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

Tuesday Book Review: “Cursed”

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:

cursed jeanne blanchet

cipa evvy merit

Cursed

by Jeanne Blanchet, PhD

ISBN: 9781478747901

Synopsis*:

The year is 394 CE. Christianity has recently been declared Rome’s state religion, and the empire’s pagan temples are being shut down. When Christian Princess Serena accompanies Theofilus, a young priest, to oversee the closing of Vesta’s sanctuary, she pilfers a necklace from the statue of a goddess, inciting the head Vestal to call a horrific curse down on her and her family. Cursed traces the remainder of Serena’s life as she wonders if the curse will destroy her completely and attempts to cope with her gradually rising desperation. Meanwhile, Father Theofilus embarks on a lifelong quest to find the priceless antique Palladium, which had been housed in the sanctuary and which he plans to donate to the Church as a means of furthering his ecclesiastical career. Stilicho, Alaric, Theodosius I, Bishops Ambrose and Augustine, and Saint Jerome are among the fascinating individuals who return to life in this historical fiction thriller. Their exciting adventures are set against the background of the fall of the once-mighty Roman Empire, the rise of Christianity, and the mass migrations characteristic of Europe’s turbulent fourth and fifth centuries.

 * courtesy of Amazon.com

Featured Review

Jeanne Blanchet’s “Cursed” is an epic historical account of Christianity’s strong entrance into Roman culture, and how religion came to be more absolute than the power of even the emperors.

Christian Princess Serena and a young priest and aspiring Bishop of Rome, Presbyter Theofilus, make up two of the principal characters in the cast. Serena is pampered and used to living a life of luxury.  While her heart is often in the right place, she is easily misguided, however, by material aspirations and the beauty and allure of things, like jewelry.  Presbyter Theofilus started out as a promising young military prospect but turned his sights on the Church when religious traditions in Rome became overrun by Christian teachings and power.  What these two young people learned during their years, as did every other Roman citizen and intruder, was that Christianity’s power was to be stronger than anything else.

“Cursed” starts out strongly and is filled with rich details and obvious research.  The terminology which the author inputs into the story represents long hours of academic study, which help produce an authentic picture of Rome in its final century.  While the details remain strong throughout the novel, the pace staggers a bit as the story progresses.  It seemed that the author’s aspirations for the novel almost became a little too broad.  Whereas the synopsis of the book intimates at the book being about a young woman being evilly cursed by one of the remaining pagan priestesses, or Vestals, of Rome, and about Presbyter Theofilus’s journey to find the antique Palladium, these storylines become a little blurred.

While most of “Cursed” takes place toward the end of the 4th century CE, there are various chapters that almost randomly go back in time 30, 40, or 50 years.  One contains details about the coming of the Goths, while another provides backstory on the current Bishop of Rome.  While the historical details are strong, the context of why these chapters are included in the midst of the main story is lost.  I think the too-broad aspirations and outlook for the plot ended up overshadowing the intended theme and main point of the book, albeit unintentionally.

I am not sure I would consider this a read for the general audience.  The historical and technical terms may make the prose seem a little dense and hard to understand.  I am a history student and an aspiring historian, so the inclusion of the historical facts was perfectly normal, easy to understand, and even exciting to me, but it may pose as a barrier for those who aren’t as historically inclined.

“Cursed” certainly shows a lot of promise as a work of heavily research historical fiction.  The idea for the story is unique and captivating, and the characters are unique enough to make you want to know what happens to them by the end of the book.  In the end, “Cursed” by Jeanne Blanchet is a great example to aspiring writers of how important structure, pacing, and context are in contributing to the overall understanding, execution, and package that is a novel.

– reviewed by Megan Weiss on Reader Views

Other Reviews

History come to life.

The author has taken the historical account of early Christianity and the fall of Rome and woven together a most descriptive narrative to bring the events to life.

– reviewed by Nancy Redmond on Amazon

This book has inspiring attention to detail and emotional depth. The knowledge and research that went into the writing of Cursed has made it a real page turner that pulls you right in and won’t let you put it down.

– reviewed by MacLennan on Amazon

 

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

Self Publishing Advisor

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news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Self-Publishing, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 10.22.2018 – Publishing Trends Roundup

october month

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically regarding publishing trends within the publishing industry, and their implications for all authors!

We’ve written in the past on this latest trend, in which media engines like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon have been looking to self-publishing platforms such as Wattpad for their source material; previously, Hulu had tapped the Wattpad piece The Kissing Booth for translation into the visual medium. Now it’s Light as a Feather’s turn, a soon-to-be-ten-episode horror story originally by author Zoe Aarsen. This article, from Forbes contributor Adam Rowe, chronicles the process through which this story has gone since its publication. Aarsen is an ardent supporter of self-publishing, having joined Wattpad in 2012 “specifically because she was interested in self-publishing and ‘Wattpad seemed like a great way to build an audience.’ ‘When I posted chapters for the first time,'” she told Rowe, she “‘became really excited by receiving feedback from readers all over the world, and so quickly!'” Self-publishing’s timeliness and responsiveness has long been touted as one of its strengths, and it’s certainly one which has paid off for Light as a Feather, and Wattpad certainly seems to be having a moment as well, according to Rowe: “As the biggest and buzziest media companies continue to realize that books are the simplest medium for IP acquisition, Wattpad’s uniquely data-driven artistic approach seems to make the most sense.” We’ll leave the final judgment call up to you, but if you’re interested in serialized fiction, this is a must-read piece!

