A Few of my Favorite Blogs Part 5 of The Blog Party

Hello everyone and welcome to day five of The Blog Party! Make sure you come back on Monday (day six) for yet another great giveaway! This time, from Ms. Dee Ankary. Dee is the author of How to: Build a Profitable Niche Blog and Blog Transformation Secrets. Ms. Ankary has agreed to give away a digital copy of How to: Build a Profitable Niche Blog that she will Kindlegraph for the winner!!

Please remember that the rafflecopter drawing for Ms. Lisa Cherry's book Soul Journey ends today. Go here to enter now.

Today's giveaway is going to work like this: Comment on my blogger blog (any post) today and I will give you an entry to win a printed, signed copy of my book The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book. I will do this by spreadsheet. In the order of comments, you will be entered on the list and I will use random.org to choose a random winner. So, get to commenting and GOOD LUCK!

I am also giving a nod to a very wise lady today, Dorothy Ruppert. Here's a little bit about the lady and her book God Placed Her in My Path - Lessons Learned from the Furnace of Bipolar Disorder. You can purchase it here or on Dorothy's website here.

Isn't she just lovely?!

Author Bio:

Dorothy Ruppert has spent 43 years advocating for the mentally ill and their families. She is a retired Chief Executive Officer of a non-profit organization and the former owner of three small businesses. Dorothy now spends her time as a writer and an inspirational speaker. She is currently working on her second book, a collection of short readings to inspire people who cope with situations that are beyond their control.






Synopsis:

God Placed Her in My Path - Lessons Learned from the Furnace of Bipolar Disorder by Dorothy Ruppert is an inspirational, heart-wrenching true story of a mother advocating for her daughter during a time when doctors did not believe a child could suffer from bipolar disorder. This book will speak truth and bring hope to those who experience a brain disorder and to those who walk alongside them. It serves to educate and break the stigma of mental illness, which is rapidly increasing in the world today.
God Placed Her in My Path is strongly recommended for all who want to learn more, but especially for educators, social workers, and extended family members of persons coping with a brain disorder.



Now, on to the blog party and our regularly scheduled post of blogs you'll love!

You can read daily bits and pieces from Ms. Dorothy on her blog:

God Placed Her in My Path

Here's a blog that discusses writing and the process:

Caro Ayre

A couple more blogs that talk books (you can never get enough of those):

Danielle. Wife. Author. Mother.  On Twitter: @danielle_lise
Heather's Book Chatter  On Twitter: @woodtop255

A blog by a mother/daughter team who wrote a book together (I know, I know, I couldn't do it):

Depression Cookies  On Twitter: @Tia_Bach_Author

A blog by a designer and writer:

Helz-Design  On Twitter: @HelzDesign

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

A Few of my Favorite Blogs Part 4 of The Blog Party

Today on my blog party, I'm happy to talk about Ms. Randi G. Fine, author of Awaken From Life: Lessons for Discovering Your Personal Truths and happy to announce yet another giveaway for all you loyal readers! It just keeps getting better and better, huh?

Pssssssst: Check back tomorrow for information about Ms. Dorothy Ruppert's book, God Placed Her in My Path - Lessons Learned from the Furnace of Bi-Polar Disorder and I may be giving away something super cool to go with it!! Just because I like you all so much, of course. If you haven't already, go enter the rafflecopter drawing for Lisa Cherry's book Soul Journey. Winner will be announced Saturday morning! Now, onward!!

Ms. Fine has also agreed to give readers the following: If you like her Randi G. Fine Facebook page from your personal page, you'll receive an inspirational picture quote exclusively designed for this promotion.  Send her a message referring to the promotion, include your email address, and she will email you the gift. How freaking awesome is she? 

Now, a little about the author and the book:

She is just gorgeous, isn't she?

  
Biography:

Randi G. Fine is an accomplished Ft. Lauderdale writer, radio show host, and published author. She tells the spellbinding story of her life in her 2010 memoir, Fine…ly: My Story of Hope, Love, and Destiny, inspiring others with messages of courage and hope. Her inspiring new spiritual/self-help book, Awaken from Life: Lessons for Discovering Your Personal Truths, was published in June 2012. As the producer and host of her provocative podcast radio show, A Fine Time for Healing, Randi revives the emotional and spiritual well-being of world-wide audiences.

Synopsis:

In this evocative, illuminating book, Randi Fine encourages you to free yourself from the inhibiting obstacles in your life, embrace the conscious power of your intent, and awaken your unrealized potential. Travel on an introspective journey into the heart of your personal realities where your perceptions, truths, and desires lie. Distinguish the thought processes that enhance your life experience from those that stand in the way of achieving all you desire. Reflect on perspectives never before considered. Experience the powerful impact of revelations brought on by your newfound self-awareness.
The path to greater fulfillment awaits your discovery. The only thing required is your deliberate choice to “Awaken from Life.”

You may find her book for purchase here.

Now, on to our regular post!  I will, of course, begin with my guest for today.

Randi G. Fine's blog is about getting the most out of life. It's inspirational and heartfelt. If you need a pick-me-up, check it out. But wait! There's more! She also has a radio show! Be sure and give her a listen.

Love Your Life!  On Twitter: @RandiGFine
A Fine Time for Healing radio show

Looking for a hip way to stick it to the mass produced man? Look no further. Get honesty and straight-forward opinions on everything:

throwing up in an IKEA bag  On Twitter: @jenchatwrites

A very cool blog that helps with all those annoying e-book formatting issues and gives some great tips on tools to help you build your platform (author or otherwise). As a bonus, this company does e-book formatting as well:

Writer's Block Admin Services  On Twitter: @JoHarris0n

This next blog is all about success and how you put your know-how and knowledge of the world to work. She doesn't preach at you, and she uses a lot of humor and real-world examples to get her message across:

the art of possibility... discovering new pathways to success  On Twitter: @klaughman

A wonderful blog that covers darn near everything you can imagine. Handy for writers and a fun read too!

You Are What You Write  On Twitter: @rachelhwrites

Well, that's all for today, folks! Come on back tomorrow for more! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

A Few of my Favorite Blogs Part 3 of The Blog Party

Today, I'm excited to bring you news of a wonderful kind. My blog party is going to run for two weeks! This is my birthday present to myself!

I have a lot of great giveaways still to come so follow me and stay in the loop! Also, Ms. Lisa Cherry has generously offered a copy of her book Soul Journey for a rafflecopter drawing. Everyone say thank you to Ms. Lisa. You can find the book for purchase here for you folks in the UK or here for you folks in the US. You can find her on FaceBook here and LinkedIN here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here's a bit about the author and the book:

Isn't she super pretty?!

