My Journey

Any of you that have been following my blog know how I came up with the ideas to write the various books that I have written: Yassa was born of a 'what if?' question, The Abigale Chronicles are for my daughter, and The Indie Author's Guide was created to help those I saw in the most need.

But my life is what shaped me into the person that could write those books. Let's get real for a minute or two, shall we?

I grew up with scads of books. They were everywhere, all the time. My mother and my siblings were all readers, and our collection of books was huge. When I was little, my sisters were all in school and liked to play at teaching me. By age two, I knew my alphabet and could tell you which letters you showed me out of context. By age four, I could read passably well and by age five, I could tell what people around me were spelling aloud. I wrote my first story in Kindergarten.

I consumed books like they were my life-force. Once I started reading, I was lost to the world until the story came to an end. I took a book to bed with me every night and read myself to sleep. This dedication to reading got me a huge award in the third grade when I read over 300 books. When I started a new school year, the most exciting thing was being issued my reading book. They were always stuffed with stories that I hadn't read and I usually read through them in a day or two. I know, what a nerd.

But, oddly, I wasn't a nerd. I hung out with 'that' group of people. I made Cs on my report card unless I needed an A or B to pass the class. I always flew under the radar; never in trouble but never the shining star.

High school was boring me to tears so I dropped out. I got accepted into college at age fifteen and chose Commercial Art as my major. That lasted two months. I got my GED at age sixteen and swore off school.

As life progressed, I never lost my love of books though there was a very long dry spell where I didn't read much of anything because life got in the way and I was too busy living it.

I got married and had two kids. Then I got divorced. After that, married again and three more kids. Finally, another divorce. My second marriage drove me to do a number of things: read as an escape, go back to school, and start a business.

I dove back into my books to escape life. Everything in life sucked but what I could see, do, and experience in a book was limitless. Reading caused my Great Depression. Believe me when I tell you, there's nothing great about a Great Depression. I would read about this journey or that love or his success in a book and compare it to my own life. Down, down, down I would go into a spiral that caused me to pick up yet another book and repeat my cycle. I ended up seeking professional help because I was so depressed.

A wise man told me, "You need to change your life if you ever expect to feel better. No one else is going to do it for you. It's up to you. If you don't, this cycle won't ever be broken."

I reeled from his words, pondered, rolled them around, and took them to heart. Fall of that year saw me as an enrolled student. When I tested in, I was placed in Composition I for my first English class. My major? Secondary Education English & Theater. I signed up for twelve credit hours - full time.

Nervous as hell, I bought my backpack (that I used for all five years) and a number of notebooks and the pen (it's my lucky pen and I've had it since day one - read my story on book signing to see it debuted on my blog). On the first day of classes, I dropped my son off at Pre-K and headed out. I had no idea what to expect but was pleasantly surprised when I arrived and found I wasn't the oldest person in class. I developed the idea for Yassa at that time. Best of all, I was no longer depressed. I was doing something with myself and felt good about it.

Two years and over sixty credit hours later (I took over twenty credit hours a couple of semesters), I was forced to quit. I was pregnant with my daughter and found out I had a problem. They weren't sure how bad it was but my OBGYN watched me very closely throughout my pregnancy. I was in extreme pain and oftentimes found myself unable to move much at all.

Not one to sit around being bored, I enrolled in an online course and got a certification, while chained to my bed, in nine months with a program that's supposed to take two years. They couldn't ship my books fast enough. I was a certified bridal consultant. Yay! Huh?

I gave birth to my daughter and went in for a biopsy. When the results came back, it was a grim prognosis: I had pre-cancerous cells of a very aggressive form of the disease.

Treatment didn't go so well so I had to have surgery. At last, I was free of the dreaded disease!

I got a camera for Christmas that year and it launched my business. I'd always been fascinated by the photographs in the back of Discover magazine and would sit and look at them for hours at a time. I set out to learn everything I could about depth of field, shutter speed, and ISO. What I gained was a wealth of knowledge about all of the above topics and lighting. I consumed books on the subject and was rarely without a camera in my hand. I launched a portrait and wedding photography business and enjoyed wild success. See some of my photography work here.

When I began to offer albums as wedding package inclusions and as bonuses for senior portrait packages, I realized there was a lot I needed to learn about the printing process (bleed, gutter, CMYK - the dreaded subject). I looked through my previous college's brochure and found a Graphic Design program that delved into the printing world. What the hell? I signed up.

It took me three years to get through the program because I came back to school in the spring and it's designed for a fall start. What I gained by doing that was the ability to take classes that weren't required to complete my program. I already had sixty credit hours going in, and classes like life drawing, composition II, business management, and color theory were bonuses I indulged in. I was in heaven! My photography business hit the back burner (I refused to try and do that along with school because my grades and focus would have suffered) and I worked my butt off to maintain my 4.0 GPA. I developed a digital painting/drawing style that is totally unique to me and used it often in my projects.

Looking back, I realize the reason I took a lot of those classes was so I could keep writing. I wasn't the most creative in my class but my attention and skills were in the details and the briefs. I could polish like no other and write briefs that were concise and grammatically correct. I took on a tutoring job that fit between my classes and tutored Calculus, Composition I & II, and Graphic Design.

In 2011, I graduated Summa Cum Laude and as the graduating designer who had the honor of designing the cover for the commencement program. Yay!

Another wonderful surprise in 2011 was The Best Boyfriend in the World. He's changed my life in profound ways and given me the encouragement I needed to be my best.

My book was still begging to be written and I felt a lot more confident in my writing abilities. I had the skills I needed to create the interior and exterior of a book and had heard of the recent boom in self-publishing. I made a very difficult decision and dropped my photography business. I researched like mad and read every book I could get my hands on that concerned writing a novel, crafting a plotline, creating dialogue that didn't suck, and Genghis Khan. I re-wrote my prologue four times.

Finally, in January, 2012, I decided that the darned book wasn't going to finish itself so I sat down and banged it out. My relationship with Mike (TBBITW) shaped every scene in the book. When I say I couldn't have done it without him, that's the 100% truth. If you've read it, I know you understand how powerful it is.

Yassa went through five rounds of edits. I added scenes the first time, cut scenes the second time, removed filler words the third time, and edited for grammar the fourth time. For edit number five, I sent it out. There are still errors in the text here and there but nothing overwhelming. Those errors will be fixed as I read through the printed version and make my own notes.

I have since begun a series of chapter books for my daughter titled The Abigale Chronicles and I have written The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book. Best of all, I'm not depressed anymore. I'm doing things for me and my life. Without my journey, I wouldn't be where I am and I wouldn't be the person I have become. I appreciate life because I have been threatened with death.

I intend to add illustrations to my chapter books at some point. They will all be done by me because I find drawing to be as cathartic as writing. I don't just write for me, I write for you. I write to give you that escape we all so desperately need sometimes. I do hope you escape into my books now and again.

I hope you've all enjoyed my story. It's crazy, but it's my mad mad world! Now you know. I'm a writer, photographer, certified bridal consultant, and designer all wrapped into one tiny little package. Trust me, it's not that I don't know what I want to do, it's that I want to do everything. I thirst for knowledge in every form. I think all writers (and readers) are great students.

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

Jo

Come Join the Party!

Okay, folks, in celebration of my books publishing, I'd like to invite you all to a party! It's a party online that will take place right here on my blog! I'm getting a decent number of hits here per day and an astonishing number per month. I'd like to share the wealth!

Next week, I'm willing to promote your new book or your blog topic right here on my blog. If you've written a review and would like to see it posted here, send me a message via FaceBook. While I would love to slap my personal e-mail address down here to make it easier, we all know about spam-bots and the irritating way they seek and spam. Yuck!

So, if you're interested in some free self-promotion, message me.

Don't forget to pick up a copy of one of my books in the meantime! :)

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

The Indie Author's Guide

Yesterday I wrote almost five thousand words. Drivel, unimaginative, lonely words. Why? Because I'm writing a non-fiction book. It's title is: The Indie Author's Guide to Building a Great E-Book.

Why am I writing this book? Because I've realized there's a huge need for it. Can you find a lot of the information online and in textbooks? Possibly. But I give you links for that. Consider it a book that brings all you need to create a dynamite e-book together in one place.

So, why would someone buy this book? Because of section six. I am a graphic designer and if you want to know how to create a print version of your book, I walk you through step by step. I also teach you how to avoid common pitfalls in the publishing process.

Okay, but I have no desire to create a printed version of my book, Jo! Maybe not today, but possibly tomorrow. I give you advice on how to build your book cover today so you won't be sorry tomorrow.

I give you some great marketing and branding ideas, and a collection of useful links with a number of reviews on each publishing platform. You've seen a taste of what kind of information you'll get in the book here on my blog. If you missed those posts, click here, here, here, or here to pay them a visit.

It's going to take me a few weeks to finish the book but it will be a wealth of information for any indie author. Even the most inexperienced of people will be able to build a fantastic e-book by following along with me.

Keep your eyes here for news on release dates and those great Abigale giveaways!

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

Jo