selfpublishingadvisor

Book Reviews, charles a. santangelo, outskirts press, Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week, turning point, weekly self published book review

Weekly Self-Published Book Review: “Turning Point”

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.

When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review, courtesy of the Midwest Book Review:

Turning Point

Charles A. Santangelo

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432793968

Synopsis:

It’s a new day in America: The United States’ new Democratic president combats hostile political opponents and right-wing media while tackling the challenges of terrorism, global warming and a financial crisis. In the midst of the fray of a charged first term, the president’s liberal daughter, Karen, falls for a decorated Air Force pilot turned Secret Service agent, Capt. John “Rawhide” Cunningham – who, as the grandson of a conservative, swing-vote Supreme Court justice, stands at the opposite end of a vast, ideological chasm. Inspired by his work in the real-life presidential elections of 2000 and 2004, author Charles A. Santangelo weaves a tale of love and political intrigue that speaks to the very core of American values and the integrity of the political process. Told through a progressive ideological perspective, Turning Point makes a compelling case that a scant few with strong values and a willingness to place the nation’s interest above their own can change the course of history. The political/historical thriller blends the action of a Tom Clancy tale with sharp political storytelling and a measure of romance.

Critique:

The 2000 election was a swamp of controversy, no matter how you cut it. Turning Point is a political fantasy from Charles Alfred Santangelo, veteran government official at NASA and Homeland Security. For sake of hypotheticals, he does away with the names of Bush and Gore, instead crafts a What If scenario of a Progressive Democrat claiming the White House in 2000, and what would have followed in many crises, from the environment to a different handling of 9/11. Turning Point is an intriguing look at a very different political world.

[ reviewed by Able Greenspan ]

Here’s what some other reviewers are saying:

WOW, what an amazing topic to write about…. an election that tore the country apart and what a fascinating idea to write a novel about what this author believes the world might have been like if Al Gore had assumed the role of President. Whether you side with the Dems or the Republicans — no one can argue that it is intriguing to know just what direction life would take if things were to have come out differently– such as with everything in life, decisions that seem simple enough really have the chance to change the course of history. My politics are somewhere in the middle, but I found learning “Turning Points” ideas of how life could have been very interesting!

– Amazon Reviewer DBT

This terrific novel is not only a page turner, but is also a fascinating and comprehensive look at a wide spectrum of American life, including election fraud, legal intrigue and the economy, all set against a backdrop of a compelling story of love and political tension. Alternative history novels are difficult to bring off, because you have to account for a myriad of ripple effects across the societal spectrum, but the author has accomplished this in an impressive and authoritative manner. Quite an achievement. I’m waiting for the movie, which is inevitable.

– Amazon Reviewer Andrew

Thanks for reading! Keep up with the latest in the world of indie and self-published books by watching this space every Saturday!

Self Publishing Advisor

Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks

Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer: 09/25/2015

OUR RIGHT TO WRITE AND PUBLISH IV

Moving back to the concept of developing our writing wings, I must share with you one of my personal research projects. A favorite genre of mine is Historical Fiction. For years I’ve debated the concept that early pioneer journalists were today’s foundation of excellence and especially authenticity for authors of all writing genres. In most cases they had the bare minimum of publishing guidelines to follow yet gave the reading public the information needed and often a “rip-roaring” story of adventure and intrigue.

american progress — John Gast’s “American Progress”

To honor these pioneer journalists (many of whom turned book authors) I give you the example of Gene Amole who wrote a column for Colorado’s Rocky Mountain News from 1977 until his death in May, 2002. As I list several of his column themes and titles, let them inspire you to write something on one of these topics that jump out at you. Actually, I hope there will be several.

Bright lights—good memories
It takes action to clarify writing
There are only two kinds of music: good and bad
Succumbing again to the allure of fine poetry.
A message to carry…son of a friends brings a letter
A leave of absence might be necessary to write a novel.
The concept of home…
Honesty in writing: Pain becomes an ugly companion
Are our perspectives getting a little out of whack?
When folks try to write for big magazines, they try too hard.
Interviews should be richly enjoyed by both parties
We will always have something to write about IF we keep our eyes and ears open.
Nothing chases the blues away like kind words.
Memories can be fickle companions.
READ…reflect…make new memories.
On war.
On music.
On the Unsolved Murder of a 10-year-old boy.
To a Newborn Grandson
On senseless Deaths Going Unpunished
“Good writing is a bridge on which minds meet, a bridge that the writer must build.” (from Amole’s conversations with author William E Barrett.)

We all have such unique perspectives on life and all the millions of events that occur close to home and far away. Amole wrote a final column that was to be published after his passing. In it he said: “I…hope that along the way I have said, written or spoken something of value to those who survive me. Certainly I make no claim of original thought, but perhaps I have taken an existing idea and added some value to it.”

Isn’t that the goal of every writer? This one man—writer, journalist—is also remembered as a loveable prankster and generous in mentoring young writers. Yes, he published books, too, (Morning, 1983; Amole Again, 1985; Amole One More Time, 1998; The Last Chapter: Gene Amole On Dying, 2002).

This blog is my salute to Gene Amole (and all the authentic and inspiring writers out there): an excellent example of respecting our right to write and publish! ⚓︎

ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene has been writing something since before kindergarten days and continues to love the process. Through her small business—DOYLE WRITING SERVICES—she brings more than 40 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their projects. This is a nice fit as she develops these blogs for Outskirts Press (OP) a leading self-publisher, and occasionally accepts a ghostwriting project from one of their clients. Her recent book release (with OP) titled FIREPROOF PROVERBS, A Writer’s Study of Words, is already receiving excellent reviews including several professional writer’s endorsements given on the book’s back cover.

Royalene’s writing experience grew through a wide variety of positions from Office Manager and Administrative Assistant to Teacher of Literature and Advanced Writing courses and editor/writer for an International Christian ministry. Her willingness to listen to struggling authors, learn their goals and expectations and discern their writing voice has brought many manuscripts into the published books arena.

Book Promotion, Book Promotion Strategy, etsy, Facebook, flickr, goodreads, instagram, Kelly Speaks, linkedin, pinterest, snapchat, Social Media Marketing, tumblr, twitter, youtube

An Indie Author’s Social Media Primer | Summary Edition

Well, it’s been quite a project, this social media primer of ours! I hope it’s proven as useful to you, our readers, as it has been enjoyable for me to write! I thought I’d take a couple of minutes to take a lingering glance in the rear-view mirror, and write a bit of a retrospective on what it means to carry out a social media marketing campaign–and how a primer fits in.

“We’re here,” I wrote in that initial blog post, “first and foremost, to talk about how to market your self-published book.” And therein lies both the value and danger of social media as a marketing tool. If you really are using social media effectively, as a natural and organic extension of your existing work and personality, then you’ll most definitely benefit, and your book sales will most definitely benefit as well. If you approach social media as an all-purpose tool and the only tool you need in your toolbox–or if you present yourself falsely, inauthentically, or otherwise find yourself at odds with your fans–or if you bite off more than you can chew–or if you find yourself slipping into social media as just another time-waster–then you’re missing the point of being an author on social media. These are the pitfalls, or at least a few of them, and they should not be taken lightly or underestimated.

Here’s the trick to being a self-published author on social media: You must always remember that you are, first and foremost, a writer. And as we’ve said before here on Self Publishing Advisor, the absolute best decision you can ever make in marketing your book is to write another book. If social media helps you spread the word, and helps you keep writing, then it has a place in your campaign. If it distracts you, or distresses you, or eats into time you would otherwise spend writing, then you should revisit the expression “effective marketing.” There is, however, a great deal of value to trying something new, especially when you hit a roadblock. It is my hope that, by providing a primer guide to each of the major (and some of the minor) social media platforms, I may take some of the guesswork and fear out of launching yourself into the world of social media. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll be able to bypass some of the misery and second-guessing and mistakes that I myself have made over the years–and find a new home, a new community, and an engaged readership in some unexplored corner of our digital universe.

The List:

Thank you for helping me build this Social Media Primer! If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions, please use the comment field below or drop us a line at selfpublishingadvice@gmail.com. And remember to check back each Wednesday for your weekly dose of marketing musings. ♠

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.

editing, Editing Your Self-Published Book, guest post, outskirts press

GUEST POST: Rob Mangelson of Outskirts Press on Editing

Every once in a while, we have the pleasure of featuring a blog post written by an expert outside of our small circle here at Self Publishing Advisor. This week, we get to hear from Rob Mangelson, an independent contractor and marketing professional affiliated with Outskirts Press, a hybrid self-publishing company based out of the Denver, Colorado area. We’ve actually run across the folks from OP before–as recently as two weeks ago, as a matter of fact–but here we have a chance to catch a few words direct from the source, so to speak. So with no further ado, here are some of Rob’s thoughts on the subject of editing.

A professional editor is your last, best hurdle before sending your book off to publish. While it may seem an optional service, there are compelling reasons why you may not want to think of it as “optional” – not when your reputation and product quality are at stake.

It’s humbling to submit a highly personal work to someone we imagine gleefully buying red ink by the barrel. However, in this case, red ink is your best friend. Here are three ways your investment in a professional editor will pay for itself:

An editor is your best beta-tester. Your book is your product, and there’s no better way to “test” your product before it goes to market than with a professional editor – more than one editor, if it’s feasible. A test run of how your product might perform in the marketplace more than pays for itself, allowing you to tweak your writing and marketing to reach the right readers and keep them hooked once you do. In a perfect world, every publishing author would have the luxury of both an editor and a team of beta readers, but if you have to choose, hire a pro.
Editors help you get your point across. You know what you mean to say – but will readers understand the ideas you’re trying to get across? There’s no way to know until you get someone “outside your head” to view your work from the perspective of a potential reader. This is one of the main missions of the editing process, and one that ensures that your words have the intended effect on the intended target audience so you can resonate with readers – and sell more books!
Editors see “invisible” problems. By the time a book is close to finished and nearly ready for publication, most publishing authors have gone through it with a fine-toothed comb, often multiple times. But no matter how thoroughly and how often you review your own work, even the most conscientious authors can become blind to errors in their own prose. Even a couple of minor errors in your book can destroy your credibility and hurt your sales, making the services of a professional editor well worth a modest investment.

Remember, editors are, like you, avid readers and writers with the added advantage of having expertise in their field. Use that expertise to your advantage to get the most polished product possible. You’ll never regret it.

Thanks for reading! Keep up with our guests and our archival visits by watching this space every Tuesday!

Self Publishing Advisor

news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Self-Publishing, Self-Publishing Week in Review

News From the Self-Publishing World: 9/21/15

This week in the world of self-publishing:

When It Comes To Book Sales, What Counts As Success Might Surprise You

In a broadcast that ran on NPR on September 19th, journalist Lynn Neary talks with a variety of self-published authors and experts about where, exactly, the indie community stands in relation to the community of traditionally-published authors in respects to book sales. And the figures she uncovers are, indeed, somewhat surprising––and yes, mostly in good ways. Neary poses the question, “what happens to writers who never get anywhere near an awards ceremony?” The answer: not much, but that doesn’t mean that authors who aren’t making it onto the Man Booker shortlist are worse off than those who are. All authors struggle to break even and sell books, Neary reports, citing the Authors Guild survey we looked at last week. And while the article may seem to strike a mostly sour note, Neary ends with the hope that while many authors must write for little to no profit at present, “maybe — just maybe — next time they’ll get paid.” Here’s hoping, NPR!

Lessons on Self-Publishing, As Told by Author Kiera Cass

You might know her as the author of the New York Times bestselling author of The Selection (and its sequels), but now you have the chance to know her as a spokesperson for self-publishing. In a September 19th interview with Chryssa Celestino for Preen, Cass describes how she got her start in the sometimes murky waters of self-publishing, and how her roots in the community of readers she found there set her up for success today. She walks readers through the process of self-publishing, and what it felt like both to publish and retain creative control over her work, a quality which is often cited by authors as a reason to pursue platforms apart from the traditional mode of publishing. “It was a whole little community,” she says, “and at the same time, they sort of helped get the word out.” And from someone who knows what it’s like to work in both the indie and traditional modes, those words ring with inhabited experience.

Kentucky Fried Zine Fest celebrates enduring culture of self publishing, on paper

In her September 17th article for the Kentucky-based Lexington Herald news site LexGo, Candace Chaney introduces us to a development that might benefit everyone in the indie, hybrid, and self-publishing community––a festival for those who read and write and publish and otherwise love zines (or self-published digital magazines & fanzines). A festival that is entirely given over to celebrating us. Us! And it’s about time; festivals and parties and awards ceremonies have long been lauding the accomplishments and successes (and failures, too, we must admit) of traditionally-published writers and the traditional publishing process as a whole. It’s our time! According to Chaney’s research, “Festival organizers say that in addition to nostalgia for the analog age, zines offer more personal connection and creative freedom than you can ever get on the Internet; they also continue to serve as a vehicle for alternative, radical, or marginalized communities to safely tell their stories without fear of censorship or retribution.” In a word: awesome. The festival took place on Saturday the 19th, but if you missed it, never fear: this was a third anniversary of the event, which will happen around the same time next year. Take a look at Chaney’s article for more information!

Tokyopop Plans New Manga and Self-Publishing App

The innovations just keep on coming! On the 16th of September, Scott Green’s article for Crunchyroll (which self-advertises as “the leading global video service for Japanese Anime and Asian media”) chronicles some of the latest adventures of––and declarations of intent by––Stu Levy, founder of Tokyopop, a corporate superweight in the world of manga publication. According to Green, Levy is “working on new digital comics initiative, POP Comics. This is a mobile app for iOS and Android that allows creators to upload and promote their original comics.” This is good news for illustrators and digital artists especially, who are expected to retain “70-75% of the ad revenue, with 30% going to Tokyopop.” Other, similar platforms are seeing a usership in the millions, so this percentage is not a meaningless one. Check it out by hopping on by the beta launch at popcomics.com!

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Monday to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

Kelly ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: