Marketing Your Book on a Budget 2013: A Review By Paula Hrbacek

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Marketing Your Book on a Budget 2013, by Kathryn Jones

Pages: 46

Reading level:  General

Genre: Non-iction

Content Rating: General

Publisher: Idea Creations Press; 2013 edition (March 15, 2013)

ASIN: B0094XV6MA

Format: ebook (also available in paperback)

A quick guide for indie authors, Four Stars, 5-29-13

I received a copy of “Marketing Your Book on a Budget 2013” as a free Kindle download when I responded to a discussion posted on Linked In.  The author, Kathryn Jones, is a published author who shares some of the avenues she has found for marketing a fiction book. 

It is a good start for someone who doesn’t have a clue about what to do about marketing a book.  Many self-published authors jump into the fire not realizing just how much promotion they will have to do in order to make their book successful.  This booklet is a quick overview of some of the things they need to consider and do, such as set up a web site, engage in social media, and have promotional materials available.

Each chapter lists a few of the resources the author has found for promoting her book.  It lists a few blogs and web sites that will run promotional copy.  But it is not an exhaustive list, nor does it include every avenue possible.  It talks about requesting reviews and how to write a cover letter, but it didn’t mention press releases and how to write one.  It mentioned post cards, but not business cards, bookmarks or magnets.  It didn’t say what companies will print these items inexpensively, or how to make your own on a computer.  It listed web sites that promote fiction, but not nonfiction.

The book ends with information about a publishing company and the services they offer.  That means that this book is a promotional item, just like the free pens and coffee cups you get at the bank.  So, if you have the chance to get a copy for free, take it.

I was given a Kindle version, but would have liked a paper copy better.  If it had blank pages where I could add my own resources, then it might become a useful tool that I could turn to every time I publish a book.  I turned to taking notes, and wrote down a full page of web sites to check out.  But, format is in the eyes of the beholder, and ease of use depends on how many computer skills you have.  It is available in paperback, so that choice needs to be made at the time it is ordered. Amazon, Kindle.

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Paula Hrbacek is the author of five books including: Stars Shine After Dark, a sweet Christian romance, available in paperback, Kindle and Nook, and Day Camp in Hawaii, a complete program guide for summer camp or summer school, available in paperback, Nook and Kindle.  For more information see http://paulahrbacek.weebly.com or her author page at https://www.amazon.com/author/paulahrbacek. She also writes two columns for The Examiner, a free online newspaper; Children’s Artsand Crafts, and Book Reviews.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your Reactions and more. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken

Passion in Writing by Darlene Jones

provided by D. Jones

Heaving bosoms? Throbbing members? Sorry, but that’s not where I’m going with this. I’m talking about the passion that drives us to do the things we do. In my mind passion is a must for authors. We have to have passion for the writing itself and passion for the things we write about.  

I also believe that our writing reflects our passions and they are revealed when we see them on paper. This came as a bit of a shock to me when I looked back at what I had written. My intent was to write an entertaining novel of magic and romance. I didn’t know it would grow to four books before the “happily ever after” ending. Nor did I know, when I began, that my books would touch on a number of serious world issues.

Rereading my novels is an exercise in discovery. I see that teaching and teens play significant roles in each. I was an educator and most of my career was spent working with grades seven to nine, so I guess that’s not so surprising. I criticize anyone who denigrates teaching. Teachers get the whole world started. And I refuse to accept the answer, “I’m just a teacher” to the question, “what do you do?” I believe all children should have a solid education base and I wish I could wave a magic wand to make it so. Yes, I’m passionate about education.

I also rant about war, the media, rich versus poor…. How could I not after having lived in Mali, traveled extensively in Africa, not to mention all the time I spend in Mexico? If I were to make a list of injustices, it would be a long one. The problems are much too grand for any one individual to solve, but we can impact the whole if we make our own little corner of the world a better place.

A recent survey asked people to rank the things they looked for in their fiction reading. I was surprised to see that “learning something” was number one. On reflection, I realize that the books I love best are ones that teach me something. In Domingos Angel I learned about conditions in Spain during Franco’s rule. In The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor I learned more about Canadian history. In The Winter Pony (an amazing story told from the horses’ point of view) I learned about the trek to the South Pole. The list could go on and on, but what is most interesting is that the books I learned something from are the ones that remain most vivid in my mind.

