Howey’s “Wool” series because I did enjoy that.

How did you develop your writing?

There were several things I did to develop my writing, and it continues developing every time. The first thing is just writing as much as possible. You can’t get better without practice. I also read a lot of other authors in my genre because that tells me what readers like. In addition, I’ve done some courses on writing over the years as well.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I get it from all kinds of places including the people around me and even news stories. I never take a story and turn it into a book, but sometimes elements of the story would be an interesting scene or section of a book. Often, I base it upon questions that I have like “what if” this happened or that happened.

What marketing works for you?

Most of my marketing is done on social media, so I guess that is what works best for me. I love chatting with my readers, and I talk to them daily. I think that goes further than just about anything else you could do because building a relationship with your readers is critically important.

Do you plan to publish more books?

Of course! My readers demand it. I get contacted every day asking when the next book is coming out or what I’m writing now. I would never let my readers down by not publishing more books.

Ruined is a New Adult novel full of romance, angst and tons of emotion!

Willow Blake has a secret. A big one. And when she and her mother move cross country to protect that secret, her guard is up to protect her heart.

When she meets handsome Reed Miller, she feels her walls start tumbling down and the fear is overwhelming. If he finds out her secret, will he hate her forever?

Just when she thinks things are settling down, a new house guest makes her second guess everything she knows to be true about who she is and what she wants.

Caught between her past life and her new one – and two sexy men – will choose to be alone or fight for her own happiness?

Buy Now @ Amazon @ Barnes & Noble @ Kobo

Genre - New  Adult Romance

Rating – R

More details about the author and the book

Connect with  Rachel Hanna on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://rachelhannaromance.com/

What Makes A Hero?
by Merry Farmer
Open the pages of any given romance novel these days and what will you find?  You’ll find a strong, devilishly handsome rake with a good heart.  He might have a past, he’ll certainly have an attitude, but above all he’ll have the best intentions at heart.  At least by the end of the story.
When I set out to write Our Little Secrets, I had a very different sort of hero in mind.  Michael West is not devilishly handsome.  He’s not particularly strong either.  He’s a shopkeeper with a past.  And he wears glasses.  But one thing he is, is smart.  Maybe even a little too smart for his own good.  He’s smart enough to pull himself out of the massive hole he digs for himself where his heroine, Charlie, is concerned.
I’ve always been attracted to the smart guys.  Muscle is okay if put to good use, but if you really want to melt my chocolate, give me a smart man any day.  Smart men might not be the first to jump into the fight, but they’re definitely going to come out of it in one piece.  Brawn might be able to turn a woman’s head and sweep her off her feet, but brain will build a home for her and figure out how to get her out of scrapes.  Best of all, a smart man knows enough to accept a woman for who she is, even if who she is makes him wince from time to time.
Michael West has his hands full when he agrees to marry Charlie almost as soon as she sets foot in Cold Springs, Montana.  Contrary to all of the fabulous stories of mail-order brides and quickie frontier marriages, it was highly unusual in Montana of the 1890s for a man to marry a woman he didn’t know.  Especially when he has secrets he wants to keep.  But what makes Michael a hero is his quick wit and his ability to recognize a good thing when it stumbles into his life.
Well, almost.  Some would argue that the things Michael does in Our Little Secrets are exactly the opposite of what a hero should do.  Does he stand up for his heroine when the chips are down?  Does he rush to the defense of his friends when they are attacked?  Does he face trouble head-on or does he have a little too much scotch and make a really bad decision.  How can a man who would slip be considered a hero?
Easily.  Heroism doesn’t come from always doing the right thing any time there’s a choice to be made.  It doesn’t come from strength or force or sheer potent masculinity.  It comes from learning to listen to your heart.  It comes from letting go of pride and admitting your mistakes.  It comes from making the right choice after a string of wrong choices.  It comes from the ability to change for the better.
So is Michael West a hero?  You better believe it!

What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life?

Right now, I’m proud of finishing By His Command… 10 books in a year. And now I’m proud of the With the Rockstar series.

What is your favorite color?

Black or blue

What is your favorite food?

A turkey hoagie

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

At a very young age, reading fantasy books, wanting to write.

When and why did you begin writing?

When I was young I wrote little stories. They grew and grew… and eventually I wanted to write books and sell them. So I did!

How long have you been writing?

Oh… let’s just say more than two decades. lol

Welcome to world of billionaire rockstar, Alex Slader…

Just one night.

That’s all Jessica Harpmae is looking for when she gets a chance to meet billionaire rockstar, Alex Slader.

Just one night.

Alex Slader isn’t just a rockstar, he is the rockstar… a complicated man, a suffering man, a man who savers life through submission. And when he meets innocent Jessica, listening to her generic questions about his band and his life, his mind travels elsewhere… he wants Jessica.

