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

Who Where Why

Good Monday, people of the blogosphere! Glad to have you back. Today, I'll be talking about 3 Ws of writing: Who, Where, and Why.

I do hope you'll take a little trip with me down the road of lessons. Let's address these Ws in order. As you all must know, I'm releasing Lily tomorrow so I'll use the Mystic series when giving comparisons. Nothing like a good tie-in eh? Grab your pencil and paper and let's get going.

Who
This is usually your protagonist. There's always a who. Whether it's a person, animal, or insect. This is the person you build your story around. But let's look at it from another angle, shall we? Who is also the supporting cast, the antagonist, and any creature in the book that helps the plot along. In Mystic, the primary who is Markaza. Supporting whos are: Bronya, Lily, Shelia, Melody, Coralie, Johanna, and the monster. These aren't folks that make an appearance and go away. Those, I like to call: Whonots. In Mystic, they would be: Cecilia, Grammy, Uncle Melvin, Aunt Ivy, Wilhelm, the other models, and folks I don't build well because I don't want them to be remembered when the book is done. I've been asked why I didn't name Cecilia's boyfriend. So you would forget him. I only want you to remember the main characters; those that pull the story along throughout the entire series. Good tip: Don't name someone you want people to forget.

Where
Every character is on a journey. They must start somewhere and end somewhere. Markaza is traveling all over the U.S. but she ends up right back where she began - in New York. Every supporting who also ends up in New York. They travel from their homes to join Markaza in her quest to save the world. So, New York is our main setting. Other places are secondary but equally as important. I've been to every state I write about and it's helped me describe the landscapes and scenery. If you can't visit, look at a ton of photos and read weather reports to get the gist.

Why
This is the whole reason you're writing a book. There's some compelling reason your protagonist must begin their journey. In Markaza's case, she must round up other women to help save the world (as only women can do). Her visions are a result of something that happened to her when she was young. But it's that occurrence which drives the whole series. Without her visions, she would never have embarked upon her journey the series is written around. You must have a why and a journey to resolution.

As a reminder, Lily releases tomorrow and Bronya is still free today! If you'd like to help a fellow indie out, tweet this:

#freekindlebook through Wed! http://amzn.to/PhxwdW 4star avg rating on #Amazon #paranormal Share with friends and go get one today!

or share this on your FB wall:

Lily releases tomorrow! Preview in the back of Bronya http://amzn.to/PhxwdW Free through Wednesday on Amazon. Please like and share this great beginning to the Mystic series by Jo Michaels. 4 Star average rating!

If you want a copy for yourself, go grab one here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009015NVQ

Come on back tomorrow for news on the release of Lily!

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

Jo

Winners Cover Reveal and FREEBIE

Welcome to the Saturday Blog Party Winner Announcement!

Before we get to the winners, I have two announcements.

First, enjoy a cover reveal for the second book in the Soul Sisters series written by Janiera Eldridge. Janiera does a lot of great things for my blog and my books; so help me thank her by taking a minute to check out her series and see if it's something you may enjoy reading. Clicking on the title will take you to the book's Goodreads page.

Dark Expectations by Janiera Eldridge

Synopsis:
With Ani taking her place as queen, there are some enemies lurking she could never imagine! There's a secret compound in California that wants to know the secrets to making a vampire or werewolf.

When they kidnap Ani during a trip back to California they might actually get what they want. Her sister Dana, her lover Diego and other vampires do everything they can to get her back. If they don't succeed, they face being controlled completely by the human race forever!

Dark Expectations is the exciting sequel to Soul Sisters that's full of adventure, danger and what it means to be queen!


This cover was designed by: Strong Image Editing

Second, the next book in my Mystic series, Lily, releases on Tuesday. In honor of the release, I'm offering the first book, Bronya, for free on Amazon for the next five days. If you haven't read it, go grab one and get to it. Here's a cover image and synopsis for each:

Synopsis:
Bronya Thibodeaux is a senior at Houma High School whose life is about to be changed forever. She's always felt like an outcast, but thinks she may have found a friend when a strange, new girl named Markaza who has blue hair, a number of tattoos, and a strange way of dressing appears. She accepts Bronya for who she is and the two hit it off.

Markaza isn’t around long before she moves away. Bronya goes back to feeling lonely and different. Trouble arises when Bronya's love interest - a girl named Cecilia - is accidentally revealed to the entire student body. Bronya’s life choices make her a pariah in her small town. After getting thrown out of school, not being able to find a job, and being subjected to ridicule and cruel treatment, Bronya chooses to leave her old life behind forever when she receives a compelling invitation from a mysterious company named WSTW.

What Bronya doesn't know, is the mysterious company is owned by Markaza; a mystic who knows the end of the world is coming and is gathering together the only people who can stop the evil that's threatening to take over. Bronya is just the first. But going to New York is only a baby step toward her true journey. As Bronya races against the clock to unlock a power she never knew she had, Markaza races to collect the others: Lily, Shelia, Melody, and Coralie.

Synopsis:
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.

There's a preview of Lily inside Bronya so grab that booger and get to reading. WOMEN WILL SAVE THE WORLD!

Now for the moment you've all been waiting for!! The winners of the huge giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations to you eighteen lucky folks!! The authors from the party and I will be in touch to find out where to send your prizes.

Winner C.E. Hart gets a copy of Depression Cookies by Tia Silverthorne Bach
Winner C.E. Hart gets one of Sandi Tuttle's mugs with the "If I have wings" artwork
Sandi Tuttle gets the WSTW mug - how apropos...
C.E. Hart and Sandi Tuttle both get printed, signed copies of The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book
Tia Silverthorne Bach and Alana M each get a copy of Sex, Death,  & Mind Control (for fun and profit)
C.E. Hart wins $10 Amazon gift card, printed, signed copy of Yassa, and a digital copy of each of the following: The Abigale Chronicles Bundle Pack (books 1-3), Mystic ~ Bronya, Mystic ~ Lily, and The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book.
And these 10 people win a signed Mystic bookmark!!

Entry #150Becky F.

Entry #241Charlene T.

Entry #263Ashley

Entry #165C.E. H.

Entry #121Alana M.

Entry #74Heather B.

Entry #110Heather W.

Entry #115Ellie M.

Entry #18Beth J.

Entry #50Sandi T.

C.E. Hart, you certainly got a lion's share of the prizes!! Congratulations to everyone that won!!

Me or the author will be in touch with everyone on Monday to find out where to send the prizes!!

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

Jo

lOOk at YoUr bUsiNeSS CaRd

Hello, lovely people of the blogosphere! This week will be a designer's look at what you're doing on different platforms and will be called lOOk at YoUr xXx. Follow along and learn! Today I'd like to talk to you all about your business card(s).

A business card might not seem very important. After all, it's just a tiny piece of card stock folks either file away, throw away (yikes!), or stick in a Rolodex, right? Wrong. A business card is oftentimes your one chance to make an awesome first impression. By now you know the drill, so get out your pencils and paper and follow along. Read carefully because I'm going to be giving you tips you may not have ever heard.

Get out your card (either printed or a digital version) and let's start with what you're doing now.
Observations:

1. Is your phone number prevalent?
2. Is your name or pen name easy to read?
3. How big is your card?
4. How many pieces of information are on it (name, phone number(s), url, blog, twitter, book title(s), etc...)?
5. What are your images?
6. How many colors are you using?
7. Can someone tell at a glance that your card matches your site/blog/twitter?
8. Are all elements aligned the same (left, right, center)?
9. Does your card have a die-cut?
10. Rounded corners?

Now, let's see how your answers measure up and how we can fix some common issues:

1. What can you do to fix the readability of your card?
2. Can you add your real name in addition to your pen name?
3. Does your card really need to be bigger than a standard size?
4. How many pieces of information do you need? Write down the ones you cannot live without.
5. What images can you add/change for better branding?
6. Do you really need fifty colors? Remember your branding and try to stick with one or two plus black.
7. Consider a couple of ways you can make your card fit your brand.
8. How can you make that info/image line up?
9. Do you really need a die-cut or rounded corners?

Here's some tips and tricks to building a better business card:

1. Make your phone number obvious and a good point size (I recommend 11pt or up for a phone number). After all, if you're giving someone your card, you generally want a phone call, right? Think about using . instead of - in your phone number because it takes up less room. Example: (800) 435-6817 as compared to 800.435.6817 and you can Kern those together.
2. Look at your fonts. If you branded and chose a font back from Monday's post, make sure your name appears in the one that's easiest to read.
3. I know you'll tell me I'm crazy, but a lot of people still use a standard Rolodex. They punch cards and stick them in there. If your card doesn't fit, it's going in the garbage. 3.5"x2", please.
4. While more information may seem better, sometimes it's just not and can cause a cluttered look on your card. Choose that which you cannot live without and ditch the rest. I suggest name, phone number (really just need one here), website, and Twitter @. If you can't live without your cell phone number, fax number, amazon author page, blog, and twenty other URLs, you may want to hand out posters instead. Just sayin'.
5. Is your logo or headshot on there? If not, add it. Use a black and white photo to keep printing costs down.
6. Use your brand color(s). Keep in mind you can use 50% opacity on those and get a whole new range of options for the same price!
7. If you don't need a die-cut or rounded corners (you don't), get rid of them. They invade your printable area and make your print job more expensive.
8. Think about being unique. What about a business card on the end of a bookmark (for authors) or on a magnet for the fridge? It's all in the little things you do. The bookmarks don't even have to be perforated, just have a line where folks should cut it away. BRILLIANT!

Now on to a tip not a lot of folks know about. There's an app for many smartphones that allows you to scan a QR code containing contact information and adds it right to your contacts. Might it not be a good idea to have that QR code printed somewhere on your card? Then, someone can scan your card and have all your information in their phone as well.

Check out this nifty little site: http://www.qrstuff.com/

Then, if you have the app, scan my code below to see how it works. **NOTE** phone number and address have been changed to protect the innocent!!

Now that's just cool. I don't care who you are.

Find more tips like these in my book The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book and take your future to new heights. It's just $2.99 on Amazon. Don't want to buy one? Enter my great giveaway to win one! Three are available. Today is the last day to enter.

Did you enjoy my five day's worth of lessons? Download a free PDF and keep them forever! Follow the link: Give me the PDF!!!!

No e-mail address or login required. Enjoy!

Question of the day: Have you learned anything this week?

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

Jo

lOOk at YoUr tWitTeR

Hello, lovely people of the blogosphere! This week will be a designer's look at what you're doing on different platforms and will be called lOOk at YoUr xXx. Follow along and learn! Today I'd like to talk to you all about your Twitter page. It's just as important as everything else you use.

Grab those pencils and paper and let's get going. As usual, we'll begin by looking at what you DO, then we'll get into how to FIX it. Let's begin...

Observations:

1. What is your background?
2. When you open the page, do you go, "Oooooooooh! Nice!"?
3. Do you have consistency with your blog, website, and Facebook?
4. Have you begun to use the new layout? If yes, what's your header background?
5. What's your icon?
6. What colors do your links and tweets appear in?
7. Do you do a lot of promotion for others as well as yourself?
8. What does your description say?
9. What is your @handle? 

Answer these for insight to the Q&A above:

1. How can you change your background to give that wow factor?
2. What can you do to increase consistency?
3. How might you use your logo or branding image with Twitter?
4. Can you change your icon to your branding image (logo/face/etc...)?
5. Come up with a color scheme if you haven't already.
6. Is it feasible to prowl Twitter a couple of times a day and re-tweet a couple of people?
7. Can you simplify your description and lead folks to your books at the same time?
8. Is your @handle the title of your book?

Tips on implementing some of your ideas:

1. Build your own Twitter background with image software that allows you to specify size. Be sure to include your logo or name somewhere. I've seen a few that do a collage of book covers and it looked pretty awesome. The only drawback I can see there is folks getting overwhelmed with imagery.
2. Update your icon with either your logo or your face.
3. Update your badge with a nifty background or color scheme that matches your brand.
4. Be consistent with your colors. Customize whatever you can here. You can specify what colors your tweets and links appear in.
5. Promote other people as well as yourself.
6. Rewrite your description as many times as you need to in order to say as much as you can in as few words/characters as possible.
7. Your @handle should be your pen name or business name. Not a product or book title. After all, what happens when you write another book or expand your Twitter to include something else? Worried you'll lose all your followers? If they love you, they'll appreciate a DM (direct message) telling them what name you're changing to. Those that don't heed the advice aren't worth it anyway.

Find more tips like these in my book The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book and take your future to new heights. It's just $2.99 on Amazon. Don't want to buy one? Enter my great giveaway to win one! Three are available.

Question of the day: Are you finding these tips and tricks easy to follow? Are you feeling more put-together?

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

Jo

lOOk at YoUr fAceBoOk

Hello, lovely people of the blogosphere! This week will be a designer's look at what you're doing on different platforms and will be called lOOk at YoUr xXx. Follow along and learn! Today I'd like to talk to you all about FaceBook pages. No, not your personal page that you add your best high-school buds to. Your business or fan page.

Go grab those pencils and paper and let's dive right in. You know the drill, right? First, let's see how you measure up.

Answer these questions about your FaceBook page:

1. Is your cover image all about you or your titles?
2. Are your links easy to find?
3. Do you know who you are at a glance (without clicking around)?
4. If a visitor leaves FaceBook after a glance, do they know what you're selling?
5. How many posts do you make per day?
6. Where can visitors find your promotions?
7. Does your cover image fit or is it cropped?
8. Is your FaceBook page branded to match your blog/website/twitter? 
9. Are you using Timeline?

Based on your observations, answer the following:

1. Can you rebrand your cover image and icon(s) so people know more about what you do?
2. Where can you put your links so they're easy to find?
3. How many places can your name go?
4. What kind of content could you include to let visitors know what your products are?
5. How many posts could you make per day?
6. Are your images the best quality they can be?
7. Why aren't you using Timeline?

Now, go check out this post by Liberty on how to add things like cover images for your tabs, install apps, and size requirements. Then come on back and let's implement those ideas.

A few tips on fixing the above:

1. Upgrade to Timeline. Please. It will give you a million more options.
2. Design your cover image in some kind of software (Liberty mentions Gimp and it's a good alternative) that allows you to specify size. Create a new image per the requirements and brand that puppy. On a side note, I've heard authors say their book covers are their brand and they couldn't be more correct. However, what happens when you have more than one book? I strongly suggest branding yourself with either: your face, a logo, your name in a specific font, or a font + a color scheme. If you use your face, have a professional photograph taken, please!
3. Put your links on your about page or add your url to your cover image in a way that's not annoying. For example: If you use YourName in large letters, you can add .com in smaller letters on the end.
4. Make sure your name either appears in your cover image OR your icon. Even if your icon is your face, add your name to it. Won't hurt, will help.
5. Make sure folks know what books you've written or what you're selling at a glance. You have ten seconds to make an impression. Please make one that lasts.
6. How can you add valuable content via posts to your timeline? When you see something you like while browsing with your personal page, share it on your business page as well.
7. Add apps or icons with your promotions. This can be as simple as a rafflecopter embed. Trust me, just do eet!
8. Make sure your images are at least 72dpi. No one wants to look at a blurry photograph.
9. Once you have your name, book covers, and logo or image on there, consider your branded color scheme and add elements of those as well. Remember your icon will overlap your cover image a bit on the lower, left-hand side. Design accordingly.

Remember, you can get tips like these in my book The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book. For just $2.99 I talk branding, formatting, and design for indies.

Don't forget to enter the blog party giveaway! There's three copies of The Indie Author's Guide in there just waiting for you to win!

If anyone noticed, I added ten signed Mystic/WSTW bookmarks to the giveaway! Enjoy and good luck!

Question of the day: Did you know everything above? Are you interested in learning more about branding?

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

Jo