IWSG: June 2024

 

Whew, I almost put the wrong date in my post. I typed 2026 but fortunately caught it. Time is flying but not that fast. But it is time for the monthly get together of the IWSG blog hop. As usual, thanks to our founder,  Alex J. Cavanaugh and all the IWSG admins who do so much. Find the entire list of participants here.

This month's optional question:

In this constantly evolving industry, what kind of offering/service do you think the IWSG should consider offering to members?

Good question, but not sure of the answer. I've learned so much from IWSG and met so many amazing writers, many of whom feel like close friends. I've been thinking of some things being done in my other writing groups. I'm not sure if they are things that would work for IWSG. 

One is a write-in, held on Zoom at certain times where writers meet and just write together. Participants come and go as they need. Sometimes the moderator starts the write-in with a short spiel about something writing related. Sometimes the write-in starts with participants sharing what they're working on. One group does this one day a week. Another group does it every weekday.

A second thing one of my groups does is have once monthly review parties. There are different ways to organize these, but the goal is to help other writers get reviews for their books.

Last month an amazing thing happened. I was privileged to meet L. Diane Wolfe in person. She was a guest of Pennwriters in Lancaster PA where she led workshops and took pitches from hopeful writers. She is even more wonderful than I expected. What energy! Everyone loved her. She was kind, funny, knowledgeable, and just a light wherever she went.

The entire conference was great fun and very informative, but Diane was one of the biggest highlights for me.

I'm still working steadily on my newest fantasy series. I hope to have the first draft done by the end of the summer. It's a really, really rough draft.

My exercising is going well and the warm weather always motivates me. And the swimming pool is open. I've been jogging at least two days a week and walking at least three days. My jogging is soooo slow that my younger self wouldn't even have called it jogging, but it works my muscles so much better than walking.

TV and streaming is so boring for me right now. I'm rewatching Fringe for the third time because I can't find anything I want to watch.

Do you have any ideas for IWSG moving forward? Have you made some forever friends in this group? Have you had a chance to meet any of them in person?

IWSG: February 2024

Here we are for this month's Insecure Writers Support Group blog hop. Big thank you to the admins of IWSG and our founder, Alex J. Cavanaugh. Please stop by and share your highs and lows in this crazy writing life. And stop by to visit as many of the blogs on the participant list as you can.

Before answering this month's question, if you have a minute stop by my guest post featuring L. Diane Wolfe as she talks about her favorite 'alien' themed movies and announces her newest release, In Darkness: The Alien.

Diane is so talented. She writes fiction and nonfiction, runs her own publishing company, and attends
many events and conferences. And does them all very successfully. I'm very excited to announce that L. Diane Wolfe will be a guest publisher at the 2024 Annual Pennwriters Conference being held in May in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. After being online friends for years, I'll get to meet Diane in person. You can too. Find out more about the conference here

.

This month's optional question:  What turns you off when visiting an author's website/blog? Lack of information? A drone of negativity? Little mention of author's books? Constant mention of books?

I can't put my finger on any one thing. If I go to an author's website, I want to hear about their books or I've followed a link because they're sharing some writing advice. I don't even mind if their newsletter invite pops up. I don't see many author websites that turn me off so I'm interested to read the other posts on this subject.

My writing is going okay. I'm still spending time each day on getting my books back out into the world. I have more than 30 books previously published by small presses that I now have my rights back to that

I'm re-editing and publishing myself. I'm trying to do one per month and have managed that so far. My latest re-emergence novel is my first fantasy novel ever published. The Keepers of Sulbreth is the first book in The Futhark Chronicles. Books 2, 3, & 4 will be forthcoming. I admit, I like the cover I designed better than the one my previous publisher created.

I'm so eager for spring, but I know it's a long way off. In good news, I think sometime within the next week or so, TV networks are finally getting some new shows on the air. I loved Will Trent last season and I'm looking forward to season 2 of Halo. Did you watch The Brothers Sun on Netflix.  Highly recommend.

I hope you're staying warm, and if you're in California, dry and safe. Seems that some kind of dangerous weather somewhere all the time.

Do you have a favorite alien movie? Do you have pet peeves about author websites? How is your writing going?

In Darkness: The Alien, Guest Post with L. Diane Wolfe

It is my pleasure to once again have L. Diane Wolfe as my guest. She writes such interesting posts. Please welcome her and read about her newest release.

Greetings to Susan’s fans and followers!

 

Since my latest release, In Darkness: The Alien, deals with extraterrestrials, she asked me to name a top five on both sides of coin. (Friendly/evil aliens.)

 

Friendly

 

The obvious – ET. But how about:

 

The Arrival – Starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, this film revealed gentle aliens who only wanted to help man.

 

The Iron Giant – Voiced by Vin Diesel, the title creature is a gentle giant, befriending a boy who wants to protect him from the government.

 

Starman – Starring Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen, this is a very sweet movie about an alien stranded on earth who takes on the appearance of a woman’s deceased husband.

 

Cocoon – Staring Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, and Hume Cronyn, the aliens here have only returned to revive and bring back their brethren who were left behind years ago.

 

Close Encounters of the Third Kind – Starring Richard Dreyfuss, these aliens are also benign despite abductions over the years, and its special effects hold up even 46 years later.

 

Evil

 

The obvious – War of the Worlds. But how about:

 

Aliens – Starring Sigourney Weaver, the aliens on this planet only want to propagate and destroy. It’s a wild ride as the humans struggle to outwit and defeat them.

 

The Puppet Masters – Starring Donald Sutherland, these alien invaders attach to humans to control and conquer them.

 

A Quiet Place – Starring Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, the danger of predator aliens who can hear any sound is intense and scary.

 

Signs – Starring Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, it’s one man’s fight for the survival of his family against alien invaders.

 

The Thing – Starring Kurt Russell, this intense take on the novella Who Goes There, set in the artic, gives us an alien who only wants to assimilate and conquer.

 

Those are my tops picks. What are yours?

 

 

In Darkness: The Alien
By L. Diane Wolfe

Souls shrouded in darkness…

Abducted from her research station, Liz’s life is flung into chaos. Sold into servanthood for her knowledge of planetary mining to a race called the Stren, she discovers her problems go far deeper. She is to marry her alien master, Krist, after enduring a procedure designed to eradicate her emotions.

Desperate, Liz persuades the Stren to grant her the duration of a short voyage to change his perception of emotions. But how can she convince someone lacking feelings of their value? Is there a means of accessing the emotional side of Krist before it’s too late?

Release date – February 6, 2024

From Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. www.dancinglemurpress.com
Romance-Science Fiction / Science Fiction-Alien Contact / Romance-Paranormal
eBook ISBN 9781939844972 $3.99

A professional speaker and author, L. Diane Wolfe conducts seminars, offers book formatting, and author consultation. She’s an editor at Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. and contributes to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.
http://www.spunkonastick.net/ - Spunk On A Stick
http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com - Spunk On A Stick’s Tips
http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/ - Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Links:
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C6QVWB2K
iTunes - https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6449979850Le
Barnes & Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940166065681
Kobo - https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9781939844972
Everand - https://www.everand.com/search?query=9781939844972

Gardners - https://www.gardners.com/Search/KeywordAnonymous/eBook?Keyword=9781939844972
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/171026121-in-darkness

Do you love aliens as much as I do? Do you prefer friendly or evil aliens? Have you checked out Diane's earlier books in this series?

In Darkness: The Werewolf

 I'm so pleased to welcome L. Diane Wolfe to my blog for a guest post in celebration of the next installment of her In Darkness series, The Werewolf. Most of us know something about Werewolf legends, but how did it all start? Diane is here to tell you.

How the Werewolf Legend Began

 

The werewolf legend dates back at least 2000 years. Maybe even more.

 

In Greek mythology. A king called Lycaon served Zeus a dish of his slaughtered son, and as punishment, Zeus transformed Lycaon into a wolf and killed his fifty sons. (Probably where the term “lycan” comes from.) There is also a man called Damarchus who was turned into a wolf after eating the entrails of a human child sacrificed to Zeus. These men were both of Arcadia and there are several other instances of Arcadians being turned into wolves.

 

In Virgil’s poetic work Eclogues, a man named Moeris uses herbs and poisons to turn himself into a wolf. In Gaius’ The Satyricon, Niceros tells the story of a friend who turned into a wolf. Early Christian authors also mentioned men turning into wolves.

 

Medieval Europe saw a widespread belief in werewolves. They were mentioned in law codes, religious writings & teachings, and many forms of literature. The word werewolf is German but never appears in medieval German poems or prose. The persistence of werewolf tales continued longest in Scandanavia, including berserkers who wore the skins of wolves.

 

In more modern times, there were numerous werewolf novels in the early 20^th century. The legend gained widespread appeal through movies such as The Wolf Man. It continued with films such as An American Werewolf in London and The Howling. Even in games the myth was represented, with Dungeons & Dragons featuring a lycanthrope, a humanoid shapeshifter.

 

The werewolf legend has been with us for centuries and it doesn’t appear our fascination with shapeshifters will wane anytime soon. Not so long as the full moon continues to appear…

 

 

In Darkness: The Werewolf

By L. Diane Wolfe

Souls shrouded in darkness…

On her own in England, Vicki trains at a prestigious fencing school. Face marred by a birthmark, she’s suspicious of Nicholas’ attention. A dinner date reveals his genuine interest and they begin to connect. Nicholas is attractive and she wonders why he’s so shy and reclusive.

Then one evening she happens upon him changing into a lycan. Every werewolf legend is challenged by the gentle, fearful creature before her. Vickie accepts his secret, but Nicholas knows he’s an unpredictable beast. Can they trust love enough to overcome their physical challenges?

Release date – Sept. 5, 2023
Romance/Paranormal/Shifter, Romance/Paranormal, Fantasy/Paranormal
$3.99 eBook ISBN 9781939844927

A professional speaker and author, L. Diane Wolfe conducts seminars, offers book formatting, and author consultation. She’s the senior editor at Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. and contributes to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.
http://www.spunkonastick.net/ - Spunk On A Stick
http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com - Spunk On A Stick’s Tips
http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/ - Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Links:

Amazon -  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BRR4VLN7/
iTunes - https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6445310855
Barnes & Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940165994548
Kobo - https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9781939844927
Scribed - https://www.scribd.com/search?query=9781939844927&language=0
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75711711-in-darkness

 

Did you know where werewolf legends came from? Do you have a favorite werewolf tale? Do you like your werewolf as the good guy or the bad guy?

IWSG: June 2020

Wow. I almost put the wrong date in the title. How can it be June already? The first Wednesday of the month means time for IWSG. Thanks to the founder, Alex J. Cavanaugh, we meet every month and share the woes and victories of being writers. Find the entire list of bloggers here on the IWSG blog.

This month's optional question: Writers have secrets! What are one or two of yours? Something readers would never know from your work?

Readers of this blog probably know plenty about me. I can't think of any real secrets I keep from my blogger friends. I'm such a regular, average person that I can't think of one secret to share. But I'm interested to read about yours.

One bit of news I would like to share. I've been elected president of Pennwriters, a state-wide writers group. I've been a member for many years and on the board for the last five. It's a lot of work and a lot of responsibility. Pennwriters has done so much for me from the time I was a total newbie to now, that I feel like it's my time to give back. If you live in Pennsylvania or any of the surrounding states, you should check out our group. We have a mini-con in Erie in the fall and a large conference coming up in May in Pittsburgh. We had to cancel this year because of the pandemic, but we're staying positive about next year. The future is completely unpredictable.

"Real life seems to have no plots." Ivy Compton-Burnett

I'm working hard on my WIP, which is the last book in my fantasy series. If you recall from earlier posts, the first book was published by a small press who closed their doors right before the second book came out. I still need a publisher or I need to decide to self-publish. I'm going to checking out L. Diane Wolfe's upcoming seminars next week. No matter which road I take, I can always learn something about promotion.

I have been suffering some eye strain between writing and working for Pennwriters. Good thing there is nothing to watch on TV. I've been skipping that screen entirely. The news is the worst of it, too.

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." Albert Einstein

I visited a bookstore yesterday for the first time in about two months. Our libraries aren't open yet. I miss the library. I haven't really missed most of the other stores that are closed, but when they open I intend to to support my local small business as best as I can. Later this week, I'm going to an independent bookstore and buy some books I don't have time to read. I know the owner and want her to stay in business. She is very welcoming to local authors and holds events all the time.

Are you keeping secrets? Has your life returned to anything like normal? What have you missed the most when everything was closed? Do you have too much screen time lately?

The Bad, Good Old Days

I mentioned in passing the different stories being put about in the publishing industry about ebook sales. Some reports say digital sales have leveled out or stagnated. The other side of the tales explains that this is actually only true when it comes to ebooks sales by the 5 big publishers and selected small presses. When you looks at ebooks sales taking in all the small presses and the indie authors, ebook sales are not stagnant at all. L. Diane Wolfe shared the truth that the Big 5 are trying to hide.

When I first started writing, there were few options to the Big 5. And there were rules to be followed if you wanted those entities to even look at your work. Everything was snail mail. They sneered at the idea of email queries. Not only did you have to send you submission in the mail, but you had to include a SASE so they can return it to you after a form rejection. An editor or agent might even scribble, No thanks, on your query letter. All that postage and trips to the post office and then waiting weeks and months for a reply. Some guidelines said they might take up to a year or more to get back to you.

Lots of agents and editors didn't even post their guidelines online, leaving you to search them out elsewhere. And those guidelines were sometimes very strict, especially for romance. Twenty pages per chapter and twenty chapters was an accepted length for a book. Some romance lines expected the hero and heroine meet in the first chapter, kiss by a certain page and other exacting plot points to made when directed. The number of words per page was also explained in detail.

This was if you could get an editor to read your manuscript. Many of the Big 5 won't accept a submission directly from a writer and will only look at something from an agent. If you happened to meet an agent or editor at a conference, you would hear tales of the six foot tall slush piles filling their offices. And horrors, what if your manuscript ended up in the slush pile!

Should you receive a contract, the standard time between signing and publication was around two years. If you were lucky, you might get more contracts during that time, but if that first book didn't earn back its miniature advance, the publisher probably wouldn't want that second book.

I signed on early with a digital publisher, years before the Big 5 were jumping into the ebook market. There were actually successful writers I knew who advised me I was ruining a chance at a writing career by doing that. It was the smartest career move I made. I've been with them for nearly eight years.

"Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent." Marilyn Von Savant

Now the latest news from the publishing industry is that many writers are finding success outside the New York overlords of publishing. Many are throwing the rules out the window and making their own way.

"The only way to do great work is to love what you do." Steve Jobs

Do you remember some of those old, strict rules? Have you been following the publishing news about ebook sales? How long have you been with your publisher? Any missteps along your career you would do differently?

Survive and Thrive BlogFest

The blogfest is meant to bring awareness of disease prevention and early detection regarding medical conditions that may be averted or treated if caught in the early stages. Our desire is to motivate people to go in for early screening, and if a condition is caught early and treated, then our world just became a little better place to live.

The topics are wide open. You can post about a particular cause you support. Or you can share a personal or family experience that is near to your heart. What’s great about this Blogfest is you can inspire people to take care of themselves and their loved ones early enough to make a difference in their lives.

Hosted by

Stephen Tremp http://stephentremp.com/

Alex J. Cavanaugh http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/

Michael Di Gesu http://writing-art-and-design.blogspot.com/

L. Diane Wolfe http://circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/

I waited in the car at the middle school for my 7th grade son, James, to finish basketball practice. He walked out of the school rubbing his the middle of his chest. I questioned him about it and he confessed to having chest pains at times during practice and had experienced them months before when playing football.  After a visit to the family doctor who did and EKG and offered no answers, we ended up at the cardiologist. The doctor shook my son's hand, looked him up and down and said he knew what was wrong with my son. After an ultra-sound, his diagnosis of a form of Marfan syndrome was confirmed. People with Marfan syndrome often die early from heart conditions that result from this connective tissue disorder. If I hadn't noticed my son rubbing his chest, he might never have been diagnosed until the worst happened.

Though it doesn't happen often, the sudden death of a young athlete usually makes headline news. Almost all those deaths are a result of some type of cardiac failure. The majority of those cardiac incidences are hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which is a condition where the heart muscle thickens. Many of these deaths could be prevented by EKG screenings done before play is permitted such as is required in some other countries like Italy and Israel.  An abnormality on an EKG would then require further testing. On the other hand some physicians group claim there are too many false positives that would prevent healthy athletes from participation.  No one argues with the cost of these screenings, only the necessity. 

Young Hearts for Life is an example of a program that promotes and performs cardiac screening for your athletes. According to their website, sudden cardiac death claims 60 young people per week. These victims are most often male and participants in football or basketball.  I know many of my fellow bloggers had children who are or will someday participate in sports. Does their school and recreation organization require cardiac screenings? Read what other parents think about it.

James at the Broadmoor

The loss of a loved one hurts more than can be said. When it's a young person, perhaps a physically fit athlete, it is especially heart wrenching and so often preventable. As for my son, James, he has some life-long restrictions but he's a very healthy person. He has participated in track and field, baseball and cross-country since his diagnosis. He runs nearly every day, 10-15 miles, and lifts weights though he's not to ever lift more than half his body weight. He recently graduated from Penn State as a golf professional and is employed at the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs, the number one golf resort in the country for 2014. Every year he has an ultrasound on his heart and aorta and as long as his blood pressure stays down he's med-free. Not all parents have been as lucky as me. Is this a cause you could get behind?

We often think about health screenings as we age but there are tests we should insist on for our young people.  This blog hop was a super idea. Please read the other blogs and find some great causes to support and perhaps some health advice you should listen to.

Have you ever had an EKG? Do you know a young person with a heart problem? What health screenings to you believe are essential?

2014 Wormfest

What an exciting Monday. Let's start with Stephen Tremp's kickoff for his Escalation blog tour. He's visiting Alex J. Cavanaugh today and will appear here later this month. Good luck to Stephen.

This week is also National Wormhole Week. The Wormfest blog hop is hosted by Stephen Tremp, Alex J. Cavanaugh and L. Diane Wolfe. This years science theme challenge is to name one technological advance that you believe will greatly benefit mankind and also one that might set humanity back. Find the full list of participants on any of their blogs.

I didn't even have to think about this one as a former educator. Each year more and more educational opportunities become available online. It's wonderful. Probably most of you attended a traditional school like I did. We had a choice of three foreign languages at my old high school. Today I would have hundreds of choices. Your little school doesn't offer a certain science class, go online and find it. Attend college online. My son has done all his master's work online. It's convenient, saves money and seems of infinite possibilities. The advantages to online education are too numerous for a short post.

Many, maybe even most high schools, already offer some courses online or an entire cyper curriculum for their students. Some have hybrid learning courses where they meet with an instructor some classroom meetings but most learning is with their computers. For the properly motivated eager learner, these type of learning environments can be great. But the unmotivated student often needs the presence of an actual teacher to offer encouragement and guidance. Not all students will have equal access to all the educational options no matter how much we vow to make that happen. Could the future of educational as an online entity create a gap between the best and brightest and even the average student? Will the important social skills learned in schools become a thing of the past? How far will technology go in limiting personal interaction?

I think we're already within the educational wormhole. Good or bad? What do you think?

I hope you'll share your wormhole thoughts this week. Remember to visit Stephen Tremp and follow his blog tour and the Wormfest. Also visit L. Diane and Alex J.

Insecure Writers Support Group Welcomes You!

Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh has had some great ideas in the past few years. If you've read his books, you know about some of them. Unless you've been writing on an island using squid ink the last two years, you've probably heard of his brainy idea called the Insecure Writers Support Group. Alex gave birth to this tiny genius and nursed it along on his blog. Like all healthy newborns, it grew and grew and grew, maturing until it was ready to move out on its own. Today the IWSG opens the doors of its new home to everyone interested in looking for support, offering support, or just having some interaction with other writers.

I'm thrilled to be part of the new blog. You can get all the details on the site and read the introduction penned, well typed, by our captain. What can you learn from the IWSG blog about writing? Everything. Anything. That would take thousands, millions maybe, of pages. What you will find are resources, links, lists of places to look for the answers you need.

You know the smartphone ads that say 'there's an app for that.' Well on the IWSG blog, we have a link for that.

Who are we? Alex J. Cavanaugh, Joy Campbell, Michele Wallace, Joylene Nowell Butler, L. Diane Wolfe, Lynda Young and me. We've all had a part, but I've been amazed at the expertise and hard work already contributed by my partners in this endeavor. We're all people like you, writers making our way through the complicated world of publishing. But none of us have to do it alone. Join us at the new blog. Follow us and put us on your favorites list so you can come back often.

Have you followed the new site yet? Do you know my partners in crime?

Get Healthy Blogfest

Thanks to these great bloggers who are hosting this Get Healthy blogfest. I'm hoping to learn a lot and you can too. Visit any of the hosts and find full lists of participants there.

Alex Cavanaugh
Stephen Tremp
L. Diane Wolfe
Michael Di Gesu

To be a successful writer, you have to spend hours with your butt in a chair unless you're lucky enough to have one of those desks that set on your treadmill. I still want one of those. Especially when you're on a deadline, personal or set by someone else, you'll find yourself relatively immobile for long periods.

I like to jog for my main workout though I'm much slower than I used to be. When I was younger, jogging meant five miles in about forty minutes, but it takes me a lot longer now.  My jogging now is rather pathetic but I enjoy it. The problem with slower paces is the lower level of intensity. Orthopedically, I just can't run like I used to. Too many knee surgeries, so I have to find different ways to keep the intensity up. I do that outside by heading for the hills. Up hill is so much harder than level, whether jogging or walking. But at my pace, I still need to spend a lot of time out there to get the workout I used to get by going faster. Being a writer, I don't always have that hour or hour and a half I need to get a good workout.   The answer, intensity. I can't go faster, so I climb those dang hills.  On the treadmill in bad whether, I really crank up the height angle so I burn a lot of calories.

Time limits on your workout = increase your intensity. You can burn more calories in a shorter period of time.

Do you make changes in your workout when time is short? Do you have a helpful hint to stay healthy? Have you changed how you work out as you get older or do you still go as hard as you did years ago?

Indie Life: Learn Everything

Welcome to the second month of Indie Life, a second Wednesday Monthly blogfest where writers publishing with small presses and self-publishing their writings. Each month we give and receive advice, supporting each other in this lonely life of the modern writer.

This Friday we're having an inservice day at school. The powers that be have arranged two hour sessions of lessons in technology and a lot of other school related issues. I'm not above selecting a presentation that will assist me in my second career. On Friday I'll be joining one of the art teachers in learning more about Photoshop.

With the dangers of using other people's photos on my blog or anywhere else, I asked for a new camera for Christmas. And now I'm going to learn more ways to use my amateur photos. More ways that will help me promote my book and perhaps make my own book trailers. I could hire someone to do that but I'm indie published which means a limited budget.

In today's world, especially those of us who are indies, you have to know every piece of the writing business. I'll be doing some of that on Friday.

Also helping me with learning every part of it is L. Diane Wolfe. I was fortunate enough to be one of the winners of her book, How to Publish and Promote Your Book Now. I've just skimmed it so far, but I already have some notes. I really believe no one can ever know everything about promotion. Check out Diane's book on her blog.

Check out the other member of Indie Life here. What part of the writing business are you confident about? What part do you feel you need to learn more about? How are you going to learn more?

It is with great pleasure I turn my blog over to L. Diane Wolfe as she introduces her newest release on how to publish and promote your book. This is information all authors need whether you're going it alone, working with a small publisher or one of the big boys. If you don't already know L. Diane, visit her blog and introduce yourself. She's a friend worth having.

 

HOW TO PUBLISH AND PROMOTE YOUR BOOK NOW!

By L. Diane Wolfe

Publishing and promoting made simple!

Have you always dreamed of publishing a book but didn’t know where to begin? This book walks you through the steps of identifying markets, budgeting, building an online presence, and generating publicity. Get the whole story on:

· Traditional publishing

· Self-publishing

· Print and e-book setup, formatting, and distribution

· Finding your target audience

· Generating reviews and media interest

· Networking and developing an online presence

· Promotional materials and appearances

Uncover your ideal publishing path and numerous marketing options before you begin. Writing is your dream. Give it the best chance for success!

Available February 5, 2012

Publishing/Marketing, 214 pages, Dancing Lemur Press LLC

$14.95 Trade paperback ISBN 978-0-9827139-5-2

$4.99 Ebook ISBN 978-0-9827139-9-0

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-publish-and-promote-your-book-now-l-diane-wolfe/1113516811

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/How-Publish-Promote-Your-Book/dp/0982713959/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1359139094&sr=1-1&keywords=9780982713952

Amazon Kindle - http://www.amazon.com/Publish-Promote-Your-Book-ebook/dp/B00B8X5WEM/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1359715649&sr=1-8

“She gives an unbiased take on the advantages and disadvantages of traditional publishing and self-publishing and publishing paths that combine the two… It's the perfect book for those who want an overview to begin the decision-making process.”

- Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning series of how-to books for writers http://howtodoitfrugally.com/

“A must-read for writers planning on self-publishing or any writer who wants the ultimate how-to on promoting. Tons of links, advice, and how-to, whether you're going for print or e-publication.”

- Helen Ginger, author of Angel Sometimes http://helenginger.com/

My sites-

Blog - Spunk On A Stick’s Tips - http://circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/

Website - Spunk On A Stick - http://www.spunkonastick.net/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/SpunkOnAStick

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/l.diane.wolfe

Short Bio-

Known as “Spunk On A Stick,” Wolfe is a member of the National Speakers Association and a motivational speaker. She’s conducted seminars on book publishing and promoting for five years and assisted writers through several author services. Her other titles include “Overcoming Obstacles With SPUNK!” which ties her goal-setting and leadership seminar’s information together, and a YA series, “The Circle of Friends.” Wolfe travels extensively for media interviews and speaking engagements, maintains a dozen websites & blogs, and contributes to several other sites and newsletters.

L. Diane Wolfe "Spunk On A Stick"
Professional Speaker & Author
www.spunkonastick.net
www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com

 

Please visit L. Diane or leave a comment here for her.  Did you order your copy of her book yet?

Share the Fun

The week is wrapping up but I'll be back on Sunday with a little help from a friend.

Most writers can think of one of their colleagues who are just dazzling with promotion and impressive with their prolific creativity. For me, that person is Cate Masters. Cate seems to always have a new novel or novella being published. She writes faster than anyone I know. Where does she get all those ideas?

And not only that, but Cate is extremely generous in promoting other authors. You can see her creativity in the ideas she comes up with for promotions and blogging ideas. I'm thrilled to be included in her Celebrate Amore two week promotion where various authors will offer a bit of info about their latest book and an interview. I'm also giving away a book and some sweet stuff to commenters. I'll be Cate's guest, this Sunday, February 3rd. Hope you stop in before the Super Bowl.

I also want to offer my congratulations to David Powers King on his recent wonderful news. His YA fantasy novel, Woven, will be released in November of this year by Cedar Fort Publishing and Media.  David is also super generous with helping other authors with promotion and his blog is always interesting and informative. Please stop by and leave a good word for David and his writing partner, Michael on their success.

Next week will be busy with my first Monday health tip, Alex Cavanaugh's Insecure Writers on Wednesday and the release of L. Diane Wolfe's newest book later in the week. A must have for published writers. An exciting start to the month.

So do you know Cate, David or L. Diane? Do you know another blogger who is super helpful? Thinking of some insecurity for next week?

Melynda over at The Contemplative Cat honored me with the Versatile blogger award.  Am I versatile? Not so sure. Mostly I talk about writing. 

I have a few friends who refrain from passing around awards or who feel burdened by the awards. Not me.  Every time someone so honors me, a link is formed between their blog and mine.  Melynda took that a step further and purposefully used passing on the award as a means of making more links with other bloggers and helping out those of us she selected.  Thank you, Melynda. 

She gathered some names from the A to Z Challenge site and I was lucky enough to be picked.  The challenge is only a week away and I'm already making new friends.  I want to do a group thank to all those people who take the time to organize challenges, blogger awards and blogfests. I can't always participate but when I do, it's always helpful in expanding my online presence.  So link over to Melynda's and learn a little bit about her and find some more cool links.

Want to join a blog fest or challenge.  Visit L. Diane Wolfe if you know some sad songs.  Having security issues as a writing, share those insecurities by joining the Insecure Writers Support Group.  Want to really meet a lot of fun bloggers, join the A to Z challenge. 

Now I'm not passing on the blogger award but I do want to link to a friend of mine who has his first horror novel coming out in April. George R. Appelt Jr. has his trailer up for Shepherd's Fall.

Now only a few things about myself I'm supposed to share with everyone as part of the blogger award.

1. I jog between 5 and 6 miles nearly everyday.
2. I'm retiring from teaching after 33 years in June, 2013.
3. I grew up on a family dairy farm and got up some days at 4 a.m. to milk the cows before school.
4. I hate getting up early.
5. My grandfather was a semi-famous moonshiner during Prohibition.

Enough about my regular, middle class American self.  What do you think of blog awards? Are you up to any blog challenges lately?

BAM

At the start of December, I shared my excitement that a BAM was moving into the large store standing empty after the demise of Borders. I spent so many hours in Borders, writing in the cafe, browsing through magazines and enjoying ice coffee.  Even after I owned an eReader, I would purchase some books and carry a stack to the cafe where I would peruse the first chapters to decide if I wanted it as an ebook.

The first time I visited BAM, they had hurried their opening to attract customers on Black Friday. It was a mess and the cafe wasn't open.  Books were stacked sideways on the shelf and often in the wrong genre sections.  I reserved my judgement.  The second time I went in, the shelves were better organized though not very full.  I couldn't find a single book on my list of 'want to read.'  The worker in the cafe didn't understand how to make an ice coffee and called a manager.  I eventually asked for just an ice tea but they didn't have any.  Settled for a bottled juice.  I still didn't write them off. 

I went in before Christmas to get a requested book for my daughter.  Finally found someone to help me.  It was a new release by a successful author.  They had two copies on the shelf and none on the new release tables up front.  Okay.  My dear husband bought me a BAM gift card for Christmas so I spend a few hours in there yesterday.  I'm still disappointed at the number of books on their shelves. (They don't even have mine! LOL)  They have large, messy tables of clearance books that remind me of Sam's Club.  I walked around most of the storm to find an employee to ask a question about their calendars. 

My daughter and I spent an hour or so in the cafe while she decided which book to buy with a rare 50% off coupon.  We didn't buy a drink from the limited menu.  We went to Starbucks after ward for our favorites.  The cafe has too few tables, giving it a cold, empty feel.  And it is empty compared to how it was when Borders ran it.  And so was the parking lot, relatively speaking.  Borders at Christmas time was packed with the checkout line snaking to the back of the store. I usually had to park at the very end of the big lot.  Not the same for BAM.

I want to have a local bookstore, but I'm not a fan of BAM.  I'll still go on occasion, but it won't be a can't miss destination for me.  And as with my last post, I wonder if it can survive.  The service and atmosphere provided by BAM isn't comparable to B&N or the now-gone Borders.  Will they last? I'm not going to hold onto my gift card for long, in case I don't get to use it.

Some of you lovely readers shared your opinions on BAM when I first mentioned they were moving into my neighborhood.  I know BAM has taken over more Borders than just my own.  Any thoughts on your new stores? I already know L. Diane Wolfe's.  She's a smart lady and I'm starting to agree with her.

Pay It Forward

Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh, we have another great day of sharing and networking. Today a whole bunch of bloggers are 'paying it forward' by linking to three other bloggers who have helped us along the way in our career paths.

I'm sure many people are having the same difficulty with this as I am.  So many people have helped me, how should I narrow it down to three?  There are a group of people who helped me early in my career and a large number of people who have helped me recently.   So I'm going to combine some of the old and the new friends.

Natalie Damschroder is my 'go to' girl for so many things.  She really knows her way around the publishing world. I've sent her lists of questions and she gets back to me right away with the answers.  She's a multi published author, a busy working mother and a good friend.  I met her through my local chapter of RWA back in the days when I was a member.  You can meet her at Indulge Yourself.

In my recent venture of reclaiming my rights to my fantasy series and self-publishing it, I again turned a fellow, local writer.  Cate Masters might be the most prolific writer I know.  She has self-published some of her novels and was indispensable to me.  I might have sent her a dozen emails to ask her advice and help.  She also finds time to blog nearly every day.  I can't say enough about her knowledge and willingness to help other writers. She's also the driving force behind a group blog formed by numerous writers from central Pennsylvania, The Susquehanna Writers.

Someone who might not even know how much she's helped me is L. Diane Wolfe.  If you have a book to promote or want to know anything about blogging, publishing or just read some speculations about where this crazy business is going, you need to visit Spunk on a Stick.  And you'll get a good laugh at least once a week.  Probably Alex and Diane gave me the most clues on how to grow my blog audience.  Thanks.

I hope you find some more great blogs to follow with this little blog fest.  I'll be visiting lots of new blogs but I won't catch up to everyone until Saturday because I'm going to visit my son at college(PSU) today. Can't wait to meet some new friends.