I, too, try to get readers thinking while they are being entertained. Perhaps that’s yet another passion. I do hope my stories will be vivid in readers’ minds long after they have finished reading them.

For more from Darlene Jones, check out these links: www.emandyves.com and AmazonAuthor Central.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your Reactions and more. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken

Author Spotlight 1: Brita Skinner 1.2

A Brief Bio

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Brita Skinner is a young adult Christian Secular Thriller author who lives in Calgary, AB with her husband where she continues to write and support not only her husband but also her dad and step mom who suffers from Dementia.  She is currently working on book 2 of her Nightlife series for which Daybreaker is a part of.  She is also plotting out future projects to work on after her Nightlife Series is complete. 

Brita is the oldest of three children.  She also has several brother and sister-in-laws and a multitude of nephews and nieces, all of whom she loves dearly and loves to spend time with.  Brita has a younger brother who is married with a son and is currently working as a mechanic.  Her younger sister is currently a student at Cornell University in New York on a full scholarship doing her Doctorate of Music History.

For more information about Brita Skinner or to contact her, please try these links:
Web: http://britaskinner.wix.com/britaskinner#, Email: authorbritaskinner@gmail.com

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your Reactions and more. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken

Author Spotlight 1: Brita Skinner 1.1

An excerpt from DayBreaker

Prologue

I knew I had my gifts and that I was unique.  But to have it confirmed I am peculiar and so different from everyone else that I never expected.

I never gave much thought to where my life was going. I honestly thought I would follow in my mom’s footsteps, go to college one day, start a career, get married and start a family of my own.  Some of that has changed now and I know I can’t go back to where I was or where I thought I was going, even if I wanted to.

My life has changed so much I have loved and lost, fought to save what was important to me, and while I have failed more times than I can count, I know that I have to move forward I can’t let what has been keep me from what will be.

If I die in this struggle, then I know my life will have some meaning. If I survive then I will have to face a new world that has been changed by what we do here and now. Each of us plays a dangerous game in our own way, from hiding who and what we are to what we are really doing.  So many have put their lives on the line for what they believe.

I don’t know anyone who would come out of this untouched and be able to continue living the life they knew.  What happens next, we do for what we believe…

Chapter One

The First Day at School

I have always hated the first day at a new school.  There were the big things everyone thought about such as meeting new people, teachers, and learning the hallways.  But there were also the small issues, like finding a new locker, the smell of a new place and surroundings.  I was always stressed when I started new schools; I knew my peer’s were just fascinated with me. Why they would have so much curiosity over a five foot three, long black haired, and blue eyed girl is beyond me. Oh yeah did I mention the fact I was skinny well let me say slender that makes me sound more attractive, plus I just turned eighteen but that shouldn’t make me stand out.

Let me tell you a secret I know there is something odd about me. Sometimes I don’t feel like I’m human though I look like one, and no I’m not some alien from out of space. I just knew deep down I was different I just didn’t know how.

Anyway back to my moan. If there was anything worse than a first day, it was starting a new school at the start of senior year, when everyone around me had grown up together and already had their bonds.  This first day of senior year, was going to be one of my worst, I could sense it. But never could I have ever imagined that it would be this bad.  Nothing I’d ever seen – or had seen – prepared me for this day.

I stood outside my new school which was a vast Toronto public school, in the chilly September morning. As you properly guessed I wasn’t excited, and leaping for joy instead I wondered Why me?  I was underdressed in nothing more than a simple sweater and leggings; not exactly fashionably I know! But I did not want to make a fashion statement. I did not want to be here full stop.

I was extremely unprepared for the noisy chaos I walked into.  There were hundreds of kids around me, all clamoring, screaming, cursing and shoving each other.  It was more like a prison yard; trust me you would not want to be here.

Everyone had too much energy or maybe it’s just me acting like a granny. Whatever the case I was exhausted and sleep-deprived as most of us teens are. I did wish the noise would die down and no this is not my granny act coming out I just needed that peace and quiet.

