Back Porch Writer: Recent Episodes
Back Porch Writer
Can't attend writing conferences? Too far from workshops? Join the conversation with Back Porch Writer. The show for writers, about writers, and writing.
Raised in a deeply religious family, Mercy rebels against all rules during his teenage years. He stops attending church and drops out of high school. To avoid a destined path of self-destruction, Mercy enlists in the Army. After two combat tours, Mercy returns home battling PTSD. Trying to forget about the lives that he has taken and resume a "normal" life, Mercy returns to church. He enrolls in college and reconnects with a childhood crush. Mercy saved some of his men. Can he save himself?
WM Bunche is a cold war veteran and Commendation Medal recipient. His military roots trace back to the Civil War. A wannabe athlete, he has completed the Marine Corps Marathon. He is a veteran advocate who helps raise awareness for PTSD in combat veterans. He is a church leader and mentor. He lives in New York City with his family. He can be contacted at wmbunche.com, Facebook or Twitter.
Tom Nix sold his check cashing business for an enormous amount of money, and now he's sharing his "lessons learned" through speaking engagements and writing.
LIFE’S KEY CONCEPTS
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We live in a cause-and-effect world in which we have immense personal power. The degree of personal power we can exercise in our life depends on how much we know about the cause and effect relationship in a given area. Commit to learning about life and the natural laws of the universe. I like to stress how you can change your life by changing your mind through the use of affirmations, visualization, positive self talks and pictures.
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Take total responsibility for everything that happens in your life. This includes those things you have control over and those things you do NOT have control over. You always have control over how you react! Pouting, hiding out, making excuses, rationalizing, blaming others, feeling sorry for yourself, avoiding the difficult task and procrastination are all indications that you are not taking responsibility.
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Never play the victim role or the blame game. There is absolutely no payoff to this attitude. Never look at what you’ve lost, avoid running your misfortune over and over in your mind, stay calm and accept setbacks gracefully. Realize that problems, bad people, tough times and mistakes are your teachers. Problems are guidelines not stop signs. The question is: What do I need to do to capitalize on these events?
For more, check out Tom's book, "Nixland My Wild Ride in the Inner City Check Cashing Industry" and his website: http://nixland.net/
Andy Peloquin is a storyteller and an artist--words are his palette. Fantasy is his genre of choice, and he loves to explore the darker side of human nature through the filter of fantasy heroes, villains, and everything in between.
Thief of the Night Guild is the sequel to Child of the Night Guild. It showcases how the woman Ilanna has to adapt and become more ruthless and cruel to survive in a male-dominated society of thieves, assassins, and thugs.
William Michael Davidson lives in Long Beach, California, with his wife and two daughters. A believer that "good living produces good writing," Davidson writes early in the morning so he can get outside, exercise, spend time with people, and experience as much as possible. A writer of speculative fiction, he enjoys stories that deal with humanity's inherent need for redemption.
If you'd like to be a guest on Back Porch Writer, visit the website for more information. I'd love to chat with you!
William Kenower is the author of Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write With Confidence, and Write Within Yourself: An Author’s Companion, the Editor-in-Chief of Author magazine, and a sought-after speaker and teacher. In addition to his books he’s been published in The New York Times and Edible Seattle, and has been a featured blogger for the Huffington Post. His video interviews with hundreds of writers from Nora Ephron, to Amy Tan, to William Gibson are widely considered the best of their kind on the Internet. He also hosts the online radio program Author2Authorwhere every week he and a different guest discuss the books we write and the lives we lead.
J.M. Robison is a fantasy historian who chronicles the events which force heroes to reveal their mistakes, lead rebellions to dethrone tyranny, and unearth ancient secrets to free the oppressed. She's quested over lands with the U.S. Army and now works for the king under the honorable title of Deputy Sheriff. She makes her own shampoo, lotions, laundry soap, face wash, and toothpaste. Some day she'll pack the wagon and roam the mountains in search of dragons.
Check out her book, "The War Queen."
Tonight's show welcomes back Tony Wilkins. He's the host of the ever-popular weekly Small Business Forum Radio show right here on Blog Talk. His book-turned-workshop series, The Career Whisperer, is available to anyone who wants to step up their selling game, transition and transform their speaking business, and others.
We'll also talk about building your platform. Who should? Is it really necessary? How time-consuming is it? And, if there's time, I'll recap the discussion about coaching from the previous week
Connect with Tony! He rocks! awol267487@aol.com
Norma Hollis teaches self-awareness by helping you know yourself on a deep authentic level. She takes you on a journey inside of yourself to find, live and share your authentic voice, the essence of who you are. After studying human nature from personal, professional and spiritual perspectives for over 30 years, Norma has created a system that introduces you to the nine dimensions of authenticity and helps you uncover minor tweaks you can make to massively impact your future. She works with individuals and organizations as a consultant, coach, trainer and speaker. Norma is the former owner of a speaker bureau and author of several books including “Ten Steps to Authenticity”, “The Process to Become a Professional Speaker” and “Authentic Healthcare Leadership: A Practical Handbook” which will be released in 2018.
Stay, Breathe with Me: The Gift of Compassionate Medicine
Not just another book about death and dying, Stay, Breathe with Me shows how to bring heart and compassion back into medicine to revive the art of care.
From a pioneer in palliative care comes the gift of wisdom that when we remove false barriers and fully embrace the human side of illness, we dispel fear and ease suffering. This thought-provoking, compassionate book views serious illness as a drama of body, mind, and soul where symptoms and suffering cannot be separated from the person who is ill.
Heartfelt, and with “little pearls of sound clinical wisdom on just about every page,” this collection of stories from patients, their families and caregivers, not only shows how medicine can ease the suffering of the ill, but also how medicine can reclaim its heart.
Irene once thrived for many years as a technical communicator, author, and teacher in France, Italy, the UK, and Canada. But today, she writes stories about healing from the heart. After a stint of living off-grid on the remote edge of nowhere (in the northern Canadian bush), Irene is happy to have returned from the wilderness to settle with her mountain-man-husband on a lovely (and mostly civilized) island without any predators! … But that is a whole other story …
Sandie Will is a young adult novelist who lives in Tampa Bay, Florida and works as a manager and geologist by day. She has written two novels and is currently working on her third. Her debut novel, The Caging at Deadwater Manor, is a heart-pounding young adult psychological thriller. Her second is a historical time travel that will be released in late 2017. Sandie is currently writing her third novel -- another edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller.
Inspired by true events, The Caging at Deadwater Manor will take you on a heart-wrenching journey, where a young woman is locked away in a psychiatric hospital by her father who wants nothing more than to keep her there forever. Find out first hand what it was like for her to be trapped against her will, and watch as she grows through her circumstances and choices.
On a cold, January evening, fourteen-year-old Jeannie Kynde is told that her beloved mother drowned in the murky waters along Florida's Gulf Coast. Her distraught father turns on Jeannie, no longer the caring father she once knew.
Four years later, Jeannie is finally old enough to escape her father's clutches, but he has different plans. He imprisons her at Deadwater Manor, a psychiatric hospital with an unscrupulous past. Between endless psychiatric treatments and a hospital staff up to no good, Jeannie faces insurmountable odds as each day ticks away.
Will she be locked away forever? Or can she fight against the nightmare that has now become her world?
The inspiration for the story came from Sandie's beloved father who worked in various psychiatric hospitals during short periods of his career. In the attic of one such hospital, he made a disturbing discovery that will make your skin crawl.
Note: This book is intended for mature young adult, new adult, and older audiences due to profanity and mature content.
Brian Paul Bach is a writer, artist, filmmaker and photographer; he has worked across the entertainment business, in theatre, music and as an academic. He now lives in central Washington State with his wife, Sandra. His previous works include, The Grand Trunk Road From the Front Seat, Calcutta’s Edifice: The Buildings of a Great City, and Busted Boom: The Bummer of Being a Boomer. For more information, visit https://forwardtogloryquartet.wordpress.com/.
Forward to Glory I: Tempering
Butterbugs is a nobody, a nothing. But that’s not why he’s compelled to drive to Hollywood and hurl himself upon the mercy of the cinematic capital. His only dream is to act. Without any plans, resources or friends, he throws caution to the wind and embarks on a journey to the City of Angels. The trials that result pose only one question: will Butterbugs remain a non-entity, or will his big dream come true?
Abundant with movie lore and invention, Forward to Glory I: Tempering is an ode to the cinema and the bewitching power of entertainment.
Joshua Robertson is a bestselling author in dark fantasy. Robertson is a Licensed Master Social Worker, who received his degree from Wichita State University. He has worked with children and families for the past fifteen years in a variety of unique venues: a residential behavior school, a psychiatric treatment facility, and the child welfare system. He has functioned as a supervisor, an educator, a behavior specialist, and a therapist during his career. Mr. Robertson has presented trainings for hundreds of professionals and military personnel on topics that include child abuse and neglect, human trafficking, strengthening the parent and child relationships, and the neurobiological impact of trauma.
You may recognize him as the dude whose dragons were said to destroy George R.R. Martin's and Christopher Paolini's dragons in a very biased Twitter poll. His first novel, Melkorka, was released in 2015, and he has been writing fantasy fiction like clockwork ever since. Known most for his Thrice Nine Legends Saga, Robertson enjoys an ever-expanding and extremely loyal following of readers.
He currently lives in North Carolina with his better half and his horde of goblins.
www.robertsonwrites.com/
www.crimsonedgepress.com
www.facebook.com/AuthorJoshuaRobertson
@robertsonwrites
Suzanna J. Linton grew up in the swamps of the South Carolina Lowcountry, where she was fed a steady diet of books, tall tales, and catfish. She started writing poetry from an early age before transitioning to fiction. While in high school, she was introduced to the Dragonriders of Pern Series by Anne McCaffrey, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Animorphs. From those Suzanna gained a deep desire to write about tough women heroes.
In 2002, she attended the summer program at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts of Humanities and graduated from Francis Marion University in 2007. She has three books published and her latest novel is Clara’s Return. Suzanna continues to live in South Carolina with her husband, their two dogs, and a cat. They don’t own the cat; the cat owns them.
Angela B. Chrysler is a writer, logician, philosopher, and die-hard nerd who studies theology, historical linguistics, music composition, and medieval European history in New York, with a dry sense of humor and an unusual sense of sarcasm. She lives in a garden with her family and cats.
Every now and then Ms. Chrysler puts down the PS4 remote to garden, fuzzy her cat, drink coffee, watch Doctor Who, argue anime, quote Star Trek, and write. Sometimes, she's even good at it. Her writing is often compared to Tad Williams. Influences include Edgar Allan Poe, Tolkien, The Phantom of the Opera, and Frankenstein. Read More →
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Walk between the worlds of angels and devils, explore the deeper meaning of demons, and face the beauty of the monster in all of us with author Jay Norry.
Stumbling Backasswards Into The Light is an uplifting autobiography, the tale of Jay's decision to question the answers he had been given and discover his own deeper meaning. Walking Between Worlds is an exciting and action-packed philosophical adventure, a darkly humorous romp through heaven and hell and the deeper meaning of all of the worlds we walk between. The Secret Society of Deeper Meaning spent 2016 exploring the softer side of zombies, and the deeper meaning of the archetype: could Mother Nature be saving us from ourselves? Sign up for free Zombie Zero short stories; and find out the deeper meaning of it all in Zombie Zero: The First Zombie and Zombie Zero: The Last Zombie
2017 will bring explorations of sleep, space, and supernatural thrills. Stay tuned for the The Ringer series; the first book, Ringing in a New Year, is out now, and the second, Ringing in a Summer, will be released in July 2017. Dreaming the Perpetual Dream is a sci-fi story that Jay is releasing exclusively to the SSDM, one chapter at a time. The rest of the world will get their hands on this intriguing space tale in Fall 2017.
Jay lives in Northern California with three of his favorite angels, an unending to-do list and a mind full of thoughts about the deeper meaning.
Join Jay and a whole host of other authors for Brain to Books Cyber Convention Ap. 7-9, 2017.
Charlene Jones’ publications include:
Medicine Buddha/Medicine Mind an easy to read exploration of the seam between Visualization Meditation and Neuroscience
The Stain, a novel about Reincarnation, Karma and the Release from Suffering
Bliss Pig A Book of Poetry Co-Authored with Linda Stitt
Ms. Jones’ interview by Charmaine Carraway on her program http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thevisionaryhotspot/2017/03/16/i-was-raped-tortured-im-a-survivor-now-i-am-a-changed-woman is due out on March 16th 2017 or listen in to Kathryn Kemp Guylay’s program The Mountain Mantras at http://www.makewellnessfun.com/radio/ from Sunvalley Ketchum Idaho
Ms. Jones teaches Meditation at Stouffville Yoga Life; and helps clients through her Spiritual Guidance practice. With Isidora Romantini she co-leads retreats for small groups. Charlene currently puts time into her memoir, called My Impossible Life, due out in 2018. She is available by Skype or phone for help unraveling life questions or for meditation guidance.
Connie Cockrell grew up in upstate NY, just outside of Gloversville, NY. She now lives in Payson, AZ with her husband: hiking, gardening, and playing bunko. Connie began writing in response to a challenge from her daughter in October 2011 and has been hooked ever since. She writes about whatever comes into her head so her books could be in any genre. She's published fourteen books so far, has been included in five different anthologies and been published on EveryDayStories.com. Connie's always on the lookout for a good story idea. Beware, you may be the next one.
She can be found at www.conniesrandomthoughts.com or on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/ConniesRandomThoughts or on Twitter at: @ConnieCockrell
Logan Miehl loves writing from anywhere with a plugin for her laptop—ideally among her native Rocky Mountains, where she enjoys hiking and camping with her husband.
Miehl's debut fantasy novella, An Unlikely Bride, is the tale of a fiery princess named Kalinda and the journey she takes to unearth her Kingdom's dark past. Follow Kalinda as she discovers the magical powers that were kept secret from her. Will she use this newfound strength to save herself, or become the heroine her Kingdom needs, no matter how unlikely?
Timothy is originally from England, but now lives in Alaska with his wife, Sandi. The two of them met online, and are the writing team behind the Shadows Over Seattle series of short stories, and upcoming novels.
"Under A Hunter's Moon" is the first in the "Shadows Over Seattle: Prequels" short story series. Richard Parsons is a lupine, one of the many breeds of shape-shifters living in Seattle. Mortal legends of his kind call them werewolves. When a traveling exhibition returns to Seattle, Richard takes a night time visit, with plans that go beyond seeing a particular display. However, he is unprepared for the memories and emotions that come flooding back.
A computer geek by day, Donald Firesmith works as a system and software engineer helping the US Government acquire large, complex software-intensive systems. In this guise, he has authored seven technical books, written numerous software- and system-related articles and papers, and spoken at more conferences than he can possibly remember. He is also proud to have been named a Distinguished Engineer by the Association of Computing Machinery, although his pride is tempered somewhat worrying whether the term “distinguished” makes him sound more like a graybeard academic rather than an active engineer whose beard is still more red than gray.
By night and on weekends, his alter ego writes modern paranormal fantasy, apocalyptic science fiction, action and adventure novels and relaxes by handcrafting magic wands from various magical woods and mystical gemstones. His first foray into fiction is the book Magical Wands: A Cornucopia of Wand Lore written under the pen name Wolfrick Ignatius Feuerschmied. He lives in Crafton, Pennsylvania with his wife Becky, his son Dane, and varying numbers of dogs, cats, and birds.
From story dabbler in the 1980's, to published author as of July 2013, Angel M. is a multi-genre fictional author. To date, she has published The Keeper Book 1 and Underwater City Book 2 of an adventure/fantasy series and Pawper to Pedigree, a dog comedy.
In between her day job, family, and writing, Angel M. uses her humor to help those wanting to pursue a writing career on the Lessons Learned page of her website where she posts the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of what comes after you've written your manuscript.
With an almost non-existent attention span and selective memory, you can usually find her scribbling down yet another book idea, line of dialogue, scene, or even something as small as a name for use in future novels.
Entering into the realm of novel writer late in life, Tom Fallwell, at an age of more than sixty years, jumped into that world with both feet. Having always had a fascination with fantasy world-building, even from early in his life, Tom wanted to create his own world filled with rich history and lore. His Rangers of Laerean series does just that, painting a panoramic landscape that is both magical and deadly, in which to set the stories of his Rangers.
Tom lives in the greater Oklahoma City area, in America's homeland, and spends much of his time with online gaming and watching movies, when not writing his latest work. You can find out more about Tom Fallwell, and his books, by visiting his website at http://tomfallwell.com.
Author Andy Peloquin explores the darker side of human nature through the filter of fantasy heroes, villains, and everything in between. He's also a freelance writer, a book lover, and a guy who just loves to meet new people.
About Child of the Night Guild
Viola, a child sold to pay her father's debts, has lost everything: her mother, her home, and her identity. Thrown into a life among criminals, she has no time for grief as she endures the brutal training of an apprentice thief. The Night Guild molds an innocent waif into a cunning, agile outlaw skilled in the thieves' trade. She has only one choice: steal enough to pay her debts.
The cutthroat streets of Praamis will test her mettle, and she must learn to dodge the City Guards or swing from a hangman's rope. But a more dangerous foe lurks within the guild walls. A sadistic rival apprentice, threatened by her strength, is out for blood.
Back Porch Writer is a proud supporter of the annual Brain to Books Cyber Convention. From now until April 7, 2017, you'll meet exciting voices representing a variety of genres.
Joy Nwosu was born in Enugu, Anambra State of south-eastern Nigeria. Her parents were Charles Belonwu and Deborah Nwosu. She is the fifth in rank of the seven children of her parents. Joy was born into a music family.
Joy, now retired, was a music teacher, trained in Santa Cecilia, Rome, and obtained her Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Michigan, USA.
She has written and published extensively on national and international scholarly journals, magazines, and newspapers. Her short story I Come from Utopia was published in African Voices, Spring/Summer, 2007, pg. 18, and her first English novel; Mirror of Our Lives: Voices of Four Igbo Women was published in 2011, and was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Contest in 2012. She has also two books published in the Italian language.
Joy is a trained musician, and taught music for 35 years. She writes, performs, and record folk songs.
Her book: The Legend of the Walking Dead: Igbo Mythologies is a journey into the mysteries of life and death of the Igbos of Nigeria. She loves reading romances and mystery stories.
Joy's most recent book, Pregnant Future: No One Knows What Tomorrow Will Bring is available on Amazon as a pre-order. This is the story of Justina. Although the future was not clear to her, she dreamt for herself, a future she wanted to live. Then, she jumped into her dream life with both legs, and without fear, she swam the troubled waters of life, scaling and dodging all obstacles, and in the end, she came out scarred but alive.
Monika Jephcott Thomas grew up in Dortmund Mengede, north-west Germany. She moved to the UK in 1966, enjoying a thirty year career in education before retraining as a therapist.
Two young doctors form a profound and loving bond in Nazi Germany; a bond that will stretch them to the very limits of human endurance. Catholic Max - whose religious and moral beliefs are in conflict, has been been conscripted to join the war effort as a medic, despite his hatred of Hitler’s regime. His beloved Erika, a privileged young woman, is herself a product of the Hitler Youth. In spite of their stark differences, Max and Erika defy convention and marry. But when Max is stationed at the fortress city of Breslau, their worst nightmares are realised; his hospital is bombed, he is captured by the Soviet Army and taken to a POW camp in Siberia. Max experiences untold horrors, his one comfort the letters he is allowed to send home: messages that can only contain Fifteen Words. Back in Germany, Erika is struggling to survive and protect their young daughter, finding comfort in the arms of a local carpenter. Worlds apart and with only sparse words for comfort, will they ever find their way back to one another, and will Germany ever find peace?
?Fifteen Words is a vivid and intimate portrayal of human love and perseverance, one which illuminates the German experience of the war, which has often been overshadowed by history.
I'm declaring today "take a break from the rubbish" day. It's been years since I felt a need to take a mental health day, but after a disappointing, frustrating, and hatefilled election cycle, I know that I need one. How about you? Not one to wallow, I'm sharing what got me to this decision, and more importantly, what I'm doing about it!
Born in London, Tony Halker studied geology at Leeds University after which he worked as a geologist, travelling extensively overseas. Following an MBA at Cranfield School of Management, he became a manager in hi-tec business.
The introduction of new technology threatens to upend the way of life in a Celtic Druid society as conflicting loyalties pit tribes against one another in this lyrical historical fiction from debut author. The Learn is heavily inspired by nature.
www.tonyhalker.com
Things to remember:
Set up your Amazon author page at Author Central. You can do this for several countries. This also is where you can ensure that all of your books are available, add editorial reviews, your bio, and more.
Write an intriguing book blurb. There are tons of resources available so that you can learn to do this. Don't pay someone to do it for you; you need to learn this skill in order to sell your books.
The time to begin writing your next book is yesterday.
A single book rarely gets you noticed.
Author Ali Parker writes under five pen names, including this one, and has published 88 books in roughly 2 years. How? That's what we're all here to find out. She primarily writes romance, but does so in a few subgenres: western, scifi, and borderline erotic (from what I could figure out from covers and a little sample reading, but I could be wrong.) She also writes MG, YA, and paranormal.
Adam Dreece kicked off his indie author career with his best-selling steampunk meets fairy tale series, The Yellow Hoods, which struck a chord with kids 9-15 and adults. After four books in the series, the former software architect put out two more young adult books, the post-apocalyptic fantasy book The Wizard Killer – Season One, and then his science fiction novel, The Man of Cloud 9. The first two novels in The Yellow Hoods series, as well as The Wizard Killer, have been finalists for Book of the Year awards from the Independent Author’s Network.
When he’s not working on his next book, Adam can be found giving talks at schools, libraries, associations, as well as comic-con type events like CalgaryExpo and FanExpoCanada on subjects from how to get one’s ideas out and stepping outside of one’s comfort zone, to how to give a successful book signing.
Along the way, Adam has faced many challenges, including working around his Dyslexia (reading and writing disorder), and needing to be ruthless with his time and energy in face of his severe asthma and chronic abdominal scar pain. He’s become an inspiration to some, and a symbol of tenacious hard work to others.
He lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with his wife and children. He is an active online mentor at adamdreece.com, and is a busy public speaker, panelist, and author in Canada and the Pacific Northwest.
According to Adam Grant's book, Originals, procrastinating can lead to increased creativity. What? Yeah, you read that right. My guest today is Glen Perkins. He's a fellow author and appeared on the show a few times during my first year. A few weeks ago, he mentioned that he'd stopped writing for a bit. That led to a discussion about why writers set things aside, but nothing too deep. Then I started listening to Originals. My "ah ha" moment had arrived. After years trying to justify my procrastination tendencies, science was finally backing me up!
When we stop working on a project, it leaves our working memory, but when we stop in the middle of a project, our mind ruminates, i.e., mulls it over in the background.
The next time you're feeling guilty about playing Minecraft or Candy Crush, relax! Chances are, your mind still is working out the next scene in your book. And when it does, that scene will propel you forward like a rocket!
Paulette loves books, wilderness and making ancient spiritual truths applicable to all ages in daily life, bringing all these together in her Datatraya series. Paulette had an unusual childhood, growing up in Cumbria and in Scotland. Born of rock climbing and mountaineering parents her every spare moment was spent outdoors. Dirty, often barefoot and left to run free, and later on horseback, her activities and formative years of learning were dictated by the seasons, by raw nature and through the animals around her home, both domesticated and wild.
Traya’s Quest reveals 24 teachers in nature who share with our young adventurer Traya, the most ancient life lessons. We gain the answers to the big questions we all face: What is the meaning of life? What is my purpose?
Free from ego Traya sees the world as it should be experienced: pure, uncluttered, light filled and alive. Join Traya as he learns from the animals, elements and even the celestial beings as they guide him along his dharma or spiritual path.
Captivating, illuminating, fulfilling, Trayas Quest gives us the keys to our happiness, connection to Source and a life of profound personal power. Never before has a book been more timely and appropriate for all generations. Every page has hidden meanings, secrets, wisdom and childlike clarity. Somehow the author has managed to condense and simplify complex universal truths and deliver them in a beautiful and easily digestible manner. Paulette Agnew's writing style touches the heart and soul of the reader with its joyful and highly imaginative prose and glorious illustrations.
Prepare to be enthralled, delighted, and transformed. Deep down we all know there is more to life and something better, more nourishing that feeds our inner most self.
Get your copy at: www.trayasquest.com
Trace Conger is an award-winning author in the crime, thriller and suspense genres. His Mr. Finn series follows disgraced private investigator Finn Harding as he straddles the fine line between investigator and criminal. Conger is known for his tight writing style, dark themes and subtle humor. He lives in Cincinnati with his wonderfully supportive family. Find out more about him and the Mr. Finn series on his official website,www.traceconger.com.
THE SHADOW BROKER - Winner of the 2015 Shamus Award for Best Indie P.I. Novel
When finding criminals is your business, it's easy to make a killing.
Finn Harding (Mr. Finn to his clients) specializes in finding people who don't want to be found. Stripped of his PI license, Finn begins working for the type of clientele who operate in the shadows, pay in cash, and don't care if he's licensed or not. As Finn becomes ensnared in a plot to take over a black market information brokerage, he finds himself and his family straddling the thin line between life and death. With his own clients gunning for him, Finn must evade a psychopathic killer, special agents from the FBI's cybercrime unit, and a Detroit mob boss. Finn is about to find out that working with criminals has its advantages. Staying alive isn't one of them. In The Shadow Broker, Trace Conger delivers a sharp-edged and gritty tale of crime, murder, and family. It's a fast-paced crime thriller that holds nothing back.
Christina Hoag is the author of Skin of Tattoos, a literary thriller set in L.A.’s gang underworld (Martin Brown Publishers, August 2016) and Girl on the Brink, a romantic thriller for young adults (Fire and Ice YA/Melange Books, August 2016). She is a former reporter for the Associated Press and Miami Herald and worked as a correspondent in Latin America writing for major media outlets including Time, Business Week, Financial Times, the Houston Chronicle and The New York Times. She is the co-author of Peace in the Hood: Working with Gang Members to End the Violence, a groundbreaking book on gang intervention (Turner Publishing, 2014). She lives in Los Angeles. For more information, see www.christinahoag.com.
Dual diagnosed* from an early age, Matthew Peters dropped out of high school at sixteen. He went on to obtain an A.A., a B.A. from Vassar College, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Duke University. He has taught various courses in a variety of disciplines throughout North Carolina. He is committed to increasing the awareness and understanding of the dual diagnosed. Conversations Among Ruins (All Things That Matter Press, 2014) is his first novel. His second novel, The Brothers’ Keepers: A Nicholas Branson Novel–Book 1 (Melange Books, 2016), is a political-religious thriller that capitalizes on his love for history and research. Currently, he is working on the next book in the Nicholas Branson series.
*The term dual diagnosed refers to someone suffering from a mood disorder (e.g., depression) and chemical dependency.
Contemporary Jesuit and renowned religious historian Nicholas Branson is about to find out...and the answer will shake the foundations of the Judeo-Christian world.
It all starts with the murder of a United States Senator in a confessional, and the discovery of a strange religious document among his possessions. At the urging of his FBI friend, Branson joins the investigation. His effort to uncover the truth behind the murder draws him into the search for an eight-hundred-year-old treasure and into a web of ecclesiastical and political intrigue.
Accompanied by a beautiful, sharp-tongued research librarian, Jessica Jones, Branson follows a trail of clues, from the peaks of the awe inspiring French Pyrenees to the caves of war-torn Afghanistan. Along the way, shadowy powerful forces trail the pair, determined to keep safe a secret buried for centuries.
Frank O'Neal returns to the show to catch us up on his latest success story! If you're a poet trying to make it in the non-fiction writing world, you'll love this.
Frank S. O'Neal is a lifelong learner, writer, musician and world traveler. Through three major career changes and his constant pursuit of understanding, he has gained a unique voice for his writing. While in high school, an alert teacher recognized O'Neal's gift and encouraged him to use it as a tool to search for his passion and follow his dreams. He used the pen to help him stay grounded and connected to himself as he traveled through his careers in the US Coast Guard, then as an industrial paramedic and through taxing days working as an emergency room nursing assistant.
More recently, O'Neal's career path diverted him to all corners of the globe working in the telecommunications and cellular industry. As his teacher suggested, O'Neal has used poetry and writing to reconnect and reemerge continuously, while discovering where his life will lead him next.
Can fantasy and romance come together to create a compelling story? Of course! The list of successes is pages long. How easy is it to do? What elements must be present to draw the reader into the story? Author Jin Okubo is attempting to do exactly that. Has he succeeded? Check out his book and decide.
About Jin Okubo: Writing is something that I feel a deep passion for. Being a hopeless romantic is also something that I wear on my shirt like a badge. There is just something so wonderful about trying to work out the depth of Love and how we all view it in our own ways. There is something fun about writing romance novels. I think the biggest challenge is actually writing something original as I did in the case of my novel Love. So much of my life and soul went into that novel that most of it can be said to be excerpts from real relationships.
Krista Wagner is a 70's product who lives in Southern California with her supportive and amazing chef of a husband, three entertaining and very bright children, and a suitcase of stories begging to be finished. She received her BA in English from UMBC in 1999, her MA in English Comp. with a Literature Concentration from CSUSB in 2008, and an MFA in Creative Writing from National University in 2013. Since 2008, Krista has been an English adjunct instructor. In 2012, Krista started work on her first novel and completed it during a summer road trip in 2013. SInce then, she's published two additional books.
About Rian Field:
Rian Field is living her dream as a Marine Biologist, but when she is attacked by a shark, it triggers memories from the past and changes her understanding of her present world. After surviving the shark attack, Rian Field continues her work at the Institute, determined to live her routine life. But as she attempts to cope with her growing post-traumatic stress outbreaks, she is plagued both by memories of an earlier trauma and a sudden onslaught of mysterious and ominous events. She soon finds herself immersed in an inescapable danger as she suspects that her former assailant is still threatening her life--and may be someone close to her; more disconcerting, though, is the growing certainty that the trauma is somehow connected to the shark attack, compelling Rian to uncover the truth of her past and discover who is after her.
William Michael Davidson is the author of the children's book, The Dragon Who Pulled Her Scales (Winner of the 2013 OCD Book Festival Award), The Dragon Who Tamed Her Temper, Missing Person, and Living Sacrifice. He lives in Long Beach, California, with his wife and two daughters. He is working on additions to his children's book series as well as his adult fiction novels.
About Missing Person:
Brett Cole is one of the nearly three thousand Americans who go missing every day; however, in Brett’s case, he disappears willingly. Thirty years old and disillusioned, he packs his bags (including his Smith & Wesson) and vows to reach Mexico.
Halfway there, Brett stumbles upon a kidnapping and FBI Special Agent Hayden makes it clear that Brett has stumbled upon something far greater: Operation Ethereal (OE), an ultra-secret branch of the FBI in operation since the Hoover Administration, “took” Brett as a young boy because of his ability to pick up timeprints, impressions of the past. After erasing memories of the first eight years of his life, OE reinserted him into society for observation. Now that he has gone off the map, they want him back in their custody.
As Brett flees from the FBI, he must come to terms with his newly awakened gift and what it means. Can his past be redeemed and his future rewritten?
Best selling Kindle author L. A. Kelley lives in Florida where the heat and humidity have driven everyone slightly mad. She's the author of five novels, three more due out this year. In her spare time she calls in Bigfoot sightings to the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife. They are heartily sick of hearing from her.
About Spirit Ridge:
San Francisco in 1885 was a dangerous place for those who crossed Colin Doyle. To Nob Hill elite he was a successful businessman. To the underbelly of San Francisco he was The Mick, a criminal mastermind ruling from the shadows. If a buyer's tastes ran to opium, a whore, or a politician, The Mick could name a price. No one who betrayed him ever escaped the city alive. Until now.
Unfortunately, my guest, Denis Ledoux, wasn't able to join me today. You can learn more about his work at The Memoir Network.
Here are the two articles I referenced: The Key Elements of Writing a Good Memoir and How to Write Your Memoir.
Check out Gerald Schnitzer's book, My Floating Grandmother for a great example of memoir.
For a non-traditional look at memoir, check out Frank S. O'Neal's poetry.
You might have heard a phone ringing in the background. Oops! I forgot to unplug it before the show. And then there was my dog who decided she needed to come back in right during the program. Sorry for the disruption, folks! It rarely happens, so I appreciate your understanding.
There's no doubt that writing for the YA crowd can be lucrative, but if it's not a genre that you read - ever - then it's probably not the best choice for your writing. That said, here's some great info via Ebookfriendly detailing and linking to several awesome charts and infographics all about YA.
That first comment might be reason #1 for you to write YA, but what are some others? It's still selling well. There was a dip in the YA market in 2015, according to a report in The Bookseller, but now it's diversifying and opening up to more debut authors. Check out Author Earnings for more info about what indie authors are earning.It's becoming more inclusive. What do I mean? The "We Need More Diverse Books" organization is having a positive impact. Agents are seeing and reading more books by authors of color. So, if going the agent route is your plan, you might have an "in" is you're a POC or your characters are, AND you're story is compelling.YA is all about exploration. Remember when you were a teen? A writer can have a lot of fun dreaming upYA situations that hook readers.You can sell the movie rights. You could turn your book into a stage production. My guest is debut author Kyle Hiller and he has much to say about indie publishig and writing YA!
Summer is the perfect time to get engrossed in a crime novel! AW Rock's debut novel, set in the SoHo district of London, is described as gritty and fast-paced. The author spent years in the entertainment industry before transitioning to novelist. Chances are, some of his experiences found their way into his new series. Mr. Rock also is an accomplished film maker and professional photographer. You can learn more about him at Soho Honey.
About Soho Honey:
This contemporary crime story takes place over three weeks in November and unfolds against the multi-cultural backdrop of Soho, London. Branen had to leave the UK six years before to escape his complex clandestine history and the consequences of a crime that achieved worldwide notoriety. When his daughter is brutally murdered in Soho he believes that he could be the reason. He returns to his old hunting grounds to find the killer. His search brings him into conflict with the British Secret Service and Soho's underworld. He is forced to flee Soho again after a tragic meeting with his ex-wife. His past has caught up with him and the hunter becomes the hunted. Now forty years old Branen wants to stop running and to remove forever the continuing threat to his life. In an effort to get rid of his pursuers he is faced with the prospect that his only chance of survival could lead to his death.
Most of us know that authors tend to lead a life of isolation, especially while writing a manuscript, but there comes a time when every author, introverted or extroverted, shy or not, must engage readers. Extroverts tend to have it easy in this department with their need to chat people up. Introverts aren't so inclined. Talking with groups of people is exhausting!
Today's show is all about real-world, non-terrifying strategies introverts can use to make stronger, lasting connections with potential readers.
Honorée Corder is a bestselling author and executive business coach. She combines her business acumen and 12 years of self-publishing experience to provide structure, strategy, and accountability to individuals who want to elevate their platform and create multiple streams of income from publishing their own books.
Her best-selling books include Prosperity for Writers, and Vision to Reality: How Short Term Massive Action Equals Long Term Maximum Results, as well as The Divorced Phoenix, If Divorce is a Game, These are the Rules, The Successful Single Mombook series, The Successful Single Dad, Play2Pay, Paying4College, and Tall Order!
Her mission is to inspire and motivate people to turn their vision and dreams into their real-life reality, sharing a leading-edge process she created for her executive coaching clients. Honorée’s coaching and books provide real-world, time-tested strategies.
Today's show is all about men who write romance. Is it different than how a female writes romance? If so, why and how? If not, then why is it so rare to find male romance authors? Is there a stigma attached to men who write romance?
Author Jin Okubo has something to say about all of this! He's been writing romance for a few years, and shares his insights into this female-dominated genre. You can fnd his first two novels, "Love," and "Kaoru: In Loves Shadow" on Amazon.
A word about reviews: Indie authors need your review love. And I do mean, love. If you read an author's book, be sure to let other readers know how much you enjoyed it! I know, I know, if it sucked you might be tempted to write a brutally honest review thinking that you're doing the author, and everyone else a service (favor?), and you certainly can, but I've found that what I put out into the universe has a habit of coming back to me. Good and bad. Just a little food for thought.
Author, Poet, and On-Air Radio Personality, Tracie Christian is from Detroit, MI. Her books are The Black College Sabbatical trilogy fiction series and the newly released "Toast to the Fool" reflective fiction novel. "Toast to the Fool" follows five friends all playing the fool as they battle through the biggest missteps of their lives. On the surface, they each seem happy, but secretly some have heavy regrets. Redemption is the goal, but getting it is another story.
Words of Wisdom: Patience is most important. Rushing through your artistry leaves you open to harsh mistakes. Attention to detail pays off.Creating eclectic, entertaining events/engagements to release, promote & sell your books can be as beneficial, if not more beneficial than, attending traditiona book fairs and trade shows.
Tony Wilkins is the host of the Internet sensation Small Business Forum Radio www.blogtalkradio.com/tonywilkins with nearly 200,000 listeners worldwide and broadcasting live every Friday at 3:30 PM Pacific from the historic Payne Mansion in San Francisco.
The Career Whisperer: Behind the podium - A step by step guide to booking speaking engagements. This book is designed to help both new and seasoned speakers find more speaking engagements, book more media appearances and generate more revenue than ever before.
TOP TIPS:
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Partner with others to help get the word out about your product,service,event.
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Make sure any marketing materials are clear. In other words,what will others get by attending your workshop?
We're diving into what it takes for a debut author to market her first book. Claire Everward and her sister, Kate, are doing exactly that. A month ago, I spoke with them via a Blab.im interview when they'd just released Claire's novel, THE FIRST. Now, we're assessing what they've done, what's worked, what hasn't, and what they've learned.
A. Claire Everward takes the world far too seriously. She is passionate and sensitive to her surroundings, and tends to fight for what she believes in. She is direct, although she tries not to be, at least not always. She leads a quiet life and prefers to spend time with her characters, and for her escaping into writing is always the best refuge. She would say it maintains her sanity but her sister Kate says that sanity tends to be overrated.
If there's one aspect of being an author that many authors moan and groan about, it's marketing. Some hate doing it because they feel like they're forcing their work on people. They feel "spammy."
Today, we're getting some tips from Gail Olmsted. Who's she? Glad you asked! Gail happens to be an author AND a marketing professor. If anyone can offer marketing words of wisdom, it's her
Gail has authored two contemporary romances: Jeep Tour & Guessing at Normal, published by Booktrope. Her third novel, set to release this summer, is Driving on the Left.
Guessing at Normal is the rock and roll love story of a dreamy poet and a hard partying rockstar. Jeep Tour follows the rocky romance trail of a recently divorced college professor in search of her happy ever after. Both books are available on Amazon.
Have you ever thought, "I should write my memoir?" What's stopping you? It can be a daunting task. What do you include? Do you focus on a specific period in your life? Do you choose a few meaningful areas that led to who you are now? What parts of your story will captivate readers? Are you sharing a broad lesson or moral through your experiences?
This is our focus for today's show. Charlene Jones has led an impossible life. I know this because I've already had several conversations with her, and her story captivated me. I was drawn to her energetic, honest, and approachable personality, and I'm betting you will be, too!
Charlene Diane Jones M.Ed/M.A is a Psychotherapist in private practice. She teaches meditation based on her 45 years experience and practice with Tibetan Buddhism and her long explorations in Western mysteries. Charlene has authored three books: The Stain; Medicine Buddha, Medicine Mind; and her forthcoming memoir, My Impossible Life. Visit Charlene's website www.soulsciences.net where you can find her books and podcast information.
Larry Luikart is an Ohio native who holds bachelors and masters degrees in History and Political Science from Concordia University. He previously worked for over twenty-five years as a member of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Luikart lives in the Westcliffe, Colorado, area with his wife and their two dogs, where he also writes for the weekly newspaper, The Sentinel. This is his first book.
Throw Salt on the Water is a heartfelt tale of lasting friendship explores the lives of ordinary soldiers through the eyes of two best friends who must decide their ultimate loyalties when they find themselves on opposing sides of the Civil War
Fifteen Ways to Improve Your Odds of Author Success: (In order of importance)
Read Mindset by Dr. Carol Dweck Read The Willpower Instinct by Dr. Kelly McGonigal Read Dangerous Personalities by Joe Navarro Read The Definitive Book of Body Language by Allan and Barbara Pease Contemplate what you've read. Allow it to weave its way into your mind, interactions with others, and your writing. Create your author mantra. Post it where you'll see it.(Ex. Publishing isn't a race.) Create a loose or detailed outline for your fiction project including completion expectations, goals, and objectives. Think about cover art. Hire a graphic designer. Carve out writing time. Try a Pomodoro Timer. Sneak it in wherever you're able or schedule it into your day. Create an author website. Nothing fancy. A simple landing page will work in the beginning. Complete the first draft. Edit and revise it. Send it to an editor. Begin writing your next book. After you receive edits for the first book, temporarily stop working on the second book. Finish book one, including formatting, cover art, and publishing BEFORE continuing your work on book two. (Unless you have no other obligations. In that case, you'll be able to juggle both activities.) Complete first draft of book two and repeat this step. Don't obsess about sales rank or numbers, but if you can't help yourself, then check out KDPulse. Learn the importance of meta data: categories and keyword phrases. Play with these. Be consistent as you create your author brand. Create and use the same (or basically the same bio everywhere. Also use the same image.) List your book as a pre-order. Why? It motivates you to finish the book. Create a print version.
Brain to Books Cyber Convention has come and gone! If you missed all the action, stay tuned, and I'll catch you up to speed!
North Downing: A Dezeray Jackson Novel (book 2) is available to pre-order. Get your copy for just .99!
Have you read the first book in my series? Snag Hush for .99 today!
Are you using Editor software by Serenity Software?
On today's show, Damon Courtney joins Kori to talk about how authors benefit from using Book Funnel. He'll also share information about his books.
Kori's second book in the Dezeray Jackson Novel series releases this month. Look for NORTH DOWNING everywhere fine mystery-thrillers are sold. Her first novel, HUSH, received a 5-star review from Readers' Favorite.
Are you looking for editing software that catches your errors and blunders? Are you trying to save on the cost of hiring an editor? Kori is too, so she signed up for the free trial of Editor by Serenity Software. In this episode, she'll introduce you to the tool that's been used by thousands of writers, editors, and teachers for thirty years to improve their work.
Special note: Kori will discuss Editor in more detail on next week's show.
Lynn Chandler Willis is the author of best-selling true crime, Unholy Covenant (Addicus Books 2000), inspirational mystery/suspense novel The Rising, (Pelican Book Group 2013) and private eye novel Wink of an Eye, Minotaur Books 2014) Wink was chosen as the winner of the 2013 Minotaur Books/Private Eye Writers of America Best First PI Novel Competition. Lynn was the first woman in 10 years to win the contest. Her current project is Nobody's Baby.
Brain to Books Cyber Convention is April 8-10, 2016. There will be hundereds of authors and readers mingling, competing for fun giveaways, blog-based interviews, and more! You can get in on the action via Goodreads, Facebook, and Blab.im, where I'll be hosting live author interviews.
How many movies can you name that have a female, in a lead role, who demonstrates a growth mindset?
D. C. J. Wardle manages emergency and development programs in Africa and Asia; his post-graduate qualifications are in development management and community water supply engineering. The author of humorous novels Trading Vincent Crow and Vincent Crow: Export, Wardle is originally from the Midlands in the United Kingdom and currently lives in Laos, South Asia. The Feiquon Heistby D. C. J. Wardle (published by Clink Street January 12th 2015, RRP $10.99 paperback, RRP $4.99 ebook ) will be available online at retailers including amazon.co.uk and can be ordered from all good bookstores. For more information, please visit www.dcjwardle.co.uk.
The blurb:
As a night security guard plots an unlikely sting to steal from his own bank, the sudden realization that all may not be going to plan may well outweigh the expected gains, in this delightful South East Asian crime caper. Three people, three problems, one solution. That’s why the three of us have to rob this bank. What’s more we have to do it tonight.
Plus, Kori's report on KDROI and KDPulse. Are they worth the money?
Book blurb format:
When [identity] [protag name] [does something] [something happens]. Now, with [time lmit/restriction] [protag] must [do something brave] to [accomplish great achievement]/ or [sacrifice high stakes].
Source: ALLi member formum post
Writing is hard. Publication doesn’t have to be. Brain to Books takes the guess work and complications out of publishing for an indie author and makes the road less traveled a little less bumpy for those of us paving the way of indie publishing. We are the first. The generation of authors who are venturing forth, cutting our way through a world unexplored in hopes to find an alternative to Traditional Publishing. Why? Because writing is hard. Publication shouldn’t be.
REVIEW LOVE NEEDED FOR:
Check out Shannon Maguire's debut mystery, Mobile Home Murder over on Amazon.
Tony Wilkins is the host of the Internet sensation Small Business Forum Radio (www.blogtalkradio.com/tonywilkins) reaching nearly 125,000 listeners worldwide. Mr. Wilkins is also the publisher of Small Business Forum Magazine, Foodie Quarterly, and Podium.
The Career Whisperer is a series of books dealing with specific business topics. Book one-Behind the Podium, is a step-by-step guide for speakers looking to book more speaking gigs and how to generate money as a speaker.
Wesley Banks was born in 1983 and grew up on the west coast of Florida. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Civil Engineering. After spending over 7 years building movable bridges from Florida to Washington he decided to focus on his true passion: writing.
Wesley recently moved from Florida to Oregon to get back to the great outdoors that he loves so much. He lives with his wife Lindsey, and his two dogs Linkin and Story. Most of his time these days is spent writing, with as much rock climbing, hiking, or skiing as they can fit in.
ABOUT THE BOOK: IN HER EYES
When Ben Wilder is given a second chance he focuses on the one thing he’s always been good at: running. After walking on to the University of Florida Track and Field team he begins to quickly move up the national rankings, paving a path towards the NCAA Championships. Everything is going the way he planned, until the day he bumps into Casey Taylor.
Kathy has been in the media and publishing industry for more than 20 years and has worked for such iconic editorial brands as Forbes and CBS. She was the founding editor of Forbes MediaCritic and a founding partner of PubSmart, an author-centric conference in Charleston, South Carolina. She speaks and blogs frequently on author branding, discoverability, social marketing and publishing.
Bublish is a publishing technology company that offers cloud-based tools, metrics and resources to equip today’s business-savvy authors for success. An innovative, award-winning platform, Bublish empowers “authorpreneurs” by providing a complete social marketing and digital publishing solution. Launched at Book Expo America in June of 2012, Bublish is changing the way writers share their stories and reach their readers. Thousands of authors around the world use Bublish to promote their work and build their brand. www.bublish.com Follow us: @BublishMe,facebook.com/bublishme, pinterest.com/bublish, bublishme.tumblr.com and bit.ly/BublishGoogle.
NOTE: I didn't connect with today's guest, so I'm flying solo (unless she happens to call in -- in which case, I'll roll with it, 'cause I'm flexible like a willow.)
For today's show, I'm highlighting a few author's books, so be sure to check them out!
Mike Robinson recently released Waking Gods. Mike was a guest on BPW a year or so ago to talk about his other books, both of which have re-deisgned covers. They are Green-Eyed Monster and Negative Space. Mike's new book could use a little review love. His others have been well-received.
O.N. Stefan released "a dark, edgy thriller," called Sleep Then My Princess. 3.5 stars
Rita Carla Francesca Monticelli has a scifi series for your reading pleasure titled, The Red Desert and a crime thriller set in London called, The Mentor. The Mentor has received 936 reviews and has an average of 4 stars.
Will Patching newly released audio edition of Remorseless: A British Crime Thriller is available now. You also can get the ebook free on Amazon (which I did yesterday!) Will's book has a 4.5 star rating.
James Jacobs' historical thriller set in Mexico during the year of the 1968 Olympics is titled, Days of the Dead. His book could use some love! Read and post your reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.
Check out Amazon for more details!
Pygmalion, Galatea, and the Golem Effects all have a profound impact on our day-to-day lives, but most of us probably don't even realize it! Today that all changes. I'm sharing a little bit about what I know about these effects, and then I'll briefly touch on our superpower: Willpower.
Ozgur K. Sahin is an award-winning independent author and life coach currently living in Minnesota. He has a background in astrophysics, consciousness development, and history. He is currently editing the second book in his Brethren of the Spanish Main historical pirate fiction series, and has written and blogged about narcissism and personal/social development.
The Wrath of Brotherhood
After learning of his sister’s death at the hands of pirates, successful merchant Captain Roy Toppings sails to the Caribbean on a misguided mission of vengeance against the man who failed to protect her: her Spanish widower, Pablo Francisco.
In the climate of the Restoration-era Caribbean colonies, where scheming and stealth could yield a prize as readily as boldness and firepower, Roy's vendetta lands him and his small but talented privateer crew in the middle of political intrigue and a deadly invasion in the West Indies as the nations of Europe struggle to consolidate power in anticipation of new monarchs in England and France.
When Spain prepares a strike that could jeopardize all other commercial interests in the Caribbean, Roy must risk losing his chance at vengeance to fight for his nation and his fellow Brethren of the Coast.
Robert Buccellato is the Author of "Florida Governors Lasting Legacies", "Jimmy Carter in Plains the Presidential Hometown", and the forthcoming "Finding Dan McCarty."
He is a Graduate of Florida State University and the Historian for the Clerk of Courts for Leon County, a position created for him by Clerk Bob Inzer.
The physical connections to most American presidents are deeply rooted in the past and unfamiliar. One can no longer see Washingtons birthplace or William Henry Harrisons log cabin. Plains, Georgia, is different, and the attachment Americans have for it remains truly unique. Jimmy Carter in Plains: A Presidential Hometown tells the inspirational story of how one man and his community transformed a nation. When Jimmy Carter, a one-term governor of Georgia, announced his candidacy for president, few took him seriously. Yet, in just two years, he managed to pull off a spectacular and unprecedented victory, thanks to his personal style of politicking and the support of his hometown. Many of his neighbors campaigned for him, and they became known as the Peanut Brigade. Crowds started to flock to the sleepy hamlet of Plains, making celebrities out of the candidates mother, younger brother, and daughter. The exceptional photographs of Charles W. Plant guide the reader through the 1976 election, which made Plains Americas hometown.
Larry Luikart is an Ohio native who holds bachelors and masters degrees in History and Political Science from Concordia University. He previously worked for over twenty-five years as a member of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Luikart lives in the Westcliffe, Colorado, area with his wife and their two dogs, where he also writes for the weekly newspaper, The Sentinel. This is his first book.
Throw Salt on the Water is a heartfelt tale of lasting friendship explores the lives of ordinary soldiers through the eyes of two best friends who must decide their ultimate loyalties when they find themselves on opposing sides of the Civil War
Dr. Minette Riordan successfully built a 6-figure multi-media publishing company targeting families in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. For over 10 years she ran Scissortail Publishing, publishers of North Texas Kids magazine, NorthTexasKids.com and producers of the North Texas Kids family expos. She credits her success to learning how to connect with others through networking, referrals, strategic partnerships and an attitude of service to others first.
Inside The Artful Marketer you will discover the 5 mistakes that most creative entrepreneurs make that destroy their chances of breaking through to 6 figures and how to avoid those mistakes. Did you know that of the 10 million women-owned businesses in the United States, only 6% ever reach the 6-figure mark? Let's change that.
Award-winning Journalist and author Leo Adam Biga returns to the show to talk about his latest book: Crossing Bridges.
Father Vavrina has served as a priest for many years, and has served several missions trips to help the needy. Father Ken worked with lepers in Yemen, and was ultimately arrested and thrown in jail under false suspicions of spying. After being forcibly removed from Yemen, he began his tenure with Catholic Relief Services. First in the extreme poverty and over-population of Calcutta in India. Then with warlords in Liberia to deliver food and supplies to refugees in need. Father Ken also spent several years working with Mother Teresa to heal the sick and comfort the dying.
Crossing Bridges: A Priest’s Uplifting Life Among the Downtrodden is the story of Father Ken Vavrina’s life and travels – simple acts that moved him, people that inspired him, and places that astonished him. Father Ken has spent his life selflessly serving the Lord and the neediest around him, while always striving to remain a simple, humble man of God.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
In this episode, we're celebrating what we accomplished in 2015 and sharing our plans for the New Year. It's all about moving forward. Pushing onward. Achieving and excelling in the areas of our life that we want to change. Consider this a "Create the life you want" recap and prediction. A bonus episode, really.
In this episode, I'm revisiting creating the life you want. This is officially part 4, so if you missed the first three, be sure to go back into the archives and listen. During this episode, my focus is on habits/rituals we create in order to achieve our short and long term goals. I've talked about habit formation before, but honestly, it deserves its own show.
You can find any resources I reference during this show over on the Back Porch Writer website.
Join Hardy LeBel and me for Indie Author Hour over on Blab.im every Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. CDT. It's real talk from real authors.
With a career spanning nearly 50 years in show business and over a hundred roles, Alda might be best known for her performances in The Deer Hunter as Steven's wife, Angela, as well as for the cult classic Mommie Dearest, as loyal Crawford housekeeper Carol Ann, and Amityville II: The Possession, having been nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award two years in succession (1982 and 1983) for the latter roles. She has also won a Clio and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Alda has appeared on numerous television programs, such as Cold Case, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and as a featured character on the Ron Perlman/Linda Hamilton TV series, Beauty and the Beast.
Her book THE MOMMIE DEAREST DIARY: Carol Ann Tells All is causing quite a stir. Here's the blurb: In this very private diary, Rutanya Alda ("Carol Ann") delves into the art, the business, and the wild milieu of American cinema by taking you behind the scenes of Mommie Dearest to tell her story of drama and disarray on and off the set. Rutanya frames her diary with anecdotes of Robert Altman, Joan Crawford, Brian De Palma, Bob Dylan, Elia Kazan, Sam Peckinpah, Roman Polanski, Lee Strasberg, Barbra Streisand, and John Wayne, among others—a rich cast of her life's characters, who in turn entertain, illuminate, and ultimately weave Rutanya's life into Carol Ann's, setting the stage for you to vicariously live through the making of this cult classic, from her audition in the living room of director Frank Perry to the wrap party on the last day of shooting.
US born P. Sinclair graduated with a degree in History before spending the early 1970s traveling around the countries he had studied, including Lebanon, Syria, and Jordon where he observed the culture and landscape; he also witnessed first-hand the rising social unrest amidst the growing refugee camps. Today, Sinclair is retired and living with his wife on the outskirts of Paris, France. Descent Into Paradise by P. Sinclair (published by Clink Street Publishing $15.50 paperback, $8.00 ebook) will be available September 22nd to buy online from retailers including amazon.co.uk and can be ordered at all good bookstores.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Thrust into a vortex of violence, a beautiful Mossad assassin, an American special forces operative, and a Palestinian freedom fighter find themselves torn between loyalty and love in this insightful historical thriller, which exposes the origin of the Arab Israeli conflict and the Islamic fundamentalist ascent to power. Israel, 1967. Caught up in the final actions of the Six Day War, Shasa, a young Palestinian girl, is the sole survivor of a brutal attack on her village. Growing up with her adopted family in Israel, and shunned by the other children in her small village, Shasa’s only true friend is another orphan named Zev. As fate would have it, both will meet again; Zev, as commander of Israel’s most elite special forces unit and Shasa, one of Mossad’s most accomplished operatives.
Creative Entrepreneur Linda Riesenberg Fisler is an award winning artist and an award winning author. Leaving her 26 year extremely successful career at Proctor & Gamble, Riesenberg Fisler pursues creativity spending days writing, painting or marketing her creations. She is also the host of Art Chats with Linda Fisler, an internationally popular internet podcast in which she interviews creatives who share their many talents with her listeners. Her latest publications include, Blind Influence which placed at the 2015 Paris Book Festival and 2015 Hollywood Book Festival. Her art instruction book called How to Paint from Brush to Palette Knives, reached #5 bestselling Painting book over at Kindle and was listed as the number one Hot New Release within a week of its release.
About the book:BLIND INFLUENCE
It is kind of like Jason Bourne meets the Good Wife in the West Wing! Nicole Charbonneau, a sexy, successful attorney, becomes bait in a trap to capture The Serpent, an assassin that British Agent Sean Adkins has tracked for ten years and a personal stake in capturing. Add in a powerful Senator who aids Nicole and Sean, and the stage is set for a thrilling roller coaster ride!
Liza grew up in Wollongong, Australia, where she worked as a general nurse and midwife for fifteen years. When she met her French husband on a Bangkok bus, she moved to France, where she has been living with her husband and three children for twenty years. She works part-time as a French-English medical translator, and as a novelist. Her articles on French culture and tradition have been published in international magazines. Spirit of Lost Angels is the first in her French historical trilogy, The Bone Angel Series. The second – Wolfsangel – was published in October, 2013, and the third, Blood Rose Angel, will be published in November, 2015. She is a founding member of the author collective, Triskele Books and reviews books for BookMuse.
About the book:
- A bone-sculpted angel and the woman who wears it––heretic, Devil’s servant, saint.
Midwife Héloïse has always known that her bastard status threatens her standing in the French village of Lucie-sur-Vionne. Yet her midwifery and healing skills have gained the people’s respect, and she has won the heart of the handsome Raoul Stonemason. The future looks hopeful. Until the Black Death sweeps into France.
Terrified that Héloïse will bring the pestilence into their cottage, Raoul forbids her to treat its victims. Amidst the grief and hysteria, the villagers searching for a scapegoat, Héloïse must choose: preserve her marriage, or honour the oath she swore on her dead mother’s soul? And even as she places her faith in the protective powers of her angel talisman, she must prove she’s no Devil’s servant, her talisman no evil charm.
Héloïse, with all her tragedies and triumphs, celebrates the birth of modern medicine, midwifery and thinking in late medieval times.
Cat Herzog began writing as a teen to have a way of dealing with a turbulent childhood, afraid someone might read what she journaled, she fictionalized it so no one would know she was talking about herself. Those stories turned into what would become The Key to Her Heart, but it would take another thirty years before she published The Key to Her Heart. Now she is working on the sequel Patrick's Rose.
About the book: The Key to Her Heart (The Heart of a Family Book 1)
As Anna's life spirals deeper into the abyss she doesn’t know how to escape, Patrick may be the only thing standing between her and complete destruction.
In her quest to achieve her dreams, Anna becomes a successful model in California in the early seventies and attracts the unwanted attention of powerful, ruthless, Matthew Wolffe, the eldest son of the fashion world’s biggest tycoon. His attention twists into a dark obsession-- Not just harming, but distributing abuse beyond Anna’s worst nightmares. Patrick Rueschel is the boy she left back home when she ran away. His love promises new life.
Between her dark secrets in California and her father’s vow of revenge on The Rueschel family years before when she was a teen, Anna realizes there is no way for Patrick to be part of her life.
As the stakes are driven ever higher, she must choose the dream she wants to pursue and what cost she is willing to pay. Meanwhile, Matthew plays a dangerous game of cat and mouse that threatens to find her no matter where she may run.
Is Patrick's love strong enough to save her? Or must she run away once more—and leave everything behind?
* Due to an unexpected life event, Toby Downton won't be on the program today. *
I'm sharing my top 10 tips for an aspiring author who really wants to build a career. What better person to get tips from than someone who dove into the deep end and started kicking?
Check out Back Porch Writer for detailed show notes.
Stephen Childs was born in London, England in 1961. He is the eldest of four siblings. Stephen travelled to New Zealand with his parents in the early 1970s. Completing his education in New Zealand, Stephen took up work as an audio engineer in the film and television business. Although his career covered a wide range of activities, shooting historical drama series was one of his favourite roles. In 2013 he moved to Perth, Australia, with his wife and youngest son. His spare time is taken swimming, reading and walking along some of Perth's fabulous coastal walkways.
About the book: On Track For Murder
Travelling from England to Australia in the late nineteenth century, Abigail Sergeant and her brother,Bertrand, are looking forward to their new life. Leaving behind the prejudices that would likely have seen Bertrand committed to an institution before he reached adulthood, Abigail hopes their new life will offer freedom and security.But what awaits them on the shores of the Swan River dashes any prospects of a blissful life. A murder is committed and Abigail's family is thrown into turmoil. The evidence is damning. Only the guilty would be found standing over the body clutching the bloodied murder weapon. But something is not right.
Dalene Bickel, founder of Lasting Legacies, is a life story author, speaker, editor and self-publishing consultant who has written and published several privately commissioned biographies. Her personal writing has appeared in local and national publications, including the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and she served as a panelist at the 2015 Biographers International Conference in Washington, DC. Dalene's blog and newsletter provide the resources and information individuals need to write their own stories, as well as interesting discussions on American culture. Subscribe to the newsletter and get the free Legacy Roadmap: A Beginner's Guide to Writing Life Story at www.lasting-legacies.net.Twitter handle: @DaleneBickel
Nina Mansfield is a Greenwich, Connecticut based writer. Her debut novel, SWIMMING ALONE, a YA Mystery, was published August 27, 2015 by Fire & Ice YA. Her short mystery fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and Mysterical-E. She is also a published and internationally produced playwright.
Book blurb: The Sea Side Strangler is on the loose in Beach Point, where fifteen-year-old Cathy Banks is spending the summer with her aunt (who happens to be mystery writer Roberta McCabe.) Although thrilled to be away from her psychotic, divorcing parents, with no cell phone or internet access, Cathy is positive that her summer is going to be wretched. Just when she begins to make friends, and even finds a crush to drool over, her new friend Lauren vanishes. When a body surfaces in Beach Point Bay, Cathy is forced to face the question: has the Sea Side Strangler struck again?
Connect with her on Twitter @NinaJMansfield
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/NinaMansfieldWriter
It's finally here! The 200th episode! This podcast is a fun gig. In fact, it's my favorite unpaid job so far. One of the best parts about it is being able to bring great guests to you wherever you happen to be. I also love learning about new tools and sharing my experiments with you.
Today, I'm inviting authors to promo their new or pre-released books for free! Live! You get about 30 seconds. I'll also share book info for a few authors who can't call into the program.
In between all of that, I'm going to talk about how habits can make or break you when you're creating the life you want.
Join me in the chat room or call into the show!
Tamara started her academic career as a science geek, earned a degree in art, and, when she's not making quilts or herding cats, writes tense thrillers as Tamara Jones and the award-winning Dubric Byerly Mysteries series (Bantam Spectra), as Tamara Siler Jones. Despite the violent nature of her work, Tam's easygoing and friendly. Not sick or twisted at all. Honest. Tamara is represented by Laura Bradford at Bradford Literary Agency.
The dead are coming back. Ten naked people walk from a cemetery into artist Sean Casey's backyard: ten Spore People who used to be dead. One, Mindy, stays with Sean while trying to reclaim her life, but her ex would rather she return to her grave. Sean struggles to protect Mindy and other Spores while battling his recurring—and worsening—nightmares. Meanwhile, the media feeds a panicked frenzy that leads both the hopeful and hateful to Sean's front door. As the Spore fungus spreads, so does the fear. When mutilated children match Sean's nightmares, he realizes his own worst terror may be closer than he thinks.
TIP OF THE WEEK: Use Animoto to create cool book trailers. This and Tawe are my two favorite new tools!
Armand Rosamilia is an author with over 150 releases to date. He writes about zombies, horror, contemporary fiction, thrillers, movie adaptations erotica and anything else he wants to write about. He likes to talk in third person. Check him out on Amazon and his blog at http://armandrosamilia.com
Chelsea Avenue blurb:
On July 8th 1987, in Long Branch, New Jersey, The Haunted House Pier and Murphy's Law club fires destroyed not only local landmarks, but everything Manny Santiago found dear.
And it isn't over.
The entity responsible for killing Manny's family and wreaking devastation in the small seaside community has reappeared. Again. As it has every year since. And is growing in power.
Every July 8th it returns, as survivors of the fires, including Manny, are mysteriously led back to the now-vacant seaside lot on Chelsea Avenue, where the entity intends to finish what it started in 1987 once and for all.
TIP OF THE WEEK:
TAWE from Sparkol. You can easily create animation from a single image. Here's what I created in about 30 seconds yesterday. I loved it so much that I became a brand new affiliate for Sparkol. So, if you click the link and decide to use Sparkol, then I'll probably receive a small reward for referring you. You can, of course, also simply contact the site directly.
A family physician, Patricia Kullberg, MD, MPH, devoted her career to serving persons living with physical, mental and addiction disorders at a clinic for the homeless. She has written many award-winning articles about health and medicine, but Girl in the River is her first novel. Kullberg and her husband live in Portland, Oregon, where she facilitates writing workshops for marginalized women and tends a large garden.
Book blurb:
On the eve of World War II, Portland, Oregon, battles corruption as the city falls into the hands of gangsters. Newly orphaned, Mae Rose wanders the rain-stained streets alone, on the lam from a knife-wielding pimp and mustering her own worst impulses to survive. As Mae rises to power in Portland’s gritty sex industry, she’s pursued by a district attorney who seeks to snare her for more personal reasons. In the city’s smoky nightspots, the glamorous Dr. Ruth Barnett turns heads, but by day she operates a wildly successful abortion service. At war’s end, both Mae and Ruth are caught in the crosshairs of Portland’s anti-vice crusade. The women’s survival, as well as any chance at lasting love, depends on their allegiance to each other and their abilities to outsmart the cops and politicians who no longer protect them.
Should you write more than one book a year? How many should you write? If you write more than one book, does that automatically mean your writing sucks? Who decides what a "good" book is? How do you define success as an author?
These are some of the questions Kori will discuss on today's show.
Read the latest Author Earnings Report. There's good news if you're an indie author producing e-books even without an ISBN.
Quote of the day: The publishing world is very timid. Readers are much braver. - Kiran Desai, award-winning author of The Inheritance of Loss.
Help us celebrate our 200th episode on October 20th, 2015. Visit Back Porch Writer for more information.
“[Passionate Crusaders] shows that the efforts of an honorable and courageous few can create small steps to change history. This detailed, well-told, and inspiring story will be of value to students of the Holocaust, American history, and human rights.” –From the Foreword by Dr. Leon Stein, Professor Emeritus of History and Education Director Emeritus, Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center.
Passionate Crusaders tells the gripping story of a few righteous Americans who sought to do what many thought impossible in 1944—save Jews who had not yet been murdered in the Holocaust.
By January 1944, Treasury Department officials Henry Morgenthau, John Pehle, and Josiah DuBois had already convinced President Franklin Roosevelt to create the War Refugee Board, an agency with the authority to provide rescue and relief for Jews and other groups persecuted by the Nazis.
A.D. Starrling is the author of the award-winning action thriller series Seventeen.
Born on the small island nation of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, A.D. came to the UK at the age of twenty to study medicine. After five years of hard graft earning her MD and another five years working all of God’s hours as a Pediatrician, she decided it was time for a change and returned to her first love, writing.
Her thriller series Seventeen combines action, adventure, science, and a dose of the paranormal to make each book an explosive, adrenaline-fueled read.
Her debut novel Soul Meaning (Seventeen Series Book #1) has won and been nominated for several awards, as has the second book in the series. She currently lives in Warwickshire in the West Midlands, where she is busy writing the next installments in the series. She still practises medicine. AD Starrling is her pen name.
Now is the time. Not tomorrow or a week from now. Now is the time to decide who you are, who you want to be, and how to create the roadmap to get you there. This is episode three in our series: How to create the life you want.
Show host and author, Kori D. Miller, discusses how to use mental imagery, a.k.a. visualization, to set and achieve your goals. She'll recap RUMBA and talk a bit about habits. You won't leave without an assignment, so stayed tuned!
Books to read:
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain
On Second Thought by Wray Herbert
Articles to read:
7 Tips for Creating Positive Mental Imagery, Psychology Today, June 18, 2013
YOUR ASSIGNMENT:
Create 2 RUMBA goals to be accomplished by Dec. 31, 2015. Report your success to www.backporchwriter.com to be included in a follow-up blog post.
Reasonable
Understandable
Measureable
Believeable
Achieveable
How to Create the Life You Want, Part 4: Habits: Date TBA Check the Back Porch Writer website for more information.
Max doesn't remember ever not creating a story, pen or no pen. A writer and lover of books since the age of nine, Max first set pen to page as a hobby, constructing stories that were anything but fit for children. Entertaining classmates while simultaneously concerning surrounding adults with blood-ridden tales of gory mysteries and heavy suspense that "just came to mind", Max, with the help of family and the encouraging words of an inspiring fifth grade teacher, continued to develop this gift.
Little was it known at the time, but said gift would become a lifeline.
From horrific trauma in Max's teen years, writing played an instrumental part in the difficult recovery and the Warrens, Bennetts, and Johnsons, three interconnected families all with issues, mysteries, and secrets that threaten their livelihood and lives,were born.
Though relatively new to the publishing game, Max reads everything and everyone and relishes the journey, learning something new each day.
See the "One Minute There" Trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubpy6-6YHP0
https://twitter.com/maxestone
https://www.facebook.com/officialmaxestone
Website: www.maxestone.com
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DUE TO AUDIO DISRUPTIONS THIS EPISODE WAS SHORTENED. LORRAINE WAS INVITED TO CONTUNUE OUR DISCUSSION VIA THE BACK PORCH WRITER BLOG. THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING.
Lorraine Pestell was born in London and has lived and worked as an IT professional all over the world, including the UK, several European capitals, the USA and Singapore, before moving to Melbourne, Australia, for the turn of the millennium. Having suffered from chronic clinical depression since childhood, and later diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after a violent marriage and other challenging events, she turned to creative writing as therapy and to escape from the world.
A passionate advocate for mental health awareness and rational suicide, Lorraine has two main goals for her writing: first, to inspire fellow sufferers to rise above their symptoms and make a success of their lives; and second, to encourage non-sufferers to tolerate, support and even love those afflicted with mental illness in their quest to live a "normal" life.
The six-part contemporary fiction serial, "A Life Singular", is truly Lorraine's life's work, starting out as an adolescent romance in her early teens. It has since become six long books exploring the human mind and social justice, wrapped in the universal theme of love and our endless fascination for celebrity. Parts One to Four are available now, with Part Five due for release in March 2016.
Geoffrey Storm was born and raised in Michigan, in an old, suburban neighborhood he calls "his Shire." There are no sidewalks, and no traffic, just endless lawns, ponds, and trees. It's almost another world entirely. And to him, it is. Inspired by the fantastic worlds seen in Star Wars, Zelda, and Kingdom Hearts, Geoffrey created one of his own in his backyard. An escape from reality. A world he now wishes to share with you.
Geoffrey is a graduate of Michigan State University's English program, with focusses in Creative Writing, Sociology, and Linguistics. Growing up, he never thought he'd be a writer. Maybe an actor, an artist, or even an architect. But now he's put all those dreams, all his knowledge, and all his heart into one idea. One world. One story. Progeny of Gods: Vertuém Destiny
On today's show, Kori discusses how to create goals that are in alignment with your core principles. If you haven't identified your core principles, then listen to Part I.
A simple tool to use while creating goals is RUMBA.
Realistic
Understandable
Measureable
Believeable
Achieveable
Kori walks you through a few examples of goals that aren't in alignment with your principles, and then discusses one that, if you happen to be an author, probably is.
Show quotes:
"He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe." - Marcus Aurelius
People will rise to the level of expectation set. (Paraphrasing) - Jaime Escalante
Remember to subscribe, review, and rate the show on iTunes. Your support helps other listeners find the show and gain access to all of our great guests and content. Thank you!
Join the conversation and discover how you can move in the direction of your goals. In this episode, Kori discusses Benjamin Franklin's 13 virtues, Stephen Covey's 8 principles, and using visualization to begin your journey.
Resources mentioned:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain
Writers face three big risks when using real people in their writing: DEFAMATION, INVASION OF PRIVACY, AND MISAPPROPRIATION OF THE RIGHT OF PUBLICITY. Yet every fiction writer bases characters on real people. Memoirists and nonfiction writers identify people by name. How can writers use real people in their work without risking a lawsuit? Attorney and writer, Helen Sedwick, will give tips on how to avoid these legal landmines.
HELEN SEDWICK is the AUTHOR OF SELF-PUBLISHER'S LEGAL HANDBOOK AND COYOTE WINDS
WEBSITE http://helensedwick.com
BLOG http://helensedwick.com/blog
GOOGLE+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/+HelenSedwick
TWITTER https://twitter.com/HelenSedwick
Connie Spittler's writing life unfolds in multi-layers. Her latest book The Erotica Book Club for Nice Ladies crosses the genres of mystery with women's fiction. She's just back from signing this book at the American Librarian Association Annual Conference in San Francisco, will read and sign at The Tattered Cover in Denver and be a featured author at Dies Laborum, The Day of the Book, in Salida, CO, then appear on a literary panel in Texas. Her work is found in over 20 anthologies with such notables as The Dalai Lama, Mikhail Gorbachev, Deepak Chopra, Desmond Tutu, Barbara Kingsolver. She's produced two award-winning nature essay books featuring her husband's photography; also a book of western poetry entitled Cowboys & Wild, Wild Things. A former writer/producer at the Spittler Production Company, Connie and her husband received CLIO recognition. Later, Connie's videos, The Wise Women Series, were archived in Harvard University's Library on the History of Women in America.
Kathy Bennett is no stranger to murder and mayhem. After twenty-nine with the Los Angeles Police Department – eight as a civilian employee and twenty-one years as a sworn police officer, this retired cop’s authentic crime experience results in arresting stories.
As a police officer, most of Kathy’s career was spent working patrol in a black and white police car. Prior to retirement, Kathy was assigned as a senior lead officer, with approximately five square miles in the City of Los Angeles as her responsibility. Kathy also served as a firearms instructor at the LAPD Police Academy, a crime analyst in the ‘War Room’, a field-training officer, and worked undercover in various assignments. She was named Officer of the Quarter twice, and Officer of the Year once.
Kathy's debut novel, A Dozen Deadly Roses is a bestselling e-book. Barnes & Noble chose her second novel, A Deadly Blessing, as a Best Book of 2012. Kathy's third book, A Deadly Justice, became a bestselling police procedural novel. Readers have praised her fourth book, A Deadly Denial, as her best book yet. Kathy is currently working on her next book.
Susan Taylor Chehak is a graduate of the University of Iowa Writers Workshop and the author of several novels, including The Great Disappointment, Smithereens, The Story of Annie D., and Harmony. Her most recent publications include a collection of short stories, It's not About the Dog; a new novel, The Minor Apocalypse of Meena Krejci; and a work of nonfiction, What Happened to Paula: The Anatomy of a True Crime.
Susan's other ongoing projects include All The Lost Girls, a website devoted to exploring the lost girl archetype and the grip her story continues to have on our cultural imagination, and The Foreverland Chronicles, where she is creating detailed narrative record of Foreverland and its denizens.
Susan is also the driving force behind Foreverland Press, an e-book publisher devoted to bringing back the backlists of fine writers who might have otherwise been overlooked. Other of her online projects include, What Happened To Paula, a collaborative web-based investigation into the as yet unsolved murder of a former schoolmate, and The Truth About Paula O., a blogged memoir of Susan's ongoing 15-year investigation into the Paula Oberbroeckling murder case.
If you're saving for your kids' college, then this is the show for you! Expert Dan Evertsz is in the studio to answer all of your questions.
Dan is the Founder of College Money Pros (http://collegemoneypros.com) and former CEO of Bay College Planning, in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the author of “Insider Secrets to Pay For College”. He has taught this course for many organizations across the country. Dan is considered one of the premier experts in the admissions, financial aid and college funding arena. Dan, with the assistance of his wife Deborah, leads college funding Workshops and Seminars. These are carefully designed to create a true understanding of the college funding process. Check out their YouTube channel: College Money Pros.
Here's a bit about College Money Pros:
"We offer a comprehensive approach to college planning and student counseling. Our staff members are highly experienced and ready to advise in all areas of college life and college financing. Avoid the many obstacles that often hinder those new to the process involved with completing a college education.
We also take the financial needs and priorities of parents into consideration. You need to protect your retirement savings, home and nest egg."
Erik Weibel is a thirteen-year-old eight grader who loves to read. He started his blog, This Kid Reviews Books when he was nine and is now in his fourth year blogging. On his blog, he not only reviews books but also encourages other kids to get into reading and writing. Erik supports other kids on his blog through his “Creative Kid Thursday” feature. Erik is the Co-Host of The Write Chat vlog with his friend Felicia Maziarz where they interview authors and illustrators about the writing process. In addition to being an avid reader (averaging 20-30 middle grade books a month), Erik enjoys writing creatively. He writes a monthly book review column for The Upper Bucks Free Press. In 2013, he self-published a chapter book called “The Adventures of Tomato and Pea: Book 1; A Bad Idea,” which he wrote when he was nine, and took a year to edit. He is working on Book 2. He has an original poem published in “The Song of Sahel Anthology” (Plum Tree Books, 2013) titled “One Kid.” He also has an original short story in “Lucky Draw” (Prints Charming Books, 2015) titled “The Rabbit’s Revenge.” Erik is also an active participant in Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 challenge and Tara Lazar’s PiBoIdMo.
Felicia “The Neighbor Girl” Maziarz is just about 12 years old, and, after publishing two books,she has paw-sed her writing career to pursue other interests. She is the co-creator/host of The Write Chat with Erik Weibel of This Kid Reviews Books where she and Erik video interview authors. Felicia is an award-winning author, and has published two books in her Stanley & Katrina series.
http://www.stanleyandkatrina.com/
http://thiskidreviewsbooks.com/
Jenn Thor is a wife and mother of two teenagers. While her family keeps her busy and vastly entertained, she has the remarkable opportunity to spend her days working toward becoming a published romance author. Jenn is a member of Romance Writers of America and Romance Authors of the Heartland based in Omaha, Nebraska. She spends her Monday nights with her critique group.
MISS PRISS: ON AND OFF THE COURT Book one in the new tween chapter series, by Mom’s Choice Award winning writer-illustrator Team, ‘Brenjudy’, introduces Priscilla Penelope Paxton (Miss Priss), a ten year old whose interests and curiosity land her in, sometimes, sticky situations. A unique coming-of-age story bound to bring giggles and enjoyment to all its readers as Miss Priss encounters and overcomes a slew of challenges, even the one that will continue to grow—self-awareness. The book will be released with full color illustrations.
Priscilla Penelope Paxton is a witty ten year old whose interests and curiosity land her in, sometimes, sticky situations. Dance classes, Girl Scouts, school assignments, friends and hanging out at her family's drug store, and the local Piggly Wiggly would leave any other person with no time for anything else. Yet, the thrill of basketball and joining the Little Dribblers finds its way into Miss Priss' heart. Though this interest will prove to be a dream that requires overcoming the greatest of challenges; Mom’s opposition. A task that will require ingenuity, perseverance and a little help from some loved ones.
Adrian Koesters holds an MFA in poetry from the Rainier Writing workshop at Pacific Lutheran University and a Ph.D. in fiction and poetry from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her first book of poems, Many Parishes, was published by BrickHouse Books as part of their New Poets Series, and other work has appeared in Berkeley Review, The Gettysburg Review, Hotel Amerika, and elsewhere. She has been a poetry and fiction assistant editor at Prairie Schooner and fiction editor at A River and Sound Review. She taught writing at UNL and the Creighton University MFA program, and lives in Omaha, Nebraska. Web URL: www.adriankoesters.com
Koesters' Many Parishes is an original. The poems seem to smack the hard-ass contemporary world up against a deep spiritual sense, until we see they're one and the same. Adrian Koesters is able to write of men calling out to a ten-year old ''spinster'' to ''come on down, sweetheart, I got something over here to show you,'' and allow us to feel in her small, frightened heart the identical anguish of soul as in the nun who's ''divided from the principalities and goes in terror of them.'' These poems, like the nuns, ''take things personally.'' They're lyrical confessions of the deepest griefs--abuse, divorce, doubt, and loneliness. They provide absolution, and positively joy, in their skillful and lucid singing. --Fleda Brown, author of No Need of Sympathy
Mellissa Thomas is a Central Florida freelance writer, journalist, author, poet, speaker, and award-winning screenwriter. She lovingly overworks herself authoring several blogs, writing for several publications, and is Chief Editor of Orlando Fashion Magazine. She has also guest blogged on popular blogs, including Under30CEO and James Chartrand's Men with Pens.
With five years of U.S. Naval service and two college degrees (including one in Film), this introvert has lots of story ideas and practical life advice to share. Find out more at mellissathomas.com.
Book Blurb: In the Rough
The first 48 hours in Naples saw International Supremacy Bureau Agents Maia Highland and Roy Chambers face death on more than one occasion. Now, with the help of ISB’s Europe Lead Agent Evan Knightley, the duo’s race to find Tenderfoot intensifies given the untimely murder of Italy’s top ranking military official, who was involved in the case, and the treacherous quest for the truth behind the cryptic video message on Highland’s computer.
Speaker, author and trainer, Elizabeth Bachman is known as The Star Maker for Speakers. She is passionate about helping people shine on ANY stage. Using her 30 years of experience as an International Opera Director, directing such luminaries as Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo, now she works with business professionals, authors and speakers to find their unique voices, close more sales and become known as a Star in their Field.
Fluent in 5 languages, Elizabeth has directed over 50 operas around the world, giving her a wealth of tools to help business professionals become Star Presenters. She is the creator of “Taking Your Show on the Road: How to Get Booked as a Speaker” – the ultimate guide for getting more speaking gigs, and the acclaimed Virtual Mastermind Series: “Speak For Succe$$.”
A sought-after speaker, Elizabeth has presented to the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, E Women Network, Women in Consulting, the Sacramento Speakers’ Association, numerous radio shows and telesummits. Founder and Artistic Director of the Tyrolean Opera Program (TOP Opera), a summer opera training program in the Austrian Alps, she continues to support the opera community. Whether working with you to jazz up your act, punch up your pitch or polish your presentation, Elizabeth helps you stop procrastinating, get past your blocks and take your show on the road.
Change of plans! Unfortunately, Tamica Brewington wasn't able to join the program. Not to worry!
This episode is all about #selfpubstigma (Does it still exist? Tweet with me @backporchwriter and let me know. I'll share your thoughts in a blog post, along with anyone else who joins the chat.)
Udemy is an online classroom offering hundreds of courses on a wide variety of topics. I'll be teaching a course in mid-June: The Nuts & Bolts of Building Your Author Platform.
Bunkrapp.com is a great, free presentation tool! Try it and see why I like it so much. I created a modified book trailer for Deadly Sins. If you want to see it, get in touch via Back Porch Writer.
There's more, but my hands are tired from typing. Listen to the episode!
Christopher McLucas is an author, philanthropist, and all-around nice guy from, and currently, living in Omaha, NE. He's dedicated to helping businesses and entrepreneurship flourish in the midwest area. Christopher has shamelessly left this link to The Giggle Farm's Facebook page for people to like, share, find events, and have collaborative possibilities with Christopher.
https://www.facebook.com/TheGiggleFarm0412
Be sure to check out the May line-up over on our home page: www.backporchwriter.com. And, check out the affiliate link to Booklaunch.io if you want easy-to-use book landing pages that look great!
Samantha Gillespie is a creative, helpless romantic who was born in Mexico, where she grew up with her family until they returned to the States at age eleven. An avid reader from a young age, Samantha finally gave into her passion for writing, making her debut with The Kingdom Within.
THE KINGDOM WITHIN is a Young Adult fiction work by Samantha Gillespie. The book depicts the story of Meredith, a young princess who is destined into a marriage with a prince she’s never met, in order to save her Kingdom from imminent conquest. And while initially willing to do what is needed, everything changes when she is thrust into a fight for her life and love meets her from an unexpected front, causing her to question all she had prepared for, her purpose and actions.
Dual diagnosed* from an early age, Matthew Peters dropped out of high school at sixteen. He went on to obtain an A.A., a B.A. from Vassar College, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Duke University. He has taught various courses in a variety of disciplines throughout North Carolina. He is committed to increasing the awareness and understanding of the dual diagnosed. Conversations Among Ruins (All Things That Matter Press, 2014) is his first novel. His second novel, The Brothers’ Keepers (MuseItUp Publishing, 2014), is a political-religious thriller that capitalizes on his love for history and research. Currently, he is working on a sequel to The Brothers’ Keepers.
*The term dual diagnosed refers to someone suffering from a mood disorder (e.g., depression) and chemical dependency.
From the cut-throat capitalism of the 1980’s, through to the modern-day, A Clean Pair of Hands reveals how the corporate practices of the late 20th century are now being exposed and condemned. Before becoming one of the directors of the family’s business consultancy firm, Oscar Reynard enjoyed a successful career working in senior management roles for a high profile industrial manufacturing corporation in the United States. Reynard has been widely published in various trade magazines, co-authored a business training manual and written as a critic for business titles. He divides his time between Surrey and the south-west of France.
From the cut-throat capitalism of the 1980’s through modern-day, A Clean Pair of Hands reveals how the corporate practices of the late 20th century are now being exposed and condemned through the eyes of a French businessman who succumbs to the seductive and unbridled excesses enjoyed by the country’s ruling elite and slowly becomes trapped by rampant corruption and moral decay that will threaten his family and his own survival.
We're aware that there are audio issues with this segment. They were out of our control. The author's portion of this interview turned out well. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Caterina Rando shows women entrepreneurs how to be loud and proud about the value they bring in order to make their businesses thrive. For over twenty years she has been on a passionate mission to change the world with her brand of economic empowerment that is a combination of running your business with integrity always ongoing strategy, staying in action and putting your whole heart in everything you do.
She is a sought after speaker, business success strategist, master certified coach, publisher and author of the national best selling book Learn to Power Think from Chronicle Books.
Caterina has co-authored several books including: Make Your Connections Count, Incredible Business, Savvy Leadership Strategies for Women, Woman Entrepreneur Extraordinaire, Socially Smart and Savvy, and Direct Selling Power.
Caterina is a member of the National Speakers Association, the International Coach Federation, the Direct Selling Women’s Alliance and is an emeritus member of the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Behavior and a Master of Arts in Life Transitions Counseling Psychology. She is a Certified Personal and Professional Coach (CPPC) and a Master Certified Coach (MCC), the highest designation awarded by the International Coaching Federation.
New from the author of Beach Plum Island… A natural-born storyteller presents a gripping story about grief, anger, and the healing power of love.
Sydney Bishop hasn’t returned to Haven Lake, her idyllic childhood home, since a pair of shocking, tragic deaths shattered her family when she was only sixteen. Now a child psychologist engaged to marry a successful surgeon, Sydney has worked hard to build a relationship with Dylan, her fiancé’s teenage son, so she feels nothing but empathy when he runs away—until she discovers that his hitchhiking journey has led him to Haven Lake and her mother Hannah’s sheep farm.
Sydney returns to Haven Lake for the first time in twenty years to coax the boy home. Against her daughter’s wishes, Hannah offers to take Dylan in until he’s ready to reveal his own troubling secrets. Now, for Dylan’s sake as well as their own, Sydney and Hannah must confront the devastating events that tore them apart and answer the questions that still haunt their family—and the suspicious surrounding community—about what really caused two people to die on their farm those many years ago.
Great Plains writer Marilyn June Coffey has written three books, 600 poems, and dozens of articles and stories. A trained journalist (B.A., University of Nebraska, 1959) and creative writer (M.F.A., Brooklyn College, 1981), she has produced work that includes a popular memoir, a record-setting novel, and a prize-winning poem. Her poem, Pricksong, reviewed in the Los Angeles Times Book Review and Newsweek, won a national Pushcart Prize. Coffey's novel Marcella made literary history. It was the first novel written in English to use female autoeroticism as a main theme. Gloria Steinem called it "an important part of the truth telling by and for women. In 1989, Coffey's memoir, Great Plains Patchwork, appeared. The New York Times called it entertaining and insightful. Atlantic Monthly featured a chapter as its cover story. Natural History bought two chapters, American Heritage one. Harper & Row, McGraw-Hill, Macmillan, and Harcourt Brace Jovanovich printed excerpts. Known as a prose stylist, Coffey received a Master Alumnus award for distinction in the field of writing from the University of Nebraska in 1977. Since 1987, the UN-L Archives has collected forty boxes of Coffey's papers in its Mari Sandoz room. In 1991, Coffey investigated the orphan train movement, developing three programs for the Nebraska Humanities Council. One became the second most popular of the 232 programs underwritten by NHC and spurred her to write Mail-Order Kid. Now retired, Coffey taught writing at Boston University, Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and Fort Hays State University in Kansas for thirty-four years, twice earning tenure. She became an interpretive reader/performer, appearing on local radio stations, statewide TV, and before more than 130 groups in twelve states, from Maine to Texas.
Her new book, Thieves, Rascals, & Sore Losers is available for pre-order.
Based in North London, Frank Lankaster is a semi-retired academic and community development worker with many years experience in education, working both in the UK and US. Today Frank continues to work as a freelance researcher and writer. In his spare time he enjoys watching football and is a keen Liverpool fan. Tim Connor Hits Trouble by Frank Lankaster (published by Clink Street Publishing RRP $12.99, ebook RRP $4.99 ebook) is available to buy online from March 25th from retailers including Amazon.com and to order from all good bookstores.
The book: Emerging from an emotionally exhausting relationship break-up, and with his young daughter still contriving to make him feel as guilty as possible, Tim Connor hopes to regain his equilibrium in his new role as lecturer of Social Sciences at the University of Wash. An exciting new romance is also whetting Tim’s appetite.
Meanwhile, the college’s resident alcoholic dinosaur, Henry Jones, is at loggerheads with the Dean of Faculty, Howard Swankie and beset by bickering with his stoutly feminist wife. As tensions mount and the battle lines are drawn, Tim finds himself increasingly pulled in, until one day both Henry and Howard inexplicably go missing leaving Tim to deal with the crisis.
Set against the backdrop of the financial crisis of 2008, Frank Lankaster has cleverly drawn upon his considerable experience within the education system and brilliantly captures its inherently political landscape. Tim Connor Hits Trouble skillfully and entertainingly combines the clash of ideas, warring egos, the pressure to perform and the delicate balance between working as an academic and as a teacher to produce an uproarious debut novel.
Rick Bentsen released his first novel, Dawn of a New Age, in 2001 to some small success. After struggling for many years to come up with a followup to Dawn of a New Age, Rick released The Blademaster in 2014, the first book in an epic fantasy series that has completely invigorated his passion for writing once more. The second book in his epic Blademaster Chronicles series, Willowdale, comes out April 7, 2015. Rick lives in Massachusetts, where he is quite happy that winter seems to be over.
Rick Bentsen
Author, The Blademaster Chronicles
Book 1: The Blademaster (Released 3/19/2014)
Book 2: Willowdale (Coming 4/7/2015)
http://www.facebook.com/RickBentsenAuthor
Twitter: @rickbentsen
Lucy Branch is a director of her family’s firm Antiques Bronze Ltd, one of the UK’s leading conservation and restoration companies. She has a degree in History of Art with Material Studies and a Masters from The Royal College of Art and the Victoria & Albert Museum. Branch is an accredited member of the Institute of Conservation. Lucy lives with her husband and their three children in North London.
About the book:
Abigail Argent stands out. Some people notice that she always wears gloves and shudder when they know why. The ones who know her best notice her ability with metal. Abigail's particular talent lies in the colouring of alloys, for seeing the beauty in a plain piece of metal and being able to draw it out. Her study leads her to discover a connection between her own craft and that of her favourite childhood myth: changing lead into gold. Moving to Venice, Abigail continues to uncover more about the history of her trade while making friends, and a lover, whose lives become inextricably linked with her own. But her abilities soon peak the interests of a powerful group, determined to guard the secret that she may unwittingly expose. Delving into the deepest secrets of ancient Italy, Abigail's story will take everything you think you know about alchemy and turn it on its head.
Zetta Elliott’s essays have appeared in School Library Journal and The Huffington Post. Her thirteen books for young readers include the award-winning picture book Bird, A Wish After Midnight, Ship of Souls, and The Deep. She is an advocate for greater diversity and equity in publishing, and lives in Brooklyn.
Take a stand for Kid Lit Equality; download your free Black Youth Matter posters here.Plunge into The Deep! See the trailer here. Learn more at Rosetta Press. The Deep is a companion book to Ship of Souls. Ship of Souls was a 2012 Booklist Top Ten Sci-Fi/Fantasy Youth Title and a finalist for the Phillis Wheatley Book Award. It also received a starred review from Booklist: "Urban fantasies are nothing rare, but few mesh gritty realism with poetic mysticism so convincingly. By turns sad, joyful, frightening, funny, and inspirational, Elliott’s second novel is a marvel of tone and setting." Support childhood literacy by taking the Birthday Party Pledge!
In the aftermath of Nixon’s volatile presidency, Sandy Drue is entering in to the great unknown of adolescence, determined to discover her own meaning of life in this beautiful series of short stories & vignettes. The beguiling second novel from Nancy Freund, Mailbox, is a mother-daughter love story opening a doorway to the universal world of adolescence and self-discovery. Fans of contemporary literary fiction and American cultural and social history will enjoy this delightful story that is hopeful, heartbreaking, and profound in its treatment of life’s larger questions - especially those that matter to a child on the cusp of maturity - revealing our shared need for solace, nostalgia, and good old-fashioned fun.
Eva Angvert Harren specializes in a body centered approach to recovery and complete wellness. She offers the BEAM LiFE Process, as a transformational, effective, and personalized formula to empower the lives of women who want a way to heal from the core.
Eva assists you to find relief from anger, anxiety, stress, and habitual patterns that hold you back from who you want to be. After releasing tension and pain in your body you start to feel the internal peace and aliveness available. Without having to re-live your story you learn skills in understanding and managing feelings, sensations, and emotions. You learn how to reclaim your power, restore your peace, and recover yourself.
Their mission is simple:
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We aim to transform the cultural meaning of princesses and princes into positive role models who take action to protect living beings and the planet for future generations.
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We seek to promote greater racial, cultural, and gender inclusivity. We expand the cultural representation of beauty by including different size princesses and princes, as well as those with disabilities.
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To produce high quality educational tools that are entertaining. Our goal is to utlilize multimedia platforms to educate readers and users about current global issues and how we can all be part of the solution.
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Our stories promote greater awareness of the environment and aim to advance children’s knowledge in STEM subjects (sciences, technology, engineering, mathematics).
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Our stories combine teaching ethical principals with the practical imperatives of helping parents, teachers, and children meet Common Core State Standards.
Or, is it? Join the cnversation and tell me what you think. Is the world ready for The Guardian Princesses?
Here are the resources Kori mentioned:
www.sumome.com - Easily gather emails to build your list, create dynamic shqre buttons, use a heat map and page analyzer, and more. A bunch of free tools!
www.booklaunch.io - Book landing pages - Be sure to get the code from the Back Porch Writer website, so you can try the premium features. The basics are free.
www.lacbook.com - Marketing template for writers - Free tool
Finelines.org - Summer Writing Camp
If you know about author fairs in your area, please share them with us via info(at)backporchwriter.com
Kori discusses several body language basics you can use to better describe scenes within your story. She'll cover the concept of comfort versus discomfort as posited by Joe Navarro, a leading expert on body language and a former FBI spycatcher.
You'll learn:
Facts about lying behavior
Indicators of stress, verbal and non-verbal
The seven microexpressions
Resources for additional information:
Center for non-verbal studies
All About Body Language
The Science of People
Paul Ekman Group
The Center for Body Language
Louder Than Words - Joe Navarro
What Every Body is Saying - Joe Navarro
Clues to Deceipt - Joe Navarro
John Himmelman is an author/illustrator of nearly 80 books for children and books (for grown up kids) on various nature topics. He graduated School of Visual Arts in 1981, with his first book "Talester the Lizard" published later that year. Talester came about as a final assignment to create a story in his children's book illustration class. His teacher, Dale Payson, liked it enough to show to her editor at Dial - and thus began a career that continues today.
Himmelman's children's book genres range from whimsical to natural history. He is a naturalist, involved in many organizations where he gives lectures and leads trips in search of exciting flora and fauna (it all excites him). He strives to incorporate his interests with his career as an writer and illustrator because... it just makes both more fun. Sometimes, though, he just wants to make the reader laugh.
Jenni Wiltz writes fiction and creative nonfiction. She's won national writing awards for romantic suspense and creative nonfiction, and her short fiction has been published in literary journals including Gargoyle and The Portland Review. When she's not writing, she enjoys running and doing genealogical research. She lives in Pilot Hill, California. Find her online at JenniWiltz.com.
The family dynamics are also particularly well-drawn. This is not a faux family that is either too perfect or too ridiculous. The communication between Emma and her family members is believable and genuine. These relationships are what drew me into the story.The quirks and dysfunction are true to life, in a way that I found extremely endearing–and also frustrating. I cared about the outcome. I wanted to scream at characters, to shake them: I was invested.
Despite the heavy subject matter (revenge, violence, culture clashes), The Red Road was a quick and satisfyingly intense read. – Sara Strand, Amazon review
Bibliocrunch is an award-winning author services marketplace that matches authors with quality, award-winning professionals to get new books and apps to market. The platform brokers the interaction between a community of rated and reviewed publishers, authors, designers, editors, proofreaders, conversion specialists, marketers and enhanced eBook experts to help create exceptional digital books. She has worked in the media industry for 11 years, most recently at TIME where she launched several digital initiatives including an iPad and mobile site, mobile apps, a video and podcast channel, blogs, and SEO. Her writing has been featured in TIME, CNN, NY Daily News, among other media publications. She has a MS in Publishing (Digital + Print Media) from NYU and a BS from Columbia University in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. You can follow Miral on Twitter @bibliocrunch or @miralsattar
"Sound designers often find themselves alone in old clubs and theaters, usually late at night. Most people aren't aware of this, but these charming venues have lonely corridors and forgotten rooms throughout the building. Each is as dark and full of secrets as any ancient dungeon. Working behind the scenes, it was my job to crawl through them. Better yet, it was a thrill to explore them.
But I’m not out to convince readers about the supernatural, or even impress them with my knowledge of spirits and ghosts. EKKO Mysteries was written for those who enjoy pushing the adventure envelope, one after the other. My intention isn’t to get creepy, but to have fun. Every character in the series—living or not—has a personality, objective, and sense of humor matching his or her historical time frame. Does a ghost always have to be a roguish demon? Me thinks not.
The spirits in EKKO don’t do a lot of searching and pondering: they come to life and get in your face. Good, bad, or indifferent. Our leading man, CJ, couldn't be happier about that."
Learn more about Johnny Walker.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Check out Booklaunch.io for incredibly easy-to-create, book landing pages. I'll get the discount code out via a post this week so that you can test the premium features. LOOK for it. You'll be glad you did.
Art Director, Designer and Product Developer in Northern California
Has worked with many authors and publishers over the years as a book designer and art director, developing brands and shooting video trailers
For the past few years he has been working on building tools to help indie authors self-publish and market their books.
Company description:
Booklaunch.io takes all the hassle out of creating book web sites. In 10 minutes or less, an author can have a professional one-page site to sell and market their book. There is no need to hack any code, and you can get an amazing headstart by using an ISBN number to pull in content from your Amazon book page. You can get started for free, and then upgrade to a premium account to unlock some great integrations like Mailchimp, Aweber, Google Analytics and Wordpress embedding. This tool was built specifically to help authors market and sell more books.
Kori welcomes the founders of Multicultural Children's Book Day to the program. Join us in a discussion about diversity in children's book publishing, what's gone wrong, what's going right, and where it's headed.
Despite census data that shows 37% of the US population consists of people of color, only 10% of children’s books published have diversity content. Using the Multicultural Children’s Book Day, Mia and Valarie are on a mission to change all of that. Their mission is to not only raise awareness for the kid’s books that celebrate diversity, but to get more of these types of books into classrooms and libraries. Another goal of this exciting event is to create a compilation of books and favorite reads that will provide not only a new reading list for the winter, but also a way to expose brilliant books to families, teachers, and libraries.
Visit the website! Get involved.
Join Kori and her guest, subject matter expert, Larry Miller, in a lively conversation about the art of interviewing. Get your questions answered by someone with 40 years of broadcast journalism, communication, and public relations experience.
Can you write a press release? Ask Larry how!
How do you handle a hostile interviewer?
How does an introvert really do this?
Unfortunately, the founders of The Guardian Princesses weren't able to join Kori today. We'll try to get them scheduled for a future date.
Instead, Kori discussed the importance of diversity in book publishing. She's encouraging everyone to get on twitter using #weneeddiversebooks and explain why.
Visit weneeddiversebooks.org for more details about their short story contest.
If you'd like to be a guest, visit our website. We have a few openings in March.
Remember to tune into Scribe Talk Sunday January 25th at 5:30 p.m. CDT. We're continuing out discussion about interviewing.
You can listen to Kori's live intrerview over on Small Business Radio Forum with Tony Wilkins, Friday, Jan. 23, 2015. Show time: 5:45 p.m. CDT
Philanthropist, Community Organizer, Youth Mentor, Career Development Coach, Inspirational Speaker, Security Expert and Political Activist, Martin Davis brings over 25 years experience in dealing with troubled youths to the table. Martin’s frequent participation in various career day events, job fairs and providing professional interviewing techniques at the high school and college level has helped many students find positions in the security industry, as well as other facets of law enforcement. Martin’s passion for the political process compels him to continuously promote the importance of voting, voter registration, and battling against voter suppression.
Book blurb:
How many of us have to die at the hands of our own people before we say enough is enough to black-on-black violence? How long will we continue on this path of self-destruction? How long will we continue to live our lives in a position of weakness and ignorance?
In Are We There Yet?, author Martin L. Davis provides the blueprint for what people of color need to do to change their standing in American society and throughout the world. It delivers a blow-by-blow, step-by-step, challenge-by-challenge outline that speaks directly to the heart of the ills black people face today. It addresses how black Americans can correct those ills internally, without outside help or influence.
Complete with concrete directives, initiatives, and challenges to the black population, Are We There Yet? clearly dictates that black Americans take responsibility and be accountable for their actions and inactions. Davis maintains that following the multiple directives and challenges collectively will guarantee a dramatic and positive change in our communities, our place in American society, and better interaction among one another as a people.
Join Kori in discussion with SME, Larry Miller. With 40 years experience in broadcast journalism, communication, and public relations for a fortune 500 company, non-profits and government agencies, he's ready to teach you what he knows about TV, radio, and print interviewing. Over the course of two sessions, you'll learn:
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What to expect from an interviewer
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How to ensure that your responses don't get edited out
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How TV, radio, and print interviews differ
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How to dress for a TV interview
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How to handle a hostile interviewer
And, a whole lot more!
Four years of questions and answers between a new dad and his 4 year-old son. You'll find yourself becoming a virtual member of the family as you read these heart-warming, poignant and sometimes off the wall, adventures.
Who, in the indie publishing world, hasn’t heard of The Book Designer? Well, if you haven’t, then you’re in for a real treat! He’s our SME (subject matter expert) on January 4, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. CDT.
His newest book titled, The Self-Publisher’s Ultimate Resource Guide, is available, now. It’s filled with, you guessed it, reliable resources every indie publisher needs.
Joel’s goal is to help authors get their books to market. Join our chat Jan. 4th to find out why.
Tony Wilkins is the host of the Internet sensation Small Business Forum Radio , reaching nearly 125,000 listeners worldwide. Mr. Wilkins is also the publisher of Small Business Forum Magazine, Foodie Quarterly, The Writers Circle and Podium Magazine. He the host of The Tony Wilkins Show on livestream.com. He's authored three books: Telemarketing Success for Small and Mid-Size Firms, The Single Person's Cookbooks, and Surviving the Economy: Practical Tips from Small Business Owners Around the World.
Today's show is all about Urban Fantasy versus Paranormal. Christine walks us through the differences and similarities of these subgenres.
Christine is the author of the Cassie Scot Paranormal Detective Series. Her most recent book is Stolen Dreams.
About the book:
Edward Scot and Victor Blackwood have hated one another for nearly a quarter of a century, but now their simmering hatred is about to erupt.
When Cassie Scot returns home from her sojourn in Pennsylvania, she finds that her family has taken a hostage. Desperate to end the fighting before someone dies, Cassie seeks help from local seer Abigail Hastings, Evan Blackwood's grandmother. But Abigail has seen her own death, and when it comes at the hand of Cassie's father, Victor Blackwood kills Edward Scot.
But things may not be precisely as they appear.
Evan persuades Cassie to help him learn the truth, teaming them up once again in their darkest hour. New revelations about Evan and his family make it difficult for Cassie to cling to a shield of anger, but can Evan and Cassie stop a feud that has taken on a life of its own? Conclusion to the Cassie Scot series.
Nicole Murray is a creative writer by passion, training, and profession. She is a Columbia College graduate with a degree in Fiction Writing and Marketing. Nicole’s dual Gemini personality helps her pursue creative writing as a personal profession.Nicole explores the creative landscape of the mind to craft fiction out of real emotion. She currently writes short stories, novels, poems, and screen plays. Autumn’s Child is her first novel.
About The Book
"I am hurting. Fractured in places stitches can't heal." Autumn’s Child tells the desperate story of Layla, as a young and naive twelve year-old girl. Over ten critical years, her life quickly changes like the colors of the trees in autumn. The accidental death of her parents forces her to abandon her religious, middle-class lifestyle. She moves to the inner city of Chicago with her grandmother and aunt, her only living relatives. Layla tries to approach her new life with optimism, but the perfections of her past life haunt her tormented journey. After coming to grips with the reality over the years that her only aunt despises her, Layla soon discovers that she may secretly hold the keys to helping her aunt’s diminishing health in her hands. Layla’s faith and sanity are continuously tested as she matures throughout each season of her life. She stumbles through her newfound reality while learning how to play the distinct set of cards she’s been dealt. Layla’s neighbor and best friend, Shay, helps guide her from adolescence into adulthood. Autumn’s Child chronicles a life on the opposite side of the coin; where friendships grow out of tragedy, and the pressure of a marginalized life weighs heavily on pure souls. Layla must make many compromising decisions, all while perpetually asking the reader, What would you do?
What do moonshine, motorbikes, misteltoe, and mountain mystery mail have to do with funerals, folklore, feline detectives, singing hounds, and secret blueberry patches? Nothing. That is until our hero and narrator, the ultimate fish-out-of-water, British folklorist, Dr. Tom Watson, finds himself doing post doctoral research in Appalachian Virginia. At first appalled by the absurdity of the language and lifestyle of the simple mountain community of Caney Forks, Dr. Watson falls in with and under the spell of beautiful mountain conjure woman and private detective, Shirley Combs and her feline companion, “Whassup?” Together they set out to solve the little mysteries of Caney Forks as this “Dr. Watson” learns to respect mountain wisdom and culture. Part farce, part detective story, part anthropological dive into the folkways of a culture and way of life that is slipping away, The Curious Case of the Conjure Woman is a wild ride.
Jerry Piell is an author and art dealer from England.
Leo Adam Biga is an Omaha-based blogger, nonfiction author and award-winning journalist. His 2012 book Alexander Payne: His Journey in Film is a collection of his extensive journalism about the Oscar-winning filmmaker. Additionally, Biga is the coeditor of Memories of the Jewish Midwest: Mom and Pop Grocery Stores and the author of two e-books for the Omaha Public Schools.
The University of Nebraska at Omaha graduate contributes articles to newspapers and magazines. The former film programmer frequently writes about film and other art and culture subjects. His work's been recognized by his peers at the local, regional and national levels.
He's nearing completion on the biography of a Catholic priest who served marginalized populations around the world and he continues researching a new project on Nebraska's film heritage. A new edition of the Payne book is in-progress.
Sample his eclectic work at leoadambiga.wordpress.com or www.facebook.com/LeoAdamBiga.
Our guest is children's book author, Renee Prewitt.
About the book: Taj Cleans the Garage
Taj always wants new cars for his train set, so his parents encourage him to start earning the money to buy them. Much to his surprise, Taj’s new chore turns into an exciting adventure where he is the only one who can save the day.
Unfortunately, our scheduled guest wasn't able to join us, so Kori did what she does best: Rolled with it!
During this short episode, she talked about our #needfordiversebooks as it relates to #ferguson, her successful (and first) virtual book launch for her children's book Dante, the end of year guest line-up, and the 2015 programming schedule.
Thanks for listening! We'll be back next week with Renee Prewitt.
Show Time: 9:30 a.m. CDT/ 10:30 a.m. EDT/ 7:30 a.m. PDT/ 8:30 a.m. MDT
Nancy Lynn Jarvis was a Santa Cruz, California, Realtor for twenty-five years but was having so much fun writing that she let her license lapse in May of 2013.
After earning a BA in behavioral science from San Jose State University, she worked in the advertising department of the San Jose Mercury News. A move to Santa Cruz meant a new job as a librarian and later a stint as the business manager of Shakespeare/Santa Cruz. Nancy's work history reflects her philosophy: people should try something radically different every few years. Writing is her newest adventure.
She put Regan, Tom , and Dave from the Regan McHenry Real Estate Mysteries Series on hiatus to write Mags and the AARP Gang, a comedy/adventure about a group of octogenarian would-be bank robbers, but she missed her characters, so they're back to solve another murder in recently released "The Murder House."
Show Time: 9:30 a.m. CDT/ 10:30 a.m. EDT/ 7:30 a.m. PDT/ 8:30 a.m. MDT
Our guest wasn't able to join Kori today. Instead, Kori discussed NaNoWriMo 2014, being a reformed pantser, and her upcoming virtual launch party for Dante, her first children's book.
The Dec. 23rd date that she mentioned has been filled.
She's accepting guests for Jan-March 2015, so get in touch via the Back Porch Writer website. Kori also is lining up a series of Sunday seminars for Scribe Talk. Check the website for more information.
If you're curious about publishing trends, check out Publishingtrends.com
Thanks for joining us!
Tall tales and imagination filled James Wymore's formative years as he moved around the American West. Constantly in pursuit of a gateway to another world, he failed to find a literal door to another reality. However, he learned to travel everywhere fantastic through writing.
As an adult, James voyaged to other continents, where new philosophies and cultures fed his desire to see life from different perspectives. He then immersed himself in studying nature, in the hopes of finding a loophole. Along the way, he continued creating stories about alternate worlds like the ones hiding just out of sight.
James finally settled in the Rocky Mountains with his pet wolf, Kilgore, and started publishing his work. With three books and six short stories in print after just one year, he celebrates the best supernatural portal he's found so far--the mind.
Search with him at http://jameswymore.wordpress.com
Announcements:
It's Sockotber. Did you accept Kid President's challenge?
We have show openings in December. Get in touch is you're interested in being a guest
Audrey Kinsman (on your right) is the author and creator of Halloween’s newest tradition Switchcrafted: The Story of the Switch Witches of Halloween (available September, 2014). A proud mother of two young boys, Kinsman struggled with finding a solution to the piles of candy that her two sons collected while trick-or-treating in 2013. An inspiration on a cross-country flight lead to the creation of the Switchcrafted: The Story of the Switch Witches of Halloween.
The 20 page beautifully illustrated hardcover book and 8.5″ Witch doll come in a hard cover box with a Switchcrafted trick or treat bag. The product provides a story and platform for families to start a new Halloween tradition with their children by getting rid of all the sugary Halloween treats and exchanging them for something healthier.and all because the Witches need their candy for fuel (energy, heat, broom fuel). For all children ages 3 and up.
Since 2010, author assistant Kate Tilton assisted authors in reaching readers and helped readers connect with authors (and each other). The publishing world is a community of those who love reading. Authors need readers like readers need authors and Kate has made it her mission to connect the two.
On the blog you will find access to Kate Tilton’s Book Bloggers which is a group of bloggers (authors & readers) who work together to promote reading while also developing connections with other readers.
On Twitter you will find the weekly #K8chat, the first chat designed for both authors and readers with weekly topics both groups can enjoy together. And now you can continue the conversation on the #k8chat forums, open 24/7.
Sally delights fans of paranormal and romance by blurring the lines between fact and fiction in a multiverse of multiple timelines, often including exciting elements of utopian science fiction and Buddhism.
Sally Ember, Ed.D., is a member of a large family and mother of an adult son. The author of sci-fi/ romance/ speculative fiction/ paranormal/ multiverse/ utopian ebooks for New Adult/adult/YA audiences, “The Spanners Series,” Sally is a practicing Buddhist meditator. She is also an almost-daily swimmer, a mediocre singer/pianist, avid feminist, dreamer, and devoted mother/ sister/ aunt/ daughter/ cousin/ friend. Her website includes a blog that touches on these topics as well as reviews, interviews, guest blog posts, and excerpts from Volume I and Volume II. Visit and comment, follow, “like,” and share! http://www.sallyember.com/
In her “other” professional life, Sally has worked as an educator and upper-level, nonprofit manager in colleges, universities and private nonprofits for over thirty-five years in New England (every state), New Mexico and the San Francisco Bay Area before returning to St. Louis, MO, where she was raised. Sally has a BA in Elementary Education, a Master’s (M.Ed.) and a doctorate in education (Ed.D.).
Vol I, “This Changes Everything,” is getting great reviews, and is now FREE everywhere with release of Vol II, “This Changes My Family and My Life Forever,” on 6/9/14. Vol III, “This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change,” is planned to release in late fall, 2014. “The Spanners Series” has ten volumes planned.
ASPYR Communications is the leading communication, branding, imaging, and public relations firm on the market. With ASPYR, Travis works with all clients on their positioning, language, imaging, and brand ownership.
Join our chat to find out more about a special offer for authors.
Announcements:
Our business, Nesckire Systems, LLC, is competing for the Mission Main Street Grant. We need 250 votes to be considered for the next round. Please support our small business. Visit our Agent-Morgan project site for more details and to vote. You'll be re-directed to the Mission Main Street site. If you want to bypass that, and simply vote, then go directly to Mission Main Street Grants. Search 68025 OR Neskcire Systems. Thank you for your help!
Ryan Attard had one thing that distinguished him from the rest of his fan-fiction writing circle of friends: No matter how hard he tried, he would always throw an original character and a unique plot twist that would drive his hardcore geeky friends up a wall.
It wasn’t long until Ryan found himself writing about the things he loved; magic, pissed off wizards, supernatural creatures, epic battles and all round badassery. Add to this a blend of satire, sarcasm, humour at the cost of the protagonist and a semi-original view point of the world of magic and mysticism in the 21th century and one can see the inner workings of this author’s mind at work.
Nowadays Ryan divides his time between attempting to live a normal student life, writing the second book of the Legacy series as well as for other projects and ruling over his imaginative worlds as a malicious god.
So far only Firstborn and Birthright, books 1 & 2 respectively are available.
Stalk Ryan on Twitter, Facebook, or by emailing him at ryanattardauthor@gmail.com.
Announcements:
Please help Neskcire Systems get 250 votes by 10//17/2014. We're competing for a $100K grant via Mission Main Street Grants. Winning the grant will help us to continue research & development of our mobile robotics. Thank you!
Che Gilson is the author of several graphic novels including “Avigon: Gods and Demons” from Image Comics, and “Dark Moon Diary” from Tokyopop. Her short stories have been published online in Luna Station Quarterly issue 14 and Drops of Crimson.
Her most recent book, Carmine RojasL Dog Fight, was published by Black Opal Books in August.
She draws copious amounts of Pokémon fan art which can be found with her original work at http://spiderliing666.deviantart.com
Prose work:
“The Last of Artie”, published in the March, 2006 edition of the on-line magazine, Crime and Suspense.
“Birthday Girl”, Second Place winner in the 1st Annual Clued-In Press Award for short mystery fiction. April, 2006.
“Perfect Angels”, also in Crime and Suspense
“Got Milk2 + Homework = Magic”, Drops of Crimson
“Fight and Flight”, Luna Atation Quarterly Issue 14
Illustration:
La Vie en Rose issue 1
La Vie en Rose issue 2
Announcements:
Caine Dorr launches his new podcast, Adventure Frequency, on iTunes today. Subscribe and help him get the word out!
Use this link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/adventure-frequency/id918376079?mt=2
The author media kit templates are at: www.bookdesigntemplates.com/mediakit
Gregory S. Lamb Recently retired from his first profession, now he is a writer with credibility. Basking in the anonymity of his age. Greg is a collector of stories. Many of them are garnered from the people he meets while adventuring near and far.
Greg’s fictional characters are true to life and shape the plots for the novel ideas that burn in his mind. He is an author who must write in order to maintain a happy lifestyle.
The Lamb’s home is Portland, Oregon. Greg and his wife Cindy enjoy spending time with their bulldog, who is being raised by a geriatric Siamese feline. When he isn’t writing, Greg can be found on the sands of northern Oregon’s beaches, where he plays Blue Grass fiddle tunes on his banjo while his dog chases seagulls.
The Lambs have three grown sons. To learn about upcoming releases of Greg’s novels, visit AEC Stellar Publishing, Inc on the web at AECStellar.com.
Be sure to also visit Gregory S. Lamb on Amazon’s Author Central and read what he’s been up to his author blog.
About The Bookery:
Founded on July 1, 2014, we are a book blog dedicated to helping Indie authors with anything they might need.
We're run by two Indie authors and two bookworms, ready to help you with all your needs.
For free, we offer:
Reviews
Author Spotlights
Weekly Shoutouts
For a low price, we offer:
Editing
Pre-made one of a kind book covers in collaboration with MKA Creative Studio Photography, or we will direct you to the MKA owner if you are looking for something specific
Promotions
Formatting
Blog Tours
Sonia Keffer has been developing and facilitating employee-training workshops for seventeen years. A main focus of Sonia’s work is the internal motivation that is necessary for all of us to be truly successful. Being passionate about her work she enjoys bringing new ideas to all levels of employees and seeing the spark ignite in someone when they understand how to incorporate a new concept into their own personal or professional life. Her training sessions are high energy and interactive which allow for maximum participation and learning. Sonia has been fortunate enough to work across the United States with such organizations as The county of Orange, California, the City and county of San Francisco, Stearns-Benton Workforce Center and On With Life. Here in Omaha, Sonia has worked with such terrific organizations as Fashion Cleaners, Omaha Public Schools, Omaha Tri-county Workforce Development, Henningsen Foods, Inc., SOCAP, PVPL, the Nebraska Art Council, the Nebraska Shakespeare Festival and NAM. Among Sonia’s other passions are her involvement in community theatre including being involved all four years of the Great Plains Theatre Conference sponsored by Metropolitan Community College. This summer she both directed and acted in new works first presented at the conference at Omaha’s Shelterbelt Theater.
SHe is the author of Rule of Thumb: A small business guide to developing mission, vision, and value statements available on Amazon.
Christine has been writing science fiction and fantasy for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.
In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work.
Margaret Lukas is an instructor at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She teaches creative writing in the Writer’s Workshop Program. She received her BFA from UNO’s Writer’s Workshop in 2004. In 2007 Margaret received her MFA from Rainier Writing Workshop in Tacoma, Washington.
She is a recipient of a 2009 Nebraska Art Council Individual Artist Fellowship.
She is a contributor to NEBRASKAland magazine and an editor for the quarterly literary journal, Fine Lines. Her writing also appears online and in the 2012 anthology, On Becoming, published by the University of Nebraska Press.
Her award-winning short story, “The Yellow Bird,” was made into The Yellow Bird, a short film and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
Farthest House is her first novel.
We experienced technical challenges again this week. We apologize for the inconvenience to our guest, Margaret Brettschneider, and to all of you. Unfortunately, there's not much that can be done when these things happen. Thank you for continuing to support the show and for your patience.
The regularly scheduled show with New York Times bestselling author, Wendy Wilkinson, was cancelled due to technical difficulties on the Blog Talk Radio platform. We'll try to get her back another time.
In the meantime, enjoy this prerecorded show. Kori talks about Alltop, past guests, upcoming guests, SMEs, and NaNo.
Ron Fritsch has written and published four novels set at the end of prehistory. Agriculture and the settled living of humans in villages and towns were new to the world. Humans were about to invent writing. Humanity was on the brink of what we call “civilization” and “history.”
The titles in this epic, allegorical adventure (and the years of their publication) are: Promised Valley Rebellion (2010), Promised Valley War (2011), Promised Valley Conspiracy (2012), and Promised Valley Peace (2013).
When the stories begin, prehistoric farmers inhabit a fertile river valley they believe their gods promised them in return for their good behavior and obedience. Their enemies, hunters roaming the mostly barren hills beyond the mountains enclosing the valley, believe their gods gave it to them.
Then one farmer who’s just come of age chooses not to kill, with his well-aimed arrow, a young hunter. The always curious son of farmers figures out how to cross over the border unseen and “go with” his equally adventuresome adversary instead.
Although both of their peoples welcome men who “go with” men, as well as women who wish to live with women, the youthful farmer and hunter are “eternal” enemies who know they’re committing treason every moment they’re together.
The four Promised Valley novels ask whether civilization and history, with their countless heaven-sanctioned wars and genocides, could’ve begun differently.
We're wrapping up our Thrillerfest month with our very own show host! Back Porch Writer host and author, Kori D. Miller discusses the creation of her book, Deadly Sins: A Dezeray Jackson Mini-Series.
Kori began publishing her essays and short stories in 2007. Since then, she's published two books. The first, My life in black and white: A book of experiences, and then Deadly Sins. She enjoys writing essays about everyday life experiences as a non-white woman in America, but also loves escapism. Chalk that up to her Gemini nature! Ms. Miller writes mysteries for middle grade and adult readers, and general ficton for children.
When she isn't writing, or thinking about writing, Kori spends time with her family, and is the owner of The Tea Trove.
Sunny Frazier trained as a journalist and wrote for a city newspaper, military and law enforcement publications. After working 17 years with the Fresno Sheriff's Department, 11 spent as Girl Friday with an undercover narcotics team, it dawned on her that mystery writing was her real calling. Both “Fools Rush In” and “Where Angels Fear” are based on actual cases with a bit of astrology, a habit Frazier has developed over the past 42 years. To learn more, go to http://www.sunnyfrazier.com
Mark Langan retired after a twenty-six-year career with the Omaha Police Department. In 1978 Mark was the youngest police officer ever hired on the Omaha Police Department at age eighteen. He worked as a uniformed officer and as a detective in the Burglary, Vice, and Narcotics Units. Mark was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 1988, working as a supervisor in the Narcotics Unit until his retirement in 2004. During his career Mark wrote nationally published articles on various law enforcement topics and lectured throughout the country. Recognized as a court-authorized expert on narcotics investigations, Mark testified hundreds of times in both state and federal court Mark was awarded the Omaha Police Department’s highest honors: the Medal of Valor for his actions in the Chavez shooting and the Distinguished Service Medal for his work in the Narcotics Unit, and numerous commendations over the years. From 2000 to 2008 Mark was appointed by the Governor to the Judicial Nominating Commission and was involved in selecting candidates for judgeships in Nebraska. Mark is now Vice-President of Field Operations for the Nebraska Humane Society where he is responsible for the investigation of crimes involving animals.
Award-winning homicide detective Brian Bogdanoff has retired from the Omaha Police Department. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and graduated from the Omaha Police Academy. Before his service as a homicide detective, Bogdanoff was a member of one of the most successful undercover narcotics units in Omaha. Three Bodies Burning is the true story of his blockbuster case.
Marie is a best-selling author, screenwriter, researcher and public speaker. She is the author of “2013: END OF DAYS OR A NEW BEGINNING- ENVISIONING THE WORLD AFTER THE EVENTS OF 2012,” “PSIENCE – HOW NEW DISCOVERIES IN QUANTUM PHYSICS AND NEW SCIENCE MAY EXPLAIN THE EXISTENCE OF PARANORMAL PHENOMENA,” and “LOOKING FOR GOD IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES," and “DESTINY VS. CHOICE: THE SCIENTIFIC AND SPIRITUAL EVIDENCE BEHIND FATE AND FREE WILL.” Marie’s first novel, “EKHO: EVIL KID HUNTING ORGANIZATION,” written with her son, Max Jones, was released in early 2014 and is the first of several novels she will have published, including “FREAK” and “GRIDWALKERS.” She is also working on several film projects for 2014. She has appeared on television shows such as ANCIENT ALIENS and has been a guest on hundreds of radio shows all over the world.She is a staff writer for FATE Magazine, Paranoia, Intrepid Magazine and a regular contributor to New Dawn Magazine.
From Tracy on Amazon.com
I seriously just love being creative. Art has always been my first love, closely followed by reading and writing, photography, book building, illustration, printmaking, and imaginary-friend creating. My children are my richest inspiration, along with nature and humanity in all their forms and faces. I live in a small town in Iowa, and have always called the Midwest my home. I use all sorts of mediums as outlets for my creative impulses, and my writing and illustration are just the latest incarnations of my "oddness" walking around on its own in the world. Here's to all the folks who deviate, who don't fit the mold, who try to spread a little of their uniqueness around--especially the children, who deserve to be forever encouraged to hold on to the magic dust that sparkles about them from the moment they are born. Without the magic, what a boring world it would be.
Check out Bug Summer.
Learn more about Tracy's books and illustrations.
Kathy Rygg is Editor In Chief at Knowonder! She's returning to the show to tell us all about Knowonder!'s new editing services. Find out more about how they work with authors here.
Kathy is a children’s fiction author with a degree in magazine journalism from Iowa State University and has worked in corporate marketing/public relations for several Fortune 500 companies. She has written for the McGraw-Hill Companies’ Business Publications Division in NYC and was the Editor in Chief of Women’s Edition magazine in Denver, CO.
TRACIE E. CHRISTIAN, Authoress, Poet, On-Air Radio Personality, Playwright, Educator & Motivational Speaker. Born and raised in Detroit, MI Ms. Christian has worked tirelessly in both the arts and education arenas in and throughout metropolitan Detroit. After several years teaching with Detroit & Hamtramck Public Schools, Tracie worked diligently as Children's Fair Coordinator for the Detroit Festival of the Arts, as well as, Mosaic Youth Theater and Girl Scouts of Metropolitan Detroit.
In 2004, Christian created a non-profit literary arts organization, KTE Foundation for Literary Discovery in an effort to produce youth oriented events designed to rejuvenate excitement around literacy. In 2007, she released the debut installment of her urban fiction trilogy book series chronicling the experiences of four young women during their first year attending a historically black college, The Black College Sabbatical - Fall Quarter. The second installment, The Black College Sabbatical - Winter Quarter was released in March, 2009. The third and final installment of the series, The Black College Sabbatical - Spring Quarter was released January, 2014. Books from the series are available in print on www.amazon.com In 2009, Tracie merged with Literary Partner, Adra Young to create, The Live Ladies of Literature Book Tour, which later morphed into a productive artistic movement where she wrote and co-produced three monologue shows. Tracie has since released updated 2nd editions of The Black College Sabbatical -FALL & WINTER QUARTERS and the 1st edition of SPRING QUARTER via www.createspace.com estore
Adam Falkner is the Founder and Executive Director of the Dialogue Arts Project and a doctoral student in English Education at Columbia University Teachers College. His work has recently appeared in Painted Bride Quarterly, Thrush Poetry Journal, Anti-and elsewhere, and has been twice-nominated for a Puschart Prize.Adam has toured the United States as a featured artist, speaker and trainer at hundreds of colleges and universities, and was the featured performer at President Obama’s Grassroots Ball at the 2009 Presidential Inauguration. His work has been featured on HBO, BET, Michigan and New York Public Radio, in Time Out New York, The New York Times, and elsewhere. He is currently an instructor of English Education at Columbia University Teachers College, and a curriculum consultant for the Academy for Young Writers in Brooklyn. www.adamfalknerarts.com I www.dialogueartsproject.com
Author and teacher, Christine Amsden returns to the Back Porch tonight. We're talking about Gods, Goddesses, and the trouble they cause.
Kori also tells you what you may have missed and who's coming up on Back Porch Writer next!
Join the chat!
About the Author:
Mr. Hobbs (Mark Hobson) is from Lincoln, NE, where he competed on the University of Nebraska men's gymnastics team. Following graduation, he coached club level children's gymnastics, where he discovered their love for stories. The name "Mr. Hobbs" comes from a stuffed frog that Mr. Hobson played with as a child at his grandmother's hosue. Mr. Hobbs now resides in a place of honor in the author's home. Mr. Hobson currently lives in Omaha, NE. with his wife Ann and their youngest daughter, Sarah, who paints beautiful pictures with her music. He enjoys continuing to share his love of stories with all ages.
About the Illustrator:
Molly Hobson studied art education at the University of Nebraska where she developed her talent for interpreting children's stories through her illustrations. This is her second book collaboration with her dad, Mark Hobson, and she is currently working on her own writing projects. Ms. Hobson enjoys creating beautiful images that encourage children to both follow and never give up on their dreams.
Get caught up on what you may have missed, and hear who's coming onto the show next!
There are several writing conferences coming up. Which ones are your favorites?
Hugh Howey and others released their new author earning report titled: The Tenured vs. Debut Author Report. You can read it here.
There's quite a bit of interesting, and eye-ooening information included. Kori highlights a few of their findings in today's episode.
Join the conversation!
Michelle Troxclair is a mother of three: a daughter and two sons. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and a Master’s degree in Public Administration. Currently, she is pursuing a second Master’s in Fine Arts in Poetry all from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She has been writing poetry and performing as a spoken word artist for 15 years. She’s hosted open mics at Cartier’s and Love’s Jazz and Arts Center, and is co-hosting Verbal Gumbo at the House of Loom, with Felicia Webster. Michelle is a member of the poetry troop The Wordsmiths, a traveling spoken word group performing original works in the African-American oral tradition. Troxclair self-published a book of poetry called The Cleansing in 2006, and was published in 2 anthologies: The Empty Room Poetry From The Series © November 2009 “Gertrude” and Les Femme Folles: Women of 2012 © 2012 “I AM.” Upcoming projects include a documentary, Grey Matter, discussing and showcasing the plight and experiences of bi-racial people in the US, a verse-play titled “From the Ashes,” highlighting the perception of the role of women in modern society’s roots in Biblical scripture, and a non-fiction novel titled, “The Skeptics Guide to the Unorthodox Christian.”
Vashti's book titled, The Basement, is a middle grade book filled with, well, just keep reading:
“A kid should not be aware of his own heartbeat”, he thought.
Never forget the unexplored territories in your own back yard, or under your house. Here, Vashti Quiroz-Vega gives voice to the young inhabitants of one neighborhood where things are more than they seem.
Robbie is an ordinary boy in a normal world, as we first enter the neighborhood and witness an idyllic scene of prepubescent children at play; but what happens in silence and in the dark will amaze you. Join Robbie as he journeys to explore unknown and forgotten tales of intrigue, fear and blind faith.
Ask yourself:
What kinds of monsters lurk in your world?
What will you do when you can no longer see?
The Basement is a tale of angst, teamwork and solutions, of treasure hunts and adventure, and of facing your fears. It is a focus on the small- but everything- world of one group of pre-teens and the very real and wondrous world they face, and it is a take-away resource.
What will you take away?
A.K. Kuykendall was born in Albany, Georgia, but grew up as a military brat on the Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH), and later at the Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in Jacksonville, North Carolina. He is married and is the proud father of three sons. His true passion in life is writing thought-provoking novels that blend the concepts of fact and fiction. Visit the author's website at http://www.thewriterofbooks.com
The Possession is a dark, horror story, a psychological thriller, and a labyrinthine cryptogram that the reader must unravel one scene at a time. With no way to tell what is truth and what is fiction from Gregory’s perspective, the reader is led to wonder how much of this novel is autobiographical information from the real author’s perspective, taking the horror factor from the realm of fiction into the realm of possibility. As part one of the Writer’s Block Trilogy, The Possession leaves the reader on the edge of his seat, chewing his nails, anxiously waiting for a resolution.
Author Mike Robinson returns to tell us about his latest book titled, Too Much Dark Matter, Too Little Gray: A Collection of Weird Fiction. It's available from Curiosity Quills Press.
All of the stories are of the sci-fi / metaphysical / surreal persuasion.
It's never too early for a little spookiness!
Join the chat!
Diane Cox is a native Georgian, but has lived all over the country. She is an entrepreneur and has always harbored a secret desire to write since high school, but somehow the words didn't come.
All the women in her family have always loved to drop off the main road and pursue some unpaved track (pig trail, as they call them in Georgia) to look for the undiscovered.
One day Diane realized that when she didn't find excitement on those side roads, she could create an imaginary world to satisfy that need.
She has been writing for six years, and has won a third prize for short story fiction from the Atlanta Writers Club.
Typewriter from Hell came alive in her mind and demanded to be published, although Diane has completed a first novel and is working on a second.
Diane hopes to continue to offer surprises to her readers and looks forward to building a fan base.
Resources mentioned during the show: How to create perfect posts for the most popular social platforms (infographic) Using neuroscience for blogs 8 powerful takeaways from eye-tracking studies
Join Kori and Gabriela in a lively chat about tradtional and indie publishing, and the reality of author earnings.
This episode was originally scheduled to air on Easter (4-20-14).
Are you struggling with how and where to market your books? Are you tired of trying to figure out social media? Do you want a marketing approach that works long-term?
Marketing and promotion doesn't have to be expensive, but it does have to be consistent and constant. Kori has twenty-five free or inexpensive ways for you to market and promote your brand. Try all of them, or just a few!
Join the conversation!
Join Kori as she tackles the question of using social media to market your brand, Equal Pay Day in the US, and how authors really make their money.
Oh, and don't miss her update about the Orange Berry Book Blog tour. Did it work? WOuld she do it, again?
Anthony is a loving single father who grew up in a great household with both parents and wanted for nothing. Most things in his life were given to him rather than earned. His story isn't one of a rough childhood, but overcoming the demands of adulthood after the false sense of security of his childhood. "I had to retrain myself with the understanding that I had to work for what I wanted and have faith that God and our wonderful universe will provide what I need," Anthony says.
His book titled, Life is Outstanding is available via amazon.com
Kori and children's book author, Julia Cook, chat about Julia's experiences with traditional publishing contracts. You can learn more about Julia at her website.
About Holly:
Holly has been a contributing editor at Ladies’ Home Journal and Parents magazines. Her work has appeared in numerous well-respected publications.
About the book: Sleeping Tigers
Jordan O'Malley has everything she ever wanted: a job she loves, a beautiful home, and a dependable boyfriend. When her life unravels after a breast cancer scare, Jordan decides to join her wildest childhood friend in San Francisco and track down her drifter brother, Cam, who harbors secrets of his own. When Cam suddenly flees the country, Jordan follows, determined to bring him home. Her journey takes her to the farthest reaches of majestic Nepal, where she encounters tests--and truths--about love and family that she never could have imagined. Funny, heartbreaking, and suspenseful, Sleeping Tigers reminds us all that sometimes it's better to follow your heart instead of a plan.
Voice actor, Katrina Lawson, joins Kori in a lively discussion about voice acting careers, ACX, and their current project.
Stay informed! Tune in each Sunday at 5:30 p.m. CDT. Kori tells you who you missed, but shouldn't have, and who you don't want to miss.
Moodi Studios strives to makes the world a better place by helping people reawaken their inner-child. We reset the false ideology that growing up means leaving your imagination behind and that being child-like is an arch-nemesis you defeat with age.
About the book:
Joey [the Monster] thought it would all be easy. He would appear from under Sarah’s bed, sneak upon her slowly and scare the daylights out of her! But unfortunately, he was very wrong. Sarah not only stopped him from scaring her, she stopped him from scaring anyone ever again by telling Joey, “NO,” giving him clothes and taking him to her school to teach him MANNERS.
In their first picture book, Moodi Studios delivers an adorable tale about standing up for yourself and emerging with a friend.
About Katie:
Born and raised in Australia, Katie’s early years of day dreaming in the “bush”, and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.
After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dog.
About the book: Kiya: Riase of a New Dynasty
Tut has grown into his position as Pharaoh, but he is a wild young man. Naomi fears for him, not only because of his recklessness, but because he has put his trust in Ay–the man determined to destroy Naomi—despite her and Horemheb advising against it.
Meanwhile, death and slavery hang over Naomi and her family. With fear of the booming Hebrew numbers causing talk of enslaving them, conscription is reinstated and Naomi fears for the lives of her other children. Especially since Ay’s children are now adults, and just as dangerous as their father. They threaten to take Itani, conspire against Tut, and pushing for power.
But Tut is in trouble. While Ay’s daughter draws Horemheb’s attention, and Naomi deals with the struggles of her family, everyone’s distraction could spell death for the young Pharaoh.
Stay informed! Tune in each Sunday at 5:30 p.m. CDT. Kori tells you who you missed, but shouldn't have, and who you don't want to miss.
Christine Amsden joins Kori for a lively chat about suspending disbelief when writing fantasy. Join the conversation!
About Vangie:
My life moves forward everyday. The words come out of me, through my hands, expressing my imagination with a tinge of my fantasy world. I am a wife, the proud mother of six girls, dedicated daughter, neice, cousin, friend, worker, author, genealogist, historian, real estate agent, student, Toastmaster and Washington Redskin fan (even when the are losing). Hobbies include: Gardening, Bowling, Writing, Annoying my Daughters, Public Speaking and Traveling.
About the book:
Whisper is the point between life & death that fantasy becomes reality & reality becomes too hard to believe. Follow Time's (pronounced Timmy's)quest to make her new house a home but finds that she is not alone as Whisper, a specter who has dwelled in the home for over 100 years like Time needs love, emotional & physical attention. Time's quest takes her to the out limits of reality.
Stay informed! Tune in each Sunday at 5:30 p.m. CDT. Kori tells you who you missed, but shouldn't have, and who you don't want to miss.
www.freetwitterdesigner.com is a cool tool! You can create the background for your Twitter page, among other things.
Kori's Orange Berry Book Tour begins March 6, 2014.
This is the story of a women faced with the reality of coming to grips with the mistakes she has made in life after the death of her husband. One day by accident, in a fit of anger, she hits the grandfather clock that has been in the family for 148 years. Having hit the clock in her dispare, a secert compartment opens on the clock and a letter falls out. Thus begins her journey. This is just one of many secrets the grandfather clock holds.
Everyone has a secret, but few will ever be told. Sara has found that writing her secrets down on paper, then placing them inside the Grandfather clock, is a way to reveal to future generations the secrets she was afraid to tell those in the present; especially those with tender hearts, just as generations before her had done.
Stay informed! Tune in each Sunday at 5:30 p.m. CDT. Kori tells you who you missed, but shouldn't have, and who you don't want to miss.
Kori discusses her upcoming blog book tour hosted by Orange Berry Book Tours, the process of writing a flash fiction mystery series, and the reasons she wrote a second edition of her first book (and why you can, too.) She also talks about her experience creating an audio book via ACX.
There's a lot of great information in this episode. Don't miss it!
Book blurb:
When Jodi Foster returned to her California hometown with her young daughter, she never could have imagined the terror and confusion she experienced in the nights that followed. On top of her terrifyingly real nightmares of abduction and murder, Jodi witnessed lights flashing on and off, clocks going haywire, and her daughter’s doll repeatedly screaming, “I feel great!”
Forgotten Burial tells Jodi’s true paranormal story unraveling the mystery behind the unsolved case of a missing young woman, Madeline Isabella Johnson. After moving into Madeline’s last known residence, Jodi and her daughter reveal clues about what happened to the disappeared girl through ghostly encounters, vivid dreams, and divine intervention. Join Jodi on her reality-bending adventure as she works with police to bring justice to this disturbing, yet ultimately uplifting story.
Stay informed! Tune in each Sunday at 5:30 p.m. CDT. Kori tells you who you missed, but shouldn't have, and who you don't want to miss.
Today's show is pre-recorded. Kori and Gabriela discuss an introvert's guide to attending conferences. There are some great tips in this episode!
ASPYR Communications is the leading communication, branding, imaging, and public relations firm on the market. With ASPYR, Travis works with all clients on their positioning, language, imaging, and brand ownership.
Join Kori and Travis in a discussion about self-published authors as the new business owner.
Stay informed! Tune in each Sunday at 5:30 p.m. CDT. Kori tells you who you missed, but shouldn't have, and who you don't want to miss.
Phillip Chipping is the creative force behind knowonder! As a father of four young children, he understands the need to provide imaginative stimulation and creative outlets to developing minds. Phillip learned his deep love of reading from an early age, which in turn nurtured his own imagination and creativity. This fostered in him a desire to find innovative solutions for everyday problems.
Kathy Sattem Rygg is Editor in Chief at knowonder! and a children’s fiction author with a degree in magazine journalism from Iowa State University. She has worked in corporate marketing/public relations for several Fortune 500 companies. Ms. Rygg has written for the McGraw-Hill Companies’ Business Publications Division in NYC and was the Editor in Chief of Women’s Editionmagazine in Denver, CO. She is currently a freelance writer/editor and active member of SCBWI.
Check out the Back Porch Writer blog this week for a post from author Samuel Hawley. He walks you through the evolution of a cover in a two-art series.
Be sure to catch the Feb. 9th show with editor in chief, Kathy Rygg, and Phillip Chipping both from Knowonder. They're looking for writers who write chapter books and MG.
Do you have small business questions? Listen to Kori chat with Tony Wilkins on his show: Small Business Forum Radio. Look for the Jan. 24th episode.
Remember the writing contest for Charis: Journey to Pandora's Jar.
Kori's using Orange Berry Book Tours to promote her new book Deadly Sins: A Dezeray Jackson Mini-Series. Be sure to check the Back Porch Writer blog adn listen to the show for her updates.
About Michele:
I'd describe myself as a work in progress. Navigating through this adventure called life can be exhilarating and exhausting all at the same time. I'm a Chicago native and I think coffee and red wine are the best discoveries of all times.
I write stories because I love peeling back the layers of messy truths that come with living life -- betrayals, lies, deceit, love, generosity, kindness, loss, ridicule, sorrow. My characters are flawed and encounter challenges that either grow them or destroy them.
Isn't that just how life is sometimes?
Author of Prudence available on Amazon.com.
Samuel Hawley was born and grew up in South Korea, the son of missionary parents. After earning BA and MA degrees in history from Queen's University, he returned to East Asia to teach English for a year and ended up staying there for nearly two decades before retiring in Kingston, Ontario to become a full-time writer. He is the author of the nonfiction books Speed Duel: The Inside Story of the Land Speed Record in the Sixties, which received starred reviews in both Publishers Weekly and Library Journal; I Just Ran: Percy Williams, World’s Fastest Human, named one of the five "Best Sports Books of 2011” by the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation); and the monumental The Imjin War, the most comprehensive account in English of Japan’s sixteenth-century invasion of Korea and attempted conquest of China, hailed as “magnificent” by the South China Morning Post. Bad Elephant Far Stream is his first novel.
Join Kori and Gabriela in a lively discussion about the writing life. Have questions? We've got answers! Or, at least a few suggestions!
Tony Wilkins is the author of Telemarketing Success for small and mid-sized Firms, The Single Person’s Cookbook (www.amazon.com) and Surviving the economy-Tips from small business owners from across the globe. Tony was a widely read columnist for Allbusiness.com before writing his current column for Examiner.com. He has been featured in the media on Channel 7's (ABC) The View from the Bay, Progressive Pulse Magazine, B.A.R (Bay Area Reporter) and the 10% Show. Tony is a much sought after lecturer and speaker for The Learning Annex, CIIS (California Institute of Integral Studies, and The Academy of Art College -SF. He is the host of the Internet sensation Small Business Forum Radio on Blog Talk Radio which airs Fridays at 3:30 offering tips from small business experts from around the globe. The show made its debut on July 15th 2011 and boasts an impressive 70,000+ listeners in just over 2 years on the air. In addition, the show (which has a six month waiting list for bookings) is consistently ranked in the top 10% of business shows on the network. He is a small business advocate and the owner of TCS Inc. for the last 30 years, specializing in business development, (cold calling, sales, marketing, promotion) consulting and training (www.businessdevelopmentsolutionsintl.com )working with such clientele as Farmers Insurance, SF Soup Co and USI Insurance. Mr. Wilkins was also recently nominated for a Small Business Advocate Award by The San Francisco Small Business Network and will be broadening his media interest in October 2013 by launching SBFM an online magazine dedicated to helping small business owners find resources, share stories and find leads.
Check out the magazine: http://joom.ag/OmuX
Kori talks about author fairs, the importance of getting out of your comfort zone, business cards, and more!
FYI: Author Nicole Walters (Charis: Journey to Pandora's Jar) sent us a message about a MG writing contest BookTrope Publishing is hosting for her upcoming book. Go to http://journeytopandorasjar.com/ for more details.
She demonstrated great marketing by contacting people in her circle, including Back Porch Writer. Kori received the email this week, read everything, and loved the idea.
Jill K. Sayre is a writer and an educator specializing in Gifted and Talented students. She enjoys writing in the genre of magical realism for tweens and young adults. Her first book, "The Fairies of Turtle Creek", embraces the things she loves: nature, the grandmother-granddaughter relationship, and everyday magic.
Join Kori in a lively chat with illustrator Christopher Brown. He's a filmmaker, illustrator, graphic designer and cartoonist from the DC metropolitan area. He is currently in the process of writing and developing a few animated shorts and comics aimed at people of color. His last short, Bullet Head - which he co-wrote and co-produced - made the rounds at a film festival in New York.
Check this out!
http://www.drawnandcornered.com/
Check this out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl9anHp-eis
Do you enjoy poetry? Of course you do! Now is your opportunity to chat about what you love with poet, teacher, and coach, Molly Fisk.
Poet Molly Fisk writes weekly essays for community radio stations in California, Colorado, Illinois and Wisconsin. She’s the author of the poetry collections, The More Difficult Beauty, Listening to Winter, and Salt Water Poems, and the audio recordings of commentary, Blow-Drying a Chicken and Using Your Turn Signal Promotes World Peace. Fisk has been awarded grants by the National Endowment for the Arts, the California Arts Council, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. She’s the owner of Poetry Boot Camp (poetrybootcamp.com) and can be reached at mollyfisk.com.
Are you curious about indie publishing? Join Kori and Ray as they discuss AEC Publishing's indie approach.
Cindy Grady and Erin Reel join Kori in the studio to discuss all things Indie publishing.
From their site:
WriteLife is an independent publisher based in Omaha, Nebraska, heart of pioneer country and a long-thriving independent music movement. We value the high standards of traditional publishing, the passionate spirit of the independent publisher and the evolution of publishing.
Kori welcomes Scribe Publicity founder, Andrew Buckley, to the Catch up with Kori show.
"Scribe Publicity is a literary publicity firm specializing in working with authors at all stages of their career. Published a book and need to get the word out? We do that! You’ve finally completed that manuscript and don’t know what to do next? We can help! Still trying to write that book but lack the motivation and guidance? You got it! We have a service package to meet every one of your literary needs!"
Listen in as Andrew walks the walk, and talks the talk, from the perspective of both author and publicist. His most recent book, Stiltskin, launched Dec. 9, 2013. Just in time for the holidays!
David Prinz Hufford, also known as The Professor, is a poet and teacher. He makes the rounds participating in poetry slams and has published his work many times over. We're discussing his most recent work titled, A Dark Place in the Center. Join the chat! Get inspired!
Marcia C. Forecki and Gerald Schnitzer teamed up to create a medical thriller titled, Blood of the White Bear. Tune in to learn more about their novel and their collaboration.
Kori welcome author Christine Amsden back to the show to discuss the elements of world-building.
Gabriela Pereira joins Kori to chat about her DIYMFA website and writer's program.
Gabriela Pereira is the Creative Director and Instigator of DIY MFA, the do-it-yourself alternative to a Masters degree in writing. Gabriela earned an MFA from The New School and has taught writing workshops and seminars both online throughout New York City. At DIY MFA she creates tools and techniques to help serious writers get the benefits of MFA-style learning without going to school. Learn more at DIYMFA.com.
Join Kori as she chats about NaNoWriMo 2013. We're in the home stretch! What's in your word count?
YA Author Eric Devine discusses Tap Out, Dare Me, and why he writes YA. *This episode is pre-recorded.
Join Kori during the entire month of November to chat about NaNoWriMo 2013. Call into the show to share your challenges and successes as you shoot for the 50K goal.
Tweet @backporchwriter
1-646-716-5063
Join Kori during the entire month of November to chat about NaNoWriMo 2013. Call into the show to share your challenges and successes as you shoot for the 50K goal.
Tweet @backporchwriter
1-646-716-5063
Editor Lisa Chester joins Kori to discuss David Proctor's book, Dead Men Lie, and her editing process.
William Hayashi's first novel, Discovery, Volume 1 of the Darkside Trilogy, is the first installment of the story of a community of African Americans who beat Neil Armstrong to the moon and reside there for four decades before being discovered by those living on earth. Volume one of the trilogy, an engaging story, tells of how the United States of America makes this historic discovery and what happens in this country as a result. Discovery is now available for sale online and makes a great gift anytime.
Conception, the second installment of the Darkside Trilogy, tells the story of the remarkable people found living in secret on the backside of the moon in Discovery. Conception tells of the four high school friends who become as close as brothers, and in the process. envision finding a place where they can build their own community for America's Blacks unencumbered by the slights, prejudices and deprivations of a racist American society of the early 1960s.
The Darkside Universe is a wide-ranging epic that spans seven total novels: two trilogies, and a seventh volume which winds up the epic tale. Hayashi has scheduled new installments to arrive every year.
Currently, Hayashi can be found hosting The Genesis Science Fiction Radio Series, a weekly online show for the blacksciencefictionsociety.com Web site interviewing Black artists and content creators in the science fiction, horror and fantasy genre. Guests include comic book, short story, novel, spoken word and other medium creatives.
Kori gets into the heads of a few horror writers. Check out: Glendon Perkins Matt Ewens Vashti Q Vega What does it take to write a great horror story?
Join Kori in a lively discussion with Dr. Richard Oram. They'll talk about what you can learn from a writer's library.
Kori chats with Speculative fiction author, Christine Amsden. She's written several books, including the Cassie Scott, Paranormal Detective series.
Join Kori as she tells you what you missed, and what's coming up next on Back Porch Writer. SME Travis Shortt chats with Kori about author branding, marketing, and PR.
Due to an unexpected cancellation, this show features Kori's random thoughts. Okay, not completely random. SHe tells you what you missed, what's coming up, and how you can be a guest.
Join Kori as she welcomes horror author Mike Robinson to Back Porch Writer. His book titled, The Prince of Earth was released in Feb. 2013. He's helping us kick off our Halloween month of horror. Don't miss it!
Join Kori as she tells you what you missed and what's happening next.
Revised line-up: Mike Robinson Oct. 1
Join Kori as she discusses public school libraries. Do we need them? Why can't public libraries take on that role? How can authors get involved?
Join Kori as she chats with author John M. McNamara. His sixth book titled, Madonna is available via Amazon.com. In this novel, Mary Cottle struggles day-to-day as a widow and the single mother of a 43-year-old son with special needs.
Join Kori as she tells you what you missed and what's happening next.
Kori's guest is freelance writer and author, Holly Robinson.
Holly Robinson is a celebrity ghost writer and journalist whose work has appeared in a variety of national magazines. Her first book, The Gerbil Farmer's Daughter: A Memoir (Crown 2009) was a Target Breakout Book. Her new novel, The Wishing Hill, is published by New American Library/Penguin. Penguin will also publish her next novel, Beach Plum Island, in April 2014.
Ms. Robinson holds a B.A. in biology from Clark University and is a graduate of the MFA program in Creative Writing at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Thriller writer, John Rector, joins Kori to chat about his newest release, Out Of The Black. It's a fast-paced, tightly written book you won't want to put down.
LeoNard Thompson joins Kori to chat about Library Science, public speaking, The Liebster Loft, his writing, and why he does what he does.
Join Kori as she tells you what you missed and what's happening next. Kori's chatting with Cora Vasseur, the creative mind behind Fear-less Writing. She'll tell you about her telesummit, her comedy, and screenwriting.
YA paranormal romance is still hot, and author Shannon A. Thompson is riding the wave. Her recently released novel, Minutes Before Sunset, is receiving great reviews. Check it out on Goodreads, Amazon, and Smashwords.
Join Kori as she tells you what you missed and what's happening next. Kori's chatting with the creative minds behind Writer.Ly. They've hosted a few great hangouts on Google+, but what else do they do? Listen in to find out!
Author and podcaster, Andrew Buckley joins Kori in the studio to chat about, Death, The Devil, and The Goldfish, creative marketing, and why he does what he does!
Black Roses author, Jenn Brink joins me to talk abuot her cozy mystery, why she writes, and who inspires her. Join the conversation!
Join Kori as she tells you what you might have missed, and what to expect in the coming weeks on Back Porch Writer.
Listen and ask questions about The Dust-Covered Days of Dorie Archer, a new MG novel by former educator Barbara Mohrman. Learn about Nebraska and The Dust Bowl through the eyes of a young girl.
Join Kori every Sunday. She shares what you missed, tells you what's coming up, and ocassionally makes you laugh. In this episode, learn what you must do to publish now!
Join in as Kori and Frank chat about poetry, his books, and slam! Frank O'Neal has been nominated for Best-Slam-Poet for Omaha Arts & Entertainment Awards, and for Poet-Laureate for the state of Nebraska.
Join Kori as she chats with the Evan Jacobs, creator of Authorgraph. If you create or purchase ebooks, this is how you give and receive autographs.
Join Kori every Sunday. She shares what you missed, tells you what's coming up, and ocassionally makes you laugh. Write Life Publlishing Assit. Editor, Jenn Castello joins Kori to discuss blogging your novel.
Kori chats with author Marcia Calhoun Forecki about Hurricane Blues - a collection of short stories, an MG novel titled Better Than Magic, and why she writes. Join the conversation!
Are you a PB writer? Tune in as Kori chats with self-taught illustrator and writer, Ken Kraegel. His book, King Arthur's Very Great Grandson was a CJ Picture Book Award Finalist. Ken also received the SCBWI Tomie dePaola Honor Award.
Kori provides a recap of the previous guests and happenings on Back Porch Writer Radio show and website. She also tells you who's chatting with her next. Tune in!
Do you write like Poe? Do you want to? Tune in as Kori chats with horrow writer, Glendon Perkins about his latest projects, contest wins and honorable mentions.
Tune in as Kori talks about her writer's toolkit, Fine Lines Writing Camp, and Word up! by Marcia Johnston.
Kori provides a recap of the previous guests and happenings on Back Porch Writer Radio show and website. She also tells you who's chatting with her next. Tune in!
Listen in as Kori and Bill Kenower talk about writing. What inspires us? What scares us? Why do we write? It's a fun chat that you don't want to miss.
Kori provides a recap of the previous guests and happenings on Back Porch Writer Radio show and website. She also tells you who's chatting with her next. Tune in!
You love the radio shows of yesteryear, but you don't know where to listen. Let me introduce you to The Masked Marauder podcast. Creator Caine Dorr has an amazing lineup of great characters and stories.
The author of "A Guide to Sustainability for Small Business" chats with Kori. Writers - Listen in to learn how you can use this information to grow your writing career.
Listen in for the week in review, what's coming up next, and how you can be a guest on Back Porch Writer.
Jordan Jacobs, author of Samantha Sutton and the Labyrinth of Lies joins me on Back Porch Writer. This is a pre-recorded interview. If you have questions for Jordan, post them at http://backporchwriter.wordpress.com. Look for Jordan's Final Thoughts page. Samantha is a 12-yr-old who is eager to learn everything she can about archaeology. Her uncle Jay, an archaeologist, takes Samantha and her older brother with him to Peru. The mystery and adventure begins!
Curious about Howard Hughes? Some people believe he faked his death. Join the conversation with researcher, Mark Musick and decide for yourself!
Listen in for the week in review, what's coming up next, and how you can be a guest on Back Porch Writer.
Kori and Jen chat about The Messiah of Howard Street and Steampunk. It's a great discussion filled with information about Omaha, why she writes, Write Life Publisher, and, of course, Shakespeare with a Steampunk twist. Listen in!
Kori and Rita chat about her Rule of Thumb book titled, Marketing yourself for success. In today's very competitive job market, you need to know how to edge out the other candidates. Listen in to hear her tips!
Listen in to find out who the Back Porch Writer is chatting with next, learn where you can access the show, and how to contact the the Back Porch Writer. Interested in Crowdfunding for Authors? I'll point you in a direction you might not know about! I'm looking for expert guests in these areas: SEO for Writers Marketing for Authors
"Soft Like Steel" is the true story of Barbara, a devout Mennonite farm-girl, married less than a year when her husband disappears! Join in as her granddaughter, the author, discusses what happened next, and why she wrote her book.
Teresa McKinley, author of "Seek'n Find," will discuss all things writing, and of course, answer the On the Back Porch questions! If you're interested in middle grade writing, join into the conversation!
Listen in to find out who the Back Porch Writer is chatting with next, learn where you can access the show, and how to contact the the Back Porch Writer.
Kori and Jerry chat about his book, "My Floating Grandmother," his experiences as a filmmaker, overcoming his fear of becoming a writer, who inspired him to pursue his goals, and what he tells his writing students. You don't want to miss this interview! From Write Life: He owned and operated Gerald Schnitzer Productions for twenty years. He was awarded several Gran Prix for his commercials for Kodak, Chevrolet and Clairol. Feature film credits: Sail to Glory, The Naked, Doomtown, Kid Dynamite, Bowery Boys, Jinx Money, The Corpse Vanishes; TV segment of Lassie and National Velvet. He directed Buster Keaton, Emmet Kelly,Robert Stack, Linda Evans, Phil Silvers, Jan Clayton, Jean Lockhart, Pops Fiedler,Lorne Greene, Arnold Palmer, Imogene Coco, Bela Lugosi, Andy Griffith, Don Knotts and Albert Brooks. He gained notoriety in the world of TV advertising in the late 50s by "his humanizing the commercial." - creating the so-called, "Kodak Moment."
Listen in to find out who the Back Porch Writer is chatting with next, learn where you can access the show, and how to contact the the Back Porch Writer.
Brian Rock, author of "Deductive Detective," and "Don't Play With Your Food," is joining us for a lively discussion about all things kid lit. If you ever thought, "I can write a children's book!" then this is the show for you! Join the discussion.
Listen in to find out who the Back Porch Writer is chatting with next, learn where you can access the show, and how to contact the the Back Porch Writer.
Get inside the mind of Tunette Powell, author of "The Other Woman," as she discusses the creation of her book, her hopes, fears, dreams and goals. "The Other Woman is a bold and emotional memoir based on a sixteen-line rap written by the daughter of an addict." - Write Life
Listen in to find out who the Back Porch Writer is chatting with next, learn where you can access the show, and how to contact the the Back Porch Writer.
Dr. Luciano Sabatini, author of "Bereavement Counseling in the School Setting" will discuss his recently released book. And, of course, share his thoughts on the writing and publishing process. Teachers, counselors, school administrators -- this show's for you!
Do you write murder mysteries? This is the show for you! Robin Donovan, author of "Is it still murder even if she was a bitch?" will discuss her book, her writing career, and tips how you can follow your writing dreams.
My guest is co-owner/creator Rachel Sorensen, of Cozy Couples Magazine: A magazine for couples, by couples. Join us as we discuss the development and furture of her "big" idea! If you ever wanted to start a magazine, then this is the show for you!