J.L.’s Comments (group member since Aug 10, 2011)

J.L.’s comments from the Q&A with J.L. Murphey group.

Many of you have noticed that I've been gone or pretty much invisible from posting in GoodReads for a while.

The reason is not laziness, but serious. I had a stroke in May 2012. It has left me paralyzed on the right side. Now almost nine months later, I've got a handle on writing again and have started a new book. This is a humorous look at stroke recovery and nonfiction.

I hope to keep improving so I may continue publishing fiction, but as now it's just not possible.

On May 10th, 2012. I will be releasing "Are You a Survivalist or a Prepper?"

This is a nonfiction title. It's a basic how-to book. It asks a question in the title but goes on to explain why you should be both a survivalist and a prepper.

I've narrowed down the release date for the second book in my children's series to the end of October. "mr. Goodbar Goes to the Hospital" will be available through Createspace and Amazon.

Happy reading for your children.

I know! Although I have done marketing and business analysis in foreign countries, my tax and finance expertise is for the US. Sorry.

I just published a new pamphlet on the business of being an indie author. It is a short e-read about the business aspects of being an idie author.

It is geared for American authors and covers topics like finances, income, deductions and taxes. While quite a bit is written about how to write your books, and how to market them...information on the actualy business end of being an indie author.

Great Sarah!
I always like knowing whose reading. After my youngest daughter read the paperback she threw it at me andtold me "Oh no, you didn't end it like that!"

I'd be interested to hear what you have to say about it. E-reader or paperback?

I can't believe I forgot this one. My espionage novel.

"Escape from Second Eden" by J. L. Murphey
Smashwords ISBN 978-1-4581-1702-1
ISBN-13: 978-1461058946 (CreateSpace-Assigned)
ISBN-10: 1461058945
https://www.createspace.com/3590633
http://www.amazon.com/Escape-from-Sec...
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
http://www.facebook.com/pages/JL-Murp...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_mHKy...

Synopsis
What would you do if there were no one you could trust and everything you once believed is false? Eiko Mueller’s life spirals out of control with her husband’s embassy assignment in Ceylon. In 1969 on this tropical island, the duty starts out just like any other until the Ceylon switches from democracy to socialism. She is a pawn in a nation-against-nation chess match for power and control. But unlike in real chess, this pawn has assets and survival skills beyond measure.

The Soviets and Chinese vying for a toehold in the Indian Ocean recruit local political figures for the upcoming election, as well as informants. At a reception for the new American ambassador, Eiko learns several democratic ministry officials plan on fleeing the country if they side loses. A startling revelation, but the Americans continue the act of business as usual.

After several attempts are made on her life, another Marine is washed up on shore after being tortured to death, her husband is kidnapped, a kidnapping and assassination attempt on her children, and political unrest rising with bombs and bullets whizzing. Eiko starts calling in markers and uses some of her well earned influence to stop the madness.

After the general election, the Socialists take power. Demonstrations begin outside the US embassy and death threats begin again. The demonstrators bomb the American embassy and stab a local police officer. The country explodes as the government imposes martial law.

When the decision comes to close the Embassy, she makes one of the hardest decisions of her life- fleeing the country with her children leaving her husband behind in dangerous territory.

"The Sacrificial Lamb" by Jolee Morriss
Smashwords ISBN 978-1-4580-4989-6
ISBN-13: 978-1460919910 (CreateSpace-Assigned)
ISBN-10: 1460919912
https://www.createspace.com/3555935
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jolee-M...
http://www.amazon.com/Sacrificial-Lam...
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQGtG8...

"Who Stole Baby Ruth" by Grandma JAM
ISBN-13: 978-1463500702 (CreateSpace-Assigned)
ISBN-10: 146350070X
http://www.amazon.com/Who-Stole-Baby-...
https://www.createspace.com/3615450

"Zombie Apocalypse: Redemption" by J. L. Murphey
Smashwords ISBN: 978-1-4661-4582-5
ISBN-13: 978-1463781460
ISBN-10: 1463781466
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
http://www.amazon.com/Zombie-Apocalyp...
https://www.createspace.com/3663514
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byUpPn...

New novel trailer for this novel.
http://youtu.be/CZigdIeRwPQ
Take a look and let me know what you think. So far in the past couple weeks ninety copies have flown from the shelves. Thank you!

At the end of October, "mr. Goodbar Goes to the Hospital hits the shelves at amazon.com and createspace. It is the second in the children's series, "The Sweet Haven Series for Children."

Hopefully by December, in time for Christmas, Zombie Apocalypse: Travelers will be ready for publication. This is the second in my zombie Apocalypse series. "Travelers" is set in Hawaii. The main character is a billionaire who bought a solar, wind, and wave powered ship as a yatch. A rogue wave disables the vessel and they have to go ashore for parts. As with the first novel, there are zombie points of view, gory flesh ripping action, and a few surprises along the way.

Sarah,
Love it especially poignant since my daughter's baby shower is this weekend. :)

Jo

Well it's now been a week since the launch and sales are hopping. I'm doing the snoopy dance of happiness!

Launch Day!!! Come and join me. http://jomurphey.blogspot.com

Now Available at Createspace and Amazon.com
https://www.createspace.com/3615450
http://www.amazon.com/Who-Stole-Baby-...
Grab your copy today!

Sarah,

Congratulations for getting out of the slush pile and getting traditionally published. Yes, publishing with a publisher definitely has its deadlines. While I understand about waiting until you hear a response back from your debut novel, it might not be a bad idea to start the sequel.

I got off the deadline treadmill a year ago when I retired from my careers as an international marketer and chef. I know an odd combination. I am still a minister so I haven't totally retired just moved into the part-time aspects of my day job. Yes, I am the master juggler as I call myself in my blog.

It takes time to write and it takes time to publish. Most publishers want a novel release about every two or three years. If it takes you a year to complete a manuscript and 18 months to publish it onto shelves, you are right on target.

I always advise authors to keep on writing. Yours is Paranormal, correct? Or was it horror? The market is hot right now for those type fictions, but what will the market be in two years? I also advise sticking with one genre when publishing traditionally like you are.

I would not advise following my lead. I am a prolific writer. I can complete three to four 50K-120K word manuscripts a year. Most writers can not do this- even experienced ones. Most authors struggle with completing one manuscript every year or so. I'm the odd ball.

For me, my fiction is all suspense except for my childrens series. Whether it is espionage, sothern, or horror although this is stretching the boundaries a bit. Which is one of the reasons why I self-publish.

The difficulty is selling to three different market segments. Even selling to one is daunting enough for most folks. I social media myself to death almost, but it is MY choice.

Thanks for joining and tell your friends. :)

You are most welcome!

Welcome one and all to my "love me" page. This is where I will take comments from fans and other authors. I'm kind of stumbling in the dark here being relatively new to GoodReads so if you have suggestions let me know.

I have two titles coming out in August.

"Zombie Apocalypse:Redemption" by J.L. Murphey
Zombie Apocalypse: Redemption by J. L. Murphey
Genre- Suspense/Horror
Synopsis
Dr. Donna Cairn is a genetics researcher for the Center of Disease Control. When the CDC issued the Zombie Apocalypse Alert, she discounted it as a way of advertising hurricane preparedness. When a conspiracy buff working with her in the silo speaks to her about the debunked Hapgood theory of Earth Crust Displacement, she again discounts it as just that some wacko, paranoid rambling. But when radiation levels after the Japanese earthquakes starting rising, all bets were off.

Simple dog bite patients are dying from a mysterious fever. Bodies start coming up missing from the morgues across the globe. When the death count reaches over one quarter of the world’s population dying due to this new plague, the CDC sends their best virologist, Kit Seger, to help Donna in her quest of finding the virus in her converted missile silo laboratory in Nebraska.

The dead have risen and hunger for human flesh. She never believed in zombies before, but now she believes in them. Can she and Kit find the cure before mankind becomes extinct? How do you cure people who are already dead? And better yet, how do you kill the dead?
Can it be that Donna’s unborn niece and nephew are the answer? With the earthquakes rumbling, zombies at the gate, and time running out will they find what they are looking for? Man can only hope.

Available Amazon (Kindle and Paperback), CreateSpace, Smashwords, and other e-book retailers
See the cover in pictures

And

"Who Stole Baby Ruth" by GrandmaJAM
Who Stole Baby Ruth by GrandmaJAM
Genre- Childrens
Synopsis
Officer Nestle Crunch thought he had his hands full with the charity concert with the hottest band, The M&M’s with their backup singers The SugarBabies, coming to town.

When Mayor mr. Goodbar’s daughter, Baby Ruth is kidnapped the town of Sweet Haven will never be the same. Will they find her in time?

Available Amazon and createspace (paperback only because it is hard to color an e-reader)
See cover in pictures