Just one night.

Jessica must confront her deepest sexual desires and fears as she stares at the most powerful and sexiest rockstar in the world. Add to that her seemingly innocent roommate, Carrie, who is secretly locked into a sexual contract of her own, and Jessica’s life soon becomes a twisted mix of reality, fantasy, and past memories that place her in Alex Slader’s bed and heart…

But, remember, it’s only a one night stand…

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - New Adult Romance

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with  Ana W. Fawkes on Facebook &  Twitter

Website http://anafawkes.com/

How did you develop your writing?

I wrote. I wrote stories, poetry, random thoughts. I kept journals, notes, ideas. Whatever it took to make me feel better and get better.

What is hardest – getting published, writing or marketing?

Marketing is tough because I’m sort of a recluse by nature. So to step out and say “BUY MY BOOK?” is weird.

Do you find it hard to share your work?

Some stuff, yes. There were issues in DownCrash I debated to put into the books. But I wanted to share it… so I did.

Do you plan to publish more books?

Yes. I have another trilogy come this fall. Another intensely deep emotional new adult series.

How do you write – lap top, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?

I write at a table with a small laptop. It’s the only way I can write.

Do you have an organized process or tips for writing well? Do you have a writing schedule?

My schedule is pretty open so I just write when I feel like it. As far as tip go… I would just say write when you have the time. That’s about it.

Sometimes it’s so hard to keep at it – What keeps you going?

I like hearing from my readers. When they share their thoughts and they get it, it makes me happy. When they read a part and I want them to cry and they do… it’s like, ‘Yeah, that’s cool…’

What’s your next project?

A book called The Upside of Being Let Down. It’s really good… really deep.

***The final book in The Boys of DownCrash trilogy!***

Some Kind of Hell (The Boys of DownCrash #3)

In the trilogy finale, shy DownCrash bassist, Logan, has his sexy eyes on Maggie’s best friend, Annie. But Annie is still reeling from the way her relationship ended. She’s hurt, angry, jealous, and the last thing she wants is some wannabe rockstar looking for his next hookup… although it may just be what she needs.

Logan wants more for his life. The past is living in his apartment, which forces him to spend nights in his car to avoid reliving the nightmare over and over again.

When Annie’s guard comes down, tragedy strikes and their lives will be changed forever. Determined to win Annie over and help DownCrash get signed to a record deal, Logan has his work cut out for him. His gorgeous body and no-bullshit personality may just be the key to both…

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - New Adult Romance

Rating – PG13

More details about the author & the book

Connect with  London Casey on Facebook &  Twitter

Website http://www.londonatcasey.blogspot.com/

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.

Both:  Some very favorable unsolicited reviews, both for The Astrologer’s Daughter and our other novel, Wanting Rita.

If you could jump into a book, and live in that world, which would it be?

Doug:  Any story that has an extravagant beach house, with lots of sand, sea and brazen sun in a broad blue sky.  Then whatever villain came my way I could take him/her down.

Elyse:  A world in which soul mates search for and discover each other… preferably in a beach location!

What is your dream cast for your book?

Both:  Charlize Theron and Leonardo DiCaprio.

What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen?

Elyse:  I absolutely loved Little Womenand wanted to be like Jo.  Since I’ve been working with children as a speech-language pathologist, my favorite children’s book is The Pop-up Mice of Mr. Brice by Theo. LeSieg, illustrated by Roy McKie.  Every child I know wants to read it over and over and over again.

Doug: Lad a Dog.

Is there a song you could list as the theme song for your book or any of your characters?

Both:  Greg Maroney’s beautiful piano piece Mountain Snow.  It’s on our trailer for The Astrologer’s Daughter.

What’s one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?

Both:  Learn how to take a rejection punch.

After Juliet Sinclair divorces her unfaithful husband, she expects to pick up the pieces of her life and move on. When Juliet sees her much-loved father waving to her on a New York City street, she’s astonished. Her father and mother live in Ohio. At that same moment, she receives a call from her mother telling her that her father has died from a heart attack.

Juliet quits her job and moves back to Ohio, determined to investigate a substantial loss of money, and find a mysterious woman who had close ties with her father, Juliet’s mother knew nothing about.

While on her journey, Juliet has a serious accident and is saved from near death by a handsome ex-soldier with a tragic past. He falls in love with her, even though his past still haunts him. Christmas is approaching, and Juliet works to uncover her father’s secrets while falling in love, struggling to find the courage to forgive and to love again.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Romance

Rating – PG

More details about the author and the book

Connect with  Elyse Douglas on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.elysedouglas.com/