The grand Good E Reader is showing up for the industry again, as this article from contributor Mercy Pilkington demonstrates. In analyzing several reports from Publishers Weekly and Bowker, Pilkington crunches the numbers and comes up with a summary: “To correlate the numbers, the number of ISBN-assigned self-published ebooks has been dropping steadily–a fact that makes for really good soundbites from publishing industry conference stages–but the number of self-published books is still growing.” Which is a nice and straightforward way of saying: don’t trust the numbers from industry titans whose stranglehold on ISBNs is no longer universal, and whose expensive services an increasing number of self-publishing authors are learning to circumvent. The numbers that matter–and that can be tracked–are giving us far more good news than bad, Pilkington indicates, proving once more that self-publishing is in no way, as it was originally predicted to be, just a “flash in the pan.” Check out her full article!

Last but not least, we bring you some more of those very good numbers! This report comes to us courtesy of Books + Publishing, one of Australia’s premiere news sources for global industry data. This report, published less than two weeks ago, also digs into the Bowker report indicated above–an annual report covering worldwide publishing and self-publishing statistics–and highlights several other important details not touched on in depth by Pilkington. But first! The raw data. The report indicates that “Self-publishing in the US grew by 28% between 2016-2017, with a total of 1,009,188 self-published titles in 2017, up from 786,935 in 2016 with 8% growth from 2015-2016.” This is good news all-around for readers and writers in the industry, with unparalleled volume of reading material promoting the production of higher-quality material, as well. (As is indicated by the increased tendency of media engines in picking up self-published material for adaptation!) B+P agrees with Pilkington that the decrease in ISBNs issued has more to do with authors skipping that process altogether and the diversification of publishing paths–Wattpad is now considered a viable alternative to Amazon, as is the growing stable of quality indie and self-publishing companies–than it does with any decrease in self-publishing overall. Keep publishing, ya’all! You’re doing great things!

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.

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Alternative Marketing Methods, Book Marketing, elizabeth speaks, Holiday Marketing Alchemy, in your corner, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Uncategorized

The Alchemy of Holiday Marketing (Part I)

alchemy ingredients

In my last post, I introduced the idea that marketing—specifically marketing as regards self-published books—is a kind of alchemy. Alchemy, of course, has a lot of meanings or connotations, but we’ll be running with this definition from Merriam-Webster: “a power or process that changes or transforms something in a mysterious or impressive way.” Which then means that an alchemist is someone who is the agent of that transformation. Merriam-Webster, for the record, has some lovely historical notes on the history of the term’s evolution, including:

alchemy alchemist

You, dear author, are an alchemist. And your marketing plan can really benefit from approaching the process with that in mind. Alchemy is all about transformation, and transformation requires something to be transformed. Which begs the question (as we foreshadowed last week):

What do you have or bring to the table as an author that’s special?

The answer (which is, of course, “a lot”) shapes what comes next. All authors share the same fundamental ingredients: a manuscript (published or yet to be published), a method, and a vision. But each of those three components will be shaded by your personal approach, interests, and unique voice. And they are the base material upon which your marketing must perform its alchemy in order to introduce your book to its ideal readers.

This is where I recommend taking a leaf out of the bullet journaling page, or out of accounting’s reliance on spreadsheets. It doesn’t particularly matter what medium you use to take stock, but take stock you must, and create a baseline record of what you’re already doing. Sit down and diagram your day. What all bits and pieces of your day are related to the writing and marketing process? Do you already use social media for personal communication? How about email and newsletters and listservs? What part of your day or week do you carve out for creation, and the writing of new material? Once you’ve taken stock of several weeks in a row, you’ll start to see patterns emerge, and you’ll get a good sense of what the outliers are. (i.e. Maybe you spend one whole day browsing Netflix because you’re bored or frustrated and need escape. That’s fine … but that’s probably not a typical day. It’s an outlier and while you must make allowance for the ongoing existence of outlier days in your life, you don’t want to let them define or move your average.)

habit tracker

Many authors make the mistake of thinking that marketing is a one-size-fits all system, and that every recommendation made out there on the Internet will apply to their specific situation … and that’s just not the way of things, sometimes. Rather than starting with a list of marketing ideas and trying to apply them all at once or without alteration, start with your existing habits and see where you’re at, and what sorts of rhythms might work with your habits. You may already doing things that are the perfect platform for marketing, and you may already lead a life that makes certain marketing strategies redundant, inapplicable, or unlikely to succeed without significant cost (in time and energy as well as money). Diagram your days, make note of your habits, and then—only then—can you move on to the next question.

What is that question? Next week, we’ll get into it.

Do you have ideas to share? Please don’t hesitate to drop us a line in the comments section, and I’ll make sure to feature your thoughts and respond to them in my next post!

You are not alone. ♣︎

Elizabeth

ABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Director of Sales and Marketing for Outskirts Press. The Sales and Marketing departments are composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, customer service reps and book marketing specialists; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Elizabeth Javor can put you on the right path.

 

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

Tuesday Book Review: “Banister – Raiders of Santa Fe: An American Frontier Adventure Novel”

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:

Banister - Raiders of Santa Fe Kent Courtney

cipa evvy merit

Banister – Raiders of Santa Fe:
An American Frontier Adventure Novel

by Kent Courtney

ISBN: 9781478779995

Synopsis*:

It seemed that Banister blood was destined to wander, starting with the earliest of settlers in the original colonies. This desire to see what was beyond the mountains or the sea flowed like a curse through their veins, pushing them on… In the third installment of the popular Banister Ranch Series, we discover what it was like to travel into unknown regions of the western frontier as an early settler. Spending months riding in a hot, crowded, bone-jarring covered wagon was only part of the challenge. A shaky treaty with some of the Indian tribes opened the Santa Fe trail for travelers, but nothing guaranteed their safety or insured their success as they struggled not only to survive, but to build a ranch during a violent and dangerous time in American history. Banister-Raiders of Santa Fe blends American history with the saga of a fictional family, the Banisters, revealing what it was like to face multiple, seemingly insurmountable challenges and surviving against all odds on the frontier. The series offers relevant, realistic historical fiction with real places and events woven into exciting storylines that will resonate with the modern reader.

 * courtesy of Amazon.com

Featured Amazon Reviews

Wonderful book!! I am looking forward to “Banister-Outlaws of the Badlands.” I have loved this series and each book is better than the last.

– reviewed by Maria on Amazon

Best in the series so far. Well written and it held my attention throughout the whole book. We will be looking forward to his next book.

– reviewed by Sherrie on Amazon

AWESOME!!!!!

I love this book. Can’t wait to read the next in the series.

– reviewed by Linda C. on Amazon

 

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

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Book Reviews, news from the self publishing world, outskirts press, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 10.15.2018 – New Releases!

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically new releases written by self-publishing authors and published by independent presses! Today we’ll be featuring brand-new releases in the Outskirts Press Bookstore!

If you are looking for a gritty period redemption story, this may just be the book for you. Set in a 1930s port city somewhere in the South, it features Joseph Curcio–homeless, disillusioned, recovering alcoholic–and Amanda, his former student,  who gives him shelter. Their platonic friendship gives him the stability to heal and a foundation upon which to resurrect his career in the writing of a diary–a diary he hopes to use to confront and understand his own failures, and recover his sense of self. Despite his best efforts, though, it seems as though his project is doomed to failure, and that the flaws which brought him down the first time will do so once more. Portrait in Broken Glass is written in sharp and incisive prose, with all the humor, humanity, and realism of the best fiction out there.

As a Marriage and Family Therapist with a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology, Lari Kathleen Quinn specialized in domestic violence treatment and prevention–and her expertise shows! Teddy O’Brien, the protagonist of Kiss the Doors, finds herself stranded and struggling to get by in South Dakota when a road trip with her fiancé ends in tragedy. Later a witness to a domestic violence incident and surrounded by hostile strangers, Teddy begins to seek help–and begins to understand more about her own past as a survivor of domestic violence. As she slowly begins to rebuild her life and emerge from her depression, things in town take a sudden unexpected turn (or two!). This book is full of heart and, like Portrait in Broken Glass, finds its feet in a voice of sincerity and insight.

As the season begins when we must close down and mulch our own gardens for the winter, Debra Hester chronicles the days leading up to her mother’s death, and seeks to paint a portrait of all of the wisdom she left behind even while showing, in unflinching prose, the challenges remaining for those left behind: fear, anger, grief, and loss. Debra sets much of the book in the family garden as she grapples with all of those things and more, seeking healing in the beautiful backyard garden which was their shared legacy. A powerful, if heartbreaking tale, My Backyard Garden doesn’t flinch away from the difficulties of loss, but it ends on a hopeful note–reflecting the healing which is ultimately to be found in shared memories and a life well lived.

Last but certainly not least, we couldn’t close out this week’s new releases without mentioning Gabriel F.W. Koch’s latest book: And Comes Day’s End. Koch’s credentials are stellar: winner of the 2004 L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Award, winner of the 2016 CIPA EVVY Award for Fiction/Science Fiction and Merit Award recipient in 2018, finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Award in Science Fiction and Mystery, a nominee for the 2017 CIPA EVVY awards, and the second-place winner of the Outskirts Press Best Book of the Year award, Koch knows his stuff. This book features a new and compelling voice for Koch, and centers on Michael McKaybees, a private investigator working in New York’s five boroughs. When his best friend is killed and he himself is implicated in the murder, McKaybees must fight to clear his name by investigating the city’s criminal elements as well as its most preeminent citizens–all before he himself is locked away for crimes he did not commit. Murder gets personal in this great new mystery, and it’s a definite must-read for longtime Koch fans!

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.

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