Reaching into my pocket I felt my iPod.  Fantastic some nice calming Beethoven that I could listen to I inserted my earphones, cranked the volume up but no sound came out I peeked and saw the battery was dead, great!

So the iPod was not working I needed some distraction from all this chaos before class started, so what is the next best thing? The cell phone I grabbed mine out of my pockets hoping for some text messages but there were none. This makes me sound like a loner but I’m not honest. Because I had to move around so much I never got that close to anyone but I had made friends, I may not have been miss popularity but at least I made friends.

Chapter Five

The Disappearance

I ran.  The bullies were back, this time with friends, just like Matthew had warned me; they were chasing me down the alleyway again.  There was a dead end before me, a massive wall blocking my way, but I kept on running anyway, right towards it. As I ran I was picking up speed, it was a supernatural speed, the wind was rushing through my hair and I knew they couldn’t catch me.

The closer to the wall I got, the more I felt I had wings and I could fly.  Suddenly my feet left the ground and I was standing on top of the wall.  Looking down I could see the bullies and their friends stopped in their tracks as they tried to figure out how to get me.

For more information about Brita Skinner or to contact her, please try these links:
Web: http://britaskinner.wix.com/britaskinner#, Email: authorbritaskinner@gmail.com

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your Reactions and more. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken

Author Spotlight 1: Brita Skinner 1.0

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Author completes new Christian thriller, despite having a rare muscular disease.

Brita Skinner finished the Young Adult fiction novel entitled DayBreaker, which is part of the Nightlife series. Though the book is aimed at Young Adult’s it can also be an exceptionally read for the general market.

The main character is Sambi Prince a senior who finds out she is not all human and has a mission to fulfill. Her life will never be the same again.

Skinner who residences in Canada states, “There were times when writing became difficult because of the awful pains I experience, this has not been an easy process I was diagnose with this chronic pain in 2007, which is actually a disease of the nerves system, the nerves that control my pain receptors but also affects my muscles.” She continues to say, “However this hasn't deterred me from pursing my dream as a writer, I love to write and am determined to make it into the publishing world. My advice is despite your circumstances hold on to your dreams and run for it.”

Though her agent is diligently looking for a publisher DayBreaker has already received great response from the public. “I thank all those people who have supported me, which includes my fan base. This makes me want to write and interact with you more and more.”

For more information about Brita Skinner or to contact her, please try these links:
Web: http://britaskinner.wix.com/britaskinner#, Email: authorbritaskinner@gmail.com

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your Reactions and more. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken

Beginnings by Nina Soden

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Book Title: Beginnings

Series: Blood Angel

Author: Nina Soden

Publisher: Self-published

 -eBook: www.BookTango.com (paperback coming soon)

Reading Level: Teen & YA

Genre: Fantasy/Supernatural

Content Rating: PG

Number of Pages: 268 pages

Purchase Links: Kindle

Book blurb

Having lost her family Alee has been thrown into a new life and a new world. Camouflaged by the mundane happenings of a high school existence she would never have guessed what was happening below the surface in, "The Underground".  If she thought hunting in the wild and drinking blood was bad, what will she think when she becomes the hunted? Newly armed with the knowledge of being half witch and half vampire Alee, the only surviving Dhampir in history, is forced to learn to control a lifetime of magic and vampire powers if she wants to survive. Will she overcome the challenges she faces or will her destiny prove more powerful than she?

 

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Author bio

Nina has always been creative, be it art, theatre, film – anything but singing – you don’t want to hear that! She earned her bachelor’s degree in Theatre and Military Science from EMU where she spent most of her time either on stage, rappelling down buildings, or working one of three jobs. After college she moved to Los Angeles, like so many other actors, in pursuit of her dreams. In 2008, after some major life changes, Nina self-published her first book PRIVATE WORDS UNSPOKEN, a compilation of poetry. Since then, her dreams have gotten bigger and she likes to think her storytelling ability has gotten better. She has done everything from secretarial work to business development to being the Director of a private preschool. She has fired a M16, jumped out of a C130, and given birth – TWICE - but she always returns to her art.

Though she’ll forever be a Michigan girl at heart, she now lives in Alabama with her husband and two beautiful children. If she’s not working on her latest story, you can find her lounging with a good book, playing with her kids, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to Starbucks coffee.

Author Links: Blog | FaceBook | Twitter

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your Reactions and more. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken

Awaken by Nina Soden

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Book Title: Awaken

Series: Blood Angel

Author: Nina Soden

Publisher: Self-published

 -eBook: www.BookTango.com 

 -paperback: www.createspace.com

Reading Level: Teen & YA

Genre: Fantasy/Supernatural

Content Rating: PG

Number of Pages: 376 pages

Purchase Links: Kindle | Amazon

Book blurb provided by author

Awaken is set in a world very much like our own, yet Atlanta isn’t just an ordinary city and Alee Moyer isn’t just an ordinary girl. Having barely survived her childhood it will take the death of her father for the truth of her true bloodline to come out. Even if it means losing her life, or at least her identity she won’t be able to escape her true destiny as the first surviving Dhampir in history. Surrounded by a new world where the horror films she grew up watching have become reality and the most unlikely characters have become her lifeline, Alee will struggle to find herself and her purpose.

Part horror thriller - part tender romance, Awaken will leave readers wanting more!

Come back next week, October 7^th to learn about the second installment in this series.

Author Bio

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Nina has always been creative, be it art, theatre, film – anything but singing – you don’t want to hear that! She earned her bachelor’s degree in Theatre and Military Science from EMU where she spent most of her time either on stage, rappelling down buildings, or working one of three jobs. After college she moved to Los Angeles, like so many other actors, in pursuit of her dreams. In 2008, after some major life changes, Nina self-published her first book PRIVATE WORDS UNSPOKEN, a compilation of poetry. Since then, her dreams have gotten bigger and she likes to think her storytelling ability has gotten better. She has done everything from secretarial work to business development to being the Director of a private preschool. She has fired a M16, jumped out of a C130, and given birth – TWICE - but she always returns to her art.

Though she’ll forever be a Michigan girl at heart, she now lives in Alabama with her husband and two beautiful children. If she’s not working on her latest story, you can find her lounging with a good book, playing with her kids, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to Starbucks coffee.

Author Links: Blog | FaceBook | Twitter

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your Reactions and more. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken

Near Death Experience and Writing by Darlene Jones

provided by D. Jones

Being a pedestrian hit by a car means multiple injuries and critical condition, but it’s not all doom and gloom. Well, okay, 99.9% of it is, but there are a few bright humorous moments.

I know I’m lying on the ground in the middle of the road. “Where are my kids? Where are my kids?” I open my eyes and see my son bending over me.

“It’s okay, Mom. We’re right here.”

“Where’s my purse? Where’s my purse.”

I can’t see my daughter, but I hear her say, “It’s okay, Mom. I have it right here.”

So, you see, I have my priorities in the right order.

In the emergency room, I say, “I wear contacts.”

A nice young intern hovers over me. “It’s okay, we took them out.” He holds a contact lens case a couple of inches from my eyes. “See, I have them right here.” Maybe he’s not so nice after all. Or, maybe I’ve been babbling a little too much?

Weeks later I’m transferred from the trauma unit to the rehabilitation hospital. I lie in bed with casts from the top of my legs to the tips of my toes. My right arm has been so badly dislocated that it’s useless.

A nurse comes in to tell me I’ll be going to physio and occupational therapy. Physio first. I’m taken to a room that looks like something out of the Spanish inquisition. Weird contraptions on the walls, with belts and straps and hooks that menace the helpless patient.

“Mrs. Jones, what are you doing here?” says a bright young thing I recognize as a former junior high student.

“Sandra, what are you doing here?”

“I’m your physiotherapist.”

I look again at the instruments of torture. “Oh, God, I hoped you liked me.” Turns out we get along just fine.

One evening the tall skinny nurse’s aide who is my favorite staff member offers to give me a shower.

“How can we do that?” I ask gesturing to my casts. Not a problem for her. She wraps both my legs in green garbage bags, wheels me on a gurney to the shower room, proceeds with a shampoo, and sprays the top half of my body. Never has a shower felt so good.

She dries me off, combs my hair, and removes the garbage bags. No problem with the first one, but when she pulls the second one off, she’s left holding the bag and my cast. We stare at my leg. She quickly slides the cast back on. We don’t tell a soul, but we hardly dare look at each other after that afraid we’ll burst into laughter.

And one last … what shall I call it…? … incident. I’ve progressed to walking casts, and am sitting on the edge of my bed naked. I’ve given myself a sponge bath and am about to get dressed. I hear a sound behind me. I turn to see a young window washer grinning from ear to ear. There’s not a heck of a lot I can do. I smile and wave. He turns beet red.

And for the 99.9% of bad bits. They do not need to be relived.

What has any of this got to do with my writing? Not a heck of a lot. Or, perhaps, everything. At some point in the emergency room, I saw myself walking back across the street wearing different clothes. My spiritual friend said that I was bringing myself back from the brink of death. I didn’t see lights or tunnels or angels, but I did experience an incredible calm and I am no longer afraid of death.

If you asked me, I’d say I was an atheist, yet my novels are all about deities. If you asked, I’d say I don’t believe in heaven, yet my novels encompass a heaven. If, before I began writing, you’d asked me what I would write, I never would have said novels about gods controlling Earth, gods interacting with humans, gods trying to set things right.

I don’t know if my stories are shaped by cultural conditioning or if somewhere, deep inside, I do truly believe. Perhaps I’ll never know. That’s okay with me. I’ll continue to live my life as I know it should be lived and I’ll continue to write. What new novels might bring will likely, once again, be a surprise to me.

For more from Darlene Jones, check out these links: www.emandyves.com and Amazon Author Central.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your Reactions and more. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken

How to Avoid the Slush Pile by Stefan Vucak

First of all, what is as slush pile? Well, in the golden days of publishing, it used to be a large waste bin next to the submission editor’s desk where he would dump your book. Today, it’s likely to be the delete button on his e-mail Inbox. Either way, it’s bad news.

You have written your masterpiece and you are all fired up to mail it to every agent and publisher in the world, traditional or e-book. If you are self-publishing, you needn’t bother reading further.

Someone told me a long time ago that writing the book is the easy part. I spent a better part of six to nine months writing the damned thing. How can it be the easy part? All right, let’s look at your book using a very simple checklist.

• Is it finished? Amazing how many writers approach an agent or publisher with a half-baked potato.
• Is the book properly formatted? An agent or publisher may have specific requirements. Before submitting, it is prudent to make yourself aware of what they are.
• Is the internal layout correct? This means, do your chapters start on a new page using Word’s page break function? Do you have tabs, extra spaces at end of a last sentence in a paragraph, manually centered headings, not spell checked? Starting a paragraph using the Tab key?
• Has the book been thoroughly edited? Lots can be said about what ‘thoroughly’ means, but I think you get the idea.

If your Page One has any of these tripwire items, you can guess what will happen. Editors and agents get dozens of submissions a day. Even if your book is the next Gone with the Wind, if you haven’t presented it correctly – slush pile.

Having been diligent and done everything right, you’re still not ready to send the thing off. You have just done the easy part. Okay, so what’s the hard part? Making the submission, of course. What’s so hard about that? Churn out a letter and post the damned thing. Time for another checklist.

• Do you have a polished submission letter that will sweep that agent or editor off his feet?
• Does the submission letter contain the agent or editor’s correct name? Not much good if all it says ‘To whom it may concern’, or ‘Dear Sir’. It tells the person you haven’t bothered to research the agency or publisher.
• Have you written a short and long blurb for your book? You’ll need this with your submission letter or e-mail.
• Is your book synopsis done? This is where many writers suffer agonies of withdrawal symptoms. They can write a Gone with the Wind, but they cannot write a two-page synopsis even if their life depended on it.

The above items will be the first thing an agent or editor sees. If you cannot get past the submission letter – the slush pile. Let’s leave the submission letter and talk about the book blurb. You must write a paragraph, boiling your book down to about 100 words or so, that tells somebody what the book is about, injecting drama, suspense, tears, a shootout – whatever is the theme. Think about making a sauce. Your pot has all the necessary ingredients and is half full of water. To make the sauce, you boil the mess until only a gooey residue is left on the bottom. That’s your book blurb.

There is also an in-between step – the synopsis. It’s your sauce half done. It is easier to do, as it narrates in two pages what goes on in the book, or it should. This should be done as a very short story. All the elements of your novel must be in it, but reduced to the absolute minimum. When your agent or editor reads the thing, you want him to drool over it until he gets to the very last sentence. Then you boil down it further to get your blurb.

A badly written synopsis will send your submission into the bin, but how do you write a good one? One method to overcome this problem is to get back to your outline. This is what you started with, right? It is a ready-made summary of your novel, and you should make use of it. Include the ending! Don’t omit that in the belief you are dangling a bait for the editor.

Right, you’ve done both of these things and whoever sees them will be hooked. That’s good, because now, you must write that submission/query letter. There are lots of articles out there telling you how to write a killer query letter. I won’t bother repeating the rules, except:

• Never say you are a beginning author and you deserve a break.
• Make sure your query is spell checked and has no grammar bloopers. Instant death.
• Do be sharp, to the point, and stick to the three components: book blurb, a brief bio, and any writing credits.

Having done all that, you will still get rejection slips, or maybe never hear from anyone, but at least you will know that you have been professional in every respect. After all, what do those bonehead agents and editors know anyway!

Stefan Vucak is an award-winning author of the sci-fi Shadow Gods series of books. His contemporary political thriller Cry of Eagles has won the coveted 2011 Readers Favorite silver medal award.

Website: www.stefanvucak.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/StefanVucak

Twitter: @stefanvucak

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your Reactions and more. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken

Blog swapping by Paula Hrbacek

A cheap and effective promotional opportunity

Self-published authors need to be on the lookout for inexpensive opportunities to promote their books.  One opportunity is to swap blog posts with another blogger who has a site about books or book reviews. Swapping posts means that both authors get a chance to promote their books on another site.  I post about your book, and you post about mine.

To participate in this opportunity, it is important for the author to have a story that is already written and ready to go.  The story should read like a feature or author interview, not an ad.  That means that all opinions should be put in direct quotes and attributed to someone.  Instead of saying "this book will change your life" like an ad would say, a feature story would attribute it as someone's opinion--"This book changed my life," said Joe Smith.

The story should contain all the information the reader needs to know before making a purchase; what the book is about, the author's motivation or reason for writing it, the author's qualifications or past publications, the average star rating on Amazon or Good Reads, quotes from reviews, and the purchase info of price, binding, ISBN number and where to buy it.  The story can also include the author's social media sites such as a web site, Facebook page or Twitter address.  If the story is ready to go, most bloggers will edit it to suite their style, and appreciate the ease of posting the article.

The author then finds bloggers that are willing to swap stories.  One place is on Linked In, in the Book Promotion group.  Triberr, a service for bloggers who want to expand their reach on Twitter, also has a discussion group for bloggers who are seeking guest posts.

It's a simple "you rub my back, and I'll rub yours" trade.  It's best to find bloggers in the same subject or genre as your book, because that is where your customers are.  An author who blogs about science fiction is not the best place to promote a romance title, but a blog about relationships and dating would have readers who are interested in falling in love.

Here are five sites that list blogs seeking posts:

1. BloggerLinkUp.com:

BloggerLinkUp is a service provided by Cathy Stucker and Special Interests Publishing. The purpose of the service is to help bloggers get exposure for their content and find content for their blogs.

2. GuestBlogIt.com:

Authors publish their content into the Guest Blog It Article Gallery. Blog owners can view by keyword or by category to find just the right type of content for their blog.

3. MyBlogGuest.com:

The author writes an article and shows it to the blogger. The blogger decides if the article fits his blog.  The blogger and the author may arrange that the author promotes his post once it is published.

4. BlogDash.com:

Blogdash is 100% free for bloggers, and you can choose the kinds of opportunities that you’re open to being contacted about.

5. Guestr.com:

Guest posters can use Guestr to find guest posting opportunities in their particular niche and pitch a post to the owner. The author provides quality content for free in exchange for backlinks and personal profile on the listed website. It’s currently free to join, but you must be a member to pitch a post.

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Paula Hrbacek is the author of five books including: Stars Shine After Dark, a sweet Christian romance, available in paperback, Kindle and Nook, and Day Camp in Hawaii, a complete program guide for summer camp or summer school, available in paperback, Nook and Kindle.  For more information see http://paulahrbacek.weebly.com or her author page at https://www.amazon.com/author/paulahrbacek. She also writes two columns for The Examiner, a free online newspaper; Children’sArts and Crafts, and Book Reviews.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your Reactions and more. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken

My Friend, Uzo by Darlene Jones

provided by D. Jones

Let me introduce you to Uzo

I don’t remember how we met. Uzo reminds me that he was surfing Wordpress looking for authors, found my blog, and read some of the posts about Mali. He made a comment, I responded and a new friendship was born.

Uzo is a young Nigerian with a blog. He lives in Asaba, Delta State (South-South Nigeria), one of the oil producing states in his country. I’m an older Canadian with a blog. I live a world away (in so many respects) on Vancouver Island, Canada.

Uzo writes novels. I write novels. Uzo writes in English, which is not his first language. As he says, “English is quite a vast language. Every day is a learning process for me.”

We begin by talking about books. We both like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I’d read Half a Yellow Sun. He told me about Purple Hibiscus. Here’s what he had to say about that book. “Purple Hibiscus is a wonderful story. Adichie did a marvelous job there from the first person pov. Kambili's account is so real and reflects the life of a rich, caged Igbo child-woman during one of the military regimes in Nigeria.”  We’re both anxious to read Americanah.

Uzo says, “I’m a no-good writer. I'm just a wannabe like you guys call it.” On the contrary, Uzo is a powerful writer. Here’s a sample.

Although the Liberian war is now over, I cannot wish away the memories. There are nights in my sleep when I still find myself dressed in army uniform, AK-47 ready. On these nights I hear the voices of parents calling their children; others joking, shouting: “Where’s your bunker?” The air cracks and I hear the sounds of diving jets and stuttering LMGs. Fire, blood, bullets and bodies everywhere. Things soon simmer to normal as danger passes. People fill the streets, young boys and girls going on various errands. Then he appears in a blood-stained enemy uniform. His oily dark face is teased with abandon. He’s about to aim his rifle at me. In my dreams, he dies in different ways. I’m his killer. Something tells me that he is my son. But I’m too afraid to believe it.

I’m not a professional editor, but I’ve offered to help Uzo with his English as he’d be drained if he had to pay an editor, so files are sent back and forth. I’m careful not to tamper with the uniqueness of his voice.

Only the eyes that moved swiftly would see the legs that desperately sprinted across the farms and pathways. Thereafter thoughts would arise if the runner was after something, or rather, was the prey.

Beautiful, right? And yes, my life, as a person and as a writer, is richer for having met him. That’s the beauty of the Internet.

Here’s what Uzo has to say about himself on his blog. (I don’t like the harmattan season either when the West African trade winds blow incessantly from the Sahara.)

1. I love the game of Scrabble a lot. And I’ve won a big-money competition in that regard lately.
2. I love the smell of the air immediately after a cold, long rain. It’s so refreshing!
3. I don’t like the harmattan season.
4. Music. Highlife music takes me to a different place entirely. It’s a gift to W. Africa.
5. I want to learn how to speak Hausa and after that Swahili.
6. I usually write with my right hand. But can also do so with my left…and it’s legible too.
7. I still watch a lot of cartoons and can’t do without my PS3!
8. Biscuits–I’m addicted.
9. My favorite time of the day is very early in the morning for all the right reasons.
10. I’ll get my dog friend a partner once I publish my first book. Well, that’s more like a promise.   In the meantime, he can woo those around him.
11. I still have most of my childhood toys and comics with me.

Uzo’s blog: http://85degrees.wordpress.com

For more from Darlene Jones, check out these links: www.emandyves.com and Amazon Author Central.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your Reactions and more. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken

Spiritual Warfare by Dr. Sheila C. Carpenter

image provided by author

Title: Spiritual Warfare

Author: Dr. Sheila C. Carpenter

Publisher: Carpenter's Press & Media, Inc.

Reading Level: Adult

Genre: Christian Fiction, Spiritual 

Content Rating: PG

Formats:  Hardcover, Ebook

Pages: 274

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Blub provided by author

Four Midwestern families and a local congregation are about to embark in life-changing Spiritual Warfare. But are they spiritually and emotionally prepared for battle? God sends His head angel Ashshod to lead a host of angels to stop Satan from destroying His people. But Satan has plans of his own and sends Greed and his imps to kill and destroy whoever gets in the way. The angels must put on the whole armor of God to help protect all of God's people if they want to stop Satan from getting the job done. Will good prevail? Or will the unthinkable happen? "Spiritual Warfare" is a thrilling page-turner that reminds us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)

About The Author

Dr. Sheila C. Carpenter is the Executive Chief Officer of Carpenter’s Press & Media, Inc. a Christian company that spreads the Unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ through books, media and video games.

Dr. Carpenter provides Psychological Therapy services to inner-city youth and adults; she also serves as a mediator and rape counselor. She has studied in Egypt and done missionary work in Japan. Dr. Carpenter’s books include, Forgive Me, and she is the award winner of The Christian Walk: The Struggle to Remain On The Path.” - www.carpenterspress.com

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The Piñata-Maker’s Daughter Excerpt by Eileen Clemens Granfors

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Title: The Piñata-Maker’s Daughter

Series: The Marisol Trilogy

Author: Eileen Clemens Granfors

Publisher:  Self-published (CreateSpace)

Reading Level: YA/New Adult

Genre: Women’s Lit

Contemporary Fiction

Hispanic trilogy

Content rating: PG-13

Formats: paperback and ebook

Pages: 270 pages

Buy link: Amazon.com

Blurb provided by author

Scholarly Carmen Principia jumps into college unprepared socially. First, there's her weird roommate. And then the men! Radical protester, Franco, who shares her Hispanic heritage, or frat rat Joe, who makes her laugh? Follow her adventures, some hilarious, some heartbreaking.

Excerpt

“Thank you, Joe,” I say. “See you around campus.”

            “Maybe. Twelve thousand people, sometimes it’s hard to find who you’re looking for. What dorm are you in?”
            “Ortega.”

            “Good one, closer to campus.”

            “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Are you in the dorms?”

            “Not this year, I pledged Kappa. The house is right across the street. Come on over and ask for me when you get settled. I’ll buy you a sundae at Al’s.”

            “Al’s?” It sounds like a dive bar.

            “Al’s Place at the student union. Everybody hangs there. Gotta go if you ladies are okay. We have some frat business this afternoon.” As he leaves, he sees the bumper sticker. “Hey, the La Raza people hang out on Crusader Commons. Viva La Raza?” he says as if it’s a question, pronouncingRaza with a long A. He waves, guns the Miata, and disappears into traffic.

            I look at Mama, Mama looks at me, we both shrug, and then we laugh. We wrap her arm in strips of tee-shirt. I hug Mama. I’m so relieved it’s going to be okay. Twelve thousand students at WPC, and now I know one.

            “Don’t be ashamed of your hometown, Carmenita,” says Mama.

            “Why would you say that?”  I ask, as if I am shocked. “Wow, Laguna Beach, this Joe guy must be rich.”

            “You’re going to meet a lot of rich people in college. Rich doesn’t make them better.”

            “Sure.” I can picture the looks of people the first time I answer, “So what does your mom do?” and I tell them, “Oh, she makes piñatas.” As if piñata-making is perfectly normal in their world. I remind myself to say she’s an artisan. Yeah, artisan sounds totally righteous.

Come back Monday, August 26, to see the trailer for this book and its sequel.

Author Bio

provided by author

Eileen Granfors lives in Santa Clarita, California. Though born in New Orleans, Eileen grew up in her mother's hometown, Imperial Beach, California, the most southwesterly city in the U.S. Her mother’s love of Mexico and beaches influenced Eileen's strong ties with her Hispanic neighbors. When Eileen was a child, she and her brother could walk to Mexico down the beach, after crossing the Tijuana River mouth. Today, an iron fence extends out into the breakers at the border. Eileen is a proud UCLA alumna. She began writing after retiring from teaching high school literature and composition for thirty-four years. She enrolled in UCLA’s Extension Writers’ Program on the first day of her retirement.

Author links:

Blog: Word Joy New book reviews of others’ books and tabs, trailers for my books

Twitter: @EileenGranfors

Email: eggranfors@gmail.com

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your Reactions and more. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken