Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week, Uncategorized, weekly self published book review

Tuesday Book Review: “The Still Sad Music”

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:

the still sad music shawn merritt

The Still Sad Music

by Shawn Merritt

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781478787570

Synopsis*:

The Still Sad Music, resembling in style works by James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a gripping novel about the erratic life of Jeffrey Killingsworth, a fascinating, tragic figure who essentially staggers through life victimized by misfortune, persecuted by mental illness, and ravaged by drug addiction. In a state of constant crisis, Jeffrey is forced to consider several different lifestyles that will all produce very different results. Will he escape the madness? Will he choose to live cleanly and learn to cope with his misfortunes or will he continue to numb the pain with drugs and ultimately die for his addiction?

 * courtesy of Amazon.com

Featured Review:

The Still Sad Music documents the erratic life of Jeffrey Killingsworth, a fascinating, tragic figure who staggers through life victimized by misfortune, persecuted by mental illness, and ravaged by drug addiction. In a state of constant crisis, Jeffrey is forced to consider several different lifestyles that will all produce very different results. Will he escape the madness? Will he choose to live cleanly and learn to cope with his misfortunes, or will he continue to numb the pain with drugs and ultimately die for his addiction?
Author Shawn Merritt is currently enrolled in the English Literature PhD program at Georgia State University, and will graduate at the end of spring 2018. The Still Sad Music, his debut novel, is a dark and enthralling tale reminiscent in style of James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

reviewed by Asli Fratarcangeli of Yah Gotta Read This

 

Here’s what some other reviewers are saying:

I thought the book was excellent, an exciting emotional roller coaster, with great character development and a theme that impacts one’s soul.

– Amazon Reviewer

Powerful,riveting, very well written. I highly recommend. It will touch your soul.

– Amazon Reviewer

Book Trailer

tuesday book review

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

Self Publishing Advisor

selfpubicon1

Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 7.31.2017 – July Round-Up

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, wrapping up what’s new for you and yours in July 2017.

Self-publishing is a process, one that can transform lives–and this is what Maggie Bowers’ article this week in the Newnan Times-Herald affirms, as it chronicles the experience of author Angie Gallion. Gallion, who elected to self-publish her first three novels–Intoxic, Purgus and Icara–speaks to the stigma often associated with indie books (“‘It has gotten a bad reputation because there really are people who use the option just for fun […] There are unedited and badly written books out there.'”) as well as the benefits (“There is also a world of ‘undiscovered’ amazing writers worth reading, Gallion said, and she is proud to be a part of that group.”) before Bowers moves on to include another author in the conversation, columnist Lee St. John. We love what St. John has to say about going indie!

‘I enjoy meeting newbies who are also trying to understand this business,’ St. John said. ‘We share and support each other because we know how hard it is to be even somewhat successful. Success to me, as a humorist, is reading my stories in groups and watching the laughter erupt.’

Kudos to St. John, Gallion, and their ever-evolving writer’s community. You can find the rest of Bowers’ article, including St. John’s reflections on the challenges of self-publishing, online at the Newnan Times-Herald.

Novelists aren’t the only ones moving away from traditional publishing methods and exploring the wilds of self-publishing–comic writers and artists are, as well! So declares Cam Petti in his piece for Adventures in Poor Taste (AIPT), a popular go-to website for purveyors of comics, graphic novels, gaming concepts, film and television bytes, as well as general pop culture commentary. Petti, for context, is writer and co-creator of the comic Skeleton Bay Detective Agency, where he is backed-up by artist Taylor Carlise and colorist Brittany Peer. In this article–the fifth, as you will notice, in a series–Petti unpacks the process of getting their first comic out there in the world, sans traditional comic publisher. Not only is this piece a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of the comic-making industry–which has always been a fluid and adaptive place–but it’s a rousing affirmation of the values which lead many of us into self-publishing to begin with, and the talent and elbow grease required to get us out on the other side of the forest. Come for the comic process, and stay for Petti’s insights into Kickstarter vs. Patreon vs. the world! You can find the whole article at the link.

To end the month on a note of dark humor, we bring you our last piece for the week: Jonathan Kile’s bleakly hilarious foray into the world of vanity presses who remind him of those Nigerian (or Ivory Coast, or et cetera) scammers which offer to arrange X in order to give you Y ridiculous amount of money. But of course, as Admiral Akbar warns, always remember:

general ackbar it's a trap

Alright, that’s our meme out of the way for the day. But in all seriousness, Kile’s piece is both useful and revelatory. He debunks some of the myths of self-publishing (“Self publishing is about retaining control over these steps. It’s work and it takes time, practice, repetition, and likely a few books to become successful”) and points readers toward useful resources (including the latest Author Earnings report).  He reminds readers that it’s okay–more than okay, encouraged!–to seek out specialized assistance on those elements of your book you’re not quite skillful enough to practiced enough to make look professional, like the cover art and jacket design. But he also comes down hard on vanity presses who promise the moon and can’t deliver, who outsource their advertising, outreach, and support to unscrupulous call centers, and who ultimately seem about as legitimate as my cat.

So basically, don’t spend money on something which doesn’t bring in good reviews, or which stinks of scam artists looking to make a buck. This might seem like common sense, but as Kile warns, sometimes authors are just desperate or inexperienced enough to fall for the ruse. Catch up on all his thoughts on the matter at Creative Loafing, and do your due diligence!

spa-news

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.
Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Conversations: 7/28/2017

IT’S JULY!

TIME TO CELEBRATE OUR FREEDOM TO WRITE! IV

My focus this month on the Freedom Legacy today’s writers have available to and for all of us has been an encouragement for me. I hope it has been for you, too. However, I would be remiss if I did return to the fact: Freedom is not “Free.” The Legacy of Freedom we carry forward today has come at a price—both ancient and recent. The cost has been dear, yet what we continue to experience through the written works of every author before us, only fortifies the foundation that supports us today.

Early Publishing in the Colonies: The American colonies found immediate publishing Freedoms with printing press pamphlets and writings from American authors such as Captain John Smith, Thomas Ash, William Penn and others. Histories, poetry and Bibles (or Bible sections) were the most frequently published. At this same time, England continued to restrict their printing by confining the presses to four locations where the government could monitor what was produced.

One of the first African American authors, Phillis Wheatley, published hephillis wheatleyr book—Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral—in 1773, three years before our Independence Day. She was born in Senegal (West Africa), sold into slavery at age seven, brought to American and was purchased by a Boston merchant. By age 16, she spoke fluent American-English and began writing poetry. Even though George Washington told her “the style and manner [of your poetry] exhibit a striking proof of your great poetical talents,” Wheatley still had to defend herself in court to prove that she’d written her book. This event became possibly the first “court recorded” recognition of African-American literature.

More Recently: Esmat Qaney of Afghanistan is a  novelist and short story writer. Because his work was judged “hostile” by the Afghan government, copies of it were burned, and Qaney was forced to flee from his country (1980) and subsequently settled in Pakistan. Then again, after publishing a collection of his short stories (Send Charity, God Bless You), the new authorities in Afghanistan—the Taliban—found that book to be “an insult” and decreed that Qaney and his publisher were “apostates.” All available copies were seized and burned. As far as I was able to research, Qaney remains in hiding, leaving his family behind.

In China, Wang Yiliang, a poet and essayist was involved in underground literary activities (1980s). He was kept under constant surveillance, was regularly interrogated and jailed, and he was banned from publishing any of his works. By early 2000, Wang was arrested for “disrupting social order” and sentenced to two years of “re-education through labor.”

And if you’re a writer in North Korea today, your chances of being published are practically zero. One “fiction” novel has been smuggled out, title: The Accusation, Forbidden Stories From Inside North Korea by Bandi (pseudonym). Kirkus Review says that this novel is, “Of more journalistic and sociological than literary interest, without the inventiveness of recent writing [techniques] south of the 38th parallel—but still an important document of witness.”

And so it must be. Writers who feel the palpable heartbreak of hundreds, thousands, millions of others, must tell the world what is happening whether through fiction, non-fiction or poetry. It is only through the courage and tenacity of such authors that Franklin D. Roosevelt’s hopes can be realized. He once wrote that he looks forward to a world founded on the essential human FREEDOMS and “the first is freedom of speech and expression.”

Returning to thoughts of my own FREEDOMS here in these United States of America, I am so thankful that what I write can and will be published, when I decide to publish. I will continue writing until I can write no more, and when I’m no longer able, maybe someone will pull out a desk-drawer manuscript of mine and publish it for me. I believe this is the deep desire of all creative artists. It is yours? Do something about it today. Write! Publish! …and write some more! ⚓︎

 

Royalene

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 Marketing, Kelly Speaks, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Uncategorized

Easy Breezy Summer Publishing (Part 4)

future forecast

As the summer draws to a late middle, it’s time to ask some of the tough questions—questions about the future for you and other self-publishing authors looking to market your books.

So, what is the general outlook for self-publishing in terms of independence?

Everyone seems to have an opinion.

Lorraine Candy, interviewed for The Guardian, thinks that “There is enough evidence to prove that there will be print, and it will continue to be in many forms and be available in many places,” and that the future “will be about working in a much more collaborative, better and bespoke way.” Sounds neat. The Guardian‘s other interviewees have a lot to say about journalism (understandably) and the “disruption” created by social media.

Meanwhile, over at the 2017 London Book Fair, industry vet and the executive director of a publishing business, Kristen McLean writes that “one thing we do know: there is no going back. People now integrate technology seamlessly into their lives, and they do whatever makes the most sense to them as they pursue their goals in a particular moment.” So—disruption isn’t all bad, and we don’t at this point in time have to pick a side in the ongoing Print vs. Digital debate. Says McLean:

The passion of the individual organizes [their] pattern of investigation, not necessarily the content creator. In fact, the most exciting examples of this type of consumption are not usually the product of a single creator or company, and seem to take on a life of their own. (For instance, are you aware of the current slime frenzy? Google it.)

All the same, children’s media and audio—particularly cross-platform audio, available in analog and digital forms—are on the rise. If you’re looking to market a self-publishing book this year, you’ll need to pay attention to the buzzwords associated with these trends. Check out the Publisher’s Weekly article for more!

Jason Illian of Digital Book World begs to disagree—or at the very least, to take a different tack from these other pieces. In an article titled, somewhat snarkily, “The (Real) Future of Publishing” he writes that “Everything being said about the state of publishing is (relatively) true—but not everything that is true is being said, as there are data points and trends being left out of the broad discussion.” What isn’t being said? He cites major shifts at institutions as diverse as Penguin Random House, Wal*Mart, Barnes & Noble, and public libraries as representing a growing confidence in digital, despite talk about plateaus and slow-downs. Says Illian:

When a new technology gets talked up and fails to fundamentally change everything in a short amount of time, the conversation turns negative. But that doesn’t mean change is over. It is the pause in the action, the short breath of time where most traditional firms tout their belief that disruption is over, only to soon find out that real change has just begun. What we are experiencing rather is just the break between the waves. And the next wave could forever change publishing.

Lastly, Justin Pang of Tech Crunch has his own take. Says Pang, “The playing field is starting to level between the most-savvy traditional publishers and top digital native publishers.” This is good news for indie and self-publishing authors looking to break into a crowded market, although Pang’s primary interest is with companies like Netflix and Gawker. It does seem clear, however, that as messaging apps overtake social media for the highest number of user hits per month, that we may need to shift how and where we market our books. As publishing races to catch up to this particular shift, smaller and more nimble indies may finally find themselves on an even playing field.

It’s time to get savvy and experiment with some of these trends. How will you go about marketing in a post-digital, rapidly changing world? We’d love to hear from you; simply drop us a line in the comments section below!

Thank you for reading!  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 from one indie, hybrid, and self-published author to another. ♠

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
Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week, Uncategorized, weekly self published book review

Tuesday Book Review: “The Silver Moon”

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:

the silver moon sadie wheaton charita padilla

The Silver Moon: Sadie Wheaton

by Charita Padilla

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432798611

Synopsis*:

This book is about Sadie and her three friends, who are very interested to do magic of their own experience. But they are curious: how to do it? What would work or not? Sir Winterland knows that one of the girls does have a very special gift in her and also knows that her parents had been experimenting with the Witchcrafts durnig their lives. Sir Winterland decides to invite Sadie and her three friends to attend his school and to learn an exciting experiment that they never knew before. This story is about Magic, Excitement, Adventure and many sensational feelings. You may see it clearly.

 * courtesy of Amazon.com

Featured Review:

Sadie Wheaton and her three friends have always been close, but they’ve bonded even more strongly during their experiences together in Wizard School.

Now in their third year, young Sadie discovers that she has a rare gift … she can cast a very special spell.

Sadie’s talent is noticed by someone who does not have her best interests at heart … someone who wants to control Sadie and use her gifts for selfish gain.

The Silver Moon is a funny, suspenseful, enchanting story that will have you on the edge of your seat, and eagerly anticipating the next book in the series.

reviewed by Beth of Beth’s Book Reviews

 

Here’s what some other reviewers are saying:

I think it is very detailed. I love their expressions in the book and it is really funny and serious; at points my son actually likes it too cause they’re talking about wizard school and I think he thinks it reminds him of Wizards of Waverly Place in a way, so he has been wanting me to read it more and more and I am enjoying it so far, and I usually don’t read books but this one I must say is very funny and serious and is really well. I hope you guys enjoy it; I’m only on page 52 but I’m a mom taking care of a boy by myself, so, but he has been showing interest in the book and he’s only 6yrs . I hope you guys check it out and buy it I know I’m glad I did 🙂

– Amazon Reviewer Lins B

No one likes to be used, as tempting as it can often seem. “The Silver Moon” is a novel of fantasy, following third year wizard Sadie Wheaton as she finds that she has her own special magical talents, but there are those who want to use her for their own selfish purposes, and Sadie must confide in her friends to keep her will her own. “The Silver Moon” is a riveting read for young adult fantasy readers, much recommended.

– Buhl’s Bookshelf at the Midwest Book Review

Book Trailer

tuesday book review

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

Self Publishing Advisor

selfpubicon1