Roberta Goodman's Blog

If someone would have told me six months ago that I’d be voting for Donald Trump should he get the Republican Nomination, I’d have told them they’re crazy and that it will never happen. I’d have said he’s an arrogant, loud-mouthed billionaire who can’t relate to the common man or woman. I’d have said he entered the race for president to acquire the ultimate power in the United States. I’d have scoffed at the idea that a businessman with no political background could possibly improve the things that are wrong with this country. So what has influenced this registered Independent voter, who was raised by a staunch Democratic father and former liberal-leaning mother, in the last six months to change my mind? I decided to educate myself, and I think these are the most important issues this election year. 

1.    We’ve endured eight years of a failed presidency that Hillary Clinton will continue to perpetuate if elected.Liberals are pacifists who believe you can reason with the “crazies” of the world. We currently have a leader who traveled to Cuba (a communist country that has committed horrible atrocities against its citizens) so he could improve relations. He’s more interested in building a tourism industry than concentrating on the important issues our country faces every day. Will he insist Castro hand over Assata Olugbala Shakur, who was convicted of killing a New Jersey State trooper in the 1970’s, broke out of prison, and fled to Cuba in 1984? Yes, Cuba is harboring a cop killer for over thirty years! Of course not, because Obama hates the police which he has proven time after time. He sent representatives from the White House to the funeral of Michael Brown, but has he ever sent representatives to the funerals of police officers who’ve been killed in the line of duty? That would be a big NO. If anyone thinks Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders would be any better, than just go back and watch any of the Democratic debates they’ve done and their hatred of the police is more than evident.
2.    Recent terrorist attacks in Paris, San Bernardino, Brussels, and throughout the world have me convinced that no Democrat will be able to control this situation, and keep American citizens safe. The President, and Democrats in general, refuse to acknowledge the chaos and destruction Radical Islam continues to inflict on the world, because they don’t want to “offend” believers of Islam. First off, it’s not about religion. It’s about a political ideology that is hell bent on destroying western civilization. When it was learned reporter James Wright Foley was beheaded what did the president do? Yes, he condemned ISIS, but then he went golfing. Disgraceful. Obama wants to let millions of Syrian refugees into America. He claims it’s the humane thing to do. Well, I’m sure the French government wanted to be humane as well. What did it get them in return? ISIS members who posed as Syrian refugees flowed very easily into that country and killed 129 individuals and wounded 352 across the French capital. I want my country to be as secure as possible. Do I trust Clinton, Sanders, Cruz, or Kasich to do that? NO
3.    The illegal immigration problem in the United States is out of control. There are twelve million illegal aliens in this country who utilize our school systems, our health facilities, and take jobs away from natural-born citizens and immigrants who’ve come here legally. The Democrats want to create a path to citizenship for these people, and give them free health care and other benefits beforehand, because they want their votes. They don’t care American taxpayers are paying through the nose for all these people. I believe it’s entirely reasonable to build a wall to keep them out as well as the drugs that continue to flow into American on a daily basis. My ancestors came here legally. They didn’t sneak into the country. I guarantee you if Americans sneak into Mexico that country would ship them back, not reward them.
4.    The continual flight of American businesses.America has lost so many companies over the years because of corporate greed. These companies don’t care about the American people, but they do want us to buy their products. Relocating their businesses and hiring cheap labor allows them to make huge profits, but that isn’t the only benefit for them. If an American company buys a foreign company, essentially merging, they’re no longer subject to U.S. corporate taxes. They make their corporate headquarters at the address of the former, smaller foreign company. This practice is called tax inversion. Successful businessmen like Donald Trump understand all about it, and I believe him when he says he will put a stop to it and keep those companies from leaving America. If they do decide to leave, he will heavily tax them.
I could’ve written so much more, but I chose to keep it simple and highlight what I believe are the most pressing issues facing America. I didn’t write this to incite negativity in anyone reading it. That’s precisely why I won’t allow commenting. I also didn’t write it urging anyone to vote for Donald Trump. I think it’s up to every American citizen to educate themselves enough about the important issues facing our country that they can make the right decision when they step up to the ballot box.
I'll vote for Donald Trump, because I like his directness. He knows the problems that are most prevalent in this society. I believe he will surround himself with the best cabinet that can handle every issue from domestic to international. I’m honestly not bothered by his colorful language nor do I think he’s a saint, but he isn’t a religious nut like some who are fighting him within his own party. He also doesn’t have a potential indictment hanging over his head nor is he telling young adults in this society that he can promise them a free college education. Most rational people who’ve lived a long time know that’s not possible, because nothing is free.

Those of us who’ve made the decision to pursue a career by expressing ourselves through the written word have done so because we’ve felt compelled to follow a passion. Regardless of what we’re inspired to write, we feel if we don’t honor that passion then we’ll always regret it. We’ve labored for weeks, months, and sometimes years to form stories that entertain readers as well as help them escape the boredom of their everyday lives. The sensible would-be writers don’t quit their day jobs. These are the smart ones who choose to pour out their souls here and there when time permits. They refuse to be labeled starving artists.
I’m not one of those individuals. I moved from stay-at-home mom status to stay-at-home thinking I was going to get more writing done without the burden of an “outside” job. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your perspective, my husband has been very supportive of my dreams despite the fact it’s damaged our finances. Yes, I was aware this could happen, but I thoroughly believed that eventually I’d be able to earn enough money through my stories to make it worth my while and appease my husband’s desire for me to add to the family income. After six years I’ve been proven wrong. I don’t want to elaborate too much on my misfortune, because I own it completely and blame no one but myself. I’m not writing this to garner anyone’s sympathy nor am I begging anyone to buy one of my books. I’m writing it to educate those individuals who might be contemplating going down a similar path. 
I tried to acquire a literary agent for several years so he or she would be the one to try and sell my work to one of the big six publishing companies. When that failed I decided a different approach was needed. At the time I was intimated by even the mere mention of creating an eBook by myself, so I turned to an indie publisher who was more than willing to help me distribute my literary masterpiece. Of course, this was at a substantial price. The publisher of my first book, Snow Escape, has made more of a profit on the book than I have, and did absolutely nothing to promote it. Hell, my murder mystery/thriller was published with a plethora of errors, because the copywriter didn’t, and probably still doesn’t, do editing.
Being a novice at the time, I didn’t realize this would be the case. Nevertheless, I educated myself and made sure to make the necessary corrections before the paperback was released six months later. I was assured the eBook version would be updated with the necessary corrections, but some who have reviewed it claim errors still exist. I embrace the fact it’s an imperfect piece of work, because I don’t have the money to hire a competent editor to read it and correct it. Even if I did, I’d have to give those corrections to the publisher who doesn’t have time to go back and change an eBook that has been on the market for almost three years. Even I understand it wouldn’t be worth it, considering the book hasn’t sold in months.
Once I figured out what a schmuck I’d been signing over 60% of potential profit, I decided it wasn’t going to happen again. For my second and third books, A Sojourn in Hell and Persevering through the Unforeseen: One Couple’s Experience Conquering Testicular Cancer, I turned to self-publishing. I re-wrote both, meticulously going over the manuscripts looking for errors. I taught myself how to find the errors hiding in the HTML when creating the eBooks, because I knew anything that wasn’t supposed to be in the HTML would completely destroy the formatting of my books. I created both covers via Photo Shop. I purchased a photo from an online stock photo company for my tragic romance/family saga, and I used my own photos for the cover of my memoir. I published A Sojourn in Hellin June 2013, followed by Persevering through the Unforeseen in October 2013 on Amazon and B & N. I ultimately removed both books from B & N due to no sales, opting instead to utilize what’s now known as kindleunlimited. 
Throughout my pursuit of finding success in the indie writing community, I’ve always made it a point to help those in similar circumstances to my own. The dreamers who’ve put in long hours, without pay, hoping readers buy their books and tell everyone they know how blown away they were by the latest book they’ve read. In turn, many fellow authors have supported me for which I’ve always been appreciative. I believe those who generously spread the word about others are under the assumption they can make a difference by promoting others’ work. Unfortunately, I’ve come to change my opinion back to the one I originally held many years ago before I ever had a book available for purchase. 
If an author doesn’t have support from people with power like: literary agents, huge publishing houses etc., and a shitload of luck, I don’t care how much money the author spends on marketing, doing author interviews, guests post on blogs, or radio internet shows, because it won’t result in selling a significant amount of books. Yes, they might get lucky and sell a few hundred, but at the end of the day all the sacrificing of time they could’ve spent with their kids, money they could’ve saved but chose to spend on their budding careers, and hours spent typing away at a keyboard won’t pay the bills. In fact, it will probably result in debt beyond anything they could’ve imagined, financial and emotional, and a decision to end a pursuit that hasn’t fulfilled them.

Every year millions of parents feel the need to overindulge their children at Christmastime. No matter how many times they say they’re cutting back on their spending, they end up buying lots of toys and trinkets their kids will barely play with. While there is nothing wrong with wanting to see your children’s faces light up on Christmas morning when they discover their presents under the tree, too many parents rely on buying things in the false belief it will make their children happy.
If you ask most children, they would say they love getting new toys, but even they realize that while the new toys are nice to play with, spending time with their family is what’s more important. Parents just assume because their kids are asking Santa for lots of material things, that’s what they should be focusing on. With this type of mindset, it’s no wonder the true meaning of Christmas is lost for so many people.
Instead of thinking about what they can and should buy this year, wouldn’t it be amazing if people took the time to focus on setting up new traditions their kids would look forward to each and every year? It doesn’t have to involve elaborate trips to exciting places. It can be as simple as setting aside a day to bake Christmas cookies or creating Christmas crafts to give as presents to their children’s teachers.  
A few different ideas for families to try are: Pick a day to decorate your entire house and assign each child a different task. Not only will all of you be spending time together, but the decorating will get done sooner. Since Christmas is about giving, as well as receiving, volunteer to serve dinner at a local homeless shelter. This teaches your children not everyone is fortunate enough to have a home during the holidays. To further educate them about the art of giving, organize a bake sale and buy presents for the homeless residents with the proceeds. This will help to instill in young minds the fact they should always be appreciative for what they have.
Christmastime is one of the most festive times of the year and a time to create memories everyone can look back on and cherish. By taking the focus off of the material aspect of the holiday, the real meaning of it will take precedence. No one’s saying to forgo buying presents. After all, exchanging gifts is a wonderful part of the whole experience. In choosing to buy less, parents will not only save money, but it will teach their children there is a limit to how many toys they should get.

The Man in a Haystack by Alice Huskisson  
                     
ASIN: B009BA23P0Paperback: 284 pages                                 Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 8, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 1479219363 ISBN-13: 978-1479219360
Rating: Rating: ★★★★★
Mae’s an attractive, forty-something career woman who has no trouble meeting men but struggles to meet the right one for her. Having survived several failed relationships, one spanning a decade that almost resulted in marriage, she’s managed to emerge from each with her self-worth and humor intact. Mae never apologizes for wanting and needing affection or for what some might feel are unwise decisions she’s made along the way when trying to secure that affection.
An unrequited love with a co-worker who refuses to leave his live-in girlfriend but claims to love her, a hot/cold relationship with a man she finds hard to resist but who insists he’s not looking for a serious relationship with her, and a slew of prospects she meets through an online dating service keep Mae busy as she tries to figure out why it’s so difficult to find a man she’s wild about, and vice versa, who can commit to her.
The Man in a Haystack isn’t a typical dating guide for lonely, single women. Author Alice Huskisson has created an honest, insightful, and incredibly personal account of events she experienced. Written in blog format, the reader goes on an emotional journey chronicling the highs and lows Alice has felt with every relationship she’s had during her quest to find her perfect match. This story reinforces the belief the right person will come into someone’s life when the time is right, so there’s no reason to give up on love.

About the Author 
Alice was born in Essex, England, in the 1960s. She is fun, glamorous and a real 'girly' girl, loves chick flicks, reality television, and spending lots of time with her family and friends. She confesses to being a twelve year-old trapped in a forty-something's body! She is deep thinking, convinced everything happens for a reason, and believes anything is possible in life. Alice enjoys simple living and has never been eager to take risks, rarely stepping out of her comfort zone, although when she does she takes massive strides. Her career has to date been in the field of administration where her greatest strength is written communication. She has always enjoyed writing since she was a little girl in the 1970s when she spent most of her spare time corresponding regularly with seventy pen pals from all over the world. She is fascinated by men and what makes them tick however readily admits she will never fully understand their psyche. Her biggest desire in life has always been to settle down with the man of her dreams however her mission was to find him first, and this was the inspiration for writing her blog and ultimately The Man in a Haystack.

To purchase The Man in a Haystack please visit:

eBookAmazonAmazon UK 
Paperback  Amazon 
Amazon UKBarnes & Noble 

The question of whether my writing is too diverse to attract many readers has often crossed my mind in the almost six years I've been pursuing a writing career. I often like to say I can't be pigeonholed when it comes to telling stories, but I think it goes much deeper than that explanation. When I'm inspired to write something, I'm not consciously thinking about anything in particular. Consequently, most of the time inspiration won't hit me when I'm sitting in front of my computer trying to write.
 
A perfect example would be when I was inspired to write Snow Escape. For those of you who don't know the story, I'll give you a brief synopsis. I was sitting at my computer querying literary agents for my first manuscript, A Sojourn in Hell. I happened to look out my window and discovered it was snowing out. Having survived three huge snowstorms that winter, I was less than thrilled about more snow. I knew the heaviest amounts of the white stuff were headed up to New York, so I thought it was wonderful my area was being spared.

It was in that moment the idea to write about a woman living in a NY borough, trapped in her apartment because it just kept snowing, came flooding to me. Within an hour, I had created Allegra. She's a woman using online dating to find love who discovers a potential suitor she met online is stalking her. He chooses the night of the historic snowstorm to torture her, but is he real or a figment of Allegra's imagination? Yes, my mother had suggested I write a mystery several months prior, but I really hadn't taken her suggestion seriously, because I don't write mystery books. Hell, I don't even like to read them.
Snow Escape was my second manuscript, but through fate it ended up being published first. At the time I was thrilled to have my work out in the world, but I knew I'd probably be labeled a "mystery writer." I couldn't keep track of how many people asked me if I was going to write a sequel to my murder mystery/thriller. I also couldn't keep track of those who questioned me about when my next "mystery" would be out. I was polite with my responses but firm in explaining I wasn't trying to become the next Agatha Christie.
In the months following Snow Escape'srelease, I really struggled about what to do next. The book hadn't been a best-seller, not that I expected it to be, but I was disappointed it didn't do better. I started doing some freelance work writing articles, but I knew it wasn't something I wanted to do permanently. The need to tell stories slowly overtook me again. At the time I was sitting on two. One was a tragic romance/family saga, and one was the manuscript I had written while my husband was battling Testicular Cancer.
I knew both manuscripts needed to be revised, but the experience I went through with my husband was still so fresh I decided I didn't want to rehash it so soon. I needed some time to pass to digest the fact he was through with his chemo treatments. I needed time for our lives to go back to normal. Consequently, I devoted many months in 2012 to revising A Sojourn in Hell.
After I finished revising my tragic romance/family saga to be a much deeper and thought-provoking read, I embarked on trying to acquire representation. For the second time not one agent showed any interest, so I ended up self-publishing in June 2013. I didn't want to utilize the small indie publisher I had used for Snow Escape, because I wanted to retain control of the story. I'm proud of my first self-publishing effort, but I wish sales were better. I've been reassured most self-published authors wish their sales were better.
My murder mystery/thriller wasn't a huge success nor was my tragic romance/family saga, so where did I go from there? You guessed it; I decided I was ready to revise the cancer manuscript. It took several months for me to do it justice, but on November 1st I uploaded my Memoir to Amazon and Barnes & Noble. As of today, November 4th, seven copies have been sold. I know it's too soon to gauge whether it will be successful, so I'm just taking a wait and see approach.
Three very different stories are available from one very diverse writer. This leads me back to my initial question. Is my writing too diverse to attract devoted followers of my work? I know I can't establish myself as being a writer of one specific genre, because I can't force myself to write stories that will only appeal to certain readers. Part of me wishes I could write specific genre material over and over again, because then maybe I could be the next Anne Rice or Stephen King. The other part of me knows diversity is a good thing. Just look at James Patterson, who has been called a terrible writer by Stephen King. Patterson has sold more than 230 million books, so he must be doing something right.


Click on each book if you'd like to read a sample via Amazon. All three are also available on Barnes & Noble.


                                         

We'd been married for almost eleven years. Our union had produced two healthy, beautiful children. Our lives were filled with the routines most people flourish on. There'd been some rocky times like most couples experience, but overall my husband and I were living unassuming lives. We never anticipated our world could change in a short amount of time, but on a cold winter night at the beginning of January 2011 it did. Suffering from pain in his groin, Eric was sent by our family physician to a hospital thirty minutes from our home to get an ultrasound. Our doctor suspected a contortion of the right testicle, and he acted quickly. Upon further investigation, Eric was found to have two masses contained in his right testicle. The preceding months would test our strength as a couple. It was hands down the darkest period of our lives to date. I chose to document what we went through in the hopes our experience can give comfort to those on a similar journey. The battle against Testicular Cancer was one my husband won, but it's a battle my family will never forget. From the beginning, I've emphasized Testicular Cancer is to men what Breast Cancer is to women. Because more women are affected by Breast Cancer every year, than men are affected by Testicular Cancer, this disease gets publicized with greater frequency. By revealing the everyday struggles we encountered, and the hardships Eric faced as a cancer patient, I hope to educate, enlighten, and bring attention to a disease that affects thousands of men all over the world. I can't emphasize enough to every man alive how important yearly check-ups are to maintaining his well-being. Pain is an indication something's wrong and should never be ignored. Testicular Cancer is a fast growing threat many men could catch in time if they just make sure to look for the warning signs. I want to thank in advance all those choosing to read our story. It's a personal one that wasn't always easy for me to write down, but by doing so I knew I might be able to inspire others to fight when faced with a cancer diagnosis.

What if you discovered you had lived another life—a past life?

Many people believe that we have all been here on earth before, with a different name, different life. Some live their current lives believing they'll be reincarnated after death. This past life theme is prevalent in movies, television ad novels, including the new supernatural suspense White Heaven Women by British author Jessie B. Tyson.
White Heaven Women is a gripping tale set Whitehaven, Cumbria, UK. Flashing between 1899/early 1900s to 2000, readers are introduced to two sisters, Beth and Sarah, and the fate that awaits them.
Separated by Death, Reunited by Fate…
In the year 1899, in Whitehaven, Cumbria, UK, Lady Constance Witherspoon, only 14 years of age, gives birth to twin girls during a tumultuous storm. Lady Elisa (Beth) is born with a diagnosis of demonic possession, while her twin, Lady Sarah, is crushed and killed when the ceiling collapses in the storm.
In the year 2000, Sally Witherspane returns home to Whitehaven and is haunted by relentless nightmares about demons and a baby crushed at birth. To discover the meaning of these dreams, she seeks the help of the local psychic, who instructs Sally to attend a past life meeting. It is there that Sally meets Beth Witherspoon.
Persuaded by a ghostly blue apparition, Sally documents a family history filled with deception, abuse and an ancient evil, and she must summon strength and faith to become the woman she is destined to be, one of the last descendants of the White Heaven Women.
Reviews:-
"White Heaven Womenis a very welcome addition to my growing list of beloved books.  Debut author, Jessie B. Tyson makes the reader feel the emotions that the characters were expressing. I found myself shivering a couple of times, and I was even afraid to fall asleep, for fear of having nightmares, which was how the story of White Heaven Women began...
Kudos to Jessie Tyson for a haunting yet satisfyingly delightful story. I loved the ending, too! You are a great storyteller, your knowledge of supernatural elements in the story were a good concept and it thrilled me to know that it was based on a true-to-life experience. And thank you for taking me to Cumbria, surely it is a magical place; a place I would love to go to in the future. Bravo Jessie, for a compelling debut novel!" — Amazon reviewer—Arianne St.clare
"Suspense, paranormal, life, death, love and hate all woven together with such powerfulness, so real, so fragile yet gripping enough to keep you on the edge." —Peggy Grigowski, author of A Glimpse of What If
White Heaven Women is available in Kindle, Nook, Kobo & MOST e-reading apps from Amazon, Smashwords and Createspace. A paperback edition is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other retailers.
UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/White-Heaven-Women-ebook/dp/B008SDDGV6USA - http://www.amazon.com/White-Heaven-Women-ebook/dp/B008SDDGV6/Smashwords -  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/341066CreateSpace - https://www.createspace.com/3966486ISBN/EAN13:  1926997794 / 9781926997797 Page count:- 194
Jessie B. Tyson was born, raised and educated in Cumbria, UK, but lives in British Columbia, Canada. White Heaven Womenis her debut novel set in North England. http://jessiebtyson.blogspot.com/and http://twitter.com/JessieBTyson
Traditionally published by Imajin Books in Edmonton, AB, Canada. Imajin Books: www.imajinbooks.com Email: imajinbooks@shaw.ca


White Heaven Women is on sale for the incredible price of 99 cents from August 15 ~ August 31, 2013. I encourage everyone reading this to purchase it. Lovers of the paranormal won't be disappointed by this amazing story.



Q & A Session with Author Jessie B Tyson

What genre do you write in? I write fiction, with paranormal elements. Not the scary kind or the fangs for the memory romance type, just stories with a paranormal touch.
Would you consider writing something else? Yes, I’m leaning toward writing funny stories to help people laugh in this world quickly losing cheer.  I already know I’d add a strange colored ghost or two.
Are you a pen and paper author or do you use a computer to write? Computer wins hands down.
The house is on fire, which do you save, your laptop or your book collection?  Neither. In any emergency, if push came to shove I’d save my cats then my lap-top.
Do you feel an affinity to any particular period of history? And do you ever use elements of it in your writing? Yes. It’s strange. I begin writing about modern times, then the story move into the past. It’s weird.
Have you ever given up on a writing project and why? I began a story 30 years ago. Yes, 30. I haven’t given up on it. Life gets in the way so I put them all on hold. I don’t give up or give in. (grin)
Have you ever found yourself, in regular daily activity, thinking like one of your characters? Only when I am character developing.
What's an interview question you've never been asked, but would like to be? Answer it. What is your next movie going to be titled? The answer is “Sowulinkea.”
How old were you when you realized you wanted to be a writer? About 9 years of age. Thing is we have to live normal lives and writing, which was only a dream back then, had to take second place to schooling and then employment. Now I can relax and get stuck into the plot. I’ve even modeled some of real life into my plots.
Where do you get your character names from? I get their names from the people I talk with during the week. Sometimes from dreams, and sometimes they just pop into my thoughts.
Do you listen to music while you write? No. I usually have the TV on for background noise to drown out the sound of my kitties digging in their litter box.
If so, what sorts of music inspire you most? Music by Med Goodall, Denis Quinn and other New Age musical genius’
Do you blog or are you on any social sites? If so, please include the addresses so your fans can find you. I’m habitually on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads in that order.
https://twitter.com/JessieBTyson
https://www.facebook.com/jessie.b.tysonhttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessie-B-Tyson-Author/216411575156620
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6458460.Jessie_B_Tyson


Watch the Book Trailer

Those who've been reading the personal posts on my blog for the past few years know of my struggle to break into the writing world, but for those who don't I'll give you an abbreviated version.

I started writing my first manuscript in 2009. It was completed in about ten months. After querying over 100 agents in an attempt to secure representation, without success, I decided to trunk my tragic romance/family saga. In retrospect, I was too green and needed to work on my writing skills a bit. After all, we all need to pay our dues and this was just the beginning of me paying mine.
Knowing nothing comes easy has always been something I realized from an early age, but when I've wanted something badly enough I've always continued to pursue my goal. Some might call it foolish, a waste of time, or even stupid, but I'm stubborn. I admit I was extremely disappointed no one took an interest in my first serious writing attempt. I even considered giving up my writing dream at one point, but that was before I was inspired to write my second manuscript.
The idea for Snow Escape, my murder mystery/thriller/suspense, came to me after I had endured the worst winter I can remember. In the winter of 2009-2010, three massive snowstorms, two back-to-back, hit my area of the United States. To read more about the details of the fateful day inspiration hit me, and the subsequent way I managed to find an Indie publisher to take a chance on my work after querying agents failed, click the following link. It will take you to several links for guest posts and author interviews I've done.
Before Snow Escape was published in October 2011, my life and the lives of my husband and children would be thrown into chaos. After my husband received a Testicular cancer diagnosis in January 2011, understandably my writing career took a back seat. I did manage to document the experience,—click on the link to read my manuscript about this dark time: bit.ly/12hfBzf — but I had no desire to continue to query agents about Snow Escape. If you read anything about how my second manuscript came to be published, then you know I was elated in the summer of 2011.
After Snow Escape was published, I had high hopes it would be a moderate success. I certainly didn't believe I had a runaway hit on my hands—far from it! Despite my vigilant attempts to promote myself in as many places as possible—I even tried doing an internet radio program, complete with a purchased marketing package which ended up costing me several hundred dollars—I was dismayed when I failed to sell more than a dozen or so copies. I was in the red and ready to give up my dream of a writing career once again. My belief I needed someone with influence to support and help promote my work was proving to be as necessary as ever, but as elusive as ever.
A year after Snow Escape was released I was still vehemently against self-pubbing. I had honestly thought having an Indie publisher's name on my first published book would've given me the credibility I needed to get somewhere with my work. When it didn't, I was depressed. What more could I do? I had no desire to write another ms, and the ms I had written about the cancer experience was rejected by the handful of agents I queried to—I was told it was too personal of a story, therefore, unmarketable. I was at a standstill about what to do for a very short time.
It was during the end of the summer of 2012 when I decided to revise my tragic romance/family saga. I believed A Sojourn in Hell deserved to be made into a much deeper and thought-provoking read. It took me months to enhance the story. When it was finished, I began the tedious task of querying to agents. Since I always keep track of who I've written, I can say with certainty I queried almost 150 agents from around the country. I lost track of how many said it was "An intriguing idea, but not for them."  
At this point, the rejection had numbed me to the point I knew I needed to make a change. I had also started reading a number of self-published books that made me realize most of the authors were just like me. They possessed story-telling ability, but no one wanted to take a chance on them, so they decided to believe in enough in themselves to do it themselves.
I was intimidated beyond belief, but I knew if others could do it so could I. The fact my experience with the Indie publisher proved to be an unsatisfying one was also fresh on my mind. There was no way I was going to give A Sojourn in Hell to someone else to publish. The control freak in me won out, so I took the plunge. It was a difficult decision, but not difficult enough that I'll ever sign over sixty percent of my profits ever again.
I published A Sojourn in Hell the second week of June 2013. It's been out for a little over a month now. This time around I've primarily promoted on Twitter. With the support of a large number of my followers, word is slowly getting out about my tragic romance/family saga. I've received two five-star reviews on Amazon, which I'm thrilled about, but unfortunately many people don't seem interested in reading it. Because I like to call it like I see it, I realize this book will probably not be the one to bring me success.
I held off on self-pubbing Sojourn for a long time because I know it's a good, well-written story, and I felt I wouldn't have enough support to do it justice. I wanted so badly to find an agent who believed in it strongly enough to try and sell it to a big publisher, but I couldn't keep facing the rejection. I couldn't sit on a story that will get readers thinking—that might even get them to improve their own lives and relationships—so I eventually gave in and put it out there.
It's not a happy story. Although I believe the ending is appropriate, and not all together unhappy, I view this story as a realistic one. Not everyone leads a satisfying life. Not everyone possesses the strength to change his or her life for the better. If reading this story helps individuals realize their own dissatisfaction, then I've done my job. If this story inspires others to change their lives for the better, then the people I based this story on didn't live their own lives in vain.  
I'm proud of myself for all the hard work I put into making this story what it's become. I'm proud I didn't decide to file it away in my computer and continue to query agents who have no desire in helping me get something substantial published. It's their loss. They can continue to look for "drivel," so they can help peddle that to the masses.

I'm proud to say I'm part of the Indie Revolution. I'm a writer taking control of my work, and I'm tired of being told what I write is considered "unmarketable." I might not make enough money from my writing to pay my bills, but I have the satisfaction of knowing I'm strong enough to risk judgment and criticism from those who read what I've put out into the world. I don't look for praise. I look to enlighten others and help them escape, even for a little while, their lives by immersing themselves into a tale I've written. If you'd like to experience either of my books, I've included the links below.
 A Sojourn in Hell- Amazon, Amazon UK& Barnes & Noble
Snow Escape- Amazon, Amazon UK& Barnes & Noble

Open and Shut by J. R. Lindermuth         
Publisher: Untreed Reads Publishing-Fingerprints (April 6, 2013) ASIN: B00C8P2ZLW
Rating: ★★★★
An apparent murder-suicide might be anything but open and shut. After hearing gunshots, in an otherwise quiet neighborhood, several neighbors call the cops. When Officer Fred Drumheiser and Cpl. Harry Minnich arrive, they find the bodies of Officer Booth Keiser and his wife, Stacey, lying in the grass between their house and their next door neighbors' residence. Keiser's service weapon is also found in the grass beside him.
In an attempt to obtain information, Minnich decides to interview some of the neighbors, many of whom are standing out on their porches watching the commotion. Arriving first at the house of Dwayne and Kit Border, the Keiser's next door neighbors, Minnich is told the couple constantly fought. Already knowing this, having gone to the Keiser's residence in the past on domestic calls, doesn't quench the suspicion he has that something about the situation just isn't right.
Open and Shut by JR Lindermuth reads like a classic whodunnit. Conflicting stories from witnesses add up to someone lying, and it's up to the seasoned officer to figure out what really happened. Dwayne Border claims he didn't associate with either of the Keisers, but when a third neighbor says he's been seen talking with Stacey in the past, on numerous occasions, will his story start to fall apart? Is it truly a crime of passion or something more?

About the Author
A retired newspaper editor, J. R. Lindermuth lives and writes in central Pennsylvania. He’s the author of nine novels, including four in his Sticks Hetrick mystery series. His short stories and articles have been published in a variety of magazines, both print and on line.

To purchase Open and Shut please visit:
Untreed Reads Publishing For Kindle- Amazon

Jesus Is Already Here by Augusta Trobaugh

Publisher: Untreed Reads Publishing (February 7, 2013)
ASIN: B00BCTZY0O

Rating: ★★★★
A rural Southern town in the 1960s sets the scene as a young boy ponders Jesus' racial background. It's the third Sunday of the month in August 1962, and two cousins are visiting their Nana's home. After Sunday services, the boys and their parents will be treated to a huge dinner. While dinner is being prepared, the boys and their fathers retreat to the front porch to try and cool off on the oppressively hot day.

The sound of music can be heard in the distance, and Uncle Jerome comments that it's a revival at the AME church which isn't a place frequented by white people. Jim whispers to his cousin, suggesting they check out the singing. After being given the okay by Jerome, both boys take off. Arriving at the church, they crouch down among the trees and listen to the parishioners. Soon, a question is posed that will provoke one cousin to turn his anger on the other.
Jesus is Already Here by Augusta Trobaugh tackles the subject of racial inequality in a very realistic and tactful way. This short story focuses more on how people perceive those of another race than on religion. How will neighbors react to the arrival of a black man spreading the word of God throughout their community? Will a little boy's perception be forever changed on that Sunday afternoon?

To purchase Jesus Is Already Here please visit:
Untreed Reads Publishing

For Kindle- Amazon