Author Bio:

Who is Lisa Cherry? To those who meet her, it’s impossible to define her in a single sentence. At first glance, she’s a successful business woman running an holistic massage practice. However, if you spoke to her clients you would discover that she doesn’t merely relieve stress or pain, but empowers women to make positive lifelong changes.

Lisa herself has overcome adversity despite facing many challenging life experiences. Her teenage years were symbolised by hurtling from one foster home to the next seeking stability and love. School exclusions, care homes, alcoholism and homelessness made their mark, before Lisa found the inner strength to break free from a spiral of self-destruction and chose life instead.

After getting sober at the age of 20, steely determination drove her through a university degree, after which she devoted 18 years to the social services sector helping children and families through difficult times – whilst still battling her own inner demons.

It was though pursuing an holistic approach to life that Lisa found the roots of her true recovery. With a holistic massage diploma in the bag, her thirst for life was unleashed. Far from being a mere survivor, Lisa’s passion for life, change and personal development now inspire others to follow their dreams.

In fact, upon discovering blogging, she rapidly connected with an audience hungry to listen and, like Lisa, confront tough challenges in their own past. Through her encouragement, many women embarked on their own journey of discovery, sharing their achievements with Lisa on her blog.

What makes Lisa so compelling is her selfless ability to openly share her soul, reflecting upon life with complete honesty and integrity. Imbuing others with a vision for change, she empowers others in their own healing. Such is the affect that Lisa’s boundless energy and incredible positivity have on all those whose lives she touches. In this her first book, Lisa reveals her own mantra for living and shares other women’s celebratory journeys over adversity.

Synopsis:

When it seems impossible to free yourself from a life spinning out of control or from a cycle of emotional pain, it’s incredible to imagine how words on a page can change your life completely…
They can. Such is the power behind Soul Journey.
Soul Journey draws together a unique collection of real-life stories featuring extraordinary everyday women. I share their journey through life’s challenges and how personal discovery led to profound change.

Unlike other self-help books, the different journeys combine to show how connecting with your own healing can have an astonishing impact on how you bond with the world beyond. That need to feel part of others’ lives is something we all crave. As you explore the book, you can find new ways to feel part of life’s bigger picture.
The book is shaped from real life – a tapestry of poignant and enlightened moments. Weaving my own personal insight gained through being in care, homeless and a recovering alcoholic – to my holistic therapy work – every shared experience is rooted in naked truth… in honesty. Find the courage you need to take the first step…

Finally, this book is about you – and what connects us together. Seize the chance to reflect on you, your life, your aspirations. Learn to share pain, share the journey and share the celebration of self-recovery. By walking this pathway together, you can truly thrive – and be the person you want to be.

On to our regularly scheduled post for today! Such exciting things happening, I almost can't sit still!

First and foremost, Ms. Lisa Cherry's blog. She has a great book group on her blog as well, that just makes it more interesting!

Passionate Ramblings  On Twitter: @_LisaCherry
Passionate Ramblings Book Group

If you are sci-fi passionate, you'll love this guy's blog:

Doug Turnbull  On Twitter: @dturnbull2

Are you battling depression? Do you have a family member who's battling depression? This blog is from a woman who's dealt with it all, and it's a hub of information on the topic:

God Placed Her in My Path

Would you like to know how to get the best marketing ideas to build your platform? Check out this blog written by a woman who has the know-how:

Judith Cassis C.Ht.  On Twitter: @telesuccess

Now, the lady I'm about to mention doesn't just write a blog, she also has a radio show. She is:

An Average Woman in a Superwoman World  On Twitter: @AverageWomanSJ

Don't forget to enter my Goodreads giveaway for your chance at a copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book Two! If you have young readers, you NEED the series. Go enter!

Well, that's all for today, folks!! Come back tomorrow for more great blog reads and more great gifts! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

A Few of my Favorite Blogs Part 2 of The Blog Party

Today on my blog party I have some exciting news to share!! Tomorrow, I will be hosting a giveaway of the book Soul Journey by a fellow writer and blogger named Lisa Cherry. Check back here to enter the Rafflecopter drawing!

Thursday, I'll be talking about a book written by Ms. Randi Fine titled Awaken From Life: Lessons for Discovering Your Personal Truths (don't miss that). You can read a little about it or buy it here.

A surprise for you all today, I am happy to tell you about a great FREE book by Mr. Robert Chazz Chute titled The Dangerous Kind & Other Stories. Get it at Amazon before tomorrow night! I've read his book titled Bigger Than Jesus and am a huge fan of his work. I am delighted to help him announce his giveaway.

A brief synopsis:
Small-town claustrophobia and the psychological horror of living with other people at its best.This is a real deal with all these stories now in one package: two brothers must decide if murder is the answer to all of their problems; a psycho psychologist directs a serial killer who to kill; a crazy young woman insists she stay on as the psychologist's patient; a divorced dad learns to deal with loss through the power of hypochondria; a starlet meets her high school lover again for one last conversation about dire secrets; and a DJ argues against God only to discover that there are some arguments you definitely don't want to win.

Revamped and reloaded, my novella, The Dangerous Kind is available again, but now it's bundled with six short stories that are the precursors to the (coming!) Poeticule Bay series of novels. Two new stories are in this collection, including The Sum of Me, a story anyone with credit card debt will appreciate. I read The Sum of Me at a writing conference to thunderous applause and it won an honourable mention from a Writer's Digest competition.

Now, on to our regular post! Aren't you all excited? What a great week this will be! Welcome to a few more of my favorite blogs.

Here's a blog by a literary agent that asks thought-provoking questions for authors of all kinds:

Rachelle Gardner  On Twitter: @RachelleGardner

Do you like ramblings? How about ramblings that have a purpose? Follow this blog for great photos and discussion:

Ramblin' with AM  On Twitter: @ RamblinGarden

Get some wonderful marketing advice and some helpful tips about setting up FaceBook or branding your own blog with Liberty:

Libertys Yarn  On Twitter: @LibertysYarn

A couple of blogs for all you children's chapter book lovers:

Imagine! Create! Write!  and
Chapter Book Challenge  On Twitter: @moonduster
Ghostnapped!  On Twitter: @AshleyHowland

If you're interested in poetry, thought-provoking posts, or to see the world through someone else's eyes, check out this guy's blog:

The Arkside of Thought  On Twitter: @SahmAtaineKing

That's all for today, folks! More great blogs and that awesome giveaway tomorrow! Until then, WRITE ON!

Jo

Biting and Chewing

We write like we eat: plan the book (idea), write an outline, write chapter-by-chapter, plan the meal, cook the meal, eat the meal bite-by-bite.

We can't really get to the last part unless we do the first two parts. Even if we eat a lot of fast food, we still have to decide where to go and what to order. You can't skip parts.

Seasonings are the feelings and settings you put into your book. I could write a lovely few lines like this:

I walked to the fridge and pulled out hot dogs. I popped one into the microwave and heated it for a minute, then added ketchup and sat down to eat. When I was done, I cleaned my place and headed to get out of my pajamas so I could go to the store.

You get the idea of what I'm doing but I certainly seem like I'm a zombie and have zero emotion, right? Let's try again:

I felt hunger pangs for the first time since the incident occurred so I shuffled over to the old fridge that looked like something from 1972 (much like the kitchen it was in) and jerked the door open to peer inside. I scanned the contents and let out a heavy sigh before I settled on hot dogs. I slammed them down on the counter and slit open the package with a knife from the block nearby. Digging out one of the dogs, I grabbed a paper towel and wrapped it up like a caterpillar in a cocoon before popping it into the microwave and pressing the button that would get me thirty seconds of nuke time.

While the appliance whirred, I stuffed the remaining hot dogs into a bag, zipped it closed, and reached for a paper plate. Tears filled my eyes again as I thought about what happened and my head screamed How could this happen to me? Haven't I endured enough? I got a less-than-satisfying ding, opened the microwave, and grabbed my breakfast. After I plopped it on the plate, I stuffed the leftovers back into the fridge and grabbed the ketchup. I squirted a squiggly line next to my dog and popped the bottle back into the still open fridge; slamming the door.

Shuffling to the two-person table that was situated under the naked bulb in my sparse dining room made me feel like all my energy was suddenly being drained from my body. I sat down and ate my meal while fat tears rolled down my face and plopped into my already-watery ketchup. Sighing, I stood and took my small mess to the over-full trash can before heading to change out of my pajamas for the first time in a week so I could go to the store.

Now, even though you have no idea why I feel the way I feel, you have more emotional response than with the first section, right? You know something is troubling the poor soul that's being spoken about, right? Would you read on to find out what's wrong?

I'm building suspense to my plight by letting you into my thoughts and emotions before telling you what's going on. It's a useful trick to pickup and also useful to see the opposite way and realize how you can pare down and remove emotion and scenery. All I did was add a few spices to your meal.

If you haven't picked one up yet, go get a copy of one of my books. There's something for everyone there!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Why?

I have announced the release of my book, The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book and I'm sitting on pins and needles hoping that someone, somewhere gets some use out of the darned thing. This is the simple answer to why I wrote it. Let me explain further for those of you that don't understand what the book is about. I'll start with the ToC page...

Section One – Branding Yourself
Choosing an Identity
Creating a Logo (or having one created for you)
Color Scheme Dos and Don’ts
Consistency is Queen – Because Kings are controlled by Queens!

Section Two – Formatting Your Manuscript
Dos and Don’ts when Writing Your Book
Quick Tips for Better Legibility
Building Your Save System
Different Formats for Different Platforms

Section Three – Building a Digital Cover
Size IS Important!
Images
Font Choices – Why does it Matter?
Using Layers

Section Four – Final Checks
Uploading and Proofing

Section Five – Business Considerations
Choosing your distributor(s)
Places to Sell and Market Your Book

Section Six – If Your Book is a Print Version
Your Book’s Guts
Orphans and Widows
Pesky Page Numbers
Running Headers
Cover Considerations
Explaining Bleed and Safety
Conversion to CMYK for print
Math Involved

As you can see, I cover a lot of things in the book related to design and personal branding. Both of these considerations are important, so I give you tips and tricks to put into action that will help you along the way. I use all of my own advice and the print version of The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book is not telling you, but showing you how things look when properly formatted according to the guide.

I had a couple of indie authors look over the ToC and had The Best Boyfriend in the World look over the content (he's not an author and I thought that was best because I wanted someone totally unfamiliar with the whole process). What you see is the result.

I have my own personal brand and am working on a personal logo that I can display here on my blog and on every copyright page for every one of my books. Why? Because consistency is queen. I already use the same font and put my name in the same position on every book, but I need more.

I wrote the book because I saw with my own eyes how many indie authors were struggling with cover design and formatting their print and digital versions. I listened to complaints coming out of the mouths of designers who thought only to criticize the quality of print work emerging from indie authors but not bothering to do anything to help them besides venting on YouTube videos or on blogs.

My personal horn-tooting: I hold a degree in graphic design and graduated at the top of my class (Summa Cum Laude), something that is rarely done in that program. I tutored Graphic Design, English, and Calculus. I won the right to design the commencement cover at my school. The president loved it so much, he used it a second time this year. I got many kudos from my business professors for thinking outside the box and understanding the need for branding. I led creative thinking groups in my composition classes. I taught classes for a number of my professors throughout college when they were absent for one reason or another.

But I'm not so pompous as to put down those that know less than I do about things I went to school for.

I listened to those videos and got angry at the designers spouting their ideals about a utopian society where every indie author has gone to design school and produces a perfect product every time. What do they say? Pay me and I'll help you. But not peanuts or pocket change because they don't want to bother taking the time to put together a guide, they just want to yell at indies for not having $400+ dollars to pay them to do the work. That's part of what drove my price of $2.99.

$2.99 is something the mother who is struggling to write her book and raise her kids alone can afford. $2.99 is what we can find in the cushions of our couch. $2.99 is what the guy with the limited budget and the need for a quality product can afford. $2.99 also says I care about my work and value the information I'm selling to you.

For $2.99 we can change the way indie authors look to the world. We can give the big publishing houses less to criticize us over without breaking the bank or going into hock.

I'd be willing to bet those designers who talk about indie titles sucking eggs in a print version can't write a novel. Most of the designers in my classes could barely write a brief. It's easy to criticize others when you hold a skillset they don't. Just remember, they have skillsets of their own, just in different areas.

Instead of allowing your prejudices to take over and calling out people for not doing things the "proper" way, think of how you might be able to improve the lives of those people. By doing so, you may improve your own life as a bonus. I know the more indie authors that read and follow my book, the more beautiful print versions and beautiful covers I'll have to look at. I will no longer sit and stress wondering how I can help; because I did.

Here's a peek at the cover for my book, The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book

I don't want you to look like the poor lady on the cover there. It lessens productivity when you bang your head or sit slouched in a chair doing nothing but being stressed. Go get the book today and know that I built this book for you and me.

Here are the links:

Kindle version - free for prime users, $2.99 for everyone else. There will be NO free promotions for this one except over on Goodreads, where I'll giveaway two copies of the printed version to two lucky winners.
Paperback version - $6.99. Again, NO free promotions except on Goodreads. Check back here for the link that will appear in the sidebar sometime this week.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Frustrations - Solved

One of my biggest headaches as a writer is the bulk of my laptop and the slim loveliness of my iPad and iPhone. When I'm at my desk at home, I prefer to write on my laptop. When I'm on the go, I prefer my iPhone. When I'm traveling, I prefer my iPad.

This creates a huge problem for me: synchronization. I write something on my laptop only to have to e-mail it to myself in a document that I can only read on my other devices. Or, I write something on my iPad and have to copy/paste it and send it as an e-mail to be opened on my laptop. As you can imagine, this hinders my workflow and slows me down. Even if I had a document reader on my other devices that was harmonious, I'd still have to either e-mail or sync whatever I'm working on.

If you haven't heard of Evernote, I'm about to blow your mind. This application is FREE and will absolutely change the way you write and take notes forever. It works on almost every device known.

But what does it do, Jo?

That's the sweetest part of all! Evernote allows you to capture photos, take notes, write, outline, or do anything related to writing. Then, it allows you to access and update your document from ANY of the devices you have it installed on. You can even keyword your notes so you can find them with a simple search! Do you have six WIPs? Keyword them with the name and pull up all related notes with a snap. As a bonus, they give you a specialized e-mail address so you can send things to yourself from other computers or devices and have them stored instantly on your Evernote! HOLY MOLY, BATMAN!

I am blown away. I've been looking for an app just like Evernote since I started college. Now that I'm writing full-time, it gives me unlimited ability to work whenever, wherever. What are you waiting for? Go get one!

I have another little tidbit that I'm going to throw in here: I published my book The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book over the weekend and I'm selling it on Amazon for just $2.99. If you read my blog, you'll know that I hold a degree in Graphic Design. Section Six of the book walks you through making your printed book look like it was done by a professional. All previous sections discuss things like branding yourself, getting a logo, and how to use color.

No more head-banging or tearing out your hair! Talk about a post full of things to make your life as a writer easier. I know, I am too kind *grin*

I'm now going to give you a few examples of book covers I have designed using the suggestions and guidelines found in my book. Enjoy!

Please note that Crystal Lee's name appears in the same font and in the same place on both covers. Also note that only two fonts were used on each cover.
Canopy is currently available in digital and paperback formats. Crystal's book on Organic Gardening will be available soon.

Ms. Chelsea Black's book also uses only two fonts and the colors are harmonious and beautiful. If you'd like to delve into her book, you can purchase it digitally.

All of these design lessons and more can be learned in my book. I give you a ton of references and a ton of information in under 15k words.

Don't forget to enter the Goodreads giveaway for your chance at a copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book Two. Two signed copies are available!!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The F-Word

Today's post is brought to you by the letter F. F is one of those letters that dwells at the beginning of some of the most vulgar and some of the nicest words. Let's take a tour of F-words, shall we?

Fun. We all love to have fun. Fields of flowers are brought to mind when I think of having fun. Frolicking through them, flying through on a four-wheeler, and feeling perfectly at ease are all resons behind me loving that particular setting.

Did you see what I did there? Moving on...

Fancy. When we put on our fabulous frocks, we feel fancy (and look fantastic, too). I'm reminded of friends and foes gathered together at feasts I attended. Furthermore, I'm reminded of fur wraps and fedoras when I think of the word fancy.

Flippant. Freaking full of themselves is what flippant people are. Fiery flashes of force are flung from their mouths before they realize they are fighting futilely.

Friendly. Of all the F-words, I like friendly the most. When we're feeling forlorn, we can strike up a feud with a well known friend and engage in fulfilling conversation. Our friends don't fight back, they fill our hearts with banter that leaves us feeling empowered and understanding that our future is in good hands.

Okay, that was a lot of F-words. But you can see just how wide the range is. I left off one four letter F-word because you all know it and the extent of its vulgarity. No need to hash it out here (though that might be interesting one day). I hope you all begin to take note of F-words and realize that not all of them are dreaded.

Another little note for all you fiends out there. Oh my... I can't stop, can I?

The Abigale Chronicles - Book Two is FREE at Amazon tomorrow and Sunday. If you want a good read for the weekend, go get a copy. If you haven't read book one, there are a couple of ways to get one of those as well: Buy one at Amazon (just $1.99!) or purchase Yassa at Smashwords (there's a code in the back for a free copy!).

I'm also launching the giveaway on Goodreads on Monday. Come back here for the linky!

Now, I'd like to hear from all of you! What's your favorite F-word? Remember the rules of my blog now and keep it clean and friendly!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Fetters for the Fourth

Today, I am chained to my desk. Tonight, I am chained to my desk. I will prepare my non-fiction book for publication and write one volume of the Mystic series by the end of this month. My fetters grow ever heavier.

Some people take the 4th of July off, but a writer's work is never done. Some days I wish my book sales would pick up and give me a reason to keep writing. But then I remember, I don't write to make money (that would be an exercise in futility). I write because I have stories to tell and I want people to read them.

When someone says my book had a strong impact on them, I have been paid. I'm the richest person in the world when I make someone else smile or stop and think. That is why I write and it keeps me going every day. Well, that and The Best Boyfriend in the World.

I'm honestly the luckiest person on the planet. I have him, five great kids, a great mom, a wonderful little dog, and my virtual besties. I'm able to do what I love every day. I couldn't ask for more.

But I do sometimes. I admit it. I wish I could think my books into existence, I wish I didn't wear my heart on my sleeve, and I wish for peace in my soul. But, I think if any of those things truly changed, I would not be able to write. I type and think about what happens next, feel very deeply everything that is said to me, and have chaos in my soul (making me a tortured artist). Escape in my words is all that keeps me sane.

You writers know how I feel.

Happy 4th of July, everyone.

Don't forget to watch my blog for the announcement of the first couple of FREE days for The Abigale Chronicles - Book Two. I won't post it anywhere else. Let's see how many of you are excited about it.

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Published and an Award!

As you all are aware, The Abigale Chronicles - Book Two published today. WOOHOO!

I will give you all a synopsis meow :)

Twelve-year-old Abigale Fontenot is struggling to figure out whether her adventures are real or imagined. After an adventure with Amazonion women in book one, Abigale and Emmett have formed a bond through mutual trust and secrets, but Kristy has turned against Abigale because of it. Now, Abigale again finds herself in a precarious situation with a city full of talking cats. Emmett is once more by her side as she faces down a vicious cat queen in an attempt to avoid certain death and restore the leadership of the city to its rightful owner. Will they succeed, or will they be roasted alive? What will happen when Kristy overhears the discussions about the adventures with Ada?

You can purchase the digital copy here:

Amazon.com

Exciting news: My book will be available for free on select days. You must visit my blog daily to find out when the free promotion begins and ends. It won't be posted anywhere else.

Yes, that's an evil laugh you hear.

Don't forget to watch my blog for the Goodreads giveaway badge you all know is coming. I may do three signed copies this time. You gotta enter to win!

I have had a lengthy discussion with my daughter about book three. I have written this synopsis based on the idea. I hope you enjoy it.

The Abigale Chronicles - Book Three

Abigale Fontenot is turning thirteen. Just when she thinks her birthday couldn't possibly get any worse, a new adventure takes hold. Abigale and Emmett are whisked away to a world of fantasy where knights, dragons, and princesses are the order of the day. Abigale is kidnapped by an evil prince in a nearby kingdom, and it's up to Emmett to rescue her. But Abigale finds that escape is not the most important thing; restoring the evil prince's kindness that has been locked away in a magical book by a wicked sorceress must come first. While Emmett is trying to rescue Abigale, she is trying to free the prince from his curse. Will she succeed in her quest before the evil prince kills Emmett, or will she fail and lose her new best friend? Will death matter if the whole thing is a dream, or are the adventures real and truly dangerous?

Now for the award!

Ms. Moonduster over at Imagine! Create! Write! gave me the one lovely blog award.

So, a huge shout out of THANKS to her! The rules of the nomination are thus:
I have to tell you seven things about myself and I have to nominate six to ten other bloggers to receive the award and then let them know they got it.

Here goes:

1. I have five children.
2. I read 300+ books in my third grade year alone.
3. I know fairy tales that no one has ever heard of.
4. I'm 5'7" tall.
5. I took 5 years to get a 2 year degree because I wanted to study everything.
6. I have a nearly photographic memory.
7. I have strict philosophies on life and living that I plan to introduce to my blog at some point.

Now you know: I'm a serious book nerd who remembers everything she has ever read.

And the award is passed on to:

Judith Cassis

Laura Orsini (a.k.a. Marcie Brock)

Lisa Cherry

Liberty Montano

Tia Bach

Merlene Fawdry

Rachel Thomas

And that's all of em!! Ladies, feel free to use that beautiful badge up top and do eet!!

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Social Media Mayhem

Social media prompt from the 28 Day Author Blog Challenge: 

How are you using social media to promote your book? What aspect of social media would you like to learn more about? What are your next steps?

I use buffer to post auto-tweets in promotion of my books. During the day, I tweet about my blog here and there with automatic updates going out to my FaceBook wall.

You can follow me on Twitter here or find me on FaceBook here. Follow my blog to get automatic updates when I post, too! I put out a lot of useful information for writers, designers, and writers who design. You'll usually get five posts a week unless something major happens.

I would like to know a lot more about LinkedIN - find me here. I use it but not often. I was planning to get into it a bit more after July of this year. We'll see how that goes.

What I'm really counting on is word-of-mouth advertising. I know that once a few people read my books, they'll tell others. I have deep faith in my ability to turn a tale that is interesting, fun, and educational.

Release day is July 3rd for The Abigale Chronicles - Book Two. If you haven't read book one, go get it. It's just $1.99 for the Kindle version and $5.99 for the printed version!

As promised, the cover for The Abigale Chronicles - Book Two:

Leave a little love and tell me what you think! I'm trying to use a different color scheme on each one and a little bit of a different design but I'm keeping the title elements the same for recognition purposes.

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Target Market

On to another prompt for the 28 Day Author Blog Challenge:

Describe the market for your book - to the tiniest detail (e.g., childless divorced women past age 50 who want to remarry). Why that demographic? How do you connect with them to market to them?

My market for Yassa consists of anyone who has loved fully, intensely, and faithfully. People who understand and appreciate the power of that faithfulness. Most of all, people who want to connect with a character and take something away from a story for once. While my intended audience was women from age 25-45, I have found that teens like my book a lot and that older women seem to gravitate toward it.

My market for The Abigale Chronicles is young readers from age 6-13, male and female. Those kids with imagination who can grasp that something weird is going on with Abigale. Kids who need to identify with a character and understand that when they have a problem, they should face it head-on with their eyes wide open.

Why that demographic? For Yassa, it's because women need to understand the inner workings of a man. Men desire to protect and be loved unconditionally. When any of that fails, they struggle. It changes them in ways we don't understand. For The Abigale Chronicles, it's because I want to teach them that reading can take you places you never dreamed you'd go.

In Yassa, Temujin fails to protect Borte and the act of losing her drives him a little crazy. It's Genghis Khan's coming-of-age tale. It tells why he was shaped into the brutal man he became. Life shapes us all in interesting ways and his life was hard. But he loved like no other. He was loyal to his friends and family and took slights against them personally, making anyone who dared to dishonor him the next target on his list of payback.

With The Abigale Chronicles, I feel like I have a last-ditch chance to get kids to pick up books and read. All books, not just mine. Abigale is intended to inspire a love of reading and realize the places books can take you with their words.

I connect with my target markets through advertising and networking. When I'm out and about, I talk about my work with anyone who'll listen. I do giveaways on Goodreads so those that are interested, have a chance at a copy for themselves. Word-of-mouth should take it from there. Don't forget to enter the giveaway at Goodreads for a chance to win one of two signed copies of Yassa!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Persnickety Publishing People

On to yet another day in the Author Blog Challenge. If you haven't signed up yet, feel free. The link is on the right. And the prompt today goes to...

Did you publish your book as a traditionally printed book, an eBook, or both? How did you come to your decision? Which company(ies) did you use for printing and distribution? How did you select them?

If anyone has been following my blog, you know I'm a self published author. I chose to use Smashwords for my first distribution of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One and by doing so, learned a lot of what to do and what not to do. I went through my experience in an earlier post. Feel free to pop over and take a gander.

Now for the juicy stuff. I did both an e-book and a traditionally printed version for my books. I used Createspace to publish the tangible versions. I learned a lot from putting The Abigale Chronicles up there as well. I'll make a blog friendly list of what to do and what not to do.

Please DO:

1. Take the time to make sure your manuscript is ready to go. Createspace takes longer to look over your stuff with a second submission. Why should they rush when you didn't bother to make sure it was perfect?
2. Use a cover designer that understands CMYK is different than RGB. Let me tell you, some greens and oranges look TERRIBLE when converted. Trust me.
3. Design your cover WITH a bleed. They trim 1/8" off every side. I went into this in an earlier post as well (link below).
4. Make sure your font is easy to read and prints well.

Please DO NOT:

1. Make changes.
2. Design your cover in RGB colorspace. Ugh.
3. Assume you know what you're doing. You don't know what a widow or an orphan is, don't try to. Seek a designer to help you format the inside of your book, please.
4. Use a tiny font (under 8pt).

I am linking to some earlier blog posts of mine that explain a lot of the above. Please go take a look. If you're using a designer, ask them if they know what kerning is and what the difference is between CMYK and RGB (CMYK is the four color process of ink printing on a press. RGB is the colorspace that is created with light - like on your computer). If they know the answers to those questions, they have been to design school.

Kerning Lesson
Printing Lesson
Color Spaces Lesson
Fonts Lesson

I chose Createspace and Smashwords by reading reviews online. I research EVERY company I do business with (so does my boyfriend) and we seek an outside opinion always. I find this to be a good way to expect the unexpected. Be prepared for the worst.

I decided to self-publish for a number of reasons:

1. I queried agents but they couldn't figure out my market so they declined.
2. I wanted control. Yes, I am a control freak (this surprises you? Really?).
3. The artist in me cringed at letting someone else decide on my design.
4. I had the time.
5. It was the best option for me.

Don't forget to enter my Goodreads giveaway for a chance at a free copy of Yassa.

Well, that's all for today, folks. Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

How NOT to Critique

Day 10 in the Author Blog Challenge poses the question: 

Have you participated in a critique groups? If so, how did it work out for you? If not, why have you avoided them to this point? 

I haven't participated in a critique group per-say but I have had editing sessions with my friend and editor Crystal Lee. Since the prompt for talking about her is tomorrow, I will tell you about the end results. I will also speak of my beta readers here. They were critics too.

Crystal edited The Abigale Chronicles and did such a lovely job, I had to use her again for Yassa. I am trading my cover design work for her editing eagle-eye. It's a very fair trade.

My beta readers corrected my writing as I went along. Their suggestions helped me become better at not using short, choppy sentences as much and a better writer overall. A few suggestions I ignored because they were suggesting I change my writing style. Sorry, but I bend like that for no man or woman.

<rant>I have read too many books with overly descriptive paragraphs that turned me off to the story at hand. No one needs to know where every blade of freaking grass was or what the color of each is. Unless that grass is trying to eat the protagonist, assume it's green because you aren't gonna hear about it, okay? I am a to the point kind of gal who doesn't appreciate that when I'm into how a character is feeling, someone tells me what color the car is that the character is driving and goes into a story about the wind whistling through the barely open windows. Tell me what the person sees and the reaction. Tell me what they feel. If the character is smushing his toes in the grass, then tell me how the grass is tickling his feet. Otherwise, please please leave it alone! </rant off>

My relationship with my beta readers was a good working relationship and I am comfortable with critique unless it tries to change my story or style. But I just reject the suggestion if it tickles my inner writer. Crystal simply pointed out my grammatical errors and made suggestions on how things should be reworded or areas that were fuzzy and could use some work. She was UH-MAZING. Beta readers got the story flowing, Crystal spit shined it for the masses.

I couldn't imagine having a better writing experience. BTW, Crystal and I met in the comments section on another blog. Ahhhhh, networking at its finest!! I have made some awesome virtual friends through weird places.

Now, how NOT to critique. Don't jump at someone and tell them their writing is shit. While I would laugh, many writers are emotionally attached to their work. Like artists, we weave worlds of our own. Our books are our babies. Instead, tell them you like the story but this or that could be changed. I am a very harsh editor and I know that. I warn people up front that I am blunt and to the point. To treat you with kid-gloves will not help you. But I am not mean. There is a difference. Asking questions to make you think about things you have written is the way I go about it (unless there is a glaring error that is repeated, then I point it out and stop marking it, assuming you will take it upon yourself to fix it).

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON! 

Jo

A Chamelion Book

Well, this is an easy one! Another writing prompt for the 28 Day Author Blog Challenge!

If your book is fiction, how could you change it to make it a nonfiction book? If your book is nonfiction, what could you do to turn it into a story? Hollywood has done it, so how could you do the same thing? 

Yassa is fiction that is based on fact. If I took out the love triangle (it could have happened!) and some of the gory scenes where Temujin is exacting revenge on those that have wronged him (or his family), it would be all fact.

But, how stinkin' boring it would be! BORING! History is boring unless you focus on the human element. Facts and dates thrown together in a mishmash of words makes me fall into a zombie trance and drool on the page. Note: to those that have bought my used books, that was hyperbole.

Seriously, let's get serious for a moment. Ha!

Genghis Khan's story is blah blah blah unless you focus on the man himself. He led one heck of an interesting life. If you don't believe me, go check out his Wikipedia page. It's scarily accurate. This line: 

Temujin valued loyalty above all else and also valued brotherhood. Jamukha was one of Temujin's best friends growing up. But their friendship was tested later in life, when Temujin was fighting to become a khan.

Is the basis of my book and is down the page a bit on the Wiki entry. Jamuka became a rival to Temujin. But why? They were andas (sworn brothers)!! What could have come between them? Duh! A woman. That's where the twist in my version of history comes in. Jamuka betrayed the loyalty he had sworn. It's all in the prologue of the book :)

At the very least, go get a sample. Hollywood would have a field day making my book into a movie. It has all the elements necessary: love, battles, betrayal, ruthlessness, etc...

A book I haven't spoken much about is The Abigale Chronicles - Book One. Not because it's any less important than Yassa, but simply because it speaks for itself. To turn it into a work of non-fiction would be an exercise in futility. There would be no story without the paranormal aspect.

If you like young reader's books, check out The Abigale Chronicles. Book two will release in July!

That's all for today, folks. Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Interviewing Genghis Khan

Trundling along through the Author Blog Challenge. And now, for a new prompt:

Describe the research process for your book. Did you interview people? Travel? How prominent a role did the Internet play? If you didn’t do new research, how did you learn what you needed to know to write your book? 

I sure wish I could have interviewed Genghis Khan! That would have been cool. Of course, there's the ruthless killer thing... oh! and the language barrier thing... But I think we could have gotten past all that and become great friends! I'm sure the dude had a wicked sense of humor, too.

Seriously, research for my book included reading Genghis Khan by John Man. He had been to Mongolia and studied the man and the customs. It was a very informative book. I also got a lot of articles through the library at my college; then held on to them for the last eight years. Yes, I am a nerd. So what? So is Bill Gates. Food for thought there!

Wikipedia articles are actually based off a lot of Man's book, so they didn't tell me much that I didn't already know.

I read and consumed and notated and read some more. Finally, I looked at myself in the mirror and said, "Jo, seriously? You know enough. Go write your book!" And I did.

What has always fascinated me about Genghis Khan was his relationship with his wife. None of that is in the history books; it all came out of my head. I know when they met and can approximate when they were married but I had to do some serious swinging of dates to make it work the way I needed it to.

Check this out: at age nine, Temujin is taken by his father to meet Borte. Temujin's father is then murdered on the way home. Because the kid was the one chosen to take over, he had to go tell his people their lives were in his hands.

Can you imagine being ruled/governed by a nine-year-old? Yeah, well, neither could they. They left his family to the wolves. After that, it all goes downhill for the poor kid. He does end up marrying Borte, only to have her kidnapped about a week later (during their journey to Temujin's home) by a rival tribe and sold to another man as a wife. Talk about adding insult to injury! People wonder why he killed so much...

All of that is 100% truth. You learn his story in the book. I won't reveal any more here. If you want to find out, you gotta read Yassa. I thought Genghis was this big, burly guy who couldn't care less for human life or his family. I was wrong. He is one of the most interesting characters I have ever researched. I put him up there with Queen Elizabeth I. She intrigued me as well.

All of the relationship stuff in the book (my story is character driven) comes from my relationship with my boyfriend. I put myself in Temujin's shoes and pictured how I would react/feel if I went through what he did. So, I guess you could say my own relationship gave me a lot of the information I needed to write Yassa.

Enough of my ramblings! You should go check out the book. Here is the link to my bibliography on a page on this blog. Enjoy it!

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Outlining is for Loserz

Wait...  Losers can't be right, can it? Oh, crap! I'm a loser! I'm kidding. Relax...

Describe your outline process for your book. What do you do to stay organized? 

I shoot chapter one from the hip. Only after that chapter is down do I worry about any kind of outline. If you can't write the first chapter from nothing but a note on an idea, chances are your book won't work. This is only true for fiction writers, I think.

If my story is working after that chapter, I open up a new document in MS Word and fire off a list of chapter headings. Under those headings, I write a snatch of the chapter happenings. After that is complete, I write down how my protagonist will change from the beginning of the book to the end and what decision he/she is faced with that changes his/her life forever. Then, I try to decide on an ending. What is that character trying to achieve? Will he/she succeed? I am rarely able to answer that last question until I actually reach the end, but no harm in thinking about it.

I start another document with character attributes. Names, places, religion, descriptions. If my character has green eyes in chapter two and brown eyes in chapter twenty-two, not so good.

Yet another document gets riddled with my research of time and setting. I don't like having to surf while I'm writing, it breaks my flow.

I keep all of those documents open as I write. I flesh out the chapter descriptions as I write the chapter and add characters as they pop up in the story. I don't like being forced into a story in any one way so my chapter descriptions in the beginning are vague suggestions.

I have folders inside a main folder for each book AND each distribution channel. Inside each distribution channel folder, I have a copy formatted to their standards and a copy of the book cover formatted for them as well.

Example:

Desktop>Books and Writings>Abigale>Cover Designs
Desktop>Books and Writings>Smashwords>Abigale>Converted
Desktop>Books and Writings>Yassa>Rewrite

I can see, at a glance, where each version is located and where my original files are as opposed to reworks/rewrites.

It works for me.

If you haven't checked out Yassa yet, do it already! What are you waiting for? If you love kid's books, go grab a copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One! Book two is coming out in July so you better get a move on. Visit this page on my blog for all links and a brief synopsis of each book.

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Zip! Bam! Pow! An Idea is Born

Here I go with writing prompt number six in the 28 day author blog challenge! You should go check out some of the participants. There is a lot of talent in this group.

Where were you when the idea for your book was initially ignited? Who was the first person you told? How did they respond?

I remember very clearly where I was when I got the idea for my book and the reaction because it was overwhelming that so many people believed I could do it.

I was sitting with my study group at my house - we were filling out little cards to play our own version of trivial pursuit based on notes in our history class - and I was making the questions for the section on Genghis Khan. Already, I had become intrigued by the man and begun the research for my paper. My pen hit the table and I raised my head to look at everyone. They stopped writing and raised eyebrows at me.

"What if it was because of Borte?" I asked them. I had been regaling them with Genghis Khan facts for weeks to that point and they all had a pretty good grasp of his history and peculiarities so they picked up on my meaning right away.

One of the more outspoken women in the group raised her voice, "Ooooooh, that's a good angle. I wonder if you could find any facts to prove that it was."

I answered, "I don't know but I'm sure gonna try. If not, maybe I'll just go off and write it that way anyway."

The reactions to that statement blew me away. I was flooded with suggestions on how to write it, what spins I should put on the story, how wonderful my writing was, how sure they all were that if anyone could do it, it was me, and how wonderful a love story with Genghis Khan in it would be.

Riiiiight. But the idea took hold and wouldn't let go. I knew I couldn't actually write fiction into my paper but I thought maybe... Almost eight years later, Yassa was born.

Bet you're wondering why it took me so long, huh?

Well, I had a baby, battled an illness, and had to return to finish school. I emerged on the other side of all that a better person with a more can-do attitude. No longer will I put off until tomorrow what I know I can accomplish today - no, I don't mean housework, I put that off all the time. What I'm talking about is the big things; those things that make you want to get out of bed just so you can challenge yourself that day.


Whether it's a weight loss plan, a blog challenge, a novel, or your drive to make your business succeed, it's something that will change your life. It drives you to want more. Newsflash: No one is going to hand you anything. You have to go out and grab the bull by the proverbial horns, look him in the face, and scream that you will succeed and no one can stop you.

I just published my first, full-length novel Tuesday. It was hard work, I won't lie, but it felt so good to click that publish button. Many people write and write their whole lives and never have the courage to click that publish button; but I did it. So many people never write more than twenty-thousand words over a lifetime; I wrote over one-hundred-thousand. Nothing like Yassa has ever been written before. An original idea is something that is rare in the publishing world; I stumbled across it and pushed to deliver.

Grow your thick skin and publish that book. Who cares if it gets forty-five one star reviews? It's that ONE five star review that will leave you dancing in the streets. The Abigale Chronicles - Book One has gotten three five star reviews (two on Smashwords and one on Amazon). I was bouncing off the walls when I got those notifications in my e-mail. Can you imagine?

But, I digress.

Let me get off my soapbox and down into the fray. If you haven't done so, you should grab a copy of Yassa. Or at the very least, go take a look inside. NOOK,  Amazon, and Smashwords will all allow you to preview the first three chapters. Trust me, you'll want to read more. If you purchase on Smashwords, you get a free copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One as well. Two books for the price of one!! Like a BOGO sale!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway on Goodreads! It's your chance to get a paperback copy of Yassa, signed by ME, for FREE! That's a $17.99 value and NO shipping charges! What's better than free? Even if you aren't into historical fiction, you'll be in to Yassa. I don't go into boring details about this conquering or that one. Instead, I focus on the love story and betrayal. The relationships between the characters are front and center but you'll learn a LOT of facts in a fun way.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

I Wanna Be Like Mike!

Not really. I don't play basketball. :) Oh, man!! Asking me this is like asking a crack addict what kind of rock they prefer...

Who is your favorite literary character? With which literary character do you most relate?

Day five in the 28 Day Author Blog Challenge, here I go...

Laura, not a fair question! I have so many! I'll list five. Without further ado (or adon't):

1. Jane Bennett from Pride and Prejudice - Ms. Jane is such an unassuming character who always has a kind word for everyone. She refuses to see the flaws people have and never talks about anyone behind their back. I think she would say of a rattlesnake, "It does not bite you because it chooses to; it bites you because it must."

2. Sam Gamgee from LOTR - Oh, man. What can I say about Sam? He is the ideal friend that always has your back no matter what you say to him or how you treat him. Sam knows Frodo doesn't mean what he says. When Sam sneaks and follows his friend, the chips fall and Sam is there, as he should be. I want a friend like Sam.

3. Hermione Granger from Harry Potter - I love how bookish she is and how her smarts make her the target for derision. She isn't gorgeous, nor is she painted that way, but she has a certain something that sets her apart; I like to think it's her penchant for reading. She is a friend to the end who understands how Harry feels because she oftentimes feels the same way. People are jealous because she makes them look small.

4. Myra Rutledge from Weekend Warriors - She's an older lady with spunk. I mean, come on, she learns to pole-dance for crying out loud! When she's angry, she seethes and wants revenge. I love that she takes justice into her own hands when her daughter is murdered. Myra makes me punch the air every time she comes up with a plan that is both vicious and clever. She reminds me of my mom...

5. Kitty from A Dog Called Kitty - Okay, so I'm cheating a little bit here but this book is one of my favorites and when the end happened, I cried like a little girl. I fell in love with that smart little dog while reading this book and his antics have stayed on in my heart throughout my whole life. Oftentimes, I recall the author's description of Kitty's reaction when he ate some jalapeno peppers and it still makes me smile. What a great dog.

Is it strange that only two of those characters came from a favorite author? I read Pride and Prejudice any time I don't have a new book around. It's just a great story.

Which character do I identify with the most? Hermione. I see so much of myself in her and it scares me a little. It's like J.K. got into my head somehow, pulled Hermione right out, and slapped her down on paper.

Now on to other things! If you missed it, Yassa released yesterday! Go get your copy now. That's an order a suggestion.

You can find it at the links listed on the top of this blog. Just choose your version and click for a look. If you choose Smashwords, at the back of the book there is a code for a free copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One at Smashwords.

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Reading for Deep Impact

Writing prompt 4! These are difficult to answer sometimes...

How do the things you read impact your writing? What do you love to read? What do you avoid reading at all costs? How would your writing change if you read more of the things you typically avoid?

What I love to read impacts my writing in a profound way, certainly. But I read everything I can get my hands on so my style hasn't been affected in a major way by one or the other. My readings impact my mind instead. I find it easier to build in a twist or for my brain to play mental ping-pong with settings, characters, and sensory descriptions because I know what so many others have done before me.

I absolutely love fiction but am not opposed to reading non-fiction when the mood strikes or I find something I want to learn more about. Yassa required that I read a lot of historical books and white papers in order to fully grasp the timeline and life progression of Temujin (Genghis Khan). What I learned, I embedded in the story. While much of it is fiction, most of it is fact.

Writers have a different thought process than a typical reader. Ohhhh, I can feel your blood pressure rising because of that statement! Allow me to explain, please? A reader may become immersed in a book and feel, just as writers do, but what sets a writer apart is that we aren't just feeling. We subconsciously analyze the text and pick up new phrases as we read along. We pay attention to the nuances that most readers may miss. I read a text word-for-freaking-word and notice when something is misplaced or misspelled.

I am a writer, I care about the text, the pages, and what I take away from the story.

My sister is a reader, and she consumes books more quickly than I do. I barely have time to get to know the character in a book before she's done and has moved on to the next book. She reads fast. Does that mean she isn't fully immersed in the story? No. It means the story doesn't tickle within her that certain something that it tickles inside a writer. A good critic reads the way she does.

If I read more encyclopedia entries, I think my writing would grow flat and uninteresting; too factual for a reader of fiction.

Let me give you a for-instance: 

Wikipedia entry: Genghis Khan (/ˈɡɛŋɡɪs ˈkɑːn/ or /ˈdʒɛŋɡɪs ˈkɑːn/,^[4][5] Mongol: [tʃiŋɡɪs xaːŋ] ( listen); 1162? – August 1227), born Temujin, was the founder and Great Khan (emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death.

That is verbatim.

Me: Genghis Khan was a powerful Mongolian ruler with a small stature and a big head. He was born around 1162 and named Temujin; but the plain name didn't stop him from conquering an entire continent. No, it only fueled his desire to be the greatest Khan to ever live. When he died in 1227, his Mongol Empire was the largest contiguous empire in history.

That's how my head works and too much non-fiction would inevitably kill my inner writer :)

Time to get off that and get on this :)

TODAY, Yassa released to KDP, NOOK, Smashwords, and CreateSpace!!!! I'm so happy that it's out there and done. I have been immersed in the book since January of this year. It feels good to finally get it finished. If you do nothing else, go check out the cover art. Watercolor illustration done by yours truly!

You can find it by following these links:

Amazon (digital)
NOOK (digital)
Smashwords (digital)

I have donated a copy for this blog challenge so remember to blog every day for your chance to win. I'm doing a giveaway of the print edition on Goodreads as well. A few interviews are scheduled to hit the web over the month of June and the giveaway is running in tandem with those.

So, follow me and enjoy those great promotions! A super secret fact (that's no so secret once I publish this blog) is: in the back of Yassa, on the Smashwords edition, there will be a coupon good for a FREE copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One. Two books for the price of one! You can't beat that!

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo