Becoming a Book Blogger - Picking a Posting Platform

Happy Monday, everyone! We're continuing on our journey to you becoming a book blogger. If you've been following along and working with me, you'll have a review blog name, policies, and an idea of your branding imagery. Today, I'm gonna talk about choosing a platform. No, I'm not gonna choose a platform for you, this is just gonna be an introduction to the various ones out there. Once you find a blogging platform you like and it's easy for you to use, then you go get a book on how to use the darn thing and go from there (there's a great one at the library - title to come at the end of the post). Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

As always, a little recap of the series and links to previous days:

• Choosing a Name and Review Policy
• Branding Yourself With Imagery
• Picking a Platform for Publishing (you're there now)
• Design Considerations
• Structuring Your Rating System
• Building an Audience - Social Media Crazy
• Writing Reviews
• Money, You Say?

Now we can get into the various platforms available for you to choose from. These links will take you to the main page for each service. There are no affiliate links on the Jo Michaels blog, so you can click freely here. I get paid when I see you being successful.

FREE Blogging Platforms

• Blogger
• WordPress
• Anchor
• Tumblr
• Weebly

PAID Blogging Platforms

• SquareSpace
• Typepad

How to choose? Well, go check each one out! Play with them or take a peek around their control decks. See which one is the most user friendly and customizable for your needs.

Maybe you'll want to have more than one. I have two: Blogger and Tumblr. Each has a very different audience, but readers nonetheless. Like choosing anything, go with the one that makes you the most comfortable and won't have you tearing your hair out after a few hours of setup time. Still not sure what you're doing? Call someone who does or check out these books from your local library:

Blogging for Creatives: How Designers, Artists, Crafters and Writers can blog to make contacts, win business and build success. by Robin Houghton
and
Blogging all in One: For Dummies by Susan Gunelius

Speaking of libraries! You can find books in the how-to section on almost everything having to do with blogs.

Moving on!

Now that you've chosen your platform, go register your new blog name (get your URL - something like TheChickenCoop.blogspot.com) and get your pages set up. At this point, you should have at least two pages: Home (where your blog posts are) and Review Policies. Get those two up and going, and we'll go into design choices you'll make for your blog tomorrow.

Baby steps!

What's your preferred blogging platform? Why?

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

Jo

Becoming a Book Blogger - Branding Yourself with Imagery

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Continuing on with my Becoming a Book Blogger series, today I'm gonna talk about choosing the imagery to go with your name. If you've been with me so far, you have a great name picked out, a tagline, and a review policy. As I stated yesterday, I'll be using The Chicken Coop as the name for the example review blog. Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Recap!

• Choosing a Name and Review Policy
• Branding Yourself With Imagery (you're there now)
• Picking a Platform for Publishing
• Design Considerations
• Structuring Your Rating System
• Building an Audience - Social Media Crazy
• Writing Reviews
• Money, You Say?

When considering branding yourself with imagery, keep this post in mind. While you want to be different and exciting, be sure you aren't cluttering your blog up with stuff that'll keep it from loading quickly. Remember, you have three to five seconds to make an impression. Use it wisely.

Here's a quicky for The Chicken Coop Book Reviews:

Now, this doesn't take into account any kind of color scheme you may have going on, and you may want a smart looking chicken, standing up, reading a book behind the banner, but you get the idea. This will matter when we get to structuring your rating system, too. Themes are fun!

Monday, we'll go into picking a platform to host your amazeblog.

What do you think? Are you coming up with some great ideas? Want to share?

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

Jo

Becoming a Book Blogger - Naming and Policies

Happy Thursday, everyone! Today, we're continuing the series on how to become a book blogger. Why am I doing this series? Because I've had so many people come up to me and tell me they're readers that consume at least three to four books a week, and don't write reviews for those books. What a loss for all those Indie authors out there! I know I'd give my book to someone who wanted to read and review it, and there are plenty of us out there who need those reviews. So, for those of you who love to read and have ever considered starting to write reviews, this series is for you. Grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

First, a recap of the series:

• Choosing a Name and Review Policy (you're there now)
• Branding Yourself With Imagery
• Picking a Platform for Publishing
• Design Considerations
• Structuring Your Rating System
• Building an Audience - Social Media Crazy
• Writing Reviews
• Money, You Say?

I'm starting with choosing a name because that's something that'll probably take you the longest, define your brand, and what everything else will follow. It's the single most important thing you have to consider. If you aren't creative like that, here are a couple of cool names not yet in use:

The Chicken Coop
Flower Power
The Book Gardener
Razing the Page

All of those can have awesome taglines that tell potential readers you're a book blog and here's why. Of course, The Chicken Coop would probably center on Hen-Lit. *grin* I'll use this name for the duration of the series for example purposes.

So, make a list of potential names and do a Google search to find out if the ones you like are already in use. When you find a suitable one, come up with your tag line (something like The Chicken Coop - Scratching Around for Great Books) and write it all down.

A WORD OF WARNING: Book bloggers are very protective of their babies. Don't steal a name from someone else or create a name that's too similar to one that exists. You'll be in for a war. Consider the information imparted.

Once you have your new, exciting name chosen, start on writing out your review policy.

This is for authors who find your blog or website, like your review/rating system, and want you to review their book. They need to know how to submit to you, how long it may take you to review the book, and your policy on rating books you can't finish (do you leave them alone or review and say you couldn't finish and why). How do you choose among the hundreds of submissions you get?

Also write a disclaimer about what you do when you're unable to finish or review a book. Will you contact the author privately, or will the title just fall away into the ether? No one really likes to coast along without knowing if they'll be reviewed or not, so be sure you're clear.

I think I've given you enough to think about for one day, so get busy and get that name chosen!

Anything you book bloggers might want to add about naming or policies?

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

Jo

How To: Start a Book Review Blog - Series on Becoming a Book Blogger Introduction

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm giving you some information about a new post series that'll walk you through the steps of creating your very own book review blog. So, if you haven't subscribed yet, and you're interested in reading great, free books (and making money doing it) get on it. You may subscribe on the right ------------>

For this first of many posts to come on this topic, I'm giving you all a topic list that'll be updated as we go through the process. Why? Well, it's so I can show one link (to this page) and folks can find the information they're looking for. I love simplicity and organization (yeah, have you seen my link list?). Haha! In order, here are the post topics I'll be covering:

• Choosing a Name
• Branding Yourself With Imagery
• Picking a Platform for Publishing
• Design Considerations
• Structuring Your Rating System
• Building an Audience - Social Media Crazy
• Writing Reviews
• Money, You Say?

When you see the following image, you'll know you're on one of the building a blog pages:

I can't wait to get started. May the odds be ever in your favor!

What do you think? Interested?

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

Jo

Book Review - Feast Island

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Heck yeah! Today, I have another book review for you all from my Indie Fever 2014 reading list. I'm making one hell of a dent in my list, and I've scheduled myself a review a week (sans November, because of NaNo) until I get them all done. Then, I'll have a new collection coming at me in December from my 12 Days event. If you're an author, you don't wanna miss that fun! I only take review requests once a year, and if you miss it, you're out of luck.

Now, if you're a reader, join us over on the Indie Fever Challenge! So far this year, we've reviewed over 300 Indie books! Wow! That's a lot of awesome for self-pubbers right there. You can join in the fun here. Just add your name to the linky thing with your pledge level, grab the badge, and get to reviewing. Here's mine so far:

Tamar Hela Feast Island REVIEW BELOW
Rebecca Trogner The Last Keeper's Daughter REVIEW HERE
Scott Marlowe The Five Elements REVIEW HERE
L.K. Evans Keepers of Arden: The Brothers Volume 1 REVIEW HERE
Sarah Mäkelä The Witch Who Cried Wolf REVIEW HERE
Felicia Tatum Masked Encounters REVIEW HERE
David T Griffith The Bestiarum Vocabulum REVIEW HERE
Thaddeus White Sir Edric's Temple REVIEW HERE
Heather Topham Wood The Memory Witch REVIEW HERE
N. L. Greene Illusions Begin REVIEW HERE
J. A. Huss Tragic REVIEW HERE
Pauline Creeden Sanctuary REVIEW HERE
Casey Bond Reap REVIEW HERE 
Casey Bond Devil Creek REVIEW HERE
S. G. Daniels The Druid's Doorway REVIEW HERE
Misty Provencher The Fly House Amazon Kindle $3.99
Peprah Boasiako The Hitman Amazon Kindle $0.99
C. S. Janey Surrender To You Amazon Kindle $2.99
Gloria Piper Finnegan's Quest Amazon Kindle $4.99
Elle Todd The Elect Amazon Kindle $3.99 
Morgan Wylie Silent Orchids Amazon Kindle **FREE**
Laura Howard The Forgotten Ones Amazon Kindle $0.99
Skylar Hamilton Burris The Strange Marriage of Anne de Bourgh Amazon Kindle $2.99
Christina Marie Morales Ambience Amazon Kindle $2.99
Molly Taggart Off Target Amazon Kindle $2.99


Here's a little about today's book:

Title: Feast Island  (Spirit Lake Book 1)
Author: Tamar Hela
Genre: Young Adult Sci-Fi
Length (print): ~ 192 Pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Synopsis:
Seven teenagers from Northern California are assigned a seemingly innocent group project for their freshman English class. Little do they know, this project will literally take them on a journey out of this world. Cantelia appears much like Earth, until the kids realize magic is as plentiful as the danger surrounding them. A dark and evil ruler has placed a curse on the tribal people of Sikuku Island—the same island where the teens have been transported. Now, they must help the tribal people break the curse if they ever want to see their own planet again. Join Alex and her friends as they learn that there is so much more beyond their comfortable lives in Pollock Pines and its legendary Spirit Lake. 

**Will not appear in review elsewhere.  While the cover does capture the story on the pages, it's a bit too dark overall, in my opinion. This is YA and I feel like it needs to be a bit lighter. That being said, it's just an opinion and should be taken with a grain of salt.**

I picked up this book when the author, Tamar Hela, pitched it to me on my blog during my Twelve Days of Christmas event. She was looking for reviews, and her book got me from both the pitch and the sample. I ran out and bought it, as I do all books I review, and the rest, as they say, is history. Enough about how I came upon the title! Let's get to the good stuff.

From a Reader's Perspective:
This book has a lot of heart and a great story. I enjoyed the main character, and felt like she grew as the book progressed. It's a standalone in the beginning of a series, but there's no crazy cliffhanger at the end. Everything is wrapped up in a pretty bow. Plot-wise, Feast Island was spot on. Teens getting whipped away into another world? Yes, please! I also adored the idealism of the youngsters. I felt the story was paced well, and will be a great read for younger people. All that being said, I didn't really connect with any of the characters. I think it's because there were too many for me to get a firm grasp on one. I did like that I got to hear Alex's thoughts (she's a typical teen with a snarky process), but I found myself wishing for more of the Spirit Lake legend to be intertwined with her journey. There were also a ton of redundancy issues. Head hopping happens a lot, and there are at least three POVs (though the only one I could put a finger on whose head I was in was Alex's). There were a few times the author's voice intruded, and pulled me out of the story. Dialogue felt forced with names spattered in often. Which leads me to...

From an Editor's Perspective:
Very few pronoun issues. I was pleasantly surprised by that. However, the issues I found were redundancy (as mentioned), lack of comma lists where needed, author's voice intrusion, and confusions/dropped words. Examples: She had long, white hair that was braided and pinned close to her head and looked younger than she was. This translates to: her hair looking younger than her face. Nominated and voted. Same meaning in two words. Use of ?! and ?? happened often. Corporal and corporeal. Two very different words, the first used where the second should've been. I dismounted and chained my bike to a tree and made my way... Needs commas to improve flow.

Rating:
1 Star for giving me a fun read with great pacing
1 Star for making me laugh at some of Alex's inner monologue
1 Star for tying up all the loose ends and an interesting plot
-1 Star for redundancies and forced feeling dialogue
-1 Star for confusions of words and phrases and for head hopping with no focus
Overall, 3 out of 5 stars. A good read for a teen (very clean), and something to enjoy on a rainy afternoon.

What do you think? Have you read it?

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

Jo

Book Review - happenstance

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! Just two more days to grind through until we reach the start of the weekend. Awesomeness. I hope you all have big plans! Today, I'm bringing you another book review and a lovely giveaway in conjunction with IBGW. My review of the book in the giveaway will go live here next week. So, grab your coffee and a comfy chair, and let's get going!

As always, a little about the book I'm reviewing today:

Title: happenstance
Author: Jamie McGuire
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: About 100 pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $2.99   ~   B&N $2.99

Synopsis:
#1 New York Times Bestseller Jamie McGuire returns to self-publishing with this page-turning YA account of Erin Easter, one of three Erins in the small senior class of rural Blackwell High School who not only share a first name, but also their birthday. Easter, raised by a neglectful single mom, keeps to herself and admires Weston Gates from afar. The other Erins, Erin "Alder" Alderman and Erin "Sonny" Masterson are the darlings of the community: daughters of the two wealthiest families in town, best friends, cheerleaders, and everything Easter isn't--and they never let her forget it. Alder has even claimed Weston since the 8th grade.

Weston is a well-liked star athlete, and the son of two prominent attorneys. He struggles daily with the pressures of living up to his family name and secretly empathizes with Easter's feeling that she belongs somewhere else; in a different life. Not until he begins sneaking nights out with Easter does he gain the courage to buck expectations and acknowledge his feelings ... both for his future, and for her.

A shocking tragedy rocks the tiny town, and Easter's life is turned upside down in the best way possible. But when the truth is revealed and everything she thinks she wanted falls into her lap, life only becomes more complicated.

**Will not appear in review elsewhere. I love the cover for this novella. It fits the story inside so well, I wanted to high-five Jamie for the awesomeness that calls out to lovers of the genre. Letter spacing, no caps, and the reflection of the flower are all explained in the pages.**

Let's get on to the good stuff, shall we?

I was perusing Jamie McGuire's Facebook page and saw she was releasing a new story. Novella. Right up my alley. I haven't had a lot of reading-for-pleasure time lately, but knew I'd be able to finish something this short in one sitting. Of course, I ran out to Amazon and one-clicked, curled up in my chair, and immersed myself in a great read for an hour or two. I'm not a huge lover of romance, but I was looking for something light and sweet, that wouldn't make me think too hard about the words on the page. Now you know why I picked it up, let's move to the review.

From a Reader's Perspective:
Okay, there are three girls named Erin. All were born on the same day (Easter). Because of this, the whole town gives them nicknames to tell them apart. Our MC is called Easter. Forget the nuttiness of the plot, and just go with it. Yeah, it's not reality, but we're reading fiction. Right? Okay, I'm all good with this. Cool setting/idea. At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like Easter. She grew on me as the story advanced. I'm reading about this girl who gets bullied in school (okay, typical, but all good, makes for a good plot), and I begin to see her strengths emerge as the tale winds around. Easter is an awesome chick. While she cries when bullied sometimes, she never lets her tormenters see it. By the end, I was fully in her corner and did a fist pump more than once as it all came to a head. You'll love the twist in this book if you take the story for what it is: A fun, light read that leaves fuzzy feelings in its wake.

From an Editor's Perspective:
Again, Ms. McGuire's editor gets a round of applause from me. I only found one error. Devil should have a capital first letter. Just like God, the Devil is a divine being. Other than that, it was a clean manuscript. Well done!

Rating:
1 Star for making Easter grow on me when I didn't think she would.
1 Star for making me despise the other Erins (the bullies)
1 Star for a truly feel-good story
1 Star for the twist I totally saw coming, but loved anyway
1 Star for lack of errors
Overall, 5 out of 5 stars! Highly recommended if you need a mental break and fluffy read sometime.

Now it's time for that Rafflecopter giveaway I told you about in the beginning!

This is for two Kindle copies of The Crossroads of Time by Rhonda Denise Johnson. Click here to read more about the book. Enter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you think? Love Jamie McGuire? Gonna read this one?

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

Jo

Book Review - Red Hill

Hello, lovely people of the blogosphere! It's Hump Day already. Can you believe it? Today I'm bringing you a book review of a zombie apocalypse novel. Yes, I know I have a couple of Indie titles to write reviews for (and I'm about halfway through each of those), but when I get hold of a book by one of my favorite authors, all else becomes obscure. I read those as though they're gonna disappear any moment if I don't. Case in point: Tomorrow, you're getting a review for the latest Rick Riordan title. So, be patient, those Indie reviews are coming! Grab your comfy chairs, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and let's get going!

A little about the title on the chopping block today:

Title: Red Hill
Author: Jamie McGuire
Genre: Horror
Length: 369 printed pages
Links to buy: Kindle $7.36 Paperback $11.67 Nook $7.99

Synopsis:
When the world ends, can love survive?

For Scarlet, raising her two daughters alone makes fighting for tomorrow an everyday battle. Nathan has a wife, but can’t remember what it’s like to be in love; only his young daughter Zoe makes coming home worthwhile. Miranda’s biggest concern is whether her new VW Bug is big enough to carry her sister and their boyfriends on a weekend escape from college finals.

When reports of a widespread, deadly “outbreak” begin to surface, these ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances and suddenly their fates are intertwined. Recognizing they can’t outrun the danger, Scarlet, Nathan, and Miranda desperately seek shelter at the same secluded ranch, Red Hill. Emotions run high while old and new relationships are tested in the face of a terrifying enemy—an enemy who no longer remembers what it’s like to be human.

Set against the backdrop of a brilliantly realized apocalyptic world, love somehow finds a way to survive. But what happens when the one you’d die for becomes the one who could destroy you?

Red Hill grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go until its stunning conclusion. This is #1 New York Times bestselling author Jamie McGuire at her unforgettable best.

On to the gnarly stuff!

I saw this title was released when it appeared in a weekly meme on Heather's Book Chatter and just knew I had to pick up a copy. I loved Beautiful Disaster and couldn't imagine a book that held my attention as much as that one did. Obviously, Ms. McGuire could. I ran out and grabbed a copy of Red Hill from Amazon, only to devour it in one sitting. Time to move on to my review!

From a reader's perspective:
Holy moly, what can I say? This isn't your typical squishing of zombie heads kind of novel. Rather than focusing on the terror that would consume the planet if zombies rose, this one looked at the human element and the fallout of a disaster of this magnitude. When the whole world goes to crap, what are people thinking? What would they do for survival? Red Hill delves deeply into what makes people tick during a crisis, and shows how they can rise up and be more than they ever thought they could. Some of the horrible things that happen during times of upset are brought to light, and the evil that lives inside some people is waved under your nose like a smelly rag. I found myself punching the air a number of times, and wondering how in the hell Ms. McGuire could describe two people in the story I could relate with so strongly (Scarlet and Nathan). I was kept sitting on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, and sobbing like a little girl. One of the things I love about Jamie McGuire's writing is her ability to not go on tangents with description; there's just enough so I can paint the scene and the characters in my own head.

From an editor's perspective:
One or two misused words (peak rather than peek), but everything else was brilliant.

My rating:
1 Star for giving me awesome zombie action
1 Star for those well-rounded characters I felt for
1 Star for great pacing and perfect word painting
1 Star for making me cry and showing truth
1 Star for the level of most excellent editing found in this book
Overall, 5 out of 5 stars! I'd give it ten if I could. Recommended to anyone who loves a nail-biter that will leave them with a book hangover because they were sad it came to an end.

I hope you all enjoyed that review! I really hope you all pick up a copy of Red Hill. Yeah, I know it's pricey as far as e-books go, but it was totally worth every penny.

While you're here, please go enter my giveaway on Goodreads for your chance to win a printed, signed copy of Mystic~Coralie, book five in the series. Here's the link:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Coralie

by Jo Michaels

Giveaway ends November 05, 2013.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

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

Jo

Showing vs. Telling - When Telling is Okay

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! I hope you're all looking forward to the weekend as much as I am. I see so much in reviews about showing vs telling. Today, I'm going to explain why telling is okay now and then, how to gauge when to do it, and when not to. So, grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

I wrote a post a while back on tension. This is the meat and potatoes of my discussion today. If you haven't read it, do that now so you understand what I mean when I say 5 or 1.

Every chapter of your book should hit at least a 2 or 3 on the tension scale. A 5 should be reserved for those special chapters where you want your reader to bite their nails. Never should you fall below a 1. So what does this have to do with showing and telling?

When you want your reader to feel what's happening on the page, show them everything about the scene: Lay of the land, emotions of the MC, action taking place, what could happen, what is happening, and actions/reactions of other characters.

But to get to that place, sometimes it's okay to tell. While you don't want long passages of filler, you may want to move things along without bogging your reader down in excessive description. I've discussed this before; here's the link: Descriptions - How Much is Too Much?

When the tension is high, launch into those descriptions in vivid detail. Every scene should be rated on the tension scale and adjusted accordingly. A reader won't tolerate scenes with a rating of 0; so, if you find such a scene, either cut it or re-write it.

But, when getting to those moments that bring your scene to the most tense point, you can tell rather than show. The ebb and flow of your story is natural, and should be allowed to happen.

Remember! You can please some of the people, some of the time; but you can't please all of the people, all of the time. In a group of ten, some will love it, others will hate it. Don't let opinions drag you down. After all, there will be people who loathe even the most popular books.

I hope this helps you in some tiny way.

What book gave you too much description or plodded along with chapters ranking 0?

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

Jo

Book Review - Love From Planet Wine Cooler

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I have a review for you. If any of you lovely followers have ever taken a gander at my reviews, you'll know I break them down into what I liked and didn't like while not providing spoilers for those of you that haven't read the book.

In keeping with the challenge I entered on Wednesday called Indie Fever, I'm reviewing my first indie book of the year from my list. I don't normally review books on the blog; but for these eight, I'm making an exception. Here's hoping you all check out these books and authors (if the review is a nice one)!

Without further ado, I bring you: Love From Planet Wine Cooler by Kate Baggott

Synopsis:
The last "nice girl" on earth finds her way through a world defined by sex, music and the Internet. Somehow.

Love From Planet Wine Cooler is an ode to a generation of women who didn't so much lose their virginity as misplace it thanks to the advent of wine coolers. Somehow, they managed to find out all about love, relationships and careers.

Or did they? Put in your imaginary ear plugs and follow Marina and her best friend through the laughter and tears of being a human being from the '90s on the search for answers now.

My personal notes (not to appear in the review elsewhere):
To be honest, the cover didn't appeal to me (I'd love to see that changed - Kate, if you're reading this, send me a message and we'll see what we can do - if you're interested) and neither did the synopsis (doesn't tell me much about what to expect). What caught me and wrapped me in a web of intrigue was the sample I picked up on Amazon. I got to the last page and was terribly upset there was no more book. So, I bought it.

Now for the review.
From a reader's perspective:
I loved the voice of the main character, Marina. She came across as an intelligent, albeit self-centered, character with a lot of spunk and clever witticisms. Her journey through high school and beyond was one I could identify with. I was in turmoil every time she entered a new relationship; wondering what the outcome would be and how she would get along with the boy/man. Pacing in the book was really good and the humor here and there had me with stitches in my sides. One of my favorite scenes was Marina out on a date at a martini bar. If you're a pro-feminist reader, you'll love this book. It reads more like a series of short stories or snapshots of Marina's life than a novel; but it works.

From an editor's perspective:
Grammatical issues were nill. I only had one problem with the book overall: When people are speaking to one another or writing a letter, they use contractions. When writing, it's easy to forget that or feel like you need to write more formally, but it's an issue that needs to be addressed. It stilted the flow. But it wasn't so stifling that it threw me out of the story.

Rating:
1 star for a great main character.
1 star for a wonderful true-to-life story.
1 star for making me wonder what was going to happen next.
1 star for great pacing.
.5 star for grammar.
-.5 star for contraction usage.
4.5 out of 5 stars (where applicable, this will be rounded up to five and not down to four)

You can find the book on Amazon for just $4.99 via this link:
Love From Plant Wine Cooler: Kate Baggott
Follow Kate on Twitter here: @baggyk
Find Kate on Goodreads here: Kate Baggott

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

Jo

12 Days of Christmas Day 12

It's the twelfth day! Also, doomsday! Seems we're all still here... It's been a long twelve days but I'm really enjoying finding new indies to read and giving away prizes! I had exactly 11 people yesterday, who don't already have a copy of Mystic~Lily, comment! So, congratulations to: Tom A, Jamie C, Santa F, bashashhazbaz, Becky F, Sherry J, Sandi T, Felicia T, Kate B, Brian B, and Leonardo N!! I'll be in touch to send your prize!

Now, a few announcements!!
Mystic~Shelia released today! The third book in the Mystic series is now available for purchase! More about it:
Synopsis:
After a horrible accident takes the lives of her parents, Shelia Morgan is placed in the care of her Aunt Ivy and Uncle Melvin. For six years they work her like a slave. On her twelfth birthday, Uncle Melvin makes Shelia an offer that will destroy her life.

When she turns 19, the ugly truth about her past comes out during a therapy session, Uncle Melvin is arrested, and she's placed in the sights of everyone in town. Hurling insults, objects, and threats, the townspeople side with her uncle and call Shelia a liar. She loses her job, her boyfriend, and her freedom in one day. When a girl named Markaza shows up and tells Shelia she's part of a group of young women destined to save the world, Shelia begins to dream of a new life and true freedom from her personal demons.

She tells the jury her story and boards a plane destined for New York and her new life. Once there, she meets Bronya and Lily: Two other young women with special powers they must learn to harness in order to fight an evil that will rise on December 21, 2012, and destroy the world.

Markaza boards a plane to Atlanta to save the life of a young lady named Melody before her mind destroys her from the inside out. As Markaza fights for Melody's life, Shelia, Lily, and Bronya throw themselves into their studies and learn that even power from within can get out of control.

Read these rockin' reviews! Indie Reviews and Heather's Book Chatter to find out what others are saying!

Click here to buy it on Amazon for just $3.99 or here to buy a paperback for just $8.99.

Second announcement! Starting today and running through December 25, you can pick up a copy of Mystic~Bronya FREE on Amazon!!!! Click here to go grab yours!

Let's get started on today's fun! Friday, December 21 - Twelve people who comment will win an e-copy of Mystic~Shelia!!!

Before I tell you how to enter, I'll do a recap of the indie books pitched thus far. The last two winners will be announced this afternoon at 5pm EST.
Without further ado, here they are:
Andrea Buginsky - The Chosen Amazon link $0.99 *WINNER*
Michael Cargill - Underneath Amazon link $3.30 *WINNER*
Jennifer Lafferty - Offbeat Love Stories and More Amazon link $0.99
Jacques Antoine - Sen No Sen Amazon link $4.99
Brian Bigelow - Horror Bent Amazon link $2.99
Seeley James - The Geneva Decision: Pia Sabel #1 Amazon link $5.99
LJ - Fighting Destiny #1 Amazon link $3.99
Eric Dulin - Condemned (Deus Ex Machina Series) Amazon link $2.99 *WINNER*
Deborah Armstrong - Forever Love Amazon link $3.49 *WINNER*
Kate Baggott - Love From Planet Wine Cooler Amazon link $4.99 *WINNER*
David Manuel - Killer Protocols (Richard Paladin Series) Amazon link $3.99
Aaron Saylor - Sewerville: A Southern Gangster Novel Amazon link $3.99
Ryan Astaphan - Travelphan: Fear, Faith, & Glory in a Journey Across Asia Amazon link $7.99
Michael Meyer - Deadly Eyes Amazon link $2.99
Ginney Etherton - Looping in Limbo (Lainey Tidwell Series) Amazon link $2.99 *WINNER*
S.J. Hunter - Longevity Amazon link $2.99
Felicia Tatum - The White Aura Amazon link $2.99
Brian Author Levene and Anon Beauty - The Other Girls Get Lucifer Everyday Amazon link $4.99 FREE today!
Troy Jackson - The Elementals Amazon link $4.99
Rebecca Elswick - Mama's Shoes Amazon link $3.79
Angela Graff - The Awakening Amazon link $2.99 *WINNER*
Hayley Linfield - The Truth about Dandelions Amazon link $5.99
Tom Abrahams - Sedition Amazon link $2.99
Sarwah Osei-Tutu - Bingo: One Woman's Journey Through Life Amazon link $4.99
Marc Nash - Time After Time Amazon link $2.99
Mark Mackey - Kristen Flemings in a Ghost Story Amazon link $0.99
Jamie Canosa - Dissidence Amazon link $3.95
Elizabeth Los - Second On the Right Amazon link $2.99 FREE today!
Sherry Jesberger - Aislin of Arianrhod Amazon link $1.99
Leonardo Noto - Intrusive Memory Amazon link $4.99 *WINNER*

Those books look great! I've got samples of them all and a number of you have made it through this far in my process. Remember, if you pitched before, you're still in the running.

Here's how to enter today:
Go enter the giveaway on Goodreads for a copy of Mystic~Shelia and go tag the book on Amazon. Come back here and leave me a comment telling me about the last book you read and what you thought of it.

******ATTENTION******
I'm doing things differently today! Since it's the last day of the giveaway, the FIRST TWELVE people to comment will win!

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

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

Jo  

FTC Guide to Endorsements

Hello, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm gonna talk about something you may or may not know: FTC Guidelines when posting an endorsement or testimonial.

Did you know:
When you give someone a review, these guidelines say you're supposed to fully disclose your relationship and method of procurement of the product in question clearly?

Neither did I. Not until I was on Goodreads and checked out the link to the FTC guidelines.

If you were given a free copy of a book in exchange for a review, you're supposed to state that in your endorsement/testimonial.

I didn't see anything on the site that said you had to disclose that information when slamming something with a bad review, but I think it should be common courtesy either way.

This raises the following:
How many authors give their books to readers in exchange for a review and have had the review come back with negative tones, a bad rating, or anything else that's critical and not say where they got the reviewed material? Wouldn't it be safer to simply purchase the books and have it be a verified purchase review? Or to gift them?

I don't have an answer. Just food for thought today. If you're a reviewer, you might consider adding whether or not you were paid for the review in your copy.

Today's questions:
Did you know these guidelines existed? Have you ever paid for a review? Did your reviewer mention they were paid?

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

Jo

My NaNoWriMo Suvival Kit

 It's that time of year again. NaNoWriMo is about to go into full swing. I'm girding myself and preparing like a person ready to survive a zombie apocalypse.

Why would I participate in something like this? I average 3k words a day, 5 days a week, anyway (I never write on the weekends). Why not? By my reckoning, I should have 66k words by the end of November just by doing what I do.

But demanding 3k words and flowing 3k words are two very different things. Goodbye blog post comments and Facebook updates for the month. Toodles to Tweeps! I'm going to be a very busy lady! All you'll get are my buffered posts.

I am pre-writing my blog posts for the month so I can have that time to write. Good stuff coming at you either way! And when I'm done for the day, perhaps you'll see me poke in here or there.

On to my survival kit! If you're doing NaNo, you should consider a survival kit. Mine includes:

Coffee (lots of coffee).
Pre-made dinners that I can throw into the oven out of the freezer (my kids will get sick of roast, I'm sure).
Sugar (to sweeten the coffee, duh!).
My Laptop.
My iPad with Evernote installed (in case I have to go somewhere).
A pen and notepad (for fact check notes).
MS Word and all the goodies I've prepared open and on the screen.
Pre-written blog posts for the month.
A strict schedule by which I will stick.
An out of town response on my e-mail (KIDDING).
Quick stuff to eat for lunch like sandwiches.
Nail clippers and a nail file nearby (ever try to type with long nails or a burr?).
Glasses (because I'm getting old).
Dance Central (for those moments when I don't know what else to do/write).

Hmmmmm... Have I forgotten anything? I don't think so... I'm sure I'll figure it out quickly if I did.

If you're a NaNo participant, add me as a writing buddy! Let's kick this thing's booty!!

Don't forget, go get your copy of the first book in the Mystic series FREE today. It's the LAST DAY!

The Amazon linky.

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

Jo

Mystic ~ Lily Released Today

 Women Save The World!

Today is the day you've all been waiting for! Book two of the Mystic series, Lily, is now available as both an e-book and a print book. Digital copies are $3.99 and a print copy will only set you back $8.99. Get one now! On Amazon or On CreateSpace.

IF you haven't yet read book one, Bronya, go get it now. On Amazon or On CreateSpace. It's FREE until tomorrow night at midnight. A little paranormal activity for you on Halloween!

Here are a few snippets from the reviews Bronya has gotten so far:

"Bronya is the first novella from the Mystic series, in this story we meet Markaza, a blue hair tattooed teenager and Bronya, a physically strong teenager living in a small town in Louisiana.

Markaza has the ability to see into the future and knows that she needs to recruit specific women from all over the US by befriending them..." ~ E. Mendez - 5 stars There's also a great interview over on Ms. Mendez's blog about the series. Check it out!

"I really found this book to be such an easy read that was quick and fast paced. Yet not so fast that nothing was ever not explained fully. Each of the characters presented were so rich and full of life as well as having flaws that made them so very likable. Characters that were judged by other people's standards and beliefs that made you want to root for the underdog to win out over all the haters, cheaters, losers, and liars of the world. Paranormal aspects of this story were cleverly woven in such a way that was just perfect blending into the background of the story and characters too." ~ Angie - 4 stars

"Congrats to Jo for writing a great novella. The characters are unique, and aren't often found in fantasy/paranormal stories. The writing and editing are both well done. It's a quick read, which is a bit disappointing - but only because I want more. Thankfully more are on the way!" ~ J. Chatfield 4 stars

Lily has also received a wonderful review over on Goodreads:

"The story of Lily picks up where Bronya left off. We see the main character Lily struggle with a big change in her life that left her unsure of where her place was in the world. We also find that people are not always what they seem to be such as fake friends who would rather laugh, ridicule, belittle, and be hateful of a person they claim to be friends with. In this book, we see a turning point for not only Lily but for Markaza and Bronya too." ~ Angie - 4 stars

Now for the synopsis of Lily:

Lily Conyers is a twenty-year-old who had it all going for her until a car crash left her with terrible scars, no modeling job, and an addiction to pain killers. When she meets a strange young woman named Markaza, Lily begins to re-build her life with encouragement from her new friend.

Problems arise when Lily leaves the safety of her apartment for the first time since her accident to venture back into the world she used to know. Her so-called friends shun her and her boyfriend recoils at the sight of her face. She rushes home with thoughts of suicide only to find a letter on her step from a company called WSTW; promising her a new life.

Lily packs her bags, bids Markaza goodbye, and sets off for the city. But going to New York is only the first hurdle Lily must jump. She must learn to use the power inside herself to help defeat an evil that is threatening to destroy the world. Once there, she meets a girl named Bronya and the two help one another re-build what was so negligently broken.

As Lily is boarding the plane bound for New York, Markaza boards another headed to Tennessee so she can collect the next young woman on her list: Shelia.

You can pick up a digital copy of Lily at Amazon or a print copy over on CreateSpace. You do not want to miss this second installment of the Mystic series.

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

Jo

Blog Party - Day Three

Welcome to day three of the blog party! Today, I'm happy to be doing a blog spotlight of Indie Author Anonymous!

If you missed day one, go take a look and show the author, Ms. Tia Silverthorne Bach, some love! If you missed day two, go show Ms. Sandi Tuttle some love!

Now, on to day three! The prize: Two people have a chance to win a printed, signed copy of The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book (5 stars on Amazon). Every indie needs a copy of this book!

The feature: Indie Author Anonymous is one of those blogs that does free book reviews. But it's also so much more! Not only does the lady there write eloquent reviews, she also loves indie authors! That makes her one of my heroes!

From her What Is This Blog? page:

"This blog is dedicated to Indie or Self Published writers.
I am an AVID reader and I never knew there were so many awesome authors out there getting almost NO recognition!
I am here for YOU! I know there are many many awesome writers and I KNOW there are MANY readers who want to read your masterpieces!
Having a link to send out that has no affiliation to YOU is indispensable. Promoting yourself gets old. With a promotion on this blog YOU can link to it for YEARS to come.
Seeing how this can work to your benefit?
Awesome! Just click the “My Services” link to get your book on this blog ASAP!"

She also offers services that will feature your indie book or you, the author, on her blog for a small fee (we all have to make money somehow).

You have many ways in which you can connect with this lovely lady:
Twitter: @IndieAuthorAnon
Facebook
or on her blog: Indie Author Anonymous

Give her some love and let her know how much you appreciate all she does for Indies! Now, enter the contest below to WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On to the great blog list for today!

I found this one by venturing into the .com world and searching for some of the best blogs for writers.

Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors
On Twitter: @KMWieland

Here's one you should all already know about. You don't? FOR SHAME! Check her out for great writing tips:

The Creative Penn
On Twitter: @thecreativepenn

How about another reviewer to add to our great list?

Heather's Book Chatter
On Twitter: @WoodTop255

And for today's author:

A.M. Hargrove
On Twitter: @Amhargrove1

Well, that's all for today, folks! Come on back tomorrow and help me welcome another great author! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Paid Reviews and Polls

I've been hearing a lot about paid reviews. I've also been doing some thinking. Questions have risen in my head and I'm looking for public/author feedback here.

I understand that buying a review raises some eyebrows. However, what if those weren't all 5star or 4star reviews? What if the reviewer uses a specific scale, rates the book on specific things, and gives a little detail on each?

For Example:

• Story/plot (1 star)
• Grammar use - not a ton of typos (1 star)
• Well defined characters (1 star)
• A command of the language (1 star)
• Transitions/flow (1 star)

Would you then look for that company or reviewer's posts on books before you bought them? Would their voice mean more or would you still assume they were rating unfairly because money changed hands?

Let's be real for a moment. Indie authors give away hundreds of thousands of books every day with no guarantee of a review. There are many that might pay for reviews if they didn't feel like they were selling their soul to the devil. Let's face it, the guarantee of a 5star review is appealing, but who does that help? Honest reviews will sell more books, right?

I know not everyone can afford to buy a review. But we all know that reviews count in algorithms and that we're desperate for them as indies. They can make us or break us.

What if the company or reviewers publish every review, no matter the star rating, even if they were paid to review the work? Would you be less skeptical of the review once it was written and more apt to seek out that company or reviewer's reviews before making a purchase?

I'm rambling here. Basically looking for reader/author input. If you would, participate in my little poll below.

Answer poll questions now!

Thanks for taking the time. My brain is a hub of curiosity. I'll post results Friday.

Don't forget, if you want some free promotion here on my blog, go check out my post about the BLOG PARTY. Yay!

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

Jo

Goodreads Group for Indie Authors and Reviewers

I see so many of my fellow indie authors struggling for reviews. I'm hoping to solve that problem.

If you're a member of Goodreads, join us here:

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/72232-indie-authors-and-readers-of-indie-books

The idea behind this group is to get reviews for our books. It's not paid reviews. It's reviews by readers who have actually READ our books. As a bonus, they'll be able to interact with us and ask questions about our works.

We will have a place to announce upcoming releases and maybe even get some advanced reviews of our works if we desire.

If you're a reader or book blogger, you have a place in the group as well. I know some indies have tarnished the reputation of us all and I'm trying to bring together people in a safe environment where they can speak their minds and not be afraid of backlash either way. I know some book reviewers have tarnished the reputation of book bloggers everywhere and I'm hoping this group does away with all of that, as well.

I'd like to see indies helping indies and readers and readers helping indies and readers. If we all form a bonded unit, we can help one another drive traffic and sales. A mass of people working together is worth much MUCH more than each person working individually.

So, take off and go read the rules of the group. If you're interested, join us! Invite friends.

Come, drink the kool-aid, be merry!

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

Jo

Goodreads Giveaway Mystic ~ Bronya

Keep your eyes open for the Goodreads giveaway that will start Tuesday and run for two weeks. I'm giving away TWO printed, signed copies of Mystic ~ Bronya. As usual, I will put the widget on my blogger blog for the duration. A special preview of Mystic ~ Lily is in the back!

If you can't wait two weeks to read it, you'll be able to pick it up on Amazon Tuesday, August 21, 2012 for the wonderful price of just $3.99. A printed version is gonna cost you a little more, but it'll be worth the $8.99, I promise. Here's a link to my Amazon author page: amazon.com/author/jomichaels

This series, as I've said, has some strong language but is dealing with a strong topic. Tolerance is a big deal to me and I hope to see this series helps you to open your eyes to the damage words can do when hurled at someone with hate behind them.

Love your fellow man. A good mantra to live by.

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

Jo

Pissed Off Authors

I've seen so many pissed off authors lately it's beginning to make my head swim. There are way too many of us ranting and raving at reviewers. It makes us all look bad. So you got a 1 star review that slammed your book, eh? Be grateful.

Let me tell you something about publicity: If someone loves your book, they may tell a friend or two or they may blog about it. If someone hates your book, they're gonna tell everyone they know. I can hear you saying, "But, Jo! If they run their mouths about my book in a bad way, no one will read it!" This isn't always the case. I have an example.

Harry Potter. Now, J.K. Rowling never expected the uproar that happened with her HP series; but what she gained was notoriety. Because people were so angry about the witchcraft in her books and how it was being presented as good and wholesome, they told everyone they knew about her books. She began to make the news. People flooded out in droves to buy her book because of it.

On the flip-side, remember all those books that got burned? Someone had to buy them so she still made a royalty for each and every one. Chew on that for a moment.

When it comes down to it, J.K. got a ton of free publicity for her HP series because of people that were unhappy with her books and what they perceived to be her message. Now, it doesn't hurt that she had a great series and that she's a really great writer either.

Now for some stats:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone has 5, 831 reviews on Amazon as of the date of this post.
4, 822 are 5 stars
578 are 4 stars
200 are 3 stars
83 are 2 stars
88 are 1 star

And never once did she go rant at a 1 star reviewer. I urge you to go read some of the 1 star reviews.

What I'm trying to say is, your book isn't going to be for everyone. There will be people who love it, and people who hate it. While a bunch of negative reviews may kill your book, there is a good chance they won't. Take it in stride and try not to let your blood-pressure rise too high. Thank the reviewer for taking the time to write a review or don't comment back on any review, ever.

When I ask someone for a review, I tell them to please be as honest as possible and give my book a fair rating according to their level of interest. If it ends up being a 1 star review, then that's fine because that's how they felt when they read my work.

I'm one of those that doesn't write to appeal to the masses. I feel I would be selling out if I did that. I write on topics I'm passionate about. My new series Mystic touches on some very controversial subjects that will not appeal to everyone. I don't care because I'm writing about what I choose to write about. If I stir the soul of just one reader, I did my job. Historical Fiction only appeals to a handful of people in the world. I knew that when I wrote Yassa. But the story was something I was passionate about telling. I stirred someone's soul with that book. I know this because they told me, privately. That review never hit the market but it doesn't matter because it reached my ears.

When I wrote The Abigale Chronicles (Book One and Book Two), I wrote them for my daughter. She loves them, that's what matters to me.

So, my advice is for you to write with your heart and on topics that matter to you, thank people who take time out of their day to read your books and write you a review, and coast along with the tides that ebb and flow from it. If you're an author because you want to get rich, probably not the best occupation. Very few of us make it to the big time. But I'd be willing to bet you write because you love to write. So why does it matter when someone doesn't like it? Now chew on that for a while.

Well, that's all for today, folks! 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

A Few of my Favorite Blogs Part 1 of The Blog Party

If you haven't had the pleasure of stumbling across any of these blogs, I beg you to go check them out. I'll also give you links to their twitter handles. Many of them are great fun to follow and will keep you laughing until your sides hurt. It's a blog party!! All week find links to great new blogs right here.

What happens when you put a bunch of poets together and give them webspace? Find out here:

A Dead Good Blog

Give a lady a book and what does she do? She writes a review! Here are a few lovely review sites:

Booketta's Book Blog  On Twitter: @bookettajane

The Hungry Freelancer  On Twitter: @bethythewriter

Have You Heard Book Review  On Twitter: @Kissablysweet1 

This lady is quite something and talks a lot about popular books, movies, and trends:

Ann Marie Walker  On Twitter: @AnnMarie_Walker

If you like satire and a blog about marketing, this guy will give you the lowdown and a ton of links:

Chazz Writes  On Twitter: @RChazzChute

Are you a crafter? Do you like patterns and cute stuff? This lady does some amazing work and gives great crafting marketing tips:

Family Bugs Blogging  On Twitter: @Family_Bugs

Do you like personal blogs with deep thought about the opposite sex? Confessions of a serial dater? You'll love this blog:

The Misadventures of Chelsea Black  On Twitter: @chelseablack

Would you like your blog to appear here? Let me know on Twitter!! @WriteJoMichaels

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

Jo