Natasha Murray's Blog

Hello from Littlehampton, West Sussex. I think summer is really here as we have had two days of sun and I am feeling positive that good times are ahead for my books and for my new writing projects. Jack Solar’s Journal (January 3008) is completed and this time instead of self-publishing, I have decided to try and get an agent to find me a good children’s publisher.

Why would I do this? Well, I have a plan to get older children reading which I don’t think I can do by myself. I have noticed that older children would rather watch YouTube clips, than pick up a good book. Jack Solar’s Journal is about his life at age 12 in 3008. He is one of my leading characters in my dystopian novel 3006 and is quite a character. He writes in his digital journal and also vlogs about his worries and his adventures. So, my plan is to have a Welch, 12 year old boy read out half his journal on a YouTube Vlog site and then for it to cut out at a critical point and direct the viewer to read the rest as an e-book on their tablets. Do you think this will work and get children reading? I hope so.

Finding an agent has been an interesting journey. I believe it is almost as hard to get an agent to represent you as it is to find a mainstream publisher. I have approached a handful and am waiting for a reply – it could be a long wait!

It has to be said that marketing a book or to put it more accurately finding good avenues for book promotion has been the most trying and exasperating thing, that I have ever done.
I have to balance book marketing and writing evenly. What I am finding is that I get a spate of good ideas about marketing and then focus on these in the morning, work furiously to promote my existing books and then feel too exhausted to write. So my answer to this problem is having a 30 minute power sleep after lunch which I can justify now as I work from 5:00am until 10:00am in Asda as an internet shopping picker. After my power sleep, I feel regenerated and can write quite easily until 5:00pm – creating what I hope will be the one book that will fore fill my dreams of my work being recognised.

I have had some inspiring authors on my blog as guests and really appreciate their contribution.

It is so hard to get yourself noticed as an author and there are very little places in the UK where you can display and sell your books. The mainstream book shops are not interested in self-published authors and will only let you do a book signing if you have sales on a book produced by a publisher. I know this, because I tried to get Waterstones to let me do a signing and they were only interested in 3004 published by the Book Guild and not my self-published books. My sales were not good enough to do a book signing for 3004.

I have followed author Mark Dawson’s advice about promoting books and think that he really gives you easy instructions on how to master Facebook Advertising and Sponsored Amazon Ads. He and Joanna Penn have been an inspiration for me. I do make sales using their advice but my outgoings do not match my income. Still some fine tuning to be done on the marketing bouncy castle I think!

THE UK SOUTHERN BOOK SHOW – A eureka moment! It came to me not in a dream but as a passenger being driven to Ikea in Southampton. I have been looking for a book event in the South of England, where authors can come together and sell their books to the public. I decided that I would take the bull by the horns and try and arrange such an event. So I have been trying to find authors in the UK that are interested in selling, doing readings and speaking on book related subjects on stage. I chose the Pavilion Theatre on Worthing pier as I want a high traffic venue to draw the public in. Hopefully this event will attract our readers and those that would like to write a book.

For the show to go ahead on 9th September 2017, I need 60+ authors to attend and have 15 so far. To find out more and sign up if you are interested, then please visit

https://goo.gl/forms/jmKTYMWEa2apeInj2

I will update you all soon with my progress.

Going for a walk to the sea for inspiration.
Natasha  x

Robin is an author and lives in London. He ran a B2B publishing business for 20 years and specialised in marketing. Robin says:

"‘Everyone has a book in them and that, in most cases, is where it should stay’ or so said Christopher Hitchens.

There’s a revolution underway in book publishing. Over the last few years, Authorearnings.com data shows digital book sales from independent (self-published) authors remain on course to outsell those from traditional publishing.

Up until 2014, if you wanted to have your novel published, then you needed an agent and a publishing deal. For 99.8% of aspiring authors that meant the end of the line. No publisher meant no distribution and no readers. In many cases, that didn’t mean your novel wasn’t good enough, it meant it wasn’t commercially viable.

Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) changed all that. Launched around 2008, KDP allowed authors to self-publish their book and earn up to 70% of royalties on sales.

It all sounded almost too good to be true. All you needed to do was upload your book to the Amazon platform and hey presto, thousands of people would buy your scribbles and you could retire on your new passive revenue stream. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.

Over the last year or so, I’ve been undertaking an enjoyable voyage of discovery in the world of self-publishing. After nearly 20 years of co-founding and growing Melcrum, a research and training business, now part of CEB, I wanted to do something I’d always talked about, but never found the time to do: write a novel.

For anyone who fancies themselves as an entrepreneur, self-publishing is a lot of fun. From the creative writing process itself, to working with an editor, proof-reader, advance readers, book cover designer and formatting for digital devices, there’s a lot of work to be done before your book is even ready to upload.

For years, independently published books got a bad rap for poor quality. Not many people knew about self-publishing so telling friends that you didn’t have an agent or a publisher was like admitting that you didn’t wear underwear. It prompted a variety of reactions from disapproval to pity (the self-publishing bit I mean). The first assumption is that your book didn’t make the grade and that self-publishing is a last resort. However, for many authors, myself included, self-publishing is a choice.

So why choose the self-publishing route?

For a start, you retain control. You are master of your own destiny. You can do as much marketing and promotion as you want. You can experiment with different platforms such as Facebook advertising, Goodreads, Twitter, Amazon Marketing, Google advertising and others to generate awareness and ultimately readers and sales. You can choose to make your book free and run competitions and giveaways. For many authors, retaining control is everything and making your book a success is hugely fulfilling.

That doesn’t mean to say that traditional publishing is inherently bad or redundant. Lots of successful authors have chosen to switch between models, and back again, and speak highly of both approaches.

What it does mean is that to be successful, aspiring authors now have a choice. If they just want to write and don’t want to roll up their sleeves and get involved in the ‘business’ of selling and marketing books, then a traditional publishing route is probably right for them.

So what works when you’re launching a book?

I’m still learning as I go, but already there are many lessons I’ve learned. For a start, as tempting as it is to press publish and be done with it, the reality is that your novel won’t be ready until it’s been through successive rounds of edits and corrections. Self-editing is not advisable and feedback from your friends and family is unlikely to be free of bias. The good news is that digital publishing allows for unlimited revisions. The bad news is that you’re never done and eventually, you have to step away and recognise that further changes will only make for incremental gains, at best.

On the sales and marketing front, the best advice I was given was to sign up for Mark Dawson’s Self Publishing Formula 101 course which has been outstanding. Mark is a best-selling author who has created a step-by-step guide to every aspect of the process. His SPF team has established a community of like-minded authors helping each other out and sharing what works. Mark Dawson is living proof that this self-publishing approach works.

Through experimenting with Goodreads Giveaways, Amazon free promotions, enrolling your book in Kindle Unlimited, you quickly learn what works and what doesn’t. There are a lot of people out there who just want freebies and will probably never pay for your next book, write a review or help spread the word.

Because my first novel Hurst is book one in a post-apocalyptic thriller series, I’m playing the long game and am very happy to either give book one away or sell it for a notional $0.99 to help build an audience. By the time I’m on book five or six, my hope and expectation is that I’ll have grown a loyal readership and be able to charge a reasonable amount for the digital version or audio book, certainly enough to repay costs and earn a living.

Printed books are another story though and the economics of printing remain rather against the low-volume author. For example, Amazon is happy to print your book on demand but in return, they pay the author a token royalty and the lowest sale price available is $15 or so. Unless you are prepared to print copies and sell them direct (not recommended), digital publishing remains the only real viable publishing route.

So as I race towards my self-imposed publishing deadline for book two, I can’t say enough good things about the self-publishing experience so far.

Have I made any money from self-publishing?

Not yet. I’m still underwater from the upfront investments, but with over 1,000 books sold so far in 9 months, I’m confident that with more books and more selling time, this will become more than just a hobby and prove a nice little earner.

If anyone wants to get a copy of Hurst, you can download book one for free by joining The Hurst Chronicles Readers’ Group. http://hurstchronicles.us12.list-mana..."

Honest feedback and constructive criticism very welcome

Hurst - "An action-packed, disturbing and thought-provoking story of an all-too-possible dystopian future." - The Book Reviewers

"One of the most original and just flat out interesting and intelligently profound dystopian novels I’ve ever read." - Indie Book Reviewers

What would you do to survive during an outbreak? Where would you go? Where would you be safe?

At the end of the world, surrounded by the tidal waters of the Solent, the survivors of a pandemic flu virus hide behind the high walls of a Tudor fortress. Scraping a living far away from the smoking ruins of the cities, they wait in hope.

Hurst Castle stands alone. Its seventy-four occupants united in a struggle for survival against all the odds. The Millennial Virus is the least of their concerns.

When the arrival of outsiders threatens to tip the balance of power, the people of Hurst are faced with a desperate choice: set aside their differences and join an alliance that promises new hope or unite against the newcomers and their plans for reconstruction. Who can be trusted? Only time will tell.

The battle for Hurst has begun.

If you enjoyed fast-paced, post-apocalyptic stories such as The Day of the Triffids, The Road, Station Eleven, The Stand, and The Atlantis Plague, you'll love The Hurst Chronicles series.

To get your copy, then please visit Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hurst-Post-A...

I too have been influenced by The Day of the Triffids and I think your book looks great and I can't wait to read it.

Many thanks

Natasha

Welcome Roy, to my blog.

Roy T James (born1957) started writing on retirement from Indian Navy in 2013 after a career spanning 34 years, during which he had the opportunity to come across a true cross section of the world, as colleagues, subordinates and superiors, including quite a few from other countries.

Roy, please tell everyone about yourself and your books.

"I am a Writer by Default? - I never had any dreams of becoming a writer. In fact I used be one of those to brandish the view that all those who land up with writing as a profession are generally the unsuccessful ones in other types of verbal and nonverbal communication, the innate choices of expression for all forms of life. Writing never comes to us as you would expect, whenever we feel strongly about something, the natural response always is to express, share or to tell someone. When that becomes an impossibility, either due to our inability in conveying opinions, thoughts or ideas well, or due to our lack of success in finding someone willing to listen to what we say, we are forced to resort to unnatural paths of release, writing being one such path. The most likely causes are unpopularity, seclusion and other undesirable elements of life. Naturally, the more such elements are associated
with someone; the greater are the chances of achieving success as a writer!

During my student days onwards I used to enjoy lengthy and protracted discussions on topics of contemporary charm, temporal relevance and mutual interest. I had been noticing that whenever the topic of discussion seemed to veer around caste, a strange transition took place in our circle. Almost all participants started losing their steam, some of them instantly coming up with an excuse to withdraw
from the conversation with a few among them going to the extent of detaching completely from all future discourses! It was only their earnest desire to maintain the friendship that made the few, who
continued their involvement with this ‘intellectual exchange’, do so. Caste being a stark reality of daily life, topics related to that could not be kept away for long. It used to appear in our midst oftentimes and as a consequence, the size of our discussion group kept on diminishing. Finally, it reached the condition where difficulties were being encountered in mustering even a minimum quorum for initiating a chit-chat, let alone deliberations, and I had to resort to writing whenever the need to release myself arose. I became an occasional writer and only when I started to put my thoughts on paper did I become aware of my gross ignorance on these and other issues of sociology which luckily prodded me on to read every book that contained some serious discussions on social stratification and related topics.
During my student days onwards I used to enjoy lengthy and protracted discussions on topics of contemporary charm, temporal relevance and mutual interest. I had been noticing that whenever the topic of discussion seemed to veer around caste, a strange transition took place in our circle. Almost all participants started losing their steam, some of them instantly coming up with an excuse to withdraw from the conversation with a few among them going to the extent of detaching completely from all future discourses! It was only their earnest desire to maintain the friendship that made the few, who continued their involvement with this ‘intellectual exchange’, do so. Caste being a stark reality of daily life, topics related to that could not be kept away for long. It used to appear in our midst oftentimes and as a consequence, the size of our discussion group kept on diminishing. Finally, it reached the condition where difficulties were being encountered in mustering even a minimum quorum for initiating a chit-chat, let alone deliberations, and I had to resort to writing whenever the need to release myself arose. I became an occasional writer and only when I started to put my thoughts on paper did I become aware of my gross ignorance on these and other issues of sociology which luckily prodded me on to read every book that contained some serious discussions on social stratification and related topics.

As luck would have it, I found myself in hospital quite frequently for a few years beginning with one year at a stretch, injured and confined to bed with books as the main companions. To add to my good fortunes,
specialists of more than one discipline of medical science were needed to examine and treat my injury and that necessitated frequent visits to many hospitals. In all these places, the patient’s library was well
stocked, with the complete works of Mahatma Gandhi adorning the main bookshelf. I randomly took one of the volumes and read. To my shock I found Mahatma Gandhi’s opinions on most of the topics of social relevance to be vastly different from the prevailing and generally accepted view. And that egged me on to read the collection in full to find myself completely at variance with the popular opinion, on almost all social issues. The ideas presented, in all the books dealing with the issue of caste that I happen to read for the next 20 - 25 years, can be summarized in one sentence. In reality, caste is nothing but an apparition instituted by certain group of people to suppress the rest, the plethora of rules and observances aimed to keep them always under a tight leash and in perpetual submission. Any worthwhile exception to
this could be found only in Mahatma Gandhi, whose writings exhorted those lower in caste to release themselves from the yoke they are under and to surpass the upper caste brethren by freely competing with
them.

I ended up collating my skewed thoughts, which could assemble together and put across a substantially different view of caste. And the result is my first book, Origin of Caste in India, revised and republished as
Caste: The Unexplored Territories. But something didn’t fit. For every answer that I did conjure up, my book in fact posed many new questions. How come we in India came to adopting such system like caste, which has the potential to bring down the capabilities of Indians lower with each passing day when compared to those inhabiting the rest of the world? Which, by any standards, is highly irrational? Further reflection on similar issues affecting other societies could easily convince me that we in India are not the only ones to choose the irrational. Man always will choose the most complex or contorted one, among all the available solutions to a given problem (it is only incidental that some solutions turn out to be rational!) and caste happened to be one such solution to the question of maintaining social harmony. Now I am faced with a bigger question, what makes us choose thus, going always for the input intensive?
At this juncture, some images of animal behavior that were lying dormant in me for long, came to fore. I had been observing that discernible differences exist between the ways male and female of the animals reacted to events and occurrences of living. Mulling over, I had to admit that equivalents for the particularities found among men and women (see bestsellers like ‘men are from mars…’) could easily be identified among all other forms of life. That male and female of all species react differently to the same signals and circumstances was an aphorism I could easily formulate. It was only a matter of time that I could publish my new theory; all that makes us greatly uncomfortable, like the scourge of extremism and its repercussions, is easily understandable, if one is to read the fundamental nature of life, a little differently. And these peculiarities originate from a single source, the one that is intended to give each species, the impetus to evolve. And also, how, discovery of VIAGRA holds the potential to cause significant changes to the incessant flow of life. I published the theory as my second book, Origin of Evolution. But in a short while and with closer look, I revised, further developed with an intuitive title and published the book as 'The Unsure Male'. I was carefully observing my surroundings, always with an eye to locate the nonconforming, anything that can pose a question to this theory. As time went by, not only that I did not notice anything that could have put this theory to question, but also found present, many remarkable peculiarities in all the activities of life and living. These I compiled initially as 'hubs' at hubpages.com, and was published later as a book, ‘Hubs that Provoke’. Matter didn’t rest there. Much more of such quirks continue to appear each day. And get lost in the melee of radical shifts, violent changes and other expressions of extremes. Some of those attract my attention, like what follows in this book."

All of Roy's great works can be found on Amazon at https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=dp_byl...

Roy T James' latest book published in March 2017 is 'Chasing Evolution: Evolve, for what?'

Thank you for sharing with us all.

My guest today is Samuel C. Stokes, thank you for answering my questions.

1. What made you want to write a book?

I have always enjoyed telling stories and reading great books, so writing came as a natural next step where I could combine many of the things I enjoy. I started my first book years ago but returned to it about 18 months and began writing in earnest. Since then I have published two books and two novellas. I love to write Fantasy adventures but lately, have been considering an idea for an urban fantasy series that I cannot seem to get out of my head. So maybe there will be a little bit of urban fantasy in my future.

2. Tell us about you and where you live.

I am a Tax and Business consultant from Brisbane Australia. At the moment my main hobby is Live Action Role Play (or LARP) where I dress up in medieval armour and do battle with my friends and fellow club members (picture attached, I am on the left). I also enjoy eating and sampling foods from other countries. I like to travel but so far have only visited the USA and Japan where I lived for two years. I would love to see Europe, South America and a host of other places. One day I hope to catch the Northern Lights, I think that would be incredible.

3. What have you written and what are you working on now?

I write fast paced Fantasy adventures. So far I have written two novels. A Coronation of Kings and When The Gods War. I have just finished the first draft of a novella The Woman In The Wind which will be available in a few months time. The Third Book in my series is also almost complete I am hopeful it will be available by early July. After that, I need to decide what to write as I have ideas for two different trilogies in the same universe. So many ideas but not nearly enough time to write. My biggest challenge is to ensure I spend some quality time at my keyboard every day.

4. How do you market your books and do your promotion methods work?

Currently I market my books by making the first book in my series, A Coronation of Kings, free on all platforms. I then advertise it using a variety of platforms like Instafreebie to get it into the hands of hungry readers. To date, I've probably distributed almost 20,000 copies and it has helped me develop a great readership. In time I plan to use Amazon and Bookbub ads to help drive sales of my box set that will be released with all 3 titles. I think the biggest challenge for emerging authors is awareness. I think giving away a title for free helps readers try my work without risk. From there they tend to look into my other books. Like most indie authors I am still learning a lot about promotional efforts.

5. Where can readers find your book for sale?

My books are available at all major ebook retailers. I will post some links below of how people can find me and my books.

A Coronation of Kings (Free) -

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Coronation-Kin...

iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-co...

Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-cor...

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/a-co...

People can connect with me on:

My website: http://www.samuelcstokes.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamuelCStokes/

If there is anything you or your readers would like to know please let me know.

Kind Regards

Samuel Stokes

My Interview today, is with Simon Willams an Australian born author, who now lives in Miami.

1. Tell us about yourself.

Everything about myself? Christ, can I leave out the really dumb stuff? That won't give me much material. I was born in Australia coming up on a half a century ago. I spent 8 years at boarding school as a child, where I developed a sarcastic sense of humor to avoid getting beaten up by the older kids. I currently live in Miami, married with one child and 2 step children. Other than that, I reveal a lot of what makes me tick in my book, including the really dumb stuff that no one ever talks about.

2. Growing up, was there a book you read that made you desire to write for a living?

My favourite book growing up only taught me to dream of adventure. The Plum Rain Scroll. I didn't desire to write as a living. I wrote purely for my personal satisfaction and the amusement of those close to me. My desire to write a book was born from circumstances in my life that bought immeasurable pain and I considered committing suicide. Writing a book was a way to keep me sitting down at a desk and rather than wandering over to the window ledge. So I desired to write… to live.

3. Did you have another ideal career besides writing?

I enjoy my career in healthcare that I have while I pursue writing. Maybe a pole dancer if I was flexible enough? Allow me to sleep in. A mate from primary school lives in LA and a few times a month he travels the world to work for a TV show called, Island Hunters. All his Facebook posts are of him hanging out of the side of a helicopter over exotic tropical islands. If the pole dancing and writing thing don't work out I will ask him if he wants an assistant.

4. When did you first start writing?

My English teacher in Grade 12 told me I was a lazy student. The class was asked to write a 5-page historical story. I was so pissed at him I wrote 30 pages. It was such a satisfying experience, not only because I could subtly give him the finger without being in trouble for it. My current foray into writing began about 4 years ago, the night I stood on my 20-story balcony and wondered if my life was worth going on.

5. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I enjoy my exercise, rugby games and the occasional triathlon or ocean swim. I don't watch television so I do spend a lot of my spare time writing. On a Saturday afternoon, I will go watch mates play rugby then have a beer at the pub. I absolutely adore picking up after my step kids and having my wife complain I don't do enough around the house.

6. What are your feelings on writer’s block?

I solved this problem very quickly when I decided to start writing. I write with a stream of consciousness so I just write anything. I know I will rewrite it a thousand times so I consider it like doing exercise. It doesn't matter if I am running or swimming or doing the rowing machine, I am doing something. I can refine my training as I get closer to an event, but most of the time I just need to be doing some form of activity.

7. What does your process look like? Any necessary rituals to bring the words about?

All I do is think of my starting point. My writing is like hot air ballooning. I know where I start but once I get going I could end up anywhere. My process is then to do anything but write, then the ideas and thoughts just flood into my head. Boredom at work helps a great deal as well. I always have a pen and paper with me or my cell phone to WhatsApp myself a message. The pressure and excitement then just builds through the day. By the time I get a moment to write for the day, I usually have 5 pages of things to work on and by this stage I am desperate to get it on paper.

8. Has real life and writing life ever merged?

My first three books are all real life. They didn't just merge, they shacked up together, shagged rotten and had a few kids.

9. What kind of research do you do and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

My research for my books was the attention I paid to all that was going on around me as I grew up. Every random thing I was told, then when I recall these moments while I am bored at work, I Google the events or people that surrounded that thought and craft it into my story.

10. How does location and personal travel figure into your work?

Locations in my books are important only with regards to the backstory behind how or why I ended up in that location, not the location itself. Like I said, hot air ballooning. The stately oak in the corner of the freshly mown paddock isn't as important as the sudden change in the gust of wind and the rapid deceleration of the balloon after it runs out of gas, because the balloonist forgot to refill it as he was out drinking the night before and tried to win on to some divorcee who was sitting by the jukebox listening to Bryan Ferry songs.

11. Where do you come up with your ideas?

The ideas are all personal experiences, that often time I have long forgotten. The recall of them is what is the surprise. They literally suddenly spring into my mind at random occasions. I have 30 seconds to write them down or text them to myself or I forget. Then I piece them into the story at night if they fit. Many times, they don't and my wife finds pages of unused ideas stashed in drawers around the house.

12. Tell us about the process for TORN. What was the process like for this book?

The process for TORN started with me backing off from the edge of my balcony and sitting at my computer in a desperate state and starting to write a suicide note. First line, 'I want to kill myself,' second line, 'hang on let’s think about this.' I wanted to take my time before dying, so I dragged it out. I may have even been able to smile at myself with what I wrote. I made it through that first night. The next evening, I got home and went straight to my desk to write and just kept following this system every night for a year.

13. What was the hardest part of writing this book?

Opening up about the reason I was thinking about jumping off the balcony. Making the book humorous was also difficult, but not as much as I thought.

14. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in the journey to completing the book?

Writing, while as frustrating and demoralizing as it can be, can still feel like heaven when you compare it to the lowest days experienced during life.

15. Do you have a favorite chapter and would you like to share a sample?

My favourite chapters are the ones in the end of Book 3 of the series. But here is an example of my early days.

As I tap on the door, all I can think about is news stories I saw while growing up in Australia. Reports of children trick-or-treating, then gunned down as they knock on a front door. This is all sensationalistic journalism does, scares the crap out of me when I want to purchase tickets for a uniquely American sporting experience. An African American man, dressed in a bright orange suit, answers the door and seems rather surprised to find a nervous white dude standing there. I tell him I am here to scalp football tickets for him and he bursts out laughing. ‘You aren't scalping boy. I am doing the scalping,’ and with introductions accomplished, he invites me into his living room.

He has never met an Australian before, so is absolutely intrigued. He wants to know all about the country. I have never met an American black man before, so I explain it from the beginning bit. Where Captain Cook sails up the East Coast in 1770 and names the Glasshouse Mountains because they remind him of the huge glass furnaces in his native Yorkshire. I wisely decide to edit mentioning Cook ordering his expedition to shoot at the two aborigines in Botany Bay. A frantic pounding at the door interrupts me from regaling when Captain Cook is killed in Hawaii, after he shit stirs the natives. It is a panic stricken Dohers, ‘you left me in the car by myself, you bastard.’ I point out to him that, I didn’t leave, as much as he desired to stay. ‘Did you get the tickets? We still need to find the stadium.’ The realization that, as enjoyable as reviewing Australian history is with an American we have a game to get to, makes me hasten things up. I quickly outline: The First Fleet; Bushrangers; the Eureka Stockade; Federation; Gallipoli; Gough Whitlam being sacked as Prime Minister; the 1982 America’s Cup and Olivia Newton John freeing the slaves. Then it is time for us to go.

16. Are you working on else now?

I am writing a book with my eleven-year-old step daughter on the ups and downs of the beginnings of our relationship. Then I plan on writing a travel memoir of trips through the American Southwest.

17. Do you have a favorite novel and why?

I enjoyed Goodbye California by Alastair McLean. My brother had every Alastair Mclean, Robert Ludlum and James Michener book, but not this one. As well it was my first actual adult novel that I read. The Man from St. Petersburg by Ken Follet I liked. I must have appreciated reading fiction a great deal more when I was younger.

18. Who are your favorite authors?

Bill Bryson, Clive Cussler. Michael Palin and Ben Elton.

19. Where can we find you?

I am not on a great deal of social media. My Twitter account was hacked after 2 days. I am submitting that to the Guinness Book of World Records. My Facebook page for the book series would be it.

https://www.facebook.com/TORN-The-Sto...

My step daughter keeps trying to get me on Instagram, but I resist valiantly. She will probably grow up hating me. I enjoy doing written interviews such as this as it keeps my mind busy.

20. Where can we get TORN and the complete series?

Amazon, Smashwords, TORN is available for only 99 cents.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VC2Z6U4

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...

Thank you Simon, so much, for sharing your writing journey. For a FREE copy CLICK HERE

Natasha

I am pleased to share with you all, an interview with Teresa

Tell us about your background.

I’m originally from a small town in Kansas, but I moved to Los Angeles to earn a M.F.A. from the University of California’s School of Cinematic Arts. I studied screenwriting there, and screenwriting weirdly helped me write books because I was trained to outline my stories, which helps me decide whether or not to actually write the book and helps me stay on track when it comes to plot.

What inspired you to write The Sugar Baby Club?

The Sugar Baby Club is about two college freshmen who want to earn tuition money, so they sign up for a sugar dating website and find older men to date in exchange for money and gifts. The girls end up with such an elevated lifestyle that other people in their residence hall want in too, and the freshmen create a makeshift dating agency from their dorm room.

Living in Los Angeles, it’s hard to not see sugar baby-sugar daddy relationships in the wild, but I wasn’t really aware of what I was looking at until I saw Lisa Ling’s documentary about sugar daddies. After I watched it, I started researching the topic and talking to people who partook in the lifestyle. Their testimonials opened my eyes and made me rethink my preconceived notions that sugar dating was somehow gross or immoral. It actually seemed to be similar to more traditional relationships except that terms were discussed upfront, and both parties got something out of it. That newfound discovery was something that I wanted to discuss in my book, which showcases the good parts as well as the bad parts of what it’s like to be a sugar baby.

How are you spreading the word about your book?

I wanted to hire a publicist to help me spread the word about The Sugar Baby Club, but the prices I was quoted were insane so I realized I had to do it myself. I reached out to big media companies to try to get interviewed, but all my requests were ignored. It really is who you know when it comes to that avenue, so I realized I couldn’t count on that to happen.

For this project, I ended up mainly using social media for marketing. On Facebook, I found people who were willing to review the book, and I also used social media like Instagram and Twitter to give my followers updates on the book’s progress and release. The next step I plan to do is use my personal contacts and send out an email blast letting people know that the book is out, and I’m also exploring the use of Amazon ads.

The Sugar Baby Club is on Amazon right now

https://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Baby-Clu...

The Sugar Baby Club synopsis:

Sick of “hanging out” and hookup culture, college freshman Jasmine Lewis decides to try out a new kind of dating—sugar dating. After watching a documentary about sugar daddies, she and her roommate Kita Okoye sign up for Searching Sweet Sugar, a sugar dating site that promises to change young girls’ lives for the better.

After meeting a few salt daddies, terrible men who abuse the system, Jasmine and Kita land the sugar daddies of their dreams, men who shower them with money, Louis Vuitton, and vacations. Their newfound, glamorous lifestyle attracts the attention of girls in their residence hall, and soon, Jasmine and Kita find themselves running a makeshift dating agency from their dorm room.

Thank you Teresa. It is really marvelous to hear about your journey.

I asked Brittany about her writing journey:

"Here are the answers to your questions."

1. What made you want to write a book?

I actually wrote my YA novel Finding Freedom as a personal experiment to see how long I could write fiction, since I had mostly only written poetry and nonfiction before that.

2. Tell us about you and where you live.

I live in North Carolina with my husband (of eight years this year) and our two children. I have a daughter and a son.

3. What have you written and what are you working on now?

So far I have written a book of poetry Shine Through the Darkness, two nonfiction books The Basic Guide to Starting Your Own Business on a Budget, and The Basics of Options Trading, and my first YA novel in The Zion Series, Finding Freedom. I am currently working on the second book in that series, Heir of Zion.

4. How do you market your books and do your promotion methods work?

So far my methods have been giving me good results. I start by posting my book on over 100 Facebook pages and my website (www.brittanynicolelewisblog.wordpress...) and doing a press release. Then I call every book store and library in my state and the surrounding states (I have covered six states so far) and every book club in that state. Then, I contact the churches in that area and tell the Pastors about my book. Then, I submit press releases to newspapers in other states also. I have also been invited to do many, many interviews, guests posts and podcasts.

5. Where can readers find your books for sale?

Right now they are all available on Amazon and soon they will be available on B&N.com

Finding Freedom has just been released:

Katie was born into a cult. Her family lived there for generations. As she got older, she realized the Elders were keeping secrets from the community. Risking everything, she leaves the cult and searches for the truth. With the help of outsiders, Katie and her young husband David are put in touch with an organization called Purple Haven, which provides medical care, shelter, counseling and job training to individuals who have escaped from cults. She soon discovers she’s pregnant. With the help of her husband, her therapist, and two friends, Katie learns what it means to have a relationship with God.

Best of luck with your new book Brittany and I hope you sell many copies.

https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Freedo...

Q.L. Pearce is the author of more than 150 books, from picturebooks to Young Adult, including the popular series, Scary Stories for Sleep-Overs. Her work has won the Carter G. Woodson gold medal, a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award gold medal, and many others. Her multi-award winning picturebook, Red Bird Sings, co-authored with Gina Capaldi, received praise from Publisher’s Weekly, the School Library Journal, and the Library Media Connection. She says that her love of writing started early.

My Guest Author Says:

"There are three things that I absolutely adore: writing, dogs, and traveling. I’m Canadian-born to British parents and I started traveling when I was still an infant. Soon after I was born we moved to Baranquilla, Colombia, a city now famous as the birthplace of Shakira. A few years later we settled in Florida and I spent my early childhood on an island in Boca Ciega Bay. In my teens we lived in Palm Springs, California, and once out of school I set off to explore the world starting with New York City.

I’ve been writing since I could scribble a story on paper. I won my first school writing contest in third grade and my first city sponsored contest at age eleven. I actually got into a little trouble when I was a kid for telling scary stories that frightened my friends. Publishing was my dream but I started out as a jeweler first in New York and then on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California. Still, I continued to write, enter contests, and submit to magazines. I took creative writing classes and joined writer’s groups. My heroes were Ray Bradbury, George Orwell, Roald Dahl, Shirley Jackson and Rod Serling. Now Neil Gaiman is definitely on the list.

Once I began seriously submitting I gathered an extensive collection of rejections. Over the course of ten years or so the rejections went from definite “no” to “no, but keep submitting.” My first contract with a major publisher was for an activity book about dinosaurs. It was with Price Stern Sloan. My first contract for fiction also came from Price Stern Sloan when they published Scary Stories for Sleep-Overs. It did very well and I wrote quite a few books in the series.

Since then I have written more than 120 books for young readers including educational, nonfiction, biography, and fiction for all age ranges. Middle grade to YA horror, sci-fi and mystery are my favorites. I enjoy the world building and the suspension of disbelief required in a ghost story and I get a kick out of researching creepy tales and urban legends.

I also enjoy prowling through antique stores for curious objects or photographs that might spark an idea, or hiking around in new environments to use as settings. My dear friend, author Tamara Thorne, and I sometimes take road trips. We visit haunted hotels, abandoned buildings and ghost towns, all for inspiration.

Spine Chillers: Hair-Raising Tales is my latest collection. It includes seven short stories about classic ghosts, a monster or two, urban legends and one tale that is an homage to The Twilight Zone.

Over the course of my career the publishing industry has gone through many changes that require media savvy. I’m not an expert with social media but I’m learning. I regularly write two or three hours a day and spend a few hours each week on promotional activities. I have a wonderful literary publicist, Berlin Malcolm, at BAM! Literature. I’m not a huge fan of up-to-the-minute technology, but Berlin has guided me through all of the elements including creating my website, writing guest posts for book blogs, and doing author interviews and radio spots. In fact I’m thrilled to be joining Tamara Thorne and Alistair Cross as co-host for YA nights on Thorne and Cross Haunted Nights LIVE, part of the Authors on the Air: Radio Network. Berlin has been in my corner throughout and her guidance has been invaluable.

Another important element in my writing life is membership in the Society of Children’s Book Writer’s and Illustrators. They provide terrific conferences that include talks and workshops with editors, agents, and well-known authors. I’ve discovered many unique opportunities at the conferences and the workshops help me to keep my writing current and fresh.

Looking to the future, I’m working on a few things including the next volume of Spinechillers. I have two fact fiction picturebooks in work with coauthor/illustrator Gina Capaldi, a middle grade mystery adventure with coauthor Francesca Rusackas, and a solo YA horror novel.

To see what I’m up to next please visit me at www.qlpearce.com"

Q lives in California with her research scientist husband, two very spoiled dogs, a talkative cockatiel, a bevy of fish and a host of wild squirrels who believe her life revolves around delivering their meals.

Thanks for letting us all hear about your life. To read Q's next book - 'Spine Chillers', please visit https://www.amazon.com/Spine-Chillers...

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I have another wonderful post for you all by Marie Lavender, that is sure to inspire all those that wish to publish their novels.

Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for over twenty years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands. Since 2010, Marie has published 23 books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, fantasy, science fiction, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry. She has also contributed to several anthologies. Her current published series are The Heiresses in Love Series, The Magick Series, The Code of Endhivar Series and The Blood at First Sight Series.

Marie says: "It all started with my love of literature. I recall my mother reading me bedtime stories. I got so lost in those fictional worlds that I didn’t want to find a way out.

My own stories began to formulate in my head whenever I’d play with dolls as a child. As soon as I learned to write, I finally had an outlet. They found their way onto the page. Throughout my childhood, I knew I wanted to be an author. As I grew a little older, I’d stalk the reference section of the library, finding how-to books on writing, as well as writer’s market books, exhibiting lists of publishers I could submit my work to.

This was my dream. I pursued it steadily, did anything I could to accomplish that aim – I kept writing, entered young writer’s contests, I familiarized myself with the industry as well as possible, and took creative writing classes whenever they were available.

In college, I made a goal of finally finishing a novel. In 2002, I had the idea for a historical romance book, which would be set in France. Of course, I didn’t know it would take nearly nine years of organization, writing and perfecting to complete the novel. I was aware of the growing popularity of self-publishing. With this one, however, I wanted to find a traditional publisher.

Still, I was reluctant to let the trend pass me by. I selected some works-in-progress and set to completing them. Between the years of 2010 and 2012, I’d released twelve books in various genres. Yet I maintained my dream of getting published traditionally.

After numerous rejections I finally found a home when Solstice Publishing offered me a book contract for Upon Your Return, book one of the Heiresses in Love Series. In February of 2013, the novel was released. Since then, I’ve submitted six other novels and stories to the same publisher, and they’ve accepted every one. I now have four series published, and many others planned for the future.

Just before UYR was published, however, I quickly realized I’d have to jump on the ‘public presence’ bandwagon. I began to develop my social media accounts. I wrote guest posts for book blogs or writing blogs. I learned how to participate in author interviews, radio spots, author timeslots during Facebook events, placed book ads whenever necessary, and, well…I also launched two blogs (which actually became three later on). I struggled with them at first (i.e. What did I have to say, to offer?). But I eventually figured it all out. By the time Upon Your Return was published for a while, I had official book reviews on blogs as well as sites where the book was sold.

Now? I know I’m never finished learning about this industry, but I can say I’ve made quite a bit of progress. With 5,000 friends on Facebook, 1400 followers on my profile and 2500 likes on my author page, over 3500 Google+ followers and almost 15,000 Twitter followers, I haven’t done too bad. Additionally, I’ve evolved from a romance author to a true multi-genre author, covering literary fiction, poetry, various types of romance, mystery/thriller, fantasy, science fiction, to wherever this crazy muse will take me. I no longer try to box myself in.

I am also proud to call the Heiresses in Love Series completed, as the final book, Upon Your Love, a full-length historical romance/family saga, comes out on February 28th. The series has been nearly fifteen years in the making, and it quickly became an empire of Victorian maritime drama, suspense and passion. I couldn’t be happier that the series pleasantly surprised me with its twists in development, all the characters coming alive on the page. I am beyond grateful to the wonderful people at Solstice for giving me a chance. I look forward to many more years with them, as they’ve taken me under their wing, and helped me to soar on my own. With my two books coming out soon, that makes a total of 25 published books to date.

And the muse, as always, is tireless, a true blessing for a writer. I just love writing, learning all about my characters, and experiencing their stories.

It’s been quite a journey, and I wouldn’t have changed a thing."

Bestselling multi-genre author of UPON YOUR RETURN and 22 other books. March 2016 Empress of the Universe title - winner of the "Broken Heart" themed contest and the "I Love You" themed contest on Poetry Universe. SECOND CHANCE HEART and A LITTLE MAGICK placed in the TOP 10 on the 2015 P&E Readers' Poll. Nominated in the TRR Readers' Choice Awards for Winter 2015. Poetry winner of the 2015 PnPAuthors Contest. The Versatile Blogger Award for 2015. Honorable Mention in the 2014 BTS Red Carpet Book Awards. Finalist and Runner-up in the 2014 MARSocial's Author of the Year Competition. Honorable mention in the January 2014 Reader's Choice Award. Liebster Blogger Award for 2013 and 2014. Top 10 Authors on AuthorsDB.com. Winner of the Great One Liners Contest on the Directory of Published Authors.

Marie's next book 'Upon Your Love' is due out on 28th February https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

To find out more about Marie and her wonderful collection of books, then please visit

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marie-Lavend...

I am so happy that authors are sharing their book creation and marketing journey with me and it is encouraging to see that although it is a struggle to market your book, some great works of fiction are being produced.

Curt Larson is an emerging Canadian author and has this to say about his writing and marketing journey:

“White River -

When I was a young teenager I went to a fishing camp in White River, Ontario. It was a place of rugged beauty and was quite the adventure for a young lad. We took a train to the camp and flew out on seaplanes. I was lucky enough to get the co-pilot’s seat on a Beaver.

Fast forward several decades. One morning I woke up, a dream so vivid about the peace and tranquillity of that place. The image that burned in my mind was at sunrise, the fog lifting off the perfectly calm lake, the loons calling in the mist.

How do I capture that in a story? It occurred to me that writing about a seaplane pilot and his adventure would do the trick. But what trouble does a seaplane pilot get into in the wilds of Canada? Can't just have the guy flying around and arguing with someone. There has to be danger, intrigue and something unexpected.

I was working for an antivirus software company at the time and decided on some computer/satellite espionage. Something I dreamed up out of the air. Wouldn't you know it, many years later I came across an article about some Russians doing exactly that in another part of the world.

Being a pilot, I wanted it to be about flying, to capture what a pilot feels, what burns deep inside, the passion that every pilot has for flying. And there you have it.

Eternal Love -

If you think of the enduring love stories, they don't live happily ever after. Romeo & Juliet die, Ali McGraw's character dies, King Arthur's wife is sleeping with Sir Lancelot. The list goes on.

Being a guy, I didn't want to write a mushy love story. And there was a girl... How can you craft a love story between two people that is going to grab a reader in a whole new way? And I continue to be intrigued by the subject of past lives. How is that you meet someone and they seem so familiar, so intimate, right from the start? And others you meet that you take an instant dislike to, despite theim being a fine individual?

What if I write a love story that has both perspectives? His and hers? Then alternates between past and present? Would this be compelling? How to put intrigue into the present, while each past story is a short story unto itself? And most of all, how do I write a great love story that grabs your heart and doesn't let go? The challenge of this appealed to me.

About Me

My professional career began as an automotive engineer. I was working for a consulting company that got into the software business, and I was put in charge and that led to a career in the software industry.

I like racing cars and flying planes, although I don't get much time to do either these days. I've written three novels with several more in various stages of creation, but I've had to channel my writing time into Novel Marketing. As a self-published author, that is unbelievably difficult! The sheer volume of budding authors and the transition away from printed books to digital has completely changed the landscape.

I actually had an agent for White River but after several re-writes and professional edits the wife didn't believe the love story component, it wasn't real. She loved the action and the flying parts, but the idea of a model falling for a pilot... Had she ever read Jack Reacher? His love life defies reality! We mutually decided to part ways.

I like writing. I like the challenge of taking an idea and turning it into a story, crafting a manuscript. It's painting a picture, or in this case, painting a movie. When I write I visualize what happens, how the story unfolds in front of me as if it is a movie. Do the words paint the scene? Is the pace and sequencing correct? Does anything jar the smooth flow?

Alas, now it's the marketing side. It's ads on Amazon, it's contacting reviewers, after I exhaust my list of reviewers it'll be working the main indie outlets--Goodreads, Smashwords and the like. With any luck and a lot of elbow grease this career will take off and I can transition from my day job to writing.”

Thanks Curt, there is nothing better than hearing about another author’s motivation to write and how the dreaded book marketing is handled. If you are interested in finding more about Curt, then visit his website http://curtlarson.net

‘White River’ or ‘Eternal Love’ are available at Amazon.com:

Eternal love - He had loved before and lost, and was convinced that he could never love again. Then one day, she was there. Not just in his thoughts, but in his heart and soul. She didn’t just walk in, or gradually melt her way into his private world; one moment he was alone, the next moment she was a part of him as if she’d always been. Together, like they'd been married forever.

And yet destiny had taken a hand, a destiny striving to deny what nature created. A love for all time, a love that burned within both their souls. While life was conspiring against them, conspiring to deny two star-crossed lovers from something that had always been and could always be.

Eternal Love is about two people who meet. Again. Sometimes there is a love that transcends time and space…

https://www.amazon.com/Eternal-Love-C...

White River - An EPIC Award finalist for 2016, White River takes you into the pilot's seat for a swashbuckling adventure in the skies and on the ground.

He landed every pilot's dream job, flying a seaplane in the wilds of Canada. It was working out pretty well, until he landed smack in the middle of espionage, 21st century style. Bad luck finds him as every turn of the propeller gets him deeper and deeper into trouble, until not only his survival but the survival of the girl is at stake. Does he have what it takes to navigate his way out of this one alive? And dare he trust the girl?

White River features flying so realistic you'll feel you're in the pilot's seat, from before take-off to after touchdown. With the wilds of Canada as a backdrop, strong characters for support on one side and stout adversaries on the other, the ultimate challenge is not just to keep flying, but staying alive when the odds are stacked against him.

White River. Great flying, beautiful country, big trouble. And a girl.

https://www.amazon.com/White-River-Cu...