Goodreads Demystified

Happy Monday! Today, I'm making a post for all those new authors out there struggling to get a grip on good old Goodreads. There will be some info in here for old hands, too, so give it a skim and pick and choose what you think may help YOU. I'm going to break it down into sections so you can find what you need more easily. Not a long intro today, because this puppy will be LONG. Ready? Let's get going!

CREATING AN ACCOUNT

Go to Goodreads.com:

Fill out the boxes and click "sign up with email" unless your author name is your FB name (if they're the same, click sign in with Facebook--not sure how you'd choose to do that because of all the Amazon/FB "stuff" going on). ANYway:

Leave off connecting any of your social media right now. You can always do it later. Click "skip this step":

Please also skip the reading challenge question (dear me, this is a lot of stuff to add to an account setup):

Because Goodreads is primarily a site for readers, they want you to select your favorite book genres so they can match you with people with similar interests or recommend books to you. Do that and click Continue:

Skip the ratings page by clicking:

Yay! Now we're finally to your profile (sort of)! Click the big green button:

Now, really quickly, go to your email and verify your account.

APPLYING FOR AN AUTHOR PROFILE IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A BOOK LISTED

Now go to the search bar in the top and type in the title of your book (I'm searching for a random title because Jo Michaels is already claimed and can't be claimed again):

Click on it. Then click on the author name:

You'll see this. Click on "let us know":

Fill it out and click "submit application":

All done! Now, you sit back and wait to be approved!

APPLYING FOR AN AUTHOR PROFILE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A BOOK LISTED

After you have an account for 24 hours, go to the search bar in the top and type in the title of your book (going with something I know isn't published) and hit enter:

If your book isn't listed (and it shouldn't be), click "manually add a book" (for tutorial reasons, I had to go back to my other profile--this one hadn't been active long enough to add a book. You CAN have an established friend go in and add your book):

Fill it out. Goodreads will give you hints and tips on how to fill out the page as you go along. If you don't have an ISBN, go ahead and pop over to CreateSpace, create a new title, and click give me a free ISBN. Use that. Obviously, I won't be adding a non-existent book, but you get the idea. Don't forget to go to the top, right hand side and upload your cover. Once you're done, click "create book":

Wait about 10-15 minutes, then do the steps for applying for an author profile if you already have a book listed as outlined above.

Now, you're ready to rock and roll!

Tomorrow, I'll go through filling out your shiny new author profile that you should have by then, and I'll introduce you to some cool Goodreads features like events, giveaways, and groups.

Any questions?

If you're a SASS member, write your questions down and hang on to them. I'll address your concerns on our call later this week.

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

Jo

UTOPiAcon 2016 - Sponsors, Awards Nominations, and Alessandra Torre Questions

Happy Monday for a second time, good people of the blogosphere! This go round, we're talking UTOPiAcon 2016. I'm not going to ramble here, I'm just going to dive into the good stuff.

All remaining tickets and exhibitor space are 10% off for the month of April! This is one heck of a deal, so get on it right now!

Tickets are here!

Let's start off with some awesome. Keynote speaker Alessandra Torre has agreed to take questions from attendees! It's a simple process, all you have to do is fill out the form below.



Who is Alessandra Torre?

Alessandra Torre is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of fourteen novels and one collection of short stories. Her books focus on romance and suspense, all with a strong undercurrent of sexuality. Torre has been featured in such publications as Elle and Elle UK, Dirty Sexy Funny with Jenny McCarthy, as well as guest blogged for the Huffington Post and RT Book Reviews. She is also the Bedroom Blogger for Cosmopolitan.com.

Learn more about Alessandra on her website, on Twitter @ReadAlessandra or her Facebook fanpage.

Before I get to another couple of awesome sponsors for this year, did you know you can keep track of all the goings-on at the conference with one, easy to use app? Check out Sched right now! Get your days all planned out so you aren't lost in June! The bloggers will be explaining how to use that awesome tool next month. Don't miss out!

Now, I'm gonna tell you a little about two more of our awesome sponsors!

Vellum helps you create beautiful eBooks. 

Vellum’s built-in Book Styles incorporate classic touches like custom drop caps and ornamental flourishes, and are automatically applied to your book.

Your eBooks are tailored for each store and adapt to screens large and small. So no matter how they buy or read it, your readers are sure to see a beautiful eBook.

Find them on the web here!

Be sure and check out their blog, too!

Wise Ink - Authors Need More than a Publisher

Wise Ink is a creative publishing agency for game-changers. We love publishing books. We've helped more than four hundred authors bring their ideas from manuscript to print and we learned a few things.

We learned that authors need more. Authors need a strong platform, strategic marketing, top-notch editing, award-winning book design, and a creative team dedicated to helping you succeed beyond the book.
Wise Ink was created to help you: the author with a big picture and the passion to prove it.

Find them on the web here!

And, their blog!

FIFTH Annual UTOPiAcon Awards!

Nominations by the academy are happening now! If you have a book (or books) that's eligible for an award, list them on your blog and share your link below.

ELIGIBLE BOOKS:

Eligible books are those published between April 1, 2015 and April 1, 2016 that fall into the categories set forth by Utopia.

ALL books are eligible. You don't have to be an attendee of the con to be nominated OR to win! Indie, trad pub, all are welcome for nominations!

Don't forget to visit the other awesome bloggers this month!
Week 1: Jo Michaels and Maria Pease
Week 2: Shana Benedict and Delphina Miyares
Week 3: Ren Reidy
Week 4: Ashley Bodette and Kathryn Grimes

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

Jo

Book Review - Gifted

Happy Friday, everyone! Let me tell you what. Oh, yeah. This has been a very busy week for me. Four book reviews and several IBGW projects happening. Do I need to tell you I'm a wee bit tired? So, please forgive me if this post has errors. hahaha! Ready for the details on this awesome book by Liz C. Long? Grab a cup of Joe and let's get going.

Information about the book:

Title: Gifted (Donovan Circus #1)
Author: Liz C. Long
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Suspense
Length (print): 398 pages
Buy Links: Amazon Paperback $12.30

Blurb:
Even in a world of freaks, being a Firestarter is considered a dangerous Gift. Lucy was born with the ability to create and control fire. She longs to leave the human world for one filled with Earthshakers, Transporters, and Chameleons, to name a few. When she rejoins the circus, it’s everything she hoped it could be—new friends, a potential love interest or two, and a place where she can be herself. When troupe members begin turning up dead, however, Lucy is suspected of foul play. She must not only prove her innocence but also realize the full extent of her power. To find the real murderer, she must uncover the truth behind her father’s fiery legacy while figuring out whom to trust within her new circle. Little does she know the history of the Donovan Circus and its enemies might actually destroy the entire gifted world.

~~~

I grabbed a paperback copy of Gifted on Amazon after watching copies fly off a table at a book signing conference. There was this innate need inside me to find out what secrets were hidden on the pages. Full disclosure: I'm a total geek over X-Men. Total. Geek. I used to play the video game at the arcade (Storm was my favorite character to play as), I own all the movies, and I love supernatural ability stories--I'm also a huge Heroes fan. Why did I bother telling you all that? Because if you love those kinds of things, you're going to adore this book. Now, let's move on to the review so I can regale you with all the awesome.

From a Reader's Perspective:
I both loved and hated the main character, Lucy. She was spunky, smart, a bit weak at first, and someone I'd love to hang out with in real life. A couple of her tendencies irritated me at the beginning of the book, but once I realized where her actions were stemming from, they were a little more acceptable. Best of all, despite her being gifted, I could identify with her on a human level. Huge points to the author for that.

Pacing was awesome, and I was able to finish this read in two sittings. Yeah, I was left wanting more, but not because there was a cliffhanger. It all stemmed from the awesome on the pages. Totally geeked out.

Long's descriptions are rich and vivid, but they don't go on and on about each detail. She allows you to paint the scene in your mind by giving you nuggets to build on. My favorite kind of writing is when I don't have to skip pages to avoid getting bogged down. Needless to say, world-building was amazing.

But let's talk about the plot! Up until the villain revealed themselves, I had no clue who it was. What fun I had trying to figure it out, though.

My favorite character was certainly Lucy, but I also loved Brooklyn (she's so passive-aggressive awesome), Delia, and Bianca. I won't ruin the awesome by sharing what they can all do, but it's super cool. Their dialogue felt so natural, too.

Oh, and the action! Yes, there's plenty of that. You get to see all the abilities at work constantly. I loved it.

From an Editor's Perspective:
There were no plot holes, and the flow and pacing were amazing, but the commas were kind of everywhere they shouldn't be and not where they should. So, I'll give half a star for editing.

Rating:
1 Star for creating a complex main character with layers I had to peel back
1 Star for description and world-building
1 Star for keeping the answer to the mystery elusive
1 Star for all the action
.5 Star for editing
-.5 Star for fairy-like commas that flitted hither and yon

Overall, 4.5 out of 5 stars. Everyone who's ever read one of my reviews knows I round up, not down, so this book gets a five click. Recommended for those who love books about paranormal abilities.

What do you think? Will you read it?

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

Jo

Book Review - Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3)

Happy Thursday, everyone! I'm back with yet another book review. This time, it's for a series I can't get enough of: The Lunar Chronicles by the lovely Marissa Meyer. I've reviewed book one, Cinder, and book two, Scarlet, here on the blog already, and I invite you to check them out. Today, we're all about Cress.

This review will go in the Time for Books 2016 review pool. There are over ninety reviews there already, so if you're looking for your next great read... Well, here's the link: Time for Books 2016 Review Team. Check it out for yourself. Those ladies kick butt.

Ready? Let's get to it!

Starting with information about the book.

Title: Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: YA Fairy tale Adaptations - Sci-Fi
Length (print): 560 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Hardcover $11.22

Blurb:
In this third book in Marissa Meyer's bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and prevent her army from invading Earth.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl trapped on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she's being forced to work for Queen Levana, and she's just received orders to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is splintered. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price than she'd ever expected. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai, especially the cyborg mechanic. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

~~~

Where do I start? I, of course, grabbed this book once I finished Scarlet. Wild horses couldn't have kept me from it. I was so intrigued by the first two books in this series, I just had to have the third one (especially when I found out Cress was a hacker). There was no disappointment to be had by this reader. Anyway, now that you know where I got it, let's get to why I loved it!

From a Reader's Perspective:
Cress was likeable from the first moment she was introduced. Because of the circumstances she grew up in, I expected her to be overly naive, cowardly, and awkward. Well, I nailed two of those aspects, but this young lady blew me away with her tenacity. While she had plenty of inner fear, she charged into every situation, ready to do her part to help. I loved seeing the world through eyes that had never seen it before. Growing up on Earth, most people rarely pause to consider the stunning beauty of this planet. I never even realized how much I took the simple things (like mountains and trees) for granted. An eye opener for sure.

My favorite characters were back, and I got some new ones to contemplate. Captain Thorne is starting to show his softer side, as he looks at himself with new, innocent eyes. Scarlet is still the pilot everyone wishes they were, and Iko is her snarky, loyal, lovable self.

Cinder, however, is the one who moves forward most from the previous books. She's starting to find the power inside herself, and she's coming to some realizations that may just lead her band of misfits to the battle of their lives and the overthrow of the Lunars.

World-building and pacing were spot on, and I read this behemoth in just a few sittings. Captivating!

I can't wait to read Winter.

From an Editor's Perspective:
Nothing to write home about. No hiccups in the plot, no grammar flubs, and no syntax slip-ups.

Rating:
+1 Star for making me adore Cress
+1 Star for pacing
+1 Star for showing me the growth in Cinder
+1 Star for opening my eyes to the wonders I've seen every day but didn't recognize
+1 Star for editing

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars! Highly recommended for those that love action, adventure, and a good dose of all things fairy tale.

What do you think? Have you read it? Plan to?

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

Jo

Book Review - Dark Bishop

Happy Wednesday, everyone! I'm gonna regale you all with another book review today! I know how freaking excited you must be. You guys. This book! Okay, I'm not gonna ramble today. Let's just get on with it, shall we?

As always, let's start with information about the book up for review!

Title: Dark Bishop
Authors: Rachael Brownell and Casey L. Bond
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Length (print): 246 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Blurb:
A dangerous game has begun.

Sydney. Her skin felt as soft as it looked. I shouldn’t have touched her, but I couldn’t help myself. I’ve been to New Orleans dozens upon dozens of times. It’s a unique city, filled with tourists and superstition. And until tonight, I’d never been superstitious.

An old fortuneteller freak stopped me on the way to the diner and said I would make a decision that would change my path. She didn’t know that I’d walked the path to this very restaurant before. It had been a few years.

Who knew that the decision to return would be blessed with a beauty—five foot six with curves in all the right mouth-watering places. Clothed in cheap polyester, stained with God only knew what, Sydney was a vision. Blonde hair to her waist. Big brown doe eyes. I could almost taste her.

In his game, everyone’s a pawn…

I didn’t miss the rumble of her stomach when I asked her to dine with us. She was hungry. Something that flashed in those eyes told me it wasn’t because she just skipped lunch today. Maybe I could meet some of her needs. Forget that. I could definitely meet her needs, but it was up to her to let me. So, I left her my business card, my number.

Girls like Sydney, they’re afraid. They never make the first move. Most never even make the second. I doubt she’d call. I’d tipped her well, not because she was the best waitress I’d ever had, not even because she was within my sites. I tipped her so that when I came back to the diner, she would remember me. She would want to serve me.

And, oh, would she ever serve me. I just have to play my cards right.

…and he’s never lost a game.

Dark Bishop is unsuitable for those under the age of eighteen due to adult language and situations.

****

I picked up this book because I heard it was a dark thriller, and I was in the mood for a dark thriller. Never did I expect what I found on the pages. I've read Casey L. Bond's work several times, but this was my first foray into Rachael Brownell. I wasn't disappointed. Far from it. But I bet you want to know why, huh? Okay, let's talk about why I loved Dark Bishop.

From a Reader's Perspective:
I knew what to expect from this book: dark, twisted, and a total player in the MC. What took me by surprise was the colorful, yet fast paced, writing. You could clearly see the peeling linoleum in Syd's apartment, feel the superiority in Jake's mind, and smell the scents described on the page. But those things were just the perks in a delightfully diabolical scheme being played out by dear Jake Bishop.

Ladies, this isn't the bad boy you love to hate. Oh, no. He's the one you run from, the one that turns your fantasies into living nightmares. Truly cringe-worthy, I give Jake Bishop the highest evil ranking you can conceive.

Then, there's Sydney. Oh, how many times I wanted to smack that girl! But she got played by a master of the game. I could sympathize with her easily, and wanted more of what she was thinking and feeling in that last chapter.

There was no other way this book could've ended. It was a stunning collision of perfect meets chaos. This is a wild ride you won't soon forget.

From an Editor's Perspective:
Very well done. I didn't find but one or two comma errors in the whole thing. Kudos must be given!

Rating:
1 Star for making me cringe often
1 Star for descriptions that brought the story alive
1 Star for giving me an awesome bad guy I could actually hate
1 Star for making Syd's actions and persona believable and making me care about her
1 Star for editing

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended if you love dark thrillers.

What do you think? Plan to check it out?

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

Jo

Book Review - The Adventures of Sir Edric - Volume One

Happy Tuesday! It's time for a rash of book reviews! How excited are you? Today, I have a review for the second part of a book I loved, Sir Edric's Temple. It's had a part added and been re-released as The Adventures of Sir Edric: Volume One. Fingers crossed you love this review.

This week, I'll also be reviewing Dark Bishop by authors Rachael Brownell and Casey L. Bond, Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer, and Gifted by Liz C. Long. Ready? Let's get going!

As always, we'll start with a little about the book up for slaughter uhhhh review. *grin*

Title: The Adventures of Sir Edric: Volume One (Includes Sir Edric's Temple and Sir Edric's Treasure)
Author: Thaddeus White
Genre: Satire Fantasy
Length (print): 261 pages
Purchase Links: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Blurb:
Sir Edric's Temple

When Sir Edric Greenlock, the Hero of Hornska, is summoned to attend the King in the dead of night he fears imminent execution. Committing adultery is frowned upon in King Lawrence's domains, especially when it's with Lawrence's wife. The King, however, has something else in mind. Priceless royal treasures have been stolen, and the King dispatches Sir Edric to retrieve them in a mission that could optimistically be described as suicidal.

Accompanied by his pathologically loyal manservant Dog, the prudish elf Lysandra, and a man called Colin, he must travel to the Unholy Temple to retrieve the royal treasures from a mysterious thief.

Sir Edric’s Treasure

It isn't always nice to be wanted, as Sir Edric discovers when an enormous bounty on his head attracts bounty hunters to him like dung attracts flies. To escape near certain capture, he embarks on a daring quest to pay off his bounty by winning the inheritance of the dying, and obscenely wealthy, Archibald Thrift.

Accompanied by his trusty manservant Dog, Raella the librarian and Belinda, a ten foot nun, he must find the Eye of Wisdom to win Archie's wealth. But he'll need all his cunning to best his rivals for Archie's legacy, and the bounty hunters won't give up their prey easily...

~~~

Here's where I'm gonna get a little wonky. Because I read and reviewed Sir Edric's Temple previously, I won't talk about that one here. You can find my review on my blog here. This review will be only about Sir Edric's Treasure. Moving on!

Since I loved the first story in this collection, someone told me I should check out part two. I can't even tell you how excited I was to find out there WAS a part two. Well, I ran off to Amazon, bought it, and devoured it in one sitting. Yes, you can read each story in just a few hours. Let's get to the good stuff though, shall we?

From a Reader's Perspective:
Again, I was whisked into Sir Edric's world with a guffaw and a hearty dose of snark. I do love this knight's snark oh so much. It's not what he thinks so much as it is what he says in direct contradiction. You see his inner-monologue often, and it's a clever way for the author to show you this is, indeed, a rapscallion you're dealing with. Edric is a complete and utter cur. What tickles me most is how he lies to himself as well as everyone around him. There's a vein of a true hero there, but one cannot find it unless one looks beyond the words to the actions. Yes, he plunders maidens and tombs. How can you have a despicable hero without all the plundering? There's this one section about vegetables... All I can say is, you have to read it for yourself so you may laugh as heartily as I did. Ah, I'll never look at asparagus quite the same way again.

Dog was, once again, an amazing cohort. He always arrives in the nick of time and plunges a sword into anyone threatening his master. It's beautiful and perfect, as most satire lends itself to be.

I enjoyed the twist in the second section, too, and I was left with my palm on my forehead in an "of course" moment.

From an Editor's Perspective:
I found verrrry few errors, and they were all punctuation (dropped commas and the like). Nothing that chucked me out of the story, and nothing that would trouble anyone reading.

Rating:
+1 Star for making me laugh (I do love to laugh)
+1 Star for showing me what kind of guy Sir Edric is (really)
+1 Star for the amazing adventure over crazy terrain and through treacherous towns
+1 Star for that awesome twist
+1 Star for editing

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars. I loved it. Highly recommended for those who dearly love to laugh.

Have you read it? Will you? What did you think (if you did)?

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

Jo

Cover Reveal - Uncovering Officer Smith

Uncovering Officer Smith
Sheena Hutchinson
Publication date: May 1st 2016
Genres: New Adult, Romance

John Smith has been hurt before by a mysterious blonde that tumbles out of his cop car. Since she stomped on his heart, he’s made sure he’ll never feel that way again. He has developed two rules: Never more than one night and never a blonde.
The nerdy and conservative Becca Swanson has a plan for her life: college, law school, and rule the world. Nothing and no one will get in her way. That is, until she wakes up in a stranger’s bedroom with no recollection of the night before.
This one tumultuous night caused these two to cross paths. Becca is everything John told himself he didn’t need. Smart, sexy, and — blonde. When she becomes the victim of one of his cases he finally can’t deny the connection anymore. Worst of all, he’s beginning to fall harder than ever before.
It throws his rules and her plans out the window. Could it have been fate? Or will it become the biggest mistake either of them has ever made?

Add to Goodreads

Author Bio:
Sheena is a born and raised New Yorker, even her writing can't seem to hide her hard sarcasm. She claims destiny has lead her back to her true passion for writing.
She constantly strives to be a positive role model and writes stories that empower and inspire. Sheena always roots for the underdog, believes in love at first sight, and that everyone should have their happily ever after.
While God is currently still writing her love story, she continues to put all her effort into her writing as she is constantly getting new inspiration.
For more info, updates, and fun facts visit her website at www.SheenaHutchinson.com

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